Peoples Daily Newspaper, Friday, June 08, 2012 by Peoples Media Limited

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

Vol. 8 No. 55

Friday, June 8, 2012

. . . putting the people first

N2bn scam: Court grants Sylva bail

Gunmen kidnap Lebanese in Benue

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CBN approves N75bn agriculture grant

Rajab 18, 1433 AH

N150

NNPC denies order to refund N3.08trillion

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>> PAGE 4

Yes, our plane suffered engine failure –DANA Air From Suleiman Idris, Lagos with agency report

ANA Air, the operator of the commercial plane that crashed in Lagos on Sunday, said yesterday that the pilot reported engine failure just before it went down, but it was not clear if one or two engines had failed.

The Boeing McDonnell Douglas MD-83 plane came down on an apartment block, killing all 153 people on board and, at least, six people on the ground. It was Nigeria’s worst airline disaster for nearly two decades. The airline had previously said only that the plane had no

mechanical faults before the accident. Yesterday’s comments follow a statement by Aviation Minister Stella Oduah on Wednesday that both engines had failed. DANA’s director of flight operations told a news conference yesterday: “There was a mayday call for engine

failure at 1442 hours (1342 GMT). “We don’t know if it was one or two.” All the planes used by Dana have been tested to ensure they can fly on just one engine, in accordance with international norms, he said. Iberia Airlines, owned by International Airlines Group,

was in charge of maintenance, he said. Wilson said inferring from the mayday call that the plane had crashed because both engines failed was a “pure speculation”. “We don’t know why it crashed. We cannot say the exact cause of the accident Contd on Page 2

2015: ANC, CPC reopen merger talks . . . as Buhari, Tinubu demand positive change By Lawrence Olaoye

L-R: Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe state, in a handshake with Chairman, All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Yobe state chapter, Alhaji Sani Inuwa Nguru, during an oath-taking session for newly appointed High Court judges and Kadis, yesterday in Damaturu.

possible merger between the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) topped the agenda of a meeting between former Head of State and candidate of the CPC in the 2011 Presidential election and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, national leader of ANC, yesterday in Kaduna. Rising from the meeting which began at 7 pm and ended after an hour, the two opposition leaders were unanimous in their resolve to ensure “positive change” in the 2015 general elections. Initially, Tinubu said he was in Kaduna on a return visit to Buhari who had earlier paid

him a visit in Lagos. On the matter of merger, he said the two discussed “national issues” generally, but he told journalists they were free to interpret the meeting the way they wanted. He said: “I will allow you to make your wise judgement about that. I am a politician and not a magician. I will rather allow you to wait until the pigeon is out of the hat.” However, when pressed on the merger issue, Tinubu explained: “I told you at the beginning that the doors were left open. We are not part of any secret about it and politics is not a dark room event. It is about openness, transparency, and the ability to work with one another and set a common Contd on Page 2

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

Op.Ed

Letters

Opinion

Metro

16-17

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

S/Report

Religion

Feature

Newsxtra

Boko Haram: We’re challenged by inadequate personnel, says Interior Minister, Page 37

International 31-34 Strange World 35 Digest

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-47

Columnist

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

Yes, our plane suffered engine failure –DANA Air Contd from Page 1

until the investigations are completed.” The federal government on Wednesday announced a 9man panel to review the safety of all airlines in the country and suspended Dana Air’s air licence indefinitely. Meanwhile, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), the umbrella body of domestic airline operators, yesterday said sanctioning airlines anytime there is a plane crash in the country amounts to postponement of the evil day in addressing safety standards in the aviation sector. It is of the opinion that rather than punitive action, the government should take a holistic approach in addressing issues like policy consistency and the age limit for aircraft that operate in Nigeria’s air space which is pegged at 22 years. Chairman of AON, Dr. Steve Mahonwu and Secretary General, Captain Mohammed Joji warned that “panic measures and inconsistent policies rolled out after any disaster will further undermine the growth of aviation in Nigeria.” Joji, a pilot with the defunct Nigeria Airways, said that “age limit has nothing to do with the safety of an aircraft as long as its operator carries out the required maintenance checks when due. According to him, the country risks losing its certification by the United

States of America’s aviation authority and “international bodies may withdraw the category one awarded Nigeria in August 2010, if the National Assembly and the Ministry of Aviation continue to interfere with the regulatory responsibilities of NCAA and AIB, the two agencies responsible for investigation into air disasters”. He said the federal government should desist from listening to “the many ambitious professionals who are capitalizing on the Dana plane crash to castigate the system because it is not favourable to them.” Joji continued: “Usurping the role of the NCAA and AIB as the National Assembly committees on aviation have done will jeopardise the law establishing them, the Civil Aviation Act of 2006,which was passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Olusegun Obasanjo in November 2006, and which has not been repealed” “Following the act, the 2009 Civil Aviation Regulation (CAR), was published including technical guidance materials, advisory circulars, compliance and enforcement handbook as well as licensing skill tests, which are sufficient for the NCAA to discharge its duties.” He said: “We achieved category one after almost four years of the handbook coming out. “In fact, the category one exercise was started in 2006, but was only achieved in 2010.”

2015: ANC, CPC reopen merger talks Contd from Page 1

agenda and that is the purpose. “We are still looking for areas where we can help our nation. As you know, patriotism is about putting national interest above self. “If we have security agencies that are charged with the security of this country at the expense of their lives, then the leaders must be able to make sacrifices and be flexible enough. “It is not just anybody who can steer the ship of a nation, but it takes exceptional leadership to steer the course of things in the right direction”. On his part, Buhari said he agreed with what his guest said. “You have asked him a question and he has answered it; I am satisfied with his explanation; there is no way I can disagree with whatever he has said, he being my guest. He said it is a return visit and that is what it has been,” he

said. A dependable source who attended the meeting told Peoples Daily last night that the two opposition leaders did return to the prospect of the two parties merging to confront the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections. It is recalled that the two parties did try to present a common front to fight last year’s presidential elections but talks never went beyond the exploratory stage because of irreconcilable differences. Other top-notchers of the two parties that attended the meeting include Ogun state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and former Minister for Works, Sen. Hassan Lawan. Others are former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nasir el-Rufai, Senator Abu Ibrahim, and the National Publicity Secretary of ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

VIEW FROM ABROAD Airliner crash hits rich, poor in nation where government is unprepared for disasters

ngines out, the pilot of the doomed Nigerian commercial airliner looked for somewhere to put down the aircraft, desperate for open space but finding only a sea of tin roofs and narrow dirt roads. Down below, people quietly rejoiced in their homes that erratic state-run electrical service had returned to their crowded neighborhood on the edge of the megacity of Lagos on a hot Sunday afternoon. The crash on Sunday of the Dana Air flight killed 153 people on board the MD-83 jetliner and an undetermined number of people on the ground. The tragedy struck all of Nigeria’s economic classes, from the state-run oil company executive riding on the plane to the working poor on the ground in the country’s largest city. As investigators continue to probe what caused the crash, many fear another could happen in a country with a long history of aviation disasters that remains completely unprepared for large-scale emergencies. It’s not just those aboard aircraft who face danger, noted Ezekiel Adekunle, the son of a landlord whose apartment building was damaged in the crash. “What about those people at home who didn’t board any plane, but the plane came and crashed on them,” he said. It was the worst air disaster in nearly two decades for Nigeria, a nation where carriers have longed used aging aircraft and often operate under little government scrutiny. Some passengers clutch Muslim prayer beads or Bibles, softly praying or loudly calling out “Blood of Jesus” as airplanes hit turbulence. Applause and more prayers punctuate landings. But flying is the quickest and safest way to move around a nation about twice the size of California with a crumbling network of roads that drivers in rickety buses and trucks speed along and where robbers lay in wait in the night. Among diplomats and expatriate workers in the oilrich nation, air travel often becomes a macabre cocktail party discussion, as people swear by one airline or whisper about rumored pending bankruptcies of others. Some of the smaller carriers rely on just one or two aircraft while the largest, Arik Air Ltd., has more than 20 airplanes. Dana Air, owned by a

Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah

wealthy family whose conglomerate sells everything from fruit juice to cars, had a fair reputation for on-time departures and safety. Politicians and government workers shuttling between Nigeria’s central capital of Abuja to its seaside commercial capital of Lagos in the southwest were frequent passengers. Dana’s fleet of five planes, all of them U.S.-made MD-83s, stood out among other airlines that rely on Boeing 737s. Passengers got Danabranded drinks and sausage rolls on each flight. On Sunday, airlines ran the normally reduced number of routes between Abuja and Lagos. The Dana Air MD-83, crewed by a pilot, co-pilot, a flight engineer and four flight attendants, had flown from Lagos to Abuja earlier in the day and was scheduled to depart the capital for Lagos at 2:13 p.m. for the return flight. Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport is undergoing renovations, so passengers squeeze into one waiting hall where large standing air conditioners cannot cool the hot and humid air fast enough. Those wanting to travel on Sunday crowded against each other, trying to obtain seats on the limited number of flights available. Omonigho Akinsanya was trying to travel back home to Lagos with her 5-year-old son Moyo after visiting her sister. She got angry when a man jumped the line and got one of the last tickets available on the Dana flight. Her other sister, Esi Oghene Oko, got a seat and boarded the flight. The man’s rudeness saved the lives of Akinsanya and her little boy. Culled from Washington Post

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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Gunmen kidnap Lebanese, another dies with lover in Benue From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

President Goodluck Jonathan (right) receiving letters of credence from new Thailand Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Somchai Powcharon (left), yesterday at the State House in Abuja. With them is Minister of Foreign affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru (middle). Photo: Joe Oroye

N2bn scam: Court grants Sylva bail By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday admitted former Bayelsa state governor, Timipre Sylva to bail in the sum of N100 million and a surety in like sum. The former governor was arraigned on Tuesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering and diversion of about

N2 billion belonging to the government of Bayelsa state when he was governor. Other conditions for the bail, according to the trial Judge, Justice Adamu Bello, were that the surety of the former governor must be a responsible citizen of the country who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court. The surety, he noted must have a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court and

that the title documents of the landed property which must worth the bail sum, must be deposited with the Deputy Registrar of the court for certification. Justice Adamu also ordered Sylva to deposit his travel documents with the Deputy Registrar of the court and must not travel out of the country without the leave of the court. The court adjourned till September 17, 2012 for trial.

Police are worst victims of insecurity - IGP By Lambert Tyem

cting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday while acknowledging the security challenges facing the nation, lamented that the police are the worst victims. Speaking to the top echelon of the force in Abuja, the IG said: “Many security challenges are always facing the country in different dimensions.

“Such challenges include erratic bombings by terrorists, communal clashes, kidnapping, armed robbery, bunkering, assassinations, piracy and more heart rending, the constant killing of policemen and other security personnel. In all these, the police are the most affected. “All hands must therefore be on deck to ensure that such menaces are brought to an end. The triumph of evil over good is temporal”, he noted.

Abubakar, however called on well-meaning Nigerians to assist the police to end the ugly development. The IG said: “We know it's embarrassing. We are more worried than any other person. These are people we work and live with. We know what their families are going through. We're doing everything to make sure that the perpetrators are brought to book but most people don't know this.”

ersons suspected to be kidnappers yesterday abducted a Lebanese, Mohammed Dhabre, working with Rock Bridge, a road construction company in charge of Igumale-Utonkon road project in Benue state. A witness told our reporter that Dhabre was kidnapped at the company’s site at about 3.00pm by gunmen numbering over 10. “The gunmen arrived the premises of Rock Bridge in a Nissan car, shooting sporadically in to the air, scaring away workers, before kidnapping Mr. Dhabre and drove immediately towards Utonkon, in Ado LGA”, he said. Otukpo Police Area Commander, Samuel Darakoji, who confirmed the incident, said the kidnappers were yet to communicate or to place any demand. The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in Benue State, DSP Philip Agena, who also confirmed the incident narrated that the kidnappers abandoned their Nissan vehicle and Toyota Hilux at the scene of the incident when they were engaged by the police. In another development, a Lebanese Hassaini Habi, working with Hajaig Construction

Company met his untimely death with his lover, one Mrs. Josephine Agav, when he was run over by the car of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria at NNPC Depot, Apir, Makurdi. Mr. Habi was said to have been going out with the 23-year student of Community Secondary School, Apir, and a mother of two for quite some time despite all warnings from her husband Mr. Christopher Agav.

... kill 50-yearold man in Gombe From Auwal Ahmad, Gombe

nknown gunmen killed 50-year-old Malam Sani Dabanfulani at Barunde quarters of Akko local government area of Gombe state on Wednesday night. The state Police Commissioner, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdu, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased was shot dead around 8:45 pm by unknown gunmen. Abdu said the gunmen entered Ibrahim Abdu’s compound while he was eating with others, but they singled him out and shot him. He further said police are still investigating the matter and that no arrest has been made.

CBN approves N75bn for take-off of NIRSAL By Josephine Ella

s part of the concerted efforts to transform the agricultural sector, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is to guarantee 75 percent loans provided by commercial banks to farmers in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The loan guarantee is being packaged under the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing in Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), a public private partnership established by the CBN, the Bankers’ Committee and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Head of NIRSAL Project Implementation Office under the Development Finance Department of the CBN, Mr. Jude

Uzonwanne, made this known yesterday in Abuja at a presentation on the role of NIRSAL to the Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide. “It covers all crops and livestock activities in Nigeria, while driving improved investment outcomes and job creation. It is also building on a legacy of previous CBN interventions in agriculture that has helped create thousands of jobs”. “NIRSAL will share risks with banks ranging from 30% to 75% of loss depending on the segment. We are prepared to offer following terms to farmers in the States and FCT Abuja: 75% guarantees on all input, working capital and limited living cost loans to plant the crop, and loan duration should be about 24 – 28 months,” he noted.

N567m fraud: Ehindero challenges court's jurisdiction By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

ormer Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero has told an Abuja High Court that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) lack the power to prosecute him under the ICPC Act 2000. In a notice of preliminary objection filed through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the

former police boss is challenging the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to try him. The former IGP was charged before the court by ICPC alongside a former Commissioner of Police in Charge of Budget under him, Mr. John Obaniyi, over alleged misappropriation of N567 million meant for arms and ammunition during his tenure. In the objection, Ehindero

asked the court to stop the ICPC or any of its officials from prosecuting him. In the affidavit in support of the objection, deposed to by one Sylvia Adaugo Amadi, Ehindero said that in 2003, the National Assembly abrogated the ICPC Act 2000 and promulgated the ICPC Act which came into force in 2003. He argued that the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF) on

behalf of the federal government challenged the constitutionality of the ICPC Act 2003 at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and the court in its judgement, in the Suit No. FHC/ABJ/225/2003 declared that the ICPC Act was passed without following due process. He further argued that the anti-graft agency appealed the judgement at the Court of Appeal and the court set aside the

judgement of the high court. Ehindero said in the affidavit that, "The decision of the Court of Appeal went on Appeal to the Supreme Court in Suit NO: SC/ 158/2010 and on the 29th November 2011, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal setting aside the judgement of the Federal High Court and ordered that the matter should start de novo at the Federal High Court.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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Mark laments collapse of Bauchi youth CAN debunks Benin hospital building CMD’s statements on blast victims By Richard Ihediwa

resident of the Senate, Senator David Mark, yesterday commiserated with Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, over the collapse of the Central Hospital building, Benin, in which the project manager, Stefano Delaroca, was killed. Senator Mark, who expressed heartfelt sympathy to Oshiomhole, urged him to remain undeterred in his determination to uplift the living standards of Edo people.

According to Mark, “public officials who are determined to work for the people are often confronted with many challenges. But such challenges must serve as elixir for performance. “I urge you to take heart and remain resolute in your determination to develop Edo state. These are the challenges of the office which you occupy” he added. He requested the governor to convey his sympathy to the family of the late Stefano Delaroca, as well as the government and people of Edo state.

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

he youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bauchi state chapter has debunked the statement made by the chief medical director (CMD) of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Dr. Mohammed Alkali, that no victim of gunshot

was admitted at the hospital. A press statement signed by the chairman of the association, Simon Samuel and made available to newsmen in Bauchi, said the association cautioned the CMD against such misguided and sponsored statement that has the ability of creating tension and trauma to the families and sympathisers of the gunshot victims.

The association described the information the CMD of the hospital made available to journalists as false, baseless, provocative, and unprofessional and a betrayal to the unity and peaceful coexistence of the nation. It could be recalled that Dr. Mohammed Alkali had told journalists that no victims of bomb blast were admitted in to the teaching hospital to his knowledge.

NOA wants community radio in all LGs By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

n its bid to provide wider platforms for public sensitisation on issues of importance to national development, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), has advocated the establishment of community radio stations in all the 774 local government areas of the federation. The Director General of NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri, made this disclosure when he received in audience the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Ambassador to Nigeria and former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Engineer Ebele Okeke,

on an advocacy visit to the agency in Abuja. Omeri said the NOA was increasingly acquiring and building more platforms for advocacy on development issues at all levels of society, down to the grassroots communities and neighbourhoods, saying the community radio platform will further enhance the mobilisation of citizens for development. A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary in the agency, Paul Odenyi, said the essence of community radio is to get the people involved in fashioning out communication strategies, implementation and maintenance of community based projects.

Minister to re-energise science community By Joy Baba

he minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Okon Ewa, has said the ministry will partner with Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and other stakeholders to re-energise the science community in Nigeria. The minister made this known when the management of the Nigeria Prize for Science (Nigeria LNG limited), paid him a courtesy call in his office in Abuja, adding that the ministry is ready to move Nigeria from a consumer to a production nation. He commended LNG Nigeria Limited for developing science and technology in the country, promising to revive the community. Speaking earlier on the issue

of LNG science prize, the leader of the delegation and General Manager, External Affairs of LNG, Ms Sienne Allwell Brown, said LNG is worried that no one has won the LNG science prize for three years in Nigeria since its inception in 2004. She said the company’s flagship of social responsibilities to Nigeria are the two prizes it gives out each year, the Nigeria Prize for Literature and that of science. “The prize for science is a hundred thousand dollars, yet Nigerian science students do not meet the required standard to win the prize lately.” She stated, adding that Nigeria LNG is worried about this and urged the ministry to call together the entire stakeholder to find out what is wrong with science and research in Nigeria.

Don’t ground DANA, airline operators warn FG From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

he Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), the umbrella body of domestic airline operators in Nigeria, yesterday, said placing sanctions on airlines anytime there is an unfortunate incident in the country amounts to posting the evil day in addressing safety standards in the aviation sector. The body however said rather than impose any punitive measures on airlines, government should take a holistic approach in addressing issues relating to policy consistency and the age limits of aircraft allowed to operate in Nigeria which is currently pecked

at 22 years. Chairman of AON, Dr. Steve Mahonwu and secretary general, Captain Mohammed Joji who both spoke on behalf of the association yesterday in Lagos, said except the “Federal Government takes a holistic view of previous reports by committees set up to look into the problem of aviation in Nigeria, panic measures and inconsistent policies rolled out after any disaster will further undermine the growth of aviation in Nigeria”. Joji, a former pilot with the defunct Nigeria Airways, affirmed that age limit has nothing to do with the safety of an aircraft as long as its operators carry out the required maintenance checks when due.

L-R Minister of Defence, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed; Minister of State for Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike, Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa'i, Chairman, House Committee on Education Hon. Farouk Lawan, FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed and Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Ahmed Modibbo Mohammed, during the distribution of instructional materials for basic education to schools, yesterday at Model Primary School, Maitama, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

NNPC denies knowledge of House of Reps. order of refund of N3.098tr to Federation Account By Aminu Imam

he management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), yesterday, declared that it is not aware of any report that requires it to refund the sum of N3.098 trillion to the Federation Account. The said report is alleged to be

part of a recommendation of the House of Representatives' Joint Committees on Finance, Petroleum Upstream, Petroleum Downstream, and Gas Resources which ordered the NNPC to refund the sum of N3.08 trillion which it failed to remit to the Federation Account between 2004 and 2011. However, the NNPC, in a statement issued yesterday,

World Malaria Day: Edo donates mosquito nets to pregnant women From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

do state government yesterday donated free mosquito nets to pregnant women in the state. The donation was part of activities to mark the World Malaria Day which has the theme ‘Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria’. The distribution, according to the Commissioner of Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Cordelia Osariemen Aiwuze, is to make the necessary

impact on malaria control activities in the state. She gave the historical antecedent of the common symptoms and complications of the plasmodium vector carrier (anopheles mosquito) in Africa and Nigeria. ‘Nigeria contributes a quarter of the malaria burden in Africa and over 90 percent of Nigerians are at risk of this disease which mostly affects children who are under five years, pregnant women and nonimmune individuals’, she said.

signed by the Acting Group General Manager NNPC Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Fidel Pepple, said: “The attention of the NNPC management has been drawn to some newspaper reports which alleged that the corporation has failed to remit the sum of N3.098 trillion to the Federation account between 2004 – 2011. The NNPC management stated that as a responsible corporate body would rather not dwell on speculations and rumours. "NNPC is undaunted in its resolve to continue to render her statutory duties to the nation while contributing more than 90 percent of the nation’s foreign earning,’’ he noted. The House joint committee, in its report also indicted NNPC’s external auditors including Akintola Williams Deloitte, Muhtari Dangana & Co. (Chartered Accountants) and Hart Group for conspiring to overstate the Corporation’s payments by N349 billion on Domestic Crude take in 2004.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Nasarawa women hold peace summit From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

omen across Nasarawa state yesterday converged at the Taal Conference Hotel in Lafia, the state capital, to attend the first women summit on peace organised by the office of the wife of the governor of the state, Hajiya Salamatu Tanko Al-

makura. In her speech at the occasion, Hajiya Salamatu, stated that it is in fulfillment of their role as mothers that her office deemed it imperative to organise the submit which is aimed at sensitising and creating awareness among the people on the significance of peaceful co-existence for the

benefit of all. She decried the spate of wanton killings, maiming and destruction of property visited on innocent people by those who do not wish the country well, with mostly women and children being at the receiving end of such culture of violence, which according to her, is not in our

character. Salamatu disclosed that experienced personalities from all walks of life have been selected to make presentations at the summit on a wide range of issues, including peace, security, communal cooperation, inter-personal relationship, as well as topical gender issues.

18 killed on Kogi roads in May, says FRSC From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

he Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Kogi state, Garba Mohammed Ibrahim, has said that 18 deaths were recorded from road crashes that occurred in Kogi state in the month of May, 2012. Mohammed who disclosed this to our correspondent in his office in Lokoja yesterday, said 288 passengers were involved in various accidents that happened across the state. According to him, 41 road crashes occurred in the state in the month under review, adding that 18 died, 122 were injured while others escaped unhurt. The sector commander attributed the death to over speeding, wrong overtaking as well as brakes failure among others, warning motorists to desist from reckless driving so as to stay alive.

Jigawa launches special antimusquito From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

Pupils of Eucharist Art Jesus Model School, Kubwa, performing during the 5th African Arts and Craft Expo 2012, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Benue guber: S/Court decides Suswamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fate today By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

he Supreme Court will today decide whether Governor Gabriel Suswam is the duly elected governor of Benue state in the April 2011 governorship election in the state. The apex court had on Monday slated today to rule on Suswam's preliminary objections to the election petition appeal filed by the Benue state governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Prof. Steve Ugbah and his party challenging his election victory. When the matter came up Monday, Suwsam had through his counsel, Damian Dodo told the court to dismiss the appeal brought by the ACN and its governorship candidate in Benue state, describing the appeal as an abuse of court process. By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

ice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo has directed the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE), being the secretariat of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), to furnish the council with clear information as to its plans, work shedule and progress towards the implementation of the 2012 work-plan, now that the year has now gone half way.

According to Damian, the 180 days as upheld by the apex court in the case of ACN versus Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state as the period for which election petitions are heard and determined is sacrosanct. Counsel to the appellant, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu said his client, in

exercise of his constitutional right to fair hearing cannot be said to be an abuse of court process, which he said is the main ground of the respondents' preliminary objections. The appellant prayed the court to allow the appeal and grant it right to fair hearing by determining the

petition on merit. After listening to arguments by counsels in the appeal, the sevenmember panel of justices of the Apex Court, led by Justice Mahmud Mohammed, adjourned till today to deliver its ruling on the preliminary objections raised by governor Suswam.

Fury as Reps, on oversight, visit Interior Ministry By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

he House of Representatives was yesterday furious with the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, over his failure to attend it's oversight function meeting at the ministry to explain how the ministry spent 2011 budgetary allocation and how it intends to execute 2012 budget expenditure.

The chairman, House Committee on Interior, Hon. Umar Bature, who led other members of the committee to the ministry, expressed displeasure over the absence of the minister from the meeting, saying: "I am not happy with the absence of the minister. The committee as a whole is not happy with this development; we have been trying to get him seated as part of our function. I will report this issue to

the leadership of the National Assembly", he said. Bature noted that the ministry which is the bedrock of security in the country had been ineffective in its duty due to paucity of funds to tackle its challenges. He regretted that all the agencies under the ministry earlier visited by the committee had complained of poor funding, which it said crippled their activities in various ways.

he Jigawa state Malaria Control Booster Project has trained a special squad of 458 spray operators in preparation for war against mosquitoes in three local government areas of the state. The special squad of spray was selected and trained on how to use the spraying machine on the parasites using a composition of chemicals. The state coordinator Malaria Control Booster Projects, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim, stated this while delivering his speech at the flag-off ceremony for the launching of the special squad in commemoration of the world malaria day. He said the new squad would be posted to three local government areas that were selected for the pilot scheme of the programme. "By the end of this pilot project we are hoping to reduce virtually all the mosquitoes in the selected areas so as to target the reduction of malaria disease to its barest minimum," he declared. Speaking at the occasion, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Hassana Hussaini Adamu, stated that, in the quest to control malaria in the state, they have distributed over 2.5million long lasting insecticidal treated bed nets across the state.

Sambo wants BPE work fast-tracked The Vice President gave this directive when he received a progress report on the BPE 2012 Work-Plan from the Director General of the BPE, Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa,State House, Abuja. He stated that 'there is a responsibility to make a financial contribution from the NCP of certain amounts to the year 2012 appropriation'.

In view of this, he urged the various working committees to fast-track the activities of the BPE, observing that the number of transactions currently in progress is too small to make any significance from the total overview of available transactions. From the reports received, Vice President Sambo

cautioned that 'no reserved bidder should be used after a period of stall as long as five years in any bid transaction.' The DG, BPE presented to the Vice President a summary of the work-plan alongside the projected revenue from the various companies as it stands presently.

She pointed out that while there were no projected revenues yet for NITEL/MTEL because of their huge standing liabilities as well as challenges faced from aggrieved creditors of the company; that of SkyPower Catering Services was currently being discussed with the Ministry of Aviation as well as the Management of the Company.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

PAGE 7

Gombe to reengage retired teachers From Auwal Ahmad, Gombe

L-R: Austrian Foreign Minister, Dr. Micheal Spindelegger, receiving a souvenir from the chairman, Abuja National Mosque Management Board, Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, during the minister's visit, to mosque, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Police nab 8 cable vandals, 2 car snatchers in Ibadan T net while efforts are on to apprehend some hoodlums alleged to have been involved in the stealing of two Toyota Camry a Volkswagen Golf 3 salon car in the metropolis. Dropping this hint while briefing the press yesterday, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Clement Adoba, alleged that upon information received by the Anti-Robbery Squad attached to Eleeyele Police Division and Skynet helped the

arrest of six-man cable vandals and their vehicle , Ford Transit bus marked Lagos XS 443 EPE was intercepted along Ologuneru/Eleeyele Road in the state capital. ”On searching the vehicle, some vandalised NITEL cables cut to size were discovered and three suspects Tunde Lawal, Jelil Adetokunbo and Biodun Bamiduro were arrested and on interrogation , they all confessed to the crime”.

Moral decadence root of corruption – Lamorde

While decrying the high level of moral decadence in the country, Lamorde said it was baffling that despite the message of “Thou shall not steal” in both the Holy Bible and Quran, many still steal from the commonwealth. “I hope, with a gathering like this, the heart of the problem which is moral decadence would be effectively tackled”. Speaking during the event, chairman of IAAC and the ViceChancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said participants should not only see their job as a religious obligation but also as a national assignment.

From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

he Oyo State Police Command yesterday paraded eight cable vandals and two members of a gang of four specialised in car snatching across the South West. The anti-robbery patrol men of the command revealed that two out of four members of a notorious gang that have been terrorising some parts of the state in recent time are now in police

By Lambert Tyem

hairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, yesterday, said the high level of moral decadence in the society is responsible for the perpetration of economic and financial crimes. Lamorde who was represented by the Commandant of the EFCC Academy, Ayo Olowonihi, made the statement while declaring open a workshop organised by EFCC and the Interfaith Anti-Corruption Advisory Committee (IAAC), to validate two anti-corruption manuals at the EFCC Academy in Karu, Abuja. He said it was a privilege to have clergymen and scholars gather to contribute their quota in the fight against

corruption. “What you are doing for EFCC is as important to this fight both as an institution and as a country”. A release issued by Wilson Uwujaren, Ag. Head Media & Publicity of EFCC, stated that ‘this is because preachers hold a vantage to reach out and talk to the average Nigerian in very powerful and convincing ways’.

Suspension of DANA Air license belated FG distributes – Oyo N16.6b worth lawmakers From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

he members of Oyo State House of Assembly have described the suspension of DANA Air license by the Federal Government as belated and long overdue based on the records of poor maintenance. The Speaker, Hon. Monsurat Sumonu, stated this at preliminary session to commiserate with the families of victims of last Sunday’s air crash in Lagos state. Joining millions of Nigerian to condemn avoidable disaster that claimed over 150 lives, the lawmakers said poor maintenance records of DANA Air in the past was enough for government agencies incharge to have banned the airline from nation’s air space. Hon. Isa Adesope representing Orelope/ Olorunsogo state constituency who commended the Federal Government for setting up Aviation Disaster Committee called for serious investigations and the culprit must be punished.

NEMA to assist victims of Bauchi bomb blast From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has pledged to provide medicines and building materials to the victims of the recent bomb blast on two churches in Bauchi. The Director General of

NEMA, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi disclosed this after visiting the victims of Yelwa bomb blast yesterday in Bauchi. According to him, his officers had collected all the estimates and requirement of the patients both in hospital, the attacked church and nearby houses affected.

ombe state executive council has approved the re-engagement of retired teachers in the state in its effort to improve the education sector. The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Rev. Habu Dawaki, disclosed this while briefing journalists shortly after the executive council meeting in Gombe. He added that council also approved rehabilitation and expansion of Hassan Pilot Primary School, Gombe, at the cost of over N680 million, Gabuka Primary and Junior Secondary Schools in the metropolis at the cost of over N236 million among others; and that the Council suspended the inter ministerial transfers of teachers to another ministry. The Commissioner for Information and Orientation also made it known that the Council approved the consultancy for the state government investment in terms of Power at the cost of over N76 million.

The DG who was represented by the North East Zonal coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, who inspected and assessed the damage at Yelwa Living Faith and Harvest churches, further condoled the relations of the victims that lost their lives as result of the bomb last.

of UBE books By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

he Federal Government has distributed 14 million copies of N16.6b worth of primary school textbooks in core subjects to pupils in public primary schools across the country, urging the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC), to ensure equitable distribution of the material to schools, especially in rural communities. Distributing the texts, which included English, mathematics, social studies, basic science and technologies, President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by his deputy, Arch. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, also challenged the UBEC to ensure effective usage of the materials by pupils and teachers, emphasising that if there are no competent teachers to interpret and teach the content, the money and effort spent will be futile. Also speaking, the Chairman Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije, warned state governments and head teachers to desist from selling the books. In her remarks, the Minister for Education, Ruqayyatu Rufai, said the books were part of the Federal Government’s efforts to provide free, compulsory and quality basic education for the Nigerian kids. She therefore reiterated that the federal government will always accord basic education a priority it deserves, for the benefit of the pupils, especially in the rural communities.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Reps set to probe OBJ’s rural telephony contract

L-R: Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Mu’azu, Director, Department of Joint Studies, BrigGeneral Nsor Ojiji, Director of Coordination, BrigGeneral Yahaya Gaiya, and Deputy Commandant, Rear Admiral Duke Osuafar, during the opening ceremony of AFCSC Joint and Combined Operation Sea Lion for Senior Course 34, yesterday at Jaji, Kaduna state. Photo: NAN

By Lawrence Olaoye & Mohammed Umar-Puma

he House of Representatives has set in motion machineries aimed at probing the implementation of the multi-billion naira rural telephony projects awarded by the administration of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Chairman House Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Ibrahim Shehu in an interaction with newsmen yesterday, disclosed that the committee has invited the Minister of Communications, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, to brief the House on the progress made so far in the execution of the projects. Shehu said: “We gave the minister ample time for her to prepare and acquaint herself with the issues involved because the contract was awarded under the previous administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo”.

‘370,000 youth, women to be employed under SURE-P’ From Iliyasu Garba, Minna

inister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday at the launch of the Community Service Women and Youth Employment Project, a component of the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SUREP), said that over 370,000 youths and women are to be employed nationwide under the scheme. She revealed that so far N60 billion is in the fuel subsidy account opened by the Federal Government added that the programme will be reviewed from time to time to meet the aspirations and yearnings of Nigerians. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said that government has already made contact with some private firms who will employ fresh university graduates for a period of one year during which they will be paid a monthly stipend of N18,000 (the country’s minimum wage) after which those found to have performed creditably will be employed by the companies on a permanent basis.

We’re committed to peace, progress in Africa — Jonathan By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

resident Goodluck Jonathan has reaffirmed the centrality of peace, political stability and socioeconomic development in Africa to Nigeria’s foreign policy. Speaking at an audience with the new Mauritanian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. B.A. Abderrahmane, President Jonathan said that in furtherance of its commitment to working with other African countries to promote democracy, good governance and progress on the continent, his administration was working towards establishing embassies or representational offices in all African countries, including From Blessing Tunoh, Yola

he former governor of Adamawa state, Mr. Boni Haruna, yesterday, broke down and wept at in Lamurde council area of the state during a condolence visit to family of the late Hama Bachama Asaph Zadok Zadok Gorongakye Kuzovude. Zadok who passed on last week in a hospital in Egypt after battling cancer, served as commissioner for information under Boni’s administration before he later ascended the throne under controversial circumstances

Mauritania. “Africa remains the centerpiece of our foreign policy and I have always believed that if real progress and development is to come to Africa, we must initiate it ourselves. We cannot keep waiting for others to do it for us. “Establishing functional relationships amongst ourselves is a necessary first step in this regard and we are committed to ultimately having full diplomatic representation with all African nations,” the President told the incoming Mauritanian Ambassador. President Jonathan expressed the hope that the existing relationship between Nigeria and Mauritania will be further strengthened during Mr.

Abderrahmane’s tenure. The President also received the letters of credence of the new ambassadors of Thailand and Bangladesh yesterday in Abuja. He told Ambassador Somchai Powcharon of Thailand and Ambassador Nur Mohammed of Bangladesh that his administration will welcome the expansion of areas of bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and their respective countries, especially in the areas of agriculture and the development of small and medium scale industries. At an earlier audience with the Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Austria, Mr. Michael Spindelegger, President Jonathan said that Nigeria was open to

greater investment by Austrians in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, including power generation. “We want to end the era of our people generating power for themselves. We are fully committed to stabilizing and boosting public power supply because we know that unless this is done, we cannot stimulate economic growth the way we want with the development of more small and medium scale industries,” he told Mr. Spindelegger who is leading an Austrian trade and investment mission to Nigeria. President Jonathan later received the outgoing Malaysian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Mustafa Ahmad.

Boni weeps over Asaph’s death following his predecessor’s deposition for his role in the crisis that rocked the area at that time. The former governor who led a high powered delegation comprising of ACN stalwarts in the state described the late monarch as a leader per excellence adding that his demise is a great loss not only to his people but to the nation at large. “I have known Asaph for over 30 years; he is highly intelligent and a

lover of his people and there is so much to learn from his life, I personally will miss him”, Boni stated. In a veiled reference to Governor Murtala Nyako who has neither visited the kingdom on a condolence visit nor issued a statement to that effect, Boni said: “Do not be dismayed because some people did not come to identify with you in your moment of grief...” Lending his voice, governorship candidate of the ACN

in the state during the 2011 election, Engr. Markus Gundiri also prayed for the kingdom to have the fortitude to bear the loss. District Head of Rigange in the kingdom, Kpana Bachama Zakka Lukka and second in command to the late monarch who received the delegation, expressed delight at the visit and said the community does not regret giving their votes to ACN during the January governorship polls.

Niger Delta Power Company boosts generation by 1,025MW By Muhammad Sada

bout 1,025MW of electricity, from the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), which belongs to Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) across the country, is awaiting uploading unto the national grid. This was made known in a press release issued by the Deputy General Manager of the company,

Mr. Yakubu Lame who received the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Adenrele Shinaba on a courtesy call in Abuja recently. According to the NDPHC boss, “as we speak, we have five units at our Olorunsogo Phase II Power station ready to deliver 650MW, 250MW in Sapele while in Omotosho we have 125MW of electricity ready for the national grid”.

He, however, pointed out that delivery of this 1,025MW into the national grid will be dependent on the availability of gas, adding that efforts by gas suppliers - Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), international oil companies (IOCs) and the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) are on-going and are to be realised soon thereby bridging the gas gap. According to him, this year will

be a harvest season for the organisation charged with the responsibility of boosting power infrastructure in the country. Mr. James Abiodun Olotu, the chief executive of the company, expressed optimism that Alaoji Power Station, the largest among the 10 NIPP power stations, will also make a significant power delivery into the national grid before the end of this year. He said NIPP projects cut across

generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across the country, noting that the magnitude of these infrastructure make it imperative for the organisation to consistently seek the cooperation and absolute support of the police and other law enforcement agencies in protecting the facilities and creating the enabling environment for its contractors and consultant to work in.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

PAGE 11

‘Al-makura ignorant of public sector activity’ From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

he lawmaker representing Keana constituency in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly (NSHA), Francis Orogu (PDP), has accused Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura of “being ignorant of activities of the public sector.” The lawmaker made the accusation while presenting his argument on the floor of the House to support a motion earlier moved by Baba Ibaku (PDP), member representing Toto/Gadabuke constituency, urging the Assembly to suspend the screening of a nominee forwarded by the Governor, Alhaji Musa Agyo, for the chairmanship of the

Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC), until a section of the law establishing the body, particularly Section 3(2), which stipulates that a chairman of NASIEC can only hold office for a period of five years, is revisited. Orogu faulted Al-makura’s alleged failure to respect the opinion of the House on the issues of law, stressing that the governor’s refusal to acknowledge the position of the House means his refusal to acknowledge the position of the law. In his ruling, Speaker Musa Ahmed Mohammed, ordered the nominee and other members of the board, to step down until the matter is settled.

Gowon commissions 10 roads in Edo From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

ormer Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon has commissioned 10 newly reconstructed roads by Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, with a tribute to the people of defunct Midwest states. The 10 roads which were designed with drainage channels and Street lights are, Iheya Street, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Iheya lane, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Ivbiye lane, Midwest Street, Uwa Street, 3rd Commentary road and Commentary lane. Speaking shortly before he commissioned the roads, Gowon who argued that he is not a card carrying member of any political party, however said there is need for the people to reward excellent service by voting for the ruling

NOA honours driver for returning forgotten money By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

s part of the National Orientation Agency’s “DO THE RIGHT THING” campaign and its call for the evolution of an adequate reward system to reinforce good behavior in the society, the agency has organised an award in honour of a taxi driver who returned a wallet containing a large sum of money as well as other belongings left behind in his taxi by a commuter. Speaking at the event which took place at the Utako Motor Park, in Abuja, the Director General of NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri said it was high time society began to recognise those who characterise positive values such as honesty, responsibility and trustworthiness in ways that would encourage others to look up to them as role models. A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary in the agency, Paul Odenyi, indicated that the taxi driver, Mr. Hudu Idris, was a confirmation of NOA’s firm position that not all Nigerians are corrupt; hence the error of labeling Nigeria and all its citizens as corrupt because of the nefarious activities of a negligible few of its citizens. It therefore urged all Nigerians to always do the right thing at all times, bearing in mind that there is a reward for it, observing that even if no tangible reward is given, the ultimate reward for honesty and integrity was the gift of a clear conscience.

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) on July 14th governorship election for the return of Adams Oshiomhole whom he described as ‘Action Governor’. Oshiomhole who revealed that the struggle to beautify Benin City, the State Capital continues, recalled how past governments abandoned the roads which gave rise to the bad experience residents and landlords were made to go through, particularly when it is raining. He assured that similar projects will be replicated across the State, adding that ‘for a Government that relies on the power of the people, there is need to site project that is of the interest to the People’. Spokesman of the communities, Comrade Okun-Oghae, who pledged to ensure that the roads are protected from abuse, however appealed to the State government to construct mental overhead barriers to prevent heavy duty vehicles from plying the road so that they will not wear on time.

Katsina awards N819m dam contract From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

atsina state government has awarded a contract worth N819 million for the rehabilitation of Dutsin-ma Dam. Addressing a press conference at the end of the state executive council, the Commissioner of Information, Culture and Home Affairs, Alhaji Gide Sani Batagarawa, noted that the rehabilitation work would be completed within 18 months. He stated that part of the repair works at the dam would include de-silting, embankment and repair works at the treatment plant and the dam's water work site. According to him, the rehabilitation work had become necessary due to the increased population of the area especially with the siting of the new federal university in the town. Similarly, the commissioner said contract worth N93 million was awarded for the construction of a comprehensive health centre in Kurfi which he said would accommodate large number of patients.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

Is Egypt’s revolution betrayed?

n the past few days, demonstrators have been trooping back to Egypt’s Tahrir Square, where it all began more than a year ago. Then loud calls and strong fists were raised by almost every segment of Egyptian society, demanding the end of the nearly three decades of dictatorship by Hosni Mubarak, his sons and the laidback National Democratic Party (NDP). Since the regime fell about 10 months ago, events have moved so fast that Egyptians are barely able to recognize their revolution. Flooding back to the Tahrir Square now, they want to re-take the revolutionary momentum which has been allegedly lost in the military organized transition. After a parliamentary election that wound up with the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists dominating parliament, the outcome of the first round of the presidential election which left two candidates – Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate and the former prime minister of the Mubarak regime - , going into the second round, has stung those Egyptian liberals that made the revolution possible in the first place. No doubt, the fruit of the struggle is ending up in the laps of the old establishment! The long persecuted Muslim Brotherhood has adjusted rather quickly after the hanging of its major inspirer, Sayyid Qutb and gradually warmed its way into

mainstream Egyptian politics. Its landslide victory in the parliamentary election and subsequent rise to pre-eminence in the military-led transition arrangement reflect just this rising profile of the Muslim Brotherhood. But even that has not greatly undone the old establishment and its foreign backers. Egyptians who thronged the revolutionary square in Cairo last year, obviously, are

“

what is particularly essential is not the outcome of the election, no matter how important, but the institutionalization of the democratic process in a credible and transparent manner that ensures that periodically, Egyptians can effect a change without a resort to revolutionary convolutions fazed that the campaign to end the corrupt and rotten dictatorship of Mubarak has ended in the restoration of the ancient regime in a new guise. If Shafi, the former prime minister in Mubarak’s regime, wins the presidential poll, as it all seems likely, there will be a gradual restoration of the old order. Egyptians are right to fear the prospect of the restoration of the old

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order because it fostered cronyism, excluded and marginalized a huge swath of the population, especially educated young people. Egypt is a pivotal nation in the Arab world, particularly the region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It was significant that after the uprising took off in Tunisia, it steadied in Egypt, with a domino effect in the region, including Israel, where many gathered to air economic and political grievances. With the ouster of Mubarak and his party, a new vista was seen on the horizon, not only for Egypt but the entire region, whose several entrenched dictators and autocrats had used their special relationship with Washington and other western capitals to bludgeon their people into submission. In truth, Arab streets have never been quiet, not with the open sour of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. We, at Peoples Daily, believe that the cost of a permanent revolution will be too heavy a burden to bear for ordinary Egyptians whose quality of life needs to improve. On the other hand, we share their outrage at the seeming restoration of the old order. But what is particularly essential is not the outcome of the election, no matter how important, but the institutionalization of the democratic process in a credible and transparent manner that ensures that periodically, Egyptians can effect a change without a resort to revolutionary convolutions.

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CHAIRMAN MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE EDITOR, DAILY AHMED I. SHEKARAU

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

By Okide Kenneth Ezigbo

he past two weeks have been most tragic for Nigerians due to these tragic events: crash of a Nigerian cargo aircraft in Ghana that killed 10 people, a petrol tanker fire along LagosIbadan expressway that consumed 11 cars with their occupants and a suicide church bombing in Bauchi that killed 21 people. The nation has again been plunged into further sorrow by the crash of Dana Air’s MD-83 Aircraft a 22 year old aircraft, with shocking poor maintenance record that killed not less than 157 people in Iju, Lagos, Nigeria. Many families lost irreplaceable loved ones; an entire family, the Anyene family in one fell sweep lost all its members on their way back from a wedding in Abuja, parents lost sons and daughters, siblings lost their father or mother, the Akubueze’s lost their beloved son and brother “Obinna Akubeze”, the Mojekwu’s lost their loveable, bright, industrious sister “Adaobi” and many more such grieving stories all over the place; it was a dark day for all Nigerians as we all (resident and abroad) felt the pain of a nation and the reckless, avoidable death of its citizenry. While we waited to hear from the country’s aviation ministry on the possible cause of the crash and any on-going efforts to save crash victims or at least manage the inferno that ensued from the crash, we got stone silence from custodians of our airspace and instead the communiqué came from the presidency declaring a three-day mourning for the victims of the crash. The presidency also declared a “Fullest Possible Investigation” to the cause of the crash which

PAGE 13

Dana Air crash: The morning after and what next…?

clearly does not soothe anyone’s wound or help the country’s psyche in recovering from such a humongous loss and our loss of faith in the countries sky ways. The term “Fullest Possible Investigation” is a term typically used in countries where nothing works. The Presidency knew that if they used the term “Investigation” let alone “Full Investigation” the nonquestioning minds of its citizens clobbered and scarred time and time again from Government’s brazen inaction and thoughtlessness will not be swayed. So this time, to get some attention from a demoralized citizenry and to put a conspiracy spin to such a sad event, the Presidency announced that it has mandated a “Fullest Possible Investigation” to the cause of a crash that any reasoning adult has a good idea of its possible causes. When I heard of this ghastly air accident, over twitter, Facebook, blogs, various Foreign Media mediums and lastly from a few Nigeria Media online websites, a few clues came to mind on what could have caused this ghastly incident; (1) Could the accident have been caused by lack of government regulatory oversight, (2) Could it have been caused by the age of the aircraft, (3) Could it have been caused by a naked absence of corporate social responsibly by Dana Air, (4) Could it be an unquestioned lack of continuous pilot training? (5) or was the number of death from the accident influenced by

an unplanned population growth in the country ? (6) or was the accident caused by our careless regard of the intervening power of God? Sadly but true, all these assumptions cumulatively have influenced the air crash. Looking at the assumptions identified we can each see reason why they influenced the cause to this sad event. (1) Government regulatory oversight; The crashed aircraft had shocking poor maintenance record as reported by numerous online sources. How do the managers of our air space explain the recurring non-sanctioned near miss accidents by same aircraft? We hear that sometime this week, same aircraft or a similar one with same vintage operated by Dana Air enroute from Uyo to Abuja was diverted to Lagos due to a landing gear problem or a hydraulic loss concern. It seems conclusive that the men and women in charge of the safety of our sky ways have abdicated their core responsibility of inspecting arriving and departing aircraft to confirm their maintenance record and airworthiness status. . Do our regulatory authorities ever sanction erring aircraft operators whose aircraft does not meet airworthiness threshold? What sort of sanction or penalty is applied to these operators when their aircraft does not meet airworthiness requirement? Are such safety deficient aircraft

grounded until their airworthiness discrepancy is corrected? It seems that what matter most to these regulatory officers is the collection of airport dues and airline operating fees and consequently they have turned a blind eye to obvious airworthiness concerns, thereby allowing these unsafe airplanes to lift into our skies, chancing the safety and lives of people. In modern economies, information on any aircraft grounded due to safety concerns is freely obtainable from the website of these regulatory authorities. However, in Nigeria, people board airplanes by faith and pray themselves to safe landing. (2) Age of the aircraft The age of the crashed aircraft has no direct influence on the accident. However, for an aircraft of that vintage, much more is required for its maintenance especially when Boeing Inc. the manufacturer of the Aircraft has ceased its production and has also stopped directly supporting the maintenance of same model aircraft. If an aircraft’s airworthiness certificate is current and audited one should not have concerns on its safety. However an aircraft of this age, should be closely regulated to ensure that it does all its maintenance and safety checks; whether an “A Check” or a “C-Check”. This begs the same question of how Airworthiness Certificates are issued to operators in Nigeria.

(3) Lack of continuous pilot training Continuous Professional Development (“CPD”) is necessary in every profession. I am of the opinion that this is not a requirement with regards to pilot certification in Nigeria. In the exposure I have had in my career field, we are told that an aircraft has its take-off weight and its landing weight. If any of these is not achieved there will be dire consequences. When the Dana pilot saw that it was struggling to reach the airport and there was strong possibility of it crashing, with a proper training, the pilot should have dumped its aviation fuel before landing. However, with the inferno that ensued after the crash, it will be conclusive that the aircraft did not dump its fuel. The pilot was chancing to land the aircraft safely with its aviation fuel. How would one explain how this crashed aircraft was carrying an MTOW weight in excess of its manufacturers approved weight? Is this not a failure by our regulatory authorities’ to have allowed this aircraft to fly? What about the pilot, what did his training tell him or her about the excess weight the aircraft had to lift to the sky? Again, our regulatory authorities have once more abdicated their regulatory role, of ensuring that these pilots that fly airplanes in our airspace have up to date, continuous verifiable training. Continued on page 15

Of deaths and politics in Edo state By Jonathan Asemota

do State was recently in the news as a result of several fatal incidents which occurred in the state. The first to hit the news was the death of three journalists in an accident involving the convoy of the Governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The second was the unfortunate murder of his Principal Private Secretary (PPS), Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde while the third was the death of one person in a protest demonstration against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by the governor himself. These incidents have generated considerable acrimony and attracted national attention. The two major political parties in Edo state, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have engaged themselves in a vicious blame-game. Without preliminary police investigation, the two sides have traded accusations of culpability in these deaths. Adams Oshiomhole and his supporters have virtually been unambiguous in their belief that elements of the PDP have a

hand in these incidents. Indeed, one of the functionaries of the Edo state Government went as far as suggesting that a national leader of the PDP might be the brain behind these deaths. The insinuation here is that the politics of the forthcoming governorship election of July 14, 2012, and the desperation of the opposition party are the underlying factors behind the blood-letting incidents occurring in the state. The PDP, on the other hand, has repeatedly denied involvement in any sinister plot to kill or cause mayhem in Edo state. The party has always attempted to persuade the general public to see that the Governor’s convoy accident involved a lorry owned and driven by accredited ACN members, while the death of one person in a protest march was the result of the violence unleashed by hoodlums led by the Governor to the INEC office in Benin City. In the same way, the party has vigorously affirmed its innocence in the murder of Oshiomhole’s PPS. There can be no doubt that the tragic incidents in the state are

being used as a tool of electioneering, especially by the ACN which seems to have been taking undue advantage and rambunctiously using them to blackmail the PDP. On its own part, the PDP, apart from steadfastly denying any wrongdoing, has also advertised the view that in searching for the killers of the PPS, Oshiomhole and the ACN should look inward within their fold. However, it is possible to see the incidents beyond the blinkered views of the two political parties. One other way to understand what has happened in Edo state is to see the incidents as being fortuitous and unrelated. It is plausible to argue that they are not the products of any conspiracy and, therefore, ought not to be elevated into one. There is yet another way to look at the incidents, and that is to locate them in a larger historical context. To do so is to enter into a world of amazing possibilities. It is interesting to note that since the governorship election of April 2007, there have been several political deaths in Edo state: • In a protest led by Adams Oshiomhole against the results of

the 2007 Governorship election, two people lost their lives. • Almost immediately after he became Governor in 2008, his Personal Assistant, Mr. Greg Aruma and his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Chris Nwachukwu, died in a motor accident. • In the same year, a group of young girls allegedly returning from a party in Oshiomhole’s country home in Iyamho, reportedly died in an accident involving Honourable Phillip Shaibu’s official car. • And more recently, in 2012, three journalists died in an accident involving Oshiomhole’s convoy. • And his Principal Private Secretary was killed by unknown gunmen. • One person died in a protest march led by Governor Oshiomhole to INEC office to protest alleged plan by the Commission and the PDP to manipulate the now suspended continuous voter registration. • It might not be totally out of place to also point out that the human rights activist, Chima Ubani, died in a fatal accident in 2005 while travelling in Oshiomhole’s official car on his

way from Maiduguri. Oshiomhole’s opponents have also produced different perspectives on the murder of his PPS, speculating that it might not be unconnected to developments within the Governor’s inner caucus such as the violation of a blood oath or the divulging of information about his notorious N10.8 billion personal estate in his Iyamho country home. Many others have speculated that the aspiration of the PPS to be the next President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the attendant internal acrimony might also provide a possible clue to his murder. Anyway, the PPS, not being from Edo state, was of little or no political relevance in the state. What appears obvious is that there is a pattern to the deaths in Edo state which cannot be explained by reference to any conspiracy on the part of third parties. The fact is that they have all occurred around Adams Oshiomhole, and most of the persons involved were his very loyal aides. The Governor must begin to look for explanation or, maybe for deliverance! Jonathan Asemota sent in this piece from Lagos.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

For Africa, it is the curse of leadership W

By Anthony Ebitimi Owei

ith the advent of mobile phones, the internet and other swift means of communication, interactions among the over seven billion people on earth have increased. Before I visited Kenya for instance, I knew about her rich wildlife and some of her notable leaders via the Internet. I can confidently contribute to discourse about several countries of the world even without stepping my foot on their soil. That is how connected we are in today’s world. Globalization to Birdsall (1999) “is the trend of increasing integration of economies in terms not only of goods and services, but of ideas, information and technology which has tremendous potential benefits for developing countries.” We cannot deny the fact that the world is now a global village but yet again, for developing nations of the world, focusing on Africa this time, it has done us more harm than good courtesy of leaders who lack vision and constantly display their greed for power and wealth. For almost two decades if not more, we have been singing about REFORMS! Be it political, financial, civil service, electoral and otherwise. In repositioning our economy for growth and competition with other world economies, we have to liberalize trade, our financial system and privatize public corporations. Trade liberalization makes economies more By Oladipo Akinkugbe

By the order of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the institution formerly known as the University of Lagos is now to be known as Moshood Abiola University, Lagos. All former documents remain valid.

hose are the words uttered by the president that caused the students of the University of Lagos to lose their cool in more ways than one. People and personalities from different sections of society have condemned the pronouncement as illegal and insensitive. Illegal? I am not sure but that does not seem to be the real issue. The students that stomped on to the streets in protest didn’t make any legal checks before they did. Insensitive? Definitely and here lays the real issue. Insensitivity is becoming the hallmark of this federal administration. It is obvious that they did not give any weight to the interests of the staff, students and alumni of the school. One cannot imagine why they did not think it necessary to involve the various stakeholders of the institution before making such a decision. Even without the benefit of hindsight it is the sensible thing to have done. Probably they thought it would be a pleasant surprise. It was a surprise alright but not so pleasant. That being said people may be over reacting to the name change a little.

competitive; generate new labour- privatization process. greatly depleted our foreign intensive jobs in agriculture and In the financial sector, those exchange earnings. An average manufacturing, provides cheaper who already have assets, control citizen of Greece will remain in imports, reducing the this sector thereby starving the Athens than take a vacation to consumption costs for the urban informal sector comprising of see the beautiful safaris of Kenya. poor who unlike the rich use most small-scale businesses the In order words, their disposable of their income for consumption. requisite funds for growth. In the income has drastically reduced Unfortunately, this widens the private sector, top CEOs and board as well. African nations are wage gap between the educated members are facing charges of forced to introduce austerity and uneducated, especially in theft running into billions. They measures, which they literally developing countries, studies have have become money laundering CANNOT implement. Nigerians proven. agents for corrupt government will recall the fuel subsidy debate Privatizing government officials. This tends to increase the that grounded the economy in institutions that has created an concentration of wealth again the early part of 2012. inefficient monopoly and ran basic among the “powers that be”. In Government failed on his part to services like power, water and Kenya, they call them “cartels” put in place palliatives to cushion telecommunications for many and in Nigeria “cabals”. the effect of the ‘so-called’ subsidy years was imperative. Prior to Evidently, there is a leadership removal. (Another debate all privatization, together) This evil publicly managed o f institutions were globalization always in debt and boils down to their services were Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text lack of ineffective because messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written political will they were used as contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 on the part of conduit for large words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and our leaders. scale corruption a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed Instead of and treasury to: s e e k i n g looting. The rich f o r e i g n had access to water The Editor, investment, to fill their Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, our leaders swimming pools go about while the poor paid 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. s e e k i n g more to purchase Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com foreign banks from private SMS: 07037756364 to invest tankers or their loot. boreholes. The rich had the wherewithal to purchase crisis in both public and private Some argue that the citizens are as corrupt just like their leaders. heavy duty generators to power sectors. their homes and offices while the With the economic recession But think of this, if the head is poor languish in darkness. and current EURO crisis, rotten, what will become of the African nations are developing nations feel the heat body? If our leaders sit up, follow handicapped by weak institutions, the most. African nations export the rule of law, stop inflating lack of transparency, and high similar products (mostly raw contracts, offer selfless service, concentration of economic and materials) and scramble for the and so on, the citizens have no political power which ruined the same export market, which has choice than to follow suit because

WRITE TO US

then the rule of law will always prevail. Our focus must be to strengthen institutions to fight corruption, distribute wealth equitably, INVEST HEAVILY IN HUMAN CAPITAL, infrastructure, healthcare and massive employment generation through industrialization. We should take advantage of our population to build a skilled workforce that will drive a prosperous economy. I am emphasizing on this because we have failed woefully in terms of investing in people. People drive development and not natural resource(s). African nations should put in place frameworks to trade among her over ONE BILLION people and stop the habit of begging for foreign aid or grants which results in them becoming enemies and competitors just because they are scrambling for the same export market mostly in Europe and America. We should learn to make sacrifices and not live beyond our means. Success is not a destination and is not measured by material wealth. We take pride in consuming foreign goods and forget that we are exporting employment and killing our local economies. In football, after 90 minutes regulation time comes the “injury time”. We can make a difference in this “injury time” of our existence. God bless Africa. Anthony Ebitimi Owei blogs at www.tonyowei.wordpress.com Twitter@TeeWhyOwei

Why they lost their cool What is the big deal is about a change of name. Isn’t it just a name? Well, it isn’t just a name, it is an identity. There are various factors that define a person or people’s identity which include culture, history, experiences and so on. Hence UNILAG was not just a name but an identity with a unique culture, history and experiences which are inextricable from the name. People are nothing without their identity because it is from either personal or collective identity that we derive our pride and self esteem. When someone’s or a group of people’s identity is threatened you would expect adverse reactions such as what we saw. UNILAG was a proud identity of the students, staff and alumni. Now, that pride has been diminished although temporarily. The staff and the other entities of the opposition were mainly influenced by the reaction of the students and alumni who all feel the same anger. Being so far away at Aso Rock in Abuja, one wouldn’t expect the president and his advisers to know and being so out of touch with the youth one wouldn’t expect them to understand either. For students and alumni, the UNILAG identity meant you were “cool”. It’s not like the school is academically in different league from the likes of UNILORIN, U.I, OAU, ABU and the

rest. I don’t think you would have gotten the same reaction if any other university was changed to the same name. Their being “cool” means they are the elite social community of all the universities in Nigeria. It means they have more style and charisma (Lagos swagger). The charisma is mostly due to the fact that it is a federal university located in Lagos where all the rich kids that weren’t schooling abroadback in those days-went before the establishment of expensive private universities nowadays. UNILAG was one of the most sought after universities in the country for admissions. Secondary school graduates from Lagos didn’t want to go anywhere else and those from other states all had UNILAG as their first choice. UNILAG had the coolest parties and clubs, the hottest girls and the newest fashion. Going back to the change pronouncement, the president said “the institution formerly known as the University of Lagos is now to be known as Moshood Abiola University, Lagos”. That did not sound cool at all (no offence to all the Moshoods out there). The acronym structures do not help either. MAU, MAUL, and MAULAG all sound alike to a meat selling district. Notice that most of the complaints about the new name talk about how awful and

unattractive the name sounds. Moshood has some stereotypical attributes attached to it which is quite funny and unfortunate. An illustration of this is a joke someone made on twitter that said now that the university is going to be called Moshood Abiola University, all the students are going to start developing body odours, don’t ask me what the person means by that. The coolness identity took time, effort and serendipity to develop and define. The UNILAG identity has developed for close to 50 years defined by the efforts, events and culture of its time. But the times have changed. UNILAG is really not the same UNILAG it was back in the day. One student mentioned that the only thing they had to hold on to was the name UNILAG and now even that has been taken away. So in a way the name change is kind of befitting of its current status. UNILAG students are not even supposed to be the sort of people to go unto the streets looking like they have been denied the right to bathe and clothe properly, but I guess the name change is already taking its course. I joke. Jokes aside the name change is not so bad. If the students feel so bad about the new name they can take the initiative to define the

way people call and perceive the name. M.A.U Lagos. If it’s pronounced separately and not together, it actually sounds Ivy League(ish). They can reach a compromise to get the federal government to sponsor a rebranding campaign to influence the perception, uphold its reputation and attract even more students and academic talent. There is really nothing wrong with the new name or the idea of naming a federal institution after the family of our late sage M.K.O. Abiola. Although most of the students in university these days are 90’s babies or rather too young to understand the significance of the June 12 struggle, the protest was a knee jerk reaction to the initial “uncoolness” of Moshood, added to the fact that Mr. President cannot seem to do anything right in public opinion. To all the students of M.A.U Lagos it’s not the name that makes you but you make the name. To the alumni you will still carry that name on your certificates with pride because you made the name the name did not make you. So all everyone just needs to do is “just be cool”. You feel me? Thank you, Thank you. Oladipo Akinkugbe wrote from Lagos

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

PAGE 15

Dankwambo and yan-kalare syndrome (I) By Bashir Bello Akko

olitics in a developing society like Nigeria will always have a face and a phase. Just before and soon after Nigeria’s independence, the political landscape was replete with unruly practice, some even earning the appellation of the “wild, wild, West”. Use of political thugs as a means to an end only ebbed with the incessant intervention of the military on the political landscape. However, even during the military era, the rise of miscreants in several robes was still noticeable. Some started as social militants like the Bakassi Boys in By Na-Allah Mohammed Zagga

ormer President Obasanjo’s propensity to controversy is not news; his recent attack on the National Assembly as a lair of armed robbers is true to type. In his latest self-righteous posturing, he didn’t spare the police and the judiciary either. Lest one is misunderstood, there is no attempt to condone corruption by these public institutions. Corruption at any level undermines the development of Nigeria or any country for that matter. What is, however, nauseating is the moral hypocrisy of General Obasanjo who fancies himself as God’s gift to Nigeria because the country had to “beg” him in 1999 to come on a rescue mission. Hypocrisy usually destroys important messages and that is why Obasanjo’s harangue against the National Assembly, the judiciary and the police didn’t excite many Nigerians. One of the best characterizations of a hypocrite I have ever read was from James Allen, who was described as the greatest inspirational writer of the 20th century. According to Allen, “the efforts of such a man to make the world virtuous, his exhortations to his

the Niger Delta; the Ogbesu Boys in the Igboland, Yan-Daukan Amarya in Kano and the Afenifere that later partially metamorphosed into Area Boys in Western Nigeria, before becoming handy tools to those with political mischief. Historians are yet to find any supportive evidence that such unsavory groups positively contributed in any way to the development of this country politically, economically, culturally, socially or morally. It was Brigadier General (then Colonel) Buba Marwa as the then Governor of Lagos State that started taming this social nuisance by cajoling them to some

form of repentance, then training them in useful skills and integrating them into the larger society as productive citizens. When however, full party politics resumed, especially from the third Republic, some mischievous politicians resurrected the political thuggery to a virtual pastime. Kano State was by all standards a hot bed of political radicalism fueled by the radicalism of the Talakawa emancipatory goals. The term “Political Vanguards” was translated into the state’s Lingua Franca, Hausa, and adopted as “Yan Banga”: the term Banga being a corruption of “Vanguards” because the letters “V” and ‘B’ are

free variations in that vernacular. The “Yan Banga” was to serve as unofficial protective “army” of the high caliber politicians, but sadly too, it was soon turned to weapons of harassment, intimidation and even rigging in favour of their preferred candidates or godfathers. In the Fourth Republic however, use of such political vanguards took a new and more dangerous dimension, converting them to arsonists and even death squads in pursuit of the unholy political objectives of their sponsors. State after state, it became more like a fashion. It started in places like Bauchi state

where a dangerous group of local hunters, especially around Darazo area of the state called ‘Yan-Gunda’ were recruited and renamed as ‘Yan-sara-suka. They go about with dangerous weapons and presumed magical charms with which they wreaked havoc against political opponents: real or imagined. Then Borno State in those days took a cue and established a terror group called ‘ECOMOG’. However, Gombe state during the previous administration appeared to have surpassed all others by establishing a terror political gang named ‘Yan-Kalare’. Bashir Akko is an Abuja based Journalist

OBJ and the burden of credibility fellow-men to abandon great vices are empty of substance and barren of fruitage.” One could not have found a better description of hypocrisy than this. Obasanjo’s message, though significant, was lost because he has to contend with his own credibility problem. As they say, those who come to equity must come with clean hands. In 2006, during a meeting of Northern Christian Elders Forum, Nigeria’s former Chief of Army Staff and later Defence Minister, Lt. General T. Y. Danjuma branded Obasanjo as “a fake Christian, fake evangelist and fake nationalist.” This blistering criticism came from a General who threatened in 1999 to go into exile if Obasanjo was not elected President! Why did Obasanjo’s credibility shatter to shreds so soon? Action, they say, speaks louder than words. He is largely blamed for corrupting Nigeria’s politics, which has been taken over by god fathers, regardless of credibility. He introduced do-or-die politics in Nigeria. He appears to hate corruption with passion but he used it to achieve his crude political agendas. In 2006, in the wake of the attempt to amend the

constitution to gratify Obasanjo’s third term ambition, N50 million was reportedly given to each Senator to vote in favour of the amendment. Despite the public outcry over the use of bribery and financial inducement to guarantee the passage of the unpopular amendment, the EFCC only made a half-hearted investigation and abandoned the effort because of the President’s hidden hand in the affair. In fact, there was even an incident when a driver with the Abuja Leasing Company escaped with the third term money from the bank. Because of the tracking system fitted to the car, the driver was finally arrested at Amigo Super Market at Wuse 2. When journalists asked the police when the driver would appear in court for prosecution, a police officer was quoted as saying that their priority was to recover the money. Nigerians, however, knew why the guy was not prosecuted. His prosecution would have revealed the source of the money and the intended beneficiary. Despite repeated denials of the bribe-for-vote scandal during the

third term debate at the Senate, subsequent events had confirmed that indeed, money had changed hands. When he was arrested by the EFCC after his immunity expired, former Governor Saminu Turaki of Jigawa State, said N10 billion out of the N35 billion he was accused of stealing, was used for Obasanjo’s third term bribery project. He mentioned a former aide to Obasanjo and currently a serving Senator as the person who collected the N10 billion bribe money from the treasury of Jigawa State. Nigerians can also recall that in 2002, during the Obasanjo instigated plot to remove former Speaker Ghali Umar Na-Abba, bribe money was openly displayed by some lawmakers who collected it the night before and presented it on the floor of the House as financial inducement to impeach the recalcitrant Speaker, who became a thorn in Obasanjo’s flesh. Against this hypocritical background of using corruption to achieve his political objectives, does Obasanjo command the credibility to judge the moral credentials of others? Who introduced the idea of bribing

delegates to party conventions instead of allowing them to vote according to their conscience and convictions? Which President withdrew corruption charges against a former Federal Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Joseph Makanjuola using the so-called nolle prosequi by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation? Was the decision to withdraw the charges out of public interest? Corruption and disregard for due process that characterized the privatization of prized public assets and the independent power projects remain a major stigma on Obasanjo’s credibility. Thanks to his insincerity, Obasanjo has lost the moral high ground to point accusing fingers of corruption against anyone. Ordinarily, Nigerians would have thrown their weight behind him to crucify the National Assembly. But they don’t trust his sincerity. And for this reason, his moral message went up in smoke. Na-Allah Mohammed Zagga, a writer on national issues, is a journalist based in Abuja E-mail: muzagga@yahoo.com

Dana Air crash: The morning after and what next…? Continued from page 14

(4) Absence of corporate social responsibility If what we hear is true that the maintenance manager of Dana Air had concerns that the crashed aircraft should not fly due to its poor maintenance record and this concern was over ruled by Dana Air’s management and the aircraft was allowed fly. This is an erosion of the trust customers have on Dana Air’s management that at all times their decision will be for the safety of their customers. Dana Air, by conduct has abdicated the corporate social responsibility they owe their customers and the community at large. Again, if our aviation regulatory system was functioning as it should be, the maintenance manager should be concerned that our regulatory officers will not allow the aircraft to fly instead, what we see is that

this regulatory oversight “whether or not an aircraft should be allowed to fly” has been ceded to airline operators, who being focused on return on their investment cannot be trusted with making such a life or death decision. (5) Unplanned population growth It was widely reported in BBC, CNN and other news media sources that it was impossible to get to the crash site as it is in a densely populated part of Lagos. If this area of Lagos was easily accessible with good roads and infrastructure, this would have enabled the fire trucks, paramedics, ambulances and emergency services to quickly deplore themselves and equipment to save possible survivors from the crash. There are similar densely populated settlements all across Nigeria that in any emergency

situation, no fire truck or emergency aid can be successfully deployed to these areas. These settlements have no access roads, no piped water to houses, no electricity pools to connect to national grind, no security, no bus routes to take them home and lastly no planned water drainage system. This takes us to the issue of unplanned population growth across Nigeria. People are erecting buildings on any available land or green space across the country and government is mindlessly issuing Certificates of Occupancy without putting adequate infrastructure and planning in place in such areas. Our urban and regional planning authorities have looked the other way and have abdicated their responsibilities in helping government plan for a rapidly growing society.

(6) Careless regard of the intervening power of God It is only in Nigeria, that a taxi driver, bus driver or private driver will set out on a journey without adequate fuelling and would pray to God to lengthen the life of the fuel to enable them reach their destination. It is only in Nigeria, that our aviation regulatory authorities will issue an airworthiness certificate to a faulty aircraft and then pray the pilot will get to its destination to fix any identified problem. It is only in Nigeria that airplanes land and take-off in numerous airports across the country without land lighting guidance and pilots do depend on the praying feistiness of their passengers to get them to land in safety. These above scenarios are pitiable. God would only answer prayers when we have done the

right thing. We have to do the right thing first before our God will divinely intervene. Conclusion In my Root-Cause-Analysis on the cause of this air crash, it is all about Regulation, Regulation Regulation!! The country needs properly thought through enforced regulations to have safe skies for all citizens. We do not need to spend billions to ensure safe skies all we need is for government to ensure that current and future aviation regulations are properly enforced. Every aircraft manufacturer has a maintenance manual for each model of aircraft it manufactured and once these maintenance requirements are enforced and complied with our sky-ways will be safe again. Okide Ezigbo, a commercial lawyer, works in the aerospace industry in Canada

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Hoteliers challenge AEPB over hike in waste fees H

otel Owners Forum in Abuja (HOFA) has threatened to shut down hotels in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) if the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) insists on increasing charges for waste disposal. The President of forum, Mr Onofiok Ekong, made the threat in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on yesterday. Ekong said that the forum had written to the director of

•••Threaten shut-down the board challenging the hike in the charges, adding that it would lead to irreversible price increase in hotel services. He said that copies of the letter had been forwarded to the Minister of the FCT, and the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National

Orientation. Copies were also sent to the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Senate. Ekong said: “As if the prevailing harsh economic

environment is not enough, on June 1, the AEPB issued a new billing regime to our members, which reflects more than 1,683 per cent increase. This is over and above the provisions of the Waste Management Regulation of 2005, which is in the

IPO tenders fake dollars as exhibit in court

nvestigative Police Officer (IPO) Benjamin Sululere of Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on Wednesday tendered fake dollar notes found in the possession of eight accused persons, as exhibit at an Abuja Magistrate’s Court. Sululere told the court that the exhibits include two metal boxes containing fake dollar notes and a bottle of liquid chemical. He said that inside the boxes were big stones covered with the counterfeit money which the suspects used to defraud people. The IPO further said that the exhibits were found in the accused persons’ possession at Anguwan Cement and Dape village, Abuja, during a police raid. The Police Prosecutor handling the matter, Simon Emmanuel, had earlier told the court that the suspects were arrested on April 24 in Jabi, Kado, Anguwan Cement and Dape village, Abuja, by a combined team of detectives attached to the Life Camp Police Station. The suspects are: Joseph Adamu, 32; Uzoma Ajunbu, 27; Michael John, 36; Joseph Ibeh, 32; Ugochukwu Chikudi, 28; Sunday Chinyere, 40; Nsikak Matthias, 35, and Samson Emmanuel, 34. Emmanuel said the team, acting on information, raided black spots identified as criminal hideouts in the areas. He said the accused were caught in groups at the various locations, with valuables and counterfeit dollars, which they use in defrauding people. The prosecutor said the offence was contrary to Sections 79, 198 and 439 of the Penal Code, but the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Magistrate, Hajiya Sadiya Mayana, adjourned the case till June 18, 2012 for cross examination. (NAN)

Corn business booms at Bwari market in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

gazette. The said new bills were retroactively backdated to January 2012”. “It is noted that the increase in this new price regime is the highest rate ever witnessed in the history of price adjustment in the FCT,” he added. He said that the forum had given the board one month ultimatum to reverse the hike in waste charges, failing which the association would hold a street protest after which it would go to court. Ekong said that the board had given the hotels 21 days notice to pay the bill to avoid closure. Earlier, the board had addressed a news conference on its intention to increase charges on waste collection for hospitality and commercial ventures in the FCT. The Director, AEPB, Mr Isah Shuiabu, said that the hospitality industry and other commercial ventures had been grossly under-charged by the board, hence the need for an increase. Shuiabu said that the increase was not based on arbitrary administrative decision, but on technical objectives. He said that waste charges would not only be on the number of rentable rooms, but on all other activities generating waste. (NAN)

Tribunal declares two councillors poll winner in Abaji By Adeola Tukuru

n Appeal Court Tribunal sitting in Gudu district, presided by Justice Banjoko has declared two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) councillors, Hon. Abdulkadir Yahaya Dafa representing Alu/Managaji ward and Hon. Jibrin Saidu, representing Nuku Sabon-Gari ward in Abaji Area Council, as duly elected councillors of the April 10, 2010.

The tribunal quashed judgement by the Lower Tribunal on the basis of deduction of votes from the total votes casted in Alu/ Mamagi ward. It also held that the Lower Tribunal also erred by nullifying the election of councillor representing Nuku Sabon-Gari ward for lack of merit. Addressing journalists after the judgment, the councillor representing Nuku Sabon-Gari ward, Hon. Saidu commended

the victory and promised to continue with good representation of his people. He enjoined all the opposition party (ACN) to support them for the development of Abaji Area Council. Similarly the councillor representing Alu/Mamagi Ward in Abaji Area Council, Hon. Dafa criticised the councillorship aspirant of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Abaji chapter, Mr. Yakubu Sarki for alleging that he threatened to kill him.

According to him, the allegation was published in some national dailies on June, 6 2012. He maintained that since the beginning of appeal tribunal sitting on the councillorship election petition, he never sighted Sarki anywhere apart from seeing him at the court premises during the trial period. Dafa hinted that he has ordered his lawyer to take up the matter to the court to seek redress for tampering with his integrity.

FCTA to unveil medical caravan concept soon By Josephine Ella

he Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration has disclosed plan to unveil a medical caravan that will take health care services to all nooks and crannies of the territory, especially the rural communities.

The Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Demola Onakomaiya made this known to journalists in Abuja. In the quest for better health for FCT residents, “the FCT administration is developing a concept for a medical caravan that will provide basically screening, brief intervention and referral”, he said.

Onakomaiya explained that the caravan would be targeting markets, schools and other “places where people tend to congregate, aiming to provide more accurate interpretation of medical results and helping clients save time and effort”. “You know there are different districts in the FCT and ideally each should have a hospital but because of the financial resource

we cannot go everywhere. Look at Koruduma village for instance, the infrastructure is not here. But if we have a medical caravan, with appropriate time table, all these underserved communities will be able to benefit from this mini- mobile hospital or clinic that has a laboratory, consultation and other things”, he added.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

FCTA to generate N3bn from outdoor advertisements, says minister By Josephine Ella

n a bid to augment its internally, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to finance the FCT Statutory Budget, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has concluded arrangements to raise the sum of N3 billion from outdoor advertisements annually. The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, who disclosed this yesterday, during an interactive session with outdoor advertisement stakeholders, said the meeting was aimed at fine-tuning the grey areas for a robust partnership with the stakeholders. Senator Mohammed said the administration is working towards

avoiding visual assault and pollution caused by random advertisements and signages on the streets of Abuja. He said: "The improved internally generated revenue will go a long way in assisting the FCT Administration provide more infrastructure and social services to the residents of the Federal Capital Territory in consonance with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan". To this effect, the FCT administration would go into partnership with Afromedia Plc and solicited for the cooperation of all as the proceeds will be shared amongst the FCT administration, the FCT area councils who are constitutionally empowered to collect such revenue and the advertising firm in the

partnership. The Minister assured that his administration is more than ever committed to unbundling the FCT Administration and creating synergy for better result. He emphasized that this initiative will not be on an Ad-hoc basis as institutions will be created through a legislation to ensure adequate development of human capacity. To fast track the entire process, Senator Mohammed set up a committee to be headed by the FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide with membership including the FCT ALGON, Development Control Department, FCDA amongst others and to submit report within 3 weeks; stressing that the new initiative has

cross cutting responsibility. The minister commended the Abuja Infrastructure and Investment Centre for initiating the idea in line with the international standard. In a remark earlier, the Coordinator of the Abuja Infrastructure and Investment Centre (AIIC), Mr. Faruk Sani appreciated the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed for providing the enabling environment and political-will for his Centre to thrive. According to him, after all grey areas might have been sorted out, then the administration would now sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to usher in a new outdoor advertisement regime in Abuja. Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the Afromedia Plc, Mr. Akinlola Ireolopade during the event, made detailed presentation, prelude to the signing of the MOU.

FCT minister tasks stakeholders on quality education in rural areas By Etuka Sunday

he Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed has called on education administrators to ensure quality education in rural areas in order to meet up with the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government. Senator Mohammed made the call at the 22nd Annual Conference of the National Association of Local Government Education Secretaries of Nigeria (NAESN) held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja with the theme, ‘Basic Education for National Development’. Represented by the Secretary, FCT Education Secretariat, Alhaji Kabiru Usman he noted that teachers are major stakeholders in the development of education in Nigeria. He stressed “that despite the fact that educational system in the country is faced with lots of challenges, priority attention should be given to quality education especially in the rural areas”. Earlier in an address, the National President, National Association of Education Secretaries of Nigeria (NAESN), Mallam Adamu Jatau Noma said, “the conference was organised for the 774 Education Secretaries in Nigeria to come together to discuss problems, share ideas and proffer solutions on how best to manage education at the grassroots”. “It equally provides room where we try to standardize the operations and activities of Basic Education in our respective Local Government and Area Councils throughout Nigeria,” he added. He gave lack of classroom structure, instructional materials, unwillingness of teachers to serve in rural areas, teenage pregnancies, death of teachers in core subject areas, ICTs facilities especially in rural schools, funding and over politicization of educational issues among others, as major challenges facing education management at the Local Education Authorities. According to him, the award given to ministers of education, the FCT minister and the Executive Secretary of UBEC as mothers and friends of education at the conference was in recognition of their immense contributions to the development of Basic Education in Nigeria.

Pupils of L.E.A Nursery/Primary School, Phase II, Nyanya in Abuja, entertaining the audience during the 22nd National Conference of National Association of Education Secretaries of Nigeria (NAESN), on Wednesday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Court grants bail to 2 armed robbery suspects

Gwagwalada High Court judge, Justice Balami Mwada on Wednesday granted bail to Aroaye Peter and Bala Mohammed, both accused of armed robbery. The two, along with Abubakar Yunisa and Akigbe Emmanuel were charged with conspiracy, robbery and possession of firearms. The Police Prosecutor, Francis Irabor told the court that the four accused persons conspired and went to the bush path linking Dabi and Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to robbed passengers of their

cell phones and other valuables. Irabor said that the accused persons were armed with one locally made revolver pistol. He said that the offence of illegal possession of firearms contravened the Firearm Act, punishable under Section 1 (2) (a) and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (special provisions) Act CAP ‘R11’ Laws of the Federation 2004. The accused persons pleaded not guilty to all charges. Counsel to the first accused, Peter, Mr Mustapha Omokide Aroaye, made an application, praying the court for an order

to admit his client on bail, pending the determination of the case. Also, counsel to the second third and fourth accused persons, Mr Michael Ayam, prayed the court to grant the second accused, Bala Mohammed bail. Ayam said that they had been in prison custody since 2010. Both counsels supported their bail applications with affidavits. The prosecutor, however, filed a 13paragraph affidavit objecting the counsel application as the case was adjourned till July 30, 2012 for hearing. (NAN)

Dei-Dei timber dealers demand good road, electricity By Adeola Tukuru

ei-Dei International Timber Traders Association (DITTA) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has appealed to the FCT administration to provide good roads and electricity for the Dei-Dei timber market. The Chairman of the association, Mr Peter Ezeadua said that apart from poor access road to the market, they rely on their personal generators for electricity supply. He said that no timber market could function without power supply, adding that the amount

they spend in the purchase of gas contributes immensely to the high price of timber in the territory. “We spend a lot of money in the purchase of gas which has been contributing immensely to the price we sell timber here in FCT,’’ he said, appealing to the FCT administration intervene in to help them ensure that the road leading to their market is motorable. According to him, the association has contributed immensely to solve problems of unemployment in Abuja and have been contributing immensely in revenue generation

in the FCT and Nigerian in general. “There is a tax office in the market and we ensure that each member pays his tax to the government, a condition that contributes to revenue generation in Abuja’’, Ezeadua stressed. In another development, the association have also called on the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) to offer cleaning services to the market in the area of waste management. “We implore the AEPB to help us in this regard, and we can pay for the services they render,’’ he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

PAGE 17

1. A police man buying torchlight, yesterday at Bwari market in Abuja. 2. Dignit of labour: A food vendor wheels a chart to her shop yesterday at Lugbe, Abuja.

3. You can't cheat the nature: A young man taking a nap on his bike, yesterday at Lugbe, in Abuja.

4. Mangoes patiently waiting for customer, yesterday along Bwari road, in Abuja. Photos: Justin Imo-owo

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Email: amunuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE - Pg 20 Reps set to probe rural telephony projects

Mob: 08033644990

FG sets up 109 ICT community centres nationwide From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

he Federal Government is currently building 109 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) community centers, one in each senatorial districts of

the country, in the technological quest to make majority Nigerians ICT literate. The Executive Director, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) a non-governmental organisation, Malam Yunusa

Zakari Ya’u, who disclosed this to newsmen at a sensitisation seminar on ICT in local government administration held at Dass in Bauchi state, saying that Federal Government ‘s ICT project is coming under the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF)

Investors lose N218bn in 5 days of trading From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

ith the bears still reigning supreme at the nation’s bourse, equity investors have lost a huge N218billion from their portfolio value within just five days of trading, investigation from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) trading figures has shown. The NSE trading figures shows that equities market capitalisation, which is the total value of the tradable shares of listed companies at the NSE, has declined from N7.037trillion recorded last Thursday, to N6.819trillion, after yesterday’s trading. Only last week, the total

Flight schedule AIR NIGERIA (MONDAY - SUNDAY) LOS-A BJ: 07.15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.30, 17.00, 17.20, 18.30 ABJ-LOS: 07.00, 09.30, 10.30, 11.15, 16.15, 19.15, 19.35 ABJ-KANO: 18.40 KANO-ABJ: 08.35 ABJ -SOK (MON): 09.35 ABJ-SOK (FRI): 10.10 ABJ-SOK (WED/SUN): 11.20 SOK-ABJ (MON): 11.35 SOK-ABJ (FRI): 12.00 SOK-ABJ (WED/SUN): 13.20

AEROCONTRACTORS (MON - SUN) LOS-ABJ: 06.50, 13.30, 19.45 LOS-ABJ (SUN): 12.30 LOS-ABJ (SAT): 16.45 ABU-L OS: 07.30, 13.00, 14.00, 19.00 ABU-LOS (SUN): 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 ABU-LOS (SAT): 18.30

DANA AIRLINES (MON - SUN) LOS-ABJ: 07.02, 08.10, 12.06, 15.30, 17.10 ABJ-LOS: 07.20, 09.36, 13.05, 14.40 ABJ-LOS (SAT/SUN): 13.05, 18.00 LOS-KANO : 08.10 KANO-LOS: 11.25 KANO -ABUJA: 11.25 ABUJA-KANO : 10.08

IRS AIRLINES LOS -ABJ: 9.45, 11.45, 2.45

value of these tradable equities depreciated from N7.090 trillion to N 7.004 trillion. “The NSE is far from the fiveyear market capitalisation target of $1trillion; and the approvals of market makers alone will be insufficient to achieve this feat. The NSE must hasten the implementation of other initiatives, amongst which are short selling, and improve its product offering (derivatives, options, futures and securitisation),” said analysts at Financial Derivatives Company. Market analysts at Access Bank Plc said there were no fundamental drivers to suggest a reversal of the bearish mood which has dominated trading activities of late. They suggest that performance indicators may likely stay in the negative territory this week. Analysts at Cowry Asset Management expect to see a mix of bargain hunting and sell-off as investors respond to positive first quarter results, amid growing apathy triggered by global economic challenges. Further investigation has shown that other market indices have been trending downwards since last week, particularly the

L-R: Special Adviser on Monitoring and Evaluation to the President, Prof. Sylvester Monye; Agriculture Minister, Akinwumi Adesina; Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Mr Tony Elumelu and Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi during the inauguration of Agricultural Transformation Implementation Council held recently in Abuja.

DANA aircrash:Unity Bank loses two staff By Aminu Imam

ith deep sense of loss, the Board, Management and Staff of Unity Bank mourns with Nigerians the death of their loved ones, and in particular our two colleagues, Tunji Oloko and Lawal Anakobe who were on board EXCHANGE RATES

CBN CFA • £ RIYAL $

• £ RIYAL $

the DANA aircraft which crash - landed in Lagos killing over 150 passengers. Late Oloko was until his death a Principal Manager and Head of Investigation Department. Aged 52, late Oloko left behind his wife Mrs. Omobola Oloko. Aged 49, late Mr. Anakobe

BUYING 0.2716 192.2616 237.4942 41.2745 154.8

SELLING 0.2916 193.5036 239.0284 41.5411 155.8

BUYING 210 250 40 156

SELLING 212 252 42 158

who was an Assistant Manager was Team Leader, Audit and Inspection Team of Bauchi Regional Office. He left behind two wives, Rekiya Lawal and Altine Lawal and three children. Meanwhile, the management of the bank had visited the families of the

deceased staff and commiserated with them. A statement signed by the AGM, Corporate Communications, Aliyu Ma’aji further explained that the Bank shall continue to support and stand by the families in this painful and agonizing period of monumental loss.

Management Tip of the Day

5th June, 2012

PARALLEL RATES

ABJ-LOS: 11.30, 3.45, 4.45 LOS-KANO: 6.15 LOS-KANO (SAT/SUN): 16.30 KANO-LOS: 07.30 KANO-LOS (SUN/SUN): 10.30

All Share Index which tracks the general market movement of all listed securities on the exchange, including those listed on the Emerging Market board, regardless of capitalisation.

programme. He explained that the ICT community centers project is being funded from the proceeds of income tax on communication companies. The CITAD director therefore advised local governments in the country and in particular Bauchi state to partner with communitybased organizations, Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), or private sectors to host the ICT centers in their respective domains. Malam Yunusa Ya’u said the local governments can also

directly approach the USPF with proposal to directly partner in the setting up of c o m m u n i t y telecommunication centres. Ya’u also disclosed that Galaxy Backbone Plc is a Federal Government telecommunication/bandwidth that donates USAT equipment to communities, local governments and other agencies for the establishment of community centre in either school or in under-served or unserved areas. “Local governments can leverage this to provide internet connectivity in their secretariats or in community centres and schools in the local government areas”, Ya’u stated.

Keep your spirits up while looking for a job

t can be hard to stay positive in today’s tough job environment, but it’s critical. Becoming cynical or depressed will work against you, in part because most interviewers, no matter how much you fake it, will pick up on your real feelings. Actively manage your emotions so that you are truly happy,

focused, and energetic: Manage yourself. Set reasonable weekly goals for networking, researching, and applying for jobs. Reward yourself for accomplishing them. Put your eggs in many baskets. You’re less likely to get depressed by a single

rejection if you have other options in the works. Get out of the house. Do anything that will get you out, teach you something new, connect you with new people, and perhaps become a new line on your resume. Source: Harvard Business Review

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS Olam buys Nigeria’s Kayass for N10.6 bn

ingapore commodities trader Olam International Ltd said on Thursday it bought 100 percent of Nigerian dairy and beverage company Kayass Enterprises S.A. for $66.5 million (N10.6 bn).

Beneficiaries of BOI’s N100bn cotton, textile revival scheme showcase apparels at AfDB

Reps set to probe rural telephony projects By Lawrence Olaoye & Mohammed Umar-Puma

he House of Representatives has set in motion machineries aimed at probing into the implementation multi-billion naira rural telephony projects awarded by the administration of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Chairman House Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Rep Ibrahim Shehu, in an interaction with newsmen on Wednesday disclosed that the committee has invited the Minister of Communications, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, to brief the House on the progress made so far in the execution of the projects.

According to the lawmaker representing Gusau/Tsafe Federal constituency of Zamfara state the minister would have appeared before the committee long ago but for the fact that she was newly appointed to oversee a new ministry. “We gave the minister ample time for her to prepare and acquaint herself with the issues involved because the

Liquidation of PHCN must follow due process - Association By Muhammad Sada

he Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) on Wednesday declared that the liquidation of the PHCN must follow the due process as provided in the

constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. This was made known to newsmen by the presidentgeneral of the association, Mr. Bede Opara, while speaking in Lagos that the government needed to pay severance packages and terminal benefits

to workers before the liquidation. He also added that PHCN still existed until its proper liquidation, adding that government ought to have addressed outstanding labour issues before unbundling PHCN. According to Opera, the unbundling of PHCN had been

he Bank of Industry (BOI) Nigeria has facilitated an exhibition of the products of some of its talented small business customers who operate in the cotton, textile and garment industry sector, at the annual meeting of the African Development which held in Arusha, Tanzania recently.

By Usman Shu’aibu

ields on US and European debt fell to record lows on Friday last week and stock markets plunged after a weak US jobs report aggravated fear of a global slump and sent investors scurrying for safety.

etermined to increase market penetration and reach the uninsured populace at the grassroots, general business underwriter, Anchor Insurance Company Limited is strengthening capacity in product and manpower development.

Kwara to launch agric masterplan in New York

masterplan for the transformation of Kwara state into the agricultural hub of West Africa and create food security for the people is to be launched by the state government at Cornell University, New York today.

lingering since 2005 and advised the government to implement the agreements reached with the Hassan Sunmonu-led conciliatory committee. He went on: “Liquidation of PHCN has to follow judicial process; PHCN still exist ,we have told government at several meetings we had with them to ensure payment of workers’ severance packages and terminal benefits before liquidating PHCN’’.

Business tycoon asks deputy senate president to repair road

Investors dash for safety for fear of slump

Anchor Insurance develops capacity to drive micro insurance

contract was awarded under the previous administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. “The project involved a lot of money running into several billions of naira; we would want to be briefed on the progress made so far in its implementation in order to ensure that the country gets value for its money,” Shehu said.

L-R: Bauchi state governor, Malam Isa Yuguda , Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren, and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkiru Oyagocha, during the inauguration of Bauchi airstrip, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Nigeria’s trade value dips by N1.9tr since January By Aminu Imam

igeria’s total merchandise trade value in the first quarter of this year declined as the country’s imports recorded about N6.62 trillion compared with the about N8.53 trillion recorded in the preceding quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said in its latest Foreign Trade Statistics report on Wednesday. An analysis of this figure on export-import basis showed that Nigeria earned N4.97 trillion from the export of mineral products like crude oil and natural gas, which yielded a total of about N4.19 trillion in revenue

for the government, with non-oil exports accounting for the balance. Comparatively, total imports in the period under review stood at N1.56 trillion, an increase of about N255.20 billion, or 18.3 per cent over the value of imports in last quarter of last year, though the value decreased by about N1.45 trillion, or 48 per cent when compared with the value of the corresponding quarter of 2011. “The value of Nigeria’s total merchandise trade in the first quarter of 2012 stood at N6,622 billion, compared to N8,529.3 billion in the preceding quarter, which shows a decrease of N1,907.2 billion, or 22.4 per

cent,” the report said. “The observed change was as a result of a decline in the value of exports by N2,162.5 billion, or 30.3 per cent over that of the previous quarter. Year-on-year analysis revealed that the country’s value of total trade in first quarter of 2012 rose by N296.7 billion, or 4.7 per cent over the value of about N6,325.3 billion in the corresponding period of 2011. “The balance of trade in Q1 2012 stood at N3,317.5 billion, a decrease of N2,417.7 billion, or 42.2% over the preceding quarter. This decrease was attributed to the decline in the value of exports (noncrude oil exports in particular) in the quarter under review.

business mogul, Comrade Benjamin Udoji, who is an indigene of Mmaku in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu state has appealed to the deputy senate president, Hon. Ike Ekweremadu to rehabilitate Awgu – Mmaku - Achi Oji River road which had been neglected for along period of time now. Udoji, who resident in Suleja Local Government Area in Niger Sate, made this appeal while speaking in an interview with Peoples Daily in his business stand in Suleja, saying that if the road is being rehabilitated, it would link to so many neighboring states in the area. According to him, AwguMmaku – Achi Oji River road is an old road that needs to be rehabilitated by the government of the day by now, calling on the deputy senate president to do something about it before the expiration of his tenure in office. He expressed with dismay, that the people of Mmaku/Achi villages were cut – off from the nearby villages in terms of trading because the road was so bad that motorists could not pass through. His words: “I want to remind Ekweremadu that the people of Mmaku/Achi voted for him massively during the election, but up till now his leadership has not impacted positively on them”. The businessman accused the deputy senate president of failing to provide a purposeful leadership capable of satisfying the aspirations of his people.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

PAGE 21

Taxation as a tool for wealth creation and employment (3) By Muhammad Nasir

What you should know and do about the Personal Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2011 (1) is borne by a fixed base of the

s many people already know, the President on 13th December 2011 while presenting the 2012 Federal Budget proposal to the joint session of the National Assembly confirmed that the Personal Income Tax (Amendment) Bill has been signed into law. Based on the amendment dated 14 June 2011, the key changes include introduction of a consolidated tax free allowance of N200,000 or 1% of gross income, whichever is higher, plus 20% of the gross income including benefits in kind, gratuities, superannuation and any other incomes derived solely by reason of employment. Principal place of residence has been redefined to include places where branch offices and operational site of companies are situated. Operational sites are defined to include oil terminals, oil platforms, flow stations, construction sites, etc with a minimum of 50 workers. Also, any individual irrespective of status who works in more than one state for at least 20 days in at least 3 months of every assessment year will be liable to tax in such states. Although the minimum tax rate was increased from 0.5% to 1% of gross income, the t a x a b l e income bands have

been increased while the top tax rate was reduced marginally from 25% to 24%. Temporary staff are n o w specifically liable to tax so this will include casual workers, interns and other contract staff. Conditions for exemption from personal income tax for any employment wholly or partly performed in Nigeria have been modified to require evidence that such individuals are liable to tax in another country under the provisions of a double tax treaty. Also where the remuneration

nonresident employer in Nigeria, the individual will be deemed to be liable to tax in Nigeria. In addition, the 183day residency rule under which a foreigner becomes liable to tax regardless of other conditions has been modified to include periods of temporary absence or leave. A minimum of 5% of revenue collected is to be retained by relevant tax authorities for administrative purposes. It is however not clear whether this would also cater for tax refunds which including the refund of excess withholding tax stated in the amendment. Employers are to file annual returns in respect of their employees not later than 31st January of the following year while the 1% bonus available for early filing of assessment by individuals has been removed. To ensure compliance, interest on default in payment of tax will now be imposed on an annual basis from the date when the tax becomes due until it is paid. This means simple interest will now be charged as against the current practice of a flat rate (one-off) interest. In t h e same

vein, individual t a x clearance certificates (TCC) to be demanded for change of ownership of vehicles and application for land title transfer or perfection. Any appeal against unresolved assessments will now be handled by the Tax Appeal Tribunal but tax officers are required to apply to the High Court for a warrant of distrain before exercising their powers to distrain for failure by taxpayers to pay final and conclusive tax liability under the law. Tax exemption has been granted for individuals on interest income earned from debt instruments including corporate bonds. This exemption was previously limited to income on government bonds. (To be continued)

(d) Creating competitive edge One of the means by which economic growth and development can be achieved in the Nigerian economy is through increased domestic and foreign investment. Such investments are usually attracted when economic conditions are deemed as favourable. In this regard; the tax system can be used to create a competitive advantage for retaining and attracting investments to Nigeria through the following measures: (i) Reduction in the number of effective taxes Taxes should be few in number, broad-based and high revenue-yielding. The administration of the taxes should be simplified for ease of monitoring, supervision and compliance. A simple and efficient tax system is usually attractive to investors and is a major consideration when making an investment decision. (ii) Avoidance of internal multiple taxation One of the major disincentives to local and foreign investments is multiple taxation. Internal multiple taxation by all tires of Government should be avoided. As much as is possible, persons engaged in economic activity should enjoy certainty and stability in the nature and number of taxes, which they are required to pay. The federal, state and local Government shall ensure collation and close co-operation in the elimination of multiple taxation. To achieve this, the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution on tax matters and Taxes and Levies(Approved List for Collection)Act should be strictly complied with y all tiers of Government's Joint Tax Board(JTB)S should ensure the co-operation of all levies, fees, tolls, rates and charges across states in Nigeria to avoid multiplicity. (iii) Liberalization of the tariff regime Another means by which a competitive edge may be created in the country is by meeting the obligations under the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS) Common External Tariff (CET) regime. To achieve this, Customs administration in the country shall be strengthened and continuously specialized to

FIRS Ag Chairman Alhaji Kabiru Mashi meet the challenges of the CET rĂŠgime. The general public and all intending investors should be properly educated on the obligations of the country under the CET regime and its benefit to the Nigerian economy. (iv) Use of tax incentives to diversify the Nigerian economy The Nigerian economy shall be diversified and investments encouraged in sectors other than oil and gas in order to grow non-oil revenues. In this regard, Government shall emphasize the incentives available to these sectors, or create necessary incentives in order to attract investments to these other sectors. In doing this, Government would reduce dependence on the oil and sector and diversify its sources of revenue, so that Nigeria is no longer viewed as a monoproduct economy and other sources of revenue can be maximized. (v) Strengthening of the oil and gas sector Notwithstanding the need to diversify the Nigerian economy as discussed above, there is need for the Government to continue to develop the oil and Gas sector

and enter into agreements, which shall be beneficial to the Nigerian economy and create lesser burden on taxpayers in other sectors. In this regard, greater emphasis shall be placed on Production Sharing Contracts and other similar arrangements, which provide a more favorable tax regime to the oil and gas companies and encourage greater transparency and accountability in the industry. In addition Government shall create a conducive atmosphere and provide necessary incentives to encourage increased investment in the gas sector, as an alternative source of energy that is currently being underutilizes in the country. It should also be noted that the above list is not exhaustive; accordingly Government shall explore all possible avenues for creating a competitive edge for the Nigerian economy. There should be constant engagement between all stakeholders in the Nigerian economy from time to time, in order to deliberate upon and consider other avenues and tools, which can be utilized to create and retain a competitive edge for the Nigerian economy.

PAGE 22

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Air crashes: Will there be a difference this time? From Soji Oyinlola, Lagos

igeria has witnessed a catalogue of air crashes in the last one decade, ranging from major to minor mishap including aeroplane and helicopters at different times and at different locations across Nigeria, but what many Nigerians await at the end of the day is the full report of the accidents, in contrast to the snippets shown so far. If what the public is made to believe so far concerning the Sunday June crash in the border community between Lagos and Ogun states is anything to go by, then the appropriate authorities and government must tighten all ends to avert further senseless loss of lives in the aviation industry. Albeit, one cannot comment or ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the illfated MC Donnell Douglas MD 83 Dana Air, bought in 2009 from a US-based Alaska Airlines, except after investigation has been carried out by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and accented to by the President, the process, according to analysts, is simply too slow. However, experts have pointed out pertinent areas that must be looked into in order to ensure all the airlines in the country meet international standard requirement and operating procedure in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirement. Issues that has posed a puzzle to the industry include the age of some aircrafts in the fleet of operating airlines in the country; for example, the plane that killed all 153 passengers on board and scores of others on the ground is said to been manufactured in 1990. Since then, it has gone through series of changes while in the custody of its former owners before they parted with it. Also, while reports also abound that the Alaska owners decided to ship it out when it become apparent that the cost of maintaining its MD brand of aircrafts were becoming exorbitant, it was with a relief

Wreckage of the crashed Dana plane at Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, on Sunday. of letting it go when Dana Air came calling for its purchase in 2009. This is against the required age limit which was pegged at 20 years. Nigeria having banned all aircrafts of over 20 years, yet

reports said the average age of the six aircraft in Dana Fleet is twenty-one, with the youngest being 20-plus a few months. The Lagos-based Bellview Airlines Flight 210, which crashed shortly after take-off on Oct. 22, 2005 at Lagos, was

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Reports of investigations into the Sosoliso DC-9 aircraft that crashed on Dec. 10, 2005 near Port Harcourt and the Oct. 29, 2006 Aviation Development Company (ADC) flight from Abuja to Sokoto that killed 96 people, including the top spiritual leader of the Muslim Ummah, the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido and smaller crashes are yet to be made public.

said to be 24 years old, while the Sosoliso DC-9 aircraft that crashed on Dec. 10, 2005 full of schoolchildren flying from Abuja to Port Harcourt for which107 perished was 32 years old. Even when the Dana staff, one who is in a good position to know the state of the machine the company deployed in the sky, has also revealed that the said plane should not have been allowed to take to the sky in the first place, but the why, who and what made the officials both from the airline and the regulatory authorities still did not ground the plane is another question begging for answer, especially when it was obvious the plane has a profound history of mechanical defects. The engineerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revelations that the hydraulics challenges of the plane is legendary, and is no doubt a weighty accusation for which the government must not take with levity this time around especially with the manner the President visited the site of the wreckage on Monday and

promised that both technical and administrative areas in relation to the crash. One must also point out such inquiry should not be limited to the airline(s) alone but extended to the authority that carried out oversight function in the industry. This is not the first time alarm of such nature has raised that were outrightly overlooked by those concerned. Presently, an umbrella body of engineers have raised alarm over the state of another airline on the domestic route alleging negligence to technical requirements, for which they are accusing the top management of putting the lives of the flying public on such an airline at great risk and one hopes that the Federal Government will look into the issue before another unwholesome incident is allow to happen. Talking also about reports of finding by the AIB, the slow rate at which it takes the President to assent his signature to enable these report become public document is equally not cheering, The Lagos-based Bellview Airlines Flight 210, which crashed shortly after take-off on Oct. 22, 2005 at Lagos. Reports of investigations into the Sosoliso DC-9 aircraft that crashed on Dec. 10, 2005 near Port Harcourt and the Oct. 29, 2006 Aviation Development Company (ADC) flight from Abuja to Sokoto that killed 96 people, including the top spiritual leader of the Muslim Ummah, the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido and smaller crashes are yet to be made public. Nigerians surely wish things will be done differently this time, especially with the rigour with present administration is pursuing the transformation agenda which has seen massive renovation and remodelling across airports in the country. It will amount to nothing if facilities are retouched and the safety procedures of airlines that use the facilities are allowed to carry on without due regard to laid down rules.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Nigerians demand answers in the wake of Dana Air crash By Terfa Tilley-Gyado, Special to CNN

here is a predictable pattern that ensues following any tragic news in Nigeria. There is at first a collective sense of shock and grief. There follows official visits to the scene of the tragedy. Families are condoled and money is doled out in compensation. A period of mourning is inevitably announced. In a country where nothing happens quickly, committees and investigative panels will then be set up with remarkable alacrity. Months will pass. And then nothing. The result is always the same. Rhetoric, followed by vacuous proclamations

but ultimately, inaction. The banal sequence has already begun playing out with news of Sunday’s fatal air crash in Lagos which claimed over 150 lives. This time, however, Nigerians are demanding answers. Accidents do happen of course but the memories of January’s mass protests are fresh and there lingers a suspicion of government negligence. It is far too early to determine the outcome of the crash but early indications are that this was an entirely avoidable disaster. The investigation must begin with Dana Air,

operators of the ill fated Boeing MD-83. The irony is that the Indian-owned airline has quite a decent track record since they began operations in Nigeria four years ago. With a modest number of four aircraft in its fleet, the airline had grown at a reasonable pace and had just taken delivery of another Boeing MD-83 in May. A strong focus on domestic services and competitive fares had seen Dana Air become the airline of choice for many regular fliers. There were signs, however, in the last six months that standards had begun to slip. First came the irregular take-off times. Dana flights, once paragons of

punctuality, started taking off late or sometimes not at all. The delays were quite often without reason. On 15 May this year, I waited with other passengers for over six hours to board as engineers addressed a mechanical problem on one of its planes. On a separate occasion, we were to board the last Dana Flight out of Lagos to Abuja. The flight was canceled and no explanation given. There was no offer of compensation either. Dana Air has also faced accusations of pennypinching. Even before Sunday’s crash, there had been suggestions that Dana’s four aircraft were being overworked.

Rescue workers remove a victim of Sunday's plane crash in a Lagos, Nigeria, residential area on Monday, June 4. All 153 people aboard were killed.

See also: iReport images from Lagos On Sunday alone, the aircraft with registration number 5N-RAM was already on its fourth trip of the day and scheduled to make another one. In May, the same aircraft had to make two unscheduled air returns following reports of engine failure, according to a Dana Air station manager in Lagos. Whatever the outcome of the investigation, the omens are not good for Dana Air. No Nigerian airline has ever fully recovered from an air disaster. EAS Airlines, Bellview, SoSoLiso and ADC Air were all Nigerian airlines with decent sized fleets and considerable goodwill just ten years ago. Their names all became obsolete pretty quickly following a spate of crashes between 2002 and 2006. The government has taken the step of withdrawing their operational license and ground Dana aircraft whilst an inquiry takes place. Even in the event of continued operations, there would have been a likely slump in passenger bookings which will harm the airline. The investigation must go beyond Dana and extend to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The main regulator of the country’s airline industry will need to face some tough questions as well. Did they do enough to minimize the chance of such a crash? The Dana Air was 22 years old, which is not exactly ancient in aviation terms but given that Nigerian law prohibits aircraft over the age of 20 from operating, who fell asleep at the switch? Besides at that age, any aircraft would require maintenance checks to be as regular as they are vigorous. Separate eyewitness accounts of leaking hydraulics on the MD-83 do not suggest that this was the case. This time around the Nigerian public is in no mood for obfuscation or cover-ups. The last major air incident in Nigeria was in October 2006 when an ADC airlines flight crashed near Abuja and killed 96 on board. The outcome of the subsequent investigation was never revealed but now there is a growing demand that such information is shared with the public. Following that crash, the government grounded all commercial aircraft and revoked the licenses of many. Air worthiness became a paramount issue and as a result the slack operators

President Goodluck Jonathan couldn’t help but weep A part of the plane still smouldering

were forced to tighten up. Those that could not shape up exited the scene. On that occasion it took over 500 deaths in five years to shake the government into action. If laxity has started to creep back into Nigeria’s aviation sector, one hopes that it will not take a similar rash of incidents to ensure that safety standards are being consistently met. Terfa Tilley-Gyado is a Nigerian journalist and commentator. He is a former bureau chief and editor of the newspaper, 234Next. His works have been featured in Huffington Post, Daily Telegraph and several Nigerian newspapers. He has also worked as a political analyst for AlJazeera. [Source: CNN]

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Universal prophetic wisdoms (III) Allah says: “Nor does He say (aught) of (his own) desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him: He was taught by one mighty in power. Endued with Wisdom: for He appeared (in stately form).” [anNajmi:3-6]

n the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All Praise is due to Allah! We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our evils and bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allah, is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and final messenger to mankind. May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon His last and final Apostle, his Household, his companions and all his followers until the end of time. Our discussion today is a continuation of our last week topic which was taken from the treasures of the Apostle of Allah (SAW). We will as time goes on learn live touching advice, wisdom, guidance, admonishing and knowledge from this limitless treasures. The words, speeches and statements of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) under any state of affairs are direct guidance from Allah (SWT). It Him Who, concerning this greatest man, says: “Nor does He say (aught) of (his own) desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him: He was taught by one mighty In power,. Endued with Wisdom: for He appeared (in stately form).” [anNajmi:3-6] If you remember, last week we conversed on the first item of the Hadith; “Avoid the unlawful (deeds), and you will be the most pious of people.” We were able to realize that the best servants of Allah are those who fear him most! The Hadith again: The messenger of Allah peace be upon him once said to his Companions (RD): “Who will take these words and apply them, or knows someone who will?” Abu Hurairah (RD) answered, “I will, O Messenger of Allah,” whereupon the Prophet ((SAW)) took his hand and enumerated five things, saying: "Avoid the unlawful (deeds), and you will be the most pious of people." "Be satisfied with what Allah has allotted you, and you will be the richest of people." "Treat your neighbour well, and you will be a believer." "Love for others what you love for yourself, and you will be a Muslim." "Avoid excessive laughter for too much laughter kills the heart." [Ahmad: 2/ 310, No. 8081, Tirmizi: 4/ 551, No. 2305, Baihaqy: 7/ 78, No. 9543] Like the previous weeks, we will in sha Allah attempt to narrate every item of the Hadith to our

present state of affairs so that we partners with Allah is to devise a sin can evaluate ourselves and see Most heinous indeed.” [an-Nisa'i: whether we conform to its 48] And: “Allah forgiveth not (the sin teachings or we fall short of, and quickly make up in order to sustain of) joining other gods with him; but pace. This week we will discuss item three of the Hadith: "Treat your neighbour well, and you By Husain Zakariyya will be a believer." Yawale I s l a m , +234-8052952900 (sms only) b r o a d l y islamexplained35@yahoo.com speaking, is classified into two main groups; the rights of He forgiveth whom He pleaseth Allah, the Creator and provider of other sins than this: one who joins sustenance, and the rights of men other gods with Allah, hath strayed on each other. The former consists far, far away (from the right).” [anof total submission to the wills of Nisa'i: 116] In another Hadith that was Allah and dedication to His

ISLAM EXPLAINED

obedience in all matters of life, without recourse to the instincts of human passions. The later consists of duties owe to all fellow creations in general. It also includes rules, manners and ways in which man fulfils all social obligation, responsibilities, while acting towards all individuals and groups which he may come across in his journey of life. Muslim jurists of the early centauries have brain-stormed the question of preference with regards to whose rights carry more weight; the rights of Allah or those of fellow humanbeings. I was agued out the Allah is Oft-Forgiving and Merciful in all rights except one; disassociating with anything in His worship. In other words, Allah will never forgive any servant who associate other gods to Him in all matters of rights of worships. That is to say, Allah has only one right of all his rights which forgives not, should one dies before sincere repentance. Allah emphasizes twice in one chapter, thus: “Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth; to set up

reported by the Mother of believers A'ishah (RD), reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “The books of deeds (in which the sins of the people are recorded) will be of three kinds. Firstly, the one that will never be forgiven, and it is Polytheism (Shirk). Allah has declared in Holy Qur'an that, in no case shall He forgive the sin of Polytheism. Secondly, that which Allah will not pass over without doing justice. These are the mutual wrongs, injuries and violations of rights, and Allah will surely have them repaid. Thirdly, the sins which are of little weight and importance in the sight of Allah. These are the lapses that are, exclusively, between the believer and the Creator; the decision concerning them is wholly in His hands and He will punish or forgive the sinners as He likes.” However, the rights of men if infringed, are not pardonable by Allah except that one has amended it in this life by means of reconciliation, returning the dues rightly or winning pardons from the offended. In a Hadith, narrated by Abu Hurairah (R.A.) the Prophet

(PBUH) said: "Whoever may have done an injustice to a brother, or defamed him or transgressed against his rights in any other way should set right the affair with him on this very day, in this very lifebefore the day of Judgment-when he will 'have no Dinars and Dirhams (money) to settle the claim. If he will possess a stock of good deeds, the aggrieved will be recompensed from it in relation to the injustice done to him. And in case he is empty-handed in the matter of good deeds, the sins of the aggrieved will be thrust upon him. (thus justice will be done that Day)." Islam strong terms urges good treatment and respect of neighbours and gives them high prominence, such never been equalled in any other religion or ideology before or in the future. Allah commands, thus; “Serve Allah, and join not any partners with him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those In need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: for Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious.” [an-Nisa'i: 36] Thus, apart from one's parents, direct off-spring, paternal and maternal siblings, the immediate group which comes up is neighbour. The place and rights of neighbours and vice versa. The conditions of one's neighbours through neighbourhood has great influence to the morality of the individual Muslim. If the relationship discharges all due rights, the reward is immense. But if differently, one blames none but him or herself. Islam place very high premium to the establishment and sustenance of good relationship between neighbour regardless tribal ethnicity, religious leaning or social status. All neighbours have special positions and significance that must be respected by all the neighbourhood. good neighbourliness is not only an offshoot of healthy social responsibility but it is an integral part and parcel of iman. In a very popular hadith the Apostle of Allah was reported to have said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the last Day, should honour his neighbour.” Basically, there are three types of neighbours according to a Hadith reported by Jabir (RD) that Apostle of Allah was reported to have said, ''Neighbours are of three types. The first is the neighbour who enjoys only one right and he is the lowest in grade. The second is the one who enjoys two and the third is the one who enjoys three rights. The neighbour who has one right is the non-Muslim ( a Jew,

Christian or polytheist who has no family ties). The neighbour with two rights is the one who is a Muslim (he has the rights of common religion and neighbourhood) and the one with three rights is the one who is a Muslim and has blood relation ( he has claims as a neighbour, a fellow Muslim and a relative)" The importance of the position of neighbour has reached an unprecedented status never in human kind. On the authorities A'ishah and Abdullahi Ibn Umar (RD) reported that the Apostle said, “The Angel Jibril (AS) counselled me so frequently regarding the rights of the neighbour that I feared, he would be declared an heir.” Thus, all categories of neighbours have rights to life, safety, security, property and religion. It is a duty bound on every neighbour to ensure the aforementioned rights regardless of any artificial impediment. Had the Muslim conscientiously work with these rules, Muslim predominated areas would have been a heaven of abundance and development. The following ahadith will make tremendous positive revolution in changing the present deplorable conditions of especially northern Nigeria if strictly observed by all Muslims: The Apostle of Allah said: “He who unfairly treats a nonMuslim who keeps a peace treaty with Muslims, or undermines his rights, or burdens him beyond his capacity, or takes something from him without his consent; then I am his opponent on the Day of Judgment.” [Abu Dawud and AlBayhaqi] “He who harms a non-Muslim who keeps a peace treaty with Muslims has harmed me, and he who harms me has harmed Allah.” [At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat] “He who kills a non-Muslim who keeps a peace treaty with the Muslims will not smell the scent of Heaven, though its scent can be traced to as far as a march of 40 years.” [ Al-Bukhari and Imam Ahmad] Finally, from the adumbrated hadiths one can understand from the manner of their messages, indicated how the prophet was agitated and aggrieved as to the safety and security of non-Muslims living amongst Muslims. The essence of the command is that if any Muslim whose character is such that his Muslim brothers and the non-Muslims live in fear and tribulation of death and destruction of properties,, whoever there is small misunderstanding or quarrel, cannot be regarded in the sight of Allah as a Mu'amin! The same condition must have constrained the Messnger of Allah to have said that anybody whose neighbour is not safe and secured from his harm is not a believer! May Allah in His infinite mercy empower us to guarantee safety and security of all our neighbourhoods!

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

By Sani Adamu

resident Goodluck Jonathan recently approved the immediate implementation of the Great Green Wall (GGW) Environmental Programme devised by the Federal Government to combat desert encroachment in Nigeria, particularly in the northern part of the country. The GGW aims at planting more than 1.5 million new trees from Maiduguri (Borno) to BirninKebbi (Kebbi State), a distance of more than 1, 000 kilometres. The Minister of Environment, Mrs Hadiza Mailafia, says that the programme will be implemented in the 11 frontline states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa, Yobe and Zamfara. “The whole concept is that there should be a green area that will run across the 11 frontline states. These are the states that face the desert directly or bear the direct impact; they are the shock absorbers of the desert, they first feel it before we do,” she says. Mailafia says that under the programme, Borno, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara states, which are most adversely affected, will have a contiguous Green Belt, while the remaining three states of Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe will have support Green Belts. She says the contiguous belt, which will be 15 kilometres wide, will run from Kebbi to Borno, covering a distance of 1,500 kilometres. She expatiates that the programme is based on crosssectoral interventions that will ensure ecosystem restoration, while enhancing food security for sustainable development. To guarantee its effective implementation, the minister says that the programme will be jointly funded by stakeholders, the three tiers of government, development partners, the private sector and civil society organisations on mutually agreed terms. Mailafia says that the programme will also be supervised by the National Council on Shelterbelt and Afforestation. Membership of the Council, she adds, will include the VicePresident, who will be the chairman, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and seven ministers in charge of the line ministries. The minister stresses that a programme implementation unit will also be set up within the Federal Ministry of Environment to coordinate the project’s execution. Observers note that the GGW Programme will boost efforts to tackle the growing menace of deforestation and desertification in the country The environmental problem is considered as very severe; while concerned environmentalists lament that the world’s forest cover has shrunk considerably due to factors such as urbanisation and industrialisation. They note that by 1950, over 100 million hectares of the world’s forests had been cleared for industrial purposes, recalling that at that point in time, the forests covered about a quarter of the world’s land mass.

PAGE 27

Fighting desertification via Great Green Wall programme The experts say that less than 25 years later, more than 200 million hectares of the world’s forests had been destroyed to meet the growing needs of the increasing population. They affirm that the situation continued to degenerate, saying that by 2000, between 600 and 700 million hectares of the world’s forest reserves had disappeared because of the increase in unsustainable use of forest resources worldwide. The situation now appears calamitous, as the world’s forests — coniferous, temperate and tropical forests — are all under serious threat, and experts maintain that the destruction of tropical forests is the one which is currently having the greatest impact. This is because tropical forests play critical roles in regulating the global climate, they add. Climatologists stress that tropical forests help in maintaining the balance of gases in the atmosphere by producing a vast quantity of oxygen and using up a vast quantity of carbon dioxide. The forests are also described by environmentalists as a “storehouse of genetic diversity’’ that provides a wide array of goods and materials for human and industrial uses. Available statistics indicate that even though tropical forests cover only about 6 per cent of the total land surface of the earth, they are home to more than half of all species of life on the planet. A report of the World Resource Institute confirms the gravity of the situation, putting the annual rate of tropical deforestation at between 16.4 million and 20.4 million hectares worldwide, more than the 11.4 million hectares estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FOA). The most worrying aspect of the study, according to concerned experts, is that Nigeria is losing more than 350,000 sq. km of its forest landmass each year. Observers stress that the negative impact of deforestation and desertification has started taking its toll on the lives of humans, animals and plants in the 11 frontline states of Nigeria. Available records indicate that the survival of more than 5 million livestock in Yobe is under serious threat due to the dearth of pastures occasioned by seasonal droughts. The situation is akin to what obtains in states like Borno, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto and in the northern part of Bauchi State. Records show that Bauchi State alone is losing an average of one kilometre of its landmass annually to desert encroachment, particularly in its northern axis. The state government has attributed the ugly trend to indiscriminate felling of trees for fuel and charcoal business. The government bemoans the activities of a particular syndicate which specialises in the indiscriminate felling of trees,

Minister of Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Mailafiya stressing that the trend has seriously exposed the state to the dangers of desert encroachment. It, nonetheless, warns that it will no longer condone the activities of some unscrupulous elements that endanger the natural eco-system of the state. To reverse the trend, the Bauchi State Government has set up a high-powered committee to check the menace. The committee comprises traditional rulers, police, security agencies, ministries of agriculture and local government affairs. To further strengthen efforts to curtail deforestation, the state government recently approved the purchase of more than 10,000 kerosene stoves for distribution to various households to mitigate the overdependence on firewood for cooking. The government says that the stoves have been distributed to households in the northern part of the state where the menace of deforestation and desertification is more pronounced. To take the fight against desertification to the grassroots, the government says it has also enacted an edict outlawing indiscriminate felling of trees across the 20 local government areas of the state. In Yobe State, the livestock is under a serious threat due to the absence of pastures occasioned by seasonal droughts, while some farmers have lost their ancestral farmlands to sand dunes. Records also indicate that the growing menace of desertification has also affected the source of livelihoods of over one million people in the state. The development explains the

rationale behind the proposal of federal legislators from Yobe State calling for the establishment of a Desertification Control Commission to proffer sustainable solutions to desertification, which is widely described by scientists as the ‘’world’s most cancerous earth disease’’. “The scourge is beyond what the state government can handle, so our legislators have to team up with their colleagues from other states affected by desertification to press for the establishment of the commission,’’ says Bunu Akali, a resident of the state. “The establishment of the commission remains the most assured means to effectively combat the environmental problem and this is a collective challenge to our legislators. “Threats by desertification have grossly reduced farming activities across the state; posing threat to food security. “We call on our new legislators in the National Assembly to team up with their older colleagues and work for the establishment of the commission in the interest of our people,’’ Akali adds. Expressing similar worries, the Kebbi State Government claims that the state has so far lost 21 of its forest reserves to desert encroachment. Mr Ishaku Daudu, the state’s Commissioner for Environment, nonetheless, notes that the government is striving to recover the lost forest reserves. He laments that out of the 22 forest reserves in the state, only one is currently viable, adding: “We will, however, recover the reserves, as part of our efforts to reduce the menace of

desertification.” Daudu, however, notes that two million tree seedlings have been distributed free to the people for planting, as part of the government’s desert-control measures. Besides, the commissioner says that 25,000 economic trees will also be distributed to across the state to encourage the establishment of orchards, adding that 200 forestry officials will be engaged to handle the state’s afforestation project. “We have earmarked N1.9 million for an enlightenment campaign to discourage people from cutting down trees,” he says. Moreover, Daudu says that the formation of environment clubs in schools and local government areas will also be encouraged. In Kano State, the state Afforestation Programme says that it will rehabilitate the existing 50km-shelter belt, as part of renewed efforts to tackle the menace of desertification in the state. To actualise the initiative, Alhaji Maitama Danbatta, the programme’s Project Manager, says that one million seedlings will be planted across the desert-prone areas of the state this year alone. “We decided to produce this number of seedlings in order to check the menace of desertification, particularly in the affected areas. “The seedlings will be produced in eight designated nursery centres across the state. “The nursery centres are located in Danbatta, Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, Bunkure, Dawakin Kudu and Takai Local Government Areas, as well as at the Project Monitoring Unit in Kano,’’ he adds. Disturbed by the growing menace of desertification, VicePresident Namadi Sambo recently directed the Federal Ministry of Environment to produce a roadmap on how to tackle the challenges of desertification and deforestation in the country. Sambo gave the directive in the State House, Abuja, at a recent meeting convened to discuss the issue. He said that the roadmap is in line with the decisions of the recent Conference of Heads of State of ECOWAS in Chad. Sambo recalled that the conference agreed that ECOWAS member countries should undertake a massive plantation of trees to save the sub-region from desertification and deforestation. He said that a meeting with state governors would soon be organised to get the governors actively involved in the programme aimed at controlling desertification and deforestation in the country. Environmentalists, however, insist that for the Great Green Wall programme to be more meaningful, the citizens ought to be actively mobilised to imbibe the culture of tree-planting and treenurturing. Concerted efforts should also be geared toward the conservation of the ecosystem, they add. Source: NAN

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By Martins Abochol y most accounts, more that 80 per cent of the world’s high-tech wastes are dumped in Africa and Asia. Many observers, who bemoan the situation, also note that Nigeria is fast becoming a major dumping ground for toxic, chemical and electronic wastes from developed countries. The situation has even becomes more alarming, as several indigent Nigerians usually scavenge dumpsites in search of precious metals from electronic wastes, ignorant of the attendant health hazards. On a daily basis, these foragers sift through piles of electronic waste (e-waste), burnt plastics and break open lead-laden Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) from computer monitors, in search of what they regard as precious metals. Health experts, however, note that these scavengers unwittingly expose themselves and the environment to toxic materials, which are particularly injurious to people’s health. Regrettably, however, the situation may continue for a long time, as Nigeria is lagging behind in efforts to implement international environmental treaties . Dr Uduma Okeh, the Executive Director, Green Earth Preservation Charter (GEPC), nonetheless, insists that the Federal Government should urgently curb the inflow of e-waste into the country. He emphasises that the government should enact a law to restrict and stem the flow of hazardous substances and e-waste into Nigeria. Okeh says that the government should also ensure that only electronics manufactured by companies, which have complied with basic requirements on the use of nontoxic components, are allowed to bring their products into the country. He also stresses the need to enact a National Electronic Waste Management Act, which will regulate e-waste disposal processes in Nigeria. Nevertheless, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) gives the assurance that it will continue to clamp down on importers of outdated electrical and electronics equipment. Dr Ngeri Benebo, NESREA’s Director-General, stresses that the agency will continue to collaborate with security agencies operating in various ports across the country in order to accomplish the task. She notes that NESREA’s collaboration with security agencies has, to a large extent, made efforts to check the importation of e-waste into the country more successful. Benebo particularly commends the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) for aiding the fulfilment of NESREA’s efforts to curb the importation of the ewaste into the country. “I must commend the NCS for its efficiency and inter-agency collaboration with us to check the importation of outdated

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

How to handle Nigeria’s high-tech wastes

Disused computers constitute hi-tech waste electronics. “We have achieved much through the use of their modern gadgets, which can identify contraband goods as quick as possible. “Although the NCS has the responsibility to generate revenue by collecting duties on imported goods, yet, they have not been compromising the health of the people and the image of our dear country for the sake of revenue generation,’’ she says. The NESREA chief expatiates that the NCS has, on several occasions, alerted the agency about intercepted containers with outmoded Electrical Electronics Equipment (EEE) at various seaports across the country. She says that NESREA usually responds to such alerts by screening the contents of the seized containers, while prosecuting importers of substandard or obsolete items. For instance, Benebo says that Grimadi Company Ltd. is currently being prosecuted for importing outmoded electrical electronics equipment into the country. She says that the Lagos-based company brought in containers laden with unusable electrical and electronics equipment which contain Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) that are “highly toxic’’. “The CRT is a vacuum tube, containing an electric gum (a source of electrons) and a fluorescent screen used to view images,’’ she explains. Benebo says that NESREA has filed a case against Grimadi for allegedly importing harmful electrical and electronics products, an offence punishable under Special Criminal Provisions Act.

“The prosecution of Grimadi is ongoing; upon conviction, importers of such products risk life imprisonment without an option of fine,’’ she adds. All the same, Benebo claims that NESREA has successfully regulated the importation of electrical and electronics equipment into the country. “Before now, importers used to bring in scraps and untested equipment but we have ensured sanity by insisting that importers bring in equipment which has at least second-hand value. “The Shippers Council of Nigeria has also assisted us in the area of sensitising the public to the dangers of importing used EEE into Nigeria,’’ she says. Besides, Benabo says that the National Toxic Dump Watch Committee is intensifying efforts to ensure that all the country’s seaports and boarders are adequately monitored. The NESREA chief also says that the first International Conference on e-Waste

Management, sponsored by the agency, was designed to educate Nigerians on the dangers of importing overused and outmoded electrical and electronic materials into the country. “The agency has also educated the public on the importance of recycling e-waste,’’ she adds. However, Mr Austen Warikoru, an Abuja-based Comptroller of Customs, insists that not all used electronics products are hazardous. He, nonetheless, says that some refrigerators and used computers are more harmful to the people’s health because of some harmful substances such as chlorofluorocarbons in them. Warikoru says that there is a difference between used equipment and overused or worn-out equipment, stressing that while the former has secondhand value, the latter is basically out of use. He argues that the major concern of the authorities is on the importation of overused

“

Observers say that even though many citizens go for used electronics and electrical products because of their affordable prices, they should, nonetheless, be sensitised to the dangers inherent in using some of the products

products because they downgrade the nation’s image into a dumping ground for used industrial products. However, dealers in used electronics and electrical products express divergent opinions on why some people tend to prefer old electronics to new ones. Mr Ikenna Udeani, a dealer in electronics products in the Galadimawa neighbourhood of Abuja, says that some used electronics are more durable than the new ones, particularly those from China and other Asian countries. He, however, notes that most of his customers usually buy second-hand electronics and electrical products from him. Mr John Udoh, another trader in used electronics in the Garki neighbourhood of Abuja, shares similar sentiments. He argues that some of the used electronics products have higher quality than the brandnew ones, conceding, however, that he is not aware of any danger, associated with used electronics. Mr Sunday Danjuma, a user of used electronics, says that many people opt for used electronics products because their prices of are considerably cheaper and more affordable. He, however, concedes that he is not aware of any health hazard associated with used electronics products Observers say that even though many citizens go for used electronics and electrical products because of their affordable prices, they should, nonetheless, be sensitised to the dangers inherent in using some of the products. Source: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

PAGE 31

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights: too progressive for its own good? ANALYSIS

an Francisco, CA - The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) has been threatened yet again to be sent to the doghouse. The 42nd General Assembly of the Organisation of American States (OAS), held in Cochabamba, Bolivia, June 3 to 5, became another occasion for the ALBA bloc to intensify its offensive against the IACHR. President Evo Morales inaugurated the three-day summit suggesting the elimination of the IACHR. Venezuela's representative deplored the "decadence" of the OAS, whereas Ecuador's president exceptionally attended the meeting to put the international bureaucracy "back in its place". Earlier this year, President Hugo Chávez promised that Venezuela would leave the Inter-American human rights system, Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega linked the OAS to the Monroe Doctrine, and Ecuador's chancellor denounced the IACHR as an inquisitor against member states. Governments have alternatively accused the Court of being a platform for US imperialism, an obsolete institution inadequate to contemporary geopolitical realities, or a biased judicial body exceeding its jurisdiction. As some progressive governments on the left pledge to reject the "old and worn-out OAS", they promote a Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) as a desirable alternative. Since the Court was established in 1979 to hold governments accountable for human rights violations, it has been doing exactly that. But since the Court started sticking its nose in matters presidents would rather sweep under the carpet, a wave of discontent has spread across the region. The challenge is not as much to reform the Court's proceedings as to appease the wrath of states when rulings interfere with their political agendas. When the IACHR next meets at its Costa Rica headquarters on July 16, it will elect a new Executive Secretary to replace Santiago Cantón. Some governments under scrutiny will try to reduce the judicial independence of the Court, notably by pressuring the OAS's hesitant Secretary General José Miguel Insulza. But if anything, the attacks against the IACHR reinforce the legitimacy of a progressive judicial system. The IACHR is so unpopular among governments because it monitors human rights violations. The Court has held the government of Venezuela accountable for its systematic violation of judicial independence. Similarly, it recommended that Ecuador's government stop harassment against the press, notably in the case of El Universo.

Following an outcry from indigenous communities that would be affected by the Belo Monte dam, the IACHR ordered the Brazilian government to halt the project [Reuters] Recently, the IACHR has been expanding its jurisdiction in ways that put member states in uncomfortable situations. The Court, traditionally focused on civil and political rights, has accepted various cases of collective rights. In May, the first case of femicide in Guatemala reached the Court, while another case recognised education as a collective human right. Most importantly, the Court has defended cases of prior consultation brought forward by indigenous peoples. Expanding the jurisdiction to collective, environmental rights has fueled a wave of discontent. Argentina's recent silence when questioned about violence against indigenous peoples was mild. Things really turned sour when the IACHR upset the strongest kid on the block. In April 2011, it issued precautionary measures in favour of indigenous communities of the Xingu River and ordered the Brazilian government to halt the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam project. Brazil threw a fit, keeping its ambassador to the OAS grounded at home in Brasilia in a sign of protest, recalling its candidate to the IACHR and suspending payment

of its annual dues to the organisation ($6 million of past dues were paid in full in 2012). The Court has impartially held accountable governments in both small countries like Guatemala and large, powerful ones like Brazil, while pursuing cases against the US for its Guantanamo military base in Cuba and against Venezuela for censorship of the mass media. So what exactly is the problem? The inconsistency of government discontent indicates the tensions are often political. In Ecuador, Luis Saavedra, from the human rights organisation INREDH, notes that President Rafael Correa invoked reports from the Inter-American system to discredit prior rightist governments. Correa's administration also cited principles of non-intervention in the OAS Charter to condemn the 2008 Colombian bombing against FARC leader Raul Reyes on Ecuadorian territory. It was only when the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression called into question efforts to censor opposition media, notably recommending precautionary measures on the case of the newspaper El Universo, that the Correa administration

“

There is nothing new about states resenting international mechanisms of accountability to human rights. Before Chavez, it was Fujimori who removed Peru from the OAS (he was subsequently found guilty of crimes against humanity).

reacted strongly against the IACHR. The Brazilian relation to the Court has been similarly contradictory. President Rousseff strongly supported the IACHR request that Brazil create a Truth Commission to shed light on human rights violations that took place during the 1964-1985 military dictatorship. In fact, prior to the Belo Monte rulings, President Rousseff invoked the Court's authority and stressed her country's engagement with the hemispheric human rights system. These cases demonstrate that Court decisions are supported when they are aligned with governmental agendas and attacked and discredited when the Court's actions are perceived as inconvenient. This indicates that the problem is not the legal procedures of the IACHR. What bothers governments is not how decisions are made but who they are seen to favour. The IACHR is the strongest human rights system in the Americas in part because it is independent enough to stand up to member-states. There is nothing new about states resenting international mechanisms of accountability to human rights. Before Chavez, it was Fujimori who removed Peru from the OAS (he was subsequently found guilty of crimes against humanity). The IACHR is crucial as the last instance for many cases of human rights abuse, providing access to justice to individuals and entire communities. For Katya Salazar, at the Due Process of Law Foundation, it is as important to recognise the decisive leadership of the IACHR in shaping human rights norms, for the hemisphere and beyond. The Inter-American system helped countries and governments move beyond dictatorships. In Argentina, the IACHR shed light on the

clandestine detention centres where the military junta tortured and killed thousands of people (closing down the facility of El Vesubio, for instance). In the 1990s, the Court supported the Peruvian government in rebuilding the country after the fall of the Fujimori regime. If there are so many Truth Commissions across Latin America it is also because the Court challenged amnesty laws as incompatible with OAS principles. The revocation of amnesty laws is just one example of the Court promoting judicial reform in the region. The case Maria da Penha (2001), the first case of domestic violence to reach the Court, not only upheld the rights of the victim but also led to legislative reforms in Brazil to reduce official governmental tolerance with in instances of domestic violence against women. As the IACHR creatively interprets human rights norms, it expands the definition of rights, generates innovative, cuttingedge and progressive legislation. The IACHR'S pioneering role has inspired other human rights courts around the world, from Africa to Europe. Tensions around collective rights to prior consultation like Belo Monte show the evolving face of human rights across the region. Cases brought to the Court against the depredations of mining companies reveal both the collective dimension of human rights and the intricate relationship between states, multinational corporations and indigenous peoples. Cases involving extractive industries also blur the lines between political parties on the right and the left. The form may vary, but the substantive content of these cases does not. Following in the footsteps of authoritarian governments before them, progressive governments on the left from Bolivia to Brazil are being taken to court for human rights abuses. Beyond the inevitable disillusionment with the arrival of the left to power, the current situation shows that human rights violations transgress familiar political and ideological camps. The point is not to tar political parties on the right and the left with the same brush, however, but rather to point out that it may matter less whether the right or the left is in power as much as to call attention to the fact that that it is in the nature of power itself to resist and deny mechanisms of accountability. And that is precisely why the IACHR will always be necessary. If heads of state hesitate in supporting an independent IACHR in July, they may simply be thinking that eventually they, too, will be on the other side of power. Manuela Picq has just completed her time as a visiting professor and research fellow at Amherst College

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Clashes in eastern DR Congo claim lives Egyptians remember ‘face of revolution’

n Alexandria, thousands of people have marked the second anniversary of the death of a young man which helped galvanise protests against Hosni Mubarak. Egyptian Khaled Said, 28, was beaten to death in Alexandria in June 2010 with his body barely recognisable. The act of brutality led to the creation of an anti-torture Facebook page entitled "We are Khaled Said" which, in turn, helped crystallise Egypt's political movement which eventually toppled Mubarak from power. Al Jazeera's Jamal Elshayyal reports from Alexandria.

Renewed fighting in eastern DRC has displaced up to 100,000 people from their homes [Phil Moore/ Al Jazeera] oldiers of the Democratic former rebels who were at one point Clashes in the last two months have Republic of Congo army integrated into the army but forced more than 100,000 people and rebels have clashed at an deserted in recent weeks over the to flee their homes. army base in the country's east, government's decision to arrest a The attack by Mai Mai fighters killing at least 19 people in the latest renegade general, Bosco Ntaganda. loyal to General Kakule Sikula outbreak of violence that has forced Their uprising is believed to Lafontaine on Tuesday morning tens of thousands to flee their homes. have dragged in armed fighters targeted an army base in DRC officials said on Wednesday from neighbouring Rwanda, the Lubero territory of North that the attack had been carried complicating fragile relations Kivu province, Lambert Mende, a out by Mai Mai fighters, linked to between the two neighbours. DRC government spokesman, said.

"They attacked our barracks and killed some of our military personnel," he said, adding that 11 Congolese soldiers and 8 rebels were killed. Lafontaine told Reuters news agency that his men had suffered one fatality and killed 31 soldiers in the clashes, adding that his forces had seized ammunition and arms, including a mortar. Reuters could not independently confirm the casualties. He said the soldiers had attacked the rebels' positions in Kasiki, in North Kivu. "But we pushed them back as far as their base," Lafontaine said by telephone from Lubero territory. Lafontaine - known as Mai Mai Lafontaine - is a longstanding rebel and former head of the PARECO armed group. Earlier this year he launched a new movement called UPCP with Colonel Albert Kahasha, one of hundreds of soldiers who mutinied after the DRC government said it would arrest Ntaganda, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. In a separate speech on national television on Tuesday night, Mende said that 200 soldiers loyal to Ntaganda had been killed since the rebellion started at the end of March, and more than 370 have surrendered, including 25 Rwandan citizens. Rwanda has denied suggestions by the UN and Human Rights Watch, the New York-based organisation, that elements within its military have been providing weapons and recruits for the mutineers, known as M23.

Al-Shabab: US puts bounty Ivory Coast: Ex-President Gbagbo ally Kouassi arrested key ally of Ivory Coast's after President Ouattara, who involvement in everything that prison and is expected to be on Somali ex-President Laurent had been in the Togolese capital, happened in our country these questioned by police over his role Gbagbo has been arrested Lome, attending a meeting. past 10 years," Mr Ouattara said. in violence that rocked Ivory militants in Togo and extradited home. "I think that everyone knows Mr Kouassi has been Coast last year.

he United States is to offer millions of dollars in rewards for information leading to the capture of leaders of the Somali militant group alShabab. It is the first time the US has offered money for specific members of the group, which announced its allegiance to alQaeda earlier this year. It has put a price of $7m (£4.5m) on al-Shabab's founder and commander, Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamud Godane. It comes as African Union forces make key advances against the group. Al-Shabab still controls much of the country but is under pressure from Ethiopian troops, pro-government militias and the African Union force, which has US and European funding. African Union and Somali government forces last week captured the town of Afmadow, a strategic militant base in the south of the country.

Despite recent losses, alShabab still controls much of southern Somalia

Moise Lida Kouassi is the first of Mr Gbagbo's allies to be arrested in connection with last year's crisis following elections in late 2010. A violent four-month standoff ensued when he refused to hand over power to Alassane Ouattara, who won the poll. Mr Gbagbo is now in The Hague awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity during the dispute. An arrest warrant was issued for Mr Kouassi, who once served as Mr Gbago's defence minister, along with 23 others, in June 2011. He arrived a couple of hours

Lida

Kouassi

and

his

tranferred to Abidjan's main

The arrest of Moise Lida Kouassi (c) may lead to more

Mr Kouassi was the defence minister when a September 2002 coup attempt turned into full-scale rebellion leading to a protracted civil war, in which thousands were killed and the country was divided between north and south. In the past few years he had not held a formal post but he was part of Mr Gbagbo's team, and is seen as a hardliner, analysts say. The former minister had been in exile in the West African country of Togo - many other associates of Mr Gbagbo are also in exile in the region, including in Ghana and Benin.

Malawi: IMF set to give $157m loan after Banda reforms

he International Monetary Fund has said it will lend Malawi $157m (£101m) to help its ailing economy. Malawi has been beset with

economic problems since the IMF sharply curtailed lending facilities last year. Former leader Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in

Malawi has suffered shortages since aid was cancelled last year

April, was widely criticised for a poor human rights record and mismanaging the economy. His successor, President Joyce Banda, has taken steps to appease donors with a series of reforms. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world and aid has been used to make up a large proportion of the national budget. Last month, Mrs Banda devalued Malawi's currency, the kwacha, by one third against the dollar - a move Mr Mutharika resisted, despite demands from the IMF. She also introduced a floating exchange rate regime and lifted controls on currency trading. The IMF's mission head for

Malawi, Tsidi Tsikata, said the new arrangement was subject to approval next month by the organisation's executive board. The BBC Raphael Tenthani in Blantyre says that Mrs Banda has been on a charm offensive to regain much-needed aid, following a year of shortages of fuel and foreign currency. She has also said she wants Malawi to overturn its ban on homosexual acts. Some Western leaders have suggested they could cut aid to countries which did not recognise gay rights. Last week, the UK announced a £33m ($51m) aid package for Malawi.

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Annan: ‘All-out civil Israel to build more West Bank homes war’ looms in Syria B inyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has approved construction of hundreds more settler homes on Palestinian land, even after the Israeli parliament rejected a bill to retroactively legalise some existing homes. The new homes will include 300 to be built in the Beit El settlement and 550 others that Construction Minister Ariel Attias said on Thursday will be built elsewhere in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu had called for members of the Knesset to reject a bill, voted down on Wednesday by 69 votes to 22, that would have legalised the Ulpana

Free Syrian Army fighters patrol a street in Qusair town near Homs city

ofi Annan, the joint United NationsArab League envoy to Syria, has admitted that his peace plan is failing and that the country's future will consist of "brutal suppression, massacres, sectarian violence and even all-out civil war" if it continues on its current path. In a speech to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Annan confirmed that massacres of civilians have taken place in the towns

of Houla and al-Qubayr. While not assigning blame for the mass killings, the former UN secretary general said that the government, not the armed opposition, had the "first responsibility" to halt violence. "I must be frank and confirm that the [six-point peace] plan is not being implemented," he said. He said that despite urging President Bashar alAssad to "make a strategic

decision to change his path," the government's shelling of cities had continued, and government-backed militias "seem to have free reign, with appalling consequences". "The international community has united, but it now must that that unity to a new level," Annan said. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, speaking before Annan, said UN monitors seeking to reach al-Qubayr came under fire from small arms.

outpost, built on the outskirts of Beit El near the city of Ramallah. He argued that legalising the 30 apartments, which now are to be demolished by July 1, could have prompted an international backlash against the settler movement. But he said later that he would not allow people to "use the legal system to harm the settlement movement," and announced plans to add homes to Beit El. "Beit El will be expanded. The 30 families will remain in Beit El, and 300 new families will join them," Netanyahu said in remarks broadcast on public radio.

Israel differentiates between "legal" settlements and "illegal" outposts, but the international community views all settlements on occupied territory as a violation of international law. N e t a n y a h u ' s announcement was condemned by a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas who said the decision to Beit El would hinder peace efforts. "We strongly condemn N e t a n y a h u ' s announcement of the settlement decision on Palestinian land, which is an obstacle to efforts to push the peace process forward," said Nabil Abu Rudeina, the spokesman.

Panetta says Pakistan testing US ‘patience’

eon Panetta, the US secretary of defence, has put renewed pressure on Pakistan to do more to combat armed groups in Pakistan, particularly the Haqqani Network, a group believed to be linked to al-Qaeda. Panetta's warnings came during a press conference in Kabul on Thursday with his Afghan counterpart, Abdul Rahim Wardak. "We are reaching the limits of our patience here, and for that reason it is extremely important that Pakistan take action to prevent this kind of safe haven from taking place and allowing terrorists to use their country as a safety net in order to conduct their attacks on our forces," Panetta said. He is on a visit to the Afghan capital to discuss the details of a US-led troop reduction. The Haqqani group has been blamed for several attacks on Americans in n e i g h b o u r i n g

Afghanistan, including last autumn's attack against the US embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul. The group also has ties to the Taliban in Afghanistan. "It is an increasing concern that the safe haven exists and that there are those likely Haqqanis who are making use of that to attack our forces,'' Panetta said. Lawmakers from both political parties in the US have urged the state department to designate the Haqqani network a foreign terrorist organisation. Panetta's Afghan counterpart also said Pakistan could do more to eliminate the sanctuaries that fighters are using in Pakistan. "I do hope that gradually they will come to the conclusion to cooperate with us ... If that cooperation starts, we will be able to disrupt their command and control,

disrupt their training, disrupt their weapon recruitment and also will be able to eliminate or capture their leadership," Wardak said. Panetta arrived in Afghanistan on Thursday to assess progress in the war and discuss plans for the impending drawdown, even as violence spiked in the south. It was his fourth trip to the war zone as defence secretary. He acknowledged the increase in attacks, and said that Taliban fighters appear to be much more organised. But he insisted that the overall level of violence was down, and that commanders had expected this summer's increased fighting. Panetta said he wants to get an assessment of the situation from the top US commander, Marine General John Allen, and see how confident he is about NATO's ability to confront the threats both from the Taliban and the Haqqani

Thursday's visit was Panetta's fourth to Afghanistan where he is planning for a US-led troop reduction [Reuters]

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2012

Deadly blast rocks Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s southwest

t least eight dead, police say, after bomb explodes outside a seminary in Quetta in Balochistan province. Police have said that at least eight people were killed in a bomb blast outside a seminary in southwestern Pakistan. Ghulam Mohammed, a senior police official, said more than 30 people were also wounded in Thursday's attack in Quetta, which is the capital of the impoverished Balochistan province. No one immediately claimed responsibility. Hundreds of students were

gathered inside the Jamia Islamia Maftah-ul-Uloom seminary at the time of the explosion, according to local officials. Balochistan borders Afghanistan to the west and is believed to be a hiding place for Taliban and Pakistani armed groups. Baluch rebels rose up in the province in 2004, demanding political autonomy and a greater share of profits from oil, gas and mineral resources in the region. Despite its resources, the province is one of the poorest in

Pakistan, and human rights activists have heavily condemned the military for summary arrests and executions in its bid to put down the separatist insurgency. Pakistan sits on the frontline of the US-led war on al-Qaeda and since July 2007 has been gripped by a local Taliban-led insurgency, concentrated largely in the northwest. In the last five years, attacks blamed on Taliban-linked bombers have killed more than 5,000 people, according to a tally by the AFP news agency.

The bombing killed at least eight people and wounded more than two dozen, according to local officials [EPA]

Helicopter goes missing in southeastern Peru

helicopter carrying more than a dozen foreign tourists, including several from South Korea, has gone missing in a jungle area of the Cusco region of southeastern Peru, police say. The tourist helicopter, run by Heli Cusco, disappeared in the Hualla Hualla region at an altitude of 4,725 metres, about 140km from the tourist city of Cusco. "We have information from the company that the aircraft was carrying 11 South Koreans, two Austrians and a Peruvian,"

General Hector Dulanto, Cusco police chief, told AFP news agency on Thursday. "We hope the helicopter was able to make an emergency landing." Police have launched a search for aircraft and its occupants, but have been slowed by bad weather, Dulanto said. "Snowfall at dawn has hampered the progress of the patrols," he said, adding that a police helicopter would join the rescue effort once the storm had passed," he said.

The helicopter left the city of Mazuco, in the southeastern region of Madre de Dios, late on Wednesday headed for Cusco. Local media said the South Korean and Austrian passengers were making a visit to the Machu Picchu architectural marvel, one of the world's most famous tourist sites. Hundreds of thousands of tourists descend on the Cusco region every year to visit Machu Picchu, a 15th century Incan city perched on a mountain high above the town of Aguas Caliente.

Chinese dissident found hanged in hospital

leading Chinese dissident imprisoned after the 1989 Tiananmen prodemocracy protests has been found hanged in hospital. Officials suggested Li Wangyang had committed suicide, but family members questioned this account. His body was found on Wednesday in Shaoyang city, in the southeast of the country. He was on his feet next to his bed, with a white strip of cloth tied tightly around his neck and connected to a window bar above, according to his brother-in-law Zhao Baozhu . Al Jazeera's Steve Chao, reporting from Hong Kong, said

relatives doubted that Li would have been physically able to hang himself. "They pointed out the fact that

he was virtually blind and deaf and unable to walk properly from his years of mistreatment in prison," he said.

Video posted online showed Li's sister hugging his dead body

Birmingham riots: Men jailed over police shooting

The five men and teenager were jailed for between 12 and 30 years

ive men and a teenager have been jailed after police were "lured" to a pub fire and shot at in Birmingham during riots last August. The men were given sentences ranging from 18 to 30 years at Birmingham Crown Court while a 17-year-old was jailed for 12 years. Twelve shots were fired at police after a petrol bomb attack on the Bartons Arms in Aston. The West Midlands force helicopter was also shot at. The court heard the defendants were part of a group of 41 men, mostly masked and wearing hoods, who were rioting outside the Bartons Arms in Aston on the evening of 9 August. Judge William Davis QC said the aim of the disorder was to draw police to the pub in order to attack them. He said: "Members of the group attacked the building. They smashed windows, they went inside and ransacked the premises. They threw chairs and tables out on to the pavement. "Other members of the group stayed on the pavement outside

the building. Some threw missiles, bottles and the like, at a passing police car. Others lit petrol bombs that had been brought to the scene. "The purpose of all this was not to loot or to steal. Nor was it mindless vandalism. The purpose, the common purpose, was to behave in such a way that the police would come to the scene and then to attack the police." The lives of pub staff and customers were put at risk in the blaze, the court heard. Mr Justice Davies said at least four different firearms were used, at least 12 shots were fired and it was "wholly a matter of luck" noone was injured. West Midlands Police Assistant Chief Constable Gareth Cann said the force helicopter could have been shot down. He said: "Thankfully officers were not injured but we can't underestimate the impact it's had on those involved." Mr Justice Davies said a "wave of lawlessness" had spread across many towns and cities and "severe penalties" had to be imposed to act as a punishment and a deterrent.

Flight of Syrians into Jordan intensifying

undreds of Syrians approach the agency daily to register for its services and protection, pushing the total number of registered Syrian refugees in Jordan to over 22,000, the UNHCR in Amman has said. Andrew Harper, the UN refugee agency's country representative, told Al Jazeera on Wednesday that 7,800 Syrian refugees had been registered in May 2012, marking the highest

number of registrations in a single month since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government began 14 months ago. Jordan now has more registered Syrian refugees than Turkey, Harper said. The UNHCR expects this upward trend to continue with the agency's increased outreach efforts and recent dispatch of a mobile office to the border city of Ramtha.

Greece election debate turns violent

reece's heated election campaign has turned ugly on live TV, with a spokesman for the far-right party Golden Dawn physically assaulting two left-wing deputies during a morning political show. A public prosecutor ordered Golden Dawn spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris' immediate arrest after Thursday's incident. Tempers frayed on the political show on the private Antenna television station during a discussion of the country's politics in the runup to repeat elections on June 17. Kasidiaris took offence at a reference by radical left Syriza party member Rena Dorou over a court

case that is pending against him. Kasidiaris bounded out of his seat and hurled a glass of water across the table over Dorou when she said there was a "crisis of democracy when people who will take the country back 500 years have got into the Greek parliament". He then turned on a prominent Communist Party member, Liana Kanelli, who had got up out of her chair with a newspaper in hand and appeared to throw it at the Golden Dawn member. Giorgos Papadakis, the talk show host, ran over to Kasidiaris to attempt to calm him, shouting "No, no, no!"

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

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He is ugly! World’s greatest ‘gurner’ offers £10,000 reward to anyone who can twist their face up more than him

Handsome fellow: Tang when he's not gurning. He looks fairly normal, doesn't he?

his is a face only a mother could love... but from now on you should have no trouble putting a name to it. Tang Shuquan, 43, may appear very, very ugly in these pictures but his look has won him the Guinness World Record for making the most twisted face. And now, he's launched a challenge to the public to see if anyone out there can match him. Tang has offered a 100,000 yuan ($10,250) reward to anyone who can defeat him in a face-off to find the ugliest. Tang, from Chengdu City, Sichuan province, China, says

he's the world's foremost gurning expert and no-one can match him. More. Miles out: The Great Wall of China is 13,170 miles long... that's more than twice the length of previous estimates He perfected his art for seven years to create the most screwed up face possible before unleashing his unique talent on the world 10 years ago. In March he took part in an Italian Guinness World Records TV show on the country's Channel 5 and yesterday was awarded $10,000 in prize money and a Guinness medal.

Freaky man: People stands to look and listen as Tang puts on his world-beating act

The Chinese street performer has now launched a challenge offering 100,000 yuan (£10,294) to anyone who can defeat him in a face twisting competition

Taking the strain: Tang, pictured in Chengdu, China, contorts his face and body to create the ugly spectacle

Anambra’s budget of misplaced priorities Contd. from Back Page The 2012 budget will be funded by projected capital receipts of N47bn, N12bn as IGR and N36bn as FAAC allocations, bringing total revenues to a sum of N95bn, out of which N12.3bn would be transferred to Capital Development Fund. In sectoral terms, N28.2bn (34.2%) is allocated to the economic sector, N24.2 bn (29.4%) to the social sector, N9.7bn (11.82%) for the environmental sector and N20.2bn (24.52%) for general administration. The education sub sector is allocated N10.99bn. Anambra state has a longstanding reputation of being an educationally advanced state: it has at least 9 institutions of higher learning, its literacy rate is comparatively high, in a 2010 NBS literacy survey, youth literacy in the state was said to be 92.9%, adult literacy at 74.0%. However, compared to its South East Neighbors, the state has the third lowest adult literacy amongst the 5 states, Abia has 78.2%, Imo 80.8%, Enugu with 64.6% and Ebonyi with 69.8%, this means that in education terms, Anambra is performing poorer than most other states in its region. From this regional perspective, it means investment in education

urgently needs attention and ought to be ramped up. A meager N1.4 billion is budgeted for health, and considering that health should be the core focus of any state government, this amount is barely adequate. From this sum, it is evident that the government has misplaced priorities, apportioning only 1.7% of the entire budget to a sector that directly affects the livelihood of all of its populace. Another major problem of the state is roads and soil erosion. In a bid to tackle this, the government apportioned N10bn to continue the construction of several intra-state highways and bridges, targeting the completion of about 100km of roads this fiscal year. However, only N1.696bn is allocated for drainage, erosion control and sewerage. This we believe would not address the challenges in that area. Water supply which also is a major problem will get only N800m: of this sum, it is hoped that expansion works on major water schemes would be carried out, and new ones built. This sum is little, and may not amount to much improvement in water supply in the state. Agriculture is apportioned N1.4bn, an evidence of misplaced priorities: with figures like these,

it is no surprise that unemployment in the state is high. How can a state government allocate only 1.7% of its entire budget to agriculture in a rural state?Unemployment can be tackled effectively with agriculture if the value chain challenges in food and cash crops production are tackled. The housing sub sector will get N1.8bn, the government plans to partner with the private sector in providing more residential accommodation, a core focus will be on completing all existing projects. This is commendable. What is clear from this analysis is that Anambra state like most states of the federation is not allocating funds to adequately address the key social challenges that confront its people. Anambra state should slim down the size and cost if its government, learn to prioritize its budget allocations, expand its revenue base from taxes by attracting federal government and private sector participation in mineral exploration, improve its business climate by easing the starting and running of a business. Anambra state like other southeast states must address the security challenges arising from violent crimes and kidnapping that have scared the elites and investors from the state. The state should leverage its human resources by refocusing

the priorities of government on SME and industrial development, investing in infrastructure, agriculture and human capital. Anambra needs to capitalize on the enterprising nature of its people by tackling unemployment, poverty and infrastructure deficits. Until that time, Anambra will remain a state with big prospects and very little growth. Sad Sunday... I wish to join fellow country men and women in commiserating with all those that lost loved one, friends and family members in the Dana Air plane crash of Sunday 3rd June. I knew some of the deceased very well. Shehu Sa'ad was a year my junior in Barewa College, an accomplished banker and perfect gentleman. Falmata Mohammed, sister to my Barewa class monitor, Group Captain Aliyu Mohammed (Retired) was a kind and gentle soul. Mrs. Fatima Abubakar, a colleague of mine since the days I worked in the BPE lost her daughter, while another Barewa Old Boy and elder brother Shehu Kaikai lost his daughter. Dr. Usman Bugaje's brother Idris lost two daughters. May their souls rest in perfect peace, Amen. We hope that this disaster amounts to a wake-up

call for strengthening regulatory oversight in our aviation sector. Out of every N25,000 we pay for our air tickets, at least N11,000 goes to government coffers - which funds ought to be used to ensure safe skies for Nigerians. Sadly, it is contracts-and-patronage galore with little attention to passenger convenience and safety. This must change. ...and joyful Friday.... As you read this, we will be joining many elders, leaders, friends and well-wishers in witnessing the turbaning of my friend, brother and one that cando-no-wrong in my eyes - Sanusi Lamido Sanusi - as the new DanMaje of Kano. It is a title for princes, reserved only for sons and grandsons of deceased Emirs of Kano, and cannot be acquired in any other way. We are grateful to His Royal Highness, Sarkin Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero for honoring one of our own, one of the best and brightest of our generation, and without doubt the best-performing public servant in the otherwise incompetent Jonathan administration. May Allah continue to Protect the highly respected Emir of Kano, his DanMaje and the Emirate Council for Sanusi's recognition, and guide them all to achieve greater heights for Kano and Nigeria.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Never mind a sore head - just one glass of wine can give you an asthma attack M ost of us have at some point suffered the effects of one too many glasses

of wine. But it takes just a single glass to make Justine Bond ill, giving her a serious asthma attack. It’s not the alcohol in the wine that’s the problem, but the sulphites. These additives are used in food and drink as preservatives and to prevent bacteria growth. It’s estimated that up to 10 per cent of us are sulphite sensitive, with reactions ranging from flushed skin and urticaria (nettle rash), to raised blood pressure, abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhoea. More serious reactions include asthma and, in rare cases, anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal. But many people may not realise sulphites are behind their symptoms. Indeed, it took years for Justine to be diagnosed. ‘As a child, from time to time I had allergic reactions — itching inside my ears and mouth and hives on my face after I ate certain foods,’ says Justine, 43, a senior lecturer in health science at the University of Worcester. ‘My GP gave me antihistamines and basically told me not to be so silly.’ But the reactions continued and gradually worsened. She was prescribed asthma inhalers to tackle her symptoms. By the time she was studying for her degree, Justine was struggling to socialise, with increasingly allergic reactions to something she couldn’t pinpoint. ‘I started to be sick after just one glass of wine,’ she says. The tipping point came when Justine was 29 and suffered a terrible asthma attack after eating from an oriental buffet at her grandmother’s birthday celebration. She’d had pickled ginger, soy, seafood and a glass of champagne, which all contain high levels of sulphites. Her GP referred her to the Royal Brompton Hospital in London and after a year of testing, an allergy specialist identified the cause. The highest levels of sulphites are found in dried fruit, wine, beer, cordial, convenience foods

such as pizzas and oven chips, jam, some seafood products and processed meat. Quite why they can cause a reaction is not clear, though it’s thought they form a gas in the mouth when they come into contact with saliva in some people, which causes the airways to tighten. Another theory is that some people can’t convert sulphites in the liver, due to a failure of or lack of the enzyme sulphite oxidase, which results in excessive levels of sulphite in the body. Up to one in ten of us may be sensitive or allergic to sulphites, according to research by Professor Hassan Vally from the School of Public Health and Human Biosciences in Melbourne. And asthmatics may be particularly prone, says Professor Vally. Sulphites have an irritant effect, so if your airways are already inflamed and itchy, as they are in asthmatics, then any substance that has an effect on this part of the body if you are sensitive to it will result in symptoms. ‘We know that if you expose individuals to sulphur dioxide gas (a type of sulphite additive), there is a point where all of us will react and experience bronchoconstriction, but the concentrations that trigger this response in asthmatics are much reduced,’ he says. For 90 per cent of people, sulphites are not a problem, says Dr Adrian Morris, a specialist allergy consultant at the London Medical Centre and the Royal Brompton Hospital. ‘In those who do have a sulphite sensitivity, it will make them a bit wheezy and maybe they’ll get a bit of a rash. Some will have an anaphylactic reaction. It’s very difficult to diagnose — and there’s little you can really do about it.’ A blood test, known as a CAST test, is only 50 per cent accurate in diagnosing the condition. The only definitive way is a ‘challenge’ test, when the patient is taken to hospital and sprayed with sulphur dioxide or given a sulphite solution to drink and their reaction monitored. However, these are expensive

Red alert: Justine Bold's sulphite allergy means a single glass of wine can give her a severe asthma attack.

Preservatives: Sulphites used to prevent bacteria growth in food and drink can trigger allergic reactions in one in ten of us

Preservatives: Sulphites are found in convenience foods such as pizzas and oven chips as well as in dried fruit, beer, cordial, jam, some seafood products and processed meat.

and time-consuming, since they need to be done in a hospital where there are resuscitation facilities available. ‘The best test if you think you are mildly affected is to eat dried apricots — they have a very high sulphur dioxide content, so if you react to them you are likely to have a sensitivity,’ says Dr Morris. However, he warns against doing this if you believe you are

highly sensitive to sulphites. While most studies suggest sulphite sensitivity affects between 5 and 10 per cent of asthmatics, some researchers believe the number is much higher. ‘The problem with sulphite allergy is that most people don’t know they’ve got it, and their GP knows little about it, too,’ says Lesley Mcmanus of the charity Allergy UK. ‘It is not normally recorded until the sulphites have triggered asthma. And there are so few allergy services it’s hard for people to know what to do.’ Kay Richards, a 42-year-old library worker from Nottingham, says she had little support when she was diagnosed with sulphite sensitivity. ‘There were signs I had a sulphite allergy when I was a teenager, but about five years ago things started getting worse. I often felt slightly nauseous, and after drinking wine my nose pours and I cough and wheeze,’ she says. ‘Dried fruit does the same thing — it makes my face and mouth itchy and my eyes puff up.’ Kay’s GP prescribed an asthma inhaler and told her to

take antihistamines, but offered little extra help. ‘He told me sulphites were the problem, but wasn’t that interested in doing much else.’ Now, she reads labels religiously and cooks everything from scratch. Under EU law, if the level of sulphite in food or drink is above 10 milligrams per kilogram or litre, it must be labelled ‘containing sulphites’. All wine and beer contains sulphites — they form naturally as part of the fermentation process — but higher concentrations are found in alcohol that is mass- produced because the preservative is added to halt forced fermentation on production lines. Organic wines contain the lowest sulphites levels. ‘Like anything, the more chemical additives it contains, the less good the wine will be for your body,’ says Leandro Bacheco, manager of London wine bar Terroirs, which specialises in low-sulphite and organic wine. But Dr Morris cautions against avoiding sulphites unless you are sensitive. ‘Avoidance is like going on a wheat-free diet when you don’t have a wheat intolerance,’ he says. ‘I’d hate to think of people becoming obsessed by finding low-sulphite wine and diets. ‘Poor-quality wines have a lot of other substances in them than sulphites that will add to the hangover.’ But Justine Bond believes sulphite allergies should be taken more seriously and more must be done to raise awareness. ‘I had a takeaway curry one night and my lungs were constricted and I was wheezy for months,’ she says. ‘I was sent to an asthma unit at St Mary’s hospital in Paddington, where the consultant told me sulphite allergy did not exist. I felt so insulted I walked out.’ Justine’s allergy is so acute she must avoid cosmetics and medicines that contain sulphites — including drugs used by dentists and adrenaline. ‘I am unable to have a general anaesthetic because if I need adrenaline if things go wrong, the shots contain sulphites and it is a huge risk. How some doctors can say my condition is not life-threatening I don’t know.’ Source: Dailymail.co.uk

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Boko Haram: We’re challenged by inadequate personnel, says Interior Minister Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, in this interview with news men lists major challenges facing the federal government in its resolve to confront insecurity maily in the Nothern part of the country. Our Correspondent, Francis Iwuchukwu, was there.Excerpts:

INTERVIEW

ow have you been able to cope with the insurgence of the Boko Haram sect which has become a serious threat to internal security in Nigeria? So far we have had our own challenges. We have this challenge of funding. But of course, that is no excuse not to live up to our expectation. We have the challenge of inadequate personnel. And of course, we also have the challenge of lack of training to cope with the emergent sophisticated tactics of these terrorists. That notwithstanding, given the level of sophistication and our understanding of the tactics that these insurgents have been using, our men and women have trained in various countries of the world – in Italy, in United States of America, in Israe and so on. And all were intended to enable our officers, men and women to acquire the necessary skills to brace up to the challenges of our time. But let me say here that our efforts have been directed more at curtailing the infiltration of our borders by foreigners. And so, our effort has been geared more on securing our borders. And where these persons have been able to infiltrate our country, efforts have been made too by the Immigration Service to identify, screen and profile some of these foreigners so that those persons that have no business , no proper document are prevented entering Nigeria. And I can tell you that such persons, over 4,000 of them, have been repatriated; over 335 have been deported and over 16,900 have also been refused entry into Nigeria. And so, we have made these efforts in the hope that we do not allow these foreigners to come to our country and we will be in a better position to manage the activities of our own citizens who may be employed in perpetrating this illegalimmigration. How would you rate the performance of Pfresident Goodluck Jonathan against the backdrop of low by majority of Nigerians? Let me say that those reactions that you get from people as to the level of performance of Mr. President may be informed by the fact that the Nigerian situation before the assumption of office of President Goodluck Jonathan has been very pathetic. Pathetic in the sense that there is a general decay of infrastructure and the security situation was very precarious. And it was on the basis of that when President Jonathan campaigned on the platform of transformation that the masses in Nigeria voted for him.

This is because they see in President Jonathan a generational shift, a change in personnel that will bring a lot of changes to the life of the average Nigerian. So, the expectations were very high. And so, for one year, which normally should have been a normal learning period, a normal exploratory period for all governments has been devoted not just for learning, not just for exploring, but for implementing some very salient policies that are aimed at reviving and resuscitating our decaying physical infrastructures. So, at the moment, given the level of despondency in the land, therefore, it is understandably obvious that Nigerians may not very much congratulate Mr. President for the modest effort that he has made to transform the lives of Nigerians. But I can tell you that the major achievement that Mr. President has attained is the fact that he has been able to keep Nigeria together as one united country as against all the odds and challenges of the cry of prophets of doom for the disintegration of the country. And so, having kept Nigeria together as one united country so far within one year of his administration and having also embarked on the repair and resuscitation of physical infrastructure, I think that it is only a matter of time if Nigerians support and cooperate with Mr. President that the lives and welfare of the people will be transformed for the better and Mr. President will be able to move Nigeria to the next level. What measures have you adopted to ensure improvements in services rendered by the Fire Service? Yes, the fire service at the moment is in a sorry state. It has been bandied around from the Ministry of Works to Ministry of Housing and of course properly placed now in the Ministry of Interior. And so, we are working hard to make it assume a rightful position by reconstructing additional fire stations and equipping these stations to the state of the art equipment so that we can easily be able to deal with disaster or emergency situation when they arise. We are

Comrade Abba Moro working in conjunction with a Consortium of American Companies, a project development international in the United States of America. And once they get the approval, work will resume very soon, so that fire service will certainly take its rightful place in our society. The Civil Defence Corps has performed creditably well, I must say. They have been responsible for most of the arrest of vandals of our pipelines and electricity cable and they participated very actively in Joint Task Forces in quelling internal disturbances. But much more importantly, giving the present challenge that we face now of terrorism, the Civil Defence Corps has established a unit of anti-terrorism and that unit has had 406 members trained recently by the Nigerian Army in the Nigerian Military College in Jaji, the college of antiterrorism. Over 400 men and women of the Civil Defence Corps have recently been trained. You are aware that the Federal Government has graciously approved that the units of the Civil Defence Corps should

“

I think that protest and condemnation is misplaced. I think it is due to lack of understanding of the reason behind the renaming. MKO Abiola is long overdue for honour and that is because of his immense contribution to the struggle for democratic rule in Nigeria.

bear arms. And over 2000 of them have been trained and in the next one week or so, we will be performing the swearing-in ceremony of the handover of such weapons to be able to effectively deal with emergency when they arise. So, all in all, I can say that some efforts have been made to ensure that the ministry of interior, through its services, discharges their mandate. The Nigeria Immigration Service does not appear to have lived up to expectation. That is obviously not true. The Immigration Service particularly has been in the forefront of this arrangement. And as I said, given the challenges that we face now, the Immigration Service has been encouraged to ensure that illegal immigrants do not find their way to the country. The borders have been fortified. Men deployed, equipment deployed and senior officers to coordinate the activities, especially in our porous border poles. And only recently too, we have completed the construction of the passport office in the Immigration Headquarters in Soaka along airport road. And we are hoping that when that office is commissioned, the payment of travel documents especially our passport will become easy, and we will be able to fast-track transaction from that base. So, all in all, it is our hope that we will move and implement our aggressive policies of discharging our mandate and with all these logistics put in place, the ministry of interior will be up to the challenge of ensuring internal security in Nigeria. Will you say that democracy is working in Nigeria 13 years after? Let me say that what we are

witnessing today is an unappreciating, critical sector of the Nigerian society. The fact that really we have been able to successfully keep Nigeria a democratic country, a united country, one Nigeria - the fact that Nigeria still exist as Nigeria is enough achievement for this administration and the practitioners of democracy in this country. Don’t forget that for over thirty-five years of our life as a nation from Independence in 1960, the military has incurse into the political process in this country. And this incursion has dislocated a lot of things – the psychology of the people, the mentality of the people such that Nigerians have lost the hope of ever experiencing true democracy as it is in other civilized society. But I can say that the fact we have been able to transit from one civilian administration to the other; the fact that efforts are also being made to resuscitate our ailing infrastructure is enough reason for us to believe and celebrate democracy as it is. And if we have been able to keep the military at bay up till this level and if we have been able to place our hands on developing infrastructures such as roads and making strenuous efforts to provide basic life for this country, I think that this system of democracy is really working. How would you describe the protest by the students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) against the renaming of the institution after a great icon of democracy, the late Chief MKO Abiola? Let me tell you that I am an alumnus of UNILAG. And I can say that the complaint by most of them may have been borne of the nostalgia that they already have with the name UNILAG, being an institution that is as old as education in Nigeria. Be that as it may, renaming of the University Of Lagos after Chief MKO Abiola known to be a great symbol of democracy and democratic struggle in this country is really a welcome development. I don’t think it should call any protest at all. It has not subtracted anything from the academic citadel that the University of Lagos is known for. As a matter of fact, I am of the view that renaming that institution after a great popular philanthropist in Nigeria, a Nigerian that symbolizes democracy and the struggle for democracy in this country, should be seen as a great honour to the entire members of that academic community. I think that protest and condemnation is misplaced. I think it is due to lack of understanding of the reason behind the renaming. MKO Abiola is long overdue for honour and that is because of his immense contribution to the struggle for democratic rule in Nigeria.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Lagos Assembly confirms appointment of new CJ From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

he Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday confirmed the nomination of Justice Ayotunde Adeyoola Phillips as the new Chief Judge of the state. The state governor, Babatunde Fashola, had on Monday in a letter to the lawmakers explained that the incumbent Chief Judge of the State, Inumidun Akande was due for retirement on Sunday, June 10, 2012. In the letter, Fashola also nominated Justice Phillips and urged the lawmakers to consider and confirm her appointment as

the new Chief Judge of the state. Phillips who appeared before the lawmaker on yesterday during plenary session, explained that she has served in the state service for 18 years and that she will be 63 years of age next month (July), she added that she became a judge in 1998. She told the lawmakers that her plans include taking the state judiciary arm to the 21st Century, where the arm would become Information Communication Technology (ICT) compliant. According to her, "I want a situation whereby the IT aspect of the state judiciary would be step up so that lawyers can sit in the comfort of their office and file their

processes without needing to visit the court to do same. Also I will make sure that our libraries become e-compliant, so that our children who are aspiring to become lawyers can read online and do whatever they want to do. "This is the time to move the judiciary forward and also I would ensure that staff welfare a well taken care of, because Lagos State Judiciary is seen as the vanguard of the country's judiciary. I would ensure speedy dispensation of justice," Phillips said. Responding to questions from the lawmakers on the issue of capital punishment, Phillips, who

explained that she would not want to be an advocate of killing criminals, suggested that states government should be allowed to build prisons, adding that "it should be removed from the exclusive list. We don't have enough prisons in the country. I want to also visit all the prisons in the state and see a situation where we can release those prisoners, which we feel can be released. On the issue of pregnant female prisoner, we in judiciary can't do much, but once they deliver, we can take the baby from them and give them to their husband or any other members of their family," she added.

L-R: Chief Audu Ogbeh, Edo state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Senator Chris Ngige, and Chief Tom Ikimi during a fund-raising dinner organised as part of the governor's re-election, on Wednesday night, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, in Abuja

Wada solicits support of Kogi Assembly From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

ogi state governor, Idris Wada, has called on the state House of Assembly to accord the executive arm of government an enabling environment for overall development and to move the state forward. Wada made the call at the Assembly complex, along Hassan Kastina road during a special session to mark one-year anniversary of the 5th Legislative session of the Assembly on Wednesday, in Lokoja. The governor who congratulated the House for attaining one year in office and for helping to put the state on the platform of the rule of law pointed out that governance required the

cooperation of all including the legislative arm. ‘’Governance is not an easy task as it requires the cooperation of everyone and if we are to move forward, we have to work together”, stressing, “we require wide expanse of mind and determination to move the state forward’’, he said. Wada called for constructive criticisms that would help to advance the cause of the state and promised to look into requests for enhanced funding of the Assembly including the construction of committee and hearing rooms. Speaking earlier, Speaker of the Assembly, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, said the anniversary special session afforded the lawmakers the opportunity to reflect on the ‘achievements recorded, access our failures and x-ray the

challenges ahead.’ In his anniversary speech, Majority Leader of the house, Alhaji Yakubu Yunisa said the Assembly sat for 264 days against the mandatory minimum of 181 days stipulated by the constitution. Yunusa urged his members to uphold the tenets of legislating for good governance saying: “We have constitutional responsibility

to legislate laws that are peopleoriented. Laws that are intelligible, national and constitutional.” He commended the leadership of the Assembly and the governor for the matured manner they handled the confusion occasioned by the January 27, pronouncement of the Supreme Court terminating the tenure elongation earlier granted five former governors

Lawmaker carpets Kogi govt over non implementation of budget From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

former lawmaker in the Kogi state House of Assembly, Barrister Adamu Muhammed, has lambasted the successive Kogi governors over the non implementation of budgetary provisions insisting that what has been happening over the years was a recycling of the previous budgets. Mohammed , who was the immediate past Majority leader, was a guest speaker at a one day seminar organized by the state House of Assembly in conjunction with the Center for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, (CHRCR), which took place yesterday in Lokoja, He said budget implementation in Kogi over the last 12 years was less than 30 Percent arguing that the 70% implementation claim by the executive was a farce. The lawmaker said the budgetary provisions passed by the Assembly has become a law which ought to be executed by the executive lamenting that the reverse was the case in Kogi state. While saying that government claims on yearly basis that it has implemented the budgets in totality was far from the truth, he noted that the repeat of almost all the items in previous budgets in the new ones was an indication that the budget has not be adhered to by the executive. In his remarks, Speaker, Kogi House of Assembly, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, stressed that the current Assembly was determined to enforce strict compliance with budgetary provisions, adding that the House intended to achieve this through collaboration with the civil societies and the general public. He said in addition to appraising the performance of previous budgets before approving new ones, the House has also created budget desk at the Assembly to encourage public participation in the making of a budget. Earlier the Executive Director, CHRCR, comrade Abdul Miliki, said the House as the true representatives of the people must be above board in ensuring that the executive implement the budget so as to win the confidence of the people.

Pre-election matter in Kogi: Court rules on June 29 From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

he Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State has fixed June 29, 2012 for the final determination on People Democratic Party, PDP primary in Olamaboro state

constituency. The matter was brought before the court by Yunisa Olofu Gabriel seeking redress in a pre election primary which produced Damian Adejo in the Kogi state House of Assembly.

Justice Etim Iyang Ekwo gave the date yesterday at the Federal High Court, opposite police headquarters, yesterday after listening to the counsels submission of their various written addresses

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Reps vow to override President on bills By Lawrence Olaoye

he House of Representatives has resolved to exercise its power to override the Executive’s refusal to implement bills and resolutions it has duly passed. This disclosure was made yesterday when the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Rep Albert Sam-Tsokwa, briefed newsmen on the activities of the Green

Chamber in the last one year. According to him, President Goodluck Jonathan reluctance to assent to bills and implement resolutions passed by the National Assembly was a surprise considering that fact that the resolution that made him the Acting President at the demise of his former boss, Late President Umaru Yar”adua was passed by the same parliament. The lawmaker however assured that the House would

continue to work in line with its Legislative Agenda. On the performance of the chamber in the last one year, the legislator flayed the reliance on ministries and parastals by some committee members during oversight activities. He said that it was wrong for lawmakers who are going on oversight to depend on the logistics provided by the ministry or organisations they are oversighting.

Despite such shortcoming the committee chairman commended the performance of the House committees, arguing that they surpassed the performance of previous assemblies in oversight functions. He said that a positive effect of the oversight activities of the committee is that no Ministries, Departments and Agencies now have their budgets duely approved before implementation. Tsokwa recalled that the

house came in with a clear agenda and vision, saying that the agenda were being followed religiously. Giving a breakdown of programmes accomplished by the House he said the chamber received a total of 273 bills, most of which are in the second reading. He also added that it received 278 motions and resolutions and 178 petitions. Commenting on the number of bills passed, Tsokwa said that 32 bills were passed in the last 12 months.

INEC denounces CPC caretaker committee By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, denounced the Caretaker Committee recently set up by Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) State Chairmen to manage the party. The INEC said the Chairmen did not hold the meeting in accordance with the constitution of the party, and therefore, is null and void. In a letter addressed to the party and signed by INEC Secretary, Abdullahi Kaugama, the Commission said that it would accept any of the decisions reached at the meeting, since it does not conform to the party’s rules, urging CPC to be guided accordingly. In a statement issued by the CPC publicity secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, in relation to the letter, the party said the letter has therefore shown that the current Tony Momoh led National Executive Committee (NEC) was the legal, constitutional and legitimate leadership of CPC. It therefore commended INEC for a professional and patriotic handling of the matter insisting that the enemies of democracy and Nigeria have concocted and plotted to set back the progress the party was making as a vibrant opposition and a rallying point for people yearning for a positive change. “We call on our teeming followers not to relent in their vigilance and efforts at helping to curb infiltration into the folds of genuine believers and party men,” Fashakin added.

L-R: Deputy Governor, Operations, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mr. Tunde Lemo, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Communication and Technology, Hon. Ibrahim Sheuh Gusau, and Hon. Yusuf Ayo Tajudeen, during committee's oversight function to CBN headquarter, on Wednesday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Plateau NULGE happy with membership of LG Commission

he National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Plateau has expressed happiness with the Gov. Jonah Jang administration for appointing members of the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC). According to the State President of NULGE, Mr Samson Mafuyai, the local government system in the state has been functioning for the past one year without a commission. Mafuyai told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Jos that NULGE was happy with the development.

“We are happy with this development because the thinking in local government circles is that the commission will be scrapped. “This appointment shows that the government still believes in the functions of the commission in the administration of the third tier of government”. NAN reports that Jang on Wednesday announced a three man commission for Plateau local governments. A statement by the governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Mr James Manok, named Mrs Susan Janfa as Chairman of the

commission. It said that other members of the commission were Mr Hansi Suleiman and Mr Christopher James. The statement said that the appointments took immediate effect. It would be recalled that the Plateau House of Assembly and NULGE had decried the nonconstitution of the commission. According to Mafuyai, the absence of the commission has hampered the smooth operations of local governments in the state.

Yuguda blames insecurity on lack of infrastructure

ov. Isa Yuguda of Bauchi state yesterday in Abuja linked the insecurity situation in the country to the dearth of infrastructure. He said this when he delivered a lecture entitled: “Contemporary Development Challenges in Bauchi State’’ at the State Security Service (SSS) Institute for Security Studies. The governor said that on

assumption of office in 2007, he inherited a debt of N22 billion and poor infrastructure. “There was no record of government contract activities from 1999 to 2007 when we came into office. “There was no need to have the records because contracts were being awarded illegally.” He said that some of the security challenges which the state

government had been grappling with were as a result of the decay in infrastructure. Yuguda noted that he had consequently set up a committee to take a critical look at the issues of security, education and health “but the committee’s findings are an eyesore’’. He said that the administration had established an agency to re-orientate youths in

the state as means of addressing some of the challenges. According to him, the initiative has been able to get irate youths off the streets. He identified education, healthcare, employment opportunities and security as critical factors that should be addressed by government at all levels to ensure peace in the country.

Kwara House approves state logo

he Kwara State Assembly yesterday approved the new logo of the state unveiled by Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed on May 29. The approval was given on Thursday in Ilorin following a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Abdulkareem Abdulganiu. He said the logo would ensure attitudinal change aimed at ensuring the development the state. The logo, he said, reflected the vast endowment, rich potential and wildlife prospects of the state. Hon. David Bamidele, a member representing Irepodun, said the governor ought to have sent a bill to the House before unveiling the logo on May 29. He, however, lauded the government for coming up with the logo, saying that it would give the state its own identity. Mrs Ebun Owolabi, the member representing Ekiti, noted that the logo with the ‘Arewa’ symbol had put to rest the issue of where the state belongs. “ The symbol of Arewa at the centre has given the state a clear cut identity of being a Northern state and government should be commended for it,’’ she said.

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INEC commissioner stresses importance of voter education clubs in schools

ndependent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner in the FCT, Mr Godwin Kwanga, said yesterday that the formation of voter education clubs in secondary schools would educate students on electoral procedures. Kwanga told a meeting of the FCT chapter of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS)

in Abuja that 110 secondary schools in the territory would participate in the pilot project. ``INEC believes the formation of voter education clubs in secondary schools will give these budding leaders handon knowledge of how democracy works and what it means to go into an election while forming the best intentions. ``Students of secondary schools are the people who will

be the presidents, senators, members of the House of Representatives and state assemblies. ``They will eventually be the democrats that will lead this country to heights not reached by earlier generations,'' he said. Kwanga said the commission had put in place a module that would enable it to interact with all voter education clubs formed in selected schools nationwide.

He said that good relationship could be established with the commission through the area council offices, which would serve as liaison between INEC and each school's voter education clubs. ``The voter education clubs will be INEC's sounding board at the secondary school level through which voter education material may be generated and tested.

2015 debate is diversionary – Aliyu

he Governor of Niger State, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, yesterday in Minna affirmed that debate across the country about the 2015 general election, especially the presidency ‘is diversionary’ and therefore should be stopped just as he urged politicians especially those going for elective positions not to ‘worry about 2015’ because‘2015 belongs to God’. Speaking at the launch of the Federal Government’s Community Services, Women and Youth Employment Project of the SURE-P in the state, he said “nobody knows who will see tomorrow, tomorrow is in the hands of God’ as such the talk about 2015 should be left for the time being”. He said that 2014 is the most ideal year for politicians to commence talks about those that will take over from the present crop of elected public officials’ “Allow us to work, we can start the noise in 2014; as for me I cannot run for governor again people should allow me to work for the people who elected me so that they will know I got my PHD from the classroom, not honorary”. The Governor also said that he supported the removal of subsidy from petrol because it was an avenue to rip off the country. He disclosed that so far the state government has received over N263m from the Subsidy Reinvestment Committee, an amount put in a dedicated account that will be committed to the action of the administration’s Youth and Women employment programmes. GovernorAliyu also asked the Federal Government to ensure it acts against all those found guilty by the House of Representatives ad hoc committee probe into the fuel subsidy scam. The Governor said that the first phase of the CS/WYE programme will engage 300youths and women with Chanchaga local government area accounting for 100 of the beneficiaries while Agaie, Bosso, Rafi and Wushishi got 50 beneficiaries each. The Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, commended the giant strides the Niger state Government has taken in the area of youth and women empowerment saying the choice of Niger state as the first place where the programme is launched was in realisation of the fact that the state has always been associated with success.

``The clubs would be engaged in real democratic activities as learning processes and the motto of the clubs will be `Friends of INEC, Future Democrats','' Kwanga said. He said the establishment of clubs was an opportunity for revolution that would change the orientation about elections. The Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA) in FCT, Mr Moses Aba said the principals as change agents should ensure that the clubs were formed and taught how to conduct themselves in elections and election outcomes. He urged the principals to key into the vision of NOA's `Do the Right Thing and Transform Nigeria'' campaign since students would be future leaders. The Acting President of ANCOPSS, Mr Augustine Olori, said the club should be taken to students at the grassroots. (NAN)

CPC crisis: Adamawa chapter backs Momoh NEC By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Member, representing Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye federal constituency, in House of Representatives Hon. Kamisu Mailantarki, presenting the key of a motorcycle to Habu Goje, one of the beneficiaries of the 150 motorcycles the lawmaker donated to the constituency, on Wednesday in Gombe. Photo: NAN

Gundiri donates relief materials to victims of Lamurde attack From Blessing Tunoh, Yola

andidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at the January governorship polls in Adamawa state, Engr. Markus Gundiri Wednesday donated relief materials consisting of mainly food items to the eleven villages of Lamurde council area of the state that was recently attacked assailants. Gundiri who visited the affected villages with his running mate, Alhaji Abdulrazak Namdas as well as other party loyalists said the ugly occurrence is an indication that there’s a big lacuna in the country’s security. Gundiri who is challenging Nyako’s victory at the election petition tribunal sitting in Yola rebuked the governor for what he described as “nonchalant and inhuman” attitude towards the victims. “It is shocking that this kind

of colossal damage and loss of lives could happen and the Chief Security Officer of a state would refuse to come and personally assess the damage or commiserate with the victims; it’s really pathetic and irresponsible.” Gundiri fumed. He therefore urged the villagers to leave everything in the hands of God and live in love and unity as the only tenable security measure against a future recurrence. Village head of one of the affected villages (Suwa), who conducted the governorship hopeful around, Mr. Joseph Zadok, said ever since the attack happened only NEMA officials, the Nigeria red cross and the Senator representing the zone Ahmed Barata visited them. According to him, mobile police men acting on security reports came in two vans but fled when they saw the overwhelming number of the assailants as well as their

sophistication. “After surrounding us, a helicopter landed in our secondary school here and supplied them with arms including flame throws which they used in burning our houses while shooting at those who tried to escape.” Zadok explained. Ibrahim Ezekiel of Gulkutu village in his own account told Peoples Daily that the attack on the village lasted between the hours of 5:30am to 1pm on the 13th of last month adding that some of the survivors are yet to return from where they are taking refuge. On who the possible assailants could be, Ezekiel said “They are certainly our neighbours the Fulani and Dadiye’s who know us very well because even while we were running for safety they kept calling us by our local names and daring us to face them if we were indeed men.

he Adamawa State Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Alh. Bappa Waziri, has thrown his weight behind the Prince Tony Momoh-led National Executive Committee of the Party. Waziri made this known when he led a delegation of the State Executive Committee on a solidarity visit to the National Executive Committee at the National Headquarters of the Party, UtakoAbuja. He said the team, numbering fifty, was in Abuja to express support for the Momoh-led NEC, adding that the ‘renegade group’ was out to foment trouble and cause disunity in the Party. “They would not succeed. Adamawa State is solidly behind the Momoh led National Executive Committee,” Waziri stated. Responding, the National Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Tony Momoh, thanked the delegation for their visit, emphasizing that there was no faction in CPC. “The renegade group is being funded by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), because CPC is the only opposition party that is giving them (PDP) sleepless nights.” Momoh stated. While emphasizing that CPC stands for justice and therefore cannot be dismantled, he said that Gen. Buhari cannot be compromised, likewise Tunde Bakare and Tony Momoh. He pointed out that though CPC is not peopled by money bags, it has a substantial will power to carry on, adding that evil has a life span, specifically noting that PDP is evil and therefore, its days are numbered.

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Super Eagles will beat Malawi, Obuh believes

John Obuh

t was a sweet bonding for the national team, Super Eagles and the U20 side, the Flying Eagles, as both sides trained yesterday morning at the FIFA Goal Project site in Abuja, ahead of the senior team’s departure for Malawi the night of same day. The younger Eagles had arrived earlier for their training before their senior counterparts did and when it was exactly 8am, the Flying Eagles vacated the pitch for the Super Eagles, but not before they were addressed by Keshi and his

crew, with John Obuh, who handles the junior side beaming with smiles. Keshi told the team that they should forget about their not winning the South African Invitation Tourney and look forward to their qualifier against Tanzania, while also urging them to pray for their senior colleagues. “Within a short time in camp, you have reached this level and I’m sure that you can only get better and I wish you well against Tanzania, because I will be backing you all the way to the World Cup”,

NASAJ vows to sanction mercenaries

he President of the National Sports Association for Judiciary, (NASAJ) Mr. Emaka Ndili has vowed to sanction mercenaries in this year edition of it annul games billed at Uyo the AkwaIbom state capital from 2nd to 14th of July in honour of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher. Making this known to newsmen in Abuja during a press conference to highlight the 19 th edition programe of NASAJ , Ndili said the competition was put together by the courts and other judicial bodies throughout the federation to honour the grand patron of the CJN. He noted that the body has constituted a committee to saddle the responsibility of mercenaries during and after the games, adding that the aims and the objectives of

the event is to help and promote fitness among judicial workers ahead of the herculean task. “We are organizing the games to encourage and strengthen the spirit of good sportsmanship and sense of belonging in the relevant courts and judicial bodies. “We know the game very well because when I was growing up I played football, just like other executive members who played different games in their playing days, I played different clubs even Ranger international of Enugu. “We knew last edition that was held in Benue witness mercenaries of which I vowed this regime will not tolerate it, we have set up committee to screen every participating team because the games are meant for only judiciary workers, every players must present

letter of employment, pay sheet, identity card or any other means to convince the committee that he/ she is a member of judiciary family, “he said. Ndili further said that this year edition would witness unprecedented attendance following the increased of awareness of the essence of physically and mentally fitness among the judicial workers stressed that NASAJ has geared toward tapping the hidden talent of staff in the judicial, federal and state offices of the AttorneyGeneral to contribute it quota in sports development. He lauded the frankly effort of the executive members to ensure the annual game witness hitch free throughout the tournament that include Football, Handball, Badminton, Chess, Table-Tennis,

he said. Obuh and his players said they were humbled by the submission of the national team handler and will join other Nigerians in praying to ensure that the team comes out victorious in its World Cup qualifier this weekend against the Flames of Malawi. “We know the quality in your team and we are sure that you will win the game in Malawi”, Obuh said. One other visitor at the Super Eagles training session on Thursday morning was Super Falcons Head

Coach, Kadiri Ikhana, who told Keshi that he has come to see the boys who will rediscover Nigerian football by winning it games home and away. “I have absolute believe in what you are doing and I’m sure that come Saturday, all Nigerians and the team particularly will be singing victory songs”, he said. Ikhana recalled that the Eagles prayed for his team in their away game against Zimbabwe and they came out victorious and they are doing the same for the team against Malawi on Saturday.

Athletes, Scrabble, Draught, Ayoo and Volleyball. The executive members are Sunday Noah vice President, Vincent Obasi secretary general, Godwin Oriere treasure, Magaji Harashi welfare, Aliyu Musa assistant public relation and Raymond Abruku financial secretary.

Keshi tells Eagles to reply Phiri with goals

Emaka Ndili

3 players out of Blantyre battle I Stories by Albert Akota

Ekigho Ehiosun

t was another hard decision to take for the Super Eagles technical crew, as three more players were dropped from the party that headed for Blantyre, Malawi, yesterday night to join Nnamdi Oduamadi, who earlier dropped out to injury among those who will not take part in the battle of Malawi tomorrow. Those dropped are Sunshine Stars of Akure striker; Izu Azuka, Norway based Fengor Ogude and Ekigho Ehiosun, who was on loan to Turkish side, Samsunsport last season. The trio will have another opportunity of proving themselves worthy of being in the national team, when they join the team’s camp in Calabar, Cross River State next Monday to prepare for the Nations Cup qualifier against Rwanda. The game, earlier scheduled for Sunday June 17, has now been moved forward to Saturday, June 16 at the UJ Esuene Stadium in one of Africa’s cleanest city, where football was first played in Nigeria. Keshi told the players that he feels a personal sense of loss to ask them out but going by FIFA rules he cannot take more than 23 players to Malawi, but assured that they remain part and parcel of his plans of rebuilding the national, urging them to keep the faith with him and help return Nigerian football to the top of the chart in Africa and one of the best in the world. The lucky 23 players who made the cut for Malawi are:Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, and Chigozie Agbim, all goalkeepers. Defenders Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwueke, Gege Soriola, Papa Idris, Efe Ambrose, Elderson Echejile and Juwon Oshaniwa. In the midfield we have Gabriel Reuben, Raheem Lawal, Obiorah Nwankwo, Ejike Uzoenyi, Obinna Nwachukw, Henry Uche, Ahmed Musa and John Utaka, while the hunt for goals will be led by Victor Moses, Sunday Mba, Ikechukwu Uche, Omatsone Aluko and Uche Kalu.

agles’ boss, Stephen Keshi, has refused to join issues with his Malawian counterpart, Kinnah Phiri in the run-up to their Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifier this weekend in Blantyre, the Malawian capital, preferring to wait till match day for an appropriate reply. Phiri, has been quoted by the local and international media as saying the Nigerian side is a spent force in African football, that is dwelling on past glory and he would prove that when both sides meet in Malawi on Saturday. He was further quoted as saying the Flames as the Malawi national team is called has defeated Egypt and Cote d’ Ivoire on home soil in the past and hopes to add the Super Eagles to its casualty list. But Keshi, while addressing his players before departure for Blantyre, said he would not be drawn into the mind game that Phiri, was trying to play by granting interview to every Nigerian and international media on the encounter. “We respect every of our opponents, including Malawi, and we deserve equal respect but if they think we are a spent force, then it’s up to you players to prove otherwise on the pitch of play”, Media Officer, Ben Alaiya, quotes the coach as telling the Eagles. Keshi further said he does not expect an easy ride against Malawi, because they have very mobile and talented players, but believes he has enough quality in his squad to confront any team not only in Africa but globally. “We have prepared well enough and we have a bunch that I believe can deliver the goods that to me will be an appropriate answer to the opposing coach, who thinks we no longer have world class players. I want you to go score as many goals as you can to make Nigerians know that the Super Eagles are back to their glory days.”

Keshi

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

We’ve had successful domestic season, says NBBF

T Coach Edwin Okon of Falconets

FIFA U-20 World Cup: Falconets to embark on training tour

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has disclosed that the Super Falconets would embark on a training tour ahead of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final in Japan. The Falconets are in Group B with Brazil, Italy and South Korea of the championship scheduled for Aug. 19 to Sept. 8. Sanusi Mohammed, NFF’s Director of Competitions confirmed that the NFF has completed arrangement to ensure that the Falconets played some friendly matches. “My office has submitted proposal to the technical department of the NFF and we are hopeful that all our national teams would have befitting friendly matches in preparation for crucial matches. “We cannot ascertain when the friendly for the Falconets will come up, but they will definitely meet countries with high profile, standard and techniques like the countries in Group B,” he said. According to Mohammed, the tour which would include some European countries was to boost Falconets standard ahead of the competition. “Tough countries are together in Group B with Nigeria, and so the Falconets must have enough preparation to further improve their skills for the final. “As the current African champions, the Falconets should have enough preparations for the global competition in order to ensure an improved performance. “The NFF will also ensure that other logistics for improved performance are put in place for outstanding performance at the final,” the director said. He then urged the team to be more focused and determined in their preparation for the competition and at the final. “The Falconets should be focused because we want them to prove their mettle as champions at the world tournament. “As African champions they should maintain their record, at the world event, they should also not relent to improve their standard,” he said. He said with the tour, he was confident that the Falconets would make Nigerians proud at the World Cup final.

ijani Umar, President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), on Wednesday in Abuja said the federation’s 2011/2012 domestic season had been a successful one in spite of varying challenges. Umar said at a press conference that the 2011/2012 NBBF/DSTV Premier Basketball League’s regular season which just ended last weekend was a pointer to this fact. “We have just ran a very successful league by just concluding the competition’s regular season, and we can say we have had it good in spite of the challenges,” he said. The NBBF president noted that the 16 clubs which participated had excelled in terms of performance and the building of capacity of players, pointing out that these were notable yardsticks. “The clubs have really done very well by overcoming the challenges, and we are hopeful that they will continue to bear with us as we all go on to build a formidable basketball family,” he said. Umar acknowledged the challenges of paucity of funds at the federation and club levels, and assured that the basketball sport would gradually find a way to tackle its problems. He announced the eight teams which had qualified for the Final Eight Play-Offs stage of the league season as well as the two teams that had been relegated. “Those teams for the Final Eight are Dodan Warriors of Lagos, Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt, Islanders of Lagos and Police Baton of Lagos from the Atlantic Conference. “The others are Kano Pillars, Yelwa Hawks of Bauchi, Niger Potters of Minna and Kada Stars of Kaduna from the Savannah Conference. They will proceed to the Final Eight scheduled for Lagos from July 21 to July 28. “On the other hand, the Defenders of Abuja and Chariots of Lagos are to be relegated, having finished in the last positions on the logs in the two Conferences,” Umar said. The NBBF president disclosed that the National Division One Championship, which would produce replacements for the two relegated teams, had been scheduled to hold in October in Benue. “We are already discussing with the officials in Benue over the arrangements for the championship, and we are hopeful all will be well,” he said. Umar also said his federation had been alive to its responsibilities in organising the women’s game, saying the women’s league had been running as scheduled. “The 2012 Zenith Women Basketball League is now in its third phase in Lagos and will end on Saturday, after we had successfully held the first and second phases in Kaduna and Ilorin earlier in the year.” The NBBF president also disclosed that the federation had concluded discussion on the NBA/NBBF Development Camp scheduled to hold in Lagos. He said the development programme would be for products of the NIKE/NBBF Youth Camp scheduled to hold in Abuja, Ibadan and Uyo.

Vincent Enyeama, Stand-in Captain of Super Eagles

Don’t expect miracles from us against Malawi, Enyeama warns Nigerians

uper Eagles’ stand-in captain, Vincent Enyeama, has warned Nigerians against harbouring high expectations from the team against the Flames of Malawi in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier in Blantyre. Enyeama said what was uppermost in the minds of players was blending well as a formidable squad and urged soccer fans against expecting miracles from them. Saturday’s match is the second in Group F of the Africa Zone Qualifiers, and the Eagles will maintain group leadership with at least a draw after having won their opening game 1-0 against Namibia last Sunday. Malawi had drawn their opening game last weekend against hosts Harambee Stars of Kenya, leaving both sides with one point each. “We are not going to make miracles happen. For me, we are still in the rebuilding process and Nigerians should bear with us and pray for the team to succeed. “But we will try as much as possible to make Nigerians happy and, by the grace of God, we will succeed,” the Lille FC of France player said. The goalkeeper however hailed the efforts of team chief coach Stephen Keshi in the making of a new Super Eagles. He said a lot had been done in terms of coaching to ensure the lost glory of the team was restored. “I respect the past and present coaches of the Super Eagles. They have their ways of talking to the players. “You respect everybody the way they are. It is just like a situation in which you love a girl. Even if she is not beautiful, you must love her. So, I take people the way they are, and Keshi has been like that to me,” Enyeama said. He said he had no regrets playing under former coach Samson Siasia. “There were no regrets, since he (Siasia) was there to work for the development of the team,” the goalkeeper said.

Delta Force wins second match at Zenith Bank Basketball League

elta Force Basketball Club of Asaba on Wednesday recorded its second victory at the ongoing Zenith Bank Female League finals in Lagos. The club, which claimed its second victory 59-47 against FCT Angels at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, had won its first match in the competition by beating lowly-rated AHIP of Kano 63-35. The club had earlier lost four of its six matches played

so far out of the eight matches each nine participating team in the competition was expected to play. Coach Nosa Uyigue of Delta commended his players for stepping up their game at the competition saying it was delightful for his team to be improving at the competition progresses. “Both teams came out strongly as no one wants to be the lose; the FCT girls were really determined to win the game, however my girls came out superior,” he said.

In his remarks, Coach Emmanuel Odah of FCT, said that although, his players failed to win, they tried their best by giving the Delta players a good fight. “We still have two matches to go and I am confident that we will clinch one of them, especially the one against the defending champions, First Deepwater,” Odah said. In the second match played, Lagos-based Dolphins defeated Plateau Rocks of Jos 70-33.

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Transfer The season is over. Clubs are counting their blessing as well as losses and would like to make amends and even beef up their squads where noticeable lapses exist. And the transfer market is agog barely 24 hours after major European leagues dropped the curtain. And so to keep abreast with latest rumours, we begin daily doses of movements within the market both for players and coaches like.

United loses battle to keep Pogba out of Juve’s clutches

AC Milan, Inter chase Silvestre

nter Milan and AC Milan is locked in a battle to sign Argentinian defender Matias Silvestre, according to Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini. Silvestre only joined Palermo from Catania in a reported •7 million deal last summer

Matias Silvestre

but has already requested to leave the Sicilian side amid reports the two Milan clubs are circling. With Inter’s Brazilian defender Lucio confirming he will leave the San Siro this summer, the Nerazzurri are eager to sign Silvestre, 27, as a replacement, but their neighbours and rivals are also tracking the former Boca Juniors player. Silvestre is under contract with Palermo until June 2015 and should fetch a hefty transfer fee. Meanwhile, Palermo has confirmed the appointment of Giuseppe Sannino as their new coach. The 55-year-old Italian has signed a two-year deal. Sannino recently terminated his contract with Siena having helped the Tuscan side retain their Serie A status. The veteran tactician replaces Bortolo Mutti, who left the club at the end of the campaign after just five months in charge.

Ajax star set to join Tottenham

jax defender Jan Vertonghen could complete his move to Tottenham this week, according to the player’s agent. Spurs and Ajax have been locked in negotiations over the transfer of the 25-year-old Ajax captain, who impressed during Belgium’s 1-0 defeat to England at Wembley last Saturday. Ajax’s valuation of the centre-back, reported to be 15million euros, had proved to be a sticking point, though, as the Londoners are not willing to pay that much for a player whose contract expires next summer. Vertonghen last week said Spurs’ failure to qualify for the Champions League would not put him off a move to White Hart Lane and Mustapha Nakhli, who represents the towering Belgian, is hopeful a deal will be concluded soon. Redknapp is determined to land a striker and perhaps another top-class player to freshen up his squad, but the main focus this summer will be keeping Gareth Bale and Luka Modric at White Hart Lane.

Kranjcar delighted by Dynamo move

roatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar has spoken of his delight after sealing a move to Dynamo Kiev from Tottenham. Despite being repeatedly praised by Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, Kranjcar struggled for playing time at White Hart Lane, making just nine league appearances last term. It was widely believed that he would head for pastures new this summer, and he

has sealed his future before the start of Euro 2012 - freeing him up to concentrate on Croatia’s Group C campaign. “I am happy and satisfied,” Kranjcar said following confirmation that he had signed a four-year deal. “I am moving to a big club, a strong league. “I am glad that I settled everything before the Euros start because I am calm now and can concentrate on our matches.”

Arsenal eyes £20 Million rated Venezuelan hit man

Salomon Randon

rsenal is keeping a close eye on Malaga striker Salomon Randon, who finished as the club’s top scorer in their historic last campaign Randon was handed the task of usurping Ruud van Nistelrooy from the squad this season and he came out on top as he relegated the now retired Dutchman to the bench with his stellar form. Malaga finished 4th in La Liga, thereby qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, with Randon contributing 11 league goals in the campaign. The striker has also been in good form for his national team, scoring the equaliser for Venezuela against Uruguay in a recently concluded 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier. The Gunners are looking to spend something in the range of 15 million pounds on a striker, with the likes of Seydou Doumbia, Fernando Llorente and Olivier Giroud on their priority list. But one does believe that any serious pursuit backed by board’s money will only come through when Robin van Persie’s future is made clear.

Paul Pogba

ir Alex Ferguson had implored Pogba to stay at United but the 18-year-old has decided his career would be better served in Italy Manchester United has lost out in the battle to keep young midfielder Paul Pogba. Pogba, regarded as one of United’s brightest young prospects, is understood to have agreed to join Juventus. The France Under-19 international had rejected a contract offer at United after becoming disillusioned at his first-team chances. Sir Alex Ferguson had implored Pogba to stay at United but the 18-year-old has decided his career would be better served in Italy. United will receive training compensation of less than £1million for Pogba under FIFA regulations regarding young players.

Chelsea moves with speed to sign Everton star

ig-spending Blues want a midfield enforcer as part of their overhaul and it’s understood Fellaini could be available for £20million Roman Abramovich is ready to take his summer spending to the £100m mark with a £20million swoop for Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini. Chelsea has already spent big in recent weeks by signing Lille’s Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard for £32m and Germany

midfielder Marko Marin from Werder Bremen for £8m. They are closing in on Porto’s Brazil international forward Hulk in a £38m deal, too. But the new European champions also want a midfield enforcer and Fellaini tops their list of candidates. Everton defender Phil Jagielka admitted at the weekend that they would struggle to keep Fellaini, and it is understood the Toffees will sell for around £20m.

QPR in ambitious bid for Arsenal target

ueens Park Rangers are so determined to avoid another relegation battle they have made an audacious bid to lure France striker Olivier Giroud. Manager Mark Hughes is prepared to splash a significant part of his summer budget to land a top-class goalscorer. Arsenal has led the running for Montpellier striker Giroud, who scored 26 goals last season. His club owner Louis Nicollin recently said he rated Giroud, 25, at £50million but the player is believed to have a £12.8m release clause in his contract. Arsenal has also made checks on CSKA Moscow’s Seydou Doumbia and Malaga’s Salomon Rondon. QPR goalkeeper Radek Cerny, 38, has signed a one-year deal with the club, who were still waiting to discover whether Joey Barton would be charged with affray for his alleged role in a dawn brawl outside a Liverpool nightclub earlier this week.

Olivier Giroud

No Bent worries for Villa coach

Darren Bent

aul Lambert has been assured he will not have to sell £24million striker Darren Bent to fund his revamp at Villa Park. The new Aston Villa boss, who was officially unveiled as Alex McLeish’s successor, has already drawn up a list of targets, but has been told he will not have to sacrifice Bent. Villa’s top scorer with nine league goals last season missed the last three months after rupturing ligaments in his left ankle, but stayed behind for two extra weeks after the squad dispersed to work on his fitness. Bent, 28, will also report a week early to make sure he is ready for Villa’s first Premier League game under Lambert.

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70,000 to watch Vitali versus Charr WBC title clash 18th NSF:

pproximately 70 000 spectators are expected to watch Vitali Klitschko fight Manuel Charr in Kiev later this year. Klitschko, the WBC heavyweight champion, is scheduled to defend his title against Charr at the city’s national sports complex on September 1. Charr, who was born in Syria, now fights out of Cologne in Germany, is unbeaten after 21 fights, 11 of which he won by knockout. The 27-year-old, whose first names are Mahmoud Omeirat, has not fought any leading heavyweights. Owen Beck and Sherman Williams are about the best-known opponents he has faced. But with Germany-based Klitschko returning to his hometown in Ukraine, the promoters are predicting that a

crowd of up to 70 000 will assemble to watch their hero fight. Klitschko’s professional record stands at 44-2, including 40 knockouts. His last fight was in February when he beat Dereck Chissora on points over 12 rounds in Munich. Negotiations for several other notable title fights have been concluded. In one of them, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will defend his WBC middleweight belt against Andy Lee of Ireland in El Paso, Texas, on June 6. And Brian Magee is scheduled to challenge WBA supermiddleweight champion Karoly Balzsay in Belfast on July 7 or 14. Amir Khan and Danny Garcia will fight for the vacant WBC lightwelterweight title in Las Vegas on July 14. Khan, from Bolton in England, has a record of 26-2; 18. Garcia’s stands at 23-0; 14.

Cross River will field only home-grown athletes, says commissioner

T Vitali Klitschko

2012 Olympics Qualifier

NBBFpicks 21 players for D’Tigers’ preparations

he Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has confirmed that 21 players have been selected for the national men’s team preparations for the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Speaking on the D’ Tigres’ aspiration for a 2012 Olympic Games ticket, the NBBF President, Tijani Umar, said the players were drawn from both domestic and international clubs. He said the Federation had for the first time put together the best Nigerian players from around the world based on their skill and expertise in the game and stressed that the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament is scheduled for Caracas in Venezuela from July 2 to July 8. The top three teams at the 12-team competition will qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games billed to hold from July 27 to Aug. 12 in

Olumide Oyedeji

Koko Archibong

London. “The players include Olumide Oyedeji, Michael Eric, Solomon Alabi, Akin Akingbala, Ike Diogu, Ejike Ugboaja, Ike Ofoegbu, Ezenwa Ukeagu, Anagonye Aloysius and Koko Archibong. “The rest are Al-Farouk Aminu, Melvin Ejim, Ekene Ibekwe, Ade Dagunduro, Stanley Gumut, Derrick Obasohan, Richard Oruche, Tony Skinn, Usman Abubakar, Mike Ohiero and Noruwa Agho. “We have been documenting these players for some time now, and this is the first time ever the NBBF is doing this. They are among the top players in the world now, and we now have probably the best Nigerian side ever,” the NBBF president said. The players are based in countries such as China, the U.S, France, Iran, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Israel, with three of them based in Nigeria. “The team will be coached by Ayodele Bakare, to be assisted by Tim Shea, Sani Ahmed and Dominic Okon, and all four are highlycredentialed with good records and experience,” Umar said. He said the team’s preparations had however been on since December 2011 to ensure that Nigeria excelled at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The Nigerian team, known as D’Tigers, are grouped alongside hosts Venezuela and world number four-ranked Lithuania at the tournament. “The countries we will be meeting have a longer basketball history, yet we are going to compete against them. But we know what we are up against, and that is why we have been preparing hard. “These players are some of the best around the world and we have been preparing behind the scene since December 2011,” Umar said. He said the team would camp in China because of the country’s facilities and partnership with Nigeria which would be of immense benefit to the players. “They will then proceed to Houston, in the U.S on June 19 with 15 of the players, where we will play against Team Great Britain. “The team will then head to Brazil on June 24 for a Super Four competition, where we will play against Brazil,” the NBBF president said. He however said the competition for places in the team had been stiff. “This is because there are enough players for each of the positions and that is why the coaches will now have a hard time in determining who finally makes it after the training programme,” Umar said.

he Cross River Government says only those athletes it groomed at home will represent the state at the 18th National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in Lagos from Nov. 27 to Dec. 9. The Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development in the state, Mr Patrick Ugbe, who made this known in Calabar yesterrday, said the state has resolved to use only home-grown athletes to boost talents generation. “We are preparing our athletes. We are going to give a good account of ourselves. I mentioned that we have a sports development programme in place. That programme is developing athletes for us. “Now, we have a directive from his Excellency that for whatever competition we are going, we should not poach athletes. So, we are not going to behave like other states that will poach athletes. “ So, we are going to the national sports festival in Lagos with athletes that have been with Cross River state for several years and the ones that we have discovered and are developing.” Ugbe said in order for the state to win, the government would insist on using homegrown athletes at the 2014 national sports festival which Cross River would host. “When we host the festival in 2014, which we hope and believe we will host to win, we want to make a statement that we will do that with the same athletes that we have been developing; that we will not go and poach athletes from other places. That is the kind of culture we want to build in Nigeria,” he said. The commissioner said though the state might not win the Lagos games, it would not relent in its efforts to develop sports in the state in particular, and in the country in general.

Taekwondo referee cautions against undue demands on Chukwumerije

erguson Oluigbo, President, Nigeria Taekwondo Referees Association (NTRA), on Wednesday cautioned taekwondo enthusiasts against pressurising Chika Chukwumerije and Isa Adam to excel at the London Olympics. Chukwumerije and Adam would be representing Nigeria in the event at the London Olympic Games scheduled for July 27 to Aug. 12.

Oluigbo said in Lagos that pressure from enthusiasts would prevent the athletes from concentrating and create tensions that could negatively affect their performances. “The reason for my advice is to avoid all forms of physical and psychological tensions they might encounter, should there be pressure from the fans,” the NTRA official said.

Oluigbo said the sport required concentration because of the rules, adding that athletes should not be distracted by the ‘must win syndrome’ but should be allowed to “flow” accordingly. “This is owing to the fact that every facility for officiating in the Games is purely electronic which does not require force, and frowns at distraction, so all they need from us is prayers,” he

added. The NTRA chief said the athletes would win medals at the Games but was not specific on the type, adding, “I am certain they will win medals, but I cannot say the class.” According to him, the athletes are conversant with the current electronic device and the training tours would help them to be in shape for the competition.

Chika Chukwumerije

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How not to motivate Super Eagles

ach member of the Super Eagles will be paid $10,000 this weekend in Blantyre, Malawi if the team successfully beat their hosts in the second match of the 2014 World Cup qualifier. That’s the story emanating from the lofty Glasshouse, the policy centre of Nigeria football. And it is authentic because it comes from no less a fellow than the first Vice president of the executive committee of the NFF, Chief Mike Umeh. Of course, in other climes, as sometimes happen in Nigeria, when a personality like that utters such statement it becomes given, and therefore is a policy statement. Essentially, the gesture, according to the egg heads of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), is to MOTIVATE, the players and officials who will correspondently earned double whatever is paid each player. Umeh, whose statement was monitored in a radio programme, said the board of the football federation has resolved to reward the players with the amount in order to ginger them to traverse oceans, indeed go all out to conquer the Flames in Blantyre, irrespective of whatever hindrances the hosts may place on their path. Ordinarily, the gesture would have been applauded. But discerning persons would choose to object, and the reasons will presently be made clear. Yes, money motivates, especially in our country and

for sports persons who are seldom provided with the enabling logistics and environment to thrive in their endeavours. And even when the government makes available some inadequate funds, officials of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and then the sports federations would miserly pinch off a paltry sum to them, while the lion share disappears into private pockets for unofficial purposes or bloated estimates. Yes, monetary reward boosts the morale of these often neglected individuals who must win-at-all-cost to harbour any hope of a share from the national cake. And it had happened severally before. The bunch that ignominiously crashed out in the first round of the 2010 World Cup Finals were promised stupendous amounts of dollars at the fiesta in South Africa. One recalls that a chieftain of a GSM outfit promised the players $1 million if they could beat Argentina, and several members of the legislature and the ministers who were in Johannesburg did the same, but to no avail. The Eagles flopped. Even before they arrived in South Africa, princely allowances or what some would prefer to call criminal allowances were paid the Eagles including the $10,000 paid to them for forcing Tunisia to draw in Abuja. Isn’t the spiraling allowances that were paid to the Eagles one of the reasons the chieftains of the then NFF board are being debriefed by officers of the

state? The Golden Eaglets were handsomely rewarded and pampered during Nigeria ’09, but to what end? The Flying Eagles that went to Colombia got everything in terms of money and sundry allowances that angers the hardworking members of the public whose labour for the nation, judged by what they are paid as takehome pay, seems to be in vain. Again, to what end? Austin Eguavoen’s U-23 team had the floodgate of the ‘heavens’ opened to them yet it went down in records as the most ignominious squad the nation ever assembled and failed to make the London 2012 Olympics. Anyway, the insistence on monetary reward rather than other intangible or even other forms of material appreciation from the government is understandable. And there are reasons. Inferences may be drawn from the 80’s when the then Green Eagles won the African Cup of Nations in Lagos, the Shehu Shagari administration rewarded the players with houses, then came another batch of the 1994 squad that won the Nations Cup in Tunisia and an appreciative nation dole out another round of houses to these heroes. Sadly, it’s doubtful the bulk of these heroes-some now dead-had received their houses or are corporate efforts being made to facilitate that soonest. So, getting the material reward from the federal government, which was unforced, unsolicited for by

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the players, is like waiting for Armageddon, yes sure to come but long in coming. Experience, they say, is a teacher. Perhaps, g o v e r n m e n t ’s owoidoho_ng35@yahoo.com s e e m i n g l y d e c e i t f u l attitude in the fulfillment of its promises to nor will it now. What is more 2013 and Brazil 2014? It is a players may have forced them painful is the fact that we are misplaced priority, and (players) to insist on rebuilding, in essence working evident want of what to do immediate financial rather to do away with past with budgetary provisions or than intangible or fixed asset antecedents: in managerial misapplication of such as reward for honour done the attitude and approach, system provisions. nation. of managing and motivating Laying emphasis on One recalls that players, orientation of players monetary reward represents soccerdollars had bred and coaches, enshrining in past thinking. It is as is often mafiadom in the Eagles for these new consciousness in said, the problems we have, about three decades now. You mental and physical discipline or would have in this needed to belong to a clique to as well as inspire prestige for instance, can never be solved get call up to the nation team. the privilege of representing by the same level of thinking Coaches became lazy because one’s nation at the continental that created them. all they needed to do to earn and global stage. No, focus should be on the huge dollars without deserving If we are rebuilding yet pride derivable from it was to dance to the tunes of adopts the same stale system representing the near-170 the dominant clique, hands the and managerial miem and million Nigerians, the pride of members shirts unmindful of nuances of the wearing the national colours their shape and forms. discountenanced past, pray! and leave appreciation for Half-baked professionals What manner of rebuilding will national accomplishment to emerged in such rapidity that that amount to? Don’t forget the federal government to one hardly keeps count of the that the bulk of the rising stars decide. number of Nigerians plying are from the domestic league QUOTE their trade abroad and falling who should be seen and Yes, money motivates, but over themselves to demand encouraged to differ in often empirical evidence has national call up even if they mentality and orientation from shown that such motivations were merely bench warmers in the egotistical and often- lack patriotic fervour, some backwater leagues in disdainful-to –the-nation exhibits a lack of planning, Asia. mentality of some so-called breeds divisions, diverts from Yes, money motivates, but foreign-based to whom team work to selfish often empirical evidence has representing the nation individualism that shown that such motivations means collection of unearned boomerangs on the whole. lack patriotic fervour, exhibits cheap dollars. Last Line a lack of planning, breeds If at this stage the NFF Many apologies to our divisions, diverts from team wants to ‘spoil’ the players readers for suddenly work to selfish individualism with stupendous monetary disappearing from the scene that boomerangs on the whole. reward, what will they do when last week, it was occasioned It never worked in the past, the team gets to South Africa by ill health.

By Patrick Andrew

NWBF lauds player’s philanthropic gesture

brien Adoki, the Technical Director, Nigeria Wheelchair Basketball (NWBF) on Wednesday lauded Ademola Orogbemi for donating two wheelchairs to the federation. Orogbemi, a UK-based wheelchair basketball player, won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with the British wheelchair basketball team. Adoki said he had wished that sportsmen based abroad could come back to the country and assist in the development of sports in Nigeria, like Orogbemi. “We are glad that such a gesture was deemed fit by Orogbemi to bestow on us because, it would go a long way in assisting the federation. “And we wish that all Nigerians playing all over the world

emulate this initiative because it is a way of developing the sport,” the technical director said. Adoki said the donation had helped to tackle the problem of movement among the players involved in the sport. “The number one challenge of the sport is the ability to move, while infrastructure and welfare come secondary,” he said. NWBF’s Secretary, Victor Anusa, said he believed that with such contributions from well-meaning Nigerians, the sport would continue to develop. “We’re developing as a sport, and hope that our aim of becoming a sport that will represent the country in the Olympics, will be achieved,” Anusa said.

Golden Eaglets to undergo MRI to determine age

he members of the Golden Eaglets will be subjected to the Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI Test) before the shortlisted of players for

the third phase of training will be made public. The Nigeria Football Federation sub-technical committee member, Chris Green, said all the players who

Manu Garba, Golden Eaglets’ coach

were shortlisted would undergo the test to ascertain their true ages. “We happy are that there are no issues regarding the ages of the players. But all the players selected would have to undergo the MRI Test, which is a prerequisite from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) before they can feature even in the qualifying matches,” Green said. The MRI Test was used for the first time by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to determine the ages of players at the 2011 African Under-17 Championship in Rwanda with Mr. Almany Kabele Camara, Vice President of U-17 Commission, and saying said that the exercise would be continuous to test the eligibility of players in future tournaments. CAF has now mandated all its affiliated associations

taking part in the 2013 African Under-17 qualifiers to conduct and submit results of the MRI Test to its headquarters before July 15. In the letter dated April 24, 2012, CAF’s secretary General, Hicham El Amrani noted: “No player shall be eligible for the qualifiers or final tournament if he has not benefitted from the age control test.” Suleiman Abubakar, Golden Eaglets’ coordinator, informed that the ages of the players had been checked repeatedly through their respective soccer academies as well as their original birth certificates amongst other obtainable documents. “The NFF as well as the coaching crew have been transparent in the choice of prospective players for the Golden Eaglets,” Abubakar said. “First and foremost, the NFF directed that no player from the Premier League should be considered for the National Under-17 team and this guideline was duly supported by the coaches.”

The secretary appealed to the public and corporate bodies to assist the federation with funds and facilities that would enable the federation to execute the federation’s programmes. Orogbemi said he believed there were so many persons with disabilities, who needed a little assistance to get to their desired goals. “My plan is to set a foundation whose main target will be on the disabled persons in the country, so that they can regain lost hope and confidence,” Orogbemi said. He said the major challenge facing the development of sports was funding, thus his contribution to the NWBF. “The major challenge in the sport everywhere in the world is the wheelchair, because it is expensive to procure.” He would be a part of the British wheelchair team at the London 2012 Paralympics.

London Games: Doctor warns against high hopes on Tamgho

lympic expec-tations for troubled French triple jumper Teddy Tamgho should be lowered, the France team doctor warned yesterday. Tamgho is bidding to make a comeback after an operation on a serious ankle injury and a ban for a violent altercation with an amateur female athlete that have seen him out of action for 10 months, raising a question mark over his participation at the London Games. France team doctor Jean-Michel Serra said the soon-to-be 23-year-old world and European indoor champion, who missed last summer’s world outdoors in Daegu because of his ankle injury, could not realistically rush back into competition. “The problem for Teddy is to make a return proportional to the level of expectation. There’s the whole psychological case surrounding him as well as the medical one,” Serra told AFP. Tamgho is set to appear in court in September over the ugly incident in which he lashed out at Glodie Tudiesche. He was also given a three-year probationary period, ordered to pay a 1 500-euro ($1 960) fine and undertake 50 hours of community service. The Frenchman suffered another hammerblow in the run-up to next year’s London Olympics when kit sponsor Asics cancelled their contract, which was first signed in 2007, Teddy Tamgho with immediate effect.

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Preciado dies 24 hours after being appointed as Villarreal coach

ormer Sporting Gijon coach Manuel Preciado has died of a heart attack, aged 54. His death comes just 24 hours after he agreed a deal with relegated Villarreal to take over for the 2012-13 season. Preciado was sacked by Sporting Gijon in January after twice earning them promotion into Spain's top flight. In April 2011, his Gijon team ended Jose Mourinho's nine-year unbeaten home league record when they defeated Real Madrid. As a player Preciado was a defender who began his career at Racing Santander and also appeared for Linares, Mallorca, Alaves, Ourense and Gimnastica. After retiring in 1992, he began coaching with Gimnastica in the mid-1990s and also had spells in charge of Racing B, Racing Santander, Levante and Murcia before joining Sporting Gijon in 2006. He led them into the Spanish top division in his second season and spent six years with the club. Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho wrote an open letter on his club's website, saying: “Manolo (Manuel's nickname) was always an honourable opponent, who I got to know well when he came to visit us in March. “He had everything that I like in a person and in sportsmen: character, openness and the courage to fight against blows. “We have been left by a football figure and above all by a very special person. My memory of him will be heartfelt and permanent.” Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas said “I can’t believe the bad news I just woke up with. Hug for the family of Manolo Preciado. RIP my friend.” Another Barcelona player, Gerard Pique, called Preciado “one of the greats of the sport.”

Manuel Preciado

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Anambra’s budget of misplaced priorities W

e continue our budgetary analysis with the South Eastern state of Anambra, with a view to analyze how the state’s budget plans to address development challenges within the state. The state is bounded by Delta to the west, Imo to the South, Enugu to the east, and Kogi to the North. It has a total land mass of 4,416 sq km, is situated on the eastern side of the River Niger and has 21 local government areas, its major towns are Awka its capital city, the commercial town of Onitsha, and the industrial city of Nnewi. Anambra has a population of 4.2m and is the 9th most populous nationwide. Most of Anambra’s population is rural. However, as is with every major state, ruralurban migration poses serious burdens for the state’s resources. This pressure is evident in the commercial city of Onitsha where amenities like decent housing, potable water and electricity are in short supply. Old Anambra state was created in 1976 from part of the East Central State, and its capital was Enugu. Following further state creation in 1991, it was divided into two new states, Anambra and Enugu. Anambra now has its capital in Awka. Mr. Peter Obi (APGA) is the current governor of the state, who resumed office in March 2006, after the removal of Dr Ngige by a Court of Appeal judgment in Enugu after it ruled that Ngige’s election in 2003 was defective. Obi was impeached in November 2006, but was reinstated in February 2007 after the impeachment was overturned. Although a fresh election was held in April 2007, he returned to office in June 2007 after a court ruling decided that he should be allowed to complete a four year term. He was re-elected for a second term on 6 February 2010. Peter Obi has a BA degree in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (1984) and enjoys the title of being the youngest Chairman of Fidelity Bank. Considering Mr. Obi’s career achievements, and the fact that he has been to the Supreme Court successfully three times to reclaim his electoral mandate, the people had high hopes that he would improve on the stellar performance of Dr. Chris Ngige, sadly, this has not been the case, as his administration has seen

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Gov. Peter Obi increasing crime rate, infrastructure deficits, a number of strike actions over minimum wage, higher tax burdens, and exodus of elites, among other challenges. Unemployment rate in Anambra is among the highest in the South East zone, at 21.3%, it is higher than the national average of 21.1%. Imo’s unemployment rate is 29.9% and Enugu is 15%. The state has tried to reduce unemployment through its Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS) and the Anambra Youth Reorientation and Empowerment Program (ANSYREP), but the problem with these programs is

that they contribute very little to the production base of the state. The incidence of poverty in the state is very high – actually disappointing. The South East has a food poor incidence of 41.0% of which 60.9% is absolutely poor, while 66.5% is relatively poor and 56.8% live under a dollar a day. Anambra has a poverty index of 22.8%, the third highest in the South East, and shares the 6th lowest position in Nigeria with Rivers State which also has 22.8%. About 47.6% of the state’s population is core poor, 45.0% is moderately poor and only 7.4% of the state’s population is classified as none poor. Income inequality as measured by changes in Gini co-efficient between 2003 and 2010 increased slightly by 7.6% as against 18.1% for Ebonyi and Enugu states 7.5% increase. The people of Anambra state are known to be brilliant, enterprising and resourceful. Most of Nigera's brightest professors, writers, public servants and politicians hailed from the state. One would expect that given this enterprising spirit, the state would create conditions conducive to innovation, business and development. This is not the case, out of the five South Eastern states, Anambra has the fourth lowest

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What is clear from this analysis is that Anambra state like most states of the federation is not allocating funds to adequately address the key social challenges that confront its people. Anambra state should slim down the size and cost if its government, learn to prioritize its budget allocations

ranking for ease of doing business; it was at a distant 35th position out of the 36 states and FCT in 2010. Starting a business involves nine procedures that may span 39 days. Enugu with the best doing business ranking in the zone takes the 30th position of the 36 states, while Imo is ranked 36, as the most difficult state to do business both in the South East and nationally. Anambra State is not much endowed with mineral resources and the few known to exist are not exploited. For example, Tungsten at Oba, and large deposits of lignite in Onitsha, Idemili, and Nnewi LGAs are yet to be exploited. Kaolin is mined in the Ukpor lhembosi axis for the ceramic industry at Umuahia in Abia State; while the deposits at Afuleri are not exploited. Sandstones of Ameke Formation are quarried in several places, particularly at Abagana and Nsugbe for construction purposes. Natural gas has been discovered at Ebenebe Ridge, southeast of Ebenebe town, and preliminary prospecting indicates that crude oil exists in commercial quantities in the state. Cash Crops in the state include coco yam, cassava, rice, maize and oil palm. The 2012 budget for the state is N82.5bn as against N66.9bn in 2011, representing a 23.2% increase. N46.8bn (57%) is apportioned for capital expenditure, and N35.7bn (43%) is for recurrent expenditure. Analyzing the recurrent budget further, N9.2bn or (26%) is set aside for Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges, N16.3bn (45%) for personnel costs, N7.4bn (21%) for overhead costs and N2.8bn (8%) as subvention to parastatals/ tertiary institutions. Anambra’s total IGR for 2012 is projected at N12bn, the same figure as was projected in 2011. This means, while its expenditure has increased, the state has not enhanced its capacity to collect or expand its tax base. The two major contributors to IGR in 2012 will be N6.7bn from taxes and about N4bn from fines and fees. If this IGR is measured against the states projected personnel costs of N16.3bn, Anambra cannot pay its staff salaries without reliance on federal allocation; this means it is one of those ‘dependent’ states and is not economically viable for independent existence. Contd. on Page 35

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