Peoples Daily Online

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

Wednesday, December 5, 2012 .

Vol. 9 No. 83

. . putting the people first

You lied, we have not FG ready to dialogue relocated from Yobe, with Boko Haram Geidam tells Aliyu –minister >> PAGE 2

>> PAGE 3

Al-Muharram 21, 1434 AH

N150

Heads to roll over SARS attack – IGP >> PAGE 3

Nigeria headed for bankruptcy, cries ACN From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has raised an alarm over the economic situation in the

country saying with the polices of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, the nation is heading towards bankruptcy.

The party said the signals of

an impending economic quicksand are now clear as it accused the government of massive profligacy and channeling of resources to projects that have no utility to

national development.

In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN said the trend towards a falling

economy are clear especially as top government officials, have started comparing the economy and projects to those of “smaller nations” which it Contd on Page 2

L-R: Laureates of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM), Professors Emeritus Ayo Banjo and Ayo Bamgbose, secretary, Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA), Adamu Muazu, and Professor Emeritus Umaru Shehu, at the forum of laureates, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

PD INDEX

4th Dec., 2012

CBN RATES $ £ EURO CFA RIYAL

BUYING 154.76 246.91 197.25 0.2831 41

SELLING 155.76 248.51 200.54 0.3031 41.5

PARALLEL RATES EURO £ RIYAL $

BUYING 207 255 42 157

SELLING 209 256 44 158

FCT to demolish 3I more estates – Minister

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

s residents continue to bemoan the demolition of over 500 houses in some estates by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), last month, FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, yesterday vowed to demolish another 31 estates having hundred of houses.

Don’t do it, Senators warn

This is even as senators cautioned against the decision and directed the ministry to tender the list of demolished estates as well as those it intends to demolish to the Senate for scrutiny.

The minister, who appeared before the Senate Committee on

the FCT to defend the ministry’s 2013 budget said his administration would not yield to any attempt to blackmail the effort to sanitise the territory and restore its master plan. He said affected developers refused to heed warnings and went ahead to construct despite cautions by

the authorities.

“We must demolish those 31 estates, I have the law to demolish,” he maintained.

The minister insisted that due process was being followed to ensure that only estates that do not meet the required processes Contd on Page 2

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

23

Property

24

You lied, we have not relocated from Damaturu, Geidam tells Aliyu

By Lawrence Olaoye

Y

obe state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, yesterday disproved the allegation made by the Niger state governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu that government officials in the state have relocated to neighbouring states of Jigawa and Kano over insecurity.

Reacting to the statement credited to the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) at the recently held Sardauna Memorial lecture organised by the Sardauna Memorial Foundation which he chairs, Gaidam, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser to the governor on Press Affairs and Information, Abdullai Bego, said it was wrong for Aliyu to have relied on mere newspapers reports to make

such statement.

Gaidam expressed surprise that the Niger governor, who also doubles as the NSGF Chairman, could not get across to him in order to have a clearer picture of situation in Damaturu before relying on ‘speculative’ unattributed’ newspapers reports.

The statement reads in part “The Yobe State Government takes seriously the security challenges facing the state and even with the return of relative peace, no one is complacent. We know that more needs to be done. This is the reason that officials from all branches of the state government continue to adopt an all-hands-on-deck approach to deal with the situation, sometimes at their own personal risks.

“We therefore state

categorically that no government official has relocated to Kano or Jigawa nor has anyone ‘given up’ in Yobe State or anywhere in the country. As Muslims and Christians, we believe in the scriptural encouragement that ease will follow every hardship.

This is even more so with the hard work of our security agencies and the vigilance of ordinary citizens. We are encouraged that ordinary citizens, who suffer most the devastating effects of insecurity, are at the forefront of the fight against mindless violence.

“We also believe that what will ultimately make the difference in the ongoing fight to ensure peace and security are the sacrifices that we make as individuals and collectives and what we actually do (not just say) as leaders and people in

positions of authority,” Gaidam noted.

While noting that the state is actually facing the challenge of insecurity, Gaidam said his government has not relented in its efforts to resolve the challenge by working with the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the state to restore peace.

He stated “But the Yobe State Government has always risen to the challenge. Working with the Joint Task Force (JTF) and other security agencies and the good people of the State – who have never relented in seeking for divine intervention – the government is able to restore the peace and ensure a return to normality. Most residents who fled at the height of the crisis have returned to their homes and social and economic activities have resumed fully.”

Nigeria headed for bankruptcy, cries ACN

Laundry machine causes bomb scare in Abuja, Page 4

Int’l

31-35

Politics

39-40

Sports

41-47

Columnist

48

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU The Peoples Daily wants to hear from you with any news and pictures you think we should publish.

You can send your news and pictures to: letters@peoplesdaily-online.com pictures@peoplesdaily-online.com contact@peoplesdaily-online.com

Phones for News: 070-37756364 09-8734478

Contd from Page 1 said now have better working infrastructures than Nigeria.

The party is particularly not happy with the decision by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani AlisonMadueke to spend the sum of N6.5 billion for “sensitisation” on the Petroleum Industry Bill as well as the decision by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Senator Bala Mohammed to use the sum of N2.2 billion to build a banquet hall in the Aso Presidential Villa, Abuja which it described as a “white elephant project”.

The ACN is also not happy with the President, who it accused of traveling to international meetings with a bloated entourage and continuously allocating huge funds to purchase aircraft for

the presidential fleet, saying they all “fit into the mindless profligacy” of his administration.

Stating that the government has “now beaten its own record for profligacy”, the party berated the FCT minister for reportedly saying, while announcing the decision to built the hall, that ‘’other smaller countries have better Banquet Halls near their Presidential residences’’.

Lambasting the minister, the statement said; ‘’It is interesting that a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is comparing the country with ‘smaller countries’ when it comes to justifying a project that will only benefit a few elite. Does the Minister know that the citizens of the so-called smaller countries enjoy uninterrupted electricity

supply?

“Does he know that the citizens of those countries don’t have to queue up endlessly for petrol and kerosene; that they don’t have to depend on “okada” for transportation; and that they have no road as terrible as Lagos-Ibadan expressway?

The party said “nothing can justify the decision to spend such a huge amount of money on a Banquet Hall in a country where many go to bed hungry most nights; where youth unemployment is at a high 46.5 percent and where projects that could make Nigeria to achieve the MDGs, less than three years to the target date, are almost non-existent”.

Insisting that Jonathan has failed Nigerians the party said; “One would have expected that a government headed by a man

who himself has publicly acknowledged his humble beginnings will be less profligate and more inclined to allocate funds to developmental projects that will uplift the standard of living of his compatriots, including ensuring better security for them. Sadly, what we are witnessing under the discombobulated Jonathan Administration is the exact opposite.”

ACN advised the administration to retrace it steps by spending the nation’s scarce resources only on projects that can benefit the masses, rather than a few elite, and urged all Nigerians to join in calling the government to order before it runs the country aground.

The Central Bank of Nigeria spokesman, Ugochukwu Okoroafo did not respond to ACN’s allegations when asked

by Peoples Daily last night.

FCT to demolish 3I more estates – Minister Contd from Page 1 and legal condition for the acquisition of the lands would be demolished. He also debunked allegations that the areas where houses were demolished on the ground that they were on green areas were re-allocated and urged the lawmakers to investigate the issue.

However, calling for caution, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, Senator Smart Adeyemi, said the failure of the FCT officials to stop the development of the estates at the foundation level smacks off compromise and inefficiency in official duty.

Adeyemi lamented that investigations indicated that the victims of the demolition were poor Nigerians who were

ignorantly lured into investing their meager resources in the estate, saying that palliatives should have been provided for them.

He further observed that most of the victims had insisted that they have legally valid documents which authenticated their certificates of occupancy adding that the FCT minister should have considered that the nation’s resources have been expended on the projects.

Members of the committee also raised questions on the lack of facilities in FCT health centers despite huge budgetary allocations for that purpose as well as the inability of the minister to develop the vast expanse of arable land in the FCT for agricultural purposes.

Earlier in the event, the minister hinted the lawmakers that in the national budget, a total of N46.2 billion was appropriated to it in 2012, out of which N37.2 billion was released while N31 billion has been paid to creditors.

He said that in the 2013 budget, N50 billion is allocated to it by the budget office through the envelop system, saying that the fund will be used to finance ongoing projects of the ministry, including the construction of the Utako General Hospital.

Other projects according to him are the Vice President’s house, infrastructures for Kubwa satellite town, work on the FCT rail way project, construction of the Goodluck Jonathan District, completion of the Umaru Musa

FCT Minister, Bala Mohd Yar’Adua Express Way, work on the National Assembly complex extension, among others.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Nasarawa to fully implement white paper on Assakio crisis From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

N

asarawa state government will fully implement the report submitted to it by the commission of inquiry set up to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the Assakio crisis that led to the death of several persons as well as damage to property worth millions of naira.

Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura stated this in an address he delivered at the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) stakeholder’s meeting which held yesterday at the Conference Hotel, Lafia.

Addressing party loyalists from across the state, Al-makura made known the decision of his administration to fully implement the Assakio crisis report, warning that anyone found implicated by the findings of the commission will face the full wrath of the law.

While presenting the score card

of his administration during the outgoing year, the governor explained that the state got N36 billion as revenue, paid N24 billion as salaries of workers, while also settling a backlog of inherited debt to the tune of N30 billion out of which he was able to pay N18 billion.

He said his administration, taking cognisance of the paucity of funds, decided to complete projects started by the previous administration that has direct bearing on the lives of the people, adding that the CPC administration will not embark on ostentatious projects.

Al-makura used the opportunity to announce that talk on alliance between the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and other parties, has reach advanced stage, with all the parties set to come together to challenge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) come 2015.

Shonekan enumerates causes of Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

F

ormer interim Head of State, Ernest Shonekan has observed that Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit will remain persistent despite the Federal Government’s effort at transforming sector.

Shonekan said this yesterday when he led the governing board of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), which he chairs, to present the 2011 annual report and audited financial statement of the commission to President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House.

He enumerated the challenges confronting the commission in the realisation of its goals as: inability to mobilise long term funding for project development, inability to commit ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to a stable and coherent pipeline of private public partnership (PPP) and poor project preparation by MDAs. Presenting the commission’s 2011 report, Chief Shonekan said it received a little less than N1.1 billion appropriated for it and

expended N1.016 billion. “The sum of N325, 811,000 was brought forward from 2010 financial year and the balance in the capital vote of N8.5 million was moved forward to 2012,”Shonekan explained.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents after the presentation, Shonekan added that: “It is not only in this country that we have infrastructure deficit. If you look round now, even the developed countries have infrastructure deficits. The way forward is what everybody seems to be doing; and that is to see how they can reduce that deficit. So each and every one of us have to put our thinking cap on to see how we can bridge that gap within a short period of time. With all these disasters that have been happening round the world, even western countries which started their infrastructural development well before us they are now thinking of doing fresh infrastructures because the infrastructure they had in the last century are becoming antiquated.

FG ready to dialogue with Boko Haram - minister

By Joy Baba

T

he Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olushola Obada, has said Federal Government is ready to dialogue with Boko haram to eradicate the scourge of terrorism but the problem FG has is that the group is faceless.

The minister stated this in Abuja yesterday when she played host the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb

Chris Cooter in her office.

According to the Obada, “As much as we aspire to bring this scourge to its barest minimum or even eradicate it, we believe nothing will stop us from dialoguing with them if these people are known. We are not closing the option of dialogue; Nigeria is a united country that will not divide. We need to ensure that all parts of this country know that they are a integral part”.

PAGE 3

Heads to roll over SARS attack – IGP

By Lambert Tyem

T

he Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday, vowed that any officer found wanting in the Nov. 26 attack on the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters in Abuja will be sanctioned.

He said that investigations into the attack by some unknown gunmen are in progress.

“We are not resting on the issue of the attack on SARS headquarters. We are still investigating and once we conclude, we will take the necessary action but l can tell you, heads will roll in SARS”, he said.

He said that the present police management would treat the

issue of security within and outside the force seriously.

On his visit to the FCT command, Abubakar said he wanted to personally assess the preparedness of the command to ensure safety of lives and property in the territory.

He assured them of the Federal Government’s commitment to permanently address problems associated with police pensions.

Abubakar, however, threatened that the police authorities would sanction erring officers and men, especially as it concerned their duties of protecting lives and property.

He said that the new police force would not encourage corruption, noting that anyone found wanting would be dismissed.

The IGP urged them to embrace positive attitude to duty, pointing out that this was the surest way that the police could win back the confidence of the public.

Abubakar urged officers, especially the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), to be open and courteous in dealing with the public, insisting that police stations should be open to all and sundry.

“Police station is a public place, you must allow people to see you, you must be able to see people, you are there to help the public and you cannot do so if you are difficult to access.

“I appeal to all of us to try and imbibe this change that we are all talking about in this country, this change must take place in the police”.

L-R: Adamawa state Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako, Chairman, Forte Oil, Chief Femi Otedola, Anambra state Governor, Mr Peter Obi, and Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, during the Economic Management Team meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday at the State House, Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Jaji bombings: JNI questions removal of officers From Agaju Madugba, Kaduna & Joy Baba, Abuja

T

he Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has described as suspicious, the recent removal of two senior military officers at the Armed Forces and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, over the recent suicide church bombing there which resulted in the death of several people.

Following the incident, the Defence Headquarters had announced the immediate redeployment of the AFCSC Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Abdullahi Kure, and the Corps Commander, Infantry Jaji, Major-Gen. Muhammad D. Isa. Reacting to the development in a press statement yesterday,

...as NAF redeploys former commandant

the JNI reiterated its condemnation of the attack and emphasised on the need for immediate and thorough investigations into the matter.

But the statement signed by the JNI Secretary General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, noted that, “we want to state that the immediate removal of the two officers does not speak well of the military who are hitherto known to be careful and objective in dealing with sensitive issues of national interest...

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air

Foce yesterday redeployed the former commandant of the AFCSC JAji, Air Vice Marshal Abdullahi Kure, to head Nigerian Air Force Holding Company as the Group Managing Director.

This was contained in a statement signed by the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information Air Comodore Yusuf Anas.

The statement also said that handing and taking over ceremony between the former and new Commandant took place yesterday morning.

PAGE 10

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Benue swears-in university board From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

T

he Benue State government has charged members of the reconstituted board of the State university to strive and make the institution one of the top rated in the country.

Governor Gabriel Suswam who gave the advice while swearing-in members of the board yesterday at Government House,Makurdi urged them to stamp out cultism in the institution and deepen the culture of academic excellence.

The governor represented by his deputy, Chief Steven Lawani explained that government decided to retain the same members even after their 4 year term because of their credible

performance in ensuring stability in the university.

He expressed confidence in the ability of the board to navigate the institution to the desired destination.

Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the board Prof. Ode Ojowu lauded the State government for facilitating the accreditation of courses at the college of Health Sciences and promised that they would continue to exploit synergy and cooperation in the development of the university.

FG to adopt criteria for appointment of principals in unity colleges The Federal Government yesterday said it would establish and adopt ``measurable criteria'' for the appointment of principals

into Federal Unity Colleges.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu in Abuja yesterday.

The statement said that the minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, made this known while declaring open the annual general meeting (AGM) of Principals of Federal Unity Colleges in Enugu, According to the statement, the Federal Ministry of Education is not happy with the quality of leadership provided by principals of Federal Unity Colleges for their respective schools.

It stated that due to the low performance of the principals, appointments to head schools would henceforth be based on

measurable criteria.

"Let me make it clear to all of us that the Minister of Education and my humble self are not satisfied with the quality of leadership that you offer in the unity colleges.

"Therefore we are determined to raise the performance and achievement levels of our students.

"From now on, appointment of principals to the unity colleges will be based on measurable criteria to be established and adopted soon by the Federal Ministry of Education,'' the minister said.

Wike stated that the continued stay or retention of principals in office would be determined by the outcome of a summative performance evaluation to be

administered annually on all principals of Federal Unity Colleges.

He added that the income and expenditure accounts would be subjected to annual auditing exercise by external auditors.

The statement also said that Sen. Uche Chukwumerije, Chairman Senate Committee on Education, commended the Federal Ministry of Education for taking measures to revive the Federal Unity Colleges.

The statement also stated that Mr Sunday Onyebuchi, Enugu State acting Governor, expressed happiness that the Federal Government has started investing in facilities and the academic structures of the Federal Unity Colleges. (NAN)

EU set to train Nigeria's military on counter-terrorism

By Joy Baba

T

he Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olushola Obabda has said the counter-terrorism arm of the European Union (EU) has volunteered to train men of the Nigerian Armed Forces in sensitive security areas in the fight against terrorism in the country.

The Minister stated this in Abuja yesterday when the Coordinator of the EU counter Terrorism arm, Mr. Gilles de Kerchove paid her a courtesy call yesterday in Abuja.

According to Obada, EU wants to assist in the area of training of the Nigerian Army on counter terrorism, and encourage more information gathering and sharing among the security operatives. She added that they would also provide training on the Improvised Explosives Devices used in the various terror attacks in the country.

Earlier in his speech, EU Counter-terrorism Coordinator, Kerchove, said he was in the country to seek avenues of collaboration with the Nigerian military in the fight against terrorism.

Wada indicts Liaison Officers in Kogi From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

T

he 21 local government Liason Officers in Kogi state may be facing hard times due to the result from the recent congresses where most LOs were shoved aside.

Feelers from the local government and investigation panel set up by the governor, Capt Idris Wada seems to have indicted most of the Liason Officers in the state.

It was learnt that the retrenchments and employments that were done in some areas were attempts to put the governor in a bad light with the people such that when retrenchment was going, some Liason Officers were busy employing their cronies.

L-R: Representative of UNIDO in Nigeria, Mr Patrick Kormowa, Director, Ministry of Trade and Investment, Mr Idi Sule-Dafang, Engineer Oluremi Ayeni, and Mrs. Margret Eshiett, during a two-day workshop for West Africa Quality Programme in Nigeria, on Monday in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Kebbi declares 1st Muharram work-free day From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

T

he Special Adviser on Religious Affairs to the Governor Usman Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi state, Alhaji Abubakar Shema yesterday said that Kebbi state government will declare a public holiday for every first day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar which is also the first month in the lunar Islamic calendar.

Disclosing this to Peoples Daily in his office, the special Adviser said that the State would observe a work free day to signify the importance of the event which is celebrated throughout the Islamic world.

He said Kebbi state being 99 percent Muslim, deserve to set aside that day for them. ''Alhamdulillah, from now onwards, any time the first Muharram comes which is the first month of Islamic calendar shall be declared public holiday when it coincides with working

days. This will inform the world that Kebbi has also joined the league of nations to mark the first Islamic Month'' he said.

Shema said that the role of his office was to curb social menace in the society like political

thuggery, prostitution, and drug addiction, adding that his office was doing a lot with the assistance of the police to reduce social vices to the minimum in the State.

The SA said that the Hisbah committee does not prosecute

offenders, but to arrest them and hand them over to the police for further action''.

He called on the general public especially parents, to ensure proper discipline of their wards for better tomorrow.

Youths make case for empowerment From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he crusade for the empowerment of the Nigerian Youths was reechoed in Abuja penultimate week, when a group under the aegis of Conference of Nigerian Youths unfolded its agenda for Youth empowerment workshop slated for December 23 in Okpokwu, Benue State.

According to the National President of the Group, Hon. Dominic Alancha, the first national workshop to be held by the Conference of Nigerian Youths is to re-energise the clamour of the group for pro-

active measures by various governments to put youth on the front burner of development.

Alancha stressed that the theme of the conference tagged; "The role of Nigerian Youths in National Development" with Okpokwu Youths as the arrowhead, would help to re-orientate the youths of the area and create opportunity for the youths to rub minds.

"We have put together an excellent package that will blow the minds of participants at the workshop bearing in mind the necessity to create an

enabling environment for conviviality, more so as it is going to take place two days before Christmas. Some of the topics slated for discussion revolve around the role of youths in the socio-economic and political dictates of Okpokwu community. It is tailored to youths from Edumoga, Okpoga and Ichama, all in Benue state within the 18 years age bracket. A special evening of fun and dance has also been put together by the group to foster friendship among youths in the community and Benue State at large", he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 11

Ways to raise and manage money for business

T

o raise money for business is the biggest achievement any aspiring Entrepreneur could make. Once you have the startup capital, every other thing falls into place easily and that is only when your business idea makes sense.

How do we then proceed to solve this seemingly biggest challenge facing business start ups in Nigeria and Africa? Here are the top 5 ways to raise money for business which any smart Entrepreneur should explore fast.

1. Personal Savings The best person to give you money is yourself. If you plan to start a business soon, start saving for it now. Open a savings account in any bank and start saving bit by bit, spread your savings over the period of time you intend to kick start your business and make it a target to save certain amount periodically.

To be able to achieve this, you will need to be resolute and disciplined. Cash demanding problems may come along the way, look for other means to solve them; ask yourself 'what if there is no savings what would you have done? Go with whatever answer you get and use it to solve the problems instead of using the saved fund.

With this, you will be able to raise money for business through personal savings.

2. Family and Friends The oldest and sometimes, the easiest and most efficient way to raise money for business

or any project by Nigerians over the years have been through family and friends. To give out money requires plenty of trust and no one knows and trusts you better than your friends and family members.

Make a list of your rich friends and family members and divide the total needed amount by the number of people in your list to make it smaller and easier for them. The biggest mistake many entrepreneurs make is go approach only one person with the entire amount of money needed for their business that can be overwhelming.

If you need N500, 000, make

a list of about 20 family and friends and divide the N500, 000 by 20, that will give you N20, 000. Then, approach each of the 20 persons in your list, demanding for only N20, 000.

In that way, it would be easier for them to consider your request.

3. Co-operative The type we normally refer to as "daily contribution" It can be daily, weekly or monthly contribution looks for group of people with common interest and start the contribution with them. This is similar to personal savings, the only thing different is that others are involved.

Each time you contribute, someone among you take it, do it until it reaches your turn.

When you get yours, quickly put it into the business before other expenses carries it off.

Everyone in your cooperative must be people you trust to an extent, if not someone might attempt to disappear after collecting his without fulfilling same obligation to others. It is a bit risky but sure way to raise money for business in Nigeria, especially if you are fortunate to be the number one or two in the collecting order.

4. Micro Finance Banks Open Account with any

starting this business include; (1) Experience: A vital and important step that had to come first to succeed as a stylist/ hairdresser is needed expertise.

You cannot rush into it all in the name of becoming self reliant. You only get yourself into a bigger problem because if you give a not too satisfactory service, you are bound to be shouted on, yelled at or given a dirty fight (you know how some ladies can be so naughty).

Take some time off and learn what the business demands.

Learn different styles in vogue.

There are countless shops out there that will be more than willing to tutor you at cheaper rate.

(2) Capital: you need some amount to go far in this business. There are some items that ought to be in place at the onset. As I said earlier it is a business that can be started on a small scale (even at the four corners of your room).Try and raise something to start little if you don't have the wherewithal for a bigger size.

(3) Space: Particular spot to start the business is another area to think deeply on.

Though, most hairdressing salon is found at rented shops, you can actually start yours if you don't have money for a

shop. If your room is not big or accessible enough, you can look for any available shed in your area (talk to the landlord where necessary) and start from there. You can negotiate with just a little amount.

(4) Dryer: The first item that tells a hairdressing salon is in operation is the availability of a dryer. This is a small cubicle machine that has the ability to dry wet hair in a record time. Ladies hair is placed in it while it is turned on. It emits heat at an average room temperature suitable to human.

(5) Power supply: No matter how little/small you want to start the business, you need constant power supply to operate. Light is needed to power the dryer, sterilize items used daily, work late at night and so on.

(6) Towels: These are easy to come by and shouldn't pose any problem. Get enough towels (large and small sizes) to dry wet hair that had just been washed before onward transfer to the dryer.

(7) Shampoo, relaxer: Shampoo is a thick liquid used in getting unwanted particles off human hair though, with other uses. The relaxer is used in washing hair before the

application of the shampoo.

This items is a must get.

(8) Nail accessories: Most salons have a section that deals on nail. This practice is referred to as manicure and pedicure. It's a great money sourcer in the sense that girls, ladies and women takes delight in having classy nails (both on their hands and feet). You also

micro finance bank or cooperative bank of your choice and start saving certain amount regularly. Once you have saved up to six months, you will quality for loan of twice your saved amount. One thing I don't like about micro finance is the fact that you'd have to wait for six months to quality for loan and having to pay interest in the loan even though your money have stayed with them for six months with no interest accruing to you.

However, that is the price you will have to pay to raise money for your business and many people are finding success using it. So why not give it a trial. Look for any micro finance of your choice and start saving towards raising money for your business. Most of the major banks have their own version of micro finance -- you may go with this one's for they're more reliable.

5. Angel Investors If you are not a control freak, if you are ready to give up some percentage of your company's equity then go for Angel investors. Angel investors are business start up incubators and they are not in any particular place -- your rich uncle could as well be your Angel Investor.

Prepare a bankable business proposal, clearly state your business plan and objectives. If the Angel finds your proposal appealing, they will invest in it.

But, prepare to give up good part of your company up to 40% in exchange for the needed capital.

How to start hair dressing salon

T

alk of a business that yields instant revenue on a regular and consistent basis then talk of a hairdressing salon. It is a business that hardly runs out of customers day, noon or in the night. It is frequently patronized by the ladies who take delight in looking good at all times.

They are ready to go the extra length just to look attractive in the eyes of their guys or the opposite sex (men).

The business is believed to be dominated by the womenfolk.

But recent events had shown guys can even do better. Many hairdressing salons now have men as stylist who gives better service even than women.

It can be started at any available space given the place is neat and well kept. A dirty environment is not ideal for this kind of business. Some steps that ought to be taken before

Quote Nobody talks about entrepreneurship as survival, but that's exactly what it is and what nurtures creative thinking.

Running that first shop taught me business is not financial science; it's about trading: buying and selling. - Anita Roddick Source: wealthresult.com

Hair dressing salon

need little scissors, paint of various colors. Not forgetting nail polisher, brush, filer and cortex.

I was made to understand you need at least N85, 000 to start the business without a rented shop. If you going for a rented shop at start, then you have to source for between N350, 000-N700, 000.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

I

No to self-help, Governor Yuguda

n a speech at the IBB Square in Bauchi while he was being inaugurated for a second term in office on May 29, 2011, Governor Isa Yuguda confessed publicly and directly that his government had virtually squandered the goodwill that brought him into office in 2007, for the first time.

“This time it will not be business as usual because I want to correct all the mistakes I made during my first term of office. My administration will place high premium on the security of life and property, while a lot of investment opportunities would be explored to create jobs for the teeming youth in the state”, he said then.

However, events that were to follow in Bauchi state a few months after that inaugural speech, have tended to show that he had either deliberately set out to deceive his people with those somber remarks after the turbulent April 2011 governorship election, or he had soon forgotten that pledge he made to Bauchi citizens. Which is a typical ‘political promise’ made by elected officials in this country. Soon after his swearing-in the governor began to gallivant all over the world, hardly spending more than a week within the state to discharge the responsibilities of the office he holds.

Worse still, allegations of maladministration similar to those that dogged his first term began to emerge.

One of the latest accusations came from a young native of Bauchi state by name Abbas Ahmed Fago, who works in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development; he allegedly posted a

comment on his Facebook wall, criticizing expenses incurred on the wedding ceremony of Governor Yuguda’s son, Idris. Apparently objecting to Fago’s comment, the governor asked his justice commissioner to charge the young man to court. This would have been the most appropriate step taken by the enraged governor, but for the procedural error in charging the Facebook commentator as

“

Instead of putting more youths to work as he promised, the governor has sacked a young man who allegedly questioned the prudence of his government on Facebook the case was instituted at a Bauchi Magistrates’ Court as a criminal matter instead of a civil one. And pronto, presiding Chief Magistrate Adamu Kafin Madaki discharged Fago and dismissed the case on the ground that when the accused was first charged the consent of the Director of Public Prosecution was not sought. In the subsequent attempt to prosecute Fago, the magistrate noted that Governor Yuguda, who was the aggrieved person, was the only one eligible to make the complaint, not the state attorneygeneral and commissioner for justice.

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”

Now, instead of following proper procedure in instituting another case against the accused or going on appeal, Governor Yuguda resorted to self-help by ordering the termination of the young man’s appointment from the state civil service. Fago’s appointment was terminated in a letter dated November 13, 2012 and issued on behalf of the head of the state’s civil service by one Ibrahim Shehu. The letter, with reference number GO/CSM/S/DIS/I/T.2 titled, “Termination of Appointment, said: “I am directed to refer to the Civil Service Commission’s letter No. CSC/PRO/s/001/ T.V dated November 1, 2012 , and to convey the commission’s approval for your suspension and termination of appointment from Bauchi state service with effect from October 10, 2012 as your service is no longer required please”.

It is our view that by resorting to selfhelp, Yuguda not only violated his oath of office in which he swore to protect the rights of citizens of the state-including the right to freedom of speech and expression-but also contradicted the pledge he made in second inaugural speech where he said “a lot of investment opportunities would be explored to create jobs for the teeming youths in the state”. Instead of putting more youths to work as he promised, the governor has sacked a young man who allegedly questioned the prudence of his government on Facebook. We believe it is not late for Governor Yuguda to reverse that harsh decision against Fagoagainst whom no wrongdoing has been proved.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

By Akin Oyebode

T

o the extent that development is an all-embracing, multifaceted phenomenon, to that extent is it apposite for a country’s leadership to correctly come to grips with the critical issues that have to be confronted in order to execute a well thought-out blueprint of socioeconomic transformation. A leadership that is sensitized to the hard but necessary decisions that need to be taken is a sine qua non to the transition of an underdeveloped socio-economic formation to a truly global player capable of rubbing shoulders and competing with the very best in the world.

Experience has shown that there is never a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. As our people are wont to say, “No sweet without sweat.” The transformation of Nigeria from its present position of poverty and underdevelopment must proceed from an awareness of what needs to be done instead of lamentations, buck-passing and the blame game.

Indeed we have to evince greater confidence in our ability to apprehend the country’s problems and forge the necessary consensus to transcend same.

As we are well aware, Nigeria abounds with humungous talents in men and women imbued with the requisite knowledge, skills and patriotism that can translate into the wherewithal to transform the country. What is needed more than ever before is greater strategic sensing and the resolute will to alter the modalities of running the country.

In other words,

By Suraj Oyewale

G

rowing up in Kwara state and spending the first eighteen years of my life without passing five consecutive nights outside of the state, it is only natural that I heard about the name Olusola Saraki at a very early age, perhaps before I hit the five-year age mark.

Coming from Offa – the traditional seat of opposition politics in Kwara state – it is also almost natural that I am not a big fan of Saraki. As a small boy in a community whose political elders had been bruised many times by Saraki’s political bulldozer, it is understandable that I grew up hearing all sorts of bad tales about Saraki and the impression stuck in my mind, at least before I became mature enough to read independent materials on politics of past years and formed an opinion.

I reached a conclusion that the Saraki versus Offa political battle was only a historical co-incidence.

Saraki came to the scene in the late 70s, Offa has been in opposition since the 50s. Chief Josiah Sunday Olawoyin, the strongman of Offa politics and our greatest political personality, was one of the leading disciples of Action Group’s Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was jailed with him in the aftermath of the political crisis of the early 60s.

Offa being classified as part of northern Nigeria where NPC was dominant meant Olawoyin and his Offa people, including the patriarch of our own family, Alhaji Salawu Oyewale (a dyed-in-the-wool Awoist, even at close to 100 today), were opposition figures in the North.

Olawoyin was elected into the northern parliament where he emerged leader of opposition. That was pre-independence era to First republic, before the military took over and held sway for more than a decade until Obasanjo’s transition

PAGE 13

Grappling with national development

transformation should not be a shibboleth mouthed by spin doctors prowling the corridors of power.

There is a felt necessity to evolve an ideology of and for development which should permeate the consciousness of both the leadership and the rest of the population.

Deliberate efforts at conscientization of the masses would need to be embarked upon in order to make it easier to remove the cobwebs of superstition, religion and obscurantism from the consciousness of the people and lift the country to a higher pedestal at the shortest spate.

The fact of the matter is that the people are the makers of their history and should be made aware that as they make their beds, so shall they lie on them. They have to shed their pie-in-the-sky mentality and realize that their destiny truly lies in their hands. For far too long have our people longed for heroes that would fight their struggles for them instead of exerting the will to change the country for the better. They should “shine their eyes” and insist on moving out of the morass of poverty and disillusionment by being ready to make the necessary sacrifice.

Disempowerment of the masses and ignorance have resulted in the people worshipping in the temple of false gods thereby giving rise to their diffidence and self-doubt.

It is now over half a century since Nigeria was weaned off British colonialism. If truth be told, development was not on the agenda of our colonial overlords. As Lugard

himself admitted, the British were more concerned by raw materials and markets for finished goods than the existential interests of the natives. Accordingly, it is sad and regrettable that Nigeria has remained a peripheral, dependent, neo-colonial, crypto-capitalist enclave. We still largely export primary commodities as in times of yore under unjust and inequitable terms of trade within a lopsided, skewed and unfair international division of labour.

The so-called contemporary globalized world is one in which the industrialized countries have cornered the goodies of existence while the rest of us are condemned to eke out a living in the most piteous of circumstances. Indeed what is expended on cats and dogs in the West surpasses the Gross Domestic Products of many countries in the South. The unequal exchange between the North and South is, quite frankly, unsustainable. A situation where large populations have to forage in order to survive while the people in the West generally live in incredible opulence or take advantage of social security and multifarious welfare schemes is totally untenable. The countries of the South would have to set in motion the process of their liberation and development in order to bridge the yawning gap between then and the industrialized countries and enhance their bargaining power in the quest for a fairer, kinder and gentler world.

Within the so-called developing countries too, there is a crying need for deconstruction of their reward system such that everyone can indeed have a bite of the pie. The social inequality in most developing countries is definitely unwarranted and, quite clearly, indefensible.

Development should be about doing away with disparities in income and access to all the things that make life worth living. The asymmetrical nature of the contemporary global political economy should not be replicated within the so-called developing countries.

In the final analysis, people everywhere have the right to development as enshrined in the 1986 UN General Assembly Resolution on the matter.

Accordingly, no effort should be spared to ensure realization of this right if cataclysmic change within countries is to be avoided. It is crucial to bear this in mind, especially in a country such as Nigeria where prominent members of the ruling class are now sounding warning signals on an impending revolution...

The level of alienation among the generality of Nigerians coupled with revolutionary pressures in the polity is enough to put everyone on notice that the deluge is much closer than many realize.

Unfortunately, revolutionary skirmishes are usually heralded by “collateral damage” or what is known here as “accidental discharge.” So, it is in the interest of everyone that we enlist in the army of canvassers for

reform of the unjust reward system existing in the country. A development which ignores the needs and interests of the preponderant majority of the people is, quite simply, unconscionable, indefensible and, ultimately, doomed. The earlier the powers-that-be realize this, the better for all concerned.

Undoubtedly, Nigeria has been moving round in circles like the proverbial barber’s chair or potter’s wheel. Accordingly, it is hoped that the country would take advantage of the knowledge and expertise bottled up within your ranks by adopting logical and well-reasoned suggestions arrived at from your brain-storming sessions as well as thought-provoking publications. An enlightened ruling class would elicit the support and co-operation of organizations such as yours in order to avoid disaster. Regrettably, experience in this country is that we are never sufficiently anticipatory or proactive. It seems that, more often than not, we become wiser after the event. One can only hope that the fate of the Nigerian ruling class would be markedly different from that of the Bourbons.

All that remains is for me is to wish you greater successes in the task of formulating blueprints for transforming Nigeria from its present stupor and stasis to that of a well-functioning, dynamic and industrialized actor within the global political economy.

Akin Oyebode is a law professor at University of Lagos

arrangement opened the next phase of political activities that birthed the second republic.

When Saraki burst onto the scene in the late 70s, he pitched his tent with the conservative National Party of Nigeria (NPN), the strongest party in the North. Offa people, expectedly, continued from where they stopped in the first republic – teaming with Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). Saraki, as the leader of NPN in Kwara state and Olawoyin, the leader of UPN, meant both could not be friends, at least when it came to politics. That was the beginning of the Offa/Saraki political rivalry. The point here is, it may not be about Saraki initially, it was more of clash of historical ideologies and affiliations. Offa people only continued where they stopped in the first republic, aligning with their Yoruba brothers in the West.

So, whoever emerged as the leader of NPN in Kwara state, even if not Saraki, would never have been in the good political books of Offa people.

Unfortunately, due to the numerical strength of Saraki’s strongholds of Kwara Central and Kwara North, Offa was always coming back with bruises anytime we took the war to the Ile l’oke landlord. In 1979, our attempt to produce the civilian governor of Kwara state could not survive the Saraki force as our Chief Olawoyin of UPN lost to Saraki’s NPN’s Adamu Attah in the guber polls. In 1983, when Olawoyin gave another shot at the seat, internal party arrangements saw him conceding the ticket to Chief Cornelius Adebayo of Oke Onigbin, also of Kwara South.

This time, Attah had fallen out with Saraki, and in the latter’s attempt to unseat his estranged godson, he threw his weight behind UPN’s

Adebayo. The rest is history. Adebayo won.

Adebayo lasted only three months in office before Buhari and Idiagbon sacked the civilian government and put virtually all the second republic politicians – including Saraki, Idiagbon’s townsman - behind bars. What was elusive to Offa people during the civilian era was to be achieved at last when son of the soil, Group Captain Salaudeen Latinwo, an equally nononsense officer like Buhari and Idi Agbon, was appointed military governor of the state – the first and only time Offa person was in control of Kwara state. Saraki was in jail.

The political juggernaut that he was, Saraki re-oiled his political machinery and resurfaced during the aborted third republic. For the elections that had already taken place before the gap-toothed General truncated his own transition programme, the Offa and Saraki polarity still played out. Saraki was a key figure in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) while Offa was majorly dominated by the National Republican Convention (NRC). That was the first election I actually witnessed in my life as one Hassan Oyeleke of NRC won the chairmanship seat of Offa (newly carved out of Oyun then) Local Government. By my assessment, that was also the best administration Offa LG has witnessed as I remember the man’s various projects including

functional taps in virtually every area and distributing free books to primary school pupils, even though those of us attending private primary schools never benefitted from the free books scheme.

In 1999, Saraki’s All People’s Party controlled Kwara, but Offa went the way of Alliance for Democracy. With the crash of AD in the 2003 polls, Offa was not spared, as the town, for the first in its more than five decades of being in opposition, found itself under the control of a mainstream party – the PDP. The whirlwind of ACN in the South-West has however returned the community to its traditional opposition politics – Offa is today ACN-controlled while Saraki’s (now the son) PDP control every other place.

Beyond the Saraki personality, the polarity arises more from ideological differences. Saraki is always finding himself in conservative parties, most of which metamorphosed from their forerunners. For example, political analysts see a historical trend in the politics of NPC, NPN, SDP and PDP on one hand and AG, UPN, AD and to a less extent, ACN, on the other hand.

Saraki went with conservative parties throughout these phases, while Offa people are more comfortable with ‘progressive’ parties.

In truth, Offa’s opposition politics has stunted its development

as our brothers in the South-West, who we always follow, are, due to jurisdictional constraint, handicapped in helping us, while Saraki’s Ilorin always get the chunk of the dividends. To this extent, I understand Offa people’s grudges with Saraki. But beyond that, I think politics is all about who is in charge.

At this point, let me confess that I was a secret admirer of OSaraki, even as an Offa man. In the year 2000, a childhood friend of mine had an accident in Abuja (that multiple accident that occurred in Abuja when Bill Clinton came to town, in which cars were burnt) and got his face badly burnt, to the extent that I couldn’t recognize him again until he introduced himself to me and narrated his story. He needed financial help for surgery. The only person that came to his mind was Saraki. He told me he made efforts to see Saraki in his house in Ilorin and actually got some assistance, if I can recall exactly. It may not be sufficient, but the mere fact that this poor boy that Saraki never knew thought of Saraki as the person to reach for help actually got some assistance makes me imagine how many other people would have benefitted from Saraki’s generosity in the last 30 years. I later linked the friend up with late Dr. Femi Adekanye, the man I also knew for limitless philanthropy, for further assistance.

I do not endorse amala politics, neither do I support politics of N50 notes to the vulnerable, but I see nothing wrong in a politician throwing his doors open for the needy in the society, especially during the off-peak periods. This is where Saraki stood head and shoulders above every other Nigerian political godfather and why he endured longest.

Suraj Oyewale is on Facebook

Olusola Saraki through Offa lens

“

I do not endorse amala politics, neither do I support politics of N50 notes to the vulnerable, but I see nothing wrong in a politician throwing his doors open for the needy in the society, especially during the offpeak periods. This is where Saraki stood head and shoulders above every other Nigerian political godfather and why he endured longest

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Why we must restructure government a la Sanusi

By Ifeanyi Uddin

O

nce again, SLS (our moniker for Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria ¯CBN) walks into a new tempest.

In fact, he did not walk into this.

He seeded it. Almost inevitably, so soon as he suggested government sack half of its workforce as part of a restructuring process necessary to steady public finances, he was bound to come under intense fire from all sides. Most prominent amongst his critics, so far, has been the labour unions ¯ with one of them calling for his immediate sack. As with most knee-jerk responses to SLS’ contribution to national discourse since becoming central bank governor, once again, much of the reaction to his suggestion is abuse. As much also, focuses on his person (unlikely, any longer to win a popularity contest). And not enough on the principles he is asking us to interrogate.

A substantial part of the difficulty with trying to appreciate this country is a strange conceit, which, while strenuously avoiding discussion around the core principles around which more successful communities have organized themselves, insists on the existence of a consensus across every department of our lived experience. Of course we then brawl over the nature of such “consensuses”, with the additional

By Jon Chikadibie Okafo

F

ew weeks ago, I penned an essay in which I drew attention to a very wicked and weird action of the Anambra state police command. The Commissioner of police in the state decided to block a public road in a very bizarre attempt at securing his office located along Zik Avenue, Amawbia, in the heart of the state capital.

After a few days of publishing the article, I was made to understand that the government of Anambra requested that the concrete barriers used in blocking the road t be removed. Well, as I write, the police commissioner has continued to ignore the hardship his refusal to re-open a public road is causing the citizens of the state.

As a law abiding citizen who believes in using dialogue and reason to bring issues of public interest to the attention of those in authority, I am using this medium to draw the attention of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Muhammed Abubakar to the hell his appointed CP is causing the good people of Anambra State.

Sir, the road on which the Anambra police headquarters is located happens to be a Tunk-A road which is at the centre of the State Capital Territory. This road is the only major road leading into the heart of Awka, resulting in a high vehicular traffic. By diverting traffic through a narrow road filled with gullies,

characteristic that those in power government lost much traction on experiment at organising society at any point in time then describe the back of a visceral left-leaning along socialist lines were countervailing interpretations of opposition (which demonised the necessary to wrest the moral high these consensuses as seditious. reform process as the neo- ground from the left. But it has The nature and purpose of the imperialist dictate of the been the success of Deng Xiaoping’s state is arguably the most “Washington Consensus”). But, reform of Chinese communism by important of the paradigms (of far and away its biggest burden marrying it with capitalist course, because of its knock-on was the administration’s failure features that was most critical in effects across the economy) that we to see that it had to change the persuading the left of the need for have thus far failed to reach nature of government just as change. This change has consisted agreement on. of a move to the One consequence? right.

While A certain (and quibbling at very crucial) the processes interpretation of involved, we Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text the best-accepted are all agreed messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written thinking around on the need to contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 this paradigm has transfer statewords, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and long defined access o w n e d a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed to and use of state enterprises to to: office as means of the private p e r s o n a l sector if those aggrandisement. enterprises The Editor, An oft-repeated must work Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, Yoruba aphorism well.

The 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. puts it quaintly: telecommunications Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com “our gain comes sector is the SMS: 07037756364 from our poster child of workplace”. Much this change. to its credit, by 1986, the Ibrahim radically if it was to stand any Away went NITEL. We all forget Babangida military chance of persuading on the need now how much funding NITEL administration essayed a re- for new thinking around its used to take off federal budgets. definition of government’s purpose. purpose. The need here was as And in came a plethora of telcos.

It pushed for a private sector-led much for a change that prevented Few of us are aware how much economy, with emphasis on the public assets from being privatised these contribute to federal and market (consumer and supplier in less than transparent ways, as state coffers by way of taxes, and choices), and expectations that the it was for the design of payment on the installation of competitive impulses associated programmes that improved the their infrastructure. Many of therewith will drive efficient processes for including popular NITEL’s staff (the ones who knew production processes, product and voices in the design of public their onions) ended up working for the telcos (in some cases as highly service innovations, and lower policy. prices.

We have come a long way since paid “consultants”).

So useful has this model been That attempt to shape a new then, though.

Glasnost, consensus around the purpose of perestroika, and a failed Soviet in shaping our attitude to private

WRITE TO US

A plea to IGP Abubakar road users groan under an unwarranted hardship for the singular reason that the police have decided to restrict the movement of people close to their headquarters (is this the case in those Boko Haram-ravaged States in the North?).

On whose authority did the Anambra police close a Federal road? Why should we be made to bear the brunt of police inefficiency? Is our State under occupation like the notorious Gaza and West Bank all in Israel/ Palestine? Is closing a busy road to the public the best way to ward off intruders and criminal elements? Whatever happened to the police employing efficient intelligence to combat crime? The questions are just too many.

With only a few weeks to Christmas, this cry to the Inspector General of Police is timely because it is simply too scary to imagine the plight of Ndi Igbo who are already making plans to travel home for the holiday. Any person who is familiar with the volume of traffic in Igbo land during the Christmas period would be in a better position to imagine the traffic gridlock that would envelope the whole of Awka and its environs due to the State police Commissioner’s callousness.

Again, issues like this have a way of melting down to the commitment of our government to the sufferings of her citizens. It

beggars belief that the Government of Anambra would allow the police to deny her citizens access to a road it constructed with public funds. Is the security of the police more important than the welfare of the people of Anambra State?

The people of Anambra are known to be very accommodating to the police and this translates to why most police officers go the extra mile to thwart any attempt to transfer them out of the State; it is the simple truth that most police officers in Anambra have been there for more than 20yrs. Is this the best way to pay us back-by denying us access to our road?

If other security outfits in our Anambra should dare to follow the bitter example of the police, then I foresee a situation whereby we would resort to bush-paths as a means of moving from one point to the other-the Army, the State Security Service, Nigeria Prison Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, NDLEA and many more would all block the roads leading to their offices!

How dare the State Commissioner of police block our road?

Does this act of the Anambra police command have anything to do with insuring the proper security of the State or just an attempt stemming out of that archaic military mind-frame of “I have the gun and can do whatever

pleases me”? It beats my imagination why the people of the state have chosen to be filled with impotent rage rather than collectively insist and demand that their road be re-opened. We are in a democracy and the citizens must be vigilant at all times before those in authority drag us down the painful route of dictatorship.

Are we really in a democracy –the type that harps on “the government of the people, for the people and by the people”, or is this just a contraption put in place to ensure that those few in power continue to live large at our expense?

Why do we always hear of the Federal Government, down to the states, budgeting money “to build a befitting official residence” for themselves while there is no such thing as a housing policy for millions of Nigerians that are homeless?

Why is it fashionable for our leaders to strut to foreign hospitals to be treated for all sorts of ailment (Senator David Mark recently went to Israel to be attended to by a Dentist!), while the hapless/ disillusioned citizens of Nigeria resort to financing the luxurious lifestyles of jet-flying pastors in order to be cured of an illness?

Our leaders move around in tinted-armoured 4x4 (imported) cars, while they continue to tell us to “move about without fear as

ownership and service efficiency that we greet meter readers from the PHCN with the hope that one day the electricity monopoly will go NITEL’s way.

Government on the other hand, never ceases to advertise its transition from service provider to regulator. In any case, given that most SOEs were monopolies, an independent regulator is important to drive efficient processes post-privatisation, and to ensure adequate investment in innovations that improve consumer welfare. No less important is the realisation that in the absence of adequate regulation, post-privatisation, gains from reform efforts end up in the pocket of producers and not their customers.

Therefore, along with this change in the purpose of government and its organisation, must come a change in its establishment. A transition to a private sector-led economy requires government to free up all the assets currently held under its dead hand. Oftentimes we think of these assets as including credit, and the fixed variety (buildings, machinery, etc.); but all Sanusi Lamido has done is remind us that labour is arguably the most important such asset. Moreover, if government must have this economy running based on private choices (made freely) it cannot continue to sit on huge reserves of labour. It must let them go, willynilly!

Ifeany Uddin is on Twitter

government is up to the task of securing our societies”?

There are so many things wrong with the Nigerian state and the police in Anambra State appear to be so keen on celebrating hardship, rather than “Serving and Protecting with Integrity”. In an earlier essay, I pointed out the notorious location that is a normal police station in our country-a place you venture into at your own peril. That picture has not changed. It is my humble opinion that rather than glide into modern day policing, ours continue to cling unto that colonial idea of a police force-the one that treats citizens as captives to be terrorized, exploited and dehumanized!

The present Inspector General of police, IGP Abubakar should harken to this call and direct his CP in Anambra to dismantle the barriers erected on Zik Avenue.

The issue of security should be a collective effort-the Commissioner of Police should not secure his office while smiling gleefully at the harrowing experience of US, the good people of Anambra.

We have every right to enjoy our Christmas holiday in our state without having to be mentally and physically battered by the action of the Commissioner of Police. The IGP must tell this man to give his police force a human face rather than this picture of a rampaging “nameless” creature that I am seeing.

Jon Chikadibie Okafo is reachable on johnteddy@hotmail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

By Ose Oyamendan My dear unborn Nigerian, ou must be wondering who the hell is this bugger cutting into your embryonic, sleeping time. Forgive the intrusion. But, I just read something of serious national significance.

I’m writing you today because I’m afraid you guys must have a way of accessing the Internet from the womb or in the assembly line in heaven or wherever it is babies getting their final marching orders.

There’s something called the Internet on earth and it’s turned everything upside down. You can never tell what’s going on these days. I know of a woman of disrepute who accused a man of repute of getting her drunk and taking advantage of her. To prove it, she said had a video ready to go on the Internet if the man plays hard. Ten years ago, they will laugh a woman like that out of town. But, today – you become a star in some countries with the right sex videos. Our man of repute paid off the woman of disrepute so he can preserve his

Y

By Adamu Saleh

P

eople in Borno and Yobe states, indeed all Northerners, want to know what is at the root of the Boko Haram insurgency that has defied a solution since 2009. It is true that Northern Nigeria, before now, had experienced several sectarian crises and even communal violence that claimed tens of lives and destroyed private and public structures. But none came close to the Boko Haram violent campaign in terms of its reach, the sophistication of weapons deployed and the fatality figures.

The insurgency of the Islamist extremists, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awatil wal-Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram has been described as the most serious threat to the stability of this country since the 1967-1970 civil war. But just as tarrying has been the reaction of security forces, represented by the Joint Task Force (JTF) based in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

Lack of respect for “rules of engagement” by the two parties in this confrontation has led to massacres, extrajudicial killings, rape and unjustifiable torture. It has also fawned colonies of refugees and ruined the economy of this part of the country.

It is a fact that the armed Islamic sect, which emerged in 2009, has been responsible a series of coordinated attacks on both military and civilian targets across the northern region and the government’s response had been to set up the JTF on 12 June, 2011, codenamed Operation Restore Order. Its task is to restore law and order in the North-Eastern part of the country with emphasis on Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

The task force comprises personnel from the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), the Department of State Security Services (DSS), the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Defence Intelligent Agency (DIA).

PAGE 15

Note to the unborn Nigerian child reputation.

I hope that tells you something about my fears on the whole Internet thing. I’m not sure of you’ve read the disturbing report in a sister publication of The Economist about how Nigeria is the least favorable place for a child to be born in 2013. I hope you have not because we seriously need more kids in Nigeria.

I can imagine the panic in the ranks of those being posted to Nigeria. Fear not, dear unborn Nigeria. As they say in these parts, “no shaking”.

Since you already chose Nigeria, I imagine you know how to game the system. I imagine it’s like being posted to serve in the Youth Corp scheme we have here in Nigeria. If you don’t like where you are posted, you try and find a big man or woman who can help you get re-posted to a place of your choice. I can imagine the hustle for Switzerland and those other cool countries is high now.

But, don’t despair. You will love Nigeria. The first thing you need to know is that the country is in a

flux. In most countries, they settle on the number of states a few years after independence. Not in Nigeria. Currently, there is agitation for more states. It may sound senseless to you. But, you must start thinking like a Nigerian. More states mean more jobs for the boys and girls. You may just get a rich daddy!

The trick for you is not to try and be posted to Europe or America, just try to be posted to the womb of the wife of a big man.

You will be born retired.

I’m not sure if the president is taking applications from any quarters but, if I were you, I would hire a private heavenly investigator and find out. That is as good as it gets. The man’s friends will start a trust fund for you at birth. The man will take care of three generations after you.

Whatever you do, don’t come into a poor home. I know the white babies around you may be telling you stuff like poor is cool and artistic. You will die of poverty and regret if you listen to them.

Europe poor is not African poor.

There is no welfare, no free health care and no free education. If you fall very ill as a poor man, you might as well start digging your own grave.

So, my little unborn child, think wisely – think rich and think Nigeria. When you have money, there is no place better to live in the world than Nigeria.

You can drive against traffic, slap the policemen when they question you, loot the government treasury, get all the chieftaincy titles money can buy and be rewarded with choice positions in government.

You shouldn’t worry too much about work. Remember that thing I wrote about retiring at birth? I mean it. If for any reason you, God forbid, need a job, go for what passes as energy in your time. You just need to show up for work and count your millions. Or, easy still, get oil licenses and re-sell them.

Finally, don’t even think about the African countries ahead of Nigeria on the chart. We are the giants of Africa. People who

say we are not are just jealous. Yes, our infrastructures make you cry and our living standards will kill the weak but, hey, we have to hang on to something. Just keep chanting it and you’ll believe it.

Giant of Africa! Giant of Africa!

Giant of Africa!

Just so you know white people are very biased. They only surveyed 80 countries. There are 193 countries in the world according to the United Nations.

So, realistically, Nigeria is in the top 100. You may think that’s an optimistic analysis and you will be right. We are very optimistic in Nigeria. It’s like the pill that gets people out of bed in the morning. But, you won’t need that. You will be born rich.

And, make sure you are born abroad. It’s just an added security your rich parents who are probably misruling Nigeria will chose for you. Hope to see the announcement of your birth and the parties that follow in the media soon.

Ose Oyamendan is Los Angeles-based.

Boko Haram, JTF and our government However, the anti-insurgency campaign mounted by the JTF has left a lot of unanswered questions. The task force put together has done more harm to the same people that they are expected to protect than Boko Haram. People including serving Senators and members of the federal House of Representative from Borno and Yobe have called on the federal government to withdraw soldiers the streets of Maiduguri and Damaturu, they have overstayed its welcome and gone outside of their mandate. But the call has gone unheeded. This democratic government does not listen to the electorate, behaving in the most dictatorial Manner.

In its, reports, Transparency International and Amnesty International have variously accused the Joint Task Force (JTF) of abusing human rights in their efforts to crack down on the militant Islamist group Boko Haram. In a recent report by Amnesty International released in Abuja, the international body paints an ugly picture of spiraling violence, where brutal attacks carried out by Boko Haram, often against civilians are countered by the security forces with abuses that only add to the problem rather than solving it. And from the look of things, the government has lost focus and demonstrated it incapability in curbing the insecurity challenges facing the country.

Groups such as the Borno Elders forum and the Northern Elders Forum have on different occasion appealed to the Federal government for the immediate withdrawal of the JTF over what the groups described as their alleged abuse of the rights of innocent citizen and the massive destruction of properties in many parts of the affected states.

Surprisingly, all these calls by the respected Elders felt on deaf ears

and the JTF continued to do what they are allegedly accused of unabated.

The causes of this insecurity may not be clear cut, but the government cannot escape blame for not taking a decisive action toward finding a lasting solution to the issue.

Government’s inefficiency in dealing with the insurgency which has bedevilled the country for the past 3 years has opened the way for more insurgent groups to emerge under different names. Just last week, another Islamist group named Jamma’atul Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladis-sudan sprang up and dealt another dirty blow on the faces of our security forces with an early morning attack on the Police Special AntiRobbery Squads (SARS) in Abuja, the nation capital.

The president, in an interview with Reuters on Jan 27, 2012, was quoted as saying that if Boko Haram identified itself and stated clear demands the government was ready for dialogue. He also acknowledged that military action alone would not end the insurgency and the North needed to grow its economy. Just a fortnight ago, Boko Haram offered to dialogue with the government and even named individuals who would serve as mediators and witnesses to the dialogue. This clearly went to say that the group was interested in a ceasefire, but the government which has yet to

come up with its own team, does not appear ready to talk. This is sending out a wrong signal and dealing a damaging blow on the government’s image.

The majority of Nigerians have come to the inevitable conclusion that the government is not sincere on it part about bringing an end to the issue of Boko Haram, and this suggests a hidden agenda of the government headed

by President Jonathan, a Southsouth Ijaw man who is accused of encouraging the insurgency by failing to unfold a political programme for dealing with it, if he has one. A political agenda such as the amnesty package for former Niger Delta militants is urgently needed now that the military approach is not working.

Unlike our own Islamist group, Islamists in more civilized societies pay particular attention both to establishing Islamic schools and to expanding Islamic influence. For instance in Egypt, Islamic Organization had developed an extensive network of organizations which filled a vacuum left by the government and engaged more in providing health, welfare, educational and other services to a large number of their poor people. After the 1992 earthquake In Cairo, same organization were seen on the street handing out food and blankets to its people the Muslim community while the government’s relief efforts lagged.

“

Groups such as the Borno Elders forum and the Northern Elders Forum have on different occasion appealed to the Federal government for the immediate withdrawal of the JTF over what the groups described as their alleged abuse of the rights of innocent citizen and the massive destruction of properties in many parts of the affected states

Likewise in Jordan we have seen and heard of the Muslim Brotherwood consciously pursued a policy of developing the social and cultural infrastructure of their country. Islamic Organizations established and operated schools ranging from kindergartens to Islamic university.

In this country, what we have are young men who have received just little education and have found in Boko Haram a platform to engage in militancy. Central to any meaningful development in the modern world is education.

Education has been, and will continue to be the bedrock of any meaningful development. Modern societies rely on education to provide its basic needs, particularly man power for rapid development in all ramifications. Therefore, investment in the sub-sector will be the wise thing to do. The main goal of the Nigerian National Policy on Education which was enacted in 1977 is the provision of formal and non formal education for all citizens of the country. And Nigeria is committed to the Jomtien Declaration whose goal is to meet the basic education needs of all citizens regardless of age, socio-economic background, mental or physical conditions.

Basic education in the Nigerian context is education aimed at equipping the individual child, youth and adult with such knowledge and skills that will enable him or her develop to his or her fullest capacity, derive maximum social, economic and cultural benefits from his or her membership of society and fulfil civic obligations.

There is a need for our leaders at all levels to look again at the issue of education; we must educate our youth in a manner that will make them productive members of the society.

Adamu Saleh is on the stall of Peoples Daily, Abuja.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

FCTA to recruit beggars, hawkers to abate nuisance

By Josephine Ella Ejeh

T

he Federal Capital Territory Administration said it has gotten the support of the Federal Government to recruit residents, such as beggars, hawkers, street traders and others, who have constituted nuisance to the territory, in a bid to truncate their activities.

Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, who drop the hint at an interactive section with journalists in Life Camp, disclosed that this would take effect from next year.

He remarked that it was not unusual that the FCT was growing in such an alarming rate, so more people should be expected because Abuja is a labour camp.

However, he said the administration was looking at how to bridge the gap, saying, “We are now looking at the programme and employing these people that are a problem in terms of permanent small jobs to take responsibility in terms of enforcement on roads, environment, city aesthetics and many more. The beggars on the streets themselves will be employed so we will use the problem as a solution”.

Continuing, the minister added: “We have gotten some lifelines from the Federal Government and we are starting as from next year to employ people in some of those volatile areas and we will employ the people who have been giving us problems as

agents and we intend to employ about 10,000 and also send some people to the farms”.

While emphasising that scarce resource, the changing demography-population explosion with the attendant overstretching of facilities are the

major factors that have plunged the FCT in to its current environmental, infrastructural, social and security problems among other challenges, he said efforts were in progress to address the challenges as they continue to mount.

According to him the administrating has resorted to the Public Private Partnership (PPP) option to bridge the financial gaps and would continue to reconstitute the FCT secretariats and agencies for better performance.

Customs nabs five cable vandals in Wuse

T

he Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has arrested five s u s p e c t e d telecommunications cable vandals.

Mr. Joseph Attah, the Deputy Public Relations Officer, NCS told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja that guard duty officers apprehended the suspects.

Attah said that the suspects were nabbed at around 1.00 a.m. on Monday while stealing u n d e r g r o u n d telecommunications cables near the Customs Headquarters at Wuse, Zone 3 in Abuja.

He said that the suspects were pouring water on their body to cool-off from the heat underground.

“Luck however ran out on them when the vigilant eyes of guard duty officer intercepted them as they emerged from the manhole,’’ Attah said.

According to him, the suspects are being detained at the customs headquarters and have made “useful confessional statements’’ during interrogation.

“We have officially contacted the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on the arrest and we will hand over the suspects to them,’’ he said.

Attah said that items recovered from the suspects included rope-pulling hoist, cut fibre optic cables, three metal saw, used clothes and a bag of sachet water, popularly called ”pure water’’. (NAN)

Explosion rocked some shops, yesterday at Efab Housing Estate, in Logokoma, Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Sex-starved man wants divorce from wife of 2 years

A

37-year-old man, Malam Mukailu Naibi of Keke village, Kaduna, on Monday asked the Grade One Area Court, Lugbe, Abuja, to dissolve his two-year-old marriage because his wife had starved him of sex for two years.

Naibi also asked the court to compel his wife, Maryam Suleiman’s parents to refund the dowry he paid to marry her.

He further asked the court to order his wife to pay for his house which she allegedly set ablaze.

Naibi said his wife had refused to make love to him for two years since they got married, adding that she set his house ablaze so that he would be compelled to give her a divorce.

“Your worship, since we got married over two years ago, my wife has never allowed me to make love to her for once and all my attempts to do it always led to fighting.

“I married her out of love, and I still love her, but with this development, I have no choice but to ask the court to grant her divorce wish for the sake of peace.

“However, her parents must refund the dowry that I paid

them before marrying her, while she has to pay me compensation for my house which she burnt down,’’ he said.

Suleiman, who has been living with her elder brother at Lugbe, Zone 9, Abuja for the past three months, however, denied her husband’s claims.

Suleiman, who is 16, told the court that her husband had

made love to her once, adding that he did not impress her and so she wanted a divorce which he had long refused to grant her.

“I don’t love him, I don’t love anybody who bears his name and I hate anybody who loves him,’’ she said.

Responding to Naibi’s request that the court should order his wife’s parents to

refund the dowry he paid on her and his burnt house, the judge, Alhaji Haruna Masanawa, asked Naibi the total financial claims.

Naibi asked for time to go home and calculate the total amount.

Masanawa adjourned the case to December 12, 2012 for judgment. (NAN)

Foundation launches grass root association for youths, women empowerment

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

n a bid to sustain the legacy of Late mother of the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) in the Federal Constituency, Senator Philip Aduda, Late Mama Jummai Aduda, a non Government Organisation, Jummai Aduda Foundation (JAF), has launched an Abuja Grass Root Association (AGA) to take care of women and youths empowerment in the FCT and beyond.

Inaugurating the new executive Committee, in Abaji,

the National President of the foundation and wife of the senator, Mrs Hawah Aduda, said objective of the re- launch of the programme was to keep alive the dream of the founder , which was to care for the needy in our community.

According her, in addition to the APA re-launch other initiative of the foundation like the widow care Association, Girl Child Education and malaria control programme we re- Launched.

In a remark, Chairman, Abaji Area Council, Hon. Yahaya.

Mohammed, assured the organization of his support and

promised to key into the vision of the foundation, while calling on well meaning Nigerians to support such initiatives targeted at reducing the rate of poverty in our society.

On his part, the Ona of Abaji, His Royal Highness Alhaji Baba Adamu Inusa, expressed gratitude for what the foundation has done to his subject and charge them to keep faith with their service to humanity.

Highpoint of the event was the commissioning of Abaji office of the foundation by the Anglican Bishop of Gwagwalada, Most revered, Tanimu Aduda.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 18

350 students, physically challenged get scholarship worth N6m from AMAC

By Adeola Tukuru

T

Young girls entertaining guests in a function, recently in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Abuja fish farmers receive N14m fish inputs

By Josephine Ella Ejeh

A

ssorted fishing inputs worth N14 million were yesterday, donated to fish farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat of the FCT administration to encourage fish production.

This took place as the administration commissioned the FCT Fish Farm Estate in Bwari Area Council of the territory.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide observed that despite its health importance in daily diet, the future of fish production in all states of the federation, including

the FCT, seems very bleak.

Hence, she added, “It was in a bid to arrest this bleak scenario that the Federal Government through her National Fisheries Policy mandated all the states of the federation, including FCT, to implement policies that will enhance sustainable production of fish to meet the fish needs of their populace and for export”.

Akinjide said it was in the light of the above that the FCT administration approved the establishment of fish farm estates in all the area councils in FCT. Under this arrangement, she explained, the government will provide the land and basic infrastructure while the private sector will develop their plots in line with approved guidelines.

The minister revealed that “the Bwari Fish Farm Estate, the pioneer scheme commissioned is about 10 hectares in size, having about 240 ponds already developed”.

According to her, when put to use, about 500 tonnes of table size fish, would be produced annually, closing the wide gap between fish demand and supply.

She charged all alottees to ensure the completion of the second phase in the developmental plan within the next one year and put their plots into proper use.

Earlier in her remark, the Secretary, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Mrs Olvadi Bema Madayi listed the inputs for presentation to

Two crippled women in court over alleged husband-snatching

A

crippled woman, Aisha Yunusa, who appeared before a Grade One Area Court, Lugbe, Abuja, accused by Hauwa Musa of attempting to kill her on Monday agreed to settle out of court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the case first came up for hearing on November 28, 2012.

Yunusa had alleged that her colleague, Musa who resides at Karmajiji village, Airport road, Abuja was dating her husband.

Musa, a widow also prayed the court to compel the defendant to desist from carrying out her threat as well as pay her the sum of N200,000 as damages for defaming her and her daughter.

Musa said that the defendant on November 21, came to her house, armed with a knife and cutlass, accused both her and her daughter of having an affair with Yunusa’s husband.

Musa also said that the defendant then threatened to kill the two of them, burn their house and harm them if they did not stop ‘seeing’ her husband.

Yunusa, however, denied all the allegations brought against her by Musa when asked by the judge to comment on the accusations against her.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, Yunusa told the court that a meeting was held at the weekend at Karmajiji village and was attended by the chief and

some elders to settle the dispute.

She said that they were advised to go to court and request for the withdrawal of the matter so that it would be settled out of court.

Musa however, corroborated Yunusa’s withdrawal wish, but said that if they failed to settle the matter, she would return to court.

The Judge, Haruna Manasawa, after hearing both parties in the suit, adjourned the case to December 12 for ”report of settlement’’.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Musa and Yunusa are both physically challenged and are residing at Karmajiji residential settlement of the FCT. (NAN)

farmers to include storage facilities, cold room, fridge, fish feeds.

On his part, the Chairman of Bwari Area Council, Hon. Peter Yohanna Ushafa thanked the FCT administration for establishing the farm in the council.

This was as he informed the minister of state that the council was warming up for the dry season farming.

FCTA performs ground breaking for 4,000 housing units in Bwari

By Josephine Ella Ejeh

L

ow income earners in the Federal Capital T e r r i t o r y Administration (FCTA), who have been groaning over the exorbitant rent charges in the territory by shylock landlords can now heave a sigh of relieve as administration yesterday, commissioned a staff housing scheme for staff in Bwari Area Council.

The project, which is in partnership with M/S Jedo Investment Company Limited, the Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide said consist, 4000 housing units that would accommodate low income earners to cushion the harsh effect of high cost of accommodation and shortage of houses in the territory.

She said, with the ground breaking ceremony yesterday, the project would commence with expectations that the houses would be delivered on schedule.

he administration of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) yesterday disbursed scholarships worth N6m to over 350 indigent students and the physically challenged from the Secondary and Higher Institutions in the council.

The Chairman of AMAC, Hon Micah Y. Jiba during the flag off of the scholarship scheme stated that during the electioneering campaign program, education and empowerment was his two point agenda and that was why he wants to fulfill them to at least 50%.

He stated that the 1st batch of the scholarship scheme became necessary, because most the people in the rural area lack education which is affecting them, adding that if he has given them education, he is giving them life.

Jiba said that the 2nd batch of the scholarship scheme will commence soon, adding that the administration also intend to give scholarship to students to study abroad.

The Chairman explained that 100 students from the Secondary institution will be given the sum of N10, 000 each, while the higher institution will be given N20, 000 each.

He urged the students to utilize the money given to them and they should also face their study squarely as education is very important.

Also the Supervisory Councilor for Education, Hon Emmanuel Bawa explained that the criteria been used to select students was that they will obtain a form from the council, then the council will screen the students to ensure that they are real student by presenting their admission letter, receipt of payment of school fees and documents.

He said that the Chairman has been doing these achievements since his assumption in office in 2010 up till date.

Bawa further called on the students to use the scholarship judiciously.

A beneficiary of the scholarship, Samuel Solomon from the Federal Polythenic Bida lauded the chairman for the good gesture and assured the chairman that they will make good use of the money

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Galadimawa community decries lack of health centre T

he Chief of Galadimawa Community, FCT, Alhaji Musa Barde, on Saturday decried the lack of health centre in the area, which has made it difficult for residents to access health care.

Barde told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the community was feeling neglected as it lacked basic health care needs like a health centre.

“Presently, we don’t have health centre here as you can see the village is an ancient village, it has history, very long history like every other village in Abuja.

“But the only problem we are facing is that of health care, we have been trying to persuade the authority of FCT on how the

community can be integrated to the health care system of the territory for people to benefit,’’ he said.

He said that people from the area had tried unsuccessfully to convince Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) to assist the community with a health centre.

“If you take a look, the population in the village will require that we have a health centre, because if we do not have any health centre here, it will affect the community.

“Anytime someone was sick, particularly women that normally go for antenatal or time to deliver babies, residents find it difficult to access health care because the hospitals are far from

here,” he said.

The chief lamented that the residents had to take their family members all the way from the village to Wuse or Maitama hospitals.

“And if it is possible to have one close to us here, I think it will help us a lot,” he said.

Barde said that the issue of poverty had also been a factor, adding that someone with small income or small business, with no health support would not be comfortable.

“They may find it difficult to get to the general hospital on time because funds may not be available. Some residents have such challenges and the problems are real,’’ he said.

According to him, sometimes people have to assist in gathering some small amount of money to carry the sick person to the hospital.

“We have some few private clinics around here that we use when we are sick, but you know how private clinic is, if you don’t have money they will not attend to you and that is the most difficult thing.

“They will not attend but if you don’t have money, so that is the problem we face here generally,’’ he said.

Barde said that some pregnant women deliver at home because of lack of money because they had no alternative.

“Our pregnant women deliver

at home when there is no fund for proper care and also the means of getting to hospital on time due to the distance.

“We have Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), they give assistance to our pregnant women, and some of our nurses that work in the general hospitals who live around here.

“But sometimes before you reach out to the nurses, they will say they are on duty, so there is nothing we can do but to seek for alternative means.

“We are appealing to the authority to come to our aid because our population is increasing by the day, our women are given birth everyday and children are increasing.

“We are no more in the rural area, we should enjoy the benefits of belonging to an urban settlement,’’ he said. (NAN)

Tenant drags landlord to court

O

Generator repairers at work

Court jails driver for trespassing into airport

A

n Upper area Court in Gudu, Abuja, on Friday sentenced one Samuel Ariyo of Jikwoyi, Abuja, to 12 months imprisonment for criminal trespass, touting and resisting arrest.

The Judge, Adamu Wakili, however, gave him an option of N9,000 fine.

Ariyo was arraigned alongside Isaac Dapian of Jahi

and Emmanuel Thompson, of Hiltop Hotel, all residents of Abuja.

The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Blessed Akpan, told the court that the offence was contrary to sections 342, 172 of the Penal Code and Section 6 (6) of the FAAN bye law.

He said that on November 28, 2012 Ariyo, Dapian and Thompson trespassed into the

Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, to pick passengers without permission.

According to the prosecutor, Ariyo, Dapian and Thompson in their vehicle with registration number DZ 998 ABJ unlawfully gained entrance into the airport and picked passengers.

The prosecutor said that when they were found out, they

resisted arrest by the police.

Ariyo pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency but Dapian and Thompson pleaded not guilty.

The judge then admitted Dapian and Thompson to bail in the sum of N100,000 each with one surety each who must be resident in the FCT. He adjourned the matter to February 4, 2013. (NAN)

ne Udoh John of Nyanya, Abuja, has been arraigned before a Karu Senior Magistrates Court on a four-count charge of conspiracy, criminal trespass, unlawful restraint and theft.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Stephen Eimoga, told the court that the complainant, Victor Inwang, of Area A Extension, Nyanya, Abuja, reported the case to the Karu police station.

He said that the accused and 11 others, now at large, forced the door to his room open and removed his property on November 26, 2012.

Eimoga added that the accused, who was Inwang’s landlord, conspired with the 11 others and removed the complainant’s property because he failed to pay his house rent of N450, 000.

“In the process of removing the property, Inwang discovered that two of his belts valued at N30, 000, a leather wrist watch valued at N20, 000, a laptop valued at N140,000 and N250,000 cash were missing.

“Other missing items include a wall clock valued at N2,500, a long sofa valued at N55,000, 50 pieces of DVD cassettes valued at N15,000, a show glass valued at N65,000, two drinking glasses valued at N2,000 and a standing mirror valued at N1,8000 was damaged, bringing the total cost to N581,300’’.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravenes Sections 79, 342, 254, 327 and 288 of the Penal Code.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Senior Magistrate, Celestine Odo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 and a surety in like sum, who must have a fixed address and reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

He adjourned the case to February 6, 2013, for hearing.

(NAN)

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Email: aminuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE

- Pg 22

FG may fine telcos more for bad service

Mob: 08033644990

Nigeria cannot attain Vision 20:2020 goal by 2020, says NESG

By Muhammad Nasir with agency report

T

he Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) says Nigeria cannot realise its goal of becoming one of the largest 20 economies in the world by the year 2020.

The Director-General of NESG, Frank Nweke Jnr, said on Monday in Abuja that that achievement would go to Saudi Arabia.

Nweke made the observation while presenting the 2012

Nigerian Economic Scorecard at the three-day 18th NES, with the theme, “Deregulation, Cost of Governance and Nigeria’s Economic Prospects.’’

The Vision 20:2020 is aimed at making Nigeria one of the top 20 economies by year 2020.

“Based on our projections using the IMF World Economic Outlook database, our findings are that: “Saudi Arabia will be the 20th largest economy in the world by 2020, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 1.2 trillion

FG still aiming for oil licensing round this year, - Diezani

By Muhammad Nasir with agency report

T

he Federal Government still hopes to have an oil licensing round for marginal fields before the end of this year, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke told Reuters yesterday.

“We sincerely hope to have a new round this year, for marginal fields,”

dollars in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP),’’ he said.

“Nigeria on the other hand would be the 27th largest economy in the world by 2020, with a GDP of US$864 billion in PPP; falling short of being the 20th largest economy by a GDP of US$316 billion,’’ the NESG boss said.

He said that Nigeria needed $730 billion to close the gap in order to become the 20th largest economy by 2020.

According to him, this is calculated as the difference between the GDP of the 20th largest economy in 2020 – which is Saudi Arabia and

Nigeria’s current GDP in 2012 estimated by the IMF as 450 billion dollars in PPP. “Otherwise, Nigeria could become the 20th largest economy by 2035, all things being equal,’’ Nweke added.

He said that only an accelerated pace of economic growth and reforms could shorten the time frame for the country.

In his comments, the Minister of National Planning Commission, Shamsuddeen Usman said the vision was not a prediction but an inspirational road map through which Nigeria could

become one of the 20 top economies by year 2020.

Usman said that Nigeria was the 37th economy in the world when the Federal Government initiated the vision document in 1999 but “Nigeria is now ranked 31st economy in the world.’’

Foluso Phillips, the chairman of NESG, urged the Federal Government to come up with national projects that would engage large number of the population.

Phillips said that projects such as the integrated rail system and infrastructure would provide massive employment to the people.

the minister said on the sidelines of the annual Nigerian Economic Summit in the capital Abuja, declining to speak further.

Diezani said in October the Federal Government planned to hold bidding rounds for major and marginal fields before the year is up, but there has been no movement on them since.

She said she is also in licence renewal talks with Shell and Chevron over existing onshore fields, after ExxonMobil signed a renewal earlier this year.

…..urges oil majors to accept higher tax

T

he Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani AlisonMadueke has urged foreign majors to accept higher government revenues from crude production outlined in a draft oil bill being debated in the National Assembly.

Speaking at an Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja yesterday, Diezani Alison-Madueke said fiscal reforms in the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), if passed, would be the most comprehensive in four decades.

She described the increased government take from oil revenues in the PIB as small and said they were fair, given sustained higher oil prices.

“Nigeria is not alone in the tightening of fiscal terms,” she said.

“The goal has always been to find a fair balance between the government and the contractors’ shares.”

President Goodluck Jonathan presented the bill to parliament in August and it is still being discussed.

Oil majors have cried out about proposed tax terms in the bill, with Shell and ExxonMobil saying they would make exploration deep offshore, which is the key to growing Nigeria’s reserves, nonviable.

Nigeria’s tax and royalties regimes are complex and often highly secretive. Little is known about existing terms on offshore contracts, but oil majors say the PIB has worse terms than existing ones.

“The government is not in the business of oil and gas to make a loss for the country. At the same time,

the intent is to remain competitive to attract investment,” AlisonMadueke told delegates at the conference.

She has said after the changes were made in the PIB, Nigeria’s “government take” on offshore projects would be around 73 percent, lower than in rival producers Angola, Norway and Indonesia.

Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer, exporting around 2 million barrels per day (bpd) and it also holds the world’s ninth largest gas reserves, but years of uncertainty over the fiscal terms of the PIB has discouraged investment.

“The PIB has been 12 years in the making. If it was such an easy bill, it would have been hashed out a long time ago,” Alison-Madueke said.

“I don’t think any position you take on a bill such as this could be perfect ... but I think we did a fairly equitable job.” (Reuters)

L-R: Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mr. Foluso Philips, Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, and Minister of National Planning Commission, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, during the 18th Nigerian Economic Summit, on Monday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Egbin power plant to increase generation to 1000 MWs in 7 days

T

he plant’s power generation capacity of 700 megawatts will be increased to 1,000 megawatts within seven days, says the chief executive officer, Egbin Hydro Power Plant, Mike Uzoigwe, Uzoigwe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that the four units of the plant were

altogether generating 700 megawatts of electricity.

He said that a fifth power generating unit would commence generation by next week to shore-up power generation to 1,000 megawatts, adding that the plant experienced total breakdown last week, adding that two of the

Management Tip of the Day

D

Use “returnships” to bring in fresh talent

espite high unemployment, it can be tough to find the right applicants for higher-level positions.

Some companies are trying “returnships,” where experienced, highly educated workers who have been out of the workforce take on short-term paid positions, with the hope they’ll join the firm long-term.

Here are three ways to make such a program work:· Model it on your

existing internship program. The work assigned to returning professionals should be more challenging, but many other elements — the application process, the orientation, and mentorship arrangements — can be similar.· Give participants role models. Expose them to high-performing employees who took time off during their own careers. This will give them a sense of the upward mobility

they can hope for if they attain a regular position.· Get hiring managers on-board. Managers are often reluctant to consider people who’ve been out of the workforce, fearing that their skills are out-ofdate. Set up face-to-face meetings with returnship participants so managers better understand where they’re coming from.

Source: Harvard Business Review

generating units were undergoing maintenance.

An official of the Ministry of Power, who preferred anonymity, however, said that the drop in electricity supply across the country was due to shortage of gas supply to power plants nationwide.

According to the source, the current power generation nationwide is between 3,300 megawatts and 3,400 megawatts due to last week’s system collapse.

Reuben Akinwunmi, CEO of Kanji Dam, said that three of its machines were undergoing rehabilitation. He said that the machines which were being rehabilitated with the assistance of the World Bank were expected to start operating by first quarter of 2015.

Chief executive of Shiroro Hydro Station, Abdulazeez Daudu also said that the station was currently generating 300 megawatts with two of its generating units.

PEOPLES DAILY,WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 20

Report of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, Nov 2012 (I) Executive Summary Background

T

he Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, driven by the need to strengthen the institutions responsible for Petroleum Revenue Management, commissioned the Petroleum Revenue Special Task force on 28 February 2012. The goal of the Task Force was to support the programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria in enhancing optimization, probity and accountability in the operations of the Petroleum Industry.

As part of this agenda and the issues arising from the various fiscal regimes existing in the sector, there arose an urgent need to establish the streams of revenue flows from the Petroleum sector to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and design systems and processes which would enhance the accountability of each agency or entity.

The assignment of the Special Task Force is contained in its Terms of Reference and covers the entire Petroleum Value Chain. Accordingly, the Task Force set out to confirm if existing systems, laws, processes and functions across the value chain provide reasonable assurance that revenues from the Petroleum Industry are captured, complete, recorded intact, properly accounted for and that revenue due is demanded and collected.

Terms of Reference At the inauguration of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, the following Terms of Reference (ToR) were communicated: 1. To work with consultants and experts to determine and verify all petroleum upstream and downstream revenues (taxes, royalties, etc) due and payable to Federal Government of Nigeria; 2. To take all necessary steps to collect all debts due and owing; to obtain agreements and enforce payment terms by all oil industry operators; 3. To design a cross debt matrix between all Agencies and Parastatals of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources; 4. To develop an automated platform to enable effective tracking, monitoring and online validation of income and debt drivers of all Parastatals and Agencies in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources; 5. To work with world-class consultants to integrate systems and technology across the production chain to determine and monitor crude oil production and exports, ensuring at all times, the integrity of payments to the Federal Government of

Figure A: Features of Proposed Metering and Measurement Regime Nigeria; and overall 6. To submit monthly reToR. Specifically in pursuports for ministerial review and ance of ToR 2, the Task Force further action. through the Security and Enforcement Subcommittee also liScope and Methodology aised with relevant agencies to validate the status of outstandSince its inauguration, ing debts identified in the course members of the PRSTF have ap- of the forensic review, and to deproached the assignment with mand payments where deemed all the seriousness that it de- necessary. serves. In carrying out its ToR, one of the initial activities per- Key Issues and Way Forward formed by the PRSTF was to obThe Task Force has made rectain both written and verbal presentations from the various ommendations based on a strastakeholder groups within the tegic and detailed review of the Petroleum Industry. This was to findings observed by the Task enable the Task Force to under- Force in addressing its TOR. stand the challenges faced and While assessing the findings, a the type of reforms that are re- certain number of key issues quired. This was all carried out were observed by the Task Force. with a view to determining and In this executive summary, we optimising the nation's revenue have presented selected findings streams from all sectors within and recommendations as key issues for ease of reference; a fuller the industry.

The Task Force members also consideration is detailed later in visited and reviewed selected the report. We believe Governagencies and operators, sup- ment should implement the conported by the Consultants, for tained recommendations to adthe period spanning 1 January dress the key issues identified 2005 to 31 December 2011 in and their root causes. line with the Statute of Limitations. Two workshops were also 1. Production Revenues held to aid information gathero To increase revenues ing process with respect to key issues of Metering and Measure- from Equity Crude sales, the Fedment in the Oil & Gas Sector eral Government should develop Value Chain, and Security in the a deliberate funding solution for the nation's obligations under its Oil and Gas Sector.

Apart from several plenary JVs and pursue its rigorous meetings to receive briefings, implementation. o A thorough investment analyse gathered information and deliberate on findings, the appraisal should be made by the Task Force also operated through Federal Government in its decitwo (2) constituted ad-hoc sub- sion to contract crude oil explocommittees to conduct a detailed ration via any of the fiscal rereview of NNPC's and DPR's roles gimes, particularly the Producin petroleum revenue manage- tion Sharing Contracts. o The FGN should set ment. Five (5) standing subcommittees were also formed and aside adequate funds to finance conducted detailed assessments cash call obligations under the followed with recommendations joint operating agreements, in specific areas relevant to the rather than entering into carry

agreements and alternative financing arrangements. o Production data for fiscal purposes should be obtained at the flow stations where crude oil is stabilised and not at the terminals as is currently the practice.

2. Royalties (Crude Oil and Gas) o DPR should take action and enforce collections of the amounts due of $3.027billion from relevant operators as at 31 December 2011 per the DPR's records within the remit of the law. o The Task Force is aware that DPR has made consistent demands for the outstanding Addax/NNPC Royalties' payments of approximately $1.5billion as at 31 December 2011 per the DPR's records on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The consequences of default should immediately be visited on the contract and the relevant parties. o DPR should ensure the CBN and operators properly describe all revenue remittances in order to facilitate easy reconciliation. o DPR should independently track and record gas production and sales data o DPR should ensure that all reconciliation process with all the outstanding gas producing companies is concluded before the beginning of the next fiscal year.

3. Equity Crude Oil Sales o Restructure NNPC for single point accountability for Petroleum Revenues o National investment in the oil and gas upstream sector must be managed from a strategic focal point o Ensure full compliance

of all agencies and companies with existing legislation o Ensure due process is followed for Crude Oil Lifting and that only traders with valid and formal contracts are allowed to lift the nation's crude o Ensure open competitive selection process for crude oil sales o Review the nominations process for all the Joint Ventures o Ensure and institute proper review of all draft contractual agreements o Create standard terms and conditions and uniform terms of contract agreements o Proper and realistic budgets and approvals should be prepared annually by the NNPC o Capacity Building should be embarked upon for NAPIMS in terms of optimal number and appropriate skills and training of staff o Ensure uniformity of the realisable prices used by all parties o Carry out adequate review of the purchase or lease option for production equipment 4. Domestic Crude Sales o The Task Force received representations from the NNPC and other relevant agencies on the Corporation's practice of deducting amounts for subsidy-related expenses prior to remittance of these revenues. It is recommended that no deductions should be made from the amounts payable to the Federation Account. o Domestic crude oil should be sold at international competitive prices, such as may be obtained from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). o FGN should block leakages in the conversion to finished goods process of NNPC. o In view of variances observed in exchange rates used in estimating domestic crude sales revenues, there should be full compliance by NNPC with prevailing CBN exchange rates for remittance of crude oil proceeds. o The Federal Government should revisit the Domestic Crude Oil Business Model 5. Addressing the Source and Outlets of Revenue Losses o Explore Fingerprinting of Nigeria Oil to enable tracking. o Establishment of a transparent whistle blowing and information portal as an independent and transparent repository of information on petroleum revenue losses, sabotage, and illegal activity. o Implement a deliberate policy on market ban of participants in crude oil theft o The Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 should be amended to criminalize withholding payment of petroleum revenue after due date and assessment and a notice of demand.

PAGE 21

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Reviving Jabi Lake Park for tourism development

By Edith Nwapi and Perpetua Onuegbu

O

n one particular date, Mr Clifford Emeka and his family wanted to have a good time in a good, quiet location and they resolved that Jabi Lake Park in Abuja would be an ideal location for such relaxation.

Visualising what the park used to be in the past and some verbal reports about the place, Clifford convinced his family members that they should all go there for a picnic.

So, every member of the family was excited about the excursion and looked forward to the ecstasy of relaxing in the serene park that is located midway between Jabi and Kado neighbourhoods of the FCT. However, at the entrance to the park, Clifford's wife asked if her husband if he really knew the way to the park.

"This is strange; this is a caricature of what we used to have here in those days. What is really the problem?'' a visibly shaken Clifford mumbled.

"This place is unkempt, the gates have been vandalised and everybody comes in and goes out at will. There is no security, this place is the exact opposite of what it used to be in those days,'' he added.

But the couple's amazement only typifies the bewilderment of many recent fun seekers who came to the park for leisure in recent times.

A visit to Jabi Lake Park confirms the unspeakable neglect which the park has suffered, as the pond is visibly polluted, while the lake's shore is littered with layers of garbage and animal dung.

There is no visible sign of development at the park, while two boats -- either used for racing or fishing - are usually seen anchored by the side of the lake. In a nutshell, the park looks disgusting, lonely and dirty.

Observers, however, note that the park is often used for religious gatherings, wedding receptions and theatre groups' rehearsals, among others.

They, nonetheless, insist that the park ought to have been a veritable tourist destination in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),

Jabi Lake Park overgrown by weeds adding that it also has the potential of generating considerable income for the FCT Authority (FCTA), while providing jobs for the unemployed.

Mr Nduka Kelechi, the Manager of Astoria Travels and Tours Ltd., says that the Jabi Lake Park, if adequately developed, has the potential of competing with some well-known artificial lake parks in other parts of the world.

"The Jabi Lake Park could be developed to a level that it could compete with recognised ecotourism sites such as the one in Goyang city, South Korea, which has a lot of eco-tourism attractions such as water, trees and flowers where people can interact with nature,'' he adds.

Jabi Lake Park, which was inaugurated in 2007 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was specifically designed to boost the tourism potential of the FCT but observers lament that the good intents behind the park's creation

Jabi Lake Park overgrown by weeds

would be defeated unless urgent actions are taken to revive the park.

Jabi Lake Park is originally intended to be later upgraded to an international tourist resort with a five-star hotel with 400 rooms, office suites and other facilities to boost tourism.

Mrs Rose Brown, the owner of a flower garden by the park, says that the park, which is now derelict, has suffered years of neglect by the government.

She, therefore, urges that the government and the management of the park to make tangible efforts to revive the park and save it from further dilapidation.

Besides, Brown notes that the park is no longer serene; adding that it no longer has the quiet natural soothing effect it used to have on visitors in the past.

"When the park was in good shape, the environment was inviting, stimulating natural

Photos: Miriam Humbe

feelings and encouraging robust engagements.

These days, however, these are no longer there,'' she says.

Sharing similar sentiments, Dr Kate Udoh, another florist at the park, stresses that the current state of the park is by all means pitiable.

"It is more than five years now since the inauguration of the park. We are not happy about its current condition because we don't have other recreation spots in Abuja apart from the Millennium Park and the Zoological Garden.

"Initially, the environment was well-kept and parties and picnics were held there but right now, the environment is no more conducive for that,'' she says.

Expressing similar concern about the state of the park, Mr. Dan Ukachukwu, a lawyer, says that he once wrote a letter captioned ``Jabi Lake Park has gradually gone from beautiful to the ugly" to the editor of a daily newspaper.

Ukachukwu, who particularly bemoans the collapse of the perimeter fence of the park, stresses that it has made the park exposed and insecure.

He recalls that the park is formerly an ideal location for solitary reading, writing and sober reflections, adding that it has now become a place for questionable characters.

"Indeed, Jabi Lake Park has become a ghost of the place, previously visited by the connoisseur, to experience the ecstasy of a splendid sunset on the lake,'' he says.

However, Mr Abdullateef Olajide, a musician, says that he and his group still use the park for their rehearsals because of its serene atmosphere.

"We have enough space to do all our rehearsals without disturbing anybody; even the cool breeze and fresh air there is

inspirational but the place could be better, if well-managed,'' he says.

Mr. Ikechukwu Iyeke, a businessman, who underscores the need for the proper maintenance of Jabi Lake Park, claims that he usually visits the park twice every week to have a good time with his family.

"The park, however, needs a face-lift; weeds have taken over a larger part of the place; due to the lack of proper maintenance, the whole place is now littered with garbage and filth.

"On Saturday mornings, civil servants still come here to jog and have their walkouts in large numbers,'' he says.

Mr Olatoyinbo Hosea, who resides in the neighbourhood, also complains about the state of Jabi Lake Park, expressing concern about the possible presence of scorpions, snakes and other dangerous reptiles at the park, which is now taken over by weeds.

Mr Ndubuisi Okoye, an engineer, says that he is largely uncomfortable with the state of security at the park.

"The gates have been destroyed, nobody mans the gate; people come in and go out the way they like without any qualm. The park's lighting facilities have all been vandalised and stolen; you cannot come here at night.

"Jabi park can be as good as any other park in the world; the concept is laudable but the vision is never sustained,'' Okoye says.

However, that is not to suggest that the government is unmindful of the current state of Jabi Lake Park.

Investigations reveal that as part of government's efforts to revive the park, the park's management was ceded to some South African investors in a contract worth 1.5 billion dollars (about N225 billion).

The two-year contract ought to have commenced in October 2008, while the Parks and Recreation Department of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) was given the mandate to oversee the accelerated greening of the park.

"What then is the effect of the contract on the park?'' some observers are often tempted to ask.

Mr. Ologun Rolands, the Acting Director, Department of Parks and Recreation, FCTA, however, declined to comment on the matter.

He explains that a law suit on the park's management is before a competent law court, adding, however, that his department still undertakes a skeletal monitoring of the park.

"Commenting on the issue would be sub-judicial; it would be tantamount to a contempt of court,'' he says.

All the same, tourism experts insist that concerted efforts should be made to revive Jabi Lake Park in good time so as to boost tourism in the FCT and provide exceptional recreational services to the residents.

Edith Nwapi and Perpetua Onuegbu wrote from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 22

ITU defines new standard in sector

I

TU’s membership has called on ITU’s Telecommunication Standardisation Sector (ITU-T) to expand its work on e-health, software-defined networking (SDN) and e-waste.

In addition, members have called for the establishment of a Review Committee to ensure that ITU-T’s structure continues to meet the needs of the continually evolving and convergent ICT landscape, particularly as collaboration with vertical markets increases.

This will help to enable such innovations as e-health, intelligent transport systems, smart grid, mobile money and e-learning.

The four-yearly World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA12) also called on ITU-T to ensure that new ITU standards (ITU-T Recommendations) are accompanied by implementation guidelines.

These new resolutions of ITU’s membership were adopted by the WTSA-12 in Dubai, 20-29 November, the crucial gathering of ITU-T’s membership to evaluate the sector’s structure and working methods, elect the leaders of its advisory and study groups, and decide the strategic path of ITU-T. WTSA-12 was the bestattended WTSA yet, attracting over 1000 participants from 101 countries.

NCC to test number portability this month

T

he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it will begin test run Mobile Number Portability (MNP) preparatory to its full implementation in the first quarter of next year, The implementation of MNP has been postponed severally with mobile telephone subscribers eagerly awaiting the whistle to allow them migrate from one network operator to another without losing their original numbers.

The Commission had fixed June 2012 for MNP implementation, but shifted the date to September on the grounds that it needed time to conclude the harmonisation of subscribers’ data collected during the SIM card registration exercise and appoint an MNP operator.

Mr. Tony Ojobo, director, Public Affairs, NCC, said that all the necessary things required for the test run of the implementation MNP is ready and that the test run begin this December.

Ojobo added that the test run will afford the consultants the opportunity to address any hitches that may arise in the process for a full launch in first quarter next year.

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another.

FG may fine telcos more for bad service Stories by Chris Alu

T

elecommunication companies may have more fines levied on them if their services haven’t improved by the time service quality checks are made in December, Communications Technology Minister Omobola Johnson said last week.

The telecommunications regulator fined companies including MTN Group Ltd. (MTN) and Emirates Telecommunications Corp.

(Etisalat) a combined 1.17 billion naira ($7.4 million) in May for failing to meet minimum service standards. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with more than 160 million people, is targeting voice penetration of close to 100 percent by 2014-2015. ”Fining isn’t something we want to do every six months, so we’re working very closely with them,” Johnson said in a Nov. 26 interview in the southern city of Warri. “Many of the companies don’t want to get fined again, but if they do not meet those quality of service indicators, they will get fined,” the minister said, adding that most customers say the service hasn’t improved.

The Nigerian Communications Commission fined South Africa- based MTN and Abu Dhabi-based Emirates, or Etisalat, 360 million naira each for failing to meet the service standards. New Delhi- based Bharti Airtel Ltd. was fined 270 million naira and domestic operator Globacom Ltd. 180 million naira.

The regulator threatened last year to stop operators from signing new customers unless they reduced the number of dropped calls and improved connections.

MTN and Etisalat cited lack of

Telecomms mast power and sabotage as reasons for the poor service.

If the necessary infrastructure is put in place, voice penetration should reach almost 100 percent by 2014 - 2015, compared with

about 70 percent now, she said.

Data penetration should reach 30 percent by 2017 from 6 percent now.

It would be recalled that NCC had also threatened last

year to stop operators from signing new customers unless they reduced the number of dropped calls and improved connections.

(Source: Bloomberg)

Text messaging Stakeholders wants NCC to rid Nigeria of fake phones he Association of of Nigeria said that any device that protect consumers from subclocks 20 years T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s is not type approved by the NCC standard phones and other

T

M

onday marked exactly 20 years that the first text message was sent and successfully delivered.

On December 3, 1992, a 22year-old British Engineer, Neil Papworth, sent the message “Merry Christmas” from a PC to a mobile device using Vodafone’s U.K. network.

Almost immediately, the words appeared on the screen of an Orbitel 901 mobile phone owned by Vodafone director, Richard Jarvis.

Today, SMS is universally available. It is estimated that eight trillion text messages were sent last year.

In Nigeria, it is a very popular method of communication.

‘Texting,’ however, is gradually declining in influence as applications on smart phones are gaining more acceptance.

Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has asked the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) to compel telecommunications operators to switch-off all fake and substandard mobile phones in a bid to eradicate them from circulation.

NCC however said that it would visit mobile phones and equipment vendors with harsh punitive measures if they fail to comply with standard regulations framework within the next two weeks.

Counterfeit phones are copies of popular brands and models made from sub-standard materials and are not licensed by the NCC. Though reliable statistics are hard to come by, it is believed that more than half of all phones in the country are fake or substandard as they are repackaged and sold in shops and super highways to consumers at high cost.

Lanre Ajayi, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies

should not be used or sold in public.

Ajayi urged NCC to find a way to ensure that such devices, including phones are not allowed to work on any network in the country.

P e o p l e ’ s Daily correspondent gathered that there are technologies which allow fake phones to be switchedoff and barred from receiving, making calls or carrying other network activities.

The technologies bar only the phones as SIM cards can still be transferred to genuine mobiles and no data will be lost.

A mobile phone is also deemed fake if its IMEI number - the unique identifier for each phone is not recognised by an international database.

Dr. Alex Ukwuani, an ICT security expert said that fake phones have both safety and security perspectives.

“A criminal can use fake mobile phone to perpetuate crime and it will be difficult for the security agencies to trace the culprit” he added.

But in a renewed bid to

devices; NCC has warned companies still flouting its regulation on type-approval for all telecom devices and equipment to stop forthwith or face the consequences.

The NCC has previously shut down mobile phone vendors over distribution and sale of non-type approved devices in the country.

The Commission accused vendors of endangering lives of consumers with substandard mobile devices.

The notice, which took effect from Monday, November 26th notified that all “all dealers/ companies or persons to immediately ensure all telecommunications devices are type approved” by it before they offered for sale in the open market.

Ojobo stated that the Commission has the enforcement right to arrest and prosecute offenders. They also threaten to “confiscate devices that are not type approved.”

Last February, the Commission shut down 17 firms in the Lagos ‘Compute Village’ taunted as the largest ICT market in the African continent.

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

FG to drive economic growth through mass housing development

By Udenna Orji

N

igeria’s deficit of 16 million housing units may soon be erased if ongoing meetings and collaborative efforts between the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development yield fruits. Government is said to have finally accepted the counsel from experts that a vigorous and robust housing development programme aimed at reducing the nation’s ballooning housing deficit would have a positive effect in not only providing houses for Nigerians but in reviving the comatose industrial sector. A revival of the nations ailing manufacturing sector would help mop up the swelling army of unemployed graduates now roaming the streets in search of elusive jobs.

It was to use the housing sector as one of the launching pads for reviving the Nigerian economy that led to the approval of the new National Policy on Housing and National Policy on Urban Development by the Federal Executive Council last month.

Speaking on the approval of the new policies recently, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple said “the approved policies are veritable instruments for empowering the ministry to reposition and revitalize the sector to optimize its contributions to the development of our national economy, especially in the area of job and wealth creation as well as enhanced contribution to the GDP”.

The two new policies are expected to deliver about one million housing units annually to Nigerians.

Confirming these feelers from government, Muhammed Jibrin, Chief Executive Officer of Abuja-

based Sun Trust Savings & Loans Ltd, a mortgage bank, said “I am aware that the Minister of Finance and the Coordinator of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is committed to and looking at the housing sector as a catalyst for growth and employment generation. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple has been holding stakeholder meetings with the sector. She has set up committees, she is doing a great job honestly and the Federal Mortgage Bank has been providing the necessary support to this effect.

I know that the housing and finance ministers have been working together to ensure that the housing sector is jump-started seriously this year. It is on top of their radar. The idea is to create jobs in the economy.

The Central Bank needs to get involved too by providing the necessary funds and credit guarantees to the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria in particular and to the sector in general. The Nigerian housing sector is one of the most diagnosed sectors of the economy. The issues that are militating against its development are very clear.” Jibrin said.

A recent World Bank report says Nigeria has the potential to become Africa’s foremost economic power, with an average GDP of six per cent per annum, buoyed by a young and growing population of 160 million.

Morgan Stanley, an investment banking institution, also predicted that Nigeria’s economy would outperform South Africa’s by 2025 to become the biggest in Africa. The macroeconomic outlook is favourable. With an expected stable inflation rate, five per cent rural to urban immigration, and three per cent population growth, experts say Nigeria is a huge real estate market

President Goodluck Jonathan by all standards.

Concurring with the statistics, the Jibrin noted that “in the highly developed economies, the average contribution of the real estate and housing sectors to the GDP is 40 per cent. In every economy, there is an engine room for that economy. The Nigerian housing sector can serve as that engine room as we seek to diversify our economic base. The sector has the potential to generate and create huge economic activities. The housing sector needs to consume other building materials and products such as electrical equipment, furniture, paints, roofing, cement, etc. The sector can help in developing small and large scale production of these key inputs thereby generating employment and increasing the level of national income. Addressing the housing sector problem is the

same as addressing the unemployment problem and one avenue to diversify the economy away from dependence on the oil sector”.

Jibrin highlighted poor mortgage development as one of the problems hindering the development of the housing sector and called for the use of pension funds to boost mortgage development in Nigeria. His words: “the Pension Reform Act, 2004, has made it possible for people to have a contributory pension scheme in place. The pension industry has an estimated N2.4 trillion of pension funds under management. These are mostly long-term funds and are the most qualified to support the mortgage industry in attaining its millennium development goals.

But these funds, understandably, are mostly locked up in

government treasury bills and bonds. These (pension) funds have to be unlocked and made available for the real estate sector. This is because the funds are basically longterm and you may not have the problem we (mortgage banks) experience today in terms of mismatch in the maturity profile of the loans we grant, because mortgage loans are long term as against the deposits we take that are mostly short-tenured. If you do an actuarial valuation of the pension funds managed by the PFAs (Pension Fund Administrators), the minimum average number of years the money will remain with the PFAs is about 20 years. This is what we call long term money. This is the type of money you expect should go into the housing and mortgage sector” Managing Director, Union Assurance Company Limited, Mr. Godwin Odah while blaming poor development of Nigeria’s mortgage industry on the low level of insurance penetration and awareness in the country described insurance as a mechanism for mobilizing funds, adding that mortgage and housing remained scarce because there were no funds.

“We need long term funds, which is what life insurance provides. Life insurance comes in the category of 5, 10 and 15-year plans and so on. Funds at the disposal of banks are short-term in nature and most times, have a maximum tenor of 90 days before the owners come calling and with this condition, banks can only lend short-term at high interest rates that are largely a disincentive to the entrepreneur in the real estate business. But the situation will be better if banks had insurance life funds”, Odah said.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 27

Analysts forecast bullish market for Nigerian real estate Stories by Udenna Orji

A

new World Bank report says Nigeria has the potential to become Africa’s foremost economic power, with an average GDP of six per cent per annum, buoyed by a young and growing population of 160 million. Morgan Stanley, an investment banking institution, has also predicted that

Nigeria’s economy would outperform South Africa’s by 2025 to become the biggest in Africa.

Both institutions say Nigeria’s macroeconomic outlook is favourable. With an expected stable inflation rate, five per cent rural to urban immigration, and three per cent population growth, the financial institutions say Nigeria is a huge real estate

market by all standards.

Concurring with the statistics, Mohammed Jibrin , Managing Director of mortgage banker, Sun Trust Savings and Loans Limited noted that “in the highly developed economies, the average contribution of the real estate and housing sectors to the GDP is 40 per cent. In every economy, there is an engine room for that

economy. The Nigerian housing sector can serve as that engine room as we seek to diversify our economic base. The sector has the potential to generate and create huge economic activities. The housing sector needs to consume other building materials and products such as electrical equipment, furniture, paints, roofing, cement, etc. The sector

can help in developing small and large scale production of these key inputs thereby generating employment and increasing the level of national income.

Addressing the housing sector problem is the same as addressing the unemployment problem and one avenue to diversify the economy away from dependence on the oil sector”.

Rental Homes: Making more money by keeping your tenants happy A

s an individual landlord, as opposed to a property owner with apartment buildings and an on-site manger, you have unique challenges in maximizing the money you earn on your rental property. I work with and teach many small-scale landlords — plus I am one myself — and some common themes come up about how to make the most money with the least hassle.

And all real estate has issues and hassles, so reducing them should be your top priority.

Aim for long-term tenants First, treat your tenants like they are the most important people in your life. In fact, since they are likely paying for your retirement, they really are the most important people in your life. Acting and conducting yourself in a respectful manner will usually make your life a lot easier and your properties more profitable. It doesn’t work every time, but hopefully if you choose this strategy it will be successful.

Treating your tenants well helps you keep them in your property longer. Every time your rental unit turns over, even if you have a new tenant ready to move in the next day, you will probably spend a month’s worth of rent fixing and repairing normal wear-and-tear items, not to mention countless hours completing the whole leasing process — advertising, taking phone calls, interviewing, showing the property, getting credit reports, drafting the leases, discussing the lease, move in day, etc. It’s a lot of work.

So why not just try to keep your tenants as long as possible by treating them really well?

And that starts by acting toward them the way you would like to be treated.

Remember the basics Additionally, in order to keep tenants a long time, maintain your cash flow and avoid angry tenants or having to re-lease the unit:

• Keep your properties well maintained and fix any issues in a reasonable period of time.

• Don’t try to charge your tenants for items like plumbing or repairs — I’ve never had a tenant intentionally damage one of my properties — just pay for it.

• Ask reasonable rents, maybe even a bit under market, so that you have a large pool of

applicants and can select the best credit quality group that you think will be good tenants.

• If there are problems, like a broken water pipe, deal fairly with your tenants and compensate them a reasonable amount if it ends up being a big hassle for them. That way they are happy, they stay and they keep paying rent.

• If they pay on time, take

care of your property and are good tenants, reward them with minimal rent increases.

Keeping these tips in mind should help you minimize vacancy and costs, plus have reasonable people in your property who will take care of it.

And you’ll learn over time why treating your tenants well — the ones who are paying for your golden years — is just a good idea!

How building materials production can drive industrial development

A

s a means of diversifying the economy and creating jobs, the General Manager of Vidson Ventures, Northern Region, Pastor Wale Popoola has called on the Federal Government to harness the abundant potentials of the aluminum industry in order to lay a solid foundation for the industrial and economic development of Nigeria”.

Pastor Popoola, an aluminum expert said, “the aluminium industry is a vast industry because people make massive use of aluminium worldwide. Much

of what we see in automobiles and aircraft is aluminium. This is because the components are durable. Although it is used in large quantities abroad, in Nigeria, it is scantily used. Even in the building industry, we are yet to use up to 10% of the potential of aluminium. We have about 4 notable aluminium extrusion plants in Nigeria and this is grossly inadequate. Billets are the primary products you work upon to get aluminium products. They are extruded to get aluminium. Nothing less than 65% of the aluminium used

in Nigeria is imported from Europe.

Nigeria can accommodate 60 – 70 aluminium extrusion plants.

They say aluminium plants are capital intensive but Nigerians are wasting foreign exchange importing aluminium. This nation should invest in extrusion plants. However, the erratic electric power supply in Nigeria will be a problem because aluminium is power-based. If you run the extrusion plant with a generator, you may go under.

Government should fix the power sector.

According to the aluminium expert, “All we are doing in Nigeria is trade in imported aluminium. But we should produce it here. Many industries need it. It is important in our industrial development and in employment creation. It will conserve foreign exchange.

Government should do the right thing. They should back up policies with concrete action.

There are always good policies but poor implementation. When we talk about the Asian tigers, it is because these people discovered the needs of their nations. In the

80’s in Nigeria, people worked in shifts in factories but those industries are moribund today.

We should focus on manufacturing to jump-start the economy and aluminium development will help industrialize Nigeria because diverse manufactured products are made with aluminium. A fraction of the money we realize from oil if judiciously spent can industrialize Nigeria. Nigerians are industrious people. If an enabling environment is created, this country will be greater than the big European countries”

PAGE 35

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Ivory Coast seeks $4 bn in donor funds for development Kenya: As Polls Loom, Tensions Mount

A

fter Kenya went to the polls five years ago, Victor Situma and his family were among some 600,000 people who fled their homes as, in many parts of the country, a bitter dispute over who had won the presidency degenerated into widespread inter-communal violence.

His house and shop were looted and vandalized. In all, more than 1,500 people were killed. Two years ago, he returned from his rural home in the western Kakamega District to Mathare, one of Nairobi's largest slums. But father-of-six Situma plans to move his family back west soon.

The next elections are due in March 2013. A raft of posts - from the presidency to ward representatives - is up for grabs.

Candidates and parties tend to revolve not around policy but geographic region and, by extension, ethnicity. The run-up to the polls has already been marred by several incidents of violence.

"I will vote here in Nairobi because of my job. But I will take my family to western Kenya so that even if there is violence, I die alone. I don't see any guarantee that the election will be peaceful," he told IRIN. "I don't know who will win the elections, but you can still be attacked, because politicians are already saying 'our people must get this post or another', but the poor people we live with here believe in what they say and will take their word for it," he added.

According to Olga Mutoro, policy and governance officer at the Peace and Development Network Trust (PeaceNet), Situma's fears are far from uncommon.

"In the slums, suspicions among people from different ethnic communities are growing, and many are beginning to segregate according to their tribes in order to give themselves a sense of comfort" she told IRIN. Rispa Wambui, 35, also no longer feels safe in Kibera, another major Nairobi slum, where she has lived with her family for 15 years.

"Many of my neighbours are not from [my] tribe, and I know whatever the outcome of the coming election, they might attack me. I don't want to wait for that to happen. I am looking for a house to rent in a place where my people are many. It is the only way I can feel safe," she said.

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara appealed to international donors on Tuesday for $4 billion to help fund post-war development, saying it would help stem the spread of instability and crime in West Africa.

With the international community anxious to contain an al Qaeda enclave in neighbouring Mali, Ouattara urged a conference of wealthy nations and multilateral organisations in Paris to treat Ivory Coast as an anchor of stability in West Africa.

Ouattara and many in the international community have voiced hope his arrival in power last year has drawn a line under a decade of instability and conflict in the regional powerhouse.

He took office with French military backing in May 2011 following a brief but brutal civil war after ex-President Laurent Gbagbo rejected his election win.

"Ivory Coast is rediscovering its place at the heart of the region," Ouattara said, inaugurating the donor conference which concludes on Wednesday. "Investing in Ivory Coast is investing in the region and reducing poverty beyond our

President Alassane Ouattara borders."

Economic growth in the world's largest cocoa exporter is forecast at 8.6 percent of gross domestic

product (GDP) this year as it bounces back from a decade of economic decline.

Ouattara said a $20 billion

2013-2015 national development plan would push economic growth into double-digits by 2014 but the government needed help to plug a $4 billion funding gap.

While he acknowledged many wealthy Western nations were facing budgetary constraints, Ouattara said supporting Ivory Coast would help to prevent the spread of Islamic militancy and international crime in turbulent West Africa.

Rebels dominated by Islamists linked to al Qaeda seized the desert north of Mali this year, sparking fears of attacks by militants in the region or in Europe. African nations are seeking a U.N. mandate for military intervention.

"We must be united to fight terrorism, the traffic of arms and drugs, women and children, with all our force," he said. "The best way of facing these dangers is supporting Ivory Coast in its efforts toward development."

The development plan was decisively boosted by the IMF, World Bank and Paris Club's decision this year to cancel $10 billion of Ivory Coast's $12.5 billion

Ghana solar energy plant set to be Africa's largest

A

UK firm has announced plans to build what it claims is the biggest photovoltaic (PV) solar power plant in Africa.

The Nzema project, based in Ghana, will be able to provide electricity to more than 100,000 homes.

Construction work on the $400m (ÂŁ248m) plant is due to start within 12 months.

The developers say that they are optimistic that finance for the project will be confirmed within six months.

Fully cooked The initiative is being developed

by Blue Energy, a UK-based renewable energy investment company.

Dozens of solar projects have been announced across Africa in recent years but few have been on this ambitious scale says industry analyst Ash Sharma at IMS Research. He says the 155 megawatt

plant will increase Ghana's generating capacity by 6%.

"It is the biggest single project that's going ahead at the moment," he told BBC News. "It is not the biggest in the world, but if it goes ahead it will be the biggest in Africa."

He says that a key element in helping the project go ahead has been Ghana's renewable energy law under which the plant has been awarded a feed-in tariff for 20 years. These are premium prices, guaranteed for the working life of the site.

Project director Douglas Coleman, from Mere Power Nzema Ltd. who will build the plant, said that it was "fully cooked" in planning terms.

"The project has land, it has planning consent, it has a generating licence, and it has received a feed-in tariff," he said, "it is the right plant in the right place at the right time."

He was confident that the finance needed to build the plant could be

raised in the next six months.

The company behind the scheme is majority owned and funded by members of the Stadium Group, a large European private asset and development company with ÂŁ2.5bn under management.

Panels like this will be installed at Nzema to generate power

Somali ministers survive ambush

A

fter weeks of relative calm in Somalia, a convoy carrying three ministers has been attacked, while fierce fighting has erupted near the militant base of Jowhar, officials say.

The ministers of defence, interior and justice were unharmed after a landmine exploded under a vehicle near the port of Merca, they say.

A governor said there had been a two-hour gunbattle near Jowhar.

This is the biggest town under the control of al-Shabab Islamists.

The al-Qaeda linked group has been driven out of most urban areas over the past two years still controls many rural areas of the country.

Middle Shabelle governor Abdi Jiinow told the BBC Somali service

that al-Shabab had now gathered its forces around Jowhar, 90km (55 miles) north of the capital,

Ash Sharma believes that the backing of this firm plus the feed-in tariff makes the idea viable.

"One of the biggest stumbling blocks has been overcome and the financing looks like it could be in a good position to succeed I would say."

Mogadishu, in order to defend the town.

He said three soldiers and 15 al-

Al Shabaab is suspected in the attack

Shabab fighters had been killed in the fighting, which he said was the fiercest in the area for several months since pro-government advanced on the town.

The militant group has not yet commented on the fighting there.

But its Twitter feed said it had carried out the ambush on the ministerial convoy near Merca, south of Mogadishu.

It said several people had been killed - a claim backed by some independent sources in the area.

The area's deputy governor told the BBC that four police officers escorting the ministers had been badly wounded.

Alongside the recent military gains, a new president took office in September, raising some hopes of a return to law and order after two decades of anarchy.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Asia and Middle East

By Abdulkadir Isa

A

mbassador of the state of Palestine to Nigeria, Dr Montaser Abu Zaid has said cutting economic relations by member nations with Israel is a better way to pressurize Israel to

PAGE 36

Economic sanctions will make Israel bow, says envoy respect the resolve of the UN General assembly.

In an appreciation letter to the people of Nigeria, Dr Montaser expressed his gratitude to the

Nigerian Government for voting in favour of Palestine at the UN General Assembly which enhanced the status of the state of Palestine to non-member observer state on

Thursday 29th November.

He said: "we appreciate Nigeria's support for Palestine freedom, independence and all UN resolutions concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict.

We thank President Goodluck Jonathan and foreign Minister Oligbenga Ashiru".

"We thank all 138 countries who voted for UN Resolution 7638, which recognises the state of Palestine with all 1967 boarders and East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine".

Dr Montaser expressed the

willingness of the Palestine leadership to open negotiations with Israel to pave way for lasting solutions and peace to the troubled region.

Lamenting on reluctance of Israel to abide by all United Nations resolutions, the Ambassador said "we have been talking of negotiations since 1993 till now but they have not been serious or productive and have shown that Israel is playing games with time and doesn't want peace", he added.

Iran captures another US drone over Gulf

T Ambassador of the state of Palestine to Nigeria, Dr Montaser Abu Zaid

he Iranian military says it has captured an unmanned US drone aircraft in its airspace over Gulf waters.

The Revolutionary Guards said they had brought down a ScanEagle one of the smaller, less sophisticated drones employed by the Americans.

Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi told the Fars news agency that the drone had conducted several reconnaissance flights over the Gulf in recent days.

But the US Navy said none of its drones was missing in the Middle East.

The ScanEagle drone, which has a has a 10ft (3m) wingspan, is a lowcost, long-endurance aircraft built by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing.

Rear Adm Fadavi said that "such drones are usually launched from

large warships".

Fars said the drone was captured "in the last few days" without giving further details.

A spokesman for US Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain said: "The US Navy has fully accounted for all unmanned air vehicles operating in the Middle East region.

"Our operations in the Gulf are confined to internationally recognised water and air space.

"We have no record that we have lost any ScanEagles recently."

Last month, the US said Iranian warplanes had shot at a US surveillance drone flying in international airspace. Iran said the aircraft had entered its airspace.

November also saw Iran's

Syrian foreign ministry spokesman 'defects'

T

A drone belonging to the US Air Force

A construction site in East Jerusalem

here are unconfirmed reports that the spokesman of the Syrian foreign ministry has defected.

Wael Merza, Syrian National Coalition presidential adviser, said that Makdissi had arrived in London while Lebanons' Al Manar television station reported that Makdissi had been sacked for making statements that do not reflect the state's line.

"We know that in late July, he made comments saying that Syria was not going to use its chemical weapons, admitting, basically, to Syria having chemical weapons," Rula Amin reported from Beirut.

"Then there was a lot of effort by the government to try to defuse the statement," she said.

Makdissi's role had been scaled back since then, with fewer statements and press conferences.

"We've heard, from different sources, that he did leave Syria - at least he has not been in Syria for the past two days - through Lebanon and is now in London." our correspondent said, adding that British officials are neither confirming nor denying Makdissi's defection.

Makdissi often spoke at news conferences in Damascus to set out Syria's response to the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

In June of 2011, the Syrian government also fired spokeswoman Reem Haddad for saying that Syrians were seeking shelter in Turkey in order

to visit their relatives there.

Hisham Jaber, director of the Middle East Centre for Studies and Research, told Al Jazeera that he believes Makdissi was given permission to visit his family in Lebanon and that he flew to London from Beirut.

North Korea confirms rocket plans to UN shipping agency

N

orth Korea has confirmed the details of its planned rocket launch this month, says the UN's shipping agency.

The launch is set for between 10 and 22 December, from 07:00 to 12:00 local time (22:00 - 03:00 GMT), said the International Maritime Organisation.

The country's state news agency said on Saturday that the rocket was to launch a satellite into space.

The plan, which follows a failed rocket launch in April, has been met with criticism from neighbouring countries.

The three-stage rocket is expected to fly south - dropping into the sea off the west coast of South Korea and landing in waters east of the Philippines, based on co-ordinates provided by Pyongyang.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 37

Okorocha proposes N195.74 b budget for 2013, vows to recover N6.4bn borrowed by Ohakim

By Lawrence Olaoye, with agency reports

G

ov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo on Monday presented a N195.74 billion budget for the 2013 fiscal year before the state's House of Assembly.

The budget is made up of N63.56 billion (32.47 per cent) recurrent expenditure and N132. 18 billion (67.53 per cent) capital expenditure.

Presenting the budget christened ``Rescue Budget II'', Okorocha said that the proposal would be financed through the projected recurrent revenue of N93.88 billion and capital receipts of N101.85 billion.

The breakdown of the sectoral allocations showed that the economic sector got the highest allocation of N59.17 billion, representing 47.2 percent General administration was

allocated N33.14, about 30.48 per cent, while the social sector got N27.81 billion.

Giving details of the revenue, the governor said that the state's share of federal allocations would amount to N54.40 billion while N13.37 billion was expected from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He said that N8.41 billion was expected from Value Added Tax (VAT), N8.24 billion from excess

crude oil fund and N6.86 billion from derivation fund.

Others are N1 billion naira refund from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), N700 million from the Ecological Fund and N900 interest on bond transfer.

Details of the capital receipt indicated that N81 billion would be sourced from internal loans and N13.86 billion from direct funding.

Other capital receipts are N1.15

billion from grants, N86.5 million from development partner intervention and N5.02 billion miscellaneous.

Okorocha said that the administration would continue to pursue its free education programme for Imo indigenes while granting 50 per cent bursaries to non Imo indigenes in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state.

PDP wants person with disability in politics, says Chikwe

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha (left), in a handshake with Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibril (middle), during the 2013 budget defence, yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja. With them is a member of the committee, Hon. Rotimi Makinde (right).

Photo: Mahmud Isa

African leaders urged to improve political, certain challenges, especially those economic governance concerning stability, peace and

T

he president of Benin and current AU chairman Boni Yayi has urged African leaders to improve the political, economic and financial governance of the continent to guarantee its development. “Long considered as a continent bedevilled with instability, misery and conflicts, Africa today appears as the continent of the future, carrying hope because of its strong economic growth in spite of the international financial

crisis,'' the president said.

He was speaking in Cotonou during the opening of the 19th session of the Forum for Partnership with Africa.

The president said that to achieve the improved political, economic and financial governance on the continent, every African will have to make a contribution either individually or collectively.

The current AU chairman said that there was also need to overcome

security, without which development is not possible.

He appealed for inclusive economic growth, by addressing agricultural and green economy challenges as well as achieving effective economic integration which is only possible when there are proper infrastructure like railway lines, ports, airports, roads as well as energy and telecommunication infrastructure. (NAN)

Babatunde Fashola-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government in Lagos State has shown clear enough that it hates the masses."

The party said only a devilish government would attempt to render over 50,000 traders jobless less than two months after it sent over 50,000 okada riders out of business.

"Even if the traders were occupying government land as claimed by Governor Fashola; they still deserve to be protected by the government; haven't they

been paying levies to the government (both local council and state)?"

Governor Fashola, during a tour of facilities in the Lagos metropolis visited the market and told the traders that the government had no plan to relocate them to another area, as they were not the rightful owners of the land.

The governor said the 17 hectares of land being occupied by the traders belonged to the state government and the government was not ready to pay compensation to illegal occupants on its land.

Market Demolition: Fashola's govt is anti-masses, PDP alleges From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West has described the planned displacement of over 50,000 traders at the popular Katangowa market in Lagos state by the government without provision of alternative settlement as wicked and inhuman.

The opposition party in a statement signed by its Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hon. Kayode Babade, stated "The Governor

eoples' Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday declared that persons with disability are welcome in the party to contest elective positions.

PDP National Woman Leader, Ambassador Kema Chikwe assured that her party was committed to the observance of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by creating opportunities for them to partake in politics. She made the declaration at the workshop organized by the party in partnership with the International Republican Institute (IRI) for persons with disabilities in Abuja.

According to the PDP Woman Leader, the party's national leadership would ensure that the federal government honours all national and international commitment and protocols such as the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against women, Convention on the Rights of Child and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability.

She noted that it was in furtherance to this objective that the party organized the workshop to avail those with disabilities the federal government empowerment initiatives. She said ''This workshop

will direct you on government empowerment initiatives designed to ensure that people with disabilities are supported to enable them, as far as possible, to lead full and independent lives to reach their full potential as individuals and to participate fully in our society .

"This is why our present government under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan has made provision for Persons with Disability under the Sure-P Programme. This represents an important step forward in delivering government's commitment to the full integration of People with Disabilities in all aspects of our society.''

The IRI Resident Country Director in his remarks disclosed that the workshop was aimed at mainstreaming between political parties in Nigeria and persons with disabilities. He admonished those in government to ensure speedy passage of bills that have to do with rights of people with disabilities . ''This workshop provides the impetus for the timely passage of the bill for the persons with disabilities.

Removing barriers to create an inclusive environment is long overdue.

Stakeholders must rally with Persons with Disabilities to create a conducive environment for all.''

Ahmed harps on importance of maintenance culture

G

ov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has identified lack of maintenance culture as the major factor hampering Nigeria's growth and development.

The governor spoke in Ilorin on Monday when he received the leadership of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) who paid him a courtesy visit.

He called on members of the Society to explore modalities for the development of middle level manpower that would assist the country develop its infrastructure.

Ahmed expressed concern that inspite of its abundant material resources and high level of manpower, the country was still groaning under the yolk of unacceptable infrastructure decay.

He attributed the cause of this anomaly to the fact that Nigerians were yet to understand the imperative of maintenance culture as an integral part of development.

Ahmed said his administration would establish an International Vocational Centre at Ajasse -Ipo to train high level manpower based on internationally recognised curricular.

The governor decried the situation where polytechnics that were supposed to train technical manpower shifted focus to humanities-related courses.

He called on members of the NSE to work for the institutionalisation of maintenance culture in the country for the sustenance of the life span of infrastructure.

Ahmed said that poor maintenance of infrastructure had made it difficult for Nigeria to develop and grow as a nation.

In his remarks, the President of the NSE, Mr Mustafa Shehu, said that more than 3,000 engineers would congregate in Ilorin for their annual conference and award ceremony. (NAN)

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Katsina CPC: Court adjourns judgment T

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

he Judgment in the suit filed before Federal High Court in Abuja by a faction of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Katsina state challenging the withdrawal of their certificates of return by the Independent National electoral

Commission (INEC) was yesterday botched.

The Court sitting before Justice Gladys Olotu had earlier fixed judgment for yesterday, but told parties in the matter that the judgment was not ready and would notify them whenever it is ready.

Two Senators and eight members of the House of Representatives dragged INEC, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Clerk of the National Assembly, CPC and ten members of the

National Assembly before the court over INEC's action that saw them out of the National Assembly.

The Plaintiffs, in the suit filed on their behalf by Yahaya Mahmood (SAN) asked the court to nullify the certificates of return issued by INEC to Senator Abubakar Sadiq Yar'adua, Senator Abubakar Hadi Sirika and eight other members of the House of Representatives, who are 5th to 14th Defendants in the suit.

They want the court to

order the lawmakers to vacate their seats in the National Assembly and that the court should declare that the electoral body lacks the power to cancel, nullify, review, withdraw, void, invalidate either directly or indirectly, the certificates of return validly issued to them consequent upon their winning elections to represent their respective Federal Constituencies and Senatorial Districts in Katsina State, without an order of the court

first sought and obtained.

Other reliefs sought by the Plaintiffs are "A declaration that by virtue of section 75(1) of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, INEC lacks the power to issue certificates of return to the 5th 14th Defendants in relation to the Federal Constituencies and Senatorial Districts over which the Plaintiffs had earlier on been issued with valid certificates of return, when neither the Court of Appeal nor the Supreme Court had nullified the certificates of return issued to the Plaintiffs.

the affected traders would soon be relocated.

Akere appealed to the traders to bear with the government because the present administration considered beautification as part of its developmental plan.

Mr Jacob Durotoye, who owns an electronics shop, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the demolition exercise had paralysed his business.

Durotoye appealed to the state

displaced traders. ``We are aware that work is ongoing at Ayegbaju market where government intends to relocate us, but an alternative place should be provided before the completion of the market. ``We cannot wait doing nothing until six or 10 months when the Ayegbaju market will be completed because we have families to care for," he said.

Alhaja Kudirat Adeleke, an agro

capital.

Adeleke said that her grouse was that enough notice was not given before the demolition.

"We did not expect it. So the government should help us through the provision of open place where we can temporarily display our wares," she said.

NAN reports that structures affected were those on Old Garage, Igbona, Ayetoro roads. The demolition started two weeks ago. (NAN)

Yuguda presents 2013 budget of Demolition: Osun govt. assures displaced traders of early resettlement sustainable r Sunday Akere, the Osun although owners of the affected government to urgently provide a chemical trader, lauded the efforts of the development Commissioner for structures were given enough notice, temporary market place for the state government to beautify the state From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

B

auchi state Governor Isa Yuguda has presented 2013 budget of sustainable development with N137, 342 billion for approval by the House of Assembly.

Wada who presented the budget yesterday at the floor of the state Assembly said that the budget will target on the completion of ongoing products and programs of the present administration.

He said "new projects and programmes will be embarked upon only where they become absolutely necessary and resultant effect will have direct bearing on the economy and the lives and welfare of our people" According to Yuguda, funds are voted for both capital and recurrent services during the new fiscal year adding that N63, 348, 292, 151 will be for recurrent expenditure while the sum of N73, 993, 816, 176 billion was earmarked for capital expenses.

He said the budget which was expected to be generated from the statutory allocation and internal revenues respectively will allocate more for the key ministries of works and transport, education, agriculture, health, water and poverty alleviation among others.

Yuguda stated that the government will in the 2013 fiscal year concentrate on the completion of ongoing projects such as the Bauchi state International Airport, roads, renovation of schools and hospital saying new projects and programmes would be embarked upon only where they become 'absolutely' necessary and the resultant effect will have direct bearing on the economy and lives of the people of the state.

The breakdown of the Governor's budget shows that the ministry of works and transport will gulp the biggest amount of N6, 199, 759, 376, followed by the office of the Secretary to the State Government [SSG] that has N5, 601, 000, 000 and education ministry with the sum of N5, 566, 347, 686.

In his remarks, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Honorable Yahaya Miya, said the Assembly will look through the budget proposal and see how the budget will have direct effect on the economy and will fulfilled electioneering campaign.

M

Information and Strategy, on Tuesday appealed to traders affected by the ongoing demolition of illegal structures in Osogbo to be patient as efforts were on to ensure early resettlement.

Akere, who was reacting to the traders' call for government's assistance, told newsmen in Osogbo that plans were underway to relocate the affected traders to a better site.

The commissioner said that

Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, presenting the 2013 budget proposal to the State House of Assembly, yesterday at the Usman Alhassan Jikantoro Complex, in Minna.

N/East PDP holds stakeholders' meeting over security

By Augustine Aminu

T

he People's Democratic Party (PDP), North-East Zone, said that it would hold stakeholders' meeting of the zone, to discuss how to tackle insecurity and economic challenges facing the zone.

The Acting National Vice Chairman, PDP, North East, Hon. Mohammed Wakil, OON said this during a meeting with North East National Working Committee of the party in the zone in Bauchi . He said this all important conference will

come up in the first quarter of 2013.

According to him, the meeting will come up with the position of the zone on the twin issue and advise the President Goodluck Jonathan on what to do and to compliment his efforts in finding lasting solution to the problems.

The statement commended the President for the good step he had taken so far to address the persistent security challenges in the region.

"We commend all security agencies, especially the Joint

Task Force (JTF) and other security outfits operating in the zone," Wakili added. Wakili, however, called on JTF to perform its duty professionally to protect "innocent ones".

It also applauded the governors of the zone for their developmental strides, adding the party's zonal office was the product of their developmental efforts.

Wakil called on the youths of the zone to remain law abiding and conduct themselves in a peaceful manner and promised that it

would soon come up with programme to empower both the youths and women for self reliant He equally said he will embark on tour to sensitize its members in line with the National Chairman's three Rs programme. The party called on the entire members of the party in zone to corporate with its Vice Chairman to uplift it to the desired level.

The zonal PDP commended Gov. Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State for his financial and moral support to the party in the zone.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 39

Adamawa CPC vows to challenge outcome of LG polls in Adamawa

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ongress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Adamawa on Tuesday vowed to challenge councillorship results in Digil Ward of Mubi North Local Government at the Tribunal.

The Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri, said this in Yola when he visited the Adamawa Independent Electoral Commission (ADSIEC) to protest the results.

He said that the party's candidate, Yahaya Dalailu was announced the winner of the election at the ward last Saturday.

He added that Dalailu was even given certificate of return at the local government office of the commission.

The chairman noted that the commission headquarters in Yola on Monday announced another candidate as the winner.

Waziri said the claim by ADSIEC that the CPC candidate had been

disqualified could not ``hold water'' as the candidate was screened and given certificate of clearance by the ADSIEC screening committee.

"We also observe similar injustice in Lamurde Local Government where our councillorship candidate in Dubwangu Ward, Pastor Moses Ngandunbo, won the election but was denied victory,'' Waziri said.

When the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) contacted the Chief Information Officer of ADSIEC, Mr Biryani Wilson on the development, he said the CPC candidate in Digil Ward had been disqualified.

According to him, the commission has c o m m u n i c a t e d disqualification notice to CPC and its candidate concerned.

Similarly, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of last Saturday election in the state describing

it as a "farce".

This is contained in a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Yohanna Mathias in Yola.

He said that ACN was still compiling reports on the election for the next line of action to take.

"We are still receiving reports from the 21 Local Governments in the state.

"We want to assure our supporters that anywhere we are cheated and have our records to prove the fraudulent acts, we shall not hesitate to seek redress through the Local Government Election Tribunal,'' Mathias said.

NAN reports that 14 political parties participated in the election in which PDP led by winning all the 21 local government chairmanship seats with 205 councillors while ACN and CPC got 13 and six councillors respectively.

(NAN)

PDP, CNPP pledge cooperation in Cross River

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he Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River on Tuesday pledged to work with the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) to advance the cause of democracy.

The State Chairman of the party, Mr John Okon, made the pledge in Calabar at the inauguration of the state executive committee of CNPP. ``We have decided to work together for the benefit of the people of Cross River and for the growth of democracy in the

state, '' he said.

Okon said that it was only by working together that the people could enjoy the dividends of democracy.

He urged political parties in the state to learn to accept election results, "to solidify democracy.'' ``Our belief is that whoever wins election, we should accept him or her willingly; democracy is a process, '' Okon advised.

In his speech, the State Chairman of CNPP, Mr Mike

Abaji PDP adopts zoning arrangement for chairmanship candidate

By Adeola Tukuru

A

head of the FCT Area Councils election, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Abaji said plans were concluded to adopt zoning arrangement for its chairmanship candidate ahead of March 16 FCT Area Councils election.

The former chairman of the council, Alhaji Hassan Sokodabo, stated this in Gwagwalada at the end of Abaji PDP elders and stakeholders meeting. He said the zoning arrangement was to eliminate the rancor and acrimony associated with conduct of primaries in the council.

According to him, by the arrangement, the council is divided into two zones, Abaji township zone with three wards and the rural populates zone with seven wards.

"Because of the challenges we have had in the past, PDP stakeholders in Abaji Area

Council felt there was need to sit down to discus and come up with resolutions that will be of benefit to the entire people of the council.

"Basically the issue of going to primaries within PDP has been eliminated by virtue of our resolution in this meeting since zoning arrangement has been collectively agreed upon.

We have also agreed that the zoning must be single term for each of the zones so as to ensure that there is peace and stability in the party," he said.

"By this, the rural populates zone will file the chairmanship candidate for March 16, FCT Area Councils election and every other PDP supporters in the council will come together and work for him," he added.

Sokodabo who said adequate consultations were made ahead of the resolutions called on PDP supporters in the council to embrace the arrangement.

Abe, also expressed the readiness of CNPP to work with other political parties in the state.

He said that the newly inaugurated CNPP executive was poised to offer constructive criticism against any administration in the state, "where and when necessary."

Abe called for the cooperation of all stakeholders, adding that such cooperation was needed to strengthen democracy in the state. ``We need the support of all political parties, the press, financial donors and the general public, '' he said.

Those inaugurated include Mr Mike Abe as State Chairman (CPC), Mr Remi Agwuezie, State Secretary (LP) and Mr Fredrick Atep (APGA).

Meanwhile, former CNPP State Chairman, Mr Cletus Obun has described the new executive as illegal.

Obun said that he remained the chairman of the conference in the state, adding that any other executive was null and void. ``You cannot go and pick people from some political parties and call them CNPP, it is illegal, '' he said.

Another ACN Chieftain, Mr Baasey Ita also said that the party refused to participate in the inauguration because it did not believe in the new executive.

The new Chairman, Abe said that CNPP was made up of leadership of various political parties. ``CNPP is a collection of leadership of all political parties but Obun has ceased to be the Chairman of ACN in the state and therefore he cannot be part of CNPP, '' he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 4

Lagos: Robbers kill 32 policemen, snatch 1,263 vehicles

Laundry machine causes bomb scare in Abuja

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

By Lambert Tyem & Etuka Sunday

agos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, said more than 32 policemen have been gunned down by armed robbers in the state within the last 11 months.

Manko who disclosed this yesterday while releasing the crime statistics in the state during the 6th Town Hall meeting on security, said this represents an increase over the number of policemen killed in gun battle with robbers last year, which was 19.

The statistics revealed that between 1 November, 2011 and 31 October, 2012, 32 policemen were killed by robbers while the police also killed 140 robbers in gun battles, which represents a shortfall in the number of robbers killed by the police between November 2010 and October 2011, which was 164.

The statistics also showed increased robbery cases in Lagos, with 123 armed robbery incidents recorded in the last 11 months ending in October as against the 61 robbery cases that took place in the previous year.

The police arrested 569 robbers in 11 months, higher than the 522 robbers arrested the previous year, while more arms have been recovered this year (371 arms) than last year, which stood at 328.

According to Manko, the challenge being faced is that as crime is being tackled by the police, criminals naturally evolve new trends and patterns of crime.

“The new trend in Lagos State is the vandalisation and attack on ATM, carjacking and the menace of commercial motorcycle operators. The command has risen up to the challenge by evolving new strategies to combat the menace but dearth of funds and logistics continue to hamper our efforts,” he stated.

Speaking at the occasion, Governor Babatunde Fashola lamented that the challenge of equipping “and resourcing our security agencies in the face of the insufficient support from the Federal Government has continued till this day”.

here was panic and palpable fear yesterday following a loud report from an exploded air compressor at a laundry shop which triggered fears of a bomb blast in Abuja.

Spokesman of the State Security Service (SSS) Marilyn Ogar explained that investigations revealed that a washing machine that was left working overnight blew its air compressor around 2am causing

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T

a minor explosion and fire that destroyed the shop located at Efab Shopping Complex, Abuja.

Fire fighters and policemen rushed to scene and put out the fire which destroyed all the laundry and other facilities in the shop.

A wall of the shop collapsed possibly on account of the intense fire that resulted from the exploded compressor.

Deputy Force Public Officers, Frank Mba confirmed the incident, but added that it was a

minor explosion and not a bomb blast as speculated.

The State Security Service also however said there was no human casualty involved at the exploded laundry shop.

In the same vein, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), yesterday, called on the public to disregard rumour of a bomb blast which spread across the city.

In a statement issued by its Head of Public Relations, Yushau

A man prevented by a police man from jumping fuel queue at a filling station, yesterday in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, fuel scarcity continues.

Photo: NAN

Suleja bomb victims recount ordeal as trial of suspects resume

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

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wo victims of the Suleja bomb blasts in 2011, Kayode Olatunji and Musa Audu, yesterday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the blasts left them with indelible bodily injury.

Olatunji, a 300 level student of the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Niger state, while testifying yesterday, that he had gone to check his name on the ad-hoc staff list of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when the explosion went off.

He said the impact of the blasts

left with multiple fractures, nose, ear and serious eyes injury, adding also that bone and flesh grafting was done on his legs to correct the anomalies.

The victim also explained that the blasts which went off at about 5 pm of April 8, 2011, caused enormous destruction to innocent people, saying: “I was stocked in the midst of dead bodies”.

“When I recovered minutes after the explosion, I saw myself enmeshed in the blood of a woman blown open by the blast.

“We were taken to the General Hospital Suleja and left there without treatment for hours before

we were later evacuated to the Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital”, he said.

“I can neither see very well nor hear very well, just as I cannot walk without the support from the crutches; I have been limited seriously,” he said.

In his evidence, Audu, a teacher with Girls Secondary School, Suleja, said he had gone to check the INEC ad-hoc staff list when he heard a, “big bang”, adding that he became unconscious as a result of the explosion.

“I discovered the flesh of my legs was deep opened. I was lying

Budget defence: Reps reject Oteh’s representatives

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he House of Representatives Committee on Finance, yesterday, rejected the 2013 budget defence of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), led by the Director of Finance of the commission, Abatcha Bulama representing Ms Aruma Oteh, the Director General of SEC. The two chambers of the National Assembly had resolved not to entertain anything from

A. Shuaib, NEMA said its attention was drawn to a shop that caught fire due to mishandling of electric appliances in Lokogoma Area of Abuja but there was no link with terrorist attack.

It described the fire incident as human error, adding that no human casualty was recorded as a result and dismissed the speculations by some of the residents of the possible link to terrorist attack.

SEC after investigations into the near collapse of the Capital Market, until she is relieved of her appointment by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Chairman of the committee, Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin (PDP, Kano) said 15 of the 62 agencies including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) among others who shunned yesterday’s meeting have 24 hours to appear

before the committee or risk being issued a bench warrant of arrest.

He directed the committee clerk to advertise their names in national dailies.

The eight-man SEC delegation immediately took their leave.

Some of the agencies who also shunned the meeting were Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Maritime Administration Agency (MAA), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Civil Aviation

Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Export Processing Zone (NEPZ) and National Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) among others.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, represented by his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, in his opening, said the National Assembly is committed to plugging the leakages in the revenue of government agencies.

with dead bodies, some of the bodies were dismembered and I began to cry for help.

“When help did not come, I used my buttocks with support from my hands to move away from the lifeless bodies.

“They had carried out bone and flesh grafting on my left leg and I cannot still walk without a support”, he said.

Earlier, a computer forensic expert from the State Security Service (SSS), simply called Reuben, said he had investigated a cell-phone confiscated from one of the suspects and found it containing incriminating elements.

“In that cell-phone, pictures of how to make bombs, assault rifles, military uniforms and some bomb elements were found”, he said.

This aspect of the testimony was, however, challenged during his cross examination as Mr. Emeka Okoro, counsel to the suspects claimed the cell-phone could have been tempered with to support the prosecution of the case.

Shuaibu Abubakar, Salisu Ahmed, Umar Babagana-Umar, Mohammed Ali, Musa Adam and Umar Ibrahim, are standing trial over alleged multiple bombings and killings in Suleja, Madalla and its environs.

PAGE 40

Book on health journalism for launch Dec. 11

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book on health journalism, written by a veteran journalist, Mrs Moji Makanjuola, is to be launched on Dec. 11 in Abuja, the author has said.

A press statement signed by Makanjuola, described the book as an espouse on the future of health reportage and its influential role in sustainable development.

The 209-page book titled “Health Journalism: A Journey with ‘Moji Makanjuola’’, is a material for all who see the media as platform for stimulating and promoting discourse for development.

The book is also a reference material for public enlightenment on health issues and the general well being of Nigerians.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the author of the book, Makanjuola was a member of staff of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

Makanjuola with a wealth of experience in the journalism profession had been on the health and environment beat for 25 years and had put in 35 years of active broadcast journalism.

She started her career with the NTA Ilorin in 1977, and then moved to NTA network in 1993.

Makanjuola, married with children, is the pioneer head of the health and environment desk of NTA. (NAN)

300 students for children’s cultural fiesta — Institute

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o fewer than 300 secondary school students are to participate in the forthcoming Children’s Cultural Fiesta organised by the South-West zone of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO).

A statement issued on Monday

by Mr Stephen Ayomoba of the Corporate Affairs Office, South-West zone of NICO, stated that the event was scheduled for Dec.12, at the Senior Staff Club, Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo.

“As the holiday season approaches, the South West Zone of the institute is organising the maiden edition of Children’s Cultural Fiesta.

“The event, which will have 18 public and private secondary schools participating, will feature quiz and debate in Yoruba, traditional hairstyling, cooking, choral music and poetry,’’ the statement said.

It explained that the aim of the event was to encourage young ones to take pride in the country’s culture in their formative years, “so that they can live with it as they grow”.

It added that Ondo State Ministry of Education had endorsed the programme and directed schools to participate.

According to the statement, Mrs Olukemi Mimiko , wife of Ondo Governor is expected to be the mother of the day.

“The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Tayo Oluwatuyi, will be the father of the day,” it added.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Imo to showcase Igbo culture during ‘Ozuruimo’ carnival

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rs Ugochi NnannaOkoro, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Imo, said that the forthcoming ‘Ozuruimo’ cultural carnival would showcase the vast culture and tourism potentials of the state.

She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that the five-day carnival, scheduled to begin on Dec. 12, would be filled with many

cultural activities.

Nnanna-Okoro said preparations for the carnival were in top gear, adding that the state government had created an enabling environment to make this year’s carnival a memorable one.

“The carnival would inspire both the indigenes and outsiders to cherish the vast cultural and tourism potentials of Imo. “The state government had rehabilitated roads which

would aid visitors to drive smoothly during the event,’’ Nnanna-Okoro said.

She said the event would feature a colourful carnival, dances, songs, artworks, masquerades, traditional wrestling, food exhibition and cultural beauty contests.

Nnanna-Okoro said that school children would dress in traditional attire to showcase the Igbo culture through debate in Igbo language.

“This carnival would also teach both young and old that their language is important for proper identification,’’ the commissioner said.

She said that the organising committee had made arrangements to invite both local and foreign artistes to perform during the carnival.

The commissioner said that Gov. Rochas Okorocha had provided enormous support for the carnival.

Ex Kogi Dep. Governor to write book on political experience

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Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, with members of Omenimo Dancers at the flag-off of 2012 Ozuruimo Festival recently

Ohaneze approves 3 international festivals to unite Ndi-Igbo T

he Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, an Igbo socio-cultural group, on Friday announced the approval of three international festivals, which it said would boost unity of Ndi Igbo both at home and in the Diaspora.

Chief Rommey Ezeonwuka, an Ohaneze chieftain, told newsmen at Enugwu-Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area, on Anambra during the 2012 Olili Obibia Eri Festival.

He said that the festivals were: the Igbo New Yam festival (Iwa ji Ndi-Igbo nile), counting the Igbo Calendar (Igu Aro Igbo) and Olili Obibia Eri festival (visit of Igbo in Diaspora)..

NAN reports that the Olili Obibia Eri festival featured cleansing of 10 AfricanAmericans, who are from Igbo extraction at the Omabala River, from the stigma of slavery that had haunted them and their forefathers after the slavery trade in Africa.

Ezeonuwka said that Ohaneze had decided to support the festivals and make them an international event, which would attract all Igbos in and

outside the country as well as African-Americans of Igbo extraction.

He said that the festivals would help to further unite NdiIgbo culturally, since it would be staged in the three most significant communities in Igbo history and genealogy; namely Igbo-Ukwu, Agukwu-Nri and Enugwu-Aguleri.

“We have approved the Iwa ji Igbo (New Yam festival); Igu Aro Igbo (Beginning of Igbo Calendar Year) and Olili Obibi Eri festival.

‘The three festivals will be held to unite the three principal lineages to the progenitor of all Igbos, who is Eri himself.

“Igbo-Ukwu would host the New Yam; Agukwu-Nri would host the Beginning of Igbo Calendar Year; while EnugwuAguleri would continue to host the Olili Obibia Eri festival,’’ he said.

Ezeonwuka, who is also the Ogirishi Igbo, noted that Ohaneze came out with the idea to stop strive between the three principal kingdoms laying claim to the great progenitor of Igbos – Eri. In a welcome address, Eze

Chukwuemeka Eri, the Eze Aka Ji-Ofor-Igbo, said that the Olili Obibi Eri festival was to unity all Igbos notwithstanding their place of abode.

Eri, however, called on African-Americans of Igbo extraction to come home and be cleansed from all stigma of slavery and get the blessing from their ancestral home for their spiritual and economic progress.

“I urge you to convince our brothers and sisters over in America on the need for them to come home to Igbo-land and have their cleansing and its enormous benefits,’’ Eri, the traditional ruler of Enugwu Aguleri, said.

Mr Craig Wilkins, one of the cleansed “African-Americans”, said that he felt rejuvenated after the cleansing exercise and was excited about the culture and hospitality of Nigerians, especially the Enugwu-Aguleri people.

Highlight of the occasion was conferment of chieftaincy titles to three eminent Nigerians, which included Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters.

(NAN)

ormer Deputy Governor of Kogi, Mr Philips Salau,plans to write a book on his experience in governance as number two citizen of the state between 2003 and 2011.

Salau said this at the launch of a book: “The World Shall Return”, written by his former Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yusuf Itopa, last Thursday at the NUJ press centre, Lokoja.

He said there were three principal physical legacies a man could leave which included children, tree planting and writing of books.

He said that of the three legacies he had achieved two: children and tree planting, adding that he would now go into book writing with his political experience providing a rich base.

Salau noted that great people of old impacted on the world through the books they wrote from their experiences, adding that the world was still benefiting from such books.

He pointed out that his experience as Deputy Governor for eight years and eight months were worth writing about, saying that there was need to chronicle the good, the bad and the ugly sides of his tenure.

He enjoined personalities present at the book launch to learn from the book saying, “Those that are doing good should have hope. Whatever you sow, you reap and whatever situation you find yourself, do good.”

The book reviewer, Prof.

Sunday Ododo of University of Maiduguri, represented by Steve Salau of National Orientation Agency (NOA), commended Itopa for deploying excellent literary tactics in the work.

Mr Ado Okino, chairman of the occasion, and Sole Administrator, Kogi Property and Investment Company, decried the dying reading culture among children and urged parents to buy books and insist their children and wards read them.

The author, Itopa, said he drew his inspiration to write the 105-page book, a methaphor and parables of the “Circle of Life” comprising 42 poems, from an aspect of Ebira people’s theology.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 41

NFF to reconstitute committees this month

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he dissolved technical and disciplinary and organising sub-committees are likely to be reconstituted this month by the executive committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The two committees were dissolved last November in line with its statutes to act accordingly - two years after their inauguration.

President of the NFF, Aminu

Maigari, said the standing committees will be reconstituted in December.

“We have heard all sorts of rumours about this but the truth is that the NFF acted within the limits of its statutes. These committees were inaugurated two years ago and they are due to be reconstituted. That will be done before the end of the year,” Maigari said.

The NFF chief also took the time to speak about the 2012 annual general meeting (AGM) of the federation which will hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

It was speculated that several members of the federation’s hierarchy had kicked against the choice of Port Harcourt as venue for the AGM following several comments credited to the Rivers State governor, Chibuike

Amaechi that the NFF is a corrupt organisation.

Maigari has now moved to deny the allegations stating that the issue has now been put to bed.

“There is no controversy about the choice of Port Harcourt. We (NFF) will be in the city to deliberate on issues relating to our football and look for ways to take the game forward,” he said.

The 2012 AGM will be held from December 12 to 14 in Port Harcourt.

Eagles fly out to Portugal Dec 27

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he Super Eagles will begin conscious final phase preparations for the 2013 Nations Cup away from the prying eyes of members of the sporting press and the general public in far away Faro, Portugal, on December 27.

The Eagles, who have been on recess since defeating Liberia 6-1 in the continental qualifying cracker and the international friendly game against Venezuela, which they also won, are to resume camping on December 17 in Abuja.

“The home boys would be in camp from December 17 with the successful players heading to Faro, Portugal on December 27 in preparation for the Catalonia friendly on January 2,” disclosed spokesman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ademola Olajire.

“The foreign-based stars are to begin arriving on January 4 to allow the coach beat the January 9 deadline of submission of squads for the tournament.”

Olajire also confirmed that coach Stephen Keshi is expected to return to the country this weekend preparatory to next weekend’s resumption of the camp.

“Coach Stephen Keshi is expected to return to the country this weekend and back to Abuja on Monday after which he should make his home-based list public,” he said.

Eaglets to regroup February

By Albert Akota 100 Metres men at the 18th national sports festival 2012, yesterday in Lagos.

Photo: NAN

Plots to oust Baribote gather momentum in Abuja

By Patrick Andrew

T

he Nigeria Premier League (NPL) has been synonymous with petty altercations for about half a decade now. It started during the era of Sani Lulu Abdullahi, the President of the NFF, whose board had insisted on subjugating the Chief Oyuki Obaseki-led NPL board.

Obaseki resisted and the league suffered summersault. He, along with two others, was placed under ban for varying number of years from participation in football activities. That ban had terrible spillover effect as it fertilized other conflicts areas including placement of referees, match commissioners’ appointment and creation of a parallel referees’ bodyFRAN. A shadowy parallel NFA was muted, but it remained surreptitious.

The dragnet of victims was extended to Salihu Abubakar, who was re-deployed to the National Sports Commission (NSC) that had barely veiled its partisan interest in dealing in the leadership of the NPL allegedly on account of Obaseki’s stubborn refusal to surrender the huge vault of the league board for “supervision”.

But Obaseki weathered the

storm. He was reinstated after series of meetings and consequent upon snowballing crises that did not just threatened the domestic league but the integrity of the game in Nigeria together with its socioeconomic impact on a large population.

However, Obaseki’s era did not end as expected. It left in its tow an unnecessary leadership conflict.

Davidson Owumi allegedly breached processes presumably with the backing of Obaseki to mount the saddle.

Then ensued no little tussle for the soul of the domestic league alas to the detriment of the game itself and the integrity of the football administration in the country,

Nigerian Football icons were readily the boots of cruel jokes at international fora.

Legal cases marked Owumi’s troubled super-intention of the league, and it was the same legal hurdles that he had sought to capitalize on that ousted him. Enter Victor Baribote. He, like Owumi, rode on the back of legal nicety to the throne.

In the process, he dislodged the likes of Akinboboye, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, Ray Nnaji, the last two were later compensated in a truce brokered by Bolaji Abdullahi, the then Minister with extended supervision to the NSC. But Victorr Baribote’s sojourn on the stool of the NPL has been

Victor Baribote, Oyuki Obaseki, two leaderships, different administrative drifts

anything but rosy. Many think he is bereft of the same dogged spirit with which he had fought to assume the mantle of leadership of the league body.

The league seems to be in the doldrums and not a few have attributed it to Baribote’s little or no visionary leadership mien. Besides, his antagonists- and they include key elements that had served as foot soldiers in the battle to enthrone him- say he is in wants of the depth and clout to drive the train in a manner reminiscent of Obaseki or even remotely close to it.

So, they want him out. The plots had been muted severally. But nothing come close to orchestrated gathering of the league clubs’ zonal representatives meeting here in Abuja where they met last night to fine-tuned their strategies against the removal of the ‘hedge’ on the path of a smooth league organisation.

They say Baribote’s seemingly want of clout has denied the league the much needed sponsorship: being bereft of administrative charisma, the image, character, integrity and essence which had been visible, and indeed palpable under the leadership of Obaseki.

Today, the final phase of the plots would thicken when they meet to dot the is and cross the ts ahead of tomorrow’s vexed congress in Kano.

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head of the Africa U-17 Championship slated to hold between April 13 and April 27 in Morocco, Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets are expected to resume camping from next February for the closed door exercise.

Only yesterday, the team returned from Mali through Lome to Lagos before moving straight to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, where they played a commemorative match with Akwa Ibom U-17 in celebration of Governor Godswill Akpabio’s 58th birthday on Sunday December 9.

The Eaglets had on Sunday booked their ticket for 2013 African youth Championship after thrashing the junior Eagles of Mali 4-0 on aggregate.

The Chief Media Officer of the football federation, Ademola Olajire, said that adequate measures were being put in place for the team to excel in the continental tournament.

“The football house is happy with their outstanding performance so far during the qualifying stages and will do it can to ensure they have adequate preparations before the African U-17 Championship begin.

“After their camping here in Nigeria, the team will also camp elsewhere before moving to Morocco in April,” Olajire said.

The Golden Eaglets now awaits their opponent as the draw for the competition is expected to hold December 9 in Cairo Egypt, the team qualified alongside Botswana, Congo, Cote d’ivore, Gabon, Ghana, Tunisia and host Morocco.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Mancini hopes the Toures miss Nations Cup

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PUBLIC NOTICE

NEW FRONTIER YOUTH ASSOCIATION

anchester City manager Roberto Mancini hopes the trio of Yaya Touré, Kolo Toure and Abdul Razak, all prominent players for the Elephants of Cote D’ Ivoire, miss the January African Cup of Nations.

The Italian, who relies heavily on the services of Yaya to stabilise the engineroom, may if possible, stop or alternatively delay the trio’s trip to South Africa because City will play some crucial matches that could determine their chances of retaining the English Premier League shield.

“If we lose Yaya and Kolo Touré, and perhaps Abdul Razak, who has played little but who could be important in January, we will be deprived in the case of injury. I hope that they don’t go to play in this competition,” stated Roberto Mancini.

That is one way to put pressure on the Elephants’ playmaker, who has always declared his love of the

orange and green jersey.

“As an Ivoirian and an African, I know that it is an event of the utmost importance, the major meeting of the continent for all African players,” explained Yaya Touré a few weeks ago.

Come what may, Manchester City cannot oppose the departure of the Ivoirians, if the latter express their desire to respond positively to their call-up to the national team. FIFA regulations demand that players be liberated two weeks before the start of the competition.

But it is common knowledge that clubs have many ways of pressurising their African internationals in order to dissuade them from joining their national teams.

The absence of the Touré brothers in South Africa would be an extremely harsh blow for Côte d’Ivoire coach Sabri Lamouchi, whose mission it is to bring the Cup home to Abidjan.

PUBLIC NOTICE

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PINACLE OF GRACE CHURCH

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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

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PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

UEFA Champions League

Bayern looking for revenge to seal top spot

B

ayern Munich looking for a victory to guarantee them finishing as Group F winners German giants Bayern Munich will be on the lookout for revenge when they tackle Belarusian outfit BATE Borisov at the Allianz Arena tonight in their UEFA Champions League Group F encounter.

Bayern Munich need a match day six victory to guarantee

finishing as Group F winners and will be confident of doing so against BATE, who have lost their way since winning their first two games, including a 3-1 defeat of the German giants.

A 1-1 draw at Valencia on match day five ensured qualification for Jupp Heynckes’ team. It left the sides level on ten points but Bayern have the advantage due to a superior head-

to-head record.

Holger Badstuber is the main casualty for Bayern Munich as they look to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League as Group F winners. The Germany international was stretchered off during the Bavarians’ 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund at the weekend after tearing the cruciate ligaments in his right knee.

Heynckes will also be without a host of first team players through injury, including Luiz Gustavo and Arjen Robben, for Bayern’s final group game, safe in the knowledge that if they can match or better Valencia’s result in France, they will qualify as group winners.

Meanwhile, BATE are guaranteed a place in the Europa League after Christmas following

their loss to Lille last month, but cannot be overtaken by the Ligue 1 side due to their superior headto-head record.

Head coach Viktor Goncharenko has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the encounter and could name the same starting XI that defeated Shakhtyor last weekend.

The last time these two teams met saw the Belarusian side secure an impressive 3-1 win over Bayern back in October, denying the Bundesliga side a 10th straight win at the time.

Benfica dream Barcelona upset to edge Celtic

S

elf belief is important and Benfica seem to have that in abundance as they claim they have enough quality to get the result they need to reach the Champions League last 16 away at Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Barcelona have already qualified and could choose to test-run their academy lads as they did in the domestic cup game last week.

The “Eagles” are second in Group G, level on seven points with Celtic, but have a better head-to-head record than the Scottish outfit. They need to achieve a result that at least matches Celtic’s at home to Spartak Moscow to reach the last 16.

Midfielders Eduardo Salvio, Enzo Perez, Pablo Aimar and Carlos Martins are injury concerns for coach Jesus. But said his side will travel believing they can surprise Barca in their own back yard.

“The truth is they have one player who makes the difference and, without him, Barcelona are not as strong,” Jesus said. “Whether

or not (Lionel) Messi plays, we go there to win.”

World Player of the Year Messi created both goals in Barca’s 2-0 win in Lisbon in October and may get another stab at beating former Germany and Bayern Munich striker Gerd Mueller’s record of 85 goals scored in a calendar year set back in 1972.

The Argentine forward netted twice in the 5-1 rout of Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Saturday, and is now just one goal short of Mueller’s tally.

Victory for Juventus would see the Italians clinch top spot, however, Shakhtar would still claim second ahead of Chelsea should both sides finish level on 10 points as the Ukrainians have a better head-to-head advantage.

Celtic go into their final Group G fixture against bottom side Spartak Moscow needing to earn a better result than Benfica achieve at Barcelona, who are already assured of first place.

The Scottish champions were

held to a frustrating 1-1 draw with third-tier Arbroath in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup over the weekend, but manager Neil Lennon said Saturday’s disappointment would have no bearing on the midweek outcome at Parkhead.

Manchester United are qualified as winners of Group H, with Alex Ferguson likely to field another youthful side against CFR Cluj but one that may feature Nemanja Vidic.

The Serbian defender has been sidelined since mid-September after undergoing knee surgery, and his presence would be a welcome return to a porous United backline that was brutally exposed in the club’s 4-3 win over relegation candidates Reading at the weekend.

An inexperienced line-up could play into the hands of the Romanians, who must better Galatasaray’s result at alreadyeliminated Braga tonight to usurp the Turkish outfit for a spot in the round of 16.

Defending champions, Chelsea, face ignominious exit

By Patrick Andrew

E

ven if the UEFA Champions League defending champions, Chelsea, defeat FC Nordsjaelland with a wide margin today, they could still be eliminated from the prestigious European elite clubs contest.

The defending champions face the ignominy of becoming the first title-holders to fail to advance to the Champions League knockout stage as the final round of group fixtures takes place tonight.

Fernando Torres, Chelsea

The champions are three and two points adrift of leaders Shakhtar and Juventus respectively and, could therefore be eliminated if the Ukrainian team suffers a defeat in the hands of their Italian opponents.

Chelsea therefore are not in control of their fate and would be in fervent prayers for the leaders to beat the Old Ladies, who pounded the then Roberto Di Mateo led side 3-0, a result that earned him a sack.

That loss deepened their dip in form. Rafael Benitez, the new helsman has yet to rekindle their fighting spirit. So is the low in

Chelsea that their faithfuls would even be content with the busparking system that assisted them to edge Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Last Sunday, the Blues were humiliated, the second of such defeat within weeks and it evokes sad memories of days prior to the advent of Jose Mourinho. They have failed to win in seven league outings, a record that is hard to imagine by the usual exuberant fans.

Benitez’s presence has changed nothing as he managed to secure two draws before West Ham United turned them back like a dejected rain-soaked dog.

The former Liverpool boss could win his first game today since taking over as he faces Nordsjaelland that have only collected one point from possible 15 of the five games played so far.

However, it is instructive that they earned their only point against Juventus, the same team that humbled Chelsea 3-0. Football clearly is no mathematics and Chelsea could learn the hard should they under rate their opponents.

Nordsjaelland come into tonight’s game on high as they defeated Brondby 3-0 ahead of their Champions League encounter and perhaps may be buoyed up by the

Lionel Messi depressing performances of the Blues.

They could compound Chelsea’ domestic woes if they take full advantage of the Blues’ defensive inconsistencies and blunt attack.

That’s of late, because when they clashed in the first leg even in Denmark, Chelsea were on rampage.

Juan Mata scored a brace, while David Luiz and Ramires added the other two goals. Fernando Torres was not on the score sheet and has only been once ever since. Benitez may likely rotate the squad as he has promised but he would give premium to the offensive region where Chelsea are yet to profit from Torres.

Against West Ham, the entire squad was in a disarray forcing Benitez to slam the John Terry skipper team for lack of physical fitness and mental acumen.

Juventus have a plus seven goals advantage, while Chelsea with two points behind have a plus one goal, meaning that they must beat the Danish team with as many as six goals and pray that the Old Ladies conceed three or four goals without scoring any in Ukraine.

Again, a draw for Juventus is as good as securing them the needed ticket while the opponents would be the case for Chelsea.

Whatever, the result in the other game, Chelsea must first collect the maximum points to harbour any hope of profiting from the outcome of Shakhtar, Juventus game in the Ukraine.

FIXTURES Shakhtar vs Juventus Braga vs Galatasaray Barcelona vs Benfica Lille vs Valencia B/Munich vs BATE Chelsea vs FC Nordsjaelland Man Utd vs CFR Cluj Celtic vs Spartak Group E Teams

MP W D L GF GA Pts

Shakhtar Donetsk 5

3

1 1 12 7

Juventus

5

2

3 0 11 4

10 9

Chelsea

5

2

1 2 10 9

7

Nordsjaelland

5

0

1 4 3

1

D L GF GA Pts

16

Group F Teams

MP

W

Valencia

5

3

1 1 11 5

10

Bayern Munich 5

3

1 1 11 6

10

BATE

5

2

0 3 8

11 6

Lille

5

1

0 4 4

12 3

Group G Teams

MP

W

D L GF GA Pts

Barcelona

5

4

0 1 11 5

12

Celtic

5

2

1 2 7

7

7

Benfica

5

2

1 2 5

5

7

Spartak Moscow 5

1

0 4 6

12 3

Group H Teams

W D L GF

GA

Manchester United 5

MP

4 0 1 9

5

Pts 12

CFR-Cluj

5

2 1 2 8

7

7

Galatasaray

5

2 1 2 5

5

7

SC Braga

5

1 0 4 6

11

3

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 45

Director says only competent coaches can produce quality athletes

J Police arrest coach, five players over freefor-all-fight

F

or the third consecutive times, fight broke at the Yaba College of Technology venue of the football match between Enugu and Osun state.

Though the match ended 1-1, but trouble ensued following alleged verbal abuse of a Team Enugu player when the latter went to lodge complaint to match officials but was prevented by security operatives who opted to jeer at him, instead.

In turn, the player took on a female that had been part of the jeering group, but unknown to him, the lady, though clad in civil dress was one of the operatives. Subsequently, her colleagues assaulted him to the chagrin of members of Team Enugu who joined in the ensuing battle.

However, with the intervention of the police, five members of Team Enugu and their coach Benedict Ugwu, were eventually arrested and taken to the Sabo Police Station Ugwu later told newsmen that they had sought to lodge a complaint to the officials but were prevented by the security operatives, adding that unfair officiating gives the Games bad image.

He called for more objective assessment of matches by officials to engender credibility and growth of the round leather game.

“We suspected the antics of the referee from the beginning of the game. We earned a free kick that was not awarded and he went ahead to award a penalty to Osun which was uncalled for.

“The fans as you can see are not comfortable with what happened here today (Tuesday) and with things like this, football will never grow in this country,” Ugwu said.

He regretted that the fight broke out and urged the organisers to ensure that officiating was fair to avoid such situations.

YABATECH had recorded similar troubles in the match between Gombe and Kwara and physically challenged athletes almost marred the game between Gombe and Osun football teams.

oshua Kio, Director, Rivers Institute of Sports, has urged sports administrators to employ quality coaches who would in turn identify and nurture budding talents to sterdom.

Kio, a former national tripple and long jump champion, said in Port Harcourt that lack of quality coaching and coaches had affected

the performance of athletes in major competitions.

Kio claimed that the country was able to produce quality athletes in the 1970’s, because there were competent coaches who were serious minded and focused on breeding new stars.

“To achieve success in sports, we have to employ the services of the best local and foreign coaches and

also improve our administration and financial commitment to sports.

“We must spend money to achieve our objectives because the idea of not spending money on sports programmes has impacted negatively on sports development,” he said.

Kio, who participated in the U13 junior category of the maiden edition of the National Sports

NHF disqualifies Ekiti male hockey team from festival

T

he Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF) yesterday disqualified the Ekiti male hockey team from further participation at the ongoing 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) over alleged of ineligible players, whose identity they were accused of distorting.

Walter Imoedemhe, the NHF Technical Director, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that the offence was against the sports festival’s rules.

He said that Team Rivers on Monday protested Team Ekiti’s fielding of ineligible players which led the NHF jury, after a thorough investigation, to disqualify Ekiti players.

Imoedemhe reiterated that the federation would no longer tolerate such offences, saying that they could bring both the NHF and the National Sports Commission (NSC) into disrepute.

“I am still warning that states should desist from these acts

which will not portray the NHF in good light. Stiffer penalties will be given to any erring state which is found culpable,” the technical director warned.

Ondo State female team was also disqualified for the same offence on Monday.

As a result of the disqualification, Ondo lost three points, as well as three goals and also paid a fine of N10, 000 to their Lagos counterparts, who lodged the complaint.

In the men’s matches played

Action during men's football match between team Oyo (brown) and team Katsina, at the 18th Photo: NAN National Sports Festival in Lagos.

Festival in Lagos in 1973, also called on sports administrators to adopt a common training programme for athletes.

According to him, if we want to be like Jamaica, Kenya and other countries that are doing well in athletics, we must be ready to develop a programme that will guarantee our continuous development in sports. on Monday, Team Adamawa and Team Oyo drew 0-0 at the end of regulation time as the game was decided 3-2 through a penalty shoot-out, in favour of Adamawa.

Team Kaduna also defeated team Anambra 1-0, Team Plateau held Team Imo to a 0-0 draw, while Team Bauchi lost 03 to Team Lagos.

... As Council queries hockey coach, association scribe

T

he Ondo State Sports Council has queried the coach of its female hockey team and the secretary of the state Hockey Association over the team’s disqualification at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Lagos.

Bamido Omogbehin, Chairman of the state Sports Council (OSSC), who disclosed this in Lagos yesterday, said the council awaits explanations from the coach and the secretary for fielding ineligible players that led to the team’s disqualification.

“When we were giving awards to athletes, I stressed on their being good ambassadors of the state. It is not compulsory that we win in all events; anybody that cheats acts on his own, not on behalf of the council.

“Queries had been handed down to the coach and the secretary of the association, and they have been asked to reply quickly,” he said.

Idowu Akinbulumo, General Manager of the sports council, however, advised coaches to avoid any acts that could tarnish the image of the state.

The players, Bamitale Bamidele and Linda Nwafor allegedly presented fake identification cards during their group game against Team Lagos, a development that led protest and their eventual disqualification.

Knockouts galore as boxing gets underway

N

o fewer than six knockouts were recorded yesterday as the male boxing event gather momentum at the on-going 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos.

In the 91kg category, Borno’s Raheem Yaya threw a right hook screamer to knock out Victor Ani of Rivers in round 1, while Babatunde Yusuf of Oyo beat Ignatius Obe of Osun by 5-0 points also in the 91kg.

Onyekwere Ndubusi, also of Osun, lost 5-0 to Solomon Jegede of Oyo on points, in the same category.

Isiaka Kazeem of Akwa Ibom cruised past Obiora Chike of Ebonyi 7-1 on points, Innocent Ehwareme

of Delta sent Olatunji Olajide to the canvas, forcing the referee to stop the contest in round 1.

Tony David of Anambra beat Chedon Ike of Adamawa 9-1 on points, while Gabriel Francis of Lagos defeated Ovie Victor of Ogun, with referee stopping the contest in round 1 to end fights in the category.

In the 81kg category, Jolly Osayande of Edo lost 5-8 to Ambrose Godwin of Benue, while Sango Muritala of Lagos out -classed Alex Agbe of Anambra, forcing the latter to retire in round 2.

In other 81kg bouts, Hope Ekandem of Akwa Ibom beat Otumarcel Alh of

Kogi, with the referee stopping contest in round 3, while Uviesherhe Oteg of Delta lost narrowly by 1-2 to Nehikhare Nosa of Oyo. The referee stopped the contest in round 1 as Lawal Rasheed of Osun beat Akinkugbe Akinsende of Borno, while Abdul Mohammed of Plateau lost 0-4 to Ikong Franklyn of Rivers.

Azeez Robinson of Abia out-classed Samson Akpan of Cross River 16-4, while in the day’s last 81kg bout, Rasheed Fatai of Ogun beat Edeh Chinedu of Imo 3-2.

In the +91kg category, Joseph Aikore of Edo lost 2-5 to Femi Olabode of Oyo. In other bouts of

the category, Ajagba Efe of Delta sent Bakare Taoheed of Borno to the canvas, forcing the referee to stop the contest in the first round.

The referee also stopped the contest in the third round as Omorege Osamoede of Abia outclassed David Ikechukwu of Ondo.

However, a walkover was recorded in bout number 154 as Oki Eke of Benue was declared winner after his opponent, Iyalla Joel of Rivers, failed to show up.

The day’s bout ended with Adesina Ogundeji of Enugu State squeezing past Orizu Chibuzor of Anambra 3-2 on points.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 47

Quick CrossWord (83)

Say what?

ACROSS 1 Mollycoddles (7) 5 Ebenezer Scrooge, for example (5) 9 Computer data on paper (4-3) 10 One Flew over the __ Nest, 1975 movie (7) 11 Mindscreen’s cleaner (5) 12 Ornamental tuft (9) 14 Make fun of (4,2) 18 Stick close through adhension (5) 20 Front tooth used for cutting (7) 22 Interminable (7) 23 Vessel for liquid (5) 24 Inuit canoe (5) 25 Quite old (7)

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 Strong-smelling animal of the weasel family (7) 2 __ Moments, Perry Como song (5) 3 Most commonly pierced part of the body (3,4) 4 Tension (6) 5 Cat cry (5) 6 Bent down (7) 7 Revolving engine component (5) 13 Insubstantial in construction (7) 15 Broke free (7) 16 Leafy herb often used as a garnish (7) 17 Bodily flesh (6) 18 Audacity (5) 19 Native of Athens, perhaps (5) 21 Klammer of Killy, eg (5)

Yesterday’s answer

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Yesterday’s solution

Bravest parrots descended on chocolate drink in a café, in Queensland, Australia where the drink had been left unattended for a few seconds too long. Source: Dailymail.co.uk

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

. . . putting the people first

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

I’m af

stand any chance of qualifying but they face a player who has a record of 165 goals in 162 appearances for his club.

City boss Mancini said: "A player that scores one or two goals a game is an incredible player.

But the City boss insisted that his team must not be afraid to express themselves, despite describing Real as one of the world's top two teams.

“It is my opinion that Real Madrid is the best team in the world with Barca and when you play against Real, you play against 11 top players," he added.

Carlos Tevez, 28, played alongside 27-year-old Ronaldo during their time at Manchester United and he labelled his former team-mate as "very, very dangerous.

“Cristiano is one of the best players in the world and he will play in this game the way he always has done," said the Argentine City forward.

The Premier League side have collected just two points from their first four matches.

They must beat Real at the Etihad and win in the away fixture at Borussia Dortmund to have any chance of making the knockout stage.

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QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE Today's leaders must reconsider Sir (Ahmadu) Bello's life and remind themselves that no one loses their eminence because of humility and dedication to duty.

–– Prof Ibrahim Gambari, former Nigerian Permanent Representative at the United Nations

Why Arewa needs to re-think Jonathan T

he political community called Northern Nigeria starts a major conference on strategy and sustainable development tomorrow, Thursday in Kaduna. It is an important summit that will also discuss “the North and the Nigerian Federation”. Since this is what all the other sub-sections of the country are doing, the significance of this one convened by the Arewa House, the Centre for Historical Documentation and Research of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, should be recognized for its significance.

The conference is being chaired by the most senior exPresident of Nigeria alive, General Yakubu Gowon and it parades a galaxy of the North’s most shinning scholars and thinkers such as Dr. Junaid Mohammed, Dr. Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed, Mr. Sam NdaIsaiah, Professor J. Yayok, Professor Gidado Tahir and Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo.

The speakers also include the former Army Chief of Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Professor Kyari Mohammed and a former Inspector-General of Police and Sardaunan Katsina, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie. Two very seminal inter-faith scholars, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah and Dr. Usman Bugaje are also among the lead speakers.

If you thought that much of their time would be devoted to the issue of a broken North and how to mend it, you guessed right. But as they attempt to find a solution to the criminality parading as inter-ethnic and inter-religious crises bedevilling the North as well as those well-known issues of poverty and underdevelopment, I hope that they find time to address the side issue of the North’s current lukewarm response to the Jonathan Presidency.

The perception among many is that the North has been feeling smitten, having been deprived of what is its rightful turn to produce a President for the country for an eight year period. Following the death-in-office of President Umaru Yar’adua barely two years into office and his succession by the then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan and the subsequent manipulation of the ruling party’s zoning principle to outwit the

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MUSINGS By

Garba Shehu garshehu@yahoo.co.in

President Goodluck Jonathan North in last year’s general elections, many in the region’s position of leadership and responsibility have retreated into the background in the mistaken belief that this government is not our own government. By this, they seem to be saying that “since the North has lost the Presidency, we are not in power. Let those who have forcefully taken power rule and let us see what they make of the country”.

There is something to worry about from the way things are going. The North has many experienced leaders and statesmen - men and women - who have proved their mettle keeping this country one through war and peace and ensuring stability and modest progress in spite of the visible odds. It is odd that these wise men have in a way withheld their wisdom, skills and experience from an ill-prepared and inexperienced leader. As a consequence, the good people have kept their distance from him and the President is left with no other option than to fall into the embrace of rogues and

demagogues. The country is already paying a price for this.

Worse still, Northern leaders are apathetic to offering advice because they are perceived as suspects in terror attacks.

The North complains that the federal government is not applying its full competence in dealing with the religious cumcriminal insurgency in Borno, Yobe, Kano, Kaduna and such other places like the FCT and Plateau state. There are lingering suspicions that the country’s new rulers have allowed Boko Haram to fester so as to damage the North irretrievably so that the region cannot raise its hand to reclaim power, not to mention a repeat of the dominance in that respect that the North once had. Former Anambra state Governor, Chief Emeka Ezeife, gave credence to this perception in a newspaper interview in which he said the Igbos should have the Presidency in 2015 because the North is so overwhelmed with security challenges to have the time for power. This notwithstanding, the President needs to be helped, assuming he is open to such assistance so that he succeeds in totally eliminating the insurgency in the region because without doing so, the North will continue its accelerated decline in industry, commerce, education and overall social ranking and well-being.

This country is not Jonathan’s country. It is not an Ijaw colony and it needs coming together of all of us to fight to preserve it. An attitude that says “I am a bystander. I will do nothing to help them” is a negative attitude that does not augur well for the country. This attitude as manifested by the wrongful decision of a former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, to say “I will not negotiate on behalf of either government or Boko Haram”. This is unhelpful to the

North and the country as a whole.

This attitude will neither hurt President Jonathan nor his Ijaw ruling clan. Jonathan does not personally suffer Boko Haram neither does Diezani Allison – Maduekwe both of whom are in the news for the perfidy in the oil industry. After six or ten years that he apparently aspires to do, Dr. Jonathan will one day leave office.

The one who takes over from him, a Northerner or whoever it is would not like to spend his four or eight years fixing Jonathan’s dedevelopment of the nation.

Whatever good Jonathan does is for the good of the country. If on the other hand he is given the license to allow terrorism and crude oil theft to prosper and for corruption to become the order of the day, it is the nation, not Jonathan that will languish in suffering. Jonathan, Diezani and their crowd have name, fame and fortune that can guarantee that they live and prosper in this country after leaving office and nothing happens to them. As we saw recently from Borno where a High Court sent a telephone handset thief to life in prison, the law in this country is effective dealing with the lower segments of the society. Big men who go to jail do so because they have stolen too little or are tight-fisted to share with others. Additional option is for the President after his term is to flee to any one of the banana republics on the continent that remains untouched by international law.

Whatever becomes of Nigeria would then be for his successor in office to deal with.

The North must use this strategic summit to come out with a plan on how to prevent a Jonathan failure. The failure of the President will translate into the failure of the country but the North can, and should stop this happening.

In his book on Sir. Kashim Ibrahim, Professor Adele Jinadu quoted the late Premier of the Northern Region and the Sardaunan Sokoto, Alhaji Sir. Ahmadu Bello, as saying: Every community is the best judge of its own situation. Therefore, as this important conference gets under way, Northern leaders must accept that the initiative to save the North must come from its own leaders. They have no reason to abandon themselves to despair and say that they are helpless.

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: +234 803 606 3308. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 5

Sacked Bauchi worker issues 7-day ultimatum From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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ivil servant sacked by the Bauchi State over the Facebook saga with Governor Isa Yuguda on the funding of his son’s wedding, has given the state government seven days ultimatum to be reinstated or face legal action.

It would be recalled that Ahmed Faggo, a civil servant in Bauchi state was sacked over a Facebook comment on governor Isa Yuguda’s funding of his son wedding with government fund.

A letter sent to the Bauchi

State Head of Service and signed by his counsel, Barrister UB Darazo said, “our client has informed us that his appointment with the Bauchi state Government which is governed by the Bauchi State Public Service Regulations (2001) was brought to an abrupt end by your letter dated 13th November 2012 with reference number GO/ESM/S/DIS/1/T.2.”

“However we have reviewed the entire process that led to the termination of our clients appointment and we realized that the proper procedures laid down

in the statute governing our clients service with Bauchi state government was not observed and our client was not given fair hearing before the purported termination of his appointment”, it stated.

The letter then demanded “the immediate re instatement of our client back to his service with all his entitlement and privileges of office…within seven days from the receipt of same, we shall be left with no option than to commence a stringent legal action against the Government of Bauchi state”.

Jonathan’s brother for burial Saturday

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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resident Jonathan will leave Abuja for Bayelsa state tomorrow to participate in the burial ceremonies of his younger brother, Chief Meni Innocent Jonathan who passed away on November 20, 2012.

Chief Jonathan is to be laid to rest on Saturday, December 8, 2012 at his hometown, Otuoke, in Ogbia Local Government Area the state.

His remains would be

conveyed from Abuja to Otuoke on Friday, December 7, 2012 and would be received by the Otuoke Council of Chiefs at the Otuoke Community Hall at 2.30pm on the same day.

There will be a Service of Songs for him at the Dame Patience Jonathan Square, Otuoke at 6pm that evening while a commendation service will be held at the St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Otuoke at 10 am on Saturday.

He will be interred after the commendation service.

Taraba gov stunned by destruction in Ibbi From Yusha'u Alhassan Jalingo

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araba state acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar has expressed dismay over the recent crisis in Ibbi.

He made the remarks yesterday when he visited the affected area.

The acting governor said no government would be happy with the destruction of lives and property as a result of the crisis.

Umar was conducted round the affected area by the chief of Ibi, Abubakar Salihu Danbawuro where he relaxed the curfew imposed on the town.

He called on those who fled the

area to come back as normalcy has been restored.

Meanwhile, the new sole administrator of Ibi local government, Alhaji Bello Yero arrived Ibbi yesterday after he was sworn-in by the state acting chief judge Josephine Tukur.

Our reporter who accompanied the sole administrator to Ibbi said he reported to office at 8.30 in the morning yesterday but met no staff.

He directed the staff to report to office immediately and warned them to take their jobs seriously, adding that their November salary be paid on the table.

FG trains 267 youths on agri-business

By Albert Akota

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onsolidating on the YouWin entrepreneurial empowerment scheme , the Federal Ministry of Youth Development has trained 267 youth entrepreneurs in agriculture drawn from the six geo-political zones in the country.

During the closing ceremony of the intensive empowerment training programme held at OdeOmu, Katsina and Sapele Centres, the minister, Inuwa Abdulkadir who was represented by officials of the ministry, expressed satisfaction at the conclusion of the programme Abdulkadir charged L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, receiving a report from the Chairman, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Chief Ernest Shonekan, during the presentation of his commission's report to the president, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Kwankwaso launches free medical clinics From Edwin Olofu, Kano

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ano state governor, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso has launched the Kano state Free Medical Mission and 16 ambulances for the state Mobile Clinic Programme tagged “Kwankwasiyya Medical Outreach”.

Speaking during the ceremony held at Government House, Kano, Kwankwaso explained that the medical mission was a fulfillment of his campaign promise to provide pro–poor services for the people.

He said the mission will not only provide the much needed but barely affordable services to the door step of the people but also provide opportunities for local health personnel to learn innovative techniques and procedures from foreign

partners.

The governor thanked the USbased medical mission for its sacrifice and humanitarian disposition, assuring that his government would continue to work with them to make life better for the citizenry.

Governor Kwankwaso stated that his government is working round the clock to renovate hospitals and provide them with facilities to save lives especially in the rural areas where the poverty rate is higher.

He maintained that the administration has put in place a buoyant drug revolving fund to assume steady supply of qualitative and affordable drugs to all health facilities in Kano states besides waging war against prohibited and counterfeit drugs.

Kwankwaso stated that the ambulances would be deployed to

major routes and other strategic referral centers in order to reduce suffering from accidents and other emergencies.

On his part, the team leader, Sustainable International Medical Mission, Dr. Chukuemeka Onwenu revealed that the mission was started by four Nigerian physicians based in the U.S. who had a vision to deliver quality medical care to people who cannot afford it, and create bridges with physicians in Nigeria to improve delivery of healthcare and provide programmes that sustains the sector.

Dr. Onwenu said the mission which comprises 36 professionals will offer services in General surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Urology and treat eye cases adding that they would work in Kano for two weeks.

participants to use their acquired skills to impact the society, expressing the desire of the Federal Government in seeing their skills used to give employment to others in their community.

He said the Ministry was working on other interventions directed at addressing youth restiveness caused by misery and joblessness such as the Youth Employment Programme.

The re-orientation and refresher training mainly focused on courses such as animal husbandry, crops production, food processing, bricks production, fishery, building technology and basic principles of entrepreneurship .

Resource control: FG has denied us ground rents - Gov Aliyu From Illya Garba, Minna

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he Federal Government has refused to succumb to the appeal by the Niger state government for the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to pay ground rents for the three hydroelectric dam projects in the state.

The Niger state government had requested the federal government to pay its accumulated ground rent of N13 billion for the lands hosting the Shiroro, Jebba and Kainji dams over the last 20 years.

Governor Babangida Aliyu who disclosed this when he presented the 2013 budget before the House of Assembly yesterday said the Attorney General of the Federation had written the state government stating the position of the federal government.

Aliyu said that federal government, in the letter, insisted that the three dams were

constructed in the interest of all Nigerians and that no single state could make request for ground rent.

He said that government has accepted the position of the Federal Government and dispelled rumours that the state had been receiving ground rent from PHCN. The governor also said that, under the concession arrangement of dams by the Federal Government, the Niger state government has protected the interest of the state and its people.

Aliyu explained that the state government has kept 10% stake for Shiroro dam in trust and would request for substantial stake at the Kainji and Jebba dams, adding that the administration is working out the modalities for the sale of the shares to the general public.

The 2013 budget, he said, would entail completion of all ongoing projects, preservation of peace and security.

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Presidential banquet hall: Rights activist rues FG From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos

L

agos based lawyer and human rights activist Chief Gabriel Giwa-Amu, has added his voice to the plethora of condemnations trailing the proposal by the Jonathan administration to spend N2.2 billion building a new banquet hall in the State House.

Speaking exclusively with our

correspondent in his Ikeja office, the principal partner of Stephen and Solomon Foundation an NGO that offers free legal services for indigent persons in jail Giwa-Amu remarked that it is very sad that the Federal Government is not aware of the excruciating pains its policies are impressing on the people.

Giwa-Amu wondered why in spite of 150 million Nigerians who

are wallowing in abject poverty, pain and penury caused by the government should be further insulted by the gluttonous appetite of the government to spend N2.2 billion of taxpayers' money for a banquet hall that has no meaning in whatever form to them. "What is the business of the average Nigeria with a banquet hall whose value is put at 2.2billion?" a visibly angry

Amu asked.

On the suggestion that the President may be oblivious of responses from controversies generated by the anti-peoples policies such as the current issue, Giwa-Amu retorted rhetorically: "Where is Rueben Abati, the great economist, social commentator,

unrepentant critic of government anti-people policies and intelligent professional? Where is Okonjo Iweala the great economist and all knowing "save the naira boss"? Where is Sanusi Lamido Sanusi who recently won the most prized award of being the most loquacious Governor of any Central Bank in the world?

NBC promises fair deal in Kogi/ Anambra boundary tussle From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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he National Boundary Commission (NBC), has disclosed that it will work strictly with the legal notice 126 of 1954 in determining the actual boundaries between Kogi and Enugu states.

Mohammed Bose Ahmad, Director General, NBC, made the disclosure at the joint meeting of officials on Kogi/Enugu interstate boundary committee held in Lokoja.

The DG who was represented by Shettima Bashir, Director, Internal Boundaries, NBC, urged the two states to work towards an amicable resolution of the dispute by accepting the earlier report which was inconclusive but with efforts geared towards correcting the areas of disagreement on the consensus lines

and points of disagreement.

In his speech, Yomi Awoniyi, Kogi state deputy governor, described the completion work on the tracing and provisional demarcation of the Kogi/ Enugu state boundary as both fundamental and pivotal to the sustenance of peace, security and development in the border communities between the two states.

Awoniyi called on the border communities of Kogi/Enugu to strive to maintain peace as it is prerequisite for meaningful development.

In his remarks, Sunday Onyebuchi, acting governor and chairman, Enugu State Boundary Committee, said the field tracing and provisional demarcation of the boundary followed the use of agreed instrument, the legal notice 126 of 1954.

Melaye misleading public on corruption campaign, NGO alleges

By Abdulwahab Isa

Borno state Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima (middle), in a group photograph with 50 graduates of Agriculture before their departure to Thailand for three-moth train-the-trainers course on integrated agriculture, yesterday in Maiduguri.

T

he Network for National Stability (NSS) a nongovernmental organisation has challenged former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dino

Disabled yet to have a legal framework for protection

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he president of Global Hope and Justice for the Less Privileged, Ihekwoaba Paul, has said that the less privileged and the physically challenged persons in the country are yet to have a legal framework for the protection and promotion of their rights and privileges.

Paul said this during the just concluded one-day national workshop of the Use and Safety of the Road and Persons with Disability: Challenges and Prospects.

In his words: "It is appalling to observe that in all the major cities in Nigeria including Abuja there is none that was designed with peoples with disabilities in mind.

"Today there is growing concern about the safety and convenience of the people with disabilities owning and driving their vehicles as a result of the dilapidated and dangerous nature of Nigerian roads and infrastructure".

At the event, a resource person and lecturer at the University of Abuja, Mr. Godwin Okaneme, advised that

motorists should patiently slow down when physically challenged persons are crossing the highways to avoid knocking them down.

In his words: "Commuters should learn to give their seats to persons with disabilities when such people enter buses especially when the seats are filled up. This is the standard practice in most countries of the world"‌he said

Melaye allegedly for feeding the public with unverifiable facts in his anti corruption campaign.

NSS national coordinator, Malam Usman Mohammed while addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja in the company of NNS executive secretary, Hon. Dubanic Mbagwu among other members of the group, tasked Melaye's anti-corruption body to always crosscheck facts to avoid misleading the public and heating up the polity.

Mohammed said while the NGO maintains total intolerance to corruption, "a situation where somebody is using a platform to blackmail an individual for favours he asked and was not given should be condemned.

Women farmers lament poor farming techniques Islamic scholars tasked on fatwas From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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omen farmers have observed that farming activities by them are still at subsistence level due to non-application of modern farming techniques.

The Community Women Farmers drawn from the three senatorial districts of Bauchi state, held a meeting tagged: 'Women Farmers' Annual Forum 2012'organised by the Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative (FAWOYDI) in collaboration with Actionaid Nigeria.

The meeting which had representatives from the state Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Ministry of Agriculture, Bauchi state

Agricultural Development Programme (Women in Agriculture, Micro Finance Bank of the Bauchi Investment Company, and FAWOYDI was held at the Development Exchange Centre (DEC), Bauchi.

At the event, participants noted that women farmers lack the requisite knowledge of how to access agricultural inputs and credit facilities being provided by government and other financial institutions.

They resolved in a communiquĂŠ after the meeting, that small-holder women farmers' network (SHOWFAN) should endeavour to complete their registration with relevant

cooperative societies to enable them access agricultural inputs (loans, equipment) for their farming activities by next year.

According to the communiquĂŠ, Fahimta should also facilitate the process of registration through the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation to ensure that the registration of SHOWFAN is completed before the end of the year 2012.

It said all SHOWFAN members in the six local government areas of the state should employ/engage services of extension workers in their various communities to improve their knowledge and basic understanding on modern farming techniques.

From Lawal Sa'idu Funtua, Katsina

A

high court judge in Katsina state, Justice Musa Abdullahi, has tasked Islamic scholars on issuing correct fatwas, (injunctions) to avoid mistakes in conducting religious rites.

The judge who made the call at a meeting of Munazzamatu Fitiyanul Islam, in Katsina, stressed the importance of combining religious education with Western education.

He similarly thanked ulamas for spreading religious knowledge and moral training in the society, advising them to practice what they teach.

In their separate paper presentations at the meeting, Shiekh Hadi Balarabe and Malam Bashir stressed the importance of peaceful coexistence among various communities in the country.

They also called on the use of Islamic calendar side by side with the Western one, calling on adherents of various religions to stress the importance good moral training for the youth.

"It is lack of sound moral training and the collapse of family values that brought about the myriad of problems facing the society. The training of children should not be left to parents alone, it's a collective thing", they added.

In a remark, Katsina state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema thanked the group for their continued contribution to Islamic knowledge and learning.

The governor who was represented by the permanent secretary of Department for Religious Affairs, Alhaji Lawal Dan Haire, tasked the group not to relent in their prayers for the country.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 7

Salami: Jonathan asks court to dismiss suit P

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to strike out the suit instituted against him by 11 human rights activists over the continued suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami.

A motion on notice filed by Mr. Matthew Echo of Dr. Fabian Ajogwu‘s Chambers on behalf of the President and the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF),

and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke who are 1st and 2nd defendants in the suit hinged the application seeking the striking out of the suit on four grounds.

According to the defendants, the human rights activists who filed the suit for themselves and the Registered Trustees of the Center for the Promotion of Arbitration do not have the locus standi to institute the action and to seek the reliefs sought as they do not have sufficient interest in the matter to which the

Emir warns Zamfara gov against saboteurs From Salisu Zakari Maradun, Gusau

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overnor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state has been advised to ensure the fulfillment of the campaign promises he made to the people of the state, as well as respect of the people he governs.

He was also told to regularly visit and inspect all the projects his government has awarded and reject any job done poorly.

The Emir of Zurmi, Alhaji ABubakar Atiku, gave the advice when he led a delegation of traditional rulers of his domain

to pay a courtesy/thank you visit to the governor over the completion of Zurmi-Jibiya road at the Government House, Gusau.

According to the emir, the road which has been abandoned for over 30 years is today one of the best in the whole of Northwest zone.

Commenting further, the emir stated that the only dream the people of the area had, has been realised, adding that the governor should continue with the good work he started and not to mind saboteurs.

application relates.

The 1st and 2nd defendants held that the plaintiffs have not shown any authority granted it by the Trustees of the Center for the Promotion of Arbitration to maintain the action on their behalf in a representative capacity.

Other grounds for asking the court to dismiss and strike out the suit are, that the plaintiffs’ reliefs in their application are indeterminable as they are merely academic and as such should be expunged and that there is no cause of action against the 1st and 2nd defendants as they have always acted in accordance with the constitution in relation with the subject matter in the suit.

When the matter came up yesterday, the plaintiffs’ counsel, Mr. Echo withdrew the name of Justice Dalhatu Adamu

(5th defendant) from the suit and asked for an extension of time to enable him respond to the motion of the 1st and 2nd defendants.

The Court sitting before Justice Adamu Bello granted the application as prayed and adjourned to January 17, 2013 for adoption of written addresses.

The plaintiffs had asked the court to determine whether Jonathan had the powers to recall Salami, and also, whether he (Jonathan) can reappoint Adamu as acting President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) after the expiration of three months without the recommendation of the NJC. The National Judicial Council (NJC), 3rd defendant in the suit agreed with the plaintiffs on both issues, maintaining that Jonathan had no powers under the law to recall Salami, and that

Adamu’s continued stay in office as acting PCA was illegal.

“By virtue of the combined provisions of sections 153, 158 (1), of the Constitution, and the NJC’s power to exercise disciplinary control over judicial officers contained in paragraph 21 (1) of the part 1, third schedule of the Constitution, the NJC is clothed with the power to suspend and recall the 4th defendant (Salami) without any recourse to the President (the 1st defendant)”, the NJC argued.

The council added, “We submit that by virtue of section 238 (5) of the Constitution, the 5th defendant (Acting PCA) cannot be reappointed after the expiration of three months without the recommendation of the 3rd defendant (NJC), as such the continued stay in office by the 5th defendant is unconstitutional and illegal.”

Nigeria loses three Commonwealth scholarship slots

T

hree candidates, who won the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) Awards last year, could not make it to study abroad, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, has said.

Nwaobiala, who spoke on Monday night in Abuja at the opening of the “2012/2013 CSFP Awards”, blamed the inability of the three candidates to study abroad on “avoidable reasons”.

Nwaobiala was represented by the Director, Federal Scholarship Board, Mrs. Hindatu Abdullahi.

According to him, one of the candidates declined the award at the point of travel, while one award was withdrawn by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) for not meeting the English language proficiency as required by the university.

The third award, he said, was withdrawn by the CSC because the scholar was rejected by two institutions and the third placement did not materialise.

He said 16 candidates out of the 1,500 that competed for 32 slots given to Nigeria were finally selected by the CSFP to study abroad and three of that number lost the slots on “avoidable grounds”.

“It is sad that candidates who went through these

tedious screening could afford to lose the awards on these avoidable grounds.

“It is imperative, therefore, to advise candidates to be disciplined and focused during the exercise to qualify for nomination for the CSFP awards tenable in Commonwealth countries”, Nwaobiala said.

In her remarks, The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, urged the Federal Scholarship Board to “embark on a tracking system” for the beneficiaries of all of its awards since inception.

Rufa’i also urged the board to publish an impact assessment report on the beneficiaries.

The minister, who was represented by Nwaobiala, said the report would enable the ministry to request for more funding from the government to better the lot of many “brilliant and indigent youths”.

She commended the objectives of the Commonwealth in promoting equal opportunity, gender equity and cultural exchange.

Rufa’i promised the speedy release of results for the 2013 nominations.

She thanked the panellists and other resource persons for accepting to participate in the exercise and urged them to display a high sense of maturity.

(NAN)

L-R: Commissioner, Personnel Policy Management Finance, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim, Chairman of NAHCON, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, and Commissioner of Operation in the Commission, Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar, during the NAHCON budget defence 2013 before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, yesterday at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Fashola’s govt is anti-masses – PDP From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the SouthWest has described the planned displacement of over 50,000 traders at the popular Katangowa Market in Lagos state by the state government without provision of alternative settlement as wicked and inhuman, saying: “The Governor Babatunde Fashola-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government in Lagos state has shown clear enough that it hates the masses”.

The PDP said only a devilish government would attempt to render over 50,000 traders jobless less than two months after it sent over 50,000 okada riders out of business.

“In a statement issued today by its zonal publicity secretary, Hon Kayode Babade, the PDP said

even if the traders were occupying government land as claimed by Governor Fashola, they still deserve to be protected by the government, asking: “haven’t they been paying levies to the government (both local council and state)?”

Governor Fashola, during a tour of facilities in the Lagos metropolis visited the market and told the traders that the government had no plan to relocate them to another area, as they were not the rightful owners of the land.

The governor said the 17 hectares of land being occupied by the traders belonged to the state government and the government was not ready to pay compensation to illegal occupants on its land.

Reacting, the PDP said; “It is now glaring that Governor Fashola and his party, the ACN

hate the masses with passion. If not, how on earth can a governor open his mouth to address Katangowa traders who have been trading in the area for about 30 years that they won’t be relocated to another place because they have occupied the place illegally?

“Is Fashola and his ACN now the government? Are the people of Lagos State no longer the government? If the land is owned by the government, is it not owned in trust for the people and isn’t the government put in place to serve the interests of the people?

“Over 50,000 okada riders were rendered jobless less than two months ago with over 5,000 okada already destroyed and many of the okada riders killed.

Now over 50,000 Katangowa market traders are set to be rendered jobless…” PDP fumed.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

PAGE 9

FG inaugurates 1st technology support centre

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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he Federal Government has inaugurated Nigeria's first Technology and Innovation Support Centre at the Ministry of Trade and Investment, Abuja.

The Centre, which is the product of a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Trade and Investment and the World Intellectual Property Organisation, will provide research and development institutions, small and medium enterprises, students and industries, among others, access to valuable technology information. It is the sixth TISC in sub-Saharan Africa.

Speaking during the inauguration of TISC yesterday, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, noted that the Centre would provide the basis for building the

important and growth-enabling culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among students; enable SMEs to create strategic partnerships; serve as catalysts in clustering small businesses and attracting foreign partners and investors.

"Our Industrial Revolution Plan is based on linking industrials skills development and innovation to the areas where we have competitive and comparative advantage. When we do this effectively, we will become one of the best developed economies in the world in no time. That is why we have embraced the establishment of this Centre. This is critical for the country and I am very delighted to be part of this positive development.

"And now that we have the support of WIPO, the TISC will make available millions of

information and data to inventors and innovators which they can use very easily to enhance their industrial productivity, and in fact, other sectors of our economy. Also, the Centre will make available over 30,000 information or data that can be used by researchers in our universities."

He added, "This is the time for us to link research and innovation to our industries and make them far more relevant to our economic transformation agenda, job creation and wealth generation. This project is not only for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. It will also help large companies in an existing area to increase their productivity by enhancing the quality of their products through innovation.

"For SMES, this programme will provide them with relevant information on how they can

improve on their products, enhance their productivity and develop new innovations that are relevant and peculiar to our own environment."

The Minister added that plans were underway to replicate the TISC in nine industrial centres across the country, in line with the Ministry's Industrial Revolution Plan.

He said, "This is just the beginning of a journey. We will work together with the World Intellectual Property Organisation to make the TISC readily available in order to share information with as many Nigerians as possible, including our universities, researchers, inventors and innovators. Also, we want to make our innovators far more relevant to the economy and, of course, make sure that their products are commercialised.

L-R: Representative of the Minister of State for Education, Mrs. Helen Addu, Assistant Director, Gender Education, Ministry of Education, Mrs Folarin Adeola, and representative of Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr. Ify Ukaegbu, during the capacity building seminar for the scaling up of Mothers Association for School Based Management Committee, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

CACOL faults Sanusi’s call for purge of civil service From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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he Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has faulted the call by Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, for the sacking of 50 per cent of the federal civil servants to reduce the overheads of the government.

Reacting to the news on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran described the call as irrelevant and misleading.

“There is surely a need to cut government recurrent expenses to give room for the implementation of the capital side of the national budget, but the question to be asked the CBN Emir is should the common man always be at the receiving end of his many irrelevant policies?

Why won’t Sanusi think of a more reasonable way to better the lot of the country than rendering more people impoverished? With the nation’s

majority wallowing in abject poverty, living on $1 per day, many unemployed, what should be in the mind of any right thinking state actor is how to reduce employment.

It is a known fact that unemployment is the major contributor to the security challenges bedevilling this nation. An idle hand is definitely a ready-made tool in the hands of mischief makers. When you push 50 per cent of federal civil servants out, where do you expect them to go? To join the league of the unemployed Nigerians teeming the streets so that there will be more money for Sanusi to appropriate for himself and approve of course?

So that there will be more money for corrupt politicians to fleece from government coffers! It is rather unfortunate that many Nigerian leaders do not have the interest of the hapless and the helpless masses at heart.

The substantive issue is tackling the endemic corruption

that has percolated every aspect of the government.

The Presidency appropriates about a billion naira to feed in year, the ‘legislooters’ appropriate and approve jumbo pay for themselves and nobody is calling them to question. The funds

approved for MDAs to execute capital budget go down the drain without the Nigerian people feeling the impact because the National Assembly is not performing or under-performing its oversight functions “, Adeniran submitted.

50 Borno graduates flown to Thailand for agric training From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri total of 50 graduates under the Borno state Integrated Farming and Vocational Jobs Scheme, yesterday took off to Thailand for a three-month training.

The graduates were expected to acquire extensive training on various fields of agriculture at the Kaseestan University, Bangkok.

Governor Kashim Shettima, who spoke at a brief ceremony before the departure of the

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trainees, implored them to be dedicated so as not waste the public funds invested on them.

“You should realize that the trip you are embarking was not meant for leisure, it was intended to change your living status through vocational jobs creation”, the governor further noted.

He tasked them to avoid acts detrimental to the image of Nigeria.

Shettima also enjoined the beneficiaries to respect the cultural practices of their host community.

Al-makura inaugurates task force on flood From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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task force on the mitigation of the impact of the flood disaster that affected part of Nasarawa state, was yesterday inaugurated by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura.

Inaugurating the 13 member task force at the Government House, Al-makura stated that in the bid to bring succour to the victims of this year’s flood disaster across the state, the government found it necessary to constitute the task force, to assess the extent of damage and proffer methods towards mitigating the impact of the disaster.

While urging members of the task force to be fair and ensure prudence and accountability in the management of resources, the governor called on relevant ministries, departments, agencies and all stakeholders to avail the task force of the needed support and cooperation to facilitate the accomplishment of its assignment.

The task force which has Alhaji Mustapha Bello as chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, as secretary, has as its terms of reference; to carry out detailed assessment of the extent of devastation caused by floods across the state; conduct detailed costing of public facilities and infrastructure, as well as individual property destroyed by the floods; to consider the desirability or otherwise of relocation of some communities affected by the floods and ascertain the number of people that lost their lives and suffered physical disabilities as a result of the floods, among others.

The task force has 6 months within which to submit its report.

Zamfara Assembly urges govt to connect 14 villages with mobile phone

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he Zamfara State House of Assembly yesterday called on the executive arm of government to ask Glo Nigeria Plc to connect 14 villages in Maru local government area with mobile phone.

Alhaji Abdullahi Dansadau, a member representing Maru South constituency, moved the motion on the floor of the house.

He said the people in the area were facing serious security challenge, which, he said, had resulted in loss of lives and destruction of properties.

Dansadau said that connecting the area with mobile phone would provide an avenue for citizens to communicate with security agencies in reporting any suspicious actions.

He said that the communities to be connected were: Kataro, Dangulbi, Matungi, Dankurmi, Bidin and Sangeku.

Others, the lawmakers said, included: Madada, Kuyambana, Madaki, Karauchi, Guru, Lingyado, Malele and Daraga all in Maru Local Government Area.

(NAN)