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Vol. 10 No. 2

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Revolution imminent Wada to be discharged in Nigeria in ‘few days’ >> PAGE 3

>> PAGE 9

Safar 18, 1434 AH

N150

Jigawa Assembly endorses Lamido for president >> PAGE 39

Jonathan has failed Nigerians, says NLC Citizens have been pauperised Unemployment has increased Economy in abysmal state There’s upsurge in insecurity

By Richard Ihediwa and Tobias Lengnan Dapam

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he Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday took stock of the activities of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in 2012 and submitted that the President has failed Nigerians.

The body said Jonathan’s administration has pauperised Nigerians, saying he started the year 2012 by inflicting pains on the citizens with his policies which resulting in untold hardship with many families not being able to meet their basic needs during the year.

The workers’ union in a New Year message signed by its

President, Abdulwaheed Omar, berated the administration for not managing the nation’s economy well even as it accused government officials of deceiving Nigerians with wrong economic figures that did not reflect the real situation on the ground especially in the areas of employment, security and general economic and social growths.

“As we end the year 2012, we recall that the year presented one of the most difficult challenges, not just for Nigerian working people, but to all Nigerians. The year had started in needless pains as the government welcomed us all into the year 2012 with a mindless increase in the pump price of Contd on Page 2

Jang, elite fuelling Plateau crises — ICG Report

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he failure of the country’s ruling elite to find a lasting solution to the crises caused by citizenship, identity and political inclusion is the reason for the continued restiveness and bloodshed in Jos, a recently released report has said.

The report titled “Curbing Violence in Nigeria: The Jos Crises” by the think-tank, International Crisis Group, said measures aimed at resolving the crises from “local and national authorities have proven mostly ineffective.”

It blamed both the Federal and

Plateau State Government for failing to promptly act on the recommendations of the several judicial commissions of inquiry constituted to get to the root of the issue. According to the report, politicians have not matched their public tough talks with actions as the masterminds of the crises have never been held accountable.

“Tough public speeches have not been translated into tangible political action against instigators and perpetrators: none of the suspects named by the various Contd on Page 2

President Goodluck Jonathan (right), chatting with Kogi state Governor, Captain Idris Wada, during the president’s visit to the governor, yesterday at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja. The governor had an auto accident on Ajaokuta-Okene road.

Photo: NAN

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

CONTENTS

Jonathan has failed Nigerians, says NLC

News

Contd from Page 1 petrol, which led to a national strike and mass protests for days in January.

“The economy, during the year 2012, was characterized by a number of maladies, with dire consequences for workers and the Nigerian people. In particular, the crisis of unemployment continues to be the greatest of these. Official statistics puts the unemployment rate at above 24 percent. As alarming as this would seem, it actually disguises the enormity of the unemployment problem given the huge pool of disguised unemployment and underemployment.

“The incidence of unemployment among the youths is even more alarming. Though official figures indicate over 40 percent of them as unemployed, the reality is that about 60 percent of youths remain unemployed. On average, graduates of the nation’s universities and polytechnics continue to remain unemployed four years after discharge from the mandatory NYSC scheme. Other categories of less qualified youths have been roaming the streets in millions without gainful employment, thus, resigning to a life of perpetual destitution and despondency in a country blessed with so much resources and potentials”, the NLC said.

Stating that Jonathan has no visible industrial policy to ginger economic growth, the union lamented that the growth figures touted by the administration

2-10

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

23

Defence

26-27

Agric

28-29

2012 as metaphor for security failure, Page 4

Int’l

31-34

Strange World 35 Politics

37-40

Sports

41-46

Leisure

47

Columnist

48

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appears to be largely bogus as it has failed to translate to better living standards for the people adding that “This abysmal economic outlook is prevailing in the face of official aggregate of the economy touted to experience respectable growth. The growth rate of GDP is flaunted to average about 6.5 percent based on data for the first three quarters of the year. While this is lower than the corresponding rate for 2011, it is way above the global growth rates for comparable national economies.

“However, our concern about this respectable economic growth is that it does not translate into industrial development and better life for the Nigerian people. The economy continues to experience incessant factory closures, and with no visible industrial policy, has led to continuous informalisation of work and de-industrialisation, unemployment has continued unabated, and hyper-inflationary pressure, which has been most severe in the food, energy and transport sub sectors have impoverished majority of Nigerians”, it said.

The labour union lamented that the nation’s inflation rate under Jonathan’s watch has worsened resulting in the erosion of purchasing power of workers especially in the face of increases in utility charges. This, it said has worsened the poverty rate in the country.

“The underlying inflation in the economy has also continued to erode the purchasing power of

workers’ incomes, making the N18,000 minimum wage largely a poverty wage. Aggregate inflation, which officially stands at 11.7 percent in the third quarter of the year, might be misleading as the fuel price hike in January, the increase in electricity tariffs and the floods in the third quarter of the year that have been major culprits driving inflation, have largely disempowered working families.

“Consequent upon the above, poverty remains endemic as increasing numbers of families and households are unable to meet their basic needs. To compound this situation, thousands of families displaced by the massive floods in various parts of the country continue to live in refugee camps awaiting resettlement.

It said rather than throw up figures, which the World Bank has recently alleged are largely obsolete in Africa, government should “promote employment generating growth so as to break away from the malady of jobless growth, evolve a sustainable industrial policy as well as decisively tackle the menace of high cost of governance and pervasive corruption.”

Lamenting that corruption has increased in the country, the NLC demanded that the present administration should muster the political will to prosecute corrupt officials and be bold to name the beneficiaries of the oil subsidy scam.

“Government will be unfair to the Nigerian people if they fail to expeditiously prosecute those who

have stolen so much, and caused so much trauma and death to the people. We hold the view that no one is above the law in any decent society and if our government is committed to the enthronement of good governance and a corrupt-free society, they must get the named beneficiaries of the oil subsidy scam to not only refund all the money they have stolen, but also serve appropriate jail terms,” it said.

Also commenting on the high insecurity rate in the country, the NLC said 2012 was the most challenging to the country as there was an upsurge in criminal activities and insurgency across the country. It called on the administration to handle these challenges with more commitment and result-oriented actions by ensuring that law enforcement agencies are not only well equipped and efficient, but must be accountable to justify the confidence reposed in them to protect lives and property of the Nigerian people.

The NLC also lamented the failure of some state governments especially that of Plateau state to implement the N18,000 minimum wage and urged that a positive action should be taken in that direction in 2013.

However, welcoming Nigerians to the new year, the NLC charged the citizens to get involved saying the year will demand collective will of struggle and patriotism to check the apparent drift in the affairs of the state in the interest. all Nigerians.

Jang, elite fuelling Plateau crises — ICG Report Contd from Page 1 commissions have been prosecuted, and impunity continues to feed violence,” the report stated.

The report was particularly critical of the incumbent governor of the state, Jonah Jang who it says by his action creates an impression that he is on a “personal and communal mission.”

“He told the indigenes to stop selling land to settlers and relocated the Gbong Gwom’s palace from Jos North to Jos South, where the former have numerical superiority.

Major political appointments and the location of physical infrastructures tend to obey this communal logic. Because of this, many who do not belong to his Berom ethnic and Du subethnic groups see him as an obstacle to lasting peace and stability,” the report stated.

The report obtained by Premium Times said Mr. Jang’s approach is contrary to that of his predecessor, Joshua Dariye, “who appeared to have reached out to the Hausa community, with many members of his executive council making inroads into the metropolis to recruit informants who provided early warning signals that helped prevent conflict.”

Constitutional ambiguity The report also stated that the constitutional ambiguity over the definition of the term “indigene” and “residency” meant that many inhabitants of the state are denied their citizenship rights.

“The 1999 Constitution failed to address this problem and remains ambiguous. The indigene principle promoted in Section 147 (3) appears to be in conflict with the

citizenship provisions of Section 15 (3) (b), which stipulates that ‘for the purpose of promoting national integration, it shall be the role of the State to secure full residence rights for every citizen in all parts of the Federation’. The Nigerian state has not ensured implementation of this provision,” it stated.

The report said the said the politicization of the certificate of indigeneity by the state government since 1999 has further helped to aggravate the tension in the state.

“The certificate of indigeneity is weighty and those without it are deprived of meaningful citizenship.

The actual number of those affected is not known, but all of them are considered as non-indigenes or settlers. They suffer discrimination in recruitment into federal institutions, admissions to most of the federal universities and education at military academies.

At sub-federal levels, where the practice is most rife, they are denied access to schools, health care, roads and academic scholarships and are discriminated against in access to jobs. Finally, the door to participation in local politics is virtually shut against them,” the report stated.

Jos North: Hot spot of violence The report identified Jos North Local government as the brewing pot for almost all the violence in the state. It stated that the creation of the local government in 1991 by the Babangida junta tipped the scale in favour of the Hausa-Fulani settlers thereby incurring the wrath of the Berom, Anaguta and

Afizere indigenes.

“Virtually all inter-communal conflicts have been centred on, and originated from, Jos North, the biggest, richest and most contentious LGA in Plateau state.

Its creation was a watershed in the politics and governance of Jos city.

Created at the insistence of the Hausa-Fulani community in Jos, the exercise, by design or default, fundamentally altered the city’s political equation in two major ways. “Indigenous peoples were no longer the most populous in Jos North and they no longer had total control over the palace of their paramount leader, the Gbong Gwom, located in the heart of Jos city. The decision also gave the settlers the space for group expression that they had always clamoured for. The local council’s creation came at a huge cost.

Relations between the indigenes and settlers became increasingly strained; latent tension was awakened and, over time, became unduly politicised,” it stated.

It stated that matters eventually spiraled out of order after the election of Frank Bagudu Tardy in 1999 as the Jos North local council chairman. He was the first ‘indigene’ to hold the position.

Religious smokescreen The report also stated that religion is a secondary factor in crises though it admitted that it has played a greater role in fueling the conflict since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

The Hausa-Fulani settlers are predominantly Muslims while the Berom, Anaguta and Afizere indigenes are mainly Christians.

It stated that after the 2010

Christmas Eve bombings and three other suicide bombings aimed at churches between 2011 and 2012 orchestrated by the Islamic militant group, Boko Haram, the conflict has largely adopted a sectarian nature. However, the report stated that the religious nature of the conflict is only a smokescreen to cover the ingrained political and economic causes of the crises.

Lasting solution The report advocated for a change of thought from political elites if there is to be a lasting solution to the incessant conflicts in the state.

It suggested a constitutional amendment to remove all ambiguity in the definition of an indigene and to clearly state the rights accrued to a citizen by residency.

It is of the opinion that impunity fuels the conflict. It advised that perpetrators of the conflict should be brought to book as a deterrent to others while asking government to implement the recommendations of judicial commissions of inquiry.

“Constitutional change is an important step to defuse indigenesettler rivalries that continue to undermine security. It must be accompanied by immediate steps to identify and prosecute perpetrators of violence, in Jos and other parts of the country.

“Elites at local, state and federal level must also consistently implement policies aimed at reducing the dangerous link between ethnic belonging and access to resources, power and security if inter-communal violence is to end,” the report stated.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

PAGE 3

Revolution imminent in Nigeria — Bukar Abba Ibrahim …says Jonathan lacks political will

By Richard Ihediwa

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he chairman, Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim has again warned that there could be revolution in the country unless the level of poverty is addressed to give the citizens a sense of belonging.

The former governor of Yobe state who stated this during an interactive session with newsmen at the National Assembly yesterday, also described President Goodluck Jonathan as lacking in required political will to address the challenges facing the country.

He also reiterated his stand that dialogue with the dreaded

Boko Haram sect remains the best option to end the insurgency by the group.

Cautioning that there could be revolution in the country, Ibrahim said such can happen as a spontaneous reaction to unpleasant conditions adding that the poverty rate in the country has the capability of triggering such reactions from the people.

“Let me start with the issue of the revolution. You see, nobody wishes revolution to happen, they just happen. Revolutions are spontaneous reactions to certain situations; situation can get to a certain stage and people cannot bear it any more, everything erupts and then the revolution

comes.

“So nobody can see it coming but the elements are there, when the country is so blessed with so much resources like we are in Nigeria and yet everybody complains of being poor and suffering. The poverty level is on the increase rather than decrease.

These are situations that can push the poor to the level they cannot withstand again and then everything erupts. That is how it happens but nobody wishes it happens here but when it happens, it happens”, he said.

The lawmaker said the only way to avert such is to evolve policies that would reverse the poverty rate and ensure better

living standard for the people.

“The only thing we need to do is to be conscious of our ways. We need to take care of the poor and the poorer of the poorest. The resources are there, but we don’t just have the kind of leadership that will galvanize these resources for everybody to benefit. That is all I can say on revolution”, he said.

“Jonathan apparently seems to lack strong political will, but I hope he will have the power to introduce free education from primary level to secondary. If he does that and leave in 2015, Nigerians will be happy with him” the lawmaker said.

Replying Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) who criticised him for calling for dialogue and blaming the Boko Haram insurgency on poverty, Ibrahim said he has no apologies for his position.

Motorists stranded as JTF battles insurgents in Borno From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

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ehicular and pedestrian movements were disrupted for over two hours in some parts of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital yesterday when operatives of the Joint Military Task Force, (JTF), engaged suspected insurgents in a gun duel.

This came as the JTF denied a report on the killing of 15 persons in Chibok town, headquarters of Chibok local government area of the state.

Following the incident, movements into or out of some major areas comprising of Bama road, Gwange, Sabongari, Lagos Street and Gidan Madara, were completely restricted.

Our correspondent reported that confusion broke out along Lagos Street and Gwange Ward at about 2.pm following a horrifying sound of gunshots.

The incident caused serious panic as residents were forced to stay indoors while shops and other commercial centres were quickly shut down.

It was not clear over the casualty figures recorded by both sides, as the gunmen had reportedly ambushed a moving military patrol vehicle, leading to sporadic shootings, with motorists and passers-by scampering for safety.

Our correspondent also observed that several heavily armed soldiers in a dozens of patrol vehicles and a military ambulance, backed by armoured tanks were seen moving into the affected areas in high speed.

Spokesman for the JTF, Lt-Col. Sagir Musa, in a text message sent to newsmen last night, neither denied or confirmed the incident.

L-R: Former chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi state Council, Malam Isa Suleiman, National President, Malam Mohammed Garba, and Secretary, Bauchi state Council, Malam Sanusi Hamid, during NUJ president's condolence visit to Suleiman over the death of his wife, Hajiya Amina, yesterday in Bauchi.

Photo: NAN

NEMA, FCTA, distribute relief items to victims of Abuja communal clash

By Mohammed Kandi

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ollowing a communal clash which erupted on Sunday in Gwako town in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) killing at least two people, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and FCT Administration (FCTA) have jointly provided some relief items for the victims.

The clash, which escalated to a major fight between the Fulani herdsmen and Gbagyi farmers, had displaced about 1,500 people in 27 communities.

While appealing to the warring parties to live peacefully with one another and eschew violence, Director-General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani-Sidi, announced that relief materials including food, water, mattresses and blankets have already been sent to them.

Sani-Sidi, who assured that NEMA and FCTA would continue look after the victims, also asked the agency to provide more amenities for the victim who are currently residing in a temporary camp on the permanent campus of the University of Abuja.

Commiserating with about 200 Fulanis, who were taking refuge at the camp, the NEMA DG said: “I urge you to take heart and not take any action that will be seen as a reprisal. President Goodluck Jonathan has already been briefed about the incident. I therefore enjoin both communities to live in peace and harmony with one another.”

On his part, the Sarkin Fulani, who spoke on behalf of the Fulani communities, commended the FCT Minister and NEMA for their timely intervention.

Jonathan to mobilise African leaders for maternal mortality reduction campaign

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Abuja pledged that the Federal Government will continue to commit more resources and effort to accelerating the reduction of maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria.

Speaking at an audience with the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Prof.

Babatunde Osotimehin, President Jonathan said his administration will do everything possible to build on the reduction in maternal and infant mortality which have already been achieved in the country, as acknowledged by Prof.

Osotimehin.

Expressing his strong personal commitment to the reduction of

maternal and infant mortality, the President said the Federal Government was pursuing a multifaceted approach by tackling the problem with improvements in health facilities, public

sanitation, education and communications across the country.

President Jonathan also accepted a request from UNFPA to assist in mobilising other African

Heads of State and Government to give fresh impetus to the Campaign for the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) at the next African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.

…seeks support for Transformation Agenda in 2013

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged Nigerians from all walks of life to give more support to the Transformation Agenda, expressing hope that his administration's efforts will yield more results in the new year The President in a New Year message noted that government alone cannot solve the problems of the country.

“For your part, dear compatriots, I urge that you all include in your New Year

resolutions a commitment to do more this year to support the implementation of the Federal Government’s Agenda for National Transformation in every possible way. That is all I ask for.

The task of making our dear nation a much better place for present and future generations cannot be left to government alone.

Leaders and followers alike have critical roles to play in our march towards the fulfillment of our great national potentials”.

He continued: “We have in the

last year achieved a lot in terms of the positive transformation of vital sectors of our national life such as public infrastructure, power supply, oil and gas, transportation, education, health and agricultural development. We will continue to work diligently in 2013 to ensure that our efforts in these areas are carried forward to full fruition in fulfillment of our promise of better public services and improved living conditions for all Nigerians.”

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

PAGE 4

Exposed: Abuja minister lied to Nigerians, promised fake, non-existent jobs A

n ambitious pledge by the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide, of “massive” recruitment before year ending, has turned out an elaborate deception, with just days away from December 31, 2012.

New slots of about 10,000 jobs were to be provided for Abuja under the federal government subsidy reinvestment programme, the minister had said.

But days to the year’s close, the openings are nowhere near reality.

Neither the advertisement, registration, pre-selection calls, nor recruitment tests have taken place, PREMIUM TIMES has found.

Weeks of inquiries have proven the idea of preliminary registration for the jobs as Ms. Akinjide announced separately in August and November, to not only be a ruse, but a subject unknown to several officials of the FCT administration. One official said the selection had been concluded since March.

The contradictions come as the intervention programme, the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, faces mounting criticisms over its failure to deliver on proposed projects, with critics dismissing the initiative as a drain pipe that squanders badly needed funds, while unemployment, which it was partly meant to address nationwide, escalates.

If anything, the inconsistencies at the Abuja ministry point to the indifference authorities accord a pressing national need as jobs creation, which are often eagerly promised by officials, but hardly delivered.

Ms. Akinjide gave her promise as a passing remark while addressing two women groups in August and November.

“There will be massive employment before the end of this year and we have started registration of unemployed women and youth in the FCT,” the minister said in a remark to the National Council for Women Societies, Abuja chapter, who visited her office on November 13.

Applicants were to be “be employed into different fields and also vocation acquisition programmes,” of the SURE-P plan, the minister said.

To demonstrate seriousness, Ms. Akinjide advised interested women and youth to register with the FCT Social Development Secretariat as of November.

No registration Repeated visits to the office and contacts to other arms of the FCT administration supposedly responsible for the “recruitment” since November have proven no such job drives

FCT Minister of State, Olajumoke Akinjide exist, and officials have consistently denied knowledge of any job-related registration.

At various units of the FCT Secretariat at Garki, Abuja, a week after the minister’s promise, all key officials spoken to said they were unaware of the plans.

PREMIUM TIMES also observed no registration took place.

“As you can see, there is nothing like that going on, maybe you could get further clarification from the minister’s office,” one official said on anonymity, fearing sanctions if he were identified.

Despite the apparent absence of the exercise, a spokesperson for the minister, Oluyinka Akintunde, insisted the plan was afoot.

Mr. Akintunde denied the minister had misled the unemployed by announcing a non-existent exercise, possibly as a passing political remark. He said as part of the SURE-P, the programme was being administered by a central presidential task team.

He also said the plan was targeted at the grassroots and the recruitment was meant to done on the basis of electoral Wards.

“There are provisions made for these things, and there are people working on them,” Mr. Akintunde insisted.

“The

minister did not lie.”

Yet, he provided no verifiable detail about where the listings were actually done, and no explanation was given as to why, if the registration existed elsewhere, Ms. Akinjide had given a different venue.

Again, the exercise existed nowhere, as PREMIUM TIMES found none ongoing within Abuja as the minister claimed.

At one of the FCT units our reporters were referred to for clarification, an official who spoke under anonymity said the so called grassroots registrations had been completed since March, and 15,000-more than the 10,000 required- were captured.

“We even had excess

application,” the staff said.

Rosy initiative, fat budget, no delivery At least 370,000 jobs are to be created under the SURE-P, with each state and Abuja providing 10,000 in partnership with the federal government.

A second component of the programme is tagged the Graduate Internship Scheme, GIS, designed to enhance the employability of another 100,000 unemployed graduates across the federation. That will involve internship placements with interested companies.

A new website has recently been dedicated for registration into the GIS.

“

As you can see, there is nothing like that going on, maybe you could get further clarification from the minister’s office,” one official said on anonymity, fearing sanctions if he were identified

But the 470,000 total slots, a potentially significant figure for an ever-soaring unemployment rate, have barely taken off even at the state level, months after the SURE-P was created.

The programme’s dismal performance, despite its huge multibillion budget, recently alarmed federal lawmakers.

At a budget meeting a fortnight ago, the National Assembly joint committee on petroleum downstream, declared the programme a scam that has failed to keep any of its promises of job creation, and accused Christopher Kolade-led SURE-P committee of reckless spending.

The lawmakers accused the subsidy committee of duplicating projects with ministries, and defrauding the nation by making double payments for projects also financed by the ministries.

Most shocking, the National Assembly committee found out how the SURE-P committee claimed spending N2.2 billion on “secretariat services” and another N75 million on travels between July and October.

Another N27 billion was also spent on “Public Works for Youths”, and N8.9bn for the purchase of 800 buses. Details of how the monies were allocated were not provided to the lawmakers.

“The SURE-P funds should not be seen as crude oil money which everybody is sharing,” Magnus Abe, the Chairman of the Senate Downstream Petroleum Committee warned as the committee pressed for more information.

For 2013, SURE-P is to spend N273.52 billion.

At a separate meeting, Mr. Kolade claimed the amount involved with office administration was N1 billion and not N2.2 billion as earlier stated. He knocked off criticisms trailing the committee’s failings by declaring he will not quit.

“I will not quit, if you attack me, I will defend myself. The National Assembly and the SURE-P Committee and everybody are supposed to be working for Nigerians not individuals,” he was quoted as saying at a media luncheon in Lagos.

Across the states, the confusion has played out, with barely any state releasing provable data of how much of the 10,000 jobs have been in the months that SURE-P existed.

PREMIUM TIMES’ attention was first drawn to Ms. Akinjide’s bogus job announcement for Abuja, after early responders to her notice of registration alerted that no such exercise was taking place at the designated venue.

Reporters, who visited the secretariat and the FCT head office at Area 11 repeatedly, confirmed same to be true.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

PAGE 5

Hoodlums celebrate arrest of cop From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos

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he police in Lagos state have detained an Inspector of Police whose name was simply given as, Smart Osadolor, for allegedly killing a youth, Banji Lawunmi, in Bariga area of the state last week.

Following the detention, bandits in Bariga threw a wild party to celebrate the apprehension of Osadolor, who is said to have been a thorn in their flesh.

Osadolor is presently cooling his heels at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba where homicide detectives are quizzing him over his role in the killing of Lawunmi.

The police are also investigating three other persons alleged to be linked to the killing.

Lawunmi died after Osadolor Smart allegedly shot him during a fracas between two rival gangs at Bariga over the control of a building construction site.

Lawunmi is said to belong to one of the notorious gangs that had terrorised residents through the collection of illegal fees on newly constructed buildings and other petty businesses in Bariga.

The fracas that led to his killing, according to residents, was over the sharing of N250, 000 a landlord allegedly paid to the gangs as “ground” money.

The “ground” money or what is popularly known as ‘owo ile’ in the Yoruba, is an illegal fee collected by jobless youths from owners of newly constructed buildings in Lagos state.

Eyewitness accounts state

that Osadolor, who is attached to the Bariga Police Station, was invited with other policemen to the scene of the fracas but the gang members pounced on him and inflicted severe injuries on him.

The gang members were also said to have attempted to seize the policeman’s gun.

In the ensuring struggle, the gun was reported to have discharged the bullet that hit Lawunmi and killed him.

According to residents, who requested anonymity, the deceased has been on the wanted list of the police for alleged robbery and other offenses.

It was said that sometimes between August and November last year, Banji and some boys allegedly robbed some marketing staff of Ozone Sachet Water he however escaped arrest as some of his boys who were

arrested were taken to court and was subsequently declared wanted.

The sources further added that Inspector Smart has been a thorn in the flesh of the hoodlums and criminals in Bariga because he is the only policeman that has

shown seriousness at arresting a the hoodlums and thieves and they hate him for that.

As a result of this development, it was gathered that other gang members led by one Rasaki Oseni, Afilo, Kunle Atunrase went into a wild

jubilation following the detention of Osadolor.

“You cannot believe that these criminals threw a wild party when they heard that Inspector Smart has been detained, a disappointed resident lamented.

Expect more disasters in 2013 – cleric From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos

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he shepherd in charge of Iyanu Oluwa Titun Parish of the Celestial Church of Christ, Ijegun in Lagos, has said the present socio-economic, political crises that have plagued the nation, will take a more worrisome dimensions as he warned Nigerians and the people of the world to be prepared as natural disasters of huge magnitude will be the hallmark of 2013.

He made the revelation during the end of the year service that held at the church auditorium.

In his words “Natural disasters apart from the flooding we recently experienced is novel to us. But in 2013, most parts of Nigeria will experience natural disasters of unimaginable proportion and therefore we should consign ourselves to lots of prayers to avert it.

On the nation economy, he says

it is going to further nosedive which will breed all manner of vices like adultery, criminal activities as people would be compelled to employ all manner of methods to eke a living. He warned political leaders most especially the governors to go on their knees with prayers and fasting as to avert death that will almost be commonplace in 2013. This he said will be the result of the rot and corruption that has refused to go away.

Yuguda commends Bauchi people From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi he Bauchi state governor, Malam Isa Yuguda, has commended people of the state for their unflinching support and cooperation which enabled his administration to record modest achievements in the developmental efforts of the state this year.

Yuguda stated this in a press release signed and issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ishola Michael Adeyemi, copies of which was made available to news men in Bauchi.

He noted that the commendation is in appreciation of the wonderful support of the people of the state irrespective of ethno-religious and or political affiliations.

The governor commended the people for maintaining law and order and promoting peaceful coexistence even in the face of provocations; declaring that the people of the state have seen that it is only in a peaceful atmosphere that development can thrive.

He also commended the people for coming to the aid of government in fighting crime, as the useful information volunteered actually assisted security agents in arresting criminals.

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L-R: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, with the widow of former Kaduna state Governor, Sir Patrick Yakowa, Mrs Amina Yakowa, during his condolence visit her, yesterday in Kaduna.

Photo: NAN

Let’s consolidate on 2012 achievements, Unilorin VC From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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he Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof.

AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has urged members of the university community to

redouble their efforts in the new year so as to consolidate on the great achievements recorded in 2012.

Ambali, who gave the charge in his New Year message to staff and students of the university,

said 2013 would be more challenging as the university vigorously pursues its resolve to sustain the attained standards.

The VC noted that the university could still maintain its leading position and

Jigawa presents N115.1bn budget for 2012 From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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overnor Sule Lamido of Jigawa state yesterday presented to the state House of Assembly the total sum of N115.1 billion proposed budget for 2013 fiscal year.

Presenting the budget, the governor explained that it is anchored on five key components of human development targeted at meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

According to the governor, the envisaged revenue that

would finance the proposed expenditure include internal revenue - N7,507,000,000; statutory allocation of N44,100,000,000; value added tax - N9,600,000,000; and Opening Balance of N11,000,000,000.

Also, local government contribution for primary education and health care personnel - N15,065,000,000; transfer from Federal Stabilisation and other accounts - N17,070,000,000; internal and external loans -

N1,562,250,000 and other miscellaneous capital receipts N9,495,750,000 respectively.

Lamido stressed that efforts would be ensured that internal revenue would be pursued with renewed vigor in order for it to contribute a higher proportion of the total income.

He said: “I personally believe that Jigawa state has the potentials of internally generating over N1billion monthly which is enough to meet the personnel cost of core MDAs in the state service”.

recognition not only in Africa but also across the world if both staff and students redouble their efforts.

He assured that training and retraining of staff as well as adequate welfare packages would continue to get the priority attention of management.

Earlier in his Christmas message to members of the University Christian community, he charged Christian staff to promote the virtues of peace, unity, harmony, equity and justice based on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ.

The VC who urged Nigerians to always ensure they show love to one another irrespective of religious and other differences, said if everybody practices his/ her religion conscientiously without discrimination, the world would be a better place.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Jigawa UBE expends N1.3bn in 2012 From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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he Jigawa state Universal Basic Education Board, has said it awarded contracts worth N1.3 billion for the renovation of 783 classrooms in 240 primary and junior secondary schools in 2012.

The executive chairman of the board, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi, made this known while narrating the achievements of

the board in the last year.

He said the contracts have reached completion stages and the projects were awarded under third and fourth quarters of 2011/2012 UBEC/SUBEB intervention.

He also said the board had awarded contract for the supply of 43,750 classroom furniture for primary and junior secondary schools at the cost of N700 million.

‌ N71m on nomadic education From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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he Jigawa state Nomadic Education Board has expended more than N71 million on the purchase of teaching and learning materials as well as construction and rehabilitation of nomadic schools in 2012.

The executive secretary of the board, Alhaji Ali Manu Dundubus, made this known while narrating the achievement of the board in the out gone year.

He said seven nomadic schools were constructed while

10 others were renovated. He also explained that 50 teachers were recruited while 280 received training during the period under review.

According to him N5 million was expended on the purchase of school uniforms, shoes and school bags to 3,000 Fulani pupils this year.

He also said the board in collaboration with UNICEF under the office of the Secretary to the State Government, distributed 50 motorcycles to teachers to improve their productivity.

Tsav lambasts Jonathan as failure From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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ocio critic and former Lagos state commissioner of police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has criticised President Goodluck Jonathan as a big failure.

In an interview with journalists in Makurdi at the weekend, Tsav said Jonathan was ill-prepared to govern the country because he was imposed on Nigerians by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

"The man was never prepared to be president. He is president by accident whom Obasanjo imposed on us and that is why he is behaving this way", he noted.

He also regretted that the President

‌thumbs up Asari Dokubo has failed to perform because of his cabinet members most of whom lack the quality to assist him move the nation to another level; suggesting to the President to do away with some cabinet members for him to record better performance in the 2013.

Commenting on Jonathan's pledge for better performance in 2013, the former police boss questioned: "The man is a big liar. What stopped him from performing this year? He himself admitted he had been slow; what made him to be slow?"

He also lauded Asari Dokubo for the recent comment credited to him where he accused the President of

non performance, noting that Dokubo spoke the minds of many Nigerians about Jonathan's style of governance.

He urged President Jonathan to change his tactics of governance and be more serious in his war against corruption.

"The way forward is for the man to change his tactics and be more serious in his war against corruption. He should change some of his cabinet members because some of them are misleading him while some are responsible for his inaction and non-performance", Tsav said.

2013: Gaidam renews free medical services to pregnant women, children From Uche Uche, Damaturu

Y

obe state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, has declared his resolution to renew the free medical services to pregnant women and children below the age of five in the new year.

He made his intention known recently after inspecting 1000 newly procured beds and bedding materials worth N117 for distribution to all the hospitals in the state to replace existing ones in the hospitals at the medical store in Damaturu.

It would be recalled that to improve on the health of women and children in the state, Governor Gaidam instituted free medical services to all pregnant women and children aged 0 to 5.

This is with the view to the implementation of and attaining the goals of the MDGs, of reducing child mortality rate and improving maternal health.

To sustain the programme, the state government approved the release of the sum of N20 million monthly for the procurement of the essential drugs which are distributed to all medical facilities in the state.

The state's Ministry of Health equally signed an MOU with National Health Insurance Scheme and the Millennium Development Goals in 2009 for direct intervention in providing free medical services to pregnant mothers and children below the age of five years in clinics and hospitals across the state.

‌upholds 65% discount on owneroccupier housing scheme

Y

obe State Governor, Alh. Ibrahim Gaidam has restated his administration's determination to uphold the 65 percent discount on houses introduced by his administration on owner-occupier housing scheme up till the end of his tenure.

He gave the assurance while inspecting the newly constructed 300 housing units along Gujba Maiduguri bypass in Damaturu.

He said the introduction of the discount is based on the fact that shelter is one of the most important needs of human life which provision lies squarely on the government.

He said this informed the decision of his administration towards extending the gesture up to the end of the administration's tenure so as to include more beneficiaries particularly the less privileged and the civil servants.

Under this arrangement for example, if a three-bedroom cost the state government N5 million, a beneficiary is to pay only N1.75 million, representing 65 percent discount on each of the houses.

He equally assured that the earlier pronouncement that government would take up the responsibility of the payment of the remaining balance of the house in the event of death of the occupant is still in force; adding that government would not relent in its goal of providing the dividends of democracy to the people.

He said the construction of 300 additional housing units under the state government's Owner Occupier Housing Programme (OOHP), is part of government efforts to meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on housing.

L-R: Jigawa state Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, presenting 2013 budget proposal to the speaker of the state House of Assembly , Hon. Adamu Ahmad, yesterday at the Assembly complex, in Dutse, the state capital.

Nyako appoints another Acting Chief Judge

G

ov. Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state yesterday appointed Justice Nathan Musa as the new Acting Chief Judge of the state.

At the swearing-in of the Acting Chief Jusge in Yola, Nyako congratulated him on the appointment and urged him to be fair and honest in discharging his duties. He said: "Your

appointment is based on merit, following your successful record in the state judiciary".

The governor urged the judiciary to join hands with other arms of government to move the state forward.

In his acceptance speech, Musa promised to discharge his responsibilities diligently and called for the support of all. He

thanked the government for the recognition and opportunity given him to serve and reiterated his commitment to the promotion of good governance and transparency in the judicial sector.

The Grand Khadi of Adamawa state, Malam Ahmadu Bobboi, administered the oath of office on the chief judge.

before embrace the transformation agenda of the government.

He assured that with a plan of action that is holistic, inclusive and strategic, Capt Wada will surpass people's expectations in the new year.

Awoniyi pointed out that after a period of careful planning by the administration, the state is now set for a massive infrastructural turn around among other expected development as

never witnessed before.

He commended the people for their understanding, religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence, in the past year.

He also thanked those who stood by the state when floods ravaged some parts of it and other challenges the state went through in 2012 particularly when the state governor was involved in an auto crash.

New dawn expected in Kogi in 2013, says deputy gov

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

A

new dawn in infrastructural development is to be expected in 2013 under the Capt Idris Wada administration in Kogi state.

The deputy governor of the state, Yomi Awoniyi, gave the hint in his New Year message yesterday. Awoniyi urged the people to more than ever

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

2012: FG, Kwara must admit failures, says Belgore From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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he Kwara State gubernatorial candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria(AC N) in 2011 general election, Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN) has noted that both he federal and Kwara State governments must admit failing Nigerians in 2012.

He said the Federal Government must genuinely tackle corruption and give Nigerians a sense of belonging

and pride in the New Year.

Belgore in a New Year message issued through his Media Aide, Rafiu Ajakaye in Ilorin said “the outgone 2012 cannot be said to be an eventful one for the people of Nigeria, be it in the areas of security, job opportunities, economic empowerment, power, road network and other basic infrastructure required to give citizens a sense of belonging and pride.

“To this end, the government needs to first of all

admit these failures and then move in urgently to do the right thing in the New Year.”

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also admonished the PDP government in Kwara to “behave more responsibly and govern in the best interest of the people,” warning that the “events of the outgone year have shown beyond doubt that Kwara people want genuine change and real socio-economic and political empowerment not the window dressing that dotted the past years.”

He noted that Kwara was behind in basic infrastructure and human capital development and faulted the Abdulfattah Ahmed-led government for presenting a 2013 budget where recurrent expenditure (N51billion) exceeds capital expenditure (N42.6 billion). “ Corruption must be tackled head on and necessary things done to stem the tide of insecurity.

To be sure, government must be accountable and transparent

and run solely for the benefit of the populace, not just a tiny ruling clique whose greed, arrogance and insensitivity may explain the rising anger in the land. “ While our people are indeed peace-loving and unassuming, they cannot continue to endure lies being told in the name of governance.

NDE trains 547 in Jigawa From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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L-R: Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, Director, Research and Production in the ministry, Mr. Udan Ndam, and Director General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Alhaji Yusuf Nuhu, during the press briefing by the minister on 2012 Federal Government achievements, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Education get 26% budgetary allocation – Bauchi commissioner From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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he Bauchi state commissioner for education, Alhaji Mohammed Aminu Ibrahim has disclosed that the sector in the state has been getting the required 26% budgetary allocations under the present administration.

The commissioner disclosed this when he received a delegation from the Centre for information Technology and Development (CITAD) during an advocacy visit.

According to him, “Bauchi state Ministry of Education in terms of budgetary allocation, has got more than 26%, previously we have been getting up to about 30% in budgetary allocations and is still on course in keeping with the required World Bank demand”, the commissioner said.

He explained that as a result of the improved budgetary allocations, the ministry has been able to improve the lots of the people.

Ibrahim also unveiled a collaborative plan between the state government and the World Bank to introduce a number of policies into the education subsector for which only three states in the federation namely Bauchi, Anambra, and Ekiti are found suitable for the programme.

“We are also working tirelessly to improve the strength and capacity of parents/teachers associations at the school level whereby the parents, teachers, and civil society organizations could be part of it”, he stated.

He said the Ministry would soon introduce the School Management Committees whereby teaching will be stepped down to school level where parents, teachers, communities, civil society

organizations, women groups would be involved in the management of resources at the school level.

He noted that it was not the first time the Ministry is collaborating with CITAD, stressing the need for more areas of cooperation especially in the area of capacity building and training for teachers with the approval of the 2013 budget.

Ibrahim advised CITAD to meet with officials of the Due Process Office where, he said, a

lot of changes have taken place, stating also that all top government officials have attended one form of training or workshop on fiscal responsibility and procurement laws of the state.

Speaking earlier, CITAD Senior Program Officer, Kabir Sa’idu Dakata said they were on advocacy visit to the ministry with members of the Bauchi State Coalition for Improvement of Public Expenditure Management (BACIPEM).

34th Kaduna Trade Fair to hold Feb/March 2013 From Muhammad Adamu, Kaduna he 34th edition of the Kaduna state International Trade Fair (KITF), has been scheduled to hold from Friday, 22nd February to Sunday,3rd March, 2013, the Deputy President of the Kaduna State Chamber of Commerce Mines and Agriculture, Alhaji Awwalu .M. Makarfi has disclosed.

Addressing newsmen in Kaduna yesterday, Makarfi who is also the Chairman of the Trade Fair Organizing Committee said the fair would be formally declared open on Sunday, February 23,2013 at 10: am.

“As you must have noticed from the proposed dates, the 34th edition of the Fair is being planned to hold at the usual February and

T

March period.

With the improved security situation our chamber is determined to keep to the dates with the help and mercy of the Almighty God,” he said.

According to him, ”Nigeria as a country has been facing serious security challenges particularly within the last three years. These challenges have obviously impacted negatively in our socio-economic activities and political life.

Consequently, security has remained the priority issue of all our tiers of government at all levels.

“Effort of the government and its agencies, the contributions of religious and traditional institutions as well as those of numerous organizations toward restoring peace and development

pace in the country are highly appreciated and commended,” he stated.

He further explained that the fair as usual is expecting both local and international participants, adding that already arrangements for participation of countries like Egypt, Iran, Niger republic, Pakistan and People’s Republic of China are at advanced stages.

The deputy president further added that the choice of the theme was not coincidental as the process has reckoned with current realities on ground, adding that they intended to appreciate and compliment government effort towards combating the embattled security challenges in the country, particularly in the state.

igawa state office of the National Directorate of Employment NDE- said it has trained 547 youths in various trade this year.

The state Coordinator of the NDE Alhaji Muhammed Sambo made this known while speaking to our reporter.

He said the training was aimed at empowering the beneficiaries with the basic skills to start-up their own career through the trades they have learnt.

Alhaji Muhammad Sambo said the benefiting youths include males , females and people with disabilities.

He said N3.5 million resettlement packages in the form of loans were disbursed to 35 people while N3 million loan was disbursed to 12 youths to start their businesses in the period under review.

Cleric tasks Nigerians on New Year resolutions

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astor Michael Bolade of Revelation of the Christ Ministry, has urged Nigerians to make New Year resolutions that will enhance the unity of the nation.

He gave the advice in Osogbo where he spoke on the significance of the New Year resolutions.

Bolade told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that, “resolving to do or not to do certain things is common among the people. But the most important thing is to keep to the resolutions and the impact of such on the society.

“Nigerians, irrespective of status, ethnic or religion affiliation should endeavour to be resolute in shunning social vices such as corruption, greed, violence and other unpatriotic behavior”, he said. The cleric said every Nigerian should be reformed in 2013 to ensure rapid transformation in the country.

“The development of the country should be a collective responsibility and everyone has a role to play in the unity of the country. Let us resolve to love one another, embrace peace and shun those things that are deterring the progress of our individual family, communities, states and the nation as a whole”.

(NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

People selling fish at the bank of Hadejia River in Jigawa state, yesterday.

L-R: Unit Commander, FRSC, Ikotun Command, Mrs Chiwenndu Iwuoha, Sector Commander, FRSC, Lagos state, Mr Nseobong Akpabio, and Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos state, Mr. Tajudeen Agbede, during the inauguration of the new drivers’ licence, yesterday at Ikotun motor park in Lagos.

The ever busy Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium shopping complex deserted by traders for the new year celebrations yesterday in Enugu.

A truck overloaded with passengers and goods, yesterday at Sagamu Security agents at the scene of a protest by youths of a trade centre at Kuru, Jos South lga in interchange in Ogun state. plateau, over the death of their kinsman allegedly killed by ‘stray bullet’ yesterday.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

PAGE 9

Jigawa CAS admits 513 students From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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he Jigawa state College of Remedial and Advanced studies says 513 students were admitted for IJMB and remedial courses this year.

The College Provost, Dr. Lawan Sani Taura who stated this to our reporter said the college has commenced full academic session.

He said the number include 293 remedial students who have

commenced lectures while 220 IJMB students would commence their lectures next month.

He said the institution had employed 40 new academic staff and 89 non-academic staff.

Dr. Lawan Taura further stated that the college has received 8 new operational vehicles for staff, students and utility services.

He said work on the permanent site of the college has reached completion stage.

VP canvasses support for Kaduna governor From Agaju Madugba, Kaduna

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ice President Namadi Sambo was in Kaduna yesterday to canvass support of traditional rulers in the area for the new Kaduna state governor, Alhaji Muktar Ramalan Yero, and his deputy, Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga.

"I called this meeting to solicit your support for the new governor and his deputy, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, and Ambassador Nuhu Audu Bajoga", Sambo said, adding that, "they need your maximum support and cooperation as traditional institution to ensure peace and development of Kaduna state. I know you can do it and I am sure you will do it".

He commended the traditional rulers under the chairmanship of the Emir of

Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, for the support he received from them when he was the governor, noting that they had extended same support to the late Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.

In his response, Idris said the traditional rulers were committed to ensuring that Kaduna state remains the most secured area in the country. He urged Yero not to hesitate to call on them for assistance when desired.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was also in Kaduna to condole with the government over the death of Governor Patrick Ibrahim described the deceased as a bridge builder who strove to ensure development of Kaduna state and its people and urged the Yero administration to carry on with Yakowa's programmes.

Wada to be discharged in 'few days' …as Jonathan visits

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday visited the governor of Kogi state, Capt Idris Wada (rtd), at the Cedar Crest Hospital, Garki II, Abuja where he is recuperating from injuries sustained in a car crash last Friday.

The President, who arrived the orthopaedic hospital with a few aides, was received by the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, and the hospital's Chief Medical Director (CMD), Felix Ogedegbe, before he was ushered into the governor's ward.

Clad in a brown and cream strip attire with a red cap, Jonathan emerged after 15 minutes, and returned to the State House, without speaking to the press.

Doctor Ogedegbe however said that the governor was doing well after surgery and will be discharged from hospital "in a few days".

According to Ogedegbe, the governor "is already doing stepclimbing. He is doing very well at the moment. You know it was a severe injury. We have continued to watch out for any other problem that he might have but

at this stage, we have not seen any other problem at all.

"From the medical point of view, he is quite healthy and he should be ready to go back home in a couple of days. I can only at this stage tell you that he will be ready to go back home in a few days but I won't be able to tell you specifically which day.

"He is not going to be in the hospital for weeks, he does not need to be here for weeks".

Wada's Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Jacob Edi, expressed happiness with the stable condition of the governor, applauding the medical attention he has received so far.

"The governor is hale and hearty and of a sound mind. He has undergone surgery for the broken bone in his thigh and the surgery was successful.

"He has been receiving high profile visitors and apparently to cap it up is the visit of the President".

Edi reiterated that the governor would not be flown abroad for further medical treatment as he was receiving adequate medical attention at the hospital and that the governor has confidence in the nation's medical system.

Kano state Governor, Engineer Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso (middle), with leader of Qadiriyya Sect of Africa, Sheikh (Dr.) Qaribullahi N. Kabara (right), and Wazirin Qadiriyya, Malam Usman Yusuf Makwarari (left), during the commissioning of an ultra-modern theater hall, recently at the Turath College of Islamic Studies, in Goron-Dutse, Kano.

Youths in Plateau clash with troops over killing of peer

Y

ouths and personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) clashed yesterday in Kuru, near Jos, following the killing of one youth on Sunday night by unknown gunmen.

STF media officer, Capt.

Salisu Mustapha, said the deceased youth was killed by a stray bullet, while another stray bullet injured another youth.

Mustapha could not confirm the source of the stray bullet, however.

Angered by the incident, youths in the area on Monday morning took to the streets to protest what they called the “constant and consistent killings” of their kinsmen.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited the scene of the protest, reports that the youths set bonfires on the main KuruVom-Manchok road thereby making it impassable.

NAN saw rubbles of burnt cars at the scene of the protest but could not confirm their

ownership.

At the heat of the protest, the STF sent reinforcement to the scene to restore normalcy, a situation that led to a direct clash with the youths. Some of the youths, who spoke to NAN accused the soldiers of complicity in the systematic killing of their people, and suggested that the armed men be withdrawn from the area. They alleged that the youths were hit by military bullets. Mustapha, however, rejected the accusation that the stray bullets were fired by men of the STF. “The attack was carried out by some unknown men who just fired indiscriminately and ran away. In fact, there are no STF men stationed at the point where the attack happened. The bullets from these attackers were not aimed at anyone in particular and that is why I say they were stray bullets.

“Right now, we are trying to find out who carried out the attack, but the youths are

distracting us; I don’t know why the youths should blame the soldiers over such crime and follow that up by taking the laws into their hands”.

Mustapha promised that the STF men would fish out the attackers when they were through with restoring law and order within the troubled area.

“For now the road is closed but very soon the road shall be opened for vehicular movement”, he said. The STF spokesman confirmed that some of the protesting youths had been arrested, but did not specify how many.

“We have made some arrests, but I don’t know how many. I can only confirm that later”.

Plateau state had been a hotbed of violence in the recent past.

In the past two years, most of the attacks have been carried out by unknown gunmen usually at night when the victims were in bed. (NAN)

We support Jonathan’s initiative, says Zuru Emir From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

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he Emir of Zuru in Kebbi state,Alhaji Sani Sami has c o m m e n d e d President Goodluck Jonathan for introducing the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme [SURE-P]which he described as a scheme with human face.

He made the assertion in his palace in Zuru, while receiving the state members of the National SURE-P led by the state Chairman, Alhaji Samaila

Haliru Dankasa adding that the programme would reduce the high level of unemployment across the state and Nigeria at large.

The Emir urged the team to ensure that the employment of 3000 youths in different fields which he said, “will reduce the crime rate in the state’’.

According to the Emir, the SURE-P was a direct project that would have positive impact on the people especially the targeted youth whom he said,

would be the leaders of tomorrow. ‘’Any programme that will reduce street begging, unemployment and gross reduction of evil vices in the society, is well come’’ Speaking earlier, the state Chairman, Alhaji Samaila Haliru Dankasa disclosed that the Community Service for women and youth would be considered and that over 3000 youths in Kebbi state would benefit from the gesture.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Should you die today, who will take care of your kids?

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hat a horrid thought!

Try asking this question to Nigerians and they are likely to break into chants of prayer; you are not supposed to mention things like that. Does the thought of writing a will or any talk of death at all make you feel like you are courting or tempting fate? You better face the reality!

Deciding on a legal guardian to care for your children if you should die, or worse still if your spouse or partner dies as well, is one of the most important decisions you will ever face as a parent. Don't just assume that our extended family social system will make things easy and your mother or perhaps your brother will automatically take custody.

Unless you specifically name a guardian in your will, a family member can step forward and the court will determine who is the most appropriate to perform the role. Here are some issues to consider as you choose a guardian.

What is the guardian's family situation?

How many children does your proposed guardian already have and what are their ages? It would be ideal if the potential guardian has children of similar age to yours so that they grow up together. Do you wish for your child to be raised by a single sibling or friend, a single parent, a married couple with or

without children? There are so many possible scenarios.

Where does the guardian live; is this in line with your plans for your children? The most likely thing to happen is that your children will have to leave their home to move in with the guardian. Can their home accommodate their family and yours? Will your child have to move far away from familiar friends and surroundings? Will your children be separated? Most important is for your child to be

brought up in a warm nurturing environment that is conducive for a child that has already been traumatised by such terrible loss.

Do the guardian's values and beliefs reflect yours?

If the potential guardian is already a parent, then you would have already observed the way they are bringing up their own children. What is their own background and how were they raised? Do their parenting style, values, and religious beliefs reflect yours? Granted that you can

never find someone with exactly the same beliefs and standards as you, but what is their faith and what are their views on discipline, ethics, education, sports, music, and social values? Remember, this candidate is the person who you will be trusting to shape your children's lives in your absence.

How old is the guardian?

An older guardian is more likely to be financially secure and thus able to afford to raise your children. Grandparents are often an ideal choice particularly if they are well and strong, or relatively young; they are also likely to have the time required to properly oversee the child. If the guardian is too old however, their state of health may become an issue and they may become ill or even die before the children become adults.

Guardians and money matters It is important to consider a guardian's financial situation.

Practical issues such as the guardian's housing and transport situation, food and clothing, medical expenses and most importantly education, must be carefully thought through. Do they have a stable job and earn a steady income? Can they comfortably cater for additional mouths to feed?

Things could be awkward where the guardian is far less well

off than you. If the guardian is experiencing financial difficulty or there isn't enough money to go round, your child could be seen as a burden and the guardian may be tempted to turn to your assets for the whole family. Financial matters, however, should not necessarily be your primary consideration and it would be a mistake to eliminate an ideal prospect from the list because you don't think they have the financial wherewithal to take care of your children.

A trust can hold the assets you pass to your children. It is a very flexible vehicle and allows you to leave specific instructions as to how trust funds should be applied. The trustee may thus be instructed to provide financial assistance to the guardian to help offset the increased expenses, to extend their home or move to a larger home and pay for other incidentals, such as special tuition, medical bills and holidays.

The simplest way to deal with money matters would be to give the guardian access to money when needed without having to go back and forth to a third party. But whilst someone might make an ideal guardian, they may not be so good with money. It may be that the best home for your children would be with your sister, yet your father may be the best person to make financial decisions. Ideally, one should have the children's inheritance handled by a professional trustee; such a separation of roles will provide some checks and balances over how the money is spent. Remember to consider how well the guardian and trustee can work together as disagreements may arise from time to time.

The extended family: A social security system

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is mother wants to go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

His parents badly need a new car. Her brother doesn't do very much and can't pay his own rent.

His sister's husband was just laid off by his bank a year ago, they have no savings at all but school fees are due and a new baby is on the way. He hasn't addressed his family's immediate needs and says there is no money for a family vacation this year, yet he is writing a cheque to fund all this.

Her father will buy her a brand new car since all he can afford is a "Tokunbo;" she is not accustomed to second hand cars. Her parents will upgrade her to business class because that is what she is used to he can't expect her to travel economy? Her mother buys the grand children expensive gifts and his can't afford to match that kind of spending which always makes his family look like the "poorer relations".

What is social security?

Social security is a term that refers to personal financial assistance, in its various forms.

This is in many countries, a field of social welfare and insurance from

Quote It takes more than capital to swing business. You’ve got to have the A. I. D. degree to get by — Advertising, Initiative, and Dynamics. — Ren Mulford Jr.

which people receive services or benefits in return for contributions to an insurance scheme.

It is a governments' responsibility to provide for the basic welfare of the most vulnerable members of the society such as the very young, the elderly and the infirm. The objective is to ensure a threshold subsistence level below which any worker who has paid into a program cannot fall.

Where the vast majority of workers are employed in the informal sector, it is nearly impossible for them to be covered by any formal government based system, as these are designed to target formal sector workers. Even where a formal mechanism has been introduced to provide free basic medical care for the elderly in some Nigerian states, only a small part of the population is actually covered and the quality of that care is often called to question.

The extended family The extended family, which is usually made up of several generations of people who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption, is the very foundation of Nigerian social life. This family group consists of not only a nuclear family made up of parents and their children, but embraces siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even more distant relatives.

In the absence of a formal and effective social security system, the extended family system (EFS) has evolved into a home-grown

version of a more formal welfare system. Through this basic economic unit, individuals are able to build networks and pool resources beyond their own to meet pressing needs such as the education of children and the general welfare of their relatives.

The EFS is based on principles of togetherness and reciprocity and involves obligations on members to be supportive of one another in times of need. This form of mutual co-operation has had a huge impact on the life of most Nigerians and indeed much of the emerging world. Almost everyone, in one way or another, is a beneficiary of a system that plays a role in the care of children and the aged, with assistance at weddings and funerals, the funding of education, supporting business ventures, providing shelter in the city and so on.

Even where one cannot shoulder all the financial responsibility, and often it is not all about money, one can still show some concern by contributing in other ways to ease the burden on a relative. One can provide encouragement and mentorship to struggling members who have shown potential. Some of the extraordinary talent in our communities just needs a little attention for it to blossom. With the difficult economic situation in most Nigerian homes, it is not easy to stand by if you are in a position to at least render some help.

In an ideal world, the extended family provides essential financial

and emotional support. When the financial burden is shared, the burden on individuals is reduced.

Often however, some family members begin to see it as their right to be provided for by more able members, and they fail to strive to work hard or contribute in any way.

Is the extended family system weakening?

Today, Nigerian society has witnessed significant changes in the extended family system. As a result of urbanization, modernization, globalization and other socio economic factors, we see a gradual dilution of the EFS. Many families are caught between the traditional family system that is characterized by strong family cohesion and group orientation, and the modern system, which is individualistic, and the nuclear family appears to be gradually playing a dominant role.

It is of note that Nigerians in Diaspora continue to send money home to help relatives to meet pressing needs; this demonstrates that in spite of the fact that these Nigerians are living and working within the nuclear family setting more common in the Western world, there is still the strong pull and unity of the extended family system in the support of relations far away.

Until an organized and effective welfare and social security system is in place, the extended family system will continue to play a crucial role in the social welfare of its members. At the same time, it is clear that as socioeconomic conditions, cultural values and technology, continue to evolve, so too will the face and structure of the extended family in contemporary society.

In whatever form it takes, we must try to protect it.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

2013 Budget: How realistic is $79 benchmark?

W

ith its passage by both chambers of the National Assembly, the Federal Government will soon start to implement the 2013 budget.

The Senate and the House of Representatives on Thursday last week passed the 2013 Appropriation Bill of N4.99 trillion into law, as against the N4.924 trillion proposal presented by President Goodluck Jonathan in October.

Of the N4.987 trillion budgeted, N2.3 trillion represents recurrent non-debt expenditure and N1.6 trillion for contribution to the development fund for capital expenditure for the year ending December 31, 2013.

The 2013 budget proposal is anchored on the key goal of the 2013-2015 Medium Term Expenditure Framework - fiscal consolidation; growth and job creation.

Specifically, recurrent expenditure is expected to decline from 71.47% in 2012 to 68.66% in 2013 and continue to decline in the medium-term. Within the same period, capital expenditure is expected to rise from 28.53% in 2012 to 31.34% in 2013 and will continue in like manner in the medium-term.

In all, the budget appears well packaged and poised to positively impact on the quality of education

and policing in the country, even as fiscal measures are put in place to promote local sugar and rice production. The move would make it easier for investment in the sector.

However, what is worrisome about the 2013 budget spending plan is the Legislature’s $79 a barrel

“

It is also our view that agriculture ought to have been given more attention than it has received in the budget. Against the backdrop of the looming food insecurity staring the country in the face and government’s pronounced commitment to agricultural transformation, a paltry vote of N81.4 billion to the sector is ridiculously insufficient benchmark on oil price as against the $75 submitted by the President.

We at Peoples Daily believe that a benchmark of $75 per barrel is more plausible given the volatility of the oil market, and the economic uncertainties in Europe, which may still spill over to other regions of the world and dampen demand for oil during the period. Also, a possible

OUR MISSION “To be the market place of ideas and the leading player in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while delivering value to our stakeholders”

rapprochement between Iran and the West may lead to the lifting of the ban on the purchase of Iranian oil may in turn depreciate the price of crude oil in the international market.

It is also our view that agriculture ought to have been given more attention than it has received in the budget. Against the backdrop of the looming food insecurity staring the country in the face and government’s pronounced commitment to agricultural transformation, a paltry vote of N81.4 billion to the sector is ridiculously insufficient.

And with less than a week to the end of 2012, the prospect of any improvement in the implementation level of the current budget appears zero, given that the implementation level as at June 20 was only 41.3%.

Finally, in addition to unfaithful implementation, corruption has over the years been another bane of good budgets and policies in the country. Bearing in mind that a budget is as good as its level of implementation, government must ensure that 2013 budget is not only faithfully implemented, transparently so.

As we doff our hat to the Legislature for the timely passage of the 2013 budget, we hope that the President will sign it into law without delay.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

CHAIRMAN MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE DIRECTOR/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RUFA’I IBRAHIM EDITOR, DAILY ABDULAZEEZ ABDULLAHI

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HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA

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MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

HEAD, LAGOS BUREAU ADESOJI OYINLOLA

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

PAGE 13

Ensuring speedy justice for the detained A

By Olayemi Okeniyi

rguably one of the impediments to obtaining speedy justice in Nigeria is the mode of detention of the accused persons in prison without trial.

Even for the inmates awaiting trial, human rights' activists and civil society groups have observed that the prison conditions in the country are not conducive to rehabilitating them to be reintegrated into the society thereafter.

Past inmates also alluded to this observation as they claim that contrary to achieving rehabilitation and reintegration, accused are sent to prisons to suffer while most of them die physical or psychological deaths.

They state that it is shocking that aside overcrowding and rampant diseases among inmates, majority of the prisoners have not actually been convicted of any crime.

Corroborating their assertions, the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Prof.

Bem Angwe, estimates that more than 70 per cent of prisoners are awaiting trial in prisons.

According to him, most prisoners are kept in jail because their case files are either missing

By M.B.O Owolowo

A

depressing state of affairs in the leadership dearth is further compounded by a supposedly accidental president whom has been consistently criticized as lacking tact or initiative. He has unfeignedly appeared flummoxed ab initio without the critical portrayal characteristic of his antagonist’s.

His retinue of image launderers have been so preoccupied with defending absurdities that some have even resorted to fallacious ululation; or how does one explain the misinformation by the Minister of Information on his near death experience following the tragic loss of lives in the Bayelsa State air mishap . Other presidential aides have vainly attempted to justify the unjustifiable regarding the latest contretemps generated by the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident, as we were informed the president has ordered a probe into the accident; how comforting. What has been the outcome of the fuel subsidy probe that was initiated after some of us came out en masse remonstrating the proposed subsidy removal earlier in the year, as we optimistically (rather despondently) await the implementation of the report by the Nuhu Ribadu led Petroleum Task Force.

Even when the president’s critics have been implored to cut him some slack, he comes up with another absurdity. Still reeling from the N2 billion ($12.5 million) banquet hall and N16 billion ($100 million) vicepresidential abode, please note; the figure was N7 billion initially then it was appropriated with N9 billion being the recurring figure.

or the Investigation Police Officer handling their cases have been transferred.

He also raised concern about overcrowding, saying “143 prisons originally built to house 33,348 inmates currently holds more than 55,000 inmates.

“Out of this, more than 35,000 are awaiting trial and many of them have spent more than five years in custody while 9,900 have died while awaiting trial''.

He described the detention of non-convicted persons and bad prison living conditions as direct violations of human rights.

“Prison congestion shows a reckless disregard of Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution which states that a person shall be tried within two months from the date of his detention,'' he noted.

In an apparent response to various complaints arising from such issues, the Legal Aid Council was established pursuant to the promulgation of the Legal Aid Decree No. 56 of 1976 to render legal aid and access to justice to Nigerians.

Since its inauguration, one of the cardinal goals of the council is to decongest the prisons, according to the council Director-General, Mrs Joy Bob-Manuel who explained that providing free legal aid to the indigent to enhance

equality before the law is among the priorities of the council.

For effectiveness, Bob-Manuel said the council established offices in every part of the country including the state capitals and local government areas.

“We have opened law centres in 11 local governments; just as the Judiciary is opening Magistrates Courts, High Courts all over the place, we are trying to be closer to the people,'' she said.

The council's other functions include securing bail for accused persons in police custody and assisting widows in claiming their late husband's inheritance.

According to her, securing the services of lawyers in the council is made easy though application.

She said that the council was in the process of applying for the Apprenticeship Scheme Fund through which young lawyers would be recruited to render free services.

To ensure speedy justice and prison decongestion, she said that the council was not overlooking the benefits of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which, according to her, can reform Nigeria's criminal justice system.

“ADR is one of the mechanisms being put in place to reduce the number of people being remanded in prison custody to await trial.

“It gives complainants and the accused the opportunity to resolve cases with the help of legal aid without the drawn-out court process.

“ADR is an alternative way of resolving disagreements out of court; it is a new phenomenon in the world and we have to get up to speed with the rest of the world.

“We know that there are cases that are not criminal, which should be settled with the complainant.

“We have discussed how slow our court system is, ADR is an easier way and quicker way to resolve such problems,'' she explained.

She said that often times, the window of opportunity to settle disputes was at the point of entry at the police station before charges were made.

She added that the council was targeting the window of opportunity by working with the police to reduce unnecessary workload and the number of prisoners through ADR. “The Legal Aid Council has a memorandum of understanding with the police on the use of our lawyers and ADR; the council is trying to turn it into a force order,'' she said.

Bob-Manuel also advised that the state attorneys-general should persuade governors to install software that could promote the

quick transfer of information.

She explained that such technology would reduce the incidence of paperwork getting lost, which is often a cause for delay in an accused person's trial.

She said the council was partnering with the police, law firms and other stakeholders to ensure the speedy dispensation of justice in Nigeria.

However, a legal consultant, Mr Anthony Agbonlahor, disagreed with Bob-Manuel on the effectiveness of the council.

Agbonlahor said the council should have established offices in all the prisons, saying `` you cannot wait for somebody that is in prison to come and tell you about their problems''.

He added that the process of determining if a person is a valid candidate for representation by the council, sometimes, worked to the detriment of the individual.

He cited the example of a person ejected by a landlord, saying if such a person applied to the council, the man's property should have been thrown out before approval.

Agbonlahor, however, said the council needs to be more proactive, and not just wait for people to come and seek help before it makes inquiries on prison conditions.

Olayemi is with NAN

But wait a minute, it wasn’t appropriated to N9 billion, rather it was appropriated by an additional N9 billion, bringing the total to N16 billion pending approval. Some of us were already imagining what other financial fatuity he was going to concoct; an additional N250 billion security budget to contend with the growing national insecurity that’s ironically meant to be under the purview of the Commander-in-Chief of the FRN or another grandiose increase in fuel prices, none of which would surprise me the slightest.

The latest faux pas is the appointment of Anthony Anenih as Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, this especial appointment has deservedly created some furore in many quarters but the apparent expostulation isn’t primarily because of Pa Anenih’s ‘prime’ age of 79, but for his antecedents.

Some have raised issues concerning his notoriety, highlighting his public spat with Oshiomole for the Edo Gubernatorial elections including the claim by Orji Kalu and the “Bola Ige treatment” debacle.

However the most revealing censure was his involvement along with other ministers in a probe of financial impropriety within the transport sector. The damning report not only revealed how about N300 billion ($2b or £1.2b) was misappropriated during his tenure as Minister of Works and Housing but also the non-execution of the awarded contracts. As I often lament, its sombrous enough contracts are inflated in Nigeria but the non-

implementation is just taking the piss! Talk about being ‘raped’ by a boisterous ‘rapist’.

Some of the president’s supporters have even tried to draw a parallel between with the ages of Buhari and Anenih to justify the appointment. The argument is Buhari would be 73 if he decides to contest in 2015.

The Buhari chronicles has conveniently become the manual of recrudescence for the presidents sycophants. They often raise otiose innuendos trying to justify the constant abashment caused by their befuddled politico.

Personally, I have nothing against the older generation and I believe democracy should be all embracing. We wouldn’t be upholding the ideals of democracy if we marginalized a certain aspect of society.

There are some leadership examples in support of the older generation: President Jose Mujica of Uruguay is 77 now and he assumed office in 2010 when he was 75.

Nelson Mandela was also 75 when he became president in 1994, even if ceremoniously compensatory.

Another example is Alpha Conde of Guinea, who was 72 when he assumed his position as president in 2010. Despite being part of the opposition for decades of successive governments he wasn’t deterred, he contested and won. Conde is 74 now and very active in the administration of his presidential duties, he would be 76 at the end of his first term in 2014.

The youth are

understandably frustrated by the state of affairs, some youth are beginning to wonder if a certain clique from the older generation would willing quit the sociopolitical stage. Some of us have come to the realization the younger generation need to be actively involved pronto. The youth must appreciate they wouldn’t be given the opportunity or mantle of leadership on a silver platter; they must vehemently strive to prove their potential and mettle.

Though I am an advocate for the younger generation but also a realist, I would love to see a Rochas, Fashola or Ribadu at the helm of affairs but the reality is we still have some socio-political complexities we must contend with. For instance, can a Ribadu, Fashola or Rochas arrest some of our past presidents to give particular account of the $16 billion wasted on electricity or $12 billion Gulf War oil windfall?

Evidently there are some political dinosaurs in our milieu that should be jettisoned; they are preventing the involvement of new blood in our polity with their ill-gotten resources. Ideally they should be interrogated for squandering the nation’s commonwealth, but instead gallivant freely and are even celebrated in certain quarters.

In contrast, have the younger generation faired any better in positions of authority? James Ibori was 41 when he became Governor of Delta State in 1999 and was in office till 2007. We all know where he is spending his Christmas at the moment and I

don’t believe he has ulterior plans for the New Year.

Coincidentally this is not the first time he is spending the yuletide behind bars; this commendable feat was orchestrated by Ribadu in 2007.

Ribadu belongs to the next crop of aspiring leaders and is a plus to the younger generation unlike our president.

Ostensibly, the president can’t excogitate anything meaningful or productive because his thought processes aren’t in tandem with economic realities and the hardships faced by those he is meant to be serving. A good leader is meant to be the servant of his/ her followers, making necessary sacrifices to achieve greater objectives for the common good.

So it’s not a ‘my turn to chop’ tenure Sir! The president shied away from the presidential debates during elections and preferred to dialogue with a local artist. He is reaping the consequences of his poor public relations, notably the indecorous response to publicly declaring his assets: “I don’t give a damn”. The depletion of the Excess Crude Account, supplementary budget for fuel subsidy and the apparent exculpation of subsidy thieves aren’t helping his case.

In view of these contrastive points, age isn’t an equitable criterion in determining performance in office. Everyone whether young or old should be free to contest for any political office; the electorate will decide who they want. If the electorate would have a fair say in determining who rules them is another intricacy entirely.

The Presidents probity perplexity

PAGE 14

By Paul Uwadima

I

n "Niger State: Where Billboards Supplant Dividends of Democracy" written by Abdulkadir Isa and published in Peoples Daily of Tuesday, December 25, 2012, the author wrote a feature article that was dripping with bias and misinformation from the beginning to the end.

There was no doubt that the author was out to do a hatchet job for his pay masters who are too blind to see the immense contributions of the administration of Chief Servant Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, to the development of the state since May 29, 2007.

In a modern world where politics are driven by the media and the most successful politicians are those who are media savvy, like President Barack Obama of the United States and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, the author tries to ridicule the governor for his ever media presence. In the United States, Barack Obama spent $745million to be elected president in 2008 and for his reelection campaign in 2012 he got close to a $1billion and most of that spent on the media. The Republican Party on the other hand spent $800million to stop Obama's re-election bid. Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu is so intellectually endowed, that he cannot be media shy. Actually it is those who are empty and has nothing to say that are media shy. Aliyu's intellectual mien makes him, a reporter's delight especially for those reporters that know their onions. So for Abdulkadir Isa and "senior

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Re: Niger state: Where billboards supplant dividends of democracy colleague Hannatu Musawa" Talba Minna, as a leader who has Treasure" was apt because of the to describe Aliyu " as a man neglected the agricultural sector, renewed determination by his 'suffering from diarrhea of the Isa wrote, "The state also has the administration to strengthen mouth'", apparently because of his largest concentration of Shea the economic base of the state media visibility and often butter trees, Moringa plant and through the abundant shea nuts boisterous comments on regional thousands of acres of swampy in the state.

According and national issues, to him "the is an insult to theme is j o u r n a l i s m v e r y profession that itself appropriate survives by Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text a n d providing platform messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written significant for the cross contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 considering fertilization of ideas. our desire Besides, as the words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and to achieve chairman of the a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed s o c i o Northern States to: economic G o v e r n o r s development Forum(NSGF),since The Editor, using agro 2007, Aliyu is the Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, a l l i e d face of the North with 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. industries all of its Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com a s developmental and SMS: 07037756364 premium security challenges, vehicle for which confers on him higher media visibility and areas suitable for rice and sugar the industrial development of access than any other Northern cane cultivation as well as fish our state". So much for a Governor since 2007. At home farming". If the author's mission governor that ignores the and abroad anytime the issue was not to misinform and perhaps economic potential of shea dwells on Northern development, malign the Chief Servant, a little butter in his state.

Isa also wants the world to Aliyu's views are sort, as one of journalistic inquiry would have the preeminent leaders of the revealed to him that under the believe that Governor Aliyu has leadership of Aliyu, Niger State been neglecting the tourism region.

And Aliyu does not only talk has consistently emerged the sector in the state, but nothing the talk, he also walk the talk and country's largest producer of rice. could be more further from the Recently, Aliyu organized a truth, as he has done a lot to it is therefore uncharitable to claim that in over five years of National Shea Butter Conference promote the sector including the development the Chief Servant's and Exhibition in Minna where administration of Niger State, all he maintained that agro of Gurara Waterfalls which Isa he had to show for it are billboards, products remain the nucleus of mentioned among the potential yet this was a man that was the vision of the state to be one of tourism havens in the state. overwhelmingly reelected in the three top economies in the Aliyu has not only built a road to link the Gurara Waterfalls country.

2011 by Nigerlites.

He said the theme of the Resort, his administration has While trying to portray the Chief Servant, who is also the conference, "Shea The Hidden entered into a Private Public

WRITE TO US

Partnership (PPP) arrangement to turn it into a viable revenue earner for the state. The strategic development of the Tourism and Culture sector is one of the key ways the governor is using to boost the revenue base of the state. Through the PPP model, the state government is pursuing the execution of the following projects: the Zuma Rock Tourist Resort Village; Suleja Twin City Development; Zungeru Colonial Ruins Development Project; and the Gurara Water Falls Resort.

"It is amazing that the Chief Servant, who regularly uses the Minna-Suleja road to and fro Abuja to mop the monthly federal allocation, never seem embarrassed by the grave-sized potholes that 'decorate' the length of the road. The Suleja road is just one of the many infrastructures crying for the Chief Servant to redefine his idea of development", writes Isa. While noting that Aliyu goes to Abuja through Suleja road, Isa conveniently failed to reveal that Niger State receives one of the least federal allocations for a state of its size and population: Niger State is the largest state in the country.

With its meager allocation, it is preposterous to expect it to use its resources to rebuild the SulejaMinna road that is a federal road.

Paul Uwadima Writes from No. 36 Marte Close, Garki 2, Abuja. He is also on facebook, Email: pauluwadima@yahoo.com

Working towards equitable port charges in Nigeria

By Oluyinka Fadare

S

hippers are complaining about what they describe as the arbitrary port charges emanating from bureaucracy, terminal operators and the multinational shipping companies.

They say as a result of the charges, Nigerian ports are tagged the most expensive in the world, and this is causing sleepless nights for the shippers.

Available records also show that Nigerian shippers are losing N65.4 billion annually to the port charges, thereby causing Nigeria to lose the bulk of its shipping businesses to neighbouring countries.

For this reason, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) took up the challenge by publishing a list of 40 unapproved port charges.

These include terminal handling charges, container deposit, container clearing, shipping company charges, demurrage charges, and cost-onturnover.

Others are transfer documentation charges, transfer charges, rent charges, equipment charges, manifest amendment charges and tally clerk charges.

With the list, the former Minister of Transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, issued an order for the cancellation of 12 of the unofficial charges.

Efforts at reducing the alleged arbitrary charges so far made notwithstanding, the Senate Committee on Marine Transport recently visited Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Lagos and sought a way forward.

Mrs Zainab Kure, the Chairman of the committee, said the group had been inundated with complaints of arbitrary charges in Nigerian ports.

She stated that the reports the committee received on such charges were disturbing, saying "there is no doubt that a commercial regulator is needed in the maritime industry''.

However, Mr Zebulon Ikokide, the President, Institute of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (IFFN), said the private terminal operators had not imposed arbitrary charges, adding that allegations of arbitrary charges being made by some port operators were untrue.

"There is nothing like arbitrary port charges as the terminal operators are not charging beyond what has been approved by government,'' he

said.

Ikokide said that the NPA had reduced all port charges by more than 30 per cent at the start of the concession.

He said that concessionaires were, however, allowed to increase the charges after two years with the permission of the Federal Government.

"The concessionaires wrote to the Federal Government which approved 20 per cent increase in port charges.

"This is not arbitrary or exorbitant, but within the provisions of the concession agreement with the government,'' the IFFN president said.

Ikokide said that there was the need for a commercial regulator in the industry to handle complaints in respect of the port charges.

Mr. John Ofobike, Chairman, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Apapa Chapter, however, insisted that the concessionaires were imposing arbitrary charges.

Ofobike claimed that the operators were not offering quality services, but wanted to recoup their investments in two to three years without waiting for the 15 to 20 years as stipulated

by government.

"The concession agreement says that on no account should you unilaterally jerk up your rates without due process and notifying all stakeholders.

"I have been the chairman of ANLCA since 2003, long before the private operators came and I am talking authoritatively that we need a commercial regulator.

"Before the concessionaires came, the NPA was charging N750 daily for a 20 ft. container to stay at the ports and N1,500 for a 40 ft. container.

"The concessionaires started by charging the same rate as the NPA initially, but later started charging N2,500 per 20 ft. container in a day and N6,000 for a 40 ft. container.

"They came again and charged N6,000 for a 20 ft. container and N10,000 for a 40 ft. container per day, now they have jerked it up again.

"Now, a 20 ft. container attracts a charge of N8, 000 and a 40 ft. container attracts N12, 000 per day as demurrage with other port charges inclusive, is that not exorbitant,'' Ofobike asked..

Consequently, the maritime stakeholders have raised concern about the charges levied by port

concessionaires and shipping companies.

At a forum in Lagos, the stakeholders explained that port concession had not reduced the cost of doing business in Nigerian ports.

A maritime lawyer, Emeka Akabogu, argued at the forum that due to the high charges incurred by importers and exporters, most of them preferred taking their cargoes through the ports in neighbouring countries to reduce cost.

However, Mr Olayiwola Shittu, the president of ANLCA, suggested that the e-payment mode should be adopted as another way of eradicating illegal and duplicated charges.

Irrespective of all the arguments, industry experts observe that the situation is aggravated by the absence of a commercial regulator; the failure to pass the Port and Harbour Bill; and the inability to pass the National Transport Commission Bill.

They suggest that there should be a legal backing for the port reform programme and the appointment of a commercial regulator to regulate port charges.

Oluyinka Fadare is with NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

PAGE 15

Dr. Bukar Usman: A book patron at 70

By Khalid Imam “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

F

amed for his distinguished accomplishments in the public service, Dr. Bukar Usman, OON, a retired Federal Permanent Secretary who enjoyed a successful career spanning over three decades, is an elder statesman, who, in spite of his high place in the society, opts to live a simple and quiet life as if he will die the next second; and more interestingly, the elderly senior citizen continues to veraciously seek for knowledge as if he will live forever.

Humble, simple, taciturn and generous would be the best descriptions of this seasoned technocrat whose selfless resilience in the service of his mother land and humanity saw him soared to the apex pyramid of his career before his peaceful retirement in April, 1999.

Chief Obafemi Awalowo was right for philosophically asserting that, “The battle of life does not go to the faster or stronger man, but soon or later, the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can.”

Everyone who knows Dr. Usman, an astute administrator, during his active service years, would not hesitate to concur that he had faultlessly served with unrelenting zeal and zest simply because he strongly believes success is his counting on God’s guidance and assistance.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, one cannot help

By Anthony Chuka Konwea, P.E.

A

s we celebrate Christmas, what lesson should we draw from Zechariah’s sentence concerning God’s impending judgment on us when we die?”

It is Christmas. It is that season of the year when we Christians celebrate and commemorate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I don’t know about you, but the period between Xmas and the New Year is also the time when I step back a bit and take stock of my activities during the year. I recall my successes and failures during the out-going year and map out plausible activity road maps for the coming year.

Now I have a confession to make. I am a music addict. Let me correct this. I am a very selective bipolar music addict. I am addicted to classical white and classical black music. On the white side, my addiction tends to select symphonies, concertos and operatic works of the great masters Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, and Puccini etc. On the black side, my addiction tends to select classical roots reggae. I even consider myself as an amateur subauthority on roots reggae.

For me, music with profound artistic merit is both a stimulant and an inspiration. The type of music I listen to at any given

“

summing up the years of this eminent son of Arewa’s decades in the public service as productive years of incorruptibility, commitment, diligence, competence, selflessness, efficiency and fear of God. In appreciation of his many positive contributions to the development of Nigeria and humanity, in 2000, the Federal Government deservedly honored him with one of the highest medals in the land, Officer of the Oder of the Niger, OON. Both in active service and now in retirement, Dr. Usman, has distinguished himself as a rare gem and a patriotic Nigerian whose unquenchable thirst to serve Nigeria and humanity is unmatched and unsurpassed. Dr. Usman, an erudite intellectual, well-armed with Phd, has been a great reservoir of knowledge, whose regular interventions and informed commentaries on public policy issues further wet the farmland of public policy debates.

Dr. Bukar Usman, born on December10, 1942, at the ancient Biu town, in the far north- eastern state of Borno is a complete Nigeria who, as a young man and adult, studied, interacted and lived in both the north and the south. Little wonder, he has an unbreakable chains of friends, colleagues and associates across the divides.

Dr. Usman, is by all estimation, a public administrator per excellence, a committed community leader, a renowned public commentator and a prolific author of dozens of books. Among some of his critical works and public policy related books were: The Interface of the Muse &

Government Protocol (Literature/ Criticism), Klamidas, 1998; Press, Policy & Responsibility (Media), Klamidas, 1999; Democracy, Human Rights and National Stability (Politics/ Development) Klamidas, 1999; Voices in a Choir: Issues in Democratization and National Stability in Nigeria (Compilation of the author’s articles on the subject), Klamidas, 1999; Dreams and Realities, Issues in Nigeria’s Golden Jubilee Independence Anniversary, Klamidas, 2010; Globalization and the World After Mubarak and Gaddafi, Klamidas, 2012, among many others.

As a writer-cum-folklorist, the consummate Dr. Usman, has great passion for Hausa language, culture and folktales, a drive which motivated him to churn out over sixteen series of thrilling books of Hausa tales, well-crafted and published in Hausa and English languages. Not yet done, he recently produced an inarguably largest compendium of Hausa folktales collection entitled: Taskar Tatsuniyoyi Littafi Na Daya Zuwa Na Goma Sha Hudu).

Today, without sounding hyperbolic, Dr. Usman, a blue blooded Biu man, has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is the single most generous river channel watering the seemingly drought-stricken farm of Hausa folkloric genre. Amazingly, the folklorist Dr. Usman’s volumes of Hausa tale books have been well received by scholars, critics and students both within Nigeria and beyond its shores as critical treatises on his tales were produced by many critics and scholars. Below are a few examples

of works written to by scholars and reseachers: Taskar Al’ada Da Tarihi Da Nishadi: Kammalallen Sharhin Littattafan Tatsuniyoyin Na Dakta Bukar Usman, Girl-Child Rights in Bukar Usman’s Hausa Folktales, etc.

Dr. Bukar Usman, a silent achiever and generous philanthropist, is the President of Dr. Bukar Usman Foundation, an Abuja based NGO, which he initiated to still give back to the society especially in the areas of education, health, community development, etc. Through this foundation, Dr. Bukar Usman, has been touching many lives especially the less privileged members of the society.

Today, as a book patron, no single individual alive, in my reckoning, has willingly offer himself as a strong pillar of financial support for many academic scholars, researchers, undergraduate students, critics and younger writers writing or conducting research in the indigenous languages especially in the field of Hausa studies like Dr. Usman. Moreover, young Hausa creative writers have been in the forefront among those benefiting from Dr. Usman’s tireless financial support. His exemplary patronage of purchasing large number of copies young authors’ works, which he freely distributed to public schools across the north, is legendary and unrivalled.

To further promote academic excellence in the studies of indigenous languages in our universities, for many years, Dr. Bukar Usman, has quietly

instituted a prize for the best Hausa graduating student in Usman Dan Fodio University, and many others. Delightfully, recently he has added Kaduna State University on the list of his philanthropic support. A renowned Lagos based poet, Odia Ofeimun, was right by stressing that, “Any person who cannot speak his mother tongue is half a person.”

Interestingly, at the time many of our western educated elites take extreme pride in the supporting English language and other foreign languages to swallow our indigenous languages, the proactive Dr. Bukar Usman, is single-handedly provide Hausa language, the only lingua franca unifying all the inhabitants of northern Nigeria, a lifejacket.

Since the intellectual mind always feeds on books, Okechuku Uwaezuoke of Thisday newspaper was apt by describing the brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous and quiet elder statesman, who recently locked seventy, as a writer whose “enthusiasm for the literary arts is yet to wane.”

Finally, as I join numerous well-wishers to celebrate and wish Dr. Usman more selfless and healthy years of unrelenting service to Nigeria and humanity, I conclude by echoing Uwaezuoke’s words by praying that “may the muse continue to abide with Dr. Usman,” to churn more books and informed articles for us, the youth who always feel enriched drinking from his pot of wisdom.

Khalid Imam teaches at Girls Science College, Garko- Kano

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall name him John”……………….Then Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.

But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”’

Next let us consider the announcement of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ from the latter part of the same Chapter 1 of Luke’s Gospel. ‘In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her.

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there will be no end.

But Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be since I have no relations with a man? And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God…………Mary said “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.’

Now what is going on here?

At first glance, both Zechariah and Mary expressed fear, astonishment and surprise at the angel Gabriel’s extraordinary news.

Both demanded to know how what was humanly impossible could be achieved through them given their respective prevailing circumstances.

But while Zechariah’s doubt was severely punished, Mary’s questioning was met with complete reassurance. Who am I to question God, but was God showing double standards here, favoring Mary while sentencing Zechariah?

Zechariah’s Sentence

time is often a fair reflection of my mood and circumstances.

And so, I have observed quite paradoxically that I tend to listen to classical music when I am sated, relaxed, contented with myself, at peace with my environment and want to ‘step it up’. On the other hand I generally listen to roots reggae when I am agitated, stressed up and want to ‘simmer it down’.

During the outgoing year, I mentally note that I have mostly listened to roots reggae music.

Yes this year was that sort of year!!!

Even as I write this I am listening to a very rare and excellent 1978(?) piece by a relatively obscure reggae group going by the name Cultural Roots. The track is titled ‘Jah No Partial’ immediately followed by its excellent dub version both of which I am playing together with a few other very rare tracks – namely ‘Babylon’ by Johnny Clarke + its Dub Version, ‘Rastaman’ by Earl Sixteen + its Dub Version, ‘Jah Jah Send Dem Come’ by Linval Thompson + its Dub Version, ‘Red Eyes’ by Vivian Jones + its Dub Version, ‘Fly Me Away’ by Junior Brown + its Dub Version – in an endless loop.

Now during the course of the last three weeks or so, the

Catholic Church, that venerable two millenniums old institution, in her traditional manner has been preparing her faithful, for Xmas by presenting to them at Daily Mass, Gospel readings which anticipate the birth of Christ. Two of such readings struck me profoundly. Both are taken from the first Chapter of the Gospel According to Luke.

First let us consider the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist. The following excerpts are taken from the New American Bible (St Joseph Edition). ‘In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah…..his wife was from the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.

But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God……..he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him……….Zechariah was troubled by what he saw and fear came upon him.

The Presidents probity perplexity The president must realise he has mounted the saddle of leadership at a very crucial juncture in our subsistence as a great nation; his executive position requires responsibility and accountability to the whole country and not just a segment.

Our size and diversity if properly harnessed and managed can have positive impacts on not just the country but the entire continent. My friends and colleagues from other parts of the continent often wonder if Nigeria understands the special position it is in and the pivotal role it can play in continental advancement: the world is watching.

Following a nexus of executive

gaffes some of those who voted for him have been honest enough to admit their folly, whilst those blinded by bigotry and hate continue in their recalcitrance. I laugh when I read comments like “we voted for Jonathan not PDP” Seriously! Er! Let’s try explaining that to a 12 year old succinctly.

However, I am dismayed when I read comments like “We don’t care who is president, as long as it’s not a Northerner or Muslim” Seriously!!! Have some of us truly lost our sense of reasoning to the extent of not brooding beyond these platitudinous polarities?

Can’t we be reasonably fair and objective by calling what is good, good and what is bad, bad?

Crucially, the sooner we rise above religious and ethnic bigotry the

better; else we would be back in the same retrogressive quagmire come 2015. We would have no one to blame but ourselves as the corrupt continue to ravage our resources.

Pathetically, it appears the only thing our thieving democrats care concerned about are their bank account balances, the masses can go to blazes for all they care.

The reality is only the conscientious intellectuals amongst us can initiate change, but we seriously need to reorientate the masses for they are the primary impetus driving the noble cause for change. Nigeria will be great I have no doubt but not with this current crop of pillagers; it may be the coming generations that would reap the rewards of the valiant era that fought to redefine the status quo with ‘enough is enough’ GOD Bless you all and Nigeria!

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention an unhealthy state of things.” – Winston Churchill

Re: Niger state: Where billboards supplant dividends of democracy Of course one is not unaware of the fact that some states, especially in the South-South; for obvious reasons, have gone out of their way to rebuild or rehabilitate federal roads hoping for a refund later by the federal government, but Niger State cannot afford such luxury. In any case the road in question is already being expanded by the federal government and if the author had visited the state, he would have noticed that work is ongoing from the Maje end of the road at Suleja.

If Isa is so concerned about the road, he should put his energy to work by pressurizing the federal government to make the contractors to expedite action on the road. But no one can deny the fact that nationwide most federal roads are in deplorable conditions due to many years of neglect.

The chief Servant has done a lot given the resources of the state to facilitate the infrastructural development of the state and there are not enough billboards to announce them to the doubting Thomases.

In the effort to reduce the housing deficit in the state, the state government embarked on construction of 500 units

General Wushishi housing estate Minna, 500 unit Talba housing estate, 250 unit Aliyu Makama estates in Bida; 250 unit Sani Bello housing estate kontagora and 500 unit housing estate in Suleja.

Already the government has constructed and commissioned the 500 unit General Wushishi housing estate at Minna.

In the education sector, it is the policy of the administration to settle NECO and WAEC exam fees for all students in public schools irrespective of state of origin. He capped this with the introduction of free primary and secondary education for all residents of Niger State, also irrespective of state of origin.

Other measures taken to reposition education in the state include construction of students' hostels at the state college of Education (CDE), Minna; provision of over 15,000 set of school furniture for pupils/ students and over 1500 teachers recruited to boost education, while the morale of nonindigenous teachers was boosted by the removal of contract appointments for them, as they were given permanent and pensionable appointment. There is not enough space to itemize the achievements of the Chief Servant but any unbiased

assessor will acknowledge the fact that Aliyu has done well. Thanks to the tenacity of the Chief Servant, Niger State will soon join the league of oil producing states in the country, as the government's sponsored effort has led to the discovery of oil at commercial quantity. This will no doubt led to a quantum leap in internally generated revenue that will boost the state's economy and improve the standard of living of the people.

As for Isa's insinuation that, "Talba's alleged dream for a future national assignment isn't going to be merry-go-round as usual". Sorry to disappoint you, as there is substance and genuine need of the Chief Servant at the national stage.

Those of us who have been observing him from afar and have noted his leadership qualities want him in Abuja, after he finished with his mandate in Minna. In 2015, the country does not need an ethnic or religious bigot as President.

What this country needs is a leader who will be fair to all Nigerians irrespective of ethnic and religious differences. And when you are looking for a leader who will lead in 2015 with the fear of God and who will be fair to all Nigerians in his decisions, look no further than, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu.

Paul Uwadima Writes from No. 36 Marte Close, Garki 2, Abuja. He is also on facebook, E m a i l :

Zechariah’s Sentence Engr. A. C. Konwea, P.E. ackonwea@gmail.com

I am not a theologian, far from it. I do not claim to speak in whatever form or manner with the authority of or for the Catholic Church, however some Catholic priests and theologians have pointed to the fact of the circumstantial backgrounds of Zechariah and Mary to explain their differing fates. Zechariah was a priest. As such by his calling and training he should have been well versed with God’s Laws, God’s power and God’s majesty.

As a priest Zechariah would no doubt have preached to the people in the past about the necessity of having faith in God. Here he was, a leading priest expressing doubt. Mary on the other hand was a rustic virgin, who most likely would have been ill exposed to formal training and erudition. Immediately the angel explained the extraordinary divine mechanism by which she a virgin was to give birth without knowing a man, she questioned no more but said “let it be done unto me according to your word.”

The next point to be noted of course is the venue of visitation.

Zechariah was visited in the holy of holies, the most sacred spot in the temple. That fact alone should have mitigated his doubt.

Mary was visited presumably at her home. Finally we should note that Zechariah in his unbelief actually demanded a proof. In other words he actually put God to the test. What he got from God was a harsh sentence.

As we celebrate Christmas, what lesson should we draw from Zechariah’s sentence concerning God’s impending judgment on us when we die?

Well it is clear to me that God judges each one according to his peculiar circumstance. In other words, to whom much is given, much is expected. We can necessarily draw the conclusion that for the same sin committed, parents or guardians, leaders in all walks of life, the talented and the wealthy should expect to receive a much harsher judgment from God than children, followers, the simple and the poor.

Now, although this writer is very fond of classical roots reggae music, I make haste to publicly declare here, lest God accuses me on judgment day of leading many astray, that I consider the entire ideology upon which the Rastafarian culture is built particularly the divinity of Emperor Haile Selassie and the celebration of marijuana or weeds or roots or sensimelea or lambsbread or “Igbo,” call it what you may, as utter balderdash. I have never smoked weed and will never encourage anyone to smoke weeds no matter the circumstance.

Indeed on this point it should be noted that reggae masters have perhaps the lowest longevity compared to artists in other musical genres. Indeed these masters of roots reggae have one thing in common. Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Prince Far I, I-Roy, Jacob Miller, King Tubby, Sugar Minott, Culture, Mikey Dread, Hugh Mundell, Augustus Pablo, Lacksley Castell, Vivian Jackson (Yabby You), Peter Tosh, Bim Sherman etc. These men are all dead. They died mostly in their prime from illnesses, violence and accidents.

But as the Igbos of Nigeria as aptly quoted by Chinua Achebe would say, if an udala (cherry) fruit falls near a mound of excrement, you close your eyes, pick up the fruit, and wash it thoroughly before eating it.

So as I continue to savor my endless loop of roots reggae music – my stress step down

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27 2012

N50m properties lost in Zuba fruit market

By Usman Shuaibu

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roperty worth over N50 million have been destroyed by a fire that engulfed the Zuba fruit market in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Disclosing this in an

interview with Peoples Daily in Zuba, the treasurer of the market, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu, pointed out that the incident occurred at 1:00am in the morning.

He said that over 100 shops were damaged while about 150 people were displaced to due to the fire disaster.

He revealed that the actual cause of fire disaster cannot be ascertained, as an investigation was in top gear by the management of the market.

The treasurer, therefore, appealed to the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Hon. Zakari Angulu Dobi to

Gbagyi women in a cultural display recently in Abuja.

provide the relief materials, as well as fund for the victims of the fire incident to better their lives.

Reacting to the situation during a visits tot her market, the Chairman of the Area Council, Hon. Zakari Angulu Dobi to do everything possible to assist the victims.

Photo: Josephine Ella Ejeh

Clergymen advise Christians to tolerant one another

By Usman Shuaibu

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he Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Gwagwalada Area Council, Rev. J.A. Ayotunde and the Associate Pastor of the Redeemed Christian church in Kwali Area Council, Pastor Samson Mangut have advised the Christians across the country to tolerant one another irrespective of their different

denominations.

The two Pastors, who gave the advice while speaking to People Daily in separate interviews during the Christmas celebration, also urged the Christians to follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ throughout their life time.

Ayotunde appealed to the Christian faithful to desist from drinking alcohols warned youths against immoral acts.

He also called on the religious leaders across the nation to avoid exploiting their church members to accumulate wealth for themselves, advising them to endeavour to preach the gospel of salvation as contained in the Bible.

While speaking on the corruption, the cleric urged Nigerian government to continue to fight corruption in the country, noted that Nigeria

would not make any meaningful progress if those holding public offices were corrupt.

Mangut, who is also the General Co-ordinator of Teenagers of All Nations Ministries (TANAM) in charge of North Central Zone, used the festivities to remind Christians all over the country to gear towards the teaching of Jesus Christ at all times.

Hotel operators decry low patronage; reduce prices to attract more customers

B

arely four days to Christmas, hotel operators in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) have reduced their charges to attract more customers, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

A survey carried out by NAN in Abuja revealed that the operators took the measure due to low patronage being experienced by most hotels as a result of the yuletide.

Mr Emmanuel Nwaubani, the Manager, Immaculate Suites and Apartments, said that the hotel had reduced all its charges by 30 per cent with effect from December 21, 2012.

“We have been experiencing low patronage in the past few days, so we decided to reduce all charges by 30 per cent to attract more customers. We are also trying to encourage people to use the Christmas season to relax out of their homes with their family,’’ he said.

Our correspondent, who visited Valencia and Rockview Hotels, reports they have effected a 20 per cent reduction in their rates.

The Public Relations Officer of Valencia hotel, Mr Imoh Akpan, said that the reduction “is our little way of helping our customers to celebrate Christmas, while doing business’’.

Akpan said that one of the products introduced by the hotel known as “Bonanza Room Tariff’’ would run from December 20 to January 6, 2012.

He said the hotel had reduced its standard room rates from N38,000 to N23,000 while superior rooms now go for N25,000 instead of N39,000.

Similarly, the rate for the Grande, Bus-suite and Exec-suite has been reduced from N44,000, N60,000 and N65,000 to N30.000, N40.000 and N45.000 respectively.

Akpan noted that the hotels usually experience low patronage during Christmas because “Abuja is a civil servant town’’.

“Most people travel out of Abuja for Christmas, so all we have to do to stay in business is to reduce prices to attract more customers. We promise our customers a delightful and enjoyable Christmas and prosperous New Year celebrations from enjoying our services’’. (NAN)

Abuja residents celebrate Xmas amid fuel scarcity

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he perennial fuel scarcity in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) persisted on Tuesday as the Christians celebrate Christmas.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that most filling stations in the territory had no fuel to sell, while the few ones that were selling had to contend with long queues of motorists.

Such queues were noticed at

the Forte filling station, NNPC mega-station and Total Filling station, all in the Central Business District of Abuja.

The situation at the AP filling station in Maitama District was slightly better, as the queue there was not too long.

However, some motorists told NAN that they seized the opportunity of the Christmas holiday to fill their tanks.

Mr Samuel Ogah, a civil servant, said that it had become somewhat difficult to get fuel on a normal working day, as there was often a higher demand for the product.

“You know work will resume on Thursday; so, I want to seize this opportunity to fill my tank,’’ he added.

However, Mr Andrew Omoh, a lawyer, expressed

disappointment at the fuel situation.

He wondered why the authorities could not make fuel readily available, particularly at a time when people were celebrating Christmas.

Nevertheless, the fuel situation did not prevent fun seekers from visiting recreation centres across the territory.

The Wonderland

Amusement Park along the Airport Road witnessed an appreciable turnout of people.

An official of the park, Mr Godwin Amodu, told NAN that the Yuletide period was always a busy season at the park.

“We always look forward to this season because of high patronage but the Boxing Day is usually more lucrative for us,’’ Amodu said. (NAN)

PAGE 18

INSIDE FCT COURTS Man, 28, accused of defrauding contractor

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28-year-old man, Harrison Ezekwem, of Sarah Housing Estate, Gwarimpa, Abuja, is standing trial before an Abuja Magistrates Court for allegedly cheating a contractor of N77,000.

Police Prosecutor, Salisu Mohammed told the court that Emenike Okereke of Lungu Village, Gwarimpa, reported the case at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on December 3, 2012.

Mohammed said the complainant alleged that the accused awarded him N350,000 contract to drill a bore hole for him.

He alleged that the accused paid him N273,000 after he had dug the bore hole to water level, with a promise to pay the balance of N77,000 after the completion of work.

Mohammed said the accused, defaulted in paying the balance.

The prosecutor said the offence contravenes the provisions Section 322 of the Penal Code, but the accused pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Magistrate Asamau Akabi granted Ezekwem bail in the sum of N50,000 with one reasonable surety in like sum.

Akabi ordered that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, and adjourned further hearing in the case to January 24, 2013. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27 2012

52-year-old man in prison for duping Army Colonel of N.42m A

n Upper Area Court sitting in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) has remanded a 52-year-old man

in prison custody for allegedly duping an army officer, Colonel N.A Abdulrahim, of the sum of N425,000.

The man, Bartholomew Eiben, of Angwan Doka, New Nyanya in Nasarawa state was arraigned on a three count-charge of criminal

conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The Police Prosecutor, Corporal Iliya Maji, told the court that in May 2011, the accused person criminally conspired with one Frank, now at large and collected the N425,000 from the colonel.

Maji said that both Eiben, and Frank collected the money on the pretext that they were going to drill a bore hole for the complainant.

However, the court was told that the accused persons refused to do the job for which they had collected the money.

He said they rather converted the money into their own personal use.

The case was reported at the Police Command Office in Gwagwalada by Abdulrahim of first Division Medical Store, Nigerian Army Kano and Kaduna.

However, Eiben pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor then asked for an adjournment to enable him bring his witness to testify.

The Judge, Malam Babaginda Hassan, said the offence of cheating was not ordinarily bailable and, therefore, ordered that the accused should be remanded in prison custody.

He advised the counsel to the accused to put his application for bail in writing and adjourned the case to January 23, 2013 for hearing. (NAN)

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo Teenager held A young boy hawking sachet water, yesterday in Bwari, Abuja. for allegedly Phone repairer arraigned for breach of trust, cheating stealing he Police have arraigned December 19, 2012.

Adamu said.

Senior Magistrate Celestine cellphone one Michael Ndukwe of The prosecutor said that Odo granted bail to Ndukwe in Adamu said that on March

A

painter, Kenneth Gabriel, 19, has appeared before an Abuja Magistrates Court , charged with snatching a Nokia cellphone valued at N16,000.

Gabriel pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Prosecutor, Corporal Samuel Emmanuel, told the court that one Esther Ndukwe reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station on December 14, 2012.

“The complainant boarded a tricycle with the accused from Karmo Village. The accused alighted at Airport Junction, and snatched the phone. The accused ran into the bush afterward but was apprehended by good Samaritans who witnessed the incident.’’

Magistrate, Asma’u Akanbi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N40,000 and one surety in like sum.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused was, however, remanded in prison as he was not able to meet up with the bail conditions.

The case was adjourned to January 24, 2012 for hearing.

(NAN)

T

Kado Village, Abuja before an Abuja Senior Magistrates Court for alleged breach of trust and cheating.

Police Prosecutor, Mr Abdullahi Adamu, told the court that the case was reported by one Victor Duke of the Federal Housing Authority, Lugbe, Abuja on

8, Duke entrusted two Nokia phones to Ndukwe who works as a phone engineer to help him repair the phones.

“Duke paid the sum of N3,500 to Ndukwe as workmanship for the repair of the phones but Ndukwe converted both the phones and money to his personal use,’’

during investigations, Ndukwe admitted to collecting the phones and money from Duke.

He said that the offence contravened sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

Ndukwe pleaded not guilty to the allegations levelled against him.

the sum of N50,000 with a surety in like sum who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

Odo said that the surety must attach his passport photograph alongside that of the accused on the bail bond and adjourned the case till February 4, 2013. (NAN)

Woman in court for allegedly defrauding man of N6 million

A

woman, Ruth Samuel, of Mararaba in Nasarawa state has appeared before a Karu Upper Area Court in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) for alleged forgery and cheating.

The Prosecutor, Mr Stephen Eimoga, told the court that one Emeka Amoji of C64, Phase 2 Kurudu Post Housing Scheme, Abuja, reported the case at the Karu Police Station on December 19, 2012 Eimoga said that Samuel collected six million naira to

purchase four containers for Amoji through one Oko Ofeka and one Sylvester.

He added that the accused forged documents for the containers which she gave to Amoji and told him that the containers were kept at Tincan Island Port, Lagos.

“On reaching Lagos to trace the containers, Amoji did not see any of the four containers. All efforts to get the containers or his money from the accused, proved abortive. The two-count charge contravene sections 364 and 322 of the Penal

Code,’’ Eimoga said.

Counsel to the accused, Charles Acholo told the court that his client was nursing a five-month-old baby and therefore appealed to the court to release her on bail.

He also assured the court that reasonable sureties would be provided if his bail application was approved by the court.

Eimoga, however, opposed the bail application, stressing that the matter was still under investigation and that granting bail to the accused

might tamper with police investigation.

The Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted the accused bail in the sum of N6.5 million, with two reasonable sureties who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

Kagarko also ordered that the sureties must present passport photographs and produce evidence of being resident within the court’s jurisdiction.

The case was adjourned to February 4, 2012 for hearing. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

PAGE 17

It was so much fun for children yesterday at popular relaxation spots in the Federal Capital Territory as they joined their loved ones to celebrate Boxing Day. Our photo journalist, Mahmud Isa captured the trills and frills

Millennium Park

Maitama Amusement Park Maitama Amusement Park

Wonderland

Millennium Park

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Email: aminuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE

- Pg 21

SON introduces mobile petroleum laboratory

Mob: 08033644990

Nigeria can generate 10,000 MW from coal – PTFP From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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he Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP) has expressed optimism that Nigeria can generate between 7,000 and 10,000 mega watts (MW) power from coal-fired plants in addition to the existing capacities from thermal and hydro power plants.

Alternative energy sources, especially from coal, are part of the Federal Government’s efforts to diversify the nation’s electricity resources to ensure sustainable power supply in the country.

The Chairman of PTFP, Mr. Simeon Atakulu speaking recently at a power summit in

Lagos, argued that decisions on coal-fired plants should be taken quickly to ensure power stability in the country as projected for the future.

He insisted that various power generating methodologies like solar, bio-mass and wind should kick-off in Nigeria without further delays.

It would be recalled that Federal Government under the

power sector roadmap, planned to generate up to 30 per cent of electricity from coal-fired plants by 2015.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Musa Sada noted that the plan to diversify the nation’s sources of electricity is imperative because of the disappointment that could come from relying on particular sources.

The minister noted that apart from the generation of electricity, the new coal mine signaled a new dawn for the nation’s solid minerals sector in terms of poverty alleviation and creation of employment opportunities.

Earlier, Mr Atakulu admitted that there has been some improvements in capacity delivery in the last few months,

which credited to the delivery of some NIPP projects, and improved water harvest and gas supply.

He however regretted that power delivery in the country still faced unpredictable system collapses due to evacuation issues, adding that this called for concerted efforts in order to achieve delivery targets that the nation craved for.

Borno plans to establish six irrigation schemes

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he Government of Borno plans to establish six irrigation schemes to boost food production next year, a top official said on Wednesday in Maiduguri.

The state’s Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Babakaka Garbai told newsmen that 35 hectares of farmlands would be cultivated under each of the schemes.

He said the schemes would be located in the Mobbar, Askira-Uba, Shani, Muguno, Konduga and Jere Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

According to the commissioner, 400 households are to be engaged in the schemes, which are also aimed at creating job opportunities.

He said the state government would also establish two other schemes in Jere and Maiduguri to cultivate about 60 hectares of irrigation land.

“We are hoping that at least 550 households will benefit under the 60-hectare scheme, either directly or indirectly,’’ Garbai said.

He said the schemes would take off before February, 2013.

The commissioner also said the state government had also awarded the contract for the provision of electricity in some towns and villages to prevent rural-urban migration.

“Contract has been awarded for the provision of electricity in Gashigar town in Mobbar LGA. We have also awarded another contract for the extension of the 33 KVA line from Damasak to Gudumbali in the same LGA,’’ he said.

Garbai said the contract involved the extension of the 33 KVA line from Bama in Bama LGA to other towns like Mararaba Banki, Darajamal and Kajeri, among others.

“Arrangements have been completed for the extension of the 33 KVA line from Maiduguri to Mafa in Mafa LGA and Dikwa in Dikwa LGA. The project will also extend to Marte in Marte LGA from Dikwa,’’ he said. (NAN)

L-R: Secretary to the Edo state government, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, Edo state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and his Deputy, Dr Pius Odubu, during a town hall meeting which the Governor held with taxpayers in the state, recently in Benin city, the state capital.

Warri refinery up and running – NNPC

By Muhammad Nasir

T

he management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has confirmed that the Warri Refinery which is operated by its subsidiary, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) is up and running and has no maintenance issues to warrant its shut-down.

The Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Mr. Fidel Pepple, who disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists said the clarification became necessary to ease the anxiety generated by a report carried by Thisday Newspaper on 25th December, 2012, indicating that the Warri Refinery has been shut down for a routine

maintenance that would last for 21 days.

“There is no iota of truth in that report. The Warri Refinery is up and running; the day-to-day operations report from the refinery shows that it is producing at 63% of its installed capacity, even on Christmas Day when Thisday ran the report the plant

was running. The plant has no immediate maintenance issues that would require it to be shut down for 21 days as reported,” Pepple stated.

He urged members of the public to discountenance the report and that NNPC was doing everything within its powers to ensure all-round products

Lagos generates 10,000 tonnes of waste daily —LAWMA

T

he Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) evacuates 10,000 tonnes of refuse daily, the Managing Director, said yesterday.

The Managing Director of the Authority, Mr. Ola Oresanya made the fact known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Oresanya said LAWMA planned to roll out 30,000 new roller bins to further enhance evacuation of wastes in the state.

He said the roller bins would be given to residents, who had paid for land use charges.

“Residents who already have the bins will not be considered because this is a

Management Tip of the Day Spark innovation with these 3 words

S

ay it with me: How might we? This is the phrase that today’s most successful companies use when they want to tackle challenges creatively.

How might we improve X ... or completely re-imagine Y... or find a new way to accomplish Z? This approach to innovation ensures that you’re asking the

availability during the festive season.

Mr. Pepple also called on journalists to verify information with relevant authorities before going to press as misinformation, especially of this nature, could cause panic buying of fuel and aggravate the situation in the fuel supply and distribution chain.

right questions, and steering clear of more limiting inquiries like “How can we?” or “How should we?” which imply judgment.

Instead, “How might we” helps people think of options more freely and opens up possibilities.

The “how” assumes there are

solutions out there — it provides creative confidence. “Might” implies that it’s OK to put any idea out there — it might work and it might not. And the “we” signals that you are all going to work together and build on one another’s ideas.

Source: Harvard Business Review

revolving system.

“As people pay the land use charge, they get one waste bin free and the charge is ploughed back to buy more bins for distribution to other areas,’’ he said.

He said that the ban on cart pushers collecting waste from residents for a fee was still in force but that their activities could not be eradicated totally in some areas.

Oresanya said that the agency was making efforts to see that more Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators were licensed to service more locations.

He said that the PSPs were agitating for the review of charges but that the authority was looking into the request.

NAN reports that currently PSP operators charged N500 per flat and N200 per shop monthly for waste collection. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY,THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS Echo Microfinance Bank

E

cho Microfinance Bank Ltd has recorded capital base to the tune of N66 million in; making the institution one of the strongest Unit Microfinance Banks (MFBs) in the country. This was disclosed by the Managing Director, Mr. Idowu Oshokoya during the bank’s customers’ forum in Lagos.

According to him, the bank is working towards achieving a capital base of over N100 million by the first quarter of next year in order to seek for a license to convert into a state micro-finance bank from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He noted that the forum was to appreciate their esteemed customers who have been faithful to the bank for the past years, adding that it was also an opportunity to showcase some of the exciting products which are being introduced by the bank for the benefit of their customers.

Olam

A

bout three months after flood devastated Nasarawa state, destroying houses, farm lands and ponds, Olam Nigeria limited says it has successfully replanted her integrated rice farm which was also affected by the floods. The feat places the company in a comfortable position to continue to play its strategic part in Nigeria’s food security programme.

No less than 40 houses were affected by the floods when the Tunga river overflowed its banks in Tunga village in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.

The river, a route from Lake Chad to River Benue, flowing through Kogi and Cameroun, overflowed its bank and wrecked serious havoc in the village.

Though, no life was reported lost, other properties such as grinding and sowing machines, boats, canoes as well as farm produce like rice, maize and guinea corn were washed away.

SURE-P

T

he Akwa Ibom Implementation Committee for Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) has engaged youths and women from Local Government Councils in community development service.

At a meeting in Uyo on Monday, the committee’s ViceChairman, Mrs Patience Osunkwo, said the programme was designed to alleviate poverty among youths and women.

Assessing integrated transport infrastructure and Public-Private-Partnership policy

By Emmanuella Anokam

T

he conference of the National Council of Transport (NCT) held recently in Abuja restated Federal Government’s commitment to the development of quality infrastructure through PublicPrivate-Partnership (PPP).

Among other critical issues, it placed emphasis on increased private sector engagement in infrastructure provision.

As the highest advisory body on all transport-related matters in the country, the NCT offers platform for collective dialogue on issues affecting the transport sector.

It also sets appropriate targets including the time-frame within which to address emerging challenges and assign specific roles to stakeholders.

It holds that this role is necessitated by the need to bring the efficiencies of the private and commercial enterprise as well as to supplement the limited public sector resources.

The theme of the meeting: ``Partnership for the Integrated Transport Infrastructure for National Transportation’’, indeed, captured the importance of infrastructure in the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to Alhaji Idris Umar, the Minister of Transport, the Transport Sector Reform Bill will soon be fine-tuned and sent to the National Assembly to provide legal framework for an increased private sector partnership.

At the meeting, Umar told the participants that the bill would encourage the removal of public sector monopoly and enhance productivity of the performance of the nation’s transport sector.

He said that fine-tuning was being done by the Ministry of Transport in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, Bureau of Public Enterprises and other stakeholders.

He explained that the objective of the Federal Government’s PPP policy was to meet the funding gap and make economically-essential projects commercially-viable.

That, he said, would obviate government funding of such projects and allow private sector participation in projects.

Umar re-echoed government's commitment to providing the enabling environment for private sector, states, local governments and foreign investors to invest in the nation’s railways, inland waterways, sea ports and roads independently or through PPP. According to him, the broadbased partnership of federal and state governments and public private sectors is considered a realistic option for the development of the nation’s transport and other critical infrastructure.

Umar said the partnership approach had good prospects as could be seen from the development of the Lekki Deep Sea

Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar Port by Eurochem Corporation in partnership with the federal and Lagos state governments.

With this impressive approach, he said other deep sea ports had been proposed under similar arrangement on Ibaka Deep Sea Port in Akwa Ibom, Badagry Deep Sea Port in Lagos and Olokola Deep Sea Port in Ogun and Ondo states.

He said project implementation in the railway sub-sector had been earmarked for a similar arrangement.

He urged stakeholders in the transport sector, particularly the states and organised private sector to key into the sector reform programme and take advantage of the investment opportunities.

The minister’s assuring statement notwithstanding, Gov. Gabriel Suswan of Benue expressed disappointment over the deficit in transport infrastructure.

He decried the huge gap between the demand for transport facilities and government’s ability to meet that demand on time.

“We have reached a stage in the nation’s history when lack of diligent planning, insignificant investment and inconsistent execution of policies in the transport sub-sector has caught up with us as a nation.

“Indeed while most of our urban areas suffer from the poor state of transport facilities or the shortage of same, rural areas of the country have yet to be effectively served and linked up. ``That little infrastructure that was put in place in the past has not only decayed but is also hopelessly inadequate. ``Not only is there a clamour across the nation for more efficient delivery of goods and services, there is also anger and impatience in the land over the seeming slow response or perceived lack of response by governments in providing the needed infrastructure,’’ he noted.

Suswan said the president’s Transformation Agenda was needed immediately to enable the nation to move forward.

He also urged the council to explore and find funding options outside the existing budget system to add to what is available in the budget. He called for the establishment of a special fund to be dedicated to the renewal of transport infrastructure as well as the provision of new ones.

Also commenting on the minister’s presenta, Mr Benjamin Ashaver, the Commissioner for Works and Transport in Benue, emphasised on the need for diversified transport modes in the

“

According to the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Idris Umar, the Transport Sector Reform Bill will soon be finetuned and sent to the National Assembly to provide legal framework for an increased private sector partnership.

country.

Asherver recalled that during the colonial era in Benue, rail, river as well as road transportation contributed immensely to the socio-economic and political development of the people.

“Unfortunately river and rail transportation suffered setbacks resulting in diminished economic and social life of the people in the state.''

According to the commissioner, River Benue requires dredging along with construction of Makurdi river port to evacuate the huge agricultural produce of the state to the national and international market. ``Right now, some of the warehouses built in the colonial days are lying waste by the waterside with neither ships bringing goods nor available to evacuate produce,’’ he said.

He called for integration of the various transport modes to facilitate easy movement of goods and services.

With all the stakeholders’ observations at the meeting, the council resolved to set up a consultative committee to be charged with the responsibility of securing low interest loans for the development of transport infrastructure.

It said the committee would also explore suitable sources of loans for the sector, such as the Infrastructure Bank and the Export-IMPORT Bank long-term facilities.

It also urged the state government to buy into the Federal Government’s PPP policy for the development and operation of transport infrastructure in the country.

The stakeholders, at the end of the meeting, hold the view that only a concerted act can achieve modern, functional, multi-modal integrated transport system.

(NANFeatures)

PAGE 21

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

SON introduces mobile petroleum laboratory to tackle adulteration of petroleum products From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has introduced a mobile petroleum laboratory to tackle the menace of adulterated petroleum products in the country.

The Director General, SON, in a petroleum stakeholders meeting with petroleum products dealers and marketers in Lagos, explained that cases of explosions are rife, resulting in loss of lives and destruction of property, cars, equipment and the likes, pointing out that

outside outright destruction there is a constant breakdown of engines and equipment using compromised petroleum products.

The Director General explained that the introduction of this laboratory would help address the issue of adulterated petroleum products which impacts negatively on the socioeconomic life of the nation. ”This constitutes additional drain on personal, corporate and national resources. This should not be so. Our concern today is to put in place a quality assurance system that will put a stop to

these embarrassing and unnecessary incidents,” he said.

He noted that all petroleum depots, lubricating and blending plants, liquefied petroleum gas plants, liquefied petroleum gas sales outlets, petrol service stations and surface kerosene sales outlets will be constantly monitored to ensure that products emanating there from conform to safe and acceptable industry standards.

He maintained that it is its intention to sustain a database of all such outlets in the country so that all tests results shall be compiled to constitute a referable

database and for traceability of all receipts and sales of products for the benefit of government and concerned stakeholders.

He said as a result of this, all petroleum product outlets mentioned shall within two weeks be required to provide information for the listing and certification of their premises, specifically to ascertain their exact location and confirm compliance with approved specifications and regulations.

Also speaking ay the event, the Director, DPR, Mr. Austin Olorunshola said this move by SON and Department of

Petroleum Resources (DPR) is a war to tackle fake and adulterated petroleum products in the country saying that this partnership is a dawn of a new era.

He therefore called for the institutionalising of this partnership and called on other stakeholders to join in the fight to tackle the menace of these adulterated petroleum products in the country.

He commended the efforts of SON in the fight to rid the country of substandard products and said DPR will stop at nothing to ensure that SON achieve its mandate.

ACAP acquires Law Union & Rock insurance From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

T

he Alternative Capital Partners (ACAP) and Swede Control Intertek has acquired Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc following the divestment of Skye Bank Plc from the company recently.

In a press release signed by the company’s Head, corporate communications, Ngozi Ochei the company stated that the company’s acquisition is effecting a number of strategic initiatives which will enable it provide first class insurance services to the insuring public.

In the same vein, Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc has paid

over N1.2b in claims to its policy holders within the first three quarters of 2012.

The claims payment cuts across all the portfolios in the underwriter’s product offerings in General Business. A breakdown of the payment shows that Fire accounted for 41.95 percent with N535.9m, Motor claims was N355.2m (27.8 percent), Marine & Aviation N160.9m (12.60 percent), General Accident N105.8m (8.28 percent), Engineering N82.8m (6.48 percent), Oil & Gas N35.5m (2.78 percent), while the total claims paid on Bond amounted to N1.2m representing 0.10 percent.

Budget implementation will determine business direction in 2013 - CIIN President

T

he Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has predicted that early implementation of budget would be the driving force of businesses in 2013.

Dr Wole Adetimehin, President of the institute, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday that timely implementation, as opposed to the past pattern, would aid business direction in 2013.

According to him, it is commendable that the budget was passed before the close of 2012, but “implementation is what matters”.

“All operators in the various

sectors of the economy can also leverage on the early passage to structure and restructure their business plans for 2013,” he said.

Adetimehin expressed optimism there would not be any delay in signing the budget because of the increase in its size

by N60 billion by the National Assembly.

He said that any controversy on the size could make nonsense of the early passage of the budget.

NAN reports that the National Assembly, on Dec.20, passed the federal budget of N4.98 trillion, up from the N4.92 trillion proposed to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan. (NAN)

Tourism: Effective education key to manpower development - Don

A

Principal Lecturer in the Department of Hospitality Management, Yaba College of Technology, Mrs. Sophia Anyafulu has said that effective education is the key to manpower development in the tourism industry.

Anyafulu said this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

She said that there was need to spend a lot of money to educate those involved in the tourism

industry if the country was to meet up with international standards.

“It is only through sound education that we can develop the right manpower that can bring the country’s tourism industry in line with international standards,’’ Anyafulu said.

Anyafulu suggested that government at all levels should assist in funding schools offering courses in tourism to enable them produce the required manpower for the industry. (NAN)

People buying tomatoes, on Monday at Abubakar Gumi Central Market, in Kaduna.

Photo: NAN

World Bank-assisted project tasks FG, donor partners on rural roads’ development

By Abdulwahab Isa with agency report

T

he Rural Access Mobility Project (RAMP) has urged the Federal and state governments as well as donor partners to commit more money to the development of rural roads.

Mr Ifeanyi Okereke, the Development Communication Officer of RAMP, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday that funding constituted a challenge to the execution the project. ‘’The more money we get, the more roads we will be able to cover. Essentially, we need stakeholders of the various states to participate. ‘’We want the stakeholders to see that what we are doing is for their benefit. We want to make life better for the people in the rural areas because statistics have revealed that 60 per cent of Nigerians live in the rural area.’’

Okereke earlier told NAN that

the project was co-funded by the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD) in partnership with the Federal Government.

He said that the World Bank provided $2.6 million, while the AFD contributed one million dollars. ‘’The Federal Government provided the counterpart funds in the form of project Preparatory Funds to prepare the states for participation in RAMP. The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Finance signed for the loan on behalf of the states and stands as a guarantor for the states”, he said.

He told NAN that four new states - Enugu, Osun, Adamawa and Niger - were selected to participate in RAMP II. He noted that they were selected through a contested process involving the 34 states and the FCT that were not in RAMP I. Okereke added that the RAMP II states were selected pursuant to the Country Partnership

Strategy, saying, ‘’The RAMP II includes the rehabilitation and maintenance of 500km of rural roads in each participating state, so that at least 25 per cent of the road network will be in good condition at the end of the project.

According to Okereke, Cross River had contributed two-thirds of the cost of the project because the state wanted its roads to be constructed with asphalt because of the terrain.

He added that a pilot rural road maintenance scheme had commenced in Osun state. ‘’The pilot rural maintenance scheme is being carried out on a 12-km road along Iwo-Pataar; it involves the engagement of a 12-man maintenance group, who will be paid N20,000 each per month.

He added that with the scheme in place, direct employment would be made available to about 2,000 people in the participating states of RAMP II. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

PAGE 22

The Ribadu Report

Revenue losses in the Nigerian petroleum industry (II) 5.2.2. Volumes of Lost Refined Products and Associated Revenue Losses

T

he Task Force did not receive comprehensive figures documenting volumes of refined products stolen or spilled, but NNPC reports that thieves stole 3.2 million metric tons of products from its pipeline network between 2001 and 2010. Stolen amounts appear to be growing; in NNPC’s submissions the Task Force was informed that about 40 percent of products currently channelled through pipelines are lost to theft and sabotage.

Wilful damage of downstream infrastructure has also spiked as of late. PPMC recorded 4,468 product pipeline breaks in 2011, 98 percent of them from sabotage.

This is a sharp increase over 1,746, the average number of sabotage cases logged between 2001 and 2010.

Theft of products at import points also appears endemic. For example, submissions to the Task Force claimed that as much as 5,000 MT of a typical cargo of petrol can be stolen at ports and jetties, offloaded into light vehicles.

In a worrying trend, organized theft of products has also spread far beyond the Niger Delta. PPMC recorded sizable losses on its Mosinmi- Ibadan-Lokoja line in 2011. The Jos-Gombe-Maiduguri line also saw theft, and pipeline sabotage around Atlas Cove in Lagos is chronic.

Organized theft of refined products also denies Nigeria significant revenues, though the Task Force did not receive comprehensive figures. PPMC values the products stolen from its pipeline network between 2001 and 2010 at N178 billion. It is alleged that when products are stolen at ports and jetties, inspectors sign discharge sheets for the full landing amount, which allows importers to collect fuel subsidy on stolen products.

5.2.3. NNPC Withholdings for Costs Associated With Theft and Sabotage

N

NPC withholds oil revenues from the Federation Account to cover costs associated with theft and pipeline sabotage.

Data from the Corporation shows huge increases in recent periods: Beyond the obvious damaging impact of these revenue losses to the Nigerian economy, crude oil theft also impacts the nation in other major ways, some of which include the following.

5.3.

Pioneer Status granted to Indigenous Companies The Task Force has been informed that at least five companies: Allied Energy, Midwestern Oil & Gas, Brittania Oil Nigeria Limited, Suntrust Oil

NNPC claims against FGN for failure to provide security, 2006-date

GMD NNPC, Andrew Yakubu Company Nigeria Limited; and Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited10 have been granted pioneer status by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (with others pending or undetected) for their exploration and production activities.

Pioneer status is a form of fiveyear tax holiday to qualifying industries anywhere in Nigeria.

The grant of pioneer status, gives a company a preferred position in getting established, usually through exemption from income tax. Pioneer companies are companies engaged in manufacturing, processing, mining, servicing and Agricultural industries whose products have been declared pioneer products on satisfying certain conditions.

In granting a company pioneer status the industry or product is regarded as one that is not already carried on in the country or the existing industry is not producing enough to meet the current or expected requirements.

The concept is further broadened to include any industry or product for which there is a favourable prospect of development.

The policy relating to pioneer industry is based on the desire of the Government to encourage the development of new or relevant industries that will reduce the country’s dependence on imports. The pioneer industries and products are identified by a list published in the official gazette.

The law governing the

operations of the pioneer companies was first laid out under the Aid to pioneer Industries ordinance No.10 of 1952. This was repealed by the Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) ordinance No.8 of 1958.

This ordinance was subsequently repealed by the Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) Act 1971, otherwise known as CAP 179 LFN, 1990 which is the current legislation governing the operations of the pioneer industries. The Act empowers the Federal Executive Council to publish from time to time a list of Industries or products as pioneer Industries or products.

The revenue implications though well-known bear some repetition: • No tax shall be payable during the pioneer period on the profit and consequently no capital allowance could be claimed on all the qualifying capital expenditure incurred starting from the production date.

• Dividend can be declared out of the pioneer account profit but not more than the balance standing in that account.

• Dividend paid out of the pioneer profit shall not be subject to tax in the hand of the first recipient • The net qualifying expenditure for capital items during the pioneer period are accumulated and are qualified for both initial and annual allowances in the new business.

• Losses incurred by the pioneer company during the pioneer period and certified, may be relieved after the pioneer period since such loss is deemed to have been incurred on the first day of the new business.

It cannot be a correct exercise of incentive for oil operators to be given pioneer status for an activity that is well established for over 40 years and which to any commercial consideration is a profitable venture. The loss of

revenue from the grant of pioneer status to oil operators is an avoidable loss.

The Task Forces recommends that any further consideration of the industry for pioneer status be stopped forthwith. Indeed to the extent that the application of the Act has been extended to oil exploration it is ultra vires and ought to be set aside and or revoked. To the effect that all tax and exemption be reinstated; from the date of the initial grant and payments be made to FIRS accordingly.

5.4.

Collateral Costs of Theft

Social

The following social costs, while outside the Task Force’s immediate remit, deserve mention. They also arguably result in decreased Government revenue by increasing the perceived risks of investing in Nigeria’s oil sector.

5.4.1.

Environmental Pollution and Associated Socio-Economic Impacts

C

rude oil theft is surely a major cause of Niger Delta oil pollution, though again there are no reliable nationwide figures. SPDC claims that illegal bunkering caused 118 spills around its facilities in 2011, at a loss of 11,806 barrels. Figures are scarce for the resulting water and soil pollution, or secondary impacts on human health, livelihoods or food and fuel stocks.

Mixing highly unstable stolen condensate with kerosene, diesel and petrol damages automobiles and generators, and causes frequent explosions. These may have killed several hundred Nigerians over the past decade.

PPMC recorded 376 fires around its product pipelines between 2000 and 2010, and press reports record several thousand deaths from pipeline fires since 1998.

Illegal refineries explode frequently, incinerating works and bystanders.

PEOSPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Report as at Monday, December 24, 2012

PAGE 23

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

PAGE 24

By Kayode Olaitan

B

y most accounts, public opinions have shown that New Year’s resolutions are easier said than fulfilled.

There are divergent views on whether or not such resolutions made by individuals are adhered to religiously by them at the end.

Now, as another year approaches, several people in various gatherings will resolve to drop, add or change some values in their life styles.

Opinions indicate that only few of these resolutions are firm while the rest are said just to satisfy righteousness.

For instance, on Dec. 31, 2011, at a Christian vigil, Mr D.I, made a resolution to quit smoking he had been addicted to for almost 20 years, but barely four months into the New Year, he found smoking more interesting than when he quit.

At the same service, a lady, Miss L.O, resolved that she would stop making trips to a West African country to do a certain business because of the risk involved.

She said she has been sustaining the resolution since then.

Why do people see the need to make resolutions they may or may not be able to adhere to?

The Islamic Forum online stipulates that the New Year is a good time for Muslims to renew the resolutions they made during Ramadan.

According to it, a list of resolutions which should include spiritual, physical and mental practices should be written down so that one can refer to them throughout the year.

“Everyone seems to have a bad habit that harms his or her health, such as drinking, smoking and overeating.

“Keep in mind that any activity that is forbidden in

PAGE 25

New Year’s resolutions: The myth, essence and realities

Islam is unhealthy and that any activity that starts to become an addiction is also unhealthy, make a pledge to yourself to identify your addictions and stop them.

“In many cases in the Qur’an and Hadith, it is mentioned that you do not actually have to perform a bad act to be affected by it.

Muslims are encouraged to

hang out with people they would like to emulate and not with those that are bad influence on them,’’ it stated.

The essence of making resolutions is underscored by the desire of mankind to reassess and re-align some patterns of life for better, according to Pastor John Abiodun of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Abuja.

He believes that some people, at a point, perceive they have moved away from what they should be known for or what they ought not to have been doing and when they realise this, they resort to making resolutions.

“Of course, occasions such as the eve of a new year presents a unique opportunity for making resolutions because of the belief that the old way of life is cast aside.

“It ought to be a spontaneous confession to the realities of individual’s life-style and a strong determination to maintain whatever is said to be done,’’ he noted.

He, however, observes that more than 90 per cent of the resolutions made by

various people are shortlived.

“I believe the reason for this is lack of adequate preparation and strong determination to tame some of the activities that hinder the resolutions to be firm.

“For instance, if somebody says he wants to stop stealing but still finds himself in the midst of criminals, within a short time, such a person will denounce his resolution.

“Another factor is the prevailing socio-economic situation; somebody may determine to quit prostitution but later finds out that she has no good job or even jobless to fight hunger, definitely she will forget about the resolution.

“However, in every resolution we make, it requires the Grace of God and prayer for its sustainability because when we make such godly decision and commit it to God, He will provide the strength and means of sustaining it,’’ he said.

Dr John Grohol, the founder of Psych Central in the U.S, published in a research that people who believe that self-control is something dynamic, changing and unlimited, tend to set more resolutions.

He cited the instances of those who believe that: “I can stop smoking, all I have to do is put my mind to it. I can also change my eating habit and be a better person, it just takes willpower’’.

According to him, people who believe that we all are born with a limited, set amount of self-control that one cannot change, naturally do worse on obtaining their New Year’s resolution goals.

“What this means is that you will do better on your

New Year’s goals if you believe that self-control is indeed an unlimited resource that we all have access to and can leverage with our resolutions.

“The more you believe in your own capabilities, the more likely you will succeed as well; it also seems to help to set more goals, because you will be more likely to succeed at them if you do,’’ he said.

All arguments notwithstanding,

“

Of course, occasions such as the eve of a new year presents a unique opportunity for making resolutions because of the belief that the old way of life is cast aside.

It ought to be a spontaneous confession to the realities of individual’s life-style and a strong determination to maintain whatever is said to be done

psychologists have identified some tips to help keep resolutions.

The first is to make only one resolution; picking just one aspect of life to improve and increase chances of success.

They also suggest planning resolution in advance, instead of waiting until New Year’s Eve to allow for reflection on what to really want to achieve.

Another tip is to avoid repeating a previous resolution, or at least try a different technique to keep it.

However, Dr Richard Wiseman, a professor of psychology at Hertfordshire University, UK believes that: “If people think they can do it, they probably can, but if they have already tried and failed, their self-belief will be low.

“By a long way, stopping smoking is the hardest, because there are physiological responses involved; it is an addiction.

Source: NAN

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

Some women you must not marry (I) A

llah says: “And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell In tranquillity with them, and He has put love and Mercy between your (hearts): Verily In that are Signs for those who reflect.” [ar-Rum: 21] In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All Praise is due to Allah! We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our evils and bad deeds. Anyone who is guided

by Allah, is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and final messenger to mankind.

May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon His last and final Apostle, his Household, his companions and all his followers until the end of time.

This article is an attempt to put forward for the sake of discerning some of those attributes between us and creations lower than us. It is not a law nor theory; it is only a rational hypothesis gathered by our predecessors who have shown some interest either because they were bitten once or twice, or simply for the sake of passing information of any nature.

The Qur'an has summarized in an unambiguous and unequivocal precepts the very objectives of matrimony or relationship between man and woman in a fashion demands by the Shari'ah. The Qur'an says: “And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell In tranquillity with

them, and He has put love and or marital relationships, upMercy between your (hearts): bringing, environmental or Verily In that are Signs for those peer group influences, or some who reflect.” [ar-Rum: 21] foreign cultural orientations, That is to say, any union which made some them nonbetween a man and a woman or women, which does not b e a r tranquillity, love and compassion,

By Husain Zakariyya cannot be Yawale called a marriage in its strictest sense. +234-8052952900 (sms only) It could, yet, be islamexplained35@yahoo.com termed a spousal or nuptial union, but, nubile. And where they are, it is which is devoid of mutual impossible to maintain the cordiality and affection. The relationship chiefly because of man and the woman, thus, must their behaviours, deportments give each other equal and manners; natural and equanimity, affection and acquired. Thus, it is these types sympathy. Or where the man is of women that I intend to outline married to more than one wife, and discuss for the yet to marry must share equal concern, and eager lots. understanding and kindness, at In essence, Islam, because of least in the open, as much as is the importance of marriage demanded by the Shari'ah. institution to the prolongation of The Qur'an has devoted so both procreation and modest much time to discuss in clear social integration, has put many details almost all the common rational and logical rules not characteristic of women; the only in the choice of lawful life nubile and unmarriageable. In partner, but also concerning fact, a great number of verses temporary or permanent were dedicated for women restrictions.

While some because of their importance and exceptions are based on long nature. In several places in established experiences or thirteen chapters, the Qur'an relationships regarding the intimated us with knowledge of avoidable categories of women, the womanhood. In fact, A'Ishah others are direct revelations (RD), ordered that no woman from high above. Some of the should be given out in marriage restrictions can be surmounted, without the full knowledge and while other will remain understanding of 'Surat-un-Nur' permanently restricted. or Chapter 24 of the Qur'an. She For the clarification of any made this call because of the ambiguity which might arise, I many injunctions concerning will start with the category of the rights of the women folk the women whom Allah or His chapter elucidates.

Apostle has put enduring and But, notwithstanding, there permanent restriction, no are women, whom, because of matter the situation. Of course their nature of blood, weaning Islam considers marriage as one

ISLAM EXPLAINED

of the most righteous and approved originations amongst human race.

The Qur'an in unequivocal terms inspired to us, thus: “And Allah has made for you mates (and companions) of your nature, and made for you, out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and for you sustenance of the best: will They then believe In vain things, and be for Allah's favours?” [an-Nahl: 72] Thus, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) declared, “There is no monasticism in Islam.” It was based on this premise that he once talked to the youth in a gathering in Madinah and ordained, thus: “O you young men! Whoever is able to (cater the needs of his marry) should marry, for that will help him to lower his gaze and guard his chastity.” [Al-Bukhari] In another instance, he declared publically in these golden words: “Marriage is my Sunnah. Whosoever keeps away from it is not from me,” and furthermore added that there is celibacy in Islam.

In the same vein, he classified the general reasons why men marry certain classes of women generally, but quickly with a divine guidance, prefer to a willing spouse to chose themselves based on moral traits. He said, in a hadith reported by Muslim: “A woman is normally sought as a wife for her wealth, beauty, nobility, or religiousness (adherence to Islam), but choose a religious woman and you will prosper.”

And in another reported by

Bukhari: “A woman is married for four things, i.e., her wealth, her family status, her beauty and her religious concern. You should marry the religious woman (otherwise) you will be a loser.”

In summery to the best qualities we hope in prospective spouses are enshrined in this hadith of our beloved Apostle, “Once someone with whose religion and character you are satisfied asks to marry your daughter, comply with his request. If you do not do so, there will be corruption and great evil on earth.” (Tirmidhi) The Qur'an is very emphatic concerning those category of women never to be wedded eternally on various grounds.

Allah says: “Prohibited to you (for marriage) are:- your mothers, daughters, sisters; father's sisters, Mother's sisters; brother's daughters, sister's daughters; foster-mothers (Who gave you suck), foster-sisters; your wives' mothers; your step-daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in,- no prohibition if ye have not gone in;- (Those who have been) wives of your sons proceeding from your loins; and two sisters In wedlock at one and the same time, except for what is past; for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” [an-Nisa'i: 23] It goes further to give another ban of unmarriageable women, but this time on conditional reasons. Allah says in the following verses: “Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until They believe: a slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, Even though she allures you. nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until They believe: a man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, Even though He allures you. unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. but Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs Clear to mankind: that They may celebrate His praise.” [alBaqarah: 221] “This Day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. the food of the people of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you In marriage) are (Not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the people of the Book, revealed before your time,- when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues if any one rejects Faith, fruitless is His work, and In the Hereafter He will be In the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good).” [al-Ma'idah: 5] However, when next Friday comes, and we are blessed by Allah for another breather, I will further elucidate, in the next series the various categories for our future considerations and guidelines in line with the Sunnah, most especially for the eager bachelors, and even the hardihood men, to append to his knowledge before venturing into family life.

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

As we visage Environmental Challenges in 2013 L

et's give glory to our Almighty Father for surviving the doomsday.

Remember the prediction that the world would come to an end on December 21, 2012. Of course, other stories and theories make some people much more nervous.

Some of these claim to be scientific.

One foretells that the earth's entire crust will experience a massive shift that will result in immense tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanoes. Another holds that the planets will come into a straight alignment and that this will cause the sun's solar winds to intensify and wreak havoc on earth. Still another asserts that earth's magnetic poles will suddenly reverse and cause radiation from the sun to kill us all.

Persuaded by similar predictions of disasters, some people in the United States and Europe had built shelters in their backyard or at considerable expense, had reserved quarters in underground community bunkers. Others have moved to the mountains and have become self-sufficient living "off the grid," independent of public utilities, such as water, heat, or electricity.

Here we are no such thing has happened.

I must say that I was one of those scared, considering the flood that hit most parts of our country this year, a reminiscence of the flood that engulfed the ancients of Noah's time in biblical literature and other natural disasters across

the globe. To say the deluge is one of monumental proportions and a national disaster is to remark mildly.

Challenges of the dry season As we approach 2013, the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) has again advised Nigerians to be adequately prepared for the challenges of the dry season and its associated emergencies, telling us it is not yet Uhuru when it comes to natural disasters.

NEMA urged Nigerians to be wary of the environment prone to epidemics as measles, cholera, lassa fever and cerebral spinal meningitis are among the 10 most critical health disasters associated with dry season, hence the need for the public to guard against them.

The International Emergency Data (IED) had confirmed that women and children are the most vulnerable people and emphasized the need for them to be more cautious in their health habits by avoiding polluted water and dirty or overcrowded environment.

In order to ensure disaster risk reduction, people should endeavour to stay in well ventilated environment apart from always keeping the environment clean, as heat wave could lead to cerebral spinal meningitis.

2012 Climate talks in Doha It's good to mention the recent Climate talks in Doha where UN

ENVIR ONMENT ENVIRONMENT WATCH

By Ambrose Inusa Sule, mnes globenviron@yahoo.com 0703-441-4410 (sms only) forum agreed to extend Kyoto Protocol to 2020.

The Kyoto protocol on climate change had been due to expire this year, but delegates at UN climate talks in Qatar have agreed to extend the Kyoto Protocol until 2020, avoiding a major new setback.

The deal, agreed by nearly 200 nations, keeps the protocol alive as the only legally binding plan for combating global warming.

However, it only covers developed nations whose share of world greenhouse gas emissions is less than 15percent. The US - a major polluter - has never ratified the original 1997 protocol.

The deal was agreed after the 27-member European Union, Australia and several other industrialised nations signed up for binding CO2 cuts by 2020 at the 12-day meeting in Qatar's capital Doha because of differences over whether rich nations should have to compensate poorer states for losses due to climate change.

The protocol, however excludes some major polluters, including the US, China and India.

The gathering in Doha had also focused on a plan to adopt a wider treaty in 2015 that would apply to all countries and eventually replace the Kyoto Protocol.

It was also agreed that developing countries that show strong leadership in tackling climate change could benefit from a pot of 70 million Euros of funding.

Coming under the Nationally Appropriate Mitigating Actions (NAMA), designed to support developing countries that show strong leadership in tackling climate change and want to implement the facility, Germany and the United Kingdom announced the launch of the NAMA facility at COP18/ CMP8.

The two countries will jointly provide about 70 million Euros of funding for the facility, which

aims to support partner countries to implement ambitious action against climate change.

Nigeria may not be eligible for the fund as country's document on NAMA is yet to be finalized.

Though a stakeholders' validation forum was held some months ago in Abuja, the NAMA refers to a set of policies and actions countries undertake as part of a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission.

The government must also ensure that the final policy documents are evidence-based.

Regrettably, Nigeria is yet to complete important analysis that allows policies that are fit for purpose to emerge.

For instance, the base year for the most recent greenhouse gas emission inventory is the year 2000. Without a valid emission inventory and analysis of least cost abatement options, the basis for developing NAMAs will be weak.

Escaping Oteh-nized budgetary allocation by Fmev We must sing Hallelujah that the Federal Ministry of Environment was not Oteh-nized on budgetary allocation by the National Assembly.

Remember that The Senate Committee on Environment earlier threatened to give zero budgetary allocation to the federal ministry of environment, for what it considered as an unsatisfactory budget implementation of its 2012 capital projects.

I must praise the wisdom of members of The Senate Committee on Environment on the issue of the presentation by the environment ministry to justify its 2012 budget performance before it, which could affect its allocation in the 2013 budget.

The threat by Senator Sarakiled committee that it "will not hesitate to give zero budgetary allocation to the ministry or any of its agencies on any on-going or new project if they were not convinced of their capacity to utilize the funds allocated to them in previous years," should be commended.

Since the return of democracy in 1999, it is on record that no government has ever implemented the yearly budget more than 75 per cent only to come the following budget year asking for fund for the same projects.

It has been explained that what has been responsible for the seeming slow implementation of budgets was the fact that some projects had no planning and design prior to their approval release of resources.

Hoping for a better and a more sustainable environment come 2013.

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

EMERGENCY UPDATE Images from the just concluded two-day annual media retreat on Emergency Management organised by NEMA recently in Abuja

PAGE 29

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

EMERGENCY UPDATE

FG plans to purchase additional helicopters for NEMA

T

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said that the Federal Government has concluded arrangements to purchase more helicopters for the agency.

NEMA’s Director-General, Alhaji Mohammed Sidi, made this known during an interactive session with journalists in Minna in Niger state recently.

Sidi was represented by the agency’s Assistant Zonal Director, North-Central, Malam Salihu Bijimi.

He also declared open a oneday workshop on the “Role of NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs), Community-based Organisations (CBOs) and Private Sector in Disaster Management”.

The director-general said the purchase become necessary to ensure that relief materials, including medical needs gets to victims of disasters in any part of the country.

“Plans are underway by the Federal Government to procure more Helicopters to add to the ones already in our fleet to enhance disaster management which is assuming a more complicated dimension.

“With more aircrafts added to our fleet, emergency teams on rescue operations could easily get to remotest areas that were hitherto unable to assess by road in good time to reduce the impact of disasters,” he said.

Sidi said that more personnel were presently undergoing intensive training with the view to deploying them to disaster prone areas after the completion of their training.

“I see an improvement in subsequent response to disasters in the country.

“When disasters occur it affects all members of a family who are

members of a community and of which the community is within a local government area.

“If disaster management is seen from this angle all would be fully involved because it is in one way or the other felt by all.”

Sidi urged Nigerians to be conscious to check avoidable disasters.

“It is in view of key three issues such as; magnitude, inadequate funds and as well, distance that calls for the need to have the NGOs, CBOs and the private sectors playing key roles in preserving lives and properties ...”

He said in time of disasters, it would not be enough just for NEMA to get all the equipment to

contend to the area.

He said other Federal Government agencies should work hand in hand with the stake holders.

He said that if those stakeholders were well equipped, knowledgeably, then the job of disaster management would be made easier in the overall interests of the society.

Sidi said that the agency would be better positioned in future as it had learnt a lot of lessons from the recent flood disasters and other disasters across the country.

“We will now go to the drawing board with other stake holders, to see how we can improve on what happened in 2012.” (NAN)

NEMA D-G, Muhammad Sani-Sidi

NEMA activates search and rescue teams nationwide

T

he National Emergency Management Agency has activated its emergency Search and Rescue Teams to be on full alert in the event of any emergency situation during the yuletide season.

The Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani-Sidi made the disclosure in his office on Friday while receiving the communique of the 2012 Annual Media Retreat of Journalists and Information Officers on Disaster and Emergency Management in Nigeria, a statement by the agency’s spokesman, Yushau shuaibu, said on Sunday.

He sai:, “All Search and Rescue Officers of the NEMA and that of other response agencies as well as trained emergency volunteers throughout the federation have been put on alert in case of any untoward development between the Christmas period and the New Year. The activation of Search and Rescue officers to be on full alert has been the tradition of the agency in its collaborative efforts with other agencies and volunteers in responding to

distress situation.”

The NEMA boss also lamented the inability of the Nigerian Communication Commission to provide the country with a threedigit National Emergency call line as obtained in other jurisdictions. He said “We are waiting for NCC to work out the emergency toll free number as soon as possible to help us on disaster management.”

Sani-Sidi also noted that most states have lukewarm attitude to the subject of emergency management and combating disasters by not complying with legal mandates to establish their state emergency management agencies.

He added that in the case of those that have established, most of them are yet to become functional because they are not adequately funded.

He tasked journalists to take governors and local government chairmen to task on the need to establish functional emergency management bodies. He stated that, “Every Nigerian now look forward to NEMA to respond to

emergencies and combat disasters whereas, only situations beyond the coping capabilities of State and Local Emergency outfits that supports and assistance could be referred to NEMA as the national body.”

He also stated that disaster management will soon be included in both primary and secondary school curricula in the country as a result of efforts of his agency.

He explained further that students had graduated from the six postgraduate departments that NEMA funded in the six geopolitical zones across the country.

On the 15-point communique, the NEMA boss promised to implement most of the recommendations especially those pertaining to creation of information centres at emergency scenes to create synergy in dissemination of information and reportage during emergencies.

He also promised to improve partnership with the media on dedicated programmes and columns in electronic, print and even online media

YOUTHS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

By Abubakar Jimoh abujimoh01@yahoo.com

Media, other stakeholders collaborate against disaster

L

ast week, the need for constant collaborations and rational brainstorming on the recurrent issues of natural and human induced disaster in Nigeria was once again brought to fore, when the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) organized an annual retreat for the media, as well as other actors in the advocacy of disaster response, mitigation and management.

Apparently, the occasion was meant to create a platform for better understanding and scrutiny of issues relating to emergency response strategies particularly by officials of the agency in collaboration with the Journalists Against Disaster Initiative (JADI), Youths Against Disaster Initiative (YADI) and Media Information Committee on Emergency Management (MICEM).

While enumerating a number of challenges militating against the operations of the agency in meeting its mandates of reaching out to victims of various emergency situations in the country with accurate information at times of adversity, as well as on provision of relief items, DirectorGeneral of NEMA, Muhammad SaniSidi, challenged the media to take seriously how best such occurrences could be scrupulously reported without provoking reprisals in cases of communal clash or create panic among the people.

He believes relating with the media in disaster situations would bring about public participation and involvement in disaster management in the country. SaniSidi therefore expressed optimism that the roles of journalists cannot be neglected in the fight against disasters, urging them to take cognisance of their role in the society, especially with regards to awareness of the fundamental issues on disaster management and understanding of the general public about the NEMA’s mandates.

In the face heightened tragedies resulting from bomb explosion and other related emergency situations in the country, the NEMA boss lamented the laidback put up by some state and local governments who are failing in their constitutional responsibilities on disaster management despite the contingency funds placed at their disposal by the federal government.

He said such funds were underutilized by these levels of government that transfer mere hazards to NEMA to manage.

Sani -Sidi bemoaned over-reliance of state and local governments on NEMA to help perform their constitutional duties saying this have intensified the risk of manageable hazards to disasters in some grassroots.

He therefore described non-existence of state local emergency management agency (SEMAs & LEMAs) in some states and local councils as one of the major challenges facing disaster management in the country.

His words: “It is regrettable that apart from Lagos state and few others, in many states SEMAs and LEMAs are not in existence. I discovered during my advocacy visits to them that they are identified only by name not by functional vehicles, offices and personnel. They are not funded. In fact, you would find out they have only have Special Advisers on Disasters with neither funds nor personnel for

effective operation and preparedness against disasters. How can it work?”

Through a coordinated effort by stakeholders, NEMA’s press secretary, Yushau A. Shuaib said, the mandate of the country’s only proactive emergency management agency could be properly enhanced.

“The programme was primarily initiated by NEMA to bring about impunity and understanding between the agency and journalists, and see how the mandates of the emergency management can be effectively extended to various parts and groups in the country,” he said.

In his remarks, National Coordinator of JADI, Mr. Sanya Adejokun, reiterates that that JADI was primarily established to improve the qualitative and quantitative of information present to the general public on disaster alerts, reliefs and response.

According to him, as disasters increase in various parts of the country, it has called for instant collaborative effort between the JADI and NEMA. ‘It is noteworthy that the contributory roles of the Youths Against Disaster Initiative (YADI) to the nation’s disaster sensitization campaign was graciously appreciated at the event, especially by the Public Relations staff, Information and Communication Technology divisions of NEMA, among others,” he stated.

Besides, the occasion was blessed by media and public relations dignitaries from both public and private organizations on disaster management such as Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence (NSCD), Nigeria Red Cross Society.

On his own part, Public Relations Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Jonas Agwu, urged the media to always strive at giving accurate and consistent facts and figures on disaster situations in the country. He cited the recent figure complied from flood disasters in various parts of the country, stressing those inaccurate and inconsistent facts and figures were reported by journalists across the country.

Similarly, several challenges facing the nation’s disaster management were identified by the participants. These include nonexistence of SEMAs and LEMAs in some states, weakness in part of emergency services, weakness of fire service response, absence of ambulance service, poorly equipped police, poorly equipped hospitals, low technical/manpower capacity, poor funding of Disaster management activities, inadequate data management, poor funding of SEMAs and LEMCs. The participants referred an improvement in coordination, collaboration and cooperation among various stakeholders on disaster management stakeholders; establishment of SEMAs and LEMCs across the six geo-political zones in the country; effective predictable funding arrangement for SEMAs and LEMCs; robust ambulance service; improved equipment and personnel for first responders; improved hospitals; streamlining disaster management into developmental strategies; and streamlining disaster risk reduction into project planning.

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Girl, 10 serves dinner for 50 homeless to keep her dead father's promise on Christmas

By Chris Brooke

A

fter ten-year-old Gracie McNulty's father died in an accident, she wasn't sure how to cope with her first Christmas without him.

So she decided to abandon the usual family festivities - and make her father's last Christmas wish come true instead.

With the help of her mother and three siblings, Gracie served turkey with all the trimmings to 50 homeless people yesterday.

Her father Craig, 38, was a regular charity volunteer who had served breakfast to the homeless on Boxing Day in the past, and he had promised to open the family's cafe on Christmas Day this year.

But Mr McNulty, a roofer, suffered serious head injuries when he fell while working. He was taken to hospital by air ambulance but died soon after the accident in August.

Generosity: Gracie McNulty, pictured, served Christmas dinner to 50 homeless people, helped by her mother and three siblings Gracie's mother Sharon McNulty, 46, who runs the Grilled and Filtered cafe in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, said: 'After he died Gracie said to me "I don't want to have Christmas at home this year, I want to do what

daddy wanted and open the cafe on Christmas Day. 'It wouldn't feel right to celebrate so we're serving Christmas dinner to people who don't have a home to go to.' She added: 'We're all thinking of

All smiles: The McNulty family with some of the homeless who were fed turkey dinners at the Grilled and Filtered cafe in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire A WOMAN who was claimed to be the oldest human being alive has died at the reported age of 124. ariam Ammash, who passed away on Saturday, held an Israeli passport that had her date of birth in 1888.

Mariam came from the Arab populated city of Jisr al-Zarqa, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 miles from Tel Aviv.

She left behind 10 children and "around 300 grandchildren," according to reports in the local media.

If the passport is correct she would have been the oldest human being to ever live. However, officials have struggled to verify the date of birth and when she was interviewed a few months before her death Mariam could not remember her early years.

The Guinness Book of World Records states the oldest official human being as Japanese man Jirouemon Kimure who is 115 years old.

M

Source: TheSun.co.uk

Craig. It's all in his honour and he would be so happy with what we are doing.

'It's been absolutely fantastic, just to see their faces when they walked in. We've bought everybody thermal gloves, thermal scarves, and thermal socks and have also made sandwiches for them to take away.'

The family gave tickets for the Christmas dinner to local charities who help the homeless, and their community donated money to fund the event.

Gracie was joined by her mother and three siblings Kirstie, 19, Thomas, 21, and James, 26 - to serve up turkey dinners for three hours between 11.30am and 2.30pm.

Gracie said: 'It's been the best Christmas ever. I was just at school feeling sad about my dad so decided I wanted to do something to make him proud and this felt like the perfect

thing. People have been coming in calling me "super Grace." I haven't asked my mum yet but I want to do this every year.'

Miss McNulty and her partner were together for 15 years before his death. They never married, but he changed his surname so that the family shared a name.

Miss McNulty, whose family have also raised ÂŁ1,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: 'Craig was the most generous, giving person you could ever meet.

'He was always doing something for somebody and worked for the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, helping troubled youngsters achieve a trade.

'He spent all his time making other people happy and hopefully we'll be able to carry that on.'

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Cafe: Grilled and Filtered in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire is run by Gracie's mother Sharon McNulty

'Oldest human being' dies at 124

Passport ... Mariam holds her passport showing birth date in 1888

Official ... the world's oldest living human being Jirouemon Kimure

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

PAGE 31

ANALYSIS

By Belen Fernandez

I

n a recent interview with Al Jazeera in which she expounds on the alleged threat France faces from radical Islam, Marine Le Pen - president of the far-right National Front party and member of the European Parliament - seeks international validation for her anti-immigrant views: No country in the world... would accept to go through the fast and sizeable immigration of people who, without a doubt, have a different religion and culture.

It would seem, of course, that many places in the world have already gone through this very process - including, for example, certain former French colonial possessions, which were also treated to military invasions, widespread killing, torture and expropriation of resources.

Now the tables have turned, however, prompting right-wing hallucinations of an Islamic empire under construction in Europe.

According to prominent neoconservative propaganda, the imperialist strategy rests on a number of subtle subversive manoeuvers such as "the demonisation of courageous opponents of Islamic imperialism".

Though Le Pen refrains from referencing the empire, she does hint in her interview at possible additional tactics such as the surreptitious force-feeding of halal meat to non-Muslims: [M]illions of French people eat halal food every day without realising it... [I]t's a problem because it breaks our law on secularism. This is because making people who are not religious consume halal food is contributing, due to this consumption which lacks transparency, to financing a cult... If in a Muslim country[,] Muslims were made to eat consecrated bread, they would scream.

That the majority of the French population has not been screaming about the threat of unwitting ingestion of halalmeat was suggested in a March 2012 article in the British Guardian, which reported "surveys showing that [French] voters were less concerned about halal meat than they were about the weather and football".

Undeterred, Le Pen reiterates France's unique torment: "[T]here is no reason to ask the French to accept things that no other people in the world would accept."

As if the halal plot weren't bad enough, Muslims have also engaged in more visible assertions of control over French territory, prompting Le Pen's December 2010 comparison of Muslim street prayers to the Nazi occupation of France.

In the event that we wanted to defend Le Pen's sensational analogy, we could always argue that she didn't mean it in an overly negative way; after all, her father Jean-Marie Le Pen, penultimate president of the National Front party, described

Marine Le Pen counters hate-related allegations with the claim: "I feel hatred towards nobody, but I have immense love for my people and for my country that I will defend in all circumstances"

France's Le Pen battles Islamonazi occupation said occupation as "not especially inhumane".

A more relevant Nazi analogy might however recall the handy practice of scapegoating certain religious and ethnic groups in times of national decline and economic hardship.

Le Pen lays the blame for France's retreat from its position as "one of the richest countries in the world" on contemporary administrations and "anarchical immigration in our country which creates the conditions for conflict, for the disintegration of society, which disturbs our indivisibility, our laws, including our law on secularism".

In Le Pen's ideal indivisible nation, "religious personnel can have religious clothing but all the others should not be able to distinguish themselves, as it were, by presenting their religion before presenting themselves as individuals". Following this logic, it would seem that her definition of France as a country where

"Christian civilisation" is decisive in "determin[ing] our whole way of life [and] our calendar" might also constitute an example of religious-over-individual presentation. In other words, calendars may need to be banned along with headscarves.

In the latest foretelling of impending Islamic hegemony in France, meanwhile, it was revealed earlier this month that French authorities had requested the lifting of Le Pen's parliamentary immunity in order to enable prosecution on a charge of incitement of racial hatred.

Le Pen has countered haterelated allegations with the claim: I feel hatred towards nobody, but I have immense love for my people and for my country that I will defend in all circumstances.

Without delving into the issue of the obvious right of noncitizen immigrants in France to live free of persecution, it is

“

worth noting that Le Pen's "immense love" facilitates persecution of Muslims who happen to be national citizens and who therefore ostensibly also qualify as "my people".

In the first round of France's presidential election this past April, the pro-love politician garnered 18 percent of the vote, a record for the National Front.

Impressive levels of fanatical attachment to one "people" have also been registered in other European locales such as the Netherlands, where politician Geert Wilders has warned of the "Islamisation of our societies", declared Islam "fascist" and compared the Quran to Mein Kampf.

Italy's recurring malady Silvio Berlusconi meanwhile rivals Le Pen for ignorance of historical realities such as the role imperialism can have in future migration patterns. In 2009, Corriere della Sera quoted the then-Prime Minister's latest

In response to Al Jazeera's question of whether radical Islam does indeed boast a substantial presence in French suburbs, Le Pen provides the following damning evidence:

philosophy [IT] on immigrants: It is unacceptable that sometimes in certain parts of Milan there is such a presence of non-Italians that instead of thinking you are in an Italian or European city you think you are in an African city. We do not accept this.

In typical incoherent fashion, Le Pen prefers to highlight other European trends such as "multiculturalism in Great Britain", which has resulted in "conflict" and "hate speech".

Decrees Le Pen: "I don't want that for France."

Apparently, then, divisive discourse will save France from divisiveness.

In response to Al Jazeera's question of whether radical Islam does indeed boast a substantial presence in French suburbs, Le Pen provides the following damning evidence: It's a good question. It's up to them to ask it. What's for certain is that attitudes are being radicalised, Madame. There you have it.

As for Len Pen's theory that the job of radical Islamic recruiters is facilitated by "social uneasiness" and a lack of immigrant assimilation, the National Front leader could perhaps sabotage recruitment efforts by abstaining from analogies between Muslims and Nazis.

Source: Al Jazeera

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Morsi signs constitution into law M Africa image harming aid effort, says charity Oxfam

ohamed Morsi, the Egyptian president, has signed into law a new Islamist-drafted constitution he said will help end political turmoil and allow him to focus on fixing the fragile economy even as opposition parties continued to protest.

The presidency said Morsi signed a decree enforcing the charter late

on Tuesday after the official announcement of the result of a referendum approving the basic law, Egypt's first constitution since toppling of former President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow.

Meanwhile, country's Shura Council, or upper house of parliament, is holding its first session since the country approved the new

constitution.

The text of the constitution has sharpened painful divisions in the Arab world's most populous nation and prompted often violent protests on the streets of Cairo.

Opposition groups condemn the new basic law as too Islamist and undemocratic, saying it could allow clerics to intervene in the lawmaking

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negative image of Africa in the UK is harming efforts to raise food aid in the continent, charity Oxfam has said.

It found that three out of four people had become desensitised to images showing hunger, drought and disease.

Three-quarters thought it was possible to end hunger in Africa, but just one in five believed they could play an active role in achieving it.

Of the more than 2,000 people surveyed, almost half suggested hunger as the biggest problem facing Africa.

Respondents to the survey said over-exposure to negative media and advertising portrayals of Africa and developing countries in other parts of the world was "depressing, manipulative and hopeless".

Oxfam chief executive Dame Barbara Stocking said: "Oxfam has led the way in drawing attention to the plight of Africa's most vulnerable people and we aren't trying to gloss over the problems that still beset so many of them, particularly levels of malnutrition that remain stubbornly high.

"But we've come a long way since the 1980s and Band Aid's Do They Know it's Christmas? We need to shrug off the old stereotypes and celebrate the continent's diversity and complexity, which is what we are attempting with this campaign.

"The relentless focus on ongoing problems at the expense of a more nuanced portrait of the continent, is obscuring the progress that is being made towards a more secure and prosperous future.

"If we want people to help fight hunger we have to give them grounds for hope by showing the potential of countries across Africa - it's a natural instinct to turn away from suffering when you feel you can do nothing to alleviate it."

And when speaking to the BBC, Dame Stocking said a negative image of Africa was "not the truth" about that continent.

Oxfam chief executive Dame Barbara

President Mohamed Morsi

process and leave minority groups without proper legal protection.

Results announced on Tuesday, which followed two rounds of votes, showed Egyptians had approved the text with an overwhelming 63.8 percent, paving the way for a parliamentary election in about two months.

The National Salvation Front (NSF), Egypt's main opposition coalition, has alleged that there had been incidents of fraud during the vote.

But Judge Samir Abou el-Maati, the head of the electoral commission, denied allegations that judicial supervision was lacking in the vote.

The win gives Islamists their third straight electoral victory since former President Hosni Mubarak was toppled in a 2011 revolution, after their earlier wins in parliamentary and presidential elections.

Muslim Brotherhood leader, Mohamed Badie, tweeted: "Congratulations to the Egyptian people on approving the constitution of revolutionary Egypt. Let's start building our country's rebirth... men and women, Muslims and Christians."

Morsi, who was catapulted into power by his Islamist allies, believes adopting the text is key to ending a protracted period of turmoil and uncertainty that has wrecked the economy.

CAR rebels seize central town, defying foreign troops

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ebels in Central African Republic seized the central town of Kaga Bandoro on Tuesday despite the presence of foreign troops meant to support the government, a government official said.

The fall of the town, 333 km (207 miles) north of the capital Bangui, came hours after the Seleka rebel alliance said they would suspend their push and means they now have a firm grip on the north and east of the fragile nation.

"They took the town after a

short battle despite the surprising lack of action from the Chadian (soldiers)," Rigobert Enza, who works in Kaga Bandoro's mayor's office, told Reuters after he fled to Sibut, the next town to the south.

Foreign soldiers in Kaga Bandoro include Chadians dispatched in the last few weeks to help Bangui tackle the latest rebellion as well as members of a regional stabilization force made up of soldiers from across Central Africa.

Neither rebel nor

government officials were available for comment. But the daughter of a second local government official in the town said she had received a call from her father confirming the town had been occupied by rebels.

CAR, a mineral-rich but land-locked former French colony, has been plagued by insecurity since independence in 1960.

President Francois Bozize came to power in 2003 after a brief war and has won two elections since then.

But facing several internal rebellions and t h e s p i l l - o v e r from conflicts in neighboring Chad and Sudan, he has struggled to stabilize the nation.

"The situation has become very serious," a senior official in the president's camp told Reuters, asking not to be named.

The rebels are made up of fighters from several previous rebel groups and complain that Bozize has failed to stick to the terms of a 2007 peace deal.

Al Qaeda blames France for Sahel hostage deadlock

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leader of al Qaeda's North African arm, AQIM, has accused France of failing to engage in negotiations to release French hostages the group is holding in the Sahel.

In a four-minute video message carried by regional news website Sahara Media, Abdel Hamid Abu Zeid said four hostages seized in Niger two years ago were alive and said Paris had not taken up AQIM's invitation to negotiate their release.

"About a year ago we alerted France to our willingness to negotiate and since then we have been waiting for a response," Abu Zeid said in a French transcript provided by Sahara Media, viewed as a reliable news portal with strong Islamist contacts.

The statement appeared to be in response to a December 8 message from the brother of one of the hostages who said he did

not understand why the situation appeared to be deadlocked.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has said that Paris is working "discreetly" to try to secure the hostages' release.

AQIM, which operates across the vast Sahara desert and with its Islamist allies controls the northern twothirds of Mali, is holding four Frenchmen seized in a Niger mining town in 2010 and two others kidnapped in northeast Mali in late 2011.

A seventh Frenchman was kidnapped by a separate Islamist rebel group, MUJWA, in southwest Mali in November.

AQIM threatened in September to start killing hostages if Paris mounted a military intervention in northern Mali.

Despite that risk, Paris has been a vocal supporter of plans for an international operation to

try to wrest back the territory from the Islamists' control.

Western leaders are concerned the area could become a platform for militant attacks.

The U.N. Security Council this month authorized a Frenchdrafted resolution for the deployment of an African-led

Abdel Hamid Abu Zeid

force to retrain Mali's defeated army and ultimately support such an operation.

The four AQIM hostages were working for French nuclear group Areva and Sogea-Satom, a subsidiary of construction group Vinci, in the uranium mining town of Arlit in Niger.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Asia and Middle East

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he commander of Syria's military police has defected from President Bashar-al Assad's government and reportedly fled to Turkey.

Lt Gen Abulaziz al-Shalal is one of the highest-ranking officials to join the uprising against the Syrian regime.

The army had failed to protect Syrians and turned into "gangs of

PAGE 33

Syria crisis: Military police chief al-Shalal defects murder", the general said in a video statement.

The announcement comes as rebels claim to have made further gains in parts of the country.

Meanwhile, the UN peace envoy for Syria has met opposition

figures in Damascus in a new bid to end the conflict.

After reportedly crossing the border into Turkey, the commander released a statement saying he had defected because the military had perpetrated

massacres in towns and villages instead of protecting Syrians.

"I declare my defection from the army because of its deviation from its fundamental mission to protect the nation and transformation into gangs of murder and

destruction," he said in a video message posted online.

Opposition sources said the commander had been secretly cooperating with the rebels from the outset, the BBC's Middle East correspondent Jim Muir reports.

Deadly blast targets US base in Afghanistan

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Lt Gen Abulaziz al-Shalal announced his defection in a video message.

t least four people have been killed and seven wounded after a car bomber attacked a US base in Khost city in eastern Afghanistan, officials say.

Sediq Sediqqi, the Afghan interior ministry spokesman, said on yesterday the attack was a suicide car bombing and happened near the entrance of Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost, a Taliban flashpoint that borders Pakistan.

Afghanistan's NATO-led force said the bomber did not get into the base nor breach its perimeter.

"Three Afghan nationals are killed and seven Afghan nationals are wounded. We have no report of coalition casualties right now," Major Martin O'Donnell, a spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), said.

The blast was so powerful that it rattled the windows of buildings in the city, some four kilometres away, an AFP journalist said.

The attack comes two days after an Afghan policewoman killed a US police adviser at the Kabul police headquarters.

The Taliban, who have waged a bloody guerilla war against foreign and Afghan government forces for the past 11 years since being ousted from power in an invasion led by the US, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Some of the dead nationals brought to the morgue.

ndia's government has ordered an investigation into the gang rape of a 23-year-old student while on a bus in the capital, Delhi, earlier this month.

A retired judge will "identify the lapses" on the part of authorities and "fix responsibility" a minister said.

The student's condition has "improved marginally", doctors say, although she remains on life support.

It sparked angry protests in India. Six people, including the bus driver, have been held in connection with the rape.

Violence in clashes between protesters and the police in Delhi left one policeman dead and injured more than 100 people.

India orders inquiry into Delhi gang rape

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Finance Minister P Chidambaram announced on Wednesday that retired judge Usha Mehra would head a commission of inquiry into the incident on 16 December.

The probe would "identify the lapses, if any, on the part of the police, or another authority or person that contributed to the occurrence, and fix responsibility for the lapses or negligence", Mr Chidambaram said.

Two policemen have already been been suspended.

Doctors at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital say the woman remains on life support and in a critical condition despite a "marginal improvement" in her vital signs.

Japan's Shinzo Abe unveils cabinet

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Police block major routes in the city.

apan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has unveiled his cabinet as he begins the task of economic revitalisation.

The cabinet was named shortly after parliament voted for Mr Abe as PM, following his party's emphatic poll victory earlier this month.

The Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner have a twothirds majority in the lower house.

Mr Abe, who was also PM in 2006-07, chose another former premier, Taro Aso, for the key role of finance minister.

Analysts say the cabinet includes a number of Mr Abe's close allies as he eyes the task of pulling Japan out of a prolonged economic slump.

The former Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari was named as minister for economic revival and veteran Toshimitsu Motegi was chosen for the post of trade minister.

Some reports say he will be tasked with energy policy in the aftermath of last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Mr Abe is seen as a hawkish, right-of-centre leader. His previous term in office ended ignominiously amid falling popularity and a resignation on grounds of ill health.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

PAGE 34

Europe and Americas Russia's upper house approves ban on US adoptions

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ussia's upper house of parliament has unanimously backed a bill banning Americans from adopting Russian children.

The bill also proposes to ban US-funded nongovernmental organisations that do any political work in Russia.

It will become law if President Vladimir Putin signs the bill. He has previously voiced support for it.

It is a response to the US Magnitsky Act, which blacklists Russian alleged human rights violators.

Sergei Magnitsky was an anti-corruption lawyer who died in a Russian jail in 2009.

Mr Putin has labelled that measure an "unfriendly act", saying Washington should instead address human rights violations in US prisons.

Under the act, the US will withhold visas and freeze financial assets of Russian officials thought to have been involved with human rights violations.

The Duma voted overwhelmingly in favour of the bill earlier this month.

All 143 senators present at the upper house on Wednesday voted in favour of it.

US state department spokesman Patrick Ventrell has previously said that Russian children would be harmed by the measure.

The rate of adoption in Russia is low. Some 3,400 Russian children were adopted by foreign families in 2011, nearly a third of them by Americans. The number of children adopted by Russian citizens was 7,416.

There have been high-profile reports in Russia about some adopted children who were mistreated by their new American parents.

A pro-adoption protester in Moscow.

Obama to cut holiday short over fiscal cliff U

S President Barack Obama is set to cut short his Christmas holiday in Hawaii in order to hold talks on the so-called fiscal cliff, a set of tax hikes and spending cuts set to take effect next year.

Obama is expected to arrive in the capital early on Thursday, according to authorities, raising the possibility of renewed negotiations on a budget deal that could avert austerity measures.

Congress was also expected to return to Washington on Thursday.

Despite weeks of negotiations, Obama's administration has been unable to strike a deal with congressional Republicans that would slash the budget deficit and prevent the fiscal cliff.

The fiscal cliff is the result of a poison pill agreement reached earlier this year that would require major spending reductions as tax cuts passed under former president George Bush expire at the end of the year - should Democrats and Republicans fail to reach a deal to cut the deficit.

The White House has offered a deal with $1.2 trillion in revenues by fulfilling an Obama campaign promise to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire for the wealthy -- and nearly $1t in spending cuts.

Republicans are opposed to raising taxes in principle and have questioned whether the spending cuts proposed by the White House are real.

They have instead offered a deal

Obama (left) with wife Michele(right) in Hawaii. that would raise $1t in tax revenue - mainly by closing loopholes and ending deductions - and another $1 trillion in spending cuts, including cuts to Medicare and other social programs.

Venting frustration with Republicans, Obama on Friday urged lawmakers to pass scaleddown legislation that would at least prevent taxes from going up on the vast majority of

Americans, those making $250,000 or less per year.

The move would satisfy Obama's demand to raise taxes on the richest US citizens, as all Bushera taxes will go up on January 1, and Obama only envisions extending the lower rates for middle class earners.

House Republicans led by Speaker John Boehner have meanwhile punted to the

Spanish police bust hashish-smuggling ring

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panish police have smashed a major drug-smuggling network, confiscating more than 11 tonnes of hashish and arresting 35 people.

Most of the hashish was stored in warehouses located in the central Spanish province of

Toledo.

The drugs came from Morocco and were destined for distribution throughout Europe, authorities said.

Officers also seized more than 100,000 euros (ÂŁ81,800) in cash, 14 cars and dozens of mobile

Police inspecting the seized drug.

phones.

"The dismantled organisation controlled the entire chain of trafficking, from production to packing, as well as transport to Spain, storage, and distribution throughout Europe, especially in France, Belgium and England.

Democratically-led Senate, asking Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to write up legislation that can pass both houses.

Obama's suggestion would extend tax breaks to 98 percent of Americans - those earning below $250,000 a year.

In talks on a larger compromise, the president had offered to raise that threshold to $400,000.

Ukraine helicopter crash in Kirovograd kills five

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Ukrainian helicopter belonging to the interior ministry has crashed in the centre of the country, killing all five people on board, officials say.

They say the Mi-8 helicopter hit the ground shortly after taking off from an airport in the city of Olexandriya in the Kirovograd region.

Three crew members and two engineers on board died.

Correspondents say that helicopter accidents are common in former Soviet countries.

They usually happen because of poor maintenance, costcutting and scant regard for safety regulations.

The interior ministry says the cause of the crash is being investigated.

Mi-8 helicopters are usually deployed by the ministry to transport internal troops, correspondents say.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

PAGE 35

Want a new road? Are you transgender?

The 7.5 mile stretch of the A537 linking Macclesfield and Buxton was identified as the most dangerous road of all

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ouncils consulting on the building of a relief road have asked residents whether their birth gender is different to their current gender in their latest bid to promote equality.

Taxpayers in Stockport, Cheshire East and Manchester City have been asked to fill in a "social inclusion" questionnaire detailing their gender, race, religion and sexual preferences.

One question asks: "Is your gender identity the same as the gender you were assigned with at birth?"

The survey, sent out as part of a consultation into the A6 to Manchester Airport relief road, is also understood to have been provided to people seeking blue badges for disabled parking.

Resident Richard Howarth, a 77-year-old retired

Belgian chocolatiers build vintage steam train made out of chocolate

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he 110-foot detailed sculpture of steampowered locomotive created by chocolatier Andrew Farrugia is made up of 2,755 pounds of chocolate and took 784 hours to complete.

The train, which is on show near the Eurostar train platform at Brussels' Gare du Midi, was created to promote the country's chocolate industry in the face of shrinking European market.

Belgium's three hundred chocolate companies produce some ÂŁ2 billion worth of chocolate every year.

Global trends suggest that demand for luxury chocolate is growing in emerging economies, but slowly

Chocolate train in test run.

shrinking in richer countries, with production slowly shifting to new markets where labour costs are low and the beans do not have to be shipped to Europe to be processed.

Since the recession, Belgian chocolatiers have been shielded from a dip in local demand by growing demand in eastern Europe and emerging markets Brazil, Russia, India and China.

The Belgian tourist minister Christos Doulkeridis said the industry was well able to withstand the growing international competition.

"We have the science and artisans to do it. We promote the chocolate of quality," he said.

international banker, said he was frustrated at his taxes being used to fund such initiatives.

"I can't quite see what difference being a sky-blue lesbian Hindu makes to where the bypass goes," he said.

"The questions came with this very fancy, glossy brochure about the proposed new road, asking me about my colour, my religion, my sex and

whether I was heterosexual, a gay man or a lesbian.

"When I asked the council about it, a typical officer told me Whitehall insisted on it."

Only three of the ten questions on the consultation paper relate to the road, asking for residents' "overall opinion", preferences on location and "other comments".

The other seven questions relate to personal details, including home postcodes, gender, age and disability.

One asks about "religion and beliefs", another requests a description of ethnicity and a final question details respondents' sexual orientation.

Mr Howarth added: "I sent it back with a message saying 'what a load of rubbish'."

Jim McMahon, project director for the road, said the Equality Act required local authorities to monitor the impact of policies on equality groups.

"The three Councils, Stockport, Cheshire East and Manchester City, involved with the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road, have a duty towards equalities and social inclusion," he said.

"Therefore the questions were agreed to allow future analysis of all responses and demonstrate that the consultation reaches all areas of the community.

"The wording of these questions reflect similar questions used in the Census and also from national equalities guidance.

"These questions are purely optional and do not have to be answered to register a comment, question or view on the scheme."

Earlier this month, communities secretary Eric Pickles called for councils to end the collection of "intrusive" questionnaires about sexuality and religion in a bid to save money.

In a booklet entitled 50 Ways to Save, officials advised councils to stop asking residents "about their sexuality, religion and other personal details".

These were described as "simply not necessary" while local authorities were also told they did not need to spend time and money on "equality impact assessments".

Last year, residents wanting to join libraries in Islington, north London, were asked whether they had a "hidden impairment", such as cancer, HIV, or diabetes.

Brent council asked new readers whether they had mental health conditions "such as depression or schizophrenia", while those in Leicestershire were asked for information about their sexuality, religion and race.

Traffic wardens given tape measures to fine motorists 19 inches from the kerb

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raffic wardens have been issued with tape measures to fine motorists who park more than 19 inches from the kerb.

Drivers face a ÂŁ70 fine if they breach the diktat - which is enforced on all roads even where no other parking restrictions apply.

Officials claim the new rule targets 'thoughtless and reckless' drivers.

But motorists reacted with fury, accusing Gwynedd Council in North Wales of introducing 'another tax on drivers'.

Officer manager Francis Kileen, 52, from Pwllheli, said: 'It's bad enough motorists getting booked for most trivial of reasons.

'But the thought of wardens now going round with tape measures and rulers kneeling down in the street and measuring how far drivers are parked from the kerb simply beggars belief.

'Why can't the authority fund betters ways of raising money without annoying the taxpayer?'

Sales representative Caroline Anderson, 48, from Porthmadog, said: 'The new rule is a disgrace.

'Motorists get a terrible time these days with rising petrol prices, insurance costs and upkeep and now they are being targeted again.

'All this means is we have to get our own tape measures and make sure we parked close enough to the kerb.

'It's all very time consuming and very petty.

'Why can't drivers be given a break for a change?'

The AA said that while parking too far from the kerb could in some cases be obstructive and dangerous, common sense must be applied when it came to issuing fines.

A spokesman said: 'This is one of those rules that can anger motorists but seem perfectly reasonable to local authorities.

'What people will be worried about is that it is just another tick box for traffic wardens to hand out tickets.'

The motoring group urged the council to initially issue drivers with a warning before 'slapping them with a ticket'. The council

said the fine would also be applied to those parking in front of 'dropped kerbs'.

Wardens will be able to issue on-the-spot fines to all offending drivers, including disabled motorists who hold blue badges.

Fines will be cut to ÂŁ35 if paid within 14 days.

A Gwynedd Council spokesman said the new rules were introduced after officials received complaints about people parking too far from the kerb. He added: 'Parking in this way can restrict visibility for pedestrians wanting to cross the road and so making our roads dangerous for those on foot.

Careful parking: Traffic wardens will target 'reckless' drivers measuring how far from the kerb they have parked their cars

PAGE 36

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sing Facebook makes you fat - but not for the reason you might think.

Researchers found those who socialised regularly with their friends on the networking website had higher levels of self-esteem but lower levels of self-control.

This meant they were more likely to snack on unhealthy food once they had logged off particularly if they had been chatting with close friends.

The team from Columbia University and the University of Pittsburgh suggested it was this factor that could be driving weight gain rather than by encouraging users to be sedentary.

Writing in the Journal of Consumer Research, they explained: ‘Using online social networks can have a positive effect on self-esteem and wellbeing. However, these increased

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

Using Facebook makes us more likely to eat unhealthy snacks feelings of self-worth can have a detrimental effect on behaviour.

‘Because consumers care about the image they present to close friends, social network use enhances self-esteem in users who are focused on close friends while browsing their social network. This momentary increase in self-esteem leads them to display less self-control after browsing a social network.’

The scientists used five experiments on the behaviour of Facebook users to see how it affected them when they were offline.

Most at risk: Teenagers and young adults are the heaviest users of social networks and have grown up using them.

The studies suggested there was a link between the use of the website and poor self-control over what they ate and how much money they spent.

They found people who used Facebook to contact their friends were more likely to binge eat and be overweight. They also had higher levels of credit card debt.

The same was not true of people who focused on ‘weak ties’ - people they were less familiar

with.

The findings have farreaching implications as Facebook now has over one billion active users, which is one in seven of the world’s population.

‘These results are concerning given the increased time people spend using social networks, as well as the worldwide proliferation of access to social networks anywhere anytime via smartphones and other gadgets,’

the authors said.

‘Given that self-control is important for maintaining social order and personal well-being, this subtle effect could have widespread impact.

‘This is particularly true for adolescents and young adults who are the heaviest users of social networks and have grown up using social networks as a normal part of their daily lives.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Contacting your friends on Facebook can cause a dip in self-control

Obesity could be caused by gut bacteria rather than over-eating

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besity may be caused by a certain kind of bacteria rather than eating too much or exercising too little, researchers claim.

The breakthrough study suggests diets that alter the presence of microbes in the stomach could combat the

condition.

Researchers in Shanghai studied mice who had been bred to be resistant to obesity. These mice remained slim despite being fed a rich diet and being kept from exercising. However, when some of these mice were injected with the human b a c t e r i u m enterobacter, they quickly became obese.

Enterobacter was first linked with obesity after being found in high quantities in the gut of a morbidly obese human volunteer, said the report from Shanghai’s Jiaotong University.

The mice were injected with the bacterium for up to 10 weeks as part of the experiment.

The experiments show that the bacterium ‘may c a u s a t i v e l y contribute to the development of obesity’ in humans, according to the paper published in the International Society Worried about your weight? Chinese for Microbial Ecology. researchers claim a diet that reduces The researchers enterobacter bacterium could help

added that a patient lost 4stone 7lbs in nine weeks after being placed on a diet of ‘whole grains, traditional Chinese medicinal foods and prebiotics’, and said this was because it had reduced the bacterium’s presence in the patient’s gut to ‘undetectable’ levels.

One of the report’s authors, Zhao Liping, lost 3 stone 1lb two years after adopting a diet of

fermented probiotic foods such as bitter melon to adjust the balance of bacteria in his gut, the American magazine Science reported earlier this year.

Zhao’s work on the role of bacteria in obesity is inspired by traditional Chinese beliefs that the gut is the ‘foundation for human health’, Science reported.

The scientists wrote in their latest paper that they ‘hope to

identify more such obesityinducing bacteria from various human populations’ in future research.

Obesity worldwide has more than doubled since 1980, according to the World Health Organisation, with more than 500 million adults worldwide suffering from the condition according to 2008 statistics.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

American researchers found people who reported feeling stressed were 27 per cent more likely to suffer a heart attack

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

PAGE 37

INEC has power to register or deregister political parties- Rep. INTERVIEW

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igerian parliament is seen by many Nigerians as weak, why is this so?

I think you are right to say the parliament is weak; but right now, it is waking up. It has been weak in the past, but it is now waking up to its responsibilities. I will take you back to the military era, you could draw the weakness of the parliament through the military era that we had. Whenever you have a coup, the first arm of government to go completely is the parliament and when the parliament goes, there is never any plan to bring it back within that period that the military rule was going to last. But then you will have the executive and the judiciary, the two arm of government always remains. The executive will always be there to implement laws by decrees and the judiciary will remain there to take some of the cases but the legislature will never be there. From there you could see that while we have juntas calling the shots in our nations, we find it difficult to get a place for our parliament and as such, the parliament became completely bastardized. You can as well say that our democracy in Nigeria is as good as being 12-13years old. These laws that are being made take a process to learn and we have been at it for 13years.

But would you say that the judiciary and executive as just 13years old? This is why we need to give more time to the parliament; but how long? I can't tell you, all I can say is that, I have seen things move more quickly than what we had in the 6th Assembly. In the 8th Assembly, I might not be there, but they could get better than the 7th Assembly and that is process.

Because of the military mentality of the executive, there is still a left over, even though we have civilians in the executive, there is this military mentality, I call it a transfer of militocracy to democracy even though they are civilians.

Why is the parliament afraid to use the enormous powers the constitution has vested on it on the executive?

Yes, the parliament has enormous powers, but it is to be used with caution. Sometimes you have the powers, but the way and manner you apply those is another issue. There are many ways that the parliament can weld its powers, but whom are we using these powers against? Does this person actually know that you have such powers and that is where the engagement comes in? We must not use the powers just because we have it. We must find a way to first put these

Hon Daniel Reyeneju, a member of Representatives, representing Warri north/warri south/warri west federal constituency of Delta state, is the chairman House committee on inter-parliamentary committee.

In this interview with Umar Muhammad Puma, the lawmaker submits that the INEC has the constitutional power to deresgister political parties in the country even as he attempts to explain the onshore/offshore dichotomy and the desirability of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). Excerpts: issue of discussion is the most important thing and this should be done by mere interaction. So, I do not know who should move to whom like it is being said in the Bible, the people should move to the mountains.

Hon Daniel Reyeneju issues on the table and it may take time for the executive to understand.

That is why I said we don't need cordiality; cordiality beyond the shoulder level is no longer cordiality in parliamentary/executive relationship. There has to be a clear line of demarcation. It is not an issue of outright confrontation or ways of wanting to do battle. It is a way of drawing the line that has been drawn by the constitution. It is still going to take some time for ordinary Nigerians to understand that we are using these powers.

What will it take to make the executive start respecting parliament in Nigeria?

Do we actually need respect? The law didn't say we should be respected, the law says respect the constitution, don't respect me. That is why we have issue of weaker institution and stronger personality. Look at Obama, when he was first sworn in, the first Africa country he visited was Ghana, and it shows that every country that wants respect must first develop its institutions over and above individuals. So it is not a question of getting stronger individuals, but respecting the laws of the land. I don't want to know who the minister of transport is, all I want to know is that the transport system

is working. I do not want to know the minister of agriculture, all I want to know is that there is abundant food for everybody. It is not about me, my being here is transient, I will leave here one day, but will Nigerians leave Nigerians?

Could this be the reason why the House backed down some time ago after they invited the President to come and explain some things?

Whether the word used is summon, invite, cajoling or whatever, the bottom line is parliament wants him to come and make some explanations. But I think that the important issues we should be looking at is what is affecting Nigerians as a people. Issues like Boko Haram that is becoming unbearable and it has come to the stage of ridiculous, we need to sit down and talk about. What is wrong in doing that? Is that why somebody should see it as insulting to the office of the President. We invited him for a national issue of importance to the country that he superintends over.

So if he cannot discuss it with parliament, who can he discuss it with? Does it matter where it is to be discussed? To me it is for the parliament to move to the Presidency, it doesn't matter, the

What impact do you think deregistration of some parties by INEC will have on Nigerian democracy?

Honestly, deregistration might not have any impact on parliament because none of those parties that were deregistered has any member in the parliament and I doubt if they even have a councilor. So it will not have any effect. But it is just a play out of our laws and what I will call political 'awareness' in Nigeria. The Act as amended in 2010 empowers INEC to do w hat it did. But if it goes in conflict with some aspect of the constitutions which gives power of association and things like this, that is a different issue entirely. Don't forget that INEC has the power to register and the same power to deregister parties. I want to believe that the INEC must have done the right thing. You will not understand what politicians go through during elections. Somebody that doesn't want to contest elections will just go and get a form in any party and when you invite them to come and get a form, bring their party logos to be included in the ballot paper, they never show up and when their logo is not included in the ballot paper after the elections, they go to court and the electoral act states that 'once a party is omitted, you the elected stands to lose'. There are a lot of gimmicks to it. INEC should build its capacity to cope with the lots of challenges and I think to deregister them, it is excising its powers.

Now that the Electoral Act do not allow for independent candidacy, what option is left for the parties?

They can join other parties.

What lessons should Nigerians learn from n Ghana general elections?

We learn some lessons from the last one and also more lessons from this one. The question is 'have we been able to put those lessons into practice.

There were good lessons we learned from their last elections and after then we conducted elections in this country, have we been able to put into use those lessons we lean in the past into the practice. So I think the

country has learned a lot of lessons, but the problem with this country is that, we lean and forget almost immediately. The question should be: how are we going to put those lessons leant from Ghana into proper use? Must we wait until 2015 to put this lesson into practice, some seats might be vacant before then; are we ready to implement this lesson now?

There have been renewed clamor for INEC to become completely autonomous, and that the leadership selection be done by other bodies apart from the executive, what is your take on this?

To some extent, they are autonomous; on the leadership issue, I totally agree, and that is why I talked about building institution that will be stronger than personality. We have to overcome this issue of going to see individuals above the institutions they head.

People who hold sway in most institution are always stronger than the institution. I completely do not see anything wrong in the president appointing INEC chairman. Yes he appointed Jega, but can we say that Jega is playing to the gallery? The president has said it severally that he doesn't interfere and he doesn't want to interfere.

Recently, PIB bill just passed second reading on the floor of the House, and the issue of host community getting a certain percentage has been raising lots of mixed reactions. What is your take on this?

Unfortunately I am from the south/south, but I am a Nigerian and a lawmaker who makes law for the entire country not just south/south. As a member of the committee, I wouldn't want to preempt what the outcome will be, but I will say that we should not look at the law on sectional basis but on national basis because the law will affect for the whole country.

We are a blessed country and solid mineral abounds everywhere.

Unfortunately they are not being tapped. There are some mineral here that could generate more money than oil; but nobody is talking about it. And then when people talk about resources control the other time, the issue of resources would have made it possible for Contd on Page 38

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

INEC may allow independent candidacy in 2015, says Rep A

By Lawrence Olaoye

member of the House of Representatives, Fort Ifeanyi Dike, has disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may allow for independent candidature in the 2015 general elections.

The lawmaker who is also the Chairman House committee on Inter and Intra party relationship said in spite of the challenges that may be associated with the proposal,

parties more often than not complicate matters for politicians by their unwillingness to adhere strictly to the principle of internal democracy in picking their candidates for elections.

He said "The major challenge we can point out is lack internal democracy in political parties; the constitution has shut the door on individual's ambition on the platform of independent candidate, so the political party remains the only gate way for any Nigerian to realize his or her

political ambition. There are problems associated with the independent candidates system too, because, you may have an unlimited number of candidates wanting to contest and you'll begin to manage them, but with the problem we now see in the operation of political parties against independent candidates in a country like Nigeria, it is not advisable not to give independent candidacy a chance," he said.

When asked if the Constitution and the Electoral

Act would be amended to accommodate independent candidacy, he said, "Now that we are identifying the problems, my committee has made recommendations trying to solve these problems, one of which is allowing independent candidate. Lack of internal democracy is serious, these parties in general elections, they expect INEC as the electoral body to be free and fair in election, when they don't practice same to their members, this is rather unfortunate."

Senate wants PDP to hasten reforms before 2015 elections

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he PDP needs to be repositioned for the party to retain its mass appeal in the 2015 general elections and beyond, the Senate leader, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, said on Monday.

He gave the suggestion while addressing the party's chieftains in Calabar.

According to him, keeping abreast with the times as well as identifying with the yearnings of the people will endear the party to the electorate. ``PDP must keep reinventing and reforming its structure and plan of action in line with the yearnings of the electorate. ``We must therefore get ourselves properly attuned to the times to remain constantly the preferred party in the country. ``If we do not reinvent ourselves in this country, other people are getting set and studying our possible shortcomings. ``We must guard against this as we strategise for 2015. We must be careful, too, so that we do not get fatigued. ``But I must advise that the days of 'carry go' and days of imposition of unpopular candidates are gone. We can only persuade the electorate," he added.

The senate leader also advised the party's executive to continue to work for unity and discipline among the party faithful. (NAN)

Ambassador Williams Yaji (middle), after receiving Award of Excellent from Arewa Journalist Forum, recently in Keffi , Nassarawa State. With him are, Ubandoma Godogodo/member of Arewa Journalist Forum, Chief Sani Ibrahim (left), and Ambassador's wife, Mrs. Franka Yaji (right). Photo: Mahmud Isa

Northern Govs Forum condemns Christmas day attack

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he Northern States Governors' Forum has condemned the spate of attacks rocking the nation just as it urged security agencies to restore normalcy in the region.

Gov. Babangida Aliyu, Chairman of the forum on Wednesday made the remark, while reacting to the latest attack on the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) in Piri, Potiskum Local

Government of Yobe on Christmas day. ``The forum is deeply pained by the fact that the perpetrators chose a holy day (Christmas) to carry out such a dastardly act which left scores of worshippers dead and many others injured," he said in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo.

He urged the security agencies not to be discouraged by the

activities of terrorists.

He said that the nation would forever remain grateful to the security agencies for the successes recorded so far in the war against terror.

Aliyu, who is Niger State Governor, reiterated the forum's commitment to continue to work closely with the Federal Government in finding a lasting solution to the security challenges confronting the nation. (NAN)

Boko Haram: Rep backs deployment of US troops

By Lawrence Olaoye

A

midst insecurity that pervades nooks and crannies of the nation, a member of House of Representatives has thrown his weight behind moves by federal government to receive assistance of the United States by bringing in her troops.

The lawmaker who lamented how his constituency has become one of the worst hit by terrorists in the recent times said the move is long overdue in view of the spate of bombings and other terror acts which have claimed several lives.

Hon Bitrus Kaze representing Jos South/ East federal constituency of Plateau State also allayed widespread fears that such an invitation of the American Soldiers may turn Nigeria into a battle ground of sort like Afghanistan if not well handled.

He also welcomed the initiative on the ground that experiences of US, UK and Isreal in combating terror in the homelands are worthy of being shared by all Nigerian security forces.

According to him "We may not like the US but we cannot march their experiences in combating terrorism" "While they have many scars of terrorism, at least they equally have tangible results to show for it" "I have always advocated that the Isreal, US and UK among others have experienced and tackled more terrorists attacks far much more than we have, surely they have an experience from which we can draw useful lessons. To me, it i s a welcomed

INEC has power to register or deregister political parties- Rep. Contd on Page 37 somebody in Benue to go into his cocoon to find out those things that they can generate funds for them.

The South/south doesn't grow crops; the fishes are no longer there anymore, but what about the yam, plantain, tomatoes, onions, fruits and others, where do they come from? It could be central because they have the food or some other parts that have gold.

These are all sellable items. So the law we try to make should be seen as a pro-Nigerian law; it is not a pro south law. It is a

law that is to better Nigerians.

In my constituency, I have northern, southerners living there. So one way or the other, they will benefit from the law.

Just recently oil was found in Anambra and Kogi boundary and right now, they are at war, who owns the oil and when the president visited, he made a declarative remark, Anambra is now an oil producing state and it benefits from the 13% derivation automatically irrespective of the disagreement between the two states. It could have been in

Sokoto, Niger or other states. So the bill tends to cover any community that has the resources. It is not just about the sSouth/south, it could also be the North/east or South/west. I grew up in the village and I know what I use to enjoy then, and this things are no longer there. That is barely 40years ago and then what is going to happen in the next 50years? Nobody knows; and I pray it does not degenerate further than this. I built a house which I roof not more than a year ago and today, the roof has become all black. The hydro carbon falls on us, the question should be: have we really

got the benefit of the resources? So, it has not dropped for one day and we have been selling progressively.

We have been having excess that is why we have the excess crude funds.

Would you support a revisit of the onshore/of shore dichotomy law as it is being agitated by northern leaders?

I want to believe that the north has a right to agitate for the laws to be revisited. Don't forget that the South/south also agitated for 50% derivation funds. But the point I will want to appeal to our leaders is

that, we should not take it to extreme where it generates into acrimony. Let's bring the argument into the table, we can discuss it and superior argument will carry the day. These are all that will form part of the PIB bill.

For example, I sit here and at my back is the balcony and you say that, I can't access the balcony and don't forget that you cannot access the balcony except through the house and who owns the house?

The issue should be: should we readjust our revenue formula? Let us forget the issue of onshore/of shore dichotomy.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

PAGE 39

PDP chieftain tasks aspirants on support to party From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

A

chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party in Bauchi State, Aliyu Shehu Tilde, has called on those aspiring to fly the flag of the PDP in 2015 elections, not to overheat the polity until they extend support to the ideals of genuine democracy and service delivery before they can in

turn be supported by the party to realize their individual ambitions.

Speaking to our correspondent in Bauchi, Tilde said, "Some of those aspiring to be governors on PDP platform are not even members of the party while some are part of the problem the party is trying to overcome before the next general elections.

PDP as the ruling party in the

state cannot boast of a single vehicle in its secretariat or even a motorcycle today and yet over ambitious and greedy politicians are beating the drums of support from a party they fail to support over the years. Some of the aspirants are mere jokers in need of recognition for other appointments with some trying to use the respect and influence of

governor Yuguda to realize their ambition against the interest of the majority", he said Tilde said in 2015, PDP shall hold a proper screening exercise of its aspirants before supporting their ambition because majority of them have never for once extended any support to the existence of the party but only after what the party can do for

them, "After elections, majority of those that scaled the hurdle disappear only to return to the scene for re-election and deceive people with peanuts while some of them believe that poverty alleviation is distribution of motorcycles, sewing and water pumping machines rather than creating job opportunities for the jobless youth".

CPC pledges support to Yero

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he Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Kaduna State, on Thursday pledged to support Gov. Mukhtar Yero in the restoration of peace and unity in the state.

A delegation of the party, comprising the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Sen. Sani Saleh, its state Chairman, Alhaji Ahmadu Yaro and other members gave the pledge while on condolence visit to the governor in Kaduna.

Saleh said the visit was to commiserate with the family and people in the state over the ``sudden and shocking'' demise of the late governor. ``As you assume office as the executive governor, we want to assure you that the CPC in Kaduna will give you the full cooperation to govern the state to the glory of God and benefit of the ordinary citizens in Kaduna.''

Saleh said the quest for peaceful coexistence was not just the responsibility of the government alone but that of every person in the state. ``We assure you that we will join you to work for peaceful coexistence in Kaduna, because it is the only way we can guarantee development and prosperity for the state and the people."

Responding, Yero welcomed the party's support, assuring that the government would continue to partner with all stakeholders to ensure development and unity among the people. " Very soon we will extend our hands to you and we hope that you will answer our call so that we can sit down to discuss areas where we can tap your experiences, ideas and fashion ways to move the state

forward.''

Meanwhile, the state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Sam Kujiyat has advised the governor to disregard criticisms intended to cause discord in the state.

"Disregard what ever is been said as some people would not want to see us live peacefully. We will shun the seed of discord any time we see one being planted."

Kujiyat, who paid a courtesy call on the governor, disclosed that the Catholic Bishop of Zaria, Bishop George Dodo would succeed him when his tenure ends.

On his part, Yero urged religious leaders to continue to pray for peace and unity in the state.

The governor assured CAN of the administration's readiness to work with it to foster unity among various groups in the state.

He pledged to be just, fair and equitable to all, adding that he would welcome constructive criticisms.

L-R: Niger state Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Imo state Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, Plateau state Governor, Mr Jonah David Jang, and Adamawa state Governor, Admiral Muritala Nyako, during the Nigeria Governors' Forum meeting, recently at Rivers Lodge, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Constitution: Mark insists on creation of new states

By Richard Ihediwa

S

enate President David Mark has vilified those campaigning against the creation of more states in the country saying their arguments does not hold water.

Mark who spoke yesterday when leaders from Ebonyi Central Senatorial District led by Senator Paulinus Igwe paid him a Christmas visit in Otukpo, Benue state reiterated his support for the creation of new states and dismissed arguments that new states should not

be created because existing ones are not viable.

According to him: "The argument of those oppose to state creation is based on whether existing states are viable or not. But they forget that a state might be unviable just because the administrator is ingenious with internal revenue generation or the people are not united and the administrator has to spend the available resources on achieving peace.

I am for the creation of Apa state and any other state that may fit the conditions.

"I have never shied from my agitation for creation of additional states just as I have always called for the creation of roles for traditional rulers in the constitution. The traditional rulers are the custodians of peaceful coexistence in our various local communities. We must therefore confer on them constitutional powers that would enable them to perform the roles of ensuring peace in the communities", Mark stated.

The Senate President called on the people of Ebonyi Central to use the occasion of the celebration of

Christmas to forgive one another and live in harmony according to the message inherent in the birth of Jesus Christ.

He lamented that the people of Ebonyi Central have not had the best of peace in recent time and urged them use the central message to genuinely forgive one another.

"In this new year, we must make a resolution for peace to reign in Ebonyi Central. I am willing to work to achieve this peace. If all leaders would make themselves available to work for peace in the little community, we will soon

Election nullification: Pwajok heads for Appeal Court

S

en. Gyang Pwajok (PDPPlateau North), has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, against the Dec. 20, nullification of his election by an Abuja Federal High Court.

The Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, while delivering judgment in a matter filed by the Congress for Progress Change (CPC) against INEC and PDP, had nullified the Oct. 6 by-elections and asked Pwajok to ``stop parading'' himself as senator.

The CPC had approached the court to determine whether the first respondent, INEC, had the power to reject the names of its candidate for the by-election.

The CPC further asked the court to determine whether INEC had the power, under section 87 of the Electoral Act, to refuse to include

the names of its candidates in the ballot papers of the elections.

Ademola in his judgment, said that only the court was constitutionally empowered to disqualify persons from contesting elective positions and therefore, annulled the election.

The court directed INEC to, within 90 days, resolve the problems and include the names of the CPC candidate before conducting a fresh by-election.

But Pwajok, in a notice of appeal filed by his counsel, Gabriel Odey, declared that the judge erred in law when he refused to consider some fundamental issues raised by INEC and the PDP in their preliminary objection to the matter.

The senator averred that after applying to be joined in the matter since he was directly affected by the issues, the court gave him the nod,

but judgment was delivered soon after, without allowing his counsel to present his case. ``While delivering the judgment, the learned trial judge did not consider all the issues therein before dismissing same. ``A court of law is bound to consider all issues validly raised in the appellants' notice of preliminary objection; any breach of that will deny fair hearing and miscarriage of justice,'' Pwajok stated.

Pwajok further declared that the judge erred in setting aside the by-election where he was returned as winner since the plaintiff, the CPC, had no valid proof of any valid primary election where it arrived at any candidate.

The senator also expressed surprise that the judge went ahead to nullify the election after

declaring that he had no power to do so and also admitting that only the elections tribunal had such powers. ``Having held that it had no power to nullify the said election, the learned trial judge could not have made the consequential orders asking Sen. Pwajok to `vacate office with immediate effect' and ordering INEC to conduct a fresh election within 90 days. ``It is settled that the court cannot hide under its inherent powers to make consequential orders which it ordinarily lacks jurisdiction to make. ``The power to nullify an election and order a fresh one resides solely in election tribunals by virtue of section 285 of the 1999 Constitution,'' Pwajok stated.

He accused the judge of being a ``Father Christmas'' in nullifying

the election since the CPC did not seek such relief.

The senator urged the court to set aside the judgment and also dismiss the plaintiff's original suit and all reliefs sought as they all lacked merit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no date has been fixed for the hearing of the appeal.

NAN recalls that the byelection into the vacant seat of the Plateau North Senatorial District followed the death on July 8, of the former occupant, Sen. Gyang Dantong.

Dantong died along with the Plateau State House of Assembly Majority Leader, Mr Gyang Fulani, in a stampede when gunmen attacked mourners at a burial in Maseh, in the Bachit District of Riyom Local Government Area in Plateau. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

PAGE 41

NFF inaugurates NPL management committee

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he President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Alhaji Aminu Maigari on yesterday in Abuja inaugurated the 2012/2013 nigeria Premier League (NPL) management committee.

He charging the committee to strive to quickly and conclusively resolve all lingering issues in the premier

league before the commencement of the 2012/ 2013 League season.

Maigari said: “For avoidance of doubt, this is a national assignment of no mean significance.

“The management of the top tier of the domestic league of any country has serious consequences for that nation’s football. None of

the National Teams can be said to have been composed without players from the domestic League, and even those who play overseas start from the home front,” commending the members for accepting to serve the nation.

“Certainly, each member of the 2012/2013 p r e m i e r

league management committee has been carefully chosen, based on quality of experience, broadmindedness, capacity, proven ability,

painstaking virtues, love of the game and diligence and dedication.

“Importantly, let me add that whatever issues have to sorted out must be done in line with rules and regulations, equity and good conscience. The nation is bigger than any single individual or corporate body, and it is the interest of the y Oke e nation that we aretalking about , r v age egati n here. a e n m th In his response, Chairman of e r s ’ e f e a r s aign in to g n p ue Ra id h m d the Committee, Hon. Nduka a c u e n u g r d i s a s side’s Leagu he Super Eagles lift the shores of the country Irabor said it was an honour to r i o s e h i n m o o m E yesterday for Faro, Portugal for the final phase of be called to serve the nation, and mpi Pre d act t imp an Cha d. i a chedule e preparations for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in r e pledged that the members would g c l i e i s b y r i N f a n s South Africa.

3 A ue del 0 1 3 bee no fea are do their utmost best to redress 1 s 0 a 2 ith ide The contingent lift the country through the Nnamdi leag 1 2 / 2 on h the e 2 0 L) seas nuary w l City s in the all issues hindering the Azikiwe International airport, Abuja by 5pm yesterday for h a n a T of development of the premier J NP ig Co ue ( ence in ile the campa eekend st league.

Accra, Ghana from where they would proceed to the Iberian g a e n w L wh heir agai the omm nation. Nine players from the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) to c in view start t gue on home cipe. n t o e and Fegor Ogude who plays for the Norwegian club Valeranga dat cted t ns Lea d 17 a e & Pri e m e n t THE o c e are the only footballers in the contingent that lift with the team. exp Champi , 16 an ao Tom m m e n s wards 5 o i S 1 d c f “We had our last training session yesterday morning before of d h ahea COMMITTEES Ca uary non ipe rive r s we leave for the airport. We ask Nigerians for their prayers,” Feb o Princ a i d t h e has dep matche Nduka Irabor s spokesman of the Super Eagles, Ben Alaiya said.

SC D o r d i s season quality . e ha r Chairman, t Sabo a m e d e E g of e gu The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) through executive ou vice e lea rtunity challen e leagu es for n g Babayaro h t f committee member, Chris Green also revealed that ”logistics have o po r i c a n f th gramm i s g i v i t Chairman, p Mallam o o y f c fe been put in place to ensure that all goes smoothly in Portugal. the eir A rtaint r pro n d i t Salisu Abubakar, Mrs e h ll af u of t he unc s fix o m e n t a r it wi aign.

“We have ensured that logistics have been put in place to ensure Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, u a T t p n e “ u d f g i m e p that all goes smoothly in Portugal. There will be no excuse not to give help t a l a s s rn. We ague ca e s t t o ’re Mr. Mike Enahoro, t o e n e n b e the boys the best of preparations. The first assignment upon arrival will .W ur onc sL tine c o n ts of c mpion r y i n g o enough e t i t i v e Mr. Kunle Elebute, be the friendly game against the Catalonia selected side and we will see o a p t t l Shehu h o us Caf C w e ’ r e it’s n om r e s s Mr. how that goes,” Green said. g c as d t r D i k k o , A mb. h n u i u g b y o r ou la erve Eagles open their 2013 AFCON account against Burkina Faso at the “ T h togethe b e p uty. f t h e Nwankwo Kanu, s d l o a o t Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, on January 21 against Burkina Faso. t to gs thin o s e d e e k l y ontinen t s t a g e i s t h e Barrister Ifeanyi p s w c e p s e Dike, Barriter e e h u g s s h u lo che toug llen or t e y i m a t arsal f e , t h e e c h a o s e , y o where S l s u rehe f c o u r L e a g e y o u r stage t o t h e Akinwunmi, “O i o n s w h e r e late Abubakar rop th mp y o d f Nuhu C h a i m i n a r unlike a n c e t Dan rs o e g l a an p r e pletely t h e c h . ogo coach Didier Six has country’s football association. ame Buran, Mr. m s e h com s t a n d on Cup ether t gs fromstart of Mike Idoko named 22 players to face Also excluded from the squad are Agassa in h ti u h a w o t r he nge y e g w Oman in a friendly on 29 Kossi and Lorient’s Jacques Romao Alaixys. fed ’t kno seein icken t challe e r M e m b e r s n o C rm re December without Emmanuel Notable inclusions are Dossevi Thomas, us qu on while Mr. “I d tball a as to o help t h e f o o Adebayor. who played against Morocco on November o t o d s f i r a r e e a T u n j i our p e c t i v n o r d l e , ” s Adebayor resigned from the 14, Serge Gakpé, Amewou Komlan, e Ye e’s Babalola t i h s i t r t e e f u d p national team last month after Segbafia Prince Nibombe Dare and others. i c a n id. serve as ch o leag is si the t h e A f r ach sa an Coa nt of h expressing concerns about the Togo have been handed a tough Group at a c o , Secretary. i r c s r o f u or a n f for er A ly ig organisation and the Nations Cup against Ivory Coast, Tunisia imb Eny e form mplete o r r y the Sao w f unprofessionalism of his and Algeria. h o o c t T u s abo ause he i e e r c ything said foes. h t hom o n n u r ssible o ACL hat’s a nows a de.

“T ody k ipe si v i n g i n ls as po e r e ob nc oa a m lie s a n e & Pri u s t b e many g i x t u r e f j s m The committee implored NPL To rse re a ’re “ W e h to sco h e r e v e club to register their players as well t t g . n stre o m a k e he said ormer Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, Christian as undergoes comprehensive pret ,” s a Chukwu has expressed deep shock at the sudden season medical assessment. ality m r o f death of former Green Eagles’ captain, Victor He also revealed that the committee will organize medical Oduah.

Oduah who was at one time captain of Insurance of seminar with the aim of educating medical personnel of various clubs Benin died on Tuesday evening in Benin City.

Chukwu said he never heard the late Oduah was sick not to talk of on basic sports medicine including being dead. managing football emergencies.

“It’s a terrible shock to me because I never knew he was at any The committee commended the medical crew for doing a time sick. I got the shocking news early this morning (yesterday) professional job with respect to from a colleague in Port Harcourt. I’m really short of words, its a big fitness assessment, injury blow to the football family,”said the former Eagle defence said.

Chukwu described the former Nigerian defender as a perfect prevention and management. gentleman off and on the pitch.

“I played with him briefly in 1973 at the point he was leaving the national team after the team won gold at that year’s All Africa Games in Lagos.

“He’s an evangelist, gentleman, peaceful, unassuming and an amiable captain. May his soul rest in peace,” he submitted.

Chukwu would want the nation to honour one of their best past hero. “Nigeria should and honour him, he captained and won laurel for the nation as well as Insurance of Benin.

“The federation should sit down and see how to honour their past Aminu Maigari hero,” he said.

Victor Oduah

s r a e f i d sh r a o l k Em bac Faro ready for Super Eagles ACL Stories by Albert Akota

Stephen Keshi

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E

Togo drops Adebayor for Oman friendly

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Emmanuel Adebayor

NFF medical committee advocates field assessment for national coaches

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he Chairman of the Medical Committee of the Nigetria Football Federation (NFF) Dr. Abdulkadir Muazu has adcvocated field physiological fitness assessment on national coaches.

The chairman made this subjestion yesterday in Abuja during reviewed of the committee by the NFF for the outgoing year and plan for the year 2013.

The committee however reviewed the medical preparation for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and the submission of the national team’s medical crew.

According to Muazu, the committee has resolved to strengthen the existing medical guidelines for the Nigeria Premier League (MPL) to ensure that players have access to comprehensive medical care including emergency medical care.

Chukwu, Nigeria mourn Oduah

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

Eko 2012 has boosted Judo awareness, says director

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he Technical Director of the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF), Olakintan DeSouza has said that the just concluded 18 th National Sports Festival has brought the sport to limelight.

He said in Lagos that spectators at the judo event of the festal were thrilled like never before by the quality of performance.

“We are only used to fighting with one style format, but the ``EKO 2012’’ sports fiesta saw the introduction of another format which kept the

No NFF plan to sanction Odemwingie

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he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has made it clear that there is no plan yet to sanction West Bromwich Albion forward, Peter Osaze Odemwingie.

Odemwingie, 31, this week attacked the Nigerian head coach, Stephen Keshi, the football federation, the Super Eagles’ captain and ex-internationals after he was left out of the Africa Cup of Nations provisional squad.

Reports this week in the local media revealed that the 31-year-old forward could be slammed with a life ban by the Nigerian FA for his rant on social media networking site, Twitter.

But an executive committee member of the football federation, Chris Green said yesterday that there are no such plans.

“Why would we ban a player in the twilight of his career? Yes he has insulted virtually everyone - the federation, the national team head coach and even exinternationals but we have no plans to ban or suspend just yet.

“Remember there are the Nations Cup and the World Cup to play for.

Also, like the popular parlance says ‘you don’t throw away the baby with the bath water,’ the federation will only look into the matter carefully before making any statement. Right now, the Nations Cup is uppermost in our agenda and we don’t want any distraction.

Peter Osaze Odemwingie “But I want to state it categorically that Nigeria is bigger than any player or anybody to hold to ransom. “ Osaze is not the only player dropped from the team. Obafemi Martins, Kalu Uche, Obinna Nsofor and other players were left out and they didn’t say anything untoward but accepted it. He is supposed to be a role model. Imagine if this man is part of the team’s camp he would have disrupted the peace there. Yet the same man wanted the captain’s armband when there’s already an existing captain and even a deputy,” said Green.

The NFF chief also made it clear that the Albion man still needs Nigeria.

“It was on the back of Nigeria that he rode to success and I will say it that he still needs Nigeria. But let’s allow him the benefit to continue with his rant for now,” he said.

spectators spellbound.

“We were amazed with the large turnout of spectators that came to the venue to watch judo; it only shows that judo is quite different from all other types of martial arts,’’ he said.

DeSouza said that the fighting format adopted would certainly increase the scope of the sport, adding, however, that the sport still needed to be improved upon.

“The sport still needs lots of improvement, and will most likely expand in the future.

“We had seen a lot of good performances before EKO 2012 and at the festival. I am happy that judo is developing rapidly into a spectators’ delight.

“I see a bright future for the sport, most especially the players who featured in the festival. I believe we can do more.

“The performances that were put up were not only

by Lagos state judokas, but by those from other states and this shows that the sport is gradually becoming popular,’’ he said.

Odemwingie slams Ikpeba W est Bromwich Albon striker, Peter Odemwingie has again taken to the social networking site, Twitter to vent his frustrations following his omission from Eagles provisional 32-man list for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Odemwingie launched an astonishing tirade on the networking site where he attacked head coach, Stephen Keshi, officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba amongst others.

Ikpeba subsequently stated on supersport shown that he would only reply Odemwingie’s tweets when the forward achieves what he (Ikpeba) has achieved in the game.

Odemwingie has replied Ikpeba via Twitter saying that.

“My reply to you (Victor) Ikpeba, Prince of Monaco? You’re not a prince, but rather a princess. You do not pull. So, let’s goodbye,” he tweeted.

Odemwingie also criticized Ikpeba for the part he allegedly played in Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

“Ok Victor e don reach ur turn - talking about professionalism huh - did u have any business in the dressing room during game against Guinee?

“You said I can talk face 2 face with u only when I achieve what you achieved? No be so senior. Treat ur little bros like family not oga.

“Your handshake could have been back luck to me cos you have prejudged opinion about me. Coach and his team only in dressing room please.

“If u had coaching talent u would at least be one by now.

That means you don’t know much about the game. Means don’t be a adviser to FF. “That he was playing for himself 2 much. Jay jay future only in the semi final of that nations cup.

Was Big Boss the coach? Which boss self.

“People read between the lines as well. U ll understand the big picture. Oliseh said Siasia was the one they send to rattle officials hahaa.

“I’ve gone of track.

Back to u bros. I wanted to play this cup for our fans and not you guys.

Cos u guys change like chameleons when suits you,” he tweeted.

Victor Ikpeba

Okorodudu wants early preparations for Rio 2016 Olympic Games

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he 1984 Los Angeles Games Olympian J e r e m i a h Okorodudu has urged the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) to begin early preparations for the forthcoming 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The former National Middleweight boxer said that early preparation for the quadrennial global sports fiesta would enhance the country’s profile in boxing.

He urged the NBF to expose boxers to the right kind of competitions to condition and broaden their scope in the pugilistic trade.

Okorodudu lamented the country’s dismal performance at the London

Games, and attributed it to poor preparation.

“How do you think a country that began preparations just six months to a major competition can compete favourably with countries that started preparing four years before the event?

“The only way Nigerian boxers can win laurels in the 2016 Olympics is to start preparations now in order to get exposed through quality competitions, “Okorodudu said.

He also called for regular refreshers courses for boxing coaches, adding that they needed to be abreast with the current trends in the sport.

The Olympian further

said that if his advice was heeded, the country could make a meaningful impact at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

“If our coaches are

updated regularly with the current rules of the sport, I think the boxers will help bring back the country’s lost glory in the sport,’’ Okorodudu said.

Bolaji Abdulahi

Handball referees urge NHF to look into tertiary institutions for talent

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Handball players in action

he President of the Handball Referees Association Moses Balogun, has urged the Nigeria Handball Federation (NHF) to beam its searchlight on the country’s tertiary institutions for budding talents.

Balogun said in Lagos that the country’s numerous institutions were full of sports talents that could be useful to handball.

He said the budding talents could be attracted to the game with goal-oriented programmes.

“In the current move by the federation to reposition the sport, I will like the Technical Committee to take a

look at talents that are hidden in our higher institutions.

“Many of our tertiary institutions have talents who are not in clubs, because of their academic programmes, but we can bring them out if we develop a programme for them in 2013,’’ Balogun said.

He urged the federation to come up with tailor-made programmes which the tertiary institutions could be attracted to.

“There is a preference for sports in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

So, particular programmes have to be structured for the authorities of each school.

“We can fix a programme for them, camp and train them towards the realisation of the federation’s desired transformation,’’ the referee’s president said.

He urged the NHF to embrace all the categories of the sport as part of its talenthunt programme in 2013.

“The federation should go back to the drawing board and re-introduce all categories of youth competitions.

“These are the under-12, under-15, under-18, under-21, the Division One and Division Two, as well as the Open Championships for all higher institutions,’’ Balogun said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

Australia v Sri Lanka: Clarke sets new Australia run record

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ustralia captain Michael Clarke became his country’s highest-ever run scorer in a calendar year after making 106 on day two of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Melbourne.

Clarke’s tally of 1,595 from 11 Tests beats Ricky Ponting’s 1,544 from 15 Tests in 2005.

Clarke, who had been a

Michael Clarke

doubt for the match with a hamstring problem, reached his batting milestone when he got to 56 shortly before lunch and he admitted he was honoured to beat his recently-retired compatriot’s mark.

The home side, who won the opening test earlier this month, survived a middle-order collapse to be 440-8 at close of play - a lead of 284 runs.

Johnson made 73 with six boundaries after Sri Lanka claimed three wickets for just four runs before tea.

Clarke and Watson shared a 194-run partnership until Clarke edged a Shaminda Eranga delivery with the new ball to Mahela Jayawardene at third slip.

Watson fell for 83 in the next over when he hooked a lofted shot off Dhammika Prasad to Thilan Samaraweera at deep square leg while Matthew Wade added just one run before becoming Prasad’s third victim.

Long wins King George VI Chase for second time

T

he 15-8 favourite Long Run claimed victory in a thrilling finish to the King George VI Chase at Kempton to win the race for a second time.

Amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen’s mount made a bad mistake five out and also struggled over the final fence under pressure from Captain Chris.

The 16-1 shot, who was third last year, had come out of the pack to challenge and jumped the last strongly.

Long Run, who had finished second to Kauto Star in last year’s race after winning in 2010, had battled hard in the testing heavy conditions and three fences from home looked the most

Long Run

likely winner before Captain Chris and Richard Johnson challenged with Grands Crus (7-1) finishing third.

The win saw Long Run become only the seventh horse after the likes of Kauto Star and Desert Orchid to reclaim the King George title.

The seven-year-old, who is owned by the jockey’s father Robert, will now be hoping to complete another King George/Gold Cup double in Cheltenham in March, but his stablemate Bobs Worth remains at the head of the betting market at around 4-1 with Long Run at around 7-1.

Long Run trainer Nicky Henderson was similarly thrilled to see his charge return to winning form.

Tsgabu set to win Tour de France for Africa

T

Tsgabu Grmay

sgabu Grmay dreams of becoming the first African winner of the Tour de France and the 21-year-old Ethiopian’s impressive showing at the African Cycling Championships suggests it is far from an impossible dream.

Grmay won gold in the under-23 individual time trial in Burkina Faso and also finished second overall in the senior standings.

He is a product of the World Cycling Centre, a body which receives the majority of its funding from the sport’s world governing body, the UCI, and the Olympic movement.

Cycling is all about

teamwork, and there is now an African team with enough financial backing and ambition to seriously mount a challenge for cycling’s biggest prize.

South Africa-based MTNQhubeka also has strong links with the World Cycling Centre, creating a route to success for a rider as promising as Grmay.

MTN is the commercial sponsor, while Qhubeka is a non-government organisation which provides bicycles for African children in rural communities.

African athletes, born and trained at altitude, have dominated middle and long distance running for

decades. But why have those conditions not already helped the continent produce cyclists capable of winning the Tour de France?

There were those at the African Championships, like UCI president Pat McQuaid, who made the point that Chris Froome, who came second in the 2012 Tour de France, is Kenyan-born and “very proud of his African heritage”.

Grmay’s potential has certainly been recognised.

Of 500 cyclists who have passed through the World Cycling Centre’s African satellite, nobody has impressed Van Zyl as much.

Consider Farah the greatest of all time, says Salazar

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o Farah should be regarded as the best 5,000m and 10,000m athlete of all time following his double gold medal-winning runs at the London 2012 Olympics, says his American coach Alberto Salazar.

Farah, 29, became the first British runner to do the Olympic distance double.

Farah beat his American training partner Galen Rupp to win the 10,000m Olympic gold on 4 August. Seven days later, he held off Ethiopia’s Dejen Gebremeskel and Kenya’s Thomas

Longosiwa to take the 5,000m Olympic title.

For the Londoner it was reward for the work he had put in with Cubaborn Salazar, who started working with the British athlete in February 2011.

Farah became the seventh man to win the 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the same Olympics, joining a list of distance greats that includes Emile Zatopek, Lasse Viren and Kenenisa Bekele.

Finnish runner Viren is the only man to have done it twice, achieving the feat at the 1972 Games in Munich, and then again four years later in Montreal.

As far as Salazar is concerned, Farah’s

Mo Farah achievement will encourage more British

youngsters to take up distance running.

Ospreys beats Scarlets 32-3 in local derby

O

spreys earned the west Wales bragging rights as they brushed aside Scarlets in their Boxing Day derby.

The power of the home scrum earned a penalty try, before lock James King popped up on the wing for a second try.

Kahn Fotuali’i also crossed to add five points to an earlier drop-goal, while Dan Biggar kicked 14 points.

Scarlets were limited to an Aled Thomas penalty, and had Rob McCusker and Gareth Owen sent off plus three other men sin-binned.

Ospreys took an early stranglehold on the game courtesy of their dominant scrum and some fiercely committed defence.

Biggar, with a penalty, and Fotuali’i, with a scruffy drop-goal, made sure that the home side’s efforts translated into some reward on the scoreboard.

The Scarlets line-out weathered that storm a handful of times until Ospreys lock King managed to climb high enough to disrupt a throw.

The resulting Scarlets knock-on handed Ospreys the chance to attack at the scrum from close to the line and a huge surge splintered the red-shirted eight.

Ospreys’ first-half dominance was underlined with two more Biggar penalties for a healthy 19-3 lead at the break.

The Scarlets bench was called on to shore up the

front row, with Emyr Phillips, Shaun Hopkins and Jacobie Adriaanse tasked with stopping the force of Bevington, Richard Hibbard and Adam Jones - making his first start in two months following a knee injury.

Kahn Fotuali

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

2013 Nations Cup finals

Angola, Zambia first teams to arrive

A

Reuben gears up for AFCON

S

uper Eagles’ midfielder, Gabriel Reuben has revealed that he is determined to make his way to the 2013 AFCON which is scheduled to kick off next year January 19 in South Africa.

Reuben is among the eight midfielders named by the Super Eagles’ gaffer, Stephen Keshi last Friday in the 32-man provisional list that traveled to Faro, Portugal yesterday.

The other midfielders called up are John Obi Mikel, Nosa Igiebor, Ogenyi Onazi, Raheem Lawal, Obiora Nwankwo, Fegor Ogude and Rabiu Ibrahim.

Reuben confirmed that he is ready to grab one of the 23 shirts available next year in Portugal where the Super Eagles will flag up their second and final phase of their AFCON preparations.

“My spirit is high now and I am ready to fight for the final list in Portugal. It would not be easy considering the number of players on ground, but I must make it to the Nations Cup,” Reuben said.

The Kano Pillars’ strongman also cleared the issue surrounding his future in the Nigeria’s apex league.

“I have never told any media about signing any deal in Europe, and I don’t know where they got the news from because my manager did not (tell anyone) also.

“I have not signed for any foreign club and I was sad when I read on newspapers that I would soon join a club in England. As far as I’m concerned, I remain a Kano Pillars’ player and I don’t want any distraction from any media about my future,” he explained.

The 22-year-old former Enyimba star has made seven appearances for the Super Eagles scoring once against Malawi.

Gabriel Reuben

ngola and the defending champions Zambia are the first of the African Nations Cup competitors to arrive in South Africa for the tournament, almost a full three weeks before the kick off of the tournament.

Both countries are based in Johannesburg and will remain there throughout the preparatory phase before the start of the event on January 19.

The bulk of the Zambia squad flew in from Ndola on Boxing Day while an initial party of 20 Angolan players plus support staff has moved into the Milpark

Holiday Inn to continue their preparations.

They are all players based in Angola’s GiraBola save for the Brazilian second division striker Geraldo.

They will be re-enforced over the next week by seven players from clubs in Europe. All will be in camp by January 5, the Angolan Football Federation said but a few might join earlier, including veteran Gilberto, who is in Luanda negotiating a contract at Petro Atletico after years of playing in Egypt, Belgium and Cyprus.

Angola’s home based players

have already had two weeks of training at Lubango and played three friendly matches against the Gambia, Rwanda and Cameroon’s under-23 team.

Angola’s football federation said three more friendlies were planned against Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia, likely all in the Johannesburg area, before the tournament kick off but none of the matches have yet been fixed.

It is expected Algeria and Morocco will be the next two sides to arrive in South Africa for the tournament, both scheduled to arrive in the country just days after New Year.

Christopher Katogo

Afonso surprise Angola inclusion

U Guilherme Afonso

ncapped striker Guilherme Afonso is a surprised for his inclusion in a 27-man preliminary 2013 AFCON squad named by Angola.

But the Angolan football federation will first have to seek FIFA clearance to play the 27year-old, who won two caps for Switzerland at under-21 level.

Angola had to chase against time before the last finals to get similar permission for winger Nando Rafael, a former German junior international, to compete.

He is a surprise omission from the squad, which is the first to arrive in South Africa for the tournament, which starts on Jan. 19.

A contingent of 20 players plus staff were due in Johannesburg

yesterday to begin preparations for group matches against the Cape Verde Islands, Morocco and hosts South Africa in Group A. They will join by seven European-based players on Jan. 3 before the squad is cut to 23 on Jan. 9. Angola has three friendly matches planned before their opening game of the tournament on Jan. 19.

Massive boost for Ghana squad as Boye, Mensah return

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hana hopes of winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations have been boosted by the swift injury recovery of two key defenders John Boye and Jonathan Mensah.

The France-based centre-backs were named by coach Kwesi Appiah in preliminary 26-man squad for next month’s tournament even though they were nursing injuries.

With ten days before the Black Stars start their training camping in the UAE for the competition in South Africa, the two players have made varied progress.

There were serious doubts over the fitness of the duo for Africa’s flagship tournament which looks to have been the reason for coach Appiah naming six central defenders in his provisional squad.

Austria-based Isaac Vorsah, Jerry Akaminko of Turkish club

Akpoborie wants solid Eagles defence

Eskisehirspor, Kotoko’s Rashid Sumaila and Awal Mohammed of Maritzburg United in South Africa were named for the position.

Mensah, who plays for Ligue 1 side Evian, has made a full recovery and he was on the bench for his club over the weekend in the league match.

Boye, who plays for Rennes, has also started training after making full progress from his thigh injury.

The impressive centre-back is confident he will make a full recovery before the training camp begins in Abu Dhabi on 5th January.

With this development, Ghana are likely to drop some of their central defenders for the Africa Cup of Nations as there will be too many players in that area of the squad.

F

ormer Super Eagles striker, Jonathan Akpoborie is hoping that Eagles’ defence will be ready before the 2013 AFCON kicks off on January 19.

Akpoborie expressed concern with the back line of the team as they continue to prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

The 44-year-old is also keen to see a balanced Super Eagles’ squad paraded during the Afcon.

“I know the manager (of the Super Eagles) will work on his defence. It has been one area where the team has shown frailty in recent games. If they want to make any headway at the Nations Cup then that should be sorted out quickly.

“But seriously the defence will not be the only part of the team that should be focused on. Right now the defence is the main concern. The coach also needs to balance the team ahead of the Nations Cup,” advised the former VfL Wolfsburg forward.

Akpoborie, however, said Keshi as the Chief Coach has picked his provisional squad that will fit into the plans.

“I’m not part of his coaching crew but I believe he has picked players that will suit into his plans,” said the ex-VfB Stuttgart man.

Jonathan Akpoborie

Niger captain keeps team waiting

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kipper Moussa Maazou is one of four overseas-based players yet to join Niger AFCON training camp in Niamey.

Officials they hope star striker Maazou, who plays for Etoile du Sahel in Tunisia, Gabon-based stars Alhassane Ismael and Idrissa Laouali as well as Alhassane Issoufou, who is based in Morocco, arrive in time to join the squad for a warm-up

against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa.

The Mena are scheduled to fly out to Ethiopia tonight for the game, which will be played tomorrow.

Niger, who is drawn in Group D along with Ghana, Mali and DR Congo in Port Elizabeth, will also host fellow Nations Cup finalists Togo in another preparatory game on January 5.

PAGE 45

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2012

P I C T O R I A L

1

5

2

3

4

1/ Armies of club writers deliver their mid-term reports and rate well in many cases, their teams have lived up to pre-season expectations.

2/ Brazilian outfit Corinthians are set to launch a bid for AC Milan forward Alexandre Pato in the first week of January, club president Duilio Monteiro Alves has confirmed.

3/ Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has claimed Gareth Bale is priceless, after the Welshman claimed his first Premier League hat-trick in the 4-0 thumping of Aston Villa on Boxing Day. 4/ Long Run digs deep on the run-in to beat Captain Chris and win a second King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.

5/ FIFA looks back on another massive year for the women's game as USA collected gold at London 2012, two youth world titles were successfully staged, while Lyon swept all before them at club level.

6/ Scarlets have two men sent off as Ospreys dominate a fiery Pro12 west Wales derby, winning 32-3 at the Liberty Stadium.

6

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

Manchester City rules out January sales

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Yaya Toure

oberto Mancini has ruled out selling any players in January, saying that he cannot allow his squad to become even smaller.

The Manchester City manager revealed that Micah Richards will be out for another two months with his knee injury; Jack Rodwell and Aleksandar Kolarov are also sidelined; while Kolo and Yaya Toure and Abdul Razak have been called up for Ivory Coast’s African Cup of Nations squad. Samir Nasri is also out as he serves a three-

match suspension after his sending-off at Norwich.

Joleon Lescott, who has lost his place in the City team this season, is believed to be keen to leave but with fellow centreback Kolo Toure unavailable for up to six weeks, Mancini will not let him go.

“We can’t sell players. We don’t have enough players to play if we sell players. We can have a problem because we lose three [Ivory Coast] players,” Mancini said. “I don’t think Micah will play until end of

Fergie lauds Manchester United freshness Manchester United begins the year 2013 at Wigan Athletic tomorrow with Alex Ferguson hoping they can muster enough freshness to keep Manchester City at arm’s length.

United overcame West Bromwich Albion 2-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday to take their tally of goals to 50 in 20 games and preserve the sevenpoint advantage they enjoy over second-place City at the top of the standings.

Ferguson’s men have galvanised their grip on first place during the Christmas period and are now overwhelming favourites to

secure a 20th English title.

However, although Christmas is now behind them, the fixtures continue to come thick and fast, and with an FA Cup game at West Ham United on Sunday, Ferguson will have to manage his resources carefully.

United face games against Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Fulham and Everton over the next six weeks, while Real Madrid looms on the horizon in the Champions League.

Wigan moved out of the relegation zone by beating Aston Villa 3-0 on Saturday and Ferguson is wary of returning to

the DW Stadium after seeing his side beaten there in April last season as United’s title push began to come apart.

Ferguson must also assess whether or not Captain Nemanja Vidic is capable of playing twice in four days, having only recently returned to action following knee surgery.

While United were strolling past West Brom, City were embroiled in a frantic game at Norwich City in which they eventually prevailed 4-3 despite the first-half dismissal of Samir Nasri for head-butting Sebastien Bassong.

Below the top two, the contest to secure Champions League qualification threatens to be keenly fought, with just five points separating third-place Chelsea and West Brom in seventh.

Fourth-place Tottenham welcome Reading to White Hart Lane on New Year’s Day, while Chelsea, who won 2-0 at Everton on Sunday, host rock bottom Queens Park Rangers who are eight points adrift of safety on Wednesday.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, will hope for a more straightforward game at Southampton after seeing his side blunder past Newcastle United 7-3 in a madcap match on Saturday.

TODAY MATCHES West Bromwich Albion v Fulham Tottenham Hotspur v Reading Manchester City v Stoke City Swansea City v Aston Villa West Ham United v Norwich City Wigan Athletic v Manchester United Southampton v Arsenal Tomorrow Liverpool v Sunderland Chelsea v Queens Park Rangers Newcastle United v Everton.

Robin Van Persie

February. We don’t know when Jack can play. Maybe we can recover Kolarov in two weeks.

Right-back Richards missed the start of the season and has been out of action since he was stretchered off in October’s 1-0 win over Swansea. He has been limited to four appearances this season and City are without three injuries with Kolarov and Maicon also unavailable for their New Year’s Day clash with Stoke,”Mancini revealed.

Mario Balotelli, who has not played since the Manchester

Seamus Coleman

Coleman signs new Everton deal

E

verton defender Seamus Coleman has signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League club.

It means the Republic of Ireland international has extended his stay at Goodison Park until the summer of 2018.

“I’m glad to get it all done and to sign for so long at a club like Everton is a great achievement” Coleman, 24, joined the club from Sligo Rovers in 2009 and has gone on to make 85 appearances.

A

Reports in Italy claimed Milan Vice-president Adriano Galliani had been in Brazil over the Christmas period in order to finalise a deal, and Pato’s agent Gilmar Veloz believes an agreement has now been reached.

“I understood Pato needed to leave to experience another club and he chose Corinthians. And Galliani understood his reasons.

“Corinthian has welcomed him well, and they are doing everything possible to help (Pato) settle in.

“There are still some details to be resolved between the two clubs. But it is not for me to speak what exactly they are.”

The reported deal would see Pato complete his transfer to Corinthians in January.

“Signing a contract here is fantastic and I’m really looking forward to the next couple of years,” Coleman said.

“I’m glad to get it all done and to sign for so long at a club like Everton is a great achievement - I want to be here for as long as possible.

“I’m going to keep working as hard as I have done since day one and keep improving every day in training to impress the manager.

“I’m really happy to have signed for the length of time that I have.

Newcastle rejects Chelsea’s Demba talk

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ewcastle manager Alan Pardew has rejected Chelsea rumour offer by saying he is still hopeful striker Demba Ba will remain at the club after January.

The Senegal striker’s representatives held talks with Chelsea on Sunday, later described as unproductive.

Ba, 27, has a £7m-release clause in his Magpies contract which is due to become active again on 1 January. .

Newcastle has spent recent months attempting to

Pato agrees deal with Corinthians C Milan and Brazil forward Alexandre Pato has agreed to join Campeonato outfit Corinthians, according to the player’s agent.

Pato has been linked with a return to his homeland over the past week, as he attempts to work his way back to full fitness following a horror run with injuries over the past 12 months.

derby defeat on December 9, is recovering from a virus and may make his comeback in Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie with Watford.

“Mario is getting better,” Mancini added. “He trained yesterday. He could be ready for Watford.”

The Italian boss is also debating whether to appeal against Nasri’s sending-off for an attempted headbutt on Norwich defender Sebastien Bassong and believes his resources could be stretched if the Frenchman is banned.

Demba Ba

negotiate a new contract with Ba which would remove the clause, and that deal remains on the table.

Pardew has also hit out at the network of people representing Ba who has 13 goals in 21 appearances this season.

“In some respects I feel a little bit sorry for Demba,” added Pardew.

“There are people out there fuelling this who are not actually involved or want to be involved and that’s the sort of world that we are in.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

PAGE 43

Bangladesh cancel tour of Pakistan over safety

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angladesh has cancelled their tour of Pakistan in January because of security concerns.

The Tigers were set to be the first international side

to tour Pakistan since armed militants attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf said on 21 December the Tigers

had confirmed a visit in January 2013.

Eight Pakistanis were killed and six Sri Lanka players were wounded when gunmen fired on their coach as they were being driven to

M

Adrian Peterson

However, the Dhaka High Court issued a restraining order stopping Bangladesh from playing in Pakistan due to security concerns.

The BCB president added

that the team were ready to face possible repercussions from Pakistan, who are determined to bring international cricket back to the country.

Jimenez breaks leg in skiing accident

Peterson misses NFL record innesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson missed out on breaking one of the NFL’s most durable records but helped his side into the play offs.

Peterson, 27, fell eight short of Eric Dickerson’s NFL record for most rushing yards in a season (2,105 for the then Los Angeles Rams in 1984).

Peterson suffered a potentially career-ending knee injury a year ago but has returned to the type of form that led to him being voted to the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons.

Peterson became only the seventh player in league history to surpass the 2,000-yard mark in a season.

His final contribution on Sunday was a 26-yard burst to the Green Bay 11yard line with three seconds remaining.

From there, Blair Walsh kicked a 29-yard field goal to break a 34-34 tie and seal the victory over the Packers.

The Vikings claimed the sixth play-off seed in the National Football Conference (NFC) and they will meet the Packers again next week in Green Bay in the first round.

a stadium in Lahore.

Bangladesh had also agreed to send a team to Pakistan in April 2012 to play a Twenty20 match and one-day international in Lahore.

M Miguel Angel Jimenez

iguel Angel Jimenez faces up to five months out of action after breaking his leg skiing in Andalucia, Spain.

The 48-year-old Spaniard underwent surgery after falling on Saturday and could miss the Masters in April.

Jimenez has 19 European Tour wins.

There are only 10 players who have ever won more on the circuit than the former caddie, who turned professional in 1982 and had to wait a decade for his first success Jimenez became the oldest victor in European

Tour history when he won the Hong Kong Open in November.

The Spaniard, who was one of Jose Maria Olazabal’s vice-captains at the 2012 Ryder Cup for Europe in Medinah,was skiing in the Sierra Nevada when the incident occurred on Saturday.

Slam of the season after last year’s beaten finalist Rafael Nadal announced he would not be taking part A fatigued Djokovic got off to a perfect start in his singles match at the international mixed teams competition, breaking to lead 2-0 in the first set. But he had to defend four break points at 4-3 in the second to complete his win.

Seppi and 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, who had

earlier been beaten by Ivanovic 6-0 6-4, bounced back to win the dead rubber mixed doubles match 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.

Serbia is one of eight countries competing in the round-robin tournament which concludes on 5 January.

Djokovic involved in crowd incident at Hopman Cup N

ovak Djokovic suffered an injury scare ahead of his Australian Open defence when a railing fell on his leg while signing autographs for supporters.

Djokovic, 25, limped away from court after his 6-3 6-4 Hopman Cup singles victory for Serbia over Italy’s representative Andreas Seppi.

He recovered to partner Ana Ivanovic in a doubles win that saw his nation

triumph 2-1 in the warmup event.

The incident, in which a crowd barrier collapsed on to the world number one and knocked over a number of fans,capped a hectic few days in which he arrived in Perth less than 24 hours before he stepped on to court against Seppi.

Djokovic said he had suffered no damage as a result of the incident which would have heartened organisers of the upcoming first Grand

McGrath set for Cricket Hall of Fame

R

ecord breaking former Australia paceman Glenn McGrath is to be inducted into the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame.

The 42-year-old took Test high 563 wickets for a fast bowler in a landmark career before retiring in 2007.

His efforts with the ball will be recognised during the opening day of Australia’s third Test with Sri Lanka at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The giant right-arm bowler was a key member of the Australia side that dominated world cricket in the 1990s and 2000s.

He appeared in 124 Tests and 250 ODIs for his country at a combined total of 944 wickets in 14 years before quitting the international.

Novak Djokovic

Keothavong knocked-out of Shenzhen Open by Shuai

B

Glenn McGrath

ritish number three Anne Keothavong was knocked out of the Shenzhen Open by China’s Peng Shuai on Monday.

The 29-year-old Londoner, who won over the weekend to qualify for the main draw, was beaten 6-4 6-0 by the sixth seed in the first round.

On Sunday Laura Robson, the British number two, moved into the second round in Shenzhen with a 6-2 61 triumph over Romania’s Edina Gallovits-Hall.

Meanwhile, second-seeded Marion Bartoli of France sailed into the second round with an easy 6-1 6-0 win over Hong Kong’s Chan Wing-yau.

Bartoli will next play Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele , who defeated Timea Babos of Hungary 6-4 7-5.

Julia Cohen of United States also advanced, recovering to beat 80th-ranked Nina Bratchikova of Russia 0-6 7-6 (9-7) 7-5.

In other first-round matches, fifth-seeded Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic defeated her countrywoman Andrea Hlavackova 6-1 6-1 while number six Peng Shuai of China beat Anne Keothavong of Britain 6-4 6-0.

Eighth-seeded Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia also booked a second-round berth with a 6-3 6-1 wins over Alexandra Cadantu of Romania.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

PAGE 45

PICTORIAL 1. Novak Djokovic is involved in an incident with fans while representing Serbia at the Hopman Cup in Perth.

2. AC Milan and Brazil forward Alexandre Pato has agreed to join Campeonato outfit Corinthians, according to the player's agent.

3

3. Chelsea has suffered a blow in their hopes of signing Newcastle's Demba Ba in January after holding unproductive discussions.

4. Spanish golfer Miguel Angel Jimenez faces up to five months out of action after breaking his leg skiing in Spain.

5. Chelsea's Frank Lampard says there is no sign of a contract extension at Stamford Bridge despite his good form.

6. Saracens boss Mark McCall promises Owen Farrell time at fly-half ahead of England's Six Nations campaign.

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5

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

There’s no magic bullet that can stop Barcelona from progressing – Rijkaard Despite his considerable achievements as player and coach, Frank Rijkaard is far from complacent about the challenge he faces in the Saudi Arabia hot-seat With Barcelona’s iconic cantera as his model, the Dutchman is aiming to lay the foundations of future success by focusing on the Gulf Kingdom’s finest young talent.

As 2012 draws to a close, FIFA.com met with the former Netherlands and Barça boss to discuss his plans for the Saudis, his memories of Catalonia and who he thinks will win this year’s FIFA Ballon d’Or.

F

rank, it’s been almost a year since you took over as Saudi Arabia coach.

How has it been so far?

It hasn’t been easy, but we knew that from the outset. I think that our last two matches have seen us break free of a vicious circle of bad results, with a late win over Congo and a great performance in holding Argentina to a draw.

This means we can start looking forward.

In a previous interview with FIFA.com you said there was plan in place for the future of Saudi football, and that it was based on youth. How is it working out?

Lots of people are putting in a lot of hard work. We’ve got Spanish coaches who are working on a daily basis and a lot of great stuff is being done with younger players, starting at around age 12.

It’s all excellent, but of course one shouldn’t expect to see the benefits tomorrow.

These players are only ten or 12 years old and it will be another decade before the results come through.

That said, this has to be done. Look at Japan for instance. Ten years ago they started working on a similar plan and now they are enjoying success from that.

Success is built on organisation, determination and experience, not to mention following the regulations, so of course it’s no easy matter.

Saudi Arabia exited in the third round of Asian Zone qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. Has the squad’s disappointment at missing out on a second successive edition of the tournament subsided at all?

To be perfectly honest, I’ve no idea. We’ve recently started placing more and more responsibility on the shoulders of younger and less experienced players, like the team that faced Australia in the last match of our qualifying campaign.

We are trying to create a blend of youth and experience, as I said before, and given the recent results against Congo and Argentina (3-2 and 0-0 respectively) it looks like we can create something new here.

Messi is not simply a uniquely talented footballer. He’s also strong mentally, very bright and exceptionally dedicated to his job. Quite simply, he’s the best.

Let’s talk about UEFA EURO 2012. Did the Netherland’s early exit surprise you and what is your take on their lack of form?

No-one expected it before the tournament, but during the competition it became clear that all was not well with Dutch team.

This is football, and if you’re not in the right place at the right time and you don’t perform well then things like this are going to happen.

That’s the beauty of the game. Unfortunately it happened to the Netherlands this time, but it can happen to anyone.

You spent five years as coach of Barcelona. What are you memories of your time at the club?

Of course, five years is a long time. We went through some tough times and some excellent ones, and it’s only natural to dwell on the positives.

I’m happy because I had the chance to work with a major club like Barcelona with so many star players, so I have wonderful memories of the place.

You managed to end a lengthy trophy drought at Barça, with your tenure featuring victories in the UEFA Champions League, La Liga (twice) and two Spanish Super Cups. Would you say you laid the foundations for Barcelona’s recent domination?

Definitely not, I was just passing through, I had a lot of success, of course, but whatever was achieved was due to a group effort on the part of all the players. That said.

I must have had a good relationship with the players because otherwise I wouldn’t have won two league titles and the Champions League.

Basically, I think it comes down to the fact that Barcelona has for many years immersed its younger players coming through the cantera in the club’s footballing philosophy, helping them create their own football culture.

The coach’s role is to acclimatise to this way of playing. It was easy for me because I’m Dutch and I played atAjax, so once I felt comfortable at the club I had a wonderful time.

It’s my belief that Barcelona are successful because they have a number of youth teams alongside the first team. They are where it begins.

This is what should happen in Saudi Arabia for example, in terms of creating their own style of football and philosophy. This needs to start in the youth ranks and then we might expect some success in the future.

Barcelona didn’t start getting results after just one year. When I arrived there they hadn’t won anything for five years. One needs patience and self-belief.

Barcelona are famous for their eye-catching style of play. If you were coaching a side against them, what tactics would you use?

There’s no magic bullet, but you have to adapt to their style. Most of the clubs who have had success againstBarcelona have relied on a highly organised and disciplined defence.

Inter Milan and Chelsea have both sent Barcelona out of the Champions League and then you have Real Madrid (who won La Liga in 2011/12).

You could call it the ‘Jose Mourinho recipe for successes, which he began while he was at Chelsea. If you playBarcelona that way ten times, you might beat them once, but it certainly doesn’t guarantee success.

After Barcelona you went on to coach Galatasaray in Turkey. What do think of their UEFA Champions League achievements this year?

I’m delighted for them, they’re a huge club with superb fans. When I was there things were different, unfortunately.

I couldn’t really achieve anything and I wasn’t able to sign major players, even though we were in dire need of a better side.

We started out well enough but fell off by the end because we did not have a strong enough squad. NowGalatasaray have an excellent and united management set-up and have been able to build a strong side, I’m happy for them. It’s really great for them.

You are one of a number of big names tasting coaching in Asia, with Marcello Lippi in China PR and Diego Maradona’s time in UAE, which ended in July 2012, two such examples. Are these personalities helping Asia close the talent gap on the rest of the world?

They are not really helping because these are such short-term projects. You have coaches from major footballing nations who come to work for a year for massive wages, and then they turn it all over to new coaches who have to start from scratch.

This doesn’t help football on the continent. What’s needed is a new philosophy, working with the younger age groups to lay the foundations for producing top-quality professional players.

Local coaches must receive education and training and qualified people from South America and Europe be brought in who know how to do this. Short-termism is no good: plans must be carried through to the end.

Next Monday the winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or will be announced. Who do you think will take it?

I’m going for Lionel Messi, because I think he’s the best player on the three-man final shortlist and he’s performed brilliantly this year.

Frank Rijkaard

You have worked alongside Messi. What do you think of him as a man both on and off the pitch?

He’s an incredible person. Messi is not simply a uniquely talented footballer. He’s also strong mentally, very bright and exceptionally dedicated to his job.

Personally speaking I enjoy watching him play and I’m deeply proud of him and what he has achieved. Quite simply, he’s the best.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

PAGE 47

Quick CrossWord (101)

Say what?

ACROSS 1 __ Nelson, famous admiral (4) 3 Convenient for carrying (8) 9 Shimmied, shook (7) 10 Dogs, especially mongrels (5) 11 Inched forward (5) 12 Ocean west of Malaysia (6) 14 School holidays month (6) 15 Mendicant monks (6) 18 Famous works by Vivaldi (6) 20 Injuries grievously (5) 22 Smells (5) 23 Inters (7) 25 Settling a debt (6,2) 26 Dr Jekyll’s alter ego (4)

SUDOKU Getting Started Each sudoku puzzle is a 9 by 9 grid of horizontal and vertical rows, evenly separated into 9 squares with 9 spaces each.

Instead of word clues, each puzzle’s solution is determined by the pattern of the numbers already filled in you. You solve the puzzle by filling in the missing digits so that, when completed, each row and each square will have all the number from 1 to 9; each number will appear in exactly nine spaces within each puzzle.

DOWN 1 One way to be out at cricket (inits) (3) 2 Set of mugshots (6,7) 4 Enrol as a minister (6) 5 Domesticated, made gentle (5) 6 Even so (2,4,2,2,3) 7 __ of Eden, James Dean film (4) 8 Slow-moving tree-dwelling tropical mammals (6) 11 Combustible black rock (4) 13 Questions (4) 16 Mails (6) 17 Rich cream cake (6) 19 (Had) ascended (5) 21 Short haircut (4) 24 Visualise (3)

Yesterday’s answer

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Yesterday’s solution

Little Rio Woolf takes the first steps towards his Paralympic dream as he tries out his new prosthetic blade.

Source: The Sun.co.uk

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

. . . putting the people first

TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

Manchester City will not appeal Nasri red

M

anchester City has decided they will not contest Samir Nasri's dismissal in Saturday's 4-3 win at Norwich City and he will now serve a three-match ban.

Nasri picked up the first red card of his time in England after he went head-to-head with Sebastien Bassong.

Referee Mike Jones, following consultation with his linesman, sent off Nasri for violent conduct after the midfielder aimed a feigned head-butt at the Norwich defender.

Manager Roberto Mancini was incensed by the decision after the game but there was little chance any appeal would have been successful.

Nasri will miss Tuesday's game at home to Stoke City as well as the FA Cup game against Watford and the trip to his old club Arsenal on January 13.

Gibson faces four weeks lay-off

E

verton midfielder Darron Gibson is likely to be out for a month because of a thigh strain.

The Republic of Ireland international missed Sunday's 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea because of the problem.

Everton manager David Moyes said: "I think he's going to be out for about four weeks."

The 25-year-old spent more than two months on the sidelines earlier in the season, missing 10 league matches, because of a similar problem.

Moyes is already without Kevin Mirallas (hamstring), Tony Hibbert (calf) and Seamus Coleman (unspecified problem), while Phil Neville (knee) was rested against Chelsea after playing two matches in five days following surgery.

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QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE Nigerians need to know when the nation shall be extricated from the trap of foreign debts; they need to know when the massive stealing from the common purse shall stop; they want to know when exactly jobs shall be created.

— ANPP to President Jonathan

Blame Buhari’s boys T

he swamps of Okolobia point accusing fingers at General Muhammadu Buhari, everybody's whipping boy. So did the flatlands of Dausayi. For seeking to impose frugality and good governance and lately to wrestle our society from decay; for being a northern Muslim and living in Kaduna, blame Buhari.

The Muslim-Christian and north-south dichotomies have been with us before the sharia riots in Kaduna, but blame Buhari. On this occasion of the General's birthday; and though he is still mourning the death of his daughter, and now that of his governor, help me blame Buhari.

When it comes to value for human life; European and American dogs and cats have greater value than the ordinary Naija. You can go to jail for up to 14 years for cruelty to animals in those places. In Naija, even in death there is a distinction between men and women of caterpillar and juggernaut and the rest of us who have to wear the disposable adjective 'ordinary'. How many people died in the Okolobia crash, Governor Yakowa, former NSA Patrick Azazi and four 'others'? Pause!

Did anyone see Barak Obama on his feet the moment the Newtown, Connecticut murderer turned the gun on innocent children? How can Obama be so un-presidential as to cry? How silly can a president be recalling how many gun tragedies have marred his presidency? What, even the killing of 'ordinary' Trayvon Martin saw him stand up and identify. One little American killed in cold blood earned the sympathy and respect of the world's most powerful individual.

Why should he care?

Before I get those deluges of hate mails, I doff my fedora for President Jones for sparing us the ineloquence of making boring speeches even with a teleprompter. I am not asking him to go to Maiduguri. According to popular wisdom, the Kanuri got themselves into this mess on behalf of their power-hungry northern leaders; they should get themselves out or perish trying rather than curry the sympathy of a southern Christian president.

School children were raped in transit between the east and Lagos, nobody told the president, the youth minister, the women

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GUEST COLUMNIST

By Tunde Asaju

General Muhammadu Buhari affairs minister, and no speeches were made. The kids would carry the scar - for life! Recently, a female student was killed in the east for refusing to be raped by armed bandits. There was no finger of protest.

Ordinary folks are kidnapped and sometimes killed in the east; the army is not called in. In fairness, in all these cases, the presidential spokesman responds with the same template which the ungrateful news media now describe as 'terse'.

So, how does Buhari get back

into the picture? A few social media friends asked the subversive questions last week when two VIPs died in a plane crash along with four disposable 'others'. His question - when did naval helicopters become 'kabukabu' to be deployed to convey mourners from Okoloba to Yenagoa? He even alleged that a similar action happened penultimate week when VIPs were shuttling for loyalty between the president and his vice who were hosting different events at opposite ends of the Villa. The

“

Ordinary folks are kidnapped and sometimes killed in the east; the army is not called in. In fairness, in all these cases, the presidential spokesman responds with the same template which the ungrateful news media now describe as 'terse'

nation was shut down.

My friend feigned ignorance that the death of the parents of a presidential aide is not a national disaster worthy of the resources of our nation. He forgets that the aide's budget is bigger than some state governments; that the aide in question is a Naija-Deltan from where we derive the fuel to power the crashed chopper. In short, this friend of mine suffers from the Buhari syndrome.

In government, Buhari, made a silly law that confined government vehicles back to the pool by 4 pm. No official could deploy a government vehicle to take his wife to the market or his children to school no matter how highly placed. Buhari could not have condoned fuel scarcity; those who hoarded sugar and milk would tell you how such goods were auctioned off. Such wickedly draconian laws would rob democracy of its shine and make public office unattractive to their excellent Excellencies and distinguished honourables. It would also be antithetical to the principle of loyalty.

Would an aide to Barack Obama, Francois Hollande or Iron Lady Angela Merkel have access to a naval helicopter for the burial of their parents? Please don't ask?

Would the governor of a state in America leave his official post, fuel up his official car and jet off to such an event at taxpayer's expense?

Please don't ask.

We should never ask subversive questions in a land where every evil is the sentence of the gods-ikon Allah! So we dare not say that if we had been frugal with public office and public resources, Maryam Abacha would be smiling with her son, Ibrahim who killed himself and 14 others in Dausayi and crashed a presidential jet to boot. Patrick Yakowa would be at his desk this moment and the navy won't be one chopper short. We could perhaps have saved the nation more resources sure to be deployed to newspaper adverts and funeral expenses for the dead VIPs and the meaningless probes whose findings would end up in a cupboard somewhere in the rock of offense. Heh, blame Buhari for giving us an invitation to treat.

Let the party continue.

My Take: Frugality, Discipline, Selfless public service could definitely had saved this country from countless senseless tragedy and wasted resources.

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 805 727 9862. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141