Peoples Daily Newspaper, Thursday 06, June, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 11 No. 14

Thursday, June 6, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Eagles defeat Kenya, inch near World Cup >>44

Rajab 28, 1434 AH

N150

PDP suspends Sokoto Gov, Wamakko >>2

JTF routs 55 insurgents in Yobe, Borno

By Joy Baba, with agency report

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he military said yesterday that it has dislodged all the terrorist camps operated by the Boko Haram in some areas of Yobe State and arrested 49 members of the sect in various operations in the state.

Nabs terrorists recruitment expert The military also said many Boko Haram members were fleeing to neighbouring Niger Republic through Nigeria’s porous borders.

The interior ministry had said in May that Nigeria had about

1,500 illegal borders that are poorly manned.

In a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Chris Olukolade, the military said the suspects were arrested in various locations in the state by the Joint

Task Force following a tip off by some locals.

Various weapons, including AK-47 rifles, locally made pistols, and ammunition were recovered by the troops during the operation in Rugan Fulani, Arikime,

Afghanistan and Ngandu villages.

The JTF team led by Air Commodore B.E. Inyang said all terrorist camps had been dislodged while some of the terrorists fled towards Niger Republic.

It, however, said some criminals still terrorise the state under the guise of Boko Haram.

Contd. on Page 2

Senate stops First Ladies’ building project

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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he Senate has rejected the N4 billion which the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, had budgeted for the construction of the controversial African First Ladies Mission Building in Abuja, a pet project of Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

The fund was, instead, diverted by the senate to the provision of some essential needs of Nigerians.

The First Ladies Peace Mission Building is of lower priority when many other numerous pressing problems, such as poverty, illiteracy, and lack of water are facing Nigerians, according to the lawmakers.

They said that the N4 billion can also be used to develop satellite towns in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Senators in January had described as “scandalous”, the N4 billion budget contained in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 2013 budget.

Meanwhile, the Senate approved N259,649,520,705 for the FCT in the 2013 fiscal year, with a surplus of N48,716,036.

Leading debates on the FCT 2013 budget, Chairman Senate Committee on FCT, Smart Adeyemi told lawmakers at plenary that the cancellation of the N4 billion budget for Contd. on Page 2

Yobe state Governor, Malam Ibrahim Gaidam (middle, with microphone), Commissioner for Water Resources, Sidi Karasuwa (left), and other officials, during the governor’s visit to the Damaturu regional water supply project site, yesterday in Damaturu.

‘Hezbollah’ armoury in Kano: JTF recovers more weapons >>3

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

News CONTENTS News

2-10

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

Stockwatch

23

S/Report

24-25

Earth

26-27

Update

28-29

Tribute

30

PDP suspends Gov Wamakko

By Lawrence Olaoye

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he People’s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday suspended Sokoto state governor, Dr. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, accusing him of breaching and disregarding the party’s constitution.

This development may not be unconnected to the recent warning by the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, that the party would not hesitate to sanction any erring member whom the National WorkingCommittee (NWC) considers to be indulging in anti-party activities. Tukur had warned that the PDP leadership would enforce discipline among its members.

The party, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary,

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Int’l

31-34

Strange World 35 Digest

36

Politics

37-38

Newsxtra

39-40

Sports

41-45

Columnist

48

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invitation by the NWC to appear before it today, Wednesday, June 5, 2013 without any reason, the Committee, in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 57 (3), 57 (7), 58. 1(c ),(h), (f) and 59 (1),(2), hereby suspends the Executive Governor of Sokoto State, Dr. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko as a member of the party and refers the matter to the appropriate disciplinary committee of the Party.

“This is in furtherance of the determination of the leadership of the Party to enforce discipline at all levels within the Party.”

Although, the party accused the Sokoto governor of anti party activities, some observers believe that the suspension may not be unconnected to Wamakko’s refusal to support the PDP consensus

candidate for the controversial Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairmanship candidate, Jonah Jang, the Plateau state governor.

The party had earlier suspended Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who won the NGF chairmanship poll with 19 against Jang’s 16 votes. Amaechi was equally suspended for anti party activities for having disregarded the state PDP chapter’s directive to reinstate the sacked Executive Council of Obio Akpor Local Government in Rivers state.

Political watchers are raising fears that other governors on the platform of the ruling party who refused to toe party line in the NGF chairmanship election by voting against Jang may face the same treatment from the party.

Emergency rule: Northern senators back Reps

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

PDP, NGF and politics of consensus, Page 4

Chief Olisa Metuh, stated: “The National Working Committee (NWC) at its 338th meeting held on Wednesday, June 5, 2013, extensively discussed the state of the Party across the nation and its members as well as the repeated breaches and disregard to the Party’s Constitution by his Excellency, Dr. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, the Executive Governor of Sokoto State.

“The NWC notes that on several occasions, Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko had ignored invitations and lawful directives of the NWC in this regard and has continued to show complete apathy to the affairs of the party and contempt to an organ of the Party.

“Consequent upon the refusal of the Governor to honour yet another

he Northern Senators Forum has thrown its weight behind the House of Representatives in restricting President Goodluck Jonathan from accessing the funds of the states under emergency rule.

The Senators who made their resolution known through Umar Dahiru, after an extra-ordinary meeting at the National Assembly, called on Jonathan to leave the funds the states governors observing that the states are suffering financial difficulties already because of the emergency rule.

It would be recalled that the

*Say Jonathan should leave states’ funds House of Representatives, against the report of the conference committee of both chambers, passed a resolution barring Jonathan from spending the funds of the affected states.

Senate, in reaction to this, had insisted that the report of the conference committee of both chambers stands valid, saying that the House alone cannot alter the joint resolution.

Peoples Daily reports that the governments of the affected states had demonstrated impatience with

the President’s initial plan to seize funds belonging to their three states and local government areas.

On this basis, the Adamawa state governor, Murtala Nyako had threatened a legal action against the President if statutory funds belonging to the state were not released.

The senate agreed with the president’s plan to retain the powers to utilize funds belonging to those states but the House of Representatives rejected the plan, and passed a version that gave

President Jonathan strictly security powers.

According to the Chairman of the northern Senators Forum, Senator Umar Dahiru, “when the state of emergency was declared it was said that all democratic institutions in the states and local governments will not be touched.”

He argued that since all democratic structures are still in place, their funds are not supposed to be touched and the forum resolved that the national statutory allocations for the states and local governments should be paid as at when due and no part of the funds should be withheld.

Senate stops First Ladies’ building project Contd. from Front Page the construction of African First Ladies Peace Mission Building was to meet other pressing needs of Nigerians.

According to him, “It is worthy of note that the proposed appropriation for the construction of the building for First Ladies Mission in Africa has been distributed to meet pressing needs in the area of engineering and Satelite towns.

“Furthermore, due to litigation in respect of the proposed plot

of land, the money cannot be accessed this year. Also, we cannot appropriate for a land that is not available.”

FCT’s 2013 approved budget has N48,600,837,245 voted for personnel costs; N50,581,234,058 for overhead costs and the balance of N160,467, 499,402 is for capital projects for the service of the FCT, commencing from January 1 and ending on December 31, 2013.

However, the senate remained silent on the N7.5 billion which the FCT minister had earlier earmarked

for the construction of two city gates in the FCT, and also the N9 billion which the minister proposed for the completion of the Vice President’s Guest House in Asokoro, Abuja.

Also, N5 billion had been allocated by FCT for the rehabilitation of prostitutes and destitutes in the country’s capital city.

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) had earmarked N5.7 billion for procurement of equipment and other essentials, out of which

N2.9 billion is for sweeping and sanitation in the city.

Speaking shortly after the Budget was passed after the above amendments, the Senate President, David Mark, said that Abuja is Nigeria’s model city, regretting that the city is still bedeviled by nonfunctional traffic light, dirts and other problems.

He therefore called on the committee to step up their oversight, so as to ensure that the funds approved are judiciously used to bring Abuja to a true model city.

JTF routs 55 insurgents in Yobe, Borno Contd. from Front Page “The DHQ team was also informed of a trend whereby some particular crimes have now taken the place of terrorism as the criminals now resort to brigandage, robbery and attempted assassination of business rivals,” Gen. Olukolade said Gen. Olukolade assured residents of Yobe of safety of lives and property and encouraged citizens with vital information to

provide the soldiers with them as they rid the state of the insurgents.

Gen. Olukolade also said a key terrorist who specializes in recruiting young men into the Boko Haram has been apprehended by troops in Maiduguri following a tip off.

He said the suspect, who allegedly also watches over the insurgents’ armoury, was arrested in one of the cordon and search operations by the Special Forces.

The soldiers also arrested

another group of 5 insurgents, all from Niger Republic. They were arrested when troops stormed their hideout at Mallam Fatori as they attempted to escape in two Toyota Cruiser Jeeps, Gen. Olukolade said.

He said the soldiers have continued to patrol the notorious Sambisa forest and are also cordoning the Alou forest and Gwoza Hills.

Olukolade said police stations are now being reopened in some

parts of Borno State.

“At Kirenowa, detachments of Police Anti-Terrorist unit have been deployed to complement security in the area,” he said.

The spokesman said the defence headquarters had organised a tour of the operational areas of the JTF for selected local and foreign Journalists.

He said the tour is to ensure that “the media have first-hand information on the situation in the operational areas.”

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 3

News Northern govs meet in Kaduna today From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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R-L: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, in a handshake with President, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Mr. Abdulrafi’u Adedeji, during the association’s visit to the speaker, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Kano ‘Hezbollah’ armoury: JTF recovers more weapons

From Edwin Olofu, Kano

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ecurity operatives in Kano under the umbrella of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) yesterday discovered more arms and ammunitions at No 3 Gaya Road, Bompai area of the city, where a bunker stocked with Hezbollah armoury was discovered prompting the arrest of three Lebanese nationals.

A statement made available to newsmen and signed by the

spokesman of 3 Brigade Nigerian Army, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, said further search on the bungalow led to another astonished discovery of dangerous weapons buried under a wardrobe.

The statement reads in part: “After painstaking search of the whole premises, the search team uncovered an underground bunker in the master bed room where a large quantity of assorted weapons of different types and caliber and ammunition which

were properly wrapped was recovered.

“On further search of the property, a cooler was recovered buried under the wardrobe which had in it, 80 indicators, 5 PPK pistols, 334 rds of 7.62mm special, 9 magazines, 4 pistol silencers, 18 caps of 36 hand grenades , 4 explosive fuses and 2 explosive devices.

“You may recall that on 28 May 13, a combined team of the DSS and 3 Brigade Nigerian Army

conducted a thorough search of a house located at No 3 Gaya Road off Bompai Road Kano, belonging to one Abdul Hassan Taher Fadlalla, a Lebanese national who is currently out of the country.

“We continue to count on the support and cooperation of the good people of Kano in the effective discharge of our duties while we assure you of our utmost commitment in ensuring that peace and an atmosphere suitable for business continue to prevail.”

2015: South-south must stop Islamic Centre destroyed Amaechi’s ambition — Clark in ‘hate crime’ fire

By Lawrence Olaoye

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jaw Leader and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday enjoined stakeholders in the party from the South-south zone to stop Rivers state governor and factional Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi, from contesting for the office of the Vice President in 2015.

Clark insisted that the region would not settle for anything less than the presidency and that if Amaechi must contest, it must be for the presidency.

Clark, in a meeting called to set the template for the reconciliation between President Goodluck Jonathan and the embattled Rivers governor, said: “If reports that Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s undying craze to be the chairman of the Governors Forum is premised on his ambition to use it as a platform to become the vice President in 2015, whose interest is he intending

to serve; the interest of the People of the South-south or his personal interest?

“As a party, I believe we need to dispassionately look at these and other issues and make our position known to Nigerians.

“We must rise from this meeting with definite options to stop Governor Amaechi from pursuing that madness. If he must contest in difference to his constitutional right, let him contest for the office of president because the South-south of today is not interested in any other office than the president.”

Clark also informed the South/ South PDP leaders that the Black American and Human Right activist, Jesse Jackson, had visited him with some Traditional Rulers from theSouth/South on the crisis between Jonathan and Ameachi.

According to him, he had assured him that the issues was going to be looked into and that was why he decided to call the meeting within a short notice.

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n Islamic centre in north London has been destroyed by a fire in an apparent hate crime attack.

The Met Police said the fire, which happened at the Al-Rahma Islamic Centre in Muswell Hill in the early hours, is being treated as suspicious.

A spokesman said the letters EDL (English Defence League) were sprayed on to the building, used by the Somali Bravanese Welfare Association.

MP Theresa Villiers said: “This kind of hate crime is absolutely despicable.”

The Conservative MP for Chipping Barnet said: “This is not just an attack on the Muslim community it is an attack on all of us and our values.

Community ‘shocked’ “We are a highly diverse multiethnic borough with excellent community cohesion in Barnet.

We should under no circumstances allow violent extremists to divide us

with this kind of outrage.”

Chief Supt Adrian Usher: “When and where that graffiti was placed is the focal point of the inquiry” The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are investigating the cause of the fire on Coppetts Road.

BBC London correspondent Kurt Barling said the centre’s leaders had told him they had seen freshly sprayed graffiti on the building and they were concerned the fire was in reaction to the killing of a soldier in Woolwich. Two men have been charged in connection with the attack.

The centre was not used for prayers, but as a community centre which was mainly used by children after school.

Abu Bakar Ali, from the centre, said: “The Somali community is in fear.

“We are all shocked about what has happened and we strongly condemn the attack on the centre.

As you can see, the situation is a very serious one indeed.

overnors of the 19 states in the north, under the auspices of Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), will meet in Kaduna this morning.

Reports said that the meeting will deliberate on key issues that affect the common interest of the northern region.

The Governor of Niger state, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, who is the Chairman, is expected to preside at the meeting.

As a prologue to the meeting, the secretaries of the state governments the 19 states had met in Kaduna yesterday.

The meeting which was chaired by Secretary to Niger State Government, Hon. Saidu Ndako Idris, was said to have mapped out agenda for the governors to deliberate on today.

Some of the issues include the emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, the New Nigeria Newspapers, the New Nigeria Development Company, the collapsed textile industries owned by the region and the general insecurity in the north as well as the economy, among others.

40 feared killed in Zamfara communities From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

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bout 40 people were allegedly killed in the early hours of yesterday following an exchange of fire between unidentified gunmen and inhabitants residing along Dumburum, in Zurmi local government area of Zamfara state, a source said.

The armed bandits, who were reported to have launched an attack on the communities at about 2:30 am, were said to be fueled on following efforts made by the communities to get rid of robbery cases that became the order of the day in the area.

Speaking to Peoples Daily, the Chairman, Zurmi local, Alhaji Abdullahi Gurbi Bore, confirmed that, the incident occurred following the killing of five armed bandits suspected to have stolen cows from Batsari local government area of Katsina state.

The council boss, said of scores of buildings and some establishments within the local government area were destroyed.

Also confirming the episode, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Lawal Abdullahi, narrated that a team of suspected cows robbers were chased by the owners from Batsari local government area.

Lawal further disclosed that the owners were ignorant that the suspects were armed which they used to gun down five of them after which angry youth from both Batsari and Zurmi local government areas trooped into the bush to set every Fulani hut ablaze.

The Page 4 Report

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PDP, NGF and politics of consensus

By Lawrence Olaoye

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ince the advent of democracy in 1999, the mode of selection of candidates for general elections in most of the nation’s leading political parties has been multifarious. While some of the parties adopted democratic processes of election where consents were sought from their members for ratification of their candidates, others adopted mainly consensus arrangement where candidates were merely affirmed.

The culture of affirmation, though prevalent in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is, however not exclusive to the ruling party. In most of its selection processes, the ruling party has always striven to avoid the process of electioneering obviously to prevent the creation of bad blood among its members.

Although the practice of consensus is not entirely alien to the nation’s politics, it becomes more contentious only when those stakeholders, who are expected to agree, are forced to accept the so called compromised candidate.

This practice in the ruling party has made some of its critical stakeholders, who may have been sidelined in the consensus arrangement, to cry foul and accuse the leadership of the PDP of imposing candidates on them.

It is the need to create an atmosphere of harmony in the polity that motivates most parties to adopt the consensus arrangement in choosing either candidates or leaders but most often than not, the arrangement has only succeeded in alienating their members who initially may maintain their cool on the promise of palliatives by the party hierarchy. Where such palliatives are not delivered or delayed in being delivered, the aggrieved members often blow caution into the wind and denigrate the party.

The PDP, as a party, believes more in consensus and this was demonstrated lately when the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, suggested that President Goodluck Jonathan be adopted the party’s consensus Presidential candidate of the party by 2015. Same treatment, according to the PDP helmsmen, should be accorded other elective political office holders on the platform of the party seeking reelection. His reason: convening a National Convention to choose the PDP candidate would further tear the people apart and divide the members. This, he reasoned would be dangerous for the party as it faces the menacing Mega All Progressives Congress (APC) party in 2015.

Fine argument from a committed party man. But, his suggestion has drawn vitriolic reactions from a cross section of the country, both from members and non members of the ruling party.

Reacting, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said consensus is undemocratic and that the practice is nothing but a travesty of

Alhaji Bamanga Tukru democracy.

While conceding to the fact that the President could exercise his constitutional right to seek re-election on the platform of the party, Abubakar said “My position remains that as far as PDP constitution is concerned, any attempt to change the party’s rule to favour the President in the event of his willingness to re-contests unconstitutional. The contest should be open to all desiring to pursue an ambition on the platform of the PDP.” Consensus is not strange to the PDP because its current members of the National Working Committee (NWC) emerged both from affirmation and consensus.

While its National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and the sacked National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, were products of affirmation at the party’s National Convention, other members of the NWC were consensus candidates. Although the mode of their emergence generated a lot of bad blood, which has yet to be dispelled, the PDP leadership has been able to manage the crises this far without the party imploding.

In the real sense however, challenges facing the party, threatening to tear it apart, emanated from the controversial

Gov Amaechi Rotimi

Gov. Jona Jang consensus and affirmation that produced its current leadership.

Critics believed that the seeming imposition of the party leadership on those who were angling to contest the position is at the heart of the crisis currently rocking the party.

They point out that the PDP governors never wanted Tukur as the party’s National Chairman and that explained why they

“

The inability of the PDP governors to sustain the consensus arrangement and the alleged betrayal has led to the division amongst them and it would take the wisdom of Solomon for the leadership of the party to reconcile the aggrieved governors on the platform of the PDP

have refused to fund the party accordingly. The crisis currently rocking the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), where the ruling party controls the majority of the governors, equally signal, the failure of consensus as a means of leadership selection.

22 governors on the platform of the PDP, according to the faction led by the Plateau state governor, Jonah Jang, were unanimous in the choice of their leader, but they were betrayed when it mattered most.

Jang in a recent media engagement explained that both Governors Isa Yuguda of Bauchi and Ibrahim Shema of Katsina state were prevailed upon at the Northern States Governors’ Forum under the chairmanship of the Niger state governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, to step down for Jang to emerge as their consensus candidate.

Jang was later to be presented to the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDPGF) as the consensus candidate of the North at the NGF. But that was not to be because the NSGF leadership buckled when it mattered most

leading to insistence that there must be election to determine the NGF chairman between Amaechi and Jang. The eventual outcome of the election revealed that certain governors betrayed the consensus arrangement as Amaechi, who had only the support of the minority in the opposition, surprisingly won by 19 to 16 votes.

The inability of the PDP governors to sustain the consensus arrangement and the alleged betrayal has led to the division amongst them and it would take the wisdom of Solomon for the leadership of the party to reconcile the aggrieved governors on the platform of the PDP. Already, the Bauchi state governor, Isa Yuguda, has withdrawn his membership of the NSGF on the account that the cause of the group was betrayed. He said “ I don’t see any reason why I should attend the Northern Governors meeting again. Yes! If that is what we will do ,I am not going to be part of it. For the remaining two years of my tenure I will not be part of the Northern Governors Forum.

I want any northern governor to come out and say yes, I voted and I voted against Jang. I will then ask him why after sitting with me in the Northern Governors meeting and agreeing on a consensus candidate, after saying Shema and I should withdraw for Jang, he then went and voted against Jang. I would like to know why.”

Explaining why the governors chose to adopt a consensus candidate, Yuguda said it has always been the tradition so as not to cause division in the Forum.

According to him, there is no reason to breach the tradition. No doubt, the politics of consensus has really negatively impacted on the nation’s polity as it actually negates the tenet of participatory democracy.

To some critics, the practice has brought more problems than it seeks to solve. It has also been used severally to sabotage the will of the people.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 5

News New constitution proposes pension for past NASS leaders

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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he draft copy of the amended Constitution which was submitted before the Senate yesterday has a proposal for past leaders of the National Assembly to be paid pension after they leave the Legislature.

Those to benefit from the proposed pension are past Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker of the House of representatives and the Deputy Speaker of the House, and they are to be paid a monthly salary at a rate equivalent to the annual salary of the incumbent President, Deputy President of the Senate, Speaker, Deputy Speaker of

the House of Representative respectively.

Peoples Daily had reported that majority of the Senators had earlier rejected this proposal when it was first brought by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba, on the grounds that it will breed acrimony and disaffection among senators, who will be clamouring to lead both chambers.

Gyanton Pwajok had said there are many Nigerians who do not have hope and future for tomorrow, emphasising that instead of planning future for themselves, the senate should rather think of how to better the living conditions of Nigerians

Britain to support Nigeria’s bid for UN seat

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he British Government has thrown its weight behind Nigeria’s bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations.

Britain is backing Nigeria ahead of South Africa, Ghana and other countries that have been in the running for the exalted position.

British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Andrei Pock, who dropped the hint yesterday in Minna when he visited the Niger state Governor Babangida Aliyu said that the decision of the British government to support the country for the permanent United Nations seat was because the country has been a stabilizing force in the West African sub region.

Pock also said that the British government was throwing its weight behind Nigeria because the country has been contributing to peace keeping operations not only in Africa but in the world.

“Nigeria is important to England, Britain sees Nigeria as a regional and international force Britain will work with Nigeria on major foreign policy issues.”

The envoy however challenged governments in Nigeria to take security issues especially in the northern part of the country serious assuring

that, “we will partner with the government to restore peace and stability in the country.”

According to him, “Britain will also improve its business relationship with Nigeria” and looking for those he described “as aggressive states” to do business with and singled out Niger state as one of such states.

He explained that Britain has upgraded Niger state from one programme to six adding that the British government has now included the education of the girl child, teacher training eradication of Guinea worm and malaria as well as good governance as some of the programmes to be financed by Britain in Niger state.

During an interactive session with members of the Niger state Executive Council, Pock disclosed that not less than 200,000 visa applications by Nigerians are received annually out of which 160,000 usually scale through.

He also said that there were more than one million Nigerians resident and doing legal businesses in Britain.

In his remarks, Aliyu called for more strengthening of relationships between Britain and Nigeria even as he asked Nigerians to ‘behave nicely’ in order not to attract unfavorable actions for the country.

•Abolishes LG, state joint account mostly living in penury.

Heineken Okpobri also opposed the Bill on the ground that because of the allowances paid to Senators and House members, peoples are killed each time there is a senatorial election He observed that if the Bill is passed, it will make the leadership of NASS unstable, as everybody will clamour for the seat of Senate President and Speaker, due to the benefit afterwards.

In addition to the above, the draft constitution also seeks to abolish the Local government and State Joint Account, by providing that any amount standing to the credit of the local government in the federation account, shall be allocated and paid directly to the local governments on terms and in manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.

It also provided that such money shall not be paid to any caretakers usually appointed by governors, except if the

head of the local government is democratically elected.

According to this section of the new constitution, even if court stops the conduct of the local government election, funds meant for such local government shall be retained in the federation account.

Similarly, the document provides that any amount standing as credit of the State Independent Electoral Commissions, Houses of Assembly, state Auditor General, states Judiciary, and state Attorney General, in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State, shall be paid directly to the heads of the respective bodies for the use of the Institution which he or she heads.

Also, the new constitution seeks to restrict the tenure of the governors and presidents, including the serving ones, to a six year non renewable term of six years, even as it proposes to extend the tenure of the office

of the Attorney General of the Federation from four years to seven years, as well as making it independent from the control of the seating President.

The Senate President, after receiving the report from the chairman of the Senate Committee reviewing the constitution, however, deferred debate on it to two weeks, after their short recess.

According to the Senate President, this is to enable the lawmakers have enough time to study and understand the new amendments, and make reasonable contributions on it.

According to Mark, “this is not a report we should rush. By the time we comeback, we will devote days, or even weeks, in the debate of this report. It is not going to be a voice vote as usual, but each senator will speak for himself or herself, so that everybody will answer his or her father’s name.”

L-R: Kano state Governor, Engineer Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, discussing with former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, after the duo arrived the country from foreign trips, yesterday at the NnamdiAzikiwe International Airport, in Abuja.

Ombatse killings: Commission says police downplays scale of carnage

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he National Human Rights Commission says it believes that over 80 per cent of members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) who went to troubled Lafia East Local Government area of Nasarawa state on May 7, were killed by the Ombatse group.

In a report prepared by the Nasarawa State Office (NSO) on the extra-judicial killings, the commission said it believes the

Nigeria Police is deliberately keeping low the number of members of the JTF killed so as not to demoralize other members of the police and also not to create panic within the force.

“They also do not want to create panic in the state by giving the citizens the impression that the police are helpless and cannot protect them,” the report said.

Tracing the background

to the tragedy, the NSO said the JTF was constituted at the instance of Governor Tanko AlMakura following reports of attacks on churches and mosques in Alakyo by members of the Ombatse Cultural Group. The JTF, numbering about 100 and led by Assistance Commissioner of Police Momoh, included the police, the military and the State Security Service.

The ill-fated visit may,

however, have been leaked, as the JTF walked into a “perfect ambush.”

The Ombatse attackers were ready and waiting by the time the JTF got there, the report said.

Those who survived are being treated at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) in Lafia, the state capital. The commission learnt that about 34 corpses have been recovered and taken to DASH.

The report recommended, among others, a thorough investigation of the matter so that the perpetrators and their sponsors may be brought to book; prompt payment of all the entitlements of the slain officers to their families; and ensuring that the families of the slain officers that live in the barracks are not evicted from their houses until alternative accommodations are made available.

PAGE 6

News

Meteorologists predict flooding in Nigeria, Gulf of Guinea

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he African Centre for Meteorological Application for Development (ACMAD), has predicted that some parts of Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea will be affected by flooding this year.

This is contained in a communiqué issued in Abuja on Wednesday, signed by Mr Papa Oumar Dieye, the Communications Officer of the Agromet Regional Centre in Niamey, Niger.

The communiqué was issued after the 16th Regional Climate Outlook Forum for 18 African countries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by 16 West African countries as well as Chad and Cameroon.

The theme of the forum is “Risk Management in Agriculture, Water Resources and Health.’’

According to the communiqué, Nigeria was advised to develop seasonal, characteristics and hydro agro-climatologist forecasts for the 2013 rainy season.

The report noted that the forecast would help determine applications for food security and management of water resources.

According to the communiqué, due monitoring and updating of daily regional climate will be conducted by experts to monitor the weakness of climate factors that may lead to flooding.

The floods, according to predictions may occur, especially between June and July.

According to communiqué, the ACMAD forecast for West Africa, Chad and Cameroon covers the following major river basins: Niger, Senegal, Gambia, Comoé, Volta, Ouémé and Lake Chad.

For 2013, the expected situation of major West African river basins, Chad and Cameroon is as follows: River Senegal: excess to normal flows are expected.

For River Gambia, normal flows are expected while for River Volta, average to excess flows are expected.

For River Niger, average to excess flows are expected in the upper and middle part of the Niger River Basin, while in the lower part of the basin (Nigerian section) probabilities of excess flows are expected.

In the Lake Chad Basin, normal to excess flows are expected throughout the basin and for River Comoé: normal flows are expected while for River Ouémé : excess to normal flows are expected for the entire basin.

According to the communiqué ``with these forecasts, there is a risk of heavy rain which can cause flooding, severe damages, including loss of cultivated areas.

ACMAD stated that the affected regions should ensure efficient flood routing in the dams and reservoirs to prevent downstream flooding and taking all necessary steps on surplus flows.

The group urged governments in the region to take the issue of flood risk seriously in monitoring areas with high risk of flooding, due to local rainfall or overflow of rivers.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

THISDAY bomber denies membership of Boko Haram

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

I

am not a member of Boko Haram sect, I am only an aggrieved Muslim on a revenge mission on THISDAY newspaper for insulting Prophet Mohammed (SAW),” a terror suspect, Mustapha Umar, accused of last year’s bombing of the offices of some newspapers in Kaduna, said in his evidence to the Police during investigation.

Umar stated in a video recording of his interrogation with a Police officer and a prosecution witness who took his statement after his arrest that, “about the time the

beauty pageant was conducted and THISDAY newspaper insulted Prophet Mohammed (SAW), by drawing a picture in the likeness of the Prophet of Allah, I started nursing the feeling of avenging.”

“There is a tradition that whosoever insults the Prophet of Allah must be killed. “My intention was to eliminate them so as to stop them from working again. “He, who insults the Prophet of God is not supposed to exist”, the suspect stated while under interrogation which was recorded.

From the VCD which was played in the court at the resumed hearing

of the matter yesterday, Umar spoke in Hausa language and the video recording of the interview was translated by the official interpreter of the court, Murtala Abdullahi.

The suspect also said that as a Muslim, he will always avenge on anybody who insults the Prophet of God and mentioned one Alhaji as the bomber of the Abuja office of THISDAY newspaper. The VCD and the hard copy of the interpreted transcription of the interview were marked as Exhibits MU22 (a & b) by the court.

The prosecution at the end of the testimony of the 10th prosecution

witness, closed its case and the court adjourned the matter to June 24, 2013 for the defense counsel to open his defense for the accused person.

Meanwhile, the defense council, Nureini Suleiman, told the court that he will file an application for a no case submission in the criminal charge preferred against the accused person.

The Court sitting before Justice Ademola Adeniyi gave him one week within which to file the application.

Umar however pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge preferred against him.

L-R: Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’I; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina; and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs 11, Dr. Nuhudeen Mohammed; during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Court issues arrest warrant on DMO boss, 9 others

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Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday issued a warrant of arrest on Dr. Abraham Nwanko, Director-General, Debt Management Office (DMO), and nine others, for failure to appear before it.

The others are Asmau Mohammed, Funmi Ilamah, Patience Oniha, Miji Amidu, James Olekah, Hannatu Suleiman, Joe Ugoala, Atiku Saleh and Magaji Mahmoud who are Directors and members of management staff.

The Federal Character Commission (FCC) had sued the persons on a four-count charge of failure to abide by the principles of federal character in DMO’s recruitment in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Justice Abdul Kafarati

NDIC boss applauds banking reforms

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

he reforms undertaken in the banking sector have been quite successful, they have helped to stabilize the sector, Managing Director Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, affirmed yesterday.

And to consolidate on the gains, he said there was need for constant brainstorming by stakeholders to unravel emerging challenges such as financial literacy, customer’s protection and other challenges.

He spoke yesterday in Abuja at

an annual board retreat for member of the Board of Directors of NDIC. According to him, “the recently accomplished banking sector reforms, to which the corporation contributed immensely, is aimed at building a safe and sound banking system which supports economic growth and development of our country.

“Today, the banking system in Nigeria is relatively stable and sound as recently attested to by the performance of most of our Deposit Money Banks and comments of major international credit rating agencies. We therefore cannot

afford to fail or slip back.”

He underscored a need to reflect, look forward and strategize by addressing emerging issues and challenges that affect performance of the banking system and their attendant consequence to depositor protection, supervision and regulation.

Amongst areas, NDIC boss wants stakeholders to take critical interest include, sustainable banking, financial inclusion, new disclosures and reporting policies and enhancement of the payment system and development of capital market.

issued the warrant following an application by counsel to the FCC, Mr Hussain Oloyede.

Oloyede had prayed the court to issue the warrant as none of the accused or their counsel appeared before the court when the case came up for mention on Wednesday.

In count one of the four charges, the FCC accused Nwanko of w i l l f u l l y o b s t r u c t i n g a commissioner and three other workers of the commission from verifying staff data of the DMO in May, 2012.

It said that the offence contravened FCC Laws of the Federation, 2010.

I n t h e s e c o n d count, Mohammed, Director, Organisational Resourcing Department and 2nd accused, was charged with knowingly furnishing the FCC’s Economic and Financial Services Committee with false/inaccurate information.

PEOPLES DAILY| THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6 , 2013

PAGE 9

News

World Environment Day: ‘90 million Nigerians malnourished’ From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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s Nigerians joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 2013 World Environment Day yesterday, experts say more than 90 million Nigerians are under-fed and malnourished, just as Lagos state Governor, Babatunde Fashola, said that huge tonnes of food fit for consumption are wasted daily in the state.

Executive Director of Environmental Right Action/Friends of the Earth, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, noted that many Nigerians die of hunger daily.

Speaking at a press conference to celebrate the event, Ojo said over 1.2 Billion people in the world go to bed hungry and about half die of starvation and malnutrition.

Uyi called on government to address the problem of food waste and deficit.

He said that, “first, there is the urgent need to fix the deplorable road network that seriously affects transportation of food from areas of surplus to areas of deficit.”

He called on all tiers of government and business to invest on a post harvest food preservation enterprise as a visible way

of preserving food produced in Nigeria.

He called on governments to support small scale farmers who represent about 70 per cent of the population since they have the capacity to feed our growing population and be gainfully employed and condemned the spate of land grabbing by some state governments.

Speaking at a colourful ceremony held at the Blue Roof, Ikeja,

By Lambert Tyem

F

ive under-graduates awere among the nine persons who operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested on Monday over internet-related fraud.

The undergraduates who are undergoing various courses in different institutions of higher learning, were rounded up in

…as Fashola laments food wastage in Lagos Fashola lamented that the huge quantity of food wasted daily in the country contribute significantly to current global warming.

Represented by his deputy, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Fashola said, “the staggering amount of food wasted in the country is wholly unacceptable and a huge drain on the country’s

precious resources.

“With the population of the country, wasting food just makes no sense because the world is resource constrained; economically, environmentally and ethically.

“And this wastage occurs because many producers, retailers and consumers discard food that is still fit for human consumption

in the country and that is why Nigerians must make informed choices in buying and consuming.

“The impact of food wasted is not just financial but also environmental. This also leads to squandering of resources such as fertilizers, pesticides and fuel used for transportation.

EFCC arrests 5 varsity student for internet scam Ibadan, Oyo state in a sting operation.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement that, said, “the suspects who regularly milk their unsuspect-

ing victims via the internet were arrested in different locations at Oluyole Estate extension, Ibadan, Oyo state.

“Items recovered from them include eight laptops, one mini-

laptop, two Ipads, two Honda cars; a Toyota Camry and Toyota Venza cars.

“The suspects will be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is concluded.”

R-L: Minister of Environment, Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Taiye Haruna; and Director of Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Dickson Okolo; during the 2013 World Environmental Day conference with the theme, “’Conserve Food, Save our Environment”, yesterday in Abuja.

Reps suspend debate on 2013 Appropriation Act

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he amendment Bill sent to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan on the 2013 Appropriation Act yesterday suffered a setback in the House of Representatives as debate on its general principles has been suspended indefinitely.

The National Assembly had earlier passed an appropriation of N4.987 trillion for the 2013 fiscal year after which certain concerns were raised by the President on the implementability of the budget following which he sent an amendment proposal to the parliament.

House of Representatives Leader, Mulikat Akande-Adeola (PDP Oyo state) who moved the motion to the effect that the general principles of the Bill be debated for its second reading and Chairman of the Committee on House Services, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, who moved a counter motion through a constitutional point of order described the amendment Bill as ultra vires.

Citing section 81(1), (2) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Dogara argued that his motion was predicated on the fact that “the President can only act in line with the Constitution or any other existing law,” and that “where an action is not explicitly supported by any law, the action is ultra vires.”

Ruling on the arguments, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, explained that Dogara had raised some fundamental constitutional issues, and that in the usual practice of the House, “we always constitute a small group to look into issues like this and advise the House, and that is exactly what we are going to do in this case.”

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

World Environment Day: NNPC GMD cautions on food wastage From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna & Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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igerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director, Andrew Yakubu, has warned of the impact of food wastage on the environment.

“We have to remember that when food is wasted, all resources and efforts put into producing the food are also wasted,” Yakubu said yesterday on the occasion of 2013 World Environment Day

at the NNPC in Kaduna.

He explained that reports by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) show that waste of food is a waste of national resources which contributes directly to environmental degradation.

According to him, although 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted globally every year, over 20,000 children less than five years old die of hunger.

That is why the United Nations aptly chose the theme, “Think, Eat, Save,” as the theme this year’s World Environment

Day celebration.

“I therefore call upon each and every staff of the corporation to avoid waste of food even in our homes and other places.

“As we try to reduce waste of food and burning off what we consumed by regular exercises, we are also reducing man-hour loss, Yakubu said.

Also during the celebration of the World Environment Day in Katsina yesterday, the Commissioner of Environment, Alhaji Aminu Ibrahim Safana, lamented that despite efforts to ensure

safe environment, there was according to him, little to celebrate, calling on all stakeholders to join a collective fight in making the environment safe. he noted that as part of measures to ensure ensure a safe environment, the United Nations, in 1992 passed some major resolutions which culminated into the formulation of three conventions that include UN framework Convention on Climate Change, Desertification and Bio-diversity.

•••as Don calls for review of Ecological Fund Act

P

rof. Ibrahim Bashir, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Jos, has called for a review of the Ecological Fund Act, to insulate the fund from abuse.

Bashir made the suggestion at a public lecture organised by the Faculty of Arts, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) on Wednesday in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The don spoke on: ``The Ex-

ploits of Yesterday and the Prices of Today: Environmental Degradation and Development Challenges of Contemporary Nigeria’’.

He said the law should be strong enough to ensure proper deployment of the ecological fund to address the myriad of environmental problems facing the country.

Bashir alleged that the fund was being misapplied and misappropriated due to the lapses in the law es-

tablishing the Fund.

He urged the National Assembly to conduct an investigation on the application of monies drawn from the ecological fund over the years, to determine the level of its utilisation.

In his comment, the Vice Chancellor of ABU, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, said that the lecture was organised to highlight the importance of the environment to the

public.

Mustapha lauded the effort of the faculty and prayed that the discussions would translate into the evolution of a safe and habitable environment.

Earlier, the Dean of the faculty, Dr. Mohammed Amin, urged the participants to avail themselves of the unique opportunity to improve their knowledge on the subject.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 10

News BRIEFS

‘Ajaokuta Steel Company, key to Vision 20:20:20’ From Edwin Olofu, Kano

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ogi state Governor, Captain Idris Wada, has said that Vision 20:20:202 cannot be realized without the completion of the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Company that has been abandoned for a decade.

The Governor who was at the plant on Tuesday on an assessment tour noted that no other country achieves industrialization without a vibrant steel industry.

According to him there should be a political will to ensure the steel plant is reactivated noting that the option of Private Public Partnership (PPP) is being considered and such requests are being passed to the Federal Government until the plant is actualized.

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

Zamfara sponsors 70 women for Midwifery training From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

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amfara state government has sponsored 70 girls from the 14 local government councils to study midwifery. This move is meant to compliment the programme carried by the Partnership for Revival Routine Immunization in Northern Nigeria and Maternal new born Child Health (PRRINNMNCH), to save the lives of mothers and children.

The development was made known by the Commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Muttaka Rin, who was represented by the state ALGON Chairman, Bello Dankande Gamji, during the flagoff ceremony of the Communitybased service delivery been supported by the PRRINNMNCH in collaboration with the state ministry of health.

Rini said that adequate arrangement had been concluded

for the employment of 50 female community health extension workers for the sustainability of the programme.

In her remarks, the state programme Coordinator, Dr. Halima Sanda, explained that the essence of the activities run by the PRRINNMNCH is directed for the empowerment of communities towards reducing the incessant increase of maternal mortality and to improve child health.

She urged the traditional

L-R: Regional Evangelist, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor J.T Kalejaiye; Chairman of the Council, West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Professor Pius Augustine Obanya; Chief Federal Government Nominee, Nigeria National Committee, WAEC, Barrister Daniel Uwaezuoke; and Head of National Office, Mr. Charles Eguridu, during the WAEC’s commendation service in honour of their staff who were recently killed in Borno by unknown gunmen while on duty, yesterday in Lagos. Photo: Olawale Rotimi

Tsav faults Jonathan over Boko Haram proscription From Umar Dankano, Yola

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ormerLagosStateCommissioner of Police and social critic, Alhaji AbubakarTsav,hasdescribedthe decision of President Goodluck Jonathan to proscribe Boko Haram as discriminatory.

According to Tsav, “the President’s action is irrational, to single out the sect for proscription and excluding others like MEND, NDVF, OPC and Ombatse which are also engaged in acts of terrorism.

“Was Boko Haram a legal and lawful organization before the ban? Why is the President always wagging behind like the tail? He just sleeps, dreams and acts on his dreams without thinking. “Laws are made for all but Goodluck Jonathan’s laws are discriminatory and have ethnic bias.”

From Uche Nnorom, Damaturu

NNPC refutes claims of possible fuel scarcity

C

ontrarytoinsinuationssuggesting an impending shortage of petroleum products, especially kerosene,themanagementofthe NigerianNationalPetroleumCorporation (NNPC) and its downstream subsidiary, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) yesterday assured the nation of steady supply of the products as against the speculations.

In a statement signed by the acting Group General Manager Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Tumini Green, the Corporation stated that the on-going maintenance works at the Warri Refinery will not affect the stable supply of petroleum products, especially kerosene, asspeculated in a section of the media, adding that it has enough stock of productstokeepthecountrywellsupplied for the period the refinery would be under repairs.

“WewishtostatethattheCorporation has enough petroleum products to keep the entire country wet until the repair of the unit that came down in Warri refinery is effected.

title holders from the seventeen emirates of the state to create forums upon which husbands would be enticed to always allow their pregnant wives to attend anti natal care services in hospitals and other available health care links.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the state acting team manager, Dr. Sani Dahiru Abubakar, noted that the northern part of the country has the highest rate of maternal and infant mortality.

EFCC links subsidy fraud probes to Falana, others From Matthew Irinoye, Lagos

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has linked the probes and subsequent prosecution of some marketers over the fuel subsidy regime to petitions by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), Civil society groups and the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

A prosecution witness, Hammed Lawal, disclosed this while giving his testimony at the on-going trial of two oil marketers and their company before Justice Lateefat Okunnu of a Ikeja High Court, Lagos over alleged fuel subsidy infractions.

Lawal who was cross

examined by the defence counsel, Anthony Idigbe (SAN), on his previous testimony against the defendants, Samuel Bamidele, Abiodun Kayode Bankole and their company, A.S.B. Investment Company Limited, said the defendants were not specifically mentioned in the said petitions.

The EFCC’s operative who was one of those detailed to investigate the infractions said since the petition was not specific, the Commission decided to investigate the entire subsidy regime following public’s outcry.

He however said his investigations showed that defendants fraudulently obtained payments from the petroleum support fund as subsidy for the

importation of petroleum motor spirit (petrol) to the tune of N1,341,471,735.67.

The witness added that, analysis on the claims by the oil marketers showed that though about 13,415 metric tonnes of fuel discharged by the marketers at Fatgbems depot, the product did not emanate from Sweden as quoted in the bill of lading by the marketers.

Lawal, said that what was paid for as evidenced from the letter of credit to the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) was not imported because of the discrepancies on the documents.

The witness’ contention was that the suspects did not supply the said products form the vessel

Pacific Innovator as claimed because the vessel did not load on the dates quoted on bill of lading.

Lawal however told the court that he did not investigate the movement of the vessel neither did he received any report from the captain of the mother vessel.

On the issue of product discharged Idigbe asked whether the claims by the marketers captured the volume of product discharged at Fatgbems depot, Lawal answered in affirmative but stated that the vessel conveying the petroleum product left Sweden on February 20, 2011 contrary to claims by the defendants that vessel left Sweden on February 13, 2011.

Minister approves panel on system collapse

M

inister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, on Wednesday approved the immediate constitution of a Technical Investigative Panel on system collapse.

This is contained in a statement

signed by Dr. Godknows Igali, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, in Abuja.

It said that the panel would be headed

by Mr Fatai Olapade, a retired director in the Ministry with Jonathan Ogbonna, John Achefe and Imo Ekpo as members.

Other members are a representative of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, a representative of the Electrical Inspectorate Services Department and a representative of the Department of Power.

According to the statement, the

action is necessitated by the recent unpleasant trend of system collapse in the country.

The statement noted that electricity supply to Sokoto and environs, disrupted due to a windstorm, had been restored.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 11

Money Sense

Don’t lose grip of your investment, use winning strategies

S

imply put, investing is the act of committing money or capital to an endeavour with the expectation of obtaining an additional income or profit.

By implication, investing means putting your money to work for you! Considering the aforementioned, when anything contrary happens, it means you are no longer investing.

In 2009, the global economy fell into recession and international markets fell in lockstep. Investors were hammered by massive declines as a recession swept the globe in 2008 and 2009. In the midst of the chaos, experts began calling many decades-old investment practices into question.

Diversification couldn’t provide adequate downside protection, making the “experts” proclaim that the old rules of investing have failed. By implication, they mean that it is different this time. In the capital market for instance, there are some winning strategies that are vital to enable you achieve your dreams and make your investments worthwhile.

Money Tip:

Ways to save money Beat the ticket touts Ticket touts earn their living by getting hold of tickets that are ‘otherwise unavailable’.

Well, here’s the news: they are available to everyone when they first go on sale. You just need to know when they go on sale. Simply sign up to for the free ticket alert newsletters from the main agents to ensure that you’re first in the queue.

Stop trying to keep up with the Joneses Trying to keep up appearances is little more than a costly illness. Remember, you cannot judge someone by what they have because you don’t know how they got it.

Chances are they’re in more debt than you are.

Quote “Don’t be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson: Philosopher

The question now remains whether there is time to try a new approach? First, you must know when to “buy” and “hold” stocks. Experts believe that history has repeatedly proved the market’s ability to recover.

“Assuming you have a solid portfolio, waiting for recovery can be well worth your time. A down market may even present an excellent opportunity to add holdings to your positions, and accelerate your recovery through cost averaging,” according to personal finance experts at Investopedia.

Another strategy is that you must “know your risk appetite.”

“The aftermath of a recession is a good time to re-evaluate your appetite for risk. Ask yourself this: When the markets crashed, did you buy, hold or sell your stocks and lock in losses? Your behaviour says more about your tolerance for risk than any advice,” the experts said.

Also, as a stock investor, you must always “diversify”. Has diversification died … or is it?

Looking at the market crash that claimed a lot of investments, these experts at Investopedia said: “While markets generally moved in one direction, they didn’t all make moves of similar magnitude.

So, while a diversified portfolio may not have staved off losses altogether, it could have helped reduce the damage.

Holding a bit of cash, a few certificates of deposit or a fixed annuity along with equities can help take the traditional strategic asset allocation diversification

models a step further.”

You have to know when to sell or offload your stocks. “Indefinite growth is not a realistic expectation, yet investors often expect rising stocks to gain forever. Putting a price on the upside and the downside can provide solid guidelines for

getting out while the getting is good. Similarly, if a company or an industry appears to be headed for trouble, it may be time to take your gains off of the table.

There is no harm in walking away when you are ahead of the game,” these personal finance analysts said.

Ready to insure your house? keep these in mind

A

home insurance policy, also known as householder’s insurance, is the best bet to safeguard your house because it not only covers the structure of your home but also all its valuable contents from different kinds of perils such as earthquake, terrorism, flood and burglary.

However, if you thought that you have ensured your peace of mind by opting for home insurance, which will take care of the most valuable possession of your life - your house -- better do a reality check. Chances are that you may not get compensated adequately (or in

some cases not at all) in the event of any mishap, particularly if you just missed out something before signing on the dotted lines.

This has already happened in many cases. Still consumers are not getting any wiser. They think that getting one’s house and valuables insured is as simple as buying a life insurance cover or taking a money back policy for one’s kid. Sadly, however, that’s not the case. According to experts, there are lots of precautions which need to be taken while opting for householder’s insurance. Here we take a look at some of them: • Valuation of one’s property

In home insurance, the most important thing to consider is the valuation of one’s property and valuables.

For instance, one should not insure one’s home at the market value or at the price one bought it, say, years back, as the price of construction materials like cement has gone up considerably.

Instead building and FFF (furniture, fixtures and fittings) should be insured on a reinstatement basis because in the event of a loss, both would have to be replaced at today’s cost of construction or replacement. This way, in case of any mishap, you would be able to replace your loss fully without bearing any depreciation.

•Insuring household goods Household goods should not be insured at the purchase (book) price, as adjustment for depreciation would result in very little claim being paid. It is also not always easy to know the replacement cost.

So one may have to use approximations and also keep a list of contents separately (not in the home) so that if there is a major loss, one knows what all the items at home were.

•Insuring electronic items Today, with many homeowners owning expensive PCs, plasma TVs, DVD players, music systems, home theatre systems and other electronic gadgets, it makes sense to consider insuring these items for breakdowns. For this the EEI (Electronic Equipment Insurance) cover can be taken under a separate section in home insurance policy by listing the electronic items required to be covered and paying the necessary premium.

The sum insured should be the present day replacement value. EEI, in fact, is an ‘all risk’ cover as it covers electrical and mechanical breakdown, fire, accidental damages, water damage, etc, and can be taken for electronic equipment up to five years old. One point, thus, to be noted here is that it does not make sense to insure electronic equipment which are more than fiveyear old!

Also, while covering durables and other electronic and electrical appliances, it is important that description of the items covered, such as make, model and serial numbers, is mentioned in the policy.

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

EDITORIAL

Taraba crisis: Judge Adi’s spoiler the phrase. They merely ask the panel to “find out and report the extent of the political harmony or otherwise among key stakeholders within the ruling PDP family in Taraba state” and “establish the most effective approach to reduce to the barest minimum the fears of all interests”.

Bamanga is right. Taraba has a dysfunctional government because

“

N

ational Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, while still fighting wolves within his party who were after his job, last month did the unusually sensible thing to save Taraba, a PDP controlled state.

It is in the thick of a constitutional/ political crisis brought about the 8-month absence of its governor, Mr. Danfuani Danbaba Suntai, due to ill health. He survived a fatal plane crash last October and has been receiving treatment in Germany and the United States ever since.

Suntai’s long absence has polarized the local PDP between his unwavering loyalists who want him to still ‘run’ the state from his sick bed outside the country and a “Save Taraba Group” which wants acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, picked by Suntai as his deputy only a month before the accident, to take full charge. And last month, the crisis spewed into the state House Assembly where pro-Suntai lawmakers replaced the speaker and his deputy over “corruption charges”.

The truth, however, is that they were suspected of working for Umar to replace the ailing Suntai.

This is the context of Bamanga’s deft move last month in naming a 7-member party panel on Taraba. Led

by Senator Hope Uzodinma, the panel is to stabilize what the PDP chairman describes as a “hanging government” in the state. Its terms of reference, however, cleverly avoid a mention of

Justice Nuhu Adi, unquestioningly granted the injunction in a purely party matter over which the courts have no jurisdiction though Umar is in charge, he is only acting and does not exercise the full powers of the office of governor even though he does not admit it. With a splintered cabinet, he hasn’t been able to do anything outside what Suntai started.

Lacking real powers he was unable to deal decisively with a civil uprising in January in Ibi, south of the capital, Jalingo. He was still fidgeting when last April March nearby Wukari was racked by communal violence, the second time in as many months.

Even Umar’s elevation to acting governor last February was a Herculean

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”

task. He played into the hands of the diehard Suntai loyalists by refusing to assert himself, in part, because he felt he owed the governor a debt of gratitude for plucking him from political obscurity and planting him in Government House as his deputy and also because of his inexperience in raw power play. The fact of his being a Muslim and Suntai a fundamentalist Christian has unfortunately exposed a religious fault line that everybody pretended never existed.

It was this cauldron of fear and mutual suspicion that Bamanga’s “fact finding” team walked into when it arrived Jalingo penultimate week.

The members had hardly unpacked before two state party members rushed to the state high court for an injunction to stop the team’s work. It was clearly the handiwork of Suntai’s supporters who suspected a plot to oust him and install Umar as governor. An overzealous judge, Justice Nuhu Adi, unquestioningly granted the injunction in a purely party matter over which the courts have no jurisdiction. Even if, as he claims, he has powers to hear the case, why the rush in granting the injunction? After all, the panel’s brief is to find the facts, not faults. What is his interest in the case?

Without knowing it, Justice Adi has been manipulated into playing the devil’s advocate or the role of a spoiler of a genuine effort to save the PDP in Taraba and give the people of the state a semblance of a stable government.

OUR PEOPLE

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PAGE 13

Opinion Changing fortunes of the sand dunes of my childhood (II)

By Y. Z. Ya’u

T

he Summit was a huge success which set out an agenda for the regime. The summit created the platform and allowed the voiceless poor to tell their stories and make suggestions as to how their problems could be addressed. The outcome of the proceedings was published in a book in both Hausa and English.

A committee of the Government studied the suggestions and developed up appropriate programmes to address the problems raised and find ways of reducing poverty in the state. Since then the State Government has been faithfully implementing these programmes and initiatives.

Five years since the Talakawa Summit, the face and fate of Jigawa have changed. Roads have been constructed across and within all the local governments, allowing farmers and traders to move their produce and goods with ease which has significantly helped in reducing poverty in the state. The healthcare sector has seen some many new health facilities, equipped and well staffed, with robust public sensitization programmes, thus facilitating the big reductions in both maternal and child mortality rates that the state has recorded.

New schools have been established while existing ones have been

By Ifeanyi Uddin

N

o one word divides camp in Nigeria today more than “corruption.” Such is the extent of the division that I doubt if both sides imagine the same processes, events, or people when they use this noun.

There are excuses for this. Our problem with counting, for instance, (as with the recent vote for the chair of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum) is either an objective constraint (as a dyslexic person has with words), or one consequence of our openness to “persuasion.” Glib dismissal of corruption as a national problem, on the other hand, (as when a minister is alleged to have described Nigerians as 99.99% honest) speaks to any of two possibilities. There is the outside chance that a “fun-loving people” (one of the many extant descriptions of us) simply refuse to be burdened by all references to the negative. Or, which is the same thing, that we are playing ostrich with this problem.

The possibility that the six sigma characterisations of the average Nigerian’s honesty might be right is, however, contradicted by daily life experience. The malaise associated with the impairment of our integrity, of our national virtue, has gotten subtler by the day. Nobody directly

expanded, triggering huge increase in enrolment that today the state is at the point of achieving the MDG targets on education. To cater for this expansion in enrolment at the higher end, the state owned institutions of higher learning have been expanded and upgraded with new facilities and new progrmmes relevant to the development needs of the state introduced. It was this thirst for higher education that made the state government to make generous donation to the Federal University, Dutse in the form of large land (the biggest of any university), take off infrastructure, construction of additional facilities and support to staff and administration of the university among other things. Still, the state is not putting its eggs in one basket: it has stepped up activities at the site of its own state university in Kafin Hausa so that it could soonest commence academic activities.

In the area of reducing unemployment, the government has set up many skills acquisition centres, training thousands of youth who are at the end their training given capital, working tools and business support to set up their business. Many of them have formed cooperatives and are visible across the local governments of the state, producing many goods and service that hitherto had to be obtained from outside the state. Infrastruc-

ture has been deployed across the state, facilitating commerce and other business activities. Dutse has changed from a desolate village to a modern town: neat, trim, self-sufficient and alluring. There is the ongoing construction of an international airport that has already been designated by FAAN as both for passengers and cargo. The productive engagement of youth in economic activities has also spared the state of youth restiveness and today Jigawa is the most peaceful states of all the north, with its extremely low crime rates.

To ensure the sustainability of these developments, government has also put in place several reform programmes, both at the level of policy and institutions, resulting in the last global ease of business rating of the World Bank scoring the state as first among all the states in the federation.

With these envious records, it was only logical that the state should work to consolidate its gains and achievements by seeking out investors to join it in growing the economy and taking it to the next heights. The state is blessed with many investment opportunities and fortuitously, the Growth and Employment in States (GEMS) of DFID had done a study on this and has published the Jigawa State Investors’ Handbook (2013). This empirical document provided a starting point for the Jigawa

Economic and Investment Summit which held from 29-31 May at the Ahmadu Bello Hall of the new state secretariat, Dutse.

Drawing over 300 participants from both within and outside the country, the Summit was a departure from the usual academic conference that Nigeria is used to.

Here the focus was practical and result-seeking. There was no space for discussing concepts or interrogating theories. Here is what we have and where we want be, tell us what we have to do for you investors to invest in Jigawa state and join us in the journey to further grow the economy of the state so was the statement from the organizers of the Summit.

By the end of the summit over 20 Memorandum of Intent (MoIs) were signed between various investors and the state government.

They include a 150,000 metric tonnes sugar refinery by Dangote, an aviation handling services company by Messrs Butake Resources PLC, the establishment of a hospitality and tourism institution to provide trained human resources to tap into the rich tourism potentials of the state, various mining related initiatives, fertilizer plant based not wasting our waste principles, the offer to convert the Jigawa 3-star hotel to a five-star hotel on a PPP model among many others.

This was a record achievement: who said that you must junket

globally in order to attract investment? What investors need are the right environment, appropriate policies, good infrastructure, policy consistency and demonstration of commitment to transparency, due process and good leadership. They saw these in Jigawa Sate and were happy by what they found.

There is a message out of this summit. Sule Lamido has been able to not only give hope to the people, ending years of despair but has also restored back government in the hands of the people, starting from the Talawaka summit, allowing them to say their minds and empowering them to take their destiny into their hands. This is what has worked with the people committed to doing their best to give their state a new name. That is the real meaning of democracy, for even in its anecdotal form, it is about government of the people by the people for the people and here, this is the reality.

In the context of Nigeria that is confused and desolate, looking for deliverance here is a statement that indeed Nigerians can positively change the narrative of the country just as the people of Jigawa state are working assiduously, changing the story of the sand dunes of poverty to dunes of opportunity and economic progress.

Concluded Y. Z Ya’u is reachable on yzy@citad.org

Profile of a corrupt people demands for a bribe any more.

Processes are simply arranged in a manner that lets you know that there are ways round them.

You could ask to know why the queue you are on has not moved one person in the last one hour, and yet applications for which the queue was originally set up are clearly being processed. Folk clutching the same forms as you simply walk in, spend a couple of minutes and walk out to much mutual “thank you”. You would be lucky to find an answer. Offer the right consideration, though, and the resulting illumination is harsh.

Not many get reported for any of this. A lot fewer ever get

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punished. This leads to another Nigerian response. This one admits to an important role for corrupt practices in the national life, but argues that we are no different from others in this general respect. We differ only in the fact that we do not proceed against corrupt practices to the extent that these become the exceptions and not the rules.

Interested in understanding why we appear more tolerant of corrupt practices than “others”?

Essentially, this reasoning loops back on itself, and is invalid in this sense. Basically, therefore, we could ignore it in its many guises.

The ease with which we

include what is to be proven as a central part of our proofs is not the bigger burden when the issue of corruption in Nigeria is discussed. Much direr is the growing analogy between the national position on corruption, and the condition of the mentally ill. Because the parameters of a mentally ill person are the only differences between him/her and one who is not similarly afflicted, it takes some persuading to get the former to check in for therapy.

To agree that there is a problem at all. Once the admission of being unwell is reached, the chances for successful therapy are considerably enhanced.

The possibility that the six sigma characterisations of the average Nigerian’s honesty might be right is, however, contradicted by daily life experience. The malaise associated with the impairment of our integrity, of our national virtue, has gotten subtler by the day. Nobody directly demands for a bribe any more. Processes are simply arranged in a manner that lets you know that there are ways round them. You could ask to know why the queue you are on has not moved one person in the last one hour, and yet applications for which the queue was originally set up are clearly being processed.

Nigeria is painfully at this “crisis”: in the proper sense of this noun as “an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending”. Where our insistence on not being a “corrupt people”, at least, not in any sense that sets us apart from “others” has become a severe restraint on our ability and willingness to remedy things. “Denial” has its uses in managing psychological traumas.

Whereas our original reaction to the prevalence and growing brazenness of corruption in the national life may have been to keep this unpleasant reality out of our conscious awareness, such is the nature of the problem today that we confront two choices on the matter.

We could identify our denial, and repress the emotions that are associated with this (including incredulity, anger, and a commitment to change) until with each such response to our denial, the topic becomes taboo. Or we put “corruption” and its manifold negative feedbacks on our society on the front burner, discussing it until it is resolved.

Ifeanyi Uddin is a financial analyst and economic historian.

PAGE 14

Letters & Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

Gani, protests and change in Nigeria

By Japheth J Omojuwa

T

he worst enemies of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi would not have the effrontery to say in their private bedrooms that they did more for humanity than the late human rights activist did. I doubt any sane Nigerian would dare say that on national TV. The Channels TV headline that ascribed that blasphemy to me has since been corrected but I wish such headline never happened. This is a country where the headline is the whole news, where even the real news which you read or watch doesn’t get put in perspective and essentially where biased hearts get to dictate the direction of the head. I never at anytime said, insinuate or suggest that social media was doing more than Chief Gani Fawehinmi did.

Gani Fawehinmi was more than protests. He was a philanthropist who used his money and profession for the cause of the poor. I grew up reading Tell magazine’s reports of his efforts and activities with the likes of the late Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti. These men were not known for just protests they were known for more. They achieved more engaging the military intellectually and strategically than they did just protesting. Kudirat Radio was not your conventional protest but it set Gen. Abacha up against the world powers. I said, “change is not just about protests, it is about everything. You put everything

on the table birthday? All when it comes of these noises to change.” about the video I went on to many have Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, say whatever not seen are text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written achievements essentially not contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters social media about these - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your was attaining people’s love name and a valid location.

Letters to the Editor should be it could do a for the legend addressed to: lot more and, but the intent to in fact, went hurt, an act to The Editor, on to say a lot make another person look bad. of what was Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, happening on I would never 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. social media in my entire life Email: opinion@peoplesdaily-online.com was a kind of compare myself SMS: 08134607052 to Gani. I am “sound and fury signifying not writing this nothing”. one of the presidential debates. because it is the right thing to write This is Nigeria, where you That was not enough for Nigerians even though it is, I am writing this don’t have to be wrong to be seen to vote for him. That is not to say because comparing myself to Gani to be wrong, the wrong headline we are hypocrites or sycophants, is what I don’t have the ability to along with your name makes you may be to say we are just a special do. If I were his son, he’d pray for wrong. As at the time of writing kind of people. If he were alive me to do bigger things than he did. this piece, less than four thousand today, would he depend solely If he were alive, he’d pray for me people had watched the videos on street protests to salvage our to rise above his successes. That altogether but over three hundred dear country or would he consider is the way in Yoruba land where I thousand people had an opinion. other possible options to go with come from. Older people pray for It is not hard to infer that most them? Did he use arguments on younger people to do more and people, who passed their opinion television, radio and the media of do better. It is of course not in the on the issue, trusted the erroneous the time as other tools of change place of such young people to claim headline, which was bad enough or did he stick solely to protests? they did if at all they do. Someone for the otherwise respectable news Why are we the way we are?

I considered a friend said I’d never platform to correct.

Why do we pretend to worship be half the man Chief Gani was. I Did all the dead heroes of people in death yet never took solace in the fact that Gani in Nigeria’s so called democracy considered them worthy while death would desire more for me die thinking the fight was worth alive? How many times has Gani and were he alive would pray for it? When we had a semblance of trended on his birthday or death me to achieve more. democracy, did Gani celebrate it day on new media? How many Lessons have been learnt. Ours or did he wish it was not a “civil people even remember to tweet is a tiring society where those you rule” like he once even called it?

“RIP Gani ” on his remembrance? assume are fighting a cause with I remember him in tears during How many even know his you are only looking for you to get

WRITE TO US

hit by a bullet so they can finish the job i.e. kill you themselves if you survive the hit. It is a funny society where those you take as enemies are actually friends who want the best for you. It is a society where people do not care about the memories of great men who have gone to the beyond as long as those memories are used as tools to take other people down.

It is a society where a part of the press decides to take you down if you don’t pay or pay enough. It is a society where saying the press can do better, rise above junk gets reported as saying the whole press is useless.

We can do better as a people.

We can elevate issues beyond looking to make others look small, disrespectful or unkind to the works of others. If protests alone could bring change Spain would not have one of Europe’s highest unemployment rates because they had about 3000 protests last year, Egypt would be a paradise today, Syria would not be in war and Tunisia would not be in a fix.

There is nothing that cannot be improved upon. The essence of life is to get better and do better than the past. Suggesting that we improve on the ways of the past is not saying those that lived in the past did less. It is saying those who live today can do better.

Japheth J. Omojuwa’s professional profile is on LinkedIn

Amaechi: A desire that nothing can satisfy

By Ade Omo-West

W

hen I was growing up, there was a common folktale told in my community about a wretched man in a certain village, who was a stranger, a labourer. Suddenly he became the king by providence. He had all that a man may desire at his disposal. The people were willing to satisfy his ego as long as it is within their natural and spiritual ability.

God who graciously led him to the throne was also benevolent enough to grant him all his cravings. He could sleep and wake up at the time appropriate to him.

Suddenly, a seed of pride germinated in him, and he felt he had to satisfy the demand of it. Pride in all its forms, devolves from self-esteem, which is in reality “ego-worship.” It stems, so they say, from greed, the first of the Roots of evil” trouble arises when we begin to make comparisons — “X. couldn’t have done it half as well.” That may be quite true, but it is dangerous to think that because one’s skill is superior in a single instance that one is therefore a better person.

Success has a way of trapping the successful, if they are not sensitive to its temptations and deceits.

To cut the story short, the king demanded to have control over the sun, the moon and the stars so that he can decide when they are to shine and upon whom. In other word, he requested that the almighty step aside for him - A desire that cannot be satisfied!

Finally he returned to where he started because of a desire that could not be satisfied.

Amaechi’s controversial journey began in 2007 through the decision of the Supreme Court which substituted him in place of Celestine Omehia. Few days after he successfully won re-election as

“

governor of Rivers State on 26 April 2011, he became the proteome chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum. A position that must have made a monster of the occupier in recent times.

By the articles of association, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, is a coalition of elected governors of the country’s 36 States. It posts the semblance of a non-partisan association which seeks to promote unity, good governance, better understanding and co-operation among the states and ensure a healthy and beneficial relationship between the states

and other tiers of government.

Also, it ought to serve as a platform for the governors’ to compare note and healthy competition to the advantage of the populace in their various states irrespective of political affinity.

Lately, the forum has assumed a dangerous dimension especially with the way and manner the leadership of the association is going about its business. It has suddenly becomes a monster, a threat, and a clog in the wheel of national interest and development.

We need to ask, but you are not the pioneer NGF Chair, definitely

Recently, a member asked why the forum has become a violent trade union and the coercive machine to intimidate, threaten, harass and force the government at the centre to bow to its whim and caprices. Oga at the top of the NGF took undue advantage of the disjointed forum with the backing of some feeble members to prosecute the hidden agenda. Since the expression of the desire for which nothing can satisfy, the entire machinery of governance in Rivers state has collapsed. From the state to the local administrations, from the executive to the legislature even to the state judiciary the centre can no longer hold.

this is a bad precedent. This cannot continue.

Recently, a member asked why the forum has become a violent trade union and the coercive machine to intimidate, threaten, harass and force the government at the centre to bow to its whim and caprices. Oga at the top of the NGF took undue advantage of the disjointed forum with the backing of some feeble members to prosecute the hidden agenda.

Since the expression of the desire for which nothing can satisfy, the entire machinery of governance in Rivers state has collapsed.

From the state to the local administrations, from the executive to the legislature even to the state judiciary the centre can no longer hold.

It is rather unfortunate that why the forest tree is falling it is affecting every other thing around it. The undue desire for which nothing can satisfy is definitely falling the iroko tree of Ubima, in Ikwere local government area of Rivers state. Who can satisfy this desire that does not exist?

Definitely he must have been made for another world.

Ade Omo-West writes this piece from Suleja, Niger state.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 15

Comment Need to sanitize social media

By Emmanuel Ajibulu

S

ocial media is a term used to collectively describe a set of tools that foster interaction, discussion and community, allowing people to build relationships and share information. Media is an instrument on communication, like a newspaper or a radio, so social media would be a social instrument of communication.

It is easy to confuse social media with social news because we often refer to members of the news as “the media.” Adding to the mix is the fact that a social news site is also a social media site because it falls into that broader category.

Social news is not the same thing as social media anymore than a banana is the same thing as fruit.

A banana is a type of fruit, but fruit can also be grapes, pineapples, or lemons. And while social news is social media, social networking and wikis are also social media. Few of such examples are Blogs (posting articles), Facebook, LinkedIn (networking), Twitter (networking), YouTube, Flickr (photos & video) to mention a view.

Think of abuse, for some reasons politicians come to mind.

They are one breed which has brutally been punished by social media. Mudslinging has got a new medium, and people are venting all their wrath and anger by blasting off tweet after tweet, mocking every aspect of these servants of society.

Internet abuse involves the use of the internet in an abusive manner. It consists of threats and harassment, viruses, spamming, port scanning, hacking, denial-of-

service attack (DoS attack), and copyright infringement. One may argue that there must be some measures expected to be put in place by the government to check the abuse of use of social media, but it is also imperative to note that the privacy of the users is also important especially those involved with decent and other activities that are not nefarious.

What a dilemma? Recently the House of Representatives, detailed its committees on Information Communication Technology, Justice and Anti-corruption to investigate the alleged award of over $ 40 million internet spying contract to a foreign company to monitor computers and internet activities of over 45 millions Nigerians on the web by the Federal Government. To this end, the House urged the Federal Government to suspend

“

all action with regards to the contract pending the outcome of its investigations.

The House resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance raised by Honourable Ibrahim Gusau, entitled: “A motion for the need to investigate the alleged over $40 million surveillance contract awarded by Federal Government to a foreign firm.” The mover of the motion equally maintained that reports had it that the contract was awarded secretly and in wanton disregard of due process, fiscal responsibility act, and Bureau of Public Procurement Act 2007.

According to him, “the award of the contract has violated the basic privacy provision in Chapter 4, Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. The contract under the guise of intelligence gathering and national security may not be

The Nigerian government may not have succeeded in the task to scrutinize abuse of social media, or use of internet facilities in the country for many reasons at the moment, but other countries have been somewhat tough on their citizens who may wish to subscribe to social media.

A claim by countries like China and Middle-East /Asian countries is that due to ‘privacy issues’ and ‘objectionable content’ most social websites have to be proscribed in their territory.

the answer to the glaring security challenges of today’s Nigeria.” He noted that if the alleged contract was allowed the right to private and family life enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended would have been violated and breached.

Former President Ibrahim Babangida once said, “Most importantly, nothing has happened to change my conviction that freedom and the love of liberty remain the essential defining attributes of our national character as a people.” He is indeed spot on. However, this age of digital media, coupled with the current unfortunate security challenges facing Nigeria, has given rise to unqualified authors and social commentators. Only with a mobile device or personal computer supported with internet facility, people now own ‘newsrooms’.

We all can spread news, pictures, stories, comments and reactions using our blogs and social media platforms.

The downside is that more often, misguided and unethical practices replace the informed code of conduct that guides the noble media profession. It is just too obvious that some people cannot handle with maturity, the freedom and limitless platform presented by digital media since there is no control or checks put in place.

These destructive ideas include contempt of religions, discrediting religions, provoking racial, communal, religious, ideological and regional commotion, spreading biased rumours, malignantly distorting facts, libelling, defamation, cursing, fabricating accusations as well as insults etc.

Nigerians must learn to embrace call for paradigm shift to foster decency in the internet community.

If there are no defined regulations or checks, internet users can also regulate themselves too, within the confines of propriety and maturity.

The Nigerian government may not have succeeded in the task to scrutinize abuse of social media, or use of internet facilities in the country for many reasons at the moment, but other countries have been somewhat tough on their citizens who may wish to subscribe to social media. A claim by countries like China and MiddleEast /Asian countries is that due to ‘privacy issues’ and ‘objectionable content’ most social websites have to be proscribed in their territory.

For example, Facebook is banned in countries like China, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, and UAE. Similarly, YouTube is banned in many countries primarily including Turkey, Thailand, Pakistan, China, and Indonesia.

So also Twitter is banned in UAE and China. It came as a surprise that the famous blogging platform is banned in Ethiopia, Pakistan and China. Wikipedia an open source encyclopedia is as well banned in countries like China, Iran, and Pakistan. China blocks almost all top websites including Google (often), Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, Orkut, Technorati, Vimeo and many others. China filter-out such sites to allow its own cyber industry to flourish and challenge the western giants.

Emmanuel Ajibulu is on Twitter.

Oil: Jonathan’s ‘downstream’ excuses

By Ifeanyi Izeze

I

n 2011, Nigeria’s crude oil production output peaked at about 2.6 million barrels per day. And rather than appreciate, it plunged to a crest of 1.89m through 2.52 million barrels per day in 2012. Now, the situation is even more pathetic as no person including the Minister of Petroleum Resources could provide a definite figure on what we pump out as crude oil from this country. The Ministry of Petroleum Resources believes Nigeria still pumps between 2.12.59 million barrels per day but the oil workers union (NUPENG) recently contended that figure insisting that the nation’s output has dropped to as low as 1.8 million barrels per day. And all the reasons adduced for this unimpressive performance fell purely within the purview of government’s inability to carry out its responsibilities- particularly securing oil facilities to stampout the ever-increasing crude oil theft which has become a national embarrassment.

Similarly, the downstream sub-sector has remained arena of excuses and unacceptable explanations. Jonathan promised that all our existing refineries will be rehabilitated by March

2013, and new ones built such that we are able to refine 1 million barrels of crude oil per day by 2014. It would have been an easy feat to achieve considering that the present administration inherited a plan to build three more refineries in Lagos, Kogi and Bayelsa states from the Yar’adua/ Jonathan administration. But rather all that was presented were outright downstream of excuses.

Midway to the lifespan of the administration, no iota of progress has been recorded beyond where former President Umaru Yar’adua stopped in the federal government’s plan to build three more refineries one each in Lagos, Kogi and Bayelsa States.

Despite billions of naira sunk into revamping the nation’s three and half refineries, the major components and various units of Fluid Catalytic Cracking Units, Crude Distillation Units and Vacuum Distillation Units of all the refineries are in terrible shapes. And what goes on at some of the plant are mere cracking of crude oil and no more. Some parts of the country are experiencing acute shortage of Kerosene, and there is no convincing reason for this market situation. The PPMC provides kerosene to some marketers for sale to consumers at N50 per litre but even in

refinery and bulk storage towns such as Port Harcourt, Warri and Lagos, this same product sells for between N100- N150 per litre and farther away inland, it goes for between N200-300 depending on the distance from the source.

If truly our existing refineries produce about 5.53 million liters of dual purpose kerosene as claimed by the PPMC, the problem of kerosene shortage across the country would not have as chronic.

In 2012, the government signed a joint venture agreement with Vulcan Energy Corporation for a deal worth $4.5 billion to jointly build six modular refineries. The vice president of Vulcan was quoted as saying then that it would take 13 months to complete the full circle of getting one modular refinery to start operation anywhere in Nigeria. So it would take a total of 78 months to complete the six modular plants with combined processing capacity of 180,000 barrels per day.

Meanwhile that’s only one side of the story because the issue of the location of the proposed modular plants is yet to be resolved. It is very obvious the geopolitical concept adopted for citing the plants may not be feasible because of the issue of availability of crude oil feedstock to the plants.

Today, not only is none of

the existing refineries working at anywhere near-impressive capacity utilisation, there is nothing to show that even a single new refinery will be nearing completion by 2015. It takes at least 48 months to build a sizable refining plant with tangible volume per stream day capacity.

So even till the end of this present administration, Nigerians should not expect any new refinery anywhere except the sort built everyday in the creeks of the Niger Delta. And any person promising otherwise is only set out to deceive the gullible citizenry. As part of the administration’s contract with Nigerians, Jonathan promised that the gas sector would be “developed with special focus on meeting the domestic and individual demands of gas within the country, especially with the anticipated increased demand due to the Vision 20:2020 intent of rejuvenating the manufacturing sector.” How this is being pursued is at best blurred and at worst obscured.

For whatever reason, the government has not been able to clearly define what it wants in the gas sub-sector. Policy pronouncements after the release of the promised transformation plan in the gas business clearly show that the government till

today has no single idea on how to resolve the conflict between the policy of producing natural gas mainly for export as encapsulated in the various LNG project and freeing produced gas for domestic us - in the power and manufacturing sectors and even for home use as cooking resource.

The thorny issue of appropriate pricing of gas for domestic purposes is still far from being addressed. Is the government going to continue the present subsidy regime on gas supplies to the power plants and other private manufacturing interests or allow the oil companies to produce and sell at market-driven rates?

Unknown to many Nigerians, this issue of gas pricing is one of the biggest setbacks to the government’s independent power initiative and until it is resolved- in a frank and honest manner, most of the power plants being built may find it difficult to source gas feedstocks for their operation.

Three years down, the roadmap as proposed in the transformation booklet of 2011 is still leading nowhere. We have used three years or more to plan. Now is the time to move from the arena of promises to actual delivery.

Ifeanyi Izeze via iizeze@ yahoo.com

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 17

Metro

Secretariat doles out TV set to elderly people

By Stanley Onyekwere

N

o fewer than 30 elderly persons, five each from the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), yesterday smiled to their respective home with 21 inches LG flat screen Television doled out to them by the Social Welfare Services Department of the Social Development Secretariat of the FCT. The elderly persons, who were all thankful to the secretariat for the gesture, were equally treated to a sumptuous meal at the event tagged ‘Day Out with Older Persons in FCT’ which took place at the Cyprain Ekwensi Centre for

Art and Culture, Area 10, Garki, Abuja.

One of the beneficiaries, Pastor Dauda Ahmed Timothy prayed that the secretariat would continue to replicate such gesture to the elderly in the territory.

He thanked the FCT administration for recognising them, saying in such gatherings subsequently, they would be giving the administration advice on how to tackle security issues in the territory.

Speaking at the event which according to her, was to commemorate the International Day for Older Persons, designated by the United Nations, the Secretary, Social Development

Secretariat, Mrs Blessing Onuh said the aim was to focus global attention on the problem of physical, emotional and financial abuse elders.

“It also seeks to understand the challenges and opportunities presented by an aging population and brings together senior citizens and their care givers, national and local government, academics and private sector to exchange ideas about how best to reduce incidents of violence towards elders and to increase the report of such abuse as well as to develop elderly friendly policies”, she added.

According to her, following this, the FCT administration through the secretariat is aggressively

advocating and sensitising the public towards the plight and welfare of the aged in FCT with particular emphasis on the need for free and accessible health care, security and participation in the economic, social and political activities while ageing gracefully.

“Furthermore, this outing is not only a prelude for improving our relationship with the aged but an opportunity to also make available their wealth of experiences to the growing number of impressionable youths in the community where they belong,” the secretary said.

She assured the elderly ones that the administration was mindful of their concerns for

access to health, security and social inclusion.

Onuh also assured that more elderly persons would be involved in the next celebration.

Earlier, the Director of Social Welfare Services Department of the secretariat, Mrs Folashade Ayileka in her welcome address thanked the secretary for the initiative which focuses on the physical, emotional and financial wellbeing of the elderly.

High point of the event was talk on ‘Health Tips for Longevity’ presented by Dr Butkap Tali, talk on ‘Longevity: Shaping the Future’, by Victor Ayodeji Fodeke, presentation of the TV sets to beneficiaries, dining and wining.

Actor calls for film distribution centres to curb piracy

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Nollywood actor, Christopher Nze, has urged the Federal Government to take stringent measures to curb piracy by establishing film distribution centres across the country.

Nze told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday, in Abuja that the centres would help check the activities of pirates who thrived by producing fake copies of original works.

According to him, the measure will ensure immediate distribution of films thereby eliminating the activities of pirates.

“The problem of piracy continues to persist because of poor distribution network. When a film is made it is supposed to be released in different parts of the country at once so that it is not pirated.

“It is because these films are released in just one or two places that pirates duplicate them and transport to other parts of the country where the films are not available,” he said.

Nze said that original copies of creative works were often pirated because they were not readily available to consumers in many parts of the country.

He cautioned youths not to allow the style of dressing in movies to affect them, saying that the mode of dressing in movies was meant to send messages or teach a lesson to viewers and not to be copied.

Nze said the industry had realised the anomaly and adopted measures to correct it by producing films that tended to teach good morals and correct societal ills.

He however advisedthose interested in acting not to be intimidated by older artistes in the industry who had carved a niche for themselves, adding that everyone had a role to play in the industry hence the old and young need to work together to achieve their goals. (NAN)

An accident on Jabi road, Utako, in Abuja yesterday.

Photo: NAN

Made in Nigeria foot wears now attract high patronage — Survey

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survey in the FCT has shown that locallymanufactured foot wears now attract higher patronage than foreign ones, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The survey carried out by NAN on Wednesday showed that in the past three months, made in Nigeria foot wears, especially slippers, were now preferred because of their simple design, finishing, easy to use and other features.

The survey also showed that the local products were relatively cheaper than imported ones.

A manufacturer of foot wears, Mr Emeka Eze, told NAN that he had improved the quality and design of his products to make them more competitive.

Eze said that he had since introduced some people to the business all of whom he said, were doing well.

According to Eze, the items used in producing the foot wears are easy to procure and also affordable.

He listed some of the materials as ram skin, discarded tyres, rubber and locally-made gum.

In his words: “The slippers are selling like hot cake, customers

now even had to pre-order for them to be made in different sizes and colours.’’

Another manufacturer, Mr John Obi, said it took him only about two days to undergo the process, noting that he could produce about 25 to 30 pieces daily.

He said: “We are happy that business is moving and more people are appreciating locally manufactured products.’’

Another shoe-maker, KelechiNnamdi, said that the slippers could last for about two years and that they could even be washed and dried.

However, appealing to government to assist shoemakers financially to expand their production scope, Kelechi added ;“We need a place where we can set up factories and employ more people so that they can meet up with local demand and even export our products.’’

Also Mr. Monday Shima, who trades in shoes, described the quality and turnover on the locallymade shoes as impressive.

He also called on the government to promote local technology to attract investors and create jobs for teeming unemployed youths. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 16

Livestock dealers ask for infrastructure at Dei Dei market

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Commuters waiting for transport as effects of the new FCT transport policy bites hard, in Abuja yesterday.

Photo: NAN

Mpape Killing: Police stops hearing on ‘garnishee’ order …Its frivolous attempt to distract proceedings-Victim’s lawyer

By Stanley Onyekwere

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he Nigerian Police yesterday succeeded in halting the commencement of hearing on the “garnishee nisi” proceedings before Justice A. U. Inyang of the FCT High court sitting at Apo, in respect of the May 4th, 2012 landmark judgment it delivered in a civil suit filed against the police by the family of late Mrs. Doris Okere, who was extra judicially murdered in 2011 by one Cpl. OlotuOwoicho, in Mpape.

In the said judgement of the original suit, where the court entered ruled in favour of the then applicants( Master Chidebere Promise Okere and Mr.Eugene Okere ),the slain Dori’s husband and son against the police and other respondents in the matter, the sum of 70 million naira, 60 million naira, 20 million naira, 50 thousand naira, respectively were awarded as general damages, exemplary and punitive damages, special damages and cost of ligation.

The police, which is the second judgment debtor had filed a motion dated 31st May, saying among other things that the court has no jurisdiction over the matter and that the court should vacate the order Nisi

issued against the 2nd garnishees.

Available information revealed that the court pursuant to an application by the Victim’s legal team had on the 22nd April, 2013 issued the said garnishee order against Zenith bank of Nigeria Plc, United bank for Africa Plc, Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Microfinance bank, First bank of Nigeria Plc, Diamond bank Plc and Access bank plc, respectively.

When the court sat yesterday, to begin hearing on the garnishee proceedings before it, between the judgment creditor (chidebere Promise Okere and Eugene Okere) and the garnishees, the police brought to the court’s notice the said motion, which among other things challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hear the said order.

The police, in the motion that is predicated on six grounds, and supported by a 14 paragraphs affidavit deposed to by one of its officers, Cpl Philip Tumba argued that the court lacks the jurisdiction to make the said order absolute.

In the motion, the police prayed the court for three orders: “ to set aside the Garnishee order Nisi made by this honourable court on the 22nd April,

2013, for want of jurisdiction; varying the said order by way of discharging the order; and for such order or orders as this court may deem it fit to make in the circumstance.”

Consequently, the matter was adjourned to June 26th, for the court to consider the said motion on notice.

Reacting to the development, the counsel to the judgment creditor, Barrister ChidozieOgbonna, who described the application by the police as clearly frivolous, simply designed to distract proceedings, argued that the garnishee proceedings has nothing to do with the Judgment debtor (the police).

“What supposed to happen in the court today (Wednesday) was to begin hearing on the garnishee proceedings before it, and in garnishee proceedings, the matter is actually between the judgment creditor and the Garnishees, but surprisingly, the police, which is the second judgment debtor filed a motion against it.

“I believe that they just filed and served us that motion a day to the hearing on the order Nisi, knowing that we will not be able to appropriately file a counter to their application, because we need at least five days to reply whatever they have

in their motion; and secondly, it is just to distract the garnishing proceeding and nothing more.

“The position of the law is that in the garnishee proceedings, the matter does not concern the judgement debtor, as it is between the judgment creditor and the garnishees; but if a garnishee comes top court, and tells the court that it lacks the money to offset the money in the judgment debited against them, please discharge us, the court will discharge the order appropriately.

“The issue of jurisdiction is very fundamental to any legal action, because once issue of Jurisdiction has been raised by any party, the court must rule on it, otherwise the matter cannot go further. It will also give us time to file out reply to their motion, and then the court will hear the two applications on the said date and rule on it.

“We don’t have any fears, because the court has given us judgment and we are going to execute the judgement no matter the delay; the wheel of justice may turn slowly but it will eventually get to its destination, and there is no doubt about it”, he explained.

Youth group advocates for stringent environmental laws

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s the World Environment Day Celebration was marked yesterday, the Advocacy for Change Initiative, a youth Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has called for stringent laws to combat issues

of environmental degradation in the FCT and the country at large.

According to Vice President of the organisatio, environmental issues such as climate change, flooding and indiscriminate waste disposal, could be easily tackled.

So what we’re advocating is that we should have that consciousness to protect our environment; and also reduce activities that trigger climate change, reduce bush burning and a whole lot of other things that are

hostile to the environment.”

Ozalla, however disclosed that his organisation would be partnering with relevant agencies to create awareness and ensure effective waste disposal in the FCT. (NAN)

he management of the International Livestock Market, Dei-Dei, has appealed to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to provide the necessary infrastructure to boost their business.

Chairman of the Market, AlhajiYahaya Pate, made the call yesterday, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja.

Pate said that since the inauguration of the market by the former President OlusegunObasanjo in 2003, it had not witnessed any meaningful development.

He noted that the market lacked potable water, perimeter fence, road network, loading and off-loading sections as well as electricity.

He said: “We are worried about the security of the market because there is no fence; we are calling on the FCDA to help us build the deteriorated fence so that we will not be losing our animals to thieves.

“The security situation has become imperative and we are also looking for security operatives to be posted here as we have the Police Out-Post built by the FCTA to safeguard our animals.’’

According to him, the traders buy water from individuals who erected boreholes in the market to meet their water needs.

He said that a 20-litre jerrycan was sold at N25 and that each dealer spent not less than N2, 000 daily on water to feed the animals and for other uses.

He further called on the private sector to invest in the construction of a bank in the market to ease their transactions as space for a bank had been provided.

“We are calling on the FCDA and the private sector to help us with a bank and a police station in the market to address the security challenges, as there is a space allocated for a bank here and cold room; and since the government has earmarked a space, one of the banks should have established their branch here.

“We incur losses because we don’t have a cold room to preserve our raw meat. In most cases, we throw it away the meat that we are unable to sell and this is affecting our business,” he said.

According to him, the sellers lose at least five of their animals to thieves daily due to the lack of electricity in the premises and good fencing.

The Chairman also told NAN that the members had tried to solve the problem on their own by contributing money they gave to somebody they believed was an FCDA official for the reconstruction of the fence but unfortunately he fled with the money.

Pate expressed dismay over the inability of the FCDA to meet their requests even as they paid their levies to the authority. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 18

Metro

INSIDE FCT COURTS Court stops hotel workers from embarking on strike

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he National Industrial Court, Abuja, yesterday restrained the National Union of Hotels and Personal Service Workers and its Rockview Hotel chapter from embarking on strike.

Justice Maureen Esowe gave the order in Abuja while ruling on the exparte motion filed by the management of Rockview Hotel against the union.

Esowe held that the order was

for the purpose of maintaining peace and industrial harmony between the workers and the management of the hotel.

She, however, ordered the union to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the main issue by the court, and advised the union to be law-abiding.

“The court hereby orders the defendants, their agents or their representatives from

embarking on any strike or any other action capable of breaking down law and order in the hotel.

“The defendants are also advised to be of good behaviour pending the determination of the substantive matter by the court,” Esowe ruled.

The management of the hotel had sued the union and its Rockview Hotel chapter for protesting and destroying the hotel property in November

2012.

When the matter came up for hearing in March, the Counsel to the defendants, Mr .UcheDureke, told the court that the claimant had since then disengaged about 30 of the defendants’ members.

The court ruled that the parties should maintain order in the interest of peace and ordered the claimant to recall all the sacked members of staff.

At the last adjourned date, the claimant’s Counsel, Mr Daniel Salaki, prayed the court to make an interlocutory order on the defendants.

Salaki had filed an interlocutory motion asking the court to restrain the defendants from embarking on strike or any other action that could lead to breakdown of law and order.

He, however, commended the court for the ruling. (NAN)

Welder to spend 110 days in prison for stealing soft drink Police arraign

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welder, Abubakar Ibrahim, was yesterday sentenced to 110 days in prison by an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court, for stealing three crates of 7up brand of beverages valued at N2, 880.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr AbdullahiIllelah, convicted Ibrahim, of no fixed address, after

he pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of criminal trespass and theft.

The Judge however gave Ibrahim an option to pay a fine of N7,000.

Delivering the judgement, Illelah, said: “the accused is hereby sentenced to 110 days in prison with an option of N7, 000 fine.

“The court puts into consideration the plea of the convict; because he did not waste the time of the court in admitting to the offence and he is a first time offender.’’

The Prosecutor, Mr Simon Emmanuel, had told the court that one Christian Onwude of 7up Bottling Company, Idu, Abuja reported the case to the Life Camp

police station, Abuja, on May 25.

Emmanuel told the court that the convict criminally trespassed into the 7up Bottling Company premises and stole three crates of 7up products.

During investigation, the convict admitted to committing the offence and pleaded with the court for leniency. (NAN)

Man, 21, bags jail for stealing refrigerator

A

n Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court yesterday sentenced a security guard, Zayyanu Ibrahim, 21, to 30 days imprisonment for stealing a refrigerator.

The convict, who resides in Dei-dei, near Abuja, pleaded guilty before the

Magistrate, Mr Mohammed Zubairu on the one-count charge of theft.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr. Simon Emmanuel had told the court that the matter was reported by one Ishiaku Quamar, of Life Camp, Abuja, on May 28.

Emmanuel said that on May 27, the complainant bought a new refrigerator and asked the convict, who was his security guard, to keep it in his kitchen.

He added that the convict stole the refrigerator and was arrested with the said item where he hid it within the

neighborhood.

According to him the offence contravenes Section 289 of the Penal Code.

Zubairu however gave the convict an option of fine to the tune of N2, 000.

(NAN)

Labourer bags 6 weeks imprisonment for stealing blocks

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Grade Two Area Court at Kado in Abuja on Wednesday sentenced one Samuel Azu, a 29-year-old labourer, to six weeks imprisonment for theft.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Azu, who resides at No. 21, Alexandra Crescent in Wuse Two Abuja, was convicted after pleading guilty to the charge.

The Judge, Alhaji Ahmed Ado, however, gave the convict an option of paying a one thousand naira fine.

The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. AbdullahiAlhassan, had told the court that one MrDozie Dim had lodged a report about Azu at the Mabushi Police Station on May 21.

Alhassan said the convict had on May 18, gone to a building site, belonging to the complainant, who is of the same address with Azu.

“At the site beside Intercontinental Estate in Abuja, Azu stole 1,520 pieces of nine-inch cement blocks, valued at N228,000.

“He then hid them inside the bush behind the complainant’s uncompleted building.’’

He said that the blocks were recovered from the convict during police investigation, pointing out that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 287 of the Penal Code.

S e c t i o n 287 states that ``whoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or be fined or both”.

The convict then pleaded for mercy, promising not to steal again.(NAN)

student for alleged attempt to commit crime

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he Police yesterday arraigned a student, Ahmadu Ahmed, 20, of Block 327, old Maitama in Kubwa, Abuja, in an Abuja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly attempting to commit a crime.

The Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Mohammed Ahmed, told the court that the matter was reported by one Farida Mohammed of Gishiri Village, Abuja, at the Utako Police Station on June 3.

Ahmed said the crime was committed on the same day when the accused attacked and tried to dispossess the complainant of her belongings at Nicon Junction, Area 11, Abuja.

He said the complainant raised an alarm which attracted the attention of policemen on patrol, who rescued her and arrested the accused.

The prosecutor said the action contravened Section 95 of the Penal Code, which stipulates: “ Whoever attempts to commit an offence shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to half of the longest term provided for that offence or with a fine or with both.’’

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge; and applied for bail.

In her ruling, the Magistrate, MrsBintaDogonyaro, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 and a surety in like sum.

Dogonyaro said the surety must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and must have good means of livelihood.

The magistrate said she granted the bail because the offence was bail-able and adjourned the case to June 18 for hearing. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 19

INSIDE

FG ‘creates 2m jobs’ through cement policy - Pg 20

Ezekwesili canvasses stiffer penalties against corrupt officials - Pg 21

L-R: General Manager, Hotel Presidential, Mr Joseph Rennie, Director and Head of Department, Rivers State Ministry of commerce and industry, Mrs Asianah Divinwil, Rivers Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Chuma Chinye, and Assistant General Manger, Hotel Presidential, Mr. Rex Yakpogoro, during the inauguration of 5th floor of Hotel presidential, on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.

Photo: NAN

First Bank to shut down operations from today

By Aminu Imam

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ustomers of First Bank Limited may find it difficult to carry out some banking transactions from today, Thursday, to Monday next week, due to the decision to shut down the bank’s branches nationwide during the period.

The decision to shut down operations, in order to facilitate the migration to Finacle 10, would affect the banks’ over 700 branches nationwide.

The shutdown, according to the bank, is to enable it upgrade its core banking application from Finacle 7 to Finacle 10, which will ensure easier and faster customer services and experience.

Apart from all the branches being shut, Point of Sale (PoS) transactions and transaction alerts by Short Message Service (SMS) will not be possible during the period. In addition, all card services, except Visa prepaid card, will not be available via Quick Teller and the Web. First Bank said, in an explanatory note: “All transactions

that will impact on the banking platform e.g. settlements inter bank (RTGS, NEFT, FIP) inflows, will not be available.”

However, the bank said skeletal services would be available on its ATMs throughout the migration period until 5pm on Sunday, and would be restored at 6am on Monday.

On-line banking services, according to the bank, will also be available until 5pm on Sunday and be restored at 6am on Monday, while its mobile money services will be available throughout the migration period.

The bank had notified its customers, through SMS and e-mail, of the development and apologised for inconveniences that they might suffer as a result of the platform upgrade.

The Group Managing Director, First Bank, Bisi Onasanya, said in an open letter to the customers: “I write to thank you for your continuous patronage and inform you of our plan to upgrade our core banking application as part of the ongoing transformation of the bank.

“I am particularly excited at the prospect of this milestone as it represents the opportunity to significantly transform our service delivery to you in many respects, while also supporting our plans for the introduction of new and innovative products as we anticipate your every banking need.

“This is a major project and on account of the technical requirements, we regret that there will be some disruptions to our services for about three days, while the upgrade is ongoing.”

Mr. Onasanya said only intra-bank transactions would be available on the alternative channels while the upgrade was going on, adding that the clearing of customers’ might also be slightly delayed but that all investments due on any transaction within the period would only be terminated when all services were restored without affecting the value dates or the value of accrued interests on such investments.

However, the decision is causing anxiety among the customers of the bank, who complained that

the planned shutdown would further compound the problems they had been coping with lately in accessing the institution’s services.

For instance, customers have been complaining of not being able to draw cash from the bank’s Automated Teller Machines for sometime now, while money transfers to other banks from First Bank branches have been difficult in the last two weeks.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Where some purveyors of luxury goods are happy to tread - Pg 22

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY

Give a meaningful apology

D

id you snap at a colleague who didn’t get her work done? Or did you miss an important deadline, messing up a coworker’s project timeline?

When your mistake affects someone else, here’s how to make amends: Admit that you were wrong. Own up to what you did — or failed to do.

Show you understand the repercussions. Don’t assume

you know what your coworker feels or thinks, but acknowledge that you know you’ve negatively affected him.

Tell her what you will do differently. Reassure him or her that you won’t behave the same way in the future. Be specific about what you will change.

Source: Business Review

Harvard

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 20

Commerce & Industry Company News

AMCON Bonds

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Rice smugglers are killing nation’s economy – Association Stories by Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

smugglers were enjoying in the country.

“The Nigerian rice industry seems to have been thrown into a turmoil since the import tariffs were increased exponentially effective January 2013. Matters got complicated further with the reported inability of Nigerian Customs to control smuggling of rice across the country’s borders with Benin”, he said.

They further pointed out that the issue of rice smuggling had become a case of increasing concern to well-meaning Nigerians.

“This is, not only because of the extent to which the perpetrators of the act have gone in the recent, but also because of the grave danger which their act exposes the Nigerian economy, and by extension, the larger Nigerian

nation to. It has also become a clog in the wheel of progress of the current administration which aspires to ensure food availability in the country, create more employment, reinvigorate local agriculture, and increase value addition across the food chains.”

According to operators, the total loss of revenue to the unwholesome activity for the period commencing January to date is over N32 billion.

RAN said the higher tariff and consequent high market prices have rather encouraged smugglers to push large volumes of rice into Nigeria with zero duty, thereby bungling FG’s efforts to make Nigeria self sufficient in rice production by 2015. They also called on the FG to as a matter of urgency to address the lingering problem.

ating agency, Moody’s Investors Service, has commended plans by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), to retire about a third of its $35billion bonds and refinance the rest by 2014.

Moody’s said this will boost the country’s creditworthiness and eliminate the government’s indirect exposure to private creditors, adding that economic growth in Nigeria is resilient.

The agency’s rating for Nigeria is BA3, three levels below investment grade but Moody’s recently noted that an upgrade of the rating is hindered by corruption, weak institutions and its vulnerability to oil price drops.

T

Nigerian Stock Exchange Council

LCCI worries over standard of living

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he Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede as the first vice presidents of the NSE’s council He is to be joined by Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo as the second Vice Presidents of the council.

Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede is the current Group Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank PLC and chairman of the board of trustees of the Financial Markets Dealers Association while Mr Abimbola Ogunbanjo is the Managing Partner of Chris Ogunbanjo & co (solicitors) and a renowned economist.

Stanbic IBTC Bank

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tanbic IBTC Bank, a member of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, has been named the “Best Sub Custodian” in Nigeria for 2013 by Global Finance magazine, in affirmation of its expertise and leadership in the provision of custody services in Nigeria.

The bank won the same award in 2011 and 2012.

The award, which is in its 7th edition, recognizes the important role sub-custodians play in the safekeeping of clients’ assets, such as stocks, treasury bills and bonds. A formal presentation ceremony has been scheduled for September in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

he Rice Association of Nigeria (RAN) has raised an alarm that smuggling of rice through Nigeria’s borders is killing the nation’s economy.

The group, which issued a statement signed by its chairman and secretary respectively, Alhaji Habibu Maishinkafa, and Mr. Martins Okereke affirmed that the massive and incessant smuggling of rice into Nigeria from neigbouring countries had thrown the rice industry into turmoil with severe consequences for government revenues, the economy and future plans for rice self-sufficiency.

The group said rice millers in particular faced a bleak future because of the free reign that rice

T

he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), has said there was a huge disparity between the nation’s economic growth and the living standard of Nigerians.

LCCI Director-General, Mr Muda Yusuf said the country has been recording an average of seven per cent growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the last 13 years,.

Muda noted that the country recorded an increase in both local and foreign investments under the democratic dispensation.

He said Nigeria has become a major investment destination in Africa because investors are more comfortable in a democratic environment.

He explained that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) ranked Nigeria number 36 in the world on account of GDP estimated at $273 billion in 2012.

“United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ranked the nation number 157 on account of human development in the same year,” he said.

Muda said the dividends of democracy could be evident in the business sector if government had intervened in the challenges confronting the sector. “Many small and medium-scale enterprises still have serious challenge in accessing credit even at high rates.

“The power situation, which improved slightly towards the end of 2012, has since deteriorated. This development led to increase in expenditure on diesel and petrol with the resultant decline in productivity and competitiveness,” he said.

He said though the economy has fared well when compared with most economies globally, the impact of the growth was yet to improve private sector

performance or the overall wellbeing of Nigerians.

He appealed to the government to bring a lasting solution to security issues to boost the confidence of investors.

LCCI Director-General, Mr Muda Yusuf

gtms06@yahoo.com, 08063727788

BoI urges US to extend AGOA

T

he Bank of Industry (BoI) has called on the United States (US) to review the American Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) as Nigerian products are yet to benefit from it.

Managing Director of BoI, Ms Evelyn Oputa, said the nation was still faced with many challenges hindering its products from entering the US market.

She called for a possible extension of the AGOA, which is scheduled to terminate by 2015, pointing out that the objective of the synergy was to interact with officials from the United States to review the AGOA act which was scheduled to terminate by 2015.

According to her, Nigerian businesses are faced with myriad of challenges in terms of packaging, high cost of doing business and the likes but stressing that the AGOA resource centre would address some of these challenges.

“We expect that with the reforms in the power sector, before the end of next year, the power situation would have improved, helping the huge Nigerian market witness significant improvements. We believe that if we put all this in the card and with a little extension of the act, we should be ready to benefit fully from the act,” she said.

Also speaking, the Head of the delegation and Senior Advisor, Global Economic Competitiveness, Mrs. Gunaratine Rubin, said the visit was to learn about the impact of AGOA in Nigeria.

She stated that Nigeria was the largest exporter to the United States under the AGOA act expressing satisfaction about the return on the act and also called for the need to build the relationship that exists between both countries.

FG creates 2m jobs through cement policy

M

inister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom, has said that the execution of backward integration policy in cement has generated over two million employments in the country.

This is just as Lafarge WAPCO Plc has estimated that aggregate demand for cement for the just concluded year 2012, hit 18.3 million tonnes representing about seven per cent increase when compared with the estimated demand for 2011.

Ortom said this at the inauguration of a committee on review of the implementation of backward integration policy and formulation of a new policy direction for the cement

industry.

He also revealed that the implementation of the policy has led to increased installed capacity of cement from three million metric tonnes per annum in 2002 to about 28 million metric tonnes per annum in 2012. This, he said attracted over US$6 billion investment into the cement sector, and saving of over US$210 billion foreign exchange, the amount spent on importation of cement before.

According to him, “It can be seen that the backward integrated policy in cement subsector has achieved its primary objective of attaining selfsufficiency in local production of cement”.

… As demand rise by 7% in 2012 Ortom said, although there have been some levels of achievements in the previous years in the cement sub-sector, the new policy and strategies is expected to achieve a robust promotion of cement consumption, adopt pricing structure to bring down the price of cement, promote export of cement, as well as enhancing skill development and innovation in the industry.

“In order to achieve these objectives, it has become important to constitute a high power technical committee comprising of competent and relevant individuals, stakeholders and MDAs that are committed to the cement

industry”, he said.

On a positive note, the Lafarge chairman noted that the Nigerian economy continued to offer tremendous opportunities, but the capacity of manufacturers to harness the opportunities was constrained by the prevailing challenges of the operating environment.

Highlighting the performance of the company, he said that the company reported a profit after tax of N14. 7 billion in the 2012 financial year which represents a growth of 70 percent when compared with N8.6 billion recorded for the corresponding period of 2011 when turnover increased by 41 percent toN87.9 billion.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 21

Economy

Ezekwesili canvasses stiffer penalties against corrupt public office holders

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ormer Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili in Abuja on Tuesday canvassed stiffer sanctions against corruption in all its ramifications.

Ezekwesili made call at an interactive session organised for the Committee on Procurement and other stakeholders on the procurement process.

According to her, corruption has become endemic in the country and will remain so if offenders are treated with kid gloves.

She urged the National Assembly to monitor the implementation of the Procurement Act with the collaboration of credible Nigerians.

“Citizens engagement is key

to checking corruption,’’ she said.

Ezekwesili noted that corrupt Nigerians had more access to public funds rather than being sanctioned, saying corruption was thriving because culprits were not punished.

She criticised the plan to make the president to chair the National Council of Procurement as it reduced weight of the Office of the President.

“It is not the most effective and most efficient thing to do in the arena of public policy,” she said.

Ezekwesili said procurement process was a highly technical activity requiring a competent professional to discharge the responsibility attached to the office.

“There is absolutely no reason why the head of public procurement must be a politician. He must be a professional who will go through competitive recruitment process to clinch the job.

“He must be a person with character, competency and capacity that will change everything,” she said.

In his presentation, the Director-General of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP), Mr. Emeka Ezeh, said in the past procurement process was restricted to the ministry of works.

According to him, the process also lacked regulations in the past.

He noted that the process

had improved following the passage of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, and stressed the need for further improvement.

In his remarks, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, said that the Procurement Act had not been implemented fully after its enactment.

Represented by the Minority Leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN-Lagos), Tambuwal noted that the Act was put in place to curtail the excesses apparent in contract execution by government agencies.

He said that Nigeria as a country had the highest record of countries with abandoned projects in the world. (NAN)

L-R: Acting Company Secretary, Okomu Oil company plc, Ms. Abisola Onadipe, Chairman, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, and managing director, Mr. Graham Hefer, during the 33rd Annaul General Meeting of the company, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

FG to pay PHCN N384bn severance package in June - Minister

T

he Federal Government said, on Tuesday, that it would pay the N384 billion severance package for disengaged PHCN workers on June 17.

The Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, gave the assurance during an official inspection of Egbin power station in Lagos.

“Very soon your severance package or entitlement will hit your various accounts by June 17 and I promise that nobody is going to find anything less than what has been agreed.

“We hope to start payment of workers benefits by June 17, which is the tentative date we are working on. We need a lot of support from workers in areas of adequate information on the forms given to them,’’ he said.

Nebo said that for several months now the technical and implementation committees that were set up to look into the issues of workers’ entitlements were working diligently to ensure effective result.

He said that contrite agreement had been reached with the leadership of the union to ensure that what was agreed on workers severance package was paid when due.

He, however, implored workers to ensure that all forms given to them were signed and filled adequately, adding that nobody would be omitted from the entitlements.

The minister said that the Ministry of Power had issues with operational cost allocation, which was not captured in the 2013

budget, adding that it was thought that the on-going privatisation would be completed before the 2013 budget.

“The only way to move the sector forward is to involve private sector participation.

“When this sector is fully privatised, no Chinese or Indian will take over the full operation of the duties of Nigerians,’’ he said.

Nebo promised to fund the power sector to realise its dream, adding that Egbin Power Station contributed 25 per cent of total power generation of the country.

Mr Mike Uzoigwe, the Chief Executive Officer of Egbin Power Station, said that its major challenge was funding and urged the minister to ensure its adequate funding.

Uzoigwe said that the station, with installed capacity of 1,320 mega watts, was generating 1,080 in five units.

He assured that Unit Six that was damaged for years would pick up by November, adding that the plant was operated for 27 years without adequate and timely overhauls.

“We (government) are, however, making very ingenious attempt in circumventing the consequences of obsolesce. We will continue in this direction dedicatedly until the privatisation is fully realised.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this is the first time that the minister is coming to Lagos on projects inauguration and inspection since he assumed duty in 2013. (NAN)

WIMBIZ announces 6 new states for Roundtable Lunch

By Sunday Etuka

W

omen in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a Nigerian based non-profit organisation, on Tuesday announced their intention to extend the organisation’s reach as they roll out their Roundtable Business Lunch to Abuja, Ibadan and Port Harcourt this year and 3 other states next year.

The Roundtable Lunch, which has been running successfully in Lagos since 2006, provides a popular platform for dynamic female executives to share experiences, discuss ideas on pertinent issues that affect them, develop opportunities to give back to society, bridge generational gaps and create networking opportunities.

The Round Table Lunch will kick-off in Abuja on Thursday June 6 (today), at the Protea Hotel.

The theme for the maiden edition in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Abuja is: “Straight From My Heart” and features Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui Okauru MFR, Hands-on Strategy and Change Management Consultant, Executive Council Member, WIMBIZ as the key note speaker.

The event will be hosted by Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Honorable Minister of Communication Technology, Founding Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ. The Roundtable Business Lunch will also take place in Ibadan and Port Harcourt on the 4th of July 2013.

Further cities and dates will be announced.

Discussing the importance of bringing empowerment channels to women nationwide. WIMBIZ Chairperson – Mrs. Adeola Azeez stated that, “This unique Business Lunch has always been met with a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm from our numerous speakers, sponsors and attendees.

We have had so many queries from women all over the country asking why such initiatives aren’t available in their regions.

“The women of Nigeria deserve platforms like these that enable them to come together, unified in their efforts to effect change for their gender. Our job as an organization is to listen and make the channels to effect these changes available and accessible to all women nationwide.

“So, it is with great pleasure that we announce the expansion of this program to 6 new locations outside Lagos. We look forward to bringing together the many women looking for substantive discussions of realworld solutions to key issues facing women in Nigeria today.”

Further information on the Round Table Business Lunch can be found by visiting the WIMBIZ website at www.wimbiz.org.

PAGE 22

Business Feature

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

Sub-Saharan Africa: Where some purveyors of luxury goods are happy to tread

By Xan Rice

O

n a recent sweaty night at Murtala M o h a m m e d international airport in Lagos, a Nigerian man strutted towards the boarding gates like somebody who knows – or rather hopes – that he is being watched. He was pulling a carry-on Louis Vuitton suitcase, with a smaller Louis Vuitton bag on top. His shoes were from Louis Vuitton and so were his trousers, belt, shirt and sunglasses.

It was over-the-top, even by the standards of Nigeria, where some of the elite love to flaunt the luxury brands purchases in the boutiques in European capitals.

Until very recently, flying abroad was the only way for them to buy luxury goods. Now, things may be changing.

In April, Ermenegildo Zegna opened a store in Lagos, the first luxury

clothing brand to do so. Its setting – on Akin Adesola street, a busy road that links the lagoon and ocean on either side of Victoria Island, the city’s financial district – is not glamorous.

But Zegna, which had never had a store in sub-Saharan Africa, is betting that customers more accustomed to shopping on Bond Street or the Champs-Élysées will not mind.

Zegna is considering opening a store in Angola, which, like Nigeria, has a small but extremely wealthy elite thanks to its oil industry, and in Mozambique, the site of large new gas finds. Africa “is going to be a territory that’s very important for luxury”, even if the market is still at an early stage, according to Gildo Zegna, chief executive.

Describing the company’s strategy in emerging markets, including Africa, Mr

A good night: empty bottles of champagne at a Lagos nightclub frequented by wealthy Nigerians

Zegna told the FT last year that it was targeting “the top 1 per cent of the population, or perhaps even less”.

Zegna’s African expansion may initially

seem startling – both Angola and Mozambique experienced devastating wars not long ago – but the company is not alone. Breitling now distributes its watches through wholesalers in at least a dozen African countries, including Ghana. The trend is less surprising when you look at Africa’s place in the global economy.

S u b - S a h a r a n African economies are expanding faster than any other region, bar developing Asia, with the IMF forecasting growth of 5.4 per cent in 2013 and 5.7 per cent in 2014. Though many African countries are growing from a very low base – and income distribution is often very unequal – the number of wealthy, statusconscious people is rising and will continue to do so while commodity prices stay high.

For now, the only entrenched market for luxury goods in subSaharan Africa is South Africa, which has the continent’s largest economy and a largely urban population.

A recent report by the consultancy Bain noted that South Africa has 71,000 dollar millionaires, 60 per cent of the total number in sub-Saharan Africa.

That is more than Saudi Arabia or the United

Arab Emirates and not that far-off the 95,000 millionaires in Russia.

Bain estimated that by 2020, 420,000 households in South Africa would have disposable income of more than $100,000 and forecasts that the luxury goods market, worth about $1bn a year, will grow by 20-30 per cent for the next five years.

In South Africa’s favour is its large number of high-end shopping malls that offer the sort of retail space attractive to international brands such as Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci and Fendi, all present in the country. South Africa has its own luxury brands working mainly with leather and jewellery.

In Lagos, the continent’s most populous city, with more than 12m people, there only two small malls of international standard – compared with 74 in Johannesburg – and even these may not be of a high enough standard for the likes of Louis Vuitton.

Francesco Trapani, head of LVMH’s jewellery and watches division, said last year that Africa remained “a very, very small market for us”. Hermès said that despite looking at South Africa, it had not yet found any suitable opportunities to do

business or open a shop on the continent. Yet as Zegna’s foray into Lagos shows, the amount of money sloshing around – and the appetite for conspicuous consumption – means that some luxury goods companies no longer feel content simply to wait for change.

According to Euromonitor, Nigeria was the second fastest growing market in the world for champagne between 2006 and 2011, by which time it had became the 17th biggest consumer of bubbly in the world, with 752,879 bottles drunk.

Over the five years to 2016 the trend will continue, with only France experiencing a larger rise in champagne consumption, by volume. And it’s not the cheap stuff – Moet, Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon are all popular among Nigeria’s elite.

Carmakers have taken note. Porsche opened a dealership in Lagos last year, a short walk away from the Zegna store.

For luxury to take full flight will require the emergence of a middleclass. That said, for some luxury bosses, a narrow band of superrich people will do for now.

(Source: Financial Times of London)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 23

Stock Watch

Report as at Wednesday, June 5, 2013

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Special Report

A book, a storm, and startling ‘Rot Within’

By Sonde Abbah

A

few months ago a rather startling news emerged to the effect that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration was broke. Not a few Nigerians were shocked.

Reason? With an enviable revenue base and a steady flow of sundry allocations from the central government, it is generally believed that the FCTA boasts one of the heftiest war chests in the federation.

To now hear the FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, crying out that his government was virtually broke, owing contractors alone scores of billions of naira, was like what the iconic story teller, William Shakespeare, would brand “ a tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing”.

In the heat of the stir elicited by that revelation, a media outfit based in Kaduna decided to dig beyond the surface. “We had a hunch that something must be wrong somewhere there,” said Mall. Tukur Mamu, publisher of ‘Desert Herald’ newspaper and magazine. “With that hunch, we kick-started an investigation because, you see, we, as a matter of deliberate policy, endeavour to investigate things before going to press, if only to get our facts right.”

Apparently, what that investigation unearthed “shocked” Mamu and Co. to the marrow: rot, rot, everywhere.

So much so that they decided to package the whole thing into a book. Reason? “The volume of facts and figures obtained, the sheer weight of the rot within the system, is such that only a large – volume book would do justice to the issues involved,” according to the publisher.

And it so happened that ever since it emerged that a book entitled “FCT Administration: The Rot Within!’ was on the way, hell broke loose. Recrimination, name calling, accusations and counter-accusations have been raging like wild fire between the FCT administration on the one hand and ‘D/ Herald’ and its publisher, on the other, since then.

The simmering feud came to the fore penultimate week when the FCT helmsman reportedly petitioned the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) alleging blackmail and extortion on the part of the Kaduna-based publishing group. On his part, Mamu has alleged threats to his life and attempts to use security outfits (notably the SSS) with a view to cow him and kill the publication of his book.

What are the bare facts of this smoldering controversy? And the fictions? That was the mission embarked upon by this reporter in the past couple of days, with

a view to separating the grain from the chaff. Accordingly, the “evidence” of the feuding parties are presented, starting with Tukur Mamu’s frank and fearless interview in which not even his own blood brother, who is an official of the FCTA, was spared…

‘Even my blood brother at the FCTA is a multi - billionaire’ Given that we have several ministries in Nigeria, what actually motivated you to single out the Federal Capital Territory Administration under the incumbent minister, Senator Bala Muhammad in your new book?

I am indeed the author of the book, but DESERT HERALD is the publisher. It is in line with our editorial policy and the direction of our paper. So it was a collective decision. Even if you are a good writer, writing a book is all about information. Without credible and convincing information and facts you can’t succeed in writing the type of book we are currently working on. If the perception is that Desert Herald hates the minister or anybody in the ministry or because we were not given land allocation that is why we embarked on such project, you can’t succeed in writing even a 10 - page book on the ministry and the stewardship of those in charge if you don’t have the information and facts, as I stated earlier. Writing a book of this nature is all about getting privileged or official information or facts others may not be privy to. The simple answer to your poser is that we are lucky to have gotten sufficient information needed to produce such a book on FCT and by the time it is ready for public consumption we will leave Nigerians to judge.

That is why I am not so

keen in granting this interview initially. Let them go ahead with all their propaganda work and let them allow us too to work and at the end of the day the Nigerian people will be the judges. As journalists and one of the most credible and authoritative news medium in Nigeria, we have a duty to enlighten Nigerians about the activities of their leaders, we have a duty to expose corruption, abuse of office and bad governance at all levels and we have been doing so since our debut in 2005. We have received recognition and awards nationally and internationally.

The records are there for critics to see and authenticate. The EFCC, under Malam Nuhu Ribadu, can tell more about DESERT HERALD and its contributions.

I can assure you that we will continue to search and at any time we have the volume of information we had on FCT involving any ministry or even the presidency we will embark on a similar project. We have stated gathering facts on another very important government agency (not ministry) and the public will know as soon as we are through. This is the first time, as far as I can recollect, a book of this nature will be published and I want to assure Nigerians that they will not be disappointed.

But we have heard allegations from some officials of the FCT that you decided to publish the book because of your failure to secure land in the FCT. What is your reaction to that?

It is part of the cheap mischief they have been peddling ever since the book was promoted. As a Nigerian I am entitled to a land in the FCT. Our company too is also entitled and qualified by law, but our new book is far beyond the politics of land allocation in the FCT. If I truly want to blackmail Bala and get a land for myself I have several means and ways of reaching out to him to let him know or even see what I have. And I can assure you that

“

Now that emerging facts have called his stewardship in the FCT to question he should be patient and allow us to do our work and if at the end of the day he or others at the FCT are not satisfied with what we will present to the public they have the right to take further action in a court of law

FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed Bala must buy it at whatever cost to stop it from reaching the general public. But what we have is priceless and we made a promise not to ever disappoint our patriotic sources by way of compromising what we have.

Whatever we intend to publish is for the good of the nation and will certainly be a reference point in future.

Abuja is still so big with so many unallocated land, and despite the massive corruption in land allocation you will agree with me that if Tukur Mamu or DESERT HERALD did not get a piece of land now it will surely get in future under another minister.

There will be legal and moral justification to revoke some of the controversial allocation which the current FCT administration awarded if we are opportune to have a responsible government in future. Our book will greatly assist in that direction. We are not rushing to have a land in the FCT, we are not too ambitious like the likes of the billionaires in the FCT. (cuts in) Why do you said you believe there are many billionaires in the FCT? Where are they getting the money from?

Corruption proceeds, of course. The situation in the FCT is about the worst in the country.

Our book will reveal that and we will then challenge them to take us to any court if they are truthful and not guilty. That is why I always laugh whenever they say DESERT HERALD wants to extort money from them or we want this and that. It is a classic case of a thief making loud noise

that someone wants to steal the money he stole forgetting that he is the first criminal. I want to say without fear of contradiction that there are many billionaires in the FCT under Bala. Some of those that made the billons under him have parted ways due to irreconcilable differences and greed.

Bala is clearly not in control of the ministry. The scandals are too many under him that is why it’s very important to document few of them and present it to the public, as we are sure it will assist future leaders and guide them as well.

Is it true that one of your brothers is a senior official in the FCT? Yes, Ibrahim Bomoi. He is the Director of Treasury in the FCT. Then why embarking on writing of such a book?

It is about justice and fulfilling our obligation to the society. It is much more important than any relationship.

Even if it is your son that decided to be extremely greedy and selfish, feeding fat at the expense of poor and impoverished Nigerians; stashing what he cannot spend for the rest of his life, it is madness and the best you can do to assist him is to do whatever you consider necessary to discourage him. Our book on the FCT administration is part of it. Bomoi is among the FCT billionaires that featured prominently in the book with convincing facts and I don’t have any apologies whatsoever to anybody. All we want at the end of the day is for Allah to judge us

NUJ President, Mohammed Garba and to vindicate us A media aide to the FCT Minister was said to have alleged that you solicited for money from him to stop the publication of the book and even provided the SSS telephone numbers and account numbers which were published online. Are you aware of that?

It is part of the unguarded media propaganda against us.

Going by their submission it is clear that those managing publicity for the minister are not only unprofessional but confused on how to confront the ‘threat’ against them. Nosike only wants to be clever by half and to manipulate the conscience of the SSS people. As a media aide to a minister he naturally deals with all manner of journalists and maybe media executives. Nosike probably forgot that when Jamila Tangaza was in charge of the FCT media and clearly because of our ability to deliver, Desert Herald got publicity commercials of N3.9m from the FCT and that the payment was done directly to the same Desert Herald First Bank account he gave the press and the SSS to investigate.

It was the same Nosike that called me after taking over from Jamila that he wants to give Desert Herald media publicity contract instead of the advertorial we once got from his predecessor, Hajia Tangaza.

We naturally bargained the price with him and at the end I told him to pay us N15m for one year media consultancy because we have done media publicity contract to many northern states

and the least we charge is N15m.

He accepted and we told him to effect the payment through the same account they paid for the publicity commercials during Hajia Tangaza. He said he had misplaced the account details and I directed my staff to forward it to him. It is important to know that during all the discussions Nosike did not use my private numbers but dedicated office numbers (08036376131 & 08099138343) that are clearly printed on every edition of Desert Herald for customers and readers to contact. He has my private numbers. And I used to tell everybody that cares to listen, including the governors, that we don’t have enemy in the job we do and that patronizing us by way of giving us commercials will not give you immunity from publishing what we strongly believe is in the interest of the common man or the good of the society.

Maybe Nosike and his brothers at the FCT believe that they can blackmail us or myself through the mischievous ‘offer’ of media consultancy work or stop us from doing what we believe is good for the society. It was stupid of him to assume that our discussion and correspondence which was mainly on media related commercials and which was on record can be used to blackmail us before the SSS or the Nigerian Press Council. It is not only enough to provide telephone numbers that are before now on the pages of our paper and account number that was once used by your ministry which also appears frequently

Mall. Tukur Mamu in our dedicated advert rate page with a text message which the content does not in any way confirm his claim to prove to the SSS or the Press Council the phantom allegation of extortion against us.

That is stupidity and naivety.

At first the confused Nosike told his Igbo brother, the Abuja NUJ Chapel Chairman, Chuks, that we demanded N50m and now he reduced it to N15m because he is desperate to mischievously relate our conversation on the media consultancy contract to the false claim of extortion. So which one do we believe? Is it the initial claim of demanding N50m or the latest claim of N15m? I don’t know why some people don’t have shame at all. If it is the minister dictating to the media aide what to do because he is an imbecile, the media aide should guide him professionally so as not to ridicule his boss the manner he is doing. It is unfortunate that the online news medium they contracted did a very embarrassing and highly unprofessional PR job for them.

We were told that the matter was referred to the SSS and the Nigeria Press Council. Why have you not been arrested?

As you can see I am not arrested but I’ve expecting it since last week because Nigeria is a very funny country. You know that if it was General Muhammadu Buhari, a former Head of State that made the statement credited to Asari Dukobo recently he would have been arrested but since he is close to the powers that

be and probably speaking their minds nothing happens despite threatening and challenging the SSS and other security agents to arrest him. So we are waiting to see what the SSS will do. If the SSS will do their bidding I am sure that the Press Council consists of professionals and they will be objective.

Their conclusion as a professional body will be based on convincing facts and I am sure they will not be manipulated to rush the embarrassing manner Chuks of the Abuja NUJ did. I am also very sure that the Nigeria Press Council knows their job very well. They will not stop the release of a book they are yet to know its content. So the earlier the FCT people accept the bitter fact that it is not possible to stop the publication of the book, the better.

So when are you going to present the book to the public?

As you can see, we just finished one of the series of meetings we are doing regarding the best way to go about it.

We have now succeeded in publicizing the book and the response from imminent Nigerians is overwhelming and encouraging. Among the many people that contributed in the last chapter is a onetime FCT minister, a former anticorruption boss, elites and all with very useful comments and information. The idea to allow people to contribute is one of the success stories of the book and will no doubt give it an added credibility.

The dateline for collecting

contributions for the last chapter of the book, as we stated in our promo, is 17th June, 2013. As soon as that is done and collated we will formally address a press conference on the release of the book and how the public will get it. At the end of the day the pages of the book will be increased to accommodate most of the important responses. The responses are not negative as the FCT officials see it. To us they are very constructive responses, comments and contributions that can stand the test of time.

We are not rushing because we have done most of the difficult work before deciding to publicize it, knowing full well how they will react to it.

So I can assure you that as soon as we finish collecting contributions we will address the public. Certainly we will hasten the release of the book as one of the options of containing their excesses. I am sure we are thinking ahead of them because we don’t have the blood of the ordinary people in us and we have not accumulated what we don’t need in our lives.

One of the publications said you have four wives despite the fact that you are in your early forties (cuts in) They didn’t even know. I am just 39 now, by October 15 this year I will be forty. So I am not even 40. Yes, I have four wives and a proud father of nine children. Nosike is a Christian, he is ignorant about the religion of Islam. My religion allows me to have maximum of four wives and, believe me, if the same religion I am very proud of that. It is better than having only one wife and flirting around perpetrating all manner of fornication. A true Muslim is always expected to live within his means. I am happy that I have a very legitimate job and I don’t steal from any treasury.

Your critics always say that you are not a professional journalist and they also (cuts in) Ironically, most of them have not achieved what I have achieved in journalism.

My records are very clear they can go and verify. I have one of the most outstanding records in NEPA (now PHCN). I voluntarily resigned in 2003 to join politics and eventually left politics after only one year and established a media house. Most of these so – called “qualified” journalists, I can assure you, cannot run and manage a newspaper house for one year but I did it successfully for 8 years now with tremendous success. During the period and in an attempt to prove critics wrong I obtained a degree in mass communication, which most of them don’t have. My result was good and I secured admission into Ahmadu Bello University,

Zaria where I studied Masters Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy at the Department of Political Science. The records are there for all to see, verify and authenticate. I was also among the few Nigerian journalists that received in 2009 the prestigious United States Congressional Recognition and the first Nigerian journalist/publisher appointed as the Senior African Consultant on Media by the Protection Rights of Journalists of Africa (PRJA) where I was invited to Cape Town in South Africa for the offer.

Desert Herald under my leadership is among the few media organisations in Nigeria that worked closely with the EFCC under Malam Nuhu Ribadu all in our effort to contribute in the fight against corruption. It is also among the few papers in the entire history of Nigeria that survive with virtually no government patronage compared to others. So I challenge my other colleagues who mostly make success out of government officials through appointments and other forms of gratification to bring out their CVs as private practicing journalists for scrutiny.

So what are your parting words?

Desert Herald is not and will never be an enemy to anybody.

We should be considered as partners in building a virile and corruption - free society where your hard work and dedication should earn you a living but not through corruption and insensitivity. Bala Muhammad is my elder brother and he was once recognized by Desert Herald but now that emerging facts have called his stewardship in the FCT to question he should be patient and allow us to do our work and if at the end of the day he or others at the FCT are not satisfied with what we will present to the public they have the right to take further action in a court of law. There is no shortcut about it. Using the SSS, Police or whatever against us and blackmailing us unjustly will never be the solution because the Desert Herald family will never succumb to threats, intimidation and blackmail.

There is indeed serious threat to my life by agents of Bala but it is only Allah that takes life at the appointed time. So FCT’s minister’s hired writers should be patient and stop baseless ranting. I’m sure the ink in their compromised pen will dry by the time they go through the content of the book.

EDITO’S NOTE: Watch out for the FCTA’s side of the story in our subsequent edition

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 30

Tribute

In memory of late Muhammadu Ladan

Corporation (BBC). After returning from Britain, he joined the services of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation in 1950 and became the Northern Regional Controller in 1957 before he left to become Clerk of the Northern House of Assembly. His stint as a broadcaster has inspired many in the family to follow his footsteps, just as his commitment to education made us all to value education.

In 1960, according to records, Alhaji Muhammadu was appointed chairman of the then Northern Nigerian Development Corporation, which later transformed into the New Nigeria Development Company Limited. He however resigned from NNDC in 1966 and took up appointment

with the Civil Service Commission of the North Central State.

Alhaji Muhammadu was married and survived by 23 children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The children include Alhaji Yusuf Ladan, a veteran broadcaster, former General Manager of the Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC) Dan Iyan Zazzau and District Head of Kabala; Mallam Ilyasu Ladan, a one-time Director General Services in the office of the Secretary to Kaduna State Government; late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Ladan, former Chief Accountant and Financial Officer at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria; late Alhaji Bello Ladan, a one-time clerk of

the Kaduna State House of Assembly; and Alhaji Abubakar Ladan, former Secretary to Kaduna State Government.

Others are: Alhaji Aliyu Ladan; former Chief Nurse, Ministry of Health, Kaduna State; late Alhaji (Dr.) Ja’afaru Ladan, one-time Director Ministry of Agriculture; late Alhaji Umar Ladan, former Deputy Director, Department of Arts & Culture ABU Zaria; Alhaji Suleiman Ladan, former Director Federal Ministry of Information; late Alhaji Shehu Ladan, former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); Alhaji Ahmad Ladan; former staff of the Nigeria Ports Authority; late Aminu Ladan, who died at an early age; and Honourable Justice Mannir M. Ladan of the Federal High Court Kaduna State.

The rest are: late Hajiya Hadiza Ladan; Hajiya Halima Maiwada Abubakar (CEO of Mecca Medina Travels Agency); Hajiya Safiya Tukur (former Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs in Kaduna State); Mrs. Yelwa Fatima Baba-Ari (Director of FCT Secondary Education Board); Hajiya Gadatu Falaki of the Kaduna State Judiciary; Hajiya Asmau Ladan (a senior health practitioner); Hajiya Raliya Mohammed Balarabe (Director School of Applied Sciences Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic Zaria); Hajiya Salamatu Lawal Aliyu, Hajiya Maimuna Bello Sani; and Hajiya Murjanatu Aminu Bello Maitama.

Indeed, one of the ways through which the living can benefit the dead is through constant prayers. In this light I say, Oh Allah! bless the souls of the departed, and bless us with those who will pray for us when we depart.

The New York Times reports that the device can be put in place by two nurses who require little training, it only takes four minutes to apply, it is disposable, and there is no need for sterile conditions.

It is also cheap compared to surgery and the device is easy to ship and store.

The manufacturer also claims there are no needles involved and no loss of blood, the patient can return immediately to their daily routine, and it does not require the use of unsightly stitches or sutures.

Circ MedTech, the social enterprise that created PrePex, claims that 25 million people have already died of AIDS and that another two million people are infected every year.

In 2007, the WHO reported that male circumcision in high risk parts of African

can reduce the risk of HIV infection by 60 per cent.

The reason for this is that the foreskin acts as HIV’s main entry point to the body during penetrative sex between an uninfected man and an HIV-infected person.

This is because the inner surface of the foreskin contains a higher proportion of the cells that HIV targets, such as T-cells.

It is hoped that the device will slow the spread of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa as heterosexual men in high-risk areas are 60 per cent less likely to become infected if they are circumcised It also has less keratin, a protein found in the skin, which has a protective effect.

Circumcision can also reduce the likelihood of genital ulcers, which increase HIV risk by creating a break in the skin through which the virus can enter the body.

In addition, any small tears in the foreskin that occur during sex make it much easier for the virus to enter the body.

However, surgical circumcision requires surgeons working in sterile surgical conditions – something which is often not available in the parts of Sub-Saharan Africa where HIV is most prevalent.

In 2011 UNAIDS, the US Government, the WHO, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the World Bank launched an action plan to carry out 20 million voluntary circumcisions by 2015.

They believe this will save 3.4 million lives and US$16.5 billion in long term healthcare costs.

Circ MedTech believes that the PrePex offers a ‘safe, simple and scalable’ way of achieving this goal.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Aliyu U. Ladan

A

lhaji Muhammadu Ladan, as the Almighty Allah had decreed, passed on years before I was born. I did not get to share a conversation of words with my grandfather; I also never had the opportunity to be in his arms. But he has succeeded in influencing my life in a very positive way. Many of those who happened to know him say he was a respected family man, a professional teacher, a seasoned broadcaster, was humble almost to a fault, and much more.

On May 16 this year, it was exactly 43 years since his demise. But his memories remain ever fresh in our hearts. I understand why they say a good name is worth more than silver and gold. I and my numerous cousins – and even nephews and nieces – are still using his name.

Born in 1914 – the year Nigeria’s Southern and Northern Protectorates were amalgamated to become one country – Alhaji Muhammadu Ladan died while serving as the Permanent Commissioner in the Public Service Commission of the North Central State.

He died as a result of heart-related ailment and was buried in his hometown of Zaria according to Islamic rites. My grandfather was educated at the Zaria Provincial Middle School between 1921 and 1928. He was also at the then famous Katsina College from 1928 to 1933.

As fate would have it, he later taught at the Katsina Training College and between 1933 and 1934, and at the Zaria Provincial Middle School between 1934 and 1948. He worked diligently and rose through to become the headmaster of the school for some time.

In 1949, he went to Britain where he worked with the British Broadcasting

News Extra

By Emma Innes

A

new method of carrying out male circumcision without the need for surgery has been approved by the World Health Organisation.

The PrePex circumcision device uses an elastic band to cut off the blood supply to the foreskin until it dies and falls off, or can be cut off painlessly.

It is hoped the device will help to reduce the spread of HIV in Africa because being circumcised reduces a heterosexual man’s risk of becoming infected by 60 per cent.

The PrePex device works by using an elastic band to cut off the blood supply to the foreskin which causes it to die meaning it falls off, or can be cut away painlessly. It takes two nurses just four minutes to fit the device The technique does not require a general anaesthetic and is believed to be safer than surgery.

Muhammadu Ladan

The ‘elastic band’ circumcision device that could reduce HIV infection rate by 60%

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 31

International

Chuck Hagel: ‘Less war, more diplomacy’?

ANALYSIS

By Charles Davis

C

huck Hagel, the US secretary of defence, is doing the job he was asked to do. Since a contentious fight over his nomination earlier this year, the former senator has not surrendered to the terrorists, nor has he conducted joint military exercises with Iran and Hamas.

Drones continue to drone and defence contractors continue to live in bigger houses than you. Hagel has, in fact, faithfully implemented the war policies of the war president who chose him, Barack Obama, who appears no more keen on earning that Nobel Peace Prize than during his first five years in office.

The only thing strange about this is there were a lot of people - some dumb, some not so dumb - who suggested maybe that would not happen.

A Nebraska Republican who served a dozen years in the Senate, Hagel earned a reputation as, if not a war sceptic - he voted for every bombing campaign he could while in that august war-stamping chamber, from Belgrade to Baghdad - at least a war realist. He was willing to say the occupation of Iraq was not going well before it was trendy and he never affected the cowboy, bring-’em-on jingoism of George W Bush. That’s nothing special, being something other than a dumb, warmongering caricature, but it was enough to make some hawks in Washington scared.

And some doves excited.

His performance since taking office makes one wonder what the fuss was all about. On his first trip to the Middle East, Hagel did not link arms with democracy activists in Palestine and the Gulf, but formalised a $10bn arms deal to their antidemocratic rulers in Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. While sold (and demonised) as an advocate of diplomacy, Hagel also gave Israel the public go-ahead to launch a first strike on Iran, telling reporters that the Islamic Republic “presents a threat in its nuclear programme and Israel will make the decisions that Israel must make to protect itself and defend itself”.

Planning military operations against Iran is also Hagel’s “top priority” as defence secretary, or at least that is what he told New York Democrat Chuck Schumer during the confirmation process.

Instead of cutting and running from Afghanistan, something the right feared and the left hoped he would hasten should he be confirmed, Hagel is helping plan the longterm occupation of the country, including the installation of at least nine permanent US military bases and stationing of more than 100,000 private contractors. Meanwhile, cruise missiles are still being fired into Yemen at “suspected militants”, otherwise known as brown-skinned males who have hit puberty. Troops that came home from Iraq and were lucky enough to miss out on Afghanistan are now being deployed to fight an increasingly bloody war on drugs in the Americas.

In other words, the US empire is getting along just fine, for better or worse. Military spending may

Instead of cutting and running from Afghanistan, Hagel is helping plan the long-term occupation of the country [AP] be cut in the future, but America will continue to spend almost as much on its armed forces as the rest of the world does combined.

Standing armies tend to find ways to make themselves useful and politicians would rather slash Social Security anyway. The identity of the Pentagon’s top bureaucrat, it turns out, does not change much of anything. It makes even less of a difference than the party that controls the presidency.

“Hagel wants to end the war in Afghanistan” and “prevent war with Iran”, declared a blast email from the liberal list-builders at MoveOn.org. The former senator has a strong record of “taking on the military-industrial complex”, claimed VoteVets.org, another liberal group named after its website.

The right, meanwhile, was warning that Hagel would help his boss finally bring down Israel, the US military and probably Betty Crocker too. A writer in National Review declared Hagel an anti-Semite for not signing every pro-Israel letter that crossed his desk, breaking US Senate tradition.

Jennifer Rubin, a neoconservative columnist at the Washington Post, wrote that “the best argument against Chuck Hagel” was a speech he gave a few years back calling for a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and other banalities, arguing his views - think a little before you embargo and bomb Iran; Israel is capable of error - are “contrary to the president’s policies”, which even if true would warrant the

question: Yes, but whose views would he be implementing as policy, his or the president’s?

What made the debate over Hagel particularly strange was the notion that it really mattered; that it would somehow alter the chain of command and do more than impact the smalltalk in Washington for a week or two.

Both liberal and conservative pundits acted as if there was a different Obama than the one we have seen since 2009, one who secretly sides more with the poor foreigners he is bombing than perhaps even the men and women in uniform he is ordering to bomb them. His pick of Hagel was a potential game-changer. The real, second-term Barack was beginning to show himself, the smart pundit told the cable news anchor. This stuff matters!

The president’s decision to pick was nothing less than “marvellous” wrote the Nation’s Eric Alterman in a column, “Hooray for Hagel”, because it would expose the diminishing influence of the invadeeverywhere right that opposed him.

Josh Marshall, editor of Talking Points Memo and sometime-guest at the White House, claimed that “it signals a real closing of the door on the Bush era”. This savvy move, savvy observers noted, would remind Washington insiders that neoconservatism is unpopular the way every election since 2006 has not. Those were the careerist left’s talking points, anyway.

The mere presence of right-wing opposition was enough for others.

“

“That the neocons hate him is the best sign yet that Chuck Hagel may be the right person for the job,”said Robert Reich, a former labour secretary under President Bill Clinton. He was not wrong, but he also was not saying much.

For some on the left, the fight over Hagel’s nomination helped rekindle that long-gone magic of the 2008 campaign trail, back when some of the more earnest among us (led on by some of the more cynical) believed an Obama victory could lead to serious change in American foreign policy, instead of the record-busting military budgets and unilateral wars that we are now resigned to accepting as the best we can do. Hagel offered those discouraged by that reality a chance to be young again.

“Hagel represents the foreign policy that the majority of Americans voted for in 2008 and 2012: less war, more diplomacy,” wrote Robert Naiman, policy director of the left-wing group, Just Foreign Policy; “President Obama, we have your back”, the takeaway message from the petition he encouraged his fellow travellers to sign.

Hearts were aflutter, but no one ever stopped to ask: if we assume Americans voted for less war in 2008 and 2012, can it be said that they actually got what they voted for? Because if the answer to that question is no - and it is - that should give one pause before embracing the same tactics that proved powerless to prevent where we are today.

Insofar as there was liberal criticism of Hagel, it was sort of irrelevant. MSNBC anchor Rachel

The right, meanwhile, was warning that Hagel would help his boss finally bring down Israel, the US military and probably Betty Crocker too.

Maddow drew attention to Hagel’s dismal record on LGBT issues, which was fair enough, but did not touch his record on war and peace. And that was pretty much as far as the centreleft went, the script the same as with John Kerry in 2004: ignore all the warmongering blotches; point out that he’s a war hero; and point out that he’s not the other guy.

Perhaps it is time to quit settling and to consider whether the focus on Washington politics is achieving anything other than lending an occasional progressive coat of paint to an empire we ought to tearing down, not renovating. Instead of rallying behind a new war administrator for a president who has shown himself to be no friend of peace - and even more self-handicapping, convincing those who oppose state killing that they have an ally in power - opponents of war could, say, not do that. They could do the opposite of insanity: they could try something different.

In 2004, leaders of the anti-war left kept quiet about the people John Kerry helped kill in Iraq to focus instead on bragging about the people he helped kill in Vietnam. In 2006, they helped the Democrats take back Congress on a pledge of bringing an unpopular war to an end. In 2008, what was left of the anti-war movement devolved into a get-out-the-vote campaign for one of the pro-war candidates. By 2012, the anti-war movement did not exist, its members and credibility dashed on the rocks of the Obama campaign.

The sensible refrain of “anyone but Bush” and the Republican party was tried as an electoral strategy and the result was a “born-again neocon” with a less tarnished brand.

Relations with Iran have never been more hostile. Drones are a household name, from Pakistan to Hoboken. Your kid has probably already flown one on his Xbox. Why would anyone think this president’s choice to oversee his wars would matter half a damn?

The left has continually made the mistake of falling for corporatesponsored imperialists who are just not that into them, a myopic focus on short-term “pragmatism” and a never-ending campaign mode blinding many to the long-term reality that they are played for suckers by folks who would rather slash Social Security than the nuclear weapons budget. Perhaps if those who prefer peace and prosperity to war and structural unemployment quit looking for allies among their enemies - those who bail out Wall Street while bombing brown people on their own personal kill list they might even start to be taken seriously outside of their own drum and social media circles. In the future, a liberal Democrat might even have reason to offer his base something more than a pro-war Republican. But there needs to be a reason.

It is time anti-war activists and leftists stop having the backs of pro-war politicians and their bureaucrats and start considering ways they can actually scare those in power into giving them what they want. Forget the petitions next time and consider a banner drop.

Source: Al Jazeera

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 32

International Rights group slams Zimbabwe security forces

Z

imbabwe should carry out reforms to ensure state security forces conduct themselves in a non-partisan and professional manner before elections in July, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said.

In a 44-page report released on Wednesday, the New Yorkbased organisation said the country’s military and other security forces had interfered in political and electoral affairs in support of President Robert Mugabe.

The report, entitled “The Elephant in the Room: Reforming the Security Sector Ahead of Zimbabwe’s Elections”, said security forces were preventing

Zimbabweans from exercising their rights to free expression and association.

“This was particularly evident during the June 2008 presidential run-off election, when the army committed widespread abuses including killings, beatings, and torture,” the document said.

“Since then, the leadership of the military, police, and internal security agency, the Central Intelligence Organisation, has remained unchanged and openly supportive of Mugabe.”

The report comes days after the country’s constitutional court ruled that new elections should be held by July 31.

However, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) wants more time for reforms to level the playing field.

HRW said Zimbabweans had little faith in the electoral process given threats and attacks against people perceived to be Mugabe’s opponents.

“Zimbabwe’s unity government is going to have to rein in the security forces and keep them out of politics if the elections are going to have any meaning,” said TisekeKasambala, Africa advocacy director at HRW. The group said since the creation of the unity government

in September 2009, several senior military officials had publicly expressed support for Mugabe and his party, ZANUPF, while denigrating his partner Tsvangirai.

“As recently as May 1, Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri publicly said that the security forces would never meet with Tsvangirai to discuss security reforms and that anyone who reported on or raised the issue risked arrest,” HRW said.

Since he became an opposition politician, Tsvangirai has borne the brunt of police brutality, enduring beatings and disruption of his rallies.

Congo conflict masks deadly volcano threat

E

leven years after an eruption of Mount Nyiragongo devastated the sprawling lakeside city of Goma, killing hundreds of people, eastern Congo’s armed conflict is preventing scientists from predicting the volcano’s next deadly explosion.

With its plume of ash and steam reaching high into the sky, the brooding Nyiragongo is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and a constant menace to the city of 1 million people, whose streets are still scarred by solidified lava.

Attempts to monitor the volcano’s activity have been dangerously curtailed by the M23 rebel group which has controlled its lush, forested slopes for the past year.

Observation equipment has been looted by armed groups and the area around Nyiragongo is off-limits as rebel fighters defend their strategic positions overlooking Goma.

“What happened in 2002 will happen again. We just don’t know when,” Celestin

Aerial view of smouldering houses in Goma as a river of molten rock poured from Nyiragongo volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo into Kivu lake in this January 19, 2002 file photo.

REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen

KaserekaMahinda, a volcanologist at the Goma observatory and head of a national committee charged with planning for natural disasters.

Kasereka and his colleagues gave two months’ warning before the last eruption but authorities ignored them. People only began

to evacuate as the first fingers of lava probed their way into the town’s densely populated residential areas.

Ghana official faces US drug charges

T

he ex-security chief at Ghana’s international airport has been charged in the US with conspiring to smuggle Afghan heroin to New York.

Solomon Adelaquaye was arrested with two Nigerians and a Colombian in May following a joint US-Ghanaian investigation, officials said.

West Africa is a major hub for drugs smuggled from Latin America and Asia to Europe and the US. The men have not yet commented on the allegations.

“Drug trafficking in West Africa has become a plague,” said US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official Derek Maltz.

“These criminal groups and their facilitators pose a direct threat to the safety and security of

innocent Americans,” he added.

US agents disguised themselves as drug dealers, holding meetings last year with the accused to buy thousands of dollars worth of Afghan heroin to distribute in Manhattan and the Bronx in New York city, according to the charge sheet, which Ghana’s Joy FM news site has published after it was filed with a US district court.

Mr Adelaquaye was at the time managing director of the privately owned Sohin Security Company, which was in charge of security at the Kotoka International Airport in Ghana’s capital, Accra.

News of the arrests came barely hours after Ghana’s government ordered the airport’s management to sever its dealings with the company, reports the BBC’s AkwasiSarpong from Accra.

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, in a handshake with Sudanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Tagelsir Ali, during the envoy’s visit to the speaker, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Advancing Malian army clashes with Tuareg rebels

M

alian troops seized a village after heavy fighting with Tuareg separatists on Wednesday and are advancing towardsthetownofKidal,thelastrebel stronghold, the army said.

It was the first combat between the MNLA separatists and the Malian army since a French-led military offensive launched in January against rebels in northern Mali.

The French campaign ended the 10-month domination of the desert region by al Qaeda-linked groups but left the Tuareg rebels in control of Kidal.

Mali’sinterimgovernmentaccused the MNLA of attacking and seizing non-Tuaregs in Kidal on Monday. The army has said it will retake the town before a national election in late July.

“Our troops have taken Anefis this morning after intense fighting,” army spokesman Colonel SouleymaneMaiga said.

MoussaAgAcharatoumane,Parisbased spokesman for the MNLA, said in a statement there was fighting between the Malian forces and MNLA fighters in Anefis but did not provide further details.

Another army officer, who asked not to be identified, said the rebel fighters had abandoned their vehicles andfledAnefis,headingtowardsKidal.

A local aid worker in Kidal told Reuters by telephone that the town was deserted and MNLA fighters who had been patrolling the streets had disappeared following news of Anefis’ fall.

“We no longer see the MNLA people. Shops, businesses, the market, everything is closed today. We are all staying at home,” the resident said, requesting not to be named.

The MNLA has rejected Bamako’s calls for it to lay down its weapons, saying it would resist any attempt to retake Kidal. It has said it is open to negotiations with the government if northern Mali’s right to selfdetermination is recognized.

FrancesaiditsupportedtheMalian government’s efforts to reestablish its presence in the whole of Mali.

Paris-based spokesman for the MNLA, Moussa Ag Acharatoumane

PEOPLES DAILY , THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 33

International

Sharif elected as PM by Pakistan parliament

P

akistan’s parliament has formally elected Nawaz Sharif as prime minister, marking a historic transfer of power in a country that has undergone three military coups.

Sharif received 244 votes in the 342-seat parliament, returning him to the prime minister’s office for an unprecedented third time.

Sharif, whose Pakistan Muslim League party secured a big victory in May’s elections, will be sworn in by President Asif Ali Zardari in the coming hours, marking the country’s first democratically elected transition of power.

In his address to the parliament, Sharif listed out Pakistan’s problems and challenges such as the country’s mountain of debt, corruption, unemployment and poverty.

“I am not going to hide anything from the people nor will I lead them

on,” he said “Nor will I pull on their heartstrings, or make them false promises. The people should know that our nation’s state is bad beyond

words.”

The 63-year-old wealthy steel tycoon, who was sentenced to life in prison after being deposed in a

military coup in 1999, has a power base rooted in Pakistan’s richest and most populous province, where he is known as the Lion of the Punjab.

Al Jazeera’s Osama bin Javaid, reporting from Peshawar, said the biggest challenges for the prime minister are security, energy shortages, which can sometimes last for up to 20 hours, and rising inflation and unemployment.

Javaid, who said the budget that was allocated to the power sector has been doubled, had said Sharif has appealed for calm on the issue, and had said he had some sort of solution on mind involving hydroelectric and alternative power plants.

Sharif has been seen as a pragmatist in the West but has called for peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban, blamed for killing thousands of Pakistanis in the past six years.

Mr Sharif, who was ousted in a 1999 coup, will be sworn in later for an unprecedented third term as PM. He faces numerous challenges, including Taliban attacks and a crippled economy.

Orla Guerin in Islamabad says that Mr Sharif’s re-election is an extraordinary comeback for the centre-right leader.

In his speech to parliament after MPs approved him as prime minister, Mr Sharif also pledged to tackle corruption and reduce unemployment and power cuts.

He told MPs that it was necessary to work out a joint strategy to stop drone strikes.

“We must learn others’ [American] concerns about us, and

express our concerns about them, and find a way to resolve this issue,” he said.

“These drone strikes that rain in every day have to stop.”

The BBC’s M Ilyas Khan - who was in parliament to hear Mr Sharif speak - says that the underlying message was that US concerns about militancy need to be addressed.

than current charges.

As a result, the European Commission unveiled antidumping duties on Chinese solar panel imports.

However, they were lower than originally proposed - initially averaging 11.8% - and will be phased in gradually.

Last month, the Chinese government had warned the EU that it would “take necessary steps” to defend its national

interests, if any duties were levied against its goods.

Some analysts suggested that Beijing’s latest move was a direct consequence of the EU decision.

“This might represent retaliation to what happened yesterday,” DavideCucino, President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, told the BBC. “There is no interest for both actors to play the protectionism

card, and frankly speaking retaliation represents a missed opportunity for China to provide the necessary evidence… in order to carry out a resolution to the photo voltaic case.”

However, Mr Cucino added that the decision by the EU to impose only a portion of the duties “leaves space for a negotiation that might bring good results within a couple of months, with no effects to the two parties”.

Nawaz Sharif

…urges end to US drone strikes

P

akistan’s new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called for an end to US drone strikes in his first address since being re-elected to the post.

“We respect the sovereignty of others and they should respect our sovereignty and independence. This campaign must come to an end,” he told MPs.

China launches anti-dumping probe against EU wine

C

hina has launched an anti-dumping and antisubsidy probe against wine imported from the European Union (EU).

The move comes a day after the EU imposed anti-dumping levies on Chinese solar panel imports.

Dumping refers to a practice where firms sell goods below their fair value. The EU alleges that such practice by China’s solar panel makers has hurt the region’s manufacturers.

However, China said it “resolutely opposes” the “unfair” levies by the EU. “The Chinese government and industry have shown great sincerity and made enormous efforts in resolving the issue via dialogues and consultations,” ShenDanyang, a spokesman for China’s commerce ministry said in a statement.

“We hope the European side will show further sincerity and flexibility and find a solution that is acceptable to both sides via consultations.”

The commerce ministry gave no immediate details about the scope or timeline of its EU wine investigation.

China is the world’s largest producer of solar panels and exported 21bn euros ($27bn; £18bn) worth of panels to the EU in 2011.

However, its success has been marred by allegations that it had been unfairly undercutting the local manufacturers.

On Tuesday, EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said the price at which the Chinese panels were sold in Europe should be 88% higher

Asia & Middle East

Russia not training Syrians to use S-300 missile system report

R

ussia is training Syrian military officers on antiaircraft missile systems but not yet on the advanced S-300 system, Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a Russian military source.

Russia has said it will resist pressure to scrap a contract to sell Damascus S-300s, which Western governments say could prolong Syria’s civil war, but President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that S-300 missiles had not yet been sent to Syria.

Syrian officers are among about 250 foreigners from 19 countries being trained by a Russian military academy that is responsible for air defenseweapons, Interfax cited an unidentified source as saying.

“Training of Syrian officers under the S-300 program is not yet taking place,” the source was quoted as saying. He said most of the Syrian officers had arrived before the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

The S-300 is designed to shoot down planes and missiles at 200 km (125 mile) ranges. It could enhance Syria’s Russian-supplied defenses against air attacks

by Israel, or by outside powers enforcing any future no-fly zone over the country.

Some Western diplomats have suggested Moscow is using the systems as a bargaining chip to try to amplify its voice in efforts to end more than two years of bloodshed in Syria.

Malaysia detains Myanmar migrants over deaths

M

alaysian police have detained dozens of people from Myanmar following four killings in the Malaysian capital in a number of incidents suspected of being linked to sectarian violence in Myanmar.

About 60 people have been held for questioning in recent days, according to Amar Singh Ishar Singh, Kuala Lumpur’s deputy police chief.

The killing of four Myanmar migrants in a number of separate incidents in Kuala Lumpur this past week has raised concerns that tensions between Myanmar’s Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya minority are spilling over to the neighbouring Southeast Asian country, where hundreds of thousands of Myanmar nationals have come to seek work and refuge.

The killings include a man fatally slashed while sleeping in a car wash centre and another attacked by people with sharp objects in a marketplace, according to media reports.

Malaysia’s Bernama state news agency said the 20-year-old victim was sleeping at the car wash when

he was attacked by 10 people.

It quoted police as saying a man and a woman also suffered injuries in the attack.

All the victims were Buddhists from Myanmar, said Singh, the city’s deputy police chief.

“We have a feedback that this may be Myanmar Buddhists and Muslims having a spillover here in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

“In Myanmar, the Muslims are the victims, over here the Buddhists are the victims.”

Singh said the police had set up a special task force to deal with the violence in Kuala Lumpur and had arrested about 60 Myanmar immigrants this week in an attempt to control tensions.

Anti-Muslim violence in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar erupted in western Rakhine State last year and has spread into the central heartlands and areas near the old capital, Yangon, this year.

Thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled from the country to escape the violence and worsening living conditions, many of them making their way by boat or overland to Muslim-majority Malaysia.

Malaysia has long attracted asylum seekers fleeing violence in neighbouring Myanmar [Reuters]

Malaysia’s has allowed them to stay but without giving them legal status, meaning that most struggle to find work or access to hospitals and schools.

The total number of Myanmar immigrants in Malaysia is estimated at about 400,000.

The UN refugee agency said about 23,000 Rohingyas are registered as refugees in Malaysia,

but groups representing them say the real number of Muslim immigrants is much higher and has surged this year because of the violence.

In April, Muslim and Buddhist refugees from Myanmar clashed at a refugee camp in Indonesia in a riot in which eight people were killed and 15 were wounded, media reported.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 34

International

US generals get flak over sexual assaults

U

S senators have berated senior military officers over a serious rise in sexualassault scandals in the country’s armed forces.

Officials denounced sexual abuse in the military as a “plague” at a congressional hearing on Tuesday, criticising the military officials for allegedly failing to crack down on the widespread problem.

The hearing was attended by the top uniformed officers of the US army, navy, air force, the Marines Corps and the Coast Guard Claire McCaskill, a Democratic senator, criticised the four-star

generals, saying the military needs to better document sex crimes, streamline prosecutions and make it easier for rape victims to come forward, she said.

Sexual-assault victims in the US military are “afraid to report” the crime, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York said.

“They think their careers will be over. They fear retaliation. They fear being blamed,” she said.

A study the Defence Department released in May estimated that cases of unwanted sexual contact in the military, from groping to rape, rose 37 percent in 2012, to

about 26,000 cases, from 19,000 the previous year.

“Unwanted sexual contact is everything from somebody looking at you sideways when they shouldn’t to someone pushing you up against the wall and brutally raping you,” McCaskill, a former sex crimes prosecutor, said.

General James Amos, commander of the US Marine Corps, and other military chiefs acknowledged the armed forces had failed to see the issue as a top priority in past years.

But they seemed to oppose proposals in Congress that

Turks clash with police despite deputy PM’s apology

committee, Carl Levin, agreed that legislation alone could only provide a partial solution.

“We cannot successfully address this problem without a culture change throughout the military,” he said.

“Discipline is the heart of the military culture, and trust is its soul.

The plague of sexual assault erodes both the heart and the soul.”

Several politicians rejected the chiefs’ stance, saying fundamental changes were needed to open the way to more prosecutions of sexual predators.

Ex-Slovenian PM JanezJansa convicted of corruption

T

he two-time prime minister of Slovenia, JanezJansa, has been convicted of corruption and sentenced to two years in prison.

Mr Jansa was accused of soliciting bribes as part of a defence deal. He said the charges were politically motivated and is expected to appeal.

He was forced from office

P

rotesters clashed with police acrossTurkey overnight despite an apology for police violence from the deputy prime minister designed to halt an unprecedented wave of protest against Prime Minister TayyipErdogan.

Pro-government newspapers signaled a softening of Ankara’s line in the absence of Erdogan, who flew off on a state visit to north Africa on Monday night after a weekend of rioting critics said were inflamed by his denunciations of protesters.

“Olive Branch”, declared Sabah newspaper in a banner front-page headline. “Softer Line”, said Milliyet.

Later on Wednesday Deputy Prime Minister BulentArinc was due to meet organizers of last Friday’s demonstration against plans to build a replica Ottoman-era barracks on Istanbul’s Gezi Park in Taksim Square.

But he refuses to talk to unnamed groups he accuses of exploiting anger over police action against the original protest to foment broader violence.

The meeting was called a day after Arinc, in control of the government in Erdogan’s absence, consulted President Abdullah Gul who has been markedly more restrained in his comments on the protests than the prime minister.

Arinc apologized for “excessive violence” by police against the initial Taksim demonstration, comments which contrasted sharply with Erdogan’s defiant dismissal of the protesters as “looters” and comments linking some to “terrorism”.

On Taksim itself, now a gathering point for protesters accusing Erdogan of authoritarian rule, thousands remained at a makeshift camp that is taking on the look of a more enduring settlement. Small tents have appeared, food and face masks are on sale and a library is in the making. On a street off the square some protesters skirmished with police who used tear gas.

Erdogan, who has won three successive elections and has a huge parliamentary majority, did not comment on domestic matters at a news conference in Algiers on Tuesday. His return to Turkey on Thursday and any comments he makes could prove pivotal to the unrest.

would alter legal traditions of the military, including rules that allow commanders to decide if a criminal abuse case should go to trial.

While pledging to stamp out the “cancer” of sexual assaults, the generals cautioned against taking sexual assaults and other cases out of the jurisdiction of commanders.

“I understand the credibility of the armed forces, the credibility of the army are at stake,” General Ray Odierno, the army’s chief of staff, said.

“But we cannot simply legislate our way out of this problem.”

The chairman of the Senate

Europe and Americas

JanezJansa

in March amid protests over corruption and recession.

Slovenia, often seen as the most successful of the former Yugoslav states, faces severe economic problems.

There has been repeated speculation that it may become the latest eurozone member to have to ask for a bailout.

China, Mexico vow broad cooperation as Xi visits

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hina and Mexico promised broad cooperation on issues ranging from energy to mining and infrastructure during a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, but any freetrade pact between the emerging market powers is still some way off.

Mexico’s government has voiced worry about its massive trade deficit withChina, an imbalance Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto wants to set right.

Mexico wants “to find a greater equilibrium in our trade balance,” Pena Nieto said during a joint address to the media with Xi. They did not take questions.

He said the two countries had also agreed to defuse a standoff overtextiles that had resulted in litigation.

The two governments signed agreements to cooperate on commercial defense, and agreed on access for Mexican tequila and Mexican pork to the Chinese market.

State oil monopoly Pemex said Export-Import Bank of China would provide it with a $1 billion credit line to buy ships and offshore equipment. It also signed a memorandum of understanding with state-owned Xinxing Cathay International Group to explore ways to work together on pipelines.

More than 15 percent of Mexico’s imports came from China in 2012 - an amount worth $57 billion - while just 1.5 percent, or $5.7 billion, of Mexican exports went to the Asian giant.

Xi said China planned to sign commercial contracts to buy an additional $1 billion worth of Mexican goods, but did not specify what.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mexican

Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade said it was too soon for a free-trade agreement between the two countries - something China is eager to pursue.

“I think at this stage it is too early to talk about a free-trade agreement,” Meade told local radio.

“I think we are still at a stage at which we are becoming aware of opportunities, opening a space for business dialogue, so it does not seem to be the instrument or path which best serves us,” he added, saying it was an alternative to evaluate in the future.

Mexico ran a slight surplus with its global trading partners last year, but posted a huge deficit with China, largely because of an influx

of manufactured goods.

Mexico and China have been direct competitors to supply the U.S. market with manufactured goods and Mexican producers have fought to keep the Chinese off their turf.

“We have agreed on the importance of reinforcing mutual political trust, and broadening cooperation,” Xi said through a Spanish translator.

Xi is set to address Mexico’s Congress on Wednesday before heading to the ancient Maya pyramids of Chichen Itza. He then flies to the United States to meet President Barack Obama later in the week.

Mexico has regained U.S.

market share in recent years as the labor-cost differential with China has narrowed sharply, eating into a Chinese cost advantage.

A decade ago, Mexico’s average labor costs were nearly three times higher than China’s but, according to at least one report this year, hourly wages in Mexico are now lower.

Mexico is part of the TransPacific Partnership negotiations, which aim to boost trade among the Americas, Asia and Australasia.

The talks include the United States, Canada and other major economies on the Pacific rim.

China has said it will study the prospect of joining the TransPacific Partnership negotiations.

Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto (R) and Chinas President Xi Jingpin show their documents before a news conference.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 35

Strange World

Former soldier let off parking fine after telling wardens ‘I may be in love’

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d Stavers, 70, was on a blind date when he over stayed his time in a free parking space.

When he returned to find the fine he wrote to the enforcement company telling them where he had been and appealing to their generosity, confessing: “There is nothing more foolish than a silly (financially pushed) old fool.”

Although the message may have melted hearts at the enforcment company, when he showed it to his new girlfriend she broke off their affair.

In the letter, printed in the Sun, Mr Stavers explained that his life is “very dull” and he has been attempting to meet women at ballroom dances.

When h i s e f f o r t s f a i l e d - as the “old birds” always attend in pairs - he set up a date online and left his car in his home town of Chester-leStreet, Co Durham, to get the bus to Newcastle to meet her, he wrote.

“She was sat on a bus station bench looking a picture of loveliness,” he said of his “exceptional circumstances”.

As the pair shared two coffees and discussed their instant attraction “the time had flown”, the former staff sergeant admitted, and he

forgot about the fact that his three hours free parking had expired.

“I was on the wrong side of the law, BUT I may be in love, so why should I worry?” he wrote.

He said that he later realised that he couldn’t afford the fine, especially if he was to take his new love dancing.

“I am at your mercy, and, if I could get back up again, I would get down on my

hands and knees in begging forgiveness,” he implored.

A spokeswoman for NSL said: “We thought it was a really nice letter - we don’t often get them like that. He wasn’t angry, and we were

The parking enforcement company said that they were ‘touched’ by the appeal letter Photo: ALAMY

Japanese cafeteria offers curious eaters a taste of prison food

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n Japan, you don’t actually have to get thrown in jail to get a taste of prison food. The Prison cafeteria, in Abashiri, Hokkaido, specializes solely in food actually served inside Japanese prisons.

I’ve often wondered what jail food tastes like, but I was never curious enough to commit a crime and find out. Luckily, for likeminded Japanese, there is a place where they can sample prison-quality meals without having to give up their freedom. The Prison Cafeteria, at the Abashirishi

Prison Museum, serves the same food that the genuine inmates of Abashirishi prison eat for lunch each day. As you can imagine, it’s pretty cheap, but the guys at RocketNews24, who visited the place and tried some of the courses on the menu say it’s also pretty tasty. I’ve heard some awful things about prison food, but it seems Japanese inmates have it pretty good. To be fair though, having to constantly keep an eye out for someone trying to shank you at lunch time, is just not worth trying this decent food in actual

Thief caught after leaving ear print at 80 robberies

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Lunch Set B – 700 yen (US$7)

Lunch Set A - 800 yen (US$8)

touched by the effort he had put in.”

Mr Stavers, who divorced 35 years ago, did not have to pay the fine anyway as he holds a blue parking badge because he has difficulty walking.

prison.

According to Kazo, the reporter who visited the Prison Cafeteria, all the menus on offer contain everything, from fish and dietary fibers, to the normal daily intake of salt and carbohydrates.

The restaurant does replace the dumbed-down coarse tea served in prison with tasty miso soup, but otherwise the meals are practically the same.Let’s have a look at what the RocketNews24 envoy tried during his visit: - Rice boiled with barley,

- Fried fish (mackerel pike) - Thinly sliced Japanese daikon radish - “Harusame” noodle salad, - Miso soup - Rice boiled with barley - Fried fish (Atka mackerel) - Fried dish with Japanese vegetables - Chinese yam - Miso soup Source: odditycentral. com

26-year-old Georgian thief has been found responsible for up to 80 robberies in the French city of Lyon after leaving his ear prints behind at some 80 robberies.

The man was caught red-handed in February, a police source said. But subsequently investigations showed his ear prints on the front doors of the scene of some 80 similar thefts in the central French city. He targeted student housing and would press his ear up to the door to check that residents had left, leaving behind the incriminating evidence.

Ear prints, like fingerprints, are unique.

Police said robberies at private homes had spiked in the Lyon area recently, averaging about 19 a day, often by gangs of Eastern Europeans. Lyon police arrested four Georgians on April 16 for 75 robberies.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 36

Digest

Obesity problems may skip a generation, study finds H

ealth problems linked to obesity, like heart disease and diabetes, could skip a generation, a new study suggests.

Edinburgh experts found the offspring of obese mothers may be spared health problems linked to obesity, while their own children then inherit them.

They found obese mothers can make an impact on the birth weight and diabetes risk of grandchildren, despite it being absent in their own children.

Experts said rates of obesity are at an all-time high.

Among the associated health problems are breast and colon cancer and stroke. Moderate obesity is a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 30 and 34.9.

The study, carried out in mice, could help inform health policy on obesity.

Scientists studied moderately obese female mice fed on a diet high in fat and sugar before and during pregnancy.

The mice were found to pass on the risks of obesity to the second generation of offspring, while virtually no ill effects were seen in the first generation.

Reasons why the first generation is apparently protected are not fully understood.

Experts found the offspring of obese mothers may be spared health problems linked to obesity Researchers suggest reasons could include differences in maternal weight gain during pregnancy or specific food eaten during pregnancy.

They add that studying effects of this kind, referred to as developmental programming,

in humans, could be challenging but possible.

Dr Amanda Drake, senior clinical research fellow at Edinburgh University, said: “Given the worldwide increase in obesity, it is vital that we gain an understanding of how

future generations may be affected.

“Future studies could look at these trends in humans but they would need to take into account genetics, environmental, social and cultural factors.”

The study, published in

Endocrinology, was supported

by Tommy’s, a baby charity that funds research into pregnancy health, the British Heart Foundation and the Medical Research Council.

Source: BBCNews.com

Leg wraps raise hopes of saved lives after strokes

By James Gallagher

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heap inflatable leg wraps may save the lives of patients after a stroke, according to research in Scotland.

The devices regularly squeeze the legs to keep blood flowing and prevent formation of fatal blood clots.

A trial with 2,876 patients, published in the Lancet, showed there were fewer clots with the wraps.

The Stroke Association said the results were “extremely encouraging” and had the potential to save thousands of lives.

A clot in the leg, a deep vein thrombosis, is normally associated with long flights, but is a problem for hospital patients unable to move.

Around 60,000 people a year in the UK are immobile when admitted to hospital after a stroke.

Doctors at Western General Hospital and the University of Edinburgh said compression socks did not improve survival and clotbusting drugs led to other

The wraps inflate to move blood through the legs

problems, including bleeding on the brain.

They tested the devices, which fit around the legs and fill with air every minute.

They compress the legs and force the blood back to the heart.

They were worn for a month or until the patient recovered and was able to move again.

In the study, 8.5% of patients using the compression device developed blood clots, compared with 12.1% of patients who were treated normally.

Prof Martin Dennis said: “At last we have a simple, safe and affordable treatment that reduces the risk of deep vein thrombosis and even appears to reduce the risk of dying after a stroke.

“We estimate that this treatment could potentially help about 60,000 stroke patients each year in the UK. “If this number were treated, we would prevent about 3,000 developing a deep vein thrombosis and perhaps save 1,500 lives.”

He said the system should also be tested in other immobile p a t i e n t s , s u c h a s those with pneumonia.

Prof Tony Rudd, who chairs the Intercollegiate Stroke Guideline Group at the Royal College of Physicians, said: “This study is a major breakthrough showing how a simple and safe treatment can save lives.

“It is one of the most important research studies to emerge from the field of stroke in recent years.”

Dr Dale Webb, of the Stroke Association charity, said: “The results of this research are extremely encouraging and show that using a compression device on the legs of patients at risk of developing blood clots could be a more effective treatment.

“This new device has the potential to save thousands of lives and we would like to see it incorporated into national clinical guidelines.”

Source: BBCNews.com

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 37

NGF: Arewa Youths blast Yuguda, plan protest in Bauchi

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L-R: Regional Director, Africa, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Mr. Almami Cyllah, new IFES Country Director, Professor Gloria Richards Johnson, and Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, during the new IFES Country Director’s visit to the INEC chairman, yesterday in Abuja.

Yakasai to Obasanjo: Be decent in challenging Jonathan From Edwin Olofu, Kano

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lder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai has cautioned former President Olusegun Obasanjo to apply decency and decorum in pursuing his political differences with President Goodluck Jonathan A press statement made available to newsmen in Kano on Wednesday noted that “people close to him say whenever General Obasanjo disagrees with a person, he would carry the fight to his place of worship, his dining table and sometimes he will even

be fighting the person in his dream.

“General Obasanjo being a former president and high ranking leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which is the party in power at the federal level, has the opportunity to seek an audience with President Goodluck Jonathan and either offer him whatever advice he has to offer or criticize any policy of the administration that he has course to disagree with.

That is what is expected of any statesman, particularly people of the caliber of General Obasanjo.”

The statement added that,” Obasanjo is reported to be unforgiving and his method of settling disagreements with people is some time regarded as a matter of life and death.

“There was one event which caused some consternation to me during the democracy day celebration in Jigawa state.

The event was the unpalatable utterances of former President Obasanjo ostensibly directed at President Jonathan which he made in the course of his speech.”

Yakasai also frowned at Obasanjo remark that the

road that leads into Dutse is better than the Lagos- Ibadan expressway, forgetting that the two roads he referred to are all federal roads as if the blame should go to the present administration which is only in office for two years.

“In the light of this and as a veteran politician, I would appeal to President Obasanjo to adopt decorum, tolerance and statesmanlike standard in the pursuit of his political differences with others. This is the most honourable path for a man of his status.”

Plateau moves to avert another labour strike From Musa Pam, Jos

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isturbed by the ugly scars of last year’s seven-month industrial strike in Plateau state, the state government has began moves to avert another strike, promising to work in harmony with the organized labour for the benefit of the state.

Consequently, the office of the Special Adviser to Gov. Jonah Jang on Labour Matters, organized a one-day roundtable to discuss peaceful ways of resolving industrial disputes.

The adviser Mr. Kwamkur Samuel said that it was his sincere desire that the seminar would throw up strategies of handling

likely disputes since Plateau was a collective heritage of the government and workers in its employ.

Samuel acknowledged that Plateau, like other states, has faced persistent industrial disputes.

He said the seminar themed: “Government Labour Relations and the Challenges of Development: the Way Forward,” was one of the ways through which the state government and labour would be exposed to the challenges of managing each other.

Samuel also said the seminar would also evolve strategies of handling likely disputes between labour and government to eliminate future strikes.

“Plateau, like other states in the federation and corporate organizations is faced with persistent industrial disputes that have led to strike actions that are in most cases uncalled for.

“This has retarded the growth and development of the state in various sectors,” he said.

Chairman of the occasion, and a former Secretary to the Plateau Government, Mr John Gobak in his comment said that frequent strikes in recent times had retarded the government’s efforts at development.

“All of us in Plateau know what we have been passing through each time there was a strike and which we are still going through even

today.

“We are here to establish a foundation that will take us out of all we have gone through, I thank the organized labour for agreeing to be part of the seminar,” he said, pointing out that what is needed is to chart a course for moving forward for an enduring government labour relationship.

Present at occasion were the State Head of Service, Mr Ezekiel Dalyop, Commissioner for Information, Pastor Abraham Yiljap, State NLC Chairman, Jibrin Bancir, State NULGE President, Samson Mafuyai, the State TUC President, Dinatu Asani among other government officials and labour leaders.

wo northern youth groups have frowned at what they call Bauchi state’s Governor Isa Yuguda’s open treachery to the North by aligning with President Goodluck Jonathan against the interest of the region and its people.

In a joint statement, the Arewa Citizens Action for Change and the Northern Emancipation Network disclosed that they have concluded plans for a statewide protest by youths in Bauchi to press home the anger of the northern people against Yuguda’s latest political moves.

The statement signed by Nastura Ashir Sheriff and Engineer Bala Misau for the two groups, observed that Yuguda’s romance with Jonathan at this critical time signifies a clear betrayal of the collective wish of the northern people.

“It is regrettable that people like Yuguda who have benefitted from the grace of the people of their states and the North at large should turn against the collective interest of their people for self-serving reasons,” the youths said.

The groups warned that the North would no longer accommodate and pardon traitors who parade themselves as leaders in the region whereas, they merely play the Judas.

“Antics such as those recently displayed by Yuguda are no longer acceptable and would not be allowed to go unchallenged.

“We are aware that Yuguda and a few unpatriotic northern elements are being sponsored to disrupt the present structure of the Northern Governors’ Forum so as to pave way for Jonathan’s ploy for an automatic presidential ticket in his party.

“We are watching keenly for any such moves from Yuguda and his dissenting allies and we shall resist them sufficiently.

“Measures to be taken against such treachery include mobilisation for a mass statewide protest in Bauchi to show the people’s anger with the governor’s position that is evidently detrimental to the larger interest of the North,” the groups explained.

They warned that henceforth, any leader in the region who prioritises self interest above the people’s collective will, shall be met with stiff resistance from the youths.

“This is not Yuguda’s first time of betraying the interest of the majority: the way he dumped the people and the party that got him into office are still fresh in the people’s mind; and now this shameful act of aligning with the presidency’s plans to further estrange the north. Let him know that there is a limit to even treachery and that the limit in this case, has been over-stretched and would not be acceptable,” the youth groups said.

PAGE 4

Politics

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

PAGE 39

News Extra

NASS to establish public accounts committees

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he National Assembly said yesterday that it will establish the Nigerian Association of Public Accounts Committees (NAPAC) to ensure good governance in the application of public funds.

Chairman of the Senate

Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Ahmad Lawan (ANPP, Yobe), said this while addressing newsmen in Abuja.

According to him, the action has became necessary in view of the fact that there was need for both the National Assembly and state houses of assembly

public accounts committees to share experiences and create a platform for achieving their constitutional mandate.

Stressing that the formation of the association would be in tandem with international best practices and help standardize the work of public accounts committees in the country.

He said that, “the objectives of the association include to, develop individual capacity of members, good governance in Nigeria and liaise with the office of the Auditor General of the Federation and states to adopt international best practices in auditing and production of audit reports.”

he noted that the association will also play a role in collaborating with bodies such as anti-corruption agencies, civil society organizations among others, “in ensuring transparency, probity and accountability in the management of public funds of the nation.

Abdulkarim is new chairman NIPPS alumni From Mahmoud Muhammad, Sokoto

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former Sokoto state Governor, Malam Yahaya Abdulkarim has emerged as the new state Chairman of the state ‘s chapter of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS).

In a statement signed by the group’s Vice chairman, Alhaji Salihu Gatawa, new officials were elected at the association’s inaugural meeting on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

According to the statement , the association also resolved to organize a sensitization seminar on security awareness for district heads, local government chairmen and other officers in charge of security matters in the state.

The AANI members commended the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, for hosting the inaugural meeting of the association in the state.

They also commended Governor Aliyu Wamakko for his continued support to the progress and activities of the association.

Emergency centres underway nationwide, says FG

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he federal government has announced its intention to build and equip Emergency Communications Centres (ECC) in the 36 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, just as it has distributed over 420 desktops to the pilot states of Anambra and Niger.

In a statement yesterday signed by a Commissioner at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Mike Onyiaon, said the move was designed to enable the response agencies in the country receive emergency calls through a dedicated 3-digit toll free number (112) from any of the national telecommunications network.

According to the statement, “all Telecom operators will be

required to route emergency calls from each state to the Emergency Centre in that state.

“The call-takers will process the distress call and contact the relevant response agency whose primary duty is to handle the case.

“The call will be received by any operator in any of the centres who will then alert the appropriate response agencies like the Fire Service, Police, FRSC, and Ambulance and so on.

“The Commission has procured a total of 428 desktops and handheld phones.

“They are being distributed to response agencies and call centre managers in the two pilot states of Anambra and Niger.

“The lines are just a temporary arrangement to get the pilot sites operational.”

Gen. Abubakar’s wife confirmed Niger CJ

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iger State House of Assembly has confirmed the appointment of Justice Fati Lami Abubakar, as the substantive Chief Judge of Niger state.

This followed a motion moved by the member representing Lavun Constituency, Jacob Majin Gana.

In the motion yesterday, Gana who extolled the virtues of Justice Abubakar described her as a distinguished Jurist and a woman who devotes her time to the advancement of effective judicial system in Nigeria and Niger state in particular.

He said Justice Abubakar had never been found wanting in the

discharge of her constitutional duties adding that even when her husband was the Head of State, she never abandoned her office.

The lawmaker also described the new appointee as a caring mother and philanthropist and expressed confidence in her ability to excel in the new office.

The member representing Chanchaga Constituency, Jumai Jafaru who seconded the motion described Justice Abubakar as a shining example among women.

The Speaker, Adamu Usman, directed the Clerk to communicate with the governor on the resolution of the lawmakers.

L-R: Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Public Account, Hon. Awal Jatau; Chairman, House Committee on Public Account, Hon. Solomon Adeola, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Account, Senator Ahmed Lawal, during a press briefing on the formation of Nigerian Association of Public Accounts Committees (NAPAC), yesterday at National Assembly, in Abuja.

Photo: Photo: Mahmud Isa

Bill seeking 40% on capital project passes second reading

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he House of Representatives yesterday passed for second reading a Bill for an Act to provide for 40 per cent of the country’s annual national budget on capital projects for the next 10 years.

Sponsor of the Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN, Lagos), faulted the 70 per cent budget allocation to recurrent

expenditure and 30 per cent for capital expenditure.

He explain that, “even the 30 per cent capital projects allocation has not been well implemented as statistics show that only meager amounts are usually set aside for such projects across the country”.

Deputy Leader of the House, Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta), while supporting the debate said there was need to determine the mechanism and manner in which funds could be

appropriated and applied.

Chairman House committee on appropriation, John Enoh (PDP, Cross Rivers), said the Executive had had difficulties trying to bridge the gap between recurrent and capital expenditures due to the lopsided nature, hence there was a need for the House to prescribe certain percentage for infrastructural development.

The Bill passed through second reading when put to vote.

Money laundering: Babalakin files application to quash charges From Matthew Irinoye, Lagos

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hairman of Bi-Courtney Limited, Wale Babalakin, and his co-defendants, yesterday asked a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja to quash the charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The defendants who had filed separate applications through their counsels on 29 April, 2013, told the court presided over

by Justice Adeniiyi Onigbanjo that the EFCC had no fiat to prosecute them before a state

High Court.

Babalakin is standing trial for allegedly transferring N4.7 billion on behalf of convicted former Delta state Governor, James Ibori.

He is being prosecuted alongside Alex Okoh and their companies, Stabilini Vision Limited, Bi-Courtney Limited and Renix Nigeria Limited.

Fagbemi argued that Babalakin and his co-defendants were charged to court with a fiat issued on May 12 2004 under the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2003 and Criminal Procedure Laws of Lagos State 2003.

He said that, “the fiat given in 2004 does not qualify as a fiat any longer because both laws under which it was made have been repealed,” Counsel to Okoh, Mr Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), also urged the court to quash the charges against the defendants on similar grounds.

While responding to the argument of the defence counsels, EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), urged the court to dismiss all the applications.

The matter was adjourned to July 9, for ruling on the applications.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

News Extra

Nasarawa Govt signs MoU with Chinese firm on rail

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asarawa government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm for the construction of light rail on the Karu, in the Federal Capital Territory and Keffi axis.

Governor Umaru AlMakura said in Lafia that the aim of the project was to

reduce transportation problem facing commuters on that axis, especially those working in Abuja.

He said that the Federal Government would extend its on-going light rail project to Masaka, while the state government would continue from there to terminate it at

Keffi.

Al-Makura said that the state government would collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Transport to extend the project to Gudi in Akwanga Local Government Area of the state.

He said his administration was poised to opening up the state for business and industrial

opportunities.

The Governor urged the people to support the government towards a successful completion of the project.

The Executive Director of the Chinese firm, CCECC, Mr. Charles Sung expressed the commitment of the firm towards the project. (NAN)

BRIEFS Atiku chairs discourse on LG autonomy in Lagos

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ormer Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will on Tuesday, 11 June, 2013 chair a national public discourse on the recurrent issue of local government autonomy.

To examine the merit and demerits of this issue, the Public Affairs Directorate of Connect Limited, in association with O’Ken Ventures will be convening key stakeholders at a public discourse to analyse the issue, under the theme: Local Government Authority: How Autonomous?

Constitutional lawyers, top academics, politicians and key players within the three tiers of government will discuss the constitutionality or unconstitutionality of granting autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Edo hospital set to eradicate Lassa fever

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L-R: South- West Coordinator, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) National Issues, Venerable Peter Ogunmuyiwa; CAN General Secretary, Reverend Musa Asake; and Director on National Issues, Reverend William Okoye, during media briefing on the launch of nationwide campaign for restoration of core values, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

police dismisses Delta cell guard over rape of detainee From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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olice in Delta state have dismissed a police cell guard attached to Abraka Police Station complicity in the rape of one Mrs. Esse Isaiah Ozegbe by two men who were also being detained at the cell.

The Police authorities also demoted Police Inspector, Mrs. Erebi Akporunor, to the rank of Sergeant, over the same matter.

The dismissal and demotion were the outcome of an orderly room trial carried out by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5, Benin, of 11 Policemen in connection with the rape saga.

Mrs. Esse Isaiah Ozegbe who was arrested on the 26th of Febuary following a quarrel with her neighbour, was said to have been detained among men at the police station where two men were said to have raped her in turn.

The detainees who allegedly raped the woman are currently standing trial at a Magistrate Court at Abraka.

Meanwhile, the woman has instituted a suit at the Federal High Court sitting in Warri.

She is claiming the sum of N750 million damages against the Nigeria Police.

Hearing in the case has been fixed for June 13, 2013.

Yuguda lays foundation stone of N2.4bn hospital From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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auchi state Governor, Isa Yuguda, has laid a foundation stone of N2.4 billion state specialist hospital.

Speaking at the ceremony yesterday, Yuguda said government had released N1.6

billion, representing about 70 per cent of the contract sum to the contractors handling the project.

He said when completed the Hospital will be the best in the northern part of the country and advised the people of the state to support the government

in its effort to provide adequate health care to the people.

Yuguda reiterated the commitment of his administration to equip all the hospitals and primary health care in order to boost health care delivery service in the state.

Police task political leaders on stewardship From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

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he Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. M. D. Abubakar yesterday charged those in positions of authority to always do what is right in their relationship with their subordinates, realizing that a day would come when they would account for their stewardship.

Abubakar who spoke at the inauguration of a 50-bed ultramodern Police Hospital at the state Police Headquarters, Eleiyele, Ibadan, called for the giant strides in ensuring peace and security of the populace.

This, he said, had served as a motivating factor for him as he took time to attend to every officer experiencing any health challenge,

no matter how low his rank might be, anywhere in the country. ``My belief is that health is wealth as no officer can deliver his constitutional duties efficiently and effectively without being physically and medically fit,’’ Abubakar said, adding that this accounted for the construction of the hospital by the Police authorities.

He said that the hospital would be replicated in other police formations across the country to cater for the health needs of officers and men of the Force, their families and indeed, the general public.

Also speaking at the occasion, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state congratulated the IGP for the security innovations he had introduced and the increase in

welfare packages for the officers and men of the police.

“IGP M. D. Abubakar has indeed made this the epicenter of his administration’s policies.

“This has led to a more robust policing, an effective and efficient Police Force and officers and men who take pride in their profession and their calling.

“By establishing a clinic which will cater for their health and that of their children and wives, a police man can put his all into defending the people since his interest is being taken care of back at home.

“This, no doubt gingers the police to go to the zenith of their ability and to devote greater energy into the course of protection of our lives and property,’’ he said.

uthorities at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) in Esan Central local government area of Edo state have pledged qualitative health care services aimed at promoting research programme that would eventually eradicate deadly Lassa fever.

Chairman of the Management Board of the hospital, Hon. Boyelayefa Debekeme, said that plans were underway to make the ISTH to be ranked among the best in the world.

Debeke who assured that Nigeria no longer send samples to South Africa for diagnosis since the establishment of Lassa fever laboratory in the hospital spoke at the inaugural management Meeting of the hospital yesterday in Benin.

From Osaigbovo Iguovaro, Benin

Beauty queens storm Abuja for “Ambassador for Peace” pageant

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eauty queens from the north central states are set to arrive Abuja from June 14, 2013, ahead of the June 15, 2013 audition for the “Miss Ambassador for Peace” holding at Nanet Emirates Hotel poolside.

President of Ambassador for Peace Pageant Agency, Kingsley Amafibe, told Peoples Daily that the that the pageant is aimed at promoting peace through education and public awareness.

The Agency carried out auditions in Owerri and Port-Harcourt while the grand finale will hold on September 21, at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.

By Emmanuel Eko

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Pillars hammer Gombe Utd to take firm hold of top spot Borno rehabilitates K El-Kanemi Stadium with N82m ano Pillars keep their winning streak and thus maintained their leadership of Nigeria Professional Football League with an emphatic 4-0 home win over Gombe United yesterday.

Pillars now have 31 points from 16 matches, while Gombe United

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

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orno state government said yesterday that it has spent the sum of N82m for the general overhaul of the El -Kanemi Warriors Stadium Maiduguri in order to provide environment conducive for sporting activities. ``The Governor Kashim Shettima also donated two new vehicles to the team enable the club meets its weekly league encounters,’’ the state Commissioner for Sports, Isa Burutai said this in an interview with newsmen Further, the Commissioner said as parts of its efforts to boost grassroots sporting activities, government plans to construct five mini stadia to be sited in Hawul, Askira-Uba, Gubio,Marte and Jere local government areas.

Burutai said the measure was also aimed at identifying abundant and hidden talented youths for subsequent grooming into future champions.

He added that government has equally distributed sporting kits and other related equipments soccer teams and associations in to encourage sports activities.

According to him government placed great premium on sports development, as it provided avenues to engage idle youths meaningfully.

have 22 points. Manir Ubale and Promise James scored in quick succession in the 20th and 22nd minutes to give Pillars a 2-0 lead.

Rabiu Ali, who scored Heartland in Abuaj on Saturday, made it 3-0 in the 66th minute to take his goal haul to six this season, before Buhari Musa completed

the demolition in the 79th minute.

In Ilorin, ABS pounded six-time league champions Enyimba 3-0.

ABS now have 19 points from 16 matches, while Enyimba have 22 points.

The Ilorin outfit opened scoring through Stone Evbawien in the 23rd minute, before the team’s

leading scorer Ichull Lordson made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Ajibola Otegbeye was brought down by the Enyimba goalkeeper in the 70th minute.

Three minutes later, Sala Abiodun took the game beyond Enyimba with the third goal. Ichull now has four goals this season.

Ahmed Musa moves Nigeria nearer 2014 World Cup finals berth as Eagles beat Stars

By Patrick Andrew

D

azzling Ahmed Musa notched the winner nine minutes from time to brighten Nigeria’s prospects of securing the Group F ticket of the 2014 World Cup qualifying group two points clear of its rival Malawi.

The African champions thus are at the driving seat after Malawi were forced to a goalles draw in Blantyre

by Namibia. The win means Nigeria now have eight points from four games, while Malawi amassed six, Namibia four and Kenya remain rooted in the bottom of the table, and therefore out of 2014 World Cup finals contention.

The Russia-based player had latched onto a pass then intelligently lobbed it over onrushing goalkeeper Duncan Ochieng to sustain Nigeria’s jinx over Kenya. It was their 15th clash of which all but three ended in wins for Nigeria.

The goal climaxed the Eagles determined and tactically disciplined performance in which the Musa, Mikel Obi, and Efe Ambrose shone brilliantly. Musa indeed tormented the Kenyan backline throughout the match with pace and trickery.

From the onset, the Eagles showed intent and could have

taken the lead within five minutes Brown Ideye buried the chance after latching on a defensive mixed up only to blasted off target.

Musa then went close with a freekick on 14 minutes after Ideye had been fouled as Stars struggled to get a foothold in the match.

Vincent Enyeama, who was hardly called to duty, had a feel of the ball when Kenya had their first sight on goal on the half hour mark but Mandela headed Francis Kahata’s corner wide. Then, in the 39th minute he made another his first save of the match gobbling up Peter Opiyo’s long range effort.

Never really under pressure, the Eagles killed off every efforts of the Stars with delectable ball distribution with Mikel, Ambrose showing no little flashes while the hitherto problematic defence line was well coordinated as Godfrey Oboabana and Kenneth Omeruo stalled whatever ambitious plans the hosts attempted to throw up.

The half ended with Nigeria hardly in danger.

On resumption, the Kenyans adopted a massive tactical approach but were unsettled in the opening minute of the second half when Nnamdi Oduamadi skinned Mandela in the box but Ochieng was quick off his line to make a fantastic save with his feet to keep

the scores level.

Stars’ skipper and lifewire, Victor Wanyama, was neatly pocketed

by Mikel and whatever extraknack he could may produced was hampered by injury which was obvious.

Thus missing the services of skipper Dennis Oliech and Arnold Origi, the Stars were shaky and barely able to threaten the Eagles and opted to play at a relaxed pace.

The introduction of Anthony Ujah gave them more impetus as they pushed Kenya deeper and deeper with the giant Nigerian providing physical presence in the box.

He headed a cross just wide on 72 and four minutes later, Obi Mikel fired just over from range.

The goal finally arrived on 81 minutes and it was one of stunning simplicity.

Substitute Stephen Waruru lost the ball on the edge of the Nigerian box and from the resulting long ball, Musa held off Mandela and Ochieng before chipping the goalkeeper and quieten the partisan crowd in the stadium.

Nigeria next face Namibia in Windhoek while Kenya travel to Blantyre for a date against the Flames of Malawi.

RESULTS

ABS 3 Enyimba o Akwa Utd 2 Warri Wolves 0 Bayelsa Utd 2 Kaduna Utd 0 3SC 3 Nembe City 0 Wikki 2 Kwara Utd 1 Pillars 4 Gombe Utd 0

Ahmed Musa

…Amiesimaka, coaches hail Eagles’victory

E

Mikel Obi

x-internationals led by Adokiye Amiesimaka have hailed the Super Eagles for their victory over hosts the Harambee Stars in kasarani, Nairobi, Kenya describing it as befitting of their AFCON champions’ status.

Ahmed Musa dimmed the shine of the Stars in the 81st minute for Nigeria to garner the maximum and opened two points gap between them and their nearest rivals, Malawi that ended their game with Namibia on barren draw.

A former Green Eagles’ winger, Adokiye Amiesimaka, a former AFCON winner lauded the Stephen Keshi-led technical crew for working out a tactical game plan that gave the Eagles the desired win and noted that Keshi had proven that Nigerian

coaches had the qualities to assemble a formidable team.

Another former Eagles Mutiu Adepoju said: ``It was a very good match and we are back at the top, where we belong as African champions. This victory is going to motivate the team to put in their all in our next match against Namibia,’’ he said.

Friday Ekpo, a former Super Eagles Midfield maestro, said it was a deserved victory: ``they (Eagles) should take other matches seriously and ensure that the country qualifies for the World Cup,’’ he said.

Bright Omokaro, another former Super Eagles defender, said: ``it’s a good feeling, knowing that the Super Eagles are forging ahead. The victory is immense and I am

very happy about it’’.

Harrison Okagbue, a former Harambee stars coach, said he was happy the Eagles had done it: ``I am very happy, the Keshi boys have done it again. I wish him well in the World Cup journey and pray they make the country happy’’.

Tarila Okorowanta, a former Flying Eagles winger, also applauded the Super Eagles for the 1-0 victory against the Kenyans. ``It is a good performance which I must commend. It is an indication that they are committed to qualifying for the world Cup. ``However, they should prepare well ahead for other matches and ensure that they do not lose or draw any subsequent match’’.

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Sports

Referees killing our league, Inyama cries out B ut for recurrent poor officiating by some referees, the credibility and prestige of the Nigeria National League (NNL) would have been hit sky, according to the Chairman of the lower rung league, Chief Emeka Inyama.

The Spokesman of the executive committee of the NFF has consequently cried out to the leadership of the Nigerian Referees’ Association and the other relevant authorities to plead with referees to improve on their officiating of matches for the sake of the game.

Lamenting the spate of violence in the league lately largely because of poor officiating of matches, Inyama accused the referees of frustrating the efforts of his board to up the ante of the lower domestic league.

The former sports journalist identified referees as the major problems facing the growth of the league in the country and urged the NRA to step up efforts to improve the technical depth and competence of its members.

According to Inyama, some of the referees’ decisions during matches were not helping the league and added that the leadership of the NNL was determined to checkmate excesses of referees.

``The referees are not helping the league at all and we have been speaking with their Organising Committee and we will punish severely any referee trying to drag the name of the league in the mud,’’ the chairman said.

Inyama, who is also the Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), added that changes in the appointment of referees would be made towards the end of the league. ``Towards the end of the league, a lot of innovations and changes will be made; we will swap referees overnight, before their matches. ``We will also bring referees from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) into the NNL, so that there will be a smooth run, till the end of the league,’’he said.

The chairman, however, promised that the NNL was working towards increasing referees’ remuneration for an improved performance. ``We are aware that some referees complained that they are paid meagre allowances for officiating, but we are trying to review their take-home. ``What we do normally is to appoint referees based on the proximity of their location to the match venue, to reduce cost, but some of them still complain. It is

an ongoing process and that is why we are calling for more sponsors for the league, to complement our efforts,’’ he said.

He dismissed allegation that poor remuneration was responsible for the dismal performance of the referees stressing that refereeing was a vocation and that only jobless referees complaint of meagre allowance. ``Refereeing should not be a means of livelihood; it should be out of the love for the game. Referees ought to have their professions so that they don’t have to depend on what they get from officiating. ``But, here, many of the referees have no original jobs, this is where remuneration becomes a problem for such people,’’ he said.

On scoring the league’s performance since the start of the 2012/2013 season, the chairman said that the NNL had done well so far, based on the level of competition going on now. ``So far, we have done well, going by the level of competitions in the league, for those targeting promotion and those trying to escape relegation,’’ Inyama said.

The 2012/2013 league, billed to end in July, is currently in Week 23.

Haye rekindles hope for WBC title clash with Vitali

D

avid Hayehas reiterated his intentions to challenge Vitali Klitschkofor the WBC heavyweight title, but does not believe a bout will be possible until next year.

The ‘Hayemaker’, who is a former WBA heavyweight titlist, was due to fight Manuel Charr in Manchester on June 29 but recently called the bout off after suffering a hand injury.

The 32-year-old has not fought since the summer of 2012, where he knocked out British rival Dereck Chisora after five rounds at London’s Upton Park, before annoucing his comeback from retirement in March.

Haye has long targeted a fight with Vitali as well as wanting to avenge his 2011 unanimous decision defeat to Wladimir Klitschko, but

the brothers have been reluctant to accept the Londoner’s recent challenges.

However, Haye confirmed that he was now looking to return to action as soon as possible and vowed to stay injury-free in a bid to lure Klitschko into the ring.

“Hopefully (Vitali happens as) that’s the goal, to regain the championship. Vitali Klitschko has to fight with a guy (Bermane Stiverne), I forget what his name is.

He has to fight with a guy who just won a fight against Chris Arreola a few weeks back.

“If it does happen (with Vitali), it probably won’t happen until next year - so I’m just going to stay active as much as I can without getting injured. I’m looking forward getting back into the mix of things,” he said.

Wladimir Klitschko

NWFL suspends W Ibom Angels’ player for 6 months

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Ahmed Maude, NRA president

he Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) yesterday suspended for six months Chichi Sandra of Ibom Angels FC for alledging assaulting a centre referee.

NWFL Secretary, Isaac Ajisafe, in a statement in Abuja, said that Sandra that would not participate in all competitions organised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for that period.

The statement added that it had also imposed a N50,000 fine on the club, as costs for injuries inflicted on the match official.

The incident happened during a week 10 match on May 25, when Sunshine Queens of Akure defeated the Angels 1-0 in Akure.

Angels will be visiting FCT Queens for its week 12 match this weekend.

ladimir Klitschko’s manager is threatening to call off the fight against Alexander Povetkin over drugtesting issues.

The Ukrainian’s handlers insist that Germany’s National AntiDoping Agency (NADA) handle any drug testing, but Povetkin’s camp wants to use the Russian agency.

Should the German agency not be used, “there will be no fight and this is not up for discussion,” Klitschko’s manager, Bernd Boente, said at the weekend.

Boente said Povetkin, 33, must also have his samples tested by the NADA-certified institute in Cologne. The Klitschko camp want to “rule out any inconsistencies with questionable analysis by Russian anti-doping agencies” before the fight goes ahead.

“Better safe than sorry. I’ve already seen too much in this business,” said Boente.

Heavyweight champion Klitschko, 37, has been ordered by the WBA to face the Russian in Moscow on October 5.

Povetkin is the WBA “regular” champion and Klitschko the “super” champion; an honour given to him after he beat Britain’s David Haye in a fight for the WBA belt in July 2011.

Now Klitschko, who also holds the WBO, IBF and IBO belts, and Povetkin are obliged to fight to leave

Wladimir, Povetkin fight may be called off over drug-testing issues just a single WBA champion.

The WBA have granted a sevenday extension for the fight’s details to be negotiated. “There are still huge gaps in the contracts, not only in terms of the drugs testing,” admitted Boente.

Russian promoter Vladimir Hryunov won the race to stage the bout with a staggering

Alexander Povetkin

$23.33-million bid.

Klitschko is entitled to 75 per cent, which would give him a careerhigh $17.3-million purse. Povetkin should receive $5.7 million.

The former Olympic Games champions were due to clash twice before but Povetkin pulled out in 2008 because of injury and then backed out a second time in 2010.

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Sports

TRANSFER NEWS, TRANSFER NEWS Koscielny drops hint he could be leave Arsenal

Spurs pondering move for Benitez

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aurent Koscielny has revealed he could seek a transfer if Arsenal do not assemble a squad that is capable of winning trophies.

Arsenal’s trophy drought stretches back to 2005, and last season saw the club once more battling only to secure Champions League qualification.

France centre-back Koscielny is currently being linked with a £15 million move to Bayern Munich, and the 27-year-old, under contract until 2017, has indicated he could be tempted to make such a switch.

“I want to have some titles,” he told Eurosport. “I hope the club will give itself the means. If that’s not the case, I’ll go take a look elsewhere.”

He said he was happy at the Emirates but did not want simply to be fighting for a top-four spot each season.

“I feel good at Arsenal, and if

T

Christian Benitez

ottenham Hotspur are being tipped to make a bid for Club America striker Christian Benitez.

Benitez, who had a spell on loan at Birmingham City in 2009-10, he has proved a consistent figure in front of goal in his two seasons at Club America after moving from Santos Laguna. His 30 goals helped the club clinch the title last term with Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas now eager to bring him back to the Premier League.

“There could be a good offer for Christian from Tottenham,” Club America president Ricardo Pelaez is quoted as saying in the Sun. “I’ve spoken with him and he wants to return to Europe. We won’t clip his wings if we get an offer that suits us.

“Of course there are bids for him - he has been the league’s top scorer three times after all. He is a great guy and a magnificent player. He is under contract but we’ll look to see what the best option is.”

Benitez is known as Chucho and has won 58 caps for Ecuador.

Lewandowski says no going back on leaving Dortmund now

P

oland striker Robert Lewandowski is seeking his expected move from Borussia Dortmund to possibly Bayern Munich to be concluded as soon as possible.

Lewandowski, 24, yesterday told weekly Sport Bild he wanted to leave Dortmund and insisted that it would be best Dortmund accept his decision.

“Dortmund are a fantastic club who I will always worship. But for my future I now want a new challenge. I expect everything to be cleared up now so that I will be allowed to move to my dream club this summer. That would be the best for everybody involved,” he said.

Lewandowski said he had informed the Dortmund

management of his intention to leave although he has another season on his contract.

“I assume everything will now be cleared up and I will be able to leave this summer for the club I want to join. That would be the best for everyone,” he said.

Should Lewandowski move to the European and Bundesliga champions, he would follow team mate Mario Gotze, whose controversial transfer was confirmed just prior to Dortmund’s UEFA Champions League semifinal tie with Real Madrid.

His loss would therefore be a second major blow to the 2011 and 2012 Bundesliga champions as they bid to keep up with record-breaking Bayern next season.

Laurent Koscielny

Man City’s €30m-plusDzeko bid for Cavani stalls

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anchester City’s bid to sign Edinson Cavani from Napolihas stalled after failing to agree a €59 millionplayer-plus-cash deal involving Edin Dzeko, Goal understands.

City, who are understood to have agreed a €180,000-a-week deal in principle with the Uruguayan, are willing to pay €30m cash plus offer €29m-rated striker Dzeko in partexchange for the prolific 26-yearold.

However, while new Napoli boss Rafa Benitez is believed to have given his blessing to the pursuit of Dzeko, the Partenopei are keen to hold out for a fee close to Cavani’s €63m release clause.

And in an increasingly complicated deal, the Italian outfit - who have already committed considerable finances to hiring former Chelsea manager Benitez and his vast backroom team - are also reluctant to match Dzeko’s €129,000-a-week City wages.

The Bosnian striker, meanwhile, wants to leave City after falling behind Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez in the club’s pecking order, with Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal and Chelsea leading the chase for his signature.

City want to use the 27-year-old to help fund the purchase of longterm target Cavani, who is one of the most highly sought-after centreforwards in the world following three prolific seasons at Napoli, which have yielded an astonishing 102 goals in 124 matches for the club in all competitions.

The Uruguayan has made little secret of his desire to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona, prompting fears among the City hierarchy that he could be using their interest to

force the hands of the two Spanish big-hitters.

Cavani has been coy about whether he will be at Napoli next season. Speaking toCorriere del Mezzogiorno last weekend, he said: “Is Napoli my future? Napoli is my today. No one can predict the future. I can only say that today I am happy.

“As for Real Madrid... kids dream, it is normal. Everyone does it. I found Napoli and I am proud. Then again it’s nice to dream, even when you are grown up.”

Napoli want a bidding war for their prize asset as they hold out for a fee close to Cavani’s €63m release clause.

Jesus signs twoyear Benfica extension

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enfica have announced that head coach Jorge Jesus has signed a new contract until the summer of 2015.

There were doubts as to whether the 58-year-old would stay on at the Lisbon giants following their disastrous end to the 2012-13 campaign which saw them miss out on the league title, Europa League and Portuguese cup in dramatic fashion.

Nevertheless, Jesus has now ended all speculation about his future by inking a two-year extension with Benfica, with the club confirming the news via their official website.

The experienced coach has been in charge of the Portuguese powerhouse since the summer of 2009 and has guided them to one league title and three Portuguese league cups in the past four years.

He previously coached the likes of Amora, Felgueiras, Uniao Madeira, Estrela Amadora, Vitoria Setubal, Vitoria Guimaraes, Moreirense, Uniao Leira, Belenenses and Braga prior to his appointment at Estadio da Luz.

Arsenal off load Arshavin, two others

I Edinson Cavani

CHANGE OF NAME

Robert Lewandowski

we’re given the means to be able to rival big teams, of course I want to continue the adventure,” he said.

“If it’s to be fighting each year like this season, mentally, it’s hard.

We’re always under pressure and we know a single season without the Champions League at Arsenal is difficult.

“We’ll have to see whether there are clubs who are interested. I don’t just want to go anywhere. I want to discover a new championship.”

Asked about potential interest from Paris Saint-Germain, he replied: “I don’t know. I have not had any contact.”

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MISS FELICIA ONYECHE ONYILOKWU, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. FELICIA ONYECHE OKWE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

n a bid to reposition for next season, Arsenal have have off loaded the trio of Andrey Arshavin, Denilson and Sebastien Squillaci.

The Gunners praise them for rendering their services to the best of their abilities to the club throughout the period of their stay with the club.

It reads: “Arsenal would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their contribution and wish them well for the future.”

Arshavin made 144 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 31 times over the course of five seasons.

Denilson joined from Sao Paulo in 2006 while Squillaci leaves Arsenal after three years, having signed from Sevilla in summer 2010.

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PAGE 44

Sports I have accomplished all my dreams, but goals remain to achieve, says Bolt Six-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt, who will start his 2013 IAAF Diamond Leagueseason today at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Rome’s 1960 Olympic Stadium.

Two days before his muchawaited 100m race Bolt, showing his familiar relaxed mood ahead of his first European race of the year, talked about his plans for the season and his expectations for Thursday’s race.

Bolt has won at the last two editions of Rome’s meeting; in 2011 in 9.91 and in 2012 in the meeting record of 9.76. This time he will face Olympic bronze medallist Justin Gatlin who has already won two legs of the IAAF Diamond League this year in Doha in 9.97 and in Eugene in a wind assisted 9.88, and who has a legal seasonal best of 9.91 set in the IAAF World Challenge meeting in Beijing.

Bolt from Trelawny will be looking to take his third consecutive Rome win to honour the memory of the Italian sprinter nicknamed the “Southern Arrow” who won the 200m European title in this stadium in 1974 and two editions of the Golden Gala in 1980 and 1983.

D

o you remember your first ever win?

“When I won my first race, athletics was just a joy. It’s still a joy but when I started it was pure enjoyment.”

What do you expect from Thursday’s race?

Usain Bolt celebrating victory

“I feel great. Everything is perfect.

I am looking forward to running in Rome. In the last weeks I worked on speed and endurance.”

Have you changed your training from last year?

“So far we are working on both speed and endurance. During the season I will decide with my coach on what aspect we will work, whether we will focus on either speed or endurance. It depends on how the season goes.”

You ran 10.09 in the Cayman Islands in your first 100m race at the beginning of May. What went wrong in George Town?

“I did not have a good race there but I worked with my coach on the aspects which went wrong. I am not worried about it because it will be a long season.”

Some athletes are suffering from injury problems in the post-Olympic season. How do you feel now?

“In the Olympic year every athlete pushes harder and it’s normal that some athletes get injuries. We have worked on preventing injuries and I am now in good shape.”

You met Mennea two years ago on the eve of the Rome meeting. What is your memory of Mennea?

“I am proud to compete in this meeting. Great athletes like Mennea made their country proud.

I hope that my fellow Jamaicans will honour me when I retire from sport in the same way Italy honours Mennea.”

Do you think that humility is a good value in sport?

“It is a great value to be humble.

Everything is possible with hard work. I grew up according to these principles. It’s important that athletes promote these values.”

You will run against Justin Gatlin in Rome. He started the season very well with wins in Doha and Eugene.

What do you think about his results?

“Gatlin is in good shape but I am not worried about that. For me it’s all about championships. I am just focusing on myself.”

You have won everything an athlete can dream of. Do you still have dreams?

“I have accomplished all my dreams but I still have goals to achieve. I want to continue to dominate on the world stage in the next four years with hard work but I also want to continue enjoying my sport.”

Are there new Jamaican sprinters coming out?

“There will always be new Jamaican talented sprinters coming out. I saw at the Youth Championships in my country that there are young guys who are running fast but I still beat them!”

You are a big fan of Manchester United football club.

What was your reaction when you heard the news that Sir Alex Ferguson retired as a manager after 27 years?

“It was a stressful day when I heard the news that he was going to retire. He is a great man. We are good friends. I don’t know if the new manager will be able to achieve the same results.”

“

There will always be new Jamaican talented sprinters coming out. I saw at the Youth Championships in my country that there are young guys who are running fast but I still beat them!

Maria Sharapova

Sharapova edges Jankovic to reach French Open semifinals

R

eigning champion Maria Sharapova edged into the French Open semi-finals with a battling victory over Jelena Jankovic.

The Russian second seed fought back from a first-set whitewash to claim a 0-6 6-4 6-3 success at Roland Garros. She will now meet Victoria Azarenka, who beat Maria Kirilenko 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.

Serb Jankovic made a scintillating start as she reeled off the first six games, yet Sharapova slowly upped her game and a break in the seventh game of the final set proved decisive.

Sharapova lost a set 6-0 for only the fourth time in her Grand Slam career after committing 20 unforced errors in the opening set. But she managed to put that behind her and extend her unbeaten run at Roland Garros to 12 matches.

“After the first set I knew if I wanted to win this match I’d have to change things around,” she said.

“I just had to erase that chapter and move forward because the match was not over. I still felt like I was in the match and I was I broke her in the first game and that was extremely important.

“I just fought really hard in the third set. It only gets tougher from here but I’m really happy to be at this stage again.”

Azarenka became the first woman representing Belarus to reach the semifinals in Paris after beating beat Maria Kirilenko (Rus) [12] 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 The two-time Australian Open champion won five straight points to lead 6-1 in the first-set tiebreaker before taking it 7-3.

Kirilenko, who is still to progress beyond the last eight in a Grand Slam tournament, double -faulted to trail 3-1 in the second set and a long forehand handed Azarenka victory.

Coach cautions athletes against poor attitude to training

I

saac Osagie, an athletics coach, has advised athletes to be positive in their training schedules, even in the face of a near absence of competitions and requisite facilities for such endeavours.

Osagie said in Lagos that it was only through such a mindset that the athletes could be able to hone their skills, against all odds.

He warned that those athletes that allowed the prevailing situation to affect their daily regimen would have themselves to blame at the end of the day. ``Currently, we

know that sports are not being funded the way they should, which in effect dampens the morale of athletes towards training. These athletes just train without attending any competition, which in effect demoralises them. ``Athletes have to keep faith and attend training sessions with zest, for it is better to be prepared always than to be caught unawares when called up for national duty,’’ Osagie said.

He also implored athletes to ensure that they made good use of available facilities, to

enhance their skills in their chosen vocations.

Osagie appealed to the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), to ensure that athletes have unfettered access to available gymnasiums. ``An athlete’s training is an all round thing that involves training sessions in a gymnasium which we lack at the National Stadium, Lagos.

Because gym sessions develop the athlete’s endurance level and helps to build their muscles,” he added.

PEOPLES DAILY| THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

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Sports

1 3

P I C T O R I AL

1. Lynsey Sharp is officially a European champion after the 800m silver medal she won in Helsinki last year was formally upgraded to a gold. The 22-year-old Briton finished second behind Russia’s Yelena Arzhakova in the European Championship final.

2. Tyson Fury has called out David Haye for a Battle of Britain heavyweight showdown, after pulling out of his IBF eliminator clash with Kubrat Pulev on Sunday, a fight that would have handed the winner a mandatory shot at reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko.

3. .Tiger Woods ran up the highest nine-hole score of his professional career with an outward 44 in the third round of the Memorial Tournament in Ohio. Ranked 10th, he leaked double bogeys on the 12th and 15th, dropped another shot on the 17th and triple-bogeyed the 18th.

4. The 2013 European bronze medallist Britain’s Ashley McKenzie lost in the opening round of the International Judo Federation World Masters in Tyumen, Russia to home fighter Beslan Mundranov, last year’s European champion.

5. Tyson Fury has called out David Haye for a Battle of Britain heavyweight showdown, after pulling out of his IBF eliminator clash with Kubrat Pulev on Sunday, a fight that would have handed the winner a mandatory shot at reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko.

4

2

5

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Classified

Sports

PEOPLES DAILY| THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

ROLAND GARROS

Nadal, Djokovic set up blockbuster clash tomorrow

W

orld No 1 Novak Djokovic and seven-time champion Rafael Nadal set up a Roland Garros semifinal blockbuster yesterday after straight-sets wins in their last-eight ties.

Top seed Djokovic reached his 12th consecutive Grand Slam semifinal when he defeated gutsy German Tommy Haas 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.

Nadal, the second seed, cruised into the last-four with a routine 6-2, 6-3,

Novak Djokovic

6-1 win over Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland as he stepped up his bid to become the first man to win the same Grand Slam title eight times.

Friday’s clash will be the 35th meeting between the two with Nadal holding a 12-3 lead on clay. But Djokovic beat the Spaniard in the Monte Carlo Masters final in April in their most recent meeting.

Wednesday’s quarterfinal proved a match too far for the 35-year-old Haas who was bidding to become the oldest semifinalist at a major since Andre Agassi at the 2005 US Open.

Djokovic, 26, reeled off breaks in the seventh and ninth games that gave him the first set in which Haas won just a single point on the Serb’s serve.

Haas held on for a second set tie-break but Djokovic powered through that as well, finishing it off with a trademark, deep, booming forehand.

The German, a former world No 2 whose career has been decimated by a series of injuries, slipped 2-1 down in the third before he converted his first

break point to level at 2-2.

He had needed treatement for a leg strain during his five-set marathon win over Richard Gasquet in the fourth round when he came back from two sets down.

Nadal broke the Swiss player’s serve in the opening game and then again in the fifth to take the first set 6-2. Nadal ran off three quick games in a row to take a two sets to love lead.

Rafael Nadal

Federation Cup: NFF fixes June 11 as kick-off date

T

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RIDWANULLAHI ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NIGERIA THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION(CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTER ACT NO.1 OF 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.HON JUSTICE S. O. MUHAMMED 2.MALL. M. KOLA ABDULGANEEY 3. ALH. JIBRIL ISSA 4. ENGR. SHUAIB BABAITA 5. ALHAJA BINTU LOGUN SHOLAGBERU 6.ALHAJA ZEENATU BOLAJOKO BELLO 7. ALHAJA(BARR.) SOFIYAT TITILAYO USMAN AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE ISLAMIC PRINCIPLES AND PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE 2. TO PRESERVE,PROTECT AND PROMOTE ISLAMIC CULTURE ANY OBJECTION(S) TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO: THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT,OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET,PMB 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: FOUNDER\PRESIDENT GENERAL

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has fixed June 11 as kick-off date for the 2013 Federation Cup, according to Mohammed Sanusi, its Director of competition.

Sanusi, who said the date was agreed on by the NFF and the Nigerian league managers, hinted that the first round of matches tagged; ``Round of 64’’ will be staggered between June 11 and June 26 across different venues in the country. ``Some of the Premier League clubs have serious matches and so what we did was to stagger the matches so that the premiership clubs will not operate at a disadvantage. ``I think there is a team that has match on the 26. the matches will be played at neutral venues, we looked at equal distance and decided that if it’s going to be far for this team, it should be for the other team. ``Like in the case of Delta and Edo, coincidentally the two teams were paired for four teams. In one of the matches, Edo will have to cross over to go and play Delta, while the second match will see Delta crossing over to play Edo,’’ he said.

Sanusi also said that the kick-off date for the female event would be fixed next week.

He pointed out that fixing a date for the female competition would not be a difficult task as the female event would involve only 22 teams.

The match fixtures released last week indicated that Ingas FC, Enugu will play Ranchers Bees, Kaduna at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja on June 11.

Other matches to be played on June 11 include; Makwada FC, Adamawa versus Gray’s Int’l FC at the FIFA Goal Project, Abuja and El-Kanemi Babes against Niger Tornadoes at the Jos Township stadium.

Other matches fixed for June 11 are; Katsina Sports light versus Bagu Mission FC at the Kaduna Township Stadium and Leopard FC, Cross Rivers against FC Taraba at the Katsina-Ala Township Stadium.

June 13 will see Reason FC, Ekiti battle Samba Kurna FC, Kano at the FIFA Goal Project, Abuja, while J. Atete FC, Delta will square up against Bendel Insurance FC at the Akure Township Stadium.

Sharks FC, Port Harcourt will host Kogi United

FC at the Warri Township Stadium on June 19, as Plateau United confront Wikki Tourist, Bauchi at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.

Prime FC, Osogbo will test their might against Bayelsa FC at the Sam Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, on June 25, while Rangers FC Enugu, engage Danlawan FC, Jigawa, at the Jos Township Stadium.

In other matches, Gombe United FC will face Bussdor FC, Imo at Area 3 football pitch on June 19, while Enyimba FC, Aba tackles Police Machines, Nasarawa, in Ado Ekiti, also on June 19.

Sunshine Stars of Akure have tough foes in Fountain FC of Ekiti, at the Ilorin Township Stadium on June 19, while Kwara United of Ilorin test their might against Akwa Starlets, Uyo, in Oghara, Delta, same day.

However, Kaduna United face Unicem Rovers of Calabar at the Katsina Ala Township Stadium even as the NFF said clubs must pay all fines (Red Card, Yellow Card etc) before their next match.

The NFF also urged Football Association secretaries of the host states to make all necessary arrangements for the matches.

F/Eagles battle Portugal in World Cup dress rehearsal J ohn Obuh’s tutored Flying Eagles will battle Portugal today in the Toulon Tournament two weeks before both teams clash at the U20 World Cup. This is a dress rehearsal for their June 21 World Cup group opener in Kayseri, but it could also decide which team from Group B advance to the third-place playoff of the Toulon Tournament on Saturday.

Portugal are on four points, same as Mexico, who they held to a thrilling 3-3 draw on Tuesday.

Nigeria are fourth in the standings on two points, but they could leap frog both teams if they beat their World Cup rivals and Belgium, who are bottom of the group on a point, upset defending champions Mexico.

Portugal are a very compact team who play for each other and they have strength in depth.

From their outings at the Toulon

Tournament, they have shown they attack from the wings and are not shy to shoot from distance.

Against Mexico on Tuesday, GuineaBissau-born striker Alberto Gomes de Pina aka Aladje caught the eye with his vision, sweet left foot, skills and goal.

The 19-year-old striker from Italian lower league club FC Aprilia used his imposing size to great effect against a well organised Mexico defence.

It will also be interesting to see how Sporting Lisbon central defender Tiago Ilori, whose father is Nigerian, copes with the power and speed of the Nigerians.

The Flying Eagles, on the other hand, stepped up their game against world champions Brazil on Tuesday especially in the second half.

And the draw from that clash would most certainly have boosted their confidence after some indifferent showings against Mexico and Belgium.

Midfielder Uche Agbo and U17 central defender Wilfred Ndidi are expected to return as the Flying Eagles line up their strongest possible starting XI today.

A win for either team will give them a physiological boost leading to the more important June 21 clash in Kayseri, Turkey.

John Obuh, Flying Eagles coach

PEOPLES DAILY| THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

Facts about world records •The fastest bird is the peregrine falcon. It can fly at a speed of 168-217 miles per hour.

•Hans Langseth had the longest beard at a record length of 17 1/2 feet long! When he died, his beard was given to the Smithsonian Institute.

•The deadliest disease was the pneumonic form of the Black Death of 1347-1351. It had death rate of 100%.

•The largest egg laid by a living bird is that of the North African Ostrich. It is 6 to 8 inches in length and 4 to 6 inches in diameter.

The smallest is that of the hummingbird. It is less than 0.39 inches in diameter.

•The hottest continent on earth is Africa, where a record high of 136.4 degrees F was once recorded.

•Antarctica is the coldest continent on earth, where a temperature of 126.9 degrees F below zero was once recorded. Chicago is home to three of the five tallest buildings in the world — the Sears Tower, Standard Oil Building, and John Hancock Center.

•The hottest place on earth is in Dallol, Ethiopia, which is a sizzling 94 degrees in the shade on a typical day!

•Angel Falls in Venezuela is 20 times taller than Niagara Falls.

•The blue whale is the largest animal that ever lived (it could reach 100 feet long and weight up to 150 tons!)

•Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a basketball game in 1962, when he played for the Philadelphia Warriors.

•The longest bout of hiccups lasted 69 years!

•The longest conga to this date included 119,986 people.

•The smallest cat is the Singapuras and weighs only 4 pounds.

•The longest movie made lasts 85 hours and is fittingly titled “The Cure for Insomnia.”

•Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, standing 29,028 feet high.

•Did you know that there is a world record for seeing how many

PAGE 47

Leisure times you can attempt a world record?!

•The smallest dog recorded was a Yorkie and was only 4 inches tall. The biggest dog weighed 344 pounds- more than two full grown men!

•The largest baby to be born so far weighed in at 15 pounds, 5 ounces!

•The longest recorded flight of a chicken is thirteen seconds.

•Caspian Sea is regarded the largest lake in the world.

•Because of its large spread (371,000 sq km) and saline water, the ancient people considered it an ocean!

•There are 24 time zones around the world.

•The earthquake that devastated central China in 1557 and killed 830,000 people was the most lethal of its kind.

•The maximum depth of ocean in world is 6.9 miles.

•There are 10 families into which countries around the world can be categorized.

•There are 540 volcanoes on earth’s surface.

•There are certain countries or regions that have descriptive names not really indicative of them, such as Greenland and Dead Sea. •The seasons around the world change owing to earth’s orbital positioning.

•There are 10 countries in

the world that are known by separate English names.

•The average rate of lightings on a global scale is 100 per second.

• There are 14 countries and cities whose names have been changed in the last few years.

•The estimated amount of snow crystals that drop from skies every year all over the world is 1 septillion.

•China, North Korea, Cuba, Vietnam and Laos are the only countries where Communism is still active.

•At any time 10% of earth’s surface is under ice.

•France has the maximum overseas dependencies - 16 and Denmark and the Netherlands have the least - 2.

Say what?

SUDOKU

Photo of the day Last Solution

Cuddling up: In this remarkable photograph, an adult tiger and a Buddhist monk embrace in a seemingly mutual display of affection, in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

SPORTS LATEST

Mourinho: Ronaldo thinks he knows it all

J

ose Mourinho has suggested his former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo no longer listens to tactical instructions as he thinks he has nothing left to learn.

The Portuguese pair previous enjoyed a close relationship but it has apparently fractured since Ronaldo reacted angrily to criticism from the bench during a Copa del Rey win over Valencia in January.

After that, Ronaldo refused to speak publicly in support of his boss or tie their fates together.

Mourinho told Spanish TV show Punto Pelota that it was now difficult to coach the former Manchester United man as he reacts badly to any criticism.

“Cristiano Ronaldo maybe thinks that he knows everything and that the coach cannot improve him anymore,” Mourinho said. “I had a very basic problem with him: criticise him from a tactical point of view, in that moment he did not accept it very well.”

Ronaldo missed Madrid’s final game of the season last weekend with Mourinho claiming the attacker - as well as team-mates Iker Casillas and Pepe - had been ruled out due to unspecified back complaints.

“Those two games in which he did not play, have been almost the only ones because he has given everything for Real Madrid,” he said. “He felt a pain in his back.

I do not doubt the injuries of the players.”

Mourinho also claimed that Ronaldo’s phenomenal goalscoring record for Madrid over the last three years had been facilitated by a tactical scheme which had been specifically designed [by Mourinho himself].

“He played three fantastic seasons with me, I do not know if the best of his career,” the Special One said. “I think we discovered a fantastic tactical set-up so that he could express all his potential and express it in goals.”

Jose Mourinho

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QUOTABLE QUOTE It was a test for democracy and democracy won at the end of the day. All we can do as democrats elected by the people is to uphold democracy and stand by democracy — Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state on the May 24 chairmanship election of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) which he claimed to have won.

States of emergency (II) S

CARTELOPIA

tates, yes multiple, states of emergency are the best description for our Cartelopian condition. If ever there was any doubt, morning television talk shows in the past couple of weeks have surely wiped it out!

Unprecedented stuff. One could almost hear the frantic phone calls made by Presidential aides (and dead weights), see the suitcases of money flying, and their special point men, hatchet men and thugs (disguised as ‘Drs’ so and so). They fouled up the air with their irrational arguments.

Lies, lies and all-time lows And still the Prime Minister (PM) Jonah would have us believe he has no interest in the business of a certain association. The barefaced lying is typical. While we have seen some of such before, under military governments especially, I don’t think it has ever permeated governance on such a scale.

And this is just the Presidency’s latest media war on the people.

We have a second media blitzkrieg emanating from another unprecedented quarter: The country’s once disciplined and somewhat respected Armed Forces.

Today we have an Army chief who regularly accuses serving officers of what I understand as treason. Because it is also simply another tentacle in this frightening octopus that has got hold of us, he makes these accusations not through the established and strict military command and control structure but like a concert performer ,to clutches of journalists and eager news men. It is an extraordinary development.

False accusations, incitement of hatred This is behaviour that actually mirrors exactly that of the Commander –in –chief –the Prime Minister himself. Remember the PM’s statements reserved for Church audiences? All those stories of ghostly and unidentifiable Boko Horror sponsors in his governmentthe judiciary, the legislator etc, have it seems been now replaced by their military variants now.

For once I can say the Governor of Niger Province has impressed me with his controversy. This week he made a long overdue statement while addressing the (lame duck) Amnesty Committee who are busy doing their own version of a ‘familiarisation tour’. Niger province chief executive pointed out the obvious – that those who are funding, planning and ordering this terrorism should be caught, arrested and prosecuted.

Amnesty therefore should only extend to combatants and those who agree to lay down their arms.

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With Aisha Yolah ayolah06@yahoo.com 08086296783 (text only please)

Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Azubuike Ihejirika Fear of Jonah is the beginning of wisdom Perhaps no-one in government is able to think straight – the fear of political witch- hunting is very palpable as we watch rational men turn into shameless liars and quivering yes-men.

Criticism or disagreement with his highness, the PM, can lead to elimination by ‘McCarthyist’ labelling as a flaming red racist who hates all Delta people or if necessary, a terrorist.

It is not for nothing that a whole government gazette has been suddenly published to prescribe sentence for even being mentioned by a drugged Boko Horror thug.

Twenty years in jail is not a small thing. I won’t ask how government can proscribe what was never licensed or permitted in the first place.

“

The combination of sycophancy and fear are a poisonous combination.

Example: Dr Klatch Analog on the widely acclaimed Channels TV station: ‘Of course, the Presidency is not bothered about an inconsequential election among the country’s even more irrelevant Executive Governors.

[Yet I have been flying around the country at presidential expense, from studio to studio repeating this ad nauseum, and abusing all the country’s irrelevant Governors for good measure. The presidency has nooooo hand.]

The worst example: Dr Northern Muslim on National Television telling poor Cartelopians of all religions that this Irrelevant Governors Forum (IGF) election went wrong because certain Northern Muslim governors do not

Amid all this emergency, fluster and chaos we have millions of Cartelopian citizens living in the North east province under a state of war.

Which they have been doing in some places for 3 years now. The only difference is they cannot communicate with the outside world now. This is the fourth (4) week. The United Nations news agency reported that trucks which normally transport basic commodities such as food out of the state capitals have been held up to facilitate a ‘food blockade’ .

want a Christian in power [even though he is not the first neither second Christian to hold power].

Breathless ministers As fate would have it, the stage show all climaxed in a Democracy Day celebration where the President through his ministers tried to force the fact that we are now living the good life - down our throats.

The democratic principles were loud and clear – critical journalists are espionage agents who can’t understand simple macroeconomics.

The best performance was of a matronly and breathless Dr. Finance Ministry-World Bank-MorganSachs rushing through every full stop and comma as though she was in a school debate.

Starving, incommunicado towns Amid all this emergency, fluster and chaos we have millions of Cartelopian citizens living in the North east province under a state of war. Which they have been doing in some places for 3 years now.

The only difference is they cannot communicate with the outside world now. This is the fourth (4) week.

The United Nations news agency reported that trucks which normally transport basic commodities such as food out of the state capitals have been held up to facilitate a ‘food blockade’ .

This we are told is part of Cartelopia’s Especiale Armed Forces strategy for starving the Boko Horror terrorists, who right up till recently seem to have thrived very well under the Jonah touch. No-one in government is asking how the general population in those parts will not also be starved. In declaring the state of emergency the PM’s main premise was that the insurgents had taken over large swathes of the country .

Magical terrorist camps For added effect we heard for the first time of our flags being burnt by them. What he didn’t say was that this had taken place since January of this year. A UN news article confirms this, and many local news reports were saying this months ago.

Finally, one has to ask why thriving, seething terrorist camps complete with anti-aircraft gunnery were allowed to grow and expand in some local Game Reserve within our territory. Why? Why ? Why? They certainly did not spring from the earth over night like magic.

Certainly they did not, under the very nose of Joint Task and Multinational Forces, with satellite and foreign spy technology offered and available.

This state of emergency is indeed one of many. We can only pray for deliverance.

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