Peoples Daily Newspaper, Friday February 10, 2012

Striking Ne w Nig erian w or ker s demand New Nigerian wor ork ers Aliyu’ s rremo emo val as NGF c hair man Aliyu’s emov chair hairman

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Vol. 7 No. 71

Friday, February 10, 2012

Rabiul Awwal 18, 1433 AH

N150

Rampage in Onitsha

Northerners flee in panic No sectarian violence in Delta – Gov It's unfortunate, says Balarabe Musa

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin & Aminu Imam with agency reports

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police shooting, yesterday, in Onitsha, Anambra state, caused Northerners, particularly Hausa/Fulani Muslims, living in the town to flee in panic amid concerns about Contd on Page 2

Salami to know fate soon, says CJN From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

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hief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, yesterday, said the fate of suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Contd on Page 2

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, President Goodluck Jonathan presenting the Sokoto state PDP gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, during yesterday’s launch of the candidate’s campaign rally at Trade Fair Complex, Sokoto.

Photo: NAN

I N S I D E NNPC, PPPRA, PPMC claim ignorant of kerosene pump price NNPC, PPPRA and PPMC yesterday demonstrated ignorance of the actual pump price of kerosene in the country, as they gave conflicting prices of the product – Page 3

Borno Assembly speaker impeached 272 JTF personnel trapped in Borno The Borno state House of Assembly yesterday impeached its Speaker, Goni Ali Modu (ANPP Abadam constituency) and replaced him with Abdulkarim Adam Lawan of Guzamala constituency – Page 3 WWW.PEOPLESDAILY-ONLINE.COM

Immigration officers just discharged from the JTF operations in Borno state and asked to return to their respective duty posts are stranded in Maiduguri – Page 3

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-17

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

23

S/Report

24

Religion

26

Feature

27

Newsxtra

29

Edo 2012: PDP dismissive of Oshiomhole’s subsidy palliatives, Page 37

International 31-34 Strange World 35 Digest

36

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-47

Columnist

48

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

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

Phones for News: 070-37756364 09-8734478

Rampage in Onitsha: Northerners flee in panic Contd from Page 1 retaliatory violence.

Spokesman of Anambra state Police Command, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, said an officer shot a man to death, leading to unrest.

He said the officer has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The shooting and unrest caused Muslims living there to flee, as fears persist of retaliation in the region over attacks by the violent Boko Haram sect.

In neighbouring Delta state, police spokesman Charles Muka said some Northerners living in Anambra had fled into his state.

However, Delta state governor, Mr Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday said the sectarian violence that erupted in Onitsha has not spread to Asaba.

A statement by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah, said some traders were believed to have cross the Niger bridge into Asaba to seek refuge.

According to an eyewitness account, the incident in Onitsha occurred when the driver of a coaster bus, registration number AA 768AHD, identified as Edwin, escaped from a checkpoint at ABS junction, and was pursued by a policeman who caught up with him and deflated the tyres of the bus before shooting the driver in the neck, killing him instantly.

The bus was believed to be transporting traders who took off from Nkpor junction and were heading for Ose main market, Onitsha, when the shooting happened.

The situation, however, took a

turn for worse when a mob, comprising commercial bus drivers and okada riders, went on a rampage with the corpse of their colleague, attacking persons they suspected to be Northerners, generally regarded as Hausa and looting their shops.

They demanded the elimination of Hausa people on the ground that the policeman who killed the bus driver was “a Hausa man”.

The situation degenerated further when the mob descended on the police team earlier sent by the Anambra state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Muhtari Ibrahim, to appeal to the rampaging crowd, forcing the police team to beat a retreat.

Peoples Daily gathered that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Central Police Station, Mr. Abdul Yusuf, who led the police team, escaped death by the whiskers.

Thereafter, the protesters went to different parts of the commercial city hunting down Hausa people, forcing many of them to take refuge at the Central Police Station and other police stations within the city.

Others crowded around the bridgehead crossing overlooking Asaba, the Delta state capital.

Reacting to the Development, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, cautioned the protesters not to touch any Hausa people but should dismantle all police checkpoints in the area “with immediate effect”.

“We have urged MASSOB members to leave Hausa people alone because they are not our problem;

they should concentrate on dismantling all police checkpoints within the area”, he said.

When contacted, the Anambra state Police Commissioner, Mr. Muhtari Ibrahim said the killer cop had been arrested and will soon undergo orderly room trial and prosecution and called on the rampaging crowd to calm down as efforts to resolve the matter had commenced.

Reacting to the development in an interview with Peoples Daily yesterday, former Governor of old Kaduna state, Balarabe Musa, described as “unfortunate”.

He said that the nation’s current security challenges threatened to undermine “Nigeria’s determination to deepen its democracy.

“I urge the warring parties in the two states to sheath their swords as no party would ultimately benefit from the violence that is likely to even spill over and consume many others from outside the states.

“We have to tolerate each other and learn to live together in peace and harmony rather than start killing each other on”, he stated.

He called on the governors of Anambra and Delta states, as chief security officers of the states where the attacks are happening, to spare no effort at ensuring that the current situation does not degenerate further.

Balarabe Musa said Nigerians “must not forget the prediction by our enemies that Nigeria would disintegrate come 2015. Are we going to lend credence to this prophecy of doom?” he queried.

He criticized the Goodluck Jonathan administration for hobnobbing with the West without

any showing concern over the lives of the citizens, who elected him to lead and protect them.

A former member of the House of Representatives, Bashir Idris Nadabo (ANPP, Katsina), who spoke to our reporter, appealed to people perpetrating attacking innocent Nigerians to stop the senseless killings.

Nadabo recalled a recent strike embarked upon in 2010 by Hausa traders and farmers, who took ingredients like pepper, tomatoes, onions and carrots, as well as other food items to the South-western region of the country, which led to a food crisis for a week in the region and said nobody benefited from the unfortunate situation.

“Nigeria may have challenges, just like other countries. We should not allow our differences to becloud our sense of reasoning. Just because a certain group is causing all these problems in the country it is wrong for other to make people to embark on killing innocent citizens in the name of retaliation.

“We instead should join forces to confront the enemies of our nation that don’t want us to live in peace”, he advised.

Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Olusola Amore, a deputy commissioner of police, could not be reached for his comment on the matter.

Several calls made to his mobile phone and a text message went unanswered.

On his part, Deputy Force PRO, Mr. Yemi Ajayi told Peoples Daily on phone last nights that the Force Headquarters has not been briefed about the unrest in Onitsha and Asaba.

Salami to know fate soon, says CJN Contd from Page 1 Salami, would be decided “very soon”.

His suspension was recommended last year by the National Judicial Council (NJC) after he failed to apologise for comments he made about former CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu. However, according to Justice Musdapher, the “sittings of various committees on the matter are still on-going. Very soon, a decision will be made known to the public”.

He also hinted on a new judicial code of ethics to ensure that “judges and the judicial system remain politically neutral and rise up to safeguard our fledgling democracy,” and to “immunize the entire judicial system against all identified iniquities.”

Represented by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Mr. Sunday Olorundahunsi, at a media roundtable on “Promoting ethics and integrity at the Magistrate’s Courts”, organized by SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Embassy, at Ikeja Airport Hotel, the CJN said: “Metaphorically, a corrupt judge has been described as more harmful to the society than a man who runs

amok with a dagger in a crowded street.

“The latter, as you know, can be restrained physically, but the former deliberately destroys the moral foundation of society and causes incalculable distress to individuals while still answering ‘honourable’”.

Justice Musdapher, in his keynote address, “Promoting Magistrate’s Court Ethics, Integrity and Improving Citizens’ Access to Justice,” said, “reducing corruption in the justice sector would make it more likely that corrupt individuals in other sectors would be prosecuted and punished.

“Thus, taking steps against corruption in the justice system should be a first step in dealing with corruption in society as a whole. As it stands today, it appears that the society we serve is not entirely satisfied with our performance.

“Hard as it may be to accept, we feel it is less important to focus on whether this assessment is fair or not. The important thing is for us to transparently come to terms with the prevailing realities, accept the gap in expectations and do our utmost to bridge it.

“Therefore, restoring public confidence in the judicial system is our number one priority”.

Justice Musdapher enumerated

the steps that had been taken in that regard. “We established a Judicial Reform Committee, headed by former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais, to explore how best to fortify the independence of the judiciary, curb judicial corruption and especially insulate judges from political manipulations and control.”, he said.

According to him, the committee has since submitted its report, making “very useful recommendations”.

He added: “The aim is to set out the judiciary on a path of renewal so as to restore its integrity and dignity. Without an honest criminal justice system, the wealthy, especially the corrupt, can escape the consequences of their crimes”.

“He also said, “For a better understanding of the role and limitations of the judiciary as the bastion of constitutional democracy, it is important to take stock of the challenges that it grapples with.

“These include the lack of independence of the judiciary especially at the state level, in terms of funding, political manipulation of the processes of appointment and removal of judges by some state chief

executives and their respective Houses of Assembly, delays in the administration of justice occasioned in part by institutional limitations, incapacities and corruption.

“It is regrettable that some state chief executives treat the judiciary as an appendage of the executive arm.

“While it is true that, in some cases, this is self-inflicted (because of the way some judges conduct themselves), it does not invariably follow that a distinct arm of government should, because of the action of a few, be treated in a manner that compromises its independence and its integrity.”

Going by section 162(9) of the 1999 Constitution, any amount standing to the credit of the judiciary in the Federation Account is paid directly to the NJC for disbursement to the heads of courts including those at the state level.

“However, a significant part of the funding requirements of state judiciaries especially in the area of the provision of infrastructure and welfare of magistrates and other lower court judges remain the responsibilities of state governments”, Justice Musdapher lamented.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

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to Borno Assembly speaker impeached Kwali strengthen From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

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he Borno state House of Assembly yesterday impeached its Speaker, Goni Ali Modu (ANPP Abadam) constituency and replaced him with Abdulkarim Adam Lawan of Guzamala constituency.

They citing the former speaker’s “inaccessibility to the lawmakers and “too much loyalty” to the executive as the major reasons for the sudden change of leadership.

Our correspondent reports that Modu has been the speaker for the last three consecutive terms, from 2003 to date and was a closed ally to the former Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff.

Modu was absent during the proceedings that ousted him from house leadership.

During his tenure, the former speaker was accused of being a “rubber stamp” to the Ali Sheriff government, which analysts said was evident when the assembly in 2009 had hurriedly endorsed the former’s request for creation of the

controversial Dikwa emirate council, despite resistances from numerous personalities in the state.

Yesterday’s proceedings was conducted under a tight security, as heavily armed soldiers and riot policemen were deployed within and outside the assembly complex, subjecting visitors to through checks.

Member representing Damboa constituency, Ayemu Lawan, moved a resolution for vote of no confidence against the speaker and dissolution of his office for being “too

close and loyal” to the executive as well as “inability of the legislators to be access to him at all times”.

When the motion for the development was tabled, member representing Marte constituency, Shettima Kullima seconded it, just as the 22 of the 28 legislators who attended the sitting unanimously adopted it.

The Deputy Speaker, Inusa Danlami, who presided over the impeachment proceedings and subsequent nomination of the new Speaker, has however retained his position.

L-R: Chief Operating Officer of Peoples Media Ltd, Malam Ali M. Ali, presenting some copies of Peoples Daily newspaper to the Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Hon. Joseph Shazin, during a visit by the management of Peoples Media Ltd. to the chairman, in Kwali, Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

partnership with Peoples Media

By Adeola Tukuru

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he Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Joseph Shazin, has pledged to build a strong partnership with the Peoples Media Limited, publishers of Peoples Daily and Peoples Daily Weekend.

Shazin who made this pledge yesterday when the Management of the Peoples Media Limited paid him a courtesy visit in his office, and added that the media has so far brought life in their reportage of kwali Area Council, during the past crisis in the council.

He told the delegation that when one of its former council’s chairmen was assassinated during the crisis that rocked the area, it was the media that calmed the whole situation in the council.

Earlier, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Mallam Ali M. Ali told the Chairman that they came to familiarize with the Chairman on his past and present achievements and to also build a strong working relationship between the Council and Peoples Daily, so as to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

272 JTF personnel trapped in NNPC, PPPRA, PPMC claim ignorant of kerosene pump price Borno

By Lawrence Olaoye

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he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and Pipelines Products Marketing Company Limited (PPMC) yesterday demonstrated ignorance of the actual pump price of kerosene in

the country, as they gave conflicting figures of the product.

The House of Representatives ad hoc Committee investigating the subsidy regime chaired by Rep Farouk Lawan, had asked the Chief Executive Officers of the agencies about the prevailing pump price of kerosene in major cities of the country, but they gave conflicting prices different from what actually

obtains in the market.

While the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Austen Oniwon, told the committee that the retail price was N40.90, the official retail price of the product, even at the NNPC retail outlets all over the country is N50 per litre.

The Managing Director of the PPMC, Haruna Momoh, when asked the same question, told the

Jonathan pledges purposeful leadership From Muhammad Abdullah, Sokoto

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resident Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, said the Federal Government will continue to give purposeful leadership in the country.

Speaking during a courtesy call on Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar 111 in his palace in Sokoto yesterday, Jonathan said the federal government will give priority to the welfare and yearnings of Nigerians.

According to him, “all efforts would be geared towards providing dividends of democracy to Nigerians.”

He said the PDP national leadership was in Sokoto to flag off

governorship campaign ahead of the forthcoming elections, thanking the monarch for his sustained leadership roles in the state and Nigeria.

"We commend the Sultan for all what he had been doing. It is not easy especially during trying moments like this and he has shown courage, vision, and focus," Jonathan said.

Jonathan noted that Wamakko was re-presented for reelection because of his outstanding performance in the last four years.

In a remark, Sultan Abubakar promised to continue to work to ensure the sustenance of peace in the state and the nation.

According to him, “Sokoto is the only state in Nigeria where there

is no indigene, as the state government pays the school fees of all students irrespective of ethnic affiliation.”

He said the purpose of governance is seeing to the welfare of the people, which is more effective than the use of force and harped on social justice as the bedrock of any development.

Meanwhile, Jonathan also presented the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag to former Sokoto governor, Aliyu Wamakko.

Also speaking, Wamakko said with the defection of the chieftains of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) to PDP, the opposition has been weakened in Sokoto, pledging to provide purposeful leadership, if re-elected.

committee that the market price of the product in Lagos was N75 per litre and N80 in some other places, but the Executive Secretary of the PPPRA, Reginald Stanley, disagreed as he maintained that the actual prevailing pump price of the product was N130 per litre.

Stanley added that the landing cost of kerosene is N151 and the subsidized retail price is N40.90k.

The PPPRA helmsman disclosed that the government pays between N105 to N112 per litre as subsidy on Kerosene imported into the country.

Asked why the products already subsidized is being sold at N130 by marketers in the open market, Stanley stated that kerosene is being used in some other sectors apart from domestic purpose for which it is being imported.

He said in spite of the increase in the volume of kerosene imported into the country, demand for the product always outweighs its supply.

According to him, “the estimated daily consumption of kerosene in the country is 8 million litres, but even as the NNPC is supplying 10 million litres per day, it is still not available to the consumers.”

By Julius Ogar

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wo hundred and seventytwo immigration officers just discharged from the Joint Task Force (JTF) operations in Borno state and asked to return to their respective duty posts, after a team of other personnel in the service have replaced them are now stranded in Maiduguri, the state capital.

Peoples Daily was reliably informed that neither a plane nor vehicles were sent to evacuate the stranded personnel. Our source added that they were living in palpable fear because they had been disarmed, their respective JTF operational tags withdrawn, and left with neither food nor duty tour allowances.

However, Mr. Joachim Olumba, Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Abuja, confirmed to our reporter that the discharged personnel were being expected at the headquarters of the Service.

Olumba said he was not aware that the officers and men were being stranded, adding that the same arrangement which was made to convey the personnel to the operation has been made to return them to base.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

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Katsina police kill one robber, capture another From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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he Katsina police have Wednesday night recorded a major victory by killing one armed robber and capturing another after a gun duel at Funtua town, in Funtua local government of Katsina State.

The Katsina state Police Command Spokesman, ASP Abubakar Muhammad who confirmed the incident to newsmen, noted that officers of the Makera Division who were on routine patrol spotted the armed robbers riding on three motorcycles but when the police attempted to stop them, the robbers opened fire which forced their men to take cover before engaging the robbers in a gun battle where one of the robber was killed.

He added that one other robber was captured while the third one escaped.

According to him, the police recovered two locally made pistols and ten live ammunitions from the dare devil robbers.

The state police commissioner, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad has visited the area to assess the success recorded by the police in Funtua town.

NNN workers want NGF chairman to resign From Lawal Sadiq Sanusi, Kaduna

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he Joint Workers’ Union Consultative Committee of the New Nigerian Newspapers which embarked on strike action yesterday to demand for the payment of 10 months salaries and other entitlements, has called on the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Niger state governor Dr. Mu’azu

Babangida Aliyu to give way to a new leadership for failing to pilot the affairs of the North.

The NNN workers made the call yesterday in Kaduna in notification of formal commencement of what they called “a Work-To-Rule Action

by NNN Workers”, distributed to newsmen in Kaduna.

According to the statement jointly signed by Sa’idu Bello and Victor Dazang, chairman and

secretary of the joint workers union respectively, “we want to say that for failing to sincerely pilot the affairs of the North under his leadership, the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, who doubles as the governor of Niger state, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, should give way to a new leadership of the forum”.

The workers also blamed the Managing Director of the

company for the woes its workers were undergoing and urged him to vacate his seat for a more competent and capable managing director to take over.

“We have also noticed the leadership ineptitude of the managing director appointed by Aliyu and therefore urge him to vacate the seat for a more competent and capable managing director”, said the statement.

ESUT expels 544 illegally admitted JNI condemns UN same sex marriage promotion in Nigeria students Peaceful protest yesterday at the entrance of National Assembly complex, Abuja, organised by the North-West Movement for Peace against incessant killings in the zone and other parts of the country.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

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he Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), has expelled 544 students for securing admission illegally.

A statement yesterday in Enugu quoted the university’s senate as observing at its meeting, that the students from various faculties and departments of the institution secured admission inappropriately.

The senate noted that illegal admissions were criminal and a breach of the university’s rules and regulations.

The statement said that the names of the affected students had been forwarded to the police and warned that any of them found within the university’s campuses would be arrested and prosecuted.

The senate directed the affected students to stop participating in the school’s activities and urged them to return the institution’s materials in their possession before vacating the university.

It also urged expelled students willing to disclose their illegal source of admission to do so in writing and submit same to the office of the Dean of Students’ Affairs. (NAN)

From Mohammed Adamu, Kaduna

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he Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has condemned the continued promotion of same-sex marriage by the United Nations and called on the Federal Government not to be intimidated or succumb to foreign pressure in accepting the policy.

A statement signed by JNI secretary, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, stated that even though the National Assembly has put in place same-sex prohibition law, the religious body felt that it is still instructive to state categorically that “we Muslims condemn in its entirety the ungodly act of such and calls by the UN scribe, Ban Ki-moon at Adis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the African Union’s summit on Sunday, January 29 th 2012”.

The statement according to JNI was as a result of statement credited to the British Secretary Mr. Williams Hague, who threatened that UK would cut aid to anti-gay countries in order to make such countries respect human rights.

Hence, JNI declared: “We, in unequivocal terms call on the Federal Government not to be

intimidated; neither should they succumb to foreign pressure that will always want

us to be at their service all the time”.

The religious body also

called on all Muslims to pray against the success of such devilish plots.

Boko Haram: Borno elders meet over Monguno From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri he Borno Elders and Leaders of Thought, yesterday, held a closed door meeting with the elder statesman and Nigeria’s pioneer Petroleum Resources Minster, Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno to reach a consensus over Boko Haram’s nomination of the former as one of its representatives to discuss with the Federal Government.

A video clip of two blindfolded men claiming to be members of

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the sect was aired on NTA recently, in which they named Dr. Munguno along with three other prominent individuals as their representatives to dialogue with government officials.

Although the details of the issues discussed were not available as at press time, it was gathered that the meeting was conducted late evening at the residence of the onetime minister along Government House in Maiduguri.

Our correspondent had earlier gone to the house to seek Dr.

Monguno’s reaction over his involvement in the dialogue.

Monguno however sent his son, Rahama Ali Monguno, to tell this reporter to get in touch with the son later in the day as he was going to discuss with the elders before coming out with a statement on the matter.

After making several calls, Rahama promised to call back and give details on the deliberations held at the meeting, which he had not done as at press time yesterday.

Land tussle: Lekwot closes defence From Mohammed Adamu, Kaduna

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he former Rivers state military governor, General Zamani Lekwot (rtd), closed his defence on Wednesday in a suit before a Chief Magestrate’s Court, sitting in Kaduna, between him and 225 villagers over a farmland in Rijana village in Kachia Local Government area of Kaduna

state.

The defence was closed after the accused person’s(Lekwot) two witnesses one Ishabi Solomon and Azumi Buba testified before the court, presided by magistrate Mohammed Adamu Hamza.

Ishabi told the court that he was aware that his late father who was the district head of Rijana Village sold the land in

contention to the accused since 1980.

Buba concurred with the first witness, Ishabi that she also witnessed the transaction where the accused paid the sum of N30,000 for the landed property.

The case was adjourned to March13, 2012 for both plaintiffs and defendants counsels to address the court orally.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

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Al-Mustapha: Arewa youth condemn conviction, hail IG’s appointment From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos

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group, Arewa Youth Development Association of Nigeria, has condemned the death sentence on the former Chief Security Officer to late Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza AlMustapha, saying that the judgment represents the desperation by some powerful

people to nail the embattled army officer at all cost.

In an interview with Peoples Daily, the national vicechairman of the group, Ado Shuaibu Dansadau, said latest revelations by one of the star witnesses in the murder case of the late Kudirat Abiola, Muhammed Abdul, also known as Mohammed Katako, has

vindicated Al-Mustapha.

He said that Katako’s voluntarily confession that he was bribed by some government operatives to give false evidence against Al-Mustapha, shows that the whole trial was a set up by some people who are not comfortable seeing the former security officer walking as a free man.

According to him, some people who feel Al-Mustapha knows so much about the shady deals they have done in the past will not be happy seeing him walk the streets a free man.

Speaking further, he said the group is behind the appeal of the death sentence on Al-Mustapha.

“We are not alone in this struggle, we have other groups

rooting for the freedom of this gentleman who has greatly contributed to the development of our country.

“Apart from our group, other ethnic groups like the Odua People’s Congress (OPC), under the leadership of Dr. Fredrick Fasheun, is also convinced that Al-Mustapha is not a party to the murder of Kudirat Abiola.

Big Brother’s Makosi Musambasi deported, banned from UK

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ormer Big Brother housemate, Makosi Musambasi, has been sent back from the United Kingdom where she had ostensibly gone in search of fame and fortune.

Musambasi flew into London’s Heathrow from Lagos, Nigeria and tried to gain access to Britain; however border officials reportedly recognised her straight away and sent her back the next day, though not before confiscating £12,000 that she was carrying.

Makosi shot to fame on the 2005 series of Big Brother, then on Channel 4 and is best remembered for her filthy antics in the pool, with eventual winner Anthony Hutton.

She went on to land a cameo role in the E4 zombie thriller Dead Set in 2008, has done some presenting work for MTV and in 2010, returned as a contestant on Ultimate Big Brother. She was the second housemate to be evicted, with 47.7% of the public vote, to a booing crowd. (Reuters)

Kebbi holds prayer for peace today From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

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he Special Adviser on Religious Affairs to the Kebbi state governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Imam Shema, has urged members of the two major religions in Nigeria to come together and pray for peace and harmony in the country.

He gave this advice yesterday while speaking to newsmen at Government House, Birnin Kebbi.

He said from the beginning of this Friday, prayer for peace would be offered in all the mosques in the state urging other faithful to do the same.

The Special Adviser maintained that though the state has been peaceful, it should intensify prayers as a mark of patriotism and concern to the plight of fellow Nigerians.

He however, commended the security agencies in the state for keeping the peace and keeping the the crime rate across the state low.

L-R: Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, President of Dangote Group, Alhajii Aliko Dangote, President Goodluck Jonathan, cutting the tape to commission the six million metric tonnes Dangote’s Cement Plant at Ibese in Ogun state, yesterday.

Photo: Joe Oroye

No promotion for Katsina workers without Airtel builds Africa’s largest requisite qualification, says state govt From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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atsina state government has said that henceforth no civil servant would enjoy further promotion unless they acquire relevant qualification.

This was disclosed by the state’s Head of Service, Alhaji Mahmud Danyaya Mashi, yesterday while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the 5th regular meeting of the state executive council in the year 2012.

According to him, the recent screening exercise by the government to ascertain the

number of its genuine workforce had shown that 20, 752 workers were captured through the bio-metric data while the sum of N1, 500,552, 241.19 billion was the financial implication for the payment of the new minimum wage for the workers in the state service.

Mashi who assured that the validation of the staff data and biometric capture would be a continuous exercise, noted that the government had also approved the expunging from the state payroll all staff that were not captured during the exercise.

He said that all staff on

irregular replacement and unauthorized appointment are to be deleted from the payroll while those employed through due process but had exceeded 50 years of age at the time of employment should have their appointment reverted to contract.

Mashi further explained that all staff under-going military and paramilitary training should not enjoy salaries beyond the date of their enlistment into the service, adding that those with incapacitation would face medical authority who would certify their fitness to continue working.

First national retreat on women development, Affairs Ministry, Akwa Ibom state peace to hold in Akwa Ibom government and Neew Consult, is

By Maryam Garba Hassan

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he first national retreat on women development, peace and national transformation tagged “IBOM 2012”, with the theme” Galvanising, Empowerment and Energising Women as Change Agents for National Transformation, Peace and Development: A Win- Win

Option’, scheduled to take place from 15-18th of February, 2012 is to hold in Akwa Ibom state.

This was disclosed yesterday in Abuja, by the minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, at a press briefing on the retreat.

According to her, the retreat which is the initiative of Mrs. Patience Jonathan and organised in partnership with the Women

aimed at providing a platform for the renewal of the effort for empowerment, mobilisation and energising Nigerian women for peace and national transformation.

She said globally, attention is being giving to gender empowerment and in recognition of the vital role women play in bringing about societal transformation and social stability.

data network From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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irtel Sierra Leone said it has taken a significant step towards building the largest 3G network across Africa by announcing the launch of its 3G mobile platform in the country, which promises to change how subscribers experience the web on internet-enabled cell phones.

The improved technology, it said, will enhance multimedia functionality, high speed mobile broadband, internet access, allow users to make video calls, watch live TV, send and receive emails, and download music from handheld devices.

“3G technology will give our customers the opportunity to interact with cellular technology in a different way. This is why Airtel doesn’t see 3G as a product, but a platform that enables our subscribers to experience data better”, explained Rajvardhan Singh Bhullar.

The telecommunication firm reiterated its readiness to remain committed to deepening its network coverage.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Akeredolu, Dodo trade words at tribunal in Suswam’s certificate trial From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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empers rose at yesterday’s sitting of the Benue State Governorship Election Tribunal as counsels to Prof. Steve Ugbah of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Olarotimi Akeredolu, SAN and Governor Gabriel Suswam Damian Dodo threw caution to the winds and exchanged banters in court.

Akeredolu insisted that the governor has multiple certificate issues that must be resolved.

But Dodo instantly flared up at Akeredolu’s comments about his clients, urging him to show decorum in his choice of words even as he further asked him to enter the dock and prove that the governor has multiple certificates.

The action of the two senior legal luminaries also angered the tribunal chairman Justice Halima Mohammed who stood up from her seat and rebuked the counsels.

“Do you people think that we are here to joke and waste time?

Akeredolu we expect you as father

of the lawyers here, being a former NBA national president to lead by example”, Justice Mohammed said.

Not bothered by the comments of the tribunal chairman, Akeredolu maintained that nobody had to teach him how to argue his case and asked Dodo to concentrate on his matter.

Earlier, Akeredolu acknowledged receipt of replies from the PDP and INEC to the petitioner’s application filed on January 28,2012 requesting that

judgment be entered on the third ground of their petition that bothers on certificate forgery.

Governor Suswam filed his reply out of time and had to regularise it orally and this was not opposed to by other counsels.

“The first respondent filed counter-affidavit accompanied with a written address to the petitioner’s motion on notice. We filed our reply on 7th February, 2012 and the time limited by the tribunal for filing of said processes elapsed on the 6th February, 2012.

The 1st respondent in the mistaken belief that the registry of the court was not opened on the above stated date because it was declared a public holiday only filed our processes on a day after the public holiday. So we plead that with the inherent powers of the court that time be extended until today and the process deemed filed”, Dodo pleaded.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to Monday February 13, 2012 by Justice Mohammed for ruling on the motion.

NANS wants FG to convene security confab

By Abdullahi Yunusa

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Shattered windscreen of a coaster bus in which a policeman’s stray bullet killed the driver at New Market road in onitsha, yesterday.

Photo: NAN

resident of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Mr. Dauda Mohammed, has urged the Federal Government to convene a national security conference as a permanent solution to the intractable security challenges in Nigeria The NANS president who said violence has claimed lives and property worth millions of naira, regretted the increasing wave of insecurity. “It is unfortunate that despite several efforts by the government and stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the incessant cases of violence, the sponsors and perpetrators of this acts have continued in their onslaught aimed at making the country ungovernable and unsecure for the innocent citizens of the country”.

While speaking with newsmen yesterday in Abuja, he said, “We want to also renew our call on President Goodluck Jonathan to as

Nasarawa pledges free secondary education From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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asarawa state government is set to make secondary education free in all its public schools, in its bid to encourage the enrolment of school age children from across the state.

Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura stated this in Karmo, Udege development area, while delivering a speech to mark the flagging-off of the campaign of Musa Baba Anwana, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate in Saturday’s Nasarawa/Toto federal constituency re-election.

He disclosed that the move by his administration to pay NECO examination fees for all SSSIII students from the state, was a step toward the eventual removal of school fees in all public schools, which according to him, will boost school enrolment and raise the number of children attending school.

Addressing a large crowd that gathered to welcome him, Almakura called on the people to use

the power granted them by the constitution to elect only people that will give something back to the society, stressing that the CPC government, has outlined a programme of activity that would improve the living conditions of the people.

He asked the people to show a single project executed in the community by one of the candidates seeking to return to the House of Representatives for the

third term, to which the people responded with an emphatic “no!”, after which he urged them to vote for the CPC candidate, who after just some few months in office, has reached out to the community by siting a borehole as well as providing employment to youths in the area.

A youth leader in the area, Aboi Ubam, called on the people not to allow selfish politicians to deny them the right to vote for a

candidate of their choice, saying that there is a new awakening and the people must use their votes wisely.

The rally which held across Nasarawa and Toto Local Government Areas, saw the campaign train led by the governor, travel through dusty rural roads, through Akum, Mararaba Udege and Karmo, with large crowd of supporters turning up to welcome the train.

World Bank, FG collaborate on gender equality

By Maryam Garba Hassan

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orld Bank has indicated its interest to partner with the ministry of women affairs to ensure gender equality and access to justice.

This was made known yesterday in Abuja, when the team of World Bank delegation led

by Professor Foluso Okunmadewa, paid a courtesy call on the minister.

He said that the visit which was a follow up to the same last

year, was to know the ministry efforts and challenges and to collaborate with it in achieving its aim.

Responding, the minister of women affairs and social development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, said the World Bank team was visiting an appropriate time when the world was facing economic crisis.

She said funding was one of the challenges facing the ministry in the bid to empower women economically and

politically and healthcare delivery- the three key objectives of the ministry.

Hajiya zainab said, the ministry has done a lot to help female politicians to come out and be part of the decision making of the country adding that the ministry is also collaborating with the Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry to support women in business with loan without collateral with 8 states already benefiting from BOI.

a matter of urgent national importance convoke a national confab on security in order to bring every sectoral interest of our society together to form a common front towards fighting the menace of terrorism”.

While condemning the continuous act of violence against the Nigerian state and innocent citizens, Mr. Mohammed said “we want to demand an improved effort on the part of our security forces in order to checkmate the activities of these violence perpetrators”.

Mr. Mohammed who commended the State Security Service (SSS)for the arrest of some members of the Boko Haram group, challenged the police to redouble efforts and cultivate the culture of getting citizens involved, especially as it relates to information gathering.

FG approves N15bn loan for transport sector, says NARTO From Auwal Ahmad, Gombe

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n effort to improve transportation in Nigeria, the Federal Government has approved N15 billion loans to Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners under the transport transformation programme.

President of the Association Alhaji Kashim Batayya disclosed this during the inauguration of executives of Gombe State chapter in Gombe.

Batayya who was represented by the Treasurer of the association, Alhaji Umar Gaya thanked the government for the gesture, saying it would assist its members.

He also called on the members of the association to cooperate with their executive for the progress and development of the association and the nation in general.

Also speaking the North East Chairman of the Association, Alhaji Mohammed Hassan, urged the newly elected executives to protect the interest of their members.

He further advised northerners to take farming and transportation seriously in boosting the economy of the region and the nation as whole.

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Lagos Assembly moves to check excesses of NURTW members From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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he Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday at its plenary session, decried the recent re-occurring clashes between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in some parts of the state.

The issue was brought to the floor of the House under Matters

of Urgent Public Importance by Wahab Alawiye-King representing Lagos-Island 1 Constituency, who said the reccuring clashes has resulted in the death of some Lagosians and destruction of properties.

Hon. Alawiye-King added that the issue is getting out of hand and that the kind of arms and ammunitions in possession of members of the union has

continued to create fear in the minds of residents.

One of the lawmakers representing Epe 1 Constituency, Abiodun Tobun, explained that some of the officials of the union chose to misbehave because of the free money they get on daily basis.

He said: “They are killing themselves because of this free money they get and I would

want to suggest that anyone of them caught with arms and ammunitions should be thoroughly dealt with. Also, this money they are extorting from motorists is not used to maintain the parks and roads, but instead they spend the money lavishly on women.

“If they continue to disrupt the peace of the state, maybe the government should ban the

union and take over the parks and hand them over to those that will manage them properly. We should avoid a situation whereby the Boko Haram will capitalise on their restlessness and hijack the fight, thereby having their way into the state,” Tobun added.

ECOWAS youths to converge on Abidjan over free movement policy From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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Representative of Minister of State for Education, Dr. Olu Ayewoh (middle), speaking yesterday at a national stakeholders' forum for review of the nine-year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC), in Abuja. With him are the executive secretary, Nigerian Education Research and Development Council, Professor Godswill Obioma (left), and Plateau state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Athanatius Dashen (right).

Photo: NAN

Governor Al-makura inaugurates committee to review state laws From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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overnor Tanko Almakura of Nasawara state has inaugurated a high powered committee for the compilation, documentation and revision of the laws of the state.

Inaugurating the committee, which is to be chaired by a former deputy governor of the state, former Dean at the Faculty of Law, University of Jos, and presently a research fellow at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Prof Onje Gyewado, yesterday lamented that since the creation of the state in 1996, the laws governing the state have not been compiled and documented.

He said, “Apart from the laws enacted by the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, most of our laws were inherited from the defunct Plateau state and the Northern Region. Some of these laws have become obsolete and, therefore, irrelevant. On the other hand, the Laws that are current and relevant are not compiled in a comprehensive format,” he further disclosed.

Japan spends $2.53 million to provide justice to Kaduna’s poor From Lawal Sadiq Sanusi, Kaduna

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he Japanese Government under the World Bank grant has set aside the sum of $2.53 million to partner the Nigerian Legal Aid Council in providing access to justice among the poor people of Kaduna state.

This was made known at the formal launching of the project yesterday in Kaduna by the Director-General, Mrs. Joy Bob-Manuel. She said the World Bank’s partnership with the Legal Aid Council furthers the bank’s support to improving governance in Nigeria.

She said the project was aimed at assisting the poor and less privileged in Kaduna to effectively enforce their socioeconomic rights and find ways to peacefully resolve their civil disputes, as well as, assist the Legal Aid Council to enliven its new powers provided in the 2011 Legal Aid Act. Mrs. Bob-Manuel, who described justice as a fundamental right of the individual, however, said no nation can on her own provide all that it takes to access justice to the teeming poor and vulnerable, and therefore welcomed the Japanese Social

Development Fund (JSDF).

She noted that the Council has treated over 5,000 cases of civil and criminal nature through mediation and other legal means.

Earlier in his remarks, the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ryuichi Shoji, represented by Mr. Akin

Akinsanya, the Director, International Operations of the Legal Aid Council, said rule of law was an essential component of any democratic society, which the Nigerian government had been making important steps to promote by introducing the Legal Aid Acts 2011.

Boko Haram can’t break up Nigeria, says ACF From Agaju Madugba, Kaduna

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he Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) says activities of the Boko Haram sect cannot lead to a break up of Nigeria.

The group in a press statement in Kaduna yesterday, also urged Nigerians to ignore insinuations that certain elements from the north are determined to make the country ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan.

"President Jonathan was declared winner of the elections by a lawfully constituted INEC and as democrats, ACF and northern leaders, as well as the opposition groups are bound by the

results and must support the government until the next round of elections come in 2015," the statement signed by the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, said.

The statement said it was also unfair for sections of the media to suggest that the ACF supports the quit order by Boko Haram asking southerners to vacate the north.

According to the statement, "following the last press conference

by ACF through which the forum sought to address the hype in activities of Boko Haram and the allegations by some groups that there are plans to assassinate Mr. President, there have been cascade of reports and commentaries in the media.

ouths from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), will on 15th February gather in Abidjan, Cote D’ Ivory for a capacity building workshop on youths’ advocacy and engagement on the implementation of the free movement of persons and goods policy within the region.

The conference with the theme, “The contribution of youth organisations to raise awareness and promoting the free movement of persons in space” has its participants drawn from 15 ECOWAS states.

Other issues to be discuss at the meeting include: the legal framework and obstacles to the free movement of people and the right of establishment within ECOWAS: What strategies and means of action for youth organisations to contribute to the effective implementation of ECOWAS texts and youth organisations and the fight against the red road and border.

The meeting according to the president of the non-governmental organisation, Solidarité Jeunesse Ivory Coast, Stanislas Laurent Yao is to raise awareness among citizens and governments of the importance of something as precious as the integration through the free movement of persons in ECOWAS. Stanislas stated that the conference is to set up a campaign caravan intended as a framework for youth to make a status report on their involvement and the role youths can play in promoting the free movement of persons and the fight against the red road and border security.

“Through this campaign caravan, he comes to the attention of politicians, decision makers and media about the need for the implementation of ECOWAS free movement policy.

“The overall objective of the gathering is to ensure the contribution of youth organisations across ECOWAS states in promoting the free movement of persons within the region,” he added.

He said the central goal of the meeting is to create awareness on the issues of free movement of people and goods in the ECOWAS region and creating a change in our regions.

At the end of the meeting, Yao said a network platform of youth organisations and young ECOWAS to raise awareness and promote the ideals of ECOWAS on the free movement of persons and property and the fight against road harassment and borders, will be set up.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

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Baba Suwe: NDLEA wants court to stay execution of judgement From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

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ational Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has prayed Justice Yetunde Idowu of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, for an order of Stay of Execution on her judgment delivered on November 24, 2011 pending the determination of the appeal filed by the agency on December 6, 2011 against the judgment sum of N25 million.

NDLEA Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Mr. Femi Oloruntoba while moving the application before the court, stated that the agency would be prevented from performing its statutory functions as well as prosecute the

appeal if it is made to pay the judgment sum of N25 million as it is half of its monthly resources.

He also asked for any other order that the court deems fit in the circumstance while the agency is contesting the judgment in its entirety.

Part of the grounds on which NDLEA based its application for stay of judgment execution include the fact that there exists an appeal and substantial grounds for appeal, that the judgment of the court of appeal would be rendered nugatory if it succeeds, that the court lacks jurisdiction to have adjudicated on the subject matter of proceedings or award damages or make the orders it made.

The other grounds include

the fact that NDLEA has shown that impecuniosities or lack of fund will deprive her from prosecuting the appeal and carry out her statutory duties and that Baba Suwe will not be able to refund the judgment sum of N25 million if NDLEA succeeds on appeal.

According to Oloruntoba, the agency does not get N7billion monthly but N52 million monthly which is the total sum of all its activities including investigations and litigations as well as running cost adding that out of the N7billion that they get annually, N633 million goes into workers salary.

NDLEA also noted that if it is made to publish an apology to the respondent in two national

dailies as ordered by the court, the apology could not be retracted if the appeal succeeds, adding that its right to appeal will be highly prejudiced.

However Mr. Bamidele Aturu, counsel to Mr Babatunde Omidina aka Baba Suwe, opposed the application for stay of judgment execution on the basis that the ground of jurisdiction, stating that ‘it does not hold water’He added that, “It is our position that the submission of NDLEA’s counsel relating to stay of execution can hardly be faulted but the overriding principle is that the successful party in litigation should not be refused the fruit of litigation.”

L-R: Head of Secretariat, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), Mr. Jonas Moberg, Regional Director of EITI, Mr. Fransisco Paris, US Ambassador to Nigeria, Terence McCulley, and Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Initiative (NEITI), Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, during a national conference of NEITI yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

FCT students urged to learn Korean culture, taekwondo

By Mohammed Kandi

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he last batches of the students from various Federal Capital Territory secondary schools were yesterday;advised to devote attention to Korean culture and practice the taekwondo sport.

While receiving a group of

students from GSS Tungan Maje and GGSS Kuje during their excursion to the Korean Cultural Centre in Abuja yesterday, a Director at the centre, SUH, Jeong Sun, expressed pleasure at the level of perseverance shown by the students, saying such exercise would augment the bi-lateral knot between Korea and Nigerian

governments.

The Desk Officer (NGO) at the FCT Secondary Education Board, Yakubu Ibrahim, who urged the student to make utmost use of the book gifts given at the centre, noted that “the visit to the Korean Cultural Centre becomes a wonderful experience for all of you.”

Meanwhile, the students were

exposed to various ways of learning modern Korean culture via a DVD clips, consisting of the Korean POP, language, food and technology.

The students also visited the amazing Korean library, language classroom as well as the taekwondo practicing hall where they learnt some hoax about the sport.

FCTA mandate secretariats illegal, says minister

By Josephine Ella

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he six mandate secretariats of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration are illegal, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed yesterday revealed.

Responding to questions from participants of the Executive Intelligence Course 5 of the Institute of Security Studies, Senator Bala Mohammed said: "FCT mandate secretariats have no law backing them; they were created by administrative fiat.

Section 303 of the 1999 constitution, as amended, says that: "The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja shall comprise six area councils and the administrative and political structure thereof shall be provided by an Act of the National Assembly."

He said the secretariats have been operating illegally, as they have no legislation backing their establishment.

He said however, that the administration is in the process of getting the National Assembly to pass legislation that would make the secretariats legal entities that can sue and be sued.

The mandate secretariats of the FCTA include the Health and Human Services Secretariat, Social Development Secretariat, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat.

Others are the Area Councils Services Secretariat, Legal Secretariat, the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council and the Education Secretariat.

The Director, Institute for Security Studies Mr. O. A Odugbemi had led a team of very senior officers of security agencies on a courtesy visit to the minister.

Turkish investors to build multi-billion naira shopping mall, hotels in FCT

By Abdulwahab Isa

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nvestment discussions are at advanced stage between the Federal Government and a group of investors from Turkey that will lead to the construction of multi-million naira first class shopping malls, hospitals and other structures within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The renewed investment interest shown by Turkish businessmen in Nigeria’s capital city follows the unbundling exercise embarked upon by the leadership of FCT under the minister, Senator Bala Mohammed which affords genuine investors the opportunity

to acquire plots for business structures.

FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed confirmed the development in Abuja when he commissioned the secretariat building of the Association of Investors and Businessmen of Turkey and Nigeria located in the district of Maitama.

He commended the business and bilateral relationships between Nigeria and Turkey and expressed optimism that Nigeria would reap between $1 billion to $2 billion worth of investment from the Turkish business community.

“In FCT, we are unbundling

and it is as an opportunity to interact with the best, those that can add value to development in terms of provision of services and infrastructure. Already, we are discussing ways and means with Turkish investors to come and build the best of shopping malls for our teeming population and other developments in FCT like hotels and others. My coming here is an encouragement to Turkish people and businessmen who are genuine investors and who are known for quality and credibility in the way they deal with people”.

In an interview with newsmen, the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission

(NIPC), Engr. Mustafa Bello who in 2005, facilitated a formal meeting between Turkish investors and Nigeria, expressed confidence in the huge economic benefits accruable in the mutual investment relationship between the two countries .

Bello estimates that over $200 million worth of investment came from Turkey from 2006 till date when he initiated a formal business contact between Nigeria and Turkish investors.

“I can tell you we have seen over 2000 businessmen and women of Turkish origin visiting Nigeria…The Turks want to do

business with Nigeria , they want to register their presence and take the advantage of huge market opportunity that exists in Nigeria as well as seeking to enhance our competitiveness as an economy and see how we can also bring their own knowledge , skills and technology into doing business in Nigeria”, NIPC boss said.

In his opening remarks, Turkey’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ali Rifat, noted the association between investors from the two countries would have positive impact both in volume of investments as well as enhancing mutual and bi-lateral relations between the countries.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Nomadic school teachers receive training in Adamawa From Blessing Tunoh, Yola

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s part of efforts by the Commonwealth of Learning to boost teaching standards in Africa, teachers of nomadic schools drawn from the three senatorial zones in Adamawa state are currently receiving training.

The exercise which is in collaboration with the state Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB), and the Federal College of Education (FCE) Yola, is an interactive radio instruction (IRI) programme for in-service nomadic school teachers in the state with a view to improving teaching standards.

Executive chairman of the ADSUBEB, Dr. Salihu Bakari lauded efforts of the COL which he said has shown so much interest in Adamawa state adding that “the exercise affords nomadic teachers in the state the opportunity to learn modern methods of pedagogy.”

Also speaking, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Nomadic

Education (NCNE) Dr. Nafisa Muhammed who served as the guest speaker, said IRI is relevant for teachers both in the classroom for basic education and for Adult and non formal education.

She noted that the IRI programme is a very effective pedagogic tool because of its affordability and the overriding popularity of radio listening among the nomadic population adding that the NCNE would support the initiative.

Provost of the FCE and chief convener of the training, Dr. Aminu Chiroma on his part said partnership between the institution, COL and ADSUBEB would foster development in the education sector of the state.

He explained that the programme would run every Saturday in the next six weeks via two selected local radio stations in the state while participants are expected to work with resource persons in the four centers located at: Yola, Mubi, Numan and Ganye council areas of the state.

Boko Haram: 12 persons admitted to military hospital

Kwara govt commiserates with Aluko, Mbu families

From Mohammed Adamu, Kaduna

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

welve persons, including a 64-year-old man, are to be receiving treatment at the 44 Military Reference Hospital Kaduna, following Tuesday’s multiple bomb attacks at 1st Mechanized Division, Nigerian Army Kaduna.

Sources at the military hospital informed our correspondent that two ambulances conveyed the victims to the hospital after the incident and that they were immediately admitted at the emergency ward before they were later spread to different wards.

It could be recalled that the military authorities confirmed that only the driver of the Sienna bus used for the suicide bombing was killed following the attack. Journalists and all members of the public were barred from the scene of the bomb incident; similarly all effort by newsmen to get access into the military hospital is being denied by the army.

Meanwhile there is still apprehension among residents neighboring the 1st Division headquarters in Kaduna.

Our reporter’s investigation shows that places like Unguwar Shanu, Kawo, Hayin Banki, Unguwar Dosa and Badarawa who were affected by the vibration of the bomb blast were afraid to send their children to school.

wara state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has commiserated with the families of late Prof. Sam Aluko and late Mathew Mbu who died on Monday and Tuesday respectively. The governor also commiserated with governments and people of Ekiti and Cross River states on the demise of these illustrious sons.

Governor Ahmed in a condolence message to the family of Prof. Aluko, described his death as shocking not only to the family, but the entire country.

The governor described Prof.

Aluko as a unique economist who distinguished himself as chairman of the National Economic Intelligence Committee under late Gen. Sani Abacha. “His scholarly works on economics will remain reference points for many years to come”, Ahmed said.

Aluko, according to the governor, will be remembered, among others, for his Keynesian economic theory which advocates a mixed economy with a predominant private sector with significant role by government and public sectors.

Governor Ahmed also described the late Mathew Mbu as a core nationalist, a great leader and a true diplomat whose contributions to the development of the country during his life time cannot be quantified.

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L-R: Lagos state Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, Justice Opeyemi Oke, the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola , chief judge of Lagos state, Justice Inumidun Akande, and Chief Molade OkoyaThomas, during the inauguration of judges' quarters, in Lagos, yesterday.

Photo: NAN

Al-makura on rescue mission, says Rep M ember, House of Representatives, Hon. Ishaq Ahmed Kana has said Governor Umar Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa state is on a rescue mission to save the people of the state and return its lost glory.

Kana made his view known yesterday while chatting with journalists in Kaduna. He described Al-makura as a man of integrity, purposeful and honest leader who is committed towards

ensuring that Nasarawa is among the most developed states in the country.

Kana who is representing Keffi, Karu and Kokona federal constituency at the lower chamber of the National Assembly on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), called on the people of the state to remain united and support Governor Al-makura in his resolve to provide the

dividends of democracy to the citizens of the state.

According to him, CPC was a family of progressives as is been demonstrated by the governor in line with the manifesto of the party.

He appealed to the people of the state and particularly members of CPC nationwide to continue to be law abiding and give support to the leadership of the party at all levels.

NDLEA arrests 38 suspects in Kogi From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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he National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency in Kogi state, has arrested 38 suspects including six women and seized 73 bags of Indian Hemp (cannabis sativa) in a raid carried out on Wednesday.

The raid was carried out by combined team of 70 officers from the NDLEA, the army and State Security Service (SSS) at the Lokoja local government trailers’ park in Obajana.

Describing the operation as a major one, Commander of the NDLEA in the state, Alhaji Idris Bello said apart from the 73 bags of cannabis, 421 tubes of rubber solution were recovered from them.

Other narcotic substances recovered from them included several packs of cough syrup, 217 sachets of Diazepam, Erinmore tobacco, several bottles of dry gin both local and foreign.

Bello said that the command received information on the activities of the drug dealers and users in the area and went there on surveillance only to discover that it was a big racket requiring higher force.

“We went there on surveillance and discovered that we alone could not do it. We

needed the collaboration of some other agencies to help us carryout the operation because of the nature of the place.

“We went with 40 NDLEA officers and 15 each from the army and the SSS with their arms and ammunitions and vehicles. We need more resources to effectively tackle this menace”, the commander said.

One of the suspects, Mohammed Saleh told journalists that he was running the cannabis business for his “Oga” simply called, Sani from Sokoto on a salary of N5, 000 per month while another, Samaila Mohammed confessed: “In sha Allah, I smoke Igbo but I don’t sell.”

27 sacked workers: PENGASSAN threatens nationwide shutdown The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has threatened to shut down oil and gas operations in the country if its 27 members sacked by Vam Oil Company in Onne, Rivers state, are not reinstated.

Mr. Friday Otono, the acting zonal chairman of PENGASSAN, issued the threat in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Port

Harcourt.

Otono said the 27 members were sacked in November 2011 for their involvement in a peaceful protest, noting that the company had been shut down on Feb. 7 to protest the sack.

He said that the November 2011 protest was embarked upon by the company’s staff in solidarity with Mr. John Ukegbu, who was sacked on Oct. 19, 2011.

Otono claimed that Ukegbu was sacked without any cogent reason, pointing out that after the protest, 27 of the workers, who were his union members, were sacked.

The unionist said that PENGASSAN made several efforts to resolve the matter amicably but to no avail, and described the company’s action as “victimization”.

NAN reports that the workers were not directly employed by the company but by Marine Platforms (Nig) Ltd (MPL), which gave out the workers to Vam on contract.

The protest letter, dated Oct. 20, 2011 and signed by Mr. Sunday Onyemachi, the PENGASSAN Assistant Secretary, Port Harcourt Zone, showed that PENGASSAN also protested the termination of Ukegbu’s appointment. (NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Insecurity: I’m vindicated, says Jang From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

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overnor Jonah Jang of Plateau state has said that the prevailing insecurity in the country has vindicated him when he alerted that Plateau state and the country in general were under siege but was accused of raising false alarm.

Speaking yesterday when the AIG Zone 4, Mr. Aloysius Okorie, paid him a courtey visit at Government House, Jang said that “these pay masters go to Chad and Niger to recruit them (terrorists). We caught about 100 in Jos but they were taken to Abuja and released. Today,

other people are complaining of the same Chadians and Nigeriens.”

According to him, the recent attacks on security formations has revealed that Boko Haram and other terrorist sects operating in the country have insiders in the security agencies, challenging the the security agencies to cleanse themselves of persons loyal to terrorist sects so as to check the increasing wave of terrorist activities in the country.

He expressed concerns over the alarming rate at which criminals were now let off the hook in the guise of an escape from detention

as well as their arraignment and bail in magistrate courts instead of high courts.

According to him, “I have always said that terrorists have penetrated the security agencies, they are there and the leadership of the security agencies must be bold enough to flush them out of the services.

“Because the sponsors don’t want their names to be mentioned when these terrorists are caught, that is why as soon as they are arrested, they are taken to Abuja and released”.

Jang urged the relevant authorities to muster enough political will to deal with the

situation, noting that the country’s police effectively dealt with Maitasane sect without the military.

He said, it was sad now to hear that policemen no longer wear uniforms in Kano for fear of being identified which shows that the force lacks confidence because of inadequate training and equipment.

He said: “We have a very serious problem that terrorists are challenging a whole nation to sit down and talk with them. The police will have to review its training programmes because the confidence of personnel is the training he receives.”

Tambuwal commiserates with Dantata family

Ajimobi mourns Aluko, Mbu, Dantata From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

G

overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state has expressed condolences to the families of the late economist, Prof. Sam Aluko, the first Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Chief Mathew Mbu and Kano-based business mogul, Alhaji Abdullahi Sanusi Dantata, who all died during the week.

The governor, in separate messages issued on Wednesday in Ibadan by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said he was extremely pained by the death of the three elder statesmen.

Governor Ajimobi, while acknowledging the immense contributions of the three eminent citizens to the emergence of the political and financial modern Nigeria, described them as patriots who used their endowments for the development of their fatherland.

He particularly extolled the virtues of the late Prof. Aluko, describing him as an erudite scholar, consummate economist and fearless commentator on critical national issues.

“In spite of his humble background, the foremost Nigerian economist made his way to the top by dint of dedication and hard work. He was always pursuing whatever course he believed in without minding whose ox was gored,” the governor remarked.

Gov. Ajimobi also described the late Chief Mbu as an ambassador extra-ordinaire, who explored his diplomatic experience to project the good image of Nigeria to the outside world.

He extolled the entrepreneurial contributions of Alhaji Dantata to modern day Nigeria, stating that his financial empire contributed immensely to the Nigerian economy.

“Their departure has no doubt robbed the country of their wealth of experience needed at this critical time to rescue the country from the socio-economic and political challenges it is at present confronting,” he said.

The governor stated that although the trio would be missed in Nigeria, he urged their families, friends and associates to take solace in the fact that they both lived fulfilled lives and left their indelible footprints in the sands of time.

He advised that government should ensure that those caught in acts of terrorism were made to face the full wrath of the law and condemned efforts in some quarters to give them soft landings.

Speaking earlier, Okorie who will soon be retire from the force, regretted that incompetent officers were sometimes sent to certain areas for primordial motives but commended the new military Special Task Force (STF) Commander, Maj. Gen. Oluwaseun Oshinowo and the State Police authorities for their professionalism in handling the Jos unrest.

By Lawrence Olaoye

S

WAEC/NECO: ‘Why students fail Literature in English’

By A’isha Biola Raji

A

s part of efforts to elevate literature and revitalise the declining reading culture in the Niger-Delta region, the Literary Director of Elizzhad Literary Club (ELC), a subsidiary of Elizzhad Concept, Mr. Harry Idoro, has emphasized the need for direct interaction between students, individuals, and the general public with authors.

Giving the advice at the weekend in Asaba, the Delta State capital, during the clubs’ first executive meeting, Mr. Idoro noted that in recent years, results released by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO) proved that students’ find it difficult to achieve credit marks in Literature-in-English.

Idoro who attributed the failure to lack of reading said; “the habit of reading as we have it now, is disgracefully abysmal. What we

Women protesting against rape and violence in Ogbozara community of Opi, Nsukka local government area of Enugu state, have today are a group of students yesterday. Photo: NAN who see nothing good in reading novels or things that has to do with literature. Their cognition have been channeled towards making fast money, hence the high wave of crime.”

The Literary Director said From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi thorough and careful reading of he National Drug Law literature texts could help Enforcement Agency, stimulate and brighten an (NDLEA) in Bauchi state, individual’s disposition to other has declared zero tolerance for dug subjects. “The moment you abuse and illicit drug trafficking contemplate on the experiences of in the state. the author as you read, you begin The new NDLEA commandant to see what he sees, that way you in the state, Mr. Parah Julius will be able to reason alike and Bawass, disclosed this while unravel those teasers you think are briefing newsmen at the insurmountable,” he said. command’s headquarters in On her part, the Assistant Bauchi yesterday saying said that Literary Director, Mrs. Elizabeth he would work hard to end drug Akpisheri stressed that only abuse in the state. schools approved by government “As you are all aware, NDLEA would be included adding that the is the agency saddled with the scheme would stretch beyond the responsibility of suppressing the normal school academic calendar supply and demand of illicit drugs as holidays would be effectively in Nigeria established by the law.

As an agency of the government, utilised.

peaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has commiserated with the Dantata family over the death of the renowned businessman and Chairman of Dantata and Sawoe Nigeria Plc, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir Dantata.

In a condolence message released to newsmen by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Imam Imam, the Speaker described the late Alhaji Dantata as an accomplished businessman and a patriotic Nigerian who contributed immensely to the socio-economic growth of the country.

Tambuwal added that the late Alhaji Dantata had played a great role in Nigeria’s infrastructural development and communal harmony, especially in Kano state.

While praying for the repose of the soul of the deceased, the speaker called on his family, Kano State Government as well as his associates and admirers to take solace in the fact that the late Abdulkadir Dantata lived a fulfilled life and left behind an enduring legacy.

New NDLEA boss reads Riot Act to drugs traffickers

T

we are determined to uphold this mandate and to ensure that Bauchi state is a healthy community free from the influence of drugs. To achieve this great height, we need the co-operation of all executive arms of government, agencies, ministries, parastatals, the fourth realm and the people of Bauchi state as a whole,” the NDLEA commander said.

Mr. Parah said that the command would intensify its awareness campaign to members of the public, on the consequences of drug abuse and illicit trafficking and counseled politicians against encouraging vulnerable youths into abuse drugs, saying that the command would not hesitate in ensuring that they are made to face the full wrath of the law.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 11

FG to construct 10 cancer centres zSoyinka blames past leaders over ‘cancer’ From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos

T

he Federal Government has said it would construct 10 new cancer centres across the country in 2012, a measure to stem the high rate of the disease in the country.

Minister for Health, Prof.

Oyebuchi Chukwu who gave this hint at the first annual lecture organised by the African Cancer Centre held in Lagos, said that the planned centres were part of government’s effort to boost the diagnosis and treatment of the disease in Nigeria.

Chukwu who was represented by the Prof. Akin Oshinbogun, added that this is how we can deliver health service to the citizens of the country. And this is the way the Federal Government believes that cancer diseases can be reduced drastically in the country.

Meanwhile, Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has blamed past leaders in the country over the high rate of cancer in Nigeria, saying that thousands of Nigerians are living with cancer today due to their various decisions which paralysed the power sector.

According to Soyinka, “Those who have been in the vanguard of this country’s affairs from military to civilian especially during the past four decades that oversaw the total collapse of our electricity supply system deserve to be dragged to court and charged with gross negligence resulting in probably homicide, involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy to

murder...”

He added that the lapses in the power sector led to the wide use of generator which “fumes constitute environmental cancer with large urban dwellers in the country depending solely on generators to survive. This is like using fire to combat fire.”

The Laureate further described corruption, dictatorship and racism as another cancer affecting the African continent.

“The continent is a victim of serial cancer attacks leaping from one part of the body to the other. It is very much with us today. One feels it, reads it and almost touches it. It is especially present in governance. This has been infused into the bloodstream of the country”.

An accident scene in early hours of yesterday at Palmgrove, Lagos.

Reps to investigate amnesty programme management

By Lawrence Olaoye

F

ollowing continued hostilities against the nation’s oil facilities by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the House of Representatives has commenced an investigation into the management of the amnesty programme.

The Deputy Speaker, Emeka

Ihedioha, who presided over the plenary, condemned the renewed hostilities on oil installations therefore pleaded with the MEND to sheathe the sword and allow peace to reign in the country.

He said: “We must put the nation first in all our doings as Nigerians. We must be guided when dealing with issues that relate to national security because

it affects everyone. We plead with MEND to give peace a chance while lasting solutions to the problems are been explored.”

Sequel to a motion sponsored

by Rep Arowosoge Ifeoluwa Abiose, on the activities of the militants in the Niger Delta, the House mandated its standing committees on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Niger Delta Ministry, and National Security

Jigawa recruits 15 doctors, 40 midwives for rural hospitals From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

T

he Jigawa state government through the Gunduma Health System Board in collaboration with the Partnership for Transformation Health System (PATHS 2), has recruited the services of 15 medical doctors and 40 trained midwives

that would take charge in various hospitals across the local government areas of the state.

Stating this during the opening ceremony of a one day orientation session for the newly recruited personnel’s at the Manpower Development Institute yesterday, the Director General of board, Dr. Usman Tahir, said the

employment is part of the government’s effort in transforming the health sector through service delivery to the people.

Tahir said the essence of recruiting additional doctors and midwives was also part of resolve by the government to ensure improvement of human resource

development especially on health to actualise the state’s target on the Millennium Development Goals.

The Director General stated further that at the moment the state has in its employment the total number of 85 doctors and well over 450 midwives under the Gunduma Health facilities across the state.

Akunyili wants court to declare her winner

P

rof. Dora Akunyili of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has testified at the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Awka in her petition challenging the victory of Dr. Chris Ngige of Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN), in the poll conducted for Anambra Central Senatorial zone.

During the cross-examination conducted on Wednesday by both counsel to Ngige, Mr. Emeka Ngige, and INEC, Mr. Osita Nnadi, Akunyili maintained that she won the simple majority of lawful votes cast at the April 2011 poll.

Akunyili said that her first prayer in her petition was for the tribunal to outrightly declare her

Photo: NAN

winner and in the alternative, nullify the election in some areas and call for re-run.

“I want the tribunal to declare me winner because I won by simple majority and to nullify the areas where there were over- voting.

“I care only for the right thing to be done,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Akunyili had tendered more than 1,450 various forms of result sheets as exhibits.

She maintained that she wrote many petitions to INEC during the conduct of the said election complaining of electoral malpractices including nonconclusion of the election in some areas.

According to her, ACN agents in collaboration with some security officials accredited some voters with the aim of disenfranchising some others.

The former minister noted that she could not tell if there were errors made by INEC officials as it was not her duty to detect them.

According to her, "I want the court to give me back the ACN votes which they did not earn as well as the over-voting recorded; that is why I came to court."

“It would be fair for the tribunal to deduct votes in areas which I did not earn but credited to me. It is left for judges to decide if I earned any votes undesirable,” she said.

She denied distributing rice, vegetable oil, wrappers, cash gift and other materials to solicit for votes during campaigns for the election.

“I don’t know anything about distribution of rice, I did not send someone to distribute rice for me and I have more than 1,000 agents. I am new in APGA. “I left PDP for APGA; some people printed wax in my name and gave out to people but I cannot remember the people that gave me the material.

“I have said a number of times that Ngige is like a brother to me. I said that if he wins fairly, I will congratulate him, but if he cheats me, I will not concede defeat”. (NAN)

to investigate the performance of all relevant bodies connected with the management of the Amnesty Programme for ex-militants in the region and report back within two weeks.

Abiose said Nigeria’s economy is singularly hinged on crude oil production and therefore warned that all options must be explored in tackling the new hostility.

Ogun govt assures people with disabilities of protection From Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, Abeokuta

T

he Ogun state government yesterday assured people living with disabilities (PWDs) in the state of its commitment to the provision of necessary amenities for their care and protection.

The commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Elizabeth Sonubi, gave the assurance in Abeokuta.

Sonubi disclosed that in this wise, her ministry will continue to empower them academically and expose them to various vocations, adding that sponsorships to Farm Craft Center, Isheri-Olofin would be vigorously pursued.

The commissioner reiterated that the government of Ibikunle Amosun is determined to continue to promote and propagate programmes and activities that will better livelihood for the people.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

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The siege of Syria

he drama at the United Nations Security Council earlier in the week, when the Arab League-sponsored peace plan for Syria, which included a call for President Bashar Assad to step down, fell apart due to the veto cast by China and Russia, seemed to continue without letup. Several members of the Arab League, especially the Gulf monarchies, have recalled their ambassadors from Damascus and expelled Syrian diplomats, following America’s lead, having closed its mission in Syria.

President Assad, however, has offered amnesty to all armed insurgents and proposed wideranging constitutional reforms, short of stepping down as demanded by the opposition and their external allies.

The situation in Syria remains tense as the Syrian Free Army (SFA), a rump of army deserters and other opposition volunteers continues to target security personnel. Since the uprising began 11 months ago, about 2,000 security personnel have lost their lives. Opposition also reckons about 3,000 civilians have died in the conflict. The opposition, mostly based in neighbouring Turkey, is divided between those campaigning for external intervention and those

who believe that Syrians themselves can find a solution to the crisis. The Arab League monitors who went to Syria last month to observe the situation left unceremoniously, following which the Arab League made its plan which was defeated at the UN Security Council.

Though the regime of President Assad provided much of the prosperity the Syrians have

“

Our concern is that the Syrian people bear the brunt of the unrelenting brickbats of the major gladiators in the quagmire enjoyed, we counsel that in the true spirit of responsible leadership which places the interest of the country above the regime’s self preservation, Assad consider the option of exit. Our call has nothing to do with loud shouts in several western capitals for the president to step down. We think that the turmoil that has engulfed Syria in

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

the past 11 months is not entirely its doing. Syria is an influential Arab state and the character of any regime in Damascus could tip the balance on any issue in the region one way or the other. It is no wonder that there is a regional and even international scramble for the political soul of Syria.

Our concern is that the Syrian people bear the brunt of the unrelenting brickbats of the major gladiators in the quagmire.

Looking at the pro-Western Libyan opposition that has now formed a government in Tripoli, President Assad may not give any serious consideration to voluntary abdication of office. But we know that Syria is not Libya as Syrian streets still flow with Assad supporters draped in the national flag and his portraits.

Assad is still young and any political settlement and roadmap must give enough room for Assad to participate in and even attain the highest position through an open and competitive process.

We caution external parties in the Syrian crisis to eschew the hard and extreme anti-regime rhetoric as if Assad and his government are not Syrians.

Letting the Syrian inferno burn eternally by fueling it from outside calls to question the credibility of the opposition.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

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

DIRECTOR/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RUFA’I IBRAHIM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALI M. ALI

ACTING EDITOR, WEEKEND RICHARD IHEDIWA

GM PUBLICATIONS ABDULAZEEZ ABDULLAHI MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA HEAD, SPECIAL PROJECTS ABDU LABARAN MALUMFASHI

“To be a reputable, profitable, innovative and technologically reliant media company offering world class services and products”

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 13

If David Mark doesn’t want war

By Adagbo Onojaa

S

enate President, David Mark, doesn’t want Nigeria to break-up. That means he doesn’t want war since Nigeria cannot break-up peacefully. In the unlikely event of such a war, he will have no reservations against re-entering the army uniform to preserve Nigeria from all and every enemy combatants.

At a time like this and on the weighty issue of keeping Nigeria one, we cannot but take every one and every statement declaring unqualified standing for Nigeria, particularly by those who assert their readiness to demonstrate such commitment on the field of battle thereto seriously. This is precisely because it is time to rebuff those who think they are doing anyone a favour by being Nigerians and whose first reaction to crisis is an (un)conscious state breaking brinkmanship without a thought for the manifest destiny of this country. They may not have set out to actually break the country but such brinkmanship is, nevertheless, part of the tragedy of the power elite in Nigeria in that it has a layer within it which can afford brinkmanship even with the Nigerian state. It is not allowed in state-building.

And certainly, not by an Olu Falae, the technocratic architect of IBB’s nation wrecking SAP or Professor Ben Nwabueze who wrecked the university system 18 years ago with his ‘imperfect obligation’ theology. It is worse in the case of Femi Fani Kayode

By John Igoli The illiterate of the future will not be the person who cannot read.

It will be the person who does not know how to learn — Alvin Toffler

N

o one can blame ASUU for insisting that the retirement age of professors be increased from 65 to 70 years. Given the prevailing economic conditions, it takes an average of 25 years to obtain a first degree, two years of NYSC, and another four years for masters and eight to ten years to get a basic PhD preparatory for learning! Thus, the youngest PhD wholly educated in Nigeria cannot be less than 45 years old!

Hopefully with fortune on his side and good academic godfathers and politically minded collaborators, he may rise to become a professor at 60 or 65, hence he needs a little extra time of five to ten years to profess or enjoy his professorship. If he retires at 65 he may be handed his highest academic prize at the exit door or retirement. Certainly this is not a befitting way to reward a grim academic sojourn in Nigeria.

whose only argument for break-up of Nigeria is because Margaret Thatcher said so. His is a miserable understanding of the NATO’s politics in the break-up of Yugoslavia. In understanding break-ups, whether in India, old USSR, Yugoslavia, etc, one needs to go beyond the ethnic surface.

Those who are unable to do that are those whose agenda is nothing more serious than the backward strategy of conference of ethnic nationalities. If we are really concerned about social justice, equity and democracy, why can’t the answer to the present crisis be a conference of popular democratic organisations, interests and forces? Who are the individuals coming from the ethnic nationalities to say anything different or new from what the politicians representing one ethnic group or another at different levels of power in the country today are saying or doing? Why is it not an agenda of qualitative party building, a party that can win power on the strength of popular democratic aspirations across the country? ASUU could do that, years back and the NLC of old. Or why is a programme of building people’s power/ power from below not tenable?

Why the ethnic formula?

Within the context of these questions, David Mark’s, like IBB and Abubakar Dangiwa Umar before him, is a commendable intervention, not because he is the No. 3 citizen but because he is an informed voice in statism, having been a man on the

horseback, (soldier). And since the Nigerian crisis is squarely a crisis of the state, that voice becomes an important additional voice, irrespective of stereotypes of David Mark we may have had or even still have.

For the past 28 years, the Nigerian state has been missing in action. Whether you belong to Max Weber’s camp or Karl Marx’s, there is something about the state that is clear.

The state must be an intelligent guardian, irrespective of the fact that it is, as a rule, the state of the powerful and the influential.

No Political Science textbooks will tell you this about the concept called the state but the state is the armed power of the bourgeoisie, to borrow from Eskor Toyo. But because power is relative, even the bourgeoisie’s control of the state must be anchored in intelligent leadership. The sum total is that the state is about redistributive justice. But you ask yourself: what has the Nigerian state given anybody since 1985 other than authoritarianism and repression?

Late Talban Bauchi, Dr. Ibrahim Tahir, got it right when he said in 2006 that “What is clear to me about the situation is that Nigerians, from 1979 to date have been driving themselves progressively to a cul de sac.

There is tremendous pressure in the tunnel and there is no escape route. The ordinary person is getting angrier and angrier. So much so that the primary reaction to any

disagreement is violence” He asked, “Who will convince me or you or President Obasanjo himself for that matter that the next President of Nigeria and his security managers and Defence operators will have comfortable sleep with untold number of young people with hundreds of millions of naira stashed away?”

Think about the guy out there with $10 billion in his account, he said. “He wants to be President and he could not have his way. He would organize his way and that prospect means we are faced with a security issue, not just corruption issue”.

In one sentence, he was summarizing the consequence of SAP on the economy and the society. The same programme that rolled back the state, has rolled in other forces, individuals, terror gangs and actors with the capability to overwhelm and hold the state to ransom today. The answer to such a crisis is not in a conference of ethnic nationalities but a programme of restoring the state into the social equation. That is the only way to stop the descent into chaos occasioned by the mass misery and hopelessness on one side and affluence on the other hand, no thanks to casino capitalism brought about by hopeless economic policies of the past 28 years.

In terms of posing a more serious alternative agenda and undercutting regional chauvinists in their state breaking brinkmanship, David Mark can play an informed and

decisive role as head of the law creating arm of the Nigerian state. His historical task is cut out for him. It is simply for him to align forces and interests in the NASS and in ‘our great party’, (the PDP) to, as a matter of urgent national importance, amend the constitution, making Chapter Two of the constitution justiciable. That is the most scientific and yet, the most practicable response to the present crisis, whether in its ethnic, religious, class, gender, regional or generational dimensions, not palliatives.

This crisis is beyond palliatives.

The grammar of palliatives is in fact, evidence that its speakers do not understand the depth of the crisis.

Incase it is argued that the government cannot find the money to implement Chapter Two, let me mention that Jigawa under Sule Lamido has answered that question. Jigawa collects just about N3bn from the federation account every good month. Yet, it is with that amount (don’t mind the nonsense that Lamido is using his external contacts as former foreign affairs minister to get extra money) that he has done everything anyone sees in Jigawa today, all within 4 years. So, lack of money cannot be a sustainable case against making Chapter Two justiciable right away. It is time to transform quantity into quality in Nigerian politics in other to avert social implosion.

So that we don’t find 62-yearold Marks in military fatigue again!

Adagbo Onoja wrote in from Ibadan

My tired professor Unfortunately by the time our young academic gets his PhD at 45 he is physically and mentally tired almost about to drop. Little wonder several cases of Nigerians obtaining their PhDs and dying shortly after abounds. In fact PhD mortality exists in Nigeria now, the risks (travels, costs and stress) involved in getting this degree is too high. This is the flaw in this current bargain. Rather than catch them young we want to catch them old! Learning only starts after a Nigerian academic has had a sojourn in a foreign laboratory or University and this opportunity may never arise or may only come when he is financially or politically positioned to benefit from the few openings available. Therefore some Nigerian academics never learned, they only know how to read and write and repeat in their own words what they heard or noted when they were students or what they have read from obsolete books.

When they encounter the realities of learning in old age and the much they have to

learn, they just give up and do anything to get back to the blissful comfort of their home universities or steer clear of academic places if they choose to remain abroad. It is now impossible to learn or teach unlearned men in old age.

Coupled with family commitments, political ambitions and the search for the Eldorado of academic leadership, all they are interested in now is to publish hurriedly as many papers as possible and agitate for elevation to enjoy the cool comfort of the only titled academic position…Professor!

In this position no one can question his learning or ignorance. He cannot be advised or compelled to undertake any learning of what he should have known but has no absolute idea. It is the paradise of academic freedom. He has obtained freedom from teaching, research and study. Even learning to be ICT compliant is a Herculean task.

Many professors check their

emails once a week (very regular) or once a month (regular) or once after a long while. Don’t expect him to type his letters or replies to your email. Are there no secretaries or cyber café staff who can be paid to do it? You may therefore better imagine how ICT has been incorporated in to their teaching and notes. They will not use PowerPoint for their lectures nor upload their lecture notes or receive assignments online. They do not believe internal notices can be sent online and urgent matters or actions can be requested online too. Hence it is the younger ones who are pushing for the Universities to develop websites and go online to make maximum use of the internet. Nigerian University websites are never pleasantly interactive, only the profiles and achievements of the vicechancellors are prominent. The older academics or professors do not see the difference it will make and even if the Universities go online they will certainly remain offline!

Rather than seek for older professors (tired but not retired) we should strive to produce younger PhDs who are eager and willing to learn.

They may yet be encumbered by family and political issues.

For such young academics learning is the order of the day and it is what they must do to survive. No theory is too difficult or any practical too hard to be undertaken. No level of hyphenation of ICT to teaching and learning is too tough for them. In fact, it makes things easier for these young academics. We should aim for a situation where our PhDs will be produced latest at the age of 27-30 instead of increasing the gestation time of professors to 40 years and their life expectancy to five years. One way to start is for ASUU to agree, on their own, to abolish all strike actions in our Universities. If only we can spend the next seven (and possibly seventy) years doing this, we would be on our way!

John Igoli is reachable at (igolij@yahoo.com)

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

My kind of super-hero, Captain Katongo

By Iwedi Ojinmah

A

focn 2012 has many more games to go.

However, I already know its Most Valuable Player and the one whom we shall all remember it by for years to come. It is the Zambian captain, Christopher Katongo.

Now let me make it absolutely clear that when I say captain I mean it two-fold because not only does he wear the C armband for the Copper Bullets, he actually is also a captain in the Zambian army.

He behaves like a ‘doppleganger’ too because, just like an orange and green whirlwind, the man has been everywhere.

From either scoring or creating goals every time the Chipopolo have played so far, to leading them in the now famous “Shhhhhhhhh” dance after each successful score, he has displayed the epitome of professionalism not just in word and in actual deed as well. It is no understatement to say that

opponents so far have only been contributed to the team’s good Zambian U20 team, he has able to contain him during the performance.” To that we must uncanny speed and the ability to keep the ball glued to his feet. singing of the national all say “well done”.

This should sound like “deja This Officer and Gentleman, has anthems. After that he has been as slippery as yesterdays catch vu”, especially to the Bafana seen action with Cosmos in the Bafana fans. And it is. Because RSA as well as with Brondby in on an oily plate.

Everyone has witnessed after scoring a hat-trick against Denmark, Xanthi in Greece and each of his superb performances South Africa in September Armenia Bielefeld in Germany.

But it is as a often punctuated G r e e n by somersaults Buffalo – reflecting his t h e sheer exuberance Zambian as well as utter Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text Army team joy. He is truly messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written – that he is something to contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 most fondly behold. Well the words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and remembered Zambians have a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed back home not only seen it, to: where even they have wasted as a young no time and have The Editor, player he a c t u a l l y Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, was already rewarded it known for instantly.

Yes! 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. his tenacity President Michael Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com and never Chilufya Sata, SMS: 07037756364 say never p r o m o t e d attitude Katongo to Currently playing in China warrant officer class one, with 2007, Katongo was also immediate effect, for displaying promoted from corporal to for Henan Jiyanyi, he is, exemplary leadership and skill sergeant. A seasoned veteran without a doubt, the kind of in the team which has who rose from the ranks of the role model that Africa needs for

WRITE TO US

its youth today. Captain Katongo is the refreshing alternative to the diamond dripping SUV driving superstars, oft with misplaced priorities, that dot our teams regardless of what part of Africa we pick. Rather this player - even over the phone exudes absolute humility by basking in the current moment and saying “Wherever God takes me, I will go…as long as I am able to compete I am happy”. Asked about Zambia’s chances to get to the final game, he pointed told me: “it’s not like we have not been there before” and that is true. Prodded on and asked if he was preparing his epaulettes for those of twin golden Eagles worn by Zambian Majors, he smiles and offers diplomatically “all that is extra I love Zambia and would do this for free”.

No cape needed here. This man is a true super hero.

Iwedi Ojinmah, a freelance writer lives in Washington D.C., USA

Nigeria: ‘Security consciousness’ is whose onus?

By Charles Ebun-Amu

I

n this 21st century, it often comes as a shock to hear the old cliché ‘you must all be security conscious’ ringing out of our TV sets, radios, and political speeches day in day out.

Often times, an excuse for the ineptitude and cluelessness of those saddled with our security.

I cannot count how many times I’ve heard State Police Commissioners, and IGs spew this. It has indeed become a somewhat sonorous song in our ears; sung at a time when all hope seems lost in the ability of our police to satisfactorily secure life and property. Their lack of wherewithal in policing the crisis/menace we find ourselves today makes it the ultimate rhetoric. In as much as our police need every help they can get, the extent to which the burden of security consciousness can be borne by the Nigerian people remains debatable.

To my mind, the weight of expectations on the ordinary Nigerian is just too heavy. No doubt security is a two way concept. However, modern societies have moved beyond the traditional definition of security consciousness, as projected by our antiquated system. Security has more or less become a loose ‘social contract’ between the State and the governed. It therefore means that asking the public to be security conscious by reporting any crime to the police, presupposes the fact that some basic prerequisites are adequately in place. But, of course, this is not the case with our own dearNigeria. These, for instance, should ordinarily include a well equipped and ‘battle ready’ police, with fully functional rapid response units, a good victims support machinery, and efficient witness

protection program, among other things. And to further incense you, it will not be out of place to expect basic fully operational fire, and ambulance services. This combination of factors is what goes towards creating a ‘national security reality’, which is still lacking inNigeria. It is after fulfilling all these parameters that the government can expect the governed to embrace, and react swiftly to any appeals of ‘security consciousness’, or awareness.

A tenable national security consciousness syndrome must first be firmly implanted in the psyche of the people. After all, what is the point in asking me to volunteer information when I know that there are no resultant sanctions at the end of the day? Why must I ‘grass’ or snitch on my criminal neighbour when I know that the police will possibly betray me, and turn the table against me?

Today, police in the western world strongly uphold the doctrine of anonymity in intelligence gathering. They enlist the help of organizations like Crime Watch and Crime Stoppers in achieving their goals. Therefore in order for the Nigerian Police to fare in this area, the consciousness of Nigerians must be shaped for the acceptance of a new national security paradigm, and existence within it. Behind the veil of national security consciousness, we must first of all address corruption and the other ills in our society.

To whom much is given, much is expected. The Nigerian authorities cannot expect to rip from where they have not sown.

As I earlier said, there has to be a loose form of ‘social contract’, which entails a process of mutual consent. The Nigerian people must, on their own

volition, agree to abide by common rules, and accept corresponding duties to protect themselves and one another from crime/violence, and other forms of social harm. The people’s motivation will derive only from the government playing their own roles accordingly, efficaciously, and judiciously. That way they will impact upon, and change the thinking process of the people towards security. This borders on what Criminologists often refer to as ‘psychological egoism’, which basically infers that human beings are more likely to be interested in profits than liabilities. In other words, if I am sure the fire service will respond to an emergency in good time, I am more likely to want to call them for assistance.

Unfortunately, there is presently a high degree of hopelessness and despondency due to lack of performance on the part of government in terms of securing lives and properties.

It is a basic fact of life that as social conditions degenerate in any system/society, crimes exacerbate, and criminal sub-

cultures blossom. But if smaller crimes are not nipped in the bud, bigger and more heinous ones will grow rapidly. This is glaring and apparent, as can be daily deciphered from the pages of our national newspapers. One need not be an expert to discern that the present spate of bombings is the consequence of complete lack of proactive strategies on the part of those entrusted with the responsibility. What hurts is the fact that an average Nigerian does not really deserve this nightmare.

The new trends of bombing portend danger to our existence as a nation, even though it was foreseeable, and avoidable. In the history of terrorism, bombing is a grotesque weapon of resentment. And from the view point of terrorists, it remains an effective strategy for invoking lawlessness and bringing any government to its knees. Unlike robbery and kidnapping, which are directed at individuals, and are intended to ‘surgically’ extract money/material gains from victims, bombing is directed at

“

The new trends of bombing portend danger to our existence as a nation, even though it was foreseeable, and avoidable.

In the history of terrorism, bombing is a grotesque weapon of resentment. And from the view point of terrorists, it remains an effective strategy for invoking lawlessness and bringing any government to its knees

a State, and it derives from spite, malice, vindictiveness, and aimed at causing maximum damage and mayhem. While news of robberies and kidnappings usually tend to cause local ripples, that of bombings would usually echo internationally.

When agitators in a national polity resort to settle scores by degenerating from robbery to kidnapping, and then from hired assassinations to bombing, serious questions must be asked. We should be questioning how our social miasma has led to the present mindset of a people. How a hitherto resilient society has broken down into a seeming state of anomie. The mere thought of similar happenings in the Far East, andPersian Gulfshould send chills down the spine of any Nigerian who knows the implication of this cesspool in which we find ourselves.

Our government must mobilize all its instruments of power to secure its homeland from anarchy. We must begin to create our own national security reality, and stop ‘hoping’ that a mentally and physically brutalized people will happily carry the burden of ‘security consciousness’ that is often preached. It is absolute poppycock to expect that.

Government must sensitize its people by providing the enabling environment upon which ‘security consciousness’ can thrive. It is only then that we can rightly say we are home and dry. Right now, we cannot claim to have ‘arrived’. The onus is squarely on the government.

Charles Ebun-Amu is a criminologist/security analyst based in the United Kingdom (UK)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 15

Nigeria: A world of greys (II)

By Samuel A. Caulcrick

T

he first must-do, concerns the exchange rate of the naira. As of today, because of the faulty tax system in Nigeria, the majority of those that are willing to buy the forex from government at whatever price are largely under-taxed. This generates a faulty market force and the ensuing value of the naira is, therefore, suspect. The system produces a large volume of loose money in the system that causes a distortion of unparalleled colossus, particularly as what they are willing to pay is what is used as the official exchange rate for everybody in the country.

Even if we say it is OK for Nigerians, what about those wanting to invest in Nigeria? It definitely is a disincentive to foreign investors, who fear that such a system will dilute their investments down the years. You could imagine an investor bringing in a billion U.S. dollars into Nigeria, only to have it valued to a fraction of what it is worth in dollar term, say in 10 years due to the madness at the bi-weekly WDAS at the CBN. In these regards, only quick-get-in and quick-get-out kind of investment would risk coming to our shores.

The second must-do is how to effect a workable cost of borrowing.

It is a fact that the money in the banks does not belong to the banks; it is depositors’ money. The banks need deposits to remain in

By Abubakar Umar

B

oko Haram’s ambition of creating a climate of fear, terror and panic ahead of their plan to re-invent Nigeria, seems close to reality. A visitor to some of the major cities in northern Nigeria - Kano, Bauchi, Maiduguri, Kaduna etc - will be forgiven to conclude that Nigeria is at war. Indeed, every passing day brings heart-rending stories of cruel killings by Boko Haram’s bombs, panic stricken citizens running helter-skelter. And with police and military check-points conducting widespread stop and search everywhere, the scenario of a nation at war is hardly disputable.

There are many, many issues that the Boko Haram insurgency has thrown up which cannot be easily addressed; some have no solutions at all. For example, Boko Haram say their prime goal is to impose Shari’a Law throughout Northern Nigeria. In other words, they are seeking to dismantle this country as we know it and to create another in which they alone will rule. But we have also been told that they want to eradicate decadence, corruption and injustice in our body politic.

And so on.

Yet, whatever it is that Boko Haram want to achieve or create, one thing they seem to be doing rather well now is setting the various groups in Nigeria one against the other. One day, Boko

business, and we all know that who pays the piper dictates the tune. For as long as the largest single depositors in Nigerian banks are still individuals, government’s control of interest rates will remain a mirage. One of the ways most states, in a capitalist economy, use to dictate the tune of interest rates is through the proceeds of the Insurance Industry. Since it is through legislation that we have to insure this or that, the volume of premium deposits in such a regime would soon add up to become the largest single deposits in local banks. With the high volume of insurance premium deposits, the government would have created a pool for domestic borrowing at cheaper costs. The government could then use that leverage to exert authority on the banks to enforce CBN or whatever regulatory stated interest rates.

Individual depositor would have no choice, but to conform.

The third must-do is the urgent need for Tax Reform. Most economists agree that government is a collective entity that has to be funded by compulsory contributions from every matured member of the community that meets certain criteria. The process is known as taxation. There is no alternative to tax for the running of governments and there can never be a perfect tax system, but the goal is toward social equity.

Usually, government owns certain percentage of every naira

in the citizen’s pocket as tax.

People pay higher as their wealth increases. It makes sense because they have more to lose. The thorny issue of the removal of subsidy, for instance, from the premium motor spirit (PMS) could easily have been addressed by tax that compels the rich to pay their fair share. Besides, one of the reasons given was that the not-too-poor were those benefiting from the subsidy. That group could have been made to pay more through tax. In doing so, the process would have shielded the poorer members of the society from the “poll-tax” or equal tax, which is what the removal of subsidy tantamount to.

This writer supports the removal of subsidy on petrol in the long run, or better still, the deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry.

However, PMS and Kerosene, in Nigeria of today, are still key commodities just like education and health. The palliatives being suggested ought to shield the very poor from the use of PMS; after which government could remove the subsidy. In other economies, the poor does not come in contact with petrol in any form. Right now, because there are no mass transit that does not depend on PMS and no steady commercial electricity, the poor, like everybody else, still have to move around on Okada, or in minibuses that use PMS; they still have to generate their electricity with PMS fuelled generators. Until the

palliatives that make the poor ride on a bus or on a train that use diesel or electricity are put in place, there is no moral justification to remove fuel subsidy.

One way of shielding the poor from the removal of fuel subsidy is to provide steadier electricity for domestic use.

Here is a suggestion: most protagonists agree that if we have to subsidise, we should subsidise production and not consumption.

In that light, I suggest that some industrial users of electricity should be disconnected from the national grid in the meantime.

This will create extra capacity for domestic and light business use.

That being so, we would be shielding the poor from the use of PMS and kerosene. The electricity tariff will be such that the first part of billing for every user across the board, irrespective of class, is affordable and equivalent to the cost of electricity consumption of six lighting points for six hours everyday for 30 days.

Thereafter, the electricity tariff should go up geometrically.

Those disconnected from the national grid, meanwhile, could then have their energy costs subsidised. Since they will be the only users of diesel and industrial gas, they will still buy the fuel at commercial rates, but apply for discount from the national treasury with evidence of unit production. This will go on until the country is in a position to provide enough commercial

electricity for both domestic and industrial use put together. Right now, we do not have that capacity: whatever we doing is self delusion.

All these things I have written in the past repeatedly, but nobody looks at it with a second glance because I am not a paper certified economist. But, whatever the gurus have proposed is not working and that is because they are short of fundamentals. How can you have a robust economy that is not translating to jobs? Then something is fundamentally wrong. Why are we scared to even discuss these fundamentals, instead of chasing shadows? They want to re-invent government and economics with flawed economic tools. Of course they cannot, because they do not have the capacity. From the time government was invented in Mesopotamia, there has never been a substitute for tax to fund progressive government; you cannot have an equitable value of a currency, for example, through auctioning, it has to be through productivity. Anyway, as Nigerians we prefer an easy way out of a situation. Instead of demanding steady electricity we rush to buy generators; instead of constant water supply, we sink individual boreholes. We too are trying to re-invent by making government irrelevant.

Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick resides in Lagos.

Concluded

Nigeria isn’t easily reversible Haram say they are killing christians because Christians are killing Muslims; another day, they say they will drive southerners out of the North because southerners are sending Northerners out of the South; yet another day, Boko Haram would say they are fighting the government because government leaders and agents are corrupt and unjust, etc After that, they will stand aside and watch with glee as the different groups engage each other in mutual blame and recrimination.

Despite all this, what is clear and what we all see is that Boko Haram remains on the offensive and their bombs do not discriminate between friends and foe; notwithstanding their propaganda. And in the face of the generalized climate of fear, apprehensions and mistrust, people respond in ways that are neither calm nor measured, precisely the type of reaction that pleases Boko Haram. This has to change. People of goodwill everywhere must beware of the Religious leaders, leaders of ethnic or regional groups and politicians, at all levels, should step back and ponder the role they wittingly or unwittingly have played in the successes Boko Haram has recorded in its bloody campaign to destabilize Nigeria.

One particularly unhelpful reaction came from certain Igbo leaders who advised their kinsmen in the wake of the onslaught by Boko Haram to move out of Northern Nigeria and to return to their ancestral homes in the east.

Clearly, such advice, apart from playing into the hands of the insurgents, is a wanton infringement of the civic and legal rights of the people. An Igbo, Urhobo, Efamai, Ekwere etc. living in Damaturu, Minna, Zonkwa or Yola are bonafide citizens of these cities as are Kanuri, Tiv, Nupe or Hausafulani living in Port Harcourt, Umuahia, Onitsha or Shagamu. This is a right our Constitution has prescribed; a right no one, not even temporary difficulties, should take away. Besides, certain situations make such ideas utterly anachronistic if not entirely illogical. Over 200 people were reportedly killed and over a thousand others injured with many more displaced when two long feuding communities in Ezillo council area of Ebonyi state clashed towards the end of last year. Where were the survivors advised to re-locate to? Nowhere else.

Truth is, Nigeria is currently in the grip of unprecedented crisis of insecurity - Boko Haram, kidnappings, armed robberies,

militancy, communal conflicts etc - and there is no shortage of purveyors of doomsday reports, feeding a vicious cycle of suspicions, conspiracies and more insecurity. As the authorities grapple with ways to address these challenges, Nigerians must remain unflinching in their support and cooperation so that together we will keep these troubles on the front banner until they are addressed.

Now, whether we need to address our national problems through a sovereign national conference as some are suggesting or through the constitutional instrument of the legislature must take account of certain facts of contemporary history.

Despite the imperfections of a federal set up, it provides a security umbrella to all its federating units. People are quick to cite the success stories of countries that were created as a result of division Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Sudan, etc. Often, they would rather not discuss the greater success stories of countries that preserved their unity, including Indonesia, Canada, Germany, nor the problems with which the splinter republics grapple with.

This is true not only of Pakistan or South Sudan but even more ominously so with the former

Soviet Republics.

Unarguably, Nigeria is grappling with an unwieldy administrative structure, a problem brought about in part by agitations for self determination that led to the creation of many unviable states and local governments. It is our duty and responsibility to nurture our country and steer it out of any temporary difficulties until it attains the perfection we admire in others. Any one preaching or advocating anything to the contrary should know of the implications not to talk of the grave consequences on the lives of so many people across the country.

We will say this openly and frankly and without fear of contradiction that given the spread and depth of our integration as a people, it is futile to expect Igbos, Hausa, Yoruba or any ethnic group to relocate easily or peacefully to their ancestral lands even if Nigeria were broken up. It is not time alone; many things in nature are not reversible. And we should never forget, it is decisions taken in moments such as this that shape our destiny.

Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, a retired Nigerian Army colonel, is a former military governor of old Kaduna state.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Kuchi Bena: Where life is short and brutish

By Udoh Chidozie Ernest

FEATURE

W

ater defined as a tasteless and odourless substance, is an essential in life. It is needed for good and healthy living by every living being.

Plants also depend on it for existence. It is used for domestic chores and other things necessary for a clean environment. Without water, there would be no life on planet earth.

Despite class differences, no matter how rich or poor a country might be, access to good, clean and potable water remains a basic human right of every citizen, because without it, people are forced to rely on unsafe sources to meet their water needs.

In Nigeria, water scarcity has continued to pose a big challenge among the people.

Governments at all levels have being giving it less attention than it requires.

Abuja as the capital city of Nigeria by certain standards is expected by many to have abundance of water. After all, it is the seat of power and a modern city competing with other modern cities in the world.

However, it is unfortunate that residents of Abuja and its surburbs are living with water scarcity.

In Kuchi Bena, one of the villages in Abuja, located inside Gwarimpa which has been in its current settlement even before the relocation of the seat of power from Lagos to Abuja, the indigenes there go through different categories of ordeal to get this God given resource. As essential as water is, it has become a very scarce community in the country and the people of Kuchi Bena have resorted to converting stagnant muddles, which ordinarily no human being in his right senses will wash with, into drinking water.

To the people of Kuchi Bena, the relocation of the FCT from Lagos to Abuja has become more of a curse than blessing as they allege that if Abuja were to be an independent state, they would not be going through their present ordeal.

A recent visit to Kuchi

Kuchi Bena residents fetching water from unhygenic pits.

Bena, showed that there is much to be done in order to achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs) that needs to be done if we must achieve our MDGs. It is a fact that the society has been structured in a way that makes for class differences, however denying citizens of the basic needs of life especially the all important life saving water amounts to insensitivity of the highest order by any government to its citizenry. The people of Kuchi Bena have being wondering aloud what wrong they have done to the FCT administration to be so treated.

Narrating the ordeal of the community, the village head, Chief,George Gozhewo, told our reporter that they had a river where they get clean and pure drinking water until developers came with the relocation of the federal capital to Abuja.

According to him, AMAC only drilled a borehole for them four years back, and since then, “they have not come to see how we have been fairing with the borehole.

“These developers covered our only source of drinking water, the river and built structures there, ever since, we

have been saddled with the problem of where to get clean water for sustenance”. The village head said.

Some people in the community blamed their misfortune on one Alhaji Kabiru, who they alleged was the developer of one Sahara Estate, located within their locality, which destroyed all their rivers leaving them with no source of water and with no provision for an alternative source.

Efforts made by our reporter to hear from the said developer were not successful.

This shows the level of insensitiveness of our government.

How can government donate a borehole to a whole community with a generator and relax, without

making plans on how to give them a sustainable means of enjoying their right to clean water, even as they knew that they don’t have electricity”.

These days, water has become like the elusive kerosine in Kuchi Bena village, though the villagers have tasked themselves and built another bore hole and some wealthy residents building a few more, yet access to portable water still persists.

This is due largely to the fact that premium motor spirit (petrol) needed to power the gen sets have become unaffordable especially with the removal of fuel subsidy and the attendant hike in the product.

A gallon of water cost N30 from boreholes built by private

“

Some people in the community blamed their misfortune on one Alhaji Kabiru, who they alleged was the developer of one Sahara Estate, located within their locality, which destroyed all their rivers leaving them with no source of water and with no provision for an alternative source

individuals while the one built

by AMAC sells a gallon for N10.

The irony of it all is that to get a gallon from the AMAC borehole amounts to passing a camel’s head through a needle since one can spend all day there because of the long queues.

When the indigenes that were fetching water from the stagnant spring water, rushing out from the ground somewhere in the community were asked why they chose to fetch that unhygienic water against the boreholes, they said that was what they could afford.

“Sometimes when there is no money of fuel, we fetch that one and drink,” said Jonathan Dayabi, an indigene.

When our reporter went to FCT headquarters of water board, efforts made to get clarification on why the board has not extended its services to the village proved abortive as neither the director nor the PRO were on sit when Peoples Daily visited.

Aside water, indigenes of Kuchi Bena have no electricity since there is no PHCN presence in the community. Also, they do not have schools, neither good roads nor a health facility.

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Tel: 09-2349080-98 Fax: 09-2349074

Maitama - 08038485123 Central Police Station - 08033568389 Lugbe - 08077657371; 08037882321 Wuse - 08053088102 National Assembly - 08065777706; 08045317637 Asokoro - 07028134449 Nyanya - 08046115181 Utako - 07055888119; 07038621264 Karshi - 08023565354

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- 080 33062496 - 08060568342 - 08057467369 - 08037209328

FCT HOTLINE AEPB 09 - 4603600-9

08065560315

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 17

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

ABUJA DIARY with Josephine Ella Jomarch4@yahoo.com 08065327178

FCTA and litigation

T

he unprecedented rise in the number of pieces of litigation against the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in recent times has become a pain in the neck of the administration and a source of concern to observers in the territory.

It has become very prevalent to read on the pages of newspapers about individuals, corporate bodies, companies and communities instituting one legal suit or the other against the FCT administration over sundry issues.

The FCTA with some of its agencies, parastatals and departments, such as the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), the Department of Land and the Department of Development Control among others, have been in and out of court to answer to summons.

The list cannot be complete without mentioning the Area Councils of the Territory, especially the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

The FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, lamenting recently the worrisome dimension the issue has assumed, revealed that there were over 2, 000 of such cases still pending in various courts in the FCT. Basically, the bulk of these legal suits arise from land issues involving the double allocation of land syndrome which the land administration system of the FCTA has been fraught with.

Last year in January, when the FCT minister paid the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Lawal Hassan Gummi a courtesy visit, he specifically told him that 90 per cent of the total litigations filed against the FCT administration involved land matters, several of which are still pending in courts.

The situation whereby, funds which ought to be channeled into the provision of infrastructure to augment the existing over-stretched facilities across the territory is being expended by the FCT Administration on lost cases through litigations with the attendant damages and fines remains a burden to the FCT Administration.

Instances of such cases these past three months include, the Kpaduma Community case against the

FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) over threat to lives and attempts to forcefully displace the indigenes from their community.

The community is seeking for an injunction from court to stop FCTA, FCDA and AMAC from displacing the original indigenes by re-allocating their plots of land to none indigenes and some government officials without providing necessary facilities for resettlement of the indigenes.

If this be the scenario, the question that naturally comes to mind is why would the FCT authorities boycott the due process of first resettling and compensating the indigenes before re-allocating their lands as the case should be ordinarily?

Also, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) instituted a legal suit against the FCT minister and the Secretary, FCT Social Development Secretariat, Mrs Blessing Onuh at an Abuja High Court in what could be described as a test case for the recently passed Freedom of Information Act 2011.

The NUJ in the application filed by Mr. Austine Uno Esq, is seeking the court to compel Onuh to make available to it detailed information on activities, incomes, expenditure, funding of NGOs, rehabilitation of prostitutes, hawkers, beggars and their likes by her office.

The applicant averred that it had written to SDS since October 14, 2011 for the office to avail it of the information as required by law but was ignored, Seeking the relief of the court to enforce the provisions of the FoI Act 2011 as contained in Section 2 and Sections 6, 7 and 8 of the Act. In another case, this one about five months ago, Thursday, August 25, 2011 two residents of the FCT filed a

lawsuit against the FCTA at the Maitama High Court amounting to the sum of N412 million.

The duo, Abimbola Ojo and Miriam Olofu instituted the case for abduction/unlawful arrest, unlawful detention, assault, libel and malicious prosecution by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).

By simply complying with these provisions above and doing the right things would the secretariat and the agency not have ordinarily saved the administration these cases?

Presently, the FCTA is facing the challenges of legal framework for some agencies of the administration.

So many FCTA bills are in the National Assembly waiting to be passed into law including that of Property Tax which is expected to improve the financial fortunes of the Administration.

The bill giving legal instrument to the Satellite Towns’ Development as the Federal Capital City can’t develop without carrying along the satellite towns is still on the floor of the National Assembly, while the Bill, for the establishment of Rent Tribunal for the FCT, known as “Recovery of Premises Act,” among others are still pending.

There is course for worry that valuable productive hours and energy that should be committed to accelerate passage of the bills, formulate policies, legal framework that could improve the revenue base of the FCT and better the lots of residents are being wasted unnecessary on court cases.

Regrettably, the FCTA has lost most of these cases which continues to eat dip into the financial fortunes of the government.

This calls for urgent intervention by all stakeholders, giving the enormous financial weight it is exerting on the administration’s budget.

It was with a view to reverse this worrisome trend that the FCT Legal Secretariat last week Wednesday, convened a meeting of stakeholders to brainstorm on the best ways to reduce litigations against the administration and its agencies.

As observed by the FCT General Counsel/Secretary, Legal Secretariat, Barrister Ima Okopongete, what makes a good administrator is having good solicitors to offer quality advice.

There is need for reorientation of stakeholders on key mandate secretariats, departments and agencies in the FCT Administration to ensure drastic cut in the up surging litigations against the administration.

If stakeholders play their parts in this regard, apart from improving the image of the FCT Administration, this would reduce the amount of scarce resources expended on court cases.

L-R: Executive Secretary of Kwali Area Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Pai, Chairman of the Council, Hon. Joseph Shazin and Vice Chairman, Alhaji Usman Jiya, during the first quarter meeting on the development of the council, in Kwali Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Mahmud Isa

FCT hospitals get over N34m automated laboratory equipment

By Josephine Ella

T

he Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS) in partnership with a medical laboratory company, DCL Limited have donated 24 state of the art laboratory machines to all the twelve district hospitals in the Territory.

While making the presentation to the hospitals yesterday, the Secretary, HHSS, Dr. Demola Onakomaiya said the step was geared towards providing effective and qualitative health care to all residents. ”We want to fully automate all laboratory services in the FCT. Where there is automation in process in all the secondary healthcare facilities, be it

Robochi , Kuje, Kwali and other rural communities, people there do not have to come around to the city.

“This will bring about quality, reduce error margin in the conventional laboratory testing and bring about conducive atmosphere for people to work” He said.

The equipment provided are 12 Hematology analysers, which was obtained free through a Public Private Partnership(PPP) arrangement with the company while the other, Chemistry analyser, 12 in number was procured from the company by the secretariat.

According to the secretary, “the company supplied the secretariat with 12 of these machines and we signed an agreement whereby we will buy their products for five years”.

Speaking to journalists in a separate interview, the Head, Medical Laboratory Services, FCT Hospital Management Board, Mrs Doris Oriaku said that the cost of running test with the machines is very minimal as it is with other services in the hospitals which are highly subsidised.

Also speaking, the Managing Director, DCL Limited, Anyanwu Okechukwu said the company entered into the agreement which on the long run will earn them the patronage of the secretariat in the next 5-10 years.

According to him; “The 12 Haematology analysers are valued at over N34 million and the cost of laboratory test is going to reduce because the machines are very effective in terms of reagent”.

Abuja designed without consideration to terrorism, minister laments

By Josephine Ella

T

he Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed has lamented the Boko Haram onslaught across the country, regretting that facilities in the Territory were prone to terrorist attacks as the city was not planned with this in mind.

Speaking when he received participants in an Executive Intelligence Course 5, from security agencies in the territory, he said: “The master plan was not conceptualised to terrorism

when it was being built so our facilities are prone to attacks”.

He lamented that in a bid to forestall a possible attack, the administration has resorted to blocking specific routes, saying “by doing this we are creating traffic gridlocks so it is like moving from one problem to the other”.

He commended the security agencies, particularly the Director, Institute for Security Studies Mr. O. A Odugbemi for their pro-activeness and living up to the challenges.

He pledged the administration’s assistance towards ensuring safety of

lives and properties and making the city safe haven for investors.

Earlier, the Director, who led the team of very senior officers on the courtesy visit, said they had commenced an Intelligence Management Course 5, last week, tagged, ‘National Security and the Transformation Agenda’.

He explained that the participants visited several places as part of the course; hence they deemed it fit to visit the minister to get first hand information on how the transformation agenda in the FCT is impacting positively to national security.

Kwali chair assures workers on cheap houses

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he Chairman, Kwali Area Council, Hon Joseph Shazin has assured that his administration,would provide cheap and affordable houses for

members of staff in the council.

Shazin gave this assurance yesterday at the quarterly staff forum, adding that they were planning to acquire a land and through the Public Private Partnership (PPP), they would get a developer to build cheap

and subsidized houses for its staff.

In his words: “We have a lot of developers in Kwali Area Council and we will invite them to come and start developing so that my members of staffs can benefit from the scheme”.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 19

amunuimam@yahoo.co.uk 08033644990

FG to train 25 women traders on solar energy in India

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Federal Ministry of Environment on Wednesday informed the House of Representatives that plans have been concluded for twenty-five illiterate market women would be sponsored by the government to undergo training in solar energy in India.

National coordinator of the Renewable Energy unit in the Federal ministry of environment, Engr. (Mrs.) Hadiza Abubakar said this is a collaborative programme between the Ministry and an Indian concern, SIMBA. Abubakar made the disclosure when she led the Indians to the House Committee on Climate Change chaired by Rep Ezeuche Ubani.

She said the beneficiaries of the programme, on the completion of their training and return to Nigeria are expected train other women, adding that the essence was to create employment and eliminate poverty amongst women and the youth.

Abubakar disclosed that the Ministry, through the project, has already set up a renewable energy village in Kaduna and has accessed funds available for the project.

She however expressed disgust that presently, undeserving Nigerians are the ones benefiting from the aid provided by the Indian government noting that her recent visit to India revealed that about six Nigerians undergoing training under the partnership had nothing to do with the programme.

She said “for the past 20 years,

the Indian government has provided funds for technology transfer and training of Nigerians but when I visited India last month, I discovered that the recipients were not the deserving Nigerians. Six Nigerian students were there without knowledge about the issue” The coordinator called for the introduction of Clean Energy (CNG) in the country to power buses for city and town transportation as it is the case in

New Delhi, India. Explaining further, she disclosed that the TATA Group of companies has agreed to send prototype buses for the project to Nigeria in the next four months.

Responding, Ubani assured the delegation that the committee would assist by ensuring that clean energy project is embraced by the government and people of Nigeria.

He said the committee would soon engage all stakeholders and embark on enlightenment

INSIDE - Pg 22 Coca-Cola plans N62bn investment campaign throughout the country.

According to the chairman, “We are going to bring stakeholders to discuss renewable energy because there has to be legislation in place to facilitate the introduction of this project in the country”.

He noted that since the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) company produces clean energy, it could be commissioned to run the project, adding that the essence of the clean energy is that very soon, kerosene lanterns would be eliminated in Nigeria.

Embrace transparency, good governance to combat poverty – NEITI boss

By Muhammad Nasir & Rukaiya Muhammad

T

he extractive sector of the nation’s economy have been urged to enthrone a regime of good governance, accountability and transparency, to ensure that revenues from Nigeria’s abundant natural resources translate to good

Flight schedule AIR NIGERIA (MONDAY - SUNDAY) LOS-ABJ : 07.15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.30, 17.00, 17.20, 18.30.

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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-A BJ: 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

roads, water supply, housing, reliable electricity, security, healthcare, education and improvement of general well being of all Nigerians.

The call was made by the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives (NEITI) Mrs. Zainab Ahmed yesterday during NEITI’s National Conference Abuja 2012 which held at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja.

To realise this objective, she said there is need for NEITI to focus on ensuring that revenues paid by companies and what government receives are made public through regular and independent NEITI Audit reports.

The NEITI boss said the goal is to provide the public, the legislature and the civil society organisations adequate information and data through the audit findings, to enable them ask informed questions, promote debate, discussions and dialogue on how to prudently manage the revenues from the natural resources that can aid development and reduce poverty.

She maintained that the ongoing debate over management of revenues from oil and gas, the subsidy debates, the series of probes by the National Assembly, increasing civil society, media and public inquiry into the processes of revenue resources, management and how it has impacted on national development are in line with the goals and objectives of EITI, which NEITI represent in Nigeria.

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• £ RIYAL $

Unity Bank launches Qik Qik mobile payments

By Abdulwahab Isa

I

n line with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy drive on cashless economy and electronic payment, Unity Bank of Nigeria plc has launched Unity Bank Qik Qik mobile payments service for the convenience of its numerous clients.

Speaking yesterday, during the presentation /official launch of the mobile payment, Unity Bank’s Managing Director, Alhaji Ado Y. Wanka said the introduction of QikQik mobile payment by the bank will complement the e-banking service already put in place by the bank.

He said, based on special

BUYING 215 260 40 160

SELLING 217 262 42 162

interest of the Bank for the vulnerable and poor of society, Qik Qik mobile payment is a most convenient and enhancing way to bring banking service to the door step of the poor.

According to him,” A key component of Unity QikQik mobile payments service is the Agent Network, which will cover all Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Nigeria and serve as service points to deliver financial services to hitherto excluded segments of our population”.

He said registered agents will be trained on the bank’s platform on roles ranging from providing financial and

other services on the QikQik platform to the consumer. Such services include: registration of customers, funds transfer over mobile phones, bill payments among others.

In a remark earlier, the Bank’s Executive Director in charge of Information Technology, Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed listed benefits derivable from mobile banking to include: a secure and convenient payment anywhere in Nigeria and financial inclusion for people, especially those at the grassroots.

Unity Bank’s Plc Qik Qik mobile payment is being executed by the bank with the assistance of Eartholeum Newtwor Service with direct supervision of the CBN.

Management Tip of the Day

8th Feb, 2012 BUYING SELLING 0.2923 0.3123 206.4418 207.7694 247.0429 248.6316 41.4622 41.7289 155.5 156.5

PARALLEL RATES

ABJ-LOS: 11.30, 3.45, 4.45

L-R: 1st Deputy President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Dr. Ifeanyi okoye, President, Dr. Theo Okonkwo, and 2nd Deputy President, Chief Ugo Chime addressing a news conference in Enugu, yesterday on the 23rd Enugu international trade fair.

Photo: NAN

N

Make use of customer check-ins

ew technologies allow companies to attract, reward, and engage customers in new ways. For example, with location-based mobile tools, customers can check in to a store and show their contacts that they’ve been there.

These tools are meant to be playful and fun, and can create

free buzz for a retailer. Here are two ways to use them: Make creative offers.

Giving people a N100 off for checking in is boring and predictable. Offer a donation to a local charity for every checkin on a certain day or ask customers to post pictures of themselves in your store to earn

a discount.

Reward the “mayors.” People who have the most check-ins earn the title of mayor.

Encourage frequent visits by giving them perks: Allow them to cut a long line or get a prime parking spot.

Source: Harvard Business Review

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS

GE to build 10,000mw power plant in Nigeria

G

eneral Electric (GE), a leading global company, originating from the USA, is to construct a 10,000 megawatts power plant in Nigeria, Minister of Power, Barth Nnaji has said.

Qtr-1 2012: UBA forecasts N15.1bn pre-tax profit

F

orecast made available to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed that United Bank of Africa(UBA) shall record a Gross Earnings of N59 billion and Profit-Before-Tax of N15.1 billion for the period ending March 31, 2012.

World Bank offers to boost investment climate, business practice

T

he Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, has assured that his ministry will continue to engage the support of stakeholders to ensure that all action plans with their appropriate timelines, are fully implemented as the World Bank also pledges to support the Trade and Investment Ministry and the Lagos State government with its wealth of knowledge in terms of investment climate reforms and Business practice reforms.

Indorama announces rise in domestic consumption of plastics

I

ndorama Corporation, operators of the Eleme Petrochemical Company, said the per capita domestic consumption of plastics in Nigeria, has increased from 3 kilogrammes to 4.5 kilogrammes, since it started operations, but noted it still has a long way to go, in comparison with the global average per capital consumption of 9 kilogrammes,”.

NEXIM Bank rakes N900m profit, targets N1.3 billion in 2012

T

he Nigerian Export –Import (NEXIM) Bank has announced an impressive unaudited profit of about N900 million for the 2011 fiscal year, exclusive of some N172 million provision for bad loans in its books.

Singapore’s Olam buys Nigerian biscuits maker for N25.9bn

S

ingapore agriculture firm, Olam International Ltd yesterday said it has bought Nigerian biscuits and candy maker, Titanium Holding Company SA for $167 million ( about N25.9 billion ).

Demuren blames pilots for runway incursions Stories from Suleiman Idris, Lagos

M

ost of the recent runway incursions in some airports have been attributed to loss of situational awareness and failure of pilots to comply with instructions from air traffic control.

The Director-General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren made the disclosure in Lagos, at the forum on-Runway Safety and Pavement Maintenance- jointly organised by NCAA,US DOT, FAA, the US Safe Sky for Africa.

He said recent data shows that air carriers and multi-pilot crew operations are involved in 20 percent of reported runway incursion events.

According to him, the problem of runway incursions touches many parts of an air carrier’s organisation, thus it deserves attention at all levels of air carrier management and line operations.

Through continued management emphasis and specific training for pilots and maintenance personnel, he said air carriers could instill permanent and effective understanding of the runway incursion problem and the means to eliminate it.

Dr. Demuren therefore recommended that pilots, maintenance personnel and ground personnel review airport signage, markings and lighting, as well as airport diagrams, notices to airmen and automatic terminal information service broadcasts to ensure that they are aware of any taxiway or runway closures, construction activities and other related risks.

Other recommendations called for increased attention to situational awareness, better use of crew resource management and proper radio communication and compliance with appropriate taxi techniques.

He also urge operators, directors of safety, training and maintenance and chief pilots, maintenance personnel as well as other personnel involved in taxiing aircraft or operating vehicles within the airport operation area to include runway incursion

A

prevention in all training programs and to track runway incursion trends to determine need for review of causes and current practices.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) he pointed out introduced safety initiatives aimed at reducing runway-related accidents, in late May 2011 by ICAO member states, IATA, and the Flight Safety Foundation during the first meeting of the ICAO Global Runway Safety Symposium held in Montreal,

Canada.

He explained that there was a clear understanding on the roles and responsibilities of each of the partners in reducing and working towards eliminating runway incursions and excursion. A multidisciplinary approach became the only option for coming to grips with a complex set of operational and human factors issues.

The initiatives include runway safety seminars to be held around the world to help develop regional

action plans and encourage the formation of runway safety teams that will involve airlines, airports and air navigation service providers.

One challenge still facing ICAO is achieving better coordination of programs implemented by individual countries and facilities “so that the sharing of information and best practices can benefit aviation stakeholders more quickly and on a globally harmonised basis”.

Airport correspondents evacuated from the VIP lounge of Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos now send stories to their offices from an open car park.

ICPC completes inspection of NAMA facilities

A

three-man team of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has ended a two-day systemic inspection of facilities of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

The team, led by Mr. Ambrose Songo also has Mr. Shehu Gambo and Mr. Omotosho Gbeminiyi on the inspection

visit.

They were conducted round the facilities and especially to the site of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria at the Murtala MohammedInternational Airport in Lagos, by the Director of Operations of NAMA. The team inspected among others the radar scopes (screen), simulators, the power house and both the primary and

secondary radarantennas and allied facilities.

Last weekend, the acting Chairman of ICPC, Mr. Ekpo Nta had said the Commission, while vigorously pursuing its law enforcement duties, would aggressively step up its system review of institutions in the public sector in its effort to minimise systemic corruption in thecountry.

Arik Air commits to security of operations

rik Air has again emphasized its commitment to security and to undertake a series of enhanced measures in response to the growing security threat in the country.

To this end, new aviation security experts, with previous experience in Iraq and Afghanistan and fully trained in counter-terrorism, are being deployed in Abuja and Lagos to assist local staff to ensure that the airline’s staff continue to operate at the very highest security level on an ongoing basis.

Currently, the domestic Chief Security Officer (CSO) and Standards & Training Manager have been trained to the highest European standards and endorsed by the International Civil Aviation

Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Group CEO/ President of Arik Air, Dr. Michael ArumemiIkhide said of the measures being undertaken by the airline: “Safety and security are the two foremost principles upon which we built Arik Air. Today, there is undoubtedly an ever-increasing and marked threat to the general public from a number of groups and it is, therefore, incumbent upon all members of the public to be vigilant towards this threat and inform security personnel of any suspicious activity.

“All industries, including ours, are applying their best endeavours to ensure that the public is secured against any potential threats. Whilst we

appreciate that enacting these measures may potentially cause some disruption and inconvenience we ask the public to remember that this is being done in the best interests of their safety, he stated.

In the past, Arik Air has been recognised for its commitment to safety and security and continues to put a premium on all issues relating to the security of its passengers. Only recently it was awarded the “Best Security & Safety Conscious Airline in West Africa” by the Security Watch Africa’s Board of Trustees.

It already has one of the largest security departments in the civil airline industry but is strengthening the security department overall with the recruitment of local and

expatriate staff. Employing the very best personnel in the aviation security industry, Arik Air has also brought in new equipment to assist security officers in their jobs.

It currently uses its own Xray equipment, in addition to its own explosive and narcotic equipment. 2012 will also see the company develop its own specialist search teams for indepth aircraft and passenger searches.

The security teams are led by experienced personnel who have worked in various airport environments ranging from Glasgow International Airport, Scotland to Baghdad International Airport in Iraq and have served in the British Army, with over eighty years of accumulated experience in counter-terrorism.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 21

Non-oil sector: Re-focusing NEXIM as an alternative potential Concerns over the mis-management of crude oil proceeds by successive administrations invariably has led to experts’ call for urgent diversification to the non-oil sector of Nigeria’s economy. At a 2012 budget defense session recently, the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance tasked the Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM) boss, Mr. Robert Ungwaga Orya, to actualize the bank’s transformation agenda, being the agency driving the non-oil sector policy of government. Abdulwahab Isa, in this report, examines how NEXIM is playing this pivotal role.

T

he discovery of oil as the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy has inarguably done more harm than good to the Nigerian economy.

The sixth largest producer of oil, and a key member of Oil Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Nigeria has fallen down the ladder with respect to developments such as infrastructure, quality of life by its citizens which does not reflect the standard obtained in the ranks of other OPEC member countries.

Instead, oil proceeds are being cornered by privileged few. Rather than being a weapon of achieving unity, oil has become lately a potent tool capable of splitting Nigeria along divided lines.

Ironically, Nigeria earned its greatness within the comity of nations, not as an oil producing nation, but by its feat and prowess in the non-oil sector, agriculture to be precise. Nigeria was so strong, competing favourably in agriculture, earning the appellation of a viable agricultural nation.

Agriculture then catered for 80 per cent of employment and was also the major source of nation’s foreign exchange. That was in the 60’s and early 70’s before oil exploration relegated agriculture to the back stage.

However, conscious efforts to reverse the trend have begun. At the Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM) , the agency charged with the responsibility of promoting and sustaining the promotion of nonoil export has been transformed and reinvigorated to live up to the task.

Established primarily to promote of non-oil exports, NEXIM was docile and hugely inactive prior to 2009. The appointment of ex-Afribank Director, Mr. Robert Ungwaga Orya, an investment banker as NEXIM Managing Director/ CEO in 2009 has seen to a rapid and sustained transformation in the fortunes of the bank.

The Senate Committee on Budget and Insurance recently summoned the NEXIM boss on two major issues - the 2012 budget defense, and for Orya to give account of his transformation of NEXIM since 2009.

Orya told members of senate committee on banking and insurance that in 2009, NEXIM contributed

NEXIM MD/CEO, Mr. Robert U. Orya immensely to enhance the contribution of the non-oil sectors to the GDP through funding interventions in non oil sectors where the country has high export potentials and comparative advantage.

In the agricultural sector for instance, NEXIM he said, funded a lot of Greenfield and start-up projects that have become successful and were published on the CBN’s Top 100 Exporters List.

He said so much has happened in the mining sector where the bank is providing the required assistance to get the industry well structured. Not minding the enormous risk, he

said, NEXIM is stepping up to its role as a development financial institution, to provide the relevant products to stimulate and attract investment to the sector to make it more viable and attractive for both the commercial banks and every other private entity that is interested to operate there.

Orya announced the determination of NEXIM to give urgent attention to the non-oil sectors of the economy – Manufacturing, Agriculture, Solid minerals and Services – which according to him, will propel Nigeria’s economy beyond expectations. Towards

“

He enumerated NEXIM’s challenges in its strive to realize its medium-term plan including the issue of nonperforming loans (NPLs).

this, he presented a budget projection of N30billion to promote export-oriented investments in these sectors.

In the current year 2012, the NEXIM boss said the bank targets a profit of N1.6 billion as against the N1.1billion in the last fiscal year. Although, the committee agreed that the profit target is a modest one but they were more interested in the policy direction of NEXIM boss moving the non-oil sector forward.

He said: ”Forty-four percent will go to manufacturing, 35.8%, agriculture; 5.6%, solid mineral resources, while services take 14%”. This will create over 23,923 jobs and generate USD229. 6m forex earnings for Nigeria in the current fiscal year, through the active support of the manufacturing, agricultural, solid mineral and service sectors of the nation’s economy”.

Besides, Mr. Orya said the Bank has begun initiating a friendly policy framework for the mining sector in order to ensure full realisation of the huge potentials which if fully harnessed according to him, will surpass oil and gas sector.

The Bank, he informed the committee, is also looking in other areas capable of generating huge employment opportunities as well contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This include services sector by financing acquisition of hotels, in line with the Nigerian Tourism Development Master Plan as well as other services with high export potentials.

“We are looking at the creative arts and entertainment industry, because we believe that it’s an industry that has a high growth potential, especially towards the attainment of employment and foreign exchange earning.

It is essentially an area where you can generate a lot of employments for the youths”, he stated.

To boost trade activities across the ECOWAS border, which is its key mandate, the NEXIM boss explained to the senate committee that ”we looked at the status of Nigeria within ECOWAS (Economic Community of the West African States) sub-region and realized that the population of ECOWAS is over 300million people, with Nigeria constituting about 165million of that, ... it became obvious to us that this is the largest market and about the most dominant economy where every serious investor should show interest to invest”.

But regrettably, Mr. Orya said there are obstacles hindering Nigeria from fully exploiting the benefits of this position and he cited trade barriers as one of such obstacles.

And to tackle trade barriers,

he said NEXIM came up with an ingenius idea to alleviate the issue of intra-regional trade and integration. Reviewing the trade potentials within the ECOWAS and the Central Africa region, Mr. Orya decried the unavailability of an efficient sea transportation system that can directly connect the regions.

He said NEXIM has come up with a promotional company as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that would set up the Regional Sealink company and raise the initial funding requirement of about US$61.5 million US dollars in both debt and equity capital.

As soon as that money is raised and the company is incorporated the SPV, which was already incorporated in October 2011 would cease to exist.

The initial sponsors of the project comprise members of the Federation of West Africa Chamber of Commerce, the members of individual ECOWAS member countries Chambers of Commerce and Industry, a big logistics company based in Douala, called Transimex S.A. Cameroun, among others. He informed the Committee that the initiative has been presented and embraced by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), ECOWAS Commission (ECOWAS) Parliament and other relevant stakeholders.

He enumerated NEXIM’s challenges in its strive to realize its medium-term plan including the issue of nonperforming loans - NPLs. “Some of the debts, being owed the bank, span between 10 and 15 years and some of the debtors are banks that were liquidated in 1990’s by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Bank could only recover N418m out of about N1.9bn it planned to recover in 2011. In 2012, we plan to recover N1.3bn.

“As soon as we are able to recover that, it will go into our loss and profit account.” He however pleaded with the Upper House to assist NEXIM in getting AMCON to write off or buy over some of the toxic debts to enable it clean up its balance-sheet.

The Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Ayo Adeseun commended NEXIM under the watch of Orya for exemplary leadership and refocusing the bank towards achieving its full mandate.

He gave assurance that Senate will support the bank and any other Nigerian MDAs that show commitment to the achieving its mandate. On his part, the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance, Sen. Isa Mohammed Galaudu, described Mr. Orya as ‘God-sent to Nigerian Government institutions…’ and thanked him and his management for their proactiveness in handling the business of the bank.

PAGE 22

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Coca-Cola plans N62bn investment From Bamidele Alao, Lagos

C

oca-Cola has outlined a plan to re-invest up to $400m (about N62 billion ) of operational cost savings into brand-building initiatives over a period of four years.

The soft drinks giant is calling the initiative its ‘Productivity And Reinvestment’ programme.

The programme is part of

Coca-Cola’s “continuous approach to productivity”, which, it states, includes “redirecting resources to drive profitable growth through marketing and innovation effectiveness”.

Coca-Cola said: “Productivity is a core pillar of our 2020 Vision, and a leading priority of our company is to design and implement the most effective and efficient business system.”

...over 4 years Coca-Cola said its sparkling beverage volume was driven in Europe by its Coca-Cola main brand and Coca-Cola Zero, through the leveraging of integrated marketing campaigns focused on the Olympic Torch Relay and Christmas.

Chairman and chief executive at The Coca-Cola

Company, Muhtar Kent said, ”The Coca-Cola Company continues its momentum toward realizing our 2020 Vision, with stronger brands, clear strategies and well-focused execution to drive further growth.”

“We once again achieved financial results for both the year and the quarter in line with, or ahead of, our longterm targets, with quarterly

volume and revenue growth in every one of our five geographic operating groups. Importantly, we also continued to increase our global volume and value share in 2011,” he added.

Coca-Cola’s portfolio director for the 2012 Olympic Games, James Eadie, predicted that by volume, 75% of the drinks the company sells at the Games will be low or no-calorie products such as water, juice or smoothies.

Telecoms operators urged to improve on services

T

he National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has urged the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to prevail on telecommunications operators to improve on their services.

Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo The President of the association, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that the call was necessary because of operators’ poor services.

Ogunbanjo said that of late the customer care units of most of the operators hardly responded to queries from subscribers.

“Customers find it difficult to contact customer care representative and when it even went through, the response you will get is: All our agents are currently busy, please call back,” he said.

He urged the operators to open more customer care units

to hasten the resolution of queries.

According to Ogunbanjo, this is the time for NCC to prevail on the operators to improve on their services because the number of subscribers has soared.

“Now that subscribers are increasing, there is the need for adequate customer care agents that will attend to customers’ issues promptly.

“Customers cannot enjoy better services from telecommunications operators if there are inadequate customer care agents that will attend to customers, `` Ogunbanjo said The NATCOMS president urged operators to employ more hands to accommodate the growing number of customers on their network.

Ogunbanjo said that this would ease the huge number of subscribers queuing on the networks to get answered. (NAN)

L-R: Deputy Managing Director, Fleet Technologies Ltd., Mr. Mike Aigbe, Chief Executive Officer, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Bolaji Oyesiku, representative of GOC, 2 Div., Nigerian Army Colonel Abubakar Ibrahim, and Oyo state Commissioner for Information, Mr Bosun Oladele, launching the scratch card payment scheme for prepaid meters for customers, in Ibadan, on Wednesday.

Photo: NAN

Kwara, NERFUND approve N500m for SMEs

T

he Kwara state government and the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) have approved the release of N500 million to assist Small Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Commerce and Cooperatives, Alhaji Saka Omimago, said this recently in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin.

According to him, Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed has provided the sum of N250 million while NERFUND will provide the balance.

He explained that the fund would be disbursed in two phases of N250million each through 10 micro finance banks already identified by government.

Onimago said the SME loan was to empower artisans, market women, youths and other professionals who may not have access to funds to improve their businesses.

The commissioner told NAN that government officials, including the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on SMEs, Alhaji Lukman Adams, had earlier yesterday met with chief executives of the selected microfinance banks.

He appealed to the banks to cooperate with government to ensure the success of the initiative so that the funds could be accessed by the beneficiaries.

Onimago, however, warned beneficiaries not to see the loan as a largesse as the ministry would

ensure total recovery of the loan.

Also speaking with NAN, the Managing Director of Apex Microfinance Bank, Ilorin, Mr Oludare Adewale gave an assurance that the selected microfinance banks would ensure the success of the initiative. (NAN)

Kebbi govt to embrace agric extension, transformation action plan

T

he Kebbi Government has expressed its willingness to embrace the new Agricultural Transformation Action Plan to boost food production in the state.

The Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu said this when he received a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, led by Prof. Tunji Arokoye, in Birnin Kebbi yesterday.

Aliyu said that the implementation of the t r a n s f o r m a t i o n programme would focus on areas that would enhance food production.

He commended the Federal Government for introducing the programme which is aimed at ending food imports and reducing dependance on the oil sector.

“We will support modern agricultural technologies and methods that will exploit the potential to export food crops and revert to agriculture as the mainstay of the economy.”

Earlier, Arokoye said the team would sensitise stakeholders and state government officials to partner with the Federal Government to ensure proper implementation of the action plan.

He said that the action plan contained specific and general areas of attention to be accorded priority in agricultural production through intensive extension and advisory services.

“The decision to embark on the joint implementation with states is to ensure that by 2016, rice would no more be imported and food crops production will be elevated to the level of exports,” he said. (NAN)

Rise in oil thefts threatens Nigerian output

By Mohammed Sada with agency report

R

oyal Dutch Shell PLC’s unit in Nigeria has said a rise in thefts of crude from its new Nembe Creek pipeline is jeopardizing the production and export of oil in Nigeria’s Niger Delta.

Don Jones Newwire reports that, currently 140,000 barrels of oil per day is transported along the pipeline that takes most of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd. (SPDC)’s and third party crude oil production in Eastern Swamp operations to the Bonny Terminal in the Niger Delta.

“The level of crude theft at Nembe Creek Trunkline can no longer be tolerated,” said SPDC Managing Director, Mutiu Sunmonu, in Port Harcourt, capital of oil-producing Rivers state.

“It is difficult to sustain production in the circumstances as we have to shut down when a facility trips and fix the cause before restarting. This happened three times just between the 26th and 30th of January,” Sunmonu said.

“We have increased surveillance of the route so we can detect crude theft activities and respond early to spills, but what is urgently needed is robust intervention at federal, state and local government levels. We need increased patrols of creeks and waterways, removal of illegal offtake points and dismantling of illegal refineries,” SPDC said.

The pipeline was shut in December because of leaks caused by thieves. Since those repairs were completed more than 50 valves (created by thieves to siphon off the oil) have been discovered, Tony Okonedo, SPDC spokesman, said in a statement Monday. In one case, some 17 of these valves were found within a 3.8 kilometer stretch.

Helicopter overflights Monday confirmed thefts of crude is thriving in southern Nigeria’s Rivers and Bayelsa states. As well as valves some other connections were made directly to wellheads, the statement said.

More than 75% of all oil spill incidents and more than 70% of all oil spilled from SPDC facilities in the Niger Delta between 2006 and 2010 were caused by sabotage, theft and illegal refining, Okonedo said.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 24

Exposed: America’s destabilization plot against Nigeria (I) I

n the aftermath of the unfortunate bombings and sporadic attacks that took place in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, and its environs on the last Sallah Day, the Embassy of the United States in Nigeria hastily put out a public statement declaring that such like bombings should be expected in three well known hospitality establishments in Abuja, the nation’s capital. To discerning observers, not only did that score high marks for bad manners as that was hardly what a nation still grieving and coming to terms with its losses expected from a supposedly friendly nation, but that the US embassy was being economical with information on what it actually knew about the incident, and more significantly, the role the US government itself has been playing in the whole gamut of acts of destabilization against Nigeria.

We have already been regaled with reports provided by the Wikileaks which identified the US embassy in Nigeria as a forward operating base for wide and far reaching acts of subversion against Nigeria which include but not limited to eavesdropping on Nigerian government communication, financial espionage on leading Nigerians, support and funding of subversive groups and insurgents, sponsoring of divisive propaganda among the disparate groups of Nigeria and the use of visa blackmail to induce and coerce high ranking Nigerians into acting in favour of US interests.

But beyond what we know from the Wikileaks report, what many Nigerians do not know is that US embassy’s subversive activities in Nigeria fit into the long term US government’s well camouflaged policy of containment against Nigeria, the ultimate goal of which is to eliminate Nigeria as a potential strategic rival to the US on the African continent.

Today, as Nigerians are

reeling from the negative effects of the insurgency that has befallen our dear country and earnestly seeking answers to what all this portends for the future, the GREENWHITE COALITION, a citizen’s watchdog, can reveal the true nature of this silent, undeclared war of attrition waged against Nigeria by the Government of the United States of America.

BACKGROUND: From ACRI to AFRICOM ACRI stands for Africa Crises Response Initiative and it was set up during the Bush Jnr Administration as a counterweight to the Nigeria led ECOWAS Monitoring Group on the Liberian Civil War or ECOMOG as it is more popularly known. ACRI came to being from the secret reports

President Goodluck Jonathan

and recommendations separately by the AfricaAmerica Institute and the Brookings Institute commissioned by the Central Intelligence Agency, the American Government’s Directorate responsible for organizing foreign subversive activities, on the Liberian civil war and the intervention of ECOMOG. Both reports zeroed in on the pivotal role Nigeria playing in the ECOMOG initiative and noted pointedly the phenomenal success recorded by ECOMOG in containing the Liberian crisis without any significant role or intervention from any of the major western powers including the United States .

The report concluded that should ECOMOG be allowed to go the whole hog, the major beneficiary will be Nigeria

and that might form the basis for a pax Nigeriana in the West African sub-region eclipsing the influence of former colonial powers France and Britain. The reports also called on the United States Government to note that Liberia being its creation should not be allowed to fall into Nigerian hands with consequences to US strategic interests in the country and the region. Specifically both reports noted that should Nigeria be allowed to have a foothold in Liberia , it will further embolden Nigeria to challenge the US and the West in carving its own sphere of interest at their expense. In this regard, the report further recalled Nigeria’s role in helping to liberate the southern African countries in the 70’s and 80’s

in clear opposition and defiance to the interests of the United States and its western allies which resulted in setback for Western initiatives in Africa at the time. Both concluded with a recommendation that the US Government in conjunction with its allies should seek to contain the growing influence of Nigeria in the sub-region by forming a parallel organization to ECOMOG. But in order not to unduly alarm and antagonize Nigeria which the report admitted still had considerable influence in the region, the US government was advised to go about this using quiet diplomacy.

During the secret Congressional hearing organized to consider the reports by both institutes on Nigeria’s role in the ECOMOG, the interagency team comprising representatives from the CIA, Pentagon and State Department formed to push the case, endorsed the recommendation that Nigeria be kept out of the alternate arrangements on Liberia that was being proposed. The strategy was to win away some key African countries from participation enthusiastically in the ECOMOG initiative. The sweeteners for this were the promise and delivery of military and humanitarian aid. This was the line the then US Secretary of State Warren Christopher pursued when he visited a number of African countries excluding Nigeria to sell the ACRI idea.

Thus ensued, the stalemate in ECOMOG operations with some of the participating countries foot dragging in their commitment to the force and operations. On the diplomatic front, the US along with its allies namely Britain and France using the engineered stalemate as cover, proceeded to sell the idea that the ECOMOG initiative needed to be reviewed and given a new direction. The US and its allies then argued

that the intervention of outside powers such as the US and its western allies was the tonic needed to move the ECOMOG operation forward.

But in order to prevent any worldwide backlash against this blatant interference in what should be a regional African initiative, the US and its allies sought to present it under the auspices of the United Nations with a select Asian and Latin American countries participating. By the time the tallies were counted, the US had achieved the one objective of all the diplomatic and strategic maneuvers; the containment of Nigeria led ECOMOG initiative to resolve the Liberian Crises.

It was on the platform of this surreptitious American intervention in the Liberian crisis that the US Africa

Africa and bring them under US control in order to block China ’s access to vital energy and mineral resources for its expanding economy. But to effectively carry this out, such African countries of strategic importance must first of all be weakened internally and made to feel so vulnerable that they would have to inevitably seek US protection or intervention. A spur to this interventionist programme provides that any targeted African country that does not see the wisdom or resists the need to seek US “protection” will then have to suffer dismemberment with the pliant area carved out of the supposedly hostile area and given US “protection”. We have seen this happen in the great lakes area where US Special Forces have been deployed ostensibly to protect the countries there from so-called insurgents who in the first place were sponsored by the same US. In Sudan we have seen how a blanket cover of international humanitarian cries orchestrated by the United States on the so-called Darfur crisis served as a prelude to the dismemberment of Sudan to punish the government of ElBashir for daring to conclude oil deals with the Chinese to the detriment of American companies. We have also seen how Libya and Gaddafi was put to the sword for daring to sidetrack American oil interests. But the greatest prize for AFRICOM and its goal to plant a PAX AMERICANA in

“

Today, as Nigerians are reeling from the negative effects of the insurgency that has befallen our dear country and earnestly seeking answers to what all this portends for the future, the GREENWHITE COALITION, a citizen’s watchdog, can reveal the true nature of this silent, undeclared war of attrition waged against Nigeria by the Government of the United States of America.

Command or AFRICOM was formed.

Unlike its precursor, the ACRI which sought to disguise US intentions in Africa particularly as it pertains to Nigeria under the cloak of multilateral humanitarian intervention, AFRICOM which came to being on October 1, 2008 is clearly programmed to serve US military-strategic interests especially with regards to the ever expanding global reach and influence of China in direct competition with the United States. In response to the growing influence of a rapidly expanding industrial China in Africa, the goal of AFRICOM is to seize key strategic areas in

Africa would be when it succeeds in the most strategic African country, NIGERIA . This is where the raging issue of BOKO HARAM and the widely reported prediction by the United States Intelligence Council on the disintegration of Nigeria by 2015 comes into perspective.

BOKO HARAM: A CIA COVERT OPERATION From the 1st October 2010 bombing that rocked Abuja till date Nigeria seems to be locked in a vice like grip of a growing and intractable insurgency manifested in bombings of public places and sporadic attacks on

PAGE 25

public institutions resulting in the loss of scores of lives and destruction of properties.

Predictably there has been a discernible growth in panic and tension in the country and not a few people are beginning to think that perhaps the country seems headed inevitably for a long drawn insurgency leading to a split. With the exception of the 1st October 2010 bombing incident, a shadowy group which goes by the name Boko Haram has laid claim to most of the subsequent bombings that have occurred in the country.

The seemingly intractable nature of the Boko Haram outrage has prompted a lot of questions from Nigerians.

What really is this Boko Haram thing and what are their grievances if any? Why have they chosen to remain faceless inspite of the devastating effects of their activities on the psyche of the nation, and entreaties from Nigerian authorities to come forward for negotiations?

Why are they able to perpetrate their attacks with relative ease and why has there not been a single clue at the scene of their acts to lead to them?

For sure, Nigerians are not unused to sectarian violence.

But the ones we have witnessed in this country have been predictable and the modus and fault lines have been well known to the authorities who have always done well to keep them within tolerable limits.

The Boko Haram of Mohammed Yussuf which predated this new one can be so categorized and was well known through its operations, leadership and locations.

But how did a ragtag collection of largely half literate unsophisticated persons operating mostly on Okada transform literarily overnight to being able to design, manufacture and deploy bombs in buildings and in vehicles costing in excess of a million naira and carry out attacks in several locations around the country? How have their reach grown from just a corner of Nigeria to virtually everywhere in the country? For them to be able to mount such a sophisticated operation, they must necessarily have a well structured command and control system which inspite of their best efforts at concealment cannot remain undetected for long. So how have they seemingly defied the best efforts of combined security agencies in the country in detecting and foiling their activities?

The GREENWHITE Coalition can reveal that the current Boko Haram campaign is a covert operation organized by the American Central Intelligence Agency, CIA and coordinated by the American Embassy in Nigeria . For some

President Obama Barack time now, the CIA has been running secret training and indoctrination camps along the porous and vulnerable borderlands of Niger , Chad and Cameroon . At these camps youths from poor, deprived and disoriented backgrounds are recruited and trained to serve as insurgents. The agents who supply these youth lure them with the promise of better life and work of Allah and further indoctrinated to believe they are working to install a just Islamic order from the ungodly one that currently holds sway in Nigeria. The American CIA programme officers of this project prudently remain in the background, living the day to day running of the camps to supervisors of Middle Eastern origin specially recruited for this purpose. After several months of indoctrination and training on weapons handling, survival tactics, surveillance and evasion techniques, the insurgents are now put on stand by for the next phase of the operation.

The next phase of the operations involves the identification and selection of the targets which had already been mapped out by the American Embassy.

If buildings are the targets for

attack, the weapons and technical equipment to be used are kept in safe houses. The countdown to the attack involves ferrying of the insurgents and quarantine at safe houses for the H hour. After the attack, in the ensuing panic, the insurgents make their escape into safe houses to dispose the weapons and disappear and dissolve later into the local population. The technical angle of sending out e-mails and messages of responsibility for the attack to the media in the name of Boko Haram is done through secure telecoms equipment by the American programmers of the operation which can hardly be traced.

If the selected target is to be bombed by an IED, the building is cased for days and the devise inserted when security is lax. The devise is then detonated by an in-built timing mechanism or by a hand held detonator some distance away from where the bomb is placed. If on the hand, the attack is to be carried out by a suicide bomber, the person to carry it out would have been severely drugged with CIA manufactured LSD to disorientation. In his state of mind he would have no clue as to what he is programmed to do having been turned into a veritable human robot.

HOW THE US PLANS TO DISMEMBER NIGERIA BY 2015 It is neither a coincidence nor guesswork that the National Intelligence Council of the United States Government estimated that Nigeria will disintegrate by the year 2015. The whole report actually is a coded statement of intentions on how using destabilization plots the US plans to eventually dismember Nigeria . The whole goal of the destabilization campaign is to ensure that Nigeria is weakened internally by intractable crises leading up to 2015 when the next general elections are expected to come up. By that year there will be so much mutual suspicion among Nigerians that the elections itself might not hold or if they did at all will set the stage for a full rapture of the Nigerian state. By its calculation and design, the Nigerian state will be so fractious by then; it will be fully ripe for intervention and break up. It is in actualization of this plan that the US strategic planners on Nigeria have devised a three stage plan of implementation.

ILIYASU GADU, on behalf of GREENWHITE COALITION, can be reached at Ilgad2009@gmail.com

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Feting your neighbours (I) Allah says: “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]

I

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 own evils and our own bad deeds.

Anyone who is guided by Allah, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, is His servant, and messenger.May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon His last and final Apostle, his Household, his companions and all his followers until the end of time.

This article intends to highlight the position of Islam on neighbourhood, and the rights and privileges of neighbours upon one another. This has become very pertinent in view of the perennially persistent ethnoreligious prevalent most especially in Northern Nigeria. In many instances the blames are put on the Muslims due to their preponderance, and against the teachings of the belief they dearly hold. So it is; because Islam stands for and teaches peace, tolerance and brotherhood.

The accustomed benevolence and large heartedness of the northerners all have wind-swept into the atmosphere! Thus, the dare need for a ‘tajdeed’ (diligence) and rebirth of those lofty cultures and values! The disposition of acceptability and tolerability must be totally rejuvenated and restored so that we can move forward into the epoch of nationhood.

The Web dictionary defines neighbour as 'a person who lives (or is located) near another.' In Islam, has much wide and more encompassing comprehension to include even the remotest and temporary meeting of travellers, in addition to blood, marital and locational neighbouhood. There are also neighbours who have more rights than others, which cut across ethno-religious boundary. The Shari'ah has clearly defined all these rights that must be fulfilled before one can boast of being called a good Muslim. The verse referred above includes more, 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] This verse is one the major

canonical and non-abrogated political thuggery and crimes of command in the Holy Qur'an until all sorts. Thus, every Muslim eternity. No part of it can be must aspire to be higher than just substituted for another ruling or a Muslim! His or her Islam must command. That is to say as long be beyond mere praying, paying as you believe and worship Allah alone, you must, as a matter for accomplishing the belief and devotional

By Husain Zakariyya aspect of Islam.

Yawale The injunction means that +234-8052952900 (sms only) doing good to islamexplained35@yahoo.com one's parent is on the same level with believing in the oneness of zakaat, fasting and going on Hajj?

Allah worshiping alone, and so are He or she must be a Muslim loved the other eight components of the by his or her parent, respected by message. In other words, you his or her kinsfolk, regarded by cannot remain a good Muslim the destitute and the needy, unless and until the entire trusted by his or her friends and injunctions are fully observed to colleagues, above all feted by his the latter. A good Muslim does not neighbours; the kinship, the only believe in the oneness of Allah proximate and the transitory but submit to Him neighbours.

Farewell Pilgrimage his companions thought he would tell us to include our neighbours in the administration our inheritance.

Islam describes neighbours as being from near and far, and in one way or another, every human being on earth is a neighbor to one another.

According to Abu Shuraih: The Messenger of Allah said, "By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe!

By Allah, he does not believe!" (This was repeated 3 times.) The companions asked:, "Who is that, O Messenger of Allah?" and he answered, "The person whose neighbour does not feel safe from his mischief" - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Number 45.

There is one very imperative principle that is common in every

Just as every good Muslim tries to worship his or her Lord anywhere and under any circumstances, so will he or she be concern with the affairs of all their neighbours; Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Accordingly, a good Muslim cannot leave his or her home to the mosque, ignoring the problems of his neighbours who are in need, such as the homeless, the drug addicts, the pregnant teenagers, the gang warfare and criminals in his or her neighbourhood. So also, are the poor, the hungry, the widows and the orphans in attending to their problems. We can never say this is not my business. This is because the poor the widows, the orphans have rights over us, because they are our neighbours.

In Islam, neighbours are so important that during the Sermon of the Messenger of Allah's

major religion, is this Golden Rule, which is also known as the Ethic of Reciprocity. "None of you is a believer until he loves for his brother that which he desires for himself." Many commentators and renown scholars interpret 'brother' in its widest sense, to include all human beings, not just family brothers or Muslim brothers, alone. Should you engage any of your Christian neighbor in a meaningful discussion, he or she will tell you that Jesus, (SAW), said "Do unto others as you would love them to do unto you. Love thy neighbour."

Your Jewish neighbour will tell you that Moses (SAW) said: "Love your neighbour as you love yourself. What is hateful to you, do not do to anyone else!"

Thus, if all of us stick to this Golden Rule of reciprocation, the world would be entirely a different place; cordial and

ISLAM EXPLAINED

unconditionally in all his or her dealings. That includes, doing good to one's 'parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those In need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and what your right hands possess…'

Thus, even if you say you are a Muslim, pray, pay zakat, fast during the month of Ramadan and perform Hajj that does not make you good a Muslim. It is not really enough to do these things to justify yourself to be a good Muslim. If anyone things that is enough, then why is it that despite having so many Muslims who perform these fundamental act of worship around, but we still have so many serious problems in our communities? We have problems of domestic violence, gambling, drug and alcohol abuse, theft, burglary, fraud, arm robbery, assassinations and

peaceful! Thus, if we truly love Allah, we must show respect and reverence to all His creatures, who are also our neighbours.

Hatred and animosity of our neighbours should becloud us leading to avoidable bloodshed and destructions. Allah says: “O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others towards you, make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to taqwa [piety]: and fear Allah. For Allah is wellacquainted with all that ye do.” [alMa'idah: 8] In a very popular tradition, but much neglected, the Messanger of Allah (SAW) was reported to have said: "A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands other Muslims are safe. A Mu'min (true believer) is one in whom all mankind has a sanctuary for life and property."

Thus, even the lowest definition of a Muslim is suppose to be harmless by the words of his or her tongue, let alone destroy and kill, for no justifiable reason other than sheer hatred abated by drugs and religious bigotry or tribal chauvinism.

The history of the Islam's development is full of good and exemplary instances where religious tolerance was at its height;the Prophet (SAW) had so much respect for Christians that he once offered a delegation from Najran to say their prayers in his mosque, in Madinah! How many of us Muslims will practice this type of Sunnah today?

In a nutshell, Islam commands, thus: "Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded." (an-nahl:90), At this juncture, I find it very imperative to make it access able, to our teaming readers some hadiths buttressing the teaching of Islam concerning good neighbourliness and kindness to neighbours, regardless of race, religion andcolour! According to the book of Al-Adab al-Mufrad of Imam Al-Bukhari, which was rendered into English, byUstadha (Sister) Aisha Bewley, neighbours should be so treated by all 'practicing' Muslims!

55. The recommendation to be kind to neighbours 101. 'A'isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Jibril, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, kept on recommending that I treat neighbours well until I thought that he would order me to treat them as my heirs."

102. Abu Shurayh al-Khuza'i reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should be good to his neighbours. Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should be generous to his guest. Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should be say what is good or be silent."

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 27

NDE: Taming the employment monster P

etrolina Adaugo is a graduate of Civil Engineering.

She graduated from Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo state, over six years ago but she was unable to secure a job.

The hapless lady wrote applications for employment to several government agencies and had even gone for several interview appointments.

After several futile attempts to clinch a job, Adaugo started looking inward and she consequently decided to look into other ways of livelihood.

She, thereafter, resolved to set up a hairdressing salon that specialises in “weave-on’’ hairdo for women and she sought tutelage in her chosen career by working as an apprentice at a nearby salon.

After the apprenticeship, Adaugo sought funds to start up a salon but to no avail. She later enrolled for the “Start-Your-OwnBusiness’’ Graduate Training programme of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

After receiving a two-week training, along with 35 other youths, she secured a N800,000loan from NDE to start up the business.

Adaugo established a hair salon that is exclusively for children in Abuja – the first of its kind in the city – and she now has three employees working for her.

“It has been a very long and arduous journey,’’ Adaugo says, adding: “But I thank my God and the NDE for giving me an opportunity to realise my dreams; now, I’m an employer of labour.’’

A similar success story is that of Mrs Victoria Ironbar, a 38-yearold enterprising woman. After undergoing the NDE business training, Ironbar got a loan of N1.2 million to procure sealing machines for her fledgling “Bee Berry Honey’’ business.

“I now supply honey to over 10 hotels in Abuja and currently, I have eight employees on my payroll,” she says.

The two instances tend to illustrate the usefulness of the NDE in efforts to tackle the growing menace of unemployment in the country.

Observers note that the employment situation is worsening by the day, as over 200,000 graduates of tertiary institutions are annually thrown into the unemployment market.

They also observe that the employment crisis facing graduates has forced many of them to start engaging in criminal activities such as cyber crime, popularly referred to as “yahoo-yahoo’’, among others.

Development experts argue that the twin evils of unemployment and poverty, facing many school leavers and graduates of tertiary institutions, have been one of the fundamental challenges threatening Nigeria’s economic growth.

That is not to suggest that the Federal Government has been unmindful of the unemployment crisis facing graduates.

As part of government’s efforts

Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu to tackle the menace, the NDE was established in November 1986 to initiate pragmatic programmes that would combat the unemployment crisis.

The NDE, last December, celebrated its silver jubilee and many observers note that the agency has been able to provide succour for unemployed youths, particularly school leavers and graduates of tertiary institutions.

The Director-General of NDE, Malam Abubakar Mohammed, says that the agency has initiated several programmes such as vocational, technical and skills’ acquisition schemes to reduce the growing menace of mass employment in the country.

He notes that such schemes include computer repairs, GSM handsets repairs, as well as satellite TV installation and maintenance, among others.

Stressing that poor technical and vocational skills are some of the major causes of unemployment in Nigeria, Mohammed says: “This has also contributed to poor productivity witnessed in the country.’’

The NDE chief says that the unemployment and poverty crises in the country have assumed a serious dimension, cutting across the citizens’ age, gender or social status.

“The Directorate has, therefore, commenced the implementation of some vocational and technical skills’ acquisition schemes,’’ he says.

Mohammed maintains that the schemes will go a long way in addressing the problem of unemployment, which results largely from the lack of productive and marketable skills among the unemployed.

He stresses that the schemes’

target group includes persons with formal or informal education, school leavers and even school dropouts “Others are persons with special needs like vulnerable persons or fresh graduates of tertiary institutions, who want to acquire functional and marketable skills, especially in ICT and other related fields,’’ he says.

As part of efforts to rekindle the interest of the youth in agriculture, the NDE has also designed some special training programmes to prepare unemployed young Nigerians to take up a career in farming.

Mohammed says that the agricultural training programmes are tailored towards giving jobless youths the chance to exploit employment and wealth-creation opportunities existing in the agricultural sector, while stemming the rural-urban migration of youths in search of jobs.

Besides, the NDE runs an employment counselling service and a job linkage service to tackle the rising disillusionment among Nigerian youths, which is largely caused by their long search for jobs.

“This encourages them to reorientate their minds for positive thinking toward self-employment and self-reliance,’’ Mohammed says.

Such efforts are considered desirable because of the growing menace of unemployment in the country.

The Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, quoting the figures of the Bureau of Statistics, stresses that the unemployment rate in Nigeria has hit a frightening level

of 23.9 per cent.

The minister insists that the rate is growing astronomically, adding that the government urgently needs to initiate innovative wealth-creation programmes to address the menace.

Usman says that such efforts will go a long way in increasing national output, which will consequently speed up economic growth, while repositioning the rural poor to become strong participants in the economy.

He particularly notes that although Nigeria has recorded appreciable growth rates since 1999, the structure of the national economy has yet to change, while the perceptible economic growth has not recorded significant effects on the employment situation.

Going from the general to the specifics, Usman says that the unemployment rate rose from 13.1per cent in 1999 to 19.7 per cent in 2009; 21.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2010 and 23.9 per cent in the last quarter of 2011.

He says that Nigeria’s unemployment crisis is further exacerbated by the long period which Nigerian youths spend in seeking admission into tertiary institutions, as well as the poor perception and low prestige associated with artisanal vocations.

However, Chief Emeka Wogu, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, has consistently pledged the Federal Government’s readiness to collaborate with state governments in efforts to tackle the menace of unemployment in the country.

He underscores the commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to spearheading employment-generation efforts across the country “There is the need for collaboration and synergy in tackling the menace of unemployment and poverty.

“The Federal Government is prepared for collaboration in any area that will enhance the capacity and competence of youths in the states.

“Mr President is not only committed to spearheading this noble effort across the country but he has also vowed to reduce the rate of unemployment in Nigeria,’’ he says.

The minister particularly notes that the Ministry of Labour, via the NDE, is seriously addressing issues relating to skills’ deficit among unemployed youths through structured vocational training programmes.

Wogu says that the ministry has also set up seven specialised skills’ acquisition centres across the country, adding that these efforts are all aimed at boosting the vocational capacity of young Nigerians.

Commenting of the efforts of the NDE to prepare the youth for gainful employment in the last 25 years, the minister notes that the agency has trained and empowered 2,357,575 youths in different vocations during the period.

“I am proud to note that the NDE has directly trained and resettled a total of 2, 357, 575 persons under its four core programmes,’’ he says.

Wogu expatiates that the figure does not include the beneficiaries of NDE’s secondary or indirect training and resettlement programmes.

“Besides, there are many NYSC members who received value re-orientation, sensitisation and entrepreneurial training when they were mobilised for orientation countrywide,’’ he adds.

The minister, nonetheless, urges the NDE to explore more innovative ways of creating selfemployment for the teeming unemployed youths who “are the future leaders of our country’’.

All the same, the DirectorGeneral of the NDE assures the citizens of better times, stressing that the agency is now wellpositioned to curb the rising menace of unemployment in the country.

Mohammed pledges the determination of the directorate to initiate and implement pragmatic schemes, adding that NDE’s efforts are also aimed at supporting the Federal Government’s economic and development policies.

He, nonetheless, underscores the resolve of NDE to aid the transformation of Nigerian youths from jobseekers to employers of labour.

Mohammed stresses the need for this re-orientation activity because available statistics reveal that the government and private sector employers can only absorb about 10 per cent of the 180,000 graduates who come out of tertiary institutions every year.

He says that NDE has been striving to address the menace of unemployment through vocational skills training, as well as entrepreneurial and business training, among others.

Saying that the challenge of globalisation has further compounded the unemployment threat, Mohammed reiterates that part of NDE’s vision is to create a new army of young and enterprising Nigerians who will chart a new course for the country’s economic growth.

He underscores the NDE’s recognition of the massemployment potential of the ICT sector, adding that the agency has initiated new schemes within the sector that have provided lifelines to some unemployed youths.

“It is gratifying to note that President Goodluck Jonathan has formally launched the ‘NDE EasyBiz Business Ownership Scheme’,’’ he says, adding: “With this, we will continue to complement efforts to implement the transformation agenda of Mr President.’’

Mohammed pledges in a succinct way: “We will also enhance our efforts at delivering job creation schemes that will meet the aspirations of the citizens, as Nigeria marches towards becoming one of the 20 biggest economies in the world by 2020.’’

Source: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 28

NAFDAC and campaign against drug counterfeiting T

here is no gainsaying the fact that food and drugs are germane to the growth and sustenance of human life.

The observation notwithstanding, the importance of having genuine, wholesome products fit for human consumption can never be over-emphasised.

Dr Paul Orhii, the DirectorGeneral of National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), says that NAFDAC’s mission is hinged on the premise and adds that the agency has done a lot to protect Nigerians from consuming unwholesome products.

Orhii says due to the fact that diseases can disrupt the ability of body organs to function properly, genuine and unadulterated drugs are required to adjust and restore the functions of the body organs.

He particularly notes that counterfeit drugs can destroy the immune system of human beings and expose the victims to diverse preventable diseases.

Concerned citizens say that drug counterfeiting has become a serious source of worry in Nigeria because it has negatively affected the country’s health care delivery, adding that the collective efforts of all Nigerians are required to tackle the menace frontally.

Some observers believe that most of the preventable deaths in the country can be attributed to the ingestion of fake drugs.

Dr Omede Idris, the President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), describes counterfeit drugs as a menace to the medical practice.

“The integrity of doctors is now being questioned due to persistent illnesses, which prescribed drugs have failed to address,’’ he says, adding: “The fight against fake and substandard drugs is one that all medical professionals should be actively involved in.’’

However, the crusade against drug counterfeiting is led

by NAFDAC, which was established via Decree No. 15 of 1993 to eradicate the production, sales and consumption of counterfeit medicines and unwholesome food.

Orhii stresses the determination of NAFDAC to stamp out the circulation of fake drugs, unwholesome foods and other substandard products in Nigeria.

He, nonetheless, says that one of the landmark achievements of NAFDAC in recent times was its interception of some counterfeit drugs and substandard products, traceable to some Indian importers in the country.

“We made an official report to our counterpart agency in

The National Agency for Food & Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has fought a war against fake and counterfeit medicines for several years.

India and the culprits were arrested,’’ he says.

Besides, Orhii recalls that in March 2011, NAFDAC tracked down some smugglers of fake and harmful regulated products worth N192.5 million through its surveillance of the country’s land borders,.

“The agency intercepted a trailer-load of fake pharmaceutical products made with potassium bromated, valued at N192.5 million, at Seme border.

“Besides, we intercepted another truck loaded with 466 cartons of counterfeit pharmaceutical products worth over N300 million.

“Along the Badagry-Seme border, five trucks, loaded with assorted regulated products valued at about N500 million, were also impounded during our surveillance activities,’’ he says.

Commenting on the machinations of drug counterfeiters, Mr Ben Kine, Director of the NAFDAC Zonal Office in Onitsha, says that the agency in August 2011 confiscated 450 cartons of relabelled expired drugs worth over N30 million in Onitsha.

Kine says that the re-labelled expired drugs include Cypron, CeneXcream and Beytucem; adding that the consignments were discovered through the intelligence gathering efforts of NAFDAC officials.

He says that the prime

suspect later confessed that he bought 900 cartons of the three products and that he had sold several cartons before his arrest.

In a nutshell, Orhii says that the ingestion of fake and adulterated drugs has claimed many lives in Nigeria, regardless of the victims’ social, ethnic and religious background.

He asserts that the fake drugs often mutate and compound the people’s health problems across the country.

Drug counterfeiting has been a major challenge across the country but some areas are particularly notorious for drug faking. Aba, a major city in Abia State, is one of the areas where the sales and circulation of fake drugs is found to be endemic.

Consequently, NAFDAC has been very active in the Aba neighbourhood. The agency confiscated and destroyed fake drugs and other items such as food products, cosmetics, medical devices and chemicals in Aba between 2009 and 2011.

Mr Festus Anumba, the Head of the Aba Special Zone of NAFDAC, says that various unregistered products were seized during the period, adding that the products had to be subjected to scientific scrutiny to ascertain their quality and safety.

He recalls that some of the items were seized in November 2011 during routine surveillance, investigation,

raids and inspections of shops, warehouses and factories in Aba markets.

NAFDAC says that it has been able to reduce drug counterfeiting appreciably, attributing its achievements to routine surveillance and investigation activities.

The NAFDAC D-G says that the agency has acquired the TruScan equipment to carry out on-the-spot-testing of drugs in drug markets, pharmacies and patent medicine shops.

Orhii says that the device has the capability of instantly detecting the genuineness of a drug.

“When I assumed office, I pledged to enhance NAFDAC’s regulatory activities to international standards. In pursuit of the goal, we sought cutting-edge technologies that could be used as veritable tools in our fight against drug counterfeiting.

“This led to the acquisition of the TruScan equipment,” he adds.

Orhii stresses that the equipment was used in a national survey that was conducted to carry out on-thespot assessment of drug qualities in major cities across the country.

“There is no longer a hiding place for counterfeiters of regulated drugs and food substances in our country, as NAFDAC has introduced series

of cutting-edge technology to verify the quality of drugs and food substances,’’ he says.

Orhii says that NAFDAC’s is now using a three-pronged approach in its campaign against fake drugs.

NAFDAC has adopted the use of GSM text messages to verify the authenticity of drugs, while launching the radio frequency identification scheme and acquiring the hand-held TruScan device to carry out onthe-spot assessment of drugs.

Orhii says that as part of the innovation, NAFDAC has acquired mini laboratories and an infrared device to complement existing drugassessment gadgets.

He particularly notes that NAFDAC has empowered the citizens to track the origin of the drugs or food substances they are buying with the aid of their mobile phones.

He stresses that NAFDAC has directed manufacturers of antimalaria drugs to start the mobile authentication of their products.

“We also require that by 2012, all essential medicines must be verifiable via SMS so as to safeguard the health of Nigerians,’’ he says, adding that the mobile authentication system was introduced in collaboration with an indigenous pharmaceutical company.

Continued on page 35

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 29

The werewolf sisters dreaming of marriage and a day they might be hair-free

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t is one of the rarest conditions in the world, affecting just one in a billion people.

However, in an incredible quirk of fate, three sisters have all been blighted by a condition known as werewolf syndrome - where they are covered from head to foot in thick hair.

Savita, 23, Monisha, 18, and 16year-old Savitri Sangli, who live in a small village near Pune, central India, inherited the hypertrichosis universalis disorder from their father.

All three struggle to keep the condition under control with cream and hope they one day might eventually be able to pay for specialist laser treatment to rid them of their excessive hair.

Despite the devastating effects of the syndrome, the siblings still dream of a day when they might get married.

Hypertrichosis universalis is a genetic mutation, in which cells that normally switch off hair growth in unusual areas, like the eyelids and forehead, are left switched on.

It means the girls have had abnormal hair growth on their bodies and even their faces, affecting their

Brave (from left to right): The lives of Savita, Monish and Savitri Sangli have been blighted by one of the rarest conditions in the world - werewolf syndrome

Genetic: The girls stand in front of a picture of their father with their mother (front middle) and two of their other sisters who are unaffected by the disorder

One in a billion: The sisters, pictured with their mother, inherited the condition from their father

eyebrows, nose and giving them appearance of having a beard.

They must use a special cream every day - otherwise the hair will quickly return. The youngest sister Savitri is still virtually covered in hair.

The girl’s mother Anita Sambhaji Raut has six daughters in total with only three having werewolf syndrome.

The condition was passed down by the girls’ father, who Anita was forced to marry aged at the age of 12.

Because theirs was an arranged marriage and she did not lay eyes on him until the wedding day, she had no idea he was suffering from the condition himself.

Anita and her daughters are now desperate to fund laser surgery that will help to finally remove the curse of excess hair and allow the girls to lead normal lives.

In their small village near Pune, central India, the Sangli have little prospects for marriage and the eldest Savita sometimes gets sent home from work when her hair begins to show.

Laser surgery would cost 350,000 Indian rupees - or £4,500 per girl - but the family are not wealthy enough to be able to afford it.

Now documentary filmmaker Sneh Gupta is planning make a film of

the girls in a bid to help their dream of becoming almost hair free - with the eventual aim of finding marriage.

Mum Anita, 40, said her husband - who died in 2007 and whose portrait hangs in the family home - also suffered from werewolf syndrome.

Anita was being looked after by her uncle and auntie as her parents had passed away and they told her if she didn’t marry this man they would kill her off.

She said: ‘It was only on the day of my marriage that I discovered what he was, (he) was hairy on his face, ears and body, that’s when I found out.

‘I was very young, I didn’t know what kind of boy he was, he scared the hell out of me when he arrived at the altar. He’s the groom, I am the bride, I had no idea what all that meant.

‘I was only 12 when they forced me into marriage, and if you don’t agree to marriage as a girl they will kill you off.

‘I asked my mother-in-law why my daughters were born like this and she told me because their father is like this, at the time (as a baby) my daughter had little hairs all over her face.

‘When I used to take her (Savita) out as a child, they used to shout here comes the beast, the witch, that’s what they said.

‘They keep her at work now for 10 to 15 days, and then after that they ask her to leave as soon as the hair starts showing through, that’s what they do.

‘I tell people this is the type of girl she is, hair grows on her face, she has to apply medicine, we must be honest with everybody.’

In the village society a woman does not have much prospects if she is not married and mum Anita explained she was still trying to get her daughters a man.

She said: ‘If a good proposal comes in, I’ll get her married. If nothing comes in she’ll have to work and survive. As long as I am living I have to keep trying.’

Eldest daughter Savita, who now using a cream to try and combat her hair growth, said: ‘When I used to go to school the boys and the girls would shout, ‘hairy face’, ‘horrible looking’, ‘don’t sit next to her’, that’s how they behaved.

‘Marriage is not an option for us, it’s not likely to happen, who is going to marry us when hair keeps growing on our faces.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Documentary filmmaker Sneh Gupta is planning make a film of the girls in a bid to help their dream of becoming almost hair free with the eventual aim of finding marriage

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Talented dog makes the bed, fetches the milk and even gets money out of cash machine for disabled owner A

s dog owners know, you are lucky if your pooch can be persuaded to collect your slippers without chewing them to pieces.

But golden Labrador Byron performs dozens of such tasks faultlessly for his owner every day.

He helps ‘best friend’ Kate Cross peg out her washing, make her bed, go shopping and even take money out of the cash machine.

The trained hound is a life-line for Kate, who suffers from Ehlers Danlos syndrome. The rare condition means the retired teacher’s joints are so weak that she can dislocate her shoulder from just opening a door.

But Byron is never far from her side - and has learned to do all the things Kate struggles to.

The 49-year-old from Hinckley, Leicestershire, who received the star pet in 2007, said: ‘I can’t imagine my life without Byron - he really is my best friend.

‘He’s given me my life back - I can live independently and not have to rely on my husband or other people doing everything for me because Byron is always there.

‘He never gets fed up with helping me - it’s all a big game to him, but I’d be lost without him.’

Byron was trained by Sussexbased charity Canine Partners - who have matched hundreds of assistance dogs to people who really need their help.

After months of intensive training with the charity’s volunteer Puppy Parents, the young dogs are carefully matched with new companions, before training continues in their new homes.

Byron helps Kate from the moment she gets up in the morning with no task too big or small for the seven-year-old.

The faithful hound helps Kate into her wheelchair every morning, acting as a support for her as she steps

I'll push that for you: Byron has learnt how to press the button at road crossings out of bed into the chair.

As she makes a morning coffee, Byron will open the fridge door himself, before fetching Kate a carton of milk.

And the clever canine even retrieves his own breakfast bowl from the cupboard - before jumping up and placing his empty bowl in the washing up bowl.

He accompanies Kate to the supermarket - reaching down to low shelves to pick up any item Kate has on her shopping list.

And to the envy of dog owners everywhere, Byron can even open

the door to let himself out to the toilet.

Kate added: ‘Byron knows more than 100 different commands, and can do just about anything I ask him too.

‘In the supermarket, I stop my chair near to the item I want, and he follows my eyeline and takes the item off the shelf.

‘It’s such a help to me, as small things like bending down and grasping things are really difficult for me.

‘Byron even unloads my shopping onto the conveyor belt at

The dog pound: Byron stands on his hind legs to negotiate the cash machine

the till and hands my purse over to the checkout assistants.

‘He can do such amazing things - he takes my bank card and reaches up to put it into a cash machine, and takes the cash when it comes out, and passes it to me - all I have to do is put in my pin number.

‘He can reach out and press pedestrian crossing buttons with his nose, and picks up anything I drop on the ground. Before we go to bed on cold nights, he even fetches my hot water bottle, and when I’ve filled it, he trots upstairs with it, and puts it on my side of the bed, under the covers.

‘My condition means my circulation is very weak, so a nice warm bed is just what I need.’

Kate has suffered with Ehlers

Danlos syndrome - an illness which makes her bones and skin progressively weaker - since she was a child.

Her condition dashed her hopes of becoming a professional musician - and eventually, she was dislocating joints several times a day, and took to using a wheelchair.

After being forced to take early retirement from her job as a primary school teacher, she grew so anxious about going outside that she was virtually housebound - after she was targeted by yobs after venturing outside in her wheelchair.

Kate said: ‘When I first got Byron, I hadn’t left the house by myself for almost 18 months. I felt useless, and I hated going outside people stared and didn’t know how to speak to me.

‘Once, I was in my wheelchair going through the park, when a gang of teenage boys playing football decided to use my chair for target practice. I was so upset, I couldn’t imagine going out again. I became afraid of the world.

‘I had always loved dogs, and on a rare trip out to Crufts, my husband Stuart and I came across a stand for Canine Partners - a charity that provides assistance dogs to people who need help.

‘They told me I was exactly the kind of person they could help - and within a few months, I had been paired up with Byron.

‘We instantly clicked, and went through an intensive training camp together to teach him all the things he’d need to be able to do. I just couldn’t imagine my life without him now.

‘If I have a fall, Byron is trained to fetch the phone, and a pillow and blanket, so I can get help.

‘It’s given my husband peace of mind too, as he knows I’m never alone.

‘It’s important to let him have time to just be a dog though too - and he loves nothing more than running around in the park getting covered in mud.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Nose for a bargain: Byron picks up the weekly groceries for Kate

PAGE 31

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Being a communist in 2012 ANALYSIS Being a communist in 2012 is not a political choice, but rather an existential matter, writes Santiago Zabala.

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arcelona, Spain - Being a communist in 2012 is not a political choice, but rather an existential matter.

The global levels of political, economic and social inequality we are going to reach this year because of capitalism’s logics of production not only are alarming, but also threaten our existence. Unfortunately, war with Iran is likely to begin, public protest might increase throughout the West because of government austerity programmes, and these very disorders will probably be suppressed with sophisticated high-tech weapons.

These issues are existential; that is, they touch our Being.

And as philosophers (sometimes called the “shepherds of Being”), we must fight against Being’s ongoing annihilation.

Certain contemporary philosophers ignore this vital matter in favour of technical, artificial or analytic problems not only because of the short-term profit they can obtain from them, but also because they are themselves already annihilated, an annihilation brought about by their obliviousness to existential questions, the question of Being.

This question is still crucial for philosophers, because it characterises all the other problems, and it determines them. For example, the solution to most technical problems are already available in the prejudices, history and culture that characterise a thinker’s life, but the technical philosopher forgets that his life is the fundamental starting point for his investigations.

This is why so few analytic philosophers comment on great sociopolitical events such as 9/11 or the current economic crisis: they believe philosophy has nothing to do with our existence in this world.

However, for readers of Al Jazeera still interested in the existential nature of philosophy, where our own Being is always at stake, communism might become a way to return to philosophy’s original sociopolitical task.

After all, it should not be a surprise that distinguished contemporary philosophers who focus on existential matters (such as Alain Badiou, Gianni Vattimo and Slavoj Zizek) have also reconsidered the meaning of communism for this new century.

"The mainstream media portray the Occupy Wall Street movement and the Spanish indignados as 'communist' for their anti-capitalist demands - although it is not entirely accurate," says the author [GALLO/GETTY] While some might argue that it is not necessary to turn to communism in order to recognise these existential emergencies, it might turn out to be a useful practical theory given the meaning it has acquired today. As the late French philosopher Jacques Derrida explained, communism, together with Being, is a remnant of the past, the specter of a conquered fear overcome by Western capitalism and the artificial annihilation of philosophy.

It is precisely in its great weakness as a political force that communism can be recuperated as an authentic alternative to capitalism. But the fact that it has virtually disappeared from Western politics, that is, as an electoral programme, does not imply it is not valuable as a social motivation or alternative. The point I wish to make is that being a communist (or a protester) today is not only necessary given the existential threats posed by capitalism, but also actually possible because of the failure of Soviet communism.

Contrary to the opinion of most disillusioned Marxist, it is just this historical defeat that

constitutes communism’s greatest possibility to redeem itself not only as a political force, but also as the salvation of human beings in the 21st century. Instead of pursuing once again the contest against capitalism for unfettered development, weak communism can now embrace the cause of economic degrowth, social distribution and dialogic education as an effective alternative to the inequity that global capitalism has submitted us to.

This is probably why Eric Hobsbawm has suggested that the communism of the 21st century must become first and foremost a critique of capitalism, critique of an unjust society that is developing its own contradictions; the ideal of a society with more equality, freedom, and fraternity; the passion of political action, the recognition of the necessity for common actions; the defence of the causes of the poorest and oppressed. This does not mean anymore a social order as the Soviet one, an economic order of total organisation and collectivity: I believe this experiment failed.

Communism as a motivation is

“

still valid, but not as programme. (E. Hobsbawm, “El comunismo continúa vigente como motivación y como utopía,” interview by Aurora Intxausti, El Pais, April 12, 2003) The weakened communism we are left with in 2012 does not aspire to construct another Soviet Union, but rather proposes democratic models of social resistance outside the intellectual paradigms that dominated classical Marxism.

These paradigms have been overcome because Marxism has gone through a profound deconstruction that has contributed to dismantling its rigid, violent and ideological claims in favour of democratic edification. Being weakened from its own scientific pretexts for unfettered development allows communism to finally unite together its supporters.

But who and where are the supporters of a weak communism?

As I have explained elsewhere with Gianni Vattimo, the remains of communism are constituted of everything that is not framed within “the iron cage of capitalism,” as Max Weber used to say, that is, at its margins.

The weakened communism we are left with in 2012 does not aspire to construct another Soviet Union, but rather proposes democratic models of social resistance outside the intellectual paradigms that dominated classical Marxism

These are the slums, underdeveloped nations and un-useful shareholders who, despite the fact they represent three-quarters of the world’s population, are being annihilated existentially through economic and military oppression.

In response, social movements, especially in South America, have begun to fight back by electing their own representatives (Lula, Morales, and many others) in order to defend the Being of the weak and apply much-needed social reforms. As it turns out, the shapers of these new political alternatives have managed to defend not only their own existential interests, but also our own through the pressure they have recently exerted against a military intervention in Iran or the WB’s economic impositions.

These democratically elected governments show an alternative model that the West could follow in order to escape the ongoing annihilation of human Being.

It is interesting to note how the mainstream media portray as “communist” the OWS movement and the Spanish indignados for their anticapitalist demands - although it is not entirely accurate. In doing so, they are trying not only to mock these protesters’ demands, but also to annihilate their view from the consent of public opinion. Being a communist in 2012 is a way to avoid being annihilated, a way to escape the annihilation of Being in the world.

Source: Aljazeera

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 32

Ghana hikes minimum wage by 20%

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hana has raised its minimum wage by 20 percent to 4.48 cedis per day, a committee of representatives of government, labour and private employers said in a statement yesterday.

The hike comes as the West African state posts strong growth on oil, cocoa and gold revenues. It also follows a public sector wage increase of the same scale in 2011.

“It is a compromise figure reached after carefully considering all the relevant factors,” Alex Frimpong, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Employers Association, told Reuters.

He said the committee had considered the cost of living, constraints on businesses, and the economy.

Ghana has cut inflation in half since 2009 to below 10 percent by tightening fiscal policy, but concerns are mounting that the government may ramp up public spending ahead of elections this year.

Malian rebels seize key border town, more displaced

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orthern Malian rebels have seized the strategic border town of Tinzawatene after two days of fighting forced government troops to withdraw into Algeria, rebel and government officials said on Wednesday.

The fighting in the remote northeastern town comes as aid agencies said some 50,000 Malians have been forced from their homes in three weeks of desert clashes by a rebel force bolstered by Malians returning from Libya’s conflict.

The seizure of Tinzawatene by the Tuareg-led MNLA rebels, who say they are fighting to create an independent state in Mali’s desert north, is a significant gain as it gives them control of a key transit and smuggling point in the desert.

“It is true, the army has withdrawn from the (Tinzawatene) camp and pulled back onto the Algerian side of the border, but it was a strategic retreat,” a Malian defence ministry source told Reuters, asking not to be named.

Hama Ag Sid’Ahmed, a spokesman for the rebels, said that the town’s two military camps were under their control and several armoured vehicles and other military vehicles had been seized.

Two judges leading an investigation into US-funded NGOs have not backed down despite US pressure [EPA]

Egypt PM defends action against NGOs

K

amal el-Ganzouri, Egypt's military-backed prime minister, has said Egypt will not bow to Western pressure to end its crackdown on foreign-funded non-governmental organisations in the country.

Egypt "won't back down or take a different route because of some aid or other", he announced from the cabinet's headquarters in Cairo

on Wednesday.

Ganzouri said Western countries "turned against us" after the crackdown against the NGOs began.

US politicians have said that Egypt's investigation into prodemocracy and human rights groups, many of them at least partially US funded, endangers the roughly $2 billion it receives

in aid every year.

Nineteen Americans who work for those NGOs were indicted by judicial prosecutors earlier this week. At least six of them are currently in Egypt and banned from leaving the country. Fourteen Egyptians and 10 other foreign nationals were also indicted.

The government opened an investigation into numerous pro-

democracy and human rights groups in early 2011, following the revolution against President Hosni Mubarak, and escalated its efforts in December, raiding 17 NGO offices and seizing money and equipment.

The charges, which carry sentences up to five years, include operating without a license and illegally receiving foreign funds.

As Ganzouri gave his remarks, the two judges who are investigating the case presented their results in a separate press conference.

The judges said they had seized 67 pieces of evidence, including maps, cash and videos taken of churches and military facilities.

They accused the NGO workers of asking inappropriate survey questions, such as the religion of respondents and what kind of clothes they wear.

"Cash in millions was seized along with bank drafts, cheques, counterfoils and ATM cards. Their activities include training of political parties, rallying for certain candidates, and soliciting votes", said Sameh Abouzeid, one of the judges.

He said some of the groups had been acting without permission to do so and were politically motivated.

He also said many of the groups violated tax laws by not registering with the Egyptian Tax Office, therefore failing to pay taxes for their activities and staff.

The comments echoed allegations repeatedly made by Egypt's ruling military council that "foreign hands" are plotting unrest in Egypt.

South Africa unloved at its own mining party

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he industry executives who pile into Cape Town every year for the annual African mining conference love the sun, wine and stunning mountain backdrop the venue provides.

But South Africa’s once towering mining industry is no draw and investors flocking to the “Indaba”, as it is called, have their sights set on alluring prizes elsewhere on the continent.

Gold and diamonds built Africa’s largest economy, which also boasts 80 percent of the world’s platinum reserves, but

outside investors remain wary of sinking money into an industry that appears in a state of terminal decline.

Soaring labour and power costs which are not matched by productivity gains, not to mention the world’s deepest shafts for those mining gold, are all making South Africa a treacherous place for miners who are finding less headaches elsewhere.

Political risk and policy uncertainty have also dampened the enthusiasm of an

industry that must invest millions and even billions to build mines before it can recoup any profit.

“You look at any of the major mining companies and they are very happy to spend billions of dollars to develop mines and related infrastructure in countries like Mongolia, Indonesia and Guinea, and are willing to spend billions of dollars on acquisitions, and a multi-year investment programme in Mozambique,” said Adam Brett, a London-based investment

banker with JPMorgan who focuses on mining.

“And just next door is South Africa. There are resources in South Africa, there are opportunities but frankly it is perceived to be easier to go to Asia, South America or indeed other parts of Africa,” he said.

South Africa reassured investors on one front this week by delivering a hammer blow to a nationalisation drive by radical elements within the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Guinea charges official over stadium massacre

A

Guinean court has filed charges against a top army officer over the killing of scores of protesters and mass rape of women during a 2009 demonstration against military rule, rights groups said.

Colonel Moussa Tiegboro Camara, secretary of state in charge of fighting organised crime, is the highest-level official yet to be charged over the massacre, one of bloodiest events in the West African state’s history.

“This is a very important step in the probe into the September 28 massacre,” Florent Geel, an official at the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues, told Reuters, adding the charges had been filed on Wednesday.

A senior police official confirmed Camara had been charged, but

declined further comment.

The move comes amid broad international pressure on President Alpha Conde, elected in 2010, to investigate the crackdown on thousands of people who had gathered in a Conakry stadium to protest against the then-ruling military junta.

More than 150 people were shot, stabbed, bludgeoned or trampled to death, while more than 100 women were raped, according to Human Rights Watch. A U.N.-led probe concluded the abuses likely constituted crimes against humanity.

Camara was seen inside the stadium during the crackdown, according to TV images seen by Reuters. Human Rights Watch said forces commanded by Camara “took an active part in the

massacre, and, to a lesser degree, in the sexual violence that followed.”

Junta rule in the country ended

after elections in 2010 that brought Conde, a veteran opposition figure, to power.

Libyan parties get assembly seats, women lose quota promised 10 percent quota for

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ibya will reserve two fifths of the seats in its new parliament for political parties, groups that were banned under deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi, according to the final draft of the country’s election law published on Wednesday.

The policy reversed an earlier plan to give all seats to independents - a scheme which angered the country’s nascent parties who said it would allow wealthy and powerful tribal figures to dominate politics.

The final draft also removed a

female candidates, a move which will infuriate women’s rights groups who had hoped for a fresh start after the overthrow of Gaddafi last year.

Libyan’s new National Assembly, due to be elected in the country’s first free elections in June, will have the job of drawing up a constitution.

The country’s interim ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) posted the earlier draft of the election law on its website in December and asked for people’s comments.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 33

US drone in Pakistan kills 'al-Qaeda ally'

Drone strikes are extremely unpopular in Pakistan, though the government allows them [EPA]

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he second US drone attack in two days in Pakistan's North Waziristan region killed has killed four people, including a senior militant commander with links to al-Qaeda, Pakistani intelligence officials and Taliban sources said.

Badar Mansoor, leader of a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, was killed yesterday in the strike in Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan, near the Afghan border.

"He was living in a small rented house with his wife and children in Miranshah. He, his wife and two other members of his family died on the spot," a Pakistani Taliban commander told Reuters. He declined to be identified.

Pakistani officials painted Mansoor as al-Qaeda's chief in Pakistan.

"He died in the missile attacks overnight in Miranshah. His death is a major blow to al-Qaeda's abilities to strike in Pakistan," a

senior official told the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity.

Intelligence officials said the death toll could rise because buildings next to the one targeted were also damaged and people could have been there.

On Wednesday, a US drone aircraft fired missiles at a compound in a village near Miranshah, killing 10 suspected fighters, Pakistani officials and villagers said.

The Central Intelligence Agency drone programme was apparently halted after a November NATO cross-border air attack killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, sparking fury in Pakistan.

The attacks with the unmanned aircraft in Pakistan's northwestern ethnic tribal areas along the Afghan border were resumed on January 10.

Several armed groups, including the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda, operate in Pakistan's semi-autonomous regions, taking

advantage of a porous frontier with Afghanistan to conduct cross-border attacks, or plot violence elsewhere.

North Waziristan is also an important base for the al-Qaedalinked Haqqani network, an Afghan faction allied with the Taliban, which the United States says is one of its deadliest adversaries in Afghanistan.

While the Haqqanis say they no longer need havens in North Waziristan and stay in Afghanistan, they are known to still maintain a presence in the Pakistani border region.

The use of the remotely piloted aircraft over Pakistan is opposed by most Pakistani politicians and the public, who consider drone strikes violations of sovereignty with unacceptable civilian casualties.

But despite public opposition, Pakistan appears to have quietly supported the programme, which President Barack Obama ramped up after taking office in 2009.

Greek austerity talks stall on pension cuts

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reece's finance minister has gone to Brussels to meet eurozone counterparts, despite the country's political leaders failing to agree on a package of austerity measures on which payment of the country's latest bailout loan depends.

Evangelos Venizelos, who departed Athens early yesterday after talks lasting into the early hours, said he remained optimistic that the Eurogroup meeting would reach a "positive decision" on a new aid plan for the debt-crippled nation.

But he also urged Greece's coalition leaders to reach a lastditch deal on which he said Greece's "survival over the coming years" depended.

"It will determine whether the country remains in the eurozone or whether its place in Europe will be endangered," Venizelos said.

"There is no room for any other

expediency: We must look Greeks in the eye, look at the national interest and the interest of our children."

Lucas Papademos, Greece's prime minister, held talks with coaltion party leaders into the early hours of Thursday, but the seven-and-a-half hour meeting broke up with the parties agreed on "all points of the plan except one", according to the prime minister's office.

A government source told the AFP news agency that the sticking point had been proposed pension cuts. Conservative and far-right leaders in the coalition reportedly considered the proposed 15 per cent cut to subsidiary pensions unacceptable.

"At 2 am, all I can say, is a line from the Beatles: 'It is a hard day's night,'" George Karatzaferis, the leader of the far-right LAOS party told reporters as he left for home.

Deadly assault continues on Syria’s Homs

D

ozens of people have reportedly been killed in the Syrian city of Homs, as government forces continued a relentless assault on the central city for a sixth day.

Activists said yesterday that the bombardments centred on the neighbourhoods of Bab Amr, Khalidiya and al-Bayyada.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from the city, Hadi al-Abdallah, said 12 homes were targeted in Bab Amr, including three inhabited buildings.

"Three families were killed when buildings were shelled.

The martyrs are women, men and Homs, Syria's third-largest city, has become the focus of both resistance and reprisal in the 11-month uprising as many areas have fallen under the control of increasingly bold army defectors who want to bring down the government.

In other parts of the country,

activists reported clashes between Syrian troops and army defectors in Idlib, near the border with Turkey.

In eastern Deir al-Zor province, machinegun fire wounded dozens of people including women and children in Koriyeh, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that army reinforcements were being sent into the town.

As the violence grinds on, the international community is searching for new diplomatic approaches to stop the bloodshed.

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, said on Wednesday that the head of the Arab League plans to send observers back into Syria and has raised the possibility of a joint mission with the UN. Ban provided no specifics, but the idea appeared aimed at giving the regional group a boost after the league's earlier mission was pulled out of the country because of security concerns.

Myanmar’s Mons allowed to mark national day

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he ethnic Mon community has been permitted by authorities to publicly celebrate their national day for the first time in 15 years in Myanmar.

The minority group, who number up to eight million of the country's nearly 60 million people, assembled across the country, including in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, on Wednesday to mark the ancient founding of Hanthawady, the last Mon kingdom.

The development appeared to be a part of a wave of political and social reforms in the country, as the government moves to engage with the numerous ethnic minority groups that had faced oppression by Myanmar's former military leadership.

The national day celebrations were permitted after a peace deal that was struck between the new Mon State Party and the government just a week ago.

Many of Myanmar's ethnic groups want more autonomy from the new civilian government, which took over from military rule in 2010.

Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay, reporting from Yangon, said "it is a symbolic day for Myanmar, not only for the Mon people, but for the government as well", noting that a number of senior officials attended the celebrations.

"It is just another small step in the long road of trying to engage all the ethnic minority groups of Myanmar."

But he also noted that there was still widespread scepticism over the government's sincerity to improve relations with the Mons.

"There is a still a lot of mistrust, a lot of scepticism that this government is making real change on the ground, that its not just doing it for its own economic benefit," he said.

Disagreement remains on the extent of the austerity measures among coalition partners [Reuters]

PAGE 34

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Support grows for Palestinian hunger striker

Activists around the world call for the release of Adnan who has been on a hunger strike since his detention [AFP]

S

upporters of Khader Adnan, a Palestinian activist, have called for a worldwide solidarity hunger strike, after human rights groups reported that his life was in danger.

Adnan, widely believed to be a leader of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad, has not had food since mid-December when the Israeli army raided his West Bank home.

People from around the world tweeted yesterday that they had joined the solidarity hunger strike, using the hashtag #9febHungerStrike.

Amnesty International said that Adnan's life was in danger as he continued his protest against his detention without trial or charge.

"He remains shackled to his hospital bed and constant under

armed guard," the rights group said in a statement.

Adnan was arrested from his house in the occupied West Bank on December 17, and given a four-month administrative detention order by an Israeli military court on January 10.

The order will end on May 8, but Amnesty International said that it could be renewed indefinitely.

Adnan's wife, Randa, complained that medical staff were treating him very badly after she visited him in hospital on February 7, the first time since his detention.

His health is deteriorating, she said, adding that a doctor had "mocked him when he asked for water and said that he should also stop drinking water".

Seventy people were aboard the 38-foot vessel when it sank early on Saturday [Reuters]

Dozens confirmed dead in Caribbean sinking

A

uthorities have said that at least 41 people are confirmed dead after a Dominican boat overloaded with migrants bound for Puerto Rico capsized.

The bodies were found late on Tuesday and early on Wednesday, Luis Castro, the intelligence director of the Dominican Republic's navy said.

He said crews expected to find more bodies.

Seventy people were aboard the 38-foot vessel when it sank early on Saturday.

The discoveries scuttled hopes that more people had survived the accident and gone into hiding.

"You don't have to look for

them anymore. The bodies float up by themselves and can be seen from far away,'' said Samuel Hernandez, leader of a small group of volunteers from Sabana del Mar, a coastal town northeast of Santo Domingo where rescue efforts are being co-ordinated.

Crews rescued 13 people after the accident, among them David Cepeda Calcano, one of the trip's purported organisers.

Castro said Cepeda could face charges once he is released from the hospital where he is being treated for severe burns.

Survivors have told authorities that they swam as many as seven hours under a brutal sun until they were rescued at sea or reached shore.

The overloaded boat capsized shortly after departing from the Dominican Republic for Puerto Rico, creating one of the Caribbean country's worst accidents of recent years.

In July 2004, about 80 migrants died after their boat capsized, and 50 were declared missing in February 2010 after their boat disappeared.

Thousands of poor Dominican migrants, along with many Haitian and Cuban migrants, try to cross the 260kilometre Mona Passage separating the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, which shifting tidal currents make one of the most dangerous and unpredictable areas of ocean in the Caribbean

Washington state set to allow gay marriage

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Governor Christine Gregoire (L) congratulates representative Jamie Pederson after the house passed the bill [Reuters]

ashington legislators have voted in favour of a bill legalising samesex marriage, which should soon be signed into law by the governor, officials said.

The bill was passed by 55 votes to 43 in the lower-house House of Representatives, having already been approved by state senators last week.

Christine Gregoire, the state governor, has five days to approve the text, which would make Washington the seventh state in the US to allow gay marriage. The law would then go into effect 90 days later.

The governor said last month she supported the bill and that she planned to sign it if approved by legislators.

Six US states - Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont - plus the District of Columbia already allow samesex marriage, but the issue

remains highly controversial.

The vote in Washington state comes a day after a US federal appeals court struck down a California law that had stripped gay couples of the right to marry.

Gay marriage was briefly authorised in California in 2008, but later banned by a referendum on what was known as Proposition 8. It rewrote the state's constitution to restrict marriage to unions between a man and a woman.

On Tuesday, the three-judge appeals panel in San Francisco ruled 2-1 that a lower court had properly declared the ban a violation of the US constitution.

But opponents of the legislation say they will try to gather enough signatures to call a public referendum on banning it in November. If they were to get the signatures needed, the law would be suspended until the referendum.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 35

Father suffocated six-month-old son then hanged himself after breaking up with baby’s mother

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father suffocated his sixmonth-old son in the bath and then hanged himself, an inquest heard.

Paul McBride, 39, of Lancashire, killed baby Ollie shortly after the break-up of a ‘turbulent relationship’ with the child’s mother, Michaela Swain.

The youngster’s dry body was found lying on the bed in the upstairs bedroom of Mr McBride’s home in Preston, Lancashire.

Found nearby were two handwritten notes from the taxi driver addressed to his brother - one was

written on the back of a court order obtained by Ms Swain.

Preston Coroner’s Court heard Ms Swain had recently secured a non-molestation order against her former partner, designed to prevent him threatening or harassing her.

She alerted police four minutes after he was due to return Ollie to her at 4pm on September 14 last year.

Family members of Mr McBride were the first to make the grim discovery at the address in Marl Hill Crescent, Ribbleton,

Ollie McBride died at a house in Preston, Lancashire, after his father suffocated him and then took his own life

Murder and suicide: Paul McBride, pictured holding his son Ollie, killed the baby by suffocating him, a coroner heard

before police and emergency services arrived.

Mr McBride was hanging from a stairwell in soaking wet clothes.

Upstairs the bath was half-full of tepid water, with dried flowers floating on top.

Police initially thought the

toddler may have been drowned but that was later ruled out.

Pathologist Brian Rogers told the hearing: ‘I think Paul got into the bath with baby Ollie and suffocated him at some stage while they were in the bath ... but he did not drown the baby.’

There were no obvious signs of injury to the youngster’s body, he added.

Preston deputy coroner Simon Jones recorded verdicts that Mr McBride took his own life and that he unlawfully killed his son.

Source: Dailymail.com

NAFDAC and campaign against drug counterfeiting Contd. from page 28 He expatiates that the system involves the use of a scratch-card attached to a drug’s package to enable consumers to text short messages on MTN, Glo and Zain networks, adding that the inquiring consumer will receive an instant response on the genuineness of product or otherwise.

On the TruScan device, Orhii says that it is a portable gadget that could distinguish between genuine and counterfeit medicines within a few seconds or minutes, depending on the nature of the substance under investigation.

The NAFDAC boss recalls that the device was first used by NAFDAC officials in January 2011 during the interception of a consignment of goods suspected to be fake drugs at the NAHCO shed of Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.

Re-echoing Orhii’s viewpoint, Mrs Comfort Makanjuola, NAFDAC’s Deputy Director (Ports Inspection Directorate), says that the application of TruScan device has been very helpful in identifying fake or expired drugs, which are capable of endangering the lives of unsuspecting consumers.

She says that the TruScan device has a facility that can

instantly recognise about 70 per cent of 18 counterfeit drugs.

Makanjuola recalls that the device was also used in Kebbi State in November 2011 to identify counterfeit and banned drugs worth N2 million.

To tackle the faking of drugs and other regulated products, NAFDAC has evolved a multidimensional approach, some of which include the strengthening of international and local collaborations.

Orhii stresses the need for NAFDAC to collaborate with other stakeholders in the war against drug counterfeiting; adding that the agency has been cooperating with other government agencies in the campaign.

“In furtherance of the interagency co-operation, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) handed over us a suspect who was intercepted at Seme border post with a large consignment of Lonart DS tablets.

“Besides, the Nigerian Customs Service has been partnering with NAFDAC by sending the manifests of regulated products for our scrutiny before the release of consignments,” he adds.

Orhii also says NAFDAC is now involving the youth in the campaign against fake drugs and products.

The NAFDAC boss says that the agency has involved youths in the fight against fake drugs and products, stressing that the youths’ input entails information gathering and disclosure of information about sources and producers of counterfeit drugs.

On the challenges facing NAFDAC, Orhii laments that Nigeria has been very lenient with perpetrators of drug counterfeiting, arguing that some countries such as China have zero-tolerance for drug faking as the offence attracts stiffer penalties, including death sentences.

He says that NAFDAC is pushing for a legislation that will prescribe life sentences and assets’ confiscation for convicted drug counterfeiters, expressing hope that the National Assembly will soon pass the bill.

“The Indian parliament has made a law, making drug counterfeiting a criminal offence that is punishable by life imprisonment and confiscation of assets.

“They also instituted a reward system for anybody who gives information that leads to the seizure of fake made-in-India products.

“So, we felt embarrassed that Nigerians, who are at the receiving end, are the most

lenient when it comes to punishing offenders.

“When offenders are arrested, prosecuted and convicted; the maximum jail term is 15 years, while a laughable fine of N500, 000 is imposed,” he says.

Orhii bemoans a situation where convicted drug counterfeiters are left off the hook with minimal penalties, adding that it does not aid the fulfillment of NAFDACA’s crusade against drug counterfeiting, which has killed many Nigerians.

He calls for a complete overhaul of NAFDAC laws to enable them to serve as a deterrent to offenders, adding that light jail terms tacitly encourage the activities of fake drugs’ merchants.

“I have also discovered that it is easier for people to transact fake drugs business unlike narcotics, which is a very difficult terrain.

That is why NAFDAC will not rest on its oars until the war against fake drugs is won in the country,” Orhii says.

All the same, observers note that the current participatory nature of the crusade against fake drugs has somewhat heightened the chances of winning the war.

Mt Charles Obi, a pharmacist, says that every Nigeria has now realised that he or she has some

roles to play in the war against drug trafficking, adding that the emerging awareness is a plus for the campaign.

“However, what is essential now is for NAFDAC to step up its public awareness campaigns, particularly though the media,’’ he says, adding: “Tangible efforts should be made to engender and sustain the citizens’ participation in the campaign via mass mobilisation schemes.’’

This is because observers such as Mr Emmanuel Luka, a businessman, insist the impact of NAFDAC’s activities is somewhat insignificant in the rural areas.

“For instance, the SMS verification method of detecting fake drugs will be of little benefit to the rural dwellers because majority of them cannot even afford a mobile phone, while others cannot read,’’ he says Luka, therefore, urges NAFDAC to adopt alternative media strategies to reach out to the vast segment of the country’s population living in the rural areas.

“Through such efforts, NAFDAC’s anti-drug counterfeiting campaign will be more all-encompassing, while many areas our country will be freed from the menace of fake drugs,’’ he says.

Source: NANFeatures

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, FRISDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Chocolate cake for breakfast will help you lose weight and keep it off, claim scientists

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s a recipe for losing weight, tucking into a slice of chocolate cake at breakfast would seem an unlikely fantasy.

But a full breakfast that includes a sweet treat really can contribute to weight loss success, researchers claim.

A team from Tel Aviv University found that eating pudding as part of a balanced 600-calorie breakfast that also includes proteins and carbohydrates, can help dieters to lose more weight - and keep it off in the long run.

The key is to indulge in the morning, when the body’s metabolism is at its most active and we are better able to work off the extra calories throughout the day, according to Professor Daniela Jakubowicz and her team.

Attempting to avoid sweets entirely can create a psychological addiction to these same foods in the long-term, she said. So adding dessert items to breakfast can control cravings throughout the rest of the day.

Over the course of a 32 weeklong study, detailed in the journal Steroids, participants who added dessert to their breakfast - cookies, cake, or chocolate - lost an average of 40lbs more than a group that avoided such foods.

What’s more, they kept off the pounds longer.

A meal in the morning provides energy for the day’s tasks, aids in brain functioning, and kick-starts the body’s metabolism, making it crucial

for weight loss and maintenance.

And breakfast is the meal that most successfully regulates ghrelin, the hormone that increases hunger, explains Professor Jakubowicz.

While the level of ghrelin rises before every meal, it is suppressed most effectively at breakfast time.

Basing their study on this fact, the researchers hoped to determine whether meal time and composition had an impact on weight loss in the short and long term, or if it was a simple matter of calorie count.

One hundred and ninety three clinically obese, nondiabetic adults were randomly assigned to one of two diet groups with identical caloric intake - the men consumed 1600 calories per day and the women 1400.

However, the first group was given a low carbohydrate diet including a small 300 calorie breakfast, and the second was given a 600 calorie breakfast high in protein and carbohydrates, always including a dessert item (i.e. chocolate).

Halfway through the study, participants in both groups had lost an average of 33lbs per person. But in the second half of the study, results differed drastically. The participants in the low-carbohydrate group regained an average of 22lbs per person, but participants in the group with a larger breakfast lost another 15lbs each.

At the end of the 32 weeks,

Breakfast of champions: Chocolate cake first thing can stave off cravings later in the day

those who had consumed a 600calorie breakfast had lost an average of 40lbs more per person than their peers.

One of the biggest challenges that people face is keeping weight off in the long-term, says Professor Jakubowicz. Ingesting a higher proportion of our daily calories at breakfast makes sense.

It’s not only good for body function, but it also alleviates cravings.

Highly restrictive diets that forbid desserts and carbohydrates are initially effective, but often cause dieters to stray from their food plans as a result of withdrawal-like symptoms.

They end up regaining much of the weight they lost during the diet proper.

Professor Jakubowicz said that although they consumed the same daily amount of calories, ‘the participants in the low carbohydrate diet group had less satisfaction, and felt that they were not full’. She said that their cravings for sugars and carbohydrates were more intense and eventually caused them to cheat on the diet plan.

‘But the group that consumed a bigger breakfast, including dessert, experienced few if any cravings for these foods later in the day.’

Ultimately, this shows that a diet must be realistic to be adopted as part of a new lifestyle.

Curbing cravings is better than deprivation for weight loss success, the team concluded.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Facebook is good for you: Social networks relax the heart rate and trigger ‘a natural high’ W

ebsites like Facebook may actually be good for you, according to the latest psychological study on users.

Researchers found using social networks can spark a natural high leading to a relaxed heart rate and lower levels of stress and tension.

While it seems like a solitary activity, the interaction with others via these networks has a positive effect on body and mind, said joint American and Italian research.

And that buzz could explain the massive success of social networking in general and Facebook in particular.

University researchers in Milan wired up 30 students aged 19-25, monitoring the reactions of their brain, blood pressure, skin conductance, pupil dilation and heart rate.

These readings show levels of arousal, excitement, stress and relaxation said the study for online journal Cyberpsychology, Behaviour and Social Networking.

The students were then given three minute exercises - either looking at panoramic landscapes,

a short time on Facebook or a complicated mathematical task.

Not surprisingly the first

made the students the most relaxed and the maths test made them the most stressed.

But the Facebook time threw up a whole new set of unexpected results that were neither stressed out or over relaxed.

Instead they found it brought out reactions suggesting the person had found high levels of attractiveness and arousal.

The research was conducted jointly by the Auxologico Italian Institute, the C a t h o l i c University, both in Milan, and the f a m o u s Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

It found: ‘The success of social networking sites might be associated with a specific positive affective state experienced by users when they 'Natural high': Scientists measured the reactions of students using Facebook use their account.’ which suggested they were 'aroused'

However, Lady Susan Greenfield from the University of Oxford recently warmed overusing social networks could shorten the attention span, encourage instant gratification and cause a loss of empathy.

And last year a U.S report suggested using websites like Facebook could be fuelling the rise of sexually transmitted diseases among young adults.

The study from Florida’s Seminole County Health Department reported large rises in cases of chlamydia and syphilis.

Intervention specialist Preston Boyce told ClickOrlando.com: ‘They’re using the social networks. They’re not talking to their parents, and they’re hooking up with people that they really don’t know anything about.

‘They’re contracting diseases, and then they go their separate ways.

‘There wasn’t a bond that was developed in the first place, so they’re just meeting people, and that bond wasn’t there so it’s easy to walk away after the first time.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 37

Edo 2012: PDP dismissive of Oshiomhole’s subsidy Palliatives Following the partial removal of the fuel subsidy by the federal government early this year, the Edo state government initiated palliative measures to cushion the effects of removal of the fuel subsidy on the people of the state. But the opposition party, PDP, is not thrilled writes Osaigbovo Iguobaro, from Benin.

I

ts target were the downtrodden, low income earners, students and pensioners who are 70 years and above.

The pronouncement by the state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole however elicited reactions, as many observers expressed their worries, asking, how can the palliatives reach the targeted audience while a standing committee to enforce the implementation in view of the new challenges and approaches to governance is yet to be set up?

To the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the palliative was a blank speech by the governor to garner support for the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) ahead of July 14th governorship Poll.

Damning all criticisms, Oshiomole, to complement existing free education at both primary and junior secondary schools, announced the abolition of levies for Parents Teachers Association (PTA), in all secondary schools for both indigenes and non-indigenes in the state.

Similarly, the olive branch was also extended to the part-time students,’ as their fees was reduced

by N5,000 per student. The reduction came two years after the institutions’ fees were increased by 300 percent. During which protest by aggrieved students led to the destruction of properties allegedly worth millions of naira.

He also announced fifty percent subsidy on transport for primary and secondary school students in the state, including school uniforms; even as he said plans are underway to increase the fleet of buses of the Edo City Transport Service.

In the same vein, the state Chief Executive announced free health care for senior citizens from age seventy and above in all the state owned hospitals, while those from sixty years and above are entitled to free eye test and eye glasses, calling on leaders at all levels across the country to set aside their personal political calculations as a result of the fuel price increases in the interest of the people and the larger interest of the polity.

While most Parents whose Children are in public schools were praising the government for its kind gesture, the PDP feels the policy has outlived its feels, saying, the the scene is bound to fail, owing to much talked about reduction in school fees at the state-owned Ambrose Ali

University (AAU), Ekpoma for regular undergraduates by N15, 000 per student for both indigenes and non indigenes.

On the other hand, observers are wondering why the state Government is yet to extend the olive branch to other sate-owned Tertiary Institutions like the Institute of Management and Technology, Usen, College of Education, Igueben, School of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi amongst others.

Determined to prepare a safe landing for Oshiomhole who is seeking re-election, a group craving for a political relevance codename, ‘Edo political Rebirth whose idea is to promote good governance have begun sensitisation Campaign for his reelection and flicking others to queue behind him.

To consolidate further on the renewed vigour to divorce the PDP, ‘Edo United for Good Governance’, which has 192 Coordinators across the 18 local Government Councils of Edo State reeled out their blueprint to set a minimum standard for all Governorship Aspirants jostling for April 14th 2012 Governorship election in the state.

The President General, of the group, Chief Evelyn Igbafe Omokhodion, at a news Conference in Benin City tasked the electorates to compare the 3 years old government of Adams Oshiomhole with 10 years of PDP’s past leadership in the state and avert the temptation of being swindled by maverick Politicians.

The move has stir the blood of hatred on some Party men within the opposition, who are currently scratching their heads to beam their searchlight on the lobe-sided areas that would aid them in blackmail the Governor.

Expectedly, the Chairman of ACN, Barr. Thomas Okosun has

openly condemned the comments of the umbrella party as “unfortunate and wicked”, saying, ‘They are trying to mislead the people of the State. They are completely ignorance,’ he said.

Analysts believe the issue of AAU tuition fee reduction was expected mechanism that is well calculated to prevent the PDP from using it to blackmail the ruling ACN, led Government in the State which loss abysmally to the PDP in last April Presidential, National/State Houses of Assembly elections in the Edo Central Senatorial district.

Speaking, a Benin City based economic expert, Tony Abolo, described Oshiomhole as a man who saw tomorrow ahead of other aspirants jostling for his seat.

According to him, Oshiomhole is the best candidate for the people.

He has done it before and he is going to do it again. That is what the people want, someone they can trust.”

Abolo, added that Oshiomhole’s pronouncement is a philosophical statement…If your Child is in the middle- Class and the lower Class.

The lower and the middle Class is asked to go and sweep, that of course is the kind of job he is giving them.

On why the policy has to be now, Mr. Abolo argued thus: ‘Oshiomhole is that smart, before the last state House of Assembly election. What he did was to pull-out all the people that were disturbing us at the road junctions.

He alleged that some groups who were asked by the State Governor to go on compulsory sabbatical leave include, members of task force Committee on War Against Indiscipline (WAI), led by its Chairman, David Babantunde Olukoga, and task force Committee on Demolition, traffic and obstructions.

The alleged suspension according to him excited Street traders, especially at the King

“

Expectedly, the Chairman of ACN, Barr.

Thomas Okosun has openly condemned the comments of the umbrella party as “unfortunate and wicked”, saying, ‘They are trying to mislead the people of the State.

They are completely ignorance,’ he said

Gov. Adam Oshiomhole square before it was reinstated few days after the elections. “ Another strategy the Governor seems to have applied which has kept the PDP at bay is the reinstatement of the embattled task force Committee on demolition, street trading and removal of obstructions, Major Lawrence Loye (Rtd.),” he said.

Laye, was sacked last September in a mysterious circumstance for destroying the multi million naira monument belonging to the Wife of a former military/Civilian Governor of the defunct Mid-west/ Bendel State, (Dr.) Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, who is also the political icon and a PDP Board of trustee.

The demolition of the house along Siluko road in Benin City was viewed by the governor as illconceived and outright violation of the law, immediately ordered for his arrest.

Many believed that his reinstatement is meant to strengthen the governors campaign and weaken the opposition, owing to his popularity in the political tenet of the state.

While reacting to the governor’s palliative, a PDP governorship aspirant in the state, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, who is yet to obtain his nomination form ahead of the elections, said, :does the palliative has to do with Bursary for Students, does it has Scholarship? Does it have to do with school loans? Does it have vacation jobs for Students? Has he (Oshiomhole), fix the libraries. Are the hostels condition ok? Does he respect Students unionism? Does he respect Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)? Does the AAU have a substantive Vice Chancellor, VC, Bursar or Registrar now?’’ The Professor of Political Science, who was the former Special Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, argued that the reduction of tuition fee in AAU is beyond a cosmetic reduction in fees.

Meanwhile, barely three days

after the palliative was announced, the PDP Youth Leader in the State, Barr. Vincent Ose-Akhere who resigned as Commissioner of Art, Culture and tourism on order of his Political godfather, Chief Tony Anenih, over a year ago from Oshiomhole’s cabinet amidst regret, described the move as outrageous and dehumanizing, capable of inflicting more pains on the people of the State.

Akhere, who is also a onetime transition Committee Chairman in the Central part of the State during the hey-days of PDP leadership, said, ‘‘I want to say that the reduction is so crude and it’s medicine after death, particularly coming from a man that cannot be trusted”.

He argued that the move is a calculated attempt to get sympathy of electorates and calm the nerves of angry Students and Parents living in the area where his administration had denied development which may not be unconnected with alleged abysmal performance of ACN during last April Presidential, State/National Assembly Elections.

The PDP Leader who is requesting the Governor to reverse the tuition fee of the State-owned University to the former status quo which was pegged at N18, 000 per section, against the current backdrop of over N62,000 per session, to enable Students who had quit their programmes to come back.

The former Commissioner who relied his point of argument on certain section of the 1999 Constitution which places premium on Education as a social responsibility of government at all levels, wondered why the Governor is busy transforming public schools with the support received from the federal government at the instance of skill labourers to man them; even as he accused the State Government for setting aside a chunk of the 2012 budget as passed by the House to prosecute his election.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Bafarawa kicked Wamakko out of ANPP, says Bukar Abba

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

F

ormer governor of Yobe state, Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim, yesterday disclosed that former governor of Sokoto, Attahiru Bafarawa, should be held responsible over the defection of the incumbent Governor of Sokoto, Magatakadan Wamakko and other influential members from All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking to journalists at the ANPP national secretariat in Abuja during the National Executive Council meeting of the party, Bukar Abba blamed Bafarawa over the party’s poor performance in recent times, maintaining that Bafarawa made ANPP to lose most of its states to PDP. He regretted that all efforts made by other stakeholders to persuade Bafarawa against the attacks on Wamakko could not yield fruit, blaming him

(Bafarawa) for what he described as politics of selfishness.

While expressing joy over the decision of Bafarawa to return to ANPP after realizing his mistakes, he pledged the party’s support and encouragement for him, saying he appears set to repair what he spoiled.

“Party members should endevour to look beyond personal interests in politics. We should consider Nigerians first before our personal interests,” he stated.

Further speaking on the Bayelsa governorship polls, Bukar Abba said that if the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) could make the election as free and fair as possible, ANPP governorship candidate in that state would definitely emerge victorious at the polls.

He called on ANPP supporters to resist attempts by politicians to sway them with money, emphasizing that ANPP has a manifesto that would impact positively in their lives.

L-R: Former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar, Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Governors Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi, Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa and others, waiting yesterday at Sultan Abubakar Airport, Sokoto, for the arrival of President Goodluck Jonathan for the launch of the campaign of PDP gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.

Photo: NAN

PDP condoles with Mbu, Aluko and Dantata families Kogi guber tussle: Court

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday sent condolence messages to the families of late Ambassador Matthew Mbu, Professor Sam Aluko and Alhaji Abdulkadir Dantata.

The party, in a release made available to newsmen, stated “The Peoples Democratic Party has been following with deep sorrow, the passing away of some of our most respected and highly accomplished leaders in the past few days.

“While Nigerians woke up last Monday to the shocking news of the death of frontline Independence leader and Nigeria’s first Republic Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Mattew Taiwo Mbu, the sun rose the next morning with the shattering news of the passing-on of the foremost economist, Professor Sam Aluko. The death of Nigeria’s entrepreneurial mogul, Alhaji Abdulkadir Dantata the same day was another rude shock on the already mourning nation.

“For Amb. Mbu who became a Federal Minister at a young age of twenty-two, a feat no other Nigerian has achieved ever since, his footpath

in charting a noble course for the infant, independent Nigeria will remain indelible in the sands of time.

“Professor Aluko, a nationalist and an erudite scholar of economics loomed large in volumes of brilliant scholarly and impeccable solutions he constantly proffered as ways forward for Nigeria’s economy. The academic community, indeed Nigeria has lost an intellectual giant.

“Alhaji Dantata who epitomized the indefatigable entrepreneurial spirit of a true Nigerian, a man of few words and more action will remain a signature tune on the seminal roles of private entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s struggles for nation building.

“The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the entire members of the PDP express our heart-felt condolence to the families of the bereaved and the nation at large. May the gentle souls of these fine gentlemen rest in perfect peace and may God Almighty give their families, indeed all Nigerians the courage to bear these loses with fortitude,” Alkali stated.

...Akume too

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Senate minority leader, George Akume, has condoled with the families of Aluko and Mbu, over the death of Sam Adepoju Aluko and Mathew Tawo Mbu. In a condolence message sent to the families, Akume described the deceased as one of Nigeria’s most prominent and finest economists and politicians, who carved for himself a niche in the public sphere.

He highlighted their positive contributions towards economic and political development of Nigeria through constructive and objective criticisms of several

government policies.

While admitting that their death is a national loss, he urged members of their families, friends and associates to take solace in the notable achievements and contributions which they made to the development of Nigeria.

He further said that, while alive, they were committed to the growth and development of Nigeria, through integrity and humility, which he said endeared them to their colleagues.

He maintained that they bequeathed the nation unparalleled accomplishments that can be built upon for the benefit of future generations.

declines prayer to remove Wada

A

Federal High Court yesterday in Abuja declined to make an order to stop the Kogi state Governor, Capt. Idris Wada, from functioning as the governor of the state.

Mr. Oyebode Makinde, a former People’s Democratic Party governorship aspirant in the state approached the court with the exparte motion.

Justice Donatus Okorowo held that it was in the interest of justice for the plaintiff to put all the respondents in the matter on notice.

Other respondents in the matter are Kogi state Police Commissioner, Chief Judge of the State, Grandi Cadi, PDP, INEC and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

Okorowo said that the court could not order Wada to stop functioning as governor based on the present motion because the plaintiff was not asking to be sworn-in as the governor of the state.

The judge, therefore, ordered for an accelerated hearing of the suit and abridged the time within which

parties should file their processes.

Makinde’s counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), who filed the motion, told the court that his client had sought the order of the court to stop Wada from parading himself as the governor of the state.

The plaintiff further prayed for a consequential order, which only recognized the Speaker of the State House of Assembly as the acting governor of the state pending the determination of the substantive suit. (NAN)

PDP chairmanship: Alkali’s support committee concludes first assignment

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he committee set up by Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe state to mobilize support for the aspiration of Rufa’i Ahmed Alkali to become the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming national convention of the party has concluded the first phase of its assignment in the North East

zone.

A statement issued by the secretary of the committee, Mohammed Magaji Doho, stated that the committee carried out extensive tour of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states, meeting with stakeholders, elders, opinion leaders, youth groups, women groups and leaders of the party at various levels.

It therefore commended the

warm reception accorded to them in each of the states visited, particularly expressing delight over the level of acceptance that Alkali enjoys in the North East Zone.

The Committee also commended the efforts made

by Dankwambo and Alkali to mobilize support for the later by traveling the length and breadth of the country to seek the support of stakeholders nationwide.

Governors Forum plans investment blueprint

T

he Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) secretariat is developing investment and policy briefs for states across the federation.

This is in addition to developing a comprehensive labour relations programme at state level to smoothen relationship between workers and governors.

Mr. Asishana Okauru, the

Director General of the Secretariat, gave the information in Abuja on Thursday.

He added that the secretariat recently launched a website to serve as a digital information hub for the policies and programmes of the 36 state governors.

The director general said the website was designed in collaboration with the Department for International

Development (DFID).

“It was borne out of the need to develop a proper peer review mechanism to drive the secretariat’s development plans.’’

The NGF, formed after the American Governors Association, is an umbrella association of the 36 governors in Nigeria irrespective of party affiliation.

(NAN)

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Using poverty as political weapon INTERVIEW

Y

ou belong to the opposition party; but do we really still have an opposition in the country?

Well, I wouldn’t say that there are no opposition politicians or political parties in the country; the reasons are simple. We all know the kind of travails the opposition in the country are passing through, that is an indication that even the opposition circle are in dear need of having the best security of their lives and property and indeed the collective security of everybody. This definitely calls for some kind of restriction; and people are now extremely very cautious with regards to coming out to parade their identity being in the opposition or even in the government circle. It is well known to everybody that the kind of political trend that is currently taking shape within the rank and file of the country is something that is worrisome, because people have lost focus right from the very day the political class are out in the field canvassing for votes; people were easily being bought simply because of the level of poverty in the country.

So that goes to tell you that money really played a very significant role in determining who becomes what and who could not become what in terms of attainment of power. Having said this, you will have to realize and believe that most of us in the opposition circle are defiantly crippled in many folds, in the sense that when we tell the electorate during the electioneering campaign to exercise restraint with regard to money politics, and that they should think of the future of themselves, their young ones and those yet unborn, the direction was simple, people are always out to make money; and now all of us are paying for that.

When you look at the issue of removal of fuel subsidy, it goes on to tell you that even those who legitimately voted for current government in the state and in the country at large are definitely against the system, and the party in power. As it is, I believe that everybody will definitely pay dearly out of his sweat, out of whatever kind of hardship that is being unleashed on the Nigerian people by the PDP led administration, both in the federal, state and local government levels.

But the opposition parties are not showing anything on ground; that is why the ruling party, PDP, is doing whatever it wants.

Well, I wouldn’t want to say that the oppositions are not doing anything; rather, the oppositions are being crippled.

Honourable Mohammed Aminu Tukur formerly represented Lere/ Bula area in Bauchi State House of Assembly and is onetime chairman of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Council. In this interview with Ahmed Kaigama, he speaks on the performance of the present legislature, how money is used in politics and the political crisis bedeviling Tafawa Balewa.

When you do not have any significant majority and are denied access to media and other places whereby you can disseminate your opinion to the generality of the public, then you have nowhere to go. For example, after the suspension of the industrial action by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), I read on papers that the Inspector General of police (IGP) said anybody who organised unauthorized gathering will be charged according to laws of the land. But this same constitution allows for freedom of assembly; and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria is supreme. So, where we continue to exist in such a kind of barbaric or rather autocratic regimes whereby only the few can determine about our lives without the influence of anybody then definitely the society is doomed.

Sir, you were once an active member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly.

How can you compare your own days and the present legislature?

Well, it goes to tell you that in any kind of given circumstances, there are people who are good and bad people.

The good ones work while the bad ones destroy. But as a person, I know that I am supposed to develop a major interest in any activity that has to do with the legislative aspect of governance, not only in the state but in the country at large. Presently, I feel ashamed of the current kind of legislature that we have in the state. I am not trying to be biased or sentimental; but the truth is that the members of the Sixth Assembly that served in the Bauchi State House of Assembly remained the only unpaid members of any State House of Assembly in the whole country.

To that effect, I wrote a personal

Hon. Mohammed Aminu Tukur letter to the Honorable Speaker, telling him that he should intervene, using the House instrument of authority to call on the government to pay us our allowances. Honorable Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly could not even disclose the content of my letter to his colleagues, he rather wants us to go and wash our dirty linens in public; meaning to castigate the government in which he is presently serving.

What is your assessment on the present government service delivery?

I kept mute because I don’t believe in 100 days in office.

Why? My reasons are simple. If there is insecurity in the place; I will appreciate the government to secure the place in less than a hundred days, so when this administration comes for the second time, it would address other issues. The fact is

“

When you do not have any significant majority and are denied access to media and other places whereby you can disseminate your opinion to the generality of the public, then you have nowhere to go

that there is a partial improvement prior to what has happened just about three, four days back, the state was absolutely secured. So if there is any way that I should measure 100 days , I would measure the level of security position of the state but not development.

Government may issue contracts all over the place but completion will never be attained in a 100 days. I will rather be allowed to discuss the performance of the government after a period of one year.

People commend Governor Isa Yuguda for bringing retoring peace to the state. The problem is always from Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, your constituency. Why? Nobody will say the governor has not performed with regard to security in the state. Security situation has improved in areas where some people proclaim themselves lord over others and believe they can make utterances, sign press releases that are callous and culpable and they go free, people who can chase other Nigerians out of the country. I can’t imagine a group of people who can have the monopoly over others, who by their own wisdom and have absolute right to abuse anybody and call people by names. When you look at the issue of crisis in Tafawa Balewa from 1991, you

would discover that even a district head was killed, he was slaughtered, butchered in his room ; and those who did that were latter allowed to go back to their respective homes, and now it has been a perennial occurrences prior to these killing. There were series of incidence with regard to threat to security right from the late fifties and sixties.

What is the way forward?

Let me give you an example, Bauchi emirate, prior to the creation of Sayawa chiefdom contained 8 local governments: namely Bogoro, Tafawa Balewa , Alkaleri, Toro , Bauchi, Ganjuwa , Kirfi and Darazo. When you look at the components, you will discover that there are no less than 40 ethnic groups in Bauchi emirates; and the emir belongs to one of the 40 ethnic groups, and each and every one is paying allegiance to him. I have that belief that in Bauchi emirate, there isn’t any tribe bigger than the Fulanis, we are all over and we predominate and yet we are not ruling class.

We don’t rule over the emirate, the Emir is not our tribe, in their own wisdom the tribes in question in my local government area feel otherwise, whereas Ngas, the Tapshin, the Sigdi and other tribes owe their allegiance to him. They feel they should be alienated. Now, the alienation is being granted and yet they are saying they don’t want it where others want it other than where they want it. They even challenged the state Assembly that they don’t have the power to determine where and what to do.

What do you think is the possible solution to the crisis?

The solution to this is we must go back to history. The history of everywhere, it is being documented by the first colonial administrators. I am sure the present government has done its best by recommending and approving part of the Babalakin commissions of enquiry report.

But the remaining part must be followed because Babalakin has recommended that there should be trial for those that are found culpable with regard to the 1991 crisis. We want to see those that are involved in the crisis of 1991 and others brought to book.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 39

Ezeife calls for fewer political parties

F

ormer governor of Anambra state, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has lamented the proliferation of political parties in the country, pointing out that until opposition political parties learn to unite on one meaningful platform, their quest to become relevant in the country’s politics would remain futile.

Ezeife, in a goodwill message he delivered at the Political Summit organised by House Committee on Inter and Intra Party Relations at the Shehu Musa Yaradua Centa in Abuja, made reference to the days when Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Congress (NRC) were the two leading political parties, saying there were relative peace in the country due to balance in ‘rigging, intimidation and terror among the two parties’.

“Politicians should put behind them this quest to answer the National Chairman, the National Secretary, and so on of this or that political party and merge together to make Nigeria win.” Ezeife further said such quest has made the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to become a giant that decides the fate of opposition parties.

In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Joy Emodi, argued that lack of internal democracy usually result in defection of party members, legal disputes, and emergence of unpopular candidates.

She said that the essence of political parties was to make positive contribution to the lives of the electorate, calling on the national assembly to take further legislative actions to implement the resolutions arrived at the summit.

Earlier in his address of welcome, the Chairman, House Committee on Inter and Intra Party Relations, Fort Dike, said that the summit was part of efforts to entrench internal democracy and accountability among parties, stressing the importance of sticking to party manifestoes by elected parties.

He disclosed the intention of the committee to canvass for the restoration of government grants to deserving parties, but regretted that the present audit of party accounts

by INEC was inadequate. He called for a re-visitation of the Uwais Electoral Reform report with a view of addressing unimplemented recommendations.

Suswam case: Lawyers trade words at tribunal From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

T

empers rose at yesterday’s sitting of the Benue state Governorship Election Tribunal as counsels to Prof. Steve Ugbah of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN ), Olarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and Governor Gabriel Suswam, Damian Dodo threw caution to the winds and exchanged angry words in court.

Akeredolu insisted that the governor has multiple certificate issues that must be resolved. But Dodo instantly flared up at Akeredolu’s comments about his clients, urging him to show decorum in his choice of words even as he further asked him to enter the dock and witness that the governor has multiple certificates.

The action of the two senior legal luminaries also angered the tribunal chairman Justice Halima

Mohammed who stood up from her seat and rebuked the counsels.

“Do you people think that we are here to joke and waste time?

Akeredolu, we expect you as father of the lawyers here, being a former NBA National President, to lead by example,” Justice Mohammed said.

Not bothered by the comments of the tribunal chairman, Akeredolu maintained that nobody will teach him how to argue his case; and asked Dodo to concentrate on his matter.

Earlier, Akeredolu acknowledged receipt of replies from the PDP and INEC to the petitioner’s application filed on 28th January 2012 wherein they are requesting that judgment been entered on ground 3 of their petition that borders on certificate forgery.

Governor Suswam filed his reply out of time, and had to regularize it orally; and this was not opposed to by other counsels.

L-R: Former acting Governor, Adamawa state, Alhaji Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Taraba state Governor, Danbaba Suntai, Adamawa Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako, shortly before Nyako's swearing-in, in Yola, on Wednesday.

Photo: NAN

Why PDP didn’t contest IPAC chair, by Baraje

By Lawrence Olaoye

A

cting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abiubakar Kawu Baraje, yesterday explained that the party desisted from contesting the chairmanship of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) so as not to be accused of being domineering.

Baraje, at the National Political Summit organised by the House of Representatives committee on Inter/Intra Party Relations chaired

by Rep Fort Dike in collaboration with International Republican Institute (IRI), said he was under intense pressure to contest the chairmanship of the body from chairmen of other political parties but he resisted then as the National Secretary of the PDP. The PDP helmsman who commended the opposition political parties for their contributions to the stability of the nation’s polity also urged them to eschew the politics of bitterness since the ultimate aim of politicians, regardless of their political parties, was to ensure the development of the nation.

He said “We withdrew from contesting the Chairmanship of IPAC so that we would not be accused of

hijacking the body; this is more so when we, as the largest party in Africa, have consistently won elections in the country; our decision not to contest the position has turned out to be good for IPAC” Baraje charged all parties in the country to work together despite the perceived differences in ideologies and political persuasions since the ultimate goal is to move the nation forward.

Baraje, who alluded to the appointments of non PDP members into President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet as a demonstration of the party’s willingness to accommodate everybody regardless of political leanings, pointed out that the nation could only achieve greatness when the political parties cooperate with the ruling party.

The PDP Acting Chairman equally commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for demonstrating transparency in the conduct of elections in the country just as he stressed that the PDP has inculcated the culture of openness and transparency in the conduct of all its internal elections.

Baraje also hinted that the PDP, having achieved the 30 percent women participation in politics

including elected and appointive offices, has perfected plans to raise the bar to 50 percent so as to give equal opportunities to the women in the nation’s politics.

He said “By the end of the review of our party’s constitution, the participation of the youths and women in politics would have been raised to at least 45 percent” Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented at the Summit by his Special Assistant on Inter-party Relations, Senator Ben Obi, reinstated his determination to ensure the conduct of free and credible elections in the country.

According to him, he had made up his mind to run an all inclusive government by carrying all the parties along in his decision making.

Obi stated that Jonathan consulted with the IPAC on many national issues and that was why the Presidency bought into the idea of the Summit.

He disclosed that the President had mandated him to interface more with the House committee with a view to building a harmonious relationship with the opposition parties in the country in order for the nation to achieve economic and political greatness.

Lagos Assembly moves to check NURTW excesses From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he Lagos state House of Assembly on Thursday at its plenary session lamented the recent re-occurrence clashes between members of the state National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in some parts of the state.

The issue was brought to the floor of the House under Matter of Urgent Public Importance by Wahab Alawiye-King representing LagosIsland 1 Constituency, who lamented the re-occuring clashes has resulted in the death of some Lagosians and destruction of

properties.

Alawiye-King added that the issue is getting out of hand and that the kind of arms and ammunitions in possession of members of the union has continued to create fear in the minds of residents.

One of the lawmakers representing Epe 1 Constituency, Abiodun Tobun, explained to his colleagues that some of the officials of the union chose to misbehave because of the free money they get on daily basis. According to Tobun, some of them get as much as N1 million daily as allocation for food and that this had gone into their heads.

He said: “They are killing themselves because of this free money they get and I would want to suggest that anyone of them caught with arms and ammunitions should be thoroughly dealt with. Also, this money they are forcefully getting from motorists are not use maintain the parks and roads, but instead they spend the money lavishly on women.

“If they continue to disrupt the peace of the state, the government should ban the union and take over the parks and hand them over to those that will manage them properly. We should avoid a situation whereby the Boko Haram will

capitalise on their restlessness and hijack the fight, thereby having their way into the state,” Tobun added.

Other lawmakers who spoke on the issue, argued that the activities of the union should be banned since they have decided to make themselves nuisance following the free money they get daily.

The Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, while addressing his colleagues over the crisis, said the crisis if not quickly checked, could lead to breakdown of law and order. He emphasised that it is important to call on the state governor, Babatunde Fashola, the state Commissioner of police, Yakub Alkali and the state Director of the

State Security Service (SSS) to handle the matter quickly before it gets out of hand. “They should ensure that both parties are not treated with kid gloves,” he added.

Ikuforiji also directed the Clerk of the House, Ganiu Abiru, to write the state Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa, to appear in the House before the close of the day, in order to know what his Ministry has done on the matter.

The Speaker, while directing the House Committee on Transportation to carry out a thorough investigation on the matter, also said he would urgently meet with the governor to know what he is doing on the matter.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 41

Amodu visits Eagles camp, gives Keshi success tips

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he Former Super Eagles Shuaibu Amodu was the August visitor to the team’s camp yesterday morning ostensibly to encourage the players and particularly the technical crew.

Amodu, looked fresh and robust and as usual football and the national team was on his mind as he sat chatting with Big Boss Stephen Keshi, Dan Amokachi, Hypoandyn Valere and Psychologist, Robinson Okosun and Media Officer Ben Alaiya.

Amodu praised the idea of a totally Stories by Albert Akota

T

he Federal High Court setting in Abuja has fixed 20 th March, 2012 for the commencement of trial of the corruption charges level against four erstwhile chief of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Lulu, Amanze Uchegbulam, Taiwo Ogunjobi and Bolaji Ojo-Oba by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The trial was to commence yesterday after the presiding judge, Justice Donatus Okorowa order the four accused persons to face the trial of the eight-count charge out of the 10 level against them.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Titus Ashaolu (SAN), moved for adjournment to enable him make an amendment to the charges and reply to the motion of preliminary objection earlier filed by the defend counsels.

On the jurisdiction of the court challenged by the four accused persons entertain the case, Okorowa declared that Federal High Court is among the superior listed in 1999 constitution as amended to handle any case and as such constitutional power to entertain corruption case.

He however held that item 5 and 10 of the 10-count charges level against the four accused persons be strike out for lack of merit, while item 1,2,3,4,6,7,8 and 9 are competent and they should be made to face the trial.

Speaking newsmen shortly after the ruling, counsel to first defendant, Sunday Ameh said he will study the copy of the judgment carefully and advise his client on the next step to follow.

“The case has not started. We will get the copy of ruling and look at it carefully before know what to do next,” he said.

On his part, prosecuting, Mr. Titus Ashaolu expressed satisfaction with

home-based national side but urged the NFF to maintain their level of support for the national team.

He also spoke against plans by the NFF to cut players allowances saying Nigerians players offer so much to the nation aand they should be well remunerated.

The former Super Eagles skipper, who once worked with him as an assistant has taken the most controversial and hottest job in the land and urged him to always be calm and develop thick skin

towards critics.

He recalled his many battles with the media, some of whom he said just refused to see anything positive in him.

“Some people just won’t like your face no matter how hardworking and successful you are. and advised the coach to learn to ignore such people and concentrate on his job.

“Keshi is somebody I know very well and I think he would succeed but we must give him all the support to do so,” he said.

Amodu Shiabu

NFF chiefs get trial date on corruption charges the judgment and promised to attach to all prove of evidence in his amended charges.

The former NFF officials are under prosecution for booking a substandard Hotel during the World Cup in South Africa.

They were also accused of wasting a whopping N99m in the procurement of two substandard buses for the Eagles and also sponsored state FA chairmen, friends, associates, political support groups and family members to the 2010 world cup in South Africa.

The quartets were arrested on July 7, 2010 by the operatives of the antigraft agency, charged to court, but they were granted bail after some days in prison.

Justice Okorowa who gave a judgment that NFF and NPL is illegal body recalled that NFF is the nomenclature of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and as creation of the federal government lack an autonomous independent power to operate without give account to the government.

“The genesis of NFF started with the NFA’s Act which stipulates the running and management of the game of football in the country.

I have gone through the law and I could found in anywhere the change of name of NFA to NFF was carryout through a legislative process of the National Assembly.

“The name NFF is the nomenclature of NFA, and its officers can’t claim not to be government officers or parastatals and should not hold accountable to the

government. So far they collect funds from the government; they are accountable to it and can be trying

for the offence committed under the law. NFF is not an autonomous body,” he stated.

Sani Lulu

Battle for shirts takes new dimension

S Keshi

tephen Keshi’s declaration that he would prune down the number of players in camp by this weekend from the current 31, the battle for shirts has taken a new dimension in the Super Eagles camp in Abuja.

Only 21 players are expected to make the trip to Monrovia, Liberia on Monday and Keshi has kept all guessing as he kept alternating the players with no one having an inkling of who will stay or go.

Yesterday morning training was so taken passionately by the players, that at least three players including petit winger Ejike Ozoenyi, received various forms of knocks from their teammates during training.

Though, the players managed to bounce back to continue training, team officials here feel that all the players were simply doing is to impress the coaching crew so that they can be part of the team

to Monrovia and later Kigali in Rwanda.

Indications are that Keshi will finally make up his mind after today’s friendly against Voice of Nigeria (VON), at the Abuja FIFA Goal Project. But such players as Chigozie Agbim, Azubuike Egwueke, Papa Idris, Ejike Ozoenyi, Juwon Oshaniwa, Kabir Umar, new-comer Henry Uche and Bathlomew Ibenegbu are favourites to grab spots on the flight to Liberia.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia set for final clash C

ôte d’Ivoire, looking to lay to rest the ghosts of failures past, and Zambia have set up for a CAF Africa Cup of Nations final that will be a deeply emotional on Sunday.

The Zambians have kept their date with destiny, stunning Ghana 1-0 in today’s first semi-final to bring Herve Renard’s side to Libreville off whose coast 19 years ago the national side perished en route to a FIFA World Cup™ qualifier in Dakar.

Zambia will face a Côte d’Ivoire side led by Didier Drogba, after they defeated Mali 1-0 courtesy of a brilliant solo effort by Arsenal striker Gervinho in the day’s second semi-final match.

Zambia’s stunning win over the Black Stars Renard said: “It was written in the stars that we had to return to Gabon in order to honour the memories of the national side wiped out in 1993.”

“A team that is returning home and all of them die, is catastrophic for a country. Twelve million Zambians wanted us to go the whole way to Libreville. As soon as we arrive in Libreville, we will go to the spot where the plane crashed, not far from the stadium. It is imperative we play for them, for Zambia, because it is a fantastic country.”

Zambia booked their ticket to the final courtesy of substitute Emmanuel Mayuka who scored 12 minutes from time to give the Copper Bullets a 1-0 victory over the four-time champions.

The goal came against the run of play with Isaac Chansa setting up the 20year-old striker, whose shot from outside the penalty area flew past goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey into the corner of the net.

Drogba

Emmanuel Mayuka

2011 FEPSGA best ever says president T

he National president of the Federal Public Service Games (FEPSGA), Sani Sulayman, has described the 2011 annual public games held in Calabar, Cross Rivers state capital, as best ever in the history of service games.

The president who stated this yesterday in Abuja, during post press conference of the tournament, commended the Head of service of the federation, Alhaji I.B. Sali for

immeasurable support and contribution to the program, despite his short period in office before the tournament.

He lauded the former Governor of Cross Rivers state, Liyel Imoke, for the 25million naira given to the body, to ensure successful organized of the FEPSGA, in the state.

“We thank the Cross River state Governor, Sen. Liyel Imoke, for his immense support in making sure the games witness good atmosphere”.

“We also appreciated the Head of service of the federation Alh. I.B. Sali, CFR, for his immeasurable support and contribution to the activities of the Federation, despite his tight schedule,” he said.

The Kogi state born sports administrator implored sports stakeholders in the federal ministry to avail themselves to make positive contributions in order to have successful games.

“The reason for the post tournament

Iorfa quiet over match-fixing decision V

ice chairman of Lobi Stars, Dominic Iorfa has declined comment on the ruling by the organising and disciplinary

committee of the NFF on matchfixing scam.

The Leye Adepoju-led panel came hard on the dramatis personal fingered in last year’s match-fixing allegation instituted by the Lobi Stars’ boss, Iorfa against Sunshine Stars.

NPL sides, Sunshine Stars and champions, Dolphins were fined N20 million and N10 million respectively, while Dolphins’ manager, Stanley Eguma was barred for five years from football related activities.

Iorfa, who got reprimanded in the saga as well as the executive director of Ondo State Football Agency, Mike Idokom said that he would prefer to keep quiet until he lays his hands on the judgement paper.

“I won’t comment on the judgment until the committee writes me

officially.

“I want to see the judgment first before I react to the issues raised,” he said. Iorfa, who doubles as Lobi’s technical adviser, however insisted that match-fixing is a dent on football and should be tackled decisively,.

“Match-fixing should not be treated with kid glove. It is a serious issue, and like every serious issue, anybody found wanting must take the maximum punishment,” he said.

Others meted out with various punishments include the Rivers State referees’ council chairman, Dokubo banned for five years as well as two referees, Chrisantus Okoro and Duruma Ario.

Not spared were the coordinator of Sunshine Stars, Benjamin Divine and the NRA president, Ahmed Maude.

Ghana dares Mali tomorrow

G Vice chairman of Lobi Stars Dominic Iorfa

hana assistant coach Kwesi Appiah says they are working hard to lift the spirits of the players for Saturday’s third-place play-off against Mali.

The Black Stars failed to qualify for the final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations when they were beaten 1-0 by Zambia in their last four games on Wednesday.

The Ghanaians must now pick up the pieces ahead of their third-place fixture with Mali on Saturday in Malabo.

“At the moment, everyone is down. I don’t think we deserved to go out of this competition but that’s the nature of the game,” Appiah said.

“We would do a lot of talking and psyching up to bring their spirits up. It’s not easy but we will do our best.”

The Black Stars beat Mali 2-0 in the group stages of the competition.

was to proffer a way forwards to ensure 2012 disentangle itself from the rigid way we passed through last year in the area of getting the hosting state on time and prompt information to our members,” he said.

He also thanked the members of the congress and the members of the press for the part they played during and after the game in Calabar, while promising to improve in subsequent games.

Dolphins to appeal match-fixing ruling

T

he Nigeria Premier League (NPL) champions, Dolphins have declared that it will appeal against Wednesday’s ruling in a match-fixing allegation from last season.

Dolphins were fined N10 million by the Organising and Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Another Premier League club, Sunshine Stars got a hefty punishment of N20 million while Dolphins’ manager, Stanley Eguma was handed a five-year suspension from all footballrelated activities.

Referees Chrisantus Okoro and I.D. Duruma as well as the Rivers State referees council boss, Ere Dokubo and one Devine Benjamin got five years ban each for their roles in the alleged matchfixing scandal.

But the management of Dolphins have reacted to the ruling saying that “the case has nothing to do” with them.

The Nigerian champions say they have their “reputation” to protect, which is why they will fight through an appeal to clear their name.

“The case has nothing to do with Dolphins and we do not have a hand in whatever transpired in Bauchi.

“We will certainly appeal the decision in due time because we do not accept the ruling in its entirety. “We are talking reputation here and we will stop at nothing to ensure our dignity and reputation is restored,” the statement from Dolphins on Thursday read.

The Port Harcourt club were however mum on the fate of their manager, Eguma.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 43

AFCON final kick-off delayed

T

he Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that Sunday’s final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations will be delayed by half an hour because of “technical and logistical reasons”.

The final was to have kicked off at 8pm local time (7pm GMT) but it will now begin at 8.30pm inside the newly-built Stade de l’Amitie in Libreville, Gabon.

Tournament favourites Cote d’Ivoire are gunning for their second Nations Cup conquests after they first won the competition in 1992, while Zambia will hope to be third time lucky after they lost the championship game in 1974 and 1994.

The Elephants from Abidjan were also beaten finalists in 2006.

Cash prize for the champions is $2 million.

The winners of the tournament preceding the World Cup will also earn the right to fly Africa’s flag at the FIFA Confederations Cup. The third-placed match will be between four-time winners Ghana and Mali tomorrow in Malabo.

Isa Hayatou CAF president

Asamoah Gyan with teammate

Ghana fans make Gyan scapegoat

G

hana striker Asamoah Gyan is the Africa Cup of Nations public enemy among some Black Stars supporters after quarterfinal loss to Zambia.

The Sunderland forward, onloan to Al-Ain, was on the receiving end of vitriolic abuse on social networking site twitter from Ghana fans that held him solely responsible for their team’s shock 1-0 demise.

Overlooking Gyan’s contribution in getting Ghana into the last four they honed in on his first-half penalty miss.

Awarded for a foul on Kwadwo Asamoah by Davies Nkausu, Gyan’s tame spot kick was saved by Zambia keeper Kennedy Mweene who, guessing correctly dived to his left and pushed the ball away with his left hand.

Gyan, whose three goals were instrumental in Ghana reaching the 2010 Nations Cup final, was not at his sharpest and shot timidly at Mweene soon after when put through by Andre Ayew.

Gyan also missed a last minute penalty in the final minute of Ghana’s World Cup quarterfinal against Uruguay, a fact that did not escape Black Stars’ twitter users.

This was an embarrassing end to a competition in which after conjuring up a superb goal from a freekick against Mali in the first round he had described himself as “a great striker”.

The under-fire forward received support from his team captain, John Mensah.

The Ghana defender said: “I spoke to Gyan after the game.

We all know that it can happen to anyone to miss a penalty. I told him to concentrate on our next match tomorrow third place play-off with Mali).”

Mensah said the mood in the Ghana camp was one of sadness.

“It’s tough to think of playing for third place, first we have to digest this game. We all wanted to make it to the final and win the title. Everyone is very sad, but I have to pick the players up and prepare for Saturday.”

Ghana’s assistant coach Akwasi Appiah also lent his support to Gyan, saying: “It’s almost always the best players who miss penalties.”

Gyan could also seek solace from Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Panthers’ top scorer failed to convert his spot-kick in the 5-4 penalty shoot-out loss to Mali in the quarterfinals.

Zambia visit 1993 crash site Z

ambia coach Herve Renard has revealed that 2012 Nations Cup finalists Zambia will go straight to the Libreville beach, where the 1993 crash happened upon arrival in Gabon.

A total of 30 players and officials died in April 27, 1993 in Libreville on their way to Dakar to play a World Cup qualifier against Senegal.

Equatorial Guinea, Zambia staggered but knocked out 10man Ghana with a sucker punch to book their final ticket in Libreville courtesy of a 78th minute goal scored by Emmanuel Mayuka of Swiss club Young Boys.

Mayuka scored the game’s lone goal with a volley in only Zambia’s second tangible shot on goal all night in match Ghana dominated and outclassed Chipolopolo but failed to show for it with goals after Kennedy Mweene saved Asamoah Gyan’s sixth minute penalty.

Renard said it was an amazing feeling to reach the final of the Africa Cup. “Twelve million Zambians were waiting for us to go to Libreville,” Renard said.

“Immediately we arrive in Libreville we will go to the place (crash site), I heard it is not far from the hotel.

“We have to think of them and play for them and play for Zambia because it is a fantastic country.

The team will leave Bata at

08:30 Hours Equatorial Guinea time for Libreville ahead of Sundays final.

Bata has been Zambia’s home ground since the start of the competition on January 21 and where they leave unbeaten in four games with three wins and one draw.

Zambia coach Herve Renard

FKF appoints medical committee F

ootball Kenya Federation (FKF) has appointed sixman medical committee that will be chaired by long serving physician Dr Andrew Sule.

The former Gor Mahia FC team doctor will be assisted by

Dr.Julius Ogeto, Dr.Wycliffe Makanga, Dr.David Omega, Dr.Harriet Mwithaga and Dr Vincent Mutiso who will sit as committee members.

FKF Chairman Sam Nyamweya said the Federation has confidence with the

committee that has played a major role in shaping up the profession. He said Sule had distinguished himself as a committed physician having served in club and continental level.

Makanga is currently Tusker

FC physician having served in the same position in the National soccer team Harambee Stars.He has traveled widely and his vast experience will be a major asset for the Federation.

Nyamweya said he will make arrangements to officially

inaugurate the committee soon.The FKF boss was scheduled to jet out for Gabon to witness the finals of the ongoing Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2012 that are being hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Levy silent on Harry as England target T

ottenham boss Harry Redknapp is the hot favourite to replace Fabio Capello as England coach but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is yet to comment on the future of his manager, who still has 15 months to run on his contract at White Hart Lane.

Redknapp was tipped to replace Capello after Euro 2012 but the Italian opted to quit his post as England manager on Wednesday following a disagreement with the FA regarding the decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy for a second time.

With just four months left before the start of European Championships the FA must move quickly to appoint a new manager, but are likely to install a caretaker boss for the upcoming friendly with Holland at Wembley on February 29.

That would allow Redknapp, who was cleared of tax evasion charges this week that cleared the way for the Englishman to take charge of the national team, to see out the season with Tottenham before taking over as England boss.

However, Spurs chairman Levy must be willing to release the man who led his side to the Champions League for the first time in their history in 2010, and is well placed to do so once more this season.

The Tottenham chief is yet to speak about the situation but non-executive director Keith Mills says it’s not a foregone conclusion that Redknapp will be offered the England job.

Meanwhile, former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson believes 65-yearold Redknapp has all the right qualities to be the next head coach of the national team.

The Swede managed the England national team between 2001 and 2006, and says the current Tottenham boss has the necessary CV for the role.

“You need to be an experienced manager used to dealing with the big names and some knowledge about international football would help. I think Harry has all these things.”

However, other candidates have already emerged, with Guus Hiddink having reportedly expressed an interest in the position - perhaps in a similar ‘caretaker’ role to the one he took at Chelsea in 2009, where he took the club to FA Cup glory during a temporary spell in charge. Rafael Benitez is also said to be keen on the job.

The new manager will have to address the issue of whether Terry should be part of the England squad given the racism allegations against him and the fact that his presence could be divisive - especially if Anton Ferdinand’s brother Rio is part of the squad.

After that, the new manager will have just two friendlies assuming a caretaker boss takes charge against Holland - to work with ahead of the European Championships, against Norway on May 26 and Belgium on June 2. The first competitive match will be against France, in Donetsk, on June 11.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp

Suarez will shake hands with Evra

K

enny Dalglish has revealed Luis Suarez will shake hands with Patrice Evra when Liverpool faces Manchester United at the weekend.

Tensions are sure to be high at Old Trafford, as it will be the first meeting between the two sides since Suarez completed his ban for racially abusing Evra.

Concerns have been raised about how Suarez and Evra will react when coming eye-to-eye, but Reds boss Dalglish claims to have spoken to his player and expects him to honour the pre-game handshake.

“People are already speculating on the pre-match ceremony, but from Luis’ point of view we have spoken to him and I know he will shake the hand of Patrice Evra and the other Manchester United players before the game,” Dalglish told the club’s official website.

Dalglish has called on all connected with both clubs to conduct themselves to the highest standards and feels the time has come to put the affair behind them.

He said: “Everyone involved, including the media, the supporters and both teams have a responsibility to ensure this weekend is remembered as a cracking game of football between two very good sides, rather than for anything else.

Real, Barca top football’s richest list Real Madrid and Barcelona are football’s biggest moneymakers for the third straight year and look set to out-earn their rivals for the foreseeable future.

The annual review of football finance

by Deloitte shows Madrid topping the list for the seventh straight year with revenue of 479.5 million ($636.5 million) to the year ending June 30, an increase of 9 percent on the previous 12 months.

English champion Manchester United was again in third place with ?367 million ($487.2 million), the highest of four English clubs in the top 10 earners.

Bayern Munich was fourth with ?321.4 million ($426.6 million), with Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Liverpool and Schalke next.

One more year at the top for Madrid would equal United’s No 1 streak from 1997-2004 but the accountancy firm says on-field success could yet push Barcelona into first place next year.

Barcelona trails Madrid by seven points in the Spanish league but its revenue increased 13 percent to ?451 million ($599 million) and it could rise further if the team retains the Champions League title.

Defending Spanish and European champion Barcelona receives about ?30 million ($40 million) per season in a sponsorship deal from the Qatar Foundation and earned ?51 million ($68 million) from the Champions League, beating United 3-1 in last season’s final at Wembley Stadium.

It can already count on ?3.5 million ($4.65 million) toward next year’s total after winning Fifa’s Club World Cup in December.

“This may allow it to narrow, or even bridge, the gap to Real,” Deloitte sports business group partner Dan Jones said.

“However, relative on-pitch performance, particularly in the Champions League, may determine next year’s top two Money League placings.

“Both clubs are closing in on revenues of ?500 million and are likely to pass this threshold within the next few years.

Each club’s annual revenues have grown by almost?200 million compared with five years before, a remarkable achievement.”

United is certain to trail again next

season after its early elimination from this season’s Champions League, only the second time it has failed to progress from the group stage in 16 seasons.

Madrid and Barcelona have both advanced to the last 16 and have such earning power that even a move to collective bargaining for broadcast revenue - the model long employed by England’s Premier League - is unlikely to affect their financial dominance.

“The gulf may widen to over ?100 million next year,” Jones said. “Spanish clubs are currently negotiating a collective model for the distribution of La Liga broadcast revenues, potentially from 2015-16.

“The revenue advantage that Real and Barca enjoy over their European peers indicates that a more even distribution of La Liga broadcast revenues would not necessarily challenge the two clubs’ dominance at the top of the Money League.”

Madrid earned 36 percent of its revenue from commercial activities such as merchandising and sponsorship, 26 percent from matchday income, including ticket sales, and 38 percent from broadcast agreements.

The top 20 clubs in the Deloitte list generated a combined? 4.4 billion ($5.8 billion) over the 2010-11 season, about 3 percent up on the previous year’s?4.3 billion (then $5.6 billion) Tottenham rose above Manchester City to 11th place following its run to the quarterfinals in its debut Champions League campaign, but City could leapfrog its English rival next year after six matches in this season’s group stage.

Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Napoli were newcomers in the top 20, replacing Atletico Madrid, Stuttgart and Aston Villa after a season of greater domestic success.

French champion Lille was the only winner of one of Europe’s five major leagues - Spain, England, Italy, Germany and France - not to make it into a top 20 entirely composed of European sides.

Deloitte said that Brazilian clubs Corinthians and Sao Paulo, with reported revenues of between ?70 million ($93 million) and ?80 million ($106 million), would only make a top 50 list.

Luis Suarez

Patrice Evra

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

PAGE 47

‘Analogue’ cop, ‘digital’ crime A

ll Nigerians know that the game of musical chairs that saw the ascension of Muhammad Dahiru Abubakar as the new Inspector General of Police will not end crime. What makes me want to jump for joy is his record won’t exacerbate it either.

It is good enough for me. For sure, Abubakar came eminently qualified for the job. He is a good cop, no doubt. A super cop, if you like. He is super because he, unlike most before him, comes to the job with one unassailable credentialINTEGRITY. For a change, the Jonathan administration has treaded the straight and narrow path. Dealing honestly with citizens, to the present government, is like asking Boko Haram to embrace western education. The idea seems so remote as to invite the word “impossible”. The sleight of hand, unfortunately, has become a distinct quality of some elements in the present dispensation.

In just two years, the present rulers have demonstrated that they are masters of doublespeak.

To be uncharitable, some of them lie through their teeth, unabashedly. Just last month, the government, like a rat, sneaked in a new fuel prize regime, three clear months ahead of time. In doing that ill advised solo run, the legislature was isolated. And this was supposedly a vibrant legislature harbouring the illusion of authority as one of the stands in the tripod of power. I imagine the consternation of our lawmakers when they, like the rest of us, were ‘assaulted’ by the new pump price of fuel on January 1. The

government which some of them viewed, erroneously, as “a partner in progress”, did not so much as take them into confidence about hiking the litre price.

It was not the first time the executive arm would display this kind of sheer chicanery. A historical saunter will confirm this serial perfidy. From February, 2010 to this day, the leadership of our government has intermittently short-changed us. I, therefore, imagine advisers of the Commander –in-Chief that urged him to give us, ordinary Nigerians, in the category of hewers of wood and fetchers of water, that poisoned New Year gift, must have told him to “forget” the legislative arm. After all, if the pushing comes to a shove, our lawmakers will capitulate and ask for “constituency fund”!

It was therefore, a culture shock to me that with a reputation like this, the Jonathan administration will handpick Abubakar as the nation’s No 1 cop. For a change, it has done the right thing at the right time. It demonstrates that, after all, the president can actually lead beyond his ‘province’.

In appointing Abubakar as IG, President Jonathan, more or less, acted a la General Ibrahim Babangida. In 1993, the departing military government appointed Ibrahim Coomassie as IGP. There were rumours, naturally, that he was not the ‘preferred’ choice. In fact, NPF 01, the staff car of the police chief, had been sent to the successor of Aliyu Atta, the outgoing chief at that time. But before the break of dawn, Babangida had had a change of

ALI M. ALI on Friday

aliyumaliyu@yahoo.com mind and appointed the present Sardaunan Katsina instead to the relief of those who knew Coomassie’s integrity.

Anyone with the vaguest idea of our police force knows that integrity at all levels is in short supply. To have a police boss whose only ‘blemish’ is a jaundiced report tailored to serve fixed interests qualifies for national applause. So far, nobody has thrown the “corruption” dart in the direction of the new police helmsman. It is refreshing and reassuring.

The problems of our nation’s police are legion. They reflect the deeper rot in the Nigerian society Apart from the usual suspicion of “corruption”, the rank and file of the police is assailed by the contagious virus of low self-esteem and incompetence. Over time, all manner of shadowy elements found themselves in the force.

There were instances in the past when criminals were detected after they had gone through training in the process of becoming law enforcement officers. There were instances the men and women, for that matter, had aided and abetted crime.

Corruption in the rank and file of the police has become a way of life. We all remember the disgraceful end of Tafa Balogun, a former Inspector-General. He was accused of stealing N10billion of the outfit. Hand-cuffed and disgraced by a subordinate, Nuhu Ribadu, Balogun a remains a perfect personification of the rot in the force. There was another chief that diverted funds meant for the police to buy a ship to take care of his retirement. At lower levels, from the notoriety of the check-point bribe taker to the divisional officer, it the same sordid tale - police chiefs involved in all manner of crooked dealings. Dirty cops that hobnobbed with all manner of criminals.

In the mid 80s, Superintendent George Iyamu of the Anini saga earned dubious fame as the accomplice-in- chief of criminals.

Until the bubble burst, Anini assumed the toga of modern day Robin Hood, all with the assistance of Iyamu.

Interestingly, the new police boss, Abubakar, was Coomassie’s Principal Staff Officer (PSO). I am in the tribe of Abubakar’s admirers. I believe he shares some things in with Coomassie.

Abubakar Tsav, former commissioner of Police of Lagos state is another.Since he retired from the police, has become a critic

of sorts. He is not known to be lavish with praise. He is occasionally caustic. But he has since gone to town spreading the news that Abubakar is the best thing that has happened to the police in recent times. In several well publicized press interviews, Tsav has been jumping for joy. I would want to jump for joy too. But something about the present sophistication of crime makes the shout of joy stick in the throat.

My worry is that a large number of the men he is going to lead are ‘analogue’. Nothing exposes the backwardness of the Police more than the current sophistication of crime. The dawn of Boko Haram merely worsened an already pathetic case. All Nigerians want an end to the reign of insecurity. Abubakar’s tough guy talk about Boko Haram is reassuring. The brutal truth, however, is that the Nigerian security apparatchik, including the police, is not equipped in a material or intellectual sense to deal with organized insurgency like the kind we are witnessing.

Our security operatives are too flippant, over-generous with information. The police especially appear to lack capacity in intelligence gathering. The public has learned to distrust them over time because information willingly given concerning criminals and their activities ended up in their ears in what appears a trade-off.

All these may seem daunting but not worry, Abubakar’s sterling credential as one who is upright has done half the work, and the rest is to change the psyche of his men.

Budget 2012 (4) - The rewards of insurgency Contd. from Back Page Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs collected and spent about N39bn.

Like the rest of Nigeria, the binding constraints are quality of governance, accountability in the use of resources and attitude of the leadership and followership - and when these are resolved locally as Governor Rotimi Amaechi is said to be trying to do, the task environment improves for everyone., and insurgency and violence lose their attraction.

Throwing money at any problem, which ends up getting diverted to a few people's pockets is simply postponing the evil day, and compounding the moral hazard problem. In 2012, the NDDC gets N55bn and the Niger Delta Ministry another N57bn. These funds should be spent addressing fundamental problems, not on spurious contracts with a "sharethe-money" attitude. I will return to the Niger Delta in a future article, by God's Grace.

The Presidential Air Fleet (PAF)'s budget is under the office of the NSA. This year, PAF envisages spending N20.4 million for staff costs and N665 million for overhead without any breakdowns. The capital budget is

some N2.9bn thus bringing the Fleet's total allocation to some N3.5bn. The PAF has since its establishment gone through several mutations. It has had civilian pilots from the defunct Nigeria Airways side by side with military personnel (due to fear of in-flight coups like the 1985 aborted plot!), but is today largely manned by Nigeria Air Force personnel.

The PAF's capital budget has been earmarked for motor vehicles (N113.5 million), office equipment (N11.2 million), purchase of sports and games equipment (N15 million), Installation of cameras and related equipment (N12 million), and construction of PAF staff quarters (N241.5 million).

Other items of expenditure include construction of new hangar (N550 million), computerization of aircraft spare parts inventory (N14 million) and the balance of N1.9bn for purchase of Hawker 4000XP aircraft, which was first budgeted for in 2007 and delivered in 2010. What is interesting is that even after delivery in 2010, the sum of about N17bn (US $110 million) was budgeted for it in 2011, and now another $12 million! The N17bn is the amount I mistakenly assumed was in the

2012 budget. This is a very expensive plane indeed that we have been budgeting and paying for across five fiscal years. There is need to know how much this plane costs bearing in mind the market prices of similar or better, fullyloaded executive jets - information now freely available on the web.

Some have asked the question whether Nigeria's president needs to maintain a fleet of aircraft. After all, they say, the Queen of England and the British Prime Minister flies everywhere in the world on British Airways, UK's national carrier.

Such views forget to mention that the USA has a fleet of aircraft dedicated for the president. Even the secretary of state travels on

official assignment from that fleet.

We should look at our environment and choose what will work for us, but without waste and impunity.

Should our president be made to suffer the usual several hour delays when travelling even within Nigeria? I do not think so.

Last time I checked, we had 5 aircraft in the fleet, some of them nearly 20 years old. Do we need five planes? Is the usage of the planes for shopping sprees by presidential friends and relations legal and justifiable? Should private visitors to the president have access to the fleet? What is the framework for accountability and use of these aircraft? These are the questions that need to be

“

Some have asked the question whether Nigeria's president needs to maintain a fleet of aircraft. After all, they say, the Queen of England and the British Prime Minister flies everywhere in the world on British Airways, UK's national carrier. Such views forget to mention that the USA has a fleet of aircraft dedicated for the president.

answered to make the system work better.

The last item is the N4bn earmarked for Maritime Security as a charge on the consolidated revenue fund (CRF) without any breakdown or details. Based on budgets prepared some years back, it is my natural assumption that this item is the continuation of investments in boats and related equipment for the use of the Joint Task Force and the Nigerian Navy for use in policing our territorial waters and the creeks of the Niger Delta. These are constitutional roles for our military that I do not think the president can privatize or outsource to any private company. And it is therefore surprising that no one reminded the president that regulatory, security and revenue collection matters are not in any of the Schedules to the Privatization & Commercialization Act 1999.

Indeed, the use of private companies to collect revenue has been specifically outlawed in Nigeria last time I checked. But I forget that like Napoleon in Animal Farm, laws, rules and regulations do not apply to some people that are more equal than the rest of us. Welcome to our new Jonathanian Republic!

QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE There is a tragic flaw in our precious Constitution, and I don't know what can be done to fix it. This is it: Only nut cases want to be president —K ur gut onnegut Kur urtt Vonne

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

England appoints Pearce caretaker coach

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T

he Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce will take control of the senior England team on a temporary basis for February's friendly against Netherlands as the FA begins its search for a successor for Fabio Capello.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is the clear favourite to be appointed on a permanent basis and the decision to appoint Pearce in a caretaker role would allow the 65-year-old, who was cleared of tax evasion charges this week, to see out the season with Spurs before taking over as Three Lions boss.

FA chairman David Bernstein said: "I can announce that Stuart Pearce will manage the England team against Holland.

"He has huge experience outside and inside the organisation. He has been working with the under-21 team and has been working with Fabio for some time. I have got great confidence in Stuart; we will be in good hands.

After the game against Netherlands at Wembley on February 29, the new manager will have just two friendlies to work with ahead of Euro 2012, against Norway on May 26 and Belgium on June 2. The first competitive match will be against France, in Donetsk, on June 11.

Redknapp still has 15 months to run on his contract at White Hart Lane and it is thought that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will fight to keep hold of the man who led his side to the Champions League for the first time in their history in 2010, and is well placed to do so once more this season.

Bernstein was keen not to get drawn into speculation over who could replace Capello in the long term, but promised the FA would act as swiftly as possible.

Bernstein also said during Thursday's Wembley press conference that the next England manager will ideally be English but would not rule out the possibility of appointing a third manager from overseas.

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Budget 2012 (4) - The rewards of insurgency

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e continue our detailed review of the 2012 Budget proposals today looking closely at the amounts earmarked for three budget heads that are connected to the security and intelligence community, and ostensibly driven by the decisions in the NSA's office. These are the allocations to the Amnesty Programme, the Presidential Air Fleet and for Maritime Security.

Our objective is first to ask whether we have not become a society that rewards taking arms against the State, secondly to appreciate the huge amounts allocated and then ask the standard quantity surveying question - is Nigeria getting value for the money being spent?

These questions need asking particularly in light of some developments in the last week or so. The first was a text message sent to me from a staff of the Budget Office observing that for the eight years between 1999 and 2007, the cumulative amounts allocated to, and controlled by the NSA's office were about N29bn, with a brand new NSA office was built out of that and more - less than what the office got allocated in just one year in 2012! Either this allocation is for something else other than security, or someone is taking an early, generous pension, the officer opined. More questions than answers!

The second is the decision of the Jonathan administration to hand over security, regulatory and revenue collection functions of the Federal Government in its territorial waters to a private company allegedly owned or control by the one-time militant known as Tompolo, in what is clearly a dodgy, crony-driven afterthought. This is even when N4bn has been proposed in the 2012 Budget for "Maritime Security", and in spite of loud objections by sections of media and civil society. Thirdly, is what appears to be a half-hearted willingness of the administration to negotiate with the insurgents of Boko Haram days after the Chief of Army Staff has sworn that his military solution will wipe out the sect soon. What is the implication of this and what does the immediate future portend?

In 2012, the Jonathan administration proposed a budget of some N124.3 billion for the intelligence community.

Separately, N4bn has been

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NASIR EL-R UF AI EL-RUF UFAI ON FRID AY FRIDA elrufai@aol.com

Late President Umaru Yar’adua initiated the Amnesty programme budgeted for maritime security and N11.2bn for the pensions of the SSS and NIA retirees as consolidated revenue fund charges, and N74.2bn for the Amnesty Programme, now tucked away under the SGF's office.

Thus effectively, we are looking at about N210bn for civil, nonuniformed security spending. We will look at the budgets of the Armed Forces, the Police, and Para-Military services in subsequent articles.

A closer look at the President's Amnesty Programme (PAP). It was the initiative of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua as a response to intensified levels of militancy in the Niger Delta, the

disruption of crude oil production and exports, and heightened insecurity of lives and property in the region. According to Yar'Adua insiders, the then vice-president was tasked to come up with a plan, which took too long to articulate, and which Yar'Adua found impractical and unworkable. He therefore turned to some individuals, businessmen and 'serious' governors in the region to help develop a workable strategy.

As soon as that was done, Yar'Adua moved with uncommon speed to roll out the programme and get stakeholders' buy-in. He made several concessions which included releasing the militants then in detention or on trial in courts in Nigeria. Is that a workable template for engaging Boko Haram?

For Yar'adua, the failures of successive administrations to address the fundamental developmental and environmental issues in the region was the problem, and he genuinely wanted to draw up a fresh basis for engagement.

Similar questions need to be raised and honest decisions made regarding the Boko Haram insurgency, identifying the root causes, the 'dramatis personae' and how we got to where we are, before developing a workable approach.

“

As regards the Niger Delta, the issues in my humble opinion are more complex than that identified

by Yar'adua, and that is why I felt then that the solution was flawed and unsustainable. The strategy of handing out wads of cash to people that (1) have not earned the money through meaningful work and (2) with a pre-existing sense of entitlement may ostensibly amount to rewarding insurgency - what economists call "moral hazard"

As regards the Niger Delta, the issues in my humble opinion are more complex than that identified

by Yar'adua, and that is why I felt then that the solution was flawed and unsustainable. The strategy of handing out wads of cash to people that (1) have not earned the money through meaningful work and (2) with a pre-existing sense of entitlement may ostensibly amount to rewarding insurgency - what economists call "moral hazard". Whether the exmilitants are on foreign vacations, attending skill-building programmes (or even military training, as being rumoured), the challenge is to find them jobs that pay better than their previous lives - during militancy and after.

That means jobs that pay at least N65,000 tax-free monthly stipend, which with other costs amounted to N3 million per annum - about what we spent per militant in 2011. Boko Haram of course may require a different approach.

Last year, the Programme was allocated N99bn, rapidly up from N2.9bn in 2009 and N28bn in 2010. In all, over N200bn would have been spent on the programme by the end of this year, perhaps another N100bn next year which is said to be the programme's terminating date.

Then what next? Where do we generate the tens of thousands of oil-related jobs for them? What about other youths from the region that have not been captured in the original programme, but suffer from the same hopelessness that pushed their elder siblings to militancy?

What signal does this send to youths of other regions? These are key public policy issues that require very deep reflection.

The truth is that unless the quality of governance in the region improves and the resources allocated used by the State Governments, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs judiciously used for physical infrastructure and human capital development, nothing will ever change for the better. Last year, quite apart from the huge funds from federation account that went to the State Governments in the region, the NDDC received N56bn from the federal government and the Contd. on Page 47

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