Peoples Daily Newspaper, Tuesday 16, July, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 11 No. 42

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Ramadan Timings ASUU, NASS for Abuja meeting MAGRIB

ALFIJR

6.57 p.m.

4.59 a.m.

Ramadan 7, 1434 AH

N150

NDLEA recovers N1.8tr in 7 yrs >> 6

deadlocked >> 3

PDP Special Convention

Tukur, Gana on war path Court decides chairman’s fate July 25

By Lawrence Olaoye and Benjamin Ejike

T

he bubble of the brewing crisis of confidence between the National Chairman of

the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the Chairman of the party’s Special Convention Committee, Professor Jerry Gana, finally burst yesterday as the National Working Committee

(NWC) of the party ordered a halt to all activities relating to the proposed August convention.

The Gana led committee was set up at the party’s National Executive

Committee (NEC) meeting held in June with a mandate to conduct congresses in the South-West zone and at the national level to elect officials that would fill vacant positions, both in the zone

and the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

It would be recalled that some members of the NWC resigned their positions at the PDP’s June Contd. on Page 2

R-L: Yobe state Governor, Malam Ibrahim Gaidam, in a handshake with Emir of Ngelzarma, Alhaji Muhammadu Mai Yeri, during the governor’s condolence visit to the emir over the death of his wife yesterday, in Ngelzarma.

Nigeria defends T hosting al-Bashir

By Abdulkadir Isa, with agency report

he Nigerian government yesterday defended its decision to warmly welcome Sudan’s President, Omar al-Bashir to the country for the African Union (AU) health summit despite war crimes charges against him, saying it cannot interfere in AU affairs.

Bashir arrived in the Nigerian capital,

Abuja, on Sunday for the summit on HIV/ AIDS, turberculosis and malaria despite being wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

The two-day summit which opened yesterday is due to end today. Rights activists in and out of Nigeria had appealed to the Contd. on Page 2

Al-Mustapha still in Service, says Army

>> 3

PAGE 2

News

CONTENTS News

2-10

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

Stockwatch

23

S/Report

24-25

Defence

26-27

Agric

28-29

Feature

30

Minister parleys with NFF, Keshi, other national coaches, Page 41

Int’l

31-34

Strange World

35

Digest

36

Politics

37-38

Newsxtra

39-40

Sports

41-44

Leisure

47

Columnist

48

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PDP Convention: Tukur, Gana on war path Contd. from Front Page 20th NEC meeting following a report of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicating irregularities inherent in their elections through the flawed National Convention held in Abuja last year.

The Gana led committee had earlier been accused by the Tukur led NWC of the party of operating independent of it, and this has caused a rift between the two party men.

Only last week, Gana and his committee’s Secretary, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, were locked out by the national chairman when the duo attempted to pay him a visit in his Abuja residence.

The Special Convention Committee, upon its inauguration, proposed a July 20th date for the party’s Special convention in Abuja but had to shift the deadline to August 31st in view of the Ramadan fasting.

The Gana led convention committee was then upbraided for non-consultation with critical stakeholders in the ruling party, including the NWC, just as the party Exco declared the new date as untenable.

Following the announcement of the new date for the Congresses with the release of the names of members of its sub-committees by the Gana led panel, the PDP NWC convened a meeting yesterday where it was resolved that Gana be stopped forthwith.

The party, in a statement signed by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Caesar Okeke, stated that the PDP NWC resolved on Special National Convention that: “In view of the anomalies and breaches of the Constitution of the PDP observed in the actions so far taken by the Special National Convention Planning Committee, the NWC has directed the committee to put on hold all

activities relating to the Special South West zonal congresses and the Special National Convention pending the regularization of the anomalies and breaches so as to forestall a repeat of the events that affected the Party’s Convention in 2012.

“Consequently the dates recently announced by the Planning Committee are in the circumstances untenable”, the NWC said.

Commenting on the crisis rocking Anambra state ahead of the governorship election to be held in that state in November, the party stated that: “The NWC, with the view to resolving the protracted problems of the Anambra state chapter of the party has resolved to invite major stakeholders in the state to an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting on the 18th of July, 2013 to commence consultations towards finding a lasting solution to the problems of the party in the state which will lead the party to a successful governorship primary election in the state.”

Officially reacting to the Rivers crisis, the PDP NWC said: “The NWC viewed with concern recent developments in Rivers state and also resolved to invite the National Vice Chairman, South South, to come and brief it to enable it take an informed decision that will lead to a prompt resolution of the crisis in the state.”

Even before the PDP NWC’s sledgehammer fell on the Ganaled committee yesterday, it has been faced with the dilemma of accommodating controversial delegates from nine states of the federation whose congresses were queried by the INEC. States including Sokoto, Taraba, Plateau, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Lagos, Anambra, Katsina and Kano have been identified

by INEC as those with flawed congresses and thus their delegates, if admitted, could

as well rubbish the integrity of the proposed Special National Convention.

Similarly, pundits have pointed out that the Gana-led committee offended the party’s guiding rules in its composition of its sub-committee by relegating members of the PDP NWC who are made ordinary members.

For instance, the PDP acting national publicity secretary was made a member of the publicity sub-committee while the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, was made the chairman.

Similarly, Senator Florence Ita Giwa was made the chairman of the Welfare sub-committee while the Acting National Woman Leader, Mrs. Oyibo Nwaneri, was relegated to an ordinary member.

These national officers, in the tradition of the PDP, always chair such sub-committees in the past, with others being members.

In a related development, an Abuja High Court yesterday adjourned till July 25, 2013 ruling on a motion on notice seeking to stop the proposed August National Convention of the PDP. The trial judge, Suleiman Belgore fixed the date, after hearing arguments from counsels in the matter.

The plaintiffs, Abba Yale, Alhaji Yahaya Sule and Bashir Maidugu are specifically praying the court for an order of interlocutory injunction to restrain the party’s national chairman, Bamanga Tukur and other officers, from holding the scheduled, “special convention”, as announced by the chairman of the committee and former Minister of Information, Prof.

Gana.

Apart from seeking to restrain Tukur and acting members of the party’s NWC, the three PDP stalwarts are also urging the trial court to set aside or nullify all

steps and processes that led to the appointment of the latter as national officers of the party.

Besides, the suit further asked the court to restrain Tukur “from performing any functions or duties assigned to the National Working Committee of the defendant, following the resignation and removal of all members of the National Working Committee of the defendant, set out in Article 29 (1) (b)-(1) of the Constitution, pending the hearing and determination of this case.”

In his argument, counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) observed that, “the resignation of former Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and sixteen others was an affront on the integrity of the court”.

On his part, counsel to the PDP, Mr.Emeka Etiaba urged the court to dismiss the entire suit, saying that the former NWC members of the PDP resigned their positions and the party, “as a political party, sought to move on in a lawful manner and in line with the Constitution.”

It would be recalled that the same aggrieved PDP members had sought an order of court to nullify the election of the former members, based on a report by INEC,which was said to have faulted their (defendants’) emergence; same being in breach of the party’s Constitution.

Apart from Jaja, other former NWC members, who were dragged to court include, Bala Bawa Ka’oje (National Treasurer), Solomon Onwe (Deputy National Secretary), Umar Tsauri (Deputy National Auditor), Olisa Metuh (National Publicity Secretary), Bode Mustapha.

Others are: Dr. (Mrs) Kema Chikwe (Women Leader),Victor Kwon (National Legal Adviser),and Abubakar Mustapha (National Organising Secretary).

Nigeria defends hosting al-Bashir Contd. from Front Page government to bar al-Bashir from coming into the country or facilitate his arrest once he arrives.

However, spokesman of President Jonathan, Reuben Abati told Agence France Presse (AFP) that Nigeria would do neither because it is only a host and not the organiser of the health summit.

“The event that is taking place is an AU summit,” Abati, said.

“Nigeria is just hosting it. It’s not Nigeria that invited him. He’s not here on a bilateral visit. He’s here to participate in an AU summit, and Nigeria is not in a position to determine who attends an AU event and who does not attend an AU event ... Nigeria is just providing the platform for the meeting” , he stressed.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Coalition on the International Criminal Court (NCICC) which

had called for pressure on the Nigerian government to turn alBashir down, yesterday filed a suit at a Federal High Court Abuja seeking for warrant of arrest of President al-Bashir.

The body said “the judiciary in this country has the responsibility to implement legal obligations created by treaties undertaken by Nigeria”.

It said Nigeria is a party to the Rome statute of the ICC, therefore the country is under legal obligation to execute within its national jurisdiction “the arrest warrants issued by the trial chamber of the ICC against Mr al-Bashir while in its national territory”.

The body said Nigeria’s failure to arrest al-Bashir clearly represents what it called “brazen disregard” for its international obligations and a blunder by the Jonathan administration.

Similarly, the United Kingdom

has expressed disappointment that Nigeria has chosen to host the Sudanese leader.

Minister of Africa Mark Simmons said, “The UK has a strong and abiding bilateral relationship with Nigeria. I am therefore disappointed that Nigeria has chosen to host President Al Bashir of Sudan at an African Union event, despite International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants against him for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide”.

The Hague-based ICC in 2009 and 2010 issued two warrants against Bashir over the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region, where government forces and local Arab militias have been pitted against rebels drawn mainly from non-Arab populations.

In 2008, the United Nations estimated that 300,000 people had died because of the conflict, but Khartoum disputes the figure.

Some African Union members and officials have criticised the alBashir indictments, and the body has passed a resolution calling on members not to cooperate with the warrants.

The court has been accused of unfairly targeting Africans and some have argued that the arrest warrants against al-Bashir complicate peace efforts.

Bashir has previously visited ICC member states, including Chad, Djibouti and Kenya, but countries like South Africa and Botswana have ensured he stay away.

Human Rights Watch has said the AU resolution to ignore the warrants has “no bearing on Nigeria’s obligations as an ICC member.”

Hosting Bashir is an “affront to victims” of the Darfur conflict, said Elise Keppler of the International Justice Program at Human Rights Watch

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 3

ASUU strike continues

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

here are strong indications that the efforts by the National Assembly to resolve the current face-off between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have yielded little or no results.

This is because as all the parties in the conflict yesterday ended their negotiation with ASUU insisting that government must implement 100 per cent its demands before the strike would be called off by the union.

The meeting which lasted for about eight hours behind closed doors ended at about 8pm with the parties in the conflict wearing long faces and refusing to talk with journalists.

Earlier before the closed door session, the ASUU National President, Nasir Fagge, had accused government of playing politics with the education sector, lamenting that other sectors are given priority by the federal government.

He recalled that during the crisis in the Banking Sector, government was quick to intervene with bailout funds just as it also did in the aviation sector, regretting that each time the education sector is involved, the government

NASS intervention deadlocked usually come up with excuses.

He noted that since the need assessment report of the committee set up by the federal government to study the level of decay in the Nigerian university system submitted its reports since July last year, nothing has been done by the government in that regard.

He revealed that the original agreement between the union and the government before the last strike was that N100 billion would be made available to ASUU when the need assessment report comes up, to enable them intervene immediately.

He said that though noting has been made available to them, adding that the proposal by the federal government is to source the funds from the TETFUND, which is a conventional source of government intervention funds, as against the agreement that the funds would be sourced from CBN, NCC, NNPC, among others.

Also speaking, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, faulted the claims by the ASUU president that nothing is being done by government to respond to the issues raised

by the union. She said that the misunderstanding is just that the intervention is not going on at the speed satisfactory to the union.

He disclosed that away from two out of the nine agreements which government has fully implemented, other issues are at various levels of completion, giving these agreements as autonomy to the universities, increased budgetary allocation to the sector, relinquishing of government’s landed properties in the universities to the individual universities.

Speaking on the accumulated earned allowances owed to the lecturers, she said it was just in February that the federal government got to know the exact amount to be paid the lecturers.

The Minister further pointed out that there were agreement regarding how to reduce the money from ninety two billion to twenty six billion, but suddenly the union went on strike again before the agreement could be finalised.

Meanwhile, as at yesterday’s closure of the meeting, there is no clear terms on if the meeting will continue and when it is likely to continue.

Al-Mustapha still in Service, says Army

By Joy Baba

T

he Chief of Staff of the Directorate of Army Public Relations, Col. John Agim, has said that Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha was is still an Army Officer since he was never dismissed at any point.

Agim stated this yesterday in Abuja during a press briefing by the Joint Security Service Committee which comprises of the spokespersons for the Defence, Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and Department of States Security Services.

Agim said Al-Mustapha’s case would be handled by the Army administration in line with the harmonised terms and conditions of service in the Service.

According to him, “I want to confirm that Al-Mustapha is still in the Army and his case is going to be handled by the Army administration in line with the harmonised terms and condition of service.”

Earlier in his speech, the Director Defence Information, Brig-Gen Chris Olukolade, said the insurgents have changed their tactics of attacks with the new trend being going after innocent women and children as in the recent case at a secondary school in Yobe state.

He also said that GSM services in the affected areas would be restored based on security evaluation of the situation in each state, noting that the restoration of telecommunication in Adamawa is in phases.

He said that constant monitoring is on-going in the areas to avert violations.

According to him, where there is any case of violation, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) will instantly investigate and punish perpetrators.

He said, “the forces in this operation are quite conversant with the rules of engagement.

“Constant monitoring is on-going to ensure there is no violation and where there is, to instantly investigate and punish the perpetrators.

“Nigerians and our friends abroad must realise that the security operations were necessitated by the need to secure and restore the rights of Nigerian citizens who were being abused by the activities of terrorists.

“The terrorists have not only violated Nigeria’s sovereignty, they have committed mindless atrocities against citizens and there is no way such abuse, lawlessness and hate ideology could be encouraged or allowed to continue,’’ he said.

Olukolade said that while the forces would remain accountable, the prying eyes of various activists should equally focus on the unending and condemnable atrocities of terrorists.

“The misinformation in terms of reporting human rights issues has been enormous and more mischievous than real.

“There is more attempt to screen terrorists from justice by indicting the process of apprehending and presenting them for justice.

“The attempt to set subjective standards in rating compliance with human rights here is unfair and should be condemned.

“Our citizens should beware of running errands for those whose motives on our nation’s integrity and security remain suspect,’’ he said.

According to him, the forces are not on any revenge mission but purely on a mission to restore law and order.

Olukolade explained that notwithstanding the sporadic asymmetric attacks on certain soft targets, there was a drastic reduction in bombings and attacks on places outside the North- East epicentre of the terrorists.

Ceasefire: Bishop Fearon cautions CAN From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Bishop of the Anglican Communion, Kaduna Diocese, Bishop Idowu Fearon, yesterday urged fellow Christian leaders to desist from opposing the reported ceasefire deal with the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lid Da’awati wal Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram, saying that it is only those who are benefiting from the current crisis in the country that would oppose such ceasefire or even amnesty.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern

states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Sunday, called for the immediate disbandment of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in Northern Nigeria, led by Minister of Special Duties, Barrister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN. The regional body of CAN said that the denial by spiritual leader of the Islamic sect, Abubakar Shekau, of a ceasefire deal the committee had earlier claimed to have reached with Boko Haram, was an indictment on the committee, and should therefore

be disbanded.

However, Bishop Idowu, while addressing newsmen in Kaduna yesterday, stated that Christian groups who oppose the current rapprochement with the insurgents, would have to learn to encourage the process in the interest of peace.

“I heard some Christian groups were reacting negatively to the Boko Haram announcement of a cease fire. Any Christian who reactsnegatively to this act of cease fire is part of the group whom we believed were benefiting from this crisis situation”, the Bishop said.

News Ramadan Timing Day 7 TOWNS Aba Abakaliki Abeokuta Abuja Akure Argungu Ankpa Auchi Azare Bama Bauchi Benin Bichi Bida Birnin Gwari Birnin Kebbi Biu Calabar Damaturu Daura Dutse Enugu Funtua Gombe Gwoza Gumi Gusau Gwadabawa Hadejia ` Ibadan Ife Ilorin Jalingo Jere Jos Kabba Kafanchan Keffi/Nasarawa Kaduna Kano Katsina Kontagora Lafia Lagos Lokoja Maiduguri Makurdi Malumfashi Minna Port Harcourt Ringim Shagamu Sokoto Warri Yola Zaria Cotonnou-Benin Ndjamena-Chad Niamey-Niger Younde-Cameroun

MAGRIB 6.52 6.50 7.09 6.56 7.01 7.10 6.49 6.57 6.48 6.33 6.47 6.58 6.56 7.01 6.59 7.13 6.36 6.46 6.41 6.57 6.52 6.51 7. 00 6.41 6.34 7.08 7.01 7.10 6.50 7.06 7.05 7.06 6.39 6.55 5.50 6.59 6.53 6.56 6.57 6.55 7.01 7.04 6.49 7.07 6.56 6.34 6.49 7.01 7.00 6.51 6.52 7.07 7.10 6.57 6.35 6.56 7.10 7.25 7.23 6.31 4.55

ALFIJR 5.03 5.05 5.22 5.03 5.14 5.02 5.04 5.10 4.45 4.32 4.51 5.15 4.52 5.08 5.03 5.08 4.33 5.06 4.38 4.49 4.50 5.06 4.58 4.45 4.34 5.05 4.58 5.02 4.44 5.19 5.16 5.17 4.46 4.59 4.54 5.10 4.58 4.53 4.59 4.52 4.53 5.08 4.58 5.22 5.22 4.33 5.00 4.52 5.05 5.11 4.50 5.20 5.02 5.15 4.42 4.57 5.27 4.26 5.15

Source: Society for Propagation of Islam Kaduna

PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

News

Kano spends N18bn on water

G

ov. Rabi’u Kwankwaso of Kano state said his administration had spent N18 billion in the provision of portable water supply to the Kano metropolis in the past two years.

Kwankwaso made the disclosure on Monday in Kano at the inauguration of a Steering Committee on Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme (WSSSRP II) in the state.

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr. Yunusa Dangwani, said that the state had budgeted more than N50 million for the programme. ``The State government in the past two years had revived some dams that have not been active for the past 10 years for the benefit of the people.”

According to him, dams such as the Watari Treatment Plant is expected to supply 50 million litres of water per day when completed.

The Governor said that other dams such as Challawa, Joda and Tamburawa had also been expanded to improve water supply to many parts of the state.

Kwankwaso said that the state had a bill, pending before the state’s House of Assembly, adding that it was aimed at attracting investors to the sector.

He urged members of the committee to be dedicated to their assignment to ensure success. (NAN)

One killed in fresh Plateau violence From Ado Musa, Jos

O

ne person was reported killed and eight others injured yesterday in Lamba-Gembar village of Wase local government area of Plateau state.

A source said the attackers were suspected to be Tarok arrived the village in the morning and started burning houses and shooting.

The residents were said to have fled the village to Lamba where they are currently seek-

ing refuge.

“The attackers were of Tarok tribe,” the source said, adding that some youth in the area were able to put up some resistance before the arrival of soldiers.

The source gave the name

of the decease as Ishak Mohammed Saleh who works at the local government education authority of Wase.

The Media and Information Officer of the Special Task Force (STF), Captain Salisu Mustapha, confirmed the attack.

N107m fraud: Court adjourns Ogbulafor’s case to September 25

J

ustice Ishaq Bello of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Monday adjourned a case filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, against Vincent Ogbulafor and two others to September 25.

The ICPC is prosecuting Ogbulafor, former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chairman and Minister of Special Duties, alongside Emeka Ebilah and Jude Nwokoro, on a 17-count charge of conspiracy and award of fictitious contracts worth N107 million.

At the resumed sitting, the ICPC counsel, Gboyega Awomolo, told the court that the matter was for continuation of cross-examination.

The second accused, Emeka Ebilah, through his counsel, Awa Kanu, submitted an oral application for a short adjournment on the grounds that his client was hospitalised.

No objection was raised against the application and the court adjourned the case to Sept. 25 for continuation of cross-examination.

Ogbulafor and the two other accused were said to have contravened Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000. They were accused of creating a fictitious company to collect a fraudulent contract when Mr. Ogbulafor served the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

Ogbulafor had admitted recommending the second accused to former President Olusegun Obasanjo for membership of the National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC), in July 2010.

However, he denied appointing Ebilah as the secretary of the committee after its reconstitution.

Ogbulafor told the court that he was directed to reconstitute NEIC

by Obasanjo in July 2010. (NAN)

R-L: Senate President David Mark, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, during the ground breaking ceremony of the permanent site of National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS), yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Why Appeal Court revalidated Umeh as APGA Chairman

T

he Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu yesterday nullified an Enugu High Court judgment removing Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

In a unanimous decision, the appellate court quashed the judgment by Justice Innocent Umezulike, the state’s Chief Judge, which he granted in favour of one Jude Okuli, nullifying the February10, 2011 APGA convention.

The convention produced Umeh and other members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

Delivering the lead judg-

ment, Justice Tom Yakubu overruled all the grounds of the preliminary objection filed by the respondent.

According to Mr. Yakubu, the lower court has no jurisdiction over the matter as the respondent has no locus standi to sue.

“It is not the duty of the court to scout for evidence to aid the case of the plaintiff. It is not the duty of the court to arrogate jurisdiction to itself,’’ he said.

The judge said the appeal filed by Umeh did not constitute an abuse of court process as the respondent claimed.

“The claim of the plaintiff was not against APGA but Umeh as he was not the alter ego of

APGA,’’ Yakubu said.

The Judge also said the lower court dissipated its energy in considering his locus standi and added that it was not the duty of the lower court to scout for evidence to aid the case of the plaintiff.

“By the statement of claim, the respondent could be best presumed to be an ordinary member and not a member of the National Working Committee (NWC),” he said.

On the issue of nullification of the convention, Yakubu noted that the trial judge overshot his mark when he declared the convention of APGA as unconstitutional, null and void.

The judge described Justice Okuli as `a busy body,’ meddlesome person who lacked the locus standi to institute the case in the lower court; yet the trial judge assumed the jurisdiction which he did not have.

Concurring with the lead judgment, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Paul Galinge, reiterated that if a court was not competent to hear a matter, it was a waste of time to hear and determine the matter.

“A court should not award that which was not claimed in pleadings by parties. A court is not a charitable organisation. This order was made without jurisdiction. The order is a nullity,’’ he said. (NAN)

Amigo owner, others want court to quash terrorism

By Ejike Benjamin

T

he co-owner of Amigo supermarket, Mustapha Fawaz, and two other suspected Lebanese standing trial on allegations of

terrorism, Abdallah Thahini and Talal Ahmad Roda have filed an application asking the trial court to quash the six-count charges against.

According to counsels to the suspects, Robert Clarke (SAN) and Ahmed Raji (SAN), Justice

Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Maitama to declare charges as vague, ambiguous and failing to disclose a prima facie case against the accused.

The counsels noted that, “Hezbollah military wing has not been declared an international

terrorist group in line with the said procedure.

“All the six counts revolve around the existence of one Hezbollah military wing as an international terrorist group, which has not been shown to exist in the eyes of the Nigerian law.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 5

News

FG mum on N50bn unpaid subsidy claims

By Abdulwahab Isa

I

t was an eerie silence on government side yesterday on the claim by the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) that Federal Government unpaid subsidy put at over N50 billion may compel it to halt fuel products importation.

Enquiries by Peoples Daily through repeated phone calls and SMS to Mr. Paul Nwabiukwu, Special Assistant (Media) to the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance with a view to eliciting clarifications and position of Federal Ministry of Finance did not receive any responses.

The union had made known its threat to halt the commodity’s importation over alleged nonpayment of due subsidy on imported fuel in the first quarter of this year, amounting to over N50 billion.

MAMON, which issued the threat in Lagos, said its members

had already started considering reducing their workforce due to paucity of funds as a result of nonpayment of the subsidy arrears by the government.

Though the Ministry of Finance claimed to have released fresh N56.80 billion as subsidy claims to oil marketers which it said brought the total amount released so far for the 2013 fiscal period to N192.50 billion, our reporter gathered that the marketers had only received N9.4 billion as subsidy on imported products for the first quarter of the year.

Sources knowledgeable in subsidy payments while attributed government’s reported insincerity to the constant logjam that often characterise subsidy payment to oil marketers.

The source said, “I think government represented by Ministry of Finance is not sincere on this issue.

“We are about taking third quarter 2013 fiscal year and over

N900 billion was provided for in the budget for oil subsidy. How much has been disbursed by the Ministry of Finance as payment to oil importers whose imports have been verified?”

Attempts to get DirectorGeneral of Debt Management Office (DMO), Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, whose office is also involved in issuing bond to oil marketers for payment, were futile.

Findings show that some marketers were yet to receive payment Another industry source disclosed that government is yet to complete subsidy payment to Mobil from 2011 to 2013.

“The company has only received N2 billion with outstanding N8.5 billion”, said our source.

Also, NIPCO has only received N7 billion out of the N17 billion; Forte oil received N2 billion for this year with outstanding N5.6 billion; Oando, which is being

owned N26.7 billion, has not received anything at all.

Executive Secretary of MOMAN, Thomas Olawore, who confirmed the development to journalists at the weekend, said that the marketers were planning to halt importation of fuel.

“We are actually planning to reduce our staff strength due to our inability to continue to finance fuel importation and I don’t think this is good at all for the country.

“Our capacity to import has greatly reduced, meaning that it could get to a point where we can no more be able to do so.

“Some banks have started to complain about non-payment.

But many of them are busy calculating their interests, which the marketers are expected to pay. Apart from the interest, the foreign exchange rate is also affecting our reserve. Sometimes, we buy products at a certain amount and by the time we are to make payment, the exchange rate would have escalated. We

cannot pass this extra cost to the consumers because the sector is deregulated”, he said.

“It must be made clear that for residential customers who use either single-phase meters or three-phase meter (R2), the fixed charge approved under MYTO is 500 for 2012 and 700 for 2013.

Accordingly, on 1st June 2013, their fixed charge changed from N500 to N700 as prescribed in the MYTO. This happened without any further action from the commission,”Amadi concluded.

When asked about the usage of the N50billion released by the Federal Governmentto commission, Amadisaid it was being used as subsidy payment for the electricity consumers, saying that “the Business Rules of the commission allows any person aggrieved by the orders of the commission to file a proper petition for the review of the order upon proper consideration by the Commission, which must follow due process.”

2013 CNN African journalist emerges October 12

By Evelyn Okakwu

T

wenty-seven journalists are on the short list to compete for the 2013 CNN/ Multi Choice African Journalist Awards.

A statement by Ferial Haffajee, Chair of the independent panel of judges in charge of the Africa Journalists Prestigious Awards competition for 2013.

The 27 Journalists who were chosen from 42 countries across the African continent include Geoff Iyatse of the Guardian Newspapers, Tolu Ogunlesi, a Freelance journalist for Ventures Africa, also based in Nigeria and Oluwatoyosic Ogunseye, from the Punch newspaper also in Nigeria.

The event which is sponsored

by Cocacola, Ecobank, UNICEF, among others, is scheduled to end in Cape Town, South Africa, where the winner of the competition will be announced at an award ceremony and gala evening on 12 October 2013. According to Tony Maddox, executive Vice-President and Managing Director of CNN International, “now in its 18th year, the quality and excellence of the work submitted to the African Journalist Awards continues to rise year on year, ensuring that the 2013 competition maintains its place as the most prestigious Pan African Awards for journalists.

He he noted that CNN is proud to continue its commitment to fostering inspired journalistic excellence in African reporting.

Part of events to mark final stage of the competition include an all-expenses paid four-day programme of workshops, media fora, networking which have been set up for the finalists during the run up to the award ceremony.

L-R: President Goodluck Joinathan, welcoming Sudan President Omar al-Bashir, to the African Union summit on HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Red Cross marks 150 years anniversary From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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he Nigerian Red Cross Society, Lagos state branch, as part of activities marking its 150 years anniversary celebrations, is organising a 5,000-man walk titled, “Walk for Life.”

The essence of the walk, according to a statement from the organisation, signed by Simeon Ojeme, is to reach out to members of the society, create awareness on other activities

marking the anniversary and also enlighten the populace on the activities of the society.

The walk which will come up on Saturday, July 20, will commence from the National Stadium at Surulere, through Costain, Apapa Road and will terminate at the Red Cross secretariat on 2, Makoko Street, Adekunle Yaba.

The statement said the anniversary which -started with the anniversary logo unveiling cum endorsement of celebrity

volunteers held last month at the National Secretariat (annex) of the Nigerian Red Cross Society.

The logo unveiling, it disclosed, was followed by a youth empowerment seminar/ lecture delivered by Prof. Pat Utomi and Mr. Fela Durotoye at University of Lagos.

Other activities lined up for the anniversary celebrations include blood donation exercise, which is being done in conjunction with the Lagos

state government, titled: “Give the gift of life, donate blood save a life” musical concert; “Project Feed”, which is a reachout event to distribute food items and materials to indigent members of the public.

Also, a novelty football match between Governor Fashola and Friends and versus other volunteers of the society is to hold, while the grand finale of all activities is the Fund Raising Dinner, which comes up in November.

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

News

Budget crisis: Senator accuses FG of outrageous budgeting

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

C

hairman of Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Robert Borofice, yesterday revealed that the current budget crisis between the Federal Government and the National Assembly, is traceable to the inflated budgeting by Presidency.

Briefing journalists, Borofice cited a case where the Ministry of Science and Technology budgeted N896 million in the 2013 budget to implement a N50 million project of an agency under the ministry specialized in making solar panel.

Borofice, a former Director General of NASDRA, made this

revelation, while debunking the claim by the executive that National Assembly removed the funds allocated to Capital projects funds in the 2013 budget, and send them elsewhere.

He said that his committee rather cut the unrealistic allocation the Ministry allocated for such projects supervision and sent them into other critical areas that will benefit Nigerians.

On why Nigeria is still lagging behind on Science and Technology, the Chairman observed that Nigeria is

not serious about developing science and Technology considering the meager funds being budgeted for the ministry annually.

He said that if the country would experience development in areas of science and technology, there is need to make more budgetary provision for the sector, pointing out that countries like China, Germany and United State of America commit more funds into science and technology to become technologically advanced.

“Ithinkwearenotseriousasanation as far as science and tech is concerned.

Even the so called technologically advanced countries, if you know the percentage of GDP that is committed to science and tech, you will be amazed.

“What we commit to science and tech is about 0.001 per cent. India is committing about 0.8 per cent.

“So, you will see that we are not serious, Science and tech is not consideredasan economic sector, and there is no way you can transform your economy from agro based to an industrial economy without using science and tech as a tool. “ There is nowhere in the world

that you do science and tech in an envelope system.

“In other countries science and tech is accorded recognition and adequate funding so as to give the sector the visibility and then the political will should be there by the President to use science and tech to drive the economy.

He also regretted that only 18 research institutes exist under science and technology in Nigeria and people are saying they are too many, recalling that one province in China, there are 49 research institutes.

NDLEA recovers N1.8trn in 7 years

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said yesterday that it had recovered over N1.8 trillion in different currencies and from 70 successful cases for the EFCC between 2006 and 2013.

The NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu Giade, disclosed this at a three-day public hearing to unravel the status of all assets seized and recovered by the EFCC since inception.

The programme is being organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Drugs, Narcotic and Financial Crimes.

He said that the agency investigated and transferred 70 cases between January 2006 and January 2013 involving money laundering and narcotics to the EFCC apart from N1, 841, 225, 239 in different currencies.

Earlier in his opening remarks, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who was represented by the House Deputy Leader, Leo Ogor, called for proper accountability of the seized assets by the EFCC. According to the Speaker, “I have learnt that between 2003 and now, the EFCC has confiscated over 200 mansions and large sums of money through 46 forfeiture court orders.

“These landed property, monies, and business concerns which were estimated to be worth in excess of two trillion naira, included bank accounts, shares in blue chip companies, exotic vehicles, fuel stations, holdings, warehouses and shopping malls among others.

“There have been many reported cases of vandalism, improper storage, abandonment and waste.

“We have reports that some of these properties have fallen into disrepair and that some cannot even be accounted for. We cannot allow a situation whereby over 400 cars seized through the diligence of the EFCC for instance continue to rot away.”

Section of Orilowo Ejigbo road in Ejigbo Local Council Development Authority of Lagos state yesterday.

Photo: NAN

Ahmed makes case for community development service From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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he Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed has called on Nigerians to embrace the culture of community service as part of efforts to enhance the quality of service delivery and socioeconomic development.

Governor Ahmed who made the call when he received

15-man volunteer team from the United States of America on empowerment programme at Oko community.

He said that given the enormous developmental challenges in the country and increasing expectations of the people, it has become necessary for the citizenry to partner with government for impacting development

programs as no administration can do it alone.

Ahmed noted that his administration has created windows for small and medium scale entrepreneurs to access over N250 million in revolving credit to grow their businesses, stressing that another N100 million has been earmarked for a second set of beneficiaries to jump start their businesses.

The Governor said his administration was familiar with the needs of the youth, especially the unemployed pointing out that such needs compel the state government to establish the Kwara Bridge Empowerment Scheme(KWABES) and the International Vocational Centre at Ajasse-Ipo to train youths in market-relevant vocational skills.

Electricity commission explains changes in tariffs

By Etuka Sunday

F

ollowing the recent outcry from different quarters, including the Nigerian Labour Congress of the alleged arbitrary increase of an undefined electricity tariffs in the country, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) yesterday explained that it had

not increased the electricity tariffs as speculated.

NERC however explained that the changes that some customers have noticed in their electricity bills were announced by the commission on the 1st of June, 2012, in line with the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) to cover from 1st June 2012 to 31stMay 2017.

It said the projection was based on the expected cost of generating, transmitting and distributing the electricity for homes and businesses during these years, meaning that the tariff order issued to every distribution company has an approved tariff for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja,

the NERC Chairman, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, said that, “the MYTO has two components of tariff for most electricity consumers - the fixed charge and energy charge.

“Fixed charge is a component of electricity tariff all over the world.

“It is charged to recover some of the capital costs for producing and supplying electricity.”

PAGE 8

Photos Splash

L-R: Delta state Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Benue state Governor, Gabriel Suswam, and Plateau state Governor, David Jonah Jang, during the opening of the African Union (AU) Special Summit of Heads of State and Government on HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

L-R: Oyo state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, and Director, (Macro) National Planning Commission, Mr. Tunde Lawal, during the minister’s visit to the governor, yesterday in Ibadan.

Niger state Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (2nd left), receiving the 2013 Global Empowerment Award from Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Muhammad Bashar Nuhu (2nd right), who represented the governor at the award ceremony in Houston, Texas. With them are Special Adviser to the governor on investments, Hajiya Asabe Ahmed (left), and Dr. Hauwa Husseini (right).

Crowded Primary 5 classroom at St. Patrick’s Primary School, Abak Road, Uyo, after the flood at the school, yesterday.

Wife of transition committee chairman of Faskari local government of Katsina state, Hajiya Sa’adatu Faskari-Ahmad (right), distributing foodstuffs and detergents to less privileged women as Ramadan fasting assistance, yesterday in Faskari.

Photo: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 9

News

FoI Act: EFCC wants journalists to report erring institutions

By Stanley Onyekwere

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he Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, has stressed the need for journalists to publish any attempts by them to access public information if the organisation persistently refuses to oblige them such information through the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act, as it will aid in mitigating corruption in Nigeria.

Lamorde, who was represented

by Mr. Wilson Uwujaren of the Media and Publicity unit of the EFCC, disclosed this at the Young Journalists Forum, 1st Youth Freedom of Information Act Training, in Abuja. He noted that, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) should zero down on salient points of the law, and make same available for practitioners.

In a paper titled, “Mitigating Corruption Through the FoI Act”

he noted that the Act confers on an individual the right to institute processing in the court, in order to compel any public institution to comply with the provisions of the Act, if the information is not made available after seven days.

He however pointed out that individuals and even journalists have not taken time to look at that law to know how we can apply it and we have not taken read through it to see the potentials that

it entails, adding that: “you cannot apply a law if you don’t know what it entails adding that if you do not know the content of the law you will not know the question to ask.

“As journalists you can publish you request for information if the organisation involved persistently refuse to oblige you same, then take the necessary steps under the FoI Act. “Before you go for investigative journalism you must have the

L-R: Yobe state deputy governor, Engineer Abubakar Aliyu, and Director General, National Boundary Commission (NBC), Dr. Bukar M. Ahmed, during the deputy governor’s advocacy visit to the commission, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

By A’isha Biola Raji

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan has called on African leaders to face up to the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS and malaria diseases.

According to Jonathan, Africa must get rid of the diseases which he described as hazardous.

The president spoke yesterday while addressing leaders at a summit of African Union Heads of State and Government in Abuja.

He said the continent’s leaders should show new vigour in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by seeking ways of funding programmes that will signify end to the menace of the deseases.

He said, “Africa needs stronger, home-grown and sustainable” framework to finance its health amidst new commitment from its leaders.”

According to him, latest health spending in Nigeria is about six per cent of budget which analysts have constantly criticised, unlike Ghana’s 12.5 per cent.

Jonathan insisted that the cost of inadequate action or no action is dangerous and should not be contemplated.

Jonathan however stressed Nigeria’s commitment on the earlier adopted African Union Roadmap on shared responsibility and global solidarity for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria by African countries.

facts, after a detailed background research on the subject matter, so we should take time to study that act to know what it entails, he also talked about the exemptions especially when it concerns national security”, he stressed.

In a similar vein, Mr. Victor Aladu, of the Nigerian Press Council, who spoke on the Freedom of Information and the Journalists opined that journalists should see and use the FoI Act as a veritable tool in their hands to dig up facts, expose societal ills, fight corruption and bring culprits to book by exposing their evil deeds.

He said aside that journalists can monitor service delivery and effectiveness in the ambit of policies, projects and execution; the activating the law will also aid them to do factual reporting and eliminate rumour and conspiracy, thereby enhancing public debate for participation and governance amongst others.

According to him, “access to information is the key to good governance and transparency. Citizens need access to information to effectively participate in governance; fight corruption; ensure probity and accountability in the processes of governance.

“It is also critical for holding elected politicians accountable for their promises; monitoring public expenditure and execution and influencing decisions that impact positively on the socio economic wellbeing of citizens.

He therefore called on Nigerians especially those in the media to take advantage of the FOI Act to

Nasarawa shuts four illegal clinics

Jonathan warns on HIV/ T AIDS, malaria challenges He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment through a special purpose programme.

“We have developed a special programme to accelerate the implementation of key interventions with respect to HIV/AIDS,” he declared.

The programme tagged the President’s Comprehensive Response Plan (PCRP) according to Jonathan, will bridge existing service gaps, address key financial, system and coordination challeng-

es and promote greater responsibility and accountability for HIV/ AIDS responses at national and sub-national levels.

The plan, according to him, was targeted at achieving universal access to the prevention, treatment, care and support to all Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS. Also speaking at the programme, the United Nations Secretary General, represented by the Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr Ba-

bantunde Osotimehin, regretted that HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and other infectious diseases still pose a significant threat to well-being and development in Africa.

“Every minute a child dies of malaria and one in 20 adults lives with HIV. “TB infection rates are the highest in the world with more than 260 cases per 100,000 people in 2011 and many Africans endure the double burden of HIV and TB,” he said.

SURE-P recruits widows of victims of Kizara village massacre Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

Z

amfara state Sure-P has conclude arrangements for the recruitment of wives of the victims of the Kizara village massacre as part of the 2000 beneficiaries of ‘Batch B’ to be recruited soon.

The Sure-P chairman, Alhaji Lawal Ibrahim Zurmi, who spoke

through his media consultant, Murtala Muhammad Zakoli, said the minister of state for works, Bashir Yuguda, has facilitated the gesture in order to alleviate hardship for the Kizara widows.

According to him, it has become necessary to assist them as it will serve as only a relief upon which they could be able to secure their children’s education.

Another batch with a total number of 2000 beneficiaries will be recruited soon, and it is scheduled to pay each beneficiary a total sum of N10,000 monthly, Zurmi said.

He said SURE-P had succeeded in playing vital role to battle poverty, reduce unemployment through recruitment of 3000 beneficiaries.

he Nasarawa state Ministry of Health yesterday announced the closure of four clinics operating without licences in the Karu local government area of the state.

The Head of the Inspectorate Team in the ministry, Dr Damina Ali, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia that the closure was in line with the resolve of the State Government to sanitise the health sector.

Ali, who listed the affected clinics as the Masaka Specialist Clinic, Masaka Central Hospital, Hati Eye Clinic, Masaka and Acten Medical Laboratory Clinic, Mararaba, said the decision was aimed at shutting unregistered clinics in the state. ``The offence committed by the affected clinics include quackery practice, lack of qualified personnel, poor facilities and nonregistration with the ministry to obtain licence. ``All the affected clinics will remain closed until they register with the ministry and the necessary approval given to them.”

Ali said that the team would carry out inspection exercises in all the local and development areas, to reduce cases of avoidable deaths in the state.

He called on proprietors of private clinics in the state to register or renew their licences with the ministry, to guard against sanctions. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 10

News Kaduna boosts commercial farming

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

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he Kaduna state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Bashir Sakadadi, has announced the government’s plans to boost commercial farming in the state, by among others, partnering an investor to put to use the grain silos provided by the Federal Government in parts of the state.

“The state is also partnering with an investor to put to use the already established grain silos in Birnin Gwari, Saminaka, and Kafanchan.

The investor is planning to put about N2.5 billion to procure the grains from farmers as agreed which will further boost economic activities in maize value chain, especially in production”, he said when he received a joint Federal Government/World Bank supervision/restructuring mission in Kaduna yesterday.

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Ramadan

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he Zamfara state government has concluded arrangements for the distribution of 308 trailers of assorted grains to Muslims across the 14 local government areas of the state for feeding during the Ramadan fasting.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after inauguration of the Ramadan feeding committee, the Speaker, Zmafara state House of Assembly who is the Chairman of the committee, Sunusi Garba Rikiji, said 22 trailers of assorted grains have been scheduled to depart stores for the 14 local government areas yesterday.

Rikiji, who elaborated that two and a half trailers from the allocation of each local government are loaded with bundles of brocades and wrappers aimed at clothing 52,000 people to celebrate Sallah events.From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

Idoma group

T

he Idoma Youth Progressive Movement (IYPM) has requested the rotation of the governorship seat in Benue state to Idoma land in 2015.

The IYPM National President, Matthew Igoche, who made this demand yesterday in Otukpo at the end of its meeting, maintained that only the Idoma have had the opportunity of governing the state since its creation in 1976.

The group urged political stakeholders in the state to support the agitation for power shift in the state in the interest of fairness, equity and good conscience.

“Our agitation for power shift in Benue state is galvanized by the singular fact that since the creation of the state, no one from the Benue south senatorial district has had the opportunity to lead the state as Governor,” the group said. From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

L-R: Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Hon. Emmanuel Udende; Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba; and representative of Speaker, House of Representatives, Deputy House Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, during an investigative public hearing to unravel the status of all assets seized and recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since inception, yesterday at the National in Abuja.

Photo: MahmudIsa

N47.1bn theft: Court dismisses Akingbola’s application From Matthew Irinoye, Lagos

J

ustice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday dismissed the application filed by the former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola, seeking the court to quash the N47.1 billion theft charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Akingbola is standing trial alongside Bayo Dada, the General Manager of Tropics Securities Ltd. for allegedly stealing the money belonging to the bank.

He had in the application filed

on July 10 by his counsel,Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), asked the court to quash the charge.

Olanipekun had argued that the EFCC had no power to initiate criminal proceedings at the state high court without a fiat issued by the attorney-general of the state.

He had further argued that there was no nexus in the proof of evidence linking Akingbola to any of the counts in the charge.

But counsel for EFCC, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), opposed the application and urged the court to dismiss it.

While giving the ruling on the said application, Justice Onigbanjo, held that the

application to quash the charge, lacked merit.

The trial judge said the Court of Appeal had settled the issue in its ruling on a previous appeal filed

by Akingbola against the ruling of the former trial judge, Justice Habeeb Abiru.

He said the appeal court had held that the EFCC as a government agency was qualified to institute criminal proceedings under Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution.

Onigbanjo said he could therefore not rely on another ruling on a similar issue delivered

by Justice Babajide CandideJohnson of a Lagos High Court in

Igbosere. “ There is no decision on this issue yet by the Supreme Court so the Court of Appeal’s decision takes precedence over the decision of the lower court.

“I am bound to respect the Court of Appeal’s decision irrespective of my personal conviction.

“Since this court is lower in hierarchy to the Court of Appeal, it cannot wish away the Court of Appeal’s decision on the same issues filed earlier by the same parties.”

The court adjourned the matter till September 19 for mention.

Rice smugglers dare Customs, resort to prayers From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

C

omptroller of Federal Operations Unit of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Zone B, Amade Abdul, has raised alarm over the cowardly activities of rice smugglers along the Katsina state axis of the nation’s borders, whom he said have lately resorted to

prayers in order to beat Customs officers manning the borders.

Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna, Abdul said the intention of the Customs was to ensure that smugglers follow due process.

“We heard it that in a last Friday prayer some people are even praying that God should touch Custom’s hearts to allow

them bring in rice into the people. That is a demonstration of ignorance because we are all Nigerians and we only want healthy rice to come into Nigeria.

“Our intention is not to stop anybody from bringing in food into the country but rather they should follow right channels in doing so. As we all know there is a government policy with regards

to importation of rice but this is being resisted and confused.

People seem not to know why government is saying importation of rice should be controlled”.

He called on traditional, religious and opinion leaders in the area to support the Nigeria Customs Service in its fight against illegal importation of contrabands into the country.

Bauchi LG polls: Court joins council chairmen From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi governments.

The Congress for Progressive Bauchi state High Change (CPC) and Action Court has joined the Congress of Nigeria (ACN) 20 local government in Baushi state had sued the caretaker council state government, accusing it chairmen as defendants in a suit of brazenly refusing to hold between opposition parties the elections into the council areas.

Bauchi state government over The opposition parties, in the the alleged refusal of the state suit, asked the court to compel to conduct elections into the the government to conduct the executive councils of the local local government elections in

A

line with provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The Bauchi state government on its part filed an application to the court to admit a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Barrister Hassan A. Liman as its counsel to replace the chamber of the State Attorney General in the suit. The government’s application was also granted by the judge, Mr. Ibrahim

Mohammed Zango.

Barrister Mahmood Usman, who appeared in court yesterday on behalf of Hassan Liman, asked the court to adjourn the matter to another since his chamber is new in the suit to enable it study the case.

Judge Zango adjourned the suit 12th September, 2013 for definite hearing in the matter.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 11

Money Sense

Are you ready for an emergency?

R ecently, the sky opened up and dumped a great deal of snow on my mountain valley town. While the snow piled up, we were fortunate enough not to lose power or run into other problems commonly caused by lots of snowfall. The potential for problems, however, as well as the memory of recent disasters, had me reviewing my emergency preparedness.

Here’s how to figure out whether you’re prepared for an emergency.

Do you have the necessities?

Even though the snow hasn’t prevented us from going out for food and other supplies, there’s enough of it that going to the store hasn’t been something I’m excited to do. Luckily, we have a lot of necessities stored up here at home. Some of the things that we have in the house are: Canned food, Water, First Aid supplies, Alternate sources of heat (propane heater, grill, camp stove), Plenty of bedding and clothes, Personal hygiene items Others include various lighting options, including candles, flashlights, and a crank lantern,

Crank-powered radio and extra batteries We’ve been careful to build up our emergency supplies, so that if we do end up stuck in the house for days on end, we’ll be able to survive. We even have board games and books to entertain ourselves if the power goes out and deprives us of TV and internet access.

Think about how you would fare if you were stuck in your home for a few days. Would you have enough food and water? Would you be warm? We’ve already discussed which rooms in our home we would congregate in to concentrate the warmth and light, and we’ve done drills about how to leave the house if the emergency is that severe. Our car has emergency supplies as well, and we keep the tank at least half-full so that we don’t have to worry about gas lines if we go somewhere.

Are your finances prepared for an emergency?

Of course, it also helps to have your finances ready for an emergency. We have cash in the house, as well as credit cards that can be used in a pinch. And, of

course, we have an emergency fund. Being financially ready for an emergency is as important as having other preparedness supplies.

It’s also a good idea to have your vital account information and documents safely stored away in a waterproof and fireproof

The “freebies” you should avoid

T

he trend for freebies as a marketing strategy has been on the rise recently.

The more you try to stay away from these freebies, the more they strive to attract you as a consumer or a client. Freebies are free samples of products that companies give away to consumers interested in their products, usually in smaller size containers or portions. The truth is there are really freebies, and lots of them on the internet.

Unfortunately many consumers have fallen victim of one scam or the other through these “freebies”. Evaluating freebies is pretty easy if you use a little common sense mixed

with some knowledge and a bit of experience.

Experts have advised consumers not to get involved in offers that look too good to be true, adding that it is important to examine the motive behind the freebie.

While a free trial of coffee makes sense because they are trying to sell a new coffee, a free vacation with all expenses paid is, however unlikely, unless there are large hidden charges or other commitments attached.

It is common knowledge that spammers have nothing of value to offer especially when they start soliciting for your bank details then you should not give

it a second thought just delete such mail.

If you receive a mail claiming you have won a great prize and all you have to do is pay a fee or provide sensitive information to claim it, don’t. It’s a scam, explained experts. Nobody pays or provides vital information such as bank account detail, credit card pin and passwords to redeem a prize especially an unsolicited one.

The only winners are the scammers. Some con artists often insist that people wire money, especially overseas, because it’s nearly impossible to reverse these transactions. The freebie is likely genuine when the shipping

safe. There are even small-sized safes that are ideal for keeping documents. I like the smaller safes, since you can grab them and take them with you if you have to leave the house quickly. Keep account numbers, phone numbers, passwords, and other information you don’t immediately know and handling fees are reasonable compared to the good’s in question. However, a thorough investigation is advised when you are asked to pay a little shipping and handling fee when compared to the freebie you are expecting, experts have advised, continues expert.

If someone contacts you with an extremely with low-risk, highreturn investment opportunities, stay away. When you hear pitches that insist you act now, that guarantee big profits, that promise little or no financial risk, or that demand that you send cash immediately please ignore such advises financial expert.

Big companies such as Shoprite give out a lot of free sample freebies. They want you to try their products hoping you will then go out and buy them. These big companies have the money to give out all these freebies. When a freebie for a Shoprite product is offered, make sure that it’s from the Shoprite website. You are never going to get a freebie that a website doesn’t really have to give out. Smaller businesses do occasionally give out freebies.

These are mostly low cost items such as pens or magnets. If you see a freebie that’s worth so much in value offered by a company that you’ve never heard of then don’t request for the freebie.

Finally, let’s say you got a freebie lead on a forum where other members say the freebie is valid. You don’t have to provide credit card information, your social security number or any other personal information you aren’t comfortable with. It doesn’t sound too good to be true either but for some reason you still feel funny about it. There’s just something not right about it.

Move on to the next freebie.

safely locked away. Documents like passports, birth certificates, insurance policies, and investment information can also be kept in these safes.

Think about what makes up your financial life, and make sure that the information is protected.

Even if you don’t take it with you when you leave, you want it to survive the emergency so that you can come back for it.

Don’t wait to prepare both your home and finances for an emergency. Get ready now, as you can never predict when a disaster will strike. Culled from MoneyNing.

Money Tip Take up a money-saving hobby Hobbies not only open your mind to new experiences but they also take up your time - important if you would otherwise spend it in the pub drinking away your hardearned money. If a painting takes 20 hours to complete, and you normally get through a pint an hour. That’s a saving of a least 40 quid a picture. Think about it. Get painting. Go fishing.

Avoid the payment protection racket Banks and other lenders are selling expensive insurance policies to cover loan repayments to people who don’t need it. Don’t be a victim of the hard-sell.

Avoid extended warranties Electrical goods are more reliable than ever. If your new radio won’t last three years perhaps it’s not worth buying in the first place.

Think about it: how many times has your fridge broken down in the last five years? And do you really need the hassle of claiming for repairs to a N 3,750 toaster?

Quote “Our attitudes control our lives.

Attitudes are a secret power working twenty-four hours a day, for good or bad. It is of paramount importance that we know how to harness and control them.” Irving Berlin: Composer

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

EDITORIAL

his past one month or so, Governor Abdul-Aziz Yari has been drawing attention to himself and his Zamfara state – all for the wrong reasons. Firstly, his decision to arm village vigilantes (in other words, create a separate security force from the Nigeria Police) to protect the state under siege by rampaging gunmen since last year has left many wondering whether it was the same governor who had opposed the idea of states having their own police force. To be sure, his was justified indignation at the police authorities’seeming helplessness while villages in the state were attacked serially.

However, as we observed in an earlier editorial, the governor allowed his emotions to get the better of him and that way he failed to grasp the constitutional implication of the action he was contemplating. Well, as expected, the police authorities in Abuja have told him in no uncertain terms he cannot create his own security force.

But Yari does not appear done.

On Sunday, the governor was the picture of pity while unsuccessfully defending his unending foreign trips. “I was used to foreign trips even before my election as governor; I had already built a business empire. So I shouldn’t allow it to crumble because I’m

a governor of the state. I shall, therefore, look after it to prosper more”, a national daily quoted him as saying. Many will, perhaps, appreciate Yari’s frankness. He didn’t say he was always outside the country to woo investors to his state

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Yari’s warped reading of governor’s job

We at Peoples Daily believe this governor is unworthy of his office. The choice is clear: it is Zamfara that should prosper, not Yari’s business empire. as his colleagues claim to be doing.

However, his straightforwardness only magnifies his poor reading of the huge responsibility of the office of governor that he occupies today.

In the first place, the nation’s Constitution does not say the office of governor is part-time. It is an executive office, meaning he has to have his imprint in every business of government in Zamfara state. During his inauguration, Yari took an oath to give the state and its people his all, including his time. He did not say he was going to divide his time between

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”

running his “business empire” and administering Zamfara. Come to think of it, is it any surprise that the state is beset by an intractable security challenge with this ever wandering chief security officer always out of the state?

The governor’s other defence of his frequent overseas trips stands logic on its head. According to him, they are saving Zamfara’s treasury from being depleted through “excessive and unnecessary demands” by people who lack the “political maturity and wisdom to distinguish between politics and public office.” Unfortunately, Yari has not said how much is saved from “resting” the treasury each time he is away. How does he finance those business trips of his that take him away from the state most of the time? Surely, it has to be from the public till! In other words, he is not obliging an importuning Zamfara public in order to save enough to make his businesses “prosper the more”.

We at Peoples Daily believe this governor is unworthy of his office.

We implore the state’s lawmakers to tell him pointedly to either settle down to the art of governance or be shown the door so that he can focus on running his business. The choice is clear: it is Zamfara that should prosper, not Yari’s business empire.

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PAGE 13

Opinion Truth, lies and my EFCC days

By Nuhu Ribadu

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trong institutions are at the base of whatever things to come out of a system. This was a major focus for us. There were deliberate steps at capacity building that would prove extremely advantageous for the work we did in the five years I was there. I use “we” because the work was never a one man job. EFCC was beyond NuhuRibadu, or any individual for that matter. It was a team work.

The patriotism, esprit de corps and professionalism exhibited by the team were the secrets for our successes.

But as I always insist, success of anti-graft efforts is hinged largely at the leadership level, especially the political leadership. We were lucky to have the cooperation of the leadership at the time. To the credit of President OlusegunObasanjo, he let us do the work even at a time we were going against some elements that were extremely close to him.

It is therefore amusing when I hear people these days charge me of “selective justice”.

Well, perhaps those charges could be passed as the example of what Wole Soyinka called “ our collective amnesia”. Take a comprehensive list of high profile people EFCC brought to justice, majority of them were people that could be correctly tagged “Obasanjo

boys”. Even though some of them suddenly turn around the moment they found themselves in trouble with the law, as a way of buying public sympathy. Unfortunately, many people don’t strive to stretch the facts to reveal this truth. One largely neglected pillar of our work was the Judiciary and the criminal justice system generally. We had the support of other people in the justice administration chain.

Without the will of incorruptible judges and other law enforcement officials, all our modest effort would have come to nought.

However, a newspaper columnist recently wrote that the EFCC I headed was something of a gra-gra agency - a body that is peopled with exuberant officers eager to arrest suspects in order to hit the headlines. This is a flawed assessment. It is also something that people come to believe, largely on account of the agency’s portrayal in the media. EFCC was, and is, never about arrests. In fact, arrest was just a fraction of the entire work. But because arrest is what makes the news, the myriad of steps and processes we follow before and after arrest are mostly overlooked.

Every step in administration of a corruption case is carefully outlined and has its rigours and identified procedures. A lot of work would have to be put in from

the point of accepting a petition or starting a case, analysing it, identifying the key issues and persons, investigation, sourcing documents, obtaining arrest and search warrants, preparing charges and then arrest. We tried to work on each of the steps in a very meticulous manner. It is a little surprise therefore, that throughout my period there was only one person who took me to court challenging his detention by the EFCC. He also lost the suit. The reason was simple: we followed the law and therefore had to do our homework before we pick anybody. Similarly, to point to the meticulous nature of what we did, it is in record that the EFCC recorded a world record of over 90 percent convictions on all the cases we prosecuted. I don’t think gra-gra would yield these results.

It is also incorrect to say that EFCC didn’t pursue preventive measures as regards corruption.

We fully appreciated the fact that the twin strategy of prevention and sanctioning must always go together in law enforcement in general and fighting corruption in particular. The preventive measures of the EFCC were often overshadowed by the news selling headlines about arrests but EFCC took a lot of preventive measures. Major ones include the establishment of the Training and

Research Institute that has been carrying out studies on corruption prevention in both public and private sectors. The institute is in the lead in training of detectives, public servants, bankers and so many others in Nigeria today.

The establishment of Financial Intelligence Unit is one of the most important steps in preventive measures of controlling corruption globally, EFCC has done it for Nigeria. EFCC also worked to establish international networks and linkages, notably with the United Nations, FBI, Metropolitan Police, German BKA, and West African anti-money-laundering group, GIABA, among others.

We also worked closely with many departments of governments, civil society groups, religious organisations and schools, on public enlightenment to stem corruption in the society. EFCC also engaged the National Assembly to amend laws, the judiciary on corruption prevention and justice delivery, the customs, the FIRS, NPA and many states and local governments. In fact, many of the arrests made by EFCC arose out of whistle-blowing efforts through these mechanisms. By the way, arrests and prosecutions are also very powerful tools of preventive measures, because they do send a strong message that one cannot get away with corrupt practice, no

matter how highly placed.

On the charge that the impeachment of three governors allegedly was influenced by the EFCC, I want to say the EFCC did not and could not have impeached any governor or force legislators to do so. It will be unfair to deny the legislators the credit of doing their constitutional responsibilities.

The EFCC did its part of the responsibility of investigation and submission of findings to the various State Assemblies all over the nation. Some state assemblies had cause to act on such reports, others did not. But we certainly did not force anyone to take any action. My understanding of events then was that two out of the three former governors were arrested in London with millions of Pounds. They absconded from justice there and that triggered a chain of events that culminated in their losing political control of their states and thereby resulted in their impeachments. The former governor of Ekiti state had his own local issues. He lost out with the elite of the state, his political party, and other stakeholders. His ordeals had nothing to do with the EFCC. In all the cases, it was obvious that the governors lost out with their political parties and therefore the assembly members were more than willing to act on the thorough investigation reports of the EFCC. The reports were the extent of EFCC’s involvement in those impeachments.

Nuhu Ribadu is the former EFCC chairman.

FG violation of agreements with workers

By Erasmus Ikhide

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ertainly, this is not the best of times for the President.

His apparently clueless government is grappling with a typhoon of industrial actions left of right and right of centre.

The gale of strikes fits the saying in my part of the world that “if the drum deadens its feelings to the hammering effect of stick, it must certainly bear the pounding impact of stone.”

The downward educational slide is such that will create panic amongst followers of these mushroom institutions as to whether the leadership of this nation mean well for the citizens.

Shamefully enough, none of the nation’s university ranks amongst the best 30 universities in Africa!

An international online Universities and Colleges ranking directory (www.4icu.org) has published its current top 100 Universities and Colleges in Africa. The top 10 on the list are universities in South Africa and Egypt while other universities from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Ghana, Morocco and even Sudan lead favourably against six Nigerian universities that appear on the directory’s ranking. They six Nigerian are the University of Ibadan in 32nd position; University of Ilorin, 34th; University of Benin, 40th; ObafemiAwolowo University, Ife, 44th, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 62nd and; University of Jos, 70th. No Nigerian private

university or college made the list. With these findings, no one needs sorcerers or stars gazers to know that our universities and colleges are breeding grounds for mediocrity and incubation of illiteracy.

Strikes take place in order to put pressure on the State or other authorities - a response to unsafe conditions in the workplace, in most cases. Apart from being a clarion call that creates a national emergency, it also serves as a means of educating the public about a country’s economic system. In order words, strike is a continuation of collective bargaining by other methods as much as war is a continuation of diplomacy by other methods.

Now, in what could be described as a near collapse of the nation’s tertiary education sector, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is in the second week of an indefinite strike

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action. The ASUU strike is the newest cart in the bandwagon of industrial actions in the sector.

Nine weeks ago, the academic and non-academic staff unions in Nigerian Polytechnics, under the umbrellas of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUPS), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIPS) and NonAcademic Staff Union (NASU), embarked on a nationwide indefinite strike, over what they termed Federal Government’s insensitivity to their plights.

ASUU’s Chairman in the University of Lagos, UNILAG chapter, KaroOgbinaka, told reporters that the action was as a result of the Federal Government’s failure to honour the Academic Earned Allowance (AEA) which formed a component of the 2009 agreement the government signed with the union. He explained that when this non-payment of allowance was brought to the

notice of the Federal Government, government authorities said that they forgot to include it in the current budget, pleading to make amends in subsequent years. The situation has, however, remained the same since 2009. Before the commencement of the strike, Ogbinika noted that the union had several meetings with the Federal Government on this issue.

The conscience awakening from the striking unions should be lauded by anyone who wants Nigeria to catch up with other nations that are pursuing the MDGs target for total education.

We need to encourage the striking unions. If care is not taken, President Goodluck Jonathan and his minders will sink the nation’s ship. The same people who tell us that Nigeria has a robust and strong economy are the ones telling us that from October, 2013 the government may have problems paying workers’

Now this: how do we explain that federal government is unable to fulfill an agreement that was signed in 2009 with stakeholders in the tertiary institutions four years down the road? Nigerians are not amused by the level of abysmal performance of students in their examination and other academic endeavours. How then do we achieve our goal as a nation to enter the club of 20 leading countries in the world when education – one of the yardstick for measuring the standard of any successful economy – is virtually none-existent?

salaries/¬allowances. Why would government be unable to pay wages as from October if the economy is robust and healthy as Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, the minister of finance and coordinating minister for economy claims? Something is definitely wrong somewhere.

Now this: how do we explain that federal government is unable to fulfill an agreement that was signed in 2009 with stakeholders in the tertiary institutions four years down the road? Nigerians are not amused by the level of abysmal performance of students in their examination and other academic endeavours. How then do we achieve our goal as a nation to enter the club of 20 leading countries in the world when education – one of the yardstick for measuring the standard of any successful economy – is virtually none-existent?

The unions are sending the right messages to the arm-twisting and Iron Curtain President that it is better to face actual business of governance than to be entangled in the politics of brinkmanship and stone walling. It has become clearer, even to the doubting quibblers that President Jonathan is far from possessing the right attitude or the panacea to the nation’s litany of problems. Any hope for the country? These industrial actions are taking place in an administration where the sitting President is a former teacher.

Erasmus writes from Lagos, Nigeria

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Online Comments A time for foreign policy rethink?

By Raheem Oluwafunminiyi

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s a student back at the tertiary level, we were made to understand foreign policy as the extension of a nation’s domestic policy. Therefore, to grasp the inherent meaning of foreign policy as a term is to see it as a basic set of principles adopted by a State to define its relations with other countries or groups of countries. If one is to interrogate deeply and properly Nigeria foreign policy in the last one decade, there is no denying the fact that there is a serious deepening crisis in the way it is promoted to the world. Our foreign policy may look precocious and complacent to its crafters, yet one salient effect is that it has failed in its entirety to give the country and its people the modicum of respect and fear she used to be known for and have decades back.

The question is: what went wrong with our highly respected foreign policypositionjs? Could it be that serious systemic problem with our domestic policies are the reason why we are not getting it right at the international level or how else can we describe a situation whereby we have become a nation which has moved from the sublime to the ridiculous in the way we relate with the world and with ourselves? In Malaysia, India, Libya, Egypt, The Gambia, the United States, Nigerians are hounded, maimed, gagged, robbed,

that black shot at and and majority worse of all killed rule became extra-judicially. a victory for If the above are Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, the people of not meted on text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written that country, Nigerians at donating home and The contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters money, Diaspora, they are - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your helping with confronted with name and a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be logistics and embarrassing addressed to: ensuring acts ranging sanctions from forceful on the deportation, The Editor, international harsh travel Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, stage upon bans, xenophobic the apartheid attacks, high 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. minority visa fees, huge Email: opinion@peoplesdailyng.com rule. Even monetary down SMS: 08134607052 when Britain payment before remained travel among others. With these disinclined to punish the acts against Nigerians should cases continually rearing its ugly apartheid regime, Nigeria was be of interest to the Nigerian head around the world and in quite vocal at the Commongovernment for the more reason specific countries on Nigerians, wealth, leading to the boycott of that since the xenophobic attacks most especially in countries Nigeria years back which led to the death the Common-wealth games. It seem to be in one form of bilateral is quite saddening that Southof many Nigerians, there has been partnership/relationship or the Africa had suddenly forgotten a systematic and clandestine move other with, one begins to wonder by that country’s police and citizens where it was coming from and where Nigeria’s foreign policy those who gave it a safe-landing to frustrate Nigerians either stands in all of these. working or living there. If Nigerians when she needed it the most. No Not too long ago, we were are not attacked, they are killed and nation would sit and watch as inundated with the news of such cases are never really reported such impunity against its citizens Nigerians deported in droves by permeates without necessarily in the media or made known to the the South African immigration for putting its foreign policy to action.

Nigerian embassy. the lame excuse that the former Nigeria’s foreign policy has It is an irony that a country did not possess Yellow Fever failed in this respect and should whose fight against apartheid Cards. It was not until the Nigerian have a proper focus in tackling was fiercely taken up by Nigeria authorities acted swiftly that such such dehumanising attitudes could pay the country back with obstinate attitude from South from belligerent neighbours and all forms of witch-hunting against Africa was corrected. Recent events countries who pose as friends yet its citizens. Nigeria more than in South Africa, most especially are villains to us. any country of the world ensured

WRITE TO US

Coming back to the recent policy enacted by the British government, imposing the payment of a 3000 Pounds bond on Nigerians and some selected countries, one cannot but describe such policy as irreverent, preposterous and obnoxious, most especially when it is coming from the Commonwealth of Nations bridge builder. When we assess this situation critically with past ones, especially the one of September 1986 where the Margaret Thatcher administration decided that travellers from Nigeria and few other countries will require entry visas from their own countries before travelling, one cannot be wrong to state that the UK’s visa policy has always actually been discriminatory against Nigerians despite our shared history.

In a critical situation like this which tends to further damage Nigeria’s already battered image abroad, one would have expected that the Nigerian government to be highly pro-active enough to start targeting British interests in the country, but rather went cold in handling the situation. The summoning of the British High Commissioner, Dr. Andrew Pocock by the Nigerian government and the unwarranted noise made in the legislative chambers of a revenge mission, are not workable solutions to this shocking British policy. Nigeria is just too big to be embarrassed by its former colonial overlords, most especially at a time when Nigeria needs better image laundering.

Raheem Oluwafunminiyi is reachable on LinkedIn.

Our degenerative political culture

By Kayode Oladele

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n Nigeria, party loyalty is now defined and predicated on material reward from public office holders-Local Government Chairpersons, State Governors, Commissioners, and Ministers. The contract system is now a dominant feature of governance. Many party members across board have become emergency contractors, many of them without registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). They want quick money and they blackmail serving office holders when they refused to accede to their requests or pressure. This has produced a culture of what Professor Richard Joseph of NorthWestern University, Evanston, USA calls “prebendalism” – a situation where office holders seek to use their position to assist and enrich loyalists or in particular party members who come to office holders in various guises, as contractors and so on. Above all, party leaders are unable to discipline party members neither are they able to moderate their negative behavior.

There are many factors that account for this. The first is that many of the dominant political parties are not strictly speaking parties of like-minds. They are mere parties of convenience.

Many people joined these parties merely to use them as instruments of getting to power or wealth acquisition. This partly accounts for the high rate of attrition in our political parties and the level of

opportunism. Second, the political parties themselves are not wellrooted to the people. Many of them find layers and buffers that will shield them from the people.

As a result they have to services those layers of hangers-on, thus becoming prisoners to their own responsibility by allowing all manners of people who claimed to represent the people to occupy the gap left open between the political parties and the citizens. Third, many non-career people or people with no visible means of livelihood have joined politics in large numbers, believing that politics is business and that they can make a fortune out of it.

A lot needs to change. Members of political parties must be financial members; this was the basis of party membership in the First and Second republics. Financial membership of a political party makes the individual responsible and committed. This also makes

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the person to view his/herself as a stakeholder rather than a journey man. This principle has the effect of making party membership stable and for members to know themselves and build trust and confidence. Second there is need for party education, whereby party members will be taught the values of party membership and the virtue of selfless service and volunteerism.

Third, they will be taught about their role and relationship with the party-in government.

On their part, political office holders should discourage the culture of cronyism and eye service, they must also discourage the culture of using money to buy loyalty. Political leaders should win the respect of their party members; they must also be above board, transparent and open.

Once party members perceived them as upright and honest they are not likely to go to their offices seeking “free” money. Above all,

political leaders in government should deliver the goods and promises to the taxpayers. In this way, the moral basis of the demand for money or contract by party members will be eroded, as the money was expended in the public good.

What Nigerians need to realize is that everybody cannot be a politician or a party member, and party membership should not be perceived as a dumping site for jobless and irresponsible people.

Neither should it be seen as a site for moneybags nor “money miss road”. All these people pollute the culture of party politics in Nigeria.

The business of party membership should be taken seriously. Political parties should design mechanisms for screening and cross checking the background of individuals and groups seeking to join political parties. I am not suggesting that a cabal should become gatekeepers and exclude some people from

A lot needs to change. Members of political parties must be financial members; this was the basis of party membership in the First and Second republics. Financial membership of a political party makes the individual responsible and committed.

This also makes the person to view his/herself as a stakeholder rather than a journey man. This principle has the effect of making party membership stable and for members to know themselves and build trust and confidence.

party membership, rather I am saying that there is need for a mechanism of double-checking the social and moral backgrounds of would-be party members: this is to ensure that they are not a liability on the party and that they are also worthy citizens that should be accommodated under a party platform.

Until party members begin to view and play politics as selfless public officers and until political officer holders conduct themselves in ways that make governance not a lucrative business but a complex and transparent institution requiring highly technical and managerial skills, party members will continue to take them for granted and believe that they have “free” money to share. The society itself should be contemptuous of those people who approach office holders with all manner of demands. When personal demands are reduced and collective needs and problems addressed, the society is the better for it. Political parties must restore their moral right to discipline or reprimand party members and give general direction on matters.

This is why party leaders and party Executives should be made up of people who are morally upright and accountable. The element of populism that has characterized the nature of party leadership in Nigeria for such a long time should be eschewed.If we must get our politics right, then we must get the right party membership.

Kayode Oyadele is on Facebook

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 15

Comment Nigeria’s dysfunctional leadership

By Mohd Musa

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or all the invocations of hope and change, the proclamation of making Nigeria a stable democracy and economically viable nation, the country is still far away from being any better. Apart from the unending media advocacy of structural reformations and the massive corruption that have eaten the fabric of the nation nothing else can be said to look better as all sectors have merely worsened. And all we hear and read in the media are relics and reeks of intellectual and dogma- policy exhaustion and the unending journey to making the country more pitiable from hired mouth-pieces of the powers that be.

The situation is becoming very pathetic as national estimates say about 70% of the population are living below the poverty line, while insecurity and heinous crimes have become a big problem. Amusingly, the infrastructural development touted has remained witless, such as the construction of befitting, standardly equipped health and educational institutions and the transportation system is nonexistent as the roads can only be tagged as mere death traps.

Everything has become a mirage with “the continuous lack of priority, probity and prudence patriotism spending thrift” which unimaginably thrives at the expense of the weak despite the many billions of naira that the nation’s treasury banked for the purpose of better service delivery.

According to World Bank report poverty rates remain very high in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas, yet our political rulers see nothing wrong but rather keep insinuating that it is good while signs are very much in the open that we as a nation we are sliding the wrong direction. We are becoming worse off than we were before the advent of democratic rule 14 years ago.

It is high time that all the voices of reason stand up now and say it as it is that we cannot continue as we are, enough of this show of failure and potentates reprobate in the false name of service delivery and dividend of democracy. It is a wrong insinuation as we have found ourselves as a nation in the hands of nonentities that view leadership as a means of selfinvestment return.

A food for thought is to look at the style of leadership in some other African countries that should be a good lesson for our nation, the citizens and the political leaders. A

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nation full of hope and aspiration for greatness must not be allowed to flaw, its virtues must stand to midwife its failures and successes.

In our country all our hopes of a new democratic beginning have been mercilessly drifted, our diversity that should have been our strength has created in us a lack of confidence, intolerance and the fear of the unknown.

We have a dysfunctional political leadership, our nation slithering to a police state where everything is treated with suspense, youth turning against self, education falling flatly hence building no future, wanton abuse of power. Imagine the show of shame exhibited by our 36 elected governors when 16 proclaimed greater than 19, look at the destructive avalanche in the Rivers State legislative assembly were 5 dishonourable lawless members claim impeaching their leader in a 32 member body in the presence of the State Police Chief given security

cover. Imagine the shameful re-commissioning of an already commissioned federal highway in the name of another cover up for the sinking of billions of our hard earned fortune and unbridled terror acts that has never been known to us or our culture. We are no longer our brother’s keepers and yet the leadership pronouncements are always affirmative despite the negativity. The question is where and how can we hold back our imagined lust for greatness?

A leader that serves common good and does just that will remember the majority of vulnerable people. He or she will not only revive that long lost sense of historic responsibility but hope of building consensus for genuine and patriotic advancement of the whole society. A test of a fledgling democracy like ours is not just how best it cares for the minority elites, but how best it can protect the majority against the failure of the few elite minority to provide

We have a dysfunctional political leadership, our nation slithering to a police state where everything is treated with suspense, youth turning against self, education falling flatly hence building no future, wanton abuse of power. Imagine the show of shame exhibited by our 36 elected governors when 16 proclaimed greater than 19, look at the destructive avalanche in the Rivers State legislative assembly were 5 dishonourable lawless members claim impeaching their leader in a 32 member body in the presence of the State Police Chief given security cover.

desirable good governance. In our nation today the negative dynamics in terms of power evolution has become consistent, as every leadership that emerged thrived with negativity in either its policy formulation or poor will of implementation. However, the perception of Nigerians is increasing in the direction of a non performing leadership. The high population of un-employed youth, the nonfunctional pension operation system for retirees, the bad and corrupt policing system has made it worst for the nation to find ways to gainfully alleviate the situation we found ourselves in the hands of these non-performing rulers.

Nigeria’s annual growth rates that has been averagely mentioned to be 7% in official data is nothing but a conceivable deception. Nigeria by this figure is placed among the fastest growing economies in the world meaning the nation is doing well.

But Nigerians see it and feel it differently as we are still battling for daily meals, the ordinary man’s mind is filled with an idea that when you talk of service delivery by government it is all about Corruption, and this issue has alienated the core institutions in the eyes of the ordinary as mere centres of embezzlement and adrift with weak and poorly administered civil service that have equally helped in the squander mania spree. How long can this continue when a majority battle for a meal per day?

Mohd Musa via momusa@hotmail.com

60-year march to democratic rule

By Jibrin Ibrahim

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his week, I share my reflections on AhmaduKurfi book “Sixty Years Long March Towards Democracy: Nigeria’s General Elections 1951 –2011” published by Safari Books, Ibadan. The book is a compendium that reviews all the twelve general elections we have had in Nigeria since 1951. Only AhmaduKurfi, MaradinKatsina, could have written such a book because he has been a keen and informed observer of all of the elections. A graduate of the University of Hull in the United Kingdom, he became an assistant administrative officer in 1958 and was in charge of voter registration in the Abuja/Lapai Federal Constituency and electoral officer in Kontogora Federal Constituency in the 1959 general elections. He kept faith with electoral administration and was to become the Executive Secretary of the Federal Electoral Commission in 1979.

I had the privilege of serving with him on the Electoral Reform Committee established by the Umaru Musa Yar’adua administration where we all appreciated his vast knowledge of electoral matters. The MaradinKatsina has been consistently devoted to the struggle

for free and fair elections. We must celebrate him because Nigeria is a country where the people are committed to free and fair elections but the elite is disdainful of the people’s franchise and has a long history of subverting the people’s mandate.

The book starts with a review of restricted franchise of the citizen in the 1951 and 1954 elections. In the North, the elections were indirect, conducted through five stages under the tutelage of the Native Administration system from the village through to the chiefdom.The outcomes were therefore largely determined by traditional rulers, as Maradi points out, including his own father who was then the MaradinKatsina. In the North, women were denied the franchise while in the South, mandate restriction was based on the tax status of individuals.

The book reviews the close connection between elections and political instability in Nigerian history. At this period when Nigeria’s unity is extremely fragile, it is important to read his account of the 1964 elections in which massive electoral fraud eventually led to the coup d’état and civil war that ravaged Nigeria.The elections were contested between the NPCled NNA alliance and the NCNC led UPGA Alliance. He points out

that issues were already settled before the elections such as NNA @winning@ 66 seats. These seats were declared unopposed because the electoral officers simply disappeared after receiving the nomination from the ruling party in a context in which the law required that candidates must personally hand in their nomination forms to the electoral officer.

The then President, NnamdiAzikiwe, was so disgusted that he declared that it was better for Nigeria “to disintegrate in peace not in pieces”.During the elections of the 1950s and 1960s, it was one ballot box per candidate that was used and it was possible for voters to pocket their votes and sell to party agents who would later go in and place multiple ballots in the box. Parties that could fraudulently obtain ballot papers also simply stuffed the ballot boxes of their candidates.

One of the most serious challenges in organising Nigerian elections that the book examines is the nomination of candidates.

The book has detailed analysis of the screening process and attempts to prevent Joseph Tarka, NnamdiAzikiwe, Aminu Kano and OdimegwuOjukwu from contesting elections on the basis that they did not meet the criteria set out to be candidates in the elections.

The intrigue around candidates all reveals the reluctance of Nigeria’s political class to accept that the ordinary voter should the arbiter.

At the analytical level, one of the most important lessons we learn from the book is the way in which incumbency has been used to rig second round elections.

While the elections of 1959, 1979 and 1999 were relatively free and fair, incumbents used state power to massively rig elections that organised in 1964, 1983, 2003 and 2007.As he puts it, state power was used to “deliver” votes for the ruling party. A chapter is devoted to a detailed explication of the various forms of rigging that have characterised Nigerian elections over the past sixty years.

One of the most controversial aspects of the 1979 elections was the determination of whether the election had been won on the first round. The law stipulated that to win on the first round, the candidate must obtained at least one quarter of the votes cast in two thirds of the states in the country.

There were at that time nineteen states in the country and FEDECO, the electoral commission was of the view that two thirds of nineteen is 12 two thirds of states.

Mathematically, this amounted to 12.66. The candidate of the National Party of Nigeria,

ShehuShagari got a quarter of the votes cast in twelve states. For the thirteenth state, he only got two thirds of 0.66 and the returning officer was of the view that this was sufficient to declare him winner.

This decision generated controversy as the opposition believed that to win, it was necessary to obtain two thirds of the 13th state rather than two thirds of 0.66 of the state. The matter went to court and the decision of FEDECO was upheld.What we learn from Kurfi’s book is that the general assumption was that FEDECO conspired to deny the candidate with the second highest votes, ObafemiAwolowo, the right to go to the Electoral College for a final decision on the winner.

His own argument, however was that assumption was wrong.

The book provides a very positive perspective on the future of Nigerian elections. The author argues that the 2011 elections should be celebrated as a major achievement in the nation’s long march todemocratic rule.He argues that even the cancellation of the April 2nd elections was positive as it indicated an electoral commission that was ready to talk the truth to Nigerians.

Jibrin Ibrahim is executive director, Centre for Democracy and Development, Abuja.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 16

Gwagwalada youth decry unemployment

By Usman Shuaibu

K

asuwa-Dare Concerned youths in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has decried over the high rate of unemployment in the council, calling on the Chairman, Hon. Abubakar Jibrin to provide employments for them in the area.

The Chairman of the group, Mr. Musa Ahmad, also urged the chairman to give priority attention to the skills acquision programme in order to empower the less privileged ones for self-employed.

Ahmad, who made the call while speaking to Peoples Daily in explained that the Kusuwa-Dare Concerned Youth, was formed to fight for the welfare of the youths in Gwagwalada.

He said that his leadership would continue to partner with the administration of the Council to achieve his goals, pointing out that the association was targeted at providing a conducive environment for the youths through the collaborative efforts of the government in Gwagwalada.

He further appealed to the administration of Gwagwalada Area Council to rehabilitate the rural roads to enable the farmers transport their farm produce to urban market for sale.

CITEC advocates integration for FCT indigenes

By Adeola Tukuru

A

private developer in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CITEC Integrated Building Products Limited has advocated for integration of original natives in Abuja instead of resettlement as proposed by the government in the Centre.

The Executive Director, General Services of CITEC, Nurudeen I.Jinadu explained that resettlement of original natives is not the best way of treating the original habitants in the FCT ,stressing that persons irrespective of their class, social status and places of origins have the right to live in the territory.

Nurudeen condemned the attitude of displacing people as well as sending them away from their natural place of dwelling, adding that the best way of handling such delicate issue regarding the native is to get the integrated into the system by making them leave in designated places assigned ,and build for them by the government.

He made references to the best democracy in the world which is the United States of America, saying when they had to moved their capital from New York to Washington D.C due to unbearable nature of the former capital, nobodybody was displaced adding that during such processes no Americans were happily integrated rather than the so-call resettlement as it is being done in Nigeria.

President/founder, Life International Foundation, Dr. Olubunmi wilson, presenting food items to people, during the Foundation’s Ramadan Outreach Programme, on Saturday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Ramadan: Dutse residents lament over scarcity of eggs

R

esidents of Dutse in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed concern over acute scarcity of eggs amid growing demand of the commodity occasioned by the Ramadan fast.

A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Dutse Market showed that dealers had run out of stock of the commodity due to lack of supply from the farms.

NAN reports that prices had shot up by about 70 per cent at the commencement of the Ramadan fast on Wednesday.

A crate of assorted eggs was sold

at N950 in a few available poultry houses as against N650 before the Ramadan period.

Alhaji Audu Babannan, an egg dealer, attributed the scarcity to increase in the demand of the commodity.

Babannan said that dealers were not getting supply from the farms, which had led to the hike in price.

“We are not getting supply of eggs from Jos and the few poultry houses operating in Dutse can not meet the growing demand,” he said.

Mrs Furaira Sani, a resident, blamed the traders for the scarcity,

alleging that they were hoarding the commodity to exploit the consumers.

Sani added that the situation had forced her to abandoned eggs from the poultry homes and patronised the one from the local chicken.

“I am now using guinea fowl eggs in spite of its smaller size,” Furaira said, adding that the situation was causing heavy drain on her pockets.

Another resident, Ahmad Musa, said he had dropped eggs from his shopping menu due to the exorbitant prices.

Musa appealed to the traders to reduce the prices to enable Muslim faithful break the fast with nutritious meals.

NAN reports also that there was hike on fruits and other perishable produces.

A measure of tomato was sold at N600, pepper N650 and onions N250 as against the old prices of N200 N250 and N100 respectively.

Similarly, oranges were sold at N140 as against N100, while a bunch of banana goes for N250 and pine apple was sold at N300 as against N150 and N200, respectively. (NAN)

Nutritionist seeks regular intake of carrot to avoid cancer

A

nutritionist at the Wuse General Hospital, FCT, Mrs. Jummai Abdul, has advised people to take carrots regularly to guard against cancer.

Abdul told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that carrot contains anti-carcinogens and beta-carotene substances that aid removal of worms in children.

She said anti-carcinogens help to fight against diseases, adding that consumption of betacarotene reduced risks of cancer, especially lung cancer.

According to her, betacarotene is a strongly-coloured pigment that can be derived from plants and fruits and is fatsoluble.

Abdul said “Beta-carotene fights off cancers of the stomach,

cervix, uterus and the oral cavity, and could help in the prevention of heart diseases, due to its antioxidant abilities. ``There is a need to get the normal level of antioxidants in our bloodstream to reduce the risk of cancer. ``Consumption of carrots increases the level of key antioxidants in the bloodstream, such as fibre -rich carrots, which reduces one’s risk of colon cancer, by as much as 24 per cent. ``Women who eat raw carrots are five to eight times less likely to develop breast cancer; eating carrots regularly can also help people reduce the risk of having stroke by 68 per cent. ``People who eat carrot regularly are at less risk of having

stroke, than those who only consume it once in a month. ``Regular consumption of carrots reduces cholesterol level because it contains fibre, known as soluble fibre calcium pectate,” she said.

She also said that soluble fibre could help in eliminating bile acids, and advised people with eye problems to always eat carrot, a good source of vitamin A. ``Deficiency of vitamin ‘A’ poses difficulty for people to see in dim light; it is good to always eat carrots to improve eyesight. ``Carrot helps to strengthen the eyes and keep mucus membranes of all cavities of the body in healthy condition,” she said.

She said benefits that could be derived from carrots include prevention of gastric ulcer and other digestive disorders. ``Ingestion of carrot can help in the treatment of diseases such as appendicitis, peptic ulcer, dyspepsia, stress, fatigue and also energises the body. ``Eating carrots will boost development of healthy skin, hair, bones, eyesight as well as cleanse the body. ``Raw or grated form of carrot can be used for wounds, cuts and inflammation,” she said.

She, however, advised that carrots and other vegetables should be washed before consumption to avoid infections resulting from poor hygiene.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 18

Metro

INSIDE FCT COURTS

Court discharges driver who allegedly abducted teenager

A

n Abuja Senior Magistrates Court has discharged a driver, Yakubu Yahaya, 25, alleged to have abducted a 15-year-old girl.

Yahaya, of Angwan Sarki Village, Karmo was tried for abducting the teenager from her home at Angwan Cement Village on June 1.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr Abdullahi Illelah, struck out the case and discharged the accused following a pronouncement by the police prosecutor, Cpl. Simon Emmanuel. ``Yahaya, charged with alleged abduction of Malachy, has been under investigation and report has confirmed that she has been found to be with another man, ``In view of the present

Two men, lady docked for alleged joint act, attempt to commit offence

T

he police on Wednesday arraigned two men and a lady in Karu Upper Area Court for alleged joint act and unlawful possession of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.

They are Terry Asough, 30, Timothy Hainogo, 24, and Miss Vincen Onu, 22, all of no fixed address.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Tangshak Jerry, told the court that Asp Akanji Lawal and a team of policemen, attached to Nyanya Police Station in the FCT, arrested the accused persons on July 10.

Jerry said that while members of the team were on patrol in Nyanya, Abuja, they saw the accused smoking dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.

The prosecutor alleged that the three were waiting to snatch women’s handbags along Burial Ground road in Nyanya which he said amounted to an attempt to commit an offence.

He said the offences of joint act, unlawful possession of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and an attempt to commit an offence contravened sections 79, 319a and 95 of the Penal Code.

The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted them bail in the sum of N50,000 each with one credible surety each in like sum.

He said the sureties must be living within the court’s jurisdiction, and adjourned the case to Sept. 4, 2013 for further hearing. (NAN)

situation, we urge the court to terminate the first information report (FIR) of the accused, as further investigation continues to arrest the culprit,’’ Emmanuel said.

Senior Magistrate Abdullahi Illelah said, ``The FIR, No CR/356/2013, against Yakubu Yahaya, a driver of Anguwan Sarki, Karmo, Abuja, is hereby terminated and the accused discharged.’’

Earlier, Emmanuel had told the court that Mr P Malachy of Angwan Cement Village, FCT, reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on June 1.

He said the complainant reported that Yahaya went to his house and abducted his daughter and ran away to an unknown destination.

The prosecutor said the accused claimed to be the boyfriend of the abducted child and that both of them were seen together on several occasion.

(NAN)

Traders display their wares yesterday outside Wuse Market, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Student jailed for attempt to defile 6-year old girl …It’s the devil’s handwork, says accused

A

n Abuja Senior Magistrates Court has sentenced one student, Akande Abiodun, 29, of Kuchingoro, Airport Road, to three months imprisonment for attempted defilement.

The accused, while pleading guilty told the court said: “Lord, it the devil’s handwork, and I will

not do that again.’’

Senior Magistrate Nafisat Ibrahim sentenced the accused with an option of N10,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

Earlier, the Police prosecutor, Cpl. Francis Tanko, told the court that one Emmaunella Osajie, the

mother of six-year old girl of 86 Army Barracks, Kubwa, reported the case at the Wuse Police station.

Tanko said that the complainant had reported that the convict came to her office at Poly Plaza, Wuse, on the pretext of coming to type a document.

He said that the convict made advances at her child, took her upstairs, kissed her twice on the lips and put his finger in her private part thereby trying to defile the child.

According to him, the child ran and alerted her mother of the incident (NAN).

Police dock wood dealer for allegedly buying stolen car

A

35-year-old wood dealer, Obinna Achifuna, has appeared in an Abuja Senior Magistrates Court for allegedly buying a stolen Toyota Corolla car, a charge he denied.

The police arraigned the accused on a one count of receiving stolen property.

Police prosecutor Abiola

Oyewusi told the court that one Tony Mohammed and two others, not identified, stole the car and sold it to the accused for N600,000.

Oyewusi said that after their arrest on Feb. 21 at Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, the suspected car thieves confessed to stealing the vehicle and selling it to Achifuna.

He said the offence contravened Section 317 of the Penal Code.

Section 317 says ``whoever dishonestly receives or retains a stolen property knowing or having reason to believe the same to be stolen property shall be punished with imprisonment.’’

The offence carries a

maximum jail term of 14 years with an option of fine or both.

Senior magistrate Bashir Alkali granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 with two reasonable sureties in like sum who must be civil servants not below grade level 08.

He adjourned the case to Aug. 7,2013 for hearing. (NAN)

Man, 46, arraigned for alleged criminal breach of trust

T

he police has arraigned one George Onouha, 46, in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates Court, Abuja, for alleged criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The Prosecutor, Mr Angor Umar, told the court that the matter was lodged by Mohammed Usman of Plot 234, Jabi, Abuja at

the Wuse Zone 3 police station, Abuja, on July 5.

He said that sometime in November 2011, Onouha, of No .5, Victoria St., Isolo, Lagos, collected N190,000 from Usman and promised to help him to get a visa to Romania for three people.

The prosecutor added that ``instead of doing what he

promised, the accused diverted the money to his personal use and ran away.’’ ``He absconded to an unknown destination and was not seen until he was arrested recently.’’

However, the accused pleaded not guilty.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr.

Mohammed Anka, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 and a responsible surety in like sum who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.

He said the surety must be a civil servant and adjourned the case to Sept. 2 for further hearing.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 19

INSIDE

LCCI appeals to FG on cargo clearing at Apapa Port T he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), at the weekend, said the replacement of Cotecna Destination Inspection Ltd. as a service provider at the Apapa Port, Lagos, had created gaps in cargo clearing.

In a statement in Lagos, the chamber’s Director-General, Mr. Muda Yusuf said the replacement

had resulted in delay in scanning containers and other activities, leading to more congestion at the port.

However, an official of the Global Scansystems Ltd. (GSL), which replaced Cotecna, has debunked the allegation, saying that the company had lived up to expectations.

Yusuf had said in the

statement, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the Federal Government’s efforts in ensuring cargo clearance within 48 hours were being frustrated by the replacement of Cotecna.

He said that the situation was impacting negatively on the private sector and Nigeria’s economy at large.”The delay in scanning and

L-R: Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Engineer Emeka Ezeh, Chairman, House Committee on Public Procurement, Hon. Jumoke Okoya- Thomas, Head of Service, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character, Senator Idris Kuta, during BPP’s procurement workshop , yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

inspection at the port leads to high demurrage charges. High cost of interest on borrowed funds by importers is inevitable. There will be disruptions of production schedules of manufacturers because raw materials will be stuck at the port,’’ he said.

Yusuf said that the slow pace of cargo clearing would aggravate corruption and extortion.

He added that there might be increased inflation as goods were not being quickly cleared from the port to meet relevant needs.

The Director-General appealed to the Federal Government to investigate the situation and discuss with stakeholders on the way forward.

“The presidential Taskforce on the ports should be involved in the investigation. The Lagos Port Complex is very strategic to the economy because of the volume of cargo that passes through it.

“Any decision regarding the choice of inspection agent or any service provider should be based strictly on the capacity to deliver.

“The Nigerian economy offers tremendous opportunities for investors, but an enabling environment is essential for investors to take advantage of these opportunities,” he said.

Reacting, Public Relations Officer, Global Scansystems Ltd., Mr. Adile Iroajughi said that the company took over scanning activities at the port five weeks ago, and had surpassed the records of past operators.

(NAN)

Experts predict double digit inflation, weaker Naira ahead

By Abdulwahab Isa with agency report

W

ith the political crisis looming in the Nigerian space, experts say the days leading to the 2015 poll are indeed hazy for the nation’s economy, especially with key indicators on the plunge.

A quarterly publication by London-based analysts at Standard Chartered Bank (StanChart) noted Nigeria’s political cycle, the slowing economic growth and intensified spending ahead of the 2015 elections.

According to the report authored by Razia Khan, Regional Head of Research, Africa at StanChart, while GDP growth could stagnate at 6.6 per cent this year, like 2012, it would increase by 7.4 per cent in 2014.

The Naira is projected to exchange at N159 to the US$ by this year, but fall to N163/$ as

the election year kicks in and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) slowing down in its defence the nation’s currency against external pressure.

The report also projects that while the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBN would continue to retain the benchmark Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 12 percent this year, it may rise to 14 percent next year, just as the Consumer Price Index, which stood at 12.2 percent last year is forecast to close 2013 at 9.2 percent, before rising to 11.0 percent by 2014.

According to Khan, “We expect inflation to remain in single digits until the end of 2013, allowing the monetary policy rate (MPR) to remain unchanged at 12% this year. Although many had predicted a greater risk of easing following the achievement of single-digit inflation, recent pressure on the Naira– given market expectations

of a tapering of Quantitative Easing in the U.S. – as well as concern about Nigeria’s political cycle and spending pressures, will likely keep the monetary policy committee on hold.

The situation, StanChart said, is worsened by the weakening oil output relative to ambitious budget targets, especially as the Federal Government repeatedly dips into the excess crude reserves for help.

“With only modest spending increases envisaged in 2013, a budget deficit of 2.17 percent was initially forecast. However, oil production, reportedly averaging 2.1 to 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), has fallen short of the 2.53m bpd assumed in the 2013 budget.

“In June, output may have hit a low of 1.9mmbd. This has necessitated more frequent augmentation of revenue from Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account (ECA), the “unallocated” earnings

belonging to the three tiers of the Federation. Dipping into oil savings to finance spending may result in a narrower budget deficit for 2013,” the report added.

Nigeria to lose Africa’s top oil producer status next - Pg 20 year Steps you need to follow to save your phone if it dropped into liquid

- Pg 21 CBN

Exchange Rates

as at 15th July, 2013 Selling Buying

$

154.76

155.76

€

233.54

235.05

£

201.63

202.92

41.26

41.53

Riyal

Parallel Rates Buying

Selling

$

157.50

158.40

€

250

253.00

£

206.00

210.00

Riyal

43.00

45.00

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY

Know how others really see you

Y

ou may think you already know how others view you—as a skilled facilitator or a manager who always brings out the best in her team—but you might be surprised. To find out what people really think, try these three things: Seek out patterns in your paper trail. Look at past performance reviews or recommendations letters.

What do people consistently say about you?

Examine your on-line presence. Google yourself. If there are any damaging or erroneous

links, it’s better to find out now (so you can take action), rather than having a potential client or employer discover them.

Conduct your own 360 review. Individually invite trusted colleagues, your boss, and your employees out for coffee. Tell them you’re working to raise the bar professionally, and ask for their honest feedback: What do you do well? Where could you grow?

Source: Business Review

Harvard

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 20

Energy Company News

Total Upstream Nigeria

T

otal Upstream Nigeria has awarded Saipem a $3-billion contract involving the Egina field subsea facilities offshore Nigeria.

Saipem’s work scope covers engineering, procurement, fabrication, installation, and precommissioning of 52 km of oil production and water injection flowlines; 12 flexible jumpers; 20 km of gas export pipelines; 80 km of umbilicals and the mooring and off-loading systems.

The contractor will conduct marine activities during 2016 and into Q2, 2017. Most of the fabrication will be handled by the Saipem Rumoulumeni Yard, in Port Harcourt.

Standards Organisation of Nigeria

Nigeria to lose Africa’s top oil producer status next year Stories by Etuka Sunday with agency report

N

igeria may be on course to losing its ranking as the biggest oil producer in Africa to Angola, as rising crude oil thefts, delay over the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and other complications, are taking a heavy toll on the country’s production volume, while Angola is ramping up production with a few new field start-ups.

Angola, Africa’s second biggest oil producer, will produce 2 million barrels per day (bpd) next year, or in 2015, meeting a target it had planned to reach in 2013, according to Jose Maria Botelho de Vasconcelos, the country’s oil minister. After three consecutive years of decline, production

increased by 4.5 percent in 2012 to an average of 1.73 million bpd.

“Based on the data we have, the increase in production to 2 million barrels of oil per day may take place between 2014 and 2015,” the oil minister told Bloomberg in an interview on the sidelines of a conference in the capital, Luanda, last week.

In May this year, Angola produced more oil than Nigeria, and could upstage it as early as next year, if Nigeria fails to overhaul its stagnating oil and gas industry, analysts said.

According to OPEC’s July 2013 Monthly Oil Market Report released last week, figures show that in May, Nigeria produced 1,676,000 bpd, compared to Angola’s 1,730,000. April was also close, with Angola producing 1,711,000 bpd to Nigeria’s

1,727,000 bpd.

“Angola could overtake Nigeria in the near future, if the situation in Nigeria does not improve.

The reason is not necessarily because Angolan production is rising sharply, but it is due to Nigerian output falling. Angola does not have the capacity to produce more than Nigeria yet,” Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at Energy Aspects said, reports the Financial Times.

Crude oil theft has thwarted Nigeria from coming near the 2.53 million bpd estimate in the 2013 budget and caused huge revenue losses, estimated at over $1.23 billion (N190 billion) in the first quarter. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had last week said that it lost a total of 11.7 million barrels of crude oil to thieves who

vandalised its pipelines between 2009 and 2012, amounting to N437.34 billion.

Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company(SPDC), last Thursday shut a trunk line of the Trans Niger Pipeline following a leak, barely a week after reopening it.

The 24-inch trunk line, which is part of a broader pipeline route that carries 150,000 barrels of oil a day, through the Niger Delta to the Bonny terminal, has been the target of oil thieves in recent months.

T

he Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has destroyed sub-standard products worth over N2billion.

Engineer Bidi Obayo, who supervised the destruction of the goods on behalf of SON’s Director General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, explained that the devices destroyed would have been an insult to the intelligence of the Nigerian consumers as well as a great threat to life if allowed into the market “Once you patronise a sub-standard product, you are indirectly killing our local industries and by extension endangering your lives and that of others,” he said.

Assoc. of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria

A

dvertising agency owners and other Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) stakeholders have been urged to contribute their quota towards the growth and development of the Nigerian advertising industry.

Bunmi Oke was re-elected president of the association for a second term in office at the 40th anniversary of the association’s annual general meeting (AGM) and congress which held at the Obasanjo Library, Abeokuta, the Ogun state. The event was formally declared open by the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

Oke, the second woman to lead the forty year old association was elected unopposed at the business session of the AGM.

Mninster of Petroleum, Diezani Alison- Madueke

Manitoba summit focuses on food, energy

B Nigerian workers gather at HD Petroleum to learn ways to turn waste oil into diesel fuel. Africa has the fastest economic growth in the world.

NNRC harps on good governance in oil & gas sector

P

iqued by the prevailing corrupt practices in the oil and gas sector, the Nigerian Natural Resource Charter (NNRC) has advocated good governance of the nation’s natural resources, particularly in the oil and gas sector.

The NNRC, in its ‘12 Precepts of Resource Management’ released recently, emphasised that the resources should be harnessed and managed in a transparent manner that serves the interest of the populace.

The Programme Manager, NNRC, Mr. Ademola Oshodi, said that the precept is set of principles for governments and societies on how best to harness the opportunities created by extractive resources for development of the

country.

He said the NNRC has produced the most comprehensive and independent reference book on oil and gas in Nigeria, and was designed to cover the entire decision chain in the management of natural resources, identifying the weak links and areas or improvements guide policy agenda.

According to him, promoting good governance in all aspects, including upholding the rule of law, improving the efficiency and accountability of the public sector, and tackling corruption, were essential elements of a framework within which economies can prosper.

The precepts stipulate that: “Governments owning natural resources have the responsibility

to manage the resources for the benefit of current and future citizens. Where the revenues from resource extraction are properly managed they can help to alleviate poverty, generate economic growth and develop the economy, thus sustaining a more prosperous future,” The charter covers maximising benefits for all citizens, promoting transparency and accountability, better sector governance, environment, society and local benefits, the role of national resource companies, investing the revenues, smoothing revenue volatility, better public spending, encouraging private investment, the role of international governments and the role of international companies.

usinesses, inventors and experts have converged in Manitoba sharing homegrown know-how with Nigerian business and government leaders to take back and prosper. They took part in business tours and a summit Friday organised by members of the Nigerian Diaspora in Manitoba, Canada.

“The major topic this time is energy,” said Ed Onyebuchi, the Winnipeg spokesman for the summit including 30 visitors from Nigeria.

On Friday, Nigerian visitors met with a solar-energy company in the morning and HD-Petroleum in the afternoon. The Manitoba company turns used motor oil into diesel.

HD-Petroleum’s “microrefinery” requires a population of less than 500,000 to collect enough used oil to be profitable.

Earlier in the week, the visitors travelled to Portage la Prairie to learn about food processing and preservation opportunities.

On Saturday, the visitors from Nigeria will take part in a day-long look at economic opportunities featuring Manitoba know-how — including how to produce electricity and fresh water from landfills.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 21

Airtel pledges support to SMEs in South-South

Ict Intel plans to provide laptops for teachers in Lagos

G

L-R: Ms. Chioma H. Anyanyu, Engr. Emeka Unachukwu, President, Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture and Chief Sales Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Inusa Bello, during the Entrepreneurial Forum, organised by the South Regional office of Airtel Nigeria, at the Hotel Presidential, in Port Harcourt.

Stories by Chris Alu

L

eading telecommunications operator, Airtel Nigeria, has pledged its commitment to the growth and development of the nation’s economy through a sustained empowerment of the Small and Medium Enterprise operators (SMEs).

Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director, Airtel Nigeria, Deepak Srivastava, made the commitment in his welcome address at the Entrepreneurial Forum organised by the company for the people of Niger Delta region in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

According to Mr. Srivastava, who was represented by the Chief Sales Officer, Inusa Bello, Airtel believes that scaling up capacity building for the sector would infuse confidence especially in

the youth and motivate them to embrace entrepreneurship as one sure way of confronting the problem of unemployment in the country as well as eradicating poverty in the region.

Speaking further, Srivastava said, “It is interesting to note that efforts like this forum arose as a direct response to the yearnings of the youth who rather than wait for the so-called white collar jobs, are determined to take their destinies in their own hands by using their talents and skills to design a future of hope and fulfillment for themselves.”

He assured that Airtel would always welcome every opportunity to continue its role as a catalyst; nurturing the entrepreneurial dreams and aspirations of Nigerians and creating wealth across the country.

Said he; “I assure Nigerians that Airtel will always support initiatives that will unleash the talent and innate abilities of the Nigerian youths and open doors of economic abundance for all.

According to him, Airtel would continue to be innovative in its offerings and strategic in building capacities to ensure that both its existing and potential customers enjoy the best telecoms service experience that human ingenuity could offer.”

Speaking in the same vein, the Chief Executive Officer of Visible Impact, Fela Durotoye and President, Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Engr. Emeka Unachukwu, both speakers at the Entrepreneurial Forum, called on the Nigerian youths to take up the challenge of freeing them-

selves from the shackle of unemployment by taking bold steps towards creating jobs for themselves and others through entrepreneurship.

The Entrepreneurial Forum, which was attended by over 600 entrepreneurs from across the Niger Delta region, was put together by Airtel in conjunction with the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture and VTB Consulting.

Amongst other objectives, the forum was intended to promote and enhance entrepreneurship in the Niger Delta region, develop sustainable wealth-creation capacity for budding businessmen and create platforms for networking, synergy and advocacy among emerging entrepreneurs in the region.

Steps you need to follow to save your phone if it dropped into liquid

L

arge number of mobile phone users often dropped their cell phones in water, sink and even sometime while doing fishing at their favorite stream, and this can affect or damage it badly.

Do you know, according to a source, more than 6 out of every 10 people mistakenly or accidentally dropped their cell phones in water tank, sink or toilet?

Remember, getting mobile wet means you have to replace it or buy a new one. However, for saving the cell phone, you need to be quick enough. Below, we have provided some tips on “How do you save a wet mobile?

1.

Firstly, take out your device out of the water quickly because the small hole for the microphone, charging point and USB cable connector will freely permit water to enter the cell phone within few seconds. Therefore, take out phone from water, and turn it off quickly as leave it in on mode will cause it to short

circuit.

2.

After the first step, you need to disassemble it, which mean remove all other peripheral and parts like battery, memory cards SIM card, mobile cover, keypad, etc, the reason behind this is that water gets everywhere, and by removing its parts you can use tissue for absorbing the water.

3.

If you are at home, then you can use a vacuum cleaner for sucking out the water from the inner part of the cell phone. Remember, do not hold the cleaner too close to the cell as it creates static electricity that can damage your phone more than water. But, do not use a hair dryer to dry out your device because it may force the moisture or water further inward.

4.

Dry and uncooked rice is another best solution to any kind of water damage to cell. You need container and fill it up with rice, put mobile in the container and close it up. You have to leave the device at least for one night, while

most of the best repair service providers recommend leaving phone for 24 hours. After waited for 24 hours, and then turn on the cell. If it not working, then take it to a mobile repair company. You can also look for a particular repair company that is specialized in a particular set like HTC mobile repair, HP repair service center, Apple repair service center, etc.

Note: Suppose, the accidents happened at the place where you cannot find a cleaner, tissue, napkins or any other things. In this situation, put the cell phone on the dashboard, and parked your car in a place that gets lots of sunshine.

Check if the screen of the phone is fogged after half an hour, and if the screen still foggy put it on the dashboard back. But, if it is not foggy, then put the battery in and boot up your device.

(Source: Acma Tech)

lobal telecommunications giant, Intel Corporation has said it is collaborating with Digital Konsult, a laptop provider, to help teachers own personal laptops in the country, for teachers to increase their knowledge base, improve their teaching skills and help students learn better and faster.

The laptops will come with free 200 MB of data bundle for the first five months.

The project, an initiative of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Lagos state chapter, aligns with the objectives of Intel Corporation’s ‘Create Your Tomorrow’ campaign.

The campaign seeks to help consumers unlock their potentials and develop their Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills.

Besides, it affords them the opportunity to own personal computers at convenient payment terms that suit their status.

Speaking on the initiative, Business Development manager, Intel West Africa, Stanley Muoneke explained that the project was in line with Intel’s mission to create and extend computing technology so as connect and enrich the lives of people around the globe.

“At Intel, we understand the importance of technology and how it can enrich the people, especially in the area of education, which is why we are creating opportunities for people to own computers and to also train them on how to use it to reach their full potentials”, he stated.

He stressed that: “We believe technology can be a very useful tool in the educational sector. It gives people more access to information that could expand their knowledge base. For us at Intel, education is not only about the students but also about the teachers and the content they teach students.

“We are committed to contributing to the growth of the Nigerian educational system through the use of technology; this is why will continue to explore every opportunity available so that we can provide the necessary materials and training to help students and teachers improve, in order that they can be seen at their best, both nationally and internationally”, he affirmed.

In his remarks, state chairman of the NUT, Lagos state, Comrade Adesegun Raheem commended the efforts of Intel and other partners for their efforts to ensure that teachers in the state are empowered with what it takes to develop their skills and impact positively and effectively in the lives of their students.

He noted that advancement in technology has sparked a lot of changes in the educational sector, which teachers have to be at pace with so that they could maintain their respect as professionals.

PAGE 22

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Biz Feature

Nigerian startup has a job to do—many of them

W

hen university student, Ayodeji Adewunmi faced daunting hurdles in starting his own business in Nigeria, he turned to an unlikely source of inspiration: the country’s huge youth unemployment problem.”Our mission was to have the largest active job list in the country,” he told AFP. He may have accomplished the goal; Adewunmi’s Jobberman. com now claims to be the leading job-finder site in Africa’s most populous country, with a staff of more than 50 and some 9,000 companies posting positions.

His story is both an example of the possibilities here as well as a warning of the perils facing budding entrepreneurs and, in some ways, the country as a whole.

Jobberman’s offices in the upmarket Lagos suburb of Lekki stand in contrast to many businesses in the city of some 15 million people.

A small fleet of polished cars branded with the Jobberman logo were parked outside, with a young workforce buzzing around the two-floor interior. But Adewunmi’s journey here wasn’t always so smooth.

When he first considered opening a business, he confronted challenges facing many aspiring entrepreneurs, but which in Nigeria are especially daunting.

He had no cash, no contacts and little hope of finding either.

“I think in our own case we lacked all that...from a capital standpoint and from a connections standpoint,” said Adewunmi.

Nigeria has long been regarded as one of the world most corrupt countries, where cronyism is rampant.

Starting a medium-sized or large business without the help of a powerful patron can border on impossible, especially in dominant sectors like oil and gas, Adewunmi told AFP. He turned to the Internet because it “has little or nothing to do with the establishment.”

Adewunmi got the idea for a job-finder site from a friend who had developed the concept but taken no action.

It would be a business with a ready-made market. Some 37.5 percent of Nigerians under 25 are out of work, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

In a 2010 report on the job market in Nigeria, the World Bank documented the continued rise of

Customer care department employees of the Nigerian job-finder site, Jobberman work on June 17, 2013 in the upmarket Lagos suburb of Lekki, Lagos. youth unemployment despite key economic reforms since the end of military rule in 1999.

The economy has grown, but poverty has worsened, according to official statistics, with the likely culprit an excessive reliance on Africa’s largest oil sector, which generates few jobs.

Among its many recommendations, the World Bank report said forging closing ties between training institutions and job candidates was crucial if Nigeria hoped to improve its grim jobs picture.

Youth unemployment: A time bomb Analysts have described the problem of youth unemployment in Nigeria as a potential time bomb, considering the risk of youths turning to crime or extremist movements if they view their economic situation as hopeless.

But beyond the obvious need for such a service, Adewunmi also

“

A whole lot of people use it and they have a whole lot of jobs

had another major factor playing in his favour. Nigeria has seen fast growth in Internet access, thanks in large part to an explosion in the number of mobile phones.

In 2009, when his lecturers at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife were on strike, Adewunmi used the idle time to launch Jobberman.

In a country of some 160 million people, the list of potential users is massive and, according to Adewunmi, investors have shown interest. Six months after the August 2009 launch, a Nigerian investor reached out, but later, Tiger Global Management, a large US-based hedge fund that had been an early investor to Facebook and LinkedIn, got in touch.

Tiger Global declined to comment and Adewunmi did not want to discuss the size of its investment. He said Jobberman is not yet profitable, but he is optimistic.

Adewunmi believes both employers and trained Nigerian workers are desperate for a trusted platform where they can connect. He seeks to earn revenue through advertisements as well as a recently introduced paywall.

Tomi Orunmuyi, a 26-yearold who studied electrical engineering at the University of Ilorin, claimed there was no career services department or opportunities to meet potential employers. “You are totally on your own,” said Orunmuyi, when asked what university students face as graduation approaches.

Orunmuyi found his first job immediately after completing his year in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), mandatory for all university graduates.

Ayodeji Adewunmi, co-founder of the Nigerian job-finder site, Jobberman, speaks on June 17, 2013 at company headquarters in the up-market Lagos suburb of Lekki, Lagos.

When he wanted to move on, he said Jobberman was the obvious place to search. “A whole lot of people use it and they have a whole lot of jobs,” he told AFP on a lunch break from his new position at Fun Mobile, where he designs products such as speciality ringtones.

He said he applied for 10 posts and received three offers.

When Orunmuyi used the site there was no paywall—something Jobberman has since introduced in hopes of shifting to profitability.

Under the current system, employees pay nothing to post a job, but to see the full details of a

listing; applicants must pay 500 naira ($3) per month. The rate drops for those who sign up for multiple months.

Orunmuyi said he knows people who have declined to use the site due to the paywall, describing the strategy as risky in a country where suspicions of fraud, including on-line, are justifiably high.

But when asked if he thought people would continue using Jobberman, despite the paywall, he said, “They don’t have any other option.”

(Source: AFP)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 23

Stock Watch

Report as at Monday, July 15, 2013

PAGE 24

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Special Report

A glimpse into Gaza’s tunnels (II)

P

ERILOUS WORK: Jihad, a 20-year-old Palestinian, is a slim man who doesn’t strike one as being particularly strong. Yet, he is one of several workers hauling the barrels up and placing them in the large hole. “Work in the tunnels is very tiring and dangerous,” he said, “but I left my regular construction work and came to work here.”

Construction work was irregular, but work in the tunnels was available every day, and the pay was better, he said. Jihad earned 14 shekels per tonne of gravel and ended up with almost 140 shekels (LE240) at the end of the day.

It was for this reason that he was determined to stay in the job despite the danger.

Some tunnels cave in because they are not properly reinforced. Others collapse because of Israeli shelling. “I saw three of my friends blown to pieces after a rocket hit a tunnel close to where I was working in the recent eight-day war. It is scary, but what can you do?” he asked.

There are about 4,000 Palestinians working in the tunnels, and 200 of them died during their work last year, a larger number than the casualties of Israel’s last war on Gaza. Israel waged an onslaught on Gaza beginning on 14 November 2012, which lasted for eight days. According to Hamas government figures, 189 civilians were killed, including 18 children under the age of five. The war ended with an Egyptian-brokered deal stipulating an end to the shelling by both sides.

A few steps away from the construction materials tunnel, the air was thick with the stench of dead animals.

Chickens had been dumped near the plastic cages used to transport poultry. A nearby tunnel looked different from the one used to transport the construction supplies. This one sloped upwards near the end, and it had a lower roof. A man working in the tunnel, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that chickens often suffocated from the heat during their 30-minute trip in the tunnel.

The chicken cages were transported from one side of the border to the other by pulling them on rails.

This tunnel is also used to transport fish, for which there is now great demand in Gaza after Israel reneged on an agreement allowing fishermen to work within six miles of the shore. Now fishing is only allowed within three miles, which means that the fishermen bring back less fish to the local market.

consumption patterns. There was also a sign in an empty plot announcing, “Qatari project for low-income housing.” This was a project that could only be completed with building materials brought in through the tunnels, Abu Maamoun said.

The Arab Contractors, a company owned by the Egyptian government, signed a cooperation agreement with the Gaza Reconstruction Committee in January for this project, and Qatar gave a grant of $400 million to build it. The former emir of Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, announced the deal during a visit to Gaza earlier this year, this being the first visit by an Arab head of state to Gaza under Hamas rule The visit turned out to be controversial. Some people expressed the fear “that the emir of Qatar came to Gaza not to launch reconstruction projects but to put the final touches on the creation of an ‘emirate of Gaza under the control of Hamas’,” Ibrahim Ibrash, a Gaza-based political scientist, told the Xinhua news agency.

On the right-hand side of the gate leading to the tunnel area stands the Ibn Taymiya Mosque, the site of bloody battles four years ago. On 14 August 2009, the imam of this mosque, Abdel-Latif Moussa, a member of the jihadist organisation Jund Ansarullah, declared Gaza to be an Islamic state. The next day, Hamas stormed the mosque and Moussa and several of his associates were killed in the ensuing fighting.

Abu Khalil, a guide to the area, also recalled the abduction of Egyptian diplomat Hossam Al-Museli seven years ago. On 10 February 2006, a group called the Battalion of the Free held Al-Museli captive for two days at the Mosaab Bin Omeir Mosque, which is located on the Salaheddin Road. Rumour had it that Hamas had arranged the kidnapping as a way of pressuring Egypt into admitting its victory in the legislative elections.

In several public squares in Gaza, there are also signs announcing a National Campaign for the Fight Against Tramal.

The campaign was launched only days before in an attempt by the

government to hinder addiction to tramal, or tramadol, a drug.

Robin, who works as a driver, said that some young people, especially those working in the tunnels, use tramal to alleviate their physical and psychological problems. One pill of tramal sells for five shekels (LE10) on the black market, he said.

During a tour of the market, it was noticeable that the police were searching buildings. Upon inquiry, it was said that they were looking for smuggled tramal.

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?: Few would deny that the tunnels have caused

problems for both Egypt and Gaza. But what is the solution to these problems? Some, including supermarket entrepreneur Nabil Al-Yazji and economist Moeen Rajab, believe that Egypt and Gaza should create a free-trade area, for example.

Abu Mdallala, however, said that the creation of a trade zone between Egypt and Gaza could increase divisions among the Palestinians and complicate national reconciliation. It could even help Israel to relegate Gaza’s problems to Egypt, something it has been hoping to do for years, he pointed out.

“

That the emir of Qatar came to Gaza not to launch reconstruction projects but to put the final touches on the creation of an ‘emirate of Gaza under the control of Hamas

Egyptian soldiers stand guard outside smuggling tunnels beneath the Egyptian-Gaza border in Rafah Israel began restricting the fishing zone at the same time it assassinated Salafi militant Haitham Al-Meshaal. The assassination was carried out in north Gaza last April. The Israeli internal intelligence service Shabak ordered the assassination of Al-Meshaal, who was 29, because of the latter’s expertise in the manufacturing of explosives.

The slain man was also said to have taken part in firing missiles at Israeli cities.

In 1993, when Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) signed an agreement on Palestinian self-rule in Washington, the Palestinians were allowed to fish within 20 miles from the shore. Now, their fishermen are confined to three miles from the shore, and the inhabitants of Gaza say that they are often awakened by the sound of warning shots fired by the Israelis to keep the fishing boats within the three-mile limit.

ARAB IDOL: Gaza’s inhabitants are proud of the triumph of their homeboy Mohamed Assaf in the recent Arab Idol competition, a knockoff of the American talent show. The excitement of Assaf’s win was not just because he is from Gaza, but because of the adventure he made to reach the competition venue in Beirut.

Assaf had to cross the Rafah Crossing, and then hop onto a plane from Egypt that arrived late in Beirut. It was only by a miracle that he made it into the competition at all. This bit of luck is uncommon for most Palestinians of his age. Egypt, for example, bans anyone aged 18-40 from using the Rafah Crossing. Hamas also places travel restrictions on the Strip’s inhabitants, especially those who are not members of the movement. As a result, Gaza is almost a prison.

Anyone who wishes to travel through the tunnels has to pay a fee that has recently gone down from $200 to $50, said Abu

Ziad, a resident of Arish who works in a travel agency. But to be allowed to travel, that person has to get the permission of the Hamas government, he added.

Asked for permission to see a tunnel used to transport people, the operators of the tunnels refused. “Hamas is very strict about the tunnels, and we don’t want trouble,” one of them said. One man, who identified himself as Abu Maamoun, said that although travellers tend to use the tunnels that have been especially equipped for human transport, tunnels used for merchandise are also occasionally used by humans as well.

“A man can be lowered in a cargo box inside the tunnel about 20 metres below ground, and then he can walk all the way to Egypt,” Abu Maamoun said. Another man, identifying himself as Abu Khalil, said that some of the tunnels were for the transport of vehicles, these being notably larger than others.

ORDINARY SADNESS: The late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish once published a collection entitled Days of Ordinary Sadness. Had he been alive today, he may have had to write another one to keep up with the accumulating hardships of Gaza’s inhabitants.

Driving on the 45km Salaheddin Road that runs from the Erez Crossing in the north to Rafah in the south, one reads the billboards as if reading from a book of sadness.

On the billboards, you are introduced to the faces and names of the dozens of young men and children killed by Israeli missiles in the many wars Israel has waged against Gaza. Some of them died in the 2008 offensive, and some in the 2012 offensive, and so on.

A large picture of PLO leader Yasser Arafat, perhaps the only one that Hamas hasn’t yet removed, bears the slogan “my dream cannot be complete without you, Jerusalem.” A

Fatah official said that Hamas had more or less removed anything that signalled the presence of Fatah in Gaza.

“Even the street names have been changed,” he said.

Referring to the image of Arafat, the official said that “it is a dream that we haven’t achieved. We have no Jerusalem. And we have no state either.”

After the Egyptian Revolution in 2011, demonstrators went to Gaza to call for reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. Some of the young activists designed a billboard combining photos of Arafat and Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin. The billboard is still on display about three km from the Arafat picture.

On the Salaheddin Road, one can also see billboards advertising American products, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola, which come to Gaza through the tunnels. America’s bias towards Israel doesn’t seem to have deterred familiar

A 2010 photo of a Palestinian smuggler bringing sheep through a tunnel between Gaza and Egypt

Yasser Othman, Egypt’s ambassador to Israel, has also said that a trade zone could add to the area’s problems rather than solve them. A few months ago, citing security reasons, the Egyptian army rejected a Hamas proposal for the creation of a free-trade zone.

According to Abu Mdallala, the best solution to the tunnels problem is to pressure Israel into ending the siege on Gaza.

Reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas could also help ease this situation, he added.

Sameh Seif Al-Yazal, chief of the Cairo-based Al-Gomhuriya Centre for Security and Political Studies and Research, also recently said that the opening of the crossings would not harm Egypt as much as the tunnels.

Seif Al-Yazal called on Hamas to close the tunnels because of the threat they posed to Egyptian national security.

The only way to help Gaza was for it to clear its name on the international scene and for it to be provided with serious development aid, he stated.

Concluded Source: Weekly

Al-Ahram

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Defence

Troops committed to ‘rules of engagement’

By Joy Baba

T

he leader of the Defence headquarters fact finding team of senior officers sent to Yobe state for an on-the-spots assessment of the deployment of troops of the Joint Task Force in the State Major General Obinali Ariahu, has said that the forces

would remain committed to discharging their duties with due efficiency.

Ariahu stated this in Government House Damaturu while paying visit to the governor Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam to brief him on their mission to the state.

This was contained in a state-

ment signed by the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen Chris Olukolade in Abuja.

The statement said Gen Ariahu told the governor that the team was in the state to assess the deployment of the JTF troops as well as their requirements to carry out their task in forestalling

any breach of security in the state and conveyed the sympathy and condolences of the Chief of Defence Staff to the government and people of Yobe state on the loss of lives occasioned by the terrorist attacks on the school and other locations.

Olukolade further said the

L-R: Force Public Relations Officer; Frank Mba; Naval Director of Information; Commodore Kabir Aliyu; Director of Defence, Information, Brig.-Gen Chris Olukolade; and Director, Air Force Public Relations & Information, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas; during a press briefing by the joint security committee in Abuja.

Photo: Joy Baba

JTF urges community to join in fight against oil theft

By Joy Baba in

T

he Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in the Niger Delta region, operation ‘Pulo Shield’, has urged community leaders in the oil producing region to aid the Force in its fight against oil theft and other sea illegalities.

This is contained in a state-

ment signed by JTF’s Media Coordinator, Lt.-Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, in Yenagoa over the weekend.

Nwachukwu said the JTF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Bata Debiro, made the call at an anti-oil theft advocacy and security assessment tour to Bonny Island.

He said the JTF Commander addressed a group of community leaders and youth drawn from Lagosgbene and the surrounding communities of Bonny Anchorage

Rivers.

According to the statement “Debiro said oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism and illegal refineries were crimes that not only threaten the economic security of Nigeria, but also degraded the environment and aquatic life.

The statement further said that the fight against oil theft required combined efforts urging youth of the Niger Delta to join hands with the JTF to eliminate the menace of oil theft by

g i v ing the necessary support and cooperation to JTF operational bases in and around their communities.

JTF’s Media Coordinator also quoted the commander as saying that the JTF seized three self-propelled barges and a tug boat, during a recent patrol of the creeks and waterways in the Niger Delta.

He also said two of the barges MV LAMME and MT FUFUSWAY were laden with 100,000 litres and 500,000 litres of illegally distilled Automated Gas oil

team had visited the scene of the incident at Mamudo as well as various troops’ locations in the state noting that the outcome of its fact-finding mission especially as it concerns the attack on the school would be presented for due analysis and action of the DHQ with a view to enhancing the capacity of the forces to prevent or respond to similar occurrences in the future.

Continuing, the statement said the team leader expressed the appreciation of the military authorities for the understanding and support of the state to the JTF. In his response, Gaidam, commended the Federal Government and the defence headquarters for the interest shown in the security of the state by promptly sending a high-powered Fact Finding team to the state after the weekend terrorist attack on Government Secondary School, Mamudo.

The governor noted that the gesture was the first of its kind in response to a disaster in the state.

He also declared that the Joint Task Force deployed in the state was doing its best in addressing the security challenges.

He further said the incident in Mamudo was an unfortunate and painful disaster noting that like many other facilities, the school was situated in a forested environment hence the action of the terrorists who exploited the situation to attack the school and the defenceless students.

He also said such places would require extraordinary protection calling for appropriate strategies to tackle the peculiar reality of the security challenges in such localities.

Gaidam requested the military authorities to reconsider the issue of outage of GSM telephones as it would help in passing information to the security agencies especially in the light of the current realities of the security situation.

The Governor noted that his administration realises the importance of peace as there is no alternative to peace adding that the state would continue to support the activities and operations of the JTF in the state.

The team had earlier interacted with community leaders, local government officials, education authorities as well as teachers in Mamudo and environs to obtain necessary information.

It also interviewed commanders and troops in the area and have since returned to Abuja to brief the Chief of Defence Staff, the statement added.

Jos kidnapping: How STF rescued 8 hostages, arrested 3 suspects

T

he Special Task Force (STF) Anti-kidnapping Squad in Jos over the weekend arrested three members of kidnapping gang and rescued eight victims.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the squad arrested the gang leader and the owner of Chiwarna Hotel in Jos North where the victims were

held hostage.

Capt. Salisu Mustpaha, STF media spokesman, said in a statement that the arrest was made possible through intelligence report received by the task force.

“Following an intelligence report to our anti-kidnapping squad, a raid was carried out on the hotel located at Zinaria Layout and eight victims were rescued.

``Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were kidnapped at various locations and locked up in one of the hotel rooms in order to collect ransom from their relations. `` The spokesman said that the kidnappers did contact family members of the victims and requested them to pay various sums of money as ransom for their re-

lease before luck ran out of them.

He said the kingpin and the hotel owner were undergoing interrogation, adding that investigation was on to track down the other members of the gang.

He stressed the importance of timely release of information to security agencies by the public.

The STF commander, Maj.Gen. Henry Ayoola, urged the Muslim community to use the period of Ramadan to pray for lasting and sustainable peace in the country. ``On behalf of the officers and servicemen of the STF, I wish you a peaceful, fruitful and spirit-filled Ramadan,’’ Ayoola said in the statement. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Defence PAGE 27

Military has caged insecurity-Defence minister T

he Minister of Defence, Erelu Olushola Obada, has towed the line of other ministers, by giving a vivid account of the military achievement in restoring peace in the country. She established the fact that, Defence sector was winning the war against terrorism and all forms of acts of insecurity and other vices.

In her brief during the ministerial platform, Obada noted that ministry of Defence was mainly established to achieve the security objective of the Federal Government.

She maintained that the ministry has continued to sustain the protection and Defence of Nigeria territorial integrity by the Armed Forces through series of policy interventions, strategic plans and annual budget implementation.

The minister also said despite security challenges have altered the dynamics of the operating environment, the entire defence sector has been able to meet up with the challenges and currently winning the war against all forms of terrorism.

Obada said within the two years of this present administration, the ministry has been able to set up a number of joint operation services in various parts of the country noting that these joint services have reduced activities of terrorist, kidnappers and other criminal activities in the country.

She further said the ministry has made a number of acquisition within the said period to improve on the equipment holding of the Armed Forces.

She said the defence headquarters, (DHQ) that is saddled with the responsibility or coordinating the joint services both in and outside the country’s primary focus during the period under review had been in the area of internal security challenges though it had been actively involved in missions such as United Nations Mission in Liberia, United Nations African Union Hybrid Mission in Darfur, African led International Support Mission in Mali amongst other foreign operations.

Some of the Joint Services set up

by DHQ within the period She said include; Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF): a tripartite operation involving Nigeria, Chad and Niger Republics. This Force is charged with the responsibility of containing cross border banditry and criminal activities around the international borders of Chad, Nigeria and Niger.

So far she said this Force has been able to checkmate the influx of illegal arms in it’s areas of responsibility through robust patrols, arrest some members of the Boko Haram sect including those that escaped to other countries and has established Forward Operating Bases from where quick response force is launched.

Special Task Force Operation Safe Heaven: this forces she said, was established following the crisis that engulfed Jos Metropolis that later spread to other local governments.

It was tasked with the maintenance of law, order and protection of law

Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim

Minister for State for Defence, Olusola Obada abiding citizens within Plateau and deter vandals from sabotage activities leading to a drastic reduction of Bauchi state.

At the moment, the Minister crude oil theft within the period unsaid the Task Force has been able to der review.

Joint Task Force Operation establish a Civil-Military Relations Network through the purchase and RESTORE ORDER: This Force

Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba distribution of 1000 mobile phones to selected locals across the state for timely passage of information noting that this has reduced reaction time of the Force and instilled caution on would be criminals.

Joint Task Force Operation PULO SHIELD: This Force was established in the Niger Delta region with the aim of protecting oil installations and curbing oil theft following the dissolution of ‘Operation Restore Hope’ due to the Amnesty programme by the Federal Government.

The area of responsibility of this force covers nine states within the South East and South South regions in the country.

Operation of this Force has enhanced protection of oil and gas facilities through increased air and ground patrols of pipeline network to

was established in Borno to contain the activities of Boko Haram and have so far restored normalcy and confidence between the troops and the populace.

Operation BOYANA: Following the declaration of State of Emergency in three states in the north eastern part of the country, this Force was established to dislodge insurgents from their strong hold at Sambisa forest.

The ministry she said has also provided support services to the tri-Service institutions and Defence parastatals to ensure accomplishment of their Mission and objectives within the period under review. The tri-Service institutions include; National Defence College, (NDC)Armed Forces Command and Staff College, (AFCSC)Nige-

Chief of Air Staff, Air Mashall Alex Badeh rian Defence Academy (NDA)and highly trained Armed Forces as Nigerian Armed Forces Resettle- encapsulated in the transformament Centre (NAFRS) while the tion agenda of this present adminparastatals are Defence Indus- istration.

Nigerian Armed Forces, she tries Corporation of Nigeria, Military Pension’s Board and Defence noted, has been able to maintain internal security, curbing the acHealth Maintenance Limited.

The key policies of the min- tivities of terrorists and criminals istry Obada stressed are centred in most part of the country and towards the building and main- ensuring the oneness and unity of tenance of flexible, compact and Nigeria.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 28

Agriculture Need for more funding, electricity supply at Badegi NCRI

By Mohammed Kandi

I

nsufficient funding and epileptic power supply at various research centers in the country has been identified as unprecedented setbacks in agricultural research.

Recently, some researchers at the National Cereal Research Institute, Badegi, Niger State, informed a group of journalists who paid a visit to the institute, under the platform of the Biosciences for Farming in Africa, (B4FA) that the center had failed to deliver on its mandates of developing for farmers six arable crops; rice, soybeans, acha, bennie seed, castor and sugar cane.

They particularly expressed their displeasure over the high rate power outage which has often obstructed research work at the laboratories saying until the situation was improved, it may be difficult for the NCRI to compete favourably with others research outfits across the continent in terms of measuring up to international standards.

“Our job includes developing new varieties, developing appropriate technologies that would enable these varieties to exhibit their potentials and also developing machines, equipment that go along with the production of the crops,” said Dr. Mark Ukwangwu, the Acting Executive Director, NCRI, adding “When you develop these varieties you have to produce seeds, we produce breeder seeds and foundation seeds.”

Mark, who informed that the institute had since its establishment released about 62 rice varieties in the country for the upland, lowland, mangrove and deep water, however said, the efforts has been successful with the collaboration and support of other organisations in Nigeria and outside. He said research institutes like the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Oyo State has been helpful especially in the “storage of seeds” that are still at the elementary stages of development in the confinement or gene banks or coolers where they need proper handling or die off.”

On massive rice importation into the country, the researcher

NCRI rice driers noted that, who was optimistic better funding for agriculture could enhance food production and research, also said “it is because what we are producing in Nigeria is not enough for everybody to eat.” But, the NCRI boss was quick to commend the current Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) programmes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development saying under the ATA, “a lot of activities at the center had improved— funding, logistics and equipment supports.”

Justifying the institutes’ performances in the last four decades, Dr. Sam Agboire, Director, Research Support Services Department of the NCRI, said center has done exceptionally well considering the copious it is faced with. He noted that “in rice production, each institution has its own role to play; we as NCRI has played our role, now there is a role for

the extension services that is the ADPs to play.”

“There is a role for farmers and there is a role for government to play in terms of policy; so unless all these roles are harmonised, there would be a problem in the production chain,” Agboire explained.

He added: “If we release

varieties and there are technologies for these varieties to manifest fully but the farmers are not using the technologies fully; for instance you recommend the application of a particular quantity of fertiliser and the farmer is using less than that, that variety will not realise its full potential.”

“

The yield gap between the research and the farmers yield is so wide; in a land where you can get seven tonnes, hardly will you see a farmer getting even up to three tonnes. If the structure is not well developed, you cannot even attract more people into the system

FAFA opens 51 side events, calls for greater collaborations

F

orum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) yesterday opened 51 side events as part of activities of the ongoing 6th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW) and FARA Genera Assembly in Accra, Ghana.

Chairperson of FARA, Dr. Tiemoko Yo, said yesterday in Accra International Conference Centre, venue of the event, that members of each group of the side events would provide four recommendations that would guide Africa’s agricultural development for the next three

years.

The Chairperson, who noted the theme of the forum ‘’Africa Feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation’’ was apt, said the event is a platform where actors could ‘’exchange and share experiences, to analyze challenges and chart ways forward through scientific innovations.’’

Also speaking at the event, Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Clement Kofi Humadu, called for more education and training for stakeholders and farmer in the

agriculture sectors across the continent saying ‘’there is the need for youth engagement in the process of agricultural development.’’

Dr. Humadu, who stressed the for proper coordination and collaborations among actors in the agricultural sectors, advocated for value addition in all the value chains of agriculture crops being produced on the continent.

The Minister also urged that Africa move beyond competition towards collaboration, as well as brainstorm on innovative

financing and investment in agriculture.

He said the innovations should include improvement in agricultural productivity and self-reliance.

Meanwhile, the open spaces are expected to provide opportunities for members to discuss on aspects of sub-themes including education and human resource development that will enable Africa feed itself.

The President of Ghana, John Mahama would officially declare the occasion opened within the week.

“For example, government comes up with a policy that favours importation, farmers would be discouraged because the imported ones may be cheaper that the locally produced ones. So there are so many factors that can be responsible for that situation,” he lamented.

Also speaking, Maji Alhassan Tswako, Rice breeder and seed officer at the institute, insinuated that all aspects that require investigations must be properly handled for food production to become efficient in every research center. According to Maji, “food production is a two-factor thing, seed and environment; unless you are able to bring the two together you will not be able to exploit the potentials of rice.”

“The environment is the major factor; the question that should be asked is: how far has the government gone to deliberately create that enabling environment to enable farmers to express themselves.

“I keep telling people that countries that export rice don’t produce under the kind of environment that we are faced with here in Nigeria; a rain-field ecology where you cannot control water, you put fertiliser today, the rain comes tomorrow and it washes away.

“Farmers don’t have the resources; some Nigerian farmers cannot even afford a bag of rice in a hectare where you need about six bags so the government must invest in infrastructure for production.

“Creating irrigation facilities, rehabilitation of the dams we have, open up more fields; without that, there is no way farmers would be able to realise the potentials of these varieties under these conditions.

“Basically, the continuous importation of rice is a policy issue. There has to be a deliberate policy to boost production of rice if importation must stop.

“The yield gap between the research and the farmers yield is so wide; in a land where you can get seven tonnes, hardly will you see a farmer getting even up to three tonnes. If the structure is not well developed, you cannot even attract more people into the system,” the rice breeder explained.

It is however expected that an institute which existed for over four decades would have performed under ‘ideal situation’ much more that the achievement of the Badegi NCRI, but for a numerous challenges facing it, it has failed to deliver just as the researcher themselves have disclosed.

In their analysis, the institute was the oldest research institute in the country saying “its origin started way back during the colonial era when it was situated in Lagos and was just known as a botanical garden.”

“It was from there that it moved to Ibadan, they called it then Federal Department of Agriculture which later became NCRI in the 80s.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Agriculture

Oxfam wants robust budget allotment to agriculture

By Mohammed Kandi

A

s the need to achieving food security around the world intensifies, the Oxfam International, an international Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) has tasked

the Federal Government to increase its budgetary allocation to agriculture.

In a statement issued recently by the Oxfam Nigeria’s Campaigns Manager, Miss Tomi Ademokun, it stated that

the country had not met the conditions contained in the July 2003 Maputo Declaration, which states that at least 10 per cent of national budget be allotted for agriculture.

It stressed further that the

President of Nigeria and eighteen other Africa Heads of States and Governments had endorsed the declaration at the African Union (AU) Summit.

The statement said as part of the crux of the declaration was

…Advocates more youth involvement in agriculture

O

xfam Nigeria and Fresh and Young Brains Development Initiative (FBIN), both NGOs have campaigned for more involvement of youths in agriculture as part of its programmes marking the 2013 World Population Day and the 10th anniversary of the Maputo Declaration.

The NGOs, according to Dr. Chichi Okoye, Oxfam Country Director, observed that young people had a key role to play in feeding the continent.

He noted that “Everywhere in

the world, it is young people who build their nations; it is young people who set the pace. People are usually very concerned about their young people.”

“But when the young people of a society decide that it is time for us to march the nation forward, things begin to happen,” Okoye said adding that the youths should strive towards making the difference by working hard to eradicate poverty from Africa.

The country Director also said that farming had become more mechanised, thereby making it easier for the youths to

participate.

Earlier in her remarks, Miss Nkiruka Nnaemago, Founder of FBIN, explained that agriculture provided more than 88 per cent of the country’s non-oil export.

Nnaemago, however, said less than 50 per cent of the country’s arable land was under-cultivated, adding that there was the need for government at all levels to work together to achieve food security.

Also speaking, Dr Lapodini Marc-Atouga, ECOWAS Commissioner for Water, Environment and Agriculture, urged governments to urgently

address the issue of rural-urban migration.

Marc-Atouga, who was represented by Mr Komlan Bossou, Regional Programme Manager at the commission, said there would be more rural-urban migration by 2020.

“This is a big challenge to Africa, so ECOWAS and NEPAD have jointly developed a comprehensive agricultural policy.

“The content of that policy is that everybody should have access to affordable food,’’ Marc-Atouga said.

that by year 2008, all members who are party to the agreement should allocate and implement increased spending on agriculture by 10 per cent of their annual budgets.

It said: “A current analysis of the 2012 Nigeria’s federal budgetary allocation to agriculture shows an abysmal less than two per cent of total allocation to the critical sector.”

According to the statement, while Nigeria recently joined the G-8 New Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition, the federal government should increase public investments as promised in the Maputo declaration.

It said that Nigeria should increase the quality of investments for smallholder farmers especially women as the declaration attains 10 years in July.

The statement also added that as the world marks this year’s World Population Day on July 11, the 10 per cent budgetary allocation should be ensured for Nigeria to attain food security.

Association urges large cultivation of potatoes

By Mohammed Kandi

P

otato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (POGPMAN) recently distributed among the farmers in Kuje Area Council, in Abuja, Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) vines worth thousands of naira.

The gesture, which was sponsored by the Hellen Keller International, as part of its sensitization campaign urging Nigerian farmers to cultivate more of OFSP with vitamin (A) content that is good for school children and productive men and women.

National President of POGPMAN, Hon. Bayo Ajibade, said that the sensitization exercise and the vines distribution would be carried at all designated states of the federation to “ignite the multiplication of this particular potato species of potatoes”.

Ajibade also informed that his association was ready to support the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the Federal Government towards ensuring food security through mass production of OFSP that is very rich in vitamin A. He said: “OFSP is special orange fleshed sweet potato with content of vitamin A that gives children healthy living together with men and women who are still very productive in child bearing.”

“It helps in curing night blindness and a good nutrient supplement for school children. More cultivation of it will generate surplus for women to sell thereby creating wealth,” he added.

“This sensitization here in Kuje will be replicated in Mararaba orange market

Officials of the Potato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (POGPMAN), distributing vine made from the orange fleshed sweet potato to farmers, recently in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.

tomorow as well as other designated states of the Federation for awareness creation,” Ajibade explained.

Also speaking, the Hellen Keller International promotions expert, Mrs Mary Umoh, said the availability of the vine for planting would never be a problem as “there is partnership with Nigerian Research Institute for its surplus production towards increased multiplication for farmers in Nigeria and other sub African countries.”

Helen Keller International is however one of the world’s premier international not-forprofit organizations dedicated to preventing blindness and reducing malnutrition.

Premier Seeds boss lauds GES

By Mohammed Kandi

T

he outgoing Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, Dr. Olaseinde Omodiji, has hailed the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) for its stimulation support to the seed production.

Omidiji, who said the programme has positively affected his company, noted that the initiative of the Agriculture and Rural Development ministry led by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina had brought about “positive revolution to seeds sector

through which the commercial banks are now lending to companies operating in seeds production unlike what it used to be in the past.”

According to him “the GES of the Federal Government is doing wonderfully well in supporting stakeholders in the production of certified seeds. The support has really manifested in our production and marketing in the recent. We pray for consistency of the programme.”

He added that more friendly policy in the sub-sector could make Nigeria dominate the seed sector market in West Africa, stressing that the country “has

what it takes to dominate the market with more of support given to research work on breeding and foundational seeds.”

Omidiji also emphased the need to put in place a very stiff measure on seed adulteration saying it is economic saboteurs that should attract stiffer penalty, adding “standard must be ensured for certify seeds to checkmate quacks in the system.”

He however advised that all the staff of the company must support the new Managing Director, who also is a seasoned Professor in the certified seeds production thereby thanking all the workers for the cooperative support to take the company to where it is today.

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Feature The significance of moderation in Ramadan

A house wife sets for Ramadan iftar

By Lubna Sohraab

N

owadays, when we think of Ramadan and Iftar, we think of long tables lined up with plates upon plates of food, all exquisite, sophisticated dishes of one sort or another, partnered with tall glasses of freshly made ice cold drinks, a different kind for every person. Ramadan has now given people the excuse to stay up and out all night and sleep all day, completely disregarding the actual purpose of fasting.

While moderation is emphasized throughout the teachings of religion, be it in Holy Quran or through the words of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), it comes to the forefront during the month of Ramadan. One of the main purposes of fasting, aside from constant remembrance of Allah and increasing inner spirituality, is to feel the plight of those not as blessed as you. Fasting is meant to remind you of your fellow human beings who live their entire lives like you live during this month.

Even then, we don’t come as close to their experience, as at the end of the day we are assured of a good meal with a comfortable roof over our heads.

This, of course, does not mean that you hurry straight onto your nearest charity and pour all your savings into it.

Holy Quran establishes the need for such moderation in the verse, “And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty” (17:29). In Islam, you are only asked to give as much as you can without having to give up your own livelihood.

When it comes to food, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Nothing is worse than a person who fills his stomach.

It should be enough for the son of Adam to have a few bites to satisfy his hunger.

If he wishes more, it should be: One-third for his food, one-third for his liquids, and one-third for his breath” (Tirmidhi hadith no.47).

Fasting is an efficient way to not only help us get rid of harmful habits that may have persisted throughout the year, such as overindulging in certain foods or smoking,

but also improve our diet. It is no surprise that as the fasting days progress, we are able to eat less and less after breakfast as our bodies adapt to smaller amounts of food. If we can maintain such eating habits for a month, we can surely continue them throughout the year.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also emphasised that, “the stomach is the home of disease, and abstinence (from food) is the head of every remedy. So make this your custom,” illustrating how eating less can be beneficial to the body.

Moderation should also be applied in terms of worship and prayer. Offer extra prayers at night for your own peace of mind and remembrance of Allah, not to later on boast about how late you stayed up in prayer. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately. Always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course, whereby you will reach your target (of paradise)” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadith 470).

Source: Times of Oman

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

ANALYSIS

By Sarah Kendzior

W

hen I was a child I watched policemen beat a man nearly to death, and I watched my country acquit them. I was shocked that police would attack a man instead of defending him. I was shocked that someone would record the attack on video and that this video would mean nothing.

I was shocked that people could watch things and not really see them. I was shocked because I was a child. I was shocked because I am white.

Twenty-one years after the Rodney King verdict, Americans have proven again that in a court of law, perception matters more than proof. Perception is rooted in power, a power bestowed upon birth, reified through experience, and verified through discrimination masked as fairness and fact.

Trayvon Martin is dead and the man who killed him walks free.

Americans are afraid there will be riots, like there were after the King verdict in 1992. But we should not fear riots. We should fear a society that puts people on trial the day they are born. And after they die.

The Trayvon Martin trial was not supposed to happen. This is true in two respects. The Trayvon Martin trial only took place because public outrage prompted Florida police to arrest George Zimmerman, the man who killed him, over a month after Martin’s death. The Trayvon Martin trial took place because that same public went on to try Martin in his own murder, assessing his morality like it precluded his right to live. It was never a trial of George Zimmerman. It was always a trial of Trayvon Martin, always a character assassination of the dead.

Over the past few decades, the US has turned into a country where the circumstances into which you are born increasingly determine who you can become.

Social mobility has stalled as wages stagnate and the cost of living soars.

Exponential increases in university tuition haveerased the possibility of education as a path out of poverty. These are not revelations - these are hard limitations faced by most Americans. But when confronted with systematic social and economic discrimination, even on a massive scale, the individual is often blamed. The poor, the unemployed, the lacking are vilified for the things they lack.

One might assume that rising privation would increase public empathy toward minorities long denied a semblance of a fair shot.

But instead, overt racism and racial barriers in America have increased since the recession.

Denied by the Supreme Court, invalidated in the eyes of many by the election of a black president, racism erases the individual until the individual is dead, where he is then recast as the enemy.

Trayvon Martin was vilified for being “Trayvon Martin”. If he were considered a fully human being, a person of inherent worth, it would be the US on trial. For its denial of opportunity, for its ceaseless

PAGE 31

International

In the trial of Trayvon, the US is guilty

“Americans are afraid there will be riots, like there were after the King verdict in 1992. But we should not fear riots. We should fear a society that puts people on trial the day they are born,” writes Sarah Kendzior [Reuters] condemnation of the suffering, for its demonization of the people it abandons, for its shifting gaze from the burden of proof. The Trayvon Martin case only sanctioned what was once tacit and disavowed. A young black man can be murdered on perception. A young black man becomes the criminal so that the real criminal can go free.

Americans should not fear riots. They should fear a society that ranks the death of children.

They should fear a society that shrugs, carries on, and lets them go.

A friend of mine on Facebook posts updates from a website called “ Black and Missing but Not Forgotten “. The site exists because the default assumption is that a black and missing child will be forgotten. It exists because the disappearance of a black child

is considered less important than the disappearance of a white child.

It exists because a large number of Americans has to be reminded that black children are human beings.

In June, the Supreme Court invalidated part of the Voting Rights Act , stating that “our country has changed”, implying that discriminatio n a g a i n s t African-Americans was a thing of the past. In May, the city of Chicago shut downmajority black public schools. In April, a black high school student, KieraWilmont, was prosecuted as an adult after her science project exploded. In February, TheOnioncalled nine-yearold black actress Quvenzhane Wallis an extremely vulgar name. The US that proclaims racism a thing of the past abandons and vilifies black

“

children.

Many Americans, of many races, will be outraged that George Zimmerman has gone free. They will advocate for tolerance and peace. This is a noble sentiment, but what the US needs is a cold, hard look at social structure. We need to examine and eliminate barriers to opportunity, some of which are racially biased in an overt way, but many of which are downplayed because they are considered ambiguous social issues - social issues, like decaying public schools, lowwage labor and unemployment, that affect African-Americans at disproportionate rates.

Trayvon Martin was murdered before we could see what kind of person he would become. But the truth is, he had

In June, the Supreme Court invalidated part of the Voting Rights Act , stating that “our country has changed”, implying that discrimination against African-Americans was a thing of the past.

a hard road ahead of him no matter what he did. He would have confronted an America of racial and class barriers that even the most ambitious young man cannot override without a good deal of luck.

In a US of diminished opportunities, luck is nothing to bank on. Neither is hope, or dreams, or the idea,espoused

by President Obama, that for young black men, “there’s no longer any room for excuses”.

Trayvon Martin shows that there is plenty of room for excuses. There is even more room for social and economic reform, for accountability, and for change.

Above all, there is room for responsibility. The death of Trayvon Martin is a US tragedy.

He was part of a broken system we all experience, but that black Americans experience in ways white Americans cannot fathom.

The children who grow up like Trayvon Martin, discriminated against and denied opportunity, are everyone’s responsibility.

Providing them a fairer, safer future should be a public priority.

Americans should not fear riots. They should fear apathy.

They should fear acquiescence.

They should not fear each other.

But it is understandable, now, that they do.

Source: Aljazeera

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

International

US envoy to visit Egypt

E

gypt is expected to receive U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns on Monday, the first senior U.S. official to visit the country since the ouster of President Mohamed Mursi.

According to a U.S. State Department statement, Burns will meet Egypt’s interim government officials and representatives of the military and various civil groups.

“In all these meetings, he will underscore U.S. support for the Egyptian people, an end to all violence, and a transition leading to an inclusive, democratically elected civilian government,” the statement said.

During his stay in Cairo, Burns will probably also hear the announcement of the full list of cabinet members for the interim government, which is mandated to run the country and prepare for

Burns

general elections within six months.

With Mohamed ElBaradei sworn in on Sunday as the country’s vice president for international relations, the most populous Arab country is one step closer to the installation of an interim cabinet mainly comprised of

technocrats and liberals.

With Morsi supporters continuing to press for the return of the deposed president, the top echelon of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has come under increasingly tighter scrutiny by the authorities.

In a new blow to the

pro-Morsi camp, the former MB chief Mahdi Akef was ordered Sunday to remain in custody for four days pending investigations over charges of insulting the judiciary.

Mohamed Saad al-Katatni, head of the MB’s Freedom and Justice Party, was released Sunday after paying a fine of 5,000 Egyptian pounds (about 715 U.S. dollars) in the same case.

Both Brotherhood leaders, along with others, were arrested for inciting violence following the ouster of Mursi on July 3.

Mursi’s supporters have been staging a sit-in in Cairo since his removal and vowed open-ended protests until he is reinstated.

The MB said Monday it planned to mobilize a nationwide rally for the return of Morsi, who they claim was removed by a military coup.

Source: (Xinhua)

Kenya denies defying UN ban on charcoal trade

K

enya has dismissed a UN report which accuses its troops in Somalia of facilitating charcoal exports in defiance of a UN Security Council ban.

The report, leaked to Reuters news agency, said Kenyan troops helped export charcoal from Kismayo port after militant Islamist group al-Shabab lost control of it in September 2012.

The UN banned the export of charcoal from Somalia in February 2012.

It alleges that the industry

is a major source of income for al-Shabab.

Kenya and the African Union (AU) appealed to the UN Security Council to lift the ban after alShabab fighters fled Kismayo following last year’s offensive

by Kenyan troops and a Somali militia known as RasKamboni.

When the Security Council refused, Kenya’s army and RasKamboni “took the unilateral decision to begin the export of charcoal” from Kismayo, said the report, compiled by a UN panel of experts.

It said al-Shabab retained a stake in the industry.

“Essentially, with the changeover of power in Kismayo, the shareholding of the charcoal trade at the port was divided into three between al-Shabab, RasKamboni and Somali Kenyan businessmen cooperating with the KDF [Kenya Defence Forces],” the report alleged.

KDF spokesman BogitaOngeri said the report lacked objectivity and had not been properly researched.

Kenyan troops had curtailed al-Shabab’s operations in Somalia and had put a “stop” to the illegal charcoal trade, he said, Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper reports.

The total trade volume of charcoal exports from southern Somalia in 2011 increased to between nine million and 10 million sacks, generating revenues for the al-Qaeda group in excess of $25m (£16m), the UN report said.

Charcoal exports from Kismayo were estimated to be worth $15m to $16m per month, it added.

controversial in Kenya and Africa more broadly, where sensitivities about European and Western influence run deep.

Earlier this year, heads of

state and government at an African Union summit urged the ICC to refer the charges against Kenyatta and Ruto back to the Kenyan courts.

ICC rejects request to hold Ruto trial in Africa

T

he International Criminal Court in The Hague on Monday turned down Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto’s request that his trial for crimes against humanity be held in Africa.

Ruto is accused along with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta of helping to orchestrate post-election violence five years ago in which 1,200 people died.

He had asked for the trial to be held in Kenya or neighbouring Tanzania, where there is already a U.N. court.

“While in principle in favour of bringing the ICC’s proceedings closer to the affected communities, (judges) concluded that the proceedings in this instance shall be held at the ICC’s headquarters,” the court said in a statement.

It has yet to rule on a similar request by Kenyatta.

The two men, who were elected on a joint ticket in March, had asked for the move so that they could more easily combine their political duties with attending court. Critics said it might expose prosecution witnesses to intimidation.

Ruto

The court said judges had considered factors including “the potential impact on victims and witnesses” and the “perception of the court”. Their decision will be

M23 rebels battle army troops near Goma city

R

ebels and army forces are engaged in heavy fighting near the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The M23 rebels said that their hill positions had been bombarded most of the night by military planes.

The UN said it was prepared to use “lethal force” to protect civilians if the M23 advanced towards Goma.

The fighting comes as its new 3,000-strong intervention brigade to neutralise and disarm the rebels is approaching full strength.

Last year the rebels pulled out of Goma after briefly seizing the city.

Peace talks between the two sides in Uganda have since stalled.

Meanwhile, aid agencies say more than 70,000 Congolese refugees have now fled into Uganda following separate clashes in eastern DR Congo near the border on Thursday.

A Uganda rebel group based in DR Congo - the Allied Democratic Forces - raided the town of Kamango, which has been since been retaken by the Congolese army.

Mark Doyle says the widespread fighting illustrates how difficult the task of the new UN offensive force will be.

UN peacekeepers are on “maximum alert” to protect Goma as battles continue near the strategic city, the capital of North Kivu province.

The frontline is in Mutaho, about 7km (four miles) north of Goma.

Both sides accused the other of starting the fighting. The army said it began on Sunday at 15:00 (13:00 GMT) and continued for five hours, resuming again on Monday morning.

The M23 says their positions were bombarded all night until 03:00.

Government spokesperson Lambert Mende said army troops had killed at least 100 rebels.

Rebel spokesman AmaniKabasha said other rebel groups were fighting alongside army forces. He refused to comment on whether there had been any casualties.

A UN report leaked earlier this month says Rwanda is now only providing “limited” support to the M23 rebels and Uganda none at all. Both countries had denied allegations in an earlier UN report that they were arming the group.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 33

International

Myanmar leader visits Britain, rights record under scrutiny

on his website on Sunday that he had disbanded a security force accused of rights violations against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State in the west ofMyanmar, scene of deadly violence between Muslims and majority Buddhists in the past year.

Sein was due to talk trade, aid and democracy with Cameron and his ministers during a two-day visit at a time when Myanmar is opening up its oil, gas and telecoms sectors to foreign investors, with further liberalisation likely.

Cameron was under pressure to confront Sein over the treatment of Myanmar’s Muslim minority, but faced a tricky balancing act since he has made it clear he wants to expand Britain’s trade links with emerging economies such as Myanmar.

Sein, a former military commander, is trying to get the West to help Myanmar’s economy recover from decades of military dictatorship, Soviet-style planning and international sanctions.

Western leaders have praised him for ending the house arrest of opposition leader Aung San SuuKyi, releasing some political prisoners, and allowing the opposition to fight an election.

But they want him to further loosen the military’s grip on the mineral-rich state formerly known as Burma before a 2015 presidential election which the British-educated SuuKyi hopes to contest. SuuKyi

of stagnation.

Voter preference polls taken on Saturday and Sunday and published by the Asahi and Mainichi dailies showed that 37 to 43 percent of voters wanted to vote for the LDP. Such support meant that, along with coalition partner the New Komeito, the LDP would likely win a majority in the upper house.

It would also spell an end to the “twisted parliament” in which the opposition controls the upper house, hampering policy implementation, even if Abe’s commitment to growth-generating

and potentially painful reforms such as deregulation remains in doubt.

Monday’s surveys showed 8 percent of respondents wanted to vote for the New Komeito, ahead of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) with 7 percent.

Around a third of those surveyed did not support any party, and voter turn-out was expected to be low.

Japan has suffered parliamentary gridlock ever since Abe led the LDP to a massive defeat in a 2007 upper house vote. He quit abruptly two months later due to

British Prime Minister David Cameron (L) alongside President TheinSein

P

resident TheinSein, the first leader of Myanmar to visit Britain in more than 25 years, held talks with Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday as activists protested against the Asian nation’s human rights record.

Sein said in a statement released

visited Britain last year.

About 30 activists from campaign group Avaaz protested outside the British parliament with a banner reading: “Cameron - Don’t let Burma become the next Rwanda”, a reference to the 1994 genocide when hundreds of thousands were killed.

“Cameron should never have invited Sein,” said Jamal Ahmed, General Secretary of the Burmese RohingyaOrganisation UK. “Giving him the red carpet treatment knowing about the record level of human rights abuses is wrong.”

Before the talks, Human Rights Watch urged Cameron to press Sein on justice for crimes against humanity, to release remaining political prisoners and to end repressive laws.

At least 237 people have been killed in Myanmar in religious violence over the past year and about 150,000 people have been displaced. Most of the victims were Muslim and the deadliest incidents happened in Rakhine State, where about 800,000 Rohingya Muslims live, according to the United Nations.

Japan PM on track for hefty election win

P

rime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling bloc remains on track for a big win in Sunday’s upper house election, final surveys before the vote showed on Monday, a victory that would likely help end six years of parliamentary deadlock.

The surveys showed support for Abe’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) far outstrips other parties, buoyed by hopes that his hyper-easy monetary policy, public spending and structural reform will bolster growth and jolt Japan out of years

the deadlock, plummeting support and ill health.

The DPJ faced a similar headache after sweeping to power in 2009, only to lose a 2010 upper house election.

The hawkish Abe, 58, returned to power in December for a rare second term after the LDP-led bloc handsomely won a December election for parliament’s powerful lower house. The coalition, however, has since lacked a majority in the upper chamber, which can block legislation.

Bangladesh leader found guilty of war crimes

A

war crimes court has found Islamist Ghulam Azam guilty of five charges relating to Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence with Pakistan.

Ghulam Azam was sentenced to 90 years in jail for his involvement in mass killings and rape during the war.

Supporters of Bangladesh’s main Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, which he led from 1969 until 2000, clashed with police ahead of the verdict.

It is the fifth sentence passed against current and former party leaders.

The court found Mr Azam, 90, guilty of five charges including conspiracy, incitement, planning, abetting and failing to prevent murder.

He faced more than 60 counts of crimes against humanity for his role in setting up militia groups which carried out atrocities during the war.

MrAzam has denied the charges, which his supporters say were politically motivated.

The prosecution had been seeking

the death penalty.

But the three-judge panel said that while MrAzam deserved capital punishment, he received a prison term because of his advanced age.

The mood in Bangladesh is tense, with police on all major streets of the capital and security beefed up around the country,MahfuzSadique in Dhaka says.

Before the verdict was announced, police reportedly fired rubber bullets to disperse Jamaat-eIslam supporters protesting in Dhaka and several other cities on Monday.

Journalists were among a number of people hurt in the violence in the Dhalpur district of Dhaka, police say.

On the eve of the verdict there were sporadic clashes in different parts of the capital with reports of some injuries.

Previous verdicts for former Jamaat leaders have led to deadly protests involving party supporters.

More than 100 people have

Azam

been killed since January in political violence sparked by verdicts handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal.

Pro-government groups have also taken to the streets demanding death sentences for those being tried, accusing the

tribunal of being too lenient.

The International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh was set up by the current Awami League-led government in 2010 to try alleged collaborators of the Pakistani army during Bangladesh’s war of independence.

Asia & Middle East

Israeli PM threatens to strike Iran

Netanyahu

I

sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Iran is moving “closer and closer” to building a nuclear weapon and warned that his country may have to act against Tehran to curb it from achieving its goal before the United States does.

“They’re edging up to the red line.

They haven’t crossed it yet,” Netanyahu said on CBS News’s “Face the Nation.”

“They’re getting closer and closer to the bomb. And they have to be told in no uncertain terms that that will not be allowed to happen.”

Netanyahu went on to say that Israel had a more narrow timetable thanWashington,implyingitmayhave to take unilateral action to halt Iran’s controversial nuclear programme.

“Our clocks are ticking at a different pace. We’re closer than the United States. We’re more vulnerable. And therefore, we’ll have to address this question of how to stop Iran, perhaps before the United States does,” he said.

Netanyahu said Tehran has been building “faster centrifuges that would enable them to jump the line, so to speak, at a much faster rate -- that is, within a few weeks.”

Netanyahu said Iran’s nuclear policies were unlikely to change under its next president, moderate cleric and former nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani, who will assume power on August 3.

“He’s criticising his predecessor (President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) for being a wolf in wolf’s clothing.

His strategy is to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Smile and build a bomb,” Netanyahu said.

HeurgedtheUnitedStatestomake clear to Rowhani that it will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon, and that military force “is truly on the table.”

“We’ve spoken many times, President Obama and I, about the need to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said.

“What is important is to convey to them--especiallyaftertheelection--(is) that(the)policywillnotchange,”hesaid.

“If sanctions don’t work, they have to know that you’ll be prepared to take military action -- that’s the only thing that will get their attention,” he added.

Iran for years has been at loggerheads with world powers over its nuclear drive, which Western nations believeisaimedatdevelopinganatomic weapon capability.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

International

Justice department to review Zimmerman case T

housands of people have protested across the US against the acquittal of George Zimmerman for murdering black teenagerTrayvonMartin,astheJustice Department announced a review of the case.

The department confirmed that it was considering whether to file criminal civil rights charges against Zimmerman,aNeighbourhoodWatch volunteer captain in Florida, who shot the unarmed 17-year-old dead and

claimed the killing was self defence.

In response to calls from angry civil rights groups and protesters, the departmentsaidthatitwaslookinginto the case to determine whether federal prosecutors should file criminal civil rights charges now that Zimmerman had been acquitted in the state case.

Protests broke out in several cities in the US on Sunday evening as people voiced their disappointment and frustration at the verdict.

Most protests were peaceful, but

police clashed with some protesters in Los Angeles.

Eric Garcetti, the mayor of Los Angeles, issued a call for peace on Twitter after groups of protesters broke off from a march and threw rocks and batteries at police officers.

Police said they responded by firing “non-lethal beanbag rounds”, and arrested one man.

In New York, several thousand people marched from Union Square

to Times Square over Zimmerman’s not-guilty verdict.

Marches of varying sizes also erupted in San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, Atlanta, Oakland and Philadelphia following the reading out of the verdict late on Saturday night.

A jury in the town of Sanford, where the shooting occurred, found Zimmerman not guilty of shooting dead Martin on February 26 last year.

German spies used US surveillance data - paper

G

ermany’s foreign intelligence agency (BND) has known about U.S. surveillance and storage of German data for years and used it in cases of Germans kidnapped abroad, the masscirculation daily Bild reported on yesterday.

Questions over how much the German government and its own security agencies knew about U.S. surveillance have touched a raw nerve in Germany, given historical memories of spying on citizens by former communist East Germany and the Nazi regime.

The matter has also become an issue in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s campaign for re-election to a third term in office and, although favored to win, she is keen to quash any impression that she knew more than she has let on.

Citing U.S. government sources, Bild said the BND had asked the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) for the email and telephone records of German citizens kidnapped in Yemen or Afghanistan to help ascertain their whereabouts and contacts.

The BND was not immediately available for comment.

Merkel, who has said she first learned about the U.S. surveillance

Merkel

program from the media, pledged on Sunday to seek tougher European Union data protection rules and said she expected Washington to stick to German laws in future.

Those remarks were the closest she has come to acknowledging that Washington may have breached Germany’s strict laws.

Last week Merkel sent her

interior minister to Washington to demand answers but he has been derided by opposition parties for failing to return with any concrete U.S. assurances, despite fighting talk in advance that he would make clear he did not expect such behavior from a partner country.

The minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich, is due to brief the

parliamentary committee responsible for Germany’s intelligence agencies about his trip this week.

Viviane Reding, the EU’s justice chief, told Reuters on Monday she welcomed Merkel’s commitment to strong, uniform EU data protection rules. She said such laws were the best way to ensure protection of the personal data of EU citizens.

party, said while speaking at a festival near his home city of Bergamo in northern Italy at the weekend that whenhesawKyenge’spictureshecould not help but think of her “resemblance to an orangutan.”

“I do not call for Calderoli’s resignation. This is not a point that concerns me. But I put another

question, a reflection on the role of those who hold public office in Italy,” Kyengesaidcommentingonthewords.

The Northern League member phoned the minister to apologize, claiming that the comment was born from his “love for animals” and not meant to be offensive. But authorities from the entire political spectrum called unjustifiable what they defined as a racist insult and expressed support of Kyenge.

PresidentGiorgioNapolitanocalled himself “shocked and outraged” by the comment which showed “trends towards barbarization of civil society,” while Prime Minister Enrico Letta said thattheepisodewas“unacceptable”and “beyond every limit.”

According to Northern League leaders, Calderoli’s words were fueled by “wrong policies proposed by Kyenge that contribute to the uncontrollable influx of immigration” into Italy, after the minister said last week that she was open to assessing whether to wipe the

criminal status of illegal immigration.

In her view, determining whether a person is illegal “must be established after verifying the facts, not before,” and citizenship in the European Union (EU) should begin from an integration process. For example, at least five years residency could be enough to ask for Italian citizenship, she said.

Kyenge has been subject to several attacks by Northern League members since she became Italy’s first black government minister in April. Last month, a Northern League councilor posted an invitation to “rape” her on a Facebook page, while another party’s member of European Parliament said thattheministerwouldseekto“impose her tribal traditions from the Congo” on Italy.

The Mediterranean country has beenadestinationoragateintoWestern Europe for tens of thousands of illegal migrants,mostlyfromAfrica,especially since North Africa and the Middle East fell into political uncertainties.

Italy minister deflects racial comments

I

taly’s Congo-born Integration Minister Cecile Kyenge on Monday called on “reflection on the role of those who hold public office in Italy” after she fell victim to a distasteful comment by Deputy Senate Speaker Roberto Calderoli.

Calderoli, a prominent member of anti-immigration Northern League

Kyenge

Europe and Americas

Spain PM rejects resignation calls

S

pain’s Prime minister says he will not give in to “blackmail”, amid calls for him to resign over alleged links to a suspect in a payments scandal.

Mariano Rajoy said he would fulfil the mandate given by the Spanish people.

The calls came after a newspaper published text messages he allegedly sent to the suspect, Luis Barcenas, ex-treasurer of his Popular Party (PP).

Meanwhile MrBarcenas repeated in court allegations that MrRajoy received payments from a slush fund.

He said MrRajoy secretly received money between 2008 and 2010.

An El Mundo report on Monday said MrRajoy had sent words of support to MrBarcenas, who is in custody facing trial f o r c o r r u p t i o n and tax fraud. He denies the allegations.

MrRajoy, too, denies any wrongdoing.

“The rule of law does not bow to blackmail and the institutions, the administrations of justice, the judicial police and tax administrations have acted and are acting and will continue to act with absolute independence,” he said at a news conference.

“I insist that this is a serious democracy and I will submit myself to investigation.”

A series of newspaper allegations that MrRajoy and other top politicians received illicit payments has enraged a country in the depths of recession and record unemployment.

It is claimed that MrBarcenas ran a PP slush fund that took donations from construction magnates and distributed them to party leaders in cash.

Rajoy

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 35

Strange World

Book sells for a staggering $11.5 Million

B

irds of America“, John James Audubon’s unique sample of nature, art and craftsmanship wrapped in a beautiful album was sold at Sotheby’s last auction for the staggering price of $11.5 million, making it the most expensive book ever sold. This is one of just 11 copies owned by private collectors.

Audubon, a 19th century French-American naturalist and painter, gathered 500 breeds of birds, all illustrated in 1000 hand-painted life-size images, in his extraordinary book, which took 12 years to complete. A rare book dealer from London, Bernard Shapero, explains: “His big thing was the one-to-one ratio. Everyone else cropped the birds. If an eagle is 6 foot, he was going to paint it 6 foot. He scaled back the wings, but it was life size. That was his cachet.”

The so-called “father of ornithology” would hunt down the birds, shooting them before propping them on wires to paint. Each drawing took around 60 hours to complete. Sadly, many of the birds in his book are now extinct and exist only in his drawings and as stuffed museum exhibits.

American society wasn’t very interested in his work but that didn’t stop him, and his ambition got him all the way to Britain where his work gained success amongst the aristocracy.

The book is not only beautiful but also very impressive with its 3ft by 2ft pages, and although it wouldn’t fit on most bookshelves, it must be any collectors dream.

The previous record was also held by a copy of this unique album, sold in the year 2000 for $8,8 million.

An art lover admires Audobon’s unique album

what they do best, process stuff. The two young artists said “we wanted to bring our insides out” so they swallowed several piece of 35mm photographic film and let their bodies do the rest. They’re no doctors, so they didn’t know for sure if this would affect their health in any way, but as a precaution they put the film inside brightly colored capsules to avoid damage to their colons (those things have sharp edges). After eating the film, the two Graphic Design & Photography students waited for nature to take its course and hoped for the best. When the time came, they did their “business” in a bag, took it to a

dark room and started looking for the capsules. Luckily, their bright color made them easy to spot. After retrieving the film strips, they scanned them with an electron microscope which revealed some interesting images of their insides.

This project isn’t ‘photography’ in the traditional sense, in some ways it’s image making about photography,” Evans told Wired Magazine.

“Film has a huge history and set of rules surrounding it, but who is to say that it must be approached in such a way?”

Even if it probably grosses some people out, you have to appreciate the originality of their idea, right?

Dog lover will live like Art students swallow pieces of film to become human cameras an animal for a month

T

he next time you look in the mirror and ask yourself “what am I?”, a correct answer could be: a living, breathing camera. Last year, two art students, Luke Evans and Joshua Lake, conducted an unusual experiment in which they swallowed several pieces of film to capture the digestive system at work. Their art project was aptly named”I Turn Myself Inside Out”.

At first glance, the artworks of Kingston University students Luke Evans and Joshua Lake look like a collection of specimens captured under a microscope, when in fact they are stills of their digestive systems doing

The art project is intended to show digestive art work from the inside, out.

S

ean Le Vegan, a dog lover from Manchester, England, will spend over a month in an animal shelter enclosure to raise awareness about the plight of stray dogs and encourage people to adopt rather than buy canine pets.

Sean, a 35-year-old web-designer and volunteer at the Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home, believes spending 35 days and nights in a cage is a good way to attract attention to the hideous plight of homeless dogs. It’s also a great way to raise some much-needed funds for the dog shelter, as he plans to broadcast his challenge on the internet with webcams and charge £5 ($7.50) per subscription. People will be able to watch a human living a dog’s life and Le Vagan plans to offer them a realistic experience. 35 days is the average stay for a dog at the Manchester-based animal shelter.

Just like the canines brought here, Sean won’t eat anything for the first four days and will have to make do with just water and a blanket. After that he will be feasting on vegetarian dog food throughout the whole event.

He will only be allowed one hour of freedom per day, to use the toilet and freshen up. To make his experience even more authentic, he even had a chip implanted in his shoulder

which is hooked up to the dog-care database.

“It’s going to be really tough, but I didn’t want to dress up in a pickle suit or run 26 miles or any of the usual things. I want to really show people what stray dogs go through, and experience it for myself,” Sean told Manchester Evening News. “People thought I was absolutely crazy when I first came up with it – particularly the microchip. The toilet will obviously be an issue so I’ve cut caffeine, salt and sugar out of my diet to sustain my water levels. I really want to do this properly.” The young activist has chosen to begin his cage living experiment on October 5th, when the weather starts to get cold, to show what the animals have to endure.

Celebrities, dog trainers and groomers will be dropping by the Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home during Sean Le Vegan’s stay there, to possibly raise the profile of the event even more. To follow Sean’s progress, check out his website, Kennel 35 and follow him on Twitter.

Sean isn’t the first person to spend time in a cage in order to raise awareness to the plight of animals.

In 2011, Alexander Pylyshenko, a private zoo owner from Ukraine, spent five weeks caged with full grown lions.

Sean Le Vegan seen in an animal shelter where he plans to spend over a month

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Digest Stress could cause prostate cancer

S

tress could trigger and promote the spread of prostate cancer, new research suggests.

Scientists found that branches of the nervous system responsible for involuntary functions - such as the fight-or-flight mechanism - may play an important role in causing the disease.

They said the research suggests that new treatments

Experts linked stress specifically to prostate cancer (pictured) because the part of the nervous system responsible fight-orflight promotes tumour growth

involving drugs such as betablockers - already used to lower blood pressure - could be developed to treat the male cancer.

Previous work has shown that some tumours grow and migrate along nerve fibres. Nerves are commonly found in and around tumours, but until now their role in cancer development has not been clear.

The new study, conducted both on mice and human tissue samples, focused on the autonomic nervous system which governs automatic functions such as heart beat and digestion.

Scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City found that both branches of the autonomic nervous system appear to have important cancer-promoting effects.

One branch, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), regulates the body’s rapid flight-or-fight responses to stress and danger by increasing heart rate and constricting blood vessels.

The other, the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), works in opposition to it, helping the body to relax, ‘rest and digest’, and conserve energy when life is calmer.

Scientists found that SNS fuels the early phases of prostate cancer while the PNS becomes involved later when the disease spreads.

Experts linked stress specifically to prostate cancer

The findings suggest that new treatments involving drugs such as betablockers, already used to treat high blood pressure, could be developed to treat the male cancer because the SNS promotes tumour growth by generating the neurochemical noradrenaline.

Like its ‘cousin’ adrenaline, noradrenaline is a primary stress hormone that prepares the body to meet threats by making it more aroused and responsive, shifting blood from the skin to the muscles, and raising heart rate.

The hormone binds to molecules on the surface of tumour cells, triggering the release of cancer-stimulating chemicals.

PNS nerve fibres release a different chemical that sends signals to the connective tissues

surrounding tumour cells, helping the cells to break away and invade other parts of the body.

Drugs for high blood pressure and anxiety called beta-blockers work by blocking noradrenaline receptors.

This may explain recent findings of improved survival in prostate cancer patients on beta-blockers, said the scientists.

‘Although further studies will be required ... our data raises the tantalising possibility that drugs targeting both branches of the autonomic nervous system may be useful therapeutics for prostate cancer,’ they wrote.

Analysis of tissue samples taken from prostate cancer patients showed that aggressive tumours had more nerve fibres within and surrounding them than non-aggressive tumours.

Whether or not the findings apply to other forms of cancer is still uncertain.

‘Clinical studies show that breast cancer patients who took betablockers did better than those who were not taking beta-blockers,’ said lead scientist Dr Paul Frenette.

‘This suggests that the same mechanisms are involved, but that remains to be seen.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Having a pot belly increases the risk of heart disease

By Emma Innes

H

aving a pot belly increases your risk of heart disease and cancer more than ‘bingo wings’ or being generally overweight, say scientists.

A ‘spare tyre’ - a typical indicator of fat around the organs - has been shown to be particularlydangerousbecauseit’spacked with ‘bad fat’.

U.S. researchers looked at over 3,000 people for up to seven years and found those with abnormal stomach fat were more likely to suffer the illnesses after accounting for clinical risk factors and general obesity.

The study, published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, backs up previous research thatexcessstomachfatismoredangerous

than fat elsewhere on the body.[ Peoplewithtoomanypoundsaround the midriff have a greater risk of heart disease and cancer than those with a similar BMI (body mass index) who carry their fat in other areas of the body, said the researchers.

Mortality rates and disease risk associated with excess body weight can varyamongindividualswithsimilarBMI.

Having a pot belly increases your risk of heart disease and cancer more than ‘bingo wings’ or being generally overweight

It’s believed ectopic fat located where it’s not supposed to be - in this case being visibleintheabdominalarea-couldbethe cause of this difference in risk.

It’s widely known abdominal fat can be more dangerous than fat in other areas but the latest study is the first to use CT scans to study specifically located fat depots for direct associations with disease risk.

The study authors, from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Laboratory for Metabolic and Population Health in Framingham, Massachusetts, sought a link between the location of body fat and specific risk factors for heart disease and cancer which could explain why individuals with similar BMIs have varied obesity related health conditions.

Theyassessedfatinthestomacharea, around the heart tissue, and around the aortic artery, in 3,086 participants from the Framingham Heart Study whose average age was 50 Each patient was assessed using a CT scan to identify areas of fat accumulation.

Over the follow-up period they were assessed for heart disease, cancer and death risk while adjusting for standard risk factors.

Overall there were 90 cardiovascular eventssuchasheartattacksorstrokes,141 cancer cases and 71 deaths.

Fat packed around the organs in the abdomen is more dangerous than fat on the hips because it’s ‘metabolically active’ -releasingmoreoftheinflammatory,toxic chemicals that raise the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Many experts now want waist

A ‘spare tyre’ - a typical indicator of fat around the organs - has been shown to be particularly dangerous because it’s packed with ‘bad fat’ circumference or waist-to-hip ratio which indicates levels of abdominal fat - adopted as a more accurate guide than BMI which relates weight to height.

Study author Dr Caroline Fox said: ‘Contrary to previously published studies comparingBMIandwaistcircumference, the presence of abdominal fat improved the ability to predict for cardiovascular disease, supporting the hypothesis abdominal fat may partially underlie the association of body fat and heart disease and cancer.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 37

Bauchi 2015: Who succeeds Yuguda?

Analysis

F

or Mallam Isa Yuguda, he prefers to keep who he wishes to succeed him close to his chest and probably waiting for when the final whistle is blown for the 2015 race. Those at the fore-front of the race for Bauchi Government House include Senator Bala Mohammed, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi and Secretary to the Bauchi state Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Dandija. Others are the former Director General of the Samall and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Alhaji Mohammed Nadada Umaru, who was also Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in the administration of former Governor Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, who slugged it out with the incumbent in 2007.

From all indications, schemings for the number one position in the North-easterm state will come from the three senatorial zones of the state viz: southern , northern and the central zones. Already, Yuguda is currently from the southern senatorial zone and there are indications that the two other zones may demand to produce his replacement in the interest of equity and fairness. This is even more so when Yuguda’s predecessor, Mua’azu also hails from the southern senatorial zone. The thinking in political circles in the state is that the governorship slot should move from the southern zone to other parts of the state.

To this extent, some stakeholders in the state’s political game are arguing that the task of producing Yuguda’s successor should be left to the Bauchi central and the northern senatorial zones. Senator Ningi and the current Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ibrahim Dangija, who is also rumored to be eyeing the governorship seat, are both from Bauchi Central.

Ironically, those other politicians considered as strong contenders for the coveted position, including the FCT minister, Alhaji Musa Babayo and the current Deputy governor, Alhaji Sagir Saleh, are all from the same senatorial zone as the incumbent.

Those others who have indicated interest in contesting the state governorship election from the Bauchi South Senatorial District include the former Minister of Police Affairs, Dr Ibrahim Yakubu Lame, Senator Ali Wakili, Senator Abubakar Maikafi, Architect Mohammed Dewu, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, former Chief of Staff to Governor Yuguda, and Alhaji Sarki Abdullahi Adamu Dan China. Some of them had in the past contested for various elective positions in the state.

From Bauchi North Senatorial

As 2015 inches closer with several prominent politicians in Bauchi state jostling for the Government House, our Bauchi Correspondent, Ahmed Kaigama, in this piece, takes a look at those interested and submits that zoning may play a distinctive role in deciding who takes over from Governor Isa Yuguda.

Bar. Ahmed Ibrahim Dandija, SSG Bauchi State Zone, prominent interested candidates across party lines include Senator Babayo Garba Gamawa, former Bauchi Deputy Governor, Abdulmalik Mahmood, Alhaji Baba Tela, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, former member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Engineer Sadiq Mahmud, Senator Nazif Gamawa and Engineer Nuhu Gidado.

Those intereted candidates from the Bauchi Central Senatorial zone, apart from the Senate Deputy Leader, Ningi, and the SSG, include Nadada Umar, and Alhaji Shua’ibu Ahmed also a former Secretary to the Bauchi State Government. From the zone the incumbent SSG had not contested for any elective position from 2007 to date and his closest political associates keep saying his mission in 2015 is to complete the tenure of the present administration successfully and hand over to whoever God has chosen as the next governor of the state.

There are information making the rounds in the state that Senator Ningi had begun to consult with stakeholders in the state with a

Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi

Senator Babayo Garba Gamawa view to succeeding Yuguda in 2015.

According to the information, he has been receiving positive responses from those who believed that he has the capacity to govern the state, if elected. To this extent, it was learnt that the Senator had already constituted an interim committee to coordinate his campaign activities in

the state ahead of the governorship election.

While arguments are ongoing to bar candidates from Bauchi South zone, which is currently occupying the Government House, from contesting the seat in 2015, the Assistant State Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

Alhaji Bashir Bukar Rimin Zayam, who also hails from the zone warned that the mistakes of the past must not be repeated. He warned against shutting out the Southern Senatorial District out of the gubernatorial contest as doing such may be counterproductive as experienced in the past.

According to him, former Governor Mu’azu did a similar thing in the past by refusing to support the candidature of Yuguda who hails from the zone only for the party’s candidate, former SSG, Nadada Umar, to be defeated at the polls in 2007.

He counseled that the slot be made open for any interested candidate from the three zones to contest the PDP primary after which whoever emerges as the party’s candidate would be supported by all at the governorship polls in 2015.

Zayam added that “even though in PDP we have not started talking about 2015, because we are committed to completing the mandate given to Governor Isa Yuguda, it is in the best interest of democracy to allow whoever is eligible to contest from any zone because Tatari Ali, who ruled in 1979 Continued on page 38

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Politics

Bauchi 2015: The race begins Continued from page 37

came from Bauchi North under the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN). After Tatari Ali, Dahiru Deba from old Bauchi Central now in Gombe state, ruled as Governor of Bauchi state in 1983”.

He continued: “Since it started from the Northern zone and followed by Central zone in the old Bauchi state, now it will stay for 16 years by 2015 in southern part and democracy is all about people.

Let all eligible candidates from the 20 local government areas of Bauchi state look for votes from the citizens of Bauchi state for the sake of equity and fair play. Whoever sells his manifesto very well to the entire people of Bauchi will win the election in 2015. In the past, we have supported others without looking at the area they came from; so even in the future we will continue to support candidates from Bauchi state not caging the guber seat to a particular section of the state; it is not fair because everybody has his own luck.”

But, Alhaji Bibi Dogo disagreed with Zayam, insisting that the Bauchi South Senatorial District should concede the governorship slot to either he Central or North zone in the spirit of fairplay and equity. According to him, the time has come for the people of Bauchi South to reciprocate the good gesture of the other zones having occupied the governorship position in the last 16 years.

However, Bauchi state government has refused to allow itself to be dragged into the controversy over where the governor’s successor will come from. A top government official simply said: “The question of which zone should produce the next governor is immaterial at this period; this is a plan by some people to cause distraction. The governor is presently more occupied with his developmental agenda in order to leave a legacy to the people of the state. But, when we get there, we shall decide or advise how to produce the next governor of Bauchi state based on the guidelines of our party.”

Yusuf Maitama Tuggar Bauchi CPC guber candidate in the 2011 general election Although, the FCT minister has yet to officially declare his intention to contest the governorship position, sources close to him disclosed that he has embarked on a surreptitious campaign to win the support of those that matter in the state.

Mohammed, an elected Senator until he was appointed minister by President Jonathan in 2010, had had cold war with Yuguda over sundry issues, especially the former’s alleged subtle moves to undermine the governor’s hold on the state chapter of the PDP. Mohammed was also accused by the governor’s associates of discreetly dispensing patronage to certain influential indigenes of the state, including traditional rulers and religious clerics, in order to curry their favour ahead of the 2015 elections.

Meanwhile, before they fell apart in 2007, Governor Yuguda and his predecessor, Mua’zu, according to sources, were quite close. The incumbent governor had taken Mua’zu, then the governor, into confidence of his governorship ambition, but felt betrayed that Mua’zu, after assuring him of

his support, thereafter threw his support behind his erstwhile SSG on the premise that Yuguda, who had served at the federal level as a two-time minister, should concede the governorship seat to another person.

It was gathered that Mua’zu and Yuguda have reconciled and that they are working towards

Sen. Sulaiman Nazeef Gamawa, ANPP governotorial aspirant for the 2011 elections in Bauchi bringing back the former SMEDAN boss, Nadada Umar, to become the governor of Bauchi state in 2015.

Though the reality on ground in the state is that Yuguda would play a big role in deciding who succeeds him in 2015, he was said to have told those jostling for the position to wait till next year for them to know where the pendulum would

“

From all indications, the struggle for governorship position in Bauchi in 2015 is likely to be a straight fight between the duo of Senator Ningi and Nadada. Both are from the Central Senatorial Districtof the state. Pundits are of the opinion that the zone would have produced the governor in 2007 but for Mua’zu’s insistence on forcing his SSG on the people.

This imposition led to Nadada losing the election to Yuguda, who came from the same zone with his predecessor

swing.

From all indications, the struggle for governorship position in Bauchi in 2015 is likely to be a straight fight between the duo of Senator Ningi and Nadada Umar.

Both are from the Central Senatorial District of the state. Pundits are of the opinion that the zone would have produced the governor in 2007 but for Mua’zu’s insistence on forcing his SSG on the people. This imposition led to Nadada losing the election to Yuguda, who came from the same zone with his predecessor.

Based on this, there is a common consensus that the Central zone should produce the next governor for equity to in the state. As the race for the Government House hots up ahead of 2015, Yuguda has maintained a studied silence. Even though some have argued that the recent reconciliation of differences with the FCT minister by the governor may be a tacit endorsement of Bala Mohammed’s governorship ambition, others believe Yuguda may have sold a political dummy to the FCT minister.

Adamawa PDP crisis: Dep. gov. fingered as anti-Nyako From Umar Dankano

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he factional crisis rocking Adamawa state PDP has taken a new dimension with the state Deputy Governor, Barrister Bala James Ngillari, being accused of working with the faction fighting his boss, Governor Murtala Nyako, as a strategy to consolidate their political structure for 2015.

It will be recalled that the move to control PDP in Adamawa between Nyako, who is the leader of the party in state and the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who hails from the state, had led to the emergence of two state executives of the party in the state.

Alhaji Umaru Kugama led state executive of the party enjoys the support

of Gov. Nyako who described it as the authentic PDP executive in the state while the Chief the Joel Madaki led executive is the one recognised by the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

The development had led some PDP chieftains like Prof. Jibril Aminu, Dan Suleiman, Wilberforce Juta and others who have an axe to grind with Nyako to team up as a group with the chief Joel Madaki led exco to fight the governor.

Stakeholders popularly referred to as ‘Abuja politicians’ have been conducting series of meetings particularly in Abuja on how to take over PDP from Nyako ahead of 2015 elections. This group, it was gathered, has allegedly drafted the state Deputy Governor into its camp with a promise that he would succeed

his boss if their plans to get Nyako impeached for alleged anti party activities succeeds.

Already the Madaki led executive has constituted a disciplinary committee, chaired by Alhaji Jingi Rufai, which directed some Nyako commissioners, special advisers and council chairmen to appear and defend themselves over alleged anti party activities. The invitees have refused to honour the invitation.

There are rumours that the group (Abuja politicians) was responsible for the inclusion of Adamawa state in the emergency declared by the Federal Government over the spate of insecurity in the North Eastern region.

A source from the Government House in Yola told this reporter that “One of them, Prof. Jibril Aminu,

was not happy that Nyako was not removed as governor because of the state of emergency. He said so in an interview with one of the national daily newspaper where he lamented that the state of emergency was not sweeping enough because Nyako is still the governor.

“We have acknowledged their meetings and desperate plans to get Nyako at all cost. No wonder when the state of emergency was declared including Adamawa they were happy but later criticized it implementation saying it was not sweeping enough because the governor was not removed. Such lack of concern for the plight of Adamawa people by Abuja politicians is unfortunate; but more sad is the involvement of the Deputy Governor with this group. Nobody is saying the deputy governor should

not aspire to be governor but to join hands with those fighting his boss and the administration he is serving amounts to backstabbing.”

Investigation by this reporter in Yola revealed that the plan A of using the state House of Assembly members to axe the governor through impeachment process was foiled when the leadership of the Assembly under Speaker Umaru Ahmad Fintiri rejected the proposal.

Some pundits argued that the plan was rejected because of political differences between the Speaker and the Deputy Governor who happened to come from the same local government area, Madagali, where the speaker is believed to be in control because his political structure is well accepted by their people (electorate).

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Olugbense family insists on Olofa stool From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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he ruling family of Olofa, Olugbense ruling house has said that that it would not concede their father’s throne and birth right to the female linage, Annilerin ruling house.

The Olugbense family insisted yesterday that the Kwara state government should implement the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin, which ruled on the matter.

Briefing reporters yesterday, spokesman of the ruling house, Prince Saka Adebayo Keji, noted that they had conceded the throne in the past to the Annilerin House, in the interest of rotation.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin last Tuesday ruled that the Olofa stool is rotational and that the present Olofa, Oba Musftau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II, from Anilelerin ruling house should vacate the throne for the candidate of Olugbense ruling house.

Keji said, “it is astonishing, disgusting and naïve that some uninformed people out of mischief have even suggested that the Olugbense ruling house should allow sleeping dogs lie and allow perfidy to continue.

“But we say no to this because our family does not wish to sell her right.

“Our forefathers have made compromises before in the interest of peace in Offa particularly in 1969 when Oba Mustapha Keji was persuaded by the government of the day to step down to allow the candidate from the female Anilelerin ruling house to be produced to start the rotational process, and he did.

“But in 2010, when it became the turn of our ruling house to produce the candidate to fill the vacancy created by the death of Oba Mustapha Olawore Olanipekun Ariwajoye from Anilelerin ruling house, our candidate now decaled by the Court of Appeal as Olofa of OffaAbdulRauf Keji was shockingly and brazenly rejected by the kingmakers and the government.

“Therefore, our ruling house has lost faith in any arrangement that will continue to perpetually deny us our right to ascend to the throne of our forefathers.

“To us, continued peaceful and harmonious relationship between us and our neighbours can only be achieved through sober, mature and experienced leadership style as exhibited by the late Oba Mustapha Keji and Oba Mustapha Olawore Olanipekun during their memorable reign.”

While appealing to government to implement the judgment of Court of Appeal, the Olugbense family said Prince AbdulRauf Adegboyega Keji is the Olofa of Offa.

The family argued that, “there is no Oba in Offa until the state government does the needful to enforce the court judgment.”

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News Extra Sokoto River Basin alerts communities on flooding From Mahmoud Muhammad, Sokoto

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he Sokoto Rima Basin Development Authority (SRRDA) has warned people living around a federal Dam in Goronyo local government of the state to as matter of urgency evacuate the vicinity of the Dam. This was contained in a sensitization letter signed by its

MD/CEO Malam Yusuf Kalieel, a copies of which were made available to newsmen in Sokoto.

It said the decision to give the warning was to avert a reoccurrence of devastating flooding experienced in the state and its environs last year that was caused by flooding of the Goronyo Dam. According to the statement, “in view of the onset of the raining season and coupled with the fact

that there will be heavy rain this year and as we move towards it, we call on those in riverine areas of Goroyo to live the area as a matter of urgency.

“We considered it imperative to embark on a sensitization exercise for the various stakeholders.

“This is in order to forewarn the various communities downstream of the Dam, so as to minimise losses and damages as a result of

the unusual flooding.”

The exercise according to the Dam authorities is targeted on District Heads, religious leaders, village elders and youths as well as officials of affected local government councils.

The Nigeria Meteorological Agency had predicted early onset of the rains, warning that there may be flooding similar to that of 2012.

L-R: Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Ononememen, and representative of the ECOWAS Commission President, Mr Ebirima Njie, during the meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Road Infrastructure, Finance and Justice, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Youth restiveness: Lawmaker blames government From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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Member of Kaduna state House of Assembly, Hon Muhammad Ali, has blamed youth restiveness, insecurity and general disregard for law and order on government at all levels. He said this during graduating ceremony of 195 graduates of entrepreneurial skills in Kaduna, yesterday He lamented that failure of governments at all levels to provide financial and infrastructural support for entrepreneurial development was responsible for youth restiveness, insecurity and general disregard for

law and order.

According to him, “today is exactly two years into our four years’ tenure as parliamentarians.

“We have left no one in doubt about our ability and resilience to be change agents that will usher in development because of our strong belief that any development without the concern and consent of the people is a recipe for insecurity, instability and disaster.

“These we are determined to avoid because the many somersault made by the central made it impossible to predict with certainty which direction government is taking and where they

are pulling the nation to.

“The youth you see here have exemplified true commitment to youth development and job creation in many areas.

“But the inability of governments at all levels to provide financial and infrastructural support for entrepreneurial development has led to youth restiveness, insecurity, drug addiction, prostitution, crass human rights abuses and general disregard to law and order.”

He noted that his initiative has since inception in 2011 trained and empowered 2,295 youths in different trades, including the 195 youths who

just received certificate of proficiency from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Earlier in his address, the Vice Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Vincent Ado Tenebe, expressed confidence that the students were graduating with very useful and marketable skills that will empower them to become productive members of the society.

Tenebe said that Human Resource Development and Empowerment Initiative was a child of necessity at a point when unemployment, insecurity and political thug were threatening the fabric of the society.

Police confirm killing of two cops by gunmen in Gombe

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he police in Gombe sate have confirmed the killing of two of its men on Sunday night by gunmen during an attack at a filling station in the state capital.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in

Gombe.

He said that the gunmen attacked the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega filling station on the Gombe-Biu road at 7.20 p.m. with the intent of robbing the station, but failed.

He said that the two policemen were killed by the robbers while some members of the gang

escaped with bullet wounds.

He said that the police were investigating the incident with a view to find out where the wounded robbers were being treated.

In another development, Atajiri said that the police had arrested six suspects with locallymade pistols and a vehicle during a raid in a hide-out early Monday

morning.

He said that the police also intercepted a vehicle belonging to a Deputy Comptroller of Customs at Ture Balam village on the Gombe-Yola road after it was snatched in Yola.

He said that the police would not rest on its oars until criminals were flushed out from the state.

(NAN)

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

News Extra

Yobe spends N145.5m on scholarships D

Briefs ABU Alumni

From Uche Uche, Damaturu

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obe state government has spent a total sum of N145.5 million from January 2012 to June 2013 on scholarship for its students studying within and outside Nigeria.

The Executive chairman of the state scholarship Board, Alhaji

Ibrahim Toshia, disclosed this to Peoples Daily in his office in Damaturu yesterday.

Out of the amount, he said, N38.3 million was spent to pay 100 per cent scholarship allowances in respect of 189 overseas students in Europe and African countries, while N37.9 million was spent in the payment

of 100 per cent scholarship allowances in respect of 1,129 students at Kano and Abuja institutions for 2011 and 2012 academic sessions.

He said that another sum of N48.5 million was spent for 100 per cent payment of scholarship allowances in respect of 2,126 students of University of

Maiduguri and School of Health Technology, Maiduguri for the 2011 and 2012 academic session and African countries.

He thanked the state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, for the laudable programmes which he said signified the Governor’s commitment towards improving the education sector in the sector.

Korea rewards best Nigerian art students

By Mohammed Kandi and Nami Hassan Kadir

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orean Cultural Centre in Nigeria (KCCN), organisers of the fourth Drawing competition for 30 primary and junior secondary school students in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has awarded winners with scintillating gifts of sophisticated electronic gadgets and certificates.

The overall winner of the 2013 edition of the Korean drawing competition, Idara Francis Abraham, age 15, had defeated his opponents in the contest to clinch the 1st position with a piece art which illustrates a youngster adorn in Korea traditional costume called Hanbok.

Abraham, a student from the Junior Secondary School, Apo Legislative Quarters, according to the judges, presented an “outstanding” drawing that stood out among others and encouraged participants to strive towards same position in the next contest.

The Korean Ambassador in Nigeria, Choi Jung-Hyun, said the event was unique considering the fact that, “it fosters creativity and innovation in children in their formative years.”

He described children as the bedrock of Nigeria’s development and the developmental benefits of arts to them are enormous.”

Jung-Hyun also noted that over the past four years, through training of art teachers, the quality of submitted artworks has continued to improve and the number of participants has continued to increase.

He said that the theme of the this year competition, “image of Korea” was apt in the sense that it had created “hearts between Korea and Nigeria” as well as foster friendships that will pave way for strong ties.

Also speaking, the FCT Minister represented by the Chairman, Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Umar Barau, commended the KCCN explaining that the competition “exposed our children to the many advantages of art appreciation which in turn, I am optimistic will help them appreciate the Nigerian indigenous culture the more.”

The winners received gifts of various items including a 54 and 42 inches plasma TV, award plagues and certificates.

r. Henrietta Ogan of Rivers state branch of the Alumni Association of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria has been returned unopposed as its national President.

This is contained in a statement by the Secretary of the electoral committee, Mr. Monday Hassan-Zitta, on Sunday.

It said Dr. Ahmed TijjaniMora from Kaduna state branch was also returned unopposed as Deputy National President along with Dr. Dennis Ekemezie from Anambra branch as Vice President, South-East.

Sir Andy Ehanire (former Secretary-General) from Edo state branch emerged Vice President, South-South and Nuhu Kuso Esq. (former Legal Adviser) became Vice President, North-Central.

Aregbesola, Wada on Ramadan

G Muslim faithful during a Ramadan lecture at the Central Mosque, at the weekend in Bauchi. Photo: NAN

Ramadan: Foundation donates to patients From David Hassan, Gombe

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he Hamma Saleh Foundation has budgeted the sum of N10 million for the purchase of various gift items for distribution to patients in various hospitals in Gombe state, in the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan.

A spokesman of the Foundation, Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu, disclosed his at the weekend during a presentation

of assorted items to mental disorder patients at the Gombe Specialist Hospital.

According to him, the Foundation has donated materials to a total of seven hospitals and that the exercise is expected to cover the three senatorial districts.

He said that about 2,000 patients had already benefited from the programme.

According to him, “we are

working tirelessly to ensure sustainability of the programme and with the hope that we will come out with a blue print to enable them smile.”

Receiving the materials on behalf of the Medical Director of the Gombe Specialist Hospital, the Head of Department of Administration, Mr. Abdullahi Isa, thanked the team for their courage towards assisting patients.

Emergency on Health: Yobe govt. approves release of N1.46bn.

From Uche Uche, Damaturu

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ollowing the recent declaration of state of emergency on the health

by Yobe state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, government has approved the sum of N1.46 billion for various projects aimed at improving the health sector for improved services delivery.

Out of the amount, the sum of N657.5 million was set aside for rehabilitation of the General Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital in Damaturu, the state capital to improve the situation of the hospital.

Government has also approved the

release of the sum of N713.3 million for the construction of a total number of 42 assorted housing units across the state.

These would include 19 units of 200-bed new hospital and 23 units at the General Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital respectively, all in Damaturu .

The Commissioner for Health, Hajiyya Fatsuma Talba, told newsmen that this arrangement is towards the government decision to house all the specialist doctors within the hospital premises for easier access to patients especially during emergency situations.

Another project is the procurement of eight fully equipped brand new

ambulances for hospital services and mobile clinics in the state and the contract was awarded to Alhaji Usman Tanko Tahir Nigeria limited at a total cost of N85.45 million The Commissioner pointed out that an additional 12 new ambulances would further be procured to effectively improve referral systems and mobile clinic services in the state health care delivery.

Governor Gaidam recently declared a state of emergency in the Ministry of Health and at the Yobe state Hospital Management Board, “due to deteriorating condition of service in the sector.

overnors Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Idris Wada of Kogi on Sunday in Abuja called on Muslim faithful to pray for the country’s peaceful existence during the Ramadan.

The governors made the call in their separate remarks at the annual Ramadan lecture organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society.

Aregbesola, who was Chairman of the occasion, described Ramadan as a season for sober reflection when the prayers of Muslims were speedily granted by God. He also charged Muslims to use the holy month for spiritual rejuvenation and dedication to the peace, unity and development of the nation.

Emeka Anyaoku

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hief Emeka Anyaoku, a former Commonwealth Secretary-General, said that the only way to put an end to the problems and crisis in Nigeria was to return to true federalism.

Anyaoku said this at a public lecture entitled, ``God in my Life,’’ organised by Torchbearers Society of Arch Bishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos.

He stressed the need for the country to become a federation of six units, with each unit developing at its own space.

According to him, a federation of six geo-political zones will trigger competitive development, thereby solving the crisis in our country.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 41

Ukraine fallout: AFN to refine training methods

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ollowing the dismal performance of Nigerian athletes at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Ukraine, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has resolved to re-jig its training methods to enhance performance in subsequent outings.

Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, the Technical Director of the federation con-

Woods drawn with McDowell, Oosthuizen at Muirfield

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orld number one, Tiger Woods, has been drawn to play alongside former U.S. Open champion, Graeme McDowell and South African, Louis Oosthuizen, in the first two rounds of this week’s British Open at Muirfield.

The trio will tee-off at 14.45 local time (0945 EDT) on Thursday and at 09.44 on Friday.

Defending champion, Ernie Els, U.S. Open winner Justin Rose, and American Brandt Snedeker, feature in another marquee threeball at 09.11 in Thursday’s opening round.

U.S. Masters champion, Adam Scott, has been drawn to play with American, Matt Kuchar and Britain’s, Luke Donald.

firmed yesterday its training seems obsolete and needs to be revamped by its technical personnel to achieve the desired results.

Accordingly, he said coaches would have to be dynamic and pragmatic in their coaching approaches to improve the performances of their wards.

Peoples Daily Sports recalls that Nigeria placed 30th

he Super Eagles will this morning return to training after one week break following their 4-1 drubbing of the Elephants of Cote d’ Ivoire in the first leg of the final qualifying game of the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN 2014).

Team Media Officer, Ben Alaiya confirmed yesterday that all 24 players called up for the exercise were expected to arrive at the Bolton White Hotel last night and would accordingly today kick-start the preparations for the return leg.

The usual, the team would train at the practice pitch of the National Stadium Abuja both in the

to clinch some medal.

“From what we have seen, we now know the areas to make changes in our training strategy in order to assure podium performance in future meet. Our coaches will have to be re-tooled no doubt, and be more scientific in their training application,’’ he said.

Further, he said though the country failed to win any

medal, the poor outing may be a blessing in disguise as it has created a vista for the AFN to see areas where the budding talents of the youth could be improved upon.

He also noted that the AFN would look into the area of athletes’ nutrition, which he described as ``essential to the performance of athletes’’.

In spite of the country’s

poor performance at the championships, Nesiama was of the opinion that the future would be brighter for Divine Oduduru, who recorded a personal best of 21.13sec in the 200m event.

Oduduru surpassed the time of 21.53 sec he recorded at the African Youths Athletics Championships (AYAC), which held from March 27 to April 1 in Warri, Delta.

Minister parleys with NFF, Keshi, other national coaches

By Patrick Andrew

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he Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, yesterday met with the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and most national teams’ coaches.

Stephen Keshi, led the technical crew of the Super Eagles to the meeting as well as the Flying Eagles assistant coaches, their Eaglets counterparts, and Aloy Agwu were also at the parley.

The minister had penultimate day met with Sam John Obuh, who resigned last week following the less than pleasant performances of the junior Eagles at the FIFA U-20 Championship in Turkey.

Though g it was not con-

firmed what the agenda of the meeting was, Peoples Daily Sports insiders in the NFF and close associates of some of the coaching staff said it may not be unconnected with recent activities within the football federation.

It would be recalled that the NFF had pruned the coaching staff and backroom staff of national teams in addition slashed the bonuses of Eagles, none of which went down well with the respective teams and the players in particular.

The Eagles showed their displeasure by rejecting the slashed bonus paid them in protest after they defeated Kenya and drew with Namibia in 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

Accordingly, g y the federal

government, through the NSC, constituted a panel to probe the ugly incident, as well as proffer lasting solutions to bonus matters for national teams’ players.

Aside from this Nigeria amateur league commanded international headlines for the wrong reasons when four clubs made an infamous 149 record goals in two matches.

FIFA, the world soccer ruling organ has turned the searchlight on this grandest of match-fixing in the history of world football.

Meanwhile, the minister in company of NFF officials as well as management staffs of the NSC inspected the NFF House which will be commissioned in a few days time by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Aminu Maigari, NFF President

Stephen Keshi, Super Eagles head coach

Rockets to hire Olajuwon

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akeem Olajuwon, who took the Houston Rockets to two

CHAN 2014: Full house as Eagles resume training today

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with no medal in spite of the high expectation occasioned

by Team Nigeria’s performance at the African Youth Championship held in Warri, Delta state early in the year.

Ironically, countries which Nigeria dusted at the fiesta like Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa among others went on to clinch medals even in events that hitherto Nigeria had seemed destined

morning and evening.

The technical crews are expected to keep a close watch of the players with a view to selecting those that would adapt to their technical instructions.

Already, Stephen Keshi had called four fresh pairs of legs in the defence, midfield and attack as he continues to search for players that would grow in strength and depth like Sunday Mba and Godfrey Oboabona, whose status grew in proportions after their AFCON exploits.

They are Enugu Rangers and Nigeria Under-20 striker Alhaji Gero, Warri Wolves striker Joseph Osadinye, Kwara United defender Ganiyu Ogungbe and Kano Pillars playmaker

NBA championships, is needed there again.

The Rockets want to hire ‘the Dream’ to mentor Dwight Howard, albeit with a center largely dominated by athletes not Hakeem nearly as polished as when Olajuwon Olajuwon was there.

Olajuwon has become the go to mentor around the NBA for players who want to improve their post games. That means not only pretty much ever center currently in the NBA but also players such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

While adding him to work with Howard should certainly help the post moves for Dwight, the fact remains that Kevin McHale and team need to get him more comfortable with running more pick-and-roll — mobility remains.

Howard’s best asset as a big, yet last season in Los Angeles he was resistant to more pick-and-roll with Mike D’Antoni.

In the last three seasons the best shooting percentage for Howard on post moves is 50.3 percent, but his lowest percentage as the roll man is 74 percent (stats via Synergy Sports).

With James Harden and Jeremy Lin Houston could be the best pick-and-roll team in the NBA, if Howard will buy in. And that is all about Howard, not Olajuwon.

John Obuh, former Flying Eagles coach

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 42

Sports Promotion to Div. 5 will be good for Nigeria cricket, says Timimadi

Mba now Rangers player, but rights remain with Wolves

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onye Timimadi, a Cricket Coach, said that the country would reap bountiful benefits, if the national male cricket team got promoted to Division 5 of the World Cricket League (WCL).

The Nigerian team would be participating at the WCL Division 6 to be held from July 19 to July 29 in Jersey, off the coast of the U.K. Nigeria, Vanuatu, Kuwait, Argentina, Bahrain and the host, the state of New Jersey are to slug it out for promotion.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that apart from attracting more tournaments for the team to participate in, it would also boost the International Cricket Council (ICC) ranking of the team.

“If we can emerge first or second in WCL Division 6, we can get promoted to Division 5,” Timimadi said. ``Getting promoted to Division 5 will go a long way in ensuring that the male national team gets more tournaments to participate in internationally. And it will also help in boosting the ranking of the country in the world,” he said.

The coach added that it would also be an opportunity for the country to participate in more tournaments, should the national team get promoted to Division 5.

He urged the team to take advantage of the opportunity at their disposal to learn from their opponents. ``I know the team will be aware of the dangers of not qualifying for Division 5. Because it will be in another two years before the team can compete in the World Cricket League (WCL) should they fail to qualify to Division 5,” Timimadi said.

Sunday Mba, may leave Warri Wolves no compensation

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arri Wolves arrested the growing fear that they may lose the right for compensation should their prize asset Sunday Mba secures a lucrative move abroad

by December when his contract expires, as they resolved the protracted transfer logjam to claim full ownership of the player.

However, the player can now lace boots for Rangers albeit he remains the bonafide

that he was now free to turn out for Rangers.

“I’m not going back to Warri but I’m free to play for the club of my choice, Rangers, till any European deal comes,” he says.

Mba chose to leave the Warri club for Enugu after a stellar performance at the African Nations Cup, where he scored the title-winning goal for the Super Eagles.

His decision sparked a transfer tussle that required the intervention of the NFF, which

oach Yemi Abiodun of the Oluyole Warriors of Ibadan has re-affirmed the team’s determination to compete in the Atlantic Conference Final Four of the ongoing DStv/Men’s Premier Basketball League.

Abiodun said in Lagos shortly after the team defeated table toppers, Dodan Warriors of Lagos 63-57 but had lost a day earlier 58-70 to the Warriors in the first

leg encounter played at the same venue, Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos. `My team has the right frame of mind to achieve objectives and will stop at nothing to achieve qualification to the Final Four. We came to Lagos to play and earn valuable winning points; we knew beating Dodan Warriors would be very difficult. ``All we tried to achieve after

we lost our first match to them was to pick one out of the two matches against Dodan Warriors, and that we did. ``There are four matches to go; we will take our next matches seriously and endeavour to pick both games,’’ he said.

Coach Peter Ahmedu of Dodan Warriors later said that his team lost to a determined side. ``Oluyole Warriors were

President says funding of NICEGA 2013 will depend on host state

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he funding of the 2013 edition of the Nigeria Colleges of Education Games (NICEGA) will depend on the Niger government, which is the host state government, an association official said yesterday.

The NICEGA President, Sanusi Mohammed, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, stressing that ``this is the only way out because there is no fund for it.’’ He added that the shortage of funds made the association to give the hosting rights to the state.

handed both clubs an ultimatum to resolve the issue.

Amaju Pinnick, chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, which oversees Wolves, also confirmed to the wire service that the move was initiated by the player and his representatives.

“I can tell you that it was the player himself that initiated this move and we are happy for him,” Pinnick says. “He has realised that as a national team player he needs to begin to play regular club football.”

Oluyole Warriors coach upbeat for Final Four slot

C Bolaji Abdullahi, Sports Minister

property of Warri Wolves. It means that the Warri side stands to claim their due compensation in full whenever the player secures a move to Europe.

The AFCON hero himself confirmed yesterday in his tweeter handle@mba_sunday thus: “Thanks to all that has wish and pray for me . The saga is over between Warri Wolves and Rangers. I can now play big time football #God @work.”

Also, he later confirmed to a wire service- KickOffNigeria-

Sanusi had earlier said in May that the 18th edition of the Games may not meet normal standards because the Federal Government had stopped allocating funds for it. ``The plain truth is that the funds are still not available till this moment, but we gave the Niger government the hosting rights because of its sports-loving governor, Babangida Aliyu. ``We believe he will support the games because he understands the benefit of sports to the peace and security of the state, in particular

and to national development, in general,” he said.

Mohammed added that the association would have to inspect facilities at the college again, to ensure that athletes are able to compete in a good environment. ``Although we had already inspected some of the facilities, we will still have to go back because as at the time we went, the tartan track was not there and some other things were also not in place,” he said stressing poor track affects performance.

``So, we are appealing to the governor to come to the aid of the college in providing the required sporting facilities.’’

The NICEGA president, who said that the date for the Games had yet to be decided, however, added that ``it will hold in November.

The 2012 edition of the Games took place at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, Rivers, where Federal College of Education, Kano, emerged winner with 13 gold and four bronze medals.

the determined side today; we defeated them a day earlier, and it was not favourable to them.

At this stage, every team wants to do their best and pick up any win, which will count for them at the end. ``For now, we will focus our attention on the last four games which are crucial to our becoming the conference champions,’’ Ahmedu said.

Dodan Warriors are currently topping the table with 41 points, while Union Bank of Lagos is behind with 40 points. Union Bank of Lagos suffered a 58-70 loss same to bottom placed Police Baton of Lagos.

However, Union Bank regained confidence in the return leg on Friday by overcoming Police Baton at 89-78.

Also, Lagos Islanders affirmed superiority over their city rivals, Comets of Lagos, as they handed them two defeats in two matches played in two days. Islanders on Thursday defeated Comets 52-49 and on Friday spanked Comets 70-57.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 43

Sports

Bayern set to land Thiago from Barcelona

Galatasaray swoop for Toulouse striker

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uropean champions Bayern Munich have strengthened their midfield by agreeing to buy sought-after Spain Under-21 international Thiago Alcantara from Barcelona for a fee of €25 million.

Thiago, 22, who will join up again with former Barca coach Pep Guardiola in Munich, will have a medical in the next few days before signing a four-year contract, Bayern said.

Barca also confirmed the deal, which it said included a friendly between the two clubs sometime in the next four years.

Bayern said €5 million of the transfer fee would come partly from income from the match and partly from Thiago agreeing to forego some wages.

Born in Bari, Italy, he is the son of former Brazil midfielder Mazinho, who played in the 1994 World Cup-winning side, and has a younger brother Rafinha, also a midfielder, in the Barca B team.

Thiago made 15 starts in La Liga as Barca won the title last season, two appearances in the Champions League and seven in the King’s Cup. He has also played three times for the senior Spain side but missed out on a place at the Confederations Cup.

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urkey forward Umut Bulut is set for a return home after Galatasaray agreed a deal to sign the forward from Ligue 1 side Toulouse, the French club announced yesterday.

“An agreement has been reached but nothing has been finalised. But for me he’s gone in the sense that he’s no longer at training,” said Toulouse coach Alain Casanova.

Bulut spent the past season on loan at Galatasaray following a disappointing debut campaign with Toulouse in 2011/12, in which Bulut scored just five times in 31 appearances.

However, the Turkish international rediscovered his form with Galatasaray as he netted 15 goals in all competitions and helped the Istanbul club reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

Bulut would be reunited with former Toulouse duo Johan Elmander and Dany Nounkeu at Galatasaray.

Fabregas

Man United bid for Fabregas

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anchester United submitted a bid for Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas on Monday, a person with knowledge of the situation said.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss the bid, which was submitted

by United executives from Sydney where the team is

Alcantara

Hull eye Bendtner move

left Arsenal after pushing to rejoin boyhood club Barcelona for €29 million.

At Old Trafford, the Spain midfielder would be re-united with striker Robin van Persie, who joined from Arsenal a year ago.

The 26-year-old Fabregas would help to fill the void left by the retirement of Paul Scholes and Darren Fletcher, who is still recovering from a bowel condition.

Maicon set for Serie A return

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ormer Inter Milan defender Maicon is on the verge of returning to Serie A, with Roma set to complete a deal for him yesterday.

Manchester City full-back Maicon, 31, arrived in the Italian capital on Monday, posing for photographs outside Fiumicino airport before travelling to the club to undergo a medical, after which he should put pen to paper on a two-year contract.

“I’m happy, but let’s wait for the medical first,” the former Champions League

winner told Gazzetta dello Sport, which also reported that he had agreed a significant salary cut to return to Italy, where he spent the most successful six seasons of his career.

Maicon won four Serie A titles, two Coppa Italias and the Champions League with Inter. He was part of their 2010 treble-winning squad, but featured only infrequently for City following his move from the Nerazzurri last summer and was told he would not be in new boss Manuel Pellegrini’s plans.

Umut Bulut

Ibra will leave for Cavani, says President Ibrahimovic

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Nicklas Bendtner

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ull City is interested in signing Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner, a source has said.

The newly-promoted Premier League club is considering a bid for Bendtner, 25, after his £3 million move to Eintracht Frankfurt collapsed last week.

The Denmark international has previously played under Hull manager Steve Bruce at Birmingham, whom he helped climb out of the Championship in 2006-07, and Sunderland, during a loan spell in 2011-12.

Bruce has turned his attention to Bendtner after Burnley striker Charlie Austin’s proposed move to the Tigers fell through when he failed a medical last week.

currently on its pre-season tour.

Despite Barcelona offering no public indication that Fabregas is for sale, United has offered €30 million to bring the former Arsenal captain back to the Premier League, as David Moyes looks to make his first major signing as manager of the English champions.

The transfer bid comes two years after Fabregas

Maicon

apoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has hinted that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer, just as the Ligue 1 champions are poised to complete Edinson Cavani’s move from the Serie A club.

Although he signed a three-year contract with PSG only last summer, Ibrahimovic, 31, has been linked to both Manchester City and Real Madrid - where he would be reunited with Carlo Ancelotti within the last week.

The Sweden international is close to Ancelotti and spoke of his disappointment at the Italian leaving the Parc des Princes after leading the club to the French title last season.

While the phrase casts doubt on Ibrahimovic’s future, it all but confirms Cavani’s, with the Uruguay international due to fly into France from his native country to finalise his Ligue 1 record €64 million switch to Paris.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Sports

Meet FIFA U-20 top honours winners At the end of a dramatic FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013 final, France lifted the most prestigious trophy in world youth football after overcoming Uruguay in a penalty shootout in Istanbul. Midfield strategist Paul Pogba’s headline-grabbing displays throughout the competition helped lead Les Bleuets to the top of the pile and he was deservedly awarded the adidas Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. Ghana’s Ebenezer Assifuah took home the adidas Golden Boot after finishing as top scorer. FIFA.com rounds up all the award winners. adidas Golden Ball: Paul Pogba (France) he very presence of the France captain out on the pitch was enough to command opponents’ respect.

Pogba’s attributes, from his intimidating physique, fearless tackling, tireless running and the ability to read and determine the pace of the game, made the 20-yearold the team’s undisputed leader. Furthermore, the Juventus midfielder was crucial to the morale of coach Pierre Mankowski’s side, geeing his team-mates up on countless occasions when their heads dropped.

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adidas Silver Ball: Nicolas Lopez (Uruguay) nyone who has seen Nicolas Lopez play will no doubt have realised the forward is no ordinary talent. The 19-yearold has an invaluable knack of conjuring chances from nothing and while blessed with a devastating turn of pace, he is equally adept at biding his time, waiting for the right moment to pounce.

Possessing outstanding technique, the unpredictable Roma front man forces defenders to remain permanently on guard. His contributions were often decisive in helping La Celeste into the final.

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Nicolas Lopez

adidas Golden Boot: Ebenezer Assifuah (Ghana / 6 goals, 0 assists) hana’s energetic No17 came into his own when the West Africans had their backs to the wall. It was Assifuah’s brace in the 4-1 triumph over USA that helped the Black Satellites shrug off their shackles following two straight defeats, while he also grabbed the equaliser in a tense 4-3 quarter-final victory over Chile, before heading in the last-gasp winner in extra time. The 20-year-old Liberty Professionals FC forward finished top of the scoring charts and was instrumental in the 2009 champions’ upturn in fortunes which culminated with them returning home with a bronze medal.

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adidas Bronze Boot: Jese (Spain / 5 goals, 1 assist) aving arrived in Turkey with a formidable reputation, the Real Madrid frontman wasted little time in showing what all the fuss was about. Just five minutes into La Rojita’s opening game against USA it became clear that talk of the 20-year-old being the future spearhead of Spain’s attack is far from premature as he netted his first goal of the tournament. Just 39 minutes later he notched his second, while his other strikes were all decisive too: Jese scored the only goal of the game against Ghana, the all-important second in the 2-1 win over France, as well as netting in the final minute of the 2-1 Round of 16 triumph over Mexico. The only time Jese failed to find the net was against Uruguay in the quarter-finals, where Spain were eliminated following a 1-0 defeat after extra-time.

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adidas Golden Glove: Guillermo De Amores (Uruguay)

D Paul Pogba adidas Bronze Ball: Clifford Aboagye (Ghana) hile Clifford Aboagye may not be able to match the dynamism and athleticism of many of his West African team-mates, the diminutive 18-year-old was without doubt the team’s creative hub. His impeccable technique frequently allowed him to get the better of opponents in tight situations, while his skilful turns created space, enabling him to demonstrate his wonderful range of passing with sensational through-balls. Aboagye’s four assists at the tournament played a large part in Ghana finishing third.

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adidas Silver Boot: Bruma (Portugal / 5 goals, 2 assists) e may only be 18, but the attacker wasted no time in showing why his future is predicted to be particularly bright. Given Portugal’s surprising departure in the Round of 16 - after just four games - Bruma’s statistics make impressive reading.

The Sporting Lisbon forward, whose role model is Cristiano Ronaldo, was a constant thorn in the side of opposing back lines, with his pace, mobility and close control the source of many a defender’s anguish. As breakthrough performances on the international stage go, Bruma’s will take quite some beating.

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Ebenezer Assifuah

e Amores was without doubt one of the stand-out characters of the tournament, constantly urging his team-mates forward with thunderous instructions from the back.

The importance of his ambition, will to win and outstanding reflex saves in Uruguay’s secondplace finish cannot be underestimated.

Still just 18, the three goals the Liverpool Montevideo FC shot-stopper conceded in Turkey were the fewest of any custodian at the competition.

Guillermo De Amores

adidas FIFA Fair Play Award: Spain espite their billing as one of the title favourites prior to the tournament, Spain were sent packing in the quarter-finals. Nevertheless, alongside their eye-catching short passing game, the Iberians’ sense of fair play did not go unnoticed. In five games coach Julen Lopetegui’s troops received just five bookings and were deservedly honoured for that achievement.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PAGE 45

Sports

P-i-c-t-o-r-i-a-l

1. FIFA talks to iconic USA striker Abby Wambach about how she broke Mia Hamm’s record to become the top scorer in the history of international football.

2. England has chosen an unchanged 13-man squad for the second Test against Australia at Lord’s, which starts on Thursday.

3. Sportswear manufacturer Adidas has suspended its sponsorship of sprinter Tyson Gay after the American failed a drugs test.

1

4. The BBC has agreed a new four-year deal with the Welsh Rugby Union to screen Wales’ home autumn Tests until 2018.

5. FIFA delivers you a football-related photo you won’t be able to resist paying a second glance to. This week’s showcases Parma’s refreshing fun-duringfitness approach to pre-season training!

2 3

4

5

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PEOPLES DAILY| TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Sports

D’Tigers confident of victory at Afrobasket Cup

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Tyson

Drugs: Tyson Gay loses million dollars adidas contract

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didas AG has suspended its contract with Tyson Gay after the former double world sprint champion failed an out-of-competition dope test, the German sportswear company said yesterday.

“We are shocked by these recent allegations, and even if we presume his innocence until proven otherwise, our contract with Tyson is currently suspended,” an Adidas spokesman said.

Adidas’ agreements with athletes give it the right to terminate the contract “if the athlete is found guilty of the possession or use of drugs or any other prohibited substance by the relevant governing sports body having jurisdiction over the athlete.”

Gay, who has been on Adidas’ books since 2005, had said on Sunday he had tested positive for a substance he could not identify and that he was pulling out of next month’s world championships in Moscow.

“I don’t have a sabotage story.

I don’t have lies ... I basically put my trust in someone and I was let down,” the American said, adding that he had never knowingly taken a performanceenhancing drug.

Also on Sunday, former world 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell and Olympic 4x100 metres relay silver medallist Sherone Simpson said they had both tested positive for the stimulant oxilophrine at last month’s Jamaican championships.

Powell and Simpson, both from Jamaica, have denied knowingly taking a banned substance.

The doping cases are a blow to the image of athletics a month ahead of the world championships in Moscow. The sport often struggles to maintain a high profile outside Olympic years.

German company Puma SE, which sponsors Jamaican athletics through a contract with the national association there, declined to comment because it does not have individual contracts with any of the athletes involved.

Puma does sponsor Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt, whose manager said he was not involved in the latest doping scandal.

Chinese sporting goods company Li Ning, which sponsors Powell, was not immediately available for comment.

hree home-based D’Tigers players, who debut for the senior national male basketball team at Stankovic Cup in China, have expressed confidence in Nigeria clinching the Afrobasket Nations Cup in Cote d’Ivoire in August.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria clinched the third position at the second stage of the Cup held between June 27 and July 9 in Guangzhou, China.

The national team players said over the weekend in Lagos that they were happy of being part of the bronze medal winning squad at the Cup. The players noted that the exposure they had during the competition had imparted positively on them, and they commended the Nigeria Basketball Federation for the opportunity.

Nkem Ojougboh, the Captain of Comets Club of Lagos, said that with the exposure, they were confident that Nigeria would clinch the forthcoming Afrobasket Nations Cup in Cote d’Ivoire. ``For me, the experience I had at the Stankovic Cup is unforgettable

and it will help me to do better in other international competitions. ``I had a wonderful experience playing with other quality players from other clubs, most especially foreign clubs. ``We had two weeks training camp in Abuja before we left for China. It was great getting used to other players and understanding the drills of the national team. ``We have a good chance of doing well in Abidjan, considering our next camp coming up in the U.S. The drilling and training would make us well prepared,’’ Ojougboh said.

In the same vein, Micheal Ohiero, a guard for Mark Mentors Club of Abuja, described his experience as a great one, saying they wanted to do better than coming third in the competition. ``We came third in the Cup in China, we could have done better, but it was still a brilliant outing for us. We have a better chance of doing well in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, if we continue with the crop of players we have. ``I believe in my teammates and the coaching crew and also in

the federation in all that is being done for our successful outing in Abidjan,’’ Ohiero said.

Contributing, Yahaya Abdulwahab, a forward player for Mark Mentors, said that it was a great experience of being selected to play for Nigeria as a home-based player. ``We are going to have a better chance of doing well in Abidjan when we come back together to train and practice with much time at our advantage. We know one another better and understand the game strategies that we will use to conquer in Abidjan,’’ Abdulwahab said.

The two Mark Mentors players

Tijjani Umar, president NBF

also affirmed their confidence in their team’s chances of excelling in the DStv/Final Four playoff coming up later in the year in Lagos.

Gumel returns un-opposed as ANOCA treasurer-general

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abu Gumel, Nigeria’s representative at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was re-elected Treasurer-General of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA).

Gumel’s re-election was at ANOCA’s 15th Ordinary Elective General Assembly on Friday in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, with 53 member-nations present. ``My immediate task on returning to Nigeria is to ensure the full completion of the ANOCA building in Abuja, so that ANOCA can settle in Nigeria. ``I also want to help my country to develop the youth programme through ANOCA. This is possible with cooperation with the National Sports Commission,’’ Gumel said.

Filipino shows class in WBO minimumweight title

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Merlito Sabillo, WBO Minimum weight champion (WBO)

erlito Sabillo r e t a i n e d his WBO

minimumweight title when he knocked out Jorle Estrada in the ninth round on Saturday night.

On the undercard of the tournament in Pasay City in the Philippines, Arthur Villaneuva stopped Arthur Badillo in the fourth round to win the vacant WBO Asia Pacific super-flyweight title.

The 29-year-old Sabillo is still undefeated after 23 professional bouts and has won 12 inside the distance.

Making the first defence of his belt, the Filipino dropped Estrada (17-7; 6) with a left to the body and referee Raul Caiz Jr counted him out 69 seconds into the ninth round.

Sabillo, a southpaw, outboxed his opponent for eight rounds before finishing the job.

Villaneuva also remained undefeated in improving his record to 23-0, including 13 knockouts.

And in Hull, England, Kell Brook stopped American Carson Jones in the eighth round of a junior middleweight bout.

The stoppage was rather questionable because Jones had come back well from the fifth round after being knocked down in the second round and.

Brook, who dominated

the first four rounds, is still unbeaten at 30-0, including 20 knockouts. Jones now stands at 35-10-3; 25.

In Dundalk, Ireland, 18-year-old heavyweight Hughie Fury improved his record to 7-0; 5 when his opponent, 40-fight veteran Ivica Percovic, 39, retired at the end of the fifth round.

On the same card, cruiserweight Steve Collins Jr his professional debut when he outpointed Stanislavs Makarenko over four rounds.

In Tijuana, Mexico, featherweight Oscar Gonzalez beat Adrian Young 98-93, 97-93 and 100-91 over ten rounds, improving his record to 222; 14. Young dropped to 191-1; 15.

Lightweight Jose Zepeda improved his record to 150; 13 with a third-round technical knockout over Ricardo Dominguez (37-101; 22). The fight was stopped because Dominguez was cut over one of his eyes.

In a flyweight bout, Francisco Rodriguez (12-10; 9) stopped Victor Ruiz (11-2; 8) in the fifth round.

Inglewood, California: Takahiro Ao, a former WBC featherweight and junior lightweight champion knocked out Hardy Pares after 2 minutes 51 seconds of the second round.

Ao improved his record to 24-3-1; 10 and Pares, of

Chili, now stands at 16-12; 10.

Earlier Alejandro Perez knocked out Edgar Riovalle after 74 seconds of the seventh round to improve to 18-3-1; 12. Riovalle dropped to 35-15-2; 25.

Kobe, Japan: Kohei Ohba, who is No 11 on the WBC rankings list, retained the Japanese bantamweight title when he stopped Satoshi Niwe in the sixth round, taking his professional record to 332-1; 13. Niwa’s dropped to 15-16-3; 2.

Tampa, Florida: Alan Martinez beat Charlie Serrano 115-113 on two cards and 117-111 on the third in a featherweight bout, but was denied the WBO Latin title after coming on over the weight limit.

Martinez improved to 152, with 10 knockouts and Serrano dropped to 15-3-1; 4.

Las Vegas: Chris Avalos beat former WBA interim super-flyweight champion Drian Francisco on points – 97- 93 on two cards and 96-94 – over ten rounds in a junior featherweight bout.

Avalos improved to 23-2; 16 and Francisco now stands at 24-2-1; 19.

Glen Tapia (19-0; 11) stopped Abie Han (19-1; 12) in the eighth round of a junior middleweight bout.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Some Interesting Facts

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our out of five people over 100 years old are women. Interesting!

• The price of the Titanic cost about $7 million to build and the price of the Titanic movie was about $200 million to make.

Unbelievable!

• It’s true! There is only one metal that’s in liquid form at room temperature and that’s Mercury.

• When water freezes it expands by 10%.

• The only animal with four knees is the elephant.

• Birth control pills designed for humans will also work for a gorilla. Now that’s Strange!

• If you have a deep genuine fear of the number 13, you may have Paraskevidekatriaphobia also called Friggatriskaidekaphobia or Triskaidekaphobia.

• A mid-sized car launched today generates only an estimated 5% of the pollution which was generated by a car from fifty years ago. Awesome!

• Stopping a supertanker which is fully loaded and travels at a normal speed needs about 20 minutes to stop completely.

• A cat’s ear has a total of thirty two muscles.

• The average person laughs 15 times per day.

Hahaha!

• The eye of an ostrich is larger than it’s brain.

• A person eats around 60,000 pounds worth of food during his life which is the equivalent of six elephants. Incredible!

• Ants can pull about 30 times their own weight and lift about 50 times their own weight.

• A lion can mate more than 50 times in one day.

Huh! • Did you know, you cannot fold a 8.5″ x 11″ or smaller piece of paper in half more than 7 times. Try it! The MythBusters guys on the Discovery channel folded a piece of paper more than 7 times but it was a really large sheet of

Leisure

paper.

• Oh no, there’s only 28 more interesting facts to go on this page.

• More people are killed from donkeys in a year than planes.

• Most snowflakes form with 6 tips or branches.

Generally, the colder it is when the snowflake is formed the sharper and more defined the tips will be.

• Lung cancer… Thats how the cigarette company Marlboro’s first owner died. Hmmm • Snails can sleep for up to 3 years.

• You cannot think of an English word to rhyme with the word month

because there isn’t one.

• If an infant becomes blind soon after they’re born they will still almost always see images in their dreams, but infants born with blindness will most likely never have dreams with images. People who were born blind do still have very emotionally intense dreams which include hearing, smells, feeling and taste.

Now that’s an interesting fact about dreams. law w • It is against the la in the state of Kent ntuc uccky ky to marry a man more tha han n3 times. Old d law. aw he sta tatte of Ke Kent ntu ucky y • In the it i s ag agai ain n s t the t h e la law w to to ca arry an ice cre rea am in your back ba ck poc ock ket. Old ket d law aw.

Say what?

SUDODKU

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Yellow Lady: The hostile desert landscape in the Little Rann of Kutch in western Gujarat state is where these day labourers work. The stark, white salt is a challenging environment to work in, dry and bright but there is a peace and beauty to this place too which is overwhelming.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

SPORTS LATEST

Gerrard extends Liverpool stay with 2-year

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alks between Steve Gerrard’s agents and Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre had been ongoing since the end of last season and the England captain will now stay at Anfield past his 35th birthday.

His previous deal had been due to expire at the end of next season but manager Brendan Rodgers made the future of the 33-yearold a priority.

Gerrard started the first 36 of the Reds’ Premier League games last season before missing the final two after bringing forward a shoulder operation.

He made his Liverpool debut on 29 November 1998 in a Premier League match against Blackburn Rovers.

Succeeding Sami Hyypia as club captain in 2003, Gerrard was the Reds’ top goalscorer in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2008-09, and has scored 159 goals in 630 senior appearances for the club.

His honours include one Champions League win, one Uefa Cup, two FA Cups, three League Cups, two Community Shields and two Super Cups.

Gerrard came close to joining Chelsea in 2005, requesting a transfer before performing a U-turn and signing a new deal with the Reds.

Former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said in 2012: “In this day and age there are not many people who go through their football career and represent just one club, especially people with quality like Steven.

Eagles to play CIV on synthetic turf

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igeria are bracing to play the second leg of their African Nations Championship qualifier against Côte d’Ivoire on synthetic turf.

The Super Eagles won the first leg 4-1 in Kaduna, but officials are leaving nothing to chance and initial reports say the Ivoirians plan to play the game on artificial turf.

“We learnt from the leadership of the NFF that the game will be played on artificial turf and I must say we were delighted because we will give our all on such a pitch, but we are keeping our plans close to our chest,” team co-ordinator Emmanuel Atta said on Monday evening.

The Nigerian team returned to camp yesterday, led by captain Chigozie Agbim.

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QUOTABLE QUOTE What happened to him is a big lesson not only to the family but every one of us. But I thank the judiciary for this bold verdict.

— Gov. Kwankwaso of Kano state on Major Hamza al-Mustapha, freed last week after 15 years of incarceration on murder charges

Freedom of information, corruption and mediocrity V

ery often, in discussing governance in Nigeria, we focus on the failings – imagined as well as real – of the high and mighty and not enough on our responsibilities as citizens. A tyranny of rights without attention to the responsibilities that underpin them will not take us far for, in this conversation on corruption, mediocrity and FoI, there is enough blame to go round and not enough responsibility. Three things characterize our attitude to records: informality, silos, or indifference.

We are a very oral society. We love to tell stories a lot but do not do enough to create records, preserve evidence or crystallize memory. In public life, people will come to you with stories about malfeasance but ask you to make sure no one knows they brought it to your attention.

We have supposedly public databases that do not interface and cannot talk to one another.

These things are sustained by absence or destruction of systems of effective memory, education, and orientation. Where such systems do not exist, corruption will thrive and mediocrity will sustain it.

To operate an effective FoI system, you need an underlying and mutually reinforcing system of effective governance and citizenship. These are at best work in progress in Nigeria. We need active citizens to make the FoI Act work. But often, we blame God instead of taking responsibility.

Take the flooding of the lower River Nigeria in 2012. We were told it was an act of God. But was it?

President Yar’Adua had awarded a multi-billion Naira contract and flagged off in 2008 the dredging of the Lower River Nigeria from Niger State to the estuaries and creeks of the Niger Delta. The River Niger was last dredged in 1975. Since then, the navigable depth of the course of the Lower

“ 311 689 292 327 454

GUEST COLUMNIST Chidi Odinkalu

Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku River Niger had been reduced to less than one meter. The proposal with the dredging was to deepen the course of the Lower River Niger to about three metres. All of this information is contained in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that preceded the project. If the dredging had been done, would the flooding have happened? The answer is evident. But how many people are willing to investigate this and understand what happened?

The FoI Act is not the only piece of legislation that mandates access to information in Nigeria. The Environmental Impact Assessment Act mandates public access to all EIAs. The Fiscal Responsibility Act creates similar rights with respect to information on our fiscal management. In a society in which rumour is more easily accessible than facts or evidence, few bother about these laws and how they could

change the way we do business. Our problem, of course, is not just that as citizens, we fail ourselves and our leaders. Quite often, many of our leaders fail us and fail themselves too.

Sometime in December 2006, then Governor of Borno state, Ali Modu Sheriff, in response to widespread criticism of his record (or lack of it) as governor, declared as follows: A lot of falsehood has been published over the years in newspapers about my government and I never lose sleep over them because less than five per cent of Borno people can read and understand what is written in newspapers. A national newspaper was sufficiently alarmed about that it decided to highlight it on its back page on 15 December 2006. Today, we all and not just the people of Borno State, live with the consequences of the cynicism of a senior public officer who deliberately decided to underdevelop the people whose sacred mandate he exercised for eight years as Governor and for another four as senator.

The FoIA is both a symbolism and a framework or method. But we must not forget where we are coming from. We got the FoI Act in Nigeria on the Centenary of operating and practicing the Official Secrets Act. This was 100 years beginning with pre-colonial Nigeria, through colonial Nigeria, to the various forms of post-colonial governments that we have had, including, in particular, military rule.

During this period, a bad

The FoI Act is not the only piece of legislation that mandates access to information in Nigeria. The Environmental Impact Assessment Act mandates public access to all EIAs. The Fiscal Responsibility Act creates similar rights with respect to information on our fiscal management. In a society in which rumour is more easily accessible than facts or evidence, few bother about these laws and how they could change the way we do business.

Our problem, of course, is not just that as citizens, we fail ourselves and our leaders.

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tradition was established about public information and how it is supposed to be managed.

Public officers were weaned on the tradition that the people are entitled to nothing. As a realist, I acknowledge that we are not going to change this system overnight or in one stroke of legislation. This is why it is essential to understand the enormity of the challenge we confront and to attest to what an achievement the FoI Act is.

It is clear that what we had was a set of higher-ups telling us what we were or were not entitled to. In 1911 or 1914 or even 1950, it was a white man asserting that black people were not human enough to know what affected them. So, our hierarchies of information were founded to begin with on racialism and racism. That racism foundation has transmuted, in post-colonial Nigeria to status distinctions that undermine the promise of equality in our 1999 Constitution.

This is why the FoIA is, first, a symbolism. Because it is the foundation for realizing this promise and it implements the declaration in our Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution that “sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria.” the FoIA is also a framework of how things should be done. After 100 years of doing things wrong, the FoIA lays down how we should now begin to change them. One of the ways it does this is to require proactive disclosure of 16 different heads of information. Most MDAs and public servants are disdainful of the proactive disclosure requirements. But this is the meat of the law. The websites of most MDAs are worse than inadequate.

Most public servants have Yahoo, Gmail or MSN accounts for official communication but are opposed to an effective FoI Act. It tells you that most of our people do not understand the mechanics and mechanisms of access to information because if they did, our public officials would have worked harder to make sure the FoI Act and the digital environment to implement it in Nigeria are effective.

For when we do public business on Yahoo and Gmail, we export our official information to foreign countries and outsource control over them to foreign intelligence capabilities. That cannot be why we hire public officers and pay them with our money.

Chidi Odinkalu is Chairman of Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission.

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234 814 292 9046. Cell: +234 802 443 2099; 803 7007 759. e-mail: contact@peoplesdailyng.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141