Peoples Daily Newspaper, Tuesday 18, September, 2012

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

Vol. 9 No. 27

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

. . . putting the people first

Asari Dokubo in FG’s delegation to Hajj 2012

Gunmen shoot ex-Prisons boss, Jarma

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Zhul-Qadah 1, 1433 AH

N150

Nigerians spend Jonathan to withdraw N1trn on national honours from private jets indicted recipients >> PAGE 3

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Top Boko Haram member killed – JTF . . . Kill many residents in Maiduguri

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri & Edwin Olofu, Kano

T

he Military Joint Task Force in Kano yesterday said it has killed a top

member of the Boko Haram sect even as many residents including suspected members of the sect were said to have been killed in Maiduguri, Borno state also yesterday.

Though the JTF did not disclose the identity of the alleged high profile member it killed in Kano, there were speculations that spokesman of the dreaded sect, Abul Qaqa,

may have been nabbed and possibly killed by men of the force.

JTF spokesman in Kano, Lieutenant Ikedichi Iweha, told reporters yesterday that a “high

profile member of the terrorist group had been brought down in a hail of bullets” but could not give his identity.

He said two other top Contd on Page 2

Suspected ritual killer caught with dead boy in travelling bag

By Richard Ihediwa & Lambert Tyem

A

suspected ritual killer was on Sunday arrested in Abuja with the body of a boy of about three years stuffed in a small travelling bag. The boy was said to have been stolen from Bwari, a

satellite town in Abuja An eyewitness said the suspect was arrested in Katampe, close to the Abuja city centre, when the conductor of the bus in which he was travelling attempted to collect his bag for it to be properly kept The suspected killer was said PD INDEX 17th Sept., 2012 to have vehemently refused to CBN RATES hand over the bag prompting the BUYING S ELLING conductor and others in the bus $ 154.7 155.7 to force him to surrender the £ 251 252 bag.

EURO 203 204 It was learnt that a crowd CFA 0.2856 0.3056 gathered and with the help of RIYAL 41 41.5 some security officials the bag PARALLEL RATES was forced open to reveal the dead boy inside.

S ELLING BUYING EURO 205 207 The killer was immediately £ 258 260 arrested by the police while the RIYAL 40 42 body of the boy was deposited at $ 158 160 Contd on Page 2

The suspected ritual killer arrested with the body of a three-year-old boy he stuffed in a travelling bag, on Sunday in Abuja

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

18-19

Agriculture

34

Asari Dokubo in FG’s delegation to Hajj 2012

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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ontroversial ex-militant and former leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Mujahid Asari Dokubo has been listed among the Federal Government delegation to this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

The name of the repentant militant was among the 17-

FAAN shuts out freight forwarders at cargo terminal From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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We don’t belong to any group, says Blueprint CEO, Page 40

International 31-34 Digest

46

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-47

Columnist

48

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

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

Phones for News: 070-37756364 09-8734478

man list released by the Federal Government yesterday.

The list approved by President Goodluck Jonathan had Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III as the National Amirul Hajj for this year while one Ismaila Yusuf is to serve as secretary.

Other members of the delegation include, Sen. Abdul A. Ningi, Hon. Mudashiru K.

he Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), yesterday, shut out clearing agents and freight forwarders from the cargo terminal at the international wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Ikeja.

The shut out led to a chaotic situation at the Hajj/cargo terminal of the airport leading to heavy traffic gridlock following the relocation of the protesting agents to another portion far away from the cargo terminal.

The freight forwarders who said they would not go to the allotted portion of land claimed that the airport authority did not carry them along before demolishing their sheds at the cargo terminal which they claimed was against the terms of engagement.

As a result of the FAAN’s denial of access into the cargo terminal, many of the agents were seen outside the main gate of the cargo terminal discussing in groups the fate of their business, which has remained at a low ebb for quite some time.

However, the Head of Public Affairs, MMIA, Mr. Victor Arisa, told journalists that there was nothing unusual about the agents being denied access into the cargo terminal, as their executives have reached a deal with government on the resolve to relocate to the new place they were given.

He explained that the airport authority has since provided space near the limousine car park, from where the agents could carry out their legitimate business, pending the construction of the new terminal, which is being handled by a concessionaire.

Akinlabi and Hon. Justice Suleiman Galadima.

Others are Min. of State II, Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed; Emir of Zuru, Alh. Sani Sami Gomo II; Otaru of Auchi, H. A. Momoh Ikelebe III; Ambassador Haruna Wando; Hajia Rabi Kundili Abdu-Binchan; Sen. Walid Jibrin; Alh. Sani Dauda and Ambassador

Adamu Aliyu.

According to a statement signed by Special Assistant (Media) to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sam Nwaobasi, the Baba Adini of Lagos, Sheikh Abdul Hafiz Abu is also to join the team as well as Malam Ahmed Bello and Emir of Damaturu, Alhaji Baba Shehu Hashimi II.

Gunmen shoot ex-Prisons boss From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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nidentified gunmen yesterday night attacked Nigeria’s former Controller General of Prisons, Mohammed Jarma and shot him on the chest in his home in Azare area of Bauchi state.

Guards attached to the retired prisons top shot were however not lucky as one of them was killed by the assailants while many others including an Islamic cleric sustained various degrees of injur y.

A security source, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the incident though the Police authority in the

state was yet to comment on condition the matter at the time of filing the report.

Also the state of the former Controller was not ascertained last night but it was gathered that medics were making efforts to save his life.

No group had claimed responsibility for the attack even as the possible reason could not be figured out.

Unknown gunmen had on Sunday wiped out the family of an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Kano.

Samaila Hassan, his wife, Aisha, four years old daughter and crippled brother were locked up in their home and shot to death by the gunmen.

Top Boko Haram member killed – JTF Contd from Page 1 commanders of the sect were also apprehended in the raid carried out by members of the JTF in the Mariri-Hotoro axis of the Kano metropolis.

According to him; “Yes, I can confirm to you the killing and the arrest of the two sect members. We carried out an operation this morning and we killed one terrorist in a shootout and arrested two of them.”

However, Iweha kept mum over the identity of the person killed and those arrested but insisted that they were top operatives of the sect.

“The truth is that I cannot confirm to you the identity of those arrested because I don’t have the nominal roll of the

membership of the sect. All I know is that they are top operatives of the terrorist group and that the operation to restore law and order in Kano is still going on.”

It was gathered that the JTF attacked the vehicle in which the terrorists leaders tried to escape in the company of a woman and some children said to be the wife and children of the said helmsman who are now said to be in military custody. The woman was said to have told the soldiers that the men had accompanied her to Kano as she sought medical help.

The Federal Government is apparently being careful about disclosing the names of the one killed and those arrested

apparently for fear of a repetition of the embarrassment it suffered earlier in the year when it claimed that security forces had arrested Abu Qaqa and it turned out to be false.

Meanwhile residents of Gwange Sabon-Layi in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital said yesterday that soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF) killed many persons in a shootout, shortly after a bomb blast went off and left a soldier dead while three officers were wounded.

An eyewitness, who simply gave his name as Mallam Umaru Maiturare, told newsmen that the incident occurred in the evening, saying: “We heard the blast

and they told us that one soldier was killed and three other soldiers were injured, but when the JTF troops come they started shooting and many were reported to have died as a result.”

According to him, most of the residents fled the area as there were rumours that the soldiers would come back to raid the area last night.

He said 14 person were said to have been killed in the area adding that the JTF had said they were members of Boko Haram who threw an improvise explosive device (IEDs) at their operatives in the area.

Details of the incident were not available as at press time as the JTF declined comments on the attack.

Suspected ritual killer caught with dead boy in travelling bag Contd from Page 1

the Wuse General Hospital. At the time Peoples Daily visited, officials said some parents who were looking for their missing children had been coming to the hospital adding that one of them identified the body as that of his son.

It was however not confirmed if the body has been

released to the said parents and an official, who pleaded anonymity, said the matter was being investigated by the police.

However, confirming the arrest, Spokesperson of the FCT Police Commad, Doris England said the suspect was arrested around Katampe hill in the Abuja end of the AbujaZuba expressway. She said the

suspect had concealed the body in a bag before police operatives spotted and arrested him.

She said the suspect is helping the police in the investigation and appealed to residents to be security conscious at all times.

This is not the first time suspected ritualists had struck in the Abuja.

It will be recalled that in April this year, a butchered remains of a lady suspected to be in her late twenties was discovered stuffed in a sack and abandoned also near the Katampe hill end of the AbujaZuba express way.

Motorists discovered the body at about 9 am with the vital organs already removed.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 3

Military coups disrupt democracy, says Gowon From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

F

ormer Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, has said that military coups in the past had hampered the development of democracy in the country.

Gowon, who was a guest speaker during the Patriots Assembly to commemorate the national symbols, added that some of the reasons for the disruption of democracy at that time were unnecessary; even as he noted that the civil war was fought to keep the nation together.

At the programme which held

Intending Muslim pilgrims at an induction course, yesterday in Gombe.

Photo: NAN

Jonathan to withdraw national honours from indicted recipients

How Northern textile collapsed – Soyinka P

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

…says Nigeria must appeal Bakassi judgment From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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obel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, yesterday, gave reasons for the collapse major textile industries in the northern region.

Soyinka blamed incessant and uncontrollable smuggling of cotton materials into the country for the killing of vibrant northern textile industries which he said were a major employer of labour in the region.

Soyinka, who spoke at commemorative lecture organised by ‘Women Arise’ to mark the 79th birthday of Dr. Tunji Braithwaite

in Lagos, asserted that industries in the country were killed by the notorious act of smuggling”.

Speaking on the theme: “Corporate Gains and Human Deficit,” he noted that the waves of violence in the country especially in the North can be attributed to large scale unemployment which could be traced to the death of industries like the cotton sector in the north which made youths unemployed thereby making them available tools in the hands of the insurgent group.

Soyinka also urged the Federal Government to revisit the International Court of Justice (ICJ)

ruling on Bakassi and appeal the verdict that gave the land to the Republic of Cameroun.

He said that the deficit of views and wishes of the Bakassi indigenes before the decision by the Obasanjo administration to cede the area out raised questions about the rights of the minorities.

“Were the representatives of the indigent members of the community invited to The Hague before the government accepted the ruling, the answer is no”, he said.

“The wishes of the people in Bakkasi were never considered and that put to the fore the issue about the rights of the minorities”.

According to the report, Nigerians involved in the luxury purchases include oil and gas executives, politicians, and business moguls as well as religious leaders. Their planes range from Bombardier, Lear, Boeing Business Jets, Embraer and Gulfstream jets.

Analysts have linked the increase in jet purchase rate to the surge in the siphoning of fuel subsidy funds in the last five years as some of those fingered in the scam are also said to be involved in the jet purchases.

The report posted by Nigeria Business News, said it is difficult to get the real identities of owners of some of the private jets in Nigeria because they buy them through some foreign companies in the US after which the company then leases it to another company in Nigeria.

It said Nigerian private jet purchases are on the increase due to the expansion of luxurious tastes and needs of the country’s elite as well as the massive acts of corruption.

at the International Conference Center in Abuja on Sunday, he harped on the need for the people to stick together as one entity with common values and symbols which he said was the central point of unity.

"Our national symbols represent who we are. They are meant to direct our attitudes towards tending to national issues as a people and not as entities. This is the right time for Nigerians to come together and protect their democracy, which is a true government of the people", he said.

resident Goodluck Jonathan has ordered the withdrawal of national awards from recipients who have been found culpable in one fraud or the other.

Disclosing this after decorating Globacom boss, Chief Mike Adenuga Jr. and 154 other recipients of the 2012 National Honours Awards in Abuja, yesterday, President Jonathan noted that the nation must celebrate achievers who laboured selflessly for its good.

"I have directed that the National Honours Committee compile a list of persons conferred with national honours but whose current credibility is questionable. If they are found wanting, our prestigious honours will be withdrawn.

"This is essential in ensuring that holders of national honours are truly worthy representations of our national values… and especially, are patriotic Nigerians or real friends of Nigeria", he said.

President Jonathan noted that Dr. Adenuga had “contributed immensely as a businessman and entrepreneur, to the growth and development of our economy. He worked hard to establish Globacom as an international communications company which provides means of livelihood to over 100,000 Nigerians.

"Today, across Ghana and Benin Republic, he has built a formidable brand, and is expanding footholds in Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal. We will continue to honour our businessmen who do us proud in the world of international business, while creating jobs at home".

Why fuel scarcity persists Nigerians spend N1trn in 5 years on private jets in Abuja, others

By Muhammad Sada, with agency reports

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igerians have been ranked the highest in private jet purchases as online business reports yesterday said money bags in the country spent up to N1 trillion ($6 billion) in the last five years on planes.

The report shows that Nigerians have exceeded the purchase rate of the Chinese, who also have a penchant for private jets.

By Muhammad Nasir

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he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has said the fuel shortage in Lagos and some parts of the north including the Federal Capital Territory was due to the shutdown of a major pipeline supplying fuel from Lagos to Ibadan, Ilorin and the north following series of pipeline vandalism a couple of weeks ago.

NNPC Acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, Mr. Fidel Pepple disclosed this in a

statement yesterday however said Corporation has stepped up distribution of products through tankers to end the fuel scarcity especially in the north.

“I want to assure Nigerians that NNPC has stepped up fuel supply to marketers and distributors for effective and efficient supply of fuel to Nigerians. As I speak, we have raised the daily supply of fuel from Folawiyo Tank Farm from 150 tankers to 250 tankers, MRS from 100 to 200 tankers, Capital Oil to 300 tankers, NIPCO to 70 tankers and AITEO to 100 tankers”, Pepple disclosed.

Eight months after, court discharges alleged gun runner From Mohammed Adamu, Kaduna

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he former chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association (PTDA) and a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Nuhu Mohammad Marafa and his son Musa Marafa who were allegedly accused of gun running and association with terrorist activities were yesterday

discharged by a magistrate court in Kaduna.

Marafa and his son were arrested and subsequently paraded by the Nigerian Army in Kaduna in January, 2012 for being in possession of ammunition and other items including a bottle with contents suspected to be explosives and have been under military detention.

In his judgment yesterday,

Nasiru Lere, the Chief Magistrate of Court 1, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, discharged the accused persons based on lack of diligent prosecution.

Counsel to Marafa, Barrister Muhammad Sani Katung, in an interview, told newsmen that before now there were series of adjournment at the instance of the defence counsel and on two occasions they were asked to produce the case diary and the

legal advice as to whether his clients were found guilty in the cause investigation or not.

“In fact the baffling aspect of it was that the prosecuting counsel was absent and there was no reason given for his absence.

“So we were compelled to sk that the accused persons be discharged after nine adjournments from February 2012 to date and three specific orders by the court asking

the prosecution to produce the case diary and advice…”

It would be recalled that the accused had been granted bail in February 2012 in the sum of N1million bond with two sureties in like sum.

Counsels to the Nigerian Army or the State Security Service (SSS) or their representatives were however not present in court during the judgment.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

THE PAGE 4 REPORT

Constitution Amendment: Issues before the legislature One of the issues that is expected to hit the front burner when the National Assembly resume plenary today week is that of the next round of amendment to the 1999 constitution.

During the break, the Constitutional Review Committees of both chambers continued to receive and collate memoranda from interest groups on areas they perceived should be reviewed in the apex law.

Presently there are hundreds of such memoranda from groups ranging from the ethnic and sectional to professional and political.

In the next few months, the two chambers are expected to commence debate and hearings on the selected items with a view to coming out with an amended constitution by July, 2013. If the next round of amendment sails through, the 1999 Constitution would have undergone its third alteration. By Richard Ihediwa

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check with the committees revealed that most of the issues were mostly of political and fiscal nature. Issues on the table include creation of new state, derivative formula, revenue formula, fiscal federalism, state police, citizenship (abolition of indigene/ settlers dichotomy), local government autonomy, tenure of office of executive, statutory role for traditional rulers and provisions on land use, among others. Currently, there are anxieties that debate on the issues, especially those on state creation and fiscal federalism, might become very contentious as stakeholders are already divided over them.

Political analysts believe that the National Assembly may find itself in a tighter corner than in the last amendment as the issues currently on the table are more controversial than those in the last amendment.

In the last amendment, the National Assembly used the instrument of consensus building to alter certain sections of the 1999 constitution including the granting of operational and financial independence to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), determination of period, methods and order of elections, time line for registration of voters, determination of tenure of office of the President and governors, clipping of executive powers to disqualify candidates and transfer of executive powers to subordinates, determination of population among others.

Already some of the issues, especially those of fiscal federalism and state creation, are fast polarizing the nation with powerful lobbies already arguing along northern and southern lines.

Fiscal Federalism The issue of fiscal federalism (Resource Control) has already pitched political leaders from the south against their northern counterparts as some elements

from the south are now mounting pressure for the review of relevant sections of the constitution so as to allow states to have total control of mineral finds in their territories.

This agitation is coming against the backdrop of insistence by the South, especially the South South, where crude oil, which contributes 70 percent of the federal earning, is produced, that it must be allowed to have absolute control of the find.

While the constitution currently vests the control of mineral find in any part of the country on the Federal Government, which also oversees the sharing among the federating states based on a revenue formula, some southern elements are demanding that states be allowed to control their mineral finds and pay royalty to the Federal Government.

Revenue Formula On the flip side of the argument for true fiscal federalism is the agitation for the review of the revenue formula in such a way that states and local governments would have more allocation than the Federal Government as presently obtainable in the constitution.

Many stakeholders from the north, especially the governors of the states in the region, are in support of the alteration of the revenue formula to get more money than they presently do for them to be able to finance their projects.

Those agitating for this want the states to get up to 42 percent of the federal revenue as well as the devolution of some powers of the Federal Government to the states and local governments.

The agitators want the states and local governments to take care of matters such as education, health, provision of water, internal policing, agriculture, sports, transport, environment, commerce and industry, roads, housing and labour among others, while the Federal Government

should handle issues with national concerns and spread such as defence, aviation, foreign affairs, finance and monetary among others.

This agitation came to the fore when state governors cried out about the inability to pay the N18, 000 minimum wage due to paucity of funds and as such needed a bail out from the center.

There are however, feelers that the southern elements may actually be pushing for increase in the derivative from oil above other states, using total resource control as leverage. Critics believe that the southern elements may at the end of the day settle for such and jettison the cry for complete resource control. Some leaders from the South South have in the past demanded for an increase in the oil derivative to 50 percent.

State creation The push for the creation of new states in the country has intensified with the resolution of the National Assembly to treat every demand equally based on merit. Currently, demands for new states stand at 45 with the number likely to go up.

If the National Assembly and the state assemblies grant the already tabled 45 demands, the nation will have a total 81 states.

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review listed minority fears, search for equity and speedy development as well as quest for political empires and influence by the elite class as some of the key factors responsible for the demands for new states.

Some of the proposed states that are on the front burner include Aba and Equity states proposed to be carved out from the existing Abia state; Njaba state from existing Imo and Anambra states; Oduduwa, from present Osun state, Hadejia from the present Jigawa state and Ibarapa, Oke Ogun, Ibadan and

Senate President David Mark Ibarapa states from the existing Oyo state.

Others are New Gurara state proposed to be carved out of existing Kaduna state, Adada from present Enugu state, Ahoda from present Rivers state, Anioma from the present Delta state, Katagun from Bauchi state and Ugwu Aku from present Abia, Imo and Anambra states. There is also Karaduwa from Katsina state, Apa from the present Benue state, Amana from Adamawa state and Savana from Borno state, among others.

Though the National Assembly has assured that all the demands would be considered on merit, it is not clear what criteria would be used to determine viability and sustainability for the proposed states.

Tenure of office for executive Another issue that may come up is the tenure of office of the executive at the state and federal levels. Already, there are feelers that the executive could forward a bill to alter the existing two terms of four years. Options that might be thrown up include single term of five years or single term of six years. It is feared that this item might be thrown overboard, especially considering the outcry that erupted when the Presidency muted the idea last year.

Citizenship Another issue that will come to the fore is that of settler/ indigene dichotomy in the states. Already, some states have started taking steps to end the divisions but there are strong calls that such should be statutorily abolished and the National Assembly appears to be favourable to it. If the clause sails through, Nigerians would be free

to live, work , vote and be voted for in any part of the country as long as they abide by the laws of their host states.

Financial autonomy for local governments Agitation for financial autonomy for local government areas is another issue that could surface at the exercise. Already, the Senate has passed the bill seeking to amend relevant sections of the constitution to that effect through second reading.

The bill seeks to end the State and Local Government Joint Account, remove the local governments finance from the control of the states and vest such directly on the council authorities.

Statutory powers for traditional rulers Appropriation of statutory powers to traditional rulers is another issue that would come up at the review. Already, the two chambers of the National Assembly appear to have reached a consensus the issue.

The move is coming against the backdrop of insistence by some groups that the traditional institution could play vital role in restoring peaceful co-existence and check the spate of criminality and violence across the country as they are closer to the people at the grass roots. A memorandum spelling criteria for the role of the traditional rulers is already among those that have been penciled out for consideration by the legislature.

By and large, Nigerians are looking forward to an amendment that will further reflect their wishes and aspirations, and the legislature must ensure that such is done.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 5

Hajj seats racketeering hits Kaduna pilgrims board G

Plateau launches NHIS From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

From Agaju Madugba, Kaduna

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s intending pilgrims prepare for the 2012 Hajj operations, allegations of Hajj seat racketeering may have hit the Kaduna State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board (KSMPWB) with Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa said to be disturbed over the affair.

According to a Kaduna Government House source who pleaded anonymity, reports have reached Yakowa indicating that

some people thrive in the business of “selling Hajj seats in the black market including prostitutes within Kaduna and environs”, a development which the source quoted the governor as describing it as unimaginable.

The source further noted that the illegal business may not be unconnected with the removal of Ambassador Sule Buba, the immediate past executive secretary of the board, who was replaced recently by Alhaji Yahuza Makarfi as the board’s

overseer.

“Governor Yakowa feels betrayed and saddened that such complicity would emerge in a supra-ministerial agency that is devoted to worship and religious rites”, the source said.

When contacted on the “dubious” transactions, Makarfi said, “our message to people always is that each time somebody brings this kind of seat through what I will call a black market, they should endeavor to buy it after which they should come forward to tell us.

“This is the only waywe can get at those people who engage in this unlawful act. I think the introduction of the e-passport has really helped us in this regard because as we all know, the method used to sell Hajj seats this year in which every person came with his passport and joined the queue to process the seat himself really helped.

“Because in the pastsuch people who hoarded Hajj seats used to pay for about 10 people at a go but this year it was not possible.

overnor Jonah Jang of Plateau state, yesterday, said the state government is working out modalities to ensure that citizens of the state access qualitative healthcare delivery, especially the state civil servants.

The governor stated this while inaugurating a nine-man committee on National Health Insurance Scheme, to workout modalities for state civil servants and the entirety of the citizenry of the state to benefit from the health scheme.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Fom Dakwak, charged the committee to work within the four weeks time frame given them to submit their report and urged the committee to ensure that only genuine civil servants screened during the recently conducted biometric data are enlisted for the scheme, to avoid sharp practices.

Beware of foreign loans - Ohuabunwa

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Niger state governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (middle) in a group photograph with members of House of Representatives from the state, during the lawmakers visit to the governor, at the weekend in Minna.

Kaduna LG, health workers to go on strike From Mohammed Adamu, Kaduna

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he Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and Medical Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) have threatened to embark on statewide strike across five local government areas of Kaduna state.

The LGAs include Kaduna South, Kaduna North, Sabon Gari, Jama'a and Kaura, all of whom are owed four months’ salaries.

The state president of NULGE, Comrade Shehu Abubakar, yesterday in Kaduna, said a copy of the protest letter has been sent to Governor Patrick Yakowa, giving a two-week ultimatum within which to resolve the issue, failure of which would force the union to call out its members in the 23 LGAs to embark on strike.

He said the intervention of the executives of the two unions is necessary to save their members from untold hardship and also to restore the dignity of LG workers in the state.

former Director in Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Mr. Godfrey Ohuabunwa, has advised the Federal Government against taking foreign loans.

Ohuabunwa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt yesterday that government should be careful of some of the conditions attached to these loans.

He said foreign loans could pose danger to our economy and could lead to “economic servitude”.

“The Federal Government should not do anything to mortgage our economy to some international players, countries or donor organisations.

“We must avoid making our economy wholly dependent on metropolitan states,” he said. (NAN)

Wildlife expert alerts on hippopotamus attacks in Adamawa, neighbouring states IGP pledges wild life expert in News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in released from the affected dams end to Adamawa, Mr. Zacharia Yola. would provide them the harassment, Yaduma, yesterday, raised He said that Lagdo Dam in opportunity to float out. an alarm over a possible wave of Cameroon and Kiri Dam in He said that the possible attack attacks by hippopotamuses in Adamawa were known for by the hippos constituted a major bribery by riverine communities of habouring large hippo populations. threat to communities in Adamawa and neighbouring He said there was fear that Adamawa and neighbouring police states. many of the hippopotamuses had states along Gongola and Benue

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He said the attacks would occur with the release of flood water from the Lagdo and Kiri Dams.

Yaduma, who is the Assistant Director, Wild Life Control in Adamawa Ministry of Environment, disclosed this to the From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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overnor Sule Lamido of Jigawa state has disclosed that based on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA’s) assessment, about 400,000 hectares of farmlands, have been submerged by flooding.

The Governor who spoke through the Jigawa state chairman of flood disaster management committee, Alhaji Abdulkadir Jinjiri Dutse when the

found their way out of the sanctuary of the dams with the recent release of water from the two dams.

The wild life expert said that the animals liked to float with moving water and that the water

rivers.

Yaduma cautioned communities along the river banks to be alert and keep away from the hippo populations whenever the animals came for grazing to avoid an encounter. (NAN)

400,000 hectares of farmland submerged by floods in Jigawa Federal Government committee on disaster management paid him a courtesy call in his office, yesterday, said about 360,000 houses in 18 of the 27 local government of the state have been affected by flooding in the past weeks.

Lamido indicated that almost

every part of the state is at the verge of being submerged by floods, adding that almost half of the state with a total length of 250 km is already under water.

It will be recalled that not less than 24 lives have been lost since the flood disaster was reported on the 24th of August 2012.

By Lambert Tyem

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he Inspector-General of Police, M. D Abubakar, yesterday, said the era of harassment, intimidation, bribery and corruption by the police will become history under his tenure.

Speaking at a reception in his honour on conferment on him of the national award of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR), Abubakar assured that policemen under his tenure must be upright or be shown the way out of the job.

President of the Senate David Mark who was present at the ceremony at the Louis Edet House Police Headquarters, noted that though the IGP resumed office at a critical period he has performed to deserve the award.

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

$15m Ibori bribe: Judges’ conference stalls hearing

23 Nigerians get Turkish govt scholarship

By Charles Onunaiju

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By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

H

earing in the legal tussle over the ownership of $15 million (N2.4 billion) which former Delta state governor, Chief James Ibro was alleged to have offered the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, before a federal high court in Abuja, was yesterday stalled as a result of Judges' conference holding in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

The trial Judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole was said to be attending the annual Judges' conference of the federal high court 2012/2013 legal year and the commissioning of the Uyo division of the court.

Consequently, hearing in the matter was adjourned till October 29, 2012.

In the center of the ownership battle of the money are the Federal government, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on one side and the Delta state government on the other.

The money was allegedly offered by Ibori as bribe to former EFCC boss to compromise the investigation of the fraud allegation preferred against him.

While the Federal government is laying claim to the money kept in CBN custody since 2007 on the ground that Ibori denied ownership of the money, Delta state is however asking the court to declare it the bonafide owner of the money, having been allegedly offered by the former governor while in office.

It would be recalled that the Delta State government is claiming the ownership of the alleged $15 million following a court order that anybody or group claiming ownership of the money should indicate so before it would be forfeited to the federal government.

A business magnate, Chubuike Achigbu is also laying claim to the money, saying that he passed the said money through Sen. Andy Uba, an aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo , to sponsor the presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007.

By Muhammad Nasir

M

uslim and Christian leaders in Nigeria met yesterday to discuss issues on security and to calm down their followers most especially youth across the federation especially in the Northern part of the country to avert further crisis.

A report monitored by our reporter on DW (Hausa service) said the admonition came up as a

Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDS) and weapons uncovered by the Joint Task Force (JTF), in Biu, Borno on display, yesteday in Maiduguri.

Photo: NAN

Lagos to ban smoking in public places – AG T

he Attorney-General Lagos state and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, on Sunday, unfolded plans by the state government to ban smoking in public places.

He said in Lagos that the provisions of the new Lagos State Traffic Laws prohibits people from drinking or smoking while driving in the state.

Ipaye said though the new law was aimed at reducing road carnage, it was also part of the government's plans to ban smoking in public places.

"It is an offence to smoke while driving as smoking is totally prohibited for drivers; obviously it is not just for safety reasons, it is also for health reasons because we are moving towards banning smoking in all public places.

"So, this law makes it an offence to drive without a driver's license and proper plate numbers.''

Clarifying the misconceptions about the new law, Ipaye said "it seeks to criminalize traffic offences and sanction offenders as part of strategy to bring under control,

the chaotic traffic situation within the metropolis".

He said that the Law was necessitated by the dire need to ensure the safety, health and security of road users.

The commissioner pointed out that the worse culprits were commercial bus drivers, who would even go as far as drinking alcohol while driving.

Ipaye, who urged every road user to ensure compliance with the traffic laws also said that the state government would not hasten to prosecute offenders until the people were thoroughly sensitized. (NAN)

Enugu and Kogi states.

A press statement in Lokoja, signed by Anthony Eko, president of the association, stated that a national daily was used to carry the "misleading story" engineered by one Tony Ogidi and Bona Onu, who identified themselves as member of Enugu State House of Assembly and chairman Igbo-Eze North local

government council of Enugu state respectively.

He said the objective of the sponsored story was not just to mislead the public but, more importantly, incite the law enforcement agencies, particularly the Inspector General of Police, to embark on a crackdown on members of Ette Community.

Community boils over false claims From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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tte Community Development Association, (ECDA) in Olamaboro local government area of Kogi state has described as false, claims by some surrogates of Enugu state that Ette people were clamping down on Enugu people at Igbo-Eze border community between

Insecurity: Religious leaders meet result of the attack on the US embassy in Benghazi, following protests against a controversial movie about Prophet Muhammad (SAW), made by an IsraeliAmerican, Am Bacile, living in California.

An Islamic scholar, Malam Kabir Muhammad, said there is need for both religious leaders to

discuss security issues especially as Nigeria is facing serious security threats. He however advised the youth in the country to dissociate themselves from any form of violence.

"It's necessary for an individual to seek for peace and to avoid any means of violence, and if an individual loves God and obeys his

commands and does not respect his neighbours as himself, that individual is a liar".

It could also be recalled that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar has directed 24bhours surveillance of all embassies in Nigeria as a result of the attack of the United States embassy last Tuesday in Libya.

wenty three Nigerian students have this year been awarded scholarship to study in various universities in Turkey by the Turkish government.

The 23 students who were admitted into various courses like Medicine, Engineering, Economics, Applied Science, Statistics, etc, were chosen in a competitive interview from among more than 200 applications.

Speaking exclusively to Peoples Daily, the deputy head of mission embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Nigeria, Mr. Zahit Mehmet Uzun, said Nigeria was awarded 23 slots out of a total of 1,500 scholarship slots given by Turkish government for this year.

He said that in Nigeria, the process for the application for Turkey scholarship was re-structured to enable it to reach all categories of eligible Nigerians.

According to him, the scholarship application is open to all Nigerians who could down load the forms on the internet and applied directly, unlike before when applicants are selected on the recommendation of the Nigerian scholarship board.

Mr. Zahit said that the reason to free the application process from any bureaucratic is to ensure that all Nigerians in all works of life who are eligible to benefit from the scholarship.

The scholarship covers tuition accommodation medical insurance and monthly living allowance and student beneficiaries are expected to leave Turkey at least six months after completion of the study as according to the deputy of mission beneficiaries are expected to contribution to Nigeria’s national development

Hajj: Saudi Arabia restricts late movement

By Muhammad Nasir

T

he authorities of Saudi Arabia have given an instruction that movement of all intending pilgrims for 2012 Hajj will be restricted from 11pm to 1am in the morning and also urged all intending pilgrims to be airlifted on or before 17th of September, by the Hajj authority in their respective countries.

An official of hajj commission in Nigeria, Uba Mana said the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has planned to airlift Nigerian pilgrims within a stipulated period of time. He said the commission has made necessary arrangements where pilgrims will be airlifted without any hitches, adding that the authority of Saudi Arabia has instructed that pilgrims should be airlifted within one month and will be conveyed back to their various countries within the span of one month.

Mana advised intending pilgrims to manage their resources that will take them throughout the period of hajj before they will be airlifted back home.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Gunmen Kill 5, injure 7 in Bauchi

U

nknown gunmen have attacked Zango area, a suburb of Bauchi metropolis yesterday night killing five people while seven people sustained injuries.

A reliable security source confirmed that five people were killed on the spot and seven were injured but no arrest was made as security men had begun investigation in to the matter.

Our correspondent gathered from a community leader in the area that “the attackers targeted residence of a man where people usually assemble in the evening to play poker and gamble, they came in a tricycle and started shooting sporadically killing five people on the spot and injured several people who were taken to the hospital”.

Some of the residents who spoke on phone with our correspondent confirmed that they were scared when they heard several gunshots nearby which caused fear and pandemonium for safety. Security men cordoned cordoned the area immediately after the incident.

The Police Public Relations Officer ASP Hassan Mohammed Auyo could mot confirm the attacks saying, he is on casual leave and has travelled out of the state.

FG constitutes technical committee on floods

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has constituted a technical committee to assess and determine the extent of damage caused by recent floods in some states.

A statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim mentioned particularly states, such as Plateau, Jigawa, Adamawa, Benue and Kogi, as most affected.

It said the committee had the minister of Environment as chairman, minister of Water Resources and minister of Works as members.

It said the permanent secretary, Ecological Fund Office, and the director-general, National Emergency Management Agency, would provide the secretariat of the committee.

It said the committee, which has four days to submit an interim report to the President, had already begun work.

PAGE 7

NIPR, NOA partners for Jonathan’s transformation campaign

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

I

n line with its statutory mandate, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, (NIPR) FCT Chapter, has stepped up strategic plans to collaborate with the National Orientation Agency, (NOA) in

mobilizing the citizenry towards achieving the transformation agenda of the Federal Government.

Speaking recently during an advocacy visit on the DirectorGeneral of the NOA, Mike Omeiri in his office, the Chairman of NIPR, FCT Chapter, Mr. Osondu Ohaeri, said the Institute was

committed to partnering with the Agency to intensify its public awareness and other advocacy programmes towards ensuring peace and national unity, especially in view of the current security challenges facing the country.

He promised that the Institute would host the mass

Flood evicts residents from Lokoja surburb From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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L-R: Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri ,with Guest Speaker, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), during the Ordinance Day Summit organised by NOA, on Sunday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

o escape the flood currently ravaging cities in the country, Adankolo residents in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital, have moved their properties outside for safety.

This followed about four hours of downpour Sunday night forcing almost everybody living by the river bank to relocate.

A visit to the spot yesterday revealed that most buildings were submerged and property of unspecified amount, wasted as residence were seen estimating their loss in the flooding.

The settlement at Gadumo quarters was no less spared in the rain disaster that has caused persons to seek abode from the water which National Emergency Management Authority, (NEMA) had warned those living near the river bank to pack out.

Outdoor Advertisement Services, Rowland Oriakhi made the assertion at the weekend at a stakeholders meeting with Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pentecostal fellowship of Nigeria, PFN and Operators of Tourism business is in conjunction with the State ministry of environment and public utilities.

According to him, the move was not to prohibit people from pasting materials or punish multinationals through draconian policies, but to

advertisement in recent times, is unacceptable.

But the State Chairman of CAN, and PFN Chairman represented by Rev. Solomon Akhigbe and Rev. Festus Erhabor described the State government’s stand as hard-line and pleaded for more time to sensitise its members.

If the move succeeds, it will help to complement the State governor, Adams Oshiomhole’s urban renewal drive and to rejig 10 percent tax payable by religious group.

Edo talks tough on outdoor adverts

From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

T

he Edo State government has concluded plans to abolish unwholesome display of posters and billboards by politicians, multinational organisations, churches and operators of tourism business; just as the arrest and prosecution of offenders of the law regulating outdoor advertisement would kickoff by this month’s end.

Chief Consultant Manager of

preserve aestatic values of the ancient City of Benin for which past governments have lacked the courage to deal with.

Edo State Commissioner, Clement Agba whose address was delivered by the permanent secretary ministry of Environment and Public utilities, Alhaji Allasan Ikheloa said, “The haphazard nature and manner outreach materials have been put to use before now and the disorderliness/conflicts/chaos that has bedeviled outdoor

Traditional ruler decries NEMA’s slow response to flood victims From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

P

aramount ruler of Otukpo local government area of Benue State, Chief John Eimonye, has expressed worry

over the deteriorating condition of flood victims in his domain and challenged the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), and other relevant health institutions to

take proactive measures so as to avert epidemic in the area.

Chief Eimonye who raised the alarm in a chat at the weekend with Journalists in Otukpo, said the displaced persons were not

PDP decries Aregbesola’s refusal to appoint HoS, permsecs From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West has decried the refusal of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governor of Osun State, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola to appoint a Head of Service (HOS) and Permanent Secretaries in the state.

The PDP said it was an aberration and illegality for Governor Aregbesola to, alongside his position, performing the functions of the

mobilization campaign programmes of the Agency on its w e b s i t e : www.niprabuja_ng.org, to strengthen its public enlightenment machinery, noting that the initiative was in demonstration of the chapter’s commitment to the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Commissioner for Works while his deputy, Laoye Tomori holds froth as the Commissioner for Education in addition to her position .

According to a statement issued in Ibadan by the PDP Zonal Publicity Secretary, Kayode Babade, “Osun State does not have a Head of Service since the immediate past HOS, Mr. Segun Akinwusi retired two months ago, no Commissioners for Works and Education since Aregbesola became governor 22 months ago and there are only six Permanent Secretaries

left in the State Civil Service.

Aregbesola, he said, did not appoint a single commissioner until August 12, 2011, eight months after he became governor, “ in flagrant disregard to Sections 192, 193 and 195 of the 1999 Constitution”.

“Also, despite that there are only six Permanent Secretaries in the State Civil Service, the governor has refused to appoint Senior Directors as Permanent Secretaries since last year. Instead, he uses Consultants (from Lagos) in ministries instead of

Permanent Secretaries.

“In addition, instead of appointing a new HOS to replace Mr Akinwusi, who retired two months ago, Aregbesola is planning to appoint someone from Lagos State, who will transfer his service to Osun State.

The PDP said; “It appears there is more to Aregbesola’s obsession with the Works Ministry than meet the eyes. He has remained Commissioner for Works since 1999 that he was appointed in Lagos state by former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

only exposed to the vagaries of mosquito bites but the flooded wells which are the only source of water and may have been responsible for the rampant diarrhea in the area.

In the same vein, victims of the flood including Mr. Bello Oyihi, a carpenter whose three bedrooms flat, yam and cassava farms were destroyed as well as Ali Adigwu, Ogli Aboche, Okechi Ijoganu and Elakeche Ugama criticized the local government chairman, Mr. Gabriel Olofu over was what they described as his nonchalant attitude to their plight, noting he has not bothered to visit the scenes of the flood and sympathise with the people even when officials of NEMA visited them to take inventory of the magnitude of destruction.

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Some recepients of the 2012 national honours award receiving their awards from President Goodlucl Jonathan yesterday at the International Conference Centre, Abuja

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, presenting the CON award to FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, During National Honour Award Investiture, yesterday.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, presenting the CFR awardto Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, presenting the CFR award to Director General, Bureau for Public Procurement, Engineer Emeka Eze.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, presenting the OFR award to Alhaji Mohammed Ndimi.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan presenting the OFR award to Ambassador Adamu Aliyu.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, presenting the CON award former Acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, presenting the OON award to Alhaji Tijjani Yusuf.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan, presenting the CFR award to Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Mulikat Akande.

Photos: Joe Oroye

PAGE 10

By Muhammad Nasir

T

he independent Audit of the Oil and Gas industry by Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) which commenced earlier in the year has reached advanced stage. The Audit is investigating all payments streams made by oil companies against receipts by government agencies into the Federation account from 2009 to 2011.

A statement issued yesterday by NEITI's Director of communications, Ogbonnaya Orji said the audit would examine the basis for computation and calculation of those payments, fees, taxes, royalties owed by companies and what government receives and the process of remittance into the federation account.

The NEITI audit 2009-2011 also covers investment flows involving governments' payments by way of joint venture investments, loans, including repayments procedure, equity investments, cost and profit oil transactions. This involves downstream businesses such as subsidy payments.

All government agencies, oil and gas companies participating in the NEITI Audit process are to appear before NEITI Auditors to validate all payments made by companies against the receipts declared by relevant government agencies for the period 20092011.

The process which begins from September 19 and ends on September 28, 2012 would involve reconciliation of payments made by companies with raw data collected by NEITI Independent Auditors.

Over 30 oil and gas companies including Shell, Mobil, Chevron, Conoil, and Addax are being audited.

The government agencies include NNPC, CBN,

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBBER 18, 2012

NEITI intensifies audit of oil coys Kwara gets Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) amongst others are required to participate in the exercise which is statutory and obligatory.

The reconciliation and validation exercise includes verification of system documentation on crude production and financial flows with regards to payments and receipts of such flows by relevant government agencies on behalf of the federation during the period.

All companies and

government agencies involved in the NEITI Audit process are also expected to return outstanding templates completed with required information and data to NEITI Auditors.

During the exercise, a team of experts from NEITI and the independent auditors would be at Best Western Island Hotel, Lagos venue of the reconciliation exercise to guide the process.

Meanwhile, the conduct of similar audits in the solid mineral sector is nearing completion while a similar reconciliation and validation of data by NEITI Solid minerals Auditors is planned to

hold in Enugu, Abuja and Lagos respectively between October 3 and October 10, 2012.

The mandate empowers NEITI to ensure that there is due process, transparency and accountability in what companies doing business in Nigeria's oil and gas industries, solid minerals and others in the extractive sector pay to government of Nigeria in the form of tax, royalty, bonuses, levies etc.

"The purpose of the audit is for the public, the media and civil society to use the information and data to hold government to account".

M

inister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru has the read riot act to members of staff saying it will no longer be business as usual as "performance rather than grade level and seniority would be the yardstick to measure, promote and select every officer of the ministry for positions of responsibilities".

M

inister of Transport Sen. Idris Umar has signed a performance agreement with the Chief Executive Officers (CEO) and directors of the ministry, to be able to hold them accountable for their performances.

"Today's ceremony is for the Directors of the Ministry and Chief Executive Officers of the Ministry's Parastatals to sign their own Performance

K

wara state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has sworn-in Justice Ayinla Olatunji Bamigbola, as the new state chief judge to replace the retired Justice Raliat HabeebElelu.

Governor Ahmed who performed the administration of oath of office yesterday, described the new CJ as an experienced judge who had worked in many ranks in the judiciary and is expected to uplift the sector in the state.

The governor noted that the new CJ was appointed because he was the most senior and experienced judge in the High Court, stressing that office he would be holding must be seen as a public trust which must be handled with all sense of integrity.

In his remarks, the new CJ thanked the state governor for his appointment, said the judiciary would continue to support the administration as along it provides the requisite logistic for the staff of the sector, stressing that society also wants the judiciary to be above board so that they could perform their duties as expected.

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

R-L: Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, FCT chapter, Mr Ohaeri Osondu, receiving a Fellowship award of the Institute of Corporate Administration from the institute's Chief Learning Officer, Dr. Godfrey Onyekwere, weekend in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

He stated this during the signing ceremony of performance contract with officials of the ministry over the weekend in Abuja.

Ashiru said a template has been designed to take into account the unique role, objective and features of the ministry. This he said, would be used to evaluate and reevaluate the performance of every officer in the context of the overall objectives and tasks

that the ministry signed with President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Minister previewed his performance saying he has every cause to believe that he succeeded in positioning Nigeria in its rightful place as a key promoter of global peace in the comity of nations.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Minister of National planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman justified the practice saying it was in

line with international best practice of accountability and good governance.

The Minister of state Foreign Affairs 1, Prof. Viola Adaku Onwuliri, permanent secretary of the Ministry, Ambassador Martins Uhomoibhi, heads of parastatals, directors and under-secretaries of the ministry took turns to sign the performance contract with the minister.

Transport Minister signs performance deal with CEOs

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

Community loses 6 kids to diphtheria virus

Minister reads riot act to staff

By Joy Baba

new CJ

Agreement with the leadership of the Ministry, by which they will be held accountable for the period of January - December, 2012.

The Performance Agreement is non-negotiable", the Minister said.

Speaking at the occasion Sen. Umar said the specific targets derived from the mandate of each Miinistry, Department and Agency (MDA) was to enable them execute their duties appropriately.

"During the signing of Performance Agreement with the President, i agreed that i was going to be responsible for the resuscitation and revitalisation of the Nigerian Railway System for the haulage of goods and carriages of passengers; and to reposition the Nigeria Port System in line with global best practices; plus increased use of Inland Waterways to stimulate economic activities", Umar said.

He added that his mandate shall also include; enhancing Maritime Safety and Security; Improving intermodality of Nigerian transport system; Enhancing Nigerian private sector participation in transport sector and the provision of policy, regulatory and administrative services.

The minister therefore, tasked them to be pragmatic, warning that those who do not execute their duties, would face stringent sanctions.

D

uzumi community in Madara district of Katagum local government area have lost six children as a result of Diphtheria virus outbreak in Bauchi state.

The caretaker committee chairman, Katagum local government council, Alhaji Abubakar Dahuwa Abdulkadir stated this at the weekend while commiserating with the families of the deceased, saying that from the report they gathered, five boys and a girl died.

Dahuwa who was represented by the council head of administration Alhaji Aliyu Adamu, advised the communities to embrace routine immunisation in order to protect and guarantee the health of their children He said government was committed to rendering free antenatal services and routine immunisation to women and children in the area and urged them to embrace government policies aimed at protection and maintain of personal hygiene and clean environment.

Presenting drugs and injections for the prevention of diphtheria to the communities, the Director Primary Healthcare of the council, Alhaji Sama'ila Yusuf said lack of routine immunization by the communities was the main cause of the outbreak.

He said the council recently purchased and distributed chlorine for use in all wells in the area in order to reduce water borne diseases.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

MONEY SENSE

PAGE 11

Why financial literacy is important for women

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or women, planning and saving for retirement seems not important, perhaps because they feel they can rely on their husband's pension or their children can take care of them when they are old.

There are reasons why women are indifferent to planning for retirement. For instance, more women today are leaving the work force, because of layoffs, poor job prospects, or to spend more time with their families.

According to the World Bank in its 'Gender In Nigeria Report 2012: Improving The Lives Of Girls And Women In Nigeria', nearly six million women and men enter the labour market each year but only 10 percent are able to secure a job in the formal sector, and just one third of these are women.

However, there are some things that women can do to build themselves a secure retirement.

One is they should make retirement plans a priority when they get into employment. They can work as long as they can at the highest salary they can earn.

Women need to consider sacrificing some monthly salary in return for a good retirement plan, and seek out employers who will match part or all of their savings in a contributory plan.

The longer they work, the more they can sock away for retirement. And the older they are when they retire, the fewer years of retirement they will have to fund. Experts say they need to put money away for retirement on a regular basis.

They say women should identify their financial assets and debts, and begin to save for their future by paying down debt and budgeting.

According to them, women need to collaborate with their husband to understand what they own and what they owe, and use insurance to plan for the possibility of death or disability.

The World Bank report says banks should make their services more accessible to women by designing products and services to meet the needs of women from different regions and wealth groups.

Quote For success, attitude is equally as important as ability - Harry F. Banks

Early booking can save you 40% of air ticket fare

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o you know as a frequent domestic traveller that you can save up to 40 percent of your ticket fare? Just buying your ticket days before your travel date can save you more than N12, 000.

Purchasing your ticket during peak travel periods or over the counter at the airport means you can pay as much as N30, 000.

Therefore, making late reservations before your departure can cost you a lot of money.

Although many airlines struggle to increase profits but a savvy traveller can book flights at exceptionally low fares. As a passenger, you must keep in mind

- chief among these - is how to get a good bargain on your fare. Despite the myriad of advertisements for low-priced tickets, finding a cheap airfare can present a formidable challenge. Airlines frequently adjust the price of a ticket based on a number of factors.

A cost effective way for a traveller to save money on airfare is to search for multiple sources including web portals and the airline's own website - several days before the planned travel date.

Airline ticket prices typically go as date of flying nears, so, if you're planning ahead, try to make the call before this deadline.

At www.fly4cheaper.com is one

of the few portals that offer cheap rates if you book ahead of your travel date. Segun Oyebolu, managing director, Fly4cheaper.com, says it is possible to get a ticket for as low as N14, 000 for domestic travel if a passenger books his ticket some days before his departure date.

"Fly4cheaper is able to save you more money on your future trips, if ticketing is done some few days before trip date. For now, this may not apply to Arik flights since they have just changed their ticketing pricing to a fixed price irrespective of date," says Oyebolu.

Fly4cheaper offers one of the lowest sustainable fares in the market. "The earlier you book, the

cheaper the fare. Booking and payments can be made online with your ATM card," he adds.

In addition, to get a good deal on your airfare, tour operators advised that a passenger must be flexible not only in his travel dates and time, but also in his destination itself. Checking counters at the airport is another way to get good bargains, but Oyebolu argues that the prices that his company offers is still the cheapest a passenger can get.

Be that as it may, booking ahead online is one of the best ways to get the cheapest fare. You may want to give it a try to save some money on your next trip.

live, both today and tomorrow. You choose to pay for peace of mind. It's how your neighbors allocate their income that makes them seem richer than they are.

Perks matter While your neighbors' salaries might be slightly more than yours, it isn't enough to justify the massive leap in spending. However, fringe benefits can greatly widen the gap.

Perks such as cars, phones, laptops, and more can give the recipient an amazing leg up when it comes to freeing money for other pleasures.

Luxuries of the mature As families mature, houses get paid off and savings grow. Even if your children do go to the same school, their children are older, and they have a few years on you as well. Those could be years spent paying on their house and putting money in the bank. Imagine how much more freedom you would have without also having to manage your monthly mortgage.

Their lives might be plastic Your neighbors might be disciples, worshiping the power of the plastic. While you are smart

enough to understand the headaches of undisciplined credit, your neighbors might be living carelessly, buying short-term luxury today in exchange for a meager tomorrow.

They know where to find deals I consider myself a connoisseur when it comes to finding great deals on groceries and kids clothing.

Perhaps your neighbors also know something about finding deals on the things they need, freeing up more money for things they want.

They pay for their immediate wants first Your neighbors could also have more money than you do because they prioritize differently, and pay from their savings for projects and luxuries that they want done.

As "The Millionaire Next Door" and "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" point out, those that spend on things like homes, cars, and clothes are spending on material items and living on "rented" lifestyles. Instead of building assets, these people are living on liabilities and that can be a dangerous mindset.

You don't have to live like a king today, if it means you're going to live like a pauper tomorrow.

It doesn't matter what the Jones' are doing. Not now, or ever. Save where you can, spend where you need, and live a life you want.

(Culled from: moneyning. com)

7 reasons your neighbours have more money than you

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ou look out the window of your home each night after dinner, staring across the street at your neighbors. You long for the cars they drive, their weekly manicured lawns, and even the vacations they seem to take several times a year.

There are several reasons our neighbors can afford so many of the things we would love to have, but could never fathom how to: Perception is everything Your perception may be skewed. You see fancy cars in the driveway, and the trim lawns you can almost feel between your toes.

You watch work crews going in and out of the awesome remodeling projects happening inside. Yet, none of that means your neighbors are wealthier than you are. Just because you see them as more affluent, doesn't mean they are.You are only able to see above the surface of their spending, meaning you have no idea what's happening down below.

Allocation is essential While you choose to consistently save money for your kids' education, and retirement later in life, they are spending what they believe are excess funds on their cars and homes. They might be making the shallow choice to spend their money on what people can see, while you are spending your money on the life you want to

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

O

Restoration of Dana Air’s licence hasty, insensitive

n Sunday, June 3 2012, a flight operated by Dana Airlines, crashed into a high density suburb of Lagos, killing all 153 passengers and crew members and an unspecified number of persons on the ground. Two days later, the Federal Government announced an “indefinite suspension” of the airline’s operating licence, an action dictated by the nation’s mood at the time. Exactly, three months on (June 5), however, the government reversed itself and restored Dana’s licence.

Expectedly, the restoration of Dana’s licence has caused public outrage, this for the right reasons.

First, bereaved families are still mourning their dead beloved ones; secondly, there are cases in court contesting the coroner’s report and the compensations promised by the airline. More important, the government’s decision to allow Dana Airline back in Nigeria’s airspace is based on the report of a preliminary inquiry.

Fair enough, the government has its own defence. Explaining recently why Dana’s licence was restored, the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, said its suspension was an error and against global practices.

According to her, what government ought to have done was to have isolated the aircraft involved in the crash for investigation and not have indicted the airline before an inquiry had been completed. But how do you

isolate a plane that was completely destroyed? She said now that “a rigorous technical, operational and financial audit” had been carried out, Dana Airline has emerged as “one of the best” air carriers in the country today. Oduah agreed that “Dana is not a perfect company by any means just like any other firm.” However, its “manuals, log book and administrative policies are all in compliance with the

“

This is a carte blanche given to airlines operating in this country to do as they wish with expendable Nigerian lives NCAA rules and regulations”, she said.

We’re satisfied that thorough investigation was carried out and that was why we said they can go back to work.” But going “back to work” does not mean Dana’s plane will take to the air immediately. Why not?

This clear contradiction and some unanswered questions leave one with the suspicion that there is more to the Dana affair than the government is letting out. At what time did it realize that its initial action breached

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international practices? Was Dana the first Nigerian airline to have had its licence suspended over a crash involving its planes? Sosoliso Airline suffered a similar fate after its plane crashed killing over 60 people on board on December 10, 2005 in Port Harcourt. And so did Bellview.

Was the government under pressure from the shadowy but powerful Nigerian shareholders in Dana to go softlee softlee on the airline? If, as the minister of aviation said, a “thorough investigation” had cleared the airline of the allegation of negligence, why then the need for a further probe? What did the auditors make of the statement of the pilot of the crashed plane that it suffered engine failure shortly before the fatal crash? And Governor Godswill Akpabio’s advice to the Indian management of Dana to service its planes before flying them?

So many questions, yet too few answers.

We at Peoples Daily strongly believe that the government has been too hasty in giving Dana a clean bill of health while relations of victims of its crashed Abuja-Lagos flight are still nursing their wounds.

This is a carte blanche given to airlines operating in this country to do as they wish with expendable Nigerian lives. This is why we find the restoration of Dana’s licence nauseatingly insensitive and irresponsible.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

By Kenneth Adoki

P

ermit me to define the word, ‘ignorance’. Ignorant as adjective which means lack of education or knowledge.

However, for the purpose of this write up, the definition of ignorance means unaware, uninformed, refusal to pay attention and disregard. Ignoring a problem, issue or weakness will not eliminate its existence. That is why in Law, it is stated that ignorance of the Law is no excuse.

Throughout history we can find countless examples of leaders in every aspect of society making what is perhaps a leader’s greatest mistake - ignorance.

In 1977, Nigeria Airways had over 25 aircrafts plying European, African and American routes. That same year, Emirates begged Pakistan Airlines to loan them 3 aircrafts, which was obliged by Pakistan. Today, Nigeria Airways is dead and forgotten but Emirates owns one of the largest fleet of modern jet liners, over 400 in number.

What has happened to our own great Nigeria Airways? This happened because civil (evil)

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The peril of borrowing from China

servants were running the road show in the aviation sector.

Today, Ministry of Aviation with her agencies are still having jamboree roadshow only to end up borrowing money. Currently, governments worldwide are divesting from airports development and requesting that private companies take them over and run these airports, while Nigerian government is borrowing money to develop terminals to be managed by FAAN or who (maybe former Nigeria Airways staff)? This issue of management and operation of these airports is not resolved yet in the equation of our borrowing spree.

The list of countries that have privatised their airports include, UK, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, India, Singapore, Argentina, Peru, Spain, Gabon just to mention a few. Over 40 countries have so far privatised their aviation sector. IFC, a subsidiary of World Bank, where incidentally, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala worked, midwifed the Saudi Arabian

airport privatisation.

The same IFC successfully carried out the Nnamdi Azikiwe privatization but twisted civil (evil) servants changed the rule because of corruption. When foreigners bidded to invest over $1.30 billion in 2008, the government thwarted IFC supervised transaction advise thereby leading to policy somersault. Now, the new policy architecture is to borrow when there are funds available internationally to invest in the development in the aviation sector. What kind of reform is this.

There is a great concern nationwide on this new aerotropolis reform.

Even China, where we have gone to borrow from are currently thinking of privatising their airports, roads, bridges and other infrastructures. Who is deceiving who?

What is the rationale of borrowing only to have these airport structures completely derelict and mismanaged like most of our national assets within

a short time. Just take a cursory look at the level of decadence of our national assets, such as, stadia, refineries, steel plants, aluminium smelter plants, airlines, airports, schools, hospitals, secretariats (even Ministry of Finance building where the lift caught fire), roads, bridges, Independence Building, hotels, just too many to mention.

The list is endless. Apart from mismanagement, the privileged govt officials will have their pockets lined up. This is the pitiable condition we have found ourselves embedded in nationwide.

The whole motive behind this borrowing saga from China is corruption and nothing else.

Only God will save us from this cankerworm, palmerworm, locust and catapillar destroying the very fabric of our national existence. The borrower is a servant to the lender, so says the scriptures. We will soon have our country recolonised by Chinese.

Expecting foreigners to solve our problems is an exercise in self

delusion. Civil servants have a way of packaging corruption to look good and playing on the ignorance of citizens. It is time to put an end to this national disgrace and madness.

By the way, Mr. Bayo Ogunlesi, a bonafide Nigerian and Chairman of Global Infrastructures, owns both Gatwick and City Airports in London. Both have passenger traffic of 45 million. The total number of passenger traffic in all our 22 airports is just less than 16 million passengers which is a quarter of traffic of Heathrow airport.

Does it take rocket science to know that we are on the expressway to disaster and pathway to gloom? Yoruba idiom says, “owo abu lafin se abu lalejo”, that is, robbing Peter to pay Paul.

What we need is FDI and Technical Expertise not borrowed money (even at zero or whatever percentage).

Kenneth Adoki wrote in from 100 Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 11, Abuja.

Yobe and Geidam’s confidence building measures

By Mohammed El-Tahir Mohammed

O

f all the spots where all manner of criminal, violent and lawless acts were perpetrated in the recent past under various guises, the Yobe State Capital, Damaturu appears to take a particularly heavy pounding because of its very unique position.

Relative to the cities where insurgent and criminal attacks had led to the loss of countless lives, such as Kano and Maiduguri, for example, Damaturu is a small city.

It means that any manner of security breach, whether an attack on a police post or the firing of gunshots, would immediately reverberate across town and send people running back to the safety of their homes. It also automatically translates in shops and banks and offices being closed for the day.

But after many attacks and threats to life and property around the Yobe State Capital, a pattern has now emerged that appears to change or at least tinker with the general perception of the basis of the problem and what can be done to address it.

All along, everyone believed that the attacks in Damaturu were carried out by those who are called the Boko Haram, those who professed to fight the Nigerian State in order to ‘establish’ Islamic law.

Members of the Boko Haram themselves have given credence to this assumption, by sometimes claiming responsibility for a number of attacks. To this extent, the idea that ‘Islamists’ have taken up arms against the Nigerian State to enforce their own understanding of Islam seems tenable.

But the actual and true identity of the people who perpetrate these criminal attacks is now the question that continues to dominate many people’s minds. According to very credible accounts from victims or witnesses to the various attacks around the Yobe State Capital, the

attackers often reek of alcohol and even openly smoke marijuana. One report says that a group of youth was apprehended recently after trying and failing to bomb a GSM mast in the town of Yadin-Buni.

Witnesses say that prior to attempting to bomb the GSM mast; the youth were cited by several people openly smoking marijuana.

A few days ago, too, a group of hoodlums attacked the Yobe Fire Service, Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Pilgrims Commission Headquarters. During the attack, the entire offices of these organisations were burnt down as was the recently built but yet to be commissioned new office complex of the pilgrims’ commission. The attack also left a nearby mosque completely razed down. Worst, over 2, 000 copies of the Holy Qur’an and several volumes of Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim (books on the Prophet’s sayings and traditions) kept in the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Islamic library were also burnt down.

In addition, a number of passports and documents belonging to intending pilgrims for the 2012 Hajj were lost to the attack. In effect, the attackers have prevented hard working Muslims, some of whom had saved for the Hajj all their lives, from performing one of their key religious obligations.

Prior to these heinous crimes, a number of churches in Damaturu were set ablaze and many innocent people either shot and killed or savagely slaughtered.

There was also an attack on Governor Ibrahim Geidam’s mother-in-law’s house, where the attackers stole valuables and then set the entire house on fire.

In Islam, the drinking of alcohol or use of intoxicating substances is an expressly forbidden act. No one genuinely having anything to do with the religion would ever engage in them. And so is the killing of an innocent person or the burning of

the Qur’an or preventing people from observing their religious duties, which carries an even grievous penalty. It is clear, therefore, that at least in Damaturu, the attacks against persons and government institutions are more nuanced and more subtle; and it follows that there are other forces or factors that could have accounted for them.

One of these factors, in my considered opinion, is politics. It is impossible to think of substanceabuse, marijuana-smoking, gunwielding youth attacking places and persons without some sort of funding for all the substances they used, and for the guns and weapons they deploy to kill at will. Someone interested in what these attackers are doing or interested in having them do what they are doing must be providing the funds.

In the circumstance, therefore, it is difficult to think of any motivation other than politics. The warped logic is simple: Since Damaturu is a small town where a gunshot or a series of gunshots can and do close down the town entirely, what a better way to cripple social, business and governmental activities than to have a willing

“

It is impossible to think of substance-abuse, marijuana-smoking, gunwielding youth attacking places and persons without some sort of funding for all the substances they used, and for the guns and weapons they deploy to kill at will. Someone interested in what these attackers are doing or interested in having them do what they are doing must be providing the funds

group of youth ready to do the dirty job for a pittance under the influence of drugs?

The State Governor, Ibrahim Geidam himself spoke when he visited the burnt headquarters of the Yobe Pilgrims’ Commission recently.

In a speech condemning the attack, the Governor said some people who seemed unhappy with the progress his administration is making in rapidly moving the State forward are bent on scuttling his efforts and turning back the hands of the clock.

He said his administration had so far achieved record feats in road construction, housing, agriculture, education, and the delivery of primary healthcare, etc and the fact that these feats are unprecedented in the State and are very popular with the masses appear to make someone or other unhappy.

The governor therefore tasked the security agencies to do their work and uncover the faces behind this madness. But Governor Geidam has also pursued a philosophical line that clearly struck a chord. “Those who instigate and fund unscrupulous youth to engage in these mindless acts of destruction would themselves not allow their own children to do this. This shows that they know their actions are evil and bad. Why then would they destroy the future of the children of other people by instigating them to commit evil? Let us remind them that the long arm of the law will one day catch up with them.

But whether they are brought to account here on earth or not, they will one day die and will be held to account by the Almighty God. God is enough for them”, a newspaper quoted him as saying.

And while the Governor has tasked the security agencies to live up to their responsibilities and condemned the sponsors of the Damaturu attacks to the chastisement of their own conscience, reports indicate that he

has engaged in confidence building measures designed to assuage the effects of the poor security situation.

He has twice addressed the people of the State directly within a space of three weeks and is reported as working with traditional, religious and business leaders, including managers of banks and other financial institutions to get the State Capital back functioning again.

Geidam is also said to have directed all members of his cabinet and other senior government functionaries to forge ahead with the activities of their various ministries and departments and to continue to render acts of public service in keeping with his administration’s agenda to improve the living conditions of the people.

In one of his speeches, the Governor is also quoted as directing the State Emergency Management Agency to commence stock taking of the losses wrought upon private and public property with a view to having the Government rebuild or reconstruct them. Geidam, in his characteristic humility, has also asked the people of the State not to despair in praying for divine intervention.

Also while pledging to partner the security agencies to ensure peace and security in Damaturu, the governor has observed that sometimes the firing of gunshots by security personnel far away from the scene of an incident was noted as one of the reasons why Damaturu residents get scared and flee. He has therefore tasked the security personnel to be more professional in their assignment and to ensure that any person arrested and found to be innocent is promptly released.

Given these moves and the governor’s determination to move Yobe forward despite the current challenges, we can remain confident that Damaturu will soon rise again.

El-Tahir sent in this article from Damaturu, Yobe State. Email: yamuha2009@hotmail.com

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Aviation: Not a season of locusts for the North

By Yakubu Dati

N

igeria’s geo-politics has been a tight rope for public officials to walk since Nigeria’s independence in 1960. Public officials have always been in the epicenter of the whirlwind of public opinion for allegedly as regards showing a bias for their regions and performing under par for other regions. The reason for this is not farfetched Nigeria is a country of diverse cultures, idiosyncrasies, religions, political inclinations and ethnic groups Recently there has been a deliberate agenda by fifth columnists to paint the Minister of Aviation Stella Oduah in bad light; these faceless individuals like destructive locusts in season have set out to obliterate the efforts of the Minister in Northern Nigeria, however unbeknownst to them –the transformation is full motion and cannot be truncated at this time.

Oduah is not oblivious of the place of Northern Nigeria especially since it forms the core of the aviation industry in Nigeria with the landing in 1925 of a RAF aircraft and the subsequent construction of the Kano aerodrome. This is a fact that is not known to the detractors of the minister’s strides. They have also failed to realised she is attuned to the cultures and ways of life of the peoples of Northern

By Ogundipe David Oluwasegun n few weeks’ time, a stridency of celebratory jingle will echo not just all over Nigeria but in the whole of Africa, all for one reason: Nigeria will have officially clocked 52 years as an independent nation; an independent nation with nothing to show for it other than death traps called roads, liquefied poison called portable water, a mockery of electricity called power supply, half-baked educated illiterates called graduates and of course, the prospects of the nation which has grown retarded in the luxury of poverty. Yes, October 1 is around the corner.

In honour of all patient Nigerians, it is essential for a rational, articulate and unprejudiced analyst to review what Nigerians have witnessed since the poor boy we did the favour of giving a shoe moved into the rock house. I know no lucid and candid man will tell us to wait till the end of his tenure to evaluate him. At least, a book half-read can be evaluated.

Nigerians now are not easily cheated. This is an opportunity for Nigerians to pause for a moment and reflect on the choice we made years back when we chose “the boy with good luck” over his contemporaries with experience and skills.

My attention was drawn to an enticing news item in a national newspaper a few days ago where it was reported that Switzerland

Nigerian. It is this profound Airport in Abuja, to further commercially understanding that inspired her undermine her traducers said she convincing data showing the to refurbish Hajj terminals in had diverted such planes to possible commercial benefits Kaduna and Kano states.

Enugu. If only these individuals that the Airlines can get if they Anyone who understands the were not bowing at the altar of start operating from Lagos, Kano religion of Islam knows that the ulterior motives they would have and Enugu. The airlines were ritual is one of the fundamental discovered profit from ventures convinced to look at these and tenets of Islam -it is Allah SWT’s guide the airplanes and not the went a step further to even sign injunction for every adult Muslim, service they provide to some agreements. if they can afford it, to perform Hajj geopolitical zones. These are One should not also forget the in the Kingdom of recent project Saudi Arabia. The embarked Hajj terminals are upon by the an integral part of Nassarawa Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text Hajj activities as S t a t e this is where government messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written pilgrims stay at led by contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 times before being Governor words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and airlifted to the Umaru ala valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed holy land. These Makura has to: structures have embarked been transformed upon two The Editor, from their visionary Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, dilapidated states projects –an 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. to comfortable, aerodrome is Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com s t a n d a r d b e i n g terminals to serve constructed SMS: 07037756364 much more than a in Lafia and a waiting edifice for cargo airport pilgrims. Certainly this wouldn’t guided by comprehensive in Karshi. This project being have been the case if the Minister commercial agreements; the located in the North-central part was a bigot as some people would minister’s duty is to regulate their of the country no doubt will boost want us to believe. business conduct in Nigeria but the economic potentials of the In all the peddling of the not to dictate to them where or Northern region and ensure that negative agenda against the where not to fly to; this can and a cargo hub is established policies of the Ministry of Aviation should only be decided by the thereby decentralising the movement of goods and services and the person of the minister, the volume of traffic. usual misinformation and On the Emirate and Etihad in the region; this is aside serving outright selective perception issue, the minister made a strong as a second runway for the pales in comparison to the recent case for the decentralization of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International allegations of preventing Operations of these Airlines from Airport Abuja. This project international airlines from Lagos and in line with already has the backing of the landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International practice, presented Minister of Aviation Princess

Stella Adaeze Oduah, who has continued to encourage Nigerians irrespective of tribe or creed to invest in the aviation sector.

That is why it is rather disheartening that one of the distinguished stakeholder of the aviation industry like Hon. Rufai Chanchangi, the vice chairman of the Aviation Committee of the House of Representatives who is of Northern extraction will overlook the aforementioned strides and call for the Minister’s resignation without a resorting to a proper investigation of the circumstances surrounding the issues at hand is unexpected of an operator, especially one who has the distinct role of serving as the vice chairman of the committee responsible for overseeing the Ministry of aviation. What is expected from such quarters is to say the least a modicum of sustained guidance; especially at this critical juncture when the bulk of airport terminals undergoing reconstruction are located in Northern Nigeria.

As the Minister struggles daily to make Nigerian skies one of the most viable and safest in sub-saharan Africa she must be encouraged to deliver on the mandate of good governance and due diligence as it relates to her ministry. The North and indeed Nigeria as a whole will be better off for it.

Yakubu Dati can be reached at Yakubudati@gmail.com.

has returned about 500 million dollars (about N80 billion) of the Nigeria’s money stashed away from the country by the late tyrant military ruler, General Sani Abacha. As worthy and stimulating as the news is, I remain unresponsive. Why? The recovered billions will still grow wings and vanish into the thin air where it shall no longer be recovered while Nigerians welfare shall be left in a dismal state. Tax evasion is an offence punishable by law but the wellbeing of Nigerians could be made a thing of levity without sanction.

Maybe I am at fault for being too sensitive, but our leaders are the reason. Would you and I have been concerned about the outrageous and comical grammar of the Boss’s wife if they had made life comfortable for Nigerians? If they had fulfilled their paper promises, would you have been at home for 7 years awaiting admission? Would a civil servant of 25 years in diligent and honest service still find it hard to complete his building before moving in? Certainly, a graduate wouldn’t have given the excuse of unemployment in a charge for robbery. Those who observed the last election season carefully could testify that the Superior was very stingy with the specifics of his flattering “Transformation agenda”. He said very little of his strategy outlook, but was always yelling about changing the ways

horrible by his fuel subsidy removal policy. Hence, the transport fare for “danfo” we are used to was doubled. The United Nations Human development index puts Nigeria at 159 out of 177 countries, with 70.8 per cent of the population living on less than one dollar a day and 92.4 per cent on less than two dollars a day. Mr. Commander’s daily meal costs N2.3 million. I would have concluded that the boss is an idol and as such his daily meals are life cows which he swallows with alacrity but we all know he is not.

Audaciously, I say the meal must have been made of gold and diamonds.

I never knew intelligence and reasonability could be bought out of patriots. The list of nationalistsgone-haywire is alarming and even the nation’s one time respected wordsmith became “Abatically” transformed: unleashing his fury on every frank man who dares to talk about his master’s arbitrary tactics. The women among these transformed patriots whose creativities would have benefited the Nigeria fashion industry and are well appreciated in the aspect of event planning suddenly become experts in helping to transform our economy.

Indeed, this is a great nation; her people are great people. Would it now be right to say what we have in Nigeria presently is a shadow of hope? Or is one accurate to say a great nation like ours has no reasonable head? I have no doubt the facts are speaking for themselves.

WRITE TO US

The shadow of hope things are done. Indeed, he changed it: he substituted the poor lives of the common men for a distinctively miserable one with just a single policy. As a calculating man, the boss dodged presidential debates that might expose the unrealistic parts of his agenda but instead focused on getting the most cherished Nigerian musicians to his camps and as such, literates got carried away by the erudite unmusicality and cash activated melodious songs of Mr. Koko, master and the man with 2 faces: one for the masses and one for those in power. He even engaged the former in both national and international issues on live TV while his opponents almost debated to stupor.

A careful look at the Boss reveals that he desires to be the

world’s most travelled man: this is very much apparent in his constant absence from his country which I see as a systematic way of avoiding responsibilities. He went to Brazil just after one of the most pathetic bombings occurred on the nation’s soil. The fleet of jets for the presidency are another issue that will surely take a year to write on: as of 2009, a report revealed that there were eight aircraft in the presidency’s fleet. The boss ordered that three more are required to make his obsession of wandering all over the world a funny expedition, without much ado, in the 2010 budget, the sum of N21 billion was provided for the purchase of the jets. Common men can’t afford a bicycle, yet the master still made life more

“

I never knew intelligence and reasonability could be bought out of patriots. The list of nationalists-gonehaywire is alarming and even the nation’s one time respected wordsmith became “Abatically” transformed: unleashing his fury on every frank man who dares to talk about his master’s arbitrary tactics. The women among these transformed patriots whose creativities would have benefited the Nigeria fashion industry and are well appreciated in the aspect of event planning suddenly become experts in helping to transform our economy

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

By Pelumi Olatinpo

A

s I lay in bed Wednesday morning, eyes still a bit sluggish, I grabbed the Blackberry that lay next to me.

Half-consciously opening my inbox, I was floored and fully awoken by what stared back at me: The subject line of a daily brief from Foreign Policy Magazine read: “U.S. ambassador killed in Libya.” I was incredulous. For goodness sakes, “Why Libya?” I muttered repeatedly. I have been following Libya’s nascent and often shaky accent to stability since Moammar Gaddafi’s deposition, I never for once found it a hotbed for anti-American sentiments.

What happened? It was a moment of disappointment that became more disheartening once I immediately understood what realities this portends, whoever the perpetrators were.

As details continue to pour in, we now have an idea of the circumstances surrounding the death of U.S. ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others in an American consulate in Benghazi, Libya. It is highly regrettable that a few Africans chose to be cowards, murderers,

By SOC Okenwa

T

oday we are ‘dedicating’ this space to our first and last ladies; that is, wives of our former and present Heads of state and Governors.

Our ‘leaders’, even while lacking in leadership courage and skills, have (had) sharp eyes for the beautiful daughters of eve! They always went (go) for the ‘best’ in a nation that has ‘exploded’ with dashing beauties. If anyone is in doubt please I urge the doubting Thomas to check out Facebook or Nollywood! Nigeria is blessed indeed with beautiful damsels that are dazzling the world with their beauty and their brains as well! Remember one former Miss World, Agbani Darego? Bianca Ojukwu? Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie? Asa? Chidinma? Name them! The current tight campaign for the White House in the United States is an interesting political event rich in razzmatazz, history and sophistry. Weeks back in their various party conventions where each presidential candidate, Democratic Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, was officially endorsed for the November date with the electorate the wives of the incumbent President and the challenger took to the stage to ‘sell’ their hubbies to the American people.

First to mount the soap box was Ann Romney in Tampa, Florida who received standing ovation for her speech. And a week later saw First Lady Michelle Obama on the pulpit in Charlotte, North Carolina telling Americans about Barack and his American dream. The White House has not changed Barack, she implicitly told her audience.

The current First Lady and could-be First Lady in the free world performed very well in their own rights and styles. But

PAGE 15

What not to learn from Libya and hijackers of freedom. And as I feared, throughout the day and since then, this has been an impetus for many, Africans and those outside the continent, to condemn and claim validation against Western intervention in Libya this past year.

Yevgeny Y. Satanoskvy, president of the Institute of the Middle East in Moscow, was quoted in the New York Times as saying American leaders should not expect “one word of sympathy” from their Russian counterparts.

The current Russian President, Vladimir Putin, back then, was unrestrained in his condemnation of NATO’s intervention in Libya.

And, even on Facebook, a fellow African was quick to point out to me that “this (events like the attack on the consulate) was foreseen and foretold, after the forceful demise of Ghadaffi.” In his words, he does not “support tyranny and dictatorship, but there are deeper realities that drove the motive” to oust the former Libyan leader and save

the millions of lives across Libya.

All these entrenched opinions are deeply unfortunate. They posit we are better off abdicating our moral responsibilities to one another in times of direness, such as when Moammar Gaddafi and his sons knocked on the gates of Benghazi and swore to annihilate all the “rats [citizens]” within.

Had it not been for a NATO intervention spearheaded by France, how many body bags would have been enough to collect the corpses of the many women and children of Benghazi? For those who advocate the neutrality of nation states with means and privilege to salvage humanity, when this humanity finds itself threatened by some of its own most vicious and vilest attributes, need only look through our checkered history to see why this can’t be so.

The world folded its arms when confronted with the sadism of Adolf Hitler. And when it finally awoke its own consciousness, 6 million Jews were ghosts blowing in the wind and millions more would have

died had the Allied powers not intervened. In Rwanda, we saw the callousness and brutality of indifference and passivity.

In a period of 100 days, an estimated 500,000 lives were snuffed out in wanton acts of genocide, with at 800,000 souls lost by the time the conflict was over. Six years later, a penitent world body, the U.N., would go on to decry its sin as a blatant ‘failure” of the Rwandan people.

And even in present times, we continue to see the effect of overt inaction in places like Darfur and the Nuba Mountains, where in Darfur for example, The Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters estimates, with 95% confidence, of an excess number of deaths between 178,258 and 461,520.

Subsequently, for all the conspiracy theorists who claim we are better off had Gaddafi been left to shake every child in Benghazi from limb to limb till there was no tissue left; do lend humanity a huge disservice.

As public opinion in Libya does show, this latest incident is

grossly unrepresentative of the wills and aspirations of the Libyan people. Libyans thank the U.S. and other NATO states that assisted in their deliverance. It would be hogwash to think extremists, such as the cowards that surfaced on Tuesday night, will not use the freedoms provided by a democratic society to destabilize said freedoms.

If anything, we ought to join hands with brothers and sisters in this North African state to reaffirm our commitment to human dignity and freedom. The lesson here is not for us to backtrack our steps, but to show ourselves resolute and unshakeable. It is clear, as peoples, we inhabit different geographical locations with different time zones, but our indivisible humanity, our commitment to shared values and beliefs is what is ultimately under attack here. We must not allow fear or complacence to usurp these from us.

Pelumi Olatinpo blogs at www.RestlessChronicles.com

Michelle, the beautiful blackAmerican woman, the graceful mother of the two Obama female kids, performed better and electrified the convention venue with her coherent speech and charm. The tall woman is indeed charming, elegant and very brilliant! After watching her speech and that of Ann before her a week before my mind raced back to Abuja where our First and last Ladies maintained the status of housewives monitoring their presidential husbands’ every step and using every means possible (including diabolical prayers and marabouts) to stop the leaders from flirting with high-profile women in quality supply!

But that was before Madam “umblerra” came to the scene, swashbuckling and resplendent in her Okrika style and mannerism, entertaining us with ‘sophisticated’ grammar and even leading some loud campaign to the opposition strongholds — if only to remind the ‘rascals’ in those zones that her husband was still the landlord of Aso Rock! As the Democrats were busy organizing their convention in the States home news online was making the rounds about “food poisoning” suffered in Dubai by the Dame which later ‘transformed’ into “ruptured appendicitis” being treated first-class in the first world European country of Germany.

And we heard again days later that the ailment had ‘transformed’ itself into “surgery for the removal of uterine fibroids”. (May the soul of Stella Obasanjo rest in peace!)

By wicked coincidence (or as fate would have it) the powerful ‘unsackable’ Minister of

Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke (DAM), was herself receiving treatment in London reportedly for undisclosed ailment. But what made the news items more interesting happened to be the story about the Dame apparently complaining that her condition was caused by ‘nightmares’ ostensibly inflicted by the secret liaison between GEJ and DAM. The Dame should be content with being the official First Lady and forget any thoughts of unofficial second or even third ladies elsewhere to maintain her sanity! An unsolicited advice if you ask me!

In the event that the news story was confirmed to be true then GEJ would have achieved another ‘transformation’ agenda in addition to the official ones Nigerians know: the powerful man would have unwittingly ‘transformed’ himself into a ‘prophet’ of mendacity by denying any amorous relationship existing between him and DAM and swearing before the Dame to

believe in his fidelity — a fidelity that is daily being put to test by female forces out to undo the Dame! But in this undeclared ‘cold war’ brewing between the Dame and DAM we can only pray that no one gets hurt physically or emotionally given the temperamental nature of the Nigerian women (especially those legally married and wary of any intrusion).

First Ladyism in Nigeria is a controversial emotive issue.

Though wholly unconstitutional Presidents and military dictators have had to devote huge budgets to servicing an office that never existed in our constitution. It became popular and was elevated to a status symbol during the regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

From there the ‘office’ grew in national ‘importance’ drawing huge funds and employments of aides and personal assistants and even media adviser or whatever. Swimming in petrodollars as it were the Dame has

had the effrontery to advocate recently for her office to be ‘constitutionalised’, that is, legalised so that she could be eligible for pension when GEJ is through in Aso Rock!

But the Dame was not alone in the call for the legalisation of the office of the First Lady in both national and states’ levels. The bespectacled beautiful wife of the Ekiti State Governor Erelu Bisi Fayemi equally advocated for same arguing that they (the first ladies) needed to ‘officialise’ their positions ostensibly in order to ‘complement’ the efforts of their executive hubbies. Given the way and manner the office of first lady is abused by these women of glamour I think that suggestion is in order if only to give legal teeth to an illegal entity.

In Nigeria power is everything! The first family can decide to make Nigeria as a whole a terrorist enclave or a haven for peace! The President himself, constitutionally bestowed with limitless powers, can decide, in a split-second of alcoholic rage or ‘clueless’ anger, to turn ‘Wazobia’ into an utopia or appoint Mallam Ibrahim Shekau as his Senior Special Assistant (Counter Terrorism and ‘Almajiri’ Affairs). The choice is all his; and his wife, siezed momentarily by the ‘Jezebelic’ evil spirit or sadistic disposition, can prevail on her husband to send Pastor Tunde Bakare to prison for spitting ‘fire’ in one of his Sunday sermons or sack Dr Reuben Abati for not defending her enough or simply for his manifest incompetence and abusive style as the presidential spokesman.

SOC Okenwa is reachable on soco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr

Of first and last ladies (I)

“

First Ladyism in Nigeria is a controversial emotive issue. Though wholly unconstitutional Presidents and military dictators have had to devote huge budgets to servicing an office that never existed in our constitution. It became popular and was elevated to a status symbol during the regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in the late 80’s and early 90’s

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012

PAGE 16

Devt. Control dismantle criminal hideout, other illegal structures in Wuse, Asokoro

By Stanley Onyekwere

O

fficials of the Department of Development Control (DDC) of the Abuja Metropolis Management Council (AMMC) have carried out removal exercises of some illegal structures and shanties situated in Wuse Zone 5, Asokoro District and Garki II as part of the efforts to keep the city clean.

The department, during the exercise demolished a slum settlement behind Lord Lugard Street in Asokoro and four bungalows on Haigasa Street of Wuse Zone 5, had their fences removed while another bungalow was marked and served with quit notice.

According to a statement issued at the weekend by the head, Public Relations Unit of the Development Control, Mrs Josie Mudasiru, the slum settlement popularly known as Bakassi, which is situated on a transit line bordering Asokoro District and Gimbiya Street in Garki, served as a hideout for criminals.

The team leader, TPL Jafaru Hamidu was quoted in the statement to have said the removal was necessary as the place had become notorious for illicit activities by criminals in the area and posed a security threat to the neighbourhood.

“The settlement harbours criminals of all sorts perpetuating their nefarious activities in the two districts and environs”, it alleged.

On the marked structure, the district officer for Wuse 1, Christy Ogaba, explained that it is to notify the developer on the need to furnish the department with a copy of its title document and Building plan approval.

“Marking of the building does not mean the building will be demolished, but all we are asking is that the

developer comes to the office with evidence of approval”, she explained.

The District officer, said the fence removed was used by the developer to sub-divide a single plot; and this is not allowed in planning regulation.

Also during the clean-up exercises, which were carried out last week Monday and Tuesday, the authority removed batchers, containers and

other illegal structures in the process.

However, Director, Development Control, Yahaya Yusuf, who expressed shock that residents are still being caught unawares by the activities of the department, warned Abuja residents to desist from putting up structures without approval as the Department will not stop its clean-up activities.

This okada rider rather constitutes a threat to other road users, yesterday in Apo, Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Court remands 27-year-old woman for attempted murder J ustice Hussieni Baba Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) High Court has ordered that an accused Ann Agu, 27, be remanded at the Federal Prison

Suleja in Niger.

The accused Agu was arraigned on a two-count charge of stabbing her neighbour, Kemi Agubiade and attempting to commit suicide.

She pleaded not guilty to both offences.

The Prosecutor, Mr John Ijabemi, had asked the court to grant him a date to present his witnesses in court in view of

the plea entered by the accused.

Baba-yusuf granted the application and adjourned to October 15, 2012 for further hearing. (NAN)

Union wants FCT to enforce AYA park relocation order

T

he AYA Motor Park branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has appealed to the FCT authorities to enforce its order on relocating the park from AYA roundabout.

The AYA park is located at Asokoro District on the Abuja-Keffi road.

Mr Kenneth Ojo, the Secretary of the branch, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that relocation of the park to its new location behind the Asokoro Police Station would reduce traffic jam in the area.

He made the appeal after Mr Frank Agbakoba, the Central Area Unit Commander of the FRSC, sensitised drivers at the park on the need to abide by traffic rules.

Ojo said the FCT authorities gave orders for the park to be moved

to the new site, but failed to enforce the directive.

“We have been enforcing the order by ourselves, but some of our drivers are stubborn. We want the government to come and enforce the order that they have given.

In the course of enforcing the order by ourselves, we lost our chairman,’’ he said.

NAN reliably gathered that the chairman who was a member of a task force set up to enforce the order died when he was knocked down by a vehicle while carrying out the assignment.

The Chairman of the Self Employed Commercial Drivers Association, Mr Bala Isa, lamented that many of their members and drivers of tricycles (Keke NAPEP) had refused to move to the new park.

Isa, who spoke with NAN, appealed to the FRSC to liaise with the relevant authorities to enforce the order.

Earlier, Agbakoba urged the drivers to respect traffic rules to ensure free flow of traffic at the AYA roundabout during the morning and evening rush hours.

He commended the FCT

administration for moving the motor park from the roundabout to the present location and urged it to enforce the order.

NAN reports that the FRSC declared September 10, 2012 to September 14, as no-booking period to intensify public awareness on safety standards across the country.

(NAN)

Abuja to host food and drink festival

By Adeola Tukuru

V

erAnnies Concept Limited in partnership with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and other agencies is to host the first Annual Food and Drink Festival in Abuja.

The Managing Director of Ver- Annies Concept Limited, Ann Adinkwye told newsmen that the food and drink festival tagged:” Flavor of Abuja, Food and Drink Festival ,2012", is scheduled to hold in November 30th to December 2nd ,2012.

She said the festival was aimed at tackling the challenges in building a standard tourism and food business.

According to her one of the major aim of the program is to eradicate poverty and hunger in Nigeria, to generate wealth for Nigeria through the tourism and food industries.

“So we intend to bring in SMEDAN to train the participants who have the idea of different recipes and they don’t know how to display it generally, we will also bring in GMBO to come and register a website for the participants, so that they can pick up with their business without spending so much.

“We are partnering with some companies to boast business, generate employment and tourism partnership and collaborators among the food business operators,” she said.

She emphasised that it would encourage increased public and private investment in the food and tourism business and also foster partnerships between the food and tourism business operators across the 36 states and also internationally as they come to unveil their food culture.

Also the initiator of Flavour of Abuja, Jackie Opara further explained that people from all over the world are expected to bring their own food varieties to showcase at the event, with raw foods inclusive. ”We also going to have a kitchen wood unit, which is the kitchen utensils. It is going to be a three day festival, where there will be wine tasting, food and nutrition, cultural display whereby people around the country will also participate so as to know other people’s culture and display their food,” she explained.

Court frees pastor accused of theft, enticing married woman

A

Karu Senoir Magistrates Court has discharged and acquitted a 29-year- old pastor, who was accused of theft and enticing a married woman.

The case against Pastor Best Egbuah was dismissed for lack of diligence.

The pastor who lives in Karu Market was alleged to have enticed

and taken away Ugwu Ifeayi, a married woman, living in Karu Village, Abuja.

Egbuah had been standing trial since November 2010.

Delivering judgment, Senior Magistrate Celestine Odo said the evidences brought before the honourable court had proven that the accused was not found guilty of

the offences for which he was charged.

He therefore, discharge and acquit the accused from all the charges levelled against him, saying, any aggrieved party can appeal the judgment within 30days’’.

The Defense Counsel Felix Iyoha commended the court for the “excellent’’ judgment. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 17

1

3

2

1. Unity Dance Cultural Troupe performing during the National Ordinance Day celebration, yesterday in Abuja.

2.

4

Labourers moving to site to eke living, yesterday in Area 8, Garki, Abuja.

3.

A young carpenter learning the art of the trade, yesterday, yesterday in Garki Abuja.

4. Mai shayi (tea seller) taking a nap due to low patronage, yesterday in Nyanya.

Photos: Justin Imo-owo

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Email: amunuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 18

INSIDE

- Pg 21

Takaful or Islamic insurance is also attractive to Christians NAICOM boss

Mob: 08033644990

CBN sets N862 bn target for T/bills in Q4

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it plans to raise N862.99 billion ($5.5 billion) worth of treasury bills with maturities ranging from three-months to oneyear in the last quarter of this year.

The apex bank said at the weekend it would auction N220.04

billion worth of 3-month bill, N381.30 billion worth of 6-month paper and N261.65 billion in 1-year note, spread over four auctions.

Offshore investors have been showing increasing interest in sovereign debt from Africa's second biggest economy, ahead of next month's inclusion of Nigeria's bonds in JP Morgan's emerging market government bond index.

With or without Barth Nnaji PHCN sale goes as planned-BPE

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

facilitate the introduction of multi-functional ATMs. Fatokun said that such ATMs would also be able to accept deposits from customers and credit their accounts immediately.

he Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) said the exit of former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji has not altered privertisation time table designed for power sector.

A statement issued yesterday by Bureau's Head of Corporate Communications, Chukwuma Nwokoh reiterated that financial bid opening of investors interested in generating firms will hold on September 25, 2012 as planned while the investors for the distribution companies whose technical bids met the benchmark will have their financial proposals opened on October 10, 2012.

The Economist in its September 8-14, 2012 edition titled "Reforming Electricity in Nigeria" alluded to claim

inadequate to meet the aspirations and infrastructure developments needed urging states to diversify if they must carry out developmental projects.

The newly appointed Chairman, Commissioner of Finance, a platform for all states' finance Commissioners gave the advice in a chat with finance Correspondents at just concluded Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja.

Asked of his view on revenue diversification, he said: "You have heard the contribution being made and what is on ground is that, the solid minerals should be basis of derivation and the essence is for encourage diversification because almost every state in the nation has some solid mineral or oil buried in their land. If that is done, it will be incentives.

Besides that, we have seen dwindling economy all over the

L-R: Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, exchanging the document, with Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Engineer Seyi Sijuwade, during the signing of performance bond between the Minister, Permanent Secretary, Heads of agencies and directors of Ministry of Transport, recently in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

CBN to introduce coins dispensing ATMs

By Aminu Imam

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it will facilitate the introduction of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) that can dispense coins to encourage Nigerians imbibe the culture of spending them.

The Head of Shared Services at CBN, Mr. Chidi Umeano, who stated this yesterday in Lagos said that this plan was in tune with the currency restructuring exercise.

He said that the coins dispensing ATMs would hasten the acceptance of coins by Nigerians and change the misconception about their use.

“To achieve this plan, what is needed is to facilitate the inclusion of a process called "add-on" to the ATMs. “Good enough, the existing ATMs have the ``add-on`` feature that will easily make them adapt to coins dispensing, “he said.

Umeano said that the apex bank would ensure that newly deployed ATMs had the ``addon`` feature among others.

“It is very possible to achieve Automated Teller Machines that will dispense coins.

"This ``add-on" feature can be activated on the ATMs at any time by the CBN and this is not new because it is being practiced in advanced countries.

“This proposal is in consonance with our cash-less policy and also in line with the CBN's effort to encourage

Nigerians to appreciate coins, ``he said.

It could be recalled that the CBN Director of Banking and Payments System, Mr. Dipo Fatokun had in August said that the apex bank would soon

that the resignation of Professor Barth Nnaji as Minister of Power "over a conflict of interest has exposed the rot in a process that seemed to be running smoothly".

BPE, in a statement debunked the assertion as untrue is not correct stressing that privatisation process is driven by the core values of transparency and integrity. " The BPE reiterates that the privatisation process is unhurt by Nnaji's exit and no better evidence can be adduced than that on September 25, 2012, the BPE will open the financial bids of investors for the generation companies whose technical proposals met the benchmark for success. Indeed, the investors for the distribution companies whose technical bids met the benchmark will have their financial proposals opened on October 10, 2012".

Ebonyi Commissioner of finance tasks states on IGI

By Abdulwahab Isa

E

bonyi state Commissioner of finance and Chairman, Commissioner of Finance Forum Mr. Timothy Odaah has implored states in the federation to look beyond the monthly allocation at the centre and expand Internal Generated Revenue (IGI).

He observed that sole reliance by states on monthly allocation from federation account would be too

Management Tip of the Day

Choose the right tools to communicate with your virtual team

F

ar-flung teams rely on technology to communicate. But do you really need the most cuttingedge software to do so? Here are three rules to follow when selecting the tools your virtual team needs to collaborate from afar:

Keep it simple. You want something that doesn't require complex setup time or a steep learning curve. Your team should be focused on the message, not the medium.

Focus on reliability. You don't want to worry about whether your message gets through. Do

your research, and select tools that people trust will work.

Make it accessible. Virtual teams often work from several locations - meeting rooms, field offices, airports, even coffee shops.

Choose things that work anywhere team members might want to use them.

world. There is a clarion call in Nigeria that every state must do a lot in order to beef up their internally generated revenue".

It would be recalled that the monthly FAAC meeting which held last weekend approved for share among three-tiers of government , the sum of N570.609 billion for August month. The amount covers, proceed from mineral revenue, nonmineral revenue and Value Added Tax (VAT).

Of the amount, the Federal Government got N206.726 billion, States N104.854 billion, local government Councils N80.838 billion, while sum of N42.608 billion went to oil producing states as their share of 13 per cnet derivation fund.

The Excess Revenue Account has netted the sum of $ 8.03 billion . The gross revenue for the month, N564.884 billion was lower than the N825.396 billion accrued in previous month by N260.512 billion due to drop in crude oil production and lifting operations caused by the force majure declared at Bonny Terminal and shutdown of Balema gas plant.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 19

COMPANY NEWS UBA

U

nited Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc will soon begin the use of MasterCard for banking convenience of its customers across the globe, underpinning its dominance of the electronic card segment of Nigeria's financial industry.

With the UBA MasterCard customers of the bank can now carry out their electronic financial transactions, through the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Point of Sales (PoS) and on the Internet, anywhere in the world, in a seamless manner even as they benefit from the bank's range of cost saving e-banking products and services.

Adedeji Olowe, Head Cards, UBA Plc, said in Abuja that MasterCard is partnering with UBA to accept and issue payment cards across 19 African countries.

Takaful or Islamic insurance is also attractive to Christians - NAICOM boss The need to entrench in the insurance operators and the insuring public the benefits of micro-insurance, takaful insurance among others took centre stage in this interview with the Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel by our insurance reporter, Ngozi Onyeakusi recently. Excerpts:

Deloitte

D

eloitte has launched Deloitte Consulting Distribution Solution (DCoDS), a preconfigured, industry-specific version of the SAPÂŽ ERP application, specifically designed to help wholesale distributors address shrinking margins and customer demands for higher service levels.

It is scalable, customisable, and can assist organisations in their efforts to manage profitability - from customers to channels to products.

DCoDS is also a qualified SAP All-inOne partner solution.

DCoDS assists the core functions of a business including financial management, supply chain, operations, sales, marketing and distribution through pre-configured SAP solutions for sales and distribution, FICO, general ledger, financial supply chain management and advanced planning specification.

Apple

A

pple Inc shares rose on Friday, touching a record high after the company said some customers must wait two to three weeks for the new, slimmer, faster iPhone 5, suggesting strong global demand for the smartphone that accounts for half of its revenue.

Apple's U.S. store, at www.apple.com, was projecting shipments for the iPhone 5 would take two weeks to fulfill, with analysts saying the date slipped within an hour of the start of presales.

The company's website showed buyers in United Kingdom, France and Germany would have to wait as much as three weeks to receive orders when the iPhone 5 starts shipping next Friday, the first day of deliveries.

FG

A

fter cleaning up the rot in the Police Pension Office, the Federal Government is prepared to audit the military pension office to restructure the system and possibly free up resources.

The intention of Government was passed to the military top brass last week, by the co-ordinating minister for the economy, Ngozi OkonjoIweala, during the military's defense of its 2013 budget.

With this, government will soon contract an audit firm to move into the military pensions office to carry out the exercise.

Mr. Fola Daniel Why is the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) interested in microinsurance? he major reasons why we are interested in microinsurance firstly are for poverty alleviation, poverty prevention, to prevent people from falling below the poverty line. Secondly, it is for business generation; now, these objectives are different and the solutions from them will be different. Now, the first one is all about how we can help people and give them subsidy.

The second one is commercial, how companies get theirs.

T

How prepared are the operators for this microinsurance?

Like we always say, we cannot rely on the existing insurance companies to implement micro-insurance; they cannot do it, it very expensive, it is a retail business and they are not interested in retail business.

Most of the insurance companies, I mean, on a daily bases, Monday to Friday, you find an average of 50 managing directors of insurance companies in Abuja sharing the big businesses, so they are not going to be interested in

those small policies of N5, N10 in the rural areas; so, we must find open medium of selling and that is where corporative societies that we shot out of system and they existing, we cannot weed them away, we really need to bring them in and I am glad to say that in the new insurance proposed bill, prominence have given to corporative societies as channels of selling insurance policies; we have to recognise them because they are doing business anyway and they are very close to the grassroots and have the mechanism of reaching their people in very

cost-effective way.

A good number of Nigerians are yet to know what takaful insurance is all about. Can you please shed more light on it?

In my address, when I talk about takaful insurance, why the takaful or Islamic insurance is going to be attractive to a core Christian is that because takaful is not all about risk transfer, it is about sharing, a kind of a mutual arrangement that if you have done business as a member of this takaful family for a period of one year for instance, at the end of the year, after you calculate everything you spent including management expenses and there is a surplus of N1 billion you share it.

So, out of your business there is return. And I think this would be attractive whether you a Christian whether you are a Muslim or you are a complete ordinary believer. So, the difference between takaful insurance and conventional insurance is that conventional is about risk transfer, transfer your risk to somebody and go to sleep, so if at the end of the year, the guy made a profit of N5 billion, of course he has earned the money because he is taking all your risk while takaful is all about risk sharing.

Insurance sector has done enough in terms of introduction of reform measures; what is simply needed now is speedy implementation. What is the commission doing regarding this?

NAICOM has been doing what it is supposed to do, creating of opportunities, opening windows; and doors and the professionals, operators, that is the insurance brokers, the underwriters will also need to feed in and play their own role, so every one of us need to play one role or the other in order to bring about implementation. The regulator cannot do it because we can never go out there to start selling policies; we can never go out there to open insurance

“

So, out of your business there is return. And I think this would be attractive whether you a Christian whether you are a Muslim or you are a complete ordinary believer.

companies; all we can do is to keep sensitising, creating a level-playing ground and there are some of sacrifices we need to make; should we still be charging one per cent, on everybody for every premium?

Should we not make some contributions or sacrifices to ensure engender this regime of grassroots insurance? And one of the area suggested is our approval fee of N50,000 which we charge for each new products to drop; I think we dropped that nearly two years ago, at the beginning of this programme we realized that we needed to do something that would accelerate implementation.

Other things we need to do is to ensure continuous creating of awareness, awareness creation is a very long term project and it is very very expensive. What we are doing at NAICOM is to show leadership; we cannot do all of the awareness for the operation, I do insist and still insist always that the best awareness an operator can create is to ensure that claims are settled promptly, that is the best advertisement.

A good number of Nigerians generally do not trust insurance, so we must pay claims and we should not be timid about settlement of claims and advertising it. I mean, in the last two years we settled a claim of about N10 billion, that is the Nigeria Bottling Company claims, that is probably the highest claim that has been settled in this market; but most of the people are not even aware of it because most people kept quiet; well, if we fail to settle a claim of N100 million, everybody will be aware of it.

So, insurance really need to be put it in the front-burner; they need to promote consciousness of some of the important things that they are selling.

Insurance companies often introduce fantastic products into market but you find that these products do not last before you stop hearing about them; What could be the challenge?

The reasons are indicated here; one, if they don't do market research before introducing a product, such a product is bound to die. When you don't first spend time to know what the people want, and you just want to impose it on them. Secondly, the Nigerian insurance companies just sell products, they don't sell solutions, and you will have a product that will stand the test of time if it sells solution. For instance the microinsurance we are talking about, if any product you are creating for them does not take cost into consideration as one of its major component it will fail. So, the regulator should help the underwriter to provide products that sell solutions.

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2012

Romney to pledge to fix troubled U.S. immigration system R

epublican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will pledge to Hispanics on Monday that if elected he will fix the troubled U.S. immigration system in an appeal to a rising voter bloc that overwhelmingly favors Democratic President Barack Obama.

Looking to rebound after a tough week in which he fell behind Obama in the polls, Romney will couple his immigration promises with a commitment to get a handle on America’s problem of rising national debt and massive budget deficits.

This is part of the Republican’s drive to spend more time talking about the specifics of his economic proposals in answer to voter demands for more information as they choose between him and Obama in the November 6 election.

Romney’s immigration remarks to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will be aimed at shoring up a weakness in his candidacy: the fact that a huge majority of Hispanics support Obama.

“Americans may disagree about how to fix our immigration system, but I think we can all agree that it is broken,” Romney will say.

In excerpts of his speech released by his campaign, Romney did not get into the specifics of how he would patch up a deep divide between Democrats and Republicans on the approach to repairing the U.S.

immigration system.

The last serious attempt at an immigration overhaul, made by Republican President George W. Bush in 2007, collapsed in Congress as conservatives rebelled against the plan, which they called an amnesty for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants already living in the United States.

After promising during his 2008 campaign to take on the immigration issue, Obama never followed through, leading to disappointment among various Hispanic groups.

Romney will point to Obama’s inability to work on the problem as a failure.

“Candidate Obama said that one of his highest priorities would be to fix immigration in his first year in office.

Despite his party having majorities in both houses of Congress, the president never even offered up a bill,” Romney will say.

Romney will vow to “work with Republicans and Democrats to permanently fix our immigration system,” while stressing that any plan must first ensure the integrity of U.S. borders - a problem on which the Obama administration says it has already made progress.

“I believe we can all agree that what we need are fair and enforceable immigration laws that will stem the flow of illegal immigration, while

Romney steps off his campaign plane in Kansas city strengthening legal immigration,” Romney will say.

The Republican’s campaign is built around pledges to improve the U.S. economy and spur job growth and he has used the same message in appealing to Hispanics with the view that all Americans want a good job whatever their ethnicity.

“While national unemployment is 8.1 percent, Hispanic unemployment

is over 10 percent. Over two million more Hispanics are living in poverty today than the day President Obama took office,” Romney will say.

His campaign is trying to recover from a week in which Romney made a political issue of the deaths of four Americans in Libya, prompting criticism from Democrats and some Republicans that he had botched his reaction to a national tragedy.

Obama also has enjoyed a bounce in support from the Democratic National Convention in late August, forcing Romney to play catch-up in a race that appeared to be turning against him.

A Gallup poll on Sunday, however, suggested Obama’s bounce was dissipating with his lead reduced to 3 percentage points - 48 percent to 45 percent for Romney.

Obama crams for debates, works on being concise

O

n long flights to swing states in the West and late nights at the White House after his children have gone to bed, President Barack Obama is cramming like a student for a test that could determine his political future.

The subject? His opponent, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. The test? His face-off with the former Massachusetts governor at their first one-on-one debate next month.

With the race still tight despite Obama’s slight lead in the polls, the stakes are high for both men to perform well at the three debates this fall and gain momentum toward sealing the November 6 election.

Forced to juggle his governing and campaigning responsibilities, Obama is squeezing in debate prep when he can.

“We don’t have the same luxury that Romney does in terms of time,” Obama’s chief campaign strategist David Axelrod said.

That means Obama uses flights to Nevada, Colorado and other election swing states on Air Force One to read up on Romney’s positions, or studies in the evenings at the White House when he’s in town.

“He’s spent a lot of time reading material and most of it is familiarizing himself with what Governor Romney said in this campaign,” Axelrod said. “I mean, he’s pretty conversant with his own record but he wasn’t very conversant with Romney’s.”

Obama will sharpen his

debating skills against Senator John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, who will play Romney in mock sessions.

Aides want him to work on being brief - a departure from his tendency to be long-winded, which can turn off TV viewers and make him look aloof.

“He’s got to speak shorter, that’s all,” Axelrod said. “He just hasn’t had to do that for the last four years so that’s a part of the discipline of preparing for these debates.”

Romney’s sparring partner is Ohio Senator Rob Portman, who has played the president in several mock debates in recent weeks.

Portman told reporters on Friday that Romney was “doing great.”

Now that the two parties’ conventions are over, the debates are the last high-profile, set-piece events left to shape the race for the White House.

The first encounter at the University of Denver in Colorado on October 3 will focus on domestic policy while the second, at Hofstra University in New York state on October 16, will allow audience members to ask questions. Vice President Joe Biden and Representative Paul Ryan face off in Danville, Kentucky, on October 11 in the only vice presidential debate.

The final match between Obama and Romney, in Boca Raton, Florida, on October 22, will focus on foreign policy, a strong point for Obama.

If polls stay the same until the debates begin, Romney will need to

Obama strike a rhetorical blow strong enough to reverse Obama’s momentum. He gained some experience in doing that while knocking out a series of Republican opponents in a series of debates held during his party’s primary elections.

“Romney is at a considerable advantage going into the debate because of the sheer amount of GOP debates he successfully navigated only months ago,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean. “Although Obama is an incredible speaker, he doesn’t often hold news conferences or allow himself to be challenged.”

A one-on-one debate with the president naturally elevates the challenger, and historical

precedence shows the incumbent often loses the first debate.

Voters view him as less likeable than Obama, a quality that could be magnified on the debate stage, and the wealthy former private equity executive is more prone to gaffes than his Democratic opponent.

Romney challenged Texas Governor Rick Perry to a $10,000 bet during one of the primary debates, reinforcing an image of being out of touch with average Americans.

“Romney needs to ... show he’s ready for prime time after multiple gaffes, connect with people in a genuine way and lay out actual plans for how he’d govern. So far,

he’s failed on all three counts,” said Democratic strategist Doug Hattaway, a former adviser to Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.

“President Obama will need to win back independents who gave him a chance in 2008 and re-inspire the new voters who turned out in great numbers to put him into office,” he said. “The debates offer a good platform to do both.”

Both campaigns are engaging in a familiar political strategy ahead of the debates: raising expectations for the other guy.

“Mitt Romney had many, many debates and he was very good in them,” Axelrod said. “By and large when he needed to bring it, he did.

He memorizes his set pieces and he delivers them well. He obviously has no hesitance at all about going after someone.”

Romney already is predicting Obama will be less than truthful at the debates, sewing seeds of doubt in viewers’ minds that Obama’s words can be trusted.

“I think he’s going to say a lot of things that aren’t accurate,” Romney told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos last week.

“And you know, I’d be tempted to go back to that wonderful line by Ronald Reagan, ‘There you go again.’ But you can’t use something that.”

Obama’s team has raised doubts about Romney’s truthfulness, too, and former President Bill Clinton already used a version of Reagan’s famous line to describe Republicans during the Democratic convention.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 31

How the war on terror is a war of terror (II) ANALYSIS

By Irfan Ahmad

W

ithout giving other examples from earlier times - the ZealotsSicarii, the Assassins and the Thuggees - let me focus on modern France when terrorism entered the English language. Derived from Latin and meaning physical trembling, it referred to the Reign of Terror (la Grande Terreur) deployed by the post-1789 Revolutionary rulers, the radical revolutionaries, Jacobins. Note that terrorism meant terror by the regime, not by non-state actors.

After Louis XVI's regime's overthrow, a new legislature, the Convention dominated by Jacobins like Robespierre, was formed. In 1793, the Convention passed a decree announcing, "terror is the order of the day". It also enacted Law of Suspects to arrest "those who by their conduct, relations or language spoken or written have shown themselves partisans of tyranny‌ and enemies of liberty". Between 1793 and 1794, 17,000 people were executed. Additionally, half a million were held as prisoners. The total toll of the Reign of Terror was around 40,000 people.

That terrorism meant "a terror of arbitrary government" was evident from a note by Sir John Lawrence, a British colonialist.

After the suppression of the 1857 anti-colonial uprising and capture of Indian Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, Lawrence wrote that the summary execution of "such men [Zafar's sons] will strike terror, and produce a salutary fear through the Mahomedan [sic] population" (p.143).

In 20th century too, state terror continued. Terror of Nazi's and Stalin's regime is well-known.

So is the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which Coner Gearty described "a pure act of political terror: 'look what we can do, now listen to us'". There were many others. Under Suharto's military regime, one million Indonesians were killed and an additional 80,000 jailed without trial.

Between 1974 and 1979, the regime of Pol Pot killed around 1.3 million Cambodians. After the CIA toppled Chile's democratic government of Allende in 1973, the brutal rule of Pinochet killed 15,000 people within months.

Santiago's stadia were turned into prisons. In its campaign against the opponents during 1976 and 1983, the Argentinean state killed between 10,000 and 20,000

people.

In 1979, when Nicaragua's revolutionary Sandinistas overthrew the Debayle regime backed by the US, the latter used all resources to wreck the Sandinista rule. The US supported anti-Sandinista counterrevolutionaries, called Contras.

Between 1981 and 1983, the CIA supplied money and weapons to build sanctuaries and train the Contras.

After the rejection of President Reagan's request for more funds for the Contras by the US Congress in 1988, funds were secured through secret sale of arms to Iran, the IranContra Affair.

Note that Sandinistas were elected to power in 1984. During Contra War around 30,000 people were killed.

To President Reagan, the Contras engaged in killings, including civilians, were, however, "our brothers... freedom fighters... moral equal of our founding fathers".

Showing the folly of the vulgate which equates terrorism with nonstate actors, I showed how terrorism has been central to and constitutive of the state from ancient to modern times and that the state has practiced it both at home and abroad. Viewed from this perspective, Janna Thompson's assertion that "A state which unjustly invades the territory of another is not necessarily committing acts of terror by attacking and killing those who oppose it" (p. 156) is, at best, conceptually and ethically impoverished. My argument will remain incomplete, however, as long as the distinction between state and non-state actors is implausibly maintained. Below I demonstrate how this distinction is fragile, even deceitful.

In 1975, the Indian state visibly enacted terror when Indira Gandhi's government declared a state of emergency and jailed her opponents. In Great Betrayal, Kavita Narawane, a partisan of the right-wing RSS, called the regime "the reign of terror" and likened Indira Gandhi to Hitler. Dubbing the Constitutional clause which she used to declare emergency as "totalitarian", Narawane deplored

the formation by Indira Gandhi of a new spy wing, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and "paramilitary bodies": Central Reserve Force and Border Security Force.

Indira Gandhi did this, she noted, "to strike terror in the heart of the common man so that not a finger should be raised in opposition to the despot" (pp., 111-13).

In a favourable foreword to Narawane's book, Atal Behari Vajpayee, then an opposition leader, shared the author's view on terror to decry the use "of arbitrary power, of subversion of the law".

However, two decades later, when Vajpayee became Prime Minister, his government, post-9/11, passed The Prevention of Terrorism Act which in arbitrariness surpassed all previous laws. Vajpayee even said: "Wherever Muslims live, they don't want to live in peace with others" and "they stay by threatening and frightening others".

It is clear how Vajpayee and his party, non-state actors during 1970s, described the then government as "reign of terror" but decades later, passed the draconian anti-terror law when he and his party were in power - implying obviously that his government didn't practice terror. My point is simply this. Non-state actors of the 1970s became state-actors in the 2000s; with this change their meaning of terror too changed.

Clearly, the line terrorism experts and the state scholars draw between state and non-state actor is blurred.

Consider Ku Klux Klan (KKK), a white terrorist outfit formed in 1866. Its founders were six Confederate veterans of the American Civil War; so were its key members. In 1867-68, when innocent blacks were murdered, many local authorities in Tennessee and Arkansas supported the KKK and troops were not dispatched to combat their terrorism.

Wanton violence by the KKK was rarely punished as "police forces were riddled with Klan members or sympathisers". Early in the 20th century, four Governors and five Senators were KKK members (Randall Law, pp. 137-38). Note how porous the line between the

“

Twin towers after terrorists struck them in September 2001 KKK, a "non-state actor" and ministers. Irgun and LEHI which various state actors. A more earlier separately executed terror glaring example is from 20th campaigns merged to become the century Ottoman Empire which Israel Defence Force in 1948 the West dismembered, inter alia, (Randall Law, p. 188). Also note that Nelson Mandela, a terrorist in for the state of Israel to be born.

In 1923 under direct British the racist South African regime, dispensation in Palestine, the later became president (it was after Jewish population was less than 9/11 that the US removed his name 15 per cent which later increased from the list of international leading to the Arab Revolt. To terrorists). acquire a Jewish homeland, Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Zionist terrorism intensified. Ze'ev Purohit, jailed for his involvement Jabotinsky formed Irgun Zavi in 2008 terror blasts near a mosque Leumi (National Military in Malegaon, was/is a serving Organisation), a terrorist officer of the Indian army. Also note organisation. It conducted a series that through intelligence, of terror attacks. Lohamei Herut propaganda and threat the Israel, LEHI (Fighters for the Indonesian military, like in Freedom of Israel), a splinter group Rwanda, encouraged local from Irgun formed in 1939, communities (non-state actors) to carried a campaign of deadlier take part in the killings. terror killing hundreds.

If a firm distinction between Yitzhak Shamir, a key LEHI state and non-state actor is leader, said: "Neither Jewish arbitrary - to legal juggernaut it is ethics nor Jewish tradition can lawful, to me in essence it is awful disqualify terrorism as a means of there is no sound ground to limit combat". Menacham Begin, new terrorism to non-state actors. commander of Irgun in 1943, Ethically, if political violence and reorganised it like an army with fear is reprehensible, unjust and assault teams, propaganda units threatening does it matter if its and recruitment officers. The UN actors are in uniform (state) or agency examining the region met sans uniform (non-state)?

Begin two times (Randall Law, p.

Oxford English Dictionary's 182, 185). definition of terrorism is apt, Without detailing the terror let especially, without third loose by Irgun, let me state my bracket. "The unofficial or point. Both Begin and Shamir unauthorised use of violence and later became Israel's prime intimidation in the pursuit of political aims; (originally) such practices used by a government or ruling group (freq. through paramilitary or informal armed groups) in order to maintain its control over a population; (now usually) such practices used by a clandestine or expatriate organisation as a means of furthering its aims."

In 1975, the Indian state visibly enacted terror when Indira Gandhi's government declared a state of emergency and jailed her opponents. In Great Betrayal, Kavita Narawane, a partisan of the right-wing RSS, called the regime "the reign of terror" and likened Indira Gandhi to Hitler.

Concluded Source: Al-jazera

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 32

Uganda frees British producer David Cecil over gay play B

Two S.Africa mines reopen, situation still tense

T

wo mines in South Africa reopened their doors on Monday after suspending operations last week as a precaution against the labour unrest sweeping through the region's platinum belt, although the situation on the ground remained tense.

Police launched a crackdown over the weekend to disarm miners and end five weeks of labour unrest, following a government promise to get tough on strikes that have choked off platinum output in the world's top producer of the metal.

Soldiers have also been called in to help the police, although their precise role is not clear.

Aquarius Platinum's Kroondal platinum mine and Xstrata's chrome mine near Rustenburg restarted on Monday.

Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), the world's top platinum producer, said work at its strike-hit Rustenburg mines would resume on Tuesday, although a representative of one group of strikers described that as a "joke", adding Amplats management were "whistling in the dark".

"For us, the reality is that the general strike is on," Mametlwe Sebei, a self-styled Rustenburg community leader and Marxist politician, told Reuters. "We are going to be demonstrating in defiance.

We will not be intimidated."

Christopher Tsatsawane, a spokesman for Xstrata Alloys, said the situation in Rustenburg remained tense.

"As our employees were coming to work, there has been intimidation which is all over Rustenburg," he said, adding that only 10 percent of its chrome mine's employees reported for work at the weekend due to intimidation.

Xstrata and other platinum mines in the area have been hit by wildcat strikes since police killed 34 miners at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine on August 16, the bloodiest police action since the end of apartheid in 1994.

ritish theatre producer David Cecil has been released on bail in Uganda, where he was charged over a play about the condition of gay people.

He was arrested last Thursday, accused of "disobeying lawful orders", because the play The River and the Mountain was performed without authorisation.

The Ugandan parliament is considering legislation aimed at increasing penalties for homosexual acts.

The play, which tells the story of a gay businessman killed by his own employees, was performed at two theatres in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, last month.

Uganda's Daily Monitor newspaper reports that the Media Council had warned the play's backers not to perform it until it had been approved.

Mr Cecil was freed on bail of 500,000 shillings ($200; ÂŁ124).

He was ordered to surrender his passport and must report back

to court on 18 October.

His lawyer John Francis Onyango told the AFP news agency that his client was in good health.

Homosexual acts are illegal

By Augustine Aminu

membership of the church continued to expand across the UK. Pastor Kumuyi said: "We have opened the headquarters church in London, UK, that is why I have been here (London) for sometimes now, because of what has happened in London about the Deeper Life Bible Church. We have about 60 branches in the UK, and in London we have close to 20 locations. What brought about the decision by the

in Uganda and gay people have faced physical attacks and social rejection.

An anti-gay bill imposing life sentences on those convicted of homosexual acts was re-tabled in

parliament earlier this year.

It was first introduced in 2009 but never debated - and the MP backing the legislation says a clause proposing the death penalty will be dropped.

David Cecil faces a two-year jail sentence if convicted

Kumuyi Commissions UK Hqtrs Church In London

T

he general superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi has commissioned the church's United Kingdom's headquarters in London.

Speaking with journalists during a telephone chat, Pastor Kumuyi said the church deemed it necessary to establish the UK headquarters as the

church to establish the UK headquarters was because anytime I visit the church over here, the area we are using for fellowship was no longer large enough to accommodate us.

"Though some of the leaders complained about the regulations over here and I said no, God has sent me here and they picked it up. And the pastor here said 'If God has told the GS this, they know the building is waiting somewhere.

And true to the prophetic word, we got a building seating about 2,500 participants at the very centre of London.

Kumuyi who also ministered at a conference organised by ONE Event in Lincolnshire, London, where over 5,000 people comprising of children, youths and adults participated, said he ministered to the people on fulfilling the great commission in this generation and lifted their faith in God, adding that it was a great and powerful time.

Fugitive Congo opposition figure heads to France – Lawyer A n opposition figure wanted in the Democratic Republic of Congo on treason charges has left neighbouring Burundi, where he had taken refuge, and has gone to France, his lawyer said on Sunday.

Roger Lumbala, a Congolese member of parliament and former rebel, arrived at the South African Embassy in Burundi's capital Bujumbura earlier this month, seeking asylum.

The government accuses him of helping Rwanda support a rebellion in eastern Congo that has deepened political fissures in the capital Kinshasa, where the government and opposition accuse each other of fanning the flames of the distant war.

The worsening political chaos threatens to undermine President Joseph Kabila's ability to push through

political and economic reforms in the country - a potential mining and oil giant - after his re-election in flawed polls last year.

"Lumbala left the South

African Embassy on Saturday with a Kenya Airways flight and took the direction of France," lawyer Prosper Niyoyankana told Reuters.

"He was escorted to

President Kabila listens to deliberations in kampala

Bujumbura international airport by officials from the South African Embassy and the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR)," he added.

A source at the South African Embassy confirmed the departure. Burundian authorities were not immediately available for comment.

Democratic Republic of Congo said Lumbala's move to France did not change their desire to bring him back to face charges.

"We still want him to answer in front of Congolese justice ...

We're simply re-orientating our request for co-operation towards France," government spokesman Lambert Mende told Reuters by telephone.

On Thursday, Burundi's foreign affairs minister asked Congolese authorities to formulate an official demand for the extradition of Lumbala.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Asia and Middle East

P

rotesters in Afghanistan and Indonesia burnt U.S. flags and chanted "Death to America" on Monday in renewed demonstrations over a film mocking the Prophet Mohammad that has unleashed a wave of anti-Western sentiment in the Muslim and Arab world.

Indonesian police fired teargas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of

PAGE 33

New protests erupt over Prophet Mohammad film demonstrators who massed outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, capital of the most populous Muslim nation.

In Kabul, thousands of protesters took to the streets, setting fire to cars and shops and throwing stones at police.

"We will defend our prophet until we have blood across our bodies. We will not let anyone insult him," said one protester in the Afghan capital.

"Americans will pay for their dishonor."

The demonstrations were the

Afghan protesters shout slogans during a demonstration in Kabul, yesterday

latest across the world provoked by a short film made with private funds in the United States that depicted the Prophet Mohammad as a fool and womanizer.

In a torrent of violence last week, the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed in an attack in Benghazi and U.S. and other foreign embassies were stormed in several cities in Asia, Africa and the Middle East by enraged Muslims. At least nine other people have been killed.

The United States has sent ships, extra troops and special forces to protect its interests and citizens in the Middle East while a number of its embassies have evacuated staff and are on high alert for trouble.

The situation poses an unexpected foreign policy headache for U.S. President Barack Obama as he campaigns for re-election in November, even though his administration has condemned the film as reprehensible and disgusting.

Japan brandname firms shut China plants after protest violence

S

ome major Japanese brandname firms announced factory shutdowns in China on Monday and urged expatriates to stay indoors ahead of what could be more angry protests over a territorial dispute between Asia's two biggest economies.

China's worst outbreak of antiJapan sentiment in decades led to weekend demonstrations and violent attacks on well-known Japanese businesses such as car makers Toyota and Honda, forcing frightened Japanese into hiding and prompting Chinese state media to warn that trade relations could now be in jeopardy.

Another outbreak of anti-Japan sentiment is expected across China on Tuesday, the anniversary of Japan's 1931 occupation of parts of mainland

China.

"I'm not going out today and I've asked my Chinese boyfriend to be with me all day tomorrow," said Sayo Morimoto, a 29-year-old Japanese graduate student at a university in Shenzhen.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the government would protect Japanese firms and citizens and called for protesters to obey the law.

"The gravely destructive consequences of Japan's illegal purchase of the Diaoyu Islands are steadily emerging, and the responsibility for this should be born

by Japan," he told a daily news briefing. The islands, called the Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China.

Burma releases 500 prisoners series of political and social reforms, in amnesty which includes relaxing of media laws,

B

Demonstrators damage a windows glass for Japanese Seibu department stores during a protest against Japan's decision to purchase disputed islands

urma has released more than 500 prisoners, who the opposition NLD says may include all remaining political detainees.

Estimates of the number of political prisoners left in jail vary, but rights groups say about 300 are still held.

The move comes just a week before Burma's President Then Sein is due to visit the United Nations in New York.

Over the last year, the government has released many highprofile political detainees as part of a general amnesty.

The civilian-led, but militarybacked, government has enacted a

legalising protests and the release of hundreds of political prisoners.

"We're optimistic that these are the remaining political prisoners," said Naing Naing, a central executive committee member of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

The government has not said who the more than 500 prisoners freed in this latest batch are - but the opposition National League for Democracy believes it could include all the remaining political detainees, a significant milestone for Burma, reports the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok.

UN draws up new list of Syria war crimes suspects

A

Mr Pinheiro- lead investigator, UN commission in Syria

UN commission investigating human rights abuses in Syria says it has drawn up a new secret list of Syrians and units suspected of war crimes.

Lead investigator Paulo Sergio Pinheiro said they had gathered a "formidable and extraordinary body of evidence".

He also urged the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has said armed rebels are torturing detainees and carrying out summary executions.

But violations by government

forces were more widespread, it added.

The Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria was set up by the UN Human Rights Council last year following an escalation of violence.

In August, the commission reported that systematic violations, including murder, torture and sexual violence, had been authorised at the highest levels of the Syrian government.

Opposition forces were also guilty of war crimes, it found, but not of the same gravity or on the same frequency or scale as those blamed on government forces.

It also concluded that

government forces and progovernment militiamen had been behind the massacre of 108 people at Houla in May. On Monday, the commission told a meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva that it had drawn up a "second confidential list of individuals and units believed to be responsible for violations".

Asked why the investigators would not name the suspects, he explained: "The commission considers it improper to publicly release the names due to the lower standard of proof employed by commissions of inquiry as compared to a court of law."

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 35

By Mohammed Kandi

L

ike other parts of the world, especially the developing world, Agricultural practices in Nigeria have continued to respond to globalization trends, assimilating methods from other parts of the world.

The influence of globalization has not only permeated cultivation practices but also storage, choice of crops and species as cultivators and researchers continue to seek best practices most suitable for various conditions and markets.

Looking at the history of agricultural practices in the country, the influence of globalization is evident in the choice of farm tools, type of cultivation, methods of improving yield, storage, size of farms, pest and disease control among others.

There is a significant shift from traditional methods to modern methods in both plant and animal husbandry, even as there is such shift in traditional peasant farming to commercial and mechanized farming.

In the choice of crops, Nigerian farmers now tend to use improved seeds and seedlings instead of genetic seeds. The preference for hybrid seeds, which are hitherto alien to Nigerian farmers, could be traced to the desire for higher yields and disease and pest

Issues of globalisation and agriculture in Nigeria resistant species.

The use of the hybrids to a large extent altered cultivation methods including planting and harvesting methods and timelines, storage methods, use of new chemicals as well as cultivation methods such as use of ridges instead of traditional random molds; especially for use application of chemical and fertilizers.

Although these globally accepted seeds have been adjudged by scientists and researcher as the best, majority of the genuine farmers don’t have access to them, even as the government often claims it distributes them as incentives among the farmers.

Due to the influence of globalization, there was a significant shift from the use of traditional organic based yield improving methods to chemical based methods. Farmers tended to rely more on chemical fertilizers than organic fertilizers and

manures.

Also there is a significant rise in the use of chemical based pesticide as against traditional methods which comprised of use of organic materials and manual methods of pest and disease control.

Traditionally most Nigerians farmers rely in the use of organic matters such as ash and charcoal for such controls. In the area of pest such as grazers including livestock, traditionally, farmers apply a mixture from the dung of intruding livestock on the farm to ward off the animal.

Ash and charcoal are used to control attacks of smaller pests such as caterpillars and insects which are also controlled manually by hand-picking.

To increase yield, Nigerian farmers now rely heavily on fertilizers as against the traditional practices which include shifting cultivation, mixed farming and use of organic wastes from animals and dead plants.

Nevertheless, scientific studies have also proven that synthetic fertilizer can kill the virility of soil and by extension the crops Also burning, a popular way of clearing for farm land is gradually giving way to other modern methods while the use of herbicides is gradually becoming a normal practice.

In the area of storage, traditional methods are giving way to modern practices. Barns for yams and traditional silos and fire place storage systems especially in rural areas are fast giving way to other modern methods especially in the storage of grains with worldclass electronically driven silos.

This is true especially as the traditional methods are said have many problems of postharvest losses encountered through rotting and pest attacks.

For instance, most farmers in this part of the world were used to a simple method; mixes the tubers with wood ash, heaping and covering them with soil, possibly

topped with dry grass as a form of mulch. Similarly, they may be stored on the floor or on shelves in shed or huts sometimes built for the purpose. But, storage structures were largely influenced by factors such as climate condition, purpose for the yam tubers in storage and socio-cultural aspects of storage.

It is however pertinent for farmers to accept globalization, especially in areas that could facilitate massive food production, generate more income for themselves and contribute towards achieving the global food security.

Farmers must learn to adopt every possible method that enable them remain on their farms and intensify efforts on their primary responsibility of putting food on the table for everyone to eat. And discarding the traditional system of farming completely for conventional techniques that are not feasible would bring about dashed hope for them and their dependents.

150 Fadama user groups get working tools in Katsina

T

he African Development Bank-assisted Fadama II programme has distributed working tools to 150 Fadama User Groups in Faskari and Kankara Local Government Areas of Katsina State.

The items distributed included grinding machines, sprayer machines, and water pumping machines; insecticides and bags of fertiliser.

Speaking at the distribution

ceremony, the Katsina State Project Coordinator, Alhaji Magaji Bakori, who also represented the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Musa Adamu, said that the beneficiaries would pay only 10 per cent of the cost of items.

Bakori said that the initiative was to encourage beneficiaries to boost production in their respective business cycles.

He said it was also aimed at uplifting their well-being and

providing services closer to their immediate communities.

The coordinator urged the beneficiaries to live up to expectation by making judicious use of the items.

Bakori also charged the beneficiaries to educate others on the importance of Fadama programmes which are geared towards improving people’s living condition.

The coordinator pledged to address the demands of Pauwa and

Gereta communities for the construction of separate fivekilometre roads in Kankara, adding that the construction of a veterinary clinic was in progress in Kankara town.

Bakori stated that the area had benefitted from projects worth N23 million under the Fadama III programme being supported by the World Bank.

In their separate addresses, the Caretaker Committee Chairmen of

Kankara and Faskari Local Government Councils, Alhaji Abdulhadi Abdullahi and Alhaji Isiyaku Faskari-Ahmed, expressed appreciation for the support to their people.

They said noted that the Fadama projects had improved the people’s living standards through skill acquisition trainings; knowledge on modern farming techniques and provision of various inputs at subsidised rates. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 35

Animal institute appeals for feed laboratory, inducts 287 animal scientists

By Mohammed Kandi

P

resident of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Prof. Placid Njokwu, has appealed the Federal Government to establish a Central Feed Quality Control Laboratory that will drive the value-chains of Nigeria’s agricultural commodities.

Prof. Njokwu, who made the request at the 1st joint induction ceremony of the Animal Science Association of Nigeria (ASAN) and the Nigerian Institute of Animal

Science (NIAS) recently in Abuja, said the government was failing in delivering the pledge, which is captured in the vision 20: 2020 National Implementation plan.

While also stressing the need a standard referral centre that will facilitate regulatory activities in Nigeria, the President informed that “there is no current livestock policy on production and targets for species and breeds of livestock in Nigeria.”

Speaking further, Prof.

Njokwu expressed optimism that the induction of 287 new animal

scientists who have been satisfied technically qualified was a milestone in the history of the institute.

He said: “The Institute is mandated to do this through ensuring well trained professional manpower, promotion and production of animals, scientific production of high quality animal protein and the regulation of all matters pertaining to animal husbandry in Nigeria.”

The President also called on stakeholders in the agriculture sector to intensify efforts towards

the attainment of national food security through provision of adequate animal protein for Nigerians.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Bukar Tijjani, vowed that his ministry was ready to deliver under the current Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the Federal Government.

The minister assured that via the Livestock Transformation Agenda plans, his ministry will achieve self sufficiency in meat

and livestock production by year 2015 through investment in the livestock value chains.

In her remarks, President of the ASAN, Mrs. Olubukola Omotoso, urged the Federal Government to allocate robust budget for agriculture as well as tackle the lingering security challenges in the country.

Omotoso, who raised an alarm that Nigeria’s dwindling security had caused “colossal losses” in the industry, informed that transborder trading has drastically declined.

Agriculture: Nigeria marks international year of cooperatives

By Salisu Na’inna Dambatta

N

igeria has joined the rest of the world to commemorate the International Year of Cooperatives, (IYC) 2012, from September 19 to September 22, and the activities lined up for the historic event will make it a memorable, epoch-making exercise.

The Department of Federal Cooperatives of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which is organizing the commemorative ceremonies, said that it will kick-off with a meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs (NCCA). The Council comprise of State Commissioners supervising Cooperatives and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who chairs it.

The NCCA meeting is billed to consider and affirm the reviewed draft bill for enactment into a new Act of Parliament to give cooperative societies more focus and greater roles in the social and economic development of the country. The Council is also expected to articulate a mechanism through which cooperatives will be empowered to “improve the value addition by their members in all target crops, livestock and fisheries.”

The commemorative activities include a seminar on the role of cooperatives in national and agricultural transformation, an exhibition by cooperative societies and manufacturers of equipment and inputs that contribute in making cooperatives effective, and the launch of the IYC 2012 by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

An informational document released by the Federal Department of Cooperatives traced the history of the establishment of the earliest cooperative societies in the country to the 1930s in the Lagos Colony. From then onward they grew and spread across Nigeria. There are an estimated 800, 000 cooperative societies, mostly agricultural, in all the 774 Local Governments in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. They are usually named to reflect their purpose: Consumer Cooperative Society;

A modern planting machine Thrift and Credit Cooperative Society; Retail Cooperative Society; and Wholesale Cooperative Society.

“A 2007 survey (in Nigeria) inventorised about 125, 000 registered cooperative groups servicing about 1.4 million farm families,” the document indicates.

“The range of services offered by these cooperatives and groups vary depending on the type of commodity, ecological location and value chain activity,” the document further explained.

Indeed, the services offered by cooperatives to their members are varied and many. The document listed these examples: they facilitate the provision of agricultural inputs to farmers; they provide tractor and farm mechanization services; engage in the provision of storage and warehouse facility services; they facilitate marketing and market information; cooperatives facilitate the provision of processing services and access to credits for their members.

One important common

characteristic of the services provided by cooperatives to millions of their members in the country is that they are all relevant to the current drive and determination of the federal government to transform the agricultural sector. They are, therefore, a veritable tool that could be useful in the successful implementation of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the government. ”The cooperative medium has been successfully used to provide the small-holder farmers with credit, agro-inputs and market access,” Mr. Jonathan Dangwaran, the Director of Federal Cooperatives said in a presentation on using cooperatives as effective vehicle of delivering rural finance at a workshop. Rural finance, which will make it possible for smallholder farmers to access credit facilities, is one of the key performance indicators of the successful implementation of ATA. It is surely in recognition of the important roles and services

provided by cooperatives worldwide that the General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation (UNO) declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives by resolution No. A/ RES/64/136 of February 11, 2010.

The resolution itself is the outcome of a series of studies by the organisation, capped with a report recommending it by the Secretary General.

The resolution explains the rationale for the declaration: “cooperatives, in their various forms, promote the fullest possible participation in the economic and social development of all people, including women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples, are becoming a major factor of economic and social development and contribute to the eradication of poverty” Given the roles of cooperatives in promoting social and economic inclusion as testified by the UN as quoted in the preceding paragraph, paragraph three of the UN

resolution explicitly said it encourages “all Member States, as well as the United Nations and all other relevant stakeholders, to take advantage of the International Year of Cooperatives as a way of promoting cooperatives and raising awareness of their contribution to social and economic development.”

But before the reader asks what cooperatives are, it is pertinent at this stage to quote a definition or two from various sources: “Cooperatives are business enterprises owned and controlled by the very members that they serve. Their member-driven nature is one of the most clearly differentiating factors of cooperative enterprises. This fact means that decisions made in cooperatives are balanced by the pursuit of profit, and the needs and interests of members and their communities.” If the first definition appears long or complicated, what of this?

“Cooperatives simply mean operating collectively.”

Regardless of the definition, the UN resolution urges members “to promote the growth of cooperatives as business and social enterprises that can contribute to sustainable development, eradication of poverty, and livelihoods in various economic sectors in urban and rural areas and provide support for the creation of cooperatives in new and emerging areas.”

Nigeria is surely paying serious attention to the development of cooperatives for the benefit of its citizens. As with its important contribution to world peace through peace keeping operations in various conflict areas of the world, it is encouraging sister African countries to develop and benefit from the activities of cooperatives in their jurisdictions by hosting the regional Cooperative Development Centre for West and Central Africa at Sheda, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. That is where all the commemorative activities lined-up to mark IYC 2012 in Nigeria will take place.

Salisu Na’inna Dambatta is Director Information in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 36

Deputy arrested for stealing panties while on duty N

ew Mexico State Police said a Mora County Sheriff's deputy has admitted of stealing a pair of women's panties from a home while on duty.

KRQE-TV reported that Deputy Mathew Borrego admitted to stealing the green pair of underwear after another employee spotted the panties in a patrol car.

A spokesman for the Attorney General's Office says that issue was uncovered during an investigation of Sheriff Thomas Garza.

Garza is accused of getting into a fight with another deputy last April after telling him to let a DWI suspect that he knew off the hook.

A state police spokesman said Borrego is a licensed dispatcher. The spokesman said state officials plan on sending Garza a letter saying that using Borrego as a deputy is a liability.

To serve and protect - and steal your underwear.

Angry birds dive-bomb neighborhood

T

he popular smart phone game "Angry Birds" became a real-life scenario when a group of crows and ravens went postal on mail carriers in a Canadian neighborhood.

The harassment became so profound along a street in Winnipeg last Thursday that the

mail carriers had to stop service, according to CBC News. Canada Post said in a statement to customers that "due to the ongoing safety concern caused by the aggressive crows attacking your letter carrier" all mail delivery would be temporarily suspended. Officials were working to find a solution

Angry Birds became a reality for residents of one unlucky street in Winnipeg, Canada

to the avian incursion, the statement said.

"It's not a normal hazard our carriers face everyday," Canada Post representative Steven Keown told CBC. The seemingly very angry birds have also started to target residents on the street, divebombing them as they leave their homes, according to victim Bernice Sokol. "He [the crow] followed me all around. I'm scared to go down the street here," Sokol told CBC. Manitoba Conservation said many bird species defend their young from predators, such as humans, when they are in the most vulnerable part of their development. This period can last for a day or an entire week depending on if one of the babies is injured or not.

Provincial wildlife experts are strongly recommending people avoid the area until the birds fly away, and if they must be present, to carry an umbrella with them.

Elderly farmer accidentally plants 1,000 cannabis seeds

A

n elderly German farmer accidentally planted more than 1,000 pot plants, mistaking their seeds for sunflower seeds, police told NBC News on Wednesday.

Concerned neighbors alerted police in the Bavarian town of Moembris to the one-acre field where the 74-year-old was growing cannabis in place of his usual potatoes, NBC News reported.

The cops told the man, whose name they didn't release, to destroy the plants - which he did at their insistence. It is a crime in

Germany to knowingly grow pot plants.

"The friendly elderly gentleman was surprised at the strange plants that had grown next to the flowers but did not identify them as cannabis plants," a police statement said.

According to police, officials said the leaves of the type of cannabis plants the man had accidentally planted were too weak to be intoxicating. Still, the case was presented to a local prosecutor so a judge could decide whether to file charges.

A German farmer unwittingly planted pot plants in his field.

Potato chip trail leads cops to burglary suspect

A trail of potato chip bags led police to a burglary suspect.

P

olice say they followed a trail of potato chips to catch a southwestern Pennsylvania burglary suspect.

Washington police say 21year-old Benjamin Sickles was

arrested early Thursday after he allegedly broke into a Subway restaurant and stole several bags of snacks.

Investigators say Sickles broke a glass door before trying to open the cash register. They say he made off with nine bags of chips after he couldn't get to the cash.

Officers say they followed a trail of chip bags to Sickles, who had a bloody hand and foot when he was taken into custody.

Sickles is being held at the Washington County Prison on $30,000 bail. Online court records don't list an attorney for him.

Sandwich and sword used to attack women: Police

A

Florida man has been accused of using a sword and a peanut butter sandwich to threaten three women, one of whom was pregnant.

Mark Christopher Miller used a 4-foot long sword to threaten a pregnant woman, and when two other women tried to intervene he threatened one and smeared the other with peanut butter from his sandwich, Lakelandbased newspaper The Leger reported, citing an arrest report.

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Miller was arrested Friday after he adversely reacted to a disturbance outside his mobile home. He allegedly approached

the three women, sword and sandwich in hand, and "poked" at the 6-month pregnant woman. The woman was able to push the blade away before getting stabbed, the Leger reported.

As Miller was being driven to county jail, police said he chewed out part of the seat padding in their cruiser.

Peanut butter sandwich: meal or weapon?

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 37

PDP government has ruined Niger state, says Niger CPC chairman Umar Shuaibu, Chairman Niger state Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in this interview with our News Editor, Julius Ogar and the Ag. Group Political Editor, Lawrence Olaoye, condemns Niger state governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu’s decision to sell government houses in order to build Three Arms Zone in the state capital, Minna, just as he laments the dearth of infrastructural facilities in the state.

Excerpts:

What is the situation like in Niger state now politically? will say, we are very unfortunate to have the type of government we have in Niger state. I said unfortunate in the sense that we have a government that doesn’t care about the welfare of its people; a government that spends money unnecessarily on aspects that the ordinary citizens of the state do not need. So if there is going to be public expenditure, it must be prudently expended in the areas where people need and not where it is just made in order to gain cheap popularity without people deserving whatever the money has been spent for. So we have leaders now in Niger state who do not care about the real needs of the people, rather, what they would do is as a form of fantasy.

That is the situation we are facing today.

There is this controversy raging now concerning the sale of government property. How does the opposition view this government policy?

We view that as misplacement of priority in the sense that in the first place, what is Three Arms Zone? That is the first question one should ask. The Three Arms Zone is a plain term to explain where you have the three arms of government in a presidential form of government like we are practicing today. The three arms of government are the Presidency, which is the executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature. This one is a model that we borrowed from America, because the planning firm that produced the Abuja master plan was an American firm. So they imported the concept of the three arms zone to us, like we have in Abuja today, the Presidency, National Assembly and Supreme Court all in one place in order to enhance governance.

But in the situation where you have a Government House, a High Court Complex and a State Assembly functional, and in fact, like the High Court complex in Niger state, it’s so big, so much that it has plenty offices. Now, you have a situation whereby in a state, you have so many roads uncompleted. You have so many places that we need houses. There are so many problems like we need health facilities, we need transportation facilities, and we need agricultural facilities and whatever you can think of in the area of provision of basic services to the people. In Niger state, we are deficit. But ironically, the government is spending its

I

Umar Shuaibu money again on a project that people do not need: three arms zone!

We have the Government House.

There is no governor in Niger state since inception who did not live in the Government House apart from the present governor. Do we need to duplicate these facilities again when there are so many areas that we need this money? In fact, what I am saying is that they don’t even understand the concept of the three arms zone. That is the situation we are in today. Now, they are selling these important properties, the legislative quarters and the commissioners’ quarters. Are we not going to have commissioners in the future? Are we not going to have legislators in the future? Where are they going to be accommodated? If they are not accommodated, they must be given housing allowance and in millions of naira. So where is that exactly taking us to? There is where you are supposed to accommodate them; you don’t even need to spend anything. Now, the implication of this is that they are creating a burden for the future government as to where to house these calibres of officers. So have we succeeded or we have failed? If you calculate the amount that is going to be given to the in-coming legislators for their housing, you will find out that it is even more than the money they would have realized today selling these houses.

In your opinion, who are going to buy these houses?

Of course, the commissioners

and legislators themselves are those people supporting the sales; they are going to be the beneficiaries. All right thinking Nigerlites will not agree to the sales.

But the people in government will agree because they are going to be the beneficiaries.

The PDP governor in Niger state is like a national image of a politician who knows his onions and is performing. But the statements you have made here seem contrary. So what is really happening that the outside world needs to know?

The outside world is misled as to the actual happenings in Niger state. Now, take an example of this one, just take a look. Just try to travel along the way. Just set out from north to south and travel through Niger state. It is in Niger state that you will see that our roads have many portholes; no maintenance, nothing. That one is clear. Go through Mokwa road, which is supposed to be a Federal Government road. But are there no federal roads in other states that are being maintained? Why is it different in Niger state? Township roads are state government roads.

Go to Bida, Suleja, Minna, Kontagora the major towns in Niger state and assess the nature of their roads. You will find out that all our roads are in poor condition.

Take an example of Suleja which is close to the FCT. If you go to Suleja, the major road that leads from the express into Suleja is an eye-sore.

Go to Minna, if there is any infrastructure that is being constructed you will find out that they are around the Government House, or his personal residence or the governor’s farm. I bet you, the road that leads to the governor’s farm is tarred. But other roads in the state capital are in shambles.

Am not saying this because we are opposition party. In fact, the latest information we have is that an emergency ward in Suleja Hospital has been closed because there are no personnel. Everybody heard it that Niger state said it is not capable of paying the N18,000 naira minimum wage to its workers.

Everybody heard that the government is depending on the statutory allocation from the federal government.

What happened to the internally generated revenue? If we cannot generate revenue internally, what efforts have we made to generate it? So these are things that people should look and focus to see and not what government is saying they have done and by the time you look, it is not there on ground. They said they were going to construct FiveStar hotel, since the government came, go to the site and see; it is empty and N500 million has gone down the drain. Everybody knows that somebody has taken N500 naira, why is it that it has not been recovered? And the government is just quarter to go. There is nothing tangible on ground. The three arms zone is not there, the five-star hotel is not there, Minna city Centre is not there, Specialist Hospital is not there, Zuma Rock Resort is not there, what else? Five thousand housing units they said they will construct, if you look at the papers today, what they said is that they have constructed more than 1000. The people then said they were going to construct 5000. Now they are a quarter to go, now it is just 1000, but they said it themselves, not we saying it.

Are the houses there?

In fact, even the 1000 they talked about have been blown away by winds. The first rainfall that fell in Minna blew away all these houses.

That is it. Everybody knows it.

The 500 million naira you mentioned earlier, what was it for?

That 500 million was the money that was initially spent for the construction of the five-star hotels in Minna. That site is still there, but there is nothing on ground. It has been reported in the papers that somebody misappropriated 500 million naira, has it been recovered,

and where is it? Nobody is saying anything about the money that was lost. So that is why we the opposition in Niger state are calling for the government to account for all these mismanagement of our funds. Look at local government finances again. We have been reading in the papers every month about what has been allocated to the local governments. There is no local government in Niger that received less than 120 million naira in the past six months. If you go to the local governments, you can imagine what is there. Where is the money? But there is a joint account.

The money is not even remitted to the local governments for the local governments to work with. If it is remitted to them, we shall require of them to account for what they have done with the money, when there is a federal infrastructure. But now, it has gone into the state coffers.

What has the state government done with the local government funds?

What has the opposition done to mobilize the elderstatesmen resident in Niger state towards development?

The elder statesmen themselves, we don’t have to tell them what to do. We call them elder statesmen, they should know what to do; not we telling them what to do as elders.

But as far as I am concerned, we talk. We tell the people. We highlight them on all these things that they are misled upon. We have been doing that and we will continue doing that.

Now, with this kind of failure, is it party based or is it personality based? For instance, during the past administration of Engr. Kure who also happened to come from the PDP, he was also criticized for non-performance.

The current administration of Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu is also said not to be performing. Is it a personality or is it a party thing, or both?

It is both. If a party has a sound policy and the personality is implementing that policy, we will not have problems. The policy must be both sound and people-oriented.

That is the first thing. The next thing is the implementers. If the implementers are straight and honest to themselves, good, policy, good implementers, we will have good governance. The two must go together. But the situation on our hands today, we wrote an advertorial and PDP replied it that it is not this government that started selling properties.

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Issues as Reps resume plenary ANALYSIS

By Umar Muhammad Puma

A

s the House of Representatives resumes from its annual recess today after a nine week recess, there are groundswell of issues that would dominate debates at the plenary. So many waters have passed under the bridge and certain national issues considered to be germane to national coexistence are really waiting for the attention of the lawmakers.

Although there are outstanding issues including the subtle impeachment threat issued against President Goodluck Jonathan over alleged poor implementation of the 2012 budget and debates on constitution amendment.

The House has severally denounced that it issued an impeachment threat against the President. It is abundantly evident that the Green Chamber was not comfortable with the alleged selective implementation of the budget by the President. before Recall that lawmakers proceeded on the annual recess in July, the House Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos/ACN), led lawmakers in threats to begin impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan if the 2012 Budget is not implemented 100 per cent

by September. Already, in what may appear to be cracks in the House of Representatives over the impeachment threat issued the President over dismal implementation of the 2012 budget, the Deputy Chairman, Media and Public Affairs, Victor Ogene (APGA Anambra)) told Peoples Daily that no motion regarding the impeachment threat was presently before the Lower Chamber, just as he insisted that what was being bandied as an impeachment threat was not a resolution of the House but a personal contribution of a lawmaker at the July 19th plenary.

“As far as we are concerned, there is no motion regarding impeachment before the House

of Representatives.

What happened remained the issue of how far the 2012 budget has been implemented in terms of releases, award of contracts “ Ogene stated.

This development has left many Nigerians confused as to whether the House has actually issued that threat or not. But the media spokesman of the House, Rep Zakari Mohammed (PDP Kwara State) has on many occasion repeatedly confirmed the threat. Mohammed in one of his numerous press conferences said “the resolution of the House on the impeachment threat over non implementation of 2012 budget stands, unless we see the full implementation by the executive before September 18 2012”.

The controversy surrounding the actual position of the House would be clarified on resumption and it is expected that the lawmakers would immediately resume oversights over the ministries, departments and agencies so as to ascertain the level of budget implementation in the last nine weeks.

Another issue that House would be confronted with is the planned issue of the introduction of N5, 000 Naira note and the coinage of some lower denominations by the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mallam Sunusi Lamido Sunusi.

According to a source, already the lawmakers are said to have been engaging in a series of meetings over the issue and have resolved to make it a major issue when they eventually resume. Surveys confirmed that 75.1 per cent of Nigerians in an opinion poll conducted by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) is opposed to currency restructuring with only 16.1 per cent of the populace reportedly in support of the policy.

According to a source, top members of the Senate and the House of representatives met last week with a view to strategizing on their moves following the recent pronouncement by the CBN governor that the apex bank would go ahead with the printing of the banknotes.

Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal Source says the lawmakers decided to go against the plan because they realized that the notes are un-popular among Nigerians, and had resolved not to be part of anything that would not be in the interest of the majority of Nigerians.

Again, the clamour for the establishment of state police and the inclusion of the clause in the amendment of the constitution currently in progress is expected to be another stormy issue to be considered by the lawmakers, albeit by the members of the Constitution Amendment Committee chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha. There have been heated arguments on the desirability of state police among the people and the final decision on whether it would be considered or rejected would be taken by the lawmakers in the National Assembly only to be ratified by those in the state Assemblies.

The northern governors under the aegis of the Northern States Governor Forum headed by Dr. Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu, met in

Abuja and dismissed the call for the creation of state police. He said “On the state police matter, it is not right at this time to have a particular state police at the moment, but to look at how we are going to help reform and improve the Nigerian police, for effective and better policing in the country. What our police need especially at this time is support”. The House has to contend with all these divergent views, as there have been pros and cons on these arguments. While some people are saying that, even if it is desirable having state police is not expedient at the moment because of the various security challenges currently facing the country.

In addition to these, the rested debates on Onshore/ Offshore dichotomy are expected to resurface as some northern elements, including serving governors, have begun to raise the argument for its abrogation.

Though some are of the opinion that the matter has been laid to rest in previous House and the matter resolved judicially by the Supreme Court, some northern leaders feel otherwise.

Some northern state particularly Kano state governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso and his Kwara state counterpart had in recent times argued for the reopening of the onshore/offshore dichotomy debate. Recently, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minster of Justice Mohammed Bello Adoke, while speaking at the valedictory court section held in honor of retired justice of Supreme Court, said “the onshore/offshore debate has since been settled by the Supreme Court, where the apex court held that the existing act of the established derivation was to place the implementation of section 162 of the 1999 constitution on a more certain and predictable basis.

He enjoined the public to promote the sanctity of the nation’s judicial system by recognizing that the pronouncement of the Supreme Court should neither be treated with levity nor be subjected to undue politicization in the name of politics or the pursuit of particular interest.

The Northern Elders’ Forum in its inaugural meeting of the committee on the review of the nation’s constitution, its spokesman of the Forum, a former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Prof.

Ango Abdullahi emphases the need to re-open the debate saying, “We decided to take a look at the issue of the onshore/ offshore dichotomy in order to ensure that the interest of the north is not undermined”. He said that nobody would stop them from demanding their rights, in as much as it has the interest of the region, so the issue must be re-visited for the overall interest of the north.

It however remains to be seen how the Green Chamber balances the centripetal and centrifugal forces in the nation’s polity without rumbling feathers. The next few weeks at plenary and committee stages promise to be interesting as issues bordering on the continued existence of the country would be debated and resolved.

CPC Youth express surprise at those calling for Bauchi Rep's recall From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

C

ongress for Progressive Change (CPC) Youths Vanguard in Bauchi state has expressed dismay at those calling for the recall of a member representing Katagum Federal Constituency, Hon. Awwalu Dahiru Saleh, in the House of Representatives alleging that they are beneficiaries of his financial largesse.

The group's statement signed by its state coordinator, Mamman Isah, and made

available to newsmen in Bauchi weekend debunked the insinuation that the lawmaker contributed nothing to his constituency insisting that the member has, within the past one year, executed various development projects for the benefit of the people in his constituency.

"Some interventions in Azare Fire Service, Prison service, medical and financial assistance to members of his constituency in need in which most of the agitators of this recall are beneficiaries", the

CPC youths vanguard said.

According to the group, the lawmaker was helpful in the construction of Kurujuru road, Unguwar Dankawu rural electrification, students' scholarship sponsorship to various institutions, relief assistance to victims of Yobe/Maiduguri crisis, facilitated the recruitment of Technical Aide Corps, Civil Defence, Immigration Service, Customs, among others.

The Bauchi CPC youths vanguard also revealed that Saleh undertook feasibility

studies and environmental impact assessment on two dams in his constituency at a cost of N30 million, captured in the 2013 federal budget for the projects execution.

They further defended the lawmaker with his proposed construction of School of Health Services at Gambaki in the constituency, three ICT centres at Chinade, Madara and Azare, and the training of unemployed youths in fisheries and hatchery.

"This recall no doubt was instigated by top government

officials, and the candidate of the PDP that refused to accept electoral defeat in good faith, thus consider the success of our party at the 2011 general elections as detrimental to the achievement of their personal aggrandizement", Isah alleged.

Isah also observed that the recall was being planned to undermine the growing popularity of the CPC in Bauchi state because it has demonstrated credible leadership and holds great future for majority of voters in the state.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 39

Deputy Speaker charges parliaments on democracy, unemployment

By Lawrence Olaoye

D

Osun state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd right), Niger state Chairman, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Isa Ibrahim (3rd left), and other executive members of the party, during their visit to the governor, recently in Osogbo, the state capital.

Dakingari tasks new chairmen on development From Ahmed Idris, Brinin Kebbi

K

ebbi state Governor, Alhaji Saidu Usman Dakingari, yesterday urged the newly elected Chairmen of the 21 local government areas of the state to work for the development of the people that voted for them.

Addressing the chairmen shortly after oath of office was administered on them by Justice Umar Abubakar, the governor

tasked the Chairmen to concentrate on education and primary health care delivery in their domain.

Dakingari who thanked traditional, religious leaders and all the people of the state for voting for his party during the Saturday's election, said the election was a true reflection of the people of the state.

"Any one of you that fails to do what the electorates need will be voted out," he added even as he assured them of the support of his

administration.

Meanwhile, the Kebbi state Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Umar yesterday inaugurated an election Tribunal for the local government election.

Inaugurating the Tribunal at the High Court complex, Birnin Kebbi, the Chief Judge charged members of the tribunal to ensure expeditious handling of cases filed before them and that they should shun temptation from politicians.

NSCDC deploys 5,000 for Ondo guber poll

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

I

n its determination to intensify security during the upcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has said that it has concluded plans to deploy 5,000 personnel for the exercise.

The Corps Commandant General, Dr. Ade Abolurin, who disclosed this over the weekend in a chat with newsmen at the headquarters of the agency, added that the corps was committed to work assiduously with other security agencies to ensure a violent free election in the state.

He however warned that cases of accidental discharge will not be condoned, saying that the responsibility of the personnel will be to monitor and not to harass the

electorates with any form of brutality.

"The corps is an Armed Squad and not a killer squad. We have never entertained any case of accidental discharge, and we are not going to witness any because our men are disciplined and well trained in handling civil situations", he said Abolurin, also called for the collaboration of the security agencies and the private sector in the country to help curb the cases of security threats in the country, saying that government alone cannot restore security in the country without the involvement of the various stakeholders in the country.

On the vandalization of telecommunication Mast and other government installations like the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, the NSCDC boss averred that it is unfortunate that such

installations which were meant to better the life of the citizens were being vandalized by enemies of development, assuring that the corps had taken appropriate measures to arrest the situation which he said was pulling the country on it's knees.

Speaking further about the gun allegation against the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, he said that such allegations were fallacious and figment of the imagination of the author, saying that the weapon of the corp was never in the possession of the Minister.

Abolurin further warned the people behind such publications to derail from heating the polity, saying that the security agencies were busy with security issues already and should not be diverted to frivolous issues.

CNPP advocates amendment to National Honour's

By Umar Muhammad Puma

C

hairman Congress of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, yesterday advocated for the amendment of the laws governing the National Award in the country.

He said the amendment should

regulate the processes and procedures for nomination and selection of those to be honoured so as to ensure that only those who have done exceptional things in the country are honoured.

Musa was reacting to the National Honours award issued by the president Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in abuja, in which 155 Nigerians received the award,

saying, the national awards had been cheapened by the administration of President Jonathan, insisting that the awards should be for exceptional and not just distinguished Nigerians.

"The national honour award had been consistently abused by PDP led government, so much so that Nigerians don't consider it as an honor".

eputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, has called on parliaments across the world to promote democracy, wealth creation, poverty reduction, eradication of unemployment, religious tolerance in their various countries to foster global development options.

He spoke at the weekend in Rome, capital of Italy at a world conference on e-parliament and celebration of World Democracy Day. The conference was organized by the United Nations and InterParliamentary Union to deepen the use of Communication Technology in parliaments towards fostering parliamentary transparency, openness, accountability and efficiency.

Ihedioha who delivered a key note speech at the event canvassed that parliaments should explore their power of appropriation to advance policies that are geared towards fast-tracking national development and social justice.

“As a branch of government

responsible for approving budgets, we should exercise our power of appropriation in support of policies and programmes that are geared towards tackling the basic conditions that retard development,” he noted.

He advised participants to draw from the fresh perspectives and ideas offered by the conference to develop their e-parliament to strengthen good governance and democratic values in their countries.

The Deputy Speaker expressed the commitment of Nigerian parliament towards the promotion of democracy, rule of law, peaceful co-existence of people across the globe, religious tolerance and development-based policies.

Condemning the growing spate of terrorism in the world, he informed the gathering that the Nigerian Parliament recently enacted Terrorism (Prevention) Act that provides for stiff penalties to help scale down the incidence.

Ihedioha urged the international community to explore the abundant human, material resources and huge market potentials evident in Nigeria to embark on direct foreign investment in the country.

Kebbi pilgrims receive 4000 visas for hajj From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

T

he Chairman Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Usman Bello Suru, has said that out of the over five thousand visa expected to be issued to the intending pilgrims for this year 2012 Hajj exercise, the Board has received only four thousand visas, just as he assured intending pilgrims of a hitch free exercise.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in his office on the preparation of this year Hajj, the chairman said that the first batch will be airlifted on the 20th of this month.

Meanwhile, Governor Saidu Usman Dakingari of Kebbi state yesterday appointed the former commissioner of works in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Garba Dandiga as the Amirul hajj and leader of the state delegation to Saudi Arabia for this year's hajj

exercise.

The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Muazu, said other members of the delegation include Justice Sadiq Umar of the FCT high court, Professor Usman Shehu Gulumbe of the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, the state's commissioners for Health and that of works and transport.

The Secretary of the state council of chiefs, Alhaji Abubakar Jagwadeji Suru will serve as secretary of the 11-man delegation, according to the statement. The Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Argungu is also on the team.

The delegation, according to the statement is expected to supervise the conduct of the 2012 Hajj operation with a view to advising the state government on the best way to organise future exercise.

Jema'a LGA settles for consensus candidate

By Muhammad Nasir

S

takeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jema’a local Government council of Kaduna State have resolved to present a consensus candidate to fly the flag of the party in the forthcoming local government election.

The meeting collectively agreed to narrow down its search for the Jema’a local government Council Chairmanship to Godogodo Zone of the Area.

Speaking to news men in Kafanchan, at the end of the meeting, Kaduna state Commissioner for Special Duties, Kalat Ali, said the party leadership

in Jema’a has demonstrated the spirit of true democracy in resolving to an uncommon manner to present its candidate for the Chairman.

The Commissioner also spoke on the state government’s readiness to conduct a credible election. He assured that the state government has all necessary machineries on ground to ensure successful election, noting that the new secretariat has been equipped with modern gadgets and all other items needed to that effect.

He called on people of Kaduna state to support the government of Sir Patrick Yakowa so that they would enjoy the dividends of democracy in his tenure.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

We don’t belong to any group, says Blueprint CEO Recently, it was rumoured that Blueprint newspaper company belongs to a group and there is a godfather behind it, an issue that was generated by the paper’s display of details of the purported bomber of the Police headquarters complex in Abuja in June last year. In this interview with journalists in Abuja, Malam Mohammed Idris, the Chairman /CEO, dismissed the speculation; he used the opportunity to outline the paper’s milestones in the last one year. Our reporter, Muhammad Sada was there. Excerpts: Can we know you? ’m Mohammed Idris, chairman of this paper; I hold a bachelor of arts degree in English from Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto and a masters degree in English from Bayero University, Kano.

I

I was a lecturer in English and mass communication skills and as a media and public relations practitioner.

What can you say is behind the success of your paper at one year now?

Well, we have had our ups

Chairman /CEO Blueprint newspaper, Malam Mohammed Idris

and downs but interestingly we have been encouraged by the hurdles we had to face. We had a vision or goal which is to protect the interest of the common man, the groundnut seller, barrow pusher, hawker, etc, to act as the real watchdog of the society and to raise developmental issues related to

the welfare of the average Nigerian. We were received into the market warmly even though we had to go through the initial hurdles. In fact, some were saying our paper would not last more than a few weeks or months but here we are now about to celebrate a year of prosperous service. You see, the

“

To consolidate and serve Nigerians better, to enhance circulation, to ensure every man and woman that is literate can take a glance at our message main secret is good planning, dedication, patience, tolerance and the zeal to make an impact in the lives of all people in the society. I have made it a point of duty to ensure that we provide very good and suitable working conditions for our employees as well as ensure that we are putting the interest of the masses first as it is one of the basic obligations of our profession. Also, we try to maximize our output by coming up with the best strategies for achieving success, things like effective, timely, cost effective and regulated distribution of our products. We also ensure that we pay salaries in a timely manner thereby not giving room for our reporters to be vulnerable. We also conduct training and retraining of our staff to ensure efficiency and maximum output. We are always ready to heed calls and suggestions from our staff.

There was this speculation about your paper having a link with ome groups when you displayed some details of the alleged bomber killed at Police headquarters in Abuja; what can you say about that?

You see, we don’t belong to any group, neither do we await orders from anyone on how or why and where we should do our work. As I said earlier, our work is always based on the principles that are guiding the journalism profession. we are trying to do our best to the society as well as promote peaceful and harmonious co existence in Nigeria. The security agents were here and they did not find us wanting or guilty of any offence.

On the issue of freedom of information, what is your take?

I believe it is the collective responsibility of all Nigerians to

ensure that since the Freedom of Information Act (FoA) is a law that is binding on every citizen, all acceptable steps should be taken to enforce it as it will create a greater chance for both the country and its citizens to thrive.

I suggest that we come together, take a look at the issues at stake, and as one nation stand firm to ensure due process which can be the best way to unite and progress.

Every well meaning Nigerian has a responsibility to utilize the opportunities provided on the basis of FoI and see that it is applied in the best interest of the citizens and the country at large.

How soon do you intend on going national, like the Daily Trust, LEADERSHIP, etc?

Well, it depends on what one calls being national. As Wole Soyinka once said some time back “to become universal, you have to be totally local”; the issue is being concerned with and interested in the affairs of the public or rather the society that can be affected by your effort, but I believe at the rate we are going now, we can go farther and farther to the extent of reaching everywhere in the country; with good planning and a proper working environment you will surely get to the desired destination.

And I have to admit that the market has been fair to us at the very onset and even right now, we really appreciate our acceptance.

Any plan now?

To consolidate and serve Nigerians better, to enhance circulation, to ensure every man and woman that is literate can take a glance at our message.

Does any of your staff have shares in the company or is it only the big shots?

Sure, many of my staff have access to share equity in the company and, in fact, there are some reserved for our upcoming staffs for them to access at the right time.

Any advice to journalists, proprietors, and the society to move journalism forward?

Well, we have to take the issue of journalism very serious as it has a great effect on the lives and progress of the whole society, our future and our country’s future as well, lets us invest fully so as to ensure a level and conducive atmosphere for the profession and the practice for better result and let us ensure that we engage professionals in our distribution, circulation and operation and technical firms to ensure speedy and more proficient job to set up pace to catch up with our contemporaries in the advanced world, and I urge all journalists to remain dedicated to their duties.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 41

Warri Wolves sack Cooreman

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President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo and PDP chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur with the Paralympians Photo: Timothy Ikuomenisan during the reception at the state House, last Saturday.

Paralympic Committee hails reception, largesse to athletes T he Nigeria Paralympic Committee (NPC) has praised President Goodluck Jonathan for the national honours and the monetary gifts to members of the paralympic team to the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

The six gold medalists were given N5m each and national honours of Member Order of the Niger (MON), while the five silver medalists received N3m and the two bronze medalists each got N2 m for their outstanding performance at the Games.

Those who participated but could not win medals were also given N500,000 each.

Dr Frank Thorpe, the Committee’s Secretary-General, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday that that gesture by the president was encouraging.

He said the fact that the committee would be invited to participate in a national retreat

to appraise Nigeria’s participation in the Olympics Games would be a departure from past practice.

“The President has shown that he is a man of the people, of grassroots. When he hosted us (Paralympians) in 2010, I was there and when he was coming in I was trying to clear the disabled athletes to move so that he can pass, but he said ‘no! no! don’t touch them; I will find my way’. It is good to have character.

“And that single act he did always pushed me to work hard; it’s not easy working with these people; but for a president to show compassion, it shows understanding and that gives us the strength to continue.

“The whole programme was highly elating and I was very happy; all the athletes and officials were very elated. The monetary aspect was there; but beyond that; the recognition.

“He said during the programme that he was going to have a retreat that would involve all stakeholders. That has never been done before. So, I think we are charting a new path.

“All these ‘fire brigade approach’ we’ve been doing has not worked well. We have done well, but other countries are preparing seriously for Rio Olympics; so we shouldn’t be left behind.”

Torpe appealed to all stakeholders to ensure early preparations for international competitions to enable the country’s representatives to perform well as other countries.

He said that the committee would like to introduce other sports, in which the country had potential.

He, however, said that the committee would need the right infrastructure to be able to prepare the athletes well.

NPL vows to get sponsor before new season begins

T

he Nigeria Premier League (NPL) has restated its resolve to have a viable title sponsor in place before the commencement of the 2012/ 2013 football season, according

Victor Baribote, NPL Chairman

to Tunji Babalola, the NPL’s Acting Executive Secretary.

Speaking in Lagos yesterday, Babalola assured clubs who have been glamouring for sponsors that the issue of sponsorship for the body’s programme would soon be a thing of the past.

“When the league gets a sponsor, clubs’ managers would have no excuse to deny or delay players and their officials their remuneration as and when due.

“We know we have lots of work to do; the most important of all is to ensure that we get a sponsor before the commencement of the next season for a better league.

“The NPL board is aware of its responsibilities to clubs, one of which is to provide funds; we can

only do this when we have a credible sponsor that will fund the league,’’ Babalola said.

The secretary warned that once the issue of a sponsor for the league had been settled, clubs should have no excuse not to pay players their remuneration.

“Immediately the league gets a sponsor, all clubs that fail to pay players and their officials salaries will be sanctioned appropriately.

On how the NPL would ensure that its league matches did not clash with CAF’s continental engagements, Babalola said that it would have no choice than to reschedule NPL-organised matches.

“The role of the club is to notify

the NPL ahead of time to avoid conflict; the secretariat should be briefed ahead of time.

“Otherwise, it would be difficult for the NPL to run its own programme smoothly, so, we need the clubs to co-operate to avoid clashes because we want them to succeed,’’ he said.

The country will be represented by Kano Pillars FC and Rangers International FC of Enugu in the 2013 edition of the CAF Champions League.

On the other hand, Heartland FC of Owerri and Lobi Stars of Markurdi are to represent the country in the CAF Confederation Cup, and Enyimba FC of Aba, the WAFU Cup.

igeria Premier League (NPL) outfit, Warri Wolves have ended their relationship with their Belgian coach, Maurice Cooreman.

Though the Warri-based team are yet to make an official announcement on the sack of Cooreman, supersport.com learned that the agreement was reached yesterday after a meeting between the club and the coach.

Cooreman, left Kaduna United at the end of the penultimate season but the relationship between him and Wolves lasted for just close to eight months.

Cooreman disclosed that his contract ended with the immediate past season and he agreed not to renew owing to the “problems” at the club.

“My contract ended after the season and usually I don’t like working where there’s too much problems. Really I don’t have problems with the chairman, secretary, or other officials and players. But you just have to leave when you have to leave.

“We agreed in a meeting not to renew the contract and now I’m waiting for my pay-off so that I can return to my house in Lagos. Now I’m open to discussion from any other team,” said Cooreman.

Top officials of the club, however, refused to make comments on the development and pleaded not to have their names mentioned by supersport.com.

But it has also been learned that Wolves cannot make their position on Cooreman’s future at the club official since they are yet to pay him off.

Cooreman was hired in February this year to replace Paul Aigbogun, now with South African club, FC Cape Town.

Already, Dutchman Lodewijk de Kruif is strongly linked with taking up the job at Warri Wolves, who finished the 2011/ 2012 season in 16th position on 48 points and escaped relegation by the whiskers.

Maurice Cooreman

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

UEFA Champions League

Red hot Arsenal face France champion, Montpellier

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Lukas Podolski

ince beating Liverpool at Anfield, Arsenal have been on the rampage as evident by the 6-1 drubbing of Southampton.

Today, the Gunners begin chase of the elusive Champions League trophyone prize they are dying to wrap their hands round.

They face a tricky duel against French champions Montpellier at the Stade de la Mosson.

Albeit their slow start to the season had sent tongues wagging especially after two scoreless draws, the win

on the road against traditional rivals Liverpool and the thrashing of Southampton at the Emirates sent all memories of the poor start to oblivion.

Suddenly, the win rekindled hope and Arsene Wenger-the meticulous manager- beat his chest about the quality and championship form of the players.

“We had a good combination of pace, speed of our passing and quick combinations.

The movement was excellent.

We were quite lucky as well

because they conceded two own goals, but overall I think it was a level of continuity with what we have shown at Liverpool.”

Arsenal will be without first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. After missing two games, Szczesny returned for the 61 thrashing of Southampton at the weekend but has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

Vito Mannone will again deputise, while Abou Diaby (hip) is in the squad. Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Jack Wilshere (ankle), Bacary

PSG depending on home form

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aris Saint-Germain last played in the Champions League eight years ago, in the 2004/05 season, but they will be hoping their impressive home form in European competitions holds up against Dynamo Kiev tonight.

The Ukrainian team will field two Nigerians in Taye Taiwo, a former Marseilles player and Brown Ideye.

The French team are unbeaten in their last 19 games at home in European competitions, qualifiers included with their last defeat dating back to November 2006 in the group stages of the UEFA Cup against Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

Still, despite this impressive home form, PSG have won only two of their last 13 Champions League games, although at home they have won 12 of their 17 games in

the Champions League.

In head-to-head stats against Kieve, the home side have won their previous two Champions League encounters, back in the group stages of the 1994/95 campaign.

However, Kiev have a better sense of the competition with this season being their 14th Champions League campaign, but only their first since 2009/10 season.

Kiev have not made it past the group stages in any of their last 10 Champions League participations and have won only two of their last 28 Champions League games away from home.

PSG, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will become the first player to play for six different clubs in the Champions League era. He has netted 28 goals in the Champions League,

Real Madrid, Man City in acid test

By Patrick Andrew with agency report

R

eal Madrid may have lost two games and are eight points adrift of their archrivals Barcelona in La Liga. Also Man City may have won only two of the four matches in the opening season of the English Premier League but they remained unbeaten with eight points.

However, when they take to the trenches in a Champions League opener today, both will seek to test their strength, depth and confidence as they plot, each others’ fall as well as to dethrone defending champions, Chelsea, come May 2013.

The Spanish title holders’ may have the best tradition and trophy haul in European football, but Jose Mourinho, ‘the Only One’ has averred that Real may not have the confidence to repeat previous performance.

“Naturally, Real Madrid is a Champions League club because of its history and record. Nobody else has nine of those European Cups. I think there is no direct way to find this type of success.

“It comes by working

well, playing well and thinking well, planning well and having the motivation and desire to win every game. Apart from that football is football, some things are unforeseeable. It is one of the few sports where the best team does not always win,” Mourinho said.

This may just be another of Mourinho’s mind game.

Last season, Real won all six games in the group stages to sail through to the knock-out stages, but Mourinho said a similar easy passage was unlikely given the strength of this

Xavi Alonso

year’s group which also includes Borussia Dortmund and Ajax, all champions of their respective leagues.

“We are talking about a group with four champions in it - four champions from four important countries,” Mourinho said.

Real lost to Bayern Munich in last season’s semi-finals while Man City could not make the quarterfinals and dropped to the Europa Cup where they still did not fare better.

The two sides are meeting each other for the first time but a balanced match is expected with the likes of

Carloz Tevez

TODAY’S F IXTURES Olympiacos vs Schalke B/Dortmund vs Ajax R/Madrid vs Man City PSG vs Dynamo Kiev Montpellier vs A/AC Milan vs Anderlecht Malaga vs Zenit St. P’ burg Dinamo Zagreb vs FC Porto

Xabi Alonso and Cristiano Ronaldo going head-to-head.

Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Lukas Modric, Ronaldo, Marcello and Iker Casillas are reliable legs that could be relied upon for result just as Roberto Mancini has in his possessions a collection of stars.

Here Yaya Toure, Carlos Tevez, David Silva, Vincent Kompany, James Milner, Joe Hart can be counted on to stand shoulder to shoulder, compete strength for strength, tact for tact against their equally starglut opponent.

Sagna (leg) and Emmanuel Frimpong (knee) are out.

Notwithstanding, Wenger has a squad to respond to any situation. He has striker Olivier Giroud, who is yet to find the back of the net and has not fitted in as well at the Gunners as fellow new recruits Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla, new skipper Vamaelen among others.

The French club could be a tricky side to contend with with the likes of John Utaka versatile and experienced ready to exploit any weak point in the Gunners.

John Utaka

only Lionel Messi (51) and Cristiano Ronaldo (38) have been more prolific among players in this season’s competition.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti is also set to hand Thiago Silva his debut with the Brazilian centre-back available for the first time following his big-money move from Italian giants AC Milan.

Ezequiel Lavezzi may make his return after three games out, with Ancelotti opting to rest the winger for a 2-0 win over Toulouse FC last week.

Meanwhile, Kiev boss Yury Semin is expected to field a familiar looking outfit, with Andriy Yarmolenko and Denys Garmash likely to start after being benched for a 3-1 win over Karpaty Lviv at the weekend.

The Ukrainian visitors possess ex-Ligue 1 players in the shape of Taye Taiwo and Ideye Brown, while former Tottenham striker Niko Kranjcar is in fine form following his brace at Karpaty’s expense.

Milan hoping for historical Anderlecht fortune

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ilan and Anderlecht share a strange 19-year long history and it is one which bodes well with the Rossoneri. Having met on four (includes home and away legs) previous occasions in the Champions League, Milan have gone on to win the prestigious tournament each time.

Four recent qualifying failures forced Anderlecht to watch the tournament from the comfort of their own homes, but when John van den Brom’s side managed to edge out the Cypriot Champions to book their return after six years, the club was in rightful cheer.

However, when the draw came about on August 30, the Belgians were left with an air of disbelief as they were pulled out in Group C alongside top seed Milan, with Malaga and Zenit St Petersburg to follow.

The Belgian giants have travelled to Italian soil on 14 previous occasions and came out unsuccessful each time, and against Milan it has proven no different.

Rewind back to just short of two decades ago, 1993/1994, where Milan’s famous Dutch trio set the European stage alight and it was against a cruel twist of power status which saw the Diavoli progress.

After two stubborn goalless draws between the two clubs, Milan were handed a spot in the semifinal due to the different system back then. They eventually went on to win that final 4-0 against Barcelona.

The attacking maestro of Kaka secured a narrow 1-0 win in Brussels before ruling the roost in the return leg of the San Siro; where he stung the Purple and Whites with an individual solo hat-trick followed by an Alberto Gilardino goal, 4-1 the result.

That year the Milanello outfit went on to claim their seventh, and currently last, Champions League trophy against Liverpool.

That final was hosted in Athens- the same city in which Milan beat Barcelona in 1993/1994. Fate? Quite possibly.

This year’s 2012/2013 campaign will see Milan and Anderlecht come face-to-face for the fifth time in their history when they open their Champions League accounts on Tuesday evening at the San Siro.

Milan may not put up as big of a fight as they may have done previous seasons; however with history being their butter on their bread, fortune may favour them once again.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Nigeria’s No. 2 women badminton player recuperating from surgery

Hernandez retains IFB title

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Y

oan Pablo Hernandez retained his IBF cruiserweight title when he beat Troy Ross in Germany on Saturday night.

The Cuban won the bout in Bamberg 114113, 115-112 and 116112 over 12 rounds, winning a fight that his Canadian opponent thought he had won.

Apart from the opening round, which Hernandez dominated, Ross appeared livelier throughout and did well enough to be confident of getting the decision.

Hernandez was in serious trouble during an explosive third round and received an eight count in the fifth before referee David Fields allowed him to continue.

Ross was wobbling in the ninth when Hernandez caught the 37-year-old with a heavy left, but the challenger was too exhausted to finish off the champion after a flurry of punches.

The 27-year-old Hernandez, based in Germany since 2005, improved his record to 27-1, including 13 knockouts.

Ross dropped to 25-3, with 16 knockouts.

On the undercard, Dominick Britsch remained undefeated (now 26-0-1; 9) by stopping Roberto Santos (17-6-2; 9) in the eighth round to win the vacant European Union middleweight title.

Cruiserweight Mateusz Masternak also kept his sheet clean as he improved to 270; 20 with a seventhround stoppage of David Quinonero (271; 26), who suffered his first defeat.

Marcos Nader (15-0; 2) beat Damien Bertu (25-6-1; 7) on points over ten rounds in a middleweight fight.

Yoan Pablo Hernandez

PAGE 43

Maria Fagbemi, badminton player

aria Fagbemi, Nigeria’s number two women badminton player, who is recuperating from surgery, will be out of action for a while, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Fagbemi confirmed in a telephone interview in Abuja that she has underwent a surgery, she had to recover fully before returning to the game.

Although she did not reveal the type of surgery, the nation’s number two women badminton player said she should have recuperated and be fit to play in six months’ time.

“I’m still very young so I will continue playing, I’m only off for now but will be back as soon as I’m fit,” she said.

However, Fagbemi complained about lack of tournaments for badminton players in the country adding that it discourages them from working harder since there are no tpournaments for them to test out their skills.

“We don’t have many national tournaments and this has negative effects on the players. You know that badminton is a game that when you start playing you fall in love with and don’t

want to leave because its an avenue to exercise.

“So when you keep training and you don’t have tournaments to exhibit your skills you get discouraged,” she said.

On the implications of absence of contests, Fagbemi said the absence of tournaments could affect Nigeria’s ranking as the best team in Africa.

“The athletes are just at home training, eating and sleeping and doing other activities, their skills are wasting and before you know it other countries will take it from us.”

She however advocated that the sport should be adequately funded to give room for others to come in and grow.

“Government should organise more tournaments for us because we have many talented players who have not even come out to showcase their talents because they don’t have the opportunity.”

“If more tournaments are sponsored, we will be able to get good players to replace the old ones and get so many skills that have been wasting or has been at home because there’s no avenue for them to showcase their talents.”

Rufai’s to sponsor 2 grassroots players to overseas trials

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x-Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, has promised to sponsor two players discovered at the Ethnan 4 th Sam Airforce Base Commanders Cup football tournament overseas for trials.

The players, who were not immediately named, were identified at the final of the competition on Sunday at the

Airforce Base Training Ground in Ikeja.

Rufai, who also donated the trophy for the tournament and jerseys to winners, Block M which beat Block Q 1-0, said it was his own way of giving back to the society.

He said that it was also to encourage youths to engage in sports and make a living out of it.

“I have decided to

give out this trophy and jerseys because I got motivated by what the Airforce Base Commander has done to engage the youth through sports.

“The talents I’ve seen within the Airforce Base are very encouraging, and I’m excited that this country still has players at the grassroots who will hopefully be discovered.

“That is why I have decided to sponsor two players to Europe from this tournament because these talents need to be properly harnessed,” Rufai said.

He commended the efforts of the Airforce Base Commander in organising the competition, adding that it was a brilliant initiative.

“It’s a brilliant idea and it is really creating a niche for

these boys to show their talent and thereby be scouted. A competition of this nature gives them hope.

“It has really brought out the best in the base in terms of sports and engages the youth in meaningful things rather than those that are not good,” he said.

He described the tournament as a success and called on private bodies to

support the competition as well as other grassroots programmes.

Eight teams from eight residential blocks in the Airforce Base participated in the one week competition.

The competition also featured tug-ofwar between the officers’ wives and the wives of the other ranks during the half time of the final match.

Gaiya urges against entrusting stadia rehabilitation to NSC G odfrey Gaiya, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Sports, yesterday urged President Goodluck Jonathan not to entrust the rehabilitation of the six national stadia to the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Gaiya, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said that instead the government should lease the stadia to the private sector.

The lawmaker said, his objection to the NSC handling the rehabilitation was because because whatever amount given to the commission for it might not be judiciously spent.

He added, however, that if the rehabilitation must be entrusted to the NSC, then the Presidency should have an Intervention committee to liaise with it on the job.

He said the NSC had not been prudent in managing the funds budgeted for the completion of the 44 Mini Sports Centres across the country since 2009.

“So, I wonder why additional funds should be handed to the commission when projects entrusted to it in the past have yet to be finished.

“How can we use about N60 billion to build a facility like the Abuja Stadium but to maintain it becomes a problem. “Sometime in May, I took my committee members to the stadium on a facility tour, what we saw was an eyesaw.

“It was an embarrassment and a big shame that a country like ours, does not have a befitting national stadium capable of hosting a sports competition. It is damaging the image of Nigeria before the whole world,” Gaiya said.

According to Gaiya, sports in the country would continue to nosedive unless the dilapidated facilities were put in order and new ones provided.

President Jonathan had a fortnight ago set up a Presidential Committee on stadia facilities, headed by the Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdulahi, NSC’s Director General, Dr Patrick Ekeji and the FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Muhammed, were among the committee members.

The committee was expected to work out modality for the rehabilitation of the six national stadia located at Lagos, Kaduna, Enugu, Ibadan and Abuja.

The Federal Government while setting up the committee said that henceforth, sporting facilities in the county would receive maximum attention.

Ali Gaiya, Chairman House Committee on Sports

Chief Patrick Ekeji, DG, NSC

B

D

A

C

G

P I C T O R I A L

A/ New British number one Laura Robson makes a winning return to action after a career-best Grand Slam run at the US Open.

B/ Manchester United's David Gill is expected to hold talks with Liverpool's Ian Ayre to try to calm tensions between fans before the two clubs meet.

C/ South Korea's Shin Jiyai strolls to her second Women's British Open title, winning by nine shots from Inbee Park at Hoylake.

D/ The fourth ICC World Twenty20 begins today when the hosts Sri Lanka take on Zimbabwe in Hambantota.

E/ Spanish World Cup winner David Silva has signed a new fiveyear deal at Manchester City that will keep him at the club until 2017.

F/ Camelot fails in his bid to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1970 as Encke takes victory in the St Leger at Doncaster.

G/ Boca Juniors and Tijuana were the weekend's big winners in the Americas, capitalizing on their rivals' slip-ups to move clear in Argentina and Mexico respectively.

F

E

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 PAGE 45

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke are ‘at risk of damaging their memory’

W

e all know cigarettes are bad for our health, but researchers now claim that non-smokers who are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke are at risk of damaging their memory.

The study, by scientists at the Northumbria University, is the first to explore the relationship between second-hand smoke and memory problems.

The researchers compared a group of current smokers with two groups of non-smokers - those regularly exposed to secondhand smoke and those who were not.

They found that non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke forgot almost 20 per cent more than the non-smokers who were not exposed.

Those exposed to second-hand smoke either lived with smokers or spent time with smokers, for example in a designated ‘smoking area’.

They reported to being exposed to second-hand smoke for an average of 25 hours a week for an average of four and a half years.

The three groups were tested on types of memory with the first being time-based memory remembering to carry out an activity after some time.

The second was event-based memory, which refers to memory for future intentions and activities.

“

Those exposed to second-hand smoke either lived with smokers or spent time with smokers, for example in a designated ‘smoking area

Turn-off: Non-smokers who are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke are at risk of damaging their memory, according to a study.

The results found the nonsmokers exposed to second-hand smoke forgot almost 20 per cent more than the non-smokers who were not exposed.

However, both groups outperformed the current smokers who forgot 30 per cent more than those who were not exposed to second-hand smoking.

Co-lead researcher Dr Tom Heffernan said: ‘Our findings suggest the deficits associated with second-hand smoke exposure extend to everyday cognitive function.

‘We hope our work will stimulate further research to help us gain a better understanding of the health links relating to second-hand smoke exposure.’

Dr Heffernan and the study’s co-leader Dr Terence O’Neil are both researchers at the Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research Group at the university in Newcastle, Tyne and Wear.

The findings were published in the latest online edition of the journal Addiction.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Brisk exercise actually reduces hunger pangs, scientists claim

I

t is commonly assumed that you can ‘work up an appetite’ with a vigorous workout.

But it turns out that the theory may not be completely accurate - at least immediately following exercise.

A brisk exercise session may actually reduce the appetite rather than increase it, according to a report.

Researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, claim that 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise in the morning actually reduces a person’s motivation for food.

Professors James LeCheminant and Michael Larson measured the neural activity of 35 women while they viewed food images, both

Double whammy: As well as the numerous health benefits of exercise, it appears it may also reduce your desire to eat as much.

following a morning of exercise and a morning without exercise.

They found their attentional response to the food pictures decreased after the brisk workout.

‘This study provides evidence that exercise not only affects energy output, but it also may affect how people respond to food cues,’ LeCheminant said.

The study, published online, ahead of print in the October issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, measured the food motivation of 18 normalweight women and 17 clinically obese women over two separate days.

On the first day, each woman briskly walked on a treadmill for 45 minutes and then, within the hour, had their brain waves measured. Electrodes were attached to each participant’s scalp and an EEG machine then measured their neural activity while they looked at 240 images - 120 of plated food meals and 120 of flowers. (Flowers served as a control.)

The same experiment was conducted one week later on the same day of the week and at the same time of the morning, but omitted the exercise. Individuals also recorded their food consumption and physical activity on the experiment days.

The 45-minute exercise bout not only produced lower brain responses to the food images, but also resulted in an increase in total physical activity that day, regardless of body mass index.

‘We wanted to see if obesity influenced food motivation, but it didn’t,’ LeCheminant said.

‘However, it was clear that the exercise bout was playing a role

in their neural responses to the pictures of food.’

Interestingly, the women in the experiment did not eat more food on the exercise day to ‘make up’ for the extra calories they burned in exercise.

In fact, they ate approximately the same amount of food on the non-exercise day.

Larson said this is one of the first studies to look specifically at neurologicallydetermined food

motivation in response to exercise and that researchers still need to determine how long the diminished food motivation lasts after exercise and to what extent it persists with consistent, long-term exercise.

‘The subject of food motivation and weight loss is so complex,’ Larson said. ‘There are many things that influence eating and exercise is just one element.’

S o u r c e : Dailymail.co.uk

Double whammy: As well as the numerous health benefits of exercise, it appears it may also reduce your desire to eat as much.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

PAGE 47

Skeletons

FACTS * If you stretch a standard Slinky out flat it measures 87 feet long. * The strength of early lasers was measured in Gillettes, the number of blue razor blades a given beam could puncture. * The drive-through line on opening day at the McDonald's restaurant in Kuwait City, Kuwait was at times seven miles long. * Point Roberts in Washington State is cut off from the rest of the state by British Columbia, Canada. If you wish to travel from Point Roberts to the rest of the state or vice versa, you must pass through Canada, including both Canadian and U.S. customs. * The Pentagon in Washington, D. C. has five sides, five stories, and five acres in the middle. * Sylvia Miles had the shortest performance ever nominated for an Oscar with "Midnight Cowboy." Her entire role lasted only six minutes. * There is an ATM at McMurdo Station in Antarctica, which has a winter population of 200.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

* Newborn babies are given to the wrong mother in the hospital 12 times a day worldwide. * The Starbucks at the highest elevation is on Main Street in Breckenridge, Colorado. * Each year, over 1,000,000 people fail to itemize out the mortgage interest deduction on their income taxes. Last year, this amounted to $473,000,000 in taxes.

DOWN 1 Free 2 At the proper time 3 Reaping tool 4 Develop quickly 5 Maggot 6 Champion’s cup 7 Pleasant to eat 8 Throbbing 11 Thin vegetation 12 Babbling stream 15 Small truck with low sides 16 Soft felt hat 17 Abrasive tool for smoothing wood 18 Excavating machine 21 Line about which a body rotates 22 Socially pretentious person

* In 1998, more fast-food employees were murdered on the job than police officers. * The lead singer of The Knack, famous for "My Sharona," and Jack Kevorkian's lead defense attorney are brothers, Doug and Jeffrey Feiger.

Source: Weird facts

These puzzles only give you hte bare bones.

Fill in the black squares and the answers –– the grids are fully symmetrical

Yesterday’s answer

JOKES The first 3 years of marriage

Clean water Teacher: How can we get some clean water?

Student: Bring the water from the river and wash it.

ACROSS 1 Girl Scouts 4 Ring with a crest 7 Toddler’s regular gathering 9 Carrying-board 10 Protuberance 11 Low woody plant 13 Attitude 14 Faithful 15 Snack food 17 Graded 19 Fracture 20 Popular soft drink flavour 22 Catch, tear 23 Keeping out 24 Shed for swine 25 Set of bridge games

* 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

• In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens.

• In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens.

• In the third year, they both speak and the neighbours listen.

Quick CrossWord (29)

Emma Cahill, the 19-year-old with bigger feet than lanky Stoke City striker, Peter Crouch. Emma's 13inch feet are a massive size 14 - two up from Crouch's size 12s.

Source: TheSun.co.uk

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

. . . putting the people first

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

Armadillo is 2014 World Cup official Mascot

F

IFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) are excited to introduce one of the most highprofile ambassadors of the 2014 FIFA World Cup a unique Brazilian three-banded armadillo (the Tolypeutes tricinctus), a creature that is indigenous to Brazil.

The mascot was officially launched as part of Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo’s weekly Fantástico entertainment show, where he was welcomed by Brazilian football legend and member of the LOC Management Board, Ronaldo.

The introduction followed a week of activities in which the mascot made a series of unofficial visits all over Brazil.

This included the distribution of two thousand and fourteen blue balls, representing his unique blue shell, on the Boa Viagem beach in Recife, a meeting with his new friend Ronaldo in São Paulo, as well as high-profile introductions to Brazilian football fans through digital appearances during several live football broadcasts.

The Official Mascot also has his own official song, “Tatu Bom de Bola”, sung by Brazilian music star Arlindo Cruz.

The final mascot design was chosen after FIFA and the LOC had analysed 47 different proposals created by six different Brazilian agencies.

The designs were further analysed through extensive research carried out amongst its primary target audience, Brazilian children between the ages of five and twelve, with the favourite being the armadillo, created by 100%Design.

The Brazilian population will now have the chance to give the Official Mascot a name by taking part in a public voting campaign which will run up until the middle of November.

The three options, which were decided upon after a vote by a high-profile judging committee including Bebeto, Arlindo Cruz, Thalita Rebouças, Roberto Duailibi and Fernanda Santos, are Amijubi – a representation of friendliness and joy – and two names which link to the ecological message, Fuleco and Zuzeco.

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QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE I’ll not want to comment on (President) Goodluck Jonathan now... Let’s give him time; everything about him will tell and that may not require me to say anything gun — F or mer Pr esident Oluse For ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo on BBC Hausa Ser vice Service

Confronting the Jonathan Conundrum W

hen Nigerians, largely the Southerners and others, trooped out to vote the "shoeless man" into power, they knew that they were not supporting the best qualified of the aspirants to the Aso Rock throne.

Rather, they were quite comfortable for voting "for GEJ and not PDP" or simply cutting their own noses to spite their own faces.

Of course, there were others who genuinely believed in the ability of the man to lead Nigeria towards the Promised Land. Yet there were others who did so out of a sense of correcting a perceived sense of injustice meted out to the man during the dying days of the Baba Go Slow Presidency. Still, there were those whose voting decisions were based on instinctive primordial sentiment of running with the tribal herd as well as those who also felt genuinely that the man's academic credentials might just be the difference in his approach towards governance for the collective good.

Granted, GEJ has indeed been a departure from the erstwhile "bolekaja" Presidency of OBJ and its abrasiveness. The voice of the opposition has grown even louder in Nigeria and the fear of loud jackboots walking up to the doorsteps of social critics in broad daylight and middle of the night has since disappeared. However, this has been replaced with the stealthy footsteps of armed robbers and kidnappers in the south of the country and by Boko Haram in the north. Nigerians are now left to wonder which is preferable and now look with nostalgia to the good bad old days of yesteryears when life was much simpler and our loudest moans were "NEPA" or the intermittent shouts of 'ole' or 'barawo'!

The man, GEJ, has successfully polarised public opinion across the polity - there are the vocal legions of GEJ haters, on one hand, and the vicious and confrontational supporters of the man. Of course, there are those who are ambivalent towards the man neither supporting him nor wishing him ill luck but simply watching and waiting for something to happen - hopefully for good. In this category of Nigerians, you also have those who did not believe so much in the GEJ hype and hysteria of "breath of fresh air!" but simply wished him good luck for the benefit of the country and the general populace. On the counterbalance to the later group are those disenchanted supporters of the man who had such high hopes for him at the start of his administration but have since

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GUEST COLUMNIST Kay Soyemi

President Goodluck Jonathan come to a cold reality of Nigeria under GEJ, where business unusual remains the usual business.

Naturally, the GEJ supporters would quickly shout you down and postulate that the ills that GEJ has been unable to confront and deal with were not his creation, but inherited problems. For those opposed to this group, there is a quick reference to the fact that the GEJ administration has done nothing to mitigate the poor and sorry lot of Nigerians, but has instead, created a super class of "untouchable Nigerians" using the cloak and garb of rule of law.

Nigerians are now daily inundated with tales of corruption in really high places and apparently no motions or moves to curtail these and bring the perpetrators to justice save the photo ops of "arraigning" the accused in court, granting them bail before allowing the cases to die naturally in the law courts from either lack of diligent prosecution or endless and protracted injunctions based on technicalities.

Of course, Nigerians do not expect GEJ to interfere with the judicial arm of the government and cannot be expected to superintend every legal action needed by the government to ensure that justice is seen to be done by the executive arm of government. That is the brief of the Attorney-General, a man who is GEJ's appointee. Of course, Nigerians do not expect GEJ to personally intervene in investigating every allegation of corruption in public high places,

but the law enforcement agencies report to the President and are answerable to him. Therefore, Nigerians have every right to be nonplussed when every case of corruption is followed by pronouncements of Presidential Committees to investigate these and the reports of these committees are further subjected to scrutiny by yet more committees ad infinitum! Dare I say, the heads of these law enforcement agencies also report to GEJ? Perhaps, more important to the day to day Nigerian is his ability, or lack of it, to keep shirt and trousers (or skirts and iro and buba, as the case might be) together.

Nigerians have generally had favourable reports of a vibrant economy under the GEJ admin, albeit, these have mainly come from external agencies. Some might say, this is proof that the GEJ economics is tied to the apron springs of imperialists and that the taste of the pudding is in the eating, i.e. have these translated into improved living conditions for Nigerians or increased their purchasing power?

Such antagonists would also readily point to the January move on the oil subsidy removal without proper public sensitisation on the matter since the promised end results appear to have manifested in yet more of the rich getting richer! It seems that the oil cabal still calls the shots, regardless of the pronouncements or moves by the GEJ Presidency.

For those who believe passionately in the GEJ Presidency, they will quickly point out that the moribund Nigerian Railway Corporation is now back to life! You can make your own deductions on these, but I was embarrassed to see the pictures of coaches and engines that are expected to run the Lagos - Bauchi - Kano routes. I have been gobsmacked to learn that the rail lines are still those required for goods evacuation wagons bequeathed to us by the departing colonial powers! It is up to you to imagine how fast or otherwise these contraptions would travel as well as the level of comfort, or discomfiture that must go with them. I do not believe in half a loaf, but subscribe to the school of

thought that says anything worth doing at all is worth doing well.

Nigeria can definitely do better than it is faring now.

Yes, I do need to give this much to the GEJ personae; he is indeed a gentleman, albeit a cunning one as well. He has not regaled us with verbose utterances, like OBJ was wont to. Neither has he kept mute and left us scratching our heads to interpret his silence like UMYA was inclined to do. No, he has made us a lot of promises, and therein lies of one of his greatest failings. He makes promises he cannot keep when he should DAMN well keep his mouth shut. He naturally raises expectations and people are naturally disappointed when they realise he is trying to be everything to everybody.

Perversely, GEJ is GEJ's greatest enemy! He has pledged to improve the lot of Nigerians in virtually every aspect of our lives.

He has promised that there would no longer be sacred cows. He has promised to fight against corruption. He has promised to patronise, promote and consume "Made-in-Nigeria" goods. He has promised to impose a regime of achievement over mediocrity. He has promised to build new bridges in Lagos and over the Niger River as well as improve a lot of the federal roads across the country that presently serves as mortuary highways. He has promised several universities to each of the regions in the country. What else has he not promised - a home for the masquerades in heaven or hell?

In contrast to his many promises, very little has been delivered, but his supporters will happily tell us that his regime is in early days yet and more is to come, but he has been President since May 2010 - and that is at least 2 years in my books without me having to take off my salubata to count!

I am not a GEJ supporter, neither am I a traducer! I stand among those who wish him well, very well, in fact, for the sake of my people and other Nigerians. I wish GEJ would step on powerful toes and turn them into marshmallows or tuwolouchí for the benefit of common Nigerians who can no longer worship freely nor move about their trade freely because of Boko Haram. I wish GEJ would regale us with pictures of powerful thieves in handcuffs and leg shackles, serving time in Gashua or Kiri-kiri instead of empty or vague promises.

Above all, I wish GEJ can deliver a country I would truly love to shout out, "It's Mine, I am a Nigerian!" For these reasons, I sincerely wish GEJ very well, but there is a limit to my Patience!

Kay Soyemi lives in Brixton, England

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos, Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 803 606 3308. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141