Peoples Daily Newspaper, Tuesday February 14, 2012

Boko Haram, soldiers trade words over casualty figure in shoot-out

PAGE 3

Vol. 7 No. 73

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Rabiul Awwal 22, 1433 AH

N150

I N S I D E Pregnant mother, 5 others perish in Katsina auto crash

At least 10 people killed in Lagos rain disaster

FIRS rakes in N1.5tr from non-oil sector in 2011

Six persons including a child and a pregnant mother died in a road accident over the weekend along Katsina-Jibia road, the state’s FRSC disclosed – Page 3

Tragedy occurred yesterday when a canoe capsized on the lagoon in Lagos state leaving no fewer than 10 children dead during an early morning downpour – Page 3

FIRS says it collected N1.51 trillion as tax from non-oil sector of the economy in 2011 as against N1.31 trillion collected in 2010 – Page 19

Again, North tops poverty index T

he northern part of Nigeria has once again topped the table of most impoverished regions of the

country, a report made public by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday revealed.

The listed report which showed findings of a survey

conducted in 2010, five northern states as the poorest in the country with Sokoto state leading the pack with 86.4 percent. It was followed

by Bauchi with 83.7 percent;

Katsina, 82 percent; Adamawa, 80.7 percent; and Kebbi, 80.5 percent.

Incidentally, Ebonyi state which is in the South-east geoContd on Page 2

STATES SOKOTO BAUCHI KATSINA ADAMAWA KEBBI EBONYI ZAMFARA GOMBE

FIGURES 86.4 83.7 82.0 80.7 80.5 80.4 80.2 79.8

Contd on Page 2

Triggerhappy policeman shoots Yakowa’s director From Agaju Madugba& Lawal S. Sanusi, Kaduna

Soldiers and police diverting traffic near the Kaduna state Government House, yesterday, following the shooting of a director who was mistaken for a bomber by the police.

Photo: Agaju Madugba

WWW.PEOPLESDAILY-ONLINE.COM

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trigger happy policeman attached to the Kaduna state Government House (name withheld) yesterday shot a senior official of the state government, Contd on Page 2

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-17

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

23

S/Report

24

Agriculture

27

Defence

29

PDP lures Yari, as he attends Wamakko’s flag off campaign, Page 40

International 31-34 Strange World 35 Digest

36

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-47

Columnist

Again, North tops poverty index

48

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

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

Phones for News: 070-37756364 09-8734478

Contd from Page 1 political zone of the country occupied the 6th position with 80.4 percent. But the North continued its dominance of the poverty index with Zamfara recording 80.2 percent; Gombe, 79.8 percent; Plateau, 79.7 percent; Yobe, 79. 6 percent and Jigawa, 79 percent.

Ironically, Niger state, which is also in the North had 43.6 percent rate poverty rate is the lowest nationwide.

Yesterday’s revelation by the NBS did not come as a surprise to many Nigerians. It was however deemed to be disturbing especially in view of the rising trend in federation revenue allocation to the governments of the 19 northern states, like their counterparts in the South. The revelation also came despite the fact that northern Nigeria has the largest landmass, which is mostly arable, and is also widely believed to harbour more human and natural resources than southern Nigeria, despite the availability of petroleum resources in some states in the South.

It will be recalled that Jigawa state led the poverty table in 2004 with 95 percent while Anambra was rated least poverty stricken state with 22 percent.

In the same year, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, highlighted the findings of the NBS which scored the North was in trouble.

According to yesterday’s

report, the North-western and North-eastern parts of the country topped the chart of geopolitical zones with 77.7 percent and 76.3 percent respectively. The South-west zone recorded the lowest poverty rate in 2010 with 59.1 percent.

The North-central part of the country followed the Northeast closely with 67.5 percent.

South-east came next with 67.0 percent; South-south, 63 .8 percent; while South-west lowest rate of poverty was put at 59.1 percent.

Recent data released by the NBS showed that poverty in Nigeria is rising with almost 100 million people living on less than $1 a day, despite strong growth in Africa’s second largest economy.

According to NBS Statistician- General, Dr Yemi Kale, who spoke at a news briefing yesterday, 240 million households were covered with an average of 46 persons answering questions from NBS researchers. He added that over a 100 million Nigerians were covered.

The data showed the percentage of Nigerians living in absolute poverty - those who can afford only the bare essentials of food, shelter and clothing - rose to 60.9 percent in 2010, compared with 54.7 percent in 2004.

Speaking on the increasing economic growth in the country which run parallel to the increasing level of poverty and unemployment, Dr Kale said the reason was because the busy sectors of the economy were oil and gas and subsistent

agriculture, which, according to him, do not employ enough Nigerians.

He lamented the fact that agriculture in the North especially, is limited at the level of subsistence, rather than a commercial venture.

“If a reasonable number of our farmers have what it takes to take their farming to a commercial level, the sector would have helped reduce the burden of unemployment to a large extent”, he said.

He continued: “Our farmers are not employing people and reducing poverty; that is why growth in GDP is not really bringing food to the table”.

According to Kale, only when the manufacturing sector is opened up for serious business that the country’s socalled economic growth would be felt by ordinary Nigerians.

He added that the oil and gas sector, as big as it is, does not employ more than 12,000 Nigerians because of its technicality and huge demand for skills. He therefore reiterated that the country can only fulfil the promise of creating one million jobs per year if ongoing efforts to revitalise the manufacturing sector are sustained.

“It remains a paradox that despite the fact that the Nigerian economy is growing, the proportion of Nigerians living in poverty is increasing every year,” Kale said.

“NBS estimates that this trend may have increased further in 2011 if the potential positive impacts of several anti-poverty and employment generation intervention

programmes are not taken into account,” Kale added.

Watch out for the detailed report on the poverty index in tomorrow’s edition of Peoples Daily.

Contd from Page 1

STATES PLATEAU YOBE JIGAWA TARABA KWARA BENUE KOGI KADUNA EDO KANO ENUGU NASARAWA DELTA OGUN ANAMBRA ABIA A/IBOM BORNO OYO FCT C/RIVER LAGOS EKITI RIVERS BAYELSA IMO OSUN NIGER

FIGURES 79.7 79.6 79.0 76.3 74.3 74.1 73.5 73.0 72.5 72.3 72.1 71.7 70.1 69.0 68.0 63.4 62.8 61.1 60.7 59.9 59.7 59.2 59.1 58.6 57.9 57.3 47.5 43.6

Trigger happy policeman shoots Yakowa’s director Contd from Page 1 taking him for a Boko Haram suicide bomber.

According to eyewitness accounts, the overzealous security man shot Pastor Isuwa Kiforo, of the Living Faith Church who is also Director, Finance and Administration, at the state Ministry of Finance, as he approached the Government House gate in his official Toyota Corolla car with Kaduna state government number plate registration.

“When they searched his vehicle, the security found a bottle of water and a Bible,” eyewitnesses said.

The shooting had thrown Kaduna into a fresh round of confusion, coming a week after a suicide bomber attacked the headquarters of the Nigerian Army, popularly called 1Div. in the city.

Traffic was held up for

several hours along Sokoto road and environs, as security personnel blocked all roads leading to the Government House.

But reacting to the incident, the Kaduna state Police Command described the top government official as a “suspect”, saying Kiforo was shot because he allegedly forced his way into the Government House.

The Kaduna Police Commissioner, Bala Nasarawa, who addressed the press last evening, said that his men had launched investigation into the matter.

Curiously, the state government is hush-hush on the matter as top government officials refused to make official comments over the incident.

The state Information Commissioner, Saidu Adamu,

who is the official spokesperson of the Yakowa Government simply sat by the side of the Police commissioner while he addressed the press.

According to Compol Nasarawa: “Today, 13th February, 2012, at about 1328 hours, a combined team of security personnel attached to Government House main gate, Kaduna, intercepted a Toyota Corolla Saloon car with Kaduna state official Reg. No. Kaduna KD-06-A 04.

“The driver drove dangerously in a suspicious manner towards the Government House gate. The security personnel stopped the lone occupant but instead of stopping, he forced himself through the exit gate and found his way into the Government House.

“The security agencies thereafter, opened fire and

shot the suspect on the leg and the lower abdominal part of his body.

“The suspect was later identified as Pastor Isuwa Kiforo (M) of no. 7, Abba Rimi road, Narayi, Kaduna, who is the Director, Finance and Administration, Ministry of Information, Kaduna state.

“He was rushed to 44 Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, for treatment, after he was given first aid by a team of medical personnel attached to the Government House.

“The vehicle was thoroughly searched in my presence by our anti-bomb disposal experts and nothing incriminating was recovered.

“In essence, neither weapon nor explosives were found in it.

Investigation into the case has commenced”, he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

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10 people killed in Lagos rain disaster From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos

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President Goodluck Jonathan (middle), presenting cheque to Useni Seidu (right), from Kogi state, during the launching of the National Public Works, Women and Youth Employment Scheme of the Subsidy Re-Investment Programme (SURE-P), at the State House, in Abuja, yesterday. With them are Minister of Labour, Chief Chukwemeka Wogu (left), Minister Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina (2nd left), Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo (3rd right), and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (2nd right). Photo: Joe Oroye

Register or face prosecution, IGP warns hotel operators

By Miriam Humbe

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n order to curtail the menace of terrorism and other violent crimes in the country, the Acting Inspector-General of police, Mohammed D. Abubakar has ordered all hotel proprietors and operators of hospitality centres

covered in the Act establishing the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), to register with the corporation or risk prosecution.

The IG gave the warning when he played host to the Director General of the NTDC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe adding that

“we will issue this directive to all Commissioners of Police in all the commands in the country”.

He lamented that as viable and strategic as the tourism sector is to national economic development, it could also become a disturbing liability to national security and stability and assured that the police

Gunmen attack Kano ICPC office From Edwin Olofu, Kano

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wo gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram riding on a motorbike yesterday evening attacked the office of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Kano metropolis.

Eyewitnesses said the gunmen who stormed the office at about 6.30pm were wearing kaftan and

pretended they were looking for somebody.

On sighting the only policeman on duty, they brought out a pistol and shot the police man and disarmed him and took to their heels firing shots into air with residents scampering for safety.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident lasted for about 15 minutes before the arrival of the joint military task force that started shooting into air, but the

gunmen had escaped.

Kano state Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Musa Magaji Majiya, confirmed the incident but described the attackers as some hoodlums hiding under the guise of Boko Haram.

He said the policeman was injured in the process and they disarmed him of his AK47 riffle and he is receiving treatment, adding that the Commissioner of Police has ordered the investigation of the incident.

was poised to restore security in the country to enable the continuous growth and development of the tourism industry.

For the purpose of effective monitoring therefore, the IGP said hotels would henceforth be required to give daily returns to the Nigeria Police Force of the names and particulars of their guests as well as the nationalities, purpose of visit and final destinations of the guests.

He said hotel staff must be fully registered with their identities and backgrounds confirmed just as all foreigners lodging in hotels will be required to be documented with their international passports and other travelling documents and reports of such documentation submitted to the The DG of the tourism corporation while speaking, urged the public to be vigilant always and give useful information to the police.

ragedy occurred yesterday when a canoe capsized on the lagoon in Ojo local government area of Lagos state leaving no fewer than 10 children dead and several injured during an early morning downpour accompanied by raging winds.

Four victims, who were rescued during the disaster, our reporter learnt, are receiving medical attention in various hospitals in the state. The roofing of many buildings, numbering over 150, were also blown away by the wind leaving residents homeless and properties worth millions of naira destroyed in the process.

A teacher at Saint Gregory College, Obalende, was reportedly killed by telecommunication mast which fell on him.

The other local government areas equally hit by the early morning downpour, included: Ejigbo, Onipanu, Obalende and Lekki.

According to eye witnesses, the incident happened in Ojo area at about 8. am when the canoe conveying passengers, mostly children to their schools, suddenly capsized due to the gust of wind that ravaged the lagoon.

The rescue team which rushed to the scene was able to recover 10 dead bodies while four were rescued alive before they were quickly rushed to the hospitals for medical attention.

At Ejigbo local council development area, our correspondent counted over 100 buildings including Jakande Low Cost Housing Estate Primary School, Oke Afa Junior and Senior Colleges, and the area office of Ejigbo LCDA in Jakande Estate had their roofs blown off by the rainstorm which lasted for about 20 minutes.

As at press time, the identity and total number of the victims were still being sought for by state government officials charged with the responsibility of rescue operations.

Boko Haram: We killed 12 soldiers From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

zJTF: We killed 12 Boko Haram

he Joint Military Tasks Force (JTF) and Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram, yesterday traded words over which of them suffered casualties during shoot-outs between the duo in Budum ward of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, on Sunday night.

A purported spokesman for the Boko Haram, Abul Qaqa, earlier told newsmen in a joint telephone press conference in Maiduguri, yesterday, that the group had waylaid several security check points mounted by the JTF personnel, which led to the gunning down of 12 officers”.

“Let me make it clear that we

made tremendous successes in the last Sunday night’s operation in Budum area, when our members attacked the JTF’s check points and engaged them in a gun duel and at the end of the confrontation, we succeeded in killing 12 soldiers as there were no casualties from our side”, he claimed.

Qaqa further stated that those carefully selected for attacks, had taken the soldiers unawares and hid in some locations close to the scene of the incident, before striking and started firing at the JTF men, who “were seriously confused and lacked focus as to where the shooting emanated from.

He said: “This attack was

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meant to demonstrate our capability to the security agents and the authorities that there will be no hiding place for them, let them know that our warriors are always after them and with help of Almighty, sooner or later we will finish them, only time will tell”.

According to him, “when our key members were arrested security personnel and government became jubilant, thinking that the morale of other member was totally dented, in fact some have even concluded that our days are numbered, but the latest development proved the contrary”.

He faulted insinuations that there was split among the sect, saying people are claiming that

there is faction and ethnicity among our members, saying “we are all united and working for the course of Allah, we are even waxing stronger by the day as we are ready to face the whole world and not only the Nigerian military”.

However, spokesman of the JTF, Lt. Col. Hassan Mohammed, in a brief statement issued to newsmen yesterday, dismissed the Boko Haram’s claim that 12 of its men were shot dead, saying the military actually gunned down 12 militants, while two personnel sustained minor injuries during the night attack.

The spokesman who was not specific over the precise time of the incident, said a team of soldiers on

a routine patrol had raided the hide-out of suspected gunmen and that there was exchange of fire that resulted in the gunning down of 12 Boko Haram members.

Sources at the University of Maiduguri teaching Hospital (UMTH) told newsmen that corpses of five soldiers were deposited at the hospital’s morgue earlier yesterday, while unspecified numbers of other bodies belonging to the soldiers were also brought yesterday.

Our correspondent reports that tight security was beefed up within and outside the hospital as heavily armed soldiers barricaded all roads leading to the area. Similarly, residents of the area where the attack took place have fled their homes as soldiers have embarked on house- to -house search.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

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100 miscreants arrested in Lagos From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos

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combined team of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS and the Lagos State Taskforce on Environment and Special Unit, on Sunday night stormed the Lagos Island arresting one hundred and eleven suspected miscreants who capitalized on clash between factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW )to unleash terror on the people.

In the last two weeks, miscreants belonging to factions of the NURTW have turned Lagos Island into a battleground as they killed innocent people, destroying property worth millions of naira creating panic in the area in the process.

Peoples Daily gathered that the operatives of the RRS and the Task Force stormed Lagos Island

in large numbers with a Black Maria and carried out a raid that lasted for hours.

The joint operation was led by the RRS Commander, Hakeem Odumosu, a Chief Superintendent of Police.

When contacted, Task Force Chairman, Bayo Sulaiman who confirmed the arrest said they were suspected miscreants terrorising Lagos Island in the past weeks.

Sulaimon, who said the police decided to swing into action in order to protect lives and property and ensure that people in the area live in peace, vowed that anyone found to wanting among those arrested would be charged to court.

Peoples Daily gathered that families of those arrested have stormed the office of the Task Force in Alausa to effect their release.

Kwara govt discovers 168 ghost workers From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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he Kwara state Government yesterday confirmed that through a biometric method introduced last year, it has discovered 168 ghost wokers at the Ministry of Health and Education respectively.

The Head of Service, Alhaji Mohammed Dabarako who disclosed this during a press conference noted that the exercise discovered those who ought to have retired from the services, but elongated their period as a result of age deduction.

He said that out of the

number, 100 were discovered from the Ministry of Health, 45 from Education while 23 were detected from the pension board.

Dabarako who lamented the situation, said the extra years spent in the services would be deducted from their pensions as punishment and would later return them to their normal levels once the deduction was over.

The Head of Service who disclosed that there was no underage or dead staff on the lists of the Civil Service in the state said the state government has continued to give about

2000 computer to civil servants in the state as part of its training and re-retraining exercise in the state stressing that it would continue with such scheme to further strengthen its working force.

Corroborating the HOS, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Prince Tunji Moronfoye said the purpose of the briefing was to ensue that the general public was fully informed about Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s administration stressing that he was operating transparent government.

Three robbers shot dead in Kogi From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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he Kogi state police command said her efforts to rid the state from the clutches of violent crimes paid off yesterday as they killed three notorious armed robbers terrorising the people of Ihima and its environs.

Parading the corpse of the robbers, the Kogi state Commissioner of Police, Marvel Akpoyibo, said the robbers met their waterloo along Ogale Ihima road in Okehi local government area of the state while attempting to rob commuters on the road.

“The armed robbers came with a power bike attempting to dispose commuters of their belongings when the police confronted them.

Immediately they sighted the police, they engaged them in a gun battle but the three robbers fell to the bullets of the police,” he said.

He said a power bike simba machine with registration number QB689KKH, two Ak 47 rjfles and one loaded magazine

were recovered from them, adding that investigation revealed that the two rifles were part of the guns stolen from the Okene police station when robbers attacked the station last year.

The Commissioner further told journalists that the police also recovered five AK 47 rifles from Kabba area last week some of which were also part of the guns stolen from Kabba police Division when robbers bombed the station last year.

“The command is determined more than ever to decisively, thoroughly and promptly to fight crimes in the state. So I want to use this medium to sound final warning to the criminals to either repent or relocate from the state. it is not going to be business as usual,” he said It would be recalled that in the later part of last year and the last two weeks, Kogi central and western senatorial districts have become the den of robbers as they bombed police stations carting away arms and ammunitions.

N75.5bn fraud: EFCC to file amended charges against former works minister

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

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he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is to file amended charges against the former Minister of Works, Dr. Hassan Lawal and some multinational companies standing trial for alleged N75.5 billion fraud.

The names of NAIRDA Limited, its Managing Director, Hillel Gilboa and three others would be missing in the amended charges following the withdrawal of criminal charges against them by the anti-graft agency.

In the case of NAIRDA Limited, the EFCC said it erroneously included their names in the 37count charge but would now convert the company to a star prosecution witness.

The former Minister who is standing multiple trials was arraigned before Justice Bilkisu Aliyu of a Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly conspiring with some firms to defraud the Federal Government of N75.5

billion and thereby committing an offence contrary to section 17 [1] [a] of the Money laundering [Prohibition Act] 2004 and also punishable under section 14 [1] of the same Act. NAIRDA Limited and its Managing Director, Hillel Gilboa was listed alongside Dr. Adeogba Ademola, Digital Toll Coy Ltd., Okala Philip Yakubu, Thahal Paul, Swede Control Intertex Ltd., Proman Vital ventures Ltd., PEB 04 Nig. Ltd., and Lassa Ltd as coaccused.

In a letter dated January 19, 2012 and addressed to the Managing Director of NAIRDA Limited EFCC said the inclusion of the company’s name in the charge sheet was an error on its part.

At the last sitting on the matter, the trial Judge, Justice Adamu Bello turned-down Lawal’s bid to stop his trial and ruled that the former Minister has a case to answer.

The matter was adjourned till March 27, 2012.

L-R: Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje, with Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Senator Magnus Abbe, during a two-day public hearing on downstream of the industry, at the National Assembly, in Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Boko Haram threatens to attack NCC, GSM firms From Aminu Imam, Abdulwahab Isa, Abuja, & Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri,

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he Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram, has threatened to launch “deadly” attacks on the Abuja corporate headquarters of the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC), offices and facilities belonging to all GSM service providers across the country.

A spokesman for the sect, Abul Qaqa, who spoke to newsmen in a joint telephone press conference in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital yesterday, said the two agencies will be targeted for their ‘collaboration’ with security operatives that led to the arrest of Abul Dardaa, Kabiru Sokoto,

among other high profile members of the group.

Consequently, he said the sect has blacklisted NCC and GSM service providers among “enemies of Islam” for their roles in the recent arrest of their key members who deserve to pay for their deeds.

According to him, “it was unfortunate that NCC and the service providers have deviated from their primary responsibilities and are now being used by government agents to leak the secret of phone users, they will surely pay for their action against us”.

“These organisations are now our next targets for their active involvement in exposing our brothers by furnishing the security agencies with the biometric data of all the arrested persons. We have every reason to do so as henceforth they are

regarded as close allies to the government and their agents.

“Let me warn them that they will face the harsh treatment the security agents and their collaborators have been facing in our hands, we are quite aware that security agents used them to trail our members”, the spokesman alleged.

However, the NCC has denied knowledge of such threats from members of the sect. Speaking to our reporter on phone yesterday NCC spokesperson, Ruben Mouka, said the information he was being asked to respond to was new to him as no such threat had been issued to NCC. Also, when contacted for a response, one of the spokesmen for Globacom, one of the telecom service providers, Mr. Kalu Uzoma, said he was not aware of the development and added that even if he was, he could not comment on it as it was a security issue.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 5

Amosun cancels C of O for Daniel’s church From Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, Abeokuta

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gun state government yesterday cancelled the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of Tabernacle Church which was purportedly built on an illegally acquired land by the former state governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, in honour of his late father, Pa Abraham Daniel.

The government at a press conference held at Governor’s Office Press Centre, Abeokuta by Special Adviser to the Governor on Lands, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun, affirmed that the commission of enquiry on land matters found out that the certificate of occupancy granted the church was seriously irregular.

Sokefun said, a notice of cancellation signed by the governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun was therefore issued on January20, 2012 in exercise of the powers conferred on him under sections 1&26 of the land use act to the registered trustees of the church.

“The commission having found that the certificate of occupancy number 60/60/761 granted by the ex-governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel to the Regeneration Church of God was tainted by serious irregularities, and the same was issued upon land in which there existed prior valid and subsisting titles.

“Consequently, the government cancelled the allocation and the certificate of occupancy dated 14th May, 2011 and registered as number 60/60/ 761 irregularly issued to Abraham’s Tabernacle” Sokefun stated.

However, she said those whose lands were illegally acquired by Daniel, would be returned to them, adding that, the present church’s land may later be considered for a new certificate of occupancy.

She explained that Daniel’s illegality was the discovered from a number of petitions submitted to the commission, adding that those whose lands were encroached would retake them.

“Incorporation documents of the church confirm without doubt that three of the named registered trustees of the church, to whom the ex-governor issued the certificate of occupancy, were his close family members namely: Olabunmi Opawole(wife using her middle and maiden names), Adebola Irede Daniel(son) and Most Rev Abraham Adebola Daniel (father).

Fuel queue at the NNPC mega station on Olusegun Obasanjo Way, Central Business District in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN

IGP withdraws police guards from individuals, firms

By Lambert Tyem

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cting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar yesterday ordered the immediate withdrawal and cancellation of all police guards for private individuals and corporate bodies.

The affected personnel include those of the Special Protection Unit, the Mobile Police Force and conventional police sent as guards to companies and privileged citizens.

IGP directive also dismantles of

all police checkpoints/roadblocks across the country.

Abubakar said that the directive was aimed at restoring professionalism, efficiency and integrity in the performance of all police duties, adding that the withdrawal would ensure service delivery to the people.

The dismantling of the all intra-state and highway roadblocks especially in Lagos, Edo and South-Eastern States and other parts of the country was to restore dignity in the police.

He restated his commitment to

building a strong and vibrant police force to give the country what he called the best policing service.

Speaking while addressing Assistant Commissioners of Police in charge of Operations and Criminal Investigation Department of all zonal and state commands in Abuja, Abubakar harped on the need to restore professionalism and integrity in all police duties.

He stated that every policy statement would be pursued with all seriousness, adding that the

time for rhetorics was gone.

He ordered the immediate release of all persons detained in police cells without lawful jurisdiction and restated his directive that no person should be detained beyond 24 hours except otherwise permitted by law.

The acting IG disbanded all squads, teams and other investigating outfit operating under whatever name and collapsed them under the original structures recognised by police standards.

We’ll continue to support investors, says Jonathan

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has said that his administration had the political will to support investors in Nigeria, and create an enabling environment for investment.

President Jonathan was speaking to a United States of America trade delegation, led by Mr. William Fitzgerald, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for

Africa, at thatState House, yesterday.

He said: “I am pleased you are interested in the power sector, and assure you that government has the political will to support all investors in Nigeria”.

President Jonathan said already, efforts to make business easier in the country had led to the reduction of the time required to clear goods at Nigerian ports from two months to seven days, adding

that a target of 48 hours would be attained soon.

The President stated that the nation’s “power sector is a challenge and an opportunity for us as a people”. He observed that the country faces a challenge in terms of power generation, transmission and distribution.

Government, he noted, is committed to power sector reform, because investment in

the sector would open massive opportunities for the youth, enable the small and medium enterprises to flourish, create jobs and change the life pattern of the people.

“Power is quite significant, it is a critical turning point for development. We welcome your interest, and need United States’ support to extend our power generation, transmission and distribution”, he said.

Renovated Bauchi airstrip commissioned after 11 months shutdown From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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he Federal Government has reopened the Bauchi airstrip after its closure since last

year.

Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah, stated this during the commissioning of the airfield in Bauchi while commending

Governor Isa Yuguda for its speedy renovation.

The airfield was closed down when the plane of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) presidential runningmate, Fola Adeola on arrival, crushed an animal during his campaign tour of the state.

She said, “the ministry is

concerned over safety of the Bauchi airstrip following the runway accident.”

Oduah added that the Bauchi airstrip was one of the two airstrips which the federal government was concerned over its safety, expressing gratitude that all the safety facilities have been provided in the newly reconstructed

airstrip.

The minister who was represented by The Director General of the NCAA, Harold Olusegun Demuren said the airstrip has met all the necessary requirements to operate following the measures taken by the state government to restore the airstrip after its closure

saying that it would boost tourism in the state.

In his remark, the Bauchi state governor Mallam Isa Yuguda said the runaway was increased to 2.5 kilometers while the control tower has been improved to NCAA standard with surroundings of the airstrip completely fenced.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Body of Benchers approves 3,680 candidates for Call to Bar

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

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bout 3,680 candidates in the August 2011 Nigerian Law School final examination would be called to the Nigerian Bar today, following the approval of the Body of Benchers.

The meeting of the body which was held in the Supreme Court and presided by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher, had approved 14 candidates for first

class, 243 and 1,041 for second class upper and lower divisions respectively.

Also approved were 2,377 candidates for pass and five graduating students who missed the October 2011 call to bar.

A source close to the Body of Benchers said, a 14-member committee was constituted in January 2012 to conAsider the screening and pass lists in addition to the candidates from the previous call to bar list

forwarded to the body by the Nigerian Law School.

The committee which was chaired by Chief Idowu Sofola (SAN) had the likes of Justices Mariam Aloma-Muktar and I. E.Akade as members.

Other members of the committee which sat and considered the 3,680 candidates on January 18, 2012 were Mr. Segun Onakona, Ofodeli Okafor (SAN), HRH Olateru-Olagbeji, Ibrahim Tahir, Chief R.A Lawal

Rabana (SAN), Yusuf Ali (SAN) and Dele Adesina (SAN), while Mrs. H.A Turaki served as secretary to the committee.

Justice R.P.I.Bozimo, Justice D.N.Evamba and Chief Sena Anthony who were also members of the committee were however absent at the January 18 meeting.

The Call to the Bar programme of the Nigerian Law School will hold at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.

L-R: Representative of Emir of Keffi, Dr. Shehu Usman Yamusa II, Dan Iyan Keffi and Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, and Vice- Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Professor Shamsudeen Amali, during community theatre training workshop for NOA staff, in Keffi, Nasarawa state, yesterday.

Nasarawa to collaborate with UNDP to tackle challenges From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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n an effort to fulfill promises made to the electorates, the Nasarawa state government is seeking to collaborate with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to tackle developmental challenges in the state.

Deputy governor of the state, Damishi Barau Luka, made this known when he paid a courtesy call on the United Nation’s country coordinator, Mr. Daouda Toure and the country representative of UN, Ade Mamonyane Lekoetje, at the United Nations House in Asokoro, Abuja.

The government sought the

support of UN in the areas of Agriculture, planning, health, water resources and rural development, to address the weak human development indices of the state.

According to the deputy governor, the state would like to collaborate with all the UN agencies such as UNICEF, WHO,

UNPFA, FAO, and IFAD, in its bid to also achieve MDGs 4, 5 and 6.

Responding, the country coordinator of the UN, who pointed out that the UN has what is called development system framework, assured that his organisation will collaborate with Nasarawa state, considering the proximity of the state to Abuja.

Jonathan launches women, youth empowerment project

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, Etuka Sunday

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday launched the Public Works and Women/Youth Employment (PW/WYE)) programme with the mandate of generating 370,000 jobs across the country in 2012.

The President said that the PW/WYE is designed to create immediate employment opportunities for women and youths in labour intensive public

works.

The project, which is expected to generate 50,000 skilled jobs and 320,000 unskilled job opportunities is to be implemented in partnership with the states, the local governments and the private sector.

The PW/WYE programme is a component of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE).

Jonathan said government recognised that funding was a major impediment to

employment creation and had therefore set aside some porting of the partial subsidy removal proceeds to support the employment generation intervention nationwide.

Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said that one aspect of the job is for unskilled youths, women and vulnerable population and the other part is for the skilled. “And today you witnessed both, we hope that between the skilled and unskilled

we would create 370,000 jobs, that is 10,000 jobs per state,” she added.

“So what you saw here was certificate being given to skilled; that is those who have graduated from tertiary institutions who will be interning in companies. If those companies keep them, the Federal Government expects to give them a stipends as they are working and if they do well and those companies employ them, then we will work with the companies for some incentives.”

2011 Hajj: Pilgrims’ luggage delay caused by security concerns, says NAHCON

By Maryam Garba Hassan

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he National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has said part of the delay in the transportation of the 2011 pilgrims’ luggage to Nigeria has been caused by security concerns and delay in security clearance of the pilgrims’ 40 kg baggage during the first week of the in-bound flight by Saudi Arabian General Aviation Authority.

A statement issued yesterday in Abuja, by the commission’s media spokesman, Malam Uba Mana, said other reasons for the delay was also caused by the recent fuel subsidy strike in Nigeria and the weather.

According to the statement, the pilgrims’ 40kg luggage have safely arrived the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, and would be distributed to the various states.

“The commission however wants to salute and thank all Nigerian pilgrims for their patience and perseverance during the waiting period”, the statement said.

It would be recalled that the Bauchi state 2011 pilgrims recently threatened to sue the state Pilgrims Welfare Board and Kabo Air, the state’s official carrier for last year’s Hajj exercise, over the non receipt of the pilgrims’ luggage.

NGO assists physically challenged persons, orphans of Jos sectarian crises From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

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non-governmental organisation based in Jos, Plateau state known as Al-Ansar Care Initiative, has brought succour to physically challenged persons and orphans whose parents died in the sectari an crises that had bedeviled the state.

The organisation distributed some food items, soaps, detergents, and cloths to more than 150 children at the conference hall of the Jos Central Mosque.

Speaking at the occasion, the Al Ansar president, Hajiya Hadiza Sani Mu'aze, said the organisation has been working in collaboration with JNI, in the state towards alleviating the plight of widows and orphans, particularly children so that they can be good citizens.

According to her, Al-Ansar is sponsoring over 200 children in schools, has secured scholarships for some of them and that they are supported with learning materials and school uniforms.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

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400 displaced persons receive N8m items From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

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ver 400 internally displaced persons who fled Yobe state to Plateau state due to the violence which rocked the state last month, yesterday received relief materials worth N8.02 million including temporary accommodation.

Other items donated to the IDPs include 100 pieces of mattresses, 100 bags of rice, 80 bags of maize, 100 pieces of wrapper, 250 pieces of blankets, 15 bags of garri, 20 jerry cans of 25-litre each of vegetable and

palm oil as well as five pieces of 3,000-litre water tanks.

Also, provided were drugs, 100 nylon mats, 250 pieces of pillow, 10 bags of 50kg sugar, 10 cartons each of Royco cubes, washing soap and toilet soap, as well as 10 bags each of salt, tissue paper and matches.

Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau state while presenting the relief materials, said the government’s gesture was aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the affected persons pending when they would secure accommodation saying he wished they were in their

home states in the comfort of their houses particularly the women and the children.

Jang who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Environment, Mrs. Sarah Yusuf, regretted that the children would be affected psychologically because of the sudden change of environment different from what they were used. Changing to new schools would certainly affect them academically, he also said.

He expressed hope that the displaced persons would return to Yobe as soon as peace returned to the state advising Nigerians

regardless of religion, political and ethnic affiliations to learn to live in peace, love and tolerance with one another.

Responding on behalf of the IDPs, Rev. Abu Sule appreciated the gesture of the government while regretting the incident that forced them out of Yobe state to Plateau state.

“Hoodlums were entering our houses and killing us secretly in Yobe. So we decided to leave so as to give future to our children in an environment where they can live in peace”, he said.

L-R: Members of National Steering Committee, Project Swift Count, Rev Fr Ben Asogo, Barrister Reuben James, and Mrs. Priscilla Achakpe, during a press conference on the outcome of Bayelsa state gubernatorial election, in Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Kwara aviation college commences operation From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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he International Aviation College, Ilorin (IAC) initiated by the immediate past adminstartion of Dr. Bukola Saraki has commenced operations, just as it also began flight training for Standard Pilot I (SPI).

The Special Assistant to the Kwara state governor on Transport, Mr. Deji Oni in a statement, yesterday, said the aviation college has commenced flight training with 12 pioneer students spread across the country.

The statement noted that the trainees are expected within 15 months, to be licensed with the Private Pilot License (PPL), Commercial Pilot License (CPL), Instrument Rating (IR) and Advance Training Pilot License (ATPL).

The College, according to the statement said it would also commence training of professionals in Aviation Traffic Control, Cabin Crew, Aviation Security, Aviation English as well as Aviation Safety, among others.

NGO lauds AGF for ordering compliance with FOI Act From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

Fashola, Amosun flag-off Lagos/Ogun joint border polio campaign From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos

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overnor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state and his Ogun state counterpart, Governor Ibikunle Amosun over the weekend flagged-off the first Lagos/Ogun joint border polio eradication campaign.

This is just as the World Health Organisation, WHO, commenced the distribution of over 700 motorcycles to local government councils in the country.

The campaign themed ‘Community Leaders against Polio (CLAP), was held at a border between Akinde-Ologogoro community, Ado-Odo Ota local government area, Ogun State and Ojokoro local council development area (LCDA) of Lagos state.

The governors while flagging-off the campaign urged community leaders to help government efforts in the fight against polio through increased advocacy for routine immunisation.

They argued that the fight

against polio could only be won if all stakeholders especially community leaders mobilised residents in their community to immunise children against the polio virus.

Fashola noted that community leaders by virtue of their position, could help banish myths against polio immunisation in their respective areas, adding “this would help government to increase coverage.”

He regretted that in spite of government’s efforts to combat the scourge, Nigeria remained one of the countries with highest prevalence rate in the world, describing the situation as unacceptable.

The governor said “the collaboration between the governments and the citizens will help kick polio out from the country as this disease has constituted a threat to the health of our human capacity resource.”

Speaking earlier, Amosun said that one of the challenges of government at increasing immunisation coverage at the

grassroots was some misleading cultural and religious beliefs about the exercise.

Representative of the WHO, Prof. Bayo Parakoyi who commenced the distribution of

motorcycles with Ado-Odo Ota local government and Ojokoro (LCDA) said that the aim was to increase surveillance and widen polio immunisation coverage.

Amosun donates mattresses to prison inmates

From Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, Abeokuta gun state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has donated a total of 500 mattresses to the Ijebu-Ode Prisons in Ogun state in fulfillment of his pledge when he earlier visited the inmates to mark his 54th birthday anniversary.

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Lanre Tejuoso at the presentation ceremony, said the gesture was in fulfillment of the pledge made by the government to raise the living standard of prisoners in the state.

He said the donation was the first part of numerous steps, just as the government had also commenced drilling of modern borehole at the Oba Prisons to ease life for inmates.

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Receiving the mattresses, Deputy Controller of Prisons, IjebuOde zone, Olufemi Ogunyade who was represented by the Assistant Superintendent of Prisons 1, Sikiru Adekunle, said the gesture would go a long way in making the prisons comfortable for the inmates.

Ogunyade urged the governor to further provide them with more materials and also assist in ensuring quick dispensation of justice to decongest the prison.

He said that vocational training was also needed to help in engaging the inmates.

Responding on behalf of the inmates, Mr. Gbenga Olusegun lauded the governor for his magnanimity and pleaded with him to assist in hastening the process of the administration of justice in the state.

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nongovernmental organisation, Right to Know Initiative (R2K), yesterday commended the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, over his circular on compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 to Ministries, departments and agencies of government.

Adoke had released the said circular on February 9, 2012, on the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) 2011, particularly on Section 29, which provides for timelines and standards of reporting compliance on FoI Act by all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government.

According to a statement issued by the group yesterday, “The FoIA gives the AGF the specific responsibility of developing guidelines on reporting and performance appraisal for MDAs. “The circular is dated 29 January, 2012.

“R2K lauds the circular as a preliminary demonstration of the AGF’s commitment to meeting his statutory responsibility of monitoring compliance by all institutions with the provisions of the Act. “R2K maintains, however, that this step does not yet tangibly contribute towards establishing the prescribed framework for the implementation of the Act.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 8

Badagry monarch marks 35 years on throne From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

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he Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu, is set to celebrate 35 years of his ascension to the throne of his forefathers.

According to a statement signed by the chairman of publicity committee for the coronation, Kola Folorunso, the coronation anniversary will take place from Thursday, April 19 to Sunday, April 22, 2012.

The statement also said various activities have been lined up for the celebration which include convocation ceremony for the installation and conferment of chieftaincy titles on eminent sons and daughters of Badagry Kingdom; coronation anniversary lectures to be delivered by Professor Babatunde Babawale, the DirectorGeneral of the Center for Black African Art and Culture; Jumat service; carnival procession to certain historical places in Badagry; Award presentation, among others.

“Similarly, to make the event a memorable one, various important dignitaries from Nigeria and abroad have been invited by the 35th coronation anniversary committee, to grace the occasion,” the statement added.

Kebbi flags off traditional rulers committee on polio eradication From Ahmed Idris, Brinin Kebbi

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overnor Usman Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi state has pledged his administration’s determination to rid the state of cases of wild polio virus within this year.

The governor said this yesterday while playing host to 19 traditional rulers and members of the National Primary Health Care Agency who were on the first quarter 2012 two days meeting of northern traditional rulers committee and the flag-off of the February 2012 IPDS. Governor Dakingari blamed few cases of polio recorded in the state on social problem and not religion, adding that religious leaders have played great roles in the eradication of polio in the state.

Earlier in his remarks, leader of the emirs’ team, His Royal Highness and the representative of the Emir of Borno Alhaji Shehu Garbai El-Kaneni, the Emir of Dikwa, Shehu Dikwa, commended governor Usman Dakingari for his laudable achievements in the health sector.

In his speech, the Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Alhaji Ado Mohammed also commended the Kebbi state government for releasing funds for the February exercise.

L-R: Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Professor John Idoko, Country Coordinator, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Dr. Kwame Ampomah, and Katsina state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, during the zonal consultations on HIV, in Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Lawmaker blames school strikes in Kogi on ministry

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member representing Mopa-Muro state constituency in the Kogi state House of Assembly, Mr. Michael Folorunsho, has blamed persistent strikes by primary school teachers in the state on the activities of the Mininstry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Speaking at yesterday’s plenary session while deliberating on the report of the education committee on state of primary education in the state, the lawmaker regretted that academic activities in all primary schools within the state have suffered owing to incessant strike actions.

Hon. Michael said the ministry is the problem of Kogi state; “they are wicked, take themselves to be the supreme and they are not answerable to anyone”, he said.

In his response, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Abdullahi Bello said “if you did not take the issue serious, the committee would go there and comeback empty. They don’t believe that there are people who are supervising them”. He urged the ministry to let the people know they are being represented well in the House.

Senate to establish centralised pension scheme

By Richard Ihediwa and Uche Nnorom, Markudi

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he Senate has perfected a template for a comprehensive review of laws governing pension administration at all levels of government in the country.

The move, which is aimed at eliminating fraud and inefficiency in the system, will provide for the centralisation of all pension administration schemes among the three tiers of governments as well as the creation of a central bio-metric data base for all pensioners across the country.

Chairman, Senate Joint Committees on Establishment and Public Service and State and Local

Government Administration, Senator Aloysuis Etok, stated this yesterday in Makurdi, Benue state capital at the opening of the North Central investigative hearing by the Senate on pension administration in the country.

He said the Senate is also considering merging the old and new pension systems so as to have a common system under strict unified regulatory framework.

Etok said the Senate is deeply worried because of the untold hardship pensioners were subjected to by nonpayment of benefits due to corruption and inefficiency adding that such must stop through a centralised, automated system.

According to him,”We have seen first-hand that there is a high level of suffering among pensioners in Nigeria and we can also see that there are lots of problems in pension administration in Nigeria. In Lagos and Enugu, we saw pensioners crying because they are not being paid despite the repeated screening, confirmation and reconfirmation.

Also speaking at the event, Benue state governor, Gabriel Suswam who was represented by his deputy, Stephen Lawani, called on the National Assembly to come out with comprehensive laws that will eliminate fraud and ensure best practices in the system.

Tinubu is sound in London hospital, says Aregbesola From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

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overnor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state yesterday shed light on the true state of the health of former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Tibubu, saying reports about the national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria's health was "totally absurd."

Aregbesola, who spoke in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital at the opening ceremony of The First Legislative Summit on Regional Integration Agenda holding at the Premier

Hotel, said while he left Tinubu in London on Friday in a very sound condition, he had remained in touch with the ACN national leader with nothing to indicate any problem.

The governor also gave a graphic detail of how he travelled with Tibubu aboard the same flight last Wednesday and joined the former governor for medical checks with his doctor in London with no reports of any problem in his health.

Aregbesola told the audience, "I travelled with

Asiwaju on Wednesday by 2am. I went on an invitation of an NGO based in the Imperial College, called the Partnership for Child Development. They had a parliamentary session at the House of Lords in London at about 6pm.

Expressing surprise at media reports yesterday, Aregbesola said, "So, when yesterday I read in the papers some quite alarming misinformation, I felt the need for an urgent reply…

"So, there is no iota of truth about the totally absurd lie and smear campaign on Asiwaju's health. Asiwaju is fit and within this week, he will be with us here".

PAGE 10

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Dantata & Sawoe: Court adjourns injured worker’s case A

staff of Dantata and Sawoe, Shedrack Ishiekwere, yesterday appeared before the National Industrial Court, Abuja, claiming N50 million as damages against the construction firm for injury sustained at work.

Mr S. U. Adani, counsel to Dantata and Sawoe, said that N650.000 was collected by Ishiekwere from his client and the money was supposed to be his full and final compensation.

Ishiekwere, who was led in evidence by Adani admitted that he had received N650, 000 from

his employer, but did not know what the money was for.

“I was told the money is from the insurance company,” he said, however, he did not accept it as his final settlement.

He said that he was claiming N50 million as compensation for losing his sight at work.

Ishiekwere said that he had received N22,000 and 23,000 as November and December salaries respectively.

He added that he had been “stood-off’’ which usually happened when the company had

no job for the period.

“I have been on ‘stood-off’ since August but my juniors are still working because I have one eye,” he said.

Earlier, Ishiekwere had told the court that he was filing a metal sheet at his work place on May 22, 2011, when the sheet broke into pieces and entered his right eye.

He was then taken to the hospital by the company where he was operated on and his eyeball was removed.

Nicholas Eku, counsel to

Ishiekwere, said that he would want his client to be paid off by his employer so that he would use the money to start a new life and fend for his family.

“The issue on ground is compensation on injury,” he said.

Eku added that although the company had not sacked the plaintiff, he might never be recalled to work because he had been classified as disabled and as such he should be compensated.

The presiding judge, Justice Maureen Esowe adjourned the case till March 6, for defence. (NAN)

Be good ambassadors, Yari tells Zamfara indigenes From Salisu Zakari Maradun, Gusau

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ndigenes of Zamfara state working in various sectors of human endeavors across the country have been urged to be good ambassadors of the state and strive hard to protect its image as well as maintain honesty, dedication and the fear of Allah in all their day-to-day dealings.

The governor of Zamfara state, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, gave this advice in Gusau the state capital, while receiving indigenes who had concluded training as Nigeria Customs and Excise officers at the Government House.

Governor Yari, who addressed Assistant Superintendent of customs and Inspectors of customs, said without the virtues he mentioned, there was no way one would progress in whatever he or she does, no matter what and whoever is behind him.

According to the governor, wherever one finds himself, especially in such a national assignment like the customs, the exhibition of honesty was paramount.

“This is one of the most sensitive sectors of our economy. I am therefore appealing to you to make sure you are not involved in any financial crime that will eventually destroy our image¸ because whatever anyone of you does, whether good or bad, the name of our state must be mentioned, thus it is good for you to do the right thing so that the good name of our state, for long, can be maintained.”

The governor further explained that the state government has concluded all the necessary arrangements for encouraging its people to fill all its federal government’s slots, particularly the military and para-military.

“Everybody knows that we are left behind in terms of military and para-military, and this Insha Allah, is what we want to promote and protect.”

Lagos council acquires N24m grader for roads From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos

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he effort by Ejigbo local council development area of Lagos state to solve the problem of bad roads in the council area received a boost over the weekend, when it took delivery of a new grader machine.

Receiving the machine on behalf of the council’s chairman at the council’s secretariat, the vice chairman of the LCDA, Alhaji Monsurudeen Bello Obe, stated that the acquisition of the earth moving machine would place the council in a better position to grade many bad roads in the local government.

The vice chairman added that the new grader which was acquired by the council at a cost of N24 million, would complement the old machine inherited from the old Oshodi-Isolo local government.

He disclosed further that the works department of the council would commence grading of bad roads in the council area next week, by making use of the new and old grader machines.

While assuring residents of the council that the present Kehinde Bamigbetan administration was determined to solve the problem of bad roads in the area, the vice chairman called on members of community development associations willing to fix their roads to liaise with the council’s works department for the use of the grader machine.

Police probe destruction of outpost, houses in Yobe From, Hussaini Jirgi, Damaturu

R-L: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, with his wife, Mrs. Bola Obasanjo, worshipping at Chapel of Christ The Glorious King, located within the premises of Presidential Boulevard, in Abeokuta, on Sunday.

Photo: Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji

Mubi residents decry acute water scarcity

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esidents of Mubi in Adamawa state have appealed to the state government to provide hand pumps to enhance access to potable water in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the people were facing water shortages occasioned by the prevailing dry season as most of the available open wells had dried up.

A cross section of the residents, who spokein Mubi yesterday expressed worry over acute water scarcity in the area as most of the existing bore holes had broken down due to poor maintenance by the communities.

Most families in Mubi and adjourning villages now rely on unhygienic water from the vendors.

Adamu Inuwa, a resident, said that he relied on water hawkers in

spite of its impurity.

Inuwa said the open well in his home often dried up during the dry season due to the mountainous nature of the environment, a situation, which, he added, exposed them to difficulties and health hazards.

“We rely on water from the vendors despite its impurity. The water is sourced from hand pumps on river banks.

“It must be boiled and purified to make it safe for consumption, the trend is causing heavy drain in my pocket.''

Joshua Dauda, another resident, urged the state government to rehabilitate the Mubi water treatment plant and upgrade the reticulation system to enhance water supply in the area.

Commenting on the situation, Mr Simon Tonpeyo,

the Acting Administrator, Mubi South Local Government Area, said the council had procured water tankers to enhance water supply.

“We are providing free water services to families in the affected areas, arrangement has been concluded to repair the obsolete hand pumps.''

Water hawkers, locally called “Mai-Moya” are making brisk businesses due to the increasing demand of their services.

A 20 litre of water is being sold for N15 as against its previous price of N10 before the dry season.

Lawan Katuka, a water vendor, said he was making about N1, 000 a day due to the appreciable patronage.

Katuka, who described the trade as ‘lucrative’, added that he purified the water before selling it to buyers. (NAN)

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he Yobe state police command, has said that it will investigate the destruction of a police outpost and houses of the state commissioner for finance, Alhaji Kaigama Umar and a supervisory councillor in Yunusari Local Government area of the state Our state correspondent reports that some people suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect had at the weekend torched a police outpost, houses of the commissioner and councilor as well as one Honda Accord car belonging to the councilor.

The commissioner of police Alhaji Lawan Tanko in a telephone chat confirmed to Peoples Daily that a police outpost, two houses, car and property worth millions of naira were burnt by suspected members of Boko Haram sect last weekend According to him, “we didn’t receive any casualty report, we confirmed from our DPO of that zone, that the police outpost was burnt.”

The police commissioner said that no any arrest was made and that investigation is on.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 11

UNICEF, rights commission partner on child rights

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

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he United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), have agreed to enter into partnership to promote and protect the rights of the Nigerian child.

A press statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Communications Department of the NHRC, Muhammad Nasir Ladan, said the partnership agreement took place during an official visit of the UNICEF Chief Child Protection Officer, Mrs. Noriko Izumi.

According to Ladan, the UNICEF official stated that there was an urgent need to properly monitor, document and report violations of the rights of the Nigerian child. Mrs. Izumi added that UNICEF is working hard to improve on the existing child

protection networks in the country and intends to build more partnerships to achieve the desired results.

She further disclosed that only 23 state-based child protection networks exist in the country at present and that none of the centres could provide the necessary data documentation required for field work.

She appealed to the commission to partner with UNICEF to establish functional child documentation centres for references. However, the executive secretary of NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe assured Mrs. Izumi of the Commission's readiness to consolidate on the existing partnership with UNICEF. Angwe said the commission will continue to work with UNICEF to document and report violations of children's rights throughout the country.

The executive secretary

disclosed that the commission will open additional offices across the country before the end of the first quarter of 2012 and said all the commissions' offices will be deployed to strengthen child protection networks across the country.

Energy Commission to distribute energy efficient bulbs free to Edo residents The National Centre for Energy and Environment (NCEE), a research outfit of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) located in the University of Benin, has promised to distribute energy efficient bulbs to residents of Benin, the Edo state capital, free of charge.

The Director of the Centre, Prof.

Lawrence Ezemonye, gave the promise in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Benin.

NAN reports that the promise came on the heels of the disclosure

by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) that Nigeria loses N500 million annually to fake and sub-standard electric bulbs.

According to him, the energy efficient bulbs were received through ECOWAS projects, ECN and the Cuban government.

"They are not only real in terms of energy efficiency but also in terms of quality not comparable with the ones in the open market.

"We did a study at this centre.

In a report we sent to the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, where we compared the energy efficient bulbs from the ECOWAS, Cuban government and the ECN, with that sold in the open market. "We discovered that the quality is at variance in terms of efficiency and luminance.

"Apart from energy saving, reduced heat level, one can also save money with improved luminance with the energy

Lagos to regularise land titles From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos

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he Lagos State Government Land Regularisation exercise is not aimed at confiscation of properties that do not have valid titles but to ensure that all properties falling within uncommitted government acquisition are properly documented and granted legal title where applicable.

The permanent secretary in the state lands bureau, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola who stated this in his office in Ikeja, also said the exercise is to simplify and accelerate the process of regularisation of land titles by the grant of certificates of occupancy in circumstances where uncommitted government land has been encroached upon.

It is also to facilitate the grant of approvals for building plan in conjunction with the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for properties falling within un-committed government acquisition.

While advising members of the public to disregard the false information that is being propagated, Muri-Okunola, emphasised that the regularisation exercise affords those that inadvertently purchased government acquired land the opportunity to regularise their titles and thereby obtain a certificate of occupancy.

I will not victimise any district head, says Dakingari From Ahmed Idris, Brinin Kebbi

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L-R: Secretary General, National Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Akaba Godwin, President, Dr. Chidozie Achonwa and Public Relations Officer, Dr. Waziri Garba, at a press briefing on the outcome of the NEC meeting of the association, in Abuja, on Sunday.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Government should consider judges’ welfare as priority, says Fashola From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos

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overnor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state has urged the Federal Government to consider welfare of judges at all level as priority, saying "this is a way to ensure that judges in the country deliver judgement without fear or favour".

Fashola who made this call over the weekend at the commissioning of the fully detached five bedroom house for judges of Lagos State High Court called 'Judges Quarters' at Ikoyi, Lagos, said: "Given the nature of a judge's assignment and the need to ensure their privacy and efficiency, the provision of suitable residential accommodation for them is probably the most important milestone that every

government should work towards."

According to the governor, "This welfare package will enable judges not to worry about where they will live after their retirement or whether they will be compelled to vacate their quarters.

On the part of the state, he said that the state government has adopted the owner-occupier house with the view that a befitting accommodation should be part and parcel of the remuneration attached to the High Court Bench, and the state government had implemented this policy for a large majority of judges.

He added that efforts are ongoing to enhance working condition of judges and magistrate with the provision of more conducive court buildings and

modern equipment, stressing that more court rooms are under construction in some parts of the state.

Speaking earlier, the Chief Judge of Lagos state, Justice Inumidun Akande said that the welfare package by the state

government signifies the importance it attached to the welfare of judges in the state.

Akande added "The welfare package will afford judges in the state to deliver their duties effectively, as they now have roofs over their heads."

ebbi state governor, Alhaji Sa'idu Usman Dakingari has denied the insinuation that he victimises traditional rulers or civil servant in the state.

He disclosed this on Sunday while reinstating the suspended district head of Kangiwa, Alhaji Suliman Zango. The governor said his administration has never intimidated or victimized any civil servant or traditional ruler irrespective of any political differences.

He cited the cases of suspension of two district Heads of Kangiwa and Bakuwai saying that he withheld the approval to that effect in spite of the recommendations from the sole administrators of the two local governments to pave the way for reconciliation.

Ejigbo LCDA sponsors 100 for JAMB exam From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos

1

00 residents of Ejigbo local council development area of Lagos state who wish to sit for the 2012 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, but could not afford the N4, 600 cost for the form, are to get them free courtesy of the local government.

The supervisor for Education and Library Services in the LCDA, Mr. Ayotunde Ojo, who spoke with our correspondent during presentation of the JAMB forms to the beneficiaries at the council secretariat, stated that the council administration believes education should not be the exclusive right of the rich.

While adding that the 100 applicants sponsored by the

council would also be given free tutorial class for a whole month to prepare them better for the examination, the education supervisor appealed to the beneficiaries to avail themselves of the opportunity given by the council and ensure that they pass the examination with ease.

The examination comes up on 24th March 2012 nationwide.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

Edo: The triumph of rule of law

S

omething very rare in our justice system happened on January 30, this year, in the federal high court in Benin City, the capital of Edo state. That day, the state’s Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, had gone to the court to “explain” the state government’s failure to comply with an interlocutory injunction given by the court in 2003 in a suit between it and Churchgate Industries Limited over the ownership of Bendel Breweries Limited. Promptly, the judge, Justice Adamu Hobon, convicted him on a contempt charge and ordered that he be remanded in prison custody for 30 days.

However, after four days in jail, he was released on bail in selfrecognition.

Two things we must immediately take note of. One, there was no wrongdoing on the part of the Edo attorney-general, and secondly, the suit was brought against a government controlled by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the time. Today, the party in power in Edo state is Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which wrestled it from the PDP in a legal challenge of the result of the 2007 governorship election.

The position of Dr.

Obayuwana and the time the case has taken would have persuaded any lily-livered judge to let a sleeping dog lie. Nobody would have raised a whimper, not in a country where disrespect for court decisions by governments and their top officials is commonplace. So embarrassed was late President Umaru Yar’adua by this executive

“

The lesson of the three cited cases is that it is not enough for judicial officers to whine about government officials disrespecting court orders. These are politicians and they will always try to intimidate or dare the judiciary impunity that he made rule of law a key policy of his government.

However, Justice Hobon would not be intimidated. The same factors that would have softened the resolve of any other judge strengthened his. He expected the attorney general of the Edo government, himself a lawyer, to respect the law, not breach it.

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Secondly, governance is a continuous process; the fact that the injunction was not given against the present ACN government in the state is neither here nor there.

We, at Peoples Daily, commend the rare courage demonstrated

by Justice Hobon. We recall few instances when members of the bench have displayed such uncommon courage of their convictions. Justice Yaya Jinadu in 1989 resigned as a Lagos state high court judge rather than do the state’s military government’s bidding. Again, three years ago, a Lagos high court judge, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, took on the whole might of the ruling PDP and jailed one of its chieftains, Chief Bode George, for two years on corruption charges. The judge made sure the convict served out his term.

The lesson of the three cited cases is that it is not enough for judicial officers to whine about government officials disrespecting court orders. These are politicians and they will always try to intimidate or dare the judiciary. It is up to the latter to put its foot down and insist that the right thing be done. Only this way will court orders be worth more than the paper on which they are written.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 13

Africa can remind the world of the capitalist way

By Dambisa Moyo

T

ake a walk in downtown Lagos and you’ll see bustling shopping malls and streets populated not just by domestic restaurant chains but increasingly by global brands like KFC, which will soon have 20 restaurants in Nigeria, and Walmart, which is expected to soon open two flagship stores. At Lagos airport you’ll see planes owned by more than 20 international airlines, from countries such as China, Qatar and Turkey. You will also see many of Nigeria’s nearly 90m mobile phone subscribers who together sustain four major telecommunications companies.

Capitalism is alive and well in Africa. Some observers will worry about the recent violence arising from the removal of fuel subsidies.

The truth is that today’s Nigeria is strong enough to avoid a protracted crisis. This is down to the growing power of the African consumer. A decade or two ago, the rash subsidies decision taken by President Goodluck

Jonathan could have brought the country near to a full political meltdown.

But in 2012, Nigerian consumers want to buy their groceries and get back to work; they have too much vested in the economy. It’s a pattern mirrored across the continent.

Africa is quietly catching up after a period of isolation from the rest of the world between the late 1990s through to 2008.

Policymaking has justifiably been criticised for its multidecade approach of ring-fencing Africa. This created an “usversus-them” culture, which hinged on one set of development policies – trade, foreign direct investment, capital market access – for certain countries like China, India, Brazil, but prescribed an aid-centric policy for other (mainly African) countries.

This catalogue of policies prompted the economist Paul Collier to caution that many African countries were “shearing off” from the rest of the world. In part, as a consequence, although Africa is home to nearly 1bn people, the continent’s share of world trade hovers around 2 per

cent. Meanwhile, of roughly $1.12tn worth of total global foreign direct investment in 2010, sub-Saharan Africa received a paltry 3 per cent.

However, this is about to dramatically change. We now see some of the inadvertent benefits from this isolation: Africa is less exposed to the fallout from the radioactive economies of the developed world.

The credit crisis could take a decade to unwind. Already, many investors have been burned entering illusory recovery trades such as eurozone sovereign bonds, emerging market equities, and big financial institutions too early.

It is against this backdrop that African economies look particularly stellar.

SubSaharan Africa is forecast to grow at 5.5 percent for 2012, according to recent estimates by the IMF, nearly 4 per cent higher than the anaemic growth projected for advanced economies.

Most African countries have no massive leverage problem to work through – if anything even good

investment opportunities have been starved of capital.

And in some African countries, South Africa being a pertinent example, banking regulation is a model for the rest of the world. While the political risk premium remains relatively high, over the past decade real efforts have addressed many of the reasons for this – corruption, lack of transparency, and nervousness over property rights.

What’s more, the story extends well beyond the wellhyped resources sector – the majority of the stocks that trade on African exchanges are noncommodities, including telecommunications and consumer goods, and financial services, where even a relatively small country like Zambia has 18 registered foreign and domestic banks.

Investments will continue to benefit from the Africa demographic story, which is decidedly skewed towards the young. Over 60 per cent of Africans are under 24 years of age. If well harnessed, such statistics portend a boom in local

private demand in decades to come.

Changing dietary preferences from grain-based to protein-based foodstuffs, underlie a boom in food producers. Africa is home to many of the 2bn people who have a mobile phone but no bank account. The rapid integration between the financial products and mobile telephony creates a myriad of opportunities to directly serve the consumer, and to cut out the bureaucratic middle men.

Through conversations with policymakers from around Africa, including heads of state, the perspective is clear. They see what happened in the rest of the world as a failure of governments not a failure of capitalism. In its true form, capitalism is thriving in Africa, dragging millions out of poverty and into the shops. It is a happy and poignant irony that the isolated continent will succeed by following the rules of the market that the rest of the world forgot.

The writer is the author of Dead Aid, How the West Was Lost and the forthcoming book Winner Take All

Cement importation: As Dangote breaks the jinx

By Hasheem Ahmed

L

ast Thursday, Nigerians from all walks of life, saluted the Dangote conglomerate for shepherding the country’s economic progress. It was a day when Nigeria’s crème de la crème gathered at Ibese in Ogun state for the commissioning of a Dangote fertilizer plant with an installed capacity of 6 million tonnes annually.

With Ibese, Dangote cement is hovering around 20.5million.

It factory in Obajana is being upgraded to produce around 10.5 million metric tonnes, while its Gboko plant touches 4million metric tonnes. The high profile roll call at the launching included: President Goodluck Jonathan and his ministers, governors, top bankers, including the central bank governor, top investors, stakeholders, as well as foreign dignitaries.

President Jonathan, apparently elated by the N160 billion cement plant, said it would add some ten thousand jobs into the economy. Industry observers say the positive effect the new cement plant will have on the economy would help boost President Jonathan’s rating which nosedived recently owing to subsidy crisis and the Boko Haram imbroglio.

In his remark, the president said: “Let me appreciate Aliko Dangote for what he has been

doing for this great country. In fact, when I honoured him by giving him the GCON, a number of people condemned it out of ignorance. People even said I gave the award reserved for VicePresident to a person who did not hold a political office”.

He said that his administration would continue to celebrate Dangote for investing in its socio-economic development.

“Our greatest problem in the country is the number of unemployed young men and women and if anybody can come up with policies and programmes that will create jobs, definitely government will embrace that person and will continue to encourage that person.

“We are now talking about cement factory that will directly employ 7,000 people and, of course, the major distributors and sub-distributors will also employ people. That means on the overall, it may generate 10,000 or more jobs for Nigerians. Why won’t we continue to encourage such and commend such people?

“Vision 20:2020 is built on industrialization. For us to move to the top 20 in the year 2020 that means we need to multiply people like Dangote in Nigeria,” Jonathan added. He noted that the cement plant would help the country attain exportation status.

He said that the various investments of the business

mogul were geared towards creating employment opportunities and thereby aiding in bettering the lots of Nigerians, as a way of assisting the government. It was not only Jonathan who was in a celebrative mood at the launching.

Top investors, ministers and governors described the Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who is the president of the Dangote conglomerate, is adjudged to be Africa’s biggest philanthropy, having expended N15.5billon in Corporate Social Responsibility activities last year.

He is rated by Forbes Magazine as the richest African with a net worth of $13.8billion.

He is also the Chairman of the

Federal Government job creation committee. He is a member of the national economic management team.

Giving more details on the Ibese plant, he said, in 26 months, the capacity would be doubled by another 6 million metric tonnes plant. He said to reduce pressure on the road, Dangote Cement would partner with the Nigerian Railway Commission (NRC) to transport cement via the railways.

Dangote Cement caters for 50 percent of Nigeria’s demand for cement with an ultimate goal to archive a 26 million metric tonnes annual production capacity in Nigeria by 2015.

Speaking at the event, he

“

President Jonathan, apparently elated by the N160 billion cement plant, said it would add some ten thousand jobs into the economy. Industry observers say the positive effect the new cement plant will have on the economy would help boost President Jonathan’s rating which nosedived recently owing to subsidy crisis and the Boko Haram imbroglio

attributed the success of the Ibese factory to Federal Government’s integration policy for the cement sector in 2002 designed to transform Nigeria from net importer to self-sufficiency and net exporter of cement.

“The aggressive expansion of our local production capacity at our plants is to ensure there is always adequate capacity to meet local demand and export so that this country never again has to import cement to meet her requirements,” he said.

The industrialist explained that the acquisition of 5,000 brand new trucks by the company last year was intended to boost growing logistics needs as well as crash the market price of cement in the country.

Dangote conglomerate currently provides about 40, 000 jobs and pay about N50 billion in tax annually. Dangote Group has since signed an agreement with Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited for the commencement of work on a fertilizer factory in Edo State. With this, the Dangote fertilizer project promises to provide additional 7,000 jobs.

Currently, Nigeria’s unemployment rate of 41.6% is about the highest in the world, more than the 25% average rate for North Africa and the Middle East which have been shaken by civil unrest spearheaded by unemployed youths.

Hashem Ahmed is reachable at ahashem@yahoo.com

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Labour needs to change tactic in the subsidy war

By Nwachukwu Emeka

A

s Nigerians were still mourning their loved ones and fellow countrymen killed in a suicide bomb attack Christmas Day on a church in Madalla, Niger state, President Goodluck Jonathan decided to increase their burden of hardships by removing the subsidies on petrol without due consultation. That decision resulted in mass protests tand a nationwide strike called by organized labour.

When the government found out that the crisis was becoming unmanageable, Jonathan bent over backward and rstored a part of the subsidy, which brought the pump price of fuel down from N144 a litre to N97. Even so, he warned that the downstream sector of the oil industry would be fully deregulated as from April this year, meaning fuel price would climb back to N144 a litre that it was when subsidies were completely removed on January 1.

Now, if that will be case what will labour do? Every single government decision leaves sad ripple effects on the doorstep of the ‘petty trader’ or

the poor because, as far as I badly. In other nations, we that if Jesus Christ were a know, there is no middle class hear of hunger strike and so on. Nigerian, he would not be able in this country; there are only Labour should begin to act now to stop corruption.

If the government wants to the rich and the poor and before the President’s team of nothing in-between; it will insensitive advisers gets him to stop corruption, the EFCC ICPC never affect those that directly harden his mind like the should be phased out. These agencies, to the best of my or indirectly are responsible for Pharoah of ancient Egypt.

Subsidy encourages knowledge, were set-up to the policy. according to monitor ‘stealing in high Now that President corruption, places’.

Jonathan has, W h y through the vote would our of the common f e d e r a l man, acquired a lawmakers ‘golden boot’, he Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text wait for the can decide to messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written masses to crush whosoever contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 cry out he wishes at will. b e f o r e Labour and other words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and calling an c o n c e r n e d a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed emergency organizations to: session? Let should meet to them get strategize on The Editor, down to the what to do should Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, s e r i o u s fuel price be 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. business of increased gain.

Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com protecting There has been SMS: 07037756364 the interest no corresponding of ordinary increase in the Nigerians pay of public service workers. The so-called economists. Now, let us face the who sent them to the National N18, 000 national minimum facts: would we rather prevent Assembly.

Kudos to the Speaker, House wage has not been paid by corruption at the cost of exposing innocent citizens to of Representatives who led his many state governments.

A strike is an effective untold hardships. They say colleagues to take a stand with weapon with which to fight the that it cannot be stopped or the people on the subsidy eradicated.

Former matter. government’s anti-people fully Jonathan certainly is a slow policies and programmes. President Obasanjo defined the However, it must not be hopelessness of the fight against learner, in spite of his having violent or hurt the economy too corruption when he posited held various public/political

WRITE TO US

offices, before rising to be president. His immediate predecessor, the late Yar’adua was not lacking in courage, and he had a great political sense.

Jonathan should replace his so-called ‘economic advisers’ with mature, fast thinking youth, who will consider the poor before making an official declaration.

Someone should tell the President that this Nigeria (made up of several states and whose peoples come from different religious and ethnolinguistic backgrounds), not a village meeting held in the creeks, where decisions are taken by elders alone.

Why would he pick someone who has been away from this country for a long time and only knows about it through journals, to handle our economy, someone who knows next to nothing about youth empowerment? Ngozi OkonjoIweala should go; her presence in this Jonathan government is doing more harm than good and things will go worse if she remains in office for much longer.

Labour leaders should call a stay-at-home strike, until the government regains its sanity.

Nwachukwu Emeka resides in Abuja.

Ministries and the burden of responsibility

By Abdullahi Musa

I

“

am in charge here!” That was the quoted cry of General Alexander Haig, reacting immediately after the attempted assassination of the President of United States, Ronald Reagan. I think it was also related that the VicePresident at the time, George Bush, Snr, was at the scene when Haig made his statement.

Constitutionally, a vicepresident succeeds the president in the event of his death or an infirmity.

Alexander Haig was the Secretary of State, a position which Condoleezza Rice later occupied; and now we have Hillary Clinton.

Of interest to us, at the moment, is not who succeeds who in the power structure of the USA or Nigeria. We are concerned with the burden of responsibility.

From experience, we know that success in any undertaking depends greatly on assignment of responsibility. In a relay race, the positioning is such that someone is in such position that he or she is to take the baton to the finishing line. When in his exuberance Al Haig blurted out he was in charge, it might be to assuage the citizens that someone with his capability was there on-hand to see that harm does not reach them.

But in Nigeria, who is in

charge of what? Do you want to read stories of woes? Then you are advised to either read Nigerian newspapers, or listen to international radio stations, for example: BBC, VOA or RFI. These radio stations give an opportunity for Nigerians to air their views; mostly negative about the government of the day. These Nigerians, because they are hard-pressed in life, never paused to observe that there are no Europeans coming on VON, or Radio Ghana to criticize their governments.

And neither BBC Hausa service, nor Muryar Amurka, is interested in giving voice to the under-privileged of Europe or America to air their grievances to world audience.

Governments divide their bureaucracies into ministries or departments for ease of discharge of their responsibilities to the citizens of the territories over which they have sovereignty. It is for that reason we have the following ministries: Ministry of Internal Affairs; Ministry of Defense; Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Works; and Ministry of Education to mention just a few. Most relevant to Nigerians today are the Ministries of Internal Affairs; that of Police (if it is still existing); and that of Defense. The reason is quite apparent. Except for the June 12 debacle, Nigeria and Nigerians have not experienced

insecurity of this magnitude for a long period of time. Kano is still under curfew, and citizens do not move freely within the city area.

Add to this is the reported exodus of Southerners, particularly the Igbo, back to the domain they call theirs.

Now who is responsible for the security of the nation and its citizens? Should we have to start looking under the tables and inside chest of drawers to find who the ‘culprit’ is? To hold the fort, says the dictionary, is to have responsibility for something or care of somebody while other people are away or out. You do not change a goal keeper whenever he allows a ball into the net. But we surely see coaches sacked whenever they lose an important tournament. What level of damage do we need to see before someone gets punished for negligence of duty with regards to security? Apparently there is no limit. In Nigeria, the main yardstick for measuring performance is political loyalty.

I would like to assume that there is no state capital in the Nigerian federation where water flows into all houses and business areas, uninterruptedly, seven days a week. We are not even talking of the quality of the water produced and delivered. Why is it that we do not have it in spite of the colossal amounts

expended by the respective ministries of water resources scattered all over the nation?

Now who is responsible to see that citizens do have water resources properly managed?

The services of underwater divers may have to engaged to literally fish out the culprits, who may have taken refuge at the bottom of the numerous dams we have in the country.

And we now come to the goldmine: ministry of agriculture. Not being a farmer, I do not know the importance of this ministry. But I heard from many people that governments used to distribute cupfuls of fertilizer to farmers!

What do governments seek to achieve with ministries of agriculture?

To improve output? If yes, from what tonnage to what tonnage? Do we really believe we have the mechanism on grounds to really measure annual output?

I doubt much. Do we want to encourage our farmers to produce surplus so that we can export? I doubt much; we are unable to produce the rice which we need to feed ourselves.

Now we are being told that government is stop subsidy on fertilizer. Has the European Union stopped its subsidies to Europeans farmers?

Why should that be my concern, a person in charge of agriculture might ask you? An enraged farmer might want some

accountability for the funds so far expended; and he asks where the person in charge of agriculture might be found.

Why not let him start his search from Otta farms?

Let us peep into ministries of education to acquire knowledge of how to survive in Nigeria.

Children are enrolled into primary schools; they later move to secondary schools; some to technical schools. Year in year out we read of dismal performances resulting from NECO and WAEC examinations.

Those who fall out are never given thought of.

Those who succeed and reach university are never sure when they will graduate. Why is our curriculum different from that of Malaysia, China, India, and Korea etc? And why are we not interested in finding out why the Chinese are creative while we prefer to import their finished products? Is it not due to the quality of education that we received which made our leaders to rely on China to construct talk shop for them at Addis Ababa? Now where is the person in charge of education?

Or has he or she sought asylum in Niger fearing Boko Haram?

Final question: what is it that is in us which prevents us from learning from our mistakes?

Abdullah Musa resides at 557 Kofar Nassarawa, Kano City.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 15

An American connection to Boko Haram?

T

here is no denying the fact that if the Boko Haram crisis is not resolved in the earliest possible time it could lead to the destabilization of the country. As things are now, the harmonious coexistence of the nation’s diverse peoples in different parts of the country is coming under serious threat with southerners leaving the north in fear of attacks by the religious sect that has warned them to relocate or risk attacks.

This sad situation is not helped by some leaders especially of the southeast who have asked their kinsmen to return ‘home’. To make matters worse, northerners residing in the south do not also sleep with two eyes closed as they live in constant fear of becoming targets of reprisals even for attacks that may have nothing to do with Boko Haram.

This much was evident last week when they were forced to flee Onitsha after a policeman reportedly shot dead a bus driver.

The unfortunate fact that the policeman was a northerner and the victim an Igbo was enough reason for residents to vent their anger on the northerners they could lay hands on.

If this atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion amongst Nigerians is allowed to go on, surely that could provoke a major crisis that may lead to the break-up of the country.

By the time the Ibrahim Babangidas and the David Marks get their military uniforms back on in readiness for the trenches, it may well be too late. To avoid that scenario, perhaps they will do well to use their influence and power now to see that the country, particularly the north, gets out of this Boko Haram logjam.

The dangerous road to

perdition that our dear nation is of a grand strategy whose ultimate travelling is seen by many as a goal is the break-up of the county deliberate grand plot allegedly set by 2015. According to the in motion by the United States of coalition, Nigeria’s influence in the America which, to it eternal West African sub-region and also credit, has carved a notoriety for the continent poses a direct threat itself over the years for such to the interest of the United States, diabolical operations especially adding that the success of where its interests have come ECOMOG in Liberia proved to the under threat. Last week Friday, Americans that their influence this newspaper began publishing and support may be less needed on a three – part article by a group the continent in the future. called the “Greenwhite Coalition” Before Greenwhite Coalition’s in which it drew attention to the warning, an American journalist, role the United States is playing Gordon Duff, had late last year in orchestrating the Boko Haram written about the alleged plot to attacks that have evidently defied any well thought out solution from our security agencies. with Greenwhite Coalition claims that America’s Central azizab40@yahoo.com Intelligence Agency 0805 100 0558 {CIA} operates a camp in Niger Republic where it trains young destabilize Nigeria by what he Muslim radicals who have been describes as “powerful forces brainwashed into believing that outside Nigeria”. Duff, who was a they can bring about violent US marine during the Vietnam change in the country. It claimes war and currently a senior editor also that the bombing of the United for Veterans Today journal, said Nations headquarters in Abuja he has told his friends in the and indeed some of the Nigerian government about the sophisticated attacks so far carried plot and even given them a heads out by members of the Islamic sect up on some of the attacks before were masterminded by CIA they happened. According to Duff, operatives. While the group has not “they who have been working provided evidence yet to support with the terror groups are building its claim, it does beat the an Al Qaida type organization that imagination how the sect was able will be able to start across borders to acquire the sophistry to carry and carefully orchestrate a out such audacious assaults pattern of destabilization using the same contractors that are going to without external help.

The coalition which said its be paid millions to help put in place membership cuts across Nigeria’s security apparatus to protect the religious and ethnic divides alleges country”. Like the Greenwhite that the Boko Haram crisis is part Coalition, he disclosed that a

TUESD AY TUESDA

Abdulazeez Abdullahi

training base was located in Niger Republic from where attacks were being plotted.

In a country where its people have become cynical about almost everything, chances are that many Nigerians will dismiss these accounts as conjecture and conspiracy theories. It may however serve our security agencies well to consider some of the leads the Greenwhite Coalition and Mr. Duff have thrown up. The National Security Adviser, Andrew Azazi, the sacked police chief, Hafiz Ringim and the State Security Service officials have all said that Boko Haram attacks are a new phase of terrorism which we hitherto did not know of. This clearly indicates that external forces are behind the sect’s activities.

The United States, it must be said, has not acquitted itself in the past to avoid being drawn into such conspiracy theories as many of the nations where the CIA had carried our covert operations have bitterly come to realize. America’s involvement in the arming of rebels and eventual toppling of regimes that undermine its interests are legion. During the Cold War, for example, the CIA helped topple a democratically elected government in Guatemala in 1954 simply because it was headed by the communist party just as it did to an elected government in Brazil in 1964.

Closer to home, it also orchestrated the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana in 1966. Chile

also fell victim of the treachery of the Americans when it made several attempts on the life of Salvadore Allende, the Chilean leader in 1973 before his eventual ouster.

The world will not forget in a hurry the CIA’s role in destabilizing Nicaragua in the 1980s when it armed and financed the Contra rebels who were based in Honduras against the Sandanista government. In a desperate bid to overthrow the Sandanista, the CIA “planted mines in civilian harbours and sunk civilian ships”. It also helped sabotage Nicaragua’s refineries, ports, and bridges without sparing a thought for the lives of many innocent civilians. In defence of these atrocities, the US had this to say: “Nicaragua’s neighbours have asked for assistance against Nicaraguan aggression and the United States has responded”. The United States is also responsible for orchestrating the unending crisis in Somalia by funding some war lords to destabilize the government. It also armed the Ethiopian army to launch cross border attacks against the Somali government.

While there is no evidence yet of its involvement in the Boko Haram nightmare, Nigerians should not be in doubt of the capability of the United States to mastermind such a sinister plot.

As history has shown, nothing stands in the way of America in its pursuit of what is in its national interest and if destabilizing Nigeria is what is required to further that national interest, well, it is just a small price to pay. Let us, however, hope this is just a conspiracy theory.

Lamido Barkindo: Two years after his ascension

By Zayyad I. Muhammad

O

n March 18, the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammad Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa will be exactly two years on the throne. He stepped into the big shoes left by his late father- Lamido Dr. Aliyu Musdafa.

For the nearly six decades he steered Adamawa Emirate, he brought new approaches to the way the emirate was administered; promoted harmony among his heterogeneous subjects and brought more respect to the over 200-year old emirate.

Today, it is nearing two years, after Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa was turbaned as Lamido Adamawa.

What is his rating among his subjects? What is style of leadership? Are there signs that he is following the footsteps and teachings of his late father?

Though, historians and the Lamido himself accepted that, to emulate great men like late Lamido Aliyu Musdafa is a herculean task. But princes worth their salts, all the time, emulate and follow the good footsteps of their fathers- kings.

In May 1980, Lamido Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa was turbaned as Ciroma Adamawa

(one who oversees natural resources and veterinary cases of the Emirate), by his late father. His ascension to that position at the age of 36, was a clear sign of the confidence posed in him by his late father; the Adamawa Emirate and the entire Adamawa people.

It was also a sign of being purposefully positioned to lead the Emirate.

The citizens of the emirate Adamawa see him as a modern emir that understands the difference between passion for excellence and hunger for power.

He was once quoted to have said: “traditional titles are not for sale and would be given only to worthy candidates based on recommendations of the Emirate’s king makers”. As providence will have it, Lamido Dr. Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Mustafa was chosen as the 12th Lamido of Adamawa, based on his natural character as a great leader; his visible achievements in life and contributions to the development of Adamawa state.

Lamido Barkindo was born in Yola in February 1944. He attended Barewa College, Zaria and later Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he obtained a Diploma in Law in 1969. He also attended North

London Polytechnic (1973–1975) and St Clements University in the Turks and Caicos Islands (2000– 2002). He worked with the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Port Authority and the National Freight Company. He was appointed Commissioner for Works and later a Commissioner for Animal Health in the former Gongola State. The Lamido was a Director at the National Engineering and Technical Company (1991–1993), Chairman of Sterling Civil Engineering Nigeria Limited (1991–2003) and Chairman of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (2003–2005).

In recognition of his sterling leadership qualities, the Federal Government, in late 2010 appointed the Lamido Chancellor of the University of Benin.

His father, Aliyu Mustafa, was a man for all- irrespective of ethnic, religious, educational or social backgrounds. He brought dynamism into the Emirate, which was founded in 1806, by Modibbo Adama bin Ardo Hassana, a disciple of Othman Danfodio.

Lamido Barkindo is doggedly following in the footsteps of his father and showing signs that he has learnt a lot from his closeness

to him. His regular interaction with his subjects and excellent community development initiatives are worth appreciating.

Recent appointments he made into the traditional council were a sign that he knew his onions. Just like his father would do, he picked individuals who cut across social and religious borders. But even in that respect he never compromises merit, as well as contribution to the society. Those he appointed were: Senator Bello Tukur- Sarki Yaki Adamawa, Mr. James Barka, the former speaker Adamawa State House of Assembly, as Magatakarda Adamawa; Dr. Sanusi Barkindo, former GMD of the NNPC- Wali Adamawa; Mr. Kobis Ari Thimnu, the Secretary to the Adamawa State Government as Katuka Adamawa; Alhaji Muhammad Aminu Abdulkadir, IPMAN National President- was given the title of Sarki Hurumi Adamawa, while Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim Attah, as Mai Borno Adamawa.

One thing worth noting is, that the Lamido also never hesitates to approve for District Heads to recognise individuals in their domains who are contributing to the development of their communities. For

instance, the District Head of Jimeta, who is also the Dan Isa Adamawa, recently conferred traditional titles on some individuals: Alhaji Suleiman Inuwa Paris- Adamawa state Auditor General, as Dan Iya Jimeta; Alhaji Lawan Abubakar Musa, Managing Director of Adamawa Savings and Loans as Dan Galadima Jimeta, while a young, dynamic and enterprising insurance-underwriter, Mohammed Dahiru Garba Esq. was conferred with the title of Garkuwa Jimeta.

Lamido Barkindo Aliyu is a traditional ruler with the style of a modern day democratic administrator: he has a clear and vivid picture of what success looks like and where he intends to take the Adamawa Emirate to. He has a high regard for confident people but abhors pride; he admires hardwork and encourages his subjects to be productive. The Adamawa people are happy that Lamido Barkindo’s leadership styles, thinking and doggedness in promoting peace, social harmony and non discrimination among his subjects and humanity as a whole are similar to that of his late father.

Zayyad I. Muhammad can be reached at www.zayyaddp.blogspot.com

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Traders in Nyanya worry over lull in business

Dear reader, Metro welcomes human interest stories in your neighbourhood. Please call or send SMS to 08065327178 or e-mail jomarch4@yahoo.com to inform us about happenings in your area. Share your experiences or those of your friends and neighbours with fellow readers.

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raders in Nyanya, a suburb of Abuja, have expressed concern over low business activities and patronage especially due to financial squeeze being faced by public workers.

A cross section of traders spoke to described the situation as “bleak especially for the members of the business community”.

Mr. Sabastine Anayo, the Manager of Forward Ever Shopping Centre on Boundary Road, said “most of us in the business of selling and buying, depend heavily on the patronage of the public servants’’.

“It is when they get their salaries that they will have money to buy food and other items from us.”

Mr Okey Umezimwa of UM Okwy Enterprises, a mobile spare parts dealer, said there was general low patronage by his customers and attributed the situation to “lean pockets in the country”.

“This place has been empty for quite a while, a far cry from what it used to be.

Customers have stayed away from my shop due to what they described as lack of money. Our business has nosedived.

“Initially, we thought it was the effect of the fuel subsidy removal when prices of goods and transportation shot above the roofs of most homes few months ago but it appears the problem is more than that.’’

Umezimwa, who commended government for improving the lot of its workforce, however, called for enhanced salary package for them, to further improve their social and economic status.

“When the workers have enough money on them, they patronise us well and we will be happy for it.”

A shoe maker near the Nyanya market, Mr Idris Nuru, told NAN that “my business has not moved since the beginning of this month because my customers are mainly civil servants.

“I am happy to realise that the Federal Government has paid the civil servants, the situation will bounce back and my business will pick up again very soon”.(NAN)

A tradition of Gbagyi women, as shown in this picture snapped in Kwali Area of Abuja, weekend.

Photo Mahmud Isa

HIV/AIDS prevalence: FCTA signs MoU with FHI

By Josephine Ella

Plateau understudies I AGIS, land reforms ...vows to demolish illegal structures in Jos soon

By Josephine Ella

T

he Plateau state government has despatched a high-powered technical team to understudy the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) and land reforms recently carried out in Abuja by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

Plateau state Governor, Jonah Jang, who paid a courtesy call on the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed yesterday, said the technical team from the state's land ministry were already on ground in Abuja for the study tour of AGIS. Upon his assumption of office in 2010, the minister had embarked on reform of land administration

and allocation in the territory to rid the system of corrupt tendencies like forgery, double allocation and other forms of land racketeering which was widespread before his arrival.

Commending the minister on the achievements he has recorded so far, the Plateau Governor noted that "Abuja is now the focus and centre of attraction of Nigeria and the international community because of its fast pace of development, excellent infrastructure and good geographic planning".

The Governor said that he was impressed with the excellent works of AGIS and the entire land administration system of the FCT. He added that his

administration was determined to follow the FCT model by sanitizing land administration and allocation particularly in Jos, the state capital.

The Plateau Governor also hinted that all illegal structures found to have been erected on unauthorized places or contravened the state's building regulations would soon be demolished in Jos. Responding, Senator Bala Mohammed assured the Governor of all necessary assistance as requested stressing that the Director of AGIS had already briefed him on the request of the state government to understudy AGIS and other departments and agencies involved in land administration in the FCT.

Engineer docked over mischief

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50-year-old engineer, Aleribe Chidi of Gosa Toge village, Abuja, has been arraigned on a charge of mischief.

Police prosecutor Jeremiah Elijah told an Abuja Magistrates’ Court that on Feb. 4, Olusegun Akin of Federal Housing Authority, Lugbe, Abuja, reported the matter at the Lugbe Police Station.

Elijah said Akin alleged that the accused used a bulldozer to destroy the fence surrounding his land located at Gosa Toge Village, valued at N1.2 million.

Elijah said that when the accused was questioned, he was unable to give a satisfactory account

of the incident.

He said the offence contravened Section 327 of the Penal Code.

Senior Magistrate Omolola Oladipo granted the accused who

pleaded not guilty bail in the sum of N200,000 and two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case to Feb. 28 for hearing. (NAN)

n a bid to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS) of the FCT, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Family Health International (FHI 360).

The Secretary, HHSS, Dr. Demola Onakomaiya said the FCT Administration is looking forward to a better collaboration with the new Strengthening Integrated Delivery of HIV/AIDS Services (SIDHAS) project.

In line with this, Onakomaiya said the secretariat has created a budget line for HIV/AIDS in order to address the gap identified in the collaboration aimed at providing quality health services to all residents of the FCT. He explained that the MoU is entered into by the FCT Administration and FHI 360 with headquarters in North Carolina, USA, pursuant to the USAID cooperative agreement SIDHAS and the project will be built on the programme supported through the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative Nigeria (GHAIN).

The objectives of the programme, according to the Secretary, among others include expansion of access to HIV/AIDS testing and counselling, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and treatment and care services.

Breach of trust, cheating: Tricycle operator convicted

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Karmo Area Court in Abuja has sentenced a tricycle operator, Alkasim Ibrahim, to three months imprisonment for breach of trust and cheating.

Judge Abdul Mohammed, however, gave Ibrahim an option of N6,000 fine and ordered him to pay N24,000 as compensation to the

complainant.

The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Salisu Mohammed, told the court that one Audi Mohammed of 7th Road, Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja, reported to the police that he entrusted his Keke NAPEP tricycle to Ibrahim for commercial purposes.

The prosecutor said that both parties agreed that the convict would pay the

complainant N12,000 weekly.

He said that the convict worked for two weeks but failed to remit the N24,000, which he alleged Ibrahim converted to his personal use.

Mohammed urged the court to compel Ibrahim to pay him N24,000 as compensation since the accused contravened Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

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

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FCT HOTLINE AEPB 09 - 4603600-9

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 17

Man gets 4 months jail term for assault

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Wheel barrow pushers sleeping on duty as no work appears in sight in Mabushi District. Photo: Mahmud Isa

AMAC to prosecute illegal shop owners in Utako market

By Adeola Tukuru

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he Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has concluded plans to put in place mobile courts in Utako Market and other upgraded markets in the council to try unauthorized traders who operate illegal shops in the markets The Chairman, Committee on Market and Revenue in the council, Hon. Bala Iya, who made this known to newsmen at the council secretariat in Abuja, said that the unauthorized traders and their shops were contravening the initial plans by the council to make Utako market a standard ultra modern market.

According to Iya who also represents Garki Ward in the council, Utako market is getting congested and the council is not happy with the development that is why they want to start a proper clean up and sanitize the market with the approval of the council chairman, Hon.Micah Jiba.

“As I am speaking with you, we have already spoken to the security personnel in the Market, because we want that market to be clean and decongested. There are illegal shops that are attached to recognized ones; those are the people we are going to clear from the market, so that the initial organized standard of the market will be maintained.

“Where you have unwanted

attachments in a modern market, it spoils the purpose of having a standard modern market. We are going to put a well organized taskforce in the market to ensure adherent of traders. The taskforce will be looking after the market on daily basis and even at nights,” he said.

He said that notice has been sent to traders with illegal shops in the market to vacate the market before the commencement of the cleaning exercise, that with the setting up of a Mobile Court in the market, offenders caught going against the requirements of the council for the market will be tried by the court and face the attendant penalty.

Farmers seek info on growth project

T

he All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Bwari chapter, has stressed the need for adequate enlightenment on the introduction of the Growth Enhancement Programme (GEP) by the Federal Government.

The acting Chairman of the association, Alhaji Isa Labba, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bwari.

Labba said that the call became necessary as the Federal Government was no longer involved in direct procurement and sale of fertilisers to farmers.

According to him, in view of this development, farmers are in a dilemma on how to access

inputs for the 2012 farming season. “ With the new arrangement, where government has moved out of the fertiliser issue, we need to be enlightened on the new arrangement. We are yet to know where and how to procure fertiliser “Even with the Federal Government Growth Enhancement programme, we are yet to see any of the suppliers of the commodity.’’

He urged the Federal Government to institute a standard structure to replace the former fertiliser procurement arrangement.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had

announced that the procurement and distribution of fertiliser was now to be handled by interested private individuals.

The Federal Government had said that it decided to hands off the activity but a study of the existing fertiliser regime revealed that only 11 per cent of the total fertiliser imported into the country, reached genuine farmers.

Meanwhile, Mr Mathew Jacob, a farmer at Gwagwala, has urged the government to display as a matter of urgency, the names of companies approved for the importation and distribution of fertiliser, to enable the farmers know where to access farm inputs.

(NAN)

Bricklayer convicted for extortion

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n Abuja Area Court in Karmo has convicted a 19year-old bricklayer, John Augustine, to three months’ imprisonment for extortion.

The judge, Mr Abdul Mohammed, however, gave him an option of N6,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to the offence.

The convict, of Gwagwa village, Idu, Abuja, was arraigned on a one-count charge of extortion, which the Police prosecutor, Insp. Egwu Clement, said was contrary to Section 294

of the Penal Code.

Miss Doris Onwukwe of Kado Village, Life Camp, Abuja, had reported the convict to the police on Feb. 4.

The prosecutor said that on Feb. 4, Onwukwe was on her way home when the convict snatched her bag around Jabi, Airport junction.

He said that the bag contained N3, 000 cash, a Nokia handset valued at N3, 500 and other valuables worth N8, 000.

The prosecutor prayed the

court to grant the complainant a compensation of N14, 500 being the value of the items stolen.

“We also pray the court to release the convict on bond to enable us recover the money,” Clement said.

In his judgment, Mohammed granted the prayer of the prosecutor and awarded the payment of N14, 500 as compensation to the complainant.

He also ordered the release of the convict to enable him pay the money. (NAN)

n Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court has sentenced one Abubakar Mohammed, 28, of Galadinmawa to four months imprisonment without an option of fine for criminal force and assault.

Senior Magistrate Aliyu Shafa in his ruling on Thursday said that the convict would serve two months for criminal force and assault and another two months for causing grievous hurt, adding that the sentence would run concurrently.

Police prosecutor, Mr Emeka Oganah had earlier told the court that the convict was reported to Lugbe Police Station on Feb. 4, by Janet Aondor, Mercy Bem and Adamu Musa all of Galadinmawa, Abuja.

Oganah said that the accused used a cable wire to beat the

three complainants and as a result inflicted injuries on their heads and bodies.

He also said that the complainants had to be rushed to Wuse General Hospital for treatment, which cost them N32, 000.

Oganah said the accused had confessed to have committed the offence in the course of police investigation.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Sections 265 and 246 of the Penal Code.

Mohammed pleaded guilty when his plea was taken and begged the court for leniency, saying he was under the influence of drugs when he committed the offence.

In delivering judgment, Shafa said that the sentence would serve as a lesson and deterrent to others. (NAN)

Owners of undeveloped plots get six months ultimatum

By Josephine Ella

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wners of undeveloped plots in Bwari and Karshi and other satellite towns where infrastructure and services have already been provided have six-months within which they are expected to develop their plots or risk revocation.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, who issued the ultimatum wondered what such allottees were still waiting for when the administration has already provided infrastructure in those areas.

Senator Mohammed, who hosted participants of the Course 5 of the Institute of Security Studies that were in FCTA on a study tour, emphasized that such plots will be revoked and given to those who have capacity to develop them.

"I want to seize this opportunity to call on Nigerians that for those places like Bwari and Karshi where we have provided infrastructure, those who have land and hold titles, should come and build them within six months, otherwise we are going to revoke the land and give them to those that will develop them".

He said.

He however assured that

before such revocation, the FCT Administration will give enough notices to the affected persons.

According to him, the plot allocated to develop an "American Hospital" along Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Way (Airport Road), if left unattended to, will also be revoked; noting that the FCT Administration has shown enough understanding.

Speaking on high cost of rent in Abuja, the minister also revealed that very soon, the FCT Administration will do a ground breaking for two new additional districts in the Federal Capital City.

The new districts, according to him, include Wuye and Jahi; thus, making the number of new districts being opened up and provided with infrastructures to five.

He said the FCT Administration intends to discourage the activities of land speculators to enable investors get land allocation directly thereby, reducing the skyrocketed house rent charged by shylock landlords.

He pointed out that the activities of land speculators and shylock landlords have multiplier effects on the lives of ordinary residents of the FCT.

100 persons died in 2011 yuletide, says FRSC

By Adeola Tukuru

N

ot less than 100 people lost their lives during the last yuletide celebrations.

This is according to figures released by the former Federal Road Safety Corps (FCT) commander, Mr Olawoyin Fumbi.

The outgoing FCT sector Commander, revealed that a total of 389 persons were arrested for Traffic offences, 498 were injured while153 vehicles were impounded.

He further revealed that a total number of 162 persons were discharged, 157 convicted while the number of people who were

charged but acquitted was put at 5. Mr. Olawoyin lamented that despite all the efforts of sensitization by the men of the FRSC, to prevent cases of accidents and Road Traffic Crimes (RTC) during the just concluded Yuletide season, some Road Traffic Crimes (RTC) still occurred especially at nights.

He added that these efforts and the synergy with the other security agencies yielded the desired result.

He also assured that they will continue to make their services available and continually renew their commitment to serve the motoring public.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Media and the process of democratisation in Nigeria (I)

By Umaru A. Pate INTRODUCTION t has been established that there is a very strong relationship between media performance and the conduct and vibrancy of politics and political activities. In democracies, “the media have a complex relationship with sources of power and the political system” (McQuail, 2005), because politics and the media seek to promote the individual as well as the collective interests of the general society.

Politics serve as a route and means of uplifting the society through good governance, protection and advancement of people’s rights, and the creation of an enabling environment for democracy to thrive; the media on their part operate in the public sphere to expand the frontiers of freedom and enable the citizens to have access to quality information that will influence their judgments and decisions for sustainable democracy. Stated differently, the media in a democratic context “distribute entitlements to speak and to be heard”, even if unevenly (Keane, 1993).

The existence of a vibrant media system is quite fundamental to the enthronement and sustenance of a credible democratic process. As argued by Barret (2001), “A responsible nationwide democratic system requires a media system which is coterminous with it and which can generate discussion of issues of public concern in a way which does not favour partisan interests; whether these be the interests of particular political parties, the interests of media bosses or media professionals.”

In Nigeria, the performance of the mass media in the democratic process at various phases of our history has been well documented (Omu, 1978; Ogbondah, 1994; Yusuf, 2001 and Nwosu, 2003, Oso, 2010). Arguably, the mass media have remained in the forefront in the struggle to promote the rights of our people through a credible democratization process. After all, the media too find it quite difficult to operate in a non democratic environment. However, this is not to suggest that the media have been perfect in all circumstances. They have been severely criticized for complicity in truncating and subverting the democratic process at various times. For instance, Enahoro once observed that “whoever and whatever ruined the first republic did so with the active connivance and collaboration of the greater part of the Nigerian press”. Similarly, James (1984) had decried the high degree of professional breaches in the media during the second republic as manifested through “character assassination, false accusations, blackmail and misrepresentation of facts ….. to the extent that facts were muzzled and whole media organs became megaphones and machineries of propaganda to political parties and vested interests to the extent that the unity of this country was shaken to its very foundation”. Several other writers and scholars have expressed similar opinions (Pate, 2003; and Akinfeleye, 2004).

However, irrespective of such hard assessments, the basis of our argument is that the media are part as well as facilitators of the public sphere described as the “distinctive discursive space within which individuals combine to assume the role of a politically powerful force “(Ernst, 1998). It is our contention in this paper that Nigerian mass media outfits, with their advantages of reach, cost, speed, and credibility have played and will continue to perform critical functions in the promotion of a sustainable democratic system in the country. In this respect, one can easily recall the role of the media in the transition to the current democratic climate in the country. Thus, in this presentation, we shall focus on the issues involved, some of the challenges and the way forward in the relationship between the media and the strengthening of a viable democracy in Nigeria.

THE NIGERIAN MEDIA asically, the mass media in Nigeria serve as a major system of communication across the nation. The different organs of the media create awareness and understanding of happenings among the 167 Million diverse peoples of the country. These diversities cut across ethnic segmentation, religious affiliations, political orientations, social groupings and economic opportunities, among others. Imagine the complexities and divergences that exist in the stretch from Port Harcourt to Sokoto;

I

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the fundamental pillars that differentiate democracy from other forms of governance.

Perhaps, because of the long military rule, the psyche of the political elite and the general population has been infected with the militarist and regimented culture of arbitrariness characterized by executive fiat, absence of accountability and wanton disregard for the will of the people. Negative acts of political misbehaviours, electoral malpractices, tyrannical attitudes, bad governance, disregard for the rule of law, massive stealing of public resources, propagation of blatant lies, increased deprivations, personal appropriation of state power, and gross ineptitude by elected officials seem to combine with debilitating poverty to overwhelm the general population and push it to hopelessness, frustration and possible violent outburst. Indeed, the democratic space is heavily demonized by its immediate beneficiaries, the politicians to the chagrin of the ordinary people.

Arguably, the threats to the democratic process in the country today are incompetent leadership at different levels, poverty, structural weaknesses of public institutions, abuse of procedures and regulations, undemocratic tendencies, massive stealing of public resources, insensitive and desperate conduct of politicians, and the personalization of state power coupled with the rising level of public frustration.

MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY n the Nigerian context, one can easily and in a simplified manner categorize the place of the media in the country’s democratic process. Before 1999, the media was actively engaged in enthroning democracy; thereafter, the attention shifted to elections, monitoring of the process of governance and generally reporting and interpreting the democratization process.

As it is often said, the driving mechanism of the democratic spirit is vibrant politicking based on principles, plurality of ideas, electoral discipline, diversity of audiences and respect for law and order. Thus, one can safely say that politics is the heartbeat of democracy and politics is about power; the struggle to possess, use and retain same. It affects everyone and everything in the society.

On the other hand, the media are the channels of mass communications that are actively engaged in the gathering, analyzing and disseminating issues of and about politics. The media institution is very important and centrally located in the lives of the people and the democratic process. Because of this centrality, the media justifiably focus their attention, in fact accord high priority on the government and those in it. In the process, they are partly expected to expose and criticize bureaucratic incompetence, dictatorial tendencies and abuse of power among officials. In the words of Curran and Seaton (1994), the media become an agency through which citizens reconstitute themselves to exercise informal supervision over the state.

In fact, the 1999 Nigerian Constitution is clear on its assigned role to the media in the polity. In section 22, it says that “the press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people”. Thus, the Constitution has legitimated the functions of the media and imposed on them the role of monitoring and evaluating the performance of our leaders at all levels. The extent to which the media actualize this Constitutional provision in their functions is another issue.

As indicated earlier, the media are generally engaged in active political reporting. I believe that political reporting is necessary for the sustenance of democracy where the system of checks and balances is required for good governance and democratic sustainability.

I Gbenga Adefaye, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors from Lagos to Maiduguri; or from Enugu to Yola. And, just as the geographical landscape of the country varies, stretching from the Sahel savannah in the far north to the rain forest down south, so do the people differ in their outlooks but united in their humanity. It is also a country with many contradictions in terms of economic prosperity for a few and endemic poverty for the majority, high level of illiteracy, poor health care in dicators, high level corruption, etc. Indeed, Nigeria is sometime rated a poor country with an increasing poverty, even though it is endowed with limitless human and material resources that are incompetently managed over a long time.

Expectedly, all of these contradictions are appropriately reflected in the country’s media. As noted by one scholar, newspapers “...are not just a source of news about their time but because conditions in which they operate, the responsibilities they are allowed to fulfil, the pressures they have to meet, their circulation and economic base, the status of those who write for them and their relationship to their readers, all provide direct insight into the nature of their communities”. Issues like ideology, religion, regionalism, ethnicity, and politics of resource allocation, power sharing and other divisive national tendencies are openly debated on the pages of the newspapers and airwaves of the broadcast stations with no conclusive resolutions. Perhaps, intrigued by the boisterous nature of the newspapers, one foreigner commented that “from those newspapers, a foreigner can acquire a sense of what makes Nigerians angry, what they hope for, where they are realistic; where they are dreamers”.

NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY Since 1960 when Nigeria gained its independence and embraced the democratic option of governance, much has been witnessed in the country’s tortuous road to full democratization. Over the years, the system had encountered turbulence characterized by controversies, military incursions, dashed hopes and leadership and systemic failures. On all occasions, the political class was at the receiving end. They have been variously accused of anti-democratic tendencies that tend to violate constitutionality, abuse of citizens’ rights, promote non credible elections, and disrespect for the rule of law; others are poor delivery of services, propensity for violence and the non advancement and protection of individual and collective freedoms. Incidentally, these elements form

Being text of a paper presented at a Workshop on The Media and Democracy in Nigeria organized by the INEC Press Corps holding at Kaduna, December 15-17, 2011, by Umaru A. Pate, Professor and Department of Mass Communication University of Maiduguri

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 19

amunuimam@yahoo.co.uk 08033644990

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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ecent data has shown that poverty in Nigeria is rising with almost 100 million people living on less than $1 ( about N155) a day, despite strong growth in Africa’s second largest economy,according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

According to NBS StatisticianGeneral, Dr Yemi Kale, who spoke at a news briefing yesterday, 240 million households were covered with an average of 4- 6 persons answering questions from NBS researchers. He added that over a 100 million Nigerians were covered.

The data showed the percentage of Nigerians living in absolute poverty - those who can

Poverty rising despite economic growth, says National Bureau of Statistics afford only the bare essentials of food, shelter and clothing - rose to 60.9 percent in 2010, compared with 54.7 percent in 2004.

Speaking on the increasing economic growth in the country which run parallel to the increasing level of poverty and unemployment, Dr Kale said the reason was because the busy sectors of the economy were oil and gas and subsistent agriculture which, according to him do not employ enough Nigerians.

According to Kale, only when the manufacturing sector is opened up for serious business that

the country’s so-called economic growth can be felt by ordinary Nigerians.

He added that the oil and gas sector as big as it is doesn’t employ more than 12,000 Nigerians because of its technicality and huge demand for skills. He therefore reiterated that the country can only fulfil the

promise of creating of 1 million jobs per year if ongoing efforts to revitalise the manufacturing sector is continued. ”It remains a paradox that despite the fact that the Nigerian economy is growing, the proportion of Nigerians living in poverty is increasing every year,” Kale said.

INSIDE - Pg 22 AUN: Adamawa Peace Council advocates ....

“NBS estimates that this trend may have increased further in 2011 if the potential positive impacts of several anti-poverty and employment generation intervention programmes are not taken into account,” Kale added.

The data showed that the North-East and North-West, where Boko Haram originated, are the poorest regions in Nigeria.

The southwest, which includes the thriving commercial hub Lagos, had the lowest levels of poverty.

Kebbi sets aside N30.5m to construct two earth dams

T

he Kebbi government has set aside N30.5 million for the provision of two additional earth dams in Suru and Bunza Local Government Areas.

Alhaji Magaji Bunza, the state Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi yesterday, that the

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

ABJ-LOS: 07.00, 09.30, 10.30, 11.15, 16.15, 19.15, 19.35

dams would improve water supply to the two local governments.

He said the dams would also boost irrigation farming and would be completed in three months.

Bunza said that water supply to rural areas would be accorded priority by the state government, considering the hardship faced by rural dwellers.

NAN reports that the state government had so far provided 18 earth dams in the last four years. (NAN)

FIRS rakes in N1.51tr from non-oil sector in 2011

ABJ-KANO: 18.40

By Abdulwahab Isa

KANO-ABJ: 08.35 ABJ -SOK (MON): 09.35 ABJ-SOK (FRI): 10.10 ABJ-SOK (WED/SUN): 11.20 SOK-ABJ (MON): 11.35 SOK-ABJ (FRI): 12.00 SOK-ABJ (WED/SUN): 13.20

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

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

IRS AIRLINES

T

he Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says it collected N1.51 trillion as tax from non-oil sectors of the economy in 2011 as against N1.31 trillion collected in 2010.

The Service attributed the steady progress in the collection of non-oil taxes to the on-going reform which has been able to reposition the Nigerian tax system making taxation the pivot of the nation’s sustainable development.

A statement by FIRS Director, Corporate Communications, Emmanuel Obeta which confirmed the new figure gave the breakdown as follows: Non-Oil taxes performance trend shows a EXCHANGE RATES

CBN CFA • £ RIYAL $

LOS -ABJ: 9.45, 11.45, 2.45

• £ RIYAL $

collection of N663.02 billion of Company Income Tax (CIT), N0.77 billion of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Stamp Duty (SD) recorded N6.42 billion.

Value Added Tax (VAT) collection which is also part of the non-oil receipt recorded N659.15 billion. This amount represents Non-Import VAT of N492.06 billion and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Import VAT of N167.09 billion.

Education Tax (EDT) recorded N130.74 billion while, National Information Technology Development Fund (NITDF) accounted for N8.67 billion collections.

Likewise, Personal Income Tax (PIT) accounted for N43.47 billion and Pre-Operational Levy (POL) yielded N0.40 billion.

However, the total tax yield

SELLING 0.316 207.1434 247.6456 41.7289 156.5

BUYING 210 255 42 158

SELLING 212 257 44 160

with the inclusion of Oil and Gas Taxes (OGT) for the year ended 2011 stood at N4.62 trillion resulting in landmark achievement when compared with the annual government’s target of N3.63 trillion set for the Service.

Of the total figure, the FIRS realised N3.11 trillion from the OGT, as against the N1.31 trillion collected in 2010. The Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) accounted for N3.07 trillion, while Gas Income (GI) recorded N45.22 billion of the amount.

Also, the total collection of N4.62 trillion for 2011 represented an impressive performance in the tax revenue collection of the Service when compared with the N2.83 trillion in the preceding year.

The collection figure is a

reconciled amount with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

FIRS Executive Chairman, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui Okauru has restated the Service’s determination to intensify its tax operations to expand the revenue base of the country in 2012.

Okauru promised thus when she appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance to review the FIRS 2011 budget performance and presented the 2012 proposal to members of the committee for consideration.

She said there were challenges associated with the concept realisation not only in terms of FIRS operations but more on the growth in the nation’s revenue base, adding: “with our focus on capacity building of staff, the plans for more revenue collection will be achieved’’.

Management Tip of the Day

10th Feb, 2012 BUYING 0.296 205.8198 246.0632 41.4622 155.5

PARALLEL RATES

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

L-R: Niger state Governor, Dr Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, Nasarawa state Governor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Almakura, Kaduna state Governor, Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, and Kano state Governor, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, during the launching of the National Public Works, Women and Youth Employment Scheme of the Subsidy Re-Investment Programme (SURE-P), at the State House, in Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: Joe Oroye

M

Leverage your digital network

ost managers understand how to use online tools, such as LinkedIn and Facebook, to build their networks. But few use these networks to gather information and wield influence. Here are three things you can do with a strong digital network:

Test ideas. Test proposals and strategies both inside and outside your organization. Float an idea to see how many “likes” it gets or to direct people to a survey.

Broker connections.

Increase your influence by positioning yourself as a bridge between unconnected groups.

Identify potential collaborations and make introductions.

Get feedback.

Good networkers rely on their contacts to give feedback on challenges. Post a message about your struggle and solicit input.

Source: Harvard Business Review

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS Total refutes alleged fuel subsidy overpayment

T

otal Nigeria Plc has dispelled rumours alleging fuel subsidy overpayment to it under the current fuel subsidy regime, saying it did not collect any amount over the value of the products it delivered into the market since its participation in the regime.

Delta power coy boosts supply in Lagos

A

s part of its mandate to strengthen the power transmission and distribution networks in the country, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, (NDPHC), owners of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) has declared the 60MVA 132/33 KV transmission transformer in Agbara industrial area of Ogun State completed, energised and supplying power to numerous customers in the area.

SMEDAN signs MoU on payment guarantee scheme

A

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment and implementation of a payment guarantee scheme, which would enable prompt, secure and irrevocable payment of receivables due to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria has been signed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and a Lagos-based legal firm, TSX Advisory Limited, charged with the business development.

Diamond Bank disburses N30bn to MSMEs

A

s part of its commitment to enhance the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in Nigeria, Diamond Bank Plc has disbursed total of N30 billion to 14,000 entrepreneurs across the country.

LASPEC commends Crusader Sterling’s operations

T

he Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) has commended the efforts of Crusader Sterling Pensions in handling pension issues in the country.

Cash-less policy: High Customs Duty frustrates banks - CBN From Samuel Ayodele, Lagos

T

he imposition of a 20 per cent duty by the Nigerian Customs Service on imported Point of Sales (PoS) terminals ordered by the various money deposit banks has been blamed for the delay in the take off of the pilot scheme of the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Lagos.

Under the scheme, codenamed Cashless Lagos, which was supposed to have commenced on January 1, banks are expected to deploy 40,000 PoS terminals in the state preparatory to the full blown commencement of the cashless policy nationwide in

Naira eases on importers’ demand for dollars

April.

However, a random survey conducted by our correspondent in Lagos last week showed that it was business as usual as the ATM cardholders awaited the deployment of PoS terminals by banks.

Industry operators said they could not understand the motive behind the decision by the Customs Service to unilaterally hike the custom duty payable on the terminals from 5 per cent to 20 per cent.

In view of the fact that the programme is running behind schedule, the CBN deputy governor, operations directorate, Mr. Tunde Lemo said banks have been instructed to pay the 20 per cent duty, pending the resolution of the issue.

According to him, “The delay was partly caused by the Customs Service that refused to collect 5 per cent duty on PoS terminals. They insisted on 20 per cent and we have told the

banks to go ahead and pay.

“But we are going to make a case for them with the Minister of Finance so that subsequently, imports will be based on five percent.

“The banks are currently rolling out massively and you will see the result soon. We are on top of the situation,” the CBN chief said.

Lemo has expressed confidence that the programme will fully take off by end of February, explaining that the apex bank is already talking to banks on the need to speed up the process of importing the terminals so that the policy will commence fully in Lagos.

He said it is not unusual to have a few delays when a popular policy is being rolled out.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Nigerian Customs Service, Mr. Chris Osunkwo denied the charge of a unilateral increase in the duty payable on imported PoS terminals.

He explained that import

T

he Naira eased slightly against the dollar on the interbank market yesterday after dollar demand from importers put pressure on foreign currency liquidity, dealers said.

The naira ended at 159.20 to the dollar, weakening from a close of 158.85 on Friday when it hit a 2-1/2 month high, helped

by U.S. oil giant Chevron selling $54 million to banks in exchange for naira.

The currency was unchanged after a central bank auction yesterday.

The bank sold $250 million at 156.50 naira to the dollar at the auction, the same rate and amount sold at its previous auction last Wednesday.

Nigeria lacks a manufacturing base and imports 80 percent of its goods, thereby draining available hard currency. In turn, it generates most of its dollars from crude oil sales.

Dealers say they expect dollar sales this week from energy firms including stateowned NNPC to help give the naira a boost.

"We expect the naira to strengthen this week because of expected dollar sales by NNPC, Mobil and Shell," one dealer said, adding that interbank rates could start to converge with central bank rates if dollar liquidity is sustained.

The naira lost 4.5 percent against the dollar in 2011 but analysts say the Nigerian currency is likely to appreciate this year given the country's foreign reserves of $34.72 billion and because of oil companies' expanding supply of dollars.

"The market has witnessed significant dollar inflows from energy firms since the beginning of the year which will help stabilise the value of the currency in the medium term," he told Reuters. ((Reuters)

duties on items are reviewed from time to time, adding that the current duty is expected to last between 2008 and 2012.

According to the initial timetable drawn by the CBN, the banking system was supposed to have rolled out 40,000 PoS terminals before the end of last year in preparation for the January 1, 2012 take-off of the pilot scheme in Lagos before transiting to other parts of the country.

The apex bank explained that this was expected to signpost the settlement of transactions electronically alongside other epayment options.

The CBN had in a circular to all banks set April 1, 2012 as the take-off date for the implementation of charges relating to the violation of cashlite policy rules. CBN instructed the banks to comply with all the rules guiding the implementation of the policy to foster growth.

In the circular, the apex bank directed electronic payments to suppliers, all forms of taxes, salaries and pensions by both private and public organisations with more than 50 employees/ pensioners in Nigeria.

L-R: StatisticianGeneral of the Federation, Dr Yemi Kale, with CBN’s Deputy Director, Malam Ibrahim Adamu, during a news conference on the presentation of poverty statistics in Nigeria, in Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: NAN

Poverty rising despite economic growth, says National Bureau of Statistics

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

R

ecent data has shown that poverty in Nigeria is rising with almost 100 million people living on less than $1 ( about N155) a day, despite strong growth in Africa's second largest economy,according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

According to NBS Statistician-General, Dr Yemi Kale, who spoke at a news briefing yesterday, 240 million households were covered with an average of 4- 6 persons answering questions from NBS researchers. He added that over a 100 million Nigerians were covered.

The data showed the percentage of Nigerians living in absolute poverty - those who can afford only the bare essentials of food, shelter and clothing - rose

to 60.9 percent in 2010, compared with 54.7 percent in 2004.

Speaking on the increasing economic growth in the country which run parallel to the increasing level of poverty and unemployment, Dr Kale said the reason was because the busy sectors of the economy were oil and gas and subsistent agriculture which, according to him do not employ enough Nigerians.

According to Kale, only when the manufacturing sector is opened up for serious business that the country's so-called economic growth can be felt by ordinary Nigerians.

He added that the oil and gas sector as big as it is doesn't employ more than 12,000 Nigerians because of its technicality and huge demand for skills. He therefore reiterated that the

country can only fulfil the promise of creating of 1 million jobs per year if ongoing efforts to revitalise the manufacturing sector is continued.

“It remains a paradox that despite the fact that the Nigerian economy is growing, the proportion of Nigerians living in poverty is increasing every year," Kale said.

“NBS estimates that this trend may have increased further in 2011 if the potential positive impacts of several anti-poverty and employment generation intervention programmes are not taken into account," Kale added.

The data showed that the North-East and North-West, where Boko Haram originated, are the poorest regions in Nigeria. The southwest, which includes the thriving commercial hub Lagos, had the lowest levels of poverty.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 21

Oando to execute N12bn Shell drilling contract From Samuel Ayodele, Lagos

O

ando Energy Services Limited (“OESL”), a subsidiary of Oando PLC and Nigeria’s leading indigenous operator of swamp drilling rigs, has announced the deployment of one of its swamp rigs, ‘OES Passion’ to execute a two year drilling contract, valued at N12 billion with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in the Niger Delta.

This brings to three the number of rigs OESL has in operation following the deployment of ‘OES Integrity’ in 2009 and ‘OES Teamwork’ in 2010.

OES Passion is a unique swamp barge with sequential well drilling capabilities and a skidding system that enable it drill up to six wells in one location. Formerly known as Parker 75, the rig entered into service in 1999 and it is rated to 3000HP, thereby able to drill up to 25,000ft in water depths of up to 16 ft.

To ensure optimal performance on deployment, OESL committed to a comprehensive lifetime enhancement programme after purchasing the rig in 2009. This upgrade included the restoration of the cantilever skidding system which is expected to save the client up to 30 days for every six wells drilled thus significantly reducing the overall cost of drilling campaigns.

Also modernised were the mud pumps, the electric-motor driven engines, the top drive and the accommodation module.

With a technical team that was 99% constituted by Nigerians, several competent indigenous contractors, and the refurbishment project undertaken at the Federal Lighter Terminal in Onne, Port Harcourt, this project is a testament of Oando’s support for the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry Development Content Act and local capacity development programme of the

Federal Government.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of OESL, Mr. Bandele Badejo, “The deployment of this rig further underlines OESL’s commitment to ensuring competent indigenous companies take advantage of the provisions of the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry Development Act. We remain resolute towards developing Nigeria’s upstream service industry and continue to set the benchmark for performance.

Following the success of our previously deployed rigs, OESL has built a reputation as the drilling contractor of choice among the major oil companies and we will not relent in our mission to be the upstream preferred supplier of choice as we strive to achieve better operating efficiencies and better safety performance for our clients and other stakeholders”.

Also commenting, Group Chief Executive Officer, Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu said, “Our business strategy of diversification and expansion into the upstream oil & gas sector is yielding positive results, thereby consolidating our leadership as Nigeria’s foremost indigenous integrated energy conglomerate.

Oil revenues: For corruption, read political survival

A

ccounts of Nigeria's oil industry tend to focus on the conflict in its Niger Delta heartland or the riches of those few who reap its rewards, and the carloads of cash by which foreign companies have been known to secure business, writes Tom Burgis.

But oil money also funds a patronage system that perpetuates poverty and violence.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates the Nigerian government will bring in $80bn over the five years to 2013 as its share of the proceeds from sub-Saharan Africa's biggest oil and gas industry, which supplies the US, Asia and Europe.

If history repeats itself, much of that will disappear - with the prime culprit being Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. Insiders describe the state-owned oil company, the joint venture partner to Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil and other foreign operators, as a collection of fiefdoms. Each has political masters to enrich and contracts to dispense.

8 US companies to invest in Nigeria’s power sector

E

Oando Plc Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Wale Tinubu

T

akoradi Renewable Energy Limited a subsidiary of the biomass producer and trader Africa Renewables Limited has secured a credit facility of US$5 million (about N775 million) from Standard Chartered Bank in Ghana to support what it claims is its first biomass energy project in Africa.

After deals with GREL and Verdo Energy, the loan finalises AfriRen’s Ghana distribution chain and should see the company double total biomass exports from Africa to Europe by 2016.

Founded in 2010, AfriRen will invest a total of US$8 million in

ight U.S. companies yesterday visited the Minister of Power, Prof.

Bart Nnaji, to canvass for investment in the power industry.

The companies are Anadarko Petroleum, Caterpillar, Chevron, Energy International, General Electric, Pike Enterprise, Strategic Urban Development Alliance LLC and the Symbion and Zanbato Group.

Mr Bill Fitzegerald, the leader of the team, told the minister that they were in the country to seek investment opportunities in the energy sector with a viewing to assisting Nigeria to curb its energy crisis.

In his comments, Nnaji said Nigeria needed assistance in such areas as power production and evacuation, national grid and human capacity building,

among others.

According to him, these are the major areas in which the Federal Government has “serious'' constraints in the power sector.

He said the government had done a lot to ensure improved power generation, adding that with the assistance of the U.S., Nigeria would not experience epileptic power supply again.

Nnaji explained that many of the young staff of PHCN had not had any training and the government would want to train them.

Mrs Bolanle Onagoruwa, the Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprise, said the BPE had received 13 legal documents on the privatisation of PHCN and was was hard to ensure that the exercise was completed before the end of the year. (NAN)

N775m for Ghana biomass energy project its biomass extraction chain in Ghana, and will seek further funding of up to US$30 million in order to replicate the project across the West African region, benefitting from the upswing in European demand for biomass.

AfriRen harvests redundant rubber trees that are cut in order to prepare for replanting, and processes them into woodchips, helping displace the burning of coal and assisting Europe meet its renewable energy policy target.

The US$5 million credit facility is split into two

components. Firstly a capital expenditure loan of US$3 million, which will be spent on a variety of new assets including development of their existing land near the port of Takoradi into a factory workshop and storage space for the woodchips.

The second component is a working capital facility of $2 million for operational expenses.

On being awarded the credit facility, COO Sonia Medina, said: “Standard Chartered has the credibility, reach and reputation we want. They are the leading

bank in West Africa. Most importantly they have been extremely enthusiastic about our project and future plans from day one. The credit facility gives us a firm foundation while allowing us the freedom to expand quickly elsewhere in West Africa.”

The socio-economic advantages for both continents are unparalleled with Europe receiving a secure, long-term supply of biomass and Africa developing a sustainable green economy.

(Source: EsiAfrica.com)

Vested interests have hampered the progress of a Petroleum Industry Bill that aims to overhaul NNPC, create an independent regulator, foster a greater role for homegrown oil groups and reverse underinvestment.

Officials and industry executives accuse one another of preferring the opaque status quo.

Lamido Sanusi, the reformist central-bank governor, says a failure to diversify the economy lies at the heart of Nigeria's travails. "That's not to say that the political system is not corrupt all over," he says. "But the most critical element is the poor infrastructure that makes it difficult for industrialisation and job creation to take place."

The oil money that does reach the federal budget trickles down in unpredictable ways. In early 2010, when Umaru Yar'Adua, the president at the time, lay dying in Saudi Arabia, traders at Lagos's electronics bazaar said business had slumped not because of the worldwide economic crisis but because there was no one in the presidential villa to funnel oil revenues to the contracts on which whole communities indirectly depend.

Political scientists see a clear link between corruption and violence, from the thugs who terrorise voters in the delta to the ethnic hatreds many politicians nationwide use to galvanise allegiances based on oil money. Yet, Timipre Sylva, governor of the delta state of Bayelsa, says simply of the way he diverts public money to shore up support: "You will read that as corruption, but me, I probably will read that as political survival."

(SourceFT.com)

India IOC buys Nigerian crude via tenderTraders

I

ndian Oil Corp (IOC), the country’s largest refiner, has bought one very large carrier of Nigerian light sweet crude via a tender, traders said yesterday.

IOC has bought two 950,000 barrel cargoes of Qua Iboe for April loading from a European oil major. This was not confirmed and price details did not emerge.

Subsequently, IOC issued another tender to buy West African light sweet crude and a rare tender to buy heavy crude.

Both tenders are intended to buy April loading cargoes. They will close on Tuesday and bids will remain valid until Thursday.

(Reuters)

PAGE 22

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Nigeria’s Internet users hit 45m, leads Africa

By Muhammad Nasir

A

t the end of 2011, Nigeria’s Internet users stood at 45 million, making it the fastest growing Internet enabled country in Africa.

According to the survey released at the weekend by a leading global Internet Market Research outfit, Internet World Stats the African continent has witnessed incredible growth in broadband deployment in the last few years, especially since the advent of the various undersea fibre optic cables.

Presently, Africa can boast of having 11 submarine fibre cables, including MainOne cable; Glo 1; SAT 3; WACS; ACE; SEAS; LION 1 and 2; EASSY, among others, with investments of about $6 billion.

The Internet World Stats survey revealed that at the end of 2011, Africa had 139 million Internet users, compared with 4.5 million as at year 2000, a growth rate of about 2,000 per cent.

Besides, Internet World Stats said, out of these 139 million, 37.7 million have Facebook accounts.

Specifically, the research firm said with 11.4 per cent Internet penetration, well behind the 30.2

per cent world average, Nigeria has the most users put at 44 million.

It said that, Egypt has 20.1 million and Morocco 13.2 million, with South Africa coming fourth with 6.8 million internet users, while, neighbouring Zimbabwe recorded a modest 1.4 million Internet users.

The report noted that, although South Africa ranked fourth, it maintained a second

lead when it comes to Facebook, with 4.8 million users; Egypt ranked top with a population of around 82 million, with over nine million users. Nigeria has 4.3 million users.

Meanwhile, countries at the bottom end of Internet users in Africa are Equatorial Guinea (14 400); Liberia (20 000); Comoros (24 000); Djibouti (58 000) and Mauritania (75 000). The island of St Helena only has 900 Internet

users, but their population (4 000) is a lot less compared to smaller countries.

According to Internet World Stats, Facebook’s immense popularity around the world was not reflected in many African countries, stressing that, Comoros sports 13 840 users, while 18 180 Equatorial Guineans check their status updates. Eritrea, with a population of almost 6 million, only has 19 180 Facebook users.

Already, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has stated that Internet users in emerging markets including, Nigeria, China, and India grew from 44 per cent to 62 per cent between 2006 and 2011.

ITU noted that, Internet users in China represent almost 25 per cent of the world’s total Internet users and 37 per cent of the developing countries’ Internet users.

AUN: Adamawa Peace Council advocates American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola information Nokia no centres Use ICT to advance economic tate and Federal authorities have been longer in growth - Computer Society called to establish well equipped and properly staffed social and economic competitiveness of the nation as danger zone From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos peace, centers for information development is uncertain and well as in-depth development and

S

dissemination and public enlightenment, in view of the current political and security challenges in the country.

The Adamawa Peace Council (APC), an initiative spearheaded by the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, made this call recently in a press release at the end of its review meeting.

President of AUN, Dr. Margee Ensign and one of the signatories to the statement, said the call was without prejudice to what the authorities were already doing.

She emphasised APC’s concern about the continuing safety threats in Kano and Bauchi, long after the situation had become “much calmer in Adamawa”.

The Council also strongly noted that in order to restore confidence in the various leaderships, everyone in the public service and society should work together towards solving the root causes of the problems, identify and bring to justice all those responsible for the security breach and restore accountability at all levels.

T

he world’s largest handset maker by unit shipments, Finland’s Nokia Corp., is no longer in the danger zone it was in a year ago, South African newspaper Business Day reports Nokia Chief Executive, Stephen Elop as saying yesterday.

Elop’s optimism is based on a change of strategy, revealed in a leaked internal note in February 2011, in which he compared Nokia to a man standing on a burning platform with the cold sea his only option for survival.

“That was the position more than one year ago and a lot has changed since then,” Elop is quoted as saying by the paper.

Shortly after the memo was leaked, Nokia said it would adopt Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Phone operating system in all its new smartphones and phase out its aging Symbian platform, a move it believes will help it regain market share after struggling to compete with Apple Inc.’s iPhone and smartphones using Google Inc.’s Android software.

(MarketWatch)

T

he Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has called on stakeholders in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector to invest in the nation’s ICT future, in order to boost economic growth, social inclusion and overall national development.

As part of the society’s roadmap for employment of ICT to drive national growth and prosperity, NCS said it is focused on ensuring ICT adds value in education, employment generation, business improvement, health care and public safety.

President of the society, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, noted that NCS is working assiduously on initiatives to ensure that Information Technology is effectively deployed to improve security in the country.

He recommended a holistic and strategic IT-for-security approach that incorporates manpower development, infrastructure, management, funding and policies.

According to him, security has become a major concern in the nation, saying “without safety and

unsustainable.”

As the nation moves to implement all-inclusive cash-less initiative, Aladekomo advocated passage of cyber security legislation to provide legal backing and confidence for an electronic and knowledge society.

He noted that having the right legal and regulatory framework will promote the multi-sectoral adoption of IT, encourage trust and confidence in IT-enabled activities, while attracting significant local and international investments in the nation’s IT industry. Legislation, he said, must be a priority in creating an enabling environment for the inclusive growth of cash-less and mobile money markets.

Aladekomo stressed that the society is working towards mainstreaming of IT into private and public sector activities, especially in ensuring transparency and accountability in government as well as promoting efficiency and value.

“To provide direction and leadership for the IT community, NCS is continually exploring ways of improving the

diffusion of IT. “To be competitive and relevant in today’s knowledgedriven world, socioeconomic development programmes and initiatives must leverage on IT. It’s about digital inclusion and using IT as a tool for improving national growth and competitiveness,” he said.

He disclosed that NCS is working with relevant stakeholders to raise awareness on the cash-less economy, through a brainstorming conference to be held July, in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State. “Cash-less is beyond infrastructure and PoS machines.

The conference will hone in on critical cash-less issues of economic growth, security, capacity building, job creation, social implications, challenges, strategies and creative insights,” he said.

He added that the society is also organising the Nigeria Information Technology Exhibition (NITEX) 2012 to provide opportunities for solutions providers, applications developers, vendors and consumers to review latest technologies and tools, and share ideas on latest technology trends.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

First Ladies and abandoned pet projects T

he institution of first lady ship pet project in Nigeria, was first introduced by the late Maryam BabanGida, in 1987 with “Better Life for Rural Women”, shortly after her husband, General Ibrahim Babangida, (retired) assumed the mantle of leadership as president of the federal republic of Nigeria. Ever since, all first ladies at federal, state and local government levels have had an office with a pet project which seldom exist after their husbands’ exist office.

A look at other past first ladies and their pet projects shows that Maryam Abacha came up with the ‘Family Support Programme’ which has since become history. The late Stella Obasanjo called hers the ‘Child Care Trust, managed by her son Muyiwa after her demise without any visibility today.

Turai Yar’Adua’s “National Cancer Center, held a lot of promises and hope for many in the land since it was aimed at addressing one of the number one diseases killing people all over the world and coupled with the 10 billion naira donated for the project from government coffers but yet to be executed.

To show how important the office of first lady has become though without any constitutional backing, they move in government vehicles conveys like

Since 1987 when the office of the first lady was introduced in Nigeria by former military president Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the country has seen varieties of First ladies pet projects at the federal and state level with many making little or no impact on the lives of the poor it was intended to help. These pet projects die at the end of their founders’ tenure despite the huge colossal money invested in them from state fund. Maryam Garba Hassan writes on the International Cancer Centre for Women of Turai Yar’adua,’ which received the highest donation in the history of first lady’s projects but yet to pick up years after it was launched. government officials, led by siren- blasting pilot cars and have a retinue of aides and press crew. They also have security at home and in their offices furnished with millions of unaccounted public money.

Just like presidents and governors, they enjoy almost all the paraphernalia of office and all that qualifies them for all these is their marriage to the President or governor. They are also undertaking ambitious projects with most of them claiming to be raising the money through personal efforts.

Although Nigerians welcomed the office of First

Turai Yar’Adau, cancer centre initiator, (lofty but in doldrums)

ladyship with mixed reactions as many believe that it has no constitutional basis to be part of the government, the office has gradually became part of the country’s system with every regime in the country as they carry out functions using public funds.

However, it is an open secret that a larger chunk of the monies raised from the launching of first ladies’ projects usually come from state governments, their parastatals and the local governments. Contrary to former President Obasanjo’s statement that funds for first ladies’ projects would be sourced outside government which was not the case with the late Stella Obasanjo’s launched pet project “Child Care Trust”, where over N200 million was raised by corporate bodies and individuals in government while each state governor donated N4.5 million obviously from public funds.

All theprojec ts of the first ladies were claimed to be in the interest of Nigerian women, children and other vulnerable groups, but only few impacted positively on the lives of the said group of people. In reality, most if not all, are a waste of resources and public funds since they duplicate the functions of some government ministries .

Recently, the First Lady of the federal Republic of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan was reported to have spent N4-5billion in renovating her office in the villa, in a country where an average Nigerian lives on less than $1 daily.

The question here is; what happened to those pet projects, years after their promoters left office? For instance, not much was heard of the late Stella Obasanjo’s Child Care Trust

the tune of N10billion amidst criticisms as well as 7.3 hectares of land allocated for the centre in the Federal Capital Territory? surprisingly, over 3years after the fund raising and the realization of the said amount which remains the highest realised to date by any first the project is yet to pick up

cancer project was conceived to be ran as a private family business.

In November 2010, Dr Kate Allen, Director of Science and Communications for World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), noted; “Already there are 7million cancer cases diagnosed a year in the developing world and that is likely to rise

“

The projects of the first ladies were claimed to be in the interest of Nigerian women, children and other vulnerable groups, but only few impacted positively on the lives of the said group of people. In reality, most if not all, are a waste of resources and public funds since they duplicate the functions of some government ministries Late Stella Obasanjo, founder Child Care Trust (project now comatose) Programme, (CTP), after her demise even as the pet project is said to be a special children’s e m p o w e r m e n t programme designed to assist in bringing up those of them who have suffered various forms of disabilities, abuse, discrimination and neglect to become useful and responsible citizens, using state-of-the-art facilities and methods of international standards.

The late Maryam Bababginda’s Better Life for Rural Women is reported to be on the stage of being

resuscitated in her memory by her children while that of Maryam Abacha is almost history.

One question on the lips of many is what is happening to Hajiya Turai Yar’Adu’a’s International Cancer Center for Women”, (ICCW), an arm of her Women And Youth Empowerment Foundation (WAYEP) pet project during her days as Katsina state first lady which she used to launch ICC over two years and after money for the take off of the centre was generously donated to

and the land meant for the supposed state of the earth building is still lying fallow and undeveloped.

Critics however, alleged that proper documentation, planning and implementation was not put in place for the money realised under the project, they also faulted the 7.3 hectare of land allocated to the centre. This land they argued was earlier reserved for hosting some federal institutions research centers just as the appointment of Zainab Nasamu Dakingari, Kebbi state First Lady, as a director by Turai fuelled the suspicion that the 10billion

dramatically. Unless we act now to prevent cancer and other NCDs, the charity appeals of the future will not just be for disasters and famines, but to pay for cancer care. It is truly a global health problem of great magnitude, and one that threatens workforce productivity and the world’s economy.

“However, this is not inevitable. If governments around the world show real leadership now then the Summit could lead to the kind of changes that would mean millions of people are spared the needless suffering of being

diagnosed with a cancer, she said”.

Going by this alarming revelation the centre which aimed at providing cancer treatment for Nigerians, especially indigent women and children who cannot afford the expensive treatment of the killer disease would have no doubt become the best project among all the past and present First Ladies’ projects or initiatives in the country if only there was sincerity of purpose and it had taken off.

According to the former first lady, her intension was to make the project the largest cancer centre in West Africa and to address the menace of cancer in Nigeria, which has claimed the lives of prominent and poor Nigerians.

Late Maryam Babangida, better life for rural women initiator (1st known pet project by first ladies) However, media spokesperson of the former first lady, Zainab Banu, said the ICC is not Turai’s pet project but an arm adding that the former first lady’s project is WAYEP which was founded during her days as Katsina state first lady and still functioning at the state level and reaching out to cancer patients in the state.

On the issue of the

Mrs. Amina Titi Abubakar, founder WOTCLEF, (the only success story)

N10billion that was said to have being realized from the launching, Ms Banu said the issue was addressed by Senator Aleiro at a Press Conference organised by the project Committee, about 6months ago in Abuja adding that the actual amount realized to date is not up to the N10b reported in the media since most of the donors made pledges that are yet to be fulfilled more than a year after the death of President Yar’Adua.

According to her; “The money do n a t e d a t t h e venue of the launching and those donated after, is in an account with the Unity bank opened during the days of Alhaji Lamis Dikko, former Executive Director of the bank with Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua and Senator Adamu Aleiro among the three signatories to the account.

This means that the former first lady does not have sole access to the account as speculated by some”.

On the delay in the building of the centre, Ms Banu said the committee is waiting for the approval of the plan submitted to the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS) who she said are considering the radioactive and therapy activities that will be carried out when the centre is completed before approving the plan.

She said that, Senator Adamu Aleiro who was the Committee Chairman at

the launching of the project is in the best position to explain how far the committee has gone in respect to the project and the development recorded in the last 6 months.

All efforts to speak with Senator Adamu Aleiro, the committee chairman of ICC, proved abortive as his spokes man, Alhaji Abdullahi Idris Zuru, directed this reporter to the Media spokesperson to the former first lady.

However, it is not all knocks for pet projects initiated by past first or second ladies. A project still making its marks at the moment is Women’s Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF), a brain child of Mrs Amina Titi Abubakar, wife of former Vice President of Nigeria, which has also given birth to NAPTIP, a government agency saddled with the responsibility of addressing issues on trafficking in persons and other related matters.

WOTCLEF came into being in 1999 to build an international coalition that restores human dignity through empowerment, education and advocacy as well as eradicate trafficking in persons and child labour.

Though Hajiya Amina and her husband left office in 2007, the project is still waxing strong and gaining grounds with world bodies giving it its deserved recognition.

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2011

'Steve Jobs did LSD and pot and had questionable moral character': FBI's secret report

Visionary: The interviews revealed that he was willing to twist the truth to get his way and demand more out of his employees

T

he FBI files just released about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs say that he dabbled in illicit drugs in his youth and alienated colleagues yet commanded universal respect.

The files offer a clinical look into the private life of the man many hailed as one of the greatest technology visionaries of his generation.

Under President George H.W. Bush, the FBI in 1991 began questioning Mr Jobs and associates as the increasingly high-profile CEO of Next Inc began to be considered as a candidate for sensitive, presidential appointments.

A series of interviews with friends and associates -- whose names were redacted by the bureau - painted a familiar picture of a technology visionary who intimidated

associates and insisted on getting his way, but whose drive and vision inspired admiration.

Mr Jobs himself admitted in a 1991 interview, days before his wedding, that he had experimented with hashish and LSD in his youth.

One of those interviewed confirmed his use of drugs. '(The unnamed interviewee) was aware that Mr. Jobs used illegal drugs, including marijuana and LSD, while they were attending college,' the report says.

This find does not come as a massive surprise, as Mr Jobs confirmed his drug use in a previous public interview.

He called his use of such drugs, particularly LSD, 'one of the two or three most important things [he had] done in my life'.

Back to the future: Steve Jobs had been a fixture on the tech scene since before it started

According to the FBI, other interviewees called into question his personal integrity and said that he was difficult to work with -- no surprise to those familiar with a life story that emerged over the decades of an intensely private individual.

'Several individuals questioned Mr Jobs' honesty stating that Mr. Jobs will twist the truth and distort reality in order to achieve his goals,' the report summarized.

The report also discussed his first child that he had with a girlfriend. The girlfriend, Chris Ann Brennan, raised their daughter Lisa on her own for the first two years after Lisa was born because Mr Jobs denied paternity. '(Interviewees) also commented that, in the past, Mr. Jobs was not supportive of (the mother of his child born out of wedlock) and their daughter; however, recently has become more supportive,' it read.

The majority of those interviewed recommended Mr Jobs as fit for government.

Another interesting point in the files is that the investigators found it important to note that 'Based on the background information furnished by Mr Jobs, he has no close

Family resemblance: Initially, Steve Jobs did not admit paternity of Lisa Brennan-Jobs when she was born in 1978 relatives residing in communistcontrolled countries'.

The report coincided with the end of the Cold War, which is formally acknowledged as ending in 1991- the same year that the FBI began investigating Mr Jobs.

Mr Jobs died in October after a years-long struggle with pancreatic cancer.

He was recognized for his enormous impact on the media, music and technology industries through such innovations as Apple's iPod and iPhone.

THE FBI'S SECRET FILE: DRUGS, FAMILY DRAMA, BUSINESS DEALINGS Drugs: '(The unnamed interviewee) was aware that Mr. Jobs used illegal drugs, including marijuana and LSD, while they were attending college' This find does not come as a massive surprise, as Mr Jobs confirmed his drug use in a previous public interview.

He called his use of such drugs, particularly LSD, 'one of the two or

The report had extensive findings on Mr Jobs' alcohol and drug use

three most important things [he had] done in my life'.

Family: 'In the past, Mr. Jobs was not supportive of (the mother of his child born out of wedlock) and their daughter; however, recently has become more supportive' The child in question is Lisa Brennan-Jobs, who was born in 1978. Her mother was Chris Ann Brennan, Mr Jobs' long-time girlfriend. Ms Brennan raised their daughter Lisa on her own for the first two years after Lisa was born because Mr Jobs denied paternity.

Business: 'Several individuals questioned Mr Jobs' honesty stating that Mr. Jobs will twist the truth and distort reality in order to achieve his goals' Well before the file was released, Mr Jobs had established his reputation as a strong-willed and often times stubborn boss that was extremely demanding.

Read through the report here Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Small scale farmers want FG to discourage food importation

T

he Association of Small Scale Agro-Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN) has called on the Federal Government to put in place measures that will discourage food import to the country.

The National Vice President of the association, Mr. Joshua Mabinuori, who made the call recently in Ijebu-Ode, in Ogun State, said “It is important for Nigeria to feed herself. It is not negotiable. I think it is important that we put in place measures that would prevent importation into this country.”

Mabinuori said it was regrettable that government spent billions of naira to import food on a yearly basis, describing the expenditure as “colossal waste”, adding that the money could have been used to fund development projects in the agriculture sector.

He declared that the country was

blessed with abundant natural resources to boost food production and that government could launch the country onto the path of greatness if it could give agriculture the attention it deserved.

“We have the climatic advantages, adequate rainfall, solar radiation; our soil is quite sustainable.

Coordinating these factors to bring out food security is the major problem in the country,” said.

“If half of what government is spending on importation can be invested into agriculture, the result will be massive. It is unfortunate that government is not looking in that direction,” added.

According to him, “As a matter of fact, there is food insecurity in the country. We don’t have enough food in the country and the best way to urgently address this problem is for government at all levels, to give priority to agriculture. (NAN)

PAGE 27

Edo govt, Vietnamese company sign MoU on rice production

T

he Edo state Government and a Vietnamese company, Transformation Limited, recently entered into an agreement by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on rice production in the state.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, blamed the country’s dependence on food imports on policy inconsistency, adding that it had led to the under development of the agricultural sector.

Oshiomhole also expressed sadness that Nigeria was incapable of feeding its people in spite of the huge endowment in agricultural resources.

“Nigeria does not have any

business importing food to feed its people. If anything, we ought to be able to export food to those countries that are not as blessed as Nigeria,” he said.

“For too long, inconsistent public policies in regard to agriculture has led to the importation of food into the country,” the governor added.

The governor, however, assured the company of adequate government incentives including land, security and political will to enable them to operationalise the agreement for mutual benefit.

“Having provided you with the necessary incentive of land, security and political backing to enable you carry out your business without interference, you should do

everything to ensure that you reciprocate government’s gesture by immediately swinging into action,” he explained.

The governor also said he recognised the role of the private sector in the development of agriculture and assured the company of government’s protection.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Stephen Liney, said the partnership would engender food security and assist the government to create employment.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Osagie Obayuwana, signed on behalf of the government while Liney signed for the company. (NAN)

IFAD promises capacity training for Niger Delta farmers

T

he National Coordinator, Community Based Natural Resources Management Programme in the Niger Delta, Mrs. Ibeakuzie has pledged to enhance the capacity of farmers in the region.

The programme, supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Federal Government and the Niger Delta Development Commission is expected to reduce poverty levels of over 400, 000 rural households in the region.

Ibeakuzie gave the pledge recently at Bunu-Tai, Rivers, during the opening of a week-long Integrated Farming Training Programme for 51 farmers drawn from across the region.

She said the essence of the training was to empower the farmers with the necessary knowledge and tools to implement their projects at community level.

“The IFAD/FGN/NDDC-ND project is intended to address poverty and improve the standard and quality of life of at least

400,000 rural households in the Niger Delta region with special focus on women and youth”, she said.

Ibeakuzie urged the participants to take the training seriously, reminding them that the lessons they would derive from the exercise would assist them in turning around their fortunes.

“Farming is a viable venture which if well handled effectively, will remove thousands of families from poverty and hunger. This is the reason why you have to be serious with this training”, she added.

The coordinator said that participants who excel during the training would be engaged to train farmers in their respective communities, to further boost the capacity of the rural farmers.

It was also learnt that the trainees were being taught various methods of boosting their production in vegetable, plantain and cassava farming as well as poultry, goat rearing, bee keeping, fishery and oil processing, among others. (NAN)

Farmers, gardeners urged to wear protective shoes against tetanus infection

A

consultant physician, Dr. Bashir Mijinyawa has urged farmers and gardeners to always wear protective shoes to guard against infection, especially from animal dung.

Mijinyawa told journalists recently in Abuja, that a bacterium known as clostridium tetani that causes tetanus is present in the soil and in animal dung.

According to him, infection may occur when the infective agent enters the body through a wound, adding that tetanus could damage the central nervous system consisting of the brain and the spinal cord.

“When tetanus reaches the central nervous system, it can cause muscular stiffness, impair movement and sudden abnormal, involuntary muscular

contractions. Abnormal heart beats and rhythm abnormalities may also occur if tetanus is not quickly treated or unattended to,” he stressed.

He explained that prolonged involuntary muscular contractions, also known as spasms, could lead to respiratory arrest and death, adding that tetanus infection could be prevented through immunisation.

“Anti tetanus serum is a passive vaccine that is administered on people who already have the infection,” he added.

He urged people to clean and dress wounds daily with antiseptics while those with open wounds should be immunised to reduce the rate of the infection.

(NAN)

Farm produce displayed at the Akwa Ibom stand in preparation for 2011 National Agricultural Show at Tudun Wada, Nasarawa state.

NGO condemns absence of agricultural extension workers in rural areas

A

ctionaid Nigeria, an NGO, has expressed concern over the absence of agricultural extension workers in rural communities.

The Programme Manager of the Local Rights Unit of the organisation, Mrs. Suwaiba Jibrin, told journalists recently in Abuja that, “Extension workers are the government’s technical service providers who specialise in facilitating and monitoring agricultural activities in rural communities.”

“They act as a link between government’s projects and the implementing community through capacity building, enlightenment, innovative ideas monitoring, evaluation and reports at the grassroots,” she stated.

Jibrin, who noted that lack of infrastructure, manpower; allowances and access roads to rural

areas were a source of discouragement to agricultural extension agents, however said, the extension workers are also involved in disseminating agricultural information such as technical advice to farmers.

According to her, “when we take these challenge of getting access, getting people, agric extension agent to go to the deep rural areas, government staff don’t go there because there’s no motivation there’s no infrastructure to move; so people are left on their own to join groups whether fake or real.”

“So we need to reactivate our agricultural development programmes bring it back to life, engage with the real people, and then make sure that we start from there.

But initiating big projects from the top is not sinking down,” Jibrin clarifies.

Jibrin also urged government at

all levels to build the capacity of farmers and encourage them to form pilot groups to attract financial aid and boost agricultural production.

She further urged government to take its agricultural development programmes to the grassroots so that efforts at developing the sector would be planned and coordinated.

According to her, small holder farmers are the engine of agriculture in the country and therefore need such services.

“The small projects that are happening in NAPEP, NDE, the small scale industry - they are all there but then they are not reaching out because of the difficultly in accessing rural communities,” she said.

She maintained that the availability of agricultural extension services at the grassroots would take government’s agricultural projects closer to the people. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 28

By Mohammed Kandi

E

very time the budget is approved and passed in the country for the financial year, most government ministries, parastatals and agencies always heave a sigh of relief.

In an ideal situation, payment of salaries and provision of infrastructure in its entirety for the people should be the main drive, but, when a higher part of the budget goes for payment of salaries alone and taking care of government official to the detriment of infrastructural development there is a need to worry.

Just like what obtains in several parts of Africa, there have been criticisms that the Nigerian agricultural sector is underfunded, even as there are questions as to how the meagre allocation that goes to the sector is utilized.

Farmers and prospective investors from the private sector have over the years condemned the insufficient budgetary allocation for agriculture in Nigeria, placing the scanty ration at between three to four percent yearly. The sector has not only suffered neglect by successive governments but had its potentials of transforming the country’s economy and creating copious employment for its teaming farming population shattered.

Some analysts have attributed lack of political will on the part of our leaders, corruption, overbloated contracts for agricultural facilities and programmes and issuance of such to syndicated company, lack of prudent verification and supervision in the system, as well as lack of accountability as part of the problems bedevilling the sector in the country.

In spite of Nigeria’s rich agricultural resource endowment, there has remained a gradual decline in the sector’s contributions to the nation’s economy. But the sector remains the largest contributor and mainstay of the Nigerian economy, accounting for over 38% of the non-oil foreign exchange earnings, and employing about 70% of the active labour force of

2012 Budget: What should farmers expect?

Will the budget create an avenue for mechanized farming in the country? the population.

According to World Bank estimates, Nigeria’s agricultural GDP increased at an annual rate of 2.9% in 1990-98.

In the case of the ministry, in 2010, the allocation to the ministry of agriculture, rural development and water resources was N149, 900,754, 219. But in 2011, when the ministry was split into two; the Agriculture and

Rural Development ministry, and the Water Resources ministry, their combined budgetary allocation was a paltry N54, 218, 283, 281, meaning a total of N95, 682,470,938 was shaved off.

Going by the proposed budgetary allocation for the year 2012 by the federal government, projecting about 4.749 Trillion Naira amounting to six percent increase over the N4.48 Trillion in

2011, and with the Agriculture & Rural Development ministry expecting N78.98 billion, many experts and farmers alike have not only expressed optimism on possible improvement, but also seeing it as a good omen for the sector.

Owing to the apparent loss of confidence by majority of the farmers, they are of the belief that nothing positive would come out from the ministry based on previous experiences despite assurances by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina at different forum to make agriculture attractive again.

The minister in his words of encouragement and support to farmers, said that the current administration was very determined to evolve a robust agricultural policy that will make farming more meaningful in the country.

To this end he said, the Federal Government, through its Agricultural Transformation Action Plan (TAP), plans to establish the Cassava Market and Trade Development Corporation (CMTDC) to provide the key component for the implantation of value chain activities to engender the development of the agricultural sector.

Akinwumi said he was confident that the

implementation of the value chain programme will be anchored on a private-public arrangement, involving significant investments that will expand cassava production.

The minister noted that through the ATAP enterprise which is another initiative of the Federal Government, the quality of the country’s selected crops such as cassava, rice, cocoa and cotton will be enriched while also ensuring better prices for the produce in international markets.

On their part, farmers have stressed the need for the government to extend similar action plans to other areas of agriculture so as to ensure a holistic development of the agricultural sector.

They said there is need for government to convince them on its will in repositioning agriculture and why they should trust it to do same.

They want assurances that under the new arrangement the farmers and the sector will receive a boost; and that their condition as subsistent farmers will be improved upon. They need to be assured of transparency and sincerity of purpose, especially in terms of equitable distribution of agricultural resources. The farmers have had to live with the reality that there are still issues in agriculture that have remained unaddressed.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

T

he military is feared and respected all at the same time, worldwide because of their assigned roles in nations of the world. In Africa, that dread for the uniformed men is more pronounced especially among the civil populace who see them as people that should be feared because of their capacity to do bodily harm to any body without batting an eye. They are trained to shoot and kill an enemy in the cause of carrying out their assigned constitutional duty of defending the territorial integrity of a nation.

Their headquarters and barracks are places the uninitiated like ‘bloody civilians’ should walk past without looking in that particular direction so as not to incur the wrath of men and officers of the military. Their profile as an elite group grew more when they ventured into politics by taking over the reign of power from elected politicians. Their roles in Nigeria has extended to maintaining internal security in the country occasioned by the actions of such groups like the militants in the Niger Delta, the kidnappers in the South East and the Boko Haram sect in the Northern part of the country.

They have quelled riots in parts of the country when police efforts failed. The mien and postures of soldiers posted to troubled spots have made most criminals to have a re-think about their activities.

When a group of men decide therefore to take on the military head long in a war fare, that group is usually seen to be peopled by men of steel. This was exactly what happened on Tuesday February 7 2012 when the much dreaded Boko Haram sect targeted military formations in Kaduna.

Reports have it that someone dressed in military uniform and driving in a private car attempted to drive forcefully through the sentries mounting guard at the headquarters of the 1 division of the Nigerian army. Unknown to the soldiers on guard, the man’s car was laden with explosives, so when the soldiers opened fire on the man who Boko Haram have long claimed to be one of theirs, the explosion that followed shattered glasses of the army headquarters and the man in the car died.

Giving a vivid explanation of what happened, the Director, Army public Relations (DAPR), Maj. Gen. Raphael Isa said soldiers at the headquarters 1 division repelled the attack and possible suicide bombing of the division by firing the suicide bomber who tried to force his way into the army headquarters, the bomb exploded and shattered the glasses that adorn the frontage of the headquarters and only the bomber died.

The briefing afforded the army authority the opportunity to call on the civil populace to remain calm while thanking them for cooperating with security agencies so far in the fight to rein in members of the Boko Haram sect.

“Once more, we urge members of the public to continue with their normal businesses and lawful activities. We also enjoin all to continue to partner with security

PAGE 29

On the marble

BY EMMANUEL IRIOGBE

It is best if an enemy nation comes and surrenders of its own accord. To attack and defeat it is inferior to this.

—Master Sun, The Art of War

emmacopi@yahoo.com 08026125552

When Boko Haram came calling on the military

Members of the Boko Haram sect? agencies and provide valuable information that will help us tackle the menace of this misguided Nigerians and any would-be mischief makers.

“We remain grateful to members of the public for all the information provided so far that have led to the arrest of key members of the notorious Boko Haram sect recently. We are currently working on fresh information that will lead to the arrest of more sect members” Gen. Isa Said Just before that incidence, there was also an attempt to bomb the Air Force base in the town, though not much harm was done since the bomb exploded some 500 meters away from the base, the message however was sent by the sect that they meant business.

The Boko Haram sect told journalists after the attacks that they decided to strike military formations as a result of the arrest of some of its members by security operatives.

It would be recalled that a week before the explosions that rocked military formations in Kaduna, the state security service (SSS) had arrested a man, Abul Qaqa whose true identity is still not clear but purported to be the spokesman of the group.

According to a sect member

who spoke to journalist in a telephone conversation, he claimed that he was the authentic spokesman of the sect, Qaqa. The reason for their actions in Kaduna he attributed to the federal governments’ insincerity in dialoguing with them. He said the group felt spited by government’s decision to arrest the man they sent to dialogue on their behalf.

The attacks on military formations in Kaduna have made the military to go the extra mile toward beefing up security around

their formations nationwide.

Though these formations were highly fortified before now, the extra security measures being put in place especially at the army, navy and air force headquarters in Abuja tells the story of how serious the military has taken the Boko Haram threats. A visit to these places will afford one the opportunity to see men of the triservice piling sand bags in strategic places to act as shield for personnel during any unforseen attack. The scrutiny everybody

Smoke bellowing from buildings inside 1 Mechanized Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna after the suicide bomber’s attack.

(including defence correspondents) going into the premises has to go through is better experienced than imagined.

The situation reminds one of a war scenario and those seen in war movies. Reacting to a question from Defence Matters if soldiers are mandated to shoot anybody at check points who refuses to submit to stop and serch, the DAPR stated emphatically thus; “Once you force your way at a check point or gate, no one will take chances again, soldiers know this. So people are warned to identify themselves well and stop for stop and search”. The tone of his message is clear enough to warn both those fomenting trouble and people who find themselves in conflict zones to think twice and relocate or pay the ultimate price.

Another pointer to the fact that the military is ready to do battle with militant groups and are not handling the Boko Haram threat with kid gloves is the army’s final push to adjust the uniforms worn by its men and officers.

“Changes would be made to army uniforms which would be effected in the next couple of days, this will make it impossible for criminals to present themselves as soldiers while in military uniforms”.

General Isa disclosed during a parley with defence correspondents.

He likened the new uniforms to be worn soon by men and officers of the Nigerian army to the identification tags that guarantees them entrance to army formations nationwide and difficult to fake.

“What we are saying is that, like our identification tags which are very difficult to fake, the changes we intend to make to our uniforms will be a safety measure that will be very difficult for impostors to imitate”.

Absolving his men and officers of blame in the impersonation saga, Gen. Isa said it was impossible for a Nigerian soldier to act against the Nigerian state since that will negate the oath of allegiance sworn to by every army personnel which is; to defend the territorial integrity of the country at all time.

These, certainly are not the best of times for both the military and the civil populace in our country. Just like the militancy in the Niger Delta, the Boko Haram insurgency has made its mark in the polity and things may not remain the same even after the fight is fought and won or lost.

PAGE 30

Boko Haram: CDS tasks retirees

T

he Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin has called on retired military officers not to abandon the fight against terrorism.

The CDS gave the charge Saturday at the end of theyear party held in honour of retireing officers who served at the defence headquarters.

According to Air Chief Marshal Patinrin who spoke at the event which held at the Command Officers’ Mess, Asokoro, Abuja; “Retirement is inevitable and it is a time we should plan for. The retirees for the night have good reasons to be proud of their achievements while they were still in service. They have left their mark in their chosen fields.

“You are all aware of the challenges our country is facing, the menace of the so-called Boko Haram sect among others has been a great a challenge that we must bring to a logical conclusion, however the involvement of all and sundry is critical in our war against this mindless act of terror. I therefore charge those of you leaving us not to abandon the fight.

There is no doubt that we need your expertise and experience especially in the area of intelligence gathering”.

In her speech, the minister of state for defence who was the special guest of honour and represented the Minister of defence at the occasion, charged the retiring officers to continue serving the country wherever they find themselves

Operation PULO SHIELD names AGIP pipeline bombers

T

he Joint Task Force code named OPERATION PULO SHIELD has condemned the attack by Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on AGIP pipeline carried out on February 4 this year and named those behind the dastardly act.

According to Director, Defence Information (DDI), Col. Mohammed Yerima speaking on behalf of his colleagues in the Joint Security Information Managers Committee named the suspects as; Friday Burutu, Lord Onipa, Robinson Agagudu, Eyala Karo, Stanley Uduorie, Para Ekiyes and Rasmus Omukoro.

The JTF was particularly irked by the fact that the bombing was carried out by people who were never part of the agitation and have emerged and want to claim amnesty and its benefits by force. The JTF went ahead to state that it was not possible for government to run an infinite amnesty programme.

The JTF therefore advised people of the Niger Delta to be mindful of people out to swindle them who ascribe the identity of erstwhile leadership of MEND to scurry favour.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

‘NNS Thunder’ makes first arrest

T

he latest addition to the Nigerian Naval fleet, NNS Thunder performed its first role of defending the maritime territory of the nation when it made its first arrest in Nigerian maritime waters at Escravos on 26 January 2012.

The frigate which arrived the nation’s shore a few weeks back after travelling from its former base in the United State, Navigated through the

Caribbean and Europe, was formally known and called ‘US Coast Guard Cutter Chase’. It is a gift to the Nigerian government by the United States government based on their shared defence pact.

According to Col Mohammed Yerima, Director of Defence Information (DDI), who spoke on behalf of members of the Joint Security Information Managers Committee, a cargo ship, MT

Takoradi was on the night of 26th January arrested at Escravos by NNS Thunder which was on routine patrol in aid of Operation Pulo Shield.

It would be recalled that the joint task force (JTF) was inaugurated to check illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta and according to the report; it was in the course of her duty that NNS Thunder interrogated about 29 ships from waters of Lagos to the

waters of Calabar. It was during the interrogation that about 1m litres of AGO was discovered aboard MT Takoradi. Members of the ship’s crew could not give satisfactory explanation of how they came about the crude, this led to the arrest of both the ship and its crew. According to the DDI, since there were no berthing facilities at Escravos, MT Takoradi was handed over to NN Beecroft in Lagos for custody.

NNS Thunder arriving Nigeria’s shores

Shake-up in Nigerian Navy T

he Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral UO Jibrin has been appointed Chief of Logistics at the Naval Headquarters while his counterpart at the Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral EO Ogbor, , is now the Chief of Training and Operations, Naval Headquarters.

This is according to a release made available to Defence Matters by the Nigerian Navy and signed by the Director, Naval Information (DINFO), Commodore Kabir Aliyu in a major shake-up in the Nigerian Navy affecting some top officers on the rank of Rear Admirals and Commodores.

Rear Admiral AOA Ikioda formerly Chief of Logistics is the new Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command while Rear OB Ogunjimi, former Navy Secretary, has been appointed Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command. A new command to be known as the Central Naval Command has Rear Admiral JO Olutoyin the pioneer Flag Officer Commanding.

According to the release, other postings include that of Rear Admiral AA Sam-Sele, formerly Senior Officer Naval Doctrine and Assessment Centre, who has moved to Defence Headquarters as

Director of Training. Rear Admiral Joe Aikhomu now heads the newly created Naval Standards and Evaluation Branch while Rear Admiral IE Ibas, former Chief of Administration, Naval

Headquarters, has been appointed Navy Secretary.

Also affected are Rear Admiral GE Okoi, Deputy Commandant Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji who replaces Rear

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Saad Ola Ibrahim

Admiral IA Oyagha as Flag Officer Commanding Logistics Command while his predecessor resumes at Naval Headquarters as Director, Nigerian Navy Transformation Office.

Meanwhile, Rear Admirals IA Ajuonu, AA Yusuf, OE Ekwe, SA Orie and SU Chinweuba have been re-appointed Director of Logistics Defence Headquarters, Commander Fleet Support Group (West), Commandant Nigerian Navy Engineering College Sapele, Director Curriculum and Programme Development at the National Defence College and Commander Fleet Support Group (East) respectively. Other Rear Admirals involved in the postings include Rear Admiral DO Osuofa, appointed Deputy Commandant Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Rear Admiral AG Inusa, Director of Plans Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral OU Emele, re-appointed Director of Logistics Defence Intelligence Agency and Rear Admiral A Shettima also re-appointed Director Underway Replenishment Group, Logistics Command, Oghara.

The release stated further that the senior officers were expected to resume in their new stations between middle of February to second week of March 2012.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

From 9/11 to 2/11: How Egypt's revolution became the world's ANALYSIS

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h e revolutionaries of the Arab world pioneered strategies of activism that influenced the movements around the globe.

Istanbul, Turkey - These are dates that bookend one's life. On September 11, 2001, a world order seemed to collapse with the Twin Towers. Whether you were 13 or 33, nothing would be the same. Battle lines were drawn; the United States would retalliate and everyone, Americans as well as Arabs, was forced to choose sides. All the sins of the United States - decades of support for dictatorships, occupation, coups, a global economic system that depended in good measure on the continued oppression of the peoples of the Muslim world - had become irrelevant, regardless of their role in producing alQaeda's terrible blowback.

The tenor of responses among mainstream Arab commentators could be summed up by the main argument of the first Arab Human Development Report, published in 2002. The report was celebrated in the Western media by the same voices that would cheerlead the US invasion of Iraq the next year because it was written by "Arabs themselves" and because it focused its attention almost exclusively on the internal problems plaguing the Arab world, while avoiding almost any discussion of the historical or current role of the West in creating and sustaining them.

The Arab authors of the Arab Human Development Report essentially exonerated the West from responsibility for the problems of the Arab world, turning their attention to "Islamic pressure" as a chief cause of the region's problems. Of course, such an analysis was filled with gaps that lessened the effectiveness of its analysis or proposed solutions, such as cutting military expenditures while increasing spending on education.

First meetings of two 'second superpowers' Around the same time that the anti-corporate globalisation movement was becoming a major force against neoliberalism in the West, the outbreak of the al-Aqsa intifada in the occupied Palestinian territories mobilised a new generation of Arabs, who, thanks to non-state controlled Arab media, were exposed almost daily to the Palestinian struggle against occupation. It's not for nothing that the young activists who organised the initial Tahrir protests in 2011 could be seen wearing "End the Occupation" tshirts, as many of them first become politically conscious and

mobilised by the second intifada, opposition to which even "friendly" Arab governments such as Egypt's could not suppress.

While the new generation of Arab activists was at least in part inspired by the surrounding alter-globalisation movement, before September 11 and the threat of a US invasion of Iraq, the Western and often hard-left anti-corporate globalisation movement essentially ignored the Middle East and larger Muslim world, despite the regions' crucial role in the emergence of globalisation. And so there was little understanding of the deeper structural dynamics underlying repressions and authoritarianism in the Arab/ Muslim world, whether among countries aligned or opposed to the United States.

Because of this, leading sections of the anti-corporate globalisation movement, which had become more militant in the wake of increasing state violence against protesters (particularly at the Genoa G8 meeting in July 2001), moved further towards a simplistic anti-US imperialism rhetoric which, in the wake of the September 11 attacks, was ill-equipped to offer a serious alternative discourse to the "democracy through war" rhetoric of the Bush Administration. It was therefore unable to join a critique of US empire with a denunciation of the brutality of Saddam Hussein's rule and the structural problems highlighted by the Arab Human Development Report.

Similarly in the Arab world, as the US invasion of Iraq loomed on the horizon, it was still an older generation of usually hardleft, Nasserist or traditional Islamist activists who led the emerging protest movement against it, as epitomised by the "Cairo Conference Against US Hegemony and War on Iraq and in solidarity with Palestine", first held in Cairo in 2002, and several more times in the ensuing years. While the conferences included many civil society and human rights activists who would play crucial roles in the 2010-2011 revolutionary protests, this first iteration of a global peace and justice movement developed an anti-war discourse that put too little focus on Saddam Hussein's crimes, as well as the violence of the post-invasion Iraqi resistance, in favor of a singular focus on US-imperialism.

In a mirror image of Bush's rhetoric, standing with Iraq meant standing with the country's brutal government and after the invasion the "the legitimate Iraqi resistance", which was considered the "sole representative of the Iraqi people". One meeting in Beirut

As Egyptians celebrated the ousting of Mubarak in February 2011, its revolution had become the world's [EPA] saw Western and Arab activists celebrate the Iraqi resistance even as members of the international peace movement were being held hostage and threatened with decapitation by insurgents, whose own brutality was increasing matching the US-launched violence in the number of victims it produced across Iraq.

Beginnings of a new consciousness While travelling across the now-global peace and justice movement in the early to mid 2000s could often be an exercise in ideological futility, it was also clear that a younger generation of activists, both in the West and in the Arab world, was increasingly asserting itself and forging a more nuanced discourse. These activists could simultaneously hold the US and European governments to account for their history of imperialism and colonial rule, and support for repressive governments across the region, and devote increasing attention to developing a critique, and a method of resistance against what many activists would come to describe as their "internal occupation" by corrupt, authoritarian and often brutal regimes.

By the time of the fourth Cairo conference in 2006, participants were focusing more energy on calling for a "new Arab movement for change" that would include much greater coordination and a focus on protecting civil societies against government repression. It's not a coincidence that this move occurred in the wake of the emergence of new forms of internet-friendly grass roots movements such as Kefaya, which would provide an incubator for developing the strategies and discourses that would ultimately launch the January 25 revolution.

Not surprisingly, the mid-

2000s was the period when internet usage in the Arab world began to expand significantly, while the seeming institutionalisation of the US occupation in Iraq and lack of any movement towards democratisation in most Arab countries necessitated the emerging generation of activists to focus their attention on how to resist their own governments and the seemingly impenetrable systems of rule which protected them.

At the same time, the success of movements against authoritarian regimes in Serbia and countries of the former Soviet Union (inspired by the Zapatistas and other first generation anti-neoliberal movements of resistance in Latin America and Europe), and a growing appreciation of the creative strategies of largely nonviolent but militant resistance they deployed, also provided inspiration for activists in their mid-to-late 20s, who were increasingly entering civil society as leaders of grassroots, internet-supported prodemocracy and human rights movements across the region.

Finally, and equally important, it took until the midto-late 2000s for the economic consequences of neoliberalism in the Arab world - which was being pursued with greater vigour by governments such as those in Tunisia and Egypt - to build a critical mass of immiseration among a large enough segment of the working class to produce serious worker revolts in industrial cities such as Mahallah, Egypt, in 2006 and 2008 and in Gafsa, Tunisia, in 2008.

Desperation across the increasingly marginalised industrial hinterlands such as Sidi Bouzid, where the Arab Spring was sparked, also increased.

It was in this situation that militant labour activists, who had a long institutional memory

of anti-government and antineoliberal resistance, joined with the cyber-generation of civil society activists to form movements such as April 6, and together would provide the nucleus of the "movement of movements" that would form the revolutionary coalition of late 2010 and 2011.

Labour activism was helped by the global financial crisis that erupted full-scale in 2008. This crisis gave renewed legitimacy to the anti-neoliberal movements in the United States and Europe at the same time that its powerfully negative impact in the Arab world spurred civil society and labour movements to take more direct action against their governments, especially in Tunisia and Egypt. Young Arabs and young Americans for the first time could feel a common generational sense of forboding and lack of possibilities for the future, and through the internet could form a truly world wide web of disgruntlement, anger and increasingly urgency and solidarity.

History changes course In the wake of the ousting of Ben Ali and Mubarak, Western governments and organisations have touted their role in helping to "train" the activists behind the revolutions. The reality was quite different. This generation of activists did not need the West to teach it how to use Facebook or Twitter or build more effective civil society structures. But it was able to use Western NGOs (both independent and government-sponsored) to help strenghten and support the local as well as pan-Arab networks of civil society, who so famously coalesced together in late 2010 with the outbreak of the Tunisian revolution. They were not the necessary condition for revolution, but they certainly helped enable it.

Source: Aljazeera

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 32

Somalia wants arms embargo lifted to fend off al Qaeda Wildlife up close in a sea kayak off Cape Town

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pair of African penguins glide over the water while a pod of dolphins approach in the background.

Such an encounter might make the bucket list of many a wildlife enthusiast, but the experience takes on a whole new dimension from the vantage point of a sea kayak bobbing in the swells off Cape Town.

"It's the best way to see marine wildlife. A lot of wildlife is scared of motors but not of kayaks," says Marc de Vos, 21, a kayak and diving guide.

At other times of the year, kayakers can get up close to migrating right or humpback whales on these waters and Cape fur seals are a frequent sight.

Ocean sun fish, curious creatures which resemble a gigantic fish head, can also often be seen, though sadly not on this particular day.

Incentives abound to keep your kayak upright. Even under a blazing summer sun, the water temperature on a recent outing was 14 degrees Celsius, chilled by the icy Benguela current.

Great white sharks are another reason to stay dry. The waters around here literally teem with predators and while they are more concentrated to the east of here in False Bay and other inlets, you might not fancy your chances.

Sea kayaking in these parts is not for the faint-hearted.

"The conditions here are temperamental. The coastline here is rugged and wild and the conditions change very quickly," says Tracy Fincham, who runs Kaskazi Kayaks in Cape Town.

It is not an easy family outing but the rewards can be huge for those who decide to take the plunge.

Few places could provide a more scenic backdrop for a kayak outing, with clouddraped table Mountain and Lion's Head towering in the background.

One word of advice for couples though. For the sake of your relationship it may be best to take single kayaks instead of paddling together in a double.

A Ugandan soldier, serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and troops from the Somali National Army (SNA) stand outside Mogadishu University after an advance into insurgent Al Shabaab territory in Mogadishu, Somalia January 20, 2012.

REUTERS/United Nations-African Union Information Support Team/Stuart Price/Handout

S

o m a l i a 's government called yesterday for the lifting of an arms embargo to help it resist an al Qaeda-backed Islamist insurgency.

The appeal follows al Qaeda's declaration last week that the Somali militant group al Shabaab was joining its ranks, which raised concerns the Somali rebels' weakened campaign might be reenergised.

Security experts say al Shabaab might be encouraged to

carry out an al Qaeda-style attack, perhaps on Kenya which has sent troops to Somalia to fight the Islamist insurgency.

Urging foreign powers to help, Mogadishu asked the international community to "lift the arms embargo on Somalia so that it could defend the country" and "increase and reinforce the Somali National Army".

"We ... believe that their union (al Shabaab and al Qaeda)

will increase the insecurity in Somalia, east Africa and the rest of the world and that Somalia risks becoming an al Qaeda base in east Africa," Somalia's information ministry said.

The United Nations imposed the arms embargo in 1992, the year after clan warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and plunged the country into civil conflict.

The embargo has been amended several times, including

in 2006 to allow for an African peacekeeping force to prop up the government and in 2007, in part to allow for the peacekeepers to be supplied with weapons and military equipment.

Asked about the Somali government request, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said during a visit to South Africa he thought lifting the embargo would be "difficult to do, and in some instances, may be very unwise to do".

Kabila aide dies, minister hurt in DRC plane crash

D

e m o c r a t i c Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila's chief adviser was killed and his finance minister injured in an airplane crash near the eastern town of Bukavu on Sunday, government officials said.

The accident, the latest in a country with one of the world's worst air safety records, comes as Kabila braces for negotiations to form a new coalition government after his disputed victory in a

chaotic election in November.

Adviser Augustin Katumba Mwanke, 58, was regarded by many as "the power behind the throne", according to a leaked 2009 U.S. diplomatic cable. He was a former governor of the copper-rich province of Katanga and retained major influence in the country's minerals sector.

Summing up Katumba's power, one Congolese senator said on condition of anonymity: "If you

wanted to negotiate business and Kabila said 'yes', that was 50 percent, but if Katumba said 'yes', that was 100 percent."

Government spokesman Lambert Mende confirmed Katumba's death, saying: "It's a very big loss, he was considered a pillar of the presidential majority."

Four others died in the crash both American pilots and two people who were hit by the wreckage Deputy Prime Minister Adolphe

Lumanu told reporters.

Lumanu said Finance Minister Matata Ponyo Mapon, roving ambassador Antoine Ghonda and South Kivu governor Marcellin Chisambo Rohuya were also hurt, although their injuries did not appear to be life threatening.

Government spokesman Lambert earlier said the finance minister and Ghonda had been "heavily wounded" in the crash.

Five killed in clashes in southeast Libya

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t least five people have been killed in clashes between rival tribes over control of territory in the far southeast of Libya, officials said yesterday, highlighting the challenge of policing the country's sparsely populated desert.

Violence broke out on Sunday in the remote city of Al Kufra and continued into Monday.

Libya's National Transitional Council has struggled to assert its authority across the whole of Libya

as rival regional militias and tribal groups jostle for power and resources following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.

Local gunmen from the Zwai tribe clashed with fighters from the Tibu ethnic group led by Isa Abdel Majid, whom they accuse of attacking Al Kufra backed by mercenaries from Chad, Abdelbari Idriss, a security official from the Zwai tribe, told Reuters.

Abdel Majid's men, who supported the Libyan rebels during

the 2011 uprising that ousted Gaddafi, had set up camp in Jalu north of Al Kufra on Sunday and were holding out there, Idriss said, but another source said fighting was still going on.

Farhat Abdel Karim Bu Hareg, coordinator of Social Affairs in the local government of Al Kufra, criticised the NTC for neglecting the southeast though Al Kufra province is Libya's largest and straddles the borders of Sudan and Chad.

He said the region would be forced

to declare independence unless it received support to end what he said were attacks by mercenaries. "I would like to reiterate that if no response is made to rescue the people, we will be forced to declare our independence".

Local fighters have called for help from Benghazi and Misrata but had yet to receive any response, he said.

The roads in the region are poor while some reports suggested said the airport was out of use due to the fighting, possibly holding up any aid.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 33

Bali bomb suspect goes on trial in Indonesia

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h e main suspect in the 2002 Bali bombings, Umar Patek, has gone on trial in an Indonesian court where he faces multiple charges, including premeditated murder, for the deadly attacks.

"Umar Patek's trial is declared open," Judge Lexsy Mamonto said on Monday, before prosecutor Widodo Supriady began reading the charges to the court in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

"Defendant Umar Patek committed an evil conspiracy with others to commit a crime by bringing in, obtaining, providing or owning firearms, ammunition or explosive materials and other dangerous materials to carry out terrorism," Supriady read.

According to a copy of the indictment obtained by the AFP news agency, Patek will be charged with premeditated murder and assembling bombs for the October 2002 Bali nightclub attacks, and strikes on churches in Jakarta on

Patek, centre, had a $1m bounty on his head, and stands trial following a nine-year flight from authorities [Reuters]

Bahrain tense ahead of planned protests

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Street battles have flared up almost every day for the past month, particularly in predominantly Shia villages [Reuters]

Christmas Eve of 2000.

The Bali nightclub attacks killed 202 people, mostly foreigners.

The trial at the West Jakarta district court is expected to last more than four months as prosecutors present evidence from 86 witnesses. Prosecutors say they will push for the death sentence.

The 45-year-old Patek, whose real name is Hisyam Bin Alizein and who has several aliases, had a $1m bounty on his head under the US rewards for justice programme.

Patek, known as "Demolition Man" for his expertise with explosives, stands trial following a nine-year flight from justice.

His trial is considered a "significant step in the fight against terrorism" in Indonesia, said Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen, reporting from Jakarta.

However, because the laws did not exist at the time of the bombing, Patek cannot be charged with terrorism, our correspondent said.

ahrain has deployed thousands of security forces to confront anti-government protesters ahead of the first anniversary of the start of a Shia-led uprising that seeks to loosen the ruling Sunni dynasty's monopoly on power.

Opposition groups urged demonstrators to stream towards an empty area dubbed "Freedom Square" outside the capital, Manama.

Some activists seek to occupy the site before Today's anniversary of the start of the wave of protests, and turn it into a new semi-permanent hub for the uprising.

The central Manama roundabout was the opposition's headquarters during the first weeks of the Shia majority's campaign against the Sunni monarchy.

Authorities imposed martial law after security forces stormed the protesters' encampment at the landmark square, and later tore down the pearl sculpture that marked the site.

The now heavily guarded square

holds great symbolic value for Bahrain's opposition movement, and protesters have repeatedly tried to retake it. But the capital has largely been off limits to demonstrators since March.

Street battles between security forces and protesters still flare up almost every day in the predominantly Shia villages around the capital.

Bahrain's ruling Sunni monarchy has warned it would not tolerate a rise in protests to mark the anniversary.

Sporadic clashes occurred on Sunday with police firing tear gas.

The island's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said last year's events were regrettable, although he downplayed the severity of the threat the protests had posed to the 200-year-old-rule of the Sunni dynasty.

The king says that a massive opposition movement does not really exist in the country.

"I regret the events of the past year,'' he told the German weekly Der Spiegel in an interview that was published on Sunday.

Venezuela opposition choses Chavez challenger

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Opposition candidate Henrique Capriles won Sunday's poll, after casting his vote early in the capital [Reuters]

enrique Capriles, state governor, has won a primary vote to become the single candidate who will challenge Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, launching a race to try to dislodge a leader who after 13 years in power still has a loyal following.

Teresa Albanes, the opposition election chief, announced the preliminary results, saying that Capriles won about 62 per cent of Sunday's vote, beating Zulia state governor Pablo Perez by a margin of more than 30 percentage points.

Chavez's opponents lined up to vote in many areas, surpassing most expectations with a turnout of about 2.9mn ballots cast out of Venezuela's 18mn registered voters.

Capriles had been the front-runner in pre-election polls among five contenders. The 39-year-old governor

of Miranda state has attracted a large following as a charismatic, youthful alternative to Chavez.

"He's going to be the candidate who can get us out of this giant hole we're stuck in," Carmen Gloria Padilla, a 66year-old telephone company employee who voted for him, said.

Hundreds of supporters celebrated the win outside Capriles' campaign headquarters, holding small flags emblazoned with the slogan "There is a way."

Some revelers stood on cars to get a view.

Some of Capriles' supporters said they thought he had a good chance of winning over Venezuelans who otherwise might lean pro-Chavez because he had taken a largely nonconfrontational approach while promising solutions to problems including 26-per cent inflation and one of the highest murder rates in Latin America.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Greek parliament approves austerity bill

Israeli envoys targeted in India, Georgia

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T

h e Greek parliament has approved a deeply unpopular austerity bill to secure a second EU/IMF bailout and avoid national bankruptcy, as buildings burned across central Athens and violence spread around the country.

Greek MPs voted 199-74 in favour of the cutbacks, despite strong dissent among the two main coalition members. A total of 37 MPs from the majority Socialists and conservative New Democracy party voted against the party line, abstained or voted present.

The coalition government of Lucas Papademos, the country's technocrat prime minister, expelled 43 MPs from its ranks in parliament, over dissent in the debt vote.

The Socialists and conservatives expelled 22 and 21 MPs, respectively, from their parliamentary groups early on Monday, reducing their majority in the 300-seat parliament from 236 to 193.

A third coalition partner, the rightist LAOS party, effectively withdrew from the government on Friday after its leader publicly opposed the deal.

Al Jazeera's John Psaropoulos, reporting from the capital, Athens, said the sizable majority had established clear support for the prime minister as the details of the cuts are pushed through parliament in coming weeks.

"It is a very important majority for the government it helps legitimise the measures," he said.

Outside the walls of parliament, there was chaos as protesters expressed their rage over the bill. Cinemas, cafes, shops and banks were set ablaze in central Athens as black-masked protesters fought riot police outside parliament.

State television reported the violence spread to the tourist islands of Corfu and Crete, the northern city of Thessaloniki and towns in central Greece.

Shops were looted in the capital where police said 34 buildings were ablaze.

Papademos denounced the worst breakdown of order since 2008 when violence gripped Greece for weeks after police shot a 15-year-old schoolboy.

The Pakistan supreme court on Friday threw out a last-ditch appeal from the embattled prime minister [Reuters]

Pakistani PM, Gilani, indicted for contempt Y ousuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan's prime minister, has been charged with contempt of court by the country's supreme court, after he disobeyed a court order to open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Local television channels flashed the news less than half an hour after Gilani arrived yesterday at the courthouse, where he pleaded not guilty.

If convicted, Gilani faces six months in jail and disqualification from office in a case that has fanned political instability and may force elections.

The court's announcement was the formal start to a process that will now take weeks or months to conclude. The next session will be on February 22.

Al Jazeera's Imtiaz Tyab,

reporting from the capital, Islamabad, quoted presiding judge Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk as saying: "Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani wilfully flouted, disregarded and disobeyed the courts".

The judge then went on to underline why under the constitution of Pakistan, the prime minister was being charged, our correspondent said.

"Now, we are going to see his legal defence submit their arguments as to why they don't believe the prime minister should be charged with contempt of court," Tyab added.

"The lawyer representing the prime minister, Aitzaz Ahsan, has asked to reappear in front of the court in 11 days time, but the fact remains that Pakistan's

longest serving prime minister has been charged with contempt of court."

The supreme court had insisted that Gilani appear for the framing of contempt charges over the government's two-year refusal to ask Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against the president.

Gilani has said corruption charges against Pakistan's president were "politically motivated" and that the president had immunity as head of state.

The court on Friday threw out a last-ditch appeal from the embattled prime minister, saying it would only drop the summons if Gilani obeyed its order to write to the Swiss authorities, asking them to reopen the cases.

s r a e l i diplomats have been targeted by car bombs in India and Georgia, leaving three injured and Israel's foreign minister promising a response.

An Israeli embassy car exploded in New Delhi, the Indian capital, injuring an Israeli diplomat and three other people, but it was not immediately known whether the explosion was caused by a bomb, officials said.

The Indian Foreign Ministry did not identify the wounded, but officials said the driver and a diplomat's wife were injured.

Another Israeli embassy vehicle was targeted in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, where the car's driver found a package attached to the undercarriage and police discovered and defused a grenade.

Binyamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, blamed Iran for the attacks on the Israeli embassy staff. "[Iran] is the biggest exporter of terror in the world," Netanyahu told members of his rightwing Likud party.

The Israeli leader said there had been a number of attempts to harm Israelis and Jews in recent months, in places such as Thailand and Azerbaijan, in a series of attacks co-ordinated by Tehran and Lebanon's Shia movement, Hezbollah.

"In all these incidents, those responsible were Iran and its protege Hezbollah," he said.

Israel would continue to act "with a firm hand" to stamp out "international terror coming from Iran," he said.

Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's foreign minister, told reporters in Jerusalem he knows "exactly who is responsible for the attack and who planned it".

"We're not going to take it lying down" Al Jazeera's Cal Perry, reporting from Jerusalem, said the attacks were "near simultaneous".

"That is going to lend weight to those who will point the finger at a larger organisation, maybe even a country like Iran, maybe Hezbollah," Perry said.

Russia 'to consider' Syria peacekeeper plan

R

u s s i a 's foreign minister says he is examining an Arab League proposal to send a peacekeeping mission to Syria, but that the bloodshed must end before any such mission takes place.

Speaking after a meeting yesterday in the Russian capital, Moscow, with his Emirati counterpart, Sergei Lavrov said there should be further dialogue in order to reach a peaceful solution to the crisis.

"We have joint efforts to support the [Syrian] people and

its aspiration and hopes for a better life, democratic development, joint effort for this aspiration to stop this bloodshed," he said.

"For this reason we need wide inter-Syrian dialogue and cooperation to find a solution or decisions which will meet the interest of all Syrians and which will rule out interference from outside."

On Sunday, the Arab League called on the UN Security Council to create a joint peacekeeping force for Syria and urged Arab states to sever all diplomatic contact with

President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Syria immediately rejected the moves, spelled out in a resolution adopted by the league's foreign ministers meeting in Cairo.

Arab foreign ministers also decided to halt all diplomatic dealings with representatives of the Syrian government, though they did not demand the expulsion of Syrian ambassadors from member states.

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal conveyed the 22-nation

league's deep frustration with Syria, telling delegates that it was no longer appropriate to stand by and watch the bloodshed.

"Until when will we remain spectators?'' he said. The bloodshed in Syria, "is a disgrace for us as Muslims and Arabs to accept".

The new efforts came a week after Russia and China vetoed a resolution at the UN Security Council that would have supported an earlier Arab League plan for Assad to give up power and begin a transition to a new government.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

‘I can’t stop eating plastic’ M

ost American teenagers fight the urge to binge on burgers or chocolate - but pretty Kailyn is addicted to eating PLASTIC. The 18-year-old, from Sacramento, California, has chewed her way through over 68kg of the stuff in 11 years and she is now the subject of a TV documentary about her bizarre habit.

Kailyn’s incredible consumption includes 5,000 beads, 1,000 cocktail swords, 100 forks, ten water bottles, 50 coat hangers and 25 plastic lids.

So great is her craving that the trainee waitress eats at least 15 pieces of plastic a day and has not gone a single day without her favourite treat since she was EIGHT. KAILYN, 18, has eaten plastic every day for last 11 years ·TV Biz Kailyn says: “Plastic is

Crazy craving ... Kailyn, 18, has eaten over 68kg of plastic in 11 years

something I want and I feel like I need.

“It’s not the taste I love, it’s the way it crunches and feels.

It has a rough but at the same time smooth texture to it.”

Remote control buttons are the brunette’s favourite snack and her total tally is now over 60,000 pieces of the harmful substance - which cannot be digested by the human body.

Kailyn’s waitressing job sadly feeds her wacky craving.

She admits: “Working at the restaurant, I come into constant contact with plastic cocktail swords.

“On a normal, non-stressful day, I will eat my way through 15 whole swords before leaving work.”

Kailyn is one of several unsual addicts featured on the TLC series, My Strange Addiction. Other bonkers compulsions covered on the show include bathing in bleach, sniffing petrol and eating cat food.

Girl, 13, is only dwarf twin in the world H

er sister Sienna suffers from primordial dwarfism and is thought to be the only one in the world with a normal-sized twin.

Sienna, 13, is just 4ft tall — the average height of a six-year-old — while Sierra measures a little over 5ft.

Sienna needs surgery for a spine curvature and has to wear hearing aids because the bones in her ears are so small. And it is unlikely that 2st Sienna will grow any more.

Both girls were born three months early and Sienna, who weighed just over a pound, was given a ten per cent chance of survival by doctors.

She recovered after 108 days in intensive care — but her condition was not diagnosed until she was six.

Primordial dwarfism is rare, with around 200 people affected worldwide.

Sienna said: “Most of the time I don’t care I’m different — it makes me feel special.”

She added: “Sierra looks out for me and we do loads together — shopping, swimming and singing.

“She can be bossy but she shows me how to flirt with boys, stands up for me if I’m teased and reaches things when they’re too high.”

Their mum Chrissy — who lives with the twins, their stepdad Joey and his son Austin, 17, near Houston, Texas — found out she was expecting twins six months into her pregnancy.

Sienna had been too small to be detected in the scans.

Chrissy said: “Sienna was five weeks behind in development and they said she might not survive, but I refused to believe the worst.

“I had a C-section at 34 weeks.

Family portrait ... twins Sienna and Sierra with mum, Chrissy, and stepdad, Joe

Tiny ... Sienna was born weighing 1lb and wore nappies smaller than an iPod It was terrifying, the girls were tiny and Sienna looked like an alien.

“She had a big head and her skin was transparent. We could hold her in one hand, she wore nappies that were smaller than an iPod, and we bought dolls’ clothes.

One-pound Sienna was so small that a wedding ring could fit around her arm.

Despite her tiny proportions, and a learning age of eight years old, Sienna enjoys learning Taekwondo, hip hop dancing and cheerleading.

Chrissy said: “Sienna doesn’t let it affect her — when she comes home she’ll often shout, ‘Dwarf in the house!’

“Though it sometimes gets her down that she can’t play volleyball like Sierra and the boys don’t show as much interest in her.”

Insurance agent Chrissy added: “As Sierra gets more independent, I worry about how Sienna will be affected — going shopping on her own wouldn’t be safe because she’s so small and has a lower learning age.

“But I try to treat the girls as

SIERRA Bernal stands head and shoulders above her sister — despite them being twins. equals. Sienna has a real passion for life and makes everyone laugh.

I’m so proud of both my girls.”

Sierra said: “In a lot of ways Sienna is just me, but smaller. Like any sister, she’s annoying — especially when she steals my clothes, even though my tops come down to her knees.

“But I’ll always protect her.”

Fun ... Sienna loves to laugh with her sister Sierra and never lets her dwarfism get her down

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Men can inherit higher risk of heart attack from father - and can pass danger on to their sons

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athers with a common genetic variant are at higher risk of heart disease and will pass the danger on to their sons, say scientists.

A study found men with a particular version of the male Y chromosome, were 50 per cent more likely to suffer from coronary artery disease (CAD), which can lead to angina, heart attacks and heart failure.

The effect was independent of traditional heart disease risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

It is hoped the discovery could prompt new treatments, or tests that could indicate those at particularly high risk of a heart attack.

Dr Helene Wilson, from the British Heart Foundation, which helped fund the research from the University of Leicester applauded the findings.

She said: ‘This study shows that genetic variations on the Y chromosome - the piece of DNA that only men have - can greatly increase a man’s risk of coronary heart disease.

‘Lifestyle choices such as poor diet and smoking are major causes, but inherited factors carried in DNA are also part of the picture.

‘The next step is to identify specifically which genes are responsible and how they might increase heart attack risk.

‘This discovery could help lead to new treatments for heart disease in men, or tests that could tell men if they are at particularly high risk of a heart attack.

‘One of the fascinating things about the study is that it might provide a partial explanation why north-western European men have more heart attacks than their counterparts in other parts of the world.’

A son receives a single Y chromosome from their father, and unless there is a random mutation, the inherited chromosome should be identical

More than 3,000 men taking part in three heart investigations - the British Heart Foundation Family Heart Study, the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study, and the Cardiogenics Study - were involved in the latest study.

A DNA analysis showed that 90 per cent of the men carried one of two common versions of the Y chromosomes, called haplogroup I and haplogroup R1b1b2.

Men in haplogroup I category, representing around 20 per cent of British men, had a 50 per cent higher risk of coronary artery disease compared with other men.

It is believed that the increased risk may be linked to the chromosome’s influence on the immune system, increasing the likelihood of inflammation, which is known to be linked to artery disease.

It is thought that the increased risk of heart attack is passed on to male offspring, as a son receives a single Y chromosome from their father, and unless there is a random mutation, the inherited chromosome should be identical.

Meanwhile females receive an X chromosome, from one of their mother’s two X chromosomes and one from their father.

Lead researcher Dr Maciej Tomaszewski, from the University of Leicester said: ‘We are very excited about these findings as they put the Y chromosome on the map of genetic susceptibility to coronary artery disease.

‘We wish to further analyse the human Y chromosome to find specific genes and variants that drive this association.’

Coronary heart disease, which reduces the delivery of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle, typically affects more men than women and results in around 94,000 deaths in the UK each year.

The findings are published in an early online edition of The Lancet medical journal.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

A study found fathers with a common genetic variant are at higher risk of heart disease, a danger which will be passed don to their sons

Fat people may be overweight because their brains say ‘keep on eating’ even when they don’t need the calories

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cientists have located a certain area of the brain that could be responsible for weight gain and obesity.

The central nervous system helps to control food intake and it has long been known that the brain influences how and what we eat.

However the latest finding suggest overweight individuals’ brains could be wired in such a way that they ‘constantly generate signals that promote eating’ even when the they don’t require food.

Participants involved in the research were exposed to images of food while their brain activity was monitored using functional MRI scans.

The results showed that morbidly obese subjects had a significantly higher glucose metabolism in the striatal region of the brain than lean participants.

This region is responsible for rewarding emotions and desires.

These findings are yet another step towards understanding how brain responses vary in people with weight problems.

Lead researcher Professor Lauri Nummenmaa from the University of Turku in Finland said: ‘The results suggest that obese individuals’ brains might constantly generate signals that promote eating even when the body would not require additional energy uptake.’

It is now hoped that the discovery will help develop more effective obesity intervention strategies.

Prof Nummenmaa, who worked with a team from Aalto University, added: ‘The results have major implications on the current models of obesity, but also

on development of treated with the hormone, pharmacological and scientists found their hunger was psychological treatments of reduced, and they gradually lost obesity.’

A previous study from Cambridge University found leptin, one of the key hormones responsible for reducing hunger and increasing the feeling of fullness, also controls fondness for food.

Patients with a rare genetic disorder resulting in a complete lack of leptin receptors in the brain were found to eat excessively and develop severe Scientists have located certain areas of the brain that could be responsible for weight obesity.

When they were gain and obesity

weight.

Although obesity typically results simply from excessive calorie intake, it is still unclear why some people are prone to overeating and gaining weight.

The results of the recent study appeared in the journal PLoS ONE. Obesity is when a person is carrying too much body fat for their height and sex and a person is considered obese if they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more.

In 2008, the latest year with available figures, nearly a quarter of adults (over 16 years of age) in England were obese.

The Foresight report, a scientific report used to guide government policy, predicted that by 2025, nearly half of men and over a third of women will be obese Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 37

Jonathan and unfulfilled campaign promises ANALYSIS It is almost a year into President Goodluck Jonathan’s four year tenure. A careful study of some of his policies, programmes and body language reveals how the Jonathan administration is fast drifting from the many promises it made during the electioneering campaign in 2011.

Abdullahi Yunusa dusts up some of those promises for reflection.

U

ndoubtedly, for very obvious reasons, President Goodluck Jonathan’s ascension to power remained the most controversial, beleaguered, tumultuous, rancorous and controversial in the nation’s chequered political history. In the build up to the last presidential poll, things went absurd. Age-long values such as truth, sincerity and morality all gave way for politics of deceit, lies, name-calling, betrayal of trust and money politics. In some instances, respected elder statesmen, party chieftains and clergymen stood truth on its head; and lies became the order of the day.

For his sake, Africa’s selfacclaimed largest party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against the stand of the majority of its members, tampered with the party’s constitution, a development which is still threatening the party’s soul.

Though, the dust raised by the illegitimate and screaming manipulation of the party’s zoning arrangement is gradually settling, many analysts are still of the believe that the development has set a bad precedence which will continue to remain a reference point for the wrong reason.

In the buildup of the last presidential poll, President Jonathan’s intellectual standing, age, humility and mien were what his supporters anchored their campaigns on. They believed that President Jonathan, judging from his track record as an academic, deputy governor, governor, vice president and later president, has a clear understanding of what the nation’s problems are and stands a better chance of solving them if elected.

His supporters took advantage of growing calls for those seen as the generation of old politicians to vacate the stage. The agitation for those termed as the “old” politicians or “those who have failed Nigeria” to give way for the new generation, which they concluded Jonathan belongs to. They leveraged on it, and like it is always said, the rest in now history.

Then, words such as “Transformation, Fresh air, Change, and Messiah” gained

prominence as most sponsored campaigns both in the print and broadcast media employed, at least, an appreciable number of the aforementioned words to pass their messages. To raise the tempo of their activities, supporters of President Jonathan organized rallies and programmes under different names. Transformation was the key word. For those in the camp of Mr. President, the Jonathan/Sambo ticket has got the magic wand to turn the fortunes of the country around.

According to them, a vote for the duo of Jonathan and Sambo was for economic stability, political liberation, virile economic and a progressive future. To achieve these, the services of technocrats, politicians, civil servants, clergies, musical artistes and even traditional rulers were sought. It worked like magic as the aforementioned, even against brazen rejection of President

President Goodluck Jonathan councils, where good roads will be constructed, where electricity supply will be steady, where quality education will be accessed by all; and Nigeria and where affordable housing will be enjoyed by all Nigerians, irrespective of social or economic status. A Nigeria where public office holders will be transparent and accountable in their daily engagements, the rights of everyone will be guaranteed and a Nigeria where corruption will be seen as taboo. The question however

“

Decay in various strata of the country is steadily on the rise. The gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening daily.

Poverty now walks tall on the streets as millions go to bed daily on empty stomachs.

Jonathan’s candidature, forced their subjects to queue behind them in their bid to ensure President Jonathan was returned to power.

Like a typical Nigerian politician who in his desperate quest to cling unto power will promise to turn deserts to forests and build bridges where there are no rivers within the shortest possible time if given the chance, President Jonathan reeled out a number of programmes he intend to implement if elected.

Relying completely on the wise words of wisdom of his godfathers, he assured Nigerians of a country that will flow with milk and honey.

A Nigeria where well equipped hospitals will be built across its 774

is, has anything changed since then or is it still business as usual?

Expectedly, most Nigerians, even against the dictates of their consciences, embraced the lofty campaign promises. The campaigns were heavy in all sense of it. It assumed very frightening dimension as it became an industry on its own. According to an election expert in the European Union Election Monitoring Team (EUEOM) for the 2011 general election, Miss.

Inta Lase, President Jonathan’s campaign was the “most expensive, sophisticated and well-funded” she has ever witnessed in her two decades of election monitoring and media practice. Groups under

amorphous names and identification funded by bodies such as the Neighbour to Neighbour, Door 2 Door and the rest were mobilized to take the “Transformation Agenda” mantra to the nooks and cranny of the country.

As planned, the election came, and the anointed candidate, President Jonathan, amidst wide condemnation that greeted the election emerged winner. In reaction to the outcome of the election, youths, women and members of the opposition took to the streets in various parts of the country.

Unfortunately, the peaceful protests staged in some parts of the country were hijacked by hoodlums and several lives were lost. The FG, in its usual way of using the military to clampdown on its citizens who disagree with it on certain contentious issues, deployed the military to wreck havoc on them.

Gradually, months into his administration, as events unfold, the true identity of which President Jonathan is began to manifest. First was his call for the review of the fouryear tenure for president as enshrined in the constitution to sixyear single term. Expectedly, the move was kicked against and eventually died a natural death.

His disdain for the commoners became obvious recently when he, against public outcry and complete rejection, removed subsidy on petroleum; a development that shot up the price of a litre of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called petrol to N150. The action resulted in weeklong street protests which shut down the entire nation in all fronts. After series of meetings with the organized labour and civil society groups, against Mr. President’s wish, both teams settled for N97 as the new pump price. For his supporters, it was

a betrayal of trust and confidence, while those on the other side of the divide saw the action as a manifestation of a danger foretold.

The argument fronted by the federal government was that earnings from the subsidy removal would be used to fix the economy.

In sharp response to the standpoint, opposition said without removing oil subsidy, Nigeria is rich enough to provide these social services to the people and the country’s economy will not collapse. They posited that the problem of our economy lies in inefficiency, waste and corruption; and that is what Jonathan needs to address, not to put undue burden on the masses.

Taking a swipe at the government recently, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, said the PDP-led federal government since the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria has been very disastrous.

“PDP regimes in the past twelve years of our democratic system are not only disastrous, but completely against the wishes and aspirations of the entire Nigerians,” said elRufai.

While speaking with newsmen in Yola, the Adamawa state capital recently, the former minister who is now a chieftain of the Congress for Progress Change (CPC) said that there can be no peace without justice, stressing that the foundation for security is to have justice and accountability, alleging that a situation whereby officials divert public funds for their personal use and refuse to do what should be done to better the lots of the ordinary Nigerians is always greeted with insecurity and other social vices.

The fiery politician identified failure of this administration to admit its incompetence is the biggest problem. “They should admit that they have failed the people. Security is the primary role of any serious government.”

In the submission of many, especially those who have kept tabs on happenings within government circle in the last one year, most of the promises made by the Jonathan administration are only being implemented on the pages of newspapers. Decay in various strata of the country is steadily on the rise.

The gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening daily. Poverty now walks tall on the streets as millions go to bed daily on empty stomachs.

Analysts are, however, lament that the Jonathan administration, judging from its weak response to issues, is far from delivering on its many campaign promises. His administration has earned the unenviable sobriquet of parading appointees who are largely clueless b both in thinking and in reactions to issues. The Jonathan regime has perfected the habit of setting the cart before the horse, a development many are not comfortable with.

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Garlands to the new Ciroman Keffi, Alh Salisu Maikasuwa ANALYSIS

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he Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, who could be safely described as the Permanent Secretary of the Legislative arm of government in the country, has left no one in doubt about his intellectual and physical capacity to discharge his primary responsibilities in the administration of the first arm of government. It is common knowledge that Nigerian politicians are about the most difficult human beings to work with, but Maikasuwa has been known to be able to balance the peculiarities inherent in the nation’s lawmakers with bureaucratic norms, without having to ruffle feathers.

The Keffi born bureaucrat, who rose through the ranks, has made a lot of impact in the administration of the National Assembly since he took over from his predecessor, Mr. Yomi Ogunyemi, who pioneered the developmental revolution Maikasuwa has been consistent in maintaining.

The maintenance of physical structure called the ‘WhiteHouse’ with emphasis on making the infrastructure work is by no means a mean task considering the enormity of challenges facing the public building. The CNA has made it part of his routine to personally inspect facilities in the building to ensure that they are all in good working condition.

The new Ciroman Keffi, in the wake of the resurgence of insecurity in the country, has made all efforts to fortify the National Assembly by putting strict security measures in place

On Saturday, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, would be conferred with a traditional title of Ciroman Keffi by the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Cindo Yamusa. Lawrence Olaoye looks into his contribution to the development of the Nation Assembly. to ward off possible attack on the institution. The CNA, in his effort to ensure near fool-proof security, engaged both human and technological approach for safety of lives and properties.

Maikasuwa, sensing the danger posed by the old disorderly car parking arrangement close to the ‘White House Complex’, improvised with a parking lot located some reasonable distance to the Assembly. When the members of staff and visitors alike began to complain about the distance they are made to trek before getting to their offices in the Annex and the Main Complex, the CNA ordered that a shuttle bus be introduced to ease movement.

Apart from the efforts to ensure that infrastructure are in top gear, Maikasuwa is a team worker who delegates authority and ensure that his colleagues are given ample room to express themselves. He runs an open and transparent system by opening his doors to people who may want to iron out whatever issues from him.

He believed that the management of the National Assembly and the Media should be collaborators in the nation’s political development. At the recent fund-raising dinner for the permanent structure of the Nigeria Union of Journalism (NUJ)’s secretariat and the International Institute of Journalism, Maikasuwa stated

Alhaji Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa “The National Assembly and the Media are partners in progress, committed to ensuring transparency, accountability and good governance. As the first and fourth Estate of the political realm therefore, we are not adversaries but allies in the business of nation building.

It is therefore important that we continue to build bridges of understanding and

partnership.”

The new Ciroman Keffi has a lot of local and national awards in his kitty. The former Secretary for the Committee on Movement to Abuja in 1991 was recently honoured, alongside the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, with Abuja Development Award by FCT Stakeholders Forum. He was honoured for contributing

significantly to the development of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, since he cut his teeth as a civil servant in the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

Maikasuwa rose through the thorns to become the CNA. He had the greatest challenge to his career when, between 2007 and 2009, he faced series of tribulations from the so called ‘cabal’ who wanted him eliminated.

The cabal attempted to frustrate him by refusing to give him an office accommodation and barring him from management meetings and other official assignments. An attempt was also made on his life, but he escaped death by whiskers.

On his appointment as the CNA, National Assembly officials, including directors of strategic departments, spoke glowingly about him as an intelligent bureaucrat they would be happy working with.

Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives described him as a very humble, hardworking and experienced person.

The Saturday event is expected to be a gathering of who is who in the nation’s bureaucracy and political circles. Political stalwarts and youth groups in Nassarawa state are expected to gather in Keffi in honour of one of their shinning lights.

Oyo re-run: INEC declares PDP winner, ACN heads for tribunal From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

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he Independent National E l e c t o r a l Commission (INEC) at the weekend declared Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Mr. Jimoh Hafeez Adelowo, winner of the the rerun election in Irepo-OorelopeOlorunsogo Federal Constituency.

Announcing the result at the constituency collation centre, the supervising Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Hussain Pai, said PDP candidate, Afeez Adelowo, polled 16,989 of the total valid votes cast, representing 54 per cent, to defeat his closest rival from Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Mr. Lanre Agoro, who got 14,922 votes representing 46 per cent of the valid votes.

The last weekend rescheduled election was fixed following the cancellation of

over 3,800 votes in seven disputed polling units where INEC had declared the earlier rerun election as inconclusive.

It would be recalled that the earlier scheduled re-run election was disrupted by violence, and more than 100 political thugs were arrested by a joint team of police and soldiers during the election.

In a swift reaction, the ACN in Oyo state has rejected the result of the re-run election held in Irepo/Oorelope/ Olorunsogo Federal Constituency with Mr. Afeez Adelowo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as declared winner.

The party, speaking through its state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dauda Kolawole, said PDP used its federal might to harass and intimidate voters through the deployment of soldiers and mobile policemen.

“We wish to state unequivocally that we reject the result of the re-run election in its entirety. The election was marred by low turn-out because of fear which had been created in the minds of the electorate.

“With the outcome of the election, our party has no choice than to approach the tribunal to

seek redress.

“All over the places where the elections were held, there were visible presence of soldiers and gun-wielding mobile policemen, a situation which forced most of the voters to stay indoors for fear of being molested by the security operatives.

“Even the very few voters who

managed to come out were not allowed to vote for the candidate of their choice, while the results were manipulated in favour of the PDP candidate,’’ ACN said.

The party wondered why the PDP saw the election as a do-or-die affair and had to deploy all the weapons in its arsenal as if it was going to war.

Jos North re-run election: DPP wins From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has over the weekend declared Suleiman Kwande of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) as winner of the much awaited Jos North/Bassa federal constituency re-run elections.

Mr. Y.S. Kundu, the INEC returning officer for the Jos North/ Bassa Federal Constituency

declared Kwande winner having polled total of 163,648 valid votes cast to defect his closest rival Peter Akuja of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 163,519.

It would be recalled that Akuja was declared winner of the April general election, but Kwande went to the election petition tribunal and challenged the exclusion of Dogon Agogo/ Ibrahim Katsina ward of Jos North Local Government Area and requested that result of the

ward should be included, which gave him victory. But Appeal Court however ordered for a re-run in the ward.

In compliance with the Appeal Court verdict, INEC fixed Saturday 11th February for the re-run in Dogon Agogo ward. The election commenced with accreditation of eligible voters, which started at about 8am and lasted till 12pm, when voting commenced amidst heavy presence of security.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 39

Nyako reinstates sacked SSG From Blessing Tunoh, Yola

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overnor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state yesterday swore in Mr. Kobis Ari Thimnu, to serve as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

The re-appointment of Kobis as the SSG was sequel to his sack alongside commissioners and other political appointees by former acting Governor Ahmadu Fintri during his two-week-old reign when the Supreme Court sacked Nyako and five other governors.

Nyako urged Chief Kobis to ensure he discharge his official duties without cutting corners or involving himself in acts that violate state policy or breach public trust, saying “to whom much is given, much is expected.”

The governor said Thimnu’s reappointment was based on merit and his experience on the job having served as a former SSG for years.

“You have served as a Secretary to the Adamawa State Government before, and your re-appointment; and subsequent swearing in is based on merit and hard work. Therefore, I implore you to brace up for the challenges ahead as we work to take our dear state to greater height.” The governor stated.

The SSG, on his part, thanked the governor for re appointing him and assured of his continuous loyalty to the administration, adding that he is not unmindful of the onerous task ahead but promised to put his rich experience in practice.

Guber Poll: ACN reaffirms Usani as its candidate for Cross River From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos

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he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has reaffirmed Pastor Usani Usani as its duly nominated gubernatorial candidate for Cross River, dispelling published reports that two ACN gubernatorial candidates have emerged in the state.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Pastor Usani emerged winner at its primary election held in Calabar, which was witnessed by INEC officials, the police and other security agencies.

It said the misinformation on the emergence of two gubernatorial candidates was engineered by the former chairman of the party in Cross River, Mr. Cletus Obun, who was apparently colluding with the PDP in the state to try to thwart an impending ACN victory in the governorship election slated for Feb. 25th.

“We are aware that Mr. Obun went to INEC to submit the nomination form for one Mike Ogar who, even though obtained the ACN forms, did not show up at the venue of the primaries in Calabar.

“Unfortunately for Mr. Obum, the form he took to INEC proved to be a worthless paper as none of the two authorized signatories, the National Chairman and the National Secretary, signed the form,’’ ACN said.

L-R: Bayelsa state Deputy Governor-elect, Mr. John Jonah, Governor-elect, Mr. Henry Dickson and his wife, Racheal Dickson, celebrating their victory at the polls in Yenagoa, on Sunday.

Photo: NAN

Certificate forgery: Tribunal insists on hearing case gainst Suswam From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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he Benue state Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Makurdi has declared that it would go ahead and hear the issue of qualification of Governor Gabriel Suswam of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Governor Suswam’s qualification to contest last year’s April governorship election has been a subject of contention by his rival and Action Congress of Nigeria,

ACN, candidate Prof. Steve Ugbah who alleged that the governor possesses fake and forged certificate.

Delivering ruling on the motion for judgment on ground three of the ACN petition, which bordered on certificate forgery, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Halima Mohammed, held that the issue had been settled by the Supreme Court which directed that the matter be heard on its merit.

She noted that the issue of certificate forgery was never

dispensed off by the last tribunal or the appeal, reminding the counsels that the petition was earlier struck out on the grounds that prehearing session was not properly activated, but the issue was subsequently dismissed by the Supreme Court.

Justice Mohammed also made reference to the Supreme Court judgment in the case between Prof. Daniel Saror of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, and Governor Suswam wherein it held that qualification of a

candidate, as well as presentation of certificate, is mandatory to contest governorship position.

“We have no option than to abide by the Supreme Court judgment which directed that the case must be heard on its merit. Presentation of certificate is important for the contest of governorship position; and so the petitioner’s motion succeeds,” Justice Halima stated.

The matter has been adjourned to today, Tuesday 13th February 2012, for continuation of hearing.

Bauchi Assembly: CPC crisis stalls presentation of candidate From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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nternal squabbles in Bauchi state chapter of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, has stalled efforts by the party to present its candidate for the forth coming bye election into the Bauchi state House of Assembly in Sakwa Constituency of Zaki Local Government Area The caretaker committee

chairman of the party in the state Aliyu Sa'idu stated this in a statement made available to Peoples Daily at the weekend in Bauchi He said that the party has no candidate for the Sakwa bye election; and advised their members to be patient since they "are working hard to reposition the party and solve all lingering internal problems, in order to fill

the party with good people who have the genuine ideology of General Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the chairman, "the reason why we decided to stay away from the election was part of the decision of the party not to field a candidate, due to the time factor. The two weeks given to us by the electoral body to submit the name of our candidate within a week, is not enough; the party

cannot be able to conduct primary election, and all effort towards producing a consensus candidate has failed due to the internal problems bedeviling the party."

It could be recalled that INEC had fixed 18th February for the bye election after the death of the member representing Sakwa Constituency, Alhaji Haladu Jalli, in the state Assembly last year.

Bayelsa: Atiku congratulates Dickson, PDP, commends peaceful conduct of election

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ormer Vice President Atiku Abubakar has yesterday commended the peaceful outcome of the Bayelsa state gubernatorial election, which produced Mr. Seriake Dickson of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as winner.

In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, Atiku Abubakar noted with delight that “the election passed off successfully without untoward incidents, contrary to the dark predictions

of violence.”

The former Vice President commended the entire PDP leadership, particularly the Bayelsa state chapter “for demonstrating maturity, unity of purpose and a sense of responsibility during the conduct of the election.”

According to him,” those who had predicted taking up arms against each other must have been disappointed with the peaceful and orderly outcome of

the election.”

Equally, the former PDP presidential aspirant advised the governor-elect, Dickson, to embark on the immediate task of re-unifying the party to enable him concentrate effectively on the demands of providing better quality of service to the people of Bayelsa State.

“Once a leader is elected, he doesn’t have to look back, but must focus on meeting the expectations of the electorate,

who are desperately looking forward to better days,” Atiku said.

Atiku also advised Dicson to initiate a reconciliation process in order to move the state forward, saying “the governor-elect cannot afford the distraction of defining people according to friends and enemies and should, therefore, initiate a reconciliation process that could rid Bayelsa state of needless bitterness, which is a precondition for development.”

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Boko Haram: Rep advocates dialogue R

By Lawrence Olaoye

ep. Badamosi Ayuba, representing the Dambatta/Makoda federal constituency has called on the federal government to dialogue with the Boko Haram members in order to end the regime of reckless killings and wanton destruction of properties in the North.

The lawmaker said the negative impact of the activities of the group has begun to tell on the populace as business activities in Kano and some other parts of

the north have begun to dwindle.

Ayuba lamented that people have begun to move away from the Northern part of the country as a result of the indiscriminate bombings of cities with attendant tolls on human lives and properties.

According to him, “The negative impacts of the recent attacks are not hidden. Because of this violence, people are already fleeing the city and when people flee, you know what it means for business and governance in such a place. And when this happens, that city is gradually going down”

“I belong to the class of the people who want government to put aside military approach and apply political solution which is simply dialogue. This is the position of the northern leaders after their recent meeting and I think government should consider this option” Ayuba however added, “As a Nigerian living in Kano, let me add to what the elders have said by appealing to the Jonathan administration that military solution is not a solution to end violence, rather you increase the spate of violence. In any society

where military option is considered ahead of dialogue, you discover later that you are increasing the violence and loss of lives. Just like the northern leaders have advised, I want government to look for these people, sit down amicably with them with a view to a peaceful end” While allaying the fear that if amnesty is granted the sect members, another militant group may spring up later with similar agitations, the lawmaker said “you never can tell what you don’t know yet, it is a mere speculation.

Negotiate first to save lives and let’s wait for whatever is coming.

It may happen or it may not; what we are saying is that you negotiate first and let normalcy return to our homes’’ Commenting on the heinous crimes already committed by members of the sect which may carry heavy court penalties, Ayuba was of the opinion that if late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua could forgive crimes of members of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) and their various atrocities, President Jonathan should not hesitate to toe similar line of action as a leader.

PDP lures Yari, as he attends Wamakko’s flag off campaign

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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here are strong indications that the Zamfara state governor, Abubakar Yari, who was elected on the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), might defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), apparently in an effort to retain his governorship position in the next general election.

This becomes more apparent considering his decision last Thursday to abandon the ANPP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, to attend PDP’s governorship campaign flag off in Sokoto state, which was headed

by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Though the governorship campaign flag off was not in his state, Yari was seen wearing the same uniform with President Jonathan, Namadi Sambo and other PDP stalwarts who accompanied Jonathan to Sokoto.

However, when the ANPP National Publicity Secretary, Emma Eneukwu, was contacted, he expressed shock over the issue, saying though Yari could not attend the NEC meeting to address a pressing state issue in Zamfara, the party was not aware that he attended the PDP governorship campaign flag off in Sokoto.

He said ANPP would investigate

the allegation to ascertain its truthfulness, with a view of giving appropriate sanction to him for anti party activity.

Meanwhile, it would be recalled that Sokoto state is one state among the five states for the governorship election, where ANPP is the most dominant opposition party, with an expressed determination to win the governorship seat, having lost it to Magatakarda Wamakko of PDP, after ruling it for eight years.

In addition, Yari, who was the ANPP candidate that wrest power from the PDP candidate in Zamfara, appears to be toeing the same line of action with Wamakko, who sought refuge in PDP after it became obvious to him that ANPP was no longer conducive for him.

It would be recalled that Peoples Daily reported earlier, that Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, shortly before the NEC meeting, accused former governor of Sokoto, Attahiru Bafarawa, for the defection of the incumbent Governor Wamakko, and other influential members from ANPP to PDP. BukarAbba equally blamed Bafarawa over the party’s poor performance in recent times, maintaining that Bafarawa made ANPP to lose most of its states to PDP.

Bayelsans voted their choice, says PDP

By Lawrence Olaoye

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he Peoples Democratic Party yesterday stated that the people of Bayelsa state at the weekend voted their choice as the governor in the recently conducted governorship election in the state.

The party, in a statement made available to newsmen by its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Rufa’i Ahmed Alkali, congratulated the new governor of Bayelsa state, Henry Seriake-Dickson and his Deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah for their victory at the election.

The statement read in part “The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the entire members of the Party nationwide wishes to felicitate with the Bayelsa State Governor elect, Hon Seriake Henry Dickson and his

Deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd), on their well deserved victory at the last Saturday’s Bayelsa state governorship election.

“This overwhelming mandate to our Party by the people of Bayelsa did not come as a surprise. It is a reaffirmation of our position that Bayelsa state is home of the PDP. We are particularly gratified that the people of Bayelsa came out and voted for the man of their choice in a free, fair and credible election. We are also confident that with this victory, the irreversible march towards the restoration of glory to Bayelsa state has commenced in full.

“We congratulate the entire people of Bayelsa for once more making the PDP their choice. We promise not to let them down. We similarly enjoin all those who contested the election to join hands with Hon. Dickson and ensure the success of his restoration programmes.

L-R: National Chairman, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Bisi Akande; Ekiti state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and his Osun state counterpart, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, during the opening ceremony of the first Legislative Summit, organised by Vintage Press, Publishers of The Nation Newspapers, at the Premier Hotel, in Ibadan, yesterday.

NNPP ready for Sokoto guber poll

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he New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has expressed its readiness to participate in the governorship election scheduled to hold on Feb. 18 in Sokoto State.

The National Secretary of the Party, Mr Agbo Gilbert, gave the assurance in Abuja on Monday.

He said the party was fully in contention.

“With free and fair election and without interference from any quarter, we are sure of coming out victorious.

“It is now time for a serious campaign and mobilisation of our

supporters in and around Sokoto state, telling them the reason why they should give us their support.’’

According to him, the party will give priority attention to grass roots transformation because of the need to give them some basic social amenities.

He said the people of Sokoto would be wiser to make a new choice of party with credible ideology and philosophy led by NNPP. He promised that there would be reconciliation of the fragmented ethnic groups and classes in order to create enabling environment for both

local and international investors.

According to him, education will be free at all levels because with a good education, the society is free from all sorts of social vices and poverty.

The scribe stressed that NNPP would also pay priority attention to women empowerment and create job opportunities for the youth to alleviate their sufferings.

Gilbert added that priority attention would also be given to agriculture, industry, mines, roads and provision of basic amenities for the benefit of the citizens of Sokoto state (NAN)

Adamawa: Forum urges opposition to work with Nyako

By Josephine Ella

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youth forum, Integrity Network has appealed to the opposition parties and their candidates to accept the victory of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state in good fate in order to collectively move the state forward.

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, the National Coordinator, Salihu Gorko, the youths urged the defeated parties to consider the outcome of the election as the triumph of the will of the people of the state,

"who by their votes unequivocally endorsed and chose for continuity in the administration of Governor Nyako".

"What we need is not division, hatred, violence or lawlessness but a leader who is visionary, compassionate and tolerant in respect of his/her believes to move our state to the next level," he emphasised.

The coordinator of the nonpolitical organisation enjoined the parties and their candidates to respect the wishes of the people and cooperate with the newly elected governor in

moving the state forward, rather than constituting any form of distraction.

On the other hand he urged the governor to on his part, embrace all his opponents, carry them along to contribute their own quota to the development of the state.

It would be recalled that Nyako was recently ousted out of office by a Supreme Court ruling on tenure elongation and re-contested the governorship ballot in the state in which he emerged winner. He has since been sworn-in, following his victory.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Why NFF bill is not passed into law – NASS

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he Chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Godfrey Giaya, has shed light on why the National Assembly in the last dispensation could not pass the Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) bill into law. According to him, the document presented to the National Assembly by the NFF was poorly drafted.

Giaya told newsmen in Abuja that the NFF bill was actually discussed and passed through three readings at the House, but encountered a problem in the Senate, which made it impossible for both Houses to reach a consensus on the passage of the bill before the end of last National Assembly.

“In the last National Assembly, there was an Executive Bill seeking to repeal an Act of 2004. The bill successfully passed through three readings in the floor and was supposed to pass for reading in the Senate but some loopholes were discovered in the bill.

This prevented its passage before the end of the 6th Assembly,” Gaiya said.

He said that it was a blessing in disguise that the bill was not passed into law in the 6th Assembly because after taking a critical look at the document NFF presented, it was discovered it was poorly drafted and there were a lot of discrepancies.

“After the end of the 6th Assembly, we discovered a lot of lapses that I even said it was good that the bill was not passed. The bill was badly drafted,” he said.

Former African champion apologises to NSF

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he Former African Scrabble champion, Dennis Ikekeregor, has apologized to Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) over his unruly behaviour and renege to pay 10 percent of the Presidential largesse given to them by President Goodluck Jonathan for winning the 2010 African Scrabble Championship (ASC) held in Ghana In a statement made to Peoples Daily Sports in Abuja by NSF rules and disciplinary committee chairman, Sulaiman Garba Gora, the player who was banned from taking part in all NSF programmes and events alongside nine other players has written a passionate letter of apology to the NSF disciplinary committee and paid the said 10 percent of the Presidential largesse into NSF’s account.

The statement further added that upon the apology by the player and payment of the largesse percentage, he has since been pardoned and readmitted into NSF accredited events.

He urged all member of NSF and players to accorded former African Scrabble king every rights and privileges due to him as NSF registered player.

He stated firmly that the NSF in the discharge of its responsibility, there will be nothing personal, but rather a commitment to discipline and continued the development of the Scrabble Institution which they are all equal stake holders.

While advising other misguided players to take a cue from Ikekeregor and come to their senses by apologising to NSF, noted without prejudice any habitual offenders will serve their penalties to the fullest.

PAGE 41

Stories by Albert Akota

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he Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi eventually settled for a 20man list yesterday morning for tomorrow international friendly match against the Lone Star of Liberia in Monrovia.

All the usual suspects were captured, including goalkepers Chigozie Agbim and Okemute Odah, defenders Azubuike Egwueke, Papa Idris and Juwon Oshaniwa, midfielders Gabriel Reuben and Bartholomew Ibenegbu and strikers Kalu Uche and Izu Azuka.

The team flew out of Abuja to Lagos aboard an Air Nigeria flight yesterday afternoon, and

Keshi picks Agbim, 19 others for Liberia Akwa United Azuka Ebinum

will be tough

will spend the night in Lagos before connecting another Air Nigeria airline flight to Monrovia today morning.

Keshi’s home boys will have an opportunity to feel the iger Tornadoes’ striker, Azuka Ebinum turf of the Antoinette Tubman Stadium today evening has said he foresees a difficult game before the clash against the Lone Star. against newly promoted side, Akwa The Nigeria Football Federation believes the game United. The encounter is a mid-week Matchday will prepare the home boys for the 2013 African Cup 9 holding in Calabar. of Nations qualifying match against Rwanda in Ebinum who has grabbed five goals for his side Kigali on February 29. this season was however grateful to teammate, Sibi Coach Keshi is scheduled to name his list of Gwar whose spot kick salvaged a point against ABS players for the Rwandan game immediately on Matchday 8 at the weekend. after returning from Monrovia.

The former Zamfara United goal-poacher said that The full list for Liberia: Akwa United, who suffered defeat on the road to Chigozie Agbim, Godfrey Oboabona, Juwon champions, Dolphins at the weekend, will surely come Oshaniwa, Gabriel Reuben, Uche Ossai, all out for victory.

Sunday Mba, Kalu Uche, Papa Idris, Henry “Akwa United will surely come out hard at us.

Uche, Osasco Omamo, Obinna “They are good side, and falling to Dolphins will make Nwachukwu, Izu Azuka, Ejike Uzoenyi, them tougher to handle.

Sunday Emmanuel, Kabir “We’re going there to give them good fight for the three Umar, Kingsley Salami, Uche Oguchi, points.

Okemute Odah, Bartholomew “Thank God, we didn’t lose against ABS, we picked a point Ibenegbu, Azubuike Egwueke. from Sibi’s penalty.

“The point in that game will make us look steel to face Akwa United on Wednesday,” he said.

Ebinum would not commit himself to the number of goals to expect from him in the encounter.

“I will use my chances as it comes but I am more particular about us winning,” he said.

N

Nothing special for Enyimba – Emordi

E

Stephen Keshi

nugu Rangers’ manager, Okey Emordi has said there is no special plan for his side’s mid-week Matchday 9 game against former team, Enyimba. Emordi left the former African and Nigerian champions at the end of the 2010/2011 season to pitch tent with the Coal City side.

Emordi, who took his wards to llorin to snatch a point at Kwara United on Matchday 8 at the weekend, said that the oriental crunch tie is a normal game.

He insisted that he will simply instruct his wards to go for the maximum points. “There is no special plan or preparation for the game against Enyimba. “Both teams know each other inside out. “It’s a normal game against a usual side. We pray for a good game so that we can pick the three points. “Naturally, as a human, I may show some form of emotion and psychology, but I am a professional. “I have moved on, so I will be instructing my players to go for total victory,” Emordi said.

Enugu Rangers are fourth on the log with 12 points from seven matches and Emordi believes his wards are on a good path to vie for the league shield this season.

“We’re not doing badly at the moment even though there are grounds to cover. “I try to motivate the boys to give their best, and they are responding very well.

“Already you can guess the way they are going and Okey Emordi if they continue surely the league title will not elude us at the end,” he said.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Zambia skipper wins valuable player award

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kipper of cup-winning Zambia, Christopher Katongo, has been picked by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as the best player of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

‘Tsunami’, as the Chipolopolo captain is known by the fans, inspired his country to a first-ever Nations Cup triumph after they lost the finals in 1974 and 1994.

Katongo succeeded Egypt skipper Ahmed Hassan, who was the MVP for the 2010 competition in Angola.

The China-based forward also scored three goals, but it was his Zambia teammate Emmanuel Mayuka, who also scored three goals, who was picked as the Goal King of the AFCON. Katongo and Mayuka as well as goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene and central defender Stoppila Sunzu were picked by CAF in their Tournament XI, while the outstanding Rainford Kalaba made the bench.

I warned Drogba before penalty miss – Zambia keeper

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ambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene said he warned Ivory Coast star forward Didier Drogba that he would miss his penalty if it wasn’t genuine.

Mweene teased Drogba in last night’s Africa Nations Cup final with a blind man gesture just before he missed a 68th minute penalty.

The Elephants had won the penalty after Isaac Chansa brought down Gervinho.

“Before he (Drogba) took the penalty I told him that if it’s a genuine penalty you won’t score and that you won’t even score if it wasn’t genuine. I said you won’t even see the goal,” the Free State Stars ‘keeper said “He took it and he hit it over the bar and I told him: you see it wasn’t genuine then he looked at me and just smiled.”

Mweene said that Drogba’s penalty miss was an early sign that Zambia would win the Africa Cup. The Goalkeeper of the Tournament said he wasn’t surprised that Drogba returned in the post-match penalties to successfully convert in a scoreless final that ended 8-7 on spot-kicks in favour of Zambia.

“He was nervous when he was taking it after the first miss that’s why he took his time,” Mweene said.

Cote d’Ivoire won the Fair Play Award.

CAF 2012 Nations Cup Tournament XI. Goal keeper 16 KENNEDY MWEENE (Zambia) Defenders 6 GOSSO JEAN-JACQUES GOSSO (CIV) 13 STOPPILA SUNZU (Zambia) 5 JOHN MENSAH (Ghana) 3 ADAMA TAMBOURA (Mali) Midfielders 20 EMMANUEL MAYUKA (Zambia) 19 YAYA GNEGNERI TOURE (CIV) 10 KOUASSI GERVAIS YAO (CIV) 12 SEYDOU KEITA (Mali) Strikers 11 CHRISTOPHER KATONGO (Zambia)

Christopher Katongo

Top 10 flops in 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Attendances hough both Gabon and Equatorial Guinea did a great job in hosting the tournament, the one area they failed to come to grips with was the poor attendances.

Apart from matches involving the two host teams, empty seats more often than not outnumbered spectators.

The worst example was Zambia’s 30 win over Sudan in the quarterfinals when the Esatdio de Bata, with a capacity of 37,500, had no more than a couple of hundred people in it.

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Senegal Enough has been written and said about Senegal’s shocking failure at the 2012 Nations Cup, so we won’t go on anymore about it here. They came into the tournament as one of the favourites and were sent packing in the group stages after three successive defeats. Ouch!

Demba Ba

It was a major problem for the Black Stars at this tournament and when they look back on just why they failed to live up to their favourites tag, it will definitely feature high up on the list.

Gervinho

Ghana’s discipline Three players sent off in the space of six games points to a serious lack of discipline in Ghana’s ranks.

gave a tournament-long master class in the art of goalkeeping; the standard of glove work at the Nations Cup was generally pretty ropey.

The nadir was Aymen Mathlouthi’s inexplicable howler that gifted Ghana a 2-1 wins over Tunisia in the quarterfinals.

Asamoah Gyan

CAF may have included Gervinho in their team of the tournament, but apart from his (admittedly superb) solo goal against Mali in the semifinals, he was a major disappointment for Cote d’Ivoire.

His finishing, final pass or cross and link-up play was sub-standard. He then underlined his struggles with a nervy miss in the final’s penalty shootout.

Morocco

Almost all of Senegal’s attacking players were disappointing at the Nations Cup, but none of them came into the tournament with red-hot form like Demba Ba. He was banging in goals left, right and centre for Newcastle in the Premier League, but at Afcon 2012 he simply failed to fire.

He then returned to the Magpies and scored in his first game back, as did Papiss Cisse on his debut for the club.

Kennedy Mweene

11 DIDIER DROGBA (CIV) Subs 1 BOUBACAR BARRY (CIV) 4 Fernando DA GRACIA GOMEZ (EQG) 7 YOUSSEF MSAKNI (Tunisia) 9 MATEUS CONTREIRAS MANUCHO (Angola) 9 PIERRE EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Gabon) 9 SADIO DIALLO (Guinea) 9 CHEICK TIDIANE DIABATE (Mali) 11 ERIC MOULOUNGUI (Gabon) 13 HOUSSINE KHARJA (Morocco) 17 MUDATHIR ELTAIB IBRAHIM (Sudan) 17RAINFORD KALABA (Zambia) 20 KWADWO ASAMOAH (Ghana).

Asamoah Gyan came into the tournament under an injury cloud and, apart from his brilliant free kick goal against Mali in the group phase; he looked a shadow of himself.

His weak penalty miss in the semifinal against Zambia summed up the kind of Nations Cup he had.

Big-name penalties

strikers

taking

Talked of as ‘dark horses’ for the title, Morocco were eliminated after losing their first two group games to Tunisia and co-hosts Gabon.

They at least salvaged a little pride with a win over Niger in their last match, but it was still a dreadfully disappointing showing from the North Africans.

Burkina Faso we can say the same for Burkina Faso’s Stallions. Sure, they were in a tough group, but to go home with no points at all?

Not good enough, especially from coach Paulo Duarte, who blamed pretty much everyone and everything, but himself for his side’s abject failure.

Goalkeeping While Zambia’s Kennedy Mweene

Didier Drogba missed two penalties, including one in the final; Asamoah Gyan fluffed one in the semifinal; Gabon’s star Pierre Aubameyang missed in the quarterfinal shootout against Mali; and Gervinho fired wide in the final’s penalty shootout.

For some inexplicable reason, most of the continent’s best attackers were pretty useless when it came to spot kicks.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 43

Zambia coach dedicates win to crash dead

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ambia coach Herve Renard dedicated his side’s Africa Cup of Nations win to the victims of the plane crash that killed 18

members of the team in 1993.

The Chipolopolo beat Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in Libreville, Gabon, to secure the trophy for the first time.

Zambia coach, Herve Renard

Renard also praised the courage of Kalusha Bwalya, an iconic figure in Zambian football who would have been on the 1993 flight - which was taking the Zambia squad to a World Cup qualifier in Senegal when it crashed shortly after take-off from Libreville airport, killing all 30 people on board - but had made his own way there.

“Kalusha was one of the best Zambian players of the last century,” Renard said.

Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Bwalya, in turn, praised the French coach, and immediately looking ahead to the upcoming Nations Cup 2013 and World Cup 2014 qualifiers, said Renard “can stay as long as he wants”.

“I think that if he brings that discipline, that ambition that he has, as a coach, I think that he has made a statement for himself,” Bwalya told BBC Sport.

Stoppila Sunzu converted the winning spot-kick in the final

for the jubilant Zambians, after Arsenal striker Gervinho missed for the Elephants following a goalless 120 minutes.

The defeat saw Ivory Coast miss out on their second title, despite not conceding a goal from open play in the entire competition.

Renard also described his side’s unlikely triumph as an “enormous” achievement.

“My players were magnificent,” he said. “I know we’re not the best but we have a strength and force that animated our team and made us African champions. They might make some tactical mistakes here and there but you can see the talent.

“This is something enormous - something that appeared unrealizable before the competition began,” added Renard, who managed Cambridge United briefly in 2004, before spending two years in charge of French side AS Cherbourg.

Drogba

Drogba may play one more Afcon

‘Afcon future brighter I after Zambia win’ Z

ambia’s poignant and heart-warming triumph at the Nations Cup capped a tournament which was strong on emotion, easy on the ears and may be on the rise again after hitting a low point in Angola two years ago.

Lying 71st in the world rankings, with a squad based on little-known, African-based players and playing only a few kilometres from the scene of an air crash which wiped out their team in 1993, Zambian’s win left even their own coach Herve Renard lost for words.

They found the strength, I don’t know where,” he said after they beat the Ivory Coast’s team of European-based players 8-7 on penalties on Sunday following a goalless draw.

There is something written somewhere,” added Renard, who himself abandoned a playing career after realizing he was not good enough and spent 10 years running a cleaning company.

After winning, the Zambian team held up banners remembering their side that died in an air crash following a stopover in Gabon on the way to a World Cup qualifier in Senegal in 1993.

It was the sort of fairytale which simply could not happen in the big-money world of European club football and may help the Nations Cup to gain new appeal.

The tournament was once regarded as an exotic sideshow associated with the old clichés about colourful fans, tactically naive teams and voodoo on the

pitch.

Around 10 years ago, with the influx of African players to Europe, it suddenly found itself being taken seriously, so much so that European club coaches complained at having to release their players.

As European interest grew, a new reality struck. The football was often dull and defensive and, although the

Zambia team celebrating

fans were colourful, there were not many of them with most games played in empty stadiums.

Chaotic organisation and controversial refereeing, particularly in Egypt in 2006, further lowered the outside world’s perception.

It reached a possible low point two years ago in Angola when Togo pulled out of the

tournament after two members of their delegation were killed in an ambush on the team bus in the province of Cabinda.

Although the tournament went on, the football was poor and attendances dismal while the outrageous prices, chaotic transport and visa restrictions which barred many would-be visitors all left a sour taste in the mouth.

vory Coast’s golden generation, led by Didier Drogba, could have one final shot at the African Nations Cup title thanks to the intricacies of the international soccer calendar.

Drobga, 33, has taken part in four Nations Cups and seen his side lose twice on penalties in the final, once in the semifinals and once in the quarters, despite invariably being billed as favourites and playing some of the best football.

This year’s tournament looked to be the last chance for the likes of Drogba, Didier Zokora and Kolo Toure who under normal circumstances would have to wait two years for another crack at the title.

But the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has switched the competition to odd years rather than even so that it no longer takes place in the same season as a World Cup. Rather than wait three years until the next Nations Cup, CAF has decided to that the competition will be held in 2013, in South Africa.

“If they still have the motivation they can still play an important role for the team,” said coach Francois Zahoui, whose own future is the subject of speculation, after they lost on penalties to Zambia in Sunday’s final after a goalless draw.

Zahoui, determined to end Ivory Coast’s habit of playing attractive football but failing to win the trophy, had banked on a more pragmatic approach and his team got through their six games without conceding a goal.

But his lacked of ambition cost them in the final against opponents who were always adventurous despite their underdog status.

PAGE 44

Ireland edge Kenya in Intercontinental Cup clash

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reland clinched a 10-run victory over Kenya inside two days in an extraordinary Intercontinental Cup match in Mombasa.

In a low-scoring contest, Ireland’s second innings of 152 left the hosts needing only 119 to win but they were bowled out for 108.

Spinner Albert van der Merwe claimed six second-innings dismissals as he completed an 11-wicket match haul.

George Dockrell took nine wickets in the match as spin completely dominated.

Ireland began the second day on 81-2 in their second innings with Joyce unbeaten on 51. However, he was only able to add three more runs to his tally before being trapped leg before wicket by Hiren Varaiya with Andrew White the next best Irish scorer on 26.

Set only 119 to win, Kenya progressed to 16-0 before Dockrell and Van der Merwe’s intervention saw the host’s slump to 23-3 and then 36-8.

However, tail-enders Nelson Odhiambo and Varaiya put on 68 runs for the ninth wicket as the Kenyans moved to 94-8.

But Van der Merwe made the crucial breakthrough, having Odhiambo caught

by Captain William Porterfield for 32.

Irish nerves were strained still further as 11th man Shem Ngoche quickly moved to 13 but Varaiya was caught by White off the bowling of Van der Merwe for 27 as the visitors completed a nervy 10-run win.

The Irish had been skittled out for 75 in their first innings with the Kenyans making 109 in reply.

Ireland currently tops the Intercontinental Cup table after three fixtures, well clear of the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan in jointsecond.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Evans guides Britain to Davis Cup D

an Evans kept his nerve to win the deciding rubber as Great Britain beat Slovakia 3-2 in their Davis Cup tie.

The 21-year-old beat Martin Klizan, who is ranked 156 places higher in the world, 6-1 6-1 4-6 3-6 6-3.

Earlier, James Ward lost 6-7 (9-11) 1-6 3-6 to Lukas Lacko to leave the Europe/Africa Group I tie level at 22. But Evans’s win gave coach Leon Smith a fifth successive Davis Cup triumph and set up April’s secondround tie with Belgium in Glasgow.

However, despite the victory, Smith admitted that world number four Andy Murray would be an automatic choice for the next tie should he be fit.

Evans, who had not won a Davis Cup rubber before this weekend, will have done his chances of playing in the tie

against Belgium, at the Braehead Arena from 6-8 April, no harm by winning both of his singles matches.

The world number 276 broke Klizan in the opening game before racing into a 5-0 first-set lead, and broke twice in the second as he took charge of the match.

Klizan broke again in the opening game of the fourth set as the momentum of the rubber shifted and the Slovakian set up a nervy decider.

Coach Smith intervened with a pep talk for Evans. He revealed: “At the start of the fifth we said clear it, get back on the front foot and play it on your terms.”

The talk worked as the Birmingham youngster broke in the third game and held on to his serve before a Klizan double-fault at match point gifted him the rubber and tie.

Mickelson wins Pebble title as Woods fades

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hil Mickelson shot a flawless eightunder-par 64 to overturn a six-shot deficit and win the Pebble Beach ProAm by three shots on 16 under par.

The American hit three birdies and an eagle in his first six holes to wipe out the overnight lead of Charlie Wi, who dropped four shots early on.

Wi closed with three birdies to finish with a 72 to end second on 15 under. Tiger Woods bogeyed the final three holes on the front nine on his way to a 75 as he dropped back to eight under. The former world number one opened with five pars and a birdie but a run of bogeys on the seventh, eighth and ninth left him struggling after his playing partner Mickelson had enjoyed a fast start.

Mickelson birdied the second and fourth holes to draw level with Woods. A further birdie on the fifth, followed by an eagle on the sixth, catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard as Wi, who four-putted the first to drop two shots, let further shots go on the fifth and sixth. Woods rolled in a 13-foot putt for par on the 10th to stop his run of bogeys, and then looked set to make a significant inroad into Mickelson’s lead on the 12th.

Britain rowing Jurgen to shuffle squad

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Wales favour Gatland to coach Lions

eam Britain rowing Coach Jurgen Grobler is to overhaul the men’s squad ahead of the London Olympics.

Pete Reed and Andrew Triggs Hodge, who have been racing in a pair, are likely to move into the four in place of Matt Langridge and Ric Egington. Grobler has 18 rowers in his squad but only 14 seats for the Olympic Games. The GB trials take place on 10-11 March, ahead of the World Cup start in April, with Olympic selection in June.

Reed and Triggs Hodge are regarded as Grobler’s strongest oarsmen but since the last Olympic Games they have been beaten 14 times in succession by New Zealand’s Hamish Blair and Eric Murray, leaving the Britons with World Championship silver for three years in a row. The pair was part of the goldmedal winning four in Beijing, along with Tom James and Steve Williams, and Grobler looks set to return them to that boat ahead of London.

However, moving Reed and Triggs Hodge into the four would dismantle the line-up of Egington, Langridge, James and Alex Gregory that won the world title last year and remained unbeaten throughout the season.

W

arren Gatland is in pole position to coach the British and Irish Lions on the 2013 tour to Australia after the Welsh Rugby Union gave its approval.

Gatland’s Wales deal has a five-month break clause but it is thought the WRU will allow a six-month sabbatical.

It is likely that one of Gatland’s back-room assistants - Rob Howley, Robin McBryde, Shaun Edwards and Neil Jenkins - or a combination of them would take over the Wales reins temporarily.

A motion put before the WRU board is understood to have been passed unanimously to allow Gatland to fulfil his ambitions and enhance the reputation of Welsh rugby.

Lions team manager Andy Irvine has previously said that their preference was to have the 2013 coach “available effectively a year out”.

The New Zealander coached Wales to the 2008 Grand Slam and impressed under McGeechan on the 2009 tour that the Lions narrowly lost in South Africa.

Wales earned plaudits and admirers for their performances in the 2011 World Cup, where they finished fourth, and currently lead the Six Nations standings after wins over Declan Kidney’s Ireland and Andy Robinson’s Scotland - two other Lions coaching options.

Phil Mickelson

Dan Evans

Jurgen Grobler

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

PAGE 45

P i c t o r i a l

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Pix 1: Phil Mickelson shoots a flawless eight-under-par 64 to overturn a six-shot deficit and win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Pix 2: England makes good progress after winning the toss and batting in the first one-day international against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.

Pix 3: The Welsh Rugby Union is happy for Warren Gatland to coach the British and Irish Lions to Australia in 2013 should he be asked.

Pix 4: Dan Evans keeps his nerve to win a five-set deciding rubber as Great Britain beat Slovakia 3-2 in their Davis Cup tie.

Pix 5: Man City's running away striker Carlos Tevez will return to the club this week but claimed in an interview that manager Roberto Mancini treated him like a dog and said 'horrible things' to him.

Pix 6: Mick McCarthy has been sacked as Wolves boss after five-and-a-half years in charge, with the club in the Premier League bottom three.

Pix 7: Zambia coach Herve Renard dedicated his side's Africa Cup of Nations win to the victims of the plane crash that killed 18 members of the team in 1993.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

G

erard, how does it feel to be chosen as part of the FIFA/ FIFPro World XI again?

It’s a real honour being part of a team alongside the world best, even more so because this XI was chosen by our fellow players, who are the ones that know best.

That selection capped another wonderful year, during which you and Barcelona won almost every competition you entered.

What was the secret behind all this success?

Ever since he came back to the club, he has kept us at the very top thanks to the way he sees football and the way he motivates us. We won virtually everything last year, which makes me very proud and satisfied. Particularly because I’m doing all of this on my home turf, at my hometown club and the one I’ve always supported.

Staying on Guardiola, can you give us a little more insight into what makes him such a special coach?

On one hand, he sees football in ways nobody else does, and then he explains it better than anyone. Lots of coaches just tell you to move right or move left, but he gives you the reasons why, which mean you clearly understand why you’re doing something. And so, without even realizing it, you learn more and more every day and start to make your own decisions out on the pitch.

On top of that, you have the way he motivates us. Loads of teams have won a lot of titles but then started losing their hunger, whereas we’re getting hungrier all the time. We want to have that feeling of pleasure, when you feel like you’re the best, again and again. Pep doesn’t let us take our foot off the pedal.

He’s always on our case and trying to get the very best out of each one of us.

winning titles and falling short.

Barcelona has often deployed a back three this season. Where did the idea come from and how have the team gone about working on it?

We started doing it in pre-season more or less, and the gaffer got the idea because he felt we were getting too predictable: everyone knew all about us and played with every man behind the ball. The idea behind the 3-4-3 is to make us more attacking, give us more possession, and help us create more goalscoring chances. Having started working on it in pre-season, we’ve had to grow more comfortable with it during the season, because it’s not an easy system.

You have to do much more running. After matches you’re noticeably more tired because you have to deal with more attacks, you get pulled out into wide areas. It’s more punishing for the centre-backs. That said, it’s been a very good thing for me personally, as it’s made me more versatile.

You’ve been privileged enough to work under two greats in the shape of Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson. How different are they?

Ferguson is a manager and he often doesn’t come down to the training pitch. He stays in his office and does a lot of different tasks at the club. I think that he’s more of a father figure, at least that’s how he was with me when I joined them at 17. He was a great motivator: the way he spoke in the moments before games was fantastic. Guardiola, meanwhile, spends all day with the players and then sits through ten hours of video so he can show us footage of our opponents and how to attack them. Maybe it’s simply a question of how long they’ve been coaching: Pep’s just starting out while Sir Alex is much more experienced.

Pep Guardiola

Pique

When we spoke to Guardiola himself, he told us how important it was to treat players like adults and make them responsible for In general terms though, there are major differences between their own actions… the role of a coach in Spain and a manager in England, right?

He makes you feel like a professional. It seems like he gives us more freedom, Yes, even the dugouts in the Premier League are higher up and aren’t but in fact what he does is give us decision-making power. It’s as if he were covered - you’re almost sat right next to the fans! The countries have different saying, ‘Do you really want to make a living doing this? Do you want to be the cultures and their football is different too. It’s very passionate in England, greatest and it’s a fiesta: win lots of you turn up trophies? It all and there’s a depends on brilliant you. I’ll let you atmosphere, spend the night t h e before a game stadium’s at home, doing full and the whatever you fans never like, but you s t o p should know cheering you that if you don’t on, even if play well, you y o u ’ r e losing.

In won’t start the Spain it’s a next match.’ bit trickier, This makes you culturally much more speaking, mature as well as because the making you feel fans tend to you owe him stay at home something, so you more and the feel like you have to stadiums are only perform out on the Ask anyone to make a list of the finest defenders on the planet and the full for the bigger pitch. chances are that Gerard Pique’s name will feature. Boasting an exquisite blend games.

Perhaps He sees football in of skill, strength and intelligence, the classy 24-year-old has proved himself we’re a bit more ways nobody else does, one of the most complete performers around for club and country in recent reserved in that and then he explains it years. sense, we don’t get better than anyone. Lots of behind the players as coaches just tell you to move A serial medal collector with his beloved Barcelona and a 2010 FIFA World Cup much, but we do demand right or move left, but he gives South Africa™ winner with Spain, Pique’s fellow professionals have also voted more from them. you the reasons why, which him into the FIFA/FIFPro World XI for the past two years. In conversation with mean you clearly understand why FIFA.com, the former Manchester United man took the time to tell us about his Finally, though 2011 was you’re doing something. Gerard extraordinary recent success and the challenges that lay ahead in 2012. undoubtedly a wonderful Pique on Pep Guardiola year, there are greater challenges ahead in 2012. In La Something else that also Liga, for instance, Real Madrid is catches the eye is that this Barça already clear at the top and team proved they can find their Barça have found the going best form on the biggest tougher.

What are your occasions, such as the 2011 UEFA thoughts on that?

Champions League final against I suppose that when you’ve won as Manchester United and in much as we have, it makes things clásicos against Real Madrid… tougher, because every opponent I thought we played a brilliant game gives 110 per cent. In their eyes, being against United. Not only was it one of able to beat us is a real feat. Besides the best performances I’ve been which, our games are seen across the involved in, it was one of the best I’ve globe and everyone puts us under the ever seen. Not just the result, but the microscope. However much we want way we won too by playing well, to try new things and make small dominating the game and creating adjustments, people know how we chances. Normally in finals you see a play, sit very deep and line up with six lot of nervousness, with teams just or seven defenders, especially away trying to grab a goal and then cling on from home. At Camp Nou the pitch is to a 1-0 win. The same thing happened bigger, so there’s more space, and the against Madrid (as against United), fans apply pressure and it makes things because we’re now so used to playing easier. We’ve also been a little short of games that are like finals. This team luck recently. Anyway, the only thing knows how to perform on the big we can do is keep working hard and occasions and it’s slight edges like that the wins will come as will the which make the difference between silverware. I’ve no doubt about that.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Wolves fire manager, McCarthy Wolverhampton Wanderers sacked their manager Mick McCarthy yesterday, a day after they lost 5-1 at home to local rivals West Bromwich Albion and slipped back into the bottom three of the Premier League.

McCarthy, 53, was appointed Wolves manager in July 2006, winning promotion to the Premier League in 2009 but has lost his job following Wolves’ fourth successive home league defeat.

Sunday’s defeat means Wolves have picked up only one point from their last six home matches and have won only once in their last 13 in all competitions.

McCarthy apologised afterwards to Wolves fans, many of whom protested by the statue of Billy Wright, who skippered them to three League titles in their 1950s heyday.

Wolves, one of England’s top clubs in the 1950s, winning the title in 1954, 1958 and 1959, later fell as low as the fourth division in the late 1980s before climbing back to the top.

They had one season in the Premier League in 2003-04 before returning to the second tier until McCarthy took them back in 2009. They started this season well; winning their opening two games but has won only three league matches since then.

Their last victory was the 21 win at Queens Park Rangers on Feb.4 which McCarthy described as the result to kickstart their revival, but sadly for him that optimism was crushed by West Brom, their fiercest local rivals.

McCarthy, who previously managed Millwall, Ireland and Sunderland, was the third Premier League manager to part company with his club this season following Steve Bruce at Sunderland and Neil Warnock at QPR.

Mick McCarthy

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Zambia win “written in stars”

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ambia coach Herve Renard believes his team’s surprise victory over Ivory Coast in Sunday’s African Nations Cup final was “written in the stars”.

Nineteen years after a plane crash that killed 18 members of the Zambia squad in Libreville, the Chipolopolo returned to the capital of Gabon to record the most famous victory in the country’s history.

Renard’s side took favourites Ivory Coast to extra-time and then won a dramatic penalty

shoot-out when Gervinho missed and Stophira Sunzu stepped up to slot home for Zambia.

After being crowned champions of Africa, Renard said: “We know what we wanted to honour this evening.

It was a sign of destiny, written in the stars. There was a force with us. I think God has helped us and given us strength.”

At the final whistle, Renard embraced Kalusha Bwalya, the Zambian Football Federation chief and only survivor of the

ill-fated ’93 national team, who also appointed him coach of Zambia in 2008, and again in 2010.

Renard said: “Kalusha was one of the best Zambian players of the last century. Then he was coach of the national team, now our president.

“He survived the crash - he was supposed to have been on that plane which was going to play a World Cup qualifier against Senegal. He knows how terrible this crash was for the nation.

Kalusha Bwalya

England should recall Scholes, says Redknapp

H

arry Redknapp says he would lure Paul Scholes out of international retirement if he is handed the task of being England’s next manager.

Redknapp pinpointed the Manchester United midfielder

as a potential key player for England’s Euro 2012 campaign in Poland and Ukraine, with the Tottenham manager becoming the increasingly likely choice to replace Fabio Capello.

Scholes, who last played for

England in 2004, retired from football altogether at the end of last season, and Redknapp believes his return to the international stage would be just as successful as his club comeback.

Redknapp also stated his

admiration for other veteran England midfielders Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker, with the Spurs boss indicating the latter pair would be his preference to succeed John Terry as national team skipper.

Dunne out for two months

A Richard Dunne

ston Villa manager Alex McLeish has suffered a double injury blow with key defenders Richard Dunne and Ciaran Clark both sidelined.

Clark damaged knee ligaments after catching his studs in the turf during training but Dunne is the major concern after it was confirmed the centre-back had

broken his shoulder in the dying stages of Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester City.

Dunne suffered the injury in after falling heavily when challenging England keeper Joe Hart for a cross and undergo surgery in Birmingham later yesterday.

Manager McLeish, whose Villa side is on a run of just two

wins in their last nine Premier League games, said: “As for Ciaran, he’s tweaked a ligament and we will lose him for a few weeks. It’s not an overnight return either.’’

Following Sunday’s defeat, a clearly unhappy McLeish said: “Our home record is pretty abysmal. I’m disappointed with that because in my managerial career.

Argentina has cost him millions in lost wages and he has been fined six weeks’ wages for gross misconduct over his disappearance home without permission.

He was also eager for a move away from City in the January transfer window but possible moves to AC Milan, Inter Milan and Paris St Germain all failed to materialize.

Tevez to return to training C

arlos Tevez is due back in England and could be playing for Manchester City in the “next two to three weeks” following a thawing in relations between the Argentina striker and the club.

Tevez, 28, has not played for City since his refusal to follow the instructions of coach Roberto Mancini and warm up during the Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich in September.

His last appearance was in a League Cup win over Birmingham City on September 21 and that looked like being the last time he ever played for City after Mancini said he was “finished” at the club.

Tevez has been back in Argentina on unauthorised leave since November, but Paul McCarthy, an advisor to Tevez’s representative Kia Joorabchian, told Reuters the player was returning to England.

“He is due back in England on Tuesday and hopefully will start training this week. He has not just been playing golf in Argentina he has done a lot of

fitness work too but is probably still two or three weeks away from being match-fit,” McCarthy said.

He needs to be back and he needs to be pulling on the Manchester City shirt again and doing what he does best, which is scoring goals and helping the team. He could be vital for City over the last nine or 10 games of the season.”

Apart from a couple of occasions when United have topped the table because they have played before City during the weekend, Mancini’s men have led the standings since mid-October.

Although they have stuttered slightly in recent weeks, losing three of their last 11 league matches, the 1-0 win at Aston Villa on Sunday kept City two points clear of United with 13 matches to play.

Tevez was City’s top league scorer in the 2009-10 season with 23 goals and again last season with 20 goals, but failed to score in the five appearances he made in all competitions before the Munich fallout.

His unauthorized absence in

Carlos Tevez

QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE ...the safest course is to do nothing against one's conscience et, conscience.. W ith this secr secret, we can enjoy life and have no fear from death e — Voltair oltaire

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

Celebration hits Zambia as Chipolopolo arrives

Z

ambia's national team arrived home yesterday to an ecstatic welcome from thousands of fans who gathered to greet the Copper Bullets after they won the country's first CAF Africa Cup of Nations title.

Brandishing the gold trophy they claimed in a nailbiting penalty shoot-out against Cote d'Ivoire on Sunday, the African champions waved to a massive crowd that had been gathering for more than nine hours in sweltering heat at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in the capital, Lusaka.

The team then boarded a bus for the Lusaka showgrounds, where official celebrations will be held and where another massive crowd dressed in the orange, green and black of the national team waited.

"My hero is Mweene, he is the one that made us win!" said Antony Kabwe, referring to keeper Kennedy Mweene, who was decisive in the victory.

Another fan, Catherine Mbao, said she was excited to get a glimpse of the trophy the country had lifted for the first time in Libreville's Stade de l'Amitie in the early morning hour’s local time. "I have seen the trophy, I just used to see it on TV," she said.

Fans at the airport held placards that celebrated the victory of Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets, named for the country's chief export) and derided the much-favoured Elephants.

Shouting above the deafening roar of vuvuzelas, the long plastic trumpets made famous by the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa, Angela Chanda said the victory added to excitement around the new regime of President Michael Sata, who won office in September after beating a party that had been in power for 20 years.

Victorious Chipolopolo

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Of blank cheque and its dangers (I)

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his newspaper, Thursday last week, led its front page with a report that members of the Joint Military (Special) Task Forces (JTF) deployed to contain the rising wave of insecurity in parts of Northern Nigeria, have now been given a blank cheque to shoot and kill residents on sight in neighbourhoods where suspected insurgents detonate explosives.

The paper quoted an unnamed JTF member as saying that the order came from above, mandating them to “move in and shoot-at-sight any human being, man, woman or child in an area where there is a shooting or bombing incident.”

“The order is that once there is a bombing or shooting incident in any neighbourhood here (in Maiduguri, Borno State), in which one or more of our members are affected, we’re to move in and wipe out the neighbourhood,” the paper quoted the unnamed source as saying. This source, according to the story, expressed reservations about the directive and worry that the operation was fast becoming genocide, and turning the JTF members into enemies wherever they went.

The report went on to say that when contacted via an SMS, the Nigeria Army spokesman, MajorGeneral Raphael Isa, parried the question asked him, but indirectly confirmed the issuance of such a directive when he said soldiers will now no longer take chances, especially when manning checkpoints and gates.

That only the Peoples Daily carried this story suggests that it was a scoop, the result of the curiosity and enterprise of the paper’s editor and his reporters.

But even if it wasn’t, it should not surprise us that the other newspapers did not give it space and attention, even when they all carried a report early last week, which ought to have raised their curiosity, that the government-owned National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had Monday last week fired a letter to both the National Security Advisor and the Inspector General of Police urging them to investigate serious allegations of extra-judicial killings, torture, harassment and other forms of human rights violations levelled against the JTF. The dominant (read Southern) media in Nigeria has adopted a “no see, no hear, no comment” policy toward the State’s excesses in quelling disturbances, especially when

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FOR THE MASSES

By Rufa’i Ibrahim ruf585@hotmail.com and where those at the receiving end of such excesses are Muslims and Northerners.

The fact, as I once noted in this column (Tuesday, February 16, 2010), is that the “Nigerian State and the Nigerian mediaespecially its Southern section, which is dominant-have an unwritten pact, and act on the basis of a shared understanding on matters of quelling riots in the North. The State kills. The media applauds, and calls for more blood.”

This certainly was the case when, during the first clash in 2008 between the Boko Haram sect and the State’s forces, the deceased President Yar’adua ordered an all- out, take-noprisoner attack on the sect members that led to the mass murder of about 1000 people and the destruction of a whole neighbourhood in Maiduguri.

And when in February, 2010, the satellite television, AI Jazeera, did what our media ought to have done but did not do, by beaming to the world, for three days running, video clips that showed our soldiers and policemen at their most bestial during that operation, pulling innocent people from their homes on to the streets, lining them up and indiscriminately shooting and killing them and stealing their money and clothes, our media did not give the effort a deserving coverage, much less take on from there to urge that the matter be thoroughly investigated. Nor was our media moved by the detailed reports by the Human Rights Watch on the carnage in Jos in 2008 and 2001, which documented similar cases of brutality and mass extra-judicial killings by our armed forces, to press for an investigation.

But let’s back up a little and return to what forms our main concern in this column today: the blank cheque said to be given our soldiers to kill. If really such a blank cheque was given, the question that first comes to mind is: for what purpose was it given, and what triggered it? The Nigerian State has always been brutal, intolerant and

unimaginative in its response to crisis. Nigeria is the land of impunity. Our armed forces understand their remit to mean that insurgents should be wiped out. Whether in Maiduguri or in Odi or in Zaki Biam, and whether or not they have express orders from the top, our soldiers especially have always proceeded on the basis of an understanding that they have a blank cheque to kill and conquer insurgents.

In any case, blank cheques need not be in the form of express or written orders from the Commander-in- Chief. Official nods and winks can be even more effective. Till today, and in spite of meticulous searches over many decades, no written orders have been found of Nazi government’s written order, or cabinet conclusions, that Jews, Gypsies and others be gassed and killed.

But the Nazi military officers and men understood, from official nods and winks, that that was what the Feurer and the Third Reich wanted done. And they did it.

Is this blank cheque meant to give official stamp and endorsement to an on-going illegality –the daily killing of innocent people by our soldiers in the name of containing Boko Haram? Or, is something much deeper than this intended? We can read the directive, in one breath, as an indication that the government believes that its preferred option of throwing guns and soldiers at the Boko Haram problem has been paying dividends, and has therefore given the troops this blank cheque as part of a final offensive to finish off the sect. But we can also read it as a pointer to growing doubts and misgivings among the troops themselves about the very wisdom of the military option, and, perhaps, even growing fears that the operation may degenerate into genocide, with the possibility of war crime charges and trials – hence the need for such a blank cheque to reassure and embolden them. The unnamed source quoted by this newspaper expressed these fears.

But of greater worry, and

significance, is the timing of the directive- coming as it is at a time when the Boko Haram insurgency has assumed unhealthy dimensions. Yar’adua was a Moslem. So were the Boko Haram members. And so were 99% of the victims of the 2008 carnage.

The containment operation he ordered, which dislodged the sect, was probably the most heavy-handed and brutal in our entire history. But there were no suggestions from the insurgency by Boko Haram, of conspiracies and plots by some religious or ethnic groups, or some region or section of the country to unseat him. Not so now.

Today, in the inner circles of power, the dominant perspective, around which conspiracy theories are constantly being woven, is that Boko Haram is a Northern creation or plot to undermine and eventually topple Jonathan, a Southern Christian president. Jonathan himself believes and acts so. He has told the world that his government has been infiltrated through and through by Boko Haram. His South-South constituents believe that their son is the target of the Boko Haram insurgency.

The neighbouring Ndi-Igbo also share this perspective, but with the important modification that their lives and wealth in the North are also the targets of the conspiracy. In the South-West, the Boko Haram militancy seems to be feeding the historic suspicion among the Yoruba that the Northerners, a power grabbing lot, are always scheming and must now be up to some mischief.

When the problem is presented this way, in a country where primordial sentiments are strong and authority is held in awe, the problem is not just that finding a solution to the challenges facing us becomes much more difficult than it would otherwise be.

It is also that we may be exciting ethno-religious passions, fuelling the incubus of mistrust and suspicion among the Nigerian people, weakening the bonds of espirit de corp among the officers and men of armed forces and thereby subjecting the fragile consensus that keeps us all together to more strain that it can bear.

And it also –and this should worry us the most – that Southern and Christian members of the armed forces may begin to feel that their duty, above all else, is to defend their son and their faith, by any means necessary.

In fact, this last has long begun to manifest itself in Borno and Kano.

This portends serious problem for all us.

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos, Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 803 606 3308. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com ISSN: 2141– 6141