Peoples Daily Newspaper, Thursday, August 16, 2012

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

Vol. 9 No. 4

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Jonathan orders reorganisation of sports sector >> PAGE 2

. . . putting the people first

4 killed in suicide attack, shooting in Borno >> PAGE 3

Ramadan 28, 1433 AH

FG gas emergency supply plan records milestone - Minister >> PAGE 19

N150

Ramadan Timing for Abuja Magrib 6.47

Alfijr 5.11

See other towns on Page 3

Kano Emirate cancels Sallah celebrations From Edwin Olofu, Kano and Muhammad Nasir, Abuja

T

he Kano Emirate Council has cancelled all traditional public Sallah celebrations including the durbar during the Eid el Fitr celebrations this weekend.

The Emirate Council which

announced the ban yesterday said the decision to cancel the celebrations is due to the health condition of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, who recently returned from medical treatment in the United Kingdom.

However, there are speculations that the decision may also have been necessitated by the

security situation in the state following prevalent attacks my insurgents in Kano and other northern states with rising fears that there could be attacks during the festivities.

This is especially against the background of the latest discovery of huge cache of arms and ammunition in the city which

security authorities said were planned to be used to for attacks during the celebrations. The Emirate had also recently banned the I'tikaf prayers throughout the state, citing security challenges and abuses as reasons.

Addressing reporters at the Emir's Palace, the Senior Councilor of the Emirate Council

and also Wambai of Kano, Alhaji Abbas Sunusi, said the festivities were canceled by the Emir and urged the people to pray for his health as well as for peace in the state and the country. “The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, has directed me to inform all District Heads and traditional Contd on Page 2

Fuel queues surfaced across Abuja filling stations yesterday. The queue above was at the Conoil filling station opposite NNPC Towers, at Central Area.

PHOTO: JUSTIN IMO-OWO

Okupe under fire over failed Benue contract From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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llegations of corruption levelled against the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, has taken a new twist as former Benue state governor,

ď ŹSack him now, ACN insists George Akume yesterday confirmed that Okupe actually won a contract in the state and absconded without completing the job.

This is in spite of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)'s insistence that Okupe was not under investigation for any case of

contract scam.

Akume, the Senate Minority Leader, who spoke through his media aide, Becky Orpin, however did not disclose why the alleged contract failed and steps taken by his administration to recover the contract sum or compel Okupe to

deliver after making payments to him.

The lawmaker rather said his successor and Okupe should provide answers to issues concerning the contract noting that he did not want to be dragged Contd on Page 2

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-20

Newsxtra

26-27

Update Earth

28 29-30

Fuel queues return in Abuja …Finance ministry, marketers trade blame over subsidy payments

By Abdulwahab Isa and Nasir Muhammad

T

he threat of industrial crisis by organised unions in the downstream oil sector over reluctance of the Ministry of Finance to reimburse their ‘legitimate subsidy claims’, has triggered fuel scarcity in Abuja metropolis and its environs, Peoples Daily investigations revealed yesterday.

The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) , Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farms Owners of Nigeria (JEPTFON) had in a joint advertorial warned the Federal Government and the public of an

impending fuel supply crisis within seven days due to what the association claimed was failure on the part the Ministry of Finance to reimburse its member companies of their legitimate subsidy claims since January 2012.

The association said it had an outstanding subsidy claim of N200billion while it was paying a monthly interest charge of N3.7 billion on the bank facility at a minimum of 22 percent interest and therefore, vehemently opposed selective payment being made by the Ministry of Finance.

Investigations by our reporter reveal that fuel stations have cashed on the threat to create artificial scarcity by reducing their dispensing pumps to one, a situation that caused a gradual return of long vehicular queues in major filing stations in the city of

Abuja and its environs yesterday.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) absolved itself of complicity in the controversy and the resultant scarcity, saying it’s purely affair of some associations.

However, the Ministry of Finance in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the minister, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, has refuted claims of non payment for imported fuel by the associations, saying government had been meeting its obligations to oil marketers in respect of all legitimate claims.

The Ministry of Finance statement reads: “Between April and May 2012, Batches D/12 and E/12 involving 14 oil marketers with a claim of N17 billion were fully settled through the issuance of Sovereign Debt Notes and other

relevant documentation.

In addition, since the directive by the Coordinating Minister to the DMO to continue payments of all verified claims, N25.6 billion worth of claims have been fully settled with the issuance of Sovereign Debt Notes.

In all, between April and August this year, in respect of 2012 PMS claims, Sovereign Debt Notes amounting to N42.666 billion have been issued to 31 oil marketers”.

However, Ministry of finance clarified that claims by marketers recommended for further investigation by the AigImoukhuede Presidential Committee were yet to be paid.

It stated that, payments or sanctions to this category of marketers will be determined by the outcome of investigations.

Olympics flop: Heads may roll as Jonathan orders reorganisation of sports

By Patrick Andrew & Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

P INEC won’t put a curb on number of parties but not all can field candidates in elections – Jega, Pages 24-25

International 32-34 Digest

36

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-47

Columnist

48

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

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

Phones for News: 070-37756364 09-8734478

resident Goodluck Jonathan has ordered a comprehensive overhaul of the sports sector following the abysmal performance of Team Nigeria at the London Olympic Games where Nigeria failed to win any medal.

The President gave the directive to restructure, re-jig

policies and re-engineer the sector at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting where the disgraceful outing of Team Nigeria was X-rayed.

According to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Labaran Maku, FEC expressed disdain for the performance especially considering the N2.3 billion the Federal Government had invested on the games.

Consequently, Maku said that the President directed that no rod be spared in the total and comprehensive overhaul of the sector in terms of personnel, policies and structure in order to breathe new life into the sector.

Maku also disclosed that the president has directed that a national retreat that would bring together key stakeholders, including the private sector, to be held stressing that it is intended to allow sundry contributions and reprioritisation of sports policies and

structures.

“President Goodluck Jonathan today (yesterday) ordered for total and comprehensive reorganisation of the sporting sector, following the disappointing performances of the Nigerian contingent to the London 2012 Olympics.

The President, according to the minister, also underscored the need for re-examination of national attitude to competitions as well as the need to identify sports in which Nigeria has comparative advantage and focus on them.

Kano Emirate cancels Sallah durbar Contd from Page 1 title holders that the traditional Sallah activities have been cancelled”, Sunusi said.

For over fifty years after his emergence as the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero has been celebrating with his subjects, the traditional Hawan Sallah, Hawan Daushe, Hawan Nasarawa and Hawan Dorayi during the Eid el Fitr and Eid Kabir Festivities without any break.

It was gathered that all the district heads had attended a

meeting to discuss the planned Sallah celebration in view of the health condition of the emir before the final announcement of the Emirates' position that cancelled the celebrations.

The news of the cancellations of the celebrations came even as residents are said to be at full alert following fears of attacks by insurgents especially as it came on the heel of the banning of the I'tikaf prayers, observed during the last 10 days of the holy month of Ramadan in which Muslims,

who participate, seclude themselves inside mosques for uninterrupted devotion in worship.

The council had explained that the exercise had to be cancelled because some young men and women, and even some married women, use the period to commit serious un-Islamic acts like fornication.

However, fears had heightened in Kano when the Joint Military Task Force and the State Security Services (SSS) last Saturday, raided some hide-out of

suspected terrorists during which they discovered a bomb-making factory and recovered recovered 33 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) with over 739 rounds of ammunition.

Kano State Director of SSS, Bassey Eteng, told journalists that those arrested had confessed to be planning attacks towards the Eid el Fitr celebrations.

Yesterday, the Joint Task Force in Borno state alerted of possible attacks by terrorists during the festivities.

Okupe under fire over failed Benue contract Contd from Page 1 into the matter.

Orpin told an online media site on Tuesday that she got briefs from officials who knew about the deal adding that the current administration in the state should take on Okupe on the matter since government was a continuum.

When contacted on whether or not Okupe actually received a contract from the state, Orpin said; “I can confirm that there was such a contract. Government is continuous; there is a new government there (Benue) now, and again, the man involved is alive and should speak on that”.

The said contract was alleged to have been awarded to Value Trust, a company purported to belong to Okupe for the construction of a rural road in the Benue state.

The state’s Commissioner of Information Conrad Wergba, said he had limited information about the contract.

However, insisting that Okupe should be sacked and made to face the music, opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) which placed the said looted contract sum at N200 million yesterday warned the EFCC not to sweep the matter under the carpet.

The party in a statement signed in Ibadan by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party described a statement credited to the spokesman of the EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaaren that Okupe was not under investigation as false and misleading.

The ACN maintained that it was on record that Okupe was in EFCC custody in Lagos for almost one month, between July and August 2006, on account of a contract he obtained from Imo state but which he failed to execute after collecting a hefty mobilisation fee.

The party warned EFCC and other relevant agencies especially the Presidency not to cover up or obliterate records in order to give Okupe a clean bill of health as according to it, “Okupe’s fraudulent activities were not limited to Benue and Imo states alone”.

Meanwhile, efforts to get Okupe's reaction proved abortive as he could not be reached on phone yesterday. Also the efforts to his colleague, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati failed as he could not be reached on phone.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 3

RAMADAN TIMING Day 28

Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo (2nd right), with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2nd left), amongst other world leaders of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), on Tuesday in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Photo: NAN

4 killed in suicide attack, shooting in Borno

…as JTF alerts Maiduguri residents of attacks during Sallah From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

F

our persons, including three suspected members of the Boko Haram sect and an unidentified civilian were killed yesterday in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, in a failed suicide bomb attack on the operatives of the Joint Military Task Force, (JTF), as well as in another attack at the Maiduguri Monday market.

Spokesman for the Joint Military Task Force, (JTF), Lt-Col. Sagir Musa, in a statement issued to newsmen, said the first incident occurred at about 10am, at the Customs Area when a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden tricycle- (KEKE NAPEP), and attempted to crash it on the moving patrol vehicle of the JTF but missed the target.

According to Lt-Col. Musa, instead for the tricycle to hit the patrol van, the bomber consequently rammed in on a

moving Mercedes Benz car and detonated several improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The statement explained that explosives instantly went off killing the bomber and a civilian, while the impact of the blast injured a soldier and another passer-by.

It added that the two corpses were deposited at the morgue of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, (UMTH), while the surviving victims were being treated at the hospital.

“The Task Force has since cordoned off, swept the affected area and routine activities are going on unhindered”, he declared.

He also stated the second incident took place an hour later when JTF personnel repelled an attack on civilians by two suspected members of Boko Haram sect, who stormed the Monday market.

“Two terrorists raided the commercial centre at about 11am, with the intention of killing

innocent citizens, but our operatives repelled the attack and killed them. Two AK 47 rifles and 18 rounds of ammunition were recovered from them”, the statement concluded.

In another development, the JTF said yesterday that it has uncovered plots by terrorists to launch deadly attacks on military formations and civilian areas, in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, during the forthcoming Eid-el-Fitr festivity.

A statement issued to newsmen by the spokesman for the JTF alleged that intelligence reports available to the task force, indicates planned attacks on military and civilian targets by terrorists during the Sallah period.

The statement alerted the resident to be more security conscious by watching their areas so as to unmask strange movement of questionable persons for onward report to the nearest security outfit.

Police Minister disagrees with Presidential Committee report

...as Adoke heads White Paper C’tee on report

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

B

arely 24 hours after the Parry Osayande led Presidential Committee on Police Reforms recommended the scrapping of the Ministry of Police Affairs, the minister in charge of the ministry, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), has rejected the report, accusing the committee of derailing and dabbling into areas they were not asked to touch.

The committee had observed, among others, that the existence of the ministry constituted an unnecessary financial burden to the Federal Government.

Capt. Olubolade, who fielded questions from State House correspondents yesterday, dismissed the recommendation

and expressed displeasure that the committee has gone ahead to place the report in the public domain rather than wait for the outcome of the White Paper committee which was set up by President Jonathan yesterday.

“Somehow it got into the limelight and this issue of scrapping the Ministry of Police Affairs became an issue. But the assignment given to that panel was to look at how the police can be professionalised and reorganised.

“Usually, when an assignment like this is given, one must look at the subject. The subject is to reorganise the police and any issue discussed outside that can be termed to be a derailment,” he said.

He similarly rejected the

committee's assertion that the Inspector-General of Police has no control over the budgetary affairs and priorities of the Police Force because of the ministry, saying that other branches of the Armed Forces were also under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence.

His words: “I want to say categorically that it is very easy to look at the situation on ground. We have a Ministry of Defence. The Ministry of Defence exists comprising of the Army, Navy and Air Force. They all report to the Minister of Defence. All their budgetary provisions go through that line and the political head for them is the Minister of Defence. So also is the Ministry of Police Affairs.”

Towns

Magrib

Alfijr

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 Potiskum Ringim Shagamu Sokoto Warri Yola Zaria Cotonou - Benin Ndjamena - Chad Niamey - Niger Younde - Cameroun

6.43 6.41 7.00 6.47 6.51 7.02 6.43 6.48 5.39 6.25 6.38 6.50 6.47 6.52 6.50 7.04 6.27 6.38 6.32 6.47 6.45 6.43 6.51 6.34 6.25 6.59 6.52 7.00 6.41 6.58 6.57 6.58 6.30 6.46 5.41 6.51 6.44 6.41 6.48 6.46 6.51 6.55 6.43 6.59 6.48 6.27 6.41 6.51 6.51 6.43 6.35 6.46 6.58 7.00 6.49 6.26 6.48 7.02 6.30 7.13 6.24

5.13 5.13 5.30 5.11 5.22 5.14 5.11 5.18 4.54 4.41 5.00 5.23 5.02 5.16 5.12 5.17 4.42 5.14 4.47 4.59 4.59 5.14 5.07 4.54 4.43 5.14 5.07 5.12 4.54 5.27 5.24 5.23 5.04 5.08 5.03 5.18 5.06 5.06 5.08 5.01 5.03 5.17 5.06 5.30 5.15 4.42 5.08 5.03 5.13 5.19 4.50 5.01 5.28 5.12 5.23 5.26 5.06 5.35 4.45 5.23 5.02

RECOMMENDED DU’A FOR DAY 28 Pray a 6 Raka’at, after Nawafil. In every Raka’ah, after the recitation of Al-Faatihah, recite Ayatul-Kursiyyi 100 times, Suratul-Ikhlas 100 times each. After the Salaam recite 100 times: “Allaahumma Swalli ‘Alaa Muh’ammadin Wa Aali Muhammad.” Then say this DU’A: Allahumma waffir hazzwee feehi wa akrimnee feehi bi ihdwaaril-masaa-il wa qarrib waseelatee ilaiKa mim-bainil-wasaaa-il yaa man laa yushghiluhul-haahul-mulihheeen.

Meaning: O Allah make available for me the blessings of the night of Qadr, render my affairs easy to deal with instead of becoming difficult and cumbersome, take into consideration my apologies, and unburden my back from the heavy load of wrongdoings, O He who is compassionate while dealing with the upright.

Source: Mafatihul Jinan

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

THE PAGE 4 REPORT Economic growth: When World Bank, experts disagree with Nigerian officials In their typical manner of painting rosy pictures even where the evidence is on the contrary, top government officials have of late regaled Nigerians with tales and statistics of a robust economy.

However, a World Bank report on Investment Climate Assessment, which examined experiences of over 3,000 businesses from 26 states of Nigeria last year and presented last week in Abuja has indicated that the economy is still far from healthy what with the challenges of a comatose power sector, bad roads and corruption. This report by Abudlwahab Isa shows that local experts are also with the World Bank report in the assessment that all is still to be well with the Nigerian economy.

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

N

igeria’s Trade and Investment Minister and erstwhile finance Minister, Olusegun Aganga has an obsession for figures, especially when he talks about economy growth, job creation and budget performance.

A former Managing Director of United States Investment Bank- Goldman Sachs, Aganga belongs to the group of intellectuals headhunted by President Jonathan to re-position economy.

For long, Aganga’s assertion of impressive performance by the economy, including his claim that the economy is growing at 6.5 percent of GDP even in the face of daunting infrastructural challenges elicited no response.

But his remarks penultimate week that domestic investment grew by 46 per cent in 2011 has attracted reaction by experts who submitted that the picture of economy growth bandied by government officials fell short of prevailing economic reality.

The occasion was the lunch of Investment Climate Assessment report by the World Bank. The report reviewed experiences of over 3000 surveyed businesses in 26 states of Nigeria. It centered on aspects of the business climate that affected their business in 2011.

The World Bank report was presented in Abuja by the Country Director, Ms Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly and it dwelt on challenges militating business growth.

Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga

The daunting challenges besetting Nigeria business environment was succinctly captured in a detailed study presented by the Bank’s Lead Private Sector Development Specialist, Mr. Michael Wong.

According to Wong, a study carried out on Nigeria revealed that entrepreneurs’ biggest problem is epileptic power supply while access to finance and corruption followed.

For instance, he noted that manufacturing firms lost about 4.3 per cent of their sales proceeds to power outage while companies

operating in the services sector lost about 6.3 per cent to epileptic power supply.

On corruption, the report, according to him, showed that companies in the manufacturing sector lost 2.3 per cent of their revenue while those in the service sector lost about 2.2 per cent.

He said, “The poor performance of Nigerian firms reflects many factors. This study focuses on constraints in the business climate and the serious costs they impose on Nigerian firms.

“

For instance, he noted that manufacturing firms lost about 4.3 per cent of their sales proceeds to power outage while companies operating in the services sector lost about 6.3 per cent to epileptic power supply.

On corruption, the report, according to him, showed that companies in the manufacturing sector lost 2.3 per cent of their revenue while those in the service sector lost about 2.2 per cent.

“Nigerian businesses’ biggest reported problem is the unreliable power supply. About 83 per cent of all managers surveyed considered electricity outages to be a serious problemmore than any other constraint.”

In his response to the World Bank report, Aganga noted that investment climate in 26 states of the federation has made Nigeria the preferred investment destination in Africa.

“The performance of Nigeria on the recent report issued by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) about the global investment flow across the world indicated that investment flow globally has increased by 16 per cent.

“It said that the flow to Africa has come down by one or two per cent because of the war in Egypt, Libya and the others.

“But what is important to us is that the investment flow to Nigeria has gone up by 46 per cent to N8.9 billion,’’ he said.

According to him, in spite of all the challenges of doing business in Nigeria, the country in the period under review, came third in terms of the level of investments attracted.

He noted that: “In order to make Nigeria the preferred destination for investment globally, my ministry has already commenced an Investment Climate Reform Programme in October 2011 with support from the World Bank and DFID. We are currently working

with the Corporate Affairs Commission, to reduce the number of days it takes to register a business, the processes and the cost.

“In addition, we are working to ensure that business registration can be done from the comfort of homes and offices. As a pilot, we are also working with the ministries and agencies under the Lagos state Government to reduce the cost and time of obtaining construction permits, registering property and enforcing contracts. We are working with the tax authorities at both the Federal level and in Lagos State on how to reduce the time and cost of filing taxes”.

However, experts on economy who spoke to Peoples Daily faulted the rosy picture of robust economy growth frequently painted by Aganga and other government officials, describing it a mere ‘jobless growth” which in effect has lost touch with reality.

In the view of the President, Nigerian Economic Society (NES), Dr. Keneth Shola Adeyemi, “If the GDP is real and economy is truly growing at 6.7 percent of the GDP, you will notice all the indices converging: the agriculture will be booming, the small and medium scale business will be at its thriving best employing people and you will feel real growth. For me, what they refer to is nothing but mirage and illusion growth”.

Adeyemi lamented that Nigeria was unable to use her huge proceeds earned from crude oil to transform other sectors of the economy especially the agriculture sector, a sector he said was capable of providing employment to over 80 percent of the Nigerian population.

For him, “the bottom line of what we have now is jobless growth”.

Chief Registrar/ Sec-General of the Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria (ICEN), Mr. Peter Ikpamejo shares the same view on economic performance with NES President.

He asserted that there had been no meaningful economic growth achieved in the present circumstance of a comatose power sector, dilapidating infrastructure facility and lack of credit to real sector of the economy.

Rather than playing politics with the economy, Ikpamejo enjoined government to be realistic in meeting people aspiration by improving on power generation, unlocking potential of agriculture and overhauling the decaying infrastructure in the country.

He declared that the desire for a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) will continue to elude Nigeria in the absence of power, the collapse infrastructures and a weak agricultural sector.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Dana crash: 12 minutes maintenance made on aircraft - Engineer From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

E

ngineer Lawrence Edekome, a maintenance engineer with Dana Airline, yesterday told a Lagos Coroner that he only carried out 12 minutes maintenance on the aircraft before it took off from Abuja to Lagos on the ill-fated trip.

Edekome, who came to shed light on the maintenance schedule of the crashed aircraft before Coroner Oyetade Komolafe, especially on its trip from Abuja to Lagos, said it underwent a check before its final departure to Lagos, where the engines were certified for the unfortunate journey.

According to him, he left Lagos to Abuja with the ill-fated plane, from where he carried out a last check to give a clearance for the Lagos journey.

Though, he said he didn't join the return trip after the check because he was expected to return to Lagos on the afternoon of the following day from where he went to relieve another technical crew.

Speaking on his routine check on the craft before it took off and how he recorded whatever he observed as error, he said, "Whatever is seen in the aircraft is what is recorded in the technical log book."

The witness who was tackled by lawyers who said he was not qualified as an Engineer but a technician, said he undertook necessary training to handle aircraft maintenance and is recognised across the world.

The case continues today, while the cross examination of the Director of Flight Operation, Captain Oscar Wilson, continues on September 3.

PAGE 5

16 perish in Kaduna road mishap From Agaju Madugba, Kaduna

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t least 16 persons were feared dead yesterday when an 18-seater commercial bus plunged into a river at Rijana village, on the

Kaduna-Abuja highway.

Eyewitness accounts said the accident, which caused traffic hold up in the area for several hours, occurred at about 9 am, forcing sympathizers to make efforts to rescue the victims, but to no avail.

One of the eyewitnesses who was also on his way to Abuja from Kaduna, said they arrived the scene shortly after the bus plunged into the river, ruling out the possibility of any survivor.

The Kaduna Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Olumike Olagunju, who confirmed the incident, did not give further details.

Oyerinde: Oshiomhole queries police, SSS over different suspects

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

G

overnor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a highpowered panel of inquiry to look into the contradictions between the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Services (SSS), over the killing of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, his Principal Private Secretary.

Oshiomhole's plea is coming after the SSS and police paraded different suspects in connection to the murder of Oyerinde, who was killed by gunmen in his residence in Benin City, on May 4th.

A statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, said: "The attention of Governor Adams Oshiomhole has been drawn to the contradictory

claims by two federal security agencies, namely, the State Security Services and the Police Force, over the killing of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, his Principal Private Secretary.

"While the SSS paraded some people who alleged to have confessed to the killing of Comrade Oyerinde on account of armed robbery, the Nigeria Police also said they have in their custody exactly the same number of persons who allegedly confessed to the killing of Comrade Oyerinde.

"In fact, the Police have gone ahead to arrest one Rev David Ugolor, who is alleged to have been implicated as the sponsor of the murder. In order to clear the position of the Edo state government, we wish to note the following".

T

he Federal Government has secured a loan of N1.16 billion from the International Development Association (IDA), an organ of the World Bank, for the rehabilitation of the Obudu Dam in Cross River state.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved contract for the rehabilitation of the dam at its meeting in Abuja yesterday.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and his Water Resources counterpart, Sarah Ochekpe, said the

Train crushes 3 to death in Lagos From Matthew Aramide, Lagos

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its occupants to a reasonable distance before it eventually came to a halt.

It was leant that the three victims were rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja (LASUTH).

One of those who rushed the victims to the hospital said the

rehabilitation will enable the Cross River state government carry out its regional urban water supply project that will cover four communities in the state, including Obudu, Ogoja, Ikom, and Calabar.

"The Cross River state government has since 2005 gotten an International Development Association loan to develop the regional water-scheme that will meet the needs of the communities in the state," Maku said.

Also speaking, Ochekpe said the role of the Federal Government is to stand as surety on behalf of the state government for the loan which was secured on liberal terms.

hree persons, including a pregnant woman, were allegedly crushed to death by a train at Agege area of Lagos, around 6.45 am yesterday.

Though the identities of the victims were still sketchy as at the time of filing in this report, eyewitness said the vehicle involved in the accident is a J5 space bus with registration number: XE 899 FGG. The witness alleged that the vehicle, heavily loaded with goods, was on its way to Enugu from Oshodi when it eventually got stock at the railway crossing at Agege.

'The driver of the vehicle had reached the train crossing and probably thought he could beat the traffic. Unfortunately it was not fast enough as the moving train ran into it, spilling all its content on the road' the witness added.

He said that the train did not stop as it dragged the vehicle and

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), will remain committed to its youth empowerment programmes with a view to integrating them into the main stream of its administration.

Disclosing this at the celebration of this year's

billion (about N162 billion) withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account savings, amongst other accruals to government coffers during the month.

Minister of state for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama presided over the meeting which had in attendance, the 36 states’ finance commissioners.

He said the revenues generated

during the month exceeded the budgeted figures, and expressed the confidence that the $10 billion targeted for Excess Crude Account by year end is realisable.

According to him, a total of N646.47 billion was realised from oil minerals during the month, compared to the N178.92 billion from non oil sources. VAT collection was N53.91 billion.

He said N35.6 billion was refunded to the three tiers of government the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). “The total fund for distribution this month is N825.39 billion which exceeds the budgeted N502 billion that we normally distribute

by N322.84 billion", the minister added.

FEC okays N1.16bn World Bank loan for Obudu Dam rehabilitation

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

L-R: Minister of Lands and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple, Minister of Sports, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, and Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

FCTA pledges commitment to youth empowerment

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

Monthly Allocation: FG, states, LGs share N703bn in July

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

he Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) concluded the monthly meeting yesterday and approved for sharing, a sum total of N703.45 billion for the month of July for the three tiers of government.

The amount includes, $1

pregnant woman died on the way to the hospital, while the others died shortly after.

A police source blamed the management of the Nigeria Railway Corporation for not carrying enough public enlightenment on the dangers around rail crossing.

International Youth Day, the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, said the Territory would endeavour to create the necessary enabling environment that would allow youth to realise their full potentials.

He said in line with this year's celebration which was aimed at creating the needed awareness and sensitisation towards improving the quality of life of young person's globally, the Territory would continue to seek ways of improving social services to impact positively in the lives of young persons.

The Minister said already, in line with President Goodluck Jonathan's Transformation Agenda, the Federal Capital Territory Administration had established a full-fledged Youth Development Department for effective and efficient service delivery.

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Yuguda appeals for aid as floods render scores homeless in Bauchi From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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overnor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi state has sought aid from the Federal Government after about 220 people have been rendered homeless, 650 farm lands and hundreds of cattle and other animals were washed away by flood waters in Shira local government area of the state following torrential rains.

The rains which affected more than six local government areas in the state, led to the governor calling

upon the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, come to the aid of Bauchi state government to enable it resettle thousands of citizens who have been affected.

A press release from the office of the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bauchi state, Ishola Michael Adeyemi made available to newsmen in Bauchi, yesterday, stated that while inspecting the extent of damage caused by the overflowing River Dindima in Alkaleri and Kirfi LGAs, Governor Yuguda lamented that all efforts to dam the river proved abortive due

to lack of commitment from the Federal Government.

At Papa village where farm lands and houses were submerged by the flood, the governor assured that his administration will look into the disaster and see how it can assist the affected people in order to alleviate the sufferings they will face with the complete destruction of their means of livelihood.

Also while inspecting the extent of damage caused by an earth dam in Chieledi, headquarters of Kirfi LGA, Yuguda sympathised with the affected people and directed that

directed more than 1,000 of its personnel to be on standby in case of emergency, adding that the measure was taken to ensure that there was adequate manpower to provide security during the festival.

She gave assurance that adequate manpower and equipment would be deployed to provide security at all the Eid grounds within the territory to enable Muslims perform their religious obligations.

"The FCT Police Command has put in place measures to ensure that Sallah is hitch-free.

"Officers and men will be

deployed to strategic places within the FCT such as the Eid grounds as well as entertainment centres.

"Because of the security challenges in recent times, every resident of the FCT is advised to be security-conscious", she said.

England also advised the public to report any suspicious character or movement to the police or other law enforcement agencies for prompt action.

NAN learnt that as part of the measures to ensure security on Sallah day, roads leading to the various Eid grounds will be closed to traffic. (NAN)

Sallah: Police assure FCT residents of adequate security

By A'isha Biola Raji

T

he Police Command in the FCT yesterday assured residents of the territory of adequate security before, during and after the Eid-el-Fitri festival.

The command's spokesperson, DSP Doris England, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

The Federal Government has already declared Monday, Aug. 20 and Tuesday, Aug. 21 as public holidays.

England said the command had

they be moved to a temporary place until a permanent place to relocate them is found.

He however appealed to the people particularly farmers and herdsmen to move away from all channels of the rivers in order to minimise the devastating effects of the flooding when it comes pointing out that it is a natural thing that cannot be stopped.

Conducting the governor round the affected areas, the deputy chairman of Kirfi LGA, Barau Sule Beni, said many villages in the nine wards of the area were submerged thereby making life difficult for the inhabitants who are mostly farmers and herdsmen staying along the bank of river Dindima.

Ramadan lecture: NSCDC advocates love, tolerance

By Muhammad Sada

T

L-R: Chief Imam, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Central Mosque, Imam Muhammad Gidado Fari, Assistant Commandant General Administration of NSCDC, Emmanuel Ojeiniyi, member, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Salihu Adamu Shadafi and Pastor of Celestial Church of Christ, Lugbe, Prophet Joseph Adeyemo, during the closing of Ramadan Tafsir yesterday at the NSCDC mosque, in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Part-time studies: UNIBEN VC backs NUC

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

T

he Vice-chancellor, University of Benin, Prof.

Osayuki Oshodin, yesterday vindicated the Nigerian Universities Commission's (NUC) decision to review part-time programmes as a safety valve for universities from running into the ditch.

Osayuki who dropped the hint at a media interaction, said a situation where a part-time

facility can accommodate 2000 in a class because of the money they pay is unacceptable because it is almost impossible to teach 2000 people in a class.

"Part-time studies have been suspended in all Nigerian universities. By that suspension, it means that there are no new admissions and the NUC is doing a good job by looking at how the old students got in. They want to look at the way teaching and learning is taking place".

Speaking on the University of Benin, the VC said: "When I took over and moved around, the facilities were in very bad shape and I had to halt the deteriorating situation. If you move around, you will discover that so many projects have been completed, some are still ongoing".

The Professor of Physical and Health Education said: "We run a full community system here where every aspect of the area is involved in the administration".

he Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ade Abolurin, has called on Nigerians to embrace peace, patience, love and tolerance as the best way to ensure a progressive and harmonious coexistence as well as development for the country.

The call was made by Assistant-Commandant General, Administration, Mr. Emmanuel Ojeniyi, who represented Abolurin at a special Ramadan lecture organised by the chief imam of the Corps Academy at Sauka, Abuja, yesterday.

Present at the lecture tagged "moral decadence among Nigerian security operatives", aimed at marking the end of the Ramadan period, were the Provost of the Corps, Daniel Wabulari, the Procurement Commandant, Prophet J A Adeyemo of Christ Church (Hallelujah), Lugbe; Hajiya Amina Gambo Jimeta, among others.

Various speakers at the lecture extolled the virtues of love and patience and implored Nigerians to ensure that these are the watch words for a better and more progressive society. The trio of Prophet Adeyemo, Ahmad Audi and Adamu Salihu spoke on the importance of a peaceful and love-bound environment and urged all Nigerians to embrace it as the easiest and best way out of the current challenges facing the country.

ESUT Vice Chancellor abducted

P

rof. Cyprian Onyeji, the Vice Chancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, was yesterday abducted by unknown gunmen.

Mr. Ossy Ugwuoti, the institution's Public Relations Officer, confirmed the abduction to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), saying the incident occurred at about 11.30 a.m. at the entrance to the Agbani campus of the university.

Ugwuoti said the vicechancellor's police orderly was shot and critically injured, adding that the incident had thrown both the staff and students into apprehension and sober reflection.

He said the incident had been reported to the law enforcement agencies for prompt action.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the incident, saying the kidnappers ambushed the VC and opened fire on him, injuring three policemen.

He said the command was on the trail of the suspected kidnappers. (NAN)

Benue Assembly wants resignation of Information Commissioner From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

T

he Benue State House of Assembly has directed the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Conrad Wergba to resign his position within seven days for ridiculing the integrity of the House.

The resolution was taken after the commissioner had appeared before the House to explain the uncomplimentary remarks he made when he referred to the House as arm twisting the executive for pecuniary motives.

Mr. Wergba who admitted making the statement, maintained strongly that it was made in response to accusations by the House that the state government owed salaries of civil servants including members of the House, noting that the allegation painted the government in bad light.

"Yes I made certain statements that tended to irritate the House. It became necessary for me to put records straight as the facts which emanated from the House were misleading. Since I became Information Commissioner, I have developed tools of international diplomacy in defense of state policies. I am guilty as charged", he said.

He expressed regrets at the comments, contending that it came as a result of a spontaneous reaction.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2012

PAGE 7

Taraba trains teachers on ICT From Yusha’u Alhassan, Jalingo

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rimary and secondary school teachers in Taraba state have been advised to become computer literate in order to fit into the computer age.

Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Jalingo, Bubua Joda Mafindi, gave the advise yesterday at a two-week workshop for primary and junior secondary school teachers in Jalingo.

The chairman who was represented by a member of the board, Simon Galadima, said as teachers they were expected to

be computer-compliant so that they could impart same to their pupils and students.

He said the training would focus on many areas, including information and communication technology, mathematics, English, basic science, continuous assessment, guidance and counseling and HIV AIDS. The chairman said the workshop was being organised by the state UBEB in conjunction with College of Education, Zing, the British Council and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

End to polio is near, says NGO L-R: Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, spokesperson for the negotiation between the Federal Government and electricity workers, Dr. Tianebi Agary, and the 1st deputy president of Trade Union Congress, Comrade Musa Toby, during the meeting between the minister and the union leaders, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Sallah: Police intensify patrols in Bauchi

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Police in Bauchi state have intensified patrols in the metropolis in its effort to check crime and criminality during the forthcoming Sallah celebration.

Mohammed Hassan, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), the spokesman of the command, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that the command was taking all necessary measures to tackle crimes.

He said other strategies were also

being put in place in order to make sure that crime was curtailed in the city.

Hassan said it was a routine exercise for the command to always make security preparations during festivals.

NAN observed that “stop-andsearch operations’’ were taking place in major roads linking to other states, with long queues on the Bauchi – Jos route.

NAN also reports that recently the crime wave in the metropolis has re-surfaced with reported killings among the dreaded ‘Sara Suka’

members in some areas.

Some residents have also called on the state government and the security agents to take measures to put a stop to the problem before it got out of hand.

Alhaji Mohammed Usman, a former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Security to Gov. Isa Yuguda, called on the government to take action before the problem escalated.

He also called on security agents to revisit the law which provided that “any person caught in the state with dangerous weapons should be treated like an armed robber”. (NAN)

Unilorin holds conference on late cleric From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

T

he authority of the University of Ilorin, through the Faculty of Arts, would be holding an international conference on the late Islamic scholar, Sheikh Adam Al-Ilory, the founder of Markas, Islamic Society.

The chairman of publicity subcommittee, Dr. Mahfouz A. Adedimeji in a statement on Thursday, stated that the theme of the conference would be ‘the Life and Works of Sheikh Adam Abdullah Al-Ilory (1917-1992)

which would hold between August 24 and 28, 2012 at the university auditorium.

The opening ceremony of the conference according to the organizers, would holds on Saturday, August 25, 2012 under the chairmanship of the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.

The special guest of honour would be the governor of Kwara state, while the royal host is the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim SuluGambari.

It added that the ViceChancellor of the university and chairman of the Association of ViceChancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede would be the chief host.

The conference will attract several participants from Nigeria, Sudan, Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Germany and other countries. The keynote address presenters are Prof. Stefan Reichmuth of the University of Bochum, Germany, and Dr. Mahdi Sati Salih of the International University of Africa, Sudan.

By Augustine Aminu

A

nongovernmental organisation (NGO), StandNigeria, has described the efforts by the Federal Government to eradicate polio as a purposeful and committed one. The group through its Executive Director, Mr. Dike James Chigbue made this remarks in Port Harcourt, Rivers state after the assessment of the programmes put in place by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to eradicate polio in most states in Niger Delta region and Nigeria as a whole.

Chigbue, attributed the aggressive fight to eradicate polio and the achievements recorded to the sensitisation

strategy and partnership with other stakeholders by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate and the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Ado Muhammad.

He said: “such partnership was seen in the strategic sensitisation and igniting of the polio torch in most states, this motivated state governor’s to start doing their own part. In view of that we are convinced that the end of polio is near”.

It will be recalled that StandNigeria is assessing the efforts of Federal Government across the country with the aim to check government’s participation in line with its promise to eradicate polio as soon as possible.

NOA urges Nigerians to fly national colours with pride

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri has urged Nigerians to always fly the national colours of green, white and green with pride and not allow their patriotism to be dampened by the transient challenges confronting the nation.

Omeri gave this charge during a courtesy visit on the governor of Nasarawa state, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Almakura, represented by his deputy, Hon. Damishi Barau Luka.

A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary of the ministry, Paul Odenyi, indicated that the NOA has commenced a nationwide campaign to sensitise Nigerians on the importance of Nigerian national symbols with a view to restoring the love, respect and dignity of the symbols which include the national flag, the national anthem, the national pledge, the coat-of-arms and the naira.

The NOA boss praised the Nasarawa state government for leading the transformation of the state which he said will give meaning to the practice of democracy in Nigeria.

FOI Act: SERAP demands documents on maternal mortality expenditure From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

T

he Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has requested the Minister for Health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu, to provide within seven days, information on the spending relating to maternal health care delivery system and

prevention and/or reduction of deaths of women in pregnancy and childbirth in the country for the past five years.

The group in a request dated August 13, 2012 and signed by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said it is concerned about what it termed the worsening rate of maternal mortality in Nigeria, which

according to the group is one of the highest ratios globally.

According to SERAP, “Women in rural areas share a considerable percentage of this ratio.

“The main cause of maternal mortality suffered by the vulnerable sectors of the population is the lack of access by pregnant women to adequate, affordable and accessible healthcare services.

“This situation constitutes a violation of the human rights such as the right to life and the right to health guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights which Nigeria has ratified and incorporated as national law through the Ratification and Enforcement Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

“SERAP’s recent study

suggests that these rights have been grossly violated by the government despite claims of huge spending in the health sector to prevent and combat the problem of maternal mortality in the country.

“We are concerned that progress in this area may have been compromised by high level official corruption…”

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

L-R: Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, DirectorGeneral, National Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa, and Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, during a presentation on Crossland Communications Ltd to president Goodluck Jonthan, on Tuesday at the state house, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

L-R: Imam of Bauchi Central Mosque, Khadi Ibrahim Salman III, Malam Bala Ahmed, and emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, during the close of 2012 annual Tafsir, yesterday at Bauchi central mosque, in Bauchi.

Photo: NAN

R-L: Kaduna state Governor, Mr Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Zauzau Educational Development Association (Zeda), Mallam Abdulahi Nuhu Bamalli, and secretary general of the board, Dr Isah Mohammed Abbas, during a visit to the governor by the board members Zeda, yesterday in Kaduna.

L-R: Former chairman of league of veteran journalists, Oyo state chapter, Mr. Tunde Akingbade, current chairman, Alhaji Kola Animasahun, Oyo state information commissioner, Mr. Bosun Oladele, and former Managing Director, Sketch Newspapers, Prince Olusola Oyegbemi, during a roundtable on the state of the nation, yesterday in Ibadan. Photo: NAN

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Senate pledges to sanitise aviation industry From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

T

he Senate has reiterated its determination to ensure that aviation industry in the country is sanitized to provide more conducive atmosphere to operators and passengers.

The Vice Chairman Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Babayo Garba Gamawa gave the assurance while speaking to journalist in Bauchi, saying that the decision of the upper chamber of the National Assembly to organize a three day public hearing was part of the positive steps to eliminate plane crashes and the attendant loss many lives.

Senator Babayo Garba said there was need for the country to double its effort on aviation safety especially in providing necessary communication facilities and maximum inspection of planes operating in country.

The Vice chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation stated that regular inspection by experts before any plane was allowed to fly domestically without compromising quality, were some of the measures that would regulate the substandard airlines in the country.

He then called on Nigerians to support the move by the Senate and the Federal Government to sanitize the Aviation industry and reduce the unnecessary plane crashes.

PDP headquarters screens aspirants for Taraba Assembly by-election From Yusha’u Alhassan, Jalingo

A

committee from the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in Taraba state to screen aspirants for the by-election to the Kurmi Constituency in the state House of Assembly.

Receiving the committee yesterday at the State Secretariat of the PDP, state Chairman, Victor Bala Kona assured members of the committee of maximum support to ensure the success of the exercise.

Kona expressed optimism that, with the caliber of members of the committee the screening would be hitch-free.

Responding, Chairman of the Committee, Victoria Madaki promised that the group would operate within the ambit of the constitution of the PDP to conduct a free and fair screening exercise.

She expressed delight with the hospitality accorded them in the state and prayed for the respose of the soul of the late member of the State House of Assembly, Ishaku Audu.

Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (left), answering questions from journalists after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

Disabled persons move for protective laws From Yusha’u Alhassan Jalingo.

T

he National President, Joint Association of Persons with Disabilities,JAPD, Danlami Basharu said yesterday that modalities are being worked out for the enactment of laws protecting disabled persons in Nigeria.

Basharu who made this known while speaking with newsmen in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital said that the association has organized an advocacy campaign for members in all the six geopolitical zones so that members could learn how to channel their grievances before their respective governments for action.

The president explained that each state would have a law suitable for its disabled persons, adding that JAPD has concluded a draft law which would soon be presented to the National Assembly.

He appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan, members of the National Assembly, and

state Governors to assist in ensuring the accelerated passage of the laws and expressed delight at the amecable resolution of the dispute between warring factions of the Taraba state branch of the Association.

In another development the Galadima of Muri, Tukur Abba

Tukur has enjoined people with whatever form of disability not to be discouraged with life.

He made the assertion yesterday while speaking with our reporter shortly after receiving the National president of Joint Association of persons with disability Danlami Basharu

who paid him a courtesy visit in his palace.

Galadima of Muri who is also the district head of Jalingo said Basharu who is permanently blind, was making the state proud as a lawyer and a unionist, saying disability was not an excuse to beg.

Yuguda warns agencies on flood disaster From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

T

o prevent flood disaster, the Bauchi state Governor Mallam Isa Yuguda has directed all the relevant agencies in the state to take urgent steps to repair all damaged roads including those belonging to the Federal Government in order not to cut off the communities.

A press release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Bauchi State Governor, Ishola Michael Adeyemi and made available to newsmen in Bauchi said governor assured that the Yuguda administration would ensure that the recent

devastating flood in the state did not disrupt existence of the victims.

According to the release, the Governor visited Misau, Giade, Shira and Jama’are Local Government Areas worst hit by the flood and directed that the culverts on the Misau-Hardawa and Zadawa roads be redone immediately for delivery of relief materials before the communities in the areas are cut off and thrown into more hardship.

At the Arobana bridge on the Kari—Misau-Kano Federal highway, Isa Yuguda lamented that four years after his administration worked on the

road to salvage it from total collapse, the concerned Federal authorities have not refunded the expenses of the state government saying however that, “that will not stop us from salvaging it this time again because of our people”.

“This time around, serious technical work must be done in order to do a permanent work that we will not be spending on this same problem every season hoping that the concerned Federal Agencies will come to our aid by ensuring that every kobo spent was refunded to enable us do more developmental jobs for our people.”

Police redeploys 9 AIGs, gets new CP

By Lambert Tyem

T

he Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar has approved the immediate redeployment of 10 Senior Police Officers who were recently promoted and decorated recently at Force Headquarters,FHQ, Abuja.

Similarly, the Police Service Commission (PSC) yesterday announced the promotion of Johnson A. Ogunshakin to the substantive rank of Commissioner of Police (CP) with effect from the August 1, 2012.

The acts, according to authorities, was in continuation of the present Police Management Team's efforts at restructuring and repositioning of the Nigeria Police Force for greater efficiency and effective service delivery, The only Deputy InspectorGeneral of Police among the newly

promoted Officers, DIG Philemon I. Leha is now in charge of 'B' Department - Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Also affected by the postings are nine Assistant InspectorsGeneral of Police namely Muktari Ibrahim AIG Zone 6 Calabar,

Christopher Dega, Commandant Police Academy, Kano, Aliyu Musa AIG Border Patrol FHQ, Abuja, Bala A. Hassan Commandant Police Staff College,Jos and M.J. Abubakar, AIG Zone 10 Sokoto.

Others are Tambari Y.

Mohammed, AIG Zone 3 Yola, Ibrahim Abdu AIG Zone 12 Bauchi, Alex Emeka Okeke AIG Police Medical Services, FHQ, Abuja and Julius A. Ishola AIG Police Veterinary Services,FHQ, Abuja, Frank Mba, spokesman of the Police stated.

Taraba inaugurates solar boreholes From Yusha’u Alhassan, Jalingo

T

he Taraba state Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development has inaugurated solar-powered boreholes in the three senatorial zones of the state.

The state Commissioner of Water Resources and Rural Development, Rebo Usman performed the ceremony in Kunini Kwata in Lau Local government council.

Others boreholes celebrated

were in Nukunya, Donga local government, Costain Lissam, Ussa local government and Kofai Bawuro in Kurmi Local government.

Usman said the inauguration was a fulfillment of Governor Danbaba Suntai’s policy pronouncement to transform the rural areas through provision of potable water.

According to the Commissioner, water sanitation and hygiene programme delivery in the state

showed that provision of water supply was still inadequate considering the high demand for both human and domestic use.

Usman who asked the benefiting communities to maintain the boreholes, promised to liaise with chairmen of the affected local governments for the training of some workers for the repair of the boreholes.

31 hand pump boreholes, and two motorized solar boreholes were inaugurated.

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Hausa/Fulani are Plateau citizens, says Lar From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

P

ioneer national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the first civilian governor of Plateau state, Chief Solomon Daushep Lar yesterday denied rumors that his committee recommended the non inclusion of the Hausa/Fulani community as indigenes of Plateau state.

Speaking to newsmen in Jos, he said the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria said every Nigerian is qualified to live anywhere in the country and that “the Hausa/ Fulani community

are bonafide citizens of plateau state”.

It would be recalled that Solomon Lar was chairman of the Presidential Advisory committee on Jos crisis set up by late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to look into the massacre of hundreds of people in Dogo Nahawa village in Barkin Ladi.

The elder statesman blamed the unending crises in Plateau state on the inability of the federal government to implementing the reports of various committees setup to look into the immediate and remote causes of the crises in the state.

According to him, it has become a source of worry to every Nigerian that Jos, a place once known as the home of peace and tourism and a refuge for many, suddenly turned fragile.

He said “It is unfortunate that, Plateau has found itself in this position. You will find out that during my time as the governor of the state, government received merit award on peace because people were living peacefully and those running to the state from northern parts of the country, especially Kaduna, Kano, Borno and other states were happily accommodated”.

Chief Lar further explained that “Infact, Plateau people never discriminate against anybody on the basis of tribe or religion. During the NPP, the administration involved all people irrespective of the tribe and geo-political location, the people from Anambra, Oyo, Lagos, Kaduna, and Ibadan were accommodated and they took the state as a home for them”.

He condemned the wanton killings and destruction of property in some parts of the country including Plateau state which he blamed on some people bent on causing disaffection in the country.

Lar said that it was high time everybody in the country rose up to fight such monsters.

The elder statesman said despite all the serious challenges confronting the state and the country in general, all hopes are not lost because the president is working hard with the state government to find lasting solution to the senseless killings in the state.

“And my source of worry is that, we recommended a lot of issues in my committee set up to look into the plateau state crises and if the recommendations were implemented, all these rubbish would not be repeating themselves".

Crises: Rep decries criticism of Plateau probe reports From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

M

Anambra state Governor, Mr Peter Obi (middle), presenting cheque to Mrs Alice Obi (left), who is among 850 retirees who received their pension and gratuities, yesterday in Awka, the state capital.

Association calls for army barracks in Okene From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

E

bira Peoples Association, EPA, has called on the Federal Government to establish army barracks in Okene in view of the economic importance of the city as the gateway to the North.

At a press briefing in Lokoja yesterday, the President, Dr. Abdulrahman Musa flanked by Dauda Bello, Moses Momoh, Mohammed Omuya and Asabe Ajayi, stated that Ebira were peaceful and industrious people being degraded by some unscrupulous elements.

He said the recourse to killing of soldiers and christians was condemnable and alien to the culture of the forefathers,and urged the security operatives to bring the perpetrators to book.

While calling on the Federal Government to set up high powered investigation panel to unravel the mystery behind crimes in Ebiraland, Abdulrahman said it was difficult to identify the killers of the church worshipers and soldiers since Ebiraland is surrounded by other communities.

J

ustice Hussein Baba-Yusuf of an Abuja High Court yesterday ordered that Apostle Basil Princewill be remanded in Kuje Prison pending his arraignment on October 16.

Justice Baba-Yusuf gave the order, following complaints by the suspect's counsel, Ms Esther Uzoma that the prosecution had yet to serve her client with a copy of the charges.

Princewill, the police said, is the General Overseer of Mountain Movers Fire Ministries Church in Nyanya, Abuja.

Counsel to the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Chuka Mitchel had, in a suit, alleged that sometimes in March, Princewill assaulted and raped two minors in

Rape: Judge orders pastor’s remand in prison custody Nyanya.

Mitchel alleged that the suspect is accused of having sexual intercourse with two 14-year-old girls, an act punishable under Section 283 of the Penal Code.

Uzoma said that as a matter of law and procedure, any person suspected of a crime, must first be served with a copy of the charges, to enable him or her prepare for his or her defence.

In his ruling, Baba-Yusuf ordered the prosecution to serve the charges and other court processes on the counsel to the suspect.

The Police arraigned Princewill on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal impersonation, criminal intimidation and rape.

It would be recalled that on Friday, July 6, Princewill and one Ms Paulyn Ode, the coordinator of the church, were arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Karu on the charges of conspiracy, criminal impersonation, criminal intimidation and assault.

Magistrate Ahmed Shuaibu had granted bail to the accused in the sum of N2 million and two sureties in like sum. (NAN)

ember representing Jos South/Jos East federal constituency, Mr.Bitrus Kaze has expressed concern over alleged plot by some individuals to cause havoc and throw the citizens of Plateau state into more confusion.

Reacting to the statement credited to the former Minister of State for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Nakande, claiming that the Hausa/Fulani community in Plateau state is not comfortable with any other report and recommendation of judicial commission of inquiry except those of Chief Solomon Lar’s Presidential Advisory Committee and the Gen. Abisoye Panel, Kaze said it was absurd to argue that a matter well settled by courts of competent jurisdiction could have lost contemporary relevance.

He said: “In 2010, a Federal High Court in Jos determined that only the Plateau state government, to the exclusion of the Federal Government, had the constitutional power to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the crises in the state and the judgment was upheld by the Court of Appeal”.

Kaze said, apart from the fact that the Chief Solomon Lar Panel was only advisory and therefore a toothless bulldog which could not indict anyone, the constitution of the panel itself was fundamentally flawed as certain members of the panel were indicted by the Justice Niki Tobi report.

Disaster relief: Community leaders commend Niger govt From Iliya Garba, Minna

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ommunity leaders and other stakeholders have commended the Niger state government for assisting victims of disaster and putting structures in place against future occurrences.

The stakeholders specifically referred to the 2008 flood disaster at Akere town which left thousands of people displaced and about five

people dead but the government rapidly moved in to resettle the victims upstream and provided millions of naira worth of relief materials.

At a training workshop organized by the National Emergency Management Agency, Abuja zonal office and the Niger state Disaster Management Agency, a participant, Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim identified the establishment of the

Ward Development Programme by the Babangida Aliyu administration which he said was responsible for the swift attendance to disasters by the various communities.

He applauded the government for spending over N350million as compensation to victims of the January 2012 fuel subsidy riots in the state.

The representative of the National Orientation Agency at

the workshop, Alhaji Bala Musa also said that people in the riverine areas of the state were always sensitised on imminent flood from information received from NIMET headquarters.

However, the stakeholders advised Power Holding Company of Nigeria PHCN to always alert the riverine communities anytime it intends to open the spillways of the hydro electric dams to discharge surplus water.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

MONEY SENSE

PAGE 11

Principles of investing (IV) Imbibe the right attitude In view of the fact that investment decisions are more often than not driven by emotions, the right attitude is an essential ingredient to guide investors in making unemotional investment decisions and these should cover: - The discipline to develop a plan and follow it through. Alter your asset allocation based on changes in your personal situation, not because of some short-term market fluctuation.

- The confidence to allow intelligence, not emotions rule in making decisions.

- Also, investors should not be watching the day-to-day performance or be pressured into investments they don't understand.

- Fear should be banished in taking well thought out investment decisions.

- Greed is a major undoing of investors who get carried away by 'get rich quick' schemes. If your expectations are unrealistically high, the probability of bad deals is more likely the result.

Be contrarian Do not follow the crowd or popular opinion.

Many contrarian investors have over the years managed investment that outperforms profits from popular opinion backed investments.

Contrarian investors are not inclined to follow conventional trends or the standard perceptions of the stock market.

Warren Buffet, one of the world richest men, is a sterling example of a contrarian investor.

He buys stocks with the intention of holding them almost indefinitely. He once said "I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years." In other words, contrarian investing would have an investor do the very inverse of what the great mass of investors are doing.

Invest in sound companies The best way to achieve good long-term returns is to invest in companies with excellent underlying businesses and holding on to those investments for the long-term. These longterm investments in companies with strong fundamentals should be the core of a stock investor's portfolio because it is a fundamental rule that long-term investment will reflect the longterm business performance of the company (the best measure of business performance is the return earned on shareholders' money, also known as the return on equity).

(Source:www.gtbasset.com)

Quote In order to succeed, you must know what you’re doing, like what you’re doing and believe in what you’re doing - Will Rogers: Comedian, actor, columnist

Getting the best savings account for you and your children N

othing is better than having the best savings account for you and your children and to find the best means you need to compare accounts to make sure you are getting only the best. Opening a savings account for your children is a good start to teach them on how to save money as well as teaching them how to value it.

One great thing why you need to open a savings account for your children is to make sure they will have money for their college education and money to spend as they grow. The moment your children are born is the best time to open an account and start saving for their future. And if you want to find the best service, all you need to do is go online and look at the

different accounts offered. You can find offshore banks that offer high interest rates which can be very helpful for you and your child's future as well.

The best way to compare accounts is for you to visit a website where you can find a list of banks that offers only the best accounts and from there you can start choosing which you think is the best.

When making your comparisons be sure that you go over the interest rates offered, and how much money you need to maintain the account.

The best savings account should provide you higher rates of earnings for your account and should have the least amount of cost to maintain. Going online and shopping for the best savings account is the best way for you to

make sure you are getting only the best for you and your children.

Opening the best savings account for your children are those that require the least amount of money you can maintain and to which you can add often enough in building it up. Make sure as well that the savings account you are opening offers high interest rates, yield and compounds as it earns.

Meaning you need to go over the different interest rates the bank is paying for the money in your account and how many times it is compounded. These are the things you need to look for when you compare savings account.

It is reasonable for a parent like you to know that the money you are saving for your children's future is earning on a compounded

interest often enough to know that you are getting the best out your money. So, the best savings account is one whose interest is compounded frequently and requires the least amount of money to maintain.

Simply put, the best way to compare accounts is to find a bank that offers lower interest on your savings but compounds everyday instead of one that offers higher rates but compounds every three months.

So, when you start looking for a accounts for your children try to find those that allows you start with a small amount which you can continue on saving as your child is growing and when the time comes, your child can use this money for his college.

3 keys to startup success: Hustle, follow-through and curiosity

T

here's a huge misperception of what qualifies a useful "skill" for a start-up. You may not have deep finance expertise, be able to design a jet engine, or be an incredible web developer. But if you are reading this article - and showing your curiosity and desire to learn - I bet you have the necessary skills to work in a start-up environment.

What skills are necessary to work in a small business? I think that there are three: Hustle, Followthrough and Curiosity.

Hustle - During the past year I estimate that 5% of my time has been dedicated to strategy, 5% has been spent on sales calls and 90% has been focused on everything

else. What is in that 90%? Packing boxes for 14,000 watches that we have sold; exchanging over 200 emails per day with customers; working with my team on redesigning our watch not once, but twice; sending watches to nonprofits to help with fundraising; remembering to eat while working! With rare exception every day at a start-up requires "fighting fires" - handling issues that have immediate deadlines. To us, "Hustle" does not just mean working really hard (though that is critical). "Hustling" means being industrious and figuring out clever ways to solve problems so that we make our customers happy and improve how we work. Do you like

solving problems in a busy environment? Try working in a start-up.

Follow-through - I think of "Follow-through" as the partner to hustle. It is very easy to get lost in the day-to-day grind, and focus only on short-term issues.

Everyone feels a sense of accomplishment when they tick off boxes on a to-do list. These are important, but Follow-through means that no matter how busy or stressful work may get, you never lose sight of the big projects under your control, and the company goals. Do you like diversity in your work and love completing big projects? Startups!

Curiosity - You are reading an article by a History major. I love reading, love understanding what events brought us here, love traveling the world. Something new happens at a start-up every single day. Sometimes these new experiences are great - Google wants to buy watches! And, sometimes the experiences are terrible - we messed up a customer order and need to fix it immediately.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

T

Jang and God’s anger

he incessant acts of violence that have claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions on the Plateau have lately pushed the state to a jagged precipice, leading to despair and despondency among the state's citizens. This seeming hopelessness appears to have set in after it became obvious that the Jonah Jang administration, just like other incompetent governments in many of the 19 states of the North, is completely bereft of ideas on how to deal with the sectarian violence ravaging the state. Or how else could anyone explain Governor Jang's recent fatalistic statement blaming the travails of the teeming populace in Plateau on God's wrath over their "sins".

Jang had, while leading security chiefs on a tour of Riyom and Barkin Ladi local government areas, those parts of the state that were worst hit by violence in recent times, claimed that he had received a revelation from God that what has befallen the state is a sign of God's anger over the sins of the people.

Alluding to the biblical story of the cleansing of the children of Israel, the Plateau state chief executive told Plateau people that if they showed total repentance, God would cleanse their sins and restore peace and normalcy to the state. He exhorted the youth in particular, “to stop engaging in

drinking alcohol. You should form vigilante groups to climb the rocks and hills to protect women and children in the area from being attacked."

Undoubtedly, those remarks by Jang go to show the height of his thoughtlessness about his primary responsibility to the people of the state who put him in office.

Besides, they are a reflection of his

“

It is a sad commentary that the person in whom other citizens have put their trust for the protection of their lives and properties would in a sweeping statement dash their hopes glaring failure as the chief security officer of the state to honour the oath of office he took to protect the lives and properties of all its citizens.

Jang's obvious failure as a leader did not just manifest in exhortation to the beleaguered citizens of Riyom and Barkin Ladi areas. Just recently, a notable son of the soil and Chairman of the

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”

Board of Trustees of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), General Jerry Useni, not only accused Governor Jang of failing to unify the heterogeneous peoples of Plateau but also deepening the divisions that exist among them, thereby fuelling the cycle of bloodshed that prevails in the state. “The state governor, Jonah Jang, is not doing anything to allay the fears of all citizens in the state. Some feel marginalized; some are called all sorts of names. He says he will not like to deal with some people; he doesn’t take advice even from elders”, said Useni in a media interview last month.

It is a sad commentary that the person in whom other citizens have put their trust for the protection of their lives and properties would in a sweeping statement dash their hopes. But beyond Jang's irresponsible address to his citizens is the serious concern about the nonchalant attitude of leaders at all levels of our government to the welfare and security of the people to whom government owes its allegiance. This indifference of our leaders portends grave danger to the corporate existence of Nigeria as a nation as they are being forced by this to take the law into their hands.

Jang must learn to govern and do fairly and justly. If he can’t he knows the honorable to do.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

CHAIRMAN MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE DIRECTOR/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RUFA’I IBRAHIM EDITOR, DAILY ABDULAZEEZ ABDULLAHI

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 13

Men of God, miracle cures and rule of law

By Leo Igwe

I

f the news coming out of the UK is anything to go by, then faith healers from Africa who are planning and praying to extend their 'ministry' to that country should think again or they may end up in jail. From recent developments, it seems the society can no longer condone faith based abuses and skullduggery by African pastors and churches. Right now a church leader may soon face prosecution for exploiting vulnerable members of the congregation.

Pastor Mbenga of the Victorious Penticostal Church in Gorton has reportedly been selling blackcurrant squash and olive oil, claiming that once blessed, they could cure serious illnesses including cancer, HIV and diabetes. This 'healing mixture' is sold at the church for 14 pounds but investigations revealed that the products could be purchased at local supermarkets at less than 6 pounds. But Pastor Mbenga said it was not all about doing business or exploiting desperate gullible folks but

helping people by tapping into God's supernatural power.

Mbenga said he had cured people with brain tumor and diabetes with the blackcurrant juice and olive oil. When confronted by journalists, Pastor Mbenga claimed he was not breaking any law. He maintained that his healing ministry was in line with the word of God as contained in the scriptures.

According to him "It is the word of God, it is in the scriptures that God can heal these illnesses and that is the message we are passing on to people."

Pastor Mbenga feigned ignorance of the law in the UK. He said: "I wasn't aware of that law, but we live in a free society and if this is what people believe then people should be free to believe in it and carry out their faith.'

He further asserted "We have seen divine intervention in the past where people have been healed of terrible diseases and believe that God has the supernatural power to bring about miracles. This is what we believe and we are just trying to help people, trying to help them live a better life by giving them the power

through God to make changes in their lives. We are not hurting anyone."

But this god talk will most likely not stop the authorities in the UK from investigating, prosecuting or sanctioning this 'man of God'.

Many pastors across Nigeria and other parts of Africa are in the business of selling 'miracle cures' and exploiting their church members. These 'cures' are marketed in forms of 'special prayers', holy water, holy handkerchief, olive oil or some blessed concoctions or substance which people are expected to consume in order to receive their healing from God. Many African pastors charge exorbitant fees for these special prayers that do nothing, and miracle cures that heal nobody. In most cases they target poor people who cannot afford proper medical treatment or rich people who are terminally ill.

These are people who are desperate, vulnerable and gullible. These pastors claim to cure 'incurable' diseases like AIDS. They indoctrinate people with this mistaken idea that God heals-that there

is nothing God cannot do- and that miracle cures are superior to evidence based cure claims.

One of such churches is in Lagos. The church is notorious for making these reckless and irresponsible cure claims. In fact its leader is not only a faith healer but also a prophet with a special gift of predicting the death of African presidents.

Recently, many African churches and pastors in the UK have been implicated in fraudulent miracle cure claims. Some years ago, a Kenya evangelist based in Britain claimed to help infertile women conceive and have 'miracle babies'. But he and his ministry were later found to be involved in child trafficking. Recently, at least three people in London with HIV have died after they stopped taking their drugs following an advice from their church pastors. It is difficult to estimate the number of Africans who have died because they abandoned evidence based medicine for miracle cure claims prescribed by from their pastors.

when terrorists attacked one of such in Kogi State not long ago and inmates escaped, the nation's shame was once again exposed. That's for structure.

Consider the products of those prisons. They come out not reformed, because the system and its practices are not designed to reform in the first place, but they are also an addition to the already full unemployment market, many of them as unskilled as those who never got locked up in prisons, compounding the nation's problems, and adding to its large reservoir of criminals and potentialities for criminality. So when the interior minister came up with his scheme to set up farms and get prison inmates to work on them for pay, it should make sense, be a gladdening piece of news.

Those Nigerians will have some coins in their pockets once they come out of prisons, and this puts them in a better position to make a new start in life. And what of the potential contribution to the nation's food

basket? It may not even be food alone that they farm, they may farm trees, plant trees in areas that are fast becoming deserts. It's a programme any wise state governor with desertification challenges ought to key into. Wise? One would have thought opening up tree planting programmes with a team of unemployed youth is one way those governors would have taken youth away from waywardness. How can any among them think of such a thing when all have been busy pocketing ecological funds?

Alright, days back, interior minister came up with his second idea. He would enforce an expatriate quota that no one had ever thought of implementing. This is a labour issue and it falls under Labour Ministry, but he is carrying the Labour Minister along on the matter. In any case, foreigners who come into the country are the responsibility of Interior Ministry, it is when they pick jobs that they become a concern of the Labour

Minister. That Moro thinks he should give life to that 1963 provision on expatriate quota, and have a unit monitor compliance makes sense. This writer went past a foreignowned hotel sometime ago, and there was this foreigner who was laying interlocking stones outside the hotel's perimeter walls. It stuck that a foreigner was laying interlocking stones that a Nigerian could easily handle. There was a Nigerian beside the foreigner all right, but he only pushed a wheelbarrow, handing interlocking stones to the foreigner. This writer did not go past without a word of counsel to the Nigerian: Learn well from what he is doing, so that you can set up your own company later. The Nigerian had laughed. Maybe he got the point. Maybe he didn't have such an ambition. But what the interior minister is trying to do is obvious. Get more Nigerians off the unemployment market.

This a worthy contribution that must not go unnoticed. He is not Labour Minister, but

Early this year a Nigerian pastor was arrested in Malawi for soliciting money from people who were attending his prayers. The people were paying for the predictions he was making about their lives. Most African pastors are in one way or the other involved in this prayer-for-money-business.

They get away with so many criminal and atrocious acts in the name of doing miracles.

They have caused the death of many people, and endangered the lives of many more. Pastors have enriched themselves by exploiting poor, ignorant, desperate people. The time has come to call them to order and bring them to justice. Hopefully the arrests, investigation and prosecution of pastors who peddle miracle cure claims in the UK would send a strong message to the governments in Africa and get them to wake up from their political and legislative slumber. Pastors and other purveyors of miracle or supernatural cure claims are quacks and charlatans. They should be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Leo Igwe wrote in from Lagos.

What the interior minister is doing

By Tunji Ajibade

I

nterior Minister did something recently. It is worthy of closer examination. It is not even one thing that Aba Moro did, but two, and in quick succession. He puts prisoners to work. No, he promised to put prisoners to work. Inmates will work on farms and be paid a salary.

They won't collect it while they are in prison though. It is for the time they will be leaving prisons, the minister had explained. That's one. There is also the issue of expatriate quota. The minister went into the archives, and there he found a 1963 law which provides that no foreigner takes the job a Nigerian is qualified to do. But why should these two issues that the minister attended to attract anyone's attention?

One, it is the duty of an interior minister to be so concerned. What should make the nation and its citizens live the best way they could should be his business. And these two areas are essential to national development. Prisons and prisoners are under the interior minister's portfolio.

Over the years, that section of the nation's internal matter has been pointed at with embarrassment.

Has any Nigerian ever seen a prison?

Not the painted perimeter walls, but the structures within. There are mud walls built in the early 1900s but given face-lifts with cement. So

“

Those Nigerians will have some coins in their pockets once they come out of prisons, and this puts them in a better position to make a new start in life. And what of the potential contribution to the nation's food basket?

under his office, he finds a provision that foreigners have ignored to the detriment of the nation. What had the interior ministers before him been looking at that they didn't think of making anything out of this obvious lapse? is a question that might be asked. Good someone notices now and he is acting on it. That can even be extended and become a commendation for the interior minister's boss. The president said every minister should give periodic account of what he has been doing. Now the interior minister has found something worthy to give his attention. If Moro tells this two initiatives to President Goodluck Jonathan, he should get a presidential handshake. It is highly recommended. Even Nigerians should clap for him.

This is because it is not as if enabling laws that should move this nation forward are not in place. Maybe some are not, and in certain areas. But those that are, what have those saddled with the responsibility been doing with them? The minister should continue with his job, he should see his initiatives to their logical conclusions.

Nigerians know a thinking government official when they see one. They may yet give him a handshake shortly, if he makes himself available to implement more initiatives that will help the nation move forward, that is.

Tunji Ajibade is reachable on tunjioa@yahoo.com

PAGE 14

By Sufuyan Ojeifo

D

r. Paul Botwev Orhii, no doubt, means well for this country in the area of food and drug administration and control. His efforts are daily crystallising at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) where he is leading a team of committed bureaucrats to revolutionise operations of the agency.

This positive revolution has been practically and quite significantly demonstrated in the agency's fight against counterfeit drugs. Indeed, a number of technological innovations in this sphere by the Orhii leadership have forcefully repositioned NAFDAC as a progressive agent in the Federal Government's ongoing efforts at transforming the nation.

In fact, such innovations as the TRUSCAN, black eye, mobile authentication service, radio frequency identification for detecting counterfeit medicines have upped the ante in the agency's battle against the menace of fake drugs; and these innovations have enabled NAFDAC to gain global recognition as one of the top medicine regulatory agencies in the world and one that is at the front of fighting counterfeiting with the use of cutting-edge technology.

Indeed, it is on account of this that Nigeria (NAFDAC) is currently a member of the prestigious International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (IMPACT) that is made up of 103 member states with Orhii as Vice Chairman. He had also been invited for the second year running

by Council of Foreign Relations in the US to discuss the way forward about counterfeit medicines.

Notwithstanding these achievements, the leadership is not resting on its oars. Its restlessness to expand the frontiers of effective food and drug administration and

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Orhii and war against counterfeit drugs control is tangibly remarkable. The penalty is no longer fashionable Government has bought into leadership is making deliberate globally. So, we have come to the the proposal of the agency, efforts to upgrade the agency's middle term that, like it is done in which will also help to outlaw substandard laboratories to drug and food international p r o d u c t s . and WHO Government standards to decided at a b o l s t e r Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text meeting of the fundamental messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written E c o n o m i c experiments. contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 Management It has words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and team (EMT) on deepened efforts a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed Wednesday, in pushing to: July 4, 2012, to t h r o u g h f i n e - t u n e international details of the collaborations The Editor, p r o p o s e d with other Food Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, review of and Drug 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. provisions of the C o n t r o l Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com existing law agencies. For SMS: 07037756364 and present it to instance, it was N a t i o n a l from such collaborative efforts that NAFDAC India, we should sentence these Assembly as an executive bill.

Although, three agenciesleadership has been able to appraise people for life and confiscate their Standard the weakness in the law prescribing assets because we know that at the NAFDAC, punishments for drug heart of counterfeiting lies the organization of Nigeria (SON) and Consumer Protection counterfeiters. Whereas, in China incentive to make huge profits. the punishment for drug "So, we want to take the incentive Council (CPC) - reportedly made counterfeiting is capital out by saying that if you engage in presentations at the meeting, punishment, the current law for counterfeiting, you would lose your according to the Finance punishment for manufacturing of assets; that will discourage him or Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjofake dugs in Nigeria is 15 years jail her from engaging in counterfeiting Iwela, there is no doubt that the term with the alternative being in the first place. Therefore, we are proposal by NAFDAC, to wit: life N500,000 fine. asking for life jail term, confiscation jail for drug counterfeiters, if It is thus understandable why of assets and in situations where we passed into law, is a novelty the Orhii leadership is pushing for a can prove that the fake products that will send a strong message review of the law (Decree No. 15 of caused death or severe bodily to the world about the nation's 1993) which set up the agency to injuries to the victims, then seriousness to combat the make the punishment life some of the assets that are menace of counterfeit drug.

The era, when NAFDAC imprisonment as it is done in India confiscated should be used to deployed propaganda and noise including confiscation of assets of the compensate the victims…." culprits.

The passion and To underscore the making in the media, was long Orhii leadership, commitment to emplace this legal seriousness of the agency in over. architecture underscore the combating the menace, it is also consequent upon stepping in disposition of a revolutionary and proposing to make the offence a the saddle on January 13, sharply focused leadership. non-bailable one so that once 2009, had realized that The NAFDAC DG had the offenders, who are powerful Nigerians were tired of rhetoric rationalized this in a recent or well-connected, are caught and had moved to quickly and interview. Read him: "…I would and put out of circulation, they quietly set off a process of have wanted death penalty for fake would not be able to interfere revolutionizing the battle against drug dealers. Unfortunately, I had with and prolong the course of fake medicines, which is the agency's core mandate. Today, the to come to terms with civil rights justice.

Already, the Federal Russian-trained pharmacologist activists who believe that death

and physician, biomedical scientist must be dancing to the quiet rhythm of his soul seeing the mileage NAFDAC has covered under his watch.

The result of the process has been quite evident. Indeed, the agency is not sparing efforts in tackling counterfeit drugs that have inundated the country. But, this is not also to conclude that it is perfectly on top of the situation. It needs all the encouragements it can get to expand the frontiers of attack and put an end to the menace. In the meantime, the Orhii leadership must be commended for its devotion to the enterprise.

The enitre NAFDAC leadership must also be commended. It should be recalled that the agency recently proposed to the Presidency a N200 billion Pharmaceutical Intervention Fund (PIF), which is intended to aid the reanimation of the local pharmaceutical industry.

This is, no doubt, part of the revolution that is geared towards bringing about positive growth and transformation of the industry.

The plan will enable the industry to meet the local demands for drugs as well as for exports.

Significantly, also, the PIF initiative, which now has the imprimatur of President Goodluck Jonathan, as reported, is expected to create around 250,000 jobs for pharmacists and other stakeholders in the emergent industry.

This is the transformation trajectory on which Orhii has taken NAFDAC in the last three years and he is still pressing on. It must be clearly stated that NAFDAC has not completely won the battle against counterfeit drug, but it has so far put up a huge challenge. This is to encourage the Orhii leadership to continue with the revolution....

seaplane docks and ramps, air traffic control, passenger facilities and other not only aesthetic but functional parts like restaurants, Telecom and bank outlets, lounges and emergency services.

Nigeria must begin to learn viable lessons from other global players take Air Berlin, Germany's second largest airline, which has approached several airlines to find out whether they would be interested in becoming a strategic investor, amongst those contacted are Etihad Airways, Hainan Airlines and Emirates are understood to be among the companies that have been contacted. This is despite the fact that the company's equity is currently •368 million and not considered an operating profit.

The federal ministry of Aviation under Princesss Stella Oduah's watch will be embarking on the first phase of a long planned international investment road show this past weekend. The trip will take the team to China, the United States and Canada involving

companies in finance and aerospace industries like CSCEC, ICBC, Hauwei, Boeing and Bombardier.

More than ever before there is an urgent need to attract diverse sources of funding for our aviation sector to grow; however it must be emphatically stated that there is an equally important obligation that the Ministry of Aviation must provide the enabling environment for these investments to flourish, the National Assembly must also carry out the legal frameworks that can provide the ambience for the investments platform to bear fruition. Like Harold Demuren of the NCAA said "what is therefore required at this time is abundant political will, adequate legislation and a review of the civil aviation policy to propose cogent guidelines for infrastructural development in all facets including funding".

WRITE TO US

Sufuyan Ojeifo wrote in from Lagos.

Aviation: Time to arrest this capital flight D

By Alkasim Abdulkadir

espite its chequered political history and food crisis Ethiopia is a sterling example of a functional aviation industry.

The following recent achievements are the reason for this statement: One of its main businesses -Asky Airlines operates out of Lome-Tokoin airport and travels to 18 countries and has just made Togo its regional hub aside having its headquarters there.

Ethiopia Airlines has also made history as the first airline to take delivery of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and also the first non-Japanese carrier to receive the aircraft. The remarks of Tewolde Gebremariam are worth recounting here "The fact that we are the first airline outside Japan to receive this ultra modern aircraft is an affirmation of our continuing pioneering role in African aviation…"

The aforementioned is exactly what the MD of the defunct Nigerian airways would have said in the late 1970s and

'80s Nigeria. Despite the extreme turbulence that has characterised the flight of the Nigerian aviation sector statistically it is still one of the most important markets in Africa, especially giving the high business, tourist, and pilgrimage mobility of Nigerians.

The NCAA says about 5 million people make up the passenger traffic at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos; another 4 million pass through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja while an aggregate of over 7 million travel through all the airports in Lagos. No doubt any aviation investor, who ignores these numbers, will be losing out on a risky but highly viable enterprise. It is interesting that the Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Oduah understands that Nigeria cannot do this alone but must seek help from abroad.

There's no need emphasising the loss to our national coffers capital to other countries annually on cost of routine (C checks) maintenance carried out outside the country. This is due to the fact that we don't currently

have the capacity to conduct these C - checks locally. However, there are facilities for A and B checks.

The funds expended by Nigerian pilots on gaining the requisite flying recertification and aircraft simulator training tests can be conserved if some these activities take place here. A classic example is an airline with 3 or 4 aircrafts will need to spend an estimated $450,000 on its pilots; as such some of these investment vistas include running of an aircraft maintenance hangar, establishment of ground handling companies and aviation training schools. Others are running a cabin simulator and flight simulator machines, importation of aircraft parts and navigational aids facilities.

One cannot rule out the multiplier effect of business activities that surround the airport from aviation fuel supply suppliers to haulage companies and catering services We need to understand that an airport goes beyond the operational components of the runway, helipad, control towers, hangars and terminal buildings; but also the components of base operators,

Alkasim Abdulkadir is an international freelance journalist and foreign correspondent for CCTV Africa.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 15

Legends of bedtime stories

By Nasir Suwaid

I

t is a socio-cultural habitual trait unique to an European. When a child is about to be put to sleep, a folktale is related to the apple in the eye of a loving parent, usually a story that never happened in reality, yet it is from such an untruthful concoction, the moral character of piety, honesty, trust, courage and many other wonderful societal virtues are impacted into the life of an impressionable young man or woman. Thus for an African who always finds such contradictory stance in communal living mystifying, an alike incident that is even more bewildering happened a couple of months ago, when the current and pestering militant attacks, began to become an everyday affair in the length and breadth of the northern part of the country.

Actually it was an impromptu attack on a police station, allegedly by the Boko Haram sect, which virtually caught everyone including me unawares. Of course most of the civilian population abandoned their vehicles and began to run for dear life. However, it was the reaction of the police officers guarding the station which was interesting, as they joined the unarmed ordinary citizens in taking cover from the attack, though having being a witness to the type of weaponry and combat sophistication of the insurgent forces, I never blamed the now camouflaged men in black, on the their evident retreat from such as a tasking conflict of monumental proportion.

However, by some clairvoyant direction of fate, I was opportune to be near a radio during early evening news and the spokesman of the

Kano state police command, was dramatically relaying the encounter of a dog fight that happened earlier in the day, which he called a real battle at the police post, that was fought and won gallantly by his officers and men in uniform. In fact a clever journalist sought to know whether any of the vanquished assailants had been caught, the direct answer was; they have cowardly runaway and melted into the mass of the frightened inhabitants of the area. While I am yet to get to terms with what constitutes a true incident, within the realm of organizational thinking of the Nigerian security

to the governor of Edo state.

While the local police paraded a distinctly peculiar set of suspects, a bunch of armed robbers, the State Security Service came out with a not so new set of suspects, for a little closer look at these different set of the indicted, took one to the past criminal parades of the primary non-uniformed arm of the Nigerian security arrangement, as they bear a striking resemblance to the three suspects in the attempted kidnap and eventual execution of the European duo of Christopher McManus of Great Britain and Franco Limolinara of the Italian Republic, both in

establishment, two happenings that occurred last week, only helped to solidify my confusion with operative procedure of our law enforcement agencies in the country.

When supposedly complementing security bodies conspire to arrest two different sets of suspects in a single case, it was in an expedition to find the culprits complicit in the alleged political assassination of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, the principal private secretary

their physical appearance as well as the type of clothing they are wore in the released pictures.

While I was still trying to get out of the shock of such an attempt at strategic bungling of a case of monumental interest, within the realm of the public conscience, a dangerous comical stance was added to the cataclysmic mix, with the strident response of the Kaduna state police command, when the family house of the

vice president of Nigeria was attacked by some assailants in Zaria, a residence that has a known history of attack, as it was also attacked during the 2011 election riots. Thus, evidently it is an abode under reconstruction, as such patently uninhabited and certainly stripped of portable valuables, when the value of cement, sand and water is discountenanced.

Yet the Nigerian police classified such an attempted crime within the premises of an armed robbery, for it was during a shootout with the robbers, upon which one of the suspects was caught. Indeed just like in the ancient folklores, one of the attackers was identified by one of the injured cops guarding the family lodge, when he was taken to the hospital for treatment. Then lo and behold the next patient by his bedside bears a photocopy resemblance to his tormentor, who had probable also being injured on his attempted unlawful attack of the vice president's private residence, thus felt the rightful effrontery as a citizen of this great nation, to openly seek for medication in a government hospital. After all, since the law empowering medical personnel to treat patients on emergency without a police report had been passed, due diligence is not expected of a doctor on call when handling persons with a gunshot wounds.

The confusion lay in a single probable act of criminality, being recorded by the law significantly different from the fact of its actual occurrence. Unfortunately, that is the crux of the matter in the evident failure of our criminal justice system, which seems unable to reach fruition, from the time of reasonable

Nigerians feel they were born in a country that is completely putrid. For example, the paroxysm of angst that frustrates Nigerians due to electricity scarcity in the country has haunted our national psyche for years.

Many Nigerians never lived in a Nigeria that boast of roundthe-clock electricity. Many Nigerians do not know how it feels like to travel in Nigeria with a minimum road traffic discomfort. Many Nigerians do not know how it feels like to live in a house un-caged; without (what Nigerians call) "burglarproof" windows, thanks to the insecurity.

Young Nigerians do not know how it feels like to attend a university without university strikes.

The examples are endless. But the point I seek to make is that too many a Nigerian have never

lived the life of their dream; a life in absolute tranquility.

Most Nigerians harbor a life that is spent in the constant fear of what it is like to live in an atmosphere of terror, not knowing who or what will strike next.

Quintessentially, young Nigerians have never felt the presence of a government; they usually owe their significant and trivial successes to the individual and collective sacrifices of family and friends.

But let us look at the other side of the coin: in a country like America and other serious nations, an individual starts to benefit from the government right from infancy: you're given a free and compulsory good quality education, and you are constantly reminded that with hard work and perseverance, a better future awaits.

I have seen a sick, bedridden American whose last words on earth were that he was proud to be American. I do not know any up-and-doing (perhaps the opposite of bedridden?) Nigerian who maintains that he is proud to be Nigerian!

Because they are grateful to their country, many Americans willfully keep US flags and other statist symbols in their homes so that these icons can constantly remind them of what they owe their country: gratitude.

I have never in my life seen a Nigerian flag in the private residence of any Nigerian.

According to the grapevine, Nigerians do not feel they owe anything to their country and/ or government, no wonder they exhibit a persistent disconnect between them and the symbols of their country, Nigeria.

“

Thus for the generality of the Nigerian people tortured by the failure of our judiciary, to administer justice to persons reasonably suspected of breaking the law, perhaps the deficiency does not primarily lie on the courts, but in the circumstances, inferences and situations leading to the appearances before the impartial temples of justice.

suspicion of an alleged offender, to the likely arrest of a suspect, up to the conclusion of an investigation and the diligent prosecution of persons accused of probable infraction of the law. Thus for a system premised on the burden of proof always laying with the prosecution, a whimsical suspicion upon shoddy investigation followed by a tardy interdiction, could never result in a successful prosecution. In fact, of all the important processes leading to a diligent conviction, the government's lawyer appropriately called the State Counsel only appears in the concluding stage in a prosecution leading to valid conviction.

For the generality of the Nigerian people tortured by the failure of our judiciary to administer justice to persons reasonably suspected of breaking the law, perhaps the deficiency does not primarily lie with the courts, but in the circumstances, inferences and situations leading to the appearances before the impartial temples of justice. As such individuals in the likes of Chief James Onanefe Ibori and Chief Erastus Akingbola, convicted for money laundering offences in the London courts, owe much of their tribulation to the effectiveness, doggedness, perseverance and professionalism of the London Metropolitan Police in seeking, searching and gathering watertight evidences that constitutes the necessary contents of an adequate case file, rather than any waltzing wizardry of a diligent prosecution of a competent Queens Counsel.

Until the Nigerian people start to feel the presence of a government in the delicate phases of their personal lives, they will not only stop at ridicule, they'll always cling to narrow parochial interests before sovereign national interests.

In brusqueness, Nigerian leaders are known to always cast disparaging remarks on Nigerians, whom they claim, do not have faith in them. Who will tell them that faith is not entirely a self-colored affair?

Who will tell them that the citizenry of Nigeria like other citizenries the world over can only be devoted to that which is devoted to their personal causes? Does this explain why it takes two to tango?

Nasir Suwaid wrote in from Kano.

Why Nigerians belittle their country

By Mohammed Dahiru Aminu

Y

esterday someone asked me why Nigerians ridicule Nigeria so much that folks have decided to give our good-for-nothing Olympic athletes such names as "rubber", "wood" and "plastic" medalists because they couldn't win gold, silver or bronze at the just conclude 2012 London Olympics.

The simple answer to that question is that for most Nigerians, Nigeria does not exist. Granted, the physical mien called Nigeria may be practically perceptible, the government that drives Nigeria is apparently anonymous and found wanting.

Most Nigerians feel it is not binding upon them to "give back" to a country that they have not "taken" from. Many

Mohammed Dahiru Aminu can be reached on mohd.aminu@gmail.com

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Police nabs man, 49 for raping a minor in Lugbe

By Augustine Aminu

T

he police in Lugbe, a suburb located along the Airport road in Abuja, have arrested a 49-year-old father of three, Mr. Raymond Alarachi Onyenze for allegedly raping a 13-yearold girl.

Raymond, who hails from Umuahia in Abia state, was arrested last Saturday night, at Saukaka-Huta Village where he allegedly committed the crime.

When Peoples Daily visited the Lugbe Police Station yesterday, the Investigation Police Officer (IPO), who pleaded not to be named, confirmed the incident and arrest of Onyenze.

Although our reporter was prevented from seeing the accused person who was in one of the cells, but saw the rape victim (names withheld), her mother, the wife of the alleged rapist as well as some neighbours who were milling around the police station.

The Inspection Police Officer (IPO) told Peoples Daily that the girl was taken for tests at the AMAC Clinic at Lugbe Village where the doctors confirmed the rape incident.

He added that plans were also afoot to take Onyenze to the same clinic to confirm his HIV status before transferring him to the FCT Command Headquarters.

Another police source hinted that Onyeneze, who worships at the Lugbe

Catholic Church, may have had carnal knowledge of the girl for ritual purposes.

The girl who spoke to our reporter said “Uncle Raymond called me into the uncompleted building and covered my mouth and raped me.”

Explaining further, the tearful mother of the victim, who pleaded to remain anonymous, said the incident happened at about 11pm.

Her words: “The man is our neighbor, and my husband’s friend. That Saturday, he came to my shop where I sell provision; he even bought a small bottle of Seaman’s hot drink.

“After drinking, I asked him to help me put on the light in my small poultry house, and he asked my daughter to come and hold the torchlight for him. And he left, and I also went outside.

“He later came back to the window, and called my daughter to bring him cigarettes. When the girl took it to him, he pulled her into an uncompleted building, covered her mouth with his boxers and raped her.”

According to her, when the girl emerged later in tears and with blood dripping everywhere, she alerted neighbours who called the police.

Cooking unsafe places have become commonplace in Abuja surbubs.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Police arraigns security guard for negligence

T

he Police on Tuesday arraigned a security guard, Yakubu Amodu, before a Senior Magistrates’ court in Abuja for alleged negligence of duty.

The prosecutor, Mr. Monday Akor, had told the court that the case was reported to the Maitama police station by one Mr Ikechukwu Chukwuneta of

No. 4, Bukana Crescent, Abuja, on Aug. 8, 2012.

Akor alleged that the accused, of the same address, negligently abandoned his duty post while unknown persons came and stole some of the complainant’s property.

The prosecutor said that a generator, valued at N155, 000, two cutting machines

valued at N130, 000 and an extension wire valued at N7,000 were stolen.

He added that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 196 of the Penal Code.

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

The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Omolola Akindele, in her

ruling, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Akindele said that the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and must each attach a passport photograph as well as that of the accused to the bail bond.

She adjourned the case to Sept 10, 2012 for further hearing. (NAN)

Court remands sales rep. for alleged N1.73 million fraud

By Stanley Onyekwere

A

n Abuja Chief Magistrates Court yesterday remanded one Gbenga Ogunlade, 34, residing in Nyanya, Federal Housing Estate, Abuja, in prison for alleged N1.73 million fraud.

The accused, Ogunlade who was an employee of Direct to Retail Nigeria Ltd, Wuse, is standing trial for alleged criminal breach of trust and misappropriation by servant contrary to Sections 314 and 309 of the Penal Code.

Police prosecutor Francis Tanko told the court that the company’s customer entrusted some money into the accused care, but he allegedly collected the said sum in a fraudulent and dishonest manner from the without remitting it to the company account.

Tanko said one Qasim Abdulsalam of the said company situated at the Wuse Market, Abuja, reported the case at the Wuse Police Station on July 24, 2012.

According to the prosecutor, Abdulsalam got the money from different credit customers who paid it into the company’s account.

He said that during investigation, a Honda Academy car with Reg. No.DD940KJA, and N250, 000 cash were recovered from the accused.

“The car was among some of the things you (the accused) bought with the misappropriated money; you hereby committed the said offence”, the prosecutor alleges.

However, the accused Ogunlade pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him by the police, and asked the court to grant him bail.

The Magistrate, Azubuike Okeagu, denied the accused bail, saying the offence was not bail able and ordered that the accused be remanded in prison for further investigation.

He adjourned the case to September 10, 2012 for hearing.

Two men in Mararaba jailed for stealing cow

A

Mararaba Upper Area Court in Nasarawa State on Tuesday sentenced two men to one year imprisonment each for criminal conspiracy and theft of a cow.

The convicts, Hassan Ibrahim, 30, and Inusa Saidu, 28, both of Mpape,Abuja, were charged

with conspiracy and stealing a cow.

They pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced by the judge, Mr Abdullahi Ibrahim, to one year in prison each for each offence.

The court, however, gave the convicts an option of N8, 000 fine for each offence.

The court also ordered the

convicts to pay N5, 000 each as compensation to the owner of the cow or serve an additional one month in jail.

The judge said the sentences would run concurrently.

The Police prosecutor, Abdul Abu, had told the court that on Aug. 10 information reached Police Surveillance

Office, ‘A’ Division, Mararaba, that the two were seen in Aso Road in Mararaba with a cow suspected to have been stolen.

Abu said based on the information, a team of detectives led by Mr Joel Binchak, moved in and arrested the convicts with the cow belonging to Malam Ado

Musa of Mpape, Abuja.

The prosecutor said that during police investigation, it was revealed that the convicts criminally conspired and stole the cow from Mpape Abattoir in Abuja.

He said that the offence contravened sections 97 and 287 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Man, 22, bags 150 days imprisonment for receiving stolen property

A

n Abuja Senior Magistrates Court on Tuesday sentenced a 22year-old man, Isah Usman, of Kado village, to 150 days imprisonment for receiving stolen property and escaping from lawful detention.

Police prosecutor Clement Egwu had told the court that Cpl. Kashim Muazo of Nigeria Police, Life Camp Division, arrested the accused with some stolen items on July 20, 2012.

Egwu said the items included three bags of rice, one

Tiger generator, one tyre, one air conditioner and vehicle battery.

Muazo said the accused was detained at Kado Village Police Outpost for further investigation, but escaped from the cell.

Man preparing suya at Bassa village, near Abuja Airport.

The accused pleaded guilty to the charge, adding, “I am a family man with a child’’.

Senior Magistrate Abdullahi Ilelah sentenced the accused to 150 days imprisonment with an option of N2, 000 fine.

Ilelah expressed the hope that the punishment would serve as deterrence to others with same intention. (NAN)

Photo: Joe Oroye

Police arraigns man for allegedly attempting to steal Laptop

A

26-year-old man, Ibrahim Ali, of no fixed address, was on Tuesday arraigned before an Abuja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly attempting to steal a laptop.

Police prosecutor, Abdullahi Alhassan told the court that on July 9, SaheedAbdul-Rahman, of Inuwa Wada Crescent, Utako,

Abuja, reported the case to the Utako Police Station.

Alhassan said that on July 9 the complainant was on duty at Nordy Hotel when the accused and three others, now at large, formed a common intention to steal.

He said the accused and his gang opened the doors of an ‘End of Discussion’ vehicle with Reg. No.

BR 824 KUJ, with the intention to steal it.

Alhassan said that during investigation a master key was recovered from the accused, who confessed that he had the intention to steal the complainant’s laptop.

He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 95 of the Penal Code, but the accused

pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate Musa Jobbo granted him bail in the sum of N100, 000 and a reliable surety in like sum.

Jobbosaid the surety must have a fixed address, and must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

He adjourned the case to Sept.

12, 2012 for hearing. (NAN)

Monday, May 14 to Wednesday, May 16, was unconstitutional.

The detention, he said violated his rights as provided for under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees his rights naturally accruable to every person by virtue of his/her existence as a human being.

Audu said that the Nigerian Constitution under Chapter IV enumerates the right to life, right to dignity of human person, right to personal liberty and right to fair hearing among others.

He also claimed that the offence in which the anti-graft agency was harassing him over was purely a “civil matter and not a criminal one.’’

The applicant also prayed the court to hold that the EFCC was not a debt collector, and so should not meddle in private and contractual agreement.

Audu also argued that he had rights under Section 46(1) of the

Constitution to apply to any High Court for redress if his rights are violated or contravened in any way.

This provision, he said, empowers everyone to enforce his/her fundamental human rights.

In a counter motion, Mr Simon Ugoegbulam, counsel to EFCC, prayed the court to dismiss Audu’s application for perpetual injunction.

Ugoegbulam argued that the EFCC acted within the limits of its constitutional responsibilities when it invited and detained the applicant and took statements from the applicant.

He told the court that Audu made a statement to the EFCC voluntarily, admitting to collecting N18 million from Miss Nike Kolawole.

Ugoegbulam also told the court that Kolawole on April 5 wrote a petition to the EFCC chairman, complaining that Audu collected the money under false pretence.

He claimed that Kolawole in the

petition alleged that Audu collected the money with a promise to get her a plot of land and deliver a fourbedroom terrace apartment in Katampe Extension of Abuja.

The EFCC counsel told the court that the anti-graft agency only swung into action to investigate the allegations raised

by Miss Kolawole.

Ugoegbulam argued that Sections 4, 6, and 46 of the EFCC Act 2004, vested on the commission the powers of investigation and prosecution of all economic crimes.

He urged the court not to grant the application because such orders would open the floodgate to others to run to the courts, thereby, denying the anti-graft agency the opportunity to exercise its constitutional powers.

After listening to the arguments of the counsel, Justice Otaluka fixed Wednesday, Sept. 12 for ruling on the application. (NAN)

AMAC to commence reconstruction of Gbagarape road

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he administration of the Abuja Municipal Area Council is set reconstruct Gbagarape road leading to Nyanya, a suburb along the Mararaba axis in Nasarawa state.

The Chairman, Hon Micah Jiba, during a visit to the area yesterday, said that they are set to commence the reconstruction of the road, as the route as caused a lot of accidents for motorist and resident in the community plying the road, which is a major concern to him.

In his words: “During my campaign as the Chairman of AMAC, I have promised to provide a dividend of democracy to the people of AMAC,through basic infrastructure, road ,water ,light etc and that this is the government that can listen to the people in the grassroots”.

“I have seen the situation in this particular road and am assuring the people that the administration of AMAC will commence work immediately on this road through my superiors ,the Minister of FCT and Minister of State for FCT. This is part of my promise”, he assured.

Jiba stated that the project might not end this year ,due to the raining season, but he will ensure that the project will commence soon, adding that the road is the major road that leads to Nyanya and that was why they ensure that the project commences soon.

He called on resident in the area to be patient with them as they commence work on the road and also called for their cooperation.

A resident, Ajume Isaac who spoke to Peoples Daily lamented that for the past three years , the road as been in a bad state, calling on the Chairman for speedy action on the road ,so that residents can have access to a good road .

Court remands man for stealing Developer asks court for perpetual injunction stopping EFCC from intimidating him

A

private developer, Alhaji Mustapha Audu, on Tuesday asked an Abuja High Court to grant him a “perpetual injunction” preventing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from “harassing” him.

Audu in the application through his counsel, Mr. Keinde Ogunmiyiju, prayed Justice Angela Otaluka to give an order restraining the EFCC from further intimidating him with arrest.

He also prayed the court to order the EFCC to release his international passport, which he deposited with the commission as a condition for securing an administrative bail.

Audu urged the court to hold that the EFCC violated his fundamental human rights through his arrest and detention for more than 24 hours.

The applicant in the suit also claimed that his arrest and detention by the EFCC from

A

n Abuja Magistrates Court on Tuesday remanded one Sakiru Ogunbiyi, of Jabi Daki Buju, Abuja, in prison for alleged theft.

The police prosecutor, Mr Simon Ibrahim, told the court that one Chidel Onuora, reported the case to the Utako police station.

Ibrahim said that the accused allegedly broke into the office of the complainant and stole his Compaq HP laptop, valued at N120, 000.

The prosecutor objected to the bail of the accused, saying that he did not have a fixed address.

He said that the offence contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code.

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

The chief magistrate, Musa Jobbo, said that the offence was not bailable and ordered that the accused be remanded in prison.

He adjourned the case to Aug. 29 for hearing. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 17

Elderly women waiting for alms, yesterday in Karu, Abuja.

You can't cheat nature: A man taking a nap in front of his house, yesterday in Nyanya.

A young man pushing a cart loaded with vehicle scraps, yesterday in Bwari town, Abuja.

A rubber slipper seller taking a nap, yesterday in Apo village, Abuja.

A bus driver loading his vehicle with farm produce, yesterday at Federal Secretariat car park, in Abuja.

Photos: Justin Imo-Owo

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Email: amunuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE - Pg 21 Etisalat to start mobile ads service

Mob: 08033644990

FG Gas emergency supply plan records immense milestones

By Muhammad Nasir

F

L-R: Executive Secretary , Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative ( NEITI ), Hajiya Zainab Ahmed , former Chairman, NEITI Board, Professor Assisi Asobie , and Country Director Nigeria, World Bank , Marie Marie - Nelly , during the inauguration of Media Initiative for Transparency in Extractive Industries ( MITEI ), yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Agriculture: Nigeria has potential to lead Africa – Rockefeller

By Abdulwahab Isa

N

igeria’s agriculture potential can lead to enormous job creation as well as diversification of her economy, the President Rockefeller Foundation Dr. Dr Judith Rodin observed on Tuesday in Abuja.

Rodin had a session on financing agriculture with the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala and the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina.

Dr Rodin was accompanied

by Mr. Steve Masiyawa, Interim Chair of the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

She said “we are here because we believe that Nigeria can take the lead in agriculture in job creation, production, processing, and diversification of the economy

and overall contribution of the economy.

The opportunities here are extraordinary. It is possible if the right things are done and we can see evidence they are being done.”

She said the experience of the Rockefeller Foundation in helping to create the Green Revolution in Africa has convinced them that Nigeria has what it takes to take the lead in Africa.

Also speaking, Mr. Masiyawa said that Nigeria has the capacity to address the challenges in agriculture which it faces, emphasising the work being done to improve the country’s agriculture can dramatically improve the economy. He urged young people to see agriculture as a viable career option because “there is money in agriculture.”

In her remarks, Dr Okonjo-

14th August, 2012

CFA • £ RIYAL $

BUYING 0.2707 191.2615 243.0831 41.2836 154.83

SELLING 0.2907 192.4968 244.6531 41.5502 155.83

PARALLEL RATES • £ RIYAL $

BUYING 201 256 40 162

SELLING 203 258 42 163

of the Economic Management Implementation Team (EMIT) and shared ideas on how agriculture in Nigeria can be taken many notches higher.

The minister of agriculture, in his own remarks, said that the country needs “catalytic finance to improve the value chain in agriculture” adding that “the world believes in what Nigeria is doing”.

U.S. bank approves N240bn for export financing to Nigeria

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

he Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has approved a $1.5 billion (N240 billion) in financing to support U.S. exports to Nigeria and some other sub-Saharan African

countries in the first three quarters of 2012, surpassing the previous record of $1.4 billion for the entire year in 2011.

According to a media note made available to journalists in New York by the media department of the bank

Management Tip of the Day

EXCHANGE RATES

CBN

Iweala described the visit as “clear evidence that Nigeria is on the right path in agriculture and that the country’s efforts to improve productivity, diversity and food security are being recognised by the world.”

Earlier, Dr Rodin and Mr. Masiyawa who were scheduled to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan had attended the weekly meeting

M

Change your culture a few behaviors at a time

any leaders try to change their company's culture in tandem with new strategies, such as mergers or turnarounds.

But most cultures are so entrenched that wholesale change is near impossible. Instead, choose your battles and focus on a few

critical shifts.

First observe the behaviors prevalent in your organization now. Then compare that to how people would act in an ideal state where their actions supported the new business objectives.

Prioritize the behaviors that will have the greatest impact on your company's ability to implement

its strategy.

Choose ones that will be widely visible to others and are most likely to be emulated.

Emphasizing just a few will allow you to move the needle on culture change much more easily.

Source: Harvard Business Review

our months after the declaration of a Gas Supply Emergency Plan with a 12 month timeline to address the seeming misalignment in the nation's gas to power aspirations, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, yesterday announced major milestones in the project which has helped power generation to reach an unprecedented 4.2GW. In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the NNPC's the Acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, Fidel I. Pepple, Mrs. AlisonMadueke noted that underpinning the improvement in gas supply which precipitated the noticeable increase in volume of power generations are aggressive infrastructure expansion and gas supply development initiatives.

"Since the roll out of the plan, we have achieved major milestones in the expansion of the Escravos-Pipeline System - the major gas supply artery to the power plants. This is part of the most extensive expansion ever undertaken on this pipeline network since it was built 30 years ago," the Minister stated.

She listed the items completed in the critical pipeline segments to include the 27kmX24inch permanent gas supply pipeline from Itoki to Olorunshogbo via Ewekoro all in Ogun State, the 56kmX24inch Escravos-Warri gas pipeline - doubling the pipeline capacity and enhancing gas evacuation from Escravos as well as the 130kmX36inch Oben to Geregu pipeline. recently, the increase was driven by export growth in several sectors, including machinery, vehicles and parts, commodities and aircraft.

The media note further stated that two of the top markets for U.S. exports in the region are South Africa and Nigeria, which are among Ex-Im Bank’s nine key country markets.

It would be recalled that in June, Ex-Im Bank approved a $7 million loan guarantee supporting the export of dredging equipment and spare parts from Dredging Supply Co., in the US to Japaul Oil and Maritime Services PLC in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Ex-Im Bank is guaranteeing a medium-term loan from RB International Finance, USA to Japaul Oil and Maritime Services for the purchase of the equipment. The foreign buyer’s primary business is oil and maritime services in the upstream segment of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS Lagos

T

he Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has implored the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, through the Department of Petroleum Resources to intensify exploration activity within the onshore and offshore Dahomey basin, to enable Nigeria boost its oil and gas reserves.

Fashola stated this in Lagos at the opening ceremony of the 36th Society of Petroleum Engineers, Nigeria yearly international conference and exhibition.

He agreed that the country was blessed with huge oil and gas resources, which are currently estimated at about 35 billion barrels reserves for oil and 187 trillion cubic feet for gas, but noted that for various reasons, these valuable assets had not been fully exploited.

Elephant Group

E

lephant group, a wholly Nigerian group of companies, with vast interest in agroallied business as well as the oil and gas sector is set to open its 250,000 metric ton per annum fertilizer blending plant in Nigeria, a plant to be built with inputs from its Ukrainian partners.

The cost of the plant was not disclosed but the company’s Group Managing Director, Tunji Owoeye has said that a plant with capacity they are talking about will cost close to $200 million to complete.

Owoeye said the Group will shortly disclose the name of their technical partner in the project.

UBA

U

nited Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc is to collaborate with the government of Benin Republic on infrastructure and economic development.

This is in line with its role of facilitating trade and investment in Africa as well as fostering economic development of host economies.

Facts to this effect emerged last week when Phillips Oduoza, Group Managing Director/CEO, UBA, met with the President of Benin Republic Boni Yayi in Cotonou, to discuss ways of making the partnership a success.

Low diesel supply: Hard times ahead for manufacturers Ayodele Samuel, in this report takes a look at the seeming unending power problem in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, as LPFO (black oil) and AGO (diesel) witness price hike.

H

ard times are ahead of Nigeria manufacturing sector following the increase in the price of LPFO (black oil) and AGO (diesel) by the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), as poor electricity supply continue to have devastating effects on manufacturers’ operating cost.

Manufacturers holds the poor state of electricity supply as the major factor responsible for factory closures, relocation of production lines and hundreds of thousands of job losses in the last one decade.

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) had argued that the price hike move was capable of crippling many companies and could have negative effects on the economy as may firms might closed shops.

According to MAN, the PPMC had in a memo last week, signed by the Depot Manager Kaduna, Shettima Bukar Imam, and copied to marketers among others, said the management of NNPC/PPMC had approved new Ex/Depot prices for AGO N126.30/Litre (old price) to N128.92/litre (new

price) and LPFO N68/litre (old price) to N85.91/litre (new price).

According to the memo, the prices took immediate effect adding that ex-depot prices of PMS, DPK as well as other special products remained unchanged.

The manufacturers in a petition addressed to the Presidency Minister of Petroleum, Minister of Finance, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives and signed by Olushola Olabinri, described the sudden hike as shocking and arbitrary, calling for its reversal.

MAN described the policy as draconian and superfluous, because the brunt would be borne by the masses as the cost of production of various household consumables would increase drastically.

It warned that the high cost of LPFO was making most industries to fold up and therefore appealed to the government to reconsider the situation and return to the status quo.

Also Chief Michael Daramola,

SMEDAN, Abia sign MoU on job creation From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

A

s part of efforts to address the twin challenges of poverty and unemployment The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Abia State OilProducing Areas Development Commission (ASOPADEC), a body also commissioned to deepen the industrialisation drive in the state.

The objective of the collaboration, according to the MoU, was to intervene and redefine positively, “the living conditions of the catchment communities of the oil-producing areas of Abia state through skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development programmes”, with SMEDAN billed to conduct sensitisation and needs assessment for prospective participants, provide entrepreneurial training and support services to identified participants while ASOPADEC would present the participants to be trained as well as consult with SMEDAN to identify vocational trades needed for the trainees.

SMEDAN’s Director-General, Alhaji Mohammed Nadada Umar

said that signing of the MoU committed all parties to the development and improvement in the lives of the people of the state.

“This strategy that we have adopted is designed to stimulate in the youths the desire to think out of the box on ways to kick-start their own profitable enterprise through the acquisition of vocational skills, entrepreneurship development training and soft access to funding, a venture that will hopefully outlive them.”

He expressed optimism that the arrangement would present the participants with a unique opportunity to contribute to the economic growth with the expectation of creating jobs and wealth not only in the state, but in the country as a whole.

Also, the Chairman of ASOPADEC, Chief Sam Nwogu, described the collaboration of his Commission with SMEDAN as a turning point in the history of the Commission, which he said was established by an Act of the Abia state government to make a difference in the oil-producing areas of the state through skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development programmes.

MAN DG Mr Olayinka Akande MAN Chairman, Oyo/Osun/ Ondo/Ekiti states branch, said that inspite of the country’s huge and diverse energy resources endowment, electricity was ranked as the most critical infrastructure constraint, adding that it had resultant effects on members operational cost, production stoppages, output losses and destruction of machineries and raw materials. ”A review of the overall performance of the economy in year 2011 revealed to be reasonably fair despite the plethora of challenges that have continued to render the business environment unfriendly.

Outlining them, as usual, is tantamount to reminding us of pitiable state of the manufacturing sector. ”Notwithstanding, reasonable success and growth were achieved in some areas of the economy. Interestingly, we were able to weather the storm despite the seemingly harsh operating environment. Our efforts at keeping our businesses afloat in the face of multifarious challenges deserve to be commended,” Daramola stated.

He stated further that, “We cannot forget in a hurry, the devastation of some of our member-companies facilities, especially in the Oluyole Industrial Estate during the year 2011 flood disaster which occurred precisely in the month of August. The disaster sadly claimed properties and products worth billions of Naira. We sincerely hope that your

excellencies will proffer appropriate solutions especially in the area of adequate infrastructure needed to attain greatness in the industrial sector.”

MAN is, however, projecting a 25 per cent manufacturing sector contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

MAN National President, Chief Kola Jamodu said if realised it would pave the way for achieving the Vision 20:2020 objectives.

Jamodu said: “We know that the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the economy is very shallow, that is about four per cent and for Nigeria to realise its Vision 20:20:20 objective, we are thinking of growing from that stage to about 25 per cent GDP contribution to the economy.

“We have articulated programmes that will ensure that over a period of time we will achieve that plan. MAN will continue to adopt appropriate technology and continue to produce a high quality products.

We want cars made in Nigeria to equate quality,” he said.

He added that the sector will continue to remain steadfast in championing the manufacturers’ interest within the country’s economy,”he said.

“MAN has come up with a blue print which is intentionally a road map that shows that the economy has brought forth intervention programme with very detailed means of implementation,” he stated.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 21

MTN connects with muslims with free trip to Hajj Stories from Seni Durojaiye, Lagos

I

n line with its brand promise of life enrichment, MTN is offering Muslim subscribers a chance to win one of the 22 tickets up for grabs in the “Trip to Hajj” Ramadan Value Added Service (VAS)

package.

The Ramadan VAS package, which is a product of the new MTN Family and Friends value offering, will see Muslim customers not only bond better at an affordable price but also have access to enriching content put

together to spice up the holy month of Ramadan.

Commenting on the Ramadan package, GM, Consumer Marketing of the company, Kola Oyeyemi, said the month of Ramadan is an important period of reflection for every Muslim, which MTN

recognises and is using to connect to its Muslim subscribers.

The new Family & Friends proposition offers an affordable opportunity for Muslim customers to connect with their community of family and friends, especially within the month of Ramadan.

The package enables connection with up to 10 people: 8 MTN to MTN and 2 international numbers.

A l t e r n a t i v e l y , subscribers can choose 1 international number, 1 MTN to other networks. The last option features 2 MTN to

other networks in addition to 8 MTN to MTN calls.

Subscribers are charged no access fees and enjoy the same rate from the very first minute of the call till the last.

This is unmatched by any other proposition within the market. Calls to the Family and Friends registered numbers are charged at 17k/ sec.

The MTN Family and Friends Ramadan campaign will give winners of its freesubscription Islamic Caller Tunes promo all expenses paid “Trip to this year’s Hajj” as part of its brand promise of enriching lives.

Cadbury introduces new variant of Tom-Tom

A

Airtel officials distributing free SIM cards, yesterday in Jos. photo: NAN

Close-Up hoists flags to celebrate consumers

P

atrons of leading toothpaste brand ,Close-Up, are currently being celebrated for pitching their tents with the brand for 38 years. As a build-up to the celebration, stakeholders in the company gathered recently to hoist 52 Nigerian flags at its headquarters in Lagos.

Unilever, manufacturer of Close-Up toothpaste and leading player in the FMCG category, said since 1975 when the brand was introduced, it had gained widespread acceptance as well as achieved an enhanced confidence in the consumers.

In line with the objective of the new initiative, the company has produced a market campaign tagged “Close-Up loves Naija,” which is a platform that brings Nigerians together under one umbrella. “It is a truly Nigerian theme song which is made available for free to

consumers through the Unilever facebook.com/ closeupng page.”

The Close-Up loves Naija campaign is one of the ways the brand wants to say ‘thank you’ to its numerous consumers who have contributed greatly to its success story.

To officially flag off the campaign, Unilever Nigeria Plc hoisted 52 Nigerian flags at its headquarters in Lagos.

Managing Director of the company, Thabo Mabe explained the choice of number 52 as being in tandem with the age of post-independence Nigeria.

He added that “through the campaign, we are also celebrating Nigeria and the 52 years that this nation has remained strong and united.”

The flag hoisting ceremony was hosted by Thabo Mabe and

David Okeme, brand building director, Unilever, and supported by a full team from the Nigerian Dental Association, top government officials, economic stakeholders and celebrities in the entertainment industry.

s part of its ways to respond to the yearnings of the consumers, management of Cadbury Nigeria Plc, makers of Tom Tom, has introduced a new variant of the candy brand. the new entrant, tagged Tom Tom Honey Lemon was recently launched into the market.

This was disclosed to news men by the Marketing Director of the company, Mr. Dele Anifowoshe at a briefing held in Lagos recently.

According to the Marketing Director, the rationale behind the new offering was borne out of research that revealed a consumer desire for a warm and calm candy in their mouth and to ease throat discomfort.

He said that this latest variant of Tom Tom, is one which cannot be found in any other candy brand as it truly

soothes while maintaining fresh breath.

“The success of our company is driven by innovation and deep consumer insights of consumer needs. It is in the same tradition that our company has introduced Tom Tom Honey Lemon, a clear demonstration of huge investment in the research and development in a brand to deeply satisfy consumer aspiration.

“The Uniqueness of the new Tom Tom Honey Lemon lies in the distinctive blend of three interesting flavours; Honey, Lemon and Menthol to create a soothing relief. “ Over 40 years of providing relief, fresh breath and clearing the airways, Tom Tom Honey Lemon is set to further entrench that promise to a wider range of consumers, making the brand candy of choice across Nigeria.

Etisalat to start mobile ads service

E

tisalat is to launch mobile advertising in its operation in Nigeria after 800,000 customers signed up to receive the service during a trial this year.

The company will use Alcatel-Lucent’s Optism technology, a fully hosted which allows subscribers to share their interests and preferences with their mobile operator and opt-in to receive personalised, relevant advertising and special offers on their phones. Alcatel-Lucent has

created a local system involving advertisers, brands and media agencies.

Wael Ammar, the chief commercial officer of Etisalat Nigeria, said: “We are bringing the power of permission-based mobile advertising to the Nigerian market with our EasyAdz service. This simply means that we will provide customers with advertising content relevant to their specific locations and choices.”

The British Council

campaign had a response rate of almost 40%, and a click-through rate of more than 20% — preregistering people for an education exhibition about studying in the UK. Ammar added: “We are also providing a large and highly profiled audience base for brands and advertisers as well as creating an avenue to connect with our most important asset — our growing base of over 13 million subscribers.” (Global Telecoms Business)

Airtel rewards outstanding trade partners with cash, automobile

I

t was a season of rewards for over 100 channel partners of Airtel Nigeria recently as the company celebrated its business partners at the 2012 Channel Partners’ Awards in Lagos. Besides physical incentives, the company also took recipients back to school and shared inspiring business insights with them.

Among the speakers were motivational speaker, Fela Durotoye, Chairman, Coscharis Nigeria, Cosmos Maduka and

Chairman of Zinox Computers Limited, Leo Stan Ekeh.

At the one-day event held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, the company gave its channel partners 12 Sports Utility Vehicles, millions in cash prizes, refrigerators, motor Bikes, laptops and Printers, LED TVs and Home Theatres.

Winners emerged in 13 different categories.

Mr. Nwabueze Nwachukwu of C &N Abuson Enterprises won the CEO’s National Champion

Award.

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Rajan Swaroop said the Channel Partners Awards celebrates the efforts of trade partners in advancing the business objectives of the company just as it also encourages more mutually productive collaboration.

According to Swaroop, “Today is a memorable day for this great family of ours as we gather this moment to celebrate

those that have stood out in the last financial year as worthy champions amongst us. We want to remind us that Airtel cherishes meaningful relationships across all board.

“We believe in promoting a reward culture that reflects our belief in mutual partnerships.

Let me encourage other partners to take due advantage of the opportunities before them and see what initiatives to take in the market place where they conduct their businesses.”

Top winners of the night include Stanqueen Investment Limited (Lagos Region), Idems Ultimate Limited (South Region), Alennsar Infinity Coy Nigeria Limited and C & N Abuson United Investment who won the CEO’s National Champion Award for 2011-2012 Financial Year.

The Airtel Channel Partners Awards is an annual event put together by the telecoms firm in honour of its business partners across the Nigerian market.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 22

Nigeria: A rugged road but the investors keep coming B

omb blasts, gun attacks, airline crashes, kidnappings, industrialscale oil theft, armed robberies and fraud costing billions of dollars.

Such things might give pause to anyone thinking of opening a business.

In Nigeria, they happen with alarming frequency, and yet investors just keep coming.

The reasons are many: alluring returns in this high-risk frontier market; a huge and growing population with latent potential for a consumer boom; light crude oil ideal for making motor fuel; and sophisticated financial markets.

"We know it's not risk free," says Charles Robertson, global Chief Economist at Renaissance Capital. "But look around the world and find another economy with 160 million people growing at 7 percent with such potential.

It's a struggle to find them."

Nigeria can look like it's teetering on the cusp of chaos, but it is also Africa's second biggest economy and top oil producer.

"Nigeria is the best kept secret in the world. Anybody who doesn't invest in Nigeria only has himself to blame, going forward, if he misses out," industrialist Aliko Dangote told Reuters in an interview at his Lagos office.

"I don't really know of any place where you can make as much money as you make in Nigeria."

As Africa's richest man, he should know. Last year, the cement tycoon's Nigeria investments boosted his personal fortune more than fivefold - a bigger rise than anyone else on the Forbes list of world billionaires - to $13.8 billion.

Dangote is from northern Nigeria, where Islamist insurgents of the Boko Haram movement have killed hundreds in daily gun and bomb attacks this year in a bloody anti-establishment offensive.

Dangote, whose interests are mostly in the south, with some exposure to the north, does not let the violence affect his business decisions.

"Boko Haram have not destroyed any business here. They have not gone to any factory and planted a bomb," he said.

"Because of drugs barons fighting with the Mexican government, does it mean no one will go and invest in Mexico? No. People are rushing there."

"Demographic dividend" trumps instability?

S

till, if you want an example of how violence and political instability in Nigeria can slice millions of dollars off your profit margin, look no further than PZ Cussons.

The soap maker announced two profit warnings in the first quarter of this year, blaming a hit to sales from social unrest in Nigeria, its biggest market, where it makes a third of its revenue.

The country erupted into strikes and protests in January when President Goodluck Jonathan's government made an abortive attempt to end a popular fuel subsidy. The strikes lasted only a week, but the central bank said they cost $617 million a day.

The violence in the north also worsened around that time.

"Insurgency in the north clearly had a detrimental impact on PZ's business, and on (food maker) UACN, which has

Minister of Finance and Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala distribution hubs there," Matthew Pearson, Standard Bank's head of African Equity Product, told Reuters on a visit to Lagos.

But in the longer term, both firms are betting Nigeria's big population will turn into a massive consumer market.

"The demographic dividend is colossal," Pearson said.

A failure to recognise such long-term opportunities in emerging markets astounds Stephen Jennings, CEO of investment bank Renaissance Group.

"Whether we are talking about political evolution in Russia, or economic development in Africa, there remains a clear overemphasis on current difficulties and constraints, and an under-

“

Foreign direct investment into Nigeria has hovered between $6 billion and $8.5 billion since 2007, World Bank figures show, apparently unresponsive to its various crises.

CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

appreciation of the pace and magnitude of modernisation and structural change," he told an investor conference this week.

Some clearly appreciate it. The CEO of South Africa's Shoprite, Whitey Basson, said in February he saw scope for 700 stores in Nigeria, up from two now, arguing that even if 60 percent live in poverty, the other 40 percent still outnumber South Africans.

And oil companies like Shell are making enormous profits in Nigeria - and renewing onshore licences - despite the fact that armed gangs steal a growing portion of their oil.

Foreign direct investment into Nigeria has hovered between $6 billion and $8.5 billion since 2007, World Bank figures show, apparently unresponsive to its various crises.

Fear of officialdom

B

usiness people say the risk from such insecurity pales compared with that of government interference.

Jonathan's administration says it is working to remove impediments such as corrupt officials and onerous bureaucracy, but they admit it is a huge task.

"Look at the port. That's a bigger investor concern than bomb blasts or plane crashes," said Tony Elumelu, chairman of Lagos-based Heirs Holdings, a fund that invests across Africa.

Corrupt officials at Lagos port - one of the busiest in Africa - slow down deliveries to extort money from importers, a bottleneck to growth and cause of Nigeria's high living costs.

"For many businesses, the difficulty of getting goods cleared ... is their biggest complaint," Elumelu said. "The good news is the government is now taking action to improve it."

Such "official risk" is what oligarchs like Dangote can use political ties to mitigate.

Not everyone has such connections, but players with dominant positions in markets that don't require much government cooperation can still fare well.

"If you look at Nigeria Breweries, short

of expropriation, it's going to continue to effectively print money, because of the size of the market ... irrespective of the management of the country," said Fola Fagbule, Vice President of Origination and Coverage at Africa Finance Corporation.

Other sectors, such as infrastructure, face daunting hurdles from obstructive officials. Telecoms firms need licences.

They need land to put up masts. They need permits to set up base stations.

All complain of extortion by officials to keep stations open.

The downside was enough to persuade Vodacom to pass up investing in Vmobil now owned by Bharti Airtel - in 2005, citing an "inappropriate level of risk".

Yet telecoms is now one Nigeria's most profitable sectors, and Nigeria is Bharti's most profitable African market.

In his last year as Vodacom CEO in 2008, Alan Knott-Craig said he regretted the decision not to set up shop in Nigeria.

Vodacom is now making moves to come back.

Rival MTN had no such qualms, and today it is Nigeria's leading operator.

Among the risks it faces are "poor infrastructure, lack of security, vandalism, multiple taxation, overregulation ... unlawful interference with telco infrastructure by government agencies and ... prejudicial court judgments," says Funmilayo Omogbenigun, MTN Nigeria's corporate affairs manager.

Despite that discouraging litany, Nigeria remains MTN's biggest cash cow, making $2.5 billion in core profit in 2010 and again in 2011.

The telecoms success has raised hopes for Nigeria's moribund power sector, if the government gets round to privatising it.

"Nigeria's often surprised on the upside, and telecoms is a classic example.

People are looking at power in the same way," Fagbole said.

"It looks messy, it looks difficult, but if you sit on the sidelines and it turns out to be this massive honeypot, you'll live to regret it." (Reuters)

PEOSPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 23

Report as at Wednesday, August 15, 2012 Security

Price

Change

Price Open High Low Trades

Volume

Value

Security

Price

Close

Change

Price Open High Low Trades

Volume

0.50

Value

Close

7UP

40.12

40.12 +

27

81,767.00

3,160,947.59

LAWUNION

0.50

ABBEYBDS

1.37

1.37

+

1

50.00

65.50

LINKASSURE

0.50

ACADEMY

1.64

1.64

+

1

4,000.00

6,400.00

LIVESTOCK

1.31

1.27

1.37

ACCESS

7.50

7.50

+

152

27,082,263.00 203,116,509.97

LONGMAN

1.81

1.85

1.85

AFRPAINTS

2.86

2.86

+

2

2,025.00

5,508.00

MANDRID

AGLEVENT

1.10

1.14

1.15

1.14

1.15

+

13

380,592.00

433,233.10

AIICO

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

+

10

353,830.00

176,915.00

AIRSERVICE

1.64

1.57

1.57

1.57

1.57

-

0.07

1

230,000.00

361,100.00

ARBICO

15.61

14.83

14.83

14.83

14.83 -

0.78

3

150,000.00

2,224,500.00

ASHAKACEM

9.46

9.46

+

32

137,598.00

1,316,784.25

ASOSAVINGS

0.50

0.50

+

2

2,150.00

1,075.00

BAGCO

1.64

1.56

-

36

1,903,903.00 3,075,134.42

BECOPETRO

0.50

0.50

+

1

200.00

100.00

BERGER

7.29

7.29

+

12

35,504.00

254,187.34

CADBURY

15.25

15.25 +

37

203,545.00

CAP

24.12

24.12 +

15

CAPOIL

0.50

0.50

+

CCNN

4.28

4.49

+

CHAMPION

3.28

3.28

CHAMS

0.50

CHELLARAM

0.50

+

9

1,651,000.00 825,500.00

0.50

+

2

5,300.00

1.27

1.33

+

0.02

26

2,560,572.00 3,476,684.14

1.85

1.85

+

0.04

11

137,810.00

253,702.50

5.94

5.94

+

2

200.00

1,188.00

MAYBAKER

1.72

1.72

+

23

89,100.00

148,890.50

MOBIL

116.49

116.49 +

20

13,853.00

1,646,562.06

MRS

32.29

32.29 +

1

650.00

19,942.00

MULTIVERSE

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

+

2

20,000,200.00 10,000,100.00

NAHCO

5.75

5.78

5.79

5.75

5.75

+

49

472,829.00

2,717,762.86

NASCON

4.75

4.75

4.88

4.70

4.87

+

0.12

45

1,114,882.00

5,291,366.40

NB

120.00

120.07

120.07 120.07 120.07 +

0.07

146

549,113.00

65,930,266.30

NCR

13.12

4

2,110.00

29,054.70

NEIMETH

0.82

8

263,750.00

225,287.50

3,115,277.89

NEM

2

14,100.00

7,050.00

49,017.00

1,235,719.55

1

1,000.00

21

+

0.50

5.81

5.81

CONOIL

23.00

CONTINSURE

0.63

0.63

0.66

0.63

0.66

+

CRUSADER

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

+

CUSTODYINS

1.23

1.20

1.29

1.19

1.29

+

CUTIX

1.66

1.58

1.58

1.58

1.58

-

DAARCOMM

0.50

0.50

+

DANGCEM

115.00

113.00

113.00 112.50 112.50 -

DANGFLOUR

6.25

6.26

6.26

6.25

6.25

+

DANGSUGAR

4.69

4.53

4.55

4.53

4.55

-

DIAMONDBNK

2.61

2.61

2.65

2.61

2.65

+

EKOCORP

5.05

5.05

+

ETERNA

2.55

2.43

2.45

2.43

2.45

-

ETI

10.20

10.40

10.44

10.25

10.25 +

EVANSMED

1.10

1.10

1.10

1.10

1.10

+

FCMB

3.09

3.05

3.08

2.97

3.08

-

FIDELITYBK

1.30

1.31

1.33

1.30

1.33

+

FIDSON

0.83

0.83

+

FIRSTBANK

12.10

12.10

12.13

12.10

12.10 +

FLOURMILL

50.40

51.00

52.00

51.00

52.00 +

FO

10.42

GLAXOSMITH

29.00

GNI

0.50

GOLDINSURE

0.50

0.50

0.50

GTASSURE

1.72

1.72

GUARANTY

17.70

17.70

GUINNESS

242.20

HONYFLOUR

1.95

1.99

1.99

1.90

1.90

-

IBTC

6.25

6.15

6.25

5.94

6.25

+

IKEJAHOTEL

1.11

1.07

1.07

1.07

1.07

-

INTBREW

6.07

6.37

6.37

6.01

6.30

+

INTENEGINS

0.50

0.50

+

JAPAULOIL

0.62

0.62

0.62

0.61

0.61

-

JBERGER

26.25

26.25

26.25

26.25

26.25 +

7.49

1.63

4.14

7.53

1.64

4.49

7.49

1.56

4.14

0.05

0.08

29.85

29.06

0.50

13.12 + +

0.50

0.50

+

NESTLE

500.00

500.00 +

43

31,957.00

16,075,429.08

500.00

NIGERINS

0.51

0.51

+

1

3,863.00

1,931.50

742,959.00

3,252,963.99

NNFM

21.48

21.48 +

2

2,000.00

40,820.00

3

20,000.00

65,600.00

OANDO

14.00

108

2,812,211.00

39,890,307.30

+

1

3,000.00

1,500.00

OKOMUOIL

29.60

11

52,255.00

1,558,259.25

+

1

835.00

4,851.35

PAINTCOM

2.20

10

2,234,285.00 5,021,771.25

23.00 +

6

5,410.00

120,833.50

PORTPAINT

3.31

20

580,000.00

2,001,020.00

7

319,672.00

203,524.34

PRESCO

14.85

11

196,500.00

2,924,987.00

8

500,000.00

250,000.00

PRESTIGE

0.50

3

16,100.00

8,050.00

0.06

22

1,634,630.00 1,963,220.58

0.08

1

200,000.00

316,000.00

PZ

24.01

24.03

24.44

24.01

24.44 +

0.43

74

1,306,755.00 31,578,764.54

2

2,500.00

1,250.00

REDSTAREX

2.77

2.75

2.75

2.64

2.75

-

0.02

25

1,992,500.00 5,343,529.00

21

563,293.00

63,448,737.60

RESORTSAL

0.50

0.50

+

3

5,500.00

2,750.00

77

768,210.00

4,791,831.02

ROADS

6.61

6.61

+

1

1,066.00

7,398.04

0.14

50

903,575.00

4,102,835.98

ROYALEX

0.55

0.55

+

6

17,313.00

9,215.89

0.04

77

26,195,840.00 69,388,061.45

RTBRISCOE

1.70

1.70

+

14

63,776.00

105,479.34

1

30.00

144.00

SKYEBANK

2.80

2.77

-

125

11,713,178.00 31,919,340.69

0.10

28

498,139.00

1,220,806.09

STACO

0.50

0.50

+

2

2,950.00

1,475.00

0.05

52

2,522,036.00 25,891,499.05

STARCOMMS

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

+

3

286,923.00

143,461.50

9

260,008.00

STDINSURE

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

+

6

227,022.00

113,511.00

0.01

93

2,138,016.00 6,461,362.73

STERLNBANK

1.11

1.12

1.12

1.08

1.08

-

31

5,523,867.00 6,129,200.87

0.03

91

7,260,699.00 9,576,133.33

TOTAL

128.01

12

19,920.00

6

59,500.00

TRANSCORP

1.01

1.00

1.01

0.99

1.00

-

0.01

73

10,786,777.00 10,792,679.54

UAC-PROP

9.85

9.70

9.70

9.70

9.70

-

0.15

8

145,935.00

1,415,882.50

UACN

33.52

33.60

33.60

33.60

33.60 +

0.08

38

235,689.00

7,918,556.02

UBA

4.40

4.40

4.40

4.30

4.33

-

0.07

199

5,774,972.00

25,022,919.08

UBN

5.12

5.37

5.37

4.87

4.88

-

0.24

124

7,719,918.00

40,519,338.15

UNIC

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

0.50

+

2

66,500.00

33,250.00

UNILEVER

35.50

35.50 +

37

143,703.00

5,089,440.67

UNITYBNK

0.50

0.50

+

7

310,100.00

155,050.00

0.21

0.03

2.50

29.51 +

288,881.30

47,460.00

509 16,811,100.00 203,494,374.05 1.60 0.51

51

366,592.00

18,650,267.31

26

201,425.00

2,197,698.43

26

2,019,875.00 59,348,748.02

0.83

14.15

0.83

14.50

0.83

14.00

14.05 +

0.01

2,650.00

0.83

10.42 + 29.50

0.50

0.05

29.60 + 2.30 14.89

2.30 14.89

2.09 14.89

2.29

+

3.31

+

14.89 + 0.50

2.80

2.84

2.67

0.09 0.04

+

0.03

0.03

128.01 +

2,434,310.00

0.50

+

1

1,000.00

500.00

0.50

0.50

+

8

132,125.00

66,062.50

1.72

1.72

1.72

+

14

434,040.00

746,448.80

17.70

17.50

17.50

-

274

6,626,951.00 116,211,224.40

UNITYKAP

0.50

0.50

+

2

5,000.00

2,500.00

45

51,068.00

12,729,963.91

UNIVINSURE

0.50

0.50

+

1

1,000.00

500.00

23

960,255.00

1,862,933.73

UPL

4.14

4.14

+

7

100,000.00

413,585.16

82

10,067,974.00 62,275,440.75

UTC

0.84

0.88

0.88

0.88

0.88

+

0.04

15

864,123.00

760,428.24

0.04

7

149,200.00

VITAFOAM

3.09

3.09

3.10

3.09

3.10

+

0.01

15

320,622.00

997,838.98

0.23

41

6,088,360.00 38,309,335.62

WAPCO

43.50

43.50

43.50

43.50

43.50 +

19

530,393.00

23,085,239.10

2

2,000.00

WAPIC

0.53

0.51

0.51

0.51

0.51

-

19

565,312.00

296,177.40

39

1,444,600.00 891,001.50

WEMABANK

0.50

0.50

+

15

71,533.00

35,766.50

10

91,845.00

ZENITHBANK

15.10

0.20

242.20 + 0.05

0.01

160,547.00 1,000.00 2,404,330.01

0.50

15.00

0.50

15.14

0.50

15.00

15.14 +

0.02 0.04

230 4,676,898.00 70,430,405.67

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

INEC won’t put a curb on number of parties but not all can field candidates in elections – Jega Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, recently was interviewed by editors at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The interview covered a range of election-related issues, including his personal experience as an election ombudsman, the governorship election in Edo state last June and its lessons, voter apathy and sensitization, use of money in politics, electronic voting etc. Excerpts:

T

he last election in Edo recorded a high level of apathy and the materials arrived polling centres late. We want to know what the reason was for that, and what arrangements INEC is making to ensure that we don’t encounter such problems in the Ondo governorship poll slated for October.

I think there’s a lot of misunderstanding with regard to the conduct of the election in Edo. First, people talked about apathy. We have looked at the statistics. The turnout of voters in Edo was the highest since 2003. The turnout of voters in Edo was 39.1 per cent. The average turnout in Edo election since 1999 was about 35 per cent.

So by all credible standards and measures there was a higher turnout this time around in Edo state than there has ever been since 1999. So it is not correct to say that there was voter apathy in Edo state. Secondly, yes, there was a challenge in terms of late delivery of materials. There would always be late delivery of materials. It’s unfortunate; we don’t want it. We would do our best to prevent it. But it’s caused by a combination of factors. And in Edo the delay was experienced in only two out of 18 local governments. I will not provide an excuse but I can explain what happened.

We used a strategy whereby we sent materials; when we started distributing materials to the most difficult terrain areas first - to the farthest local governments first and the nearest local governments last. That is why Oredo and the other local governments which are within Benin city, were the last places where the materials were distributed.

But by 3 am, the materials had been distributed to the supervisory presiding officers who were supposed to go to the wards and distribute to the other presiding officers who went to the polling units. But there was no security coverage and we could not move election materials unless there was security coverage. So, there was no intention on the part of anybody, whether the security or INEC, of having the delay, but these things

happen. On the one hand, we all know with very, very good intentions, the IGP transferred DPOs before the election. Regrettably, in some of the local governments they did not assume duties until very late, and that affected the deployment of security for covering the election. The military was also involved and particularly, in Oredol local government area when everything was ready to move the military at the local government office said that they needed authorization from their Commanding Officer before they could allow materials to be moved and it took time for that authorization to be given.

That also contributed to the delay. Again, unlike what has happened in most other places where we conducted elections, the Supervisory Presiding Officers in Oredo Local Government on the eve of the election demanded that they must be paid in full before they proceeded for the election. It’s unusual, it has never happened but we had to pay them to ensure that materials went out. So, as I said these are not excuses. We cannot excuse it. We must do everything possible to ensure that materials arrive on good time.

What are the reforms you desire in the electoral process before 2015?

Our vision in INEC is to be the best election management body in Africa and we want to achieve this if possible by 2015. That is a very, very ambitious vision given a history of failed elections in this country. So, in order to actualize that vision, we have to bring in substantial reforms in terms of making INEC more efficient and more effective in delivery of services which are associated with elections.

Obviously, we have to do a lot of reorganization and restructuring. We have to do what we call ‘placing square pegs in square holes’ in order to ensure that we have well trained professional people who can efficiently and effectively deliver on the electoral process. We’ve started this. We are doing a lot of this already. We’ve started a process of reorganization and restructuring. The problem is that in Nigeria, anytime you talk about reorganization and

restructuring, people think you are talking of retrenchment. But it need not be so. It’s not necessarily so, and in INEC our restructuring and reorganization is not synonymous with retrenchment. We are doing everything possible to bring about efficiency and effectiveness and it can be done without the kind of massive retrenchment that people fear and expect. We are doing our best and we also need to motivate people. So, a lot of the reform process we are trying to bring in has to do with what levels of motivation and adjustments in the conditions of service that we can bring about in order to have a contented workforce that can keep on giving their best and making enormous sacrifices both for INEC and for our country. We have planned to do quite a lot in terms of restructuring and reorganization. We employed some of the best management consulting firms that have given us proposals and at the level of the Commission we have studied this and we have began the process of implementation. In a matter of a month, maximum two months we will have the kind of restructuring and reorganization that we’ll be pleased with in terms of actualizing that vision of having the best election management body in Africa.

The area that gives people much concern is voter education. You discover many votes are voided at the end of any election and it’s because the people, or electorate, are not well instructed on what to do. What are you doing along that line?

I am glad you raised this point because it is true that an enlightened citizenry participates much better and much more positively in the electoral process and we do have a challenge of ensuring that we have effective voter education programmes so that our voters can make the right choice when they come into the field and so that also there will be minimum mistakes in terms of discharging their obligations.

It is true that in the elections that we conducted in April 2011, in many places, the

percentage of voided votes was very high. But again in contrast when you look at what happened in Edo state it, had the least number of voided votes compared to all the elections we have conducted since 2011. So which means we are also making progress but still we want a situation in which really where no vote needs to be voided because of lack of enlightenment of the voter and what we have been planning as part of the reform process is to ensure that we have a continuous voter education programme.

Previously, INEC used to do voter education as an event around the electoral timetable but now we are saying that look, really voter education needs to be systematically planned so that it takes place throughout the electoral cycle rather than just around the elections. We’ve also, for example, started a programme of voter education in secondary schools. You know, those who are in SS1, for example now, by the time we do the 2015 elections, they would have become bona fide voters, they would have come of age and we believe that it’s important to catch them young, and we are doing a lot of voter education in schools by promoting what we call voter education clubs and public and current affairs activities which can ensure that our young men and women have adequate familiarity with the electoral process and democratization long before they become legally defined voters. So we are doing quite a lot in terms of strengthening our voter education programmes in partnership not just with schools but also with civil society organizations that really do quite a lot of work in this area.

I want to make a plea here, to say that voter education is not just the responsibility of INEC. It’s also the responsibility of political parties as well as civil society organizations.

Regrettably, we have discovered that political parties in particular are not taking the issue of voter education with the seriousness that it deserves. And I want to urge political parties really to begin to pay attention to this so that our work will be

Prof. Attahiru Jega complementary. As we do our own bit everybody does their own bit and at the end of it all we will have more enlightened and more actively engaged citizens in the electoral process.

We have about 56 political parties today.

Some people believe a lot of them are there because INEC is going to give them money as political parties to go and share. What’s your assessment of these political parties?

Well, obviously, as you rightly pointed out, we have about 56 political parties and we are still receiving quite a number of applications for registration of additional political parties but what we really need to do is to sanitize the process of registering political parties to ensure that only those that are most deserving in terms of their programmes, in terms of their constitutions, in terms of their physical presence in states and in localities are registered.

The Constitution and the Electoral Act give INEC the power to de-register political parties and we have

commenced that process and it is ongoing. So, until there is a change in the legislation, obviously any political party that does not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act we are obligated to de-register them. It’s an ongoing process, it’s a continuous process and we will do it. I think there are very useful models of registration of political parties in other countries that we can learn from. So as we commence the process of constitutional amendment, we intend to partner with the National Assembly to make certain recommendations. You know, it is good to be a multi-party system like we are, and it is possible to allow as many parties as possible to register, you know. But being a registered political party does not necessarily mean you can field candidates until you meet certain minimum requirements. That is the kind of reform that we are looking forward to in which many parties can still exist but they have to meet certain requirements before they are allowed, for example, to field a governorship candidate or to

field a presidential candidate.

And I think if we do that you will still allow parties to exist and to be mobilizing people and to continue to develop and to evolve into strong parties that would then be able to field candidates in national elections. So, we think perhaps, that’s the way to go rather than to limit the number of registered parties to just a few. I know many people are saying we should either be two parties or five parties and so on. I think in principle it is good to remain a multi-party system, but we should introduce certain reform measures which can ensure that it will not be all the 56 political parties, many of which do not have physical presence and capacity in many of the states, that can field a presidential candidate, for example. This will waste our ballot paper and create a lot of problems in the electoral process.

Let’s look at the issue of delineation of constituencies and then the inadequacy of polling stations. Politicians are

expressing fear on these two issues. Maybe you want to comment on them?

Our Constitution says that constituencies should be delineated at least every 10 years, at least after every census exercise and it’s regrettable that the constituencies that we have now were actually created before the 1999 Constitution came into being and obviously the last census was conducted in 2006. To be fair, the previous Commission, our predecessor, they attempted to do fresh constituency delimitation (delineation) and got very far but unfortunately it was not finalized when the Commission was reconstituted. And when we came in, we were too busy trying to prepare for the April 2011 elections that there was no time really to devote to constituency delimitation (delineation). Now, a major activity which we would do before the 2015 elections is constituency delimitation (delineation).

We have already started the ground work and before the end of this year (2012) we will accelerate the commencement of the process and we would have sufficient time. We would take at least a year to two years to be able to do a very thorough, very professional and very credible job. As you are aware, constituency delimitation (delineation) is a politically charged issue. Sometimes, because of population movements it may be required that certain constituencies are either merged or are split, and you know politicians don’t want their constituencies to be split or to be merged. But there are rational ways of doing this, where you engage stakeholders where all the issues would be ironed out to the satisfaction of all stakeholders. And that is what we intend to do. God willing, before the 2015 election we would have been able to now have fresh constituency delimitation (delineation). We could still create additional polling units before the constituencies delimitation (delineation). But since we do not have any major election until 2015 we felt that it is rational to wait until we do the constituencies delimitation (delineation) before we now embark upon on the creation of additional polling units. So definitely, these are very, very important issues that we intend to deal with before the 2015 general elections.

How many election offenders have been

successfully prosecuted and or convicted so far?

Let me start with a context. If you look at the records, between 1999 when we now embarked upon this transition to democracy in Nigeria, up until 2011 we have not found any evidence in the records of a single person prosecuted on an electoral offence. So for more than 10 years, we’ve done election in 1999, we’ve done election in 2003, we’ve done election in 2007. There is no record of a single person being prosecuted for electoral offences. This INEC which I am privileged to chair has successfully prosecuted more than 200 electoral offenders. So, in comparative terms, that is progress. There are many cases still in court which are pending but a successful prosecution is predicated on INEC prosecuting, but the police doing the investigation and providing the necessary reports and the evidence, and thirdly, the courts hastening the process of prosecution. And there are tremendous delays on all sides. I think the most important point that I need to

established. We are very pleased when the government made an announcement that an electoral offences tribunal will be established. I think this is what the Justice Uwais electoral reform committee recommended and I was a member; it makes a lot of sense, you know, to have a separate body that will now be handling prosecution while INEC is freed of that responsibility so that we can devote all our time to the conduct and management of elections. So, on the one hand I’m saying that we’ve done our best to prosecute electoral offenders. On the other hand I’m saying that we ourselves are not satisfied with the number that we have prosecuted but it is not our fault. You know, it’s a systemic challenge and it is better that we have a separate agency that can be handling the prosecution of electoral offenders.

What would be your suggestion for addressing the issue of money politics, because the vote of a Nigerian now is still for sale?

“

I know many people are saying we should either be two parties or five parties and so on. I think in principle it is good to remain a multi-party system, but we should introduce certain reform measures which can ensure that it will not be all the 56 political parties, many of which do not have physical presence and capacity in many of the states, that can field a presidential candidate make is that although we can say that we have prosecuted more offenders than any other election management body in the history of Nigeria, it is still a drop in the ocean. The number of electoral offences committed is really profound.

For example, as I mentioned the last time I came here, even on voter registration alone there are about 870,000 offenders. So, it’s the level of the offence that you look at.

The fact of the matter is that INEC does not have the capacity to do successful prosecution of this large magnitude of offences. So, that’s why we are very pleased. In fact, we’ve been calling that the electoral offences tribunal should be

You are right. Obviously, it is unfortunate that in Nigeria there is a lot of use of money in politics. It is unhealthy. It is illegal and we have to do quite a lot to minimize the role of money in politics. And we in INEC, it’s one of the reforms measures that we hope to introduce long before 2015. In terms of how we can curb the influence of use of money in politics, we are strengthening, as part of the reform process, our political parties monitoring and liaison department to ensure that we have a unit that actually monitors campaigns, the use of campaign finances, the use of advertorials, and the contributions that individuals and organizations make to

political parties to ensure full conformity with the limits that has been established in law.

Most countries take the issue of use of money in politics serious and it is important that in Nigeria we also do so, and we in INEC are committed to ensuring that by 2015 we would have even more effective mechanisms in place to be able to monitor campaigns financing, to be able to monitor candidates expenditure and to also be able to monitor a party’s expenditure. Right now, all we do in INEC is to do an annual audit of the finances of political parties which as you pointed out, many of the parties are even opposing. But it’s a constitutional responsibility and we would continue to do it.

I think a few months ago, we issued the results of the last audit and we pointed out parties that were in default and so on. So, really parties are also not serious about accountability and we have our responsibility, to keep on pushing them so that they become more transparent and more accountable in the way in which they keep their finances.

There is a proposal by INEC that electronic voting system should be adopted in 2015. I don’t know whether it is still feasible?

Technically, there is no proposal by INEC that it should be adopted in 2015.

What INEC has done is that we have recommended that the National Assembly should remove that provision of the constitution which prohibits electronic voting because it is a major hindrance right now. If we are to introduce electronic voting in this country, we have to do a lot of piloting. We have to do a lot of sampling of existing machines all over the world. Right now because of that prohibition we can’t even attempt do it and the whole world is moving in the direction of an increasing use of technology in order to have credible elections. So what INEC has recommended is that now that the Constitution is now being reviewed that provision about prohibition of electronic voting should be removed. That would now give INEC the opportunity to begin to legally explore the possibility of using electronic voting. Now if that is done in good time, and we are able to explore the possibility and it seems feasible, then obviously at that time we would tell Nigerians that it is feasible and then maybe we should try it. But right now, we haven’t gotten to that stage.

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Nelson Mandela’s grandson humiliated in love triangle scandal with French bride

By Dan Newling

N

elson Mandela's grandson and political heir has been embroiled in a love triangle scandal involving his second wife.

The relationship started badly enough when Mandla Mandela, 38, was accused of bigamy when he wed French teenager Anais Grimaud while still married to his first wife.

Now the Frenchwoman has left him after the South African political chief discovered that the couple's baby son was born to one of his own brothers.

The cuckold scandal is just the latest in a series of controversies involving Mandla Mandela, whom Nelson Mandela anointed as his political heir.

As well as being a South African MP, Mandla Mandela is a chief in the important Thembu tribe and handles much of Nelson Mandela's legacy.

More significant, however, is that as grandson of the universally respected 94-yearold he is the public face of the Mandela family.

The 38-year-old politics graduate married his first wife, Tanda Mabunu-Mandela, at a traditional ceremony in 2004.

Six years later he married Mme Grimaud, who is from the island of Reunion, a French overseas territory in the Indian

Ocean.

On marriage Madame Grimaud gained the tribal name Nkosikazi Nobubele Mandela.

The couple's son was born in September last year and was named Qheya by Nelson Mandela himself.

The marriage was marred however, by the fact that at the time they tied the knot Mandla remained officially married to his first wife.

Ms Mabunu-Mandela fought the Grimaud marriage in the law courts and it was last year declared unlawful.

Mandla's personal affairs became even more complicated last Christmas when he reportedly married a Swazi princess, Nodiyala Mbali Makhathini.

Until now both she and Madame Grimaud appeared to have been happy with this polygamous arrangement, although its precise legal status is unclear.

Today, however, a statement issued on behalf of the politician revealed details of the explosive end to the Grimaud marriage.

'The Mandela family has sent my wife Nkosikazi Nobubele Mandela (nee Anais Grimaud) back to her home after it was discovered she has been having an affair with one of my brothers', the statement read.

Happy arrival: Anais Grimaud and Mandla Mandela present 'their' son Qheya to Nelson Mandela last year. It has now been revealed that the son is not Mandla's - but one of his brothers'

Marriages: Mandela with his first wife Tando Mabunu Mandela, left, and right, with his second wife, French beauty Anais Grimaud

Mandla Mandela's wife has left him after the South African political chief discovered that the couple's baby son was born to one of his own brothers

'I confirm this affair resulted in a son that Nkosikazi Nobubele gave birth to in 2011. I can also confirm DNA tests conducted have confirmed the child is not mine.

'The revelation of this affair has come as a shock to me and the rest of my family. It has been made more painful because it is my own brother who is at the centre of the crisis.'

The statement did not identify which of Mandla Mandela's three brothers is the

father.

Mandla is the oldest, born in 1974, followed by Ndaba (1983), Mbusu (1991) and Andile (1993).

Ndaba Mandela was quoted in The Sowetan as saying the child was not his, adding: 'Nobody knows who the father is, but I can confidently confirm that it was not me.

'Mandla told me that he was not the father. She [Grimaud] left because of their problems, the child's paternity was probably

one of the main reasons. I have never touched her in a physical or sexual way.'

Mandla is the first son of Makgatho Lewanika Mandela, an attorney who died of Aids in 2005. His second wife, Hi Zondi Mandela, died in 2003 and, at first, her cause of death was given as pneumonia.

After Makgatho's death, Mandla announced that her pneumonia had been a complication of the HIV virus.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 27

Toughest cigarette laws set for Australia

By Harry Hawkins

A

ustralia is set to go ahead with the world's toughest cigarette laws - using shock tactics to get people to quit smoking.

Tobacco companies Down Under will have to sell cigarettes in murky olive green packets covered in graphic health warnings.

From December pictures of cancerous mouths, blackened teeth and blind eyes will be on packs of fags.

Tobacco giants challenged the new laws in the Australian High Court, but failed in their bid to overturn the legislation.

British health officials are watching the move closely with a consultation on changing cigarette packet designs in the UK due to be published soon.

The Australian government has called on the world to follow its example and cut down the estimated one billion smokers worldwide.

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon hailed the ruling as "a watershed moment for tobacco control around the world".

"The message to the rest

Shocking the graphic images that will go on cigarette packets of the world is big tobacco can be taken on and beaten.

"Without brave governments willing to take the fight up to big tobacco, they'd still have us believing that tobacco is

neither harmful nor addictive."

Australia wants to cut the number of smokers from around 15 percent of the population to 10 percent by 2018. Authorities say smoking kills around 15,000 Australians a year.

S c o t t McIntyre, a spokesman for British American Tobacco, who challenged the law, said: "It's still a bad law that will only benefit organised crime groups which sell illegal tobacco on our streets."

Source: Law the Australian government hopes it will cut the number of TheSun.co.uk smokers

Ministers Australia wants the world to follow example

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

EMERGENCY UPDATE NEMA embarks on sensitisation on solid waste management

T

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has embarked on the sensitisation of people in the South-South Zone on solid waste management as part of efforts to reduce flooding.

The Coordinator of the agency in the zone, Mr Umesi Emenike, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recently in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Emenike said that the exercise was organised by the agency in collaboration with the NYSC Emergency Management Vanguards.

He identified the causes of flooding in the area to include inadequate drains, improper refuse disposal system, building on drainage lines and low terrain. He urged the people to desist from acts that were detrimental to the environment.

"Do not erect houses on drains, avoid improper refuse disposal in order not to block

the water channels and do not erect structures close to the waterways," Emenike enjoined them.

The coordinator noted that state governors had received early warning signals to take measures to prevent flooding.

"We want various agencies and stakeholders to be proactive and support NEMA to ensure that the flooding is curtailed."

He said that information had been sent through various media houses to enlighten people in the zone on the need to reduce the effects of flooding.

According to him, the agency has sponsored radio jingles in the six states of the South-South region, adding that the agency was also organising a stakeholders' conference on climate change, 2nd South-South Summit on emergency management and stakeholders meeting with

royal fathers in the region.

Emenike, however, said that NEMA has been working hard to ensure that state governors in the region establish Emergency Management centre in the all the local government councils.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority says it is liaising with the Ministry of Environment to clear the drains along major streets in the state.

Mr Lekan Ige, the Public Relations Officer of the authority told NAN that some of the drains were blocked by refuse and other garbage.

He said that some had already been cleared and urged the people to stop dumping refuse in the drains to minimise flooding.

Ige said that the authority had also provided refuse disposal bags to residents and commercial vehicles to reduce indiscriminate dumping of refuse. (NAN)

Flood threat: NEMA convenes stakeholders’ meeting

T

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has summoned stakeholders in disaster management in Kaduna State to brain storm on how to tackle the impending flood as predicted by NIMET. Representative of the NEMA's Director-General, Dr Alhassan Nuhu, who was accompanied to Kaduna by the United Nation Coordinator on Humanitarian in the Sahel region, David Gressly, said they were in Kaduna to access the level of preparedness of response agencies.

"NEMA as the coordinating agency is more concerned about the collaboration of response agencies. I must state here that NEMA operates a federal system were issues of

NEMA DG decries of synergy between rescue agencies

L

From Left: Nema Zonal Coordinator, Abuja operations office, Mr. Ishaya Isah; acting director, National Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Edward Maigida, receiving medical items from Isreali Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr. Moshe Ram, donated to victims of madalla bomb blast in Abuja recently.

Photo: NAN

ack of synergy and poor team work among rescue agencies are some of the factors hindering effective rescue operations in Nigeria, Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Sani Sidi, has said.

Sidi made the observation in Minna, the Niger State capital during a meeting of stakeholders in emergency management recently.

The DG, represented by the Zonal Coordinator, Abuja Operation Office of NEMA, Mr. Ishaya Chonoko, expressed concern that in the event of disaster, workers of some agencies often saw themselves as only working for their organisation, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

He said the meeting was a

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during the rainy seasons.

He listed the states that were threatened by flood to include, Rivers, Niger, Benue, Cross River, Katsina, and Imo among others.

"The areas that have had severe flooding impacts since the beginning of the rainy season include the coastal areas of Lagos, Ondo, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States,'' Shuaib said.

He gave factors that favour flooding in the area to include lack of surface drains, or blockage of existing drains with municipal waste, refuse and eroded soil sediments.

"Nigerian towns and cities are

generally characterised by poor drains and are, therefore, prone to flooding, particularly cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Aba, Calabar, Maiduguri and Port Harcourt,'' he said.

He said the agency had intensified efforts to ensure protection of people living in the affected areas through advocacy campaigns, to prevent loss of lives and properties.

"The agency is warning people of impending danger to their lives and where necessary urging states and local authorities to relocate people in disaster prone areas,'' Shuaibu said.

follow-up to series of sensitisa t i o n e f f o r t s b e i n g conducted by NEMA to tackle the problems of lack of synergy amongst rescue agencies. "This attitude compounds rescue operation," he lamented.

Sidi warned that Nigeria was threatened by increasing vulnerabilities related to changing demographics, technological and socio-economic conditions, unplannedurbanisation and environmental degradation.

He stressed the need for collaboration between stakeholders to strengthen humanitarian rescue operations among the most vulnerable groups which he s a i d , i n c l u d e d , c hildren, women, the sick and the elderly.

Flood: NEMA wants 26,000 structures demolished in Oyo

At least 25m Nigerians at N risk of flood, says NEMA

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has cautioned more than 25 million Nigerians, who live in the coastal areas, are at risk of being affected by flood.

The agency's head of press and public relations, Yusha'u A. Shuaib, disclosed recently in Abuja that the basins of rivers Niger, Benue and Sokoto were the most prone to the flood.

Shuaib said that an assessment exercise conducted by NEMA and other partner agencies, showed that most of the country's larger rivers had flood plains that were subject to flooding

disaster can be tackled by the local, state and the Federal Government", he said.

On his part, the United Nation Coordinator on Humanitarian in the Sahel region, David Gressly said they have identified nine countries in the Sahel region that need assistance, and that Nigeria is one of them.

The North-West Zonal Director of NEMA, Musa Ilallah, on his part said one of the challenges they had in the past was how to manage the camps, adding that what they need from the UN is training.

Also speaking, representative of the Nigerian Air Force, Air commodore P.B. Bilal said getting relief materials to victims of disaster is always slow.

ational Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has called on the Oyo State government to take steps in demolishing the over 26,000 structures on flood plains in the state, to allow for free flow of water.

The Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi, who made the call at a flood prevention and mitigation workshop organised by the agency in Ibadan, on Thursday, said the perennial flooding in the state capital could only be stopped when all risk factors aiding the disaster were removed.

In a speech delivered on his behalf by the South-West assistant coordinator, Babatunde Adebiyi, Sani-Sidi

said the obstruction of natural paths of rain water was a cause of flooding in the metropolis.

"Though the state government is taking steps to reconstruct and rehabilitate canals, extend drains and bridges, building people's resilience against identifiable disaster risks is the best legacy that a leader can bequeath to his people.

"Resilient people can conveniently tackle poverty that forces them to look for cheaper land at flood plains," he said.

According to him, the risks of losses during disasters could be eliminated with flourishing economic and social development.

PAGE 29

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

08061307241

Floods: Wreaking havoc on an unprepared nation

By Mohammed Kandi

R

ecently, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) predicted heavy flooding in the country but mostly in the northern states between August and October this year.

While some people received the information with a level of apprehension, others worried less, seeing it as one of those inaccurate announcements from a laid back government agency.

This was exactly how many Nigerians also received series of information and announcements on global warming.

However, with the current unleashing of rain resulting in heavy flooding in many cities and villages across the country, the reality is now staring the nation and the people in the face, with bitter tales of death and heavy financial and material losses.

Torrential rains and massive flooding have continued to wreak havoc in communities in Plateau, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Gombe, Abuja, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa, resulting in the death of hundreds of innocent Nigerians, while thousands have been displaced.

In Plateau state, about 70 persons have been reportedly killed by flood between July and August this year. In July, flood from torrential rains swept through some villages in the state killing about 35 persons and rendering hundreds homeless and destitute. The flood swept away homestead and farmlands and brought community life to its knee.

Early this week another wave of flood sacked some communities in Langtang South, Langtang North, Shendam, Mikang Wase and Quanpan Local Government Areas of Plateau state resulting in the dead of not fewer than 28 persons. Some reports put the death toll at 35.

In June, 2012, massive flooding also claimed lives in Lagos state. Worst hit in the June flooding was Mafoluku area of Oshodi of the state. Flood has continued to take its toll on lives and property with virtually no hope of solutions in sight.

In the last few months Oyo state also has been under siege by torrential rains and flood. In Ibadan, houses were submerged by torrential downpour leading to the death of innocent Nigerians. Many, living on the river banks also abandoned their homes to avoid being drowned in the flood which caused the river to overflow its banks.

In Kano state, 24 persons, including children, lost their lives to flooding. This is in addition to the destruction of about 100 houses in Kwanar Goda quarters of Fagge Local Government Area.

In the same way, thousands of households in the four farming local government areas of Anambra state counted their losses after their farmlands were massively flooded by the

Youth of an area affected by flood in Lagos making affort to rescue some children. overflowing of the River Niger, the Anambra River and their tributaries.

Two farmers from Olu Mbanaso were said to have taken their lives because they could not stand the huge irredeemable debts that the disaster had brought on them when the calamity greeted communities of Mmiata Anam, Orom Etiti, Umuoba Anam, Abegbu, Olu Mbanaso and Umueze Anam in Anambra West.

In Abuja, some communities in satellite town have also witnesses heavy flooding resulting in massive economic and material losses.

With the reality staring all in the face, Nigerians are now confronted with the bitter consequences of unpreparedness in the face of impetuous natural elements. The apprehensions and fears have been worsened due to predictions of more rains in the coming weeks.

Currently, residents of food prone areas across the country are faced with the challenge of relocation especially as many of them have lost a lot and could barely sustain themselves in the face of the emergencies.

Many of them cannot mobilise to leave the area and must stay to face further lashings from the elements.

In Kano, for instance, residents of areas that are prone to floods, have been expressing fears about a possible repeat of tragedies that had befallen them in the past. The same is applicable to victims of flooding in Plateau, Lagos, Oyo and so on as they now hope to survive through external help by government agencies or donor agencies.

Several reasons have been adduced for the massive losses recorded because of the flood.

While nothing can be done to stop the rains, a lot can be done to reduce the devastating effects.

Poor urban planning, improper disposal of waste and refusal to heed to early warning are major factors.

Wrong placement of structures leads to obstruction of normal water ways resulting in withholding of water and flooding. Also, many dispose refuse on drainages resulting in the blocking of gutters and drainage pipe thus preventing free flow of water.

Currently, NIMET has mounted sensitization campaigns with a view to get government and the people aware of proactive measures that can be adopted to reduce the devastation caused by the rains.

Though the nation appears not to have been prepared for the floods, strategic steps are being taken to combat the problem.

Currently, Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) has been mandated to prepare a comprehensive National Policy

Uncontrolled drilling of boreholes constitutes environmental hazard, says geaphysicist

A

geophysicist, Mr Animasaun Eleto, has said that uncontrolled drilling of boreholes, poses a threat to lives and the environment.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja recently, Eleto said that the activities of quacks in the industry could lead to environmental problems such as earthquakes and landslides.

He also said that the incessant drilling of boreholes within some sedimentary areas could give rise to the pollution of the underground water.

"Water gotten from borehole drilling is a major source of potable water supply in many parts of our country.

"In the olden days, a large number of people depended heavily on the supply of water from the water boards for their domestic and other uses.

"However, the incessant drilling of boreholes nowadays, has remained one of the dangers facing most parts of the country as large-scale drilling of boreholes has contaminated the

interconnection of underground water.''

The scientist called on the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for professionals to practice so as to ease the unemployment problems in the country.

Eleto stressed the need for the government to also regulate borehole drilling through the enactment of the relevant law by the National Assembly.

He, however, advised drillers to always conduct geographical survey when the need arose to avoid any negative impact on the environment.

He said that drilling boreholes in areas where effluent discharge from most industrial wastes was not properly channelled, could constitute a hazard to human lives.

He said that that drinking water from bore holes in most part of the northern states could also be dangerous because of some particles in the lower part of the soil.

"In the northern part of the country, especially Zamfara State, where zinc poisoning and iron-ore

poisoning is killing a lot of people, people still drink water from bore holes in the area without ascertaining if the water is safe for drinking.

"There is the need for the government of the state to sensitise the people on the danger of drinking such poisonous water.''

He underscored the need for the government to regulate the drilling of boreholes and urged other relevant authorities to ensure the safety of water from boreholes both for drinking and for other domestic uses.

He suggested that the government should designate an agency to regulate the drilling of boreholes with a view to ensuring adequate implementation of government policies and streamlining the activities of practitioners.

According to him, the safety and quality of water extracted from borehole drilling is based on a geophysical survey of the environment which must be taken into cognisance. (NAN)

for the protection of the environment and conservation of natural resources, including procedure for environmental impact assessment (EIA) of all developing projects, among others.

Apart from the federal laws, each state have enacted their own laws in a bid to fashion out ways of regulating environmental hazards especially in areas prone to flooding. The pertinent question however, is whether the laws have actually been enforced to guard against environmental hazards?

Efforts are also been geared towards massive enlightenment to enable residence of flood prone area make early preparations.

Recently, the National Emergency Management Agency warned that more than 25 million Nigerians, who live in the coastal areas, are at risk of being affected by flood.

NEMA's Head of Public Relations, Yusha'u Shuaib, told journalists on different occasions that the basins of rivers Niger, Benue and Sokoto were the most prone to the flood.

An assessment exercise conducted by NEMA and other partner agencies, according to Shuaib, showed that most of the country's larger rivers had flood plains that were subject to flooding during the rainy seasons, but attributed the flooding incidents the areas to lack of surface drains, or blockage of existing drains with municipal waste, refuse and eroded soil sediments.

"Nigerian towns and cities are generally characterised by poor drains and are, therefore, prone to flooding, particularly cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Aba, Calabar, Maiduguri and Port Harcourt,'' he said.

In the face of the challenges, the important question here is; are we actually making a head way into dealing with the problem of flooding in the country? The problem must be looked at from economic and social perspectives. Most times, floods paralyses economic activities in the affected states and had resulted to the collapse of bridges, destruction of roads, houses, infrastructures and farmlands.

Every Nigerian is vulnerable to disaster whether man-made or natural disaster and every rainy season come with such disaster. Therefore, the government and all relevant stakeholders in disaster management are expected to brace up to the challenges of floods so as to free Nigerian from flood calamities.

Despite the fact that natural disaster appeared to be uncontainable, responsible governments fight them by planning properly against it, especially when given prior information on it. Nigeria's situation on flood tragedies seems to be getting out of control and something urgent must be done about it all.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 30

Climate Change and Global Warming Controversy

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magine how millions of people harm their minds and bodies by using recreational drugs, abusing alcohol, and smoking tobacco.

To them, life is anything.

Regrettably, a similar unhealthy attitude towards the Earth has contributed to its woes.

Lekki Segun, an 80-yearold who lives in Lagos does not need scientific reports to tell him that the Atlantic Ocean is rising. The beaches of his childhood are vanishing.

Where the beaches are on

Victoria Island in Lagos today tells the story.

For the people who live in Lagos and across the Niger Delta areas, Global Warming is not abstract science, but a daily reality. And also for the people who live in the northern part of the country that has been suffering from the worst flood disasters in decades. There are other areas that are even worst off from various ecological problems. These are evidence of global warming.

Many believe that human activities are a major cause of

global warming which has had catastrophic consequences for the climate and the environment.

For example, scientists claim that large-scale melting of land-based ice and the expansion of the oceans as water warms causes sea levels to rise drastically, the type that has consumed the areas that were known as Lagos and Victoria beaches in Lagos.

Scientists claim that lowing islands such as Lagos could disappear, as could large parts of the riverside areas in the

Officials of the NEMA carrying out Ressue and search Demonstration.

ENVIR ONMENT ENVIRONMENT WATCH

By Ambrose Inusa Sule, mnes globenviron@yahoo.com 0703-441-4410 (sms only) Niger Delta. Millions of people could be displaced from such places.

At the same time, rising temperatures could intensify storms, and droughts. Also at risk are thousands of species of animals.

Indeed, reports already indicate that many are disappearing and some are even starving.

Researchers say that rising temperatures are fostering the spread of disease by enabling mosquitoes, ticks and other disease-carrying organisms, including fungi to spread further.

According to climatologists, "the dangers posed by climate change are nearly as dire as those posed nuclear weapons. The effects may be less dramatic in the short term‌.. .but over the next three to four decades climate change could cause irremediable harm to the habitats upon which human societies depend for survival."

Even more ominous note is that some scientists believe that changes attributed to global warming are occurring faster than they had expected.

Skeptics of global warming say that such dire prediction are groundless. Others are not sure.

So, what do we make out of this?

Skeptics of human-induced warming, point out that earth's

temperature has undergone substantial fluctuations in the past. They point to the so-called ice ages, when the earth was supposedly much cooler than it is now; and in support of natural warming, they cite evidence that cold regions, such as Greenland at one time supported vegetation that prefers warm areas.

Of course, scientists concede that the further back they go, the more their certainty about climate diminishes. True, many agree that the earth is warming, but they are uncertain of both causes and the consequences.

Human activities may be a factor they say, but not necessary the primary one.

According to a report of the United Nations sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming is "Unequivocal" or a fact; and "Very Likely" mankind is largely to blame.

Some who differ with this conclusion, especially in regard to human factor, concede that cities may be heating up because they are growing in size.

Moreover, concrete and steel readily absorb the sun's heat and tend to cool down slowly at night.

But urban readings, skeptics say, do not reflect the trend in rural areas and can distort global statistics.

Climate Change Study reveals decreasing water levels, infrastructure damage

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NEWS

any states in Nigeria are experiencing decreasing water levels and infrastructural damage, a recent study sponsored by the UNDP, Nigeria and Japan, has shown.

The Executive Director of Bread of Life Development Foundation, a Lagos-based NGO and consultancy firm, Babatunde Babalola made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

The survey tagged: ``African Adaptation Programme for Climate Change'' was carried out by the foundation, using Osun, Anambra, Lagos, and Kaduna States as well as the FCT as case studies.

Babalobi said the study, the first of its kind in the country, examined the impact of climate change on water supply and sanitation in the country.

He said that stakeholders in the water

sector and practitioners in different line ministries were involve in the exercise.

He attributed the decreasing access to clean water and sanitation in the rural and urban centres to the failure to mainstream the concept of climate change into many projects that had been implemented in the past.

"We have been going round Nigeria conducting surveys and what has been coming out is that climate change is going to affect water supply and sanitation through various means.

"And for rural water supply for instance, people have been reporting decreased ground water levels which means that the borehole depth has been increasing.

"In Osun State, we learnt that when they award contracts in the past, maybe tell their contractors that by 100 metres you can access water, the contractors cannot reach the water at 100 metres, which means

that the ground water level is decreasing.

"For household water, we have also been getting reports that the water is not just there again. Maybe you can pump water before into your overhead tanks but after sometime, after the water is pumping for three, five minutes it stops pumping because the water level has decreased.''

Babalobi noted that increased flooding and pollution of water sources had led to costly methods of water preservation.

"For urban water supply we are also getting reports that climate change has increased flooding which has increased the level of pollution of raw water; which has increased the cost of raw water treatment by the water utilities.

"There are new pathogens that are being discovered in the raw water which cannot be treated by your normal chlorine because normally, once you put chlorine into your raw water it is treated.

"Some of the agencies

have also reported to us that there are some incidents of pathogens and pollutants that are caused by flooding, caused by climate change which chlorine is not treating.

"It means that they have to spend more money to treat the water, which means that if they don't have the money to treat that water they are pumping, they are distributing water that doesn't meet the national standard for water and drinking water quality, as a result of the climate changes.

He stated that while climate change was responsible for damaging water infrastructure in the southern and eastern parts of the country, it was also accountable for drought and desertification in the northern parts.

"The last finding of the report so far is that climate change is exposing the water infrastructure to risk of damage.

"And because some of the dams and the water it takes were not constructed to

cope with the volume of water that is occurring especially in the coastal states and the southern states so, there are risks of dams collapsing; there are risks of water infrastructure being damaged as a result of climate change.

"In Anambra State, we were told that climate change is dismissing some rural communities and it's over flooding the villages and it's contaminating their ground water and it's now to a c c e ss.

"But in the north it's a case not of flooding but of a case of drought, there is lesser access to water supplies and there is water scarcity, leading to malnutrition and leading to prevalence of some waterborne and water-related diseases.''

He called on the federal and state governments to check the effect of climate change through awareness campaigns and workshops that would come up with effective mitigative and adaptation measures.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2012

ANALYSIS

By Charles Onunaiju he forum on China-Africa co-operation (FOCAC), a collective consultative and dialogue mechanism between China and Africa, set up by the two sides in 2000, held its 5th ministerial conference in China's capital, Beijing for two days between the 19th and 20th of July. At the Great Hall of the people, adjoining the legendary Tiananmen Square, venue of the two day gathering between Chinese leaders and their African counterparts, Chinese President Mr Hu Jintao declared that "since the past 12 years since the founding of the forum, member states, maintaining unity and working together have made important progress in strengthening the mechanism of co-operation.

The conference, themed, "build on past achievements and open up new prospects for the new type of China-Africa Strategic partnership", drew heavily from the satisfaction expressed by members in the joint declaration noting that all past commitments in the practical steps to deepen co-operation between the two sides were fully achieved. Since the past three years, China has maintained the momentum of Africa's largest trading partner with a total trade worth of 166.3 billion U.S dollars, three times, the figure in 2006.

According to President Hu Jintao in his opening address, cumulative Chinese direct investment in Africa has exceeded 15 billion US dollars, with projects covering 50 countries. The African Union's Conference Centre and office complex built by China has been handed over while China's assistance to African has been growing steadily.

The conference noted that at the last count, China has built over 100 schools, 30 hospitals, 30 anti-malaria centres, 20 agricultural technology demonstration centres in Africa and has fulfilled the commitment of providing 15 billion U.S dollars of a preferential lending nature to countries in the continent.

Further appraising the dynamics of Sino-African cooperation, the conference noted that China and Africa have stepped up co-operation in people to people contacts and cultural exchanges which featured activities as Chinese/ African cultures in Focus, Joint Research and exchange plan, think-tanks Forum, people Forum and young leaders Forum. In addition to these activities, China has trained close to 40,000 African personnel in various sectors and provided over 20,000 government scholarships to African countries, while twenty pairs of leading Chinese and African universities have entered into cooperation under the 20+20 co-operation plan for Chinese and African

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Beijing summit on China/Africa: Widening the horizons of engagement institutions of higher learning.

Against this background President Hu Jintao told the conference that "facts have shown that the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership is the result of continuous growth of the traditional friendship between the two sides. It meets the fundamental interests of China and Africa and conforms to the global trend of peace, development and cooperation".

According to him, "the forging of this partnership has inaugurated a new momentum to China-Africa exchanges and co-operation" and he further expressed confidence that "the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership will embrace an even brighter future". Unfolding a package of practical co-operation in the next three years, the Chinese president announced that the government "will take measures in five priority areas to support the cause of peace and development in Africa and boast a new type of ChinaAfrica strategic partnership.

The first measure is to expand co-operation in investment and financing to support sustainable development in Africa. To this end, the Chinese government will shell out a whopping 20 billion U.S dollars of credit line to African countries to assist them in developing infrastructure agriculture, manufacturing and small and medium-sized enterprises.

These critical sectors that would receive China's concessional financing are generally acknowledged as the potential key drivers to any meaningful and sustainable economic development in Africa. Observers generally believed that Beijing has through this initiative touch on the fundamentals of Africa's development challenge.

Secondly, China would increase assistance to Africa to bring the benefits of development to the African people and to this end; China would build more agricultural technology demonstration centres to increase production capacity. China also pledge to implement African talents programme through which it will train 30,000 personnel in

various sectors, offers 18,000 government scholarships and build cultural and vocational skills training facilities in African countries. Among further measures to be taken in this regard, China would send 1,500 medical personnel to Africa to provide free treatment for cataract patients and also help African countries enhance capacity building in meteorological infrastructure and forest protection and management and continue to carry out well-drilling and water supply projects to provide safe drinking water for the African people.

Thirdly, China will support African integration process and help Africa enhance capacity for overall development through establishing a partnership with Africa on transnational and transregional infrastructural development.

The fourth priority would be to boost and enhance people-topeople friendship and to this effect, China set up a ChinaAfrica press exchange centre" in China to encourage exchanges and visits between Chinese and African media and exchange of correspondents by media organizations of the two sides.

And the fifth priority would be to promote peace and stability in Africa's development through the 'initiative on China-Africa cooperative partnership for peace and security through which China would provide financial support for the A.U peace keeping missions in Africa and the development of the African standby force.

The United Nations Secretary General, Mr Ban Kimoon, who attended the conference, called ChinaAfrican forum a good example of south-south co-operation, enjoining African leaders to learn from China's experience in its economic growth and social development. Tanzania's foreign minister, Mr Bernard Mbembe, who led his country's delegation, called China the greatest ally of the continent of Africa, noting, "no matter whether a country was devastated by civil war, drought, floods or diseases, the Chinese will be their" President Jacob Zuma of

“

Chinese President Mr Hu Jintao South Africa hailed the African-China new type partnership saying that it is the first ever of such international partnership to bring concrete benefits to Africa.

Chinese foreign minister, Mr. Yang Jiechi told a news conference that the fifth ministerial conference had been a huge success and that the "package, covering investment, aid, social development, African integration, non-official contact, peace and security is more much broader and richer in content than before".

A crucial and significant aspect of the Forum on ChinaAfrica co-operation, since its establishment in 2000 has been to enunciate practical items of co-operation within a specific period, usually a three year interval between one conference and another and a dutiful and prompt fulfilment of all specified items within the period outlined or even earlier.

However, while the SinoAfrica co-operation has received resounding regards for its practical impacts and its

Thirdly, in the priority, China will support African integration process and help Africa enhance capacity for overall development through establishing a partnership with Africa on transnational and transregional infrastructural development.

outstanding feature of political equality and economic winwin framework, Western critics, still at a loss at the success of contemporary Sino-African relations, do their best to pour it a cold water. U.S Secretary of state, Mrs Hillary Clinton at the start of her 11 day Africa tour in Dakar, Senegal claimed without calling China by name that her country is committed to "a model of sustainable partnership that adds value, rather than extract it, adding that "the days of having outsiders come and extract the wealth of Africa for themselves having nothing or very little behind should be over in the 21st century". Still aiming a snippet at Beijing without the courage to call her by name, madam secretary. Who might be making her last call at the continent as Secretary of State said that "America will stand up for democracy and universal human rights even when it might be easier or more profitable to look the other way, to keep the resources flowing, claiming that not every partner makes that choice but we do and we will".

However, if this is another tutorial to Africa, she should reread the letter written by Nigeria indefatigable military head of state, General Murtala Mohammed to U.S President, Mr Gerald Ford in 1975, that "Africa has come of age" and know quite well what she wants.

At the action-packed Beijing conference last month, Africa's newest state, the Republic of South Sudan and the African Union Commission were formally admitted as members of the Forum on China-African co-operation, FOCAC.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 32

Tenth body found amid South Africa mine protests Miners' pay at Chinese-run mines was lower than at other foreignowned mines, a 2011 report said

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housands of miners in South Africa, under the watchful eye of a scores of police units, have protested over poor work conditions and wages in the latest in a series of strikes to hit the mining industry.

Protests continued on Tuesday at the Lonmin platinum mine near Marikana, a town about 70km northwest of Johannesburg, with at least 10 people having been killed since demonstrations began on Friday.

Seven workers and two police officers were killed in the ensuing violence. Another body was discovered on Tuesday, The unrest began last week when about 3,000 workers launched what managers called an illegal strike that became entangled with a feud between rival unions.

Frans Baleni, general secretary of the National

Union of Mineworkers, blamed the violence on the newer Association of Mineworkers and Construction union.

Baleni described the unrest as "a simple criminal action'' and said that its union rival preyed on "highly embedded'' workers at the mine.

"These people are taking advantage of the common social challenges of people in this area,'' the union leader said.

"There's a high level of unemployment as we know, secondly workers are highly indebted, so it's easy to go to workers and say that if you belong to us, we will get you" more money.

Attempts to reach members of the rival union were unsuccessful on Tuesday.

Some miners threatened journalists and beat on their cars with sticks, machetes and pipes at the Lonmin platinum mine on Tuesday.

No journalists were harmed.

Dennis Adrio, a captain with the South African Police Services said police units would remain at the mine for as long as necessary.

Adrio declined to discuss specifics regarding police plans, though it appeared late on Tuesday afternoon that officers would largely stay away from the communities and watch from a distance.

Adrio said officers were aware of a dead body near where the miners had gathered Tuesday, which took the death toll to 10, and that they would attempt to recover it.

"Our objective is to civilise the situation on the ground," he said. "The second objective is to find who killed our two officers and those who killed the other dead."

Mining gave birth to modern South Africa, as companies rushed to areas around Johannesburg and elsewhere looking for gold and

other precious metals.

The country remains one of the world's dominant producers of platinum, gold and coal, but many of its workers still face abysmal salaries and living conditions.

Lonmin, the world's third largest platinum producer, says 96 per cent of all of its production comes from its Marikana operation A report released on Tuesday by the Bench Marks Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation monitoring the practices of multinational mining corporations, found Lonmin workers often live in deteriorating shacks without electricity.

Some children suffer from chronic illnesses due to sewage spills caused by broken drainage, the report said.

Lonmin's shares fell by 4.94 per cent on the London stock exchange on Tuesday.

Anni Dewani murder accused pleads not guilty

Xolile Mngeni appeared in court with his face covered

A sculpture of former South African President Nelson Mandela is presented on August 4, 2012 in Howick, south of Durban.

A

man has pleaded not guilty to murdering honeymooner Anni

Dewani in South Africa.

Xolile Mngeni's trial at the Western Cape High Court, in

Cape Town, is expected to last for six weeks.

Mrs Dewani, 28, from

Sweden, was shot when a taxi she was in was hijacked in the Gugulethu township in November 2010.

Her husband Shrien Dewani, 32, from Bristol, is accused of arranging her murder but denies the charge.

An extradition order for the care home owner to face trial in South Africa had been agreed, but was halted by the High Court in London on mental health grounds.

Mr Mngeni was named as an accomplice by Mziwamadoda Qwabe, who last week pleaded guilty to her murder.

Qwabe was jailed for 25 years last yesterday.

On Monday a judge ruled that Mr Mngeni, who has a brain tumour, was fit to stand trial.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 33

Iran accused of setting up pro-Assad militias

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ran has been accused by the US administration of setting up pro-government militias in Syria.

Leon Panetta, US defence secretary, said on Tuesday that Iran is giving the fighters training and weapons.

"It is obvious that Iran has been playing a larger role in Syria in many ways," he said at a joint press conference in

Washington, DC with the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Martin Dempsey.

Panetta said Iran's growing presence could only aggravate the situation on the ground.

There is now evidence that Iran's Revolutionary Guards are "trying to develop, trying to train a militia within Syria to be able to fight on behalf of the regime", Panetta said.

"So we are seeing a growing presence by Iran and that is of deep concern to us. We do not think that Iran ought to play that role at this moment in time, that's dangerous ... it's adding to the killing that's going on in Syria."

Violence continued inside Syria on Wednesday, including a bomb explosion near the hotel used by the UN observer mission

Panetta, left, says Iran's alleged intervention in Syria could aggravate the ongoing conflict [GALLO/ GETTY]

in central Damascus.

Most of the members of the alleged militia are Shia, and some are Alawites like Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Dempsey said, comparing the force to the Mahdi Army of the Iraqi Shia leader Muqtada alSadr, an outspoken critic of the US invasion of his homeland.

"The Syrian army has been fighting now for about 18 months or so. And any army would be taxed with that kind of pace," Dempsey said, noting he expected that the Syrian military was experiencing resupply and morale problems.

Dempsey also said it appears that Syrian rebels are able to shoot down a Syrian warplane, but said he has seen no indication that they are armed with heavy weapons or surfaceto-air missiles.

He says the MiG fighter could have been shot down with smallarms fire.

Syria has blamed the crash on a technical malfunction.

"The Syrian people ought to determine their future, not Iran," Panetta said.

Ghanbar Naderi, an Iranian journalist, told with Al Jazeera that this type of allegation from the US and its allies was not new.

"It's obvious that armed groups and gangs have been unable to topple Bashar al-Assad after more than a year, and now they are trying to find a scape goat in Iran again," he said in an interview from Tehran.

"This is not just about Syria, this is about finding an excuse to

attack Iran."

The US has itself faced criticism of intervention from Iran, which has criticised Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey of arming the opposition in Syria in collusion with the US and Israel.

On August 4, Ahmad Vahidi, Iran's defence minister, said that "the region will face a major crisis if foreign forces, currently [covertly] present in Syria, enter the scene" and intervene militarily.

"The losers of such a crisis will be the Westerners and proZionist countries," he predicted in comments report on Iranian television.

"It is ugly that countries ... have flooded Syria with arms, equipping terrorist groups. It will have very bad implications in the region."

Ban Ki-moon, UN secretarygeneral, has called the Syrian conflict a "proxy war, with regional and international players arming one side or the other".

Valerie Amos, the United Nations humanitarian chief who is currently visiting Syria, told Al Jazeera on Wednesday that "the responsibility [for the humanitarian suffering of so many civilians] rests with all of those involved with the fighting".

Panetta's comments come as an emergency summit of the 57member Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) got under way in the western Saudi city of Jeddah.

Abducted Kurdish MP freed

by PKK in Turkey

A Aygun's abduction marked the first kidnapping of a Turkish member of parliament by the PKK [AFP]

Bodies found in Kazakh national park

P

olice in Kazakhstan have launched a murder investigation after the discovery of 11 bodies in a mountain gorge outside the country's largest city.

The bodies, with multiple stab wounds, were discovered on Tuesday in the mountainous IleAlatau national park, near Almaty.

According to the interior ministry among the dead were a well-known local park ranger, his partner and several employees.

The ministry said police had not yet established a motive for the crime.

In the latest case, six bodies

were found in or near the ranger's house, the ministry said.

A further five were found in the burned-out home of another park ranger 25km away.

The statement said forest rangers had separately discovered the body of a man from a European country, and there were at least two women among the six victims they had already identified.

Guns, jewellery and a safe containing the equivalent of nearly $16,000 inside the home of the 76-year-old ranger had not been touched, it said.

No arrests have yet been made. The attacks appear to

have happened over the weekend.

Ile-Alatau national park lies on the northern slopes of the Tien Shan mountains on the border with Kyrgyzstan. It was created in the 1990s in an attempt to promote tourism in Kazakhstan.

The unexplained deaths follow the killing in late May of 14 border guards and a herder at a remote post near Kazakhstan's frontier with China.

A soldier who was serving there was later found and arrested. He is currently on trial where he has withdrawn an initial confession, saying he had been forced to sign an admission of guilt.

Turkish opposition parliamentarian who was kidnapped by members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has been released.

Huseyin Aygun, from the main opposition Republican People's Party, was freed on Tuesday after being abducted on Sunday evening at a roadblock between the town of Ovacik and the city of Tunceli.

Governor Mustafa Taskesen told NTV that the politician was now with military police after the fighters brought him through the mountains and left him outside Ovacik in the Tunceli province.

"He is in good health and expected to be in Tunceli [city] after judicial procedures are concluded," Governor Mustafa Taskesen told NTV. Local security forces told the AFP news agency that Aygun, 42, had refused to testify at a nearby police station and said he wanted to go to Tunceli.

Aygun appeared healthy as he faced reporters on Tuesday night.

"My two-day adventure in the mountains ended tonight.

The people who carried this out said they were doing it to spread their political message," he said.

"They said they chose this

path to resolve the Kurdish conflict and stop the bloodshed ... there was nothing lifethreatening about this, it was a way of making a political statement."

Aygun was elected to the parliament to represent Tunceli, where he worked as a lawyer for 14 years.

According to his website, his work focuses on human rights abuses, such as the forcible evacuations of Kurdish villages to deny support to the PKK in rural areas, as well as torture cases.

Aygun has in the past called on the PKK to abandon their violent campaign.

Turkish security forces launched an operation on Monday to locate Aygun.

The operation came amid intensified clashes between PKK fighters and Turkish troops in the region.

PKK fighters confirmed in a statement that they were holding the politician and warned Turkey to abandon its rescue operation.

Aygun's abduction marked the first kidnapping of a Turkish politician since the PKK began their battle for autonomy in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeast nearly 30 years ago.

Kurdish fighters frequently

PAGE 34

A

t least nine people in eastern Afghanistan have been wounded in a grenade attack, a day after dozens of Afghans died in a triple suicide bombing in the country's southwest.

The target of Wednesday's attack was not immediately clear, but the grenades were launched in a location near both a mosque and a US military base at 6am.

Sardar Mohammad Zazai, the police chief of Khost province, told the Associated Press news agency that the three

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Afghanistan hit by wave of attacks grenades were thrown into the mosque during morning prayers.

"It cannot be a private dispute. Why would anyone be so angry to throw grenades in a mosque while people are praying", Zazai said of the attack he blamed on "the enemy", a term often used by Afghan officials to describe the Taliban.

The Taliban claimed

responsibility for a suicide bombing they said took place on Wednesday in a military base in the province, but made no mention of the grenades.

In the west of the country, a bicycle bomb in Herat city left at least 18 people, including three women injured Wednesday afternoon.

As with the attacks in Nimroz, the Herat attacks were near the

city centre in an area crowded with locals shopping for the upcoming Eid holiday.

Wednesday's attacks came hours after at least 54 people were killed in a series of bombings on Tuesday, including an attack where three suicide bombers detonated their explosives in the country's southwest.

The explosions in Zaranj, the capital of Nimroz province, along

the Iranian border, killed at least 36, including 10 policemen, and left about 120 people wounded on Tuesday.

"The attackers blew themselves up in crowded markets to target civilians, there was no government installation nearby," provincial governor Abdul Karim Barahawi told the Reuters news agency.

The decision means cigarettes and tobacco products must be sold in plain olive green packets without branding from December. The plain packages will also carry graphic health warnings.

The laws are in line with World Health Organisation recommendations and are being watched closely by Britain, Norway, New Zealand, Canada and India, who are considering similar measures to help fight smoking.

The decision is a blow to tobacco companies and ends any domestic Australian challenges to plain packaging. All political parties in Australia support the plain packaging laws and there is little hope a future government would overturn the laws.

"It's still a bad law that will

only benefit organised crime groups which sell illegal tobacco on our streets," Scott McIntyre, the BAT Australia spokesperson, said after the decision.

"Even though we believe the government has taken our property from us, we'll ensure our products comply with the plain packaging requirements and implementation dates."

Industry analysts are worried plain packaging laws could spread to emerging markets like Brazil, Russia and Indonesia and threaten sales growth. The court's decision was welcomed by anti-smoking groups.

"We hope other nations follow Australia's lead and eliminate the use of tobacco packaging as a marketing tool, to help reduce the global tobacco death toll -

which is on track to reach half a billion people this century," Ian Oliver, Australia's Cancer Council chief executive, said.

The plain packaging rules do, however, still face a number of challenges under global trade rules.

Australia is already fighting trade complaints in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) from Ukraine, Honduras and the Dominican Republic, who claim the laws unfairly restrict trade, although their trade with Australia is negligible.

Tobacco companies have also signalled a potential challenge under a bilateral Australia-Hong Kong investment agreement.

Companies could also use a proposed new Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal to mount a further challenge if the TPP agreement includes

controversial investor-state dispute settlement provisions.

Australia has strongly opposed lobbying by big business to include investor-state dispute settlement provisions in the TPP because that would undermine the ability of a government to pass domestic laws.

The plain packaging laws have been strongly supported by Nicola Roxon, Australia's attorney-general, who was previously health minister and whose father was a smoker who died of esophageal cancer when she was 10.

Australia wants to cut the number of smokers from around 15 per cent of the population to 10 per cent by 2018.

Authorities say smoking kills around 15,000 Australians a year.

Australia court backs new tobacco laws A ustralia's highest court has upheld tough new antitobacco marketing laws, dismissing a legal challenge from global cigarette companies in a major test case between tobacco giants and anti-smoking campaigners.

Leading global tobacco manufacturers, including British American Tobacco, Britain's Imperial Tobacco, Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco, had challenged the law, claiming the rules were unconstitutional because they effectively extinguished their intellectual property rights.

In a brief statement on Wednesday, the High Court said a majority of its seven judges believed the laws did not breach Australia's constitution. A full judgment will be released later today.

Japan ministers in controversial shrine visit

I

n a move sure to raise regional tensions, two Japanese cabinet members have visited the Yasukuni shrine to mark the anniversary of the country's World War II surrender.

They ignored calls to avoid visiting the shrine, which was built to honour Japanese soldiers who lost their lives in armed conflicts.

Jin Matsubara, who handles the issue of Japanese kidnapped

by North Korea, and Yuichiro Hata, land minister, made separate visits to the Yasukuni shrine.

The site, built in 1869, includes 14 leading war criminals, including General

Hideki Tojo, the Japanese prime minister who ordered the attack on Pearl Harbour and was hanged by a US-led tribunal.

In a statement Matsubara said he had gone to the shrine "in a personal capacity" and had used his visit to "remember ancestors who established the foundations of the prosperity of present-day Japan".

The visit follows a row with South Korea over disputed islands that lie halfway between the two nations.

Lee Myung-bak, South Korea's president, travelled to Dokdo island last week, ignoring Japan's calls to restraint.

The islands, known as Takeshima in Japan, have been

under South Korean control since 1954. Yet for the past eight years, Japan has annually submitted a defence white paper in its bid to renew claims over the peninsula.

In a speech on Wednesday to mark South Korea's Liberation day, Lee called on Japan to face up to its responsibility, particularly in regard to the women who were forced into sex slavery for Japanese soldiers during the war.

"It was a breach of women's rights committed during wartime as well as a violation of universal human rights and historic justice. We urge the Japanese government to take responsible measures in this regard," he said.

Japan minister's visit to war shrine sparks controversy

Gunmen launch deadly attack on Mexican bar

S

uspected drug cartel gunmen have stormed a bar and shot dead at least eight people in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey in an apparent dispute over drug dealings.

Four victims died on site in the Matehuala bar, a wellknown venue in the city centre, and four more died later in the hospital, officials said on Tuesday.

Six gunmen arrived in three vehicles, entered the bar and began shooting in the latest brutal incident in a wave of recent violence across Mexico

that have been blamed on drug gangs.

Witnesses said the attackers identified themselves as members of the Gulf cartel, which operates in northeast Mexico, before they opened fire, Nuevo Leon public security spokesperson Jorge Domene told local radio.

"These are dives, illegal bars where there could be some drug dealing, that's one of our main lines of investigation," he said on Milenio television.

Mexico's most afluent city, Monterrey, is the capital of Nuevo Leon state and was long been seen as a model of economic

development in Latin America.

But it has been ravaged by drug warfare over the last three years.

In May, 49 headless bodies were dumped near the city and 52 people died in an arson attack on a casino in August last year.

Both attacks were blamed on the notorious Zetas drug gang, which is waging a war against rival groups for control of smuggling routes into the US, the world's biggest market for illicit drugs.

All the bar victims were male and six were identified as employees of the bar.

Domene said the attack

seemed similar to a massacre last year in Monterrey, where 21 people were gunned down in a bar where employees were allegedly selling drugs.

The Zetas, who are blamed for many of the most brutal attacks seen in Mexico's drug conflict, were founded by Mexican army deserters who became enforcers for the Gulf cartel, which once dominated the drug trade in northeastern Mexico.

Leaders of the Zetas later split from their employers and have since fought their former bosses as well as other groups, such as the Sinaloa cartel.

There has been a rash of deaths and violence since last week in central and northern Mexico, prompting the government to send in extra troops and armoured vehicles to the states of San Luis Potosi, which borders Nuevo Leon, and Michoacan.

A mayor elected in Mexico's July 1 election and his campaign manager were found shot dead in a truck on Sunday morning in San Luis Potosi and a family of seven, including three young children, were found dead in their home that day.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

ANALYSIS

By Dalia Hatuqa

R

amallah, occupied Palestinian territories A dirty mattress fills up a space barely two metres long and one metre wide. A suffocating stench emanating from the toilet hovers over the windowless room, and a light turned on 24/7 means sleep is a distant dream. This is the infamous Cell 36 in Al Jalameh Prison in Israel. It's one of the cells that many Palestinian children have either heard of or, worse, been inside when placed in solitary confinement.

The children imprisoned here are most often taken from their homes between midnight and 5am. Most don't even see it coming. In one case, in Beit Ummar near Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers detained a Palestinian boy after reportedly taking some of the house's doors off their hinges.

Most of the children detained live close to "friction points", areas close to Israeli settlements, roads used by settlers or near the separation wall. And their offence is almost always throwing stones at settlers or troops.

These vivid details emerged recently in a report based on the testimonies of more than 300 Palestinian children, which were collected over four years. The study by Defence for Children International, Bound, Blindfolded and Convicted: Children Held in Military Detention highlights a pattern of abuse towards children detained under the Israeli military court system. In the past 11 years, DCI estimates that around 7,500 children, some as young as 12, have been detained, interrogated and imprisoned within this system.

This is about 500-700 children per year, or nearly two children every day.

Mohammad S, from the northern West Bank town of Tulkarem, was 16 when he was arrested, according to the report. It was 2:30am when Israeli soldiers dragged him out of bed. He was blindfolded and verbally abused and taken to an unknown destination, where he says he was forced to lay down in the cold for an hour. He was later taken to an interrogation centre near Nablus at around 11am, and only then was he allowed to drink some water and use the bathroom, after he underwent a strip search. Tied and blindfolded still, he was then taken to Al Jalameh, near Haifa in Israel. There he was taken to Cell 36, where he was forced to spend his first night sleeping on the floor because there was no mattress or blanket.

Mohammad says he spent 17 days in solitary confinement in Cell 36 and Cell 37, interrupted only by interrogations. Mohammad was reportedly interrogated for two to three hours every day, while sitting on a low seat with his hands tied to the chair. The

PAGE 31

Palestinian children ‘abused’ in Israeli jail (I)

Israeli military courts imprison about 500-700 Palestinian children per year, according to a new study (AFP) most crucial hours "The first 48 hours after a child is taken are the most important because that's when the most abuse happens," DCI's lawyer Gerard Horton said.

Children taken from their homes in the night are blindfolded and bound and made to lie face down or up on the floors of military vehicles, according to the centre's report.

Very rarely are parents told where their child is being taken, and, unlike Israeli children from within either Israel or the settlements in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian minors are reportedly not allowed to have a parent present before or during initial interrogation, and generally do not see a lawyer until after their interrogation is over.

Specifically, Israeli

children have access to a lawyer within 48 hours and those under the age of 14 cannot be imprisoned.

Palestinian children, however, can be jailed even if they are as young as 12 and, like adults, can be held in jail without having formal charges against them for up to 188 days.

"The key issue is one of equality. If two children, a Palestinian and an Israeli, are caught throwing stones at each other, then one will be processed in a juvenile justice system and one in a military court," Horton said.

"They have completely different rights. It's hard to justify this after 45 years of occupation. It's not a question of whether offences are committed. What we are saying is children should not be treated completely differently."

“

As soon as children are taken from their homes, and placed inside an Israeli military vehicle, they are often kicked or slapped, according to testimonies obtained by DCI. Some said they were laughed at and others said they heard cameras clicking.

Because children are often taken late at night, they are driven to the nearest settlement to wait until Israeli police interrogators open up shop in the morning. This means children are sometimes placed out in the cold or rain for many hours. Requests for water or using the bathroom are most often denied, and children are taken straight to interrogation after a night of little sleep.

That's what Ahmad F said happened to him. A 15-yearold from 'Iraq Burin village,

"The first 48 hours after a child is taken are the most important because that's when the most abuse happens," DCI's lawyer Gerard Horton said. Children taken from their homes in the night are blindfolded and bound and made to lie face down or up on the floors of military vehicles, according to the centre's report.

just outside Nablus, he was arrested in July 2011. He was taken to the nearby Huwwara interrogation centre, where he was left outside from 5am until 3pm. At one point, soldiers brought a dog. "They brought the dog's food and put it on my head," Ahmad told DCI. "Then they put another piece of bread on my trousers near my genitals, so I tried to move away but [the dog] started barking.

I was terrified."

During interrogation, many children reported being faced with slurs and threatened with physical violence. In a small number of cases, interrogators have reportedly threatened minors with rape.

In 29 per cent of cases studied

by DCI, Arabic-speaking children were either shown or given documentation written in Hebrew to sign. An Israeli spokesperson denied this to Al Jazeera, saying "the norm is that interrogations in Arabic should be either recorded or written in Arabic". Israeli officials did say, however, they had identified 13 cases from the report where children had signed a confession written in Hebrew. Yet the spokesperson maintained that video recordings of those interrogations had been available, should the lawyers acting for the children doubt the accuracy of the written Hebrew statements.

Source Al Jazeera's

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 35

Woman padlocked for decade discovered

A

narcotics squad on a drugs bust found a woman padlocked in a bedroom where they believe she may have been kept for up to ten years.

The third-floor apartment of Michael Mendez, 41, was being searched because he has strong links to the violent Latin Kings street gang.

Officers found the 44-year-old woman imprisoned at the home in Paterson, New Jersey.

A police spokesman told MailOnline that based on evidence at the scene, detectives believed that the woman had been locked in the room on and off for at least two years and potentially up to a decade.

There was a bucket in the room as a chamber pot, according to NBC New York and Mendez allowed his victim access to a TV. The woman, who has not been identified because she is a victim, was sometimes let out of the room when her captor was home.

There was no indication that she had been malnourished but she was currently receiving medical treatment at St Joseph's Medical Center in Paterson.

One neighbor at the brick building on Alois Place said he had known Mendez for around 12 years and that Mendez would hang out in the communal areas of the apartment complex.

THE LATIN KINGS The highly organized street gang is known for prolific drug trafficking and violence.

Founded in the 1940s by Puerto Ricans, it is now mostly

• Police had been searching Michael Mendez's New Jersey apartment for drugs when they found her

• Alleged member of violent Latin Kings street gang charged with kidnapping and held on $1m bail

Drugs bust: Michael Mendez, 41, allegedly held a woman in a padlocked room at his home in Paterson, New Jersey

made up of Mexican members.

There is believed to be 160 chapters in the U.S. with 20 35,000 members.

Many chapters have developed strong alliances with Mexican cartels to tighten their grip on the U.S. drugs market.

Primary sources of income include street dealing of cocaine, heroin and marijuana.

Gang colors are black and gold with tattoos and graffiti consisting of five or three-point crowns Last year, 15 gang members or associates of the Latin Kings including two Chicago police officers - were indicted in an alleged racketeering conspiracy that resulted in 19 murders.

He said he had seen the woman a few times in the past although it was rare.

The man, who refused to give his name because of worries over safety, said he remembered seeing the woman get into a car a few times.

A maintenance worker, who also declined to give his name because of concerns over his safety, remembered the woman 'cussing me out one time when I was doing my work'.

Neighbors on either side of Mendez's top-floor apartment said they weren't aware that another person lived in the apartment.

'I didn't see any woman,' said

Danger: Mendez, 41, was being held on $1m bail at Passaic County Jail on charges of kidnapping and false imprisonment

a man who identified himself only as Buddy and opened his door only a few inches as he spoke.

'This is the first I'm hearing of it.'

Mendez, whom police said has strong gang ties, was being held at Passaic County Jail on $1million cash bail.

The Latin Kings is a violent street gang who have been previously been investigated by the FBI for drug trafficking, weapons and racketeering.

Mendez was charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment and other counts related to drugs.

State police said they found 4,200 prescription pills valued at $100,000, 190 grams of marijuana valued at nearly $2,000 and nearly $23,000 in cash inside his apartment.

According to court records, Mendez has two prior convictions for aggravated assault, one of which carried a three-month jail term.

Prolific violence: Mendez was said to have ties to the Latin Kings gang, who are known for violence and drug trafficking, and can be identified by their striking tattoos

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Feel bloated? It may be chicken pox 'hidden' in your tum since childhood

By Catherine Quinn

C

hicken pox 'hidden' in our guts since childhood could be behind the thousands of cases of unexplained stomach pain and bloating in adulthood.

New research suggests this 'intestinal' chicken pox could even trigger stomach ulcers.

Scientists have known for some time that following exposure during childhood (which may or may not cause symptoms), the chicken pox virus is locked away in nerve cells near the brain and spinal cord.

In most people the virus lies dormant without causing any problems, but sometimes it can break free, travelling via nerve cells to the skin, causing the painful condition shingles.

How and why the virus is unleashed is not clear, but one theory is that a period of illness or a weakened immune system allows it to escape.

But now a study from Columbia University in the U.S. suggests the virus - known as varicella zoster - is also locked away in the nerve cells of the gut.

They believe that when it breaks free, it triggers pain and tissue damage, and could be to blame for unexplained conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (which causes cramping, bloating and pain).

The idea of intestinal chicken pox is a new one, says Professor Michael Gershon, one of the lead researchers from Columbia

The idea of intestinal chicken pox is a new one University.

'We are now trying to learn whether disorders of the gastrointestinal tract that have previously been of unknown origin are, in fact, due to the chicken pox virus.'

The researchers' conclusions are based on several recent studies. In the first, six children who had all had chicken pox were tested and shown to have the virus lying dormant in their intestines.

More recent studies on guinea pigs confirmed the virus can live

dormant in the gut, and can be reactivated when the immune system is low.

In the latest study, six patients with gastric ulcers were all found to have the virus in their gut, following samples taken from their stomach lining.

One patient, a 16-year-old boy suffering with a large stomach ulcer, was found to have the chicken pox virus in all the cells surrounding the ulcer after it was surgically removed.

The research is being presented this week at a scientific conference in Calgary.

Professor Gershon believes the virus could even be responsible for unexplained patient deaths.

The weeping ulcers that chicken pox causes on the skin could be very dangerous when replicated in the stomach and bowel, and could possibly trigger lethal bleeding, he suggests.

He also points out that irritable bowel syndrome tends to occur in older people, raising the possibility that a bout of 'intestinal chicken pox' has caused ulcers in their gut lining, and prompted the disorder.

Shingles becomes more common after the age of 70, due to a weakened immune system.

And as well as triggering ulcers, the animal studies also suggested that the viral attack could lead to 'pseudoobstruction', a serious digestive condition where the bowel stops pushing food through the gut.

However, the researchers

caution that more human studies are needed to confirm if the virus can trigger this condition in people. Other experts are keen to see the findings expanded.

Pritash Patel, a gastroenterogist at St Anthony's Hospital, Surrey, and Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust says: 'Professor Gershon is a leading figure, and the fact that chicken pox in the gut might reactivate over time is interesting.

'It is certainly possible that some unexplained gut disorders are due to the chicken pox virus.'

Shingles strikes 250,000 Britons every year - one in four

people over 50 will develop the condition, although it can affect younger people too.

Symptoms usually begin with muscular pain followed by an intensely painful rash of blisters, usually down one side of the face or body.

These symptoms can last up to four weeks.

Scientists have developed a vaccine against shingles, Zostavax, which is given in a single injection and prevents attacks or reduces their severity.

It was recently reported that the jab could be offered on the NHS to all over 50s as early as next year.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Eating egg yolks is as ‘bad as smoking’ in speeding up coronary heart disease

By Claire Bates

S

Regularly eating egg yolks is about two-thirds as bad as smoking when it comes to the build up of plaques in arteries

New research suggests this 'intestinal' chicken pox could even trigger stomach ulcers

cientists have unscrambled the truth about eggs - eating the yolk is almost as bad as smoking for peopleat risk of heart disease.

The problem lies in an increased risk of the hardening of the arteries, known as atherosclerosis.

It is a disorder of the arteries where plaques, aggravated by cholesterol, form on the inner arterial wall.

As a key component of a traditional English breakfast, the new findings may not put off egg lovers.

But Dr David Spence revealed eating the yolk of an egg is about two-thirds as bad as smoking when it comes to the build up of plaques.

Having surveyed 1,231 men and women, Dr Spence, of the University of Western

Ontario, London, Canada, linked the findings to stroke and heart attack risk factors.

Plaque rupture is the usual cause of most heart attacks and many strokes.

The study involved patients, with an average age of 61.5, attending vascular prevention clinics in Ontario.

Ultrasound was used to establish a measurement of total plaque area and questionnaires were filled out regarding the patients' lifestyles.

The research found carotid plaque area increased in line with age after 40, but increased above the average rise after years of regular smoking and egg yolk consumption.

The study also found those eating at least three yolks a week had significantly more plaque area than those who ate up to two yolks per week.

Dr Spence, 67, who is also a

neurology professor, said: 'The mantra 'eggs can be part of a healthy diet for healthy people' has confused the issue.

'High cholesterol intake increases the risk of cardiovascular events, and egg yolks have a very high cholesterol content.

'The study shows that, with age, plaque builds up gradually in the arteries and egg yolks make it build up faster.'

Dr Spence added that the effects were independent of sex, cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking, body mass index and diabetes.

He said that While he feels more research should be done, he stressed the regular consumption of egg yolk should be avoided by persons at risk of cardiovascular disease.

The research has been published online in the journal Atherosclerosis.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 37

North can survive without oil money, says Bauchi Pension Board Chaiman Alhaji Danladi Abubakar Bauchi, Chairman Bauchi state Local Government Pension Board, in this interview with Ahmed Kaigama advocates the return of Marketing Board in the North and the revitalization of its agricultural potentials just as he laments that the poor treatment of the nation’s pensioners may be the reason for the escalated security challenges in the country.

INTERVIEW

A

s the Chairman of Local Government Pension Board in the state, what is your assessment of the pension issues generally?

The issue of pension is a serious matter even though many people don’t want to talk about pensioners in the country; but I have concern for them considering the fact that I started work even before the first Military coup in the country.

What really surprises me is that in the whole world, it is only in Nigeria that retired army officers are humiliated or dehumanized. I have seen a retired military governor who served the country moving from one office to another looking for means of survival. People like General Ibrahim Babangida, despite the fact he is wealthy, will be happy if all his entitlements are paid to him at the appropriate time.

Another issue to consider is that since the creation of Nigeria, we have never had a robbery attack on banks with bomb until this time around.

Don’t forget no civilian knows how to handle bomb, only security people knows how to handle it and they are the ones being neglected. So, I’m sure President Goodluck Jonathan may not know these problems because those close to him may not tell him the truth because of fear.

There are various modes civilian administration adopts to ensure success in its governance and constant payment of pension to these retired military officers is one of it. One of the obstacles he might have faced is that of National

Alhaji Danladi Abubakar Bauchi Assembly and even the lawmakers, when they visited Bauchi, have confirmed the pension debt profile but the problem is that the Federal Government that does not normally pay its contribution as and when due. It instead relied on the so-called verification exercise where those expecting pensions amounting to N50,000 ended up getting N10,000. The problem lies with pension administrators that leave beneficiaries dying on the streets without getting their benefits.

If the President would take drastic measures against the pension administrators, Nigerians, especially pensioners, will be very happy. Let me tell you, the inability of the

government to settle the pensioners also contributed to the high rate of insecurity in the country and once this is solved it will reduce the insecurity.

How much is the state receiving as federal pension contribution?

Before, we used to receive N102 million monthly but after our complaints, the government is now giving us N141million and we used to pay pensions of N100m monthly.

We have about 3000 pensioners on monthly pay-roll. We are waiting for the Federal Government to pay us about N2.3billion as its backlog contributions, we were able to get only N560million from the state government which

enabled us to pay backlog of pension arrears last time and the beneficiaries enjoyed it when we paid them. I’m tired of travelling to Abuja to pursue the pension contribution that is not forthcoming as at when due; rather I will henceforth wait back for them to send it to us for subsequent payments to beneficiaries.

As a stakeholder, what do you think is the way out to the problems of payment of pensions that have engulfed the northern parts of the country?

There are so many ways of solving the problems. They all revolve around money; I mean revenues accruable to government; and one of such ways is the establishment of marketing board for the Northern produce or commodities. Before, if you are a farmer, government will come to your door steps to measure the food commodity you produce and buy it instantly without any headache. I used to produce about 500 bags as a small farmer but at the end I find it difficult to sell as I ended up giving it free to some people. This season, I sold food product worth N600, 000. I used the money to buy fertilizer.

So, you can see I’m doing the farming not for profit but just to be participating in the production at least to ease some family, local or national problem.

So, if government will revive the marketing board, it will sustain the sub region. The Bank of the North commenced operation based on this motive as focused by late Sardauna who spearheaded the establishment of the bank in Kano.

Northern region can sustain itself without depending on oil money as was done in the past;

we should forget about oil funds and concentrate on marketing board as we are determined to embark on massive agricultural production. Even solid minerals exploration, which the North has in abundance, can sustain the region.

The recent disengagement of political appointees by the Bauchi state government has set tongues wangling especially by the affected persons, what is your reaction on that?

They should understand that Governor Isa Yuguda should not be blamed and I want to sympathize with their situation. But, the fact is that the governor initially appointed seven distinguished personalities, including myself, to work out modalities for such appointments. At the end of the exercise, we came out with modalities on how to make the appointments, which to the best of our knowledge and perception, favorable to both the government and would be appointed political aides; where each of the 20 local governments will not cry of foul play. But we told him there is something left. In the past we knew that if you give contracts to close associates and after selling it, they would dedicate some certain percentage to followers who mostly were not opportune to meet with the governor, but now the reverse is the case. We suggested that party executives from ward level identify ten people who have labored for the party at the ward level to be screened by the party officials before forwarding it to the governor through the seven man committee for final approval.

Islamic scholar urges NASS to legitimise Shari’ah law for Muslims only

A

n Islamic scholar, Ustaz Umar Yakub, yesterday called on the National Assembly to legitimise Shari’ah law for Muslims only as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment.

Yakub, who is also a legal practitioner, made the call while rounding off his Ramadan Tafsir at the Kaduna road, G.R.A. mosque in Bauchi metropolis.

He said that the incorporation of

the Islamic legal system in the amended constitution would guarantee the rights of Muslims to practice their religion unhindered.

Yakub said that the constitutional amendment should extend the implementation of Shari’ah law beyond personal law in order to protect the fundamental human rights of Muslims.

According to him, the implementation of full Shari’ah law

for Muslims only will not in any way infringe on the rights of followers of other religions in the country.

The Islamic scholar urged Shari’ah implementing states in the North to fear Allah by ensuring full implementation of all judgments passed by the various Shari’ah courts since its introduction.

Yakub advised those saddled with the responsibility

of implementing the code in defaulting states to resign their positions if they could not implement the legal system.

He urged Shari’ah court judges to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Qur’an and other relevant jurisprudence and reminded them of the consequence of tilting the course of justice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that most of the

sentences ranged from amputation for theft and death by stoning for adultery and sodomy.

These sentences, handed down by the various Shari’ah courts in the Northern states which introduced the code since 1999, had yet to be implemented.

The first case of amputation was carried out by Zamfara state government in 1999 amid controversy.

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Clark, Uduaghan feud: Group demands sack of Delta PDP Exco

Benue Assembly asks Information Commissioner to resign

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

A

splinter group in the Delta state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has petitioned the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamangar Tukur, demanding the dissolution of the Peter Nwaboshi led Executive Committee and the setting up of a Caretaker Committee in its stead so as to save the party from an impending doom.

The group, under the aegis of Delta State PDP Faithfulls, said that the party in the state is begging for a credible leadership that could take the party to a pride of place in the 2015 elections.

In a statement jointly signed by J. Diebroma, Rex Nwachukwu, and Egboge Festus, Chairman, Publicity Secretary and Secretary of the group respectively, the group recalled that the last congress held by the party was a mess in Delta state due to the refusal of the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s and that of Edwin Clark’s factions to either reconcile or harmonise their differences at the wards, local governments and at the state level.

It further said that the present composition of the state Exco in Delta cannot drive a credible leadership that can make the party stand against ACN/DPP alliance in the 2015 general election.

The group further noted that before having the current state chairman, PDP used to win with wide margin in general elections, with complete 3 Senators and all members of House of Representatives, in addition to over 90 percent of the members in the Delta state House of Assembly.

They regretted that since the advent of the current chairman, Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) has taken over the most vital Senatorial District of Delta Central, in addition to the control of over 40 percent of the seats in the State Assembly.

The group attributed it to the politics of high handedness, exclusion and lack of consultation by the Nwaboshi’s led executive.

B

enue State House of Assembly has directed the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Conrad Wergba, to resign his position within 7 days for ridiculing the integrity of the house.

The resolution was passed after the Commissioner had appeared before the House to explain the uncomplimentary remarks he made when he said the lawmakers were arm-twisting the executive for their pecuniary motives.

Wergba, who admitted to

making the statement, maintained strongly that it was made in response to accusations by the House that the state government owed salaries of civil servants including members of the House, insisting that the allegation painted the government in bad light.

L-R, Cross River state Governor, Senator Lyel Imoke, and Chairman, House Committee on Treaties and Agreement, Hon. yakoob E.A. Alebiosu, during the committee's visit to the governor, recently in Calaba.

“Yes I made certain statements that intended to irritate the House.

It became necessary for me to put records straight as the facts which emanated from the House was misleading. Since I became Information Commissioner, I have developed tools of international diplomacy in defense of state policies.

I am guilty as charged”, he said.

Wergba also claimed that since he was elevated to the position of Commissioner, he has been alienated by members of the public and members of the House most of whom are his closes friends, adding that he has done certain things which impinged on the House especially in the area of partisanship that he has vehemently moved against.

“I did this to raise a barometer so that the house can know how the executive especially, my boss, the governor, feels about the comment”, Wergba claimed.

He however expressed regrets at the comments, contending that it came as a result of a spontaneous reaction.

The motion asking the Commissioner to resign was moved

by Hon. Benjamin Adanyi representing Makurdi South and supported by Hon. James Ochojila representing Ohimini state constituency.

INEC raises alarm over fake voters’ register in Ondo

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo state says it has discovered that a political party is compiling a fake voters’ register in the state.

INEC’s Head of Public Affairs in the state, Mrs Celina Beckley, said the commission deliberately withheld the name of the political party in order not to heat up the polity.

Beckley said in a statement in Akure on Tuesday that the exercise was illegal and contravened the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

She warned the political party involved to desist from such act,

adding that security operatives had been alerted to deal with anyone or group of people caught.

“Our attention has been drawn to an on-going house-to-house compilation of particulars of voters being carried out by a political party in Ondo state.

“INEC hereby states that this exercise is illegal and contravenes the Electoral Act 2010 as amended. “ Political parties and their members are warned forthwith to desist from this activity.

“INEC will not condone any act that contravenes the nation’s electoral law and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The security agencies are on high alert and anyone caught carrying out this exercise will be dealt with accordingly,” she said.

She urged residents not to trade with their voter cards, but keep them safe for presentation at their polling unit during the governorship election.

In a related development, the police in the state have advised political parties to restrain their members from acts of violence.

A statement by the spokesman of the state command, Mr Aremu Adeniran, said the police had been inundated with allegations of

violent attacks by thugs.

The police also warned politicians in the state against actions that could provoke violent reactions from other parties.

“No political party should paste posters on already pasted ones by the opposition party to avoid clash of interest that can lead to breach of public peace.

“The command is determined to ensure law and order and will deal decisively with anyone caught in such unwholesome act.

“Officers and men of this command have been directed to arrest whoever that is caught in this act,” Aremu said.

LG chairmanship aspirant plans to tackle unemployment through skill acquisition From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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chairmanship aspirant for Idah Local Government Area, Dr. Musa Major, yesterday urged those aspiring for any elective position in the state to contribute meaningfully to youth empowerment in their private capacities.

Major said this yesterday

while picking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s nomination forms for the position of the Chairmanship of the local government in the forthcoming LG elections on December 8th.

He said the only way to elect a credible leader into public office is to carefully look into their past antecedents in their immediate community

“All persons can aspire to any office. They can say they want to be anything. But the issue of choosing whoever should lead in an office, like local government council, should have the feeling of the people at heart and must be considered on the basis of past antecedents”, Major stated.

The politician who was accompanied to PDP office with

former Commissioner for Works, Dr Abubakar Adama, and Special Adviser to the former Kogi governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, Sam Dave, said people must ask those they want to entrust their destinies into their hands, what contributions have they made in the past to impact on the lives of the community?

The medical doctor vowed

that acquisition and continuous skill development would be given top priority in his administration if given the mandate to emerge the next chairman of the local government.

In his view, it is only through promotion of skill acquisition that the unemployment could be tackled and overcome poverty staring the people of the area.

Constitution amendment: NGO seeks gender neutral language

T

he Convention on all forms od Discrimination on Women (CEDAW)— an NGO— on Tuesday in Lagos urged the National Assembly to ensure that “more gender neutral language” was included in the proposed amendment tp the 1999 Constitution.

Addressing newsmen, Mrs Mma Odi, the convener of the group, said

that women needed to be carried along and given an enabling environment to take part in the development of the nation.

“We recommend that in any provision relating to men and women, the masculine and feminine pronoun should be used.

“This will make room for a peoples’ constitution, wherein everyone is involved. This will also remove the

ambiguity in understanding and interpreting the constitution as it relates to gender,” Odi said.

She further suggested that the “He, Him, and His” in the constitution should be substituted to read “He or She, Him or Her and His or Hers’’.

According to her, Chapter 1 Sec. 1(3) of the constitution provides and preserves equal status for men and

women— only in relation to law— but does not extend the protection to practice.

Odi said although the section mentioned laws and provisions inconsistent with the constitution, it omitted practices.

She suggested that the amendment should read: “If any other law, practice or provision is inconsistent with the provisions of

this constitution, this constitution shall prevail, and that other law, practice or provision shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void”.

She further said that other areas that needed to be amended were the gross gender imbalance, tilting in favour of men, “whilst the Federal Character gives room for quota systems in our institutions and agencies”.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 39

Probe N1.9billion Olympic expenditures, ANPP tells FG

By Umar Mohammed Puma

T

he All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has called on the government to immediately commence a probe into the N1.9 billion released for the 2012 Olympic with disastrous results.

The party described as worst nightmare the performance of the nation’s contingent in the recently concluded London games in spite of the colossal amount released for the events.

ANPP in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Emma Eneukwu, said, “The government should carry out a

sincere investigation into why the huge amount of N1.9billion was late in being disbursed to our team, as alleged by the National Sports Commission (NSC), and allegations of fraud, favoritism and foul play by the nations’ sports officials before and during the Olympics should be properly probed with a view to punishing culprits.

In view of our great party’s belief that Nigeria deserves to be the clear and unambiguous leader of Africa, the leader of the black world and a major leader in the world, the party was disappointed to witness this abysmal failure”.

“It is a fact that the Olympics is about marketing culture through

sports and showing the world that one’s country is modern and has an unbridled aspiration to greatness”.

The opposition alleged that the PDP led Federal Government has failed ny not encouraging and inspiring the youths. “We believe that it is a sign of the collapse of the nation’s sports superstructure. Not only is this great nation face-to-face with the heart-rending fact, the most heinous is that it has allowed the cancerous,” ANPP stated.

It added “Today, schools are licensed without giving thought to the presence of sports facilities. The talented ones jet out of the country

to play for other nations because the government has no robust, private sector driven sports competitions, clinics and projects. Our sports professionals are in despair because of lack of upgrade, equipment and adequate funding as at when due.

In fact, this government does not have a well articulated and sustainable sports policy that is ambitious and in consonance with international best practices in sports development”.

He however suggested that all former Nigerian sports champions should be summoned to a roundtable to discuss what went wrong and suggest how best to move the nation forward.

Election Petition: Running-mate disowns Airhiavbere From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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ohnson Anolagba running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate, in the July 14 th governorship election in Edo state, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, has backed out of the resolve of his principal to challenge the victory of Governor Adams Oshiomhole at the Tribunal.

This is coming on the heels of the resolution the state chapter of the party to pull out of the suit initiated by the party’s candidate at the Tribunal in Benin. The move by Abolagba leaves Airhiavbere as sole challenger of Oshiomhole’s victory at the poll.

The PDP Edo deputy governorship candidate in statement issued in Benin, dated August 12, further dissociated himself from leaders of the party from Edo North who are in support of Airhivbere’s decision to challenge the election result in the tribunal.

Abolagba, who is a former House of Assembly member in the statement said his loyalty to the party had never been in doubt and remained convinced that the party’s decision was superior.

He said, “My loyalty to my party, the PDP, has never been in doubt and I am convinced, as a party man, that Edo PDP and the position it has taken regarding the election is superior to my individual ambition or the ambition of any member of the party.

“I wish to insist that my decision to accept the result of the election is in strict obedience to the wish of my dear party.

“This decision is as difficult for me as I am sure it is for all who honestly strove, at the election, to enthrone a PDP government in Edo state,” he stressed.

L-R: Former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Cross River State Governor, Mr Donald Duke, and Chief Afe Babalola, during the launch of a book titled, "Olusegun Obasanjo, Passing the Torch'', on Tuesday in Abeokuta.

Photo: NAN

Why opposition parties in Abia are weak – Atuloma

I

mmediate past Chairman, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Mr Henry Atuloma, yestersday blamed intolerance of the state government for the weakness of opposition parties in Abia.

Atuloma said this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia, adding that opposition had fizzled out in Abia.

“There is no opposition in the state because those who are supposed to lead the movement have all compromised.

“Even those who contested elections with the governor have congratulated him and are sitting back, leaving for us a hopeless situation in the state.”

Atuloma said: “the state government is intolerant of divergent views.

“Even political leaders in the state cannot speak out when things are going wrong due to the level of compromise in Abia”.

Atuloma said that the situation had affected CNPP “because we don’t have any leadership at the moment as the last attempt we

made to elect our leaders ended in stalemate”.

However, Mr Ugochukwu Emezue, Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia, said that the good nature of the governor disarmed the opposition and made it lack followership.

“This is a man that is accommodating and transparent in his dealings.

“He was able to keep to his

promises during the elections as nobody was deceived and that was why all PDP candidates were returned.”

“The governor is currently laying foundation for successive administrations and people believe in him unlike what obtained in the past.”

Emezue said the performance of the current administration in the state was such that would leave little or no criticism.

Kogi lawmaker urges Muslims to imbibe spirit of Ramadan From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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uslims in the country have been charged to internalize and domesticate the lessons and teachings of Ramadan through out their live times so as to engender peaceful co existence with members of other faith.

A member of the Kogi state House of Assembly representing Omala local government area, Hon. Aliyu Akuh, gave the charge recently at Abejukolo the council headquarters when he distributed over thirty bags of rice , condiments, cartons of milk and beverages to the Moslems in his constituency.

The lawmaker stated that as a means of cultivating brotherliness among the major religions in the country, he decided to use his meager resources to extend the gesture to Muslims in his constituency during the Ramadan.

Akuh, who noted that at the root of every crisis in the country is lack of identity, stressed that every Muslim should identify with the teaching of prophet Muhammed.

He added that if every believer adheres to the tenet of his religion, the prevailing social disharmony would be a thing of the past.

According to him “every human being is created in the image of God irrespective of the diversity of tribes and religion. He expect us to live in peace with one another and that was why he gave us the holy books as a guide.”

While reiterating the commitment of the government at all levels to the fight against insurgency advised the people to be conscious of their personal security by reporting criminal elements living in their community to the security agents He further advised youths in the area to embrace ventures that will make them functional members of the community rather than becoming a willing tools to be manipulated by some unscrupulous politicians.

The lawmaker hinted that when completed, his computer center at Abejukolo will offer free trainings for the youth to make them competitive with their counterparts anywhere in the world. He urged them to avail themselves of the opportunity that the centre will afford them.

NMDP chairman canvasses war against corruption from top

T

he National Chairman, National Majority Democratic Party (NMDP), Dr Solomon Akpona, said yesterday the fight against corruption must start from the top, to achieve its set objectives.

Akpona, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, decried the increasing level of corruption in the country.

He said that until corruption was checked from those occupying high

public offices, the anti-graft campaign would not yield the expected results.

The NMDP chairman regretted that corruption had “eaten deep into all aspects of the economy” education, security, judiciary sectors, judiciary among others.

He said that those people who were supposed to fight corruption, were corrupt themselves, adding that corruption had become endemic.

“Nigeria is not serious about

fighting corruption. Imagine what happened in the House of Representatives, the man who was fighting corruption was caught in it.

“Our various security agencies, the education sector, judiciary, and others are corrupt. I don’t think anybody is ready to fight corruption because they are all involved in it.”

Akpona said corruption had become a way of life, as Nigerians had yet to realise the damage it could do to the society.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Olympics flop: CPC tells Jonathan to reform sports

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

C

R-L: Bayelsa state Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Kombowei Benson, the state Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), and Leader of the state Assembly, Hon. Peter Akpe, during the signing into of eight bills into laws, yesterday at Government House, in Yenagoa.

INEC official tasks voters on more participation in electoral process

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he Coordinator, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Electoral Institute, Dr Frank Ozoh, said yesterday that the country’s voters had a great role to play through active participation in the electoral process.

Ozoh, who made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, added that the electorate must always participate in the electoral process in order to determine candidates of their choice.

“The electorate should know that there is a nuzzle between their votes, social and economic well being.’’

Ozoh advised the electorate to shun voter apathy, cynicism and care-free attitude to the electoral process.

The coordinator said it was the responsibility of the electorate to defend their votes, adding that the

electorate needed to exercise their franchise to the end.

He said the major problem the institute had about the electorate was “instructive”, explaining that voters should not sell their votes but should have trust in the conduct and outcome of elections.

On voter education, Ozoh said that the institute was re-organising the method by transforming it into civic education to be part of schools’ curriculum.

“The education that should be is to go to primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and catch them young.

He said that would help change the thinking of the children to become good representatives, administrators and election officials in the future.

“We want to move voter education to enlarge it to civic education so that by the time a child

grows up, he will understand his civic responsibilities.

Ozoh added that the measure would change the perception of the children so that when they grew up, they would see election as a means of serving the people.

He said that voter education in schools had been successful as the institute had received good response from the schools’ authorities.

The coordinator, however, noted that as a result of the myriad of problems they were having as regards voter education, they were moving away from carrying out the exercise very close to election period.

“For instance, when you do voter education two weeks to an election day, it will not achieve results because the problems we discover from politicians cannot be solved within that short period,” he said.

APGA crisis is insult to Ojukwu’s vision — Deputy Chairman

T

he crisis rocking the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is an insult to the vision of its late national leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, a senior member of the party said.

The Deputy Chairman of the party in Anambra, Chief Ifeanyi Udokwu, made the statement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Tuesday.

Udokwu said he had not been comfortable since the crisis began and that he had been pleading with the various factions to seek amicable resolution of the issues and save the party from embarrassment.

“I am not comfortable with it at all. I have sleepless nights whenever I remember the crisis in APGA and I am strongly against that because it

is creating a bad impression about the party.

“I don’t think what is going on now is the vision of the national leader of APGA, Dim OdumegwuOjukwu, It is not, and wherever he is now, he will be so unhappy.

“For us to respect the integrity and principles of our ex-leader, we need to sheath our swords and uphold his legacy. We have to stop dancing on Ojukwu’s grave.

“We have been talking with party men, especially the people at the top level of the party, to come together because we are one family.

“We have been going with people to different houses, we have gone to Agulu to see Nwaobu Alor, we have gone to Enugu to see Chief Umeh, we have been with the

governor, Mr. Peter Obi. “We have been pleading with them to bury all differences for the progress of the party,” he stressed.

Udokwu expressed the hope that the crisis would be resolved if the Anambra chapter of the party could be in one accord, noting that the problem started soon after the burial of Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

“I strongly believe that the crisis emanated from Anambra, it started few months after the burial of our party leader and if our exleader were to be around, all these won’t be happening.

“We need to nip the crisis in the bud here in Anambra because it is rocking the entire foundation of APGA in the whole country and now every body writes anything they like about our party,” Udokwu said.

ongress for Progressive Change (CPC) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to set the stage for sports revolution in Nigeria, saying that the colossal failure recorded by Nigeria in the 2012 Olympics in London depicted systemic failure.

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Rotimi Fashakin, CPC also regretted that despite her status as the world’s most populous black nation, Nigeria is tottering in world’s sports.

The party advised the President to discard the idea of setting up a panel of enquiry to examine the woeful failure, describing it as a self defeating and wasteful venture.

“Undoubtedly, this poor showing is an anti-climax to the peak reached in our Olympics participation with the Atlanta ’96 haul of six medals, including two gold medals! Indeed, this below-par showing is a fitting metaphor of the incompetence evinced in the political governance of the Nation in the last 30 months,” the statement read in part.

CPC also recalled that Nigeria’s name was first registered on Olympics medals’ table with Nojeem Mayegun’s boxing bronze

medal at the 1964 Tokyo, Japan games.

It further said that in all the Olympics participation, Nigeria has garnered a total of 23 medals, including 3 gold medals, explaining that a quick analysis of these showings revealed that Nigeria’s global sporting strength had shown clearly in five sporting events- Athletics, Football, Boxing, Weightlifting and Taekwondo.

“The question is: what have we done to intensify our global mastery and dominance of these sporting activities?” CPC asked.

While condemning the laissezfaire posturing of the sports’ administrators after the games, CPC called on the Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdulahi, to resign rather than giving comical excuse for their colossal failure.

“The Director-General (DG) of the National Sports Commission, Chief Patrick Ekeji, said with an air impudent finality: ‘we tried our best.’ Unfortunately, he has not found the courage to tell Nigerians, like his political overseer, that since their best was not good enough for Nigeria, it is time to make way for others to try new initiatives at taking Nigeria to Olympian heights.” CPC also stated.

Plateau peace talk: Taroh nation suggests wider consultation

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he Taroh nation has suggested that on-going meetings by the Presidency toward peace in Plateau should not be limited to Berom and Hausa/ Fulani communities.

“We find the efforts by President Goodluck Jonathan toward peace very commendable but we believe that the people of Taroh must be involved,” the community said in a statement.

The statement, issued by Chief Nanyah Daman, National President of Taroh Journalists Forum in Jos on Tuesday, advised the president to consult more widely on the issue considering that everyone was a stakeholder in the peace process.

“For the president to have a better grasp of the crisis, he will also

need to talk with other tribes, which include the Ngas, Mwagavul as well as other genuine tribal and ethnic groups,” he said.

Damansaid that it was wrong to assume that the crisis was a Hausa/Fulani Berom affair.

The statement criticised the call by Alhaji Ahmed Joda, asking the president not to run for another term of office.

“This is a democracy and the president has the right to run if he so desires,” it said.

The statement called on the Federal Government and the UN to come to the aid of Masseh, Sho and Kakuruk people of Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas, who suffered massive destruction from flooding recently.

Commissioner urges Ekiti Obas to support govt. in fight against polio

T

he Commissioner for Health in Ekiti, Prof.

Benjamin Fasubaa, urged traditional rulers in the state to support the government to eradicate polio and reduce maternal and child mortality.

Fasubaa made the call during his advocacy visit to the Ekiti state council of Obas in Ado-Ekiti.

The commissioner said that Nigeria was rated third after Afghanistan and Pakistan, among the countries where polio was currently endemic.

He described polio as a preventable communicable disease which caused paralysis and death in children.

Fasubaa urged the monarchs to join the government in

sensitising and mobilising women in their respective domains to immunise their children against the childhood killer diseases.

He said that Ekiti had the highest life expectancy rate in Nigeria with 80 per cent antenatal attendance rate.

Fasubaa also charged the obas to monitor and protect government health facilities in their domains against vandalism.

He urged council chairmen to educate pregnant women, mothers of children under the age of five, the physicallychallenged and people living with HIV and AIDS to register at any of the 35 designated Free Health Centres.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

FIFA U-20: Falconets arrive in Japan, lodge in same hotel with Brazil, Italy, S/Korea

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igeria’s FIFA U-20 Women Championship trophy campaigners, Falconets, arrived in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday ahead of Saturday’s opening cracker with South Korea. They are lodged at the Royal Pines Hotel in Saitama.

It also said that fellow Group B opponents, Italy, Brazil and Korea Republic, were lodged in the same hotel.

The team had rounded off its training in South Korea before jetting down to Japan for the soccer duel. Penultimate day, Head Coach, Edwin Okon, had dropped four players to make the required 21-women list needed for the fiesta.

And yesterday, Media Officer, Ejiro Femi-Babafemi, said in a statement that the Falconets had arrived in Japan and were received byofficials of the Nigerian Embassy in

Japan as well as the world football governing body, FIFA. The statement said the team comprising 21 players and 11 officials were later lodged at the Royal Pines Hotel in Saitama.

The statement said that the

Gloria Ofoegbu

PAGE 41

Chief Coach, Edwin Okon, had instructed that they resumed training in the afternoon.

It added that training would be stepped up given the fact that their opening match against Korea Republic was just three days away. We cannot afford to take any chances this time that we are in Japan,” it quoted Okon as saying.

The 2012 U-20 Women’s World Cup begins on Sunday and will end on Sept 8.

Francisca Ordega

NTTF insists on birth certificates for participation in tourney

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he Nigeria Table-Tennis Federation (NTTF) yesterday advised players wishing to participate in its “Reach Out Nigeria Open Championships’’ to come with their original birth certificates and licence.

The competition, which is in its 3rd edition, will hold at the Christ Embassy Church Hall, Uyo, Akwa Ibom, from Sept. 12 to Sept. 23.

NTTF Secretary Segun Oguntade said in Lagos that it was to forestall age cheating and ensure that senior players did not compete in the junior category. Oguntade, however, said that junior players could compete in the senior category.

“The idea is to ascertain players’ genuine ages, prevent age cheating in the ping-pong game and to be sure of players’ membership of the federation. “It is obligatory for table-tennis players to renew their membership every year by obtaining a licence from the NTTF and that is a prerequisite for participation in any of the federation’s competitions,’’ he said.

Oguntade said that Emeka Nnabuko, the sponsor of the annual competition and head pastor of Christ Embassy Church, Uyo, donated N2 million for the event. He said the juniors would compete in the boys/girls singles, boys/girls doubles and mixed doubles events, while in the senior, there will be men’s/women’s singles, men’s/women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Oguntade added that there would also be the team events and doubles team events in both categories.

“The competition will feature five events in each category, while we also encourage the junior players to compete in the senior events,’’ he added.

Oguntade said that letters had been sent to the states to inform them about the competition and asked them to confirm their participation before Sept. 12.

CAF appoints Coulibaly for Eagles, Lone Stars, Ojo-Oba, Mba, Edibe also

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Koman Coulibaly

NPL WEEK 37 RESULTS Lobi 3 Rangers 0 Akwa 0 Pillars 1 Sharks 2 Wikki 3 Tornadoes 4 Dolphin 0 Warri Wolves 1 3SC 0 Heartland 2 Gombe 1 Ocean Boys vs Rising Stars (not played) Jigawa 1 Enyimba 0

he CAF has appointed FIFA Mali’s Koman Coulibaly the centre referee of the 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifying match between Liberia and Nigeria in Monrovia billed for September 8.

Coulibaly, an old horse and one of the most respected referees in Africa, has officiated at five African Cup of Nations finals (since the 2002 finals in Mali) and was at the centre for the 2010 Final in Angola between Ghana and Egypt, which the Pharaohs won 1-0 in Luanda.

Born on 4th July, 1970, Koulibaly, who has a degree in legal and economic sciences from the University of Bamako, was also at the centre for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals group stage match between United States and Slovenia, in South Africa, which ended 2-2.

A financial enforcement officer for the government of Mali, Coulibaly officiated his first international match on 19th April, 2000 a friendly between Mali and Burkina Faso.

The first Assistant Referee is Bala Diarra, Drissa Kamory Niare is the

second Assistant Referee, while the Reserve Referee, Ousmane Karembe is also from Mali.

The game, which is the first leg of a two-leg fixture, will come up at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia, the Liberian capital.

Meanwhile, three other eminent Nigerians will be on duty the same weekend.

“Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba, the Director of Federations and Elite Athletes Department at the National Sports Commission, was also appointed Match Commissioner for Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal match in Abidjan.

“FIFA Referees Inspector, Linus Mba, also a Nigerian, will be Match Commissioner for the tie between Ghana’s Black Stars and the Flames of Malawi in Kumasi, Ghana.

Peter Edibe, a Nigerian, who is an Assistant Referee, will be the second Assistant Referee for the clash between Sudan and Ethiopia in Omdurman, Sudan.’’ the statement read.

Pillars beat Akwa Utd as Rangers slip

K

ano Pillars have its hands partially wrapped round the NPL shield following an impressive away win over Akwa United while its rival Rangers were shot down by Lobi Stars who hammered them 3-0 yesterday.

With a game to spare till the end of the season, Pillars now have 64 points, while Lobi moved into second place courtesy of a 3-

0 home win over erstwhile table toppers Enugu Rangers.

Nasiru Ali scored the allimportant goal for Pillars in the 56th minute after he collected a through pass from Turkey-bound Gambo Mohammed.

But the bigger drama was in Katsina-Ala, where Lobi tore apart Rangers with youth international striker Tony

Okpotu grabbing a brace.

Lobi put behind a fire outbreak at their hotel as Okpotu opened scoring after just eight minutes from close range.

Jonah Abutu doubled the advantage of the hosts on 23 minutes from the penalty spot after goal-bound Chimaobi Nworgu was brought down inside the box. Okpotu fired his second

goal in the 65th minute to now have seven league goals this season.

There were also sensational wins for Niger Tornadoes and Wikki Tourists.

Tornadoes battered champions Dolphin 4-0 at home, while Wikki recorded a massive 3-2 win at Sharks in Port Harcourt.

Heartland defeated Gombe United 2-1 and Warri Wolves also won 1-0 at home against Shooting Stars.

2016 Olympics: Lagos Assembly tasks NSC, NOC on early preparations

L

agos State House of Assembly (LAHA) wants the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to commence early preparations for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil to enhance Nigeria’s performance, even as it blamed the federal Government for late release of funds for the Games.

Mr Babatunde Ayeni, LAHA’s Chairman, Committee on Youth and Sports, stated their position at a news briefing yesterday, in Lagos, shortly after he arrived from the 2012 Olympics in London.

“I must confess to you that London 2012 was a woeful outing for the country; it has not been so bad like this for Nigeria in the history of the Olympics,” he said.

Ayeni blamed Nigeria’s dismal performance on poor preparation

which, he said, was caused by the federal government’s delay in releasing funds to the National Sports Commission (NSC).

The chairman urged stakeholders in the nation’s sports to fish out talents from the18th National Sports Festival, Eko2012, slated to hold from Nov. 27 to Dec. 9, and nurture them to stardom.

According to him, Eko 2012 offers an avenue to select the best crop of athletes to represent Nigeria in Brazil.

“What a shame for Nigeria; in a country of over 160 million people we cannot win a medal at the Olympics. This situation calls for a general overhaul of our sporting events. “Look at countries like Jamaica, Grenada, and Estonia; even some countries in Africa, Kenya and Botswana were on the medals table,” Ayeni said.

Nigeria was represented in eight sports, athletics, wrestling, weightlifting, canoeing, table tennis, boxing and basketball and taekwndo at the London Olympics which ended last Sunday.

Sani Ndanusa, President NOC

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Lovemore wins another belt

Farah, Gebrselassie set for Half Marathon clash in Newcastle

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ovemore Ndou beat Gairy St Clair on points at the weekend to add another belt to his collection. The South African, who now fights mostly in Australia, won the vacant World Boxing Foundation welterweight and IBF Pan Pacific titles.

Ndou, a former IBF and IBO champion, beat St Clair, a former IBF junior lightweight champion, on points over twelve rounds in Southport, Queensland. The two have now had, between them, 120 professional fights.

The 40-year-old Ndou took control soon after the start but Guyana-born St Clair did well in the sixth and seventh rounds before Ndou fought his way to victory – 117-112 and 116112 on the two other cards.

Ndou improved his record to 49-13-2, including 31 knockouts. St Clair dropped to 4212-2; 18.

In San Antonio, Texas, middleweight Brian Vera defeated former world champion Sergio Mora 118-110, 117-111 and 114-114 to take his record to 21-6; 12. Mora’s dropped to 23-3-2; 7.

Featherweight Antonio Escalante (27-4; 19) knocked out Leonilo Miranda (36-5; 25) in the second round.

In Studio City, California, Shawn Estrada stopped Felix Piedra in the second round of a light-heavyweight bout. Estrada, a 2008 US Olympian, improved to 15-0, with 13 knockouts. Piedra dropped to 8-0-1; 5.

Temple, Pennsylvania: Heavyweight Travis Kauffman returned to action after an absence of 12 months to beat Charles Davis 70-63 after seven rounds.

The eight-rounder had to be stopped after seven because of heavy rain. Kauffman improved his record to 23-1; 17 and Davis now stands at 19-23-3; 4.

Santo Domingo: Junior welterweight Victor Cayo moved to 29-3; 21 when he stopped Julio De Jesus (15-1; 14) in the third round. De Jesus was knocked down twice in the first round.

Sinaloa, Mexico: Hugo Cazares, a former twodivision world champion, improved his record to 37-7-2; 26 when he beat Daniel Diaz in a super-bantamweight bout over twelve rounds.

Diaz dropped to 19-4-1; 14.

Cabazon, California: Darley Perez beat Bahodir Mamadjonov on a split decision after ten rounds of a clash between unbeaten lightweights.

Perez, a Colombian, now stands at 26-0, with 19 knockouts. Bahodir, who is from Uzbekistan, lost for the first time in dropping to 11-1; 7.

Two judges scored it 96-93 and 95-94 for Perez and the third had it 95-94 for Mamadjonov.

Houston, Texas: Light-heavyweight Cedric Agnew remained unbeaten and improved to 24-0; 13 when he beat Zack Page (21-39-2; 7) by majority decision - 58-56, 59-55 and 57-57.

Rochester, New York: Ireland’s Patrick Hyland also retained his unbeaten status (now 27-0; 12) when he beat Dominican Carlos Fulgencio (19-8-1; 12) by unanimous decision over eight rounds.

Lovemore Ndou

N

Mo Farah

Haile Gebrselassie

ewly-crowned Olympic 5000 and 10,000m gold medallist Mo Farah, after those two terrific victories, faces an equally tough test of his ability when facing Haile Gebrselassie in next month’s Bupa Great North Run. Farah, Great Britain’s fastest Half Marathon performer with a time of 1:00:23 will take on Gebrselassie, the world’s greatest ever distance runner, in what should be a classic race from Newcastle to South Shields in this IAAF Gold Label Road Race on 16 September.

The iconic Gebrselassie, a former World Half Marathon record holder, has a personal best of 58:55 and is returning to the Great North Run where on his debut in 2010 he won in a very impressive time of 59:33.

Now event organisers are confident that his presence will see Farah become the first British athlete ever to smash the milestone 60 minutes barrier at the head of the 54,000 runners entered for the race.

“Mo’s only ran one serious Half Marathon and that saw him win in New York last year against a very strong international field,” said Peter Riley, the race’s elite athletes manager.

“That victory and the fact that he is the country’s fastest half marathoner clearly suggests, with Gebrselassie who normally has a habit every time he races of running at sub one hour pace, he will achieve the feat.

“Mo as a former European Cross Country champion has plenty of strength for the longer distances as he also proved when winning the 2009 Bupa Great South Run, a high quality 10 miler in Portsmouth with a very fast time of 46:25.”

“I’m sure the head-to-head between them will be something special. Who knows with Farah expected to eventually move up to the Marathon he could in a few years’ time even see him talked about as being an equal of Gebrselassie.”

Farah at 29, who started last year’s race shortly after winning the World Championships 5000m title, is slightly over 10 years younger than the “Emperor” as the African star is worldwide known, and first came head-tohead with him at the 2003 London Grand Prix which was a no contest at Crystal Palace.

Gebrselassie coming off the dizzy heights of his track career which included scoring two Olympic 10,000m victories before switching to the Marathon event, was an easy winner of the race with his then rookie British rival down in ninth position.

Now Farah has matured into an almost equally great Olympian and the streets of Tyneside offer a unique opportunity to show his ability when looking for new challenges as he undertakes a road running career.

Zamalek’s W Vieira love challenges

hy did you accept coaching Zamalek amidst this tough situation?

Working with Zamalek in this situation is a very difficult mission regarding the team’s current form and their position in the CAF Champions League. I

Egyptian side Zamalek faces a tough challenge when they entertain DR Congo’s TP Mazembe this weekend at the Cairo Military Academy Stadium, during day 4 of the 2012 Orange CAF Champions League Group B clash.

Zamalek currently sit at the bottom of the group after losing all their first three games and recently appointed Brazilian born Jorvan Vieira as their manager to succeed Hassan Shehata. Vieira told Cafonline.com that he recognizes how tough the mission that awaits him is, but he accepts the challenge starting this Sunday.

take this as a personal challenge and that’s why I accepted the mission. I love Challenges and hope to achieve success.

Do you believe Zamalek has still got hope of coming back into contention in this group?

Zamalek is a big team and has a long history in the continent. It’s a great honor for me to manage such a team. Definitely getting back into contention will be very difficult after losing three games, but I am positive. I hope to find the appropriate support from the board, players, fans and media.

To what extent do you see your mission affected by the current situation in Egypt, especially regarding the suspension of domestic football league?

I’ve worked in a much tougher situation in Iraq and I can handle it whatever the circumstances thrown at me. It’s definitely very difficult to start my mission in this current state of affairs as I don’t know whether the domestic season will resume or not, but I have to accept the situation as it is and make my plans accordingly.

Zamalek will face TP Mazembe without some key players as Ahmed Hassan (suspended), Amr Zaki and Mahmoud Abdel Razek (loaned out). What impact will this have on your side?

A team is not made up of only one or two players.

I don’t depend on a single player regardless of their skills and quality. I admit the importance of having

some key players, but my long experience taught me to concentrate on those available for the game only and not think of the absentees. We have many talented players, but what’s important now is to regain the fighting spirit in the coming matches.

TP Mazembe game comes roughly one week after your appointment. Will you take the responsibility for this match or just follow it and start afterwards?

I’m fully responsible for Mazembe’s match this Sunday. I’ll work with my assistants to find out the appropriate plan for the team’s good.

Zamalek’s next three games are in Cairo.

How do you see this considering you must win all of them to keep your qualification dream alive?

Of course this is going to be an advantage to play in Cairo, but that doesn’t mean victory is guaranteed. The mission is very tough especially with big teams like Mazembe, Berekum Chelsea and Al Ahly. The players will have to do their best to achieve victory and revive our semi final qualification dreams.

Jorvan Vieira

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Everton target £5.3 million Mirallas

E

verton are closing in on the £5.3 million signing of Olympiakos striker Kevin Mirallas as manager David Moyes looks to strengthen his squad following Jack Rodwell’s departure.

Moyes has moved quickly for the Belgium international following the sale of Rodwell to Manchester City for an initial fee of £12 million. The Everton manager has been keen to bring in a striker to ease the burden on Nikica Jelavic ahead of Monday night’s opening Premier League game against Manchester United at Goodison Park.

Mirallas was the Greek Superleague’s top scorer last season, hitting 20 goals as Olympiakos retained their title.

PAGE 43

Transfer

The season is over. Clubs are counting their blessing as well as losses and would like to make amends and even beef up their squads where noticeable lapses exist. And the transfer market is agog few days to the close of the summer transfer market after major European leagues dropped the curtain.

And so to keep abreast with latest rumours, we serve you daily doses of movements within the market.

United agree Van Football Club for the Persie deal Arsenal transfer of Robin Van Persie,"

M

anchester United have confirmed they have agreed a deal to sign Robin van Persie from Arsenal.

The announcement comes after an intense period of negotiations and is subject to Dutch striker Van Persie passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.

"Manchester United is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with

said a club statement.

"The deal is subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms. A further announcement will be made in due course."

It is not anticipated there will be any problems with either remaining part of the deal. And providing it goes through without a hitch, Van Persie could face Everton in United's opening Premier League game at Goodison Park on Monday.

Ajaccio land Mutu from French club’s president Cesena has confirmed.

A

jaccio has agreed personal terms with C e s e n a forward Adrian Mutu, the

Adrian Mutu

Ajaccio finished 16th in Ligue 1 after winning promotion from the second tier in 2011.

The club’s president, Alain Orsini, said “An agreement has been reached with Mutu and his agents. The player is now trying to reach an agreement with Cesena.”

Mutu, who has two years remaining on his contract with the EmiliaRomagna club, has also represented Inter, Verona, Parma and Juventus during his career.

Orsini added: “He’s an excellent player. We would love to see him in the club colours as soon as possible.”

Lukaku slams Chelsea over loan

R

omelu Lukaku has taken a parting shot at Chelsea following his loan move to West Brom, claiming that a

Romelu Lukaku

difficult debut season for the Blues made him fall out of love with football.

Lukaku, 19, arrived at Stamford Bridge to a fanfare last August after emerging as a teenage prodigy at Anderlecht.

However, the Belgium international failed to justify his £18 million price tag in a frustrating 2011-12 campaign, with first-team opportunities proving limited under first Andre Villas-Boas and then Roberto Di Matteo.

Lukaku made just 12 appearances - four of them starts - in all competitions and despite Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou departing over the summer, he felt he would be better served looking elsewhere for regular football.

Man City, Chelsea on alert as Hulk face Porto exit

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anchester City and Chelsea will be on red alert after Brazil striker Hulk expressed his desire to leave Porto.

The striker with a reported £80m buyout clause in his contract said the Premier League is one of his two preferred destinations.

“I’d rather play in England or Spain, because they are the most watched championships in the world.”

If Hulk stays true to his word, that would rule the big spenders of PSG in France and Russin outfit Anzhi.

Chelsea could look to Hulk as a like-for-like replacement for Didier Drogba, while City has been linked with the front man for a number of months.

Agger wants Barcelona move

L Luka Modric

Croatia coach hits at Spurs chairman over Modric exit

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roatia coach Igor Stimac has criticised Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, accusing him of breaking promises to midfielder Luka Modric over a possible move to Real Madrid.

Playmaker Modric has been training alone after missing Tottenham’s pre-season tour of America as speculation over his future rumbles on.

Manager Andre Villas-Boas has warned him that he must be ready to play for the club again despite his absence from their friendlies.

Modric is desperate to go to Real, but the Spanish champions have not met Tottenham’s asking price of around £40 million and both Levy and Villas-Boas say he will be going nowhere until the right offer is received.

Lyon reject Tottenham bid for goal stopper

iverpool centre-back Daniel Agger has admitted he would be interested in a move to Barcelona.

Agger, 27, has made it clear he would rather stay at Anfield, but has only a year left on his contract and talks over a new one have stalled.

Real Madrid show Dembélé interest

M

oussa Dembélé has claimed Real Madrid has shown an interest in him but Fulhamhave yet to receive any offers and would not welcome any.

The Belgium international has long been linked with a move away from Craven Cottage, where he has shown since joining from AZ Alkmaar three years ago.

L

W

igan has completed the signing of Ivory Coast striker Arouna Kone from La Liga side Levante for an undisclosed fee.

The 28-year-old scored 15 times in 34 games last season to help Levante to a surprise sixth-place finish in La Liga during a loan spell from Sevilla.

His arrival comes a day after manager Roberto Martinez brought in Arsenal midfielder Ryo Miyaichi on loan.

Kone, who has signed a three-year contract, has been capped 35 times for his country scoring nine goals in the process.

Arouna Kone

Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea have all been linked with a move for Dembélé, who has revealed José Mourinho’s Real Madrid is another interested party.

A number of clubs have expressed an interest in Dembélé, but there have been no offers for the 25year-old and, furthermore, Fulham would not welcome any.

Barcelona close in on Arsenal hit man

yon has rejected an offer from Tottenham for 25year-old goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. Brad Friedel, Spurs’ current No1, turned 41 in May and France stopper Lloris would provide boss Andre Villas-Boas with a much younger alternative.

Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas said: “Hugo wants to play in one of the best clubs in Europe. ”If he absolutely wants to leave, we will look at the proposals but they must be consistent with what we want.

Kone completes move to Wigan

Manchester City has seen a £20 million offer rejected, with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers saying he wants to keep the defender.

Barcelona has not made an approach for Agger, who joined Liverpool from Brondby for £6 million in 2006.

B Steve Gerard

Rodgers vows to spend responsibly

B

rendan Rodgers says he will not break the bank to make Liverpool competitive at the top of the Premier League again.

It is less than two years since Liverpool almost entered administration as the era of Tom Hicks and George Gillett came to an end, and Rodgers is determined that the club will not find itself in that same position again.

Rangers are the most highprofile club to suffer financial meltdown, demoted to the Scottish Third Division, while Portsmouth’s future is not yet assured after overspending in the Premier League.

Rodgers also insisted the club does not have to look to the big clubs for new signings.

arcelona is closing in on Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, according to reports in the Catalan press yesterday.

Barcelona’s sports vicepresident Josep Maria Bartomeu and director of football Raul Sanllehi were in London to negotiate the deal, and it could be finalised within hours.

Arsenal have already turned down an initial •15 million bid from the Catalans and are holding out for over •20 million, but a deal should be agreed for •18 - •19 million.

The idea of a Barca player such as Ibrahim Afellay or Cristian Tello moving to the Emirates on loan in part-exchange has been discounted.

Alex Song

PAGE 44

Don’t bend the rules for Ocean Boys, Galadima warns NPL board

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Coaches advise FG on talent hunt, preparations for 2016 Olympics

By Patrick Andrew

T

he General Manager of Kano Pillars, Alhaji Abba Galadima, has labasted the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) for failing to apply the rules against Ocean Boys that opted out of the league barely three matches to the end of the season.

Alhaji Abba said this failure amounted to breach of the rules of engagement as the NPL was expected to apply the rules and thus instill discipline and strict compliance with the rules guiding the participation in the league.

Peoples Daily Sports recalls that the NPL decided last week to set up a three-man committee to investigate the failure of relegation-bound Ocean Boys to honour two of its matches in the ongoing season.

Also, we recall that the Brass-based Yenegoa club had opted to abandon its campaign barely four weeks to the end of the season because of financial problems. They failed to honour its home match against Kaduna United and did the same in the week 36 away tie against Wikki Tourists.

This act contravened the rules of the league, according to Alhaji Abba and should have been punished in accordance with the rules of engagement.

According to him, “the NPL’s rules state clearly that any club that fails to honour two matches in a single season would in addition to a hefty fine be automatically relegated to the lower division.

“Consequently, the decision by the NPL to set up an investigative committee rather than confirm the relegation of Ocean has not gone down well with most of the NPL club officials, who suspect that the league body is attempting to provide a soft landing for the Bayelsa State club,” he alleged.

Speaking on phone from his base in Kano yesterday, the club chairman said the 3-man committee would be an invalid endeavour because it violates the laid down rules of the NPL. Besides, he warned the NPL against bending the rules to favour Ocean Boys, whoich he said stand relegated automatically on the basis of the rules, adding that doing so would not only send a wrong signal but seriously dent the already warp image and credibility of the NPL. “In my candid opinion, the decision by the NPL to set up a committee to investigate why a club failed to honour its matches is not only absurd but ridiculous. The rules are there for them to follow.

“The rules stipulate a fine and automatic relegation. So what do they need the committee for. Personally, the committee is unnecessary just as it is a waste of time and resources. Any attempt to stop Ocean from proceeding on relegation would make nonsense of the entire system”, he warned.

Galadima said manifest abuse of laid down rules was neither demonstration of its recently acclaimed number one league in Africa nor would help grow the game in the country.

Instead, he said if the NPL indulge in questionable decisions, it would only goes tio show depth of the decline and decay in the administration of football in Nigeria as well as clearly indicates that something is fundamentally wrong somewhere.

“In the interest of the league, the decision on Ocean should be reconsidered. Let us not make a mockery of Nigerian football. I have to make my position known because the decision will not augur well for our football.”

Reacting to Abba’s assertion, the acting NPL Executive Secretary, Mr. Tunji Babalola said since the decision was taken by the board that he has no authority to question the board’s decision.

“That decision was taken by the board. It was not my personal decision.

I advise that those who have issues should wait until when the committee completes its Victor Baribote, NPL assignment”, he said. board chairman

Hon. Bolaji Abdullahi, Sports Minister

U

nless the Federal Government introduce a deliberate talent hunt policy as well as put machinery in place to groom and nurture these talents to fruition, Nigeria would remain the back waters of international sports competition, according to some coaches.

These coaches, mostly based in Lagos, gave the advice against the backdrop of Team Nigeria’s colossal failure in the just concluded Olympic Games in London where Nigeria failed to win even single medal.

According to the coaches, aggressive talent hunt for fresh athletes and conscientious preparations for the 2016 Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil are the only panacea the country needs to steamroll back into life and international reckoning.

The coaches blamed Team Nigeria’s inability to win any medal at the Games on maladministration and inadequate preparation, adding that sports administrators relied too much on foreign-based athletes, at the expense of the homegroomed ones.

They also said that lack of equipment and welfare packages for the home-based athletes also contributed to Nigeria’s dismal performance in international competitions.

Kehinde Ajayi, Technical Director, Lagos State Tennis Association, told NAN that athletes discovered from grassroots programmes should be given international exposure.

He said that Nigeria had budding talents who can win laurels in international competitions, if they were given the right training and some international exposure.

“We have athletes with lots of potential in this country, who could win international laurels, but we misplace our priorities and that is our problem. If we expose our athletes to international competitions, they will always excel and win medals for us,’’ Ajayi said.

An assistant coach with the Judo Association, Patrick Ifamoru, said that lack of preparation was responsible for athletes’ dismal performances.

He said that if athletes were camped early, it would help them to understand what they needed to do and as such, it would boost their performances.

He also alleged that organising secretaries who had no knowledge of sports were dictating the pace and by so doing, they unwittingly retarded sports development, adding that things usually went well whenever coaches were in charge.

“Nigeria is used to the fire brigade approach to preparations, but we must also learn to give coaches some opportunity to play a pivotal role in sports development,” Ifamoru said.

Coach Joseph Izibili, Technical Director, Lagos State Cycling Association, said that bad administration was responsible for Nigeria’s inability to win laurels.

He said the many of those administering sports today were not sports lovers, saying that they usually mixed politics with sports, resulting in declining fortunes.

“Sports are not being administered properly; if we can be able to surmount this problem of maladministration, I bet you Nigeria will go places in international competitions,’’ he said.

The Head Coach, Lagos State Squash Association, Wasiu Sanni, said that the performances of the old, recycled athletes were not giving the desired results.

He also said that officials accompanying athletes to foreign trips should be looked into because many of them were just fun seekers, who would not ordinarily do what was expected of them.

An Assistant Coach, Lagos State Amateur Boxing Association, Wasiu Bisiriyu, said that many athletes were not usually picked on merit, but because of their influence.

“I believe that if the right athletes are selected, based on their performances, Nigeria will win more medals in international competitions,’’ Bisiriyu said.

... Former Co-ordinator gives NSC tips also

P

hilip Gidado, a former Coordinator, South-East Zone, National Sports Commission (NSC), has urged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to begin early preparations for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Gidado said yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra, that the dismal performance of Team Nigeria was predicted by sports pundits before the athletes went to the London Olympics.

“I had said earlier that we are coming out with nothing from the Olympics, except there was a miracle. I also said that it could be the performance of individual athletes that would give us medals and as the Heavens would have it, there is no medal for us,’’ he said.

The former NSC coordinator advised the ministry to re-organise its departments to give them a new direction.

“We should concentrate on the sports that we have medal hopes athletics, long and triple jumps, basketball, table-tennis, boxing, judo and taekwondo,’’ he said.

Gidado said that the ministry should employ foreign coaches to impart technical know-how to the local ones, adding that the coaches and athletes should be exposed to regular training and international competitions.

He also advised the ministry to source training grants and sponsorships from corporate organisations.

“The ministry should provide overseas scholarships for athletes and monitor their performance and progress closely.

“There is need to embark on an aggressive grassroots sports development programme in the next two years to discover young athletes to replace the ageing ones,’’ Gidado added.

Felix Ekpoh, one of the Nigerian weightlifter that failed to deliver in London

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 45

PICTORIAL 1

2 1/ Fabrice Muamba has announced his retirement from professional football, after doctors advised him a comeback would be too dangerous.

2/ FIFA.com's latest stats review features record-breaking feats from USA and Mexico at London 2012, a long-awaited trophy for Jupp Heynckes, Peter Utaka scoring streak and an impressive debut by Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

3

4

3/ Sale Sharks complete the signings of Australia international Cameron Shepherd and South African-born centre Corne Uys. 4/ England coach Roy Hodgson has been criticised by a leading anti-racism campaigner after saying he hoped the FA cleared John Terry of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.

5/ Rory McIlroy says winning the US PGA Championship and returning to world number one proves his critics wrong.

6/ Anthony Joshua wins Olympic gold with a dramatic victory over Roberto Cammarelle in the superheavyweight final.

5

7

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7/ Mark Lomas picks out five young players to watch in the 2012-13 Premier League season.

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

18th NSF: Association demands inclusion of skating The Nigeria Roller Skating Sport Association on Tuesday called for the inclusion of the sport in the 18 thNational Sports Festival (NSF), tagged “Eko 2012’’ to be hosted by Lagos State.

The association’s Public Relations Officer, Ademola Okeyedun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

in Lagos that the National Sports Commission (NSC) had, however, not given approval for its inclusion in the games coming up on Nov. 27 through Dec. 9.

“We have been on this matter for a long time; approval has not been given for us to even demonstrate the sport at the sports fiesta. The body

has written letters to the NSC to even allow us to demonstrate at Eko 2012.

“Roller skating is a popular sport in Nigeria now and many states have formed associations already. This should be used as a criterion by the NSC to, at least, allow the demonstration of the sport at the Games holding from

Nov. 27 to Dec. 9,” he said.

The association’s spokesman said that they would not relent in their effort to achieve the dream of getting the body a national recognition,’’ he said.

Okeyedun, who is also the coordinator of the sport in Kwara, disclosed to NAN that the body had

concluded plans to organise the 1 st National Roller Skating Competition in September.

He added that states would participate in the competition which would hold at the National Stadium, Lagos and appealed to private organisations and individuals for sponsorship.

“We want to use the competition to create more awareness and let people know that both the young and the old can participate in the sport.

FIBA: No basketball age limit expected for 2016

T

he head of basketball’s governing body doesn’t foresee an age limit for the 2016 Olympics.

FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann said Saturday his feeling is that an under-23 policy limit for men probably won’t be proposed for the Rio Games.

The NBA has said it may favor Olympic basketball using a model like soccer, in which teams are made up of players 23 and younger, with three roster exceptions for older players.

If the rule was changed, LeBron James says he wouldn’t play for the U.S. men’s team, even if he got an exception.

James is unsure if he will keep playing, but says he definitely wouldn’t take an exception because he wouldn’t want to play without the rest of his teammates from the U.S. team that is in Sunday’s gold-medal game against Spain.

Ike Diogu #6, Anthony Skinn #4 and Abdul Aminu member of the D’Tigers

70 players shortlisted for Nestle Milo Top 50 camp in Lagos

S

am Ahmedu, Director, Nestle Milo Giant of Africa Top 50 Camp in Lagos, on Tuesday said that 70 players have been shortlisted to participate in the camping, this year.

Ahmedu disclosed yesterday in Lagos that no fewer than 120 children had benefited from the annual camping, now in its ninth edition.

The director who congratulated the shortlisted players, all boys of 17 and under, advised them to take advantage of

the programme by committing themselves to the training.

According to him, the camping which holds annually at the Indoor Sports Hall, National Stadium, Lagos, has recorded a tremendous success, over the years.

He added that the 2012 camping, which began on Sunday, would teach the players the basics of basketball and also educate them on life skills.

“Our goal is to train these young athletes in the fundamentals of the game

and at the same time educate them on the significance of education and living right.

“Education is the major tool with which we secure scholarships for these athletes and we let them understand that a sport is incomplete without education and also encourage them to remain in school.

“We educate them on the advantages of living right by stressing the dangers involved in drug abuse, truancy and Sexually Transmitted

Diseases (STDs),” the director said.

According to him, the camp had secured scholarships for over 100 of its athletes since the commencement of the programme nine years ago.

He said that some beneficiaries included coaches Masai Ujiri and Chukwudi Madaubum, both of Denver Nuggets and Solomon Alabi of Toronto Raptors, all of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Ujiri, co-coordinator of the camping, said it was held annually to help develop young boys to keep their dream of playing basketball alive.

“We also know that not every budding player can get into the NBA and that is why we also do our bit to develop the minds of these youngsters and encourage them to also develop themselves educationally.

“So here, we develop their skills under the best professional atmosphere and also prepare them for life after the game,” he explained.

Ujiri commended the organisers, RadarHoops and the sponsors, Nestle Milo, for their consistency, especially for providing standard training equipment and ensuring that the training holds in a good environment.

Surulere LGA plans wheelchair marathon for November

Y

omi Awodeinde, Sports Secretary, Surulere Local Government Council in Lagos on Tuesday said that the council had concluded plans to host a Wheelchair Marathon competition in November.

According to him, the competition, which is being sponsored by the council chairman, Mr Tajudeen Ajide, would be in staged in conjunction with a Lagos-based sporting outfit, Skylak Company and restricted to the physically challenged persons within the council area.

“The chairman is organising this competition to enable the physically-challenged people in the council area to realise that there is ability in disability,” he said.

The secretary said that prizes for winners in the competition would soon be made known.

Awodeinde said that the council had in the first quarter of the year organised “The Chairman’s Soccer Cup” tournament in which 16 teams participated.

He said that winners of the competition, 36 Lion’s Football Club, got N100, 000 while the runners-up, Future Stars FC, received N75,000 and the third place winners, Aaliyah FC won N50, 000.

Awodeinde, however, added that unlike the forthcoming Wheelchair Marathon competition which would be closed, the Chairman’s Soccer Cup was open to teams from other council areas in the state.

He said that the council chairman had also concluded plans to personally host the council’s athletes at the last Lagos State Sports Festival, tagged: “Ibile Games”.

The council was fifth at the Games, with 61 medals.

“Although the athletes had been rewarded financially by the council, the chairman still wants to personally host them later in the year,’’ he said.

Awodeinde urged private organisations and individuals to collaborate with the council in promoting grassroots sports development.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

PAGE 47

J O K ES

FACTS

FUNNY STUDENTS

One day, a teacher was teaching in the class, so he told the students, "Drop your pens and look up."

Surprisingly, all the students dropped their pens and started looking at the roof of the class. Shocked by the development, the teacher asked them, "Why are you all looking at the top of the roof?" Then the students answered, "Because you asked us to look up."

KEEP IT UP

One day, a little girl brought her school report card home. Immediately she got home, she went to hide it on top of the roof.

When her mother came home, she asked:

Quick CrossWord (8)

GIRL: It's on top of the roof.

ACROSS 3 Fluid of a tree (3) 7 Season after summer (6) 8 Foreign home help (2,4) 9 Bird related to the snipe (8) 10 Scotland’s deepest loch (4) 11 Room used for storing food (6) 12 Person who owes money (6) 15 Loose parcel (6) 18 Vexed (6) 20 Overly confident (4) 22 Strong soft cotton fabric (8) 23 Appoint (6) 24 Blues and ___, Household cavalry regiment (6) 25 All about ___, Oscar-winning Bette Davis film (3)

MOTHER: Where is your report card?

MOTHER: (Shocked) Who asked you to put it there?

GIRL: My class teacher.

MOTHER: How do you mean?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

GIRL: He wrote ‘keep it up’ in my report card Source: Online Nigeria Jokes

1. It's possible for your body to survive without a surprisingly large fraction of its internal organs. Even if you lose your stomach, your spleen, 75% of your liver, 80% of your intestines, one kidney, one lung, and virtually every organ from your pelvic and groin area, you wouldn't be very healthy, but you would live.

2. During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools. Actually, Saliva is more important than you realize. If your saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.

3. The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm. The egg is actually the only cell in the body that is visible by the n*k*d eye.

4. The strongest muscle in the human body is the tongue and the hardest bone is the jawbone.

DOWN 1 Dome (6) 2 No longer trendy (8) 3 Haughty (6) 4 Left in a convenient place (6) 5 Steeleye ___, 1970s folk-rock group (4) 6 Complete shambles (6) 11 Free house (3) 13 Name of Bill Sikes’dog in Oliver Twist (5,3) 14 Fishing item (3) 16 Level best (6) 17 White stoat fur (6) 18 Pussy ___, one of James Bond’s adversaires (6) 19 Fit for eating (6) 21 Increase in value (4)

Yesterday’s answer

5. The human feet have 52 bones, accounting for one quarter of all the human body's bones.

6. Feet have 500,000 sweat glands and can produce more than a pint of sweat a day.

Kashmiri Muslims stand on the remains of a collapsed bridge as volunteers and rescue workers search for survivors in water in the interiors of Dal Lake in Srinagar, India, recently. At least 30 people were injured, six of them seriously, when a wooden bridge on the Dal Lake collapsed during a protest in downtown Srinagar.

Source: Metro.co.uk

7. The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razorblades. The reason it doesn't eat away at your stomach is that the cells of your stomach wall renew themselves so frequently that you get a new stomach lining every three to four days.

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

. . . putting the people first

THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

Menas hold Eagles in Niamey

N

igeria’s Super Eagles were yesterday held to a goaless draw by the Menas or Gazelles of Niger Republic in an international friendly game both sides used to prepare for the upcoming Nations Cup qualifiers in September.

The entertaining encounter played at the 50,000 capacity Stade General Seyni Kountche in Niamey saw both sides give their best with Nigeria having the edge in a match that saw three yellow cards to the visitors and one to the hosts.

Niger started the better side when after only five minutes Boubacar Talatou tried to chip the ball past goalkeeper and skipper, Chigozie Agbim, the Warri Wolves goalie save the ball but sustained injury in the process.

Isoufou Boubacar, Sidibe Modibo and Mohammed Soumaila, also had their tries at the Nigerian goal area in the first quarter but Azubuike Eguweke, Papa Idis and Juwon Oshaniwa held on strong.

Subsequently, the Eagles took over as Uche Kalu’s freee kick blocked by Nigerien defenders in the 21st minute for one of the nine corner kicks played by the Eagles. Menas had five on the evening. Kalu had other chances in the 27th and 35th minute but they were all wasted, before Ejike Uzoenyi’s blistering run from the right fell to Mba who also blasted wide.

Keshi also made changes bringing in Umar Zango for a tired Idris, Kwambe was pulled out for Ugonna, Philip Asuquo for Sunday Mba, Sibi Gwar for Ejike Uzoenyi and Sanni Sanusi for Uche Kalu. As usual, Asuquo seized the midfield from the host but chances that fell to Sani, Reuben and Gwar were wasted as the referee blew the final whistle after five minutes of extra time for the home side to heave a sigh of relief.

Results Armenia Russia Angola Azerbaijan Singapore Korea Rep. China Japan Nigeria

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ADVERT: BUSINESS: NEWS: LAGOS:

Belarus C/d’Ivoire Mozambique B/Baku Hong Kong Zambia Ghana Venezuela Niger

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QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE The ‘envelop system’ of budgeting for the police whereby the Ministry of Finance provides a budget template encourages corruption —R epor esidential Committee Re portt of Pr Presidential on police rref ef or m efor orm

An atheist, a peacemaker and the fathers of chaos A

s we round up this year’s Ramadan, I recall how last year’s fast was shattered by the bombing of the United Nations (UN) building in Abuja. It happened on Ramadan 26. On a Friday. I quote Peoples Daily’s news report of August 29th 2011: ‘One Abu Kaka...told newsmen in a phone interview...that, ‘since the US controls the UN as the world’s police, it must be ready to face retaliation from the oppressed’.

Abu Kaka goes on in that interview to warn the Kano state government and Emirate Council to stop persecuting members of the group languishing in Kano jails, as well as in Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Lagos and other places...

Twenty-one human beings of various nationalities and faiths were killed by that single UN bomber. Many more men, women and children have continued to die since that Friday morning last year (26/08/2011).

The leader of the group is quoted as saying he ‘enjoys’ killing the enemy. Something is clearly wrong. Even an executioner whose job has followed the due process of the law [including Islamic law] would never say he enjoyed taking human life. The piece that follows was originally published on February 29th 2012. This is an edited version.

Cartelopians don’t seem to care for history. They have thrown history into the streets, where any idiot can kick it about and deny that you and I have rights, are worth anything or even have the right to live. For instance, some like to pretend, when it is convenient, that our country is a secular federation.

Does secularism on its own implicitly grant everyone equal rights? No. First of all secularism’s dominant variant, is coloured by an implicitly Western, ‘Christian’ tradition. That is why supposedly secular France only got round to banning the wearing of crucifixes (crosses) in schools, after it had first decided to ban hijabs.

Secondly, Secularism by definition is really not neutral –it has its own set of beliefs and principles, which if imposed can be oppressive. What matters really, is simply how we treat each other. Motive, method and means all matter in the question of religion or irreligion. As that famous saying of Sheikh Uthman

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CAR TEL OPIA CARTEL TELOPIA

By Aisha Yolah ayolah06@yahoo.com 08086296783 (text only please)

Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, leader of 1966 coup Danfodio says – a nation can survive with unbelief, but not without justice.

Prayer vs. Constitutional rights Take the virulent display of anger, including threats of violence against a school girl, Jessica Ahlquist by her Rhode Island (United States, US) community. Ahlquist is described as a 16 year-old Atheist who took the authorities of her school to court over the presence of a prayer banner or inscription on the school premises. She won her case.

On January 11th, 2012 a judge ordered the prayer removed, citing the 1962 US Supreme Court ban on state prescribed prayer in schools. Not only was the prayer a violation of the Constitution, the judge also criticised school authorities for holding meetings which sometimes ‘resembled religious revivals.’

The shoe is now on the other foot, it’s her fellow students and teachers at Cranston High School who now feel ‘oppressed’, deprived of a probably beautiful prayer inscription. Obviously it might still have been there for the next century if only they had been more considerate with their school ‘meetings’. As a Muslim, I might have had to contend with exactly the same ‘oppression’ as Ahlquist in those meetings resembling religious revivals. As a Muslim, I

might even have won a similar suit. (Well, maybe ten years ago, before the War on Terror).

Where constitution, consideration is zero In contrast, here in ‘Constitution -less’ Cartelopia I would be unable to go to court, and would instead have the secularism card imposed on me to prevent the expression of anything significant that comes from my own Muslim and older (Eastern) part of our global heritage. It would be a double oppression – revivals and repression.

Consideration for others is an alien concept here. Lest I am misunderstood, it cuts across all our national religions. What I have been taught of Islam in particular, is that it frowns on infringing on personal rights and privacy of others – the tradition of the Prophet (SAWS) has no place for the loud blaring of endless hours of sermons at night, even during Ramadan. In fact great consideration was given to the fact that extra or superogeratory ibadat (worship) is a private matter.

Lawlessness is worse than unbelief Thankfully, no Muslim cleric can possibly decide to extend the call to prayer beyond its one or two minutes, or legislate that the five daily prescribed prayers become ten. Thankfully.

But what is it that makes us so combative and prejudiced at the same time? We refuse to acknowledge our collective national heritages, know little about non-Westernised customs and prefer stereotypical discourse of even our economy. Resentment and hate thrive.

Admittedly a poor educational system has played a significant part in producing such loudmouthed, insular grown-ups.

Lawlessness (corruption) has led to poverty and deep misery. Some people have nothing to look forward to in the morning.

(Apologies to Bill Clinton). And the

other side of this horrible coin are the Boko Horror (BH). Deadly, insular, murdering grown-ups.

Such horror is not new. Deep, streams of hate have muddied our national life, now and again, maybe even before our independence from Britain in 1960.

Statesmanship and farsightedness of leaders such as our ‘founding fathers’ generally helped to neutralise such strands, until some ‘young, military officers’ took it upon themselves to spill the blood of these same statesmen.

Hate has many faces I confess - I will never understand how such monumental murders can ever be described as having been driven by idealism. What manner of idealism can ever justify the slaughter of a man of such unassuming integrity and honour as Abubakar Tafawa Balewa?

I was not even born when it took place, but the thought of how this gentle soul and man of peace met his end on that January 15th night in 1966, always brings tears to my eyes. Idealism? What kind of idealism is this that has no moral compass?

That is so stupendously selfrighteous.

BH has been with us for a long time. Wanton, indiscriminate, violent, extrajudicial and unjustifiable murders - by young men who have arrogated to themselves the right to take human life. The beginning of our undoing.

It seems: always, it is the peacemakers that are the first to be killed.

There is an old British Broadcasting Corporation newsreel of an interview conducted with Major Kaduna Nzeogwu after that 1966 coup.

The black and white footage is sharp and clear and he appears so young it hurts to watch. His handsome, fresh faced youthfulness sits at odds with the import of his words as he almost perfunctorily describes how he killed Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, and a man revered by millions but not by him.

Today every outrage is claimed by an aptly named Abul Qaqa. The name has no meaning.

He is judge, jury and executioner, indiscriminate, without compassion, without justice, without meaning. We are in a situation worse than unbelief.

Abul Qaqa is truly the father of chaos, fitna.

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos, Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 803 606 3308. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141