Peoples Daily Newspaper, Wednesday 12, September, 2012

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

Wednesday, September 12, 2012. . . putting the people first

Vol. 9 No. 23

Shawwal 25, 1433 AH

N150

Woman delivers strange creature in church From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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embers of World Liberation Ministry located along old Sapele-Benin express road were yesterday thrown into confusion

when a woman delivered a horselike creature, causing a stir among the congregation.

The pony-like creature which was allegedly delivered during the prophecy service of the church, was however dead

by the time journalists visited the church.

The identity of the “mother” who purportedly delivered the “pony” was not yet known but some church members told reporters that she started

screaming during the prayer session and then bleeding from her private part before the horse “appeared”.

General Overseer of the church, Evangelist Rev. Silva Contd on Page 2

2015: No free tickets for Jonathan, govs – PDP

By Lawrence Olaoye

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he ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday declared that there would be no automatic ticket for any of its elected officials including President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors under its platform.

The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, debunked allegations making the rounds that the party is undergoing another process of Constitutional amendment to guarantee automatic tickets to some incumbent office holders for second terms.

The authors of the ‘alien idea’, according to the party Contd on Page 2

PD INDEX

11th Sept., 2012

CBN RATES $ £ EURO CFA RIYAL

BUYING 154.8 247 197.8 0.2809 41

S ELLING 155.8 248.9 199.1 0.3009 41.5

PARALLEL RATES EURO £ RIYAL $

BUYING 202 258 40 158

S ELLING 204 260 42 160

L-R: Nigerian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Ambassador F.A Rotimi, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and a member of the House, Hon Daniel Reyemeju, during the opening of the 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference, yesterday in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Gun running allegation dog interior minister, Abba Moro >> PAGE 2

Bankers C’ttee deny EFCC allegation >> PAGE 3

Reps to probe PHCN funds in UK bank >> PAGE 40

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-20

Motoring

24

Property

25

Arts

29

PDM revitalization: Can these old political allies reunite?, Page 4

International 32-34 Digest

36

Gun running allegation dog interior minister

By Richard Ihediwa, Uche Nnorom, & Lambert Tyem

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nterior Minister, Comrade Abba Moro may be in for trouble following speculations that there are moves to remove him from office over allegations of illegal possession of firearm and fresh gun running allegation leveled against him.

A group, National AntiTerrorism and Peace Network (NATPN) is raising the dust against the embattled minister as it averred that he was arrested in Abuja and charged to court for illegal arm possession when he was Chairman of Okpokwu Local Government Area, a position he held between 1999 and 2007.

The group in an unsigned document also alleged that the minister has involved himself in fresh arms offence as they accused him confiscating a large cache of arms and ammunitions imported into the country by the Federal Government to empower the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDS).

Already, the group has since Monday been circulating a memo, purported to have been written by the Department of State Security Service (SSS) to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) admitting that that it cleared Moro for ministerial appointment in error and that President Goodluck Jonathan has been advised to sack him.

Sports Columnist

40 41-47 48

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But the SSS last night told Peoples Daily that it did not author the said memo.

The group, in a letter it is circulating on the internet and to some international organizations said security agencies were aware of the said court case even before he was cleared as minister.

It alleged that Moro faced a two-count charge of unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful possession of live ammunitions adding that according to the charge read at the court, he was found in possession of a Nigerian Air Force service pistol with registration number: NAF30358 and seven live ammunitions discovered by the SSS on routine check.

The group argued that the case was on going adding that as such Moro has a moral burden

Government but this he has done in order to arm another set of youths in north central Nigeria in preparations for the 2015 general elections.

When contacted last night, SSS Spokesperson, Marylyn Ogar noted she was not aware of the said case and that the Service did not author the said memo.

She pointed out that the style and language of the memo were not that of the SSS. Reacting to the issue, the minister described the allegations as ‘tissue of lies’ and ‘political deceit’ perpetrated by professional political fraudsters.

In a press statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. George Udoh, said the minister said he had for a long time been given a clean bill of health by the same Federal High court, Abuja on the issue of possession of arms.

Condemning the allegations, the Forum of Idoma Professionals in Diaspora (FIPID) has described it as reckless, wicked, malicious and false. They described the allegation as part of a wicked plot to pull down a good man who demonstrated deep love for people and unalloyed loyalty to his principal, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The group’s coordinator Barrister Paul Ejembi in press conference in Abuja yesterday, described the National AntiTerrorism and Peace Network as a faceless evil group and Idoma haters bent at tarnishing the image of the minister so as to bring him down.

2015: No free tickets for Jonathan, governors – PDP Contd from Page 1

Politics

Interior Minister, Comrade Abba Moro

to hold the position of the minister in the country.

The said memo, dated April 24 2012, with the name and designation of the author concealed with ink marks stated that Moro was charged to court and that there was no Nolli Proseci to indicate that the case has been dropped adding that there must have been an intense pressure on the Service by highly placed political office holder to clear him during his ministerial nomination process.

Calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to order a thorough inquest into the activities of the minister, the group said it is aware that the President has been advised by the NSA to relieve Moro of his duties as minister.

The statement by the group, which is being circulated on online media reads in parts: “We are imploring the government of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to as a matter of urgent national concern cause full investigation of the activities of the Interior Minister.

“The recent disappearance of a large cache of fire arms imported into Nigeria for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) alleged to have been confiscated by the said Comrade Patrick Abba Moro as Minister of Interior. Our sources within informed us that Moro’s response to this grievous criminal offence was that he has the powers as Minister to personally retain some arms on behalf of the Federal

are insinuating that the PDP wanted to model its internal nomination process after the practice in the United States of America.

The party, Metuh said, had received several calls from concerned party members and as such needed to set the records straight to avoid ambiguities.

He clarified that “The Party is not involved in any process

to amend its Constitution at the moment. The 2012 amended copy is now the grand norm of the Party and we intend to strictly abide by its provision.

The PDP does not exist solely for the purpose of perpetual amendments of its Constitution.

“We have already made our position known that holders of elective positions can only secure another term based on their performance and their

acceptance by the people in a free and fair primary election where all party members shall be guaranteed a level playing ground. The PDP under Alhaji Bamanga Tukur shall never short circuit the will of its members under whatever guise,” the party assured.

Metuh stated further “We also wish to make it clear that the PDP has its own constitution where processes for candidates’ selection are

clearly spelt out. We are therefore only bound by the provisions of this constitution and not the conventions of any other party, anywhere else in the World. We are no copycats.

We therefore urge our members to disregard this idea as we suspect that it is handwork of mischief makers who are desirous of causing disaffection among our members.”

Woman delivers strange creature in church Contd from Page 1

Wealth, said he was still amazed at what came out of the woman.

He told journalists that during prayers a revelation came that there was a woman with an issue and that something was blocking her womb.

Evangelist Silva said as prayers intensified, the woman started screaming and bleeding started when the object came

out. But he couldn’t confirm whether the ‘horse’ was dead or alive because he didn’t go near it.

According to him, “I can’t describe the object. We have seen people vomited several things during our service but not this type of thing...”

People rushed to the church to catch a glimpse of the ‘horse’ when news of the delivery filtered into town.

The minister who insisted

that there have been several prophesies and healings when asked whether the object was alive, said: “I wouldn’t know, I was not focusing on her and I didn’t go back to her after the prayers. I have been in my office administering and counseling members.

“We have been having series of miracles in this church, but this was a surprise to members who were present that morning. I was amazed

that it’s quite different from what we have been seeing, during our prayer sessions…”

The woman was said to have gone for medical checkup but Silva promised to make her available to journalists.

Meanwhile, elders and leaders of the Evboriaria community where the church is located, have launched an investigation into the incident which they termed an abominable act.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 3

3 killed 7 injured in fresh Tafawa Balewa attack From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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L-R: Director, Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, Group Managing Director, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, and Director, Corporate Communication, CBN, Mr. Ugochukwu Okoroafor, during a news conference on the Bankers Committee Meeting, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

SERAP tells FG to repatriate Alamieyeseigha's loot from US From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

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he Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), yesterday, charged the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke (SAN), to seek from the United States' government, repatriation of forfeiture order on USD 401,931 in assets belonging to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the former governor of Baylelsa state who has been convicted of money laundering and unjust enrichment while in office as governor.

The group in an open letter signed by its executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, argued that, “On June 28, 2012, the US Department of Justice obtained the first forfeiture judgment ever issued under the new Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative against Mr. Alamieyeseigha.

"The initiative is designed to target and recover the proceeds of foreign official corruption that have been laundered into or through the United States.

"The Nigerian government has not yet made a request for the repatriation of the stolen wealth…”

The group urged the government to use the repatriated assets to set up a trust fund for the benefit of those it termed the millions of vulnerable and disadvantaged Nigerians who are the victims of high level corruption.

$15m Ibori bribe: Court orders IGP to investigate Uba, Achigbu

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

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he Chief Magistrate Court, sitting in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, on Monday, made an order directing the InspectorGeneral of Police to conduct a thorough criminal investigation against Sen. Andy Uba and

Chibuike Achigbu over allegations surrounding the controversial $15million Ibori bribe.

The Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Okagu made the order following a Direct Criminal Complaint filed before the court by a Lagos based lawyer, Festus Keyamo against Uba and

Achigbu.

Keyamo accused the duo of conspiracy, abetment and bribery in respect of the $15 million Ibori bribe.

The court has ordered the Inspector-General of Police to report back to the court with his findings on September 26, 2012.

Corruption: Bankers’ c’ttee denies EFCC allegation, endorses N5,000 note

By Abdulwahab Isa The Bankers Committee – a platform for congregation of banks’ chief executives, has denied the allegation by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that it was shielding and hiding information on clients facing fraud related investigation.

However, the body pledged its cooperation to EFCC in overcoming shortcomings capable of undermining prosecution of cases involving fraud and money laundering.

The response came on heels of alarm raised by the anti-graft agency that banks are impediments to its effort at combating fraud cases by shielding

their corrupt clients as well as deliberately hiding relevant information on them.

EFFC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde made the assertion on Monday in Abuja at a meeting with officials of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).

Responding to the EFCC claim at an interactive session with finance correspondents at the end of Bankers’ Committee session yesterday in Abuja, Group Managing Director of United Bank for Africa Mr. Phillips Oduoza said banks would reach out to EFCC to clarify areas where they need cooperation.

“When we saw the publications

that banks are not forthcoming with information, as an industry, we would like to engage EFCC to know the specific areas because we all stood for anti-money laundering; we all stood for Know Your Customer (KYC); we all stood for financial reporting. So it is important for us to engage EFCC to know areas of improvement”, said Oduoza.

In another development, the committee debunked speculations that the introduction of single N5,000 note would ignite inflation.

Making known the position of Bankers’ Committee on CBN’s currency restructuring bid at a press briefing yesterday, Group Managing Director of United Bank for Africa Mr.

he recurrent ethnoreligious crisis in Tafawa Balewa local government area of Bauchi state left three persons dead and seven reportedly injured in the an incident that sent many running into the bush to save their lives.

However, the Bauchi state police command confirmed that 2 people were killed while 3 were injured in a fresh attack in Tafawa Balewa on Monday night.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Ladan, confirmed that the incident occurred around 3.30pm when the bus was coming from Bauchi to Tafawa-Balewa loaded with passengers.

Eyewitness accounts said the gunmen appeared from the bush and ambushed their victims using guns and other weapons before they disappeared into the bush.

The incident, according to a source, caused serious pandemonium among residents of the Tafawa Balewa area, who also accused Yuguda administration for lack of political will to contain recurrent attacks in the area.

Security challenges facing north will soon be over, says IGP From Edwin Olofu, Kano

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he Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has said the prevailing security challenges facing some northern states would soon be a thing of the past.

Abubakar, who gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano state yesterday, said the force is doing everything possible to bring an end to the situation.

He revealed that he was in Kano as part of his on-the-spot assessment tour of security situations in some parts of the country, especially in the north, noting that normalcy is gradually returning to Kano.

According to him, commercial activities are now picking up in Kano, promising that the police force under his leadership would continue to do everything necessary to ensure sustainable peace and stability in the state.

N47.1bn theft: Akingbola's counsel, judge in hot exchange of words From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

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ead counsel to former Managing Director, Intercontinental Bank Plc, (now Access Bank), Erastus Akingbola, yesterday berated an Ikeja High Court over what he termed the handling of the proceedings of the trial of his client by the trial judge, Justice Habeeb Abiru.

Chief Felix Fagbohungbe, who

is leading other lawyers in the trial of Akingbola, complained of the judges' interest to hear the defence's case when the judge overruled his request for an adjournment to continue leading Akingbola's coaccused, Bayo Dada, in evidence.

He had said he wanted an adjournment to carry out investigation on "certain things".

But Justice Abiru who had earlier in the proceedings expressed

dissatisfaction over the manner in which the defence have been conducting their case, said Fagbohungbe's request for an adjournment was unnecessary.

According to Justice Abiru, "Since morning you have been with the witness and you spent five minutes on each question. You delayed the progress of the court and now you are seeking for adjournment, in respect of investigation. No there is no

adjournment”.

"Since the last adjourned date in July, you should have done whatever investigation you wanted to do. You had July, August and even September before yesterday's sitting..."

However, Fagbohungbe said, "My Lord, it is like you are angry with me. It is like you want to be hearing one side of this case. I’m not asking for too much. I was only

asking for tomorrow.

"Afterall, you granted my learned friend (counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) when he requested for an adjournment yesterday (Monday) till today (Tuesday)".

The judge Abiru adjourned till today for continuation of crossexamination upon the request of the EFCC counsel, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

THE PAGE 4 REPORT

By Lawrence Olaoye

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he dynamism of the nation’s politics resurfaced last week when old political ‘foxes’ got together in Abuja to plot the revitalization of a political machinery that coalesced with other groups in 1998 to form what is today known as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The defunct Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), formed by the late Gen. Shehu Musa Ya’adua, was a strong political platform, with presence all over the country.It played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the ruling party in most states of the federation in the 1999 general elections. The PDM then had tentacles spread across the country with quality politicians in its fold. The movement went into hibernation and melted into the larger picture, the PDP, immediately it was formed on the 31st of August, 1998.

Since the formation of the PDP, members of the Yar’adua’s political family have since gone underground only to regroup albeit anonymously when the interest of any of them is threatened. The conviviality of members of the group was so strong that it provided the leverage for its leader, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, to survive the political persecution he suffered under his boss, former President OlusegunObasanjo.

The group, during the run-up to the PDP Presidential primaries pulled all required strings to ensure Obasanjo’s emergence as the Presidential candidate and subsequently, the President. It was the need to show appreciation to the contribution of the group to his success that made Obasanjo to anoint Atiku as his running mate even when the latter had already won as the governor of Adamawa state.

Similarly, notable stakeholders in the PDM attained prominent political heights in Obasajo’s government on the strength of the contribution of the group to the success of the PDP at the 1999 general elections.

The camaraderie among members of the group was however shattered during the PDP Presidential primaries that produced President Goodluck Jonathan as the flag-bearer of the PDP. The ranks of the group were infiltrated and its leader, Atiku, having been betrayed, was left in the cold. Although the former Vice President has yet to openly deny the group based on his experience in the 2011 PDP presidential primaries, tongues are waging that he may not be favourably disposed to the efforts to revitalize and re-energise the political machinery.

Atiku’s absence at the recent meeting held by some strong stakeholders in the group in Abuja tends to give credence to the speculations that he may have lost interest. PDM stakeholders including the former Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih, former governor of Kaduna state, Alhaji Kaita Lawal, Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, Dame Titi Ajanaku, Chief Dubem Onyia, Senator Abubakar Mahdi , Prince Tonye

PDM revitalization: Can these old political allies reunite?

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Princewill, Chief Bode Ajewole and other members met in the Yar’adua Center, Abuja to restrategize and reshape the political destiny of the PDM. But reacting to the speculations that Atiku may have dumped the group, his Spokesperson, Mallam Shehu Garba, said nothing could be further from the truth. He insisted that the former VicePresident was still part of the group just, explaininghis principal could not attend the Abuja reunion parley because he was in Yolabut was adequately represented by his old time political ally, AlhajiLawalKaita at the meeting.

Although several reasons have been adduced to the sudden resurgence of interest in the PDM revitalization project, Atiku clarified that the ultimate purpose of the exercise was to protect the interests of its members. He denied the speculation making the rounds that the PDM was being resuscitated to checkmate President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 ambition. He said “No, that’s not the reason and we are not aware of such plans by the President. As I said, the aim of the revival meeting is to reposition the political association so as to protect the common interest of the members.”

But there are fears that the rejuvenation of the PDM may be termed as an anti-party conduct since most members of the political group are active members of the PDP, which has outlawed caucuses in its fold. This, according to the party, is to ensure that the general

Prince Tony Anenih interest of the party is not sacrificed on the altar of group interest. The party alsoargued that it would be counterproductive to the efforts being made by the party’s national leadership to create unity of purpose should caucuses loyal only to their leaders be allowed to thrive in the PDP. But, reacting to the fears in the party that revitalizing the PDM amounts to resuscitation of caucuses in the party, Atiku said PDM was not a caucus,but an interest group within the PDP. It is just as situation “where people with common interest decide to come together to protect their common interest.”

Also reacting to the PDP’s position on caucuses within its fold, a prominent politician, TundeOdanye said “It is difficult to completely rule out a situation that may enable people of like minds to meet. This is the case in other democracies. It is normal for people of like minds to gravitate together. But my take is that whatever would strengthen and advance the party is welcome, but if some elements want to use such

forum for some selfish reasons, then, it must be seen as a problem.

We do not want that.”

There are however fears that the PDM may not be able to strike the right cord in the nation’s political calculation because several of the stakeholders involved may find it difficult to surrender personal ambition to group interest as it had been pre 1999. There are indications that those who are currently coming together have personal interests and ambitions that may be difficult to mortgage. This is even more so when those that worked against the interest of the group’s patron in the 2011 PDP Presidential primary are still much within the fold.

It is not particularly clear whether Atiku would still have the capacity to hold together a group that has been so divided by infiltrators who are only waiting in the wings to re-enact the same feat in 2015. This is because some politicians, who are holding contradictory political views, especially as it concerns the 2015 Presidency, are very active within the fold.

“

Nevertheless, the PDP would have to do more, especially by making its political office holders more responsive, otherwise, its leadership may have to contend with a possibility of a division and eventual break-up should the PDM associates find a common ground to revitalize the group

While some of the new PDM members are of the view that the Presidency should return to the North in 2015, others even within the fold are rooting for Jonathan’s second term agenda.

The point of agreement between these two folds remains the political puzzle the old allies are expected to solve.

That the old political warhorses may not find a common ground when it matters most is underscored bythe fact that the stakeholders are yet to agree on the mode of the group operations.

While some are said to be content with the group to operate under the umbrella of the mother party (PDP), others are said to be pushing for a pull-out so that the group would form a brand new political party ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Although the ruling party seems unperturbed by the political development, there are indications that the PDP leadership would stop at nothing to ensure that the effort to create a caucus within its fold do not succeed. Already, talks are ongoing at the highest echelon of the party to ensure reconciliation of aggrieved members with a view to repositioning the party for it to prosecute the 2015 election with a united front. Nevertheless, the PDP would have to do more, especially by making its political office holders more responsive, otherwise, its leadership may have to contend with a possibility of a division and eventual breakup should the PDM associates find a common ground to revitalize the group.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 5

Nine days after, body of NNPC manager recovered in Jere river From Muhammad Adamu, Kaduna

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he body of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) Deputy Manager whose vehicle plunged into the river nine days ago has been recovered by local divers from Lokoja, Kogi state and the Nigerian Inland Water Agency (NIWA) on Monday. A senior official of the NNPC said

yesterday in Kaduna.

The decomposed body of the deputy manager was recovered trapped in the front passenger seat of the vehicle.

Only the vehicle driver’s body was earlier recovered by workers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) deployed from Port Harcort last week.

The combined team of rescue operators had failed to recover the remains of two workers KRPC

and a relative whose van plunged into a river from the top of a bridge in Jere village near Abuja.

The NNPC in Kaduna had confirmed the death of two of its staff and one other passenger in an auto-crash at Jere bridge along Kaduna Abuja expressway.

The Public Affairs Manager of Kaduna Refining Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Malam Abdullahi Idris, confirmed the

incident, which he said happened penultimate Friday around 8 pm.

Idris gave the names of the two staff as Jibril Sulaiman, Deputy Manager Finance, his driver, while the third person was the nephew to Sulaiman.

He said the victims were on their way to Abuja from Kaduna, when their Toyota Hilux van plunged into a river near Jere, Kagarko local government area of Kaduna state.

L-R: Former Vice-President, Chief Alex Ekwueme, former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyali, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammad Lawal Uwais, and Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, during the presentation of public service award to Justice Uwais yesterday in Abuja.

PHOTO: MAHMUD ISA

Gunmen snatch ACN chieftain’s daughter, car in Kaduna From Mohammed Adamu, Kaduna

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nknown gunmen late Sunday night made away with Honda Civic 2007 model and the 10-year-old daughter of a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), about 20 meters to her residence in Kaduna.

It was learnt that the gunmen who had trailed the politician, snatched the vehicle at gunpoint and shot sporadically in the air to scare away nearby traders.

The victim, Honorable Hadiza Ibrahim Arab, 2011 Kaduna State House of Assembly candidate of the CAN, told our correspondent that the gunmen ambushed her while she was inserting the key into the ignition.

“I just raised my head to find a man pointing a pistol at me and ordered that I come down from the car and hand over the keys quietly.

It was around 10:30pm when I left my neighbours patent shop very close to my house.

“They ordered me to leave behind my two GSM sets and my daughter who was lying down on the back seat.

“I was shouting to them to allow me pick my daughter as they

continue to shoot in the air and got away with the car, my daughter and my two hand sets, while the traders and passersby scampered for safety.

“They later freed my daughter after several calls to them through my number pleading for her release.

“Later on, the phone numbers

went dead, but my daughter was released without any harm”.

Kaduna state police command spokesperson, DSP Aminu Lawan, confirmed the incident, saying that the motorcycle abandoned by the gunmen is with the police and investigation has already commenced.

…as police shoot 2 robbers in Zaria

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he police in Zaria, yesterday, gunned down two notorious armed robbers in a gun battle between the police and armed robbers at Ungwar Fatika in Zaria City, Zaria local government area of Kaduna state.

Sources say the robbers tried to strike the residence of the retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Murtala Abbas at the early hours of Tuesday.

A resident in the area told newsmen that the robbers who could not gain entrance to the house exchanged fire with policemen on guard duty at the house.

The source who declined identification said the robbers stormed the house at about 3am yesterday after successfully seizing a policeman’s rifle.

Our reporter gathered that the gang of robbers have been terrorising the area and the

neighbouring communities in the past. The robbers were alleged have been coming to the area from Kaduna. However, two of the robbers were said to have escaped.

Confirming the incident on phone, the Kaduna state police command's spokesman, DSP Aminu Lawan denied the statement that the robbers seized a police officer's rifle. He explained that the two rifles recovered belong to the bandits.

Maje explosion: Victims threaten to sue Conoil for damages

By Stanley Onyekwere

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ome victims of the September 2 explosion from the ill-fated petrol-tanker which killed three persons and destroyed properties in Maje, near Suleija, have threatened to institute a civil suit against Conoil Plc over alleged deliberate antics by the company to avoid payment of compensation to them.

The victims who made the threat in an interview with our reporter on Sunday, argued that from the inscription on the ill-fated tanker they have every cause to believe that Conoil owns it, hence the talk of instituting a court action against the company if nothing was done to show concern for their loss.

One of the victims, Alhaji Danhiru Lada, who heads an Islamic school, Madarasatul Nurul A Mahadi, said “the incident has affected us negatively in the area of our economic wellbeing as some of the affected buildings served as workshops and factories where we earn our daily bread but now some of us are forced to stay idle”, he lamented.

On his part, Joshua Ayo, an electronics trader who allegedly N143, 000 in cash and goods worth over N750, 000 from his shop barely three weeks after it was opened, said he has been rendered jobless as he lost everything in the process”.

Minister’s visit to spouse’s village stalled by bad road From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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he Minister for Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe at the weekend experienced difficulty traveling to her husband’s village, Emichi in Otukpo local government area due to the impassable road.

Emichi village is one of the villages in Nigeria that is completely neglected as it lacks electricity, pipe borne water and any medical facility.

Mrs. Ochekpe who was in Benue state to commission two water projects in Katsina-Ala and Anyiinin Logo local government areas, had planned to visit her husband’s village to greet her in-laws. However, the enthusiasm of the people to see their daughter-in-law waned when she received news that she could not reach the village due to the terrible state of the road which has even been made worse by torrential rains in the state this year.

The minister’s convoy had to turn back and she headed back to her hotel room in Otukpo town.

NAPTIP still baffled at release of 267 trafficking victims — Official

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he National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), said efforts to investigate how 267 victims and suspected traffickers were released have not yielded any results.

Mr. Orakwe Arinze, the

Assistant Director Press and Public Relations of the agency, gave the information in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.

Arinze said that both victims and suspected traffickers were on

July 29, released on “humanitarian grounds” based on the orders of the Kogi state government before NAPTIP could evacuate them.

“Investigations into the release of the 267 victims and the suspected traffickers from police

custody in the state have not yielded much result.

“This is because the record of the released victims and traffickers are unknown”, Arinze said.

He, however, said plans were underway by the agency to make

sure there was no repeat of such an incident.

NAN recalls that on July 26, 267 victims and suspected traffickers were intercepted by the JTF, led by Lt. Col. Gabriel Olorunyomi, along Itobe-Ajaokuta road in Kogi. (NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Oil theft: Police intercept 17 trucks with petroleum products in Kogi

By Lambert Tyem

T

he Nigeria police have smashed a syndicate which specialises in vandalisation of oil installations especially NNPC pipelines across the country.

Police spokesman, Frank Mba said the police on the September 8 and 9, nabbed the syndicates at Agayin, Ajaokuta local government area of Kogi state. He said this was in its continued determination to ensure the protection of oil installations, especially NNPC pipelines.

"This fit was recorded by

the newly constituted IGP's Special Taskforce on Anti Pipeline Vandalisation headed

by ACP F.T Ibadin, who working on information received on 7th September, 2012 from a good-spirited Nigerian, stormed Adogo village with officers and men of the taskforce on 8th September, 2012 and dislodged the vandals", Mba said.

He said the vandals who took to their heels on sighting the police, abandoned 17 trucks, majority of them already loaded with stolen petroleum products.

He further disclosed that a

Honda car, a Volkswagen Golf car, some offensive weapons and other equipment used by the suspects to siphon petroleum products from vandalised NNPC pipelines were also recovered.

The Special Taskforce also arrested one Stephen Amana of Adogo village who confirmed to own one of the trucks. Mba said the taskforce's timely response led to the recovery of the items and the arrest of the suspect.

He further stated that the force will leave no stone unturned in forestalling further vandalisation of pipelines by hoodlums.

You are corrupt, catholic bishops tell govs, others

By Richard Ihediwa with agency report

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atholic bishops in the country have expressed worries over the high rate of corruption among government officials and called on President Goodluck Jonathan to take decisive steps to check the trend.

But in a swift reaction, Abia state governor, Theodore Orji fired back saying it is not only governors and politicians who are corrupt but that the entire country must take responsibility.

The clerics opened the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), in Umuahia, Abia state capital on Sunday, lamenting that there was unbridled corruption and impunity among the political class.

President of the conference, Ignatius Kaigama, who spoke the mind of the clerics, expressed sadness at the inability of the government to stop the malaise, which he said was manifest at all levels of leadership in the country.

"Unbridled corruption and impunity among the nation's political class is worrisome, particularly as the

mismanagement (of the nation's resources) is at all levels, especially the recent fuel subsidy and pension funds scam", he said.

He also lamented the current security challenges facing the country saying they were designed by some unpatriotic elements to create distrust, disharmony, and disintegration among Nigerians.

The president of the conference said Nigerians must "collectively resist the temptation to pitch northern Nigeria against southern Nigeria, Muslims against Christians by the terrorist group".

Speaking at the event, President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented by the Minister for Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, underscored the need for the church and government to collaborate in order to enhance the development of the country.

He urged them to continue to pray for peace, progress and unity of the country.

However, Anambra state governor, Peter Obi, acknowledged the allegation of massive corruption among the political class, and said it was time for Nigerians to go after corrupt politicians.

Oyerinde: Suspect gets bail From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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and which was shipped from the United States-based Taal Resorts.

Al-makura while lamenting the neglect of the rural areas, announced that work would soon commence on the Assakio-Tunga road, leading to the River Tunga, where he said a tourist spot and a fish farm will be established.

Recollecting with nostalgia when as a young man in the 80s, he visited the area in company of friends for picnics, the governor stated that it has become necessary to exploit all avenues that will boost the dwindling

fortunes of the state, stressing that tourism is one such venture that if properly harnessed, has the potential to transform the state.

He said it is a part of the focus of his administration after providing infrastructure and social development to also boost tourism, saying that informed his visit to Tunga, with a view to utilise the inherent potential of the river that used to be a means of transportation to places as far as Ibi in Taraba, as well as Makurdi in Benue.

uman rights activist, Rev. David Ugolor, held in connection to alleged murder of the principal private secretary of Edo state governor, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, was yesterday admitted to bail by Benin High Court, Criminal Division 1 presided over by Justice Philip Imoedemhe.

The accused who was earlier arraigned and remanded in prison custody by the Oredo Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Benin City on 31stAugust, this year, alongside nine other suspects, was granted bail in the sum of N1 million, a surety with landed property in Benin City with two recent passports.

The summons to admit to bail sought by the counsel to the accused, Olayiwola Afolabi and two others who relied on Section 118 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Law CAP. 49, Vol.

on their communal land" by Oil Newcross Petroleum Company Limited.

In a petition through their lawyers, Messrs Omo-Osagie and Co. to Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Zone 5, the community warned against possible threat to peace in the area if the continuing acts of the oil company to forcibly enter into and dispossess them of their communal land are not stopped forthwith.

They recalled that on the 27th of August, 2012, the company brought a team of workmen, policemen from the Delta Police Command, one of its Community Relations Officers, along with vehicles and two into Iwevbo Quarters of Obagie-Nunuame preparatory to commencing work.

The action of the oil company, they said, is a violation of a court order issued by a Federal High Court sitting in Benin City in Suit

No. FHC/B/CS/225/2010 between Pa Iguagbonwen Egharevba and Others vs. Total E and P Nigeria Limited and Others which admonished all parties to maintain the status quo during the pendency of the suit.

"There is now a palpable fear and apprehension in Obagie Nunuame community, and if this situation is not quickly addressed, it could get out of control. Our clients have been pushed to the wall and are

L-R: Minister of works, Architect Mike Onolememen, Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Ngozi Unogu, and Managing Director, Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engineer Gabriel Amuchi, during consultative meeting with road contractors and the launch of Project Safe Passage on Federal Roads, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Nasarawa to open up rural areas for tourism From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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overnor Umaru Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa state has said his administration would open up rural areas across the state by constructing roads in order to attract tourists and facilitate easy transportation.

The governor made the declaration in Tungan Nupawa, Lafia East development area, shortly after delivering a high powered boat, which he personally donated to the state From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

O

bagie-Nunuame, oil and gas community in Orhionmwon local government area of Edo state are fighting an ongoing battle to put an end to what they termed as 'illegal encroachment on their communal land' by Oil Newcross Petroleum Company Limited.

The leaders of the community equally tasked the Federal Government to persuade Inspector General of Police to urgently intervene into what it termed as "illegal encroachment

11, laws of former Bendel state of Nigeria, now applicable to Edo state, argued that the evidences advanced before the court by the respondent (Police) were not enough to hold Ugolor, hence the Department of State Security Service had established a case of robbery and conspiracy.

But the bail application was vehemently opposed by the state counsel, Mrs. Adekumbi, who said police are yet to complete investigation on the murder case which Ugolor was fingered.

Delivering his ruling, Justice Philip Imoedemhe held that the police have not provided sufficient evidence, stressing that the statement of the first accused, one Garuba Usman Maisameri wherein Ugolor's name was mentioned which are part of the evidence adduced by the respondent, were not enough reasons to keep the accused in perpetual detention.

Edo community protests encroachment

increasingly being left with no other option but to protect and defend themselves against the threat of violent attacks from the thugs and hoodlums who now roam their community. If John Palmer, New Cross Petroleum Limited are not restrained forthwith from their acts of lawlessness, it shall become increasingly difficult to restrain the youths of the community from taking the law into their hands".

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 7

Jonathan to commission Jigawa projects – Lamido From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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resident Goodluck Jonathan is expected to perform the official commissioning ceremony of the Jigawa state multi billion Naira State secretariat, new NYSC orientation camp and the Bamaina School for the talented situated in the state.

Disclosing this yesterday, Governor Sule Lamido who just returned from an official trip with the President also stated that the president would also perform the ground breaking ceremony of the state’s airport and the Federal University Dutse.

Lamido who said this during an inspection tour of the projects, assured that the edifices would be ready for commissioning in the next three weeks.

Lamido who looked elated with the news, said the High Court edifice would be cocommissioned by the former and current Chief Justices of the Federation, Dahiru Musdapher and Aloma Mukhtar.

According to the governor, execution of the projects depicts how dear the state is to him and that it should be seen as a token contribution to its growth and development.

Group lauds minister for being gender sensitive

By Joy Baba

T

he West African Women Association (WAWA) has applauded the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru for ably representing women in the last ambassadorial nominations in Nigeria.

This was contained in a press release signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Mr. Ogbole Amedu Ode. According to the release, the chairperson, regional body of WAWA stated this when she and members of her team paid a courtesy call on the minister.

In his response, Ambassador Ashiru said that women were well represented in the last ambassadorial nomination in line with President Goodluck J o n a t h a n ’ s g e n d e r equality policy. He promised that the Ministry would do its best to assist the organisation.

L-R: Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Ado Muhammad, Chairman, Expert Review Committee (ERC), Nigeria, Professor Oyewale Tomori, and Professor Umaru Shehu, during the 24th meeting of the ERC on polio eradication and routine immunisation in Nigeria, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

NMA urges Kano to declare state of emergency on health From Edwin Olofu, Kano

T

he Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has urged Kano state government to declare state of emergency in the health sector to halt brain drain in existing government hospitals.

Chairman of the local chapter of NMA, Dr. Shehi Ali Abubakar said the sector has witnessed the disengagement of over 100 medical doctors in the last six months, attributing the mass exodus of doctors to federal Institutions and neighbouring states to the “systemic decay in the available facilities”.

Dr. Abubakar disclosed that a pediatric ward at Murtala Muhammad Hospital has been closed down due to lack of manpower, stressing that at present only 65 doctors attend

to patients in a facility adjudged as one of the busiest government hospital in the state.

“Murtala Muhammad Hospital, the largest and busiest Government Hospital in the state has less than 65 Doctors working within it and it is estimated that with the current exodus rate, less than 40 Doctors will be working in this facility by the end of the year”.

The Chairman hinted that there is low morale among doctors under the employment of the state Government, adding that Kano state remained the only state in the North west region yet to implement CONMESS despite several agreement and undertaking with the medical practitioners.

He pointed out that the

precarious situation in the existing state government Health facilities had pile pressured on the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital originally designed for tertiary Institution as a research based facility now handling patients from primary facilities.

Dr Abubakar who assured the general of public their readiness to carry on with services to humanity, however called on Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to urgently fix the infrastructure decay and as well commence full implementation of CONMESS to health workers.

Effort to reach the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf to comment on the issues raised by the NMA, was not successful as he was not responding to calls put to his phone line.

Poly Rector counsels SIWES students From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

R

ector of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, Dr. Mufutau Olatinwo has charged the National Diploma I (ND I) students preparing for the compulsory four-month Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) to be good ambassadors of the institution by representing the Polytechnic positively at their various places of positing during the scheme billed to start soon.

He gave the advice during Year 2012 SIWES Orientation Lecture Programme organized by the Liaison Office of the institution .

The Rector, who spoke

through the Dean, School of Environmental Studies, Builder Anthony Otunola, informed the students that the scheme was an important aspect of their curriculum that should be taken seriously.

He enjoined the students to undergo training in an organization relevant to their course of study and to live above board during the period.

Corroborating the Rector, the Industrial Trust Fund (ITF) Area Manager in Kwara state, Mrs. Kayode Arotoye, warned them to take the training seriously as failure to meet up with the required score would make them repeat the scheme on their own cost.

She stated that ITF was

established in 1971 with the primary objectives of promoting, facilitating and encouraging acquisition of knowledge especially the practicals.

Also, Mr. Timothy Bankole, who spoke on behalf of SIWES Coordinators in the Polytechnic, urged the students to participate actively in all activities of organizations they are posted to.

Also, present at the orientation programme were the Liaison Officer, Mr. Olasunkanmi Azeez, representative of the Directorate of Student Affairs, Mrs. Janet Adetoyi, SIWES Area Accountant, Mrs. Akpata, Head of Training, Mr. Olodeokuta and Mrs. Onigbogi Muraina, SIWES Accountant, from ITF, Ilorin office.

Niger, PHCN partners for power supply From Iliya Garba, Minna

N

iger State Government has reaffirmed its determination to assist the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) towards improving power supply in the state so that businesses will not collapse.

The Permanent Secretary, Power and Energy under Niger State Ministry of Works and Infrastructural Development, Engr. Yahaya Daudu made this known recently at a quarterly stakeholders meeting on power in the state, saying that the measure was necessary in view of the teeming consumers depending on PHCN for their socio-economic activities.

“No responsible government will ignore the power sector being catalyst for survival of businesses”.

He said the role of the government as an intervention force to salvage the sector in its numerous challenges of distribution, generation and transmission, would assist in overcoming the erratic power outrages and stabilise business ventures.

The Permanent Secretary further vowed that the government would ensure that both towns and villages in the state were electrified, adding that rural electrification projects were either at their various stages of completion and awaiting commissioning.

Earlier, Engr. E.J Udoh of Shiroro Hydro Station disclosed that a total of 249,299.2MWwas generated and sent to the national grid, while 79,513MW was the total energy consumed in July by the state.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

L-R: Niger state Governor, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (on wheel), his Deputy, Hon. Ahmed Musa Ibeto, test driving, after the commissioning of ward development projects vehicles, yesterday at the government house, in Minna.

L-R: Deputy General Manager, Research and Development, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Engineer Chinedum Ukabiala, and Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, during a press briefing on improvement in power supply, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

R-L: National Woman Leader, Niger Delta Youth Movement, Ambassador Marian Onuosah, decorating the Matron of the movement, Mrs. Merit Gordons Obua, during the investiture dinner for the matron, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

L-R: Executive Secretary, Subsidy Re-Investment Project (SURE-P), Mr Nze Nwankpo, SURE-P Project Director, Dr. Ugo Okoli, and team leader, maternal child health, Dr Lawrence Ezenwa, during national primary health care development agency orientation exercise for midwives in south-east, yesterday in Enugu. Photo: NAN

L-R: Zimbabwe Deputy Prime Minister, Mrs Thokozani Khupe, and Vice- President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, during the Deputy Prime Minister's visit yesterday to the state house, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

NYSC robbery saga: Journalists demand investigation From Yusha’u Alhassan, Jalingo

F

ollowing last Thursday's attack on some youth corps members in Jalingo, Taraba State, the Young Journalists Forum (JYF) has called on the state government to immediately investigate the matter and bring the assailants to book within four days.

In a statement signed by its Secretary, Zacheaus Somorin, JYF stated that the state governor, like his counterparts within the region, always paid lip service to the security of the corps members saying the attack would have been

Oyo state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (right), welcoming Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina (left), during her visit to the governor yesterday in Ibadan. With them is the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community Development, Poverty Alleviation and Social Welfare, Mrs. Atinuke Oshunkoya (middle).

Wada urges citizens to embrace community work From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

C Don’t discriminate, cleric urges Christians A

n assistant priest at St. Mathew Catholic church Abattoir, Jos, Rev. Fr. Mathew Danboyi has urged Christians in Plateau state not to discriminate in their dealings with other people.

Danboyi, who gave the advice in Jos while delivering a sermon said, “all human beings are equal; no one should be placed over and above others”.

“No matter your status in life,

do not discriminate because this world is a circle”, he told the congregation.

The cleric also urged the faithfuls to shun nepotism and religious bigotry, and to show love to Muslims and other Nigerians “so that the country could achieve the desired peace”.

He added that if both Christians and Muslims put their differences aside, work together and imbibe the spirit of unity of purpose “the

land of Plateau will experience monumental growth and development”.

“If Christians and Muslims on the Plateau will jettison the notion of disunity, and come together with the agenda of love for one another, killing of one another will soon be a thing of the past,” he noted.

He said that God did not make a mistake by bringing both Christians and Muslims together to live in the state . (NAN)

Obajana road for construction soon if…-Wada From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

T

he Kogi State government will soon commence the rehabilitation of ObajanaEgbe road once it gets the nod of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and the Federal Ministry of Works as well as the collaboration of Obajana Cement factoy.

Capt Idris Wada made the pledge yesterday while expressing optimism that the State would witness meaningful physical

development very soon, enjoining the people to be patient with the present administration.

The governor described Mopa as a cradle of great men and leaders who have distinguished themselves in Nigeria and commending the people’s disposition to communal efforts at development, which were visible in the provision of schools, markets and other infrastructure.

Capt Wada commended the daunting efforts to provide water by the Mopa Welfare

Association as a reflection of their self development efforts, added that at a time when urbanisation and civilisation is losing popularity in Nigeria, Mopa people have remained united and peaceful.

In his speech, Chairman,Mopa Welfare Association, Elder M.F. Ayenigba, said the Association was established to serve as a rallying point for unity and development and called for support in achieving communal development.

another major national tragedy.

Somorin pointed out that the state, instead of employing teachers, like its counterparts, use corps members, on a yearly basis to fill the gaps despite being poorly paid and exposed to danger. '' It gives credence to the reality that some parts in North are not safe to engage youth corps members'', the statement said.

The attackers had reportedly stormed the Family House of the Redeemed Christian Corpers Fellowship (RCCF), held the corps members hostage for hours, taking away laptops and about 24 mobile telephone sets.

ommunities in the state have been told to imbibe the concept of community development as a fast way of developing the state.

Kogi state governor, Capt Idris Wada, stated this at the 2012 Mopa Day celebration and fund raising for the completion of a modern mortuary under construction.

The governor said at a time his administration works towards public private partnership in providing infrastructure in the state, the Mopa Welfare Association has taken the lead in community

development.

Governor Wada who stressed his administration's resolve to complete the ongoing Mopa township roads, noted that the technical hitches surrounding the completion of the contract has been overcome.

In his speech, Chairman of the 2012 Mopa day occasion, Dr Seth Abel Maiyekogbon, called for concerted efforts aimed at resuscitating moribund industries in the area and appealed to sons and daughters of the area at home and in diaspora to seek ways of returning home and join in the task of building the area.

13 MPs depart Jigawa for meeting in Sri-Lanka From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

A

13 member delegation of the state House of Assembly headed by the Speaker, Alhaji Adamu Ahmed Sarawa departs for Sri-Lanka to attend the 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Annual Conference 2012 which opened in Colombo, the country’s capital on Friday.

The entourage which would spend seven days in Sri-Lanka include members representing Auyo, Taura, Hadejia, Gwaram, Miga, Roni, Babura,Guri, Gumel, Kiyawa and Jahun constituencies

as well as the clerk of the House, Alhaji Sabo Wada Ringim.

The Association would give members the opportunity to enact laws that would improve the norms and culture of the member countries as well as discuss the rule of law and human rights, role of parliaments, conflict resolution and peace- building, genderresponsive governance, terrorism, and youth unemployment..

A statement by the Public Relation Officer of the House, Babangida Usman said the delegation would depart the country through Lagos International airport.

LP raises alarm over plans to disrupt peace in Ondo schools From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he Ondo State Chapter of the Labour Party (LP) at the weekend raised alarm over series of attempts allegedly by the opposition parties in the state to incite workers of the State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko and the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo against the state government.

The LP, in a release issued by

its Publicity Secretary, Mr Femi Okunjemiruwa in Akure noted that opposition political parties in Ondo State had taken “their morbid agenda to ‘capture’ Ondo people and bring them into second slavery to the campuses of the higher institutions in the state”.

He disclosed that there were desperate moves at disrupting academic activities in the institutions to create the

impression that enough was not done by the Labour Party government.

According to the LP spokesperson, “the latest in this game of fallacies is the two-day protest by some staff of Adekunle Ajasin University for some nondescript claims which provided the cloak for the selfish agenda of some misguided politicians who cannot understand why universities should be spared the type of

instability spurned by their brand of politics.

“The Labour Party notes that not only are salaries paid as at when due in these institutions, but that tuition fees in higher institutions in the other South-west states are several notches higher than that paid at Adekunle Ajasin University and other institutions in the state.

“Whereas students of Adekunle

Ajasin University, for instance, pay tuition fee at less than N25,000 per annum, their counterparts in the Southwest region pay between N150,000 and N400,000. We wonder what these opposition parties have to offer to higher education in Ondo State other than to charge high school fees and totally abolish some of these schools as have been done in other South-west states which they control”.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 11

Money tips on UK tuition costs Y

ou have just seen your son or daughter off to his or her new school in the UK. Expectedly you are excited but as you exchange experiences with friends and family, you discover your son's/daughter's fees are higher than some others. But it is too late and you are not alone.

Investigations show that Nigerian parents hardly give a thought to, or engage in schools fees comparisons while searching for a UK school for their children.

For some, it is the fact that they do not know that while quality or standard may be within a short band, tuition fees on the other hand can vary. And never measure the standard your

child will eventually receive by the amount you are being charged as tuition.

Tuition fees in UK schools are rising ahead of the rate of inflation this year, so it would do you a lot of good to seek ways of making some savings.

Typically, tuition fees will range from £8,500-£11,500 for an A-level term and there are schools at the lower end of the bank delivering splendid teaching and with a great A Level pass rate as well.

So, assume you are paying £1,000 more per term. At N260 per pound sterling, you will waste away some £6,000 or N1,560,000 for a two year A level course.

So, when you go searching for

a UK school, make sure your choice school passes the tuition test, and two things to keep in your mind.

One, tuition fees can vary considerably from school to school, even among those in the same localities.

Two, don't be fooled. Standards or the likely grades your children will end up with are never measured by the size of the tuition fees.

Even if you are rich, there are more efficient ways of spending your money. Firstly, you can save the £6,000 towards university costs for your child.

You can pass it on to charity and if you insist on giving it to the school, there are better ways of doing this.

How to use Facebook to sell wholesale merchandise in Nigeria

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Tips to extend the life of your car (III) 5. Go easy when you're stuck When stuck in mud or snow, don't make the problem worse by damaging an expensive component. Gently rocking in an attempt to free the car is fine. But if it looks as though you're really stuck, don't keep at it. Throwing your car from forward to reverse repeatedly, as well as spinning tires at high speeds, can generate lots of heat and spell trouble for transmissions, clutches, and differentials. It may be cheaper in the long run to call the tow truck rather than risk big repair bills down the road. It's a good idea to carry a traction aid in the trunk, such as sand, gravel, or cat litter.

6. Lighten up your key chain Does your car key share a chain

Quote Be yourself, and you’ll be somebody - Bliss Carman: Poet

with a dozen or more other keys?

That's a pretty heavy load hanging off the car key when it's in the ignition. The weight, combined with bouncing while you drive, can wear out the tumblers inside the ignition and eventually lead to ignition switch failure.

To add years of service to your ignition switch, purchase a lightweight key chain that allows you to separate your ignition key from the others. Drive with only the ignition key in your ignition. If your ignition key "sticks" when you try to turn on the car, it's a warning that your ignition switch is about to fail. Replace it before you get stranded.

7. Choose a good car insurer Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, disaster inevitably strikes - typically in the form of an accident. Make sure that your car will be repaired to the best possible standard by finding an insurer that will pay for parts from the original manufacturer and guarantee the repairs it authorizes.

8. Keep an auto log Keep a pad and pencil in the glove compartment and use them to record your gas fill-ups and mileage. If you notice that your gas mileage worsens, mention it to your service man. It may be an early warning sign that something is wrong with your car.

9. Preserve your car during long-term storage If you are not going to use your car for more than a month, store it properly to prevent unnecessary damage and repairs upon your return.

10. Park in the shade "Of course, a garage is always the ideal place to park your car.

But if one isn't available, minimize interior damage from UV sunlight and heat by always trying to park your car in the shade. If no shade is available or if you find parking under a tree results in bird droppings, use a car shade to minimize the sun's impact. As a bonus, you'll have a cooler car to step into on hot sunny days.

Concluded

loseoutExplosion.com, a New York wholesale clothing business that exports brand name clothing, shoes, and handbags to Africa, including Nigeria, has published a report on how to use Facebook to sell clothing in Nigeria.

The ideas in the report can also be used by other African based retailers to sell wholesale clothing, shoes, and handbags to their customers. Facebook has millions of users either located in Africa, or members who are originally from Africa, including Nigeria, that live in other countries such as the United States and the UK. The report contains practical and innovative ideas for using Facebook to advertise wholesale products to a member's friends, and to other potential retail and wholesale buyers. Facebook marketing is now used by many international businesses to both connect and develop relationships with their customers.

Because there are options for promoting a business for free on Facebook, the social online website is suitable for Nigerian entrepreneurs just starting out, and for established boutiques located as far as Lagos and Abuja to stay in front of their shoppers when they decide to make their buying decisions.

"As a business that focuses on the wholesale to Nigeria market, I stay on top of various marketing platforms. I have found Facebook to be an effective method for reaching Nigerian customers that are looking to buy wholesale products from the United States.

The report will be updated to reflect new information that can help resellers in Nigeria use the social media giant to grow their retail and wholesale businesses," said Donny Lowy, who has a New York wholesale dress and suit

warehouse with many Nigerian repeat wholesale buyers.

For example, a Nigerian fashion designer exhibiting at the Nigeria Fashion Show can use Facebook to set up a page where she can update pictures of her designs for customers that cannot visit the the show. A Nigerian boutique that sells wholesale work suits to bankers in Lagos can use its page to update its "friends" when it receives a new shipment from its American wholesale suit supplier.

Facebook also has a pay per click and pay per impression advertising option through which a Nigerian business can send potential customers directly to its website. This feature can be used by everyone from independent kiosks in downtown Lagos to shopping malls in Abuja to dress shops in Port Harcourt.

Whether a Nigerian selects to use the free Facebook advertising option, or the PPC option, Closeout Explosion Inc presents ideas that are useful. Social media advertising and general Internet advertising can be very effective, which is why Donny Lowy has published his Facebook advertising tips. He knows from personal experience that online marketing works which is why he recommends it to his Nigerian customers who are very Internet savvy.

Another reason why CloseoutExplosion.com recommends utilizing Facebook to sell wholesale merchandise, is because especially in a country like Nigeria where relationships are often based on tribal and social associations, it is very important to be able to display oneself in public, so that customers can associate a real person with the business from which they are buying their Tahari suits, Jones New York dresses, and BCBG shoes.

(Source: www.prweb.com)

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

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Lagos’ new traffic control legislation

agos state Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, last week signed the Lagos Road Traffic Bill into law. He explained it was in a bid to ensure safety and orderly flow of traffic in the state. He alarmed the people with horrific statistics to underscore upward rise in accident rates resulting in injuries and deaths.

The new law spells out a number of actions taken by motorists that constitute offences and the sanctions that follow them. These could be fines or imprisonment or both. For instance, articulated vehicles or trailers (apart from fuel tankers and long buses) are prohibited from plying the roads between 6 a.m. and 9.00 p.m.

Commercial motorcycle operators are not to use major trunk roads such as Ikorodu, Oshodi-Iyana Ipaja, Lagos-Badagry and Lekki-Epe Express, Funsho Williams Avenue as well as Apapa-Oshodi Express.

The law also bars motorists making phone calls, eating, count money or any other act that is capable of distracting them while driving. Pedestrians are restricted to using pedestrian overhead bridges; this effectively makes crossing of the expressway an offence.Violation of these laws attracts sanctions, ranging from N30, 000 to N50, 000 fines to imprisonment of up to three years. There is a strong possibility of the offender forfeiting his vehicle to the government.

There have been mixed reactions to the law. While some see it as being “draconian”, many others have become resigned to welcoming it, if indeed it will be the solution to Lagos’ notorious traffic logjam. There is, however, a consensus on the harshness of the maximum three-year prison term.

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it is doubtful if the existing infrastructure in the state would be adequate to provide backup to the new law. Prisons in the state are already overpopulated; the slow pace of prosecution will be another cog in the wheel of the new legislation We at Peoples Daily believe that the government means well with this piece of legislation. Anybody, whether Nigerian or foreigner, familiar with the gridlock on Lagos streets where you sit in a vehicle for hours in sweltering heat, will readily welcome any strategy at all that will facilitate the smooth flow of traffic , both human and vehicular. The status of

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”

Lagos as a mega city does underline the need people to move freely, whether they are out for business or personal activity.

It doesn’t take an oracle to tell those responsible for this problem: illiterate molue (commuter bus) drivers and ubiquitous motorcyclists. To be sure, apart from their nuisance value, the latter serve also serve a utilitarian purpose – taking people to destinations that buses and taxi-cabs cannot go.

Our reservation about the new law is the sincerity of the Lagos state government; instead, it is what its officials who will implement will do on the road. This, we mean officials of the Lagos state Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) notorious for their highhandedness and extortionist conduct. Also, it is doubtful if the existing infrastructure in the state would be adequate to provide back-up to the new law.

Prisons in the state are already overpopulated; the slow pace of prosecution will be another cog in the wheel of the new legislation.

We urge the government to take quick measures to address these concerns before setting in motion the machinery for the implementation of the law. One of such measures should be consultation with all stakeholders on how best to proceed. Residents of Lagos need to be assured that those who are law-abiding have no cause for anxiety.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 13

Why on earth would anybody burn down a school?

By Joe Igbokwe

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y heart bled profusely when I read this morning that Boko Haram militants burnt down Gwange 3 primary school in Maiduguri , Borno State . My heart bled because I still find it difficult to believe that this terrible crime against humanity will be committed in the 21 st century. It shows the level these guys have sunk into-the bottomless pit, the point of no return and the land of the dead.

The CBN Governor, Alhaji Lamido Sanusi, tells us that Boko Haram came into being in the North because of poverty but here are these elements very busy destroying the basic foundation and the bridge to get out of poverty. This is coming at a time when the whole world has discovered that the gap between education and development is a closed one.

Without knowing it the Boko Haram militants are busy telling the world that they should be forgotten and left to

rotten.

1969 Nigerian Educational Research Council titled A Philosophy for Nigerian Education states that primary Education should serve to help the child realize his full potential; help him to relate to others in an atmosphere of mutual understanding; promote effective citizenship through civic responsibility; promote self and national economic efficiency; facilitate national consciousness in the area of national unity and survival; promote social and political awakening; and reate scientific and technological awareness.

There are also goals considered appropriate for Nigerian secondary schools and universities which time and space will not permit me to recall here. It may sound foolish and mere waste of time in the 21 st century to try to educate the Northern Boko Haram on the meaning of education but let me be foolish here if I can to convince even one Boko Haram member to stop this brigandage.

Socrates says “The aim of education is to dispel error and discover truth” Herbert Spenser says “To prepare us for a complete living is the function which education has to discharge” while John Henry Pestalozzi says “Education means a natural, progressive and systematic development of all the powers” When the North launched the battle to resolve the Boko Haram criminality recently with 41 wise-men committee, I heaved a sigh of relief that we

will soon see light at the dark end of the tunnel. I still believe so and I pray that they will succeed to save what needs to be saved of the North. Wise people say that when schools are built, the prison gates are closed. Those who destroy schools should go and build more prisons.

Northern leaders have a choice to make here.

I repeat once again that when there is a problem to be solved, the man who proffers solution to the problem becomes the leader.

We are waiting patiently to see

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When the North launched the battle to resolve the Boko Haram criminality recently with 41 wise-men committee, I heaved a sigh of relief that we will soon see light at the dark end of the tunnel. I still believe so and I pray that they will succeed to save what needs to be saved of the North

the new leaders in the North who will call these criminals to order.

The Northern Nigeria as it is today is finished, desolate, down and out. Northern Nigeria has not only become an embarrassment to Nigeria , it has become an embarrassment to Africa and the world.

Northern Nigeria has become a land where all the devils in the world have made their homeland. It is now a land that devours its inhabitants, the land of blood suckers, a killing field, a land where life is nasty, brutish and short, the Island of Patmos , a no man’s land, the land of the dead, the haven where criminals speak for decent men and women.

Blind men can never be the Anya Ndi-Ugwu ji ahu uzo.

Crippled men cannot be the Akwa-Akwulu Ndi-Ugwu.

Deaf and dumb men can never be the Okwuluoha Ndi-Ugwu.

Mad men can never be the Agbawodikeizu or Ebubedike Ndi-Ugwu.

Joe Igbokwe resides in Lagos

The Ethiopian tale of visionary leadership T

By SOC Okenwa

he Ethiopian tale can better be told by Ethiopians themselves, partially or impartially, depending on the side of the divide the story-teller belongs. But as observers and analysts we can as well tell the story to the best of our knowledge with the objectivity it deserves.

Ethiopia is a unique country in many ways: history, culture, language, religion and people.

The late Emperor Haile Selassie was in power in 1935 the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini ordered his forces to invade the Ethiopian territory.

The invasion succeeded in the long run after the Ethiopian army put up a heroic fight losing thousands of men in the process and forcing the Emperor into involuntary exile. However, the Italians were rattled in 1941 when the Ethiopian forces aided strategically and militarily by the Allied forces defeated them with the exiled Emperor returning to his city and to his throne. Emboldened by their triumph over the colonialist forces Ethiopia annexed the former Italian colony of Eritrea.

Due mainly to old age and economic problems a civil unrest began in the 70’s, and following the civil discontent the aging Emperor Selassie was removed from his position. And to govern the country a provisional administrative council of soldiers, known as the “Derg” (committee) which was socialist in name and military in style seized power. Then Lt. Col. Mengistu Haile-Mariam became Head of State and Chairman of the “Derg” after eliminating two of his predecessors. Mengistu, a Marxist, became an autocrat and began the militarization of

the country with solid military backing of the defunct USSR and Cuba sidelining America. But the dictator was challenged by an armed rebellion by landowners, the royalists, and the nobility.

Eritrea was home to the dissidents.

As Mengistu tried to rule amid generalised insurrections droughts and famine affected millions of people leaving close to a million dead! And in 1989, the Tigrayan Peoples’ Liberation Front (TPLF) merged with other ethnically-based opposition movements to form the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). In May 1991, EPRDF forces advanced on Addis Ababa.

The dictator was forced to flee the country to asylum in Zimbabwe, where he still resides today. With President Robert Mugabe still in power in Harare Mengistu cannot be afraid of justice placing him where he ought to be: behind bars!

Enter Meles Zenawi!

Following the fall of the “Derg” in 1991 Eritrea separated from Ethiopia. In 1994 a new constitution was written that formed a bicameral legislature and a judicial system of government. An election was held in May 1995 in which Meles Zenawi was elected the Prime Minister and Negasso Gidada was elected President.

Meles the maverick, Zenawi the charismatic former rebel leader turned democrat, Meles Zenawi the Ethiopian strongman is no more! He has gone to the great beyond at 57! Meles was pronounced dead in a Belgian hospital where he went for a medical treatment for an undisclosed ailment. He was buried last Sunday amid wailings and spontaneous show

of love by his people. President Goodluck Jonathan (decked in his famous ‘resource control’ Ijaw hat) was among world leaders (including the wanted war criminal from Sudan President Omar el-Bashir) that attended the funeral to pay their last respect to a man reputed for his fearlessness, candour and reforms. The US, a strategic ally of the fallen leader, sent her UN Ambassador Susan Rice.

When we talk about the deceased Ethiopian Prime Minister we remember other African remarkable rebels; rebels with a cause: Guillaume Soro of Cote d’Ivoire, late Jonas Savimbi of Angola, late ‘Ikemba’ Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu of Nigeria, late John Garang of Sudan and Charles Taylor of Liberia. These are (were) dedicated rebels whose rebellion brought about change or destruction to their various countries. We recognize them here because to wage a rebellion against any incumbent establishment in any country is not for the faint-hearted! Some had died trying to bring about change as they deemed it inevitable or necessary.

This year alone four African leaders had died ‘suddenly’ after some brief illness: Malam Bacai Sanha (Guinea Bissau), Bingu wa Mutharika (Malawi), John Atta-Mills (Ghana). Zenawi died of some ‘infection’ that took him away from Africa to a Belgian hospital; when he failed to attend the AU summit in his country and capital city some weeks back tongues started wagging as to his state of health given the hyper-prime-ministership he superintended.

Zenawi would be remembered by both Ethiopians and other Africans and non-

Africans alike for his strong views and convictions. He would be remembered for the reforms he brought about in his country.

He would be remembered for the war he waged with Eritrea, a break-away country led by his former comrade and fellow rebel, President Isaias Afewerki. He would be remembered for his toughness against islamic terrorist groups and gangs.

Americans would not forget the late PM’s indefatigable contribution to the global war against terror. Meles played his part, his role with manifest dignity while u n c o m p r o m i s i n g l y maintaining the sovereignty of his old country. We shall all miss him!

Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn (47) has been sworn in as acting prime minister by parliament. Like in Ghana and Malawi the transition was handled with dignity and in accordance with the constitution whose immutability remains a cardinal principle in any modern democracy. With what we have seen thus far in Accra, Lilongwe and now Addis Ababa the African democratic experiment bears certain room for hope and improvement.

The international human rights groups had in various times criticized Meles’ handling of dissent at home. After the disputed 2005 polls in which he was re-elected the security forces killed some protesters and rounded up numerous opposition leaders.

Besides, several opponents and journalists were arrested under a 2009 antiterrorism law. For some Ethiopians the late Zenawi was a tyrant who tolerated little or no opposition and the West looked

the other way hypocritically whenever he unleashed his forces against the opposition. But to others he remained a national hero who dreamt about change.

Ethiopia, despite being statistically one of the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, boasts one of the best-managed national airlines in Africa, ET. I remember taking an ET Lagosbound flight in December 2004.

The air hostesses were elegant and stunning in their natural beauty! We were taken good care of but because it was somehow an emergency home-coming due to an impromptu appendicitis attack I was unable to taste, eat or drink anything aboard. And in Lagos the appendix was removed from my abdominal system same evening in an urgent surgical operation.

Good night Meles! Sleep well in the natural state you came in!

This is wishing your soul a safe return journey to your Maker, and your body to dust! Life goes on in Ethiopia as it has continued in Ghana post-Atta-Mills, in Malawi post-Mutharika and in Guinea Bissau post-Sanha.

Despite controlling and commanding a strong national war-weary Army and men and women for years (discounting the gold and silver he possessed) as an over-bearing but effective leader PM Zenawi still kicked the bucket thus giving incontrovertible credit to the mortality status of all living things.

If the surviving African leaders and rulers could learn a lesson or two from the Zenawi reformist pedigree and above all, his dust-to-dust mortal experience, Africa would become a much better place.

SOC Okenwa can be reached on ...

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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Air crashes, weekends and sacrificial circles

By Femi Fani-Kayode

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very single major air crash in Nigeria in the last 10 years has taken place on a weekend. EAS Airline crashed in Kano on June 4th 2002 resulting in the loss of 77 souls. This took place on a weekend. Bellview Airlines crashed in Lisa village just outside Lagos on 22october 2005 resulting in the loss of 117 souls.

This took place on a weekend.

Sosolisso Airline crashed in Port Harcourt on 10 December 2005 resulting in the loss of 108 souls.

This took place on a weekend.

ADC crashed in Abuja on 29th Oct. 2006 resulting in the loss of 105 souls. This took place on a weekend.

A Nigerian military plane crashed in Oko village, Benue state on Sept. 17 2006 with the loss of 15 Generals of the Nigerian Army. This took place on a weekend. Wings Aviation Airline crashed on March 15th 2008 in

past the airport in a bus. This took place on a weekend. The following day on June 3rd 2012 Dana Air crashed into a residential area in the suburbs of Lagos resulting in the loss of 176 souls. This took place on a weekend.

Curiously the Dana crash of June 3rd 2012 took place exactly 10 years and one month (less one day) after the EAS crash of 3rd May 2002 took place. This clearly represents the end of a 10

WRITE TO US Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed to: The Editor, Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja.

Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com SMS: 07037756364 Cross River state with the loss of 3 souls. This took place on a weekend.

In 2009 and 2010 there were a series of small light aircraft crashes, an Air Force jet crash and helicopter crashes in Kano, Lagos and Kaduna that took place each resulting in the loss of life. They mostly took place on a weekend.

An OAS Helicopter crashed in

Ife Odan in Osun state on 29th July 2011 resulting in the loss of three lives. This took place on a weekend.

On June 2nd 2012 A Nigerian cargo plane shot off the runway into the highway behind Accra’s Kotoko International Airport resulting in the deaths of 10 Ghanaian souls that were driving

year sacrificial cycle. Another curious fact is that there had been an earlier ADC Airline plane crash on 7th November 1996 in which 142 souls had perished. Exactly 10 years (less 9 days) later, on 29th Oct 2006, another ADC Airline plane crashed again with the loss of 105 souls. This again represents the end of a ten year sacrificial cycle.

Femi Fani-Kayode is a former aviation minister.

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Curiously the Dana crash of June 3rd 2012 took place exactly 10 years and one month (less one day) after the EAS crash of 3rd May 2002 took place. This clearly represents the end of a 10 year sacrificial cycle. Another curious fact is that there had been an earlier ADC Airline plane crash on 7th November 1996 in which 142 souls had perished. Exactly 10 years (less 9 days) later, on 29th Oct 2006, another ADC Airline plane crashed again with the loss of 105 souls

DANA Air: The good, bad and ugly

By Abayomi Oyalowo

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n June 3rd 2012 at about 4 pm I got a BB message, that a plane came down in a residential area somewhere within a Lagos suburb, I initially dismissed it as another of the usual silly BB messages, especially as our dear NTA was busy showing us the wonders of cassava bread and how the vice president loves to wash down the bread with water from some miserable borehole. But try as I did to ignore the message, my soul was troubled and I had to call a few people and it was finally confirmed that one aircraft actually came down and after about an hour of frantic calls, I got pictures and messages confirming the crash of Dana Air MD 83 with 153 souls on board and yet to be determined number of people who perished while sitting in the homes, some have never been to an airport in their lives, let alone enter an airplane.

So began the horse trading and denials, anger, grieve etc I will not bother you with the history, health or otherwise of the ill fated aircraft, much has already been written about that, what I want to do is bring to your attention salient issues that have been ignored in the cacophony and outright misinformation being peddled by officials of the ministry of aviation and Dana Air. Firstly experts all agreed that the two engines of an aircraft should not fail at the same time, especially since it has been claimed that the aircraft was in a good condition. The only reason that can be adduced for a double engine failure is problem associated to adulterated fuel. I have been reliably informed that through an informal arrangement, SPG is the main supplier of aviation

fuel to local carriers who wish to remain in the good books of the minister for aviation. Finding from NTSB also prove that the two engines can only fail at the same time if the fuel is adulterated or of low quality.

Nigerians, draw your own conclusions.

Since 2002 we have had series of air crashes and if you start to count from the Sky power of Jan 5 2000 until the wing aviation crash of 2008, with six people on board and the plane was not found until about 6 months later, the number of people that died amount to 600, while the number of people that died between 2008 and 2012 was 200. So between 2002 (EAS crash) and 2012 (Dana crash), 800 people have died in the air.

This number does not include those that died in the Skypower crash of 2000. There seems to be a spiritual dimension to it, but I will keep that for another day, what is peculiar about all these crashes is that we have been fed with lies, fake reports and deafening silence of complicity by Nigerian officials.

During the senate committee sitting that probed the Borisade and Fani-Kayode’s tenure on aviation, some interesting things were made public. It became a public knowledge that all of the previous air crash reports had been doctored and the only authentic report, usually carried out by NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) were never made public. It was revealed that both the Sosoliso and ADC crashes were avoidable crashes, while the Bellview plane had a bomb on it. (Let the presidency disprove me and bring out the NTSB report on Bellview).

Also note that Femi Fani Kayode upon his appointment as the Aviation minister, discovered these problems of fake, doctored and inadequate reports

on air accidents and that was why he created Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, an independent accident investigation board, headed by Oduselu. This body had a direct reporting line to the presidency and the minister of aviation; therefore the NCAA cannot tamper with nor interfere with their job. But curiously, Oduselu, the head of the AIB was relieved of his duty six months before the ill fated Dana crash, while the AIB was completely sidelined in the investigation of the DANA crash, the minister; Stella Oduah constituted a kangaroo committee to look into the remote and immediate causes of the accident. How convenient?

It might also interest you, my readers, to know that DANA Air against all standard practice has not paid out compensations to most families of the bereaved as I write, 3 months after the ill fated accident; rather they are in court, actively conniving with the Federal Government of Nigeria to stop the coroner inquest into the accident. I am yet to be aware of any other place in the world where an airliner will be actively blocking an inquest into the cause of a crash

of one of their aircraft.

Stella Oduah recently told us that in standard best practice, you don’t withdraw an airliner’s license due to accidents and my investigations agreed with her submission, but what she failed to tell us is that, those other countries have an efficient system, where officials are not bribed, nor do ministers force airlines to buy aviation fuel from their private companies.

Standard best practice allows particular airline to continue working, even after an accident because all their fleet are properly managed and the records are made public. But in Nigeria where everything is shrouded in mystery, airlines are normally grounded until proper checks are conducted and investigations are concluded.

This was why Sosoliso and ADC were never allowed to fly again in Nigeria. I therefore found it amusing that madam Oduah suddenly remembered standard best practice when the inquest and investigation to Dana crash hasn’t been completed.

Standard best practice would have been to pay compensations to the families of the bereaved on time. I dare Madam Stella

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Another danger in our aviation industry is playing politics and giving patronage to a few people without regards to the welfare and safety of the majority. EAS airline was taken over by Jimoh Ibrahim another serial undertaker, but was found to be unsafe and the then minister of aviation, Femi Fani Kayode, withdrew its license and grounded the airline in 2007

Oduah to make public the NTSB report if her hands are clean.

Another danger in our aviation industry is playing politics and giving patronage to a few people without regards to the welfare and safety of the majority. EAS airline was taken over by Jimoh Ibrahim another serial undertaker, but was found to be unsafe and the then minister of aviation, Femi Fani Kayode, withdrew its license and grounded the airline in 2007. Is it not curious that the same Jimoh Ibrahim was suddenly allowed, by the current regime, to take over the national carrier, Virgin Nigeria, later re-branded as Air Nigeria? We are all witnesses to the damage Mr. Ibrahim has wrought on that carrier in just a few years of his take over. How else do you define incompetence, unpatriotic selfishness, greed and official wickedness?

There have been too many crashes in Nigeria, involving small planes like bigger airliners and we wonder what is happening. But it is very clear that Nigerian officials are as culpable as hell in all these problems. some people have even claimed that it is deliberate bloodletting by some powerful people, this I can’t confirm that but what I can confirm is that most air accident reports are doctored and the NTSB reports ,usually carried out by Americans, are never implemented because they often implicate powerful people. My advice to air traveller is to pray and ask God for protection and avoid travelling on Saturdays and Sundays as much as you can. The pattern of major accidents from ADC, Sosoliso, Dana etc, has shown that there is a greater risk of an air crash on a weekend than on a weekday.

Abayomi Oyalowo is on Twitter@Ayourb

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

By Pelumi Olatinpo

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s heinous, scatterbrained, and morally bankrupt as Muammar Gaddafi was, it is hard to believe a life so awash with megalomania had unexplainable spurts of illumination. While the “United States of Africa,” as proposed by the former Libyan leader was overly ambitious and impractical, the spirit behind the intent underscores a strong undercurrent that’s so far kept Africa the poorest and most underdeveloped place on our planet. It is indeed true: A house divided against itself cannot and should not stand.

The concept of African union is one that has stayed with us for a while now. From Haile Selassie of Ethiopia to Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana to Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, the call for African states to consolidate both sociopolitical and economic assets and liabilities has been a gospel that has endured generations. From Bob Marley to Fela AnikulapoKuti, the proposition that Africa’s progress is inextricably linked to a united front has energized many-a-tuneful ballads.

Yet, if there’s anything we as a people have failed so convincedly at, leaders and citizens, it is this attempt at union.

In decades past, we created the Organization of African Unity (OAU); an institution that became so inept and inadequate at resolving many continental issues that it behooved Gaddafi, a leader not renowned for his ingenuity, to save our collective

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Africa divida

reasoning. At which point, upon completion of the Lomé Summit in 2000, we set course to scrap the floundering excuse of an institution and rewrote the course of our unity. The African Union (AU) was born the subsequent year: new sets of rules, new vision, new structures.

It’s been over a decade since we charted this new course, but old habits prove hard to shake. We have seen an institution unable to bring an end to mass murders in Darfur and the Nuba Mountains, stop Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army from ravaging our collective consciousness with acts even the Devil dare not speak of, decapitating poverty burning across the landscape like wildfire, and the impossibility of selfdetermination for millions of Africans shackled under autocratic and repressive regimes.

While it is easy to fault African leaders who comprise this institution, I have come to admit the primary culpability of the common African.

It is not uncommon to overhear in conversations between groups of Africans of how some deem it anathema to liaise with peoples of different culture and creed within the same border. Furthermore, what I have found more particularly distressful is this egregious perception among some, subSaharan Africans matter-offactly, that Africans to the north

are somehow geographically of us but not from us. For me, no argument can be more perplexing.

The belief that the nation states of Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and others, by consequence of their proximity to Asia, are for all intents and purposes non-African, contributes immeasurably to the truncation of our mobility via the unity roadmap. And, this belief, in turn feeds a cycle where some citizens to the north feel a total sense of detachment from brothers and sisters below the Sahara. It is of note that sub-Saharan Africans are quick to claim Pharaohs’ Pyramids as tribute to Africa’s legacy, yet, find it convenient in contemporary times to dislocate the region from its place on the

continent.

It is a belief riddled with holes and fallacies. The problems that befall North African states are the same that afflict those below the Sahara. Our afflictions and strengths are not by the longest stretch of the imagination mutually exclusive. They are, evidently, common denominators in our daily lives.

Before the revolutions of 2011, dictators populated North Africa just as much as they now still do in sub-Saharan Africa. The civil wars that have come to dot the African landscape are not specific to one section of the map; rather, they are equal opportunity employers. It is unfortunate that poverty does not discriminate or oscillate its intensity between north and south; maybe folks

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It’s been over a decade since we charted this new course, but old habits prove hard to shake. We have seen an institution unable to bring an end to mass murders in Darfur and the Nuba Mountains, stop Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army from ravaging our collective consciousness with acts even the Devil dare not speak of, decapitating poverty burning across the landscape like wildfire, and the impossibility of selfdetermination for millions of Africans shackled under autocratic and repressive regimes

campaigning on either side of the divide might have had an argument.

Our indestructibility is shared. It is the reason for our resilience in our many centuries of hardship and challenges.

Healthy competition among African states is important, but a north side-south side rivalry is a no zero-sum game: it sacrifices brotherhood on the altar of selfindulgence and pettiness.

It therefore comes as no surprise that we breed incompetent leaders, who go to the AU Headquarters built by China for Africans in Addis Ababa, and accomplish no worthwhile unity agenda outside of opulent living, defending one another’s eternal tenure in office, and masquerading as a collective voice for peoples they care little about.

By our own complacence, we have allowed and encouraged Western entities to subjugate us into divisions by churning out anecdotes and statistics, often, under such labels as “sub-Saharan Africa,” as though figures from the north are immaterial to a wholistic understanding of Africa. There’s no denying the profoundness of certain of our differences, which, are usually along the lines of culture, language, and creed—but what siblings in a large family are by force of nature born with same preferences and idiosyncrasies? It is said that a rising tide lifts all boats … for Africa; this tide is unquestionably a strong and committed sociopolitical and economic union.

Pelumi Olatinpo blogs at www.RestlessChronicles.com

An economic team of oligarchs, profiteers

By Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia

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igeria’s Economic Management Team is chaired by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and it includes Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo who serves as the Vice Chairman.

Other members are Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, Minister of National Planning, Minister of Trade and Investment, Minister of Power, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Works, Minister of Education, Minister of Health, Minister of State, Finance, Minister of State, Health, and Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria.

The team also includes Chief Economic Adviser, Special Adviser, Monitoring and Evaluation, Director General, Budget, Director General, Debt Management Office, Director General, Bureau for Public Procurement, Director General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Adviser on Agriculture and Governor of Adamawa state, Adviser on Finance and Governor of Anambra state, Adviser on Economy and President, Nigerian Economic Society, Mr. Atedo Peterside, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service,

Director General, Security & Exchange Commission, President – Manufacturing Association of Nigeria and Africa’s richest man - Aliko Dangote, controversial banker, Mr. Aigboje Aig Imoukhuede and oil oligarch, Femi Otedola.

President Jonathan inaugurated the National Economic Management Team (NEMT) with a charge to fast track the economic development of the nation. He said “as a government we have made substantial gains in our objective of accelerating the pace of economic development in our country over a short period of time; I believe that with the economic management team in place, and with the commitment of its members, we will be in a vantage position to achieve a lot more”.

He further charged members of the team to “combine their individual strengths, to generate ideas and initiatives in line with our goal of transforming every sector of Nigerian life and society, particularly the economy”.

Is it not laughable that an economic management team will consist of oligarchs like Aliko Dangote, vulture capitalists like Femi Otedola, and profiteers like Aig Imoukhuede? What sort of advice will they give the President? Perhaps, the people can expect to hear stories of import waivers, petroleum subsidy

fraud, and the stripping of our national assets. I am particularly dismayed at the way they all came out to dismiss citizens’ concern as it relates to the proposed N5000 banknote and the coinage of N100, N50, N20, N10, and N5 banknotes. Regrettably, President Goodluck Jonathan has allowed buccaneers and vulture capitalists to hijack his administration and derail his agenda.

The National Economic Management Team in Nigeria is similar to the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) in the United States. It is an agency within the Executive Office of the President and it advises the President of the United States on economic policy. It is a misnomer in Nigeria that a similar advisory

body is called a management team and peopled by questionable characters.

It is curious that no member of academia is part of the so called National Economic Management Team. Take the case of the United States where past and present members of the Council of Economic Advisers are renowned economists and policy wonks.

The current Chairman of the CEA is Alan Krueger and a former professor at Princeton.

Unlike its Nigerian counterpart, The American council of Economic Advisers was established by the United States Employment Act of 1946 to provide US Presidents with purposeful fiscal analysis and advice on the growth and

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Unlike its Nigerian counterpart, The American council of Economic Advisers was established by the United States Employment Act of 1946 to provide US Presidents with purposeful fiscal analysis and advice on the growth and execution of a wide range of internal and global economic policy issues. Some of its influential past chairs are: Alan Greenspan and Arthur F. Burns. While influential past members are: James Tobin and Nobel Economist, Paul Krugman

execution of a wide range of internal and global economic policy issues. Some of its influential past chairs are: Alan Greenspan and Arthur F. Burns.

While influential past members are: James Tobin and Nobel Economist, Paul Krugman.

It is clear from the foregoing that its Nigerian version cannot achieve even a miniscule of the goal that has been set for it. This is not as a result of a dearth of qualified personnel in Nigeria but because time and again Nigeria’s elected officials has shirked their responsibility to the Nigerian people and have a penchant for constituting irrelevant committees and loading such with incompetent individuals. Take the case of the Federal Capital Territory, dirty, chaotic, and leaderless.

The biggest problem in my political party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party lies in its inability to manage the political success that comes out of its ability to cobble together a winning coalition. Those of us on the left to center of the party will continue to call out the leadership to this glaring inadequacy. The proposed currency restructuring agenda is dead on arrival and posterity will not be kind to those who are bent on mortgaging the future of the next generation of Nigerians.

Abdulmumini Yinka Ajia is reachable on abdulajia@blogspot.com

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 16

Exorbitant rent: Traders desert New Garki Fish Market

By Josephine Ella

F

ive months after the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Micah Jiba commissioned the New Garki Fish Market at the Apo resettlement area for traders, 99 per cent of the shops in the market are yet to be occupied by traders in the area due to what investigation by Peoples Daily revealed, is largely due to the exorbitant rent the council administration is demanding from petty traders.

This is as the traders, who are expected to take up shop allocations in the market which is also intended to accommodate traders in other food items like rice, beans, yams, provisions etc, have stay put on street corners and road corridors in the area, thereby constituting traffic congestion and littering the areas.

People Daily gathered that the administration is giving out the open stalls to petty traders at N60,000 per annum while the lock-up shops cost N200,000.

When the AMAC chairman led top officials of the council to unveil the market, he told those present at the ceremony that the essence of the market was to discourage traders in Garki, Apo and Akpajenya communities from engaging in street trading and hawking at unauthorised points in the areas.

However, the aim of the project, it would appear, has been defeated as traders have rejected the market as a result of what a few traders operating at open spaces in the market attributed to high cost of rent being charged by the AMAC administration.

A visit to the market yesterday by our correspondent revealed this shocking reality as all the lock-up shops in the market remain inhabited while virtually all the open stalls were vacant.

A few traders were seen operating on open space inside the market, but the market was completely dry as it did not wear the usual hustling and bustling characteristics typical of a market.

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that the few traders that were found in the market where those who upon the commissioning of the market had assumed that it was soon to become a full fledged market like any other markets in the FCT.

Side view of the deserted open stalls at the new Garki fish market at the Apo resettlement area Unfortunately to the contrary, things are not moving well as they had expected, a development that has made them to regret leaving the streets were they had been operating.

Peoples Daily investigation revealed that if the situation of the area does not ameliorate within the shortest period, the few traders found the market may soon jet out back to the street as they are seriously lamenting the effect this has been having on their businesses.

Apparently, frustrated, it was also gathered that the AMAC chairman has now taken it upon himself to visit some of the traders on the street, who were hitherto not given allocation in the market, to woo them in to the market as the original allotees have refused to inhabit it, to no avail.

He was however, able to convince the chairman of a group of street traders at Zone A junction in Apo, Pastor Peter Ogoh to move into the market.

Confirming this, Ogoh, who is now, the chairman of the New Garki Fish Market told Peoples Daily that “about two weeks ago, the AMAC chairman visited us and spoke with me that he would like us to quit the place we were using before which I was a chairman.

So that was how we now came

AMAC Chairman, Hon. Micah Jiba here”.

The restaurant operator lamented that they are already facing harassments from the Allotees, who have continued to invade the market to threaten them to quit as according to them, the chairman has no right to invite people to occupy their shops.

Further confirming the emptiness of the market he said: “I wish the chairman can come and help us to address this issue because ever since they commissioned this market people are not willing to enter because they said that the prices of the stalls are too much so the petty traders cannot afford to pay”.

“If they don’t allow us to sell, how do they think the market will work? Since I came to the market, I have not been able to sell anything but when I was on the street by this time I know what I would have sold,” he lamented.

Also lamenting the situation, the Chairman of the Meat Sellers Association in the market, Ahmad Yunusa said that he relocated to the market four months ago after the commissioning but unfortunately, “those that have the allocation are not coming to take their shops”.

Worse of it all is that further investigation has revealed that those that have the shop allocations are people who do not need them as they are said to be looking for traders they could sell the shops to at a higher rate, to have complicate the issue.

To lend credence to this, Yunusa confirmed this saying, “actually, those that are supposed to have the shop don’t have them. Those that have the allocation are nowhere to be found. Some people that have the allocation are selling it, but the petty traders cannot have them that is the reason the market is empty. People do not even know that we are selling here”.

This was as he listed bad road, absence of electricity and water as some of the challenges the market is facing.

The traders were all unanimous in the call on the AMAC chairman to find a solution to the issues at hand to save them the economic loss which has been taking it tolls on them.

“The market is not fast growing at all. Sales are very poor. There are no customers and traders are afraid that if they come here they will not sell so they have refused to come. AMAC should do something about this fast because it is affecting us,” a traders who simply gave her name as Mrs Agnes said.

When contacted, the councillor representing Nyanya ward in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon Suleiman Muhammed said that the shops in Apo resettlement fish market were allocated to traders at an affordable rate, but some of the allotees rented it out at a very high rate.

He said that some of the traders deserted the market to sell their wares elsewhere because the area is not well populated, saying that it was not the fault of the AMAC administration that shops in the market which had been allocated for years and commissioned for even more many months now have been deserted.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 18

Abuja taxi operators bemoan activities of imposters

Naval officers invade workshop, beat mechanic to coma

By Adeola Tukuru

By Josephine Ella

axi operators in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have bemoaned the constant harassment by some hoodlums who parade themselves as members of the taxi drivers association.

The Chairman of the association under the umbrella of the Taxi Cab branch in Area one, Abuja, Mr. Sunday Olamide in an interview said that he had received several calls on daily basis on the operations of the miscreants parading themselves as union members.

Olamide called on security agents to help sanitise some affected areas such as Jabi, Area One, among others. ” Our major challenges is that some touts are claiming that they are our members but we are trying to sanitize them, if law enforcement agents can help us ,we will be very grateful because these people are cheating our original members, claiming that they are also our members which is not true,” he said.

Speaking on what is required of every member who operates a taxi cab in the FCT, Olamide explained that they will need to register with the national body, acquire the union sticker and also their Identity Card.

motor mechanic at Area 1 in Garki, Abuja, Sunday Faleh has narrated how a six-man-gang of Naval officers invaded his workshop and beat him to a state of stupor for confronting a Naval personnel, who attempted to smoke a substance suspected to be Marijuana at his workshop.

The Naval official, simply identified as Nasiru M was said to have taken shelter under the shade of the workshop opposite the Commerce Plaza, two weeks ago during a down pour when he attempted to smoke the substance wrapped in a white paper.

Trouble started when the mechanic, popularly known as pastor told him that he was not permitted to smoke at the workshop.

Narrating the incident to journalists, the victim said Nasiru had approached his workshop from the Durumi axis of the road leading to Area 3 Bus stop, wearing a light blue shirt and Navy blue trousers smoking as he attempted to take cover in his workshop that morning of Tuesday 28, August 2012.

Suspecting he was smoking Marijuana, Sunday said he politely told him that “we do not allow smoking of Marijuana in this business premises” and requested that he should leave the shop, a request Nasiru obliged but hesitated and insisted, stating that he will not leave until he finished smoking the banned substance.

An argument was said to have ensued between Nasiru and Sunday, who insisted that the Naval personnel action of smoking Marijuana in his shop would not be condoned by him as it was his place of business pointing out that it would present him in bad light to his customers.

The mechanic told journalists that seeing that Nasiru was unyielding, consequently, one of his boys at the workshop reached out and snatched the substance, a move that provoked Nasiru who descended on the boy beating him and daring him to touch him while on uniform.

Outrage by the effrontery of the boy, Nasiru was said to have toren the boy’s cloths, after tearing his own uniform a strategy allegedly deployed by him to feign being mal-handled by the auto-mechanics and left the scene promising that he will come back, Sunday narrated.

Not certain what would follow after the threat, the mechanic said that he reported the incident to the Garki Police Station where he was advised to abandon his workshop for his safety.

This was only for the gang to return shortly on the “retaliatory and rescue mission” allegedly ordered by the Naval

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‘Abaji treatment plant to treat 5,000 cubic metres of water daily’

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he Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Water Board has said that the N852.77 million Abaji treatment plant would treat 5,000 cubic metres of water daily, when completed.

Director of the Board, Mr Jibril Ibrahim, said this in Abaji during a facility tour by members of the reconstituted board of the organisation.

He said that the contract for the project, which was awarded in 2011 to CGC Nig. Ltd., would soon be completed.

Also speaking during the tour, the FCT MDG representative, Mr Abubakar Pai said the Comprehensive Water Supply Scheme for Abaji and its environs was conceived by FCT MDG, FCT Water Board and the Abaji Area Council.

He said the project when completed, would provide potable water for Abaji and the surrounding communities, especially Nuku, Amarati and Ajana among others.

Pai said the treatment plant had reached 96 per cent completion, adding that all the structures were ready except a few things, including the booster pump station.(NAN)

A

The victim of Naval personnel asault, Sunday Faleh high command which left him unconscious for a long time.

He said he had left the workshop to attend to his customers for whom he had gone had to buy a fan belt, only to be attacked by six Naval Ratings amongst whom was Nasiru, on his way back to the workshop. ”I was giving the beating of my life. They collected the fan belt and use it along with stick to hit me until I fainted,” Sunday said.

When contacted through his mobile phone, one of the accomplice who would not give his name on belief that he was adequately masked behind the SIM 08065909771 which he had use two days later to invite Sunday to the Naval Headquarters to make statement and retrieve the phone justified their action.

Justifying the reprisal attack by the Naval gang of six, the

accomplice of Nasiru told journalists that “what even gives him the guts to go and beat up a soldier? It is even a national abuse for somebody to beat up a soldier and tear off his shirt, anytime you call me I will be ready to come and defend myself”.

The accomplice maintained that the action was strictly a rescue mission and “even if I am called upon, I will come and tell the truth”.

Our correspondent who was among the journalists that visited the workshop, saw the damages the gang inflicted on both windshield of a white Nissan Sunny, with Abuja registration number plate AL 181-YAB and the workshop.

But the Naval high command denied any knowledge or involvement of its personnel in any such reprisal as “nobody has made such report to us. And the Nigerian

“

The Nigerian Navy does not condone any form of indiscipline. Whoever does anything such as this one is on his own. You have just informed me and the matter will be investigated. When we investigate and confirm it to be true such personnel will be dealt with according to the laws of the Nigerian Navy

Navy did not order such reprisal.”

Director of Information Naval Headquarters, Cmdr. Kabir Aliyu told journalists in his office.

“The Nigerian Navy does not condone any form of indiscipline.

Whoever does anything such as this one is on his own. You have just informed me and the matter will be investigated. When we investigate and confirm it to be true such personnel will be dealt with according to the laws of the Nigerian Navy, Aliyu said.

The gang of six Naval Ratings had seized Sunday’s phone while he was unconscious and went away with it as they could not take him with them due to the resistance by the other automechanics at the scene of the assault.

While he was still recovering from the battery he had suffered from the Naval assault team, Sunday told the caller that he would not be able to oblige that invitation as he was still in pains and yet to recover from the assault they meted out to him two days earlier.

Reacting to the allegations levelled against him, Nasiru M. told journalists that he was only smoking cigarettes at workshop and not the suspected banned substance Sunday and his colleagues had claimed.

This was as he insisted that the Sunday must come to the Naval headquarters to make statement and collect his phone which they had seized.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 17

1. Young children displaying their God’s given talent in a public function, recently in Garki, Abuja

2. Young girls hawking walnuts, in Area 1, Abuja.

3. A dry cleaner ironing his client’s cloth, in Apo village, Abuja.

4. A tailor taking his service to his clients' doorstep, in Nyanya.

1

5. Keke NAPEP driver and

friend sleeping in the tricycle, in Garki, Abuja.

Photos: Justin Imo-owo

3 2 4 5

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Email: amunuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE - Pg 21 Tourist destinations across Nigeria

Mob: 08033644990

No staff killed in Nigeria - MTN

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L-R: Delta state Governor, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, Commissioner representing Akwa Ibom state in Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Senator Ibok Essien, and RMAFC's chairman, MR ELIAS MBAM, during RMACC officials visit on the governor, on Monday in Asaba.

Photo: NAN From Bala Nasir, Kano

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ecurity measures being taken to forestall threats against security formations in Kano have been described to have negative impact on trade and business activities in the city creating further security challenges in the state.

The Vice-President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in charge of North, Alhaji Ali Safiyanu Madugu made this observation during an interview with Peoples Daily in Kano.

Madugu, who stated that complete blocking of some roads in the city by security operatives with a view to protect their formations that are dotted within residential and commercial areas of the city has forced many businesses to close down completely.

The result of this, according to him, is that most of the businesses affected have sent many out of their jobs which by implication create more and more unemployed people in the society.

In the last nine months, since the January coordinated bomb explosions in the city, he said, many roads remained closed completely which seriously affected all the businesses around police formations as people are not allowed to go near them for whatever reason.

The industrialist stated that it is evident that such formations spread across the residential and commercial areas of the city have been the major target of the attackers they have become a burden to people living or doing business around them since they can no longer live or do business again.

He therefore, urged authorities concerned to look into the situation especially people doing business around these formations with a view to allowing them to come back to their

Insecurity: Closure of roads killing businesses in Kano, says MAN business and trade positions so as to reduce the level of poverty that has pervaded the state now.

He added that, if it means relocating all the police formations to the outskirts of the city and take to patrolling the city till such time that security improves let it be so and allow trade and businesses to continue to thrive.

He explained that he is not saying that security measures shouldn’t be taken when and where necessary, but that

measures taken especially in some areas of the city at the moment need to be relaxed or even removed completely.

In his response, the acting spokesman to the Kano state Police Command, ASP Magaji Musa Majia told Peoples Daily that security measures are relaxed when and where necessary in the city.

The police, he said, have removed security check points in many areas in the city and

that Kano people can testify to that even as reviews are carried out on all the existing ones after which some are relaxed or even removed from time to time.

He called on the people of the state to continue to be patient as police don’t just introduce security points to inconvenience them but that they rely on security intelligence to adopt these measures wherever they are seen to be imposed.

2 cars up for grabs in Unity bank Save & Win promo

By Abdulwahab Isa

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wo customers of Unity bank are to receive two brand new cars as reward for participating in the bank’s savings promotion. The winners will emerge from the second national draw of the savings promotion holding on Saturday, in Lagos.

The event is scheduled to take place at Planet One Entertainment centre, Maryland, Lagos and will be witnessed by Journalists, customers of the bank, officials of the National Lottery Commission, Consumer Protection Council of Nigeria (CPC) and other members

of the public.

The first national draw was held at the Yar’adua Centre in Abuja in July at which a customer of the bank in Maiduguri, Borno state won the star prize of Hyundai Verna car.

The customer has since taken possession of the car.

According to the Media and External Communications Manager of the bank, Sani Mohammed Zaria, consolation prizes of fridges and generators will also be given to other qualifying participants at the draw. He disclosed that 3,750 savers qualified for the national draw from all the operational areas

of the bank nationwide.

He also intimated that Unity bank has three more cars and other consolation prizes to give out in the course of the savings promo scheduled to end later in the month.

The three cars will be given out to winning customers at the grand finale of the six month long promotion popularly known as Aim, Save and Win. The bank has also held zonal draws in the five zones of the bank namely, Lagos & West, Central, North-West, North-East and South-South in its bid to bring the reward programme down to the grassroots.

Management Tip of the Day

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Why projects work better than interviews

an you really find out what you need to know about a job candidate in an hour-long interview?

Probably not. No amount of interviewing, reference checking, and psychological testing is a substitute for actually working with a

candidate on a real project.

Next time you’re hiring, consider giving your top candidates a constrained project to execute. Ask them to redesign a social media campaign, document a tricky bit of software, edit a keynote presentation, or produce a webinar. Look at the

results and decide which candidates were able to deliver real value. This doesn’t just benefit you as the hiring manager. Candidates will learn what it’s like to really work with you and your company.

Source: Harvard Business Review

obile services provider MTN yesterday denied that any of its staff had been killed in attacks on telecommunications infrastructure in Northern Nigeria last week.

The South African group‚ which has operations across the African continent‚ said it had “noted with great dismay” erroneous information circulated by some media of the purported killing of MTN staff in Nigeria in the attacks.

“MTN would like to correct this by stating that ‘No MTN staff was killed’. We are at a loss as to the source of this highly erroneous information‚” said MTN Group spokesperson Rich Mkhondo.

He said the damage to telecommunications facilities was confined to certain parts of Northern Nigeria and “only our customers in those parts may have experienced service disruptions‚ which are being quickly resolved”.

NNPC launches Kero Direct Scheme in Kebbi From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

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he Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation( NNPC) in charge of Kero scheme yesterday launched the NNPC Kero Direct Scheme aimed at selling the commodity direct to the people at the regulated price of N50 per liter.

Speaking to journalists during the occasion at the Emir of Gwandu's palace, the National Coordinator of the scheme, Rtd Hon. Barrister Ben Chucks Nwosu said that Kebbi state will benefit a total of 1000 liters of kerosene, which has been supplied to state under the scheme.

He said the Federal Government scheme was meant to make available the scarce commodity to the common man and also check desertification especially in the North.

According to Nwosu, "Mr. President, in his magnanimity, wants to touch the lives of common Nigerians through the direct sales of the product at N50 per litre and also the programme was conceived to check desertification.

Adequate measures have been taken to guard against hijacking the commodity by politicians and black marketers", he said.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary in charge of Ministry of Commerce, Alhaji.

Abdullahi Gebe said that the state government have taken measures to ensure prudent sale of the product according to the stipulated price of N50 per liter to the every households.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS

Arik Air

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rik Air and Lufthansa Technik have sealed a new partnership deal that will maintain the safe operations and support further growth of the Nigerian airline.

During a meeting held at Arik Air corporate head office in Lagos last Tuesday, the two organisations agreed to strengthen their partnership that was first consummated about five years ago.

Under the new partnership, Lufthansa Technik and Lufthansa Cityline will continue to provide technical support to Arik Air in the areas of line maintenance, base maintenance, materials and pool parts among others for the next five years.

Air Nigeria

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ir Nigeria terminated operations yesterday, citing "staff disloyalty and environmental challenges".

Stranded passengers at London Gatwick were told to contribute extra £40 each for the purchase of fuel as there was none left to fly the aircraft. It launched daily flights between Lagos and Gatwick in May, using A330-200 aircraft configured for 295 passengers.

The carrier, formerly Virgin Nigeria, was established in 2004 when the Nigerian government and Virgin signed an MoU, but Virgin sold its minority stake two years ago.

China

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n Monday, Beijing has invited foreign joint ventures to bid for shale gas exploration licences in a new tender process, a milestone policy change that will allow foreign energy companies to play a greater role in developing China’s rich potential reserves of shale gas.

China’s shale gas reserves are estimated to be the largest in the world, according to the US Energy Information Administration, and if they are successfully developed it could radically alter energy markets in the world’s biggest energy consumer.

The ministry said that Chinese-controlled foreign joint ventures would be allowed to bid in the tender process, which covers 20 shale gas blocks in southern China.

Distractions can’t stop NAMA from ensuring safe, secure air navigation in Nigeria – MD Against the backdrop of recent media reports that the busy Nigeria airspace has been deserted by foreign airlines as a result of poor communication between the pilots and controller within the airspace, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engineer Mazi Nnamdi Udoh, in this interview with our Suleiman Idris, claries on the rumoured story, amongst other issues. Excerpts:

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igerians and indeed the world were taken aback with recent report in national newspapers that NAMA has been losing revenue because foreign airlines that usually overfly the nation’s airspace now divert to other countries due to safety challenges in the country’s airspace?

A lot of persons, both professionals and non professionals alike, with ulterior motives have been contacting the press for their self-seeking interests and taking an uninformed position as regards the recent Dana plane crash and our airspace, which in recent time received the world acclaim distinguished Safety Significant Improvement Award.

One of the news reports quoted your Assistant Station Manager (ASM) in Kano through a memo that some of the technical equipments are in deplorable condition. If it true, what have you done in that respect?

But one of your employees who lead the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has a statement credited to him on the issue affirming the authenticity of the report?

Firstly, it must be stated that NUATE is a junior staff association in NAMA, though a few members of staff who are in the senior categories are also members of that union. They could therefore lack information on the workings on developments within the agency. But information on the efforts the management had put in place to address various challenges in Nigerian airspace is always available for everybody to check and to ask questions where there is any doubt.

NAMA recently concluded the implementation of the total radar coverage of Nigeria’s airspace, which of course provides total radar coverage for Nigeria; therefore, it is totally impossible for any aircraft to enter the Nigerian airspace without the knowledge of the Air Traffic Controllers as claimed. It is impossible and an aberration, not in these days and this age will any aircraft enter our airspace without it been captured.

Statistics available show that the frequency of international aircraft movement increased by 12 .8 % from January to June, this year.

Secondly, you will also recall that the Honourable Minister herself led the team

because we have to employ all that is available within the country in terms of providing security to those sites.

So, if my statistics say that I had an increase of 12.8 percent, I do not know of any legitimate reason Air France would say it’s avoiding Nigerian airspace. The truth remains that Air France goes to Port Harcourt, goes to Abuja, and comes to Lagos and for crying out loud, it must be for a reason.

Engineer Mazi Nnamdi Udoh for the last final Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) negotiation in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, which has given rise to the recent approvals for even Etihad which has launched its flight operation to Nigeria. Revenue by over-fliers as a matter of fact increased by 5 %, resulting in 8 %passenger movement over the Nigerian airspace. NAMA has invested huge resources in providing adequate communication for the Nigerian airspace.

What particular areas did you look into in terms of this investment?

This include a total VHF coverage geared towards providing total Very High Frequency radio coverage for the airspace which has just been completed. This project has been activated and it would enhance redundancy in all the areas of c o n t r o l l e r / p i l o t communication in any part of the Nigerian airspace. This infrastructure are verifiable, available and they are tangible.

The agency also recently

concluded her WGS-84 PROJECT, World Geodetics Survey-84 which will enable full implementation of the Performance Based Air Navigation (PBN) system that makes it very easy for pilots to carry out trajectory approaches to our airports. It is a satellite-based system which is where the world is moving to.

But some alluded to the fact that the security challenges in some part of the North pose a challenge to installations there?

I can confidently tell you that in spite of the security and power challenges in most of our installations, NAMA has continued to provide services for the expeditious movement of aircraft flying to and within our airspace. We know the situation in Maiduguri; we know the situation in Yola, Talatan-Mafara, and Numan.

The two airports are undergoing installations while security and power remains a challenge but those services have remained uninterrupted

The truth of the matter is that there was an internal memo in Kano for an ASM and his men and don’t forget, this was during the installation phase and of course we said that this project is at a test run. If an internal memo has been written to a manager to inform his men about the status, I wouldn’t be able to defend him or whoever that thought such a memo is for public consumption because the truth is, as a manager you have to look after your installation, you have to look after your project and at some stages you will say no, no, no it’s not there yet, it’s this Direct Broadcast to tune and I think that is a stage maybe someone could have written a memo and what I saw of course is the head of Air Traffic Services and what is his responsibility before he signs what is called 5x5. We measure fidelity of the radio in strength of 1, 2 to 5 so, before you achieve 5x5, you have to align antenna.

I think it’s borne out of mischief for anybody to do that; I mean if I query my Director of Finance today that why haven’t you paid salaries?, I want salaries to be paid, I think that’s the only way to get result; I want to see to it that we need to just inform the public that the airspace is super safe and not worry about whom is witch hunting with an internal memo as the case may be.

Above all, our statistics show that we have about 500 movements a day in Nigeria and that is why we are forecasting growth for 20132015. If all the BASA agreement that is waiting is completed, Nigerians should be excited because every other country in Africa and beyond is asking for Bilateral Air Services Agreement with Nigeria. We have the volume and we have the people and we have to merge the economic demand with our safety.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 21

Some Tourist destinations across Nigeria Riyom Rock, Jos, Plateau state

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his beautiful rock formation is one of the numerous formations found in North-Central Nigeria especially in Plateau State. The Riyom rock is one of nature's most spectacular rock formations, located 25 kilometers South-West of Jos, near Riyom town.

Assop Falls Assop Falls

Obudu Cattle Ranch

Obudu Cattle Ranch

Assop Falls

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t is located 61 kilometres from Jos-Akwanga road in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau state . It is a crowd pulling weekend picnic resort surrounded by beautiful rocks and trees.

The overlooking viewpoint of the falls is also a frequent

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budu Cattle Ranch is located in Cross River state towards the Nigeria-Cameroon border in the South-East. The Ranch is over 1,524m, has temperate weather condition to ensure green vegetation and grazing of cattle round the year. The Ranch is a tourist delight as a result of its divergent attractions. There are a natural swimming pool, horse riding, beautiful waterfall to behold, gorilla camp, bird watching, sporting facilities and accommodation.

location for television soaps, film and various commercial productions like T.V adverts, calendars, postcards, posters etc.

Tourist can engage in swimming, rock climbing , picnicking, etc, in a peaceful natural and adventurous environment. Thatched round huts are available for relaxation.

Bar services are also available.

Olumo Rock (Tourist Centre) Abeokuta

Birnin Kudu Rock Painting, Jigawa state

Birnin Kudu Rock Painting, Jigawa state

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irnin Kudu town lies in the South of Jigawa state. Birnin Kudu is noted for the presence of rocks.

Fascinating are the ancient paintings on these rocks. The different paintings are eloquent information on the styles of the early settlers in the area.

Olumo Rock (Tourist Centre) Abeokuta

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lumo Rock is a massive outcrop of granite rocks of primitive formation from which Abeokuta (meaning under the rock )the capital of Ogun state derive its name.

Abeokuta lies south-west of Nigeria and is 100 kilometres from Lagos. To the North, some 70

kilometres away is the city of Ibadan the capital of Oyo state.

The climate is hot and humid with an annual rainfall of 47 inches. The Rock is sacred to the Egba of Abeokuta because it was the place where they found refuge from their attackers during the days of internecine wars.

By l83O, the main body of the Egba has already settled at the site of the Olumo and the refuge

provided by the rock marked the end of their wonderings and struggles for existence.

From that time onwards they have regarded Olumo Rock as their protection shrine and so made annual sacrifice to its deity.

The importance of Olumo Rock to the Egba is conveyed in the assertion that Abeokuta was the gift of the Olumo, as Egypt was the gift of the Nile.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 22

Gadget Guide Here are the coolest, prettiest, techiest gear you’ll be stocking up on this season

Parrot Zik headphones

T

he Zik, designed by Philippe Starck, is nothing short of a miracle: a Bluetooth headphone that's actually-get this-intuitive. Instead of Tic-Tacsized buttons that all feel the same to your blindingly groping fingers, it uses touch controls: stroke the right ear cup's surface up or down to tweak the volume,

forward and back to change the track. Take the Zik off your ears and the music stops, and vice versa. Plus it has active noisecanceling and a smartphone app that lets you tweak the sound. Which, oh yeah, is pretty damned good.

Price: $400 (N64,000)

Logitech ultrathin keyboard cover

Y

ou're traveling for work: do you bring the iPad or the laptop? Dilemma solved with Logitech's Bluetooth keyboard, which lets you get some real work done on Apple's tablet. Bonus: it doubles as a magnetically attached cover.

Parrot Zik headphones

Y

our average wireless speaker is just that: a single point of sound. But the Swedish-born Nocs blend our high-tech audio present with our hi-fi audio past simply by being two separate speakers. That means you get powerful, punchy

Price: $100 (N16,000)

stereo sound-as in, it feels like Jack White's band is playing on a stage in front of you, not in a small box on your mantle. The NS2 uses Apple's Air Play, so you can wirelessly stream tunes to them from any iDevice or computer.

Price: $400 (N64,000)

(Source: GQ.com)

Flight Schedules Aero

Tanner Goods camera strap

Y

eah, this is a little bit of déjà vu. But we can't say it enough: when you're carrying around a beautiful camera, the cheap strap that comes in the box won't do. Tanner Goods knows how to make leather gear that lasts-and unlike your camera, you won't want to upgrade this strap in a few years.

Price: $82 (N13,440)

Pentax K-01 camera

F

or the last few years we've been rambling on about the benefits of the interchangeable lens camera (ILC, if you wanna show off in a crowd of nerds). You get all the killer photo-taking power of a bulky procamera-including swappable lenses and a big sensor-in a smaller body. Except Marc Newson, designer of the

Los-Abj: 06:50, 13:30, 16:30, 19:45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun); 12:30 (Sun); 16:45 (Sat) Abj-Los: 07:30, 13:00, 19:00 (Mon-Fri/Sat); 10:30, 14:30, 19:30 (Sun), 18:30 (Sat)

IRS Los-Abj: 9:45, 11:45, 2:45, (Mon-Fri); 9:30, 12:45 (Sat & Sun) Abj-Los: 11.30, 3:45, 4.45 (Mon-Fri); 12.00, 14:30, (Sat/Sun) Los-Kano: 6:15 (Mon-Fri); 16:30 (Sat & Sun) Kano-Los: 07:30 (Mon-Fri), 10:30 (Sat & Sun)

16.3-megapixel K-01, missed that last part of the memo.

Instead he created something that looks part PlaySkool, part pop-art. It's bigger than the average ILC, sure, but it's also more intuitive and looks a hell of a lot cooler hanging around your neck.

Arik

Price: $749 (N119840)

Lag-Kano: 12.20 (Mon-Fri);

Lag-Abj: 07:15, 09:15, 13:45, 15:50, 18:45 (MonFri); 7:15, 10:20, 2:20 (Sat & Sun) Lag-Kad: 10:00, 15:10 (MonFri)

PAGE 24

T

he formula for a successful compact crossover is simple: plenty of space for five passengers and their stuff, lots of utility, fuel economy that makes the old Tahoe a distant memory and inoffensive, unremarkable design. The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander -- the end of the line for the current-generation model -nails much of those criteria with the exception of the last. With its sharply creased exterior styling, the Outlander was not designed to slip quietly through the school drop-off area.

Assertive styling and handling have made the Outlander a solid outside pick in years past, but we expect the redesigned model due in late 2013 to get in step with today's leading crossovers by offering greater versatility, a nicer cabin and higher fuel economy.

In the meantime, the Outlander remains a good choice for buyers with performanceoriented criteria, including sporty handling and V6 power. The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander is also among the roomiest cargo haulers in its class, and it offers plenty of standard and optional features, including a rear-seat entertainment system as well as a navigation system and 40GB music server.

The Outlander's fateful flaw, however, is its cabin, which is functional in a sporty sort of way yet doesn't offer the premium aspect of the competitors in this class. The Outlander's puny, rickety third-row seat is another drawback.

Although the Outlander is billed as a compact crossover with seating for up to seven passengers, you'd never put friends back there unless you wished to end the friendship. The area is cramped and the seat itself is lightweight and flimsy. Kids won't fare much better, either.

The Outlander doesn't get the attention it deserves, though. It's one of a handful of small crossovers to offer a V6 option, which increases towing capacity to 3,500 pounds. Its tail/liftgate combination is surprisingly useful. And the Outlander handles more like its quick-witted Lancer Evolution relative than comparable cushy crossovers.

At the same time, the Outlander has been outpaced in a segment that evolves quickly. The

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Mitsubishi Outlander comes with assertive style

Honda CR-V and Ford Escape were both recently redesigned, and the Toyota RAV4 should bow later this year with new sheet metal and hardware. The spacious Chevrolet Equinox, the handsome Kia Sorento and new Mazda CX-5 are also all worthy considerations.

Overall, we like the Mitsubishi Outlander but we also think the majority of small crossover shoppers will likely be happier with one of the aforementioned rivals.

The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander is available in three trim levels: ES, SE and GT. The entry-level ES is equipped with a four-cylinder engine and comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels, roof rails, heated side mirrors, LED taillamps, airconditioning, cruise control, remote keyless entry, full power accessories, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, cloth upholstery, reclining rear seats and a sixspeaker sound system with a CD

player and an auxiliary audio input jack.

The SE adds 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, turn signals in the mirrors, keyless ignition/ entry, upgraded gauges and upholstery, automatic climate control, heated front seats, sliding second-row seats, third-row seats, steering-column-mounted paddle shifters, a six-disc CD changer and the Fuse hands-free link system that integrates voice controls for iPod and Bluetooth devices.

All Outlander GT models are powered by a 3.0-liter V6 and come with all the abovementioned features plus automatic xenon headlights, automatic wipers, satellite radio, chrome accents and soft-touch dash and door trim. The AWD GT also includes an active front differential, hill start assist and an advanced AWD mode selector.

SE models are eligible for the Premium package, which adds a sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a rearview

camera, a nine-speaker Rockford Fosgate premium sound system with satellite radio and the softtouch interior trim. The Touring package is offered on GT models; it features most of the amenities in the Premium package and adds leather upholstery (front- and second-row seats), heated front seats and a power-adjustable

driver seat.

A hard-drive-based navigation system with real-time traffic and digital music storage is available as a stand-alone option for all trims, as are rear parking sensors, LED interior lighting, a tow hitch and harness, a rear entertainment system and remote engine start.

The Mitsubishi Outlander ES and SE are powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 168 horsepower and 167 poundfeet torque. The GT has a 3.0-liter V6 that's good for 230 hp and 215 lb-ft of torque. Four-cylinder Outlanders come standard with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while the V6powered GT uses a traditional sixspeed automatic. Both have manual-shift capability.

All-wheel drive is offered as an option on the SE and GT, while the ES is front-wheel-drive only. The AWD system offers different driver-selectable modes to optimize traction in varying conditions. The GT's all-wheeldrive system features an improved front differential, plus additional driving modes.

In Edmunds testing, the Outlander GT accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds, which is about average for a V6equipped crossover SUV in this segment. EPA fuel economy estimates for the 2WD Mitsubishi Outlander are 23 mpg city/28 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined with the four-cylinder engine, and 19/26/22 with the V6.

The AWD four-cylinder gets 22/ 27/24 mpg, while the AWD V6 gets 19/25/21 mpg.

Source: Edmunds.com

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 25

udennaorji@yahoo.com 07055652553

Space-saving tricks for small kitchens A well-designed kitchen has minimal clutter and maximum efficiency. Whether you're redecorating or totally remodeling, here are some great ideas to make your small kitchen look larger and more beautiful.

Mirrors Work Magic

A

kitchen with a m i r r o r e d backsplash as in this picture gives the illusion of more space. The kitchen opens up to the living room

By Udenna Orji

A

first of its kind housing finance scheme has been launched by awardwinning developer, Integax Jubilation Homes Limited.

Called Jubilation Landlords Owner-Occupier Program, the scheme turns your rents from expenses to ownership downpayment and enables you to become the owner of the house within 5 - 10 years. Under the scheme, you choose any house of your choice, pay 5% of the value, live in it, pay rents and within 5 - 10 years, the house becomes yours.

You can live in the house, resell it or even let it out. The

Think Upward on one side and the family room, where we eat and watch TV, on the other.

The idea is that it should be an extension of both of these spaces.

T

he designer of this small kitchen extends the kitchen upwards to ensure accommodation of stuff

and to avoid clutter. Home Depot designer Emily O'Keefe added cabinetry with period charm to this small kitchen. "Since space was tight, I went up, stacking the cabinets," she

says. "The ceilings are 11 feet high, but not every cabinet touches the ceiling - that way they look more like furniture." Its a smart idea worth trying in your own kitchen.

Escaping the rental prison through Integax Owner-Occupier Program • Move in as a tenant, become the landlord • Homes at Jabi, Suncity, kubwa, Mpape in Abuja • From studio apartments, up to luxury duplexes developer's head-office at 14 Isoka Street, Off Kigali Street, Off Nouakchott Street, Opposite DBM Plaza, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja has become a beehive of

Some Integax Jubilation homes

activities as prospective homeowners besiege the reputable developer to choose homes in their various estates.

Considering the rush for this

homeownership plan, Abuja residents seem to be asking, "Why rent when you can rentto-own a Jubilation home?"

The company's various housing schemes have freed many Abuja residents from the rental prison and they are proud homeowners today.

Integax Jubilation Homes Limited can be reached on 0 8 0 3 2 4 9 6 3 5 9 , 0 7 0 3 8 0 8 4 6 1 1 , 0 8 0 3 8 3 8 8 8 2 7 , 0 8 1 8 6 5 7 0 3 3 0 , 08033570426, 08068702118 or at www.integaxjubilationhomes.com.

INSIDE

Integax boosts mortgage development with Rent-to-Own scheme

Pg 26

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Integax boosts mortgage development with Rent-to-Own scheme

By Udenna Orji

T

he gale of change blowing through Nigeria's growing mortgage subsector has raised another notch with the introduction of a Rentto-Own housing finance model

by Integax Jubilation Homes Limited. Called, Jubilation Landlord's Owner-Occupier Programme, this housing finance model is the first of its kind in Nigeria. Under this programme, with only 5% investment, a subscriber secures a home under a rentto-own programme that converts your rents to ownership equity until the home becomes yours within 5 - 10 years.

There is also the company's BuildEasy Flexi-Pay Scheme.

This is a scheme for serviced plots of land in their well designed estates with firstclass infrastructure. This scheme allows you to invest by installment on a plot allocation or more in any of their estates under the scheme, over a period of time.

You will take possession for construction on meeting the target of just 40% of the expected total investment on each unit. The company's various housing schemes have freed many Abuja residents from the rental prison and they are proud homeowners today.

These housing finance models are some of the many housing finance innovations that developers have been thinking up which have been helping to deepen the mortgage sector and boost homeownership in Nigeria.

Last June, Nigeria's sole secondary mortgage banker, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) launched an electronic collection platform to drive its National Housing Fund (NHF) collection from contributors and NHF designated banks.

Tagged "NHF e-Collection Platform", the product is designed to among other things check sharp practices within the mortgage industry and enhance fund mobilization under the NHF scheme.

This came coming soon after the recent increase in the capital base of mortgage banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The nation's apex bank increased the capital base of mortgage banks from 100 million Naira to 2.5 billion Naira for mortgage banks that want to operate within a state and 5 billion Naira for those that want to operate nationwide. The increase has started a flurry of activities

• With only 5% investment, you secure a home under the rent-toown programme • Your rents are converted to ownership equity until the home becomes yours within 5 - 10 years.

FMBN MD, Gimba Ya`u Kumo and unease in the industry as some weak mortgage banks are now in search of funds to recapitalize or partners to merge with.

Market watchers say more innovations and changes are expected in the industry as the Federal Government prepares to execute the new Housing and Urban Development Policy approved last week by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) The Managing Director of the FMBN, Mr. Gimba Ya'u Kumo while commenting on the new product said "the ecollection platform will address a number of problems facing the NHF scheme such as refusal of some employers to deduct their employees' NHF contributions, failure of some employers to remit NHF contributions after deducting such contributions from their employees and failure of some employers to provide remittance schedules to FMBN. All these sharp practices enable some unscrupulous employers of labour to misappropriate NHF

Minnister of Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple monies or even embezzle such funds" How does the new FMBN ecollection platform work? As soon as an employer instructs a designated NHF collection bank to pay the monthly salaries of its workers into the workers' individual bank accounts and the bank makes the payments, the NHF ecollection platform will automatically deduct 2.5 % of the basic salary of each worker (being the NHF component of the salary). The deducted component (i.e. the 2.5% NHF contribution from each worker) is also automatically and instantly channeled into a dedicated NHF collection account generated by the ecollection platform. Equally generated are details of each worker's contribution history, including the worker's identity and amount contributed so far. FMBN instantly credits each contributor's NHF account with the amount remitted for the month.

Explaining further, Mr. Kumo said "the platform, for

example, will make it easy for NHF contributors to check their NHF contributions using the NHF e-cards on any ATM machines nationwide, the amount of money they have contributed to the NHF scheme and thus be in a position to know if their employers are making the appropriate NHF remittances as and when due".

A top executive at mortgage bankers, Resort Savings & Loans Plc, Mr. Aliu Oshoke told Peoples Daily that "What FMBN has done is to turn the usual pass book into an electronic card. Though you cannot withdraw with this card, with it you will know details of your contributions unlike before when you did not have any details. With this new card, you can go to any ATM or computer with internet access, log onto the FMBN portal and see details of all your contributions". He added that the e-collection platform would help in mobilizing more funds under the NHF scheme as it would check sharp practices by some

stakeholders.

Mr. Geofrey Ozoani, Group General Manager of mass housing developer, El-Salem Nigeria Limited while hailing the new NHF e-collection Platform said "it will create more awareness of mortgages among Nigerians. There is a burning need to create awareness to Nigerians about mortgages and Nigerian mortgage institutions. Even contributors to the National Housing Fund do not know what they are contributing for".

The NHF Act No.3 of 1992 which set up the National Housing Fund scheme stipulates that a Nigerian worker earning the minimum national wage and above per annum in either the public or private sectors of the economy shall contribute 2.5% of his/ her basic monthly salary to the Fund. The Fund provides long-term loans to mortgage institutions for on-lending to contributors to the Fund for the purpose of building, purchasing and improvement of residential houses.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 27

SPL brings SteelMaster Building Systems into Nigeria Stories by Udenna Orji

N

igeria’s housing industry is about to rise a notch higher with the entry into the country of the revolutionary SteelMaster Building Systems.

Considering Nigeria’s housing deficits now put at 20 million units, and the worrisome scarcity and high cost of building materials especially cement, individuals, corporate organizations and government institutions will no doubt find the beauty, strength, longevity and diverse applications of SteelMaster building systems highly functional, irresistible and costeffective.

Represented in Nigeria and all of West Africa by housing technology giant, Steel-Tech Projects Ltd (SPL), SteelMaster building systems are manufactured by SteelMaster, an American company supplying the highest quality prefabricated steel buildings across the globe for over 28 years.

These unique aesthetically inviting steel buildings are located in every state in the Unted States and on 6 continents and in over 40

An All-steel home by SteelMaster

countries. The company is the most reliable and largest global producer for steel arch buildings and roofing materials. The construction of SteelMaster building systems is fast, simple and very efficient.

SteelMaster steelbuildings, metal buildings and prefabricated buildings are

designed for a broad range of residential and commercial uses including garages, carport, workshops, agricultural storage, airplane hangers, government buildings, military buildings, commercial buildings, roofing systems, batting domes, retail stores, architectural, athletic

facilities, specialty buildings, Industrial storage buildings, housing, custom buildings, green buildings, commercial warehousing etc.

According to the managing director of SPL, Mr. Agodi Kanu, “the beauty of it all is that its maintenance-free. You don’t have to treat it, paint it or

An All-steel home by SteelMaster

maintain it. With a steelmaster, you just enjoy it. The Galvalume-Plus coating provides years of maintenancefree use. The sizes are customizable to your specific needs”.

Kanu who is a respected name in the housing technology market noted that SteelMaster Metal Workshops are globally sought-after by all types of professionals including woodworkers, metalshop owners, classic car professionals, healthcare experts, oil and gas industry operators as well as numerous types of businesses around the globe.

“SteelMaster workshops, pre-fabricated workshops and metal shops are the perfect place to organize, store and protect your valuable tools and machinery as well as provide comfort, security and durability against fire, hurricane winds, snow and other destructive weather elements. With 100% usable space, you have the flexibility to truly customize the inside of your shop. You can easily hang lighting, run conduit, build shelving, add a loft, insulate and/or heat/cool your building”, Mr. Kanu said.

Experts identify obstacles to housing development in Nigeria

E

state surveyors and real estate practitioners who concluded a two-day international conference on housing held at Lagos have identified the following as obstacles to housing development in Nigeria.

Low Income Nigerians have a per capita income of about $1000, about half our National per capital income in 1975. Despite the high oil revenue of the last three decades, poverty has remained with us in Nigeria. Poverty in Nigeria used to be rural-based but between 1985 and 1992, the number of the poor in rural areas fell sharply from 25.3 million to 22.8 million while those in urban centers rose from 9.7 to 11.9. A low income is a big constraint in accessing

affordability because mortgage is all about the ability to service loan when due. For this reason the majority of Lagosians live in rooming houses (73 per cent) as tenants. Singapore which was our peer in the early sixties has managed to house up to 85 percent of its citizens in owneroccupied flats and houses.

Dearth of Long-Term Funds High rates of interest and inflation have been typical features of our volatile economy since the introduction of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1986. The Naira has suffered extensive depreciation averaging 45 percent per annum between 1987 and 1993, from an exchange rate of N1.0 to $1.0 in 1987 to N120.0 to $1.0. Because most of our building materials

have traditionally been imported, the effect of this depreciation has been a rapid rise in cost of construction. Interest rate has been similarly high at times as high as 72 percent in 1995: became stable around 18 percent after conclusion of the banking consolidation; but now on the rise again as a result of current global financial meltdown. The combined effect of these has been a sharp rise on the price of homes. The inability of Nigerian banks to harness savings from the people has been a major reason for the lack of long-term funds in the economy.

The commercial banks have traditionally served only the mercantile class and lately the oil and manufacturing sector.

The Primary Mortgage Institutions and microfinance

teams are recent efforts to harness savings from the masses but they are mainly urban based and operate more or less like banks with very high appetite for quick profit.

High Cost of Construction Our refusal to build houses with locally available materials has been a major cog in the wheel of housing delivery. A look at our urban centers will show that our houses are built mostly of imported materials (cement, iron rods, aluminum roof).

Low Level of Economic Activity Statistic recently release by Nigerian Insurance Commission indicates that only about 15 million Nigerians are in regular employment. The vast majority are still employed

in subsistence agriculture or in menial services like okada riding.

The level of industrialization is low so also is commerce which is characterized by street trading. Though the oil industry is strong but it is unfortunately not linked to the local economy. The combination of these factors is that the disposable income of the average Nigerian is low to build a house or qualify for mortgage assistance.

Access to Land The main objective of the Land Use Act was to facilitate access to land by the generality of Nigerians. Unfortunately the act has had the opposite effect.

Though it has made it easier for the elite to acquire land, it has made it much harder for the majority of Nigerians to access land.

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Dubai: African hub, Nigerian bolthole

FOR SALE GET PROPERTY WITHIN 72 HOURS Do you want to rent, lease or buy property in Abuja? Within 72 hours (i.e. 3 days) U D Bond Ltd will give you the exact accommodation of your specification. Whether residential, office, industrial or commercial, including undeveloped plots of land in Abuja and its environs. U D Bond is also a reliable dealer and supplier of cement, blocks, aluminium windows/ doors, marble and granite and electrical materials to the construction industry. Join the many who are benefitting from our vast network and excellent services, Call: 08033603119, 08059984545 URGENT SALE BY LANDLORD 2 Units of newly and beautifully finished 2 bedroom bungalows each with two toilets in a serene and secured area at Kuchikau 11, beside TOTAL Filling Station, Abuja-Keffi Expressway, near Goshen City (Living Faith Church) at only N4million and N4.5 million respectively. Call: 08033603119 for enquiries and inspection.

D

ubai has long been the regional hub for the oilrich Gulf states, but the ambitious city state is never one to rest on its laurels.

The emirate has for years been touting itself as the central node for 2bn people, spanning the Middle East, the subcontinent, central Asia and eastern Africa. Now, even West Africa, an eight-hour flight away, is on its radar.

Paris and London have long been the hub for western African states, but Dubai is now giving these established centres a run for their money. Emirates airline's Dubai-Lagos flight is renowned for constantly being packed.

Some banks, such as Standard Chartered, have chosen to cover some business lines in sub-Saharan Africa from its regional headquarters at Dubai's financial centre.

Luring talent to the comfortable Dubai lifestyle is easier than some African postings, while reaching various outposts of the continent can be easier from the city's thriving airport than other hubs, such as Johannesburg and Nairobi.

As Chinese and Asian firms chose Dubai for their regional headquarters, often these businesses are not only targeting the Gulf, but looking to use the city as a launchpad into subSaharan Africa as well. And the investment flows are going both ways.

As Abu Dhabi based newspaper The National reports, Nigerians are flooding Dubai's property market, especially as it starts to show signs of recovery after four years in the doledrums.

It isn't exactly a new trend.

Even at the property market's nadir, after the real estate crash wiped more than 50 per cent off average valuations in the autumn of 2008, Nigerians were known as likely buyers.

One real estate agent said at the time that Nigerians were the only nationality buying properties as the market went into free fall.

And the Nigeria-Dubai property love-in is still going strong as the property market in general improves. Jones Lang LaSalle in a recent secondquarter report noted that villa prices in Dubai had risen by

around 20 per cent over last year, while apartments in popular buildings are flat on the year.

For those seeking a bolt-hole away from the corruption and danger of Nigeria, properties in Dubai are a good option: few questions are asked of buyers.

As such, they are joining a long list of nationalities who have turned to Dubai as an investment haven, especially wealthy investors from unresthit regions of the Middle East, such as Egypt, Libya and Syria.

In the past six months, Nigerians are registered behind sales of $52.5m, according to the Land Department.

Some real estate agents, however, place the size of investment in much greater figures, as much as $6bn over the past three years. Dubai property brokerage The First Group opened offices in Nigeria three years ago and now Nigerians account for 60 per cent of its sales.

It's more good news for Dubai's property market, which still needs a boost to help it recover from the slump. Source: Financial Times

Undeveloped Plots of Land For Sale 1.

4,885.33m2 at CBD (Commercial) N600m 2.

4,191.45m2 at CBD (Commercial) N600m 3.

3,426m2 plot with an uncompleted structure at Aso Drive (Residential) N1.1b 4.

3,111m2 plot at Aso Villa (Residential) N350m 5.

2,100m2 plot at Aso Villa (Residential) N250m 6.

1,900m2 plot at Asokoro (Residential) N300m 7.

2.5Ha plot by AYA Asokoro (Hotel) N2.5b 8.

1,588m2 plot at Asokoro (Residebtial) N200m 9.

2.6 Hectares plot Hotel/Kukwaba N600m 10.

3,110m2 plot (Commercial) Sector Centre A N80m CALL Osas: 08033175443, 08056666642 Houses for Sale 1.

Tastefully finished five bedroom duplex (2nos) comprising 2 bedroom BQ, a gate house in Gwarinpa, Abuja.

Complete with bullet proof-doors, borehole, interlocking tiles and barbed wire.

Price: N150m Asking each.

Call: Ade: 08037039006; Godwin : 07054526472 2.

Description: 3bedroom detached bungalow 2bq, fenced, interlocking tiles, borehole, security Location: EFAB Estate, Lokogoma Price: N40m (Asking)

3.

Mini Estate with 1 Ultra-Large 3 bedroom bungalow with 2bq, 3Nos. 2 bedroom flats, 1 bedroom flats, 6Nos. room and parlor, stores in a fenced compound.

Location: Mararaba Price: N50M (Asking)

4.

Description: 6Nos. 2 bedroom flats and 2Nos. 3 bedroom flats.

Location: Madalla Price: N35m (Asking) Call: 08058850677, 07063621021

with

3Nos. 6Nos.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

BOOK REVIEW

By Ikhide R. Ikheloa (Nnamdi) Forgetting is the final instrument of genocide. To witness genocide is to feel not only the chill of your own mortality, but the degradation of all humanity… even the most brilliant photography cannot capture the landscape of genocide.- Simon Norfolk

PAGE 29

Of Writers, Writing on Conflicts and Wars in Africa

T

he writers Okey Ndibe and Chenjerai Hove are two of Africa’s finest thinkerwriters. They are awesome wordsmiths, word cannon balls boom fiercely out of their fecund minds pulverizing their targets with uncanny accuracy. They write with an uncommon sensitivity to the issues that Africa faces. This they do with respect and compassion and one is taken by the honesty and industry that they bring to their craft. They have just co-edited a slim volume of essays, Writers, Writing on Conflicts and Wars in Africa, published by Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd. It is a largely academic but highly accessible treasure trove of reflections on war by an army of mostly African writers who have been affected by Africa’s myriad wars and genocides. In about 200 pages and sixteen chapters (including the introduction), the reader comes face to face with the anxieties, nightmares and dreams of sixteen diverse and eclectic artists. These are issues covering past and present wars all over Africa; Biafra, Zimbabwe, the hell delta of Nigeria, Darfur, the Congo, South Africa, etc. Kudos to Ndibe and Hove for ensuring that these writers are a judicious mix of the known and unknown. The resulting essays are refreshing and filled with uncommon candor. The references alone are invaluable. I wrote down passages in the book that spoke to me and then I walked among the words, talking to them. I was shaken to my soul’s roots. Even the cover is evocative in what it does not say. It is an image of beautiful children born into wars they did not ask for. There are all these children mugging for the camera with Africa and decay as a surreal backdrop.

As an aside, this compilation of essays came out of a workshop attended by the just-departed poet-warrior Dennis Brutus. In the book, Ndibe and Hove recall his spirit with eerie nostalgia: “Dennis Brutus, the South African poet whose back bears the scar of an apartheid bullet, lent a measure of revolutionary gravitas and hard-earned moral capital to the workshop. When Brutus spoke or read his poems, his voice, though slightly enfeebled by age, still rang out with stunning range and power.” (p11) This book is several conversations burning at once.

The writer Yvonne A. Owuor starts the conversations rolling in a piece she admits is a rant. It is a rant pregnant with profound gems. She questions why the West glorifies its own wars with stories of valor and views Africa’s

The book front cover wars as savage and barbaric, pointing out that there have been equally gory examples to draw from in the West. Again, Chinua Achebe, in his seminal volume of essays Home and Exile, reminds us of the proverb: “Until the lions produce their own historian, the story of the hunt will glorify only the hunter.” I agree. Africans must tell their own stories or risk the total annihilation of their humanity by the other. We should write about our own humanity, for war is about the sorting of individuals into bins of identity and differences and the hunting down of those anxieties that lurk behind ancestral masks.

This book is a defiant ode to the power of the word and Hove captures it neatly: “Those years of war… gave me scars and smiles. Scars because real bullets pierced and tore apart the bodies of real women, children and men. Smiles, for, in the midst of death and pain, I saw children, women and men who proudly showed human resilience even in the face of death as they fought for the restoration of their dignity.” (p38) The last chapter, Reflections on Inyenzi is an evocative essay bearing a conversation between the writers Karin Samuel and Andrew Brown. Brown wrote the book Inyenzi: A Story of Love and Genocide based on the Rwandan genocide.

That

chapter alone is worth the price of the book. It brings to great closure several issues engaged by the other writers in the book. In simple, almost clinical prose that flogs the reader’s conscience wide awake, the writers weave fascinating images of war and one is reminded of the starkness

of images of apartheid’s war housed in South Africa’s Hector Pieterson museum.

This is a slim book bearing weighty reflections on conventional wars in Africa.

Wars still rage on in Africa, most of them wreaking havoc below the radar of our uncritical eyes.

Every day alien religions wake Africa up and rape her with impunity and send her to bed sobbing inconsolably.

Capitalism marches through Africa unchallenged reducing her millions of victims to needy supplicants to the God of more and more. We should reflect on why Africa is in this condition.

The book does not. It is not a criticism; a book can only do so much. Africa is enduring many wars and while this book focuses on conventional wars, I propose that today’s most devastating wars are the unconventional. If we don’t focus on those we may be writing our way to irrelevance. Why is the world indifferent to the travails of Africa?

In the book, Lauryn Arnott’s drawings are harrowing in their detail and they nicely complement the writing. But it is not enough. In the age of the Internet, the book is dying a long slow death and it is no longer a robust medium for expressing the horrors of war or the joys of triumph over adversity. I dream of creating a virtual museum dedicated to Africa’s suffering – a total convergence of all media and all voices singing with one earth-shaking voice of the horrors that we have seen and heard. And the griots Ndibe and Hove would be the leaders of that mother of all projects.

Let’s accept some responsibility. Owuor makes this profound observation: “This

Okay Ndibe, a co-author of the book

war, this violence is ours. Ours is the hateful thing – a roaming stain that prowls through the society and sows seeds of chaos – that thing that appalls our within-ness. And horrifies us with the blood it wastes.” (p21) However the book is virtually silent on the crucial question: Why are things the way they are in Africa? There are many questions folded into that question. What is it with Africa and conflict? Why are we constantly forced to question and justify our humanity? What is the role of the writer in shaping events in today’s Africa? Why do some of our writers turn Goebbels on the people? What is the best medium for forcing the people to focus brightly on the fires that burn so fiercely all around Africa? Is this generation of African writers self-absorbed and narcissistic and why? Has the African writer deserted the role of the writer as the land’s conscience, priest and towncrier? We must seek answers to the why even though it might frighten us.

The Internet, that new world that holds the promise of liberation from hell on earth, is right now busily retrieving Africa’s brightest and best minds from Africa and dumping them in Europe and America.

Virtually all of Africa’s best thinkers are writing about Africa from the outside looking in. Thanks to technology, sadly, this exodus includes those writers who physically live in Africa.

Hope Eghagha in his essay evokes the spirit of the poet-seer Christopher Okigbo using lines from Okigbo’s Hurrah for Thunder: The smell of blood already floats in the lavender-mist of the afternoon The death sentence lies in ambush along the corridors of power; And a great fearful thing already tugs at the cables of the open air, A nebula immense and immeasurable, a night of deep waters – An iron dream unnamed and unprintable, a path of stone This poem was written four decades ago; one could argue that it seems prophetic today only because the situation in Nigeria is heading South fast and the future is certainly frightening. But then the question is why this constancy of turmoil. Okigbo would not know; he was murdered by Nigerian troops on Biafran soil in a war he did not ask for. This book is one more compelling proof that the sacrifices of Okigbo and other African thinkers hunted down and slaughtered for owning words have not been in vain. I salute Okey Ndibe and Chenjerai Hove.

Source: African writer.com

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Generating employment through artwork

By Femi Ogunshola

T

he artwork tells the history of a people or a nation in a most succinct way. Experts say that it has the potential to generate employment and boost wealth creation.

Practising artists also acknowledge that the profession is a lucrative one and want the government to further strengthen the sector.

An Abuja-based artist, Mr Gbenga Sentoris, says artwork, if properly harnessed by the government, can generate about two million jobs.

Sentoris says artwork has brought him a fortune and describes it as a “lucrative venture which requires a lot of patience.

“I am surprised when I see some of my colleagues in the profession ending up as teachers; you must endure to make a breakthrough.”

Sentoris notes that “Nigerians appreciate artwork if they are good “and would not mind paying for them as “good artwork sells faster”.

Mrs Gloria Asare, a Ghanaian, scores Nigeria’s artwork high.

Asare who deals in ceramic pots and clothing, says that she “ makes the highest sales in Nigeria.”

“I can say that Nigeria is my biggest market. She also praises Nigerians for cherishing their culture.”

Mr Stephen Eruada, Public Relations Officer, Art and Crafts Village, Abuja says that the Federal Government should put the necessary measures in place to exploit the huge potential of art and crafts to boost economic growth.

“There is no way Nigeria would industrialise without artwork in the lead.”

He notes that Nigeria as a country, has experts in the art industry who can not only think, but also be creative.

Eruada says that the cars, earrings and even the shoes we wear, are all artistic work and that the government should do everything within its powers to encourage the growth of the sector.

Mr Abdullahi Muku, DirectorGeneral, National Gallery of Art, restates that promotion of artwork would help diversify the Nigerian economy.

The director-general says the diversification of the country’s economy through the promotion of art and culture is in line with the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda.

“We paid visits to most of the embassies requesting that we do an art promotion together; I am grateful that this has come to fruition.

“The Nigerian Government would want to see a situation where we can improve on this exhibition and make a travelling

PEOPLES POEM OF THE WEEK Title: Self Pride

By Arthur Apeh ALexanra Ojima It is my pride To be and not to be The giant of the day The mentor of all season and The orthordous word of nation To be and not to be Oh! Oh!! Oh it is all my pride For a nightingale to pass An elephant way Shaking it's bom bom t the iroko tree Asking for more space.

Traditional artworks exhibition to participating countries.”

Jaques de Labriolle, French Ambassador to Nigeria, notes that China took the leadership position in an art market in 2011 in Nigeria because of its interest in artwork.

He urges Nigeria to take advantage of the vast opportunities in the market to diversify its source of income.

“There is no state in Nigeria which does not have within its universities or polytechnics, a faculty or school dedicated to

artistic education and with such structured environments, lie the strength of Nigerian creativity.”

Mr Harrison Odu, President of Professional Artists of Nigeria (PAF) notes that art exhibitions are effective strategies to bring countries together.

He says that constant exhibitions encourage stronger relationships among countries which in turn, results in the development of tourism.

He says exhibitions generally promote the economic, political and social lives of the people.

DG National Gallery of Art, Abdullahi Maku

“Exhibitions attract tourists by bringing people of the world together not only to see work of art, but also to buy them.

“We as exhibitors have also taken our work outside the country to attract foreigners, thereby creating political, economic and social relationships with these countries.”

Odu stresses the need for the youth to imbibe the culture of using their skills to develop themselves rather than depending on elusive paid jobs.

He also advises the youth to acquire modern art techniques either through education or apprenticeship.

According to him, this will further improve the potential of Nigerian youths to contribute to national development.

Mr Obinna Amoke, a member of the association, says that art exhibitions help to promote and showcase the culture of the nation within and outside the country.

He advises the government to pay more attention to artwork.

“We have invitations from within and outside the country to exhibit our artwork and for people to see what Nigerians are doing in the industry.

“Our art reflects what is going on around us, especially our culture which is part of us and we have been able to market it through the channel of exhibitions to promote the culture of the people.”

The potential of the art sector is well known, government should, therefore, create more windows for the country’s artwork in order to boost revenue generation and employment.

Source: NAN

it is my pride and not my proud To be and not to be Where I am and not to be The master tape of my day.

Oh! it is my pride and not my proud To change my tone of yesterday, To command the daffodil tree to dance on my birthday, To remind the moon of it's promise for the jealous stars.

Oh! like an evil love Do! Do!! Oh do without faith it is my pride and not my proud If who i am can lead me to where am up to It is my pride and not my proud.

QUO TE UOTE “If you work hard on your job, you can make a living.

But if you work harder on yourself than you do on your job, you can make a fortune” –– Jim Rohn

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 31

08036006274 joy4ril2000@yahoo.co.nz

Cuba’s Obini-bata dancers thrill Nigerian audience Stories by Joy Baba

E

ver been to Cuba? Perhaps not. Cuba, an island country in the Caribbean is very rich in cultural heritage including exquisite cuisine, dance and tourism centre that have continued to trill estimated 2million tourists every year.

Last week, Cuban voices echoed in Nigeria as the Cuban Embassy in Abuja showcased the Obini- Bata dance, one of that nation's most celebrated dances which is always accompanied with great pomp and pageantry.

The Obini-Bata is an all female musicians and dancer's troupe from Cuba. The culture of Bata drumming originates with Africans who were brought to Cuba as slaves. Obini means "woman" in the Yoruba language of Nigeria, and Bata is the name given to the hourglass-shaped drums that accompany Yoruba dance and song.

However, women have historically been banned from

playing the Bata. At some point, it was decided to sanctify the Bata drums for the purposes of playing them in Afro-Cuban religious ceremonies. Justifications for prohibiting women from playing the sacred drum included beliefs about women bleeding, and being subject to mood swings and generally unsuited to communicate with the deities. Of course there is no inherent reason why women cannot play these drums and the ban is simply an inherited form of gender discrimination.

Speaking at the event the Cuban ambassador to Nigeria H.E. Hugo Ramos Milanes said the Obinni- Bata is the main musical group that plays the Cuban music using Bata drum. He went further to say that Nigeria has contributed immensely to the development of their culture and nationality noting that it is a special feat to both countries.

In his response, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Edem Duke said by expression of music,

Mark cautions Zimbabwe over ill treatment of Nigerians

W

orried by the alleged ill treatment being given to Nigerians in Zimbabwe, the President of the Senate, David Mark, has appealed to the government of Zimbabwe, to improve on their hospitality to Nigerians and other foreigners resident in their country.

Speaking when he played host to the Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Mrs. Thokozani Khupe, in Abuja, Mark reminded the government and people of Zimbabwe of the need to accommodate other nationals, just as he advocated for true democracy that is representative of the people in the country.

He stressed that recent reports show that Nigerians consistently face humiliation in their daily activities, either with the immigration or other security agencies in Zimbabwe, appealing that the action should be addressed in order to strengthen the already existing bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Senator Mark therefore assured the people of Zimbabwe

with dexterous demeanors. More importantly these women have expressed themselves through music and dance. And they have performed unbelievably well" the minister said.

Duke also noted that the drums used by the Cuban dancers are replicated everywhere in Nigeria.

The rhythm of the music is played by the men in the Ekpe Society in Calabar and environs which is called the Abaqua in cuba and in few other places in the Africa in Diaspora he said.

He further used the opportunity to plead with the Nigerian Government to replicate FESTAC '77, a challenge

he said is heavy in the hands of Nigeria but not impossible. "As we look towards the celebration of 100 years of Nigeria in 2014, I want to plead with the heads of missions who are gathered here and through you to others who are not here, to help us put in our plans the possibility of replicating FESTAC '77 once again, if not to honour the amalgamation of Nigeria in 2014 but to all in the African Renaissance agenda. It will be such a wonderful opportunity to gather again in the capital of the biggest black nation on the face of the earth to celebrate humanity and to celebrate our love to one another" the minister said.

Minister of Culture and tourism, Mr. Edem Duke, Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Hugo Ranos Milanes at the event.

Photos Joy Baba

Obini-bata dancers

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

fusion of culture and resonance of hearts of people long divided by geographical boarders are reconnected within the continent.

'We reconnect mother land' he also said.

He went further to say that what is presently being celebrated is womanhood. "Tonight most especially we celebrate womanhood; we celebrate a group of women performance of distinction, of elegance and indescribable beauty. Here we have women of African extraction, dexterous women, beautiful women with pulsating dance steps,

of Nigeria's support to enthrone true democratic practice in their country, saying "Nigeria will contribute towards ensuring that true democracy reigns in Zimbabwe."

Earlier, the Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Mrs. Thokozani Khupe, said her visit was to intimate the President of the Senate on the establishment of a Global Power Women network; a body to champion the cause of women across African continent.

She stressed that the organization will look at the plights of women in the society and collectively fashion out plans at combating the challenges facing women.

Speaking further, khupe called for the support of leaders in Africa for the association's initiative in the fight against maternal mortality, HIV/AIDs, rape and all forms of social vices militating against women in our society.

Meanwhile, she disclosed that Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola Onwuliri, is the new President of Global Power Women Network, adding that the maiden conference of the association will hold in Abuja, in May, 2013.

How to get Brazil Visa A

.Original, signed passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity.

B. Passport-type photograph: 1 C.Payment Authorisation.

Complete and sign the Credit Card Authorization Form.

D. Driver's license. Copy of driver's license, state issued ID, or major utility bill (Water, Gas, Electric, Sewage), showing the applicant's name and current address.

E.Itinerary. A photocopy of round trip tickets or a letter signed by a travel agent with confirmed round trip tickets.

Itinerary is not acceptable unless showing ticket numbers and that the ticket is paid for. If you will be entering and/or exiting Brazil by LAND please submit: o Ticketed flight itinerary showing flights into and out of the region. o A letter addressed to the "Consulate of Brazil, Visa Section" explaining exactly how, when, and where you will be entering and leaving Brazil. o A copy of your most recent monthly bank statement.

If you will be entering and/or exiting Brazil by SEA please submit: o Official receipt or boarding pass from the Cruise line listing the applicant as a passenger and showing that the

balance has been paid in full. o Official daily port itinerary from the cruise line listing the applicant as a passenger and showing the port location for each day of the cruise.

F.Yellow Fever Vaccination.

If the applicant has traveled within the last 90 days to any of the Yellow Fever Countries an International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever will be required.

G. Conference or Seminar. If attending a conference or seminar, a letter of invitation from the organization in Brazil which is hosting

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff

the event and a day-by-day itinerary of the event.

H.Bank statement. Copy of the applicant's most recent monthly bank statement. The statement must clearly show the applicant's name as the account holder, the balances of the accounts, and the date of the statement.

Important notice: The passport MUST contain two blank visa pages side by side for the visa to be issued. If necessary, Visa HQ can assist with getting extra visa pages added to the United States passport.

Additional required documents for minors (under 18): - Notarized Application Form. The form must be signed by both parents and the signatures must be NOTARIZED. Both signatures must fit inside the signature box.

- Birth Certificate. A NOTARIZED copy of the applicant's birth certificate.

- Letter of Consent. A NOTARIZED letter of consent, signed by both parents.

- Polio Vaccination. For applicants between the ages of 3 months and 6 years, a certificate of vaccination against Polio is required. If the child cannot be inoculated, please submit a notarized letter from the child's physician.

Source: Brazilian Embassy website

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 32

I

Deadline looms for striking South Africa miners

S

triking miners in South Africa could face the sack if they defy a union agreement to return to work for another day.

They have been given until Tuesday afternoon to return to work.

The bulk of the 3,000 members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) who led the so-called wildcat strike have continued their protest.

South Africa's labour mediation committee has extended the deadline to Tuesday for workers at the world's third largest platinum mine to return to work in order for salary negotiations to start.

The workers, who have been on strike for a month, have vowed to stay off the job until they receive wages of $1,500 a month, double what they now earn.

The committee says its "facilitation is dependent on a return to work by all workers" and threatened to leave the miners to deal with Lonmin managers.

Only about 1,700 workers clocked in for their shift on Monday while thousands marched for higher wages after the committee earlier issued a Monday deadline.

Hundreds of striking miners marched on Monday in defiance of the agreement signed by the mine management and the main National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from Marikana, said: "One group of miners continue to insist they will not return to work until an agreement is reached on increasing their wages."

"It's once again one group of striking miners coming up against mine owners. No progress whatsoever in weeks of negotiations in a bid to end the strike," he said.

Tensions have been high at the mine since 34 of the protesting workers were shot and killed by police last month.

Meanwhile, firebrand politician Julius Malema has called for a national strike in all South African mines to demand the removal of the leadership of the NUM. Thousands of striking miners at a gold mine in Driefontein blowing on vuvuzelas, whistles, and carrying traditional sticks responded enthusiastically to Malema's comments on Tuesday.

"There must be a national strike. They have been stealing this gold from you. Now it is your turn. You want your piece of gold.

These people are making billions from these mines," Malema said, referring to black elite and the white minority that controls the economy.

nternational leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, have hailed the election of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as a "great step forward" for Somalia.

Mr Cameron congratulated Mr Mohamud on his victory and welcomed the role played by his predecessor, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

However, Islamist militants said the election was organised by the "enemies of Somalia".

Somalia has suffered 20 years of war.

Accepting his defeat, former President Ahmed said it was the first fair election in Mogadishu for 42 years - since Mohamed Siad Barre took over in 1969.

President Mohamud, a moderate Islamist academic, was sworn in immediately after it was announced that he had beaten Mr Ahmed by 190 to 79 votes in a ballot of newly elected MPs. "I promise that Somalia will reclaim its place in the world community as of today - and to do that, we must ensure that we move forward," he said in his victory speech.

Both the British prime minister and UN envoy to Somalia Augustine Mahiga warned there was still much to do.

"Somalia's leaders must now work together to build a more representative and transparent system, tackle corruption and strengthen security and stability," said Mr Cameron, who hosted a major conference on trying to bring peace to Somalia in February.

Mr Mahiga said the Somali people had "taken a great step forward on the path to peace and prosperity".

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has called up

Somali election of Hassan Sheikh a ‘great step’ Somalia's new leader to congratulate him, according to the AFP news agency.

However, the al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab still controls many southern and central parts of the country, and has staged frequent suicide attacks in the capital since it was driven out of Mogadishu last year by African Union troops and progovernment forces.

"We will only recognise a process run by Somalis and not manipulated by Ethiopia, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti and the West," alShabab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage told the AFP news agency.

"Hassan is operating under a constitution drafted by the

enemies of Somalia, who have a nefarious geopolitical agenda, especially neighbouring countries.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, 56, is a civic activist who founded a university in Mogadishu and has worked for several national and international peace and development organisations.

He has links to al-Islah, Somalia's branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is strongly opposed to al-Shabab.

He stayed in Mogadishu throughout the years of conflict, unlike many intellectuals, and he has previously held a post in government.

Like former President Ahmed, he is from the Hawiye clan - one of Somalia's biggest.

BBC Somali analyst Mary Harper says President Mohamud could represent a different kind of future for the country because he is not associated with the violence and corruption of the past.

Nevertheless he faces massive challenges on multiple fronts, she adds. Firstly, he will have to deal with the powerful politicians who lost the elections; then he has to try to reunite a country torn apart by two decades of civil conflict, much of which is controlled by al-Shabab.

Since the overthrow of President Siad Barre in 1991, Somalia has seen clan-based warlords, Islamist militants and its neighbours all battling for control.

Somalis are celebrating

Swedish journalists Schibbye and Persson leave Ethiopia

T

wo Swedish journalists freed by the Ethiopian government have left the country, a spokeswoman for Sweden's foreign affairs ministry has told the BBC. They have gone to a secret location to rest, she added.

It was not known when they would return to Sweden, she said, adding it would be up to them to make that

decision.

Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson were jailed last year after being captured with rebels in eastern Ethiopia.

The two left the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, late on Monday after their release.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi pardoned the journalists before his death last month.

Schibbye and Persson were captured in July 2011 by Ethiopian troops during a clash with fighters of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), which Ethiopia regards as a terrorist group.

They were in the remote south-eastern region of Ogaden, populated mainly by ethnic Somalis, to investigate the activities of a company

affiliated with the Swedish oil firm Lundin Petroleum.

They have always argued they were in Ethiopia just to do their job.

They appealed for clemency following their conviction in December 2011 for supporting the ONLF. Mr Meles, who was in power for 21 years, died last month after a long illness.

Kenya’s Tana clashes: President Kibaki imposes curfew

V

iolence has continued in Kenya's Tana River area despite a dusk-to-dawn curfew after the deaths of 112 people in weeks of clashes.

Three more people, including police officers, are said to have died in the latest attacks.

They were carried out by hundreds of men with guns, spears and machetes, the Red Cross said.

Two communities with a history of rivalry over access to water and land have been engaged in tit-for-tat raids.

President Mwai Kibaki ordered a curfew to be imposed late on Monday in Tana River County.

But the Red Cross says houses have once more been set on fire,

forcing people to flee on Tuesday.

The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Kenya says there is a wider issue than the rivalry between the two groups - competition for resources in a country of deep

inequalities.

He says the fear is that, as Kenya approaches elections next March, that competition could lead to more of the widespread violence seen after the last poll

Many houses have been burnt down during the violence

in December 2007.

Some 38 people including children and police officers were killed on Monday, after the deaths of more than 50 people last month and another 12 last week.

Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe says 112 people have been killed since the latest round of attacks broke out in late August.

The Orma and Pokomo communities have a long history of tension over access to land and water in this ecologically rich area.

The Pokomo are mostly farmers, while the Orma are semi-nomadic cattle-herders.

The long-standing rivalry between the two communities has been made worse by an influx of weapons from neighbouring Somalia.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 33

Asia and Occupy activists forced from Hong Kong plaza Middle East

P

olice have forced out the remaining Occupy protesters from an open-air plaza at banking giant HSBC's Asian headquarters in Hong Kong, more than ten months after the activists pitched their tents in the heart of the city's financial district.

The protesters scuffled with police on Tuesday, as they resisted a court order to leave the site by August 27.

Some were carried away forcibly and taken outside a perimeter, where they were let go.

At around midday, officers entered the plaza and linked arms to form a human wall around the dozen or so protesters to move them out.

Authorities pulled down the tents

and removed furniture, carpets and personal belongings, drawing angry cries from demonstrators beneath the iconic 47-storey building.

HSBC obtained permission from a court last month to take back the space, which the bank owned but that also serves as a public passageway.

Echoing the global Occupy movement against corporate greed

and economic inequality, the Hong Kong encampment attracted a commune of occupiers including students, young professionals, activists, the unemployed and homeless.

The protest came at a time of growing resentment in the city of seven million at what many see as excessively close ties between government and big business, but it

failed to gain traction.

Since they started on October 15 last year, the number of occupiers had dwindled from the 100 or so who had first pitched tents, paling in significance to the tens of thousands who have taken to Hong Kong's streets this year to protest against everything from perceived Chinese meddling in local affairs to high property prices.

India sedition cartoon: Court grants Aseem Trivedi bail

A

court in India has granted bail to an anti-corruption cartoonist arrested on sedition charges, after an application from a member of the public.

The Bombay High Court said that Aseem Trivedi could be released on bail if he paid 5,000 rupees ($90; ÂŁ67).

But it is unclear if Mr Trivedi will accept the bail. He has said he will not hire a lawyer or apply for bail himself until the charges are dropped.

He was held over cartoons which allegedly mocked India's constitution.

Many Indians see his arrest as an attack on freedom of expression.

The cartoonist has been participating in the anti-corruption movement led by campaigner Anna Hazare.

Mr Trivedi was remanded in custody until 24 September when he appeared in court on Monday.

But on Tuesday a member of the

public, apparently unrelated to Mr Trivedi, made a bail application to the Bombay High court on the basis that drawing cartoons was not adequate grounds to be charged with sedition.

Mr Trivedi was arrested on Saturday for a series of cartoons. He refused to apply for bail at Monday's hearing, and said if telling the truth made him a traitor then he was happy to be described as one.

In one of his cartoons, the customary three lions in India's national emblem are replaced with three wolves, their teeth dripping blood, with the message "Long live corruption" written underneath.

Another cartoon depicts the Indian parliament as a giant toilet bowl.

Government officials say that while they are in favour of free speech, there is a thin line between that and insulting national symbols, the BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi reports.

Protesters from the Occupy movement have occupied the area for over ten months (REUTERS)

Yemen minister survives assassination attempt

Y

emen's defence minister has survived an assassination attempt which killed at least 11 people, including seven of his bodyguards, security officials say.

The attack targeting Maj Gen Muhammad Nasir Ahmad took place near government offices in central Sanaa.

The explosion was caused when a car bomb detonated when the minister's motorcade passed.

It comes a day after the second-incommand of Yemen's branch of al-Qaeda was reportedly killed.

"A booby-trapped car waited for the motorcade of the minister near the government offices and, as soon as it moved, it exploded," "A security car was totally destroyed

and all its occupants were killed, but the minister survived because his car is armoured."

Officials say this is the fourth assassination attempt against the defence minister since a new government was formed last December.

No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the blast, though alQaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has carried out a number of attacks in the past.

The group was formed in January 2009 by a merger between two regional offshoots of al-Qaeda in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

It blames the defence minister for launching the campaign that drove them from their strongholds in the south of the country.

Many Indians see Trivedi's arrest as an attack on freedom of expression

Deadly rocket fire hits Bagram airbase

A

rocket fired by an unknown group on the US-run Bagram airbase in Afghanistan has destroyed a military helicopter on the eve of the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, killing three Afghans, officials say.

The Chinook helicopter caught fire and was destroyed as it prepared to take off late on Monday from Bagram air base, the largest US military base in the war-torn country, a NATO military spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"They were preparing for an operation," the spokesperson said, adding the helicopter was hit by "indirect fire".

Three Afghans were killed and several Afghan and foreign

"service members" were wounded, the spokesperson said, but gave no further details.

Roshana Khalid, a spokeswoman for the Parwan province where the base is located confirmed the incident and said three Afghan intelligence agents were killed and two senior security officials wounded.

They were to conduct an anti-Taliban operation in an area near Bagram, she said.

"The helicopter was preparing to take off when a rocket fired by insurgents hit it.

There were Afghan and [NATO] coalition personnel on board.

Three Afghan intelligence personal were killed," Khalid said.

Several cars were completely destroyed by the force of the blast

PAGE 34

Europe and Americas US teachers strike for second day in Chicago

T

housands of school teachers in the US city of Chicago have gone on strike for a second day, putting a strain on Rahm Emanuel, the city's Democratic mayor who formerly served as chief aide to President Barack Obama.

Up to 26,000 teachers and their supporters took to the streets during the Monday evening rush hour after failing to reach a settlement demanding better pay, health benefits and more resources to serve students.

The strike in a district where the vast majority of students are poor and minority put Chicago at the epicenter of a struggle between big cities and teachers unions for control of schools.

David Vitale, Chicago School Board president, said board and union negotiators were yet to bargain on two of the biggest issues, performance evaluations or recall rights for laid-off teachers.

Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, confirmed this was due to the district not changing its proposals over the strike action which was voted for by 90 per cent of the city's staff body earlier this year.

"This is a long-term battle that everyone's going to watch," said Eric Hanuskek, a senior fellow in education at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University.

"Other teachers unions in the United States are wondering if they should follow suit."

Chicago is the third-largest US school district and the walkout has created a problem for parents who have been left struggling to place their children with alternative supervision.

The strike by has created a political headache for Emanuel just as he's decided to take a larger role in his former boss's campaign.

Up to 350,000 children in Obama's hometown have been put at risk and city officials admitted that unsupervised children living in areas with a history of violence were exceptionally vulnerable.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Inmate found dead at US Guantanamo

A

prisoner has been found dead at the Guantanamo Bay naval base, two days after he was apparently found unconscious in his cell at the isolated, highsecurity prison, the US military has said.

The unidentified prisoner's name and nationality were not disclosed pending notification of family, military officials said on Tuesday.

The detainee was found "unconscious and unresponsive" by guards during a routine check, the US Southern Command said.

"After extensive lifesaving measures had been performed, the detainee was pronounced dead by a physician," it said in a statement.

The prisoner was the ninth detainee to die at the facility since it was opened in January 2002 to hold men suspected of terrorism or links to al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Of the 779 men held there, 167 remain.

A medical examiner was sent to the base to determine the exact cause of death, and an investigation will be conducted by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

His remains will be returned home after the autopsy.

The man died in Camp 5, a maximum security facility that holds those accused of breaking camp rules. He was "in disciplinary status" after recently assaulting a guard with a "cocktail" of bodily fluids, a military official said.

Camp Five is a facility that "houses those detainees deemed to be the highest threat to themselves, other detainees or guards", said Jose Ruiz, a spokesman for the Miamibased Southern Command.

Two of the earlier deaths were from natural causes and six were designated as suicides, most of them by hanging.

The dead man was not among

Authorities investigating the murder of a British-Iraqi family in the French Alps called in a bomb squad after finding suspicious items at their home in

Surrey, England.

Investigators also ordered on Monday a temporary evacuation of neighboring homes and extended the police

the small group currently facing charges in the war crimes tribunal at the Guantanamo base in eastern Cuba, and he had not been designated as eligible for prosecution, said Navy Captain Robert Durand, a spokesman for the detention operation.

About half of the Guantanamo detainees have been cleared for release, but it was not known if he

was among that group.

Most of the prisoners currently at Guantanamo are housed in Camp 6, a facility that allows communal living arrangements among the inmates and is designed for less intensive monitoring by guards.

The prisoner had previously been a hunger striker whose weight dropped low enough that he was force-fed nutritional supplements.

Most of the prisoners currently at Guantanamo are housed in Camp 6, a communal living facility [Reuters]

UK home of Alps shooting victims evacuated

Three members of the al-Hilli family were shot dead while on vacation in the French Alps [AFP]

cordon as a precaution, Al Jazeera's Peter Sharp reported.

British police said in a statement that the bomb squad had been called in "due to concerns around items found at the address" in Claygate. But they added that the items "not hazardous."

As this developed, police also reported that a seven-year-old survivor, who could provide crucial new leads to the investigation, had come out of coma on Sunday.

"The little girl has come out of the artificial coma but she is under sedation and her speech is not yet audible," prosecutor Eric Maillaud told the AFP news agency.

She was shot in the shoulder and beaten around the head,

suffering a fractured skull.

Last week, three members of the al-Hilli family were found dead near the village of Chevaline in France, close to the Annecy Lake and the Swiss border. Saad alHilli, his wife Iqbal and his mother-in-law were discovered lifeless inside their car. A passing French cyclist identified as Sylvain Mollier was also killed.

The al-Hilli daughters, 7-yearold Zainab and 4-year-old Zeena were also shot but survived with serious injuries. The elder Zainab was rushed to the hospital, but Zeena spent eight hours hiding among the bodies of three deceased adults.

The nature of the shooting - with witnesses targeted and the victims in the car each

Yanomami 'massacre' report dropped by Survival International

C

ampaign group Survival International, which had urged Venezuela to investigate reports of a massacre of Yanomami people in the Amazon, says it now believes no attack took place.

Survival reached this view after speaking to its own sources, the group said.

Reports emerged in August that illegal gold miners had killed up to 80 people.

Venezuelan officials said a team sent to the area had found no bodies and no evidence of an attack.

The attack was alleged to have happened in the remote Irotatheri community, close to the border with Brazil.

Survival carried reports from

Yanomami organisations which described how illegal gold miners had set fire to a communal house, and how witnesses said they had found burnt bodies.

There were said to be three survivors.

On Monday, Survival International said this account did not appear to be correct.

"Having received its own testimony from confidential sources, Survival now believes there was no attack by miners on the Yanomami community of Irotatheri," said a statement from Stephen Corry, Survival International's director.

Yanomami in the area, where many illegal gold miners are operating, had heard stories of a

killing in July and this was reported, by some, as having happened in Irotatheri, Mr Corry said.

"We currently do not known whether or not these stories were sparked by a violent incident, which is the most likely explanation, but tension remains high in the area."

The Venezuelan government said teams sent to investigate the reports had found no evidence of an attack.

Indigenous rights campaigners said the Venezuelan officials might have failed to find the community in question, which is based in a remote jungle location.

Journalists were then taken to the area on Friday and Saturday, where Yanomami villagers said

there had been no violence.

"No-one's killed anyone," a Yanomami man said through a translator. "Here we are all fine."

The Yanomami number an estimated 30,000, with their communities spanning the Venezuela-Brazil border area.

Members of the community told reporters there had been no killings

PAGE 35

S

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2012

heryl Harris, a voluble 52year-old with a Virginia drawl, voted twice for George W. Bush. Raised Baptist, she is convinced -- despite all evidence to the contrary -- that President Barack Obama, a practicing Christian, is Muslim.

So in this year's presidential election, will she support Mitt Romney? Not a chance.

"Romney's going to help the upper class," said Harris, who earns $28,000 a year as activities director of a Lynchburg senior center. "He doesn't know everyday people, except maybe the person who cleans his house."

She'll vote for Obama, she said: "At least he wasn't brought up filthy rich."

White lower- and middleincome voters such as Harris are wild cards in this vituperative presidential campaign. With only a sliver of the electorate in play nationwide, they could be a deciding factor in two southern swing states, Virginia and North Carolina.

Polling data compiled over the past several months shows that, across the Bible Belt, 38 percent of these voters said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who is "very wealthy" than one who isn't. This is well above the 20 percent who said they would be less likely to vote for an AfricanAmerican.

At the Democratic convention last week, Obama mocked the GOP's "tax breaks for millionaires" as "the same prescription they've had for the last 30 years."

A former private equity executive with a net worth of some $250 million, Romney vehemently disputes insinuations that he has paid less taxes than required by law. He calls the attacks an effort "to divert attention from the fact that the president has been a failure when it comes to reigniting the American economy."

The GOP nominee's lucrative business career, which he touts far

Southern whites troubled by Romney’s wealth, religion

more than his record as governor of Massachusetts, does resonate with many Southern conservatives. "I don't like to see the wealthy punished for their success," said Cory Beaver, 26, as he waited on customers at a Lynchburg restaurant. "Obama leans toward socialism."

Romney's opposition to gay marriage and his commitment to reversing the Supreme Court's decision granting women the right to abortion also gain him more support in the Bible Belt than in other regions of the country.

Large swaths of northern Virginia, which includes Washington, D.C. suburbs, and the Tidewater region, with its heavy military presence, see the federal government as more friend than enemy.

At Liberty's May commencement, Romney, a Mormon, sought to stake out common ground with fundamentalist Christians.

Without directly mentioning the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, as the Mormon church is formally known, he told the crowd of 34,000: "People of different faiths, like yours and mine ... can meet in service, in shared moral convictions about our nation stemming from a common worldview." however, 35 percent of voters overall, and the same proportion of lower- and middle-income white Bible Belt voters, say they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who is Mormon.

Many evangelicals who would normally vote Republican say they

view Mormonism as a cult.

"Mormons don't believe like we believe," said Dianna McCullough, a retired factory worker, as she tossed salad in a Tree of Life Ministries soup kitchen. "Like the wives -Romney's probably got more than one."

Still, she is undecided in the election. "The gay marriage thing hurts Obama," she said. "It's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve."

The president has said he supports gay marriage, whereas Romney, in his speech at Liberty, drew his biggest applause with the line, "Marriage is a relationship between one man and one woman."

"Abortion and gay marriage -where they stand on morality, that's big for me," she said.

Democratic TV spots in Virginia and other battleground states portray Romney as outsourcing jobs to China and Mexico when he was chief executive officer of Bain Capital - a charge he calls "deceptive and dishonest."

The GOP nominee's attacks on "big government" as "hostile and "remote" appeal more strongly to white low- and median-income Southerners than to the nation as a whole. The deep cuts in the federal government's domestic program pushed by his vicepresidential nominee, Paul Ryan, reinforce the message.

"Other than the military, everything that's governmentcontrolled is screwed up," said William Clarkson, a retired postman who was rooting for the Lynchburg Hillcats, the city's minor league baseball team, on a

who was willing to compromise even with his fiercest critics on the right.

"And the truth is, it will take more than a few years for us to solve challenges that have built up over decades. It'll require common effort, shared responsibility, and the kind of bold, persistent experimentation that Franklin Roosevelt pursued during the only crisis worse than this one… And by the way, those of us who carry on his party's legacy should remember that not every problem can be remedied with another government programme or dictate from Washington.

He went on to say: "We know that churches and charities can often make more of a difference than a poverty programme alone.

We don't want handouts for people who refuse to help themselves, and we certainly don't want bailouts for banks that break the rules."

"President Obama has been jaded by his experience of dealing with the very difficult American system, even when he had a

super-majority there are so many ways that the minority can veto an agenda in Congress…[but] I don't think that Obama has a plan for if he wins big."

Among Barack Obama's key pledges: • To create one million new manufacturing jobs by 2016

• To double exports by the end of 2014 • To cut net oil imports in half by 2020 • To reduce US deficit by more than $4 trillion • He used the word 'change' seven times on Thursday night. In 2008 he said it 32 times.

Mitt Romney Speaks at Mansfield, Ohio during a campaign rally

Will Americans stick with Obama?

T

he US unemployment rate registered a drop on Friday, but mainly because so many have simply given up looking for work.

Barack Obama was aware of the new figures as he took to the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday night to promise that he could still fulfill his pledge of hope he made in 2008.

The US president spared no insult against his Republican opponents, taking on their plans to improve the economy and criticising their foreign policy credentials.

"You don't call Russia our No 1 enemy - not al-Qaeda, Russia unless you're still stuck in a Cold War mind warp. You might not be ready for diplomacy with Beijing if you can't visit the Olympics without insulting your closest ally," Obama said.

When he ran for president four years ago Obama presented himself as a symbol of change.

On Thursday night however he pledged to be a pragmatic leader

The US unemployment rate registered a drop last week, but mainly because so many have simply given up looking for work.

sweltering afternoon.

"Romney took a lot of businesses that were failing and turned them around," he said, adding: "I don't see big business as evil. Obama is using class warfare with his ads about Romney wanting to give tax breaks to millionaires."

Obama's plan is to extend Bush-era tax cuts for families with incomes under $250,000 a year, while Romney and congressional Republicans support an acrossthe-board extension.

In a poll data, 35 percent of the white Southern group saw Romney as having a "better approach" to taxes, while 25 percent thought Obama does.

Paradoxically, the same group agreed by more than 4 to 1 with the statement: "The wealthiest Americans should pay higher taxes," which is Obama's campaign theme.

The apparent contradiction in public attitudes about tax policy mirrors widespread confusion over the Affordable Healthcare Act, which Romney has promised to repeal.

Overall, 54 percent of Americans -- and a decisive 69 percent of white low- and medianincome Southerners -- opposed Obamacare, according to the Reuters/Ipsos data. But when asked about specific parts of the law, the results largely favored the president. Both groups opposed the provision that would require them to buy health insurance.

However, by more than 2 to 1, both supported making businesses with more than 50 employees offer insurance and forcing insurance companies to cover people with preexisting conditions.

If Obama has fed class resentment with attacks on Romney's taxes and his mixed record at Bain Capital, the GOP is tapping into a different strain of white middle-class rancor -- one directed toward low-income recipients of government aid.

A Romney ad asserts that "Under Obama's plan, you wouldn't have to work and wouldn't have to train for a job.

They just send you a welfare check." Independent fact-checkers say the ad distorts the administration's plan to give states more flexibility on work rules -- a request that came from Republican governors.

"I don't believe in free handouts," said Robert McCanna, a former accountant. "Obama is pitting blacks against whites."

Retired truck driver Lyle Campbell interjected, "If I was black, I would get anything I want."

Just up the street, however, Sheryl Harris, the senior center activities director, sees the election through the lens of class, not race.

"Romney didn't get to the top of the pile by being a nice guy," she said.

"To make the money he makes you have to step on a lot of people ...

Democrats are more interested in helping the lower and middle classes."

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

People can be fat and fit – study N

early half of fat people are just as healthy as slim people - and at no more risk of developing heart problems or cancer, researchers claim.

Doing exercise can offset the dangers of being obese, the researchers found.

The study - which is the largest of its kind - abolishes the notion that obesity automatically leads to ill-health.

It shows that some fat people manage to remain ‘metabolically healthy’ even though their body mass index would suggest they are not.

They have less risk of dying prematurely than unhealthy obese people and up to half the risk of developing or dying from heart disease or cancer.

Other research suggests that, among those with heart problems, those who are underweight or even normal weight are actually worse off than those who are fat.

Overweight and obese people should not fight the flab after having a heart attack because they are more likely to outlive their leaner counterparts, the new data says.

The controversial findings come as Britain grapples with an obesity epidemic, with almost a quarter of Britons classified as obese and around half overweight.

But an international study of 43,265 people shows people can be obese but metabolically healthy and fit, with as much chance of keeping cardiovascular disease and cancer at bay as normal weight people.

Obese people who are metabolically healthy don’t suffer from conditions such as insulin resistance, diabetes and high cholesterol or blood pressure and are fitter, as measured by how well the heart and lungs perform, than other obese people.

The new study, which recruited Americans between 1979 and 2003 who underwent fitness tests, found 46 per cent of the obese recruits were metabolically healthy.

They had a 38 per cent lower risk of death from any cause than

their metabolically unhealthy obese peers, and the same risk as healthy, normal weight participants.

The risk of developing or dying from heart disease or cancer was reduced by between 30-50 per cent for metabolically healthy, obese people, compared with fat unhealthy people, and was similar to those of normal weight.

Study leader Dr Francisco Ortega said ‘It is well known that obesity is linked to a large number of chronic disease such as cardiovascular problems and cancer.

‘However, there appears to be a sub-set of obese people who seem to be protected from obesity-related metabolic complications.

‘Our study suggests that

Fat but fit? Dr Ortega said not all obese people have the same prognosis

metabolically healthy but obese people have a better fitness level than the rest of obese individuals.

‘We believe that getting more exercise broadly and positively influences major body systems and organs and consequently contributes to make someone metabolically healthier, including obese people.

‘In our study, we measure fitness, which is largely influenced by exercise.’

Dr Ortega is a research associate at the Department of Physical Activity and Sport, University of Granada, Spain), and at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, but the investigation took place at the University of South Carolina, USA. Dr Ortega said ‘Physicians should take into consideration that not all obese people have the same prognosis. Physician could assess fitness, fatness and metabolic markers to do a better estimation of the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer of obese patients.

‘Our data support the idea that interventions might be more urgently needed in metabolically unhealthy and unfit obese people, since they are at a higher risk. This research highlights once again the important role of physical fitness as a health marker.’

The findings are published online today in the European Heart Journal.

A second study which analysed data from 64,000 heart patients in Sweden provides new evidence supporting the ‘obesity paradox’, which means fat patients with heart disease have ‘paradoxically’ better outcomes and survival than thinner patients.

The greatest risk of dying was among the underweight and morbidly obese, who have the very highest levels of obesity.

The lowest risk of death was found among overweight and obese patients, said researcher Dr Oskar Angerås, consultant cardiologist at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.

He said it was well known that

People can be obese but metabolically healthy and fit, found an international study. maintaining a healthy weight could help avoid heart problems.

But advice to overweight and obese patients who have already developed heart problems to lose weight was wide of the mark as it might have a ‘negative effect’.

Excess weight may help because patients have more reserves to fight chronic disease than thinner patients.

Amy Thompson, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: ‘In the majority of cases, obesity is an undeniable risk factor for developing coronary heart disease. However, these studies

remind us that it is not always your weight that’s important, but where you carry fat and also how it affects your health and fitness.

‘It is particularly important to be aware of your weight if you are carrying excess fat around your middle. The fat cells here are really active, producing toxic substances that cause damage which can lead to heart disease.

Maintaining a healthy diet with lots of physical activity can help to slim you down as well as reduce your risk of heart health problems.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Migraines not tied to greater weight gain D espite what some research has suggested, women with migraines may have no greater risk of becoming overweight than other women do, a large study finds.

Some studies, though not all, have found a connection between excess pounds and a higher rate of migraine. But they have mainly studied people at one point in time - leaving it unclear whether the pounds or the migraines came first.

“Our study should be reassuring that having migraine is not associated with future increase in relative body weight or obesity,” researcher Dr. Tobias Kurth, of the French national research institute

INSERM and the University of Bordeaux, told Reuters Health by email.

In the new study, researchers looked at data from the Women’s Health Study, a long-term clinical trial that began following thousands of U.S. women in the mid-1990s.

Overall, women who had migraines at the outset were no more likely than other women to become overweight or obese over the next 13 years. And the average weight gain in both groups was almost identical, at around 10 pounds.

“We do not see convincing data that migraine should be considered a risk factor for the development of obesity,” Kurth said.

In theory, migraines could contribute to weight gain indirectly. Frequent or severe headaches could keep a person from regular exercise, for example.

But the new findings, reported in the journal Cephalalgia, do not support that theory.

The results are based on 19,162 female health professionals who were age 45 or older, and normal-weight, when they entered the study.

Almost 3,500 reported a history of migraines.

Over the next 13 years, 41 percent of those women became overweight, while about 4 percent became obese. The odds of becoming obese were no

greater among women with a history of migraine, and the risk of becoming overweight was only slightly higher - 11 percent.

Severe migraines did not seem to carry a risk of extra pounds, either, Kurth’s team found. Women who had migraines weekly to daily were at no greater risk of becoming overweight or obese than those whose migraines came a few times a year.

The study did not look at the question in the other direction: Are overweight or obese women at increased risk of migraines, or more severe ones?

“This is still possible,” Kurth said. “In fact, several studies have now shown that obesity is

associated with increased migraine frequency.”

There is also some evidence tying obesity to an elevated risk of developing migraines in the first place, Kurth said.

But, he added, the prevalence of migraine has remained stable in recent decades, while obesity rates have soared. So it would not seem “reasonable” to assume obesity is causing cases of migraine, Kurth said.

A limit of the study, the researchers say, is that all of the women were at least 45 years old at the start, and still normalweight at that point. So it’s not clear if the findings would be the same for young women.

Source: Reuters.com

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 37

Yuguda’s frequent travels to woo investors-Information Commissioner INTERVIEW Engineer Mohammed Damina, Bauchi state Commissioner of Information, in this interview responds to allegations of corruption made against his principal, Governor Isa Yuguda, by the opposition CPC just as he defends his boss’ frequent travels out of the state. Our Correspondent, Ahmed Kaigama, was there. Excerpts:

H

ow will you respond to the allegation that Yuguda and his men siphoned public funds for personal use?

All of you know his Excellency even before he became the governor of Bauchi State, he was rich. Since I knew him, he has been very honest and trustworthy and there has never been any day that his Excellency takes a kobo single kobo from government purse for his personal use and he doesn’t give chance for everybody to do that. He knows that he will be questioned about it on the last day and he took all precautions to make sure that he did not touch or embezzle government funds.

Please check your record very well, you are closer to him and you have seen what is going on. How can you say he took money from the government?

Where is the money that he is going to take? Please tell these people that this government is a transparent and accountable government; we don’t do this kind of mess; we don’t know anything about that. So anybody going about press conference to make wild allegation is telling lies. They are mischievous and the attempt is to blackmail credible people; but it’s not true, go and tell them.

70% contract money has been paid on Airport project ,CPC alleged that the Chief Press Secretary said 60% of the project has been completed while what contrary.

That is total ignorance on the projects. There are equipments and these equipments are about 40% of the project which cannot be installed until the building is completed.

There are equipments which have been paid for since he is talking on not only the structure on the ground.

But why is it that most of the projects awarded by the administration like roads, hospitals are still ongoing despite the fact that you have paid 70% down payment?

Where you see a project ongoing may be is due to one reason or the other because of the terrain or because of heavy rain or because the contractors were looking for some component to be fix. Where we have such problems, we stop the work and continue later.

Our major concern is to make sure that the contractors continue to work on site, not to stop the work. And one thing you will appreciate, these projects were the projects that all past governors that governed Bauchi state are afraid to touch. We are happy Governor Yuguda awarded the contracts and we are making progress The renovation of the state House of Assembly and Ningi Burra, Alkaleri Futuk roads contract are still ongoing, but 70% down was paid but each time the governor visits the projects he always say Allah ya isa instead of him to prosecute the contractor When he said Allah ya isa he is saying it to the cheaters , not to himself. When issue like this arises, you have to look at

Engineer Mohammed Damina two things: the money you paid and the job to be done. The best option is to see the contractors continue to work and if you revoke the contract and award it to someone, sometimes there may be unnecessary litigations which will affect the state because once we enter into litigation, it will affect the work and state will lose. When he said Allah Ya Isa he is saying it to the cheaters. In order to make them rethink that they will one day assemble and be questioned by Allah. Apart from that, we continue to pursue the contractors, invite them for discussion and encourage them to continue with the work. The most important thing is they are

“

We are now on legacy projects like building International Airport, IPP power plants, building state university, Specialist Hospital and many other projects. I assure all that the ongoing projects will be completed before the end of the administration

still on site continuing with the work. Slow and steady, we will complete all before the end of the administration.

But there are allegations that when you pay 70%, government officials collect between 30% or 40%, and leave the contractors with the balance as published in some reports?

Who made the allegations?

The opposition CPC This is blatant lie, mischief aimed to dent our image. When we are paying we paid the money to contractors. They are accountable and once we paid the money to you, you are to be held responsible. If to say the contractors tell you such things then they have a case to make but for the CPC, it’s just criticism that can’t hold water.

The CPC in its press conference alleged that Yuguda is wasting government funds on travelling to the extent that he doesn’t stay in the state.

What is your reaction to that?

Governor Isa Yuguda is not wasting time in Abuja but he is pursuing matters of state interest. He is busy pursuing things for the progress of Bauchi state. For instance, the issue of a Kidney Center which

is going to be established in Bauchi very soon, is the effort of the governor since you can’t sit in Bauchi to talk to important personalities that will bring development to your state.

The solar electricity was also launched recently in Bauchi; you can’t sit down here and talk to German Embassy in Abuja or in Germany; you can’t sit in Bauchi and call this people to come and invest in Bauchi.

You have to go about and mobilize them so that we will get the dividends of democracy in the state. That is the essence of going about inviting people to come and invest in the state; he is going lobbying for the development of the state because once they agree to invest ,all problems like Sara Suka and many problems will be solve because of employment opportunities since they say an idle man is a devil workshop.

If they are employed they help to develop the state. See the issue of teaching hospital, the agitation for teaching hospital started since 1976 but it wasn’t successful until when the present administration came into power. This is also part of the advantages of going about lobbying since you can’t sit in your room and lobby people. He is fighting for us outside.

Any message to the people of the state?

The people of Bauchi state should continue to be patient, support and appreciate the efforts of the governor to transform the state and deliver dividends of democracy to their door steps. Apart from human developments in which we have made so many interventions by sending their children back to school, creating so many job opportunities in which over 50,000 youths were trained on various skills, we have also renovated and upgraded over 1000 primary health care centers. We have constructed many general hospitals and we have renovated all secondary schools in the state which were neglected since first republic, about 35 years ago. We are now on legacy projects like building International Airport, IPP power plants, building state university, Specialist Hospital and many other projects. I assure all that the ongoing projects will be completed before the end of the administration.

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

2015: Jonathan's adoption by South/south a ruse, says Buhari From Muhammad Adamu, Kaduna

P

residential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday described that the purported adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan as the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 Presidential election a ruse.

Buhari spoke in his Kaduna residence when he received the party's CPC governorship candidate for the October 20 election in Ondo state, Prince Soji Ehinlanwo. Ehinlawo was accompanied on the trip to Buhari's residence by CPC's National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin and other party officials.

"I don't take the decision of South-south leaders seriously. South-south people said it is Jonathan or nothing. I know they are members of the Peoples Democratic Party, let them vote for him in a free and fair elections; let us see if they can give him the ticket against other geo-political zones.

Let them give him the primary ticket first, let them vote for him when 2015 comes and let us see if he would win,' Buhari said.

The CPC leader also urged the elites to shun apathy in the interest of sustaining and stabilising the nation's multi-party democracy, saying, "It is also up to the elites to participate and ensure that elections are free and fair.

"It is not necessary for them to be card carrying members of political parties.

They know how to participate, they should not sit and look, they can go to their constituencies to identify and enlighten their people on the need to entrench free and fair election to stabilise the country" Buhari counseled.

While lamenting the non-prosecution

of those indicted in pension, subsidy and other scams, he said it is only in Nigeria that people who worked for 10 to 35 years retired and many of them die on queue while trying to collect their entitlements that have been stolen by some serving and retired government officials.

"Why are those officials not prosecuted to retrieve the stolen money? It is only in

Nigeria that fraud of these magnitudes take place and this incompetent government is doing nothing about it,' he lamented.

Buhari also commended Ehinlanwo for the sacrifice he made by leaving his plum job at the European Commission to contest the election and contribute to the growth and stability of the nation's democracy.

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari

Face your legislative duties, group tells Kogi NASS members From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

A

youth group, Peoples Assembly Network, has called on lawmakers representing Kogi state in the National Assembly to face their legislative duties instead of intruding into governance at the state level.

The group in a communiqué issued after a workshop said that the national legislators should think about how to improve their immediate communities rather than passing

blames, noting that their own failures were noticeable than the past leaders they claimed to be denigrating.

In the communiqué signed by Ilyasu Muktar, the group said the recent comment by Senator Nurudeen Abatemi about former governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, concerning insecurity in the Kogi Central was tantamount to setting people against themselves which would breed ill-wind The group noted that Capt Idris Wada is working to ensure peace across the state with the

security structures currently in place, stressing that all those insulting and trying to cause disaffection in the state were people who have no business in Kogi state.

While calling on all sons and daughters of Kogi at home and in diaspora to emulate the humility, discipline and resourcefulness of late Senator A.T Ahmed, Dr S. Achema and Chief S. Awoniyi for their selfless service in working for unity and progress of the state, the group urged true sons of the state in whatever position to think about development and stop passing blame.

Tinubu must apologise to Nigerians over false claim on Obama's invitation - S/West PDP From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West has said that Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu must apologise to Nigerians for bringing the country into disrepute with his lie that he was specially invited to attend the United States Democratic Party Convention.

Reacting to claim by the ACN that PDP was carrying out a smear campaign against Tinubu, PDP National ViceChairman (South-West), Chief Segun Oni's Media Aide, Lere Olayinka said the ACN should rather advise Tinubu to go for deliverance so that he can be purged of the spirit of lies that has made him to lie about everything, including his paternity.

Olayinka said; "For those of us that went to proper schools, there was this story called 'puro kin niyi, ete nii muwa' (if you tell lie to be acknowledged, you will be disgraced ultimately). That is exactly what is confronting Tinubu now.

"Or was it PDP that made Tinubu, in his characteristic manner to lie that he was invited and given a 'Gold Card' to attend the Democratic Party Convention when in actual fact, he bought his invitation with $5,000?

"Was it PDP that made Tinubu to lie that he attended Government College , Ibadan , which he never attended? Was it also PDP that made him to lie that his primary and secondary school certificates got burnt, and also made it impossible for him to go to back to 'St. John Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos' and Government College, Ibadan that he claimed he attended to collect another certificates?

"Now that Tinubu is being faced with the consequences of his world of lies, is it PDP that must be blamed?

"To us in the PDP, the most honourable thing for these fraudulent elements in the ACN to do is to own up to the fake personality that Tinubu, their leader has become and apologise to Nigerians for ridiculing the country with their lies of Tinubu's invitation by Obama?"

Jemaa LG caretaker committee chairman resigns to contest chairmanship

C

hairman, interim management of Jemaa Local Government in Kaduna state, Mr Yunana Barde, has resigned his position to contest the council’s chairmanship.

“Yes, I am contesting the chairmanship of Jemaa Local Government; as the constitution demands, I have resigned my chairmanship of the caretaker committee to present my self before the electorate for a democratic mandate,’’ Barde told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kafanchan on Monday The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Committee has already fixed Dec. 1, 2012 for the Local Government Council polls.

Barde, who is contesting on the platform of the PDP, said that he was eyeing the seat to afford him the opportunity to consolidate on his achievement after more than one year as chairman of the caretaker committee team.

He identified his ability to install lasting peace in troubled Kafanchan as one of his key

achievements, and explained that he achieved that by bringing all stakeholders to see the need to accept each other and live as one family.

“I made it a point to preach the need to live in unity. I also made the people to accept that they must live together being citizens of one country as destined by God. “In the course of my pursuit of peace, I realized that most of the trouble in Kafanchan was usually brought in by people from outside, so I made it a point that community leaders must strive to know any stranger among them and understand his or her mission.

“I also spoke with the youths groups and convinced them that no one can be bigger than the government. I also told them that it was in their interest that peace is maintained because they still have more time ahead of them and should not use their hands to destroy their future,’’ he said.

He identified the movement of the Kafanchan market from its former location to a more spacious

area, as the most challenging moment of his 15month service as caretaker committee chairman.

“We also wanted to make out better streets and build a modern motor park. Really, it was not easy, but I am happy that the traders and other stakeholders eventually bought into my idea and we moved the market to a better place.’’

On his focus when elected as council chair, Barde said that he would pay special attention to security, unity and development of the area.

“The potential in Kafanchan and Jemaa as a whole is enormous; if we can achieve permanent peace and unity, the coast will be very clear for a sound development that would launch Jemaa into a great path of growth and prosperity,’’ he said.

He said that Kafanchan, as the headquarters of the South of Kaduna state, required some aesthetic beauty and would therefore be given a facelift, while many of the main streets were in dire need of drainages. (NAN)

Bola Ahmed Tinubu

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 39

L-R: Senate President David Mark, presenting Souvenir to Zimbabwean Deputy Prime Minister and President of Globalpower Women Network Africa, Ms Thokozani Khupe, during her visit to the Senate President, on Monday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

IPAC election crisis deepens as parties call INEC intervention

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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he controversy which trailed the purported election of Chairman and Secretary of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) last month in Abuja, has taken a new twist as 29 registered political parties called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to wade in and arrest the deterioration of the Council.

The parties which met on the auspices of 'Friends of IPAC', called on INEC not to recognize or relate with persons purportedly elected

on the above date, since, they alleged, the process of their election did not conform with the INEC's requirements and guidelines, as stipulated in the IPAC's Establishment Clause, Section C, Subsection II (Page 14) of the Political Parties Code of Conduct 2011.

While arguing that the attempted election was flawed because it contravened the instrument governing both the structure and operations of IPAC (Parties Code of Conduct 2011), the 29 political parties called on INEC to immediately commence

consultations with the political parties and IPAC Secretariat with a view to organize a legally acceptable election to the positions of Chairman and Secretary.

According to their Spokesman, Demian Uzoma Ogbonna, who doubles as the Chairman of Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), "The conveners of the last month purported election led us to believe that INEC was going to be at the meeting to perform its role as anticipated by the Code of Conduct.

"Accordingly, we honoured their invitation, but as it turned out, INEC did not attend to supervise the purported election, in fact, INEC did communicated against the election in a letter dated 24th August 2012, but the organizers neglected it."

They regretted that after the election, IPAC has become adrift and divided, with no clear leadership for the body, emphasizing that it would not augur well with Nigeria's democracy if a body so vital to party's well being is debased for selfish gains.

PDP woman leader says Yakowa “very fair to women’’

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DP Woman Leader and exofficio member in the North-West Zone, Ms Naomi Waziri, has lauded Kaduna Governor Patrick Yakowa’s “fairness to the womenfolk’’, and advised other leaders to emulate him.

“Governor Yakowa has been very nice to women in Kaduna state. He has been very faithful to the promise to give 35 per cent of appointments to women in employment and appointments,’’ Waziri told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kafanchan, Kaduna state, on Monday.

She declared that women groups were “generally very happy’’ with the Yakowa government because “for the first time, here is a leader that gives them priority in whatever he does’’.

Waziri, currently a supervisory councilor in the interim management committee of Jemaa Local Government, said that the governor had always declared women as “the most reliable’’ people he would want to

work, and expressed gratitude that her colleagues had never disappointed him.

She also praised Yakowa’s wife, Amina, over the recent distribution of various empowerment items toward making self-reliant.

“In Kaduna South senatorial zone, for instance, 890 women received assorted items like sewing machines, knitting machines, cash and other materials to start their businesses.

“Many of such women have since opened their shops and are already doing well, while working hard to meet the First Lady’s counsel to strengthen their business outfits so as to empower and employ more women toward a better society,’’ she said.

Waziri also spoke on her recent empowerment scheme through which she opened and stocked shops for 12 women and one man.

“From my savings over time and meager allowances as a councilor here, I spent N1.2 million to build 13 shops at Ngaskiya village, near Fadan-

Kagoma in Jemaa Local Government.

“I also purchased assorted items worth N1.8 million and shared among the shops which I gave to the beneficiaries to empower them and minimise the poverty in the area.

“What I want to do is to help those in the grassroots at my small level here, while the bigger tasks will be handled by the local and state governments. I found, at a point, that the women were borrowing to meet basic needs like salt and pepper and felt I should lift them up.’’

Waziri said that she had opened accounts for the beneficiaries into which they are expected to deposit at N1,000 every Monday, stressing that they could only be allowed to withdraw if it was to expand the business.

“I have also told them to make sure that they empower or employ at least one person in the next one year so that the society would be blessed by their blessings,’’ she said.

On her experience as a Local Government administrator, she described the challenge as “a huge eye opener’’, and identified acute shortage of funds as the major problems of the councils.

“Most of the time, the local government has to borrow to pay salaries. We have found that there is syndicate that makes it difficult for the local governments to get the monies allotted to them.

We have reported to the state government and we are happy that the matter is being investigated.’’

Waziri lauded Yakowa’s commitment to a better Kaduna State via the massive construction of roads, bridges and the provision of electricity and other infrastructure to the rural areas.

“The beauty of it is that he has touched all areas, from education, to sports, health and social welfare; my counsel to the residents of Kaduna is to strive to give peace a chance so that we shall gain from the largesse democracy has to offer,’’ she said. (NAN)

Reps to shift resumption till Sept 25

By Lawrence Olaoye

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here are indications that the House of Representatives may have resolved to postpone its resumption date to the 25th of September.

This is coming shortly after the Senate last week announced its decision to shift its resumption date by a week till same date.

Although the reason for the shift is not yet clear, there are indications that the leadership of the House may have resolved to shift the date so as to enable lawmakers' allowances to be paid into their accounts before their resumption after a long break.

Apart from the financial issue, it was gathered that some of the lawmakers who are not around have impressed it upon the leadership to shift the date pending their arrival into the country.

Although efforts made to get the House spokesman to comment on the development was futile, there are indications that the consideration of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) in preparation for the 2013 budget would engage the parliament.

The lawmakers are also expected to review the 2012 budget performance in order to ascertain the level implementation by the executive.

Others issues expected to take the centre stage in the parliament include the controversial introduction of N5000 note by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); the clamour for the government to rescind its decision to cede the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon amongst others.

Development is business for all says Akanmode From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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ormer Deputy Chief of Staff in the Presidency, Prince Olusola Akanmode, has said that bthe issue of growth and development should not be left to the government and few individuals but should be for all.

Akanmode who stated this as a guest speaker at the fund raising for a modern mortuary

by Mopa Welfare Association in Mopamuro LGA called on all Nigerians to go back to the old days when everyone was a change agent.

Akanmode called on the people to strive to sustain the legacies of the past leaders of Mopa, whom he described as zealous and passionate in the development of the area.

He expressed gladness at the commitment of Mopa sons and daughters in ensuring accountability and judicious use of the funds realized for the purpose intended.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

2015: Senator Aruwa dumps ANPP for PDP From Agaju Madugba, Kaduna

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n erstwhile chieftain of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) in Kaduna, Senator Muktar Mohammed Aruwa, formally joined the People's Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday, at a programme at the Murtalla Square which attracted Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, among other prominent

members of the PDP. Sources close to the PDP leadership described Aruwa's movement as fundamental to the reported bid by Yakowa to contest the 2015 governorship election in the state.

But some members of the ANPP who had earlier decamped to the PDP are apparently aggrieved saying that Yakowa did not extend a similar gesture of

"flamboyant" reception to them.

But one of the PDP sources who pleaded anonymity described Aruwa as a big fish who is expected to contribute immensely towards efforts to ensure that Yakowa scales through in 2015.

Aruwa who represented Kaduna central zone in the Senate between 1999 and 2007 said he left the ANPP with no fewer than 600 members even as he explained his

decision was part of that the reasons the north lags behind other parts of the country in terms of general development.

According to him, "if we look critically, development has been more in the east and west than in the north. Currently, although insecurity is widespread nationally, the situation in the north is worse.

After making this analysis, I wondered whether the northern habit of forming several political parties is not at the root of our underdevelopment and insecurity.

"With the north having about 220 ethnic groups out of 240 (nationwide) and with the major religions having reasonable roots in this region, not much can be achieved by having several parties in the region.

"The PDP provides the right platform towards which northern Nigeria can be guided with a view to realize its development potentials.

If the need to accelerate development in the north is a crime, then I plead guilty as charged," he declared.

Kwankwaso pledges to implement ECOWAS agreements

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L-R: Former Bauchi state Director of Press, Alhaji Maigari Khanna, receiving handover note from his predecessor, Alhaji Usman Ali, as the caretaker chairman of Shira Local Government Area in Bauchi on Monday.

Photo: NAN

overnor Rabi'u Kwankwaso of Kano state said yesterday that his government would implement all regional and bilateral agreements by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) affecting its territory.

Kwankwaso made the pledge at the opening ceremony of the 1ST Kano/Republic of Niger Trade and Investment Forum, in Kano.

He said the implementation of the agreements was necessary in order to ensure socio-economic and cultural development of the people of Kano state and Niger Republic. ''Kano and Niger Republic have a long standing cordial relationship since the Trans-Saharan trade. ''So, there is need to revive the relationship for economic growth and development of Nigeria and Niger Republic,'' he said.

Kwankwaso said the conference was important for both Kano State and Niger Republic and commended Niger nationals resident in the state for living peacefully with their hosts.

Earlier, Mamman Alhadji

Plateau LP Senatorial candidate vows to continue predecessor's legacy From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

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he candidate of the Labour Party in the forthcoming plateau North Senatorial bye-elections, Hon. Lumhumba Adeh, yesterday vowed to continue with good legacy of late Senator Gyang Dantong if elected.

According to him, he contested the last election on the same LP platform and the rules of the

party stipulated that since he contested last election and did not leave the party, nobody should contest the ticket with him.

According to him, "I am here to declare my intention for the Plateau North Senatorial seat, and if voted in to office I will continue the good works that the late Senator Gyang Dantong".

The LP candidate however described the death of late Senator

Dantong as unfortunate, regrettable and sad lamenting that late Dantong had been passionate about restoring permanent peace to the state and the country.

He said "we all have to work and bring back peace to all our communities". He pledged to work hard to ensure that the youths and women are empowered by providing jobs

opportunities for them including the provision of portable drinking water to the rural dwellers and decent environment.

He said "as the flag bearer of the Labour Party, I am set to drive the zone into the social, political and economic mainstream in order to catch up and reap the benefits of a fast changing and expanding global system".

Reps to probe N572million PHCN pension money discovered in UK Bank From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos

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he House of Representatives has vowed to commence a probe into the 2.2million British pounds (N572m) of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) pension money discovered in an unutilized Barclays Bank account in London.

Chairman, House Committee Chairman on Diaspora, Abike DabiriErewa made this known yesterday while speaking at the commissioning of the Ikeja Forum Office for Electricity Complaints.

Dabiri-Erewa said the House will immediately, after resumption from recess, begin enquiry into the said sum reported to have been unutilized for over 20 years with

efforts to retrieve same meeting the rocks.

The lawmaker who represented the House Committee Chairman on Power, Patrick Ikhariale, said "This should not be swept under the carpet.

We will ensure that the issue is not swept under the carpet. It is inhuman and wicked to keep pensioners money in a foreign bank. And we will not sit back and watch that remain in that bank".

Meanwhile, Minister of state for Power, Darius Ishaku, said government has commenced moves to retrieve the money and put it to use for the benefit of the workers in the PHCN. "The panel that was set up recently by the President submitted their report yesterday (Monday) and

this was one of the discoveries by the panel that is, the offshore amount.

'We are still negotiating with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and with this discovery, another window has been opened. The window shows that we have some funds somewhere.

At the end of the day, we will make use of the funds. The fund is in the advantage of the negotiation that is ongoing between the Federal Government and the NLC".

Ishaku also said the Ministry was doing everything within its powers to sustain the improvement in the power sector, saying that it is currently generating about 4300 megawatts of electricity across Nigeria.

He said currently, Lagos was enjoying 1124 megawatts of

electricity, assuring that the capacity will improve overtime. Dousing fears of power supply droping after the rainy season, Ishaku said "the rain this year has been good and we are drawing from it. We hope and we are working hard to make sure that when the rain stops, we will be able to equalize the difference in power from our thermal stations. We are working hard to improve on this".

Senate Committee Chairman on Power, Senator Philip Aduda, while commending the initiative of the Forum Office to attend to the numerous complaints by consumers of electricity, urged the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to harmonise the controversy surrounding estimation of electricity bill by providing metres.

Ousmane, the Minister of Livestock in Niger Republic and Leader of Delegation, reaffirmed the commitment of his country toward the promotion of trade and commerce between Kano State and Niger Republic.

He commended Kwankwaso for initiating the summit, saying the forum would go a long way in strengthening the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and Niger Republic.

The theme of the conference was: "Towards Strengthening The Bilateral Relationship Between Kano State and Republic of Niger".

The conference was attended by prominent personalities, including the Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar, the Governor of Niamey, Zinder, Maradi, among others. (NAN).

CNPP calls for ‘true federalism’

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he Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) on Tuesday in Abuja called for a deliberate and sustained war against corruption for the emergence of ``true federalism'' in the country.

The National Publicity Secretary of the conference, Mr Osita Okechukwu, made call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN).

Okechukwu attributed the country's under development to corruption, adding that the Federal Government could harness the material and human resources of the country to fight the menace.

Okechukwu said true federalism was obtainable before the civil war in 1966 when the defunct regions ``did so well'' unlike the current dispensation.

On fiscal federalism, the politician said "the power at the center is so much as government at that level is encroaching into allocation of states''.

He added that the situation had resulted to unfair revenue allocation formula where the Federal Government was taking about 52 per cent of federation revenues. ``If the Federal Government was to share the amount coming into its coffers, then development would be realised in the various states that make up the federation.''

(NAN).

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Jonathan to host Paralympic athletes Satunday

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resident Goodluck Jonathan is likely to host the Team Nigeria Paralympic contingent to just concluded London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Unlike their able-bodied counterparts who won no medal in spite receiving enormous support, the paralympic athletes won a total of 13 medals; six gold, five silver and two bronze medals, a result that saw Nigeria being thrid in medal log for Africa and 23 in the overall.

According to Citizens News, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has decided to reward all the medalists with cash rewards based on the medals won.

According to Team Nigeria’s Chef De Mission to London 2012 Paralympics, Dr Simon Ebhojiaye, the National Sports Commission, NSC has directed that each gold medalist gets a cash reward of 7,500 dollars, while silver medalist gets 5,000 dollars and the bronze medalists also collect 2,500 dollars.

The gold medalists at the reception included Esther Onyema, Ivory Nwokorie, Loveline Obiji, Grace Anozie, Joy Onaolapo and Yakubu Adesokan. The silver medalists were Ifeanyi Nnajiofor, Lucy Ejike, Anthony Ulonna, Obichukwu Ikechukwu and Folashade Oluwafemi Ayo. In a related development, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr Dalhatu Tafida (CFR), hosted Nigeria’s Paralympic team to a civic reception, at the Abuja House, 2-3 Campden Hill, W8 7 AD, London. Tafida commended the team for their performance.

Dr Tafida later presented a gift to Team Nigeria in appreciation of their heroic performance at London 2012 Paralympics.

According to him “This reception is a testimony to the importance we attached to the Paralympians in promoting the image of Nigeria, and I am also delighted that we won 12 medals at the Games and more importantly, our athletes against all odds also set new world records, “Yakubu Adesokan even lifted almost four times his own weight, it was highly commendable,” Tafida said.

Team Nigeria finished on the 22nd position in the world, and placed third in Africa’s medals chart.

Tunisia was the first African team with nine gold, five silver and five bronze medals. Followed by South Africa.

PAGE 41

Again, Keshi promises new-look Super Eagles

... Says team not Enyeama to blame for Liberia draw

By Patrick Andrew

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iqued by the failure of some foreignbased players to work in sync with both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Super Eagles’ technical crew in the quest to rebuild a new-look Super Eagles,

Keshi standing and shouting instructions to players

Head Coach Stephen Keshi, has promised a surgical overhaul of the present squad to make way for as his dreamed of Super Eagles.

Keshi, who lambasted some players for being ‘unprofessional’ following an avoidable goalkeeping error that allowed the Lone Stars of Liberia to level up in the first leg of the final phase of the 2013 Nations Cup qualifier, said he would soon produce a truly new-look Super Eagles that would meet the expectation of the people.

“I understand the apprehension of Nigerians. I will give the country a new-look Super Eagles. And we will score goals aplenty,” Keshi said stressing that it would require hard work, commitment and dedication from all involved in the rebuilding process.

However, keshi reiterated his call for understanding and patience from soccer fans stressing that it would be impossible to accomplish the set target especially should harsh criticism continue to trail the team.

He added that such would rather distract than allow for concentrated efforts at forging a formidable squad. “What I have always asked for is patience, I need lots of it to succeed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Keshi has debunked reports that he singled out goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama to blame for the draw against the Lone Stars of Liberia.

The Eagles, it would be recalled were leading 2-1 when the goalkeeper committed an unforced error by letting the ball slipped off his hands into the net.

“I never at any moment said that Enyeama, who remains our

first choice keeper caused us the draw in Liberia and in fact I think that he is one of the best in the world but at times like these passion rules over reason, but we must not bring individual players into our poor performance, it’s a collective failure to win”, Ben Alaiya, the team’s Media Officer, quoted Keshi as saying.

However, Peoples Daily Sports recalls that Keshi had been hard on some of the players for being unprofessional and lacking the needed commitment and vim to rise to the challenge of winning matches.

It was obvious his anger was directed at Enyeama, whose fault led to the equaliser and was the case in Malawi when committed similar blunder to deny Nigeria the maximum points less 45 seconds to the end of the game in Blantyre.

Also, Keshi had lashed out at Emmanuel Emenike and Joseph Yobo whose performances were below par in the Saturday game in Monrovia.

Nonetheless, yesterday Keshi seemed to have retracted when he said no single individual should be held responsible because it requires collective effort to achieve success or failure.

In another development, the coach has promised early release of team list of players that would be needed to play the decisive return leg match in Calabar on October 13. ”The list of invited players will be made public early enough and we are assure that we will not only win but win well and plead with Nigerians including enemies of the team for support”.

We don’t need Mikel or Osaze, says Ikpeba

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Mikel Obi

he current hue and cry about recalling Mikel Obi and Osaze odemwingie to the Super Eagles has been dismissed as unnecessary by a member of the Nigeria Football Federation’s technical crew and former Africa Player of the Year, Victor Ikpeba.

The mercurial finisher in his hey days said he believes that Nigeria could proceed with its rebuilding process under Stephen Keshi without the presence of the duo in the team.

Ikpeba made this statement as a guest analyst in a football magazine show, Monday Night Football, on SuperSport 3.

The winner of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations was responding to Keshi leaving out the duo from the 2-2 draw in Monrovia against Liberia at the weekend in the 2013 AFCON qualifying.

“Nigeria can do without Mikel and Osaze. Nigeria is bigger than the two players and after all both players were part of the team that played against Guinea last year. And what happened?” said Ikpeba.

“Keshi tried to call the players and their response wasn’t the best and he had to take a decision. If I am Keshi I don’t think I will call them to the team again.”

Ikpeba also defended Keshi’s building process with the Super Eagles and believes the 2-2 draw in Monrovia guarantees Nigeria a “70 to 80 percent chance” of reaching next year’s edition of Nations Cup, in South Africa.

“Stephen Keshi is on the right path with the team and what he’s doing with the team is very brave.

And I must say the 2-2 draw against Liberia is a good result because it gives Nigeria a 70 to 80 percent chance of qualifying for the 2013 Nations Cup,” said the former Nigerian striker.

Nigeria will play hosts to Liberia in the return leg of the 2013 Afcon qualification in Calabar on October 14.

Osaze Odemwingie

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Neymar’s hat-trick sees rampant Brazil rout China

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eymar recorded a hat-trick to help Brazil thrash China 8-0 in an exhibition match in Recife.

Brazil had little difficulty establishing control over their beleaguered opponents and the five-time FIFA World Cup winners ran riot in the second half, scoring six goals.

The talented Neymar was

impressive as he bagged a treble while Ramires, Lucas, Hulk, an own goal from Liu Jianye and an Oscar penalty completed the rout.

Brazil tried to attack from the flanks, especially through Neymar and Hulk, while Oscar was responsible of two assists for the two opening goals. In the 22nd minute, Ramires combined

with Oscar and beat China keeper Cheng Zeng, while three m i n u t e s later Oscar assisted Neymar, who finished off a counter-attack.

They failed to add to their lead before half-time but needed just three minutes after the interval as Hulkteed up Lucas to

make it 3-0. In the 51st minute, Neymar’s strike from outside the box then cannoned off the crossbar and into the path of Hulk, who gratefully slotted home.

It was 4-0 but more goals were about to come, as two minutes later, Marcelo crossed the ball from the left

UEFA wields big stick against 23 clubs, withholds prize money

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uropean soccer’s governing body (UEFA) yesterday revealed that it has withheld the prize money of 23 clubs for violating its financial fair play rules.

The action was the first sanctions under the rules and means that clubs would have to deal with the rules which some had thought would be difficult to enforce.

Among the clubs under investigation are Atletico Madrid- the defending champions of the Europa Cup and Malaga of Spain, Portugal’s Sporting, Dinamo Bucharest and Rapid Bucharest of Romania and Turkey’s Fenerbahce The clubs, all participating in 2012/13 UEFA club competitions, were found to have overdue payments to other teams, their own employees or social/tax authorities and their payments would be withheld subject to further investigation, UEFA said in a statement.

UEFA approved the introduction of the far-reaching financial fair play rules in 2009 in a bid to reduce debt and introduce better and more transparent financial dealings among clubs playing in its competitions.

According to the statement, ”The clubs participating in UEFA club competitions had to provide information regarding the status of any overdue payables as at 30 June 2012.

“The CFCB investigatory chamber has identified that important overdue payables towards other clubs, and/ or towards employees or social/tax authorities existed in 23 cases.”

Transfer fees and outgoing payments have been monitored since the start of the 2011/12 season with clubs tasked with breaking even in 2012 and 2013 and being assessed during the 2013/14 season.

.... Pays Real, Barca, Man City, others •100m

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ayern Munich will receive more than •3 million from UEFA for releasing their players for Euro 2012.

A total of 575 clubs will receive payments, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City and Juventus all due to receive more than •2 million.

The compensation, which totalls •100 million, has been allocated in accordance with the renewed Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the European Club Association and UEFA in March.

K a r l - H e i n z

Rummenigge, the CEO at Bayern and the ECA chairman, said: “The European Club Association is pleased that its contribution to the success of UEFA Euro 2012 has been recognised and justly rewarded by UEFA. This shows the excellent relationship that exists within the football family in Europe, as we work hand in hand to shape the future of our game.”

The payments mark a significant increase on Euro 2008, when only 180 clubs received funds. It is intended that •150 million will be distributed at Euro 2016.

Yu Yang needlessly elbowed Marcelo inside the area.

China had only one opportunity to find the net, with Yang’s free-kick headed away by Sandro.

The last time Brazil scored eight goals was on 20 May 2006, when they defeated a local team in Lucerne, Switzerland, before the FIFA World Cup in Germany.

World Cup 2014 Europe qualifiers

Capello's Russia hammer Israel

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Michel platini

and Neymar was unmarked to score the fifth goal of the match. Another p r e s e n t from Oscar toNeymar allowed the Santos striker to complete his hat-trick in the 71st minute.

Liu then fired past his own k e e p e r before Oscar completed the scoring from the spot after

abio Capello's Russia kept their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign firmly on track with a decisive 4-0 victory over Group F rivals Israel yesterday.

An Alexander Kerzhakov brace and goals from Alexander Kokorin and substitute Viktor Fayzulin ensured Capello's side have a maxium six points from their first two matches.

It was the former England coach's second competitive game in charge after Friday's 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in Moscow, while Israel are still looking for their first win after drawing 1-1 against Azerbaijan on Friday.

The Israelis proved no match for the 13th-ranked Russians who were all over a side 71 places behind them in the Fifa rankings from the outset at the Ramat Gan stadium with Kerzhakov having two early shots at goal.

The Zenit St Petersburg striker's determination soon paid off however and he got the visitors off the mark after just seven minutes, with the 29-year-old's free-kick leaving Dudu Aouate with no chance in the Israeli goal.

Dynamo Moscow forward Kokorin claimed his first international goal when he added a second after 18 minutes.

The 21-year-old took advantage of some disarray in the Israeli back line with two defenders colliding as they scrambled to prevent Vladimir Bystrov from getting a free shot on goal.

FIXTURES Bystrov was replaced Romania vs Andorra

by Alexander Samedov Georgia vs Spain as a result of the Bulgaria vs Armenia collision.

Turkey vs Estonia Norway vs Slovenia Kokorin had a chance Bosnia-Herz vs Latvia Slovakia vs Liechtenstei Serbia vs Wales Sweden vs Kazakhstan Hungary vs Netherlands Switzerland vs Albania San Marino vs Montenegro Austria vs Germany Belgium vs Croatia Italy vs Malta N Ireland vs Luxembourg Greece vs Lithuania Scotland vs Macedonia England vs Ukraine France vs Belarus Portugal vs Azerbaijan Greece vs Lithuania Poland vs Modolva Portugal vs Azerbaijan Germany vs

UEFA president Michel Platini added: “I am delighted that we are able to provide clubs with financial benefits from UEFA Euro 2012 to reward their contribution to the competition.

“We witnessed a truly fantastic UEFA European Football Championship final round this summer, and I am pleased that the clubs can now also be associated with the event.”

The top five clubs to benefit are: Bayern Munich (•3,095,393) Real Madrid (•2,996,585) Barcelona (•2,210,202) Manchester City (•2,069,465) Juventus (•2,023,012)

to add a second after 29 minutes but his header was deflected away from goal.

Israel battened down the hatches in the dying minutes of the first half but a determined fightback saw efforts from Bebras Natcho, Mahran Radi and captain Yossi Benayoun all miss chances their target.

After the break Kerzhakov grabbed his second on 64 minutes and was followed by Fayzulin whose volley from a Samedov cross on 77 minutes sealed victory with his second goal of the campaign.

It was a convincing performance from Russia, who have not reached a World Cup finals since 2002, and had struggled to see off Northern Ireland at the Lokomotiv Stadium.

Capello's side next take on Portugal, their biggest rivals for an automatic spot in the World Cup, in just one month. Israel next play Luxembourg.

Netherlands, Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Olivier Giroud, France

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

Wesley Sneijder,

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE LOSS OF ORIGINAL C OF O NO. BA/15327 ISSUED IN THE YEAR 1998, LOCATED AT MAKAMA S. 30 BELONGING TO ONE MRS. FATSUMA USMAN ‘F’ OF KAROFIN MADAKI WARD, BAUCHI STATE. ALL EFFORTS MADE TO TRACE THE MISSING DOCUMENT PROVED ABORTIVE. IF FOUND, PLEASE CONTACT THE NEAREST POLICE STATION. THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Annual FIFA field test for football turf to take place in October

T

he FIFA Quality Programme for Football Turf relies on the expertise of qualified test institutes to perform the tests of all football turf fields that are looking to obtain FIFA recommended certification.

In order to guarantee a high quality of testing as well as good reproducibility between FIFA accredited test institutes, FIFA carries out a so-called round robin every year to ensure that all participating laboratories

meet the requirements set by the programme.

The round robin is carried out on two football turf fields which are tested by all participating labs according to the current handbook of test methods: all FIFA accredited test institutes must participate in order to renew their accreditation but the process is equally open to any applicant interested in obtaining FIFA accreditation for the testing of football turf fields.

The next field test round robin is set to take place from 9-12 October 2012 in Paris, France. Any test institute interested in joining the process can contact quality@fifa.org for further information and registration.

All further details on the round robin and the application process for test institutes can be found in the document ‘Application as FIFA-accredited Test Institute’.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 43

Lemaitre again misses sub-10 sec time

F

rance’s Christophe Lemaitre, last month hailed as Europe’s best chance to break the Jamaican-US Olympic sprint hegemony, brought his disappointing season to an end on Sunday with a victory in the men’s 100 metres at the Rieti IAAF World Challenge meeting in Italy.

Lemaitre, the French record-holder in the 100m with a best of 9.92sec, clocked 10.04sec to finish ahead of St Kitts and Nevis veteran Kim Collins (10.09sec) and Norway’s Ghana-born Jaysuma Saidy Ndure (10.14).

His winning time meant that the 22-year-old Frenchman failed to register a sub-10sec time this season, which has been in great contrast to that of 2011.

Lemaitre, the defending two-time European double sprint champion, finished fourth in the 100m in the Daegu world championships a year ago and then claimed bronze in the 200m in a French record of 19.80sec.

He skipped the 100m at the London Olympics, but after clocking 20.03 in the semifinal could only finish sixth in the final of the 200m in 20.19sec, with the top four finishers going under 19.90sec.

RESULTS Men’s 100m 1. Christophe Lemaitre (France) 10.04 2. Kim Collins (St Kitts and Nevis) 10.09 3. Jaysuma Saidy Ndure (Norway) 10.14 Men’s 400m 1. Calvin Smith (U.S.) 45.12 2. Rabah Yousif (Sudan) 45.20 3. Rusheen McDonald (Jamaica) 45.46 Men’s 800m 1. Taoufik Makhloufi (Algeria) 1:43.74 2. Edwin Kiplagat Melly (Kenya) 1:43.81 3. Andrew Osagie (Britain) 1:45.06 Men’s 1500m 1. Silas Kiplagat (Kenya) 3:31.86 2. Collins Cheboi (Kenya) 3:33.97 3. Mohamad Al-Garni (Qatar) 3:36.70 Men’s 3000m 1. Collis Birmingham (Australia) 7:37.77 2. Robert Curtis (U.S.) 7:43.65 3. Conseslus Kipruto (Kenya) 7:44.09 Men’s 400m Hurdles 1. Omar Cisneros (Cuba) 48.60 2. Mamadou Kasse Hane (Senegal) 49.63 3. Michael Bultheel (Belgium) 49.98 Men’s Triple Jump 1. Benjamin Compaore (France) 17.17 2. Aliaksei Tsapik (Belarus) 16.48 3. Gaetan Saku Bafuanga Baya (France) 16.30 Men’s Hammer Throw 1. Krisztian Pars (Hungary) 79.22 2. Olexiy Sokyrskiyy (Ukraine) 76.43 3. Sergej Litvinov (Russia) 75.21 Women’s 100m 1. Aleen Bailey (Jamaica) 11.21 2. Ivet Lalova (Bulgaria) 11.24 3. Tezdzhan Naimova (Bulgaria) 11.26 Women’s 400m 1. Kaliese Spencer (Jamaica) 50.63 2. Christine Day (Jamaica) 51.97 3. Patricia Hall (Jamaica) 52.48 Women’s 800m 1. Francine Niyonsaba (Burundi) 1:57.65 2. Mariya Savinova (Russia) 1:59.18 3. Winny Chebet (Kenya) 1:59.37 Women’s 1500m 1. Mary Kuria (Kenya) 4:08.76 2. Anna Pierce (U.S.) 4:11.20 3. Hannah England (Britain) 4:11.50 Women’s 3000m 1. Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot (Kenya) 8:49.17 2. Sylvia Kibet (Kenya) 8:49.38 3. Buze Diriba Kejela (Ethiopia) 8:50.94 Women’s 400m Hurdles 1. Muizat Ajoke Odumosu (Nigeria) 54.74 2. Natalya Antyukh (Russia) 55.63 3. Hanna Titimets (Ukraine) 56.27 Women’s High Jump 1. Svetlana Shkolina (Russia) 2.01 2. Anna Chicherova (Russia) 1.97 3. Olena Holosha (Ukraine) 1.89 Women’s Pole Vault 1. Anastasia Savchenko (Russia) 4.46 2. Roberta Bruni (Italy) 4.26 3. Aleksandra Kiryashova (Russia) 4.11 Women’s Shot Put 1. Valerie Adams (New Zealand) 20.77 2. Cleopatra Borel (Trinidad and Tobago) 18.52 3. Evgeniia Kolodko (Russia) 17.81 Women’s Hammer Throw 1. Anita Wlodarczyk (Poland) 74.52 2. Tatyana Lysenko (Russia) 73.52 3. Kathrin Klaas (Germany) 72.36

Aleen Bailey

Ajoke Odusumo

Christophe Lemaitre

Phelps coach to help British swimming review

B

ob Bowman, the former coach of American swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, will offer his expertise in a review of the British swimming results at London 2012.

Team GB's swimmers won three medals - two bronzes and a silver - at the Olympics, half of their medal haul in Beijing, and emerged without an Olympic champion at the Aquatics Centre.

British Swimming may face a

funding cut after falling short of their target of 5-7 podium finishes, with only Rebecca Adlington and Michael Jamieson leaving London with medals.

The governing body announced last month that it planned to carry out a review in the wake of the "disappointing" set of results.

"Following our disappointment at not meeting our high expectations we'll undertake a thorough debrief," performance director Michael Scott said.

Bowman will join two-time German

Olympic medallist Thomas Lurz and Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea on the panel.

"We're sure he will make a massive contribution," said British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes of Bowman's involvement.

The panel will be chaired by independent member of the British Swimming Management Board Craig Hunter, with Scott completing the lineup. The results are expected to be released in October.

Dibaba to contest first ever Half Marathon

E

thiopian long distance ace and three-time Olympic gold medallist, Tirunesh Dibaba, will this Sunday take part in her first ever marathon championship- the Bupa Great North Run on September 16.

It will be her latest attempt at improving on her silver wares collection after her 10,000m victory in last month’s London Games, where edged her compatriots to clinch the Olympics gold medal.

Dibaba will make her debut over the distance from Newcastle to South Shields, where the elite field includes reigning Olympic and World Marathon champions Tikki Gelana and Edna Kiplagat.

Her appearance in the IAAF Gold Label Event is a clear indication that the 27-year-old Ethiopian, after a highly successful track and cross country career, now intends to switch her attention to road racing including a high profile marathon next spring.

Dibaba has limited experience of road racing, having mainly competed over only 5k in recent years, but in a Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia won rare outing at 15k in 2009 she set a the gold medal in the Women’s World record of 46:28 in Nijmegen.

10,000m Final on Day 7 of the Now Dibaba is taking the first step London 2012 Olympic Games at forward to emulating the Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 achievements of her cousin Derartu Tulu, CHANGE OF NAME who moved from the I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS SALISU track to road racing, USMAN, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND then proved her ADDRESSED AS SALISU ADAMU. ALL FORMER legendary status with DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. TAFAWA BALEWA wins including the LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL PUBLIC Tokyo, London and SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE. New York City Marathons.

CHANGE OF NAME Britain’s Jo Pavey I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS and Freya Murray, SHA’IABU ISAH, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND and Portugal’s Jessica ADDRESSED AS NURADDEEN MUHAMMAD. ALL Augusto, the 2009 FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ITAS/ Bupa Great North Run GADAU LOCAL EDU. AUTHORITY AND GENERAL winner in 2009, are PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE. also in the field.

Bloodied Manuel Charr

Charr’s handlers lodge protest

M

anuel Charr’s handlers have lodged a protest against the result of his fight against Vitali Klitschko.

The German heavyweight’s management said in Berlin on Tuesday they were protesting to the WBC on a technicality because the ring doctor treated Charr in Klitschko’s red corner, not Charr’s blue corner. The bout in Moscow was stopped in the fourth round when Charr, 27, was bleeding from a cut near his right eye. Klitschko therefore retained his WBC heavyweight title.

“The protest is motivated by a clear and indisputable violation. The official rules were given to both teams the day before the fight in a meeting,” said Pit Gleim, boss of Diamond Boy promotions, who manage Charr.

The protest has only a slim chance of being successful. Thomas Puetz, president of Germany’s Professional Boxers Federation, has already said there was no rule violation after the fight.

Charr, a Beirut-born former kickboxer, suffered the first defeat of his 22-fight career.

“I can’t sleep since Saturday night. My victory was stolen from me. We have to box again,” Charr wrote on his Facebook page.

After being knocked down in the second round, Charr was well beaten by the veteran champion.

PAGE 44

By Patrick Andrew “It is what I have been working towards for the last 10 years of my life. It means the world to me,” says Andy Murray

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

At last, Andy Murray wins a Grand Slam

N

o, not only Andy Murray but Britain that have waited for 76 years for this to happen. The Scotsman eventually realised a kingdom’s dream by winning a major grand slam after many years of nearmisses and great expectations.

The 25-year old finally ended his barren run at the fifth attempt, beating defending champion and w orld number two Djokovic 7-6 (12-10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 in a contest at Flushing Meadows that lasted almost five hours.

The last British man to win a Grand Slam title was Fred Perry, who won the US Open in 1936, 76 years ago. Ever since, a successor had been anticipated and Andy seemed the most likely replacement for Perry, who won eight majors, but had lost in his four previous Grand Slam finals.

Andy also lost in four.

This summer, it seems the jinx was at its cul de sac. Andy did Great Britain proud with a much-desired London Olympics gold medal in singles final only ast month. That perhaps, was the icing on the cake. The real duece was to come later.

Before then though, Andy had endeared himself to the wider British public with his emotional, outburst-alas pensive-after the loss to Roger Federer at the Wimbleddon final. That game was as pulsating as ever as he took Federer to a great length, fought gallantly and stood shoulder to shoulder to the World No 1 before graciously bowing out.

He wept and a sympathetic Britain wept alongside him. So did his fans across the globe.

Encomiums poured in, but he was barely consoled.

Back in January, when Andy stretched the rave of the moment Novak Djokovic to a five-hour tennis duel in the semi-final of the Austrialian Open, egged-on by the presence and savvy of his coach-the legendary Ivan Lendl, it became obvious that perhaps days for a grand slam conquest were not far off.

The style, gut, tenacity and renewed confidence in depth and serves rekindled the quest for a top mark performance in subsequent matches.

Then came the win against Federer at the Olympics. That win - a first against Federer in a best-of-five set encounter - provided renewed impetus for another tilt at a Grand Slam at the US Open in New York.

Andy’s nemesis, Rafael Nadal’s absence meant a huge bulwark was lifted off his path and only himself could have hindered his advancement to the final where the fate would clearly lie in his hands for a make or mar opportunity for a Grand Slam podium honours.

At last he did enjoy the long awaited podium klieg-light, the smiles, and positive raving headlines with the spoil of war tugged under his armpit.

“It is hard to explain. It has been a long, long journey to this point, so I don’t know if it is disbelief or whatever, but I am very, very happy on the inside. I’m sorry if I’m not showing it as you would like.”

He need not plead. He was emotional without being demonstrative, he was sagged from a tedious battle of wit, strength and nerves, and he conquered not just anybody but one of the greatest on the roll call of the game’s elitist club: Novak Djokovic.

Recall that Novak silenced Nadal six times in a year, dethroned him and then stopped the resurgence of former longest serving world number one Roger Federer, whose 336 weeks as the top notcher in the game has remained legendary.

His seemingly lack of emotional discharge may have arisen from first shock, disbelief and awe that what had hitherto been Herculean did not just crack up but fallen

Andy with crown like a pack of cards.

“I’ve been reminded of that (to end Britain’s lengthy wait for a male Grand Slam winner) most days of my life for the last few years. It’s great to have finally done it and I don’t need to get asked that anymore.”

And so rather than basked in the aura of the moment he just opted to take more than a cursory glance of the reaction of an eager nation.

“I think everyone is in a little bit of shock that it has happened. I’ve seen my mum after I’ve lost Slam finals and she has been really upset. Everyone’s really happy,” says Andy.

Looking back at how it all happened, he puts up a feel-good posture and relished the moment when speaking with the media he was quoted to have said.

“To come back in the next Grand Slam and to win it in a five-set match against Djokovic on a hard court - he hasn’t lost for a couple of years on a hard court in a Grand Slam - is unbelievable,” Andy said.

And of his major tonic for success at Flushing Meadows, Andy told the media.

“I’m very, very happy to come through.

If I had lost this one from two sets up, it would have been tough to take. I have worked hard all the time, even after the tough losses. I have had a fairly solid team around me as well for a long time,” he said in a deserved moment of chest thumping and exuberance.

Sir Alex Ferguson on Andy Murray’s US Open win “I’m really proud for the boy. That was a real test of a champion for me. I love watching tennis. It was more nervewracking than a Premier League match. I’m usually in control of my own situation but I wasn’t in control tonight.”

He also credited coach Ivan Lendl after teaming up with the former world number one and eight-time Grand Slam winner in January.

“Having Ivan Lendl around has definitely helped, not just me but the rest of the team as well, having someone of his experience, especially in these situations,” said Murray.

“He’s got his name on that trophy three times and made the final eight times in a row. It really helps having him around.”

Murray said he also hoped his win

“inspires some kids to play tennis” and “takes away the notion that British tennis players choke or don’t win”.

He also insisted British tennis was “in a good place right now” and praised the achievements of Laura Robson, with whom he won Olympic silver in the mixed doubles, and junior Liam Broady.

“Laura’s done very well, the Olympics was great for us and Liam Broady was in the final here in the juniors,” said Murray. “I hope it stays that way.”

Journey to US Open glory beat Alex Bogomolov Jr (Russia) 6-2 6-4 6-1

Round 1

beat Ivan Dodig (Croatia) 6-2 6-1 6-3

Round 2

beat Feliciano Lopez (Spain) 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) Round 3 beat Milos Raonic (Canada) 6-4 6-4 6-2

Round 4

beat Marin Cilic (Croatia) 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 6-0

Quarter-final

beat Tomas Berdych (Czech Rep) 5-7 6-2 6-1 7-6 (9-7)

Semi-final

beat Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 7-6 (12-10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2

Final

Murray's previous major finals 

Wimbledon 2012: lost to Roger Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4



Australian Open 2011: lost to Novak Djokovic 4-6 2-6 3-6



Australian Open 2010: lost to Roger Federer 3-6 4-6 6-7 (11-13)



US Open 2008: lost to Roger Federer 2-6 5-7 2-6

Andy after delivering the killer serves that ended Novak's dream and actualised his own

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 45

1

2

3

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I

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1/ Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has said that he puts the team's success over personal accolades following a disappointing trophy haul last season.

2/ McLaren will not impose team orders on Jenson Button in favour of Lewis Hamilton, despite Button's dwindling title hopes.

4

3/ Qualifying matches for the 2014 FIFA World Cup took place across, Asia, Europe, South America, as well as North, Central America and the Caribbean yesterday.

6

4/ Camelot will face a maximum of 10 rivals in the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday as he bids to win a historic Triple Crown.

5/ Andy Murray says his US Open victory is "what I have been working towards for the last 10 years of my life".

6/ South Africa preserve their 1-0 series lead over England as the second Twenty20 at Old Trafford is abandoned due to rain.

5

7/ Rory McIlroy insists that he is yet to decide whether he will opt to represent Britain or Ireland at the 2016 Olympics.

7

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

PAGE 47

FACTS

* Thomas Edison, light bulb inventor, was afraid of the dark. * During your lifetime, you'll eat about 60,000 pounds of food. That's the weight of about 6 elephants. * Some ribbon worms will eat themselves if they can't find any food. * The world's oldest piece of chewing gum is 9000 years old. * In space, astronauts cannot cry, because there is no gravity, so the tears can't flow. * About 3000 years ago, most Egyptians died by the time they were 30. * More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones. * Your ribs move about 5 million times a year, every time you breathe. .

Source: Weird facts

JOKE

The Faith Healer Two women were sitting in the doctor's waiting room comparing notes on their various disorders.

"I want a baby more than anything in the world," said the first, "But I guess it is impossible."

"I used to feel just the same way," said the second. "But then everything changed. That's why I'm here. I'm going to have a baby in three months."

"You must tell me what you did."

"I went to a faith healer."

"But I've tried that. My husband and I went to one for nearly a year and it didn't help a bit."

The other woman smiled and whispered, "Try going alone, next time, dearie."

PHOTO OF THE DAY A man hawking honey along Zadawa road, in Misau local govt area of Bauchi state.

Photo: NAN

Quick CrossWord (25) ACROSS Groundsmen (4-7) 8 Brought on (7) 9 Kilns for hops (5) 11 __ the Duck, TV puppet (3) 12 Detection devices (7) 13 Simultaneous discharge of artillery (5) 14 Detect (6) 16 Tart-tasting (6) 19 Mode of speech (5) 21 Voucher for a plane trip (3,4) 23 Word of assent (3) 24 Be a success (2,3) 25 Noticeable interim period (4,3) 26 As far as this is concerned (2,4,5)

DOWN 2 Attached item (3-2) 3 Evict (4,3) 4 Most senior in years (6) 5 Walks heavily (5) 6 __ up, produced hastily (7) 7 Becoming part of a liquid (10) 10 Fried sausage-meat and breadcrumb snacks (6,4) 15 Very fine floaty fabric (7) 17 Made from pottery (7) 18 Over the hill (4,2) 20 Gold, frankincense and __, gifts of the Magi (5) 22 Loafer (5)

Yesterday’s answer

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

. . . putting the people first

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

R/Madrid reject •95m bid for Ronaldo

U

nsettled Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has been informed by president Florentino Perez that he had a •20 MILLION-a-year offer to leave.

ABC says in that infamous September 1 meeting at the Santiago Bernabeu, Ronaldo was told by Perez and Vicepresident Jose Angel Sanchez that an unnamed club had made a •95 million offer for him and was willing to pay the former Manchester United star •20 million-a-year.

Perez would not name the club, though its suggested with the French and Russian markets still open at the time, PSG and Anzhi were the most likely suitors.

A day later, Ronaldo dropped his bombshell, admitting he was “sad” with his situation at Real.

Accordingly, this may have infuriated CR7 to act the way he acted by refusing to celebrate his goal and referring to the club matter as ‘unprofessional’ without actually giving details of what he meant and why.

Keeping mute though led to flurry of speculations with some boldly declaring that he needed more money while others thought he was angry for not being named the best player in Europe. That honour went to Andre Iniesta.

Now, though it seems Ronaldo may have wanted to take his services elsewhere even as Real Madrid insisted on tying him down and reminding him of the euros 20m that would have to be paid to Man United should he moved.

Results Cyprus 1 Iceland 0 Israel 0 Russia 4 Romania 3 Andorra 0 Georgia 0 Spain 1 Bulgaria 1 Armenia 0 Turkey 3 Estonia 0 Norway 2 Slovenia 1 B/Herz 4 Latvia 1 Slovakia 2 Liechtenstein 0 Serbia 6 Wales 1 Sweden 0 Kazakhstan 1 Germany 2 Austria 1 S/Marino 0 Montenegro 6 Hungary 1 Netherlands 4 Switzerland 2 Albania 0 Italy 1 Malta 0 Greece 2 Lithuania 0 N/Ireland 1 Luxembourg 1 Belgium 1 Croatia 1 Sweden 2 Kazkhastan 0 England 1 Ukraine 1

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QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE The honours award has lost its sense of honour; it is no longer given to people who have distinguished themselves in service to this country but those who serve only the current PDP government — Alhaji Balarabe Musa, on this year’s national honours list

Sorry, President, no perfect peace here D

ada J.P. Vaswani wrote that there is no perfect peace anywhere, even for the rich and the powerful. He cited many examples. Here are a few.

An Indian girl got a gift of a gold trinket.

She became so overwhelmed that she never had a good sleep thereafter. On almost every hour, she woke up to look at the trinket which she kept under her pillow, making sure that it was there.

A rich man had a security guard who was mostly inattentive. He was advised to test the guard with a gift. He gave this guard the kind of money that he never gave him. The guard remained awake and alert throughout.

Seeking power is like going to war. In the words of the American Gulf War hero (1990), General Norman Schwartzkopf, “if a soldier is obsessed with the fear of death, he needs not join up in the first place.” So is it with politics; if you don’t like being criticized by those you lead, why seek their votes in the first place?

I am trying to address the worry of our President, Dr. Jonathan Goodluck who complained recently that he was unhappy with public criticism. In Hausa, we say in ba ka son kuda, jefar da mangoron (if you don’t want flies, throw away the mango). At the conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA he cut a picture of a hurt and handicapped government going down a slippery slope without brakes. He told the conference that he was the world’s most criticized leader and that come 2013, he would become the most praised leader.

Taking off from there, his spins people have embarked upon loud utterances, trying to tell the people that the President can do no wrong.

Contrast this with another incident that happened. The President of the United States, George W. Bush had gone to the United Kingdom in 2003 to help Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister with public opinion, which had been very unfavorable towards the Iraq war. As the U.S. President was stepping out to 10 Downing Street, a man in the crowd aimed an egg at the President’s face, narrowly missing

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MUSINGS By

Garba Shehu garshehu@yahoo.co.in

President Goodluck Jonathan it. It broke on his chest. Bush responded to this incident at a press conference where he told reporters that “this is the beauty of our democracy. In other countries, that man would have been shot and killed on the spot.”

Again, compare our own case here. In the run-up to the 2011 Governorship election, a former Nigerian President, General Olusegun Obasanjo had gone to Owerri to shore-up the sagging fortunes of the then Governor, Ohakim who was much disliked by the people. As the two leaders drove past a crowd, a man aimed a sachet of water at President Obasanjo. The police went into overdrive and arrested those that they could catch in the vicinity. Prominent among those caught was Prince Eze Madumere, the present Chief of Staff, Government House, Owerri. They were kept in detention before being charged with attempted murder! Prince Eze became a free man only after his principal and now Governor, Rochas Okorocha was declared the victor in that election.

President Jonathan’s image has been taking a beating in the media and the credibility of his government has nosedived since his unilateral decision to withdraw the fuel subsidy and increase the

price of petrol in January this year.

From that time, there has come, in a quick succession, a plethora of scandals from the Stock Market to the oil industry. No one would blame the citizens for thinking that government in power in the last few years has only been looting and covering up anything that comes to the surface. The recent scams in the oil sector have projected the government in a very bad light. Most citizens of this unhappy country are enraged that tribalism and regional chauvinism, problems of the 60s are hibernating with their stripes and in their full colours because the political weather is supporting their growth.

I have read all sorts of Columnists and in particular Femi Adesina, The Sun and Olusegun Adeniyi, ThisDay as well as several newspaper editorials on the President’s outburst and they all seem to be saying one thing: The only effective answer to media criticism is to arrest the sense of drift that has enveloped the country; that there is no amount of self – righteous outrage that can change things for the better without the government setting itself to the task at hand of providing good governance and arresting this drift.

Government is wrong to allow its spin masters to open a war with the media on account of their siege mentality. They are equally wrong to insult the intelligence of bloggers. These guys are aware of the type of leadership and the policy paralysis that has gripped the country. The emperor is naked and this is clear to all except those who thrive in supersycophancy.

While it is true that the media intrude excessively into everything, disrespecting even the privacy of individuals, the remedy to this will take a long time to come

given the slow speed of international jurisprudence in catching up with the speed of the internet. Information now travels in myriad and mysterious ways through the newspapers, 24-hour TV and radio; the internet and the hand-held phone. And if anyone bothers to look around, they will see that other world leaders are equally being attacked by the social media through critical reviews. If you don’t agree with their comments, ignore them or if you can’t, give your rejoinder. As former South African President Thabo Mbeki observed, “the era of the internet is the biggest headache of leaders because the people have instant access to information.” The first principle of any democratic country is the tolerance of criticism. The government has a fiduciary responsibility to govern in the best national interest, not that of a region or tribe. The President, who is the butt of all criticism, is himself a public figure who must be accountable to the people. If he is being criticized, he should take it in a sportsmanly spirit and try to improve instead of shooting the messenger. He should govern with vision and put the country ahead of personal adherence to power at all cost.

As the other writers I mentioned earlier argued, this government should focus on the economy and the well-being of the citizens and not to worry about what is being written against it.

Let them work for the betterment of the country. The President must realize that respect is earned, not a thing to be begged for. You don’t demand to be praised. No, not in a country like Nigeria where citizens are not all sycophants. This country is blessed with many who have vision, courage and guts, and for which we should be grateful.

To stand before the public to complain that too much criticism is being made by the angry people of this unhappy country is as insulting as it is a reflection of the inferiority complex prevailing in the government system. Even with a Rhino skin, President Jonathan must absorb this reality of democracy. Leaders are fair game in this system that hold elected officials accountable to the people.

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos, Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 803 606 3308. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141