Nigerian observer 20 08 2014

THE NIGERIAN

The Nigerian

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol . 39 NO.060 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014 . N 100.00

Oshiomhole swears-in Governing Councils of Tertiary Institutions today

NEW HORION Page 20

Regulating sex in marriage

BENIN CITY- The inauguration of the Governing Council, College of Agriculture, Iguorhiakhi; Governing Council, Institute of

Management & Technology, Usen and Governing Council, College of Education, Igueben earlier scheduled to hold at

1:00pm on Wednesday, August 20, 2014 will now hold at 3:00pm same day.

Venue of the swearingin according to a statement by the Chief

Press Secretary to the Governor, Peter Okhiria is the Banquet Hall, Government House, Benin City. Guests the statement adds are to be seated by 2:30pm.

Nigeria has 17m housing deficit - FG

PLACE OF PRAYER

Page 21

Why do you do the things you do?

ABUJA - The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Bala Mohammed, yesterday said the nation had a housing deficit of 17 million.

Mohammed said this at the commissioning of 49 growth of the FCT. The minister urged the mass housing units built

by Abuja Investment company to always Company Limited (AICL) deliver its mandate on time to be able to bridge in Apo Dutse, Abuja.

The minister, the housing deficit in represented by the Abuja.

“This land mark Permanent Secretary, FCT, Mr Obinna achievement by AICL is Chukwu, said the FCT commendable and we had 75 per cent of the urge them to continue to deliver in their mandate deficit.

“The housing deficit in of delivering quality mass to Abuja Nigeria is 17 million and housing Abuja has 75 per cent residents,” he said.

The Chairman of the shot of this; but with efforts of companies like company, Mr Austin said the AICL, the deficit can be Okpara, bridged,’’ the minister company would operate as an international said.

Mohammed described competitor in the FCT the projects as a land and beyond.

“What we have now is mark achievement.

He commended staff a re-invigorated AICL and management of the ready to do business and company for living up to ready to deliver on our expectations and business and investment promoting the economic mandate, and what you are seeing here today is

an indication of how prepared we are,’’ he said.

Okpara appealed to the Federal Capital Territory

Administration (FCTA) to make land available to the company to enable them build more of such

estates.

In his remarks, Dr Musa Musa, the Group Managing Director of

the company, said the project, which was initiated two years ago, was comparable to other housing estates in advanced countries.

“All can attest that few estates can compete with this estate in terms of construction, design and Continues on page 2

Cleric calls for prayers to end Ebola ABUJA - Sheikh Suleiman Bibire, the Chief Imam of Tudunwada Central Mosque, Lugbe, Abuja, yesterday urged Nigerians to intensify prayers to stop the spread of Ebola virus.

Bibire, who made the call in a telephone interview with newsmen in Abuja, said prayer was the only weapon that could salvage the situation.

He called on Nigerian leaders, irrespective of

their religious, ethnic and socio-political differences to turn to God in the present situation. “ With prayers and sincerity, Ebola will be controlled in no distant time. “ In every condition or situation we find ourselves; whether in our community or in the country, prayer is the key to solving problem facing the society,” he said.

TIT BIT

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

- Mother Teresa

Bibire, however, urged Muslim leaders to educate their followers on the symptoms and mode of infection to avoid contacting the disease.

He also called on the Continues on page 2

WORKSHOP: L-R: Chairman, Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega exchanging views with UNDP DGD Project Director Mountada Dene at a 3-day workshop organised

by INEC in collaboration with Democratic Governance for Project Development (DGD) for Nigerian Politics held in Abuja yesterday. Photo: OMOYE AMINU.

Apprehend perpetrators, Knights tell Anambra govt Church Demolition:

NTEJE (Anambra)The Knights of St. Christopher, Diocese on the Niger of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), have urged the Anambra Government to fish out those behind the demolition of the Ebenezer Anglican Church under

construction at OyoluOze, Nkwellle–Ezunaka, near Oniitsha.

Dr Ike Okonkwo, the President of the Council of Knights made the call at

approved the promotion of six Assistant Inspectors-General of

The promotions were announced in a statement issued by the

Nteje in Oyi Local addressing his colleagues Government Area of the and members of the state yesterday while Continues on page 2

Police Commission elevatesstatement, 6 AIGs the six AIGs ABUJA - The Police Police (AIGs) and two promoted to DIGs are Service Commission Commissioners of Police to DIGs (PSC) yesterday to new ranks. c o m m i s s i o n ’ s Messrs Dan’Azumi spokesman, Ferdinand Ekpe.

According to

Mr

the

Doma; Mamman Tsafe; David Omojola; Continues on page 2

THE NIGERIAN

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

News South African Politicians, Groups salute fallen CAPE TOWN - South added.

Marijuana-smoking MP heThe Africa’s leading politicians South African Depression yesterday paid tribute to former MP, Mario Ambrosini, who committed suicide in Cape Town at the Weekend after a long battle with cancer.

The family of the 53 years old politician said “This is a positive and very conscious decision on his part. He did not want to suffer anymore, nor did his family too,’’.

“His decision is made not out of weakness, fear or despair, but from his courage or determination to be the final decision-maker concerning his own fate,”they said.

Ambrosini made world headlines earlier this year when he lobbied for the use

of medical marijuana, claiming that it had helped him fight his illness.

During debate on President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address earlier this year, he urged Zuma and his government to decriminalise the medical use of marijuana.

“I’m speaking to you today somehow as a changed man, not to oppose, but to plead with you to provide the laws on behalf of many people in my condition who do not have a voice,” he said.

The official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) said Ambrosini was courageous

enough to leave his friends with tasks in his unfinished agenda for change in South Africa.

Wilmot James, one of his political friends said “We will honour his legacy by continuing on this journey, Mario will be remembered for his unparalleled contribution to Parliament and the defence of our freedom and the Constitution’’.

“From immigration law, to refugee protection law, from electoral reform and the fight against the secrecy bill, Mario has made South Africa and our young democracy better,”

and Anxiety Support Group yesterday said last week’s tragic suicide of Robin Williams has sent ripples around the country.

They said suicidal depression involves pain, sadness and hopelessness that was impossible to describe.

According to the group, when aggravated with stress, alcohol or drug abuses the risk of suicide increases greatly.

“We are of the opinion that, there was no hope, no point, shame and nothing to look forward to,” the group noted.

The group said that South Africa experiences 23 suicides and 230 attempted suicides every day.

Gas shortage hinders effective power supply - IPMAN

LAGOS - The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) yesterday said that sustained shortage of gas had remained a major threat to sustainable electricity power supply in the country.

The National President of IPMAN, Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo, made the assertion in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

Okoronkwo said that

power privatisation in the country would have yielded positive results if the various power plants had adequate gas supply.

He, however, said that in spite of the gas challenge, some areas in the country had started enjoying 18hour uninterrupted power supply.

He noted that new investments in the power

sector, including procurement of equipment by the investors and upgrade of infrastructure were contributing to the improved power supply in parts of the country.

Okoronkwo appealed for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in its original context to open up the oil and gas sector so that jobs would be created to mitigate the

country’s growing unemployment.

“I appeal to the relevant stakeholders and credible organisations like NUPENG, IPMAN and Petroleum Trust Development Fund to prevail on the National Assembly to pass the Bill with clear separation of policy formulation, regulation and operation roles.

“When the oil and gas sectors are opened up, jobs will be created to take care of the teeming unemployed population,” he said.

Minister commends state governments on ABUJA - The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban land provision for mass housing Development, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi, yesterday commended some state governments on the provision of land for the 10,000 housing units under the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja, Eyakenyi said so far 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had made available land for the takeoff of the project.

“We are encouraged by the positive response from the state governments in respect of the provision of unencumbered land for the project.

“Already, we have identified available land in 14 states of

Cleric calls for prayers

Continued from page 1 Federal Government and relevant agencies to continue to isolate victims of the virus to avert further casualties.

The religious leader also advised government to liaise with the international community for assistance in its quest to tackle the virus.

He said people should avoid traveling to countries where the virus is prevalent, adding, “if you know where such virus is, there is no point going there, since it is highly contagious and spreads fast. ‘ Those in the affected areas should not be allowed to travel to other countries to avoid spreading the virus”.

the federation and the FCT for the takeoff of the project,’’ she said.

The minister said an interim report detailing the priority for the realisation of the project had been prepared.

According to her, the interim report will be considered and adopted in the next few days.

Eyakenyi urged competent developers and builders to respond to advertisement for expression of interest to participate in the project.

She said developers and builders would be evaluated under transparent and wellarticulated system of eligibility criteria to create a level playing field for stakeholders.

Eyakenyi said the ministry had developed a framework to conduct a national housing survey to determine whether Nigerians were adequately housed or not.

She said the survey would help ascertain the number of housing deficit in the country.

The minister said a pilot study would be carried out in the FCT and another state to symbolise the best and worst housing scenario so as to determine the extent of housing deficit.

Eyakenyi said a ministerial committee had been set up to take inventory and audit of all federal housing and landed property.

“The objective is to update our data base on all federal lands and landed property in the country in order to free underutilised lands for development.

“It will also optimise the use of all federal government landed property and the report of the committee will be

considered on Thursday,’’ she said.

Eyakenyi said a revised national building code was being finalised to ensure quality and standard in the housing and urban development sector.

She expressed the ministry’s willingness to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure strict

enforcement of the code after its approval.

“We are regulating the practice of real estate in Nigeria to check unwholesome practices and rapid deterioration of estates across the country,’’ she said.

The minister said efforts were being made after a meeting with stakeholders to restore Festac Town to its past glory.

Police Commission elevates 6 Continued from page 1 AIGs to DIGs Solomon Arase; Christopher Katso and Salihu Hashidu.

The statement said that the promotions took effect from August 19.

The statement restated that promotions from the ranks of ACPs to AIGs would, however, only be done after the affected officers passed the prescribed interview.

It also said the time limit within which aggrieved police officers could lodge complaints against punishment meted to them had been reviewed to thirty RECONCILIATION OF NAME I, Mrs. Osaigbovo Abundance wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person as Aimiele Augustina Osas and Irabor Augustina as appeared in my various documents. Henceforth, I am now properly known and addressed as Mrs. Osaigbovo Abundance. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

(30) days.

The statement also said aggrieved officers could appeal directly to the commission when action on its decision was not implemented by the police authorities.

Nigeria has 17m housing deficit

Continued from page 1 finishing”, he said.

Also speaking, Malam Yunusa Yakubu, the Managing Director of Lubell Nigeria Limited, the project contractor, said the 49 units of different housing types marked the beginning of the execution of another project.

AICL is a business and investment holding firm incorporated in 1994 as a limited liability company.

It is wholly owned by the FCTA with a mandate to facilitate business investment in the territory.

Eulogies as Usoh bags NANs Award

By VICTOR OMOALU BENIN CITY- It was eulogies galore for the Executive Director of the Edo State Board of Internal Revenue Service, Barr. Emmanuel Usoh as representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) conferred on him an award of excellence.

National Congress Secretary of NANS, Comrade Armstrong who led the team said the students decided to bestow the award on Usoh because of his immense contributions to humanity and the students community in particular.

Comrade Armstrong Ovie Afabor who noted that the association remains the umbrella body of all students in Nigeria and beyond with a population over 45 million stated that the present crop of leadership has been able to trend and advance the legacy left behind by the past leaders like Barr. Emma Usoh.

Comrade Ovie-Afabor, however, stated that the ceremony was aimed at thanking the recipient for his contribution towards the structures of NANS in the country and for opening the door for the upcoming ones. “ you have equally contributed to the massive turn around of

the state treasury which formed a compass of the resources upon which the development of Edo State is anchored, we have come to say that you are an epitome of success for emulation”, stated Ovie Afabor.

He therefore appealed to the recipient, Barr. Usoh to continue in his effort at contributing to the wellbeing of students in the country.

The recipient, Executive Director of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Barr.

Emmanuel Usoh thanked the association for the honour done him and dedicated the award to the Nigerian students as well as those who have paid the ‘supreme’ price for the sustenance of the student’s struggle and for the emancipation of the society.

He lamented the plight of the Nigerian students, saying that even those who were products of the struggle and are occupying public positions are those increasing the school fees.

He described the students as the leaders of future generation, urging them to use their offices to woo government towards catering for the Nigerian students, just as he pleaded with Barr. Usoh to always play his role as a foremost frontliner of the association if called upon anytime.

Edo Line Workers blast PDP Chairman, back Chief Adun

By LUCKY EFESE BENIN CITY- The Workers of Edo Line have re-affirmed their confidence in the leadership of Chief Dr. John Osamede Adun JP, the Ayobahan of Benin Kingdom and a transport guru as the sole administrator, to take the first premier transport company to the next level even as they carpeted Edo State PDP Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih over his comments on Adun’s appointment.

Chief Adun, was recently appointed by the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to resuscitate the Edo Line after it was closed down in 2010.

Edo Line workers through Mr. Josiah Osazuwa, while reacting to the inflammatory remarks credited to a stalwart of the opposition party, PDP in the state, over the appointment of the Benin based transporter, as the sole administrator by the state government.

Mr. Osazuwa noted that the workers of Edo Line, has risen to defend the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer of Bob Izua Motors Limited, a private transport company which has immensely contributed to the economic development of the state and pledged their support for him to succeed in his herculean task of taking the company to the next level.

He stated that Chief Adun is a well refined Benin Chief, whose experience in the transport industry cannot be undermined by sentiments and that he is a wealthy man, who has the desire to uplift the poverty standard of the workers to a greater height.

He said that Chief Adun was appointed on merit as the right person to revamp the transport company and enhance the revenue base of

the state government with a view to building on the existing legacies and not to enrich himself.

The workers pointed out that, the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole has made a progressive step among others in the state by appointing a man with focus and vision, whose feat in the transport industry had been recorded as a milestone to the economic progress of the state.

The workers, who flayed the call to cancel the appointment, however, recounted how transporters in other states have been appointed to take charge of the state transport companies and particularly made reference to Delta State where a very prominent transporter, Chief Agofure, was appointed to manage Delta Line Transport Company and that since he took over the mantle of leadership, the fleet of Buses had increased from strength to strength in the state, thereby increasing the revenue bases of the Delta State government.

They further disclosed how, Chief Goddy Edosa was appointed by the PDP administration of Chief Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion, as Governor of Edo State to handle Edo Line Transport Company and that Chief Izua’s case cannot be exceptional.

The Edo Line workers, therefore advised the PDP Chairman not to cry wolf over the appointment and urged him and his party to focus towards winning next elections in the state if need be.

The workers, however, expressed gratitude to Governor Oshiomhole for choosing Chief Adun as the right person with unrivaled pedigree to man the exalted position and assured of their unflinching support towards returning the transport company to its pride of place as number one transport company in Nigeria.

THE NIGERIAN

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

News BEDC Assures Sapele Customers Of Improved Service

SAPELE (Delta) Following the frequent interruption and epileptic supply of electricity in Sapele in Delta State and environs in the past months and the subsequent public outburst over the services, the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) franchising Sapele has assured electricity consumers of improved services.

In a forum at the weekend, BEDC assured that billing by estimation, load sharing and other inconsistencies hindering effective distribution of electricity in the area will soon be a thing of the past.

The Distribution Company’s Manager in Sapele Business Unit, Engr. F. A. Orhukpe gave the assurance at the Sapele power sector stakeholders’ meeting, with apology and a challenge to consumers to continue to

exercise faith in the company’s ability to do better in its services to BEDC customers.

The stakeholders highlighted some of the challenges they face in their homes and businesses to include distribution of ‘crazy’ bills, epileptic power supply, load sharing, and lamented that business owners have been forced to rely more on power generating sets while still subjected to pay outrageous bills for unconsumed power.

They therefore challenged the BEDC management to ensure that electricity bills are modest or at least commensurate with customers’ consumption.

The business manager while assuaging aggrieved stakeholders, disclosed that more transformers have already been procured and

provided to cover Amukpe, Ogorode and other affected areas in Sapele metropolis.

While attributing the high electricity bills to several factors including, non reading of meters, attempt to evade debt incurred overtime, illegal connections and estimated billing system, Engr. Orhukpe advised customers to always visit the company’s customer care unit to lodge complaints,

according to him, “I reiterate herein that over estimated bills will not be resolved totally now, until we sort out conditional problems”.

The Sapele power stakeholders’ meeting was aimed at getting feedback and creating good relationship between BEDC and its stakeholders, towards ensuring that customers’ needs and expectations are met.

Anglican Gram School Old Boys Condoles Late Member’s Family

By IKPONMWOBA OSAZEE JOEL, OMORODION LAWRENCE, OMEIZA ROBINSON BENIN CITY- The Old Boys Association of Anglican Grammar School Ujeolen Ekpoma, Edo State has paid a condolence visit to the family of late Hon. Clement Ehebha,

Pa Francis Ebomwonyi Goes Home BENIN CITY- The funeral ceremony of the late Social Philanthropist and Community Leader, Pa Francis Omorodion Ebomwonyi begins tomorrow August 20, 2014 with a vigil mass at his residence Obakpolor Street, Uzebu Quarters, Benin City.

Pa Ebomwonyi passed on at his residence after a brief illness. He is survived by a wife, Mrs. Ediagbonya Ebomwonyi, six

children and nineteen grandchildren. He was aged 84.

A statement signed by Engr.

Patrick Ebomwonyi on behalf of the Royal Ebomwonyi Ezomo family indicated that the remains of their late father will be lying in state at his residence on Thursday August 21, 2014.

The statement stated that requiem mass comes up on Friday at St Augustine’s Catholic Church, Ukhegie Street, Benin

City. Thereafter, internment of the late icon will be preceded with family rites.

It further stated that afternoon social dance will be held for him at his residence on Saturday while a thanksgiving service is billed for Sunday August 24, 2014 at St Augustine Catholic Church in Benin City at 10 am.

Late Pa Francis Omorodion Ebomwonyi

FG Commended For Dismantling Illegal Roadblocks ABUJA - Alhaji Najeem Yasin, the National President, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), yesterday commended the Federal Government for dismantling illegal roadblocks on the nation’s highways.

The National Economic Council (NEC) had on August14, directed the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, to dismantle illegal roadblocks on the nation’s highways.

The council said revenue collected from such roadblocks was not backed by law.

In a statement issued in Abuja by the Director of Information Services, NURTW, Mr Kefas Dogonyaro, Yasin also commended the federal government for improving the nation’s transport system.

He said the decision to remove the roadblocks was reached following complaints by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on multiple taxation across the country.

He said the illegal roadblocks had caused several accidents resulting to death of motorists, adding that it was also undermining transportation business in the country.

one of their members who died last week Tuesday in Benin City.

The Group was led by the President of the Benin Branch of the Association, Dr. Prince Shaka Momodu, in attendance were Mr. Felix Idiaklica, Mr. Fredrick Okoloise, Barr.

J.E. Omomhenle, Mr. Gabriel Akhanolu, Mr. Johnson Okosun, Mr. Friday Ihiengumwena, Barr.

Obamede and Mr. Ernest Ikhureigbe.

Dr. Prince Shaka Momodu on behalf of the Association thanked God for the life of their late member who was very active and vocal during his life time.

He noted that Ehebha while alive was a source of inspiration on to other members, stressing that his exit has created a vacuum which can not be filled by any one else.

He further expressed the Association’s willingness to participate fully in the funeral ceremony as a sign of gratitude to the late Ehebha.

Prayers was offered for the family by the Association led

by Barr. Omomhele who prayed God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss of their father as well as for God’s divine protection upon every member of the family.

Members of the Association could not hide their feelings as they eulogized the late Ehebha, saying he was a kind and generous man whose legacies can never be forgotten.

Spokesman for the family, Mr. Monday Ehebha thanked the group for identifying with the family in their time of grief and prayed God to remove any form of bad news in their family.

Widow of Hon. Ehebha, Mrs. Juliet Ehebha also appreciated the Association for coming, noting that her husband died last week after their usual morning devotion.

Late Hon. Clement Ehebha was a commissioner for Budget and Finance under Chief Lucky Igbinedion led administration and also the Special Adviser on Due Process in the Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor led government.

He was also Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Adams Oshiomhole led government in Edo State. He died at the age of 58.

The burial arrangement is yet to be announced by the family.

THE NIGERIAN

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Inside Edo HOS Tasks Public Servants On Writing Skills BENIN CITY- The Head of Service, Edo State, Mr. Ubaekemen Jerry Obazele has challenged officers in the employment of Edo State to develop their writing skills.

The Head of Service, Mr. Obazale gave the challenge in a message delivered on his behalf by the Permanent Secretary, Establishments, Mr. Alfred Omo Olaye in a seminar his office organized for senior officers in the state.

He stated that the organization of the one-day seminar whose theme is “Effective Communication Skills and Basic Techniques of Clear Writing in an Organisation’ was borne out of the need to equip the participants with the relevant techniques which could enhance their writing prowess.

Mr. Obazele disclosed that it is against the backdrop of poor writing proficiency of some officers in recent times which has

become a talking point in some public fora that necessitated the seminar.

The Head of Service

commended the State governor for his commitment towards building the capacity of all categories of workers in the Civil

Service. He also thanked the Organised Labour for their cooperation with the State Government which he attributed to the industrial

Adhere To Civil Service Rules, Workers Urged BENIN CITY- Participants at a one-day seminar on “Civil Service Rules and Regulations, Protocol in Dress, In Address, and In Attitude to Work in Government” have been urged to adhere to the rules and regulations guiding the civil service.

The Head of Service of Edo State, Mr. Igbaekemen Jerry Obazele who was ably represented by the Permanent Secretary, Directorate of Establishments, Training and Management Services, Mr. A.O. Olaye gave the advice while declaring the seminar open being organized by S.I.E. Investment and Associate in conjunction with the Directorate of Establishments, Training and Management Services.

Mr. Jerry Obazele emphasized that the one-day seminar was organized on the need to further re-awaken civil servants consciousness in the observation of the time tested service rules and regulations which regulate the conduct of officers in the service.

He said observations over the years have shown that some officers in the service now observe relevant rules and regulations guiding the conduct of officers more in breach than compliance, hence the relevance of the seminar.

Mr. Obazele, however, reminded that effectiveness and efficiency of civil servants largely depended on their acquaintance with the relevant rules and regulations and urged them to tap from the wealth of knowledge of the organizers.

The Head of Service also expressed his profound appreciation to the Edo State government under the dynamic leadership of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, Mni, CON for its commitment in ensuring quality service delivery through the training and re-training of all categories of staff in Edo State Public Service.

In his remark, Chairman, S.I.E. Investment and Associate Ltd,

Mr. Samuel Ekhator commended the present administration on its developmental strides and initiating policies and programmes geared to develop the state.

Mr. Ekhator noted that the seminar was’ apt• as the role of civil servants who he described as implementers of government policies cannot be overemphasized.

He commended the Head of Service and the Edo State government for their efforts at building capacity by providing training and re-training of its workforce to enhance the Productivity of the public service.

The Executive Director, Edo Sate Internal Revenue Service, Barr. Emmanuel Usoh (left) receiving the NANs Award of Excellence from Comrade Armstrong Ovie-Atabor, National Congress Secretary of the National Association of Nigeria Studetns (NAN) during the Award presentation ceremony in Benin City.

Child’s Right Law: NGO Boss Harps On Family

BENIN CITY- The founder and Chief Executive Officer of Society for The Empowerment of Young Persons, a non governmental, non political and non profitable organisation, based in Benin City, Ms Jennifer Ero, had advocated for the establishment of a family court for the diligent protection of child’s right in the society.

Ms. Ero made this assertion to The NIGERIA OBSERVER, Monday in her office in Benin City.

She noted that child’s rights had been violated without recourse to their status as the leaders of tomorrow by some self-centred humans in the larger society and opined that the establishment of family court would address the ugly trend of child abuse, human trafficking, family problems and prostitutions among other vices.

The NGO Boss, stressed that NGOs, most especially The Society For The Empowerment of Young Persons had played a predominant role in educating and orientating the young breeds especially the female children and has rehabilitated them for efficient leadership in the society.

She averred that the non existence of the Child’s Right Law had subjected them to various degree of abuses thereby ridiculing their parents.

Though she recounted poor parental background as one of the leading causes of there rots in the society, but urged the government at all levels and other stakeholders to collectively build a synergy to create policies and programmes that would be beneficial to the Nigeria children and beyond.

Jennifer Ero, however recommended the establishment of a rehabilitation home known as Transit shelter like the one her organisation had at Oko-Ogba axis across every nook and crannies in this country as a medium to reunite and orientate the children for positive change, just as she had urged other NGOs in the state to work in tandem with her policies and programmes to make child abuse an history in this country.

The fair skinned complexion administrator who flayed at the poverty levels of some parents however, charged the government at all levels to embrace the functions of the NGOs in the society and encourage them to remain steadfast and dogged in the fight against the child abuse.

She cited the recent kidnapped Chibok school girls, who had suffered an untold hardship in their captivity as a critical example of a child abuse, thereby subjecting them to psychological trauma.

Court

According to her, these innocent girls had been receiving different kinds of abuses in the hands of their captivators, who are not favourably disposed to the hues and sies of the concerned

citizens, especially the civil society members for the purposes of releasing them unhurt.

She therefore tasked the general public to always keep vigil and report any form of child’s abuse to the concerned authority for redress.

harmony existing in the State and called for its sustenance.

To the participants, the Head of Serve, Mr. Jerry Obazele called on them to actively participate in the seminar, saying that, that was the only way they can reap the fruits and thereafter reflect it in their writings.

To underscore the importance of the seminar to the State Government, he told the participants that he chose a retired Permanent Secretary to partner and jointly organised the seminar with the Office of the Head of Service.

Barr. Thomas Ulinfoh stated that if the Public Service of Edo State must key into the requirement for efficient and effective service delivery, the need to put in place effective communication strategy becomes imperative.

He thanked the Head of Service, Mr. Igbaekemen Jerry Obazele for the opportunity given to his organisation to impart on the communication skills of the Civil Servants in Edo State.

Papers presented at the seminar include “elements and channels of communication within an organisation”, delivered by Mr. Martins Usifo, “Basic techniques of clear writing”, delivered by Barr. Thomas Ulinfoh amongst others.

With the Head of Service, Mr. Obazele at the seminar were Mr. Sam Akhere Okpeaye, Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muhammed Ucheloa, Director of Training, Mrs. Mercy Okoh and Mr. Gilbert Adegboyega, Director of Administration and Suppliers.

Group photograph of members of the Edo State branch of the Old boys Association of Anglican Grammar School, Ekpoma after a condolence visit to the family of one of their members Late Hon. Clement Ehebha. Photo: SOLOMON ENAIGBE.

Cleric Rekindles Hope Of Less Privileged

By VICTOR OMOALU The hope of the less privileged, especially children in the society has been raised as a cleric, pastor Lucky Erhaighewu embarked on an educational project geared towards improving the lives of the underprivileged educationally.

In a chat with The NIGERIAN OBSERVER recently, the proprietor, Erhaighewu Education Centre in Uvbe, Uhunmwode Local Government Area, said his decision to institute the project was borne out of his desire to give back to the society through humanitarian service.

While lamenting the plights of the underprivileged, especially those without any source of upbringing, he stressed the need to create a platform through which they could be equipped educationally in the near future.

This he said propelled him to establish the Erhaighewu Educational Centre with a view

to creating such environment that would enable the underprivileged acquire free education, including tuition, writing materials, uniforms amongst others.

The Nigerian Brazil based clergy who is also the General Overseer of the Faith Triumphant Worship Centre, stated that his dream of extending the

humanitarian gesture to other communities in the area topped his priority.

The school’s Head Mistress, Theresa Akhabue, said the school was blessed with facilities that would make learning conducive for both the teachers and the children.

On his part, the Parents

Teachers Association Chairman, Orhue Orhionmwanye praised the Cleric Pastor Lucky Erhaighewu for his humanitarian effort toward improving the lives of the less privileged in the society, saying the project will go a long way towards raising the hope of the children, especially the underprivileged ones.

THE NIGERIAN

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

THE NIGERIAN

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

News

PVC

Mrs. Grace Okhionkpaimwonyi For Burial

INEC Commends Residents For Huge Turnout ABUJA - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the FCT on Monday commended members of the public for turning out en-mass to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) in the territory.

The Head, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Okezie Nwankwo, gave the commendation in a telephone interview with newsmen.

“We noticed that there was a huge turnout of people that came

By INNOCENT OMOAKA

out to collect their cards. The rains hindered many residents and we also could not expose our machines in that condition.

“This informed the REC extending the collection of cards by two days in the FCT only,’’ Nwankwo said.

He said that those that had yet to collect their cards should avail themselves of the opportunity.

The collection of cards earlier scheduled to end on Sunday ended yesterday.

Former NAN Editor For Burial Aug 30 ABUJA - Mr Lawrence Ukwu, a retired AssistantEditor-in-Chief and pioneer New York Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who died last month, is to be buried on August 30, a statement issued by the family said.

According to the statement signed by Ms Rosemary Ukwu, the Board Secretary, Robert Ukwu Foundation (RUF) and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the late Ukwu, who was the President of the foundation, an NGO, died at the Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja, on July 21.

The veteran journalist started his career with the Federal Radio

Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Lagos, before he transferred his service to NAN, the statement said.

On his return from New York and subsequent retirement, he became the editor of the foremost African Finance Magazine, “Banking and Finance for Africa’’.

He authored many books and publications including: “Realities of ADB Operations and Future Challenges’’, the ‘Aro Ambassador Magazine’ and ‘The Easterner’, among others, it said.

According to the statement, Ukwu will be laid to rest at his home town, Asaga Village, in Arochukwu, Abia State.

Chibok Girls:

By BETTY IDIALU WARRI, Delta State - A call has gone to the Northern Elders Forum by a group under the aegies of Jonathan Peace Ambassadors(JPA) to join hands with President Goodluck Jonathan in ensuring the safe release of the abducted Chibok girls and not politicize the issue.

In a statement issued at the weekend in Warri, Delta State, and signed by Comrade Dan Erekake, Director General, Musa-Ododo Abdulrahman, National Secretary and Comrade Michael Ikeogwu, Director, Media and Publicity, the group said the ultimatum was uncalled for as it amount

Northern Elders Forum Advised To Partner Jonathan

to trivializing of the act of terrorism in the country by a section of Northern Elders.

According to the group, the security situation in the country calls for sober reflections by all Nigerians and as such,all hands must be on deck to fight insurgency to a halt.

The group while calling on the Northern Elders to be more alive to their responsibility by prevailing on their sons and daughters who have taken to terrorism to release the Chibok girls rather than trading blame,lauded President Jonathan for fighting terrorism head on.

JPA further said that insurgency in the north east of Nigeria as it were, is a fight that

Residents Frown At Sexual Intercourse With Dog

By IKPONMWOBA OSAZEE JOEL

BENIN CITY- Members of the public have expressed displeasure over the recent case of a nineteen years old boy who slept with a dog recently in Benin City.

This followed interviews conducted by The NIGERIAN OBSERVER at Iguosa Community where the ugly incident reportedly occurred on Friday August 15, 2014.

Dr. Osahon Ogbeide, a medical doctor in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), said that the action of the-young boy may cause him disease which will be incurable and also harmful to those living round him.

Mrs. Felicia Abiyemi an eye

A borehole constructed by the member representing Akoko Edo Constituency 1, at Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adjoto Kabiru at Ojah in Ward 5 of the Local Government. Photo: GODWIN ISEGUAN.

witness told our reporter that the boy was normal, that she suspected that he acted on the influence of a spell. She said the act was more spiritual than physical.

A Traditional ruler who preferred to remain anonymous also said that the act was an Abomination to the Land. “The boy have committed a forbidden act and must be cleansed, adding that the dog has be killed while the boy has been in the police custody”. He concluded.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Folunsho Adebanjo while addressing the press said if the boy is found guilty of the act he will face a jail sentence of 14 years in prisonment as stipulated in the Nigeria Criminal code, section 219 article 5.

we must all fight with all the seriousness that it deserves as there is little or nothing President Jonathan could achieve without the support of all the stakeholders in the north, especially north east.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we are not happy that our sisters have remained in the hands of these terrorists for over 100 days.

But the point we are making is that every Nigerian must rise up

to the situation. Needless bringing political colouration into the issue, as kidnapping anywhere in the country is purely a big threat to the country, especially when it has to do with terrorism and we must do all within our powers to secure our country and guide against statements that is capable of gradually disintegrate us”.

“All we need now is prayer for safe return of the girls, even as our military is on its feet against

these misguided insurgents. We sympathize with the families of the abducted girls as the trauma they are going through could be better imagined than experienced. Northern Elders, we wish to say here that you owe Nigerians apology for not living up to expectation as worthy elders because it was under your watch and tutelage that this monster called terrorism evolved.”

BENIN CITY-The death has been announced of Mrs. Grace Okhionkpaimwonyi Igbinosun popularly referred to as mama young. She was aged 72 years.

According to a statement signed by her children for the family, a service of songs will be organized in her honour at her residence, no 2A, 1st Osakpaore lane, off Murtala Mohammed Way, Benin City on Thursday, 21st August, 2014, at 10am.

On Saturday, August 23, 2014, a social dance will be organized in her honour at Ohuoba Primary School, Murtala Mohammed Way, Benin City at 12noon.

Similarly, a thanksgiving at the New Creation Church, 1st Osakpaore lane, Off Murtala Mohammed Way, Benin City would also be organized in honour of Mama young on Sunday August 24, 2014 by 10am.

Late Mrs. Igbinosun is survived by eight children among whom are; Mrs. Pat Omoregie, Mrs. Eniye Ekhuosuehi, Mr. Abifade Okhionkpaimwonyi, Mr. Eguavoen Okhiokpaimwonyi, Mrs. Mercy Oyema, Mrs. Suzzy Kelly, Mrs. Harriet Amakwa Ihionvien and Mr. Osemwengie Okhiokpaimwonyi, a brother, Mr. John Ugiagbe and a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Obamwonyi and 14 grand children.

Mrs. Grace Okhionkpaimwonyi Igbinosun

Pastor Lucky Erhaighewu, Proprietor of Erhaieghewu Education Centre, Uvbe, LGA, (left) in a g r o u p photograph with the management and pupils of the school during an official visit of the proprietor to the school recently.

THE NIGERIAN

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Lagos 1,600 Jobs To Be Created By Eastern Railway Line LAGOS - The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr Emeka Wogu, said recently that 1, 600 jobs would be created at the completion of the Eastern Line of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

Wogu gave the assurance at the flag-off of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme’s (SURE-P) Technical Vocational Education and Training Project (TVET) in Lagos.

Reports state that the training is for the newly recruited staff of the NRC. The two-month capacity building training programme is meant for new staff members along Western Line corridor, covering Lagos to Kano.

Wogu also said more than 1, 800 jobs would be created in the corporation at the end of the training service holding at the NRC’s Training Institute in Ebute Metta, Lagos.

“The sustainability of the operation of the railway system depends largely on the quality of manpower recruited to power it.

“We are happy to announce to you that 1,805 job spaces would be filled at the end of this exercise.

“Another 1, 600 jobs are expected to be created when the eastern line is rolled out.

“This is for professional engineers and technicians along the Port Harcourt - Maiduguri railway section,“ the minister said.

According to him, the ministry has made remarkable impact in creating wealth for young Nigerians.

“In my ministry, we have also made impact through the activities of the community service youth employment programme, and technical vocational education and training project (TVET).

“We have made impact in areas

LAGOS - The Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC) has said it spent over N4 billion yearly to run its operations of providing potable water to houses in the state.

The Group Managing Director of (LSWC), Mr Shayo Holloway, who made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, said that making water potable was expensive.

According to him, if you imagine what goes into producing water, it is painful to see water leakages all over, especially with the corporation’s flat billing system because the property are not metered.

“That is why we want to meter property so that everybody will feel the need to conserve water.

“A lot of money is being wasted through water wastage and we are doing everything to correct that.

“We are working with the private sector in ensuring massive reduction in water wastage in the state.

“We have started installing meters in homes. As at today, we have installed about 4, 000 meters comprising 3, 000 in Ikeja

and 1, 000 in Lekki and we are installing more.

“Our long term goal is to have every home metered,’’ he said.

According to him, metering allows the consumer to know what he is consuming and to pay for water consumed.

Holloway said metering would reduce wastage as a lot of water was being lost within houses from leaking tanks and Water Closets that people did not border to quickly rectify.

“But when there is a meter it will read all those leakages and that will make people to be more proactive towards addressing leakages within their households.

“So, what that means is that we will then have more water available for more people.

“They meters are working and will work even more in multitenement buildings,” he said.

Holloway said that because each property was supplied by one service connection, that service connection would be metered.

He said that it was for the occupants of multi-tenement buildings to resolve how they would pay for water consumed.

such as renovation of eight technical vocation training centres in different parts of the country for different trade, “ he said.

The minister said that the ministry had collaborated with Galaxy Backbone to train and empowered 1, 000 Nigerian with laptop computers.

He said that the National Automotive Council (NAC) had

equally trained and empowered 1, 000 technicians with relevant tools.

Wogu said the ministry’s partnership with the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) had led to training and empowering of 1, 000 housing and construction artisans.

According to him, not less than 5, 000 jobs have been created by the intervention in SURE-P.

Earlier, the Managing Director of NRC, Mr Adeseyi Sijuade, said it was important to develop human resources to accelerate the transformation of railway.

Sijuwade said the corporation had benefited from SURE-P funding in areas of railway rehabilitation, railway modernisation and the procurement of rolling stock and training.

Lagos Spends N4bn Yearly Potable Water:

Veteran Edo Women Market President, Madam Atiti Aiwerioba, Sister to the late Uwangue of Benin Kingdom, Chief Geofrey Aiwerioba (middle) with the son of the late distinguished Uwangue, Prince Bob Aiwerioba and another guest.

Photo: TUNDE EIGBEREMOLEN.

“Today’s flag-off is in recognition of the funding intervention of SURE-P in sustaining training of NRC human resources required to operate and maintain our assets.

“I strongly believe that at the end of the programme, the participants would have been well-groomed, knowledgeable and ready to enhance productivity,’’ Sijuwade said.

He, however, urged the trainees to be determined to put in efforts in the development of the nation’s railway system.

The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Abdulwahid Omar, commended the Federal Government for its intervention in transforming the rail transports.

Umar, represented by his vice, Mr Issa Aremu, said the training would create skills necessary for the rail transport’s transformation.

“There are a lot of jobs, but there is a skill gap, we are adding value to create the skill necessary for the railway sector.

“Railway is not just moving thousands of passengers, and delivering transport services, railway sector is also a home for decent work.

“And for us in labour what is happening today is of historic importance; the first generation of trade unions in Nigeria was Nigerian Union of Railways men,’’ Omar said.

LCCI Tasks Journalists On Ebola Virus Reportage

LAGOS - The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has urged journalists to exercise restraint in daily reportage of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country.

The President of LCCI, Mr Remi Bello, said in a statement that the appeal became necessary following the negative impact of the news of the scourge on business activities in Lagos.

“As the containment measures progress, the imperative of discretion in information management needs to be underscored.

“Care should be taken not to escalate the Ebola crisis beyond

the reality of its occurrence.

“We urge that some measure should be taken in media reports both locally and internationally.

“The Ebola hype has created a disproportionate panic, anxiety and scare, projecting the country as endemic Ebola zone.

“Ebola is alien to our environment and, therefore, it is a momentary phenomenon.

There is currently the risk of international isolation, stigmatization and unwarranted discriminatory practices against the citizens travelling outside our shores,’’ he said.

Bello expressed worry that the

unrestrained reporting of the virus could have grave consequences for the economy and the citizens.

The LCCI president commended the Federal Government for taking steps in combating the spread of the disease and also urged citizens to maintain proper hygiene and report suspected cases promptly.

The Minister of Health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu, had confirmed only 12 people to have contacted the virus with four deaths.

He said 189 persons and another six people were under surveillance respectively in Lagos and Enugu.

A report released on Saturday by the Financial Derivatives Company also projected that Nigeria may lose up to $2 billion (N320 billion) to the Ebola scourge.

The report also added that if the virus was not properly controlled, the losses may go up to $3.5 billion (N480 billion) in the next quarter.

The report identified the core susceptible sectors as hospitality, tourism, agriculture, health and trade.

N663,000 Theft

Man, 41, Docked

Uwangue of Benin Kingdom, Chief Geofrey Aiwerioba was recently buried in Benin City amidst guests, well-wishers and relatives celebrating the high first class Palace Chief who died at 98 years. Here Prince Bob Aiwerioba (middle) is being comforted by a crowd of witnesses. Photo: TUNDE EIGBEREMOLEN

LAGOS - A 41-year-old man, Lucky Okonta, charged with stealing N663,000 from one Mrs Tosan Sagay, a businesswoman, has appeared before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

Okonta, a resident of OlodiApapa area of Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Kingsley Jackson, told the court that the accused conspired with others now at large and waylaid Sagay on her way home and stole N663,000 cash from her.

“The money stolen from Sagay were the proceeds of the 9,000 litres of kerosene she sold,’’ Jackson stated.

He said that the accused

committed the offences on December. 10, 2013, at No. 9 Ayinde St., Olodi-Apapa.

The offences, according to the prosecutor, contravened sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The reports state that Section 285 stipulates three years imprisonment for stealing.

Okonta, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr Mukaila Fadeyi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 with one surety in like sum.

Fadeyi said that the surety must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government as part of the bail conditions.

The case was adjourned to September. 29, for mention.

THE NIGERIAN

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Across The Nation Ebola: Sporting Activities

At Abakaliki Stadium Wane

Speaker, Federal House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal collecting his Permanent Voters Registration Card at his Constituency in Tambuwal LGA.

ABAKALIKI - Sporting activities have waned considerably at the Abakaliki Township Stadium as a result of fear of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

The stadium which usually records a lot of sporting activities especially in the morning now records low turnout of people engaging in exercises. newsmen who visited the stadium, noticed that some of the people, who regularly visited there in the morning to engage exercises, no longer come.

Investigation revealed that the

Monarch Takes Anti-Ebola Campaign To Communities

ONITSHA, Anambra The traditional ruler of Ifitedunu community in Anambra, Igwe Chukwuemeka Ilouno, has urged every Anambra resident to observe professional preventive measures against the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

The monarch, who is a medical doctor, told newsmen in Ifitedunu near Onitsha that he had commenced an awareness campaign against the dreaded disease in rural communities in Anambra.

According to him, this has become necessary in order to save the state from unnecessary embarrassment and stigmatisation of the people of the state who are highly sociable and business oriented.

Ilouno, who is the Chairman of Anambra Central Traditional Rulers Council,

noted that he was collaborating with traditional rulers and President-Generals of various communities for his anti-Ebola Campaign.

“I have visited 15 communities; and this morning, I engaged two people and told them I will give them a car to go round more communities.

“And as we speak, I have about 20 traditional rulers with me, and I intend to beg them to arrange for me to come and speak to their people.

“I want to go round; I am devoting the whole of August and September for this assignment.

“I want to speak to many communities. I am going to pay two people N1,000 each every day to go to various

communities and get permission from their leaders for me to come and talk to their youths, women, and their people on this issue.

“Because, I know that one person alone catching this disease in Anambra can bring a bad name to Anambra, can get us to a situation where if you tell someone ‘I am from Anambra’, the person will run away from you and people will not come to do business

with us.

“We are business people and we want to encourage people to come to us.

“So that is why I am making this personal contribution to ensure Ebola Virus does not spread in Anambra State, so that our economy will not be affected, so that our people will enjoy what they used to enjoy: absolute peace and good health,’’ he said.

Newsmen report that Lagos

and Enugu States had recorded the virus incidents; while Lagos State had documented some deaths, Enugu State had kept some of its residents under close medical surveillance.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government had upped its public enlightenment, set-up laboratories on the issue and given tasks to researchers on drugs or vaccines for its cure.

The virus had claimed more no fewer than 1,000 lives in the West Africa sub-region since April when it assumed an epidemic level.

Ogbaru Residents Urged To Obtain Voter Cards ONITSHA, Anambra - Rep. Afam Ogene (APGA – Ogbaru), has urged residents of the area to obtain their voter cards as that would enable them to elect their choice candidate as president in 2015.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the Presidential Election to hold on February. 15, 2015.

Ogene, made the call after a meeting of the Ogbaru Political Stakeholders Forum in Ogbaru, near Onitsha in Anambra.

“The reason I have been in Ogbaru for the over past four days, apart from consultations, is also to mobilise the people to carry out their civic responsibility.

“So, people have been coming, even travelling down from far places such as Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja to pick-up their cards.

“And I praise the Independent

National Electoral Commission (INEC) for extending the exercise by two days; that would actually give people more time to pick-up their cards.

“And those that have come of age would also register later this week,“ he said.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State addressing traders during his visit to Aleshioloye Market which got burnt in Ibadan on Saturday.

Minister Urges Nigerians To Make Use Of Dry Ports

FUNTUA, Katsina State State The Minister of Transport, Mr Idris Umar, has urged Nigerians to utilise the opportunities provided by Inland Container Deports/Dry Ports established by Federal Government across the country.

Umar made the call during the inauguration of Funtua Freight Station/Dry Port in Katsina State.

He said the measure was part of the initiatives aimed at bringing imports and exports services closer to people.

He explained that the programme was part of the Federal Government Transformation Agenda, adding that dry ports would rejuvenate

commercial activities as well as provide job opportunities for Nigerians.

According to him, all the six dry ports have been inaugurated with the exception of the one in Borno.

Umar said the government was determined to upgrade and construct more railways along with other facilities aimed at actualising the government initiatives.

The minister said the dry ports would go a long way in reducing port congestion and bringing

services to the door steps of businessmen, and advised Nigerians to harness the opportunities.

He commended Gov. Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State for his commitment and Nigerian Shippers Council, Concessionaires Equatorial Marine Oil and Gas and other stakeholders for actualising the project.

Responding, Shema expressed appreciation over the actualisation of the projects, adding that it would improve the

lives of the people of Katsina State, the neighbouring states and some countries.

Shema directed the Commissioner for Works to immediately design and award contract for road network, water and electricity supply to the area within a month.

Speaking also, Chairman of Nigerian Shippers Council, Lt. Gen. Salihu Ibrahim, emphasised the council’s commitment to promoting economic growth in the country.

Ibrahim explained that the dry port initiative had indicated Federal Government’s commitment to facilitating economic activities in the

few people who come, now train individually instead of in group as they did in the past.

Most of them also shun the usual practice of exchange of banters during and after training sessions.

In interviews with newsmen, they said that though there had been no reported case of the disease in Ebonyi, they needed to be careful.

Kevin Nnaji, a banker, said that the fear of the disease would not make him to stop ‘walking-out’ at the stadium.

“The fear of Ebola will not deter me from undergoing my daily morning walk-out, but I now train with utmost caution.

“My wife tried to dissuade me from attending the sessions but I insisted on going, but I train alone and minimise contacts with people,” he said.

Chinwe Ononye, a youth activist, who suspended her training routines at the stadium, said that he was scared of the EVD. “There is no way I can avoid possible contacts with people at the stadium because I engage in group exercises which involve body contacts.

“I have to be cautious because the disease has been reported in neighbouring Enugu State, and one cannot facially detect those who have come in contact with victims,” he said.

Okechukwu Mmegwa, a footballer, said that his local club was preparing for a competition and could not suspend training because of the Ebola fear.

“League matches went on across the country over the weekend despite the Ebola scare..

The Secretary of the Ebonyi Sports Council, Mr Hillary Ubesie, told newsmen that the council was not responsible for the developments.

“This is individual decisions.

Sporting activities are still going on at the stadium; nobody is under compulsion to train there.

“We are not bothered about those who no longer train inside the stadium, “We should be propagating the message of preventing the spread of the virus, “he said.

The Ebola Virus Disease came into Nigeria through a Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, who arrived Lagos through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on July 20 and died five days later.

Since the incident, four persons, including the late Sawyer, have died of the disease in Nigeria.

THE NIGERIAN

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Abuja Nurses Urge Striking Doctors To Call Off Strike ABUJA - The National Association of Nigerian Paediatric Nurses, National Hospital, Abuja branch, has advised striking doctors to return to work, saying the health of Nigerians was their responsibility.

The National President of the association, Mrs Lawal Olubunmi, said in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, that many Nigerians with health challenges required the attention of the striking doctors.

Olubunmi said calling off the strike would go a long way to save the lives of many Nigerians.

“We all know that it (sacking of resident doctors) is a development, an eye opener, particularly for health care professionals who should know that being a nurse or a doctor is a calling.

“You have a duty to fulfill for yourself, for your community and to God. So everyone should see this profession as a calling and we have our responsibilities.

“It happens that way; well it is also a measure of discipline because I also want to appreciate the boldness of President Goodluck Jonathan in taking this step.

“So that even as a nurse you know that you don’t joke with the health of the people.

“Have you noticed that each time there is a strike, many people die; our children die, our mothers die - for what?

“This is not the oath we took to defend, to protect, and to promote the health of our citizens,“ the paediatrician said.

According to Olubunmi, for the country’s health to work better, all health workers must work together as a team.

“I want to also use this opportunity to say that the healthcare system is not for one person; it requires team work and we all have a role to play; it is about shared responsibility.

“For your effort to be felt, you need the other person; we can’t do without each other; these are all unhealthy rivalry and who suffers it? It is the citizens.

“If the government has taken steps to discipline the people, who think they don’t have a responsibility to the citizens of this country, well, to me it is a welcome development.

“I want to also use this opportunity to tell Nigerians that we are nurses and we are going to do our best especially in this era of the Ebola Virus outbreak.

“I am also encouraging nurses to please scale up their commitment in this fight,“ she added.

A Mental Health Nurse at the National Hospital, Abuja, Mr Abdulahi Egwa, urged health workers to consider the prevalence of the virus as an issue requiring priority attention.

“The whole civil servant in Nigeria, we have to respect our call, we should have priority in everything we are doing especially for the outbreak of Ebola.

Jonathan Condoles Urhobos Over Aziza’s Death

$1billion to boost infrastructure in 12 states.

“The level of success being recorded in the implementation of the program has given us the confidence to plan and support the process of upscaling it to cover water supply and irrigation development in additional 12 states and two River Basin Development Authorities.

When the on-going process mature, additional facilities of about one billion dollars ($1billion) will be further sourced from the partners,” the minister noted.

She said the program will improve access to potable water supply by the citizens.

According to her, the program will also enhance the performances of the state water agencies for sustainable service delivery.

The government, she said, will monitor and evaluate the program closely to ensure service delivery and success.

ABUJA - President Goodluck Jonathan has commiserated with the Urhobo people of Delta State on the death of the President-General of the Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU), Major-General Patrick Aziza (rtd).

Aziza, who was the first Military Administrator of Kebbi state between 1991 and 1992, died on Saturday at the age of 67.

Jonathan’s condolence message is contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, in Abuja.

The statement also extended the president’s condolences to the Aziza family, the government and people of Delta as well as the late General’s friends, associates and former military colleagues.

It said: “The President joins them in mourning the passage of the former minister and onetime military governor of Kebbi.

“Aziza selflessly dedicated himself to the service of his people and community after retiring from a distinguished career in the nation’s armed forces.

“As they grieve over his death, Jonathan urges members of the Aziza family, the UPU, his friends and former colleagues in the Nigerian Army to accept the will of God Almighty.

“They should be comforted by the knowledge that Aziza served his people and country to the best of his God-given abilities while he lived.’’

Reports state that the late Aziza, who hailed from Okpe Local Government Area in Delta Central, served as Minister of Communications in the military regime of late Gen. Sani Abacha.

He was also Minister of Commerce and Tourism during the transitional regime of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.

monitoring centre in Lagos were yesterday, discharged, just as the Federal Government took its hand washing campaign and sensitization on Ebola virus to the markets and motor parks.

Also yesterday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) enjoined authorities of countries affected by Ebola to check emigrants at their respective international airports, seaports and major border crossings with a view to stopping infected persons from traveling.

According to Lagos State Government three persons earlier quarantined from the Ebola virus have been treated, and found to be Ebola free for more than three days following repeated laboratory tests hence they were discharged as freed a female medical doctor had earlier been discharged on Saturday.

Also in their hand washing campaign, government officials visited the busy Wuse markets and the Jabi Motor parks in Abuja to create awareness on the

dreaded disease.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, who spoke in pidgin urged the people to wash their hands constantly with soap and water.

Ochekpe explained that the campaign became necessary in other to reduce the spread of the Ebola disease which she noted had become more deadly than HIV/ AIDS because of its high mortality rate.

She restated commitment of the government to tackle the disease “that has brought sleepless nights to Nigerians” and urged the citizens to wash their hands constantly after contact with anything, adding that hand washing will save the people from troubles.

She assured that the government will do everything possible to prevent the death of more Nigerians from Ebola, stressing, “If you don’t wash your hands, Ebola can come in contact with you. It can kill you, your family and an entire village”.

Prospective voters checking their names during the INEC distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at Gwagwalada in Abuja recently.

Jonathan Wants Poverty Eradication, Energy In Development Agenda

By JOSES SEDE ABUJA - President Goodluck Jonathan recently canvassed inclusion of poverty eradication, access to sustainable energy, infrastructural development, population demographics and governance in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, as a means of addressing shortcomings of the present Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programme, This is even as the Federal Government has indicated its resolve to seek about $1billion loan from development partners to improve water supply and irrigation in the country.

Jonathan, who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Summit on the MDGs and Post-2015 Development Agenda in Abuja, said that the factors are essential for development of nations across the globe.

According to him, the upcoming framework must finish the unfinished business of the current MDGs. “In summary, for the Post-

2015 Development Agenda to have the necessary impact on the development trajectory of nations across the world, the new set of goals needs to tackle the issues that were not addressed under the current framework, with poverty eradication, access to sustainable energy, infrastructural development, population demographics and governance at the center.

“It must be understood that these areas are crucial to the process and cannot be left out. The new framework must finish the current business of the MDGs. If the current framework was the so-called ‘floor ’ for development aspirations on which we set more ambitious and contextually appropriate policy aims, then the new framework must consider the most fundamental problems facing the least developed societies in the world.

It must tackle those problems first. The formulation process needs to continue to be inclusive so that development realities and not academic conjectures are tackled. This inclusion has the added benefit of increasing community buy-in across the

world.

Being cognizant of these, I assure you of government’s commitment to consider the outcomes of this Summit. I wait eagerly for the output documents”, he continued.

He noted that the MDGs framework has helped to focus international and local attention on improving the lives of those most vulnerable in society.

Also, the loan which will be sourced from the World Bank, African Development Bank, French Development Agency, European Union, USAID and Islamic Development Bank, will be put to use in 12 states and two River Basin Development Authorities.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, said this in Abuja at the 3rd Workshop on Performance Assessment, Benchmarking and Governance Issues of Water Agencies in Nigeria.

Ochekpe, who was represented by the Director, Special Duties, office of the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daniel Dauda, explained that the government had in 2004 got a loan of

Commuters at Nyanya Bus Stop due to traffic Gridlock on Abuja-Keffi Road in Nyanya recently.

WHO Advices Ebola-Hit ABUJA - Four more persons Countries kept in isolation at the Ebola

THE NIGERIAN

10

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

THE NIGERIAN

11

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

International

Obama Hail Elimination Of Syria Chemical Weapons WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has said that the elimination of Syria’s declared chemical weapons stockpile is an important achievement against the spread of dangerous weapons of mass destruction, but warned that Syria’s government now must follow through on pledges to destroy its remaining weapons production facilities.

Obama also said concerns about omissions and discrepancies in Syria’s declaration to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the group that oversaw destruction of the weapons, must

be addressed.

“Today we mark an important achievement in our ongoing effort to counter the spread of weapons of mass destruction by eliminating Syria’s declared chemical weapons stockpile,” Obama said in a written statement issued in Washington after he broke from his summer vacation in Massachusetts to spend two days at the White House.

Syria agreed to give up its chemical arsenal last fall when Obama threatened missile strikes in retaliation for a

PUBLIC NOTICE USHERS OF CHRIST GOSPEL MISSION INTERNATIONAL The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied for registration under the CAMA No. 1 of 1990.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 1.

Apostle Friday Ogaga Ukpejiroke - Chairman 2.

Bishop (Mrs.) Mercy Ujiro Ukpejiroke - Member 3.

Evang. Tony Osazuwa - Director of Administration and Secretary 4.

Pastor Duke Ozigbo - Member 5.

Elder (Mrs.) Juliet Okpamen - Member 6.

Evang (Mrs.) Mercy Uhunamure - Member AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.

To carry out the great commission of our Lord Jesus Christ which includes preaching, teaching, healing and baptising them in the Holy Spirit and by Water immersion.

2.` To establish a platform for spiritual, moral and physical education and licensing of persons for the work of the Gospel and general good of the society.

Any objection should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, CAC, Maitama District Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: APOSTLE FRIDAY OGAGA UKPEJIROKE, General Overseer

CHANGE OF NAME

JOHN – I, formerly Miss Benita Omoh John, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Benita Omoh Imogie. All former documents remain valid. Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

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NYSC, concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

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OSHIOBUGIE – I, formerly called Miss Oshiobugie Precious is now known and called Mrs. Precious Emmanuel Aifoedeli. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC, concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

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OLOKOR - I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ewere Emmanuela Olokor now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ewere Emmanuela Osawe.

All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and general public should please take note.

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OKOSODO – I, formerly called Miss Okosodo Doris is now known and called Mrs. Mokobia Doris. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC, concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

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YUSUF – I, formerly called Miss Yusuf Mariam Endurance is now known and called Mrs. Nurudeen Mariam. All former documents remain valid.

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chemical attack on a rebel-held suburb of Damascus during the country’s civil war. The attack is believed to have killed more than 1,000 people. Obama abandoned talk of attacking Syria after President Bashar Assad agreed to the weapons surrender.

The weapons, tons of them, were destroyed aboard the U.S. cargo vessel MV Cape Ray in international waters.

Obama said destroying the weapons advances the goal of ensuring that Assad cannot use its chemical arsenal against the Syrian people. He said it also “sends a clear message that the use of these abhorrent weapons has consequences and will not be tolerated by the international community.”

Obama said the U.S. would continue to work with the OPCW and international partners to resolve “open issues” while continuing to press Assad to stop committing atrocities against the Syrian people.

U.S. officials have estimated the Syrian government had amassed as many as 20,000 MANPADS units before the civil war erupted in 2011.

CORRECTION OF NAME I, Eguaoje Atalevbohi Sarah wish to bring for the Information of the General Public that I am the same person as Eguoaje Sarah Atanehoye which was wrongly spelt in my First Bank Account. Henceforth, I am now properly known and addressed as Eguaoje Atalevbohi Sarah. All former documents remain valid. Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State and the general public should please take note.

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MOMOH – I, formerly called Miss Momoh Ajara Angela is now known and called Mrs. Yanusa Mohammed Ajara. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

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ONYINYECHI – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jennifer Sunday Onyinyechi now wish to be known and addressed as Jennifer Ikechi. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

THE NIGERIAN

12 RECENTLY, the Minister of Health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu announced that a Liberian, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, a WASH consultant in the Ministry of Finance in Liberia, who was in Nigeria to attend ECOWAS summit had died as a result of Ebola Virus Infection. The death of the 40 year old Patrick Sawyer in Nigeria has made the Ebola Virus Disease a very serious public health concern in the country.

THE Ebola Virus is the most dangerous virus affecting humans and other primates. The disease causes hemorrhagic fever in humans, and once it has been contracted, symptoms start manifesting as from two to twenty-one days. Some of the symptoms of Ebola Virus Disease include fever, headache, muscle pain, chest pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, seizures, bleeding, nausea and coma.

THE medical history of Ebola Virus indicates that it is found naturally in certain animals such as fruit bats, monkeys, chimpanzees gorillas, pig, antelopes and porcupine.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ebola Virus was first identified in Democratic Republic of Congo by a 27 year old Belgian Scientist, Peter Piot in 1976 and in the same year it was also discovered in Sudan.

Since the first outbreak of the disease, however the most severe happened to be that of 1976 when it killed 280 people.

IN the year 2000 it killed 224 people; in 2012, 12 people were killed by Ebola Virus and that of 2014 has been described as the deadliest outbreak of the Ebola Virus, affecting people in countries like Sierra Leone, Mali, Liberia and Guinea, where over 467 people have died so far as a result of’ the epidemic.

THE Ebola Virus Disease is spread or contracted when an individual comes in contact with blood, sputum, or body fluid of an infested person. It is also a contagious disease and air-borne, which means that it can

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

THE NIGERIAN

Measures For Checking Ebola Virus be inhaled when a victim dischargers the virus in the atmosphere whenever he or she sneezes or coughs. It can also be contracted when we eat animals that serve as host to the virus, and through sexual intercourse with a carrier of the virus.

ACCORDING to world Health Organisation,(WHO) the disease is spreading fast from rural communities to cities in some West African Countries, and calls for drastic action to curtail the scourge or epidemic before it becomes widespread and difficult to control. According to the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ebola Virus affects multiple organs and systems in human body, thereby making it the most deadliest disease of man presently.

WITH the death of the 40 year old Liberian in Nigeria as a result of Ebola Virus infection, it therefore means that the disease has subtly found its way into the country. Medical experts say the disease is more dangerous and very contagious when one comes in contact with a dead victim, which explains why utmost care must be taken by health workers in handling the corpse of the deceased.

OTHER methods of preventing the spread of Ebola Virus generally, include isolation or quarantine of victims, killing and proper disposal of infected animals, proper cooking of all kinds of meat before consumption, wearing of protective clothes, hand gloves, mask by health workers attending to Ebola Virus patients and

washing of hands regularly. Victims should cover their mouth when sneezing or yawning and should dispose their sputum in a hygienic manner.

THE World Health Organisation says there is no cure or vaccine for now to combat Ebola Virus disease, hence the death rate resulting from the disease is very high, often between 50 to 90 percent.

The NIGERIAN OBSERVER therefore calls on the Nigerian government, and the Federal Ministry of Health in particular, to immediately adopt a health policy whereby any foreigner coming to Nigeria either through air, sea or land boarders should he thoroughly screened for Ebola Virus before being admitted into the country. That is the practice in developed societies against any disease posing serious public health concern such as Ebola Virus and other highly contagious diseases.

FURTHERMORE, the cows and other livestock slaughtered on daily basis in the various abattoirs should be properly screened by officers from the public health department in the local government councils in conjunction with veterinary doctors from the Ministry of Agriculture, in order to safeguard the health of the people.

THE Federal and State governments should as a matter of urgency, provide funds for the purchase of the necessary diagnostic facilities in hospitals across the federation, instead of depending on foreign laboratory services.

AS the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, and in the case of Ebola Virus disease, there is no cure for now. So The NIGERIAN OBSERVER cautions Nigerians to be vigilant, mind what they eat, practice good personal and environmental hygiene, and adhere strictly to all the preventive strategies highlighted above, in order to avoid Ebola Virus infection and spread.

THE NIGERIAN

13

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Development

Creating A Road Map For Solid Minerals Development STAKEHOLDERS in the mining sector argue that Nigeria is vastly endowed with a lot of mineral resources and underscore the need for the creation of a pragmatic roadmap for their development and sustainable exploitation.

They, however, concede that the roadmap, which the Federal Government presented in 2013, could serve as a veritable guide for all the solid minerals’ development processes in the country.

In January 2013, the Federal Government announced a roadmap for solid minerals’ development and economists laud the plan as a pragmatic effort to grow and diversify the nation’s economy.

At the presentation of the roadmap, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), said that the blueprint had articulated strategies for the diversification of the economy.

He urged the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to ensure that the roadmap was utilised by foreign and local investors in the solid minerals sector so as to achieve better results.

Malam Musa Sada, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, said that the ministry would ensure that the solid minerals sector was repositioned to provide job opportunities for the youth.

Apart from this, economists believe that the roadmap will tackle some challenges facing mining operations such as inadequate geosciences data which is needed to facilitate comprehensive minerals’ exploration by the private sector.

In a recent interview, Sada said that the policy thrust of the roadmap entailed import substitution, job creation and promotion of modern mining practices, among

By FATIMA SULE others.

He said that the roadmap would increase per capita consumption of steel, provide legal and regulatory framework for the metals sub-sector, and guarantee transparency in the grant of mining titles and permits.

The minister noted that although the roadmap had been implemented in some parts of the country, its full implementation had been hindered by factors such as poor funding, security issues and inadequate infrastructural facilities at mines sites.

Nevertheless, Malam Muhammad Amate, the Director-General of Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office, said that the office had been working hard to address the challenges.

According to him, the office has become a credible Federal Government agency mandated to facilitate the development of mineral resources in the country and function as a gateway to mining.

Amate said that the office guaranteed an independent, efficient and transparent system in the granting, administration and management of all mining titles.

“In modern term, the office is the combination of geographic information system, database and procedures relating to the application, processing and grant of mining rights,’’ he said.

He said that four foreign companies would soon begin the mining of gold and iron ore in Kebbi, Osun and Kogi.

He also said more than 20 foreign companies from Australia, Canada, United

during the period.

Mr John Jegede, a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, said that the roadmap would facilitate Nigeria’s efforts to attain some socio-economic and environmental objectives via sustainable exploration

roadmap was its capacity to attract investments into the solid minerals sector.

“The agency is discussing with the International Mining for Development Centre, an initiative supported by the Australian government, to provide training and capacity building in mining, geology, environment, laboratory training and mineral processing,’’ he

becoming a major world player in the mining industry require a conscious and focused development of professional manpower in mining and geosciences.

“Government recognises the need to expand the scope of the mandate of the institute to reflect the current realities in the global minerals industry,’’ he said.

He said that ever since the ministry launched the roadmap, the institute had

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Sada Musa

Kingdom, Italy, China, Republic of Niger, India, South Africa and Ukraine had obtained exploration licences to carry out solid minerals’ exploration across the country.

Amate stressed that the office had issued more than 4,000 mineral titles from 2011 to date, while generating N2.2-billion income via the issuance of titles to mining companies

of mineral resources.

Jegede said that after the launch of the roadmap, it had become the reference document that guided the ministry, stakeholders and the public in efforts to assess the performance of the solid minerals sector.

Mr Utsu Adie, the Chairman of Solid Minerals Development Fund, said that the strategic critical success factor of the

said.

However, Malam Idris Umar, the DirectorGeneral, Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences, Jos, said that the global increase in demand for mineral commodities had necessitated the production of a good roadmap for the development of the country’s solid minerals.

“The challenges of

“The minister noted that although the roadmap had been implemented in some parts of the country, its full implementation had been hindered by factors such as poor funding, security issues and inadequate infrastructural facilities at mines sites.”

been working in line with the roadmap’s objectives, conceding, however, that several challenges had hindered the implementation of the roadmap.

All the same, economic experts note that the challenges should not be allowed to truncate the execution of the roadmap.

They insist that the government has no other choice than to diversify Nigeria’s economy, considering the abundance of the country’s solid minerals and their economic potential.

The experts insist that the roadmap will reposition the solid minerals sector and strengthen it to foster the growth of the national economy. (NAN)

THE NIGERIAN

14

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Issues “Media owners and managers should exercise utmost restraint in their conduct and avoid using the media to pursue preconceived pecuniary political gains at the expense of national interest.” class by scientifically identifying issues of public interest.

It decried a situation where politicians now set agenda for the media.

It urged journalists to always ask relevant and probing questions from politicians and compare their electoral promises with their performance in office.

“In fulfillment of their role as educators, journalists should study and understand the electoral law and explain

The Media And Professionalism In Political Reporting

UNARGUABLY, the framing of news in political reporting goes a long way to influence the electorate as the media provides a link between the contestants and the public.

Experts say that factual, objective and balanced stories will create an informed and objective electorate, while unfounded and biased reporting can cause misunderstanding and violence.

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, concerned organisations are not leaving any stone unturned in preparing journalists for effective political reporting.

Just before the June 21 Ekiti governorship election, the Nigerian Press Council (NPC), in collaboration with Diamond Publications Limited organised a training in Akure, Ondo State for journalists on political reporting.

Acting Executive Secretary of NPC, Mr Nnamdi Njemanze, who addressed the participants, advised media professionals to always find out the true nature of events before filing their reports.

Njemanze stressed the

By CHIJIOKE OKORONKWO/YAHAYA ISAH

need for journalists not to allow their personal judgment to influence their reportage.

He said the training would go a long way in assisting the participants to prepare themselves ahead of 2015 general elections.

“The essence of the training is to sensitise participants to the challenges of political reporting and to remind them of the place of ethics in the profession,’’ he said.

Njemanze urged journalists to make “ accuracy, fairness and balance their watch word.’’

Mr Muda Ganiyu, one of the resource persons, advised the participants to always insist on what “they saw and not what they were told.’’

Ganiyu said that journalists should at all times observe the ethics of the journalism profession.

“I want you to forget ethnicity, religion and sociopolitical and economic affiliations if you want to be good journalists.

“If we can forget about all these, the sky will be our starting point in journalism’’, he said.

He said journalists had a role to play in tackling corruption headlong by sensitising the public on the effect of corruption on the economy.

According to Ganiyu, it is the duty of journalists to gauge the mood of the people and report the government to the people and the people to the government.

He said that gauging public opinion was not about interviewing an individual, but about scientific means of helping those in government to know the true feelings of the people.

He listed the some of the means as vox pop, opinion polls, survey, forecast, observation, content analysis, among others.

Another resource person, Mr Maxim Uzoatu, urged journalists to avoid being partisan and report the entire process instead of depicting events.

He said that manifestoes of political parties must be x-rayed in relation to the promises of the candidates while the transition of an aspirant to a candidate must be examined in tune with adherence to internal democracy of the political party.

“The umpire, the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), should be given round-the-clock scrutiny.

“Any attempt at bias must be exposed by the vigilant press; from the umpire down to the actual contestants who have thrown their political hats into the ring, there should be total coverage in regard to playing to the rules of the game.

“In the coverage of elections, reporters must have complete mastery of the electoral act and the country’s constitution,’’ Uzoatu stressed.

In a communiqué issued at the end of workshop and signed by Njemanze, journalists were urged to set agenda for the political

“The media and journalists should gauge the mood of the electorate to ensure that the voices of the people are actually heard during elections through opinion polls and observations. “Political reporters and columnists should be careful with their use of language and pursue decorum, decency and professionalism.”

it to the people.”

The communiqué called on the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) to come up with guidelines that could serve as parameters for election reporting in the country.

It said such guidelines would stop media owners and controllers from using their platforms for pecuniary interests.

“Reporters have great power and they must be encouraged to wield it in an ethical and professional manner; conscious that inaccurate election reportage can trigger avoidable violence.

“The media and journalists should gauge the mood of the electorate to ensure that the voices of the people are actually heard during elections through opinion polls and observations.

“Political reporters and columnists should be careful with their use of language and pursue decorum, decency and professionalism.”

The communiqué also reminded journalists of the danger involved in using violent language in reporting political activities.

It warned public-owned broadcasting stations to conduct their activities with utmost professionalism and give equal access to the various candidates and their parties.

“Media owners and managers should exercise utmost restraint in their conduct and avoid using the media to pursue preconceived pecuniary political gains at the expense of national interest.

“Media professionals should be paid regularly and promptly and not subjected to undignified treatment that could encourage corruption,’’ the communiqué further stated.

Stakeholders want the Nigerian Press Council to sustain training workshops for journalists on political reporting ahead of the 2015 general election.

Sustenance of training they say, will help to adequately equip journalists to effectively cover the 2015 general elections.

(NAN)

Prof Attahiru Jega, INEC Chairman

THE NIGERIAN

15

BY some accounts, Nigeria’s home ownership rate, currently put at 25 per cent, is very low when compared with the housing situation in some developing and developed countries.

Available statistics show that Benin Republic has home ownership rate of 63 per cent; Kenya 73 per cent; Singapore 90 per cent; the U.S. 70 per cent; South Africa 56 per cent, and Libya 41 per cent.

Commenting on the housing situation in Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan said that the country needed a minimum of N56 trillion to be able to bridge a deficit of 17 million housing units.

He said that the shortfall, which did not cover the cost of providing infrastructure, translated to an average cost of N3.5 million per housing unit.

Housing experts note that the housing deficit has continued to increase; saying that the development indicates that the government’s housing policy is not working as expected.

They note that the deficit rose from seven million housing units in 1991 to between 12 and 15 million units in 2008, while peaking at between 17 and 18 million units in 2012.

They insist that the deficit would continue to rise until the financial authorities are able to bring down interest rates to a single-digit level, so as to enable low income earners to access mortgage loans.

Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo, the Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, said that something urgent must be done to bridge the housing deficit.

“If nothing is done, there will be an estimated homeless population of 24.4 million people in Nigeria by 2015,’’ he said.

Mr. Chudi Ubosi, the Chairman of Association of Estate Agents of Nigeria (AEAN), blamed the poor housing delivery in Nigeria on the short mortgage tenure system obtainable in the country.

According to him, only a few primary mortgage institutions in the country

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Housing Addressing Housing Deficit In Nigeria give mortgage loans that are repayable beyond 10 years.

Ubosi also described the 17-per-cent interest on mortgage loans as very high, as against three to five per cent charged in developed countries.

“The financial institutions in the country offer loans not mortgages.

This is because mortgage tenure, as practised in the many countries, is beyond a minimum of 20 years.

“In other countries, mortgage is given out at low interest rate but in Nigeria, those who need mortgage cannot access it,” he said.

Ubosi said that the high mortgage interest rates had discouraged many investors and Nigerians from aspiring to own their own houses.

He suggested that mortgage loans should be given out by mortgage institutions at single-digit interest rates.

However, Mr. Olayemi Shonubi, the Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), said that government could bridge the housing deficit by encouraging a pragmatic partnership between the public and private sector.

He suggested that individuals and organisations should be encouraged to come together to form housing cooperatives, as part of efforts to boost housing delivery.

Shonubi, however, advised the government to make land available to estate developers across the country in order to accelerate the construction of affordable houses.

Sharing similar sentiments, Prof. Timothy Nubi of University of Lagos identified difficulties in acquiring land as one of the factors responsible for the housing deficit in the country.

He said that the Land Use Act of 1978, which should have been an instrument of addressing land ownership and titles, turned out to be counterproductive.

He stressed that problems encountered in title transfer

By LILIAN CHUKWU and registration in Nigeria could be traced to perceptible defects in the Land Use Act of 1978.

Nubi said that under the Act, only the governor of a state had the power to issue a Certificate of Occupancy.

“This would have been

not be more than one per cent of the value or cost of the property.

“The processing time for title registration and governors’ consent should not be more than 15 days.

“The practice of asking for numerous supporting

okay if not for problems associated with time wastage, expensive processing and endemic corruption which undermines property transaction and investment,’’ he said.

Nubi also underscored the need to reduce the costs and bottlenecks in efforts to obtain title documents.

“The governors’ consent for transfer of title should

documents such as tax clearance, development levy, tenement rates, should be entirely removed as a requirement for the processing of title transfer.

“Government should also deploy more human, financial and technical resources to man the processing offices so as to curtail bureaucracy and reduce the level of corruption associated with

it,’’ he said.

All the same, Mr. Chucks Omeife, the former President of Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), urged the government to check the rising cost of building materials.

He said that the increasing cost of some

escalating,’’ he added Omeife, nonetheless, appealed to the government to subsidise the prices of building materials so as to boost activities in the real estate sector.

He particularly stressed that low income earners would gain a lot from

building materials had discouraged investors from investing in the construction sector and low income earners from building their own houses.

“The development of our housing sub-sector may be hampered if the prices of building materials continue to rise unchecked because the cost of iron rods, window and door frames and other building materials are all

government’s efforts to reduce the cost of building materials.

All in all, housing experts agree that one of the pragmatic ways of redressing the housing deficit in Nigeria is to make building materials affordable to the less affluent members of the society, who constitute the larger percentage of the population.

“The development of our housing subsector may be hampered if the prices of building materials continue to rise unchecked because the cost of iron rods, window and door frames and other building materials are all escalating.”

THE NIGERIAN

16

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Midweek Magazine FOR countless years now, the perceived disparity that exists between University graduates and Polytechnic and College of Education graduates has been a contentious issue that many have even become clueless to what exactly is the issue.

For us, we believe lack of proper understanding of the primary objectives for which the university and polytechnic education programmes were established in the first place, and our political leaders apathy towards polytechnic education standards, amongst other things, are the reason why this supposed disparity has continued to widen and become more contentious.

The truth is that the university and the polytechnic education programmes have different objectives based on their ‘utility value’ to society.

While the university aims to produce the cultured, public-spirited and conscientious intellectual that would transform the immediate environment and contribute to global culture and civilization, the polytechnic is geared towards the production of the enlightened workforce that would advance the instrument of economic production and infrastructural development, and help the society on the path of industrialization. It is the lack of this understanding over time by the relevant authorities in government circles as well as the populace, which has contributed greatly to the obvious perceived divide between university and polytechnic graduates.

As recently reported, the report of the Presidential Committee on NEEDS Assessments of Nigerian Public Polytechnics and Colleges of Education recommending the removal of disparity between polytechnics’ Higher National Diploma (HND) and university’s

first degree is a proposal whose consequences would be counterproductive if not given critical reconsideration. Being a typical half-measured solution that seldom gets to the root of the matter, it is a hasty gambit into a needless expediency, as expressed by an editorial tabloid. Coming in the wake of a series of negotiations that have culminated into the recent “suspension of the nearly one-year old strike organized by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the recommendation we believe, is merely a temporary palliative to a problem that demands thoughtful long-term solution.

According to reports, The ASUP strike, which began with the issuance of a 21-day ultimatum on March 25, 2013, was hinged, among others, on the abrogation of the National Board for Technical Education as the regulatory body of Nigerian Polytechnics, to be replaced with National Polytechnics Commission (NPC); the constitution of Governing Councils for all the Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Education; the non-release of the White Paper on the visitations to Federal polytechnics; failure to commence the NEEDS Assessment of Nigerian Polytechnics by the Federal Government, including the worrisome situation of state-owned Polytechnics in the country; and the noncommencement of the renegotiation of the FGN/ ASUP agreement as contained in the signed agreement.

To put it bluntly, the summary of all these grievances is simply wrongful and stereotyped perception of polytechnic education, poor funding and relegation of the polytechnics, and lip-

Brouhaha For The Removal Of HND/Un

Put Things In The R

service to technical education. Considering the initial insensitivity of this administration and the mocking silence of Nigerians to the strike, the Federal Government’s response has not been effective.

This recommendation is consequent upon an overly emphasis on paper qualification or certificate consciousness. It is not enough to change the name of a polytechnic merely because one desires that it awards degrees, the founding objective, which includes the societal needs, and the attitude of Nigerians are also worth considering.

The truth is, the removal of the supposed disparity that exist between graduates of the two programmes will be more akin to the wisdom of a man that ignored leprosy only to dissipate his energy to treating ringworm. For us, the best solution to address this supposed disparity is for the government to convert the existing polytechnics in the country to full-fledged Universities of Technology to still close the gap of the middle-manpower needs of our society.

Perhaps, an understanding of the whole essence of us having polytechnics in the first place will give us a better understanding of the issue here. First, all stakeholders will agree that the Walter Elliot Commission of 1943, Eric Ashby Commission of 1959, Dr. A. Skanska’s report of 1962 and other conferences sought to engender the development of technical manpower in Nigeria. In other words, these are established to train technical middle level

manpower in the country.

Then the Federal Polytechnic Statue enacted Decree No. 33 of 1979 as amended by Decree No. 5 of 1993, to give legal basis for the establishment of Federal Polytechnics in Nigeria. The principal aim for the establishment of Polytechnics in Nigeria is to turnout the middle-level manpower needed for industrial and technological development of the country.

It is a known fact that no meaningful national development could be achieved by any nation without sound and qualitative technical education. No wonder, Prof. Uba Nwuba, one time Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, posited that the bedrock of technical emancipation for Nigeria is centered on Polytechnics education.

Polytechnics offer highly technical, scientific as well as research-oriented education to students. It is disheartening to observe today that these citadels of learning which were once cynosure of all eyes in developed economies of the world, has been relegated to the background in Nigeria.

Nearly all the State-owned Polytechnics are just a little above the secondary school level, infrastructural wise, due to lack of adequate funding by successive administrations. Most Nigerian Polytechnics are synonymous with structural decay occasioned by neglect and misplaced priority on the part of the government on one hand and society on the other.

A situation where Polytechnic graduates are looked down upon, because of the

“Polytechnics offer highly technical, scientific as well as research-oriented education to students. It is disheartening to observe today that these citadels of learning which were once cynosure of all eyes in developed economies of the world, has been relegated to the background in Nigeria.”

discrepancies existing between the BSc and HND certificate has contributed greatly to the undermining of this all-important educational sector of the country.

In most establishments, whether private or public, the discrimination exists at the point of entry and during

promotion, with no recourse to individual talents and efficiencies.

And if the private sector is the major employers of labour in Nigeria, then the removal of the so called disparity would be a mere effort in futility. The government may decree that public and private sector should give polytechnic graduates and their counterpart equal opportunities to work with the same entry levels and promotional growths. But can the government order private companies, which schools they should recruit from? For it is the private company that still has the liberty and right to decide who they want to recruit; be it HND or BSc holders.

Subsequently, the so called disparity problem will be far from being solved.

There is, of course, a counterproductive and completely wrong attitude

By ZIK

of Nigerians to polytechnic education. As noted by an editorial tabloid; Parents, Teachers, Students and even the general public itself have constantly relayed attitudinal dispositions that disregard polytechnic education.

More often than not, polytechnics are seen as the last resort for students who have been frustrated by non-admission into the university after years of frequent attempts at the university matriculation examinations. Parents seem to subscribe to it as the alternative tertiary education when all attempts at gaining university admission have failed. Even students, after gaining admission into the polytechnics, make frantic moves to still gain university admission.

It should, therefore, not be surprising that this arrant display of apathy and disdain towards polytechnic education has rubbed off on the nation’s leaders, who ought to know better. If stakeholders (students, administrators, employees) wrongly view it as a phase in educational development that is devoid

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THE NIGERIAN

17

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Midweek Magazine

Need To Right Perspective

niversity Dichotomy:

K GBEMRE

any value, how then do y expect a clueless ernment to pursue its se? Thus the clamour parity on the part of dents and lecturers in the ytechnics may well be bitter expression of riority complex; for the

e to obtain desserts for ke because some other relational party has such rts, does not sit well in scale of distributive ce. Who says a welled polytechnic graduate s a university degree? t informs the thinking polytechnic lecturer, if does his work as uctively as it should be cannot receive a higher y than his counterpart in university? Clearly, echnic graduates are as l to the country as much niversity graduates and rians should encourage es for excellence in rent areas of petence. ould the Federal ernment panel’s mmendation be heeded, he nomenclature of their ficates remove the eived discrimination een polytechnics and ersities? Will it change rians’ perception of

polytechnics? Will it make graduates of polytechnics better theoreticians and less than the practical technology-oriented workforce, if that is what they want? Besides, there is an obvious negligence of the manpower component in this consideration. If polytechnics are to become

degree-awarding, will the performance appraisal of their lecturers be like the universities? It is clear, therefore, that disparity is a wrong consideration.

While both aspects of tertiary education are fitting in their respective rights, they should be assessed in terms of their capacity and competence. Employers of labour should be aware of these factors and be entitled to make their choice between either of the graduates, depending on how they would satisfy needs.

In spite of the report and the suspended strike, there are some lessons to be learnt. The polytechnics should not diminish their utmost relevance to national development by trivializing strikes, and turning them into a clamour for mere nomenclature of their certificates. The greater impact of the strike should

be on its potential to sensitize Nigerians about the rot that has engulfed the education and technology sectors. It should resonate as a counsel against the vacuity associated with vainglorious rampage over allowances rather than genuine pursuit of a wholesome development of the polity. ASUP and other stakeholders should not be deluded by this ‘quick fix’ of parity between polytechnic graduates and university graduates. They should ensure that efforts are not on the way to systematically pray the nunc dimittis of technological education in the country.

ASUP should direct its arsenal on the ineptitude and mendacious posture of an administration that pays lip service to technological development and highlight the folly and the glaring contradiction of a nation that seeks to be industrialized by 2020 and is bereft of the minutest rudiments to start an action plan for industrialization.

For how does a nation sustain a maintenance culture without a technical/ t e c h n o l o g i c a l education?The issue is neither parity nor certificate, but quality and competence as well as the utility value of all graduates.

For the way forward, there is a need for the present government to promptly and holistically review the polytechnic act.

The act that established polytechnic has long been overdue for review to meet with the technical educational demands of the twenty-first century.

Though, the government of the day has agreed to address two, out of the

many demands of ASUP, which are: constitution of the governing council of the Federal Polytechnics and the assessment of the polytechnics needs both Federal and States, however, there is also need for the government to address the issue of adequate funding of polytechnics in the country.

And like we said, the complete conversion of some of the existing polytechnics to full-fledged Universities of Technology will also go a long way to address the disparity issue.

But like we said, the focus should be the ‘quality’ and ‘competence’ as well as the utility value of our graduates.

In a recently published interview with the Chairman, ASUP Yaba College of Technology, Lagos Chapter, Mr. Adeyemi Aromolaran, he noted some very important points on the issue we are looking at. According to Mr. Aromolaran, “If you go to South Africa, Britain or the United States, most of the polytechnics have been converted into Universities of Technology. If the solution that will eliminate the discrimination between the products of the polytechnics and the universities is to convert polytechnics to universities of technology, let it be. We have universities where they still award diploma certificates and higher diploma certificates in South Africa and USA. Nigeria cannot be an exception. It will not be a new thing in Nigeria if Yaba College of Technology becomes a University of Technology and we still award diplomas at lower level alongside degrees and post-degrees. The name does not matter. We have Master in Technology (MT)

in the certificates. In the USA, you can obtain your Masters to Ph.d from polytechnics, it does not matter. What we are saying is that they should change it from the level where it is.”

When asked why is it that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike was not as prolonged as that of ASUP, Mr. Aromolaran noted a very important point we painted above. And that is the fact that “it shows the kind of attitude the government has towards polytechnic education.

They are biased towards polytechnic education in this part of the world. That is why we are consumers of technology; we are not producers or manufacturers of technology. Our attitude to technology education is what is manifesting in our attitude towards the sector.

When we give fair consideration to technological education through the polytechnics, then we can begin to improve our resource production from that technology,” said Mr. Aromolaran.

It is interesting to also note that this is not the first time the government of the day will be making moves to address the subject matter. Sometime in 2006, the Federal Government inaugurated a Presidential Technical Committee on the consolidation of tertiary institutions in the country.

The then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette, once said the government was worried at the acute problem of “carrying capacity at the tertiary level of the education system”, stressing that it was also worried that Nigeria was increasingly unable to provide access to especially university education for the critical mass of the population. In his words: “With facilities overstretched, quality is

threatened. What is more, we are aware that no nation has achieved technological and socio-developmental breakthrough where less than 15 per cent of its qualified citizens have access to university education. With less than three per cent access, the challenge before us is indeed Herculean. We must, therefore, seek to expand access without proliferation of universities so that we can increase our carrying capacity while still maintaining academic excellence.Consequently, after a painstaking analysis of our tertiary education system, including wideranging consultations with various stakeholders, culminating in the Presidential Forum held about two weeks ago, the Federal Government is convinced that we should consolidate all tertiary institutions. This means the conversion of all Federal Polytechnics and Federal Colleges of Education into campuses of proximate and contiguous universities. At the same time, government is convinced that two of the oldest and most wellestablished polytechnics in the country located at Yaba and Kaduna should be transformed into universities in their own right to be known as “City University of Lagos” and “City University of Kaduna”, respectively”, he said.

But as Mr. Aromolaran noted, “it is unfortunate that the government is yet to ensure that the pronouncement during the Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime comes to pass.”

This again tells us that often times, our government is best known for talking more and doing less; making promises and pronouncements that never see the light of day.

However, if we are to make advancement and become relevant in this generation, our political leaders must come over board by paying more attention to technical education in the country.

“For the way forward, there is a need for the present government to promptly and holistically review the polytechnic act. The act that established polytechnic has long been overdue for review to meet with the technical educational demands of the twenty-first century.”

THE NIGERIAN

18

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Agrosphere “ Pumpkin leaf is rich in iron, it is a good blood builder. Anaemic people (those whose blood volume are low, are encouraged to take fresh pumpkin leaf.

To prepare it, fresh pumpkin leaves are washed, squeezed and the liquid from it is extracted, filtered and you drink Crayfish are rich in Omega -3 fatty acid.”

Farm Rich Foods

IN nutrition diet is the sum of food consumption by a person or other organisms.

The word diet implies the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight management reasons.

In Genesis chapter 2 God gave Adam an instruction on what to eat and what not to eat, the forbidden food according to God will cause death, today there are many of such forbidden food that we should avoid, in the course of reading this article you will know some of them. Here are some healthy foods to

By DABOR DOROTHY

include in our diet: 1. Fruits: example apples, oranges, mangoes etc. a. Apples: Apples are an excellent source of antioxidants, which combat free radicals, Free radicals are damaging substances generated in the body that cause undesirable changes and are involved in the aging process and some disease.

Researches at the Florida state University said that apples are a “miracle fruit”. In their study, the investigators

found that older women who starting a regime of eating apples daily experienced a 23 percent drop in levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and a 4% increase in good cholesterol (HDL) after just six months.

Other researches also found that consuming fruit with white edible portions such as pears and apples, can potentially reduce the risk of stroke by 52%.

They reported their findings in the journal stroke” Journal of the America Heart Association.

Mangoes, oranges offer vitamins C which help to fight diseases and boost our immunity Oily fish: Examples of oily fish include mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines.

These types of fish have oil in their tissues and around the gut.

Their lean fillets contain up to 30% oil, specifically Omega 3. Fatty acids. These oils are “ to provide benefits /for the heart as well as the nervous system.

Oily fish are also known to provide benefits for patients

“Oily fish are also known to provide benefits for patients with inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis. Leafy green vegetables. Studies have shown that a high intake of dark-leafy vegetables, such as spinach or cabbage may significantly lowers a person’s risk of developing diabetes type 2.”

with inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis. Leafy green vegetables. Studies have shown that a high intake of dark-leafy vegetables, such as spinach or cabbage may significantly lowers a person’s risk of developing diabetes type 2.Spinach, for example is very rich in antioxidants especially when uncooked, steamed or very lightly boiled. It is a good source of vitamins A, B, C, E and K as well as selenium, zinc, phosphate, copper, folic acid, potassium, calcium, manganese and iron.

Edikang-Ikong. This is a traditional Nigeria soup (originating from the south-south part of Nigeria) that is full of fresh vegetables with recipe which usually include pumpkin water leaf, green leaf, tomatoes, onions crayfish etc. as revealed by Harvard school of public health, regularly consuming fresh vegetables such as those found in Edikang can reduce the risk of certain cancers, stroke and digestive system problems.

Note; pumpkin leaf is rich in iron, it is a good blood builder. Anaemic people (those whose blood volume are low, are encouraged to take

fresh pumpkin leaf. To prepare it, fresh pumpkin leaves are washed, squeezed and the liquid from it is extracted, filtered and you drink Crayfish are rich in Omega -3 fatty acid. Omega-3 fat offer important heart-hearth benefits such as increasing “good” high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and reducing triglycerides. Bitter leaf. A typical Nigeria food that finds its way into a number of traditional dishes.

The bitter leaf is abundant in antioxidants and according to “journal of Agricultural and food c h e m i s t r y ” antioxidants are compounds that combat harmful processes.

Antioxidants was discussed before in Apples Eat more of whole grains.

Choose healthy carbohydrates and fibre sources especially whole grains, for long lasting energy Whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes.

Examples are whole wheat brown rice, millet.

THE NIGERIAN

19

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Natural Medicine

With Dr Mao 0803071734

New Hope For Enlarged Prostate THE prostate gland is an important part of the male reproductive organ.

Essentially, it secretes semen, a fluid in which sperm cells/ spermatozoa are carried during ejaculation into the female organ.

This vital organ is located around the neck of the bladder where it connects with the urethra through which sperm and urine flow out of the male body. Studies have shown that this organ passes two phases of growth in a man’s life time.

According to these studies, the first growth of the gland occurs at puberty when the gland doubles in size.

The second growth begins to take place around 25 years of age. During this second phase of the prostate gland’s growth, a man rarely develops any signs/symptoms before he is 40. However, later, he usually starts to experience them to a point that his sleeping pattern is disrupted while his walking life is therefore full of turmoil.

Infact, his life is now threatened because of the emotional, physical, psychological and physiological trauma arising from these debilitating sign/ symptoms of a growing enlarged prostate.

What are these sign/ symptoms? Firstly, a sufferer of an enlarged prostate strains when urinating.

He experiences a delay in starting a urinary stream which on arrival is slow, weak, hesitant; and flows intermittently.

Furthermore, the sufferer always has a real sensation around his bladder after urination informing him that it has not been fully empties of urine. It is for this reason he develops an urge to urinate again and again. The cumulative effect of this condition is frequency of urination, most especially at night as well as during a long period of immobility, phases of cold temperatures and after alcohol consumption.

This isn’t all. A sufferer of an enlarged prostate

experiences an abnormal urgency to pass urine. Given this fact, it is difficult for him to hold and delay urination.

This explains why he sometimes ends up spilling urine in his pants. Moreover, a sufferer of the disorder has urine dribbles or leakage after urination because of some retained urine in his urethra and bladder flowing out of the body.

Natural therapy has at its disposal several remedies for helping sufferers of enlarged prostate.

However, researches have proved that most of these people have not derived much benefit from them. This scenario spurred Dr. (Hon) Lawrence Olagunju (Ph.D/DHC), a Canadianbased Nigerian with a Honorary Doctorate in immunotherapy to bring to Nigeria and Africa at large an alternative approach to enlarged prostate management that is safe, effective and efficient in reducing or normalizing the condition.

Dr. (Hon) Lawrence Olagunju is also an exclusive licensee of Immunotec Research Inc and has been working with the organization in Canada for over 12 years. So, he knows his onions in Immunotherapy as an approach to managing prostate disorders.

Immunotherapy focuses on raising glutathione levels safety with less or no adverse effects. It was developed at the University of McGill in Canada after 25 years of clinical research pioneered by Dr. Gustavo Bounous, a world expert in GSH; and a team of University-base physicians.

Much more, the method of therapy is backed by extensive research including phase two and three trails and is protected in USA, Canada and thirty-six other countries by method-of-the-treatment pharmaceutical patients. All research publications are available on the issues canvassed in this article.

At this stage, it needs to be emphasized that the result of

the scientific research effort at the University of McGill in Canada led to the development of a nutraceutical remedy for the disorder called IMMUNOCAL. Now, enter Dr. Patricia A.L. Kongshavn (PH.D) a former Professor in the Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal. She stated in her publication: “More studies are in progress to investigate the benefit of using immunocal as a complementary treatment for

prophylaxis against benign hypertrophy as well as cancer since both conditions appear to be related to the deficiency in the glutathione enzyme system. In summary, there is increasing evidence that the glutathione system provides a vitally important defence against prostate problems.

Therefore, dietary treatments to enhance this system, in particular immunocal and selenium, could be very important in maintaining a healthy gland as well as providing protection against

prostate antigens that cause prostate enlargement; as wells as target and thereafter destroy them. When this is accomplished, the enlargement goes. Normal function is restored to the prostate gland. All the sufferer’s disabling signs/ symptoms of prostate enlargement goes for good.

Olagunju expatiates further: “Researchers have found that abnormal growth in prostate tissues often corresponds to deficiency in glutathione enzyme which has several

prostate cancer since this dietary supplement is already proven to raise intracellular glutathione in normal adults.

A number of case reports describing the beneficial effects of this treatment in prostate cancer patients have recently been published by Bounous.”

She went on: “In these patients the Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA values fell, indicating a reduction in the tumour mass. Immunocal is also indicated for use as a

the development of prostate cancer.”

Let’s us now hear from Dr. (Hon) Lawrence Olagunju (Ph.D/DitC). In his interview with The Nation newspapers on July 12, 2012 he explained that immunocal triggers glutathione modulations which in itself enhances the function of a type of Bimmune cells known as dendritic cells. These cells go on to activate another category of T-immune cells to enable them easily recognize

sub-types. The objective of using Immunocal is to balance the sub-types of glutathione enzymes by modulating intracellular glutathione.

When this is achieved, it is then possible to maintain a cellular redox state in the prostate gland ensuring its tissues are normal and healthy”.

Immunocal has many health benefits. The therapeutic drug gives positive results within 60 days of administration for non -10+ blood group patients. Other medications take a longer time even though in most cases sufferers only find their signs/ symptoms alleviated.

Invariably, they stand a chance of gradually losing their bladder function.

Therefore, immunocal offers an attractive option to sufferers of enlarged prostate, 60% of whom are above 40.

“Therefore, immunocal offers an attractive option to sufferers of enlarged prostate, 60% of whom are above 40. Also, it prevents prostate cancer, a major cause of death among men.”

Also, it prevents prostate cancer, a major cause of death among men. Only a very minimal or no side effects sometimes has been associated with immunocal since it hit the global market.

Lest one forget, immunocal could save sufferers of prostate enlargement from the surgeon’s knife, often considered by them as a last remedy. However, their hopes are hardly realized because from experience surgery offers no permanent cure to prostate disorder. Apart from the physiological-cumpsychological trauma surgery give the sufferers of enlarged

prostate, studies reveal that such trauma eventually kill the sufferers.

Olagunju concluded: “We have partnered with the Lagos State Health Service Commission and Ogun State Hospitals Management Board for the purpose of educating all health workers on the benefits of immunotherapy and immunocal. Currently, CMEs on immunotherapy for prostate disorder has been delivered in eleven of the twenty-five general hospitals in Lagos State; and also to all State hospitals in Ogun State.

Consequently, with its principal of action, immunocal remains comparatively an approach of choice for enlarged prostate sufferers around the world today as attested to by men who have used it.

THE NIGERIAN

20

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

New Horizon

Regulating Sex In Marriage I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles. (Bagavad Gita).

The end of humanity in respect to sexuality is to preserve the species without debasing the person. (Kant, According to vedic culture, human life is divided into four ashramas, or spiritual orders, that generally follow in stages: First, that of the celibate student or brahmchari, then the married householder (grihasta) then the pilgrim or forest dweller (vanaprastha), and finally, the wandering renounciate or a perfect preacher, (sanyasi).

Out of these four stages, three are strictly celibate, only in the grihasta ashrama that of the married householder — is sex allowed and then only for procreation. When a married couple performs sex according to this religious principle, he is also considered to be practicing a form of celibacy. Infact it is better to marry than to burn, said Saint Paul, encouraging us to marry and use it for God’s service, as intended.

When properly used, marriage can be a protective fort in the midst of battle. The living being is constantly being assailed by the illusory energy, which tries to defeat him through sex.

Unrestricted sex makes one think that he is the body and material objects are his. This battle against nescience can be won, however, if the sex drive is controlled by strict regulations within marriage.

On the other hand, the path of marriage can also be very difficult. Infact some people find it easier to remain strictly celibate. I recalled the time this subject first came before a vedic cleric, Srila Prabupad, during a New York Lecture in 1966. Srila Prabupad was just beginning

to teach Krishna consciousness to Americans, and someone asked him about marital sex in vedic culture. At first, Prabupad was reluctant to go into details. When pressed, he finally said, sex between husband and wife is restricted to once monthly for the propagation of God — fearing children. At this answer, the audience was thunderstruck and for a long time, no one spoke. Then one student spoke and said, Why so, it is better to forget the whole thing about marriage.

And Srila Prabupad answered, Yes, that is the whole idea. There is a good reason for such restrictions.

If sex in marriage is not restricted, marriage ceases to be sacred. Instead it becomes a means for lusty gratification. Then one becomes more and more entangled in illusion. Lust in itself is an abomination, whether it is in the state of wedlock or out of it. Jacob Boehme once wrote, “Marriage based on lust is as immoral as free love”. Today in America and in many countries, the majority of marriages end in divorce. If we analyse this, we would find that in the most cases, the couples marry only for sex enjoyment. And when they tire of one another due largely to overindulgence, divorce follows. As abstinence serves to strengthen mutual affection, so Augustine Comte wrote that, “The feeling of attachment becomes stronger and more constant when the conjugal relation is maintained habitually.”

A MARRIAGE PARTNER IS NOT A SEX MACHINE Sexual relations unfavourable to the rearing of offspring must tend towards degradation.

(Herbert Spencer).

Often when people marry, they think, “Now all my sex problem are solved”. They then imagine themselves to be like gods and goddesses lording it over their kingdom.

My new sex machine (wife) will afford me unlimited enjoyment,” they think. Now I can have intercourse several times a day.” But such lack of restraint must be paid for.

By wasting spiritual strength one is more likely to fall victim to disease and debility.

Furthermore, when there is

vomiting at dinner parties.

After eating all that the stomach could retain the Pompeian’s would go outside to vomit, then return to the feast to gorge themselves again with more food and drinks. They don’t eat to alleviate hunger but to gratify their palate. Just as the Pompeian’s tried to circumvent nature’s design for the digestive system, people today try to avoid nature’s design for the reproductive system.

sexual excess, partners frequently become dissatisfied with one another and search for new excitement in new partner. In an effort to enjoy unlimited sex, people often practice birth control by various methods. At least, 90% of married couples in America and around the world now use contraceptives in some form. But the use of contraceptive methods is much like the Pompeian’s use of an emetic to induce

Freud declared it boldly when we said, “All the means that have been resorted to in order to prevent conception, disturb the finer sensibilities of man and woman especially of the woman, since here, as so often in matters of sex, the man’s satisfaction is largely at the cost of the woman. The Supreme objection of all methods of contraception is in the spiritual field, No one can practice any form of birth control without being injured

“Today in America and in many countries, the majority of marriages end in divorce. If we analyse this, we would find that in the most cases, the couples marry only for sex enjoyment. And when they tire of one another due largely to overindulgence, divorce follows.”

With VICTOR ANIUKWU

spiritually.” Many modern psychiatrists, who are so quick to recommend birth control, should return to their books to read this statement from the father of their profession. Despite the increasing number of young couples seeking marriage counseling, the divorce rate is still soaring. In vedic culture, divorce was unknown. Even today, when divorce in America has risen to about 60 percent, divorce is less than 10 percent in India. In all religion, divorce is considered a great sin.

“What therefore God hath put together, let no man put

practice celibacy before and during marriage. Mutual celibacy is the wellspring of an enduring relationship.

Ofcourse, some men and women prefer to never marry. They choose to commit themselves fully to celibacy and the religious life. Today, the world desperately needs such ideal men and women. Some people think that Vedic Culture denies women equality, but this is not so.

Indeed, both the Christian and Vedic Culture set women on the highest pedestal of all, as manifestations of the

asunder”. Who can calculate the pain inflicted on the children of all these broken marriages? It is not surprising that children from broken homes are more prone to engage in anti-social behaviours. Unwed teenage pregnancy, juvenile crime, and drug addiction are some of the bitter fruits of a lack of God consciousness in the home. Human love is intended to serve as a stepping stone to divine or universal love. (Ghandi).

Sexual restrictions within marriage can never be observed unless both husband and wife are God conscious. Self-control is not just for men. Women also must take up this great spiritual challenge. Husband and wife will find it difficult to remain faithful to one another unless they learn to

universal mother.

Unfortunately many women are misled by men who see them simply as sex objects.

Thus degraded, women utilize their so-called freedom to live like prostitutes and have so much abortions. What kind of freedom is this - Freedom to murder one’s own offspring in the womb. Even animals, who become most ferocious when defending their young ones, don’t stoop to such an act. Man unfortunately forgets that he is nearest to the Divine. Mahatma Gandhi once wrote. “He hankers instead after the brute instinct in himself, and becomes less than the brute.” In the progress of marriage, those who are spiritual, the love of sex is exterminated Continues on page 24

THE NIGERIAN

21

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Place Of Prayer Why Do You Do The Things You Do?

WHY do you do the things you do? Why are you in the relationship you are in? Why are you showing goodness to that man or woman?

I have found that a lot of people do the things they do out of selfish motives. People tend to be good to only those that they feel they can gain something in return from (Luke 14:12-14). When such people do not get the expectation of their heart from such people, their hearts get broken. Those that keep doing things for the sake of man, rather than for God’s sake, will continually suffer heart breaks because man cannot be relied on.

A young female banker once fell in love with a young, uneducated and unemployed man. She loved him so much that she was willing to spend her resources to change his status. She helped him to gain admission into the University and became responsible for his school fees, books and general upkeep. She did this without complain for several years till the young man graduated from the university.

This young lady, had a motive for what she was doing, she was doing all this so that the young man would eventually marry her. So, you can imagine her shock and disappointment when this young man graduated from the university and told her that he could not marry her, that he was in love with another lady. The lady almost lost her mind. She had to suffer all this because she did all she did not because of God, but because of man.

There is no reward for anything done because of man. If you do it because of God, then God will ensure your reward, either through that man or some else.

God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah in Jer. 17:57, “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is”.

The heart of man is deceitful above all things and

desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9). No matter how good a man looks or acts right now, it is folly to place your trust in him. For it is the nature of man to fall short of expectation. Human beings are the most ungrateful of God’s creation. They forget past goodness so easily. Even God had a bitter experience with man that He made. It got so bad that the bible tells us in Gen. 6:6 that it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. If man that was made by God could disappoint his maker, then who are you to be spared the deception of man? Only God can be trusted implicitly. It is only with Him that we can be sure not to find variableness or shadow of turning.

When your relationship with man is as unto the Lord, and not unto man, then you will not only save yourself from disappointments and heart breaks, you will also qualify for God’s reward. The bible gives this great admonition in Eph6:7-8- With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

Those that relate with their fellows as unto the Lord will certainly enjoy God’s reward continually. We can take examples from the lives of two women in the bible that did what they did, not because of man, but as service to God, and got rewarded by God for the selfless service they rendered.

First is the example of the Shunammite woman seen in 2Kings 4. This woman made herself a host to Prophet Elisha whenever he passed through Shunem, not for any selfish motive, but because she wanted to be of service to

With Pastor Samuel O. Osaghae SMS Only 08030809339

God. When Elisha called her to ask what he could do for her to reward her kindness, she had no request to make because all she had been doing was not for Elisha’ sake, but was done, as unto the Lord. And so as reward for her selfless service to God, her barrenness was wiped

Naomi, not for Naomi’s sake, but for God’s sake. She followed, not knowing where she was going. For her selfless service to God, she finally married the wealthiest man in their city and became an ancestor of the Lord Jesus.

When your services are pure, not tied to the apronstring of human reward, you get divine reward. When your motive is service, not in

reciprocated blessings, relate with people because of God. Don’t train your children with an eye on them taking care of you in the future.

Children are not investments, they are your responsibilities.

only what you do for God receives compensation.

Many people are offended by their Pastor because they believe they have served enough to gain reward. We don’t serve Pastor: we serve

away, even though she had given up all hope of ever having a child.

Ruth is another woman that enjoyed God’s reward by selfless service to Him. Although, a widow and still young enough to get another husband, she refused to turn her back on the old, lonely and dejected Naomi. Whereas Orpah under pressure from Naomi to go back kissed and went away, Ruth kissed and cleaved. There was obviously nothing Ruth could gain from following Naomi, yet she stuck to her. She decided to be nice and available to

expectation of human reward, heaven will step in to help you.

Many husbands relate with their wives because of what they expect to gain. Many wives are good to their husbands because of gain.

And so, when the love or action shown is not reciprocated, there is problem. Anything you do for human beings because of the human being, you will certainly be disappointed in the response you get. If you want peace in your heart, then you should not relate with people with an eye on

You must know that not all children you take care of will eventually take care of you.

There are children you did not invest in that God can later bring to you to take care of you.

Some people do things just to hear “thank you” from man. “Thank you” is not edible: don’t kill yourself over it. Practice how to live with men because of God. Any man that acts with man, expecting man’s appreciation will be depreciated. Only God can reward you correctly. You don’t have reward for whatever you do for man,

God in the Pastor. If you serve Pastor for Pastor’s sake, you will not get God’s reward, the best you can get is the Pastor’s reward. The bible makes this clear in Matt.

10:41-He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophets reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

If no man recognizes your works, God who sees our secret good works, carried out in the dark, will reward you openly.

In conclusion, hear these words of Jesus in Mark 9:41For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

This summarizes our whole point- those that will not lose their reward are those who do it- as unto the Lord.

“Many husbands relate with their wives because of what they expect to gain. Many wives are good to their husbands because of gain. And so, when the love or action shown is not reciprocated, there is problem. Anything you do for human beings because of the human being, you will certainly be disappointed in the response you get.”

THE NIGERIAN

22

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

International Features

Day Of Songun In The DPRK

AUGUST 25 is the Day of Songun in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The day was instituted to commemorate August 25, 1960, when Kim Jong Il (1942-2011), eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, started S o n g u n - b a s e d revolutionary leadership with the inspection of the Seoul Ryu Kyong Su Guards 105 th Tank Division of the Korean People’s Army. The inspection was a significant declaration of the motto of the man, who would later lead his country and people, and the mode of his politics.

From that day until the last days of his life, he inspected over 5,200 units in the military field. He inspected the 105th Tank Division, symbol of his S o n g u n - b a s e d revolutionary leadership, for over 20 times. In those days he built up the KPA into invincible armed forces and consolidated the country’s military capabilities to the maximum with the KPA as

the core, thus providing a sure guarantee for the victory of the cause of socialism.

Always attaching great importance to consolidating the politicoideological, military and technical capabilities of the KPA, he energetically led the work of building up the KPA into invincible armed forces on the road of his Songun-based revolutionary leadership.

Directing primary efforts to training the commanding personnel and staff officers of the army he also ensured that all the soldiers were fully prepared to be reliable defenders of the socialist cause, a-match-for-ahundred combatants.

When visiting units and subunits of various services, arms and corps, he acquainted himself with their preparedness for combat and clarified the ways and means for solving in an original way the strategic and tactical problems arising in modern warfare. As he led the KPA by dint of his Juche-oriented military ideas and theories,

unexcelled military insight and judgment and profound military knowledge, it could be remarkably developed into the ranks of combatants each of whom is a match for a hundred foes.

Kim Jong Il also paid close attention to modernizing the military hardware of the KPA. In line with the demands of the rapidly-developing modern military science and technology, he gave ceaseless guidance to the defence industry of the country to modernize the KPA’s military hardware.

He inspected many munitions factories so as to ensure that they put production on a normal footing whatever the adversity and turned out sophisticated military hardware of various types.

This enabled the KPA to develop into invincible armed forces possessed of all the strategic as well as tactical weapons necessary for attack and defence on the ground, on the sea and in the air.

The KPA, developed into an elite force in the

politico-ideological, strategic, tactical, military and technical aspects under the guidance of Kim Jong Il, have always emerged victorious in the uninterrupted showdown with the US-led imperialist forces.

As the Pueblo incident in January 1968, the EC121 incident in April 1969 and the Panmunjom incident in August 1976 showed, the US, which committed one provocation after another against the DPRK, could not avoid merciless punishment by the KPA on the sea, in the air and on the ground. Around the end of the last century, when socialism was imploding in several countries, the KPA, as a steadfast advocate and reliable defender of the socialist cause, frustrated the anti-socialist offensives by the allied imperialist forces.

Having defended socialism in the most trying international situation under the unfurled banner of Songun, Kim Jong Il ushered in an era of

building a thriving socialist country.

He led the service personnel and people to the effort for building such a country in the spirit of being victors in the battle of defending socialism. He encouraged the service personnel to stand in the van of this effort holding the slogan, “Let us take upon ourselves both national defence and socialist construction!”

Encouraged, the service personnel performed heroic feats in socialist construction braving difficulties and hardships through audacious offensive. Naming the spirit they displayed the revolutionary soldier spirit, Kim Jong Il enlisted all the people to making great innovations and leaps in all the sectors of the building of a thriving country by learning after the spirit.

As a result, the DPRK could open a grandiose era of building a thriving country amidst the vicious schemes of the imperialists to stifle it; all the crop fields were realigned into large-sized, standardized

ones as befit those of a socialist state, the economy began to be reactivated and many factories and enterprises were renovated; the whole country seethed with the enthusiasm for introducing CNC technology and, stoking up the industrial revolution of the new century, the DPRK advanced vigorously to achieve the status of a scientific and technological power, an economic giant.

The eye-opening reality in the DPRK, which is ever-victorious by dint of single-hearted unity, formidable by dint of selfreliant national defence and achieving prosperity by dint of the industrial revolution of the new century, is unthinkable separated from Kim Jong Il’s exploits in the leadership of the Songun revolution.

Kim Jong Il’s exploits of having laid eternal foundation for the prosperity of his country and nation through outstanding and seasoned Songun-based leadership will shine forever together with the Day of Songun.

Texas Governor In Legal Battle Over Abuse Of Power A Texas judge opted not to issue an arrest warrant against Governor Rick Perry, but the Republican still faces the unflattering prospect of being booked, fingerprinted and having his mug shot taken — and has assembled a team of highpowered attorneys to fight the two felony counts of abuse of power against him.

Leading conservatives around the country have mostly lined up to support the longest-serving governor in Texas history, and

Perry’s aides said the case won’t derail his busy travel schedule, which includes visits to several key presidential battleground states as he continues to eye a second run for the White House in 2016.

“This is nothing more than banana republic politics,” Tony Buzbee a Houston-based defense attorney who will head a cadre of four lawyers from Texas and Washington defending Perry, said at a news conference. “The charges lobbed against the governor are a really nasty attack

not only on the rule of law but on the Constitution of the United States, the state of Texas and also the fundamental constitutional protections that we all enjoy.”

Perry on Friday became the first Texas governor since 1917 to be indicted, and is facing charges of coercion and official oppression that carry a maximum sentence of 109 years in prison for carrying out a threat to veto funding for the state’s public integrity unit last summer.

The governor has emphatically

Governor Rick Perry makes a statement in Austin, Texas concerning the indictment on charges of coercion of public servant and abuse of his official capacity.

stood by his veto and denied all wrongdoing.

The judge overseeing the case, Republican Bert Richardson, decided against issuing an arrest warrant and instead the special prosecutor appointed to the matter, Michael McCrum, was planning a simple legal summons. That still means a booking is in Perry’s future.

Buzbee said he didn’t know exactly when that would occur but that the governor has no intention of hiding: “That’s going to be something, that when he goes in to be booked and take his picture that we’re going to let you know about.”

In an email Monday night, McCrum said that Friday, as well as Aug. 29, had been discussed as possible dates for an arraignment. But he also said that Perry may waive his arraignment altogether.

Felix Browne, a spokesman for the governor, said no arraignment date had been confirmed — and that Perry wouldn’t need to appear personally.

A grand jury in Austin, a liberal bastion in otherwise largely conservative Texas, indicted Perry for carrying out a threat to veto $7.5 million in funding for the state’s public integrity unit after Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, a Democrat, refused to resign following a drunken driving arrest. The ethics unit is housed

under Lehmberg’s office.

No one disputes that Perry has the power to veto measures approved by the Legislature, but his threat to do so before actually carrying it out prompted a complaint from a left-leaning watchdog group.

The grand jury met for months before handing down its indictment, and Perry’s $450 perhour defense attorney was paid using state funds. Buzbee said the public will continue footing the bill for the governor’s nowpricier legal team, though he said a private foundation could eventually be established to handle some of the costs.

Word that Perry avoided an arrest warrant raised questions of favoritism, but legal observers said forgoing an arrest warrant is common in white-collar cases.

Former U.S. Attorney Matt Orwig said that insisting on an arrest warrant for Perry would have been “grandstanding.”

“He’s obviously not a flight risk or danger to the community,” Orwig said.

The public integrity unit also led the case against former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a fellow Texas Republican who was convicted in 2010 on campaign finance charges, but eventually had them overturned on appeal.

Dick DeGuerin, a Houston attorney who defended DeLay,

said the congressman was originally issued a summons — and it wasn’t until DeLay’s legal team had some of the indictments against him thrown out that prosecutors sought an arrest warrant. DeLay eventually turned himself in and, wearing a suit and American flag lapel pin, smiled wide for his mug shot.

“It turned out to be kind of a glamour shot,” DeGuerin said.

Aides said the case wouldn’t prevent Perry from maintaining his packed upcoming schedule, which includes visits to the key presidential battleground states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina in the next two weeks.

Perry also has a Thursday speech on immigration at the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

The governor is attempting to rebrand himself to a national audience after stumbling badly during his short-lived 2012 presidential campaign.

Potential 2016 presidential rival and Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie released a statement Monday saying he has “complete faith and confidence in Governor Perry’s honesty and integrity,” echoing similar sentiments from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, all of whom may eventually seek the GOP White House nomination. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad said the charges “could well help” Perry.

THE NIGERIAN

23

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

THE NIGERIAN

24

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014 With VICTOR ANIUKWU

New Horizon Continued from Pg 20

(Swedenberg).

The scriptures enjoined us to marry to produce good children for the service of God and man. Apart from this, sex is to be avoided.

Association based on sense enjoyment is never beneficial because it is inspired by lust.

Lust conflicts with the basic principles of God consciousness: I am not this body, but spirit soul. Nothing is for myself, but everything is for the service of the Supreme Lord. This principle is grounded in the injunction of the Upanishads — lsavasyam Idam Sarvam.

“Everything is God’s property”. This means that “my” body does not really belong to me, Nor its sexual capacity or vital fluid. Even the food that produces semen comes from God. The conclusion is that since everything belongs to God, everything should be used in His service. Semen is utilized in the service of God when it is used to produce a God. Conscious child. Marriage is not a license for unrestricted sex. Children should not be begotten out of sense gratification, like cats and dogs which is equal to unwanted progeny in the human race. Since the child inherits the consciousness of the parents at the time of conception, such children become mere animals. They will simply be a burden to the world. “We should not have sexual connection for the sake of pleasure, but only for the sake of begetting good and God fearing children.”

(Lucanus). Women must be spiritual to give birth to spiritual children. For this, a knowledge and mastery of celibacy is essential. Srila Prabapad, a leading Vedic cleric said that “a woman is blessed if her child becomes a God devotee.” Otherwise it is better that she remain barren. To beget an atheist is to suffer the pangs of childbirth for nothing. Both pura (son) and mutra (urine)

are issues from the male genital. “A worthy child, devoted to God, can liberate his whole family, whereas a godless child is no better than urine.” Even having good children shouldn’t be overdone. Generally, two children are sufficient and at most three. It is not necessary to produce more. Too many children drain the family’s material and spiritual economy, to everyone’s detriment. If there is not a great deal of love among the children, they will fight over their allotments and cause much pain to their parents.

Still the desire for sex is so strong that parents often cut their own throats, having more children that they can’t support.

How can unfortunate deprived offspring render proper service to God and humanity? Not even being able to help themselves sufficiently, they become burden to the state and society. How much wiser it is to maintain the principles of celibacy in marriage.

From voluntary selfrestraint, come peace and happiness, now and in the world to come. “The task of human parents is to enhance the spiritual life of the next generation by planting the seed of spirit in their own child” (Alder). But for lack of knowledge, parents today do not train their children to appreciate the benefit of celibacy. Children stay out all hours and mix freely with the opposite sex in one disguise or the other.

By age nineteen, eighty percent of the boys and seventy percent of the girls are sexually active from all assessment. What are the results of such promiscuity?

These facts presents the society with a staggering problem. Once upon a time, a newly wedded disciple asked his spiritual master, “How many times should I have sex with my wife? You must not allow semen to flow more than once in your lifetime, the spiritual master

... Sex In Marriage

replied.

But that’s impossible, the disciple said, impossible. “Yes, materially speaking, that is so” said the spiritual master, “but with the help of God and the spiritual master, all things are possible:”. But only once, the disciple lamented. Why, I should have, never married.

Seeing that this disciple was becoming very morose, the spiritual master said, “Well considering that this is the dark age of kali (age of degradation) the very utmost that can be allowed is once a month. Sex should take place when the woman is most

eleventh and twelfth are prohibited for intercourse.

The remaining ten are auspicious, provided they do not occur on the first, sixth, eight, eleventh, twelfth or fourteenth day of either the waxing or waning moon, nor on the day of a cosmic occurrence, like an eclipse, nor on Sunday or special religious holidays. Once an auspicious day is found, intercourse can take place, but only for procreation. “A pious married couples must

as follows as described by manu samhita: 1. Ages 20 - 30: First class married couples have sex only once a month. Second class, twice a month, the third class more than twice.

2. Ages 30- 40: First class married couples have sex only once in three months: the second class, twice in three months: the third class, more than twice.

3. Ages 40- 50: First class married couples have sex once in six months, the

and be merry”. No one dare criticize anyone. “Do your own thing.” People say- when shankararcharya was asked, “Who is the most blind man?

He answered, “he who in lusty with passion, and ignorant with the false conception of “I and mine.”

Just as a blind man cannot discriminate between the safe and the dangerous way, modern man is blinded by the modes of passion and ignorance. He cannot also distinguish between what

fertile, in order to beget progeny. More than once a month will kill your spiritual life.” The rule limiting sex to once a month for the purpose of procreation was first given

by Manu, the Moses of Vedic India. According to Manu, sex should be limited to the most auspicious time for conception. Manu teaches that out of the sixteen days following the beginning of menses, the first four, the

observe celibacy somehow or the other before marriage up to the age of twenty,” “and again after the age of fifty.”

The thirty years in between are divided into three periods of ten years each. For each stage there are specific rules and regulations at different stages of life. These rules are intended to keep married couples spiritually active. To avert debauchery, both man and wife must observe them

second class, twice in six month, the third class, more than twice.

4. And After 50: One should take sanyas, the renounced order of life- that means no more sex. It is admittedly difficult to follow all these restrictions. Still it is spiritually rewarding and very auspicious. The husband and wife who strictly follow them are also considered celibate. They preserve their health and vitality, enjoy conjugal peace, and maintain their love. Their marriage will last, and their children will be strong, intelligent and God conscious. Such instructions seem impossibly austere to us today. Now, the general philosophy is “Eat, drink,

should be done and what should be avoided. Milton once wrote that the mind is its own place and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven. We have hardly began to estimate the powers of the mind. Since the mind can take us to heaven or to hell, it behoves us to control it and direct it properly by the intelligence. The mind cannot be controlled unless its practiced. Therefore, if we are at all serious about celibacy, we must follow a spiritual regimen and chant our mantra/prayer daily. “For one who has conquered the mind, the super soul is already reached and tranquility is attained. To such a man, happiness and distress, heat and cold, honour and dishonor are all the same”.

(Bagavad -Gita).

“Marriage is not a license for unrestricted sex.

Children should not be begotten out of sense gratification, like cats and dogs which is equal to unwanted progeny in the human race.”

THE NIGERIAN

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Spiritual Platform

Dealing With Familiar Spirits WE shall now address another very common element in our evil foundation. This is the prevalence of familiar spirits about which many people are ignorant. Yet these evil spirits continue to do havoc in the lives of people. Familiar spirits are demons attached or assigned by Satan to members of a family. They are called familiar spirits because they are thoroughly familiar with members of the family to which they are assigned. They know every detail of the human beings they are assigned to—their likes and dislikes, mannerisms, weaknesses, family traits, genetic diseases, evil Inheritance, evil patterns etc. If, for example, the persons, to whom they are attached are under curse or evil covenants, these demonic spirits are there to monitor and to enforce them.

The holy scriptures discuss familiar spirits in several places.

We examine a few of them. Deut. 18:9- 12’says ‘When you come into the land which the Lord your God Is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.

There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you.

Here Moses warned against patronising witchcraft practitioners., soothsayers, sorcerers, conjurers mediums, spiritists.

Necromancers: They may bear different names but they are all Spirits. Isaiah 8:19-20 says.

‘And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards who whisper and mutter, should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living.? To the law and to the testimony! if they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

Another passage In the bible is where King Saul went to consult a medium. 2 Samuel 28:7-12. Invoking and consulting with the spirits of the dead is necromancy. This is spiritism which comes out in various forms such as seances, communication with the dead. telepathy, astrology, clairvoyance, fortune-telling. etc. The spirits behind these practices are seducing spirits which deceive gullible people by posing as their guardian angles. This is what is referred in 1 Timothy 4: 1 which says “Now the spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” God condemns these evil practices. If your fore-parents had been involved in spiritism or you yourself has been involved you need to pray hard.

How does one acquire a familiar spirit as an evil guide?

- Association with dead spirits. Many people go to mediums and in the process. a familiar spirit is attached. People in quest for power or wealth seek help from these evil sources. People go to the cemetery to “consult” the spirits of their dead relations; - Craving for forbidden things such as incest; - Visiting witch doctors or herbalist for consultation, a situation which can be worsened if they are given concoction to drink; - In families where idols are worshipped, this provides a fertile ground for familiar spirits to operate. An evidence of this phenomenon is that you see children either talking or laughing without the adults seeing anybody around.

This is also the source of convulsion in children; - Uncontrollable eating by children; - Addiction to hard drug; - Bad and Immoral music; - Patronage of white garment churches where prophecy or vision is prevalent; - Spiritual bath; - Sacrifices based on fruits such as banana, orange, etc.

- Sexual immorality including homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, masturbation; The bible warns against false prophecy for the principal reason that they are deceptive, often raising false hopes. Read Jeremiah 23 and see God’s condemnation of false prophecy. There are many reports of so-called ministers of God who rely on occultic powers.

What this means is that they rely on familiar spirits who have intimate information on their clients. This is the reason why familiar spirits are also called secretary spirits because they maintain a file on everybody in the family.

One can also acquire a familiar spirit by constantly eating in dream especially in the company of dead relations.” Please listen carefully If you are now the head of your family by age, and you dream of eating Constantly in the company of your so-called dead relations, you need to pray seriously against the spirit of death.

This is because, in the 5 world, you are being targeted as the next to die in your family Arrows of death are being projected and you need to pray harder then ever before. You must give your life to

Christ so that his blood which he shed on the cross of Calvary will cover you.

Before we continue we shall take the following testimonies: T. I A brother was praying one day. As he prayed he saw before him somebody in a white dress, this being raised up his right hand and asked the brother who was praying to stop praying saying “I will uphold you with my right hand of righteousness” - The brother wanted to stop because he thought it was God talking to him but the Spirit of God caused him to look closely at his dress. He saw stains in the white dress. He shouted “fire” and the entity disappeared.

- What happened was that a familiar spirit was trying to prevent him from continuing in prayers.

T.2 - one night a brother went to ease himself in a toilet, as he came out, a peculiar breeze blew on him, he fell down, when he got up, he started to see visions and to prophesy

people around him were baffled and started to ask him questions as to how he suddenly acquired these powers. a senior priest who understood what was happening took him and locked him up for 7-day hot prayers. as these prayers were going on, this brother vomited a small tortoise and immediately the power to see vision and to prophesy ceased.

Be warned that the prophets you have been patronizing may be using occultic powers.

T.3 There is a church somewhere around us the church mounted a 3 day programme for couples looking for the fruit of the womb, - on the last day of the programme one of the participants had a dream, • in the dream all the couples who took part in the program were present.

• suddenly a being dressed In white from waist up appeared standing behind the altar. They were ordered to engage in an orgy of sexing the church hail.

The woman thought her prayers had been answered until a man of God explained to her that the being she saw was not God but a demon, a familiar spirit.

Familiar spirits are essentially spirits of deception, like the incidence just described. Familiar spirits are installed in families to cause problems.

They ensure that evil family patterns are perpetuated in families.

This is the reason why they fight family liberation. Family liberation is a spiritual programme designed to drive away all works of darkness that have held them down for ages. Curses and covenants are broken and family restored to spiritual health.

Check your family.

They abort destiny in families. This is why you see stars rising in families but only to see them fall. Young people do not make it despite their education. This is stubborn limitation.

They cause untimely deaths in the families. Look at the pattern of deaths In families where familiar spirits are at work and you see people dying at 40,50 and below 60 mostly, often in mysterious circumstances.

With Rt Rev (Dr.) C. I. Umane GSM: 0803579951 Familiar spirits are behind inherited curses of - barrenness -failure -rejection from the womb -emotional disorders -mental disorders They use several evil devices such as psychic powers, mind control, third eye, etc.

Root Prayer Points Every agenda of familiar spirits in my family line die in Jesus

name.

Power of familiar spirits carry your evil load in Jesus name.

Thou power of familiar spirits in my family die in Jesus name.

I reject, denounce and command every familiar spirit in my life to die in Jesus name.

Every stronghold of familiar spirits in my education, business, career, marriage etc, what are you waiting for? Die in Jesus name.

Every power sitting on my business die in Jesus name You familiar spirits stealing my virtues, release them in Jesus name All my breakthroughs in the cage of familiar spirits, come out by in Jesus name.

Blood of Jesus fight for me now in Jesus name.

Blood of Jesus, fight for me now in the name of Jesus.

Arrows of familiar spirits, backfire by fire in the name of Jesus.

Every agenda of familiar spirits in my family 1ine die in the name of Jesus.

Every power of familiar spirits from my father’s side, die, in the name of Jesus.

Power of familiar spirits, carry your evil load in Jesus’ name.

Thou power of familiar spirits in my family, die, in Jesus’ name.

Every stronghold of familiar spirits in my (education, business, career, marriage, etc), what are you waiting for? Die, in the name of Jesus.

Every spiritual friend, die, in the name of Jesus.

Every spiritual evil child, die. in the name of Jesus.

Every power sitting on my business, die in the name of Jesus.

You familiar spirits, stealing my virtue release them in the name of Jesus All my break-throughs in the cage of familiar spirits, come out, in the name of Jesus.

Thou power of familiar spirit. I’m not your wife in Jesus’ name.

Every power of familiar spirits from my mother’s side, die in the name of Jesus.

Any foundation familiar spirit troubling my star die, in Jesus’ name.

THE NIGERIAN

26

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

EVERY WEDNESDAY, WEEK 06, 2014 LUCKY 1.2. X FORECAST 5 INTERNATIONAL NOS. HOT PAIRS 7 7 9

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By SAM EHEBHA GSM:08056626091

SATURDAY RITUALS

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THE NIGERIAN

27

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

EVERY WEDNESDAY, WEEK 06, 2014 WATSON WEST 1.2.X FORECAST

By SAM EHEBHA GSM:08056626091

Your Star

EDITOR’S NAP

RICHWELL NAP

NAP 19 XX 19 XX 19 NAP 29 XX 29 XX 29 PAIR 29 Vs 28 PAIR 16 OR 36 GOODLUCK LET IT BE

PAIR 4 OR 19 WATCH OUT

OKUNS NAP NAP 45 XX 45 XX 45

PAIR 34 OR 40 THERE IS HOPE

NAP 13 XX 13 XX 13 PAIR 3 OR 8 EXECUTIVE

PARKER NAP

J. B. NAP

SUNNY NAP NAP 25 XX 25 XX25

MURPHY NAP

NAP 9 XX 9 XX 9 PAIR: 18 or 19 BE A WINNER

NAP 16 XX 16 XX 16 PAIR 30 OR 31 FOR SURE

ODION NAP

PAUL NAP NAP

NAP 31 XX 31 XX 31 PAIR 11 0R 12 DRAW IS DRAW

NAP 12 XX 12 XX 12 PAIR 17 OR 47 BE MY GUEST

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18 25* 26 37 38 39

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THE NIGERIAN

28

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014

Why Man United Will Come Back Among Top Four

By STANLEY UGAGBE

Tenaciously, fans were battered, bashed shocked and disappointed as the red Devils finished the 2012/13 campaign in 7th position the worst campaign in recent years.

However the arrival of a new manager Loius van Gaal and captain wayne Rooney partnership is a powerful one that will help Manchester United back into the top four in the English Premier League.

Van gaal new 3.5-2 system recently integrated into the United side has worked brilliantly thus far. While it is still early days for the club, they have defeated a number of titans in pre-season work of wing-backs and three centre backs.

The former Netherlands boss knows success all too well and wherever he has gone he has made his mark. At club level he has won the champions league.

Erediaser (4) EUFA Cup, Laliga (2), bundesliga and finished as runner-up in the champion league-twice.

With the team now firmly based around him, Rooney is a player who thrives of having the attention placed in. Perhaps, a distant few miles behind the likes

of Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic both of whom insist on having the spotlight focused on them whether or not they actually perform. Rooney still

delives when under pressure.

Leading the team from the front and walking troops out of the tunel will almost certainly make the former Everton man bring out his

best performances for the club to ensure the team secure a place among the top four.

The most exciting situation in regards to the formation that United fans will be licking their lips at is that all three centrebacks and proposed wing-backs were not regulars last seasons.

Bar Luka shau, donny Evans, Phil dones and Chris Smalling were not number ones last term, while Ashley Young and Antonia Valenci have been taking it in turns down the night. With solid reinforcements and personnal under Van Gaal, it could bade well for the future.

Just like every other coach, the Dutchman hates losing and that great passion and enthusiasm has almost certainly robbed off on his squad. With a few signing under Van Gaal’s astute tactical nous, the Red Devils hopes to come back among top four in the English Premier league.

Notably, the team failed last season and such would not want to fail again! Despite defeat to Swaensea City in this term furst campaign, the Red Devils are confident of making a history once again in football.

Louis Van Gaal

Rodgers Calls On Liverpool Squad To Fill Suarez Void LIVERPOOL boss Brendan Rodgers has called on his entire team to chip in with goals as they still hunt for Luis Suarez’s replacement.

Rodgers spoke after Sunday’s scrappy 2-1 Premier League win over Southampton about his desire to bring a genuine goalscorer to the club in the wake of Suarez’s departure to Barcelona.

The Uruguay forward – the Premier League’s top scorer last term with 31 in 33 games - left Anfield for a reported 88 million euro fee and Rodgers has wasted no time in making several additions to his squad and while the search goes on for a replacement, Rodgers wants Liverpool to improve as a group.

“More goals from everyone that’s the objective,” Rodgers told the club’s official website.

“Everyone will want to improve.

Raheem [Sterling] had 10 goals last year.

“It was a great pass by Jordan [Henderson, who set up

Hart Ready To Fight For Man City Spot JOE Hart is determined to keep fellow goalkeeper Willy Caballero on the Manchester City bench.

Manuel Pellegrini made it clear Caballero would be in his plans after saying he has “two No.1 keepers” ahead of the FA Community Shield against Arsenal, which the Argentine shot-stopper started at Wembley.

However, England No.1 Hart reclaimed his place in the starting XI as defending champions City opened the Premier League season with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United on Sunday.

And while he is relishing the challenge with Caballero, Hart has no plans of relinquishing his spot.

“It suits me. I’m a fighter, I’ve been a fighter all my life,” the 27-year-old told reporters. “I’ll continue to do that. I’ll carry on trying to perform to my best and hopefully keeping clean

Joe Hart

sheets.

“I wouldn’t say it’s given me an extra edge because I’ve always had an edge. Caballero is a great signing.

“We were sorry to lose [Costel] Pantilimon to Sunderland and we wish him well but Willy has come in we know he’s a great keeper and what he’s done at Malaga.

He wants to play as much as I do.

“But I’ve got the place at the moment and I’m going to do everything I can to keep it.

You always want to look to improve - whether it’s small margins or big margins.”

Diego Costa scores for Chelsea at Burnley

Cesc Fabregas Relishing Blues Move

CESC Fabregas said he never thought he would be playing in a Chelsea shirt after inspiring their 3-1 win against Burnley in his first Premier League game for the club.

Former Barcelona midfielder Fabregas, who spent eight years at Arsenal earlier in career, marked his return to English football with two assists and a man-of-the-match performance at Turf Moor.

Fabregas had been linked with a return to Arsenal this summer but, after Arsene Wenger decided he did not need the player, he made the move to Stamford Bridge and made an instant impression.

Asked about playing for Chelsea, the Spain international told Sky Sports: “It’s something that I probably would have never expected but football is unexpected — it brought me here

and I will give it my best. I’m very happy with the moment.”

Chelsea fell behind to an early Scott Arfield goal at Turf Moor before Diego Costa quickly levelled.

Fabregas then stole the show with a sublime through ball to set up Andre Schurrle and a pinpoint corner for Branislav Ivanovic to make it 3-1.

He added: “You always want to do well. I love playing football and I think we have a talented young team.

“So far, so good. I’m enjoying it. Everyone has treated me very well so I’m happy. They made it so easy for me. Everyone has

welcomed me since day one. I’m very comfortable with all the staff and all the players.

“We have a very good connection so I’m expecting a really good year in front of them.”

Manchester City won the title but did any of their players make this top 10 of goals?

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports after the game: “You gave Cesc the man of the match and I completely agree. He was the maestro and controlled the tempo of the game with [Nemanja] Matic. When [Jon Obi] Mikel came in for the last 10 or 15 minutes, he was more free and he was always looking for the ball.

“He dictated the speed and intensity of the game. We need

that kind of midfielder that dictates the intensity in the centre.”

Cesc Fabregas

Sterling’s opener on Sunday]. He picked him out really well with a wonderful ball and he gets himself in the box with a wonderful finish.

“It was a really good finish and that started to open up the game a bit, with a bit more space to work in. But they were dangerous opponents.”

Liverpool scored 101 goals in the Premier League last term as they finished second, just two points behind Manchester City.

Only three sides have scored 100 goals or more in a Premier League season in the last 10 years, with Chelsea, in 2009-10, and City – last term – achieving the feat.

Swansea Close To Fernandez Signing

SWANSEA expect to complete the signing of Argentina World Cup defender Federico Fernandez on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old will make the move to the Liberty Stadium from Italian side Napoli for a fee understood to be in excess of £7million.

Fernandez will be a direct replacement for Chico Flores, who joined former Swansea manager Michael Laudrup in Qatar last week.

The centre-half made nearly 60 appearances for Napoli after arriving from Argentinian club Estudiantes in 2011 but went out on loan to Spanish club Getafe last season where he made 14 La Liga appearances.

Fernandez started the first four of Argentina’s matches during their run to the World Cup final in Brazil before missing the rest of the tournament through injury.

Euro Papers: Arsenal after another Chile star Chile must have really impressed Arsene Wenger at the World Cup as he looks to buy the whole squad, while the Juan Cuadrado saga may have finally come to an end The player spent Monday in Swansea undergoing the final part of his medical and the deal will be completed on Tuesday.

Fernandez should make his Swansea debut at home to Burnley on Saturday as Garry Monk’s men seek to build on their shock 2-1 opening-day victory at Manchester United.

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No Problem If Bayern Don’t Sign A Defender

‘Real Madrid Have Improved’ ATLETICO Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes starstudded Super Cup opponents Real Madrid will be even stronger this season and has once again played down his side’s chances of retaining their La Liga title.

Atletico caused a major stir last season as they broke the RealBarcelona duopoly to become Spanish champions for the first time since 1996.

Simeone’s men also reached the Champions League final, going down 4-1 to Real after extra time, but a summer of change at the Vicente Calderon has led to question marks about whether Atletico will be able to replicate their success next season.

The likes of Diego Costa, David Villa, Thibaut Courtois and Filipe Luis have bid farewell to the club, with Antoine Griezmann, Mario Mandzukic, Jan Oblak and Raul Jimenez among those brought in.

It remains to be seen if Simeone can work his magic again, but with Real and Barca both spending big this summer to bring in players such as Luis Suarez, James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos, the Argentinian is well aware of the task facing his side.

When asked about his objectives ahead of Tuesday’s Super Cup first leg against Real at the Bernabeu, Simeone said: “The objective, talking about the Supercopa, is to try to get the game to where we want it, and obviously win it.

“Regarding the league, we have four different players with respect to last year. It’s a major change, because their characteristics are not the same and the adaptation time is very short.

“We’ll see throughout the season where the team can get to, but right now our reality is to look at Sevilla, Valencia, Athletic [Bilbao] ... who are the teams with whom we will try to fight for a place in the Champions League.”

Despite Atletico’s status as La Liga champions, Diego Simeone said they are only concentrating on finishing in the top four.

He added of his side’s summer spending compared to Real’s: “We’ve spent 95 million on bringing in seven or eight players, they spent 95 milion on two.

“Real Madrid have improved, the presence of Kroos gives then even better potential in the middle of the pitch, more stability, balance and passing.

What we’ve seen of (Gareth) Bale is much better than when he started, which makes him more dangerous in attack.

“It’s a better team than last season.”

Atletico’s team may have a new look about it next season, but Real coach Carlo Ancelotti expects them to be just as tough.

The Italian, who helped Real win the Champions League and Copa del Rey in his first season at the Bernabeu, said: “Atletico have changed a little because they have signed some big players.

Their style has not changed and they will be a difficult rival. As they were last season.”

PEP Guardiola is confident Bayern Munich have what it takes to cope with the absence of Javi Martinez even if they fail to sign a replacement.

The Spain international sustained a serious knee injury in Bayern’s 2-0 Supercup loss against Borussia Dortmund and will consequently be out of action for at least the remainder of 2014.

Guardiola admitted at the weekend that he would like to sign a replacement for Martinez, with Roma star Mehdi Benatia allegedly topping the former Barcelona coach’s wishlist.

However, the Morocco international’s hefty pricetag

- Guardiola

could prove to be too much of an obstacle and Guardiola has made it clear that he is happy to work with his current squad if no fresh blood comes in.

“It would be great if something’s possible on the transfer market,” Guardiola was quoted as saying by Bild.

“But if it’s not possible, so be it. We will just keep working with the players we already have.

“It’s not a problem for me.”

With Holger Badstuber, Dante and Jerome Boateng, Bayern have just three fit accomplished centre-backs in their squad following Martinez’s absence.

Marin Relishing Chance To Impress With Fiorentina

MARKO Marin is relishing the chance to prove himself in Italy after joining Fiorentina on loan from Chelsea.

After coming through Borussia Monchengladbach’s ranks and moving to Werder Bremen in

Pep Guardiola

Barcelona In Good Shape

BARCELONA coach Luis Enrique says Monday’s 6-0 friendly win over Club Leon shows that his team are “in good shape” ahead of the new season. what they are.”

Barca were always in control The former Barca midfielder of the Trofeo Gamper match said he was currently working after Lionel Messi scored just with the players on organising two minutes into his first their “pressing” game to win the appearance since the World Cup, ball back high up the pitch. with Neymar also adding two “We cannot press by decree — more goals in his first run-out of you have to be organised and the new campaign before halftargeted,” he said. “It is time. important to have the ball but it The second half saw new is also important to win it back signing Luis Suarez get a short as soon as possible.” run-out and further goals added While Messi and Neymar by young second-half substitutes linked up well, and Javier Munir El Haddadi and Sandro Mascherano also got his first Ramirez, with the Mexican side preseason minutes at centrenever really threatening. back, the performances of the The new Blaugrana coach told teenage second-half goal-scorers the club’s official website that drew much of the attention. the team was now tuned up well Last season’s UEFA Youth ahead of its La Liga opener League star Munir, 18, against Elche on Sunday at the impressed with two well-taken Camp Nou. goals, adding to earlier bright “We are in good shape as I showings through Barca’s expected and we will keep preseason. improving with matches and “We knew that Munir has the training,” Enrique said. “In quality, how far he goes depends terms of football I would have on him,” Luis Enrique said. “It preferred to have had two is a delight to have the reserve months more, but preseasons are squad we have.”

Luis Enrique

- Luis Enrique

Barca vice-captain Andres Iniesta told AS after the game that the players were getting used to the ideas put across by Luis Enrique through preseason.

“He is a new coach, but I believe with this motivation and this work, to try to do things well, with things clear, is very important, the key for the season,” Iniesta said. “With the new guys who have come I believe we have a great squad to compete for all trophies. We will try and do that.

“The sensations are good, that is what the preparations are for, the physical side, questions of style which we have worked on.

Today we tried to put those into practice. The team is used to

improving over time. We will try for this next Sunday.”

New signing Ivan Rakitic, who was prominent as Barca’s primary midfield organiser, said afterwards that he was happy with how the team had gelled through their warm-up games.

“Above all it was important to play at the maximum level, the rhythm was good,” Rakitic said in AS. “In general you can see the idea we have. There are some details left [to sort out], but in general we are going home happy. We must know what the boss is looking for. I am enjoying each day and I hope to continue like this. I will work to improve.”

LUIS Suarez made his first appearance following his biting controversy for new side Barcelona and Neymar scored twice as the Spanish giants beat Mexican side Leon 6-0 in a preseason friendly.

Suarez, named as a substitute at the Nou Camp, came on for the final 15 minutes in what was his first action since being banned for biting Giorgio Chiellini in Uruguay’s World Cup game with Italy on June 24.

The striker was initially banned from all football activities for four months, but an appeal hearing last week allowed him to train with Barca and play friendlies.

Suarez, who cost Barcelona a reported 81 million euros from Liverpool, will not be allowed to play a competitive game for his new club until after his ban ends at the end of October.

Attacking partner Neymar returned after fracturing a vertebra for Brazil in the World

Cup quarter-finals against Colombia, and he coolly lifted the ball over keeper William Yarbrough for Barca’s second after Lionel Messi had headed home the opener.

Neymar flicked in another before half time, and after the break substitute Munir El Haddadi netted twice and Sandro Ramirez, another youth product, completed the scoring a minute from time.

It was a new-look Barcelona that took to the field against Leon following an overhaul of the side for the La Liga season, which starts this weekend.

Barcelona’s first season without silverware in six years has led to the arrival of Luis Enrique as coach. Suarez headed the list of reinforcements on the pitch.

Claudio Bravo started in goal following the departure of Victor Valdes, while another new signing, Jeremy Mathieu, partnered Javier Mascherano at

2009, the winger’s form was enough to convince Chelsea to part with an estimated +12 million to secure his services in April 2012.

Injury prevented Marin from hitting the ground running at Stamford Bridge, with subsequent struggles for gametime under Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benitez in 2012-13.

The 16-cap Germany international spent last season on loan at Sevilla, chipping in with seven assists in 30 appearances, and hopes to have a similar impact at Fiorentina.

“I’m looking forward to an exciting time at ACF Fiorentina and I will do my best to support the team,” he wrote on Facebook. “I will learn Italian as fast as possible but for the time being I will still need the help of an interpreter.

“My special thanks go to Sevilla FC and to all the fans.

“It was a great experience to play in Spain and I had an amazing time with lots of fun.”

Fiorentina get their Serie A campaign under way at Roma on Saturday, when Marin could come up against former Chelsea team-mate Ashley Cole.

Suarez Makes Barcelona Bow, But Youngster Steal The Show

the centre of defence.

Luis Enrique continued Barca’s trademark 4-3-3 formation that also saw new faces Ivan Rakitic and Rafinha slot in comfortably.

There were plenty of changes in the second half, with Munir, in particular, excelling in front of goal, and he is another of Barcelona’s youth products who will be pressing for a first-team place this season.

Luis Suarez

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2014 African Athletics Championships

Nigeria The ‘King’ Of Medals

By STANLEY UGAGBE

Okagbare

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup

Falconets Set To Demolish North Korea In Semi-Finals

COACH Peter Dedevbo of the Falconets says his players are in high spirits to beat North Korea in the semi-finals of the ongoing FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

A statement by the team’s Flamingoes. It has not been easy, Media Officer, Elizabeth Kah, but I thank God that I have proven on Monday in Abuja quoted them wrong today (Sunday).

Dedevbo as saying the Falconets “That is why at the end of the would give the North Koreans a match, I fell down and rolled on hard time. the pitch because it was a “I am sure of the abilities of memorable day. my team to do this, even though “But, in all, I am proud of the we have lost twice to the Koreans at the U-17 Women’s World Cup,’’ the coach said.

Dedevbo was speaking against the backdrop of the Falconets’ 4-1 win over New Zealand on Sunday in one of the quarter-final matches at the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup. Braces from Asisat Oshoala and Uchechi Sunday sent the Falconets to their third consecutive semi-final appearance at the tournament.

“I am looking forward to our beating the Koreans, although my teams had lost to the Koreans twice, in the 2010 and 2012 editions of the U-17 tournaments. It will be a different ball game now. “ I am very satisfied with what we have achieved so far in this tournament, and I am now ready for North Korea.

Peter Dedevbo “I know their team, I know their coach, and I want to beat them at all costs,’’ Dedevbo said.

The statement further quoted the coach as saying he was proud of the players as they performed according to instructions, saying this yielded the desired result.

By EDET ELIJAH, He also expressed delight at STANLEY UGAGBE breaking the quarter-finals jinx since he started handling female THE on-going grassroots table national teams. “ I have been christened a tennis development clinic failure, as a coach who never organised by the Edo State Sports goes beyond the quarter-finals Ministry in collaboration with Investment One Financial Services and many more.

“My critics said I cannot take Limited (IOFS) has so far been a team beyond the quarter-finals, commemorable as participants citing my outings with the revealed they are being given proper attention.

girls as they played according to my instructions. The idea was to start fast and get a goal as a strategy to demoralise our opponents.

“That early goal from Oshoala did just that and before they could regain control, another goal came, getting them more confused,’’ Dedevbo added.

The Falconets will lock horns with North Korea in one of the semi-final matches today at the Moncton Stadium.

The North Koreans had beaten defending champions U.S. 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time.

The 16-team tournament which started on August 5 will end on August 24.

INDEED it was a record breaking competition as team Nigeria put up a sterling performance to dominate the medals table at the 2014 African Athletics Championship.

The championship which was held from August 10 th-14 th in Marrakech , Morroco, is the 19th edition of the athletics meeting which is held once in two years.

Nigeria finished the competition with eight Gold, nine Silver and seven Bronze which is a total of twenty-four medals ahead of first place South Africa who had a total of nineteen medals.

Nigeria dominated in both track and field events in Morocco.

Records were broken and set by the Nigerian athletes who did well to secure the highest number of medals though finished second.

Commonwealth Games record holder, Blessing Okagbare secured a gold in the 100m women event. She won the event in a new championship record, defeating her closest rival to the title in a matter of 43.99 seconds.

In men’s relay race it was Nigeria all the way as Ogho oghene Egwero, Monzavons Edwards. Obina Metu and Mark Jelks stormed the first position.

In the men’s 400m hurdles Amarchi Morton expectedly picked the silver behind reigning Commonwealth Games champion, Cornel Frederick

(48.92s) while the second Nigerian in the race Miles Ukaoma who stumbled on a hurdle placed seventh with 50.40secs.

Quarter miler Folashade Abugen also returned Nigeria to the top of the women’s 400m by winning the gold medal 16 years after Falilat Ogunkoya successfully completed a 200m/400m double in Dakar, Senegal.

Abugan won her first African title in a photo finished with Zambia’s Kabange Mupopo as both athletes were clocked at 51.21 seconds with Nigeria’s Patience Okoh George picking the bronze.

In another record breaking event, Chioma Okoro broke Monia Kari of Tunisia’s 58.46m championships record with a new 59.79m to retain the women’s Discus throws title.

Nigeria’s 100m hurdles made a clean sweep of the meals in the event leaving their Algerian South Africa and Malian rivals trailing in their waks of day four of the competition.

For the women long jump, Ese Brome’s leap of 6.50m took her to the top of the standings with Chinazom Amadi another Nigerian, followed closely with a silver winning jump of 6.40m.

To this regard, how much can I say? Nigeria who had the highest medals finished second behind South Africa because South Africa had the highest number of golds which is a total of ten. South Africa finished with a total of nineteen medals.

Kadiri Ikhana Is Enyimba’s Best Coach - Ojo Markson

ENYIMBA defender Ojo Markson has described head coach Kadiri Ikhana as “one of the best coaches the club ever had” in its history.

Markson lauded the instant impact of Ikhana on the team’s performance after the 3-3 draw in the Abia derby six-goal thriller between Enyimba and Abia Warriors in Umuahia on Sunday According to the Enyimba marksman, his side desired the victory, but were unfazed by the draw against the Ocendo Warriors. “[Kadiri Ikhana] is a very good coach and I enjoy working with him. For me he is one of the best coaches Enyimba has ever had,”

Grassroots Table Tennis Clinic

Markson told Goal.

He described his side’s draw at Abia Warriors as a vital point and a big boost in their ambitions this season, just as he declared that the team has all it takes to keep getting results on the road.

“Yes, we can challenge for the title because we still have lot of matches ahead of us. And I think by the grace of God in those matches we will aim for more points at both home and away,” he said.

“It’s important than to lost in an away match...at least that one point is important for now. I really wanted us to win [on Sunday], but the game was not really easy, all the same we thank God for the draw,” he concluded.

Participants Gain New Skills Speaking with the OBSERVER Sports on the fifth day of the programme, one of the coaches revealed that they divided the participants into four groups with four coaches to pave way for easy training.

He said it will be rowdy and difficult to control the participants so they divided

them into groups.

He further said that the participants are being taught how to position, to stroke, pace, fast movement. reading the opponent and spotting the opponents weakness.

Two of the participants who spoke with OBSERVER Sports said they are enjoying the programme. They also stated that they are playing and learning new ideas and skills about table tennis.

They thanked the organisers of the programme for bringing tennis to the grassroots level and most importantly, to children of 9-15 years.

According to the organisers, Saturday 16 th of August was accreditation, of participants for the programme, Sunday was a training free-day and the training proper started on Monday 18th which will end on Friday 22nd of August, 2014.

Kadiri Ikhana

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