Peoples Daily Newspaper, Thursday 7, March, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 10 No. 49

Thursday, March 7, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Rabiul Akhir 25, 1434 AH

N150

FCT broke, owes contractors N420bn, says minister

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

T

he Ministry of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) owes its contractors and other clients a whooping sum of N420 billion, according to the Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed.

Mohammed told State House correspondents after yesterday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting that the FCT is confronted with what he described as serious paucity of funds which is frustrating its projects delivery.

He however said that the ministry had come up with a robust business plan to ensure a cash flow into the FCT purse.

“In terms of indebtedness, over the years, we have a debt profile Contd on Page 2

Thousands of residents lined the streets in Venezuela yesterday as the casket holding President Hugo Chavez was driven through the streets.

Boko Haram

Jonathan set to declare amnesty

Security beefed up in Yobe, Borno Tomorrow declared public holiday From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

A

s President Goodluck Jonathan begins a twoday official visit to Borno and Yobe states today, there are strong indications that the president will announce an

unconditional amnesty for Boko Haram, as advocated by some prominent personalities, including the Sultan of Sokoto.

The amnesty, if declared and implemented as is being expected, would significantly douse the tension and insecurity ravaging the two the states in particular

83% oil blocks owned by northerners — Sen. Ita Enang >> PAGE 2

and the nation jn general.

A competent source close to officialdom informed Peoples Daily yesterday that the President is disposed to declaring amnesty to display government's commitment to finding lasting solutions to the threat of insecurity that has done

PD INDEX 6th March, 2013

incalculable damage to the economy and people of the north.

The resolve of the president to declare the amnesty, the source said, is borne of his desire to restore lasting peace to the affected states, and to heed to the calls by prominent northern leaders, Contd on Page 2

Sydney Olympics: Court upholds Nigeria gets gold, INEC’s powers to 13 years after deregister parties >> PAGE 41

>> PAGE 6

CBN RATES $ £ EURO CFA RIYAL

BUYING 154.75 234.50 201.78 0.2878 41.26

SELLING 155.75 236.02 203.08 0.3078 41.52

PARALLEL RATES EURO £ RIYAL $

BUYING 208 254.50 42 157

SELLING 210 257.50 43 158

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Northerners own 83% oil blocs, says Senator Itah Enang

Letters

14

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Opinion

15

CONTENTS News

2-10

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

23

S/Report

24-25

Earth

26-27

Update

28-29

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ontroversy over the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) continued yesterday on the floor of upper chamber of the National Assembly as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Itah Enang, alleged that prominent northerners alone own more than 83 per cent of the oil blocs in the country.

Enang’s came as a response to refusal of the senators from the north to allow 10 per cent of the net profit on oil sales by oil companies to go to the host communities where oil is drilled in the south.

He listed those involved and their companies to include,

former Vice President Atiku Abubakar with his Intel Oil, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero who he said own a substantial stakes in Nigeria’s oil exploration industry both in Nigeria and in Sao Tome and Principe.

Others, according to Enang are, Saleh Mohammed Gambo, with his North East Petroleum Limited and holding the OPL 215 licence and was later awarded OPL 276 and OPL 283, Cavendish Petroleum, the operators of the OML 110, awarded to Alhaji Mai Deribe of Borno state with North East which nets an average of about N4 billion monthly, and Seplat/Platform Petroleum, operators of the ASUOKPU/

UMUTU Marginal Field with the CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the major shareholder and Director.

Also included is South Atlantic Petroleum Limited, established by General T.Y. Danjuma, who is also the chairman of Eni Nigeria Limited.

According to Enang, SAPETRO which also belongs to Danjuma partners with Total Upstream Nigeria Limited and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Limited to become operators of the oil bloc known as OPL 246.

Apparently jolted by the revelations, Senators from the north, attributed the problem in the Nigerian oil sector to

mismanagement of the proceeds, saying that the PIB should be amended to develop alternative sources of revenue for the country to reduce over dependence on oil.

In her contribution, Senator Chris Anyanwu said that with the resources accruing to Nigeria from the sale of oil, majority of citizens should have a better deal instead of the impoverished set of people.

Most of the senators condemned the enormous powers which the President has in allocating operating licenses to oil companies as proposed by the bill, saying such powers must give checks and balances to guarantee due process and accountability. The debate is expected to continue today.

FCT broke, owes contractors N420bn, says minister

Adieu Hugo Rafael Chavez, adieu a global pillar, Page 4

Int’l

31-34

Strange World 35 Digest

36

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-45

Leisure

47

Columnist

48

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

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

Phones for News: 070-37756364 09-8734478

Contd from Page 1 of N420 billion and I have craved the indulgence of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and she has agreed and Council has noted our recommendation to float an FCT development fund that we can float bond after we have established a sound legal framework with the establishment of FCT revenue Board.

“Our responsibilities are many and multi dimensional and that is why we are trying to leverage on the private sector do some private public partnership projects and programmes.

“We have informed Council that we have access private sector investment to the tune of 4.6billion dollars since we came on board.

“We have developed a robust and credible business plan a cash flow that will ensure that will enable us on a broader spectrum

make sure that we service our obligations.

The Minister who earlier briefed FEC on the progress report of his ministry in 2012, said government planned to concession Airport and Kubwa roads after which the concessionaire may wish to mount toll gates on the roads.

“We plan to open up the city to facilitate businesses and good governance as well as reduce travel time in and around the city to a maximum of 30 minutes,” he said.

Mohammed said that the ministry was working on an effective collaboration with the Nasarawa state government to expand and solve the traffic problems the Nyanyan/ Mararaba axis, adding that a good working relationship had been built with the states that surround the FCT as part of measures to develop infrastructure.

According to him, “the FCT

has been brought under serious pressure as a result of influx of people, explaining that the development has made the city which was planned for less than one million people to accommodate more than five million people.

“Also, we have informed Council that we have a concession template for the existing corridor such as the airport road and the outer express way, requiring about N49 billion to complete so that at the end of the day, we will toll them and they would have been self sustaining, rather than waiting for the Federal Government to provide money which would shift the goal post for the completion of the project,” he said.

Earlier, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said the Council also discussed the performance review of the ministries of labour and productivity.

“For some time now, we have been taking progress reports of various MDAs in line with the performance contracts signed last year between President Jonathan and the ministers.

“The ministry has been training people to develop their skills and make them more employable. The ministry is moving beyond interacting with labour unions to achieve industrial harmony.

“The ministry brought a strategic plan to FEC to make sure their ministries promote productivity in both private and government establishments. The ministry is helping government and doing a lot of work in the area of job creation.

“Industrial harmony was achieved by the ministry as it dealt with 200 cases of industrial disputes and he resolved 174 cases through negotiation with workers while some are going through arbitration.”

Contd from Page 1 including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alh Abubakar Sa'ad, and the northern state governors, for an amnesty to reintegrate the insurgents into the society after renouncing violence and handing over their weapons.

And ahead of the president's visit to Yobe and Borno today, security has been beefed up by the police anti - bomb squad and the Joint Task Force to forestall any break down of law and order during the visits.

Also, the Secretary to State Government (SSG) of Borno, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda, in a statement issued yesterday announced a general public

holiday as an honour to the visiting president.

Accordingly, Friday will be a work - free day for all workers in both public and private sectors, Jidda said.

The Borno Government House was a beehive of activities yesterday as various committees for the visit held meetings even as the President's advance party, comprising of security and protocol personnel have arrived the state last night.

As part of the security measures to ensure a hitch-free visit, a number of major roads in the Maiduguri metropolis were sealed off yesterday with security operatives restricting vehicular

Armed soldiers backed by armored tanks patrolled various parts of the city.

Meanwhile, the Yobe Police Command said yesterday that it had beefed up security in and around Damaturu ahead of the state visit by President Goodluck Jonathan today.

According to the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Sanusi Rufa'i, "teams of mobile policemen have been deployed to the state to reinforce the security on ground. We are determined and working towards a peaceful and hitch-free presidential visit to the state.''

The News Agency of Nigeria quoted Rufa'i as assuring that the command had deployed its

personnel to all the nooks and cranny of the state capital.

"Although we now enjoy relative peace, we will leave no stone unturned to provide adequate security for the presidential visit and the people.

"We have adequate manpower and logistics to ensure a peaceful visit. We implore the public to conduct their lawful businesses, remain law-abiding and cooperate with the security agencies,'' he said.

Jonathan is scheduled to inaugurate the state university in Damaturu, the dual carriageway ring road, 300 housing units and an ultramodern hospital.

Jonathan set to declare amnesty

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 3

Kenya polls: Results ready tomorrow, says electoral body

By Abdulkadir Isa

C

hairman of the Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Issack Hassan, says results of the presidential result will be ready tomorrow.

The apparent delay in announcing the result of the polls may not be unconnected with delays in counting following crashing of the electronic system but early results still put Mr. Kenyatta ahead of his rival Raila Odinga.

According to Hassan attributed the delay being experienced to manual measure of counting adopted at the collation centres but he remains optimistic that results will be ready in the early hours of Friday.

So far, about six per cent total votes counted are split ballots – doubling the number of votes cast for the third-placed candidate, Musailia Mudavadi.

With provisional results in from more than 40 per cent of polling stations earlier yesterday, Odinga had 42 per cent of the

votes with Kenyatta polling about 53 per cent.

Even at that, Kenyatta has accused the United Kingdom (UK) of playing a “shadowy” roles. The UK denied the allegation.

The UK Foreign Office said claims of British interference were “entirely false and misleading.”

“We have always said that this election is a choice for Kenyans alone to decide,” it added.

About 330,000 ballots were initially rejected for not following election rules, however the IEBC

announced that those spoiled ballots will count in the overall vote total.

Observers from the African Union (AU) and European Union said the election process - the first under a new constitution - had been credible so far, despite the problems.

“And, although the election process is not over yet, we can already say that Kenya can be credited with demonstrating an impressive commitment to democratic elections,” Chief EU observer, Alojz Peterle said.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, receiving report from Chairman, Presidential Monitoring Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Isaac Jemide, yesterday at the State House, Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

JNI vows to ensure polio eradication From Nasiru Mu’azu Isa, Kaduna

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asril Islam (JNI) has resolved to continue to partner with relevant stakeholders in the campaign towards the eradication of polio in the country.

In a communiqué at the end of its Annual Central Council meeting in Kaduna yesterday, the group assured that it will maximize efforts at educating the general public as well as using meaningful dialogue as far as possible to resolve the controversies surrounding the polio immunization issue.

The communiqué signed by the JNI Secretary General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, also affirmed that, “although it appears to be a seemingly intractable problem, the meeting believed that strong political will and commitment on the part of the government at all levels

supported by genuine and broad based intervention of all stakeholders the Almajiri education system can be positively improved and uplifted to a level that can make it relevant and effective in addressing the educational challenges and aspirations of the Ummah.

“That the cases of violent conflicts have unfortunately not only continued to recur unabatedly but have also monumentally grown in terms of magnitude and proportion across the country.

“That the recent unfortunate incident of armed conflict in Wukari, Taraba State which emanated from dispute between two individuals on football smacks of high level of intolerance just as it signifies premeditated aggression against innocent Muslims.

“That the efforts of repositioning the JNI have gone

really far and have already registered a great deal of success, making remarkable impacts on its overall administrative and operational efficiency.

“That Muslims are still being denied their constitutional rights to practice their religion unhindered and are even being persecuted in some instances as recently witnessed in some parts of the country.”

The communiqué also resolved that, “as a way of curtailing religious insurgency, the meeting called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency treat the case of insurgents with all sense of magnanimity by declaring amnesty to all of them, especially combatants that have expressed readiness to tread the path of peace.

“Rather than further dividing and weakening the Ummah, the meeting called on Islamic scholars

and preachers to necessarily foster the spirit and mechanisms for cooperating mutually and working together in the interest of Islam, in spite of their differences of opinions.

“That in the spirit of mutual respect, tolerance and peaceful coexistence the meeting calls on a section of the press and preachers that propagate hate, blasphemy to desist from such unwholesome attitudes and tendencies.

“That the meeting frowned at the way Muslims, especially women are being denied their constitutional right to observe their religious duties without any encumbrances. It also condemned the persecution of Muslim women in some states simply because they observe the Hijab, particularly the case of the Principal that brutalized a Muslim student in a secondary school in Lagos state.”

Man bags one year in jail for theft Two other get six months for impersonation

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Gwagwalada Upper Area Court in the FCT yesterday sentenced Sunday Johnson, 19, of Dagiri in the FCT to one year imprisonment for joint act, house breaking and theft.

The presiding Judge, Alhaji Babangida Hassan, who sentenced Johnson after he pleaded guilty to the charges and begged for leniency, however gave him an option to pay N37,500 fine.

“The court finds you guilty of the offences and hereby convicts you for the same offences for which you admitted to have committed.

“You are hereby sentenced to one year imprisonment on all the charges or to pay N37,500 as fine.

“A compensation of N11,500 is hereby awarded to the nominal complainant,” Hassan said.

Earlier, police prosecutor, Martha Paul, had told the court that the convict and one Mohammed now at large, jointly broke into the house of one Isah Suleiman of Dagiri, and made away with two Nokia and one Techno cell phones.

Paul said that the cell phones were valued at N15,500, and that during investigation, one of them was recovered from the convict.

Following the convict’s guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to try him summarily under Section 157 of the Penal Code. In a related development, an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court yesterday sentenced Charles Ukhuedobah, 32, Abdullahi Saka, 32 and Paul Okeli, 36, of no fixed address, to six months in prison for joint act and impersonation. The three men were former Nigeria Police officers.

Senior Magistrate Hauwa Aliyu gave the sentence without an option of fine after they pleaded guilty to the charges.

The accused, during police investigations, were found to have been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force between 2003 and 2010 for various disciplinary offences.

Police Prosecutor, ASP Usman Jibrin, told the court that the accused persons with one other, now at large, raised a fake signal (letters of deployment) posting them from their former police command to Niger state Command.

Jibrin said that the purported letters of deployment were dated July 14, 2012 for the first accused; June 6, 2012 for the second accused and Sept. 27, 2012 for the third accused person.

He said that the offence contravened sections 79 and 132 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, ,MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 4

Adieu Hugo Rafael Chavez, adieu a global pillar.

K

nown until his death as the father of "Bolivarian Revolution", Hugo Chavez to Venezuelans led an exemplary life as a 21st century leader, diplomat, economist and social engine, who shepherded his people to greater heights and successfully built and manned a bloc on global political ideology.

Born 28 July 1954 to an Afro-Venezuelan family, Hugo Chavez opted to serve his fatherland on the war front as a career military officer.

Dissatisfied with the then political system, Chavez shelved his guns and engaged in socio-political campaign to change his country. He founded the secretive Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200 (MBR-200) in the early 1980s, led this movement in series of campaigns and programs to better the condition of his compatriots. In between, was an unsuccessful coup d'état against President Carlos Andrés Pérez in 1992, for which he was imprisoned. After serving the two-year prison term, he founded a social democratic political party, the Fifth Republic Movement, and was elected president of Venezuela in 1998.

It was during his second presidential term in office, he introduced a system of Bolivarian Missions, Communal Councils and worker-managed cooperatives, as well as a program of land reform, whilst also nationalizing various key industries.

President Chavez was most famous for his alliance with Communist governments of Fidel- Cuba and the Socialist governments of Evo Morales in Bolivia, Rafael Correa in Ecuador, and Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua as well as the Islamic Republic of Iran, among others. On the flip side, he was US's enemy numero uno.

Defending his politics, Chávez described his policies as anti-imperialist, and nothing beyond that. Despite creating enmity between him and advanced nations, this stand he maintained till his death.

His anti-waste drive saw a great trim of waste in government spending where he made several alterations to his presidential privileges such as scrapping the presidential limousine, giving away his entire presidential wage of $1,200 a month to a scholarship fund, and selling off many of the governmentowned airplanes, though many of his critics accused him of excessive personal expenses for himself.

The media consciousness of Chavez was glaring as he felt the best was to carry his people along in policy making. " In

The reactions that follow the demise of any leader reflect the life and times of that leader. The number of people that mourn and the class or category of people that grieve the passing, depict the policies, standpoint and life the deceased lived. The death of Hugo Chavez today has left the world with mixed feelings, blurred reactions and created a new chasm in world politics, writes Isa Abdulkadir. order to explain his latest [...] to 89% in 2006" and "this thoughts and plans to the dependence on oil is one of the Venezuelan people, in May he chief problems that raged the also launched his own Sunday Chávez government". morning radio show, 'Hello, Despite the rentere nature President', on the state radio of the Venuezela economy, network, as well as a Thursday Chavez gave it a super boost as n i g h t television show, 'Face to Face with the President'. He followed this with his own newspaper, El Correo del Presidente ( T h e President's Post)".

Chávez also had a Twitter account with more than 3,200,000 followers as of August 2012.

He described his twitter account as a way for people to bypass bureaucracy and contact the president directly.

H i s relationship with the US Late President Hugo Chavez (1954-2013). worsened after the WTC attacks when he more than 100,000 stateshowed pictures of Afghan owned cooperatives - which children killed in a bomb attack represented some 1.5 million

by US forces on his television people - were formed with the show and urged the American assistance of government startgovernment to end "the up credit and technical massacre of the innocents". The training; and the creation and feud was aggravated by his maintenance, as of September relationship with Iranian 2010, of over 30,000 President Mahmoud communal councils, examples Ahmadinejad as both leaders of localised participatory portrayed themselves on the democracy; which he intended world stage as anti- to be integrated into regional Imperialists. umbrella organizations known He challenged capitalist as "Communes in ideology saying, "Democracy is Construction". impossible in a capitalist The communes produced system. Capitalism is the realm some of their own food, and of injustice and a tyranny of were able to make decisions by the richest against the popular assembly of what to do poorest". He further argued that "Democracy is not just turning up to vote every five or four years, it's much more than that, it's a way of life, its giving power to the people… it is not the government of the rich over the people, which is what's happening in almost all the so-called democratic Western capitalist countries".

Oil products were the keystone of the Venezuelan economy during Chávez's presidential period. According to Cannon, the state income from oil revenue "increased from 51% of total income in 2000 to 56% 2006"; oil exports "have grown from 77% in 1997

with government funds. In September 2010, Chávez announced the location of 876 million bolivars ($203 million) for community projects around the country, specifically communal councils and the newly formed communes.

C h á v e z supported the creation of a series of Bolivarian Missions which claimed to be aimed at providing public services to i m p r o v e e c o n o m i c , cultural, and social conditions.

A 2010 OAS report i n d i c a t e d achievements in a d d r e s s i n g i l l i t e r a c y , healthcare and poverty, and economic and social advances.

In the 1980s and 1990s health and nutrition indexes in Venezuela were generally low, and social inequality in access to nutrition was high. Chávez made it his stated goal to lower inequality in the access to basic nutrition, and to achieve food sovereignty for Venezuela. The main strategy for making food available to all economic classes was a controversial policy of fixing price ceilings for basic staple foods implemented in 2003. In 2012, total food consumption was over 26 million metric tonnes, a 94.8% increase from 2003.

In October 2009, the Executive Director of the National Institute of Nutrition (INN) Marilyn Di Luca reported that the average daily caloric intake of the Venezuelan people

“

had reached 2790 calories, and that malnutrition had fallen from 21% in 1998 to 6%.

As part of his strategy of food security Chávez started a national chain of supermarkets, the Mercal network, which had 16,600 outlets and 85,000 employees that distributed food at highly discounted prices, and ran 6000 soup kitchens throughout the country. In 2008 the amount of discounted food sold through the network was 1.25 million metric tonnes.

Chávez had an aid-driven foreign policy particularly by enacting bilateral trade and reciprocal aid agreements, including his so-called "oil diplomacy", where barter trade for oil dominated his transactions with regional allies.

The people's leader confirmed on state-owned TV that he was recovering from operation to remove an abscessed tumor with cancerous cells. This was the beginning of his ill health.

On his 57th birthday, Chávez made a public appearance in which he stated that his health troubles had led him to radically reorient his life towards a "more diverse, more reflective and multifaceted" outlook, and he went on to call on the middle classes and the private sector to get more involved in his Bolivarian Revolution, something he saw as "vital" to its success.

Indeed he has taught the youth that "it is better to die with an idea that will live, than live with an idea that will die".

Chavez has lived the life of a patriot, a mobiliser, driver of the people with development driven policies.

Today Venezuelans have missed a leader; a comrade with dynamism and piety. All we have to say is Gracias.

As part of his strategy of food security Chávez started a national chain of supermarkets, the Mercal network, which had 16,600 outlets and 85,000 employees that distributed food at highly discounted prices, and ran 6000 soup kitchens throughout the country. In 2008 the amount of discounted food sold through the network was 1.25 million metric tonnes.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 5

Cout upholds INEC power to scrap parties T From Ayodele Samuel,Lagos

he National Conscience Party yesterday lost in its bid to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from deregistering some political parties.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos dismissed a suit filed by the party and awarded cost of N16,000 against it.

NCP had filed a suit before the court in apprehension that it may be deregistered by INEC as the electoral umpire did some parties late last year.

The party prayed the court to challenge Section 78 of the Electoral Act of 2010 which empowered INEC to deregister political parties that failed to win the elections into the office of the president, governor or a seat in the National Assembly or state Assembly.

It contended that the section is inconsistent with Section 40 of the Constitution and Article 10 of Human and Peoples Right, which guarantee freedom of association.

The National Assembly in its reply, cited Sections 4 and 228 (d) of the constitution, saying the sections empowered it to make laws for order and well being of the country and that power include with particular reference to the

matter cited in the executive and legislative lists, which include power to enact Section 78 of the Electoral Act. In its own response, INEC contended that Section 40 of the Constitution contained a proviso that gives power to INEC on the operations of political parties, which is not limited to registration of the political parties alone.

In his judgment, the presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang agreed with the defendants that Section 40 of the Constitution gives INEC the power to regulate the operations of political parties

and Article 10 of the African Charter On Human and Peoples Right, also supported this.

Justice Abang said further: “Every right should have corresponding obligation for citizens to enjoy the fundamental rights listed in the constitution. There are certain corresponding obligations which must be fulfilled before enjoying such rights. There is nothing wrong in the requirement of Section 78 of the Electoral Act. Political parties should do more than being a platform or group of persons that propagate

ideologies, they should sell their manifestoes to the people and win elections. It is when they win elections that they can propagate ideologies to positively influence decisions that will better the lives of the people.”

Justice Abang held that the INEC has power to de-register any political party that it no longer recognises if it controls no followership and has no influence in political decisionmaking at the Federal, State or National Assemblies.

Responding to the ruling, Mohammed Fawehinmi, son of the famous human rights

Court dismisse suit challenging Dickson’s election

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

A

Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday struck out a suit challenging the February 2012 election of Henry Seriake Dickson as the governor of Bayelsa State.

A governorship aspirant in Bayelsa the State under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Austin Febo Ogionwo had approached the court seeking to nullify the November 19, 2011 PDP primary election which produced Governor Dickson as winner, on the ground that it was conducted

in violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as Amended) and the Electoral Guidelines for the 2010 primary elections of the PDP. The PDP, Governor Dickson and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were joined as Respondents in the suit, which is also wanted the court to declare the purported primary election null and void.

The plaintiff also prayed the court to order the party into organising another primary election for for the Bayelsa State governorship poll in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the

party’s regulations.

But the court sitting before Justice Adamu Bello in its judgment upheld the Preliminary Objections of the Respondents and struck out the suit on the ground that the Plaintiff has no locus standi to institute the case.

According to the judge, the Plaintiff had shown from his affidavit in support of his motion that he did not participate in the primary election , because he and other aspirants refused to participate in the primary election, in protest against the alleged violation of the Electoral

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Iheodioha, and Commonwealth Secretary General, Mr. Kamalesh Sharma, during the latter's visit to thespeaker's office, yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Oyo to rehabilitate 43 roads, supply 50,000 furniture to schools From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

T

he Oyo State Government yesterday approved farreaching infrastructural projects in the state.

These included the rehabilitation of 43 roads at the cost of N1.3billion, as well as the supply of 50,000 furniture for its secondary schools.

These were part of the decisions taken at the state

advocate who founded the Party, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, expressed the view that the PDP controls the National Assembly and made the law due to the fear of being ousted

by NCP or other parties in future elections.

He said that but for rigging, NCP had a large followership and would have won elections in several States in the last elections.

Also commenting, the NCP chairman, Yinusa Tanko, said the party would immediately appeal the ruling , stressing that the NCP stands for the masses and the poor.

executive council meeting held at the Governor’s Office, Ibadan on Monday.

According to the executive council, government would immediatelycommence the rehabilitation of 43 roads across the state at the cost of N1.3 billion.

The procurement of 50,000 pieces of furniture for public secondary schools in the state, which the executive council

said, was the second phase of about five phases of procurement of furniture, would also commence with immediate effect, so as to give children an enabling study environment.

While some of the roads would be rehabilitated through direct labour, others would be executed through contract awards that the executive council said, would go to many indigenous road construction companies in

the state.

The 50,000 pieces of furniture would be an addition to the 17,000 procured last year by the state government.

Part of the executive council’s decision also was to share the furniture supply contract among 46 artisan associations in the state, in line with the implementation of the local content policy of the Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration.

Act and the party’s electoral guidelines by the party.

Edo police rescue abducted Spaniard From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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Spanish national, Jose Antonio Murili Turrillo who was kidnapped and held captive in a hotel room in Benin last Saturday has been rescued by policemen in Edo State.

The victim was said to have been lured from Spain by his lover, Okafor Ada Joy, 28, who along with one Kenny Oyemwina, 25, took him hostage and made him to part with undisclosed sum of money.

Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Folusho Adebanjo, who briefed journalists yesterday on the matter, said “investigation revealed that the female suspect is the Spaniard’s lover who lured him from Spain to Nigeria and made to withdraw all the money he had in his domiciliary account.

“When the two suspects discovered that their victim had no money on him and in his account again, they forcefully asked him to call his sister in Spain to send 2000 Euros to them before he will be allowed to go back to Spain”.

Mr. Adebanjo who revealed that the two suspects have been arrested and would soon be prosecuted, added that it was the sister of the victim in Spain “who reported to the INTERPOL Spain who contacted the Nigeria INTERPOL who in turn contacted Edo State Command”.

Meanwhile, two other suspects, Iyen Osahon 19, and Esochuckwu Okorie, 22 are in police net for drugging and raping a 16 year old girl in a hotel room.

The victim told police that she knew Osahon through Facebook.

The two suspects who were said have made confessional statements would soon be charged to court, according to the Edo police command boss, Folusho Adebanjo.

PAGE 6

From Nasiru Mu'azu Isa, Kaduna

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he Nigerian Army said on Wednesday that it recovered a cache of arms buried underground at a politicians house in Kaduna.

The Commander, Internal Security Force at the 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Tagbo Ude, who briefed reporters said that several other weapons and explosives hidden in the house were also recovered, after a raid on Tuesday evening following intelligence report.

The Commander said nine people including two men, two women and five children were

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Army uncovers bomb factory in Kaduna arrested at the located near a military barracks, along Sabon Birni road, Kawo New Extension, Kaduna.

Ude noted that the house belongs to one Hussaini Dei-Dei, an Abuja-based politician and former ANPP chairmanship aspirant in the FCT. He listed some of the items

recovered to include 1,098 rounds of various ammunitions, six AK 47 rifles, 125 pieces of detonators, one light machine gun and one tear gas launcher, 10 prepared improvised explosive devices, nine-volt batteries, three bags of white chemical substance, five pieces of remote control switches, among others. "As a

matter of fact, the explosive contents of this paint can bring down the whole of this headquarters (1Division).

"We would like to seize this opportunity to solicit for more information about these terrorists and to assure you that information received will be treated with absolute confidentiality," Ude said.

Edo Assembly queries commissioner nominee over certificate From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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or the second time yesterday, members of the Edo state House of Assembly grilled a commissioner nominee Ms Aanena Elizabeth Jemitola, as the legislators said that they were not convinced concerning her claim to the ownership of a 1981 GCE ordinary level which she tendered.

Aanena was summoned to appear before the House standing committee on Rules and Business for the second time to defend the petition written against her by one Jimoh Lawal.

The nominee was compelled to show evidence that can read and write as provided for in the Constitution. The committee Chairman, Hon. Philip Shaibu, vowed to explore available options to contest the validity of her Therbow Nursery/Primary School certificate in Zaria, Kaduna state and Marywood Grammar School in Lagos where she claimed to have attended.

He said the alleged irregularities surrounding Aanena's qualifications had delayed the submission of the names of 18 other commissioner nominees already screened and cleared.

Police arrest 11 militia men in Nasarawa From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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nti-riot policemen on special duty at Burum Burum, Doma local government area of Nasarawa state, have arrested 11 members of a militia group who invaded the town three days ago.

According to the Nasarawa state Police Command spokesman, Michael Ada, the militia men had invaded Burum Burum at around 2.30 pm on Monday but that anti-riot police repelled the attack.

He said that had dangerous weapons which included, two single barrel guns, three locally made pistols, one dane gun, five cutlasses, three cartridges, two 7.62 mm ammunition and charms with war regalia purported to be bullet proof.

Jonathan mourns Chavez

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday commiserated with the government and people of Venezuela on the death of President Hugo Chavez. According to a statement signed by presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, "President Jonathan and Nigerians join the brotherly people of Venezuela in mourning President Chavez who greatly endeared himself to the ordinary people of his country with his admirable efforts to improve the living conditions of underprivileged Venezuelans.

"As they observe the seven-day period of mourning which has been declared for late President Chavez, President Jonathan urges members of his family, officials of his administration, members of his political party, the United Socialist Party, his supporters and all Venezuelans to take solace in the knowledge that he did the very best that he could to uplift his people and country in the 14 years of his Presidency."

The President also called on Venezuela's political leaders, institutions of governance and security agencies to ensure that the procedures stipulated in the Venezuelan Constitution are strictly followed to ensure the peaceful and orderly emergence of a worthy successor to President Chavez

Remodeled Benin airport for commission tomorrow

By Ibrahim Kabiru Sule

A Six AK 47 assault rifles, some ammunition and bomb making devices were found in the house of a serving politician, Hussain Dei Dei, during a raid by Nigerian Army near DaletBarracks, on Tuesday in Kawo area of Kaduna city.

Constitution review not necessary, says Babangida Aliyu From Iliya Garba, Minna

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iger state Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, says Nigerians should desist from dissipating energy on constitutional review describing it as undesirable.

According to him, the judiciary should rather embark on the interpretation of what he described as vexed sections of the Constitution.

"The judiciary should therefore intensify efforts at interpret the laws of the country and bring them in tune with present day realities," Aliyu said yesterday while declaring open the 39th Conference of Chief Judges, Grand Khadis and Presidents, Customary Courts of Appeal of northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, at the Justice Idris

Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Minna, Niger state.

He noted that most constitutions of democracies in the world especially that of the United States of America has not been amended more than five times since the constitutions came into being.

According to Aliyu, "judiciary is synonymous with democracy, we need interpretation of the Constitution, not amendment. "The Judiciary should wake up to its responsibility to ensure the entrenchment of democracy." He said that the judiciary can be more exciting if states without law reforms establish such institutions which will make it possible for outdated legislations to be reviewed.

Aliyu asked for more unity among members of the Judiciary so that they

will be able to compete favorably with other members of the society adding that it was high time the judges shed the toga of conservatism inherited from the nation's colonial masters.

Commenting on the nonpayment of salaries to workers by some state governments in the north, he said such action was against the decision taken by governors in the region on the payment of salaries and other entitlements to all categories of workers.

According to him the Northern States Governors Forum at one of their meetings agreed to make the payment of salaries "first line charge" adding that refusal to respect the agreement is breeds corruption in the civil service.

s Nigerians begin to enjoy the newly remodeled airports in Lagos and Abuja, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria is again set to commission the remodeled Benin airport terminal in Benin-City tomorrow.

A statement from FAAN and signed by Yakubu Dati said Benin airport will be the third to be commissioned among the 11 airports listed under the first phase of the airport remodeling project, initiated by the Minister of Aviation as part of the first phase of her road map for the aviation industry.

The two already commissioned terminals are the Murtala Muhammed Airport Domestic Terminal 1, flagged off by Secretary to the Government of the Federation in October last year and the General Aviation Terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja commissioned by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in January this year.

The remaining eight airports under the first phase, that is Kano, Yola, Kaduna, Calabar, Enugu, Jos, Owerri and Port Harcourt, which are at various stages of completion will soon be commissioned.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 7

Man convicted for raping 10 years old girl From Yusha’u Alhassna, Jalingo.

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Jalingo High Court has sentenced a 23 year old man, Maimuri Bello Umar to 15 years imprisonment without an option of fine.

The convict who hails from

Unguwan Gadi in Jalingo local government was convicted for raping a ten year old girl.

Delivering judgment on the matter, the presiding Judge, Justice Sani Mohammed stressed that the convict would be more useful to the society

after the jail term.

Justice Mohammed rejected the plea for leniency by the defense counsel who described the convict as a young man who could still be useful to the society.

The Judge added that it

would be better to keep such a man in custody to enable him rape the wall of the prison since he cannot control himself.

During the trial, counsel to the girl-child, Apwenyang Yamusa Shitta presented four witnesses against the convict.

L-R: Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, Chief Executive Officer, Yakubu Gowon Foundation (YGF), Mr. Daa Teashak, and Director, Planning, Research and Strategy, NOA, Mr. Bonat Tagwai, during the award ceremony for winners of 2nd Yakubu Gowon Foundation National Essay Competition for NYSC members 2012, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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ineteen Awaiting Trial Inmates remanded in the six Federal Prison formations in Kogi have regained their freedom folllowing intervention of the state Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah.

Speaking with journalists in Idah at the end of his twoweek prison decongestion tour, the Chief Judge said the unconditional release of the inmates was not an amnesty or pardon as some of them were unjustly incarcerated for allegedly belonging to faceless gangs of thieves without concrete charges.

He said that ‘’the allegations were not in conformity with the provisions of the law.’’

Ajanah who reviewed the warrants of 267 accused persons awaiting trial in the six prison formations, also granted conditional bail to 12 and the unconditional release of the 19.

At Koton-Karfe prison, 106 awaiting trial inmates’ warrants were reviewed with 10 of them unconditionally released while one was granted bail.

Similarly, at the 200capacity Medium Security Prison, Kabba, the Chief Judge granted bail to two out of 36 awaiting trial inmates and recommended psychiatric evaluation for two whose mental condition had deteriorated.

Ajanah said most of cases reviewed in Kabba prisons were for “very serious offences like culpable homicide and armed

19 inmates regain freedom in Kogi robbery. That is why we could not release any of them.

Because much as we owe the accused persons a duty to ensure that they have a fair trial, we also owe the community a duty to ensure that they are safe from any criminal activities”.

At Dekina prison, he reviewed seven cases of awaiting trial inmates and granted bail to one saying that their cases were for very serious offences and expressed delight that the cases were going on in various courts.

Ajanah granted bail to one

and released six out of the 27 awaiting trial inmates in Ankpa prison where he hinted that his prison decongestion tour was to “ensure that nobody is in detention that is not supposed to be there”.

At the 112-year-old Idah prison which he described as the neatest in the state, the Chief Judge rounded-off his tour with a review of 23 warrants of awaiting trial inmates out of which he granted bail to one.

Officers in charge the prisons used the occasion to appeal to the authorities to come to their aid in the areas of

logistics especially, operational vehicles and dilapidating infrastructure in some cases.

Addressing judicial officers and other stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice in the state, Ajanah urged them to ensure that cases were heard timely and the accused were not unnecessarily detained ‘’even for a day. ‘’No criminal case at any given time especially the cases of those in detention should be adjourned for more than two weeks”, he said.

Sokoto discovers 600 ghost workers From Mahmoud Muhammad, Sokoto

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ore than 600 ghost workers were discovered in Sokoto state between 2007- this year from the verification exercise carried out by the state government.

The former, Head of Service, Alhaji Abdullahi Wali, disclosed this in an interview with Peoples Daily.

Though he did not give the total amount of savings from the exercise, Alhaji Wali, who would retire in two weeks time, said the exercise has helped the state to save some money that would go a long way in addressing issues of development in the state.

He also said that as soon as the verification committee submitted its reports to Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakkko, the payment of N18, 000 minimum wage for the local government

personnel in all the 23 local government areas and their teachers would commence from March this year as directed by the governor.

Sokoto State, according to findings, has over, 20,000 workers across the state but has been battling with ghost workers.

He said during the period he served as HOS, workers have always been prudent, hardworking in terms of executing their official assignments.

In his word: “We have developed most of our staff through training and retraining programmes both at home and abroad”, said.

Alhaji Wali has recently clocked 60 years and was due for retirement last two weeks. Alhaji Bature Shinkafi has taken over as the new HOS following the retirement of Wali.

Commenting on the attitude of workers in the state and country at large, the former, HOS, said that no one can change the attitude of personnel to work except through adoption of reward and punishment measures.

He use the medium to plead with the state’s civil servant to always report to work to justify their hard earnings, so as to contribute to development of the state and the country.

Meanwhile Peoples Daily, gathered that two permanent secretaries were directed by Governor Wamakko through the offices of the HOS to be queried for coming late to their offices few days after Wammakko commenced visit to Ministries.

Departments and Agencies to ascertain the level of workers’ commitment to justify their monthly salaries in the state.

Kebbi SURE–P engages 3000 youths From Ahmed Idris,Birnin Kebbi

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he Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE – P) of Federal Government in Kebbi State yesterday in Birnin Kebbi, launched the youth empowerment programme with the training and subsequent enrolment of 3000 youths in the state under the environmental sanitation, Traffic and Security (Vigilante) scheme.

The State Coordinator of the programme, Alh. Samaila Haliru Dankasa disclosed this during the launching ceremony of the SURE – P which took place at the Birnin Kebbi Local Government secretariat.

He said under the youth scheme, 142 Youths in each of the 21 local government areas in the state have acquired skills in environmental sanitation, vigilante work and road traffic control.

Dankasa added that, out of the 3000 engaged, 50% are youths, 30 % women while 20 % are persons with disability.

According to the Coordinator, the programme in all the local governments have the full support of traditional institutions and the leadership of the State House of Assembly.

In his remarks, the Birnin Kebbi Local Government Coucil Chairman, Alh. Ibrahim Dan Illela said that the scheme was timely and would reduce the rate of unemployment, calling on youths to avail themselves with the opportunity to be productive members of the society.

Sokoto distributes free matriculation forms to students From Mahmoud Muhammad, Sokoto

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okoto State Government has distributed over, 700 matriculation forms for indigenes of the state free of charge to enable them enroll into the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto and other tertiary Institutions across the country.

This was contained in statement signed by the Special Assistant to Governor Magatakarda Wamakko on Higher Education, Professor Gajam Von Ardo and made available to Peoples Daily in Sokoto.

Ardo said the gesture towards propelling the education sector was aimed at empowering the younger generation to a greater height.

The SSA expressed the gratitude of the state government in its effort toward changing the life styles of the youth through education in the last six years.

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Ulamas from 23 local government areas of Kaduna state in a group photograph shortly after a sensitisation meeting on polio immunisation organised by ministry of health in collaboration with bureau for religious affairs Islamic matters, on Tuesday at Qurinic recitation centre, in Kaduna.

L-R: Benue state Chairman, Universal Basic Education Board. Chief AnumIho, Acting Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Prof.

Charles Onocha, and Minister of State for Education, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, during the minister’s inspection of Federal Government library project, on Monday at the Federal Government Girls College, Gboko, Benue state.

Arms and armlets recovered from a militia group, yesterday in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

L-R: Edo state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole presents a souvenir toGeneral Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major-General Ahmed Tijani Jibrin, during the latter’s visit to the governor, yesterday in Benin City.

People taking ride behind a pick-up van, yesterday in Lafia, Nassarawa state.

Photos: Justin Imo-Owo & NAN

PEOSPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Taraba Assembly sets up committee to probe Wukari crisis.

From Yusha'u Alhassan Jalingo.

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he Taraba state House of Assembly has set up a fivemember adhoc committee to investigate the cause of the recent crisis in Wukari town, the administrative headquarters of Wukari local government.This followed a motion of urgent

important public raised by the member representing Wukari II constituency in the State House of Assembly, Daniel Ishaya Gani.He told the House that lives and property worth billions of naira were destroyed during the crisis.The lawmaker suggested that the House should redirect the state government to provide relief materials and assistance to those

whose property were destroyed during the crisis. Gani blamed security agents and government for not taking urgent measures in Wukari considering the history of the area which has witnessed a number of crisis in the past.in their various contributions, majority leader of the House, Charles Maijankai, the Deputy speaker Abel Peter Diah and

Mohammed Gwampo the chief whip, supported the motion adding that a unit of Mobile police be sent to Wukari to calm the situation.

Meanwhile, the member representing Wukari II constituency Ishaya Gani has called on the state government to relax the curfew imposed on Wukari to enable the people have access to food and water.

Kano to revive agriculture through KASCO From Mustapha Adamu, Kano.

K

ano State Governor, Engr.

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has said that the State government will make the Kano Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO) functional in order to revive agriculture.

He stated this during the graduation of 150 women trained on livestock farming and other related Agricultural Empowerment Schemes in conjunction with the State Ministry of Agriculture held at the Government House, Tuesday.

Kwankwaso added that "the state Government will partner with Dangote Group and other donor agencies to empower the teeming youth in the state especially women."

The governor also said "the state government has given N13,000 each to the 150 women that graduated from the training on livestock farming."

In his remark, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hajiya Baraka Sani said the women who graduated were trained in order to be self reliant.

Kogi guber election: Court dismisses suit against Wada's election

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

L-R: FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, and Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, jointly briefing State House journalists on the performance evaluation of the FCT Minister, yesterday in Abuja. Photo Joe Oroye

Ajaokuta Steel company comes alive soon-Minister From Sam Egwu, lokoja

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fforts of the Federal Government to revitalize the ailing Ajaokuta Steel company Limited, (ASCL), received a boost on Tuesday with the signing of an agreement between the company and Reprom Company Nigeria Limited.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding MOU was coming at the time the FG was making frantic efforts at resolving the pending legal battle between ASCL and the former concessionaires, Global Infrastruture Holdings Limited, an indian firm.

The Minister of Mines and Steel development, Arc. Muhammed Musa Sada, during the occasion said the time has come for the steel plant to come alive after several years of sleeping.

The minister who was represented by an Assistant Director in the ministry, Imeh Erikpo, commended the Sole Administrator and the engineers for keeping the equipment safe.

He stressed that any nation that fails to develop its steel sector was doomed.

Speaking during the signing of the agreement at the Light Section Mill of the company, the Sole Administrator, Engr. Joseph Isah Onobere, the agreement was a litmus test of the collective

resolve and ability to make things work by management and staff of the company.

The Sole Administrator noted that Reprom company Nigeria Limited has provided technical support to the steel plant since 2003, and conducted the

technical audit of the plant, adding that the Ukrainians who originally designed the steel plant under the old Soviet Union in Reprom, were added advantage to the plant.

Earlier the Managing Director

of Reprom Company Nigeria Limited, Engineer Attah Achimugu, said his company was determined to inject life into the plant through the active operation of the Light Section Mill, (LSM)

Illegal road block: FG, NNPC trade blames over N13m suit

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

T

he N13 million suit over an illegal road block instituted by a former staff of the Federal Radio Corporation (FRCN), Mr. Geoffrey Anika against the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Federal Government took a new dimension Tuesday before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Anika, a former Manager (News) at the FRCN Headquarters, Abuja stated that his Peugeot 406, valued about N5 million, with registration number DP41EKY and chassis number VF38BR6F38140275 got damaged beyond repairs in the course of an accident caused by the road block.At the resumed hearing of the matter on Tuesday, the Federal Government and the NNPC traded accusations over the alleged wrongs against the journalist which led to the court action.The Federal Government

had, in a new motion brought before the court yesterday, asked the court to strike out its name as a defendant in the N13 million suit and hold NNPC responsible for the complaints of the plaintiff.In the motion filed by Mr. Olusegun Oriowo, the AGF and Federal Government who are 2nd and 3rd defendants in the case said that the NNPC should be held responsible for the wrong complained of by the plaintiff.Anika had dragged NNPC to court over alleged negligence that caused him the fatal accident and severe injuries.The plaintiff alleged through his counsel, Mr. Malachy Nwaekpe that the NNPC without any road signs, warnings or light placed concrete barriers on the major highways in front of its multi-billion naira towers in April last year.

The veteran broadcaster claimed that on April 1, last year he drove on the highway in front of the NNPC towers to his Radio House office without any concrete barriers but on

returning home from work around 11pm, his Peugeot 406 ghastly crashed by the concrete.He is claiming N5.1million being the cost of the car, N7. 4 million as general damages and another N500,000 as the cost of the litigation .Hearing in the matter was adjourned till April 22, 2012.

A

Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed a suit challenging the nomination and declaration of Captain Idris Wada as the Governor of Kogi State.

A former Ward Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP (Odu Ward1) in the state, Yunusa Omagada had through his counsel, Bola Aidi dragged Governor Wada, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court seeking the nullification of the election that brought in Wada as the Governor of the state.

The trial Judge, Justice Adamu Bello, in his ruling in the objection filed by the defendants in the matter, held that Omagada lacked the locus standi to institute the suit because he neither participated in the primaries nor contested the governorship position of the state.

Bello ruled that failure of Omagada to file the suit in reasonable time had made the matter a post election issue .

Kwara Assembly passes 2013 budget From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

T

he Kwara state House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the state's 2013 budget of N96.4bn jerked up by over N2 billion .

The approved budget represents an increase of N2, 030, 059,415 or 2.2 per cent as against N94, 413, 767,964 presented by the governor..

The increase also puts capital expenditure at N43, 385, 070,004 as against N42,619,107,829 while the recurrent stands at N53, 058,

757, 385 as against N51, 794, 660, 145 as presented by the governor.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Barr. Razak Atunwa ,directed the clerk of the house to prepare a neat copy of the passed budget for the governor's assent.

Atunwa explained that the N2bn increase was to boost allocations to infrastructure in the budget.

It would be recalled that the state governor, Alh AbdulFatah Ahmed had presented the budget proposals to the legislature in December 2012.

PAGE 11

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Reduce crazy 'NEPA' bill by 70%, use energy saving products O

ne good news every Nigerian household would like to hear is that you can save as much as 70 percent of your electricity usage by simply making a switch to a new product.

Royal Philips Electronics says this is the good news it brings to Nigerian consumer market, stressing that its lighting product has solutions to save up to 70 percent of energy bills in homes.

Philips, an electronic products manufacturing giant founded in 1891 with headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is a major provider of lighting products and solutions worldwide It advocates the use of energy efficient lighting products in Nigerian homes, offices, hotels, hospitals, schools and other private and public places.

"Lighting consumes 19 percent of electricity in the world and 40 percent of this energy can be saved through innovative lighting technology", an official of

the company said at a forum in Lagos.

He added that the use of energy efficient lighting products has become necessary because "private and public building lighting accounts for 60 percent of electricity in the world".

Because lighting has a big impact on electricity bills in most homes, offices and other public places, the official advised that people should "make the simple switch" to Philips innovative lighting technology, assuring that, by so doing, a household

lowers its energy spend from 20 to five Watts per square metre.

"Lighting has a big impact on electricity bill; by making a simple switch to energy efficient lighting solutions, substantial savings, up to 70 percent, can be realized and by so doing also, companies and homes save money and contribute to a better world", he said.

According to him, up to 75 percent of all office lighting is still based on outdated energy efficient lighting, disclosing that the yearly office lighting energy bill in Europe is about 10 billion Euros.

Sanya Otuyalo of Building Depot Limited, a major distributor of Phillips' products in Nigeria, assures that Philips offers energy efficiency and innovative technology.

"The problem in the Nigerian market has to do with price and quality control and the fact that this company is yet to have direct

presence in Nigeria".

Leo Ijeoma, Philips' Country Business Development Manager in Nigeria, added that Phillips has seen a preference for what is cheaper, thinking it is always better.

"What we are saying is that you can spend N500 or N1, 000 to buy one Philips' bulb, and it will last for one or two years, meaning that within this period you are not running around to buy another bulb.

But if you go and buy something else, it means that every four weeks or less, you have to buy another because the first one must have blown up, and you keep spending and, in no time, outspend the man who spent N500 at once to buy what is genuine.

These are the issues that we want to let the people know. Our aim is to let Nigerian end-users develop a long term approach to lighting solutions".

Job loss may be near, why not prepare for it

E

ven though the recession is technically in the past, many individuals and companies are still feeling the pinch. On top of that, there are concerns that a double-dip recession could be on the way.

What does this mean for you?

Well, it could very well mean that you could see your job in danger.

You never know when the ax will fall, and you could be laid off at any time.

If you are reading the signs, and concerned that your job may be one to go, it's time to prepare.

You want to be ready to spend as little time unemployed as possible.

Here are 3 things you can do to help you prepare ahead of time just in case: 1. Prioritize your Spending and start cutting less important items The first thing you need to do is look through your spending, and prioritize. Consider your most important expenditures, and identify what you simply cannot avoid paying for. Look at items that are less important. Start cutting back on the less important items to get used to the idea of living with less. Put the money you are no longer spending into your emergency fund to give it a boost. If your job is in danger, you might need it.

Quote The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It's as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now.

Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today, the true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.

Nolan Bushnell

You are better off if you actively work to get your finances in order before you are forced to by a job loss. If you are concerned for the future of your position, start now to make changes. You will be more used to the lifestyle, and you might even have some extra padding in the emergency fund.

2.

Start cultivating income diversity If your job is in jeopardy, one of the first things that might come to mind could very well be that your main source of income is in danger. It is uncomfortable to be at the mercy of a single income source. Now, before you are laid off, is the time to cultivate income diversity. Look for ways to bring in a little extra. While you don't need a side income that overwhelms your "day job," you should at least work toward getting a little more coming in from different sources. Your emergency fund will be less strained, and you will have a little

more breathing space as you look for a new job.

Plus, income diversity helps you put yourself in charge of your own financial destiny. This is important if you don't want to be at the complete mercy of your employer.

3. Make sure your resume is current The first two items on the list are more about shoring up your finances. This one is all about making sure that you are ready to look for a new job as soon as possible. Even though you can collect unemployment for months, it isn't always the best idea. The longer you are out of work, the harder it is to find a job, since employers tend to think there is something wrong if you go through a very long stretch of unemployment.

You can hit the ground running if you keep your resume current, and updated to reflect the new rules of the job hunt.

Additionally, make sure your

network is updated. Go through your contacts, and reach out. It's best to do this before you lose your job, re-establishing ties before you let others know that now you want a new job.

You may not lose your job, but

Here they are: Treat the Emergency Fund like an expense This one might not be so creative, but why not add a twist to it by having your family member bill you for it? The plan actually works best if your kids collect the money because late payment is going to be painful.

Trying this idea will also involve your children in a real world situation earlier in life while giving you a chance to teach them about financial matters.

Pretend everything cost 10% more

If you automatically put 10 percent of the purchase price into the emergency fund every time you buy something, you will very quickly build a big emergency reserve. Doing this makes everything more expensive, so if you are disciplined enough to implement this; you may end up buying less too.

Alternatively, pretending our utility bill is double the cost will also work the same way. Be creative.

Rewards from credit cards If you use a credit card without a generous reward program, do

it never hurts to be prepared.

Indeed, even if you think your job is perfectly safe, it is a good idea to get your finances in order, diversify your income, and make sure your network is up to date.

Ways to build your emergency fund

S

ome of us are creative thinkers, especially when it comes to making excuses about saving for our emergency fund. From the weak economy to the falling dollar to high gas prices, there are new ones every day.

To break the trend of using our creativity to think of excuses, I challenged myself to instead think of some not so obvious ways to build an emergency fund. I actually had fun doing this exercise but what's more important is for those struggling to build an emergency fund to try some of the tricks listed below.

yourself a favor and switch to one that does. Once you start receiving the rewards, transfer them directly into your emergency fund.

Sell your old stuff Everyone has stuff lying around the house that can be sold.

Start selling them and put the profits into your emergency fund.

(Maybe if you add a note that explains the reason for selling is to build an emergency fund, people will actually not haggle you as much on the price.

(Source: MoneyNing)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

Stop these illegal recruitments, promotions T

hese days, hardly a week goes by without Nigerians reading in the media complain or allegation about illegal recruitment and or promotion taking or having taken place in Federal Government parastatals and agencies, including the military and para-military organisations. The most infamous case was the recruitment scandal that rocked the Nigerian Immigration Service late last year which eventually led to the sacking of the erstwhile Comptroller-General, Mrs. Rose Chinyere Uzoma on 16 January 2013, only three months to her retirement from the service.

But Mrs. Uzoma is not the exception in the rot that defines the nation's public service, she just happens to be the one that got caught now. The story of her fall can be found everywhere in Nigeria where the principles of federal character and due process are thrown to the dogs in the unpatriotic pursuit and promotion of ethnic and religious hegemony through mishandling of promotions and or recruitment into public offices.

At a two-day public hearing organized by the Senate Joint Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs and Labour and Employment investigating the alleged employment irregularities in federal establishments two days ago, the chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Professor Shuaibu Abdulraheem Oba alleged that the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) recruited 6,000 staff illegally in 2012.

And the Chairman of the Committee on Federal Character, Senator Awaisu Kuta, who is also the chairman of the joint committees probing the recruitment anomalies, cited government agencies affected by employment scams to include the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Examinations Council (NECO), Nigeria Civil Aviation

Authority (NCAA) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), among others.

This prompted the Senate President, David Mark to observe that "people in positions of authority think first about their immediate relations, other extended family members and not the best and most competent. Most heads of federal establishments secure for their relations, unwarranted advantaged favour which

“

Perhaps the most worrying of these illegal recruitments and or promotions exercises are those involving the security agencies given their strategic place in the defence and promotion of security for nation and citizens they're not ordinarily legally or morally entitled to. This is a manifestation of a corrupt society where there is no equity or fairness. Heads of MDAs, military and paramilitary organisations are all guilty of this. This has killed the patriotism in us.

What is more worrisome is that employment into federal establishments is for the highest bidder. Our newspapers are awash with allegations that there are agents in and outside these establishments who facilitate the sales of job slots."

Perhaps the most worrying of these illegal recruitments and or promotions exercises are those involving the security agencies given their strategic place in the defence and promotion of security for nation and

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citizens.

Recently, there was an outcry against alleged skewed recruitment and promotion in the Nigerian Army which were said to favour the geo-political zone of the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika as a result of which several petitions were sent the National Assembly.

The State Security Service (SSS), the Aviation Ministry and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have also been fingered in the alleged recruitment scandals.

Only last week, a legal practitioner filed a case at a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order restraining the Minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from screening any person or persons for the purpose of appointment into the office of the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). The development came after it emerged that the minister was trying to single handedly appoint a substantive head of FIRS having shortlisted six applicants from a single geopolitical zone out of the over 30,000 applicants who applied for the job.

Another disturbing development is that in most of these cases, the heads of the organisations involved in these scandals are from a particular geo-political area.

It is a sad statement on our leaders' commitment to the continued existence of Nigeria as a corporate entity that while they mouth patriotism at the top of their voice, the covert activities of many of them are anything but patriotic. Promoting ethnic and religious hegemony in a multi ethnic, multi religious and complex society like ours is about the most reprehensible thing that any patriotic public officer can contemplate, especially at a time when the nation is tottering on the brink as a result of the nauseating corruption and dire security challenges facing it.

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

By Abdulhamid Babatunde

I

t was really distressing to read about the gun attacks on polio immunization workers in Kano state recently, considering the fact that they were preparing to set out on the humanitarian mission of saving infants from the dreaded life of paralysis.

Condolences have since been sent to the bereaved families amid serious concern that the attacks may once again scuttle the polio immunization campaign in Nigeria, just when it is regaining its momentum after the protracted acrimonious controversy of 2004 halted it for several months in the worst hit northern states.

This writer was Secretary of the FGN-JNI Joint Committee charged in March 2004 with verification of the safety and efficacy of the Oral Polio Vaccine against the background of widespread suspicion that the immunization campaign had a hidden agenda of rendering children impotent in adult life as part of the Euro-American conspiracy to curb the population of Muslims in particular and the developing world in general. The committee brought together Muslim clerics, traditional rulers and medical practitioners with specialization in the intricate science of hormones in the human body. It took several weeks of crosschecking the veracity of the allegation that the vaccine was laced with impotency contaminants, including taking samples to South Africa, Indonesia and India for testing.

Weighed against the debilitating and irreversible impact of polio on its victims and the proven efficacy of the vaccine in conferring immunity, it was reasonable to endorse the polio immunization rather than the

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Plotting with polio controversial allegations against it which were unconvincing and this was the committee's stand. Still, it is regrettable that such a laudable humanitarian health initiative got so enmeshed in the longstanding cloak-and-dagger dealings of the West with the developing world in general and Muslim populations in particular, that the remarkable gains of the decades old war against polio were substantially reversed. But with that experience the EuroAmerican vested interests in world affairs should have drawn the right lessons and avoid lending more credence to the seemingly far-fetched belief that something as innocuous as polio immunization could be converted to an espionage or genocide apparatus of the West against Muslims. Even then, it cannot be denied that the US in particular has too often demonstrated its zeal for not just dominating the UN system but indeed using UN agencies to advance its imperialist agenda.

Well, from all indications, the leopard's sinister spots remain as scary as ever because the latest attacks on people involved with the polio immunization in Nigeria actually began last year in Pakistan shortly after it was revealed that the polio immunization exercise in that country was instrumental to the tracking down of Osama bin Laden. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on CBS'S 60 Minutes programme that the CIA had recruited a Pakistani doctor Shakil Afridi to assist the United States in tracking down al-Qaeda's chief Osama bin Laden, by setting up a fake polio vaccination campaign in 2011 to get DNA samples and verify bin Laden's presence in a compound in Abbottabad, north of the capital Islamabad where he was eventually traced and murdered by US Navy gunmen.

In fact, even the faked polio vaccination was a wicked ruse that instead injected the hapless Pakistani children with a single Hepatitis B vaccine dose instead of

the standard three, rendering the vaccination useless and leaving the children effectively unprotected.

Needless to say but since that shocking revelation the polio immunization campaign has been virtually grounded in Pakistan where several immunization workers have been gunned down and is suffering widespread rejection and coordinated attacks in other parts of the world as we have just witnessed here.

If the issue of contaminants in the polio vaccine was not convincingly corroborated, what iota of doubt is there to refute this episode of ill-motivated and deliberate manipulation and abuse of the polio immunization confessed to by the US Defense Secretary?

And would this not strengthen the suspicion and distrust of the 2004 episode which we are still battling to remedy? Even as a revenge mission, the US has proved no less "terrorist" in its choice of victims than Al-Qaeda which, incredibly, it supports in Syria and attacks in Mali! And what are we to make of

“

Just like the horse at the river, you cannot force OPV down the throats of infants if their parents won't cooperate and immunization workers may no longer be so keen about the job. In the long run, Nigeria and indeed all developing nations will just have to shake off their seemingly unconditional reliance and dependence on the presumed goodwill and good faith of the so-called international community

the slavish mentality evident in the response of our leaders to the Kano attacks which feigned ignorance of these sinister circumstances and adopted the WHO and UNICEF see-no-evil stance? The authorities ought to know that one of the fall-outs of globalization is that people are much more aware of happenings around the world such as the details of the capture and killing of Osama Bin Laden.

The pretentious silence of the authorities on this aspect of the matter will only feed the conspiracy theory thereby encouraging renewed rejection of polio immunization. Just like the horse at the river, you cannot force OPV down the throats of infants if their parents won't cooperate and immunization workers may no longer be so keen about the job. In the long run, Nigeria and indeed all developing nations will just have to shake off their seemingly unconditional reliance and dependence on the presumed goodwill and good faith of the socalled international community and its hydra-headed "humanitarian" and "development" agencies. We saw it with the World Bank/IMFSAP. For starters, let us localize everything about polio eradication and let the people see that the vaccines are products of Nigerian scientists and governments should foot the bill.

The Vom vaccine complex can thus be expanded and upgraded into the nucleus of a national vaccine research and production institute.

There is a crippling correlation between over-dependence on foreign aid and a developing nation's perpetual quest for development and progress. Break the chains of pseudo-charity now!

Abdulhamid Babatunde, CEO Slim Jenkins Media Services, Kaduna

Still on Okonjo-Iweala’s controversial appointments (II)

By Yushau A. Shuaib

T

o drive the point home, her name has been lately mentioned as collaborating with another Igbo top ranking appointee in government to ensure the reinstallation of Ms Arunma Oteh as Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) despite the glaring allegations against her and consistent calls by the National Assembly for her removal. OkonjoIweala stood her ground, damning all and today, Oteh remains in the position.

While the debate on Oteh's saga was yet to subside, a coalition of youths, led by human rights activist and President of Civil Rights Congress, Shehu Sani, queried the rationale behind the appointment of a new Chairman for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) when a northerner, Kabir Mashi was already in the position and improving the revenue base of the agency, especially VAT collection for the Federation Account. Under Mashi FIRS has continued to record steady increases in the collection of taxes that it closed the 2012 financial

year with a total collection of N5 trillion where N1.8 trillion (36.07 per cent) came from non-oil taxes.

The group claimed that the committee that Okonjo-Iweala set up was a smokescreen just to give a semblance of due process and fairness whereas it was populated mainly by her Igbo kinsmen. They added that "We don't believe there is transparency in the process, and we caution the President against the excessive ceding of his own power to the finance minister."

They publicly criticized her of playing an ethnic game with many of the appointments made in the country since she returned to the saddle. Some of the other positions, they alleged, which were created and filled during this period include those of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Sovereign Wealth Fund, Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) and even the recent appointment of a 40 year old lady as Director General of National Pension Commission (PENCOM).

People are wondering at the coincidence of only Igbos beating every other person at competitive interviews conducted by her nominated international

consulting groups. The only semblance of federal character principle in some of those institutions is the appointment of ceremonious but temporary chairmen who are merely figureheads, with mandates for mere advisory roles.

The use of catchy phrases such as "best brains," "foreign trained," and "foreign-based" to deprive qualified, competent and experienced Nigerians to aspire to top positions is quite inimical to the progress of our nation. The

erroneous impression that some competitive and sensitive positions can only be filled by unique intelligent tribes must be corrected.

Experiences have shown that in practical situations, some socalled foreign trained and bookish first class graduates could not do better than other Nigerians who have the competence and experience to prove their worth in most difficulty terrains.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala should also note that blatant disregard to the

“

Experiences have shown that in practical situations, some so-called foreign trained and bookish first class graduates could not do better than other Nigerians who have the competence and experience to prove their worth in most difficulty terrains

sensitivities and sensibilities of others while arrogantly promoting only people from her tribe may expose them to hatred with potentially explosive consequences such as those experienced in the 1960s when most federal positions were occupied by a particular tribal group.

For those of us who still respect the Hon Minister of Finance and Economic Development, we strongly believe she should dissociate herself from current allegations of 'biafranization' of top public offices in Nigeria. We are in democratic government where policy issues should not be done in dictatorial manner of 'we-are-nowin-power'.

I therefore urge her to ensure that appointments into important positions should be done in credible and transparent manners that can withstand public scrutiny. I believe strongly that only those that mean well will dare to tell the truth on the general feeling in the country.

Concluded Yushau A. Shuaib can be reached via yashuaib@yahoo.com

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

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2015: Can the youths go it alone?

By Abubakar Usman

S

ince the announcement of the emergence of All Progressives Congress (APC), which is a fusion of ACN, CPC, ANPP and a faction of APGA, Nigerians have been exchanging ideas, information and punches as to what difference the party will or can bring to the polity. These are not unconnected to the fact that politically conscious Nigerians hold varied opinions regarding the redemption of Nigeria. For the purpose of clarity, I have segregated these Nigerians based on their opinions into three groups.

The first are those who have woefully failed in managing the affairs of this great nation. They are those who do not care about the security and welfare of the common man and that is why for 14 good years, they have not been able to fix the problems in just one sector of the economy. These set of people are those who do not want opposition because they want to rule and loot the nation for 60 years. They are members of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party or their sympathizers who in one way or the other benefit from the party. For these people, APC will never work and even if it has the chance of working as it seems, they will do anything to scuttle it.

In the second group are those who believe that what Nigeria needs at the moment is an opposition party that will oust the PDP. To this people, APC is the best

thing that has machinery happened to needed to win Nigeria in recent elections and times as they take over Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text strongly believe governance? Yes, messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written that the problem politics is a game contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 of Nigeria will be of numbers, but far reduced if while it is even words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and PDP can be debatable that a a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed defeated in government run to: 2015. solely by youths The last of is not a guarantee The Editor, the three groups that the Nigeria Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, are those who of our dreams will 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. are neither be achieved, Email: opinion@peoplesdaily-online.com satisfied with especially SMS: 07037756364 t h e considering that performance of youths who have the PDP nor see had the the emergence of APC as the conform to the realities on ground? opportunity to serve in various solution that Nigeria needs. To Is it something that is achievable capacities in the country have done these people, the solution to the in 2015? Agreed that the larger more harm than the old breed myriads of Nigeria’s problems lies percentage of Nigeria’s population politicians, those who are in the hands of the youths. What is constituted of the youths, but is advocating for a wholly youth lead this means is that old politicians population alone the only political party all geared towards should be completely alienated from the scheme of things as far as reclaiming Nigeria is concerned because they are either part of the problem or have at one time or the Agreed that the larger percentage of other being members of the PDP and their supporters who couldn’t Nigeria’s population is constituted of the solve, but compound our problems. youths, but is population alone the only They want the youths to form a party that will be solely comprised machinery needed to win elections and take of youths who in turn will contest over governance? Yes, politics is a game of and fill up public and political offices. Anything short of this to numbers, but it is debatable that a government these Nigerians is like putting old run solely by youths is not a guarantee that the wine in a new bottle.

While this may be true and Nigeria of our dreams will be achieved ideal to some extent, the question that should be asked is does it

WRITE TO US

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2015 need to understand that numbers only become relevant when the things that need to be done as a build up to casting of ballot has been put in place.

Politics in Nigeria is not the same as what obtains in other climes. For you to be registered as a political party in Nigeria, there must be structures like the presence of the party in all states of the federation, when you succeed in doing this, you must obtain forms with huge amounts of money from INEC to contest for political offices depending on the position you are contesting; you will campaign, mobilize and even acquire supporters. All these require huge sums of money. How much of this money do the youths have? How much of these financial requirements can the youths raise between now and 2015 to be considered a serious contender for elective offices. I remember telling some people during a discussion that if political parties like the ACN, CPC and ANPP who have built structures over the years and have the financial war chest to prosecute elections are coming together to form alliance, why do we think that the youths who are not structurally on ground can perform better in 2015? The money we see that is flowing with carelessness among political players are not mere contributions of a few thousands by the stock of politicians we have today.

To be continued

2015: Jonathan/Sambo ticket torments opposition

By Abdullahi Garba

W

e are in the season of political anomie in Nigeria and the vultures are already searching for carrion. The alarm bells are ringing where normality is undisturbed and the names and reputations of innocent people are the subject of sadistic imaginations of the character assassins. But it is all too familiar because it didn't start today and will not end now that the lies are exposed.

With 2015 fast approaching the do-or-die politicians are hitting and running without rhyme or reason.

The latest media sleaze prominently bandied by The Nation newspaper targets the unperturbed Vice President Namadi Sambo with a trumped up story of on-going moves to drop him from the presidential ticket ahead of 2015 elections and even identifies his supposed replacement as "a fair complexioned governor from the North-West zone". The VP, according to the warped imagination of the paper's hackwriter, is out of favour because a phantom committee working on the PDP's 2015 strategy has suddenly found him to be politically unsuitable.

Were it not for the exclusive prominence the paper devoted to

this fairy tale it was worthy to be ignored by any discerning mind.

But using it as a lead story indicated much more than meets the eye, particularly as The Nation has since surrendered its initial journalistic prowess to the desperate dictates of its owner and is now commonly disregarded in any other context. It is therefore certain that the formidable political power charging confidently ahead under the Jonathan-Sambo PDP flag is sending shock-waves into the ACN ranks sufficient to necessitate malicious propaganda and wishful imagination. This rabid reaction is to be expected from a party that is so unsure of its chances at the next polls that it hysterically hounds other parties

into a merger of desperate bid oblivious to its disabling incompatibilities.

Even the reporter loses his bearing as he cooks up improbabilities to support his untenable analysis. So in one sentence he refers to VP Namadi Sambo as being more technocrat than politician, a positive attribute which actually vindicates the assignment of enormous onerous responsibilities in strategic sectors to him by his impressed boss, Mr. President and debunks any notion of election liability. In another reference he ridiculously states that the PDP's 2015 strategy is to get a VP "like Atiku" was to Obasanjo! Anyone else with even rudimentary political wisdom would recall the

“

As far as the core leadership constituents of the PDP are concerned the JonathanSambo presidential team is unassailable both on account of the tight interpersonal comradeship of the two personalities as well as the undisputed track record of focus and performance in the execution of their acclaimed transformation agenda

Atiku-Obasanjo partnership in presidency as the perfect recipe for treacherous political disaster.

With these monumental assaults on logic and commonsense, The Nation's incompetence and mischief is glaring.

Such a cock-and-bull story however may also be feeding on the subterranean sentiments of certain elements whose loyalty to the PDP is shallow and highly dependent on their selfish interests. The mention of a faircomplexioned north-west governor is indicative of such fifth columnist antics because the unnamed governor has a track record of autocratic egotism that recognizes no other interest than personal. In his state he is despised in political circles for temporary loyalty and brazen betrayal which he crassly displayed to his deceased benefactor in politics as well as high intolerance of superior performance and personality among his compatriots in the state. This fair-complexioned governor has a dark mind of intrigues and insatiable lust for power which perfectly fits his being touted as a "favourite" of the phantom committee.

Even at the national level and the very base of PDP incumbency there are characters whose frequent indiscretions and political philandering have earned them so much disrepute that their survival is solely a factor

of the statesmanship of their bosses and yet they are incurable in their machinations of seeking undeserved favour by foul means.

Any well-healed political prospector can hire their services and they will not hesitate to betray their benefactors. It is quite reasonable to posit that these are the spurious sources on which The Nation relied for concocting its tall story of dissent in the presidency which however still remains a mere figment of warped political assessment of its editors desperate to be seen to be aiding and abetting the desperate political agenda of its ambitious owner.

As far as the core leadership constituents of the PDP are concerned the Jonathan-Sambo presidential team is unassailable both on account of the tight interpersonal comradeship of the two personalities as well as the undisputed track record of focus and performance in the execution of their acclaimed transformation agenda. Unlike the AtikuObasanjo odd mix, we have never heard of any crisis or dissatisfaction since President Goodluck Jonathan wisely chose Architect Namadi Sambo as his vice. It will take more than editorial dreams and ambitious fifth columnists to create smoke without fire.

Garba can be reached at abdullahi_garba@yahoo.com

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

By Ahmad B. Kaita

T

he absurdity represented by Katsina State’s 2013 budget, tagged "Budget of Responsibility" as presented by Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema to the House of Assembly, has ushered in another season of lies and deceit. It is becoming so serious that people are beginning to assess the success or otherwise of the annual ritual with simple ability to read English while reeling out figures with dots in the right places.

This may explain the tendency for people to clap and cheer when governors go for the annual charade. It would make more sense to clap and cheer at the half-time segment of a soccer match. The traditional applause and encomiums that always follow this bazaar signal nothing but the beginning of a new season of squandermania.

Of course, what other thing can explain a thunderous applause to a governor who just told the public he intended to apply scarce funds in areas where such funds are less required at the expense of sectors that could impact and jump start development. For instance, in Katsina state, what logic can support a provision of N21,699,066,155 - a whopping 19.01% of the total budget to road constructions - roads that seem unending even when it is obvious that is not what the people need, while the combined provision for Health and Education stood at N15,365,360,323 or 13.46% of the total budget.

Funny enough, Governor

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Katsina’s Budget of (ir)responsibility Shema said the government would continue to pay more attention to social services aimed at improving the living condition of the people.

I'm perplexed at the conflict between Shema's definition of "social service" and the generally accepted standard definition. It is probable Shema is confusing his personal comfort with that of the citizens. Unless so, I can't see how he expects people to believe his theory of "social service" to the people when he is busy building a palatial mansion using scarce funds that can be deployed to service the pressing neglected social needs of the people.

Yes, some may argue that the "New Palace" is not Shema's personal property. But I ask, what potential benefit does it hold for the people of Mai'adua and Dandume, or even the people of Katsina city?

To justify such a wasteful venture one has to balance the scale of preference of the people of the state.

I challenge anybody to prove the desirability of this frivolity against poor water supply across the state, the scandalous outing of the state in WAEC/NECO with a 10% score card; a direct result of poor or absolute lack of instruction materials in schools. The story is the same with our hospitals where doctors sit and watch patients die for the lack of medicine for simple and preventable ailments like malaria, diabetes and hypertension. Roads, even good road cannot serve the death, much

less the compacted sand and asphalt feeder roads being called standard roads in Katsina.

In any case, do we still doubt the reality of the 10% syndrome?

This is the only determining factor of how much money goes to capital aspect of many a modern day budget. I don't expect anybody to be naïve enough to believe contracts are awarded on the basis of competency alone.

Why else should a governor go to court to challenge the resolve of the public to see the details of roads, stadiums, etc built for and in their names. The few governors that proved their worth and earned the respect of their people achieved that through selflessness and openness. Kano is one of such lucky states. Contracts are awarded using the principle of tender and always awarded to the lowest bids with satisfactory record of business excellence. Anybody who reads newspapers cannot claim to have never seen adverts for tender for Kano state government down to Local Government councils. Even more transparent is the weekly publishing of details of the Kano state Executive Council minutes in major newspapers for all to see.

In Kano, one doesn't need to go to court to know how public funds are spent. This is the standard gauge with which people should measure the transparency of any government. You only hide things that have the potential to embarrass you.

It is clear to see the disconnect between the government and people of Katsina state by sectoral allocations which indicated key sectors like Education, Heatlh and Agriculture allocated funds that are anything but serious if building a robust society built on principles of economic independence were the objectives of the authors of the weird document.

Compare the hefty provision for the Administration sector which was put at N2,979,326,210 (-.61%) with the more desirable and grass root related Small and Medium Scale provision; a meagre N350,000,000 (0.31%). Without a doubt, even the authors of the budget cannot help but appreciate the misplacement of priorities which, by the way has been a hallmark of the Shema regime since 2007. This further bring to fore the fiscal indiscipline with which the state is ruled. With the state caught in the grips of poverty, I wonder at the purity of thinking that informed the decision to allocate N276,000,000 (0.24%) to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry while a more decent and respectable amount of N2,000,000,000 (1.75%) was provided for an ambiguous and open to abuse "Miscellaneous" provision.

To rub salt into injury, with all its insincerity and lopsided arrangement, implementation of the above provision is not guaranteed. It is highly probable

that it would remain just what it is - a scam! I would be naïve to assume anything good would come out of it when records of previous proposals were anything but impressive. All the previous budgets presented with as much fanfare and promises of better life were executed with the same attitude.

Still, the only beneficiaries of this imaginary "better life" remain the selected few family members and friends.

That explains why people desirous of protecting the government lose their oratorical and writing skills when asked about the "hush-hush" style of governance that is now accepted as a state policy. I thought - and I believe rightly so - that government, being a public institution should not be run like a secret cult organisation. What is so secretive about contract bills, vote books etc that a whole governor will be running pillar to post to deny the public a glimpse while still singing songs of probity and excellence. No sir! The day you open those books for public scrutiny would mark the day we start taking you serious, - defending on what we see inside, of course.

In the interim, let's continue with the bedtime stories as contained in the Story book "Budget Of (Ir)Responsibility.

Kaita is a member of the House of Representatives from Katsina state.

NEXIM Bank and solid mineral dev’t

By Chas Okafor

S

olid minerals are found in every nook and cranny of Nigeria's territories. The potentialities of these solid minerals, if harnessed properly, can propel Nigeria's economy faster than crude oil which has become the nation's economic mainstay.

The failure of successive governments, and indeed the citizenry, to tap into other sectors of the economy, apart from oil, has been blamed for Nigeria's economic woes.

President Goodluck Jonathan-run government is not resting on its oars to diversify Nigeria's economy through harnessing the country's abundant solid mineral resources. Against this backdrop, the Nigerian Export Import Bank, NEXIM, has articulated and sustained a blueprint to enhance the development of our solid minerals through financial interventions. As at 2011, NEXIM has identified the subsectors in the solid minerals to include ferrous and non-ferrous metals, stones and gems and energy minerals.

These subsectors have been identified as being highly capital intensive, characterised by heavy government presence as well as policy inconsistency. This sector is also largely untapped. Its projected growth was estimated at 8.96% as at 2009.

The Bank's framework from 2010 to 2015 targets making this sector to significantly contribute

towards creating an internationally competitive and attractive destination for capital for the profitability of the nation's mineral resources, provide 16.1% (about N9bn) of the solid mineral sector's financing requirement, account for 0.82% of the sector's GDP, and create and sustain 2, 885 jobs within the solid minerals sector through project finance activities.

With the visionary and proactive leadership of Mr. Roberts Orya, there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Orya's giant strides have repositioned NEXIM on its fundamental mandates.

NEXIM Bank's blueprint is aimed at propelling the non-oil sectors of Nigeria's economy to a grand-level. The bank's key areas of concentration are manufacturing, agriculture, solid minerals and services. The goal is to become the leading export development bank in Africa.

The objectives of developing these non-oil sectors are to have a clear market focus and become a major contributor to non-oil exports, build a world-class institution which imbibes best-in class corporate governance and risk management practices; be a relevant player in the export market and significantly influence government trade policies; build a profitable institution with a robust balance sheet size with a highly skilled and motivated workforce.

Findings indicate that NEXIM

Bank has so far committed about nine per cent of its total investment development portfolio - about N2.5 billion - to the development of the country's solid mineral sector since August 2009. Its MD/CEO, Roberts Orya, revealed this when he played host to the Patrons of the Miners' Association of Nigeria. He disclosed to the joy of his visitors that the bank was ready to support the solid minerals as a cardinal sector under its MASS (manufacturing, agro-processing, solid minerals and services) agenda.

He made a clarion call for the association to produce its strategic framework to better structure and attract sustainable investments to the sector. He said the agenda focused on issues of mutual cooperation with NEXIM and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development towards the development of the sector.

Indeed, Nigeria is endowed with more than 33 commercially viable solid minerals that could be exploited for the country's economic benefit. These include gold, lead-zinc ore (Galena), iron ore, columbite, ilmenite, cassiterite, uranium, copper, molybdenite, manganese, wolframite, rutile and diorite, bauxite, gypsum, talc, bentonite and barite, rock salt, gem stones, and kaolin.

Using the statistics from the Mining Cadastre Office and the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency factsheet, one can safely say that the picture of the benefits

would be appreciated more when it is considered that some of these minerals are in very dense deposits. Minerals like talc have been identified as having deposits in excess of 40 million tonnes in locations such as Niger, Osun, Kogi, Ogun and Kaduna states; iron ore, with over 3 billion metric tonnes of deposits in Kogi, Enugu and Niger states as well as the Federal Capital Territory; and lead/zinc veins, about 10 million tonnes of deposits spread over eight states.

In the same vein, bitumen of about 42 billion tonnes deposits, which is almost twice the existing crude oil reserves, making Nigeria one of the world's most bituminous destinations owing to its low sulphur and ash content and the most environment-friendly abound. There is also coal, nearly three billion tonnes of reserves in 17 identified fields and over 600 million tonnes of proven reserves.

Remarkably, the solid minerals sector contributes less than one per cent to the country Gross Domestic Product, GDP, as against nine per cent of South Africa's GDP in 2011.

As such, for NEXIM, the critical issues range from how to get the government and other stakeholders to properly structure the mining sector, increase funding, and attract much needed investment capital; infrastructural development for the industry, especially the establishment of internationally certified laboratories and setting up of internationally recognized and

endorsed mining calendar for Nigeria as prevalent in other regimes with dedicated attention to solid mineral exploitation.

The president, Miners' Association of Nigeria, Sani Shehu, had at the event thanked the NEXIM Bank management for its commitment and support to its members in the quest to open up the solid mineral sector. He said the group is overwhelmed by the passion of the bank to support the players towards the growth of the mining industry in Nigeria.

As a capital-intensive industry, which requires longterm investments before its potential could be fully realised, the experience in India, which is less endowed with solid minerals than Nigeria, but is currently earning about $75 billion (about N11.3 trillion) annually from solid minerals, is instructive.

It took South Africa more than 15 years of steady investment to get there and the country now earns over $30 billion (about N4.5 trillion) annually from the sub-sector. What of US? With the commitment of NEXIM Bank towards revitalising Nigeria's solid mineral sector, it is hoped that it will bring a new dawn on the country's economy which has been branded all sorts of name because of its oil-based nature and lack of innovations.

All hands must be on deck to attain this goal.

Okafor wrote in from 2nd Avenue, Gwarinpa, Abuja

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Group kicks against 1,500 centenary villages in Abuja

By Adeola Tukuru

T

Amiddle-aged man hanging behind a commercial bus loaded with goods, yesterday in Zuba along Abuja-Kaduna Road.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

FCT Area councils get N2b revenue allocation

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he six Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have received the sum of N2, 099,033,680.46 from Federation Account as their share of the revenue allocation for the month of January 2013.

The area councils are: Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

This was disclosed on Tuesday at the FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee meeting by the Secretary of Area Council Services Secretariat (ACSS), Barrister Yahaya Alhassan Gwagwa, who represented the Chairperson of the Committee and Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide.

He stated that the five per cent Value Added Tax accounted

for N1.007 billion (about 48 per cent) of the total revenue allocation for the six area councils, representing an increase of N189.96 million over the N817.04 million received for VAT for the month of December 2012.

Besides VAT, the Area Councils also received N754.45 million from statutory revenue allocation, N251.90 million from distribution of excess crude proceeds, N56.77 million from Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), N23.10 million from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s refund, and N5.66 million being differential between budget and actual.

Of the N2.009 billion available for distribution, Gwagwa explained that the JAAC transferred N869.43

million to the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) for payment of the primary school teachers’ salaries in the area councils; N95.04 million to FCT Area Councils Pension Board (ACPB) being 15 per cent pension fund as statutorily required, and N20.99 million to FCT Area Councils Service Commission being one per cent training fund.

He added that the net revenue allocation of N1.113 billion was distributed to the six Area Councils, with Abuja Municipal Area Council receiving the lion share of N242.75 million for January 2013, as against the sum of N137.48 million received in the preceding month.

The FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee allocated N198.28 million to Bwari Area Council, N190.38

Nyanya village chief laments infrastructural decay

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he Chief of New Nyanya Village Taimunu Ashabinu has lamented infrastructural decay in his community, calling on the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA), Karu local government to come to their rescue before the situation get out of hands.

Chief Ashabinu noted this when students from Abuja School of Journalism visited him in his palace as parts of

their community development course and further decried the absence of portable water, lack of electricity ,poor health facilities as well as poor road network in his community.

The traditional ruler who also expressed displeasure over government luke-warm attitude paid to them, adding that though the immediate past governor of Nasarawa State,Akwe Doma had instituted committee for payment before he left office and since had not heard anything concerning the

matter.

Responding to questions about the uniqueness of his culture and what he as a traditional ruler is doing to prevent culture lost and adulteration in his village pointed out that ‘Gbagyi culture is unique’ ranging from their food, mode of dressing as well incomparable heritage .

“We always ensure that a forum is organized to inculcate their culture into the young ones in the way of cultural display and exhibition”, he said.

million to Gwagwalada Area Council, N167.92 million to Kuje Area Council, N157.94 million to Abaji Area Council, and N155.29 million to Kwali Area Council.

Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji and Kwali had received net revenue allocation of N120.75 million, N137.52 million, N99.26 million, N103.23 million, and N85.17 million, respectively.

On SURE-P funds, Abuja Municipal received N16.77 million, Bwari (N9.28 million), Gwagwalada (N8.50 million), Kwali (N7.79 million), Kuje (N7.45 million) and Abaji (N6.96 million).

he Movement for Revolutionary Change (MRC) has described plans by the Federal Government to construct 1,500 houses in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to mark Nigerian centenary celebration as ‘a white elephant project’ that will not benefit the poor folks that make up 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population.

The Coordinator of the group, Babatope Babalobi in a press statement wrote that: ‘This is another misplaced priority by the President Jonathan administration. The centenary houses will be another mega structure that may add to the opulence of the FCT, but not solve its housing crises”.

We wonder why the Federal Government is planning to built another ‘Tower of Babel’ in Abuja while edifices like the National Stadium Abuja constructed with over N60b few years, ago is presently overtaken by wild weeds while its structures are dilapidating’’, he said.

Babalobi further stated in displacing indigenes of the new locations where the houses are to be built, the new centenary houses will not be affordable to artisans and working class that dominate the city.

“Abuja presently has thousands of unoccupied houses built with looted funds, because their rents are scandalously high and unaffordable by the average resident of the city”.

“We are afraid that these new centenary houses will be cornered by Nigeria’s wealthiest few known for its compulsive appetite to acquire properties through looted public funds”, he said.

Principal wants FCT Education Board to equip school with sports facilities

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he Principal, Government Secondary School, Kuje, Mrs Fatima Abdulraman, has called on the FCT Secondary Education Board to provide sporting facilities in the school.

She made the call on Tuesday in Kuje during the school’s 21st annual inter-house sports competition.

“We want the board to provide sporting facilities in the school in order to expose the young ones to sports.

“The students have been representing the school both in track and field events, but they need more sporting facilities to enable them perform better,” the school principal said.

Speaking earlier, Mr Awol Mohammed, Director of Area Courts, FCT, had described grass roots sports as a “veritable tool’’ for national development, adding that it should not be abandoned.

“The sporting stars and legends of yesterday, today and tomorrow started from somewhere and most of them were identified and nurtured at this level,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kuje House emerged first in the competition with 227 points.

Abaji House came second with 212 points, while Kwali House were third with 197 points.(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 17

Man, 30, bags 2 months imprisonment for stealing centre table

A

n Abuja Magistrates Court on Monday, sentenced a 30-year-old man, Ojobo Joseph, of Gwagwa Village, Abuja, to two months imprisonment for stealing a centre table.

The Magistrate, Mr Emmanuel Iyana, handed down

the sentence after Joseph had pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency.

Iyana said the sentence would serve as a deterrent to those who might want to engage in the act of stealing.

He, however, gave the convict an option to pay N2,000 fine.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr Sani Yusuf, had told the court that the matter was reported by one Alagboso Livinus of Kadokuchi Village, Abuja, at the Mabushi Police Station on Feb. 19.

Yusuf said the convict broke into Livinu’s workshop while he was away and stole a centre table

valued at N5,000.

He said the convict was given a hot chase by neighbours who saw him trying to escape.

The prosecutor said the convict confessed committing the offence, which contravened the provisions of the Penal Code.

(NAN)

Scavengers looking for valuables in refuse dump site, yesetrday in Nyanya.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Police arraign businessman for alleged intention to steal document

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he Police on Monday arraigned a businessman, Jonathan Orjiude, of Plot 131 Phase 1, Nyanya, Abuja, at an Abuja Magistrates Court for alleged intention to steal an allocation document.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Abdullahi Adamu, told the court that the case was reported at the Wuse Police Station on Feb. 21 by one Osaretin Akhiofenai of Osagie Avenue, Benin.

Adamu said that the accused and one other person now at large allegedly formed common intention to steal an allocation document, valued at over four million naira.

The document was for a consignment of bags and shoes in a container at Tin-Can Island, Lagos.

He said the accused committed the offences of joint act, criminal breach of trust and cheating, contrary to the provisions of the Penal Code.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, while his Counsel, Mr Ifeanyi Ngige, applied for his bail, pledging that he would provide reliable sureties.

The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs Similola Adeniyi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Adeniyi said that the sureties must be public servants in the FCT and that their residences should be verified.

She adjourned the case to March 20, 2013 for further hearing. (NAN)

Engineer, 52, in court for alleged criminal breach of trust, cheating

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he police on Monday arraigned one Femi Samuel, of Plot 635, Zone B, Apo Resettlement, Abuja, in a Karu Upper Area Court, for alleged with breach of trust and cheating.

The Prosecutor, Mohammed Garba, told the court that Dr Benjamin Adeshola of No I, Hart-Damas, Shenley Brook End in the U.S., reported the matter at the Apo Police Station on Feb, 21,2013.

Garba said that Adeshola

entrusted N468,000 with Samuel for the rent of a onebedroom apartment at Plot 635, Zone B, Apo, in September 2012 and travelled back to the U.S. He said that when Adeshola returned on Feb. 20 he discovered that Samuel had converted the apartment to his personal use, an offence, which contravenes the provisions of Section 312 of the Penal Code.

The section stipulates that whoever commits criminal

breach of trust shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years or be fined, or both.

However, Samuel denied committing the offences.

The Presiding Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with a credible surety who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

He adjourned the case to March, 25, 2013 for further hearing. (NAN)

Businessman, 42, charged with alleged criminal breach of trust

T

he Police arraigned one 4 2 - y e a r - o l d businessman, Okudili Madukwe, of Jabi village, Abuja, before an Abuja Magistrates Court for alleged criminal breach of trust.

The police filed a two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating against him before Magistrate Zubairu Mohammed.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Simon Emmanuel, told the

court that Adejo Samuel, of EChimel Ltd, Life Camp, Abuja, reported the case to the Life Camp police station, Abuja, on Feb, 22,2013.

Emmanuel said that sometime in December 2012, the complainant supplied drinks valued at N109,000 to Madukwe, with an agreement to collect payment within three days of supply.

He said that the accused breached the agreement and did not pay the money till date.

The prosecutor said the

offence contravened sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The magistrate, however, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

He said the surety, must be reasonable with a means of livelihood, and be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.

Mohammed said the surety must also deposit a driver’s licence, National ID card or International passport and adjourned the case to March 11, for hearing.(NAN)

INSIDE FCT COURTS Commercial driver, 22, charged with criminal breach of trust, theft

By Zainab Ahmed Maska

T

he Police yesterday arraigned a 22 year old, commercial driver, Kefas Apollos before the Abuja Magistrates Court in Wuse, Zone 2, for Criminal breach of trust, Joint Act and Theft.

The Police prosecutor, Mr Udeh David, told the court that the case was reported at the Wuse police station on the February 28th, 2013 at about 2:30 by one Mr Jacob Y. Fumen of house 3, 3rd avenue, Efab estate Abuja.

David said that sometime in the month of November 2013, Mr Jacob entrusted his Volkswagen Golf 3 car valued at #750,000 with registration number RBC 991 AJ to the accused residing behind Mallam plaza Jabi, Abuja for commercial purpose.

He also added that on February, 28th, 2013, Kefas breached that trust and instead connived with unknown persons to steal the said vehicle and take it to an unknown destination.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provision of sections 312,79, 287 of the Penal Code.

Magistrate Chukwuemeka Ubani granted him bail in sum of N500, 000 and a surety in like sum ,who must be a civil servant and reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

He adjourned the case to March 28th, for further hearing

Man, 30, bags 90 days imprisonment for housebreaking, theft

A

n

Abuja Magistrates Court on Monday sentenced one Mohammed Musa, 30, of Mabushi Village in Abuja, to 90 days in prison with hard labour.

The Magistrate, Mr Emmanuel Iyana, handed down the sentence after Musa pleaded guilty to charges of house-breaking and theft.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Mr Yusuf Sani, had told the court that one Chike Ogbonna of Gishiri Village in Abuja, reported the matter at the Mabushi Police Sation on Feb. 19.

Sani said the accused had broken into the complainant’s house and stolen some items.

He listed the items stolen as two cooking pots, a DVD player, an electric blender, a StarTimes decoder and three remote control panels, all valued at N50,000.

The prosecutor said that a neighbour at Ogbonna’’s house, who sighted the accused while trying to flee with his loot, had apprehended him.

He said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 346 and 288 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Curbing residents’ unruly behaviour in FCT sanitation,’’ she added.

Onu stressed that if the government made tangible efforts to enforce the extant sanitation laws, the FCT would be cleaner and more hygienic.

All the same, Mr Yemi Adegbite, a health worker, warned the people against any temptation to use water from dirty streams for bathing or any other domestic purpose.

“We seem to be taking everything for granted in Abuja and that is partly because we are living in an urban area.

“I know that in most villages, it is a rule to keep streams clean; that is why the clearing and cleaning of the streams are done from time to time,’’ he said.

Adegbite stressed that the use of water contaminated by people’s urine and faeces was very harmful to the users’ health, adding that the lives of people living in downstream areas were also endangered.

Sharing similar sentiments, Elena Duke, a resident of Dutse,

By Perpetua Onuegbu and Edith Nwapi

K

elechi Ogbonna, a firsttime visitor to Abuja, was visibly dazzled when a middle-aged woman emptied her trash bin into a nearby river in the neighbourhood.

“How can this woman dump refuse in the river?’’ Ogbonna queried.

“It is not good for the environment and the health of the people.

“I don’t know that the inhabitants of Abuja also behave like Onitsha and Kano traders,’’ she added.

Like Kelechi, many observers feel that residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ought to be role models to other citizens.

But such emotion appears to be groundless, as open defecation and other unsanitary habits are also noticeable in the FCT. Many observers, therefore, want the FCT Administration (FCTA) to make tangible efforts to restore sanity in the territory by apprehending those that degrade the environment and endanger the people’s health.

Mr Izuchukwu Martins, a resident of the FCT, recalled that he was horrified when, for the first time ever, he saw a man urinating by the middle of the Abuja-Keffi expressway around the AYA bus stop.

“I was thoroughly petrified when I saw the man parked his car by the roadside and started urinating in the full glare of everyone.

“This kind of misconduct is quite common among commercial bus drivers,’’ he said.

Mrs Caroline Okaro, a teacher, also recollected an episode where a man was seen

FCT Minister Bala Mohammed brushing his mouth on a pedestrian bridge in the city centre.

She said that the man then spat water on some passersby under the bridge.

Okaro emphasised that only the use of force could stop such anti-social persons from engaging in acts of indiscipline.

“I think that most Nigerians just like to be treated as little children; they want to be told how to behave,’’ she added.

Amaka Onu, a resident of Nyanya, a satellite town of Abuja, particularly bemoaned the poor sanitary condition of her neighbourhood.

“It is really disgusting that

when you walk on the roads, you notice refuse dumps everywhere. Even the residents of the area dump their garbage in streams and waterways,’’ she said.

She stressed that it was very dangerous to use water fetched from such streams for any domestic purpose.

“The government should provide dumpsites; monitor the people’s refuse disposal habits, while taking action against those who flout sanitation laws.

“It should compel the residents to exhibit sound waste disposal habits; the people should be made to promote good hygiene and environmental

“

The people are supposed to know that good health is related to good sanitation; every normal person is expected to keep his or her environment clean at all times

decried the dumping of refuse in streams and waterways, urging the government to strive to check the trend.

“The way we ignore sanitation matters in this country is terrible; those little bad habits in us could make us to undergo serious epidemics in future.

“Common cleanliness and simple hygiene are alien to us and many people are now competing with pigs for the position of the dirtiest creature.

“Individuals are not helping out; while the government is not forthcoming with provision of facilities.

“Just move around and see adults as well as children line up under the Gwagwalada Bridge to defecate and bathe,’’ she said.

However, the government is apparently aware of this development and it is making efforts to tackle it.

Mr Uche Agbanusi, the Deputy Director (Environmental Health and Safety), Abuja Environment Protection Board (AEPB), stressed that several buildings in the suburbs of the FCT did not have toilet facilities.

“The people are supposed to know that good health is related to good sanitation; every normal person is expected to keep his or her environment clean at all times,’’ he said Agbanusi, however, warned that the AEPB would step up its campaign to promote a clean environment, vowing that residents who flout sanitation laws would face appropriate sanctions.

Observers, nonetheless, urge the FCTA to devise pragmatic strategies to ensure the cleanliness of the FCT, insisting that all things being equal, the territory ought to be a source of pride to all Nigerians.

FCTA to deduct healthcare funds from area councils' federal allocations – Minister

T

he FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, has directed that funds meant for primary healthcare services should be deducted from the monthly federation allocation of the six FCT Area Councils.

This is contained in press statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by Mr Mohammad Sule, the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Mr Mohammad Sule,.

The statement said this action became imperative to underscore the importance of Routine Immunisation exercise to all the nooks and crannies of the FCT. “The FCT Administration remains a practical example of good governance, as the present administration has been prompt in releasing all funds from the Federation Account allocated to all the six Area Councils, including the 10 per cent of Internally

Generated Revenue (IGR) accruing,'' it said.

The statement said the minister noted that the territory's six Area Councils had not fulfilled all their statutory responsibilities.

It said the councils were failing in this respect in spite of the magnanimity of the FCTA. "FCT Administration had given the Area Councils all it

takes as required by the law and therefore cannot accept failure in the area of primary healthcare services,'' the statement said.

It noted that such healthcare services were ``central to the health of rural dwellers in their respective councils''.

The minister further instructed that traditional

rulers and religious leaders should be carried along in all the processes of routine immunisation exercises in the territory.

He said the issues and gaps noticed in polio eradication exercise would be tabled at the subsequent meeting of G-7 Security Summit which takes place in Abuja and all its contiguous states.

“We will find a practical way of nipping in the bud cases of poliomyelitis in the zone due to migration of people around the zone."

While calling for serious advocacy and sensitisation amongst all stakeholders, the minister commended the efforts of Bill Gates and Aliko Dangote and development partners in eradicating polio.(NAN)

Man, 35, docked over extortion

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he police on Wednesday arraigned one Chinyere Okafor, 35, before an Abuja Magistrates Court for extortion.

The police prosecutor, Mr Simon Emmanuel, told the court that the matter was reported to Life Camp Police Station by Mrs Jacinta Okoro of Gwagwa, Abuja.

Emmanuel said that

Okafor, a resident of Zango Village, Abuja and two others, now at large, snatched the complainant's wallet, when she was boarding a tricycle at Airport junction on Feb. 25,2013.

He said that the items in the wallet include a Nokia phone valued N9, 000, an ATM card, identity card, and N7, 000.

The prosecutor urged the court to fix a new date for hearing to give room for further investigation.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The magistrate, Mr Abdullateef Abolaji, granted the accused bail in the sum of N20, 000 with one surety in like sum.

He said that the surety must live at a known address within the jurisdiction of the court.

Abolaji also ordered that the surety must have a working address and should deposit his National identity card or driver's licence.

He adjourned the case to March,12,2013 for further hearing. (NAN)

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Email: aminuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE

- Pg 20

Fake products floods Nigeria’s markets- MAN

Mob: 08033644990

Dangote emerges second best at Kaduna Trade Fair

Afam power plant: BPE warns investors against late submission of bids

By Aminu Imam

By Abdulwahab Isa

he Dangote Group has been declared winner of the first runner’s-up in the just concluded 34th Kaduna International Trade Fair.

Director-General of the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA) Usman G. Saulawa said Dangote’s support to the Nigerian economy through the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce for about thirty years deserves commendation.

Companies under the Dangote Industries Limited received accolade from the organisers and participants, who were excited by the exhibition of the company’s innovative products and the use of branding materials that stood out its pavilion.

According to a statement from the Dangote Group, Saulawa described Dangote’s presence and pavilion as a good quality outing, having occupied a strategic position in the trade fair complex.

“Dangote is one of our major partners. We would want to use this opportunity to express our appreciation for given us this kind of support,” he said.

Spokesman of the Dangote Group, Mr. Tony Chiejina said companies from the group that participated at the fair fair included: Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Dangote Flour Mill Plc Dangote Agrosacks Ltd, National Salt Company of Nigeria Plc (NASCON), Dangote Cement Plc and Dansa Foods Limited.

Some of the products displayed at the fair include: Danvita, Alkama (wheat meal), confectionary flour, noodles, sugar, salt, tomato paste, various ranges of fruit juice products and bottled water from Dansa Foods.

Countries that participated included: India, Turkey, Niger Republic, Egypt, Mali, Senegal, Pakistan and Ghana among others.

he Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) said it will turn down any bid submitted late by prospective bidders interested in acquiring stakes in both Afam power plant plc and Kaduna Distribution Company (Disco).

A statement issued by the Bureau on Tuesday quoted the Acting Director-General, Mr. Benjamin Ezra Dikki, who reiterated the agency’s zerotolerance for non-compliance with the terms of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the transactions.

At the deadline of January 31, 2013 for receipt of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from prospective bidders for the two firms, BPE

From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

SEC assures NSE, CSCS of support to move Nigeria’s capital market forward

T

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday assured the management of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS) of its support and cooperation in order to move the Nigerian capital market forward.

The Chairman of the Board of SEC, Malam Suleyman Ndanusa gave the assurance during a visit of the board members to NSE and CSCS in Lagos.

According to him, the visit is part of the strategies of the new board to collaborate with all stakeholders in the market, with the aim of ensuring high-level of regulation and protection of investments in the Nigerian capital market.

The SEC team, which included its Director-General, Arunma Oteh, other commissioners and top

T

received 19 applications for Kaduna Disco and 30 applications for Afam plant.

Consequently, the Bureau, on February 4, 2013, sent Requests for Proposals (RFP) to the 48 prospective bidders.

BPE quoted the DG as affirming that “bids that are submitted late will be rejected immediately and proposal not submitted in substantial compliance to the RFP will also be neglected. Our philosophy is that only the very best is good enough for Nigeria.”

Said he: “Bids that are submitted late will be rejected immediately and proposal not submitted in substantial compliance to the RFP will also be neglected; Our philosophy is that only the very best is good

enough for Nigeria.”

He made the remarks at the pre-due diligence conference in Abuja for the re-tender of Afam Power Plc and Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc held in Abuja on Monday, March 4, 2013.

It would be recalled that Afam Power Plc and Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc were among the 17 PHCN successor companies that were earlier advertised for sale in December 2010 and both along with the fifteen others went through a full competitive tender process which culminated in the submission of technical and financial proposals in July 2012.

However, following the rigorous technical evaluation that all bids received were

subjected to, none of the bids received for Afam Power Plc and Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc scored the minimum 75% required to progress to the financial bid stage.

This development compelled the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) to order a re-run of the entire transaction as it was not prepared to settle for a second best.

In his remarks, the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo pledged that the principles of transparency and level-playing field will guide the privatisation process. He added that the Jonathan administration has ensured that everything is in place to drive the electric power sector, adding that when they get into private hands, the sector will thrive.

L-R: A Diamond bank customer, Chief Lamidi Ajadi, Agila of Igila Ijesa, Oba Samuel Falaye, Director, Rilled Steel Ltd, Mr. Guari Shanker, and Regional Manager, Diamond Bank South-West, Mr. Olusola Ajayi, during Diamond bank’s customer forum, yesterday in Ibadan. Photo: NAN

management, held separate meetings with management of the NSE and CSCS. However, speaking during the interaction with the board and management of CSCS, Ndanusa declared that the market would

witness improved regulation following the coming in of a new board in SEC. According to him, the absence of a board in SEC for about six months delayed some actions, noting that many things left undone would

now be taken care of.

He expressed excitement over the innovative efforts of the new management of NSE and CSCS in ensuring that the market more attractive to investors, assuring that SEC would support those

Management Tip of the Day

Think before adopting the latest marketing fad

B

efore you buy into a new, shiny marketing tool or technique, first make sure it’s right for your company. Often your existing ideas, product lines, and channels have more value than you think. Ask yourself these three counterintuitive questions:· Should I do the opposite of what everyone else is doing? For example, if your

competitor is blasting out enewsletters to their entire database, consider sending simple, personalized notes to your most loyal clients.· What abandoned technique can I bring back? Sometimes, marketing strategies are dropped for good reason, but other times the reasoning is not that clear. Think about whether there’s an old

technique that could still be useful.· Can I resurrect a product for an untapped market? Don’t just market to the masses. Sometimes a small, high-end market is willing to pay for a difference in quality (think vinyl records, which were considered dead not long ago).

Source: Harvard Business Review

efforts so that the aspiration of making Nigerian market gate to investments in Africa is realised.

In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of CSCS, Mr. Oscar Onyema, said the visit of the SEC team was historic and was a sign of good things to come. He said the board composed of experienced professionals capable of moving the market forward.

Speaking in the same vein, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of CSCS, Mr. Kyari Bukar said CSCS was being transformed into a leading depository that can compete globally.

He said with the support of the board, the management of CSCS is working with market stakeholders on market issues especially dematerialisation.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 20

Ayodele Samuel <gtms06@yahoo.com> 0806 372 7788

COMPANY NEWS Rolls-Royce Motor Co.

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olls-Royce Motor Cars has officially unveiled its most powerful model yet at the Geneva motor show.

The 624 horse power Wraith will travel from 0-60mph (0-100km/ h) in 4.4 seconds and cost more than £200,000 ($300,000) when it goes on sale later this year.

The car was designed to change people’s perception of the luxury marque, chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos told BBC News.

GTBank

G

uaranty Trust Bank Plc is currently enhancing Nigerian undergraduates’ savings culture through its new product called “GTCrea8 eSavers Account”.

In keeping with its innovative and youthful disposition, the bank recently commenced a loyalty reward scheme for holders of its trendy, card-based interest bearing undergraduate account.

GTBank on Wednesday through monthly raffle draw rewarded six undergraduates across six geopolitical zones in Nigeria with gifts such as blackberry phones, IPods, laptops, Samsung galaxy tab, LED TV, and mini fridges.

Ghana’s IT City

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hana’s President John Mahama has launched a project to build a $10bn (£6.6bn) IT hub near the capital, Accra, within three years.

Dubbed Hope City, it will have Africa’s tallest building, at a height of 270m (885ft), an investor says.It will be built on empty land and will employ about 50,000 people and house 25,000 people, the investor adds.

In January, Kenya unveiled plans to build an “Africa’s Silicon Savannah” within 20 years at a cost of $14.5bn.

Samsung Electronics

S

amsung Electronics has agreed a deal to buy a 3% stake in struggling Japanese electronics maker Sharp for 10.4bn yen ($110m or N17.6 bn). The company has been trying to restructure its operations amid mounting losses. However, it has found it tough to raise money after its credit rating was cut to “junk” status last year.

Analysts said the investment from Samsung, the world’s biggest TV maker, was likely to provide a boost to Sharp’s efforts to revive its business.

Meanwhile, Samsung has stated that it will have “no involvement in Sharp’s business management in any way or form”.

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

T

he African Institute for Applied Economics (AIAE), in a research report, says the Federal Government can meet its target of generating 3.5 million jobs from key sectors of the economy.

These sectors identified in the report are Manufacturing, Agriculture, Solid Minerals, Aviation, housing /construction and the entertainment industry.

Speaking during the public presentation of the reports, three fellows of the Institute Dr. Chukwuma Agu, Dr. Hyacinth Ichoku and and Dr. John Ataguba

T

he Federal Government, has kicked off the National Enterprise Development Programme and mapped out strategies to create 3.5 million jobs across the country through the development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise sector.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said NEDEP had been developed with the objective of harnessing the opportunities in the MSME sector to drive inclusive economic growth through skills training and development, job creation and

• opens ICT training center in Jos

How govt can generate 3.5m jobs from key sectors – AIAE who conducted the research said that a well-articulated fiscal and monetary policy for these sectors is at the heart of attaining government’s job creation targets.

The researchers pointed out that as commendable as government’s efforts to provide 3.5 million jobs from these sectors is ,attainment of the target would be a mirage without a well-

articulated industrial policy.

The research commissioned

by African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) further showed that public sector has been crowding out the private sector, stressing that the much talked about growth in Nigeria is ‘non pro-poor growth’ since the sectors that are growing still leave many unemployed.

The Executive Director of

AIAE, Dr. Ifediora Amobi said the Institute would continue to open its platform for organisations and bodies to discuss topical social and economic issues capable of advancing the course of the economy.

“The work also examines the impact of sector of employment and selected demographic indicators at the household level on poverty.

• We will create them from SMEs -FG wealth generation.

The minister, who spoke during the first stakeholders’ meeting on NEDEP, also added that the Federal Government would set up an SME Council, comprising the Federal, State and Local Governments to streamline and harmonise all SME development activities across the country in order to achieve maximum impact.

He said, “If we are going to develop our economy and turn our quantity advantage into productive advantage, one of the most important sectors that we have to focus on is the MSME

sector. The National Enterprise Development Programme is an initiative spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment and its three parastatals – the Bank of Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria and the Industrial Training Fund”.

In order to ensure the successful implementation of the programme, Aganga said that the Ministry was partnering 17 state governments to provide specialised training and access to cheap funds, to enable more MSMEs to increase their

capacity to create jobs and generate wealth.

He noted that the Ministry had already set up a monitoring and evaluation team, which would work with the National Bureau of Statistics to verify and validate all data relating to the number of jobs that would be created through NEDEP. He said, “Already, we have the support of 17 state governments that have been working with BOI, ITF and SMEDAN, in the area of MSMEs development, skills training and acquisition, as well as business services development.

T

he Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling unemployment across the country through the implementation of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga said this during the inauaguration of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF)s’ Headquarters Annex and ICT Training Centre, in Jos. According to Aganga, the NISDP is a skills acquisition programme designed to attract resource empowerment for its trainees upon graduation and it is in line with the Industrial Revolution Plan of the Ministry of Trade and Investment.

The minister said that his ministry, in collaboration with the ITF, had put structures in place to ensure that trainees from the NISDP were empowered to be either gainfully employed or able to set up their own businesses.

Speaking during the event, the Director-General of ITF, Prof. Longmas Wapmuk, said that the agency would establish 37 Industrial Skills Training Centres across the country, in addition to Sector-Specific Training Centres for manufacturing, agro-allied, construction and other critical sectors of the nation’s economy.

Wapmuk said, “In each of the 46 centres, training will be offered in 25 trade areas. Each of the 25 trade areas will enroll 25 trainees in line with international best practice for effective hands-on learning. The process will generate a total of 29, 875 readily employable graduates annually.”

R- L: Managing Director, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, Prince Haruna Momoh, Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Engineer Andrew Yakubu, and Group Executive Director, Corporate Services, NNPC, Dr. Peter Nmadu, during the inspection of the System 2B pipeline artery along Arepo in Ogun state on Tuesday.

Fake products floods Nigeria’s markets- MAN Stories from Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

D

espite several assurance from various regulatory agencies in the country to fight sub standard products in Nigeria, fake products majorly from Asian and Middle-East countries has flooded Nigerian markets, a Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) statistics has shown.

The MAN report said fake, counterfeited, dumped and smuggled products have practically displaced local brands in the domestic market.

The statistics shows that 73 per cent of goods in the domestic market, especially textile and

garment sector are counterfeited or smuggled.

The report further said 40-50 per cent of the smuggled items are engineering and automobile parts, 20-30 per cent are electronic goods and computer peripherals, 10-30 per cent are cosmetics, toiletries and packaged foods, while 40 per cent of total imports of finished goods are dumped.

MAN’s Director-General Olayinka Akande said trade malpractices being a highly lucrative and relatively low risk business has become sophisticated and enjoy interactive cooperation and collaborating am unscrupulous businessmen.

He lamented offensive against trade malpractice by National Foods,Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Economic and Fincial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Customs Service, saying “only effective coordination and collaboration among regulatory agencies will yield expected results.

The association called for stiffer penalties for sub-standard importers discourage the practice and effective collaborations among regulatory agencies in order to and enhance local capacity.

PAGE 21

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

My search for pure honey drove me to honey production â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Proprietress, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A and Shine Honeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

By Hauwa Anaja

I

t's wonderful; the extent people go to get a particular product for consumption and the quest for "original" products can drive one to become an innovator.

When Mrs Bukola Adesina, an architect and a former lecturer at the Federal University of Minna in Niger state, was operated upon and needed to apply pure honey to heal her wounds, little did she know that the scarcity of pure honey would drive her to be a producer of honey herself, with a brand name now becoming a household name, "A and Shine Honey."

"There was a time I was operated on and people said honey was very good in healing it but I came across lots of adulterated ones and I needed something natural, and pure you know, so that was what really motivated me.

"I also realised that people really need this thing but they are not available and even if they are, people barely trust their originality. "So, precisely in the year 2000, I started making honey in small quantities like a joke in my house," she said.

According to her, though it was easy producing for consumption, there was a huge challenge in growing the business.

"After some time, I needed to register with NAFDAC because I was already making it in large quantities and as at that time, they had so many restrictions so it was difficult for me to register.

"But then, I ran into an incubation centre and they gave me a place to start; so that was how I started and normally, at the incubation centre you are allowed to produce for three to five years, at the end of the third year, I was able to graduate, because I had my market already and everything was okay," Adesina narrated.

After spending some time at the incubation center, Mrs Adesina was all ready to bid her lecturing job farewell.

"I didn't start with much money; it was like a pasttime because I was still engaged with the

Mrs Bukola Adesina university then. It was when I moved to the incubation centre that I realised that I needed to do it to make profit, so I decided to add value, and now I have customised bottles, a company name; the returns are wonderful and I have no regrets quitting my lecturing job," she enthused.

Of course, Adesina has no regrets for she has moved from being an employee to being an employer of labor.

"I employ eighteen people at the bee farm, but for distributors we have almost one hundred and twenty all over the nation; the factory is here in Kuje in Abuja, but we distribute across the country and with time we will establish the farm across the country as well," Adesina mused.

Though she hasn't looked back, Mrs Adesina says running a bee farm demands work and consistent research to add value to the product.

"Along the line, I realised there was a need to improve the value, because from my findings I realised that some people will say they take honey with ginger to cure one ailment or the other, others say they add garlic and other things. So, I thought of infusing honey with garlic and moringa or ginger so that they don't need to go and start looking for them separately and, it has been done that way and we now package them and market," she added.

In her words: "A and Shine Honey" does not plan to stop there.

"Looking ahead, we intend to have honey in different flora, so that we'll have varieties like sun flower honey, because of the value the variety adds to consumers, so that is the stage we are in now.

However, the question that runs through one's mind is: how best to rear bees and produce honey, considering that mismanagement could be harmful due to their stinging abilities? Mrs Adesina explains that training and understanding is key.

"There's a bee research institute in Ibadan where I went for training for two weeks, and another one courtesy of USAID where they send experts to train us on the processes of bee keeping, making hives, and other things," she explained.

Apart from learning the process of honey making and bee farming, Adesina opines that the secret to running a successful bee farm and honey factory, is starting small.

"You know; you can keep bees even in your house, and there are bee keepers, it depends on where you want to start you could decide to be packaging, you could decide to be a bee keeper, there are bee keepers association where you can get quality honey from them, then you go into packaging, and if you want to start rearing bees, just at the back of your house if you're not afraid, you can have your bee hives there or any small farm,'' she noted.

"The basic equipment is the bee hives; you can have local ones with a normal pot, and different bamboos, they come in different shapes, and they are cheap, there is the box type and you need bags to help you carry them, Adesina added.

But this does not come without its challenges.

"It is quiet challenging to own a bee farm because you need to fence it if not, these Fulani men who rear cattle may pass by your farm they may not know there are bees there, so they may destroy your hives.

"You also have to protect the bees from fire as a result of bush burning because fire can chase the bees away so it can be capital-intensive,'' she noted.

In her words, the success of any business lies in the passion for it. "The cause of delivering safe and pure honey to Nigerians is both a pleasure and a satisfaction, I couldn't ask for more, I feel fulfilled," she beamed.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 22

Etisalat launches ‘Easyday’ new tariff plan D From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

etermined to continually provide its customers with the best value for money, Nigeria’s fastest growing and most i n n o v a t i v e telecommunications company, Etisalat Nigeria has launched a new tariff plan. Known as Easyday, the new tariff plan enables subscribers on its easy starter and easy cliq packages enjoy lower tariffs based on their daily spend.

The Easyday tariff plan which is available to Etisalat’s existing and prospective subscribers is activated once the subscriber reaches a certain threshold, allowing customers on the package to get low tariffs to make all their national calls for the rest of the day. New subscribers can activate and enjoy the new tariff plan, by buying either an easycliq or easy starter line, and then opting-into the Easy day plan to get lower call tariffs daily. For existing subscribers

using the easycliq or easystarter packages, all they need to do is simply migrate to the new tariff plan. New and existing subscribers can opt in by dialing *239*1#.

Explaining the tariff plan, Chief Commercial Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Wael Ammar said “This is a unique tariff plan based on regressive billing such that when you have used up to a particular amount in a day, your call cost per second is instantly lowered.

“Once you opt-in to easy

day, your tariff drops first to 40k/sec to all networks. Once a subscriber then spends N50 in a day, either on calls, SMS or PAYG data, all subsequent calls will be charged at 20k/sec for the rest of the day “ he said.

Giving reasons for the new tariff plan, Ammar said it was the product of months of intensive consumer research.

“As a customer-centric brand, we are always in tune with the desires of our customers, and will always go the extra mile

US Dollar, in the new DStv Rewards, which began in February and is expected to end in April.

Handing over the cash prize to the winners, Mr Mayo Okunola, General Manager, DStv said: “MultiChoice is happy to reward Nigerians for staying with us in the last twenty years.

We will not stop acknowledging the loyalty of our subscribers and their belief in the DStv brand.

“This Rewards programme is designed to become part and parcel of our policy. So, it will be sustained.

I congratulate thewinners and I encourage our

subscribers to believe in us, as we will continue to surprise them with more gifts.”

The two winners, who got their cash rewards at separate presentation ceremonies held at the MultiChoice’s head office in Lagos, thanked MultiChoice for the prizes and expressed their surprise at being named winners of DStv Rewards for doing nothing other than paying their DStv subscriptions in advance.

Mr Nwadigo, a civil servant based in Abuja, said the money came at a time he needed cash badly to take care of some needs.

“I must confess that I only paid DStv subscription so that my

wife and children could have fun. Little did I know that DStv was going to reward me for being a “good” father and husband,” he added.

Both winners enjoined Nigerians to pay their subscriptions regularly, as they also stand a chance of winning in the weekly draws.

Mr. Segun Fayose, Head of Public Relations, MultiChoice Nigeria, explained that active DStv subscribers stand to benefit from the DStv Rewards programme in 3 ways.

to make sure that these desires are met,” he said.

According to him, the research showed that customers not only want to enjoy low but transparent tariffs on their calls. “They have constantly asked for a regressive format whereby a premium is charged on the very first minute, with subsequent minutes made cheaper. This is what we are giving them with our new tariff plan, Easy Day,” he added.

MultiChoice rewards two more winners with N1.59 million each From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

M

ultiChoice Nigeria, leading provider of premium pay-TV content, has handed cash rewards of one million, five hundred and ninety thousand Naira (N1.59m) each to two new lucky subscribers.

Mrs. Olubunmi Ajayi and Mr Victor Nwadigo were the second and third winners of the new DStv Rewards draws, which hold weekly.

Mr Segun Adeyemo, a security expert based in Lagos, was the first Nigerian to win N1.59m, equivalent of $10,000

Between 5th February to 10th of April, all active subscribers qualify for a weekly draw to win the sum of N1, 590, 000, while they also stand a chance to win 12 months free viewing on their existing bouquet in the Spot-The-Reward Box competition.

Mr. Fayose urged all DStv subscribers to watch out for a box message on their TV during prime time and SMS their full name to the number displayed on their screen to qualify for the Spot-The-Reward Competition.

NERC pledges fair regulation, wages to workers

Galaxy S IV to feature eyecontrolled scrolling T

By Etuka Sunday

he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has pledged its commitment to workers’ welfare by ensuring that they are treated fairly, and their interests are protected through fair regulation.

This was disclosed in a statement by NERC after the National Executive meeting of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) at the weekend with the focus on workers in the electricity sector.

In his goodwill message, the NERC’s Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi commended the NUEE

for the peaceful conduct of their struggle in light of the on-going privatization.

“I must commend labour for a violence free struggle unlike what we have seen happen in some other countries where privatisation has occasioned massive unrest,” he said.

Amadi urged them to continue to exercise restraint as government implements agreements they have reached with investors. “As a regulator, NERC is committed to ensuring that operators in the new electricity industry pay fair wages to workers and provide a safe and healthy working environment that promotes productivity”.

… intensify efforts towards national content regulations

T

T

he Galaxy S IV, the flagship Samsung smartphone that is expected to be unveiled next week, will reportedly have a feature that will scroll text based on a user’s eye movements.

The feature, expected to be called “Eye Scroll”, follows a user’s eye movements to determine when to scroll. For example, when the user’s eyes get to the bottom of a page, the

phone would scrolls an article up to reveal more paragraphs.

The New York Times reported the feature, citing an unnamed Samsung employee. The report says Samsung has filed for trademarks similar to Eye Scroll in the US and Europe.

The report says Eye Scroll is an example of Samsung putting more importance on the Galaxy S IV’s software, not its

hardware, to set the device ahead of its peers.

Besides software, the smartphone is expected to have a near 5-inch screen with full 1080p HD resolution.

It is anticipated that the Galaxy S IV will be unveiled on March 14, during an event in New York. The event can be watched live on YouTube at 10am Friday March 15 (AEDT).

(Source: Los Angeles Times)

he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) at the weekend said it has concluded plans to issue regulations on national content to ensure that priority attention is given to indigenous operators and workers in the Nigerian electricity industry.

In a statement issued by its Assistant General Manager, Media, Maryam Yaya Abubakah, NERC said that the regulations slated for the third quarter of 2013 would provide guidelines where Nigerians would be given first consideration in the areas of project execution, employment, training and technology transfer, among others.

The statement quoted the Commissioner in charge of Legal,

Licensing and Enforcement, Steven Andzenge as saying that there was need for skilled manpower and regulator who has the responsibility of ensuring the delivery of manpower needs.

NERC said the regulation is necessitated by the need to better position the electricity industry at this critical stage in its development, drawing valuable lessons from the local content initiatives of other sectors in Nigeria. ”I believe strongly that we should do everything possible to avoid the pitfalls experienced in the Oil & Gas and Telecommunications sectors” said Eyo Ekpo, Commissioner in charge of Market, Competition & Rates.

PEOSPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Report as at Wednesday, March 6, 2013

PAGE 23

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2013

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

From a desert pamphlet to publishing 'empire' When you feel like hope is gone Look inside you and be strong And you will finally see the truth That a hero is lies in you -Song by Mariah Carey

O

ne of the most absorbing dramas of all time sis this: An ordinary folk, spurred by his dream or passion, kickstarts a project which in turn inexorably propels him or her, against all odds, to an unexpected height.

Consider Mallam Tukur Mamu and his pet project, for instance. About one decade ago he had what many people out there would consider a dream job.

Indeed, as an Accountant with the Yobe State civil service, Mamu was, in a manner of speaking, sitting on a potential gold mine.

Despite the huge potentials winking at him, however, Mamu had had enough. The level of official shenanigans permeating the syQstem disturbeded him. So much so that he took an unprecedented step. The young man gathered some resources and published a pamphlet, an expose on what he perceived as the unbridled, ungodly indulgence going on in government.

“I just couldn’t stand the wanton stealing, and sundry other sorts of shenanigans being perpetrated by the same government officials entrusted with out common wealth,” Mamu

Malam Tukur Mamu

It started like a joke barely one decade ago. Now the ‘joke’ that had electrified Yobe State and evirons only but yesterday, has metamorphosed from an unheralded pamphlet to one of the shining stars in the Arewa publishing arena, complete with its own state-of-the-art printing plant.

Sonde Abbah periscopes the fairy-tale-like story of DESERT HERALD media outfit recalls. “Like our immortal leader, Uthman Dan Fodio once declared, ‘Conscience is an open wound; only truth can heal it.’ My conscience was pricking me; my patriotic instincts were troubling me. Meanwhile, I was under pressure tremendous pressure - to compromise by joining those who were raping the state’s resources in those days. I, needless to say, spurned them and, instead, exposed them in my pamphlets.”

It was like daring the lion in its own den. All hell broke loose as those benefiting

from the system fought back with a vengeance. Mamu was called all sorts of names and subjected to sundry intimidation, harassment and threats. But to his traducer’s dismay, he never gave up. Instead, he intensified his efforts to the extent that his unheralded pamphlet metamorphosed into a newspaper called DESERT HERALD. “The whole thing started like a joke”, said the publisher who would eventually be conferred with the prestigious United States Congress Award for Excellence in humanitarian

“

A legion of people thought he had gone mad. How on earth, they wondered, could any sane human leave his wellpaying job for the thankless and risky venture of publishing a newspaper? It was, to some, beyond madness

endeavours. “Publishing, as everyone knows, is capital intensive. Yet I had little or no fund; I had no financier or backer. In short, the odds against me were truly intimidating.”

Which obviously explains why a legion of people thought he had gone mad. How on earth, they wondered, could any sane human leave his wellpaying job for the thankless and risky venture of publishing a newspaper? It was, to some, beyond madness. They felt that sooner or later he would give up due to patronage coupled with relentless persecution from the power-that-be.

Such people obviously underestimated Mallam Tukur Mamu’s resolve.

Even as a youngster, Mamu had this “stubbornness” of remaining faithful to whatever cause he believes in, irrespective of the price or consequence. “I fear only Allah, not mortal man,” he would tell whoever cares to listen.

“Man can try his worst, but only God has power over life and death”.

The result has been as incredible as it has been heart-warming. From the little pamphlet started by Mamu barely one decade ago, through the monthly newspaper then based in Damaturu, Yobe state, DESERT HERALD has snowballed into one of the longest surviving and most authoritative weekly newspapers in the North as a whole. Not only that, the paper has added a magazine (D/HERALD monthly magazine) to its impressive stable. This is even as the outfit recently acquired and installed its own state-ofthe art printing press.

It is pertinent, at this point, to cast our mind back a bit and recall that the whole thing had begun more or less like a joke. And that nobody had given the young publisher any chance. And that the odds against the publisher had appeared insurmountable.

And that unlike the typical media house which enjoys advert support and sundry other patronages from

Tukur Mamu (middle) flanked by the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Chris Cooter and Canadian Director of Int’l Trade, Africa, Mss Renata when they paid a working visit to D/HERALD’s head office recently

government agencies, not only was D/HERALD being denied such on account of its being perceived as an anti-establishment outfit; persecution is usually the lot of the paper and its publisher.

Yet, despite all that, the Kaduna-based media company has been growing in leaps and bounds, eliciting critical acclaims from all and sundry. The then-Governor (now Senator) Danjuma Goje; Former head of state, Gen. Mohammed Buhari (rtd); and the incumbent Chadian President, are just a few of those who have showered encomiums on the publication and its lionhearted publisher.

Looking at a king’s mouth, they say, one would never believe that he had ever sucked a mother’s breast. And so it is with

Tukur Mamu. Looking at this unassuming, proactive and indomitable indigene of Fika, Yobe state, one would find it hard to believe that he has endured a lot.

In fact, ever since he ventured into the journalistic terrain, Mamu has never had it easy. “I have lost count of the number of times which I have been arrested by security agents and detained and/or taken to court, on the orders of either the federal authorities or some state government,” Mamu said. “Even when the issue involved has little or nothing to do with me as a person or publisher, they would pounce on me as if I were a common criminal.”

Take, for instance, that time in the tail part of 2009 when, ahead of D/HERALD magazine’s debut in January 2010, a promo was

published in the weekly regarding the exclusive story to be done on the then First Lady, Turai Yar’Adua. Even before the ink with which that promo was published had hauled him into detention for several days.

Shrugging, he said: “I’m

used to all that now. Over the years, with the frequency of my serial arrests and detention, I have come to regard all these as part of the price one has to pay for the common cause. Just because we at D/ HERALD have made it a point of duty to call our

“

It may interest you to know that even when we attack a particular government official today or tomorrow, if that person subsequently does something that is worth commendable, we will not hesitate to commend that person

leaders to account in the nation’s interest, some of them see me as an enemy.

Hence, the constant intimidation and perennial persecution.”

In other words, the journey has been tough. So much so that at times he has had to sacrifice not only his freedom, but his personal resources – at the expense of the comfort of his family – all in a bid to keep the project alive against all odds.

Does he have any regrets, given all he had been enduring for the sake of humanity? “No; no regrets”, comes Mamu’s response. “On the contrary, I’m determined to keep putting in my best, to keep getting better and better.”

This determination is evident in the manner the Accountant-turnedJournalist has shamed those

who used to mock his socalled non-qualification for his “adopted” profession.

In those days it was common to hear Manu being derided for not possessing a degree. How could such a person claim to be a publisher or media manager, his critics would snigger.

Not anymore. As part of his resolve to “improve in every sense of the world,” the D/HERALD Publisher soon enrolled in school and not only obtained a degree but gleaned a master degree from Ahmad Bello University, Zaria in 2012.

In other words, rather than be discouraged by the mockery of his traducers, Manu opted to surpass everybody’s expectations.

Incidentally, that’s more or less what he has been doing with D/HERALD newspaper and magazine

over the years. As even his harshest critic would concede, these publications have improved significantly in terms of editorial contents and production quality, mainly on account of the publisher’s passion for excellence.

“What’s worth doing is worth doing well,” he said.

“Our contract with our readers, therefore, is to keep improving, and to keep faith and hope alive, and to remain persistent and focused, no matter the challenges or odds against us.”

Agaist this backdrop, Mamu declared that with the acquisition of its own printiung press, DESERT HERALD would redouble its efforts to “be one of the flagship publishing houses not only here in the North as a whole, but in Nigeria and even beyond.”

On accusations that this company is anti-Northern elite, Mamu said that “nothing can be further from the truth.” According to him, D/HERALD does not deliberately go out of its way to attack anybody, including those in government.

“What happens is that it is part of our editorial policy to expose whatever we perceive as anti-Northern or anti-Nigeria interests, including corruption, injustice and all manner of lousy governance. It is part of our professional obligation to our readers in particular and the country as a whole.

“It may interest you to know that even when we attack a particular government official today or tomorrow, if that person subsequently does something that is worth commendable, we will not hesitate to commend that person. The funny thing is that whenever we act like that, nobody will notice but everybody will notice whenever we expose what deserve to be exposed.

It is also important to know that almost all our investigative stories are backed up with facts and figures, evidence and proof.

In other words, we don’t just attack people as some of our critics like to claim.”

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

EMERGENCY UPDATE

NEMA partners US to tackle terrorism

By Mohammed Kandi

F

ollowing the incidents of terrorists around the world as well as concerted efforts being made to improve the capacity of stakeholders in rescue operation, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in collaboration with the American Government has devised ways of dealing with the challenges.

The United States Ambassador in Nigeria, Terence P. McCulley said the exercise, which is being conducted jointly by the American National Counterterrorism Centre, would help to identify national capabilities, identify gaps, and values among others.

McCulley said that terrorism was not a Nigerian problem, but a collective problem of the entire sub region as being experienced currently in Mali and other countries In a statement issued by NEMA's Head of Public Relations, Yushau A. Shuaib, NEMA's Director-General, Mohammed Sani-Sidi, said the exercise was anchored on the use of vital assets as independent protective devices and chemical pollution level detection instruments.

While declaring the exercise open, Sani Sidi, observed that emergency rescue exercise has become necessary, especially, now that terrorism is on the rise in Nigeria and the entire West African sub-region.

He explained that the simulation exercise would identify capabilities and gaps inherent in the preparations of relevant agencies to meet the

Lead Cordinator, American National Counter Terrorism Center, Magdalene Bijj, presents emblem to DG NEMA, Muhammad Sani-Sidi at the Institute for Security Studies in Abuja recently. exigencies of terrorists' strikes.

"Of recent, Nigeria as a nation has had its fair share of this ugly phenomenon that has now made it necessary for us to gather in this serene environment to practice an articulated scenarios based tabletop simulation exercise to enhance our capacity towards

facing this challenging phase of our national development", he said.

The NEMA boss insisted that as the only statutory body with the task of coordinating emergency response stakeholders, the agency has the responsibility to get everyone ready for any kind of eventuality.

He thanked the US Government for all the supports it has extended to Nigeria's national emergency preparedness, especially the National Pandemic Disaster Response programme.

He also disclosed that NEMA had applied for a land upon which to build its proposed Centre for Disaster and

Emergency management (CDEM), and that once the land application is granted by Federal Capital Territory, construction work would immediately commence.

According to him, the centre will be a coordinating point for stakeholders in emergency management, both in the public and private sectors.

. . . begins assessment of landslide in Bayelsa community

T

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has begun the assessment of the landslide in Sabagreia, a coastal community in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

The disaster which was reported on March 2, destroyed eight buildings along the river bank, rendering many families

homeless, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports.

"We are aware of the landslide that occurred in Sabagreia; we have responded, and as I speak to you, our men are on ground in the community to assess the situation,'' NEMA's South-South Coordinator, Mr Umesi Emenike, told NAN on Tuesday in Yenagoa.

A resident of the community, Miss Mercy Odafia, confirmed to NAN that the landslide swept more than eight houses along the river bank, adding that no life was lost.

"The slide really shocked the people because I personally have never seen a thing like this. It destroyed over eight homes, sending many people along the

waterside running for safety,'' she said.

Odafia said that the landslide rendered many people homeless, while many of them had sought shelter with relations.

Meanwhile, residents of the Okoloba community in the affected LGA have called for assistance.

NAN recalls that the

A cross section of officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) during a tabletop simulation exercise on counterterrorism at the Institute for Security Studies, Abuja recently.

community which was flooded 2012, experienced a similar landslide three years ago.

Some of the victims, who narrated their ordeal, said that they have been rendered homeless, and called for shoreline protection projects to stop the catastrophe.

Chief Odonbilo Tamuno, from Isedani compound in Okoloba, who narrated the ordeal on Tuesday, said the incident occurred around 6 a.m. on Saturday.

"Some of us are attributing it to recent flood. We know we are living along the banks of River Nun but what has just happened to us is a serious issue.

"A proper piling and reclamation of land will go a long way to take care of this problem facing the community.

"The water current needs to be diverted through well planned shoreline protection project.

He appealed for assistance from government and nongovernmental organisations.

Mrs. Ikisa Bansika, another victim, observed that no assistance had come their way since the incident occurred.

(NAN)

PAGE 29

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

EMERGENCY UPDATE Participants at a training organised by NEMA for journalists and stakeholder agencies on "The role of the Media in Emergency Management" in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

YOUTHS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

By Abubakar Jimoh abujimoh01@yahoo.com

Mitigating the effects of landsides in Nigeria

O

ver the years, landslide has remained one of the major threats to the people, their property, infrastructural facilities, and the natural environment in various parts of Nigeria.

Landslide is described as a phenomenon arising from rapid movement of large amount of soil mass over an extensive area causing serious damage to people, their environment, agricultural farms, houses, and roads. It cuts off water and power, blocks roads or leaves them in undesirable conditions.

Recently, an investigation conducted by Youths Against Disaster Initiative (YADI) revealed that landslide results from natural and human induced activities on the environment. These actions include climate change effects, intensified anthropogenic activities, growing urbanization, uncontrolled landuse, unethical agricultural practices, excessive mining, stone quarrying, logging, deforestation, and over-loading slope or blocking drainage.

YADI noted that the vulnerability of a given area to landslides can be determined and depicted using hazard zone and landslide hazard map. "These serves as tools to help identify land areas best suited for development by examining the potential risks of landslide."

"Using geological mapping will help to detect slope hazards and determine the likelihood of landslide occurrence.

In structural erections, geologists can assist engineers, developers, planners and building inspectors in avoiding the vulnerable areas. Observing these will help in proper location of structures such as homes, schools, hospitals, offices, power-lines, and roads," YADI explained.

Moreover, in a bid to protect lives and property of Nigerians from potential dangers of landslides, the National Emergency Management (NEMA) under the leadership of its Director-General, Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi, had called on individuals to put in place proper land assessments to avoid erecting structures on areas prone to landslides.

Also, the Agency encouraged the installation of drainage control or series of pipes that could divert water away from unstable slopes as another way of mitigate hazards of landslides.

"The surface drainage controls are installed to channel.

The drainage systems can be designed to channel the collected water out of the landslide zones as quickly as possible to avoid penetration of water that can cause damage to the area," it stated.

NEMA has also through several sensitization campaign across the country urged slope prone communities to embrace

innovative measures like active slope monitoring systems, local detective techniques that suite their environments in early detection of landslides. Such local technologies in the findings of YADI include: improving surface drainage; reducing the angle of the slope; excavating to unload the top of the slope; building of protective berms to reduce erosion at the base of the slope; re-vegetation of the slope and geotechnical nailing or artificial hard covers; among others.

There is the need to adopt the afforestation practices that strengthen soil system and contour trees on steep slopes will help to create stiff vegetation, which serves as a barrier against slope. It has been observed that as these trees and shrubs grow, their roots will hold soil together, and help in reducing erosion of soil that may likely to result to landslides.

It is also advisable that before buying a house, one should check out for the sign of weak earth below the structure, and unstable walls. It is important to obtain professional advice prior to the construction of your home.

In fact, request for information and assistance from your municipal or district planner or building inspector when purchasing a land, sub-dividing, and construction applications.

Such procedure helps to understand the land and environmental safety regulations underneath the use of such structure or land.

Also, individuals are advised to espouse total discipline towards the exploitation of natural environment. We must keep environment safe from accumulated debris on a steep slope. It has been reported that small accumulations of debris becomes flooded and hasty a larger slide.

Therefore, individual should avoid placing clearing debris, yard waste, or fill material on a steep slope.

Besides, previous experiences have shown that the impacts of landslides are mostly amplified by human activities. In this case, we must avoid disruptive modifications of ground that alter natural drainage, unless based on the recommendations of a qualified geologist or engineer.

There is the need for a critical review of the 1978 Nigerian Land Use Act. Through this, human activities such as excavation, deforestation, irrigation practices will be subjected to the permission of Municipal Authority.

For instance, the British Columbia Municipal Act contains legal requirements that deal with landslides and other hazards taking into account, mandatory engineering and geo-science investigations before structure erections.

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Group seeks end to neglect of small scale miners

I

nternational Institute for Environment and Development says small scale mining can be a force for good just as small scale agriculture.

The neglect of artisanal and small scale mining must come to an end, the International Institute for Environment and Development, IIED, a policy and action research organisation which works to promote sustainable development in ways that protect the environments, has said.

The organisation said smallscale and artisanal mining, a sector that governments and development agencies often see as a problem could be a source of sustainable livelihoods for millions of marginalised people.

In a report released on Tuesday, the organisation highlighted the knowledge gaps in the sector and proffered options and approaches to address the challenges. IIED also gave information for a major project-in-the-making, which will aim to help policymakers ensure smallscale mining meets its potential to improve lives and take better care of local environments. " G o v e r n m e n t s , development agencies and the private sector have tended to overlook small-scale mining, seeing it as a source of problems or something that should not exist," says Abbi Buxton, writer of the 40-page report titled 'Responding to the challenge of artisanal and small-scale mining- How can knowledge networks help?' "This neglect has to end, particularly as the demand for mineral resources continue to grow," Ms. Buxton said in the report IIED said that artisanal mining can be a force just as good as small-scale agriculture.

"Small-scale and artisanal mines can be a force for good just as small-scale forestry and agriculture are - but right now they operate in a hidden world," says IIED. "We want to identify ways to overcome the challenges in- information, investment and institutions that prevent small-scale mining from realising its potential to contribute to sustainable development."

According to the organisation, the sector is "a paradox - productive but undervalued, conspicuous yet overlooked, and 'small-scale' but economically and socially significant. It produces about 85 per cent of the world's gemstones and 20-25 per cent of all gold. Its mines provide jobs and income for 20-30 million of the world's poorest people and support the livelihoods of five times that number".

Overall, it said Artisanal and Small-scale Mining, ASM, employs ten times more people than large-scale mining. But because it takes place in very

remote areas, it usually involves poor and vulnerable people, - including women and children - and is renowned for severe pollution and harsh working conditions.

Despite all of this, the organisation is of the view that development agencies and national authorities have given little attention to the sector and how to make it sustainable.

Instead, the organisation says, development agencies have been focusing on large scale mining.

"Rather than supporting small-scale mining, governments' policies are often poorly designed or implemented or even repressive. The miners themselves lack access to the rights, financial services, market information and technology they need to make this is a prosperous economic activity with reduced environmental impacts. As a result, many are often driven to operate illegally - and it is this illegality that has biased attitudes the whole ASM sector," IIED said. of the other structural challenges as highlighted by IIED include poor laws, policies and implementation and government marginalization or repression; cultural marginalisation and exclusion of certain demographic groups; uncontrolled migration; low barriers to entry into informal or illegal mining with its poor social and environmental protections; poverty driven, short-term decision making; poor access to financial services, market information, technology, and geological data; political exclusion and 'policy blindness'; and a serious lack of data on ASM individuals and communities that reveal the true scale, nature and contribution of the sector.

As noted by the organisation, this scale of mining occurs in some of the most remote areas in the world and involves some of the world's poorest people "Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) includes 20-30 million people worldwide, with three to five times that number indirectly supported through their activities. Yet development donors, governments, wider industry players and NGOs often neglect this sector, focusing on ASM's negative impacts rather than on addressing its structural challenges to improve the sector's opportunities for sustainable development," IIED held.

The diversity of sector players usually include: women, children, migrants and the most vulnerable. Overall, artisanal and small-scale mining contributes 15-20 per cent of global minerals and metals.

Within this, the sector

produces approximately 80 per cent of all sapphires, 20 per cent of all gold and up to 20 per cent of diamonds.

Abounding challenges Often, artisanal and small-scale miners lack the most basic social and economic infrastructure needed to break out of extreme poverty making them unable to successfully educate their children, build upon their productive assets, and move ahead economically, IIED said.

The organization highlighted some of the challenges including inappropriate technologies; poor information, low levels of environmental awareness and a low asset base that perpetuate this poverty trap.

Women and children are the worst hit of pollution caused by unsafe methods of small-scale mining.

Women are often involved in processing and waste disposal, exposing them to harmful chemicals, with severe consequences for family wellbeing and health, including during pregnancy.

Children undertake arduous activities such as heavy lifting, digging, ore haulage and transport from as young as six years old and are working underground from the age of nine.

It is one of the worst forms of child labour because of widespread and severe hazards that risk death, injury and disease (ILO 2005).

Just recently, a lot of lives were reportedly lost at Bagega, a remote village in Zamfara State, Nigeria, due to lead poisoning.

Reports estimated that over 400 children had already died from lead pollution. Bagega is far and remotely located, perhaps that is the reason the

government has shown reluctance visiting the place.

On January 24, the Senate Committee visited Bagega after receiving ominous reports on how lead poisoning ravages the community, decided to see what could be done to turn the tide and save the vulnerable children from death.

The committee gathered that the death toll was as a result of the very crude gold mining techniques adopted by the villagers. People were inadvertently poisoning themselves and their children.

The gold ore was deeply laden with lead, which the children ingested freely.

Way forward In order to address these challenges, there is need for innovative and effective policy solutions which should incorporate the ASM community knowledge on local realities, informed knowledge of what has and hasn't worked, and the use of research-based knowledge where highly political issues require greater simplicity or independent views, IIED said.

"There is a large amount of high quality practice-informed knowledge in the ASM sector that has not necessarily been written down or publicly shared.

This knowledge is held by private sector, public sector and civil society. It could be put to good use if captured effectively using reliable and transferable research methods across the diverse range of stakeholders in sector" it said, adding however that there is currently no way of systematically capturing this knowledge and providing spaces where it can be shared and fed into policy decision making.

"There are numerous international conferences and

initiatives looking at policy issues of mining and sustainable development. A 'dialogue series' offers a physical space that brings diverse stakeholders together around a table to build trust and engage in in-depth, solution-oriented discussions" the organisation said.

IIED's new programme of work follows earlier work on mining. In 2000-2002, the institute ran the 'Mining Minerals and Sustainable Development' project, a major review that gathered evidence and engaged stakeholders around the question of 'how can mining and minerals best contribute to the global transition to sustainable development?' In 2012, IIED published a ten year review to assess progress and identify the way ahead. ASM was identified as an area where little progress has been made over the past decade.

This new programme will seek to address some of the underlying and on-going challenges to ensure progress over the next ten years. It will overcome weaknesses in the way that knowledge is gathered and influences policy, such as the lack of information from artisanal or small-scale mining communities, and limited coordination between sector stakeholders.

It intends to promote dialogue, learning and leadership at national and international levels and find practical solutions to sectorwide challenges, such as child labour, health hazards, informality, human rights, pollution, and transparency in supply chains. It will embrace diverse collaborations at national and international level.

Source: Premium Times

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 27

How not to fight desertification I

n 2010, the Federal Ministry of Environment placed advertisement in several national newspapers for qualified contractors to apply and bid for the establishment of cactus plantations to fight erosion, drought and desertification; and to mitigate long term degradation of ecologically fragile areas across the country.

At the end of the day, powerful politicians in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), qualified or not were the beneficiaries.

The contracts running to billions of Naira were to be completed within six months.

Three years on, most of the contracts have either been abandoned or haphazardly done.

The most intriguing is the contract awarded to a company, owned by a Senator who's a prominent member of BoT of the PDP. The contract amounted to N588m for the Establishment of Cactus Plantations in six Northern states Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto and Borno.

Most environmentalists and stakeholders alike are worried due to the refusal of the contractor to carry out its own side of the bargain after collecting over N300m.

From all available information, the only notable work done by the company is the importation of miserable and implantable cactus plants dumped and rotting away at different locations, while the federal ministry of environment looks the other way.

It suffices to say that the ecologically increased importance of cacti, such as Opuntia species, in arid zones is because of their ability to grow in deserts and their drought tolerance; produce forage, fruit, and other useful products; and mitigate long-term degradation of ecologically fragile environments. According to experts, the cactus fruits are relished by many arid-land animals, chiefly birds, which

thus help distribute the seeds.

These plants also allow the assimilation of carbon dioxide during long periods of drought.

In this way, acceptable productivity levels are attained even in years of severe drought.

Cactus plantations provide a large amount of fodder for livestock and play a key role in natural resources conservation.

The plant is a widespread invasive weed said to have the capacity to advance at a rate of 1,000,000 acres (4,046.9 km2; 1,562.5 sq mi) per year.

Today, this cactus

runoff, the use of cactus helps to stabilize them, with its deep and strong rooting system. The rooting system is enhanced by the availability of the water collected at the base of the terrace. Roots are widely spread on the elevated land part and penetrate deeply in the soil to ensure stability of the terraces.

In addition, cut-and-carried pads provide feed resources during drought spells.

Cactus can be used in combination with cement barriers or cut palm leaves to stop wind erosion and sand

ENVIR ONMENT ENVIRONMENT WATCH

By Ambrose Inusa Sule, mnes globenviron@yahoo.com 0703-441-4410 (sms only) ranges from 150 to 400 mm/ year.

From Botanical Source, many species of the cactus family have been used for food and medicine; others furnish acid fruits which yield a refreshing juice to thirsty travelers, while the seeds of some species have been roasted and made into bread. They are roasted and fed to cattle, and it is on record that horses and mules will crush with their

disturbances of a functional character. These are promptly relieved by cactus.

The specific Indications and uses of cactus are for impaired heart-action, whether feeble, violent, or irregular; cardiac disorder, with nervousness, praecordial oppression, anxiety, apprehension of danger, or death; hysteria; tobacco heart; nervous disorders, with heart complications.

hoofs various members of the order Cactaceae to obtain the acid juices, of which they are exceedingly fond.

It was reported that in Mexico it was, at one time, a popular remedy for various diseases, as irritation of the kidneys and bladder, intermittent fever, difficulty in breathing, cough, etc.

The plant was introduced to the medical profession by Dr. Scheele, of Germany; but little attention, however, was given to it, until Dr. R. Rubini, a Homoeopathic physician of Naples, brought it into especial notice as a remedy in heart diseases. The parts of the plant used in medicine are the flowers and young and tender stems.

It is recognized chiefly as a functional remedy, and one of the best of cardiac tonics. And During the menstrual period and at the menopause, nervous women frequently experience unpleasant cardiac

They can develop in severely degraded soils, which are inadequate for other crops; and has a great capacity for adaptation and are ideal for responding to global environmental changes. Their root characteristics avoid wind and rain erosion, encouraging their growth in degraded areas.

The award of contracts to establish cactus plantation to reverse the desertification trend and restore the vegetative cover in marginal arid and semi-arid areas in the country has today become abracadabra.

The appropriate integrated packages that was to be applied for rangeland monitoring, livestock husbandry, and natural resources conservation has become a story.

This is how billions of naira meant to fight ecological problems in the country is siphoned from the Ecological Fund every year.

Aglaring effect of desertification plantation is being used advantageously in Tunisia, Algeria and Morroco to slow and direct sand movement, enhance the restoration of vegetative cover, and avoid the destruction by water of the land terraces built to reduce runoff.

Land terraces which are easily damaged by water

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

movement. It will fix the soil and enhance the restoration of the vegetative plant cover.

Spineless cactus has been used for several years on a very large scale in arid and semi-arid areas of North Africa. And have been planted for rangeland improvement and erosion control in areas where rainfall

The most intriguing is the contract awarded to a company owned by a Senator who's a prominent member of BoT of the PDP

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2012

True democracy can't survive without certain conditions- General Buhari(I) Speech by General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, at the Africa Diaspora Conference, London, United Kingdom, Tuesday, 5th March 2013 Protocols . May I thank the organizers for inviting me and my associates to this conference which, if I may say so, is growing in influence by the day. The presence of many Nigerians and distinguished Britons on these historic premises testifies to the importance and to the high expectations of this occasion. At the end of today's proceedings many of us hope to have a better understanding of our problems and perhaps identify more effective solutions to those problems.

2. My contribution today is based on reflection and practical observation rather than on studious research or scholarly presentation. It is a soldier's and politician's broad observations on democracy and economic development in my country, Nigeria.

By convention one usually would like to talk about his country outside its shores in glowing terms extolling its virtues and defending its values and interests. But the situation in our country is so bad and no one knows this better than the international community, that it would be futile to take this line today.

Furthermore, it would be counter-productive to efforts we are all making to understand and accept our shortcomings with a view to taking steps towards a general improvement.

If you continue to be in denial, as Nigeria's government and its apologists are wont to do, you will lose all credibility.

Democracy 3. There is no point in rehearsing all the text-book theories of democracy to this august gathering. But in practical terms there are, I think, certain conditions without which true democracy cannot survive.

These conditions include, but are not limited to, the level of literacy; level of economic attainment; reasonable homogeneity; rights of free speech and free association; a level playing field; free and fair elections; adherence to the rule of law and an impartial judiciary. But these imperatives are not applicable to all countries and all climes. India for example, suffers from great poverty and diversity but its efforts at running a democracy are exemplary.

4. Democracy can best flourish when a certain level of educational attainment or literacy exists in the society. The vast majority of the voters must be in a position to read and write and consequently distinguish which is which on the voters card to make their choices truly

1

theirs. In recent elections in Nigeria, many voters had to be guided - like blind men and women - as to which name and logo represent their preferred choices or candidates to vote for.

When one does not know what the thing is all about, it is difficult to arrive at a free choice.

It will be even more difficult to hold elected office holders to account and throw them out for non-performance at the next election.

Under these circumstances, democracy has a long way to go. Our collective expectations on a democratic system of government in less advanced countries must, therefore, be tempered by these realities.

5. Nor must we discount the role of economic development on the democratic process. An even more compelling determinant to human behavior than education is, I think, economic condition. I will return to this topic when discussing elections, but suffice to remark here that if, for example, on election day, a voter wakes up with nothing to eat for himself and his family and representatives of a candidate offer him, say N500 (ÂŁ2) he faces a hard choice: whether to starve for the day or abandon his right to vote freely.

As the celebrated American economist, late Professor J.K. Galbraith said: "Nothing circumscribes freedom more completely than total absence of money".

6. For democracy to function perfectly, a reasonable level of ethnic, linguistic or cultural homogeneity must exist in a country and this applies to all countries whether more developed or less developed. In the US, which like Nigeria is a federation, Hawaii and Alaska send two senators each to Washington as do California and New York. In our own country, Bayelsa with a population of less than two million elects three senators to the National Assembly in Abuja equal to Lagos State with a population of over ten million. Nassarawa State with about two million people and Kano State with over five times the population also send 3 senators each to Abuja.

Such dilution clearly negates the intent and spirit of democracy.

7. Central and critical to democracy is adherence to the rule of law. That is to say, no individual, institution, not even government itself can act outside the confines of law without facing sanctions. Executive arbitrariness can only be checked where there is respect for the law. Other desirable conditions of democracy such as freedom of speech and association

General Muhammadu Buhari can only flourish in an atmosphere where the law is supreme. Law does not guarantee but allows a level playing field. In the absence of the rule of law, free and fair elections and an independent judiciary cannot exist.

8. As a result of the virtual absence of the rule of law, elections in Nigeria since 2003 have not been free and fair. As a participant, I can relate to this audience my experiences during the 2003, 2007 and 2011 Presidential elections. Hundreds of candidates have similar experiences in State, Federal legislature and Gubernatorial elections. Under Nigerian law, these elections are governed by the 1999 constitution, the Electoral Law and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acts of 2002, 2006 and 2010. Ordinarily, an election is an occasion when contestants will join the electorate in celebration of freedom, because the will of the majority has prevailed. Winners and losers alike come together to work in the interest of their country. But this happens only if the elections were deemed free and fair. In 2003, INEC, the body charged with the conduct of elections in our country tabled results in court which were plainly dishonest.

We challenged them to produce evidence for the figures. They refused. The judges supported them by saying, in effect, failure

to produce the result does not negate the elections! In a show of unprecedented dishonesty and unprofessionalism, the President of the Court of Appeal read out INEC's figures (which they refused to come to court to prove or defend) as the result accepted by the Court. The Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, said this was okay.

9. In 2007, the violations of electoral rules were so numerous that most lawyers connected with the case firmly believed that the elections would be nullified. I will refer to just two such violations. The Electoral Act of 2006 stipulated that ballot papers SHALL be serially numbered and voters result sheets must also be tallied on serially numbered papers. INEC produced ballot papers with NO serial numbers and also used blank sheets thereby making it well nigh impossible to have an audit trail. At all events, at the final collation centre the chief electoral officer, after 11 (eleven) states (out of 36) were tallied excused himself from the room - apparently on a toilet break - and announced the "final results" to waiting journalists.

He had the "results" in his pocket.

At the time, several states had not completed transmission of their tallies. As in 2003 the courts rubber-stamped this gross transgression of the rules. Some election returns confirmed by INEC stamps included, 28th April, two (2) days before the

election, 29th April, a day before the election and astonishingly, 31st April a date which does not exist on the calendar, illustrating the farcical nature of the election.

The Supreme Court split 4-3 in favour of the Government.

10. In 2011 all pretences at legality and propriety were cast aside. In the South-South and South-Eastern States, turn-out of voters was recorded by INEC at between 85% - 95% even though in the morning of the election the media reported sparse attendance at polling booths.

The rest of the country where opposition parties were able to guard and monitor the conduct of the Presidential election turnout averaged about 46%. In many constituencies in the South-South and South-East, votes cast far exceeded registered figures.

11. Which brings us to the need for an impartial Judiciary in a democratic setting. The judicial arm of the government, properly speaking, should be the interpreter and arbiter of executive and legislative actions but the Nigerian government since 1999 has successfully emasculated the judiciary and turned it into a yes-man. An independent and impartial judiciary would have overturned all the Presidential elections since 2003. In addition, hundreds of cases of judicial misconduct have marred elections to Local Government, State and Federal Legislatures.

The Judiciary has run its reputation down completely since 2003.

12. Here, I would like to say a few words about the international observers. In 1999 the greatly revered former US President, Jimmy Carter walked off in a huff at the conduct of that year's Presidential election.

But compared to what took place afterwards, the 1999 election was a model of propriety. I am sure many Nigerians like me feel gratitude to the international community, notably the Catholic Secretariat who deployed over 1,000 observers in 2003 and the National Democratic Institute in Washington for their work in Nigeria. In 2003 and 2007, all the international observer teams, along with domestic observers concluded that those two elections fell far short of acceptable standards.

The Nigerian government, along with the international community ignored those critical reports.

Some members of this audience may recall the trenchant criticisms by the UK and US governments on the Zimbabwean elections held about the same time as Nigeria's. Now the Zimbabwean elections were very much better conducted than the Nigerian elections as the opposition party in Zimbabwe actually was declared to have won the parliamentary elections.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 31

Protecting women from violence ANALYSIS

By Jill Filipovic

T

he Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), passed in the House on February 28, has gone to President Obama to be signed into law. It is an important bill that provides a slew of necessary protections for the 1.5 million women who are raped and/ or physically assaulted by an intimate partner every year, and this time around expanded to include protections for particularly vulnerable communities, including LGBT women, Native women and immigrants.

For 20 years, VAWA received broad bipartisan support. This year, every Democrat in the House and Senate voted for the bill. But almost half of Republican senators and a majority of House Republicans voted against it.

GOP opposition to the entirely sensible and previously bipartisan VAWA is only the latest example of how far rightward the party has moved. Republicans of all stripes should be concerned - this is why they're losing elections, after all - and so should Americans generally. A farright GOP may not get a lot done, but it does change the general political discourse, moving the centrist position to a more conservative one and doing very real harm to women and disempowered groups of Americans.

It is worth highlighting the groups that so many Republicans didn't want VAWA to protect. Domestic violence occurs in same-sex relationships at roughly the same rates as it occurs in opposite-sex ones. Since so many samesex couples lack legal recognition, there are far fewer resources for lesbian and gay victims of intimate violence, and law enforcement officers are less adept at identifying and dealing with violence in same-sex relationships.

Transgender women who experience violence often find themselves dealing with insensitive or even abusive law enforcement, having to live through the extra trauma of being misgendered or mocked by the authorities who are supposed to help them, and even barred from taking refuge in womenonly domestic violence shelters.

Undocumented immigrants logically fear interfacing with police officers, and often avoid reporting violence or seeking help for fear of deportation. Native women suffer violence at a rate 3 1/2 times the national average, with almost 40 percent experiencing intimate partner violence at least once and 1 in 3 Native women raped in her lifetime. If the perpetrator of the crime is non-Native, tribal authorities have limited power.

VAWA closes some of these gaps, most notably with law enforcement on Native lands. But what's going on with a Republican party that essentially says, "Ok, we'll protect some women, but not the gay, transgender, immigrant or Native ones"?

The GOP has a long-time misogyny problem. As feminists were breaking ground in the 1960s and 70s, conservatives were working against the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment because equal rights

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provides a slew of necessary protections for the 1.5 million women who are raped and/ or physically assaulted by an intimate partner every year [AFP] were a threat to the traditional family.

The Supreme Court's Roe v Wadedecision ended the era of illegal abortion that killed some 5,000 women every year and injured many more - and it galvanised religious conservatives who eventually formed today's "pro-life" contingent of the Republican party.

The GOP's Southern Strategy leveraged white racism to win elections and establish a base of voters resentful and fearful of social change; often, the locus of those fears was the black or brown female body, from Reagan's mythicalwelfare queen to the modern-day pregnant immigrant supposedly running across the border to give birth to ananchor baby.

While right-wing hostility toward women's rights is nothing new, what is different is the extent to which the most fringe viewpoints are normalised within the Republican party.

The pro-life movement is a prime example. While the "moral majority" crusaders turned abortion into a contentious social issue in the 1980s partly out of racial animus and party for political gain - since contraception became widely available, the

American public has been pretty united in its support of birth control and the health facilities that offer it.

Title X, the programme which provides voluntary family planning options and reproductive health care to low-income Americans, was established by Richard Nixon and remained relatively uncontroversial from the 1970s through the second Bush administration.

The tides changed in 2011, with Republican efforts to cut Title X and defund Planned Parenthood. Though Planned Parenthood has been a longtime target of pro-life terrorists - clinics bombed and picketed, doctors and women stalked and harassed - moves to cut the organisation's federal funds and attempts to defund contraception coverage for the poor were new to the national political scene.

But not to the pro-life one. Radical anti-choice organisations have advocated against Planned Parenthood for years. The organisation "STOPP - Stop Planned Parenthood" was founded in 1986 and affiliated with the American Life League, aiming to bring Jesus to

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

While right-wing hostility toward women's rights is nothing new, what is different is the extent to which the most fringe viewpoints are normalised within the Republican party.

Planned Parenthood through Mary.

While they advocated on a small level to defund Planned Parenthood and slowly gained strength through alliances with other anti-choice groups, they were generally ignored by the Republican establishment for two and a half decades.

Anyone following the pro-life movement knew very well that opposing contraception access is the mainstream pro-life organisational position - despite the fact that birth control prevents enormous numbers of abortions, I'm unaware of any major pro-life group that supports contraception access. That's because, for all of their talk about valuing foetal life, the bigger issue for pro-life organisations is the radical shift in gender roles that birth control and abortion enabled.

We have more options than ever before and are attending college and graduate school in record numbers, moving up the ranks at work and filling political offices. An inability to plan our families would change all of that, and pro-life groups know it.

As anti-choice groups gained more influence within the Republican party, and as identifying as "pro-life" practically became a requirement for anyone running on a GOP ticket, the expansive definition of "pro-life" favoured by extremist groups became increasingly normalised. State and local efforts to chip away at abortion rights slowly started to inform national GOP politics.

The Republican rape philosophers - we heard so much from them in the last election - took their talking points from fringe antiabortion leaders. That centring of radical conservatism, along with the Tea Party movement and a more generalised right-wing anger at the shifting face of American power after

the election of Barack Obama, created the perfect storm of extremism, belligerence and resentment at historically marginalised groups.

The scapegoats?Women, among others.And most pointedly, the lowincome women, women of colour and immigrant women who disproportionately rely on Title X and Planned Parenthood services.

Now, in 2013 - nearly 40 years since the Supreme Court declared in Griswold v Connecticut that married couples had a right to access contraception - birth control is controversial.

Now, in 2013, protecting women from violence is a divisive political position.

Again with VAWA, the women targeted by the GOP are among the most vulnerable, and make up a veritable "who's who" list of groups the Republican party has antagonised and alienated: the LGBT community, Native Americans and immigrants. Unfortunately for the GOP, their long-time strategy of "appeal to white people, demonise everyone else" stops working so well once the various groups that make up "everyone else" gain both power and numbers.

But they don't appear to be stopping. VAWA passed, but the funding for the programmes it authorises are now subject to the sequester. An estimated 200,000 victims of violence may lose services.

The general American public doesn't take kindly to targeting victims of rape and domestic violence.

Directing animosity at women, and at non-white women in particular, may be a good way to rally the base.

But it's also a great way to lose elections.

Source: AlJazeera

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

U.N. partially lifts arms embargo on Somalia for a year T he U.N. Security Council agreed on Wednesday to partially lift a decades-old arms embargo on Somalia for one year, allowing the government in

Mogadishu to buy light weapons to strengthen its security forces to fight al Qaeda-linked Islamists.

The 15-member council unanimously adopted a British-

drafted resolution that also renewed a 17,600-strong African Union peacekeeping force for a year and reconfigured the U.N. mission in the Horn of Africa country.

UK Ambassador to UN, Mark Lyall Grant, far left, and US counterpart, Susan Rice at the meeting.

Somalia's government had asked for the arms embargo to be removed and the United States supported that, but other Security Council members were wary about completely lifting the embargo on a country that is already awash with weapons, diplomats said.

"What we have tried to do is draw a balance between those who wanted an unrestricted lifting of the arms embargo and those who felt it was premature to lift the arms embargo," Britain's U.N. Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant told reporters after the vote. "It is a good and strong compromise."

The Security Council imposed the embargo on Somalia in 1992 to cut the flow of weapons to feuding warlords, who a year earlier had ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and plunged the country into civil war. Somalia held its first vote since 1991 last year to elect a president and prime minister.

"Yes there are major challenges, but we are now ... moving away from international trusteeship of the situation in Somalia towards supporting the government's efforts to address its own problems," Lyall Grant said.

Egypt court throws election timetable up in the air

A

n Egyptian court threw the timetable for parliamentary elections into confusion on Wednesday, ordering the cancellation of President Mohamed Mursi's decree calling the vote and forcing a likely delay to polls due to start in April.

The Administrative Court's ruling deepened Egypt's political uncertainty at a time of social unrest and economic crisis, with the nation's foreign currency reserves at critically low levels and the budget deficit soaring.

The court said it had referred Egypt's amended electoral law, under which the lower house polls are due to be held, to the Supreme Constitutional Court for review.

Egypt has been torn by political confusion and strife since the 2011 uprising that

deposed autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Many opposition parties had announced they would boycott the vote, which had been due to be held in four stages from April 22 until late June.

Mursi's office said that while it respected the court's decision, it would appeal the ruling, which was handed down as the government says it wants to resume talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a $4.8 billion loan to shore up Egypt's finances.

"It is now likely that elections will be postponed, extending political uncertainties and further delaying a possible IMF deal at a time when restoring confidence in the economy is needed to avert a potential economic crisis," said Farouk Soussa, chief economist at Citi in Dubai.

President Morsi "Egypt's economic challenges are deepening by the day, while the prospects of addressing these seemingly diminish at an equally alarming rate," he said.

The IMF is unlikely to want to

grant a loan while there remains significant upheaval and lack of any form of political consensus, said Jason Tuvey, Assistant Economist at Capital Economics in London.

Scores killed in renewed DR Congo clashes

Colonel Olivier Hamuli

A

t least 70 people have been killed and thousands more fled their homes after days of fighting between rebels and government forces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,

aid agencies said.

The clashes between the army and fighters from the APCLS armed group, which began last week in the town of Kitchanga, are just the latest

violence to flare up in a region that has become a tinder box of ethnic tensions and battles over resources.

A hospital filled with wounded civilians was shelled over the weekend and homes have been torched, according to the French medical NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres.

"Local Red Cross workers are saying 70 people dead," Cory Kik, MSF's medical coordinator in the region, told Reuters news agency by telephone on Tuesday.

"The situation is very serious ...

Seeing the burnt-out houses and the casualties, it's shocking."

Local Red Cross workers were not immediately reachable.

But one local official said that as many as 200 people were dead or missing after the clashes and that more than 300 homes had been destroyed.

By Tuesday, 10,000 people had gathered outside the UN base in Kitchanga seeking refuge from the fighting, according to the United Nations.

That is just part of an estimated 1.8 million people who have fled their homes in Congo's restive east because of fighting.

A spokesman for the Congolese army, known as FARDC, said it had driven APCLS fighters out of Kitchanga on Monday.

Colonel Olivier Hamuli blamed the fighting, some of the bloodiest in recent months, on a personal feud between a FARDC commanding officer and an APCLS fighter, who until recently fought alongside government troops against the anti-Kinshasa M23 uprising.

Hundreds inmemorial service for dragged taxi driver

A

memorial service has been held in South Africa for the young Mozambican taxi driver who died last week after being dragged behind a police van.

Nelson Mandela's wife, GracaMachel, was among the mourners at the sports stadium in Daveyton near Johannesburg.

MidoMacia, 27, died of head injuries and internal bleeding after his arrest.

An investigation was launched after video footage emerged showing Mr Macia being hauled through the streets with his hands cuffed to a police van.

President Jacob Zuma called the incident "horrific" and "unacceptable".

Eight police officers were charged with murder last Friday - three days after the fatal incident.

They are expected to appear in court this coming Friday to make a formal bail application.

Hundreds of mourners attended the memorial service in Daveyton, where last week Mr Macia was reportedly detained for parking his vehicle in a way that blocked traffic.

Ms Machel told the BBC's Peter Biles that the case showed that "South Africa is struggling in terms of how we deal with our emotions, how we relate to one another".

"The level of anger, the level of aggression, the level of violence in which we relate to one another, I think it expresses a much deeper trouble we have to deal with our past," she said.

Ms Machel was born in Mozambique and was its first lady, having been married to Mozambican President SamoraMachel until his death in 1986.

There was initially a light police presence at the memorial but officers were booed by mourners and left the service.

The video, apparently recorded by a bystander on a mobile phone, shows a large crowd watching as uniformed policemen tied him to the van, dragging him as they drove away.

Public anger grew after the footage was broadcast on television.

South Africa's police watchdog - the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is examining the video as part of its investigation.

The police force was already under intense scrutiny after officers shot dead 34 striking miners last August.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Asia and Middle East

T

he families of people who disappeared in Sri Lanka during and after the country's long civil war have staged a demonstration in the capital Colombo.

The rally was mostly on behalf of Tamil people.

PAGE 33

Protest over â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;missingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sri Lankans Many protesters were prevented by the authorities from attending, but a big pro-government demonstration was allowed to go ahead.

Tamil Tiger rebels fought a 26year war for a separate state in the north and east before they were defeated in 2009.

Rights activists say that some of those who disappeared were fighting

for the Tamil Tigers, some fought for the government and some were civilians.

They say that many Tamils remain in the hands of the security forces.

They want a UN-led international probe into alleged human rights abuses during the war, but the government has rejected the demand and denies

being responsible for most of the disappearances.

Opposition politician and antidisappearances campaigner Mano Ganeshan told the AP news agency that buses packed with about 1,000 Tamils were prevented from leaving the northern town of Vavuniya on Tuesday to make the 210km (130mile) journey to Colombo for

Wednesday's protest.

He said that government forces and police had intimidated the bus drivers, warning them not to proceed with the journey.

However, military spokesman Brig RuwanWanigasooriya said that police had stopped the buses to prevent possible clashes in Vavuniya.

Looming house tax compels Chinese to divorce

C

hinese couples are rushing to divorce before a new tax on home sales hits after the government cracked down on property speculation, the Shanghai Daily newspaper has reported.

Shanghai's marriage registrars, - who also handle divorces - saw scores of couples rush in to untie the knot after China's central government announced a 20 percent tax on the profit from house sales on Friday.

A loophoole in the law allows couples with two properties who divorce and put each house into one person's name to then sell them taxfree under certain conditions, after which they can remarry.

An exemption from the tax applies to those who are selling their main home and have owned it for more than five years.

The registration centre in Zhabei District said had seen a record 53 divorces on Tuesday.

"We have never seen so many couples seeking a divorce in a single day, and by 2pm the number had already surpassed the previous high of 42 couples," its director, whose surname is Yin, told the state-backed paper.

Shanghai's civil affairs bureau confirmed the planned tax had triggered a rise in the number of divorces, but declined to give a total for cases across the city, the newspaper said.

He Zhanbiao, the administration's director, warned that some people might be taking a risk.

"Some men might trick their wives into getting a divorce using the tax as an excuse. But they might have a mistress and truly want a divorce," he said.

Estate agents across the city also witnessed long queues of people eager to sell.

Families of the 'missing' carry pictures of their loved ones in protest.

Palestinian children 'mistreated' in Israeli detention

T

he ill-treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli jails is "widespread, systematic and institutionalised", a UN report says.

The study, by the children's fund Unicef, described some of the practices used in dealing with children as "cruel, inhuman or degrading".

It acknowledged Israel had made some "positive changes" in its treatment of young detainees in recent years.

Israel said it would "work hard" to adopt the report's recommendations.

According to the report, an estimated 700 Palestinian children aged 12 to 17 are arrested by Israeli security

forces in the West Bank every year.

It said ill-treatment typically began with arrests carried out in the middle of the night and continued through to prosecution and sentencing.

The report said unacceptable practices included "blindfolding children and tying their hands with plastic ties, physical and verbal abuse during transfer to an interrogation site, including the use of painful restraints".

It said during interrogation, some detained children had been "threatened with death, physical violence, solitary confinement and sexual assault, against themselves or a family member".

he number of Syrian refugees who have fled the conflict has reached a million, the UN has said.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said the number of people seeking haven in neighbouring countries had jumped since the beginning of the year.

Half of the refugees were children, the UN said, most of them under 11 and often traumatised by their experiences.

The largest numbers of refugees were seeking shelter in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt.

The figure includes registered refugees and newer arrivals awaiting registration.

"Syria is spiralling towards full-

scale disaster," the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said in a statement, warning that the international humanitarian response capacity was "dangerously stretched".

"This tragedy has to be stopped," he added, warning that the influx of people had also stretched the resources of Syria's neighbours.

The millionth refugee recorded by UNHCR was a 19-year-old mother of two called Bushra.

"Our situation is so bad, everything is so expensive, we can't find any work... The situation is so bad, I live with 20 other people in one room," Bushra told reporters in the Lebanese city of Tripoli.

Many of those who have fled

Couples queue to get divorce.

Syria: refugees number a million, says UN T conflict now live in difficult conditions, with poor sanitation and insufficient resources to cope with the harsh winters.

In Lebanon, for example, the influx of almost a third of a million refugees since last February has swollen the country's population by 10%.

Turkey, providing a temporary home for some 184,000 refugees, has spent more than $600m (459m euros; ÂŁ396m) setting up 17 refugee camps, and is building new ones to meet the increasing need, the UN said.

"These countries should not only be recognised for their unstinting commitment to keeping their borders open for Syrian refugees, they should be massively supported as well," Mr Guterres said.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 34

Europe and Americas

Russian and U.S. diplomats to meet on Syria

S

enior U.S. and Russian diplomats will discuss the Syrian conflict at talks in London on Thursday, Russia said, announcing the latest in a series of meetings aimed at finding an end to the bloodshed.

Russia's special Middle East envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, will hold talks with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns on the sidelines of an international meeting on Yemen, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said.

Speaking at a weekly news conference on Wednesday, Lukashevich said Bogdanov would also meet LakhdarBrahimi, the U.N./Arab League peace envoy for Syria, but did not make clear whether all three diplomats would meet together.

Senior U.S. and Russian diplomats have met repeatedly in recent months - including two meetings between Burns, Bogdanov and Brahimi - with little sign of progress toward ending the two-year-old conflict that has killed more than 70,000 people.

Moscow and Washington have long been at odds over the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The United States says he must abandon power but Russia says his exit must not be a precondition for a negotiated settlement, and has blocked Western-backed efforts to use the clout of the U.N. Security Council to pressure him.

The planned meeting comes after a telephone call on Friday in which the White House said Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama agreed on "the need to advance a political transition" to end the violence in Syria as soon as possible.

The Kremlin said Putin and Obama had told their foreign ministers to seek "new initiatives" to end the civil war.

Bogdanov will also hold talks with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, Lukashevich said.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov

Obama seeks authority for IMF voting reforms T

he Obama administration has asked Congress for authority to implement historic voting reforms in the International Monetary Fund that boost the influence of emerging economies like China in the global financial institution, sources said on Tuesday.

But the plan faces an uphill battle for passage in a tense budget environment marked by the launch of $85 billion in automatic spending cuts on Friday that hit both the military and domestic programs hard.

The Treasury Department submitted the request as a provision to be inserted into pending legislation to keep the U.S. government funded through September 30 this year, congressional aides said. The Treasury sought authority to shift $65 billion in U.S. funding from an

IMF crisis fund into U.S. quotas, which determine voting power in the Fund.

The United States is the IMF's largest member country and has veto power over decisions. The vote reforms were approved by the IMF in 2010, making China the thirdlargest voting member in the Fund and revamping the IMF's board to reduce Western Europe's dominance.

The U.S. request would not require any new funds to be appropriated by Congress because it simply shifts money from one IMF account within the budget to another, a Senate Democratic aide said.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has already rejected the request to include it in legislation scheduled for a vote on Tuesday that would avoid a March 27 government shutdown. A House Republican aide said House Appropriations Committee Hal

Rogers chose to limit such so-called "anomalies" for targeted adjustments to the funding extension bill.

No decision has been made yet

by Democrats, who control the Senate, on whether to include the IMF request in the Senate version of the funding bill, expected to be introduced later this month. Approval by the Senate would give it a good chance to be included into the final bill after the two chambers work out differences.

A Treasury spokeswoman declined to comment directly on the request, but said: "The United States is committed to implementing the 2010 quota and governance reform.

We are actively working with Congress to get quota legislation completed as soon as possible."

Congressional aides said the Treasury is concerned that further delays by Congress in approving the IMF vote reforms could damage U.S.

credibility and influence in the global institution, according to aides said.

The reforms were already delayed by the administration's reluctance last year to ask Congress for funding approval ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November.

"There is support for this because it fulfills a commitment by the United States and is in the interests of the United States," one Senate Democratic aide said. "But because the IMF is inherently viewed by some in Congress as controversial, the outcome is difficult to predict."

Should the request be rejected, the $65 billion would remain locked in the IMF crisis fund, known as the New Arrangements to Borrow, until the end of the fiscal year. But the administration could renew its request as part of the fiscal 2014 budget process, which is just now getting underway.

Kerry confident arms reaching Syria moderates

U

S Secretary of State John Kerry has expressed confidence that weapons are increasingly ending up in the hands of moderate groups within the Syrian opposition.

Speaking at a joint press conference at Doha's al-Wajba Palace with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber alThani, Kerry said on Tuesday that Qatar and the US have worked to tighten sanctions and help Syria's opposition "build the unity and effectiveness that they need" to "change [Syrian] President [Bashar] Assad's calculation on the ground".

Kerry's trip to Qatar rounds off a nine-country tour through Europe and the Middle East, the first international trip he has taken since being confirmed as secretary of state in January.

Although the US has not provided arms to Syria's rebels, last week Kerry announced that the US would provide $60m in non-lethal

assistance to the Syrian opposition, including medical and food aid.

"We have now, for the first time â&#x20AC;Ś directed assistance straight to the military council and straight to the Syrian opposition," said Kerry.

Sheikh Hamad was also

optimistic about Syria, saying the international community was starting to "work in a more constructive fashion", but said that if other countries had worked "with more diligence" on the issue in the past, the Assad government "would

have been gone by now".

He had harsh words for Assad and his government, describing Assad as a "terrorist" who is "killing his people".

Qatar and Saudi Arabia have been among the most vocal advocates of providing arms to the Syrian opposition.

Kerry also spoke briefly about North Korea, saying the US hopes to "see the leader of North Korea take responsible actions for peace" in the region.

"The world would be better served" if Korean leader Kim Jongun "engages in legitimate dialogue and legitimate negotiations" to resolve concerns about the country's nuclear programme, Kerry said.

Sheikh Hamad touched on the Israel-Palestine peace process, expressing his concerns that "unless there is an agreement to put a timetable ... to end the process, I believe there will be a real crisis and we will all lose hope".

problems," Joaquin Almunia, the EU competition commissioner, said in a statement.

"Such decisions require strict compliance. A failure to comply is a very serious infringement that must be sanctioned accordingly."

However, an investigation found that for the roll-out of Windows 7 in the period May 2011 to July 2012, about 15 million clients had no web browser choice for that time.

Microsoft has acknowledged the failure, which it put down to technical problems.

The EU has had a series of disputes with Microsoft, fining the company 899 million euros in 2008, subsequently reduced to 860 million euros, for failing to comply with an order to share product information with rivals

so that their software could work with Windows.

Under EU law, a company found to have breached commitments made to resolve competition cases can face a fine

of up to 10 percent of annual sales.

In 2012, Microsoft posted sales of just under $74bn. The single biggest EU anti-trust fine was against Intel at 1.06 billion euros in 2009.

John Kerry (L) speaks with Syria opposition head, Ahmed alKhatib (2nd left).

EU fines Microsoft $730m over browser choice

T

he European Commission has fined US technology giant Microsoft $730m for failing to provide clients with a choice of Internet browser, as it had promised to do.

The commission said on Wednesday that this was the first time it was sanctioning a company for the failure to satisfy a previous EU complaint, making this a "very serious infringement".

In 2009, the commission required Microsoft to offer clients a choice of web browsers through to 2014, after complaints it was restricting them to its own brand product.

"Legally binding commitments reached in antitrust decisions play a very important role in our enforcement policy because they allow for rapid solutions to competition

Joaquin Almunia, the EU competition commissioner.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 35

The incredible story of TippiDegre, a real life Mowgli

By Sumitra

M

owgli has always been one of the most-loved characters from children's literature. I loved the Jungle Book cartoon movie when I was a kid and I must say it is a favorite even today. So when I heard about this real-life Mowgli character, I was fascinated.

Folklore and fairy-tales always mention that wild animals do not hurt the young ones of any species.

But that theory hasn't exactly been tested out in the real world, and there have been cases where babies were reportedly killed by man-

eating lions or tigers. But that's what makes TippiDegre's story that more special. Now 23 years old, Tippi is the only child of French wildlife photographer parents, Alain Degre and Sylvie Robert. Her parents'profession and their work in Africa made the young girl's childhood unique, giving her the opportunity to interact with wild animals in incredible ways. She was named after actress TippiHedren, who is said to have kept fully-grown lions as pets in her home, and little Tippi was no different from her namesake, demonstrating early on the ability to form unusual bonds with the creatures of the wild.

According to Tippi's mother Sylvia, "It was magical to be able to be free in this nature with this child.

She was a very lucky little girl - she was born and raised until the age of 10 totally in the wild. It was just the three of us living in the wild with the animals and not too many humans. She was in the mindset of these animals. She believed the animals were her size and her friends. She was using her imagination to live in these different conditions." Indeed she was, and it is so endearing to look at pictures of little Tippi with the animals. She doesn't look very different from Mowgli with her unruly mop of hair, dressed in underwear, and sporting a slightly protruding belly. She looks completely at ease in the animal world. One of the cutest pictures is of her hugging a bullfrog like a normal 6-year-old might hug a teddy bear.

It's a different matter that she seems to have the frog in a death grip and the poor creature looks quite uncomfortable. In other pictures, Tippi can be seen sitting on elephants, kissing reptiles, standing on one foot on top of a crocodile, having her hand licked by a cheetah, and proudly tossing her head as she rides an ostrich.

Her childhood friends were a rather motley crow - a leopard named J&B, an elephant, crocodiles, lion cubs, giraffes, meerkats, an ostrich, a mongoose, a cheetah, a snake, a zebra, a few chameleons and some giant bullfrogs.

It's very surprising that animals otherwise considered extremely dangerous were able to accept little Tippi and include her as one of their own. Her parents say they used to be very gentle with her always making sure they didn't hurt her.

Especially Linda the ostrich, who was supposedly so afraid of hurting the girl that Tippi's parents rarely got a chance to capture them riding together. Linda wouldn't move at all with Tippi sitting on her, afraid she might cause the child to fall.

About her daughter's relationship with Abu the elephant, mother Sylvie says: "She had no fear. She did not realize she was not the same size as Abu. She would look into his eyes and speak to him." But it's not just the animals that Tippi got along with so well. Growing up among the native tribes people of

Namibia, she was taken under their wing and taught all sorts of survival techniques of the wild.

She could speak their language,

hunt and knew how to feed herself with roots and berries.

Tippi lived in the wild for the first 10 years of her life, after which her parents took her back to their home country, France. She was sent to a French state school, and was a local celebrity. But things did not go very well for her in the city; she did not take too well to civilized life, as her parents had hoped. School was difficult since she had almost nothing in common with the other children in Paris. She went to school for only two years, after which her parents took to homeschooling her. But her upbringing ensured that she has remained a unique human being for life. The 23-year old went on to study cinema, supervised the wellbeing and treatment of tigers for a popular international game show in France, and wrote a book called Tippi of Africa, which became a bestseller. Very little is known about her life today. Last we heard she wanted to get a Namibian passport because she always believed she was African. Rumor has it she may have gone back to Africa to resume her friendship with the wild.

Source: odditycentral.com

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

You could avoid diabetes by getting up to chat to a colleague

By Jenny Hope and Emma Innes

F

orget the gym - getting up from your desk to chat to a colleague a few times a day may be all that is required to prevent Type 2 diabetes.

New research suggests people at high risk of developing diabetes may be able to escape the condition by cutting the time they spending sitting down by 90 minutes every day.

Consequently, official advice recommending 150 minutes of physical activity each week should be amended to encourage people to be less sedentary all the time, say studies from Leicester University.

They found important risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, such as blood glucose and cholesterol levels, improved far more in people told to sit less, compared with those doing required amounts of exercise.

Research leader Joseph Henson said: 'These studies provide preliminary evidence that sedentary behaviour

may be a more effective way to target the prevention of Type 2 diabetes, rather than just solely focusing on physical activity.

'Moreover, sedentary time occupies large portions of the day, unlike moderate to vigorous physical activity.'

Type 2 diabetes mostly affects middle-aged people and occurs when the body gradually loses the ability to process blood sugar, leading to high levels which can damage body organs and years of ill-health.

It is strongly linked to lifestyle factors such as being overweight or obese, leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating an unhealthy diet.

Patients from two studies on activity levels and diabetes were investigated by a team from the Diabetes Research Unit at Leicester University.

The patients, who were at high risk of developing diabetes, ranged in age from early 30s to late 60s.

The team examined the extent to which sedentary time, breaks in sedentary time, vigorous exercise and

Those who spent longer sitting down had risk factors that were 'detrimentally' linked to diabetes

total physical activity were linked with cardiometabolic risk factors in a population with known risk factors for Type 2 diabetes.

These include blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

They found those who spent longer periods of time sitting had risk factors that were 'detrimentally' linked to diabetes whatever their age.

Sedentary time had stronger links with negative scores than improvements brought about by vigorous exercise, says a report in Diabetologia (The journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes).

Mr Henson said the research suggested that cutting sitting time by 90 minutes a day would significantly help people at risk.

'Along with messages related to accumulating at least 150 min per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity, which form the cornerstone of diabetes prevention programmes, such interventions may be more effective still if individuals are further encouraged to simply sit less and move more, regardless of the intensity level,' he added.

There is growing evidence which suggests too much sitting - as opposed to insufficient activity - may be a new risk factor for premature death and illness.

The study comes after US research showing office workers who sit for more than four hours a day are at greater risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

It found those sitting for at least six hours were significantly more likely to have diabetes.

Dr Matthew Hobbs, Head of Research at Diabetes UK, said: 'This study adds to the extensive evidence that spending a lot of time sitting or lying down is linked to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and that being more physically active can help to reduce this risk.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Being less sedentary all the time could be more beneficial than going to the gym, claim scientists

Heading a football 'can cause brain damage and affect thinking' cognitive changes in athletes - it could also have broader applications in clinics or out in the field.'

This study comes just months after an extensive study of the brains of American football players showed than the majority had signs of brain damage as a result of repeated head injuries.

By Emma Innes

I

t is well known that playing the beautiful game can increase fitness.

But heading a football could in fact cause brain damage, scientists are warning.

Researchers at the University of Texas say that a header is classed as a 'minor sub-concussive blow' and have found that young people who play football are less able to perform tasks requiring basic thinking skills than those who avoid the game.

In a series of computer games, the scientists pitted female secondary school students who play football against those who did not.

The results, which were published in journal PLoS ONE, showed that the players were 'significantly slower' at a task that required pointing away from an onscreen target than non-players.

Study author Dr Anne Serrano said impacts such as those experienced by heading a football during a match could be responsible for the difference.

The study, carried out by the Boston University School of Medicine, posthumously tested the brains of 50 footballers.

It found a link between head injuries suffered in the heavy-impact sport and degenerative brain disease.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Young people who play football are less able to perform tasks requiring basic thinking skills than those who avoid the game She explained: 'Tasks that involve pointing away from a target require specific voluntary responses, whereas moving toward a target is a more reflexive response.

'We think that sub-concussive blows to the head may cause changes to certain cognitive functions.'

However, it was not all bad news for footballers, as results also showed

they were just as capable at a task which required them to point at an on-screen target.

Dr Serrano hailed the findings as a means of identifying possible neural disorders caused by playing sport.

She said: 'The app used in our research may be a quick and effective way to screen for and track

Heading a football is classed as a minor sub-concussive blow and can cause brain damage, scientists are warning

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Reps order Akunyili, others to return official vehicles

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he House of Representatives yesterday ordered the former Minister of Information, Professor Dora Akunyili, her Minister of State, Alhai Ikra Bilbis, and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Engr. Anthony Ozodinobi to return within 7 days official cars attached to their offices.

The House Committee on Public Accounts chaired by Rep Adeola Solomon handed down the order after hearing the submission of the officials of the Mministry led by its Permanent Secretary, Mrs Kehinde Ajoni who appeared before the Committee over the queries raised against it by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAGF).

The OAGF had told the committee that all efforts to retrieve the vehicles from the officials since 2010 had proved abortive. While directing its secretariat to immediately forward a covering letters to the trio on its decision for them to return the four Toyota Hillux Double Cabin pick-up vans to the ministry within the stipulated time, the committee threatened that failure on the part of anyone of them to comply with the directive would lead to their being dragged before the court on charges of stealing of government properties.

According Adeola "This is unacceptable; they should all return the vehicles in question within one week failure which they will be charged to Court for stealing. The secretariat should write the three of them immediately to convey the decision of this Committee to them. The evidences before us have shown that several letters had been written to them on the need for them to return the vehicles which they ignored'".

Ajoni briefed the committee that the ministry had made spirited attempts to recover the vehicles but that the only result they got was that Professor Akunyuli returned only one out of the two in her possession while Alhaji Bilbis and Engr. Ozodinobi held on to the ones in their possessions without any response to the official letter written to the by the ministry.

She disclosed that the five vehicles in question were the National Telephony Project vehicles belonging to the Ministry which were attached to the affected officials and the auditors discovered that they were missing during auditor routine checks.

PAGE 37

ANPP urges NASS to investigate budget failure

By Umar Muhammad Puma

A

gainst the backdrop of recent rating by the 2012 Open budget Index released by the International Budget Partnership in Washington DC last week, the All Nigeria peoples party (ANPP) has called on the National Assembly to leave no stone unturned in investigating the reasons for the perennial failure of the nation’s budget.

This is in addition to the call on the lawmakers to carry out necessary review in the budgeting system so as to ensure transparency and effectiveness of the system.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Emma Eneakwu, the party said the report indicated that Nigeria scored 16 percent in 2012, against 20 percent in 2008; 19 per cent in 2010 and 18 per cent. According to the party, other 100 countries surveyed scored an average of 43 per cent stressing that the nation’s performance was appalling and should worry every patriotic citizen.

He said “Any underhandedness in whatever guise is a deliberate attempt to obfuscate the people and shortchange the nation. In this regard, the PDP-led Federal

Government is guilty of progressively taking our great nation down the abyss of fiscal doom”.

While alluding to a statement credited Senate President David Mark that the nation’s budget is not serving the people, the ANPP stated ‘‘Over the years, our budgets have not brought growth, have not improved the employment rate and have not brought dividends of democracy to Nigerians, as fast as expected.’’

The party noted that a national budget is the most important economic policy instrument for governments and has the singular duty of translating the campaign

promises, political commitments and goals of the government in power into visible parameters in the lives of the citizenry, “We believe that the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP]’s government has failed the people of Nigeria with whom they have a social contract. As a party, we recognize that fiscal discipline, accountability, effective allocation and efficient public service are the ingredients the country needs now more than ever to curb the recurring decimal of failed budgets, for the people to benefit from the abundant resources this great country is endowed with,” the party stressed.

Alleged suspended members of Ogun House of Assembly waiting at the Assembly's premises after police prevented them from entering the complex, yesterday in Abeokuta.

Photo: NAN

Kogi PDP warns LG aspirants against presenting fake certificates From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

K

ogi state Chairman of the People Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Hassan Salawu, has warned the aspirants jostling for elective positions in the forthcoming local government council polls not to present fake certificates to avoid litigations from the opposition after the party’s victory.

Salawu stated this yesterday when he received women aspirants led by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development in the state, Mrs. Patience Mameh at the party secretariat in Lokoja.

The PDP chairman said the party electoral fortunes suffered set back in the past due to conflict arising from disputed public documents including certificates

and tax clearance which some aspirants will always fail to present during their screening.

He declared that the party is determined to ensure strict compliance with the laid rules to ensure a hitch-free exercise considering the the confusion in the party arrangements.

Earlier, the leader of delegation, Mameh, said they were at the party

secretariat to ask the State Working Committee (SWC) to ensure 35 percent affirmation for women in the state for the forth coming local government council election in the state.

Meanwhile, tension has continued to mount on the state as the dropping of the Liason Officers thrown the followers into confusion in the state.

Declare amnesty for Boko Haram, Tsav counsels Jonathan From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

F

ormer Lagos State Police Commissioner Alh. Abubakar Tsav has stressed that President Goodluck Jonathan's visit to Borno and Yobe States tomorrow would

amount to mockery of the people if he fails to grant amnesty to Boko Haram Sect members.

Tsav who said this in a telephone interview yesterday maintained that nothing short of unconditional amnesty is required to stop the insurgency.

"If Jonathan visits these states without pronouncing unconditional amnesty to the Boko Haram sect members like late President Yar'Adua did for the Niger Delta militant, then his visit will be a mere mockery", he noted.

The social critic showered encomiums on 12 governors of the All Progressive Congress, APC ,for their donation of over N200 million to Borno and Yobe states to curtail activities of the group as well as rehabilitate members of the sect

PAGE 38

Suswam's wife canvasses for women empowerment through education From Musa Pam, Jos

B

enue State Governor's wife, Mrs. Yemisi Dooshima Suswam, has revealed that one of the most enduring ways women could be empowered in the country is through good and qualitative education.

Suswam said that her own personal experience as a girl-child who got the right education at a time women were withdrawn from school and forced into early marriage was that with the right education women can attain any height.

The governor's wife spoke at a lecture organised in Jos yesterday by a non-governmental organisation, The Gender Intervention Team, in collaboration with Women and Gender Studies of the a University of Jos. According to her, "It is almost two decades since the United Nations convened the Fourth World Conference on Women at Beijing in China, an event in which Nigeria actively participated and it is signatory to the convention. Sadly, till date the tale had not changed to an acceptable one for women in Nigeria.

"There is little doubt that the success of Nigeria's objective to be among the top 20 world economy by 2020 rests to a large extent on Nigeria's ability to harness the abilities of its women folk and drive them as engines of durable development."

She said that even in precolonial times, women were given more responsibilities than in the modern times and cited the example of women who were traditional rulers in those days.

She maintained that since the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the right for every Nigerian, irrespective of gender, to participate in the political process, nobody has the right to exempt women from the political process.

Suswam who spoke on 'Empowering Women for Leadership through Education,' said that the treatment meted to Nigerian women by the men is a misnomer because at the international, regional and domestic level, there is no legal impediment to women participation in leadership.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Ogun Assembly pre-empts Reps intervention, resolves crisis

By Mohammed Umar and Ayodele Samuel,Lagos Feuding members of the Ogun State House of Assembly yesterday morning sheathe their swords with the key actors - Speaker Suraj Adekunbi and Honourable Remmy Hazzan, apologising to Ogun people nay Nigerians over the suspension and counter - suspension of some members at the floor of House on Tuesday.

They resolved to hold plenary later when the 26 member Assembly would sit to reverse whatever transpired at the floor of the House on Tuesday. The incident also resulted in the breaking of the

mace, which is the Assembly's symbol of authority.

The resolution of the crisis followed a private meeting of Adekunbi, his Deputy; Tola Banjo, Taiwo Oluomo, Israel Jolaosho, Hazzan, Turanyo Oladapo - Adeleye, Job Akintan and John Obafemi with the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa and other members of Governor Ibikunle Amosun's administration in Oke - Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital.

Newsmen gathered that the peace meeting was initiated by the former Speaker of the Assembly, Tunji Egbetokun, who prevailed on the warring lawmakers to bury their

differences and allow peace to reign in the interest of the state.

Adekunbi and Remmy Hazzan, who jointly addressed the press at the base of the Governor's Office, apologised to the people of the state and pledged to work in harmony, serve the people better and also follow due process while conducting their legislative business.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday debated the crisis in Ogun Assembly at plenary and resolved to call on the Inspector General of Police to set in motion process of peace.

The lawmakers said the directive issued on IGP

Mohammed Abubakar can achieve lasting peace if it takes immediate effect.

The resolution emerged after some ACN lawmakers in the House insisted that their colleagues should allow Ogun state to use its internal arrangement in settling its problems.

But the PDP lawmakers were of the opinion that the House should exercise its constitutional powers of taking over affairs of Ogun Assembly temporarily.

Hon. Ossai Ossai (PDP, Delta State) who introduced the Motion under matter of urgent public importance said the House needed to act fast to save the state from looming anarchy.

L-R: Enugu state Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Christopher Chukwura, Speaker of the House, Mr. Eugene Odo, and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Chime Oji, during the signing the 2013 Appropriation Bill by the governor, yesterday in Enugu.

Gov. Chime of Enugu signs budget bill into law

G

ov. Sullivan Chime of Enugu yestesday signed the 2013 Appropriation bill of N83.78billion into law, as against the N82.9 billion proposed by the executive.

On the occasion, Chime thanked the House of Assembly for reviewing the budget upward by 1.05 per cent, and gave an assurance of strict implementation of the budget.

“I want to thank you people for your cooperation towards

passing the budget, for the upward review even when I was on prolonged leave.

“Some of the things which brought about the review were oversight functions on the part of the executive members; I assure you that we will certainly implement this budget to the letter.

“We hope to get our full share from the Federal Government and raise some from our Internal Generated Revenue,” the

governor said.

Earlier, the Speaker, Chief Eugene Odo had said the increase was to accommodate infrastructure upgrade at the state School of Midwifery, to the tune of N500 million.

He said that N200 million had also been earmarked for Internet facilities in government ministries and agencies.

“The total of this upward review amounted to N853, 423, 408.

“We hope that this budget will receive the usual religious implementation.

“We will continue to perform the necessary oversight functions to ensure the proper implementation of this budget,” Odo said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the then Acting Gov. Sunday Onyebuchi had presented N82.9 billion budget to the House in December.

(NAN)

Akunyili to receive award in Niger Republic for role in women welfare

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rof. Dora Akunyili will receive an International Active Woman Award in the Niger Republic for her role in supporting the welfare of women.

Akunyili will be given the award as part of celebration of the International Women Day scheduled for March 8.

The award is to be presented by the Incubation, Entrepreneurship

and Leadership Promotion Centre (CIPEL) in collaboration with the Niger Republic Ministry of Women Promotion.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Issa Almoustapha, the Chairperson, Organising Committee of the event and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

The event, which holds every March 8 since 2010, is designed to pay tribute to women and to all men who support to the best of their ability, the welfare of women.

According to the statement, Akunyili is being honoured for her role in the promotion of women in the light of her fight against fake medicine when she was the Director General of NAFDAC.

It recalled that prior to the appointment of Akunyili as the director general of NAFDAC in 2001, the issue of fake drugs was seriously plaguing the nation with women and children suffering the greatest casualties.

It said that other recipients of the award will come from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Morocco and Togo.

``Akinyili is being awarded as a pioneer woman leader who worked for the promotion of women in the light of her fight against fake medicine when she was D-G of NAFDAC,'' the statement said.

The event, which is sponsored by the first lady of Niger Republic, Dr Issoufou Malika, also enjoyed the high patronage of the Nigerien Prime Minister, Mr Brigi Rafini. (NAN)

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Gov. Okorocha donates N5m to ANCOPSS

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Kano and Jigawa states Indigenes Association in National Assembly in a group photograph, during the launching of the Association's handbook, yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Sen. Gaya challenges PDP governors to visit Maiduguri

By Umar Muhammad Puma

S

enator Kabiru Gaya of the All Nigerian People’s Party, (ANPP) yesterday berates the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over its criticisms of the recent visit of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors to Maiduguri, Borno state.

Gaya who represent Kano South in the Senate said while interacting with journalists in Abuja, that the APC governors were courageous enough to face

the war front, despite security challenges in that area.

“This is fantastic and wonderful; whatever faith you belongs to as a leader, you must show your concern to your people.

But now we have made the PDP to go there; “I challenge the PDP governors to go to the market and shake hands with the people and then come back smiling; they knew what the problems is; I have been talking about the issue of Maiduguri for the last two years.

Even before the insurgence move

to Damaturu in Yobe state, that the government should stop this insurgency; even if it means amnesty, let them grant amnesty to these people like late President Yar’Adua granted amnesty to the militant in Niger-Delta, and there was peace in that region. We now need peace in that area, so let the President take note, it is his constituency, he had to work for the peace of this country”.

He lamented that the insurgency has now moved to Kano, which is now static as a result of the insurgency. “The

economy had dropped drastically to about 10 percent now. The situation is worsening and nobody knows what will happen tomorrow.

It is really unfortunate, there must be an improvement in security, the government must improve its security apparatus to secure the lives of its people” “If the PDP decides to go to Maiduguri today, well they are following the footsteps of APC; I think they should be prepared to now be on the opposing site”, he said.

Ojukwu's son assumes father's slot in APGA's BoT

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he embattled Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh, yesterday disclosed that the son of the late APGA leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Jnr, has been nominated to take his fathers slot in the Board of Trustees (BoT) of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

In a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency meeting of APGA's NEC and 35 state chairmen in Abuja, Umeh said that the Ojukwu jnr.will formally replace his late father in the BoT of the party that will be constituted in the next NEC meeting.

The communiqué read by the chairman the party NEC rejected in totality the judgment by the Enugu state Chief Judge which on February 10, 2013 removed Umeh as the Chairman of APGA. According to him, "more embarrassing was the fact that the suit was filed 18 months after the convention and neither APGA nor 28 other members of the NWC

elected at convention were made parties on the suit. We reject this judgment and hereby affirm our full support to the Appeal filed by our able National Chairman, challenging this controversial judgment as he was the sole defendant in the suit."

They also noted with shock the purported convening of a meeting of National Caucus of APGA by Governor Peter Obi of Anambra recently, saying it was conducted in the breach of the party's constitution and therefore illegal.

They also declared that the

purportedly elected interim National Working Committee members, was null and void, recalling that at the meeting, Barrister Maxi Okwu was alleged to have been elected Acting National Chairman, while Governor Obi was appointed as the Acting National Leader and Dr. Tim Menakaya appointed as the acting Chairman Board of Trustees.

In his acceptance speech, Ojukwu's son said that he was very prepared to continue from where his father stopped regretting

however that many people have been using his father's name to pursue their personal interests in the party.

He said that his father, during his lifetime, preached peace, unity and mutual respect, urging the party loyalists to always remember those principles of equity, fairness, unity, for which his father stood before his death.

He commended the state chairmen for standing behind Umeh, all these while the APGA crisis has been going on, urging them to shun money politics.

NBA canvasses single tenure

T

he Nigerian bar Association (NBA) yesterday canvassed for a single tenure for elected political offices to reduce political tension in the country.

Mr Sulyman Abaya, the GeneralSecretary of the Ilorin branch of the association, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin.

Abaya noted that the controversy and tension witnessed

during the second term debate had caused distractions in the country.

“In all honesty, single term will prevent unnecessary pressure, allow room for good governance and concentration.

“Single term of five years is appropriate for president and governors in order for us as a country to develop a workable home-grown template that will bring about speedy development.

“The impact and distraction of two

terms on the polity is huge and that makes it expedient for us to go for single term,” he said.

He said that the ongoing debate on whether President Goodluck Jonathan could run for a second term in 2015 was uncalled for, describing it as a distraction for good governance.

“President Goodluck Jonathan should be more focused and committed to bettering the lots of the people. (NAN)

ov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo yesterday donated N5 million to All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS).

Okorocha made the donation at the South-East Mandatory Continuing Professional Training Programme (MCPT), organised by ANCOPSS in Owerri.

Represented by Prof. Antony Anwuka, the Secretary to the State’s Government, Okorocha gave the money in response to the request by organisation.

He said that any subvention released by his administration was aimed at improving the welfare of the people.

The governor pointed out that education was the first priority of his administration, saying: “we will continue to be the star of the east of the Niger and in Nigeria”.

Earlier, Imo ANCOPSS President, Mr Goddy Amaku, said the programme provided a forum for principals to exchange views and ideas on education matters.

He said the programme would help to improve their skills and competence.

He requested for a bus to enable principals attend meetings and workshops, adding that the organisation also need a secretariat in the state capital.

Amaku urged the governor to grant principals’ allowance to make a difference between their salaries and those of their subordinates on the same grade level. (NAN)

Yero directs MDAs to give quarterly revenue report

G

ov. Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State yesterday directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to give quarterly report of the revenue generated.

The Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Saidu Adamu, told newsmen in Kaduna that Yero gave the directive during the State Executive Council meeting.

Adamu said the decision was part of government’s efforts to improve and reach the targeted revenue to be generated by MDAs. He said each of the 26 commissioners should constitute sub-committee at his ministry to fashion out ways that would enable him reach the revenue target.

The commissioner stressed the need for more revenue which he said would enable the state government to execute its plans captured in the budget.

According to him, all the executive council members have resolved to attend the N500 million fund-raising to immortalise late Gov. Patrick Yakowa.

Adamu also reiterated the commitment of the state government to fight measles’ outbreak in the state in order to eradicate and stop the spread of the disease. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Harambee Stars resume camping for Super Eagles today

T

he delayed announcement of the Kenya presidential polls results forceda shift by 24 hours Harambee Stars resumption of camping for a World Cup tie against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

However, the camp, which had hitherto been planned to kick-start yesterday, will resume today as the Harambee Stars begin preparations to travel to Nigeria to engage the African champions on March 23 in Calabar in a 2014 qualifying match.

Newly appointed coach Adel Amrouche said his players are already in town awaiting to enter camp on Thursday morning.

Amrouche, who earlier this week said that he is not afraid of facing the Super Eagles, said although they were meant to report for training yesterday, they were informed that no one is working because of the elections.

The former Burundi coach appointed to take over Harambee Stars named a provisional squad last week. The selection of players was local based with the foreignbased pros expected to join up later.

Kenya are bottom of Group F with one point, three points behind leaders Nigeria.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Duncan Ochieng, Boniface Oluoch, Fredrick Onyango Defenders: Edwin Wafula, James Situma, Abdalla Juma, Collins Kisuya, Abdulatif Omar, David Owino, David Ochieng, Eugene Asike, James Mulinge, Crispin Odula Midfielders: Anthony Akumu, Anthony Kimani (Sofapaka), Peter Opiyo, Daniel Onyango, Kevin Omondi, Bob Mugalia, Francis Kahata, Paul Were Strikers: Jesse Were, Rama Salim, Paul Mungai, Michael Olunga, Allan Wanga, Mohamed Hassan.

T

he family of late Tesilimi Balogun, popularly known as Thunder Balogun, yesterday in Lagos presented a trophy for U-17 football championship in memory of their late father.

Presenting the trophy at a news conference, Rasheed Balogun, one of the sons of the ex-international, said that the competition would be organised by Community Youth Sports Development Organisation (CYSDO).

Rasheed said that the competition is meant to promote

P

Late Thunder Balogun family floats U-17 memorial competition grassroots soccer and to assist them to make a career out of the football.

“Many of our young ones are roaming the streets without any idea of what to do with their lives.

This championship will provide a platform for such hapless youths to find their bearings in the area of sports,” he said.

Rasheed said that the competition was strictly meant for the U-17 because such age brackets “were still within the stage of uncertainty,” and added that 20 clubs have so far registered for the competition scheduled to start on March 11 at the Ikorodu.

The sponsor said that the

winner would get N200,000, runners-up N120,000 and the third place winners N75,000.

The Chairman, Nigeria Football and Other Sports Supporters Club Yisa Basorun, who was the chairman at the occasion, donated N50,000 for the best player of the competition.

The quartet celebrating after winning silver now reallocated as gold at the Sydney Games in 2000.

By Patrick Andrew with agency report

T

he International Olympic Committee (IOC) has finally sent the gold medal won by Nigeria’s 4x400 metres relay quartet at the 2000

NFF says March 9 NPFL kickoff date sacred resident of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, has doused all doubts about the uncertainty of March 9 as the kick-off date of the 2012/2013 Nigeria professional Football league season.

Maigari said this while declaring open a seminar for match commissioners at the Nigeria Institute for Sports in Abuja.

The NFF president, who charges the match commissioners on competence and performance, said there would be no going back on the date and as such urged teams to conclude their preparations for the commencement of the league.

“We are starting on 9th March and we are resolved to conclude the season in September. This means that matches would be played in midweek as well, with all the pressure, intensity and gruel that come with it.

“This calls for painstaking approach, thoroughness and men

PAGE 41

of integrity in charge. The NFF is determined that the standard security and medical provisions, and all other things that must be on ground before a match commences, are met,” he said.

Further, Maigari said Nigeria’s recent conquest of Africa in both the senior and junior levels makes her the cynosure of all eyes in organisation, officiating and even quality of the game.

“The triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa has placed on us much greater responsibility to not only conform to global best practices and standards, but also to set markers for other nations to emulate as we strive to take African football to the next level.

“For decades, the Nigeria League has been seen, and thus regarded, as one of the best in the African continent. Recently, our League was voted as the very best in Africa, and among the best in the universe.”

At last, IOC sends Sydney 2000 gold medal to Nigeria Sydney Olympic Games, 13 years after.

Originally, the Nigerian quartet anchored by Enefiok Udo-Obong had won silver but following the disqualification of the USA quartet that won the gold for doping violation, the IOC had informed Nigeria of the reallocation of the medals.

The US had been disqualified because the late Antonio Pettigrew confessed to having used banned performanceenhancing drugs at the time.

Therefore, Nigeria were elevated to the top position, Jamaica were promoted to silver and Bahamas the bronze.

In the IOC letter covering the dispatch of the medal and signed

by Dr Jacques Rogge, the IOC President and addressed to the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) states.

“I am pleased to send you this Olympic Gold for Mr Enefiok UdoObong, who was part of your men’s 4x400m now placed first in the athletics men’s 4x400 metres relay event at the Games of the XXV11 Olympiad, Sydney 2000.”

The letter was silent on the medals for the other members of the team- Clement Chukwu, late Sunday Bada and Jude Monye, probably because the trio are yet to return their silver medals to the IOC as directed.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Emman Nweri, the Manager of NOC, said that Nigeria forwarded only the silver medal that was returned to it by UdoObong in line with the IOC’s directive.

The U.S.-based Chukwu confirmed in a telephone interview with NAN that he and other U.S.-based members of the team were yet to return their medals because they did not receive any official correspondence to that effect.

Udo-Obong said he returned the silver in 2012 four years after the IOC formally stripped the USA of the medals and reallocated them.

“I submitted the silver since October 2012 but my teammates have yet to do so, because they didn’t believe it.

They’ve lost confidence of ever receiving the medals,” he said.

Though Pettigrew was disqualified in August 2008 but the IOC delayed a decision on the reallocation until it had received information stemming from investigations into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) sports-doping scandal, according to a statement from the IOC. Two years later, Pettigrew was found dead in the back seat of his locked car in Chatham County, North Carolina, and evidence of sleeping pills was found by police.

An autopsy report later stated that he had committed suicide by overdosing on a medication containing diphenhydramine.

Sadly too, Nigeria’s Bada, who ran the third leg of the race, at which they set a national record of 2min 58.68secs, died in 2011.

Bada, who was the former world indoor 400m champion, dropped dead suddenly at the age of 42 on December 2011. He had waited in vain for the IOC decision on the re-allocation.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

AYC: Obuh picks 5 ex-Eaglets, 16 others for Flying Eagles

C

oach John Obuh has picked a final list of 21 Flying Eagles to Nigeria in her quest to retain the

Abduljaleel Ajagun

African Youth Championship trophy. The 2013 edition is scheduled to be held in Algeria fromMarch 16 through March 30.

Leading the squad is skipper Abduljeleel Ajagun, who was part of the squad that lifted the trophy in South Africa on May 1, 2011.

There are also FIFA U-17 World Cup silver medallists Mohammed Goyi Aliyu, Aigbe Oliha, Edafe Egbedi and Olanrewaju Kayode.

Obuh, who also led the team to triumph in South Africa two years ago, in

addition picked seven defenders, six midfielders and five strikers as the team intensified its final preparations in Tunis.

Nigeria play Mali, Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo, in that order, in Group B of the 12th African Youth Championship. Host Algeria, Benin Republic, Ghana and Egypt clash in Group A. The Flying Eagles will play all their group phase games in Oran, with their first match against Mali's Junior Eagles coming up on March 17 and the clash with Gabon

on March 20. Three days later, they trade tackles with the Democratic Republic of Congo, who eliminated Cameroon's Lionceux to reach their first African Youth Championship bfinals.

THE FINAL LIST Goalkeepers: Samuel Okani (Enyimba FC); Jonah Usman (ABS FC); Emmanuel Daniel (Rangers FC) Defenders: Aigbe Oliha (Esperance Sportive de Zarzis); Goyi Aliyu (Nigeria); Abdullahi Shehu (Kano Pillars); Chizoba Amaefule (Dolphins FC); Ikechukwu Okorie

FG backs Maigari for CAF Exco membership

By Patrick Andrew

T

he Federal Government has thrown it weight behind Aminu Maigari’s quest to secure a seat in the CAF Executive Committee.

The president of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is seeking to replace suspended Dr. Amos Adamu, who was axed from FIFA and CAF executive committees for alleged implication in the World Cup 2018 and 2024 finals cash-for-vote bribery scandal.

Following the three-year suspension clamped on him by FIFA ethics committee and later upheld by the CAS, he was subsequently ousted from both the FIFA and CAF executive committees. He also lost his presidency of WAFU, a body that later said to be scraped by CAF. Though Adamu is due to serve out his suspension this year, CAF wants to file the vacant seat this weekend when the tenure should have been completed. The continental body led by Issah Hayatou had insisted that there was no vacancy as it opted to leave the seat vacant until the tenures.

Now, with the expiration of the tenure, Maigari along with Anjorin Moucharafou of Benin Republic and Hima Souley of Niger in the West B Zonal union are seeking to take up the seat.

Yesterday at the Regional Group of Experts Meeting on InterGovernmental Committee on Physical Education and Sports, the Sports Minister Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, called on the union to rally round Nigeria’s candidate adding that the federal government is committed to the success of Maigari’s course.

“This weekend is very vital to Nigeria. The CAF executive committee election will hold in Marrakech Morocco and Aminu Maigari is one of the candidates that would vie for post of the committee.

“The position of federal government is very strong and we are in full support of his candidacy, we want him to win the position this weekend,” he said.

The minister said should Maigari failed, the embarrassment would be Nigeria’s since he is vying for the position on behalf of the Nigerian government.

“It will be an embarrassment to the nation if he (Maigari) loses the election and as such, the NSC is ready to support his candidature for the position, “he said.

Abdullahi said Maigari had duly sought and obtained the blessings of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and therefore enjoys unalloyed support of the leadership of the commission to seek votes to fill the CAF executive committee seat.

Peoples Daily Sports recalls that three years ago, the government had made a lame effort to get Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima elected in Khartoum, Sudan but that failed. Prior to that though, individuals had always insisted that they sought for such positions without the backing of the Nigerian government and therefore owe the country no allegiance.

Previous attempts had made by late Emeka Omeruah, Brig.

General Dominic Oneya, but all could not garner enough support especially from the Franco-phone countries.

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ASAA JOSEPHINE CHINYELU JANE, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS AGU JOSEPHINE CHINYELU JANE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. BI-COURTNEY AVIATION SERVICES LIMITED, LAGOS AND GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

(Enyimba FC); Kingsley Madu (El-Kanemi Warriors); Abubakar Hassan (Wikki Tourists FC) Midfielders: Aminu Umar (Wikki Tourists FC); Abduljeleel Ajagun (Dolphins FC); Ovbokha Agboyi (Bayelsa United);

Chidi Osuchukwu (Dolphins FC); Uche Agbo (Enyimba FC); Moses Orkuma (Lobi Stars) Forwards: Bright Ejike (Heartland FC); Olanrewaju Kayode (Ansfed Utd, Turkey); Abdullahi Gero (Rangers FC); Christian Pyagbara (Sharks FC); Edafe Egbedi (AGFAarhus, Denmark).

3 Cecafa referees for U-20 AFCON in Algeria

T

he Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed three referees from the Council for East and Central Football Associations (Cecafa) region to handle the forthcoming U-20 African Cup of Nations in Algeria.

Rwanda, Kenya and Burundi have had a referee picked from their countries to handle the 19th Edition of the event which runs March 16 through 30.

Hudu Munyemana from Rwanda and Kenya’s Peter Sabatia will make the trip to Algeria, while another referee from Burundi will also handle the matches.

The appointment of the Rwanda official has impressed the FA members there as the development comes just weeks after another Rwandan assistant referee Felicien Kabanda returned from officiating at the African Cup of Nations in South Africa as well as the African Super Cup in Egypt.

Rogers Mulindwa, the Cecafa media Officer told MTNFootball.com that having three referees from the region is good testimony that the region is doing well.

“The three referees should go and represent us well and also improve themselves because they now have the platform to show their worth,” added Mulindwa.

FIFA threatens DR Congo with sanctions

F

IFA have threatened to impose strict sanctions on the Democratic Republic of

L-R: Bauchi state governor, Malam Isa Yuguda, receiving AFCON trophy from NFF president, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, on Tuesday in Photo: NAN Bauchi.

Congo following government’s decision to enforce the organisation of national competition fixtures in state-owned stadiums as well as the authorisation for the signing of any contract of sponsorship of national teams.

“The FIFA statutes explicitly warn that member associations shall manage their affairs in an independent manner, failing which they risk being sanctioned,” reminded FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, who did not hesitate to mention the possibility of a suspension for the Congolese Federation.

“A suspension would signify that any national team or club and any FECOFA official could no longer maintain relations on the sports front (besides participating in any competition or continental or international event) and that all the FIFA and CAF assistance programmes would be interrupted with immediate effect.”

If FIFA were to carry out their threat, the DR Congo Leopards would see themselves excluded from the 2014 World Cup, their Juniors excluded from the 2013 under-20 Afcon and TP Mazembe, V-Club and DCMP eliminated from CAF competitions.

Congolese Minister of Sports, Beaudoin Banza Mukalayi, had announced what the soccer ruling terms ‘government interference’, recently.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 43

Spur hard work starts now

T

ottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has admitted his club’s long-term future will be dependent on what transpires in the final few weeks of this season.

Villas-Boas believes a challenge for the Premier League title and a rise up the European pecking order could all be within Tottenham’s reach if they secure

Champions League football for next season, but he admits failure in their push for a top four finish could have damaging long-term effects.

The Spurs boss hopes he gets the chance to mount a challenge for the Premier League title as early as next season, but he admits that ambitious plan could be derailed if they allow their promise of

recent months to slip now.

At the moment our focus is on maintaining the distance between the teams that are behind us rather than looking too far at the teams who are challenging for the title in Man City and Manchester United.

Villas-Boas’s desire to secure Tottenham’s spot in Europe’s elite competition cannot be doubted,

yet his passion to succeed in this season’s Europa League remains strong ahead of Thursday night’s last-16 tie against Inter Milan at White Hart Lane.

Refuting suggestions that he would be taking a risk by playing his first choice line-up against Inter with Sunday’s difficult Premier League trip to Liverpool looming large, he insisted the two competitions can be accommodated in his side’s list of ambitions.

Manchester United CL exit to cost at least £22m

M

anchester United’s elimination from the Champions League by Real Madrid, who won at Old Trafford, could cost them at least £22 million.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side had looked set to progress as they led the Spanish side 10 at Old Trafford, but goals from Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo after Nani’s controversial sending off put them out.

United will bank £34 million in prize money from UEFA, compared to the £30.4 million earned when they failed to get out of their group last season.

But a run to the final would have seen their UEFA earnings top £56 million, with almost as much again earned through sponsorship bonuses, merchandise revenue and gate and TV money.

United’s early exit last season saw club revenues fall for the first time since the Glazers family took over.

Van Persie

Barcelona to appeal against Valdes ban

B

arcelona have confirmed that they will appeal against the four-game ban handed to goalkeeper Victor Valdes after he insulted referee Miguel Angel Perez Lasa following the 2-1 La Liga defeat at Real Madrid.

Valdes, 31, was incensed that Perez Lasa did not award Barca a late penalty for a Sergio Ramos challenge on Adriano Correia inside the Madrid area.

The goalkeeper was shown a straight red card after confronting the referee at the

Victor Valdes

final whistle and telling him he “had no shame”.

His dismissal sparked speculation over the length of the ban he would face. In January, Ramos had received a five-game ban for accusing referee Miguel Angel Ayza Gomez of being a “shameless scoundrel” after being shown a red card during a Copa del Rey win over Celta Vigo.

Spain’s competition committee announced its fourmatch decision on Wednesday, and a Barcelona statement said: “The legal department of FC Barcelona will lodge an appeal in the coming days against the decision.”

The ban means Valdes will miss home games against Deportivo la Coruna, Rayo Vallecano and Real Mallorca and the away clash with Celta Vigo.

Reserve keeper Jose Pinto, 37, now looks sure to start against Deportivo on Saturday, although it is unclear which goalkeeper will be on the bench.

Barca B keeper Oier Olazabal, 23, is suspended after he was sent off for a professional foul during the youth team’s 3-3 La Segunda draw at Las Palmas.

Next in line Jordi Masip, 24,

missed the trip to Las Palmas with a knee injury. Should he not recover in time, 19-year-old fifth choice Miguel Banuz is likely be on the bench.

Joseph Fabrice Ondoa, 17, who

came to Barca via Samuel Eto’o’s foundation in 2009 and has already been called up to the Cameroon senior squad, is another potential option for Barca stand-in coach Jordi Roura.

Pepe Reina

Reina urges Liverpool to recruit

P

epe Reina has warned Liverpool could fall further behind Champions League qualification next season if the club’s board fails to recruit new players in the summer.

Reina, 30, believes the Reds have become a more stable outfit under Brendan Rodgers as they look beyond this season, having failed replicate last year’s domestic cup success.

But the January additions of Daniel Sturridge and Brazilian midfielder Coutinho has led Reina to suggest that Liverpool’s return to the heights of the Premier League and Champions League will come down to the level of investment in the summer transfer window.

Reina’s requests are unlikely to be met with much action from the Liverpool board after they confirmed the club’s debts rose to £87.2 last season.

The significant figures raised questions over the future of star players like Luis Suarez, but managing director Ian Ayre confirmed there would be no pressure to reduce the squad as a means of recovering debt.

It’s just as well, given that Suarez has scored 21 of Liverpool’s 53 league goals this season.

Madrid Real were lucky to beat Manchester United- Mourinho

J

ose Mourinho admitted Real Madrid did not deserve to progress to the quarterfinals of the Champions League after a controversial 2-1 win

Jose Mourinho

over 10-man Manchester United.

The Spanish giants looked on course to exit Europe’s grandest club competition when Sergio Ramos’ own-goal shortly after half-time gave United the initiative in the second leg at Old Trafford.

But the encounter was turned on its head when Nani was given what seemed a harsh red card in the 56th minute for a mid-air challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa.

Luka Modric levelled on the night and on aggregate with a spectacular strike from distance 10 minutes later before, inevitably, former United old boy Cristiano Ronaldo scored what proved to be the winner shortly afterwards.

While much of the attention

was focused on Nani’s sending off, Mourinho preferred to salute the efforts of his opponents.

“Independent of the decision, the best team lost. We didn’t play well, we didn’t deserve to win but football is like that.

Mourinho said he was frustrated his side was not able to match a dominant United and believed only the red card to Nani had swayed the tie in Madrid’s favour.

“I’m a bit frustrated because we played amazingly well against Barcelona and today I was waiting for more.

“I know they are giants, not just physically but also mentally, I know they are fantastic and I know they have a manager who can motivate and organise people.

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Kano Pillars aim for win in Bauchi Nadal buoys by T Mexico Open win

R

afael Nadal believes he played one of his greatest ever finals on clay during his recent demolition of David Ferrer at the Mexico Open.

Nadal, a seven-time champion at the French Open, defeated his compatriot 6-0 62 last weekend in Acapulco, securing his first tour title since returning to tennis after a seven-month absence through injury.

While he conceded that he still feels some pain in his knee, the 26-year-old insisted he is once again able to play with “no limitations”, hailing his performance in the final against Ferrer as one of the greatest of his career.

“I played one of the best finals ever on clay.

It was unexpected. I did not think I could play at that level in that final, but I did. I was very happy,” Nadal told ESPN. He added: “I started to move - with some pain, but that is not a problem. I think playing with pain is normal for athletes. But I had the chance to play with no limitations.”

Nadal revealed that he had endured some tough times during his long absence from the professional circuit, but believes the enforced absence has helped him to develop an improved state of mind, and make him appreciate what it means to play tennis for a living.

“I said before, I think the worst feeling is I don’t know when i will be back,” Nadal said, when asked about his rehabilitation. “I tried different treatments - some seemed to work at the beginning, but then they didn’t work.

“You start a treatment and make a calendar (of your return), but then at the end of the month you try (to play) and feel you are the same position as the month before.

That is the worst.”

He continued: “When you are out and you come back, every moment is special. When you are playing every week in big stadiums in front of a full crowd - you lost that feeling. It’s a new situation for me, but it is one I will enjoy I think because I am fresh mentally and I really want to play.

“I am very excited to be back on the tour.”

During his absence, the topic of potential drug usage on the ATP Tour has become an increasingly controversial topic of discussion. Nadal is confident his rivals are not using performance-enhancing substances.

“I have to think, and really believe, our sport is very clean,” he said. “As an Olympic sport, which we are, it is important to be sure your opponent is as clean as you are.

The sport needs a very clean image.”

he technical adviser of Kano Pillars, Baba Ganaru, has divulged to supersport.com that his side’s qualification to the next round of the Caf Champions League would boost the morale of his wards to a bright start in the 2012/13 NPFL season.

Kano Pillars overcame the champions of Central Africa Republic, Olympique du Bangui 5-1 on aggregate to set up a tough duel with last year’s Caf Confederation Cup winners, AC Leopards.

The Sai Masugida will now kick off the defence of their title in the domestic league at Wikki Tourists, and Ganaru revealed that it would be difficult for the Tourists to comprehend with the

momentum of his boys on Sunday.

“We are the defending champions, and we want to maintain our status in the coming season.

“My boys are ready for the start of the championship, and a win over Wikki Tourists this weekend will be a great way to start the campaign,” the former El-Kanemi Warriors’ gaffer said to supersport.com.

Kano Pillars last season won the NPFL title on 61 points despite losing their last game 1-2 at Sunshine Stars on September 7 last year in Ijebu-Ode.

Wladimir Klitschko

Cancer survivor calls out Wladimir for May 4 duel W

ladimir Klitschko will defend his four heavyweight titles against Francesco Pianeta, a former sparring partner, a German-Italian, in Mannheim, Germany, on May 4.

Klitschko, who holds the IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA titles, used the 28-year-old Pianeta as a sparring partner last year.

The 36-year-old champion’s record stands at 59 wins and three defeats after his three successful title defences last year, including a victory over Poland’s Mariusz Wach in November.

Pianeta, who is 1.93 metres tall, is 5 cm shorter than Klitschko.

He is undefeated after 29 fights, including one draw.

“I have a lot of respect for Pianeta because he is young and has a big fighting spirit,” the 36-year-old Klitschko said in a statement on Tuesday.

“I was briefly his sparring partner last year and I noted where his weaknesses are and how best to exploit them,” said Pianeta.

“I understand many see me as an outsider and that is fine but I will knock Klitschko out and turn the world of boxing on its head.

Klitschko’s older brother, Vitali, is the WBC champion.

The Italian-born Pianeta, who grew up in Gelsenkirchen in northwest Germany, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in late 2009.

He underwent surgery in early 2010 and returned to the ring that December, knocking out American Mike Middleton in the first round. The bout against Klitschko will be his eighth since his return.

Last year Pianeta beat former WBC champion Oliver McCall, 47, of the United States, and South African Francois Botha, 44, both on points.

British boxer, John Donnelly, has been suspended for two years after a positive drug test.

The UK anti-doping agency says Donnelly tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, on November 9 last year.

His ban will run until November 26 2014.

The 28-year-old professional failed an in-competition test for the substance, a violation that carries a two-year sanction.

3SC target continental ticket

3

SC defender, Mutiu Adegoke, believes his club have what it takes to qualify for either the CAF Champions League or the Confederation Cup. The Ibadan giants did not make much of an impression in the premier league last season and got knocked out in the Round of 60 of the Federation Cup by minnows Fame Academy.

Although winning the premiership could be a long shot, the former Super Eagles wingback told supersport.com that he

has been impressed with their preparations, and that they aim to be out there with the pacesetters from the word go.

“We weren’t well placed when I joined the team last season, but we were able to claw our way back to finish in a respectable position,” Adegoke said.

“Having been able to achieve that, I feel we are now capable of finishing in the top four considering the quality of the new players we brought in.

“The new boys have done well, and I’ve been particularly

impressed with the form of Gbolahan Salami and Sunday Abubakar in attack.

“There is intense competition for places and I’m confident we have got a side that could take points anywhere in the premier league. “The difference between last season and this one is that we are well prepared from the start, and instead of constantly battling to improve our position, we aim to be among the top teams from start to finish.

“We were able to keep the nucleus of the side and add

wisely so we will have a great chance of doing better.

“I’m not promising any trophy, but I’ll be disappointed if we don’t finish high enough in either of the domestic competitions to make it to Africa.”

On their upcoming premier league tie against Gombe United, he told supersport.com: “We are obviously going for the three points, but we know Gombe have always been dangerous opponents and we won’t underrate them.

“We want to be as high as we can in the league, and we can’t do that by dropping points unnecessarily at home.”

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 45

2

PICTORIAL

1

5

6

1/ UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Manchester United over Nani's red card and Sir Alex Ferguson's non-fulfillment of post-match media obligations.

2/ Memorable feats in disappointing circumstances from Ryan Giggs and Lionel Messi feature alongside achievements by Francesco Totti, Daniel De Silva and Bayern Munich in FIFA 3/ Andy Murray will return to action at Indian Wells this weekend with the world number two ranking in his sights.

4/ Former Olympic high jump gold medallist Tia Hellebaut announces her retirement from athletics at the age of 35.

5/ Barcelona have confirmed that they will appeal against the four-game ban handed to Victor Valdes after he insulted referee Miguel Angel Perez Lasa following the La Liga defeat at Real Madrid.

6/ Ahead of their crunch qualifier with USA, FIFA spoke exclusively to Mexico captain Javier Rodriguez, who is back home after four years in Europe.

3

4

PAGE 46

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

Azarenka arrives for Indian Wells title defence

A

ustralian Open champion Victoria Azarenka arrives for her title defence at Indian Wells seeking another victory to take her closer to regaining the world No 1 ranking.

A title repeat on the hard courts of the California desert won’t send Azarenka back to the top of the heap, but it could set the stage for a showdown with current No 1 Serena Williams later in March in Miami.

Williams and her sister Venus are skipping the BNP Paribas Open, where other notable absentees include China’s Li Na. World No 5 Li is still

battling the nagging effects of the left ankle injury she suffered in losing the Australian Open final to Azarenka.

Women’s main draw play in the combined WTA and ATP Masters tournament began yesterday, although the top 32 seeds all enjoy firstround byes.

World No 3 Maria Sharapova, routed in straight sets by Azarenka in last year’s final, is seeded second ahead of Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska and Germany’s Angelique Kerber.

Azarenka, 23, could face a tricky second-round

opener against two-time former champion Daniela Hantuchova.

The Slovakian faces a qualifier in the first round.

Azarenka could face American Sloane Stephens in the fourth round. The two last met in the Australian Open semifinals, when Azarenka squandered five match points, took a medical timeout and returned to triumph.

Also in the top quarter of the draw is world No 10 and 2011 champion Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.

In the bottom half of the draw, Sharapova faces a

tough opener against one of two former top-10 Italians, Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta.

Sharapova, the winner here in 2006, is pointed toward a quarterfinal clash with sixth-seeded French Open finalist Sara Errani of Italy.

Poland’s Radwanska is seeded to meet fifth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova a former Wimbledon champion in the quarters.

Kvitova posted her biggest success in 15 months with a three-set victory over Errani in the final of the Dubai Open in February.

Victoria Azarenka

Justin wins IFQ-Africa, qualifies for Muirfield

J

ustin Harding was elated with his threestroke victory yesterday at The Open Championship’s International Final Qualifying Africa, which took place at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club.

The 36-hole tournament

offers up three spots at the 142nd Open Championship at Muirfield and Harding claimed the first with his 14under-par total. He’ll tee it up against the greatest at golf’s oldest major, which starts on the 17th July.

The 27-year-old found his groove during the two rounds at Royal

Johannesburg & Kensington’s East Course, carding 66 and 64 for his impressive 14-under-par haul.

Eduardo de la Riva began with an eagle at the first and rocketed to the turn at fiveunder-par for the day. He finished the round in 66 blows to take the second spot

with his 11-under-par total.

Darryn Lloyd did not have the comfort of spare shots as he headed down the stretch, and had to hole a monster 30-footer on the 16th in order to move to eight-under and avoid a playoff. The 23-year-old, who currently lives in England, was excited about

his chance to play in the 142nd Open Championship.

Some 70 players, a lot of whom have won tournaments, both on the European and Sunshine Tours, participated in the tournament. Two more slot will be picked for the July fiesta in Muirfield.

Some sCORES: 130 – Justin Harding 133 – Eduardo de la Riva 135 – Darryn Lloyd 136 – Garth Mulroy, Jake Roos 137 – Johan du Buisson, Ross McGowan, Dean Burmester 138 – Martin Rominger 139 – Shaun Norris, Andrew Georgiou 140 – Bryce Easton, Alex Haindl, Danie van Tonder, Lyle Rowe, James Kingston, Desvonde Botes, Trevor Fisher.

Merritt sets sub-12.80seconds mark in 110m hurdles

A

fter his spectacular performance as a high hurdler, world record holder Aries Merritt has set sight on running sub-12.80 seconds in the 110 metres hurdles and believes it’s one accomplishment waiting to happen.

Last year, he won every major hurdles title and the outdoor world record in a whirlwind of performances that stunned the world.

“We have definitely seen that with Usain Bolt. He’s

Ares Merritt with his cornrows

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MISS. ARIKE MARY ZILLAH BABATUNDE, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. ARIKE MARY ZILLAH AKOSILE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. NATIONAL LOTTERY REGULATORY COMMISSION AND GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MISS. ONCHE LINDA, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. IKERIONWU LINDA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

put that limit talk to rest. Every time someone says no one can run faster than 9.6 (in the 100 metres), he goes out and runs 9.5.”

The first person to run eight sub-13 second hurdles races in a season, the braids-wearing Merritt knows records do not just pop up on demand.

But he also feels his world record race in Brussels last September could have been faster.

“My first unit was just terrible because I was so concerned about false starting,” the former US collegiate champion said. “So I sat in the blocks.”

The result? “I was 4/100ths of a second slower than my normal first unit. So if you take away those 4/100ths that is already 12.76,” Merritt said.

But Merritt understands that last year, during which he won the US and world indoor titles, the US Olympic trials and London Games gold medals and the world record, is one that might not happen again.

“I don’t think anyone in the history of the sport has had a year where they won every major championship of the year and then broke the world record,” said Merritt. “It was so surreal.”

A 13.09 second hurdler going into 2012 with a personal best dating back to 2007, Merritt had vowed things would be different after tying for fifth at the 2011 world championships.

“It really did not sit well,” the 2004 world junior champion said of the loss to people who he had beaten earlier in his career. “I had to do some soul searching and look and see what did I need to do.”

The answer? Changing his approach to the first hurdle from the traditional eight to seven steps.

Like any experiment, this one had its ups and downs but by the 2012 US indoor championships Merritt had begun to master the approach.

Proof came in the world indoor championships where Merritt, his braided-hair flying, surprised Chinese former world outdoor record holder Liu Xiang for the title.

The string of sub-13 second races outdoors only heightened the buzz of how a switch to seven steps had transformed Merritt.

True, the Texas resident said, the switch made a major difference but it was not the only ingredient in the medley of changes that made him the world’s fastest hurdler.

“The key thing for me was staying healthy. That is why the times were so consistent because my training was very consistent,” Merritt said.

Years earlier, when he showed so much promise, “I would run extremely fast (and) a week later I would get hurt.”

Merritt also grew up by taking better care of his body, started taking supplements and changed his diet. “Those are collectively things that led to success, not just one thing,” he said.

A cautious approach to recovering from a minor cramp in his right leg in February wiped out his indoor season.

“It is just going to make me hungrier to open up outdoors,” said Merritt, whose major aim in 2013 is to take the world title away from 2011 champion Jason Richardson, who was runner-up to Merritt in London.

Contrasting hair styles has only embellished their rivalry.

“I have braids and he has dreads (dreadlocks),” said Merritt, who can take hours to prepare his cornrows and braided hair for a race. “In my opinion there is not much you can do with dreads, but with braids you can switch it up and do all kinds of crazy.”

Not so fast, said Richardson, whose hair reaches down his back.

“I definitely think I am a kind of Samson,” he said of his dreadlocks. “There is a lot of power and majesty in my hair.”

Jason Richardson with his dreadlocks

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

PAGE 47

SUDOKU

Say what?

Last edition’s solution

Some Interesting Facts •Life is broadly defined as the condition of an organism that exhibits growth through metabolism, reproduction, and adaptation to its environment.

These characteristics separate living organisms from inanimate objects.

•The cell is the basic unit of life, and an organism must be composed of at least one cell to qualify as a living thing.

•The cells of every living organism contain deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), a nucleic acid that holds the genetic instructions for the development and functioning of a life form. It is this substance that allows a living thing to grow and reproduce.

•DNA was first discovered in 1869 by Swiss physician Friedrich Miescher who noticed a microscopic substance in the pus on discarded bandages. The substance was later identified as DNA. •A virus straddles the definition of life and, according to scientific definition, is not technically alive. It is composed simply of DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA) strands surrounded by a protein shell and requires a host cell to metabolize and reproduce. When not within a host cell, a virus lies dormant and is nothing more than a static organic particle.

•Scientists estimate the Earth is about 4.5 billion years old and first began to support life forms approximately 3.7 billion years ago.

While scientists universally believe that naturally occurring amino acids were mediated by nucleic acids to create the first life forms on Earth, the question of how nucleic acids originated from inanimate matter is still being studied today. There is no definitive answer yet as to the origin of life on Earth.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Sheepdog who was paralysed by a bullet keeps rolling along with specially-made walker.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

UEFA takes action against Man. United

U

EFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Sir Alex Ferguson after the Manchester United manager refused to attend a post-match press conference following his side's Champions League defeat at the hands of Real Madrid.

Ferguson was furious with Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir for dismissing Nani after his high boot made contact with Alvaro Arbeloa as they contested a ball in the second half of their last-16 tie at Old Trafford.

The home side was leading 1-0 at the time, a goal Nani helped to create, and his red card dramatically altered the game, Real scoring twice in three minutes as they sealed a quarter-final berth thanks to a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Managers of both sides are contractually obliged to face the press after the match but Ferguson sent assistant manager Mike Phelan in his place, who described the 71year-old as "distraught".

Consequently, UEFA has confirmed disciplinary proceedings against the club for the non-fulfillment of postmatch media obligations, and over Nani's red card offence.

A short statement added: "The case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on Thursday 21 March."

UEFA's statement made no mention of defender Rio Ferdinand, who sarcastically applauded Cakir after the final whistle when United's players surrounded the officials.

There was no mention of Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who sarcastically applauded Cakir after the final whistle when the players surrounded the officials.

Sir Alex Ferguson Champions League Juventus 2-0 Celtic (Agg 5-0) PSG 1-1 Valencia (Agg 3-2) ADVERT: BUSINESS: NEWS: LAGOS:

0803 0805 0803 0805 0803

QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE Any recruitment without advertisement is illegal. Nigerians should come out without fear to furnish the committee with relevant facts that would aid the investigation.

— Senate President David Mark

Theories of BH (4) - Terrorist posturing T

heory Four suspects a nominally irreligious culprit- criminal who merely uses religion as a false flag. Theory Four posits that the Boko Horror is actually the work of a very professional, armed intelligence and security-based network which may or may not have an international element providing justification, arms and ammunition.

Evidence for: The increasing levels of sophistication and high degree of organisation of the bombing campaigns - Only members of security or armed services have the knowledge, ability and sources of finance and equipment to carry out such coordinated and brutally destructive attacks. Even the AlQaeda network which is supposedly named as the source of this increasing sophistication is known to have been founded by people with connections to international spy agencies.

More evidence: A frightened public has been routinely kept in the dark regarding the real origins , source, type and physical impact of weaponry used in attacks. Patriotic security and military experts will tell you that there are clear difference between say, military bombs and local improvised explosive devices. A military bomb will leave a huge crater, while an IED will not. Most of the deadliest suicide attacks have left large craters. Fertilizer and whatnot, cannot produce such craters, they say.

If the CIA can pose as Al Qaeda…

Recent developments in the United States indicate that it is in fact possible for members of a state or government agency such as the Central Intelligence Agency to actually pose as Al Qaeda. Last year at least 3 'terrorists' were stopped from blowing themselves up in the United States homeland. They were prevented because their suicide vests never posed a real threat in the first place. In two instances the young Muslim men had actually been led along their deadly plan by spies who they thought were Al Qaeda.

This story of a new, strange and disturbing counterterrorism strategy on the part of the CIA was quickly snuffed out in the media following ethical and legal concerns raised by lawyers and parents of the

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CAR TEL OPIA CARTEL TELOPIA With Aisha Yolah ayolah06@yahoo.com 08086296783 (text only please) failed 'terrorists'. An even bigger problem is no doubt the question people like this writer would have to ask is : How do we know the real Al Qaeda, then? An elephantine question that no doubt has ensured that there have not been many repeats of such CIA successes. I am sure I am not the only person who today wonders who else may have or might be 'posing' as Al Qaeda - world-wide.

Coming home - it is easy to imagine such a similar scenario of certain rogue/criminal elements pasing as BH. For one except for the You Tube Sheikh himself, all BH we see and hear from have been vaguely namedfathers of (Abu) and sons of (Ibn).

Most real rebels, fighters and even 'terrorists' world-wide have tended to have real names or be well known as leaders in their movements. Not so our revolving door of the BH. A once expert intelligence service blown to bits The apparent helplessness of our once efficient secret police and state security apparatus speaks very loudly to such a conspiracy theory. But what would be the motive? American radicals like Michael Moore, Jesse Ventura who question the

whole War on Terror ethos of our current century have spoken of 'the military-industrial complex'. In Cartelopia, we already suffer from a ruling elite that has never shied away from theft, murder, assassination and massive fraud. Daily we are oppressed by ever mounting evidence of their priorities.

Assassination, cultism, brigandage. Theft of public enterprises, theft of even the crude oil that comes from the earth. Murder and mayhem is no problem to them.

Would the bloodletting and destruction of the BH and its various affiliates pose an ethical problem to such people? I don't think so.

Motive and ability More evidence? Cartelopia is a country suffering from an excess of militant posturing where the concept of public security has never existed. Only the personal security of the ruling elite has really ever mattered - thus making it easy for those who wield power to also foment violence.

For now there is no evidence against this our fourth and last hypothesis which is making the rounds for 'explaining' the Boko Horror (BH). A fifth column of

“

This fifth column of professional, international and/or local, security or military 'experts' have no particular religion or high principle beyond their militaryindustrial complex-size pockets

professional security or military experts pulling and pushing the buttons is as outrageous and shocking a possibility as it is the most rationally consistent with the evidence before us.

This theory is the only one that provides both motive and ability. All the three other explanations -(politicians from wherever (i) and militant fanatics from both major religious divides(ii) and (iii)) require elastic stretches of imagination not only for motive but also and more crucially, in terms of human and material capacity. Put another way our militant fanatics however strong 'anger' and desire to kill and whatever form they choose to take (ghosts, Houdini escape artists, Taliban, arsonist madwomen, angry churchgoers, unknown gunmen, psychotic suicide bombers etc.) may in reality be backed, closely watched, trained ( or not trained) and funded by members of a clandestine professional security/ pseudomilitary corp. Without the 'protection' of these rogue security men none of our killer groups would last a day.

An unchanging but predetermined story The official government narrative which was articulated

by PM Jonah after that first major MEND terrorist incident which took place on October 1st, 2010 was recently expanded to tar brush all Muslims and Northerners serving in government today. The PM said there are BH in his government.

In more responsible climes he would have been compelled to explain such a statement.

Imagine President Obama saying there were Al Qaeda (not the acting ones) in his government. Would he have been allowed to continue moseying on down.. 2 years and thousands dead, later?

As for all those potential BH members in his government - all the Northerners /Muslims - one wonders still at their complete lack of a sense of honour or history. Apparently not one of them was offended enough at being so maligned, to resign.

Why has this narrative given by PM Jonah not changed since that October 1st MEND bombing? Perhaps it is a predetermined narrative, constructed and sold to a thoughtless and prejudiced head of state by those behind the BH 'terrorism'. This fifth column of professional, international and/ or local, security or military 'experts' have no particular religion or high principle beyond their military-industrial complex-size pockets. They have us, today, where they want us.

To be concluded next week

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