Peoples Daily Newspaper, Monday 19, August, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 11 No. 66

Monday, August 19, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Shawwal 12, 1434 AH

N150

FG’s free textbooks: ‘Only 80% of schools will benefit’

>>Pg 2

APC govs, bunch of looters — Bakare lSanction Jonathan over rally, Progressives tell INEC

From Umar Muhammad Puma, Abuja, Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan & Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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he founder of the Latter Rain Ministries, Pastor Tunde Bakare, at the weekend described state governors under the platform of the newly registered All Progressives

Rain destroys 100 houses in Zamfara

Congress (APC) as a bunch of looters.

Fielding questions from newsmen in Ibadan, Bakare alleged that, “most of the members in this new party are even richer than their states after looting them dry”.

Asked if he was ready to participate in the 2015 general elections, the running mate to General Muhamadu Buhari

in the 2011 Presidential election queried, “With who, the collection of rogues, right, left and centre?”

“Who are the progressives in Nigeria; mention their names? Are you persuaded that they are progressives?

Progressives where? Taking you where?

Contd. on Page 2

By Ahmed I. Shekarau

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orrential rain yesterday destroyed no fewer than 100 houses and displaced thousands of residents of Talata Mafara town in Zamfara state.

A British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa service report monitored last night in Abuja said, the heavy rainfall, which started Saturday night continued up to early hours of yesterday.

The report said most of the displaced persons had to quit the destroyed houses and were taking refuge in mosques and schools in the town.

But the Zamfara state commissioner for information, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad Birnin Magaji, told the BBC that the state Contd. on Page 2

L-R: Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima, his deputy, Zannah Umar Mustapha, commissioner for agriculture, Usman Zannah, during the launching of new phase of tree planting campaign on 10 hectares of trees’ site to fight desertification, yesterday at Government College, in Maiduguri.

Army hqts takes over ASUU strike: security in Adamawa, Students slam Borno, Yobe >> Pg 3 Jonathan >> Pg 5

NCP prequalifies 82 consortia for power plants’ bids >> Pg 22

PAGE 2

News

CONTENTS News 2-10 Editorial 12 Op.Ed 13 Letters 14 Opinion 15 Metro 16-18 Business 19-22 Stockwatch 23 Law 26 Education 27-28 Health 29-30

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

FG’s free textbooks: Only 80% of schools will benefit — Official

By Maryam Garba Hassan

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he over four million Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) free text books in four core subjects for primary school pupils and junior secondary students approved by the Federal Government last week can only reach 8o per cent of Nigerian students, a reliable source at the Federal Ministry of Education told Peoples Daily in Abuja yesterday.

The source suggested that in order to avoid a reoccurrence of the challenges the exercise recorded in some of the states and the FCT, the Federal Government has ordered schools census in across

the states in conjunction with states governments to know the number of students in each of the states before the commencement of the distributions in the next six weeks.

He said government was not directly involved in the distribution of the books adding that what UBEC is doing is to ensure that each state get the number of books it is supposed to while it is the responsibility of the state to dispatch the books to schools in the state.

The source further said that it was the effort of the security agencies deployed to all the states in the country that led to the early detection of diversion of the books in some states and the subsequent

arraignment of the culprits.

According to him, by December a fresh data of all schools and students in the schools in the country will come out.

On where the launch of this year’s distribution is expected to be flagged off by the Vice President Muhammed Namadi Sambo, the source said the state would be decided at the next Federal Executive Council meeting adding the contractors to be awarded the contract for the production of the books will also be announced.

The Minister of Education Prof.

Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’I, last week announced that government approved N8.7 billion for printing and distribution of about four million

primary and junior secondary school text books and library resource materials nationwide.

According to the Minister, the exercise for the production and distribution of the books in English language, Mathematics, Social sciences and Basic science and technology is expected to be completed in the next six weeks.

She said the books will be distributed among pupils in primary 1 to six and junior secondary school students in the nation by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

The project is to be funded through 15 per cent of the Commission’s consolidated revenue.

APC govs, bunch of looters — Bakare

Agonies of Badia-East residents: Homeless on their land, Page 4

Int’l 31-34 Strange World 35 Digest` 36 Politics 37-38 Newsxtra 39 Sports 41-44 Columnist 48

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Contd. from Front Page “If the devil becomes a pastor, Nigerians will attend his church, because they don’t know the true church and they cannot distinguish it from the synagogue of Satan.

“Some of these governors are far richer than their states, because they are looting their states dry”, Tunde Bakare further affirmed.

But when contacted to react to Pastor Bakare’s position, Interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Lai Mohammed said, “we are not going to dignify him with any reply. What we want are people who can contribute to national development.

“This is a time for serious politicking; if it is true that Tunde Bakare has said this, then why doesn’t he (Bakare) report such looters to the appropriate authorities for prosecution?”, the APC spokesman queried.

Also, when contacted to reaction yesterday, an official in Buhari’s office, who did not wish to be named said, “We are still studying the situation before we make a formal statement on the matter”.

Meanwhile, the APC has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)and the presidency to tell Nigerians why the ruling party has failed to lift the country in the 14 years that it has been in the saddle, instead of peddling concocted tales about the opposition.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its spokesman, the opposition party also asked the presidency to tell Nigerians why it has defied INEC rules by continuing to campaign for the 2015 elections. ‘’Issues, issues and issues.

These are what Nigerians are interested in, not continuous muck-raking about opposition leaders like Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. For example, Nigerians want to know why the country

can still not feed itself after 14 years of endless promises by the PDP; Nigerians want to know why they cannot be protected by their government when the security of lives and property is the rason d’etre of any government. ‘’Nigerians want to know why over 40 million youth cannot get jobs under a government that gleefully touts a 6% GDP growth; Nigerians want to know how 400,000 barrels of oil are being stolen daily and who the thieves are. Nigerians want to know why the country is more divided than ever under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan, and why corruption has become a bigger monster in the years under the PDP. ‘’The 2015 elections will be fought on the platform of issues, not meaningless attacks on personalities and attentiondiverting tales like how Gen. Buhari wants to stage a comeback or how Asiwaju Tinubu wants to expand his imaginary empire,’’ the statement said.

The APC said that the reason why its leaders have put national interests above personal considerations is to rescue Nigeria from the clutches of the PDP and a mediocre presidency, both of which have failed the citizenry and dimmed their hopes, not because of power-for-power sake, which is the mantra of the “do-nothing PDP”. ‘’Our eight cardinal programmes, which we shall be articulating in the days ahead, represent a summary of how we intend to rescue the long-suffering citizens and rescue our nation.

These are War Against Corruption, Food security, Accelerated Power Supply, Integrated Transport Network, Free Education, Devolution of Power, Accelerated Economic Growth and Affordable Health Care. ‘’Our Guiding Philosophy will

derive its impetus from these seven principles: Belief in, and the fear of God; Upholding the rule of law; Preserving national unity; Pursuit of a just and egalitarian society; Building of strong institutions; Commitment to social justice and economic progress; and Promoting representative and functional participatory democracy. ‘’These are the issues we will be enunciating in the days ahead as we steer the politics of our nation away from jejune matters that are at the core of the PDP misrule to serious issues of relevance that will benefit our people under an APC federal government,’’ the party said.

It said a party that defies rules and lies through its teeth cannot be trusted to rule over a people who are eager for their country to join the comity of developed nations. ‘’While one of the PDP gongbearers, Okupe, was telling Nigerians that President Jonathan has not informed anyone that he will contest in 2015, his wife was coercing hundreds of hapless women, including those in uniform, into a show of shame tagged a ‘’Peace Rally’’, but in essence a campaign for President Jonathan ahead of 2015. ‘’Defying INEC, this brazen campaign featured women clad in specially-made ‘ankara’ that bore the picture of President Jonathan and reminds one of the disgraceful days of the late despot Mobutu Sese Seko of former Zaire, and the late clownish leader of Uganda, Idi Amin. What a company to keep in the 21st century! ‘’In what must rank as the first of its kind in Nigeria, women drawn from various security agencies, the same that will be expected to provide security for the 2015 elections, were coerced into a march of shame, as organizers of the campaign masquerading as a peace rally blocked traffic and prevented citizens from earning

their daily bread.

“Yet, Okupe said his boss has not told anyone he will run, and had the temerity to insult the media by saying they have been taken over by a few people. The good news is that Nigerians are far smarter than their present rulers and therefore cannot be fooled,’’ APC said.

The party called on INEC to mete out appropriate sanctions to anyone who has violated its ban on early campaigns for the 2015 elections, in view of the First Ladydriven phantom peace rally that is actually a facade for electioneering campaign, if the electoral umpire’s ban on such campaigns is to be taken seriously.

Rain destroys 100 houses in Zamfara

Contd. from Front Page government has stepped in, in aide of the displaced persons, though residents deny receiving any relief materials from the government.

According to the commissioner, the state acting governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Wakkala Muhammad had approved to immediate provision of relief materials to the affected persons.

Zamfara is one of the floodprone zones in northern Nigeria.

In 2011, heavy downpour exhumed over 100 dead bodies from their graves and destroyed more than 5,000 houses in the same Talata Mafara, and across four other local government areas in the state.

Other areas affected by the flood three years ago include Gusau, Kauran Namoda, Birnin Magaji, Anka and Bukkuyum.

In the same year, flooding washed away more than 5,000 houses and several farm lands in

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 3

News

Army hqts takes over security in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe

FG flags off fertiliser sales in Borno

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By Joy Baba

he military Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in the three North-East states under state of emergency will, from Monday, hand over command to a new Army Division.

President Goodluck Jonathan had declared state of emergency on May 14 in three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa following serious security challenges posed by the activities of Boko Haram.

A statement yesterday by Brig-.

Gen. Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information, said the command of the on-going internal security operations in the North East would enter a new phase as the control of the mission reverted to the Army Headquarters.

He said a new Army Division had been created and would take-off to continue the counter-insurgency operation with immediate effect.

“Coming three months into the mission to stamp out terrorism in

the North East, this development is in line with the plans laid out for the conduct of the operations.

“The phase being concluded on Monday was executed by a Joint Task Force composed by troops drawn from the services of the Armed Forces as well as other security agencies who conducted Operation BOYONA, ‘’ he said.

He said the code-name BOYONA was an acronym derived from the names of the three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa

covered by the State of Emergency declaration.

According to him, the effort was meant to constitute the first phase of the counter-terrorists operation.

He said the Army would now be solely in charge of the operations, but still under the routine guidance of the Defence Headquarters.

This will not be the first time the office of the AGF would decline an application for fiat in respect to Child Rights relate cases.

Former Head of State and Chairman, Nigeria Prays, General Yakubu Gowon (left), receiving a plaque from Osun state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle), during a visit by General Gowon and his Nigeria Prays to the state governor, yesterday at Government House, Osogbo. With them is the state deputy governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori (right).

How Fawehinmi inspired my ideology, by Ribadu

By Lawrence Olaoye

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ormer Presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has described the late human rights activitists, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, as a morale booster just as he claimed that he helped in shaping his ideological stance.

Ri bad u , a ls o t h e fo rm er Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who spoke at a mentoring programme organised by the Group of Patriotic Corpers (GPC)

and Adopt ATweep in Abuja at the weekend, said he meet the reputable lawyer while serving as a pupil lawyer at the military Special Investigative Panel during the short-lived Buhari/Idiagbon regime.

Fawehinmi, according to Ribadu, provided him with critical advices and mentorship lessons that continue to serve as his guiding lights to this day. He said it was from late human rights activists that he renewed his resolve to continue to fight the cause of the poor and subsequently join the Nigerian

Police Force.

He therefore underscored the importance of mentoring young ones which, he said, could surpassed what one can learn from formal school. “A Chinese saying has it that discussing with an experienced person is worth more than 10 years of education.

It is therefore good to always relay one’s experience to the younger ones,” he said.

Ribadu admonished the youth to make right choices at early stage of their career by choosing to live a humble and exemplary life than a

life of material accumulation which, he said, does not guarantee eternal happiness if acquired through corrupt means.

He also asked the youth not to lose hope of rebuilding the country but said that they required a strong will and incorruptible life to salvage the nation, adding that the resolve has to be made at an early age.

“My success at the EFCC, especially in resisting all tempting offers and calls to bend the rules was a direct result of my vow from when I was like you that I will never be corrupt.

AGF denies lawyer fiat to prosecute pastor over child abuse

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

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he Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) has refused to grant an Abujabased lawyer and rights’ activist, Mr. Frank Tietie the fiat to prosecute a pastor who allegedly

defiled a 14-year old girl.

The AGF, in a letter dated August 14, 2013 and signed by a senior state counsel, Mrs. A. Adewumi did not give any reason for the denial of the lawyer’s request.

The three paragraphs letter reads: “I am directed to refer to your letter dated 3rd July, 2013

on the above subject matter. I am further directed to inform you that your application for fiat has been declined by the AGF and minister of Justice. Accept the assurances of the warm regards of the AGF and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN)”.

The said pastor, Apostle

Basil Princewill, was alleged to have had several unlawful carnal knowledge of two under-aged girls in his church office, impregnated one of the girls, procured an abortion of the pregnancy by him, and threatened the girl with death if she disclosed the truth, and parades himself as a lawyer.

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

he Federal Government at the weekend launched the sale of subsidised fertiliser to the Borno state farmers for the 2013 rainy season under the Gross Enhancement Scheme (GES).

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of State for Agriculture, Alhaji Bukar Tijjani said an estimated 286, 000 farmers are expected to access the commidity.

Tijjani who was represented by the Federal Director of Agriculture in charge of Yobe state, Alhaji Kale Bukar, said that the farmers were those registered under the scheme in 2012 and 2013.

He said that the Federal Goverment has allocated 800 trucks of fertiliser to the state for sales to the farmers for this year farming season at a 25 percent subsidy rate of N3, 850 per bag.

Tijjani explained that each farmer will be entitled to a bag of Urea and a bag of NPK fertiliser under the arrangement.

“The Federal Government has allocated 800 trucks of fertiliser for sales to farmers in the state under the GES. The commodity will be sold at N3, 850 per bag which translate into about 25 percent subsidy.

“Additionally, each farmer will be entitled to a free 20kg bag of highly improved maize or rice seed after purchasing the fertiliser,’’ he said.

The Minister added that two agro dealers -Mallam Madalla Global Concept and Al Iman Agro Ventures had been appointed to take charge of the fertiliser sales in the state.

Jigawa spends N1bn on mass literacy From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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igawa state government has spent over N1 billion on its adult literacy and mass education programme in the last four years.

This was disclosed to newsmen by the Executive Secretary of Jigawa State Agency for Mass Education, Dr. Ya’u Haruna Usman, at the opening ceremony of a six day training workshop for facilitators of basic literacy centers organized by the agency in collaboration with the National Commission for Mass Literacy and Adult Education (NMEC),MDGs and UNESCO in Dutse yesterday.

He said in the last five years the agency had trained about 180,000 adults on basic literacy and constructed about 6,750 adult literacy centers across the state. According to him,the six day workshop is aimed at further equipping facilitators of adult literacy centers across the state with skills in readiness for the additional 111 adult centres the Federal government planned to build in the state.

The Executive Secretary also commend the state government for the interest it has shown on the issue of mass literacy adding that Governor Lamido has vowed to eradicate illiteracy at all levels in the state.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Page 4 Report Agonies of Badia-East residents: Homeless on their land

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rriving in their numbers, depressed from the February 28th demolition of their homes, life has since been difficult for affected residents of Oke Ilu-Eri, Badia-East community in Apapa-Iganmu local council development area of Lagos state.

Mrs. Bimbo Omowole Osobe is among the displaced people of Badia-East, popularly called Ijora Badia or Iganmu Alawo, and her life has not returned to normalcy months after the demolition of her home.

Osobe did not only lose her home, her shops were also demolished. She now lives under a mosquito net and has had to send her children away to stay with family members. They have had to stop their schooling as Bimbo does not have money for school fees anymore.“I happen to be one of the evictees; life has not been easy for me since the incident, it is not only me; other people’s house were also demolished”, she lamented, adding that “many children cannot go to school because of the eviction; we don’t have water or access to health services because we are homeless and displaced on our land.

“Each time I look at what is happening around me I get the boldness to make sure that we get our homes back; I am jobless and homeless, we want our children to be like their own children, we want to give our children education; some of us are doing dirty jobs just to survive.Give us our homesso that we can give our children a future; we want our children to have a mega future,” she said.

Mrs. Ibidun Adewoyin also has a nasty experience. She lost her house, shop and all her wares.

According to her, “Since they demolished our house we have been sleeping outside, as am talking to you, my only daughter is laying down sick because of the exposure to wild wind. She can’t even go to school because her school was also demolished and I can’t afford to enroll her to a new school because my shop and all my goods were lost to the demolition; how will I start a new life when I am not under a roof”.

Secretary of the Badia-East Community Youths Association, Samson Enigbokan said, “If the government want to develop our community they should first develop our minds, develop our capacity; they should have trained us in skills that would make our life better.

“Many of the youth don’t have a house, our brain can’t function well and we becoming a problem to the society. The government demolished our houses without giving us an alternative; we don’t have jobs, we don’t have water to drink; how do they want us to be responsible citizens in this mega city?” he queried.

Babatunde Williams claims that is father was the first settler of

Ayodele Samuel and Gabriel Johnson, in this report capture the mood of Oke Ilu-Eri, Badia-East residents who stormed the venue of the launching of an Amnesty International Report on their eviction early this year.

Some of the residents rendered homeless in an instant Ajeromi community in Badia-East, “My forefathers are the original settler of the present day National Art Theater; they settled down there due to fishing expedition in 1919 and the Federal Government moved us from that place to Badia in 1973.

We have been there for 40 years, but in the morning of 23rdof February we saw the greatest injustice to Lagosians, because the people that are living in Badia are all indigenes of Lagos state.

“Two people died due to the forceful eviction and many are living in difficulties; as I am talking to you, so many families have scattered because they have to share their children to family and friends.

People are dying of malaria and other sickness,” he said.

Both Amnesty International and the Social and Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC) reported that 9,000 Lagosians who lived in the self-built shanty homes on the settlement have been homeless since bulldozers wrecked through the community and warned that about 150,000 people in total are at risk of being evicted.

The government has stated that

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the 23 February eviction was the first phase of its plans to clear out the whole of Badia East in order to ”redevelop” the area.

Amnesty International’s Nigeria researcher, Oluwatosin Popoola said, “The effects of February’s forced eviction have been devastating for the Badia-East community where dozens are still sleeping out in the open or under a nearby bridge and exposed to rain, mosquitos with the risk of physical attack.”

The report highlights the devastating impact of the forced evictions on the residents’ lives.

It said many women whose small businesses were demolished described how they are now dependent on family and friends for basic necessities. Some said that they are suffering from malaria or typhoid after living in the open but can no longer afford to pay for medicines and treatment.

The report also accused the Lagos state government officials of accepting a $200 million loan from the World Bank-funded Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP),

which was meant for “slum upgrade” activities across the state but rather destroyed the slums all together.

SERAC executive director, Felix Morka said the government must immediately provide effective remedies for the violations it has committed and provide all those affected with adequate alternative housing and compensation.

“We went to court five days after the demolition on behalf of the people, because the state government violated its own law.

The Lagos Tenancy Law spells out clearly how a tenant must be evicted, the government violated the law in the case of Badia; the government cannot authorize the demolition because the land belongs to the Federal Government.

TheFederal Government moved the people there in order to build National Art Theatre on their land and the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is with the government and not the residents.

The state government however maintainsthat Badia is one of the numerous densely-populated slums across the state and many did not own a C of O to build there.

“We went to court five days after the demolition on behalf of the people, because the state government violated its own law. The Lagos Tenancy Law spells out clearly how a tenant must be evicted, the government violated the law in the case of Badia; the government cannot authorize the demolition because the land belongs to the Federal Government.

The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Ade Ipaye said that while government was in the process of organizing assistance for the affected persons on humanitarian grounds, the public should be reminded that rights come with responsibilities and that it should not be assumed that anyone could set up residence anywhere without necessary approval and compliance with planning and public health laws.

“Illegal settlements, unapproved buildings and poor sanitary conditions cannot be justified as these may end up in painful evictions or demolitions. The particular area which was the subject of Amnesty International report is a part of the Badia settlement, which was earlier cleared of all structures in 2003. It was in fact, a swampy strip and the least built up of the entire community.

“Unfortunately, government was unable to immediately re-develop the area. It was subsequently filled up with refuse, having been used as a refuse dump since it was cleared.

A few plank and shanty structures were put up there which grew gradually into a small community characterized by all the negative features of urban slum settlement, including unstructured shelter arrangements, regular flooding, unhealthy environment, insecurity and people engaging in all sorts of nefarious activities,” Ipaye explained.

He added that government had to retake possession of the land to build an estate of 1,800, saying that before the retaining of possession of the slum, government had held several meetings with stakeholders in the area and that it was agreed that the illegality in the area must not be allowed to continue.

Ipaye said government was currently in the process of ascertaining the persons actually affected by this project with a view to assisting them, stressing that while such effort was on-going, “we need to stress that we have a limitation, in that we cannot make that a standard procedure.

“Because of limited means and various competing interests, government does not have the resources to guarantee payment to any person that puts up an unapproved building on land to which he or she is not entitled.

“While we are mindful of the need to discourage such practices, obviously, once government begins to pay for illegal developments, it will have to do so in all other cases.

As a responsive government, we will continue to make and implement policies that positively affect the lives of our citizens and fulfill our electoral promises while managing the impact on persons who may be adversely affected by the process”, he stated.

But the people of Badia are still waiting to see if their land would be returned to them.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

NGF: Yari accuses Jonathan of complicity From Ibrahim Sidi Muh'd, Gusau

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overnor Abdula’zeez Yari of Zamfara state has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of fueling the crisis in the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

He described the development

as absolute betrayal of the confidence citizens reposed on him.

Yari who spoke with journalists in Gusau said the President’s open support for Governor Jonah Jang-led faction of the NGF demonstrated a clear manifestation of a failed state under his control, adding that “the President has

disappointed Nigerians.”

Yari who is also Vice Chairman of the NGF maintained that, it is high time for Jang and his supporters to appreciate the fact that, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state remains the authentic Chairman of the forum.

He enjoined him to have a re-

think and embrace the legitimate leadership of the NGF in the interest of the country.

He further noted that the newly registered APC remains the political solution to Nigeria’s leadership controversy, and urged the party to reach out to well meaning Nigerians for their support and understanding.

First Lady demands implementation of 35% affirmative action

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he First Lady, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan, has appealed to the National Assembly to make lawful the 35 per cent appointment of women into elective and appointive positions.

She made the plea when Nigeria’s female Ambassadors and High Commissioners paid her a visit at the State House, at the weekend.

Dame Patience who reiterated her unwavering commitment to the welfare of Nigerian women said that the visit that the funeral of her mother, Mrs. Charity Oba, popularly called Mama Sisi, would take place from October 31, to November 1, 2013.

Speaking earlier, Prof. Joy Ogwu, the Permanent Representative of Nigeria at the United Nations noted that the visit was to condole with the First Lady on the passage of her mother and to thank the First Lady for taking up the mantel of mobilising Nigerian women and being champion of their empowerment.

R-L: Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Malam Mohammed Aminu, and Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties, Malam Tijjani Yusuf, during the wedding fatiha of Malam Tijjani’s daughter, Hajiya Fatima and Alhaji Ismail Ahmed Inuwa, on Saturday at the Emir’s palace in Minna.

Photo: Joe Oroye

NANS slams Jonathan over ASUU strike, threatens mass action From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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he National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has passed vote of no confidence on President Goodluck Jonathan over the perceived inability of the administration to resolve the lingering Academic Staffs Union of University (ASUU) strike.

NANS in a communique after a

meeting of its Zone “A” Executive held in Kaduna over the weekend, lamented that the strike has led to the deterioration of education sector in Nigeria alleging that the President has continually shown little or no concern.

The communique signed by the National Treasurer of the association, Comrade Isah Abubakar, said that, “we therefore de-

News PAGE 5

clare a state of emergency on the Education sector and we call on the Federal Government to ensure proper funding of education and the implementation of the 26 per cent budgetary allocation to the sector, and implement the demands of ASUU because they are not negotiable.”

The communiqué further stated that the government should as a matter of urgency establish an

intervention fund for primary, secondary and tertiary education and immediately reconsiders their decisions.

“We call on all Nigerian students to be at alert as the Federal Government failure to consider our demands will result in a national action by Nigerian students across the 36 states of the federation.”

in disrepair.

It said that although Yauri was located near the River Niger, the people of the town had no access to potable water.

The statement decried the exclusion of the emirate in the recent Good Governance tour of the state.

“More so, Yauri emirate has been short-changed in terms of appointments as no single person from the emirate had been made

chairman of board of any government agency in the state.

“The emirate also has no access to local radio and television stations."

It, therefore, called on the state government to redress the imbalances in the interest of fairness and equity.

The state government however denied the allegations, saying that the administration had constructed two roads in the emirate, Malando-Ngaski-Warah and

NSCIA calls for cessation of hostilities in Egypt From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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he National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs(NSCIA) has called for cessation of hostilities in Egypt and unconditional release of President Mursi and all other political detainees in the crisis-ridden country.

The Council in a release signed by its Secretary General, Prof. Is'haq Oloyede, in Ilorin at the weekend, said that there should be a constitution of an independent electoral agency under the supervision of the United Nations.

"There should be a truly representative national dialogue and an all-inclusive electoral process,” the statement said, noting that it was saddened by the massive waste of human lives and reckless maiming of protesting citizens of Egypt.

“The violation of the sanctity of the mosque in which some of the persons were mauled down is a very dangerous precedence, the consequence of which is too grievous to imagine.

"The tacit support of the serial murder and the incoherent condemnation of the callous massacre in Egypt by a section of the International community are not only heartless and inhuman but also sacrilegious and demonic.

“Humanity stands to progress if brutality and impunity are totally eschewed.

“The wanton destruction of lives portrays the assailants and their collaborators as wicked and lawless.

“Creed, race and nationality of the victims are irrelevant in the condemnation of abomination."

“The NSCIA commends Nigeria and other right-thinking nations for their principled positions on the crises and calls for concerted efforts towards actualisation of justice and rule of law in Egypt.”

Yauri emirate urges Kebbi govt to be fair in distribution of projects, appointments

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he people of Yauri emirate, Kebbi, on Tuesday urged the state government to be fair in the distribution of infrastructure and appointments in the state.

They made the appeal in a statement issued in Yauri, the headquarters of Yauri Local Government Area of the state.

The statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary of Yauri Youth Development Association,

Alhaji Abdulazeez Sa'idu and Aminu Hammani, respectively, decried the deplorable state of infrastructure in the area.

The emirate comprises three local government areas, namely: Yauri, Shanga and Ngaski.

It expressed concern over the absence of a single tertiary educational institution in the area.

The statement said that pupils and students in the area sat on bare floor in most public schools adding that roads in the area were

Saminaka-Dugu roads.

Alhaji Abubakar Mua'azu, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi that the state government had also constructed new central mosques in Yauri and Lopa.

He said the government had also constructed a new water works in Yauri, a hospital in Shanga and several primary health care centres in parts of the emirate. (NAN).

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 6

News Give Jonathan a chance, NSITF chairperson pleads

By Aisha Biola Raji

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he Chairman of (NSITF), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, has pleaded with Nigerians to give President Goodluck Jonathan a chance to implement his transformation agenda rather than continue to distract him at the slightest opportunity.

She stated this in Abuja at the weekend during a fundraising dinner in honour of the wife of the Belizean Prime Minister, Kim Simplis Barrow,

T

T

The screening committee had last Friday disqualified the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the immediate past Secretary of the Anambra State Government, Oseloka Obaze, from contesting the governorship election scheduled for 16th of November.

Others disqualified are Emmanuel Nweke, Ogbuefi Tony Nnachetta, Chinedu Idigo and Chike Obidigbo.

Briefing journalists at the

party office, after the sitting of the appeal panel, the chairman, Ojeilo Emmanuel, said none of the appellants had genuine reason to counter the decision of the panel.

He said the panel considered the appeals of the aggrieved aspirants who failed the screening of the party for the governorship election.

“It is our view that the screening panel touched on all the relevant aspects of the party’s electoral

guidelines and affirmed the submissions of all the aspirants that met the requirements of these guidelines.

“Therefore we the members of the appeal panel found it unnecessary to change the decision of the screening committee.

The successful aspirants are Emmanuel Nwogbo, Paul Odenigbo, Uche Ekwunife, Willie Obiano, John Nwosu, Okechukwu Emeka and Patrick Obianwu.

Speaking in Abuja over the weekend, during the Teenz Global Foundation (TGF) 2013 Conference, Gana, who is also the Pro-Chancellor/ Chairman of Council, University of Lagos (Uni-Lag), noted that trust is important for the survival of any society itself.

He said Nigeria is experiencing perpetual instability because there are people who do not care about

justice, fairness and equity, but busy selfishly grabbing everything for themselves, at the detriment of others.

According to him, the Nigerian society has become wicked and inhuman, as people are no longer kind to one another, resulting in kidnapping and armed robbery among other vices.

He said, “If you want peace in

any society, you must first emphasize justice, fairness and equity; because when people know that their interest is going to be captured, and nobody would want to trample upon their interest.

“Also the trust is extremely important for the survival of the society itself; for instance, the most basic unit of the society is the home, and if there is no trust within even the

small context of a family, the whole of its structure cannot hold together.”

He called on the need to rekindle the time before civil war when Nigerians were bonded together with love and harmony. He said, “In those younger days before the civil war broke out, it used to be a very beautiful situation, as there was that bond of love among Nigerians from North, South, East and West.”

who visited Nigeria to raise funds and sensitise Nigerians about her programme for the needy in her country.

According to Olejeme, it is not an overstatement to say that the womenfolk have never had it as good in the annals of the country as now that, they are represented in all spheres governance in the country.

She said that not less than 37 women presently head various government parastatals and bodies while fourteen of them are ministers

and many more are ambassadors or heads of foreign missions.

According to her, all the appointments are part of the transformation agenda that the President promised Nigerians and that the same transformation is being pursued in the oil sector where a female minister is making “giant strides.”

Speaking on the efforts Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow to establish an Inspiration Centre in her country where women would learn to trade and

also help orphans, Olejeme stated that the Prime Minister’s wife has a lot in common with the Nigerian First lady, Dame Patience Jonathan who has over the last four years pursued the interest and wellbeing of women and children in the country through various programmes.

“Both women as spouses of leaders of their countries have set out to ameliorate the suffering of their people and give women and other less privileged, a voice in the society,” she said.

Anambra guber: Appeal panel upholds Soludo’s disqualification he appeal committee set up by All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to consider the complaints by the six governorship candidates, including Chukwuma Soludo, who were disqualified by the party’s screening committee from contesting its governorship primary election in the state, has upheld the decision of the screening committee.

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos he Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has described as incorrect statements credited to the Consumer Protection Agency (CPC) over alleged forceful collection of the sum of N2,000 charges on all checkin- luggage at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport describing it as an “ugly impression” being created CPC in the media.

While addressing journalists in Lagos, the Corporate Communication General Manager FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati said the agency, which is in charge of revenue generation for the country’s airport said it only insists that cargo and commercial items be processed through the cargo terminal, as it is the standard practice all over the world and affirmed that, it has never intercept any regular passenger travelling with a normal baggage to pay for such an item.

He said, “We expected the CPC, as an agency of the government to cross-check their facts with FAAN before going to press with false allegations made by unscrupulous cargo agents.”

Explaining further, he said, “Commercial travellers who bring in their cargo through our arrival halls at the airport place a lot of burden on our conveyor belts and create unnecessary bottlenecks which hamper smooth facilitation of passengers.

“The authority will not continue to allow business people who do not want to process their cargo through the proper channel to punish the rest of air travellers.

“We wish to place it on record that those agents who are compelled to Pay N2,000 to FAAN are those whose cargos have been intercepted by Customs for payment of the necessary duties to the government.

“The N2,000 they are made to pay could be avoided by those passengers doing the right thing by checkingin their cargo through our cargo terminal. “FAAN does not charge any passenger arriving from anywhere in the world on their personal checked-in belongings” Dati said.

According to him, any baggage identified by Customs officials as commercial and liable to pay duties to government, must pay the mandatory N2,000 charges.

L-R: Representative of Chief of Defence Staff, Commodore Andrew Dakosta, Corps Marshal of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Osita Chidoka, and Director, State Security Service in FCT, Mr. A. A. Wahab, during FRSC monthly jogging exercise, on Saturday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

FAAN chides CPC on statement over N2,000 luggage charge

Why Nigeria is unstable, backward – Gana

By Stanley Onyekwere

F

ormer Information minister and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Professor Jerry Gana has identified lack of trust, inequality, injustice and unfairness as the cause of lack of restiveness and instability which have hindered the country’s development.

News

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 7

APC seeking power to broaden corrupt, dictatorial agenda, says PDP

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday alleged that the opposition merger, All Progressives Congress (APC) is desperate for power in order to further broaden the execution of the dictatorial, corrupt and oppressive agenda of its leaders.

The party in a statement yesterday by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Caesar Okeke, on the sealing off of a property belonging to the former Abia state Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, and its subsequent release stated “Though Fashola

was forced to release Orji Kalu’s property, the sealing of the property in the first place has only succeeded in betraying the reason for which the APC is desperate for power, which is to broaden the execution of the dictatorial, corrupt and oppressive agenda of its leaders.”

According to the PDP, Kalu’s property was sealed off because he had the temerity to criticise the Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola, over the decision of his government to deport Nigerians from Lagos.

The statement described the de-

velopment as “reminiscent of the infamous Decree No 4 of 1984.”

The PDP noted that it is not surprised at the development describing it as a clear signal of the dictatorial and inhuman treatment to be expected from the government controlled by the APC. It said “Fashola, a lawyer, has allowed his dalliance with dictators and bigots like his masters General Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to substantially impair his reasoning and actions.

“Instead of accepting that it erred in expelling innocent Nigeri-

ans in total breach of their constitutionally guaranteed right of residency in any part of the country, the APC-led government of Lagos state has ignobly resorted to clamping down on those who criticise its evil deed.

“We are indeed not surprised.

After all, what would one expect from a government controlled by a party established by dictators with a penchant for unlawful actions and dehumanisation of the citizenry?

“If the APC would approve the unjust detention and flushing of helpless citizens from a state

where they have immensely contributed just to be dumped at a place like Upper Iweka Bridge at the dead of the night without any form of care, clamping down on its critics is only a signal of the draconian rule which Nigerians must rise against.

“The APC leaders should borrow a leaf from President Goodluck Jonathan who as a true democrat and statesman has continued to maintain dignified calmness in the face of daily vituperations and unwarranted media attacks by the opposition”, the PDP said.

Yero frowns at slow pace of Kaduna road projects

From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

G

L-R: Kaduna state Governor, Alhaji Muktar Ramalan Yero, Director General (Media and Publicity), Malam Ahmed Mayaki, Comissioner for Works, Alhaji Mohammed Richifa, and CAGC site Engineer, during the governors inspection of road projects, act the weekend in Zaria.

Cultism: Nasarawa poly suspends 12 students From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

T

welve students of the Nasarawa state Polytechnic, Lafia have been suspended indefinitely for alleged involvement in cult activities.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Lafia at the weekend, saying that the affected students have

been warned to steer clear of the institution pending police investigation on the matter.

Acting Rector of the Polytechnic, Emmanuel Jatau, while lamenting the prevailing incidence of cultism and other related antisocial vices by students in the institution noted that the decision to suspend the students was taken as part of measures towards eradicating cultism in the poly-

Zuru Emir urges youth to embrace agriculture From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

T

he Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Muhammadu Sani Sami, has enjoined youths to embraced agriculture as a recipe to reduced total dependency on government and ensure self reliance.

The Emir made the call when he receive members of youths for Agriculture Association (YAA) who paid him a courtesy call at his palace over the weekend in Zuru.

He said agriculture has been the backbone of the economic devel-

opment in the northern region; therefore, youths should utilise the advantage to earn a living through it.

He advised them to make use of extension services of the state College of Agriculture Zuru to further expand its programmes in the modern way.

Speaking Earlier, the Chairman of the association Alhaji Yusuf Zaruman Jega enumerated the objectives of establishing the YAA to include creating wealth and job opportunities to the teaming youth in the state.

technic.

Jatau attributed the recurrent trend of cult activities around the institution to lack of hostel facilities with the students living in the larger community despite its attendant consequences adding that the management of the polytechnic was liaising with the police and other relevant security agencies to rid the area of criminals.

According to the statement, “un-

der no circumstance should any student be involved in cultism, drug abuse and other anti-social behavior that could jeopardize his/ her studentship in the polytechnic” Peoples Daily recalls that ugly incidents of secret cult have become recurrent in the institution with series of attacks and counter attacks resulting to the death of several students with others sustaining various degrees of injuries.

I don’t have presidential ambition, says Fashola From Ayodele Samuel and Gabriel Johnson, Lagos

L

agos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola has dissociated himself from an advertisement published in Nigeria’s newspapers, rallying support him in the 2105 presidential election.

A statement by the governor’s special adviser on media and publicity, Hakeem Bello described the advertisers as “unknown persons” “This is to disclaim and dissociate the Governor and the State Government from this unsolicited and un-

warranted venture.

“This is against the backdrop of the fact that Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) is focused on sustaining the high tempo of development engendering governance right till the end of his second tenure in Office and therefore cannot yield to distractions by any individual or group of mischief makers.

“Members of the public are hereby implored to ignore the said advert and also be wary of the antics of people with such dubious intentions.

Please be vigilant”, concluded the statement

overnor of Kaduna sate, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero, has frowned at the slow pace of work on some road projects awarded by the government.

Speaking at the weekend while on inspection of several road projects in the state, Yero expressed dissatisfaction with some of the contractors over slow pace of work.

While inspecting the Hayin Samaru-Bomo road construction, the Governor was dissatisfied by level of work on the project which is scheduled for completion by December, 2013.

The contractors have been paid about 43 per cent of the total contract sum but is yet to reach 40 per cent completion level, with a little over four (4) months to the scheduled date of completion.

While speaking at the project site, Yero queried the contractor over the manner the road is being constructed. The governor who was not satisfied with explanations by both the contractors and officials supervising the project, vowed to ensure completion of the road and promised to take up the matter with the supervising ministry.

He had earlier inspected a similar project along the Garun Kurama-Kasuwa road in Lere Local Government Area on Friday, August 16, 2013.

The road construction which is at about 37 percent is to be completed in May 2014.

Yero said the aim of the tour is to ascertain the level of work on all ongoing projects in the State saying “we are committed to the completion of all ongoing projects in the state at the scheduled dates.

“To achieve our objective, we have to continue to push ourselves, the contractors and all stakeholders in actualising the projects. It cannot be business as usual because we must ensure that the people get value for their money that is in our trust.”

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 8

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY Council endorsed the useful phone numbers submitted by the security agents for easy access in case of any emergency on the metropolitan Roads. Accordingly, the general public may easily Contact KAROTA for: Breakdown of Vehicle(s), Traffic Congestion, Accidents, and Illegal/Wrong Parking to kindly Call KAROTA through the following number – 08091626747. Similarly, the State Police Command could be contacted on – 08032419754 and 08123821575. In addition, the State Fire Service can also be contacted on – 07051246833 and 08191778888.

110th KANO STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING

C

ommitment to the necessity to fulfill Campaign and Inauguration promises drives the incumbent administration in Kano State, under the second tenure of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE, to persistently convene Executive Council Meetings on Wednesday of every week to deliberate upon policy issues and programs so as to positively deliver for the needs and aspirations of the citizenry.

The Governor is optimistic and has faith in the State in particular and the nation in general. This reality made him to undertake policies aimed at solving the State’s multiple of problems.

Kano State is not only working but is witnessing an unprecedented era of massive socioeconomic development, which has transformed the lives of the citizenry. This Government recognizes the importance of education, healthcare, agriculture and the provision of infrastructure leading to the formulation of progressive policies by the administration. Education is now being made accessible to all with the construction of more schools, classrooms and laboratories. The Government is expanding educational infrastructure in order to cope with the demand of the teeming population. More than 2000 qualified teachers were employed to man these schools. In the process of improving the quality of teaching staff hundreds are sponsored for higher education. Of recent, agreement was reached for the sponsorship of teachers under the Science Technical School Board to attend training in Britain. This is besides the establishment of a new university, the Northwest University, which has already admitted 1000 students.

On agriculture, the administration is determined in its transformation through the provision of inputs, such as fertilizer, mechanization, and training.

Agricultural institutions, such as the Livestock Institute, Poultry Institute, Farm Mechanization Institute, Irrigation Institute and Fisheries Institute were established to train the teeming youths in modern methods of agriculture. Fertilizers worth over N4 billion were procured and distributed to farmers for rain and dry seasons farming periods. The aim is to ensure that farmers are engaged in agriculture all year round. Efforts are being made to transform the State farmers from subsistence to commercial agriculture.

Because of the importance attached to infrastructural development, the State is changing as roads construction within and outside the metropolitan Kano is consuming over N100 billion, while over N7 billion is being expended on housing projects at Kwankwasiyya, Amana and Bandirawo cities. The administration is aware of the need for the provision of good shelter leading to this gigantic housing progress never seen in the history of the State. These cities are being established to be serviced by adequate drainage systems, roads and other infrastructure.

Transformation requires a mindset aimed at improving governance in government. This Administration is a purposeful one, aims at bringing befitting and benefiting development in the State.

It is not a government of promises meant not to be

Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso delivered or fulfilled. It is a government of realities and of fulfilling promises. Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso provided the purposeful leadership required by the State and this is becoming clearer by the minutes. The Governor is ensuring security and safety of the people, providing basic economic and social needs, creating an enabling environment for the people to develop and progress. Thousands of youths are trained self-reliance skills and are now self-employed.

As usual, Today Wednesday 7th August, 2013 (1th Shawwal, 1434 AH) the Kano State Executive Council held its one hundred and tenth (110th) sitting under the Chairmanship of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE during which seven (7) MDAs submitted thirty-nine (39) memoranda for deliberation for the development of the State.

Thirteen (13) of them were approved for execution with an expenditure of Three Hundred and Four Million, Five Hundred and Eighty-Three Thousand and Nine Hundred and Fifty-Five Naira and EightyFive Kobo (N304,583,955.85). Thus: 1. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT Twenty-Two (22) of the thirty-nine (39) memoranda were submitted by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government for deliberation by Council on behalf of other MDAs. Out of the Twenty-Two submitted nine (9) were approved for execution as follows: a. Request for Funds to Enable the Procurement and Allocation of Vehicles in Respect of the State Censorship Board:The Kano State Censorship Board submitted a request for the kind consideration of Council for the procurement and allocation of five (5) official

vehicles to facilitate the conduct of its official responsibilities of monitoring the activities of film production, direction and distribution in the State, which entails constant movement from one point to another.

Considering the significance of the request, the Office of the Secretary to the State Government recommended to Council to consider and approve the release of the sum of N11,250,705.00 to enable the purchase and allocation of One New KIA Saloon Car (at the sum of N3,750,705.00) and One New Hiace 18 – Seater Bus (at the cost of N7,500,000.00).

Council noted, considered and approved the release of N3,750,705.00 to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government to process the purchase of one (1) brand new KIA Rio– and the allocation of one fairly used Toyota Hiace bus in respect of the State Censorship Board to facilitate conduct of its responsibilities. b. Presentation of Request for Funds for the Procurement of Fifteen (15) User Licenses of Computer Diagnostic Tools and PC Scope Kits:The State Ministry of Science and Technology, as the custodian of ICT Education in Kano State, submitted a request for the release of the sum of N5,078,850.00, through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government. This was in order to enable the procurement of Computer diagnostic tools and PC Scope kits to augment the available facilities for the full take – off of the proposed Computer Library in the State.

Importantly, the Library is designed to perfect the art of diagnosing problems that impede Computer Systems from functioning correctly and render effective maintenance service in tune with the best practices using State of the art equipment thereby saving public Computers from guesswork in the course of repairs by technicians.

Significance of the request prompted Council to approve the release of the sum of N5,078,850.00 to the Ministry of Science and Technology to facilitate the purpose stated above. c. Request for Funds to Enable the Conduct of the 2013 State Schools Sports Festival Tagged “Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso Cup” for Boys and Girls Secondary Schools in Kano State:Scouting for talents to represent Kano State in various annually organized Championships by the Nigerian Schools Sports Federation (NSSP), the Ministry of Education requested for release of funds

by Council to conduct the 2013 State Sports Festival tagged “Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso Cup” for Boys and Girls Secondary Schools in Kano State at GSS Karaye and GSS Kura respectively in the 3rd and 4th weeks of August, 2013.

As such, Office of the Secretary to the State Government endorsed the request and recommended to Council to approve the release of the trimmed down sum of N4,000,000.00 to enable the conduct of the 2013 Schools Sports Festival.

The request was considered relevant as Council approved the release of the recommended trimmed down sum of N4,000,000.00 to the State Ministry of Contd on Page 9

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Education to enable the conduct of the 2013 Schools Sports Festival. d. Request for Funds to Enable the Payment of Severance Gratuity in Respect of Two (2) Permanent Secretaries:Office of the Head of Civil Service submitted the request cited above for consideration by Council.

The two (2) severed Permanent Secretaries are entitled to a statutorily benefit of the aggregate sum of N7,500,660.00 respectively disaggregated to N3,750,330.00.

Council approved the release of the sum of N7,500,660.00 to the Office of the Head of Civil Service to enable compliance with the Statutory Obligation stated above. e. Request for Funds to Sponsor Fifty-Six (56) Judiciary Officers to Attend the 2013 Nigerian Bar Association Annual Conference Scheduled (25th – 30th August, 2013) in Calabar, Cross Rivers States:Contents of this memorandum presented a submission from the Kano State Judiciary requesting for funds to sponsor fifty-six (56) Officers to attend the 2013 Nigerian Bar Association Conference scheduled (25th – 30th August, 2013) in Calabar, Cross Rivers States.

Though significant, Office of the Secretary to the State Government alerted Council of the fact that, the Office of the Attorney General professionally observed that the request is only relevant for Magistrates and therefore recommended thirty (30) such Officers along with the Chief Registrar to attend the Conference. Details of the financial implications to sponsor the thirty-one (31) Officers for the six (6) days (25th – 30th August, 2013) event cited above were presented for consideration by Council. The request total up to the aggregate sum of N5,158,000.00 to cater for the Officers ranging from Salary Grade Level 12 – 17 and the Secretary JSC as well as the Chief Registrar to attend the conference.

Council noted, considered and approved the release of the requested sum of N5,158,000.00 to the State Judiciary to facilitate the purpose cited above. f. Presentation of report on the Appointment of Muhammad Bilyaminu Ado as Deputy Director, Kano Entrepreneurship Development Institute:Office of the Secretary to the State Government informed Council through the contents of this memorandum that Muhammad Bilyaminu Ado has submitted his formal letter of acceptance of his appointment as Deputy Director, Kano Entrepreneurship Development Institute with effect from 12th July, 2013.

Nevertheless, the Officer forwarded a copy of his May, 2013 pay slip while serving at Kano State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies and solicited for the approval of Council to maintain his monthly salary including other entitlements attached to his current Office.

Council noted, considered and approved as requested since the services currently rendered by the Deputy Director are similar (i.e. academic/at a Tertiary Institution). g. Request for Funds to Enable the Payment of Furniture Allowances to the Six (6) Recently Appointed Permanent Secretaries:The Statutory relevance of this request from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government prompted Council to approve the release of the sum of N22,461,660.00 for disbursement at the presented equal rate to the six (6) recently appointed Permanent Secretaries in Kano State. h. Presentation of report on the Merger Between Dala Building Society Plc (DBS) and SunTrust Saving and Loan Limited:The Dala Building Society Plc jubilantly intimated Council of its fulfilment of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) requirements for merger with the SunTrust Saving and Loan Limited as approved by the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC).

PAGE 9

Details were presented for consideration by Council.

However, the DBS is making efforts towards conclusion of the transaction Council was further informed by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government. Council appreciatively acknowledged the presentation. i. Request for Funds as Assistance to Kano Pillars Football Club and Kurna Samba Football Club to Represent Kano State at the Federation Cup Competition:The Federation Cup Competition is the most prestigious football competition organized by the Nigerian Football Federation. Kano Pillars Football Club and Kurna Samba Football Club qualified to participate in the competition for the year 2013.

As such, the Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youths, Sports and Culture requested Council to approve the release of the aggregate sum of N2,000,000.00 as assistance to the two clubs as Kano State representatives at the competition. The request was presented and endorsed for consideration

by Council through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government to which approval was granted for the release of the requested sum of N2,000,000.00 for onward payment to the Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youths, Sports and Culture for disbursement at the rate of N1,000,000.00 to each of the two Clubs.

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY The Ministry of Science and Technology tabled one memorandum, which was approved by Council.

Presentation of report on Re–Negotiating of Sub–Franchise of Kano Informatics Institute and Request for Funds to Facilitate Subsequent Change to Internationally Approved Training Center with a Master Franchise:The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Science and Technology informed Council of the compliance of his Ministry to the Executive directives issued via Council Extract NO SSCA/ CA/EX/4/I/357 dated 5th June, 2013, in respect of re–negotiation of the sub– franchise mandate with Jigawa State Institute of Information Technology (JSIIT) for the next one (1) year with effect from September, 2013. Sourcing of direct franchise with recognized Institutions in Singapore, Malaysia, etc was also discussed. The assignment was diligently pursued but yet to be concluded. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Science and Technology requested Council to approve the release of the aggregate sum of N44,481,225.00 as the training cost for two hundred (200) Students in three (3) programmes of the next batch of intakes into the Kano Informatics Institute.

Council noted, considered and approved the release of the requested sum of N44,481,225.00 to the Ministry of Science and Technology as the training cost for two hundred (200) Students in three (3) programmes of the next batch of intakes into the Kano Informatics Institute.

2. MINISTRY OF LAND AND PHYSICAL PLANNING Seven (7) memoranda were submitted for deliberation by Council from the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning. Three (3) of them were approved for execution as follows: a. Presentation of Request for Funds to Enable the Payment of Compensation for Some Omitted Structures at Kwankwaso Township Road Projects:Contents of this memorandum amply notified Council of the ongoing project at Kwankwaso Town for the construction of township roads and Juma’at Mosque expansion. Approval was granted for the payment of compensation on the affected structures, which were valued at N105,395,747.00 via Council

Extract NO SSCA/CA/EX/4/I/12 of 11th February, 2013.

Nevertheless, complaints were received from some residents affected by the projects, which indicated omission of some structures in the compensation paid earlier. As such, the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning undertook an inspection visit and confirmed/identified four (4) structures omitted belonging to different individuals, which comprised three (3) mud – type semi-permanent buildings and one (1) cement – type permanent building with perimeter wall fence. These structures were assessed and valued at the aggregate cost of N654,040.00, which was requested for release by Council to be paid as compensation to the affected owners.

Council noted, considered and approved the release of the sum of N654,040.00 to the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to enable the payment of compensation for the omitted structures cited above. b. Presentation of the Revised Cost of Mandawari to Aminu Kano Way Road Construction Project and Request for Funds to Settle Outstanding Payment to the Contractor:The Mandawari to Aminu Kano Way Road construction project has been identified as an abandoned project that requires revival and the Contractor (Messrs. Borini Prono) has mobilized back to site since December, 2012 for the completion of the project awarded at the initial cost of N396,608,774.63.

However, the Contractor, Management Consultants and KNUPDA conducted a joint inspection of the project based on which analysis was made, which presented a new scope of work that made the initial contract sum to increase with the sum of N119,498,815.85 to a new cost of (N396,608,774.63 + N119,498,815.85) = N516,107,590.50 for the Contractor to complete completion the project.

Additionally, the Contractor has an outstanding payment of two (2) Certificates to the tune of N54,167,110.17, which was requested for release by Council. Details were presented for consideration.

Approval was granted for the review of the construction and subsequent payments on the presentation of Certificate of work. Likewise, the State Ministry of Finance was directed to release the outstanding payments of Certificates number 2 and 3 totalling the sum of N54,167,110.17 to the Contractor (Messrs. Borini Prono). c. Request for Funds for the Routine Maintenance Works of Metropolitan Roads by KNUPDA:Provision of infrastructure within and outside the metropolis is a principal preoccupation of the present administration under the capable leadership of the second incumbency of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE. In fact, over N300 million was expended on road maintenance and the provision of infrastructure within the metropolis. The significance attached to this program led to the establishment of a new parastatal, Kano Road Maintenance Agency (KARMA) by the present administration.

Notably, approval was recently granted in May, 2013 for release of sum of N90,000,000.00 for the continuation of routine road maintenance of Metropolitan Roads by KNUPDA. The money was judiciously expended to the level of incurring outstanding liability. Details were presented for consideration by Council in which the sum of N150,000,000.00 was requested for release by Council to offset the liability and continue with the routine maintenance works of the Metropolitan roads.

Council noted, considered and approved the release of the sum of N90,000,000.00 to the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to enable KNUPDA continue with the routine maintenance works on metropolitan roads.

Signed: Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture, Kano State

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

News

Or ph a nag e se e ks N 25 0 m t o she lte r 56 0 o rp h a n s T From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

he Chairman of Islamic Orphanage Foundation (IOF), Ilorin, Kwara state, Alhaji Serifullahi Alege has disclosed that N250 million would be needed to complete permanent site that would accommodate 560 orphans in the custody of foundation.

Alege who disclosed this at the weekend during foundation’s

distribution of items to widows and orphans in Ilorin said the major problem of the foundation was the huge sum of money it pays as school fees of pupils and students in secondary and tertiary institutions.

He said the land was bought free of charge by one of the supporters of the foundation and they are planning to build school, clinic, hall, mosque and accommodation for the children.

The chairman of the foundation also disclosed that 89 children were in nursery and primary schools, 85 were in secondary schools while 78 were in tertiary institutions across the country, including a sighted impaired who is studying at Oyo State College of Education Special.

Already, Alege disclosed that in 2010, the foundation spent N810, 775 million on the children

while in 2011, 2012, and 2013, it spent N2, 378 million, N3, 642 million, N2, 812 million on the welfare and education of the children.

He said: "When our children are going to start first term and new session in secondary schools and tertiary institutions, we always pay large sum of money on their school fees. Because we have many of them in SS3 classes as well as those in Universities and other tertiary institutions.

L-R: Minister for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Hajiya Hadiza Kangiwa, and Director, Human Resources, NCFRMI, Alhaji Bashir Abdullahi, during the 2013 World Humanitarian Day press briefing

by NCFRMI, last Friday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin ImoOwo

Ka du na deputy g o v e rno r la men t s rel i gi ou s b a c kw a rd ne ss From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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he Deputy Governor of Kaduna state, Ambassador Nuhu Audu Bajoga has lamented that religious backwardness is largely responsible for most of the ills bedeviling the country.

Speaking at a book launch, “History of Wesley Methodist Cathedral” in Kaduna recently,

Ambassador Bajoga said Nigeria requires the fire of revival to rekindle and cause a transformation in the country, just as he called on religious leaders to brace up in preaching and teaching their followers religious morals and values.

He said, “Our hearts needs to be transformed, our character needs to be revitalized and reengineered and we must carry all forms of godliness and imbibe

good moral and religious values.”

The Deputy Governor, who was represented by the Head of Department of Religious studies, Kaduna State University (KASU) Rev. (Dr.) Dickson Diyadi, said there cannot be transformation in the land until and unless the hearts of Nigerians are transformed. He advocated for a stop to impunity in the system.

Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga added that, history is a very

T r a ditio nal rul ers pl e d g e s u pport for K og i pe nsi o ne rs From Omale Adama, Lokoja

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raditional rulers in Kogi state have assured pensioners of their readiness to intervene in their plight over the lingering face-off between them and the state government in respect of their penury.

The assurance was given by the President, Kogi Council of Chiefs, His Majesty, Idakwo Ameh Oboni when the pensioners pleaded with the council to wade into the lingering face-off between them and the state government over the refusal to meet their demands.

It would be recalled that the pensioners had recently issued a 14-day ultimatum to the

state government to meet their demands or risk peaceful protest across the state.

The traditional ruler who was disturbed by the penurious conditions of the pensioners assured them that in no distant time, he would lead a delegation of other traditional rulers to the state governor, Captain Idris Wada to appeal to him to reconsider his stance on the pension of the retirees in the state.

The Chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in the state, Chief Onu Abdullahi, who led a delegation of the union officials and some pensioners to the royal father in Idah appealed to him to intervene in the plights

of the retirees in the state.

Earlier, the NUP chairman had pleaded with the Attah Igala to prevail on the governor to come to aid of the pensioners in the state who have been subjected to hardship due to the failure of the various administrations in the state to tackle the problem facing the pension administration in the state.

The Pensioners who also paid a visit to the father of the governor, Pa Wada Ejiga at Ayangba in Dekina Local government area of the state, equally wooed him to join the traditional rulers to dialogue with the state government in order to avert the impending crisis.

important aspect of life which makes everybody to appreciate where they are coming from, their present position and help them to prepare to move forward in life.

He urged all to continue to pray for the peace and stability of Kaduna State and the country and also appealed for continued peaceful understanding amongst all and sundry, irrespective of religious and tribal differences.

Group sends SOS to Agric Minister on veterinary college From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

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group under the auspices of Civil Society Awareness Foundation in Jos yesterday called on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, to quickly intervene and save the Federal College of Veterinary and Medical Laboratory Technology Vom (FCVMLT), from a breakdown.

The call which came in a statement and made available to journalist was signed by the president of the foundation, Josaiah Andrew and his Secretary, Peter Mailafia.

The statement stressed on the appointment of substantive provost of the institution whose position has been vacant since the past three years, adding that the vacuum had set the institution back.

The statement further explained that the current acting provost had not been displaying any good leadership that would help to bring academic development rather; it draws the college backward by losing its integrity and confidence in the country.

It further said that the result of the interview for the position of the provost which was conducted by a statutory panel since 2011 has not been announced.

The statement added that, “We appeal to the honourable Minister to immediately commission the process for the engagement of a substantive provost, based on the result of the interview earlier conducted for the college to regain its lost

Minister declines interest Benue governorship seat From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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inister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro has declined interest to contest the governorship seat of Benue state in 2015, maintaining that it takes more than popularity to win the plum position.

The minister who said this while interacting with newsmen at the weekend in Okongaga, Okpokwu local government area of Benue state, said his priority at the moment is to carry out the assignment Comrade Moro recalled that he contested for the governorship seat in 2007 and the experience remains fresh in his memory.

"I have gone through that road before and have discovered

that it takes more than popularity to emerge governor of the State.

At that time, I would have won but it did not happen. I am not interested in contesting in 2015.

I just want to serve as minister.

God had been too good to me coming from a local government chairman to become minister", Moro said.

He described the new mega party, All Progressives Congress (APC) as “almagma of separate characters”, noting that it is composed of the same set of politicians who have been hood winking Nigerians that they have what it takes to salvage the country.

Moro contended that the APC has no agenda, saying that many of its members had led the nation in various capacities in the past.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 11

Money Sense

Part two: 6 traits that you need to move from being an employee to self-employed

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eing self-employed is very different than being an employee and can be a difficult transition. Here are three more traits you must have if you’re going to move from being an employee to being successfully self-employed.

4) When you’re self-employed, you have to be able to plan ahead Your last job may have involved no planning at all, as that was someone else’s job. Or perhaps your job involved planning on a localized level, such as planning a particular project. If you want to start a business, you need to develop expertise in both shortterm and long-range planning; it’s about to become a big part of your life.

When you start a business, one of your first tasks will be to work through a business plan. As your business becomes operational, you’ll find that this plan (however detailed) needs to be revised and that other plans need to be created, as you work towards the longrange goals that you’ve set for your business. From following someone else’s plan as an employee, you have to learn how to create the plans yourself - and adapt the plans to changing circumstances.

5) You need to be prepared to put in a constant and consistent effort We’ve all seen employees who are just going through the motions, or who were just “putting in the time” until retirement. You don’t need to be a co-worker to know who these people are. As a customer or client you can tell, too. Bluntly, starting a business takes energy, and you need to be able to give it 100 percent. You can’t afford to just coast along, or

Money Tip: What it takes to start interior design

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his startup idea is great because all you have to do as you start is be available. The materials needed for interior design will usually be bought by the clients and you will simply be paid for your labour. Part of it may involve helping clients to choose the materials such as furniture, window curtains, flower vases etc. you design their interior decor.

Quote I have known not a few men who, after reaching the summits of business success, found themselves miserable on attaining retirement age.

They were so exclusively engrossed in their day to day affairs that they had no time for friend making.

– B.C. Forbes

go through the motions, if you’re running a business. Your customer and/or clients need to know that you are devoting 100 percent of your talent or skill or attention to them - and will go elsewhere if they don’t feel this is the case.

Worse, you need to deliver this constant and consistent effort without the employee safety net.

Many employees are used to being able to “call in sick” and have someone else cover their job, for instance. As a self-employed business owner, you’ll have to go in and give it your best effort no matter how you feel or close up shop if you don’t have employees who can fill in. You can also say goodbye to the holidays that many employees enjoy, both the annual x number of weeks and the statutory holidays, at least until your business is established to the point that you can manage your own time.

6) You have to be able to deal with uncertainty As a self-employed entrepreneur, there’s no guarantee that the products or services you offer will be in demand six months from now. There’s no guarantee that your customers will pay their bills on time or even pay them at all. There’s no guarantee that your

current big client, who seems to be perfectly happy with your work, won’t drop you next week. There’s actually no guarantee that you will make any income this month or the month after. For many exemployees who are used to having a pay cheque arrive regularly every two weeks, the uncertainty of being self-employed is very difficult to deal with.

Are you still asking, “How do I start a business?” Good!

Because the point of this article is not to scare you off, but to make you aware of how you have to readjust your thinking to make the transition from employee to self-employed business owner.

Hopefully as you read through this list of traits you need to become successfully self-employed, you

were saying to yourself, “I can do this”. Because every one of the traits listed here is an attitude or behavior that can be learned, and when it comes to being selfemployed, awareness is more than half the battle.

Now that you know that you’re the kind of person who can start a business and run it successfully, where do you go from here?

Scrap metal sales:How to recognize greedy junk dealer

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ince the prices for recycling unwanted metal has gone up, so has the number of BAD junk dealers looking to purchase junk cars, scrap iron, and other recyclable metal products.

This could be bad news for those with junk they need to have hauled away. It is important to do your homework before doing business with any junk dealer. While it will be easier to locate a dealer that will buy your junk metal, be sure to lessen the chances of being scammed and left holding the bag. Take the time to know about

the person that wants to buy your junk and scrap metal. Find out how this junk man dealt with previous customers. The way he dealt with others is the way he will deal with you regardless of all the big claims he makes about how he enjoys helping people clean up and get rid of rusty junk.

A dishonest junk dealer will let on like they are doing you a big favor by hauling off your items telling you they will get nothing in return for the effort. Why would they want to do so much work for so little return? Never do business

with a junk dealer without doing your homework first. Know the going rate for the junk you want to sell. Get a rough idea of what the dealer will be paid for the item once he resells it. A good recycling place will tell you how much they pay for scrap metal, aluminum, copper, etc.

A Bad junk dealer will let you think he is making nothing for his effort and just hauling away your junk out of the goodness of his heart. Actually, the bad junk dealer is making a profit but does not want to pay anything for the

junk he is making a profit on. This is okay if you are giving the stuff away but if you are trying to make ends meet by selling unneeded junk, it is definitely not acceptable.

A BAD junk dealer will rarely pay in cash for what he has bought.

He will hem and haw about not having the money on him but insists he will be returning with your money once he has hauled the item off and sold it. He will say he will have it the next time he sees you. A bad junk dealer will remove junk, scrap metal from your property and then never return to settle up. It is funny how they can make it to the recycling place but never make it back to pay you what they owe.

Some dealers will even crawl under other vehicles you have setting close-by that you have not sold to him. He will remove pipes, catalytic converters, and other items from underneath thinking you will never realize they are missing.

Doing business with a bad junk dealer leaves you feeling BAD about the entire transaction. You will never call him again if/when you have more items to sell because you will not be able to locate him.

He has disappeared because he still owes you for the junk he already hauled away and sold.

Doing business with a Bad junk dealer gives you a feeling like you have just been scammed. Don’t let this happen to you. Be sure to always get references first.

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19 , 2013

EDITORIAL

As Boko Haram ups the ante… them. In an attack in Malam Fatori earlier this month, 12 soldiers were killed. Major General Jah Ewansiah, the JTF Commander in Borno state who disclosed this, told the state governor, Kashim Shettima, that seven policemen were killed in another attack in Bama.

Like all peace loving Nigerians, we are disturbed about the unrelenting attacks and the seeming ease with which they are carried out by the insurgents. That such attacks with

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ecent attacks in parts of Borno state indicate clearly that the war against members of the Boko Haram sect is nowhere near a successful end. If anything, it exposes the shortcomings of the Joint Task Force that has been enforcing the state of emergency in the state and neighbouring Yobe and Adamawa. While the situation in the latter has relatively calmed down, Borno remains the hotbed of the insurgency and a lot more effort is required to rout the insurgents.

Just Sunday last week, in the most bizarre attack yet, suspected members of Boko Haram stormed a mosque in Konduga, a town 35 kilometres outside Maiduguri, the state capital, where they shot dead over 50 worshippers who were saying their dawn prayers.

According to witnesses, the attackers went on to set buildings alight in a destruction spree which a member of the local vigilante group said was carried out by armed men. A State Security Services official told reporters that the attackers wore camouflage uniforms and attacked Ndom village where about 11 persons were killed.

Last Thursday, a similar attack was launched in Damboa town where 11 civilians were reported killed. The attackers who, it was alleged, drove into the town in a convoy of about nine cars and motorcycles, destroyed shops and other business premises despite attempts by the vigilantes to stop

As it is, the military seems to be fighting in the dark and such a strategy will achieve very little, if not fail altogether the resulting high death toll and wanton destruction still occur about four months into the imposition of state of emergency is a pointer that the emergency declaration is not achieving the desired result. As many concerned observers suspected at the beginning, it shows that the army went into the exercise without a clear strategy and a battle plan. A clear indication of this was the statement issued at the weekend by army authorities summoning commanders in the North-east and North-west

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to a capacity building workshop, expected to last six days. As the commanders converge in Kaduna, Nigerians can only hope that the insurgents will not take advantage and launch more attacks on hapless citizens.

Besides the physical war going on against the insurgents, a public relations war also seems to be unfolding between the military and Boko Haram leaders. It is strange that despite regular announcements of the killings of top Boko Haram commanders by the JTF, the sect still musters the wherewithal to continue to launch new deadly attacks. Just when Nigerians expect that the capture or killings of the top echelon of the sect would slow it down, the reverse seems to be the case as demonstrated in the latest video posted by the sect’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, who boastfully said they have the upper hand against the military.

When President Jonathan declared the state of emergency back in May, Nigerians welcomed it with the hope that soon enough the Boko Haram nightmare would come to an end but recent sad events suggest the contrary. As we advised in the past, the key to ending this war is effective intelligence gathering that would help pinpoint the hideouts of the insurgents. As it is, the military seems to be fighting in the dark and such a strategy will achieve very little, if not fail altogether. This war has dragged on for too long and it is taking a toll not only on Borno state but the entire northern region.

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 13

Opinion

A generation’s quest for a home

By Nuhu Ribadu

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here is a saying that “Young people often think the old are fools, but in truth, it’s the young who are fools because the old have lived the life of the young”. So, my advice to you today may be from that fellow Nigerian who may pass for your ‘fool’, one whose only trait of foolishness is the fact that he has learnt from experience and has chosen to adopt certain wisdom to avoid a reckless quest for daily survival towards a regretful end.

I feel for the younger people because their travail today is no faults of theirs—theirs is an inherited mess and it’s just unfortunate that this generation is suffering from the decisions and indecisions of the past. Today we are a nation trying to demolish our heritage of ethnic, religious and regional tensions. And this, as I said earlier, can only be realised by a mass of interconnected individual will—a personal refusal to be hoodwinked into becoming a part of the people or institutions that destroy our communal trust.

First, I must empathise with you for coming at a time when competitions have become stricter, tempting many citizens to disrobe their patriotism for a life of frauds and injustice in both private and public affairs. I see this phase of Nigeria’s history

as a trial for a future of many possibilities and opportunities whose foundations can be designed today if we resist certain temptations and choose to become those thinking reformers the society needs to build reliable institutions. Our society will evolve from its present troubles if we follow a will to become THAT civil dissenter we expect to land from the moon and change our realities. Our situation is a case of that man who sows maize grains yet expects to reap mango fruits.

To inspire change, you must become something different; do something worthy of emulation, something whose memory even comforts you no matter what.

Let me hazard a guess that everyone here today wants to become that individual with mansions in London and Luxembourg, yachts in Miami and Monaco, and shares in major multinational corporations across the world. I bet, from my understanding as that old fool you’re expected to listen to today, that this quest for a world of easy cash and glamour has been pushed up the rungs of our culture. The other day I saw a billboard with the words, “A millionaire at 29, that’s 5 years too late.” Though it was simply a catchphrase to attract attention, it correctly captures the mindset of many Nigerians. This same

mocker adds, “Fast is an attitude!”

Unfortunately, the advert, if taken on a literal perception is a philosophy that forestalls growths and developments, being an inspiration to get rich however reckless the process and illegitimate the source. One thing we miss in this is: in our quest for a house, we destroyed our home. In pursuing a career, the first thing is to ask you, “What is my passion? What would I enjoy doing? Where do I have greater talent/ability?” These were the questions I asked myself before opting for police in 1985.

You may choose and get all the supposedly good jobs in the land but if that is not where your passion lies, you will end up like a house that can never be a home.

All the money you get may only buy you worldly glamour but not the priceless happiness and ultimate legacy.

The personal will I advocate is borne on a declaration of your intention to start the needed reforms with yourself, by being a factored numeral not inconsequential decimal, by resisting to be hoodwinked to hate fellow countrymen on basis of religious or ethnic differences, on your promise to remain sensitive to misgovernments of the country, on your abhorrence of abuse of public office and inherent corruptions wherever

you find yourselves and, very importantly, on your alliance with fellow citizens to elect a credible leader and task him with discharging his duties. If you are prepared to become that citizen of will, that rational thinker and patriot, then the biggest problem with Nigeria, which is the collapse of our institutions, is on its way to being reformed. You don’t need to be a public figure or in position of authority to pave the way to a social or political change. It’s just your self-will, your decision to be a significant statistic amongst the change agents ready to engage and revive our dying and dead institutions.

What Nigeria needs to realise its potentials is, unfortunately, not mere change of leadership.

We don’t need anyone from outer space to come organise and our polity. What we need are ourselves—our virtues and belief in a collective struggle for good governance. What we need are functional institutions; we need institutions that pander to the principle of honesty and that socialise successions of citizens who will extol this principle.

We need leaders for whom the sufferings of the masses are immediate concerns, not jokers that insult the yearnings and honest observations of the electorates. We need institutions

in which the lawmakers gather to discuss the plight of their constituents, not losing their sense of our realities in the luxuries of the state and federal capitals. We need a judiciary that exerts its independence and resist any prejudice in the discharge of justice. We need a Civil Service that does not ask for bribes to do that for which they receive salaries. We need institutions!

We need functional institutions to restore the lost glories and trust that make a sane nation.

Our trouble in this country is principally the collapse of our institutions. Our potentials are lost in our civic decadence, which stares at us in the face wherever we go: we see the decadence in the eyes of the policeman flipping through our particulars, we see the decadence in the eyes of the university registrar demanding for bribes to grant or facilitate admissions, we see the decadence in the eyes of every citizen who has lost hope in Nigeria…

Excerpts from a keynote speech delivered at MentorMe Role Model Forum with the theme “Leadership by Example: From Talk to Action”, organised by Group of Patriotic Corpers (GPC) and #AdoptATweep held on August 17, 2013.

Obasanjo and his burning statesmanship ambition

By Akintokunbo Adejumo

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t was sometime in May 1999 that I dared venture to visit my country, Nigeria, after over nine years in the UK. Olusegun Obasanjo, ex-military Head of State, retired army general and civil war hero, convicted of treason and incarcerated, nearly executed, and brought out of incarceration had just won election as Nigeria’s president.

I was full of joy and hope. I was elated and optimistic. On Inauguration Day, as I watched on national TV, tears welled up in my eyes. I was tearful to see Obasanjo sworn in, for the second time in Nigeria, as the leader of this great nation. Another reason why I believed that perhaps, Nigeria’s Messiah has come is the fact that Obasanjo, in the history of the world (correct me if I have erred) has become only the second man to serve two non-consecutive terms as president of any country; Grover Cleveland served as President of the USA twice, 1885 to 1889 and then again from 1893 to 1897, thus becoming the 22nd and 24th president of the US. But there we are! After eight years of Obasanjo (and he even tried to amend the Constitution to get a Third Term, a typically sit-tight African leader syndrome) and fourteen years later, many right-thinking and truly patriotic Nigerians are shaking their heads in absolute disgust, helplessness,

frustration and anger at the devastation, degradation, deprivation and dearth of progress that have been visited upon us in that short space of time. I always like to quip and paraphrase the late Malcolm X, “Nigerians did not land on Aso Rock (the seat of power in Nigeria), Aso Rock landed on us”.

When the Balogun of Owu, Obasanjo went on the attack and came out to mention names Atiku, Tinubu, Alamieyeseigha, Buhari (Salihu), Dariye, and others - that he alleged have failed Nigeria, I had to again revisit my perceptions of this enigmatic despot. Are Nigerians wrong about this man, Obasanjo? What will he be remembered by in say, ten years’ time? Will Obasanjo go

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down in the history of Nigeria as a statesman?

Does he meet the criteria for statesmanship, which is the ability, qualifications, or practice of a statesman; wisdom and skill in the management of public affairs? Is he a statesman, defined as 1, a political leader whose wisdom, integrity, etc., win great respect, and 2, a person active and influential in the formulation of high government policy, such as a cabinet member, and 3, a male political leader regarded as a disinterested promoter of the public good, and 4, a politician, diplomat or other notable public figure that has had a long and respected career at the national or international level?

In fairness to Obasanjo, while

The international community must have realized his vast skills and talent and decided to exploit them. Thus Obasanjo was and is still being appointed or nominated into one international service after the other since 1979. The list is as long as my arm. These and many others have helped to raise the stature of Obasanjo above that of any other living Nigerian. In 1992 he was even in the race for the position of Secretary General of the United Nations.

a lot was said against his civilian regimes failures but not much were emphasised on the state of things before he took over. In fact, many institutes and structures were left degraded or abandoned.

Things like power, railway, national shipping line, and national airways were starved of investment for twenty years and eventually collapsed. On the plus side, several governors too were removed for corruption, though, some judges reversed some decision. And he was able to attract technocrats and Nigerian expatriates to his administration. They were able to plan various reforms in the country administration. They made effective contribution to the country economic planning and development. His administration had now established future planning and development for the country for the next five years.

The international community must have realized his vast skills and talent and decided to exploit them. Thus Obasanjo was and is still being appointed or nominated into one international service after the other since 1979. The list is as long as my arm. These and many others have helped to raise the stature of Obasanjo above that of any other living Nigerian. In 1992 he was even in the race for the position of Secretary General of the United Nations. So, where

can we place Obasanjo in the history of Nigeria? The man remains an enigma to many of his own people. One thing is that everything you throw at him bounces off him. He is never concerned about anything Nigerians accuse him off. He takes it in his stride and never replies to most allegations of corruption and mismanagement against him. So we may never know how great or limited he is; and that will be a great disservice to himself.

Will history and Nigerians be kind to him? I honestly do not know. Sometimes, I really do pity him. Maybe he ruled the wrong country. Maybe the country was not ready for him; but twice, or even thrice? How did he get derailed with all his convictions mentioned above? Was he corrupt despite his vehement and indignant denial during his interview with BBC’s Hard Talk a few years ago? Is he a Nigerian Statesman despite the poverty, the tortures, the disappointment, the deaths, the sufferings, the corruption, the mismanagement, the degradation, the depravity, the evil, that he and his cohorts, acolytes, followers, favourites both in the military and in his politics have visited upon his own people, Nigerians? Is he worthy to be even thought of as an African or World Statesman?

Akintokunboh Adejumoh wrote in from Lagos.

PAGE 14

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Nation states and the allocation of misery

By Abdullah Musa

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have often pondered about foreign exchange rate. May be I am wrong, but it seems to me that in Nigeria at least, foreign exchange rate affects the quality of the lives of citizens.

There was a time in Nigeria when civil servants and others in formal employment could buy the new cars assembled by PAN of Kaduna. Now those cars are priced in millions, and the loans, where available, are between two to three hundred thousand naira. As a result, we become the trash cans of others: used bra, used pants, used shoes, socks, and gloves, used fridges, used motorcycles and cars; and of more fatal consequences, used tyres. There were numerous exchanges on the internet over Naira’s exchange rate deterioration over the period, particularly during OBJ’s rule.

In 1999, the official naira to dollar rate was quoted as N21.89, while the parallel market was N88 to N90.When I searched for determinants of exchange rate, one Showbhik Karla posted the following on December 13, 2005:1. Trade balance;

2. Relative members purchasing power which they parity; 3.Relative should not interest rate; exceed.

Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, 4.Inflation rat; Currently text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written 5.Speculators, we are said contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters traders, financial to produce instruments; and - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your between 1.8 6. Political and million and 2 name and a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be psychological million barrels addressed to: factors. daily. That is Another our economic The Editor, website, www. glass ceiling. investopedia.

Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, Whatever our com added productivity it 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja.

Public Debt. has to operate Email: opinion@peoplesdailyng.com The reader may within this SMS: 08134607052 be puzzled that glass ceiling. how can misery I looked up be allocated to nation states and terms the first thing that comes the structure of Nigeria’s import, who does the allocation. When to mind is oil exporter, member and I found the following: you think of Nigeria in economic of Opec. Opec gives quotas to imports reached an all time

WRITE TO US

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While some Europeans have interest rates nearing zero, ours get close to thirty when added up. With an ever depreciating currency, why are we not then an investment haven? When the dollar inches to 200, then to 300 naira, who benefits and who loses? When Syria is destroyed, when Iran is under sanctions for decades; or when Zimbabwe’s currency became worthless, you cannot see the invisible hand distributing misery as it deems fit?

high of 7.5USD billion in August 2011.That major components of import were: industrial suppliers 32%; transport and equipment 23%; capital goods 24%; food and beverages 11%. The total appears to me to be 91%!The industrial supplies and capital goods take up more than 50% of the import bill. But I would not be surprised that the industrial sector cannot return to the country 20% of the forex it uses from the export of its products. Japan takes raw materials from the outside world, and sends out manufactured goods to the outside world; the same quality it uses at home.

Nigeria has high interest rates.

While some Europeans have interest rates nearing zero, ours get close to thirty when added up. With an ever depreciating currency, why are we not then an investment haven? When the dollar inches to 200, then to 300 naira, who benefits and who loses? When Syria is destroyed, when Iran is under sanctions for decades; or when Zimbabwe’s currency became worthless, you cannot see the invisible hand distributing misery as it deems fit?

Abdullahi Musa via kigongabas@gmail.com

Between the Presidency and Akande

By Sunday Dare

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he statement by Reuben Abati, the spokesperson for the presidency on August 11, 2013 criticizing the interim chairman of APC for describing the Jonathan government as a “kindergarten presidency” was paltry and amounted to political whining. The rabid nature of the reaction confirms the truth that Nigeria is being run by little minds and irritants. This kind of rascally mindset displayed by the minders of the Presidency continues to contribute greatly to the unravelling of a government spinning out of control. Those of us opportune to have read the statement from the presidency now realize the office of the spokesman has shifted from being the mouthpiece of serious governance to that of the National Crybaby. Their statutory task, that of serious governance, they did not address at all. They insist on telling us what they should tell themselves.

Thus, their eagerness to assume the role of the country’s top complainant is predictable.

Instead of trying to minimize opposition criticism by providing the nation with decent governance, their strategy is to complain that the opposition complains too much. The performance of government, upon which the great fate of the nation hangs, is immaterial to them. In fact, the nation and its multitudes be damned as far as they are concerned. After all, the same President on live television

told Nigerians he does not give a Damn about some of the things that affects them. They claim that Chairman Akande disrespected the office of the presidency with his remarks. In truth, Akande was merely exercising his democratic rights to speak about the dire state of this government.

Not only was he exercising his democratic rights, he had a moral duty to criticize this government for it is government in ruins, a stumbling, bumbling mash of self-seekers, opportunists and the myopic.

What Akande said of them was mild compared to what the average person says of this government on a daily basis. If the office of the presidency is to respond to every harsh criticism levied at it, that office shall be a busy one. It will have to issue 150 million press statements aimed at almost every Nigerian,

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including half the members of the very inner circle of this very government. Nigerians are used to the countless insulting press statements and reactions from the duo of Abati and Okupe.

They reacted so vehemently to the Akande statement for two reasons. First, the truth hurts.

Second, they are afraid of the APC and seek to intimidate it.

However, they might as well stop on the second point. With the fate of the nation at stake, the incompetent will not be able to intimidate into silence the committed.

Let us add two important points. If they want people to honour the office of the presidency, they should practice what they preach. The people who most dishonour that office are those who currently occupy it.

The way this entire government goes about its job embarrasses

and burdens the nation. There is nothing important that they do right and nothing they somehow accidentally get right that is important. They are the party and government of partying and flashy public events. When it comes to policies for the people they grow tired and disappear from view. Thus, why must the people, who are the bosses in a democracy, respect the elected public servant when it is clear that the person they elected does not respect them? Wisdom says that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. In this instance, what the presidency feels is fair treatment of the public, the latter has every right to say it is also fair treatment for the presidency. Let the hired criers cry on. People are in their humble homes crying.

Those who cause their suffering might as well join in. When the

What Akande said of them was mild compared to what the average person says of this government on a daily basis. If the office of the presidency is to respond to every harsh criticism levied at it, that office shall be a busy one. It will have to issue 150 million press statements aimed at almost every Nigerian, including half the members of the very inner circle of this very government. Nigerians are used to the countless insulting press statements and reactions from the duo of Abati and Okupe. They reacted so vehemently to the Akande statement for two reasons.

government starts to implement people-oriented policies and tackle the problems that confront us as a nation, we will rejoice and the criticism will cease. Also, they need to understand the function of government. Those now in charge of running government don’t even understand their role and limits. They should return to school. The response to the Akande statement should not have come from the presidency.

Akande is the leader of an opposition party, a partisan political figure. If they saw fit to reply, the response should have come from the PDP’s overexercised mouth.

Those who run the highest office of our national government do seem like children who dropped and broke a glass then simply cry when someone points out what they have done.

Instead of crying, they should clean the mess they made. Until Reuben and the Presidency he fanatically seeks to defend accept they owe Nigerians plenty of performance and explanation, they will continue to languish in immaturity, self-delusion and hence rightly called a kindergarten government. The same right my brother Reuben Abati exercised in telling Akande off is what Akande also exercised in telling the President some bitter truth.

Sunday Dare, a former editor, is the Media Advisor to APC chieftain, Lagos state Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

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Comment An essay on nothing

By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu

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othing can be more jarring than discovering at this moment when one is congratulating oneself on having written on everything only to instantly discover that one has written absolutely nothing on the subject of nothing. Come to think of it, a writer who has not written on nothing is an abject non-start, a nothing in fact! Nothing can be sweeter than properly starting the writing life from nothing. That’s exactly what I want to do now: write about nothing! In short, it is my considered opinion that any writer who cannot start from nothing has learnt nothing and has thusly written nothing! But did I say the writer had written nothing?

No, he has not written nothing is more like it. It does appear writing on nothing is doing some damage to my grey matter… Yes, there are so many nothings scrambling my brain. The fire that burnt my house the other time thought it would leave me with nothing not knowing that it could not burn one particular book in my library entitled The Quotable Nothing Book, and subtitled “Being a Book of Quotes about Nothing and Nothingness” which was published at $3.95 in 1980 by Running Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This so-called book actually contains nothing save a quote on top of the left hand side and at the bottom of the right hand side of it, thus leaving the entire page blank.

The largely empty “nothing book” which bears no page numbers such that one cannot even talk of odd and even number pages was given to me in Canada by two lovers, Mike Anderson and Tina Novotny of 350 Dundas Street, London Ontario, Canada N6B 1V7, and they wrote the following words therein: “Send us stuff you write in here!”

Since the book contains nothing but quotes from some wags and philosophers and suchlike who enjoy writing only about nothing, I felt it amounted to indulging in nothing writing back to my friends Mike and Tina; until now that nothing is inspiring me to write on nothing! The Quotable Nothing Book gives the definition of nothing taken from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopaedia thus: “NOTHING (nuth’ing), n. 1. No thing; not anything; not something; something that is not anything. The conception of nothing is reached

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by reflecting that a noun, or name, in form, may fail to have any corresponding object; and nothing is the noun by which its very definition is of that sort.”

Given this kind of meaningless, if complicated, definition of nothing, little wonder Paul Valery has this quip: “God made everything out of nothing. But the nothingness shows through.” And who am I not to trust Socrates when he says: “As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.”

Soren Kierkegaard of course echoes the master: “The something which I am is precisely a nothing.” Against the background of the father of philosophy and his sons knowing nothing and being nothing, Ambrose Bierce defines Philosophy this way: “A route of many roads leading from nowhere to nothing.”

Bear with me, for as Edward Dahlberg knows, “It takes a long time to understand nothing.” After

Genius has a lot in common with nothing, as Gertrude Stein opines, “It takes a lot of time to be a genius, you have to sit around so much doing nothing, really doing nothing.” The fear though is that “there may not be no nothing”, as H.L. Mencken declares.

Jonathan Edwards ups the ante in this wise: “That there should absolutely be nothing at all is utterly impossible.

all, this exercise in nothing is only a thousand-word piece as opposed to an entire book of umpteen pages written by Joop Berkhout entitled What Men Know about Women which contains nothing but blank pages to show what everybody already knew: that man knows nothing about woman! The great Lord Byron sums it up thusly: “A book’s a book, although there’s nothing in it.”

Genius has a lot in common with nothing, as Gertrude Stein opines, “It takes a lot of time to be a genius, you have to sit around so much doing nothing, really doing nothing.” The fear though is that “there may not be no nothing”, as H.L. Mencken declares. Jonathan Edwards ups the ante in this wise: “That there should absolutely be nothing at all is utterly impossible.

The mind, let it stretch its conceptions ever so far, can never so much as bring itself to conceive of a state of perfect nothing.”

Frederic Amiel has this different take on the subject of nothing: “Almost everything comes from almost nothing.” And wallowing in nothing, Madame du Deffand declaims: “I hear nothings, I speak nothings, I take interest in nothing, and from nothing to nothing I travel gently down the dull way which leads to becoming nothing.”

Alas, the words of Henry Fielding ring true: “To whom nothing is given, of him nothing can be required.”

As though inspired by nothing Mussolini sums up his foreign policy this way: “Nothing for

Nothing.” Jean Paul Richter would rather have it thus: “A variety of nothing is better than a monotony of something.” For Penelope Gilliat, “There are times when nothing has to be better than anything.”

Trust good old Jonathan Swift to get into the nothing fray: “He asks for nothing; and thinks, like a philosopher, that he wants nothing.” Crucially Lady Morgan asserts the inevitability of nothing: “Nothing’s new, and nothing’s true, and nothing matters.”

The mathematics of nothing engages the attention of Joseph Glanvill: “All the ciphers of arithmetic are no better than a single nothing.” “What then is man?” asks Edward Young, and he supplies the answer: “The smallest part of nothing.” The politicos who hold the world by the jugular are deep into the nothing game, as Oscar Wilde explains with aplomb: “It is to do nothing that the elect exist.” Beaumarchais weighs in with this choice admonition: “People who wish to make nothing of anything advance nothing and are good for nothing.” Of course before opening the mouth to condemn me for wasting the time of the world on nothing it is crucial to remember the words of Charles Caleb Colton: “When you have nothing to say, say nothing.”

I have dabbled in this essay on nothing mindful of Edmund Burke’s immortal words: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

As I take my leave with nothing, the Good Book beckons at The First Epistle of Paul: “We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out.”

Uzor Maxim Uzoatu is on LinkedIn

Nigeria: Not Yoruba, not Igbo By ‘Fisayo Soyombo

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rom 2nd August 2013 when the media published Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi’s letter to President Goodluck Jonathan threatening “reciprocity or reprisal” ostensibly against south-westerners in Anambra because Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola “deported and dumped” 72 — the Lagos Government claims they were only 14 — Lagos-based Anambra indigenes at Iweka Bridge, Onitsha “in the thick of the night,” it was stark clear the stage had been set for a trifling inter-ethnic media war. Ever since, arguments for and against the propriety of the action of both governors have been flying all about in the media. Ah, Nigerians can so write — and talk!

First, I have to shun the temptation to sink my journalistic teeth into the meat of this rumpus from the middle.

Now, on Obi’s ‘deportation’ grouse, I am wondering how the media — rather than Fashola — suddenly became the friend he turned to. As Fashola himself confirmed, Obi had called him on phone to discuss less important matters — in the past. Two, Obi — governor of one of the southeastern states that comprised the short-lived Republic of Biafra — is one of the last public office holders who should be doing anything close to stoking the embers of interethnic hostilities.

But I am even sadder that he has an unlikely and unfortunate ethnic-chauvinist ally in Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode — unlikely, I say, for another two reasons. Until six years ago, Fani-Kayode was enjoying a lengthy political career stretching back to two decades.

From his days at the Nigerian National Congress (NNC) in the late 80s to his appointment in 1990 as Chief Press Secretary to the first National Chairman of the National Republican Convention (NRC), Chief Tom Ikimi, Fani-Kayode has played a frontline role in either the government or politics of literally every administration in the last 20 years. In 1991, he was Special Assistant to Head of the Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO), Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi.

Five years later, he joined the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) abroad. He joined President Olusegun Obasanjo’s campaign team in 2003, and was subsequently appointed as maiden Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the President. Between 2006 and 2007, he was ‘honourable minister’ in two separate capacities.

That Fani-Kayode has seen it all is the first reason I find his writings — ramblings, someone said — on the Anambra saga simply disappointing. No one needs to remind Fani-Kayode of the fragility of the country’s democracy and its nationhood. That is why I find the second (particularly) of his two opinions on the matter, “The

Bitter Truth About The Igbos”, an immeasurable disservice to the very nation he will claim to have “served” over the decades. In that piece, he responds (chiefly) to erstwhile Governor of Abia state, Orji Uzor Kalu’s declaration that “Lagos is no man’s land” and then pontificates about how Yorubas own Lagos and built it. Ultimately — by my interpretation — he tells us that Yorubas are better than Igbos! Pity.

Fani-Kayode is no doubt a man of history. Full marks to him.

But it is tragic that his knowledge of history fails him with a thud on previous ethnicity-oriented sufferings of the country. It doesn’t remind him that in the early 1950s when Nigeria’s century-long crave for independence began gathering steel, each region — Northern, Eastern, and Western (as the country had been divided to by the Richards Constitution of 1946) championed its own agenda. To every region, there was a political party to advance self-serving needs: the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) for the Northern Region, the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) for the Eastern Region, and Action Group for the Western Region. How could his vast knowledge of history not have reminded him that these ethnic divisions were the very foundations of the capitulations that crystallised into the civil war? That is one.

In his “The Bitter Truth About The Igbos”, Fani-Kayode writes:

“Lagos and the south west [sic] are the land and the patrimony of the Yoruba [sic] and we will not allow anyone, no matter how fond of them we may be, to take it away from us or share it with us in the name of ‘being nice,’ ‘patriotism,’ ‘one Nigeria’ or anything else.” To Kalu’s no-man’s-land stance, he retorts: “We cannot be expected to tolerate or accept that sort of irreverent [sic] and unintelligent rubbish simply because we still happen to believe in ‘one Nigeria’ and we will not sacrifice our rights or prostitute our principles on the alter [sic] of that ‘one Nigeria.’”

Clearly, such caustic words in response to Kalu’s (inaccurate, I have to admit) mere statement are uncharitable and unbefitting of a two-portfolio former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

That is two. If anyone asked me, I’d say there are only fewer tragedies than an ex-minister’s willingness to sacrifice Nigeria’s oneness for proof of ownership of Lagos.

Plus, if he were half as loyal to the Yoruba cause as he attempted to portray in his treatises, I wonder why he didn’t turn down those lucrative federal appointments to remain a commissioner in Lagos or elsewhere in the Southwest.

Fani-Kayode wants to prove Lagos is Yoruba land. And so what? Exactly what next after that? We drive the Igbos away?

Nigeria is far from the country of my dreams but I am happily first a Nigerian, before a Yoruba.

Thankfully, for every FaniKayode, there is a Femi Okunnu,

whose sense of nationalism I will readily recommend to any prospective public office holder. “Where are you from?” the octogenarian asked on our meeting. “Ogun,” I replied. And he cut in. “No. You are Nigerian, and from a place, a location in the country. You young people must begin to de-emphasise your states or regions of origin.”

Now, some agenda setting.

Fani-Kayode devoted 5,425 words over two pieces to reminding Igbos that they are guests in Lagos. Bravo!

Meanwhile, the aviation ministry he administered between 2006 and 2007 is as horrible as ever, splotched by life-threatening corruption and airline capriciousness. It was under his watch as Minister of Aviation that the N19.5bn Aviation Intervention fund was mismanaged. And the blithe disregard for customers in aviation is such that Nigerian airlines — led by Arik, the culpritin-chief — daily delay flights by hours without any form of passenger compensation. I should think such matters should worry a former Minister of Aviation.

Fani-Kayode was a notable cabinet member of an administration that claimed to have invested billions of dollars in power projects but current electricity supply still yoyos terribly the way it did 10 years ago.

Next time he has a “bitter truth” to tell, I hope he does on the true reasons why the monies have not translated to improved supply.

‘Fisayo Soyombo is available on Twitter@ fisayosoyombo and fisayo. soyombo@flairng.com

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

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Metro

Lecturer tasks Yoruba students to focus on education

By Usman Shuaibu

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lecturer with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) College of Education, Zuba in Gwagwalada Area Council, Dr TundeLawal, has advised the Oodua Students Association (OSA) of FCT College of Education Zuba chapter to remain committed to their studies in the institution.

Lawal, who gave the advice in an interview with newsmen during the Oodua cultural day ceremony at the college over the weekend, also urged the students to imbibe the real culture of Yoruba’s in anywhere they found themselves.

He further called on Yoruba people to continue to come together for the overall development of Yoruba community in the FCT. He expressed joy the way in which Yorubas were cordial with other tribes in the college, as the FCT College of Education was known to be an academic environment.

Responding, the Matron of the Oodua students Association, Dr Odunola Bello explained that the Oodua students Association were formed so as to bring Yoruba students together in the institution.

She urged the students to deem it necessary to read their books always to enable them to pass their examinations, noted that Yorubas were known to be brilliant people.

Mrs Bello, who is in the Department of Physical and Health Education (PHE) at the college used the occasion to call on the Yoruba politics to desist from politics of bitterness.

On his part, the Oba of Yoruba at Zuba, Oba Musifada Akande, urged the Yorubas in the FCT to cooperate with each other to fight a common goal all the time.

He called on Yoruba people to give priority attention to

Operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) during the monthly jogging and walking exercise of the FRSC, on Saturday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

NGO offers free drugs, medical services to Gwagwalada community

By Adeola Tukuru

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n NGO, Save Lives Foundation on Saturday offered free drugs and medical services to residents of Kassanki community in Gwagwalada Area Council to enhance healthy living in the community.

Speaking during the outreach in Kassanki, Gwagwalada, the Executive Director of the NGO, Dr Okeke-Eweni Kanayo,said the medical outreach was to mark the official launching of the Save Lives Foundation.

He said the NGO was born out of passion as medical doctors to ensure that rural communities

were given access to healthcare.

According to him, we have come to realised that several communities in FCT have no access to healthcare and the Idea of the NGO is to support government in ensuring that every community have access to healthcare Kanayo who said over 200 residents of the community benefited from the free drugs and medical services noted that wide range of ailment ranging from measles and paralysis suspected to be polio were seen during the program.

He attributed most of the ailments discovered during the exercise to infections suspected to

be caused by contaminated water.

The executive director who in his National Youth Service year built a health centre in Fuka community in Kwali Area Council in line with his commitment to provide healthcare services to communities commended the sponsors of the outreach.

Kanayo identified Tuiti Fruiti Frozen Yoghurt as the major sponsor of the medical outreach had called for support from donor agencies to enhance access to healthcare in rural communities.

In his remark, the Village head of the community, Alhaji Zakari Alabura, commended the NGO for the initiative adding that the community had since its existence

not felt the impact of government.

He identifies healthcare facility, portable water, good road and a Junior Secondary School as major challenges facing the community.

Alabura called on government, well-meaning individuals, corporate organisation as well as other NGOs to come the aid of the community in the interest of residents.

He said the only source of drinking water in the community was from the river adding that the absence of a Junior Secondary School in the community had resulted to poor children enrolment particularly among young girls.

Indigenes laud FCTA over area councils, satellite towns’ development

By Adeola Tukuru

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riginal inhabitants and residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed satisfaction over the development of the area councils and satellite towns by the Federal Capital Territory Administration and the Satellite Towns Development Agency.

The Leader of the FCT Indigenes and Stakeholders Forum, Ambassador Ayuba Jacob Ngbako, who addressed a news conference in Abuja over the weekend, commended the performance of the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, since her assumption of office in July 2011.

Ngbako, a former Nigerian Ambassador to The Gambia, stated that appreciable

infrastructural development, youth and women empowerment, good health facilities have been executed in the six area councils and satellite towns of Abuja.

“We, the indigenes and residents of the FCT, are satisfied with the credible performance of the minister of state for FCT and are unequivocally saying that she deserves commendation and not condemnation.

“Oloye Akinjide has rolled out laudable projects in our communities and any person or group using the media to slander her image is not fair. Most communities of the FCT can now boast of good health care facilities, rural development, youth empowerment and other social amenities,” said Ambassador Ngbako, a three-time deputy mayor of Abuja Municipal Area

Council (AMAC).

He commended the minister of state for her proactiveness and genuine interest towards resolving the resettlement scheme, which had lingered for eight years.

A member of the FCT Indigenes and Stakeholders Forum and resident of Dutse Community in Bwari Area Council, Mrs. Victoria Madaki, praised Akinjide for involving the communities in the development of the area councils as well as the resettlement scheme.

“This is the first time that we are having an Administration in the FCT that involves the communities in the planning and execution of programmes. The people are being carried along in the development of the satellite towns.

“The FCT minister of state has

done well. Most of the programmes and projects executed by the minister have a direct bearing on the indigenes and residents of the territory such as the community based health insurance scheme and agricultural development,” Madaki explained.

She recalled that the minister led the last immunisation exercise to the mosques and churches in Bwari Area Council and directly supervised the immunisation of children in homes, schools, mosques and churches.

Madaki further stated, “We are all living witnesses to the problems of the resettlement scheme since 2005 and also 2009 until the coming of the Minister of State for FCT, Chief Olajumoke Akinjide, who set up a committee to genuinely look into the problems and resettle the people.

“The issue of resettlement has been handled in the interest of the original inhabitants of Garki, Apo and Akpanjeya Communities. Already, there is an implementation committee to execute the recommendations and fast track the resettlement programme and policies of the Administration without hitches.”

A resident of Nyanya, Mr. Danladi John, described the minister of state as very responsive to the plight of residents.

“The minister responded to the cries of the Gbagalape Community by directing the rehabilitation of Gbagalape bridge and road which cut of Gbagalape Community from Nyanya Phase IV in the FCT. The work has completed by the satellite towns development agency,” John disclosed.

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FCTA unveils emergency paediatrics unit in Kubwa general hospital

By Adeola Tukuru

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n its aim to deliver quality Health Services to residents and its environs, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), at the weekend commissioned an Emergency Paediatrics unit in the Kubwa General.

Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), Dr. Demola Onakomaiya, commissioned the emergency units, house officers’ quarters in commemoration of his two years of stewardship in FCT. In his words: “We are

celebrating the success story of Health care system in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its evident, before we came on board, there was no Intensive Care unit in Abuja, today we have intensive care unit, Dialysis center, 64 slide CityScan, mammography machine in Maitama and Asokoro”.

He said further that: “And today again, it’s evident from what we are doing in the history of FCT this is about the third commissioning of the Emergency Padeatric unit and also the house officer’s quarters”.

He however, solicits for more

financing and manpower.

“We need more doctors, money but the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is doing his best. This is beyond him; it’s just a representation of what is happening globally, the budgetary allocation is ever decreasing.

“Children are the leaders of tomorrow, right now we have an appropriate place for them to get the best of the health care, they should not be mixing with the adults in the accident and emergency, so it reduces cross infection it bring about speedy attention to them”.

“We have a standalone center for them. The diagnosis and treatment of the patient thus in the long run it brings about better outcome for the children”.

“And for the house officers, we all know we need house officers, it’s like a pool that they need to have on house training, so now we have this, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria will come and give us the permission to train them, in a way its adding to our manpower”, he said.

The Medical Director of Kubwa General Hospital, Dr. Ahmed Danfulani, assured that

they are here for the public and make there service delivery to the people easier and affordable to the people.

“We have also tried to improve the standard like the Emergency Pediatric unit, which is something that is going to be an improvement on the present way we treat children in our hospital”.

“The children and the adults were being seen in just one place which is not healthy and that’s not the ideal thing is to separate them the clinic for children separately and that for adult separately,” he said.

Cleric calls for early marriage among Christians

By Albert Akota

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Members of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saint sweeping Wuse General Hospital in commemoration of the church’s 7th All Africa Helping Hand Service Project, on Saturday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Abuja indigenes call for creation of more area councils

By Adeola Tukuru

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he Ketti- Waru Youth Forum comprising of original inhabitants in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has called for the creation of more Area Councils and Senatorial Districts in the FCT. The statement was signed by 17 leaders in the community, namely Engr. P.D. Bussa, the Chiefs of Garki, Ketti, Burum as well as the Village Heads of Ketti, Takushara, Waru, Kabusa, Sherreti. It was equally signed by the Chairman, Secretary, PRO and the Legal Adviser of Ketti Waru Youth Forum.

They also said Ketti-Waru Youth Forum and elders comprising original inhabitants of the affected areas by the land swap initiative in FCT have overwhelmingly endorsed the land swap infrastructure provision

policy recently introduced by the FCT Administration to accelerate housing development in FCT. The forum made its stand known through the KETTIWARU DECLARATION 2013 issued at the end of its enlarged stakeholders meeting which reviewed the purported rejection of the land swap model by OIDA (Original Inhabitants Development Association) recently.

According to the Youth Forum and the elders, the people of KettiWaru, on whose land many of the land swap districts are located, would continue to give the FCT Administration their unflinching support for all its programmes geared towards the development of the territory, land swap initiative in particular.

They commended the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed and the Minister of

State, Oloye Olajumoke Ajinjide for their visionary leadership in the land swap infrastructure development initiative.

“We believe in the highpower all inclusive Ministerial Committee comprising of traditional rulers, Ketti-Waru Youth Forum, the Original Inhabitants Development Association, Greater Gbagyi Development Initiative, Civil Societies, security agents and officials of the FCT Administration set up by the FCT Minister to look into the issues raised during the Townhall Meeting,” they declared.

The forum further expressed its appreciation to the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed for carrying the people along in the implementation of the land swap initiative, especially the appointment of their illustrious son, Engr. Danjuma P. Bussa as community relations consultant.

The forum further called the National Assembly to define the status of the natives of the Federal Capital Territory in the Constitution, while noting that the issue of mayoralty has nothing in common with infrastructural development of the FCT. Consequently, they declared that they (the affected communities of Ketti Waru) have resolved to distance their members from the agitation by OIDA, which attacked the land swap system, describing the OIDA stance as unproductive to the development of the FCT, particularly the youths.

Other signatories to the declaration include Daniel Zinzado Kabusa, an elder from Ketti Waru Youth Forum, Mr. Isiaku S. Padda Takushara, another elder of Ketti Waru Youth Forum, Mr. Joseph Jam’a Ketti and Mallam Tanko S. Padda Burum, both elders of Ketti Waru as well.

he Environment Consultant and Senior Elder in the Evangelical Church of Winning All (ECWA), Mpape chapter, Umar Bishara Usman has called on Christian youths to cultivate the habit of getting marriage early.

Usman who gave this advice yesterday in Abuja during his Golden Jubilee at ECWA, described marriage as a major divine connection, which must be protected by couples.

The philanthropy who used the event to congratulate God for saving his life in an fatal motor accident early this year, said God alone knows why he survive the motor accident.

“I want to thank God for saving my life from that incident, as you can see, I am using the celebrations to mark my golden jubilee and God divine upon my life.

Let me tell you, it was God that saved me because I don’t know how it happen, I only found myself at Asokoro Hospital.

“I married at 25 while my wife was 20, God blessed us with children, my last child is 9, God them used, also an Army officer who took me to the hospital and the wonderful, lovely members of ECWA. “I want Christian youths to encourage early marriage because I am a living witness, nobody know tomorrow, it was my children and my lovely wife that stood by me throughout my excruciating pain.

“I am celebrating today (yesterday) because no amount of kind gesture will be too much for us to show our God, considering the supreme sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross of Calvary, we must use what God gave us to serve God by being kind to people around us.

Usman urged youths to emulate Jesus Christ’s love for mankind that made him to lay down his life to bring salvation and comfort to those who believe in him irrespective of their position.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

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Metro

INSIDE FCT COURTS

Police arraign 4 for allegedly causing public nuisance

Pastor appears in court for alleged homosexuality T

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he General Overseer of Divine Power Healing Ministry in Jikwoyi, FCT, Emmanuel Onyiuke, 27 has appeared before an Abuja Senior Magistrates Court, Karu, Abuja, and charged for homosexual with a 19-year-old.

Onyiuke, was charged for the alleged offence on Aug. 2, 2013.

The accused was on Thursday arraigned on a four-count-charge of causing hurt by means of poison with intent to commit homosexual and unnatural offence.

Prosecutor Atteh Effiong told the court that the accused gave the 19-year-old some alcoholic drinks, which were laced with sleep inducing substance. ``The victim woke up and saw himself lying on the bed of the accused person in his bedroom. ``The accused had sexual intercourse with him through his anus against his will which left him with serious injuries afterwards,’’ he said.

He said that the offence was

contrary to Sections 284, 249 and 285 of the Penal Code.

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

The Counsel to the accused, Mr Tochukwu Alosor, made an oral application for the bail of the accused.

Alosor argued that the offence was not a capital offence, urged the court to grant the accused bail on liberal terms.

He added that the accused would not jump bail because he had

a church within the jurisdiction of the court.

Ruling the application for bail, Senior Magistrate Anna Akobi, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N200, 000 and a surety in like sum.

Akobi held that the surety must be a Federal Civil Servant not below grade level 10, who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

She adjourned the case to Sept.

19, 2013 for hearing. (NAN)

An accident scene along Kuchigoro Airport Road, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Housewife remanded for alleged house breaking, theft

A

Grade 2 Area Court in Kado, Abuja, has remanded a housewife, Zainab Dan-Musa, for alleged house-breaking and theft.

The Presiding Judge, Alhaji Ahmed Ado, on Thursday ordered that Dan-Musa, 39, of No. 11, Ebitu Ukiwe St., Jabi, Abuja, should be remanded in prison until Oct. 9.

Ado gave the order when the accused failed to meet the bail conditions given by the court.

The judge had granted the accused bail in the sum of N250, 000

with two sureties in like sum.

He ordered that one of the sureties must be owner of a landed property in Wuse Zone 2, Maitama, Asokoro or Jabi with the Certificate of Occupancy.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Mr Simon Ibrahim, told the court that, Mrs Anabel Okuonghae, of No 11, Ebitu Ukiwe St., Jabi, Abuja, reported the matter to the Utako police station on July 7.

He said the valuables included: three international passports,

shoes, a bag containing 12 different fragrances, clothes, iPad, three different cheque books, costume, jewellery, pendants and a gold chain.

The prosecutor also said, during investigation, other things valued at N768, 440 were discovered to have been stolen, while part of the items were allegedly recovered from the accused.

He said the offences contravened the provisions of sections 287 and 349 of the Penal Code.

Section 287 states that,

whosoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or be fined or both.

Section 349 stipulates that, whoever commits house breaking shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to N100,00 or with both.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, and as a result, the judge adjourned the case to Oct. 9 for further hearing. (NAN)

Court convicts labourer to 11 months imprisonment for attempted rape

A

n Abuja Grade 2 Area Court, Kado, FCT has sentenced one Shaguri Isa to 11 months imprisonment for criminal trespass, causing hurt and attempting to commit rape.

The convict was however given an option of N8, 000 fine.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Simeon Ibrahim, told the court that, one Philomena, of Eden Garden, Utako, Abuja, on Aug.13, reported a

case of attempted rape to the Utako police station.

Ibrahim said the convict, a labourer, in the early hours of Aug. 12, criminally formed a common intention, and trespassed into her room at the above address.

The prosecutor said the complainant reported that the convict started struggling with her with the intention to forcefully have canal knowledge of her.

In the process, Ibrahim said the complainant reported that she sustained injuries as a result of biting from the convict.

The police prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of section 342, 246 and 95 of the Penal Code.

When confronted with the charges, the convict accepted liability.

The Presiding Officer, Mr

Ahmed Ado, sentenced the convict to four months imprisonment or a fine of N3, 000 for the first charge of criminal trespass.

On the second count charge of causing hurt, the presiding officer sentenced Mohammed to five months imprisonment or a fine of N4, 000.

Ado ordered the sum of N3, 000 to be paid to the nominal complainant for medication. (NAN)

he police in Abuja have arraigned four men in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates Court for allegedly causing public nuisance.

The police prosecutor, Sgt. Francis Tanko, gave the names of the four accused as Matthew Ehis, Suleman Idris, Aminu Haruna and Abdullahi Ibrahim, all of no fixed address.

Tanko told the court that the accused were arrested by a team of police officers led by DSP. Mercy Essienekak attached to Wuse Divisional Headquarters on Aug. 5.

He said the accused were arrested at Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent Wuse II, Abuja while constituting nuisance and causing annoyance to members of the public.

The prosecutor said the accused could not give satisfactory account for their actions when they were questioned by the police.

He said the offence contravened section 183 of the Penal Code.

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

The magistrate, Mrs Nafsat Ibrahim, granted the accused bail in the sum of N5, 000 with a surety each in like sum.

Mrs Ibrahim said the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and adjourned the case to Sept. 30, 2013 for hearing.

(NAN)

Man, 48, bags 2 weeks for attempting to commit an offence

M

agistrate Rosemary Kanyip of a Kubwa Magistrates Court has sentenced 48-year-old Lawal Abdullahi to two weeks in prison for attempting to steal clothes.

Kanyip, who passed the sentence on Thursday after the convict pleaded guilty to the offence, however, gave him an option of N200 fine.

In his guilty plea, the convict explained that he was only admiring the clothes with the intention of purchasing similar materials.

The magistrate, however, warned him to desist from such questionable behaviour in future.

Abdullahi stood trial for attempting to steal the clothes belonging to Mohammed Abdulazeez.

The police prosecutor, P.C. Arziki Kaura, had told the court that Abdullazeez reported the case at the Kubwa Police Station, Abuja, on July 22.

Kaura said that on that day the convict dipped his hands into the complainant’s car, parked at Dutse Market, and attempted to steal the clothes kept inside the car. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 19

INSIDE

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

Dangote to invest $2.5bn in building plants, import terminals across Africa - Pg 21

Domestic debt market attracts $5.112 billion

- Pg 20

L-R: Hetal Shah of Mara Foundation, Vice-President, Pan African Youth Council, Mr. Ndaba Mandela, President, Mara Foundation Group, Mr. Ashish J. Thakker, Special Adviser to the President on Youth Empowerment, Ambassador Obinna Adim, CEO BlueBird Capital, Mr. Peter Owunna, and Chairman Fortis Mobile Money Plc, Mr. Felix Achibiri, after a stakeholders’ meeting on youth entrepreneurship empowerment at the weekend in Abuja.

Nigeria partners Ghana to solve high port charges From Dapo Olawuni, Lagos he Nigerian Shippers Council has expressed readiness to collaborate with the Ghana Shippers Authority in other to reduce the high cost of doing business in Nigeria and to fine tune the cargo clearance processes.

The Shippers Council boss, Barrister Hassan Bello stated this over the weekend when the Executive Director of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) Dr. Kofi Mbiah visited the council in Apapa, Lagos.

The Ghana Shippers Authority boss had informed the Council that it takes not more than two days to clear cargo out of Ghanian port.

Speaking, Bello stated that the Nigerian Shippers Council and the Ghana Shippers Authority are members of African Union of Shippers Council and that the symbiotic relationship among both countries is to ensure that clearance

T

...We Clear cargo in 2 days–Ghana Shippers Authority

procedures adopted in each country is reflected in the other.

According to him, the Council is going to collaborate with Ghana to ensure that the same system used in cargo clearance is adopted in clearing cargoes from Nigerian port.

He said that the essence of the consultations and meetings the council has been having with critical stakeholders is to bring about synergy in order to tackle the prevalent challenges of high port charges.

“It is important that what happens in Ghana also happens in Nigeria so that there will be greater efficiency, divergent procedures will lead to delays in many things and this is why we are collaborating to ensure internationality of trade” “Dwell time of cargo at the port should be shortened, delivery of cargo should also be smooth, we want to make our ports competitive

in line with international standards and this is what the shippers council is doing, soon it would be realized” he said.

Also speaking, the Ghana Authority boss; Kofi Mbiah recognized that Nigeria has a higher number of cargo volume which cannot be compared to Nigeria.

Mbiah said that over the years, Ghana has put in place mechanisms to ensure that trade is facilitated better than it has been done in the past.

“I wouldn’t say that our challenges are completely solved, we have learnt a lot from Nigeria because we continue to collaborate and share ideas, for almost twelve years now we have had an electronic platform that enable people to seat in their offices to enter data that will help in the clearance process” “we have tried to reduce the clearance process which was almost

like 12 days before to 2 days, it should be possible for you to get your cargo from the port” he said He however pointed out that the challenges are the ones common to Nigeria, some of them which are the high cost of doing business occasioned by delays at the port.

According to him, a cargo has to stay at the port seven days before it will start to incur demurrage charges.

He said that the authority has also created a centralized data system that allows Customs to manage its risk assessment level.

“We have not reached the level we wanted yet, we want them to even improve on their risk analyses further in order to cut down on the level of intrusive inspection of containers” “As I speak we are still having a high level of inspections, sometimes if containers have gone

FG needs $1 tn to curb oil theft, clean-up NigerDelta - Pg 22 Exchange Rates CBN

as at 16th August, 2013

Buying

Selling

$

154.75

155.75

€

242.01

243.57

£

206.51

Riyal

41.26

41.52

SDR

235.52

237.05

CFA

0.2947

0.3147

207.84

Power: FG moves to capitalise NBET

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY

By Etuka Sunday As part of its efforts to encourage independent power providers, the Federal Government has said it would fully capitalise the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET), before the end of the year.

Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who disclosed this at the weekend while receiving members of the Independent Power Providers Association of Nigeria (IPPAN), called for more active participation of independent power providers in the sector.

According to him, government is poised to tackle the problem of Transmission and as such is committing majority of the

Find your authentic self

about $1.6 billion proceeds to be realized from the sale of National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) to it, to ensure that there is enough wheeling power provided for the distribution of every megawatt of electricity generated.

Nebo who also assured that import duty waivers would be provided for all power equipment, added that the suppressed demand for power in the country is so huge that no matter the number of power providers on board, there will still be a market for any amount of power generated.

In statement issued by the Ministry’s Assistant Director (Press), Ibrahim Haruna, the Minister drew

attention to the breakthrough in the Telecommunications Industry, saying, “what is about to happen in the power sector will dwarf that of the Telecoms’”.

He also stated that the President would be performing the commissioning ceremony of Geometric, Aba, the first independent power project in the country.

In his response, the Chairman of IPPAN, Professor Jerry Gana called for urgent government intervention in area of challenges faced by IPPAN to fast track the development of power plant projects being undertaken by its members.

N

o one likes to work with someone who is a fake. For people to trust that you’re being genuine, they need to know where you stand.

Here are two ways to be sure you’re being true to yourself and connecting with others: * Have a point of view. Know your stances on major work issues and be open and willing to engage in conversations about them. To have leadership presence, others

need and want to know where you stand — they don’t want to have to guess or be blindsided midstream. * Be transparent about your position. Know the difference between navigating the political waters of your organization and actually ecoming the politics itself. Get support for your initiatives but be clear about what you are doing, why you are doing it, and how you are doing it.

PAGE 20

Moeny market Company News

US consumer sentiment weakens in August

U

nited States consumers, bracing for higher interest rates and slightly slower economic growth, were a bit less optimistic in August as sentiment retreated from last month’s six-year high, a survey released on Friday showed. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan’s preliminary reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment slipped to 80.0 from 85.1 in July,…

FG services debts with N136bn in three months

T

he Federal Government spent N136.77bn on servicing its domestic and external debts in the first three months of this year. The amount is contained in the Budget Monitoring and Evaluation report prepared by the Budget Office of the Federation for the Federal Ministry of Finance. A copy of the report, jointly signed by the Minister…

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Domestic debt market attracts $5.112 billion

Stories by NGOZI ONYEAKUSI, LAGOS

D

ebt Management Office (DMO) over the weekend hinted that, the domestic debt market attracted $5.112billion from foreign investors holding federal government securities at the end of December 2012, against $500million as at end-January of 2012.

Director-General of DMO, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, made the disclosure at a retreat for member of Financial Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) held in Lagos, titled: “Opportunities for the Private Sector from Public Debt Management Achievements.”

Nwankwo noted that the domestic debt market move have yielded increase in the relative share

of foreign investors’ holding in government securities, while foreign investors accounted for near zero percent in Q1 of 2011, their share had increased to 19.52per cent as at the end of 2012.

He stated that with the historic Paris and London Club exit, the Office had continued to explore the domestic debt management strategy to raise finance in meeting government’s borrowing needs at prudent degree of risks.

According to him, federal government was not crowding out private sector as DMO would continue to create more borrowing space for other domestic borrowers to access funds in the local market, which addresses the risk of crowding-out the private sector.

The DG said the debt office worked

to establish a viable competitive presence in International Capital Market (ICM) via its debut offer of $500million 10-year 6.75per cent Sovereign Eurobond issuance, closely followed by the successful issuance of a $1billion dual-tranche bond offered July, 2013.

He noted that massive opportunities have been created for the private sector for raising long-term debt instruments for long-term investment in real sector, infrastructure and development of finance industry, even as some of these firms have leveraged on these opportunities in both domestic bond market and international capital market.

“In response to the favourable domestic market environment created, 20 Nigerian Corporates have raised long-term capital for over

N200billion from the domestic debt market between 2005 and 2012 to fund development of the real sector.

Opportunities exist for growth in terms of number and diversity of debt issuers, range of instruments, size and investor base”.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, in March 2013, issued Naira denominated debt instrument worth $76million in the domestic debt market and thereby established a benchmark for other international bond issuers to tap the growing Naira bond market.

In responsetothecreationofSovereign Benchmark in the IFC Nwankwo emphasized that four Nigeria banks have taken due advantage to issue $1.45billion between January, 2011 and July, 2013.

Navy, NSCDC seek stiffer penalty for oil thieves

T

he Nigerian Navy and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have advocated a stiffer punishment for oil thieves.

The nation, which is losing over $7bn (N1.13tn) in revenue annually to oil theft, has continued to battle the menace.

The two security agencies said inappropriate sanction posed greater hindrance to the fight against oil theft

Security: China probes IBM, Oracle, EMC

C

hina’s Ministry of Public Security and a cabinet-level research centre are preparing to investigate IBM Corporation, Oracle Corporation and EMC Corporation over security issues, the official Shanghai Securities News said on Friday. The report follows revelations by former United States spy agency contractor Edward Snowden of widespread surveillance, including a program known as PRISM, by…

Okonjo-Iweala, Johnson lead NSE’s listing drive The Federal Government has intensified efforts to get more companies, especially those in the telecoms and oil and gas sectors, listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said this when she visited the Exchange in company with the Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs…

L-R: Director, Africa programme, Woodrow Wilson international centre for scholars, Steve Mcdonald, Deputy Governor (financial system stability), Central Bank of Nigeria and keynote speaker, Dr. Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu, and Assistant prof. school of international service, American university, Washington DC, Carl Levan, during woodrow wilson international centre for scholars event titled “Africa as last frontier: why it matters in the world economy”, last thursday in washington DC, USA

IFC supports Nigerian power sector with 1, 500 MW grid

I

nternational Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group has affirmed its plans to support investments that will add 1,500 megawatts of power generation capacity to the Nigerian national grid and provide electricity for to 8.0 million households over the next 18 months.

The corporation has already signed a mandate to provide financing to mobilize funds for one power generation company, and aims to provide similar support for two more with plans to support up to three power distributions companies.

These projects will add 1,500 MW to Nigeria’s grid and are part of the World Bank Group’s intervention in the sector which is built into the Energy Business Plan, even as it also considering participation in a gas-

to-power project.

Under the Energy Business Plan, each World Bank Group institution will leverage its competencies and products to provide solutions to projects that encourage their viability and contribute to the sustainability of the power sector.

IFC will provide project structuring and investments along with tailormade packages of risk mitigation instruments that include World Bank Partial Risk Guarantees and MIGA political risk insurance.

Jean Philippe Prosper, IFC Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and The Caribbeaan, said, “The Federal Government of Nigeria has demonstrated strong commitment to successful implementation of the power sector reform so that all the pieces of a sustainable power sector are coming

together.

The World Bank Group has put together an Energy Business Plan that will allow IFC, the World Bank and MIGA to help address key project structuring issues and boost power supply to Nigerians. IFC and the other institutions of the World Bank Group are committed to supporting Nigeria with targeted interventions in the power sector that facilitate demonstration projects and boost investor confidence and contribute to better living standards”.

The Federal Government of Nigeria estimates that a $10 billion (N1.6trillion) in annual investment is required for infrastructure development in Nigeria to achieve its target of 40,000 MW generation capacities by 2020.

IFC is actively supporting this goal, by structuring projects to

attract commercial financing which will assist Nigeria in leveraging its scarce budget resources and mobilize private investment towards improving infrastructure in Nigeria.

Increased power capacity is an important priority for the World Bank Group because it has been identified as a major constraint to economic development.

Nigeria has a population of over 160 million, two thirds of which face limited access to electricity, offering enormous potential for growth in its power sector. Strong demand for increased power is already demonstrated by urban consumers who pay the equivalent of more than 35 US cents per kilowatt hour on self-generated power, well above the average cost of power generated by commercial power projects.

PEOPLES DAILY,MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Capital market PAGE 21

Dangote to invest $2.5bn in building plants, import terminals across Africa

Stories by NGOZI ONYEAKUSI, LAGOS

…as Ethiopia gov. lauds Dangote’s new Cement plant

angote Group has disclosed of plans to invest more than $2.5billion to build manufacturing plants and importation of terminals across Africa.

The plan by Africa conglomerate to construct import terminals comes as government of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia praised the effort of the President of the Group, Aliko Dangote for citing cement plant in Ethiopia

The commendation, conveyed through a letter from the government of Ethiopia to the President of Dangote Group; Aliko Dangote came on the heels of a similar appreciation by the government of Tanzania over the recent ground breaking ceremony of the $500 million worth 3m mtpa cement factory at Mtwara, Tanzania by the leading cement manufacturer.

Dangote Cement had launched a 2.5m mtpa plant in Mugher,

D

Adaberga District in Ethiopia, with a pledge by the company to ensure that it is completed on schedule.

The Ethiopian government in a letter to Dangote and signed by the State Minister of Industry, Tadesse Haile, said it was happy with steady progress being recorded at the plant construction site and stressed the determination of the government to do all possible to ensure the construction continues unhindered.

“We received the project progress

report from your office and it was a pleasure for us to see the remarkable progress being made by your esteemed organization in the setting up of this prestigious project”, the letter read in part.

According to the letter, the Dangote Cement plant has become a successful reference point in the government’s task of luring foreign investors to come and do business in the country, saying the success of Dangote cement will be a boost to the country’s search for more investors and the overall creation of employment opportunities.

He said, “ministry of Industry is proud to showcase the project to prospective investors as a show case of successful foreign investment in Nigeria. It is commendable that the project is transforming the region and has generated employment opportunities to a large section of the local population.”

Appreciating Dangote Group’s investment, he called on Aliko Dangote to explore other investment opportunities in the country adding that the Ministry of Industry will offer full support to ensure the realization of the projects.

CSCS deploys SWIFT messaging system

Oyo state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (right), carrying the child of a trader, during his visit to the newly inaugurated scout market camp, last friday in Ibadan.

Major losses dragged down indicators by 2.77%

M

ajor losses recorded in the share prices of 10 stocks quoted on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) last week dragged down the twin market indicators, the All Share Index and the market capitalization.

The NSE All-Share Index sheds 2.77% to close on Friday at 36,986.94 while the market capitalization of the listed equities on the main board also depreciated by 2.77% to close at N11.714 trillion.

Also, the NSE 30 Index depreciated by 2.96% to close at 1,733.02.

All the indices depreciated during the week with the exception of NSE Insurance Index that appreciated by 0.05%. The NSE Consumer Goods, NSE Banking, NSE Oil/Gas, NSE-Lotus II, NSE Industrial Goods shed 3.59%, 2.46%, 3.88%, 4.60% and 3.52% respectively while NSE-ASeM closed flat .

Moreover, a turnover of 1.835 billion shares worth N23.956 billion in 26, 146 deals were traded by investors in contrast to a total of 1.097 billion shares valued at N9.104 billion that exchanged hands in 17,076 deals

the previous week.

Review of activity in the market showed that the Financial Services sector (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 1.277 billion shares valued at N15.598 billion traded in 14,449 deals; contributing 69.58%, 65.11% and 55.26% to the total equity turnover volume, value and number of deals respectively.

The Natural Resources sector followed with a turnover volume of 224.098 million shares worth N114.854 million in 49 deals contributing 12.21%, 0.48% and 0.19% to the total equity turnover volume, value and number of deals respectively. The Consumer Goods sector came third with 95.541 million shares worth N5.244 billion in 5,064 deals.

Trading in the top three equities namely Zenith Bank Plc, Multiverse Plc and FBN Holdings Plc (measured by turnover volume) accounted for 735.331 million shares worth N10.078 billion in 4,613 deals contributing 40.08%, 42.07% and 17.64% to the total equity turnover volume, value and deals respectively.

Seventeen (17) equities appreciated in prices during the week lower

than thirty five (35) equities of the preceding week. Sixty-three (63) equities depreciated in prices higher than fifty one (51) equities of the preceding week, while one hundred and fourteen (114) equities remained constant higher than one hundred and eight (108) equities of the preceding week.

Jos International Breweries led the gainers table in per centage terms, appreciating by 43.21 per cent or N0.35 kobo to close at N1.60 kobo, Trans-Nationwide Express Plc followed with a gain of 41.89 per cent or N0.31 kobo to close at N1.05 kobo while Champion Breweries Plc gained 32.17 per cent or N4.71 kobo to close at N19.35 kobo.

Other stocks that recorded price appreciation were Multi-Trex Integrated Foods Plc 20.00 per cent, Wapic Insurance Plc 14.29 per cent, UACN Property Development Company Limited9.42 per cent, AG.Leventis Nigeria Plc 7.69 per cent, Guinness Nigeria Plc 5.99 per cent Mansard Insurance Plc 4.59 per cent, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc 3.70 per cent.

On the contrary, Courtevelle

Business Solutions Plc toped the losers chart in percentage terms, declining by 22.47 per cent or N0.20 kobo to close at N0.69 kobo, Cutix Plc trailed with a loss of N18.55 per cent or N0.41 kobo to close at N1.80 kobo while Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Plc depreciated by 17.28 per cent or N0.14 kobo to close at N0.67 kobo.

Other stocks that recorded price depreciation were PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc which loss 14.64 per cent, NPF Micro Finance Bank Plc, Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc 11.90 per cent, Costain WA Plc 11.11 per cent, Ashaka Cement Plc 10.17 per cent, Vono Products Plc 10.14 per cent, May & Baker Nigeria Plc 10.11 per cent.

Traded during the week were 268 units of NewGold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) valued at N561, 182.00 executed in 4 deals compared with a total of 40 units valued at N81, 440.00 transacted last week in 1 deal.

Also, 5,800 units of FGN bonds valued at N4.833 million were traded during the week in 9 deals in contrast to 585 units valued at N640, 467.91 transacted last week in 6 deals.

The Central Securities Clearing System plc (CSCS) an arm of the Nigerian Stock Market, NSE has adopted Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) messaging system to enhance transactions in the market.

SWIFT provides a communication gateway that enables financial institutions worldwide to send and receive information about financial transactions in a secure, standardized and reliable environment.

This internationally recognized messaging system, which adds to the Company’s existing traditional Data Exchange Platform, will definitely elevate CSCS channels of communication with its Participants particularly Custodians.

Speaking on the innovation, the Managing Director, CSCS, Mr. Kyari Bukar said the Company is excited at the realization of this achievement and he further noted that SWIFT will undoubtedly guarantee the integrity of the message channel between CSCS and Participants through a safer and trusted platform. He also noted that given the rapid growth being witnessed in the market and the continued increase of foreign investor’s participation in the Nigerian Capital Market, there was never a more opportune time than now to implement usage of the SWIFT Platform.

Speaking on this issue, the Head of Operations, CSCS, Mr Mekiliuwa also reiterated the MD’s views about the integrity and reliability of SWIFT. He noted that foreign investors’ confidence would be assured and information and data transmitted amongst CSCS and its Participants will be further protected.

Also speaking on the development, custodians in the capital market said this achievement is a welcome development.

According to the President, Association of Assets Custodians of Nigeria (AACN), Mr. Segun Sanni, the deployment of SWIFT is a significant new development that would translate into a steep change in volume growths and general market fortunes.

PAGE 22

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Business

FG needs $1tn to curb oil theft, clean-up Niger-Delta Ayodele Samuel,Lagos

S

pecial Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman Presidential Amnesty Programme , Kingsley Kuku has estimated the cost of restoring Niger Delta environment to over one trillion dollars ($1tn) just as he dismissed current figure being brandied as stolen oil.

Speaking in Lagos at the conference on ‘oil theft and Illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta, Kuku said the region has witnessed phenomenal environmental degradation not just

coming from oil exploration alone but those arising from illegal bunkering and oil theft.

“No one has calculated the cost of restoring the environment, but extrapolating from the cost of restoring aquatic life in the Gulf of Mexico following the BP Gulf Coastal spill in 2010, the cot to the Niger Delta will amount to more than one trillion US Dollars ($1 trillion).”

He said the concern had been on the estimate of oil loss and pipeline repairs and its attendant economic challenges but no one has actually

given thought to the fundamental damages to the environment which is threatening the traditional livelihood of the people.

Kuku lamented the impact of the activity to the region which he said has affected living standards of the people causing serious health implications and appealed for a concerted effort to stop the act.

He said oil theft has become the biggest threat to the economy and is still thriving despite spirited effort of government to end it.

He called for community support

in fighting the menace just as he commended the security agencies for foiling most of the attacks, detecting and destroying illegal refineries in the region.

Kuku said community support in the fight is obviously required at the moment before the thieves transform into a formidable deadly mix like drug or arms gang.

Kuku observed that the estimated 400,000 barrels of oil per day loss in the industry may not have captured actual loss as most commentary and literature on oil theft laid emphasis on the cost to

L-R: Chairman, Panel of discussants, Professor Godwin G. Darah, Special Adviser to the President on the Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley K. Kuku, and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba, during the conference on oil theft and illegal bunkering at the Niger Delta, recently in Lagos. Photo: Olawale Rotimi

Experts commend strategies of NSC board to assist shippers

S

ome maritime experts have commended the governing board of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) for mapping out strategies to reduce problems at the ports.

The experts gave the commendation in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday.

Mr Olu Akinsoji, a marine engineer, said that the Board of the NSC already

had plans and policies that would impact positively on the industry.

Akinsoji, a former Sole Administrator of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron, Akwa Ibom, urged the board to always seek experts’ views on ways to assist the NSC to achieve its objectives.

Chief Kunle Folarin, the Chairman, Port Consultative Council (PCC), said that collaboration between the new board and the management staff

of the NSC would bring about better understanding. ``The collaboration will enable them to appreciate the mandate of the council. ``This is a good beginning, but I hope they will sustain it to achieve the aims the council is set for,’’ Folarin told NAN. Mr Jonathan Nicol, the General Secretary, Lagos State Shippers’ Association, said the association

would assist the council in creating several avenues for shippers to operate.

Nicol said that currently over 98 vessels were waiting to berth in Lagos ports with various cargoes that were generated by the shippers.

He appealed to government to create enabling environment that would enable the Nigerian ports to achieve 24-hour cargo clearance target.

(NAN)

the Nigerian economy which he said was huge.

FAAN gives tanker drivers 48 hours to relocate to new site The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), has given tanker drivers parking along the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, 48 hours to relocate to the new site provided by the agency.

Regional Manager (RM), South-West of the agency, Mr Edward Olarerin, gave the order over the weekend at a stakeholders meeting between FAAN, security agents and oil marketers.

He said that the order was given in lieu of the security challenges confronting the country.

Olarerin said that the agency would not tolerate the four-year tenure the oil marketers were requesting at their current site. ``Why the presidency descends on us heavily is because of national security and the airport is one of the major focuses of the government. ``The directive from Abuja is that we must move everybody out urgently. ``Most of the tankers at the old site are broken down and these vehicles can be use by miscreant for illegal activities. ``The oil marketers should understand the position we are now-- security and safety. ``Any truck found there after two-day of the directive will be arrested,” he said.

He said that the airport was the gateway to the nation, hence, ``anybody visiting the country passing through the road will see us as unserious. ``The new site is behind the bus park at the Hajj Camp, along the MMIA road. ``The place is well compacted now and ready to be used. It is better than where they were before,” Olarerin said.(NAN)

NIPP plant: NCP prequalifies 82 consortia to RFP stage

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

he joint Meeting of the National Council on Privatization (NCP) and the Board of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, (NDPHC) have prequalified 82 of the 110 consortia that earlier expressed interest in the acquisition of 80% equity in the 10 NIPP power plants jointly owned by the Federal, State and Local Governments.

The approval came at the second meeting of both NCP and NDPHC which held last Monday,

statement by Bureau of ublic Enterprises (BPE) announced.

Among the 82 consortia prequalified to move to the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage of the transaction include, Omotosho Electric Energy Company, SEPCO-Pacific Energy Partners Limited, PPN Power Generating Company Ltd; AFC and Globeleq Consortium and Spark Generation Power Company It will be recalled that at the close of the deadline for the submission of expressions of interest (EOIs) by prospective investors on 19 July, 110 consortia submitted

expressions of interest.

Two evaluation teams were thereafter constituted to evaluate the submissions based on the approved guidelines.

The guidelines provided that to be technically qualified, bidders must show evidence of experience in operating at least 300 MW of thermal generation plant for at least three years and to be deemed financially qualified, meet a tangible net worth threshold of $100-$200 million depending on the size of plant they wish to be prequalified for, among other requirements.

Following the evaluation, 82 of the 110 submissions were successful and have been approved to continue to the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage The Joint Board equally approved the issuance of the request for proposals (RFP) to the prequalified bidders from the 19th of August.

Joint Board further approved the recommendation of the Joint Technical Transaction Committee (JTTC) to allow Technical Services Providers (TSP), with no equity stake in the consortia, to participate in the privatization process with as many

bidders as it chooses.

The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) are partners in the joint sale transaction process for the sale of the 10 power plants. While NCP and the BPE are legally authorized to sell Federal Government’s 47% shares, NDPHC has the authorization of the States and LGA’s to sell 53% of their shares.

The joint meeting was chaired

by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo.

PAGE 24

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

The Tony Anenih I know Dear Leader, A day to your 80th birthday celebration on Sunday, 4th August, 2013, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, my brother and friend the Executive Governor of Jigawa state, Alhaji (Dr.) Sule Lamido reminded me of the suggestion I made that we (the G5 PDP governors) need to attend the event to share and congratulate you on this most memorable and historic event. This is because of your outstanding leadership qualities and nationalistic credentials in party affairs and governance.

He also told me, to my delight, that you have requested that I should make a remark on the occasion, which unfortunately I couldn’t attend but was represented by my deputy, His Excellency Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. The Deputy Governor also told me that you hoped that I attended the occasion personally. I thank you very much for this kind consideration.

Since the celebration of 80th birthday is, no doubt, a period of recalling history and telling of true life stories and experiences, let me also use the opportunity to recall not only my relationship with you, but also the little I know on your contribution to the development of our country’s democracy. However, first of all let me start by thanking the Almighty Allah for sparing your life these past 80 years and for giving you good health.

If I may recall, I knew you since the late 1980s when we formed the People’s Front (PF) political movement under the leadership of our Grand Leader, the late Gen. Shehu Musa ‘Yar’adua, the Tafidan Katsina, of blessed memory.

I must say that anytime I see you the memories of those days easily come to my mind and make me remember my senior colleagues in the then PF especially the late Senate President Chuba Okadigbo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Hon. Duben Onyia, Titi Ajanaku, Dr. Faruk Abdulaziz, the Tafidan Okene, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, Abu Shuluwa, Amb. Yahaya Kwande, Senator Hamisu Musa, Chief Yomi Edu and Sergent Awuse among many others too numerous to mention.

This also reminds me of the merger of the then PF and the People’s Solidarity Party (PSP) because that was when your leadership qualities became glaring and useful because your advice and strategy ensured that our group, the PDM, didn’t lose out in the leadership of the newly formed Social Democratic Party, SDP. It also reminds me of your role when I served in the SDP Presidential Screening Committee which was chaired by Chief John Oyegun, the former Executive Governor of Edo State. Among those that appeared before the committee for the screening were Mrs. Sara Jibril, the late Alhaji Sola Saraki, Chief Arthur Nzeribe, and the late Gen. Shehu ‘Yar’adua who, no doubt, outperformed the others and went ahead to win the party primaries. And when they (the primaries) were cancelled by the military leadership which almost snowballed into national crisis you were among those few who helped in the management of the crisis.

I must say that the story of the 1992 election of the principal officers of the then House of Representatives and how it was coordinated in the SDP where Chief Agunwa Anaekwe was elected Hon. Speaker and I, elected Deputy Speaker, cannot be told without the effort and strategy of the group which you were a prominent and important member of.

The Jos convention of the SDP is another story that cannot be told without your contribution. That was where the late Chief M. K. O. Abiola was elected and the challenges that followed the picking of Amb. Babagana Kingibe as Abiola’s running mate and making it a Muslim-Muslim ticket. Certainly, if not because people like you were part of the leadership that would have resulted into a major national crisis.

This led to the general election of 1993 where late Chief M. K. O. Abiola contested against Alhaji Bashir Tofa of the then National Republican Convention, NRC, in an election that was free and fair. It was due to the guidance and leadership qualities of people like you in our party that made Abiola to win that election not only in other parts of the country but even in Kano where Tofa came from.

I can also recall the crisis in the election of the National Working Committee members of the SDP in Jos which became inconclusive and had to be shifted to Abuja and concluded peacefully through the intervention of the leadership of which you were part of. Remember also the sleepless nights we had during the turbulent days of the SDP when the leaders were closely keeping their eyes on the party and the National Assembly fostering good relationship.

The Leader, I must reiterate, that your contribution to the evolution of democracy in our country deserves a special place when the story is being told. I can easily remember the crisis of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election because I was then the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. You may also recall that a day to the annulment i.e. on the 11th June, 1993, we had all converged on the residence of Chief M. K. O. Abiola to receive brief from Chief Abiola and the party leaders. Unfortunately, it was while we were meeting dead into the night that we received the news of the demise of Alhaji Musa ‘Yar’adua, the father of late Gen. Shehu ‘Yar’adua.

Immediately an advance party was asked to go to Katsina that night, while all the SDP governors, principal officers of the National Assembly and party officials (including your good self) left for Katsina by 6am.

It was after condoling with the ‘Yar’adua family, on our way back to the airport that we heard over the radio that the election of Chief M. K. O. Abiola had been annulled. It was at the Katsina airport that we analysed the situation and decided on the next line of action. Therefore, on reaching to Lagos we went straight to Chief Abiola’s house. All what followed is now history.

When the Interim National Government, ING, was formed everybody knew that was a difficult and trying period for the country and also for you personally as the leader of the SDP. Later when the Abacha coup came I must say that was also when your fine leadership qualities played out because you sided with the need to have stability in the country. You contributed immensely in the process of damage control.

During the 1995 Constitutional Conference you also made useful and far reaching contributions which, as an elected member myself I can testify. And it was through Gen. ‘Yar’adua’s foresight and your guidance that the PDM was formed. This movement everybody new became very strong and relevant in the evolution of multi party democracy in the political dispensation of this country.

Let me say that one important event that was difficult to forget in my memory is the death of the late Gen. Shehu ‘Yar’adua. Indeed, I cannot remember when I cried in the past 30 years but I did that day when I learnt about his death. Indeed, it was so painful knowing full well that the powers that be were not fair to him, (May his soul rest in perfect peace).

It is worthy of note that it was because of our relationship with Gen. ‘Yar’adua that our political movement, the PDM, was denied registration, therefore some of us that were young and strong decided to join the 5 other political parties (UNCP, GDM, DPN, CNP and Centre Party) to form the SDP. I was, however, in the DPN and that was the only period, if I can recall, when I didn’t know where The Leader, belonged. It is also interesting to note that the DPN was not the favourite party of the establishment but based on the National Assembly and local government elections held it was the party to beat in Kano under my leadership.

You can, therefore, see that the young have grown.

Surprisingly, with little consultation we found ourselves (you and I) in the same party, the PDP, once more. And by the grace of Almighty Allah, in 1998 in Kano we were able to establish formidable party structure where I contested as governor and won. We also had absolute majority in the state and national assemblies.

Unfortunately, in 2003, I am sure you will remember, you came to Kano couple of days to the elections to check our strategy and see how PDP could win the election.

Unfortunately, we lost not because we didn’t perform but because of the religious sentiments and the strained relationship between the then President and Vice President and above all the use of ethnic sentiments in the presidential contest. There is also the fact that for the first time in our history presidential and gubernatorial elections were fixed for same day and time.

After losing the election and became Minister of Defence and Presidential Adviser on Darfur and Somalia and later as member of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, representing Northwest Geo-political Zone we were still comparing notes, so to say.

Before I conclude “my remark” let me say that I am happy to have been opportuned to participate in your elections twice as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BOT, of our party, as a member of the Board myself. I remember on the day of the 2nd election you met us in the meeting of PDP Governors Forum and I told you that you were going to win the election since I knew the feelings of our fellow members.

Finally, let me say that it is with your guidance and counseling that we re-strategised and presented our credentials to the good people of Kano state who returned us to Signed government. While wishing you a very happy 80th birthday and many more years of good health for continued service to our country I must say that I feel sad to see that our Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE, party is facing more challenges now than ever before in its history. It is, therefore, time to benefit from your wisdom and wealth of experience again by coming out to fix our Exec. Governor of Kano State party, the PDP, back on track.

CHIEF TONY ANENIH, CFR

Iyasele of Esan Land Chairman, Board of Trustees Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Special Report

As Lagos creates database for economic planning...

The plan by the Lagos state government to register all residents of the state is meant to create a database for economic planning for the teeming populace of the state. Ayodele Samuel, reports that other states should emulate this.

W

ith an estimated population of about 20 million, Lagos state is faced with the problem of adequate planning for its teeming residents. The government right now cannot give an accurate figure of duly employed residents of the state, the number of artisans and traders among others; thus, the need for fresh registration of all residents in the state becomes imperative.

In 2011, Governor Babatunde Fashola came up with the idea of fresh registration for all residents living in the state. To this end, the governor sent a bill to the state’s House of Assembly to establish the Lagos state Residents’ Registration Agency (LSRRA), and for connected purposes.

LSRRA aims to develop a working database of all residents of Lagos state, with a view to providing better services to Lagosians. The underlying principle being that with such a database, the state agencies can plan and assess their programmes and

Gov Babatunde Fashola

services in a more scientific way.

The functions of the agency are: to create a reliable database of all residents in Lagos state with a view to providing useful information for social welfare, political, security, business, employment, financial activities, housing and demography statistics for health-related matters such as provision of health insurance and facilitating unified planning and implementation of development projects; Others include: to establish the relevant infrastructure for the creation of a residents’ information database for every resident of Lagos state with a view to producing residency cards for all residents of Lagos state, ensuring easy identification of residents, generating health statistics in the state for health insurance scheme, verifying compliance with relevant laws and regulations and providing reliable information for making policy planning and implementation.

The agency also has the objective to produce guidelines for data to be contained in the registration form and advise the government on mode of collecting data from the public.

Section 14 of the law states that “(1) as from the commencement of this law(i) every person residing in the state shall register with the agency within three months; (ii) any person who moves into a long term accommodation in the state after the commencement of this law shall, within 30 days of moving into the accommodation, register with the agency.

Section 14(2) adds that

a resident shall notify the agency of a subsequent change of name or address appropriately and that “(3) every landlord (individual or corporate) in the state shall notify the agency of any new resident in their premises and shall inform the person of the need to register with the agency.”

The agency is expected to issue a certificate of registration upon registering a resident in the state. For ease of administration, the agency will establish registration centres in the local government councils and local council development areas.

Since the signing of the LSRRA bill into law

by Fashola, the agency undertook a pilot project work by capturing the database of all civil servants in the state. The agency, in the next few months will begin capturing of database of all residents of Lagos for adequate planning and formulation of policies that will benefit the populace.

According to Governor Fashola, the registration is compulsory for all residents of the state, adding that the objective of the registration was to provide a database of all residents in the state for better planning and governance.

He said the government was also carrying out the exercise in view of the security concerns raised by the influx of illegal aliens into the state lately, adding that all residents, irrespective of ethnic background or other variables would be captured in the exercise as government had the responsibility to cater for everyone, regardless of where they come from.

“I use the word ‘residents’ deliberately and advisedly,

General Manager, Lagos state Residents’ Registration Agency, Ms. Yinka Fashola

because it applies to every person of whatever faith, colour or ethnic group, who is a Nigerian, and who lives in Lagos. The benefits will be immeasurable. I have received a number of text messages and emails expressing concern about the presence in our state of people categorised as aliens from other countries.

“Until such a time as we begin to provide identification, which this programme will do, it will be difficult to separate immigrants from residents, especially as I remain mindful of our treaty obligations regarding freedom of movement within the ECOWAS sub-region.

We had commenced a pilot registration exercise with the public servants to test-run the project before coming to the larger public,” he explained, adding that the card, apart from being used as identification, would also be used by residents to access government services.

A statement from the LSRRA said that the objective of the registration was to provide a database of all residents in the state for better planning and governance, saying that “over 21 million people are estimated to be living in Lagos and there would be need for government to have their data base in its record.

The registration exercise will be carried out in view of the security situation and the influx of illegal aliens into the state”.

The exercise was supposed to have begun in January 2013 but due to logistic reasons, it could not start. The exercise is expected to capture all residents, irrespective of ethnic background, as well as foreigners, including tourists.

This is because government has the responsibility to cater for everyone residing in Lagos, regardless of the state or country they came from.

At the end of the exercise, resident identity card would be issued to those captured during the exercise, to differentiate between legal residents and illegal immigrants. With this, it is expected that the state government would be able to accurately determine the overall resources required in formulating and implementing policies, projects and programmes, after the exercise.

In preparation for the commencement of its statutory responsibility of registering the residents of the state, LSRRA held an open day for the public and

An overpopulated area of Lagos civil servants in the state to intimate them of the coming residency registration and to garner their support for the success of the exercise.

General Manager of LSRRA, Ms. Yinka Fashola, said the residents registration is necessary, in order to provide government with an up-to-date database of all those who reside in the state, to ensure effective planning and resource allocation.

According to her, the agency had earlier organised stakeholders meetings across the five divisions of the state, stressing that another one was being planned for the captains of industries to ensure that everybody was included.

“The registration exercise is for everybody, including children residing in Lagos state irrespective of their age, tribe, religion, social status or nationality as long as they reside in Lagos state.

She revealed that, in

preparation for the actual registration exercise, LSRRA had commenced the process of employing 1,000 applicants as enrolment officers to be deployed across the state to register residents.

On whether people working in Lagos, but residing outside the state can participate in the registration, she said the laws establishing the agency was being considered to determine the eligibility of such registration.

“The registration exercise is free and compulsory for people residing in the state. The two methods of registration that would be employed are the on-line and direct registration by LSRRA staff. For either of the methods, the registration would not be complete without capturing the biometrics and digital image of the applicant and signature for adults, after which a

receipt of registration would be issued.

“The registration exercise is a continuous process due to those who may not be available to register during the direct registration exercise and for residents who might have travelled abroad can also register on-line and later come for bio-metrics registration

at LSSRA office when they return,” she explained.

According to her, “Mobile registration teams are being enabled to enroll all those that live in inaccessible areas, the physically-challenged and elderly, who might not be able to easily reach the registration stations. Mobile teams will also register organisations and other

“

Fashola added that sophisticated technological features, including finger prints, would be employed to authenticate and validate the registration process as well as the identity cards, which residents would be able to utilise in transactions with any government agency

business entities such as markets and factories that have large number of people on site so as not to disrupt their day to day activities.

We would however not carry out door-to-door service.”

“With the exercise, every resident will possess a highly secured unique identification card, which would also remove the veil of anonymity from every citizen of the state. The database will serve as a register that will contain all the demographic information of all residents of the state.”

Fashola added that sophisticated technological features, including finger prints, would be employed to authenticate and validate the registration process as well as the identity cards, which residents would be able to utilise in transactions with any government agency.

“It contains a unique reference number (residency number) that links every

individual to his or her own personal and biological data. The residency number serves as a reference for the prospective individual in his/her identity proved transactions with government bodies,” she explained.

She said 57 registration stations had been sited within the 20 local government areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA), urging residents to take advantage of the process.

“If you currently reside in Lagos, you are required to register. If you are newly taking up residency in the state and intend to stay for more than six months, you are also required to register.

Anyone who wishes to access the services provided by Lagos state will be asked to authenticate their residency and identity,” she added.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and

Technology, Mrs. Funmilayo Animashaun said the process was not to tax residents but to authenticate the users of Lagos state Government’s services and provide an authentic database to plan for the provision of such services. vice-chairman of the Lagos state House of Assembly Committee on Science and Technology, Gbolahan Yishau said the registration process, when completed would assist government in planning as well as allocating resources where it is needed.

“This process will allow government to determine the overall resources required to formulate and implement policies, projects and programmes when the number to cater for is known.

It will also allow for proper allocation of resources to the appropriate sectors of the economy to meet the needs of residents of the state,” he stated.

LAW

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY,AUGUST 19, 2013

The law versus the increasing rate of divorce in Nigeria

Against the backdrop of the growing rate of divorce in Nigeria, Sunday Ejike Benjamin, in this report, takes a look at the constitutional provision before the court that can separate man and woman as husband and wife.

To divorce a marriage means to declare that a man and a woman who had been validly married are no longer husband and wife.

D

ivorce proceedings are no longer instituted by old couples as was the practice in the past; these days, most divorce proceedings are instituted by young couples and one may seem to wonder why young people seem to be rushing out of the marriage.

Many lawyers have given reasons, such as poverty and the inability of couples to determine if they really are meant for one another, as responsible for the growing rate of divorce in Nigeria.

To divorce a marriage means to declare that a man and a woman who had been validly married are no longer husband and wife. To annul a marriage denotes declaring that certain conditions were not met before a man and a woman get “married,” and therefore, the union was null and void from the beginning.

Divorce (and re-marriage) can be permitted, based strictly on the condition of infidelity. If one of the partners is unfaithful, it’s up to the other partner to remain in the union or walk away in divorce. If divorce has occurred for any reason other than infidelity, the optimum solution is reconciliation and restoration of the marriage.

That is to say that couples who divorced on grounds not associated with infidelity are not Biblically allowed to remarry other people. The only solution is to remain single, or be reconciled with their spouse.

A marriage is annullable if the marriage has been essentially invalid from the beginning. A declaration of nullity may be required from a designated authority to establish this, a declaration that a marriage never existed even though a ceremony took place.

Certain conditions could make a “marriage” annullable; for instance, there must be unprotected intimate intercourse within a period from the date of exchange of marital vows. If,

for no good reason, one of the partners refuses to have intimate relations within the period, the aggrieved partner can call for annulment.

Impotence and marriage under duress may make a marriage annullable. For example, you see a woman or their family threatening to deal with a man that he must marry their daughter because he has made her pregnant, or a woman claiming to be pregnant to the groom.

Another reason that can make a marriage annullable is if a woman married a mentally unstable person; such a marriage would be considered invalid because the groom would be unable to understand the institution of marriage because of his mental insufficiency. In that case, neither he nor his “wife” was truly married.

Other reasons include blood relations, unauthorized marriage and deceit, that is if one of the partners deceived the other partner, maybe by withdrawing some vital information necessary for the other partner to take the decision whether to get married to the person or not. For example, a woman’s genotype is AS, and the man’s own is also AS, but the woman conspired with the doctor and gave the impression that she is AA. If the man marries the woman and later discovers the truth, he can, if he so wishes, calls for annulment.

Whilst it is the expectation of all parties that marriage should not be rushed into, at the same time it is the expectation of society that parties should not rush out of marriage at the slightest discovery of discomfort or incompatibility. It is for this reason that as a general rule, divorce proceedings cannot be instituted within two years of the solemnization of a marriage.

There are exceptions however, where the divorce proceedings are based on facts of willful and persistent refusal to consummate the mar-

riage, adultery, commission of rape, sodomy or bestiality.

Quite apart from these exceptions, leave of Court could be obtained to institute proceedings within two years of marriage, where it is shown that to refuse the leave would expose exceptional hardship on the Applicant or that the case is one involving exceptional depravity on the part of the other party to the marriage. Under this exceptional hardship rules are cases such as when the husband committed adultery with the wife’s cousin and infected her with venereal disease.

There is only one ground for dissolution of marriage under our laws.

A petition for a decree of dissolution of the marriage may be presented to the Court by either party to the marriage, on the grounds that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.

The Court hearing a petition for a decree of dissolution of marriage shall hold the marriage to have broken down irretrievably if, but only if the Petitioner satisfied the Court of one or more of the following facts: that the Respondent has willfully and persistently refused to consummate the marriage; that the Respondent has committed adultery and the Petitioner finds it intolerable to live with the Respondent.

Others include: that since the marriage the Respondent has behaved in such a way that the Petitioner cannot reasonably be expected to live with the Respondent; that the Respondent has deserted the Petitioner for a continuous period of at least one year immediately preceding the presentation of the petition and that the parties to the marriage have lived apart for a continuous period of at least two years immediately preceding the presentation of the Petition for divorce and the Respondent does not object to a decree being granted.

Other reasons the court will con-

sider in dissolving a marriage are: that the other party to the marriage has, for a period of not less than one year failed to comply with a decree or restitution of conjugal rights made under the Matrimonial Causes Act and that the other party to the marriage has been absent from the Petitioner for such time and in such circumstance as to provide reasonable grounds for presuming that he or she is dead.

There is further provision in the law that proofs that for a period of seven years immediately preceding the date of the Petition, the other party was continually absent from the Petitioner, and the Petitioner has no reason to believe that the other party was alive at anytime during the staid period is enough to ground a divorce.

It is to be noted that the power of the Court to compel maintenance of a child is generally limited to a child under twenty-one years old.

The Court is also invested with the power to settle property on parties to a marriage The Court settling such property would consider what is just and equitable in the circumstance of each case. The property to be settled may be owned by one or both spouses.

There is also provision in the Law for lump sum payment where a spouse has sufficient capital resource available for lump sum payment; an order may be made such that the spouse would be awarded capital which may be invested to provide income in the future.

According to a legal practitioner, Adedunmade Onibokun, a party to a marriage may present a petition for dissolution of marriage to the court on the grounds that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.

The court, on the other hand, shall hold that the marriage has broken down only if the petitioner can prove the facts that the other party has willfully and persistently refused to consummate the marriage (that is, refused to have sex), that the other party, since the beginning of the marriage has committed adultery and the petitioner finds it intolerable to live with and that the other party has behaved in such a way that the petitioner cannot be expected to live with them.

He added that a marriage can be dissolved by a competent court of jurisdiction if a party can prove that the other party deserted the petitioner for a continuous period of at least one year, that both parties have lived apart for a period exceeding two years.

The legal practitioner added that the above conditions are not exhaustive and advised young Nigerians to get married for the right reasons and ignore the allure of the other party’s wealth or even peer and societal pressure because divorce proceedings in Nigeria will soon explode exponentially.

Reasons for disolving a marriage must conply with the Motrimonial Causes Act.

Education

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, JULY 22, 2013

PAGE 27

Poor funding responsible for UNI Abuja accreditation crisis-Senate Committee

By Maryam Garba Hassan

T

he Senate Committee on Education has attributed the lingering crisis rocking the University of Abuja to poor funding by the Federal Government that owns the institution.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who made this remark when he led other members of the Committee on oversight function to the University, said the institution ought to have attracted special funding by the government in view of its strategic location in the Federal Capital Territory.

He, however, said going by the efforts of the management, the University was on the way to overcoming the serious challenges that had hindered it from realising its potential adding that the three programmes that had faced accreditation problems which had been a dent on the image of the University in recent times have either overcome or were on the verge of overcoming their problems.

“In summary, the institution has negotiated the blind corner and seems to be in the way to fast growth,” Chukwumerije said.

It would be recalled that the three unaccredited programmes which were proscribed by the Federal government that led to unending crisis in the University are Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Engineering as a result of which some of the students of the programmes had stagnated for about eight years for four to five years programmes.

The Senate Committee Chair-

man said that the University of Abuja occupied a unique position in the Federal Capital Territory and therefore deserved priority attention in the national budget provisions.

On whether the University would be considered for a special financial grant in view of its peculiar challenges, Senator Chukwumerije said the Committee normally recommend special provisions for special challenges observed during such visits and that will be done for the institution.

He said in terms of its general status as the only university domiciled in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it will always have special attention in the budget.

He said while responding to a welcome address by the Vice chancellor of the University, Professor James Adelabu that the Senate Committee on Education should be seen as a partner in progress of tertiary institutions adding that their oversight visit should not be seen as a witchhunt but rather a welcome opportunity for both sides to discuss any progress and grey areas with a view to finding solutions to the problems of the institution.

He said that the committee appreciated the peculiar challenges of the University but stressed the need to lift the university far above its present level because it was the cynosure of all eyes and therefore a ready reference point by first time visitors to the country.

Chukwumerije, said the posi-

Zinariya int’l sch graduates 46, awards parents, outstanding staff

By Maryam Garba Hassan

Z

inarriya International School, Maraba, Nasarawa state at the weekend graduated eleven students from its secondary section and awarded some of its staff for their outstanding performances in various categories.

The school management also recognised some parents for their years of patronage, prompt payment of their wards’ school fees.

Wife of the FCT Minister and proprietress of the school, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed, said the school will by next academic session introduce programmes such as fish farming, gardening and poultry with the aim of addressing the problem of unemployment among Nigerian teeming youths.

Speaking at the school’s Speech and Prize Giving Day and the launch of the school magazine” the Focal Point” Director of the school, Abdulmalik Abdallah said the school which started with four students 5 years ago, this year graduated 32 out of which 11 were from the secondary section and registered with the WAEC, NECO and NBTE adding that arrangement are in top gear to accredit the school for

JAMB by next academic year.

Abdallah further explained that the school is making arrangement to start assisting its students to gain admission into various Universities of their choices by next year.

In his key note address, the school PTA Chairman Malam Marafa Mohammed, commended the school for the introduction of moral lesion as part of its curriculum which he described as a “unique invention” to address the issue of moral decadence in the society and urged parents to indulge in the programme.

He called on parents to create time to visit the school once in every term to assess the students and the progress the school is making.

Representative of the FCT Minister and Managing Director, FCT Broadcasting Corporation, Malam Abbas Hassan who commended the school management for their curriculum and extra curriculum activities, said with the presentations made by the students, the future of the nation is a bright one.

He called on parents to ensure that they give quality education to their wards.

tion of the university placed far greater responsibility on it than on other universities in the projection of the country’ image to foreign visitors.

Prof. Adelabu told the committee of the efforts made by the university management to rectify the defects observed in the three new programmes which were now set to resume full academic activities adding that despite its

travails of recent, the university had excelled in other spheres of academics.

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) had recently given indications that the Medical programme of the University would soon take-off in view of the structures and personnel already put in place by the University authorities.

The Council which reserved

the result of the verification visit because of what is described as “high level interest”, clearly showed that the University was ready for full commencement of its College of Health Sciences.

Accordingly, the University has taken over the Gwgwalada Specialist Hospital, which it has renamed as University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja as part of requirement for running of the medicalprogramme.

The Council’s verification team led by Prof. Francis .C. Akpuaka expressed satisfaction with the facilities and quality of academic staff put in place for the take-off the medical programme.

L-R: President, National Associations of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Comrade Sani Suleiman, President, Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Comrade Ladi Iliya, Vice-President, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Comrade Alfred Jimoh, and the Deputy President, NASU, Comrade Sunday Adeyemi, during the unions joint press briefing on unfulfilled agreement between the union and Federal Government, on Friday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Muslim Community Centre graduates 54 students

By Abbas Aminu Bamalli

T

he Muslim Community Centre, Abuja (MCC) has celebrated its 16th joint Speech and Price Given Day and the presentation of the 16th edition of the school magazine ‘the learner’.

The joint speech and price given day which held in Abuja at the weekend comprises of the 5 schools under the MCC, Fou’ad Lababidin Islamic Academy, College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Fou’ad Nursery and Primary School, Institute of Education and Tahfeezul Qur’an programme.

In his speech, the Principal of Fou’ad Lababidi Islamic Academy, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu Kperogi, said the schools has graduated 54 students and the academic performance of the students has been encouraging as it reflected in their WAEC and NECO results.

Kperogi said, with the type of moral, spiritual and academic discipline imparted on the students throughout their study period the sky will be a starting point for them as they have been groomed to compete favourably with their peers.

“In our drive to achieve our target of 100% academic excellence, we have introduced an assignment control unit to help keep the students engaged in meaningful venture in and out of the school” he stated.

In his remarks, Chairman

governing board of the Centre, Sen. U. K Umar, represented by Prof. Isma’il Taiga said the centre has facilitates the conduct of numerous activities for the unity and development of the Muslim Ummah and the nation, such as headquarters of the committee of FCT Imams, Muslim Da’awah groups, funeral rites, collection and distribution of Zakkat and Sadaqah, and counseling and dispute resolution service.

He said the centre has evolved a reward policy for teachers whose students’ performed very well in their WAEC and NECO exams to encourage excellent performance, adding that it organised a four day workshop on capacity building for all its teaching staff aimed at im-

proving the quality of their teachers in various areas.

“In our continued efforts and desire to satisfy the yearnings of the Umma and the nation, we have taken some good steps to establish a university for which a planning committee has been established”. He stated.

Representing the head of service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, a Permanent Secretary at the civil service commission, Alhaji Sani Saulawa Bala, commended the MCC for their activities which make great impact on the lives of the students and the civil servants, describing the centre as a centre of excellent in producing excellent and highly talented graduates.

Jigawa Varsity to commence academic activities soon From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

F

ollowing the National University Commission’s (NUC) recognition of the newly established Jigawa state University, the state government is to recruit academic and non- academic staff for the state University located in Kafin Hausa.

The Commissioner for Education Science and Technology Prof. Haruna Wakili who made this known while commenting on the recent recognition of the University by the NUC, said the

2013/2014 academic session of the University will commence by the end of the year.

Prof. Wakili stated that the second phase project of the University will soon be awarded after the recruitment of the academic and non -academic staff of the University adding that program on applied science, education and humanity will also commence.

The commissioner assured that the state government will continue to support the institution to achieve it desired objectives.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 28

Education

wallybabe2010@gmail.com, 08050639900

51 Kwara Poly programmes accredited – Rector … To host conference of Rectors, Heads of Technical Colleges From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

T

he Rector of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Alhaji Masu'd Elelu, has disclosed that out of 54 programmes of the Institution, 51 has been accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

Elelu who confirmed this development on Tuesday at the Press Conference held in

the Institution, said the Board is satisfied with some of it programmes and would endorse the rest of the programmes soon.

The Rector also disclosed that the ultra-modern e-library of the institution has reached 85 per cent completion adding that when completed would put an end to challenges faced by the students in the area of research since1972 when it was established.

He said that the institution will play

host to all Rectors and Heads of Technical Colleges across the country this coming Wednesday, stressing that the school got the nod to host the event as a result of peace and stable in the academic Calendar of the institution.

He said the Registrar of JAMB and National Executive Association of National Accountants (ANA) would also attend the

conference.

Speaking on the challenges faced by the Institution, the Rector disclosed that accommodation, transportation and security are major challenges the institution is working hard to address.

He added that the institution and community leaders around the school are collaborating along with security agencies to tighten security in the school.

Why w e a r e not on s t r ike –S SANU nat i onal p re s i d e n t

ASUU strike: Kwara Board urges parties to consider students’ plight

N

ational President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Comrade Samson Ugwoke, has explained why the association did not join the strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) despite sharing similar demands.

Ugwoke at the 22nd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Association at the University of Abuja, on Thursday, said that the association was not just sitting down and doing nothing, but engaging the government in a different ways.

According to him, “We have different methods of fighting; we are thinking of solving problem, you don’t collapse the system because you are fighting for something. SSANU does not believe in that kind of style. We believe in the system of survival and sitting down to ensure government allocation is drawn to the system.

Strike has never been a good omen, but government should avoid strike by keeping to their agreements.”

He said he was hopeful that at the end of the dialogue with the government, the two would reach an understanding.

According to him, SSANU would only go on strike as the last resort, but at the moment, he said there was still enough room for dialogue.

“When we go on strike it is going to be total, nobody, not even the Vice Chancellor would be allowed any breathing space, so that is why we don’t just embark on it”, he said.

Also speaking, the president of SSANU, University of Abuja Chapter, Engr. Jude Nwabueze, said the SSANU meeting was the first meeting of NEC at the University of Abuja adding that it was meant to chart a formidable course for the association.

He expressed gratitude to the Vice Chancellor and management for their support and cooperation towards the successful hosting of the NEC Meeting.

Jude noted that even though the government had reneged on the 2009 agreement it signed with the Association, SSANU would continue to fight for the welfare and needs of its members in such a manner that it would not disrupt the system.

From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

T Grandaunds at the 8th convocation ceremony of Covenant University, recently, at Ota, in Ogun state.

Photo: Olawale Rotimi

Education stakeholders want improved SSCE results sustained

S

ome stakeholders in the education sector on Friday urged students to strive to improve on their performances in examinations without cheating.

They were reacting to the recently released results of the Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC), which indicated improved performance.

The stakeholders spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in interviews in Lagos.

Mr. Taiwo Soweto, Coordinator, Education Right Campaign, a non-governmental organisation, said that students should not be carried away by the impressive results but keep on improving.

Soweto said that governments still needed to do more to improve education standards and students’ performance.

He advised that the results should spur ministries of education to work harder.

Soweto said that the results also showed that Nigerian students would do better if adequate facilities were provided. ``There is nothing wrong

with our students; if they set their minds on something, they can get it, `` he said.

The National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria said that the improvement showed that Nigerian students were becoming more serious with studies.

The association’s Founder, Alhaji Babs Animasahun, told NAN that the results also indicated that teachers were committed to their duties. ``Everybody is a stakeholder, WAEC, governments, teachers, parents and students; we must do all we can to improve on the performance, `` he urged.

An official of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos State Chapter, Mrs Mariam Ikhabomeh, urged governments to do more to improve the education sector. `` We should not rejoice yet; there should be increase in facilities and the welfare of teachers. ``These will give us better performances,’’ Ikhabomeh, the auditor of the union, told NAN. She also urged more seriousness on the part of students.

Mrs. Gloria Ndukwe, proprietress, Glorious Jewis Academy, Ikotun, Lagos, appealed to ex-

amination bodies, teachers and parents to discourage examination malpractice.

She said students could score good grades without malpractice.

Mr. Clement Chukwurah, Programme Coordinator, Phoenix Educational Services, told NAN that the improved performance should motivate all stakeholders to develop the education sector.

NAN reports that in 2010\2011 SSCE, 1,351,557 candidates sat for the examination, while 39 per cent obtained credits in five subjects and above including English Language and Mathematics.

In the 2011/2012, 1,540,250 candidates sat for the examination, 838,314 candidates (38.9 per cent) obtained credits and above in Mathematics, while 838,314 candidates (55.34 per cent) obtained credit and above in English Language.

In 2012/2013, a total of 1,543,683 candidates sat for the examination, 889,636 candidates obtained six credits and above, while 1,074,065 others obtained five credits and above.

(NAN)

he Chairman of Kwara state scholarship board, Isiaka Mogaji, has appealed to both Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) to resolve their differences through meaningful dialogue to save the future of thousands of Nigerian students in various Universities.

Mogaji who made this appealed while speaking with Journalists in his office on Thursday noted that each time ASUU goes on strike, its count on students and parents who bears the pains.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had said that it cannot meet the N92billion ASUU is demanding even as the union has faulted government’s figure saying it demanded for N82 billion not N92b.

Mogaji said :"It is quite unfortunate that we don't usually have smooth academic programmes in this country and it always count on the future of our children.

"Because if the two bodies, employ dialogue, there is nothing dialogue cannot solve. I was made to believe this because when USA was contemplating on which language they should adopt as national language, it was resolved through meaningful dialogue. " When USA want to buy part of Germany now known as Texas, it was through dialogue. Like federal government has responsibilities to the society which it is protecting, ASUU also has that responsibility to the academic society. " So, the risk these students are going through from moving from one place to another are so enormous and parents bear the pains.

My candid opinion on this unabated industrial action is that, both federal government and ASUU should go back to dialogue and resolve their differences permanently”, he added.

Education

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 27

Before UBEC spends the N8.7bn on text books for primary, junior secondary schools

By Maryam Garba Hassan

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ecently, the Minister of Education Prof.

Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, announced that the Federal Government has approved N8.7billion for printing and distribution of about four million primary and junior secondary school text books and library resources materials nationwide.

According to the minister, the exercise for the production and distribution of the books in English language, Mathematics, Social sciences and Basic science and technology is expected to be completed in the next six weeks.

She said the books will be distributed among pupils in primary 1 to six and junior secondary school students in the nation by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). The project is to be funded through 15 percent of the Commission’s consolidated revenue.

Stakeholders have said for government to spend N8.7million on text books for primary schools in the nation is a step in the right direction particularly as primary education constitutes the foundation of learning.

Government’s intervention in the provision of text books in the four core subjects in primary and junior secondary schools becomes paramount as quite a reasonable percentage of parents whose children and wards attend public schools cannot afford text books for their children.

Moreover, no intervention can be more critical than this since the availability of text books can only be next to quality teaching and conducive learning environment as far as the provision of quality education is concerned.

P

rior to this time, in 2011, President Jonathan, represented by the Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, flagged-off a similar project amidst fanfare in the FCT and some states, whereby free text books were printed and distributed by UBEC to primary school pupils nationwide.

In June 2012, Prof. Ruqayyatu

“

Ahmed Rufa’i, said the Federal Government had spent N16.6 billion between 2010 and 2011 on textbooks and other library resource materials to boost basic education, adding that 24.5 million textbooks worth N10 billion were bought in 2010; 15 milliontextbooks, which cost N5.1 billion and 4.1 million library resource materials worth N1.5 billion were acquired and distributed to the schools in 2011.

She further said that same year, 14 million textbooks had been distributed and 4.6 million library materials released to junior secondary schools. UBEC Ag. Executive Secretary, Prof. Chinedu Onocha gross mismanagement in the way and resource materials were not This Federal Government intervention in the exercise was handled. Also, enough to go round and pleaded the area of provision of text books inadequate copies were supplied with those in charge to ensure could not have come at a better while most of the schools got only the books get to those they were time than this, considering the Primaries 4 and 6 text books and meant for.

The stakeholders have pointed fact that states and local govern- those who have no library did not ments are finding it increasingly get any library resource materials. out that the issue the Federal GovAgain, a lot of pupils did not ernment should be looking at, at difficult to shoulder the burden of education largely owing to paucity even see the books and several this critical stage the education of funds, a situation brought about others in schools across the coun- sector in the country is currently mostly by the recent implementa- try do not know about the pro- facing, is not about purchasing or ject, let alone benefitting from it. distributing books but the types of tion of the new minimum wage.

However, the performance of In those schools where the pupils books it is distributing and wheththe UBEC in managing the exer- have the books, there are issues er they are related and relevant to cise last year leaves much to be about the relevance of such books schools’ curriculum and the ages desired. Firstly, investigations re- to them as they do not tally with of the beneficiaries.

Observers have said that there vealed that the distribution meth- their curriculum. is no way the FG can just distribod proved inadequate particularly he issue of inadequate num- ute books and think it would meet because for whatever reason/s the ber of books given to schools the educational needs of the stubooks could not go round. was also confirmed by the dents concerned without working Secondly, in some states, to be precise Niger and Rivers states, Minister of State for Education, with Heads of Education of the 36 some of the marked books man- Eyisom Wike, during the distribu- states across the nation and other aged to find their way into the tion of the books for the North- relevant agencies if it is serious market. Thirdly, there were al- West geo-political zone in Katsina about addressing the problem in legations of contract scams and state, where he said the textbooks the education sector.

More so, according to critics, it is even a way of wasting the nation’s resource as the project duplicates the ones at the state level who are already providing educational materials to their pupils.

They also point out that it is crucial for the Federal Government to know the actual number of each state’s students and their actual book needs, to help in the distribution processes.

They say there is no way the Federal Government can know the exact need of the thirty-six states of the federation without having a thorough understanding of the pupils’ exact needs.

T

The stakeholders have pointed out that the issue the Federal Government should be looking at, at this critical stage the education sector in the country is currently facing, is not about purchasing or distributing books but the types of books it is distributing and whether they are related and relevant to schools’ curriculum and the ages of the beneficiaries

E

arly this year, at a meeting between Wike and contractors of Almajiri model

schools across the country, also a UBEC project, the minister discovered a fraud in the award of the contract

by UBEC in some states and said a panel will be set up to investigate the shady deals in the commission’s award of contracts for the external works and fencing of the project.

It was also discovered that in some schools, contracts were awarded with or without furniture while in others there were duplicates of everything supplied by different contractors to the same schools.

In his defense, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Charles Onocha said the mistake was from the Commission and would rectify it.

I

t would be recalled that during the 12 year tenure of the former UBEC boss, which ended in August last year, it was alleged that he handed some top government officials and their fronts contracts to build the on-going Almajiri schools in the country, with each of the schools costing a whopping sum of N185 million and also the supply of the 2011 textbooks which they allegedly printed tax-free in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Malaysia.

Again, Wike disclosed that by April, the remaining schools to be completed will be ready and handed over to the states, however, four months down the line nothing has been heard of that nor the committee which he said would be set up to investigate the fraud in UBEC’s Almajiri school project.

O

bservers also say that it is too much concentration of power at the top that breeds mismanagement of fund and therefore, to curb the mismanagement of funds, which the Commission has for years been linked with, there is the need to delegate responsibilities to the states’ SUBEB, which will ensure efficiency and based on that, work out a sharing formula taking into consideration indices such as the enrolment figure for each state.

The question is whether the Commission that has been accused of misappropriation of funds in the past will spend this fresh fund judiciously and on what it is meant for?

Against this backdrop therefore, it becomes imperative that the Federal Government insist that UBEC handles this year’s exercise, by adhering to the highest degree of accountability and due process.

It is advisable that the available funds meant for the project be channeled and distributed to states in line with the logic and dictate for delegation of powers, which to all intents and purposes helps to promote efficiency.

The role of UBEC at the federal level should be to supervise the execution of the project and ensure that the objective of the scheme is fully achieved.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 29

Healthy Living

remedies Do you know that left over Natural for kidney stones onions are poisonous?

W

I

n 1919, when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu...many of the farmers and their families had contracted it and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of

the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keep-

Water

ing the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser. She said that several years ago, many of her employees were coming down with the flu, and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu.

Now, there is a P. S. to this; for I sent it to a friend in Oregon, who regularly contributes material to me on health issues. She replied with this most interesting experience about onions:

Thanks for the reminder.

I don't know about the farmer's story...but, I do know that I contacted pneumonia, and, needless to say, I was very ill... I came across

an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put it into an empty jar, and place the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs...sure enough it happened just like that...the onion was a mess and I began to feel better.

Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

This is the other note.

Lots of times when we have stomach problems we don't know what to blame. Maybe it's the onions that are to blame. Onions absorb bacteria is the reason they are so good at preventing us from getting colds and flu and is the very reason we shouldn't eat an onion that has been sitting for a time after it has been cut open.

I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, makers of mayonnaise. Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I learned from a chemist.

Ed, who was our tour guide, is a food chemistry whiz. Ed says that, when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials look

for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came from (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's not the mayonnaise (as long as it's not homemade mayo) that spoils in the outdoors.

It's probably the ONIONS, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES. He explained onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions.

You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion...he says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator.

It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit, that it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you put in your hotdogs at the baseball park!). Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad will attract and grow bacteria faster than any commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down.

Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions.

Please remember it is dangerous to cut an onion and try to use it to cook the next day, it becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates toxic bacteria which may cause adverse stomach infections because of excess bile secretions and even food poisoning. dailyhealthtips.com

Some interesting Radish health benefits

R

adish is a tasty and healthy vegetable that we must take; it originated from southern Asia. They grow in the Quick time, so several home gardeners prefer this.

1) The Radish had huge amounts of the antioxidants and other compounds which helps in preventing the cancer. It also prevents colon cancer as it is rich in fiber.

2) Radish had good antioxidants which lower the risk of heart disease and lowers the cholesterol levels in the body 3) Radish stimulates the bile production and it is beneficial for the Digestion.

A part from this it is also used for the constipation as it is rich in fiber 4) Radish is a good blood purifier and raise the Oxygen Levels in the Body. So it is a good treatment for Jaundice 5) Radish was Diuretic in nature and helps the kidney and liver function; it is very useful in the Treatment of the Urinary disorders 6) Radish had low glycemic index and low impact on sugar levels. So there is no worry about Diabetes 7) Radish is a good source of Potassium, which can regulate the blood pressure well. dailyhealthtips.com

hen you are suffering from kidney stone, you need to drink plenty of water.

Make sure you are drinking sufficient water every day to keep your body and kidneys hydrated. When you consume eight to ten glasses of plain drinking water along with other kinds of fluids, the color of your urine will become clear like water which is a good sign.

It is recommended to drink mineral water as it is free of sediments. Mineral water will help in reducing the concentrations of calcium and uric acid from the urine, thus making it less alkaline in nature. At the same time mineral water will not allow the kidney stone to increase in size.

Watermelon n comparison to other types of vegetables, watermelon is packed with potassium salts.

Moreover, it is made up of high water content that helps with hydration. For years, doctors and nutritionists have recommended watermelon as it is regarded as a best diuretic and as such can also be used as natural remedy for kidney stones.

I

Grapes rapes have long been regarded as the best home therapy for kidney stones. Grapes are made up of unique diuretic importance with respect to their excessive water substances as well as potassium salt. As a result of its minute sodium chloride plus albumin matter, grapes are of great importance when it comes to eliminating kidney issues.

G

Lemon Juice he citric acid present in lemon helps to break down the calcium-based kidney stones and at the same time stops the further growth of such stones. Two to three times a day drink a glass of water with a few drops of lemon juice. When you drink lemonade, the volume of urination will also increase which is really good for those having kidney stones. Else you can mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with one tablespoon of organic olive oil and drink it straight followed by half glass of mineral water. After half an hour add the juice of half lemon in half glass of mineral water and one tablespoon of organic raw apple cider vinegar and drink it.

T

Pomegranate Juice oth the seeds and juice of pomegranate can help in the treatment of kidney stones due to their astringent properties. Try to eat one whole pomegranate daily or else drink one glass of freshly-squeezed pomegranate juice. You can eat this fruit in the form of a fruit salad also. Another option is to take one tablespoon of pomegranate seeds and then grind it to make a fine paste. Now take this paste along with a cup of horse gram soup once daily. This remedy will help in dissolving the gravel in kidneys. dailyhealthtips.com

B

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Healthy Living

Malaria may end soon, as new vaccine is successfully tried Stories by Abbas Aminu Bamalli, with agency reports n a whole, parasite vaccine immediately opens up important opportunities for immunization studies in malaria endemic countries,” chief executive director of Tanzania’s Ifakara Health Institute, Salim Abdullah has said.

Within the next three to five years, malaria may become a thing of the past as an efficient vaccine, which would be commercially available to a huge population, has undergone successful clinical trial.

This disclosure was made last Wednesday by the Chief Executive Officer of Sanaria, Stephen Hoffman, that the Phase I clinical trial of its PfSPZ Vaccine, an investigational vaccine aimed at protecting humans against malaria was successful. He said the vaccine had

successfully protected all subjects during the trial from developing malaria.

The study was conducted by researchers of Sanaria, a company dedicated solely to the purpose of developing vaccines to treat malaria.

Hoffman said, the results of the study were published online in the August 8 issue of Science magazine.

“While we’re still in the early stages of testing, we believe this vaccine will be used to eliminate malaria. It’s reasonable to suggest that within three-to-five years, a safe, reliable vaccine could be a commercial reality and provide medical benefit to a huge population. These results show that we have a safe, successful, injectable vaccine that has the potential to save millions of lives” Hoffman said.

He added that during the first

Exposure to radiation by pregnant women, a major cause of heart diseases in children –Doctor

pediatrician, Dr. Ikenna Nwokoye, has identified exposure to radiation by pregnant women as a major cause of heart diseases in children.

Nwokoye, who heads the pediatrics department at the Enugu state University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on that an unprotected pregnant woman should not be exposed to any form of radiation. ``Undue and prolonged exposure to radiation is one of the factors that cause heart disease in children, so too much exposure to radiation such as X-ray should be avoided so as not to cause problems for the child in the womb.

O

A

phase of the trial, human volunteers were administered with doses of the PfSPZ vaccine, which contains live, weakened malaria parasites that do not cause illness, after exposing them to malariainfected mosquitoes. Out of the 40 participants, six received the highest dosage available and did not develop malaria.

Over the last 30 years, several attempts have been made to produce an effective malaria vaccine to stop the mortality and morbidity rates brought about by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite causing the disease; but all these have been to no avail as no fewer than 600,000 lives are lost as a result of it every year.

Transmitted by infected mosquitoes, malaria still poses the biggest threat to many African countries like Nigeria. Of the 219 million malaria cases reported in 2010, 40 percent occurred in the

Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Nigeria. That same year, 91 per cent of the deaths caused by malaria were in Africa with 86 percent of them being that of children under the age of five.

Presently, six countries account for 47 percent of malaria cases in Africa, an estimated 103 million. These countries include Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique and Cote d’Ivoire.

With 3.3 billion people (half of the world population) being at risk of the deadly health condition, the next phase of clinical trials has already been scheduled to be conducted in order to avert this.

The trial will take place at Tanzania’s Ifakara Health institute.

This will subsequently be followed by trials in Europe and the United

States.

Representatives of the producing company, Sanaria, however say they are confident that the vaccine will be approved for use.

``Apart from radiation, there are many factors that can lead to disease in the heart and these are grouped in two areas namely, acquired and congenital or structural heart diseases,’’ he said.

Nwokoye said the structural disease was in-born and usually occurred at the formation stage in the womb, especially if there was a defect in the chromosomes that could lead to a hole in any of the chambers of the heart.

He said the acquired factors could be from the environment, after the birth of the child, from age five to 15, which could be as a result of some bacterial, fungal or viral infections. The pediatrician said that maternal illness could

also affect the heart of children in the womb, especially pregnant women with uncontrolled diabetes.

He said that drugs for the treatment of epilepsy and convulsion in pregnant women as well as women on hard drugs could also lead to heart defects in their babies. ``Some drugs for the treatment of epilepsy and convulsion in pregnant women as well as hard drugs could lead to heart defects in babies. Toxic chemicals from industries like the chemical for the manufacture of paints and some native medication could also lead to problems in the heart,’’ he said.

``Genetic factors also affect the hearts of babies; if one or two family members have heart diseases, it is likely for the baby to have the disease,’’ he said.

Nwokoye said that the treatment for heart disease depended on the clinical manifestations in the patients as some could come with sore throat, fever, skin infections or blueness of the lips.

He said that those with primary defects could be controlled gradually, to enable the child live a normal life while those with serious defects would require either palliative or open heart surgery. (NAN)

Stephen Hoffman, Chief Executive and Scientific Officer, Sanaria

Women with urinary incontinence advised to do pelvic exercise

A

Urologist, Dr. Celsus Undie has advised women suffering ``urinary incontinence'', also known as involuntary leakage of urine when coughing or sneezing, to do pelvic exercises to help stop the leakage.

Undie, a doctor with the National Hospital, Abuja, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), saying that involuntary leakage of urine was caused by weakness of the neck of the bladder.

He said the female urethra is shorter than that of the male, while the female pelvic floor is also weaker than that of the male.

Dr. Undie also said that females had bigger hips and their pelvic cavity wider anatomically to allow babies pass through, adding that females have three passages through the pelvis as against two as found in the males. ``The genital passage in the male doubles as a passage for urine while in the female there are two separate passages, one for urine and the other is genital while the third passage is for stool,’’ he said.

The urologist said that the pelvic floor exercise, also called Kegel exercise, involved contracting and relaxing the muscles around the anus and the neck of the bladder.

He said the exercise would help to strengthen the pelvic floor and hold the bladder up. ``Women who leak urine should do pelvic floor exercises, contract and hold their anus as if they want to stop watery stool from leaking through. ``Contract and hold the neck of your bladder as if urine is about to leak and you want to stop it from leaking. Do this and relax as many times as possible daily,’’ Undie said.

He said that the multiple passages in women contributed in weakening the pelvic floor, adding that by the time many babies had pushed through the pelvic floor, it got weaker. ``This changes the normal anatomy where the bladder neck is above the pelvic floor and urine is controlled by the

strength of the muscles there. ``Once the bladder neck descends below the level of the muscles, the control is lost,’’ he said.

Undie, however, advised women in the condition to see a doctor if they noticed involuntary leakage of urine.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19 2013

PAGE 31

International President Obama’s biggest failure ANALYSIS

By Danny Schechter

I

t was one of those steamy Saturday mornings in August, a time usually called “a dog day”, because so little is happening. Yet on this day cars were packed into a parking lot in the back of a shopping centre where the Meadowlands Exposition Hall is based. The vast centre was housing a “Save The Dream” event for distressed homeowners facing foreclosure organised by one of America’s most aggressive housing rights group, NACA (NACA.com) or the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America.

Don’t let its benign name fool you. NACA and its CEO Bruce Marks, a former employee of the Federal Reserve Bank, is more than a service organisation.

With over 350 employees in 40 offices across the country, they call themselves “bank terrorists” because of the militant protests they mount against banks that engage in predatory practices and overcharge customers.

They offer counselling, budget preparation, and direct help in negotiating affordable deals. They also provide advice on how bank lending works, and how to work with banks without getting exploited.

Their direct action campaigns have won results, and now leading banks, perhaps in fear of becoming targets, have begun to work with NACA in processing loans, modifying mortgages and even cutting interest rates that offer better terms.

Founded in 1968, NACA operates in a highly businesslike manner - unlike most well-intentioned but poorly organised community activists while boasting of victories for their members: “NACA’s aggressive confrontation advocacy has yielded numerous victories against some of the country’s largest and most power financial institutions,” they claim on their website. “NACA was the worst nightmare for a number of huge institutions and powerful individuals.”

Behind the website’s take-no-prisoners advocacy is a proprietary online system for processing loan applications and tracking the cases of homeowners facing foreclosure.

NACA says they have over a hundred thousand members and their own mortgage sales programme with over $10bn to offer. Their system does not rely on credit scores, charges no down-payment, and offers below market rates for long term mortgages. All their services are free although the members have to pledge to take part in direct action to benefit NACA was not what President Obama had in mind when he recently proposed yet

Obama’s housing solutions is filled with doomed-to-fail private sector initiatives [AFP] another initiative to solve the protracted housing crisis that helped demolish the economy.

While the business sections of major newspapers report on the many lawsuits against illegal practices by banks and other lenders - most leading to large cash settlements without any admissions of guilt - the foreclosure crisis goes on with little relief.

Obama’s greatest failure Many see this as the Obama administration’s greatest failure - the foreclosure crisis continues to hurt the poor and struggling middle class.

Obama’s solution consists of more private sector iniatives - the very same polices that brought these crises in the first place. In a recent speech he made in Phoenix, Obama said: “I believe that our housing system should operate where there’s a limited government role and private lending should be the backbone of the housing market.”

The New York Times noted that “there is little sign of

progress” in fixing the housing crisis.

NACA’s Bruce Marks went further by telling me that Obama has betrayed most of his promises to homeowners, and has sided with the banks with subsidies and incentives.

He also supports the need for go ve r nm e nt fi na nci ng s i nce the private sector only funds 13 percent of mortgages through lenders like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that Obama now wants to phase out.

Limiting government involvement will hurt the poorest Americans, he argues, even as he acknowledges the need for more efficiency, accountability, and transparency in private sector and public sector lending programmes.

The Atlantic Monthly agrees that critiquing government support may play well with the right but distorts the larger truth.

“The US government and taxpayers did rescue these agencies in 2009 (to the tune of nearly $200bn), and, after

“

injecting them with capital and essentially nationalizing them, these companies started to turn a profit as the housing market slowly recovered,” writes Zachary Karabell.

“This month, they contributed more than $15bn to the US Treasury, and have been one factor in sharply reducing government deficits.”

Black Americans hit hardest A new book by Laura Gottesdiener, A Dream Foreclosed: Black America and the Fight for a Place to call Home, offers deeper context in the socio-economic effects of the housing crash.

She shows how foreclosures have devastated America’s black community while banks profit.

Incredulously, nearly every African American has seen their income decrease - all under the watch of our first black president.

She offers first person reports on the trauma and tragedies of families who bought homes with deceptive loans offered by hustlers and conmen

Obama’s solution consists of more private sector iniatives - the very same polices that brought these crises in the first place. In a recent speech he made in Phoenix, Obama said:

who knew they would not be able to afford their payments but sold the properties anyway.

These are the people who made large fees from subprime loans even when borrowers qualified for lower interest loans.

Her reporting from the frontlines of this battle humanises the issues and highlights the injustices that m ost of the b u si n e ss m e di a glosses over.

Her insights conflicts with the preside n t’s, m ost of the media and the banks. “We’ve already tried policies that benefit Wall Street and massive corporations, and all we’ve ended up with is more financial consolidation, speculation and criminal activity,” she concludes.

“If we really want to benefit the majority of Americans, let’s focus on proposals like implementing widespread principal reduction and creating structures of collective local ownership like Community Land Trusts.”

Fortunately, as Gottesdiener documents, and Marks affirms, community groups are not waiting for the government to act, but taking action to save homes and stop often illegal evictions.

When President Obama speaks at the 50 year anniversary of The March on Washington on August 24, I doubt he will do much boasting about how he helped black American families hold on to their greatest assets and dream of home ownership.

Source: Al jazeera

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

International Egypt cabinet debates crisis amid continuing protests

E

gypt’s cabinet is discussing the crisis in the country, where hundreds have died in clashes in recent days.

Interim Prime Minister HazemBeblawi has put forward a proposal to legally dissolve the Muslim Brotherhood.

The commander of the armed forces, Gen Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, has warned that his troops will not stand by silently in the face of violence.

“Whoever imagines violence will make the state and Egyptians kneel must reconsider; we will never be silent in the face of the destruction of the country,” he said in a statement posted on Facebook.

He also said his message to Mursi supporters was that there was “room for everyone in Egypt” and the military had no intention to seize power.

Meanwhile, anti-coup protesters marched towards the Constitutional Court building in Cairo from six locations in defiance of warnings of a firm response from the authorities.

Protesters have taken to the streets in response to calls by opponents of the interim, militay-backed government.

A major march to Roxi Square in Heliopolis was, however, cancelled due

to security fears amid reports that army snipers had been placed on buildings along the planned route.

A press conference planned near Roxi Square had also been cancelled.

Protesters had been preparing to return to the streets on Sunday following calls for fresh demonstrations by the Muslim Brotherhood and the Anti-Coup Alliance against the interim, military-backed government.

The Brotherhood has called for daily demonstrations since security forces

cleared its protest camps in Cairo on Wednesday and declared a state of emergency.

More than 600 people were killed during the clearances including dozens of security forces personnel.

Further clashes during a “day of rage” called by the Brotherhood on Friday left at least another 173 people across the country dead, including 95 in the capital and 25 in Alexandria.

Sunday’s meeting of the interim government is expected to discuss

MrBeblawi’s proposal for the legal dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Deputy Prime Minister ZiadBahaa al-Din, a more liberal figure, is said to have put forward a proposal that would see an end to the state of emergency, permission for political participation by all parties and a guarantee of human rights, including the right to free assembly.

But MrBeblawi has taken a tougher stance, saying: “There will be no reconciliation with those whose hands have been stained with blood and who turned weapons against the state and its institutions.”

More than 1,000 Muslim Brotherhood members have been detained in raids across the country, with the interior ministry saying that bombs, weapons and ammunition have been seized.

At least 300 were arrested in several cities on Sunday, including Cairo, Alexandria, Assiut and Suez, security sources said.

Many people were also arrested after Mursi supporters exchanged fire with security forces at a mosque in central Cairo, where protesters had sought refuge on Friday.

annual budget.

EASF is one of the five regional components of the African Standby Force established by the African Union for the purpose of containing conflicts and enhancing peace and security on the continent.

“EASF’s developed a fully operational and multidimensional integrated Eastern Africa Standby Force ready for deployment by 2015,” said Brigadier General CyrilleNdayirukiye whoisthedirectorofEASFCoordinating Mechanism (EASFCOM).

He says EASF was established as a regional mechanism to provide capability for rapid deployment of forces to carry out preventive deployment, rapid intervention, peace support/stability operations and peace enforcement.

When the idea of an African Standby Force (AFS) was mooted

about 10 years ago, it raised optimism that the numerous wars in the continent would be contained as soon as they were started.

ASF was meant to be a sort of a rapid reaction force that would have an early warning mechanism that for instance sends an advance party of conflict resolution and peace enforcement experts in a county showing signs of imminent conflict.

It is planned to be a rapid reaction force, able to deploy in two weeks in cases of sporadic conflict and within 30 days of approval by the Africa Union Commission for normal operation. “Currently, EASF draws its membership from 10 active Member States including Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda,” Ndayirukiye said.

The EASFCOM director said

EASF is testing its readiness to implement the African Standby Force (ASF) roadmap in conflict prevention, management and resolution in the region.

Different donors have already reportedly offered financial assistance to build the Eastern African standby force that is expected to be ready for deployment by 2015 in conflict resolution missions.

Similar trainings are being held by various countries under regional blocs like the South African Development Community, the Economic Community for Central African States and the Economic Community of Western African States.

It is envisaged that by 2015, these regional blocs will have developed the capacity of their armies to constitute a regional force for the African Union capable of responding to any eventuality.

Beblawi (R), in talks with Egypt’s interim president Adly Mansour.

African defence chiefs vow to enhance peace

D

efense ministers from the East African region have wrapped up their meeting in Nairobi vowing to enhance peace and security in the troubled region.

The defense ministers met in the Kenyan capital to discuss effective strategies to strengthen an Eastern African Standby Force (EASF) created by the African Union to promote regional peace and stability.

The meeting came after East African leaders in April agreed to set up a 5,500-strong rapid reaction force to help end wars and civil conflicts on the continent.

Leaders and officials from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somali, Sudan, the Comoros, Eritrea, Rwanda, Madagascar, Kenya and the Seychelles signed a deal on April 11 in Ethiopia, outlining the mission’s legal and policy details together with sources for its 2.5 million U.S. dollars

Coup leader sworn in as CAR president

F

ormer rebel leader Michel Djotodia has beem sworn in as president of the Central African Republic, five months after seizing power in the violencewracked country.

Djotodia swore the oath of office on the Transition Charter, which has substituted for the constitution since the removal of President Francois Bozize, who himself had come to power on the back of a military coup in 2003.

A group of Bozize supporters calling themselves the Front for the Return of Constitutional Order in Central Africa dismissed the inauguration as a masquerade.

“This swearing in is illegitimate because MrDjotodia owes his position only to the force

of Kalashnikovs and foreign mercenaries,” they said in a statement.

Djotodia vowed to combat insecurity in an address marking the nation’s 53rd anniversary of independence from France last Tuesday.

But a UN report listed “arbitrary arrests and detention, sexual violence against women and children, torture, rape, targeted killings, recruitment of child soldiers and attacks, committed by uncontrolled Seleka elements and unidentified armed groups throughout the country.”

The violence since the March coup has forced tens of thousands from their homes.

The UNHCR said more than

Djotodia 60,000 Central Africans had fled their country and 200,000 been

internally displaced since the crisis erupted in December 2012.

Libya’s interior minister resigns

Al- Sheikh

L

ibya’s Interior Minister Mohammed Khalifa alSheikh submitted his resignation yesterday over differences with the prime minister, a parliament member and an official at the prime minister’s office said.

Lawlessness has blighted large areas of Libya following the 2011 war that toppled Muammar Gaddafi and the North African Arab country is still awash with weapons.

Al-Sharif al-Wafi, a member of the Libyan General National Congress, told Reuters that Sheikh submitted his resignation to the cabinet and to parliament in protest against what he said was interference in his work by the government and parliament.

“He said that he didn’t have any understanding with the prime minister and that he didn’t have enough mandate to carry out his work,” Wafi said. “He also complained that some members of the congress interfered in his work.”

An official at Prime Minister Ali Zeidan confirmed that Sheikh submitted his resignation but declined to give any details.

Sheikh, a former Tripoli police colonel, took up his post in May after his predecessor AshourShuail resigned.

Libya has been gripped by violence since Gaddafi’s downfall.

Militia groups have further destabilised the oil-producing country, including in the eastern city of Benghazi, the cradle of the anti-Gaddafi uprising.

On Saturday, a bomb blast ripped through the garden wall of the Egyptian consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Saturday, injuring a security guard who needed hospital treatment, witnesses said.

US ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed in Benghazi last year after Islamist gunmen attacked the US consulate during a protest by a mob angry over a film they said insulted the Prophet Mohammad.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 33

International Asia & No change in foreign Middle East UN chemical policy principles- Rouhani weapons inspectors

Rouhani (L), during Mohammad-JavadZarif’s (R) inauguration as foreign minister Rouhani (L), during Mohammad-JavadZarif’s (R) inauguration as foreign minister

I

ran’s new President Hassan Rouhanihas said that Iran will not change the principles in its foreign policy, semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

“In the recent election, people demanded revisions in foreign policy, but it does not mean abandoning

principles,” Rouhani said, adding “However,methodsshouldbechanged.”

Rouhani’s words were an allusion to the passionate and provocative rhetoric of officials in Iran’s Foreign Ministry and in Iran’s administration under former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, that was against the United States and

its ally Israel.

“At present, foreign policy is the key to our problems,” he said, emphasizing that “any words (about international issues) should be rational, precise and logical.”

“Foreign policy is not the locus for slogans and verses, it is a field

N

Peaceful Reunification of Korea.

It said: “The reunion of separated families and their relatives shall be

made in Mt Kumgang resort on the occasion of the upcoming Harvest Moon Day.”

where international incidents should be comprehended exactly,” he said. “Any mistake in foreign policy will be costly for the people.”

Rouhani made the remarks during a ceremony held for the inauguration of new Foreign Minister MohammadJavadZarif, whose qualification was endorsed by the Majlis (parliament) on Thursday. Zarif was Iran’s ambassador to the UN from 2002 to 2007, and a member of Iran’s nuclear negotiating team led by Rouhani from 2003 to 2005.

Rouhani won a surprise victory in Iran’s June presidential election by defeating powerful conservative rivals.

During his presidential campaign and later, Rouhani has reiterated that his administration will pursue the policy of moderation and a “ constructive interaction” with the world, but will not slacken over the nation’s interests.

Iran’s uncompromising policy toward Israel and its sensitive nuclear program have been two major issues at the hands of the West that has exercised excessive pressures on the country.

The Islamic republic does not recognize the Jewish state and have supported anti-Israel movements in the region over the past years. It has also persisted its “rights” of nuclear enrichment for civilian purpose which the West suspects might be developed into military dimensions.

North Korea agrees to family reunions with South

arrive in Syria

A

team of United Nations chemical weapons experts arrived in Damascus yesterday to investigate the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria’s civil war.

President Bashar al-Assad’s government and the rebels fighting him have accused each other of using chemical weapons, a step which the United States had said would cross a “red line” in a conflict which has killed 100,000 people.

Like the broader Syrian conflict, the issue of chemical weapons has divided world powers. Washington said in June it believed Assad’s forces have used them on a small scale, while in July Moscow said rebels fired sarin gas near Aleppo in March.

The U.N. team, including weapons experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, will try to establish only whether chemical weapons including sarin and other toxic nerve agents were used, not who used them.

The 20-member team declined to comment to reporters as they checked into a hotel in central Damascus.

Led by Swedish scientist AkeSellstrom, the team had been on standby since early April to visit Syria but the mission was held up for months by negotiations over the access Damascus would grant them.

Syrian officials originally insisted they should only investigate claims of chemical weapons use in Khan al-Assal, near the northern city of Aleppo, but the team has been urged to look into at least a dozen other incidents, mainly around Damascus, Homs and the northern town of Saraqeb.

The experts now plan to visit Khan al-Assal and two other sites which they have not yet specified.

Syria is one of seven countries that has not joined the 1997 convention banning chemical weapons. Western nations believe it has caches of undeclared mustard gas, sarin and VX nerve agents.

orth Korea has agreed to a South Korean proposal to resume reunions of families separated since the 1950-1953 war, official media in Pyongyang say.

The reunions will take place in a North Korean tourist resort on 19 September.

South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye called last week for the resumption of the reunions, last held in 2010.

Her appeal followed an agreement to reopen a joint industrial plant, the latest step in the easing of tension between the two countries.

Mt Kumgang The latest statement on the reunions came from the North’s Committee for the

A son reunites with his mother during a reunion in 2000.

Talks will take place between Red Cross officials from both sides on 23 August at Mt Kumgang to prepare for the reunions.

Many families were separated at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War by the dividing of the peninsula.

The two sides remain technically at war, because the conflict ended in an armistice and not a peace deal.

The North Korean statement also called for the resumption of tourist trips to Mt Kumgang.

The resort, the first major joint project between the nations, hosted thousands of South Korean visitors between 1998 and 2008 but tours were suspended after a North Korean soldier shot dead a tourist who strayed into a restricted area.

isgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai will go on trial on Thursday, charged with bribery, corruption and abuse of power, according to state media.

Bo Xilai, formerly the Communist Party chief of Chongqing, was expelled from the party after a scandal surrounding the murder of a British businessman.

His wife GuKailai was jailed last August for the killing of Neil Heywood.

The Bo Xilai scandal rocked China with claims of corruption at the top of the Communist Party.

Mr Bo has been accused of taking advantage of his office to accept money

and property, as well as embezzling public money.

The trial will start on Thursday morning at the Intermediate People’s Court in the eastern city of Jinan, Shandong province, state-run news agency Xinhua said.

Correspondents say it is common for high-profile political trials to take place away from their home province to stop them getting beneficial treatment.

The trial date comes amid a highprofile crackdown on corruption.

Xinhua news agency also reported on Sunday that Liu Tienan, a former top Communist Party economic official, has been placed under investigation for

one-day trial that she poisoned Mr Heywood in November 2011.

Mr Bo was suspected of trying to cover up the murder, and was stripped of his party positions.

Analysts say the Chinese leadership has tried to minimise the political fallout from the case, which exposed deep divisions within its ranks.

The accusations against Mr Bo predate Xi Jinping’s time as national leader - but the Chinese president has since vowed to tackle corruption from the powerful “tigers” at the top to the “flies” at the bottom of the Communist Party.

Xilai

China sets trial date for disgraced politician D suspected bribe taking.

Allegations against Mr Liu emerged online in December, when a well-known journalist accused him of corruption.

Fall from grace Mr Bo’s fall began in February 2012, when his former chief of police in Chongqing, Wang Lijun, briefly fled to the US consulate in Chengdu.

Wang, who has since been jailed for 15 years, triggered an investigation into the murder of UK businessman Neil Heywood.

Mr Bo’s wife, GuKailai, has been convicted and given a suspended death sentence for Mr Heywood’s death.

Gu did not contest charges at her

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 34

International EU to review ties with Egypt

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he European Union leaders Herman Van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso have given warning to Egypt’s army and interim government that the bloc was ready to “review” ties failing an end to violence and return to dialogue.

In a statement released yesterday, the presidents of the European Council and European Commission said that further escalation could have “unpredictable consequences” for Egypt and the region “The calls for democracy and fundamental freedoms from the Egyptian population cannot be disregarded, much less washed away in blood,” Van Rompuy and Barroso said.

“In co-operation with its international and regional partners, the EU will remain firmly engaged in efforts to promote an end to violence, resumption of political dialogue and return to a democratic process.

“To this effect, together with its member states, the EU will urgently review in the coming days its relations with Egypt and adopt measures aimed at pursuing these goals.”

The statement was released

24 hours before senior diplomats from the 28 EU nations hold emergency talks on Egypt in Brussels in which they are expected to call for a snap meeting of foreign ministers within the next days.

Saying it was crucial that violence end immediately, the statement added that “while all should exert maximum restraint, we underline the particular responsibility of the interim authorities and of the army in

bringing clashes to a halt.

“The violence and the killings of these last days cannot be justified nor condoned. Human rights must be respected and upheld. Political prisoners should be released.”

T

Van Rompuy (R) alongside Barroso

a nuclear testing facility.

The U-2 plane, developed to spy on the Soviet Union during the Cold War, is still flown by the US Air Force.

The document, a secret 1992 internal CIA history of the U-2 programme, was originally declassified in 1998 with heavy redactions.

Many of the blacked-out details were revealed this month after a public records request by the National Security Archive at the George Washington University in Washington DC.

The site was selected for the U-2 programme in 1955 after an aerial survey by CIA and Air Force staff.

According to the history, President Dwight Eisenhower personally signed off on the acquisition.

Officials from the CIA, Air Force and Lockheed, the contractor building the U-2, began moving into the facility in July 1955.

While a lengthy account of the development of the U-2 spy plane programme, the history also attempts to shed light on the

public’s fascination with the Area 51 site and its lingering associations with extra-terrestrials and UFOs. It notes that testing of the U-2 plane in the 1950s - at altitudes much higher than commercial aeroplanes then flew - provoked “a tremendous increase in reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs)”.

“At this time, no one believed manned flight was possible above 60,000 feet, so no one expected to see an object so high in the sky,” note authors Gregory Pedlow and Donald Welzenbach.

US embassies across the Middle East and North Africa were also closed.

Yemen said the closures had played into the hands of terrorists, but Britain said safety was the top priority.

Rami Ruhayem, in Sanaa, said the reopening of the British embassy, at 08:30 BST yesterday,

appeared to suggest the perceived danger had passed.

But assessments were being made behind closed doors, and most of the media had received only fragments of information about the reasons for both its closure and subsequent reopening, he said.

Yemen welcomed the move, but the country’s foreign minister Abu Bakr al Qirbi was critical of the closures.

“We feel that closure of the embassies plays into the hands of terrorists,” he said.

“It disturbs people’s lives, it affects relations between countries and this is one of the objectives of terrorism.”

British ambassador Jane Marriot said she could not comment on the original threat but the UK had to “give the highest priority to the safety and security of all our staff”.

The alert was sparked after secret plans discussed by al-Qaeda

chief Ayman al-Zawahiri and Nasser al-Wuhayshi were picked up by US intelligence officials, according to US media.

Unprecedented security measures were taken in Sanaa, which saw the British embassy close on 5 August and hundreds of armoured vehicles deployed.

Speaking at the time, said a security source had confirmed that Yemeni intelligence services had discovered that dozens of al-Qaeda members had arrived in the city in the preceding days in preparation for a major attack.

The source suggested it was to include explosions and suicide attacks aimed at Western diplomatic missions and Yemeni military headquarters.

Yemen is the base of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has recently suffered a series of setbacks after the military launched an offensive in June with the help of US forces.

UK reopens embassy in Yemen

T

he British embassy in the Yemeni capital Sanaa has reopened after it was closed for nearly two weeks over “increased security concerns”.

UK staff in Sanaa were sent home after messages between the head of al-Qaeda and the group’s head in Yemen about an attack were reportedly intercepted.

Political showdown looms in Venezuela

V

CIA officially acknowledges secret ‘area 51’

he CIA has officially acknowledged the secret US test site known as Area 51, in a newly unclassified internal history of the U-2 spy plane programme.

The document obtained by a US university describes the 1955 acquisition of the Nevada site for testing of the secret spy plane.

It also explains the site’s lingering association with UFOs and aliens.

The remote patch of desert surrounding Groom Lake was chosen because it was adjacent to

E/Americas and A/Middle East

The British embassy building in Sana’a, Yemeni capital

enezuelan politicians traded insults at the weekend with a showdown looming in the National Assembly over President Nicolas Maduro’s plans to ask for fasttrack decree powers he says he needs to combat corruption.

Maduro, who narrowly won an April election to replace his late mentor Hugo Chavez, says he is ready to change “all the laws” if necessary to stamp out widespread graft that is denting his popularity with some core supporters.

The opposition accuses Maduro of turningablindeyetomajorcorruptionby hisalliesandoftryingtousehiscampaign to distract voters from worries such as inflation, creaking public services and violent crime.

“You don’t need decree powers to fight corruption. That’s part of the ‘show’ by Maduro to cover up his disaster of a government,” opposition leader Henrique Capriles said on Twitter. “It’s certain he doesn’t have the votes to approve it.”

Government officials have not said when Maduro will make the request.

He would need the support of threefifths of the National Assembly, or 99 lawmakers, to grant him the powers through what is known as an Enabling Law. His ruling Socialist Party (PSUV) currently has 98 seats.

Amid intense speculation over what legislation Maduro might change, Vice President Jorge Arreaza said the goals included toughening sentences for corruption convictions, and he said the government’s plans deserved crossparty backing.

“We assume that all the good lawmakers, those who want to eradicate corruption, wherever they come from, will support the request for an Enabling Law,” Arreaza said on Saturday.

Dozens of people have been arrested for graft in recent weeks, including senior officials at state-run institutions.

Maduro has vowed to go after corruption wherever it originates, but opposition leaders believe they could be targeted if he were granted the powers.

There was little collaborative spirit on display in the Assembly last week.

During one particularly torrid session, PSUV members demanded their opposition rivals be investigated for a range of lurid charges, including drug trafficking and running a gay and transvestite prostitution ring.

The opposition denied what it said were trumped up charges, but Maduro said their true face had been exposed.

Maduro

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 35

Strange World Company accused of forcing employees to wear diapers at work

A

Korean and American capital company in Honduras is being accused by union leaders and former employees of forcing its workers to wear diapers in order to increase their productivity. Company representatives have denied the allegations but an investigation is already under way.

Last Saturday, Daniel Duron, Secretary General of the General Confederation of Workers, denounced the violation of labor rights by Kyungshin-Lear Honduras Electrical Distribution Systems, accusing the company of forcing its employees to wear adult diapers to avoid going to the bathroom for their physiological needs.

He added that the employer doesn’t actually supply the diapers for its workforce, but that the employees, especially the women, buy them themselves to avoid leaving their work posts and risk losing their jobs.

Duron based his accusations

The company is accused of forcing its employees to wear adult diapers to avoid going to the bathroom for their physiological needs. on testimonies made by Kyungshin-Lear employees

and urged authorities to investigate.

Honduran Labor Minister, Jorge Bográn, told reporters

cheat on exams. I apologise if the photo makes other people look at my students in a negative way.’

Some had commented on the Facebook picture saying it was humiliating or undignified.

Though keeping a straight face would have been hard – yet necessary under the circumstances – these students can be seen diligently getting on with their test.

MrNattadon also said that it would be the first – and last – time the hats are used, reported the Bangkok Post.

ecently unveiled by Australian design firm Sibling, the Walking Shelter is a one-person tent stored within a pair of sneakers.

The human shelter is neatly packed in a netted compartment covering the footwear and can be used pretty much anywhere.

They may not be the most fashionable sneakers out there, but you have to admit these tent shoes are pretty ingenious.

Designed as a concept for shoe company Gorman, they are meant to provide instant shelter wherever and whenever it’s needed. “The Walking-Shelter is a human shelter stored within a pair of sneakers.

Stored compactly in integrated net pockets within the shoe, the shelter expands out and around the body to form an enclosure that relies on the human frame as a supporting structure,” the shoes’ designers say. “The shelter accommodates for the body in a variety of ways and can be customized by the user to adapt to a variety of contexts and environments.

This project was developed as a one-off prototype and auctioned off, with all proceeds going towards Little Seeds Big Trees.”

The Walking Shelter sneakers may not look great, but they beat carrying a backpack around in case of emergency.

Still, it’s just a concept, and not a perfect one at that. With no poles to hold it up, the person

that 30 inspectors are currently working on the case to verify the “accuracy of the claim”.

Edgardo Dumas, the legal representative of KyungshinLear dismissed the accusations as false and reckless, and claimed the company has never violated labor law.

The president of the Manufacturers’ Association of Honduras also told the press the allegations were false and blamed the interference of unions from the United States “who want to regain the jobs lost in their country”. However, Maria Galeano, a worker who was fired in April after seven years of working at KyungshinLear, confirmed Daniel Duron’s claims. ”It’s embarrassing to say one has to wear diapers because they don’t give you permission to go to the bathroom, but there are a lot of employees who can confirm this claim,” she told reporters.

Kyungshin-Lear Electrical Distribution Systems started operating in Honduras 10 years ago, and has around 3,500 employees.

stored in sneakers Anti-cheating hats cause Tents for campers on the Go storm in Thai university R

Students wearing the anti-cheating hats.

A

s A-level students across the land celebrate or commiserate their results, there may be a few just wishing they had been given these unusual anti-cheating ‘hats’ worn in a Thai university.

The novel, yet makeshift, idea of stapling A4 paper ear flaps to a headband in a bid to prevent cheating was supposedly thought up by the students themselves.

The picture, which was posted to Kasetsart University’s Facebook page and shows students from its Agro-Industry faculty sitting

an exam, became an internet hit shortly after posting.

After a wave of negative as well as positive feedback, the Bangkok university decided to hold a press conference to explain how the hats came about.

It was an agreement between us. No student was forced to wear a hat. Instead, all were happy to do so and thought it was fun. They felt more relaxed during the test,’ said NattadonRungruangkitkrai, a lecturer at the faculty.

‘It was not meant to indicate that Kasetsart students often

using the tent has to use their own head, legs and arms to hold it up. Plus, it doesn’t seem to have a waterproof base, so you’re likely to get wet in case of rain. But despite its faults, the Walking Shelter idea shows great promise, and with a bit of work it might actually become usable.

The entire tent is stowed in the sneakers.

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Digest

Drinking watermelon juice could relieve muscle soreness The team, led by Encarna Aguayo at the Technical University of Cartagena, in Spain, tested natural watermelon juice, watermelon juice enriched in L-citrulline, and a control drink containing no L-citrulline.

The drinks were given to volunteers an hour before exercise.

Both the natural juice and the enriched juice relieved muscle soreness in the volunteers.

L-citrulline in the natural juice (unpasteurised), however, seemed to be more bioavailable — in other words, it was in a form

the body could better use.

It is believed the juice has this effect because the naturally occurring chemicals in it speed up the process of lactic acid removal.

This is important because lactic acid build-up can cause a burning sensation in the muscles and make them sore.

Previous research has suggested that watermelon can also help prevent heart disease by halting the build-up of harmful cholesterol.

The study, by Purdue University in the U.S., found

the fruit halved the rate at which ‘bad’ low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, accumulated in mice.

LDL is a form of cholesterol that leads to clogged arteries and heart disease.

The researchers also found eating watermelon regularly helped to control weight gain and resulted in fewer fatty deposits inside blood vessels.

They also believe the secret to watermelon’s health-boosting properties lies in the citrulline contained within the juice.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Drinking watermelon juice can relieve muscle soreness after exercise

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rinking watermelon juice can relieve muscle soreness after exercise, new research

suggests.

It is believed that the amino acid L-citrulline, which is found in watermelon, can cut an athlete’s recovery time and boost their performance.

Watermelon juice has long been popular with sportspeople but scientists have now given them an excuse to continue indulging in the summer

favourite.

In a report published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the researchers explained that there had already been research to show that watermelon juice had antioxidant properties and the potential to increase muscle protein and enhance athletic performance.

However, this was the first time that scientists had explored the effectiveness of watermelon juice that is enriched with L-citrulline.

Children of obese mothers ‘have higher heart risk’

By Pat Hagan hildren born to obese and overweight mothers are more likely to die early of heart disease, a study has found.

Scottish research showed a 35% higher risk of dying before the age of 55 in adults whose mothers were obese in pregnancy.

It is not known how much of the link is down to genetics, influences in the womb or later lifestyle.

But the authors say their findings, in the British Medical Journal, are of “major public health concern”.

One woman in five in the UK is obese at their antenatal booking appointment.

The analysis included 28,540 women whose weight was recorded at their first antenatal check-up and their 37,709 children now aged between 34 and 61.

One in five mothers was classed as overweight with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9 and 4% were obese with a BMI above 30.

There were 6,551 premature deaths from any cause and heart disease was the leading contributor.

The risk of premature death was 35% higher among people born to obese mothers compared with those

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whose mothers had had normal weight in pregnancy. This was after adjusting the results for factors such as the mother’s age at delivery, social class and infant birthweight.

The results also revealed that children born to obese mothers went on to be at 42% increased risk of being treated in hospital for a heart attack,

Keeping a healthy weight during pregnancy is important for mother and child

stroke or angina.

Appetite control Study leader Prof Rebecca Reynolds, of the University of Edinburgh, said the results highlighted the importance of current advice to maintain a healthy weight, eat sensibly and keep active during pregnancy.

She added that more work was

needed to unpick the reasons for the increased risk and to look at the impact of weight gain over pregnancy.

“It would be nice to know how much of this risk is modifiable.”

Previous research has shown a link between obesity in pregnancy and changes in appetite control and metabolism in children.

Prof Sir Stephen O’Rahilly, of the University of Cambridge, warned that obesity runs in families.

“Obese people are at higher risk of heart disease, so it is very likely that the people in this study whose mothers were obese were fatter than those whose mothers were lean.”

‘Eat healthily’ The researchers did not measure or account for this.

The Royal College of Midwives said it was important for women to start their pregnancy at a normal weight.

But Louise Silverton, RCM director for midwifery, said not all pregnancies are planned and midwives work hard to support women avoid excess weight gain and lose weight sensibly after birth.

Drastic dieting is not recommended.

Doireann Maddock, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, which part-funded the study, said: “This study emphasises the need for everyone, but in particular pregnant women, to try to eat healthily and be active.”

Source: BBCNews.com

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 37

2015: Don’t dump PDP, Bode George begs governors

Don’t introduce religious politics in Nasarawa, Gye Wado warned

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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ormer Deputy National Chairman, South West, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George at the weekend urged state governors of the party to remain in the party and help in making it stronger.

George made the declaration at a welcome party organised by the Lagos State chapter of the party to welcome him back from his medical rest abroad.

Speaking to the party members, George also urged PDP leaders across the nation to close ranks ahead of

2015. He said that the intra party issues in the PDP ahead of the 2015 elections was a time for deep reflection by its leaders.

“I must appeal to all the governors of our great party who have become landlords not to go to where they will be made tenants” he said.

He said that the crisis and issues in the party over 2015 presidential candidate of the party was unnecessary as it could be settled amicably.

“Four years in the life of a nation is not that long for us not to allow the President to finish his tenure. When you allow a minority group such oppurtunity to rule,

it builds loyalty and a sense of belonging in the nation.

“I have been part of the PDP management since 1999. PDP is like Nigeria.

What is happenning now over 2015 candidacy happened during Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure but we weathered the storm and came out tops.

“We must be careful not to allow what happened in Egypt and Tunisa to happen in Nigeria by coming together to dialogue and find the best ways forward. It is not because of a future for me but for the yonger generation. We must do our

best to ensure that the nation’s democracy is sustained” he warned.

He said that the battle for 2015 has begun for the PDP accross the nation and in Lagos State. “PDP must remain a party with a vision, focused and united” he said.

George, however blamed the fifth columnists within the party for the crisis that may have rocked the party. “We are happy that we have finally identified the moles in our midst and its now time to meet and become stronger.

“We will get together and talk but not on the pages of newspapers.

We must allow common sense and the PDP constitution to prevail” he admonished.

L-R: Former National Chairman, Alliance for Democracy (AD), Chief Micheal Koleoso, Oyo state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, former Oyo state Deputy Governor, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, and former Chairman, Action Congress of Nigeria, Oyo state chapter, Chief Akin Oke, during the launch of All Progressives Congress (APC), Oyo state chapter, recently in Ibadan.

Photo: NAN

PDM unveils manifesto, may merge with Hanga’s CPC

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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he Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) which was registered at the weekend by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has unveiled its manifesto, which revealed that the mission of the party is anchored on attitudinal reorientation of Nigerians to preserve the unity of the country.

This is even as a faction of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) led by Senator Rufai Hanga, has declared that both political groups have been discussing how to go into merger, but waited for the registration to take place.

According to the mission

statement issued by PDM, the party, which is acclaimed to be enjoying the sympathy of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, pointed out that it will concentrate on stamping out all anti social behaviors such as corruption, terrorism, indiscipline, lack of national commitment and avarice.

It said this will help to restore self-esteem, patriotism and sense of national purpose among the people of Nigeria, regretting that in the last decade, Nigeria has witnessed an unprecedented decline in its social, economic and political fortunes.

“The recent lingering political and security crisis has magnified the cleavages in the nation’s

multi-ethnic society and pushed our national psyche into a state of confusion, uncertainty and helplessness”, the statement read.

While regretting that the nation is now faced with a rapidly deteriorating situation of human deprivation and economic stagnation, PDM promised to find lasting solutions to the social, economic and political problems of Nigeria through the institutionalization of a democratic culture like: rule of law, public accountability and the legitimacy of dissent.

The party also said it will establish a new political order which will compel the leadership to always balance power and

authority with service and accountability, to guarantee social justice, equality of opportunities, national loyalty and patriotism.

Meanwhile, a faction of CPC loyal to Rufai Hanga, in a statement issued by the Protem Publicity Secretary, Dennis Aghanya, said now that the PDM has been registered by INEC, pressure has intensified from members of the two parties on the need to urgently merge.

He said they will also begin the process of building a new strong political party that would fill the gap created with the absence of the CPC and ANPP in the north and the country at large.

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eactions have continued to trail remarks made by a former deputy governor of Nasarawa state, Professor Onje Gye-Wado, who was alleged to have said that power would shif to the northern part of the state on 2015.

He was also alleged to have stated that o ly Muslims have been ruling the state since creation and that he made a case for a Christian governor in Nassarawa by 2015.

Gye-Wado was said to have made the remarks recently in Kagbu of Agidi Development Area, during a reception held to welcome a son of the area, Samuel Esson Allu, who just retired from active public service.

The first to react were political elders in Nasarawa-North, under the auspices of the Nasarawa-North Progressive Forum, who distanced the zone from the call made by the exdeputy governor.

In a statement made available to journalists in Lafia, signed by the trio of Sonsu Njuglu from Akwanga, Tagba Shammah from Wamba and Umbugadu Agbashim from NasarawaEggon, the group denounced the comment attributed to Gye-Wado, saying, “we viewed with serious concerns and dismay, the attempt by some people to introduce politics of religion in our state, particularly in our Nasarawa-North senatorial zone.”

While agreeing that the people of the zone are free to agitate for the area to produce a governor, the elders however described as unacceptable the dragging of religion into politics, stressing that neither religion nor ethnicity should be a consideration for political aspirations.

Also reacting over the issue, Aliyu Bello, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, described as hypocritical the claim by Gye-Wado suggesting that Muslims have been ruling the state with nothing to show for it.

Not only that, Bello, who contested for post of the party’s secretary in the last PDP state congress, noted that the recent decamping of Gye-Wado and some others from their former parties to rejoin the PDP was rather a bad omen than a blessing.

“Only a few weeks after his rejoining the party, Gye-Wado addressed the press on behalf of some faceless group demanding that the position of the governor be shifted to NasarawaNorth and now this claim to religion.

His coming back to the party has the tendency to worsen the situation on ground within the party”, he said.

“Where was Gye-Wado when a fellow Christian, the late Emmanuel Okpede, contested against former governor Abdullahi Adamu and lost?

Was Gye-Wado not in Adamu’s camp, why is he now crying wolf when there is none?”

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Politics

2015: Challenges as APC strives to retain Zamfara Feature

By Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

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he year 2015 will be the first time for the merger All Progressive Congress {APC} to test its strength by retaining Zamfara state as it struggles against the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It has only 2 years to mobilize the creaky minds of Zamfara electorates who, by political analysis, have resolved to smoke out the incumbent Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar from the Government House. From all indications, the people of the state cannot wait to install a new government which would deliver better welfarist and developmental projects in the state.

Should the APC, by 2015, endorse Governor Yari to re-contest for the second term, dozens of wrongs being done to about 70% of voters will be the vortex of challenges the party should be prepared to overcome before it is too late. Failure to do this, the opposition could only wait for a sweatless victory.

One of the opportunities the opposition parties could sieze as the weapon to make the ruling ANPP a history in the state is the hidden feud between Governor Yari and the majority of the members of his cabinet over his disregard to monthly executive council meeting ever since he assumed office.

Though, one of the serving Commissioners revealed in anonymity that the Governor had called the Executive Council meeting only three times in his personal Talata Marafa’s residence with only five of the cabinet members between August 2011 and November 2012 during which vital issues including steps on how to implement the government’s blueprint throughout first tenure were discussed.

“If the meaning of appointing a Commissioner is to assist the Governor in running the affairs of the ministry, we all don’t know why we are there”, the Commissioner said. “I don’t know whether

there are exceptions among the Commissioners, but I can tell you that, not a single Commissioner can produce a record in account of any contract awarded under his ministry. He only hears it on air and is invited to celebrate the flag-off and commissioning ceremonies”, he lamented.

Unlike in other states, where a committee of elders in the ruling party have virtually seem to be considered as mediators especially when there is a conflict between the executive’s side and the party leadership or other side of top government officials, in Zamfara state, it has been recorded times without number that Governor Yari has no modicum of respect and trust in anybody.

During a traditional Friday preaching, he repeatedly expressed regret for appointing self-centered officials that serve as pillars under his administration to be assisting in managing the affairs of the state.

This perhaps warrants, a situation for him to run the government single handedly by becoming a dictator who decides on all government policies alone instead of tabling same before the state Executive Council.

In the education sector, Yari has committed an unpardonable offense against teachers, both at the primary and secondary levels having refused to pay the N18,000 minimum wage.

The teachers had embarked upon a strike which lasted two months only to resume few weeks ago in protest against the governor’s presumed

Governor Abdulaziz Yari insensitivity to their plights.

This is apart from thousands of civil servants earlier dismissed for alleged political reasons; an action which is believed to have worsened the already limping economy. This has made abject poverty the norms in most homes in the state.

The increasing rate of street begging in the state capital by the families of the sacked civil servants, which has resulted into furher moral decadence, had generally been fingered as one of the reasons for high crime rate in the state which has obviously been beyond the control of security agents deployed.

The APC would equally have to work harder to persuade critical stakeholders in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) who had deserted the party after having felt shortchanged and abandoned by the governor. Most of these politicians had to give up supporting the party when the governor refused to patronize them after ensuring his success at the 2011 polls.

There are reports that Governor

“

Yarima can no longer be seen as a threat to Governor Yari, because people in the state were strongly annoyed with him especially when he mobilized Islamic scholars to go to Saudi Arabia to pray for Jonathan’s return in 2015 while he could not do same to his own state which has been seriously under attack by the gunmen

Sen. Ahmed Sani Yarima

Yari is no longer interested in the leadership of Alhaji Lawali Kaura and had instead subtituted him with Alhaji Salihu Maibuhu Gummi, who is currently the state Chiarman of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP). Gummi is being seen as the one controlling the affairs in the defunct ANPP even though he is not a member of that party, This development, it was learnt, did not go down well with the aggrieved Lawali Kaura, being the leader f the party that fought the then ruling PDP to standstill to install Governor Yari. It was gathered that he resolved to turn his back against the governor and chose to maintain his cordial relationship with Senator Ahmad Sani Yarima, who is currently a Senator in the National Assembly.

Meanwhile Gummi, it was learnt has refused to dump his DPP for ANPP but inisted that he would only maintain the alliance the party entered into with the defunct ANPP in 2011 even as 2015 governorship election approaches.

The situation degenerated even more when Governor Yari moved to remove Lawali Kaura from the position of the state Chairman, Pilgrims Welfare Board. Yari, in its stead decided to setup a committee headed by the deputy Governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala to oversee the 2013 hajj operations.

Governor Yari, in order to cripple the leadership of the ANPP before the merger, decided to stop funding the party having stopped funds being generated from the monthly deductions from political office holders’ salaries. This action however helped in the conversion of the state ANPP Secretariat into a criminals’ hideout.

Although Senator Yarima had tried his best possible to restore sanity into the party in the state as he strived to make peace between the governor and the aggrieved leaders of he defunct ANPP, who are currently critical stakeholders in the new APC, such efforts have come to nought. The implication however is that Yarima himself risks sliding into political oblivion should he continue to support Yari in this dangerous political game.

Already a battle line has since been drawn to eventually pave the way for a serious faction in the ruling APC in Zamfara state as critics believe that Yari may have resolved to establish his private political empire.

This according to them is probably responsible for continued absence of the governor at any event involving his political godfather, Yarima.

Political observers believed that the only but hard way for the aggrieved Senator to win the crusade against Yari in Zamfara state is to embark on tour of the 14 local government areas of the state to blunt Yari’s name. This is what some people feel is difficult because the people of the state are tired of giving their listening ears to the same person that promised them unseen welfare.

A serving Special Adviser to the Governor, who spoke under the condition of anonymity said, “Yarima can no longer be seen as a threat to Governor Yari, because people in the state were strongly annoyed with him especially when he mobilized Islamic scholars to go to Saudi Arabia to pray for Jonathan’s return in 2015 while he could not do same to his own state which has been seriously under attack by the gunmen”.

Don’t drag me into politics, ex ICPC boss warns Kwara opposition leader From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

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ormer President, Court of Appeal and former Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Mustapha Akanbi, has warned leader of opposition party in Kwara state not to drag him into their politics.

Akanbi stated this at the weekend while debunking a story in a national

daily that he was party of the leaders in the state regrouping to wrestle power from the Saraki dynasty.

He explained that he was invited

by Dr. Amuda Aluko, Tafida of Ilorin, that he wanted to launch an NGO titled Kwara Citizens Development Initiative (KCDI) and the he wanted to share from his experience.

The retired jurist who felt disappointed about the publication taged “ 2015: Opposition regroup

against Saraki’s dynasty in Kwara’”, noted that had no problem with the Sarakis and that whoever want to fight him should do it alone and not drag him into their agenda.

“I am debunking what the gentleman had written. I was there not to lead opposition against Saraki’s dynasty. Dr Amuda Aluko invited me to chair an NGO which he wanted to launch, not opposition parties.

“If they want to fight somebody, let them fight him on their own. The man had not offended me. Today, I just finished the last paragraph of my biography. I don’t want anybody to run me down”.

Justice Akanbi who condemned the publication said he always stand as a figure in settlement of conflicts, restorati of peace and stability in Ilorin in particular and in Nigeria in general any time he was called upon.

He stressed that at his age, he was satisfied with what he had achieved.

Akanbi who said he had respect for Aluko who invited him for launching of a NGO, disclosed that he had once settled disputes among the members of Ilorin Emirate Descendant Progressive Union(IEDPU) and other aggrieved groups in the state stressing that only a member of political party could toll the party line and be partisan..

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 39

News Extra

Jigawa LG awards N148m road contract From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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uri Local Government Area of Jigawa state has awarded a N148 million contract for the construction of a 6 kilometer road from Guri to Zugo community in the state.

The council chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi BulamaZugo, made this known to our reporter at the end of the local government executive council meeting yesterday.

Bulama said the road construction would further openup the area to the local people considering the difficulty they usually experience when coming to urban centers for emergencies and medical attention.

He said:“It is pathetic to see how patients’ especially pregnant women pass through such horrific trauma of transporting them through the rough road from the hinterlands to where they would get medical attentions,” he said.

200 youth get interest-free loans in Katsina From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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hairman, Safana Local Government in Katsina State, Alhaji Muhammad Zakka has disbursed interest- free loan to 200 youth in the area to assist them establish various businesses.

Distributing the loans to the benefitting youth over the weekend in Katsina, Zakka urged the beneficiaries to make proper utilisation of the money by engaging in ventures that wouldmake them self-reliant and contribute their quota to the development of the area.

He said: “The state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema is determined to promoting the welfare and economic status of Katsina youth. The governor has established the youth craft village to train youth on skills that would be useful to them.”

The chairman also urged youth to take advantage of peace and peaceful co-existence in the state by engaging in lawful means of generating wealth in the state, adding that “if youth are gainfully employed we can safeguard the future”.

L-R: Representative of Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences commission (ICPC), Hon. Abdullahi AdoBayero, National Women Leader, Patriots for Peace and Sustainable Justice Initiative, Hajiya Hafsat Abubakar, and National Coordinator of the NGO, Saint Anthanasius Okon, during the organisation’s visit to ICPC headquarters, recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

US partners with North on train-the-trainer summit From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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he United States Institute of Peace in collaboration with Arewa Citizens Action for Changes (ACAC) is organising a train-the-trainer summit in all 19 northern states to stamp out the exiting security and ethno-religious challenges in the region.

The Chairman of ACAC, Barrister Yahaya Alkanemi, who disclosed this while addressing the media in Kaduna yesterday, said the event was necessary to enlighten

northerners on the dangers of the current security challenges leading to huge loss of lives and property.

Alkanemi said his group was concerned with the decline of peace and harmony in the region and had decided to convene such summit with a view stemming the tide of violence, intolerance, religious bigotry and political thuggery that has pervaded the northern youths.

According to him, “ACAC seeks to promote the management of dispute and conflicts within local communities and at the

regional and national level, as one of the primary and enduring responsibilities of all citizens to nation building.”

“This timely and appropriate intervention hopes to salvage the north from the current state of insecurity, political and economic downturn. Participants will be empowered with skills in conflict management and peaceful resolution of dispute,” he said.

Alkanemi disclosed that the workshop is the brain child of the ACAC in collaboration with the

Sokoto spends N311m on intending pilgrims From Mahmoud Muhammad, Sokoto

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okoto State Government has concluded plan to expend 311,220, 000 million Naira,

(8,190,000)Saudi Riyal (SR)as part of accommodation subsidy expensesfor 5,460 intending pilgrims during the 2013 Hajj operations in Saudi Arabia.

In a statement issued by Media Assistant of Sokoto State Pilgrims

Welfare Agency(SSPWA),Alhaji Farouk Umar, it said the subventionallotted to each intending pilgrims cost 1,500 SR per- pilgrims.

Umar, who said the pilgrims would be lodged at a choice area

Cleric wants Almajiri school for women in Kebbi From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

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Centre for Crisis Prevention and Peace Advocacy, with the aims of enabling participants to anticipate and work effectively in conflictprone environments.

“The current security situation in Nigeria especially in the northern part of the country calls for concerned efforts from all and sundry to stem the tide, such that areas where there is relative calm and peace need to take certain strategic measures to avoid spillover effects,” he said.

ollowing intensive efforts by the Federal Government in abolishing the high rate streetbegging in the northern part of the country,an Islamic Scholar, Mallam Awal Mayhama, called for the establishment of Women Alimajari School in Kebbi state.

Mayhama made the call while speaking with Peoples Daily correspondent at the weekend saying Kebbi state has the highest number of women beggars in the North-West region.

The cleric, whoinformed that the number of children beggars (Alimajari) had reduced drastically, however, lamented over the increasing rate of women beggars in the state.

According to him, “some of these beggars who are fit and capable of working have cultivated the habit of roaming the streets with their children begging for money.”

“If you go to the Banks streets along Government House and also in-front of Government House gate you would find them their waiting for you to give them Money, if you withdraw from the Bank, and also if you are driving and

stop while receiving a Telephone call you will see them asking you to give them,’’ he said.

He explained that Islam forbids begging, saying “women who are supposed to be in their husband’s houses are going round the town requesting for money. Amazingly, you see women at the ages of 50 and above trading as beggars.”

“There must be proper coordination on the part of the Government and also the security agencies and the Banks to find way of evacuating them from these areas in the state,” he said.

closed to Holy mosque (Ka’abah), expressed satisfaction with the facilities in the hotels. He said that 5,460 seats were allocated to all the 23 local government areas of the state.

Censor board to shutdown café, viewing centers in Jigawa From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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igawa state Arts, Exhibition and M u l t i m e d i a Censorship Board has given proprietors of Film companies, Internet Cafes, Video and Audio cassette shops, as well as soccer and home video houses up to the end of this month to register with the board or face the

closure of their premises.

A statement by Executive Secretary of the Board, Alhaji Muhammad Kaugama in Dutse, stated that “any proprietor who failed to register would have himself or herself to blame.”

He said the board was doing everything possible to get all the affected organisations to understand governments’ decision over their registration.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 40

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY Council endorsed the useful phone numbers submitted by the security agents for easy access in case of any emergency on the metropolitan Roads. Accordingly, the general public may easily Contact KAROTA for: Breakdown of Vehicle(s), Traffic Congestion, Accidents, and Illegal/Wrong Parking to kindly Call KAROTA through the following number – 08091626747. Similarly, the State Police Command could be contacted on – 08032419754 and 08123821575. In addition, the State Fire Service can also be contacted on – 07051246833 and 08191778888.

111th KANO STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING

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t the one hundred and tenth (110th) sitting of the Council the sum of Three Hundred and Four Million, Five Hundred and Eighty-Three Thousand and Nine Hundred and Fifty-Five Naira and Eighty-Five Kobo (N304,583,955.85) was approved for the execution of numerous projects submitted by MDAs for development purposes.

There is widespread recognition that the State is now experiencing profound technological, social, economic and political change. There is now certainty about the nature and meaning of these changes. It is becoming glaringly clear that this administration’s transforming process is bringing rapid infrastructural development, improved healthcare delivery, educational and agricultural system. Today, Wednesday 14th August, 2013 (7st Shawwal, 1434 AH) the Kano State Executive Council held its one hundred and eleven (111th) meeting under the Chairmanship of the State Governor, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso during which seven (7) MDAs submitted twenty-five (25) memoranda for deliberation. Sixteen (16) of them were approved for execution with an expenditure of the sum of One billion, Four Hundred and EightyTwo million, Eight Hundred and Eleven Thousand, One hundred and Eighty-Eight Naira and Ninety Kobo (N1,482,811,188.90).

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT Out of the twenty-five (25) memoranda deliberated

by Council, fourteen (14) of them were submitted by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government on behalf of MDAs. Out of the fourteen (14), five (5) were approved by Council for execution. a) Presentation of Proposal Towards Organizing Kwankwasiyya Kano Horse Racing Festival to Kick – Off After the 2013 Rainy Season:In commemoration of the revival of Horse Racing in Kano State, courtesy of the present administration under the leadership of the second incumbency of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE, the Standing Committee on the Revival of Horse Racing proposed the conduct of Kwankwasiyya Kano Horse Racing Festival. Details, as endorsed by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, were presented for consideration by Council. Council appreciated the presentation and the efforts of the Committee.

Council advised the Committee to shoulder the festivities without recourse to Government or Private Organizations’ financial support. However, the sum of N600,000.00 was approved as sitting allowance to the Committee. b) Presentation of Plea for Permission to Cultivate the Land Proposed for the Establishment of a Medical University in Bichi Town:Office of the Secretary to the State Government forwarded the plea, through the contents of this memorandum, by the previous occupants of the site proposed for the establishment of a Medical University in Bichi town, for Government’s permission to cultivate the land this rainy season pending commencement of the execution of the project.

Recommendation was proffered to Council based

for disbursement to the thirty-three (33) Judiciary Officers according to the details presented.

Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso on professional advice obtained from the State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning on the issue.

Details were presented for the consideration of the Council.

Council noted, considered and granted permission to the previous occupants (farmers) to cultivate the land beginning from the current rainy season (2013) up to the take – off of the proposed project. c) Presentation of Registration of Dala Building Society Plc (DBS) Shares by the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC):The contents of this memorandum forwarded an Information Memorandum (IM) from Dala Building Society Plc intimating Government on registration of its shares and its merging partner, SunTrust and Loan Limited by the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). Details were presented for the consideration of the Council as the DBS reiterates its commitment towards engaging professional parties for a successful merger. Council appreciatively acknowledged the presentation. d) Request for Funds to Enable Payment for the 2013 Medical Check – Up Allowances to High Court Judges and Khadis of Shari’ah Court of Appeal in the State:The State High Court Judges and Khadis of Shari’ah Court of Appeal are statutorily qualified to undergo Medical Check – Up annually, which allows them a vacation period from 20th July to 10th September, 2013. Thirty-three (33) beneficiaries were approved for the Medical Check – Up at the aggregate cost of N69,343,218.00, which was requested for release by Council to the State Ministry of Justice to facilitate the purpose cited above.

Significance of the request prompted Council to approve the release of the requested sum of N69,343,218.00 to the State Ministry of Justice

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY The only memorandum submitted by this Ministry was approved for execution: Sponsorship of 44 Advanced Diploma Graduates to undergo a One year degree program in Singapore The Kano Informatics Institute was amongst the 22 Institutions established by the present administration for the training of youths relevant skills and professions, which will lead to the award of Diploma and Advanced Diploma Certificates.

The Institute has since inception trained hundreds of students computer skills. This is the basis for the submission of this memorandum. The contents of this memorandum intimated Council on the need to sponsor 44 indigenous students who have successfully completed and passed the required examination for the award of Advanced Diploma by the Kano Informatics Institute. In recognition of this, the Ministry considered it desirable to recommend the sponsorship of those qualified to undergo one year final training in Singapore, which will lead to the award of a Degree in Computer Science. Council deliberated the proposition and approved the submission of the list of the affected students.

MINISTRY OF LAND AND PHYSICAL PLANNING Only One (1) memorandum was submitted by this Ministry, which was approved for execution

by Council: Request for Funds to Enable Payment of Compensation for Structures Affected by the Proposed Extension of Nuhu Bamalli Hospital Kofar Nassarawa, Municipal LGCA, Kano:Extension of the Nuhu Bamalli Hospital, at the instance of the Kano State Ministry of Health becomes imperative considering the laudable policy of the present administration to provide qualitatively for the transformation and improvement of healthcare/ service delivery in the State. Extension of the Nuhu Bamalli Hospital will certainly augment/complement the healthcare services provided by the Hospitals in the vicinity, which include Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital and Hasiya Bayero Pediatric Hospital.

Specifically, the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning undertook valuation of three (3) landed properties behind the Nuhu Bamalli Hospital for the purpose of compensating and relocating them to alternative sites so as to allow for the proposed extension of the Hospital. The properties were assessed and valued to the tune of N34,370,000.00, which was requested for release by Council to enable the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning pay for the compensation of the properties stated.

Approval was granted by Council for the release of the sum of N34,370,000.00 to the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to pay for the compensation of the three (3) properties behind Nuhu Bamalli Hospital to allow for its proposed extension.

Contd on Page 45

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

MINISTRY OF WORKS, HOUSING AND TRANSPORT Three (3) of the eight (8) memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council from this Ministry were approved for execution. Thus: a. Request for Funds for the Construction of Post Midwifery Institute Gezawa, Gezawa LGCA:The Post Midwifery Institute, Gezawa is among the twenty-one (21) tertiary institutions established by the present administration. The Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport prepared drawings and Bill of Quantities for the construction of the permanent site of the Institute to the tune of N971,361,194.60, which was requested for release to enable the execution of the construction project of the permanent site of the already established Post Midwifery Institute, Gezawa presently at a temporary site.

Relevance of the request prompted Council to approve the release of the requested sum of N971,361,194.60 to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport to enable the execution of the construction project at the permanent site of the Post Midwifery Institute Gezawa. b. Request for Funds to Enable the Purchase of Library Equipment, Materials and Books for the Road Traffic Department (VIOs’) Library:The contents of this memorandum emphasized the importance of research in the present world of technology and innovations. This made the Department of Road Traffic to establish a professional modern mini – library for the use of Officers and other interested persons in the conduct of operations and management of roads in Kano State.

The Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport presented details on ten (10) items required to be purchased for the library at the aggregate cost of N3,602,700.00, which was requested for release by Council. The request was considered relevant as approval was granted for the release of the requested sum of N3,602,700.00 to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport to purchase and place the ten (10) items highlighted in the professional mini – library at the Department of Road Traffic. c. Request for Funds for the Construction of Security Plaza (With HD Scanners) along Dawanau – Bichi Road and Danbatta Road-Daura Road:The Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport requested Council to approve the release of the aggregate sum of N242,488,227.20 to enable the execution of the projects cited above at the respective disaggregated cost of N121,244,113.60. Details were presented on the credibility of the two (2) projects as related to the provision of security, which Council considered and granted approval for the release of the requested sum of money to enable the execution of the projects.

3. OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR/ HON. COMMISSIONER MINISTRY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS This Office submitted five (5) memoranda for deliberation by Council. Only one (1) of them was approved for execution as follows: Presentation on Organogram/Organizational Structure of State Security Trust Fund:The contents of this memorandum reminded Council of its directives issued to the Office of the Deputy Governor/Hon. Commissioner Ministry for Local Governments during its sitting of Wednesday 17th July, 2013 to appraise and submit the organizational structure of the proposed units to be established under the funding structure of Kano State Security Trust Fund (KSSTF).

Accordingly, the earlier presented organizational structure for the Kano State Trust Fund (KSSTF) was appraised in comparison with the Lagos State Security Trust Fund model and in concert with the Law establishing Kano State Security Trust Fund (KSSTF) and the stark reality for sustainable

PAGE 45

arrangement. Details on the organogram were presented for consideration by Council with three (3) main organs including: i. The Board of Trustees ii. Office of the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Trust Fund iii. Security Outfits under the Trust Fund Council appreciatively acknowledged the presentation and approved the adoption of the organogram to be the structural foundation upon which the Kano State Security Trust Fund (KSSTF) and all other organs should take course.

4. MINISTRY OF HEALTH The four (4) memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council from the Ministry of Health were approved for execution as follows: a. Presentation of Request for Funds for the General Renovation Works at the Accident and Emergency Unit of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano (Phase III):The Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Health recounted through the contents of this memorandum, the efforts of the present administration since its inception towards positive transformation of the Health Sector/Healthcare Delivery System in the State. Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital benefitted series of renovation works as other hospitals in the State. Of recent, approvals were granted for the general renovation of the Accident and Emergency (A and E) Unit of this premier Hospital under Phase (I) and (II) of the project.

As such, the Ministry of Health inspected and proposed for the renovation of the remaining structures at the A and E Unit of the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital as the Phase III of the entire project. Details of the cost implications to the tune of N65,443,406.40 were presented for consideration of Council. Significance and congruence of the request to the laudable policy of the present administration to provide qualitatively for the transformation of the Healthcare Delivery in the State prompted approval for the release of the sum of N65,443,406.40 to the Ministry of Health to enable the execution of the Phase III of the general renovation works at the A and E Unit of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital. b. Request for Funds for the Supply and Installation of Syrup/Suspension Manufacturing Factory Machines/Equipment at the New Kano State Drug and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (KSDMCSA):The KSDMCSA has been relocated from its former site on Ibrahim Taiwo Road opposite Gidan Ado Bayero to a site in Madobi Local Government Council Area to pave way for the establishment of the new Governor’s College, courtesy of the present administration.

Nevertheless, the movement of the KSDMCSA complex is being executed in phases of which the first and second phases have been successfully carried out.

The Ministry of Health proposed the execution of the third phase of the relocation project, which involves the supply and installation of Syrup/Suspension Manufacturing Factory machines/equipment at the cost of N31,875,126.66.

Council noted, considered and approved the release of the sum to facilitate the successful completion of the relocation project of the KSDMCSA complex. c. Request for Funds for the Construction of Manufacturing/Factory Complex at the New Site of Kano State Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (KSDMCSA):KSDMCSA was established purposely to manufacture drugs and other hospital related consumables for public health institutions. Improving and sustaining the schedules of this organization is in line with the present administration’s desire of ensuring massive production and supply of essential hospitals and health products/drugs at subsidized rate thereby improving healthcare in the State. For effective performance of the parastatal, Council recalled the relocation of the organization

to a permanent site at Kwanar Madobi. Already, construction of Administration block, Conference Hall, Wall Fence, Ware House, etc. are executed at the sum of over N200 million under Phase I of the project.

This explains the basis behind the submission of this memorandum by the Ministry of Health for the execution of the Phase II of the project comprising the construction of Manufacturing/Factory Complex to facilitate the take-off of the organization. Council approved the release of the sum of N59,069,131.21 to the Ministry of Health to enable the execution of the Phase II of the project to make the KSDMCSA occupy its rightful place in the manufacture of high quality drugs and the training of students on Industrial Attachment. d. Presentation of Request for Funds for the General Renovation Works at Sir Sunusi Specialist Hospital:Sir Sunusi Specialist Hospital is the only Kano State owned Orthopedic Referral Specialist Hospital, which provides services to numerous patients from within and outside the State to patients from Jigawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Katsina, etc. This important Hospital suffered neglect in the past years of the immediate past administration. Reminiscently, the last renovation works executed at the Hospital was executed over ten (10) years ago during the first tenure of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE in the year 2001.

As such, the Ministry of Health inspected and assessed the extent of works required and prepared a Bill of Quantities to the tune of N126,999,750.64, which was requested for release by Council to execute the general renovation works at the Sir Sunusi Specialist Hospital.

Council noted, considered and approved the release of the sum of N126,999,750.64 to the Ministry of health to enable the execution of general renovation works required at the Sir Sunusi Specialist Hospital.

5. MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION One (1) of the two memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council from the Ministry of Higher Education was approved for execution.

Thus: Presentation of Report on the Affiliation of Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano with Bayero University, Kano to Run Degree Programmes:Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso has come of age and the management at the College is committed and has the initiative to commence Degree programmes in some specialized courses with affiliation to Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

The contents of this memorandum substantiated to Council that the College has already reached advanced stages toward actualizing this objective as approval was granted for the College to commence Degree Programmes by the Senate Committee on Affiliation of Bayero University, Kano (BUK). Six (6) programmes were approved, which include three (3) each from two (2) disciplines. Thus: i. Bachelor of Arts Education • B. A. Ed English • B. A. Ed Arabic • B. A. Ed Islamic Studies ii. Bachelor of Science Education • B. Sc Ed Biology • B. Sc Ed Chemistry • B. Sc Ed Geography Certainly, this development will provide an opportunity to accommodate more youths who are qualified but unable to gain admission in other Universities. Details on the arrangements were presented for consideration by Council. Council appreciatively acknowledged the presentation.

Signed: Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture, Kano State

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 40

Leisure

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Some Interesting Facts

our brain is move active and thinks more at night than during the day.

Submitted by: Christina & Jessica Your brain is 80% water.

85% of the population can curl their tongue into a tube.

Your tongue has 3,000 taste buds.

Your forearm (from inside of elbow to inside of wrist) is the same length as your foot.

Submitted by: Josh A sneeze travels at over 100 miles per hour. Gesundheit!

Your thigh bone is stronger than concrete.

Your fingernails grow almost four times as fast as your toenails.

You blink your eyes over 10,000,000 a year.

There were about 300 bones in your body when you were born, but by the time you reach adulthood you only have 206.

The smallest bones in the human body are in your ear!

Submitted by: The Phoenix Your mouth uses 75 muscles when you speak!

Submitted by: Devin When you wake up in the morning you are at taller than when you go to sleep, because you have let your spine straighten back out after all the bending, sitting, and moving you have done!

Submitted by: Katie Mae It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

Submitted by: Mazda Roxx The average growth of hair is half an inch per month.

Submitted by: Amylia If hair remains uncut, it can grow up to 5 feet long.

Submitted by: Amylia Your tongue, eye, and jaw muscles are among the strongest muscles in your body.

The language of a society changes slowly but steadily with the result that an educated person will not be able to read or understand words in his language written 500 years ago.

Do you feel like you can’t talk to your parents? Maybe it’s because you belong to the Niger-Congo family.

More than 1,400 languages are spoken by different members of this family from Africa.

It has been estimated that the number of actively spoken languages

in the world today is about 6,000.

There is no word that rhymes with orange.

Pinocchio is Italian for “pine head.”

The most common letters in English are R S T L N E. There is no word that rhymes with purple.

There was only one code during World War II that was never broken by the enemy and was used by the US Army. Navajo soldiers, called Codetalkers, developed a radio code based on their native language. It was the only way US soldiers on the battlefield could be sure that messages were from there own side and not from Japanese imitators.

Did you know that the word “typewriter” is the longest word in the English Language that can

be spelled with the the top of the keyboard?

You speak about 4,800 words a day.

HIPPOPOTOMONS TROSES QUIPPED ALIOPHOBIA is the fear of long words.

The holiday Boxing day was originally celebrated in England,for the servants to the rich people. After chrismas,the servants “boxed up” all the leftovers from the rich people and bring them home.

A palindrome is a word that is spelled the same way from both ends. For example: racecar Once in England, because of a water spout, it rained frogs!

Almost two-thirds of the earths surface is covered by water. If the earth were flat, water would cover everything in a layer two miles deep!

Say what?

SUDODKU

PHOTO OF THE DAY

These 52 chefs set the world record in February 2013 for the world’s largest Cantonese fried rice in Costa Rica. It served over 7,000 people and weighed almost 3,000 pounds.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 41

FIFA delegation arrives today for goal project courses

Stories by Albert Akota wo-man delegation from the World Football Governing Body, FIFA will fly into Nigeria today for useful deliberations with the top hierarchy of the Nigeria Football Federation on the upcoming Goal Project 2 the construction of National Technical Centre in Bauchi.

The team, to consist of Francesco Brescoli and FIFA’s Development Officer for West Africa, Sampon Kablan, will also hold discussions with NFF chieftains on available administrative, coaching and refereeing courses in the remaining part of the year and 2014.

Messrs Brescoli and Kablan will be received at the NFF Secretariat, Abuja tomorrow morning by NFF President Alhaji Aminu Maigari, as well as Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme (acting General Secretary), Dr. Mohammed Sanusi (Director of Competitions), Mr. Idris Adama (Director of Marketing), Mr. Jarafu Mamza (Director of Finance), Mr. Ademola Olajire (Assistant Director, Media), Mr. Bola Oyeyode (Head of International), Mr Sunday Okayi (Head of Referees Unit) and Dr. Christian Emeruwa (special assistant to General Secretary).

After discussions with the NFF President, the FIFA team will hold meetings with relevant NFF schedule officers and then visit the Sunday Dankaro Football House, before flying to Bauchi on Wednesday together with top NFF officials, to see the land that has been allocated to the NFF by the Bauchi State Government for the building of the Technical Centre.

The delegation is expected to pay a courtesy call on the Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa

T

Promoted Giwa FC

Yuguda on Wednesday evening, before returning to Abuja on Thursday. While Brescoli is expected to fly back to Europe on Thursday night, Abidjan-based Kablan will fly out of Lagos on Friday.

NFF’s Acting General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, said: “We are ready to receive the FIFA team, and we have all documents ready concerning the land that has been allocated to us by the Bauchi State Government for the construction of the National Technical Centre.

“I must also reiterate here that the NFF has approached them governments of Lagos and Anambra States as well for allocation of land for similar purpose. Once the centre in Bauchi is ready, we will move to develop the sites in Lagos and Anambra States without further delay. We have that assurance from FIFA.”

Car, cash gift for promoted Giwa FC

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iwa FC are set to receive car and cash gifts promised them by club owner Chris Giwa for winning promotion to the premier league.

The Jos-based club is the only teams from the Nigeria National League (NNL) who have so far booked their place in the premier league come next season.

A cross section of the players said that the owner of the team promised each player and official of the team one million Naira if they made it to the top flight, while regular players will be rewarded with a car gift each in addition.

“We are happy to have booked a place in the premier league; we

NFF president, Maigari are waiting for our proprietor to fulfil the promise of one million naira each if we got the ticket. He is a man of his words, we know he will definitely fulfil his promises,” a player said.

“Nobody gave us chance to win promotion, but we did it. We have made our owner and supporters happy with this achievement. Our father, Ambassador Giwa promised us a million Naira each and a car each for those players who are regulars.”

“We know he is capable of it.

We know he will definitely give us, we are eager for the season to end so we could get the gifts,” another player added.

D Tigers set for Afrobasket test

T

he Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) have announced the list of twelve players selected to represent Nigeria at the forthcoming Afrobasket Championship in Abidjan,Ivory Coast.

D’Tigers was seeded as the top team in group D and will face Cameroon Mali and Congo DR in the group games. Half of the team that represented Nigeria at the London 2012 Olympics made the contingent, to tournament which will commence this week.

The players selected for the tournament are: Alade Aminu, Al Farouk Aminu, Chamberlain Oguchi, Andy Ogide, Ben Uzoh, Gani Lawal, Jamaal Olasewere, Stanley Gumut and Stan Okoye,Richard Oruche, Ike Diogu and Olumide Oyedeji.

D’Tigers will depart for Abidjan on Sunday and will play for their first game on August 21 against Mali.

Beach soccer clubs set for CBN cup

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FF’s partner in the development of beach soccer in the country, Sports Solutions Limited, stated at the weekend that all is set for the second edition of the CBN Beach Soccer Cup competition, which has been slated for September 6-8 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“We have commenced serious preparations for the competition, which is one of the events designed to truly ginger nationwide interest in beach soccer and generate awareness ahead of the launch of beach soccer league in the country,” Taye Olajide, Head of Events of Sports Solutions, stated.

Already, the company has now completed the construction of a new Beach Soccer Pitch in Accra Street, Zone 5, Wuse, Abuja as part of development of structures for the unveiling of beach soccer league in the

Beach players in good mood

country.

It has now been revealed that the newly-constructed Beach Soccer Pitch in Wuse will host this year’s CBN Beach Soccer Cup competition, which will involve eight beach soccer teams in the country.

“Sports Solutions Limited is delighted with the encouragement and support it continues to enjoy from the Nigeria Football Federation towards the launching of beach soccer league in the country.

“Now, we can disclose that beach soccer teams from Kogi, Nasarawa, Anambra and Abia States, as well as teams representing Sterling Bank, Aso Savings and Loans and defending champions Fidelity Bank will take part in the second edition of CBN Beach Soccer Cup competition,” said Taye Olajide.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Sports Soldado strikes as Spurs defeat Palace 1-0

Spurs players celebrating victory

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ottenham’s record signing Roberto Soldado scored on his debut as Crystal Palace was defeated in their first top-flight match since 2005.

The £26m signing from Valencia coolly side-footed a penalty past Julian Speroni after Aaron Lennon’s cross was handled by full-back Dean Moxey.

Soldado, 28, scored 24 goals in 35 appearances for Valencia last season and had the perfect start to his Premier League career.

Tottenham duo Kyle Walker and Aaron Lennon consistently linked well down the right - and their running eventually proved decisive just after half-time.

Lennon found space in the area but his cross clattered into Moxey’s outstretched hand. Tottenham did

not win a penalty in the whole of the 2012-13 season but referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot and Soldado kept his cool, slotting home as Speroni dived the wrong way.

Since 1 January 2013, this is only the second time Spurs have won when Gareth Bale has not scored.

The previous game was against Stoke on 12 May. Palace frustrated Tottenham in the first half, with Andre VillasBoas’s team reduced to shooting from distance.

Mousa Dembele fired over the bar from 25 yards and Gylfi Sigurdsson’s clipped effort from a similar distance was tipped over by Speroni.

Palace’s passing was particularly wayward and they needed a set-piece to create their first chance on target,

as Aaron Wilbraham headed straight at Lloris from Owen Garvan’s freekick.

With half-time approaching, Walker played through a scuttling Lennon, who evaded the defenders, only for Speroni to thwart Soldado’s attempt.

The best chance of the first half came from the final piece of action.

Lennon chipped a cross to the back post, where new signing Nacer Chadli duly headed the ball into the crowd.

In the second half, Palace boss Ian Holloway made a treble substitution after Tottenham’s goal, bringing on Jonathan Williams, Marouane Chamakh and veteran Kevin Phillips.

Sigurdsson should have sealed the match but side-footed wide after Walker had found Soldado in the penalty area.

Moments later, 40-year-old Phillips sprung the offside trap and almost found himself in on goal. Lloris raced out to intercept Dikgacoi’s ball over the top, sliding outside of his box and only just managing to hack the ball away.

Substitute Jermain Defoe had an opportunity to seal the match, racing past four Palace players, only to shoot wide.

Palace then had their best chance as the ball dropped to Dikgacoi in the area, but the South African could only shoot directly at Lloris.

Winning return for Mourinho at Chelsea

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helsea manager Jose Mourinho celebrated his Stamford Bridge return with a comprehensive and incident-packed 2-0 victory over Premier League newcomers Hull.

Almost six years since leaving the Blues, the self-proclaimed Special One enjoyed a rapturous reception and a strong showing from his side on his homecoming.

It did not all go Chelsea’s way as Frank Lampard saw a sixth-minute penalty saved by Allan McGregor and goal-line technology came into play when the Scotland goalkeeper saved a Branislav Ivanovic header in first-half

The special one celebrating

stoppage-time, correctly ruling no goal had been scored.

Chelsea was already two goals up at that point, through Oscar and Lampard’s stunning 30-yard free-kick, with the three points all but secure.

Hull put up more resistance in the second period to give reason for optimism, but at times it seemed like they were in a different league to their hosts.

For the newly promoted Tigers, it was always going to be difficult to end Mourinho’s now 61-game unbeaten home record in the English top flight.

Chelsea had won 12 and drawn two of their previous 14 opening-day league

games, while the Tigers’ last away win in a season-opener was in 2002 at Exeter and in the fourth tier.

The Blues will have to be better against Aston Villa on Wednesday night and then at Old Trafford against defending champions Manchester United a week tomorrow, where Chelsea target Wayne Rooney will be the centre of attention.

Abramovich’s millions helped Mourinho lead Chelsea to a first championship in 50 years in 2005, but now the task is to mould the existing team rather than spend lavishly, with the possible exception of Rooney.

Riviere starts with hits hat-trick as AS Monaco wallop Montpellier 4-1

E

mmanuel Riviere scored a hat-trick as Monaco’s successful start to life back in Ligue 1 continued with an impressive win over 10-man Montpellier.

Radamel Falcao opened the scoring from the penalty spot early in the first half before Ranieri’s men were pegged back thanks to a Victor Hugo Montano effort.

Riviere put Monaco back in front just before the break, though, and the former Toulouse striker scored twice more in the second half - either side of a red card for Montpellier defender Daniel Congre for a foul on Yannick Ferreira Carrasco - to wrap up the points.

The promoted hosts, who beat Bordeaux in their opening fixture, forced Montpellier back from the start and the pressure paid off shortly before the 20-minute mark when Siaka Tiene hauled down Lucas Ocampos in the area

and Falcao made no mistake from 12 yards for his second goal of the season.

Their lead lasted little over five minutes though when Benjamin Stambouli picked out Montano in the area and he headed home to level the score.

With the half-time whistle looming Monaco reclaimed the lead when Riviere appeared to foul Congre but, with nothing given, the Monegasque striker went on to lob Laurent Pionnier and restore his side’s lead.

Pionnier was more effective in the second half when he pulled off a magnificent save to keep out Ocampos’ glancing header but moments later the visiting keeper was picking the ball out of the net again.

Carrasco swung a corner in towards the near post and Riviere was in the right place at the right time to knee the ball beyond Pionnier.

Riviere jumps for joy after scoring against Montpellier.

Villa shock Arsenal with 3-1 as Liverpool, United win

A

rsenal were beaten 3-1 by Aston Villa, the start to the campaign that manager Arsene Wenger did not want as pressure mounts over a lack of new signings in North London, with not one penny of their transfer war chest yet spent.

The Gunners did make the perfect start when Olivier Giroud put Arsenal in front after six minutes, producing a fine finish following great work from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain down the left.

But Arsenal were pegged back just 16 minutes later, with Christian Benteke heading in the rebound after his penalty was saved by Wojciech Szczesny, who looked to have redeemed himself after bringing down Gabriel Agbonlahor for the spot-kick.

Santi Cazorla was on the bench at the start of the game after being in Ecuador with Spain midweek, but Wenger introduced the Spaniard immediately after halftime.

The pressure mounted on Villa as Giroud twice went close to doubling his tally, and Tomas Rosicky engineered an opportunity to get into the box but failed to test Brad Guzan in the visitor’s goal.

Fabian Delph almost gave Villa the lead against the run of play, but Arsenal survived when his shot bounced back off the post. Moments later, though, Arsenal conceded a second penalty after Laurent Koscielny fouled Agbonlahor and Benteke stepped up to slot home.

Manchester United started life

after Sir Alex Ferguson in familiar fashion with a comfortable 4-1 victory at Swansea.

New boss David Moyes has had a difficult summer, failing to land his transfer targets and having to answer numerous questions about Wayne Rooney’s future.

The England striker was a secondhalf substitute, but he was thoroughly overshadowed by Robin van Persie, who volleyed United ahead in the 34th minute and scored a sumptuous goal 18 minutes from time.

Danny Welbeck netted in between, while there was consolation for Swansea in the form of a debut goal for Wilfried Bony on 82 minutes before Welbeck had the final say with a deft chip in injury time.

Wenger can’t bear to watch as Arsenal crash against Aston Villa.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

PAGE 43

Sports

Omiya sign Lucas Neill

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ustralia’s national football captain Lucas Neill has signed a contract with Japan’s Omiya Ardija and is ready to play as early as next weekend, the J.League club announced yesterday.

The 35-year-old defender had been searching for a new club since the end of the A-League season, when he completed a short-term

deal with Sydney FC. He has already arrived in Japan and is ready to play starting at the upcoming match on Saturday if he can clear all necessary procedures.

A picture of Neill wearing Omiya’s orange shirt has been posted on the club’s website. The team declined to confirm further details such as his term and contract

Frankfurt swoop for Kadlec

sum.

Earlier this month Omiya sacked manager Zdenko Verdenik after a run of five defeats saw them slip from top spot to fourth in the J.League table. They lost 1-2 to Sagan Tosu on yesterday, extending their losing streak to six and dropping further to fifth in the table.

E

intracht Frankfurt has responded to their lack of goals so far this season by signing Vaclav Kadlec from Czech club Sparta Prague for an undisclosed fee.

The 21-year-old has penned a four-year contract with the Eagles, who lost 1-0 at home to Bayern Munich yesterday to remain glued to the foot of the Bundesliga after losing their opening league fixture 6-1 at Hertha Berlin.

Kadlec played a total of 146 games for Sparta, scoring 39 goals, while he also has experience of playing in the UEFA Europa League.

He has two caps for the Czech Republic and scored one goal for his national team. He scored his first professional goal in the Czech top flight at the age of 16.

Rooney tight-lip on United future

U

Wayne Rooney

nsettled striker Wayne Rooney refused to discuss his future at Manchester United in his first public comments since he was linked with a move to Chelsea.

The 27-year-old made his first appearance for United this season as a substitute in their 4-1 win at Swansea City on Saturday, lying on second-half goals for Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck.

However, a picture that was circulated widely on Twitter showed that he did not celebrate with his teammates after Van Persie’s goal put United 3-0 up, fuelling speculation he remains concerned about his Old Trafford future.

United have rejected two bids

Lucas Neill for Rooney from Chelsea during the close season, but he was reluctant to comment on their approaches.

Rooney missed United’s entire pre-season campaign with hamstring and shoulder injuries but played for the first 66 minutes against Scotland before his secondhalf cameo at Swansea.

Chelsea prepare new Rooney bid

C

helsea is preparing to launch a final bid of £40 million for Wayne Rooney within the next two days, according to various reports in the British media.

Jose Mourinho has made it clear that he sees Rooney as the missing piece in his squad, and

wants him to lead Chelsea’s attack.

Owner Roman Abramovich is prepared to offer Rooney a fouryear deal with wages of £300,000 a week.

However, David Moyes remains adamant he will not sell Rooney, who provided two assists in United’s 4-1 win at Swansea

after coming on for Ryan Giggs in the 62nd minute.

And if Chelsea cannot change United’s stance, they are set to switch their attentions from Rooney to Robert Lewandowski, the Borussia Dortmund striker.

Lewandowski has one year remaining on his contract at

Romero joins Monaco on loan

A

rgentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero has joined Ligue 1 side Monaco on a season-long loan from Sampdoria, the Serie A

club said.

The 26-year-old Romero, who has won 39 caps with Argentina, joined the Genoa club from Dutch side Alkmaar

in 2011.

He helps them to win promotion from seconddivision in his first year and played 32 league matches last

Dortmund, who blocked the striker’s attempts to emulate Mario Gotze in leaving this summer for Bayern Munich.

Samuel Eto’o, who won the treble under Mourinho at Inter Milan in 2010, is also being considered by Chelsea as a shortterm solution up top.

season.

At Monaco he will compete with current first choice keeper Danijel Subasic of Croatia, who was inconsistent last season.

Ligue 1 newcomers Monaco have splashed out around

(C) Kadlec

150 million euros ($199.99 million) in transfers to bring in some top players including Colombia striker Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid, and fellow countryman James Rodriguez and Portuguese Joao Moutinho from Porto

Wenger still chasing, Suarez bid

A

Luis Suarez

rsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hinted Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney are still transfer targets for the north London club Final days of this summer’s transfer window, while also hinting at a fresh bid for Liverpool’s Luis Suarez and a move to sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United.

Wenger suggested the media were “well informed” when asked whether he would make a new bid for Suarez and an opening offer for Rooney, in comments that will encourage supporters to believe a big-name signing will arrive at the Emirates after two months of frustration.

Arsenal have had two bids for Suarez rejected by Liverpool in recent weeks, yet it does not seem that the unequivocal comments from Reds principal owner John W. Henry, that the striker will

not be sold to the Gunners, has ended Wenger’s interest in the player.

“I don’t want to come out on specific names as that would not be right, but the first request we have is do they have the quality to play for Arsenal Football Club,” Wenger said, when quizzed on his targets ahead of Saturday’s Premier League opener at home to Aston Villa.

“We are not scared to spend money, but only on the right players. We would like two or three players, possibly more, but we will not compromise on the quality. I understand every frustration [of the fans]. What is important is the quality we put on the football pitch, but let’s not create a crisis from nothing.

“We played a good game last week [to beat Manchester City in Finland], so let’s try to take that on. The quality of the team that plays tomorrow [on Saturday] will not be linked about who we sign.

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Sports

Barker beats Geale to win IBF world middleweight title

D

arren Barker took the IBF world middleweight crown by winning a gruelling fight against Daniel Geale by a split decision in Atlantic City.

The Briton, 31, was floored by a body shot in the sixth round and just got up before the end of the referee’s count.

Barker recovered and he went

on to win the world title which eluded him in 2011 when he lost to Sergio Martinez.

The Barnet fighter dedicated his win to his late brother Gary,

who died in a car accident in 2006.

Barker took the fight to Australian Geale and had the better of the early rounds before being caught with a powerful left

World Athletics 2013: Bolt wins relay gold as Britain disqualified

hook to the body in the sixth.

Geale appeared to be taking command of the fight but Barker emerged from his rival’s onslaught to finish strongly.

Williams set for final with Azarenka at Cincinnati open

W

Jamaican relay team

U

sain Bolt led Jamaica to victory in the sprint relay in Moscow to take his tally of World Championship gold medals to a record-equalling eight.

Bolt, 26, guided his team home in 37.36 seconds with the United States second and Britain originally in third.

But Britain lost their bronze after an appeal against their second changeover and Canada were promoted to third.

Bolt finished the championships with three golds after winning the 100m, 200m and the relay.

He joined Americans Michael Johnson, Allyson Felix and Carl Lewis with

eight world titles.

The 100m and 200m world record holder became the first man to win five successive 200m titles at world championships and Olympics and secured his fourth sprint double in five years.

The United States team gave the Jamaicans a scare but Rakieem Salaam’s handover to Justin Gatlin left the individual 100m runnerup off balance.

He clearly strayed into the Jamaicans’ lane outside him but somehow escaped disqualification.

It made no difference to Bolt, who streaked clear to complete victory in the sixth-

fastest time ever.

Bolt delighted the crowed with a celebratory Cossack dance before parading round the track with his three medals on show.

The British quartet also celebrated wildly after finishing third but there were immediate concerns over whether James Ellington and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey had exchanged the baton within the rules.

They skipped and danced down the track while draped in Union flags and anchorman Dwain Chambers even donned a bowler hat for the lap of honour.

Confirmation came

through 30 minutes after the race that the handover had taken place outside of the legal area.

Jamaica also won the women’s 4x100m relay to give Shelly-Ann FraserPryce her third gold medal of the competition.

Britain was second at the final changeover but Hayley Jones was overhauled by France and the United States and finished in fourth place.

In other finals, Teddy Tamgho jumped 18.04m - becoming only the third man to clear 18 metres - to take gold in a high-quality triple jump competition which ended with Olympic champion Christian Taylor

in fourth.

Kenya secured two golds with Asbel Kiprop retaining his 1500m crown and Kenya’s Eunice Sum surging through to deny Russia’s Mariya Savinova back-to-back 800m titles, while Germany’s Christina Obergfoll, a two-time silver medallist, finally won javelin gold.

Russia finished top of the medal table with seven golds while the United States won six, although the Americans won 27 medals in total to the hosts’ 17.

Jamaica also claimed six golds, Kenya five, Germany four and Ethiopia and Britain both on three.

Cleverly loses world title to Kovalev Kovalev over power cleverly with punches

N

athan Cleverly has lost his WBO light-heavyweight title to unbeaten Russian Sergey Kovalev in Cardiff.

Welshman Cleverly, 26, was knocked down for the first time in his career in the third round and was on the brink of defeat from that moment on.

After further punishment, the bout was ended in the fourth round to leave unbeaten Kovalev with another victory.

Kovalev 30, has now won 19 of 22 bouts inside the distance, this time in front of American pay-per-view television.

Kovalev said: “I came here and nobody believed I would beat their champion, but everywhere else in the world they knew already how good I was.

“I knew he couldn’t take my power.

The fact the fight was televised on HBO in the United States was very important

for me.”

Cleverly’s ambitions of unification fights in the America encouraged him to accept Kovalev’s challenge.

But at the Motorpoint Arena Kovalev belied his status as marginal favourite with some bookmakers to leave Cleverly’s fans disappointed.

The mathematics degree holder had seen off five previous challenges to his title but the Cefn Fforest man could not withstand Kovalev’s onslaught.

Kovalev’s power-punch intentions were clear from the first bell while Cleverly looked to outwit his opponent.

Kovalev put him down again and referee Terry O’Connor seemed poised to step in before the third round was over.

The bell rescued cleverly on that occasion, but Kovalev’s ruthless followup ensured the bout ended in the 29 seconds into the fourth.

orld number one Serena Williams beat defending champion Li Na 7-5 7-5 to reach the final of the Cincinnati Open.

The American recovered from set point down to take the first set and then held her nerve after a series of breaks in the second to seal the match.

Williams, 31, who is seeking a career-high ninth title of the year, will meet Victoria Azarenka in the final.

The second seed Belarusian came from a set down to beat Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic 4-6 6-2 6-3.

Victory for Williams on Sunday would be her first Cincinnati title and beat her best haul of eight tournaments in 2002.

The American has 54 titles, putting her fifth on the all-time list behind Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf and Lindsay Davenport.

But it was a less than convincing victory for Williams, who raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set before China’s Li reeled off four games to serve for the set.

A double fault from Li at set point let Williams back in, and the American promptly won the game and the next two to take the set.

Both players struggled to hold serve in the second, with Li, the fifth seed, having another opportunity to serve for the set.

But Williams broke back and then managed to hold serve to win reach her first Cincinnati final.

While Williams struggled with her serve, it was nothing compared to a woeful display from Azarenka and Jankovic.

Of the 27 games played, 23 ended in breaks, with the duo clocking up 20 double faults between them.

Serena Williams

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QUOTABLE QUOTE Forget about the country disintegrating in 2015. I cannot see that happening…those talking about disintegration are people I think do not know Nigeria.

. . . putting the people first

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

SPORTS

LATEST Mourinho overwhelmed

by Chelsea reception

J

ose Mourinho admitted yesterday that he was taken aback by the warmth of the reception he received on his return to Stamford Bridge as Chelsea manager.

The 50-year-old Portuguese has returned to the club after six years away and he saw his side comfortably overcome Hull City 2-0 to make a winning start to the new Premier League season.

Speaking afterwards, Mourinho said he was concerned that the crowd were paying too much attention to him and not showing enough support for the team.

“I need my team to be supported. I need them to sing my players' names. I need them to push Chelsea all the way. So enough Mourinho and come on Chelsea!

“I know they love me – that's one of the reasons why I'm back and I could say yes to (Chelsea owner) Mr Abramovich. But now it's my time to work for them and for them to support the team."

Mourinho said it was "fantastic" to be back in English football, after early goals from Oscar and Frank Lampard put paid to promoted Hull.

He also revealed the subject of a lighthearted touchline conversation with his opposite number Steve Bruce that was captured on television in the moments before halftime.

“I thank Steve Bruce because our way of being in the same technical area is only possible in this country," Mourinho said.

“He was saying that he wants Frank Lampard at the Bridge, because there is a fantastic bridge in Hull.

Jose Mourinho

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– Former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida speaking on the occasion of his 72th birthday anniversary

A dirge for Egypt

T

oday I am taking a flight not of fancy but of lament for Egypt. That country is in turmoil. For a traumatized Nigerian like me to say another country is in ‘turmoil’, the situation must be pretty grim. ‘Grim’ does not, by any stretch of the imagination, come close to capturing the chaos in that troubled country. Before I penned my disjointed thoughts, a ‘civil war’ had raged in my being.

Why take a flight of lament for another country when my own country is, literally, in ruins.

It is like ‘‘fiddling while Rome burns’’. For most of my adult life, my country has tumbled from one crisis to another. Severally, ‘divine intervention’ at decisive moments had pulled the country back from the brink.

It is close to the eighth wonder that the ‘geographical expression’ called Nigeria has not snapped under continued, and I dare say sustained, assault by leaders and followers alike.

Since independence, our country has been held captive by an assortment of serial rapists and economic vampires masquerading as leaders. In Khaki or babbarriga, successive leaders have betrayed a healthy lethargy for her growth. Instead, they have demonstrated unusual rapacity in pillaging her resources and kleptomania.

Except for a few, most of those who presided over the affairs of the country pre and postcolonial times were crooks.

Our nation’s woes as Achebe so brilliantly captured it, are squarely that of leadership.

It has now degenerated to followership. There exists, today in this country, a crude race for primitive accumulation by leaders and followers at all levels.

So I figured skipping a week of discourse of our litany of woes wouldn’t do any harm.

Egypt is currently on a roll.

She is in turmoil. Anarchy has enveloped her.

What triggered the current bloodbath is rooted in the doublespeak of a hypocritical puppeteer that goes by the name United States of America.

In a nutshell, the US along with nervous Arab monarchies designed and executed the current orgy of violence in that country.

The ouster of Mohammed Mursi, the first democratically elected leader of Egypt for more than three decades, squarely rests on the shoulders of America and her lackeys in the Middle

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General Abdel Fatah al-Sisi East. Unwittingly, Mursi might have aided his ouster by his own relative inexperience in navigating the mine saturated political field that is essentially Egyptian politics. Mursi, I must say, came to the job of leading Egypt ill prepared and ill equipped. For one, he came to the job with a provincial disposition.

He reminds me of Nigeria’s Jonathan. He sought to rule exclusively. Appointments were tilted heavily in favour of elements of the Islamic Brotherhood and his Freedom and Justice Party. I had a numbing feeling that our President might have influenced him.

The velvet revolution that

“

forced the military to compel long-time leader Hosni Mubarak to quit office in early 2012 was all encompassing. So was Mursi’ selection. Egyptians of all persuasions ensured that the Islamic Brotherhood triumphed even by a slim margin and insisted that he was sworn in at a time the US was prevaricating.

But on assuming power, he more or less turned his back on them.

It is instructive to note the demonstrations at Tahrir Square beamed all over the world by a very involved global media did not really force Mubarak out of power but the intervention of the armed forces which have been very decisive and active in Egypt’s politics since 1952.

I recall that from the onset of the transition from the Mubarak years America’s doublespeak. Obama’s Vice, Biden, for instance, spoke his master’s voice. He said Mubarak wasn’t a ‘dictator’ which some interpreted as an endorsement of him continuing in office. This is not totally untrue. Egypt under Mubarak had been a dependable ally of the US. Her military enjoys a $1.3 billion dollar in training and aid. Among the leading American corporations feeding fat on Egypt’s military is Lockheed Martin. In 2010, it provided Egypt with 20 F-16s as well as night vision sensor systems for Apache helicopters.

Unwittingly, Mursi might have aided his ouster by his own relative inexperience in navigating the mine saturated political field that is essentially Egyptian politics. Mursi, I must say, came to the job of leading Egypt ill prepared and ill equipped. For one, he came to the job with a provincial disposition.

Another one is DRS Technologies.

Also in 2010, it provided vehicles, surveillance hardware and other resources to Egypt. There is also Raytheon, the world’s largest guided missiles provider. It gave Egypt and Turkey 178 STINGER missiles, launch systems and 264 months of technical support for the Hawk missile system. Others are Boeing, US Motorworks, the Columbia Group among others.

I was not surprised that Obama was silent on the demand to cut aid to the armed forces.

Hilary Clinton as Secretary of State was more categorical and forthcoming. She was emphatic.

Mubarak had to go. She said there was the need for “orderly transition of power”. That was the hint the Egyptian military needed to ease Mubarak out.

The rise of Mursi to power was discomfiting to several Arab regimes especially the monarchies. He was labelled “Islamist”. I suspect very strongly that they, along with the US, the master puppeteer, cashed in on Mursi’s blunders and fuelled the demonstration that ultimately led to his ouster by the military last month. Note after the military deposed Mursi in a coup, Obama has flatly refused to describe it as such.

Events worked out according to plans until pro Mursi elements and the Muslim brotherhood regrouped and insisted that their leader is returned to power.

Last Friday was designated ‘a day of rage’. A day set aside by supporters of Mursito protest against the massacre that has become their lot since they demanded their leader’s return to power. Hundreds of thousands of protesters have been killed. A state of emergency has since been declared. The streets are theatres of violent orgy.

The so-called “Arab Spring” may have turned into chilling winter. It had visited greater disorder on countries it had visited than any ‘liberation’.

Libya is a perfect example. Under Gaddafi’s iron fisted rule, it had prospered, competing with the west in matters of infrastructure and per capita. Libya is presently in ruins. An internecine war has rendered Syria prostrate. Its once formidable army almost decapitated by a rag tag army heavily supported by US and her man Friday UK. Saddam’s Iraq was the first to be so mauled in the wake of the new world ‘order’.

The travails of Egypt are a lesson to a meddlesome military and super power. It is also a lesson for provincial rulers.

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