Peoples Daily Newspaper, Monday 20, May, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 11 No. 1

Monday, May 20, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Rajab 11, 1434 AH

N150

2015: PDP must Petitioner alleges win 26 states, fraudulent practices Tukur insists >> 2 at AGIS >> 5

Borno: Residents groan as curfew bites harder 14 insurgents, 3 soldiers killed — Army 2,000 residents flee to Niger Republic From Mustapha Isa Kwaru, Maiduguri and Joy Baba, Abuja

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esidents of Maiduguri metropolis and environs who have been traumatised by the biting effect of the 24-hour curfew imposed by the Army authorities are groaning under intense suffering.

And over 2,000 residents of the nation's border communities in Abadam Local Govnment Area of Borno state, suspected to be one of the hide-outs of the insurgents, have fled to the neighboring Niger Republic.

This is coming as information filtered in yesterday that about 700 soldiers have been mobilized from Jos Military Cantonment to bolster the troops already deployed to Borno state to dislodge the insurgents there.

It was also learnt that some soldiers on peace-keeping mission in Liberia have been withdrawn to join their colleagues in waging war against the Boko Haram in the North Eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

Reports from the area indicated that the mass exodus, which began in the early hours of Friday, followed the massive deployment of troops, armoured tanks, combat helicopters, fighter jets and other military equipment into the area.

Further investigation Contd on Page 2

Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu (4th right), Managing Director, Jos Electricity Distribution Company, Mrs Vera Osuhor (3rd right), with other members of the Emirate Council, during the first visit of Mrs Osuhor as Jakadiyan Chiroma, yesterday in Bauchi.

Photo: NAN

Mass retrenchment looms in FCTA Influx into Abuja worries minister >> 2

Unions threaten to ground flight operations today

>> 3

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

CONTENTS News

2-10

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

Stockwatch S/Report Law

23 24-25 26

Education 27-28 Health

29-30

Pandering to cronyism, Page 4

Int’l

31-34

Strange World 35 Digest

36

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-45

Leisure

47

Columnist

48

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Mass retrenchment looms in FCTA

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he huge wage bill and staggering overhead cost incurred by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is currently constituting a source of worry to the authority which has ordered for an interdepartmental staff audit to pave way for downward right sizing.

This is coming on the heels of concerns over mass influx of people into Abuja from the states affected by security threats, and the inadequate infrastructure to accommodate the emergency.

Staff salary of about N4billion computed for the month of April has yet to be paid because FCTA authority was jolted by the figure which it perceived could hamper the operations of other sectors of the administration if drastic measures are not taken to expose the culprits suspected to be bloating the Authorities monthly wage bills, our findings have indicated.

“At the end of this audit, I can assure you that heads will roll because we will bring whoever is responsible to book, no matter his position and standing,” a senior official close to the minister said.

Already, directors from all departments were summoned to an emergency meeting last Thursday and Friday to examine the strength of staff in their various departments and to reconcile same with the wage bill accruing to them.

Although the audit of staff is to cut across all sectors, specific attention is to be given to the departments of Education and Health which are believed to be main conduits used by some people in authority to drain it of scarce resources, it was learnt.

For instance, so many nonteaching staff in the education, personnel and administration

Influx into Abuja worries minister departments are being paid teaching allowances monthly while overtime allowances paid to personnel of the health department are eliciting questions.

The audit is also expected to fish out ghost workers, including dead staffers who have not been delisted, and other fictional names smuggled in through sharp practices, according to our checks.

Inside sources reliably informed Peoples Daily that the minister has already informed the House of Representatives through its committee on FCT on the development.

Just last week, the House, which serves as the approving authority for the budget of the FCT, approved the sum of N259 billion to be spent by the FCTA in 2013.

The FCTA administration said in a response yesterday that the main problem is with the education department which incurs the monthly wage bill of about N2billion, half of the overall bill paid to all workers in the FCTA.

According to Nosike Ogbuenyi, the Special Assistant on media to the FCT minister, the education department has over employed teachers across disciplines in recent time without giving preference to science subjects as it should be.

He said there is an influx of people into Abuja from states threatened by insecurity, adding that most of them sought transfer of service to the education department of the FCTA and were absorbed without the knowledge of the minister.

He said unless the federal government does something urgent to address the situation, the burden may be too much on the FCTA. Ogbuenti also said that part of the delay in the payment of April salary was due to the late passage of the 2013 budget, the implementation of which may not start immediately.

Meanwhile, the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed had directed a thorough staff audit of

all teaching and non-teaching staff of Education Secretariat.

He said the audit should be carried out through direct table payment of their pending monthly salary.

The Minister said the directive has become necessary following observation that there was high rate of redundancy, duplication, complacency and truancy in the education sector. He also stated that there could be cases of ghost workers in the sector.

According to the Minister, a situation whereby FCT carries a monthly wage bill of about N1.6 billion for the Education Secretariat alone which is about 45 percent of the total monthly wage bill of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, can no longer be tolerated.

He described the wage bill of the FCT as the highest in the federation noting that the staff structure of the Education Secretariat, due to its strategic position, should be based on need.

2015: PDP must win 26 states, Tukur insists

By Lawrence Olaoye

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ational Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, at the weekend challenged its members across the country to brace up for the delivery of at least 26 states of the federation to the party in the 2015 general elections.

Tukur threw the challenge to party members while receiving party stakeholders from Adamawa state led by Senator Grace Bent and Senator Abubakar Umar Gada who met him in Abuja The Chairman who was commenting on the recent

victory of the party in the recent State House of Assembly byeelection in Mayo-Belwa state constituency in Adama said “I seize this opportunity to appeal to our members not only in Adamawa, but in the entire federation of Nigeria to start bracing up for future challenges of delivering not less than 26 states to PDP. We have the wherewithal to do this and we shall do it without recourse to foul play. We will all work hard for it" According to Tukurs, the party victory over its closest rival, Na Kowa Party's candidate, penultimate Saturday, exited not only the party leadership but the

also President Goodluck Jonathan.

The candidate of the PDP, Umar Abdulkarim, had won overwhelming votes during the election as he trounced the Na Kowa Party’s candidate, Umar Kaugama with total votes of 12, 040 against 7, 840 which the opposition party got.

Tukur said the outcome of the bye-election had reflected the capacity of PDP to always win election under a free, fair and transparent atmosphere, just as he thanked President Goodluck Jonathan and PDP members in Adamawa and Mayo-Belwa for ensuring the party’s victory during the election.

Borno: Residents groan as curfew bites harder Contd from Page 1 revealed that in the affected communities, mostly women, children and the elderly persons, with some of their belongings trekked few kilometers to cross over to Bosso, a town at the Nigeria-Niger border.

A community leader of the area, who also took his family members to the neighboring country, but later returned to Maiduguri, told newsmen that the entire inhabitants of the area became apprehensive and scared over their safety due to the massive deployment of troops.

The community leader, who declined identification, argued that although others were reluctant in relocating to the neighbouring country and still stayed behind, more are leaving in order to avoid being caught up in the impending crossfire between the security forces and the insurgents.

He added that the communities were afraid over their safety considering the unfortunate incident of Baga killings, where innocent people were worst hit.

“Actually the soldiers did not give us ultimatum to leave our respective towns; rather we decided

on our own because of personal safety to leave due to the fear of the unknown, especially the Baga massacre. Everyone is actually not comfortable with the presence of over 1000 soldiers because we have never witnessed such high number of military deployment in our area in the past. So, to be on the safer side, we resolved to migrate to the nearby town of the neighbouring nation”, he added.

Meanwhile residents of the 10 wards of Maiduguri metropolis under the 24-hour curfew imposed by the Joint Military Task Force, (JTF) are facing dearth of food stuff and other assorted commodities, even as the residents of the entire city are being faced with hunger as they lack meat, fruits, vegetables and other perishable products.

Spokesman for the JTF, Lt- Col. Sagir Musa, in a statement at the weekend said: “The task force, in order to sustain the ongoing special operation in the face of recent Boko Haram attacks in some areas within Maiduguri metropolis, is imposing 24 hours curfew with effect from Saturday” According to the spokesman, the wards and areas where the curfew is currently biting harder

include Gamboru, Mairi Kuwait, Bakin Kogi, Kasuwan Shanu, Ruwan Zafi, 202 Quarters, Dikwa Housing Estate, Low Cost Sinimari, 505 Housing Estate, Chad Basin Area, and 303 Housing Estate and Baga road areas.

Following the imposition of curfew at the cattle market area, which is also the location of the major abattoir, the town is now facing acute meat scarcity, as the other abattoir in the Monday market cannot meet the demands of the residents.

Over 50 trucks and trailers conveying food items, toiletries, firewood, petrol and other items to border towns were at the weekend prevented from leaving Maiduguri. It was also gathered that many trucks and trailers were also stopped in other areas that link border towns, like Gamboru Ngala Road in Custom area.

One of the drivers the trucks, Goni Alkali lamented “My vehicle has been here since Friday afternoon. I am supposed to convey these items (toiletries) to Monguno, but to my surprise, I was stopped here by soldiers who said they would not allow me to pass.”

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters has said that after a

mop up of battle scenes, 14 insurgents and 3 soldiers were confirmed dead while 7 vehicles, 13 telephone handsets were recovered and a total of 20 terrorist apprehended in their bid to flee the battleground.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information (DDI) Brig.

Gen. Chris Olukolade in Abuja yesterday. The statement also said patrols are ongoing to secure towns and villages from infiltration, while curfew on identified flash points are being enforced.

The statement added that dislodged terrorist have deserted their bases but are still making efforts to evacuate most of the large stock of logistics including scores of vehicles in their holdings.

The DDI noted that there have been high standard of compliance with operational order and strict observance of the rules of engagement so far by the soldiers just as he added that "Required reinforcement and logistics have been delivered to forces in front where the forces have been engaging a large number of heavily armed terrorists since yesterday".

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

PAGE 3

Daura attack: Emir appeals to soldiers on victimization From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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L-R: Wife of Primate of All Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Mrs Nkasiobi Okoh, Senator Margaret Okadigbo, Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and former NCC Executive Secretary, Mr Ernest Ndukwe, during a commendation service in honour and memory of Professor Chinua Achebe, yesterday at the National Ecumenical Centre, in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Unions threaten to ground flight operations today No, you can’t, says NAMA From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

D

espite having reached an agreement last Friday to continue talks today with the management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), workers’ unions insisted yesterday that there is no going back on the planned protest slated for today to press home their demand for the implementation of the approved salary scale endorsed by the National Salary and Wages Commission.

However, NAMA said Nigeria airspace will remain open to traffic, despite the unwarranted threat by the trade “union leaders who have vowed in their cocoons to endanger safety and security within the nation’s airspace”.

A joint statement signed by Olayinka Abioye, Abdulkareem Motajo and Aba Ocheme, yesterday at the end of an emergency meeting of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineer (NAAPE) said

the public should discountenance the earlier statement from the General Manager, Public Affairs of NAMA, Mr. Supo Atobatele.

The meeting convened by the management of NAMA last Friday they said did not address the issue on ground to the satisfaction of the union’s agitations.

Also the NAMA management last night assured all the foreign airlines that the nation’s airspace would be open to traffic and urged them to continue to file in their normal flight plan without exercising any fear.

The Managing Director, Nnamdi Udoh, while reacting to the threat from the unions said he was surprised the representatives of the workers at the Friday meeting could suddenly have changed their mind to continue deliberation on the matter this morning and opted for strike.

He maintained that shortly after receiving approval from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, the agency immediately embarked on the process of implementation by setting up an advisory committee which was all inclusive,

comprising management staff, accounts staff and representatives from the trade unions.

“Based on the report of the advisory committee, the management commenced since February, 2013 the full payment of the new consolidated salary structure as approved and promised to pay 13 months arrears thereafter,” he said in a statement.

He said that there was a letter of commendation from the unions to that effect even though they asked the management to look into some grey areas of the approved salary structure which informed the agitation for further increase outside the approved salary by the wages commission.

Again, a statement by Mr. Atobatele read in part, “it may interest the public that an average top official of the agency earns additional N100, 000 to his or her salary following the implementation of the new salary structure and the condition of service which makes it far above the approved structure from the wages commission.”

“Despite this obvious

improvement on the welfare package of staff, the unions pressed for three things: between 5-10 per cent increase in the basic salary, lump sum payment of leave bonus and commencement in the payment of arrears.

“We confirm again that last Friday’s meeting was conducted in a friendly atmosphere during which the meeting was further adjourned till today (Monday) “In view of the above and considering the meeting held on Friday in Lagos, which was adjourned till this morning, one could see that there is no need for this threat and confrontational posture from the trade unions, except for other ulterior motives best known to the sponsors of this so called strike as there is no declaration of trade dispute where the federal ministry of labour would have intervened”, he said.

Part of the statement from the unions said that, “for the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that the ultimatum issued against NAMA shall expire 0000 hrs May 19th, 2013 and appropriate actions shall commence thereafter.

equel to the attack on Daura town on Thursday last week that left three soldiers and two policemen dead, the Emir of Daura Alhaji Faruq Umar Faruq, has appealed to soldiers maintaining security not to victimize innocent persons in the area.

The Emir who made the appeal while receiving the commandant of the 3rd Brigade Kano who was on sympathy visit to his palace in Daura, pledged the support of the emirate and the entire people of the area in preventing future occurrence of the incident.

“I want to appeal to our people to remain calm and be law abiding in their conduct so as to guard against any breach of security in the area.

“The security agencies are here to support us in maintaining peace and security and they therefore deserve our total cooperation to function well’ he added.

Earlier, the Commandant of the 3rd Brigade Kano, BrigadierGeneral Abba Iliyasu, said he was in Daura to sympathize with the people over the incident and advised them to always report persons with suspicious characters.

The Commandant gave assurance that his men are ready at all times to ensure to prevent future occurrence of the ugly incident.

Unknown gunmen had launched an attack on the ancient city of Daura where they bombed four banks and the only two police stations in the area and carted away huge sums of money from the banks.

However in the ensuing gun battle between the police and the fleeing gunmen, the police according to the state Commissioner of police, Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji, killed four of the gunmen along Dutsi-Mani road while about four AK47 guns and four IEDs were recovered.

Reports from Daura town yesterday indicated that normalcy has returned to the area with people going about their normal businesses while a joint team of security personnel that comprising soldiers and the police manned major roads leading to the town.

State of emergency: NSCDC to partner Army, Police

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has said that its personnel would partner other security agencies in the trouble states and other parts of the country to ensure lasting peace.

The NSCDC Commandant General, Ade Abodurin, gave this indication at the weekend in Abuja while addressing Corps Commandants from the 36 states of the federation, on the security situation in the country.

Abodurin said that the country was in a critical moment and that

all the security agencies need to cooperate to curb the menace, adding that the Corps will contribute its quota where necessary.

"This is the time when we need to come together as a people and not only the security agencies.

“The cooperation of everyone

in the country is needed to put an end to the situation.

“While the security agencies are expected to cooperate with each other, other citizens are expected to provide the security agencies with meaningful information that will arrest the situation."

He noted that the militant

groups in the country have posed a serious threat to the government and the citizens, thereby making life unbearable for the common man.

"The economy of this country has been crippled by the activities of the various militant groups operating across the country.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Pandering to cronyism Since it came into office, the Jonathan administration has, in some of its actions and inactions, displayed a glaring penchant for cronyism, partcularly in recent times writes Abdu Labaran Malumfashi

N

o topic would seem to be off limits for President Goodluck Jonathan's fellow Niger Deltans. They speak their mind with impunity, regardless of the sensitivity of the subject matter. But God save that person outside the South-South geo-political region who dares express opinion on topics half as controversial, because the 'full weight' of the law would descend on them even before they realize what is happening.

It would also seem that the Jonathan administration would go to any length, including changing the rules, to pander to the whims and caprices of people from that favoured region.

When it comes to statements not quite becoming of patriots or that which will challenge the integrity of the security agencies, Elder statesman and First Republic Minister of Information Chief Edwin Clerk and National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor are in a class of their own, because they always get away with whatever they say, no matter how inflammatory the statement might sound.

The Niger Deltan duo has made all manner of uncomplimentary remarks about the north and its leaders vis-a-vis the activities of the insurgent Boko Haram group without the government so much as calling them to order.

This perhaps emboldened the younger bloods to threaten thunder and storm in the country if the region does not have its way in 2015.

So when the Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Amnesty, Kingsely Kuku and ex-militant leader, Asari Dokubu made their threatening statement about there being no peace in Nigeria, if Jonathan is not re-elected in 2015, the Police did not disappoint in their lack of immediate response. When it eventually came in respect of Dokubo, the Police response was to claim that there was no cause to arrest the former Niger Delta warlord.

Dokubo had threatened that: "There will be no peace, not only in the Niger Delta but everywhere if Goodluck Jonathan is not the President by 2015, except God takes his life, which we don't pray for" a few days after Kingsley Kuku had made a similar statement in far away America.

Even when Dokubo rubbed it in, declaring that "I am not afraid of arrest. I am saying it bold and clear

President Goodluck Jonathan without mincing words, Nigeria will be history if I am arrested. I am daring them to arrest me if they can.

If they don't, they are cowards and shame on them", the Police still found no reason to arrest or even caution him.

According to the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba,the Police Force is law-abiding and only responds to unlawful act.

He told a national newspaper that "If we find anybody committing any offence, we will bring the full weight of the law on them. But, we will not go out of our way to get involved in chasing frivolities; we are not politicians, we are a law enforcement agency.

"We won't be dragged into any controversy. If the police or any other security agency deems it relevant and exigent to carry out its function, it will carry it out. The most important thing is that the Nigeria Police Force is a creation of law and guided by law.

"We will not be stampeded into controversies or unnecessary political crossfire. We will focus on our job and act when it's necessary for us."

But flash back to early April when former Zamfara state Governor and serving Senator, Ahmed Sani Yariman Bakura was dragged away from a live radio programme in Kaduna by the state Commissioner of Police when he warned that the opposition political parties would organize a peaceful protest in Abuja if the proposed All Progressives Congress (APC) was not registered

by INEC. The Senator was grilled by the Police for several hours.

But if that is not pandering to cronyism, then consider the Presidency's insistence that only certain people must sit on certain positions as in the case of Ms. Aruma Oteh, the embattled Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Although the Senate and the House of Representatives have refused to approve appropriation for SEC in the 2013 insisting on the sacking of the DG, the Presidency has remained adamant, keeping the Niger Delta lady in her position in defiance to the position of the National Assembly.

And only last week, another national daily reported that the

“

If that is not pandering to cronyism, then consider the Presidency's insistence that only certain people must sit on certain positions as in the case of Ms. Aruma Oteh, the embattled DirectorGeneral of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Presidency was seeking to lower the qualification requirements for the post of the Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) with a view to paving the way for the current Acting DG Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu to be confirmed as the substantive chief executive. The Presidency is seeking to amend the existing Pension Reform Act of 2004, Section 16 of which says that a director general for the commission must "possess professional skill and with not less than twenty years cognate experience relating to pension matters and or insurance, Actuarial Science or other related field."

According to at report, President Jonathan has sent a new pension bill to the National Assembly proposing the reduction of the number of years of experience required for a person to occupy the post of PenCom DG from a minimum of 20 to 15. The bill, tagged" Anohu-Amazu Bill" and sent to the NASS, is replacing this provision with a new one under a new Section 26 subsection 2d, which states that: "The Director General shall possess relevant and adequate professional qualification in pension matters with 15 years cognate experience."

Available records show that Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, who was appointed acting director general in December last year, started her working career in 1998 - 15 years ago, -which is at least five years short of the existing requirements on years of experience.

Is it any wonder that pretty little seems to be working on these shores under the present administration?

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

PAGE 5

Reps to probe tax remittances by commercial banks

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he House of Representatives said it has opened a full scale investigation on all tax remittances by commercial banks to the Federal Government, as a result of alleged sharp practices by some of the 23 designated taxcollecting banks.

Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Abdulmumin Jibrin,

(PDP Kano state) who confirmed the investigation of the banks over the weekend, said there was no option than to fully investigate them.

According to him, “investigation of some Federal Government agencies on internally generated revenue (IGR) has led to additional remittance of N100 billion.

“The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has however continued to defy the Committee on the presentation of the accounts of individual subsidiaries of the corporation.

“Our meeting with the banks’ executives was meant to be an interactive session but now, we have officially opened up a full investigation based on facts and

figures from documents available to us from our consultants and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

“We have earlier invited FIRS and they have availed us documents that will have far reaching effects on this exercise.

Their presentation was quite revealing.”

Jibrin noted that the dual roles

of banks as tax-collecting agents for government as well as being tax payers created some gaps that must be bridged.

“As part of the banks’ responsibility as tax collectors, the FIRS revealed to us that there has been a couple of challenges and instances where they had to delist or blacklist a bank from collecting tax on its behalf because of late remittances.

“What we discovered in our findings was that some banks deliberately engaged in delaying remittance.

“So, what they do, as against the guidelines of the FIRS, when they collect the taxes, was to delay the stipulated period of remitting it to the FIRS so that they can keep the money with them and use it for other purposes like trading and so on.

“Though, eventually they will remit the money to the government but they found it convenient to keep it beyond the stipulated period for their own advantage and to the detriment of the Federal government.”

Ecobank staffers threaten legal action over unpaid severance package From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo (right), during a condolence visit to his family house over the death of a relative, on Saturday in Zaria.

Falsification of records uncovered at AGIS

By Chris Alu

F

raud, falsification and distortion of records have been alleged as the characteristic features of the activities of the Abuja Geographical and Information Services (AGIS).

The agency was established by the Federal Government in 2003, to embark on complete computerization of the cadastral and land registry of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

An aggrieved petitioner, Chief Frank Okoye, the Chief Executive Officer of Frank Woopet Nigeria Limited, told our correspondent that such distortion and falsification are allegedly perpetrated by the staff of AGIS to deprive developers of lands and reallocate the same to other influential people mainly government officials.

Our reporter’s investigations from discussion with officials of AGIS revealed that the sharp practices are sometimes initiated by influential presidency officials, who generate letters purportedly signed by the president aimed at giving land to their ‘friends’.

The letters which usually

target choice lands in the FCT are allegedly passed on to the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) officials, many of whom have turned to land racketeers and who in turn deceive the FCT Minister into signing the letters.

At the time of this report, a landed property earmarked for the construction of a five-star hotel at the Aviation village in FCT is allegedly being taken over and re-allocated to two individuals from Katsina and Delta states.

Although cases of this nature abound and many more are already in court, Chief Frank Okoye, who claims to be the owner of a proposed site in the FCT, said they had written a petition to the Minister over the takeover of the plot but that nothing is being done to correct this anomaly.

Woopet said that all the letters written to AGIS did not yield any official response.

Chief Okoye complained that Plot No. 1342 and 1343, with an old file No MISC 11546 Cadastral Zone 06-07, and a new No. 107 file no 52953 Cadastral Zone, E05, dated 05/29/97, belonging to Frank Woopet Nigeria Limited was sub-divided into three plots,

with two of them re-allocated to two different people.

When our reporter visited Chief Frank Okoye in his office at Wuse 2, he said that one Mahmud Bello (a.k.a “Wuse Bello”, of the data base unit of AGIS) showed him a letter purportedly written by the Presidency directing that his land with Certificate of Occupancy be used to settle some “friends to the Presidency”.

Peoples Daily checks revealed that the first part of the proposed site for the construction of a fivestar hotel was re-allocated to Alsaif Synergy Limited, of No.5, Modoji Road, Katsina, Katsina state with a new file number MISC 110896 and R-of-O dated 10/01/ 2011. Similarly, Mr. Ezganga Nigeria Limited, from 20A, Okumagba Avenue, Warri, Delta state was re-allocated the second part of the plot belonging to Frank Woopet Nigeria Limited.

According to the Change of Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy issued to Mr. Ezganga, his new file number reads MISC 112744 and was dated 16/03/2011.

Further checks at the record of AGIS revealed that Woopet had complied with the rules guiding

the land issuance; notwithstanding, however, AGIS went ahead to partition the land into three leaving him with one portion, while the other two were allocated to two different people without notice to the original owners.

When our reporter visited AGIS, those who spoke to him, but on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged that Frank Woopet Nigeria Limited, owners of the hotel-plot at the Aviation Village has a good case since he has Certificate of Occupancy and evidence of payments of ground rent.

As to why the company’s land was partitioned into three, the sources said that the Aviation Village was re-designed by the Department of Urban and Regional Planning which made the plot lose its original form.

The source said Frank Woopet Nigeria Limited should write to the Minister of FCT to recover the original plot.

Efforts to reach AGIS Director, Hajiya Jamila Tangaza was rebuffed, as she neither answered calls made to her telephone nor replied the text messages sent.

F

ormer staffers of Ecobank have given a one-week ultimatum to the management to settle all their unpaid severance packages or face legal actions over what they termed unfair treatment by their former employer.

The protesting staff said unpaid severance package and other entitlements were still been owe them two months after the termination of the appointment of 147 workers that cut across all cadres all over the country for what was termed “nonperformance” in March A statement signed on behalf of the aggrieved staff by Pastor Dipo Ojutiku and Mrs. Josephine Egbagbare said, “for over two months, we were laid off for what the bank referred to as nonperformance exit exercise, the one month salary in lieu of notice was incomplete and up till now, our severance package has not been paid thereby subjecting us and the members of our families to untold hardship.

“This is like beating a child and closing his mouth from crying. It is proper for those whose appointment were terminated to be given redundancy/exit package.

“The management of the bank have bluntly refused to pay us off stating that we are consistent nonperformers therefore they cannot pay us off because the disengagement was not a redundancy exercise.”

PAGE 10

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Briefly Orphanage homes: Group accuses FG of negligence

A

lliance for Credible Election has criticized the federal government over the negligence of orphanage homes, saying there is a disappearance of humanitarianism in governance in the country.

This is coming on the heel of recent happenings in Abia and some other states in the eastern part of the country, where baby factories were discovered.

General Secretary of the group, Emma Ezeazu, said "the disappearance of public good in governance, the ethnic and religious crisis that have taken place in different parts of the country, the unprecedented accidents that have taken place in our country overtime and sometimes, the mere wickedness of the heart of some people have no doubt caused grievous consequences in our nation."

By Umar Muhammad Puma

LG administration: Kogi Commissioner sues for cooperation

K

ogi state Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ndamodu Ali, has said that for the councils to deliver on their mandate, there must be a harmonious relationship among all stakeholders in local government administration.

In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, Akpata Jordan, the described local administration as critical to the people at the grassroots.

From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

AD decries ban on tricycles in Lagos

L

agos chapter of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) on Sunday decried the Lagos state’s ban on commercial tricycle (Keke Marwa) on major roads in the state.

The Lagos state chairman of the party, Chief Kola Ajayi, told newsmen yesterday that the ban was unnecessary considering the suffering of millions of Lagos residents that depend on the tricycles for transportation.

"After the ban on Okada on almost all the roads in Lagos State, moving round the state has become tortuous for residents," the statement said.

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

L-R: Executive Secretary, Women's Rights Advancement Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi; Conference Guest Speaker, Professor Sengul Celik; and Editorial Board member, Media Trust, Hajiya Aisha Yusuf; during the 1st Women Panel Conference, organised by Ufuk Dialogue Foundation, on Saturday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Emergency rule'll end insurgency, says PDP group

T

he Renaissance Group of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the emergency rule declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states by President Goodluck Jonathan a good move that will bring an end to insurgency in those states.

Addressing journalists in Abuja at the weekend after a meeting to review the president's action, National Coordinator of the group, Hon. Kyari Gujbawu, said the gesture is a demonstration of good leadership that will bring lasting solution to the deadly conflict.

He said that the use of the carrot and stick approach has

brought the Nigerian society on the same page with the president in the effort to end the conflict.

"You already see that the President's public approval rating on solution to tackling the conflict has improved in the last week since he proclaimed the emergency step," Rep Gujbawu who is the lawmaker representing one of the affected states, Borno, said.

"As controversial as the methodology has been over time, the President has got it right in the circumstance. He has shown he is a true leader and statesman.

All he deserves from us now is support; we need to compliment his will power by giving our

maximum cooperation," he added.

The group called on adherents of the Boko Haram to accept the olive branch offered by the President through the dialogue/amnesty programme to end the debacle. He also called on the troops carrying out the operation to stick to the rules of engagement keeping in mind their primary objective.

It described the declaration of state of emergency as a demonstration of 'leadership', saying the President has decided rightly, in the circumstance, to end the conflict and called on the few voices making unconstructive criticisms to

rally round the president to bring peace to Nigeria.

According to the group, Jonathan has demonstrated patience and wisdom in dealing with the issue to avoid bloodshed and prayed that Boko Haram will see wisdom in the dialogue option which is on the table.

Also, Hon. Friday Etula (PDP, Edo state), Hon. Lekan Abiola and Hon. Zanna Sunoma, all members of the PDP Renaissance Group urged residents in the affected states to carry out their civic responsibility in this trying period.

The National Assembly is expected to debate and approve the President's proclamation tomorrow.

SMEDAN: Groups hail Jonathan over appointment of DG

By Agaju Madugba

T

he Young Entrepreneurs Forum (AYEF) has hailed the President Goodluck Jonathan over the appointment of Hon Bature Umar Masari the new Director-General (DG) of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

According to the AYEF Coordinator, Abdulrashid Muhammad, the Presidency made the right choice, describing SMEDAM as strategic parastatal

which is critical to the actualization of government's transformation agenda as well as the economic advancement of the nation The group, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, urged Masari to collaborate with state governments and the private sector so as to make positive impact on the MSME sector.

According to the statement, "we strongly believe that Masari will work and get results and we know that President Jonathan must have a genuine reason for appointing him as the SMEDAN

Director General."

"Masari's pedigree is not in doubt as he has proven himself capable and versed in the MSME sector when he held sway as the Special Adviser to the Katsina state Governor on Poverty Alleviation, besides he is a professional journalist who is well acquainted with developments in the MSME sub sector.

"We urge the Director General of SMEDAN to carry all stakeholders in the sector along particularly the international donor agencies and parastatals

that are critical to the sector.

Also, the Joint Northern Youth Association (JNYA) in a statement equally Masari's as appointment as highly commendable, insisting that it was a case of a square peg in a square hole.

The statement signed by the President and Secretary of the association, Ahmed Umar, and Nasiru Sambo,respectively, recalled the successful poverty alleviation measures Masari conceived and implemented when he was Chairman of Kafur local government in Katsina state.

Tribunal strikes out petitions against Suswam From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

T

he Benue State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has dismissed the petitions of Professor Steven Ugbah of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Daniel Saror of the All Nigeria Peoples' Party (ANPP) against Governor Gabriel Suswam on grounds that the 180 days stipulated to hear the cases had elapsed.

The action of the tribunal was sequel to an application brought by counsel to the Governor, Damian Dodo (SAN).

Dodo argued that the Tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to take further step in both matters than to terminate proceeding on them, maintaining that the Supreme Court had done the same in the Borno election.

But counsel to Ugbah, Olarotimi Akeredolu, contended that it would amount to an abuse

of court processes to terminate the case while counsel to Saror, Chris Orpin, urged the court to dismiss Suswam's application.

Orpin said Section 9 sub (2) & (3) takes precedence over Section 285 sub (6) & (7) as the former dwells on fair hearing and right to justice.

"Our matter is distinguishable and clear as in other cases, 180 days ran without interruption while in this one, there was an interruption," Orpin said.

Both counsels to PDP and INEC Solomon Akuma (SAN) and Jubrin Okutepa (SAN) urged the Tribunal to dismiss the matter for lack of jurisdiction.

In a consolidated ruling, Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Halima Mohammed, held that the petition had elapsed since November 2012, stating that they lacked the jurisdiction to take any further step on the petitions and consequently struck them out.

PAGE 11

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

P

eople are looking for ways to save everywhere.

Looking for ways to earn, too, is even better. How far ahead in your financial goals could you get by actively pursuing both? Believe it or not there are easy ways to do that.

And even better than earning, is earning and doing something you LOVE. Sound like a pipe dream?

We're not talking becoming Trump's biggest rival in your financial endeavors (although that's certainly a goal worth shooting for), but doing something a little more modest with that side income, like paying off a loan or a credit card, paying for your child's education, or even adding to your retirement nest egg.

Whatever area you're looking

Work your passion to realize your financial goal

Money Tip:

What a startup job candidate needs?

Accountability / Responsibility Margaret Hartwig, corporate recruiter for Chitika, an online advertising network, says "Successful startups have no use for sycophants." Individuals have to show they're willing and able to not only come up with ideas, but defend those ideas and implement them. Hartwig shared that Chitika uses a lot of hypothetical situations to take people out of their comfort zone and see how they adapt and think on their feet.

A typical prompt might include: "Walk me through an idea that you came up with, implemented, and saw through to positive results. If you got initial pushback from your supervisors, that's even better."

Hartwig added, "Another interview question example: I'm planning on buying a local airport and airline that runs flights throughout the New England area. How would you approach making this into a regional operation? Convince me that your ideas have merit."

Quote The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.

- Peter F. Drucker

to increase your cash flow in, you can do it and do it with pleasure.

What is it that you love: Helping people, writing, football, or teaching?

Once you've identified that, and then look for places to use that passion. Writers can make money from home - especially stay at home moms looking to work when the kids are sleeping or at school. Or if you like

helping people, maybe you could start by helping the elderly in your area get around or take care of their errands.

People with a penchant for teaching could tutor online.

The Helping Industry is a bottomless one, so there are many opportunities available.

So now that you know where you want your passion to go to work for you, what do you do next?

Invest in it. Don't expect any return if you aren't investing in you first. That doesn't mean go all out. It means be smart.

And something you can't live without as a business owner is business cards (you can even get them free at Vista print).

You'll also need to rely on something besides word of mouth (and Facebook) to advertise for you. Use your investment money wisely and get going. Look for places that need your passion and put the word out there.

Work hard. But that's really the easy part because you are doing what you love. Although, it does require a little sacrifice, it isn't impossible to work full time, handle family responsibilities and nurture your side business. It just means you'll need to be a little creative to find the right time to work on it. Working one or two weekends a month might be an option for the kind of work you want to do. Or maybe you can even work from home daily. But, as long as you are willing to make that sacrifice, you will soon see a return on your passion.

Be patient. The first 100 people you approach may not work out, but that 101st person might end up being the boost you need to pick up your momentum. Patience and

perseverance are the name of the game when you're promoting your passion to make a profit.

So don't get discouraged.

Take this time to learn as much as you can about business management, marketing, and your passion in your spare time. And you'll put yourself on top of your game while you're waiting for that 101st person to notice you and what a magnificent job you do.

Eventually, you will find that 102nd person who appreciates your work, and that will lead to the 103rd and 104th. When that day comes, then you have to push forward in your original financial goal.

You set out to put away cash for your son's education, so once you start bringing the money in, stay that course and don't let anything sway you from your goal.

Now comes the hardest part When the money starts coming in, it's easy to let the naira drive every business decision. Situations will arise and ideas will develop, but by not letting those shiny objects distract you, you'll be able to reach that goal one naira at a time. Always think long term.

Putting these steps into place, your passion will soon become a part time profit procurer that helps you reach your financial goals. And you never know, that part time passion could even give you the freedom you need to one day walk away from a job that doesn't fulfill you the way your "side business" does.

Manage your money effectively, choose a right accountant

F

inding the right accountant can make a world of difference when it comes to managing your money, but it can be easier said than done. There are a few ways that you can make the process go much easier, though.

Why do you need an accountant?

The first question you need to think about when looking for an accountant is why do you need help with your finances, and what sort of help do you need? Not every individual really needs an accountant.

There are a number of services out there that can help you with your taxes, if that's your only concern. An accountant usually works with individuals or organizations with slightly more complicated finances, ranging from managing a business' finances to helping an individual keep investments straight.

You could just start calling accountants based on who is closest to you, but most accountants have specialties.

You're not going to get exactly the help you need from just any accountant.

When we talk about accountants, we can actually be referring to one of several different kinds of financial expert. There are quite a few different designations for

accountants, from the common "certified public accountant" to a certified management accountant or an accredited business accountant. It's most likely that you're looking for a CPA if you're generally looking for an accountant in the U.S. (other designations are used in other countries). A CPA will help set up the books for a new business, prepare tax returns, and handle a wide variety of other accounting tasks, unless

you have a sizable business and need specialized help with your accounting; a CPA is usually the place to start.

It's still important to narrow the field down even further, though. Many CPAs work with specific types of clients. For instance, the CPA who helps me with my business focuses on small businesses that don't need much in the way of payroll but do need advice on business operations from time to time. He

works with a lot of freelancers and small business owners, though he does take on other clients. Ask right off the bat about whether an accountant you're considering working with handles your type of situation most are very clear about what types of clients they want to work with. You should also ask about specifics like price and who will actually do any work, like preparing a tax return.

Make a note of what sort of help you need. The price you'll pay for an accountant's help can definitely depend on exactly what you need done. Most CPAs work on an hourly basis, often starting at a lower price and going up from there. But for c o m m o n situations, like needing a tax return prepared, you can expect prices to start going down, provided you are employed and don't have particularly complicated finances.

Share your Money Tip: do you have a business/money idea, and you want to share it with our dear readers? Then, send it to: ikabirsule@gmail.com or (text it to 08091904890)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

A

Adamawa's judicial quagmire

s it is, Adamawa state has been without a substantive Chief Judge for almost two years. The last one, Justice Bamarie Bansi, retired in 2011. Since then, Governor Murtala Nyako, who has the Constitutional power to nominate a replacement for approval by the National Judicial Council (NJC), has refused to exercise that authority. Instead, he has been appointing people to act as CJ. The present acting CJ, Nathan Musa, is the fourth in under two years.

Justice Bathimawus Popo Lawi was the first to be appointed as acting CJ after Bansi's retirement.

After his first term, he was reappointed still in an acting capacity. For whatever reason, governor Nyako refused to name him as the substantive CJ until his death last March. He died as the most senior judicial officer in the state.

Defying the CJN and the local Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) that wanted a substantive CJ for Adamawa, Nyako still went for an acting one. He appointed Justice Ishaku Banu in March, last year but sacked him three months later. He was replaced

by Justice Bobboi Umar who has now given way to Justice Musa. Lately, Nyako also sacked his Commissioner of Justice and Attorney-General, Barr. Shehu Tahir.

This governor suffers from a fear

complex. He does not feel politically safe even among his own appointees and party (PDP) members. His discomfort with the judiciary, in particular, is traceable to the events of 2008 when a court annulled his victory in the 2007 governorship election and the Speaker of the Adamawa state House of Assembly at

“

We applaud the NJC and the NBA for standing their grounds against executive impunity and political rascality in Adamawa.

Governor Nyako must be made to do the right thing the time, Mr. James Barka, was sworn in as governor. This explains why, when appearing to appease the NBA which had threatened a strike if he did not name a substantive CJ, Nyako last year put forward the name of one of his wives, Justice Binta. But the NJC promptly rejected her.

The NJC rejection of Justice Binta Nyako, it should be noted, was not because it was clearly a case of nepotism - a form of corruption - but

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

because her nomination breached the judiciary's hierarchy rule which says only the most senior judicial officer of a state should be appointed as its CJ. Binta, though a federal judge, is not the most senior judicial officer from Adamawa state. In seniority, she is not second, third or even fifth, we are told.

However, the moral burden of her nomination is not to be dismissed.

Let us, for a moment, pretend that she is not the wife of a sitting governor. As a Nigerian and indigene of the Adamawa state particularly, she is eminently qualified to aspire to become the state's CJ. But the truth that we cannot run away from is that Binta is the wife of today's governor of her own state. Her nomination for the position of CJ by her husband presented a moral burden which he was unable to discharge. Assuming the NJC had given its approval, how would she have acquitted herself in that position? Definitely, she could not have mustered the will to contradict her governor husband whose conduct in office is interminably erratic. Was it not to give him judicial cover that Nyako put her name forward?

We applaud the NJC and the NBA for standing their grounds against executive impunity in Adamawa.

Governor Nyako must be made to do the right thing.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

CHAIRMAN MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE DIRECTOR/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RUFA’I IBRAHIM MANAGING EDITOR ABDUL-AZEEZ ABDULLAHI

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALI M. ALI

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA

ACTING EDITOR, DAILY HAMEED M. BELLO

MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

HEAD, LAGOS BUREAU ADESOJI OYINLOLA

ACTING EDITOR, WEEKEND JAMILA NUHU MUSA

“To be a reputable, profitable, innovative and technologically reliant media company offering world class services and products”

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

PAGE 13

Road safety in the eyes of today's ICT

By Kunle Bello

W

orld's statistics according to "Global status report on road safety 2013", reveal that there are 3400 road traffic deaths everyday. This translates to a minimum of 2 (2.36) deaths per minute coupled with 30 to 95 road traffic inflicted injuries and fatalities every minute, and about 31 pedestrians losing their lives every hour. Young adults aged between 15 and 44 years account for 65% of global road traffic deaths with 77% of them occurring among men. Not surprisingly, more than 90% of deaths that result from road traffic injuries occur in low- and middle-income countries of the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions.

These figures are bewildering, daunting and unacceptable but however, this extant situation is largely preventable or avoidable.

Incidentally, projections indicate that these figures will unfortunately increase by about 65% over the next 20years unless there is new commitment to prevention. Aside these irretrievable human capital losses are also economic losses to victims, their families, and to nations as a whole. Indeed, national estimates have illustrated that road traffic crashes cost countries between 13% of their Gross National Product (GNP).

Understandably, Nigeria's extant road carnage underscores the foregoing world statistics. In his brilliant paper "Federal Road Safety Corps - The journey so far"

delivered to a national audience of the National Television Authority (NTA) on 8 March 2012, the FRSC helmsman Osita Chidoka OFR, declared that between 1970 and 1980 there were 317,838 road traffic crashes resulting in 65,972 deaths. This number of road traffic deaths translates to about 18 deaths per day, on the average. Moving forward, he posited that in 2011 alone, the average number of road traffic deaths per state was 118 in 129 road crashes per state, on the average. Paradoxically, the paper reveals that Oyo state the trailblazer in road safety management, had the highest figure of 300 road traffic deaths in about 475 crashes in 2011.

From the foregoing, the average number of road traffic deaths in 2011 for the whole country therefore translates to about 12 deaths per day as against 18 deaths per day, between 1970 and 1980, on the average.

By extension, whereas, 79.24% of lives were saved in 317,838 road crashes between 1970 and 1980 on the average, only an abysmal 8.53% of lives were saved in 4,773 accidents in 2011, on the average. This amazing disparity in lives saved is in contradistinction to the improvement achieved in the number of road traffic deaths in the period under scrutiny. It is not only flummoxing, it simply presents a microcosm of the state of our nation, Nigeria today. This roller coaster situation therefore calls for proper examination and some urgent and concerted efforts at saving more or all lives on our roads, not only by FRSC but also the Federal Ministry of Health in

concert with all our emergency agencies across the country. After all, the FRSC and other emergency agencies start by identifying, locating crash sites, carrying out exigent first-aid and emergency treatments and finally evacuating all victims to the nearest hospitals, clinics or medical centres. As the 2011 figures for the number of road traffic deaths in comparison to the actual number of road crashes depict an appalling and startling effectiveness at saving lives, then, aside other issues, the adequacy of medical facilities and capacity of appropriate medical attention under pressure, therefrom, leave much to be desired.

In recognition of this year's theme, it is incumbent on road traffic and road safety management operatives to exploit the sprawling footprints and power of ICT to augment and enhance the well-established methods of keeping safe roads.

These methods include - road safety campaigns and advertisements, driver education and training to control road user behaviour, road safety prevention and media coverage, and inclusion of first-aid training during licensing processes.

Attention should also be paid to a greater use of multi-disciplinary crash investigations, supporting greater implementation of its technologies and reducing causalities at level crossings and promoting effective implementation of the 1968 Convention on Road Signs and Signals, amongst many other UN legal instruments for road safety - Conventions and Agreements. And in every decision made by the operatives

of road safety management, special cognizance should be taken of the most vulnerable groups: pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

The promotion and development of intelligent transport systems that utilize ICT footprints to control and monitor traffic flows thereby preventing traffic accidents should be encouraged. It is however, relevant to examine the often overlooked "peril and promise" of technology regarding the plethora of ICT devices - mobile phones and in-car navigational systems that are essentially designed for motorists' comfort and convenience but which their unsafe use cause avoidable technology-related distractions thereby leading to road accidents some of which culminate in deaths, injuries and other fatalities. Indeed, the uses of safe user-interfaces such as handsfree devices in vehicles and in-car radars for collision avoidance are created to eliminate such technology-related distractions.

These measures will not only prevent traffic accidents but also improve efficiencies in traffic management as means of combating the effects of climate change.

In Nigeria, there is no gainsaying that there is paucity of basic national legislation in the area of road safety. Incidentally, even the legislations that exist in other areas including other sectors of the economy - lack of enforcement, delayed or contrived judgment, proclivity for non-compliance and impunity from punishment or justice for some offending motorists - all combine forces to

render law and order ineffectual thereby making our roads more unsafe for all. And thus, the promise by FRSC to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% in year 2020 could remain a dream if such irreverent lacuna persists.

The startling and unacceptable world's statistics regarding road traffic deaths and injuries lend credence to the appropriateness of this year's theme - "ICTs and improving road safety", especially so that the day - 17 May 2013, falls within the declared "Decade for Action for Road Safety" by UN. It is therefore essential to incorporate ICT footprints and legislation with enforcement in keeping safe roads, as they form the necessary building blocks to creating a solid foundation for road safety in the world, more so in developing countries especially Nigeria.

As a final word - in Nigeria, how many more lives can we save if we integrate the use of our underutilized satellite systems whose footprints involving Global Positioning System (GPS), can capture road accident sites in real-time and simultaneously transmit the ensuing information to FRSC and other emergency agencies including medical centres and even the police? And also, how many more lives can we save should we translate all traffic-related documents especially the Federal Highway Code, into some Nigerian languages for an essentially non English-speaking population or motorists?

Kunle Bello, a former MD of M-TEL, is reachable on kbimn@me.com

State of emergency a bold decision

By Chukwuemerie Uduchukwu

T

here have been an outcry by individuals, groups and organisations on the need for stronger security measures in trouble states of Northern Nigerian. This is due to the high rate of terror activities by the Boko Haram sect that led to the death of many innocent Nigerians. The sect delighted in slaughtering Nigerian citizens like festive cows without any justifiable reason. The Boko Haram sect declared western education a sin and claimed to be fighting Jihad but at the same time ironically also delighted in using advanced medium such as e-mail, IEDs and various kinds of ammunition, which are all products of the West, to perpetrate their evil acts.

Some groups and individuals advised President Jonathan to grant amnesty to these wicked animals in human nature, citing the amnesty granted to the Niger Delta militants by his predecessor, late Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'adua, as precedent.

These set of individuals failed to understand that the Niger Delta militants were fighting to attract the presence of government to the region due to the fact that 90 per cent of the nation's revenue is generated from there, yet there is no infrastructural facilities in the area. Their land and water

have all been polluted by mining activities of the oil companies.

Also the Niger Delta militants mainly centered their attacks on oil facilities and security agents but the deadly Boko Haram sect delights in slaughtering innocent citizens including Christians, Muslims and even their traditional leaders.

It is even shocking to hear the Boko Haram sect declared that its members did not need the amnesty from the Federal Government because they had not committed any offence, and that it was the federal government that deserves amnesty from them. Yet, some groups and individuals continued their demand for amnesty for the unrepentant

deadly group. This raised some doubt on the sincerity of these groups and individuals because it's no use granting pardon to a group that unrepentant.

Moreover, the conditions given by the sect for ceasefire is even ludicrous. The sect said it would suspend its attacks only if President Jonathan abandons Christianity and embraces Islam. They also urged the Federal Government to declare Nigeria an Islamic state. These demands showed that the sect has no any other ideology than shedding innocent blood because Islam, which they claim to defend, never make any provision for forceful conversion of non Muslims to the religion.

Furthermore, recent

“

developments in the troubled northern parts of Nigeria, especially Borno, Yobe and Adamawa state, call for extraordinary measures and President Jonathan has no option than to declare a state of emergency in those states. It is true that these states before now have heavy presence of the military but the implementation of section 305 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will certainly increase the powers of the security agents to perform better. They will no more need to go through various democratic processes which may slow down their actions before reacting to insecurity in those states. Also, the president should be

The action of the president is highly commendable but the presidency needs to enlighten Nigerians on why Adamawa is one the states on which it slammed emergency rule. This is because the state had not witnessed any high-level terror attacks like the other states. The only major crisis in Adamawa is the political upheaval within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which does not warrant a declaration of a state of emergency

commended for retaining the states' elected governors in office unlike what obtained during the emergency rules of the Obasanjo's administration. Those arguing that President Jonathan should have suspended all democratic structures in those states should understand that a proclamation of a state of emergency does not mean declaration of Military system of government. Governors in those states can still perform their democratic functions like provision of infrastructural facilities but will no more be the chief security officers of their states throughout the period of emergency rule. The states' security will be controlled totally by the military while the state governments are still under the control of their governors.

The action of the president is highly commendable but the presidency needs to enlighten Nigerians on why Adamawa is one the states on which it slammed emergency rule. This is because the state had not witnessed any high-level terror attacks like the other states. The only major crisis in Adamawa is the political upheaval within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which does not warrant a declaration of a state of emergency.

Chukwuemerie Uduchukwu is a political science student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

PAGE 14

Dipo Fashina: Farewell to the last man standing

By Adewale Stephen

O

n May 7-9, Obafemi Awolowo University Campus came alive as both the students, activists and scholars from every walks of life storm OAU to honour Dr. Oladipo Fashina, an erudite scholar of Philosophy and former National President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as he retires from the University Job. In his fruitful years of meritorious service which spans for forty good years, he had not only been a remarkably warm and gregarious person marked by a probing and ranging intellect and a rich activism, but also one who especially delighted in the significant exchanges and the specific public trust of academic life.

Jingo, as he is fondly called in OAU, is a man of action and vision. His philosophical insights, his writing, his activism, his ideology, and his approach to teaching are his weapons. Of all that will be written about Dr. Oladipo Fashina the husband, father, teacher, colleague, unionist, scholar, philosopher, fighter, and gentle man, I believe a lasting tribute to him should be that he will be remembered for his exploits as the President of ASUU. Before Jingo became the National President of ASUU in 2001, the universities lecturers were as poor as church's rats. In

By Dele Agekameh

F

irst, it was at about 5 am on Monday, May 6, 2013, in Bama, a sleepy border town in Borno State. That day, suspected insurgents popularly called Boko Haram attacked Bama at dawn. Fifty-five people, mostly security personnel - 20 policemen, two soldiers and 13 prison officials - were among the casualties. By the time the dust settled, a number of dangerous weapons, including improvised explosive devices (IEDs), assorted ammunition, rapid propelled grenades (RPG), general purpose machine guns, bombs and others were recovered from the 'theatre of war'.

The nation was still gripped in the throes of grief and mourning, when less than 24 hours later, precisely, at 12 midnight the same Monday, tragedy struck again. This time, in Alakyo Village, about 10 kilometres to Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital. A contingent of policemen who were on their way to a notorious shrine at Alakyo to effect arrest were ambushed at a point on their route by deadly, bloodthirsty cultists, simply known as the Ombatse - meaning 'Enough' - militia group. In the ensuing gunfight, 23 policemen were mowed down. By the last count, the casualty figure of the security agents may have risen to 47. This includes policemen and State Security Service, SSS, officials. Among the dead is an Assistant Commissioner of Police.

Shortly after the bloody confrontation, a thoroughly shaken frightened Tanko Al-

Since he fact, so poor picked up the that Professor teaching job at Grace Alele OAU as a William brilliant young Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text famously scholar in messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written announced, in 1973, Dr. her days as the contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 Fashina has Vice Chancellor words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and made it a of the a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed practice to University of to: make Benin, that she courageous would never choices. He The Editor, allow any of encountered her daughters Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, and overcame to marry a 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. harassment, Professor! The Email: opinion@peoplesdaily-online.com political reason was SMS: 08134607052 enticement and very obvious at financial that time; even inducement to the Universities Professors were so achieve the prestigious positions inner recess of my mind to have poorly paid that they found it he assumed over the years. Those Dr. Fashina stand in a class and difficult to maintain a decent positions alone could have teach me Philosophy, and family successfully! But all these fortunately for me, this hope constituted an important legacy witnessed radical changes as in its own right, but an even became materialized following soon as Dr. Fashina mounted the my undergraduate admission more important example of his saddle as he took the then willingness to stay to his into OAU in 2008 as he was the Nigerian government to the principles was his willingness to listed lecturer that taught me cleaners. Fashina not only step away from those high-profile Phil 101 and Phil 104. In those imagined campus communities positions in the name of social classes, I saw firsthand his that are free of poor scholars, justice. His choices were never analytical power and skill at brain drain, morally and directing and lecturing a class, a easy for him or for his family as financially discouraged his choices often brought class I will never forget was intellectuals, but he devoted his when he talked about the theory superfluous and undeserved life and his life's work to embarrassment, incarceration, of development and why achieving that goal. as well as persecution from the privatization will never bring Deeply respected and loved state and its agents. Still, it was Nigeria out of the doldrums. He by the students who came his his unwillingness to relinquish took students who spend their way, I knew of Jingo, as he is his ideological affiliations or lives studying the realm of the popularly called in OAU, abandon his deeply-held personal probable and dared us to through his activities before I imagine and strive for the realm commitments that helped me to met him as an undergraduate understand the value and of the improbable. He had the student in OAU. I have been consequence of adhering to soul of a philosopher and the nursing the hope within the principle. vision of a revolutionary.

According to a 20th century philosopher, Marcus Garvey, he wrote that: "Yet the thing that lives in history, the thing that goes to the credit of man, is not how much wealth he has piled up for himself; is not how comfortable he has lived, but how good he has done for the rest of humanity. The present world generally worships power, influence and wealth. It is very easy to find sycophants who will fawn before such, and who will pay unreasonable compliments; but those who encourage and help the poor are few, and when they do engage themselves in such labour there is nothing else transient for them but condemnation".

Perhaps, this is why Dr. Fashina was very careful to ensure that he autographed his deeds with excellence. For in the end, the mark of leadership is how many lives have been touched and how many enduring institutions built by such leader continues to serve, edify and uplift humanity. As my indefatigable teacher bows out of the system, I say a big farewell to a man I have come to know intimately over the years.

Surely, Dr. Fashina's exit marks the end of an era, therefore, the question on every body's lip is: from whence comes another Jingo? Ciao Sir. Adewale Stephen is a lecturer in Department of History, Osun State College of Education, Ilesa.

duties before storming the notorious shrine, he agreed. He then emphasised that modernday crime fighting should evolve the use of hi-tech equipments so as to be far ahead of the criminals.The escalation of violence against security agents may be a fall-out of the kid's glove approach the nation has been adopting in tackling growing insurgency and banditry across the country. It is high time we rose to the growing challenge and check the rising impunity with which the criminals have been carrying out their deadly exploits.

My police officer friend believes that those who attacked Bama were not Boko Haram insurgents, but a certain group of bandits who operate along Birnin-Gwari axis. His argument is that the real Boko Haram agents have somehow gone a bit cold because of effective security coordination in the northern part of the country, especially in recent times. But then the rise of different militias or gangsters all over the place is a sign that things are really snowballing out of control. We have heard about Odua People's Congress, OPC, in the South-West; Egbesu Boys and a surfeit of others in the Niger Delta; Massob in the East; and now the Ombatse in Nassarawa State. Yet there are more than a thousand and one such criminally-minded groups mushrooming on a daily basis all over the country.

Al-Makura said that the

Ombatse group had been identified since January this year, when their satanic exploits escalated. But what did he do to immediately clip their wings?

That was how Boko Haram grew to become the monster it has assumed. Lack of decisiveness and political will to crush these groups must have been providing the oxygen needed to fester and become a malignant tumour to the nation.A foreign journal captured it succinctly in a headline last week: "From motorcycle fighters to grenade throwers". Now, those who attacked Bama had RPG and antiaircraft guns mounted on 4×4 wheel vehicles. Perhaps, we are moving to the era where these terrorists will involve the use of fighter jets for bombing raids. The way things are going, we may wake up one day to discover that Aso Rock is under heavy shelling, both aerial and land bombardments, by terrorists.

This is the time for our security agencies to sit down and decisively address this growing insurgency and violence all over the place. There is also the need to create employment and put food on the table of Nigerians.

There are far too many idle hands and hungry mouths which are fertile grounds for easy recruitment to all forms of banditry now plaguing the country. God help Nigeria!

Dele Agekameh can be reached on quiklinknetwk@aol.com

WRITE TO US

Coming under 'enemy' fire Makura, the governor of the state, dashed to Aso Rock, Abuja.

There, he held a closed-door meeting with Namadi Sambo, the Vice-President who was holding the forte for President Goodluck Jonathan, who was out on an official visit to Southern Africa. He later told State House reporters that, prior to the Alakyo massacre, it was discovered that the militia group was holding arms and carrying out cult activities in the state. He was not alone. Gabriel Suswan, the governor of Benue State, was also in Abuja to report the clash in Agatu Local Government Area of his state. The clash also claimed the lives of people, including women and children, who were attacked in their sleep.

He told State House correspondents: "I came to brief the Vice-President on the security situation in Benue… there are serious altercations between the Fulanis and the local farmers in Agatu Local Government… and they almost overran the local government.

There were a lot of killings, a lot of property destroyed."

The three incidents above are as disturbing as they are confusing. Bama to Alakyo is a distance of about 700 kilometres and nothing less than six hours' drive. Besides, Nassarawa is a contiguous state to Abuja, the seat of government. And there is a common thread that ran through both the Bama and Alakyo attacks - 'sorrow, tears

and blood' - as scores of security agents were callously hacked down.

Criminals seem to have become more emboldened to confront security agents and slaughter them at will. Last week alone, if you add the figure in Alakyo (47), Bama (33) policemen, soldiers and prison officials - you will get 80. If you add that to the 11 policemen who were posted on guard duties in Bayelsa, but were recently attacked on the high seas, it gives a staggering figure of 91. The majority of the fatalities - 68 - are policemen. Considering the rate these killings are taking place, the numerical strength of the police is being rapidly depleted.

And come to think of it, how many policemen does the nation have? About 370,000, and this insufficient number is being further run down in the orgy of massacre that has gripped the nation.

A friend and a very senior police officer in Abuja agreed with me that there might have been a operational error in the attack in Alakyo. According to him, "I suspect there was either a failure of intelligence or that the movement of the security agents was leaked to the cultists, or they had a mole within who gave them advance tips. Otherwise, it was a moving force that was mercilessly dealt such a big blow."

When I told him that the police should have deployed helicopters for surveillance or reconnaissance

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

PAGE 15

Danbaba Suntai: Who will bail the cat?

O

n 25th October 2012, Mr. Danbaba Suntai, the elected governor of Taraba state, piloted a Cessna 208 5N - BMJ plane to a near fatal crash near the Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depot on the outskirts of Yola. The governor, his aide-de-camp and chief security officer, who were also in the plane that took off from Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, were seriously injured.

Suntai, who graduated as a pilot from the Aviation College in Zaria the previous year is described by those who know him closely as a mere pupil pilot who had no business flying an aircraft - a mentally taxing job when he already had the fate of millions of Nigerians to cope with.

The governor was found unconscious at the scene of the tragedy and taken to Yola Specialist Hospital for treatment.

From there he was moved to the better-equipped Federal Medical Centre, Yola. When his situation did not improve, he was taken to the National Hospital in Abuja.

Still his situation was hopeless so he was flown to Germany. From Germany, he is now in the US in search of medical help.

Initially, there was pandemonium in Jalingo when the news of the crash filtered in.

Residents were thrown into mourning following reports that the governor had died in the crash. Mercifully, he survived.

With Suntai's incapacitation, his deputy, Alhaji Garba Umar, who was sworn in barely twenty days

By Michael Oluwagbemi

S

imply put, it is impossible to plan for what you don't know! Even in oppressive regimes of apartheid South Africa and Mao's China, enumeration was necessary for planning and economic prosperity even in the absence of freedom. It has been impossible since independence to obtain an accurate count of Nigerians.

What takes place in Nigeria is political census; perverted by mundane considerations and wrongly incentivized to produce grave errors. If the basic function of counting ourselves is impossible, no wonder we're still hunting fifty years later how to vote, run an electric grid and build good roads! To begin to effectively right the ship of Nigeria's state a thorough enumeration underlined by a need to plan for proper economic development must be undertaken.

While the proposed national identity/electoral/payment card scheme is the step in the right direction, only a complete enumeration of Nigerians into a single database will suffice for long term economic planning and consequently, development.

It should be expected that there will be political dimension to enumeration, but this should be exploited to improve accuracy.

There must be a balance between reward for being enumerated (government benefits) and responsibility (taxation). These balances of factors could also in the long run fundamentally reshape the relationship between the government and its people,

before, on October 5, following the impeachment of Alhaji Sani Abubakar, took charge.

Then began a game of cat and mouse, hide and seek. The governors image makers did a good job of reassuring the state and particularly his supporters that it was a matter of days and the governor would be strong and healthy to resume his office.

Then they said it would be a matter of weeks; then as the weeks rolled on, it became a matter of months. Now it is over six months and it may as well become a year; Danbaba is still on his sick bed. His case has thus become a universal reference point that on matters of clinical health, there is a limit to what spin doctors can do.

The Taraba State House of Assembly stepped in boldly and brilliantly. On November 14, it passed a resolution mandating Alhaji Garba Umar to Act as the Governor In Compliance With Section 190 Sub-Section (2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Still the controversy persists. Prof Zakari Aliyu who is the Chief Medical Director of Taraba Specialist Hospital and the Consultant supervising Danbaba's personal physician has told the Taraba House of Assembly that the ailing governor may not return soon as the accident has partially damaged his brain.

At the vortex of this controversy is Alhaji Umar Garba, a man whose name carried no political wind until his emergence as the deputy

governor in October last year. He has kept his calm and remained loyal to his ailing boss, some say to a fault. His humble mien and extreme loyalty, demonstrated in his relationship with appointees of Danbaba and the steady implementation of all projects embarked on by him has

Emmanuel Yawe 08024565402 royawe@yahoo.com calmed tensions in the state.

But the problem in Taraba today goes beyond Danbaba and Umar. It is about the Constitution; it is about the rule of law; it is about the welfare of millions of people that live under the authority of the government of Taraba.

The framers of the 1999 Constitution made provision for an executive office at the state and federal levels because they believed the Governor and President needed executive powers to control the waves.

They did not anticipate that a man would be an acting governor precariously and endlessly. They wisely made provision for smooth succession

where a governor is incapacitated on grounds of ill health.

The "Danbaba will be home soon" story marketed by his image launderers has turned out to be a fake product. The man, from all indications is not near recovery and nobody, least of all the apolitical Umar Garba and the millions of citizens that live in Tarba, should be blamed or made to suffer for it. For how long will they continue to live under an acting governor who is himself uncertain of his fate?

As a governor, Danbaba was a blessing to Taraba state before the tragic air crash. He changed the face of Jalingo through the provision of massive infrastructure -macadamized roads, Taraba State University and Jalingo Airport are legacies that will last for ever. More than that, he opened up the rustic hinterland of Taraba with tarred

“

As a governor, Danbaba was a blessing to Taraba state before the tragic air crash.

He changed the face of Jalingo through the provision of massive infrastructure macadamized roads, Taraba State University and Jalingo Airport are legacies that will last for ever

Count, tax and share and restore accountability (as taxpaying citizens, also vote and demand good governance).

Starting with the responsibility, i.e. taxes, there is no doubt that the breakdown between government revenue and the tax system is an underlining driver of corruption in not just Nigeria but the rest of resource-rich Africa, leading to endemic poverty. In most African countries, royalties and concession fees or revenues from natural resources far outstrip taxes collected.

There is so because of the tendency of the African politicians to arrogate these resources to the state, using the power of the gun to seize community lands to extract these precious resources, utilize the proceeds of such deals to finance a protection battalion that in turn afflicts agony on the land- keeping it repressed, while the political class feeds fat! After all, it is nobody's money - and it comes really easy: it is cocaine money! As the case may be, resources in the ground are worth nothing until foreign investors bring to bear their technology. With investors coming in different shapes and sizes- some with bags of money and mouth loaded with pearls, others with devious tendencies and machinations. Ask Congo, ask Liberia: they'll kill if need be.

The deal making as such becomes the most important localized aspect of the

monetization of these natural resources, and hence the very source of corruption! Speaking about benefits- absent a groundup individual land ownership with full mineral rights, as obtainable in parts of North America- the second best option for resource rich countries is to share revenues directly to citizens. This sharing (some call it, resource control) has to be citizen based and not communal, or based on some random geographic entity which is often a product of historical corruption and/or colonization. A just formula to compensate all Nigerians for the oil retrieved in her name, and held in trust by the government for the people will circumvent the rampant corruption inherent in oil deals.

Instead of the excessive focus on elections, perhaps we will just be again happier being citizens.

A first step to free Africa's and certainly Nigeria's government of corruption is to re-allocate revenue from crude oil, bitumen, coal and other natural resource concession directly to the people. The idea that government knows best when it comes to capital allocation has proven to be mockery given the manner in which $400 billion in oil revenues have been looted in Nigeria since independence, out of the $800 billion received. The only direct oil spending should be a fixed amount devoted to only capital projects, with the

roads, schools and health facilities. Perhaps the greatest achievement of Danbaba to me was his ability to keep the peace in a state which was moving on the slippery road to anarchy when he came to power in 2007.

Danbaba was able to achieve all these because he had a firm grip of the reins of government in his hands. Already, three religious riots have broken out since Umar Garba took over - one in Ibi and two in Wukari. As I write, there is a 24 hour curfew in Wukari. In fact, the town has stopped burning because there is nothing more to burn.

Taraba cannot continue like this. I, therefore, call on men and women of courage, of whom Taraba is not short, to bail the cat and let a succession process, as stipulated in the Constitution, be put in motion for Alhaji Garba Umar to exercise the full powers of the governor.

balance going directly as checks on an annual basis to all registered Nigerians! Indeed, the component of crude oil and other mineral revenue receipts devoted to high value projects should flow directly to the states, leaving the federal government entirely tax receipts dependent.

Whereas the former system incentivized corruption, encourage election violence and rigging, reinforced the mentality of do-or-die, the new system will restore justice, deemphasize political service in favor of citizenship and boost enumeration accuracy for planned development as only the registered will benefit. Assuming Nigeria's nearly $11 billion (1.87 trillion naira) in oil sales revenue to the federal government were sent directly to the people (with state allocations left intact) an average Nigerian will receive a cheque of eleven thousand naira per annum. While this might look like peanuts, it will go a long way to alleviate the sufferings of three-fifth of Nigeria's citizens living on less than one dollar a day.

How then will the Federal Government fund itself, some might ask? That is a really easy one; the government's current tax receipts amounts to $5.165 billion in 2012 alone. This is in a climate of poor collection and poor enumeration. With better enumeration driven by the promise of free cheques to citizens, and better economic

surveillance this pot alone can be quadrupled easily in the first year -driving up revenue available to a much leaner government that is free of rent seekers looking to sip from the oil dripping pan. There is a case to be made for a smaller government, but even a more effective one; boosting the tax base as a precursor to development was perfected in Lagos, let us just replicate it!

Certainly, to take this system of "enumerate and tax" further, it may be coupled with a very strict system of taxation and restoration of the colonial era head tax. If every Nigerian taking the "resource dole" is required to remit a flat tax of two thousand naira only, we'll be looking at an extra one billion dollar in head tax revenue with necessary exemptions to the poor, aged, retired and selfemployed requiring annual system of tax returns (for all citizens) governed by an aggressive punitive system for those that fail to file even if they own no taxes. Filing may be as easy as showing up in a government office at the beginning of the next tax year for the very illiterate. No doubt, the foundations of a much stronger economy and sociopolitical system can be laid by counting, sharing the proceeds of Nigeria's freely given mineral wealth directly with her citizens, and requiring 100% coverage of Nigeria's tax regime. We know what to do to right Nigeria, why not?

Michael Oluwagbemi's professional profile is on LinkedIn

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Telephone network problem in FCT disrupts seeds, fertiliser distribution

P

A bead seller attending to his clients, recently in Garki, Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Abuja park operators advised to develop land

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has advised park operators with genuine papers within the FCT to develop their land or have them revoked.

The Minister gave this warning at the weekend while meeting with some officials of the FCT Parks & Recreation Department in his office.

Senator Mohammed insisted that efforts must be made to develop them in accordance with the

conditions in which they were leased to them.

His words: “It is highly advisable that any Park Operator that earlier had genuine documents through Public bidding or Ministerial Approval, should endeavor to develop them under the conditions within which it was granted or risk being revoked”.

According to him, such offers were made with certain conditions attached, which must be conformed with.

He reiterated that such lease

was neither meant to be transferred, nor sold to a third party.

The Minister restated that the FCT Administration would not release title document on any Park & Garden within the 8,000 square kilometers of the Federal Capital Territory to any Operator.

Senator Mohammed revealed that all Certificates of Occupancy meant for the Parks & Garden in the Territory are domiciled in the Department of Parks and Recreation in the Abuja

Metropolitan Management Council.

Senator Mohammed reiterated that no title document on any of the Gardens would be released to the Park Operators because such areas are only being sub-leased and would be taken back at the expiration of the lease period depending on activity on such areas.

According to him, the activity on such Parks determines the lease period, which is being graduated between 5 and 35 years, which is the maximum.

Kuje chair commissions town hall in Rubochi

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Hon. Danladi Etsu Zhin has commissioned a multipurpose town hall at Rubochi community.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony at Rubochi over the weekend, Zhin said the town hall is not for the people of Rubochi alone, but for every other

persons in Kuje , adding that it is part of the achievement by his administration to provide the dividend of democracy to the people.

According to him, it is this administration that influenced the well coming back of the general hospitals Rubochi which has come to stay; he said this administration also lobbied to ensure that the area council partner with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and

today there is water in Rubochi community.

In his words: “The water also extended to Ope and Tika community. The council also resolved to supply diesel to ensure that the generator functions to provide water to these communities”.

Danladi enjoined the people of Rubochi to remain focus and be law abiding for the development of the area.

He also appealed to them to cooperate with the incoming Chairman, Hon. Ishiaku Tete Shaban, so that they can all move Kuje area council forward through unity.

He appealed to the people of Rubochi to make judicious use of the town hall, pointing out that the hall is not meant for money making, but a token of N 10, 000 will be charge per occasion.

Gwagwalada Chairman-elect lauds ANPP merger convention

By Chris Alu

T

he Chairman-elect in Gwagwalada Area Council, Hon. Jibrin Giri has hailed the recent merger convention of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) saying it

was a huge success.

He stated this to newsmen in Gusau the Zamfara state capital, according to him the convention which ratified the merger into the All Progressive Congress (APC) is imperative in order to kick the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) out of power.

He explained that PDP has failed to deliver the dividends of democracy in various ways and that the merger will bring in positive change Giri said he will continue

with the foundation laid by the outgoing Chairman, adding that the outgoing Chairman did very well in the council The chairman -elect said he will use the office to help win back the confidence of the people.

oor mobile telephone services in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is disrupting the smooth distribution of seeds and fertilisers under the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who monitored the agro-input distribution at the Jukwo Centre, report that although the products were available, some farmers did not receive an alert qualifying them for participation.

Mr Kongoila Mustapha, the field officer in charge of Jikwoyi redemption centre, said the exercise had been going on smoothly, adding that poor network was the major problem. ``This centre covers Karu, Nyanya and Jikwoyi. On Monday when the exercise started we were unable to start because we did not get the farmers' list. ``The following day, we started and it was smooth until yesterday when we started having network problems, which forced us to redeem only 25 farmers. ``We will send the SMS but the response will not come and everybody was getting frustrated; so I had to call the office and they gave us an alternative. ``The alternative they gave was that whenever the network is not going and the officer can identify the farmer, then you can redeem the farmer after trying for about 10 minutes. ``But the agro dealer in charge said he was not comfortable with that arrangement," Mustapha said.

Mr Shuaibu Shitu of Gali Global Concept, the agro dealer in charge of the centre, corroborated that poor telephone service was the problem.

Shitu said: ``The problem that we have is network because some farmers do not have farmers' identity numbers. ``This is the only problem we have now; if it is rectified, the exercise will run smoothly because the products are available.''

NAN reports that the two bags of 50 kg fertiliser are redeemed for a price of N6,500, while a 20 kg bag hybrid maize is given out free.

Farmers at the redemption centre expressed joy with the exercise, but complained that some people who were not farmers collected the products and resold them.

John Jile, a farmer, thanked the Federal Government for the programme, and said that he hoped it would continue.

Two female farmers, Felicia Mark and Taruwa Jard, thanked the government for the programme and demanded the provision of other agro-inputs to help in their farming activities.

The GES scheme is designed to provide affordable agricultural inputs, including fertilisers and hybrid seeds to farmers in order to increase their yields. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Kuje council lauds journalists on news coverage Stories by Adeola Tukuru

J

ournalists covering activities of Kuje Area Council of the FCT have been praised for adhering to the ethics of journalism and reporting events factually.

The outgoing chairman of the council, Mr Danladi Zhin, gave the commendation in Kuje over the weekend at a forum organised by the correspondents covering the area.

Zhin thanked the correspondents for their objective reporting, and urged them to extend the same cooperation to the incoming administration.

He said the new administration would need the cooperation to sustain development of the council in particular and the nation at large.

He noted that the role of the media is to protect the interest of the ordinary citizen.

The outgoing chairman also applauded the security agencies, traditional rulers and religious leaders for their contributions to the protection of lives and property in the area.

The spokesman for the forum, Mr Muktar Abdullahi, extolled the virtue of the chairman, and commended him for carrying them along since the inception of his administration.

PAGE 17

FCT minister swears-in newly elected council chairman today

T

he FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed has concluded arrangements to inaugurate the newly elected Chairmen of the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Chairmen will be inaugurated by the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (CON) on Monday at the Banquet Hall of the FCT Minister’s Official Residence in Gwarinpa I District.

The Area Councils whose new Chairmen are to be inaugurated include Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

This no doubt will afford these newly elected Chairmen the

opportunity to hit the ground running to deliver on their campaign promises to the residents of the Federal Capital Territory; thereby keying into the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Abaji chair inaugurates 15 district heads

T

he Chairman of Abaji council FCT, over the weekend inaugurated the recently approved district heads by the Hon. Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide.

In Abaji Area council, the 15 district heads had already collected their appointment and turbaned by Estu of Yaba, Alh. Adamu A bdullahi .

In his opening remark the chairman of Abaji Area council, Yahaya Musa Muhammad commended the committee members on the chieftaincy affairs for a wonderful job done in creating 15 districts under Abaji Area council, FCT. According to him, the major aim of creating the districts is to enhance the peaceful co- existence of the people and effective implementation

of Government policies. ”I want to stress here that the creation of districts and their heads has no political undertone, but necessity arising from the exigency of time to enable rapid transformation of our people”.

He expressed his gratitude to

the royal fathers of Abaji Alh. Adamu Baba Yunusa, Estu of Yaba and other village heads on their opinion and reservation on the appointment of district heads which will further strength the traditional institution. He call on the new district heads to respect

ona of Abaji, and Estu of yaba and other traditional institution.

The Estu of Yaba, Alh. Adamu Abdullahi who coroneted the 15 district heads congratulated all of them for the appointment and urge them to obey the constituted authority.

FG set to celebrate Democracy day in Abuja

A

s the Federal Government is planning the celebration of the 14th Democracy Day on Wednesday, May 29 th, 2013 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, arrangements have been concluded to have a Special Juma’ah Prayer at the Abuja National Mosque.

The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed made this

disclosure, after the Democracy Day Celebration Organizing SubCommittee meeting.

The Minister said that the Organizing Committee is already putting finishing touches to the entire arrangement to ensure a hitch-free and momentous Special Juma’ah Prayer.

According to him, this edition of the celebration is tagged ‘Centenary Democracy Day’ as

it will usher in the 100 years of the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorate that gave birth to what is today known as Nigeria.

Senator Mohammed reiterated that the celebration would afford the government of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan the opportunity to showcase some of the transformational achievements.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

4 men remanded in prison for alleged rape A

n Upper Area Court sitting in Mararaba in Nasarawa State on Friday ordered four persons to be remanded in prison for alleged criminal conspiracy and rape.

The accused persons are J a c k H y a z a n a , 27, Isreal Sambhan, 18, Sunday Kosi, 26, and Genesis Kosi, all

of Angwan Makama Masaka in Nasarawa State.

T h e prosecutor, Mr Jospeh Ahwa, told the court that the four persons conspired and raped a lady on May 2.

He added that the accused persons committed the crime at All Women Jubilation, Masaka, in Nasarawa State.

“They attacked and

forcefully had canal knowledge of the lady.’’

Ahwa told the court that the offences contravened sections 97 and 283 of the Penal Code.

The prosecutor urged the court not to grant the accused bail.

“This would also give the police enough time to carry out a thorough investigation.’’

A cart pusher conveying cassava for his customer, yesterday in Kwali, Abuja.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Presiding Judge, Mr Vincent Gwahemba, refused to grant bail to the accused persons.

He ordered them to be remanded in prison and adjourned the case to June 10,2013 for further hearing.

(NAN)

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Security man in court over alleged cell phone theft

T

he police on Friday arraigned Daniel Ameachi, a security guard at Beer Lodge, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, in an Abuja Magistrates’ Court for alleged joint act and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Mr David Udeh, told the court that the matter was reported by Mactranlia

Ikorochea of African Children Talent Discovery, Abuja, to the Wuse police station on April 26.

Udeh said that Ameachi, 27, and another man who is now atlarge, allegedly burgled the complainant’s car and stole his Nokia cell phone, valued at N85,000.

He said that the phone was

recovered from the accused during investigation.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the offences.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Ramatu Gulma, granted the accused bail in the sum of N250,000 and a surety in like sum.

Gulma said that the surety must have a fixed address and

reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

She added that the surety must be a civil servant of not less than level 10 and must present a copy of last promotion and receipt of last rent payment to the court.

The magistrate adjourned the case to May 30,2013 for hearing.

(NAN)

INSIDE FCT COURTS Man remanded in prison over trespass

A

Karu Upper Area Court has remanded one Bala Usman, 45, in prison for allegedly trespassing on a plot of land he sold to one Taiwo Babatunde.

The Presiding Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, said he needed time to consider the oral bail application by the defence counsel, F. Iselewa.

Usman was arraigned by the police on a five-count charge, bordering on criminal trespass, cheating and theft.

The Police Prosecutor, Sgt Atteh Effiong, told the court that the accused person committed the offences in 2012.

Effiong said that Usman sold a parcel of land located at Low Cost Estate, Kuje, to Babatunde in 2007 for six million.

“The complainant decided to sell a part of the land he bought from the accused person to one Christiana Ezinwa for two million naira.

“Ezinwa then built some shops on the land she bought from Babatunde.

“The accused person unlawfully went into the land and destroyed the entire structure built by Ezinwa.

“He also stole the burglary proofs and doors used in the building after pulling them down.

“The total value of the structure destroyed by Usman is N1.2million,’’ he added.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 342, 312, 324, 327 and 287 of the Penal Code.

If convicted, the accused person could serve an aggregate jail team of 17 years with option of fine or both.

The prosecutor objected to bail for the accused on the ground that he jumped the administrative bail granted him by the police.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and his counsel made an oral application for his bail.

Kagarko ordered the accused to be remanded in prison and adjourned the case to May 13 to consider the bail application. (NAN)

Student in court for allegedly stealing blackberry phone

A

student, Michael Mamman, 20, of block 172, Karu Phase, was on Friday arraigned before a Karu Upper Area Court for allegedly stealing a blackberry phone.

The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Stephen Eimoga, told the court that on April 14 at about 2.30 p.m., one Hassan Bello of Wuse II Abuja, reported the matter at the Karu Police Station.

“On April 13 at about 5.30 p.m. Mamman went into Bello’s house and stole the blackberry phone, valued at N65,000.

“When he was arrested, he told the police that his father gave him the phone.

“He said that he sold the phone to a phone repairer at the GSM Village, Wuse, due to a financial problem,” Eimoga told the court.

The prosecutor said that the phone was recovered and that the police granted bail to the accused, based on the plea by one Amb. Dan of 10 Duke Str., Gwarinpa, Abuja.

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

Section 288 of the code stipulates that whoever commits theft in or from any

building, tent or vessel, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years or with fine or with both.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Counsel to the accused, Mr Ambi Ayubi, applied for bail for his client which the prosecution did not oppose.

The Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N50,000 with a surety in like sum.

“The surety must have a reasonable means of livelihood and reside within the jurisdiction of the court,” Kagarko said, and adjourned the case to July 3, 2013 for further hearing. (NAN)

BUSINESS

PAGE 19

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Email: aminuimam@yahoo.co.uk

Mob: 08033644990

INSIDE

- Pg 20

ESUT Chancellor harps on property mgt in university education

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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resident Goodluck Jonathan, at the weekend said the international wing of the Akanu Ibiam airport in Enugu would accommodate about 500, 000 passengers at a time when the project is completed.

The Nigeria leader spoke when he commissioned the remodelled Enugu airport and also lay the foundation stone of New International Terminal.

President Jonathan said the ceremony is not only a fulfilment of his campaign promise in 2010 to give the South East geopolitical zone a befitting international airport, but also a tip of the iceberg of what is to come to the zone in his transformation agenda.

He said his administration will not rest on it’s oars until all it’s campaign promises have been delivered to Nigerians noting that the commissioning of the remodeled terminal is part of “a national effort at transforming the country’s air transport industry into one that is pivotal to socio-economic development of the country as it ought to be”.

“The programme is ambitious, covering all 22 airports under the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. It involves the remodeling of all 22 airport terminals within three years, by modernizing them, expanding them and upgrading the facilities to bring them in line with international standards”, he affirmed.

The President noted that already, the General Aviation Terminals (GAT) in Lagos and

L-R: Anambra state governor, Mr. Peter Obi, President Goodluck Jonathan, Enugu state governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, and Senator Ayogu Eze, during the foundation laying of the new International Terminal and the inauguration of the remodelled terminal of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, on Saturday in Enugu.

Enugu airport to take 500, 000 int’l passengers at peak period - Jonathan Abuja, the Benin and Kano remodeled terminals were all commissioned in quick succession earlier in the year, adding that in the following weeks, the Dr. Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport terminal as well as the the remodeled Yola airport

would be commissioned.

“I also know that work in Jos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Sokoto, Ilorin, Maiduguri and the Murtala Mohammed International Terminals are at various stages of completion and that these projects will completely

change the airport experience of Nigerians and our visitors alike, when completed.

On the new international terminal, he said the project, to be built at a cost of about N13 billion will provide for 500, 000 international passengers and

provide Enugu and the South East region not only “a modern, efficient, functional, safe and secure gateway, but most importantly a prestigious edifice that will offer a befitting welcome and goodbye from the region and Nigeria”.

Insecurity, insurgency killing petroleum Unions, NAMA hold crucial meetings over pay rise haulage business - Operator From Olawuni Oladapo, Lagos

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stakeholder in the business of circulation and dýstrýbutýon of petroleum products, Alhaji Auwalu Ilu has said that the insecurýty and unrest witnessed in the northern part of the country courtesy the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, has affected the movement of product as well as the profits of haulage companies.

Auwalu, who is also the president of LPG Gas Operators in Nigeria as well as the Chairman of Ultimate Gas Ltd, told Peoples Daily that, transportation is now the most difficult business in Nigeria.

Apart from the insecurity in the North, he added that there is a new trend on the highways whereby armed robbers pose as police officers and divert petroleum products after beating the tanker driver to a pulp.

Speaking further, Auwalu said that the insurgency has definitely affected business, he pointed out that “if you have insecurity anywhere, it affects businesses, there is no free

movement, there are areas now that you cannot even go to.

“Like now, in Maiduguri, a lot of drivers no matter how much you give them they won’t take product to Maiduguri, like when there was a crisis in Jos, you can’t even get petroleum product because a lot of drivers did not want to go there”.

“There is a new trend now in the industry, people come out in fake police and army uniform, arrest a truck, discharge the goods, be it petroleum product or rice, and they abandon the truck somewhere; People are scared now when they see checkpoints

on the road because they are not sure if its the real police or fake police”, he said.

He however fingered some of the tanker drivers for complicity in the diversion of trucks.

According to him, many of them connive with the motor boys in other to dupe the product owner and the truck owner. He said that most of the time they divert the trucks and adulterate its content with other products.

Stating some of the problems, Auwalu mentioned the attitude of the drivers, the state of the roads and products adulteration.

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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he planned industrial action slated for today by the workers of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to press for additional welfare package has been put on hold, following a successful meeting in Lagos on Friday, between the union leaders and the management.

The meeting, however is expected to continue today to further deliberate on issues at stake after the parties agreed that dialogue remains the best

Management Tip of the Day

Stop going to so many meetings

H

ow can you get any work done when you’re in meetings all day? You can’t. But instead of griping, be more discerning about which meetings you go to. Before saying yes to invitation, ask yourself, “If I was sick on the day of this meeting, would it need to be rescheduled?” If you answer

“no,” then decline the meeting and try one of these less timeintensive alternatives: Get an agenda. Ask to look at the agenda ahead of time so you can pass on your comments to the meeting organizer to share on your behalf. (Bonus: This may force him to actually make an agenda!)

Delegate. Send someone else from your group to communicate your team’s perspective.

Ask for notes. If someone is going to share important information but you’ll just be listening, request a copy of the meeting notes after the fact.

Source: Harvard Business Review

way of re-solving industrial crisis.

At the meeting were representatives from National Union Air Transport Employees(NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria(ATSSSAN), and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational S e r v i c e s Employees(AUPCTRE).

Comrade Abdulkareem Motajo, who led the NUATE team remarked during the twohour deliberation that the union leaders were not interested in creating problem for the management , but that the ultimatum earlier issued was to send a ‘friendly’ warning that there were issues yet to be resolved.

This view was similarly shared by Comrade Clement Ajayi who advised the management to always involve the national secretariat in all its trade union matters so as not to create unnecessary tension in the system.

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS

TUC

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he Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has faulted the move by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop the printing of lower denominations of the naira in polymer and revert to paper currency.

The TUC, which described the plan as “irritating,” expressed concern over the level of policy summersault by public institutions in the country.

Speaking in Washington DC, in the United States recently, the Deputy Governor, Operations, CBN, Mr. Tunde Lemo had explained that the polymer banknotes fade easily.

Fidelity Bank Plc

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Stories from Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

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he critical role of pension management in safeguarding the future of Nigerians and the country’s overall economic growth has once again been highlighted by Mr Eric Fajemisin, Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, at the opening of the Warri office of the Pension Fund Administrator (PFA).

According to Mr. Fajemisin, adequate provision for retirement assures the contributor of a secured life in retirement while also making available, funds for investing in strategic sectors of the economy, which will enhance economic growth and development.

“This informs our focus on taking pension services closer to Nigerians, availing them the opportunity of interacting directly with our staff on any issue relating to their pensions, planning for retirement, investment outlook, or any clarification that they may require.

“In the event that they do not

Stanbic IBTC says pension critical to economic development want to physically visit our offices, we have a 24-hour customer service centre that they can call and be attended to in any one of Nigeria’s major languages including pidgin English, and of course the lingua franca,” he added.

Fajemisin noted that the contributory pension scheme, which was established with the enactment of the Pension Reforms Act of 2004, is still in its early growth stage and therefore requires investments such as those that have been made by Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers.

Mr. Theo Aguonye, Secretary to the Bureau for State Pensions, Asaba, Delta State, while declaring the office located at 57, Effurun/ Sapele Road, Effurun, Warri open for business, commended Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers for extending its physical presence to Warri and its environs.

“I’m optimistic that our people

F

T

Cyberoam

C

Dell Inc.

D

ell has reported a 79% slide in net profit, underlining a fall in personal computers sales as more consumers shift to smartphones and tablets.

The PC maker’s net profit fell to $130m (£85m) in the three months to 3 May, on revenue down 2% to $14bn.

Dell is in the middle of a dispute between founder Michael Dell and two of its biggest shareholders.

contributors’ funds, and this also ensures that the funds are invested to the benefit of contributors, helping to secure their future,” said Mr Fajemisin.

Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers currently has assets under management of more than N990.9billion, paying about N1.5billion to over 26,000 retirees monthly. The PFA has paid over N177billion to retirees since its inception in 2005.

“We have maintained globally prescribed corporate governance practice in our operations. We have always paid retirees when their payments are due,” said Mr Fajemisin.

Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers is a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, a member of Standard Bank Group. It is rooted in Africa with strategic representation in 18 countries on the African continent, including South Africa.

ESUT Chancellor harps on property mgt in university education

idelity Bank Plc said on Friday, its first-quarter pretax profit rose 40.42 percent year-on-year to N5.94 billion ($37.62m), up from N4.23 billion a year ago, the bank said.Gross earnings at the mid-tier lender rose to N31.43 billion during the three months.

This is against N22.43 billion in the same period last year.

yberoam, the leading global network security appliances company in Nigeria has unfolded its future roadmap strategy for expansion, in view of emerging business opportunities at the end of a successful partner summit in Lagos recently.

The meet was attended by Cyberoam partners and was an egalitarian mix of leading VARs, Resellers and MSSPs – all proven player in the market. The event included educational keynote, expert presentations and award ceremonies followed by a dinner. Partners were cited for their valuable and consistent contribution.

will find your presence which is now closer to them useful. We now know where to go directly to seek answers to the several questions we have regarding issues pertaining to retirement and how to plan well if we want to live comfortably in the future, and other investment decisions we want to make,” he said.

Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, which recently signed its one-millionth retirement savings account holder, offers services from all Stanbic IBTC Bank branches and select Zenith Bank branches, and it also has presence in major cities and towns across the country.

The PFA is continuously investing in deepening its service offerings and network in its desire to take pension services closer to Nigerians, helping to bring many more people into the contributory pension system.

“The CPS (contributory pension system) has safety nets to protect

Inflation rates from Apr, 2012 to Mar, 2013 Max = 12.9%, Min = 8.6% for period in display.

Current Inflation rate = 8.6%.

Source:CBN

he Chancellor of Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT), Amb. (Dr.) Hassan Adamu has reiterated the need for proper management of the university education following its indispensable position in the development of the nation’s economy.

Amb. Adamu who made this remark in his address at the ESUT 15th Convocation Ceremony challenged stakeholders to direct their efforts toward providing upto-date physical and academic structures that would promote educational excellence, saying that running and funding of universities should not be left to the government and called on spirited individuals and corporate bodies to provide financial support to the universities.

According to him, the realisation of the need for multistakeholders cooperation in

Earnings Report for Banks Source:Pro-share Nigeria

Chancellor ESUT, Amb. (Dr.) Hassan Adamu, Wakilin Adamawa educational development informed the establishment of the ESUT Trust Fund Committee which was saddled with the responsibility of mobilising resources from public spirited individuals and organisations to equip the university with adequate infrastructure.

He called on graduands and honorary graduands of the institution as well as other well meaning Nigerians to donate into the ESUT Trust Fund and assured donors of prudent utilisation of their contributions.

The Chancellor, who is also the Chairman of Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Board of Directors noted with delight the rapid infrastructural development and stability in academic programmes in the university over the last two years.

He commended the Enugu State Governor, Dr. Sullivan Chime for his continuous support to the institution and also lauded the university administration for its ingenuity which resulted in the success story of the institution.

PAGE 21

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Stories from Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

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ollowing price gains by major blue chips, equity transactions on the floor of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) last week sustained an upwards trend as a turnover of 2.292 billion shares worth of N24.025 billion in 29,048 deals.

This is in contrast to a total of 1.686 billion shares valued at N21.389 billion that exchanged hands in 28,392 deals the previous week, thus resulting in the market gaining as a total of 0.606 new shares.

Specifically, the market capitalization of the listed equities on the mainboard advanced by 2.47% to close at N11.798 trillion while the NSE All-Share Index (ASI) appreciated by 2.49% to close on Friday at 36,907.81and the NSE 30 Index also appreciated by 2.50% to close at

Equity market appreciates INVESTORS NEWS BITS by 0.606bn new shares Transcorp 1,760.81.

Analysis of activity in the market showed that the Financial Services sector (measured by volume) led the activity chart with a turnover of 1.756 billion shares valued at N14.800 billion traded in 16,292 deals.

The Financial Services sector represented 76.62% and 61.61% of the total traded volume and value respectively, while the Banking sub-sector of the Financial Services sector boosted by activity in the shares of First City Monument Bank Plc and UBA Plc was the most active subsector on the week’s activity

…market cap ascends by 2.4 percent chart with a sub-sector turnover of 1.276 billion shares valued at N12.072 billion exchanged hands by investors in 11,622 deals.

Also, the banking sub-sector accounted for 55.67% and 50.25% of the total sub-sector traded volume and value respectively.

All except one of the NSE sectoral indices also appreciated during the week: NSE Consumer Goods, NSE Banking, NSE Oil/ Gas, NSE-Lotus II, NSE Industrial Goods and NSE-ASeM Index by

2.75%, 1.48%, 1.00%, 4.18%, 7.93%, and 3.33%. However, NSE Insurance Index, depreciated by 2.05%.

Sixty-three (63) equities appreciated in prices during the week higher than fifty-one (51) equities of the preceding week.

Twenty (20) equities depreciated in prices lower than twenty-seven (27) equities of the preceding week, while one hundred and twelve (112) equities remained constant lower than one hundred and eighteen (118) equities of the preceding week.

Stock market performance impacts equity-based Mutual Funds

O

ver the past four months, the rally witnessed in Nigerian equities market has impacted the unit pricing and net asset values of equitybased funds under the regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) or Mutual Funds.

With the performance of equities market high at 28.25 percent year-to-date, looking at the performance of Mutual Funds, particularly those relating to equities market, for the past four months of about 19 equity-based funds shows positive growth across the unit prices and Net Asset Values (NAV) of over 70 percent of them.

For instance, Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund with a unit price of N9, 512.92, as of January 4, 2013, rose to N10, 738.23 as of April 26, 2013.

Likewise, its NAV closed high at N14.550 billion, at April 26, 2013, from N14.384 billion at January 4, 2013.

Also, in this four-month period, the unit price of ARM Discovery Fund rose to N304.93 from N286.22, though its NAV closed down at N5.392 billion, from N5.579 billion in January.

To calculate a CIS NAV, its liabilities are subtracted from the value of the total assets of the fund, and the amount is then divided by the total number of shares in the fund to give the unit price.

Other equity-based funds include Coral Growth Fund whose unit price stood at N2, 353.69, at the end of April, from N2, 111.21 in January. The Fund’s NAV dipped to N3.690 billion, from N3.855 billion in January.

The unit price of Nigeria International Growth Fund rose to N1.78 in four months from N1.64 in January, though its NAV dropped from N2.680 billion to N2.045 billion in the

same period. For Legacy Fund, its unit price grew to N1.30 from N1.16 at the beginning of this year, NAV rose from N798.752 million to N898.544 million at the end of April.

In the same period under review, Afrinvest Equity Fund price closed at N144.67, from N131.60, while its NAV was high at N497.908 million from N464.825 million. In addition to others, SIM Capital Alliance Fund unit price remained at

N103.50, while its NAV rose from to N4.111 billion from N3.975 billion.

Zenith Equity Fund recorded a rise in its unit price from N12.62 to N14.06, with a NAV rise from N3.947 billion to N4.296 billion. BGL Nubian Fund rose to N1.06 at the end of April, from N0.95 at the beginning of the year. Its NAV rose to N295.373 million from N209.212 million at the beginning of the year.

CIBN lists achievements of Institute

T

he Chairman of the council the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) Mr. Segun Aina has listed major achievements recorded by the institute to include promotion of human capital development in the banking and finance industry.

Mr. Aina, who spoke while addressing a press conference to flag-off the activities marking the institute’s 50th anniversary in Lagos, stated that challenges the Institute faced in the early years of its formation included the low level of banking education in Nigeria; lack of qualified professional bankers to impart knowledge, teach and mentor upcoming ones.

Others, according to him, consist of dearth of tertiary institutions offering banking programmes; paucity of indigenous published literatures in banking and inadequate encouragement for bank workers

to sit and pass the examination among others.

Consequent upon this, he said, the institute has never relent until the existing gaps is bridged adding the it has continued to fulfill the mandate for the promotion of practice of the banking profession in Nigeria, by investing huge resources and drawing upon its myriad of roles.

He further stated that the Institute has consistently been contributing to the development of manpower for the banking and finance industry and thus impacted positively on the development of the banking industry and support for the Nigeria over the period of fifty years, the Institute, as a selfregulatory body has registered more than five thousand (5,000) chartered bankers most of whom sat for the examinations conducted by the Nigerian

Source:Pro-share Nigeria

Institute.

It also has a total membership strength of over 103,000 members of various categories.

Many of its members had occupied and are at the commanding heights of the banking industry and the economy. ‘’Today, as we flag-off this Golden Jubilee celebration, we wish to inform you that in our 50 years of existence, the Institute has witnessed its fair share of vicissitudes of life but have many compelling accomplishment to be proud of’’, he said.

He highlighted some of institutes other major achievement to include being the first professional body in Nigeria to build a Secretariat in 1973.

The Secretariat, which at that time was located in Yaba, Lagos was opened by Alhaji Shehu Shagari, then Federal Commissioner of Finance.

Nigeria Plc

T

ranscorp Nigeria Plc, on Friday recorded renewed active bargain tendency as sentiments turned positive towards the stock with impressive +9.6% gain, representing highest daily gain in the last 44 trading sessions.

The outlook in the last 13weeks reveals significant price correction trend between February 12 and May 14 2013.

So far in the year, the stock has traded within the range of N1.96kobo (Year-high) and N1.04kobo (Year-low),.

Julius Berger

S

hareholders of Berger Paints Nigeria Plc have authorised the board of directors of the company to raise fresh equity by rights issue.

The shareholders approved a proposal of the board to raise fresh equity from existing shareholders on the basis of one new share for every three during its 53rd Annual General Meeting held in Abuja.

About 30 per cent of the rights issue will be underwritten by underwriters.

The shareholders also approved a dividend of 70 kobo per share.

Cadbury Nigeria

C

adbury Nigeria said on Thursday its first quarter pretax profit rose 185 percent year-on-year to 1.67 billion Naira, compared with 587 million naira in the same period last year.

Cadbury, now part of Mondelez International Inc, said turnover grew 16 percent year-on-year to 8.36 billion naira in the first quarter, This is up from N7.19 billion in the same period a year ago.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

PAGE 22

Lagos state govt. executes N1tr projects - Fashola

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he Lagos state government says it is currently executing capital projects worth N1 trillion across the state.

The projects include the blue line intra-city rail system, roads, houses, jetties, water works, dredging of river and water channels, courts and

classrooms.

Gov. Babatunde Fashola, told newsmen at the weekend in Lagos that the state needed more funds to complete them before May 2015.“All the projects cost over N1 trillion and we do not have enough funds for now.

“The projects are at the

various stages of completion; the challenge before us is funds. We hope to deliver the projects before the end of the life of this administration,’’ he said.

“On the light rail project alone which has gulped billions of naira, 98 pillars that will carry the

train will be constructed between National Theatre and Marina on the Island.``It will be completed in phases; Mile 2 to National Theatre will be ready this year.’’

Fashola said the government had awarded the second phase of the project, including the rail

and the 10-lane road expansion from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

According to the governor, 11 pedestrian bridges will be provided on the expressway. On water transportation, Fashola

Dangote harps on good environmental policy

By Abdulwahab Isa

A

s part of its effort in t a c k l i n g environmental problems bedeviling Nigeria, the Dangote Group has partnered with the ministry of environment and sponsored the 9th National Council on Environment.

A statement from Dangote Group said it decided to sponsor the Council given its penchant and track record for environmental issues.

‘‘We are an environment friendly group. Our factories are run within the global acceptable standard. The Dangote Cement’s emission level of 30mg is far below that of the EU which is 50mg,” the statement said.

It said last year it donated a staggering N2.5billion to help mitigate the impact of flooding across the country.

The statement further said: “Dangote Cement for instance has uncompromising

investments in state-of-theart bag filters at all its plants to ensure minimal dust emissions, making Dangote one of the industry’s greenest cement companies not only in Nigeria but across Africa.

Pollution control is accorded top priority with regular monitoring with action plans put in place to reduce emissions in tune with national and international statutory control guidelines.

Tanzanian Minister of Environment, Terezya Pius

Minister to inaugurate Financial Reporting Council Board From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

I

n line with global standard, the Minister of Industry, Trade and I n v e s t m e n t , Mr. Olusegun Aganga will on Monday, 27th May, inaugurate the Governing Board of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

A statement issued by the Media/ Communications Consultant to FRC , Mack Ogbamosa stated that the Board, which is headed by the immediate past/ President of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Hajiya Mariam Ladi Ibrahim, is the first since the establishment of the FRC following the enactment of the enabling act in 2011.

Apart from Ibrahim, the statement added, other

members of the Board are the Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive of the FRC, Mr. Jim Obazee, two representatives each of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and ANAN. Also included are one representative each of the following: Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation; Central Bank of Nigeria , Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers; Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Corporate Affairs Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

Others are the Federal Ministry of Finance; Nigerian Accounting Association; Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries,

Mines and Agriculture, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Insurance Commission NAICOM), the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Nigerian Pension Commission (PenCom).

The FRC is the body charged with regulating accounting, auditing, valuation and actuarial standards, registration of professionals as well as harmonisation of corporate governance rules in the country.

According to the FRC Act, the functions of the Board include determination of broad strategies and priorities; setting out budget, securing the necessary funding and monitoring e x p e n d i t u r e ; appointment of Directors and other senior management staff; overseeing the delivery by each directorate of their functions, through regular reports from the Chief Executive Officer; ensuring that the Council and its directorates achieve high levels of accountability and transparency.

According to the Executive Secretary of the FRC, Mr. Jim Obazee, the inauguration of the FRC Board will enable the Council function optimally.

Louga Huvisa, who visited Dangote cement plants recently commended the Group for the low emission level at its plants and efforts being made to green its operational areas.

The Dangote Foundation-the charity arm of the group- had doled out a staggering N20billion in two years. It has also injected over N1billion to the cause of education in the country in the same period. Currently the Foundation is also supporting the Federal Government in its fight against the malaria scourge.

The minister for environment, Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, who spoke at the 9th National Council on Environment, with the theme; “Green Economy: A Panacea for Sustainable Development,” said the approval was to complement the Presidential Initiative on Afforestation.

The minister thanked the Dangote group for supporting the cause of environment, while

singling out the group’s president Aliko Dangote for commendation.

She said President Goodluck Jonathan has approved N10 billion for the implementation of the Great Green Wall(GGW) programme. The minister disclosed that the Federal Government had begun full implementation of the United Nations Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) programme.

On his part, Benue state governor, Gabriel Suswam called on the Federal Government to fulfill its promise to dredge both River Benue and River Katsina- Ala. The 9th National Council on Environment held last week (May 6-7, 2013 at the J. S. Tarka Foundation House, High level Road, Makurdi, Benue state.

Last month, Dangote disbursed $500, 000 to the UNICEF to help in the fight against measles outbreak in some parts of the country.

Lawmaker harps on constituency projects

By Chris Alu

R

ep. Nuhu Zaki Abdulrazak, P e o p l e s Democratic Party (PDP) member representing Ningi/Warji federal constituency of Bauchi state, has said that within his two years in office, he has dug several motorized boreholes for potable water to the people in each ward amounting to millions of naira and has provided solar power electricity system in some major streets in the two council town of Ningi/Warji.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, the lawmaker stated that he was able to construct good roads within the major towns for easily accessibility and transportation of their agricultural produce from one point

to another in both Ningi/Warji towns at the remote villages and has also awarded scholarship to students in tertiary institutions.

He also said that he was able to employ over 200 people at both federal,state and local government level and has built culverts and construct bridges across the two council areas for drainage systems, adding that before the expiration of his tenure he will achieve all what he has promises.

A b d u l r a z a k explained that his greatest achievement to the people he is representing is making himself available as well as reaching out to them in times of needs.

He added that he will continue to keep to his campaign promises he made to the people of his constituency.

said the rehabilitation of three jetties at Badore, Mile 2 and Pakodo, had been completed, adding that ferries would be provided for private operators to transport residents.

Asked if the state had prosecuted owners and developers of collapsed buildings, he said police report was needed for every collapsed building for effective prosecution of offenders.

“To prosecute someone for criminal negligence and murder is not easy.

For instance, two or threecount charge would take a minimum of two years to prosecute under our criminal justice system”, he stated.

“For effective prosecution, one count charge may do, but we need police report to prosecute them. It is not easy. “Currently, we are awaiting police report on the house that collapsed during the week at Ogudu to prosecute the owner’’, he further said. (NAN)

Naira weakens against dollar despite CBN’s intervention

I

n spite of the $207.6 million offer by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the nation’s currency, the naira, yesterday, weakened against the US dollar losing 23 kobo at the inter-bank market to close at N157.53/$ compared with N157.30/$ the previous day, data from the Nigeria Markets Dealers Association (FMDA) have indicated.

Analysts attributed the Naira depreciation to increased demand for dollar by importers and other end users.

The CBN on Wednesday offered $300 million but sold $207.6 million to 17 banks that participated at the bi-weekly Wholesale Dutch Auction system (WDAS) at N155.74/$.

On Monday the CBN offered $300 million but sold $293.8 million to 17 banks that participated at the bi-weekly Wholesale Dutch Auction system (WDAS) at N155.75/$.

At the official market on Friday, naira strengthened by 01 kobo against the US dollar to close at N155.74/ $ as against N155.75/$.

(Reuters)

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PEOSPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Report as at Friday, May 17, 2013

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013 08028402920 sbejike@gmail.com

NJC to use performance report to weed out unproductive judges Stories by Sunday Ejike Benjamin

T

he National Judicial Council (NJC) would henceforth use its performance evaluation reports to weed out incompetent and indolent Judges out of the Bench, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma-Mukhtar has said.

Justice Aloma-Mukhtar, who announced this on Friday also said outcome of petitions of professional misconduct filed against Judges, would also constitute what the NJC will put into consideration in sanctioning any erring member of the Bench.

The CJN was speaking while receiving, “Nigeria’s Judicial Performance Evaluation 2008 2011’’ compiled in seven volumes by the Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies(NIALS) in her office.

She said it is highly absurd to observe that some Judges can’t even deliver up to two judgments in a quarter, adding also that: “We are now thinking of looking at the performance evaluation of the judges for the purpose of discipline.

If a judge cannot deliver three to four judgments in a year, there is

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Aloma-Mukhtar no use keeping him on the bench other than to be shown his or her way out’’.

Aloma-Mukhtar said that she didn’t know how bad the situation was until she directed all Judges to seek for permission through their heads of courts before travelling abroad.

“The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has also been complaining about the attitudes of Judges to work these days. Many will leave

their work and travel for days abroad. This is why I insisted they must obtain approval before travelling abroad. Until this directive, I never thought things were all that bad, because some of the Judges will be seeking for permission to travel abroad while the courts were in session, despite the six weeks holiday they are entitled to in a year’’.

According to her, Judges are expected to commence with the

court proceeding by 9 am, but there were instances where many of them do not resume to work until 11 am or 12 noon while the litigants, their witnesses and lawyers keep waiting in the courts.

“These are part of the reasons the NJC undertakes performance evaluation from time to time both at the trial and appellate courts to determine productivity of the Judges and their courts in the states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Supreme Court is not exempted. ‘’The NIALS’ performance evaluation has come at a better time because it will go a long way to complement the ones carried out

by NJC performance evaluation committee’’, she said.

While presenting the seven volumes of the performance report, the project director who doubles as the head of NIALS, Professor Epiphany Azinge (SAN) said the work will go a long way to complement the CJN’s present drive to cleanse the judiciary.

However, he urged the CJN to put necessary measures in place to standardize process of performance evaluation nationwide.

Jonathan wants name struck out from assassination plot suit P resident Goodluck Jonathan has told a Federal High Court in Abuja to strike his name out of the suit linking him to assassination plot against the Legal Adviser of the Akwa Ibom state Chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Barrister Andem Adem.

Barrister Adem had in a suit told the court that there was an assassination attempt on his life by some government officials in the state and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

In his motion for the enforcement of his fundamental rights, the Plaintiff linked the President to the assassination plot.

The President, through his counsel, Cosmas Terenge Akighir, in a counter affidavit to the Plaintiff’s motion, begged the court to refuse the motion and all the reliefs relating to him.

Akaghir said in his response to the suit that the President did not partake in any injurious act against the applicant (Adem) and was not privy to any mastermind to injure the applicant.

The Lawyer said: “That the applicant’s entire affidavit in support of his motion on notice from paragraph 1 to the last has not linked the 1st Respondent (President Jonathan) to the commission of the alleged act either directly or indirectly.

“That the applicant’s affidavit in support of his motion on notice has not linked the 1st, 3rd, 4thand the 2nd Respondents to the alleged

President Goodluck Jonathan acts.

“That the 1st Respondent did not partake in any injurious act against the Applicant and was not privy to any mastermind to injure the Applicant. That the deponent did not depose to the applicant’s affidavit in good faith and

conscientiously believing same to be true.

“That it will be in the interest of justice that the 1st Respondent’s name be struck out in this suit”, he said.

Other Respondents in the suit are the Attorney-General of the

Federation, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, Colonel Ibim Lawson, Captain Gambo, Corporal Hassan, Retired Captain Ini Ekong and Mr. Aniete Ekong.

The case will come up before Justice Abdul Kafarati today.

State of emergency: Legal Aid Council hails Jonathan

T

he Chairman of the Legal Aid Council (LAC), Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) has commended President Goodluck Jonathan in his current move to ensure that peace returns to the country.

He commended the President for his bold step in imposing emergency rule in some troubled states in the North.

Ayorinde, who spoke in Abuja while announcing plans for his council’s forthcoming conference aimed at promoting and regulating pro-bono practice (free legal services) also praised the efforts of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar to reform the nation’s court system.

“I commend the move by the President. It is not only a political issue, it is a security issue and most importantly, it is a legal issue. I believe the President must have sought for and has received very sound advice from the Attorney General of the Federation, who has been able to guide the Presidency on what to do.

“We have a CJN that is reform minded, and she is trying to bring in some radical innovations in justice delivery system. And that is what we are doing at the Legal Aid Council too,” Ayoride said.

He said the conference billed for Lagos on September 19, 2013, with the theme: “Access to justice; advancing the frontier of pro-bono” is intended to build on the success recorded since the council held its first conference last year in Abuja.

Ayorinde said since his board assumed office, it has put in place measures to take justice closer to the people, adding that, with the passage of the Legal Aid Act 2011, his council now has a working paper to guide its activities.

“Pro-bono is the head of our activities. We intend to bring in private practitioners on this. This time, we want to regulate the provision of pro-bono services. We will set up a system to collaborate with the private Bar and other stakeholders.

The conference will serve as the starting point,” Ayorinde said.

The council’s Director General, Mrs. Joy Daniels said with the new Legal Aid Act, the council is now more challenged in its responsibility of ensuring enhanced access to justice by the indigent.

“Access to justice is at the heart of the rule of law. Poverty should not deprive citizens the access to justice, to court and to legal representation. It is not enough for lawyers to say they do probono, there should be record.

“That is why we are empowered under the Act to empanel and monitor,” she said.

The conference planning committee Chairman, Adebayo Adelodun (SAN) said this year’s conference will build on the success of the last one in the areas of public education and enlightenment about the essence of pro-bono.

“It is to further enlighten the public about our efforts and to build public confidence in our activities, Adelodun said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Poly partners Adamawa on training From Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he Federal polytechnic, Mubi said it is ready to partner Adamawa State government in the area of provision of training Agricultural technicians, technologists and general engineering feasibility studies and project management in the state.

Chairman governing council of the institution, Surv. Ibrahim Saidu Jahun, disclosed this when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Murtala Nyako at the government house, Yola.

Jahun explained that, the partnership if approved will capture training of laboratory science technicians and technologists, computer science, ICT and computer engineering services and tourism feasibility studies, development and management among others.

"We appreciate the support and promotion given to vocational and technical education especially the establishment of the skills acquisition centres in the state by your administration," he mentioned.

He also pleaded for a liability waiver to the turn of N35m from the state government as the polytechnic internal generating revenue is very mega and the loan has been a burden on the institution.

Earlier, in his address, Gov. Nyako expressed confidence in the composition of the governing board saying federal government has done the right thing to improve the state educational sector.

On the issue of the liability waiver sort by the board, Nyako replied that, until his government consult the State House of Assembly for guidance before any action of such magnitude can be taken and pledged to communicate them soon.

He therefore, appealed to the management and board of the polytechnic to do their best in the national assignment accorded them and, wished them successful tenure of office.

Gault charged AUN students to be good Ambassadors From: Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he 289 graduating students of American University of Nigeria (AUN) Yola have been charged to use the knowledge acquired in changing the fortune of Nigeria as a country.

This charge was given by the commencement Guest Speaker a reknown African American Journalist and Activist Charlayne Hunter Gault at the fifth convocation ceremony of class of 2013 stressing that, the enormous challenges of poverty, unemployment and bad governance facing the country need people that are committed and patriotic to redirect the course of their beloved nation for development.

Charlayne Gault observed that, the present predicament militating against the country is a sign of good things to happen to Nigeria in the near future but lamented that the rate of joblessness especially among the youths in African is a source of concern to all and sundry.

Gault therefore, advised the students to be part of Nigeria's history by contributing positively through implementing the sound education or knowledge acquired in all field of endeavours so that, the flag of hope and change will fly in their own generation.

"As a matter of fact, to share part of my history with you during my days in the college (University of George) being the only black lady, i faced serious challenge, especially racism from the white students who protested vehemently of my presence in an institution for the whites but God saw me through, so be yourself at all times for progress in your various endeavours". She added.

L-R: Members, Explorer Club, Mr. Abednego Kanu, Dr. Chikwendu Ogbonnya, Coordinator, Explorer Club Abuja, Mrs Claris Ujam, Secretary, FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Adamu Noma, District Head, Kabin Mangoro community, Alhaji Abdullahi Kure Kabi, FCT SUBEB staff, Mr. Sadiq Haruna, in group photograph with pupils of LEA Primary School, Kabin Mangoro, during the donation of educational materials to the pupils of the school by Abuja Explorer Club, at the weekend in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

NGO distributes educational materials to 500 LEA pupils

By Stanley Onyekwere

A

s part of efforts to deepen reading culture among young children in schools, a non-governmental organization (NGO), the Explore Readers Club (ERC) has distributed over 1650 educational materials to 500 pupils of LEA primary school, in Kabin Mangoro community, Kuje area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

A total of 500 exercise books, 100 school uniforms, 50 bags and 1000 pencils, biros, erasers and sharpeners, were distributed to about 500 pupils.

While presenting the items to the pupils, over the weekend, Coordinator of the club, Claris N. Ujam, said the gesture was part of the club's Programme: " keep a child in school", which aims at increasing access, enrollment and retention of pupils

in schools.

"We are interested in promoting reading culture among our young minds, because we believe that when they have education, then they have the tool to make a change in the society.

"So that's why we have come to really support parents and pupils with educational materials, to help keep children in school", She explained.

Also she appealed to government to come to the aid of the community as they are in dire need of basic social amenities, to enhance living conditions there.

In a remark, Director of the FCTUniversal Basic Education Board (FCTUBEB), Alh. Dr. Adamu Noma, who commended the club for the donations, noted: "since the establishment of the school in 1979, this is the first an NGO is

visiting it, to make this kind of donations."

"The gesture is very significant; because in rural communities, very little things stop children from going to school, but what the NGO has done today would go a long way in keeping the pupils in school", he explained.

He therefore urged the club to do what it can, to mobilize other NGOs to join the board in the promotion of basic education in the territory, especially in rural communities.

Earlier, the school's headmaster, Adamu Idris, who received the items on behalf of the pupils, also thanked the NGO for the gesture just as he appealed for further assistance from government and private organizations, in some other areas of need affecting teaching and learning in the school.

EU Ambassador to Nigeria to join AUN

By Maryam Garba Hassan

D

avid MacRae, retiring Head of Delegation of the European Union in Nigeria and current member of the Board of Trustees of American University of Nigeria, will become Executive Vice President of University Relations and Development of AUN in October, 2013.

A statement issued by the University's Assistant Information Officer, Innocent Okorie, said the President of the institutions Margee Ensign, expressed her gratitude for the Ambassador's willingness to join the school executive team.

'As a member of the Board of Trustees since 2011, Ambassador MacRae has provided us with invaluable counsel and support. His reputation, in-depth knowledge of Nigeria and commitment to AUN has been and will continue to be of enormous benefit to the University", she said.

As Executive Vice President of University Relations and Development, MacRae is expected to play a key role at AUN, whose mission is to be the first

Development University in Africa, the statement added.

Ensign further explained that the Ambassador recently spearheaded a 5year plan aimed at improving governance, public service delivery and acceleration of progress throughout Nigeria with the support of the World Bank, UNICEF and Nigerian state governments.

According to the statement, Ambassador MacRae said he is looking forward to expanding his role at the University.

"Nigeria and the EU share common values and ideals; both believe in peace and security, equality, democracy, and tolerance as ways of developing prosperous and generous societies. I look forward to working with Dr. Ensign and this impressive University which supports and shares these important values", he said.

Ambassador MacRae holds an Honorary Doctorate Degree from AUN and inaugurated AUN's Diplomats Lecture Series. He was educated at Bolton School and Leeds University in northern England, where he obtained a doctorate.

He received further education at the Institute for Development Studies in the University of Nairobi, Kenya. After serving as a faculty member in Economics in Leeds, he became an Economic Adviser to the UK Government. He subsequently joined the European Commission and worked on programs in Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean, and in Africa. He served as Economic Advisor in the EU Delegation in Zambia from 1985 to1988.

Dr. MacRae served as Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation in Papua New Guinea from 1992 to 1996, and in Fiji, from where he also covered most of the other Pacific Islands from 1996 to 2000. He was Head of Unit at European Commission headquarters in Brussels from 2001 to 2004 where he was responsible for Asian programs.

Before coming to Nigeria in 2010, Ambassador MacRae served for five years as Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation in Rwanda. He is also the EU's Ambassador to the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

The many challenges of JAMB Computer Based-Test and Nigerian students

By Maryam Garba Hassan

F

inally, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) last Saturday at last conducted its first pilot scheme of the computer Based Test (CBT) in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) for the 100,000 candidates who registered for the CBT examinations out of the 1.7 million who had registered for this year's UMTE nationwide.

However, the examinations suffered some hitches at the Yaba Colleges of Technology and the 200 students scheduled to write their exams there were moved to other centres to sit for the exams because they could not log to JAMB’s site. This resulted in the CBT starting late while the examinations were cancelled at one of its centres in Lagos, which is OAK Comprehensive College, Ogba, following power outagetechnical problems and inability to connect the internet for the 180 candidates who were to sit for the examination. This development made the candidates to be moved to Chams centre at Ikeja for them to conduct examination.

According to reports, an official at Chams said 350 candidates were scheduled to sit for the examination on Saturday but they would, as from today, have two sessions for the 700 candidates registered.

He said, with effect from Monday, the examination would be held in two sessions in order not to overstretch the infrastructure.

Even before the commencement of the CBT UMTE, Nigerians had expressed pessimism over the policy arguing that it may not work considering the epileptic power supply some major parts of the country have been facing, the literacy level of some Nigerian students with much emphasis on those living in the rural areas and the sustainability of the policy which JAMB hopes to be adopted fully in 2015.

No doubt the computer based -test UMTE examinations may have been a good idea, especially now that the world is ICT-compliant and as the board aimed at ensuring that papers are marked and released within a short time after its conduct but the board needs to make sure that it put the proper machinery in place before the take-off of the system.

It is pertinent to note that though Nigerians are not averse to Information Technology, most candidates, especially those in rural areas , do not have access to computer in their schools.

One understands that JAMB

Prof. Ojerinde wants to improve the quality of exams Nigerian students sit for to be able to compete favourably with their counterparts in any part of the world. However, introducing such policy without much sensitization to prepare students though it is a pilot scheme, makes the board looks like it is not ready to succeed in that aspect.

Ojerinde seems to be in hurry to bring so many innovations at once to the board, mostly those that do not match up with Nigeria. It is therefore, no wonder that this year's examinations recorded lots of irregularities.

This years' result of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, UMTE, released

by JAMB which was sat by 1.7million Nigerian students on the 27th of April, 2013, across the nation hoping to gain entrance into the various universities and other higher institutions in the country and the many lapses recorded during and after the release of the results, has left many students wondering if they could ever gain admission into tertiary institutions.

The release of the results also prompted protests in some quarters in the country by affected candidates as well as several petitions written against JAMB to the House

Committee on Education from various parts of the country on the conduct of the examinations.

Apparently the development may not be unconnected to improper planning by the board to ensure that all went well.

Already the pencil shading system is creating panic and generating controversy among parents and students who believe that the board's many policies adopted to address problems associated with the exams is rather frustrating.

One major complain this year was the issue of difficulty in accessing of results through JAMB portal which have become a herculean task to students and parents, inability of computers to capture some candidates' thump printing, and students' inability to find their pictures during the prior exam screening, which is even more frustrating.

Secondly, results of 12,110 candidates were being withheld for various reasons ranging from shading of more than one answer and not shading at all and examinations malpractices as displayed on the portals.

Worried by what the law makers described as "mass failure" in this year's examinations and the petitions it received against JAMB, the

House of Representatives last week at an interactive session held by the House Committee on Education also critcised the board's use of Computer Based Test (CBT) and called on it to ensure that it put proper mechanism in place to know the number of computer literate students across the country in order to ensure success of the policy when it take off in 2015.

In his presentation to the House, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde said the Computer Based- Test is a pilot scheme that will grow with time and is optional for students to either use it or shed with pencil.

He denied that there was mass failure in this year's examinations, saying that the board recorded a comfortable improvement as 10 candidates scored 300 and above while 628 candidates scored between 270 to 299 compared to the 3 candidates out of the 1.4 who sat for the examinations in 2012 and scored above 300 points.

He added that the board only conducts definitive examinations in the form of objectives.

More so with 1.7 million candidates the board needs more that 6 days to mark and release accurate results.

It is highly recommended that JAMB should organise adequate sensitisation

programmes to educate candidates on Computer-Based Test before 2015 when it will become compulsory for students sitting for UMTE, more especially for those in rural areas where constant electricity supply is another issue to consider.

It should ensure that there are always generating sets as back-up to electricity during examinations in the future to avoid delay or liaise with the staff of PHCN to ensure that there is no power surge for the two hours the exams last, transporting of students from one centre to the other will also save the board additional expenses and cancellation of examinations for reasons such as inability to connect to server and JAMB site as recorded in some centres last week.

The board should make its website more accessible during the period exams are written as well as when results are released, to reduce the pressure on the part of students who are writing their exams and trying to find out their scores.

It should also employ the service of effective network providers to ensure that the network is strong and fast during the conduct of the examinations to avoid future occurrence of what happened at some of the centres of the CBT. One other major area of concern is the manner in which every year, JAMB question papers are leaked (expo) few days to the examinations, which many think is partially responsible for some students' inability to perform better because they rely on such expo and stick to the worked answers they buy even when they can perform better if they are to answer the questions themselves.

Prof. Ojerinde should have borrowed NECO’s style and make UMTE become leak- proof, a feat which if achieved would make JAMB go a long way in upgrading the standard of our certificates in the country.

The new system should be zero-tolerance for impersonation, since a duly registered candidate can be identified through his finger, iris scan and other features.

To achieve a lasting solution, the board should make the provision of effective logistics such as vehicles to adequately control the distribution of examinations materials across the nation.

It would be recalled that six days after the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) conducted this year's Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) the board announced the release of the results.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013

PAGE 29

SURE-P: Federal government launches conditional cash transfer for mothers

By A'isha Biola Raji

T

he much expected Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program was launched last week Monday, May 13th 2013.

As part of projects embedded in the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SURE-P), the Maternal and Child health project initiated CCT for mothers after child delivery at facilities.

This cash transfer was set up to ensure effective management of financial resources acquired from the removal of fuel subsidy from 2012 thereby reducing maternal and child mortality rate in line with Millennium Developmental Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5.

SURE-P MCH designed to run for four years (2012-2015) is aimed at reducing maternal and newborn deaths all over Nigeria by concentrating on rural and under-developed communities.

The conditional cash transfer of N5, 000 to mothers who meet the pre-conditions which are, ante-natal care at least 4 visits to hospital, delivery by skilled birth attendants and immediate postnatal care visit is expected to encourage pregnant women in Nigeria to access health care facilities thereby reducing maternal and child mortality ratio.

The choice of Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Centre, Dei-Dei in Bwari area council of federal capital territory as the flag-off point is in line with the fact that, the project aims at focusing on under-developed communities within FCT and later, all rural areas in the six geo-political zones of the country.

Delivering welcome remarks at the event, the Chairman of Bwari Area Council in Abuja, Hon Peter Yohanna promised the success of the national program. He said the council will ensure full implementation of the program.

In the same vein, the traditional ruler of Bwari, Etsu Ibrahim Yaro thanked the federal government for the initiative. He said, "With this program, people at the rural areas will begin to feel the impact of development."

With the launch of the program in FCT, the minister of state for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Ademola Onakomaiya were also present at the launch.

Delivering his goodwill message, Dr. Onakoimaya said the launching of MNCH CCT under SURE-P will stimulate the Nigerian economy.

L-R: Minister of State for Health, Muhammad Ali Pate, Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Beneficiary of Conditional Cash Transfer , Onuwahadike Mary during the launch of SURE-P Maternal and Child Health Conditional Cash Transfer Programme at Deidei, recently in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa "Improving MSS by integrating it into SURE-P will ensure attainment of MDGs 4 and 5. It is possible to deliver this to our fellow Nigerians in the rural areas," he said.

In her speech, the minister of state, Oloye Olajumoke said since the introduction of the program last year, FCT has been playing major roles in terms of implementation and has recorded a number of firsts.

She listed, "In March 2012, two of our primary health care centres in Kuje and Karu were selected as demonstration sites for the Proof of Concept Phase of the CCT program, the first baby to be delivered under the SURE-P was born in Kuje, the first cash support to beneficiaries under the SUREP were handed out to women in the FCT and so on."

She however promised increased support for the complete implementation of the program in line with priorities and commitment to people.

Dr. Fatima Adamu, representing Dr. Christopher Kolade, Chairman SURE-P committee said SURE-P is glad to take-off the program.

According to her, the Maternal Child Health (MCH) fund has gone far in the procurement of drugs, intervention of preventable deaths and now the CCT program.

She assured that, very soon, the program will take-off in 8 more states with more primary health care facilities. She said, "This year, additional primary health care units will be built across the country."

Though the SURE-P conditional cash transfer was launched in Dei-Dei in Bwari area council, the first SURE-P baby, that is the first mother and child to benefit from CCT program was born on April 24th 2012 by Fatima Abdulsalam in Kuje Area Council.

According to Fatima, having attended ante-natal and post natal care respectively has made her realized the importance of accessing health care facility or hospital. She said, "With my previous pregnancies which I delivered at home, I did not find it easy but this last pregnancy that I registered for ante-natal care, I noticed it was easy and I have not been having problems with the baby after birth."

She called on pregnant women especially in rural areas to embrace the comfort of having their babies delivered at facilities.

She also called on men to give support to their wives in order to avoid unnecessary loss of live associated with child birth in the rural areas.

Delivering his speech, the

Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Ado Muhammad said the conditional cash transfer program will provide cash motivation to pregnant women in communities which will in turn encourage them go for at least 4 focused antenatal care visits, have skilled birth attendance at delivery in the PHC facilities, completion of postnatal care, first immunizations and family planning visits.

According to Ado, this range of care will allow safety during and after pregnancy for both mother and child.

In his speech, "It is important to note that the SURE-P MCH program is one of the main platforms by which we intend to save lives under the Saving One Million Lives Initiative. The Village Health Worker Component also represents our entry point and contribution to the global One Million Community Health Workers Campaign Initiative."

"Today, we are launching our conditional cash transfer program and giving out the first cash hand-outs to qualified program beneficiaries," he said.

According to him, the public launch of the program will enable people to get "first-hand experience" of the SURE-P MCH

Program and appreciate its effect in the lives of Nigerian women and children. "We at the NPHCDA have always worked in partnership with the states, LGAs and development partners within the MSS (Midwives Service Scheme) program and we want to continue the good relationship with SURE-P MCH program," he called.

Finally, the minister of state for health, Dr. Mohammed Ali Pate hailed the country's progress through the SURE-P. According to him, under Dr. Christopher Kolade, the SUREP committee will ensure that, every kobo of subsidy removal will be reinvested in nation's development including health.

For overall positive effect, he called on all strata of the nation's developmental levels to wake up to the clarion call of ensuring full implementation at their various units. "We expect state and local government to complement what federal government is doing in order to save the one million lives," he called.

Emphasizing on the need to account for every kobo of subsidy money, he said, "The SURE-P is money belonging to all Nigerians not to anybody alone, we should ensure that, it is properly utilized. We don't want SURE-P money to be misused," he warned.

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

My Pikin teething syrup: NAFDAC describes court ruling as appropriate Stories by A'isha Biola Raji

T

he National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has responded to court ruling passed on 'my pikin' teething syrup last Thursday describing it as Proper.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii gave the indication on Friday while receiving Dr. Beverley Corey, Senior Regional Advisor for SubSaharan Africa Office of International Programs, U.S Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).

Dr. Orhii said the punishment of fourteen year jail term and the confiscation of the company's assets is a right step in the right direction and will serve as warning to others. He

said, "This is an appropriate punishment that will serve as deterrent."

It would be recalled that, 'my pikin' teething syrup, produced

by Barewa Pharmaceutical Company led to the death of 84 children.

The drug was manufactured for children ages three below.

The company was however taken to court by NAFDAC in tow with its employees, Adeyemo Abiodun and Ebele Eromosele.

The NAFDAC D.G also called for the need to compensate the families of victims with the confiscated assets from such offenders. "Assets of offenders should be used to compensate families of victims," he called.

Indicating area of success made by NAFDAC to visiting official of USFDA, Dr. Orhii pointed out the cutting edge

technology and how it has assisted in reducing the menace of fake drugs in the country.

He said USFDA's visit to Nigeria will afford the agency share more experience especially in stopping the importation of unregulated drugs into the country through porous borders.

He said, "With our porous borders, it makes sense to stop the influx of fake drugs into the country."

In her speech, the visiting USFDA personnel, Dr. Beverly called for more collaboration between the two countries and other regulatory colleagues to ensure quality products. "We want to partner with NAFDAC to ensure quality food and drug.

We cannot sit at home to expect unregulated drugs coming into our country," she mentioned.

We expect ‘Nigeria might not meet MDGs 4 and 5 by 2030 oncerning the rate at governmental organization). nurses per 10,000 people."

According to Dr. Oyinbo, out states to take which Nigeria has been He said for Nigeria to meet He said Nigeria has about of about 30,000 primary health handling intervention up with the MDGs goals, the 57,000 doctors, 137,198 care facilities spread across the concerning deaths of country needs to embrace use nurses and midwives put country, 22,000 are ownership of issues babies and mothers, the of skilled birth attendants together but most of them are government owned while about country will have to work through task sharing or task in South-West particularly 8,000 belong to private owners.

PHC - Ado harder to meet MDGs 4 and 5( shifting formula in the manner Lagos, working in teaching He said, "out of all the health

C

T

he leadership of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA), has called for the states to rise up to the challenge of handling Primary Health Care (PHC) issues down at the states and local government levels.

The Executive Director of the agency, Dr. Ado Muhammad made this call last week in Abuja at the National Stakeholders' Meeting on primary health care review.

He said the agency has introduced a new review methodology, in which L.G.As will have quarterly meetings while states will have bi-annual meetings with an annual meeting at the federal level.

According to Ado, the meetings held at both local and state levels will afford the agency at federal level, to deliberate on the annual outcome thereby giving states and local government, a sense of ownership as concerns primary health care issues in their various domains.

He said, "This way, we will be able to identify and respond to the bottle-necks based on requirements by each local government. We have to be dynamic and flexible in our approach."

He pointed at the need to establish functional PHC at the states, "We want to ensure that those states that have established PHC are functional while we work on establishing in states that are yet to have."

In her message, Dr. Precious Kalamba Gbeneol, Senior Special Assistant to President on MDGs said she is optimistic that the meeting will give room to identifying human resources needed in strategizing for more efficient PHC service delivery plan.

reduction of maternal and child death rate), in 2030 in contrast to proposed 2020.

Resource person, Dr. Oyinbo Emmanuel mentioned this Thursday, at a two hour workshop organized for health correspondents in Abuja by Save the Children (a non-

in which health workers are deployed to health facilities.

He called for the increase in human resources that is, accredited birth attendants which should meet standard of 23 doctors, 23 nurses per 10,000 people. He said, "Nigeria has 20 doctors and 20

hospitals not PHC. "This is why we have inadequate skilled birth rate especially in northern Nigeria.

North-West has chances of 9.8 normal deliveries meaning that, 99 per cent will deliver without skilled attendants," he lamented.

workers in these PHC, only 4 per cent are midwives, 3 per cent nurses, 0 per cent Pharmacist, 27 per cent CHEW (Community Health Extension Worker) 11 per cent JCHEW (Junior Community Health Worker) and 28 per cent Health Assistant."

maternal health and sustainable development.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr. Dennis Mordi, Head of Communication Unit at the institute in Abuja on

Monday.

The statement quoted Isah as saying that men's support during pregnancy will give their wives the psychological strength to go through pregnancy and deliver safely.

He said, "A husband's support for the woman goes a long way to give her a high sense of wellbeing.

"The fact that I recognise what my wife is going through in the moment of pregnancy is

enough psychological strength."

According to him, men should know that even if they cannot go for every antenatal appointment with their wives, they should not fail to go with her on the antenatal visit.

"It is an opportunity for the man to know the enormity of the problem that the woman is carrying during pregnancy and give her the needed support," Isah said.

Pregnancy not woman’s issue alone -says physician

D

r. Haroun Isah, Public Health Physician, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria has called on men to support their wives during pregnancy to promote

Institute advises pregnant women living with HIV and AIDS against delivering at home

T

he Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) has advised pregnant women living with HIV and AIDS not to give birth at home to avoid transmitting the virus to their babies.

In a statement signed by Mr. Dennis Mordi, the Head of Communication Unit at the institute, the Program Officer, Maternal, Neo-natal and Child Health, Dr Rukeme Ake-Uzoigwe, said that expectant women should ensure that they were delivered of their babies in a health facility.

"Child delivery, though simple enough for Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to carry out at home, exposes both mother and child to unforeseen risk that could arise in the process.

"In the case of a woman living

with HIV, she stands a very big risk of transmitting the disease to her unborn child because the highest transmission time is usually during delivery.

She advised women to discover their status after conception, to try to take their medication as prescribed by the health care provider.

Dr Anthony Okwuosah, Head, Community Medicine Department, IHVN, however recommended that pregnant woman be encouraged to register for antenatal for effective management of the pregnancy.

"When a woman attends antenatal care, one important test to be carried out is HIV screening and this would prove to be very important for the entire antenatal care process especially for HIV positive woman." NAN

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

Map shows world's 'most racist' countries (and the answers may surprise you)

Racism: This map shows the nations of the world where people have the most and least tolerant attitudes

By Hugo Gye

A

n international poll has revealed the world's least tolerant countries - with Hong Kong at the top of the list and Britain near the bottom.

The global social attitudes study claims that the most racially intolerant populations are all in the developing world, with Bangladesh, Jordan and India in the top five.

By contrast, the study of 80 countries over three decades found Western countries were most accepting of other cultures with Britain, the U.S., Canada and Australia more tolerant than anywhere else.

The data come from the World Value Survey, which has long been measuring the social attitudes of people in different countries, as reported by the Washington Post.

The survey asked people what types of people they would refuse to live next to, and counted how many people chose the option 'people of a different race'.

Researchers have suggested that societies where more people do not want neighbours from other races can be considered less racially tolerant.

The country with the highest proportion of 'intolerant' people who wanted neighbours similar to them was Hong Kong, where 71.8 per cent of the population would refuse to live next to someone of a different race.

Next were Bangladesh on 71.7 per cent, Jordan on 51.4 per cent and India with 43.5 per cent.

Racist views are strikingly rare in the U.S., according to the survey, which claims that

only 3.8 per cent of residents are reluctant to have a neighbour of another race.

Other English-speaking countries once part of the British Empire shared the same tolerant attitude - fewer than five per cent of Britons, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders showed signs of racism.

People in the UK are also tolerant of other differences such as speaking a foreign language or practising an alternative religion - for example, fewer than two per cent of Britons would object to having neighbours of a different faith to them.

Similarly, fewer than one in 20 people in most South American countries admitted harbouring prejudice against other races.

The Middle East, which is currently dealing with large numbers of low-skilled immigrants from south Asia, seems to be a hotbed of racial tension, however.

Europe is remarkably split - the west of the continent is generally more tolerant than the east, but France is a striking outlier with 22.7 per cent of the French rejecting neighbourhood diversity.

Some have pointed out problems in the survey data, claiming that because the polls span a long period of time they are an unreliable guide to current attitudes.

However, a more serious flaw could be the fact that in most Western countries racism is so taboo than many people will hide their intolerant views and lie to the questioners.

Max Fisher of the Washington Post suggested that maybe 'Americans are conditioned by

their education and media to keep these sorts of racial preferences private, i.e. to lie about them on surveys, in a way that Indians might not be'.

THE LEAST TOLERANT COUNTRIES...

1) Hong Kong - 71.8% of people do not want to live next to someone of a different race 2) Bangladesh - 71.7% 3) Jordan - 51.4% 4) India - 43.5% 5) Saudi Arabia - 37.7% ...AND THE MOST OPENMINDED 1) Sweden - 1.4% of people do not want to live next to someone of a different race 2) Argentina - 2.0% 3) Norway - 2.8% 4) Canada - 2.9% 5) U.S. - 3.8% Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Diverse: The multicultural U.S. is among the least racially intolerant countries, according to the data

Intolerant: A survey found that Hong Kong had the most people professing racist views of any country

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2012

PAGE 37

Let’s have more academics, professionals in politics-Alkali INTERVIEW After serving your state as commissioner in several ministries, and your party, the PDP, as the National Publicity Secretary, what are you doing since your party’s National Convention in March 2012?

Well, let me start by saying, long before I joined partisan politics, I had been in academics.

I had been a teacher in the university, and as you know, I rose to the rank of professor about twelve years ago. So as an academic, there is no dull moment for me. And, I suppose, that is the case with all true academics.

I also had the privilege of being invited by various Governments in my young State to make my modest contribution towards the development of the State. I am pleased to be fully associated with the giant strides Gombe State was able to make within a short period since its creation in 1996.

I also had a rare honour and privilege to have been elected the National Publicity Secretary of our great party, the PDP in 2008 and to have served in that office with my colleagues for a complete term of four years. Surely, as you know, the period 2008 to 2011 was one of the most historic and dramatic period in our party and our nation. Again, I have every reason to thank God for seeing us through that difficult, if not turbulent phase in our nation’s history.

So you see, with all modesty, I will say that I am a student of politics both in theory and practice. And my ideas are prodevelopment, pro-education, prosocial transformation. So I am not a thinker for thinking sake; I am a development thinker, if you permit me to say that. I deliberately choose teaching in the University as a career after graduation from the university.

And looking back, I believe, it was one of the best decisions of my life.

So I am still very much engaged in the public domain You seem to be in love with ideas and if so truly, why did you leave the university system to venture into politics?

Well, you are right. But when we talk of ideas, we should not be talking of ideas in isolation or in abstraction, rather, we are here talking of transformational ideas: ideas subjected to scientific analyses; ideas geared towards social change and national transformation; and ideas towards the improvement of the life and welfare of our people, if you like. Now, what are we

Immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, in this interaction with newsmen seeks to correct the negative perception the professional and academics have of politics in the country and challenges them to venture into it in order to contribute to national development. Our Ag. Politics Editor, Lawrence Olaoye, reports. Excerpts:

Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, changing or transforming? It is the society. It is the institutions. It is the value system. And it is for the people because society is made up of the people.

So, in going into active politics, I felt that I should give something back to the society. But more than this, going into politics would enable me to put ideas into practice, that is to say, calibrate theory and practice of politics. I believe it is not sufficient to sit back, condemn and pontificate; it is better to get involved in the development process.

Incidentally, community service is one of the mandates of the University.

But having said all these let me quickly add that it was not a simple decision. Joining active politics is a tough one. Many academics do not want to join active politics largely because politics is perceived as a dirty game, where intrigues rule the day. But I believe that ideas cannot only moderate the intrigues inherent in the game, ideas can also really clean up the game.

Do not forget that this is our country, and the task of developing it a collective responsibility as such it is incumbent upon all of us whether we are public officers or private citizens; whether we are in the party hierarchy or outside it, to make our contributions. So everybody has a role to play There is the general feeling

that our democracy has failed the common man; that even though there is much talk about dividends, the real dividends are concentrated at the level of public officers and party officials. What is your honest take on this?

As a social scientist and as an optimist, I do not believe in absolute conclusions, especially

projects-wise. Otherwise, you will not have these protests; where people are comparing and contrasting.

As an academic, do you believe your clan is adding value to our system and, invariably, the development process?

Definitely. It is ideas that move the world. It is ideas that move society, so men and women of ideas cannot, but add value. So, I can say confidently that academics in government are moving the nation forward. The President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, is an academic, and he is bearing his background and training ably on the machinery of government.

His predecessor, the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’adua, was also an academic, and although he left us prematurely, during his brief stay in office, he used his training to impact positively on statecraft.

There are a number of ministers, governors, members of the National Assembly and other senior civil servants from the academia, who are doing very well for us. You know them, so I do not need to mention their names.

Most of these people are heading sensitive government agencies and departments, where they are doing positive things; thereby adding value and impacting

“

For example, I am pleased to see people like Prof Attahiru Jega, a highly respected professor of political science, handling and managing INEC, one of the most sensitive and complex organizations in the country where the conclusions are derived from speculations and non verifiable data. It is easy to say nothing is happening, or nothing has happened. But when you listen to the radio or read the newspapers, you hear people, youths or communities complaining or protesting that their area is being neglected; that government is concentrating development projects or social amenities on the other side only.

That tells me that something is happening development-wise,

positively on growth and development of our country. But I believe there should be more academics and other professionals in the system, to drive the development process more than presently obtains across the country. I believe the fear or worry about politics being dirty is still there.

When I was appointed a commissioner in my home-state of Gombe, some career politicians came and told me “Prof. welcome, but now that you have joined us;

you will need to put the gown of your professorship aside to play this game”. In effect, they were telling me that the rules were different. It was a good advice.

Of course, I did not remove my toga or gown; I only adjusted it to the new reality. I was no longer a professor of political science in a classroom; I was now a student of applied politics in a democratic setting, and my ideas needed to be tested against reality.

I believe some academics and other professionals have been unable or unwilling to appreciate the different settings and make the adjustment needed. However, if more of my colleagues can do it, our country, and our democracy, would be the better for it. For example, I am pleased to see people like Prof Attahiru Jega, a highly respected professor of political science, handling and managing INEC, one of the most sensitive and complex organizations in the country.

Although he is not partisan or in active politics but being an umpire in a very difficult political terrain requires a lot of sacrifice. In other words, it may be a difficult adjustment, but it is one of the sacrifices academics must make for the good of our country.

It is said that when you are outside, you tend to see better; so what is your assessment?

Where are we now and where are we going?

Well, it seems in spite of my explanations, you are bent on retiring me from politics. When you say: outside, outside of what?

Do you mean government or outside the party? If you mean government, then, what is government or who is government? Is it not all of us? If you mean the party, I am still part of the party politics. And to answer your question directly, we are on course. You ask: where are we?

Democratically speaking, I say, we are matching on. You ask again: where are we going? Of course, we are making progress.

In my view, democracy does not mean absence of tensions and conflicts. On the contrary, democracy when effectively managed provides the platform and mechanism for aggregating social demands and tensions where necessary; and conflict management and resolution where inevitable.

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2012

The imperatives of states creation ANALYSIS

By Kayode Olaitan

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equests for the creation of more states in Nigeria have been made on many occasions.

There have been requests for the creation Okura out of Kogi; Aba from Abia; Njaba and Orashi out of Imo; Adada from Enugu State; Toru-Ebe from Delta, Edo and Ondo states; Hadejia out of Jigawa and Katagum from Bauchi States.

Similarly, there have been requests for the creation of Tiga out of Kano State; Karadua and Kafur from Katsina State; Lagoon from Lagos State; OkeOgun and Ibadan out of Oyo State; Kwararafa from Taraba and Amana out of Borno.

Some people have also solicited the creation of Adamawa, Taraba and Savannah states out of the current Adamawa State; Edu, Gurara, Kainji and Borgu from Niger; Apa from Benue, New Delta from Delta and Oduduwa out of Osun, among others.

The requests for states’ creation became so rampant to such an extent that Mr Wole Oke, the former Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Defence, once announced that the House had received more than 50 requests for the creation of new states.

Observers, therefore, wonder why various ethnic groups across the country have presented a plethora of requests for the creation of more states.

However, some political analysts contend that the sustained campaign for the creation of more states in the country is not because Nigerians have a penchant for promoting divisions of the polity.

Rather, they note that the proponents of new states are only seeking the expansion of the scope and platform for more citizens to express themselves and utilise their potential under a federal system of government.

Political historians recall that state creation began in Nigeria on May 27, 1967, when the administration of Gen. Yakubu Gowon abolished the regional structure of the country and created 12 states.

They note that the administration of Gen. Murtala Mohammed created additional seven states in 1976, while 11 more states were created by former military President Ibrahim Babangida between 1987 and 1991.

They add that the administration of Gen. Sani Abacha created additional six states in 1996, which brought the current number of states to 36.

Observers, nonetheless, note that the existing states were all decreed into existence by military governments without

Sen. David Mark consideration for the citizens’ consent, as stipulated in the constitution.

They recall that although former President Shehu Shagari initiated a move for the creation of 30 additional states through the machinery of the National Assembly; the move was scuttled, following the 1983 military intervention.

All the same, some cynics have, on several occasions, queried the wisdom in making requests for more states at this point in time.

In spite of such viewpoints, the Senate announced in 2010 that it would set up a subcommittee within its Constitution Review Committee to specifically consider various requests for the creation of more states across the country.

The Senate has assured the public that the proposed subcommittee would consider the requests and make recommendations.

Besides, the House of Representatives recently said that it had collated the views of Nigerians on the proposed constitution’s review across the country, stressing that states’ creation was one of the salient themes of the people’s proposals.

Nevertheless, some cynics kick against plans to create more states in Nigeria, stressing that virtually all the existing states depend solely on allocations from the Federation Account for their survival.

They insist that states’ creation should not be a priority project because every new state will mean an extra burden on the Federation Account, as some of them may not be selfsustaining.

Mr Qudus Lawal, a public analyst, wrote in Daily Post, an online publication, that the

Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal quest for states, as contained in the 1958 Willink Commission Report, arose from the concern of minority groups that their interests were not protected in the then Northern, Western and Eastern Regions.

“The report correctly noted that states creation would in fact not be a solution to the fears of minorities, as additional states may not guarantee the creation of another minority group in the new states.

“Some of those craving for new states opined that new states will curb persistent ethnic clashes being experienced in some parts of the country, an example that readily comes to mind is Kaduna South.

“If our aim is to use state creation to settle disputes; then, we should be ready to create at least 250 homogenous states. “ My suggestion is that we maintain the present number of states since collapsing them is unlikely, while creating several functional local governments.’’

Lawal’s sentiments notwithstanding, Mr Joseph

Gumbari, a former member of the House of Representatives, said in a media interview that: “I look at these requests as coming from people who are desirous of development.

“Looking at the history of the creation of states, it has been an exercise that has brought about development; it has also brought government closer to the people.

“From the three regions to the four regions after independence; from the 12state structure to 19 states and to the present 36-state structure; it is very obvious that development has come to those areas.

“It is expected that some of these people who feel the need for development would always be engaged in demanding for new states.

“We expect that whatever demands that are to be submitted to the National Assembly, all requests will be treated dispassionately, while taking into consideration the realities on ground.’’

Sharing similar sentiments, Dr Yakubu

“

Nevertheless, some cynics kick against plans to create more states in Nigeria, stressing that virtually all the existing states depend solely on allocations from the Federation Account for their survival

Ugwolawo, the Coordinator of the National Association of State Movements (NASM) said that states were universally accepted as the building blocks of development in a federal system.

“Creation of more states will spread development across the land and help bring the much touted dividends of democracy to the door steps of the average Nigerian; the creation of more states will also create new jobs,’’ he said.

Ugwolawo said that as part of efforts to convince sceptics on the need for more states’ creation, NASM, in collaboration with the Coalition for Responsive Governance, would organise a seminar on May 27 to stimulate public understanding of the advantages of having more states.

Ugwolawo stressed that the creation of more states in the country would ensure more rapid and even development of rural and urban areas, while enhancing the citizens’ living standards.

He noted that many Nigerians wanted the creation of new states to satisfy their political and development aspirations, calling on the National Assembly not to fail them in that regard.

All in all, analysts urge the National Assembly’s committees on state creation to evaluate all the requests for the creation of more states and make positive recommendations on those that meet the constitutional requirements.

They say this will enhance the citizens’ confidence in the legislature and boost democratic governance.

Source: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2012

PAGE 39

Sultan gets salary raise From Mahmoud Muhammad,Sokoto

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he Sokoto state government has increased the salary of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, and those of some chiefs, by about 60 per cent.

According to the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Jabbi Kilgore, some other beneficiaries are all councillors in the Sultanate, the 63 district heads, all village heads as well as their scribes.

He did not however disclose the current salary being enjoyed by the Sultan and the others.

According to Kilgori, the gesture is in accordance with importance attached to the traditional institutions in the state as the custodians of culture, religion and tradition.

“What they were receiving hitherto as personal monthly emoluments was nothing to write home about and this increment is a morale booster to them,” he said.

The commissioner said that traditional rulers were being given greater roles contrary to what obtained in the past.

“This is what we have started in Sokoto to restore the lost glory of the traditional institutions in the state,” he added.

Sokoto awards N5.7 secretariat contract From Mahmoud Muhammad,Sokoto

S

okoto State Government has awarded the contract for the expansion of Usman Faruku Secretariat to Mess Erily Construction Company at the cost of N5.7 billion with completion period of 14 months.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the state’s Executive Council meeting the Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Muhammad Arzika Tureta, said eight additional blocks would be constructed to accommodate all the ministries that are currently at Shehu Kangiwa Secretariat adding that 30 per cent down payment has been given to company.

He said after completion of the work, all ministries will relocate to the new secretariat and the former secretariat would be revert to the purpose for which it was meant.

He said the council also approved the review upward the contract of Sokoto Modern Abattoir which was awarded in 2009 to Gidan Haki construction company.

According to him, over N100 million has been approved for the additional work which include security fencing, expansion of slaughter slab among others.

According to him, some other projects approved by the council include the construction of a story building at Wamakko Orthopedic Hospital, to serve as an amenity ward, at the cost of N49 million, construction of a Jumu’at mosque also at Wamakko town, at the cost of N223.5 million.

Some others are, the construction of 47 staff housing unit at Murtala Moh’d Hospital, sokoto meant for the staff of the hospital at the cost of N881.3 million.

L-R Director General, National Boundary Commission, Dr. Mohammed B. Ahmed, Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, Executive Secretary, Border Communities Agency, Engineer Numoipre Wills, and Special Adviser to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Idris Umar, jointly briefing journalists after their meeting with Vice- President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, recently at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Emergency rule: Bishop says troops alone cannot solve insurgency – cleric From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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he Bishop of Kaduna Diocese, Anglican Communion, Josiah Idowu Fearon, has said deployment of troops to three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa would not resolve the insurgency issue plaguing the country.

The clergy made this assertion while speaking to the media at the second season of the 19th Synod of church in Kaduna at the weekend.

Fearon urged the Federal Government to continue to exploit all other means such as dialogue and consideration of amnesty for the insurgents.

He regretted that Nigeria has not made any significant move towards becoming a safer place for all noting that what he described as merciless killings has become a part of the nation, especially in the northern part of

…Acknowledges Islam as peaceful religion the country.

According to Fearon, “it has even degenerated further to attacking villages and killing human beings as if these evil men were hunting for animals in the wild.

“This atrocity continues in spite of pleadings from religious people, various committees and leaders, both national and international.

“Nigerians seem to be helpless and all they can now do is to wait, pray and hope that this same God we all call upon will bring this self destructive part that has been enforced on the good people of Nigeria in general and northern states in particular.”

According to him, as servants of God, the heart of the Synod members bleeds for the family of those who had to pay

the prize for religious intolerance and bigotry in Nigeria.

He said that the Diocese felt pained by those who have decided not to live by the principle of their religious conviction as they are bent on using the name of God to destroy the entire segment of big and promising country like Nigeria.

He described Islam as a religion of peace which accommodates Christians lamenting that some extremist groups have tended to portray the religion in bad light.

He stressed that, “even their fellow Muslims are not safe in their hands as is being witnessed in countries that are rooted in Islam. “These extremists try to impose their ideas and belief on people without following the dictates of the Prophet and the

Holy Quran and that is the genesis of the problem that is engulfing the Nigerian nation today.

“But take note, extremism is not limited to Islam as it is also found in major religions of the world, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism but we feel Islamism the more because the major religions in Nigeria are Christianity and Islam.”

He urged President Goodluck Jonathan to assist state governments that are left out in the implementation of a part of the recommendation by Sheik Lemu Panel.

He decried the “blatant display of wealth amidst hunger, profligacy, recklessness in the spending of money meant for development, by Nigerian leaders and all these happen in the face of poverty and have to stop.”

Katsina LG: 11 appointees reject nomination From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

E

leven appointees into the Kurfi local government Caretaker Committee have rejected the appointment offered them by the Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema over what they alleged was an attempt to sideline them by giving them lower appointments in the caretaker committee.

The appointees led by Alhaji Dayyabu Kurfi told newsmen in an interview yesterday that only one group led by a political heavyweight of the area, Alhaji Amadi Kurfi, cornered all the

lucrative posts.

According to him, “the Amadi Kurfi group which is only one faction of the PDP in Kurfi local government cornered all the juicy appointments in the caretaker committee.

“They cornered the chairmanship seat, vicechairman and ten councillorship seats while we are only left with the position of advisers that is irrelevant.”

He alleged further that the essence of including them into the committee was to use them for political gains after which they would be dumped them

later.

“This is a use and dump move which we will not accept,”he said, adding that their rejection of the appointments was not an act of disobedience to either the party or the governor but purely a move to ensure that justice is done to all factions of the PDP in the area.

He therefore called on Shema to urgently dismantle the present composition of caretaker committee in Kurfi local government to pave way for an all-inclusive committee that would reflect all PDP interests in the area.

Also, the committee of elders of the party in the local government said it was equally planning to send a protest letter to the governor to express their displeasure over the composition of the caretaker committee.

A member of the House of Assembly representing the area, Alhaji Danlami Kurfi, and a former local government chairman, Alhaji Rabi’u Kurfi, confirmed the move in separate interviews, alleging that the governor “did not take care of the interests and feelings of the people of the area.”

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2012

Senator tasks communities on constituency projects

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he Senator representing FCT at the National Assembly, Phillip Aduda, has asked the community benefiting from his rural electrification project to safeguard the installations in their domain.

Aduda stated this at the Ibwa community in Gwagwalada Area Council during an inspection of the scope of work being done by various contractors in various site across the six Area council of FCT,

Represented by his Special Assistant on Constituency Matters, Hon. Mamuda Mohd, Adudu charged the chiefs, opinion leaders and the entire people to protect the installations against vandals and also assist the contractors towards the completion of the projects.

According to him, “this project is for the benefit of all of you and it is your duty to protect it because this is your own.

“In fact, when we came to this

village during our electioneering campaign, we promised you government’s presence here and today you have seen it.”

Aduda called on them to support government programmes through the Minister of the FCT and President Goodluck Jonathan and to remain law-abiding by resisting all forms of communal clash and other social ills.

The community’s spokesperson, Mallam

Mohammed Hassan, assured the visitors of adequate protection of the installations.

The inspection was in company of the Secretary, Senate Committee on Power, Mr. Cletus Ojabo, and PHCN officials.

The contractor handling Igu, Shere and Kawu rural electrification projects, Sdeal and Associate Nigeria Limited, through the Project Manager, Mr. Alex Ochai, promised to deliver the project in the next few weeks.

BRIEFS

Kebbi Poly gets Rector

G

overnor Usman Saidu Dakingari has approved the appointment of Mohammed Kabiru Nabade as Rector of the new Kebbi State Polytechnic, Dakingari.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Muazu Dakingari, said other appointments approved were those of Deputy Rector, Malan Sani Abdullahi (Okios) and Registrar, Alhaji Haliru Bello Dakingari.

Nabade served as a rector for two terms of 8 years at the State Polytechnic Birnin Kebbi before its conversion to Federal Polytechnic where he served for one term of 4 years.

He is a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Birla Institute of Technology, India.

From Ahmed Idris Birnin Kebbi

Lamido signs C of O for Jigawa residents

J

L-R: Special Assistant on Legislative Affairs to the Senator, representing FCT, Hon. Dabara John, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company official, Engineer Yahaya BK, and Contractor handling, Igu, Shere and Kawu,rural electrification projects, Mr. Alex Ochai, during their inspection of Senator Aduda rural electrification constituency projects, at the weekend in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Minister lists benefits of ECOWAS Protocol From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

M

inister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed, has said that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) would accelerate interaction among member states through the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services by ensuring that intra-community trade and non-trade activities effectively are carried out in the sub-region.

The Minister stated this in Birnin Kebbi while delivering a key note address during a one day workshop on the relevance of ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services.

He said the Authority of Heads of States and Governments endorsed the Protocol since 1979, to promote close interaction and trade amongst member states.

In order for the community’s citizens to move freely within the sub-region

and also engage in productive activities outside their countries of origin, the Protocol sought to abolish visa and entry requirements for citizens, providing for right of residency and the establishment of ECOWAS Travel Certificate and the Brown Card to facilitate vehicular movement across the states, the Minister explained.

Ambassador Ali Ocheni, Director ECOWAS at the Federal Ministry of Foreign

Affairs, while responding to question fr9om reporters said that, called for collaboration between traditional rulers and ECOWAS because according to him they are closer to the people In his speech Governor Saidu Dakingari, represented by the Head of Service, Buhari Halidu Jega, called for greater collaboration and more linkages between local administration as well as traditional institutions towards improving the performance of ECOWAS.

NCS interrogates Rev. Sister over sexual harassment allegation From Olawuni Oladapo, Lagos

T

he Enforcement Unit of the Tin Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has quizzed the Reverend Sister who alleged that she was being sexually harassed by a Customs officer at the Command.

It was gathered that the Nun at the centre of the drama, Reverend Sister Catherine

Gifted Elias, was questioned by NCS officer last Friday and was made to write statement in connection with the importation of a container whose contents were underdeclared.

Although details of her interrogation were sketchy as at press time, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chris Osunkwo, explained that she was invited in her capacity as the consignee of the

container, “since she has now claimed ownership.”

According to him, the bone of contention is the fact that the container had some undeclared items which necessitated the query in the first instance.

“There was a clearing agent but now the Sister has come out to say that she is the owner of the container, he said.

But an independent source close to the Nun told our

correspondent that the Elias was only invited by the ICS for settlement of the “war of words” and allegations which have been going on between the two parties for more than a week.

It would be recalled that the Reverend Sister had accused the Command’s legal officer of making amorous demands of her as a precondition to save the controversial container from being seized.

igawa state Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has signed over 2,500 Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) since the inception of his administration.

The Commissioner of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Baba S. Aliyu, made this known in Birnin Kebbi at special program marking the sixth anniversary of the state government.

He said that government had built86 kilometre township roads at the cost of N11.9 billion.

From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

Owolabi is Aerospace Medicine Fellow

T

he Managing Director of Wondernet Plc, Dr. Makanjuola Akindele Owolabi, has been awarded the first Fellow in Aerospace Medicine and Human Factor, by the West Africa College of Physicians in collaboration with the International Aerospace Medical Association, based in United States of America.

Owolabi is one of the pioneers of Aviation Medicine in Nigeria.

Speaking during the presentation of the award at the weekend in Kaduna, Chairman of the occasion, AVM Gabriel Odeshola (rtd), described Owolabi as an visionary leader who is experienced in training and mobilizing people with successful track records.

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

PAGE 46

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

PUBLIC NOTICE

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GREEN HABITAT INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

BEST UNITED FRIENDS CLUB OF NIGERIA ABUJA CHAPTER

DESTINY CONNECTION CHRISTIAN CENTRE THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CLUB HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990

SIGNED: OLOLA IDOWU SAMUEL 08032113524

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CLUB HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. CHUKWUDI MBA- CHAIRMAN 2. OSITA UWA 3. FRIDAY MBA 4. NWACHUKWU BONIFACE 5. MATTHEW OBODO CHUKWUDI 6 .CHINNSO OSITA (MRS) 7. MERCY MBA (MRS).

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO CATER FOR THE WELFARE OF THE MEMBERS AND THE NEEDY IN THE SOCIETY. B) TO BE THE UMBRELLA THAT SHELTERS ALL THE BEST UNITED FRIENDS CLUB OF NIGERIA ABUJA CHAPTER. C) TO CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF PEACE AND PROGRESS WITHIN OURSELVES AND THE ENTIRE NATION. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARRISTER ANTHONY A. ONUM ONUM A. ONUMS & CO. MARARABA, KARU LGC NASARAWA STATE. 08032887638.

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JESUS FOOT STEP INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY

KING’S CITY CHURCH INTERNATIONAL (KCCI)

MARRIAGE NOTIFICATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CLUB HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990

The general public is hereby notified that Mr. Onyemauche Donatus Ike and Oanh Pham have certified their intention to marry under the marriage ordinance.

If there is any impediment of any kind or any hindrance to the said intended marriage objection should be raised within two (2) weeks from the date of this notice or publication.

Signed Mr. Onyemauche Donatus Ike and Oanh Pham

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1.ANTHONY OKECHUKJWU OKAFOR 2. CHRISTIAN UBAH NWACHUKWU 3. IZUOGU UWADILEKE OCHEMBA 4. PETER OMONKHODION AGWI 5. TOBECHUKWU ISAAC 6. HILARY OKERE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO PROMOTE AND CREATE AWARENESS ON THE NEED FOR A HEALTHY AND GREEN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS DEVOID OF MATERIAL WASTE, POLLUTION, STAGNANT WATER, ETC. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420,TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSEMBLY HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. AGBAPURUONWU SUNDAY PAUL CHIGOZIE - CHAIRMAN 2. AGBAPURUONWU RACHEL PAUL 3. AGU KINGSLEY 4. AGU BLESSING - SECRETARY 5. SANI THANKGOD UGBEDE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL ABOUT REDEMPTION THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2. TO EQUIP CHRISTIANS FOR WORKS OF SERVICE,ENCOURAGING SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND HELPING THEM TO RECOGNISE AND DEVELOP THEIR GOD GIVEN GIFT THROUGH THE TEACHING OF THE BIBLE, THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WORKSHIP. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420,TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. PASTOR SUNNY OROK 2. REV. JONE OGORRY 3. PASTOR KUJRE JAMES 4. SISTER MABEL EDWARD 5. SISTER JESICA EFE-DANIELS 6. SISTER PRECIOUS WERNER AHIAKWO THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO BE A CHURCH THAT COMES THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND HAS POSITIVE INFLUENCE OF ADVISING THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN OUR COMMUNITY, CITY, NATION AND NATION OF THE WORLD. 2. TO ORGANIZING PRAYERMEETINGS AND CONDUCT PRAYER SESSION ON ANY MATTER AT ANY PLACE.

THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. PASTOR REGAL DESMOND STEVEN 2. MRS. RARE M. REGAL 3. ENG. EMMANUEL E. MGBADA 4. MRS OKECHUKWU CHUKWUMA 5. MRS. AMEDI EMMANUEL MGBADA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 2. TO REACH OUT TO THE LOST AND RECONNECT THEM TO THIR DIVINE DESTINY. 3. TO RESTORE THE AUTHORITY DESTINY AND DIGNITY OF HUMANITY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARRSITER JESSICA EFE-DANIELS OF VINEOLIVES CHAMBERS, GWARIMPA

SIGNED: FRANCIS IGIRIOGU ESQ GOLDEN MANDATE ATTORNEYS SUITE A31 MELITA PLAZA, AREA 11 ABUJA 08038894042

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARRISTER JESSICA EFE-DANIELS OF VINEOLIVES CHAMBERS GWARIMPA

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LOSS OF DOCUMENT

UNIQUE RUBIES LADIES ASSOCIATION

This is to inform the general public of the loss of the original copy of certificate of occupancy with file No. BA/16650 bearing HASSAN BABAYO issued by the Bauchi state Ministry of Land and Survey in 1994.

All efforts to trace the said documents proved abortive. If found please contact the nearest police station, general public take note.

KUBWA DISTRICT CENTRAL MARKET SHOPOWNERS ASSOCIATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. PASTOR GEORGE OGBEIDE 2. JAMES AKURUGA 3. IDRIS BARDE 4. MR CLEMENT EKUNKE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO ADVANCE AND PROTECT THE OVERALL INTEREST OF MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION. 2. TO FOSTER UNITY AND ORGANISATION OF SHOPOWNERS IN KUBWA DISTRICT.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. MRS GLORY EMMANUEL BEN -PRESIDENT 2. MRS IMA EDET EKONG -SECRETARY 3. MRS ENO-OBONG ABASI AMA -TREASURER THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO FOSTER LOVE AND UNITY AMONGST MEMBERS. 2. TO AFFILIATE WITH ANY EXTERNAL UNION WHERE ITS AIM IS TO DEVELOP THE ORGANISATION. 3. TO EDUCATE AND DEVELOP ONE ANOTHER THROUGH WORKSHOPS, LECTURES AND SEMINARS. 4. TO CARTER FOR THE WELFARE OF ITS MEMBERS MORALLY, SOCIALLY, FINANCIALLY, SPIRITUALLY AND OTHERWISE. 5. TO PROMOTE THE GOOD IMAGE OF THE LADIES IN THEIR DAILY LIVES.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

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K15 UNITY AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM

OHIA IRU ESTATE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420,TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

NWOKOBIA CHRIS FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. NWOKOBIA CHRISTOPHER IKECHUKWU 2. DR. NNEKA NWOKOBIA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. PROVISION OF CHARITY FOR THE MOTHERLESS BABIES AND FOR THE AGED. 2. PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR THE SICK, TREATMENT COUNSELLING, TEST OF HIV INFECTED PERSONS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420,TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: CHAIRMAN

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. ALHAJI IRO DAN FULOTI 2. ALHAJI SANUSI KABIR USMAN 3. JABIRU S. ABDULLAHI 4. ALHAJI AMINU JAMO 5. ALHAJI ABDULKADIR NASIR THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO FASTER UNITY AMONG MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARR. BABA-NGARI UMAR ESQ.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1. HON. EMMANUEL OMAH 2. DR. EMMANUEL ARDU 3. PROF. EMMANUEL O. ANOSIKE 4. PA. GABRIEL EGWUMATA 5. CHIEF O. OBASI 6. ENGR. ALEXANDER EGWUDIALE 7. HON. GOODLUCK N. OPIAH THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO PROMOTE PEACE AND UNITY AMONG MEMBERS 2. TO BRING TOGETHER ALL RESIDENTS OF THE ASSOCIATION. 3. TO PURSUE A COMPREHENSIVE WELFARE PROGRAM FOR MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED: J.W. NIMFAS ESQ M.A.ATTAH & CO LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMALLY KNOWN AS PRISCILLA EMMANUEL, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESS AS PRISCILLA EMMANUEL ILIYA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMALLY KNOWN AS FATIMA BINT AHMAD, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESS AS FATIMA BINT ABUBAKAR. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMALLY KNOWN AS SALE UMAR, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESS AS SALE ABDULLAHI UMAR. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. OBI L.G.C AND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMALLY KNOWN AS ENE IDOKO, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESS AS ENE AGIDA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. NIGERIA POLICE FORCE AND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

This is to inform the general public of the loss of the original OFFER LETTER OF LAND issued by Gwagwalada Area Council belonging to FUDI ENTERPRISES. All effort made to trace the said documents proved abortive. If found please report to the nearest police station. General Public to take note.

THIS SPACE IS FOR SALE

PAGE 47

PUBLIC NOTICE DO IT RIGHT FOUNDATION THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) FOR THE ADDITION OF NEW TRUSTEES UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE OLD TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MR. DIXION JUBRIL 2. MRS. JUBRIL LYNDA THE NEW TRUSTEES ARE: 1. TAJUDEEN JUBRIL 2. WALE JUBRIL THE OUT GOING TRUSTEES ARE: WISDOM BARGGIE MRS. BARGGIE DEBBIE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO CATER FOR LESS PRIVILEDGED AND WIDOWS IN THE SOCIETY. TO ENGAGE IN ALL PROGRAMS THAT WOULD AFFECT THE LIFE OF COMMONERS POSITIVELY IN THE SOCITY. ANY OBJECTION TO THE SAID ADDITION OF THE TRUSTEES SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT. OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; MR. DIXION JUBRIL

PUBLIC NOTICE PRESTIGE COUNTRY CLUB THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CLUB HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. TO CARE FOR WELFARE OF THE MEMBERS 2. TO FOSTER UNITY, LOVE AND HARMONY AMONG MEMBERS 3. TO PROMOTE SOCIAL-ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF MEMBERS THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO CATER FOR LESS PRIVILEDGED AND WIDOWS IN THE SOCIETY. TO ENGAGE IN ALL PROGRAMS THAT WOULD AFFECT THE LIFE OF COMMONERS POSITIVELY IN THE SOCITY. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; ADEDAMOLA POPOOLA AND CO. 30, IBEZIM-OBIAJULU STREET, SURULERE, LAGOS

PUBLIC NOTICE ULTIMATE BROTHERS CLUB OF NIGERIA THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CLUB HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ABUGU TIMOTHY ONYEBUCHI 2. IDOKO FELIX IFESINACHI 3. OGBU ELISON IKECHUKWU 4. IDOKO TIJANI CHUKWUDI THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO FOSTER UNITY AMONG MEMBERS 2. TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS 3. TO ASSOCIATE WITH ALREADY EXISTING SOCIAL CLUBS FOR ENHANCED PERFORMANCE ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; BARR. ONUORA ODO 08035979574

PUBLIC NOTICE BRIGHTFIELD FOUNDATION

PUBLIC NOTICE VICTORY CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MRS CAROL ADA OBIOHA PRESIDENT/CHAIRMAN 2. MRS IJEOMA MGBEMGASA CHINAKA ENEKWA SECRETARY 3. PROFESSOR TOPE OLUKAYODE POPOOLA 4. CHIEF LEO MELOS NWANKWO

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ENGR. RICHARD ONOLEMEMEN (5) STEFFIE OKEDU (2) THOMAS DRAMBI KOJI (6) BENSON IBEZIM ESQ. (3) RAPHEAL NWOKEABIA MADU (7) MRS. ADERINSOLA OLUSOJI (4) BELLOW UMAR HABIBA

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO PROMOTE SKILLS ACQUISITION FOR INCOME GENERATION TO WOMEN AND YOUTH. 2. TO SUPPORT THE ENHANCEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND MATERNAL HEALTH EDUCATION IN RURAL AREAS.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF ITS BONAFIDE MEMBERS AS IT RELATES TO THE GOALS OF THE ASSOCIATION. (B) TO PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS AS MAY ARISE FROM RELATIONSHIPS IN THE COURSE OF THE BUSINESS. (C) TO DEAL WITH ALL MATTERS THAT RELATES TO MEMBERS CONDUCTS, ESPECIALLY CONCERNING THE EXECUTION OF THE VICTORY RESORT REALTORS LTD PROJECT.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; BARR. EJEATA ANNET IMENE ONOGHO 08053056007

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; BARR. MAUREEN CHINEDU APALI.

PUBLIC NOTICE TOLARAM (CHARITY) FOUNDATION CAC/ IT/NO: 30163 THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) ABUJA FOR AMENDMENT OF ITS CONSTITUTION UNDER PART 'C' OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MR HARIKISHIN G. ASWANI 2. MR DEEPAK SINGHAL

RETAINED RETAINED

ARTICLE 4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES AMENDED ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGE SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; OLUWASOLA FAJUYAGBE 08034951231, 08023300451

PUBLIC NOTICE IJAW INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. STERLING AYEBAEMI ELLIS 2. MICAH ORUWORI WAKAMA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES AMENDED TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE/INTEREST OF MEMBERS. 2. TO PROMOTE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND RENDER ASSISTANCE AMONG MEMBER WHEN THE NEED ARISES. 3. TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR THE DESTITUTE & HOMELESS. 4. TO ESTABLISH REFORMATORY AND REHABILITATION CENTRES FOR MEMBERS. 5. TO ETABLISH SKILL ACQUISITION CENTRES FOR MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE JESUS VISION & MIRACLE REVIVAL MINISTRY THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANIZATITON HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. UWAEGBU GRACE ULUMMA 2. ANOWEH VITALIS (REV) 3. ONUMAEBU VICTORIA AJUKA 4. MR UWAEGBU IKECHUKWU AIMS AND OBJECTIVES AMENDED 1. TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD. 2. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN LINE WITH BIBLE PRINCIPLES. 3. TO EVANGELIZE, TEACH, AND PROPAGATE THE WORD OF GOD. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; BARR. CHIDI (08036485150)

PUBLIC NOTICE INITIATIVE FOR PEACE, MORAL ETHICS & VALUES IN NIGERIA THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANIZATITON HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. BARR. CHIJIOKE CELESTINE UBA 2. AJILEYE JULIET UCHENNA 3. PHYLINE IHEOMA IBEJIAKO AIMS AND OBJECTIVES AMENDED 1. TO ENTRENCH MORAL AND SOCIETAL ETHICS IN ALL CITIZENS ESPECIALLY THE YOUTHS VIA SEMINARS AND EDUCATIONAL RESORTS. 2. PROMOTION OF PEACE AND NATIONAL CO-EXISTENCE IN NIGERIA. 3. TO ELIMINATE RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE ACROSS THE STATE OF THE FEDERATION. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; BARR. CHIDI (08036485150)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

PAGE 43

Jones takes Lebedev to the cleaners in WBA title defence

D

enis Lebedev's hope of snatching the WBA Cruiserweight title from Guillermo Jones went awry over the weekend when he was knocked out by the champion who thus retained his crown.

The Panamanian made a mince meat of the favoured Russian in the 11th round after who capitalised on a big bruise near his right eye to knock him down near the ropes with 56 seconds left in the penultimate round.

Jones improved his record to 39-3 with two draws and 31 knockouts in his first bout since stopping Michael Marrone in November 2011.

It was the first loss in five fights for Lebedev since he went down to Marco Huck in December 2010. The Russian dropped to 25-2 with 19 KOs. Lebedev, who knocked out undefeated Colombian challenger Santander Silgado in his last fight at the same

Moscow arena in December, took the initiative from the start.

But the 41-year-old Jones was not about to back down. Heavy punishment finally took its toll on the Russian as his right eye was completely shut down by round five.

The men continued their slugfest in the later rounds before the Panamanian stunned Lebedev with a right cross, forcing the referee to stop the fight.

Similarly Alexander Povetkin retained his WBA heavyweight title and unbeaten status when he stopped Polish challenger Andrzej Wawrzy in the third round to record his fourth successful title defence.

The 33-year-old Russian improved his record to 260 with 18 knockouts after flooring Wawrzyk in the second round and again in the third with a right to the

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Guillermo Jones and Denis Lebedev head.

The referee allowed Wawrzyk to continue before stopping the bout with 31 seconds left in the round.

Povetkin, who outpointed Ruslan Chagaev in August 2011 for the vacant title, will now face WBA super champion Wladimir Klitschko in September.

It was the first loss for Wawrzyk, who drops to 27-1.

Watched by Wladimir Klitschko's elder brother, WBC champion Vitali, Povetkin floored the lanky Pole with a right hook in round two, then sent his opponent to the canvas again in the following round before finishing the job a few seconds later.

"It was a good workout. I didn't aim for an early knockout, it just happened," Povetkin said.

Asked if he was now ready to fight Wladimir Klitschko, who stopped Italian Francesco Pianeta in Germany earlier this month, Povetkin said: "Yes, let's do it."

Povetkin's manager Vladimir Khryunov, who last month won the bid to stage the Klitschko fight, added: "It will be held here in Moscow, probably in early October."

Vitali Klitschko, however, was more cautious. "The fight is on the cards but the contract has not been signed," he said.

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MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

Carragher ends Liverpool’s 16-year career with a win

L

iverpool gave retiring stalwart Jamie Carragher a fitting send off by beating the Premier League's bottom club QPR 1-0 at an emotional Anfield yesterday.

The game brought down the curtain on the 35-year-old defender's illustrious sixteen years career, and he was afforded a guard of honour from both sets of teams before being handed a memento from the opposition's Liverpool-born captain Clint Hill.

Supporters on the Kop created a mosaic in tribute to the popular defender, who played 38 times for England and was making his 737th and final appearance for his only club.

Carragher, who will become a television pundit next season, was urged to shoot whenever he had possession in the opposition half and almost crowned the perfect day with a long-range shot that hit a post in the second half.

The celebration of Carragher's career inevitably lent an end-of-season air to the game.

The sell-out 44 792 Anfield crowd's wishes almost came true on 61 minutes when Carragher unleashed a fine shot from 30 yards that rebounded off a post with Green well beaten.

Ancelotti set for Mourinho replacement

C

arlo Ancelotti wants to quit Paris St-Germain to take over from Jose Mourinho as Real Madrid manager, according to PSG sporting director Leonardo.

Mourinho is still in charge at the Bernabeu but has been linked with a return to Chelsea this summer.

"Carlo asked to leave for Real Madrid but we want him to stay," Leonardo told French newspaper L'Equipe.

Ancelotti has guided PSG, owned by Qatar Sports Investments, to the French title this season - their first championship since 1994.

The 53-year-old has won league titles with PSG, AC Milan and Chelsea, also lifting the Champions League with Milan in 2003 and 2007.

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QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE Exorcise the spirit of violence by never offering violence in self defence.

— Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, speaking at Eighth Synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in Abuja

Shall we tell the president?

As government expands liberty contracts — Ronald Reagan

U

nless for the benighted, last week’s sledgehammer 'state of emergency' treatment of some states was a welcome relief. It was long expected. I am for anything that will stem the tide of blood flow. So if "state of emergency" will halt the sacrilegious massacre of lives, all Nigerians should applaud it. I am skeptical though if matching force with force alone would make the guns silent.

I am skeptical this extreme measure will end the anarchy.

Past efforts have come to naught. I have long anticipated emergency rule. However, it became manifest the moment presidential spokesman said no such thing was on the cards. At that precise moment, I grimly concluded that that something drastic was imminent. Like those before it, this government has a defined and predictable pattern of behavior.

But unlike those preceding it, the incumbent government "seemingly" fumble and grope all the way giving the impression of uncertainty. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

In Nigeria, don't believe the government about an issue "burning" or "cold" until it is denied.

Denial is proof that government would take away some of your freedom.

Remember how government routinely peels off fuel subsidy? The road to withdrawal was often littered by repeated denials. Some Nigerians never cease to amaze me.

In the last three years, the man who calls the shots as President and Commander-in-chief has behaved in a chillingly predictable manner.

Yet each time he acted true to type, some of us are flabbergasted. We gnash our teeth and lament. The charitable among the tribe of the gullible make excuses for the president. Each time the C-in-C trips and falls in meandering through the mountain of untruth, a heap of excuses serving as safety net is there to catch him I am truly mystified. Of all the leaders we have had in the last 30 years, none has been as predictable as the readable as the incumbent.

Elsewhere, this is patently unacceptable.

What is mystifying to me is how outrageously jaws dropping security budgets disappear without commensurate result.

Every year, billions of naira earmarked not just for security but other equally important sectors of national development ended up

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MOND AY MONDA with

Ali M. Ali aliyumaliyu@yahoo.com

President Jonathan mismanaged or in private pockets.

Those entrusted with the common till habitually abused it becoming, overnight, and stupendously rich.

A frightening statistic report that 70 per cent of Nigerians are youth under 30.Out of this scary figure, more than three quarters is idle not useful to themselves or society. This gruesomely idle and energetic population is ready army for any untoward designs against the state.

A BBC Hausa interview with a young lad in rural Nigeria two years ago gave an insight how young Nigerians see their political leaders.

The verdict is unflattering. They see them as no more than petty thieves. This particular young man responded to the question what he would like

to be in the future with "I want to be a local government chairman so that I will have a lot of money".

Having stolen the treasury blind, these desperate politicians resort to Boko Haramic tactics to cling to power. And it was to this teeming colony of the unemployed they turned to. Across the country are insurgents groups having uncanny resemblance with Boko Haram In notorious flashpoints where insurgents were kings, the state, with all its instruments of terror, was seemingly overwhelmed by the daring impunity of the rebels.

Looking back now, I am of the considered opinion, in a morbid way, it was strategic. Government is the biggest terrorist, I dare say.

It enjoys the latitude of legitimacy in applying force to protect the citizenry.

Curiously, our government, for reasons, I suspected that were largely self serving, foot dragged. Naturally, questions were being asked why it took this long for the government to roll out its own war machine.

It is during moments like this that statesmen are separated from politicians. So far, I am yet to come across any statesman. President Jonathan and his handlers have behaved over time, as if the affected states were not part of the country.

The oft bandied excuse was that they were "opposition" states and as such, handling the rebellion needed "political tact".

“

In notorious flashpoints where insurgents were kings, the state, with all its instruments of terror, was seemingly overwhelmed by the daring impunity of the rebels. Looking back now, I am of the considered opinion, in a morbid way, it was strategic.

Government is the biggest terrorist, I dare say. It enjoys the latitude of legitimacy in applying force to protect the citizenry

Accepted, some measure of 'tact' was necessary in handling the matter but the government has demonstrated a healthy suspicion of genuine advice on grounds of the generic "sore loser" .The constitution of the Amnesty Committee is a classic example of how not to solve a festering crisis. Loudmouthed security chiefs dead and alive had alluded to this in sundry fora. But they were united in their collective resolve that the rebellion was a regional disgruntlement that will expire with the passage of time .As the nightmare aggravated, Boko Haram became a franchise for all manner of crooks perpetrating heinous crimes. Not a few Nigerians of the discernible hue were convinced that the biggest Boko Haram is the government itself.

Nigeria's constitution gave enormous powers to the government at the centre .It controls the armed forces, the police and sundry security agencies. Yet in the dawn of insurgency, and charitably stated, it has not lived up to expectation. Police commissioners for example are answerable only to the Inspector General who, in turn, is answerable to the President. With a scenario like this, governors have limited powers in tackling such massive security challenge. The governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima, specifically, stands out.

Rather than flee and run his state from a safe distance, the man has risen to the occasion giving leadership constantly on the ground monitoring, evaluating participating. When others with lesser challenges shy flee their states for reason of personal safety, Shettima makes a public display of courage.

Flexing muscles is good even if belatedly. But abuse of "muscles" is unacceptable. What gives me goose pimples is the perfidy of the regime.

It is untrustworthy. It has a reputation of short changing the people. A peaceful alternative to the Boko Haram conundrum should not be jettisoned. A dual approach of carrot and stick, in my considered opinion, is the key that may solve this puzzle.

Loudmouthed security chiefs dead and alive had alluded to this in sundry fora. But they were united in their collective resolve that the rebellion was a regional disgruntlement that will expire with the passage of time .As the nightmare aggravated, Boko Haram became a franchise for all manner of crooks perpetrating heinous crimes. Not a few Nigerians of the discernible hue were convinced that the biggest Boko Haram is the government itself.

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