Peoples Daily Newspaper, Tuesday 13, August, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 11 No. 62

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Shawwal 6, 1434 AH

N150

Amnesty Int’l asks Lagos to stop forceful evictions >>Pg 3

EFCC grills, releases Saraki

By Lambert Tyem, Abuja and Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

T

Nigerian students jubilating after winning the 2013 Students for Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGA) World Cup on Sunday night in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday grilled immediate past governor of Kwara state, Dr. Bukola Saraki for several hours at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Peoples Daily findings at the EFCC revealed that Saraki, who now represents Kwara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, was questioned over, among others, allegations of misappropriation of funds during his tenure as governor of Kwara state.

Our findings showed further that the senator, who voluntary turned himself in at the anti-graft body’s office after returning from lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia, following an earlier invitation extended to him by the commission, may also have been questioned over his role in some transactions in the defunct Societe Generale Bank Nigeria (SGBN) Limited, where he served as executive director.

Contd. on Page 2

56 feared killed in Borno attacks

As Shekau claims victory over soldiers From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

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t least 56 persons were feared killed between Saturday and Sunday when suspected Boko Haram insurgents

Go to court, APC dares Jonathan >> Pg 3

carried out separate attacks in two local government areas of Borno state, residents of the affected areas told newsmen yesterday.

Several others who equally sustained gunshot injuries are being treated at the

University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), according to the locals who briefed newsmen in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

The insurgents who reportedly carried

Agency asks FAAN to review luggage charge >> Pg 10

assault rifles and other sophisticated weapons were said to have emerged in large numbers and attacked Ngom village in Mafa local government area as well as Contd. on Page 2

Police whisk pro-Amaechi PDP ofϐicials to Abuja >> Pg 3

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

News CONTENTS News Editorial Op.Ed

2-10 12 13

Letters 14 Opinion 15 Metro 16-18 Business 19-22 Stockwatch 23 S/Report Defence

24-25 27

Agric Feature

28-29 30

Curbing the menace of abandoned government vehicles, Page 4

Int’l

31-34

Strange World Digest Politics Newsxtra Sports Leisure Columnist

35 36

37-38 40 41-46 47 48

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56 feared killed in Borno attacks Contd. from Front Page Konduga town, the administrative headquarters of Konduga local government area.

Boko Haram gunmen had in the past launched attacks and killed villagers who they accused of being informants to security agencies and youth vigilante groups hunting insurgents.

Last month 45 people were killed in two separate villages in the state.

Our correspondent gathered that at Ngom village, a border town between Mafa and Konduga local government, insurgents invaded the village and killed12 people on Saturday night.

A member representing Konduga at the state House of Assembly, Ali Bukar Dalori, told newsmen at the Government House in Maiduguri that he received the news of attacks of members of his constituency with shock.

He said although he did not know the casualty figure, he was informed that many people lost their lives and some who were injured were taken to the UMTH for treatment.

According to him, “I was told that many people were killed and I will be going to the hospital to see the victims.

“I think the governor will be going there either today (yesterday) or tomorrow (today) to see for himself. But whatever it may be, many people were killed,” he said.

Reports revealed that the gunmen stormed a mosque in Konduga in the early hours of Sunday and fired sporadic shots at

worshippers who had just finished the morning prayers, killing 40 people.

Similarly, according to eyewitness accounts, four members of the youth volunteer group hunting for Boko Haram were also killed when they were ambushed by the insurgents.

An official at the UMTH confirmed to newsmen that 26 people were brought to the hospital and were receiving treatment from gunshot wounds.

Speaking on the multiple attacks and killings, Aisami Bukar, a resident of Malari said, “we saw gunmen in military and police uniforms at dawn with some vehicles and motorcycles and proceeded towards our village on the Maiduguri-Bama road, chanting ‘God is great’ in Arabic when the gunmen started to kill some of us here in this village, one by one, until 12 villagers were slain by slitting their throats.

“The following day at Mandarari village, a different set of Boko Haram gunmen also invaded and attacked the village in the early hours of Sunday, and killed eight more people while they were praying in two mosques at dawn before soldiers rushed to the village at about 8am,” the resident stressed.

On Ngom’s casualties, the source, also said, “I cannot tell you the details of the attacks but it was certain that gunmen in military and police uniforms attacked Ngom village, 20 kilometres, east of Maiduguri, the state capital.

“The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, before we

EFCC grills, releases Saraki Contd. from Front Page We learnt that a group of lawyers based in Kwara had petitioned the commission accusing Saraki of misappropriating millions of Naira rice project funds when he was governor, while some other citizens of the state had also petitioned the EFCC alleging that the senator had dipped his hands into huge sums that were meant for local government areas, while he held sway as the state’s chief executive.

One of our reporters learnt that Sarki, upon his return from Saudi Arabia, drove straight to the headquarters of the Commission in Wuse II, Abuja, and presented himself before interrogators at the agency.

When contacted, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujiaren, confirmed that the former governor was still being interrogated at the commission at about 6pm yesterday when he (Uwujiaren) he left the office, but could not say whether the senator would be asked to go home and return today.

But a source in the agency told our reporter late last night that the former Kwara governor had been

released on bail, but asked to return today for further interrogation.

Meanwhile, reacting to Senator Saraki’s interrogation yesterday by the EFCC, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Kwara state branch, Barrister Salman Jawondo, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, described the probe of the former governor “as a good development”.

He said the anti-graft agency should also probe the N100 million Saraki allegedly collects as pension from the current government every month, as well as N50 million running cost of his staff, which the senator is also alleged to be receiving from the present government in Kwara every month.

The former NBA boss also wants the EFCC to probe the former governor’s alleged involvement in Shoprite Mall construction, his lodging at the Alimi House, which was allegedly meant for the sitting governor.

Jawondo, who accused the senator of turning Kwara state into “his personal estate”, stressed that the Shonga Farm project should also be investigated by the EFCC.

were alerted on the village attacks and killings.

“On reaching the village, the gunmen had fled in their vehicles and motorcycles.

“But the village head told us that 12 of his people were killed by first tying their hands to the backs before they were killed by slitting their throats,” the source added.

A villager who fled to Maiduguri told newsmen at the Muna motor park yesterday that the Boko Haram members attacked the village for reprisal as they accused the people of Ngom of conniving with members of the Vigilance Youths Group (BVYG) to arrest their colleagues.

Meanwhile, the spiritual leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, yesterday claimed that his group has recorded several victories in its on-going battle with security forces.

Shekau, in a recorded video message sent to newsmen, also said the group was behind the series of recent bloody attacks and killings carried out in various parts of Borno and Yobe states “The military is lying to the world about the battle we had with them.

“They lied that they have killed our members but we are the ones that have killed the soldiers.

“You soldiers have claimed that you are powerful, that we have been defeated, that we are mad people but how can a mad man successfully coordinate recent attacks in Gamboru, in Malumfatori, slaughter people in Biu, kill in Gwoza and in Bama where soldiers fled under our heavy fire power.

“We have killed countless soldiers and we are going to kill

more.

“Our strength and firepower have surpassed that of Nigeria.

Nigeria is no longer a big deal as far as we are concerned.

“We can now comfortably confront the United States of America,” Shekau said in the video message.

He further said the group’s ‘crusade’ continuous and that nobody can stop them from pursuing the ‘course of God.’ The Boko Haram leader further called on the people to accept the ideologies of the sect and stop following or using the Nigerian Constitution.

As Shekau puts it, “we call on you all to repent and come to the path of Allah, forget about the Nigerian Constitution and accept Shariah.

“We totally reject socialism, communism, federalism or any system of government that contradicts Islamic legal code which is the supreme system that coordinates the entire lives of Muslims.

“So, it is never too late for you to repent and join us on the path of righteousness,” Shekau said.

He also warned the youth volunteer groups to stay away from hunting the insurgents, saying their actions amounted to total disobedience of the Almighty Allah.

He said, “you should not be misled by soldiers that you can confront us with mere weapons such as swords, knives, sticks and daggers among others, when even soldiers cannot quell our activities.

“So you should repent and follow our course or God will punish you on the Day of Judgment,” he claimed.

Flood displaces 575 persons in Kano, says NEMA From Edwin Olofu, Kano

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o fewer than 575 persons were displaced by last Friday’s flood in six local government areas of Kano state, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The NEMA North-West zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano yesterday.

According to him, “our officials have so far assessed six out of the 12 affected local government areas in the state and 575 persons were displaced in those areas.”

He listed the affected areas which are in Kano metropolis are as Nasarawa, Gwale, Tarauni, Kano Municipal, Fagge and Dala.

He noted that only one person lost his life while four others were declared missing.

He said the officials would forward their interim report to

NEMA headquarters in Abuja today before assessing the remaining six affected local government areas.

Ilallah who commended the Kano state government for its prompt response and gave assurance that the agency would soon come to the aid of the victims to alleviate their sufferings.

Gov. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 3

News

Go to court, APC dares Jonathan From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to go to court if he felt libeled by the description of his leadership as a ‘kindergarten presidency’ by the Interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande.

In a statement issued in Accra, Ghana, yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Chief Akande merely told the truth by his characterisation of Jonathan’s presidency, adding that, ‘‘isn’t truth a defence to libel?”

The statement also said there was nothing strange or wrong in

criticising a democratically-elected President.

APC said nothing confirmed Chief Akande’s assertion that Jonathan is running a kindergarten presidency than the crude manner it (Presidency) responded to the frank but constructive criticism by the APC national chairman.

“In the true character of this Presidency, its increasingly irreverent and undignified spokesman failed to respond to the issues raised by Chief Akande, instead chose to haul abuses at a man who is old enough to be his father.

“Such irresponsible act does no credit to the spokesman or the President he is serving and Nigerians will definitely not forget such crudity

in a hurry.

“Where is the Presidency’s response to Chief Akande’s assertion that he has written two letters to the President over the serious challenges facing the country without getting a response? “Where is the Presidency’s response to Chief Akande’s assertion that President Jonathan is witch-hunting political opponents? “These are the issues that Nigerians are interested in, not how many hours the President sleeps at night because he is supposedly working tirelessly.

“In any case, if indeed this President is working tirelessly, we need to ask who he is working for.

“This is because Nigerians are yet to feel the impact of his

administration. They are also not interested in the fact that the President once served as a deputy governor, governor and vice president because the experiences he supposedly garnered from doing so have not impacted positively on his duty as President.

“That is not a surprise considering that the president owes his meteoric rise in politics to luck and destiny.

“As the presidency was composing its empty response to the serious issues raised by our highlyrespected Chairman, the African Development Bank was saying in its annual report (African Economic Outlook), quoted by the local media on Sunday, that the proportion of

people (Nigerians) living below the national poverty line has worsened from 65.5 per cent in 1996 to 69.0 per cent in 2010, most of those years under the PDP and the last four, under President Jonathan.

“What therefore is there to celebrate in a presidency under which power generation has fallen to 2,500mw?

“What is there to celebrate in a presidency that has only given Nigerians widespread insecurity, unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure, oil theft and unbridled corruption.

“Of what use is the touted six per cent increase in the GDP when over 40 per cent of our youth are unemployed,?” the statement said.

Pipeline vandalisation: FG alleges sabotage

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L-R: Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba, Director General, State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Ita Ekpeyong, Chief Army Staff, Lt-General Azubuike Ihejirika, and Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Abubarkar Mohammed, after a security meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

Police whisk pro-Amaechi PDP officials to Abuja

By Lawrence Olaoye

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ivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday raised the alarm over perceived political intimidation of his loyalists in the state.

The governor, who spoke through his Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Seminitari, in Abuja yesterday said the recent ‘kidnap’ of Charles Ahamafule, Chairman, PDP in Omuma local government area and the Assistant Secretary of the Chief GodspowerAke-led Rivers PDP executive council and

their consequent detention at Kuje Prisons only reminded the people of the dark old days of military government.

Seminitari noted that the arrest of the Rivers state party chieftains and their planned arraignment on trump-up charge of sedition in an Abuja court today only goes to show what may be in stock for anyone or persons perceived to be against the President Goodluck Jonathanled Federal Government as 2015 approaches.

The Rivers state spokesperson said the party leaders were arrested

in Port Harcourt and bundled into Kuje Prison without letting them know their offences.

She said their lawyers were merely informed yesterday that they would be tried for sedition.

According to Seminitari, “those behind the intimidation of Governor Amaechi’s loyalists in the state only have the police but they do not have the people.

“They were arrested and taken to Kuje and we heard they wanted to be tried for sedition.

“To hear that anyone is talking about sedition at this age and time

only reminds us of the colonial era.

Even at that, sedition is a state and not federal offence,” she said.

While calling on Jonathan to urgently call the people stoking the fire of trouble in Rivers state to order, she expressed worry that development in the state has become scary.

The commissioner said that a serving minister in Jonathan’s cabinet recently threatened to make Rivers state ungovernable for Amaechi even as she described the political situation in the state as a “read my lips situation.”

Amnesty Int’l asks Lagos to stop forceful evictions From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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ens of thousands of Nigerians risk being made homeless as part of redevelopment plans in Lagos, said Amnesty International in a new report.

The rights group said 9,000 people have already been forced from their homes during the first

phase of the plans.

“The effects of February’s forced eviction have been devastating,” said Amnesty’s Oluwatosin Popoola.

Amnesty has published satellite images showing what it said was “a densely populated area’’ that was razed to the ground in February.

The group said it took the images to disprove claims by government

officials that the affected area was a rubbish dump.

Amnesty said residents were now sleeping in the open, at risk of disease and bandits, and that thousands of people have lost their livelihoods along with their homes.

The report calls on Lagos authorities to halt the forced evictions.

Critics say the wealth gap is widening as those forced from their homes can only dream of owning an apartment in the new developments that are replacing the city’s slums.

“We want the state government to remember that we are not animals,” Tunde Aworetam, a pastor in the affected community, is quoted as telling a press conference.

he Federal Government said yesterday that its efforts at providing stable electric power was being frustrated by by what it described as politically motivated sabotage arising from the vandalisation of gas pipelines and transformers.

Speaking at the end of a meeting of the joint Committee of the National Council of Privatisation (NCP) and the Board of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), government regretted that activities of the vandals have resulted in shortage of gas supplies to the power plants as well as a drop in electric power generation currently being experienced in many parts of the country.

Benue state governor, Gabriel Suswam and the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the joint meeting presided over by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo.

According to reports, vandals in one of the distribution companies (DISCOs) removed copper which does not cost up to N10,000 from one of the transformers, resulting in destruction that would gulp N27 million to fix and throwing over one million people into blackout.

Nebo attributed the high rate of vandalisation of gas pipelines and transformers to “a craze inspired by political moves aimed at discrediting the administration.

“The busting of gas pipelines and vandalisation of the pipelines that bring gas is sheer madness or may be essentially politically motivated just to cause damage to the entire country and to Nigerians.

“It is no news now that a couple of months ago the western axis of the gas pipeline leading to the power plants in the west were cannibalized, resulting in very severe damages that caused a sharp drop in power supply.

“That is since being addressed and the damages are being repaired.

“Unfortunately, a couple of weeks ago, the Akoloma plant in the Eastern axis was also vandalized and the damages are quiet extensive,” he said.

PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Page 4 Report

Curbing the menace of abandoned government vehicles

By Evelyn Okakwu

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any local, state and the Federal Government secretariats and agencies across the country are littered with abandoned vehicles in spite of the complaints of inadequate vehicles.

Motor vehicles are a prerequisite for efficient service delivery by public institutions. As we all know, the movement of materials and government personnel from one place to the other will not have been made easy without them. However, it seems that most of the government agencies do not see it that way.

This is because if many of those who visit or transact business with Federal or state government agencies take their time to observe happenings around the premises where that transaction is to be sealed, they will be amazed at the number of abandoned vehicles that litter the place. From local, state to Federal Government ministries and agencies, it is unusual not to see abandoned motor vehicles, some of which might have been there for ages.

A simple analysis is needed to fully understand the extent of this problem. There is a Federal Government secretariat, 36 state secretariats, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) secretariat and 774 local government secretariats.

That means there are 812 secretariats in Nigeria.

Again, on the average, the FG, all the 36 states and FCT administration have at least 10 ministries each, which translates to 380 ministries. The secretariats and ministries will amount to atotal of 1192 institutions.

In addition to the above, the Federal Government has 40 Universities; 21 Polytechnics; 15 Colleges of Agriculture and 9 Colleges of Health Technology.

These figures add up to 85. The state governments have 38 Universities, 13 Polytechnics, 19 Colleges of Agriculture and 40 Colleges of Health Technology. In other words, the 36 state governments in Nigeria have 110 institutions.

If one adds 1,192, 85 and 110 together, one will have 1,387 institutions.

Therefore, with an average of 2 abandoned vehicles per institution, there will be 2,774 abandoned vehicles across the Federal

and state institutions in the country.

In view of the vital role motor vehicles play in service delivery, it beats the imagination of wellmeaning Nigerians that government institutions can afford to have abandoned vehicles in their offices.

Therefore, if one considers the fact that governments across the three tiers are not able to meet some important needs of the citizenry due to inadequate motor vehicles, it then means some fundamental things are wrong with the manner government agencies manage those assets.

A staff of a local area council in the FCT, who did not want his name in print, attributed the phenomenon to three factors. “It is due to careless attitude, inadequate funding and management incompetence”.

The careless attitude relates to the general lackadaisical attitude displayed towards public assets; inadequate funding is a major factor because after the necessary documentation has been done for a faulty vehicle to be repaired, funds may not be approved, and that is why they believe that the management team in charge of the concerned government agency is not competent.

A close examination of the level of efficiency of some of the institutions owned by the three tiers of government that were visited by our reporter revealed that the local government official was right.

However, other respondents attributed the phenomenon to government’s accounting system.

“Government operates on a commitment basis, because once an asset is purchased it is written-off at the end of the fiscal year”, replied Leke Fakayode, an accountant. “But it is the responsibility of a designated department within the ministry to monitor the disposal of those vehicles”, he said.

The bureaucracy that goes with vehicle disposal is enough to dissuade any willing public official from doing the right thing.

Another official of one of the state Polytechnics, who spoke to our correspondent, attributed the problem to deceit.

“On most occasions, the state government gives us refurbished vehicles which break down few months into their usage”, he said.

The school authority that is already starved of funds cannot afford to repair them every time those vehicles are faulty.

Federal Governmentowned institutions

SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim are no exception.

Abandoned vehicles are regular sights in some of those institutions. An official of a prominent federal institution, who spoke to Peoples Daily, but preferred

anonymity, attributed the phenomenon to innovation.

“When vehicle manufacturers launch a new model, which is more efficient than the one presently in use in terms

Some abandoned vehicles in an Abuja government agency office

“

In view of the vital role motor vehicles play in service delivery, it beats the imagination of wellmeaning Nigerians that government institutions can afford to have abandoned vehicles in their offices.

of fuel consumption, ruggedness and comfort, the management will opt for the new model.” In other words, opting for the new model automatically translates to abandoning the old vehicle which may be there for as long as the situation permits.

A Kaduna-based sociologist, Alh. Zakari Buba, who spoke to our correspondent, said that abandoned vehicles phenomenon in government agencies is due to poor maintenance culture and abuse of government property.

“This trend is so common because government officials use them for unofficial duties and the lack maintenance culture”, he said.

The fact that this trend still continues now that there is a growing investment in metal scraps shows that it is either the public sector is stranded by the procedures leading to the disposal of abandoned vehicles or the public officials in charge are not competent enough.

Rather than leave those vehicles to constitute nuisance to their surroundings, public institutions are encouraged to embrace some or all of these suggestions. Firstly, the institutions concerned should look for ways to fast tract their repairs so as to enhance the productivity of their staff.

One of our respondents said that whenever their vehicles are faulty, they bear the transport fares as their employer will look the other way. The basic minimum wage of the Federal Government is N18, 000, and by tacitly asking them to bear the transport expenses through non-allocation of funds for repairs will further reduce their disposable income and thus impoverish them the more.

Another way to address this problem is to canvass for attitudinal change.

Furthermore, they can sell those abandoned vehicles as scrap metals to firms that will recycle them, that is, if they are faulty beyond repairs.

Government officials, at all levels, should see these properties as their own. Added to this is that Nigerians should improve on our maintenance culture, which for now is nothing to write home about. In addition, due diligence must be done to ensure that a department or section of any institution really needs a vehicle before any order is placed for it.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 5

News

Collapsed bridges: Senator donates N500,000 to communities From Umar Dankano, Yola

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he Senator representing Adamawa Northern Senatorial District Sen. Bindow Jibrilla has donated N500,000 to the people of Michika and Madagali Local Government areas in the state (Adamawa) over the collapse of a bridge linking the areas with other parts of the state.

Two weeks ago, a heavy down pour washed away a portion of the bridge linking the affected local governments with other parts of the state making it impossible for commuters to ply the road.

Addressing people of the areas who welcome him at the site of the affected bridge, Jibrilla expressed concern over the development and declared his personal donation of N500,000 to the youth group in the area that embarked on creating temporary alternative route for persons and light vehicle to pass.

Jibrilla said he had visited the Minister of Works and chairman of Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to inform them of the affected bridge which is on a federal road that also link the state to Borno and Chad Republic for urgent attention.

“Adamawa state government is also aware of your predicament and Governor Murtala Nyako has directed a construction company, A.G Vision, to do something about it”, Jibrilla said.

The senator used the opportunity to announce the approval of N4 billion contract for the completion of the abandoned Mubi—Maiha—Sorau road which would enhance business activities between the people of Adamawa North and neighboring Cameroon.

L-R: Borno state Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, Lagos state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, wife of Lagos state Governor, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola, during Governor Kashim‘s condolence visit to Governor Fashola over the death of his father, late Pa Ibrahim Ademola Bayo Fashola, on Sunday in Lagos.

Nasarawa set to host APC governors From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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he Chief Press Secretary to Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa state, Mallam Iliyasu Ali Yakubu said adequate preparation has been put in place to host the 11 governors belonging to the All Progressive Congress (APC), who are expected to attend the maiden meeting of the APC governors’ forum as from tomorrow.

Mallam Iliyasu who stated this

in a chat with some journalists in his office yesterday said conscious of the significance of the event; Governor Al-makura took it upon himself to supervise all the venues for the meeting, to make sure everything is in the right shape.

“His Excellency went round all the venues for the meeting this morning to ensure that everything is in place. Our level of preparation is one hundred percent”, the CPS assured.

He described the hosting of the maiden meeting of the gover-

Tertiary institutions benefit from TETFund's increased allocation, says Minister

By Maryam Garba Hassan

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inister of Education Prof.

Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i said tertiary institutions in the country are benefitting from increased allocation from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in addition to the normal budgetary provisions.

She said allocation to Universities increased from N303.14 million in 2010 to N595 million in 2012; Polytechnics from N216.56 million to N337 while that of Colleges of Education increased from N157.17 to N319 million.

The minister disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the meeting of the task teams for the 2013 mid-term review of the 4-year strategic plan for the development of the education sector.

She said over the past years, the budget for the Education sector has increased from N234.8

billion in 2010 to N426.5 billion in 2012 and that there has also been progressive increase in allocation to all sectors and institutions.

“At the Basic Education level, Intervention Funds for each state is expected to be N1 billion for 2013 and with States providing similar figure, there will be assured resources for the further development and rehabilitation of infrastructure across the sector”, the minister said.

She said, the 4 year strategic plan also identified four other issues that must be addressed in order to achieve these goals adding that, “the Task Teams for each of the Focal Areas which include Strengthening the Institutional Management of Education Teacher Education and Development, Technical and Vocational Education & Training (TVET) and Funding, Resource Mobilisation

and Utilisation, have had the responsibility of monitoring to enhance timely and efficient implementation of our Plan”.

She said the essence of the meeting is to collate the achievements of the sector over the past six months, critically discuss what it has done and not done and to chart the way forward.

According to her, it is as a result of the resolve to address all challenges facing the sector that the ministry is carrying out needs assessments of each area of the sector like the one done for the Federal Unity Schools and the recent one carried out for all public universities, which led to a presidential intervention to ensure that challenges identified are given due attention.

“As a result, N100 billion has been committed to this and the President has inaugurated an implementation Committee chaired

by Gov. Gabriel Suswan, of Benue state.”

nors of the APC as historic, stressing that the coming together of the governors of the newly registered APC in the state will open another vista in history of the country’s democracy.

“The APC is like a Tsunami that would sweep away anyone on its path, so when they agreed to meet here, it’s a great honour and a privilege”, he said.

The meeting, according to the Chief Press Secretary, would accord the governors the opportunity to consolidate on the recent

gains made by the successful registration of the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Iliyasu maintained that the meeting would not only serve as a platform for Governor Al-makura to endear himself to the top echelon of the party, but also open up the state to more opportunities.

The CPS urged the people of the state to reciprocate by according the August visitors warm reception and by ensuring that the meeting holds peacefully.

NUJ member’s death: Bereaved father wants govt to fast track insurance claims settlement From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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ereaved father of late Sola Owolabi, a Correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has urged Kwara State Government to fast track the settlement of his son's Life Assurance Policy entitlement.

The bereaved father, Chief Sam Owolabi in a statement issued at the weekend in Ilorin appreciated the concern of all, Journalists, State Government, friends and relative over the sudden death of his son.

The former Secretary of Kwara state NUJ and veteran journalists stated in his statement that the family had surrendered to the will of God over the loss of their son.

"I appealed to the Kwara state

Government to passionately put everything in place, to fast-track settlement of our son's Life Insurance Policy Entitlement, as earlier provided for, for the quintessential Governor Abdulfatah Ahmedled administration of Kwara state."

He commended Staff of NAN, both Abuja and Kwara state for their special prayer and support during grief period stressing that their sympathy had made them strong.

"We commended the Kwara State office of NAN, for organising a special prayer session for the late Sola and we thank all corporate organisation and individuals that commiserated with us, during the family's moment of grief", the statement said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 6

News

Groups advocate more investments in agriculture

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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ome non government agencies, Trust Africa, Oxfam and Civil Society Coalition for Poverty Eradication (CISCOPE) have called for increased public and private investment in agriculture, saying it will reduce youth migration.

In a statement signed by the programme coordinator, Peter Egurudi, the groups said migration is predominantly caused by unemployment, poverty and

unfavourable government policies, arguing that more investment in agriculture would help create more jobs for the youths.

The groups also regretted that the high level of unemployment in the country has affected the youths more than other strata of the population, adding that this accounts for high level of youth rural to urban migration in Nigeria and beyund.

They therefore suggested that to tackle youth migration in Nigeria, there is need to reposition the country

to the path of economic growth, wealth creation, industrialisation, job creation, pointing out that massive investment in agriculture by both private and public sectors remains the only way to attain this level of development.

“There is urgent need to invest in the agricultural sector in terms of quality and quantity in consonance with the Maputo Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security 2003 which urges member states to set aside a minimum of 10% of its national

budget to agriculture”, the statement said.

While observing that the Nigeria’s budgetary allocation to agriculture is still relatively poor compared to other African countries, the group also noted that it was only in 2008 that Nigeria met the minimum benchmark set by Maputo Declaration of 2003. “this is worrisome as Nigeria needs to commit about 23% of her annual budget for a period of ten years to be able to make the positive impact it deserves in the sector.”, the

groups said.

They added that for Nigeria to meet the vision 202020, agriculture requires to grow at an annual rate of ten percent in order for the economy to grow at an annual rate of eight percent, which is required to become one of the twenty largest economies by 2020.

At this point, the groups regretted that presently, annual agricultural growth rate has remained below per cent, which has stunted the GDP rate at below seven per cent.

MKO Abiola’s son wants June 12 declared as Nigerian Youth Day’

M

r Abdul Abiola, son of the Late Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 1993 Presidential Elections, on Monday urged the Federal Government to declare June 12 as `Nigerian Youth Day’.

Abiola said this at a rally in Lagos organised by the Nigerian Youth Leadership Group (NYLAG) to mark the World International Day of the Youth.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Aug. 12 was set aside by the United Nations to mark the World Youth Day. Speaking after the rally which terminated at the Governor’s Office,Alausa, Ikeja, Abiola said that the youth contributed so much to the electoral success of the late MKO Abiola. ``Nigeria needs to recognise its youths and give a special day to celebrate them. ``June 12 cannot be swept under the carpet and the youth who are the future of the nation will be encouraged more if such a special day as June 12 is set aside for them,’’ he said.

Abiola, however, explained that setting the June 12 date aside as the Youth Day did not mean that it should not be set aside as the Democracy Day. ``June 12 can be celebrated as Democracy and Youth Day and will not contradict anything,’’ he said.

The National Coordinator of NYLAG, Mr Onyekachi Eze said that June 12 should be declared a Youth Day to honour those who lost their lives especially the youth. ``Some African countries including Cameroun, Republic of Congo and South Africa, among others, have special dates to celebrate and discuss issues that are central to the existence of their youths. ``The Nigerian government is yet to set aside a date for its own youths.

Young people across the country are facing increasingly tough times. ``Setting aside a date as June 12 for the Nigerian youth will make a tremendous impact and make the young Nigerians more democratised,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the Youth Walk kicked off from the late MKO’s residence at Ikeja, through LTV 8 in Agidingbi to Alausa.

The youth numbering over 100 were chanting songs as they walked with banners and placards demanding that June 12 be named Nigerian Youth Day. (NAN)

L-R: Deputy Chairman, defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ekiti state, Chief Dele Falusi, Ekiti state Deputy Governor, Professor Modupe Adelabu, Special Adviser to Ekiti state Governor (Policy and Strategy), Mr. Biodun Omoleye, and Ekiti state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during the unveiling/hoisting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag, yesterday in Ado-Ekiti.

World Youth Day: FG inaugurates peace campaign project

By Albert Akota

A

s Nigeria joined the rest of the world to celebrate the world Youth Day, the Federal Government has commissioned selected youth across the nation on a peace campaign.

Inaugurating the youth on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday at the SGF hall, Federal Secretariat, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students Matters, Comrade Jude Imagwe, said the gesture was geared toward restoring peace in Nigeria.

He said the project which is

themed: ‘I Sign 4 Peace’, was formed in response to the need for action to bring peace and unity to the country.

He said the project was the first of its kind in the country to practically mobilise, and reorientate Nigerian youths towards the restoration and sustainability of peace.

“The president is committed to building a better Nigeria, but we cannot achieve this without peace.”

He said peace does not just come, but work for and earned which is why the I sign 4 peace initiatives is apt.

Giving his inaugural speech, the coordinator of the project, Comrade Charles Olufemi, said youth must

play their part to ensure the wellbeing of Nigerians and direct their energy to driving the country forward.

Olufemi said: “this goal of this initiativeistocurbinsecurityinthecountry by discussing Nigerian from belonging to anti-social groups on a sustainable basis.”

Adding that the project will aimed at reducing the potential of insurgency and youth restiveness in Nigeria and to extensively curtail face-off between community groups and multinational companies operating in their area.

He reviewed further that the vision of the initiative is to get Nigerians at all level sign into the project, adding that visit will be paid to all highly placed Nigerians across board to ensure that

they are committed to peace building in their community and the nation at large.

While youths from the local government level across the nation will be trained and re-oriented toward complimenting government’s efforts at achieving peace.

“Our dream is to achieve a Nigeria where citizens do the right thing without being forced, where information, exposure and education influences right orientation and positive attitudinal change of people, where energy of the youths are galvanized to drive the economy and political train of the country to the promise land in a harmonious society,” he said.

CBN governor turbans wife as Giwar Danmaje From Edwin Olofu, Kano

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, and Danmajen Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on Sunday installed his wife, Sadiya Lamido as Giwar Danmaje in a colourful ceremony to commemorate the silver jubilee of their wedlock.

Speaking during the investiture, Sanusi Lamido

Sanusi revealed that the woman in his life has been “a pillar of stability” on the home front, adding that “credit goes to this woman of blue blood that proved to be pillar of peace this entire period.

Lamido who is belived to be eyeing the prestigious seat of the emir of Kano, revealed during the turbanning ceremony that took place inside the family private

residence located at the Nassarawa GRA Danmaje said that “in Hausa, Giwa means elephant, but when applied metaphorically, it translate to strength and stability”.

The Kano born Prince who was full of praises for his heartthrob was quick to add that “even those who had known us briefly will attest to the fact that Sadiya is pillar of strength”.

He disclosed that “the decision

to confer this title on this woman of substance was a sign of gratitude for the positive role she has played in my life over the last twenty five years marriage.

The CBN governor explained that: “I married Sadiya 25 years ago during the silver jubilee of the revered Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero”, adding that “by next December it would be exactly 25 years of eventful wedlock.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 7

News

Zamfara youth urge govt to provide them with skills

Z

amfara state youths yesterday called on the three tiers of government to ensure that youths acquire skills for selfreliance, saying it is the only way to tackle security challenges across the country.

In a communique signed by the Committee Chairman, Comrade Nasiru Bello Lawal, the youths said they have vital roles to play in the development of the nation’s economy, and that governments should

involve the teeming unemployed youths in every program that is meant to alleviate poverty.

The communique stressed the need to educate youths on the importance of peace and how peace can grow our democracy, adding that “Government should provide policies and programs to support youths”.

In his remarks, former member of the House of Representatives from Gummi and Bukkuyum federal constitu-

ency, Sani Takori, who was also a guest speaker, attributed the security challenges in the country to the neglect of youths by the various tiers of government.

FG to recruit 500 science teachers in Kwara, says Commissioner to boost the teaching of science education in the country, the Federal Government will soon recruit more than 500 science teachers from Kwara.

The Commissioner for Edu-

cation and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Sakariya Onimago, disclosed this in IIorin on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that the ministry and the state Universal Basic Education Board had been collating the credentials of qualified science teachers who have the NCE for the recruitment exercise.

Onimago said that officials from the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja would soon

arrive in the state to carry out the exercise.

The commissioner also said that officials from his ministry had visited some schools in the state to ascertain schools in urgent need of science teachers.

He reiterated the commitment of the government to continuous recruitment of teachers, saying: “on quarterly basis, the ministry always examines the number of teachers who had retired from service in order to replace them.” (NAN)

Zamfara female civil servants to get 6 month maternity leave From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

T

he Zamfara state government has vowed to sponsor a bill in the state house of assembly to review the maternity leave of nursing mothers to allow them exclusively breastfed their newborn babies for a standard period of six months.

The state deputy governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala Muhammad, stated this through state Commissioner for health, Dr. Kabiru Ahmad Janyau to compliment the World Breastfeeding Advocacy which was organized by the MNCH coalition in collaboration with Save the Children International, saying the state government was disturbed about the outcome of a survey carried out by Save the Children International on the perceptions and practices of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers and other stakeholders particularly women workers across the north-west.

“Let me begin by responding to one of the critical challenges, that is about maternity leave for newborn

mothers, government is going to present a bill before the state house of assembly for the amendment of our current maternity leave, so as to make sure that, our mothers maintain skin – skin contact with their newborn babies with a view to increasing the practice of exclusive breastfeeding among women civil servants of the state”, the Deputy Governor said.

According to him, poor exclusive breastfeeding practice has been identified to be responsible for the death of many infants, most especially in developing countries, Nigeria inclusive, adding that “we will continue with the relentless campaigns by policy makers, NGOs and health workers aimed at encouraging nursing mothers to absolutely breastfeed their babies for a period of at least six months”.

Meanwhile, the state field manager of Save the Children International, Mr Taye Babrinsa, said the organization has so far treated over 12,000 [twelve thousand] malnourished children across its twenty [20] Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition centres [CMAM] within its one year operation in the state.

L-R: DIG Suleiman Fakai, Commissioner of Police, Budget, Police Headquarters, Mr. Abdul Iyaji, and DCP, Police Pension, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, during the capacity and human resources training for police pension desk officers, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Norway PM turns taxi driver to find out ‘what people really think’

N

orwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, revealed Sunday that he has gone undercover as a taxi driver for an afternoon, in a bid to find out voters’ real concerns.

“It’s important for me to hear what people really think. If there’s one place where people say what they think, it’s in the taxi,” he said in a video posted on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

The video was released while campaigning was in full swing for the September 9 general election, which Stoltenberg’s ruling centre-left coalition appears likely to lose, according to the latest opinion polls.

Stoltenberg wore an Oslo Taxi uniform -- complete with a badge – one afternoon in June and picked up passengers in a black Mercedes in the Norwegian

N550m rice theft: Lebanese, eight Nigerians await bail ruling

T

he Federal High Court on Monday in Abuja reserved Aug.15 for ruling in bail applications filed by a Lebanese national and eight Nigerians, charged for allegedly diverting bags of rice worth N550 million.

Justice Sylvester Chukwu reserved the date after the parties made submissions and counter submissions on the applications.

The Inspector-General of Police on Aug. 7 arraigned Bassam Abood, the Lebanese, as well as Kelechi Madukanya, Amadi Richard and Enyi Christopher, Godwin Edet, Samuel Abeh, Chiwendu Ekete, John Abbah

and Daniel Onuoha.

The accused allegedly conspired among themselves and obtained 5,055 bags valued at N550 million from Port Harcourt-based Cem Nig. Ltd between February and March.

They denied knowledge of the allegation as all of them earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge.

According to the charge, the accused persons are likely to serve up to three years in prison if found guilty, having contravened the provision of the advanced fee fraud and other frauds-related Act. Earlier, Mr. David Aliko, counsel

to Abood, Madukanya and Richard, led other defendants’ counsel to urge the court to grant their clients bail.

According to the counsel, the charge filed against the accused is “frivolous and unsubstantiated”.

They submitted that Cem Nig. Ltd, the nominal complainant could not link the applicants directly to the alleged missing goods.

Aliko and the other defendants’ counsel prayed the court to use its discretional powers to grant the accused persons a mitigated bail term, adding that “they are prepared to stand justice”.

The other defendants’ counsel, Clifford Eze, Vitalis Ero, Nwosu Nwosu and Maxwell Alaeto aligned themselves with Aliko’s affidavit in supporting their submissions.

However, Mr. Samuel Malu, counsel to the prosecution in his counter affidavit, prayed the court to discountenance the applications.

“My Lord, investigation has yet to be completed as one of the accused persons is still at large. My Lord, I vehemently oppose the bail applications because the applicants have the capacity to interfere with the pending investigation,” Malu said. (NAN)

capital.

A hidden camera fitted in the cab recorded reactions from the passengers, including one who remarked: “From this angle, you really look like the Prime Minister.”

An elderly woman who also recognised Stoltenberg urged him to do something about the salaries of corporate bosses, complaining that “they should not make millions like that.” From the backseat of the cab, voters discussed issues ranging from education to oil policy.

Beyond revelations from the clients, Stoltenberg himself had one to give away, admitting to a passenger that he had not driven in eight years.

“I think it is going rather well,” the young female passenger replied, adding: “At least I am alive.”

Another female passenger was less impressed after Stoltenberg suddenly slammed on the brakes.

“This driving is not exactly the best I have seen,” she said, laughing, adding: “I am not satisfied with this driving.” (AFP)

PAGE 8

Photo Splash

L-R: Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abubakar Kachalla, after the security meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Wife of the Central Bank Governor, Hajiya Sadiya Lamido Sanusi (middle), after her turbaning as Giwar Dan Majen Kano, on Sunday in Kano

P 3. L-R: Niger state Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, Sarkin Sudan of Kontagora, Alhaji Sa’idu Namaska, Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro, Emir of Suleja, Malam Awwal Ibrahim, Emir of Agaie, Alhaji Muhammadu Kudu Abubakar, during a Sallah homage by the traditional rulers to the governor, on Sunday at his residence in Minna.

L-R: Policy Coordinator, Economic, Social and Culture Rights Team (ESCR),Mrs. Malavika Vartak, Researcher, West Africa Team Amnesty International, Mr. Oluwatosin Popoola, Executive Director, Social and Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC), Mr. Felix Morka, Victims and Community Leader Badia East, Mrs. Bimbo Oshobe, and Staff Attorney SERAC, Mrs. Megan Chapman, displaying brochure during a press conference on 2013 mass forced eviction of persons from Oke-Ilu Eri and Ajeromi villages of Badia East, yesterday in Lagos. Photo: Olawale Rotimi

Drummers at the Emir of Bauchi’s palace during their Sallah homage, yesterday in Bauchi.

Photo: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 9

News

NOA seeks greater adaptation to climate change solutions

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

R-L: President Goodluck Jonathan, in a handshake with the Leader of Mara Group, Mr Ashish Thakkar, during the group’s visit to the President, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Foreign airlines: FAAN explains relocation of offices From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

T

he Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said the recent relocation of offices of foreign at the first floor of the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos is part of the ongoing facility reconstruction to expand the terminals across the country.

Peoples Daily had reported that the airport authority has issued a two week ultimatum last month to foreign carriers oper-

ating from the building to relocate their offices to the fourth and fifth floor of the terminal, temporarily to enable FAAN carry out its renovation exercises.

Mr. Dati Yakubu, the agency’s spokesperson disclosed yesterday that the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. George Uriesi held a meeting with relevant stakeholders affected by the relocation where he informed them about the need to relocate the affected airlines, long before the relocation exercise.

“The planned relocation of the airlines offices will pave way for the expansion of the E and D fingers at the terminals, to achieve a 25 % increment in the operational floor area. This will also help increase the number of check-in counters to 40 and the Immigration counters to 40.

At present, the airport has a total of 16 Immigration counters”, he told journalists in the statement.

According to him, arrangement has also been perfected to readjust the design philosophy

ASUU strike old fashioned, says KUT Alumni From Edwin Olofu, Kano

T

he Alumni Association of the Kano University of Technology said the industrial action embarked upon by university lecturers is no longer fashionable in Nigeria.

Addressing newsmen in Kano shortly after its maiden Annual General Meeting (AGM) that took place at the Murtala Muhammad Library, Kano, its Secretary, Fahad Ibrahim Danladi charged the striking university lecturer to be creative in fighting the course of education in Nigeria.

Fahad Ibrahim Danladi said embarking on industrial action to arm-twist the federal Government overtime, has not in any way yielded any positive result, more

especially now that downing of tools has become a bandwagon in resolving industrial distribute in Nigeria.

Fahad Ibrahim Danladi stressed that, “personally, I don’t subscribe to this whole concept of strike action that has been made notorious, it has not worked out anything and I don’t think it can help in solving the lingering problem of education in Nigeria”.

He said he was a victim of incessant strike action by ASUU, adding that he was forced to spend 6 years in the university, not on the bases of poor academic performances but on the strength of the industrial action by the teachers.

In his words, “I for one, I was supposed to spend only four years

as my basic academic year in the university, but for ASUU industrial actions, I have to spend two more years to graduate from the university”.

Danladi however shared the belief that ASUU is fighting a genuine course but was quick to add that, “our position is that there has to be alternative to downing of toll to help the teeming students”.

He said Nigerian students and their Parents are tired and added that the industrial actions of the ASUU has been detrimental to the nation’s educational sector and however urged the federal government to see to the quick resolution of the impasse to allow students resume lectures and other academic activities.

to accommodate more commercial offerings, so that both travelers and customers will be housed in a more comfortable environment.

Dati said: “the transformation of the aviation sector is an onerous task that must complete its full circle to deliver the best service and reposition the Nigerian aviation sector, in line with global standards.

“This is more so for a remodeling exercise of this magnitude which takes place without shutting down operations at the airport, which had suffered four decades of neglect”, he said.

he Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri has called for increased awareness on issues surrounding the changes in climate which he said, led to a new cycle of nature around the world.

A statement issued yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary of the Agency, Paul Odenyi, said Omeri made the call when the National Stakeholders Advisory Board of the Climate Change Network Nigeria, led by its chairman and African Union Advisor on Climate Change, Dr. Victor Fodeke paid him a courtesy visit.

The board is an advocacy group seeking for the adaptation of the fourth assessment report of the inter-governmental panel on climate change, which will turn the predictions of adversity into opportunity for the development of the environment.

According to the DG who was represented by the Director of Political and Civic Education in the Agency, Afam Anene; the drive towards adaptation to climate change must evolve as a mass action by most members of the population.

In his words: “The NOA is a foremost organization for the promotion of development in the cycle of nature. That is why just recently, the DG set up a climate change unit to drive the awareness campaign of the Agency for what is going on in the atmosphere.

He said the Agency has also launched the, "Do the right thing: avoid dirt and do the right thing: plant a tree campaign”, to sensitize people on the changes of nature in the environment.

Earlier, the leader of the team, Fodeke urged NOA to step up its communication tactics to ensure that new climatic situations do not result in calamities for Nigerians.

Eid-el Fitri: Nigerian Muslims in UK distribute N1.03m grains

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he Nigeria Muslim Forum (NMF) in the United Kingdom, (UK) has disbursed foodstuffs worth N1, 037, 500 as Zakatul-Fitri to the needy persons across 26 states in Nigeria.

The disbursement was made through their local representatives in the states, who purchased the grains and distributed them on the basis of need.

One of the representatives, Sister Rahma Abdulmajid who, through her local charity, Alhikmawal Husna shared rice to the needy in the satellite settlements

around Minna, Niger State on behalf of the forum, Ameer of the NMF, Malam Muhammad Sani Makarfi, thanked all those that contributed in cash and kind towards making the collection and disbursement of the foodstuff possible.

NMF UK is a charity organisation registered in the UK and funds its charitable activities through voluntary donations from individuals and groups, especially members.

Donations are solicited through membership fees, zakat, fundraisers and direct mosque collections.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 10

News

Court CPC calls for review of FAAN’s luggage charge rescues widow from Fashola’s agent

By Etuka Sunday

T

From Matthew Lagos

A

Aramunde-

Lagos High Court sitting at Ikeja has delivered a ruling stopping the department of AttorneyGeneral and Public Trustee (AG&PT) Lagos state, from meddling in the late Dejo Fasuyi’s estate.

In a landmark judgment delivered by Justice J.O. Oyewole, in suit no: ID/187M/2007, the court threw out the case brought against the deceased’s widow, Mrs. Oyeyisola Fasuyi, by the Lagos state government describing it as an abuse of court process.

The AG&PT had dragged Mrs. Fasuyi before the Honorable Court praying the court to take possession and administer all the assets constituting the estate of late Fasuyi and to hold, realize, manage and discharge lawful claims/debts accordingly and distribute the residue to the persons legally entitled.

On being served, Mrs. Fasuyi, through her Counsel, Mrs. Adaeze Balogun, responded in a counteraffidavit as well as a motion on notice dated May 22, 2012 wherein she sought as follows: An order of the court dismissing the suit on the ground that it amounts to a multiplicity of action and an abuse of court process or alternatively, an order staying proceedings in the suit pending the determination of the originating summons.

Arguing the application, Mrs. Balogun, relied on the various affidavits filed as well as the arguments in support.

In dismissing the suit, Justice Oyewole predicated his judgment on the argument proffered by the defendant’s counsel.

In an interview with our correspondent after the ruling, Mrs. Fasuyi, 40, praised Justice Oyewole’s Court describing the judgment as unfettered, undiluted and triumph of truth over falsehood noting that the ruling marks the end of greed and covetousness by public officers.

She said, “With the judgment today, we have seen the ignominy inherent in the act of greed and covetousness on the part of public officers.

“The unfettered and undiluted justice as dispensed today is a triumph of truth over falsehood.”

he Consumer Protection Council (CPC) yesterday called for the review of N2000 luggage charge for passengers recently put in place by the officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

CPC in a letter signed by its Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, drew the attention of FAAN to the consumer outcry due to the indiscriminate implementation of the luggage charge, urging it to

urgently review and take decisive steps to assuage the situation.

In a statement by its Deputy Director, Public Relations, Abiodun Obimuyiwa, CPC said it was sad “that while FAAN, as monitored in the media, is saying that the N2000 luggage charge was not imposed on all passengers but strictly on cargo agents, who use passenger planes to transport their cargo at the airport, passengers who are not cargo agents have complained about being indiscriminately charged for their checked-in luggage by FAAN officials.”

CPC however blamed the situation on “the seeming inexistence of proper guidelines that clearly differentiate a ‘cargo agent’ from an ordinary passenger,” therefore asked FAAN to review the implementation of the N2000 luggage charge, in order to clearly define and adequately sensitize the affected group, and at the same time put in place a seamless implementation framework that will not pose any problem to ordinary consumers of air transport services.”

While emphasizing that adherence to the principles of

transparent conduct was more crucial and inescapable when the service provider is a Government agency like FAAN, the Council observed that the aviation industry is global in nature, hence operators are obliged to synchronize their operations with the global best practices of transparency, consistency and predictability.

The Council urged FAAN to attend to the matter with utmost dispatch to put an end to the avoidable confusion in order to sustain the gains being made by the administration of Mr. President in the on-going transformation of the aviation sector.

Items recovered from suspected insurgents by security personnel, on Sunday night in Sokoto. Photo: NAN

RTEAN National Exco wades into Kaduna leadership crisis From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he National Leadership of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has waded into the leadership crisis rocking its Kaduna state chapter, saying that the former executive of the chapter remained expelled.

The National President of the association, Alhaji Musa Shehu Isiwele made this known when he received a mid-term report presented to him by a 15man caretaker committee of the

branch, seeking intervention of the National President in the recovery of the association’s office from “illegal leaders.”

Isiwele said the association will not tolerate miscreants and will ensure proper handing over of the office to the new executives in the state to enable them carry out their activities effectively.

According to him, RTEAN is a constituted authority and dealing with constituted authorities. “The issue in our Kaduna office is that new leaders have emerged and those who

have been expelled from the Association must give way to people who have the mandate to take over the mantle of leadership in the State.

“If they don’t comply, we will use the constituted authority to remove them from the office and reclaim the office for the legally recognized people to occupy.

“We cannot leave our office for miscreants. “This office will do everything at its disposal to reclaim the office for the proper leader to seat,” he said.

The National President who

was represented by the National Secretary General, Comrade Yusuf Ibrahim Adeniyi further disclosed that, arrangements are at top gear to key into the SURE-P program to procure vehicles for their branches.

He said, “As you are aware that on our assumption of office as new executive of the association, we obtained the SURE-P taxi for our members in Abuja. “We are trying to do same in other states of the federation most especially Kaduna and Kano.”

Bature, disclosed this at the NSCDC headquaters while briefing newsmen in Jos. He said aside the suspects, three vehicles, 86 jerry cans of diesel, two motorcycles and three drums of diesel were also recovered.

According to him, “through intelligence gathering and normal routine checking, our officers have arrested a team of pipeline

vandals.

“Though they are many, we were able to arrest five and the remaining now are at large.

“These are people sabotaging the bridging of petroleum products from Kaduna refinery to Jos deport.

“The neighboring villages have become a safe haven for pipeline vandals and have been the major problem we are facing

over vandalisation in the state but we are also working with Kaduna state Command in order to control the challenge.

Bature called on the people to avoid engaging in such criminal practices as government will not tolerate such act adding that more effort will be put in place to ensure safety of government property.

NSCDC nabs five pipeline vandals From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

T

he Plateau state Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested five suspected pipeline vandals, at Kaskadi qauters of Bassa local government area of the state.

The Commandant, Vincent

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 11

Money Sense

The amazing secrets of financial freedom

F

ollow the wealth formula and you will live the life of choice and freedom you’ve always dreamed about.

You don’t need hard work, to be the most talented guy, or even connections; you just need to know what rich people know. No matter who you are, or what is your current financial situation, you can become a wealthy man.

You only need to know three things to become a moneymaking machine. First, the source of your income is the key element in the wealth-building arena. Some sources will make you rich and others will keep you trapped in the rat race.

Second, you should have your expenses under control. Learning how to keep money is as important as knowing how to make it.

And finally, you should understand the difference between good and bad debt.

I will show you how understanding, and applying, each one of this principles will give you financial freedom.

The source of your income Here there are only three ways to earn money and they are: Trading your time for money: This is the worst source of money; if your money comes from this place, you are an employee or an auto-employee. You need to work to earn money. Many guys believe that just because they work for themselves, they are entrepreneurs. But, the truth is that most of them are only autoemployees.

Your time is a limited resource, you can only work a certain amount of hours a day, and if you stop working your income supply will

Money Tip: Hard Times and Desperate Measures

Nothing new to these following ideas except more persons are engaging in these short on cash money making ideas than ever before. Selling one’s blood have always been common but making clothes alterations or sewing clothes is always a quick way to bring in some extra income; needless to say, a little know-how of sewing is a great help. In addition, is there anyone that can knit, crotchet or make pot holders?

That will do for starters. Let friends at work, at church and mosque know about your skills and be sure to take samples along.

Quote A pat on the back is only a few vertebrae removed from a kick in the pants, but is miles ahead in results. -Ella Wheeler Wilcox

also stop. You will never become wealthy if your money comes from this source.

Using money to make money: This is a great alternative to earn some passive income. This source includes investing in stocks, bonds, gaining money through interests and dividends, royalties earned from investing in other people’s businesses.

With this approach, you don’t need to build anything; you just use your money to generate more money.

Creating money machines (businesses): Here you create businesses that will make money for you on autopilot.

Building multiple small streams of income is the best way to gain financial freedom.

But unless your multiple streams of income work on autopilot you won’t be able to build, and manage, a lot of them.

To gain financial freedom avoid earning money through active income, trading your time for money, and instead find passive income alternatives that will let you earn money while you sleep, using money to generate money, or creating money machines.

Keep your money It doesn’t matter how much you earn, if your expenses exceed your income you are on the road

to financial disaster. If you want to gain financial freedom you need to live below your means.

Your unavoidable expenses (rent, gas, energy, food, etc.) should not exceed 50% of your income.

You can use 30% of your income for you. Spend this money on anything you want, but no more.

Use the rest of the money, 20%, to save and invest.

Healthy debt vs. cancerous debt You should avoid debt at all costs. Debt is like a cancer that will kill your financial future, and your peace of mind. The only time you are allowed to acquire debt is if you are going to use the money to buy an asset. That means you are going to use the money to create a passive income vehicle.

Keep in mind that although

these principles are very simple they are also very effective. Learn to earn money through the right source, spend less than you earn, and only acquire debt if you are going to increase your net worth.

I promise you will become rich for sure.

Learn the secrets of the rich and live a life of choice and freedom beyond your wildest dreams.

Take risk; make N150,000 in one day - Three action items

T

here is one million ways to make N150, 000 in just one day. The problem most of us face every day is we choose not to do them. If you are reading this article, chances are, you do not have an annual salary of N360, 000.

Reality is, for most of us, making this kind of money is not going to happen from a day-to-day job. It will require some creative thinking.

The wealthy think outside of the box, take risks and have a plan. The key to long-term wealth is adopting these characteristics in our lives as action items.

If your goal is to make significant money tomorrow then, you must start thinking outside of the box today. Ask yourself, what can I do to make money tomorrow? I can think of some easy things to do very quickly. Have a junk sale. I defiantly have at least one hundred and fifty thousand naira worth of stuff which I do not use anymore. Invest money.

Investing money is the most efficient way to make money. What can you buy today for N1500 and sell tomorrow for N3000. The point is, anything you can do tomorrow other than go to work from nine to five is outside of the box.

The next action item is probably the most important. In order to do something outside of the box, you must willing be ready to take risks. The fastest way to make one hundred and fifty thousand naira may also be the fastest way to lose it.

I do not mean gambling when I say take risks. I am encouraging you to try something new. Try something you have never tried before. The trick is to take risks with your

time, effort and the least amount of overheard risk as possible. Be adventurous with your actions and ideas. Most of the time it will take money to make money however, it is possible to turn ten naira into twenty maybe thirty naira. Your success will certainly be a story of trial and error. So, do not be afraid to fail.

Once you have our idea and you are willing to take the risk then it is important to create a plan.

Taking the time to think about your next step and why, will always increase your probability of being successful. Start with then end goal first. Work backwards to create your plan, for example, if I wanted to make a quick grand by flipping a car. The goal is to sell a car for one hundred and fifty thousand naira profit. Getting a professional detail and a free inspection will probably help me sell the car but I will have to buy the car for a good price first. So my plan would be to find someone in a bad spot who needs to sell their car fast. Negotiate the deal in my favor. Take the vehicle to get an inspection. Have the car professionally detailed and looking good. Finally re-list the car and cash out.

The hardest part of the equation is actually implementing these three concepts into your daily life.

Thinking outside the box, taking a risk and creating a plan seem almost too easy. What makes it difficult is getting out of the daily routine and actually doing these very simple things.

Imagine doubling your money every week with no or little risk!

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

EDITORIAL

igerians woke up on July 26, 2013 to the sad news that Alhaji Alade Idowu Odunewu, popularly known as Allah De, had passed on. Allah De began his journalism career at the Daily Times as a reporter after his secondary education at the New Bethel College, Onitsha, Anambra state.

He subsequently secured a Federal Government scholarship to study journalism at the Regent Street Polytechnic, London, now University of Westminster.

He was a star journalism student in London, winning the Commonwealth New Statesman Prize for the best all-round student and also working for a number of British newspapers - a rare feat at the time and even now - before returning home. Between 1950 and 1956, the late Odunewu worked at the Daily Times as a reporter and subeditor. He left 1956 – 1957 to become the Managing Editor of the African Press Limited, Ibadan, publishers of the Nigerian Tribune.

Odunewu spent four years, between 1960 and 1964, as the Editor-in-Chief of the Allied Newspapers of Nigeria and then he left to become the Editor, Sunday Times in 1964.

The late Odunewu’s time as the editor of the most prestigious newspaper at the time has been described in

“

N

Adieu, Allah De!

He is said to have frowned at a situation whereby journalists have become business men and business men journalists many charitable adjectives by those who worked with him. He was also acknowledged as one of the founding fathers of Nigerian journalism who continued to support the industry many years after his retirement from active practice of the profession. He was the chairman of the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) and Chairman, Board of Trustees

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”

(BoT) of the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA).

Perhaps, one of the lasting legacies of the departed journalist is his “Allah De” column, which has been described by many as one of the best satires ever penned by a Nigerian journalist.

The late Nnamdi Azikiwe - himself a fine writer described the late Odunewu as the dean of Nigerian satirical writing.

But by the time he died, he represented a vanishing breed in a vanishing journalism world. It is said by those who were close to him that he could no longer make sense of the terrible fate that had overtaken his beloved profession and even his country. He is said to have frowned at a situation whereby journalists have become business men and business men journalists.

But all hope is not lost.

The greatest honour that can be done to this great patriot, this great journalist, is for all of us to take stock of what he stood for and retreat from our self destructing course.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

CHAIRMAN MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE DIRECTOR/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RUFA’I IBRAHIM MANAGING EDITOR ABDUL-AZEEZ ABDULLAHI

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALI M. ALI

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA

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EDITOR, WEEKEND HAMEED M. BELLO

HEAD, LAGOS BUREAU ADESOJI OYINLOLA

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 13

Opinion Nigeria: Between America and China

By Yushau A. Shuaib

A

t a time when Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan was visiting China and American President Barak Obama was rounding off his tour of selected African countries, excluding Nigeria, a new book on the economy “Emerging Africa: How the Global Economy’s last frontiers Can Prosper” was released. The book

by Kingsley Moghalu, a Deputy Governor at the Central Bank of Nigeria highlights major causes of African underdevelopment from what he called “failure to develop, articulate, internalise and propagandise a world view.”

When it comes to image-building, a national leader must rise up and project the dignity of his country as a nation to be reckoned with in global politics without being too overzealous or confrontational like late Muammar Ghaddafi of Libya, Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Roberts Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

Apart from the undisclosed politics behind the Chinese tour, President Jonathan, who led a multisectoral high-powered delegation comprising influential cabinet members, chieftains of industries, governors and politicians to the Asian superpower, also met and invited top executives of several Chinese conglomerates to initiate fresh investments in Nigeria.

At the end of the tour, Jonathan and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, presided over the signing of five agreements to boost financial, trade, economic,

technical and cultural relations that could expand Nigeria’s domestic manufacturing capacity.

The questions on many lips are whether Nigeria is now tilting more towards Asian tigers rather than its traditional allies in the west.

Moghalu’s book points out that the idea of socialism in Asia and capitalism in the West do not really matter as most countries practice different types of capitalism.

He noted that state capitalism is practiced in China; crony capitalism in Russia and to some extent, Nigeria; welfare capitalism in Europe and entrepreneurial capitalism is practiced in United States.

An African country like Nigeria the author insisted must develop its clear worldview based on fundamental understanding of globalisation that will enable it to identify and protect its interests.

He also warns African leaders against turning their countries to a destination of consumers of the products of globalisation. Nigeria as the most populous country in Africa is a strategic partner to both America and China who are recognised as military and economic superpowers. A recent report in The Guardian of London disclosed that “China’s GDP per capita was $9,100, whereas the US boasted a figure of $48,900. There is also an extreme contrast in the respective current account balance - the US has the world’s largest deficit burden, while China has the world’s greatest budget surplus Surprisingly while Nigeria is the fifth largest crude oil supplier to

USA, its crude export to China is lower, only 1% to 2% of Nigeria’s total crude exports. Meanwhile, Nigeria is the fourth largest trade partner and the second largest export market for China in Africa. In 2011 Nigerian farmers exported 1.1million metric ton of Cassava chips to China. The United States supports Nigeria’s national priorities, especially the national security. Apart from supporting the health sector in containing malaria, eradicating polio, and helping millions of Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS, through USAID, the American government has an agric-sector program called MARKETS, which supports farmers needing technical assistance to improve crop yield.

It is also committed to assisting Nigeria’s efforts to reform the

“

power generation and hydrocarbon sector.

On the other side, China’s wide range investment covers sectors such as petroleum, free trade zone, iron and steel, agriculture, manufacturing, pharmacy and mining. It has offered to establish three petroleum refineries in Bayelsa, Kogi and Lagos states and is committed other projects include: railway rehabilitation, power generation, telecommunications projects as well as the provision of houses in Nigeria. McCulley added that “Nigeria is a country blessed with both abundant human and natural resources, and the United States seeks partnership not dependency; we seek to build capacity not undermine local initiatives.”

The Chinese ambassador stated

Surprisingly while Nigeria is the fifth largest crude oil supplier to USA, its crude export to China is lower, only 1% to 2% of Nigeria’s total crude exports. Meanwhile, Nigeria is the fourth largest trade partner and the second largest export market for China in Africa. In 2011 Nigerian farmers exported 1.1million metric ton of Cassava chips to China. The United States supports Nigeria’s national priorities, especially the national security.

that “China has been an active player in economic globalization and integrated itself with the rest of the world with an open attitude, strengthened exchanges and cooperation. While America is deeply involved in democratic or political processes in many countries, China is more concern with business interests, especially in developing countries. As the second largest economy in the world with the foreign exchange reserve reaching US$ 3 trillion, China has enormous capacity to invest outside its shore. Its increasing investment in Africa is influenced by the reluctance of traditional economic partners such as US, Europe to invest in the continent due to their debt crises.

Nigeria should not only look towards the East or the West alone, it should also create an enabling environment to attract genuine investors devoid of diplomatic rhetoric and political grandstanding. It should also encourage more export of non-oil items from Nigeria, especially agriculture products.

The government should explore pragmatic means of turning Nigeria into a major manufacturing zone in Africa. As Moghalu recommends in his book, the major essentials should be infrastructure, power sector and education with certain conditions and appropriate economic policies to protect national resources and so that Nigeria or Africa is not the ‘last frontier’ for economic exploitations.

Yushau A. Shuaib via yashuaib@yahoo.com

Re: A word to Yarima and paedophiles in power (II)

By Abubakar M. S. Nagogo

S

haria, by its definition, is all encompassing as a complete way of life and for a Muslim to practice Islam as his complete way of life he must fully, and not half way, believe & comply with the entire provisions of Sharia Law according to its’ tenets. Allah says in the Holy Quran 45: 18 thus: “Then we put thee on the (right) path (Sharia) so follow thou that (way) and follow not the desires of those who know not” if the section can be taken to have specifically given us Right to Freedom of Religion, we are saying loud and clear that marriage is an important institution so much such that it alone takes half of a Muslim’s religion i.e. if a Muslim got married by following the guiding principles of the institution, he has fulfilled half of his Deen and the prophet said he should strive to complete the other half by rigorously performing other religious duties.

Mr Femi also quoted a member of Saudi Arabia’s highest religious body (though not verified) as saying that Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) marriage to a nineyear-old girl does not justify marrying minors today because circumstances have changed in the intervening 14 centuries.” To this

we say: Allah had sent us Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) to teach us the religion of Islam, And Allah says in Quran Chapter5 verse3 that He has completed the religion (Islam) for us, and has completed His bounties on us and has also chosen Islam as a religion for us.

In Islam, we only accept what a scholar says if it is in line with the teachings of the prophet and where the view of any scholar contradict that of the prophet we reject it in its’ entirety no matter how knowledgeable that scholar is, and that is also the reason why Islam is still in its’ pristine. The above position is because no matter how knowledgeable a person might be, we believe such person can make a mistake but the revelation of Allah has no mistake in it.

Assuming, without conceding, that what Mr Femi alleged to have been said by an Islamic scholar is true, what does the scholar mean by “the circumstances have changed in the intervening 14 centuries? Do Muslims of his time have different Islamic governing principles from the Muslims of the prophet’s life time? Or are we not just mere composition of bodies and souls like them? Where did we majorly differ to warrant this flagrant disrespect to Allah and His Prophet? Is it because of fear

of what the advocate of such evil, whom intend to systematically black-paint our beloved prophet by advocating what they are advocating, would describe us such as Islamic fanatics or extremists that we are supporting what we ought not to be supporting? Then we shall await Allah’s wrath here on earth or certainly in the hereafter!!!

In virtually almost all cases that involves religious struggle, especially one that concerns Islam, most of the media misrepresent facts and what people like Sen. Yarima stands for! The constitution as it is now did not say every girl must get married before the age of 18. Section 29 of the 1999 Constitution talks about the right of a Nigerian citizen of “full age” to renounce his/her Nigerian citizenship. “Full age,” for the purpose of that section, is defined as “18 years and above”, while Section 29 (4b) made an exception for married women where it provides that any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age. The purpose of this section is aimed at empowering women and making them to have right to do things on their own, because if a woman got married before the age of 18 she is no more a minor. And also if a girl of less than 18yrs with high sexual desire and physical

fitness wishes to get married in order not to commit illicit sexual intercourse she should, of course, be allowed do so in order to protect her chastity, and this is exactly what Sen. Yarima stands for. Or are you people saying that there are no women who even at the age of 18 not physically fit for sex and many others physically fit for it even far below that age? Then you must be asked to go back and conduct further research on the subject! If you people understand this, then why accusing Yarima? Are you people interested in disvirgining our Muslim young girls before they get married? Why are you people not interested in establishing laws that will mete out stiffer penalty to those who commit illicit sex with underage girls (below 18yrs)? Is adultery/fornication with underage encouraged but marrying them discouraged or even prohibited? Or is it just because the objection was raised by Yarima? Did Sen. Yarima said every girl must got married before 18yrs? What is the situation in the country now, is it every girl that is being being married before the age of 18yrs or is it because you want to taste our religion (Islam)?

Sen. Yarima want the constitution to remain as it is with regard to marriage and if such happened, how would it affect you that has not

affected you before now?

Our prophet did but he did not impose Khusisiyyah restriction on it which implies that anyone willing can do so. But we cannot take for our religion to make something lawful for us and someone somewhere declares same unlawful for us with the full force of law; that we can never take insha Allah!The institution of early marriage in Islam is not without wisdom and restriction. Those who are eager to outlaw it should go and learn from sound Islamic Scholars such wisdom and restrictions in order to respectfully avoid cajoling others’ religion ignorantly and out of their myopic understanding of same.

Our position is clear and it is that people should learn to tolerate one another’s religion without sniffing around with the aim of discrediting it. This is because whether we like it or not, Nigeria is a multi-religious society and there is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it.

The earlier we start learning how to live together peacefully, the better for us all.

Concluded Abubakar S.M Nagoggo is the Deputy Ameer (Deputy Coordinator), Muslim Corpers Association of Nigeria (MCAN), Abuja Municipal Area Council

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Opinion

Kaduna state govt’s lopsided political appointments

By Haruna Bature

K

aduna state is blessed with natural resources including waterways and arable land. The state is also blessed with educated people, politicians, Islamic and Christian scholars.

It is made up of three senatorial zones but unfortunately, appointments have tended to be lopsided, in favour of one particular zone.

For instance, the governor comes from Zaria which is zone one. Its only ministerial slot has gone to Kubau local government area in zone one too.

The National Organizing Secretary of the governing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) comes from Makarfi, also in zone one. The Chief of Staff to Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero comes from Zaria. The state secretary of the PDP comes from Zaria, The elected senator in the zone also comes from Makarfi.

All these political office holders, to mention just few, are from the same zone while Secretary to the State Government (SSG) comes from Giwa, and the Speaker of

the House of Assembly from Birnin Gwari in Zone Two while Zone Three has only the deputy governor and the state PDP Chairman.

Kaduna state has a population of about 6.4 million people out of which zones two and three have about 4.3 million.

This goes to show

“

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that zones two and three are much more populated than zone one.

Also, it may be recalled that zones two and three got the highest votes with which the late Sir Patrick Yakowa and Muktar Ramalan Yaro won election as governor and

We believe that in the interest of the state and the party, it is only fair to now shift the position of National Organizing Secretary of the PDP from Makarfi in zone one to another zone in order to correct the obvious imbalance that has been created. It is certainly not the people of Zaria, Makarfi, Giwa and Kubau only that voted for PDP in the last elections and they are not the only ones to vote for the PDP in the next elections in 2015.

deputy.

We believe that in the interest of the state and the party, it is only fair to now shift the position of National Organizing Secretary of the PDP from Makarfi in zone one to another zone in order to correct the obvious imbalance that has been created. It is certainly not the people of Zaria, Makarfi, Giwa and Kubau only that voted for PDP in the last elections and they are not the only ones to vote for the PDP in the next elections in 2015.

The opposition and generally people of Kaduna state are watching with great concern and misgivings the injustice that has been done. The Vice President has to do something fast in order to save the party from collapse in the state. There are certain people when they get to higher positions of authority they tend to forget those who helped them to climb to such positions and they call them all sorts of names. They only come back to base when they are looking for their votes again. We are waiting.

Haruna Bature wrote from KE 15, Jos Road, Kaduna.

2015: The win-win in Jonathan not running

By Ugochukwu Ogwuanyi

L

ast Monday, wisdom shouted from a hilltop in the North such that everyone would hear. But those who heard are dismissing it with a wave of the hand. Others who must react overlooked the wisdom. Those against what was spoken took this position because they were so blinded by one or all of these: their narrow-mindedness; their being very accustomed to acting in the same way that wisdom is asking them to correct; their being so obsessed with the cause wisdom is speaking against.

A former university professor and a doctor are involved. I believe there is wisdom in the recent utterance of Mohammed AbbaGana. Mark my words, wisdom did not permeate all he said but a substantial part of his postulation was clothed with wisdom. The other part that came bare was where he spoke like a member of PDP Board of Trustees that he is. But like they say it’s unwise to throw away a baby alongside the bathwater. So let’s focus on the baby, which is that the north presently needs at least four years to search for a suitable presidential material that could unify the region and that after producing nine of the country’s leaders, the North should give other sections of the country a break to produce the number one citizen as well.

But before Prof Ango Abdullahi and Dr Junaid Mohammed take me to the Golgotha, let me disclaim that the above is not my idea. It remains the idea of the man they had already taken to the cleaners.

Yet, wisdom rushing through that outlet continued, “Mind you, the

region has produced about eight or nine former heads of state of this country and it did not take away poverty from the North.” True talk!

You see, when wisdom speaks, it’s always incontrovertible. That’s why people who want to dispute wisdom hold unto trivialities instead of addressing issues raised by it. They, most times, attack the messenger not the message. This, we saw in the reaction of others to what wisdom said through AbbaGana who was a one-time FCT minister. The Secretary-General of Northern Elders Forum (NEF)Prof Ango Abdullahi and Dr Junaid Mohammed- a second Republic lawmaker dismissed the former minister as a politician who had always fraternized with the wrong political group for his personal interest, asking him to speak for himself and not the North.

For Prof Abdullahi, “AbbaGana is more of a businessman than a people-oriented leader from the North. Having failed to advance any reason why the north should wait for another four years (but he did) to enable Jonathan to run again, he should hide his

“

face in shame.” On his part, Dr Mohammed said, “Abba-Gana was one of the errand boys when we were in active politics and should not be taken seriously because he has no political clout even in Borno state. He does not really merit any response from right-thinking northerners.” Reading what these two elders said of the former FCT minister show how bigotry has affected their reasoning. Why should right-thinking northerners, nay, Nigerians not take him serious when he has suggested what can take us out of the woods. Let’s then ask, since they aren’t comfortable with what was said, which suitably qualified presidential material from the north has wide acceptance across the region at the moment?

This is because, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha from Taraba State who was with Abba-Gana when he was making the statement, dissociated northern minorities from the clamour for power to shift back to the north. Thus, not until the North produces a candidate with whom both the majority and minority will be well pleased, Abba-Gana’s words remains a

true counsel that is worthy of acceptance, not rejection.

We would have forgiven these two northern leaders if their reactions which came separately were immediate. But, they were not. It took over 48 hours in coming meaning they had ample time to find fault in the nub of Abba-Gana’s statement but they just couldn’t. Tell me, what error is there to find in the disclosure that the North has produced nine of our past leaders yet poverty remains very evident there? For what is wrong in the assertion that the North should spare another four years to be used in searching and grooming a presidential material with mass appeal that would better appreciate the demands of being a president and minister to the needs of our country? This is what I’m holding unto in all Abba-Gana said and I advise all Nigerians to treasure that as well. For, one of the prominent reasons our country is in this parlous state is because we’ve always had accidental leaders. People who, in their wildest imaginations, never

How I wish other zones will come to this understanding.

However, there are fears expressed by Abdullahi and Muhammed which to them is why the North can’t wait for another four years. They said that Jonathan lacks the capacity to move Nigeria forward after having failed to tackle the myriad of challenges confronting the nation. They maintained that another four years for Jonathan would push the country into the abyss.

thought of becoming presidents or heads of state. Some of them get into a reverie when they are told they will be the next ruler and by the time they come out of that state, their government has wandered off rudderless.

The way some politicians are going about 2015 makes one think there will be no 2019, 2023, 2027... That a section of the country did not produce the president in 2015 does not mean that same will elude it in 2023. I guess this is the understanding the Igbos have that is making them not so bothered about having one of theirs as president. For as far as there exists Nigeria, one day an Igbo man will be the president.

How I wish other zones will come to this understanding. However, there are fears expressed by Abdullahi and Muhammed which to them is why the North can’t wait for another four years. They said that Jonathan lacks the capacity to move Nigeria forward after having failed to tackle the myriad of challenges confronting the nation. They maintained that another four years for Jonathan would push the country into the abyss. While these fears are not out of place, we can still get around it, not by quarrelling with Abba-Gana, who left out this part as a PDP chieftain, but by throwing our support at other candidates in the race. What else would you have me say, since we should disqualify the North for not having a suitable candidate and Jonathan shouldn’t run so as not to dispatch the country into the abyss, let other candidates from other zones run.

Ugochukwu Ugwuanyi via ug.ugovester@gmail.com

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 15

Comment Rallying women for peace, empowerment

By Rogers Edor Ochela

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arring any unforeseen circumstances, the nation’s capital city of Abuja will play host to a sea of humanity in a mega rally scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 15, 2013. The rally, which is expected to take-off from the Old Parade Ground by 7a.m through designated routes in the FCT and to terminate at the Eagle Square, is the brain child of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in conjunction with the office of the First Lady of the Federation.

According to Mrs. Nkechi Mba, National President of NCWS, the mega rally with the theme, “Celebration of Nigerian Women for Peace and Empowerment’’ is being put together to celebrate the unprecedented empowerment of Nigerian women.

But beyond this, the forthcoming rally is expected to throw up once again, the fidelity or otherwise of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to the development of Nigerian women in line with the Beijing conference declaration which advocates for 35 percent affirmative action. The affirmative action seeks 35 per cent representation of women in appointments political and public offices. To realise this, the Federal Government set up the National Gender Policy to promote the attainment of this said target. Prior to the present civilian administration, previous military governments had several programmes in place to empower women. For instance, the government on June 13, 1985 signed and ratified the convention on the elimination of all forms of

discrimination against women.

At state level, various governors’ wives also initiated programmes targeted at the development and empowerment of women and the girl-child. It would be recalled that while campaigning for election in 2011 in Jos, Plateau state, President Goodluck Jonathan promised to uphold the 35 percent Affirmative Action Plan in his appointments if elected into office, a promise he has fulfilled by appointing about 14 women into the Federal Executive Cabinet, thereby achieving or even surpassing 32 per cent of the entire Cabinet, with many others leading in other sensitive institutions.

Only few months ago, Nigeria witnessed the emergence of the first woman Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Muktar Aloma, a development analysts averred, was a fallout of the current wind of change initiated by the first lady. Keying into her husband’s commitment to women empowerment, Dame Jonathan has been working assiduously through her pet project, Women for Change Initiative (W4CI), which

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was launched on the 15th October, 2010, to better the hitherto pathetic lots of Nigerian women and children. And boy, she has been succeeding against the grain of expectations of spoilsports who do not wish her well for reasons best known to them.

Little wonder, she has been recognized locally, nationally and internationally for her philanthropic works and political pragmatism, a development that led to the bestowal of “Beyond The Tears” International Humanitarian Award New York, USA in 2008 on her for her commendable role in the global fight against HIV/AIDS; the African Goodwill Ambassador Award (Los Angeles, USA, 2008) and the recipient of the “Wind of Change” Award from the South/ South Women’s Organization. It was perhaps the realization of her commendable efforts that ensured her emergence as the president of African First Ladies Peace Mission.

It is also necessary at this juncture to point out that her desire to empower women did not start from when she became

Nigeria’s First Lady. Far from it!

It all began when her husband served as governor of Bayelsa State from 2005 and 2007.

During this period, she founded many philanthropic and women empowerment programs, among which are the A-Aruere Reachout Foundation (AARF), which she set up to improve the status and earning capacity of Nigerian women and youths. The foundation already has its focus on supporting and assisting children with heartrelated problems.

No doubt, women have been described as an integral part of nation building; an important part necessary for sustainable development at all levels. As in other democracies of the world, successive governments in Nigeria have been engaged in the sustained campaign for greater and effective women participation in politics.

That a mega rally has been planned to celebrate women empowerment does not come to unbiased observers of the polity as a surprise, because over the years, the first lady has been unrelenting in her

Only few months ago, Nigeria witnessed the emergence of the first woman Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Muktar Aloma, a development analysts averred, was a fallout of the current wind of change initiated by the first lady. Keying into her husband’s commitment to women empowerment, Dame Jonathan has been working assiduously through her pet project, Women for Change Initiative (W4CI), which was launched on the 15th October, 2010, to better the hitherto pathetic lots of Nigerian women and children.

struggle to awaken and empower the woman folk as epitomized in various summits, programmes, enlightenment campaigns, sensitisations, including ensuring that women in politics in the country are accorded recognition constitutionally as relevant stakeholders in the Nigeria project.

As Nigerians wait expectantly for this mother of all rallies, which will include a Road Show/Rally and an Award Dinner scheduled to hold at 7p.m at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, the President of NCWS, Mrs. Mba has urged Nigerian women to come out “en-masse to celebrate and honour those who have demonstrated commitment to our cause as women.”

Those to be given award at the event include President Jonathan and some state governors who have done significantly well in empowering women and contributed to peace-enhancement.

The Carnival-like rally, which is expected to be graced by over 20,000 participants, is simply the icing on the cake of what the first lady and NCWS have been doing to ensure that women take their rightful position in the scheme of things in Nigeria, economically, socially and politically. Come to think of it, Dame Patience Jonathan, a mobilize, practical and honest person with high leadership qualities unarguably towers above her contemporaries in her contributions to uplifting Nigerian women folk/children from their tears-inducing position that has hitherto consigned them to the bottom of the ladder.

Rogers Ochela can be reached via edorochela@ yahoo.co.nz

As another confab on deregulation of downstream oil sector kicks off

By Paul T. Lyam

O

n August, 12-14, 2013, the Niger state government will host to a national conference on: ‘’Deregulation of the Downstream Sector and Development”, which is being organised by the National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) in collaboration with the federal Ministry of Finance. This conference is coming at a time when the entire petroleum industry is mired in imprudence and mindboggling scandals. At least, it will offer a platform for analysts, industry players and stakeholders to put the whole she-bang of the oil sector in perspective. This is going to be with a view to mapping out strategies for enduring and sustainable deregulation of the downstream sector.

It has been quite unhelpful that Nigeria has not fully developed the downstream oil sector, and so it is unable to appreciate the full range of its benefits. To be sure, the downstream oil sector is of the three components of the oil and gas industry which consists of the refining of petroleum crude oil and the processing and purifying of raw natural gas as well as the marketing and distribution of

products derived from crude oil and natural gas. Some of the products derivable from this process are gasoline or petrol, kerosene, jet fuel, diesel oil, heating oil, fuel oil, lubricants, waxes, asphalt, natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as well as other petrochemicals.

Over the years, Nigeria has relied on only the gasoline or petrol thereby generating more than 70% of its revenue from it. Because of the huge return on the export of petrol other by-products of the crude oil are hardly emphasised.

Even then the refining, marketing and pricing of the Golden Fleece, the petrol, has not been wholly without hiccups and under-ground dealings which almost crippled the

“

industry.

At some point the three multipurpose refineries in the country stopped working thereby forcing the country to rely on independent marketers. Similarly, because of the high level corruption in the industry, the over $50bn the country makes annually from oil export hardly makes for any concrete development and the upliftment of the social condition of the citizenry. At some point it does look like the Golden Fleece is a resource curse because of the medley of social-economic and political crisis it engenders.

The sorry social condition of the citizenry is such that the multitude lives on less than $1 a day, despite the vast natural resources, oil and

Deregulation is expected to hone in the investors into the industry so as to increase competition, promote high productivity and, in the main, lower prices over time. Similarly, deregulation will lead to prudent use of scarce economic resources which will be determined by profit forecast.

gas particularly, that the country is endowed with.

Nonetheless, successive governments in Nigeria have made attempts to reorganise the oil and gas industry, sometimes with confused outcomes. For instance, in 2003 the federal government adopted a multitrack approach to deregulate the downstream oil sector.

This is with a view to removing government control (or scale it down to supervisory oversight) on petroleum products, prices, restrictions on establishment and operations including refining, jetties and depots, allowing private sector operators to engage in the exportation and importation of petroleum products based principally on market forces of demand and supply.

Deregulation is expected to hone in the investors into the industry so as to increase competition, promote high productivity and, in the main, lower prices over time.

Similarly, deregulation will lead to prudent use of scarce economic resources which will be determined by profit forecast. Ultimately, the citizenry are expected to gain from these measures similar to what now obtains in the Telecommunications industry. Most importantly, deregulation will further reduce

economic waste and mitigate social burdens arising from government strict regulations. This means that the era of fuel scarcity will end and products will be made available on demand.

Globally, deregulation has been embraced in the oil and gas industry by countries for instance, countries like Canada, USA, Peru, Pakistan, Venezuela, Argentina to mention a few have adopted deregulation successfully.

Unfortunately, in Nigeria deregulation is always linked to pricing alone which is why it often attracts scepticism from the general public. Although, appropriate pricing is a major component of the deregulation, pricing itself is a stimulant to product availability and quality control. Thus, independent marketers are given the leeway to determine the price of the product based on demand by the consumers.

Hopefully, this conference will help to clarify some of the knotty issues bordering on deregulation as it seeks to place it on the borderline of development after this conference, Nigerians are expected to be educated and brought to appreciate the usually denting task of deregulation.

Paul T. Lyam via paultlyam @yahoo.com

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 16

Mass literacy: FCTA tasks facilitators on commitment

By Adeola Tukuru

S

The victorious members of the Debating Team at the 10th Anniversary and Speech and Prize Giving Day celebration of Parliament International School, Apo in Abuja last Saturday.

Photo: Miriam Humbe

Monarch advocates additional senatorial seats for FCT E mir of Wako, Kwali Area Council, FCT, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman on yesterday called for additional senatorial and Federal Constituency seats in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Usman told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the numbers of seats given to FCT were not commensurable to the population of the territory.

He said while states had three senators each and many House of Assembly members, the FCT had only a senator and two members of the House of Representatives, making their impact insignificant to the inhabitants. ``We are not saying that Sen. Philip Aduda, is not doing well, but giving our enormous demographic

endowment in the FCT, he is definitely overwhelmed as a single senator. ``Therefore, it is natural that his impact as people’s representatives will be limited. ``It is a common knowledge that each of the 36 state has three senators and we have just one, it is also a matter of fact that he will be speaking with a lone voice in the mist of 109 senators. ``Again, all the states have a minimum of five House of Representative members, while we have only two. ``It is pertinent that the challenge of providing incentives to the constituents is limited giving the numerical strength of the constituents, especially that there

is no mayor in the FCT,’’ he said.

The monarch also called on the Senate to reconsider the issue of mayor in the ongoing constitutional review, noting that the status of mayor would enhance grassroots access to good governance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate had rejected a proposal to grant the FCT a mayoral status in the ongoing constitution review.

Usman stressed the need to grant the mayoral status as the structure would reduce a lot of administrative problems faced by the office of the minister.

He, however, commended the FCT Minister, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, for carrying the

indigenes along, especial in the new land policy.

The land policy, he said, compel users of the FCT lands to develop infrastructures that would benefited by the indigenes.

He also commended the minister for instituting a panel to address some of the problems faced by various chiefdoms. ``It is worth a commendation for Balla Mohammed, whose administration is giving indigenes a sense of belonging, especially in the new land policy of `land swap’. ``I also want to commend him for stepping into the FCT traditional council affairs with a view to addressing some of the problems faced by the chiefdoms within in the territory.’’ (NAN)

ecretary for Education, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Alhaji Kabir Usman, yesterday called for commitment to duty among mass literacy facilitators in FCT. Usman stated this in Gwagwalada at the opening ceremony of a 6-day training workshop on adult and youth literacy revitalization workshop organized for mass literacy facilitators in FCT. The secretary represented

by Mrs Naomi Biki, Director of Administration and Finance, Education Secretariat, FCTA said the workshop was imperative in view of the need to sharpen the knowledge of facilitators. ``The facilitators being trained in this workshop is expected to have full grasp of the psychology of the adult learner to enable them transmit knowledge appropriately. ``The FCT administration has put in place a performance evaluation instrument to ensure that only qualified facilitators are maintained in FCT adult centres. ``The onus therefore lies on you facilitators to ensure that you put in your best towards meeting the acceptable minimum standard of performance or you exit yourself from the system,” he said.

In his remark, Alhaji Musa Makasua, Director, FCT Agency for Mass Education had commended UNESCO through the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education for packaging the workshop.

He said the agency had 895 parttime and permanent facilitators in the six Area Councils of the FCT adding that 111 participants were to be trained in the workshop.

In a related development, Mrs Emcy Hamman, Director, FCT Scholarship Board called for improved allowances for facilitators to enhance quality service delivery.

She commended government over it efforts in strengthening the non-formal educational sector adding that the sector had long been relegated.

NGO urges stakeholders to promote indigenous languages among teenagers

A

nongovernmental organization (NGO) in the FCT, has called on relevant stakeholders to join hands in promoting the country’s indigenous languages among teenagers.

The Chairperson of the group, Mrs Ijeoma Idika-Chima told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja that encouraging teenagers to speak indigenous languages would support their

socio-cultural development.

She said, to encourage them, the foundation would soon organise language learning programme in Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa, for teenagers. ``The Teenz Global Foundation, as part of drive to contribute to the development of Nigeria, recognises the pressing need to promote indigenous languages among teenagers. ``The foundation will on Aug.

17, organised the 2013 conference on promoting education, character and culture among Nigerian teens. ``It is, therefore, necessary to teach, re-orientate and sensitise the teens to learning and speaking of the mother tongue. ``This will help promote unity, love and harmony among inter-cultural groups in the country,’’ she said.

According to the chairperson,

most teenagers have lost their cultural orientation to Westernisation as a result of technology.

She said that they believed that speaking of the indigenous language was archaic and not in line with modern technology.

She said, ``Due to what the technology age has offered, the teenagers feel that upholding moral values and speaking indigenous languages was archaic

to them. ``It is necessary to reorientate and sensitise the teenagers to know that these indigenous language, as well as moral values will mould them for the future.’’

She called on parents, teachers and relevant stakeholders to contribute to the efforts to ensure the teaching of indigenous languages among teenagers.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 17

Metro

FCT transport Policy: Residents continue to wail over insufficient buses

Stranded passengers at Apo roundabout in Abuja, recently .

By Usman Shu’aibu

O

n June 3rd, 2013, the Federal capital territory (FCT) administration introduced government’s transit buses, called the urban mass or BRT bus services, as a means of making up for the vacuum created by the forceful eviction of the buses hitherto used by Araba operators.

But residents are still narrate ugly experiences and hardship in accessing the government assisted mass buses.

The obviously inadequate number of the buses has, more or less, caused untold hardship to the people living in the FCT and thus made the presence of this otherwise expectedly noble gesture of the Minister appear to be something of a punishment than a source of support for the people.

While some of these residents say the buses are not enough, others accuse the drivers of using the situation to their selfish interest.

Over 20,000 drivers and conductors, who also attracted touts that called themselves union members all over the FCT, suddenly disappeared from the streets of Abuja before one could spell the name of Jack Robinson.

However, the issue may not just

be on their sudden disappearance, because for some weeks before their final disappearance, they had tried to fight back, by throwing stones and other missiles on the long buses the urban mass owned by the FCT Administration who now ply all the roads to and from the satellites towns like Kubwa, Nyanya, Gwagwalada, Karu, Karmo, Bwari and Dutse, to mention but a few.

One of the other contending issues is how their so-called union members, who used to collect dues through their “Agbero’s” (or touts) could not present their matter from a legal perspective.

The FCT Administration did not seem to take into consideration the financial plight of these drivers and conductors; that most of the affected road transporters are the bread-winners of their families catering for both their immediate and extended ones.

At the same time, sending these people to the labour market is like keeping someone on a destiny’s bus stop for a bus that would never come. It was learnt that the taxi drivers would soon join their bus counterparts; many say that if or when that happens, it will add to the already created hardship on commuters in the FCT and increase the level of crime in the suburbs.

Photo: Mahmud Isa The irony of this policy is not just on the bus owners, their drivers or conductors alone but also on the passengers who patronise both the Araba buses and BRTs. Some of the commuters who spoke to Peoples Daily, mainly in Kubwa area are not benefitting in this new scheme. According to some of them, they are only ‘suffering but smiling’.

A resident in Kubwa, Miss Chinyere Ekeh, who is also a trader at the popular El-Rufai bus stop in Phase 2, site 2 Kubwa, said that these buses lack efficiency, and that most times, they keep passengers stranded, hopeless and more importantly, late to work.

According to her, people come to the bus stop from 7am and may wait till 9am or even 10am before the buses arrive. “Sometimes, those who may not wait, end up paying between N150 to N200 to private car owners or go back home if they cannot foot the bill for going out that day”, she stated.

She was emphatic that Monday 1st July was more than a punishment to workers because the buses never came until afternoon.

She also blamed the government for not providing enough buses before implementing their policy.

Ekeh believed that if this situation continues, in the next two years, people may start thinking of taking

to any other means of survival.

Also, Miss Onah Anayor, a civil servant who lives in Byazhin, Kubwa, said it had not been easy for them. According to her, the banned buses, before now, take them from Byazhin to Wuse market where they work, but that these days, they pay more, sometimes up to N500 to and from their homes.

She pleaded that if the government considers having a bus stop around Byazhin, it may go a long way in helping them. Madam Oge Emenike, a public servant said the problem of the long buses is time wastage and that they should adjust and also make these buses available. Mr. Mohammed Sani, who introduced himself as Suyaseller near El-Rufai bus stop said “these buses no de come when people want them; them dey come market when they like”.

Mr. Mike Okenwa, an educationist and social commentator said that Abuja is a model city in Africa and one of the fastest growing city in the world, which has hosted many African and world conferences conveniently, because of its world-class facilities.

Okenwa stated that it is the pride of Nigerians and her leaders.

However, according to him, one of the deforming aspects of the great city is its transportation system, which seems to be not well-planned

and organized before the influx of people and the movement of seat of power from Lagos, which could best be exemplified as putting a dirty and tattered rag on a beautiful bride.

The banning of commercial motorcyclists (Okada), commercial Buses and taxis may in turn result to increase crime level or could make people think that this action policy is a testimony that Abuja is not for the poor.

In defense to all these however, two members of staff of the Abuja Urban Mass Transport company, Mr. Olaleye Emmanuel and Miss Tosin Adewale claimed that some of the passengers were not fair in their comments. And in trying to put their record straight, they said that Kubwa alone has eighteen buses, which include eight BRT buses and ten Urban Mass ones. Also, they claimed that they resumed duty at 6am and closed at 10pm daily.

According to them, all their drivers and conductors are all customerfriendly.

It may be right, at this juncture, to acquaint the Minister of transport with the urgent and quite necessary need to remember the plight of the poor people living in Abuja and make cogent efforts towards implementing policies necessary for the development of FCT transport sector.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 18

Metro

INSIDE FCT COURTS

Fake visa agent arraigned for alleged criminal breach of trust

T

he police on Monday arraigned one Alexander Victor, 38, in an Abuja Grade 2 Area Court, Kado, for alleged criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The Police Prosecutor, Inps.

Christopher Roko, told the court that on July 5, two brothers, Okechukwu and Uzoma Madukwe,

of NAFADA Street, Kubwa, Abuja, reported the matter to the Utako police station.

He said that the complainants told the police that sometime in March, they entrusted the sum of N700, 000 to the accused to process a student’s visa for them to Malawi.

Roko said the accused, who

collected the money, claimed to be an agent of the High Commission of Malawi.

After collecting the money, he said, the accused failed to process the visa, claiming that he gave the money to another one Mr Smile of Deo- Gratias Plaza, suite 101, Utako District, Abuja.

He said that during police

investigation, Roko confessed to the offence and wrote an undertaking to refund the amount.

The prosecutor said the accused had paid N100, 000 only, adding that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The offence carries a maximum of seven years imprisonment orr

with fine or both.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge, saying the court should allow him to explain all that happened.

The presiding officer, Mr Ahmed Ado, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody.

He adjourned the case to Sept. 2, 2013 for further hearing. (NAN)

Man, 30, arraigned for alleged breach of trust, cheating The police on Monday arraigned one Paul Abu, 30, of Wuse Zone 5 in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates Court for alleged criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and cheating.

The Police Prosecutor, DSP. Yusuf Auta, told the court that one Obinna Okeke of Wuse Zone 5, reported the matter to the AIG Zone 7 Police Head Quarters on July 26.

Auta said that on Nov. 14, 2012, Okeke entrusted his Nissan Sunny vehicle with registration number XV 905 DKA, worth N1,150,000 to Abu and one Samson Stephen, who is currently at large.

He said that the accused persons promised to use Okeke’s vehicle for commercial activity and make returns to him.

The prosecutor said the accused persons, after collecting the vehicle, absconded to an unknown destination until Abu was arrested and charged to court.

FRSC officials rescuing accident victims at Apo Bridge recently, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Businessman, 28, docked for receiving stolen fridge

T

he police on Monday arraigned Orji Chike, 28, of Gwarinpa, Abuja, in an Abuja Magistrates Court in Wuse Zone II for allegedly receiving stolen property.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Emmmaunel Adiku, told the court that Cpl. Gilbert Agwa who is attached to the Commissioner of Police in Niger State said the incident happened sometime in May. According to him, Agwa alleged that Cesse Barry of Block C, S.P.O. Quarters, Wuse II,

Abuja, stole a Samsung fridge belonging to the Commissioner of Police and sold it to the accused person for N20,000.

Adiku said the accused knew the fridge was stolen, adding that the offence contravened Section 317 of the Penal Code of Northern Nigeria.

Section 317 stipulates a maximum of 14 years imprisonment with an option of fine or both.

When the charge sheet was read, the accused pleaded not guilty, saying, ``there is an

error in the mentioned clause, I wasn’t aware that it was a stolen property.’’

The Senior Magistrate, Nafisat Ibrahim, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with the two sureties in like sum.

She ordered that one of them must be a senior civil servant in the Federal Civil Service and should reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

She adjourned the case to Aug.22, 2013 for further hearing. (NAN)

Motorcyclist in court for allegedly snatching handbag

T

he police on Monday arraigned a motorcyclist, Kabiru Suleiman, 18, of Tudun Wada Village, Abuja in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates Court for allegedly snatching a woman’s handbag.

The Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Paul Anigbo, told the court that on Aug. 6, the accused was dragged to the Lugbe Police Station, for allegedly snatching a handbag belonging to one Ms Faith Ufomadu.

He said that at about 6:45 a.m,,

the accused snatched Ufomadu’s bag which contained seven thousand naira and some documents.

Anigbo informed the court that when the accused was apprehended, he was found in possession of the handbag.

He said that the accused was standing trial for the offence of theft which he said, was contrary to Section 287 of the Penal Code.

Section 287 of the code stipulates that whoever commits theft shall be

punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with fine or with both.

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

The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Nafisat Ibrahim, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N5,000 with one reasonable surety in like sum who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

She adjourned the case to Aug. 22, 2013 for hearing. (NAN)

Auta said that the offence contravened sections 97, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor prayed the court to remand the accused in custody, saying that the police had not completed its investigations into the matter and that the other accused was still at large.

The Magistrate, Mr Chukwuemeka Ubani, said the police had not given cogent reasons why the accused should not be granted bail and therefore, denied the prayer of the prosecutor.

Ubani admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N300,000 with a surety in like sum who must be a civil servant and resident within the court’s jurisdiction.

He adjourned the case to Sept. 9, 2013 for further mention to enable the police conclude investigations and locate the other accused. (NAN)

Two men to be remanded in prison for being in possession of stolen Blackberry

A

Karu Senior Magistrates Court in the FCT on Monday ordered that two men, Buba Ali and Abdul Umar should be remanded in Keffi Prison for allegedly being in possession of a stolen Blackberry phone.

Ali, 22, and Umar, 20, both of Mararaba in Nasarawa State are standing trial on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen property.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Atteh Effiong, told the court that the accused persons were arrested, following a petition to the FCT Commissioner of Police by one Shittu Temitope that he was attacked by armed robbers on March 28.

Effiong alleged that a group of armed robbers broke into Temitope’s house at Mpape and made away with his valuables, worth over nine million naira He said that the robbers made away with the complainant’s Blackberry phone during the operation.

The prosecutor said that the two accused persons, through the help of the police, were caught in possession of the Blackberry phone, but refused to disclose were they got the phone

from.

The offence is punishable under the provisions of section 97(1) and 317 of the Penal Code.

The accused persons, having listened to the First Information Report (FIR) read and translated to them in Hausa Language, pleaded not guilty The Defence Counsel, Mr Alex Etim, made an oral application for their bail, stating that the court lacked the jurisdiction to handle the case.

He said that he had not seen a situation where two people conspired to receive ``just one phone’’ as claimed by the police.

Etim asked the court to strike out the charges for lack of proper investigation before the accused persons were arraigned.

The prosecutor objected to the bail application and urged the court to order that the accused be remanded in prison custody, to enable the police conclude their investigation.

The magistrate ruled in favour of the prosecutor and ordered that the two accused persons should be remanded in Keffi Prison.

She adjourned the case till Aug. 20,2013 to rule on the bail application. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 19

INSIDE

NEITI fights back, reveals PPPRA acknowledgement letter

Isa_abdulwahab@yahoo.com, Isaabdulwahab@gmail.com 08033045613

- Pg 20

R-L: Vice- President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, Abia state Governor, Theodore Orji; Benue state Governor Gabriel Suswam ; Delta state Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghang, and Kaduna state Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, during the 2nd joint meeting of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) Board and National Council on Privatisation (NCP), at the State House yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Software appliance can Brazil govt reiterates commitment to boost trade ties with Nigeria generate

By Stanley Onyekwere of trade mission to Nigeria, citing Dr. Olusegun Aganga, thanked each other if we can take steps to prevailing political situation in his them for the steps taken despite exploit the opportunities in the $2bn-ISPON he Brazilian government has country at the time, : “We felt we the postponement of the trade two countries.” reiterated its commitment needed to provide explanation for mission; describing it as a Ortom while assuring President towards opening avenues the development, because we are welcome development.

Brazil government of Nigeria’s

T

with Nigeria to explore untapped economic potentials in both countries by providing support for both businessmen and institutions to thrive.

Brazilian Vice Minister, Africa and Middle East, Paulo Cordeiro, gave the commitment recently when he led his country’s new ambassador to Nigeria, Joao Andre Lima, on a courtesy visit to the FMITI, to round up his visit to the country.

Cordeiro had told the Minister that he was at ministry to apologize for sudden cancellation

committed to increasing trade in goods and services relations with Nigeria.

“Nigeria and Brazil have mutual profitable trade relation; but what we need now is to support our businessmen and institutions to work together; because Brazil wants to sell and produce more here as well as to open those avenues to explore untapped potentials.”

Responding, the Minister of state, FMITI, Dr. Samuel Ortom, who received the delegation on behalf of his senior minister,

According to him, “We have a lot of things in common but you seems to be ahead of us; that’s why we look forward to partnering with Brazil,to tap from your experience and ensure that your technical ability here in Nigeria.

“Nigeria has a lot of opportunities and potentials that are yet to be tapped; I think that the kind of cooperation and understanding we are having between us will go a long way to strengthen our agreements; and we stand to benefit from

Nyako wants FG to share privatisation proceeds with states

By A’isha Biola Raji damawa State Governor Murtala Nyako said that privatization proceeds must be shared by the three tiers of government as against the current practice that entails Presidency as the sole beneficiary.

He said that funds realised from the sale of Federal Government’s property and companies to be shared among the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Nyako spoke on Sunday in Yola at a dinner organized for journalists saying majority of governors had sued the Federal Government to court over the whereabouts of the funds realized from the sale of government’s property within and outside the country.

“It is the 36 states and FCT that constitute what is called

A

Federal Government of Nigeria; so whatever property that belongs to Federal Government is also the property of the states, because it is the states’ territories that are used to generate revenue which we share at the end of every month,” he stated.

He said the court litigation initiated by governors was withdrawn for out-of-court settlement, stressing that governors would not accept any resolution outside sharing the money.

“Our constitutional responsibility as leaders is to ensure that what belongs to our people, we do everything within the ambit of the law to get it or recover it for our people irrespective of whatever name or colour others give it”, he said.

The former Chief of Naval

Staff (Nyako), who dismissed the insinuation in some quarters that the move was initiated by pro- Amaechi supporters to force Presidency to bow out of the political crisis rocking Rivers State, said the position of the governors on the privatisation funds should be seen as a demand for justice, transparency and accountability as stipulated by the laws of the country.

I challenge anybody to come out with facts and figures and the projects the money realised from the privatisation of our public property within and outside the country, which runs into billions of dollars was used to execute and in which budget it was included. We cannot fold our arms and close our eyes when the constitutional rights of our people are being violated; that will be the greatest disservice on our part as leaders of our

government’s readiness to partner with its people to explore potentials in the ountry; both in agriculture and solid minerals, however added that: “We look forward that any possible time; opportunity will come that your minister will schedule to visit us here.

Earlier, while introducing the delegation to the minister, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Brazil, Vincent Okoedion, had explained that the Brazilian minister of development, industry and international trade, was leading a trade mission team to Nigeria, but at last minute, the mission was cancelled, but the (Brazilian) had been already on his way to Nigeria; and when he arrived, he decided to carry out some programmes before returning to his country.

- Pg 21

Exchange Rates CBN

as at 12th August,

Buying

Selling

$

154.75

155.75

€

239.24

240.78

£

205.95

207.28

Riyal

41.26

41.53

SDR

235.12

236.64

CFA

0.2965

0.3165

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY Learn how to lead in a crisis

W

hen you are leading in a time-pressured, makeor-break situation, you might wonder if you should take charge and command action or take the time to enable the innovation of others. You can do both. Here are three things to do in a crisis that are both directive and empowering: Set a vision that instills both realism and hope. Assess the current situation and how it’s likely to evolve. At the same time, articulate the possibility of succeeding against all odds.

Bring people in. Set clear boundaries for who is on and off the core team, but invite in helpful collaborators as well.

People may have to work in fluid, shifting arrangements, rotating in and out of teams as the demands of the situation evolve.

Engage.

Dive in and start doing the work. Lead a disciplined, coordinated execution while also encouraging innovation through experimentation and learning along the way.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 20

oil&gas Company News

Power supply to Lagos drops by 67% Power supply from the national grid to Lagos has dropped by 67 per cent.

The drop on Sunday followed a drastic reduction in power generation from 3,367.20MW on Friday to 2,628MW on Saturday.

Some officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, who spoke with our correspondent on Sunday but asked not to be named, said the Eko and Ikeja Distribution companies responsible for power supply to Lagos and its environs received an average electricity supply of 600MW from the national grid daily.

NEITI fights back, reveals PPPRA acknowledgement letter T

By Etuka Sunday

he tussle between the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) took a different dimension at the weekend when the acknowledgment letter to NEITI was revealed to some journalists in Abuja.

Letter showed that the PPPRA

was informed of its N4.423bn debt to the federation, arising from over-recovery collected from independent oil marketers between 2008 and 2009.

The action was necessitated by the PPPRA’s last week statement refusing that it endorsed any document on audit report therefore urged NEITI to desist from misleading Nigerians on such issue.

However, the NEITI’s Director of Communications, Dr. Orji

Ogbonnaya Orji, while showing journalists a letter dated June 28, 2013 sent to his organisation by the PPPRA, stressed, “When the draft report was finally ready, it was made available to all agencies for their vetting, and more inputs where necessary.

“I wish to state that the PPPRA received the draft report, reviewed it, and participated in the final reconciliatory meeting.

“After that meeting from where

all other agencies and companies signed-off, the PPPRA still came up with additional information on the 28th of June; clearly two days before the final deadline with a letter ref A4/4/735/c.288/1/687/10. In that letter, the PPPRA specifically requested NEITI to consider same as ‘superseding all earlier correspondences on the issues.’ In the EITI/NEITI process that was ‘a sign-off.”

Foreign airlines kick against relocation of offices Foreign airlines have kicked against the relocation of their offices to the third floor of the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, stating that the action is not in their interest.

The President, Association of Foreign Airlines Representatives of Nigeria, Mr. Kingsley Nwokoma, who said this in a statement on Sunday, noted that the stakeholders were not carried along by the relevant authorities before the move was embarked upon.

Apple wins key patent case against Samsung Apple has won a key patent case against rival Samsung at the United States International Trade Commission.

The British Broadcasting Corporation reported that the US ITC upheld a 2011 decision which found that Samsung had infringed Apple patents in the production of mobile phones, media players and tablets.

The US ITC has ordered that Samsung devices affected by the ruling are banned from the US. But that ban is on hold while US President Barack Obama reviews the decision.

The President has 60 days to assess the US ITC’s findings, although analysts say he is unlikely to overturn the commission’s decision.

“We are disappointed that the ITC has issued an exclusion order based on two of Apple’s patents,” Samsung said in a statement.

“The proper focus for the smartphone industry is not a global war in the courts, but fair competition in the marketplace.”

Apple hailed the decision, placing it in the context of the tech giants’ global patent battles.

One of NNPC Pipelines in Delta state

Crude oil production to hit 2.50mbpd soon-NNPC

By Etuka Sunday

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he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said nation’s crude oil daily production capacity will hit 2.50 million barrels in the next few weeks.

The assurance was contained in a statement by the Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Tumini Green.

She hinged her confidence on the current repair works on Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL), which has a daily capacity of 150,000bpd, and is expected to be completed next week.

On completion, she said it would increase the daily average production to 2.50Mbpd above the national daily target of 2.48mbpd.

“Our expectation is to increase production from the 2.48 mbpd to 2.55mbpd (both crude and condensate) for the rest of the year. We have the capacity and potential to maintain production above 2.55mbpd in the country. All that is required is to continue the fight against pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft to achieve this target. This will increase our 2013 average production to about 2.34mbpd if the current fight against pipeline vandalism and

crude oil theft is sustained.

The Corporation informed that Mergers, Acquisition and Divestments (MAD) is a global portfolio management strategy employed by mostly big Corporations to restructure and reposition companies for better and efficient revenue growth and competition, wondering why anybody could canvass such position when the multinational oil companies themselves, especially Shell, have repeatedly stated that part of the reasons for divestment of its assets was a deliberate measure to encourage and promote indigenous participation in the

upstream oil and gas industry.

“Against this backdrop, it is misleading to relate the strategic divestments as due to the absence of leadership in the oil industry.

These divestments have in fact increased indigenous participation which will in turn create new job opportunities, reduce capital flight, encourage capacity building and support gas-based industrialization aspirations,’’ Green said.

With regard to claims by Shell that it lost $700Million by the second quarter of 2013 to crude oil theft and other disruptions in Nigeria, NNPC posits that the loss claims are not localized to Nigeria as reported.

FG moves to arrest low gas supply to power plants

By Etuka Sunday

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s electricity generation drops to 2,628.6mw, the Ministry of Power said it will intervene in the low gas supply to power plants which led to power shortage across the country.

A statement issued on behalf of Minister of power Prof. Chinedu Nebo by his Special Assistant on Media, Kande Daniel attributed the current drop to the low gas supply to the generation plants, a situation that crashed the power

generation to the low range of 2,628.6mw at the weekend necessitating a massive load shedding.

He said a team of expert will be constituted to investigate in particular to unravel the cause of the severe leaks in the gas supply channels in the Eastern part of the country and determine measures to be taken to ameliorate the situation.

Further to this, the Minster said three power stations in the East: Afam IV, Afam VI, and Rivers Independent Power Plant

(IPP), were shut down again on Friday night, as a result of gas constraints arising from condensate issue on Trans National Pipeline (TNP) putting total generation lost from the stations at 624MW. He said Olorunsogo power station was also down due to low gas pressure as a result of which 89megawatts of power was lost, just as he confirmed that low head water elevation also limited generation at Kainji and Jebba hydro stations to one unit each.

He put the total grid generation as at 6am on Saturday at 2628.6megawatts, adding that with this low level generation, management of the grid had become a big task, necessitating a nationwide load shedding.

The Minister regretted the development which he described as painful especially coming a time large proportion of Nigerians are already rejoicing and celebrating over the stabilization of power nationally.

He said as soon as the cause of the leakage is established.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

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Ict

Software appliance can generate $2bn-ISPON President Stories By chris alu

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he President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Dr. Chris Uwaje said Nigeria has the capacity to develop its software industry that can generate $2 billion yearly.

However, he said what the country needs at the moment is to put in place, a national policy that would see to the building of local software capacity in line

with global best practice.

Uwaje , said there is danger in allowing the unregulated and wholesale deployment of foreign application software in key sectors of the country without examining their implications to the national economy.

The President made these disclosures in an interview with ourcorrespondent in abuja.

According to him , there is need for the Nigerian government to

pay more attention to software development considering the fact that Nigeria is a growing society that needs to be encourage in locally made software. He said that the critical and strategic importance of Software for national survivability in the 21st century has not been fully understood by the Nigerian leadership.

“This situation must change, because neither the 20 -2020

vision nor the transformation agenda of President Jonathan can be effectively delivered and sustained without the infusion and diffusion of Software capability and capacities” he stated.

The ISPON President stated the country can earn $2 billion in foreign exchange yearly from software industry.

He explained that , IT-propelled software is the most critical and success factor for 21st

L-r: Director-General, Debt Management Office,DMO) Dr Abraham Nwankwo, Manager, African Development Bank institute, Prof.

Temilade Abimbola, and Deputy governor, Central Bank of Gambia, Mrs Oumie Samba, during the regional workshop on islamic bonds for infrastructure development, yesterday in Abuja.

PHOTO: NAN

Globacom rewards winners of “recharge to stardom” Promo

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l o b a c o m telecommunications Limited has rewarded its numerous subscribers with huge amount of money in the ongoing Glo “Recharge to Stardom” promo.

First winners emerged last Saturday and were presented with cheques ranging from N5million to N1million, N25,000, and N10,000 respectively.

The winners who were full of gratitude to Glo for organising a special promo for subscribers on its 10th anniversary said that it was “great joy” being a subscriber on the Glo network.

Timothy Asianya, an engineer from Enugu was. the first person to win N5million in the promo while Simon Anyanwu, a businessman from Port Harcourt and Julius Okomayin, a pensioner from Edo state won N1million each.

Twenty five other lucky subscribers won N25,000 each while cash prizes of N10,000 were presented to another twenty

five lucky subscribers.

Speaking at the prize presentation to winners amidst a gathering crowd during ‘ Glo Slide and Bounce’ concert held in Lagos, winners said the prizes will have a positive impact on their lives.

Asianya one of the winners said he simply continued to recharge his phone before winning the N5million prize. He expressed his absolute confidence in the transparency of Glo promos as he had seen and interacted with winners in previous promos.

“I am overjoyed, happy and thank Glo for this opportunity.

My Mum found it unbelievable that I won but I had no doubt in my mind because I had seen and interacted with the winner of a Toyota Venza in a previous Glo promo”, he said.

According to Pa Julius Okomayin, a pensioner, he said age or location cannot prevent anyone from winning in the promo. He said that he had worked as Secretary to the Onojie

of Ekpoma for the past 25 years.

He said he was on his way to Lagos to collect his pension when he received a call from Glo that he had won the sum of N1milion.

“I have been using Glo for the past 10 years and I always replace my line every time I lose it. I never knew I could win this kind of money. I pray that Glo will continue to grow so they can create more opportunities for more people in Nigeria”, he said.

The Glo “Recharge to Stardom” promo offers thousands of loyal subscribers on the Glo network the opportunity to celebrate with Glo during its 10th anniversary as they could win various prizes ranging from N10,000 up to the grand prize of N25 million by participating in the promo.

Prepaid and post-paid Glo subscribers who recharge with N200 and above during the promo period stand a chance of winning any of the prizes ranging from N10,000 to N1million while subscribers who recharge up to N5,000 during the promo period

stand a chance of winning the grand prize of N25million and many more

century global and national development , otherwise known as the new (knowledge) economy adding that, it may remain so for a long time.

Speaking further, he urged government to assist in facilitating the aggregation of software companies to work collaboratively and foster linkages between business and the academia, adding that there was need in marketing software products both within and outside the country, which will also aid in protecting the national security challenges as well as the risks posed by foreign software.

Uwaje proposed a policy framework for software development in the country saying that: “It is of strategic imperative to ensure that a venture capital, assurance, and budget for R&D in Software Industry is established and sustained.

The Federal Government should encourage and create a fair economic environment for all Software entrepreneurs, facilitation of the investment environment of software enterprises should significantly be accelerated”.

He canvassed support for big IT investors in general and software industry in particular together with incubating new software start-up companies.

He said IT training policy must include training resources for IT in general, and for the software industry in particular.

“To build and implement a training plan and improve IT knowledge of manager, leaders in all industries in order to stimulate the application of information technology in all aspects. Train users of IT in enterprises, government, and social organizations.

Invest in IT faculty of universities to reform programs and methods of education in order to work with forthcoming technologies” he said.

First Quarter of Wi-Fi, CPE shipments top 43.3m

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he first quarter of WiFi, wireless fidelity for telecommunications users and customer premises equipment (CPE) shipments surpassed 43.3 million at the end of this year’s assessment.

This represents 16.8 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2012, according to a report from ABI Research.

The report further shows that 802.11n device shipments still dominate the market, accounting for more than two thirds of total device shipments.

However, 802.11ac access point adoption is starting to gain traction, the study found.

The 802.11ac protocol enables speeds up to 1.3 Gbps as well as better coverage than 802.11n.

Over 1 million of 802.11ac

consumer access points are expected to be shipped by the end of 2013.

A total of 0.2 million consumer 802.11ac Wi-Fi APs shipped in this year’s first quarter.

The report also indicates that, in the Soho/consumer Wi-Fi equipment market, TPLink maintains the dominant market share with 15 percent, followed by Netgear and D-Link with 12 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

In the enterprise WLAN sector, ZTE has the largest market share, accounting for 39 percent of total access point shipments while Cisco holds the second largest market share of 26 percent, and HP networking ranks third as it overtook the market share of Aruba Networks as of late 2012

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Analysis

UK fines GTBank £525,000 for inadequate money laundering checks

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he United Kingdom-based Financial Conduct Authority has fined the UK subsidiary of the Guaranty Trust Bank over £500,000 for failing to do thorough anti-money laundering checks on its potential clients from high-risk countries.

The FCA said on that between May 2008 and July 2010, the bank had failed to assess potential moneylaundering risks, screen customers against sanction lists, establish the purpose of the accounts being opened in their London branch or review the activity of “high risk” accounts, Reuters’ report said.

Guaranty Trust Bank opened a UK office in 2008 offering retail and wholesale banking to private and corporate clients, according to the regulator.

Specifically, the FCA said in a statement that it had levied a £525,000 fine on the UK subsidiary of the bank after it looked at the bank’s systems as part of a wider review into anti-money laundering controls among banks.

A similar report by the Financial Times quoted the regulator as saying that the bank was not rigorous enough in pressing potential customers on their

sources of wealth.

This, it added, included not pressing a client, who was a socalled politically exposed person “wanted by the UK authorities in connection with laundering millions of dollars of embezzled public funds”, on the ultimate source of a cheque for £500,000 that he deposited from an offshore account, according to the regulator’s final investigative report.

The regulator, however, declined to identify the individual, the report stated.

The Nigerian authorities in 2007

named GTB’s parent bank, the first African bank to list in London, as one of two banks used by the former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, in their money laundering investigation of him, in which he was acquitted.

Ibori was found guilty of moneylaundering and fraud worth £50m last year at Southwark Crown Court and sentenced to 13 years, following a separate investigation and prosecution by the UK authorities.

The UK regulator and its predecessor, the Financial Services Authority, have made

anti-money laundering controls a priority over the past two years as tighter directives from Europe and new UK anti-bribery legislation have taken effect.

Reacting to the fine, Bloomberg quoted the Managing Director of GTB’s UK unit, Mr. Ade Adebiyi, as saying, “We have fully co-operated with the FCA in its investigation and we have accepted the findings.”

Adebiyi, in an e-mailed statement, however said, “The FCA found no evidence that GTB UK did in fact handle any proceeds of crime.”

!3% oil derivation: Ondo youths threaten mass action

By A’isha Biola Raji

People queue at automatic teller machines (ATM), recently at Oyingbo, in Lagos.

PHOTO: NAN

Economy: Dangote makes case for private sector operators

By A’isha Biola Raji frica’s foremost business mogul Alhaji Aliko Dangote has called on private sector stakeholders to lend government a helping hand in the task of providing employment to unemployed youths by establishing industries.

He said that his foray into petrochemical and agric industrial sub sector was part of his own contribution to reduce unemployment in the country saying if more Nigerians are economically empowered through gainful employment, the poverty would have been reduced to a minimal level.

Speaking while addressing members of a business group who paid him a visit in his office recently

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said no government anywhere ever succeeded without the input of the private sector.

Dangote who has ventured into the construction of refinery and estabilishment of fertilizer plants in parts of the country said the task of reinvigorating the nation’s economy rest more on the shoulders of the private s ector and urged other investors to lend government helping hand in this direction.

According to him, the task of government is more of providing the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive through the right policies and infrastructural provisions.

He stated that he was optimistic that the present federal government was already focusing on those issues

that would help the private sector perform optimally as enshrined in the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Good enough, Dangote said, Nigeria has the resources and the market for any company to survive, only in few other areas government should intensify efforts to ensure to make the sector attractive to investors.

“I have always said it that Nigeria is a good place to invest. We have all in abundance. God has bless this country, what we have naturally in abundance is what other countfies are looking for to buy”, he stated.

Dangote said he is very optimitic of Nigerians economic revival through the private sector noting that the current challenges facing

the country will soon be a thing of the past.

He appealed to Nigerians to contribute their own quota by always doing what is right and adequately paying their taxes as part of their own contribution to the growth and development of the country. while urging the citizenry not to be discouraged by various challenges facing the nation stating that, they are necessary steps needed for the nation to rank among the best industrially in years to come.

Dangote Group, he promised, will invest more in Nigeria; create more jobs as he has an unwavering faith in the nation’s economy, pointing out that all his investments would be tailored towards job creation for gainful employment so as to alleviate poverty among the people.

Public stand to benefit more from classification of hotels – Association

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he Hotel and Personal Services Employers’ Association of Nigeria (HOPESEA) said the public stood to gain immensely if hotels in the country were classified.

The President of the association, Mr Samuel Alabi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that if hotels were classified the public would be protected from undue cheating by hotels.

Alabi said hotels would no longer be able to sell products at high rate as

these products would be charged to customers according to the grade of such hotel.

“The classification will enable state governments have a procedure that allows for public complaint if one feels he or she has been cheated by a hotel,’’ he said.

He called on state governments to take up the challenge and ensure prompt grading and classification of hotels in the country.

He emphasised that all hotels in

the country should be Aclassified, including those located in rural areas.

“Even those in urban centres that are dilapidated due to lack of care and proper maintenance should also be classified.

“Hotels that do not meet the requirements of classification will be told what they need to do. They may need to refurbish old infrastructure and acquire new equipment before being graded.

“There is a bench mark or

standard a hotel must attain before it can be classified either as a five star, four or three star hotel,” he said.

Alabi said that every hotel in the country should be able to fall under one category.

NAN recalls that the Supreme Court, Abuja, had dismissed a case filed by the Federal Government challenging the powers of Lagos State Government to regulate hotels and restaurant businesses in its area of authority.

Oil Communities from Ondo state have joined league of oil communities calling on relevant authorities to halt payment of 13 percent derivation to oil producing states.

In a letter written to President Goodluck Jonathan and signed by community representatives, they claimed that, the 13 per cent derivation fund belongs exclusively to the oil and gas producing communities which are the source of the derivation.

“The oil facilities, flow stations etc. are located in the oil and gas producing communities where oil exploration, exploitation and production are being carried out leading to monumental degradation, pollution, health hazards among others causing abject poverty in these communities.

The 13 per cent derivation fund is a compensation and reparation for loss of fishing rights and loss of productive farmlands. Therefore 13 per cent being managed by the governors in the oil and gas producing states is an aberration.

Thus it is clearly an implementation tragedy to pay the funds to any of the state government’s accounts” They therefore called for the setting up of a National Derivation Board that shall have an Executive Chairman, secretary and members including a member from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The letter to the President was signed

by Mrs Nowan Uhunmwangho, Elder Peter Agbonkoko, Donyegha Ben, Chief Mrs V. Potoki, Mr. Edwin Ikinbor, Pastor Reuben Milton, Pastor A. B. Imafidon, Brasana Ekomiyenyefa, Olu Oyeh, Comader Segun Imafidon, Karaki Ebi, Victor Omoruyi, Hon. Jackson Ikinbor, Mrs. Queen Donyegha.

The group also urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the recently released report by the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and ensure that those found to have corruptly enriched themselves from the oil communities are brought to book.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

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Stock Watch

Report as at Monday, August 12, 2013

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

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Special Report

CBN’s Incentives-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending: Another leap in the dark?

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), worried by the inefficacy of past agriculture enhancement schemes, appears to have found an antidote to perennial problems of bank lending to the agriculture sector.

However, after more than one year of operating the Nigeria Incentives-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), the unfolding challenges in the programme are tasking the and ingenuity of other stakeholders.

Aminu Imam and Abdulwahab Isa examine the contending issues.

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he CBN has intervened in a number of credit schemes for the agriculture sector, including the infamous N200 billion Small and Medium Enterprises Guarantee Scheme, but none is yet to deliver the required impact to boost the much-needed transformation in the agriculture sector critical to the development of the nation’s economy.

Nigeria’s agriculture sector accounts for 40 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provides over 60 per cent of employment. Even so, the sector represents only one per cent of exports.

In spite of enormous potentials, so many factors including low productivity, poor technology and cultural practices, low research and development, and underfinancing of the agricultural value-chain have conspired to slow down the growth of the sector in the country.

In particular, there is an appalling low funding level in the agricultural sector,

CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi which stands at about two per cent of the total lending of banks as against six per cent in a country such as Kenya.

Reasons for the low funding are not far-fetched as they include: lack of understanding of the agricultural sector, perceived high risks, complex credit assessment processes/ procedure and high transaction costs.

Few years ago, the CBN initiated a panacea capable of dismantling major bottlenecks in the funding process and unbundle other impediments in the path of agricultural transformation in the country.

The Nigerian IncentiveBased Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), which effectively came on stream last year is the brain child of the CBN designed to create access to finance by integrating end-to-end agriculture value chains such as input producers, farmers, agro dealers, agro processors and industrial manufacturers with agricultural financing value chains – loan product development, credit distribution, loan origination, managing and pricing for risk, and loan disbursement.

The new scheme mobilises financing for Nigerian agribusiness by using credit guarantees to address the risk of default and is a flexible financing tool designed to change the behaviour of financial institutions. “It covers all crops and livestock activities in Nigeria, while driving improved investment outcomes and job creation,” CBN sources said.

“NIRSAL will share risks with banks ranging from 30 per cent to 75 per cent of loss depending on the segment.

We are prepared to offer the following terms to farmers in the states and FCT Abuja: 75 per cent guarantees on all input, working capital and limited living cost loans to plant the crop, and loan duration should be about 24 – 28 months,” NIRSAL employs a dynamic and holistic approach that tackles both the agricultural value chain and the agricultural financing value chain. It does this through a two prong attack; fixes the agricultural value chain, so that banks can lend with confidence to the sector and, encourages banks to lend to the agricultural value chain by offering them strong incentives and technical assistance.

Unlike previous schemes which encouraged banks to lend without clear strategy to the entire spectrum of the agricultural value-chain, NIRSAL emphasises lending to the value-chain and to all sizes of producers.

The funds under the programme shall continue to attract a maximum interest rate of seven per cent per annum, with a tenor of 15 years. In the first instance, six pilot crop value chains have been identified based on existing crop production levels and potentials in six high-potential breadbasket areas. The crops include: tomatoes, cotton, maize, soya beans, rice, and cassava.

Putting the project in the realms of feasibility, the CBN

has set targets for NIRSAL implementation.

The scheme is to generate an additional $3billion of bank lending within 10 years to increase agricultural lending from the current 1.4 to 7 per cent of total bank lending.

It will increase lending to the “pooled” small farmer segment to 50 per cent of the total (typically, banks do not reach these producers individually but through “pools,” that is, aggregating mediators, such as MFIs and cooperatives).

In addition to reaching 3.8 million agricultural producers by 2020 through pooling mechanisms such as value chains, MFIs, and cooperatives, it will reduce banks’ break-even interest rate to borrowers from 14 to 7.5-10.5 percent. The loan guarantee is being packaged under a public private established by the CBN, the Bankers’ Committee and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Last week, the CBN said it had guaranteed N25 billion of agriculture loans on NIRSAL since its introduction last year. According to the apex bank, this development has effectively lifted lending to the agric sector to four per cent of banks’ total loans, from the average of 1.5 percent that it had stagnated since 2009.

NIRSAL guarantees up to 75 percent of bank loans to the sector. The initiative, seeks to create incentives and catalyse processes to encourage the growth of formal credit, direct and indirect, for the agriculture value-chain, as a mechanism for driving wealth creation among value-chain participants.

The CBN plans to spend an estimated $500 million to create further incentives for the banks to sustain the flow of agric credit. There is also a risk-sharing facility of $300 million, planned to address banks’ perception of highrisks in the sector by sharing losses on agricultural loans.

There is equally an insurance facility of $30 million intended to expand insurance products for agricultural lending from the current coverage to new products, such as weather index insurance, new variants of pest and disease insurance.

Also, there is a Technical Assistance Facility to $60 million meant to equip banks to lend sustainably to agriculture, producers to borrow and use loans more effectively and increase output of better quality agricultural products, among others. The increase in banks’ lending to agriculture sector was linked to the N200 billion Agriculture Credit scheme and N600 billion NIRSAL.

The current improvement in the sector was also linked to access to credit through the new policy focused on increasing private sector participation, emphasis on the entire agriculture valuechain, and using agriculture to boost employment, wealth creation and food security.

According to CBN sources, NIRSAL was founded to promote economic development by acting as a catalyst for the fixing of key failures in agri-business supply chains. In addition to its purely commercial role, CBN intends for NIRSAL to become the primary platform for implementing CBN’s ongoing financing and related support for agri-business.

Consequently, a number of existing interventions for example the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (ACGSF) subject to parliamentary approval, will eventually sunset or be folded into NIRSAL. In the interim, since NIRSAL does not face the credit caps ACGSF faces i.e.N10m/transaction, it is expected that NIRSAL can provide a richer array of financial, strategic and technical solutions required to help multiple players’ transition to a more profitable agricultural economy.

Under NIRSAL, the

A family conveying its harvests. Inset is Agric Minister, Akinwumi Adesina

banks have the opportunity for capturing latent profits in agriculture lending, maintain long term human, institutional and cultural capacity for value chain financing capacity and enjoy blower loan origination and distribution costs.

Last year, the Bank of Agriculture took up the challenge, by being the first to disburse small and medium enterprises (SMEs) loans under the CBN’S NIRSAL, even as it was silent on the amount disbursed.

The facilities are for cassava processing through two co-operatives, using the group credit mechanism. The disbursements effectively bring on stream the actual operation of NIRSAL’s

operations.

The programme, which emphasises the empowerment of operators across the agriculture valuechain, is designed to deploy risk-sharing instruments that will lower the risks of lending, provide technical assistance to farmers and banks, and develop a bank rating scheme that will incentivise and position banks, based on their capacities to lend to the agricultural sector.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BOA, Mohammed Santuraki, while commenting on the disbursement, commended the CBN for the NIRSAL initiative, which he said should encourage more financial institutions to provide

“

The import of the NIRSAL as a vehicle to revolutionise agriculture in Nigeria should not be taken for granted. It therefore becomes necessary to ensure that it does not turn to a tool in the hands of politicians

CBN Headquarters Abuja

credit for the agricultural sector, which according to him: “Has suffered extreme financial starvation due to the perceived high risks associated with agricultural lending.” He added that the NIRSAL has the potential of opening up the agricultural sector to enterprising young graduates and women with interest in various segments of the agricultural value chain.

However, while many bank chief executives showed enthusiasm in embracing the scheme at inception, some others are a little hesitant to avoid taking a leap in the dark. Expectedly, the apple of discord has been the issue of interest rates as provided under NIRSAL. Some of the bank chiefs who preferred not to be mentioned were of the opinion that the scheme would provide their necessary impetus for banks to lend to the agriculture sector, but are worried of the bottom line.

Apart from the fact that the rates are not competitive, they claimed that unlike other earlier schemes which had loopholes to exploit, the present arrangement under NIRSAL does not provide much room for manipulations.

Even so, a good number of them are willing to take a plunge as the issue of the

cost of funds is engaging the attention of other stakeholders.

In spite of the much touted potentials of NIRSAL, a fore runner to this scheme was introduced two years earlier by the Minister of Agriculture, Adesina Akinwumi. Known as the ‘Alliance for the Green Revolution in Africa’ (AGRA), the Minister of Agriculture, was the brain behind the ‘Innovative Finance’ aimed at unlocking locally available resources through central and private banks to finance small holder agriculture.

The programme was aimed at building strategic financial partnerships with commercial banks, financial actors and other stakeholders in Africa to help leverage large scale financing and affordable loans and financial products for smallholder farmers. It was borne out of a realisation that Africa has capacity to feed itself and the rest of the world, if only more focus was given to unlocking the potential of its agricultural sector.

According to the promoters, the programme has recorded huge success as it has put money in the hands of thousands of farmers, agrodealers and other players in the agricultural value chain – people who had no hope of getting access to credit because they were considered

high risk.

“Today, farmers are increasingly being seen as bankable, thanks to this initiative and many banks are starting up similar initiatives, based on the success of the model.

“All AGRA does is to put down some money to absorb the risk faced by the banks when lending to farmers and the outcome is incredible.

Banks involved in the scheme lend more than ten times the money put down by AGRA. It was however gathered that the seemingly success of this initiative paved the way for the emergence of NIRSAL While the two programmes have excited the farmers who are so desperate to have access to cheap sources of credit, it is not clear whether or not the AGRA has given way to NIRSAL. At a time the use of public funds are coming under increasing public scrutiny, how can one justify expenditures on the two programmes focused on same or similar targets.? Where does this lead the hapless farmers who are in need for direction to source credits?

While the dreams of NIRSAL are commendable, its realisation hinges on a number of issues that require attention. The success of the scheme which entails a holistic approach rests on the critical areas of provision of infrastructural facilities such as steady power supply, good road network and workable transportation system. These will facilitate preservations of perishable goods and unhindered movements of farm inputs and produce through various locations in the country.

The import of the NIRSAL as a vehicle to revolutionise agriculture in Nigeria should not be taken for granted. It therefore becomes necessary to ensure that it does not turn to a tool in the hands of politicians who could jettison it at any change of administration. This calls for a bill which should be passed into law to ensure the entrenchment of the scheme in our developmental process.

Stakeholders believe that for a laudable project such as NIRSAL to succeed, the government should speed up the provision of the necessary infrastructure which they say would facilitate the attainment of the ideals in the scheme.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Feature Why most Nigerians are noisy

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group of speech pathologists and audiologists met in Lagos about two months ago, and one of their points of intellectual convergence was that Nigeria is the noisiest country in the world.

They expressed concern on its inherent danger to hearing, and said there was an urgent need to arrest the situation because of the developmental and social impacts of hearing loss.

At a conference on Developmental and Social Impacts of Speech Disorders in Africa, Prof Clement Bakare, the founding President of Speech Pathology and Auditory Association of Nigeria (SPAAN), said hearing loss affects quality of life and, ultimately, the nation.

Speaking also at that event, the president of the association, Prof Julius A. Ademokoya of the Speech Pathology and Audiology Clinic,Department of Special Education, University of Ibadan, explained how it is important to avoid noise.

“The part of the ear that picks up sound is called coplair, a combination of cells very sensitive to noise. The more the coplair is exposed to a high degree of noise, the more the danger of becoming deaf or having hearing impairment,” he said. Then he dropped the clincher: “Hearing loss and gradual hearing loss are high in Nigeria due to its position as the loudest noise producer in the world.”

Are most Nigerians already suffering from hearing impairment? Or what could be responsible for the near total inability of Nigerians to maintain silence even in private conversations?

While identifying Nigeria as the world’s noisiest might be considered an extreme declaration, what is not in doubt is that, as a people, for some inexplicable reasons, Nigerians have a tendency to make more noise than necessary in the way they conduct their affairs – domestic, business, social and political. The question is ‘why?’

Like a respondent observed, when most Nigerians make or answer telephone calls, they seem to believe that the volume of their voice should be directly proportional to the distance of the listener.

Most Nigerians find it difficult to hold private conversations quietly. Even in ‘noiseless’ environments like the library, most people find it difficult to maintain silence.

When exchanging pleasantries with friends, Nigerians shout. When they listen to music in their homes, the volume must be turned sky-high or they don’t enjoy it. Most motorists (both private and, especially, commercial) play with their vehicle horns unnecessarily. Religious centres amplify their activities way out of proportion to the number of their congregants.

Why are Nigerians noisy?Dr. Bernard Owumi, Department of

Sociology, University of Lagos, offered some interesting insight.

He identified four basic factors: environment, family background, class and population.

Owumi said, “Generally speaking, if you meet people in a rowdy place, you would expect a situation where everybody wants to be heard; each person is talking at the top of their voice because they want to be heard. They want to dominate the situation.

That alone can propel people to scream and talk (loudly). Psychology will tell you more of this in terms of saying that there is a kind of selective attention, dissonance and so on.

“But more importantly, people talking at the top of their voices are a function of the class they belong to, as well as the environment where they are interacting.”

According to the sociology expert, the (communication) attitude of a man brought up in a family of two or four (children), for instance, will be different from that of the man raised in a family of 12 or 15 (children). The

“

latter will be louder and more aggressive than the former in expressing himself.

“Then, you find yourself in a market place. Generally, a market environment is usually noisy and rowdy. You then see people wanting to talk; to the extent that if you are a market woman, you get used to it over time and you continue to talk that way – even when you are (in a quiet place), you still want to scream,” Owumi explained.

But someone would ask: why are markets in Europe and other developed nations not noisy and rowdy? The sociologist believed that there could be no comparing Nigeria with Europe, saying that Nigeria’s population index also plays a part in the level of noise it generates.

“Our population is large; and because of that large population, everybody wants to say ‘yes, I’m this, I’m that.’ And that attitude of trying to express yourself all the time in a way that you think you are driving your point home (creates noise), whereas the person you are talking to is not deaf.

“It’s like the case with short

people; when they are in the midst of tall people, they will not be heard. The only way they believe they can create attention and be heard is either they punch you or shout at the top of their voice.”

Perhaps the most illuminating of Owumi’s postulations is that people in the working class background tend to be ‘noisier’ compared to people in the higher class bracket. And this, he contended, is not peculiar to Nigeria.

His words: “When people compare us to Europe and America, that those people are not as noisy as we, they miss the point. Look at their population; their population is very low. They don’t even interact the way we do in Nigeria.

But even in the context of Europe, the attitude of the working class is still different from that of the nobles. Their (working class) families are larger; they are also more aggressive and make more noise than the nobles. So, again, there is a class dimension to this issue.”

Other reasons have been adduced to the generally noisy nature of most Nigerians and Nigerian societies. Jones Agboola, a

“But more importantly, people talking at the top of their voices are a function of the class they belong to, as well as the environment where they are interacting.”

fishery management expert, said that Nigerians’ general lack of access to necessary basic amenities like electricity and lack of defined demarcation between residential and commercial areas also play a significant part in the noise pollution.

Consequently, according to him, an average Nigerian, especially in the lower income bracket, would increase the volume of his television set to drown out the noise of the generator, but won’t turn it down when having a conversation. This done on a regular basis tends to condition his voice, such that it becomes difficult to have a normal conversation without raising his voice unnecessarily.

A respondent, commenting on the issue on an online forum, however, disagreed that being noisy has anything to do with living in a noisy environment.

He believes such attitude goes with class.

He noted: “It has absolutely nothing to do with living in noisy cities or in any noisy environment. If you have ever been in an underground railway system, do you wonder why the drivers and train ticket inspectors are not loud? Same goes for those who work in airports. It’s even worse in some other fields.

A Formula One car is louder than a Boeing 747; but have you ever heard the likes of Lewis Hamilton talking in a loud uncultured way, even having put up with that level of noise for hours?” (Source: InfoNaija. com)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 27

Defence

Nigerian military and the fight against oil theft

Two bunkers with drums of stolen crude in the creeks of Niger Delta

By Joy Baba

T

he issue of oil theft dates back to the 70s and since then, bunkering has turned out to become an epidemic in the country whose process of tackling has proven to be a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the system.

In October 2012, when the Chief of Defence Staff and all the present security Chiefs were sworn-in, one of the major mandates given to them, especially the Naval Chief was to stamp out oil theft, illegal bunkering, smuggling, pipeline vandalisation and all forms of illegalities on the nation’s waterways.

Subsequently, the Chief of Naval Staff, (CNS) Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba, in his effort to tackle these illegalities, organised an exercise tagged: “Exercise Farauta”, (which in Hausa language means ‘hunting’), aimed at hunting for these oil thieves and prosecuting them accordingly.

The exercise, according to sources in the Navy, was also meant reduce the menace to its barest minimum and which lasted for seven days had different Nigerian Navy ships participating, with the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Maritime Patrol aircrafts and the CNS, who was on board to lead his team in the fight.

At the end of the exercise, a couple of vessels that has millions of barrels of crude oil suspected to have been stolen were arrested and the CNS said the suspects will be prosecuted accordingly.

Prior to this exercise, the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta called ‘Operation Pulo Shield’ had an exercise whereby it arrested several ships, vessels, and barges and in some cases the bunkers that were at

the point of destroyed pipelines.

Often times, indigenes and communities within the Niger Delta region have been fingered to aid this menace; however, subsequent arrests has not yielded any positive result, rather, this malaise has grown from bad to worse.

Year in-year out, Nigerians see young men and women being paraded on TV for their involvement in oil theft and other illegalities on the waterways. However, the case is usually closed at the end of the parade as Nigerians don’t get to hear what became of the suspects thereafter.

These youths, it is alleged, have sponsors who are said to be big-wigs in the society and seem to be ‘untouchable’, who will go all the way to frustrate the efforts of the Joint Task Force operating in the region.

The Federal Government has over the years signed different Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with different European countries and international organisations to help in this fight yet, the continued perpetration of the crime seems to be on the increase.

In some cases, there are allegations that foreigners come into the country and connive with these security agencies that have been put in place to stop this criminal act and engage in these dastardly acts (an allegation the CNS said should not be ascribed to the military as a whole but a few bad eggs in them).

Recently, Rep. Aliyu Sani Madaki, a House of Representatives member representing Dala Federal Constituency of Kano state, raised a motion on the floor of the House urging it to investigate and prosecute the allege crude oil thieves in the country as, according to him, the

Nigerian Navy was reported to have said that it could not stop the rising oil theft.

According to Hon. Madaki, “A situation whereby you have few powerful individuals, people who are highly connected, people who feel they don’t have fear of God and man because they feel they are protected by certain quarters for one reason or the other, I feel, as a country, we should all be alarmed”.

In a subsequent interview with journalists, Madaki revealed that the matter is currently being investigated by a special ad-hoc committee set up by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He further said that the intervention of the House of Representatives, as an arm of the government, will definitely try to find out the rationale behind the statement credited to the Nigerian Navy.

“We have to set up an inter-governmental committee, which should be able to tackle this; because you need the assistance of other countries, including the developed countries, as most of the stolen crude oil is taken to them. They know it is stolen, yet they are buying it from these people who are stealing it”, Madaki added.

Nigeria is sitting on a crude oil reserve estimated at 35 billion barrels, enough to fuel the entire world for more than a year, yet 70 percent of its citizens live below the poverty line of $2 a day, struggling with a failing infrastructure and chronic fuel shortages because of the lack of petrol refining capacity, even though the country produces more crude oil than the oil-producing state of Texas in the United States.

The question stakeholders are asking is: aside holding seminars,

signing of MoUs with foreign countries and organisations, what other stiffer measures can the military put in place in bring this menace, at least if not to an end, to its barest minimum?

Again, can’t at least one of those ‘big wigs’ be arrested, prosecuted and sentenced, to serve as deterrent to others?

If nothing is done, the large oilproducing blocks, huge gas deposits, key pipelines and the export terminals that control the passage of onshore oil to international markets will most likely stay in the hands of this few “principalities and powers in high places”, enabling them to retain infrastructure for which they can charge rent to the remaining 70 percent of Nigerians.

Last month, the National Economic Council (NEC) approved the

establishment of a special court to try suspected oil thieves with existing legislation to expedite prosecution of suspects. This has received applause from a lot of quarters, who commended NEC’s effort to support the JTF and a deviation from the conventional ‘arrest, parade and let-off-the-hook as soon as they are handed over for prosecution’.

The insinuations making the round is that even if the courts are established, the bosses of those involved in this illegal and shady deals cannot be brought to book as they are a ‘cabal’ that seems stronger than the military or each government of the day.

The general consensus is that until someone is brought to book and publicly sentenced or punished, this scourge will continue to rear its ugly head in our society.

The Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mutiu Sunmonu, had sometime ago, at the Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) 2013 Exhibition and Conference in Abuja, advised the Federal Government that instead of gallivanting to European and other foreign countries to seek for help on tackling crude oil theft, the Goodluck Jonathan administration should move against “the principalities and powers in high places”, who are the sponsors of crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.

Every other government of the day has done one thing or the other in a bid to end this deadly scourge that has eaten deep into the system like corruption and none has been able to fight it effectively.

The Goodluck Jonathan-led administration will also need to show its determination and further empower the special court established for the sole purpose of prosecuting these oil thieves, otherwise it will still be same old story.

Until this is done, the fight against oil theft and its attendant other vices, no matter hard the military tries, cannot be curbed

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 28

Agriculture

Turning Borno state to fruitful wheat fields The Institute The Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) has the national mandate for the genetic improvement of wheat, millet and barley, and research into the production problems of the popularly grown crops in the North-East zone.

Wheat research For wheat research in LCRI, we have done a lot of works on the genetic improvement of wheat in Nigeria. As at 1976, the average yield was 1.2 tons per hectare.

But, with the launching of the wheat transformation agenda by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the federal government of Nigeria, we have been able to develop some improved varieties that can give us an average yield of 5 to 6 tons per hectare.

This was achieved through collaboration with CIMMYT in Mexico and ICARDA in Tunisia.

These two improved varieties are Norman Borlaug and Reyne 28. These two varieties are to be released in 2014. Nigeria spends N635 billion annually importing wheat into this great country.

Nigeria’s untapped potentials We have the potentials to produce our own wheat. We have 600,000 hectres of land in this country that is suitable for wheat production, out of which only 10 per cent of land this area is utilised for wheat production.

But, within this agricultural transformation agenda, we have

Dr. Oluwasina Gbenga Olabanji is the Executive Director, Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), in Maiduguri, Borno state. In this interview with Mohammed Kandi, he says that his Institute has made breakthroughs in the breeding of adaptable wheat varieties. Excerpts: rain-fed wheat is cultivated in Nigerian highlands. These Nigerian highlands are in Mambilla Plateau in Taraba state, Jos in Plateau State, and Obudu in Cross River state. These are potential areas for rain-fed wheat production. We have about 80,000 hectres area of land in these areas that are suitable for rain-fed wheat production.”

Wheat and agricultural transformation agenda With the wheat ATA, we emphasise value chain, not just producing the wheat. We have gone into processing our Nigerian wheat into flour. We also have recipes that are made from this wheat flour, like the bread. We have 100 per cent Nigerian made bread. Our wheat flour is comparable, if not superior, to imported flour that we are clamouring for in Nigeria.

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we should be able to achieve 50 percent of this national demand.

And that will reduce the cost of importation by 50 percent.

Presently, N635 billion is spent annually on importing wheat into Nigeria and this can be reduced by half in 2015.

We are trying to partner with companies that are ready to help us to commercialise these products, like the wheat flours; the bakers to come in baking our own wheat flour into bread.

The cassava-wheat composite bread is also good. It will also reduce importation of wheat into this country. We could also use sorghum-wheat flour for baking bread. But I think the best nutritional value is 100 percent wheat bread and the cassavawheat bread.

Challenges There are challenges; some

companies are brought on board for seed production, the national agricultural seeds council is also there to certify these seeds. And we, in the agricultural research institutes, are mandated to produce breeder and foundation seeds. And these will be made available for the seed companies for them to produce certified seeds for our farmers.

Secondly, it is the poor extension services delivery. There is what we call REFILS, which is part of the research component; it has been very weak, that means, the interaction between farmers, researchers and end users have been very weak over the years. But with this value chain approach, we are organising stakeholders’ workshop whereby all the stakeholders will be brought under a platform where we discuss these challenges and

We have started registering our wheat farmers, and they are already in association so that, for the GES, input can be made available to these wheat farmers at the right time

Wheat farm proposed, for 2013 to 2014, to cultivate 150,000 hectres of land in the wheat-growing areas. These are 10 states in the northern parts of the country.”

Similarly, we have rainfed wheat in Nigeria. And this

Meeting national demand locally in wheat Between now and 2015, we should be able to produce half of our demand in this country.

Our demand for wheat is 3.7 million metric tons, and by 2015,

of these challenges are the provision of adequate and quality seeds. Seed is the major constraint to crop production in Nigeria. But, with the emphasis now, through the use of these value chains, whereby the seed

proffer solutions so that, in due course, we will be able to meet our national target of being selfsufficient in wheat production.

Harnessing the various existing infrastructure We need irrigated water, which

Dr. Oluwasina Gbenga is to be provided by the River Basin Development Authorities.

That is why they are established.

And also, land preparation is their mandate. We are trying to collaborate with them through the stakeholders’ platform, that the River Basin Development Authority will be able to key into the wheat agricultural transformation agenda, by providing these facilities for our wheat farmers.

Organising and capacitybuilding The other issue is on how to get these farmers into a corporation.

We have started registering our wheat farmers, and they are already in association so that, for the GES, input can be made available to these wheat farmers at the right time.

On linkages, we have platforms that are going to link up all the stakeholders in wheat production.

The researchers are to generate the improved technologies for the farmers’ use.

After generating these technologies, we also train farmers and the youth, and empower them in wheat production. We train farmers through the field farmers’ schools. Last year, we trained farmers on crop management practices so as to increase their production and productivity. The farmers benefitted.

We want to catch these young farmers as early as possible. That is why we also train the youth on wheat production, because the present age of our wheat farmers is 50 to 60 years. We need to catch these young farmers so that they can replace these old farmers. Then there will be continuity of wheat production in the country.

Then, when we talk of extension, the Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) are also there in the platform to disseminate the technologies that have been generated in the research to our farmers.

They work closely with farmers so that whatever technologies have been disseminated are properly applied by our farmers to increase their production and productivity.

(To be continued next week)

PAGE 29

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Minister calls for huge investment in agriculture, research

By Mohammed Kandi

T

he Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has said that Nigeria needs to invest more in agricultural research to achieve food sufficiency in 2015, saying there would be no progress in agriculture without science and technology.

Adesina, who made this known, while receiving a team of experts from the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) led by its Executive Director, Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, recently in Abuja, said “FARA is the apex body that coordinate all the agricultural research in Africa.

It is crucial for Africa, because, it can help us train new scientists, and it is all ours.

According to the minister, “It is important for our national institution to work with FARA and to work with international organisations to aid our productivity in agriculture. We just have to acquire science and technology in raising productivity in our nation’s agriculture”.

Also speaking, the Executive Director (FARA), Dr. Akinbamijo said that the past decade has witnessed concerted efforts to improve agricultural productivity as a pathway to increasing economic growth, reducing poverty, increasing food security and enhancing resilience to shocks, adding that, among these efforts was the creation of FARA in 1997.

He called on the Nigerian government to collaborate with FARA in its possible ways, as it would also improve the agricultural advancement of Nigeria.

2015: Nigeria to cut N635bn annual wheat import

By Mohammed Kandi ollowing the discovery of two improved varieties of the wheat that was achieved through collaboration with CIMMYT in Mexico and ICARDA in Tunisia, Nigeria has set 2015 as target to cut-down the N635 billion annual cost of wheat import into the country.

Executive Director, Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), Dr. Oluwasina Gbenga Olabanji, said recently in Abuja, that varieties called Norman Borlaug and Reyne 28, which are expected to be released in 2014, are capable of producing an “average yield of 5 to 6 tonnes per hectare.”

While presenting 100 per cent Nigerian wheat bread to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in his office, Olabanji said “the varieties are expected to position Nigeria to produce what it requires as it expands its land holdings allocated to wheat production, and would boost the economy of the north.”

Expressing the hope that, Nigeria will soon be selfsufficient in wheat production, Dr. Adesina said, “all the way in the north; Borno, Yobe, Katsina, Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto states: in all those areas, we can produce wheat.”

He lamented, however, that “we have not been doing that well, rather we spend N635 billion annually in importing wheat.”

Excited, the minister expressed the belief that, “with all the wheat value-chain that we have, we will be able, over a four-year period. …Just imagine what the northern states will look like. We did dry season rice in 10 states in the North.

You saw what happened; you can imagine if wheat expansion of those varieties under those mechanised conditions

F

happened all over the place.”

Dr. Adesina promised to support the Research Institute and the wheat transformation agenda saying “Nigeria will not be a consumption centre.

Nigeria must be self-sufficient in producing what we actually eat, so that we can reduce our dependency on others. Any nation that does not free itself from food import is a danger to its own very self.”

The minister observed that “the quality of our wheat, in terms of consumer acceptance, is excellent,” but sympathized that “our local Research Institutes are not well funded”, adding that “with the little amount that they have, (you can) imagine what they have done.”

He enthused that “these are the moments that make me enormously very happy and more confident that our future as a country in agriculture is very bright.”

Agriculture

STF wants ranches to check cattle-rustling in Plateau

W

orried by persistent cattle-rustling and its deadly consequences in Plateau, the Special Task Force (STF) has proposed the establishment of permanent cattle ranches to check the menace. ``We have proposed ranches or stables so as to have the cattle in one place during the night and provide security for them,’’ STF Commander, Maj. Gen. Henry Ayoola, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos. ``Once we can secure the animals in the night, the cow thieves can only steal in the day time and that is certainly not easy,’’ he pointed.

He said that the Fulani leaders had, however, complained that such may not be easy since they do not stay in one place, but explained that it was an option that was

worth pursuing to safeguard the animals against thieves.

The army chief said that the STF was particularly concerned about cattle-rustling because it was a peculiar kind of theft ``with heavy security implications’’ as the herdsmen see the cows as their lives. ``For the herdsmen, once you steal a cow, they feel you are killing them and will seek to kill you as well. In fact, they kill two persons for each cow stolen,’’ Ayoola said.

The Commander described the situation as very serious as the cattle rustlers were usually ``heavily armed’’ during operations and would shoot anyone that ventured to stand on their way. ``We have always recovered at least 75 per cent of cows rustled, but our ability to apprehend the

thieves is usually slowed down by the fact that we do not get to hear of the incidents on time.

He said that the STF had so far arrested more than 20 cow theft suspects out of which three had been convicted while the rest were still being prosecuted.

He said that the STF had also stationed its men in markets to check cattle meant for sale to discourage cows thieves from the activity as there would be no place to dispose their loot.

The Commander, who revealed that cow rustlers were found among herdsmen and their host communities, said that youths in affected areas were being encouraged to form ``civilian STF’’ so as to fish out the criminal elements among them.(NAN)

Cross-breed sheeps heading for grazing at Kibidula farm in Tanzania

Livestock farmer wants industrialists to establish feed mills in Abia

I

ndustrialists in Abia have been urged to set up feed mills to check the scarcity and rising cost of animal feeds in the state.

The Chairman of the Piggery Association of Abia, Chief Livinus Nwaeke, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia recently.

Worried by the challenges facing piggery farmers in the state, Nwaeke said the establishment of more feed mills would not only check scarcity of feeds but boost piggery and livestock farming in general.

He regretted that livestock business had become expensive due to the high cost of feeds in the state.

He said that as a result of the development, farmers were finding it difficult to meet the demand for pork which, according to him, is high in Umuahia. He described piggery as a profitable venture with great prospects.

He said the business could be started with one pig which had the capacity to produce between eight and 10 piglets with its first pregnancy.

Nwaeke, who said he had been in piggery for decades, expressed his readiness to help in developing capacity in the

sector.

“Jobless youths who are looking for what to do should go into piggery rather than idle away their time or engage in crime.

“I’m prepared to help in training any youth who shows interest free-of-charge as

my own contribution to the development of agriculture,’’ he said.

He applauded the Federal Government’s initiatives toward achieving agricultural revolution in the country. He described the N1 billion loans to farmers in the states as commendable. (NAN)

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Feature Britain’s hypocrisy towards Nigeria

By By Ian Birrel

D

espite their military name, it is hard to see how an eight-strong delegation from Nigeria’s branch of the Boys’ Brigade posed much of a threat to the UK. They are, after all, members of a Christian youth group that is championed by Britain’s royal family and had been invited to a prestigious global event to recognise civic leadership. But the handpicked teenagers and their two dedicated leaders were barred from Britain.

The group was gutted. “We are not happy at all,” ArastusMbamoh, National Secretary of the Boys’ Brigade in Nigeria, has said. “It is very annoying and highly disappointing for everyone.” They were not alone, 43 other delegates were barred from the international gathering this weekend at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. With depressing inevitably all were from Africa; only eight applicants from the continent were allowed to join the festivities.

This is the flipside of UK’s toxic immigration debate, with those vile ‘go home’ posters and racist talk of ‘bongobongo land’. Each day, thousands of Africans are turned away from Britain, wrecking carefully laid plans to trade, visit relatives, attend conferences, see the sights or simply enjoy some shopping. They lose costly visa fees of up to £772 and go elsewhere; we lose goodwill alongside much-needed business in key sectors.

This official hostility makes a mockery of politicians who talk of competing in a global race as they corrode links to some of the world’s fastest developing nations. And nowhere sums up Britain’s anachronistic and contorted view of a rapidly changing world better than Nigeria, a country cobbled together by Britons’ Victorian ancestors a century ago that is emerging, for all its flaws and internal rifts, as Africa’s potential superpower.

On one hand, British leaders, who love

to cloak themselves in compassion as selfproclaimed saviours of the poor, throw huge clumps of taxpayers’ cash at this West African behemoth. As ministers pump taxpayers’ money into aid despite a startling history of failure, Nigeria is being handed the biggest increase of any major recipient nation over the course of the coalition. The annual bung is rising from £142 million three years ago to £305 million by the next election in 2015 — coincidentally the country’s target date to launch its first astronauts under an ambitious space programme.

It is daft to pour such sums into a place pockmarked with corruption and soaring inequality. Nigeria is one of the world’s fastest growing markets for private jets and champagne: A bottle of Cristal can cost £600 in a club while two-thirds of people struggle to survive on less than half that sum a year.

The core issues are ones of governance and social justice — yet Britain props up a thieving political elite that has failed

“

British Prime Minister David Cameron

The core issues are ones of governance and social justice — yet Britain props up a thieving political elite that has failed persistently to deliver public services to its people. This is a major oil producer that suffers crippling power shortages and accounts for one in three children out of school in Africa.

persistently to deliver public services to its people. This is a major oil producer that suffers crippling power shortages and accounts for one in three children out of school in Africa.

It is worth adding, of course, that it is pinstriped western pimps in finance, law and property who assist the flight of African capital much of it stolen into offshore

accounts and tax havens. Little is done to tackle this. Now one of our leading banks is about to cut the life support that aids millions of families through the transfer of remittances.

Despite the kleptocracy and growing insurgency in the north, Nigeria is one of the continent’s most consistent economic performers, with annual growth rates of

By making it harder for thousands of Nigerians to enter the UK while throwing money at the country’s kleptocratic elite, the UK stands to lose goodwill alongside much-needed business in key sectors

more than 5 per cent over the past decade and about to become Africa’s biggest economy. This is not just down to oil — it has strong banking and technology sectors, while manufacturing, construction and leisure thrive. The question is whether its energy and entrepreneurialism can sustain a population expected to increase fivefold by the end of the century; if it does, it could challenge even China.

So, what is Britain’s stance towards this nation that has strong historic ties to it, speaks English and can be brought to a near standstill by an Arsenal match on TV? It was as aresult of a sharp rise in the proportion of rejected visa applications, according to most recent figures. And now the government, rattled by the UK Independence Party over immigration, but impotent to stop those coming from Europe, plans to impose an absurd £3,000 bond on the six-month visas favoured by most of the 142,000 Nigerians who visited these shores last year. This discriminatory idea was, incidentally, first floated by Labour then initially announced by the Liberal Democrat leader.

Yet, Britain will need Nigeria more than it needs it in the emerging world order.

Over the past decade, trade between the two nations rose nearly fivefold, with the value of British exports there doubling.

Meanwhile, a study last month found Nigerians to be the sixth-biggest spenders in UK shops, which explains the Hausa signs in Debenhams, while they spend £300 million annually at British schools and universities. But there is nothing to stop them educating their children in the US, trading with Turkey or holidaying in China.

The bond proposal created a deserved backlash in Nigeria, with fiery calls for retaliation. Newspaper headlines talk of two nations on a warpath, but which one will be the loser in the so-called global race?The African powerhouse growing at great speed or its former colonial master, struggling to hold its head above water?

Britain bleats about bogus development through aid, yet demonstrates hostility that reeks of hypocrisy and damages both the

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

ANALYSIS

By Mike Allison

A

s is well known, worsening drug trafficking, organised crime, corruption, institutional dysfunction and the deterioration of the country’s finances in the years since the June 2009 coup have made Honduras the most dangerous country in Latin America and the world when measured in terms of homicides per capita.

Recent reports have documented the murders of police officers, campesinos, lawyers, journalists, taxi drivers, homosexuals, democracy, land and human rights activists, and gang members.

Things have gotten so bad that a bomb was thrown at President Porfirio Lobo’s residence at the beginning of the month. To no one’s surprise, the perpetrator escaped without a trace. Days later, 17 people, including some women and children, were killed in a shootout between two alleged drug trafficking gangs. Three inmates died days after the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights published a report stating that inmates were running all of the country’s prisons.

While the announcement of a gang truce in May might help to provide some respite from the daily violence - though it hasn’t so far - Honduras and the international community might want to consider the creation of an independent, international body to support the country’s battle against organised crime’s infiltration of the state, similar to what exists in Guatemala. While Guatemala’s experiment has not been a total success, there have been several important improvements from which Honduras could benefit should it agree to a similar commission.

Honduras in 2013 is in some ways similar to 2006 Guatemala. Organised crime infiltrated the government. The police were outmanned, outgunned, and all too corrupt. Individual prosecutors and judges could not, or would not, do their jobs because they were corrupt, threatened or simply overwhelmed by the challenges.

Congress did not provide the courts and the police with the legal means to prosecute crime. As a result, the Guatemalan government and the international community agreed to the creation of a unique hybrid domesticinternational commission.

Since the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) began work in 2007, it has helped to solve a number of important crimes, including the 2009 murder-suicide of a prominent lawyer that nearly brought down the government, the 2011 homicide of Argentine folksinger Facundo Cabral, and the killings of 16 travelers from Nicaragua in 2008.

On Thursday, Guatemala’s High Risk Court convicted four men, including the former head of the police’s criminal investigation unit, of participating in the extrajudicial execution of 10 prisoners in 2005 and 2006. Given the court’s ruling, it now appears as if authorities will step up efforts to prosecute a former minister of the interior, former director of the police, former deputy director of criminal investigation of the police, former director of the prison system, and the former minister of national defence. In the judges’ ruling, they accepted that these men were present at the prison during the extrajudicial

PAGE 31

International How to reduce crime in the world’s most violent country

Honduras has the highest rate of intentional homicide in the world. executions. The successful prosecution of these high-level figures would be one of CICIG and Guatemalan prosecutors’ most significant accomplishments.

More than 2,500 corrupt police officers have been removed from their jobs in Guatemala. While police corruption remains an ongoing problem and will be for some time, today’s police are better trained and equipped than they were before CICIG’s arrival. The government has opened investigations into 13 of 18 judges who CICIG identified as protecting criminal groups and corrupt officials from prosecution, and for making questionable rulings in favour of impunity. CICIG also provided several legal reform proposals and technical assistance to Congress to help it pass laws to strengthen the criminal justice system.

The work of Attorney General Claudia Paz y Paz and Judge Jasmin Barrios, who have received so much well-deserved national and international recognition, would not have been possible without CICIG’s direct and indirect support. Paz y Paz and her office’s ability to pursue high-profile charges against former presidents, money launderers, drug traffickers, and officials accused of

extrajudicial execution is possible because of the environment that CICIG has helped create.

Judge Barrios, on the other hand, recently oversaw the conviction of Efrain Rios Montt on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in the High Risk Court that CICIG helped establish. While the trial against Rios Montt is a sign of how far the justice system has progressed, the Constitutional Court’s reversal of the conviction on an alleged due process violation is a sign of how far Guatemala still has to travel. Rios Montt will most likely have another day in court next year.

When CICIG arrived, an estimated two percent of all murders resulted in convictions. Today, the conviction rate in Guatemala stands closer to 10 percent. Outgoing CICIG commissioner Francisco Dall’Anese recently claimed that impunity has fallen from 95 percent to 70 percent since its arrival. After peaking in 2009, homicides have decreased for three consecutive years. While the limited progress that Guatemala has experienced in recent years is not all the direct consequence of CICIG’s work, it has nevertheless played an important role. Guatemala is slightly

“

better than it was before CICIG’s arrival and might have been in an even better condition had not the media, private sector, and certain government and non-government officials undermined its efforts.

Today, Honduras is in need of similar international support.

Organised crime has infiltrated the government. Too many police and military are corrupt and triggerhappy. The political and economic elite continue to operate with impunity.

The US government is being pressured to halt assistance to police units that report to Chief of Police Juan Carlos Bonilla, suspected of having ties to death squads. Instead, the US government has promised that police aid would only go to specially vetted units and that US officials would not work directly with Bonilla or with those directly beneath him in order to maintain “two degrees of separation”.

But this is a disingenuous promise, because tehcnically all police units report to Bonilla. Instead, the US recently suspended all aid that it was providing to the unit responsible for vetting police because progress was too slow. However, the problem obviously goes beyond Bonilla. Eight former topranking police officials are also under

Judge Barrios, on the other hand, recently oversaw the conviction of Efrain Rios Montt on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in the High Risk Court that CICIG helped establish.

investigation for alleged graft.

Twenty-one US senators expressed their reservations to Secretary of State John Kerry that the Honduran government was doing enough to ensure free speech, due process and the prosecution of authorities who commit human rights-related crimes. The US Congress had resumed some aid to the Honduran government only after the Obama administration had claimed there had been improvements in these areas. The US Congress was sceptical at the time and is even more so today.

Recently, the Honduran Congress investigated the health minister and the attorney general. The commissions created to oversee the two offices found corruption, waste and mismanagement in each division. The health minister and the attorney general both resigned before congress could act. However, the two officials claim they were singled out because of their battles against government corruption, which threatened other government officials.

It is nearly impossible to distinguish between politically inspired witchhunts and honest, evidence-driven investigations and prosecutions of government and police officials.

The Obama administration wants to assist the Honduran government and police in the fight against organised crime, corruption and drug trafficking.

It is in both countries’ interests.

However, the US does not appear to have a plan as to how to do so when there are so many police and government officials involved in illegal activities.

An international commission against impunity in Honduras would not be able to replicate the Guatemalan model, but it could provide a blueprint. It would be an international commission supported, staffed, and financed by the United Nations and not the US government.

The commission would recommend to Honduras’ congress and executive branch reforms to the criminal justice system to reduce impunity. The commission would help vet police, prosecutors, and judges. Finally, the commission would provide needed protection, training and support to Honduran officials to investigate and prosecute crime.

Guatemala’s CICIG has not worked miracles. Even with three years of lower murder rates, it is still among the world’s highest. Impunity is lower but the chances of getting away with murder or corruption are still very high.

And the two commissioners the UN has appointed to oversee CICIG have been run out of town by the country’s political and economic elite, some of whom fear losing their privileges.

They never wanted CICIG there in the first place.

However, an anti-impunity commission could give the US, the international community, and the Honduran government and people an opportunity to improve the dire situation in Honduras. Such a proposal should be a key point of debate in the run up to November’s presidential election.

Source: Al Jazeera

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

International

Mugabe attacks critics, tells them to ‘go hang’

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obert Mugabe has launched a stinging attack on his opposition rivals in his first public speech since he won Zimbabwe’s disputed presidential election.

Rejecting PM Morgan Tsvangirai’s claims the vote was stolen, he said those against him could “go hang”,dismissing his rivals

as “Western-sponsored stooges” at a liberation war commemoration that was boycotted by his principal challenger.

MrTsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) boycotted the speech.

The party has lodged a legal challenge against the result of the “stolen election”, demanding it be

rerun.

Mr Mugabe won 61% of the vote in the election on 31 July, while MrTsvangirai came second with 35% and Welshman Ncube third with 3%, according to official results.

The president’s Zanu-PF party also gained a parliamentary majority of more than two-thirds, winning 160 of the 210 seats.

Mugabe talking during the Heroes day speech.

In his Heroes’ Day speech, which dealt with a series of national issues, Mr Mugabe focused at one point on his election victory and called for celebrations.

“Those who lost elections may commit suicide if they so wish. Even if they die, dogs will not eat their flesh,” he said.

He did not directly name MrTsvangirai, at all during the speech.

Zimbabwe’s Western detractors had been “put to shame”, he added.

“Never will we go back on our victory.”

Heroes’ Day is Zimbabwe’s proud annual celebration, when the country remembers those who died during the 1970s fight for independence.

Mr Mugabe was speaking at National Heroes’ Acre, the monument in the capital where some of those killed are buried.

In a statement, published by the NewsDay newspaper, MrTsvangirai said the majority of Zimbabweans were “still shocked at the brazen manner in which their vote was stolen”.

Mr Mugabe has not yet been sworn in for a seventh consecutive term, since the appeal is ongoing. He maintains that he and Zanu-PF won free and fair elections.

The MDC has said it has “strong evidence of electoral irregularities”, including bribery, abuse of “assisted voting”, and manipulation of the electoral roll.

South African union leader killed A

female union official has been shot dead at South Africa’s Marikana mine, where 34 striking miners were killed by police a year ago, her colleagues say.

The shop steward from the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) was killed yesterday

morning.

The NUM described the death as “cold-blooded murder,” and said it was “outraged”.

Tension between rival unions at the Lonmin-owned platinum mine has led to several shootings over the past year.

It is not clear whether

yesterday’s killing is connected to the conflict between the NUM and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, which was formed last year.

The NUM said it was “disappointed” at the lack of progress in arresting suspects for what it termed the “assassinations”

in Marikana.

A spokesperson for Lonmin, Sue Vey, told Reuters that the South African police were investigating the death.

The shootings of 16 August 2012 were the most deadly police action in South Africa since the end of apartheid.

said the authorities had hoped the announcement to disperse them would encourage protesters to leave.

But this has not happened and the number of people at the sites is increasing.

In Cairo, there had been no sign of the expected police activity at the camps outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in the east of the capital and at Nahda Square to the west.

The Muslim Brotherhood, to which ousted MrMursi belongs, has warned of bloodshed if they are forcibly dispersed.

More than 250 people, most of them supporters of MrMursi Egypt’s first democratically elected leader - have already been killed in clashes since the military deposed him on 3 July after mass protests

demanding his resignation.

On Sunday night, a source from the interior ministry said an operation to

disperse the two protest camps would begin shortly before dawn yesterday, and was likely to be a “gradual” process.

Judge extends Mursi detention, as authorities delay protest crackdown

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judge has extended ousted President Mohammed Mursi’s detention by 15 days.

MrMursi, who was overthrown by the military on 3 July and has been held largely incommunicado since, was placed in detention on 26 July over his links with the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas, which rules neighbouring Gaza.

He is being held over allegations of plotting attacks on jails and jailbreaks in the 2011 uprising with Hamas, when Islamist and other political inmates escaped during a revolt against toppled leader Hosni Mubarak.

Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities have postponed their plans to disperse two sit-ins in Cairo by supporters of the country’s ousted president, officials say.

A security official in the capital

Pro Mursi sit ins are increasing despite Egyptian authorities disapproval.

Sudan extends deadline for flow of South Sudan oil

Sudan President Omar al- Bashir.

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udan will extend a deadline to allow the flow of oil from South Sudan until September 6 in a move following mediation by the African Union to keep crude exports flowing, the Sudanese state news agency said.

“There will be an extension to the flow of South Sudan oil for two extra weeks until September 6,” it said.

Sudan, the sole conduit for South Sudan’s oil exports, last month extended an August 7 deadline two extra weeks.

Sudan accuses South Sudan of supporting anti-Khartoum rebels operating across their border. South Sudan denies the claims.

The African Union has stepped up efforts to prevent the production shutdown, starting an investigation of the Sudanese allegations. Ethiopia also mediated between the former civil war foes.

South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan in 2011, relies heavily on oil exports for its economy and the shutdown could have serious economic and political implications.

Closure of the pipelines would also hit the economy of Sudan, which needs South Sudan’s payment of oil transit fees.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 33

International

Al Qaeda claims responsibility for deadly bombings in Iraq

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l Qaeda claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in Iraq which killed dozens of people during a Muslim holiday and warned the government to stop arresting suspected militants or face more violence.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), formed earlier this year through a merger of al Qaeda’s affiliates in Syria and Iraq, said on jihadist forums it was behind the attacks across Baghdad and southern provinces over the weekend.

“The Islamic State deployed some of its security efforts in

Baghdad and the southern province and other places to deliver a quick message,” ISIL said, according to the SITE Monitoring group, which tracks jihadist websites.

Bombs ripped through markets, shopping streets and parks late on Saturday as Iraqi families were out celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Nearly 80 people were killed and scores wounded, police and medical sources said.

There was no respite from the violence as of yesterday. A roadside bomb close to a school

killed two people and wounded 11, including children, in the town of Muqdadiya, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Baghdad, police said.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack.

It has been one of the deadliest Ramadan holidays in years in Iraq, where Sunni Islamist militants are waging an insurgency against the Shi’ite-led government.

July had the highest monthly death toll from attacks since 2008, with more than 1,000 Iraqis killed, according to United Nations statistics.

The renewed violence prompted a statement from

Washington condemning the attacks and offering to work closely with Baghdad to confront al Qaeda and other groups.

ISIL, which has also claimed responsibility for jail breaks in Iraq last month in which hundreds of convicts escaped, said a government campaign to arrest suspects and ramp up security in the capital had only made things worse.

“They will pay a high price for what they did, and they will not be secure day or night during Eid or other times,” the ISIL statement said according to the SITE translation.

The disputed Himalayan region was split between India and Pakistan in 1948 but they both claim it in its entirety.

They have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir and India accuses Pakistan of supporting separatist rebels fighting its rule in its part of Kashmir since 1989.

The two armies have been exchanging fire on the front line since Tuesday, straining the ceasefire that has largely held for nearly a decade.

The Indian army patrolled an

area close to Poonchon India’s side of the fence yesterday after three people died in riots between Hindus and Muslims over the weekend. Opposition parties linked the rioting to the renewed border tensions, because some of the protesters involved had brandished a Pakistani flag.

On Pakistan’s side of the border, hundreds of people yesterday took to the street in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, accusing India of stepping up attacks.

India and Pakistan have been trying to restart stalled peace talks, possibly as early as this month, as well as a possible meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, in New York in September.

India has deployed tens of thousands of soldiers in Kashmir to put down an armed revolt that began in 1989. In recent years, violence has ebbed, but there has been little movement on a political settlement.

Tensions rise as Pakistan accuses India of shelling

P

akistan accused Indian troops of firing shells across the disputed border in Kashmir yesterday and tensions ran high in both countries after last week’s killing of Indian soldiers set off a wave of skirmishes between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

Skirmishes flared along the 740-km (445-mile) Line of Control that divides Kashmir on August 6 when five Indian soldiers were ambushed and killed in the Poonch region. New Delhi blamed the attack on the Pakistan army.

Islamabad denied involvement.

While tit-for-tat shelling and machinegun fire are common, the current round of fighting is one of the most intense since a ceasefire signed in 2003. It has been linked to protests in both countries and rowdy scenes in India’s parliament.

Under pressure from opposition politicians, the government has hinted at retaliation.

Yesterday, a Pakistani army official said a civilian was killed as a result of “unprovoked Indian shelling” in the Battal, Chirikot and Satwal sectors.

“Pakistan troops effectively responded to Indian firing,” the official said.

A spokesman for the Indian Defence Ministry offered a different version of events. He said Indian posts came under heavy mortar and automatic weapon fire overnight in the same area and that India “responded effectively.” He said no damage or injuries were reported on the Indian side.

Soldiers at the tense India- Pakistan Kashmir border.

Asia & Middle East

Fresh Myanmar clashes as Police fire on Muslims

A

ttempts to bring stability to Myanmar’s strategic Northwest Rakhine State could be unraveling after police opened fire on Rohingya Muslims for the third time in two months, reviving tensions in a region beset by religious violence last year.

Villages outside the state capital Sittwe remain volatile after a dispute over custody of a dead Rohingya quickly escalated into clashes in which police raked Rohingya crowds with gunfire, according to witnesses.

The violence underscores the growing Rohingya desperation in the face of an increasingly unsparing police response. At least two people were killed and more than a dozen injured, locals said.

The renewed tensions come despite government efforts to bring calm to Rakhine State, after two eruptions of communal violence with ethnic Rakhine Buddhists last year killed at least 192 people and left 140,000 homeless, mostly Rohingya.

The battered corpse of the fisherman washed ashore at Ohntawgyi village after Friday morning prayers, triggering a day of clashes in which police raked crowds of Rohingya with gunfire.

A military intelligence source in Sittwe put the toll at one dead and nine injured, while the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper said only three people had suffered “minor injuries”.

Activists blamed the clashes on restrictive measures imposed after last year’s violence in the Buddhistmajority country.

Apartheid-like policies have segregated Buddhists from Muslims, many of whom fester in primitive camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) with little hope of resettlement.

A Reuters photographer and video journalist who visited the area said the situation remained tense as Tomas Ojea Quintana, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, arrived in Sittwe on yesterday.

The clashes heap pressure on President TheinSein as he struggles to contain nationwide religious violence since taking power in March 2011 after nearly 50 years of military dictatorship.

Afghan President to seek peace with Taliban during Pakistan visit

A

fghan President Hamid Karzai will travel to Pakistan this month in the hope of breathing life into moribund peace process with the Taliban and mending a frayed relationship between the neighbors, Afghan officials said yesterday.

The role of Pakistan is seen as critical to efforts to get the Afghan Taliban to sit down to talks about ending the 12-year war as most foreign

troops prepare to pull out of Afghanistan by the end of next year.

Peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in the capital of the Gulf State of Qatar, Doha, were announced in June only to be canceled following Karzai’s anger over the Taliban displaying a banner and a flag, harking back to their repressive rule over Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

“I can confirm that President Karzai is travelling to Pakistan later this month,” Afghanistan’s ambassador to Islamabad, Omer Daudzai, told Reuters.

The trip will be Karzai’s first visit to Pakistan since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was elected.

Many had hoped Sharif’s election would lead to a reset in the relationship.

Those hopes were dashed

after Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry accused Pakistan of having raised the idea of power-sharing between the Kabul government and the Taliban. Pakistan denied the accusation.

Karzai will visit Pakistan from August 26 - 28. The leadership of the High Peace Council, the body created by Karzai in 2010 to broker peace with the Taliban, will also attend, a spokesman said.

Karzai

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 34

International Argentine opposition wins in midterm primary

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andidates sponsored by Argentine opposition leader Sergio Massa won the House of Deputies midterm primary in the politically key province of Buenos Aires, according to an exit poll announced on television channel TN. In the open nationwide primary, opposition parties were running against President Cristina Fernandez’s FPV (Frente Para la Victoria) coalition.

More than 70 percent of the 30 million registered voters chose candidates for October’s midterm congressional poll, in an election that - for the first time - included voters as young as 16.

Massa, the mayor of the affluent Buenos Aires town of Tigre, is heading his own list of candidates for Congress and is seen as a possible, businessfriendly presidential contender in 2015.

Forty percent of Argentina’s electorate lives in Buenos Aires.

The result could determine whether President Fernandez can keep governing with virtually no legislative checks on her power.

Analyst Alejandro Catterberg with the Poliarquia polling firm was expecting no more than 35 percent support for Fernandez

party’s candidates. That would represent a steep drop since she was re-elected with 54 percent of the vote almost two years ago.

Exit polls al s o s h o w e d government-allied candidates lost in the provinces of Cordoba, Santa Fe and Mendoza.

Fernandez, 60, has said she was not thinking about a

possible third term, but talk persists that her congressional allies wanted the constitution changed to allow her to run again.

For that to happen, Fernandez would have to increase her control of Congress in October, when half the seats in the lower chamber will be up for grabs along with a third

of the Senate.

Fernandez’s allies would need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to get debate started on a constitutional change to permit a third term.

Sunday’s vote was seen as a mega-opinion poll on Fernandez’s heavy-handed trade and economic policies.

Massa

UK considering ‘unprecedented’ legal action over Spain on Gibraltar

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Gibraltar created an artificial reef which, the Spanish say, will destroy fishing in the area.

Madrid stepped up border controls, which caused lengthy traffic queues, and suggested a 50 euro (£43) fee could be applied to every vehicle entering or leaving the British territory.

A Downing Street spokesman called Spain’s actions “disproportionate and politically motivated”.

he UK government is considering legal action against Spain over the imposition of additional border checks in Gibraltar, Downing Street has said.

A spokesman said the prime minister was “very disappointed”

by Spain’s failure to remove the checks over the weekend.

Legal action through the EU would be “unprecedented”, the spokesman added.

It comes as the Spanish government says it is considering taking the dispute to the UN Security Council, where it could seek the support of Argentina.

A Spanish government spokesman said that although the Falkland Islands - over which Britain went to war with Argentina - and Gibraltar were different issues, there were similarities between the two disputes.

The row was sparked after

utch Prince Johan Frisopassed away yesterday after nearly a year and a half in a coma following a skiing accident in Austria, officials say.

Prince Friso, who was 44, was moved from hospital in London back to the Netherlands last month, but had since suffered complications.

He was hit by an avalanche in February 2012 and buried for 15 minutes.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima are said to be on their way home from a holiday in Greece.

“Prince Friso died from complications as a result

of oxygen s h o r t a g e s during his ski accident on February 17, 2012,” a royal palace statement said.

He died y e s t e r d a y morning in The Hague, the palace added.

His wife, Princess Mabel, is said to have spent her 45th birthday on Sunday at his Late Prince Johan bedside.

Speaking about potential legal action, he said: “If we go down this route, we would press upon the EU the need to pursue this with a matter of urgency.”

It is not clear what the legal options were, the spokesman added, saying it would be up to the EU to explain any possible sanctions.

“This would be an unprecedented step so we want to consider it carefully before a

Dutch Prince dies after long coma D

Europe and Americas

France arrests soldier accused of mosque plot

M

uslim leaders in the French city of Lyon said yesterday that they feared a surge in attacks on mosques in the style of one averted last week in which a soldier was arrested on suspicion of planning a shooting during an Islamic feast holiday.

A 23-year-old French soldier was arrested at his air force base near the city of Lyon for planning an attack on a local mosque, the French interior ministry said.

The soldier held views “close to those of the radical extreme right” and had already attacked a mosque in the Bordeaux region last year without causing much damage, the ministry said on Sunday, without giving further details.

Anti-Muslim incidents have risen steadily in recent years in France, home to Europe’s largest Islamic minority, according to the Committee against Islamophobia in France (CCIF), which blames anti-Muslim rhetoric by farright politicians.

A far-right activist said such violence had been provoked by government efforts to suppress “nationalist movements” that provided a legitimate outlet for discontent.

KamelKabtane, rector of the Grand Mosque of Lyon, called on local Muslims to gather for a show of solidarity at the suburban Minguettes Mosque, which police said the soldier arrested on Saturday planned to shoot at on the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.

The soldier was placed under formal investigation yesterday, accused of “possessing category 4 ammunitions in relation to a terrorist undertaking”.

Described by the interior ministry as holding extreme right-wing views, he was also accused of lobbing a Molotov cocktail at a mosque near Bordeaux last year.

“There is a clear will today to hurt the Muslim community,” Kabtane said, adding that two minor acts had been carried out against mosques in southeastern France over the weekend.

“These are no longer isolated acts.

It feels like there is a whole organization being put in place,” he said.

In France, placing a person under formal investigation means there is serious or consistent evidence pointing to their likely implication in a crime, and moves them a step closer to a trial.

French media say such incidents have increased by 50 percent in the first half of 2013. The presence of far-right militants at anti-gay marriage protests highlighted half a dozen shadowy extremist groups the government has since shut down.

AlexandreGabriac, the young founder of a now banned far-right group called the Revolutionary Youths, blamed the rise in anti-Muslim attacks on the clampdown and said the government should take some responsibility.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 35

Strange World Designer creates 12-course meal in a can

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12-course meal may sound appetising, but when it’s stuffed into a single tin can, perhaps

less so.

The All in One is the brainchild of designer Chris Godfrey, who said he wanted to give the working man or woman the ‘chance to dine like royalty without the washing up’.

Contemporary culture means on every trip into town; you’re bombarded with gimmicks galore,’ he wrote on his blog.

Gimmicks often diminish their products to turn a profit; downgrading on the content but selling you something that’s “50 per cent more”. The All in One 12 course meal offers the average Joe; the chance to dine like royalty without the washing up.’

The full ingredients of the 12-course meal in a can are: -A selection of local cheeses with sourdough bread -Pickled Kobe beef with charred strawberry -Ricotta ravioli with a soft egg yolk -Shitake mushroom topped with filled peppers

Godfrey’s 12 course meal.

-Halibut poached in truffle butter in a coconut crepe -Risotto foraged ramps, prosciutto and fresh parmesan

-French onion soup with fresh thyme and gruyere cheese -Roast pork belly and celeriac root puree

Traveller scales new tree every day for a year

-Palate cleanser, pear ginger juice -Rib eye steak with grilled mustard greens

Mind-reading headphones play music based on your mood

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Dahle on the top of a tree.

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ature lovers are meant to hug trees but Henrik Dahle has branched out on his own.

He climbed a new one every day, all over Europe, for a year.

You may think he’s barking, or just a sap, but there was a serious point to his road trip project.

He wanted to highlight how much man relies on the environment so off he went with six, very patient, friends through 11 countries.

‘They were always having to wait for me at the bottom of a tree,’ said Mr Dahle from Southampton. ‘I was adamant I had to climb a tree every 24 hours, and often we’d be driving for hours and hours, then have to stop for me to get a climb in before

midnight.

‘At first, I took a short part of the day out to find a tree and climb it, fitting it in around my life.

‘But, as the project went on, it took more and more time.

‘I soon realised it was going to get boring if it was just me, so I started to invite other people to join me.’

He interviewed 80 people in the boughs of various pine, ash, oak, beech, silver birch and poplar trees to keep the mission interesting.

‘I’d get as high up in the tree as I could but had to be careful.

I had a no-falling and no-dying rule,’ said the 36-year-old.

‘It was my own game, a playful idea with a serious side to it. I’m passionate about sustainability

and staying in touch with nature.

‘People were usually keen and excited when I told them about the project, and a bit curious about why I was doing it. When it was over, it felt very strange.

You’d think I’d feel relieved but I had become so used to looking for the next tree it was odd not to do that any more.’

In Sørkedalen, Norway, he put on some lipstick to honour two women who had been killed in a protest exactly 100 years previously. His Norwegian relatives joined him up his last tree for a party.

‘I loved the family tree, that might be my favourite. I’m sure some of them were just humouring me, but they showed up,’ he said.

He is writing a book called Uptrees about his adventure.

-Crack pie with milk ice cream on a vanilla tuile -French canele with a malt barley and hazelnut latte

inding the right song to suit your mood can be pretty frustrating, but thanks to the new Mico mind-reading headphones from Japanese company Neurowear, you won’t have to scroll through your playlist anymore. They’ll just scan your brain and play the perfect song.

The Mico mind-reading system is made up of two parts: a pair of bulky headphones and an iPhone app. The headphones come with a forehead sensor that analyzes the user’s brainwaves to detect his mood, then connects to the Mico database via the iPhone application and selects the song that best fits his current state, from a number of neuro-tagged tunes.

If your mood changes, and you feel the song isn’t appropriate anymore, all you have to do is shake the phone to clear collected data and have the sensor scan your brain again. Neurowear’s revolutionary headphones also come with built-in LED indicators that display your

mood through icons to everyone around you.

Right now, they have an exclamation mark for when you’re focused, a “zzz” sign for when you’re feeling drowsy, and a cross icon for when you’re stressed.

The Mico mind-reading system is still in its prototype stage, but Neurowear hopes to develop a market-ready product “in the near future”. They currently have just 100 songs in their music database, but according toEngadget, they are considering the possibility of partnering up with services like Spotify, for a more diverse list of tunes. Hopefully, they can also do something about the design, because right now the headphones look huge.

If the name Neurowear and this brainwave-reading technology sounds familiar, that’s because they’re the same company that brought us the Necomimi braincontrolled cat ears, and the quirky human tails.

A woman using the new Mico mind-reading headphones

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Digest

Drinking hot chocolate could prevent Alzheimer S

By Nick Mcdermott

cientists have come up with an indulgent way to stave off dementia.

Drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day may boost memory in pensioners by almost a third.

It is thought chocolate’s ability to boost blood circulation is the reason.

‘We’re learning more about blood flow in the brain and its effect on thinking skills,’ said lead author Dr Farzaneh Sorond, from Harvard Medical School.

‘As different areas of the brain

need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need greater blood flow. This relationship, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer’s.’

The study, published in the journal Neurology, involved 60 people with an average age of 73 who did not have dementia.

Each volunteer drank two cups of hot cocoa a day for a month and did not consume any other chocolate during the study.

Both their memory and thinking skills were examined,

Drinking hot chocolate can reduce a person’s risk of dementia by increasing the blood flow to their brain by up to eight per cent

while they also had ultrasounds to measure the blood flow to the brain during the tests.

Almost a third of participants had impaired blood flow at the start of the study, but saw an 8.3per cent improvement in flow to the working areas of the brain by the end of the study.

This group with impaired blood flow also experienced improved times after taking a test of working memory, with scores falling from 167 to 116 seconds by the end of the month.

In both instances, there was no improvement for those who started out with regular blood flow.

Half of the study participants received hot cocoa that was rich in the antioxidant flavanol, while the other half received flavanolpoor hot cocoa. There were no differences between the two groups in the results.

‘More work is needed to prove a link between cocoa, blood flow problems and cognitive decline,’ said Dr Paul Rosenberg, from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. ‘But this is an important first step that could guide future studies.’

Previous research has found that lovers of dark chocolate - with at least 60-70 per cent cocoa - benefit from a protective effect against high blood pressure and the risk of diabetes.

And scientists say it can even

Drinking just two cups of hot chocolate a day helps elderly people keep their brains healthy and their minds sharp by boosting the blood flow to their brains benefit those who are already at high risk of heart attacks and strokes.

The beneficial effects have been shown only for dark chocolate which is at least 60-70 per cent cocoa. Milk or white chocolate does not provide the same benefits.

It is rich in flavonoids which are known to have heart protecting effects. Sceptics say the high calorie content of chocolate tends to offset the benefits.

Another study found that eating chocolate reduces blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity, reducing the risk of diabetes.

Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: ‘This small study adds to a wealth of existing evidence linking vascular problems and poorer cognition. A cocoa-based treatment would likely be very popular, but it’s too soon to draw any conclusions about its effects.

‘Dementia is one of the greatest medical challenges we face today, and it’s vital that we invest in research to find ways to prevent the condition.

‘Poor vascular health is a

known risk factor for dementia, and understanding more about the links between vascular problems and declining brain health could help the search for new treatments and preventions.’

doesn’t result in you crashing later on.

If you want to have better performance when you’re exercising, a cup of coffee can definitely help you out.

4. Cognitive Function - Do you sometimes have a cloudy mind and can’t quite figure out what to do or say?

This can be stressful whether you’re at work or trying to get things done at home. Drinking coffee on a regular basis can actually help you get over these mental problems and increase your cognitive abilities. Researchers in California performed short term memory tests, cognitive ability tests and awareness tests for individuals before and after they drank coffee on a regular basis. The results showed that individuals, specifically women in their senior years, benefited from regular coffee drinking. It helped improve their thinking abilities so they were better at problem solving and daily tasks.

One theory of why this works is because the caffeine in coffee prevents plaque buildup of beta-amyloid. When this plaque is reduced, the brain can function more smoothly and things like Alzheimer’s disease may even be prevented. There are many other theories out there as to why coffee boosts cognitive function. These

theories differ based on the study and the science that is used.

5. Stroke - A 2009 study done by the Department of Family Medicine in Seoul, Korea, found that chances of stroke could be reduced by drinking more than one coffee beverage per day.

The risk of stroke decreased by 25% for the women who were in this study.

Another study done in Finland with male participants showed that their risk of stroke was reduced by 12% when they drank more than 4 cups of coffee on a daily basis.

6. Better Health - There are more than 1,000 antioxidants inside of that cup of coffee you enjoy drinking so much. These antioxidants can benefit your health in numerous ways. For example, they can reduce inflammation caused by arthritis and even get rid of toxins that cause certain types of cancer. The antioxidants will also neutralize free radicals that can cause you to gain weight or have certain health issues. With more antioxidants active in your body you will feel better on the inside and look better on the outside.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

The beneficial effects on the brain have been shown only for dark chocolate which is at least 60-70 per cent cocoa

6 untold benefits of drinking coffee

W

hen you wake up in the morning feeling groggy and tired, coffee can be just what you need to wake up. It can give you energy and clear your mind so you can focus and get things done. While you know you can rely on a cup o’ joe to perk you up, do you know the other benefits of drinking it? You might be surprised to learn some of the unique benefits of drinking coffee that most people aren’t aware of!

1. Longer Life – A recent study done by the National Cancer Institute found that individuals who drink coffee on a regular basis are likely to live longer than those who don’t. The study was done with 400,000 people of all ages who drank both regular and decaf, depending on their preference.

Although the reasoning behind this still isn’t clear, many scientists think it’s due to the many antioxidants that are naturally found in coffee.

Another reason why coffee may result in a longer life is because it can help get rid of bad habits that most people have. For example, drinking a cup of coffee throughout the day can easily replace the act of picking up a cigarette and smoking. Coffee can also reduce unhealthy snacking

and promote exercise for those who drink it regularly. All of these things can contribute to a longer life just from sipping your favorite beverage each day!

2. Disease Prevention – In a study done by Harvard, researchers found that drinking one to three cups of coffee per day can benefit the health dramatically. For example, consuming one to three cups per day can reduce

your risk of diabetes. In addition to this, drinking six or more cups per day can even further decrease that risk. This study also showed that the development of Parkinson’s disease could be decreased by 80% and risk of colon cancer could be decreased by 25% for coffee drinkers. The Journal of Nutrition also did research that showed women who consumed four or more cups of coffee per day could decrease their chances of developing breast cancer by 40%.

3. Working Out – Before you exercise at the gym or at home, you might want to consider drinking a cup of your favorite brew. After you drink your coffee, it will release endorphins in your body within only a few minutes.

Once these are released, you will be in a better mood and actually feel like you want to exercise! Endorphins will increase your performance and can also help you workout longer and harder. The caffeine in the coffee will also give you an energy boost that

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

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Let’s meet in court - Adeyeye tells ex-LASU Don From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos

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L-R: Dr. Betty Nnadi, Orlu Zonal Women Leader, Mrs. Ngozi Ihemdi, and President, Solid Women Initiative for Development, Lady Queen Ezike, during Dr. Betty’s submission of her form to contest for National Woman Leader of PDP, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

PDP needs no merger to perform, says Tukur

By Lawrence Olaoye

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ational Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday disclosed that it does not require to merge with any political party in the country for it win elections.

Briefing newsmen after his return from lesser hajj, the PDP National Chairman said he is leading a formidable political organisation that could not be intimidated by the antics of the opposition.

Tukur said “PDP as a united and formidable political organization under a big and unshakable umbrella does not require a merger or coalition with any political organization to face any other political party in the country to implement her genuine economic progremmes aimed at alleviating

the sufferings of Nigerian masses under the Transformation Agenda of our Dear President Dr. Ebele Goodluck Jonathan.”

Commenting on the activities of five northern governors on the platform of the PDP currently embarking on nationwide consultations on the state of the nation, Tukur said the party would be waiting to hear from them after they may have concluded their nationwide consultation.

The five northern governors currently on ‘rescue mission’ are the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Niger state governor, Dr. Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu; Adamawa state governor, Murtala Nyako and the Sokoto state governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.

Others are the Jigawa state governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido and

APC to initiate policies, programmes to spur Nigeria’s economy

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haron Ikeazor, All Progressives Congress (APC) Interim National Women Leader, has restated the resolve of the party to initiate policies and programmes that would spur the nation’s economy.

Ikeazor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja that the decision of the party to put in place sound policies was part of the reasons some political parties merged.

According to her, the merger is to provide better alternative to ensuring the economic and political development of the country.

Ikeazor said the major preoccupation of the executives presently was to set up a structure for

the party which would be done from the foundation.

The women leader said that the party would offer good governance and improve the social and economic well being of Nigerians if voted into office in 2015.

She appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to intensify efforts to ensure free and fair elections in 2015.

Ikeazor also urged the committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution to accord priority attention to the welfare of Nigerians. ``All hands must be on deck to ensure Nigerians enjoy the dividends of democracy,” she said.

the Kano state governor, Dr. Rabu’u Musa Kwakwanso.

While reiterating all efforts made by the party’s leadership to ensure reconciliation among its aggrieved members, Tukur warned “In the recent past the media has been awash with events of accusations and counter accusations from some of our party members.

As much as we as a Party respect the Constitutional right of individuals to public opinions, movement and Association, such exercise should be done with some element of civility and in keeping with the norms of the society, the Party’s constitution and guidelines.

“To this effect it is advisable that Party faithfuls who are aggrieved, should use the Party’s internal resolution platform, that is to say the Party’s reconciliation Committee

or the leadership of the Party,” he added.

While commending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tukur promised to take the PDP to a greater height by ensuring the recapture of most states it lost in the past by 2015.

He said “In line with this, the National Working Committee has set-out guidelines for the Anambra State Governorship elections with the Ward Congresses now in progress. Our commitment to the people of Anambra State is to work hard and put in place a PDP administration in the State that will deliver in abundance democratic dividends to the people of the State as is reminiscent in other PDP controlled States Nation-wide.”

fenifere Chieftain and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has challenged former Lagos State University (LASU) don, Prof Abubakar Momoh, to sue him for libel as threatened saying; “I am waiting for him to go to court.”

Adeyeye had faulted Momoh’s appointment as the Director General of The Electoral Institute (TEI), an institute under INEC that is responsible for training and electoral research just as he described the University don as an apologists of the opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC).

Responding through his lawyer, Mr Bamidele Aturu, Momoh had given Adeyeye a two-week ultimatum to retract the publication and demanded N20 million as damages.

However, in his reaction, Adeyeye, who spoke through the Deputy Director General of his campaign organisation, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM), Chief Taiwo Olatubosun said; “If Momoh is not shameless, he would have quietly resigned his dubious appointment as TEI Director General instead of embarking on this face-saving attempt, threatening court action.

“However, before his lawyer, Bamidele Aturu begins the process of filing his court papers, let him ask his client (Momoh) the following questions; Was he (Momoh) not caught alongside Fuad Oki and others with already prepared election results in Ifaki-Ekiti during the 2009 rerun election?

“Was he alongside Fuad Oki and others not made spirited phone calls to Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, ADC to Governor Babatunde Fashola’s wife and other ACN leaders when they were arrested?

“Did he not appear at the Tribunal as Prosecution Witness 37 where he gave evidence in support of Fayemi?

Group calls for a credible representation of Urhobo nation in Senate From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos

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he Network for Positive Change (NPC) has said it has found it very necessary to take up the gauntlet of the advocacy for a formidable representation of the people of the Delta Central Senatorial District in the Senate in the forthcoming byelection to fill the vacuum created by the demise of the late Senator Pius Akpor Ewerido.

According to a spokesperson for the group, Mr. Ben Onyemachi, there is no gainsaying the fact that the Urhobo nation in the contemporary oil-rich Delta state, is the largest homogeneous entity.

Continuing, he said the Urhobo

speaking people have eight local government areas out of 25 LGAs in the state with two additional state constituencies and are richly endowed with both human and natural resources.

Irked by some ugly incident that portrayed the Uhrobos in bad light, he said “until recently when men and women of Urhobo extraction, to whom integrity makes no sense, took the centre stage in the political life of the industrious people, the Urhobos were formidable both at national and state politics owing largely to the superlative performance at various levels of government by their elected representatives.

As a grassroots mobilizers, he

noted that the NPC is calling on the people of Delta Central district not to cheapen themselves for vote buyers in the forthcoming by-election.

Having been relegated to the background in the political arrangements at both central and state levels, he added, it behoves on the people to know that it is their place to choose a formidable candidate at the polls without any let or hindrance to bring back the old glory of Urhobo land.

Ben said that the body is mindful of the fact that the death of Ewerido like a loosed canon has set loose the political businessmen in Urhobo land to impose their stooges once again on the people and this must be rejected with all seriousness.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Politics Challenges as Benue opposition coalesce into APC The registration of the new mega merger, All Progressives Congress (APC) excite Benue state opposition members as they look forward to 2015 election. In this piece, our Benue Correspondent, Uche Nnorom, examines the challenges before the APC in the state.

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he excitement which greeted the registration of the new mega party All Progressive Congress, APC has continue to reverberate across the nation.

Many politicians, political analysts and commentators have hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC)for the giant stride which they described as a landmark development in the annals of the nation’s political history.

Even the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has welcomed the development which it described as a force to be reckoned with in 2015 election.

Commenting on the formation of the mega party, a former Minister of State for Education and PDP chieftain in Benue State Dr. Jerry Agada contended that the party will act as a check or push to the ruling party in the country and that the state to brace up ahead of 2015 polls.

According to Agada, this requires that the PDP must re-strategize and amend its manifesto if it must continue to hold sway in the political landscape of the country.

Going down the memory lane in the political history of Benue State, the opposition parties from 1980s have always made an impact and had given the ruling party a run for their money. Mention must be made here how Wantaregh Paul Iorpuu Unongo, as governorship candidate of the then Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP battled Governor Apollo Aper Aku during the 1983 election.

Many persons believed that Unongo actually won the election but the INEC manipulated the result in favor of Aku whose second term bid was cut short by the military interregnum. Aku was later jailed.

During this time, Unongo kept the ruling NPN government on its toes with his vociferous criticisms of government’s activities. His criticisms helped the first civilian governor, Aku, to perform and up till date, he is recognized as the best civilian governor the State has ever produced. Aku’s monumental achievements in all sectors of the state economy is yet to be surpassed by his successors.

The NPP gradually metamorphosed into the All Nigeria

Gov. Gabriel Suswam Peoples’ Party, ANPP and emerged as the only major opposition party under the Akume administration.

Yet again, Unongo contested several times for the governorship seat of the State but lost to the manipulation of the PDP. He was later lured by Governor Gabriel Suswam to join the PDP and he accepted. The PDP thought that action marked the end of the opposition party in the state until the emergence of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN which also took the state by storm at the last election in 2011.

The party’s governorship candidate at the last election, Prof.

Steven Ugbah, who was politically unknown, having lived in the United States of America for a long time, returned home amidst intimidation from his own people, as he hailed from the same local government council i.e. Logo with the Governor, braved all odds and almost unseated Suswam for the governorship position. How the post-election

Sen. George Akume case between the duo dragged up to the Supreme Court where Suswam finally emerged victorious is now history.

After the election, there has been a lull in the camp of the opposition in the state even as the PDP won the local government election for the first time while the ACN just watched on and refused to challenge the outcome of the polls based on the advise by Sen. George Akume.

The failure of the opposition party in the local government poll was attributed to poor zoning and wrong nomination of candidates which led to disenchantment and even decampment of some members to the PDP. Same scenario may play out with the registration of APC as they were allegations of tussle for supremacy and superiority between the major opposition party in the state and the ANPP. Even amongst the members if the Action Congress of Nigeria

(ACN) there is a seeming rift between the State chairman, Abba Yaro and the party’s Deputy Governorship candidate, Alh. Usman Maishanu Abubakar, alias Young Alhaji. At one instance, Young Alhaji had chased away Yaro from his residence in Otukpo where he was said to have held meetings with Prof.

Daniel Saror, former governorship candidate of the defunct ANPP and other bigwigs of the opposition party.

Yaro had insulted young Alhaji as a political paper weight, maintaining that he and Saror lacked political pedigree and followership.

At another instance, Abba Yaro was said to have been involved in an altercation with a House of Representative member representing Ushongo/ Kwande Federal Constituency, Col. Benjamin Aboho, who vowed that Yaro will never emerge as chairman of APC in the State.

The lawmaker said that the Senate Minority Leader and leader of

the opposition party in the State, Sen. George Akume, may be fronting Yaro to emerge as chairman of APC in the State against the wishes of most of the top notchers of the party. Yaro has also boasted to high heavens that he will eventually emerge the chairman of the APC in the State.

The challenge of fielding a credible and acceptable candidate for the chairmanship position of the newly registered APC may pose a potent threat to the survival of the new amalgam in Benue. Analysts warn that adequate caution must be applied because any attempt to impose an unpopular person as a leader of the party may spell doom for it especially as opposition works hard towards dismantling the strong hold of the PDP in 2015 election. There must be equal and fair representation from the opposition parties in the State else, there may be re-alignment and decampment of party members back to the ruling PDP.

PDP blames Amaechi over non payment of civil servants salaries From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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he leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has blamed Governor Rotimi Amaechi for the agonies civil servants in the state are passing through over the delay in the payment of their July salaries.

The party in a statement issued

and signed by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media to the State Chairman, Hon Felix Obuah, wondered why the government should remain insensitive and unconcerned about the plights of these workers almost two weeks into a new month without salaries and with no explanation on why they should not be paid their July salaries.

Describing the development as unfortunate and callous, the party said no matter the situation, workers should not be made to suffer the weaknesses and mistakes of inefficient state administrators as it currently appears to be in the case.

The party insists Gov Amaechi should explain to Rivers people what informed his recourse to the

paying Banks to assist him out with the July salaries which has confused the situation the more as only two of the Banks could afford to do so, and can only pay less than 40% of the workforce.

“There is no other rationale for this misnomer other than that the State is broke to the point of not paying monthly salaries. And we

make bold to ask where has the money gone to, if not for the hosting of numerous supporters, fans and political gold diggers to whom Rivers State has been portrayed as a haven for such games”, the party regretted.

The party leadership has therefore urged Gov Amaechi to pay all the Civil Servants their legitimate July salaries without future delay.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 41

Eagles in Durban, ready for Bafana tie tomorrow Stories by Albert Akota

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nly 3 players, John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and FegorOgude are expected today morning in Durban for tomorrow prestige Mandela Challenge friendly against BafanaBafana at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban,

South Africa.

The Eagles arrived Durban from Johannesburg yesterday morning after a six hour over night flight from Lagos to Johannesburg.

The team was led by Head Coach Stephen Keshi with four home stars, ChigozieAgbim, AzubuikeEgwueke, Sunday Mba

Ameobi joins Eagles, promises victory

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ewcastle ace Shola Ameobi has promised to give his best for Nigeria after he joined the team for Wednesday’s friendly versus South Africa.

“I am so happy to be back with these set of players who always show me love and care and

I promise from now on to always give my best to the team,” said Ameobi, who joined the squad lunch time yesterday in Durban.

Ameobi pulled out of the Eagles squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, which was also hosted by South Africa earlier this year.

Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban is to host tomorrow’s match and Godfrey Oboabona.

The NFF President AlhajiAminuMaigari, who is expected for the game will also hit town today.

When the team got to its Southern Sun hotel abode several of the invited players were already in their rooms.

Among the early birds were late call ups James Okwuosa and

Gege Soriola, who are both based in South Africa.

There was also Obinna Nsofor, Elderson Echjiele, who was the first foreign based stars to arrive Durban.

Other early comers include Uche Nwafor, Efe Ambrose, Ogenyo Onazi and Brown Ideye.

By lunch time bulky Newcastle United striker, Shola Ameobi

strolled in along with stand in skipper, Austin Ejide.

Ameobi said he was happy to rejoin his teammates after missing the last Nations Cup that the team eventually won.

“Am so happy to be back with these set of players who always show me love and care and I promise from now on to always give my best to the team”.

Match bonus: Code of conduct okay for Super Eagles, say coaches

T Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban

he Former National Coaches, Fanny Amun and TundeDisu, have described the proposed introduction of a code of conduct for the Super Eagles as proper.

They told newsmen that the proposal followed the Eagles’ refusal to accept their match bonus in Namibia in June.

“In protest, the Eagles refused to leave their hotel rooms in

Supporters club set for South Africa to cheer Eagles

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he Nigeria Football Supporters Club said no fewer than 100 of its members would be in South Africa to cheer Super Eagles to victory during the Nelson Mandela Challenge.

The 20th edition of the international friendly match will hold between BafanaBafana and the Eagles in Durban, South Africa tomorrow.

The club’s Secretary, Samuel Ikpea, said it had processed visas for those going to support the

national team as they honour former South African President, Nelson Mandala.

“We do not have any other business other than to support our national team. We have made all the necessary preparations to be part of the game.

“We will pick some of our visas today (yesterday) and travel on Tuesday (today) via South African Airways.

“We want to ensure that the Eagles did not lack the necessary support. We also want to

honour Mandela’’, he said.

The secretary said they could have travelled with a larger number of supporters if they had started preparations earlier.

He said they would also mobilise Nigerians resident in that country to come out to support the national team.

The competition was founded in 1994 as invitational between the host country and invited teams to also raise funds for the Nelson Mandela Children Fund.

Windhoek, thereby missing their scheduled flight to Brazil for the 2013 Confederations Cup. It took the intervention of the Presidency to get the players to embark on the trip to Brazil, after they had been promised the balance.

The Minister of Sports, MalamBolajiAbdullahi, consequently set up a committee to look into the issue.

The committee recommended that the match bonus for the Super Eagles be pegged at $5, 000.

The SegunAdeniyi-led committee also recommended a code of conduct for the players, the coaching crew and FA officials.

Amun, a former Assistant Coach of the Super Eagles said that it was proper for an organisation to have a code of conduct.

“The players are used to signing of such in their various clubs; it should not be blown out of proportion.

“We are all aware of the fact that the recommendation is as a result of what happened in the

past, if the minister of sports deems is it necessary, then, so be it, personally, I see no issue in the suggestion,” he said.

Disu, a former Flying Eagles Coach also said that signing a code of conduct was normal.

He said that the recommendation was made in good faith, and advised that it should not raise any dust.

Disu urged the NFF to make a proper budget for all competitions in the next four years to avoid running out of funds.

“The NFF should ensure it always carries players along; signing of a code of conduct is just a step, both parties need to abide by it because it goes beyond the monetary aspect,” he said.

The Media Officer of the Super Eagles, Ben Alaiya, noted that he would not comment on the proposal until accepted by the minister of sports.

“It is merely a recommendation and needs to be presented to the minister for acceptance,” Alaiya said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Sports

Bafana to beat Eagles for Madiba, says captain Stories by Albert Akota

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afana Bafana captain Itumeleng Khune has called on his troops to win the Nelson Mandela Challenge against Super Eagles at the Moses Mabhida Stadium to honour former President Mandela.

Bafana will play the reigning African champions in what should be an interesting clash at their favourite spot in Durban. Khune said it would not be acceptable to lose the Mandela Challenge for the second year running. Last year they succumbed to 2012 African champions Zambia at the FNB Stadium.

Khune said the players have a “huge responsibility to bring joy on Madiba’s face”. The former State President has been in hospital for the past two months and his health has been described as “critical but stable”.

The locals arrived in Durban yesterday morning and headed for some social responsibility commitments before addressing the media on their preparations. Only two players are yet to arrive in camp.

Defender Anele Ngcongca and striker Tokelo Rantie are scheduled to arrive on Tuesday afternoon, while defender Bevan Fransman has been excused from camp as his wife has gone into labour.

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eartland Coach Ndubuisi Nduka has been fired after a poor run of results, officials announced.

The players have also been placed on half pay.

Heartland has now asked two assistant coaches Bob Acholonu and Mbwas Mangut to take charge of the Owerri club.

Team media officer Cajetan Nwokpara said that the action was taken by Fan Ndubuoke-led management.

“The management has asked two assistant coaches, Bob Acholonu and Mangut Mbwas, to be in charge of the team temporarily following the suspension of coach Ndubuisi Nduka’s led crew due to poor performance,” Nwokpara disclosed.

“Negotiations are ongoing in an effort to employ a new technical

adviser for the team, the players have also been placed on half salary.

He added: “The decision was taken due to failure of the coaches to meet the 12-point target from five matches set for the team.

Coach Nduka

he Chairman of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter Godwin Bamigboye, has called for the immediate establishment of a Sports Development Fund in FCT. He said that the fund would help to accelerate sports development in the FCT. “It will assist in the quick realisation of projects such as the Abuja Sports Academy and the Abuja Sports Village,’’ he said.

The chairman added that the establishment of the FCT Sports Development Fund would serve as a catalyst for genuine and sustained sports development.

“It will also serve as a model or reference point to the 36 States of Nigeria in general,’’ Bamigboye said.

He said the fund should be a form of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) adding that, the fund would supplement government’s huge expenditure in sports.

“Since government alone cannot fund and manage sports, this carefully premeditated initiative is a veritable solution,’’ he said.

He noted that the fund could be actualised through a viable collaboration with local and international organisations as well as government agencies.

He also said that a welfare scheme for unemployed could be introduced, to encourage and actualise investment and entrepreneurial consciousness in athletes.

“We will also assist in the training and re-training of coaches, introduce pension scheme, entrepreneurial and investment consciousness to coaches.’’

He urged the Minister of FCT to consider for immediate implementation the suggestions from the association which he described as ``a veritable solution to sports development in the territory.

“Our four players at the defence performed brilliantly in the game and Olorundare’s goal was classic; very difficult for normal strikers to score during matches.

“However, the players still need to work on some areas and we will still continue to work harder to achieve our target,’’ he said.

Amoo added that he was working round the clock to ensure

that Sunshine has its away win, adding that he was excited with the team’s progress.

“If the team can take the determination shown during home matches to away games and with luck, we will get back to where we belong on the league table soon,” he added.

Sunshine Stars next game would be away on Wednesday to Lobi Stars of Makurdi.

Meanwhile, Rotimi Sunday, Dolphins of Port Harcourt goalkeeper, has described the loss as unfortunate, saying it was due to little lapses.

“Both sides played very well, the officiating okay, but it was unfortunate we lost: we will go back to the drawing board to correct our mistakes,’’ Sunday, a former goalkeeper with Sunshine, said.

Itumeleng Khune

World Cup qualifiers: Malawi petition FIFA over Calabar venue

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he Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has written to FIFA to ask for their decisive Group F World Cup qualifier against Nigeria to be moved from Calabar.

In addition to that FAM is also unhappy with choice of Referee Hamada el Moussa Nampiandraza whom they claim had a subpar AFCON tournament in South Africa, and should not be allowed to control such an important game.

Belgian coach Tom Saintifiet who volunteered to lead the Flames against the Super Eagles was most vocal in voicing his reservations about Calabar where Nigeria has remained unbeaten so far.

He also questioned Nigeria’s motive for playing in the South Eastern town claiming.

“it is close to Cameroon and not so easy to reach with the only connection via Lagos and Abuja but with no international flights.

But I think it is also a plan by Nigeria.

They try to disturb their opponents on and off the pitch. Remember what they did to Kenya?” he said.

“I also have questions about security because the UK’s Foreign &

Commonwealth Office says it is a notravel area. Our Minister of Sports will be part of the traveling delegation and we do not want to take security risks by travelling to Calabar” he added.

Despite this FIFA had already approved Calabar as the venue and will now have to respond in time for the cracker slated for September the 6th to still hold there.

Heartland sacks coach Nduka over poor performance

H

Tom Saintifiet

Football coaches seek establishment of FCT sports development fund

Amoo eyes Sunshine Stars away win F

atai Amoo, Sunshine Stars Technical Adviser yesterday promised that the team would soon end its away loss syndrome in the ongoing Nigeria Glo Premier League.

Amoo disclosed this following his team victory over Dolphins FC of Akure 3-0 on Sunday in Akure in the week 24 of the league.

Amoo, who described the victory as ``incredible,’’ said

the team was able to achieve the feat because his team showed high level of determination and commitment.

Alaba Adeniyi, Dele Olorundare and Tamen Medriano got the all important three goals for the Akure-based team.

“We thank God we won the match; the most important thing is the three points and we got it convincingly.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 43

Sports

Downing set for West Ham medical Sunderland sign Celustka

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iverpool winger Stewart Downing is set to undergo a medical at West Ham after the Londoners agreed to sign him for a fee of around £5 million.

Hammers manager Sam Allardyce has been pursuing the 29-year-old England international winger for much of the summer.

And although Downing was cool on the idea of a move to Upton Park when Allardyce first made an approach last month, sources have told ESPN the former Aston Villa man appears to have acknowledged that future first-team chances at Anfield will be limited.

His departure would see Liverpool make a significant financial loss on a player Kenny Dalglish signed from Villa for £20 million in summer 2011.

Downing failed to either score or provide an assist in the Premier League during his first season at Anfield and had a tough start to his second campaign on Merseyside after Brendan Rodgers replaced Dalglish as manager.

The winger frequently found himself playing out of position at left-back, and also had his attitude questioned publicly by Rodgers in the early weeks of the season.

Downing

Luiz Gustavo yet to decide future

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uiz Gustavo is edging closer to a transfer away from Bayern Munich. However, the Arsenal target is yet to decide the identity of his next club.

Rumours in the English media over the weekend suggested that Arsene Wenger was prepared to table a €21 million offer for Brazil international Gustavo, 26, who has fallen down the pecking order at Bayern.

Following the signing of Thiago Alcantara from Barcelona, Gustavo has been allowed to start

Arsenal poised for Melgarejo

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underland has signed defender Ondrej Celustka on loan from Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor on a season-long loan.

The 24-year-old has made 55 league appearances for his parent club, following spells at FC Tescoma Zlin, Slavia Prague and Palermo.

Celustka, who is principally a right-back, played 18 games for the Czech Republic Under-21 side but is yet to win full international honours.

Manager Paolo Di Canio had

already added to the defensive ranks, bringing in Valentin Roberge and Modibo Diakite, while goalkeeper Vito Mannone, midfielders Cabral, Emanuele Giaccherini, David Moberg Karlsson and El-Hadji Ba, plus strikers Duncan Watmore and Jozy Altidore are the other new arrivals.

Right-back has been a problem position for Di Canio, with midfielder Craig Gardner filling the role during pre-season fixtures against Tottenham, Manchester City and FC Midtjylland.

negotiations with other clubs.

For a number of weeks, Bundesliga club Wolfsburg appeared to be leading the race for the holding midfielder, who feels most comfortable when taking the defensive part in a 4-2-3-1 system.

Gustavo was left out of the Bayern squad for their season opener against Borussia Moenchengladbach, which Bayern won 3-1. The club cited “knee problems” as the reason for his non-inclusion in the squad.

Oboabona to join Turkish club

S

uper Eagles defender, Godfrey Oboabona, is expected to seal a move to Turkish Super Lig outfit, Caykur Rizespor this week.

The Sunshine Stars defender is scheduled to travel to Rize in Turkey to conclude the switch.

But this will happen after he features for Nigeria in the Nelson Mandela Challenge against South Africa in Durban this Wednesday, supersport.com has been informed.

“The deal has not been concluded yet but Godfrey will travel to Turkey this week after the match in South Africa on Wednesday. After then we will have

a clear picture of the contract,” Mike Idoko, who coordinates the affairs of Sunshine Stars as executive director of the Ondo State Football Agency said yesterday.

“At the moment I cannot disclose anything about the offer from Rizespor. When I have the information I will be able to talk about the financial terms and duration.”

It is believed that Oboabona has agreed to a four-year contract with the Turkish club.

The Sunshine Stars captain had been linked with Arsenal and Lille in recent weeks.

Lorenzo Melgarejo

A

rsenal is keeping tabs on Benfica defender Lorenzo Melgarejo, the player’s agent has revealed.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has a reported £70 million to spend on new signings this summer as he looks to build a team capable of challenging for the Premier League title.

And chief executive Ivan Gazidis insisted on Tuesday that Wenger will be using that money over the coming months to purchase topclass talent.

Melgarejo, 22, who is valued at £5 million, is also interesting Fenerbahce, however, the Paraguay international’s representative, Juan Gabriel Appleyard, says neither side have yet to make an offer.

Melgarejo joined Benfica from Paraguayan side Independiente F.B.C. in 2011 and featured in the Eagles’ Europa League final defeat to Chelsea last season.

on loan from Trabzonspor

Godfrey Oboabona

Ondrej Celustka

Everton ponder Echiejile

S

uper Eagles left-back, Elderson Echiejile could soon on his way to England to team up with Barclays English Premier League club, Everton.

Echiejile who made 18 league appearances for Portuguese Super Liga club, Sporting Braga last season is wanted by the Toffees as a replacement for Leighton Baines who could be on his way to champions, Manchester United.

Baines has been consistently linked with a move to United in a deal that will see him reunite with his former manager, David Moyes.

Authoritative British newspaper, the Mirror has now reported that Echiejile is on the radar of the Everton manager, Roberto Martinez.

The 25-year-old is rated at £1.5 million (about N373 million) and has been capped 33 times by Nigeria.

Braga have a £4 million release clause in Echiejile’s contract, but accept they will have to sell at a fraction of that price as the defender has just a year remaining on his contract.

Echiejile began his football education at Nigeria league club, Bendel Insurance FC, making his debut in 2004.

He spent three years at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium before moving to Rennes in 2007, but was unable to establish himself in France and moved to Braga three

years later, having made only 19 appearances for Les Rouges ET Noirs.

He has made 64 appearances for Braga following his arrival in 2010, but with an opportunity to have a crack at the Premier League with an established team such as Everton; it appears his days in Portugal could be winding down.

Elderson Echiejile

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Sports

Tour of Britain announces 10th anniversary

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our of Britain organisers say this year’s event will feature its biggest ever field, with 114 riders from 19 teams competing.

Omega Pharma-Quick Step and Tour de France winners Team Sky are among the five Pro teams who will take part.

The eight-day race starts in Peebles, Scotland, on 15 September and ends in London.

Britain’s Sir Bradley Wiggins and Manxman Mark Cavendish are scheduled to compete.

Movistar, Garmin Sharp and Cannondale are the other three Pro teams involved in the race, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Britain’s six UCI-registered domestic teams will also take part, along with a Great Britain national team made up of young riders.

The 2013 edition of the race will start in the Scottish Borders and visit the Lake District, Snowdonia and Devon before the finish in London, with 10 circuits around the capital before finishing on Whitehall.

World Athletics 2013: Ohuruogu wins gold in photo-finish

Omega Pharma-Quick

World Athletics: Bolt considers Commonwealth Games run

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Christine Ohuruogu

C

hristine Ohuruogu produced yet another thrilling late surge in the 400m to become the first British female to win two World Championship titles.

The 29-year-old also broke Kathy Cooke’s long-standing British record by two hundredths of a second as she beat defending champion Amantle Montsho in a photo finish.

Both Ohuruogu and Montsho clocked 49.41 seconds, but it was the Briton who was deemed the winner by four thousandths of a second.

Ohuruogu, the 2007 world champion, gasped in astonishment as she learned of her victory.

The battle could not have been

closer. Botswana’s Montsho, 30, had victory within her grasp and even as the two athletes stood on the finishing line, anxiously awaiting the final result, Ohuruogu gave the impression that her perfectly-timed dip had not been enough.

But after closer inspection, it was revealed that the Londoner had crossed the line in 49.404 secs, while Montsho, who arched her back as she went for the line, ran home in 49.408secs.

Ohuruogu shook her defeated rival’s hand before draping herself in a giant union flag and, amidst all the drama, it was almost forgotten by the crowd that they had further reason to cheer as Russia’s Antonina Krivoshapka claimed bronze.

orld 100m champion Usain Bolt says he is keen to make a first Commonwealth Games appearance in Glasgow next year.

The Jamaican, who won his second world 100m title on Sunday, missed both the 2006 and 2010 Games through injury.

But with no World Championships or Olympics in 2014, he wants to add another

afael Nadal crushed Canada’s Milos Raonic with a brilliant performance to win the Rogers Cup in Montreal.

The Spaniard, 27, needed just 68 minutes to win 6-2 6-2 and claim his eighth title and fourth Masters 1000 victory of 2013.

Despite his shock firstround loss to Steve Darcis at Wimbledon, Nadal is enjoying a stunning year.

Since returning from injury in February he has won 48 of 51 matches, picking up an eighth French Open along the way.

Raonic, ranked 13th, was the first Canadian in the tournament’s final since Robert Bedard in 1958, but found himself out-served by a rampant Nadal.

Nadal will move back up to three in the world rankings next week, and is scheduled to play in Cincinnati before he attempts to win a second US Open title later this month.

The 12-time Grand Slam winner believes he has a chance of returning to world number one by the end of the year, having made a successful comeback from a seven-month lay-off.

Jamaican Nesta Carter in Moscow to make up for his false start in the 2011 World Championships final and add to his list of global honours. The 26-yearold is also keen to maintain his dominance in the sprint events.

“I am going to try to continue winning championships. I want to be mentioned alongside greats like Pele, Maradona and Muhammad Ali,” he added.

Evans becomes British number two behind Murray

D

an Evans has become the British number two behind Andy Murray after reaching back-to-back Challenger finals.

Birmingham-based Evans, 23, moved up to a career best of 169th in the world rankings, six places above James Ward.

Evans lost 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 to American Bradley Klahn in Aptos, California on Sunday, having finished runner-up in Vancouver the week before.

Nadal beats Raonic to win Rogers Cup in Montreal

R

title to his list of honours.

The athletics competition takes place from 27 July to 2 August at Hampden Park and the presence of the six-time Olympic gold medallist and 100 and 200m world record holder would be a huge draw for the event.

Bolt clocked a time of 9.77 seconds in beating American Justin Gatlin and fellow

Fleming (left) Murray

He is likely to vie with Ward for the second singles spot when Britain travel to Croatia in the Davis Cup next month.

Scotland’s Colin Fleming is also at a career-high ranking in doubles after reaching his first Masters 1000 final in Montreal with Andy Murray, and he climbs six places to 22nd in the world.

There was not such good news for women’s number two Heather Watson, who lost 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 to Marina Erakovic in

the final round of qualifying for Cincinnati Open.

Watson, who beat Francesca Schiavone in the opening round, led 3-1 in the final set but could not convert and she slips one place in the rankings to 80th in the world.

Laura Robson remains British number one at 31st in the rankings but will miss Cincinnati as she recovers from a wrist injury, and she plans to play in New Haven next week ahead of the US Open.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

PAGE 45

Sports

P-i-c-t-o-r-i-a-l

2

1

1.Dani Alves says it will be “almost impossible” for Barcelona to sign David Luiz because of Jose Mourinho’s refusal to sell to them.

2. Former world and Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu qualified in style for the 400m final at the World Championships in Moscow.

3. Manchester United manager David Moyes has said he will manage the workload of Robin van Persie carefully, while also hailing the contribution of new signing Wilfried Zaha in the Community Shield win over Wigan.

4. Tour of Britain organisers say this year’s event will feature its biggest ever field, with 114 riders from 19 teams competing.

5. Dan Evans has become the British number two behind Andy Murray after reaching back-to-back Challenger finals.

3

4

5

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

Some Interesting Facts

T

he sound of E.T. walking was made by someone squishing her hands in Jello.

The term “the whole 9 yards” came from WWII fighter pilots in the South Pacific. When arming their airplanes on the ground, the .50 caliber machine gun ammo belts measured exactly 27 feet, before being loaded into the fuselage. If the pilots fired all their ammo at a target, it got “the whole 9 yards.”

The term skyscraper was first used way back in 1888 to describe an 11-story building.

The term, “It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye” is from Ancient Rome. The only rule during wrestling matches was, “No eye gouging.” Everything else was allowed, but the only way to be disqualified is to poke someone’s eye out.

•The three best-known western names in China: Jesus Christ, Richard Nixon, and Elvis Presley.

•The United States has never lost a war in which mules were used.

•The verb “cleave” is the only English word with two synonyms which are antonyms of each other: adhere and separate.

•The very first bomb dropped by the Allies on Berlin during World War II killed the only elephant in the Berlin Zoo. •The word “Checkmate” in chess comes from the Persian phrase “Shah Mat,” which means “the king is dead”.

•The word “four” is the only number-word that has the same amount of letters as its numerical value.

•The word “samba” means “to rub navels together.”

•The world population of chickens is about equal to the number of people.

•The world’s greatest lover was King Mongut of Siam. He had 9,000

PAGE 47

wives. Before dying of syphilis, he was quoted in saying he only loved the first 700.

•The world’s youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910.

•The youngest pope was 11 years old.

•There are 293 ways to make a change for a dollar.

•There are more collect calls on Father’s Day than any other day of the year.

•There are more plastic flamingos in America than real ones. [And most of them are in Parma!]

•There are twice as many kangaroos in Australia as there are people. The kangaroo population is estimated at about 40 million.

•There are two credit cards for every person in the United States.

Leisure

•There is a town in Newfoundland, Canada called Dildo.

•They have square watermelons in Japan... they stack better.

•Thomas Edison was afraid of the dark.

•Until 1965, driving was done on the left-hand side on roads in Sweden. The conversion to righthand was done on a weekday at 5pm. All traffic stopped as people switched sides. This time and day were chosen to prevent accidents where drivers would have gotten up in the morning and been too sleepy to realize *this* was the day of the changeover.

•Walter Cavanaugh, “Mr. Plastic Fantastic,” has 1,196 different valid credit cards.

•Watch out for flying hockey pucks - they travel at up to 100 mph.

•What color was Christopher Columbus’s hair? Blonde.

•When Bugs Bunny first appeared in 1935, he was called Happy Rabbit.

•When European explorers first saw kangaroos they asked an aboriginal what they were called.

He replied “kangaroo” meaning “I don’t understand your question”.

The explorers thought this was the animal’s name.

•When he’s feeling amorous, the male sea otter grabs the female’s nose with his teeth.

•When opossums are playing ng ‘possum, they are not “play ying ng.””

They actually pass out from m sh shee eer terror.

•When snakess are born born wi witth th tw two wo heads, they figh ght ea eacch otheer for fo food foo d.

•Winst nston on Church Church hill ill wa wass born in a ladi dieess’ room m du dur urin ing ng a da dan nce ce. e.

Say what?

SUDODKU

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Adorable moment a corgi adopts a tiny wild bunny rabbit and nurtures it from a bundle of nerves into a boisterous play date, at Indiana, in USA. Source: Dailymail.co.uk

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013

SPORTS LATEST

Moscow 2013: Okagbare finishes sixth in 100m final

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opes of Nigeria’s Queen of the tracks, Blessing Okagbare, make it the podium in the women’s 100m event was dashed yesterday evening as she could only manage a 6th place finish after posting a time of 11.04 seconds.

The 100m event was won by Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann FraserPryce who won in a world leading time of 10.71seconds.

It was also a similar scenario at the London Olympics when Okagabare showed tremendous form going to the finals only to falter when it mattered most.

Nigeria will now turn her attention to the relays where many believe there is a slim chance of getting something.

Meanwhile Africa will take consolation in Ivorian, Murielle Ahoure, who sneaked in second place with a time of 10.93 seconds. She is the first female African athlete to win a medal in the 100m 0r 200m event since the World Championships started.

The third place was for Camirla Jeter who ran a time of 10.94; Anderson in a time of 11.10 and Freeman 11.16 complete the result for the 100m.

Blessing Okagbare

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QUOTABLE QUOTE The question is why can’t they (Nigerian youth) stay in Nigeria? You can’t make it in the UK because life here is too expensive. The youth can be in Nigeria and contribute to the development of the country — Mr. Michael Young, a British volunteer in Nigeria

Alakyo killings: Dances on the graves of victims (I) E

xactly a fortnight ago, the Ombatse cult, the alleged mastermind of the mass murder of federal security operatives in Alakyo village in Nasarawa state on April 24, and a number of Eggon communities announced, through their various counsel, their withdrawal from further participation in the ongoing proceedings at the judicial commission of enquiry set up by the Nasarawa state government to probe that unfortunate incident.

In general, the withdrawals are based on the groups’ claims that the commission has been breaching its own laid down procedural rules, denying their counsel the opportunity to crossexamine presenters of memoranda and generally refusing to adhere to the fundamental principle of fair hearing.

Are there good grounds for these claims? The commission itself will no doubt address this question at the appropriate time.

But even when allowance is made for the fact that ours is a country of ‘anything goes’, it seems to me inconceivable that a judicial commission that sits and conducts its business in the open, as the one in question does, will behave as claimed by these groups and their lawyers. It is very instructive, in any case, that only the Ombatse and Eggon communities, and no one else among the countless groups, communities, interests and individuals that have been participating in the commission’s proceedings, have had any cause to withdraw. Is there something else that the Ombatse and the Eggon communities that have withdrawn haven’t told us?

The withdrawals, though, are in a way, a pity. For, depending on the way the commission itself goes about its work, we perhaps may end up not getting the full picture or story of what really happened that day and the factors that led to it. Perhaps this is what the withdrawals are aimed at achieving.

But if the idea is to discredit the commission and make the public lose interest in its proceedings, the withdrawals can hardly be said to have served the purpose. For, the commission is continuing with its sittings, receiving memoranda and taking evidence from groups and individuals, with everything being covered live and broadcast on both radio and television. And the public appears no less interested or excited than before the withdrawals.

The institution of this commission is, after all, so far the only public response by any level of government to that unprecedented level and act of bestiality and impunity, which Nigerians and

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FOR THE MASSES

By Rufa’i Ibrahim ruf585@hotmail.com

Gov. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura the rest of the world expected the authorities would react to with firmness and alacrity. Yes, a few arrests were made, and the public was told about them. Beyond that, and for months thereafter, nothing else was heard from the authorities, until this commission of enquiry, which itself took ages to come. It was as if the authorities had gone to sleep and forgotten all about the incident, or they had struck it off the list of their worries. It may be that the Al- Makura- led government’s delayed response was informed by its expectation that the federal authorities would move fast and act even faster. After all, it was federal agents-police officers and men and Department of State Security (SSS) operatives, almost one hundred of them - that got ambushed and massacred in Alakyo.

Whether it was such an expectation or other reasons that stayed the governor’s hands, the institution of the judicial probe into the Alakyo affair has opened the door upon very important questions. Will Gov Al-Makura have the courage to implement, fully, the commission’s recommendations?

What are the likely implications of implementing, or not implementing the recommendations? How will this affect politics in the state?

And what are the implications for his own political future? Was the commission set up partly in order to move the hot issue to the legal realm so that the governor will be shielded, even if temporarily, from being asked and having to answer difficult questions about the affair?

And in what ways, if any, will

the probe affect the relationship between the state government and Abuja?

These questions arise partly out of genuine concerns and the awareness among the public that probes and public enquiries in Nigeria, as in many other countries, almost always have an unhappy history. It is either that they have an Orwelian pall in which the villain becomes the hero, and vice versa, or their reports end up gathering dust on shelves in some office. But the questions are also largely informed by an appreciation by keen observers of the complexities and subtleties of the politics involved in this Alakyo killings affair.

Governor Al-Makura must know a few things about this affair that the rest of us don’t. But his delayed response is an indication that he too, like many others, didn’t read correctly the signals from Abuja, and their implications for politics in his state. Read correctly, the federal authorities’ silence in the face of such a heinous act of provocation was a hint of their unwillingness to act. The statement by the SSS Director General, Mr Ita Ekpeyong, that the cult killers were forgiven was a confirmation of this unwillingness. On the face of it, of course, it came as no more than a reckless statement made by an official who, in addition to not being competent to make it, doesn’t know what is doing. For, the State does not exist to forgive offenders without first trying and convicting them. The duty of the state is to bring offenders to book, and to do so in an open and transparent manner. Pardon, or forgiveness, comes only after conviction.

Governments have a duty to keep us secure from those with criminal tendencies.

But the point is that the SSS DG could not have made such a weighty statement on his own accord, without clearance from above. His forgiveness statement must thus have been okayed by his superiors, and we must therefore see it as an official policy and a confirmation, if any was needed, that that the federal authorities would not lift a finger as far as the Alakyo affair is concerned.

The question is, why so? About

100 federal agents had been killed in the most gruesome manner by a murderous cult. Before then, on November 17, 2012, military officers and other security personnel had been molested and injured when sent on a mission to arrest the Ombatse chief who was then headquartered in Alogani, in Nasarawa local government area.

It was, in fact, this incident that led to the relocation of the cult’s headquarters to Alakyo, in the outskirts of Lafia, the state capital.

And on January 13, 2013, 300 members of the cult, on the pretext of hunting for Fulani herdsmen, attacked and shot army officers at Awonge, along Doma-Lafia road.

Besides, the federal authorities have the full details and chronicle of the Ombatse violent and often unprovoked attacks believed to be carried out by the Ombatse cult on other ethnic groups and communities in Nasarawa State, from the beginning of 2012, when it started its violent campaigns.

In January 2013, alone, Ombatse was said to have taken its violent campaigns to many places and communities, including Iggah, Burum-Burum, Yelwa-Bassa and Kwandere, all within the state.

Between May and June, 2012, the cult attacked Assaki0 community, killing 15 people and destroying a total of 406 houses. On November 21, 2012, the cult attacked Agyaragu, where its armed men killed nine people.

This is just to cite a few incidents.

In fact, the killings continue. Those among the Eggon tribe itself who are openly opposed to the cult’s rituals and oath-taking are being silently pursued and killed.

Rumours abound that the authorities in Abuja have tricked and arrested the Ombatse chief priest, Baba Alakyo, and have been silently arresting and dealing with those involved in the May 7, 2013 mass murders. That may or may not be so.

But just why this preference by the federal authorities for a silent, clandestine approach instead of an open one by which alone they can assure us they are doing something about the killings, that they are up to the task of ensuring our general security and that they have not abdicated their primary responsibility as a government?

What is behind the federal authorities’ loud silence on a matter like this? Is it politics? Is it about 2015? Is Jonathan and his men’s silence or inaction part of a general strategy of deepening the divides between the state’s populations and inflaming passions to gain political mileage as we approach 2015? Are they doing Samba dance on the graves of the unfortunate victims?

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234 814 292 9046. Cell: +234 802 443 2099; 803 7007 759. e-mail: contact@peoplesdailyng.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141