Peoples Daily Newspaper, Thursday 15, November, 2012

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

Vol. 9 No. 69

Thursday, November 15, 2012

. . . putting the people first

Al-Muharram 1, 1433 AH

N150

Reps order Kogi elders kick Jombo-Ofor: investigation on Kano over Wada, NJC may convene emergency meeting impeached Speaker Bureau de Change robbery >> PAGE 2

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Late Saraki battled cancer for five years . . . Died after saying prayers, Son recounts last moments

By Richard Ihediwa, Abuja & Olarewaju Lawal, Ilorin rominent politician and strongman of Kwara politics, Dr. Olusola Saraki, battled with cancer for five years before succumbing to the ailment in the early hours of yesterday at the age of 79, his son, Olaolu, has said.

The Second Republic Senate Leader and Wazirin Ilorin, who was in firm control of the politics of Kwara state in the last 47 years died in his Cameroon Road residence in Ikoyi, Lagos state after saying his morning prayers.

“He has been battling cancer for about five years. He was fine this morning.

He was comfortable and even said his prayers. He died in the presence of one of my brothers, my mother and my two sisters. He gave up the ghost at about 6 a.m”, Olaolu told newsmen yesterday.

Upon receiving the news, Saraki’s eldest son and former Governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki, flew from Abuja Contd on Page 2

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The remains of Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki arriving his residence for funeral prayers, yesterday, in Ilorin.

Photo: NAN

Tension as Suntai’s deputy set to take over today From Yusha’u Alhassan Jalingo

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here is tension in Jalingo, Taraba state capital, as the Deputy Governor, Garba Umar, is expected to take over today as Acting Governor.

Uncertainty continues over the state of health of Governor Danbaba Suntai who was flown to Germany following injuries he sustained in an air crash last

month.

The Taraba state House of Assembly yesterday passed a resolution mandating Umar to assume duty as acting governor in line with the provision of the constitution as amended which empowers state assembly to mandate a state deputy governor to take over in that capacity in the event that the governor becomes incapacitated

and unable to perform his duties after 21 days.

Section 190, sub-section 2 of the constitution reads: “In the event that the Governor is unable or fails to transmit the written declaration mention in sub-section (1) of this section within 21 days, the House of Assembly shall, by a resolution made by a simple majority of the vote of the House, mandate the

Deputy Governor to perform the functions of the office of the Governor as Acting Governor, until the Governor transmits a letter to the Speaker that he is now available to resume his functions as Governor.”

Suntai would be absent from office for 21 days today. He was flown out of the country on October 27, 2012 after the crash Contd on Page 2

PD INDEX

13th Nov., 2012

CBN RATES $ £ EURO CFA RIYAL

BUYING 154.74 247.259 197.94 0.2885 41.267

SELLING 155.74 248.857 199.222 0.3085 41.5

PARALLEL RATES EURO £ RIYAL $

BUYING 206 257 40 157

SELLING 208 258 42 158

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

23

S/Report

24

Earth

26

NJC may convene emergency meeting over Jombo-Ofor

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

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here are strong indications that the National Judicial Council (NJC) will soon convene an emergency meeting to discuss the issues surrounding the refusal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Maryam Aloma Mukhtar to swear-in Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Offor as Justice of the Court of Appeal because of a petition over her state of origin.

There have been several attacks on the CJN, who is the chairperson of the NJC after her last minute refusal to swear-in Justice Jombo-Offor along with other Justices of the Court of Appeal sworn-in on November 5, 2012 at the Supreme Court complex in Abuja.

Our reporter gathered that Justice Aloma Mukhtar’s eleventh hour decision has been giving some members of the council a great deal of concern and want an emergency meeting to be convened to thrash out the issue once and for all.

Asked about Justice JomboOffor’s fate on Monday when he led members of his committee on an oversight visit to the National Industrial Court (NIC), the chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Senator Umaru Dahiru, told inquisitive newsmen that NJC will soon hold an emergency meeting to look at the issue.

According to the lawmaker, only the person of the CJN cannot, at this point unilaterally swear-in Justice Jombo-Offor as Justice of the Appeal court, adding that: “It

has to be with the consensus of members of the National Judicial Council. We have to await the outcome of the matter from the NJC”.

It would be recalled that the refusal of the CJN to swear-in Justice Jombo-Offor has received condemnation from several quarters, including stakeholders in the judiciary.

Lagos lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, and a human rights group, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), have criticised Justice Mukhtar’s refusal to swear-in Jombo-Offor.Falana and the rights group faulted Justice Mukthar’s decision despite the intervention of Abia state governor, Chief Theodore Orji, who confirmed that the state had nominated her.

Falana said: “In exercise of his powers under Section 238

(2) of the 1999 Constitution, President (Goodluck) Jonathan recently appointed 12 high court judges, including the Honourable Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo as justices of the Court of Appeal.”The appointment was sequel to the recommendation of the NJC presided over by the CJN. As soon as the appointment was made by the President, the former high court judges became justices of the Court of Appeal in line with the Supreme Court decision of Ogbuyiga v. Okudo (1979) 1 All NLR.”Having not been removed as a justice of the Court of Appeal by the appointing authority, the refusal by the CJN to administer the oath of office on Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Offor cannot be justified in law”, Falana argued.

Late Saraki battled cancer for five years

‘The ABU of today is not the same as that of yesteryears,’ Page 6

Int’l

31-32

Digest

36

Politics

37-39

Sports

41-47

Columnist

48

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Contd from Page 1 to Lagos to convey the remains of the politician to Ilorin where he was buried at about 6 pm according to Islamic rites.

A mammoth crowd witnessed the funeral of the late politician even as top leaders including President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President David Mark among others poured encomiums on him describing him a true statesman and leader.

His remains arrived Ilorin Airport in an Overland Airline plane at about 4:28 pm to the waiting hands of thousands of sympathisers and political associates and followers.

The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Bashiru Muhammed, led the prayers at Ilorin Yidi ground at about 5:30 pm after which he was buried in his house along Ilofa road.

Eminent Nigerians including the Speaker of the House of

Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfattah Ahmed, Governor of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babagida Aliyu, Minister of National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman, Minister of Interior, Abba Moro and Alhaji Aliko Dangote among others were at the ceremony. The family of the late politician was led by Senator Bukola Saraki to witness the burial.

Born on May 17, 1933, late Senator Saraki, a doctor turned politician ventured into politics in 1964 when he ran in the parliamentary election for Ilorin as an independent candidate but lost and had to go back to his medical practice. He returned to politics in 1977 when he was elected as a member of the Constituent Assembly that produced the 1979 constitution.

In 1979 he was elected a Senator of the Second Republic,

and became Senate Leader, a position he held from 1979 to 1983. In 1983 Saraki was reelected into the Senate on the platform of the then ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

In 1992, he vied for the Presidency when he sought the ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Saraki, a nobleman, served as the Waziri of the Ilorin Emirate.

Available documents said he was educated at Eko Boys High School in Lagos before he moved to the University of London and St. George’s Hospital Medical School also in London. After that he worked as a medical officer at the General Hospital, Lagos and the Creek Hospital, also in Lagos.

During his life time, he played key roles in determining the political direction of the state and is known to have always produced the state governor beginning with the first civilian

governor, Adamu Attah. He however yielded to his son, Bukola when the former spearheaded the emergence of the current governor and defeated his father’s preferred candidate and his sister Gbemisola Saraki in the 2011 elections.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government declared yesterday a work free day and approved a three days of mourning to allow Kwarans attend the burial while a 20 man committee was set up to oversee the burial.

In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Alhaji Abdulwahaab Oba, Governor Ahmed commiserated with the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim SuluGambari, the Baloguns and other traditional title holders, Alfas and the entire Ilorin Community and Kwara state at large on Saraki’s death.

Tension as Suntai’s deputy set to take over today Contd from Page 1 which occurred on October 25, 2012.

The decision of the state legislature followed a motion by the Majority Leader, Charles Maijankai who argued that it has become necessary to swear Umar in as acting governor to enable government activities continue to run smoothly in the absence of Suntai.

The motion was supported by the legislators a many of them noted that it is in line with the provisions of the constitution.

Supporting the motion some members argued that Umar was already representing the state in various capacities and approving his status as acting

governor by the House of Assembly was in order.

Ruling, Speaker Istifanus Haruna Gbana thanked the members for their understanding and directed the clerk to communicate the resolution of the House to the acting governor.

He explained that the constitution did not give room for swearing in of the Deputy Governor in acting capacity saying that the resolution by the State House of Assembly was what was required.

It was however gathered that certain forces bent at keeping Suntai’s position has been piling pressure on Garba, who was sworn in as deputy governor

only last month, not to accept the position even as they spread unconfirmed reports that the injured governor would return to the country next week.

This is despite call from some quarters that he be mandated by the legislature to assume duties as acting governor. Umar, himself had dismissed the calls, saying he remains the deputy governor as long as the governor was alive However, as at press time yesterday, armed soldiers were seen at strategic places in Jalingo, apparently to ensure that there is no disruption of order ahead of the expected take over today pending Suntai’s return.

Governor Danbaba Suntai

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 3

Reps commence debate on PIB

FEC approves N289bn for devt projects

By Umar Muhammad Puma The House of Representatives, yesterday began debate on the much awaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). The bill is seeking to harmonise and consolidate all existing laws, in order to regulate, coordinate and manage the operation of the industry.

Presenting the bill on the floor of the House, the Leader, Rep Mulikat Akande Adeola (PDP Oyo), said the bill was first introduced to the 6th Assembly in 2010, but due to some factors, it was not passed into law.

She stated that the main objective of the bill is to create conducive atmosphere for petroleum operations, enhancing exploration and exploitation of petroleum resources in Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerian people.

In her submission, Rep Aisha Ahmed Dahiru (PDP Adamawa), queried the powers conferred on the minister of petroleum, saying “we cannot allow the future of Nigeria in to be politically manipulated by the minister of petroleum”.

Engineers set to contribute towards Vision 20: 2020

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

I

n the wake of the current natural disasters in the country occasioned by floods, the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE), has said that the body will contribute effectively toward reducing hardship on the people while devising means to contribute towards achieving the country’s Vision 20: 2020.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja during the body’s 42nd conference/AGM, the national president, Dr. N. John Erinne, said this is the time when the professionals of NSChE are needed to assist the country and its people.

He said the quest for development informed their decision for this year’s meeting which is themed: “Harnessing Water Resources for National Development: the Role of Chemical Engineering”.

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State and the Director General of the NTA, Malam Musa Mayaki when the governor presented technical and office equipment donated by the state govt to NTA, Maiduguri Zonal Network Centre in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

Kogi elders kick over Wada, impeached Speaker

By Abubakar Ibrahim & Ibrahim Kabiru Sule

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rominent political leaders from Kogi state have sent a plea to President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur “to arrest serious drift in the state or risk the sudden death of the PDP in the state”.

The elders also called for the reinstatement of the impeached Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly. “The support and recognition given by Wada and the police and the federal authorities, to the illegal leadership of the House of Assembly should be withdrawn”, they declared.

The group, in a statement made available to the media yesterday in Abuja, and copied to Senate President David Mark; Speaker, House of

Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, accused the one-year old Idris Wada administration of lacking competence, sense of direction, “mind boggling corruption and illegalities”.

In the statement jointly released by Senator Alex Kadiri, Senator Mohammed Ohiare, former Speaker of the State House of Assembly and former Acting Governor Clarence Olafemi, former state PDP chairman John Odawun, Air Vice Marshall Salihu Atawodi (rtd), and former governorship aspirant Dr. Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo, the group listed the underdevelopment of the state, the crisis in the State House of Assembly, the looting of state resources and several illegalities and undemocratic practices as the hallmark of the Wada administration. The statement continued: “ Billions of naira

have accrued to the state in the past 11 months of his stewardship (but) he has continued the …squandering state resources on acquisition of personal properties with government funds, on the avalanche of court cases against him, compromising judges and party officials in his desperation to hang on to power”.

The elders said despite the already bloated workforce, Wada employed 57 Special Advisers, 74 Senior Special Assistants, 20 commissioners and innumerable special and personal assistants many of whom have no schedules of duty.

“We can say with certainty that almost all the money Kogi state has collected from the Federation Account since the beginning of the year has been returned to Abuja to bribe people at all levels, yet, the state can neither pay salaries nor execute capital projects”, it said.

Again, Nigeria rated 2nd most corrupt nation

A

poll just made public has shown most Nigerians rating their country's leadership as the second most corrupt in the world.

Gallup, in its first-ever report on "Global States of Mind: New Metrics for World Leaders", posted in the internet said 94 percent of Nigerians believe there is widespread corruption in government.

The poll shows that across the world, only Kenyans believe their government is more corrupt. About 96 percent of Kenyans said there is widespread corruption in their government while only five

percent of Singaporeans said their government is corrupt.

Singaporeans believe their country is the least corrupt in the world. Gallup said last year's revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt where GDP was rising, shows that world leaders need more than just GDP and other traditional economic metrics to run their countries."Economic data are becoming less and less valuable because they tend to be outdated by the time they are made available. More significantly, GDP is less valuable because leaders now need to know much more than what people are spending - they need to

know what they are thinking; GDP isn't enough if you are watching for instability", said Jim Clifton, Gallup Chairman and CEO. "All institutes worldwide knew GDP was rising in Tunisia and Egypt. They knew what 11 million Tunisians and 80 million Egyptians were buying and selling - but they didn't know what they were thinking", Clifton added.

Clifton said GDP isn't enough if leaders are trying to figure out levels of hunger, hopelessness, or suffering, adding that the United Nations did not see those revolutions coming, neither did the World Economic Forum (WEF), nor the

World Bank.

"The US spends tens of billions on intelligence- and it missed those revolutions too", Clifton said.

Gallup's World Poll spans more than 150 countries, territories, and areas, annually capturing what more than 98% of the world's adult population is thinking on topics from basic needs to job creation. Gallup's World Poll data set now includes more than 1 million interviews conducted since the research initiative started in 2005.

Respondents were asked questions on law and order, food and shelter, institutions and infrastructure, good jobs, wellbeing, brain drain and quality GDP growth.

he Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday approved contracts for developmental projects across the country which cover roads, power, educational and irrigation facilities.

The council approved the sum of N98.589 billion for 28 projects in the nine oil producing states covered by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), while 28.4 billion was approved for road construction and rehabilitation across the country in preparation for the yuletide season.

The NDDC projects according to the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, cut across road construction, land reclamation, erosion, electricity supply and market “which are crucial for the development of the Niger Delta”.

The N28.4 billion for road construction covers the WudilUtai-Achika-Darki-Jigaware road in Kano and Jigawa states as well as the rehabilitation of Kotangora-Rijau-TungaMagajia road in Niger state amongst others.

The council also approved N162.990 billion for the Zungeru Hydro Power Plant which is capable of providing 700 megawatts of electricity.

The 4-year project according to Maku will be jointly funded by the Nigerian government and the Chinese Exim Bank.

Sequel to a memo brought to the council by the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqqayatu Rufai, N1.992 billion (N24.9 million each) was also approved for the purchase 80-unit of Image Mark Reader Scanners for marking scripts for the National Examination Council (NECO).

The Council also endorsed $3 million counterpart funding for the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) to purchase family planning commodities for Nigerians.

Minister of Health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu said the amount was only about 30 percent of the cost while the remaining part of the cost will come from abroad.

The council also announced that the 8th Abuja Carnival has been scheduled to take place between 24th and 27th of November, 2012 with 12 countries showing interest to participate.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 4

As Saraki takes the final bow A

s the nation was coming to terms with the demise of former Oyo state governor Lam Adesina on Sunday, news filtered out yesterday morning that political colossus and strongman of Kwara politics, Senator Olusola Saraki had also taken the final bow.

Saraki, who came to national limelight when he emerged the leader of the Senate in the Second Republic, died in the early hours of yesterday at his Cameroon Road residence in Ikoyi, Lagos after a long drawn battle with cancer.

Immediately news filtered out about his death, his son, former Governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki departed Abuja for Lagos and conveyed his father’s body to Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, for burial the same day in accordance with Islamic rites. The Kwara state government had declared three days of mourning for the departed politician who held exerted political control for 47 years especially in his state and the northern parts of the country.

Since the Second Republic, Saraki had sustained his firm grip of his political influence in the country and a stronger grip in Kwara state where he held sway as a godfather and kingmaker for decades, having the powers to enthrone and dethrone.

During his life time, Saraki, a consummate politician and successful business man who ran for the Presidency, also produced governors, state and federal lawmakers, special advisers at state and federal levels as well as heads of key federal and state agencies.

The questions many continue to ask are; what actually made Saraki thick? What gave him access to political control and transformed him into a mythical figure that he was at the state and national levels.

Born on 17 May 1933, late Senator Saraki, a nobleman served as the Waziri of the Ilorin Emirate.

Available documents said he was educated at Eko Boys High School in Lagos before he moved to the University of London and St. George’s Hospital Medical School also in London. After that he worked as a medical officer at the General Hospital, Lagos and the Creek Hospital, also in Lagos.

His first appearance in politics was in 1964 when he ran in the parliamentary election for Ilorin as an independent candidate.

Saraki tasted the bitterness of politics as he failed to win and had to go back to his medical practice in Lagos.

However, with the experience gathered in his first outing, Saraki came out strong and returned to politics in 1977 when he was elected as a member of the Constituent Assembly that produced the 1979 constitution.

In 1979 he was elected a Senator of the Second Republic, and became Senate Leader, a position he held from 1979 to 1983. In 1983 Saraki was re-elected into the Senate on the platform of the then ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Saraki continued to wield tremendous influence on national

“He came, he saw, he conquered, then he took a bow”; would aptly describe the probable reaction of the legion of the political associates and army of followers of Oloye, as Senator Olusola Saraki was fondly called, on receiving the sad news of his death. Richard Ihediwa writes on the life and times of the departed strongman of Kwara politics.

Late Dr. Olusola Saraki political issues, especially the formulation of ideologies and policies as well as the determination of power sharing formulas in his state and the nation at large.

In 1979, Saraki tipped and supported Alhaji Adamu Atta, who was from a minority ethnic group in the state to become the first civilian Governor in Kwara state. After few years, Saraki had disagreements with Atta. He went ahead to anoint another candidate, Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo to contest against Attah.

Due to Saraki’s support, Adebayo, who many felt was not sure of victory, defeated the incumbent and became the Governor in 1983. His leadership was however, cut short by the December 1983 military coup lead

by Major General Muhammed Buhari.

In 1993, Saraki nominated Saba Lafiaji for the governorship of the state and he won under General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime, before the coup of General Sani Abacha in 1993 In 1998, just before the return of civil rule in 1999, Saraki spearheaded the formation of the All Peoples Party (APP) and became its National Leader and member of the Board of Trustee.

The APP held sway in many

parts of the country. Saraki played key roles to ensure the party’s electoral success in Kwara and Kogi states. He was the force behind the emergence of late Alhaji Mohammed Lawal as governor of Kwara state in 1999 and played key roles that also saw the emergence of Abubakar Audu as governor of Kogi state at the time.

The APP under his watch produced several other governors and state and federal lawmakers to become the strongest opposition party in the country at the time.

Saraki also played very vital roles in repositioning the North for political control. In 2001, he headed a team from the Arewa Consultative Forum to meet and discuss common goals with state governors and other leaders in the region.

In 2003, partly following some misunderstanding between him and his political godson, Lawal, Saraki moved over to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which had control of the Federal Government.

Under that umbrella he supported his son, Bukola Saraki, then a political green horn to defeat Lawal at the 2003 polls to become governor of the state while his daughter, Gbemi Saraki, who was in the House of Representatives moved to the Senate.

At this point, it became clear

that Saraki had started building a political dynasty which he headed, with his biological children holding several key positions at the state and federal levels.

Before 2003 when Bukola Saraki came to contest for the governorship election, he was a presidential adviser during the first tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo. At that time Gbemi was a member of the House of Representatives. In 2003, Bukola Saraki became the governor of the state, Gbemi Saraki became a Senator representing Kwara Central, another member of the family, Laolu Saraki was made a Special Adviser to the Governor on Student Affairs.

In 2007, when Bukola was reelected as governor and Gbemi Saraki as senator, Laolu Saraki became a Presidential Adviser under late President Umaru Musa Yardua and another member of the Saraki extended family, Ope Saraki was made the Special Adviser to the Governor on Student Affairs.

In 2011, Bukola replaced his sister as Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District and having garnered a lot of political steam, battled his father in a bid to take over control. Bukola installed the current governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and

decided every other position in the state and made Ope the Special Adviser on MDG to the present governor.

The tussle between Bukola and his father over who will succeed him as governor in 2011 was perhaps one of the greatest political battles fought by Oloye as it pitched him against his own son and threatened to crash his dynasty.

While Oloye wanted his daughter, Gbemi to replace his brother Bukola as governor, Bukola, who apparently was seeking to exert his own political control settled for Abdulfatah Ahmed and the bitter tussle started, though many watchers believed it was a game which the family played to pave way for a transition of political control from Oloye to Bukola.

During the tussle, Oloye abandoned the PDP for his son and led his supporters to the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria in a rally attended by thousands of his supporters, including former local government council chairmen, former senators and House of Representatives members.

Gbemi ran as governorship candidate of the ACPN which had no serious political structures, but was defeated by Abdulfatah Ahmed of the PDP, who was supported by Bukola. However, immediately after the elections, the family reunited with Saraki successfully placed as the new godfather in Kwara politics.

Interestingly, under the current administration in the state, majority of the appointments went to the members of the ACPN who returned to PDP. Oloye however had some rough times. In March 2003, the Societe Generale Bank (SGBN) of which he was chairman was investigated by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for alleged money laundering and was later investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and had its license temporarily suspended.

With his death yesterday, many political analysts believe it is actually the end of an era as they argue that his shoes might be too big for anyone else to wear. Since his demise, tributes have continued to pour in from the high and might in the country with President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President David Mark among others describing him as leader and mentor who lived a very successful and fulfilled life, rising to national prominence by dint of hard work, uncommon generosity, political sagacity, dedication and wholesome commitment to the service of his people and the entire nation.

Will Nigeria get a replacement for Abubakar Saraki? Only time will tell.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 5

Olusola Saraki (1933 – 2012)

He needs no tombstone, says ACF

By Jamila Nuhu Musa

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he Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), yesterday joined thousands of Nigerians in paying tributes following the demise of the strong man of Kwara politics and Second Republic Senate Leader, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki.

In a statement signed by its national publicity secretary Mr. Anthony, yesterday, the ACF said it commiserates with the people of Kwara state in particular and Nigeria in general over the loss.

The statement read in part: “The godfather of Kwara state and Waziri of Ilorin, Dr. Olusola Saraki may not be with us anymore but nobody can fill the void he has left behind. However, in so many

ways he is very much around, since he needs no tombstone to remind us of his legacies which include his contributions to the socioeconomic and political development of not only Kwara state, but of the whole country”.

The statement which wished the Waziri, who is survived by many children and grand children among whom is the immediate past governor of Kwara state, Dr. Bukola Saraki Aljannah Firdaus, said ACF and the North in particular would continue to miss his valuable contributions in many decades to come, and suggested that one way of honouring Saraki, who died at 79 years, is for Nigerians to reflect on what he stood for in their daily lives

Jonathan mourns Saraki P

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

resident Goodluck Jonathan has expressed sadness over the death of Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki who passed away in Lagos yesteday morning.

President Jonathan extended commiserations to the elder statesman’s family and the people of his home state, Kwara.

He urged them to be consoled by the knowledge that their departed father, leader and mentor lived a very successful and fulfilled life, rising to national

prominence by dint of hard work, uncommon generosity, political sagacity, dedication and wholesome commitment to the service of his people and the entire nation.

President Jonathan believes that the late Saraki will be long remembered and eulogized as a consummate politician, an astute grassroots mobiliser, and a political colossus with aweinspiring powers of political organisation.

The President described late Saraki as a public-spirited politician who will always occupy

a place of honour in the hearts of his people, supporters, friends and associates across the nation.

He believes that the ordinary people of Kwara in particular will always remember the “Oloye” with great affection because of the constant support they received from him, a statement signed by Presidential Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati said.

The President called on Nigerians to emulate Saraki’s patriotic commitment to national unity, politics without bitterness as well as his magnificent spirit of philanthropy.

...It’s the end of an era – Tanko Yakasai

By Jamila Nuhu Musa

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tatesman and Second Republic politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has described the death, yesterday, of Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki as a loss, not only to his family and political associates but to the people of Kwara state and the nation in general.

In a statement in Abuja, Yakasai said the late politician was “a philosopher per excellence and symbol of unity of the country, whose death signaled the end of an era”.

Yakasai said “Saraki was able

to master the loyalty of his people for decades, using that position to forge strong national unity; and by his death Nigeria has lost one of its leaders who worked to sustain and strengthen democracy in Nigeria”.

Yakasai recalled that Saraki established bonds of friendship across ethnic and religious divides in the country, thus dying as an embodiment of national unity, and prayed that Allah forgives him his sins and grant him an abode in Jannatul Firdaus and for his family the fortitude and courage to bear the loss.

Nigeria has lost one of its best leaders – Gov Shettima From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

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overnor Kashim Shettima, on behalf of the government and people of Borno state, condoled the family of the late Abubakar Olusola Saraki, the government and people of Kwara state the northern geo-political zone and all Nigerians over the death of elder statesman.

In a message signed by Isa Umar Gusau, Special Adviser, Communications, Shettima said Nigeria and the North in particular, have lost one of its best political leaders who stood for the ordinary man’s welfare, ethno-religious tolerance, national unity and continued development. “The late Saraki was a rallying point for the masses throughout his lifetime as a political actor which was why he garnered tremendous influence in his political environment and indeed in the northern geo-political zone at the national level”, the

statement said.

The late Saraki, Governor Shettima noted, had contributed so much to the unity of the north as a leader of the Northern Union. He regretted the death of the elder statesman at a time the North is faced with serious challenges and when his wisdom was needed.

He recalled that Saraki was one of the founders of the then All Peoples Party (APP), now All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), which controls Borno state and as such will always be remembered by the government of Borno state for that and numerous other qualities.

Governor Shettima extended condolences to former Governor Bukola Abubakar Saraki, other members of the family and Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed and the entire people of Kwara.

He condoled with the Northern Union, the Arewa Consultative Forum and all Nigerians and he prayed his mourners the fortitude to bear loss.

A cross section of Muslim faithful praying for the repose of the soul of late Sen Olusola Saraki in Ilorin yesterday.

... it’s exit of a titan – Northern govs From Iliya Garba, Minna

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he Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), has sympathised with the government and people of Kwara state over the death of Second Republic Leader of the Senate and godfather of Kwara politics, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, describing his death as the exit of a titan.

The chairman of the Forum and governor of Niger state, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, said the fact that the Saraki died at a time of increasing intolerance in the country makes his death more

painful, considering his lead role in ensuring peace and unity in Kwara state, the North and Nigeria as a whole.

In a press statement signed by Governor Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, the forum said it is sad that Saraki – a man of peace and a rare patriot – passed on at a time the country needs the wisdom and guidance of all important leaders like him to help end the security challenges confronting the nation.

The forum noted that “the late Saraki was a bridge builder and a conciliatory force, who helped to bring together his people,

irrespective of their political differences whether or not they were in the political mainstream or in the opposition”.

It said throughout his time as a political leader and chairman of the Northern Union, violence, whether sectarian or otherwise, was a rare occurrence in Kwara, where Christians and Muslims co-habit in peace.

“It is also noteworthy that his over three decades in the nation’s political firmament brought tremendous progress and modernization to Kwara state and Nigeria”, the statement added.

…He was a man of uncommon compassion – Atiku

By Morufat Ojulari

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ormer Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the death of Dr. Olusola Saraki as the ‘fall of a big star from the galaxy of Nigerian politics’.

In a condolence message released by his media office in Abuja yesterday, Atiku said the late Saraki was not only tremendously influential but also uncommonly compassionate.

According to him, his uncommon compassion was the source of his political relevance and influence among his people.

The Turaki Adamawa acknowledged that despite

occasional controversies that trailed his politics, few Nigerian politicians could rival Saraki’s compassion towards the ordinary people, adding that he touched so many lives while he lived.

On his extensive and vast political career, Atiku recalled that the late Saraki popularly known as “Oloye” by admirers was a constant feature at every level of Nigeria’s democratic experiment, from the First, Second and Third Republics.

Atiku recalls with fond memories the role of the late Saraki in the formation of political parties – from Nigeria Peoples Party (NPN) Peoples Front

(PF) and the defunct All Peoples Party (APP).

Atiku also recalled the role he and the late strong man of Kwara played in bringing Kwara state and its leading lights back into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2003 after the state had initially strayed into the APP. The former Vice President said one of the greatest virtues of the late Waziri of Ilorin was that he lived for the people and they loved him in return.

He advised other politicians to borrow a leaf from the compassionate virtues of the late Grand Patron of Kwara politics.

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

ABU@ 50

‘The ABU of today is not the same as that of yesteryears’ As an alumnus of ABU, Zaria, how would you describe the journey of the institution as it marks 50? would say the journey has been good so far but very turbulent in the sense that a lot of people; the students and even some of the lecturers have veered off the course and the dreams of the founding fathers of the University. There is a lot of outside influence taking hold of the students making them to act outside the norms and values for which the institution was established. Cultural values have tended to be downplayed and this has sort of heightened indiscipline, lawlessness and, to some extent, criminality. Because a certain degree of freedom is granted to university students, they feel that they have come of age and they want to behave like adults and independent people who can think for themselves and act likewise.

But nowadays respect for elders is not there, almost zero, even the way we dress. To be honest with you, I cannot see myself going back to ABU to say I want to read further. The ABU we used to know when life was rosy, we were two each in a room and if you wanted you could be alone. They had what we called single room and if you wanted one and had the money you would be given a single room.

But there was also a situation where the final year students were usually given single rooms because of the enormous work they had to do to prepare for their final exams. The meals were fantastic, we had meal tickets and weekends we had assorted dishes like chicken, salads, etc. There was no molestation and we moved around feely; we were like family, whatever affected someone in the other room would affect the whole students within the complex and whether you were a Muslim or a Christian, we were one, nobody cared about your religion. Sadly, it is not the case anymore. I keep wondering and I keep asking myself, where did we veer off? What led us to where we are today? How did we get here? How did it happen? And till today, I doubt if anybody has answers to these questions. Basically, you will notice that a lot of freedom, the influence of foreign cultures, these are the two basic ones I can actually list, they contribute a lot to the crops of students and the kind of societies we have on our campuses today. Where there were cults, they were not devilish, they were not bloodsuckers, they just operated like a rough group and they never terrorized people. I

I

Hajiya Hajara Muhammed AbdulRahman is an alumnus of ABU Zaria and director at the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC). In this interview with Maryam Garba Hassan and Etuka Sunday, to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the institution, she bares her mind on the University that is the pride of the nation, the collapse in the education sector in the country, among others issues. certainly not the same as that of yesteryears.

If the founding fathers were alive, what do you think would be their reactions to what ABU is today?

Is like jumping the gun, because they would have been part of the process that has led the university to what it is today. They would have been assimilated into the changes.

And it is difficult to say where, when and how we veered off, nobody can actually say this is what happened, this is where we veered off from its proper course, so they too would have been in the same dilemma because is something that is beyond man.

What is happening in the society today is beyond man, it needs divine intervention.

Hajiya Hajara Muhammed AbdulRahman don't know their aims and objectives but they existed, we had a group like Pirates.

Will you then say that the dreams of the founding fathers have been justified with this present situation of the University?

Well, I wouldn't know what their dreams were but the main purpose of setting up a university is to groom the younger generation to take over from the old ones and a decent society will bring about a decent society that can compete favorably with its counterparts elsewhere.

How would you compare the ABU of today with the ABU of yesteryears?

What I know and what I have heard people say repeatedly is the fact that lecturers now come and sell handouts, that was not the

case then, there were handouts but all the same they were very sketchy and we patronized the Kashim Ibrahim Library because you needed to build to it up. We had tutorials, discussion groups and things like that to take our minds off some bad things that could otherwise make us deviate from the actual purpose we were there for. The ABU of today is

What can you say are the roles the university is playing in terms of socioeconomic and political development of the country?

ABU has produced so many graduates who are in many facets of human endeavours regardless of who you are.

Graduates of the university cut across Africa, it was a melting point.

In the development of the country, ABU has come a long way in helping to reposition Nigeria.

I don't know whether the present students of the university will be able to hold forth the steam with which ABU has been known because now the teaching method is all about students cramming to pass their exams not to understand. When we were there, we had expatriates lecturers and the case then was not about attending lectures and buying handouts but it was interactive where students

“

ABU has produced so many graduates who are in many facets of human endeavours regardless of who you are. Graduates of the university cut across Africa, it was a melting point. In the development of the country, ABU has come a long way in helping to reposition Nigeria.

read ahead of lecturers and challenge them with the facts they discovered which the lecturer failed to tell the students.

We owe it a duty to support the university in whatever way we can because it has made us who we are today.

What do you think can be done to regain the lost glory of the university?

It is not just ABU alone but a national problem.

The education sector needs to be overhauled; a lot of things need to be changed to save the sector from total collapse.

How can you score ABU compared to other universities in the country?

It is still trying compared to others based on what we hear every day about other universities and higher institutions in the country. But I don't know if it will be able to hold on for long because of all the influences.

During the heydays of ABU, the data for the ranking of the best universities in the world was not there, if this data were there the university would have been among the best universities of the world.

ABU was established to serve the north, would you then say that it has served that purpose?

It was not established to serve the north alone but the entire nation and even beyond.

And it still plays this role. ABU is a melting point; it accommodates every one not the northerners alone. Yes, it is situated in the northern part of the country and the interest of the north is taken care of but if you want to maintain the standard, you should not then compromise it by favoring the northerners alone. Despite everything, ABU has a very wide reach.

What was your personnel experience during your days as a student of the university?

I felt so much at home as a student. I still reminisce those days in the university. My own dream for ABU is shattered because the kind of people that now inhibited the place; they are not behaving like disciplined people. I am still proud to say that I am a product of ABU, Zaria.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 7

Fulani leader wants inter-tribal marriages among NYSC members

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he Ardo Fulani of Suleja, Alhaji Gidado Ibrahim, yesterday called for intertribal marriages among youth corps members to foster unity among Nigerians.

Ibrahim made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) when he visited the NYSC 2012 Batch ‘C’ corps members posted to Abuja at the FCT Orientation Camp, Kubwa.

He said inter-tribal marriages among corps members’ would bridged barriers that existed between the various Nigerian societies.

According to him, the marriages must be encouraged to bring people from different sections of the country together without recourse to thinking that something will happen to the spouses in a particular section of

the country.

“My first child married a Yoruba lady, they are living peacefully in Sokoto with three children and they met during their NYSC primary assignment in Oyo state in 2003.

“My in-laws in the South never think of their child being killed or molested during any civil strife because they know that she is safe here”, he said.

Ibrahim also called for the overhaul of the new NYSC policy of posting corps members to only four sectors: health, education, agriculture and infrastructure.

“I pity the state NYSC offices.

Like in Abuja, how many agricultural outfits do we have that can contain at least 1,000 corps members that are to be posted to agric sector for their primary assignment”.

He said apart from the agricultural sector, the health and other sectors too required professionals, pointing out that only those qualified should be posted to the sectors.

NAN reports that the 2011 Batch ‘C’ youth corps members that passed out on Oct. 18 in Abuja, witnessed over five marriages contracted among them.

Mr Frank Okpunobi, the Coordinator, FCT NYSC, told NAN that no fewer than 30 childbirths were recorded during the period.

According to him, the marriages indicate that Nigerians are still one and love each other. (NAN)

Excitement over abolition of N100 ATM fee From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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cross session of Nigerians in Edo state are happy over the proposed abolition of mandatory N100 fee for using automated teller machine (ATM) by the Bankers’ Committee which met at the CBN headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.

Speaking on the matter, the managing director of WESCO Pools Limited, Barr. Otumba Osinubi, said the decision was long overdue.

Osinubi argued that the move will not only encourage people to use ATMs, but help to decongest banking hall and reduce the financial burden of account

holders.

“It’s a welcome development, actually some banks have waived it…It will make transactions easier and encourage more people to use ATM”, he said.

Joy Omoregbe, a civil servant who also commended the move, said low income earners would benefit more, particularly in densely populated areas where there are few ATMs or no banks.

Mendus Saure, another respondent, said “the decision is good since the implication is not a threat to the corporate existence of banks, arguing that all financial institutions were established for profit-making.

NIN is your true identity, says NIMC

By Adeola Tukuru

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he Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Barrister Chris Onyemenam, has again emphasised that the “National Identification Number (NIN) is your true and only identity”.

A press release issued by the Director, Corporate C o m m u n i c a t i o n , Okwudiafor Anthony, said the DG made this know during the Stakeholders’ Road Show organised by the NIMC in Makurdi, benue state.

He noted that the NIN is a nonintelligent set of 11 numbers assigned to an individual upon successful enrolment and consists

of the recording of an individual’s demographic data and capturing of the (10) fingerprints, head-toshoulder facial picture and digital signature, which are all used in cross checking existing data in the national identity database to confirm that there is no previous entry of the same data.

Once this (de-duplication) process is completed the data is then stored with the unique NIN that was assigned to it.

He also said that once the NIN is issued to a person, it cannot be used again,(that is, it cannot be issued to another person even if the previous person is dead), stressing that the NIN helps to tie all records about a person in the database and is used to check the Identity verified.

Fashola arraigns fake LASTMA officials From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos

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agos state governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday, arraigned two men, Bolaji Adigun, aged 37 and Hakeem Adebesin aged 42 before Magistrate Olufemi Isaac of a Lagos Magistrate Court sitting in Ikeja for falsely presenting themselves as Traffic Inspectors under Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

The accused were arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, false representation, forgery of traffic tickets and criminal extortion.

They were arrested at Mile 12, a suburb of Lagos state while carrying out their illegal act in an operation led by the General Manager of LASTMA, Engr.

Babatunde Edu. The duo pleaded not guilty to the charges and the prosecuting counsel, Babatunde Sumonu, asked for a trial date after informing the court that they had two witnesses in court.

The defence counsel, Ayo Odekunle however asked the court for bail of the defendants in liberal terms.

Magistrate Isaac granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200, 000 and two sureties in like sum who must be resident in Lagos.

The sureties are also to show evidence of reasonable means of income, evidence of tax payment and N20, 000 each as bail security.

The case was adjourned till November 21, 2012 for trial.

L-R: Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe jointly briefing the State House journalists on water provision in the country along with Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu and Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa'i.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Reps order investigation into Kano Bureau de Change robbery

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he House of Representatives yesterday called on the Inspector General of Police to order the Commissioner of Police in Kano state to carry out full investigation into the armed robberry attack at the popular Wapa International Market in the metropolis.

In a motion read by Rep. Aminu Sulaiman (PDP Kano

state) under matters of urgent public importance, Sulaiman said it has become a recurrent decimal that men of the underworld choose at their convenience to invade the area and to carry out criminal activities that in most cases lead to the loss of lives and property in millions of naira.

Rep. Aminu said “what surprises all of us is that the attackers chose to do this criminal act in broad daylight without any

interference from the nearby police station”.

He wondered why a market that is situated within the proximity of a joint military road block and a police station should be vulnerable to this kind of attack.

Rep. Nasiru Baballe Ila (CPC Kano state) while contributing, said the matter raises the question as to the viability of the security agencies.

Fashola tasks LCCI on alternative business plan for okada riders From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos agos state governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, has tasked the leadership of the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (LCCI), to conceptualise a workable business plan that will provide a sustainable alternative for okada riders whose operations were affected by the new Lagos traffic law, for consideration by the state government.

Fashola said: “LCCI, being an umbrella body for business

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operators in the state should assist the state government in providing business suggestions that would make the state maintain its position as a preferred business destination and the hub of economic activities in West Africa”.

Governor Fashola who spoke at the grand finale of this year’s Lagos International Trade Fair, held at Tafawa Balewa Square, (TBS), Lagos, added that the state Government would welcome any meaningful idea similar to that

of “Yellow Taxis” operators and several other public/private initiatives in the state.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said that in Lagos State, the forging of strategic partnership with the private sector is an economic development model that has been informed by the need to embrace an economic development approach that will guarantee sustainable growth and development.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 8

Olusola Saraki (1933 – 2012)

Speaker Amuni Tambuwal (middle) with Minister of National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman (left) and other dignitaries at the funeral

The remains of Dr. Olusola Saraki arriving his residence for funeral prayers in Lagos

Baraje and Bukola Saraki

Late Dr. Olusola Saraki addressing supporters at a campaign rally Ilorin

Burial of Dr. Olusola Saraki in Ilorin

PAGE 10

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

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he President of the National Industrial Court (NIC), Justice Babatunde Adeniran Adejumo Tuesday said the nation's judiciary needs about N100 billion to enable it perform optimally.

Justice Adejumo told the Senate Committee on Judiciary on an oversight visit to the court that the nation's judiciary was underfunded.

He said there was signal that the budget for the National Industrial Court would be reduced in next year's budget and as such, it will be difficult to pay staff salary of the staff of the court and execute other projects of the court.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER, 15, 2012

NIC president calls for increased funding of judiciary "A Situation where the judiciary is given only N76 billion, including capital and re-current expenditure, is not good enough for the country", the NIC President has said, adding that if funding for the nation's judiciary was not increased, Judicial Officers would resort to begging for funds to the detriment of the country's interest.

He said the NICourt has

embarked on the building of eight divisions across the country to avoid long distant travels before filing processes in the court.

Justice Adejumo craved the understanding of the Senate for more funding as the court wants to increase the number of its Judges, noting that, "the Judiciary ought to be zero tolerant withcorruption, we must not expose Judicial Officers to

temptation".

The NIC boss said there was no need to make any amendment to the 3rd Schedule of the constitution for smooth operations of the National Industrial Court.

Responding, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Senator Umaru Dahiru commended the efforts of the court in solving labour matters, saying

that the Court has been contributing its quota to the development of the country.

Senator Dahiru said the National Industrial Court is well captured in the third amendment of the constitution, to recognize and expand its scope of operation and promised to look into the challenges facing the court and the judiciary at large.

'90% of northern women can't get contraceptives’ From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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L-R: Chairman,Rivers/ Bayelsa State Chapter, Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE), Mr. Ben Akakaar, Kaduna State Chapter Chairman of NSChE, Mr. Perry Awe and National President of NSChE, Dr. John Erinne, during the media briefing on the coming 42nd Conference of NSChE, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo Justin Imo-owo

tatistics from the National Demographic Health Survey conducted in 2010 has shown that ninety percent of adolescents from the age of 14-24 and eighty five percent of women from the age of 25- 34 cannot access contraceptive in northern Nigeria.

This was disclosed to newsmen by the project manager of Expanded Social Marketing Project in Nigeria(ESMPIN),Dr.Yusuf Lawan at a workshop organized by BBC MEDIA ACTION in Jigawa state yesterday.

He said only 64.6 of female adolescents and 57 percent of women between the ages of 20-34 in the south failed to access contraceptive.

Lawal said their concern was not to discourage childbirth but to encourage child spacing through the use of contraceptive so that the

Katsina approves N442m for poverty alleviation From Lawal Sa'idu Funtua, Katsina

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he Special Adviser to the Katsina State Governor on poverty alleviation, Alhaji Bature Masari has disclosed that the governor's approval of N442 million for the implementation of various poverty alleviation programmes in the state.

The Adviser who made the disclosure Tuesday at a press conference in Katsina, noted that the programmes include those for the physically challenged persons, skill acquisition graduates, owners of small business, assistance to the poor and VVF patients.

Masari stated that under the physically challenged

programme, N162 million has been earmarked for 1000 of such disabled persons to benefit with N10,000 allowance monthly, adding that the programme which would cover medical care and financial assistance, would be jointly financed by the state and the 34 local governments.

Similarly, the adviser said

UNIBEN laments gully erosion threat

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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he unabated gully erosion raving the entire landscape of University of Benin, Benin City, has set the authorities of the institution on edge, amid fears that the university will soon go into extinction if urgent steps are not taking to tackle the menace.

Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Osayuki Oshodin who gave the indication while briefing the media on activities lined up for the institution's 38th Convocation/42th Founder's Day ceremonies, pleaded with the relevant authorities to come to their aid.

Oshodin noted that the university is grappling with gully erosion and flooding but however

said the institution has made giant strides as it has clearly demonstrated its leadership position among all tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

He said this was demonstrated by the Webometric Ranking of University of Benin as number one among tertiary institutions in Nigeria and West Africa for January and July 2012..

According to him, of all the 19 doctoral theses from Nigerian Universities that received award this year from the National Universities Commission [NUC], three were from the University of Benin, while the forth theses that won the award came from a staff of the institution.

Professor Oshodin further announced that the positive change witnessed also rubbed-off on the output of its students, pointing out

that nine students from the university won the highly competitive 2011 federal government scholarship award.

"Also, ten of our student were selected to participate in this year's Shell Engineering Summer School along with students from other universities.

On the university's convocation ceremony slated for November 24, he disclosed that the university would graduate 8,863 students to be awarded various diplomas, certificates and degrees of the institution.

Of this number, Prof Oshodin said 57 are first class, 1,502 second class upper, 3,765 second class lower, 838 third class, pass degree, 5 and 599 diplomas as well as one certificates; while post graduate diploma is 226, masters 1,080 and Ph.D, 72.

that N100 million has been set aside to assist 3000 persons at the Business Apprenticeship Training Centres across the state to enable them set-up their own businesses.

Masari added that the sum of N100 million was also earmarked for owners of small businesses across the state to enable them boost their capital base, disclosing that such beneficiaries include petty traders, butchers, automobile operators and achaba riders among others.

The adviser said that N50 million was approved to support women in setting up small businesses, adding that 1000 poor women would be selected to benefit under the pilot programme.

He also disclosed that, to assist 1500 women affected by the VVF scourge, N30 million was set aside under the first phase of the programme.

Masari said for effective monitoring and implementation of the programme, Community Development Committees in the 34 local government of the state were included in the programme while local government welfare officers would serve as desk officers for the programme.

mother and the child would enjoy good health and live a better life.

The project manager blamed misconception, poor attitude of health providers, irregular supply of contraceptive and religious and social beliefs as some of the reasons why access to contraceptive is low in northern Nigeria.

FRC to prosecute erring MDAs

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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he Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) has threatened to prosecute erring government ministries, departments and agencies which have been abusing the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.

Declaring open, a training course for the staff of FRC at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Training Academy in Karu, Abuja, the Commissioner of FRC's Directorate of Legal, Investigation and Enforcement, Barrister Chris Okewulonu, said it was to equip the staff with requisite expertise in investigation and reports administration.

"We need to prosecute these agencies based on the reports and facts."

This, he said, was in line with the Commission's mandate of monitoring and enforcing the provision of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, among other roles.

Okewulonu, who represented the Chairman of the Commission, Aliyu Jibril Yelwa, said in order to ensure total enthronement of prudence and accountability in the management of the nation's resources, the Commission would work in collaboration with EFCC in the areas of investigation and prosecution to bring erring agencies and individuals to book.

"Our collaboration with EFCC will go a long way in putting a stop to the culture of stealing and mismanagement of public funds by government officials in the country.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 11

Group worries over Suntai’s health T

Taraba corps members urged to fight corruption

From Yusha’u Alhassan, Jalingo

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social crusade organization, Save Taraba Group has expressed its concern over the condition of the Taraba state Governor, Danbaba Danfulani Suntai.

The coordinator of the group, Razak Umar told newsmen in Jalingo that his organization is worried that 19 days after the plane crash involving the governor and his aides, there has not been any statement from the government on the his condition.

Razak who claimed that Tarabans were entitled to knowledge of their governor’s

health, said if the state government fails to make any statement on the matter, the group would mobilize the people for a peaceful demonstration.

He said, if after the peaceful demonstration the government refuses to respond, the organization would go to the German embassy in Abuja to find out.

He said they were worried by the news that Danbaba has been discharged from the German Hospital and was having a bed rest.

According to him, power should be transmitted to the deputy governor as stated in the

constitution if the Governor was incapacitated.

In another development, the Gara of Donga Danjuma, Stephen Bayonga has directed that the international Purma Chamba cultural festival slated for today in Donga, be postponed.

Chairman of the publicity committee of the festival, Jibrin Saidu said the Gara took the decision because of the plane crash involving Governor Suntai and three of his aides who are receiving treatment in Germany.

The Gara urged Tarabans to pray for the quick recovery of the governor and his aides.

From Yusha’u Alhassan, Jalingo he National Youth Service Corp members in Taraba State have been asked to join hands with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in fighting corruption in Nigeria.

Head of media and publicity of the commission, Samin Ahmadi stated this at a lecture delivered on Tuesday at the NYSC orientation camp, Jalingo.

He said in spite of the fight against corruption in Nigeria, looting of public funds and other financial crimes are on the

Niger SURE-P has N2.5b – Gov Aliyu From Iliya Garba, Minna

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L-R: Former President Alhaji Shehu Shagari; former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; Vice President Mohammed Namadi sambo and former Head of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar during a book presentation on Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye.

increase in the country.

Ahmadi said, unless Nigerians imbibe the habit of exposing financial criminals and corrupt officials, the nation would continue to experience woes.

The media officer who traced the establishment of the EFCC back to 2002 said the commission arrested top government functionaries and recovered huge sums of money and public properties from corrupt officials as well as jailed many fraudsters.

The EFCC spokesman expressed concern that corruption was becoming a culture that should be stopped.

he Governor of Niger state, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu has revealed that savings in the state Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme fund has gone up to N2.5billion.

He made this known in Minna yesterday when he received the chairman and members of the state SURE-P committee at the Government House, saying that out of the amount, N1.5billion was deposited in the fund for the state government while the balance belongs to the 25 local government areas.

Governor Aliyu said he instructed that a different bank account should be kept for the fund so that amount going into it and amount spent will be known assuring that the money will be sensibly spent to

cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy last January.

He also assured that the state will not duplicate the projects being executed by the federal government, stating that 3 people each from the state and local government areas will join the federal committee in Minna to understudy and give technical advice that would ensure that beneficiaries represented each part of the state.

Earlier, Chairman of the state SURE-P committee, Alhaji Aliyu Mamman said that operation of the committee has extend to the 25 local government areas of the state adding that from the initial employment of 1150 indigenes of the state, the committee was already working to meet the 3000 employment target before the end of this month.

Sheikh Bauchi denies Prison service donates to flood victims in Kogi accord with Izala group

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja he Kogi State Government has said the period of flooding witnessed in nine Local Government was a trying moment for the present administration.

The state’s Deputy Governor, Arc Yomi Awoniyi, stated this Tuesday in Lokoja when he received relief materials donated by the Kogi State Command of the Nigerian Prison Services.

Awoniyi, who doubles as Chairman, Flood Management Committee, noted the need to initiate a long term programme for communities ravaged by the flood.

He disclosed that with the receding of the floods, displaced

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persons camps are now been depleted rapidly and gradually, adding government has moved into its second phase of the postflood management strategies.

Arc Awoniyi pledged government’s readiness to alleviate the sufferings of the flood victims in a pragmatic manner describing the present administration as very responsive and knows the need for post disaster management.

He commended the staff of the Nigerian Prison Services for their concern for the State.

He assured that the government is working on proper resettlement plans for affected communities and persons displaced, so as to forestall unexpected socio-economic

problems.

The State Government, Awoniyi who added that the state has resolved to strengthen early warning systems for natural disasters, assured that the donations would get to those concerned.

Earlier in his speech, representative of the Controller of Nigerian Prison Services in Kogi State, Mr. Ibidapo Samson Kolede said the donation was in line with the service’s cardinal principle of reformation, security, reintegration and rehabilitation.

He commended the manner with which the State Government handled issues related to the flood and upkeep of the internally displaced persons.

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

A

n Islamic cleric Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi and leader of Tijjaniyya sect, has denied having any concurrence with the followers of Izala sect during the just concluded Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi while briefing newsmen in Bauchi said, “we have read some publications saying we have reunited with Izala sect; it’s not true. What had happened was that we went to Mecca together, held a fruitful discussion about our differences and I told them that we will only reunite if they fulfill three conditions; they should stop

calling a Muslim Kufr (Unbeliever), recognize Muslims all over the world as brothers and they should stop abusing the exalted servants of Allah” Sheikh Bauchi said discussion did not reach a conclusion as the Izala sect replied that 65% of them have changed their ways which, Sheik Bauchi says, is not fair enough.

The Islamic scholar advised them to avoid calling their Muslims brother Kufr because it is against the doctrine of Islam.

Effort to get the response of the National Chairman of Jama’atu Izalatul Bidi’a Wa Iqamatussunah Sheikh Bala Lau proved abortive as his phone was switched off.

Pipeline vandalism: ‘Task force officials are involved’ From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

O

ne of the pipeline vandals caught recently at Eganyi, Adogo area of Ajaokuta local government, Kogi state, has alleged their arrest and destruction of their

vehicles was as a result of not fulfilling their part of the agreement with the security officials.

He said they have been jolly associates with the security operatives in charge before the bubble burst when the

percentage normally reserved for the operatives did not get to them on time.

The allegation was corroborated by an anonymous source who claimed that most of those in the task force are living in affluence.

“It has not been long they posted these people to the task force on pipeline vandalism, these boys have changed their cars and houses”, a Civil Defence officer who spoke on anonymity said in Lokoja.

Authorities have been called

upon to unravel what happened at Adogo, Ajaokuta local government, Kogi state where about eighteen trucks were allegedly destroyed, to ascertain the level of involvement of security operatives as claimed by the victims.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

Your Lordship, you’ve erred, please!

T

he decision of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mariam Mouktar not to swear in Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, as were 11 others last week, for no cogent reason other than that she is not an indigene the state from where she was recommended is unfortunate, to say the least. Indeed, the CJN’s action, at a time when all hands should be on deck to do away with indigene/settler dichotomy in our body politic, is, at best ridiculous and downright retrogressive at worst.

As if she had a foreboding of what was to happen to Justice Jumbo-Ofo, retired Supreme Court Justice Olufunlola Adekeye had, at her valedictory court session penultimate week, implored the CJN, Chief Judges of the states, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the National Judicial Council (NJC) to review the policy militating against married women reaching the peak of their career in their husbands’ statesof origin.

Even the governor Theodore Orji of the nominating state, Abia, had made a passionate appeal on behalf of Justice Jumbo-Ofo. The governor had written a letter to the CJN a week earlier in which he confirmed the indigeneship of Justice Jumbo-Ofo, who had served in the Abia state Judiciary for the past 14 years. To boot, the governor had affirmed that her name was indeed sent as one of Abia’s candidates for elevation to the appellate court.

We are not aware where the

Nigerian Constitution prohibits the appointment of a legally qualified citizen who is not encumbered by or in breach of the law into a federal office on account of his or her state of origin.

If anything, to be sure, Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution clearly states: (1) “A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person (a) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in

“

We want to urge the CJN to make haste and swear in Justice Jumbo-Ofo because, petition or not, President Goodluck Jonathan has appointed her as Justice of the Appeal Court based on the recommendation of the NJC, which the CJN chairs Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religious or political opinions are not made subject; or (b) be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other

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

communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religious or political opinions.”

Expectedly and rightly so, the CJN’s action has elicited a universal condemnation, especially from the National Assembly, human rights groups and ordinary Nigerians. A day after the swearing-in fiasco, the Senate, in a unanimous decision, directed the CJN to, without any delay, administer the oath of office to Justice Jumbo-Ofo, taking unusual exception to Justice Mouktar’s refusal to do so along with the 11 others that were sworn that day. To express their revulsion, the Senate President, David Mark, his Deputy Ike Ekweremadu and Senate Leader Victor Ndoma Egba, took turns to condemn the CJN’s action. The upper chamber of the National Assembly noted that since Justice Jumbo-Ofo’s nomination had already passed through due process, the issue is “a fait accompli.”

Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) and the Executive Director of the human rights group, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), Chino Obiagwu, also took particular exception to the CJN’s action, describing it as condemnable.

While agreeing with the positions above, we want to urge the CJN to make haste and swear in Justice Jumbo-Ofo because, petition or not, President Goodluck Jonathan has appointed her as Justice of the Appeal Court based on the recommendation of the NJC, which the CJN chairs.

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 13

YouWin and human capital development E

By Tijjani Ahmad

xpectations of Nigerians on government have continued to soar in the face of daunting challenges. However, in the one and a half years of his administration, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has adopted and demonstrated a focused and visionary leadership style in his contract pact with Nigerians of breaking from the rhetoric past to transforming ideas, plans and promises into action when he launched the YouWIN scheme.

One of such areas that have received the attention of this administration is the area of job creation and economic empowerment of the Nigerian youth.

Job creation and empowerment of the teeming youths of this country is considered a critical sector and is been accorded premium consideration and attention by this administration that has achieved unprecedented success in the history of the nation in catering for the yearnings and aspirations of the youth to realize their innate talents and potentials.

Even in advanced and developed countries, job creation has taken the centre stage in campaigns for economic growth and political success. In the United States for instance, the ongoing debates among the contending presidential candidates in the race for the White House between incumbent President Barrack Obama and Mr. Romney of the Republican Party in the November 2012 elections, continued to revolve around the ability to create jobs as well as sustain existing ones.

By Aliyu Bala Aliyu

I

t was on the online forum Dandalin Siyasa that I saw the caption which someone had posted: “6 PhD 704 Masters among applicants for Drivers jobs in Dangote!” The arguments went back and forth for days and on both sides of the divide great points were advanced. However, my opinion is that something is certainly wrong with a system that sees nothing wrong with PhD holders and Masters degree holders rushing to take jobs as truck drivers!

In a country where paper qualification defines a wo/man, the kind of economic opportunities that will be available to one, or better still, the kind of well paying job one gets, it is not surprising therefore that desperation defines the effort to secure a certificate – defendable or otherwise . So much has been written in the past on the issue, and it is not my intention to dwell much on the disconnect between the theories taught in our universities and their practical relevance in a globalized 21st century; but the scary reality of PhD holders driving Dangote’s trailers betrays the disaster in Nigeria’s educational and entrepreneurial landscape. To be honest, there are PhD holders driving taxis or doing some really odd jobs in Nigeria and beyond. I read some months ago of a lady with a PhD driving a taxi in Abuja. As for the Diaspora variants that we are told wash plates, toilets and dead bodies in Europe and America; sweep the streets or dispense fuel abroad is as a result of the inability of those categories of people to secure papers to grant them working permits are some of the reasons that have been advanced by the army of “hustling” Nigerians across the

Therefore, that the present administration has taken the bull by the horn in tackling the overwhelming challenges of unemployment in the country is a clear testimony and demonstration of the resolve and commitment of this administration at fulfilling its promise of an endearing and enduring transformative leadership christened ‘The Transformation Agenda’. A transformation agenda that seeks to address the country’s over bloated market of the unemployed through the YouWIN programme.

YouWiN stands for Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria. It is an innovative business plan competition aimed at job creation by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youth in Nigeria to develop and execute business ideas. So far, a substantial number of Nigerian youths have benefitted from the programme. As at April this year, over 1,200 able bodied youths have benefitted from the scheme and are already impacting positively on the national economy and by extension, getting more youths employed in their respective established businesses. This accomplishment was celebrated elaborately with Mr. President in attendance at the Villa to share the joy of a milestone success with the YouWiN awardees.

YouWIN is also aimed at harnessing the creative abilities of young and talented Nigerian entrepreneurial youths into very viable economic venture that will expand the trade and economic domains of individuals with entrepreneurial skills. YouWIN is a

project of the Federal government in collaboration with and driven by the Federal Ministry of Finance, ICT, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

Of these collaborating Federal agencies, The Federal Ministry of Youth Development is the most critical and most beneficial of all.

This is because it is the partner in the project that has the human target and capacity development that is the focal point of the scheme.

While the Federal Ministry of Finance provides the fund; ICT, the operational and technical platform for the implementation of the project; Women Affairs, gives the motherly direction and parental guidance to the project. Though women are also targets of the project, it should be noted that a large percent of them fall within the category of the Nigerian youths.

The YouWIN project is said to attract accolades from even the most cynic and critical section of the country of this administration because it is one of the major landmark achievement of the government in tackling youth unemployment in the country. This I think is hinged on the premise that any nation that neglected meeting the needs and aspirations of its youth, can as well be said to have neglected a critical segment of the nation’s population and does so at its own peril. I believe strongly that this administration clearly understood this and does not want to be seen as one that has mortgaged the future of the Nigerian youth for administrative aggrandizement.

The policy thrust of this

administration on youth development as enunciated by the Minister of Youth Development is hinged on developing youths with sense of hope, confidence, creativity and pride in the nation’s ability to cater adequately for their growth and developmental needs because they represent the hope and future of the country. The YouWIN project is one highly commendable scheme by government aimed primarily, to tap the resourcefulness of Nigerian youth that have the zeal and are full of the spirit of entrepreneurship, self reliance and have a great sense of responsibility to the cause of the Nigerian project of becoming one of the world’s 20 largest economies by the year 2020.

Unlike most government’s projects in the past where it is who you know at the top level that matters in accessing government funds meant for economic empowerment, the YouWIN project is unique because, true to the core values of the national youth policy, the principles of equal opportunity, transparency, accountability and individual’s hard work and entrepreneurship skills are set as standards and strictly adhered to.

On a closer look, the YouWIN scheme is adding a long list of value chain to the economic growth and development of the country. As part of the requirements for participation, an applicant must propose a business venture that is within the national borders of Nigeria, and with the intention of employing Nigerian citizens.

What this means is that, of the celebrated 1,200 first awardees of the scheme, they have in turn

gainfully employed other skilled Nigerian youths in their respective businesses. If each on an average can offer employment opportunity to say five more people, multiply by 1,200 gives you a total of 6,000 employed Nigerian youth! This does not stop or end there. Because there is the prospect that with time, the respective business establishments will further grow into bigger economic ventures that will further require the services of more hands to run the business.

The invariable translation of the entire project is adding value to the entire national economy as well as the nation’s human capacity growth. Offering of gainful employment is one most important avenue by which a nation taps and utilizes the potentials of its teeming youth for the overall benefit of the country.

Being mindful of the critical role of an empowered and contented youth in national development, the present administration is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring mass participation in the programme.

Already, co-ordinating agencies of the scheme are partnering with states and local government areas where the larger proportion of the youth reside, in enlightenment campaigns, sensitization and guidance in order to attract participation from the targeted youth. This is the more reason why the support of all and sundry is desirous for the overall success and achievement of the scheme in the best interest of the country. With YouWIN, we are all winners!

Tijjani Ahmad No. 80, Lagos Street, Garki 2, Abuja.

Atlantic or in recent times the credit crunch.

But then the question is why go to the university to study microbiology, law, engineering, architecture, accounting, physics, etc only to end up driving a truck?

Why undergo the rigours of a Master’s degree to end up as an okada rider or a barber? Why pursue a PhD and end up a tailor or a labourer at a construction site carrying cement or laying bricks? Why train to be a civil servant, an IT specialist, an economist, a computer programmer, a computer scientist, or a geophysicist, only to end up working in a call centre picking calls and doing absolutely nothing related to the course of study?

I do not belong to the school of thought that sees a university degree as a meal ticket; as an end in itself, or guaranteeing a job when you factor in the un-employability of some degree holders. A university degree, beyond the theories and researches, is evidence of one having passed through a melting pot of ideas, rubbed mind with people (as iron is expected to sharpen iron), and placethe university itself, which would have sparked a thing or two within an individual to seek to bring about change to self first and foremost and then society – by observation, which leads to intelligent inquiry which thus leads to research which in turn gives birth to discoveries. History is replete with ground breaking scientific and other discoveries with credit to such institutions as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Princeton, MIT etc. Collaborations between companies and research institutes, universities and polytechnics have been unbroken over decades in

advanced countries and which other testimony is there for their level of advancement? But critically speaking, every university is only capable of being a great institution to the realizable extent to which it defines itself. To the University, the question is: “Do I want to be a degreebazaar institution or one that is worth its salt?” And for the individual student the question is: “Do I just want to carry a degree about, like a badge, in the face of an absence of even common sense let alone the applicability of higher learning to every aspect of my life?”

One would think that an individual who after secondary school pursued a vocation, say tailoring/ fashion design as some prefer to call it, for four or five years, would have been a master at it. Like the Igbo people’s methods of apprenticeship, they do not “waste time” going to pursue degrees only to come back to sell spare parts, building materials, or driving luxury buses. They go straight for the jugular beginning with the end in mind. Universal basic education should have naturally given such people the basic competence of reading and writing.

A number of people have advanced the argument that the global financial meltdown is having its toll on all nations and seeing to it

that unusual things are happening like people taking pay cuts instead of losing their jobs, taking up menial jobs in order to pay bills where they have lost their jobs but the truth is that it has never been the tradition in such societies. The undercurrent of the aberration in the Nigerian context is that it has been the tradition and has been accepted as the standard zigzag of a “career pathway” and this “norm” has been here for aeons with no end in sight.

There is no doubt that Dangote has created thousands of jobs directly and indirectly; he has assisted individuals and institutions by way of philanthropy but to accept that PhD holders grabbing his trucks’ steering wheels is such a great thing for our country is the exact antithesis of development. On the contrary, we should be sober about this ugly trend of churning out massive graduates of not just first degree holders, but of second and third degrees with no hope of getting jobs; or creating jobs; and a failed and unimaginative government to give a slice of government earnings in compassionate welfare buffers. Is it not criminal in every way that our government supervises the looting of our collective patrimony and yet cannot provide jobs or seed capital to start small businesses?

Then there arises the argument

about entrepreneurship. What is it about Nigerians and entrepreneurship? The fact is that entrepreneurship is not for the faint hearted. It is built on risk. It is built on the ability to see fast the things that others are yet to see and taking the initiative to fill the void. It is the conversion of an idea into a value.

Entrepreneurship, first and foremost, is built on passion – the passion to see a dream become reality; and with the access to capital, good management, innovation and an undying fire of success burning in the belly; an entrepreneur is one who would build a small business from a dream into a global brand.

But Nigeria kills dreams; that’s the reality. So how and why do we have this eleventh hour crusade to turn school leavers and graduates and everybody into entrepreneurs because of the failure of government?

It doesn’t work that way. Where are the mentors to mentor the “by fire by force” entrepreneurs we are trying to create compulsorily?

Where is the seed capital going to come from? And this is bearing in mind that the World Bank report has said Nigeria ranks 131 in terms of ease of doing business among 185 countries. Need I say that entrepreneurship is built on passion?

Where passion is missing, success cannot be guaranteed; and where success is guaranteed, sustainability cannot be guaranteed. Most importantly, not everybody is cut out for entrepreneurship so we should learn not to force it.

Aliyu Bala Aliyu, a Master of Public and International Affairs student, University of Lagos, can be reached on aliyubala.aliyu@gmail.com

Our PhD drivers and entrepreneurial crisis

“

Need I say that entrepreneurship is built on passion?

Where passion is missing, success cannot be guaranteed; and where success is guaranteed, sustainability cannot be guaranteed. Most importantly, not everybody is cut out for entrepreneurship so we should learn not to force it

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Is Nigerian economy as healthy as plaudits suggest?

By Uddin Ifeanyi

R

eading Standard & Poor’s recent justification of its decision to raise the economy foreign – and local – currency sovereign credit ratings, I could not help but wonder whether the policy choices that we made progressing down this path were part of a conscious process of rebuilding our room “for policy manoeuvring or were the unanticipated result of a collocation of providential circumstances. True, the rating agency adverted attention to improving economic indices in its most recent report on the country, including the fact that (1) against what has become the trend since this administration came into office, the fiscal assets in the excess crude account went up for the first time to US$8.4 billion in October; (2) external reserves closed October, 30% up on the same period last year; and (3) in its words, “government has sustained reform momentum in several key areas”.

Take a closer look at these numbers, however, and the sense is that the Nigerian economy may not be in as fine fettle as they suggest. Hard to celebrate the decision to cut fuel subsidies in January, for instance, if all it has achieved is expose the full (long-

suspected) extent of rot in the oil prices have refused to drop below we rise up to our responsibilities and gas sector. Nor can one US$100 per barrel. So, whereas no to succeeding generations only describe as (attempts at?) reform, amount of domestic reform can when we build, today, the the pathetic examples of improve the oil price outlook, infrastructure that helps them capacity increases government’s effort at appraising radical changes to how we manage drive goings-on in the industry that are public expenditure is central to tomorrow.

Fortunately, on the table. both these And what challenges are about the readily met by a power sector? change in the Plenty of Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text mix of public motion, and no messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written sector spend. movement, contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 Currently, we are there! Or is it words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and living from hand hot air, and no a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed to mouth. Indeed, l i g h t ? to: we have started Whatever the borrowing in difficulties The Editor, order to better with the sector live this way. So, may be, it is Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, not much reform self-evident 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. here either. At that even the Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com least, not going remarkable SMS: 07037756364 by the avowals of improvement spokespersons for in power supply that we have witnessed in what we make of the excess the government at the centre. the last three months is in reverse, revenue from selling our crude oil Depressing, though, these are, we as the sector struggles to come to resources. Two paths are are invited to consider a further terms with its recent change(s) of recommended down this road. dimension to our problems: the First is the challenge of obtaining trade-offs that government has helms person.

Conversely, the new fiscal the loudest bang for each naira had to make to get this far.

At this point, the focus is on buffers (rising external reserves spent, especially by boosting and the balance on the excess (public and private) investment the rise in reserves. It is crude account) speak to a different in fixed assets. Second, is the need irresponsible for cheerleaders of possibility. On one hand, we to recognise the inter-generational improvements in this index to readily acknowledge that domestic challenge posed by total fiscal overlook the concessions we have policy has limited feedback on dependence on revenue from a had to make in our bid to attract global oil prices. On the other hand, wasting asset. It is often contended capital inflows from outside the we are grateful that in spite of a that these aspects are but different country. Understandably, the softening global economy, oil sides of the same coin. For instance, removal of capital controls at the

WRITE TO US

short-end of the market has had the desired effect of attracting new funds. Beyond that, though, I am not sure whether we are the beneficiaries of a push from the tepid economic circumstances of most other markets, or from the pull of better risk- and inflationadjusted returns locally. I would wager, however, that the truth lies somewhere in between these two extremes. None of which then matters much, anyway, if 80% of transactions on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in the last 9 months have been driven by non-resident players.

Much of the investment in short-term gilts and treasury bills have had similar provenance.

Essentially, then, the rise in fiscal buffers has occurred on the back of short-term capital inflows. One immediately available conclusion is that even as we celebrate these “improvements” in some economic indices, we may still have to deal with longer-term vulnerabilities to the economy, most of which are not being attended to currently. Then there is the worry over how an economy that not too long ago imposed controls on the inflow of shortterm capital (out of legitimate worry over its fickleness) now rejoices over the prospects of being flooded by portfolio funds.

Uddin Ifeanyi works in the financial services industry.

Jonathan’s memorable Jigawa visit

By Yusuf Suleiman

F

or two days (November 5-6 2012), President Goodluck Jonathan was in Jigawa state on a working visit. He seized the opportunity to commission a number of projects such as the N9.5bn State Secretariat, N800m Yakubu Gawon NYSC and Sport Centre, an academy for gifted bamaina; he also laid the foundations of Dutse International Airport and Collage for Remedial and Advanced Studies, Kafin Hausa.

Jonathan attended a meeting of Jigawa stakeholders, held in Council Chamber, Government House in Dutse. Unlike other meetings which were mainly political, this one convened as a platform for the state’s think tank (as Governor Sule Lamido called them) to interact with the President directly on issues that touch the lives of Jigawa state people and Nigerians in general.

This would also afford the President an opportunity to gather first hand information on problems of the people.

President Jonathan wasn’t disappointed with the manner in which people aired the views on his administration as well as the systematic growth of the state from being one of the most backward states to the status of a well planned and developed state. He did not hide his astonishment at quick progress the state has made under Lamido and he didn’t hide this in virtually all the places he visited. For Example, when Mr. President was call upon to deliver

his remark prelude to commissioning of the best NYSC Camp in Nigeria he said “…in the whole country I think is not up to 15 states that have constructed special place for Corp members in including the Federal Capital. And I was told this is best NYSC in the country, it was constructed at the cost less than N800m, if it was in other places… you will hear the N2bn or N1.5bn was expended.”

Some of the requests presented to Mr President which he instantly assured the people of consideration were, some Federal Road linking the state with border with Niger Republic, Kano- Babura- Niger Republic, Kano- Jahun- Hadejia Road and Kano- Gumel- Niger Republic all according to the Acting Chairman of the State elders, Alh Muhammad Ibrahim who give the brief are critical to Socio-Economic livelihood of Jigawa people.

Other requests were for a Federal Collage of Education, a dam to collect the water from Hadejia valley to support irrigation and a solution to the perennial flooding of communities on the banks of Hadejia River as well as revival of the Hadejia irrigation project abandoned for over 30 years. There was also a request for Federal Government’s intervention through Dutse Greater Water Project with the intention of transferring water from Sintilmawa town, 60 kms from the capital. These requests were echoed by erstwhile ministers of commerce, Alh. Bello Maitama and Alh Sale Shehu, whose timely intervention revealed the glaring socioeconomic challenges

confronting the state.

Proprietor of Lautai General Enterprises Bashir Muhammad, former Jigawa State SSG, Alh Tanko Ayuba, Dr. Zubaida A Nagee, Dr Ummah Abdulwahab among others, bluntly told Mr. president that for economic activities to flourish and internally generated revenue to improve there must be intervention by the federal government.

Without hesitation, they reminded Mr President that, so far, the Internal Generated Revenue of Jigawa state is little above N200m, the amount which a one local government in other sister state generate. The elders pointed out that, all the projects the state governments so far executed where made out of the meagre resources from the federation allocation.

These assembled wise men stressed that, yes, they were mindful of the huge burden on the Federal Government, however, the state’s demands were genuine and they did deserve consideration.

Anything short would have a devastating effect on the validity of

Mr. President’s claims at different fora that his government supports good governance.

As is characteristic of him, President Jonathan tried to humour his audience with jokes before addressing the various demands presented by the state’s stakeholders. He then instructed Minister of Works, Arc Mike Onalememen, Minster of Water Resources, Sarah Achekpe and that of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai, to give accounts of their ministries’ interventions in Jigawa state.

Though the ministers made attempts to explain some of the programmes and the status of each, one could tell that they were not convincing. There were clears frowns of incredulity on the faces of some members of the audience.

On his part, President Jonathan took his time to explain some of the policies of his government in education, road development, agriculture and air transportation; he said it was the wish of the Federal Government to establish federal universities in

“

He acknowledged that for state to stand on its feet there must be free movement of good and service which according to him is one of the cardinal objective of his administration to create at least cargo terminal in all the states to serve as gateway for export of Agricultural products assured the Jigawa state that he would take all the demands seriously as they were spring up by people themselves

all the states of the federation to ensure good and qualitative education to all. However, he said that the federal government would not establish any collage of education or polytechnic in the near future. He said the policy was to ensure that the newly established universities get the required funding that would make them compete with any university around the globe.

President Jonathan said the phenomenal development recorded in Jigawa state in the last five and half years had made him wonder what other states are doing. He believed that if what was being done in Jigawa “is replicated in all the other states of the federation Nigeria would have been a better country than it is today. I thank Governor Sule Lamido sincerely.”

He acknowledged that for state to stand on its feet there must be free movement of good and service which according to him is one of the cardinal objective of his administration to create at least cargo terminal in all the states to serve as gateway for export of Agricultural products assured the Jigawa state that he would take all the demands seriously as they were spring up by people themselves. He added that Federal Government would collaborate with Jigawa state government in areas where it requires help such as water supply, irrigation, and the proposed Dutse airport.

Suleiman works with Press Unit Government House, Dutse 08034105300 (SMS Only)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

By Abdulrazaq O. Hamzat

S

omeone might have asked you, or you may have been asking yourself this question: if democracy means all the theoretical, institutional and behavioral dimensions that is usually written in books, why is it that not every country in the world where a democratic government exists operate democracy successfully like it is written?

Especially in Africa, democratic governance is not a stable feature of our society, but rather, an episodic phenomenon.

There are many reasons why Africa especially has proved incapable of operating stable and successful democratic governance, namely: economic underdevelopment and mass poverty, centralization of economic and political power, corruption in its various forms and manifestations and negative historical precedent. Research has proved that the main feature of underdevelopment that acts as a barrier to democracy and good governance is the fact that the economies of underdeveloped countries are structurally linked with the economies of the advanced capitalist countries in such a way that the economic activities in the underdeveloped countries produce beneficial and positive results in the advanced countries while creating poverty, misery and negative results in the underdeveloped countries.

An example is the Nigerian oil sector, where Nigeria’s oil is transported to foreign countries to their economic benefits, but return

By Toibudeen Oduniyi

F

olks, let me congratulate my brother Barack “Hussein” Obama on his re-election as the President of the United States of America. He truly deserves it, having managed a nation emerging from the blighted psyche of two demoralising wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, a battered economy and a country besieged by threats in most areas of its leadership, remarkably well in the last four years.

Has he been a resounding success – No, has he made good attempts and work tirelessly to pursue his vision – Yes. There has been many lows and highs, budget deadlock and health care reforms, etc. All through this period, he has displayed dignity and strength – the hallmarks of a true leader. The election battle was a very tough one, two candidate representing two ideological different parties with their huge foot soldiers exploiting every channel possible to stake their claim to the White House. Now he has another four years, the work continues and I wish him the best.

He must now set his sight on changing the world as he promised four years ago. Obama must remember he is not competing against anybody anymore and be bolder with his policies. First on his list, putting that recalcitrant Benjamin Netayanhu in his place, resolving that huge sore on the face of the world – the Palestinian homeland issue, putting big businesses in check, withdrawing young Americans from doomed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,

PAGE 15

Why our democracy isn’t working back to Nigeria in exploitative form whereby creating scarcity and misery, which eventually leads to fuel subsidy which has crippled multimillion small and medium scale businesses over the years, as well as created massive poverty, massive corruption in oil sector and all sort of negative examples too numerous to mention.

It is in this sense that some scholars from developing countries speak in terms of ‘’the development of underdevelopment’’. This simply means that as the underdeveloped countries try to improve their economic conditions, their situation gets worse or to use another expression, the very negative indices of development that they seek to improve become deeper and more far reaching. It is therefore not surprising that such countries of which Nigeria is one, can hardly operate a stable democratic government, but have to move constantly between democracy and authoritarian rule. This ensures that there is a dysfunction between the goods produced in our country and the goods consumed by our population as well as problems like low life expectancy, incapacity to respond to natural calamities such as the recent floods around the country, etc.

The economic system introduced in Africa by the Europeans was extroverted.

Extroversion simple refers to a situation where producers/ government officials have their

attention fixed on the outside rather than on their national market. Roads/sea ports in Africa were directed more at Europe and America than on our national territory. This situation ensures that every valuable resources, be it mineral, man power, intelligent citizens and historical/ancient valuables are transported abroad.

The uneven nature of European activities in Africa produced some core area of influence and affluence existing in precarious relationship with the vast periphery of rural areas.

Another area of note is education, the kind of education introduced to African countries in the colonial era is aimed at producing black European gentlemen rather than well trained engineers and technicians, but till date, most African countries including Nigeria have been unable to shift away from the education of being just a gentleman, to an education which is aimed at national transformation. Education, which not just conceive European based policies but a truly indigenous policy that can actually work and produce the right result needs to be implemented in Africa.

This economic idea also allows advanced countries to impose their own policies on the underdeveloped countries by the use of unfounded, partial and often misguided policies and theories. An example is the removal of the fuel subsidy championed by the Nigerian

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozie Okonjo Iweala, who claimed that it was inevitable to the economic stability of Nigeria, a policy which was clearly improvised and is having negative effect both on present and future well-being of the citizens. The subsidy situation came about due to corruption, and without tackling the root cause, has ensured there can never be any progress.

Other studies have pointed to that while the devaluation, economic liberalisation, removal of subsidy etc. can be shown to promote economic growth and development in some particular western countries, their blanket application to underdeveloped countries, like Nigeria, in general helps to keep them impoverished.

Where a large number of people are poor, illiterate, hungry and sick, the practice of democracy is rendered virtually impossible for in such a situation, many people are so concerned with meeting their basic needs for food and shelter that they care more or less nothing about political participation.

The relationship between economic underdevelopment and democracy and good governance was shown to be that, as the forces of production of a society grow, the society is able to accumulate more surpluses from the labour of its members. This surplus value extracted from labour over time makes some societies wealthy and capable of dominating others.

When such domination is directed mainly at acquiring private economic gain, then a relationship so established becomes an imperialistic relationship, thereby creating wealth and prosperity for the advanced countries and poverty and underdevelopment for the developing countries. And such poverty and economic underdevelopment stands as a major barrier to the growth and development of democracy in the world.

History says that, since the 19th century, most African countries have been held in a structural relationship to the countries of Europe and America, which has left them underdeveloped. For this reason, these countries have been unable to practice democracy and good governance because they lack the necessary social prerequisites for democratic governance.

For the underdeveloped countries to have any chance of operating a successful democracy and good governance with its principles like other advanced countries, the underdeveloped countries must cut its structural tier and relationship with the advance countries, living a room for a level playing ground and moving at their own pace. Their relationships with the advanced countries must strictly be based on mutual interests and mutual benefits.

Abdulrazaq O Hamzat Discus4now@yahoo.com

fighting poverty in all its ramifications all round the world, curbing the power of lobby groups in perpetual control of Washington and stop the pattern of imposing American brand of democracy on people around the world. Tough demands, but if he manages to crack two or three, his place in history will be unquestionable.

Nigerians displayed such an amazing interest and creativity during the American election – cynics will probably point to the Obama factor. Right from the Obama fund raising fiasco many years ago, to the numerous display pictures that adorn our blackberry phones today. You will think we are all related to Obama in some ways, well he has got to be everyone’s favourite uncle!!! One must wonder what would have happened if Romney had won. This begs the question, why don’t we show this kind of fervour for Nigeria. Rather, it is always a litany of woes. The body polity remain besieged by many ills – mass corruption, moral decadence, youth delinquency, a belligerent political class, religious intolerance, etc. In the political arena, governance has become the forgotten mission. In the economic sector, we have become the dumping ground of the world. In the social sector, our traditional values are nearly extinct. Where do we go from here???

It is time we must pondered JFK’s popular phrase: “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”.

To me this is very apt, as we are always quick to blame the country.

I wonder how many of us ever actually pause to ask ourselves what we can do to move the country forward. Looking up to the government or God will simply not do it. People are always quick to blame it on something else but I think the problem lies in us. The fact is that our behaviours define how people view us. On a recent trip to England, I was shocked to find a Custom Officer just outside the aircraft exit door, enquiring about how much cash people had on them.

It used to be sniffer dogs looking for drugs now it is humans looking for cash!!! After a few exchange of banter, he explained that they have credible intelligence that people from Nigeria are bringing in lots of cash into the UK without declaring it. And of course, we all know the kind of cash that gets moved around in luggage. Not long after this, a story broke out about a Nigerian arrested at Nnamdi Azikwe Airport in Abuja trying to smuggle out millions of dollars to Dubai. Guess how I felt…

The African spirit of Entrepreneur has to be revived, and unleashed on the poverty scourge that ravages our great country. The success of many Nigerians in Diaspora has proven that we have what it takes to compete with the best in the world. In the United Kingdom, Nigerians lead in many fields of endeavour. At the grassroots level, Nigerians actively participate in politics, with many elected as

councillors and mayors. There are a few Nigerian young Turks rising in both the Conservative and Labour parties and it is only a matter of time before they hit the top jobs.

Nigerians in the Diaspora must also ask themselves what role we can play in pulling the country forward. If we look at many emerging countries that are excelling today, the role of people in the Diaspora have been influential. India’s success as an Information Technology powerhouse would not have been possible without the contribution of Indians in Diaspora. Indians have been the most successful immigrants in Silicon Valley, with a quarter of companies there either founded or run by Indians. This group of people pioneered the software development and technical competence that is now centred around Bangalore and Chennai. The same pattern is emerging in medicine with a viable cottage industry developing in India that has proven very popular both in the West and other developing countries. Nigerians in the Diaspora must rise up to the challenge of Nigeria. Be it in the form of start-ups or in collaboration with existing institutions and organisations, let’s do it!!!

We should take heart and be encouraged by events in the US in the last twenty years. From the impressive assault on Washington by that kid from Hope, Arkansas to the man who challenged us by

doing what most of us never dreamt possible in our lifetime – a black man in the Oval Office. As we ponder the issue of how to resolve the “Nigeria” problem, let us believe in a place called Hope as Bill Clinton did, and let us tell the cynics who doubt if Nigeria can be fixed as Obama did – Yes we can…. We must stand, be counted, and God willing deliver…

Let us be ready to challenge the rules of the economic games and established orders. All around us today the world is changing, we are seeing people and organisations breaking the rules, taking on seemingly insurmountable tasks, disrupting conventional status quos.

It is time we realised that we are the only people that will develop this country. Foreign investors will come and go; the reality is that they are constantly on the move in pursuit of profit.

Donors will give us aids in one form or the other, but sooner or later they will get tired. We must have a strong belief in ourselves and our amazing capacity to achieve in the face of serious adversity. The human spirit is unshakable once we set our hearts firmly on goals that are very dear to us. Let us be bold and pursue what our minds and hearts tell us Nigeria needs to break the vicious cycle of “bad governance” we are trapped in. I am sure the answer lies in us; we only have to summon the courage to let it emerge.

Toibudeen Oduniyi is on Twitter.

Arise, o Nigerian compatriots

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 16

Constitution Review: Aduda advice Abuja indigenes to adopt approach on amendment

By Adeola Tukuru

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he Chairman Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy on the review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Phillip Tanimu Aduda has advised Abuja indigenes to adopt an incremental approach believing that the current amendment in a stable, democratic Nigeria is one that will chat the way for future practice.

Aduda noted this at the review

of the 1999 constitution holding in Kuje, adding that other countries with similar constitution like Netherlands, USA and India have adopted this approach to successfully amend sections of their constitution.

He explained that the process of making a constitution is as important as the final product itself.

And that is why we must devise ways to ensure world acclaimed patterns of procedure, participation, transparency and

legitimacy.

In his words: “The 1999 Constitution makes it clear that this aspect of our life should be undertaken by the National and State Assemblies in accordance to section of the constitution. To ensure transparency, the process will be open and inclusive”.

Also the Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Hon Danladi Etsu Zhin explained that the people of FCT are saying that they want someone that will be elected by them just

like we have participated in other election.

“All the people want is that the Federal Government should create another Federal Capital City (FCC) and the remaining part of FCT which is still bigger than more than five states in this country should be given their status so that our children should have a future and we that we are existing right now should have a future and a say”.

He stated that other states are

electing their Governors, “we the Abuja indigenes are staying like orphanages in our own state, as if we are not from this country. We can’t not vote in Kogi state or participate anywhere”.

The Chairman Committee on FCT Area Council, Hon Ibrahim Ewbo also assured that he will continue to work with Abuja indigenes so as to actualize their dreams.

“This is an opportunity for me to also extend my support to what the people of Abuja are doing particularly, because they also have a say in the country”, he said.

NSCIA, ICPC holds workshop on budget process in Kwali, others

By Usman Shuaibu

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Drinks hawker pushing his bicycle at Apo village, Abuja.

Photo: Muhmad Isa

2 docked for disturbing public peace

By Amaike Beauty with agency news

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n Abuja Magistrates Court on Tuesday granted bail to one Abdulrazaq Yusuf, 54, and Abdullahi Usman, 51, both of AIT Junction, Asokoro, Abuja, who are standing trial for allegedly causing hurt and disturbing public peace.

Police prosecutor Philip Akogwu

told the court that one Usman of the same address reported the matter at the Asokoro Police Station on No, 9, 2012.

Akogwu said the accused, which live in the same house, engaged themselves in a fight and in the process sustained injuries.

He said their action also disturbed the peace of their neighbors, but the first accused

pleaded not guilty to the charge.

It is the wife of the first accused that started everything by pouring water on my door step.

“When I asked her why she did it, she started insulting me and stoned my wife. Then, her husband started fighting me,” he said.

The second accused, however, pleaded guilty to the charge, and Magistrate Musa Jobbo granted the

accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 and a surety each in like sum.

Jobbo said each of the sureties must reside in a known address within the jurisdiction of the court.

He adjourned the case to Nov, 27, 2012. For sentencing of the second accused and the continuation of hearing in the case of the first accused who pleaded not guilty.

Court orders payment of N72, 000 to complainant

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n Abuja Senior Magistrates Court on Tuesday convicted and ordered Tyona Timothy of Lugbe Zone 7, Abuja, who was entrusted with a Nissan Sunny Car, to pay the owner N72, 000.

Magistrate Ann Akobi also ordered the accused to pay another N2, 000 fines to the court after he admitted to being entrusted with the car for commercial purpose and travelling with the money

earned in 24 days.

Akobi said the N72, 000 should be paid in three installments through the court clerk to forestall another failure to pay the sum.

She noted that the attitude of the accused could make people lose trust in Nigerians, and warned that he should ensure that he pays the N2, 000 fines or serve six months imprisonment.

The magistrates said the accused deserved no mercy, but

said that the court decided to temper justice with mercy in view of his plea.

Earlier, Police prosecutor Mohammed Ahmed had told the court that the matter was lodged at the Police Station in Central Area, Abuja, on behalf of Timothy Alu of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja on Nov, 6, 2012.

Ahmed said Alu entrusted his Nissan Sunny Car with Reg. No: WAM 50 XA to the accused on the

understanding that he would be remitting N3, 000 daily to him.

He said that instead of remitting the money which he in made in 24 days, the accused dishonestly converted it to his personal use, an offence to which he pleaded guilty.

Ahmed said the accused committed an offence of criminal breach of trust contrary to the provisions of Section 312 of the Penal Code.

he Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in Collaboration with Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) with support from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently held a 2-day Capacity building training workshop on budget process for the selected people from Abaji, Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils in the FCT. The Director of Administration / programme of NSCIA, Ustaz Amin O. Igwegbe explained that the workshop was organized to educate the people from the area councils to partake in budget planning, implementation and monitoring.

He noted that if the people were involved in the planning of the budget their inputs could bring meaningful development at the grass roots level.

Ustaz further charged other chairmen of Local governments across the country to carry the people in the rural communities along in the area of budget proposal so that they could contribute their quote to the budget process.

The Director advised the participants to make use of the opportunity to participate in the area council’s budget process when the need arises.

Igwegbe noted that if the people were considered in the budget implementation and monitoring the corruption could be reduced in the Local government’s level.

On his part, the manager programme, Mallam Danjuma Abdullahi urged the participants to deem it fit monitor their council chairmen on how they spend the yearly budget made for them.

Abdullahi informed that the authorities of NSCIA would continue to organise this kind of workshop for the masses in the area councils to assist them to know the significance of budget.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 18

FCTA tasks farmers on GES enrolment

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he Federal Capital T e r r i t o r y Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday called for full enrolment of farmers in FCT in the Federal G o v e r n m e n t ’ s Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES), to enhance access to farm inputs.

The Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, FCTA, Mrs Olvadi Madayi, said this in Gwagwalada at the opening ceremony of a workshop on the 2012 FCT farmers database survey.

Madayi, represented by Dr Mike Uwazie, the Director, FCT Agricultural Development Project (ADP), said the workshop became imperative to strengthen awareness in the scheme.

She expressed dismay over the low level of enrolment in GES in FCT, adding that only 53,000 out of the 165,000 farming families were captured in the ewallet scheme during the first phase. ‘’This is grossly inadequate and as stakeholders, your support is highly required to ensure that all farmers in FCT are enrolled into the scheme before the next planting season. ‘’Since it is our responsibility to mobilise our farmers to access the Growth Enhancement support, all hands must be on deck to ensure that farmers are sensitised to support our enumerators,’’ she said.

She called on the participants to ensure that awareness on the survey was created in their various communities ahead of the exercise, to make it easier for the enumerators.

Madayi, however, noted that the FCT recorded the highest number of farmers to access inputs under the e-wallet scheme across the country during the first phase.

In his remark, Uwazie, represented by Mr Musa Doma, a Deputy Director with ADP, pledged the commitment of the ADP to ensure that farmers in FCT were comfortable and economically stable.

He attributed the poor farmers’ enrolment in the GES to insufficient time allotted for the exercise, remoteness of some areas and other logistical challenges. (NAN)

Woman docked for biting off another woman’s nipple A

28-year-old woman, Anastasia Uche of Kurudu, Abuja, on Tuesday appeared before the Karu Magistrates Court for biting off the nipple of another woman.

The police prosecutor, Cpl. Pascal Njoku, told the court that Uche bit Hawa Musa on the right breast and removing

the nipple in the process, thereby causing grievous hurt.

Njoku said that the offence contravened Section 241 of the Penal Code.

The accused pleaded not guilty and her counsel, Mr Michael Ejeh, applied for bail for her.

Magistrate Christopher Oba told both the complainant and

A

N50,000 and a surety in the like sum.

“The surety must have a reasonable means of livelihood and a traceable address within the jurisdiction of this court,’’ he ruled.

The magistrate adjourned the case to Nov. 21,2012 for hearing, if both parties failed to resolve the matter. (NAN)

Director charged with criminal breach of trust, cheating

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An overloaded motocycle (okada) at Karu, in Abuja.

Photo: Muhmad Isa

Auditors urged to partner with Chief Executives on service delivery

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Chief Medical Director of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Dr. Peter Alabi, has called on the internal auditors to work closely with their Chief Executives at their various organizations for effective

service delivery.

Alabi, who made this known while addressing the auditors during the 1 st annual national summit of the forum of Heads of Audit of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions tagged “Effective Implementation of the Internal Audit Programme and Challenge for Efficient Service Delivery” held recently at the Hospital in Gwagwalada.

2 women remanded in prison for criminal breach of trust, cheating

n Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday remanded Nkoyo Eton, 48, and Bola Ogunbiyi, 25, of No. 22 Udeokponkpo Street, off Nwaniba Street, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, in prison custody for alleged criminal breach of trust, cheating and issuance of dud cheque.

Police prosecutor Francis Tanko told the court that on Nov. 7 Ms Chika Udeochu of Bolton White Apartment, No. 3 Kogoma Street, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja, reported the

the accused to explore the possibility of resolving the matter, saying: “Nobody benefits from trouble.’’

“I will advise that both parties in this matter should sit down and explore the possibility of resolving this matter,’’ he said.

He, therefore, granted bail to the accused in the sum of

case to the Wuse Zone 3 Police Station.

Tanko said the accused lodged at Bolton White Apartment at N55,000 per night and gave a post- dated cheque with serial No. 04828860 to be cashed on Nov. 7.

He said the accused’s bills amounted to N1.7 million, and they gave a cheque of N690,000 as part payment of the money, but it bounced Tanko said that during

investigations, the accused were nowhere to be found from the address they gave to the Apartment.

He said the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 1, 79, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code, but the accused pleaded not guilty.

Senior Magistrate Grace Adebayo refused to grant the accused bail and ordered that they be remanded in prison custody.

She adjourned the case to Dec. 5 ,2012 for hearing. (NAN)

He said that his administration would continue to give necessary support to the auditors in the hospital to enable them to carry out their duties successfully.

Alabi advised the Chief Executives of the various establishments across the country to carry their internal auditors along in the scheme of things.

Also the chairman committee of the forum, Pastor (Dr) Jackson Okpachui said that the purpose of the workshop was to enlighten the auditors on the need to achieve effective management in the health sector in Nigeria.

Okpachui appealed to the auditors of every organisation to collaborate with their Chief Executives so as to get the desired result for value for money presenting a paper entitled “The Role of Chief executive Officers of Audit in promoting Value for Money”, Dr. Yau Mohammed Damogun in the Accounting Department at the University of Abuja, advised the internal auditors to fellow the due process in whatever they do in their various organisation.

meka Nworgu, a Director at the Risk and Accident Prevention Safety of Nigeria, Utako, was on Tuesday arraigned before an Abuja Chief Magistrates’ court for alleged criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The prosecutor, Mr Chijioke Okezie, told the court that on July 20, 2011, a firm of legal practitioners, M.U Alaeto & Co, addressed a petition to the police, asking them to investigate a matter relating to the supply of goods to Nworgu.

Okezie said that the petition had indicated that one Okonkwo Chinedu, a Director with Education Global Services Ltd, had supplied some goods to Nworgu and one Ben Odufere, now at large.

He said that the goods included five air conditioners, five HP desk top computers, five HP laptop computers, five table top refrigerators and five colour televisions.

The prosecutor said the total cost of the goods was N4.67 million.

He alleged that the goods were supplied to Nworgu and Odufere in 2010 and they refused to pay for them but rather threatened the life of the complainant.

Okezie said the offences were in contravention of sections 397, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The accused, however pleaded not guilty.

Chief Magistrate Oyebola Oyewunmi granted the accused person bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the FCT. She said one of the sureties must be a civil servant of not less than GL 08 and a Nigerian.

Oyewunmi asked the prosecution to intensify efforts at arresting the other accused before the next hearing.

She adjourned the case to Dec. 18, 2012 for hearing.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 17

Fruits and plantain depot in Garki market, Abuja.

Young women displaying the rich culture of Efik people at function over the weekend Some of machanics puting heads together to fix a broken down vehicle yesterday in Apo, Abuja. in Garki, Abuja.

Wheelbarrow pushers eking a living from pushing bags of Gari, yesterday in Wuse A boy hawking water yesterday in Kubwa, Abuja.

Abuja.

Photos: Justin Imo-owo

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Email: aminuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE

- Pg 20

NIPR makes case for practitioners in public service

Mob: 08033644990

NSE revokes 11 stock broking firms licences From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

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Arik Air personnel, Tunde Docemo (left), Ralph Henschen, Uji M. Amedu, Toyin Ogunade during the visit of CBN, BOI and AFC to the company recently

Nigeria begins phone number portability in December

By Chris Alu

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igerian GSM and other telephone subscribers will be able to migrate from one network to another and still retain their telephone numbers, after a successful test run of the number portability project, which will commence next month.

A consortium of three firms, appointed as operator of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) scheme, is already finalising supervision at their back end office, and integrating with the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) data centre, where all the SIM cards are captured.

The Director, public affairs, NCC, Tony Ojobo, confirmed the new date for the MNP commencement yesterday.

Test running of the scheme, according to him, would commence in December, when all the fine-tuning of the processes is expected to be concluded.

“From December of this year, we are going to commence experimenting, which means that we will begin to fine-tune all of the processes, so that when we take off, we don’t have hitches. So we are dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s- checking the connection between networks, and the MNP operator, and also the connection between the MNP and the data centre, where you have all the data of the subscribers captured.

The testing is going to take about a month. Then by the first quarter of 2013, the MNP regime will take-off. So that is where we are, as at today,” Ojobo said.

MNP enables mobile telephone

users to retain their numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another. MNP is implemented in different ways across the globe. The two providers in an MNP transaction are called the ‘Recipient’ (new provider) and the ‘Donor’(old provider).

We have captured all the SIMs. What is also being finalised of course, is the cleaning, scrubbing of data to identify some of the data that may have been mismatched.

This is going to take place sometime between the ending of November and December.

Ojobo described the proposed MNP as a “power of choice” that will further deepen competition and eliminate the shoddy services that are being witnessed from the providers currently.

“The excitement we have about this is that there is competition in the market already, but we believe that MNP will further deepen the competition. As it is today, the brand loyalty is sort of supericial or forced, because the customers are forced to stick to the networks, even when they do not like them, because of the fear of losing their

contacts”. He however explained that with the MNP, the customer has the power of choice.

“How the MNP works, is that in the event that a customer feels dissatisfied with his service provider, he can indicate that he wants to port his number to another network, and within a specified number of days, that is supposed to happen. Then, when he ports to another network, he has 90 days before he can finally move to another network”.

He explained that the Commission was in the know that the network providers are preparing for the imminent fierce competition, and will begin to woo their customers with all kinds of strategies, just to retain them on their networks.

“The implication is that if you are a network provider and you begin to lose customers to another network and that information is in the public domain, what happens is that it is an organisation that possibly has its’ shares quoted in the stock exchange, it can actually affect the price of their shares, to tell you how serious it is,” he further stressed.

Federal, states, LGs share 574.940bn in October

By Muhammad Nasir he Federal, states and Local governments have shared N574.94 billion for the month of October with the Federal Government getting at least N218.652 billion while the states got at least N110.903 bn.

This was revealed in a communiqué issued at the end of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting on Tuesday night.

According to the breakdown of the allocation, local governments got N85.502 billion while oil and minerals producing states got 46.62 billion naira as 13% derivation .

The communiqué, which was signed by the Accountant general of the Federation, Jona Otunla, said the distributable statutory revenue for the month of October was N467.007 billion, adding that there is no augmentation since the revenue for the month exceeded the budget.

Also distributed is the N7.617 billion refunded by the NNPC in addition to the sum of N 35.549 billion under the SURE-P programme bringing the total revenue distributable for the month to N 574.940 billion.

T

Management Tip of the Day

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Make your To-Do list work

o-do lists can be lifesavers when it comes to managing your work. But sometimes they’re nothing more than a list of things you never get to. Here are three tips for making them better:· Bucket the work.

Categorize items in a way that makes sense for you. Group them

by project or difficulty level (e.g. put all the “easy” tasks in one area so you can easily knock them off when you have time). Give each bucket its own column.· Pick the right medium. You should enjoy looking at and interacting with your to-do list.

Use a notebook you love or a well-

designed and easy-to-use app.· Rewrite the list. Every few days create a new list, transferring unfinished tasks from the old one. This will help you keep it organized and in the right order of priority.

Source: Harvard Business Review

leven stockbroking firms at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) have had their licences revoked, according to the status of Dealing Member Firms, as at 30th September 2012. As at that date, only 242 stockbroking firms operated at the market with active licences.

According to the BrokersTrak’ at the NSE, the stockbroking firms whose licences have been revoked since September 30, are Apex Securities Limited, Asset Plus Securities Limited, Beachgroove Securities Limited, Broadeage Securities Limited, IMB Morgan Plc, Jenkins Investment Limited, Prudent Stockbrokers Limited, Source Finance & Trust Limited, Thomas Kinsley Securities Limited, Viva Securities Limited, and HALSEC Finance & Securities Limited.

Head, broker-dealer regulation, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Olufemi Shobanjo, said, “The management of the Nigerian Stock Exchange does not revoke licences of dealing member firms without the approval of the Council”.

Analysts say that Shobanjo’s comments suggest that the actions of the NSE in revoking those licences, was taken after the approval of the Council, because it is only the Council that can approve revocations.

Commenting on the development, Emeka Madubuike, president, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) said almost all the stockbroking firms whose licences have been revoked, “have been dead for 10 years, if not more.To me, what the NSE is doing is cleaning up their books because most of these firms whose licences are revoked have been out of operation for 10 years or even more.”

Madubuike advised that the revocation of stockbrokers licences needs council members decision, “I am also believing that the NSE management would have advised the Council. You need to ask the NSE whether they did so.”

He added: “What I think the NSE is doing is to clean-up their books. It is a normal process but it is important that the formal process be followed. What the NSE is doing is right, to inform the investing public on stockbrokers’ status at the NSE.” In addition, the ‘BrokersTrak’ showed that 45 stockbroking firms have inactive licences, while 24 have unactivated licences, noting “The Nigerian Stock Exchange, in its bid to improve investors’ confidence in the market, has commenced a strong campaign against market infraction by its dealing members.

Investors can now make more informed decisions about where to invest by viewing names of Dealing Member Firms that have been found liable for contravening market rules.

PEOPLES DAILY,THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS Sterling Bank

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terling Bank Plc has expressed its commitment to assist Microfinance Banks (MfBs) access N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund (MSMEDF), which would be launched by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) next week.

Managing Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Yemi Adeola disclosed this recently at the MfB Customer Forum organised by the bank in Lagos. He said the fund sought to provide wholesale funding for MfBs and microfinance institutions for on-lending to micro and medium enterprises.

The bank CEO listed other funding opportunities that the MfBs can key into to include the N5 billion small business development funds, $4 million renewable energy project, and another $200 million provided by Ford Foundation to enable them increase their market penetration.

Apapa, Lilypond Customs commands

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reight forwarders, under the aegis of the Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), have canvassed the merger of the Lilypond Area Command with the Apapa Area One Command, to ensure seamless transactions and facilitate prompt goods’ clearance at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa.

Secretary-General of the Lilypond chapter of the association, Chief Lawrence Uba, who made this disclosure at a media briefing in Lagos recently, said that the merger became necessary because of the low activities at Lilypond terminal, which he pointed out, needed urgent revamping to stay afloat with other existing terminals.

He said the merger of the two customs commands would eliminate transfer charges usually imposed on containers transferred from Apapa port to Lilypond terminal and which has all along, been a major disincentive to importers and agents.

Stanbic IBTC

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he Debt Management Office (DMO) the federal government agency that issues FGN Bonds, amongst other securities, has appointed Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, as the government stockbroker.

Director-General of the DMO, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, who made this announcement in his office in Abuja on Tuesday said that in its role as the government stockbroker, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers would be responsible for providing prices for FGN Bonds on the floor of the Exchange so that investors, especially retail investors who wish to buy or sell FGN Bonds could do so.

CAC launches 24 hour service, 2 hrs business registration

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he Minister of Trade and investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga has launched the Corporate Affairs Commission’s (CAC) “start to finish 24-hour incorporation service” at a ceremony in Lagos.

The Minister, who also inaugurated the Lagos office of the agency at Alausa, said the step was part of government’s efforts to improve investment climate in the country.

Aganga, while lauding the achievement of 24h o u r s b u s i n e s s registration said that t h e b u s i n e s s registration target in the country was for two hours.

“The target is to ensure that companies are registered within two hours; that is where we are going and to institute vibrant and transparent companies’ registry where services will be user-friendly.’’

He said that the aim was also to make it easier for anyone who wanted to set up business in Nigeria to go online and register anywhere in the world.

“What we have delivered is to make the business registration possible for any potential investors online from anywhere across the world.

“The step will definitely attract foreign investors and to attract foreign investors into

Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga the country involves making business registration a lot easier for any potential investor to register online.’’

Aganga, however, ordered complaint registers to be opened for customers to make the 24-hour business registration effective, adding that he would receive complaint registers on the quarterly basis from the commission.

“To show that we mean business and care about our stakeholders and customers, I’m going to direct today that this of-

fice and the other ones open a complaint register for anyone who is unable to get his business registered within 24 hours.

“It means that we are ready to be open, transparent and accountable to the Nigerian people. If there is any reason we can’t do that we will explain and look into it.”

The Registrar-General of CAC, Alhaji Bello Mahmud, said that in its efforts to actualise its ICT thrust, the commission embarked on a total upgrade of its WAN from VSAT-based network to a more reliable fibre-based system.

He said that the move was meant to improve availability and enhance transaction.

He said that a pilot scheme had been undertaken in some key places, including the newly inaugurated Lagos office.

Mahmud said that the commission had concluded plans to link 32 states offices so that they could operate at par with the head office and enable them to accept documents and process same up to certificate generation.

He said the commission had also embarked on total upgrade of its registration software through the provision of robust customers pay and get services of the commission without having to be there physically.

NIPR makes case for practitioners in public service

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ublic Relations practitioners in the nation’s public service may soon begin to enjoy a new lease of life if the request by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) for promotional cadre for the institute’s graduates is acceded to by the Federal Government.

Speaking at the institute’s 2012 Convocation Ceremony held in Lagos, recently, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Insti-

tute, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulahi, stated that the request, when granted, would further ensure the full employment and promotion of holders of the institute’s diploma in both the public and private sectors.

While expressing his delight that the Federal Ministry of Information is now working closely with the institute’s governing council on the matter, he disclosed that the National Council on Information had resolved to keep working with the

institute until the new establishment cadre for public relations is fully implemented.

While urging the new graduands to be focused, in their aspiration to rise to the pinnacle of their careers, through employment and selfemployment, the NIPR boss added that the current trend worldwide in enhancing best practices in industry and governments globally is the acquisition of professional certificates in one’s discipline.

APCON goes tough on advertising offenders

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ractitioners in the nation’s marketing com munication industry that fail to adhere to the rules and regulation guiding advertising practice in the country, as spelt out by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), will face severe sanction in 2013.

Disclosing this in Lagos at the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) event, organised by the Advertising Agencies’ Association of Nigeria (AAAN), the apex regulatory body’s chairman, Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, stated that APCON would begin the full implementation of the advertising laws by January 1, next year, in continuation of its reforms agenda which it started few years ago.

He expressed concerns that in spite of efforts by the regulatory body to sanitise the industry, in tune with global standards, some practitioners were yet to imbibe the good governance culture in the industry.

“It is unfortunate that some even still practise advertising without duly registering with APCON, while some registered members still fail to submit their communication materials to the body for vetting before exposure.

“The laws guiding all these are there in the first place, and what we are going to do as from January 1, next year is to begin to implement them. We believe if the industry is to move forward, those rules guiding the practice of advertising in the country must be respected by all,” he added.

The nation’s number one advertising practitioner, however, appealed to members to always abide by the rules guiding advertising in the country, while at the same time urging those still in the practice without duly registering with the body to do so before January 1 next year, when the body would begin to wield the big stick.

Manufacturers tasks FG on infrastructure development

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takeholders under the aus pices of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria have called on the Lagos state government to improve the state’s infrastructure in the interest of the manufacturing sector.

“Nigeria’s manufacturing sector has been greatly malnourished, resulting in its minimal contribution to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Erratic power supply, dilapidated infrastructure, policy inconsistency, multiple taxation

and lack of adequate incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises/new businesses to spring up, among others are some of the barriers militating against proper growth of the manufacturing sector”, stakeholders say.

In a presentation recently, during the association 41st annual general meeting in Lagos, the Apapa branch chairman and Managing Director, Crystal Glass Nigeria Limited, John Aluya said a situation where a

manufacturer provides own power, water, roads and other infrastructures, while paying a plethora of taxes and levies, was enough to bring the business to a close.

Figures show that the sector’s contribution to the nation’s GDP declined significantly from 9.5 percent in 1975 to 4.21 percent in 2011. Similarly, manufacturing capacity utilization declined rapidly from 70.1 percent in 1980 to 42.7 percent in 2011.

The Registrar, APCON, Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 21

Microsoft’s Windows unit head leaves T

he boss of Microsoft’s Windows division has left the company just two weeks after launching the flagship Windows 8 software and Surface tablet described as ‘make or break’ for the company.

23-year veteran Steven Sinofsky, head of Microsoft’s Windows unit, was widely tipped to be the next chief executive of Microsoft Corp.

His ‘shocking’ departure is seen by many as an attempt by CEO Steve Ballmer to increase his control of the company as it faces increased competition from Apple and Google.

Steven Sinofsky launching the Windows 8 operating system in New York City two weeks ago. Today it was announced he is leaving the firm.

The move was unexpected and neither Microsoft nor Sinofsky gave an explanation, although an executive at the company, who asked not to be

…just days after launching ‘make or break’ software & tablet

named, said the decision was ‘mutual’ and said he was not expecting Sinofsky to take a job at another company soon.

‘This is shocking news.

‘This is very surprising,’ said Brendan Barnicle, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities.

‘Like a lot of people, I thought Sinofsky was in line to potentially be Ballmer’s successor.’

Sinofsky, 47, joined Microsoft in 1989 and made his mark as Bill Gates’ technical assistant.

He grew into an uncompromising leader whose ruthless style of cutting layers of management and formalizing the process of software development gave rise to the term “Sinofskyization” in the company. (www.dailymail.co.uk)

Diamond Bank launches new logo, refocuses Stories from Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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t a minimum, signages should attract new customers, brand the business and create impulse sales.

But the most important thing it should do is communicate what the business is selling.

These are what Diamond Bank Plc just exhibited with the launch of its new logo, now with multiple colours of red, green, blue and orange encrypted on the diamond logo different from the ash coloured logo used before, now the logo is more visible and brighter.

Invariably, businesses that

offer products and services that meet specialised needs like the telcomms, Banks, electronic appliances must develop top of the mind awareness so that customers remember the business when those needs arise.

These businesses must focus on branding their site. To reenforce this efforts the signage itself must be designed to project the right image for the business and have that image recalled when a customer walks the corridor.

According to the words of the Managing Director, Dr. Alex Otti, “What we have done with our corporate identity is to

refresh elements of our brand look and feel to identify with our growing customer base and usher in a period of renewed focus and commitment to our business.

Continuing, he stated: “Our colours reflect the bright optimistic colours of the Diamond spectrum using green as a base colour with complimentary colours of red, orange and blue. For us, the green symbolizes growth, red stands for vibrancy, orange illustrates ‘passion’ of our people and the blue symbolizes our commitment to innovation in our products and services.

MasterCard presents cash-less Nigeria to global investors

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astercard has presented the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as a best practice case study at the Africa investorWorld Bank Group Africa CEO Investment Climate Summit held in Tokyo, Japan, recently.

The Summit included a panel discussion led by MasterCard Worldwide executives on its work across Africa, with specific attention placed on its strategy to support Cashless Nigeria. The presentation was part of a series of events convened for influential global business and government leaders to assess the factors influencing Africa’s investment climate at the World Bank Annual Meetings.

Delegates at the Summit included the Vice Presidents of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, (IFC) along with African business leaders, Ministers of Finance, Central Bank governors and international investors.

Panel members from

MasterCard included Daniel Monehin, Division President, Sub-Saharan Africa; Omokehinde Ojomuyide, Country Manager, West Africa; and Shaun Rashid, Head of Public Policy, Middle East and Africa. They were joined by Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, the Managing Director ofNigeria InterBank Settlement Systems (NIBBS) and Tim Tuner, Director, Private Sector and Microfinance, African Development Bank (AfDB), who chaired the panel discussion.

“It gave us the chance to show the world how Nigeria is taking the lead in moving towards a cash-less economy,” said Ojomuyide. “The Summit gave MasterCard the opportunity to highlight the synergies between its vision of a world beyond cash, and the CBN’s goal of leading the Nigerian economy towards the benefits of cashless electronic payments.”

The CBN’s Cashless Policy was introduced to drive development and

modernisation of Nigeria’s payment system, because an efficient and modern payment system is positively correlated with economic growth, and best able to avoid the pitfalls of cash. Cash facilitates inefficiency , corruption, money laundering and fraud, noted Monehin, during the panel discussion.

LG Electronics to double sales in Africa

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G Electronics is looking at doubling its sales volumes in the Home Appliances division in Africa by next year, thanks to a sustained innovation trajectory and heightened marketing efforts.

The global consumer electronics maker currently controls 35 per cent of the regional Home Appliances market.

The company will be betting on the ability of its appliances in helping consumers make huge savings on power and water in its efforts to maintain the market leadership. Some of the latest appliances can realize up to 70 per cent savings on electricity while the washing machines can save up to 60 per cent on water.

The company is already enjoying a good market run in the region especially on its Home Appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.

Currently an estimated 70

per cent of refrigerators and washing machines in the east and central Africa market are LG products, a situation largely attributed to the company’s flexibility in meeting changing consumer demands.

Managing Director for East and Central Africa Josep Kim said the company will continue spending a considerable amount on research, innovation and development to ensure that the company grows and maintains its market leadership both regionally and on the global front.

“A random check among Kenyan and regional households will reveal that about seven out of every 10 refrigerators and washing machines in use are our products. As a company, we take this as strong vote of confidence in our appliances and commit to continue with the innovation journey to meet and even surpass consumer expectations,” said Kim.

LATINA Sugar-Free Roadshow Activation berths in Abuja

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uilding on the enormous success of the launch of the Latina sugar free fruit drink in major cities across the country, the La Casera Company Plc., one of the leading companies in the Carbonated Soft Drink sector, recently embarked on a one month four-city roadshow, exciting and thrilling the consumers with its theatrics and dance displays.

The roadshow, which started about a month ago, hit major cities across the country including; Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Enugu and made its last stop in Abuja as it continued

to thrill and excite its numerous consumers with its now popular theme “LIGHTEN UP WITH LATINA”.

Speaking briefly during one of the roadshows held at the Zuba motor park and market in Abuja, the Lead Coordinator, LATINA Activation/Roadshow, Mohammed Elkash explained that the reason behind the activation is to create more awareness and visibility for the new drink and also enlighten the public about the extra benefits which they can derive from drinking a bottle of LATINA sugar free fruit drink.

“Because LATINA is a new

product which has just recently entered into the market, there is a strong need to make the drink visible to the consumers as much as possible and also use this opportunity to get their opinions through the sampling activities which we embark on” he said.

He further explained that the LATINA roadshow and sampling activation shows the company’s sincerity in delivering on its promise to providea 360 marketing approach and campaign to create the necessary awareness and ensure that LATINA is readily available at every POS outlet, roadside shops and distribution outlets.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 22

FG gives tax relief to manufacturers generating own power

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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s part of efforts to fix the challenges faced by manufacturers in the country, the Economic Management Team (EMT) met for 8 hours yesterday with representatives of Manufactures’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) in attendance.

The meeting chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan at the First Lady’s Wing of the State House started by 10am and ended by 6pm.

President of MAN, Kola Jamodu told State House correspondents after the meeting that power supply is improving across the country even though the situation is not perfect yet.

He noted that some manufacturers were still generating their own power, adding that the Federal Government had agreed to grant tax relief to those categories of businessmen.

“Truly, the power situation is

improving and manufacturers are benefiting from it. As for our members who are still producing their own power, the Federal Government has agreed to give them tax relief to cushion the effects of the power siruation which is not perfect yet,” Jamodu said.

He hailed the decision of government to engage his association in efforts to revive the country’s industries.

Jamodu said the 15-page document MAN submitted to government will go a long way to solve the problems industrialists are facing in the country.

“A good number of our recommendations are being executed by the government and we are impressed with this. It gives us a lot of hope that the future is bright.”

Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga also told State House also correspondents that “the meeting was about productivity, its barriers, what government needs

to do and areas which government is doing extremely well.”

“It is an opportunity for us to hear from the industrialists what the issues are and for them to also understand what government is doing to address those issues,” he said.

Aganga added that government is not satisfied with the state of industries in the country, saying that it will continue to work with private sector using the Industrial Revolution Plan.

Also speaking, Government Peter Obi of Anambra state, emphasised the need for Nigerians to patronise made in Nigeria products, adding that “If you buy one locally-made product, you are creating a job.”

Vice President Namadi Sambo, Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison- Madueke and Governor Murtala Nyako of Adawama state also attended the meeting.

Mrs. Onome David-West, Divisional Head, Recoveries & Remedial Management, UBA being decorated with the special lapel pin as a Most Valuable Performer (MVP) by the Executive Director, South UBA , Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa during the recognition ceremony organised by the bank to recognize and appreciate its top performers recently.

New global accounting model in Nigeria to take-off in 2013, says Dr. Ngama

By Aminu Imam

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n a bid to enhance transparency and accountability in public finance management at the three-tiers of Government in Nigeria aimed at checking waste and sleaze, a new chart of financial reporting is to take off in the country from January 2013.

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ workshop attended by key accounting personnel drawn from the three tiers of Government to appraise them on : The Steps to Steps Adoption of the IPSAS in the public sector from next January, the Minister of State Finance, Dr. Yerima Lawal Ngama explained that the adoption of the global accounting model in Nigeria was

part of the reforms being carried out by the present Administration aimed at accountability and transparency in public finance management.

Known as the International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) the new accounting and reporting model are a set of high quality , independently developed accounting standards aimed at meeting the financial reporting needs of the public sector.

The standards are developed by the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board which is an arm of the International Federation of Accountants ( IFAC) that uses a standardized uniform chart of accounts for budgeting and general purpose financial

statements.

The Federal Government in July 2010, approved that the country adopts the IPSAS for the public sector and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the private sector which would pave way for the adoption of a uniform chart of reporting system throughout the country by the public sector and private sector respectively.

The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Jonah Otunla , the Chairman of the Roadmap Committee who also assured that the mechanism for the take-off of the IPSAS in the country in January 2013aimed at the enthronement of credible financial reporting regime in the public sector for effective resource management.

Only MMA2 can accommodate our passengers, says Med-View MD

By Ibrahim Kabiru Sule

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he management of MedView airlines has stated that high quality service and size of Murtala Muhammad Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) informed their choice to operate in the Terminal, despite several other options.

Muneer Bankole, who is the Managing Director of Med-View Airlines, dropped this to the management team of BiCourtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of MMA2, in Lagos that the advantages and disadvantages of the different offers they got to use as a base were considered before they finally decided that they would operate from MMA2.

Bankole said “having paid several visits to the terminal to see all the facilities on ground, my management team concluded that it is only MMA2 that can offer the kind of high

quality services we need. We are thrilled by the clean and organised environment that you people have turned the terminal into.

“The kind of crowd we are expecting to patronise our services can only be accommodated at MMA2. That is why we have the biggest office by any airline at the terminal.

We are ready to be a good tenant.

We promise that we would not disappoint you; we would not disappoint Nigerians”.

Responding, the Chief Executive Officer of BASL, Christophe Penninck assured the airline that MMA2 was prepared to render the best services to Med-View, as well as any other airline that may want to operate from the terminal.

Med-View had just begun operation last week, which was heralded by a colourful ceremony at MMA2 attended by several prominent Nigerians.

StudyNigeria targets foreign students

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n response to the thousands of Nigerians going abroad in search of tertiary education, an Abuja-based PR and event management company has rolled out StudyNigeria, a program that helps interested undergraduate and postgraduate students from West Africa, the rest of Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia to take advantage of the world-famous Nigerian university system.

At its formal Launching, held last weekend, at Hatlab Place, Abuja, the Chairman of StudyNigeria, Mr. Frederick Apeji, said that the program will kick off with an admissions fair to be held in the first quarter of 2013 in 5 West African cities: Accra (Ghana), Kumasi (Ghana), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Monrovia (Liberia) and Banjul (Gambia).

He explained that the StudyNigeria Admissions Fair is a two-day exhibition for prospective undergraduate and postgraduate students to gain admission into Nigeria’s universities for the 2013/2014 academic session.

“During the admissions fair in the various countries, students will be carefully guided to choose the most appropriate university out of a variety of 124 approved public and private universities scattered throughout the 36 states of Nigeria and the country’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as to select an appropriate course of study out of the hundreds of courses offered by these universities.”

At the occasion, Mr. Apeji made a strong case for Nigeria as a great, but rarely explored, destination for foreign students seeking quality university education. “In addition to earning a university degree in

Nigeria, students West Africa, the rest of Africa and the world at large will also experience life first-hand in the biggest economy in West Africa and one of the fastest growing in the world, the largest market in Africa, and the 7th most populous country in the world (behind China, India, USA, Brazil, Indonesia, and Pakistan)”.

“Nigeria is a young country with a youthful population, and boundless energy expressed everyday in sports, movies, music, etc. The country offers a great variety of world-class public and private universities, which produce some of the finest professionals in every academic field every year”.

“As the world’s 3rd largest English speaking country (after India and USA), Nigerian universities equip undergraduate and postgraduate students with the best of university education, offered in English language, the world’s most important language for tertiary education”.

“You will recall that, every year, hundreds of foreign especially British universities send their representatives to Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt and other major cities to directly sign up thousands of Nigerian youngsters as students.

The goal of StudyNigeria is to help Nigeria’s private, federal and state universities to significantly increase their foreign student enrollments in the 2013/2014 academic session and in the other academic sessions ahead.”

The StudyNigeria is a program founded in October 2012 by Eli Business Support Services Limited, a brand consulting company with specializes on public relations and event management.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Book launching/award presentation & unveiling of the Dalhatu Adamu foundation in pix

L-R: Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, FCT, Hon. Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, Justice Saifullahi Muntaqa Coomassie, Representative of the Vice President/Special Adviser to the Vice President on Political Affairs, Alhaji Abba Dabo, Celebrant/ Acting President, Court of Apopeal, Hon. Justice Dalhatu Adamu, representative of Chief Justice of Nigeria/Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Chukwuma Eneh and Alhaji Hussain Muktar, during the launching.

Celebrant/ Acting President, Court of Apopeal, Hon. Justice Dalhatu Adamu (middle), with his Family, at the event.

9 L-R: Hon. Justice Chukwuma Eneh, and Alhaji Aliyu Gambo, portrait of the celebrant, Celebrant/ Acting President, Court of Apopeal, Hon. Justice Dalhatu Adamu, after the Unveiling the Face of Dalhatu Adamu Foundation, at the event.

L-R: Hon. Justice Uzoamaka I. Ndukwe-Anyanwu, Hon. Justice Philomena Mbua Ekpe and Hon. Justice Ita George Mbaba, at the event.

4 Representative of the Vice President/Special Adviser to the Vice-President on Political Affairs, Alhaji Abba Dabo, doing his presentation at the occasion.

3 Alhaji Aliyu Gambo, presenting the book titled; A Glory to the Bench; in Honour of Acting President, Court of Apopeal, Hon. Justice Dalhatu Adamu, during the presentation, yesterday in Abuja.

L-R: L-R: Representative of Chief Justice of Nigeria/Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Chukwuma Eneh receiving the award on behalf of the chief justice from Justice Saifullahi Muntaka Coomassie, during the event.

11 L-R: Representative of Emir of Zazzau/Wakili of Zazzau, Alhaji Aminu Wambai with representative of Emir of Kano/District Head of Kura, Alhaji Tijjani Abubakar Tafida, at the event.

L-R: Two wives of the celebrant, Hajiya Zainab Dalhatu, Hajiya Hassana Dalhatu with the celebrant’s sister, Hajiya Maryam Adamu, at the event.

L-R: Alhaji Ahmed Sa’ad, Hon. Justice Chidi N. Uwa and Hajiya Baraka Ilyasu Wali, at the event.

Copies of the book, book

“A Glory to the Bench”

16 L-R: Hon. Justice Chukwuma Eneh, representative of the Vice President/Special Adviser to the Vice President on Political Affairs, Alhaji Abba Dabo and Celebrant/ Acting President, Court of Apopeal, Hon. Justice Dalhatu Adamu, at the launching.

L-R: Representative of Chief Justice of Nigeria/Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Chukwuma Eneh, Hussain Muktar and Justice Saifullahi Muntaqa Coomassie, at the event.

10 L-R: Agoro Ojon of Lagos, Chief Nurudeen Olubiji, Oba Olu of Agege Lagos, His Royal Majesty Oyedeji Kamila Isiba and representative of Emir of Dutse/Madakin Dutse, Tijjani Inuwa Dutse, at the event.

L-R: Justice Tijjani Abdullahi with Justice Uwani M. Abba Aji at the event.

5 Alhaji Aliyu Gambo (left), unveiling the portrait of Dalhatu Adamu Foundation, at the Occasion.

8 L-R: Chief Judge of Katsina state, Justice Saddik Abdullahi Mahuta with Justice Yahaya Abubakar, at the event.

19 L-R: Oba Olu of Agege Lagos, His Royal Majesty Oyedeji Kamila Isiba with Celebrant/Acting President, Court of Apopeal, Hon. Justice Dalhatu Adamu.

L-R: Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa, Celebrant/ Acting President, Court of Apopeal, Hon. Justice Dalhatu Adamu, representative of Chief Justice of Nigeria/Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Chukwuma Eneh and Alhaji Aliyu Gambo, at the event.

Photos by: Mahmud Isa

A cross-section of audience at the event.

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

EMERGENCY UPDATE

NEMA tasks state govts. on flood preventive strategies

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gainst the background of the recent devastating flood in parts of the country, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised states to develop their respective flood preventive, mitigation and response strategies.

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the South-west Zonal Information Officer of NEMA, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

Farinloye observed that the South-west Zone of the country been partially flood-free this year due to the positive response of the respective state governments to early warning signs issued by the agency.

He said that because the state governments in the zone had prepared well for the anticipated heavy rainfall, there had not been any reported incidence of flooding in all the six states in the South/West.

According to him, the governments’ readiness was engendered by the early warning signs and sensitisation carried out by the agency and other professionals in the zone.

“After the 2011 flooding in the South-west Zone, NEMA conducted southern risk mapping in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment in the states.

“The state governments took the advice of NEMA and other professionals by promptly to clearing water channels.”

Farinloye noted that people were sensitised to carry out massive drainage clearance while the governments demolished structures that could hinder free flow of flood water.

He also said that both Ogun and Lagos State Governments had a working arrangement with the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) on workable plans for the gradual release of water from the Oyan dam.

Under the arrangement, the authority only released water from the dam intermittently and during periods considered less risky, he said.

“Anytime it rains, water will be held in the dam for two days before it is released gradually.

“So, at period considered risky, the water is not released until it is considered safe to do so.”

Farinloye said that the arrangement was made by all stakeholders, state governments and NEMA. NAN recalls that in 2010 and 2011, massive release of water from the dam resulted to devastating flood along the river banks in both states.

(NAN)

Flood: Victims lament rejection at camps in Delta

By Mohammed Kandi, with Agency report

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ome victims of the recent floods that devastated parts of Delta state have expressed grievances over the alleged denial of registration into the flood camps by the state’s chapter of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

They expressed their dismay for inability of the Agency to enlist them even with the minute-byminute influx of kind-hearted Nigerians with relief items to camps of flood victims in the state.

It would be recalled that about 22 communities were reportedly affected by the October 2012 flooding which destroyed both lives and property in the state.

Community News, while on on-the-spot assessment of flooded area in parts of Asaba, the state capital last Wednesday observed that life is beginning to return to the area as scores of victims were seen trying to pick up the bits and pieces of their property left by the flood.

A couple, Prince Chijioke Adams and Mrs Hamsat Adams, who accosted Community News

to ventilate their grievances at No. 20, Ngozi Aze Street, at Anwai Road, Asaba, said they had visited the St Patrick’s College (SPC) camp thrice but were denied registration partly by the officials and the huge crowd they met there.

Community News met the man with his pregnant wife attempting to reclaim their flooded apartment and make the place habitable. They said that their apartment was about seven kilometers from the River Niger.

“I’m Prince Adams Chijioke, a student of Anwai campus of the

NEMA official distributing beddings to victims of recent flood in one of the camps in Delta state

Delta State University, Asaba Business Administration. The flood came and all my belongings were destroyed. Television,radio, carpets, all my household items.

I’m married. My wife is pregnant as you can see. Our fence of five couches of blocks collapsed. I was not at home when the flood occurred. I now sleep on mat with my wife. I hang around now. Look at my mattress soaked. I went to SPC camp to register but they said it had closed. I’ve been there three times but they denied me,” he alleged.

Prince Adams claimed that their inability to register at the refugee camp at the stipulated was the inability of his wife to weather the rigours of queuing to be registered.

Another victim, who is also a tenant, Mr. Celestine Adagbor of No.20 Ngozi Street, was also badly affected. According to him, starvation and mosquito bites had been their lot since they had no option of where to go as a result of their alleged denial of registration at the camp.

Efforts made to speak with the Camp Commandant, Mr Nwanti Anthony were not successful as of press time. But an official at the camp, who would not want to be mentioned, told Community News that nobody was denied access to registration at the time specified for victims to come up for registration, adding that the couple should be blamed for being impatient when they showed up at the camp.

…Leave Kogi camps in frustration

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any flood victims in Kogi State have left the three temporary camps in Lakoja, THE Kogi State capital, alleging neglect by the state government.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited the camps at Kabawa, Gadumo and Adankolo, reports that most of the victims have left for their homes.

The Kabawa camp was virtually empty on Monday as only 11 men, 6 women and 13 children were present as against more than 500 displaced persons who took refuge in the facility at the peak of the crisis.

A similar situation prevailed at the Gadumo and Adankolo camps although the number of victims was higher than that of Kabawa.

NAN also observed that officials of Red Cross, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ministry of Environment and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had left the Kabawa camp.

However, four policemen remained in the camp to provide security for the remaining victims.

A spokesman for the victims at Kabawa, Yakubu Iliyasu, said the people moved out of the camp last week out of frustration and without

any monetary assistance from the state government. Iliyasu said the government, Red Cross and NEMA officials finally moved out of the camp on Saturday, adding that the medical stand in the camp had also been removed.

He said few victims who remained might have been abandoned as they had not been served food, medicines and other essential items for five days, adding that there has been no government official around to whom one could lay complaint to.

NAN recalls that some of the victims from Adankolo camp on Friday staged a peaceful protest against alleged poor government handling of monies and relief materials donated to them.

However, Yomi Awoniyi, who is also the chairman of SEMA, denied the allegations that government has abandoned the victims. He said all monies donated to victims were still intact while the relief materials had been judiciously distributed among them. According to Awoniyi, the state government has not given money to anyone yet.

Meanwhile, thousands of flood victims in Ohaji-Egbema and Oguta Local Government Areas of Imo State and their counterparts in Ukwa East Local Government

Area of Abia State have received relief materials from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

In Abia, the special assistant to Governor Theodore Orji on NDDC, Fidelis Nwachukwu, received the relief materials procured by the Commission at Oke-Ikpe in Ukwa East Local Government Area of the state. Items donated include bags of rice, tin tomatoes, salt and buckets.

Christian Oboh, managing director of NDDC, represented by Aloysius Nwagboso, Abia State representative on the board of the commission, explained that the donation was in line with the Federal Government’s directive urging agencies to provide succour to the flood victims.

Nwagboso said: “We are touched by the plight of the victims.

This little token is a way of demonstrating how we feel.”

He urged those in charge to ensure the items are properly distributed to the authentic flood victims.

In Imo, Osato Arenyeka, the state director of NDDC, donated bags of rice, garri, beans, salt, tomato paste, cooking oil, tubers of yam, disinfectants, soap, detergent and mosquito nets to the victims in Oguta and Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Areas.

Presenting the items to the affected communities at the Civic Centre, Oguta and later at the Ohaji-Egbema local government headquarters, Arenyeka expressed the sympathy of the commission with the victims and assured the commission would do what is necessary to alleviate their pains.

The commission appealed to the community leaders to ensure the relief materials meant for the flood victims were shared proportionately among the affected communities.

On his part, Alloy Obinna, the director, administration and general services in Ohaji-Egbema local government area, expressed appreciation to the NDDC for intervening to cushion the effects of the flood.

The Eze Oha 1 of Obuzor Ukwa, Abia State, and Maxwell Akanwa thanked the commission for its efforts; while traditional ruler of Oguta, Eze Chinedu Nzeribe, thanked the NDDC for coming to the aid of his people. He urged for more assistance to the victims.

Statistics released by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) indicate that the flood which hit nearly 20 states of the country killed 363 people, while 1.2 million others were displaced.

PAGE 29

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

EMERGENCY UPDATE Agency indicts NEMA on recent flooding

T

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has refuted allegations by an official of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), Prof. Matt Ivbijaro, that it should be blamed for the recent flood disasters that ravaged over 19 states of the federation. This followed a statement credited to Ivbijaro identifying poor environmental management on the part of NEMA as the cause of the disaster adding that the agency ought to have identified the risk involved before its occurrence.

Spokesperson of the Agency, Yushau A. Shuaib told Peoples Daily that, NEMA had in February 2012 activated an "early warning alert", informing citizens on the need to absorb some precautionary measure following forecast by Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) on likely floods.

"We issued an early warning via the media on the possibility of floods

in specific states of the federation and we equally send correspondence to all the states that were named by NIMET as potential flood areas.

"NEMA organized several regional workshops on climate change which was held in Sokoto and Bayelsa states. We are still engaged in the advocacy campaigns as visited some state governors and community leaders mostly through our Zonal Coordinators.

"We were in Kwara, Sokoto, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Kano, Osun, Oyo, Bayelsa states respectively to communicate the finding of the NIMET so as to minimize casualties in the event the disaster occurs," Shuaib explained.

Ivbijaro, who is an agricultural entomologist at the Department of Crop Protection, University of Ibadan (UI) had lambasted at the presentation of two books entitled: "Sustainable Environmental

Management in Nigeria" and Poverty Alleviation from Biodiversity Management, which he co-edited with Prof. Festus Akintola.

According to Ivbijaro" If NEMA had earlier identified the risk involved in the flood disaster, the country would be prepared to tackle the flood crisis, but the preparedness was not there from the beginning."

He informed that one third of the total area of Nigeria is at an elevation of less than eight meters above sea level, adding 'this is why about 30 percent of the land surface of the country experiences regular flooding.

"Erosion will continue to wreck havoc in the country until flood control measures are built and that failure to recognize this fact has led to unsustainable flood control efforts in the past. There is need for early warning systems to be firmly established in different part of the country," he stressed.

NEMA official, Alhassan Nuhu receving donations of mattresses and pillows from Mr Abonu of Mouka recently.

NEMA's Asst. Dir. Planning, Research & Forecasting, Hajia Fatima Kasim and Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah presenting Drugs/other Medical items to the NYSC members in Kaduna State yesterday.

YOUTHS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

By Abubakar Jimoh abujimoh01@yahoo.com

What next after the floods? (I1I)

T

he extent of early detection mechanism plays vital role in control of epidemics, and by this, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) must strengthen its relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other relevant organization to pin down some health challenges. Through these collaborations, NEMA can benefit from programmes like Global Public Goods for Health (GPGH) and International Health Regulations (IHR) established by WHO to provide useful aids to various part of world in line with the earlier control and detection against epidemics.

In the United States, the Committee of the American Public Health Association (APHA) has issued various fundamental measures to control epidemics.

These were aimed at reducing the transmission of the pathogen by preventing contact.

Consequently, it framed public health orders in scientific ideas of its understanding of how the influenza microbe spread through the air by coughing and sneezing, and their conception of the pathogenesis of influenza.

Furthermore, in the event of epidemic outbreak, there is need to maintain a restriction to nonessential gathering of people with the mixing of bodies and sharing of breath in crowded rooms; in meetings, in saloons, dance halls, and cinemas, public funerals, unnecessary assemblies; and encourage staggering of opening and closing hours in stores and factories to prevent overcrowding and for people to walk to work when possible.

Also, there is need to look into rampant cases of building collapse in various parts of the country as a result of accelerated number and proportion of floods.

In recent times, the frequent incidence of building collapse in Nigeria is no more news, drawing the attention of the general public as hundreds of lives and property worth billions of naira are lost.

At several occasions, citizens are seen not be heeding professional advice and services when erecting their structures. Other factors that may be held accountable for the subsequent collapses are the use of inferior materials, inappropriate planning, poor designs, diversion from plan specifications, poor workmanship, lack of soil investigations, greed and desire to maximize profit, unethical dealing between project providers and the relevant planning authorities.

In view of the rising incidents of building collapse, a study carried out by the NEMA in partnership with the Nigerian Council of Engineers, Nigerian Institute of Structural Engineering (NIStructE) and other stakeholders across the country have revealed among other causes,

the use of inferior building materials, and inconsideration for professional advice Consequently, it was recommended that only structural engineers should be entrusted with such professional responsibilities as the execution and supervision of structural construction projects in the country. This will allow for professional creativity in structural erection to achieve standardization in the project’s procedures.

Proper assessments and verifications must be carried out on every building in the affected communities after the flood before the displaced persons return to their homes. After this, strength lost building must be instantly demolished, while the owners should be adequately relocated and compensated.

To prevent the future occurrence of collapse, membership professional competence must be strictly demanded by the Nigerian Council of Engineers to strengthen the level of proficiency in part of the structural engineers in the country. This can be done through organization of seminars, conferences, workshops, Continuing Professional Educational Programme on modern developments in building constructions for its members on professional improvement and sensitization, through which they will be taught on integrity and accuracy in discharging their duties.

Henceforth, a proper geotechnical soil investigation and testing must be carried out before embarking on any project, for proper foundation design. The British Standards Institutions (2011) has stressed the importance of geotechnical investigation and testing standards establishing the basic principles for the identification and classification of soil used to access the suitability of a site for geotechnical engineering purposes such as foundations, ground improvements, roads, embankments, dams and drainage systems.

Also, construction of various kinds should be strictly based on specialty; while no construction professional works in specialty for which he is not qualified.

NIStructE must establish regulatory codes that will restrict specialization to each aspect of building construction such as planning and designs, foundations, wall and ceiling insulation, window and door specifications, heating, ventilation, equipment installations, lighting fixtures and controls. The adoption of these codes should be mandated on members at federal, states and local governments in both public and private organizations.

PAGE 26

Global warming, deforestation most potent threat to environmental preservation

A

former First Lady, Hajia Fati Abubakar, has said that global warming and deforestation constitute the most potent threat to the effort at preserving the global environment.

Abubakar stated this during LPG multi-stakeholders meeting organized by Access Africa Initiative, an NGO, in collaboration with Oando Petroleum Plc recently in Abuja.

Abubakar, who was chairman of the occasion, observed that Nigeria had the highest deforestation rate of primary forest due to indiscriminate use of firewood as the source of cooking energy.

She said that the practice which is most common in the rural areas due to the lack of access modern sources of energy, posed a serious challenge to food production.

She urged Nigerians to change from using kerosene cooking stove to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to mitigate the impact of climate change.

Abubakar said that the new initiative was capable of combating some global environmental challenges, adding that “this initiative is capable of combating global warming, poverty, deforestation and ensuring the empowerment of women.

“We are on the right track to finding a solution to the reality of environmental degradation and its consequences in Nigerian economy and the well-being of the citizenry,” she explained.

Also speaking, a former Minister of Information, Mr John Odey, said that Africa and Nigeria, in particular, were endowed with many natural resources that could sustain the continent.

“Africa as a whole and Nigeria in particular, is endowed with many natural resources and fossil resources as well, yet Africa’s infrastructure is the most deficient in the developing world.’’

He decried the level of poverty, lack of information and knowledge that had denied people access to cleaner cooking fuel.

“Statistics have shown that about 112 million people in Nigeria are still cooking with kerosene, firewood and charcoal, and 90 per cent of this number is made up of rural people,’’ he said.

In his remark, NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar commended Oando and Access Africa Initiative (AAI) for their concern for the citizens of Nigeria.

He urged the government to subsidise the cost of a cylinder of gas to make it affordable, and assured Nigerians that the NLC would collaborate with the government to ensure that the price was affordable and the products accessible to the people.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Understanding natural disaster N

atural disasters are often frightening and difficult for us to understand, because we have no control over when and where they happen.

What we can control is how prepared we are as communities and governments to deal with the dangers that natural disasters bring. Places that are

more likely to have natural disasters, such as the earthquake-prone Pacific Ring of Fire, or coastal areas vulnerable to hurricanes, require accurate methods of predicting disasters and warning the public quickly.

Once the people have been informed, evacuation routes must be provided so that they can

all leave quickly and safely, even if they travel by foot. Emergency warnings and evacuation plans are not enough, though. Where there is a high risk of earthquakes, buildings need to be strong and flexible enough to survive a quake without collapsing. Where hurricanes and flooding are a problem, levees and

A scene of flood disaster in Plateau state

dams must be strong enough to hold floodwaters, and natural drainage systems must be maintained to allow waters to flow back into the ocean.

The failure of the levee and drainage systems was responsible for most of the destruction and flooding in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It was the poor planning of evacuation routes and assistance for those trapped by the flooding that resulted in the many tragic fatalities.

People need to be educated on the risks in their area, and what to do when a disaster strikes.

After a disaster, even if no one has died, there is a lot of damage to people' homes, farms and workplaces that must be repaired. This takes a lot of time and money to fix, and a country damaged by a disaster usually needs a large amount of international help to get better.

Donated food, clothing, medicine and experienced professionals are all important when there is a disaster, but when the emergency is over it can take years to rebuild and make sure that future disasters can be managed.

The boxing-day tsunami which devastated Indonesia and the 2005 earthquake in Kashmir, Pakistan were both natural disasters whose effects were made worse by underdeveloped infrastructure and widespread poverty.

Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes or any other natural disaster can't be avoided, but with good preparation and wellorganized help after the fact, it is possible to survive and go back to normal life afterwards.

Source: TakingITGlobal

Environmental group canvasses more powers for NOSDRA T

he Environmental Law Research Institute wants the amendment of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) Act to vest it with the power to assess damages for compensation.

The Director, Environmental Law Research Institute, Prof. Lanre Fagbohun, made the submission in Abuja at the public hearing on the proposed amendment of the NOSDRA Act. He said the new law should provide that all the issues of oil spills be handled by NOSDRA to remove areas of conflict between it and any other stakeholder.

Fagbohun observed that such conflicts were capable of stalling the effective implementation of oil spill management procedures in the country. ‘’There is a need to make it clear that the final decision will rest with the agency. It is important that the agency is at the forefront of pushing the frontiers of what has to be done there. ‘’If you look at the broad functions of NOSDRA, it goes to

enforcing all legislations in this area. So we should not delimit the scope of what this agency should be able to do, ‘’ he said.

Fagbohun faulted the current law which provides for NOSDRA to cooperate with the Department of Petroleum Resources on the removal of oil related pollutants in the environment.

He said such a relationship would undermine NOSDRA’s performance in the discharge of its critical responsibility in the management and remediation of oil spills.

According to him, the DPR which is responsible for enforcing environmental regulations applicable in the oil industry, ‘’also has responsibility to encourage full development of the Nigeria’s petroleum industry. ‘’The DPR has always dominated and this has not worked well for Nigeria’s environment. This is an issue that can greatly undermine the agency. The law must be clear on who has the final decision. ‘’The serious concern is that DPR, in the exercise of its power,

will from time to time sacrifice environmental quality assurance for commercial interest,’’ he said.

He pointed out that as a regulator, NOSDRA was not in the best position to conduct Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), saying it could result in the agency becoming compromised.

He also called for the imposition of specific criminal sanctions to enforce compliance whenever there was a violation of the mandated measures.

Earlier, Senate President David Mark noted that Nigeria’s effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) might not be realised, if environmental challenges were not addressed.

Mark, represented by the Deputy Minority Whip, Sen. Habu Ibrahim (CPC –Katsina), said the Senate was committed to the enactment of legislation that would ensure a safe environment. ‘’We are committed to fashion out relevant laws that would ensure the protection of our environment. The Senate is

determined to live up to its responsibility of providing legislation to ensure a safe environment,’’ he said.

In his remark, Sen. Bukola Saraki, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, described the scourge of oil spill as one of the greatest threats to sustainable development.

Saraki said that the amendment would help to stop the total disregard of Nigeria’s environment and dignity of the people.

“Oil spill is ravaging our environment and this amendment bill is a clarion call to us all, to put a stop to this. It can no longer be business as usual.

“It is erroneous to continue to view oil spills as a necessary consequence of oil exploration. This committee will not view it as such because it is not, ” Saraki added.

He said that the bill would ensure that Nigeria boasts of an oil spill management scheme that would reward good behaviour and punish reckless behaviour by any oil company. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

H

umanity has essentially lived with limitless resources. But as we affect our planet more and more, history has some dire warnings for us.

Climate scientists fear we are approaching an unknown and unpredictable state. The problem is, there are disagreements over what can we do about it.

We are now living in the Anthropogenic: humans are the main driver of planetary change. We’re pushing global temperatures, land and water use beyond anything our species has experienced before.

We’re polluting the biosphere, acidifying the oceans, and reducing biodiversity. At the same time, our global population is growing faster and faster.

As if to illustrate the point further, last month Arctic monitors showed the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has passed 400 parts per million (before the Industrial Age, carbon dioxide levels were 275 ppm).

New data shows the rate of climate change could be even faster than thought.

Perhaps most worryingly of all, 22 scientists recently warned that we are approaching a planetary tipping point, beyond which environmental changes will be rapid and unpredictable.

Basing their alarming conclusion on studies of ecological markers from species extinction rates to changes in land use, of land is dominated by humans, these scientists fear we will enter a new, unknown state, and one which will threaten us all.

Imagine how millions of people harm their minds and bodies by using recreational drugs, abusing alcohol, and smoking tobacco. To them, life is anything.

Regrettably, a similar unhealthy attitude towards the Earth has contributed to its woes.

Lekki Segun, an 80-year-old who lives in Lagos does not need scientific reports to tell him that the Atlantic Ocean is rising.

The beaches of his childhood are vanishing. Where the beaches are on Victoria Island in Lagos today tells the story.

For the people who live in Lagos and across the Niger Delta areas, Global Warming is not abstract science, but a daily reality. And also for the people who live in the northern part of the country that has been suffering from the worst flood disasters in decades. There are other areas that are even worst off from various ecological problems. These are evidence of global warming.

Many believe that human activities are a major cause of global warming which has had catastrophic consequences for the climate and the environment.

PAGE 27

Is the Earth Planet approaching tipping point?

For example, scientists claim that large-scale melting of landbased ice and the expansion of the oceans as water warms causes sea levels to rise drastically, the type that has consumed the areas that were known as Lagos and Victoria beaches in Lagos.

Scientists claim that lowing islands such as Lagos could disappear, as could large parts of the riverside areas in the Niger Delta. Millions of people could be

displaced from such places.

At the same time, rising temperatures could intensify storms, and droughts. Also at risk are thousands of species of animals. Indeed, reports already indicate that many are disappearing and some are even starving.

Researchers say that rising temperatures are fostering the spread of disease by enabling mosquitoes, ticks and other disease-carrying organisms, including fungi to spread further.

According to climatologists, “the dangers posed by climate change are nearly as dire as those posed nuclear weapons. The effects may be less dramatic in the short term….. .but over the next three to four decades climate change could cause irremediable harm to the habitats upon which

human societies depend for survival.”

Even more ominous note is that some scientists believe that changes attributed to global warming are occurring faster than they had expected.

Skeptics of global warming say that such dire prediction are groundless. Others are not sure.

So, what do we make out of this?

Skeptics of human-induced warming, point out that earth’s

temperature has undergone substantial fluctuations in the past. They point to the so-called ice ages, when the earth was supposedly much cooler than it is now; and in support of natural warming, they cite evidence that cold regions, such as

ENVIR ONMENT ENVIRONMENT WATCH

By Ambrose Inusa Sule, mnes globenviron@yahoo.com 0703-441-4410 (sms only)

Greenland at one time supported vegetation that prefers warm areas.

Of course, scientists concede that the further back they go, the more their certainty about climate diminishes. True, many agree that the earth is warming,

“

Johan Rockstrom of the Stockholm Resilience Centre, and colleagues, identified nine biophysical thresholds that must be observed if humanity is to remain in the “safe operating space” of Holocenelike conditions, including climate change, ocean acidification, ozone depletion, change in land and freshwater use

but they are uncertain of both causes and the consequences.

Human activities may be a factor they say, but not necessary the primary one.

According to a report of the United Nations sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming is “Unequivocal” or a fact; and “Very Likely” mankind is largely to blame.

Some who differ with this conclusion, especially in regard to human factor, concede that cities may be heating up because they are growing in size.

Moreover, concrete and steel readily absorb the sun’s heat and tend to cool down slowly at night.

But urban readings, skeptics say, do not reflect the trend in rural areas and can distort global statistics.

Technology and innovation has in the past saved us from plagues, low crop yields, water shortages, reliance on fossil fuels and more. But the planet is finite – there is nowhere else for us to live except Earth and we depend on it for our every need.

And we have never before in the history of our species experienced living in some of the conditions we are creating; where average temperatures are on track to exceed anything humans have experienced, where nitrates and other pollutants are greater than anything our ecosystems have evolved to function in, and where our own hungry population is above seven billion, for example.

A way forward was proposed in 2009 by a group of scientists, suggesting we focus on observing specific “planetary boundaries”.

Johan Rockstrom of the Stockholm Resilience Centre, and colleagues, identified nine biophysical thresholds that must be observed if humanity is to remain in the “safe operating space” of Holocene-like conditions, including climate change, ocean acidification, ozone depletion, change in land and freshwater use. The concept was enthusiastically embraced by institutions such as the United Nations and large NGOs like Oxfam, who adapted the idea to include social boundaries.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 30

Constituents reject state creation in Kogi From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

T

he public session for the review of 1999 constitution which took place at Idah over the weekend, after heated debates rejected the creation of any state for now calling for rapid development of the state.

Within the divergent opinions however, they agreed that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should continue to conduct election in the country including the local government elections, but threw away whether women should be given special quota in elective position or not.

L-R: Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, Pro-Chancellor University of Ibadan, Chief Wole Olanipekun; Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Adewole; at the convocation lecture of the university, yesterday in Lagos.

Photo: NAN

Again, Senate Leader expresses fear on state creation

S

enate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, yesterday, said the requests for the creation of states had raised fears that it might be difficult to create any in the country.

Ndoma-Egba said this at an interactive session with newsmen in Calabar ahead the Peoples’ Public Session on the Review of 1999 Constitution.

According to him, there are 57 requests on state creation before the National Assembly.

He said that for any state to be created, the endorsements of no fewer than 24 Houses of Assembly was required.

The senate leader said the creation of more states was possible but that the constitutional provision had made the process cumbersome.

“When we talk of state creation, what I read is emotion.

“What have we done to demand for a state, which other state have we engaged to persuade them to drop their own request to support ours? What step have we taken in that regards.

“No state has come to me to say please tell your people to drop their request for Ogoja state and support ours. Just as I suspected that we have not gone to

anywhere to ask for support.

“I don’t see how we can convince 24 states agitators to drop their own request and support ours when they also have their own request pending.

“It is possible to create state. It has nothing to do with me, it is the constitutional provision,” he said.

He said the pursuit of an Ogoja state is just on the realms of a motion, nobody has told me what he or she has done to make sure this demand materialises.

“I have not seen any state that has done what it takes to have a state. (NAN)

Reps calls for due process in issuance of driver’ s license

By Umar Muhammad Puma

W

orried by the attitudes of some drivers in our major roads, the House of Representatives yesterday mandate it committee on Federal Road safety Commission(FRSC) to investigate the current license regime and report back to the House within four weeks.

In a motion filed by Rep. Ezenwa Onyewuchi (APGA Imo state), he said instead of FRSC to

issue driver’s license to properly trained and certified drivers through accredited driving schools, licenses are purchased illegally resulting in contravention of traffic rules and regulations and exhibition of ignorance and incompetence by motorists, thereby causing accident on the roads.

Onyewuchi said the part of the responsibilities of the road safety commission establishment Act was to prevent or minimize accident on

Judge advocates global use of arbitration for conflict resolution

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

A

former Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Prince Bola Ajibola, Tuesday advocated the need for countries of the world to embrace arbitration in resolving disputes.

In a lecture entitled, “World Peace through Arbitration”, he delivered at the 2012 fellows lecture and conferment of Honourary Fellowship of the

Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the renowned international jurist said arbitration has taken a central stage in settling matters that would ordinarily lead to serious conflict.

He argued that arbitration was far cheaper than litigations and promotes peaceful settlement of disputes.

Ajibola said the establishment of the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court

the highway, establishe investigation and certification of driving schools, and determining, from time to time, the requirements to be satisfied by an application for a drivers license.

“The essence of driver’s license is not just to create revenue, but to bring safety on our road, it is only in Nigeria where you can find people purchasing driver’s license without any proper training”, he added. of Arbitration has been largely responsible for global peace after the first and second world wars.

He said arbitration helps in resolving both local and international conflicts better that litigation.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Muhktar, in her speech, stressed the need for legal practitioners to update their knowledge of law in arbitration while the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, advised fellows of the Institute to see their conferment as a call to service.

Local government joint account with state governments was strongly criticised by the participants, even as there was support for the retention of the current four year tenure and maximum of eight years for governors and president.

The public session organised

by Hon Ismaila Husseini, representing Idah, Ibaji, Ofu and Igalamela/Odolu Federal constituency, at Judith Attah lecture theatre of the Federal polytechnic Idah, Kogi state rejected the participation of Nigerians in diaspora for voting in elections, but upheld 180 days duration for election cases in tribunals.

Stakeholders reject amendment to TETFUND law

By Lawrence Olaoye

M

ajor stakeholders Tuesday kicked against the proposed amendment to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Act 2011 arguing that such will impose more onerous obligation on the Fund.

According to them,the proposed amendment, if passed, would frustrate government’s effort to consolidate TETFUND’s intervention in the provision of infrastructure and capacity building in Nigerian tertiary education section.

The Bills which seek to include the Nigerian Law School and Federal Colleges of Agriculture as well as Agricultural Research Institutions as beneficiaries of TETFUND was rejected by TETFUND itself, the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities NASUU in their position papers presented at the public hearing.

According to the Acting Executive-Secretary of TETFUND, Mallam Aliyu Naiya, the proposed amendments to the

2011 Act would not only impose greater financial burden on TETFUND but would return it to the ETF era which operated for over 17 years and brought out the flaws associated with the regime.

He noted that the Nigerian Law School was established not as a tertiary institution but for providing practical training for law graduates desirous of admission into the Nigerian Bar. As such the proposed amendment will in real terms amend the Legal Education Act to make the School a tertiary institution which it is not meant to be.

The TETFUND boss then submitted that any such amendment seeking to expand the list of TETFUND beneficiaries should be discouraged as it would result in thinning out the intervention impact of the Fund.

In his presentation, ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge, noted that amending the Act as stipulated would open a deluge of requests by other professional and trade unions to come on board the TETFUND train and it would be morally wrong not to accommodate them.

Niger, Nasarawa, Christian pilgrims tasked on proper conduct

T

he Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission has urged intending Christian pilgrims from Niger and Nasarawa states to avoid acts capable of tarnishing the country’s image in the holy land.

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Mr. JohnKennedy Okpara, gave the advice while addressing the pilgrims on Wednesday before their departure at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Represented by Mr. Simeon Gana, the Director of Administration in the

commission, Okpara urged them to conduct themselves properly while in the holy land.

“You are ambassadors of Christ and once you step out of this country, you are Nigerian ambassadors.

“Listen to your leaders, behave well and stay away from anything that can embarrass the nation. Have the faith that God will answer your prayers in the holy land and avoid wasteful shopping,’’ he said.

No fewer than 110 intending pilgrims from Niger and 200 from Nasarawa State were in the batch. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 31

We must take very aggressive action to eliminate extrimists- Mike Hammer INTERVIEW

L

et me take honor to welcome you. Welcome Mike, what is the Percentage of Muslims in the US? The percentage of Muslims in the US is rather small, but what I would like to emphasize is that Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the US today. The recent survey found out that there are 11,200 mosques in the US, and half of those were just founded in the last 20years. So, it's a rapidly growing religion and as you know, Unites States was built under the notions of religious freedom and religious tolerance guaranteed by our constitution. We interact very much with people of all faiths and have very much respect for people of all religions. It is part of our society, people have different faiths, different cultural back grounds that come from different parts of the world, and its part of our identity.

Are there any positive contributions of Muslims and Islam to the development of the US? Most absolutely, it's something we appreciate, you find Muslims in all works and it's something we appreciate, I have workmates in the State Department who are Muslims. You see Muslims who are involved is sports, doctors, professors, lawyers, so, we find Muslims in every walk of life in US and they make very important contributions as all Americans do.

There is a lot of interest in the world of how Muslims get along in the US but we want to make sure that its well understood that there are many misperceptions, we are welcoming of all faiths, tolerant of religions but we also have core values in terms of freedom of expression.

My incidences seem to prove otherwise of what you are saying, the recent filthy film (innocence of Muslims) is an example , If the US embraces diversity, why would it allow such provocative film that resulted in public outbursts of rage in the Muslim world, leaving scores dead?

This is a question that has been raised in very many parts of the world and I hope you have seen statements by president Obama, Secretary Clinton and a number of US officials. When it comes to the video, it is something that the US government had absolutely nothing to do with. In fact, we absolutely reject the content and the message in the video, Secretary Clinton was very clear about this and she referred to it as disgusting.

In reality, we can't shut down every bit of information in today's world as you know, with the social media, with the internet, there is going to be a lot of problematic, disgusting images, but that should never be an excuse for violence.

We need to talk about these things and talk about the virtues of our religions and beliefs, that's really

Mr. Mike Hammer is the deputy Secretary in charge of public affairs, at the white house Washington DC. In an interview with Hamza Kyeyune, highlights the stand of the US regarding Islam. Excerpts.

Mr. Mike Hammer what the US is about.

The UN which is the custodian of human rights made all disputations against the Jewish narratives on the Holocaust illegal that is binding to the US. The least Muslims across the world would expect from the US government is to provide for legal guarantee that prevent people from infringing on freedom of others while exercising their rights to freedom of expression. Is that expecting too much from the US? Again, we have our own history, own traditions, and freedom of speech is one of those core values. We also have laws that go to the question of inciting hate that apply to all religions, but here, we have a view that's very open to allowing people to express themselves, critically important in our democracy.

Even in the US, when the majority of people disagree, there should be a discussion. But shutting down ideas that we don't like is not the way we think that one should go about. In society, we have to allow things to be said and that can be a basis for discussion.

There are laws obviously to prevent incitement and hate and violence and that needs to be enforced.

On violence, I agree with you. But the US should also know that, there can never be guarantee of international peace and security when there is no justice and respect for religion.

We completely agree that no persons should lose their lives or home as a result of violent protest in response to an appalling video. I would also remark again that in the US, we are such a tolerant

society, and we have Muslims in America. You may have seen expressions of our religion, but we have to accept that sometimes people will say things that are very distasteful and disgusting and the communities will come together in condemning it, but doing it in a peaceful way. Those voices are louder than that minority group, so I think they can co-exist; there is no reason again to react in a violent way.

People may demonstrate and protest, about this video, not to watch it, not to promote it, not to give it more attention.

Some private organizations made campaigns against blasphemous activities, but my concern is about the US government, where is the voice of the government?

Am glad that you point out that certain important organizations both Jewish and Muslim organizations have spoken out. The US government doesn't have to be involved in very activity; it will be a nonstop job for us to comment on every issue that gives us some kind of trouble. So what I would say again is that we very much appreciate what you do, the Muslim community working with the US to promote human rights, inter-faith dialogue, to promote respect for diversity coz we share principals about views that Muslims and nonMuslims are core in pursuit of justice and tolerance and respect of human rights.

So we need to be focusing on the positive, where we all come together, and respect religion and common values, and that is what really this discussion should be about and not focus on things that divide, we need to see things where we can work together and to make a better future for our children.

During the final presidential debate that focused on foreign policy, the issue of drone strikes in Pakistani, Yemen was avoided. In Pakistani, Muslims have demonstrated repeatedly against these drones. Why this issue of the use of unmanned armed drones overseas avoided, thuogh it is an aspect of foreign policy?

On this, I think the US government does not talk about the issue of drones, because the president has been very clear, we must take very aggressive action to eliminate terrorists. And indeed as the president of the US, he has the mandate to defend the American people, against threats and American interests. In fact, we work with our allies to ensure that this threat is eliminated. So that's why you don't see a lot of debate in America. There are different voices on issues like this, and it's part of American society to have many perspectives. It's something that for the most part, we don't talk about it because of the nature of the activities that you are trying to talk about.

Independent reports have indicated that there are more lives of innocent civilians lost when the drone strikes. So when you kill one terrorist and along, you kill many innocent civilians, leave others disabled, others orphaned, doesn't this create a new set of enemies that are potential terrorists, don't you see terrorism becoming a predictable consequence?

I have to defer on this because it's not a program that am able to speak about and even dispute directly some of the figures that you are getting. But I must say that am a little bit struck by the fact that we are talking about this issue, why

aren't we talking about the many thousands of people that are killed

by Al-Qaida terrorists including Pakistani Muslims? Why are we talking about the recent horrific Taliban attack on the young 14 year old girls in Pakistani? I think we need to change the nature of discussion, and identify here what the problem is. The problem is that a terrorist network that is indiscriminately killing innocent people, Muslims, Christians, Jews, regardless of their faith, regardless of their country of origin, for no purpose, and I think what the country is doing is to understand that that's the focus of the problem.

My concern is, if we are trying to eliminate terrorism but along the way, we create conditions that are likely to create more terrorists, isn't that dangerous?

I don't want to completely sidestep the issue, it is an important issue, and I can assure you that this issue is discussed with in the quarters of Washington. Certain information that you may have may not be the most accurate and we have a challenge that we are not at liberty to discuss here.

When drones fly USA to another sovereign state, Isn't USA which is a role model exhibiting behavior of lawlessness by intervening militarily anywhere it pleases?

Again am at disadvantage because you know that I told you that I cannot be discussing this. But I think president Obama has been very clear, he said when he was running for president and has acted on it as president of the US, that he will take whatever actions that are necessary to protect American lives and American interests and we do this in cooperation with a number of countries around the world and in recognition of international laws. And so, am not in position here to be debating these specifics, but I want to assure you that USA is a law abiding country, we want to promote human rights and act according to international human rights, and all the discussions in Washington and decisions that are made about what we do, we take these factors into account.

Looking at the powerful nature of the social media, what is the US doing to use social media as a tool to combat terrorism in all its ramifications?

We put a very high priority at the state department to communicate with social media, not only concerning terrorism but as way we can have dialogue and listen to peoples point of views, so that I can be sitting in Washington and participate in a face book chat, anybody could ask me questions, there are twitter feeds, so people can be expressing their views, very directly now to the USA government and we, on behalf of USA government can explain our policies because a lot of it is frankly mis-understood. Other people think we stand for something, when actually that's not true.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 32

US sanctions M23 rebel leader Sultani Makenga EU ‘approves $6.4bn Egypt financial aid package’

T

he European Union has approved a 5bn-euro ($6.4bn) financial support package for Egypt, Egyptian officials say.

A statement by President Mohammed Mursi's office said the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) would each provide 2bn euros.

The remaining 1bn euros would come from EU member states, the statement added.

The announcement came after Mr Mursi held talks with the EU's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, in Cairo.

In a statement, the presidency said the packages was "a strong sign of the EU's support for Egypt's path to development".

Representatives of some 100 of Europe's largest firms as well as European Commission members and European MPs are participating in the meetings, due to conclude later on Wednesday.

Their focus is on strengthening bilateral relationships between Egypt and the European Union and deepening economic cooperation.

In September, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso offered Egypt 700m euros of financial aid, which he said was conditional on it reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Egypt is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with IMF representatives for a $4.8bn loan this week to help it deal with a $28bn budget deficit, or 11% of GDP, and a balance of payments crisis which are the result of reduced tourism and foreign investment revenues.

In the 21 months since the overthrow of former President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011, Egypt's growth rates have dropped and its foreign reserves have been almost halved.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Ahmed Morsi

Sultani Makenga

T

he US government has imposed sanctions against the leader of the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It said Sultani Makenga was being targeted for his use of child soldiers in the current conflict in DR Congo.

The move follows the UN's decision on Monday to add Col Makenga to its sanctions list.

Last month, a UN panel of experts said Rwanda and Uganda were supplying M23 with weapons and other support allegations those countries deny.

The DR Congo government

said more needed to be done to stop the rebellion in the east of the country, which borders Rwanda and Uganda.

"It's a good start but it's totally inadequate," government spokesman Lambert Mende told the AFP news agency.

"Sultani did not invent this pseudo-mutiny in the east, [but remains] an instrument behind much wrongdoing," he said.

The M23 movement, also known as the Congolese Revolutionary Army, has been fighting the Congolese government since April following an army mutiny.

Since then nearly half a million people have been displaced by fighting between the rebels and the army.

"Sultani Makenga is responsible for extensive atrocities against the population in the DRC, including the recruitment of child soldiers, and campaigns of violence against civilians," Adam J Szubin, the director of the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, said in a statement.

Under the UN sanctions, Col Makenga will be subject to a travel ban and assets freeze.

"Sultani Makenga has

committed and is responsible for serious violations of international law involving the targeting of women and children in situations of armed conflict, including killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction, and forced displacement," a statement from the UN sanctions committee on DR Congo said.

"According to testimonies and reports, the militants operating under the command of Sultani Makenga have conducted rapes throughout Rutshuru territory against women and children, some of whom have been as young as eight years old, as part of a policy to consolidate control."

Rwanda has denied allegations in a leaked report by a UN panel of experts that M23 leaders received "direct military orders" from Rwanda's defence ministry.

Kigali is widely seen as having backed armed groups in the east of DR Congo as a way to fight Hutu rebels who fled there after the 1994 genocide.

It has been accused of using militias as proxies in an on-going battle for the region, which is rich in minerals.

The same leaked UN report has also infuriated Kampala after accusing it of arming the Congolese rebels.

It has threatened to withdraw Ugandan forces from UN-backed international missions as a consequence.

On Tuesday, Uganda closed the Bunagana border crossing into DR Congo.

South Africa holds diamond smuggler who swallowed 220 gems

S

outh African police have arrested a man who they say swallowed 220 polished diamonds in an attempt to smuggle them out of the country.

The man was arrested as he waited to board a plane at

Johannesburg airport.

Officials said a scan of his body revealed the diamonds he had ingested, worth $2.3m (£1.4m; 1.8m euros), inside.

The man was reportedly of Lebanese origin and was travelling to Dubai.

"We nabbed him just before he went through the security checkpoint," Paul Ramaloko, spokesman of the South Africa elite police unit the Hawks said, according to Agence France Presse.

Authorities believe the man

belongs to a smuggling ring.

Another man was arrested in March also attempting to smuggle diamonds out the country in a similar way.

South Africa is among the world's top producers of diamonds.

African Union backs Mali troops plan

A

frican leaders have endorsed a plan to send a 3,300-strong force to wrest control of northern Mali from Islamist fighters, as fears grow over risks they pose to the region and beyond.

The African Union Peace and Security Council "has decided ... to endorse a harmonised concept of operations for the planned deployment of AFISMA, which is the African-led mission in support of Mali", said Ramtane Lamamra, the union's commissioner for peace and security.

The goal of the mission, endorsed by the AU on Tuesday, would be to "regain the occupied regions in the north of the country, dismantle the terrorist and criminal networks and restore effectively the authority of the state over the entire

national territory", Lamamra said.

The plan had been first agreed on Sunday by members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

"We foresee 3,300 soldiers for a timeframe of one year," Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara, the current ECOWAS chairman, told journalists on Sunday, after a summit in Nigerian capital Abuja.

The troops would come primarily from the 15-nation bloc, but may be supported by soldiers from other countries, he said.

Discussions also involved the potential training of 5,000 Malian troops, according to Ouattara.

Ouattara said he hoped UN Security Council approval could come in late November or early

December, which would allow the force to be put in place days afterwards.

"We have countries that are offering battalions, others companies," he said.

The ECOWAS countries he

named were Nigeria, Senegal, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Togo.

From outside ECOWAS, "Chad could also participate. We have had contacts with other countries - Mauritania, South Africa".

African union's commissioner for peace and security, Ramtane Lamamra.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Asia and Middle East

C

hina's Communist Party has concluded a week-long congress, a day before unveiling its new leadership line-up.

More than 2,200 delegates met to select a new Central Committee in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

That committee will meet on Thursday to endorse China's top decision-making body, the Politburo Standing Committee.

PAGE 33

China party congress wraps up ahead of leadership unveiling The new line-up will be keenly watched for signs of China's future economic and political direction.

In a closing statement, President Hu Jintao said the congress had "replaced older leaders with younger ones" and made decisions of "farreaching historical significance", Xinhua news agency said.

China's leadership change happens every 10 years. The party congress opened on 8 November with a televised work report from Mr Hu, but since then the decision-making has been taking place behind closed doors.

While votes are held, key selections are in reality decided in advance by top leaders, with the Politburo Standing

Israeli air strike kills Hamas military chief Jabari

P

Venue of the meeting

Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi meets Indian PM Singh

B

urmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has met Indian PM Manmohan Singh as part of her first visit to India in almost 40 years.

The Burmese MP is also scheduled to deliver a public lecture on the second day of her five-day trip.

She will visit the college she attended in Delhi in the 1960s when her mother was Burma's ambassador to India.

Her trip comes two years after elections in Burma that formally ended military rule.

In 2011, a nominally civilian government led by President Thein Sein was sworn in and has since implemented a series of economic and political reforms.

Ms Suu Kyi, a pro-democracy leader who spent many years under house arrest, was released shortly after the November 2010 polls in Burma.

Her party has now rejoined the political process and secured a small presence in parliament after winning by-elections in April 2012.

But Ms Suu Kyi has cautioned India against being too optimistic over the recent political changes in Burma.

confirmed, as were the leading contenders for inclusion in the Standing Committee.

Vice-Premier Wang Qishan, propaganda chief Liu Yunshan, party organisation chief Li Yuanchao, Tianjin party boss Zhang Gaoli and VicePremier Zhang Dejiang are all thought to be front-runners.

Pakistan agrees Afghan Taliban releases in Islamabad talks

H

amas says the head of its military wing has been killed in an Israeli air strike.

Israel said it had targeted Ahmed al-Jabari because of what it called his decade-long terrorist activity.

He is the most senior Hamas official to be killed since an Israeli offensive in Gaza four years ago.

Witnesses say Jabari was traveling in his vehicle in Gaza City when his car exploded. There are reports his deputy has also been killed.

The Israeli intelligence agency Shin Bet said in a statement: "Jabari was responsible for financing and directing military operations and attacks against Israel.

"His elimination today is a message to Hamas officials in Gaza that if they continue promoting terrorism against Israel, they will be hurt."

Committee line-up to be revealed at 11:00 (03:00 GMT) on Thursday.

Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang are expected to become party leader and deputy respectively. Mr Xi is also expected to take over from Hu Jintao as China's president in March 2013.

Both were appointed to the Central Committee, Xinhua news agency

Ahmed al-Jabari

Officials at the meeting in which the agreement was reached

akistan has agreed to free several jailed Afghan Taliban officials during talks in Islamabad with Afghan peace negotiators, officials say.

Afghan sources said the former Taliban justice minister Mullah Turabi and two intelligence officials are among the group to be freed.

One Afghan official described the move as a positive gesture towards peace.

Pakistan says it backs peace efforts. Orla Guerin says the releases are a tangible step to prove this.

Our correspondent, reporting from Islamabad, says that, crucially, it appears that the Taliban number two, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is not among those being released - at least for now.

Afghan officials describe him as someone who may still command enough respect to persuade the Taliban to pursue peace after more than 10 years of fighting US-led Nato and Afghan forces.

Analysts say the releases are significant and the hope now is that when the Taliban officials return home, they can influence others to enter talks.

Afghan officials have long lobbied for the release of Taliban prisoners by Pakistan in the hope that direct contacts with top insurgent commanders could boost peace talks.

"We aren't too certain whether they can play an important role in peace negotiations but it is a positive gesture from Pakistan in helping peace efforts," an Afghan official told the Reuters news agency.

Officials say that it is not clear when the releases will occur and the details are still being worked out.

A political settlement between the Afghan government and the Taliban is widely seen by analysts as the most effective way of delivering stability to Afghanistan before most Nato troops withdraw at the end of 2014.

In March, the Taliban suspended preliminary peace negotiations with the US, saying that Washington's efforts to involve the Afghan authorities were a key stumbling block.

PAGE 34

Europe and Americas Croatia deputy PM faces jail over fatal crash

A

court in Hungary has sentenced Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Radimir Cacic to 22 months in prison for causing a fatal car crash in 2010.

The verdict overturns an earlier ruling, in which Mr Cacic had been given a suspended sentence.

Mr Cacic had been driving on a Hungarian motorway when he collided with another car, killing two people.

His lawyer said Mr Cacic, who was not in court on Wednesday, would not appeal, the Associated Press reports.

The politician has previously been quoted as saying he would step down if sent to prison.

Judges at the court in the southern Hungarian city of Kaposvar ruled he could be paroled after serving half his sentence.

Mr Cacic had been on his way to Budapest when he collided with another vehicle on Hungary's M7 motorway two years ago.

The impact critically injured two passengers who later died in hospital.

Mr Cacic had pleaded guilty during his first trial in June, but said fog had seriously impaired his visibility.

He was initially handed a three-year suspended jail sentence for the accident. Both the prosecution and defence had appealed against the verdict.

Mr Cacic also serves as Croatia's economy minister in the centre-left government of Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

White House backs Gen John Allen amid Petraeus fallout U

S President Barack Obama has backed a senior general, despite reports that he exchanged "flirtatious" emails with Florida socialite Jill Kelley.

Spokesman Jay Carney said Mr Obama had "faith" in Gen John Allen, chosen to be the next Nato commander in Europe.

Harassment allegations by Mrs Kelley helped unmask an affair between CIA Director David Petraeus and his biographer Paula Broadwell.

Gen Petraeus resigned on Friday. Gen Allen says he has done nothing wrong.

"I can tell you that the president thinks very highly of Gen Allen and his service to his country, as well as the job he has done in Afghanistan," spokesman Jay Carney said, in the first White House reaction since Gen Petraeus quit.

He added that President Barack Obama was "very happy" with Gen Allen's service and record.

Mr Carney also asked reporters "not to extrapolate too broadly" about whether the cases involving Gen Petraeus and Gen Allen suggested a wider cultural problem within the US military.

"He has great confidence in the acting CIA director, the secretary of defence and the defence

department to carry out the missions he has asked of them," Mr Carney added.

In his first public comments on the scandal, Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta said he fully supported Gen Allen.

"No-one should leap to any conclusions here. General Allen is doing an excellent job," Mr Panetta

told a news conference in Australia.

"He certainly has my continued confidence to lead our forces and to continue the fight."

Mr Panetta has already announced an investigation of Gen Allen and an examination of the 20,000-30,000 pages of emails and other messages to Mrs Kelley.

Gen Allen, 58, took over

command of coalition forces in Afghanistan after David Petraeus moved to the CIA in 2011.

Currently commanding 68,000 US troops in Afghanistan, Gen Allen was due to face a confirmation hearing in the US Senate on Thursday for his new role as supreme commander of Nato forces in Europe.

General John Allen

European workers stage austerity protests

W

orkers across the European Union are staging a series of protests and strikes against rising unemployment and austerity

measures.

General strikes in Spain and Portugal have halted transport, businesses and schools, and led to clashes between police and

Protesters clash with police in Athens and Madrid, while workers march in Brussels, Rome and Marseille

protesters in Madrid.

Smaller strikes were reported in Greece, Italy and Belgium, and rallies were planned in other countries.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled in Spain and Portugal.

Airlines are recommending passengers check the schedules before setting out to airports.

The European Trade Union Confederation has co-ordinated the Europe-wide action.

The confederation's Judith Kirton-Darling told the BBC that austerity was not working.

"It's increasing inequalities, it's increasing the social instability in society and it's not resolving the economic crisis," she said.

Some 40 groups from 23 countries are involved in Wednesday's demonstrations.

Unions in Spain and Portugal started strikes at midnight to protest against austerity measures that have combined tax rises with cuts in salaries, pensions, benefits and social services.

Marchers came out late on Tuesday in Spain, where 25% are unemployed, the highest rate in Europe.

"I have two sons in my house, one is getting subsidies, the other has been at home for the last three years," said protesting housewife Paqui Olmo.

"It is not that he doesn't want to work, there is just no work."

In the first reported clashes of the day, picketers and police fought at a Madrid bus depot where demonstrators were trying to stop buses from leaving.

agreements. Without goodwill, there are no agreements."

The peace talks were officially launched at a ceremony in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, on 18 October, but actual negotiations will begin in Havana on Monday.

They will focus initially on the issue of land reform in Colombia, as it was a major reason for the uprising that brought about the establishment of the Farc [Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia] in the early 1960s.

Four other points will be discussed: the end of armed conflict; guarantees for the

exercise of political opposition and citizen participation; drug trafficking; and the rights of the victims of the conflict.

Colombia's chief negotiator, Humberto de la Calle, has described the talks "a very important historical moment".

In October, he said the final agreement would be "put to the public".

Farc delegation head Ivan Marquez has previously said they are participating in the talks "with an olive branch" but that peace did not mean "arms go quiet".

The Farc have repeatedly called for a ceasefire, but the

Farc peace talks in Havana delayed P eace talks aimed at ending five decades of conflict in Colombia have been

delayed until Monday.

The discussions between Colombian government

Farc negotiators Ivan Marquez(L) and Jesus Santrich

delegates and rebels from the left-wing Farc group had been due to start in Cuba on Thursday.

Few details were given, but in a statement, both sides said they needed to work on "technical details to ensure the participation of civil society".

The meetings are the first direct Colombian peace talks in a decade.

Speaking during an unrelated official visit to Portugal, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos gave no further information on the reason for the delay, but said: "If there is goodwill, there are

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 35

Vodka and sunlight, straight up, lgnite liquor store

A liquor store like this abote was set ablaze

A

band of sunshine crept under a window shade, which refracted light through a vodka bottle in a cardboard display case, which set the display case ablaze, which burst open the vodka bottles, which spewed fuel on the blossoming fire, which sent 12-foot (3.66 meter)

plumes of flame soaring toward the ceiling of a mom-and-pop liquor store in a town called Burnsville.

It's the kind of claim that you don't make to an insurance company unless you have video evidence. But Red Lion Liquors in Burnsville, Minn., has a

surveillance setup and filmed every unlucky step of the spontaneous Rube Goldberg machine.

"It's the unexpected things that can kind of sucker-punch you," Red Lion manager Dave Hautman told a local Fox News affiliate about the arson committed by his store's own

products.

The offending bottle set the blaze in the same way that a magnifying glass ignites a pile of dry leaves.

Light refracts, or changes direction, as it passes from one medium - such as air, glass or vodka - to another at an angle. This principle accounts for the way a straight drinking straw can appear to be bent or broken where it breaches the surface of a glass of water, as this is the boundary where light changes course.

Certain surfaces, such as the lens of a magnifying glass, are constructed so that all the light that passes through them redirects toward a single point at a set distance from the lens, called the focal point. By collecting photons that land on a wide surface area and converging them on a single point, a lens (or a glass vodka bottle mimicking a lens) concentrates the energy carried by all of those photons on that tiny area.

When enough of these energetic photons start bombarding the atoms in a specific piece of cardboard or leaf at the same time, chemical bonds will begin to break, and if there's some oxygen in the mix, the chemical reaction known as fire ensues.

A magnifying glass with a diameter of about 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) and a focal length (the distance from the lens to the

focal point) of about 9 inches (22.9 cm) can instantly make the sunlight that lands on the focal point 1,000 times more concentrated than the light that lands on the hand that holds the glass, according to Thomas Baer, a Stanford physicist who spoke to National Public Radio's "Science Friday" program. (The human eye also has a lens; it concentrates sunlight by a factor of 2,500, which is why it's a really bad idea to stare at the sun.)

The vodka bottles that started the Red Lion fire exacerbated the blaze once they ruptured and spilled their flammable contents, but the fire might just as well have been started by bottles of water if conditions were right.

In 2010, scientists at the University of Budapest determined that droplets of water suspended above the leaves of plants that have waxy hairs can act as focusing lenses, leaving sunburns on the leaves beneath them, and the researchers claimed that droplets caught on small human hairs can have a similar effect. Their experiments never resulted in the eruption of open flames on the leaves, but the amateur scientist in this video shows how you can start a fire using a plastic bag filled with water as a lens.

Thanks to a sprinkler system and a speedy emergency response, the fire in Burnsville never got out of control, and the costliest damage took the form of about $54,000 of discarded liquor.

“Talking” whale could What lives in your belly button? study lmitate human voice finds “rain forest”

B

irds aren't the only animals that impersonate people-a beluga whale learned how to mimic the human voice, a new study suggests.

The "talking whale" was NOC, a captive whale that lived for 30 years at the National Marine Mammal Foundation in San Diego, California, until his death in 1999.

Researchers first noticed something peculiar back in 1984, when they heard people talking around NOC's enclosure when no one else was nearby.

Hear NOC the Beluga Whale "Talk"

Beluga Whale Lowers Voice to Sound Human

"You could hear there was a conversation, but you couldn't make out what they were saying," said study co-author Sam Ridgway of the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program in San Diego.

The source of the chattering was later confirmed when a human diver thought someone had told him to get out of the whale's tankit turned out to be NOC, repeating a sound like the word "out."

"This was very rare, and a first for me," said Ridgway.

In the 1980s, Ridgway and his team recorded NOC's speechlike utterances and found the rhythm and frequencies approximated those of the human voice.

"The speechlike sounds were several octaves lower in frequency than the whale's usual sounds," said Ridgway, whose findings are only now being released, in the journal Current Biology.

After four years in the late 1980s, NOC stopped making human voicelike noises-possibly because he had reached sexual maturity, Ridgway suspects.

Marine biologist Peter Tyack, of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, agreed that NOC appeared to adopt the intonation patterns of people talking.

R

ob Dunn and his team of ecologists aren't your average navel gazers. They're professional navel gazers, thank you very much, and their new study details the microbial contents of 60 volunteers' belly buttons.

The whole thing started about two years ago. An undergrad's onlyin-a-biology-lab idea-sampling colleague's navel bacteria for a holiday card-struck a chord with the North Carolina State University team, which had adopted a new focus on citizen science.

What better way to get the public interested in science than by showing them their skin's own thriving ecosystems? "And belly buttons are just ridiculous enough to appeal to almost everyone," Dunn added.

What's more, given the belly button's status as one of the body's most rarely scrubbed crannies, it offered researchers a chance to study as close to a pristine microbial landscape as is possible on the modern human.

So in early 2011 the team set up shop at the ScienceOnline science communicators' conference and at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The researchers handed out swabs to 60 intrigued, if grossed out, volunteers. Back to the lab, the scientists examined the genetic makeup of their bacterial loot.

Bacillus subtilis (left) and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

The Belly Button Biodiversity project had officially begun.

From 60 belly buttons, the team found 2,368 bacterial species, 1,458 of which may be new to science.

Some belly buttons harbored as few as 29 species and some as many at 107, although most had around 67. Ninety-two percent of the bacteria types showed up on fewer than 10 percent of subjects-in fact, most of the time, they appeared in only a single subject.

One science writer, for instance, apparently harbored a bacterium that had previously been found only Japanese soil-where he has never been.

Another, more fragrant individual, who hadn't washed in several years, hosted two species of so-called extremophile bacteria that

typically thrive in ice caps and thermal vents.

Despite the diversity, themes emerged.Even though not a single strain showed up in each subject, eight species were present on more than 70 percent of the subjects. And whenever these species appeared, they did so in huge numbers.

"That makes the belly button a lot like rain forests," Dunn said. In any given forest, he explained, the spectrum of flora might vary, but an ecologist can count on a certain few dominant tree types.

"The idea that some aspects of our bodies are like a rain forest-to me it's quite beautiful," he added.

"And it makes sense to me as an ecologist. I understand what steps to take next; I can see how that works."

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Hope in Anarchy: A writer’s depiction of decadent society waiting to explode T

From Agaju Madugba

he famous and awardwinning American fiction writer, John Grisham, shares a few things in common with Nigeria’s Dr. Adamu Usman, of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria: both of them are lawyers by professional training and they are novelists. But unlike Grisham who did not develop a passion for writing until he began his law practice, Usman says he has always had the penchant for writing, right from his early days in primary school, more so when as a child, he was a chief story teller in his village in the Zangon-Kataf local government area of Kaduna state. According to him, “that interest in story telling is perhaps what metamorphosed into this writing.”

Usman’s books are slated for public presentation and launching on Thursday, in Abuja, a ceremony to be chaired by the Arewa Consultative (ACF) Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Mohammed.

With his first book, Hope in Anarchy, published in 1992, Usman has so far written a total of 14 books, two of them on law, one, a drama presentation while the 11 others are works of fiction in prose.

As with many other writers anywhere in the world, Usman’s writings reflect socio-economic and political situations in society and

this is true of Hope in Anarchy, in a bankrupt society like Nigeria where justice and equity have taken flight, paving way for lawlessness and corruption even at the highest level of government and the private sector too. At the end of the day, the poor masses suffer the consequences while the minority bourgeoisie and oppressive class celebrate. But the status quo may not continue forever.

Like the proverbial fowl developing teeth if pushed too far, a point may come when the people rise in protest and the consequences are usually bloody. Recent developments in the Arab world may serve as practical examples.

According to Usman, “if order has failed the poor, they may find hope in disorder. Order in the Nigerian society today seems to be a fraud on the poor and the rich should not allow the poor to reach that conclusion. If they reach that conclusion, they may have recourse to anarchy in order to survive. If government makes life impossible for the poor within the law, the poor may be forced to seek an alternative outside the law. It is a warning to those running the affairs of the country, not to push the poor to the wall because survival instincts will come alive and they may react in ways you do not expect.” The book has made it NECO’s list of texts for students. “The books are for everybody and I have had good comments from readers

as I make my works as intellectually accessible as possible.”

A lecturer in Environmental Protection Law and Equity and Trust Law at the ABU, Usman says his teaching work does not suffer as a result of his writing as, “I do most of my writings in the morning before my lectures or at night. My computer is by my bedside and I type directly on the computer.

If you have a passion for something, you will always create time for it. My lectures never suffer because of my writing. I do not miss my lectures. I hardly attend weddings, burial ceremonies. The time I would have used to do those things is the time I use for my writing.” He laments what he describes as the low quality level of the nation’s university graduates, a development he attributes to the mad quest for money and the materialism phenomenon, at the detriment of seeking and acquiring knowledge. Moreover, according to him, a society that has lost a reading culture is as good as dead.

As he puts it, “nowadays, people do not read, only few people.

Reading generally should be about mind development. If you go through any town in Nigeria, you see so many restaurants, how many libraries do you see? Ours is a country that is overrun by restaurants and fast food joints.

Even in the universities, it is the same thing. At the ABU, the library is virtually dead. The

bookshop is comatose. The ABU is celebrating its 50thanniversary without a bookshop and library and it is supposed to be an ivory tower. If there is such level of decay in terms of reading at the university level, it goes to tell you that it is a serious problem. Look at the British Council that used to be in Kaduna here. In those days, we used to go there to borrow books but they eventually packed up because they said Nigerians do not read. What they have now in Abuja are video cassettes on their shelves.

“There is no doubt about the low standard of our university graduates today. Since I started teaching, the quality of students keeps on sliding every year.

Students are only in interested in passing their examinations by whatever means. Only few of them still believe that something is worth knowing but the majority believes that only somebody is worth knowing. To know or be connected to rich man in society is better than reading for knowledge.

Sometimes you do not blame them because they have never known the contrary. If you encourage people to read, they are discouraged because they have not seen an example of somebody who has read and has money. They can only say that such a person has read a lot but he does not have money.

People no longer see value in anything except money. But the

truth is that we are in a state of anomie. Some of us felt challenged by the people we saw but today, there is nobody to emulate, they do not feel challenged. What we have are people who may not have gone through the rigours of reading, they are the one calling the shots and determining how things go and everybody wants to thread that path.”

For Usman, getting these books published has not been a jolly ride as he notes that, “publishing is a very big problem. It has not been easy. For the first book, I had to get a bank loan to publish it and I finished paying the loan in 1997.

But the moment my book made the NECO list, publishers swooped on me, looking for me everywhere.

But when I was moving about looking for people to help me publish, they were not interested.

Publishers are not interested in writers who are not known. But if you believe in your story, you have to make the initial investment.

And, that is what some of us have done. The book that was published in USA, I sponsored the publication but they later found out that it is worth turning into a movie. If I had not taken that initiative, they would not have seen the book in the first place.” Some of the other books are, The Village Tradesman, The Butcher’s Wife, My Headmaster, Death of Eternity, and The Mad Professor of Babeldu, among others.

Woman died from blood poisoning after Irish medics refused to perform an abortion because she was in ‘a Catholic country’

A

woman who was suffering a miscarriage died after developing blood poisoning when doctors at an Irish hospital refused to perform an abortion.

Savita Halappanavar, 31, was admitted to Galway University Hospital suffering with agonising back pain.

Medics realised she was miscarrying but repeatedly denied her requests for a medical termination because the foetus’ heartbeat was present.

Her husband Praveen Halappanavar, 34, claims he and his wife - who had been 17 weeks pregnant - were told by staff at the hospital: ‘This is a Catholic country’.

Abortion is illegal in the Republic of Ireland.

Health chiefs in the country have launched an investigation after the dentist - who is understood to have been from India but was living in Ireland - developed septicaemia and died at the hospital on October 28.

The woman’s death has seen pressure heaped on Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny to legislate for abortion in cases where a mother’s life is in danger, and a demonstration is due to take place in front of the Dail parliament in Ireland this evening.

Left-wing TDs Clare Daly and Joan Collins described the woman’s death as an outrage.

They criticised the Government for failing to adopt their X Case Bill earlier this year, which would have introduced new laws to allow an abortion in specific life-threatening circumstances.

Ms Daly said: ‘A woman has died because Galway University Hospital refused to perform an abortion needed to prevent serious risk to her life.

‘This is a situation we were told would never arise.

‘An unviable foetus - the woman was having a miscarriage - was given priority over the woman’s life, who unfortunately and predictably developed septicaemia and died.’

Taoiseach Enda Kenny would give no indication as to whether he would introduce laws allowing women to have a termination in certain life-threatening circumstances.

Mr Kenny also dismissed calls for the Government to hold its own external inquiry into Mrs Halappanavar’s death.

The Health Service Executive and the Galway-Roscommon University Hospitals Group have both launched investigations.

‘It would be very appropriate that we don’t rule anything out here, but there are two reports and investigations going on at the moment,’ said Mr Kenny.

He said the Government would

Savita Halappanavar, 31, died at Galway University Hospital, where doctors refused to perform a medical termination.

wait until Health Minister James Reilly received the reports from the hospital and HSE inquiries before deciding the best course of action.

‘I don’t think we should say anything about this until we are in possession of all the facts,’ he added.

The Taoiseach also extended his deepest sympathy to Mrs Halappanavar’s family, including her husband Praveen.

‘A child has been lost, a mother has died and a husband is bereaved,’ said Mr Kenny.

‘That is a tragedy.’

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams asked Mr Kenny when he intended to legislate for abortion, while Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin called for an external inquiry to be carried out by Government.

Both opposition TDs were joined

by Independent TD Shane Ross in

expressing their sadness at Mrs Halappanavar’s death.

Ms Daly and Ms Collins have insisted their proposals would have ensured there was no equivocation over whether an abortion should have been performed.

It is expected the hospital’s investigation will be complete within three months.

Mrs Halappanavar’s family will be interviewed as part of the review.

A spokesman for the hospital said: ‘Firstly, the Galway Roscommon University Hospitals Group wishes to extend its sympathy to the husband, family and friends of Ms Halappanavar.’

The Galway hospital said medics have carried out all standard practices in notifying the death to the coroner, informing the Health Service Executive and completing a maternal death notification.

‘It is standard practice to review unexpected deaths in line with the HSE’s national incident management policy,’ it said.

‘The family of the deceased is consulted on the terms of reference, interviewed by the review team and given a copy of the final report.’

The spokesman added that the hospital was waiting to consult Mrs Halappanavar’s family on the terms of reference before beginning the review.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 37

NNPC is a conduit pipe, says Benue PDP stalwart INTERVIEW

W

hy do you think Gen. Buhari was mentioned as part of the Boko Haram negotiation team?

Anybody’s name could have been mentioned. The people (Boko Haram) are the one who said this is the person we want.

And if they say this is the man we want, perhaps, they discovered that of all the people in Nigeria, he is in-between; he is not for them, he is not for the government. So, they are probably looking for a neutral person. Another issue is that a lot of people believe that Boko Haram is the making of the PDP which I belong to. And if you remember, I spoke about this before and I said Boko Haram is the handiwork of Obasanjo and Modu Sheriff because during the 2003 elections, Obasanjo did not want the PDP to win elections in Borno. He wanted a friend of his in the opposition party APP and they formed an organization to make sure that they put Modu Sheriff in government. So, after that, that organization which was like a militia group, was abandoned.

Modu Sheriff abandoned them and they metamorphosed into what is today known as Boko Haram.

That is why I have said we must investigate those people and find out the root cause of their action.

There is no way Obasanjo and Modu Sheriff will not have had a hand in what is called Boko Haram insurgency today. It was an organization that was formed to make sure that Ali Modu Sheriff became a governor against the PDP candidate who first won election in Borno. They kicked him out and those very young people were left unattended to. Eventually, either they probably may have been hijacked by another organization or they metamorphosed into what is today called Boko Haram. And if that is the case, the choice of Buhari could be blackmail.

Probably, the government may want to use Buhari so that they will now say Buhari is behind Boko Haram. And then, they would now find a way of entangling him into the sect and then blackmail him again so that he does not contest 2015.

What’s your comment on the speculation that President Goodluck Jonathan may seek reelection on the platform of the PDP in 2015?

He is wasting his time. By the time Jonathan goes for second term, some of us will become old trailers without brakes and we will be descending a slope. So, anything on the road we will crush. 2015 is the last time I will be in active politics. So, does it mean that I will lose out again?

Chief Abu ‘King’ Shuluwa, former member of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and a chieftain of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP from Benue state in this interview with newsmen in Makurdi highlights the irregularities in the nation oil sector and submits that the NNPC represents a conduit pipe in the nation’s economy just as he forecloses the possibility of President Goodluck Jonathan getting reelected on the platform of the ruling party.

Our Correspondent, Uche Unorom was there. Excerpts: No way. I am not preapared to lose out.

On the submission of Ribadu’s report, Orosanye stood up to say he was not party to the report. What do you have to say about this?

It is a plan. For a Orosanye to be a member of a committee, if he wasn’t a party to it, he should have written his own minority report. Did he write a minority report? Why was Orosanye also made a Director while he was still in the committee? When you gave Ribadu that kind of position, you know he would come out with a true position of what is there. I was in the Revenue Mobilization committee. The total revenue goes through the First Inland Revenue Board, FIRS into Central Bank. We wanted to know for a particular month, how much revenue was collected. We got the data from the Central Bank, we also got the data from FIRS and we saw the discrepancies. The total revenue that was collected and what went into the Central Bank was different. We tried to find out and it was difficult to know. And then, we wrote to Obasanjo who appointed us. We said we discovered that the revenue from the Revenue Board into central Bank, this is what we found out and the balance of it at that time was about N4billion and we said that N4billion was walking too slowly to Central Bank. We didn’t allege that somebody stole. They set up a committee, Central Bank was part of it, NNPC was part of it, (Ministry of) Finance was part of it. When they sat, they didn’t inform the Revenue Mobilization Commission, we then wrote the report. And they wrote their report. Do you know what they wrote?

They said misclassification as if we were dummies, we don’t know misclassification. You said this is N10billion and in Central Bank it is N5billion. When we asked of the N5billion, they said it is

Chief Abu ‘King’ Shuluwa misclassification. No, that is not m i s c l a s s i f i c a t i o n .

Misclassification is that one item which is supposed to be when one item which is supposed to get more gets less but the total amount of money should still remain the same.

We also wrote about another issue to Obasanjo on the report of NNPC. NNPC is a conduit pipe for the top ones up till today.

Orosanye was just playing a game. The only way you can do to save Nigeria is to reorganise the whole of NNPC in earnest not when you say I will reorganize and you still put the same thing back there. What do we need NNPC for? Let us be very honest with ourselves, what is their job? What do they do? Let me tell you, when I was with the revenue mobilization, NNPC when you have the crude and you want to sell it, the Federal Government allocates certain quantum of crude oil to NNPC

“

I contested governorship four times in this state and I will tell you that no governor of this state has been popular more than me.

Governorship position is not a position you just give to anybody

to refine and sell domestically.

NNPC will kill the refineries and sell this crude outside the country and will never put that money back into the Federal Government coffers. What do they do with the money?

Secondly, they will buy it at controlled exchange rate not what is being sold to outsiders but when they want to sell what was given to them, they will sell it at that exorbitant price. What do they do with the money? If you check properly, you would discover that all the MDs of NNPC has oil businesses outside Nigeria. If you retire as NNPC MD, you should not have anything to do with oil again. Go and find another business, not oil. So, NNPC is a conduit pipe for the top people in this country.

Even Niger has a functional refinery as at today. It is sad that up till now, none of our refineries is working. Yet the subsidies have come. People are being paid billions of naira for not importing fuel. You see a young man who comes up with a company and they allocate certain quantum of refined oil for him to import and he doesn’t import after he has been paid. You think he sits and eat that money alone?

There is this insinuation that the rotation of governorship seat is lopsided between zones A and B while Zone C watches helplessly in Benue. As a party elder, how do you think this injustice can be addressed?

I contested governorship four times in this state and I will tell you that no governor of this state has been popular more than me.

Governorship position is not a position you just give to anybody. When my zone C people wanted to be governor and everybody in Zones A and B was afraid to go to Zone C, I went there. When I got to Otukpo, people thought that Idoma people were going to tear me into pieces.

I said look, I am the only person in this land who will give the Idoma people whatever belongs to them. I can never take what belongs to a Tiv man and give it to Idoma, so also, I can never take what belongs to Idoma man and give to Tiv man. When I started talking, I said, Idoma, you will never get this governorship and everybody said why. I told them that you cannot sit here and expect somebody to carry power give you while you sit in Otukpo.

That’s crazy. We are talking about power. Come out and look for power yourself. And when they came out in 2007, you saw what they did. Do you know that the Idoma were the first?

Suswam wasn’t the first candidate. How can, after the primaries and votes had been counted and then you now come out to say that Ogiri Ajene’s and Igbago’s votes should be added to another person’s after counting? Now, you tell me, already votes were counted and somebody won yet they kept quiet. Tomorrow they will say Shuluwa doesn’t like Idoma, Na lie. If there is anybody in this state that likes Idoma, it’s me. I went to school with them in Katsina-Ala, I worked with them in Kaduna, in Jos and Benue. I have a lot of friends in Idoma land. Why would I hate them? My mother is not Tiv. She belonged to the Kwararafa family. So, what has an Idoma man done to me that will warrant me hating him? Let us put it this way; if you believe that a Tiv man will take governorship and give to an Idoma man on a platter of gold, you are jokers. It will never happen; not even among the Tivs themselves. Why is it that today some Minda people are saying they want to contest for governorship and people from Zone A are saying no? Adasu had it only for one year so we must complete our tenure? Who said it is their tenure to complete?

For an Idoma to become governor, they have to play a better card than they are playing today.

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar, a champion of democracy - Jonathan

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

P

L-R: Chief Whip, House of Representatives, Hon. Isiaka Bawa Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Country Representative, United Nations Women, Dr. Grace Ongile and House Leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande Adeola, during a meeting on women's political participation, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

No sustainable electoral process without active women participation – Prof.

P

rof. Richard Metland of Loyola University, Chicago, U.S., yesterday said that there would be no sustainable electoral process without active participation of women.

He made the assertion in Abuja when members of Women Multi Stakeholders’ Dialogue organised by UNDP visited INEC. The multi stakeholders drawn from different parts of the world are in Nigeria to share their countries’ political experiences and bring them to bear on democratic process in Nigeria.

The programme is part of the UNDP forum on constitution review aimed at contributing to political development in Nigeria.

Metland said that there were increased cases of women representation in the world as 20 per cent of global parliaments were occupied by women.

Metland said that it was so unfortunate that Nigeria was at the bottom of 20 per cent of women participation in politics when compared with what was going on around the world.

He said that Nigerians should use the

opportunity of the ongoing constitution review to give affirmative action to increase women representation in the political circle.

Metland, who had also worked with electoral management group in no fewer than 25 countries, said that INEC had a vital role to play in ensuring increased women participation in politics.

He said that Argentina was one of the first countries to adopt an electoral law on high representation of women in the electoral process.

He said that Argentina electoral commission played a good role in ensuring the acceptability of the rule in favour of women.

He said that investigations on women representation across the globe had shown that women do better when elected into electoral positions.

Metland challenged INEC to always provide access to the electoral data from the elections as they occurred to enable the electorates to access their participation level.

He said that this would allow the electorates the opportunity to evaluate the validity of the results.

Prof. Lai Olurode, Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, said that the present electoral law was not too perfect to entrench certain representational capacity.

He said that there were so many sections of the law that needed to be amended.

Olurode, who is also a National Commissioner of INEC, said that notwithstanding, INEC had a special focus on women active participation in politics and to assume elective positions.

He said that INEC had begun sensitisation campaign strategy to attract more women into mainstream politics aimed at ending partial representation in the various elective offices in Nigeria.

Olorode said that Nigerian women could only take their rightful positions in the administration of the country only through active participation in politics.

He said that women should ensure that they occupied more than 35 per cent elective posts in 2015.

He said that the campaign include training, workshops, counseling, voters education and advocacy. (NAN)

Jonathan seeks amendment to MTEF

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan has written the National Assembly for the amendments to 2012-2014 Medium-Term External Borrowing Plan.

In part, Jonathan applied that Nigeria issues a $1 billion Eurobond and another $100 million Diaspora Fund next year to fund its power and gas sector reforms and to drive participation of Nigerians abroad in the development of the country, in the case of the Diaspora bond.

Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, while reading

the three letters from the Presidency yesterday read a riot act to the chairpersons of the 89 standing House committees to submit on or before tomorrow final reports of committees oversight of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the level of implementation of the 2012 budget.

According to Jonathan, $200 million is expected to be sourced from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to fund a water project in Rivers State.

Jonathan informed lawmakers that the Federal Government is currently developing a low-income housing finance

facility to support the provision of affordable homes for Nigerians.

"This scheme will be financed using a $300 million credit facility from World Bank. We would like to swap this new $300 credit facility with the proposed guarantees for the power sector in the draft borrowing plan, thereby ensuring that we do not increase the overall size of loans proposed in the external borrowing plan," the letter read.

The President sought the approval of the Lower House for 2013 budget proposal of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

resident Goodluck Jonathan has described former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) as a lover, builder, friend and champion of democracy, and also as a patriot, statesman and a bridge builder.

President Jonathan stated this yesterday in Abuja at the book presentation of the times and legacy of former Head of State, Gen. Abubakar, titled "The Liberal and Evolution to Stable Democracy in Nigeria," written by Abdullahi Modibbo Umar.

The President, who was represented by the Vice President, Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo, at the occasion, noted that the former Head of State against all odds midwifed the successful return of Nigeria to democracy in 1999, saying that "little wonder, his membership of several international negotiation, mediation, peace and conflict resolution committees."

President Jonathan who said the conduct of the 1999 elections by the former Head of State, helped usher in a democratic process which is gradually maturing by the day, also stated that "he amongst others allowed the independence of the electoral umpire, created an enabling environment for political parties to evolve through genuine participation, robust political belief and principles. This feat really placed the cynics at their proper place who postulated that no successful transition could ever be achieved."

President Jonathan eulogised the book, stating that it chronicles the country's journey to democracy.

"I find it a rich archival and reference material for those seeking knowledge in Nigeria's democratic journey so far," he added.

In their separate remarks, former President Shehu Shagari and former military president, Gen Ibrahim Babangida both eulogised the qualities of Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, describing him as a great Nigerian, whose name will always be embedded in Nigeria's history.

In his remarks, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, stated that no force could ever break Nigerian, he charged Nigerians to support government to tackle all challenges, appealing to Nigerians to focus on what unites them and not what divides them.

NULGE calls for scrapping of states/ LGs joint accounts

T

he National President of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Ibrahim Khaleel, in Sokoto yesterday called for the scrapping of states / local governments joint accounts.

Khaleel, who made the call at a news conference on the review of the 1999 Constitution, suggested that Section 162 of the constitution be amended.

“We declare that only an outright removal of the section that creates the joint account system can stop the state governments from tampering with local governments’ funds,’’ he said.

Khaleel said the states tampered with the accounts “to the extent that only between 23-25 per cent of statutory allocation from the Federation Account eventually gets to the Local government due to illegal and sundry deductions. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 39

Edo guber: Tribunal compels INEC to provide electoral material From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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L-R Kaduna State Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa and Gombe State Governor Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo discussing during their meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House Abuja recently.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Boko Haram: Leave vengeance to God, Mark, bishops tell victims

By Richard Ihediwa

S

enate President David Mark and Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) have taken stock of the attacks on places of worship that have taken thousands of lives with scores of properties destroyed and asked the victims especially Christians to leave vengeance to God. Addressing the bishops and delegates at the 2nd National Pastoral Congress and 4th

National Eucharistic Congress in Abuja recently, Mark urged Christians to continue to live by the teachings of forgiveness and trusting in God for justice.

He reflected on the theme of the conference” National Restoration through Reconciliation, Justice and peace saying the objective is realizable only when there is genuine reconciliation, honest, open, wide and sincere dialogue.

To restore peace and justice in the country, Mark stressed that the agenda has to be positively

and aggressively pursued by all in an honest and transparent manner. He was pleased to note that the church has found it needful to champion the cause of peace though it has severally fallen victim of the attacks.

He admitted the imperfections in the system and therefore called for a collaborative effort between the church and the state in the journey of national restoration through reconciliation, justice and peace.

In his opening remark, the

President of the CBCN, Archbishop, Ignatius Kaigama lamented the continued attacks on places of worship especially the Catholic church and asked the faithful not to be deterred but be steadfast in the service to God and humanity.

Kaigama promised that the church will not shy away from its duty to continue to pray for the nation irrespective of the challenges but pointed out that government at all levels must rise to their duty to protect lives and property.

CPC lauds governor Wada’s stand on Liaison Officers From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

K

ogi state government has been commended for coming out hard on the alleged fraudulent attitudes of some Liaison Officers in some local government areas in the state.

The Vice Chairman of Congress for Progressive Change,

CPC, North Central Zone, Alhaji Abu Onaji, who gave the commendation said the decision to sack the local government bosses that are found culpable was a sound one.

While welcoming the unfolding event as sound and commendable, he however noted, “it is our hope that the threat will not be a table threat where

nothing comes out of it”, stressing that the people are waiting since most of them are claiming they are government candidates.

He disclosed that the government would make history if the result of the investigation into the alleged fraud were made public, pointing out that it sound innocuous where a section of some local government in the

state were paid their salary while others don’t and their workers left to starve.

He suggested that the activities of some Education Secretaries in the state should also be investigated, explaining that while retrenchment was going on in some sections of the state, some education secretaries are employing their cronies.

Constitution amendment: Group urges Nigerians to demand for removal of immunity clause bit more in the fight against that was capable of demanding

A

human rights group, Access to Justice, has advised Nigerians to use the opportunity provided by the proposed review of the 1999 Constitution to demand for the removal of the immunity clause.

Mr Joseph Otteh, Executive Director, Access to Justice, gave the advice yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

NAN reports that serving

presidents, vice presidents, governors and deputy governors are granted immunity from criminal prosecution under Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution.

Otteh commended the recent public hearing on the review of the constitution which was conducted by the House of Representatives across the 360 Federal Constituencies in Nigeria.

He said, “I think we will support the removal of immunity clause, because it will help us achieve a little

corruption.

“Nigerians should use this opportunity to demand for its removal.

“What we have seen so far is that corruption cases against exgovernors have become stagnated in court.

“This is usually because the evidence and facts are deeply buried due to the time frame”.

Atteh also said the constitution should be amended to develop a process

accountability from state institutions.

He said the spate of extra-judicial killings by security operatives, especially the police, should be a source of concern to the Nigerian government.

“The reason we are having these killings is because there is so much impunity in Nigeria.

“We have to ensure that for every killing, there is accountability and the perpetrators are brought to justice”, he said. (NAN)

he reconstituted Edo State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin City yesterday granted an application of Major General Charles Airhiavbere (Rtd) compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to produce materials used during the July 14 governorship polls on Thursday.

Chairman of the panel, Justice Mu’azu Pindinga, ruled based on failure of INEC to comply with an order earlier granted on 28 th September by the sacked panel led by Justice Suleiman Ambrusa.

The lead Counsel to the PDP governorship Candidate, Chief Efe Akpofure (SAN) raised preliminary objection accusing INEC for refusing to fully comply with the order the tribunal to handover to them certified true copies of the various registers that they applied for, was graciously granted by the tribunal.

He said, “These are documents that we intend to use prove malpractice”.

Meanwhile, Counsel to the 3rd to 5th respondents, Barr. E Emukperuo, had opposed to the allegation of Akpofure, saying that INEC had given to them the materials needed to go ahead with their case.

According to him, “The impression that INEC holds them back is misleading. The materials that INEC has given them could fill this court hall.

Most importantly, he is not complaining, I met him last week and we greeted warmly.

The Local Government Areas of the state which the INEC are yet to fully comply with include Ikpoba-Okha, Orhionmwon, Etsako West, Etsako Central, Ovia North East, Owan West and Owan East. Justice Pindinga, advised all parties to be mindful of the time remaining in the case.

The Pindinga-led tribunal which commenced sitting last week sought the cooperation of all the parties so that they could dispense the matter within the stipulated time frame said they were committed to dispensing justice.The sitting of the new tribunal followed the dissolution few weeks ago of the earlier tribunal headed by Justice Suleiman Ambrusa with Justices Esor Teetito and Danlami Senchi as members by the President of the Court of Appeal following a petition to the Nigerian Judicial Commission, NJC over allegation of financial inducement from the Edo state governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. November 16 has been slated further

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PDP extends Wakil tenure as Ag. N/ East Nat. Chairman by one month

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Peoples Democratic Party has extended the tenure of its North East Acting National Vice Chairman, Hon. Mohammed Wakil by one month.

The party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the decision was taken at the meeting of its National Working Committee held yesterday.

The NWC equally extended the suspension of the National Vice Chairman of the zone Senator M.

…mourns Saraki’s death

Girgiri Lawan by one month.

It stated “We wish to therefore appeal to all our members in the North East to remain calm and continue to cooperate with the Acting National Vice Chairman, Hon. Wakil pending further decision by the NWC.” Meanwhile, the party has likened the death of the Second Republic Senate Leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki, to the gradual extinction of the last of the Mohegians.

The party lamented that

Nigeria has lost a political guru and a Titan who compared in every respect with the generation of the independent Nigerian leaders.

“Here was a fine medical doctor, philanthropist, humanist and an astute politician. Here, most importantly was a game changer, a man who changed the destiny of his people. Like the great Zik of Africa, like Ahmadu Bello and like Awo, he was.”

“The National Chairman of our great Party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur

on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) wishes to convey our sadness on the passing on of this great Nigerian ; a huge loss to the nation.”

The Party further commiserated with the government and the people of Kwara State on the death of the Elder Statesman and prayed God to grant them, especially the immediate family the fortitude to weather storm of this irreparable loss.

L-R: Director, Centre for Gender Studies Mozambique, Ms. Generosa Josse-Cosa, Mr. Richard Matland, From Political Science Loyola University Chicago and Secretary Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Lai Olurode, at the National MultiStakeholders Dialogue on enhancing women's political participation through Legal Reforms, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

APGA crisis deepens as Masala faction petitions IG

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he unending crisis bedeviling the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has taken a fresh twist as the Sadique Masala group petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) complaining against the conduct of the Investigating Police Officers (IPOs) in the perjury case in the party.

It would be recalled that Victor Umeh faction had petitioned the IGP, saying that signatures of some members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party were forged by the Masala camp in order

to fraudulently secure the twothird membership required in the party’s constitution to convene a NEC meeting if the national chairman of the party refuses to do so.

Even after the officers in the Umeh faction forwarded the petition, the Masala group, which was insisting that nobody forged the claimed signature, asked the IGP to prosecute the same party officers for perjury, insisting that they lied on oath in the affidavit attached to the petition sent in by the Umeh.

When the media broke the report on the contents of the Police

Forensic report which was issued by the Police Forensic Department and signed by one Ralph Onwuzuruigbo, a Police Forensic expert, it was learnt that the IPOs in the Force Criminal Investigation Department were still inviting people to testify on the matter, including journalists who had published the story.

Based on the information, the Masala group on Monday sent a petition to the IGP asking him to call the IPOs to order, insisting that they were over-reaching the finality of the Police Forensic Report which had allegedly cleared anybody of forgery of signature.

A petition signed by the factional National Secretary, Ifedi Okwenna, said, ”it it therefore with a great sense of responsibility and grave concern that I address this petition to you against the official conduct of the IPOs in the case of perjury we brought against Hon. Jolly Ngbor and eight others in the on-going leadership crises in APGA. Listing 19 points to justify their claims, the Masalla APGA insisted that after all the processes in investigating the matte were completed with the Police Forensic Report obtained, they were surprised at the sudden twist in the case.

Ndoma-Egba expresses fear on state creation in Nigeria

S

enate Leader Victor N d o m a - E g b a yesterday said the requests for the creation of states had raised fears that it might be difficult to create any in the country.

Ndoma-Egba said this at an interactive session with newsmen in Calabar ahead the Peoples’ Public Session on the Review of 1999 Constitution.

According to him, there are 57 requests on state creation before the National Assembly.

He said that for any state to be created the endorsements of no fewer than 24 Houses of Assembly was required.

The senate leader said the creation of more states was possible but that the constitutional provision had made the process cumbersome.

“When we talk of state creation, what I read is emotion.

“What have we done to demand for a state, which other state have we engaged to persuade them to drop their own request to support ours?

What step have we taken in that regards.

“No state has come to me to say please tell your people to drop their request for Ogoja state and support ours. Just as I suspected that we have not gone to anywhere to ask for support.

“I don’t see how we can convince 24 states agitators to drop their own request and support ours when they also have their own request pending.

“It is possible to create state. It has nothing to do with me, it is the constitutional provision,’’ he said.

He said the pursuit of an Ogoja state is just on the realms of a motion, nobody has told me what he or she has done to make sure this demand materialises.

“I have not seen any state that has done what it takes to have a state.

“In all of the 57 requests, I have not seen one that has done what they need to do to meet the constitutional requirement.’’

He said state creation was a tedious process that required national consensus, noting that the process of consensus was not going on in the country. (NAN)

Ahmed announces minor cabinet reshuffle in Kwara

G

ov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, on Tuesday announced a minor cabinet reshuffle which involved three commissioners.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State

Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, in Ilorin.

Ahmed said the cabinet reshuffle was part of the efforts to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness in the state.

He said the former

Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Mr Samuel Bamisaiye, was moved to the Ministry for Social Development Culture and Tourism.

He replaced Hajia Ramata Abaya, who is now the

Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development.

The governor said that Mr Anthony Towoju, was moved to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry , adding that the appointments were with

immediate effect.

He reiterated the determination of the administration to deploy all strategic human and material resources required for the rapid transformation of the state for the benefit of the people. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 41

Women league board calls for improvement of players’ welfare

T Perpetua Nkwocha

CAF alters Golden Eaglets, Junior Eagles of Mali kickoff time

C

AF has approved a shift in time for the kick off of the Golden Eaglets’ Sunday’s Under-17 African Championship qualifier against the Junior Eagles of Mali.

Initially, the match was scheduled to hold at 4.00pm but has been changed to 2:00pm because the Malian delegation would return to Bamako via Lagos as scheduled on Monday and could miss the flight if the match was not played earlier than that.

It would be recalled that similar reason was responsible for a similar 2:00pm kick off time against Guinea last month but the Golden Eaglets still grinded a convincing 3-0 win despite the harsh weather condition.

The temperature in Calabar at present is oscillating between 25 and 30 degree Centigrade with a maximum temperature of 31 degree Centigrade expected on Sunday’s afternoon nm according to local weather forecast.

Consequently, the Golden Eaglets have equally adjusted their training session in order to acclimatize ahead of the

2:00pm kick-off time even as the team’s medical doctor, Dr. Ayodeji Olarinoye has assured that the players would be able to cope despite the expected dry condition.

“All the players we have in camp are match fit and in good spirit too. They would cope with the weather because they are already used to the weather in Calabar.”

In a related development, Head coach Garba Manu (MFR) has already told the players to brace themselves up for the Malian challenge, adding that no sacrifice would be too small on their parts to ensure outright victory on Sunday.

“We are playing at 2:00pm on Sunday and that means we must be battle ready,” Garba told the players after the team rounded off training after midday on Wednesday. “It is good that we have been familiarizing ourselves with training around this time and we shouldn’t have any worry playing at any time because we have been training over time during bad and good weather condition.”

he Nigerian Women Football League (NWFL) has called on club managers to improve the welfare of their players, and thus stimulate performance.

The Secretary of the League, Danlami Alanana, said unless the welfare of the players is made paramount in the schedules of clubs, teams would continue to perform below par.

“The instrument of improving the league is in different forms; it can be in terms of referees,

administration and the players themselves. The coach has to do his work as well as the technical crew; the clubs also have to do their work.

“I think in terms of allowances and other things, the clubs have to improve on that. You will find out that in most of the clubs, whenever some of these players are not paid, it tends to demoralise them.

“In a situation where you owe your players and such players have

problems, it affects their performance on the field of play,’’ he said.

The secretary added that the current league board was committed to ensure that players’ welfare is treated as priority by club managers.

“The present league board is trying to ensure that once a team engages a player, whatever agreement has been signed must be respected.

So, that the players can be effective with and have

the required level of determination.

“We are appealing to clubs to honour whatever pledges are made to the players in terms of signon fees or salaries; they should try as much as possible to pay up.

“Because, these players are human beings and as ladies, they need money to take care of themselves as well as those depending on them, since they have chosen football as their career. Let them enjoy their due just like all other professionals,’’ he said.

NFF suspends NPL Congress indefinitely he 7th Nigeria Premier League Congress scheduled for Kano on Saturday will not hold. An order suspending the congress was yesterday handed out to the convener of the annual general assembly-the board of the NPL by its supervisory body- the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The order followed an earlier request to the secretariat of the league to stop forthwith all arrangements in respect of the congress pending when certain salient matters pertaining to the league have been addressed.

In giving this directive, the NFF had acted in consonance with the ministerial fiat ordering the suspension of the kick off of the new league season until relevant matters of litigations, sponsorship rights and other essentials which lack of resolutions in the Minister’s perception constitute impediments to the league.

That order it seems was observed in the breach.

The NFF accordingly wielded the hammer by directing that all efforts towards the congress be stopped forthwith.

Barrister Musa Amadu issued a letter on the mandate of the executive committee of the NFF suspending the congress. It reads inter alia: ”I have the mandate of the President of the Nigeria Football Federation to inform you to put all arrangements for the staging of the NPL

7th Congress 2012 on hold until further notice.

“This is as a result of several lingering issues around the Nigeria Premier League that have come to the fore and which must be fully resolved before a Congress can be called to set the date for the beginning of a new season.

“You may kindly recall that the Nigeria Football Federation had earlier directed you to suspend plans for the commencement of a new season based on some issues.

Now, other matters have been added, for which the NFF issued you a query that has only recently been answered.”

Buttressing the directive, Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, High Chief Emeka Inyama said the Federation took the decision to ensure that all outstanding issues around the premier league were conclusively resolved before the new season begins.

Inyama was quick to add though that the decision is not intended to suppress the NPL board or create unnecessary tension in the domestic league, but ensure that ‘a credible first tier of Nigeria’s domestic football’ is put in place.

“The NFF wrote the letter based on the need to put all lingering matters to rest before we can start talking about a new season. This is of high importance,” Inyama said.

Peoples Daily Sports efforts to obtain the reaction of both Babalola and the chairman of the NPL were aobortive as they switched off their phones.

Aminu Maigari, President NFF

Victor Baribote, Chairman of NPL

By Patrick Andrew

T

Man United debt drops to $570m

M

anchester United’s debt dropped by 18 percent as the Premier League leaders floated on the New York Stock Exchange and sponsorship revenue soared.

United’s debt dropped to $570 million by September 30 from $639 million on June 30. With the proceeds of its NYSE floatation, the Glazer family paid off $100 million of bonds.

United recorded a profit of $33 million in the first three months of the financial year compared with a loss of $8 million a year earlier.

Commercial revenue is on course to reach at least $555 million in the financial year after it grew by 24 percent to $68 million in the first quarter.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

FCT SWAN to raise N200m for Secretariat project

T

Novak Djokovic, Abuja Club wants to clown his look-alikes

Nigeria can produce tennis world beaters, says Muoh

By Patrick Andrew

T

he President of Abuja Tennis Club, Paul Muoh, says Nigeria have the potentials to produce several tennis prodigies provided conscious efforts are made to fetch them out and nurture to expectation.

Muoh says long and medium programmes if properly designed and religiously followed by technical personnel can breathe life into the near-moribund tennis activities in the country.

Accordingly, he says that the Abuja Tennis club plans is to rejig the system geared towards producing world tennis stars in the class of the Williams sisters (Venus and Serena), Novak Djokovic, Raphael Nadal and Roger Federer, etc.

“We want to use the game of tennis to unite families, give skills, groom our children and introduce them into the game, so that before you know it, in the next 10 or 15 years we will start producing stars like Williams sisters, Roger Federer, Raphael Nadal and Djokovic of the world.

“This is what we want to do, and thank God we have over 20 courts here wasting, so with my team I believe that Abuja will see something that is new which we will introduce, and the minister will be interested in what we will be doing, and by the time we start there will be no going back, the game of tennis will be transformed”, he said.

The Abuja Tennis Club boss, who says that plans are in top gear to start Abuja Open soonest, is confident that the game will

improve tremendously in the next ten years if given the needed attention. However, he says the club has opted to test the waters with clinics and other local competitions, before embarking on the next stage of its programmes.

He says that within the period earmarked it will be possible to hope and actually produce fledglings who can mount the big stage by competing among the best in the world.

“We are also privilege to be close to the seat of power, so we will use this connection to bring in conglomerates like Globacom, MTN and some of these people to come and sponsor tournaments here; and I am sure by the time we say the NBL is sponsoring a tournament here, you will see a lot of brands here and many people will be here,” he said.

Uduaghan insists on open festival, rewards Okagbare, Opuakpo

U

nless the National Sports Commission (NSC) reconsiders its position on the status of the National Sports Festival by throwing the door open for elite athletes to participate at the fiesta, the festival would remain unattractive and unproductive.

This was the position of Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, who insisted that the best could only emerged from the sports festival if elite athletes across the states are allowed to compete alongside their less exposed counterparts.

“The sports festival should be an event we look up to yearly and not the All Nigeria Track and Field Championship. If it is open, every athlete will prepare for it and ensure they make a statement during the event.

“What we have now is almost a jamboree whereby the standard attained is not a true reflection of the potentials the country can boast of. Sports festival will be more competitive and interesting if it is open to all. It will also afford our children the opportunity to know our great athletes at a close

he FCT Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) yesterday said that it had commenced the process of building a befitting secretariat for the body.

This development was contained in a statement signed by the association’s secretary, Martin Odiete, in Abuja and which named a five-man committee that was inaugurated a day earlier to oversee the project.

The statement listed the members to include: Tunde Orebiyi, Richard Jideaka, Jide Fashiku, Shina Abimbola and Kayode Adeniyi, and Bumi Haruna that will serve as its secretary According to the statement, the committee has been charged with the responsibility of raising the much needed funds for the proposed secretariat.

Speaking at the inauguration of the committee, FCT SWAN Chairman, Kayode Adeniyi, expressed confidence in the committee’s ability to execute the project and went further to list the terms of reference.

“To organise an annual FCT colloquium lecture that would be addressed by either a Nigerian or a foreign sports personality of repute, “To initiate efforts to raise N200 million for the immediate and long-term erection of a befitting and well-equipped secretariat for the FCT SWAN. “To undertake advocacy, a public launch or any other feasible, reasonable and worthwhile efforts to deliver the above tasks.

“To Initiate and deliver a worthy website for the FCT SWAN. “We believe in your ability to carry out this huge responsibility.

We know it is not an easy assignment, but with your experiences and popularity, achieving this goal will not be a totally difficult challenge,” Kayode said.

Dala Hard Court Tennis tourney begins ‘morrow

T

he 26th edition of the Dala Hard Court Tennis Championship has been scheduled to serve off in Kano tomorrow.

A statement signed by the Secretary of the organizing committee, Yusuf Datti, yesterday indicated that the once favour tournament is being resurrected to boost the revival of the lawn tennis in the country.

The event, the statement further said has been approved by the Nigerian Tennis Federation (NTF) and will thus enjoy the necessary attention other sponsored tournaments do enjoyed.

“Consequently, we have advised the NTF to invite the first 20 men and 10 ladies ranked players into the main draw of the event. The preliminaries will hold between November 16 to 18 while the main draw will commence on Monday, the November 19, 2012”, part of the statement says.

It added that though about N22 million was projected to be realized before the tournament starts, donors have so far donated only N4.2 million for the games.

Kano Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is expected to be the guest of honour during the flag off of the tournament, it statement further announced.

NISports instructor wants NSC to use young coaches

A Blessing Okagbare range,” the governor was quoted to have said in a release signed by Ejiro Omonode.

Meanwhile, the governor has presented a cheque of $20,000 (N3m) to Delta swimmer, Samson Opuakpo, for his gallant efforts at London 2012 Olympic Games.

In a similar gesture, Uduaghan doled out an undisclosed sum of money to Nigeria’s women long jump and sprint champion, Blessing Okagbare, as take off grant to help her begin preparations for

the next year’s World Athletics Championships.

Uduaghan said the gesture to the duo is unprecedented because it represent the government’s renewed approach to gingering notable sports persons to develop their talents at the highest level and excel.

Peoples Daily Sports recalls that Okagbare participated in the 100m finals at the London 2012 Olympic Games but came last and also failed to get into the medal zone in long jump.

lhassan Adoko, a Basketball Instructor at the National Institute for Sports (NISports), has urged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to engage young coaches from the institute in the training of athletes.

The coach explained that young coaches had the drive and potential to exert their influence on their wards, unlike the old ones who were almost stagnant.

“We could have improved more than this, if only young coaches that have been technically trained are given the opportunity to operate. The country’s sports is currently at the developmental stages and would need the dynamism of younger coaches to sustain the process,’’ Adoko said.

While acknowledging the invaluable experience of the older coaches, the instructor insisted that the younger coaches should also be given the opportunity to thrive.

He advised the NSC to give a trial to the young coaches to put vibrancy into sports transformation in the country.

“Talents are coming out day in day out from here. The NSC should recognise them and use them. These young coaches can travel any length to reposition our sports in the country. Many of them are eager to do their best if given a chance.’’

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 43

Man United steps ahead of City, Liverpool, Arsenal for Zaha’s summer move

M

anchester United are preparing to make the first move in the race for Crystal Palace wonderkid Wilfried Zaha with a deal that would allow the winger to stay at the Championship

club until the end of the season.

Sir Alex Ferguson has been monitoring the 20year-old’s progress for several months and has stepped up his interest in r e c e n t l y , with Goal.comrevealing

Wilfried Zaha

that United had a senior scout in the crowd for Palace’s victory over Leicester on October 27.

Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham are also monitoring Zaha’s situation as Palace prepare for a January bidding war for a player who is expected to make his England debut in Wednesday’s friendly against Sweden.

United sources believe it is very unlikely that Zaha will move in the New Year - especially with Palace top of the Championship and on course to challenge for promotion - but Ferguson wants to strike an agreement to sign the youngster next summer in a similar deal to the one

reached when Chris Smalling signed from Fulham.

Nani is likely to leave Old Trafford next summer as he approaches the final year of his contract and Zaha is considered as the leading option to replace

him thanks to his stunning form for the Eagles.

Zaha is under contract until 2017 and Palace cochairman Steve Parish has claimed it would take £20 million to lure him away from Selhurst Park, although the bidding is

Japan near qualification

J

apan’s 2-1 win in Oman has left them on the verge of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. Shinji Okazaki was Japan’s hero with a last-minute strike to win the game after Ahmed Mubarak’s deflected free-kick cancelled out Hiroshi Kiyotake’s first-half opener.

Japan, ever-presents at the World Cup since 1998, now have 13 points from five games and are eight points ahead of second-placed Australia having played one more game.

Jordan’s bid suffered a setback with a 1-0 loss against Iraq in Doha. Hammadi Ahmed scored an 86th minute goal to grab victory and move Iraq level with the Socceroos.

more likely to start at around £10m.

With such a scramble for his signature, Zaha’s next club could come down to the finances involved, although the versatile forward is a boyhood Arsenal fan and the Gunners’ chief scout, Steve Rowley, is a huge fan of the player.

Zaha is considered the star player in the Championship and already has 107 appearances for Palace having made his debut at the age of 17 and become a first-team regular.

He is the latest Palace academy graduate to attract the attention of the big Premier League clubs, following John Bostock, Victor Moses and Nathaniel Clyne.

Ramos admits clashes London bids to host 2017 Paralympic World Championships with Mourinho

A

fter successfully hosting the 2012 London Olympic Games, the city has bidded to host the Paralympic Athletics World Championship in 2017.

Mayor Boris Johnson submitted the bid which would see the Olympic Stadium host the event just a month before the World Athletics Championships . If the bid is succesful, it will be the first time a city has hosted the two championships in the same year.

The bid came as UK Sport announced a campaign to create an Olympic legacy by bringing 36 World and European championships to the United Kingdom.

The Gold Event Series will use £27m of lottery money over the next six years and aims to bring a total of more than 70 sporting events to the UK. Among the events being targeted are the semi-finals and final of football’s European Championships in 2020 and the Hockey World Cup. Johnson, who is also chairman of the London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “The huge appetite for tickets to the 2012 Games this summer shows the level of excitement Paralympic sport can generate, and forever changed the way we think about disabled sport.

Russia’s unbeaten run under Capello remains

F

abio Capello extended his unbeaten run as Russia coach yesterday, as his side drew 2-2 with the United States in a friendly in Krasnodar.

Anzhi Makhachkala forward Fedor Smolov and Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Roman Shirokov both scored for the home side, while midfielders Michael Bradley and Mikkel Deskerud were on target for the visitors.

The hosts started in a lively fashion pinning back the Americans, who were weakened with the absence of Tottenham Hotspur’s Klint Dempsey and Langdon Donovan of LA Galazy, from the kick-off.

Smolov put Russia 1-0 up in the ninth minute, giving US goalkeeper Tim Howard of English Premier League side Everton no chance from close range after a mix-up in defence.

Bradley, of Serie A outfit Roma, however, levelled in the 76th minute with a volley from outside the box, which struck the left-hand post and ricocheted into the net, after being fed with a header by teammate Josmer Altidore.

Russia poured forward for the winning goal and in the 84th minute Shirokov scored from the spot after Spartak Moscow forward Artem Dzyuba was fouled in the box.

But they failed to keep their lead through as Norwegian side Rosenborg halfback Deskerud saved the day, levelling the score in the second minute of added time again with a volley from outside the box.

Russia drew 1-1 with Ivory Coast in Capello’s first match in charge on August 15. The draw was followed by four consecutive wins against Northern Ireland, Israel, Portugal and Azerbaijan in the 2014 World Cup qulifiers.

“

“The 2017 IPC World Championships present a fantastic opportunity for us to build on that phenomenal surge of enthusiasm and welcome back some of the world’s greatest sportsmen and women to the Olympic Stadium. “Securing the championships would not only reinforce London’s reputation as the world’s leading sporting city, it would bring a vital multi-million pound boost to the capital’s economy, creating jobs and driving growth in east London.”

Bids are also in place for the 2016 Track Cycling World Championships and European Swimming Championships. The Diving World Series, the World Triathlon Series, the World Figure Skating Championships and the Track Cycling World Cup are also being targeted as part of the campaign, which has been launched as a partnership between UK Sport and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

UK Sport said that 15 of the 70 events being lined up have already been confirmed.

Sports Minister Hugh Robertson did, however, rule out any thoughts of bidding again for the football World Cup after the failure of England’s 2018 bid.

W

e’ve had our differences at times. We have had to explain what we have always done face to face to each other, and have not heard anything from anyone (else).

My relationship with him is very good today,”Sergio Ramos told Marca.

The Real Madrid defender thus admitted for the first time he has had his differences with boss Jose Mourinho but they have now put it behind them.

The Spaniard was dropped for the Champions League clash against Manchester City following the defeat to Sevilla back in September, while Ramos also responded with a

gesture of “support” to teammate Mesut Ozil after the German was substituted during the Deportivo match.

It has led to reports of falling out and arguments between the skipper and the Portuguese coach but Ramos insists all that is behind them now.

The Spain international, who has 98 caps to his name, also spoke of the “honour” of possibly reaching 100 for the national side.

“For me it is an honour to have reached such a tremendous record with Spain. Also because it is very close to my 27th birthday, it is March 30 and we have two or three games before it.”

Messi, Falcao, Neymar on shortlist for FIFA best goal

L

ionel Messi’s stunning solo strike in Argentina’s 4-3 win over Brazil in June is among the 10 nominations for the FIFA goal of the year.

Goals by Colombia striker Radamel Falcao, Brazil forward Neymar and France playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa are also on the shortlist, which will be reduced to three on November 29 following a public vote on the websites of FIFA and France Football magazine.

Lionel Messi

Neymar

The winner of the FIFA Puskas Award, named after Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas, will be revealed on January 7 at the Ballon d’Or gala in Zurich.

Neymar won the 2011 award and will look to retain the prize courtesy of his goal for Santos against Internacional on March 7, when he scored following a mazy dribble from the halfway line.

Ramadel Falcao

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

2013 Nations Cup finals

Appiah sets Black Stars call up standard

K

wesi Appiah has stated what could influence his naming of the final squadGhana coach Kwesi Appiah has disclosed his criteria for selecting the final squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

The ex-international picked a 21-man squad dominated by fringe players to play Cape Verde yesterday in Lisbon.

He left out some big names and that has led to speculations that those players have been confirmed for the tournament.

But Appiah has dispelled that and insisted that every player has got an equal chance of making it to South Africa.

“It is not whether someone is going to the Cup of Nations or not.

There are some players that I need to take final decisions on,” Appiah said.

“As to those not called are guaranteed places in the team is not correct. Everyone has got a chance to go.

“The important thing is to look at those who are really committed to fight for Ghana. I will be looking at the disciplinary aspect as well.

“I believe anyone chosen to play in either friendly or competitive match must prove their worth so that I can make the right decision.”

The Black Stars will camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from January 7-16 before flying to their Port Elizabeth base.

Ghana will play DR Congo, Niger and Mali at the Nations Cup finals which will run from 19 January to 10 February.

Didier Drogba, CIV, Brian Baloyi, South Africa, Felix Katongo, Zambia

Neither CIV, Ghana nor South Africa favourites to lift AFCON crown, says Baloyi

N

o team should be considered favourites for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations, according to former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Brian Baloyi.

“It is all about momentum and if any side can get a win in their first game, then anything is possible. That lifts the players, the technical staff and the fans,” Baloyi said yesterday.

Baloyi said there had been surprise packages in most Super Eagles new call-up Bright Dike has revealed in an exclusive interview from Miami that he is looking forward to making the Eagles’ squad to next year’s AFCON.

M

TNFootball.com: Congratulations Bright on your invitation to the Super Eagles?

Thank you.

How did you receive the news of your invitation?

I was very happy when I got the news, though I knew I would get a chance to play for Nigeria if I kept doing well, but I must say this was a dream come true. It’s every player’s dream to get chance to represent his country. I will do my best to justify this call-up.

editions of the continental tournament, including 2012 champions Zambia, and he believed the 2013 showpiece would be no different.

“In just about every Africa Cup of Nations tournament of the last 20 years there have been more fancied sides going out in the first round, so anything is possible,” he said.

“Not many would have picked Zambia to get out of their group, let alone win the

trophy.”

Baloyi was set to continue an initiative between the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and Standard Bank, with fellow former Bafana player Neil Tovey, which will take the tournament trophy to Port Elizabeth this weekend on an ongoing tour to the five host cities.

Baloyi hoped the tournament would build on where the 2010 FIFA World Cup left off in

showcasing the country as a host nation for major international sports events.

“The eyes of the continent will turn to South Africa in January next year and we want to show them what fantastic hosts we are and what a great footballing country this is.

“That is why we want to create a positive vibe among South African fans and really help them get behind the tournament.”

Tell us a little more about yourself.

I’m 25 years old, an attacking midfielder who plays for Portland Timbers in the MLS. How much do you know about Nigerian football?

I know about the national team

and I do follow them. I know a lot about Nigerian players in their clubs.

Based on your assessment, who is the best player ever from Nigeria?

That has to be ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha.

He was a wonderful player. He was

so talented that he could do whatever he liked with ball.

When was the last time you visited Nigeria?

I was there last Christmas.

Who is your role model?

My parents. They showed me the way, they are always supportive and lead me through the right path.

What are your dreams with the Eagles?

I want to firstly get my first cap against Venezuela and win. I want to be a regular face in the team and get a chance to play at next year’s Nations Cup. That will be a great achievement for me. I would be honoured to be in South Africa to represent my country.

What clubs have you played for?

I played for University of Notre Dame. I also played for Indiana Invaders and Los Angeles Blues.

What are your dreams as a footballer?

I want to play at top level for both club and country. I want to play in the UEFA Champions League, Nations Cup and World Cup. I love the English Premier League and would be thrilled to play for Chelsea or Arsenal.

When was the best moment of your career so far?

That was when I scored my firstever hat-trick as a professional. It was in the US Open Cup in 2010 against Kitsap Puma.

I will do my best to shine, Dike declares

Congo DR to arrive in SA next month

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he Democratic Republic of Congo are to hold a 10-day training camp in Port Elizabeth from December 8-18 to prepare for the African Nations Cup finals, the Congolese federation has announced.

The camp will be for homebased players only, who are expected to make up at least half of the final 23-man squad that coach Claude Le Roy will take to the finals early next year.

A second training camp is scheduled from January 3-15 in Oman in the Middle East, where Le Roy was previously national team coach.

This will include all the

country’s foreign-based players, who must be released by their clubs 14 days before the start of the tournament.

DR Congo, who last won the Nations Cup title in 1974, play their first game against top seeded Ghana at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on January 20.

The Leopards have been drawn in Group B in the Windy City along with Ghana, Mali and Niger.

Le Roy, in two separate spells as coach of Congo, has frequently used South Africa as a base to camp his team in preparation for tournaments as well as key qualifying matches.

Bright Dike of Timberwolves of USA

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 45

Pictorial 1/Angola have confirmed that they will camp in Johannesburg during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

Palancas Negras will use three different venues during the pool stages of the competition, but will always return to their Johannes burg base to train.

2/January’s AAMI Classic is hoping for a scheduling miracle as officials at Kooyong club seek to add Rafael Nadal to the 2013 entry at the eight-man pre-Australian Open tune-up.

3/Ricky Hatton says he feels “as good as ever” before his return to the ring against Vyacheslav Senchenko in Manchester on 24 November. Hatton, 34, last fought in May 2009 when he was knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in two rounds.

4/Indian authorities investigating a rape case

2

say a sprinter who won a women’s relay gold medal at the 2006 Asian Games is actually a man. Police charged Pinki Pramanik yesterday with raping and

assaulting a woman she was living with in the eastern state of West Bengal.

5/Alejandro Sabella’s side were lucky to escape

from Riyadh with a 0-0 draw after a game in which Lionel Messi never came close to breaking a Gabriel Batistuta national team record.

1

4

5

3

PAGE 46

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Eko 2012 Eko 2012

LOC hurrying to complete renovation of Games Villages

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welve days to the 18th National Sports Festival, tagged “Eko 2012,’’ the Local Organising Committee (LOC) has yet to complete the renovation of the three designated Games Villages for the fiesta.

The Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, are still under renovation.

A check by NAN yesterday revealed that

the renovation of the Federal College of Education Games Village has not started and contractors were not at the site at least to give impression of of doing something.

At YABATECH, one of the two hostels, (Bakassi), that would host athletes, was being painted, while the other (Augustus Aikhomu), had not been touched.

There was no sign of any fumigation going on at YABATECH and painters

were seen hurrying up to beat the deadline, but refused to speak to NAN. At UNILAG, only one out of the four hostels visited

by NAN was still under renovation and the contractors were painting the building and the rooms.

NAN reports that the lights have been fixed at the hostel, while carpenters were working on the doors, but the windows and the mosquito nets had yet to be fixed.

Some plumbing works

were also being carried out in the toilets.

Painting of the Indoors Sports Hall was going on and the handball and volleyball courts were also being renovated by contractors who simply said that they were in a hurry to finish their jobs.

The halls to be used are Madam Tinubu, Henry Carr, Jaja, Erastus Akingbola, Sodehinde, Fafunwa, Moremi, ElKanemi, Queen Aminat, Makana Bida, Biobaku, Eni-Njoku and Kofo

Two boxers exchanging punches during the Garden City Games last year

Team Rivers will retain festival title T

he Rivers Athletics Coach, Kareem Ogidan, has declared that the State Sports Council had prepared its

athletes to successfully defend the title they won at the 17 th edition of the competition in Port Harcourt, in 2011.

Ogidan said in Lagos that Team Rivers was coming to the Sports 18 th National Festival in Lagos battle-

ready to win laurels and to defend its 2011 victory.

As hosts, Team Rivers won the 17th edition of the NSF in 2011 with 135

Ademola.

An official of UNILAG, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the renovation had not gone round all the remaining 12 hotels to accommodate contingents from the states.

“Out of the 16 hostels we have here, contractors have started work on just four of them, after which they will go to the others,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Uthman Okunnu, Secretary, Accommodation and Welfare Sub-committee of the LOC, declined to comment on the late facelift of the Games Villages.

He, however, said that everything that needed to

be done on the Games Villages would be completed before the formal opening of the villages scheduled for Nov. 24.

“Contractors are working hard at the Games Villages to ensure that they beat the deadline given to them. I can assure you that the renovation will be completed before Nov. 24,’’ Okunnu added.

gold, 79 silver and 85 bronze medals.

“Eko is ready, but Rivers is set to win again,’ is a popular slogan in our camps. We are poised to defend our title because all our athletes are the very best and will be up to the task of delivering medals to us, once again,’’ he said.

According to Ogidan, the Rivers Government has done a lot in terms of facilities and financial encouragement to motivate both the athletes and officials to victory at the Lagos fiesta.

“Our dream of consolidating on our 2011 victory is visible because all the state athletes and officials are well-catered for in terms of facilities and finance.

We are financially motivated and we cannot afford to do less than what we did last year,’’ he said.

Ogidan, who is running an athletics course at the National Institute for Sports in Lagos, lauded the state government for employing suitably qualified technical officials to prepare its athletes.

He said that sports officials and athletes from Rivers would do their best to maintain their lead on the medals table at the biennial Games.

The coach added that Team Rivers, who were now undergoing serious training in preparation for the event, would arrive in Lagos on Nov. 25.

he Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) has said that it has concluded arrangements for entertainers at the opening and closing ceremonies to begin rehearsals.

Peter Bolumole, the Secretary, LOC Protocol and Ceremonial Sub-Committee, who made this known in an interview in Lagos yesterday, said the exercise would commence on Nov. 17.

Bolumole, who said that 10 events were listed for display at the opening ceremony, added that some of the groups that would be involved are; the calisthenics, choral, orchestra and festival theme song. The exercise, he noted, is meant to keep them in form for the actual opening ceremony performance.

He said the theme song group would be led by a popular Nigerian musician to attract people to the venue but did not disclose his name.

The secretary also said the orchestra group to be led by a notable Nigerian music professor would thrill spectators with melodious African tunes.

He said the orchestra group was made up of male and female vocalists drawn from different music groups in the country.

“The rehearsal will put them in a better frame of mind for outstanding performances. We are expecting much from them during the opening and closing ceremonies.

“We cannot afford to give something less than the Port Harcourt edition in pomp and pageantry. The 10 groups will continue the exercise till Nov. 27, the date for the opening ceremony proper,’’ Bolumole said.

He called on the people of Lagos, and indeed, Nigerians to attend the opening ceremony for a fun filled moment.

National Stadium Lagos designated as car park

T

he National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, was on Tuesday confirmed as one of the places to be used as car parks during the 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos. The festival, tagged “Eko 2012’’, will hold from November 27 to December 9.

The Secretary, Transportation and Logistics Sub-committee for the Games, Omoua OniOkpaku, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Oni-Okpaku said that the premises of the edifice, which was in a dilapidated state, would serve as a

parking lot for the Teslim Balogun Stadium, though users would pay an undisclosed sum.

She, however, said that dignitaries and Team heads would not pay for using the arena, adding that prior to the arrangement, the users of the stadium paid N100 as

entry fee.

Oni-Okpaku added that the parking lot for the Onikan Stadium would be at the Muson Car Park, under the bridge, opposite the Army Officers’ Mess and the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).

The secretary stated that only dignitaries and

contingents would be allowed into most of the sporting venues, while officials and spectators would be provided with car parks outside the venues.

“This is to prevent traffic congestion in and around the venues before, during and after the competition,” Oni-Okpaku explained.

Festival entertainers to begin rehearsal Nov. 17

T

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

PAGE 47

Say what?

Quick CrossWord (70)

FACTS

* Boeing 747's wing span is longer than the Wright brother's first flight. The Wright brother's invented the airplane. * There are as many chickens on earth as there are humans. * One type of hummingbird weighs less than a penny. * The word "set" has the most number of definitions in the English language; 192 Slugs have four noses. * Sharks can live up to 100 years. * Mosquitos are more attracted to the color blue than any other color. * Kangaroos can't walk backwards.

Source: Weird facts

PHOTO OF THE DAY

ACROSS 8 Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland heroine (5) 9 Clan plaids (7) 10 Omitted (4,3) 11 Gandhi’s country (5) 12 Female body-kneaders (9) 14 Ardent environmentalist organisation (inits) (3) 15 Is equipped with (3) 16 Moved clumsily (9) 21 Spun (7) 23 Corsets (7) 24 Reasoned judgement (5) DOWN 1 District of New York City (6) 2 Circulates (8) 3 Written reminder (4) 4 Says formally (6) 5 Walked reluctantly (8) 6 Music-making group (4) 7 Housing complex (6) 13 Involves (in conflict) (8) 14 Animal’s front libs (8) 15 Tribute (6) 17 Indiscreet (6) 18 Take away (6) 20 Socially inept person (4) 22 Miseries, sufferings (4)

Yesterday’s answer

Two herons fight over a fish in the Camargue area of southern France

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

. . . putting the people first

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE Nigerians are confusing things; that is why anyone can begin to expect that...somebody will come up and announce that states have been created. That isn't going to happen because the Constitution doesn't make any such provision.

– Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy President, Nigerian Senate

SPORTS Once again, Ribadu plays the fool!

LA TEST LATEST

Frankel: Stud fee set at £125,000 for unbeaten stallion

U

nbeaten Frankel's stud fee has been set at £125,000 by owner Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms.

The four-year-old, trained

by Sir Henry Cecil, retired unbeaten last month after winning 14 races.

Philip Mitchell, a spokesman for the stud farm, near Newmarket, said: "The fee for Frankel reflects his merits as being perhaps the greatest racehorse we have ever witnessed."

The fee of £125,000 is the charge for each owner whose mare breeds with the stallion, and is on a no-foal, no-fee basis.

With an expected annual roster of 100 mares, Frankel could generate more than £12m in his first year and well over £100m overall during his stud career, compared with nearly £3m in prize money he won as a racehorse.

The colt, son of 2001 Epsom Derby winner Galileo and grandson of champion stallion Sadler's Wells, was retired from racing after winning the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October.

He also made history on Tuesday by winning the racehorse of the year prize at the Cartier Racing Awards.

Navarro apologises to Ronaldo via text message

L

evante's David Navarro has revealed that he sent Cristiano Ronaldo a text message to apologise for splitting open the forward's eyebrow open on Sunday.

The defender caught the Portuguese with his elbow when challenging for a header during the first half of the game between the two teams, and this resulted in the former Manchester United attacker leaving the field with a gushing wound.

Although Ronaldo had the opening glued shut, he was eventually substituted.

Navarro decided to apologise about his action and said that he sent the Portugal international a text message to say sorry after the game.

ADVERT: BUSINESS: NEWS: LAGOS:

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W

HICH of the following statements, in your opinion, best reflects President Goodluck Jonathan’s “honest-to-God” attitude to corruption: (a) The “I don’t give a damn” outburst provoked by the simple demand that he declare his assets publicly, or (b) this, from his inauguration speech: “The bane of corruption shall be met by the overwhelming force of our collective determination, to rid our nation of this scourge” and in which he declared anew a war against corruption in order to ensure that “the limited resources of this nation will be used for the growth of our commonwealth?”

In answering the above question, did you consider his rejection of the report of the Nuhu Ribadu special task force on petroleum revenue?

I thought as much: Statement A. And, yes, you are both amused and mortified by the latest scene from Jonathan’s absurdist drama entitled “My War Against Corruption”. A truly funny war; one that is more metaphor than marching armies. It does not require men of character, of probity and proven moral courage, which is why public assets declaration has no place in it.

Only words, spoken by him or written in the reports of countless probe panels, committees and special task forces. In the light of the unfolding drama around the Ribadu report, of Jonathan’s determination to “rubbish” it, as the Punch headline of November 9th aptly put it, I am reminded of the words spoken by Jonathan four months ago, on July 1, 2012, through Reuben Abati, his special adviser on media and publicity. In that despatch from the war front, Abati assured us that the war was being bravely fought and won by his boss.

Yet, instead of an account of the mounting casualties, of the many corrupt enemies either socially dead or mortally wounded or in panicked retreat, Abati sought only to dismiss the notion that the Commander-inChief is “soft on corruption.” The allegation of tardiness in the prosecution of the war, said Abati, is “aimed at creating the totally false impression that the Jonathan administration is not doing enough to curb corruption.”

For the true picture of the battle-field showing the army of the corrupt in disarray, we

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GUEST COLUMNIST Ogaga Ifowodo

Malam Nuhu Ribadu must first “be wary of those who seek to heat up the polity by politicizing the issue of corruption in the pursuit of their selfish personal and sectional agenda.”

In other words, if you believe that Jonathan is not doing enough to “curb” - let’s not even speak of combating -corruption, then you are selfish. Pursuing a sectional interest. And heating up the polity (wish we had one to heat up!), as much as or far more, perhaps, than Boko Haram’s bombs and bullets.

Abati had gone on to recite Jonathan’s many war victories, among them, his appointment of “a tried and tested corruption investigator to head the EFCC,” his decision not to “swear in a nominee for the chairmanship of the ICPC when questions were raised by the public” (so he gives a damn about the public?) “about the propriety of his nomination and clearance by the Senate,” his referral of the report of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy to the EFCC, the pending review of the report of the Aig-Imoukhuede

committee to verify fuel subsidy payments, and his directive that “the report of the technical committee which reviewed the Petroleum Industry Bill be speedily evaluated and appraised by relevant government ministries and presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval before being returned to the National Assembly for speedy promulgation.” Just the way wars are fought, not so?

And so with the war going so well, Jonathan had no qualms rejecting the report of a special task force he constituted through his petroleum minister, the oil goddess Diezani Alison-Madueke, for the principal purpose of determining and verifying upstream and downstream petroleum revenues.

This time, it fell to the selfstyled “attack lion”, Doyin Okupe, to send the war despatch. Ribadu and his fellow task force members, he says, did a shoddy job. Expectedly, they were hindered by personal and political interests.

“It was a job handled badly

and only political and personal interests were bandied,” says Okupe, the clumsy diction betraying his intent to mislead.

But when did the government discover that Ribadu was not up to the task, given that the sixth term of reference mandated him to “submit monthly reports for ministerial review and further action?”

And how could Ribadu have failed to see this coming? Can he have forgotten so soon how he was butt-kicked out of the EFCC and hounded after his exit? Constrained to go after only those highly placed treasury looters that happened to be “enemies” of former president Obasanjo — who, lest Abati and Okupe forget, declared the first war against corruption, bandied about the phrase “zero tolerance” and swore to know no “sacred cows” — Ribadu had nonetheless managed to arouse hope and qualified optimism that with just enough sincerity the corruption monster might be chained, if not slayed outright.

Now that another president has made a fool of him once again, it should be clear that the greatest error any one can make is to believe a single word of Jonathan’s anti-corruption drivel.

“Certainly, nothing has been done or left undone under the President’s watch to justify the labelling of his administration as ‘soft on corruption’,” says Abati. Well, here is one thing that has been left undone, not minding things not done: Jonathan’s public declaration of his assets.

If he won’t do this very simple thing to prove his determination by deed and not mere words, thereby striking fear in the hearts of all who bleed the country to death with their thieving, he should spare us the constant aggravation by confessing what the world already knows: that he does not give a damn.

Corruption is eating us alive and we cannot be patient. We cannot settle for the mere hope that “ultimately” the named and yet-to-be-named thieves robbing us to death will be tried and punished under the law. For as John Maynard Keynes famously put it in a different context, ultimately, meaning in the long run, “we are all dead.”

Ogaga Ifowodo teaches poetry and literature in English at Texas State University, San Marcos, USA.

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