Peoples Daily Newspaper, Monday 22, April, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 10 No. 76

Monday, April 22, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Jimadal Akhir 5, 1434 AH

N150

Amnesty: Why c’ttee will fail – Borno elders Withdraw soldiers first – Justice Nasir CPC links insurgency to 2015

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri, Ikechukwu Okaforadi, Abuja & Mohammed Ibrahim, Kaduna

T

he Borno Elders and Leaders of Thought yesterday expressed fears that the proposed amnesty being worked out by the Federal

Government for the Boko Haram insurgents may not yield fruitful results due to what it termed the lopsided composition of the amnesty committee.

This is just as a former President, Court of Appeal, Justice Mamman Nasir, commended government for setting up the amnesty committee on Boko Haram but warned that the body may not be able to make any progress

without the withdrawal of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in some of the states.

But in the view of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the entire insecurity scenario cannot be separated from the scheduled 2015 general

elections.

Spokesman of the Borno elders, Bulami Mali Gubio, told Peoples Daily in an interview that President Goodluck Jonathan constituted the committee without involving the governors Contd on Page 2

Insecurity: Jonathan has failed, says Tinubu From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

F

Victims of recent crisis in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau state in a camp in Tilde, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi state.

Photo: NAN

Sheikh Gumi urges Nigerians to stop >> 3 insurgents

Achebe for burial May 23

ormer Governor of Lagos state and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday described the President Goodluck Jonathan government as a failure that has nothing to offer Nigerians.

Tinubu spoke when he led leaders of the party on a condolence visit to Ekiti state Governor, Kayode Fayemi, over the death of his Deputy, Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka, in AdoEkiti.

According to him, Jonathan’s inability to secure the lives and properties of citizens as provided for in the Constitution means that he is clueless and devoid of the ideas needed to govern a big and complex nation like Nigeria.

According to Tinubu, “President Contd on Page 2

>> 3

Patience Vs Turai: Court receives report tomorrow

>> 26

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

CONTENTS

Amnesty: Why c’ttee will fail – Borno elders

News

Contd from Page 1 of the affected states mostly ravaged by the violent campaigns of the Islamic militants.

Gubio also doubted the government’s commitment to control the seemingly intractable loss of lives and property caused by activities of the members of Boko Haram, according to Gubio, key stakeholders who should reach out to the militants for truce were equally sidelined.

He said: “I doubt if the Presidency is indeed committed to tackling the security challenges, occasioned by the Boko Haram, bedevilling parts of the north.

“This is so because the major stakeholders were not directly or indirectly engaged in the committee.

“How can the President constitute such a committee and failed to seek the input of governors of Borno, Yobe, Kano, Bauchi and Adamawa states, among others, where the insurgency has worsened.

“I think the Federal Government was just tactically heeding to the widely calls for the pardon of the militants in words but not in action.”

“There is no single member of the amnesty committee who is capable of reaching out to the sect and if the government is indeed sincere in its quest to restore peace and normalcy, the committee should have included reliable personalities who are able to contact the insurgents for truce.

“Borno Elders Forum is not in any way opposed to the amnesty committee or any concrete efforts being unveiled by the President to see to the end of the bloodshed and destruction of property.

“Our contention is that prominent personalities who have access to the militants should be made part of the committee.”

“Until this is done, nothing tangible can be achieved because it was unwise for someone to involve individuals for an assignment which they have no focus on how or where to start.

“This is exactly the hurdle that awaits members of the amnesty committee.”

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Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

Stockwatch

23

Education

27

Health

29

Contempt proceedings: FCT Minister, 4 others, know fate April 23, Page 26

Int’l

36-34

S/World

35

Digest

36

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-45

Leisure

47

Columnist

48

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Speaking in Kaduna at the weekend, Nasir expressed the same scepticism over the success of the amnesty committee initiative as he argued that, the greatest remedy to the nation’s security is team work and not the use of guns.

Nasir spoke at the 2013 Gamji Memorial Club Annual Lecture, organised by students of Federal Cooperative College, Kaduna (FCCK).

According to Nasir, “security with guns and bullets will never bring peace to a nation.

“The Federal Government has done the right thing by setting up the amnesty committee but the committee will not succeed unless all Nigerians team up and assist the government to have peace.

“If you want to succeed, everyone of us must take interest and be his brother’s keeper.

“We should play the role of peace keepers in order words by inviting everybody to be part of security system of this country.

“All northerners must all team up and remember what our forefathers told us, that there should be peace, unity and good leadership.”

CPC also has traced the ravaging insurgent activities in parts of the country to the question of who becomes the President of Nigeria in 2015.

The CPC in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, accused President Goodluck Jonathan for “politicizing” the insecurity situation in the country arguing that, “the essence of it is to use unconscionable schemes to delude, confuse and over-awe the citizenry, ahead of the next general election in 2015.”

Moreover, according to the statement, the consistent efforts by the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayodele Oritsejafor, at condemning the proposed amnesty for Boko Haram, may indeed be the unexpressed desire of Jonathan.

The statement noted that what it described as double-face posturing by the Federal Government has alienated some

members of the amnesty dialogue committee, condemning it as a show of its insincerity on the part of the leadership.

The party regretted that the more money voted to combat insecurity in the country brings more insecurity, saying this has made PDP government to have justification for voting more funds for security.

The statement said, “This government’s action, perceived as deleterious to the sociopolitical harmony of the land, is being intensified in other regions of the country, ahead of the regime’s preparation for another election in 2015.

“The PDP propaganda machine has caused the Boko Haram phenomenon to defy reasonable logic.

“On February 2013, a French family of seven persons was held hostage by terrorists in Cameroon in which Boko Haram was reported to be responsible.

“They were allegedly brought to Nigeria by BokoHaram. The hostages were freed last week in Cameroon and released to the French government.

“Was any insurgent (in captivity in Nigeria) released in exchange for the hostages?

“How did Boko Haram cross (at will) Nigeria’s borders, with all the hostages, without the knowledge of Nigeria’s large security apparatus?

“Shall we assume that Boko Haram has spread its operational base to Cameroon?

“Undoubtedly, this leaves many more questions than answers.”

The statement also regretted that in the last two years, the Nigerian government has been patronising ex-militant lords with security contracts in a manner that show abandonment of the constitutional function of the Nigerian police.

The PDP-led Federal Government is unwilling and it is incapacitated in implementing the fundamental objectives of government as entrenched in the nation’s Constitution.

“The CPC is aware that the preeminent desire of Nigerians under

this Nation-space is Security, which under this PDP-led regime, has been an elusive phenomenon.”

“The inability of Jonathan’s government to deliver these demands is traceable to his preference of political profiting from the menace of insecurity and as such, has refused to destroy the scourge from the nation’s landscape.”

The statement also lashed out at the CAN President for allegedly making suggestions aimed at heating up the polity.

The CPC recalled that Oritsejafor had addressed the press on the heels of the 2011 postelection violence, saying that Buhari should be arrested over the crisis and that Oritsejafor has also condemned the proposed granting of amnesty to Boko Haram.

Meanwhile, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has appealed to the duo of Dr. Datti Ahmed and Malam Shehu Sani, to review their decision not to serve in the amnesty committee.

Sani had disassociated himself from the committee arguing that government did not contact him before the nomination while Ahmed claimed that government is not sincere with the proposed dialogue with Boko Haram.

A statement by the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, said that while ACF expected that extensive consultations should have preceded the announcement of the members of the amnesty committee, “considering the weight of the assignment, ACF has appealed to the two members to reconsider their decision of withdrawing their membership.

“This will be in the overriding national interest.

“We believe that the job of putting an end to any acts of violence and further killings of innocent Nigerians is a task that must be done by all Nigerians with patriotic courage.

“ACF has never thought that such work will be an easy one. Surely, the process will have sand bags along the way which we think can be surmounted.”

Insecurity: Jonathan has failed, says Tinubu Contd from Page 1 Jonathan and the PDP have failed in terms of security.

“Security is the engine room of industrial development and no country would partner with you when you are not secured.

“The attacks on Nigeria and its resources have caused a lot of inflation and retardation in the economy.

“If a President is clueless about security at a time he is about to celebrate the centenary of Nigeria’s existence and 53 years of

independence, he cannot track and identify the root cause of terrorism, it means he has nothing to offer the country.”

He said it was disheartening for Nigeria to be clueless after its 100th year of existence and 53rd year of its independence.

Tinubu however warned President Jonathan against offering a blanket Amnesty to members of Boko Haram who are currently wrecking havoc in the Northern part of the country.

He explained that despite his

support for the proposed amnesty to arrest the sectarian crises which have put the security situation in the north under a serious strain, Tinubu said that, “the amnesty must bring about justice and should be selective, not just a blanket approach.

“Those venting anger on Nigeria because there is no justice in the system should be offered amnesty but those fomenting trouble under another guise should be prosecuted and sent to jail.

“No one religion can eliminate the other in Nigeria because Nigeria is a secular state.

“The Constitution recognises us as people and not as Muslims or Christians, so we should be able to apply a holistic approach to settle our problems.”

According to him, the amnesty became imperative not only to end the bombings and killings in the north but because it will also form a veritable platform under which the victims, particularly the living, can be compensated.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 3

Achebe for burial May 23

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he remains of the late renown author, Prof.

Chinua Achebe, will buried on May 23, Gov. Peter Obi, Chairman of the South East Governor’s Forum, has said.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in Enugu at the end of the forum’s meeting, Obi said the burial would hold in Ogidi town, and would be attended by stakeholders from across the globe.

He said the forum also discussed the issue of security in the zone as well as the flag off of the Enugu International Airport by President Jonathan.

“This afternoon (yesterday), we talked about issues that are important to the south east among which are Enugu International Airport, security issues and, again, the issue of Achebe’s burial.

“We wish to announce that the burial will take place on May 23, his first son is here with us.

“Enugu airport is an international airport and we discussed early visit of the President to flag off the construction,” he said.

In an interview, the late Achebe’s first son, Ikechukwu, commended the Federal Government and the south east governors for their commitment to the burial plan.

“Our father was a wonderful family man. Although he was a global citizen, he was a good husband and father.

“The south east governors have indicated that the burial of my father is an important event and we are looking forward to working and consulting with them.

“So far, we have had tremendous support,” he said.

Jonathan flays CPC statement on security

By Agaju Madugba

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he Presidency has described as incoherent, a statement credited to the spokesman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, that President Goodluck Jonathan has tended to politicise the issue of the nation’s security and that he prefers political profiting from the menace of insecurity to finding solution to the problem.

Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, in a statement yesterday said the CPC position was “wolf crying.”

According to Abati, the CPC statement, “is a thoroughly incoherent, stream of consciousness rambling that serves no purpose other than that it fits into a pattern of perpetual heckling and wolf crying by a defeated, unimaginative group that hides under the guise of being an opposition.

L-R: Senate President David Mark, and Asagba of Asaba, Professor Chike Edozien, during a visit by the traditional ruler to Senate President’s residence, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Amnesty committee: We are set to begin work, says Lemu

A

member of President Goodluck Jonathan’s amnesty committee on Boko Haram, Sheikh Abubakar Lemu, has expressed confidence that the panel will come up with recommendations to help resolve Nigeria’s internal security crisis.

According to him, “As soon as the committee is inaugurated, I do not think the chairman will waste time in convening the meeting and the beginning of the work.

“The group has many people of integrity, many people who

have concern for peace security as well as development of Nigeria as a whole.

“Therefore, I am optimistic that we shall look into the problem very objectively and give our advice in the form of recommendations to Mr. President.”

The committee is expected to engage key members of the Boko Haram sect in a dialogue to end the violence, by developing a framework that can lead to disarmament and compensation for victims, within 60 days.

Lemu said, “the problem is

that over the years other crisis that have happened in Nigeria, the government of the day will appoint a committee or commission, they will [present] their report [but] the government will dump it aside, and then the problem will recur.

“Seeing that the government of the day has suffered from all that is happening in the country, we feel optimistic that whatever recommendations that this great body will give, the government will do something

about it and we shall see positive results.

“What every Nigerian, the commission members as well as any other common man look forward to is security in the country, peace, and stability peaceful coexistence.”

Members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect have been accused of carrying out violent attacks in an attempt to force the country to adopt strict Islamic law.

Human Rights Watch says Boko Haram-related violence has killed an estimated 3,000.

Sheikh Gumi urges Nigerians to stop insurgents

S

heikh Ahmad Gumi has again denounced the Boko Haram Islamic sect and called for them to be flushed out from all of Northern Nigeria, drawing from the experience of the bombing of the Boston Marathon in the United States last week.

In his weekly sermon monitored by SaharaReporters, the fearless Islamic cleric who has already objected to amnesty for members of the sect, listed four “enemies of the people” he said Nigerians must fight.

“In Boston, with good intelligence analysis, good governance and genuine cooperation of the local populace, the terrorist were routed out without any harm in the populace way,” he said, drawing attention to an incident in Kano in which a terrorist was reportedly killed by the residents. “Therefore people in Nigeria should take on the fight themselves.”

For peace and security to return to our neighborhoods,

he identified the four “clearlydefined” enemies which, he said, sometimes work together to perpetuate the state of insecurity that has gripped the nation since 2011, Boko

Haram and their sympathizers, Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, their sympathisers and their supporters, evil elements of the security outfits and bad

governance.

According to him, “as for Boko Haram, every district should aspire to flush out suspicious people and document strangers.

FAAN to commence digital toll gate operation by May

By Ibrahim Kabiru Sule

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he Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has disclosed plans to commence digital toll gate operation at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport (NAIA) next month.

The new initiative will be managed in partnership with First Bank alongside another private firm, to ensure efficiency and accountability.

Speaking during a chat with reporters at the weekend in Abuja, the airport spokesperson, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, said the automated service became imperative as part of measures against insecurity as well as ensure transparency in the collection of fare at the airport entrance.

According to her, “the automated toll gate service will soon commence. People will no longer stand there collecting N20 or N200.

“There will be a bar at the entrance. If they do not put the correct amount of money or a chip as the case may be, the bar will not lift.

“We are expecting that very soon, we will go on air to educate members of the public on this because there is nowhere in the world where people park to pay money at the airport.”

She explained that FAAN has been losing a lot of money to drivers who play smart at the gate amidst other atrocities.

“There are a lot of drivers who do not want to pay. There are a lot of recycling of tickets and so

many other things going on, She said.

Describing the process as a way of tracking the funds she noted that it will also ensure that what is due for the authority rightly comes into its coffers.

Meanwhile, at FAAN hinted that it has purchased security equipments capable of scanning vehicles before gaining entrance into the airport.

The source said the sophisticated equipment will be handled by skilled security operatives in partnership with FAAN. “We will have equipment that will be handled by intelligent security officers.

“The equipment will give alert or identify any kind of suspicious element,” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Making graduates employable O

luwaseun Akinwale is a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife Osun State, since her completion of NYSC in 2011 all her efforts to get a befitting job has been futile.

Armed with her degree, discharge certificate, and other relevant professional certificates, Oluwaseun misfortune had always been more than two years work experience which most firms are demanding from her. "one major problem have been facing in search of jobs has been working experience , no company what to give me a trial, they don't 'try and error', and are not ready to spend on graduates training, all they want is a perfect applicant, who has got the experience to improve their organization, "Oluwaseun told Peoples Daily.

In Nigeria today, many young graduates like Oluwaseun, are struggling with 'years of work experience' which makes it difficult to secure dream jobs from multi-national organizations.

However succor has come the way of Oluwaseun, as the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Public Works, Youth and Women Employment Component of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SUREP) established the (Graduate Internship Scheme) GIS, which aims to provide the unemployed graduates youths with job apprenticeship opportunities that will expose them to skills and experiences relevant to the current labour market and enhance their employability.

Such interns can use the opportunity not only to gain working experience and enhance their employability , also provides graduates interns with a monthly stipend of N18,000..

Launched in October, 2012, the Project Director of GIS, Mr Peter Papka said it is a social scheme to ensure that Nigerian graduates are not subjected to unemployment due to lack of experience.

He said GIS is one of the windows the government is opening to create opportunities for jobs for the Nigerian graduate.

Speaking during the first orientation session in Lagos to interact with the firms and interns in order to train the interns on work ethics, motivational issues and to exchange ideas on how to move the programme Lagos, Bayelsa, Ondo and FCT has the highest number of applicants, but the scheme might be considering 1,000 interns per state of the federation.

According to Papka, deployment of graduate interns has commenced with more than 13,000 graduates applied for the scheme in Lagos.

In Nigeria, working experience has been a challenge for

graduates looking for jobs. In this report AYODELE SAMUEL writes on efforts to tackle it

Chukwuemeka Wogu, Minister of Labour He disclosed that of the first batch selected for the scheme, 158 interns are to work in 50 firms in Abuja while another 168 had been selected to work in 60 firms in Lagos, saying that one of the aims of the scheme is to target graduates who the present administration believes should be strengthened by building their capacities for post-scheme employment in their places of their deployment.

"The project has commenced registration of firms and over 88,000 beneficiaries have been registered, this is beyond our target of 50,000 allotted for the scheme in any given year, however the government might increase the numbers of participant to accommodate other unemployed graduates who are queuing up to partake in the scheme.

The Project Director therefore advised the graduates to see the

opportunity as a rare opportunity for selfdevelopment that would encourage the companies see their productive potentials and by implication, avail them opportunity of employment after their one year engagement.

"Go in there to build your skills in sectors which I believe will create avenues for you and an opportunity for you to demonstrate you have an opportunity to demonstrate you have something to offer and can be employed "The firms have assured us that some of you will be retained and I hope you will go in there and change the face of the way organisations render their services."

He said the GIS would engage the Small and Medium enterprises in Lagos to ensure that they benefited from the scheme.

He said the private sector which is the major driver of the economy would not employ fresh graduates who lacks employability skills and experience to move the organization forward.

The Major challenge of the Graduate Internship Scheme is that the level of buy-in from the firms is below expectation, Papka said very few firms have applied for the interns despite the advantages that will accrue to such firms. "They get to enjoy free labour at government expense as government will pay the monthly stipends of the interns, they get to select the best interns to join their workforce and they get a costfree opportunity to render their Corporate Social Responsibility. The project is also planning other incentives like tax rebates for companies registered with the Project.

GIS will ensure that youths are attached as apprentices in reputable public and private firms for a period of one year where the skills of such individuals will be sharpened as well as boost their chances of becoming self employed.

He added that as part of efforts to rev up interest of firms and multinationals across the country , is the planned interactive session between the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and captains of industry and heads of national and multinational corporations on the 29th April, 2013 at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton. This is to be followed by state-level engagements with firms all over the country.

Communication Advisor SURE-P Community Service Women and Youth Empowerment Programme Mrs Mary Ikoku Said the scheme is set to increase jobs opportunities for graduates by making them employable "we have the complains that many of our graduates are unemployable, the government under the present administration decided to create the component under the SURE P programme targeted at delivering a prominent job opportunities for the teeming unemployed graduates, the scheme basicly is to provide employability skills and also skills to make our graduates employable, you will agree with me that some of our graduate are unemployable this has been the complain from job providers, various stakeholders where consulted to put this programme together.

She said the SURE P is using the scheme for providing jobs for women and youths by reinvesting the subsidy funds into training of the graduate, women and youths Nigeria through the Youth and Women Employment Component.

She said some mechanism have been put in place to monitor and evaluate deployed interns, to ensure the graduates works in a safe environment, to ensure they are well taken care of, they are treated at par with the other employees of that establishment, we let them know that whatever guiding principle that exist in any establishment is attainable to them, they must submit themselves submit themselves to any rules and regulation obtainable in any organization they are assigned to go and work.

She urged youth across the country to ensure that their skills have been developed towards empowering them to be employable in the short, medium,long term. GIS will ensure that youths are attached as apprentices in reputable public and private firms for a period of one year where the skills of such individuals will be sharpened as well as boost their chances of becoming self employed. While the GIS is designed as a short-term measure, it has high prospects for job creation in the country.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 5

Lagos to set guidelines for judges, magistrates From Matthew Irinoye, Lagos

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agos state government has initiated moves to develop guidelines for judges and magistrates in the state to regulate sentencing of convicts by the courts.

This is to be done through the

Oil theft: JTF impounds loaded vessel, arrests 21 suspects

Sentencing Guidelines Bill which is being developed by the Law Reform Commission, an agency which Governor Fashola inaugurated in 2012.

According to the AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Rahman Ipaye, who spoke yesterday during the 2013 ministerial press briefing, the guidelines have been encapsulated in a Bill before the Lagos State House of Assembly.

He explained that the Bill seeks to set a uniform standard of sentences imposed by judges and magistrates on persons

convicted for various offences.

“For instance, the commission has developed sentencing guidelines and this will guide magistrates and judges in a way they impose sentences after convicting the defendants that come before them.

“It should not depend on whether the judge is generous or not generous; kind or not kind.”

“I am happy to say that the Law Reform Commission has been hard at work and has actually produced bills which are now being processed at the

House of Assembly.

Ipaye also maintained that the Bill which will provide a statutory framework for sentencing offenders in the state, the commission is working on other laws which include the Law Reform (contract) Law 1961, Law Reform (Tort) Law 1961 and Sales of Goods Law 1958, adding that these laws have become inadequate to meet the challenges of the modern day Lagos state.

According to Ipaye, “in Lagos for instance, with the scarcity of accommodation, you know the

landlord can always dictate the terms. So the tenancy law is to redress this imbalance for the benefit of both.

“What we have done is to set the standard of behaviour and a lot of people are conscious of that standard and are trying to conform with it and that is the role of the state government.

“Unless we have people reporting and bringing proof that we enable us to make us deem it fit to institute criminal prosecution agains this or that person, we cannot do so on our own.”

T

he Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Pulo Shield on Sunday said it impounded a vessel allegedly laden with some 2,500 tonnes of crude at Okuboto creek in Bayelsa.

Lt.-Col. Onyema Nwackukwu, the spokesman for Operation Pulo Shield, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa that the arrest was made in continuation of JTF’s anti oil theft raid operations.

Nwachukwu said that the vessel was on the verge of filling the fourth of its compartments before it was intercepted by a team of operatives from Sector 2 of the JTF. The vessel is currently in custody of Headquarters Sector 2 for preliminary investigations prior to prosecution.

Also a barge, allegedly engaged in oil theft activities, has been impounded along Golubo creek of Bayelsa while conveying stolen petroleum product.

The JTF spokesman said the crew fled into the mangrove forest on sighting operatives of the JTF, abandoning their barge.

The barge has been towed to AGIP Brass Terminal for safe custody while preliminary investigation is ongoing to identify the owners.

In another anti oil theft raid operation in Delta by troops of the JTF, 30 boats conveying alleged illegally refined petroleum products were intercepted along Aruton and Ugborodo communities.

He explained that the boats were arrested loaded with plastic tanks filled with stolen petroleum product.

The JTF also recovered other items, including 11 hand gloves, one packet of electrode, a bunch of clips and 2 pumping machines.

Nwachukwu said the operation, which lasted from April 7 to 14, saw the destruction of eight illegal crude oil refinery camps along Oboro, Kpukpugbene in Burutu and Sagara, near Escravos in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta.

Also nine steel tanks and 187 large plastic reservoirs used by the oil thieves to perpetrate the crime at the camp sites were destroyed at the site where they were discovered. (NAN)

L-R: Manager Labana Rice Mill, Alhaji Abdullahi Zuru; Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku; Kebbi state governor, Alhaji Saidu Dakingari; and Minister of Special duties, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu; during the inspection of the mill during the Good Governance Media Tour, at the weekend in Birnin Kebbi.

Photo: NAN

Kano trains 600 women in poultry management From Edwin Olofu, Kano

K

ano State government has trained 600 women in poultry management.

Speaking during the graduation and presentation of certificates to the 7th batch of women of the State Poultry Institute at the Government House, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso said the training would empower the women and make them self-reliant, to enable them contribute positively to nation building.

He said the country was facing myriad of socio-economic problems because the leadership has failed to tap from agriculture in the past, especially in the provision of job opportunity and food stuff for the country.

Kwankwaso said that, “when agriculture is given the required attention it deserves, I assure you the Nigerian economy will prosper.”

He urged them to utilise the huge experience to better their lives and the state.

According to him, “our small holder poultry training approach as a means of poverty reduction and economic empowerment is biased towards

women, because they are seen to be most vulnerable.

“Furthermore, since the inception of this administration, government has been convinced on the need to prioritise agricultural development in order to minimize the menace of poverty amongst the state teeming population, increase in

revenue generation and ensuring food security in the state.”

He noted that in Kano state, agriculture remains the mainstay of the economy with over 70 percent of the population engaged along the agricultural value chains.

“Women are important in

nation building because if you train a woman , automatically have you have trained a nation” Speaking earlier, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Hajiya Baraka Sani, commended Kwankwaso for all his efforts in making sure that the women are not left behind.

1,000 polio cases caused by misinformation – Minister

M

inister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Pate, has expressed shock that more than 1,000 children have been paralysed by the wild polio virus largely due to the rejection of immunisation in the northern part of the country.

Pate was reacting to a newspaper report that an Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) don, Prof Haruna Kaita, whose previous utterances allegedly stirred up the anti-polio controversy, had retraced his step.

The Minister told the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday that Kaita’s decision was a welcome development.

“We are glad that the

professor from ABU, whose previous utterances were associated with the misguided anti-polio controversy, has finally come out to straighten the facts from his perspective.

“While this development is certainly welcome, we note with sadness that more than 1,000 children have been paralysed, by wild polio virus largely due to the rejection.’’

The Minister urged the professor to conclude his presentation by clearing the doubts he had raised through his utterances and circulated video.

Pate said that in spite of the recent challenges on polio eradication, the country had not recorded any case of Type 2 or Type 3 polio virus in the last six months, adding that no new case

had also been recorded in the North West geo-political zone.

“Nigeria is making progress in spite of the recent challenges; so far in 2013, there has been no new case of polio in the entire North West geo-political zone.

“For almost six months now, we have not seen Type 3 or Type 2 polio viruses, a significant first in our quest to interrupt transmission.’’

NAN reports that in April, hundreds of scientists, doctors and other experts from around the world launched the Scientific Declaration on Polio Eradication.

They declared that an end to the paralysing disease was achievable and also endorsed a comprehensive new strategy to secure a lasting polio-free world by 2018.

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Contracts: BPP saves FG N420b From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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he Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has saved N420B for the Federal Government in the last 15 months through the vetting of contracts of federal ministries, departments and agencies.

The BPP Director-General, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, disclosed yesterday at the closing ceremony of a three-day retreat for chief executive officers of Federal Governmentowned departments and agencies.

The three-day retreat, held at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry, had in attendance, managing directors and chief executive officers of the MDAs. Ezeh said the vetting of various contract sums by the BPP had further emphasised the core value of the bureau,

which he said, was to ensure prudence in public expenditure.

He said that the bureau would continue to ensure that there is transparency in the bidding process for contracts in the country.

According to Eze, “the BPP will continue to work hard to ensure that the cost of doing business in Nigeria is reduced through the elimination of multiple registration of contractors, pre-qualification and the tendering process, to give chance for equal

competence and capabilities.”

He noted that the bureau had gone far in the registration, classification and categorisation of contractors and consultants working or intending to work on Federal Government projects, explaining that this is covered in the Public Procurement Act 2007 which expects the bureau to maintain a national data base of the particulars of Federal contractors and service providers.

As he put it, “public officials are now also beginning to see public funds as monies to be

Ajimobi approves environmental tribunal From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

O

yo state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has approved the composition of the State Environmental Protection

Tribunal.

A press statement by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ojo Adebayo, the tribunal is expected to be operational in the 11local government areas.

spent with care, and with high sense of responsibility.

“So far more than N420 billion have been reduced in contract sum in the last 15 months alone, in what further emphasises the core role of the bureau as the drive of public procurement, and as an organisation whose role encourages prudence” “It is our hope that as the programme develops, the cost of doing business in Nigeria would be reducing through the elimination of multiple registration and prequalification and the tendering process should increase at the end of the day, coupled with the better grouping of contractors, consultants and service providers of equal competence and capacities.”

Ezeh spoke of plans to consolidate ongoing collaboration with the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme

Boko Haram: NANS backs FG on amnesty

L-R: Representative of World Health Organisation Country Representative, Dr. Musa Emmanuel, FRSC Corps Marshal, Mr. Osita Chidoka, and representative Minister of Health, Dr. Ngozi Oyedinwe, during the FRSC April edition of jogging exercise, at the weekend in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

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Group lauds KRPC over assistance to communities From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

K

aduna Integrity Groups (KINGS) have lauded the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) for providing social amenities to host communities as part of their corporate social responsibilities.

According to the group, there is the need for other cooperate organisations to emulate the companys legacy so as to better the lives of their host communities.

KINGS at a press conference by its Chairman, Comrade Abdullahi Ladan, and Secretary General, Comrade Abdulhamid Ahmed, in Kaduna, noted that the KRPC built primary and secondary schools in Rido community.

“KRPC also went ahead to train over 450 unemployed youth to be skillful and selfreliant.

“The graduation of the 105 youths annually trained in skills acquisition is yet another

(UNDP), the Washington based International Law Institute (ILI) and the Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri, to establish a public procurement research centre.

Also, speaking, Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, Hon Uzor Azubuike, explained that efficient public procurement is vital to the development of Nigeria to the extent that it regulates the developmental capital component of the annual budget.

He said, “contracts should not be awarded at inflated prices. We should stop giving specific contractors more contracts than they can handle. Contractors that have records of abandoning contracts should be blacklisted.

“The BPP should not stop at procurement, but go ahead to monitor contracts awarded to ensure Nigerians get value for money”

effort by the KRPC in touching the lives of the people within its host communities.

“The provision of these amenities like boreholes,

immunisation, supply of drugs and hospital equipments.

“Quarterly distribution of exercise books to the primary schools, classroom furniture

Borno sets up committee on Hajj

B

orno state government has set up a committee to handle the distribution of seats to prospective pilgrims for the 2013 Hajj.

The Secretary to State Government (SSG), Alhaji Baba Jidda, told a news conference in Maiduguri yesterday that the committee is expected to evolve a fair and equitable formula for distribution of the seats.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee was set up following complaints about nonavailability of forms for prospective pilgrims.

Some applicants last week relocated to the headquarters of the state’s Pilgrims Welfare

Board after unsuccessful attempts to secure application forms from their local governments.

“Gov. Kashim Shettima has approved the appointment of a high powered committee to handle the distribution of the 2013 Hajj seats in the state.

“The committee is expected to work out a fair and equitable formula for the distribution of the seats among all the 27 local government areas in the state,’’ Jidda, who is the chairman of the committee, said.

He added that the committee would also look at the possibility of securing more seats for the state from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria. (NAN)

and youth empowerment have helped to reduce security challenges associated with unemployment and goes a long way to complimenting the state government’s drive towards self reliance.”

The groups therefore appealed to the Rido community and its environs to do everything possible to justify the efforts of the KRPC in transforming their communities.

“We want to commend the efforts of the management of KRPC for her magnanimity and sense of social responsibility and urge them not to relent in their efforts in supporting the Rido community and other host communities” the chairman stated.

The group also called on all peace loving indigents to do everything possible to support the management of KRPC with a view to fashioning a better life for residents of the community.

ational Association of Nigeria Students(NANS) has said the amnesty proposed by President. Goodluck Jonathan for Boko Haram insurgent would not only guarantee security in the country but ensure safety of students in the country.

NANS President, Comrade, Yinka Ayefele, stated this while speaking during the conferment of award on the Kwara State Coordinator of National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC),Mrs. Ezinne Ezekwe, for outstanding leadership.

According to Ayefele who was represented by NANS Senate President, Comrade Joshua Donald, said “the best way to stop the menace is the efforts the government is making.

“We believe that the amnesty is the best way because many lives have been lost such that if it continues like this, we do not know where it is going.

“We will be very happy if members of the sect will accept the amnesty offer of the Federal Government so that killings can stop.

“If you look at the attacks, some students have been attacked and we have lost many of them.

“We will be happy if the menace can be eradicated and we will be very happy if the Boko Haram can dance to the tune of the FG “Insecurity has led to the loss of the lives of many students.

We are pleading with President Goodluck Jonathan and the entire Federal Government to help us address insecurity before the next election.”

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 7

PAGE 8

L-R: Igwe Julius Nnaji of Nike, Enugu state; his wife, Lolo Maria; wife of former Chief of Air Staff, Aisha Umar; and former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Umar (rtd.); during the conferment of chieftaincy title ‘okenwa ana-amulu oha’ on the former chief weekend, in Enugu.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

L-R: Regional Representative, Altus Global Alliance, Blessing Abiri; Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Kemi Okenyodo; and National Human Rights Commission representative, Tony Ojukwu, during the presentation of results of the 2012 Police Station Visitors, recently in Abuja.

L-R: former Oyo state deputy governor, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja; representative of President Gooluck Jonathan, Chief Jumoke Akinjide; Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana; during the conferment of chieftaincy titles to prominent Nigerians as part of activities to mark the 99th birthday anniversary of Olubadan of Ibadanland, at the weekend in Ibadan.

An over-loaded car on Dass/Tafawa Balewa Road, yesterday in Bauchi.

R-L: Newly appointed President of COREN, Engineer Kashim Abdul Ali, with outgoing President, Engineer Ibikunle , during the hand-over to the new president, recently in Abuja.

Photos: Joe Oroye, Miriam Humbe & NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 9

Yero tasks Media on ethics, unity From Mohammed Ibrahim, Kaduna overnor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna state has urged the media to be objective in their reportage, and should harp more on what can unite the people.

Addressing the Executive members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna state council who paid courtesy visit at the Government House, Kaduna, over the weekend, Yero regretted that the people currently live in fear, suspicion and mutual distrust, which, he said, had torn the fabric of peace and unity in the state.

Yero explained government’s decision to embark on the peacebuilding process in southern Kaduna, saying the move was to engender mutual trust and harmonious coexistence among the people.

According to the Governor, the meeting with religious and community leaders, traditional rulers, youth and other stakeholders will move to Kaduna north senatorial zone this week next week and to Kaduna central zone next month.

“We want to solicit the assistance of the media in Kaduna state, we want your cooperation in reporting what you have seen yourselves and not what you were told happened which may not be true.

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Jigawa LGA spends N30m on healthcare From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

T

he Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), office at Guri local government area of Jigawa state has spent about N30 million on execution of projects in the area.

The council Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Bulama Zugo, made this known during the presentation of four motor vehicles purchased under the programme to improve health care services in the area.

According to him, drugs worth over N8 million were purchased and distributed to 15 health facilities for maternal and child health care services.

He said that N7 million was also spent on the purchase of health equipment; N11 million for the renovation of the Guri Model Primary Healthcare Center and construction of two health institutions at Gagiya and Dolen Zugo villages.

N8 million was also used to purchase four motorcycles and a Toyota bus, for conveying patients to health facilities across the state.

Responding, the officer in charge of Guri Primary Health Care Center, Ahmed Dembo Yalleman, promised to make good use of the facilities.

“From the peace-building in southern Kaduna, it was brought up that there is need for punishment and reward system, that if anybody is found guilty of any offence, the law should be allowed to take its course.

“People should not whip up religious or ethnic sentiments. No matter how highly placed people are, once they commit an offence the law should take its full course.”

Yero, who congratulated NUJ National President, Malam Garba Muhammad, for being elected President of the West Africa Union

of Journalists and Federation of African Journalists, said the state was working with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to combat drug abuse among youth in the state.

The Kaduna NUJ Chairman, Comrade Yusuf Idris, said they are in government house to congratulate Yero over his elevation and prayed for God’s guidance and wisdom to provide the state with good leadership.

According to Idris, “we could not come earlier because of

events following the death of our grand patron, Sir Patrick Yakowa. “Having worked with you on the Sure-P team, I know your desires and aspirations towards developing the state and we pray that you convert the desire to action.

“You were in southern Kaduna recently to engage the people in dialogue where they all spoke their minds.

“We want to urge you to continue in that direction and we want to express our appreciation to you for appointing one of our

members, Ahmed Maiyaki, as your Director General,Media and also for appointing Farida Abubakar as the Chief Press Secretary to your wife.

“We also appreciate your coming to NUJ to watch the final of the African Cup of Nations.”

He was accompanied by the Vice Chairman, Ismail Omipidan, Secretary, Dominic Eze Uzu, Assistant Secretary, Mustapha Saye, Treasurer, Jamila Garba Tumba, Financial Secretary, Jacob Zango and Auditor, Dauda Doka.

L-R: Bishop Mike Okonkwo of the Redeemed Church, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Goodluck Jonathan, Senior Pastor, All House on the Church, Reverend Paul Adefarasin, his wife, Ifeanyi Adefarasin, and Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, during the inauguration of the rock cathedral metropolitan church of Christ, on Saturday in Lagos.

T

he Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) on Sunday urged due process in the investigation of journalists for any offence.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its Standing Committee Meeting in Ilorin, the Guild decried what it called a siege on the media.

The communiqué was signed

by Messers Femi Adesina and Isaac Ighure, the Guild’s President and General Secretary, respectively.

It said that the latest siege were the harassment and detention of journalists of the Leadership newspaper.

The Guild said that while it was not against investigation of journalists when and where necessary, such investigation

NGE urges due process in investigation of journalists

must conform to the basic norms of due process permissible in a democracy.

It urged the government to depart from the old ways whereby journalists were arrested and detained arbitrarily.

The Guild observed that the security agencies were doing their best but urged them to do more to stem the worsening climate of insecurity in the country.

It noted with regret that in

recent days, a former Deputy Governor of Anambra state, Dr Chudi Nwike and a Police Commissioner in Kwara state, Mr Chinwike Asadu, were killed in bizarre circumstances.

“In Lagos, a local government Chairman, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, was abducted and bombs still go off with reckless abandon in some parts of the country,’’ the NGE said.

It, however, acknowledged the effort of the Federal Government to tackle the

Lamido approves committee for Jigawa varsity From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

J

igawa state Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has approved the setting up of an implementation committee for the establishment of a university at Kafin Hausa; it is expected to take off during the 2013/2014 academic session.

The Committee has the Commissioner for Education,

Science and Technology Prof.

Haruna Wakili as Chairman, while the Vice Chancellors of Bayero University Kano and the Federal University, Dutse, Prof.

Abubakar Rasheed and Prof.

Jibrilla Dahiru, Muhammad Yahuza Bello as members of the committee.

Part of the terms of reference of the committee is to provisionally exercise the

powers of both the council and the management until the date when the council and management are constituted.

The committee is also expected to recommend the appropriate persons to be appointed as the pioneer Vice Chancellor, Registrar and other principal officers of the school and equally develop comprehensive strategic plan for the university.

situation and welcomed any initiative that would engender lasting peace in the country.

“In the face of the reported growth in the economy, which has been acknowledged by relevant bodies, including the World Bank, the Guild urges the Federal Government to ensure that such economic growth translates to the creation of more jobs and wealth as a way of tackling rising poverty and unemployment.”

It noted that poverty and unemployment had reached crisis point in Nigeria, and that it was through job creation that the people can benefit directly from the reported economic growth.

“In view of the forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency that this year would experience yet another bout of flooding, the Guild urges the states and Federal Government to take proactive steps to avoid a repeat of the flooding experienced last year.”

PAGE 10

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

On Yobe desert research center’s Novel fight against desertification

By Babangida Jaba

T

he forebodingly inexorable march of the desert is by far the severest ecological challenge confronting Nigeria's far northern states today. According to the 2002 National Assessment Report, the rate at which the desert is encroaching on 10 frontline northern states is alarmingly disproportional with the pace of environmental renewal in the affected states. While the desert prances and eats up the environment at the speed of 0.6 square kilometers per annum, afforestation trudges at the miserly rate of 350,000 hectares per annum. That's a dismal, fear-inducing statistic.

Experts also say the 11 frontline northern states most affected by the ferocious onslaught of the Sahara desert, located in what is called the Sudano-Sahel, have experienced an alarming 30-40 percent decrease in rainfall. And, in another disturbing finding, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change revealed that states in the savannah belt of northern Nigeria have been experiencing progressively lower rainfalls in the past couple of years at the same time that the temperatures in these states have been heating up. This has predictably resulted in poorer farm produce for farmers and misery for the middle class who must share the burden of the misfortune of the lower classes. So, the misery that the desert visits on the desert states is being shared by the savannah states. No one can predict with certainty where this will all end.

As arable lands deplete and grazing fields recede in the desert and savannah states of northern Nigeria, many sources of livelihood, nay lives are on the line. So, in more ways than one, the spread of the desert imperils millions of northerners and threatens to annihilate the futures of millions more. Everyone who gives a thought to the environment knows this. What most people don't know, however, is that a silent, barely perceptible but nonetheless vigorous and revolutionary war is being waged against the threats and hazards of the desert in Yobe State, one of the 11 states that are worst-hit by the effects of desertification.

Where other governments either collapsed in selfindulgent cry of sorrow and grief under the weight of the grim reality of desertification or continued with the same familiar but scarcely effective measures to halt the march of the desert, the Yobe State government under the leadership of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has instead chosen to think outside the box. That is why between 2009 and 2010 Governor Gaidam decided to set up a top-notch, first-of-its-kind Desert Research Center as a unit of the Yobe State University. The Centre, which incubated for two years, is now hatching, and the world is watching.

Headed by an Egyptian professor who has a vast and impressive scholarly pedigree in desert research, the Desert Research Center is emerging as the scholarly and pedagogical clearing-house for research and training on issues related to desertification not only in Nigeria but in the West African sub region. As people who are familiar with the Middle East and North Africa know only too well, northern Nigeria has a whole lot to learn from the desert control efforts of these parts of the world.

And what better person to head such an effort than a professor from that region who, in addition to being native of the region, has devoted his entire scholarly career to thinking about, unraveling, and solving the problems of desertification?

In the recent past, the Center has experienced an impressive uptick in interventionist work that creatively marries the theories and practice of desert control. While attempts at fighting desertification in the past have focused more on theory and less on potential applications of research findings and deliverables, the Yobe State University's Desert Research and Development Center is moving beyond theory and providing actionable, practical solutions to day-to-day problems spawn by desertification. And it is doing this in so many imaginative ways.

In the next one month, for example, the Center will start a scientific, research-supported pilot Sand Dune Fixation programme at Toshia and Maimalari towns.

The programme isn't your run-in-the-mill sand dune fixation; it is the product of time-tested, transaction-

Yobe State Governor

IBRAHIM GAIDAM oriented research on desert control that has worked in other parts of the world. This forthcoming exercise is particularly crucial because its success will bring muchneeded succor to large swaths of communities not only in Yobe State but in all the 11 frontline states in the Sudano-Sahel. Toshia and Maimalari, like many others in the northern fringes of the state, have been so devastated by the desert that unless action is taken, they could be consumed by sand in less than a decade from now.

The Center plans to halt this and expand the sand dune fixation to other Yobe communities until most areas of the state are salvaged from the ominous advance of the desert. It is expected that this will be replicated by other communities across the north.

In addition, because of the high level of nomadic activity around Toshia and Maimalari and the rest of morthern Yobe, the Center will engage in veterinary related activities, including animal fattening and crossbreeding. The Centre's experts will bring in better breeds from Brazil and try to make the local cattle here grow like the "transplants."

Beyond its practical, routine interventions to halt the

“

For instance, according to the Vice Chancellor of the Yobe State University, Professor Musa Alabe, the Centre will start a diploma programme in desert studies beginning September 2013.

The diploma programme will expose students to the principles, theories, strategies, and practices of desert control. Students will be exposed to comparative theories and practices of desert control from around the world. To enhance the comparative dimensions of their training, students would have an opportunity to study with the Centre's research affiliates in Egypt and India and with some of the world's most respected authorities and practitioners in desert studies

intrusion of the desert, the Centre will also invest heavily in training a corps of well-trained manpower to help in scientifically studying, analyzing, and fighting the spread of the desert.

For instance, according to the Vice Chancellor of the Yobe State University, Professor Musa Alabe, the Centre will start a diploma programme in desert studies b e g i n n i n g September 2013.

The diploma programme will expose students to the principles, theories, strategies, and practices of desert control.

Students will be exposed to c o m p a r a t i v e theories and practices of desert control from around the world.

To enhance the c o m p a r a t i v e dimensions of their training, students would have an opportunity to study with the Centre's research affiliates in Egypt and India and with some of the world's most respected authorities and practitioners in desert studies.

Up to 30 students will be admitted at the initial stage.

The students will come from the local government areas of Yobe where the desert is most menacing. Students will also come from neighbouring states such as Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara, Bauchi, Sokoto, etc.

Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republics will also have students come to the Center to enroll in the diploma programme.

A new 600-bed hostel accommodation is nearing completion at the University (described as the fastest growing in the north) and students for desert studies will be accommodated there when the programme starts five months from now.

As this Centre grows from strength to strength, environmental activists are hopeful that the fight against desertification in Yobe State-and northern Nigeria at large-will graduate from its current trialand-error, folksy approach to a scientifically grounded one. No longer would we have to grope in metaphorical darkness and hope that our tentative shots meet their target. With research, knowledge of best practices worldwide and world-class expertise at our disposal, we can now be confident as we confront the devastations and threats of the single most deadly environmental threat that has ever faced the north.

We have Governor Gaidam to thank for all this. There is no gainsaying that the governor's exemplary and admirable foresight in setting up this Centre will conceivably be the saving grace for communities desolated by the desert in the north and other parts of West and Central Africa.

And it all goes to the heart of the full-hearted commitment of the governor to making Yobe work for its people. Despite limited resources and security challenges (which are thankfully ebbing), Governor Gaidam has continued to show to demonstrating effect that with just a little more effort, government can set the conditions necessary for ordinary people to realize their potentials by providing the social services that make that possible.

Babangida Jaba writes from Teburin Gambo area, Sabon Gari Ward, Gashu'a Yobe State

PAGE 11

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Did you ever realise spending more when you pay with credit cards?

A

couple of weeks ago, I decided to treat myself to an afternoon at my favorite shopping destination.

Even though I usually have very tight controls on the number of (purchased) books that I may bring into the house, I generally let myself buy two or three new titles a few times a year.

It wasn't until I arrived at my personal wonderland that I realized I had forgotten to bring the fun money I had planned to spend on this expedition. No matter, I thought. I would just charge my book splurge and pay the credit card back out of the cash.

It probably will come as no surprise to learn that I left the store with N60, 000 worth of books rather than the N30, 000 I'd planned.

Clearly, I'm not to be trusted with a credit card in a bookstore.

While overspending by N30, 000 is not a big deal if it only happens once in a while, it can definitely be part of a pattern, a predictable pattern of overspending with credit that can happen to the best of us.

This is because consumers tend to pay more money when they use credit cards rather than cash for purchases.

Behavioral economists and psychologists have identified

Money Tip:

Start an emergency fund

O

ne of personal finance's oftrepeated mantras is "pay yourself first". No matter how much you owe in student loans or credit card debt and no matter how low your salary may seem, it's wise to find some amount - any amount of money in your budget to save in an emergency fund every month.

Having money in savings to use for emergencies can really keep you out of trouble financially and help you sleep better at night. Also, if you get into the habit of saving money and treating it as a non-negotiable monthly "expense", pretty soon you'll have more than just emergency money saved up: you'll have retirement money, vacation money and even money for a home down payment.

Don't just sock away this money under your mattress; put it in a highinterest online savings account, a certificate of deposit or a money market account.

Otherwise, inflation will erode the value of your savings.

Quote "If you're in the luckiest one per cent of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99 per cent."

-Warren Buffett

two specific reasons why this payment quirk affects us all.

Paying cash couples the pain of payment with the purchase Imagine that every time you bought a song on iTunes you had to count out the N100 in cash to pay for your purchase. While it's still just as cheap as hitting the download button that's connected to your credit card, it somehow hurts more to think about parting with the cash. Psychologists describe this effect as coupling.

Coupling describes how much an experience of consuming something is tied to the experience of paying for it.

When you pay in cash for something, your experience of the product is intimately tied with the feeling of paying for it. For example, if you paid cash

to enjoy a few margaritas with a friend, the act of enjoying your drink and the act of paying for it would be directly coupled.

The pain of paying is felt at about the same time as the pleasure of the tequila.

But if you instead pay for your evening out with a credit card, the payment is kicked down the road. You distance the pain of payment far enough away from the act of drinking your margarita that they do not feel closely associated at all. In other words, you decouple the pain from the pleasure. This allows you to focus on your enjoyment to the detriment of your bottom line.

We focus on the benefits of Items bought on credit, not the costs An important effect of decoupling payment for an item

from the pleasure of buying it is that consumers tend to overvalue the benefits of their purchase.

According to a study by the Journal of Consumer Research, consumers using credit cards pay more attention to the benefits of the product they are buying, ignoring the costs.

Because the pain of purchasing the product has been decoupled from its benefits, consumers are more likely to weigh those benefits in a vacuum, without considering the price.

For example, suppose you had N500 in cash to spend on a lovely meal out with your spouse. While the surf and turf sounds delicious, you don't want to be embarrassed when the check comes and your five hundred doesn't cover the meal, let alone the tip. So you order from the right side of the menu and end up with a safely inexpensive pasta dish.

If, on the other hand, your plan is to pay for dinner with credit, then you have much less reason to worry about how much the lobster costs per pound. And that means you're more likely to think about how mouth-watering any particular dish may be as opposed to how much it will set you back. A check arriving for double what you planned to spend can be shrugged off if you can pay for it easily with credit.

Refocusing on the costs of an item - or even on its cost-benefit analysis - can be very difficult to do when you have already decided to pay for something with credit. This is what happened to me when I spent double what I planned for books.

Because I knew I had a credit card, I didn't even bother to look

at how much each book cost, and instead just thought about how much I wanted to read them.

Combating the effect of credit on your brain These psychological quirks are of course why so many personal finance gurus recommend that you spend only cash on your purchases. Paying in cash will always keep the pain of paying immediate in your mind, and make it impossible for you to think only about the benefits without considering costs.

But not everyone is able or willing to switch to a cash-only life. For regular credit card users, it might be possible to tie the pain of payment to the enjoyment of purchases by writing down the cost of any particular purchase. This might be especially helpful if the record is a running tally of your credit card charges for the month, meaning you are consistently forcing yourself to see what your entire credit card payment will be at the end of the month.

That act of writing down how much each transaction costs could help you keep the price in mind even if you won't actually "pay" until your statement arrives at the end of the month.

Unfortunately, this can be extremely difficult to put into practice. It would require diligence to carry your monthly tally around with you. Force yourself to add to the tally every time you pay with plastic.

Overall, if you want to force yourself to be mindful of costs and feel the pain of payment, it is much easier to simply carry cash.

This is certainly what I will do next time I let myself go for a book shopping spree.

Retirement awaits not just working individuals, but many others

T

his has always been true that almost all the economic value of a typical household is the future value of its members' labour.

With a little foresight, this will change over time. As your career progresses, you build up savings and investments, with the goal of replacing your income from labor with income from financial assets, preparing for some future time when you can no longer work. You accumulate other assets as well.

Household goods, once purchased, continue to provide value for years or decades. If you pay off your mortgage (rather than doing a series of cash-out refinances), you eventually own a house you can live in.

A lot of material has been dedicated to advocate for this shift.

To advocate for making it early: to advocate for making it consciously.

One thing that I hadn't really thought about until recently is that corporations have been making much the same shift.

Until around 1980, the economic value of a corporation was almost entirely the value of its productive capacity. Over the next decade or two, that changed.

Instead of investing in plant and equipment, corporations found it more profitable to set up financing

arms, to lend their customers the money to buy their products.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, companies like General Electric and General Motors found that their money-lending businesses made much more money than their manufacturing businesses.

This had a lot of negative side effects. It led to the elimination of

good manufacturing jobs, only partially offset by the creation of finance jobs. This shift, as much as off-shoring, was what eliminated six million manufacturing jobs over the past 20 years.

It also made corporations much less answerable to their customers.

Before, companies either produced

what people wanted to buy, or else their profits suffered. After this shift, it scarcely mattered what corporations produced, because so much of their income was investment income.

Basically, the corporations could retire.

This shift only benefits the management: they can now report reliable profits without having to actually do any work.

It might be nice if the harmful effects on workers would be enough to promote change, but I don't think that's going to happen.

Fortunately, this whole thing is also a negative for shareholders the corporate structure doesn't provide any value-add for the shareholders.

(Really, it's of negative value, another layer of expense and another layer of taxation.) The shareholders would be much better off simply getting their money back and investing it themselves.

So, although the negative side effects are large, I don't think they're permanent. I foresee an end to the days of retired corporations. If you own stock in such a corporation, you might consider whether your money would be better off in a company that actually does or makes something.

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, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

PDP's woes are Nigerians’ worry O ne of the several drawbacks of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government in the past 14 years of our new experiment with democratic rule, according to observers, is that it has been unable to manage its electoral success. This point is consistently brought home with the never ending in-fighting amongst the party's major stakeholders, mainly its governors, lawmakers, the Presidency, the leadership of the party. It seems the party has woefully failed to find the right formula to hold it all together.

To underscore the divisions in the party, its National Working Committee members led by the party Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Chairman of BoT, Chief Tony Anenih, led separate reconciliation missions across the country in an attempt to woo back estranged members who may leave the party ahead of the next general elections. The visits to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governors Sule Lamido, Babangida Aliyu and Rotimi Amaechi of Jigawa, Niger and Rivers states, respectively were very telling of the kind of mess the so called largest party in Africa has found itself in.

The quarrel with Governor Amaechi which has effectively torn the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) in two and has driven a wedge between the governors and the leadership of the party, on one hand, and the governors and the presidency, on the other, perhaps poses a bigger threat to its continued dominance as 2015 approaches. Amaechi who, it seems now, is at the receiving end of the

party's wrath with the sacking of his loyalists at the helm of the party in his state and their replacement with his opponents by the party headquarters, has claimed that he is being persecuted for his outspokenness against deregualtion and fuel price increase which the Jonathan government seems determined to effect. The conflict between him and the Tukur led NWC almost cost him his leadership of the NGF and led to the formation of the

“

Clearly, there is much more to this unending stand-off between Amaechi and the party than both sides are willing to give away PDP Governors Forum with the Presidency's backing.

Clearly, there is much more to this unending stand-off between Amaechi and the party than both sides are willing to give away. Many observers have said that it is all about the jostle for who gets what come 2015, hence the desperation of the Presidency to break the ranks of the all powerful governors, the majority of whom may not back Jonathan to become the party's flagbearer again. With the enormous

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resources and the overbearing influence the governors have on the polity, they have positioned themselves as kingmakers in whose hands the political aspiration of every Nigerian politician lies. As this sad drama continues, however, Nigerians are the losers what with the party's leaders more concerned about their political future than on delivering on promises they made prior to elections.

The sadder aspect of these needless ego trips by the members of the PDP, in our view, is that while the bickering goes on, Nigerians are denied the chance to hold heir leaders, both at state and federal levels, to account, particularly on how they expend resources in their care. Just recently, Amaechi himself failed to give a proper account of how he got to acquire the private jet he was said to have purchased not long ago. The best he could offer as an explanation was that the allegation was politically motivated, saying that the purchase was a joint arrangement between the state and federal governments. That surely did not wash with the public!

We are distressed by the fact that the PDP continues to take the Nigerian people for granted with its shenanigans, making it to believe it will continue to rule for a long time to come. The party must put its house in order and ensure transparency and accountability in its affairs. The relentless bickering over the spoils of office does no good for its image as the nation's ruling party and certainly not for Nigerians who have become wary and are yearning for change.

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

By Chido Onumah

Y

ou couldn’t miss the headline. I am referring to the conclave of gerontocrats that took place earlier in the week. It centred on former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. If there was any doubt about the purpose of the meeting, Anthony Anenih, chair of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and successor to Obasanjo in the very lucrative post of BoT chairman, dispelled it when he told reporters, “In 2015 we (PDP) will do what we know how to do best”. Of course, we all know what the PDP knows how to do best. And we have Obasanjo to thank for that.

For whatever it is worth, Obasanjo is still held in high regard in the PDP family and he may well continue to direct the affairs of the party as long as he is alive. “I am here to see my leader (Obasanjo). I am here to pay my respect and indeed I am here with my colleagues, some members of the Board of Trustees of our party to discuss some issues that affect the corporate existence of this country,” Anenih gushed after the meeting. “As you can see, we are all smiling, don’t you see me smiling? And my leader too is smiling. So, we are quite happy about the outcome”.

Unfortunately, the Nigerian crisis is no laughing matter. It would be tragic to leave the discussion about the corporate existence of Nigeria to the Obasanjos and Anenihs amongst us. Obasanjo is an enigma, in and out of office. I am sure he cherishes that role.

Nobody, dead or alive, has had more impact on the course of post-independence history of the country than the retired general.

Obasanjo evokes different memories for different people.

Academics and students in

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What does Obasanjo want? tertiary institutions in the late 70s would remember his assault on students, academics and education in general. Those in secondary schools also have memories of that era of despotism. In a remarkable show of defiance, Afrobeat icon, Fela Anikulakpo-Kuti, withdrew his son, Femi, from Baptist Academy in Lagos State when Obasanjo deployed soldiers to secondary schools.

Like President Goodluck Jonathan, Obasanjo took charge of the Nigerian state after the death of his boss. It was in February 1976. The head of state, Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed, had been assassinated. That was when Obasanjo came into our consciousness. Before then, the much we knew about him was from the conflicting stories of his exploits during the civil war.

Ever since, Obasanjo has refused to go away. Through a combination of luck, guile and opportunism, he has managed to remain a constant figure in our political evolution. To his

admirers, Obasanjo is the “father of modern Nigeria”; the “Mandela” of Nigeria. After all, like the legendary Nelson Mandela, South African antiapartheid revolutionary, politician and president (1994 to 1999), he moved from prison to the presidency.

In 1979, Obasanjo had the chance to launch the country on the path of genuine democracy, but he bungled it.

Twenty-eight years later, in 2007, after eight years as civilian president, he had the opportunity to make amends, but he squandered it in his characteristic devious manner.

If you do not know Obasanjo, you would probably mistake him for a global expert sent by the UN to oversee events in Nigeria. Ever since he reluctantly left power in 2007, he has never missed an opportunity to remind us of how ungrateful we are as a people for not recognising his trailblazing role as the father of democracy in Nigeria.

Obasanjo has warned about revolution. He has talked about

“

Obasanjo understands what democracy entails, but he does not have the moral courage to be guided by its rules. When Gen. Babangida annulled the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by Chief Moshood Abiola, Obasanjo told a bewildered nation that, “Abiola is not the messiah”. Like an addict hankering after a fix, it was his way of saying he needed the job. It was that ambition that landed him in Abacha’s prison after he reinvented himself and became a “born-again democrat”.

unemployment, corruption and what they portend for the country. “I’m afraid, and you know I am a General. When a General says he is afraid, that means the danger ahead is real and potent,” he told the West African regional conference on youth employment in Senegal, earlier in the year. “Today, rogues, armed robbers are in the State Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly,’’ Obasanjo said not too long ago.

Of course, he is right; except that he failed to take his share of the blame for the emergence of these scoundrels who have taken over our democratic space.

In a keynote lecture at the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) in Ilorin, Kwara State, Obasanjo again warned, “We are sitting on a keg of gunpowder in this country due to the problems of unemployment of our youths. We have almost 150 universities now in the country turning out these young Nigerians but without job opportunities for them”.

Recently, Obasanjo blamed poor leadership for the country’s woes. He forgot to add that apart from his forgettable leadership (1976-1979 and 1999-2007), he carefully orchestrated the poor leadership we had in 1979 and again in 2007. Fortunately for him, we have in President Jonathan a ruler who has redefined the meaning of poor leadership which in a way makes Obasanjo look like a messiah. That is his modus operandi. face”.

Obasanjo understands what democracy entails, but he does not have the moral courage to be guided by its rules. When Gen. Babangida annulled the June 12, 1993, presidential

election won by Chief Moshood Abiola, Obasanjo told a bewildered nation that, “Abiola is not the messiah”. Like an addict hankering after a fix, it was his way of saying he needed the job. It was that ambition that landed him in Abacha’s prison after he reinvented himself and became a “bornagain democrat”. It’s been twenty years since the annulment; and three disastrous elections (two supervised by Obasanjo in 2003 and 2007) after, we are still talking about Obasanjo.

In a 2008 piece titled “Obama’s election and the needed change”, Obasanjo, while congratulating then President-elect, Barack Obama, noted, “The feeling of change that Senator Obama engendered through his campaign for the White House represents a significant theme of change we have all aspired and fought for in different areas, regions, cultures and historical times. The desire for change has never been the question nor has it ever been in question. It is the extent, the range, the tone, the quantity, the quantum and the sustenance of change that has always been the question”.

It is a measure of his hypocrisy that Obasanjo has remained the greatest threat to change in Nigeria. How can young Nigerians aspire to lead their communities when men who are almost 80 years old like Obasanjo and Anenih have sworn not to exit the political space? Clearly, in tackling the PDP and Jonathan in 2015, we must realize that we have to contend with the Obasanjo factor.

Chido Onumah wrote in from Lagos.

How weak leadership fuels unemployment In Nigeria

By Rotimi Ogungbola

B

eneath Nigeria’s unending unemployment crisis lies corruption: the incessant decline of societal virtue and loss of a moral compass by Nigeria’s political and economic elite. Nigeria’s ‘economic crisis profile’ is noticeably different in many ways among other nations since it’s tightly married to incompetence, corruption and thorough mismanagement over the decades. Interestingly, every administration comes with its own ‘economic growth blueprint’ but none has been practically successful even though they appear fine on graphs. This failure is grave that it has attracted several local and international economic diagnoses, as well as commentaries and solutions proffered by independent and government hired economists among others, but the solutions remain insufficient to revolutionize Nigeria from deep economic mess, such that will practically reduce unemployment and the ever peaking inflation. More and more confusion is obtainable in this sector and not until a veritable ethos of social

responsibility is restored can there be a meaningful and sustained economic recovery in Nigeria.

It is not difficult to agree with Michael Bolarinwa’s assertion that “the severity and the depth of unemployment in Nigeria have been alarming and of great concern to government and the general public”. The fact that it’s of great concern to the government is apparently not true because records show that government’s inability and realistic failure remain the biggest threat to job creation in Nigeria. For example, the failure of the Goodluck-led administration in creating jobs is not difficult to notice; since the start of his administration, sufficient mismanagement of public funds and statistical lies about unemployment are the realities produced- as several young Nigerians pour out of universities without jobs. Of course, a nation’s economy is essentially not a family business which doesn’t require public reflection in the realm of economic developmentrunning Nigeria’s economy as a family affair by the political and economic elite isn’t only conceptually immoral and

unjust, it leads to mass suffering and aggression, as evident in the nation. A National Bureau of Statistic survey has revealed that the unemployment situation was worsening, yes! However, this is expected of a weak leadership system which has consciously prioritize unintelligent and self enriching economic policies by refusing to grow. Provoking acts such as enrollment of ghost workers on government pay list, low income and heavy taxation, corruption such embezzlement of workers’ salaries and pension funds, degenerating infrastructure, weak education system etc. are some of the causes of unemployment in Nigeria identified by economists.

During an economic crisis, any reasonable national government should genuinely search for policy actions that can quickly deal with rising unemployment and declining output. Also sincere, visible and essential infrastructure investments are identified as key tools in the economic and policy debate to fight unemployment - in the case of Nigeria, where many small scale businesses have been frustrated to shut down

because of poor electricity supply; businesses generate power themselves on high cost.

Infrastructure development is key because of the direct and short-term labour effects on sectors that have been greatly affected by our economic crisis.

Furthermore, construction of network based infrastructure, such as good transportation routes and broadband networks carry substantial spillovers in terms of improving efficiencies and stimulating innovation in the production sector of any national economy; this explains why several governments such as United States, Germany, Australia among others have decided to increase their investment in infrastructure, such as the construction of roads, bridges, power and telecommunications.

As it, unemployment has led to many social vices because of an increased poverty level. Other implications are psychological injury as result of the breakdown in social contacts and isolation from the world of work, loss of responsibility, identity and respect which the position at work ensures, loss of

purchasing power, etc. The causes are not far fetched as clearly stated; however, if the government remains weak and inactive on matters that matter such as growing unemployment, it exposes our nationhood to more dangers that will be added to the existing ones. Essentially, people have to survive, and their survival is based on economic engagement in the society, the onus of creating opportunities for citizens to contribute to the economy while they make a living lies on the government- policies and reforms must favour masses engagement in the economy. Beyond painted economic graphs displayed as blueprints by unpopular economists hired by the government, government lies about figures, playing with the poor masses’ emotions with meaningless statisticsgovernment should be thoughtful enough to put in place relevant measures that will reduce unemployment to the minimum at the shortest delay, importantly, as a way to reduce social vices in Nigeria.

Rotimi Ogungbola is a postgraduate student, Department of Religions, University of Ilorin.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 14

NCC, telecom operators, and poor services

By Chukwuemerie Uduchukwu

I

t is a widely known fact that life in the world today has been made easier through Information Communications Technology, popularly referred to as ICT. It has made every business in the world so easy that many now describe the world as a global village. Before the invention of ICT, it was a very frustrating and difficult task to pass information to a nearby state or community.

During that period, messages took months and even years to be delivered to another country or continent. But today, information reaches anywhere and to anyone around the world within seconds, thus making the entire globe a village.

In August 2001, during the regime of Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigerians rejoiced when his admnistration launched the Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM) with the hope that it would finally initiate the country into the global village. Though the major objectives of GSM had been partially achieved in Nigeria, there are some major challenges to the developement of quality ICT in Nigeria and these challenges can be seen in the services rendered by the major network service providers, namely MTN, Airtel, Etisalat and Globacom

because many to their villages are numerous yet to enjoy subscribers. full Internet Most times, Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text coverage of using the the network. messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written services of Moreover, these network contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 other major providers are words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and networks ke frustrating a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed Globacom and due to the to: MTN should high rate of put more drop calls, efforts in The Editor, poor network expanding Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, coverage, their frustrating 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. coverage.

Internet Email: opinion@peoplesdaily-online.com Globacom, the services, SMS: 08134607052 only network unjustifiable owned by a charges and Nigerian is lack of qualified customer care agents. to surf the Internet at a super- trying at its capacity but One can seldom complete a speed rate. Later, Airtel more efforts are needed. minute call without any bad Many won’t be suprised if I Nigeria launched 3.75G signal interference. Also, say MTN is the worst telecom service but unlike that of these network providers seem operator in terms of service Etisalat, it has coverage all to only focus attention on delivery. No wonder the over the 36 states of Nigeria cities and major towns Nigerian Communications and FCT. leaving remote areas with Commission recently fined This wide super-speed poor and even lack of the company for failing to Internet service of Airtel has network. Also, in spite of the meet the required standard. generated some goodwill for fact that Internet plays a key Despite the fact that MTN the company and as reported role in globalisation, none of seems to have the largest

by PREMIUM TIMES, the the service providers in number of subscribers, the Nigerian Communications Nigeria can boast of adequate company has failed to Commission (NCC) on and reliable Internet improve its services. Rather, Wednesday, April 17, 2013 connection in all the villages it has continued to bombard said Airtel Nigeria Limited and cities in the country. its customers with met all targets in Key Etisalat was the first Internet unimaginable promos like Performance Indicator (KPI) Service Provider (ISP) to ‘Win an Aeroplane’ among measurements carried out introduce 3.75G service that others. last December on all was supported by a High Other CDMA companies telecommunication network Speed Packet Acess (HSPA+) operators in the country. This like Starcomms and in some major cities around Visaphone also operate in is great news but the the country. According to Nigeria but their services are company should put more Etisalat, the HSPA+ was city-based; this does not spur effort in extending its meant to enable its suscribers ICT development. Recently, coverage to remote areas

the NCC announced that it would soon launch a Mobile Number Portability service that will enable subscribers to switch over to another network without loosing their mobile number. This is a welcome development but the process of number mobility should be simplified because if it can’t be done within 30minutes, then it is nothing but a joke. Also the NCC should endeavor to make provision for portability via online platform and over the air because most of these mobile telecom operators’ offices are located in cities.

The NCC should do more to supervise the quality of services rendered by all telecom operators in the country by developing a 24/7 online customer support centre. The NCC should develop a policy that will oblige all telecom operators to render uninterrupted quality Internet service in all schools within the country because if all the schools are connected to Internet service, learning and research will be made easier. The various telecom operators should also ensure that their customer care agents are well enlightened and qualified. These will strengthen Nigeria’s membership of the global village.

me! Of course the old man dismissed me as a madman, not minding my logic that stood as clear as calculus! Be that as it may, I was idling away the other day when my phone rang. The voice at the other end introduced itself as that of “Kayode”. I answered back with a poser: “Which Kayode?” The voice lingered for a split second before spilling the beans: “Kayode Fayemi, your friend.”

“His Excellency, Sir!” I screamed, nearly making a double take. I had not been in contact with Governor Kayode Fayemi ever since he reclaimed his mandate from the goons of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It’s my bounden principle that one owed it as a duty not to disturb friends who had been elected into high offices, because asking for favours and suchlike almost always derailed the men in power. It was therefore

over his erstwhile travails. A very consultative leader, Fayemi has doggedly tackled issues of education, healthcare and poverty with consummate application. His social welfare policy to the elderly folks has endeared him to the rural and urban masses who daily hail him across the myriad routes of Ekiti that he has onerously lifted through intertwining tarred roads.

His 2005 autobiography, Out of the Shadows: Exile and the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy in Nigeria, lucidly portrays Dr Fayemi as a fervent defender of democracy who staked his life for the restoration of democracy following the annulment of the June 12 1993 presidential election won by Bashorun Moshood Abiola. It is indeed remarkable that Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka wrote the foreword to the book, asserting to the clout of Dr Fayemi. He played a pivotal role in the establishment and running of the opposition radio station, Radio Kudirat, with which the democratic struggle came up trumps. The humanization of governance

by Governor Fayemi is an object lesson to all who see power in the sense of overbearing bossiness. The common touch is what makes Governor Fayemi to stand out as the way to go. He is readymade for higher spheres.

Uzor Maxim Uzoatu is on www.facebook.com

WRITE TO US

Chukwumerije Uduchukwu’s professional profile is on LinkedIn.

Humanising governance according to Fayemi

By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu

B

ack in recent time, when gubernatorial mandates were brazenly stolen in broad daylight under the watch of the imperial presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, I once saw Dr Kayode Fayemi at poet Odia Ofeimun’s book launch at MUSON Centre, Lagos, and grandly greeted him thusly: “His Excellency, Sir!” Fayemi whose mandate was then in cold storage had his trademark hearty laugh as he shook hands with me. When I was summoned to the high table to read my poem “We Shall Vote With Stones”, dedicated to General Babangida, I extended the “His Excellency, Sir!” compliments to Rauf Aregbesola who was sitting by the side of Fayemi.

An elderly man in the hall warned me that I could be arrested by then President Obasanjo for addressing as “His Excellencies” men not yet sworn-in as Governors.

I told the old man that I was much larger than Obasanjo’s arrest because General Abacha who in his time had arrested Obasanjo was not large enough to arrest me; so why on earth should I fret about being arrested by a man Abacha once put in the cooler? I do know I am worse than useless in Mathematics, but it simply did not add up that I could be worsted by Obasanjo who had been worsted by Abacha – a man who was unable to worst

surprising that Governor Fayemi could personally place a call to me out of the blues. He told me he was then reading my tribute in the newspaper for a fallen colleague Ashikiwe Adione-Egom, the celebrated Motor-Park Economist. A man of ideas, Dr Fayemi always enjoyed the contestation of issues with fine minds like Adione-Egom. Over the phone, Governor Fayemi thrashed out issues on the passing of AdioneEgom in a manner that clearly showed that he was still abreast of all the matters at stake not minding his high office.

It is our forte in these shores to always look abroad for politicians with fine minds such as America’s Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, not realizing that we have our own examples such as Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Ekiti State Governor. Dr Fayemi’s grooming stands him in good

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stead to elevate the art and act of governance to the humanizing levels celebrated in the exploits of the likes of Clinton and Obama.

Incidentally Governor Fayemi equally has a formidable spouse in Erelu Bisi just as Bill Clinton has his Hilary while Obama boasts of Michelle! I remember once running into the couple in London, England, and the very personable Bisi talked of making arrangements for me to visit with the many Nigerians in British prisons so that I can bring the news in bold relief back home. The couple started out with rendering service long before becoming Governor and First Lady.

For a champion of democracy who took all of three-and-a-half years to reclaim his stolen mandate, Governor Fayemi has taken to governance as fish to water without showing any bitterness

For a champion of democracy who took all of three-and-a-half years to reclaim his stolen mandate, Governor Fayemi has taken to governance as fish to water without showing any bitterness over his erstwhile travails. A very consultative leader, Fayemi has doggedly tackled issues of education, healthcare and poverty with consummate application.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 15

B’Haram and Ahmed Salkida’s ‘hijra’

H

is last message to me came on April 1, 2013. I wish it were, but it was not an April fool’s message.

Dear Mr Yawe, he wrote: “After years of seeking ways and alternatives to working professionally and remaining with my family in Nigeria, I am afraid to report that I came recently to the conclusion that I have to flee. After my most recent expose on the scandal going in respect of purported ceasefire negotiated between government and Boko Haram, the danger to my life has escalated to new heights. I have had to go severely underground for several weeks leading to my final decision to flee Nigeria.”

That was how my friend of over ten years, Ahmad Salkida, announced his departure from Nigeria to me and other chosen friends of his. Boko Haram has gone international from the obscure group that Ahmed Salkida sent the first ever newspaper dispatch on in 2006 and we had it published by New Sentinel. I was then the Managing Editor of the paper and Salkida was our reporter, covering Borno State. We shall return to Salkida in a moment.

The handling of Boko Haram by the security agencies reminds me of some bizarre experiences I have had in my years as a newspaper reporter.

In 1986, I was an editor in the Triumph group in Kano when I encountered an Ibo man with the unusual name of Goddy Nassarawa. His story, which he wanted published, was even more unusual.

He told us he was hired in Ibadan by one Professor Olatubosun to assassinate, Col Yohanna Madaki, then the military Governor of Gongola.

As incredible as his story sounded, he had hard evidence

By Kwesi E. Baako

A

s a youth growing up, I used to be enthralled by magicians like ‘Professor’ Diego and others who paid regular visits to my village market square to exhibit their ‘surreal’ art. Needless to say, these visits occurred on market days when folks had money to spend- or lose in unexplained circumstances. I was bemused at how they could conjure up money and other items from nowhere; at how they could ‘kill and resurrect’ people; at how they could generally do things that was simply impossible to the Average Joe. Only now do I ask myself why they conjured money and yet asked the enchanted audience to contribute money. Only now also after watching several episodes on TV explaining some of the simple tricks magicians use do I understand the place of their abracadabra in the whole scheme of things. In the words of renowned magician Doug Bennet “Magic is mainly a visual medium. But its the words that often make a good performance great.”

African politicians seem to have taken more than a simple cue from these travelling

to back it up. We secured his assurance to help the security agencies when they came calling (as we were sure they would); then we published the story. No security man ever showed up to check if we had evidence to publish Goddy Nassarawa’s story. Many months after I left the newspaper to work elsewhere, I was told some comic looking policemen went there to ask after Goddy Nassarawa! Here were we, a government owned newspaper, very popular at the time, carrying the story that a repented gun man with the original mission to assassinate a state governor was roving round town with his weapon and the police were not interested!

Again I was to witness a similar security lapse during the Dariye days as governor of Plateau. Then, the Christians and Muslims in that state were involved in a game of tit for tat.

One group would fall on the other and kill them and then the other would do same. At a point, after they suffered in the hands of one encounter with the Muslims, the Christians took the extraordinary step of

publicizing their plans to hit back. Posters and flyers were all over the state capital capital, announcing their intentions.

We got copies and published them in Crystal Magazine.

Nobody cared until the Christians carried out their

Emmanuel Yawe 08024565402 royawe@yahoo.com revenge threats. This was the massacre of Muslims that led to that famous outburst between Obasanjo and Rev Pam – “you are an idiot, a total idiot”. It was also the massacre that led to the declaration of a state of emergency in Plateau.

Boko Haram has become a threat to Nigeria for simply one reason – failure of intelligence.

Since 2006, Ahmed Salkida

“

Boko Haram has become a threat to Nigeria for simply one reason - failure of intelligence.

Since 2006, Ahmed Salkida started reporting on the activities of this group. He did not merely report their unusual brand of Islam, he reported that it was fast spreading and warned about the dangers it posed to public peace.

started reporting on the activities of this group. He did not merely report their unusual brand of Islam, he reported that it was fast spreading and warned about the dangers it posed to public peace. I have devoted two or three columns in admiration of Ahmed Salkida’s work on Boko Haram. Many of my colleagues do not share my opinion about him. Some have told me bluntly that the man is a member of the Boko Haram.

Boko Haram has declared war on Christianity in Nigeria and as a Christian, I will not go out of my way to support the activities of a friend who belongs to such a group. The Ahmed Salkida I know is not a conformist; he has unusual ways of going about his life and he could be easily misunderstood. He dropped out of school, converted from Christianity to Islam and then went back to marry a Christian wife and so on.

His practice of journalism is something else. Armed with inadequate formal education, he plunged into journalism with a single minded determination to get the big story. In Boko Haram, he got it.

I doubt it if there is any Nigerian, outside and even within the sect who knows as much about it as Ahmed Salkida. The security agencies and the government are underrating him at our own collective peril.

The popular belief is that he is a member of the sect. I do not share this belief. All along, since 2006, he has been writing and publishing articles that call public attention to the dangers posed to public safety by this brand of Islam. At the point when Boko Haram started their campaign of suicide bombings,

he carried out extensive research, interviewing many Islamic authorities in the north. He then wrote a brilliant newspaper article criticizing Boko Haram for murdering innocent people. He showed me the piece and I cautioned him not to provoke the group since journalists and media houses were also listed by them as targets. He went ahead and published it regardless of my caution.

I find it difficult to understand why me, a poor, non trained security operative could win Salkida’s confidence while those heavily loaded spooks could not get anywhere with him. We discussed Boko Haram extensively and I can say that he may just have the key to the scourge. But as is always the case, this President is poorly served by those close to him and he has no single capacity to reach out for the truth.

The greatest evidence of poor intelligence presented to him is to be found in the public analysis of Boko Haram by the late Azazi who as a National security Adviser publicly argued that Boko Haram is a northern creation, a product of presidential scuffle in the PDP. Two weeks ago, I discussed the Boko Haram thing with Wantaregh Paul Unongo and he concluded that there will always be insecurity in Nigeria as long as President Jonathan announces the trillions he has voted to buy security gadgets.

Every security operative wants to have his piece of that pie.

Sometimes I am moved with pity for this President. Like Shehu Sani, I believe he will get no where with his Boko Haram offensive as long as his security goons have forced Salkida to embark on his hijra.

The abracadabra of corruption minstrels. They have perhaps perfected the abracadabra even better. The magicians’ abracadabra was simply a string of incomprehensible gibberish aimed at drawing the audience’s attention away from the dubious act about to happen and also to create an esoteric ambience; to make one feel there is something they do not understand and should not bother about but just wait for the end result; the money that is conjured or the pigeon that is ‘resurrected’. Little did we also know that a lot of the people that were killed and resurrected, that were made to go dumb, out of whose ears notes were pulled out, were nothing but infamous collaborators of these minstrels. Another vital part of the whole act is keeping the onlookers in the dark. Indeed only by doing so would their abracadabra make any sense.

Only then would the audience believe that the abracadabra is actually some form of communication with the gods/ dwarfs. Most often, the onlookers were happy not to

ask any questions or even try to decrypt what was happening. They were happy to just wait to see if the abracadabra served its purpose.

I believe thus far, readers would have figured out why I am so in love with Sowore’s term. It fits perfectly with what is going on in most African countries. The politicians and their cronies have become the magicians and their collaborators while the general masses have become the unfortunate ignorant onlookers. These politicians are not interested and indeed work to downgrade the quality of education and limit the flow of information in a bid to keep the people in the dark. In most African countries, freedom of information exists only in name at best. In others it is not even a phrase people are familiar with.

After establishing the position of the unfortunate lookers-on, the next thing is to further bewilder them with the actual abracadabra-economic

terminology, political sloganeering, and downright lies couched in jaw-breaking grammar. So the masses either pretend to understand or just ignore it all, and leave the ‘booklong’ people to deal with it.

How else could millions of dollars worth of oil be ‘imported’ into an oil producing country when the vessels used to do so do not even exist? How else could a head of state be richer than the country he governed? How else could Members of Parliament collectively pocket millions in allowances while their constituents lacked the basic comforts of life? How else could they shamefacedly come back every 4 or so years and ask these befuddled lookers-on to vote them back into power? It’s all the work of the abracadabra.

There is a popular Ghanaian adage to wit, ‘the game ends when the fool wises up’. If even a fraction of the lookers-on were made of the stuff Haruna was made of, then the magicians would have realized that their trade was

out of fashion. If the docile masses of Africa would start prying into the abracadabra of corruption, really start asking what the hell is the meaning of the gibberish politicians spew to justify the siphoning of our monies then they would be forced to close shop. But as long as these masses continue to act docile and accept the abracadabra as something valid then they forever become the dumbfounded audience left at the mercy of the gyrating politicians.

I look forward to a day when Africa would have the good luck of being led by leaders of the caliber of Kwame Nkrumah, Haile Selassie, Sekou Toure, Tafawa Balewa, Jomo Kenyatta, Patrice Lumumba. I know there are always people who would still find issues with these gallant sons of Africa, but one thing I can say for them is that they never shortchanged their people with the abracadabra of corruption.

Kwesi E. Baako is on www.facebook.com

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

AMAC passes N4bn 2013 budget Stories By Adeola Tukuru

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buja Municipal Area Council’s (AMAC) Legislative arm has passed the 2013 budget on statutory accruals and other sources in the sum of Four billion, Seven hundred; and Twenty Eight million, Nine hundred and Seventy-Six thousand, Three hundred and Fifty one naira (N 4, 728, 976, 351. 00).

According to the speaker of AMAC, Hon, Alhassan Idris Bawa the Works and Housing department got the sum of N1, 000, 848, 260 billion of the entire budget making it the highest; closely followed by Health and human services with N 812, 123, 961 million representing while Environment came third with N 593, 684, 987 million.

He added that in order to further consolidate on the gains the outgoing legislature has bequeathed for posterity, “the legislative council carried out an extensive and exhaustive deliberation on the appropriation as well as going through the fiscal framework of the 2013 budget”.

Bawa noted that he was happy with the performance of 2012 budget and hoped that the present one would not be an exception.

According to him, the budget which is predicated on statutory accruals and other sources is projected as follows as projected revenue of a balance brought forward as at 31 st December, 2012 ,N3, 609, 206,Statutory (federation) Account of N 3, 894, 976, 351, SURE-P Allocation in the sum of N 204, 000, 000 and a Internal revenue generation of N 630, 000,a Total projected Revenue of N 4, 728, 976, 351.

He further explained that the council earmarked the following as projected expenditure for the year 2013 as Personnel Cost of N1, 618, 241, 944, Over head cost of N 916, 600, 000, Capital expenditure N 2, 192, 700, 000 and a Fiscal surplus of N 1, 434, 407.

In his response, the council chairman, Hon. Micah Jiba pledges to implement the Budget to the later as it is planned for the benefit of the timing masses.

R-L: New Coordinator of NDE in FCT, Mr. Romiluyi Oludare Newton, receiving handing over notes from outgoing Coordinator, Engineer Muhammad Ada Shuaibu, recently in Abuja.

Kubwa residents accuse PHCN, contractor of alleged N3.4m transformer scam

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esidents of Kubwa extension II, a suburb along the Suleja express way in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have alleged connivance of a contractor and a staff of Power Holdings Company of Nigeria(PHCN) to rob the community of N3.4million transformer.

The residents alleged that the contractor, Mr Chukwudi Chukwuleke connived with his wife, Mrs Eyiuche Chukwudi, a staff of PHCN Kubwa, to extort them of N3.4 million in a transformer installation deal in the area.

In a Save Our Soul (SOS), petition to the Minister of Power & Steel, FCT Commissioner of Police, Consumer Protection Council and Standard Organization of Nigeria and PHCN, the community alleged that the contractor, Mr. Chukwudi used criminal breach of trust, intimidation, harassment, using the Nigerian Police Force, Kubwa to threaten residents, after installing refurbished and substandard transformer against the agreed specifications.

The community also alleged that the contractor’s wife had disconnected the community from Daughters of Charity Hospital where power was supplied to them and left them in darkness without efforts to connect them back in order to force the

community to buy a transformer from her husband.

According to the petition, the community after reaching an agreement with Mr. Chukwudi for supply of a transformer at the cost of N3.4 million, the contractor messed up by supplying the community with a refurbished transformer after each of the residents were persuaded to contribute N30,000 to secure the transformer.

Out of the N3.4million, the contractor had so far received the sum of N2, 850,000.00 from landlords and tenants in that community.

The residents said they were shocked at the attitude of Mr. Chukwuleke for not supplying them the 500KVA transformer as agreed, instead installed a refurbished one that started given low voltage after two days of installation.

“The falsification of government record by a private firm, with the connivance of his wife who is a staff of PHCN, one Mrs Eyuiche Chukwudi of PHCN, Jiwa Service Centre, Kubwa Business Unit were tendered to the community as true certified copies of PHCN document”, they alleged.

The community in its petition wrote, “Persistently, the light supply from the transformer grew worst and generated the need to further investigate the performance of the transformer by an independent technician who advised the

AEPB assures residents over refuse dump, shanties

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cting Director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) Mrs. Aishat Adebayo has assured that they will ensure that the Federal Capital City ((FCC) is rid of refuse dump and shanties that can pose a threat to the health of residents and the general public.

Mrs Adebayo said this while reacting to the opinion poll of People’s Daily on April18, 2013

also warned Motor Parks and Markets traders to endeavor to maintain a clean environment by procuring Waste bins.

According to her, the waste bins are available for sale at the Board’s head office as Market and parks sanitation is critical to our sanitation programme because they are high waste generation points.

She noted that failure to

abide by environmental regulations as contained in AEPB Act, 1997 attract fines or imprisonment if convicted by the mobile sanitation courts, cautioned residents to maintain a high level of cleanliness.

She also called on stakeholders and residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to cooperate with the Board in ensuring a clean environment.

community to stop using the transformer or risk explosion”.

The independent technician told the community that the transformers is China made, the coil is below 300KVA with an output of 180 - 190 instead of 220 – 230 voltage.

It was at that instance that the community asked the contractor to take the refurbished one away and replace it for which he had written an under taken to do so, and that the contractor promised to replace almost immediately.

The contractor was said to have removed the refurbished transformer on March 27, 2013 with an undertaken to replace it on or before April 7, 2013. As at the time of going to press, according to the community, the contractor has not replaced it.

Rather than sticking to the agreement signed with the community, the contractor on April 10th arrested the community chairman, Mr Kola Adebayo and the community secretary, Mr Ugochukwu Nnabugwu for intimidation.

“The community was surprised after it deliberated on the way forward to see the contractor act in accordance with the said agreement and arrangement, rather on the 10th of April 2013 on Wednesday, he (contractor) came with police men on the instruction of the DCO 2 to arrest the chairman and secretary of the community”, the petition said.

The residents also complained that police had decided on their own take side on the matter, despite the facts presented to them by the community, insisting that the police had compromised.

They continued, that “we expected the phase iv Police Station in Kubwa to look at the material fact at hand objectively, they (police) were being bias, because the contractor has compromised them, they, then had the community chairman and the secretary charged with criminal

intimidation.

“The contractor recent behavior of using police intimidation and arrest of the chairman and the secretary of the community for criminal intimidation, aided by the DCO 1 and DCO 2 is a denial of basic human facility of existence.”

The community also alleged that the contractor’s “fraudulent act was being aided by one Mr. Henry, a Police DSP, who is an operative with EFCC to frustrate the effort of the community”.

They noted that due to power outage, “there being an outbreak of meningitis among the children in the community”, and that, hoodlums were taken the advantage of the darkness created by the zealous contractor and his wife to rob the innocent residents of their properties.

“Presently, this arrest is creating chaos and tension within the community. We humbly request the commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, to use his good office to intervene on this matter, as it could lead to great danger within the community”, the community appealed.

When Peoples Daily contacted Mrs Eyuiche Chukwudi of PHCN, Jiwa Service Centre, Kubwa Business Unit over the allegation, she denied conniving with the contractor to defraud the community.

Mrs. Chukwudi explained that the problem was not about refurbished transformer, but “the issue with the transformer is about uprising”, yet the community did not want to listen to the contractor, who she confirmed is her husband.

She also blamed the community for contacting an independent technician aside from PHCN staff who she said negated their minds against the transformer, adding that why did community refused to follow him (contractor) to the place where he bought the transformer for them to complain to the dealer.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Estate agent, 35, docked for alleged cheating

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35-year-old estate agent, Olowude Akeem, on Friday appeared in a Kubwa Senior Magistrates Court for alleged cheating.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Igonor Ocholi, told the court that the case was reported to the Kubwa police station on Jan. 15 by Ifeanyi Tobi.

“Tobi, a resident of No.2, Billing way, Oregun, Lagos, told the police that the accused, resident in Gado Nasko Road, Kubwa offered him a one-room self-contained apartment in Kubwa at N270,000 per annum.

“After collecting the money, the accused failed to remit same to the landlord,” Ocholi alleged.

He said that failure of the accused to remit the money made it impossible for Tobi to occupy the room.

The prosecutor added that the offence contravened Section 322 of the Penal Code.

Section 322 states that, “whoever cheats shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with imprisonment or with both.”

The prosecutor applied for an adjournment to enable him produce witnesses to prove the case.

The Magistrate, Ms Rosemary Kanyip, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.

She adjourned the case to May 16,2013 for continuation of hearing. (NAN)

PAGE 17

INSIDE FCT COURTS

Security guard jailed for stealing diesel from Fidelity bank A

n Abuja Magistrates Court on Friday convicted and sentenced Arebun Douglas, a security guard with Fidelity Bank Plc, Wuse 2, Abuja to one year imprisonment for stealing over 400 litres of diesel.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr Shuaibu Ahmed, convicted Douglas, after he pleaded

guilty to stealing the diesel from the bank’s generator set.

Ahmed, however, gave Douglas an option to pay a fine of N5, 000.

The magistrate warned the convict to stay away from crimes.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Mr. David Udeh, had told the court that a staff

of the bank, Mr John Okoro, reported the case to the Wuse Divisional police station on April 17.

According to Udeh the convict stole over of 400 litres of diesel, valued at N58,000 from the generator.

He said that during police investigation, the convict confessed to stealing the diesel

from the same generator more than six times.

Udeh said that the offence contravened the provision of Section 287 of the Penal Code.

The convict, in his plea for leniency, said that he was only 27 years and a first time offender.

He promised to change his life for the best. (NAN)

Man arraigned for alleged joint act, cheating

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he police on Friday arraigned one John Ighedose, 31, at an Abuja Grade 2 Area Court in Kado, FCT over an alleged joint act and cheating.

The police prosecutor, Christopher Roko, told the court that on April 13, one John Owuru of Kabusa Village, Abuja, reported the matter at the Utako Police Station.

Roko said that the complainant had reported that Ighedose and two others now at large had accosted him at Berger Roundabout in the pretext of trying to help him.

According to Roko, the accused and his cohorts dishonestly defrauded Owuru of N52,000, adding that the offences contravened the provisions of Section 79 and 322 of the Penal Code.

According to the Section 79, each individual in a criminal act by several persons is liable for that act in the same manner as if it were carried out by him alone.

Section 322 stipulates that “Whoever cheats shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine or with both.’’

Ighedose pleaded not guilty and the Judge, Mr Ahmed Ado, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N30,000, and two sureties one of whom must be a salary earner and adjourned the case to May 7,2013. (NAN)

National Orientation Agency’s Drama Group entertaining guests at a function last weekend, in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Man jailed one year for receiving stolen property

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n Abuja Magistrates Court has ,sentenced one middle-aged man, Abbey Akintunde, of 52 Lobito Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja to one year imprisonment for receiving stolen property.

The Magistrate, Mr Shuaibu Usman, convicted Akintunde after he pleaded guilty to the crime.

Usman, however, gave the

convict an option of five thousand naira fine.

The magistrate, however, warned Usman to be of good character and stay away from crime.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Mr David Udeh, told the court that the matter was reported by John Okoro of Fidelity Bank, Wuse 2, Abuja at the Wuse Police Station on

April 18.

Udeh, said the accused was caught trying to sell 25 litres of diesel, belonging to Fidelity Bank which he later confessed to have received from one Arobim Douglas.

He said that during police investigation, the accused made a confession that it was the sixth time he was receiving the stolen product from Douglas.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 319 of the Penal Code.

Section 319 says: “Whoever voluntarily assists in concealing or making away with property which he knows to be stolen shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with fine or both”. (NAN)

Security guard bags 7 weeks imprisonment for stealing

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Grade Two Area Court in Kado, Abuja, has sentenced a 20-year-old security guard, Elijah Nor, to seven weeks imprisonment for criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The presiding judge, Ahmed Ado, sentenced the convict to one month imprisonment with an option to pay N2,000 fine on the first

count of breach of trust.

Ado also sentenced the convict to three weeks imprisonment with an option of fine of N1, 000 for the second count, adding that would the sentences run concurrently.

Prosecutor Simon Ibrahim had told the court that one Ibrahim Abdulkarim, reported the case at Utako Police Station on April 12.

Ibrahim said that the complainant, a resident of Utako, had given the convict N15,000 to purchase a mobile phone for him.

He said the convict failed to purchase the phone and converted the money to his personal use.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 312 and 322 of the

Penal Code.

Section 312 stipulated seven years imprisonment or fine or both for criminal breach of trust, while Section 322 provides three years jail term for cheating.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convict had pleaded guilty to the charges and was summarily tried. (NAN)

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

12 motorised street sweepers purchased for major roads in FCT

By Adeola Tukuru with agency reports

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he Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has purchased 12 motorised sweepers for major roads in the city, an official of the board said.

The Head, Waste Management Department of the board, Mr Ahmed Hamis said that the provision of the motorised sweepers was to eliminate the dangers encountered by people engaged to clean up the major roads within the city.

He said that a training programme would be organised on how to operate the machines

before deploying the facilities to the streets.

The official said that the board had identified major streets and roads where the machines would be deployed.

“We have 12 motorised sweepers right now; we are simply waiting for short training to be conducted on how to operate them before we deploy them to the street.

“We have already identified major streets and highways where these machines would be deployed; none of the people engaged as sweepers would be laid off as they would still be left to do their own work; they have other streets to look at.’’

“The motorised sweeper will not affect the job of the women currently engaged as street sweepers; think about the streets in Abuja and think about the number of the motorised sweepers that we have purchased; we still need them (women) to do their job.’’

On safety, he said that most of the sweepers are engaged by the contractors, adding that the board had an agreement with the contractors to provide insurance cover for the sweepers.

He said the board had also mandated the contractors to provide ‘Men at work’ signs and reflector jackets to make the workers visible to motorists while

on duty.

“We mandate them (contractors) to provide the ‘’Men at work’’ signs anytime they are at work and to provide aprons to make them visible to motorists; we also monitor to make sure those things are provided by the contractors.’’

Hamis expressed concern over the refusal of some of the sweepers to use the protective jackets provided for them.

“We learnt that some of them (sweepers) do not use these protective equipment even when they had been provided by the contractors; we are trying to enforce compliance for safety.’’

(NAN)

R-L: Village Head of Toge Community, Chief Auta Gbechibwa; Supervisory Councillor for Health (AMAC), Josephine Nnodim, AMAC chairma, Hon. Micah Y. Jiba, and other traditional rulers at the flag-off of the Community Sanitation Initative at the weekend.

Photo: Adeola Tukuru

AMAC flags off community sanitation programme in Toge community

By Adeola Tukuru

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buja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) over the weekend flagged off a Community Sanitation Programme Initiative in Toge Community along the Airport road in Abuja.

Chairman of AMAC, Hon Micah Jiba explained that the essence of the programme is to ensure that the people in the grassroots understand what it means about sanitation.

In his words: “We are not doing sanitation because of our President ,the FCT Minister and not because of me ,we are doing it because of our own health and make the people from the grassroots see the importance of sanitation in their environment”.

“We are doing this programme to ensure that the people do not forget the issue of sanitation in their environment ,because lack of sanitation causes a lot of diseases such as polio, tuberculosis and others”, he said.

Jiba further stated that AMAC is doing the programme based on the instruction of the Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, to ensure a clean environment in the FCT . “We are trying to do more of sanitations in other communities in AMAC and anybody found wanting by committing any environmental offences will be prosecuted in the mobile court.”

Also the Special Adviser to

the Minister of State on Environment, Ayo Sotinrin, said that sanitation in the area council has been the Minister’s major priority, adding that this particular initiative is called the Village and Community Sanitation Initiative.

He explained that it was designed by the Minister of State last August, and also the Clean and Green Greater Abuja as one of the Ministers’s numerous initiatives around the area councils.

In his words: “This initiative is to empower the people in sanitation to ensure that they are all involved in this and not that the government should doing it for them .We have also started the environmental sanitation

which we embark on every week, we will allow the Village head to chose a date were everybody comes outside to do a community sanitation to avert any form of sicknesses such as polio, cholera in Abuja”.

Also at the occasion, the Village head of Toge community ,Chief Auta Gbechibwa lauded AMAC administration for the initiative.

He lamented that there are sturbon people in the community who will not comply with the sanitation exercise.

The Chief called on the Chairman to assist them with security officials to ensure that the residents comply with the sanitation rules and regulations.

Residents decry demolition of their structures

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esidents and traders on the boundary between Nasarawa State and the FCT over the weekend decried the demolition of their shops and houses.

Some of them told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that they were not notified before the exercise was carried out between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Most of the affected traders said they were not informed before the demolition, accusing the government of insensitivity to their plight.

“In 2010, when the AbujaKeffi road was to be expanded, we were duly informed by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), but on Thursday we were caught unaware.

“We don’t know where the demolition squad came from, whether they were from the FCDA or the Karu Area Planning Authority of Nassarawa State,” Mr Chigozie Eze, a mini-supermarket owner, said.

Mrs Mary Okon, a beer merchant and Mr Emmanuel Yakubu, a road side mechanic, said the demolition had left them jobless.

When contacted, officials of the FCDA told NAN that the demolition was carried out by officials of the Nassarawa State government.

Malam Sani Mairiga, the Senior Special Adviser (Media/ Public Affairs) to Gov. Umaru Al-Makura, however, denied the traders’ claims that they were taken unaware.

Mairiga told NAN that the Nasarawa State Urban Development Board gave the affected traders six months notice that expired in December 2012.

He said that at the expiration of the deadline the board gave them an additional two months grace, but they failed to remove their illegal structures.

Mairiga said that by law, the demolition ought to have taken place two weeks after the structures were marked, “but we gave them additional one week grace’’.

He said the demolition was in the ‘overall interest’ of the public, because the traders had constituted ‘traffic hazard’ on the Abuja-Keffi dual carriage way.

The official accused the traders of dumping refuse on the highway in spite of the fact that the board had provided them big polythene bags to put their refuse.

He advised the traders to keep their structures at least 30 metres to 35 metres from the road. (NAN)

BUSINESS

PAGE 19

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Email: aminuimam@yahoo.co.uk

Mob: 08033644990

Nigeria’s external reserves still above $48bn – CBN

Pan-African Fed. Accountants holds 2nd African Congress of Accountants 2013 From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

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he Pan-African Federation of Accountants (PAFA) has concluded plans for its 2nd African Congress of Accountants (ACOA) 2013, hosted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), in collaboration with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) on the theme: ”Africa’s Economic Growth, Accountability and Democracy”.

The Congress, which has been scheduled to take place between Tuesday, May 14, 2013 and Thursday, May 16, 2013 at Accra International Conference Centre, Accra, Ghana will explore issues related to key areas that directly and indirectly affect the Accountants’ role in Economic Growth, Accountability and Democracy through seminars, workshop and exhibitions.

Participants expected at the congress include; Accountants, Finance and Business leaders, Corporate and Financial planners, Investors, Entrepreneurs, Policy and Standard setters as well as key government functionaries.

- Pg 20

Naira appreciates against Pound, Euro L-R: Cameroun minister of Finance, Mr Alamine Mey, Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala, and South Sudan Minister of Finance, Kosti Ngail, during the African Finance Ministers press briefing at the spring meeting of the World Bank and IMF in Washington.

Photo: NAN

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he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Friday said Nigeria’s external reserves stood at 48.76 billion dollars (N75.57 trillion) as at April 16.

The apex bank disclosed this on its website.

According to the CBN, the figure represented an increase of 2.54 per cent over the last figure of 48.75 billion dollars (N75.56 trillion).

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the nation’s external reserves have maintained an upward trend since the beginning of 2013.

It would be recalled that minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had in July 2012, stressed the need for Nigeria to shore up its external reserves.

Okonjo-Iweala had said there was need to build up the reserves to 50 billion dollars (N77.50 trillion) before the end of 2013.

She said the reserves needed to be strong enough to help the country in the event of any global economic recession.

It could be recalled that Nigeria’s external reserves was 44.18 billion (N68.47 trillion) in December of 2012. It grew to 44.34 billion (N68.72 trillion) in January of 2013, representing an increase of 2.82 per cent. (NAN)

INSIDE

Cronos Airlines, Peacock to commence Port Harcourt-Malabo flights From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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usiness activities between Nigeria and the Equatorial Guinea is set to be made easier by direct flight operations as the Central African country’s based carrier, Cronos Airlines, has partnered with Nigeria’s Peacock Travels and Tours Limited to open the Malabo-Port Harcourt route.

The development followed an agreement inked recently by the

two companies which sees Peacock obtained the exclusive General Sales Agency right to issue the airline’s tickets all over Nigeria.

A statement by the Executive Chairman, Peacock, Aare Kakanfo of Okegbo, Ijebu Igbo, Chief Segun Phillips, quoted him as saying that Cronos also has an ambitious plan to commence flights from Malabo to Lagos and Abuja before the end of the year.

According to him, Malabo as a

destination has historical link with Nigeria, especially the Efik speaking tribe who are found in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.The Malabo-PH service, he said, came at the right time for the sizeable number of Ibo traders plying the route.

He said, “Previously, the traders go by ship which is slow, hazardous and unsafe. The new air link between Port Harcourt and Malabo, which lasts for just

numbers from one network to another if they are dissatisfied with the customer service of their current network service provider.

Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson is expected to be the special guest of honour, while the top echelon of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and telecommunications industry operators and stakeholders will also be part of the flag-off.

Johnson said number portability means that

subscribers have a choice and hopefully it would increase competition in the industry.”That doesn’t stop the quality of service issued because we have a nationwide quality of service issue at this moment. We are doing a number other things to work on quality of service issues, making it easier for our network operators to rollout infrastructure without the bottlenecks of multiple taxes and multiple regulation, the cost of Right of Way (RoW), the vandalisation of ICT infrastructures.

Mobile Number Portability service set to commence today

By Chris Alu

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he Federal Government and operators of Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) services are now set to flag-off Mobile Number Portability (MNP) scheme today in Lagos.

The service is projected to increase quality of experience (QoE) for subscribers.

The implementation will allow mobile telecommunications subscribers move their Subscriber Identification Module (SIM)

Management Tip of the Day

I

Avoid visual clicheìs when presenting

f you want to communicate that your project’s goals are “right on target,” it’s tempting to present your colleagues with the all-toofamiliar image of a bull’s-eye.

But nothing gets an audience’s eyes a-glazing like a visual clicheì.

To make your presentation stand out, throw out the first

visual concepts that come to mind. They’re the ones that occur to everyone else, too.

Brainstorm several ideas for each concept to work your way toward fresh, surprising imagery. To illustrate a partnership, forgo the image of a handshake in front of a globe.

Instead, opt for a picture of a reef ecosystem or a stylish photo of

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

If you’re trying to portray the concept of security, avoid the lock and key. Try a Doberman Pinscher or pepper spray. Your audience is far more likely to remember what you have to say if it comes with unexpected images.

Source: Harvard Business Review

45 minutes, become a comfortable, fast and reliable option than going by ship”.

Other segments of people plying the route, according to the statement, are business executives and oil exploration workers.The route also comes handy for leisure travellers, who want to go to Equatorial Guinea to enjoy their vacation, according to the travel management company.

“It is an interesting tourist’s destination which boasts of upscale holiday and recreational facilities, including luxury hotels and one of the best golf courses in Africa”, the Aare of Kakanfo added.

Furthermore, the Aare said with the popularity of golf game in Nigeria, the airline and Peacock would give priority to golf players for easy access.The company said that it would offer total package, including entry visa and flight tickets for prospective passengers.To do this effectively, Peacock has three offices located Aba, Port Harcourt city and Port Harcourt International Airport.Peacock will assist prospective passengers to facilitate the issuance of visa.

The Aare said the airline was already looking forward to signing interconnectivity with some foreign airlines in order to link Malabo to other oil producing cities in the world including Houston in United States and Dubai in United Arab Emirates.

Equatorial Guinea has the highest per capita income in Africa. This attests to the prosperity and business opportunities in the country, according to the statement.

The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc does ground and cargo handling for Cronos. Passengers can also connect Lome and Cotonou through Cronos.

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS RMAFC

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he Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has begun the analysis of data gathered from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory for the computation of a new national revenue formula.

To ensure that the agency is not deceived by exaggerated claims made by some states to sway the formula in their favour, the data analysis will involve comparing what the states submitted with the data available in federal agencies.

Such federal agencies include the Universal Basic Education Commission, National Population Commission and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency.

General Electric

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eneral Electric (GE) said it would supply three of its 4megawatt (MW) Jenbacher J624 gas engines and one of its 2-MW J612 units to power a new factory that will produce billions of syringes and intravenous (IV) drug products that are needed each year to fight against malaria in Africa.

Clarke Energy, GE’s authorised distributor of Jenbacher gas engines in Nigeria, will install the 14MW cogeneration plant at the syringe and IV products factory on behalf of Nigeriabased Integrated Medical Industries Limited (IMIL), the company said in a statement on its website.

IMIL’s new syringe and IV products operation is scheduled to start production in 2014.

Eko Electricity Coy

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ko Electricity Distribution Company, on Friday said the firm’s revenue has increased by 20 per cent since the inauguration of some NIPP transformers.Amoda, CEO of one of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) companies, said that the recently inaugurated National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) transformers in the zone would further boost power supply.

He however told newsmen in Lagos that the zone stilled required more transformers to impact positively on his company’s revenue base.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Cash-Lite: Skye Bank PoS rollout set to hit 15,000

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head of the expansion of the ‘Cash-lite’ policy beyond Lagos State, Skye Bank Plc has concluded arrangements to roll out some 15,000 Point of Sale terminals (PoS) in those states covered by the second phase of the policy.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had recently announced that by July this year, the ‘Cashlite’ policy would be extended to states like Ogun, Anambra, Rivers, Abia and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja after a successful pilot test in Lagos state.

The Group Head, E-Channels, Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Chuks Iku,

disclosed that the bank had deployed about 7,000 point of sale terminals in Lagos State alone, adding that additional 8,000 units would be deployed in the next phase of the roll-out.

To ensure the success of the exercise, Iku said branches of Skye Bank in Kano and the FCT have been trained and had consequently commenced customer education in relation to how PoS could be used, providing product knowledge and creating awareness about the policy and other payment channels.

He said the awareness

exercise would commence in the other states ahead of the roll out, adding that the bank’s staff in the states which would be covered under the second phase are undergoing training to ensure that they treat customers’ issues proactively and professionally to make the exercise a success.

He listed some benefits of the new cash-lite policy to include safety of transactions, convenient payment arrangement, security and flexibility, saying it would boost trade and commerce.

Iku urged members of the

public in those states not to resist the cash-lite policy but embrace it as its benefits are numerous.

According to him, carrying cash has become very dangerous and unsafe.

The CBN had come up with the cash-lite policy in 2011 as a strategy for changing the economy from one that is cash– based to an economy that thrives on electronic payment systems and funds transfers.1n January 2012, the pilot scheme took-off in Lagos and has been adjudged to be successful in view of the reduction in cash-based transactions.

Naira appreciates against Pound, Euro

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he nation’s currency, the Naira appreciated against the pound sterling and the euro at the official and black market ends of the foreign exchange market on Friday.

The currency, however, remained firm against the dollar at the two markets.The Naira appreciated against the pound sterling at the official

market from at N238.17 to the pound on Monday to close at N236.86 on Friday.

It also rallied against the pound at N245 at the Bureau de Change and the black market on Friday from N246.5 on Monday, gaining N1.50.

The Naira opened at N203.08 to the euro on Monday at the official market

GTB holds AGM Thursday

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uaranty Trust Bank Plc has announced the date and venue for its 23rd Annual General Meeting (AGM), during which the Bank’s 2012 financial results will be presented to its shareholders.

According to information from the bank, its 23rd AGM would take place on Thursday, April 25th, 2013 at Zinnia Hall, Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos by 10:00am.

The results, which were approved earlier this month by the Central Bank of Nigeria and released to operators of the Nigerian Stock Exchange reported a Profit Before Tax of N103 billion, the highest for any Nigerian bank.

The meeting’s agenda would include receipt of the audited financial statement for 2012, declaration of dividend, and election of directors and members of the Bank’s audit committee.

Additionally, the new Chairman of the Board, Mr. Egbert Imomoh (CON) would be presented to Shareholders as replacement for incumbent Chairman, Mr. Oluwole Oduyemi, who is retiring from the Board in compliance with the Bank’s code of corporate governance, which stipulates a retirement age of 70 years for Non-Executive Directors of the Bank.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Segun Agbaje, Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, said GTBank maintains high corporate governance standards and has a defined succession strategy to address board and management vacancies.

According to Mr. Agbaje, the Bank had informed the Nigerian Stock Exchange and other regulators about the impending retirement.

CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

to close at N202.54 on Friday.The Naira however remained stable against the dollar at the official market during the week, selling at N155.25 to the dollars.

A currency trader, Mr Harrison Owoh, attributed the naira’s appreciation to the low activities associated with the last working day of the week.

Owoh, the Managing Director, H J Trust & Investment Ltd., said “most traders usually travel on Friday to buy goods and would have converted their monies to the currencies needed for their transactions”. (NAN)

Sterling Bank grows Q1 profit by 96%

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terling Bank Plc said it recorded 96 per cent appreciation in its profit After Tax for the three-month period ended March 31, 2013, while profit before tax increased by 85 per cent.

The net profit growth signalled robust returns outlook for investors as earnings per share rose by 89 per cent from 9.0 kobo recorded in first quarter 2012 to 17 kobo in first quarter 2013.

The first quarter report, prepared in line with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), showed gross earnings of N19.84 billion as against N16.21 billion recorded in

Earnings Report for Banks Source:Pro-share Nigeria

comparable period of 2012.

Profit before tax increased from N1.63 billion to N3.02 billion while profit after tax leapt to N2.72 billion as against N1.39 billion.

The report underlined continuing improvement in the bank’s cost efficiency and growing market share. Pre-tax profit margin was 15.2 per cent in first quarter 2013 as against 10.1 per cent in comparable period of 2012.

Deposits increased by 13.1 per cent within the three months from N466.85 billion recorded in December 2012 to N528.10 billion in March 2013. Total assets grew by 11 per cent to N645.07 billion as against N580.23 billion recorded in December 2012.

Loans and advances improved from N229.4 billion in December 2012 to N247.6 billion in March 2013. Shareholders’ funds firmed up to N49.30 billion compared with N46.64 billion that opened this year.

The first quarter report came on the heels of the audited report and accounts for the year ended December 31, 2012, which showed a well-rounded performance with significant growths in incomes, profitability and assets management and efficiency.

The 2012 full-year report showed that the bank consolidated its growth and seamlessly harnessed the synergies from its recent acquisition with both outward and underlying performance indicators indicating marked improvements.

PAGE 21

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

NSE All-Share Index drops by 1.55% From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos eavy investment losses occasioned by drop in share prices of some bluechip companies has resulted in the market losing a total of 0.077 billion shares last Friday.

A turnover of 2.114 billion shares worth of N26.678 billion in 27,624 deals were transacted last week by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 2.191 billion shares valued at N24.942 billion that exchanged hands in 33,100 deals the previous week.

Specifically, the NSE AllShare Index (ASI) declined by 520.17 points or 1.55% to

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close on Friday at 32,993.97 while the market capitalization of the listed equities on the main board equally decreased, by 1.55% to close at N10.547 trillion.

At the close of trading activities for the week, the Financial Services sector (measured by turnover volume) came top and accounted for 1.759 billion shares valued at N14.642 billion exchanged hands by investors in 16,902 deals.

Consumer Goods sector followed in the activity chart with 121.622 million shares valued at N9.411 billion traded in 4,391 deals.Similarly, the banking sub-sector of the

Financial Services sector was the most active during the week (measured by turnover volume), with 1.435 billion shares worth N11.904 billion traded in 12,764 deals.

Volume in the banking subsector was largely driven by activities in the shares of Wema Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc. Trading in the shares of the three banks accounted for 627.601 million shares worth N4.384 billion exchanged by investors in 3,720 deals contributing 29.691% to the total equity turnover volume recorded during the week.

In the course of the week, 6,021 units of NewGold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) valued at N12.944 million were executed in 21 deals compared with a total of 510 units valued at N1.220 million transacted last week in 7 deals.

Also, 4,140 units of FGN bonds and State bond valued at N4.471 million were traded during the week in 30 deals in contrast to 3,310 units valued at N4.049 million transacted last week in 20 deals (see details below). Also, the NSE 30 Index depreciated by 25.27 points or 1.58% to close at 1,574.85.

FCMB Capital Markets in Accugas $225m deal as MLA and Technical Bank

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ccugas Limited, a whollyowned subsidiary of Seven Energy, recently closed on a $225 Medium Term Project Finance Facility for its Central Processing Facility (CPF) and second gas pipeline project in Akwa Ibom.

The proceeds of this landmark transaction will be used for construction of the CPF and gas pipeline to provide gas to Ibom Power, located n Akwa Ibom and NDPHC’s Calabar power plant located in Cross River.

The project, which is scheduled to be completed in

2014, will fulfil the gas supply contract obligations to both the Ibom and Calabar power plants, the objective of which is to satisfy the growing gas demands from power plants and industrial users, following the on-going reforms in the power sector.

FCMB Capital Markets Limited, one of the Mandated Lead Arrangers (MLA) for the facility, in addition to being appointed MLA was also mandated as Technical Bank with Stanbic IBTC Plc. FCMB Capital Markets and Stanbic IBTC are the only

Nigerian banks with the demonstrated ability to identify and allocate the technical risks associated with such complex projects as both institutions previously performed the same role for Nigeria’s first senior secured Reserve-Based Lending financed by Nigerian banks.

Speaking after the transaction signing ceremony in Lagos, FCMB Capital Market’s Executive Director, Mr. Tolu Osinibi explained that the Bank’s commitment to the Facility was a demonstration of its commitment to the

development of Nigeria’s power sector.

He added that “the Technical Bank team ensured that all the technical issues related to this novel project have been identified and addressed and that he is confident that the project will be completed on schedule and it will add significant value to the country’s power generation capacity”.

In closing, Mr. Osinibi commended the efforts of the Technical Bank team in ensuring due diligence in the transaction was timely concluded.

Royal Exchange set to commission Enugu regional office

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oyal Exchange General Insurance Company, (REGIC), Nigeria’s foremost insurance underwriter with a focus on General and Special Risks, has announced plans to commission a state-ofthe-art regional office in Enugu, which will serve the needs of the South-East geo-political zone.

Giving this indication in Lagos recently, the Managing Director of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company Ltd, Mr. Richard Olutayo Borokini, described Enugu as a functional watershed location from which Royal Exchange customers in the South-East can access premium insurance products, and experience excellent customer service.

“We have noted the centrality of Enugu and its importance in the historical and socio-economic development of the region, and it is our firm belief that Royal Exchange can leverage on this to take insurance deeper to more of the critical mass of the people,” he said, adding that “our desire is to deliver value-added service to the discerning customers in the region”.

“Besides, our company’s new focus on retail insurance means that more job opportunities will open up through our agency programme, thereby complementing the government’s efforts to meaningfully engage the youths of this country”, Mr. Borokini stated.

According to Mr. Borokini, “Royal Exchange has taken note of the low insurance penetration in Nigeria and is embarking on a deliberate policy of developing and deploying an extensive branch network, replete with the requisite skilled manpower, throughout Nigeria, to be able to reach out to the masses and elicit their interest in insurance”.

Royal Exchange has hitherto maintained a low key presence in Enugu and Aba, but going forward, the company intends to reinforce its unique attributes of enviable claims profile, robust technological backbone and pleasant customer experiences through an audacious branch expansion programme covering

the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.

The opening of the new SouthEast Regional Office in Enugu is in keeping with the policy of the Board of Royal Exchange Plc to provide a conducive environment for the conduct of the company’s business and also in line with the company’s transformation strategy to once again be one of the dominant players in the insurance industry in the coming years.

Royal Exchange General Insurance Company (REGIC) currently has 26 branches across the Federation and 8 regional offices in Lagos (3), Ibadan, Enugu, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kaduna.

INVESTORS NEWS BITS Ecobank

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cobank Nigeria Plc, a member of the Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) is now free to act as a receiving bank in the Nigerian capital following the lifting of the suspension placed on the bank by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last month.

The commission had suspended Ecobank for allegedly conniving with Arian Capital Management to convert 555, 555 shares of First Bank of Nigeria belonging to Avil Services Limited, a client of Arian Capital.

The regulator said that when the violation was discovered, it demanded for information from Ecobank, which the bank failed to provide, hence the suspension.

Akwa Ibom state

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he Commissioner of Finance, Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Bassey Akpan, has said the state government is seeking an N80bn loan from the Standard Charter Bank of London to offset the previously acquired credit facility of N50bn from the United Bank for Africa Plc. Akpan, who stated this in Uyo during a press conference at the weekend.

He explained that the state government had already consulted the state House of Assembly on the need to write off the UBA loan facility which attracts 18.5 per cent per annum.

Stanbic IBTC

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tanbic IBTC said on Friday its 2012 pretax profit rose 16 percent to 11.7 billion naira ($74 mln, as against 10.1 billion naira a year earlier.

Gross earnings at Stanbic IBTC Bank rose to N91.9 billion duing the period, from 63.4 billion naira a year ago, it said in a filing with the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The mid-tier lender proposed to pay a dividend of 0.10 naira per share.

Source:Pro-share Nigeria

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 22

Deeping transformation at port authority T he Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is a Federal Government agency that governs and operates the ports of Nigeria.

The major ports controlled by the NPA include: the Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port in Lagos; Calabar Port, Delta Port, Rivers Port at Port Harcourt, and Onne Port.

Operations of the NPA are carried out in affiliation with the Ministry of Transport and the Nigerian Shippers' Council.

The announcement of the appointment of the NPA helmsman by President Goodluck Jonathan threw many industry observers offbalance, on their assumption that he will not be able to perform his duties effectively.

However, to the dismay of his critics, he has not only impacted sanity at NPA, but has also made positive progress to the growth and development of the sector, as well as making it viable as one of the strongest that has impacted positively to the development of the countries economy.

One of such is the precedence he was able to set in NPA, coupled with the courage, determination, hard work and perseverance he exhibited in the steering the ship of the NPA within this short period.

The Managing Director, on his assumption, promised to transform the sector by ensuring optimum performance in order to meet the growing demand of the economy. He explained that the sector needed some urgent reforms in the areas of a landlord port model that will give NPA the responsibility of providing port infrastructures and vessel support services to its clients.

Malam Abdullahi also introduced a lot of changes in the sector through the publicprivate-partnership initiatives, by entering into various concession agreements with some private sector operators that will carry infrastructural development at the ports, in order to provide a Road Map and a guide towards the quick discharge of goods in a more transparent and speedier way.

He also created avenues for the NPA to generate its internally generated revenue ( IGR), through various means for the sector, as well as set clear targets on the level of operational standards.

The Managing Director, also on assumption of office, arranged an in-house meeting with the top management where he directed the Executive Directors, General Managers, Port Managers, who are involved in the initiation and execution of projects in NPA, to align their internal process and develop a new mechanism.

According to the NPA boss,

In two month's time, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Malam Habibu Abdullahi will complete one year in office. Christopher Alu scrutinizes the performance of the NPA under his tenure during this period.

this was in order to consider the requirements of the Public Procurement Act, and for the achievement of a greater target; that will enhance easy assessment as a result of the viability of the ports and its links to the level of infrastructure needed to sustain the growth in traffic with a view to impacting positively on outputs of the economic activities in all the various ports' stations.

The main offices of the Nigerian Ports Authority are located in Lagos. However, with the concessioning programme of the federal government, which is aimed at promoting efficiency through, public and private partnership, the Nigerian Ports, has since 2005, being concessioned.

This landlord arrangement, as they call it, has fostered better relationship and high turnout of goods and services in and around the Nigerian Port system either in the Eastern or the ever-busy Western zone.

Under this dispensation, the NPA, during Habibu's stewardship, has reviewed over 400 applications, out of which more than 50 were offered concession to operate as private sector companies at the terminals.Within his one year in office, many channels were opened-up as conducive environment for concession, and he also introduced information technology to up-grade the existing standard, such as the one stopshop cargo clearing at the ports, to enable cargos to be cleared within 48 hours in a faster way.

Malam Habibu embarked on several reforms such as repairs and maintenance of the wharves/corrosion system with enabled protections, roads and sidings,buoys,channels,and waterways as well as buoyage system, motor vehicles, furniture and office equipments.

The Managing Director has also completed the removal of the remaining 20 critical wrecks and the deepening of the Lagos channels to attract bigger vessels, leading to increase in gross registered tonnage of vessels and reduction in ships turn-around time.

The NPA, under Malam Habibu, also embarked on the expansion of existing port facilities in order to cope with the increasing cargo traffic and port congestion; these goals have recorded tremendous successes as recorded in the outlined departmental updates.

Entrance to the Tin Can island Port in Lagos

MD NPA, Malam Habibu Abdullahi In the marine sector, the On-going projects includes, rehabilitation of Lagos Harbor NPA has acquired 69 channel Moles, rehabilitation of Tin bouys for Lagos pilotage districts Can Island port (Quay Wall& and has built two tug boats with Apron)Supply and two pilot cutters, which are installation of marine Fenders currentlyfunctional with full in Zone 1,2 &3 of the Nigerian service delivery.

The first phase of a new ports and has completed the rehabilitation and expansion of anchorage pilotage in Lagos NPA's Headquarters in Marina, district has also been completed The NPA, during this period, Lagos.

The Managing Director has has also rehabilitated all light also rehabilitated Apapa Ports houses and aids to navigation at railway network in Lagos with the Lagos harbour.

The NPA has also the construction of the Apapa 1.6km dual carriageway, successfully removed the 24 within Apapa Quays, lagos critical wrecks in the channels Other projects include the at the port completely. Also, it rehabilitation of Julius Berger has increased the dredging Terminal 'C' Old Port Warri in volume of all the ports from Delta state.

2006 to date, which was Also, the dredging of executed by BCC and that of Escravos-warri -Aladja to Koko Bonny Channel is channel in Warri pilotage 43,537,000m3 while the total district- proposal and the dredging volume executed by rehabilitation of AMS terminal LCM for Lagos channels is B' old port Warri, also in Delta 53,583,546m3. state.

Other reforms Malam Abdullahi's introduced within this one year include the completion of projects such as the Western Port, remedial works on Tin Can Island services lane, and the Apapa, Lagos-emergency road rehabilitation and also the rehabilitation of access roads to the Lily Pond container terminal-remedial.No wonder the Managing Director has set the pace at the port authority which nobody has done on his assumption of office.

He has promised to further develop the Greenfield areas at the ports to encourage business which he has done and the NPA now effectively monitors more goods that come in and out of the ports efficiently.

The NPA chieftain has also promised that within the next few years, the NPA will be a hub in Africa that will attract a huge market to the rest of the world.Presently, the country has six ports, with three additional ones being developed; this gives the hope that by the time Malam Habibu complete his tenure, there would be additional twenty viable ports in the country that will generate millions of jobs to the citizens.

This will create a huge market and improve the standard of Nigeria's port such that the country's internal waterways, which has remain untapped will be developed.

PEOSPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Report as at Thursday, April 18, 2013

PAGE 23

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Governor Dakingari’s score card in provision of water for the people BACKGROUND ebbi State has relatively abundant surface water resources in the form of rivers such as the Niger, Rima and Ka. These rivers are sources of water for irrigation, domestic use, fishing and transportation.

It is estimated that about 60 to seventy percent of the arable land in the state is irrigable.

The state is also home to the renowned Argungu Lake which besides being a rich fawning ground for fresh water fishing, has become a tourists’ resort hosting the annual Argungu Fishing Festival.

The preponderance of surface water resources explains why a number of irrigation projects have been proposed by the Sokoto Rima Basin Development Authority on some of these rivers. These include Zauro Polder Project at Zauro (10,672 ha), Niger Valley Project at a Yelwa (4,023 ha) and Middle

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HIS EXCELLENCY

SAIDU USMAN N. DAKINGARI Executive Governor, Kebbi State

MOTORIZED BOREHOLE: OVERHEAD TANK IN ONE OF THE VILLAGES. (THERE ARE 480 OF THEM SPREAD ACROSS THE STATE)

Rima Project at Argungu (6,405 ha). The Zauro Polder Project was primarily intended to harness the potentials of the fadama land located between Argungu and Birnin Kebbi by the construction of dykes to protect the land from flooding and utilise it all year.

The Yelwa Project, centred around Yelwa town in Yauri Local Government Area, is intended to develop the Niger valley flood plains and the adjoining terraces. It also involves the construction of dykes, irrigation channels and associated infrastructure.

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES However, faced with the same developmental challenges as all other states of the federation, the people of Kebbi State have limited access to potable water as well as general access to water for agricultural purposes.

But in order to consolidate on the natural advantage of surface w a t e r reserves, the Kebbi S t a t e Government in January this year, distributed 1 0 , 0 0 0 w a t e r pumps to farmers to boost dry s e a s o n agricultural production.

T h e government further promised that it would buy additional pumps, to ensure that m o r e farmers benefitted from the programme.

The exercise was meant to boost food security a n d generate additional employment for the estimated 85 percent farming population.

I n addition, t h e government

has installed thousands of handpumps to provide safe drinking water to rural communities across the state to reduce scarcity as well as the risk of contracting water borne diseases among the people. This mechanical hand pumps not only complement, but are fast displacing the open handdug wells, ponds and stagnant

pools which are usually the primary source of water for non riverain communities especially during the dry season.

Also, the new effort at providing hand pumps and water pumping machines now fills the vacuum created by the breakdown of water facilities

earlier provided for the people due to lack of maintenance; absence of skilled hand-pump mechanics and standard tools within the reach of communities; nonavailability of hand-pump spare parts within the easy access to be participating communities which affects the repair of brokendown hand-pumps.

GOVERNOR DAKINGARI ALIGHTING FROM A CANOE TRIP FROM A RURAL AREA RAVAGED BY 2012 FLOOD IN THE STATE

ONE OF SEVERAL WATER-TANKS SPREAD ACROSS THE STATE

BACHAKA TOWNSHIP WATER SCHEME: SUPPLIES WATER FOR THE GREAT GREEN WALL AFFROSTATION PROGRAMME

It is against such a difficult background that the Kebbi State Government has battled to provide potable water within rural settlements spread out in distant communities on the fringes of the Sahara Desert.

COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS To this end, the Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development in the state and the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation had in the past, developed a programme for rehabilitation of non-functional hand-pumps with active community participation.

P A S S I O N A T E ASSESSMENT Speaking on the significance of available water to the people of Kebbi State, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Magaji Abdulahi Bunza, enthused: “Let us talk about the meaning of water water is life and Kebbi State Government has brought life to the people of Kebbi State.

The major vision of this government is to leave a legacy behind which it has done in any other sector. Just look at the roads, health, education and water in the state where the government has performed gallantly by providing the dividends of democracy for the people”.

On how far the government has gone to ensure easy access to water for the rural folk, Alhaji Bunza said the Kebbi State Government has provided 480 functional motorised boreholes, 100 solar-powered boreholes, 2,500 hand pumps and that the upgrading of 14 rural water schemes to semi urban schemes across the state has been completed.

Hear him: “About 70 percent of the population of Kebbi State is enjoying potable water and the people are happy because water is a very important thing in life”.

Alhaji Bunza added that the state government has completed as well as rehabilitated a total of 24 earth dams in various locations across the state.

THE CHALLENGE OF FLOODING It is pertinent to mention that because of its riverain terrain, Kebbi State was among the states affected by the massive flood that ravaged many parts of the

country in 2012.

In solidarity with the people of the state who were victims of the flood, Governor Saidu Usman Dakingari toured the affected areas riding on a canoe to comfort and give solace to his people.

Communities such as Raha, Zogirma, Gungun-Maje, Bahindi, Tilli, Kende, Tuga, Rafin Tsaka, Gulma, Ilella, Kwaido, Augie, and Kamba were visited on assessment tours.

The state government supplied relief materials for victims in addition to the N750 million (seven hundred and fifty million naira) disbursed to the state as flood relief fund from the Federal Government for the rehabilitation and compensation

of victims.

The state government also directed the state Ministry of Works and Transport to mobilise a competent contractor for the immediate repair of the two broken down bridges on Argungu-Natsindi federal road as a result of the flood.

More however, needs to be done as the growing population and expanding settlements continue to generate increasing needs for potable water. It is hoped that as in other sectors, the state government would redouble its efforts to provision of more water for humans and livestock, as well as for agricultural and industrial need across the state.

DAKIN GARI WATER SCHEME: 1.0 MILLION LITERS GROUND TANKS , ½ MILLION LITERS OVER-HEAD TANKS OFFICE, PUMP AND GENERATOR HOUSE

KALGO OLD MARKET: ONE OF THE 640 HAND PUMPS ACROSS THE STATE BY ZBCC NIG. LTD FOR KEBBI STATE GOVERNMENT

CHLORINE-MIXING TANK AT ZURU WATER WORKS.

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013 08028402920 sbejike@gmail.com

Contempt proceedings: FCT Minister, 4 others know fate April 23 Sunday Ejike Benjamin n Abuja High Court will tomorrow rule on the motion brought before it by Asher Hospital and Maternity Limited, seeking to commit the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed to prison will for allegedly disobeying and disregarding an Abuja High Court order.

Others charged with contempt along with the Minister are former Director of Land in the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Mrs. Altine Jibrin, Mrs. Ene Dakoru, FCDA Alhaji Yahaya Musa and FCDA who are judgment debtors and respondents.

The trial Judge, Justice Danlami Senchi will also rule on

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that day whether the Minister and the four others have a case to answer in the committal to prison charges brought against them.

The Minister who was dragged to the High Court along with the four others on contempt charges for allegedly demolishing a multimillion hospital premises in spite of an existing court judgment had applied that the contempt charge against him be struck out because he was not properly served with the court summon on the contempt charge Bala through his counsel, Chidi Agashieze told Justice Danlami Senchi that the contempt charge was served on the Minister through a substituted service, service through a newspaper publication as against the personal service

Patience vs Turai: Court receives out of court settlement report tomorrow

Turai

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n Abuja High Court will tomorrow receive the final report of out of court settlement between the current First lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and Hajia Turai Yar’ Adua, wife of late President Yar’ Adua over a disputed 1.84 hectares of land in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The court gave the new date after counsels to all the parties in the suit met for almost one hour in the Chamber of the trial judge, Justice Affen without arriving at a reasonable agreement of settlement out of court.

The disputed land, plot no. 1347 Cadastral Zone AOO, Central Business District, Abuja, FCT, was initially allocated to Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation (WAYEF) while Mrs. Yar’adua was First Lady.

The Minister of the FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed revoked the allocation for what he described as “overriding public interest” and reallocated the same land to Mrs. Jonathan for the building of African First Lady Peace Mission Headquarters on the 2nd of November, 2011.

Mrs. Yar’Adua complained that the land allocated to WAYEF on 19 February 2010 was being trespassed

Patience upon by Mrs. Jonathan and got a court order dated 5th March 2012 restraining the defendants from affecting WAYEF title and interest over the land.

Those joined as co-defendants in the suit are the Minister of FCT, Federal Capital Administration (FCTA) and the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS).

WAYEF through its lawyer, Lagi Innocent, is asking for N1 billion as general damage, N100 Million as exemplary damage, N100 Million as aggravated damages in addition to N261 Million already paid for Certificate of Occupancy as well as N454 Million paid for building designs.

As part of the moves to get a negotiated settlement, FCTA has offered WAYEF Plot 1838 Cadastral Zone AOO Abuja measuring 6119.29 square metres as replacement plot, while another plot 1839 was also proposed to be in favour of the African First Lady Mission, measuring 6100.51.

The said Plot Nos 1838 and 1839 are both subdivided from plot 700 CBD Cadastral Zone AOO, Abuja.

He mentioned that WAYEF had already begun the process of notice of committal to prison on the defendants by filing forms 48 and 49.

required by law.

Agashieze, while asking that the charge be struck out due to improper service insisted that the law only allowed that service of notice in such a case must be personally delivered to the Minister and the other accused persons.

He argued that they got to know about the bid to get the Minister jailed for contempt on April 13 when their attentions were drawn to the advertised notice of committal to prison insisting that the process of service was faulty and the charge should be struck out.

Counsel to Asher Hospital and Maternity Limited, Chief Ogwu Onoja (SAN) urged the court to reject the Minister’s claims on the service, adding that the substituted service was carried out on the Minister through a valid court order issued by the Court when the Minister and others were evading service.

Ogwu asked the trial Judge to safeguard and protect the sanctity of the judiciary by striking out the objection of the Minister to the contempt charge.

He said the objection was baseless, frivolous and lacking foundation because the Minister did not first ask the court to vacate the substituted service.

After the submissions of parties in the matter, Justice Danlami Senchi fixed ruling for tomorrow on whether to sustain the contempt charge or not.

It would be recalled that the

FCT Minister Sen. Bala Mohammed Minister was dragged to Court for a committal to prison for allegedly violating, disregarding and disobeying order of an Abuja High Court.

The contempt charge asking the Court to commit the Minister to jail was filed against him and four others alleged to be in contempt of the court over a land matter.

In the contempt charge filed on February 22, the Minister was said to have three times disobeyed a lawful court order with the demolition of the property of Asher Hospital and Maternity Ltd at Katampe District in Abuja.

Bala and the four others were said to have engaged fully armed soldiers and policemen to pull down the structures.

In an enrolment judgment order attached to the contempt charge, the plaintiff, Asher Hospital and Maternity Ltd was said to have purchased a Plot of land No. 11197 measuring 1368 square metres at Katampe District from one Alhaji Sahalu Abdulkardir Dantata with certificate of Occupancy NO. FCT/ ABU/KN1357.

However in 2005 during a general re-certification of C of O exercise, the Director of land at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Mrs. Altine Jibril was said to have reduced the size of the land from the original 1368 square meters to 626 square metres for undisclosed reasons in the new C of O issued to the Plaintiffs.

Justice Danlami Senchi in his final judgment on July, 3, 2012 nullified the purported revocation and reduction in size of the Plaintiff land for being wrongful, illegal, null and void and of no legal consequences whatsoever.

The Judge held that the Minister was wrong and in breach of sections 43 and 44 of the 1999 constitution which protects the rights of a citizen to acquire landed property and be protected from any illegal or unlawful interference.

The Court ordered that the land should not be tampered with but should remain as allotted by the then FCT Minister, Major General Jerry Useni , noting that a portion of land can only be revoked from a legitimate owner in an over-riding public interest and, “where no such exists, no Minister has power to deny any Nigeria his entitlement”.

Rivers state PDP Exco verdict: Obla petitions lawmaker over comment Sunday Ejike Benjamin

F

or allegedly casting aspersion on an Abuja High Court Judge that he was influenced by President Goodluck Jonathan, to dissolve the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) executive committee, a member of the House of Representatives, Asita Honourable, has been dragged before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.

Asita Honourable, who is a lawyer by profession, was dragged before the committee for allegedly exhibiting infamous conduct and ridiculing a serving Judge in the public.

In the petition filed by Chief Godwin Obla, counsel to the plaintiffs in River State PDP suit, the law maker was accused of breaching the code of conduct and ethics of legal profession by publicly disparaging the nation’s judiciary in the media unjustly.

The petition dated April 18, 2013 was channeled to the committee through the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

Asita Honourable may be derobbed by the committee and the

Bar from practicing law in the country, if found guilty of the alleged gross misconduct.

Obla in the petition alleged that Asita Honourable, while reacting to the court judgment, took on Justice Isaq Bello who gave the judgment that dissolved the Rivers State PDP executive and allegedly subjected him to verbal attack and public ridicule with various baseless insinuations.

The lawmaker was alleged to have amongst others issues, insinuated in the media that the judgment was influenced by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Obla alleged specifically in the petition that Asita Honourable poured vituperations and tirades against the judiciary and castigated the judiciary describing as reported in the media.

According to him, the innuendo was suggestive that the decision of Justice Bello was influenced by the President and First lady.

The petitioner said while the lawmaker has fundamental rights to freedom of speech, he how ever went out of his way, with the use of uncouth and uncomplimentary remarks calculated to ridicule the entire respected legal profession

and the bench.

He said that the verbal attack against the judiciary, instead of going to the court of Appeal to ventilate his anger was unbecoming of a lawyer who had sworn to abide by the ethical rules of the profession.

“It smacks of nothing but sheer mischief that Asita Honourable, a member of the legal profession and an interested party in the suit deliberately closed his eyes to the lawful forum of ventilating whatever dissatisfaction he may have with the judgment at the appellate Court, choosing instead the weapon of free for all smear campaign targeted at bringing the judiciary to disrepute”, he said.

It would be recalled that Justice Ishaq Bello of an Abuja High Court recently sacked the leadership of the PDP Rivers State chapter headed by Chief Godpower Umejuru Ake, a group believed to be loyalists of the incumbent governor, Rotimi Amaechi.

Justice Bello approved the election of the faction loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Nyeson Wike led by Felix Obuah and the entire members of the factional executive.

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Don Faults FG on appointment of heads of agencies From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

P

rofessor of Physics at the Department of Physics, University of Ilorin, Professor Isaac Abiodun Adimula has faulted the manner in which Federal Government appointed head of Federal Agencies based on political affiliation.

Adimula suggested that the head of agencies like NIGCOMSAT,NASRDA and National Mathematical Centre should be experts, Scientists who are professional to ensure effective performances.

Delivering the 129th inaugural lecture entitled "The Mandate: The Radio as an Instrument of dominion", Adimula said government should not treat electricity as a luxury.

"The Federal Government of Nigeria has established National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA and Nigerian Communications Satellite NIGCOMSAT and National Mathematical Centre NMC these are developments in the right directions and therefore competent scientist with proven records should head

these agencies. The matter of space and radio should be above mere political considerations.

"There must be improved welfare and infrastructures for secondary school teachers in the sciences.

Teaching of the sciences should be experimentally based. In line with this, there is need for a general overhaul of the sciences curricular in the secondary schools, Polytechnics and the universities.

"University curricula should be developed in conjunction with relevant industries, local communities and stakeholders. A situation where somebody generalizes curricular for all Nigerian Universities cannot hold in this age if there will be an accelerated match towards growth and development.

The University don advised federal government to ensure that 10 percent of the society's population should be innovative while others take cues from this 10%.

This Innovation and merit, he said, should not be compromised for whatever reasons to this group while government and leaders must urgently harness this group and make them productive.

Bauchi State rehabilitates 100 thugs From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

B

auchi State Government will organize free classes for over 100 youths who dropped out of schools as a result of their indulgence in thuggery and drug addiction.

The state Director General of Tsangaya education Sayyadi Aliyu Dahiru, stated this during the graduation ceremony of the rehabilitated miscreants in his office. He explained that the initiative was aimed at rehabilitating the youths to make them useful members of the society who can be called upon for national development According to him, the state government is worried by the perpetual attacks, maiming and killings of innocent people by the notorious 'sarasuka' hoodlums in parts of the state, this is why the office of the Director General Bauchi state Tsangaya education has organized the classes.

Sayyadi said that the thugs had been randomly selected in parts of the state to benefit from the gesture, adding that they will be sponsored by the government to study in modern schools or engage in skills acquisition programs which can stop them from further committing crimes.

"The youths indulged into thuggery as a result of their indiscriminate taking of drugs and restiveness. So we believe that if they are rehabilitated, they would come back to their senses and become good citizens. But if we allow them to continue like this, the society is in trouble which is what informed our decision to organize these free classes for them." He pointed out.

He promised that the scheme would be a continuous one as such youths would be drawn from various parts of the state on quarterly basis to benefit from the free classes.

According to him the rehabilitated thugs were taught how to recite the holy Qur'an, perform Islamic rites and computer operation.

The Director General who noted that participants of the free lectures would be given the sum of N2000 monthly to assist them said the present administration in the state is committed to revamping both western and Islamic education even as he applauded the state Governor Isa Yuguda for the commencement of payment of salaries to almajiri teachers across the state.

In an interview with some of the Exthugs, Ibrahim Ahmed Babaji and Nasiru Zailani expressed gratitude to the office of the Director General for the training saying their lives have really changed.

They also confessed that before they were brought to the DG, they did not know how to perform ablution and pray and now that they have learnt the proper way of doing it they can teach others.

They promised not to indulge in any such acts in the future even as the Exthugs appealed to the DG to extend the program beyond the stipulated three month for some of them who want to continue to attend the classes.

Some of the parents, who witnessed the closing ceremony, asked the general public not to stigmatize the rehabilitated thugs opining that that can make them to go back to their violent acts.

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Kwara Students laud Gov Ahmed over N298m bursary From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

T

he National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS) has commended Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed over the payment of N50million bursary to students in the state out of N298 million expected to be paid.

Senate President and Chief Clark of the Association, Muhammed Saliu and Adewale Adedeji in a statement Jointly issued and copied our Correspondent described the payment as encouraging.

According to them "the sum of N50 million was released for the first phase

paymentand N298 million will be needed to pay all students both within the state and outside the state.

The governor released the first phase and it has been paid to some schools with least population".

The Association leaders disclosed that College of Education Ilorin, Oro, Lafiagi, Kwara State University (KWASU),and School of Nursing Ilorin

have benefited from the first phase.

While commending Governor Ahmed on the payment, the Association leaders urged him to expedite action on how to release more fund to capture Students of Kwara polytechnic, Unilorin, Federal Polytechnic Offa, School of Nursing Offa and students outside the state in Nigeria.

They also commended the effort of the Chairman of Kwara State Scholarship Board Hon. Isiaka Mogaji on his role in making sure the fund was disbursed prudently to all beneficiary institutions, and the Executive Secretary Alh zakari with his staffs for working round the clock in ensuring the fund was disbursed judiciously."

ABSU gets N1.5bn TETFUND Projects

V

ice Chancellor of Abia State University Uturu, Professor Chibuzor Ogbuagu, said that the institution has received the sum N1.5 billion to execute the 2011/2012 merged Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Ogbuagu made the fact known in Uturu on Friday at the University's 22nd pre-convocation press briefing, adding that N600 million was spent on the construction of a faculty block and other projects.

He said other projects which benefitted from the fund were the Faculty of Agriculture building, Centre for Entrepreneurship and the procurement of equipment for Basic Medical Sciences, furniture items and buses.

Professor Chibuzor said that N936 million was being used for the construction of an e-library, Law Faculty block as well as the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences building.

He said other completed TETFUND projects were the faculties of Pharmacy and Basic Medical Sciences as well as the School of Postgraduate Studies building.

The vice-chancellor said that the university also bought a 500KVA generator and constructed nine laboratories.

He said the National Universities Commission (NUC) had given full accreditation to 31 academic programmes of the university, including Accountancy, Architecture, Nursing and other professional courses.

He said that 13 other programmes received interim accreditation by NUC in its Febuary 25, release, following its November, 2012 visitation.

Ogbuagu debunked the speculation that the university owed its staff six month salary and furthered explained that the institution could not pay for the long period the workers were on strike.

He said the university's wage bill had risen from N160 million to N270 million, while the cost of diesel for electricity increased from N3.2 million to N5.6 million.

Ogbuagu said that the institution depended solely on generator for power.

He described funding as one of the major challenges facing the university.

Ogbuagu said that the ecological problem in the area was being tackled by the Federal Government.

He said that 5,456 students, comprising 402 graduates in higher diploma, masters, and post graduate diploma courses and 5,054 others would receive degrees and certificates at the convocation.

The vice-chancellor also said that Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra as well as an oil merchant, Mr Uche Ogah, would be honoured at the convocation. NAN

Teachers at the Healthy Hydration Teachers' workshop, organised by Nestle Nigeria Plc, recently in Lagos.

Photo: Olawale Rotimi

Dankwambo satisfied with projects in Gombe

G

overnor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State has expressed satisfaction with the level of work on ongoing projects in the state.

The governor expressed this during an inspection tour of ongoing projects at the College of Education, Billiri, as well as the Ture, Sabon Layi, Awak and Dogon-Ruwa road construction projects.

Other project sites he visited were the Kaltungo Model School, Government Girls' Secondary School, Kumo, and School of Remedial Studies, Kumo. ``The inspection visit is part of my responsibility to ensure that the projects are being done according to standards,'' Dankwambo said.

He said the four model schools

under construction, two each for boys and girls, would each accommodate no fewer than 5,000 students. ``The schools are in the process of hiring teachers. After they are employed, they will undergo training for three months on teaching methods to enable them teach well, as it is expected.'' NAN

AUN receives Presidential citation from the American library Association

By Maryam Garba Hassan

T

he American University of Nigeria's s-Library has received the 2013 American Library Association (ALA) Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Project.

A statement from the University stated that the International Relations Round Table (IRRT) of the ALA recognised AUN for transitioning towards a more costeffective digital library from a traditional library which has greatly increased the resources available to students and faculty.

"AUN hosts the largest wireless network in West Africa and was the first to pioneer a transition to e-books in Africa.

"Our e-Library boasts a collection of over 200,000 e-books as well as an enormous collection of online databases providing millions of e-articles accessible to students, faculty and staff from any location on campus and from anywhere they have access to the Internet. This award recognises the hard work and outstanding leadership of AUN's Librarian Amed Demirhan, We are pleased to have been

chosen for this prestigious award," said AUN President Margee Ensign.

"AUNL transformed from a traditional library to an e-library with the strong support of President Ensign," said Amed Demirhan. "The library developed a campaign titled"99.9 percent of your resources are electronic and the AUNL community eagerly embraced this campaign. In 2013, the library continues its campaign to go green by providing library resources by mobile devices. Its reference services and information literacy resources will be delivered to a smart phone and tablet. Faculty members, library staff, and students have embraced this campaign and invite other libraries and universities to increase access to digital resources and go green."

According to the statement, the 2013 ALA Presidential Citation recognised three libraries, which were selected by a team of IRRT members in consultation with ALA President Maureen Sullivan.

Jeannette Pierce, chair of the selection committee said each project represents library services that are innovative,

sustainable, and valuable to the communities served. It is a delight to recognize these projects and share them with the global library community", the statement added.

IRRT Chair Loriene Roy adds that "recognition of these innovative projects illustrates IRRT's mission to promote and share information about international librarianship." Recipients will be recognized

by Maureen Sullivan at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago during the IRRT's International Librarians Reception on Monday July 1.

It further explained that ALA Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects began as an ALA Presidential initiative of Dr. Loriene Roy, ALA President in 2007-2008. IRRT is a round table of the American Library Association with a mission to develop the interests of librarians in activities and problems in the field of international library relations. For more information about the Citations, please visit the ALA Presidential Citations for Innovative International Library Projects website.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 29

Irregular admission rocks college of nursing Bida as students excel despite bad learning condition

By A'isha Biola Raji

N

igerian nursing schools are overseen in the country by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMC), a group dedicated to ensuring quality of care and the maintenance of "professional ethics and etiquette." Schools can provide nursing students in Nigeria with degrees and certificate such as Registered Nurse, Registered Midwife, Bachelor of Nursing Sciences and post-doctorate programs as well.

One of the schools, under the supervision of NMC is the College of Nursing Sciences, Bida in Niger State. The school is currently being bedeviled by numerous challenges.

The students, in their pursuit of academic excellence that will eventually see them through as potential professional nurses and midwives that could be accredited and registered by the NMC saddled with the responsibility of the registration.

Their problems include stressful learning conditions under dilapidated buildings and lack of necessary facilities that are required for the approval by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for graduating up to one hundred students at a time.

The administrators of the college knows their capacity but refuses to keep to it and instead keeps on admitting more than fifty students approved by the Nursing Council, thereby overstretching their facilities and capability. According to report gathered by our Reporter, they had presesntly admitted about one hundred and twenty five students into their Pre-Training Scheme (PTS), knowing fully well that even if they all pass their examinations, they will not all move into the next class (Nursing one) because they don't have the capacity to do that.

This attitude of the school management has however, put the students in a serious dilemma having to put up extra-ordinary efforts and influence to surmount the challenges of moving into nursing one class.

This is the situation that exists in all the other classes and stages of moving from one class to another thereby introducing favouritsm where ethnic and religious bias are said to have set in.

The condition of the final year students is more pathetic, as the ninety four students that are due to graduate November 2013 are all doing excellently well in their academics. They were said to have all passed their examination, but at present, the college can only graduate fifty of them, leaving the hope of about forty four students to graduate this year still hanging and undecided.

They may have to repeat the class if necessary steps are not taken to upgrade the admission system.

However, a visit to the accreditation department of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria at Jabi, Abuja and the headquarters located at Cadastral Zone at Life Camp Abuja revealed that both the College Management and Niger State Government are to blame for the students' predicaments.

A member of staff of the Council who prefers anonymity said the college administrator do not keep to the approved capacity of admitting students and also the Niger State Government that owns the college is not doing its bidding to put all the needed facilities in place for the council accreditation and approval for annexing one hundred students at a time.

"That is the level the college should be by now", he said. "This is the bane of the students' problems in their academic pursuit that have made the students to be under undue pressure and stress".

Also in a telephone call forwarded to the Deputy Provost (Academics) of the college, Mr. Jerry Aleke, though acknowledged that 125 students were admitted into the school but said only the Provost can provide answer to why the admission is above NMC recommendation.

He said, "The Provost is in the best condition to tell you the reason why we admitted more than required."

On the part of the students and their parents, they feel the situation of the school is as a result of negligence of duty on the part of the college administrators and Niger State Government.

The Secretary of the Student Union Government (SUG), Comrade Samuel Ndache also in a telephone conversation with our Reporter, blamed the school administration and NMC. He said forms are sold above the

recommendation of the council and that the council is not doing enough in terms of monitoring the affairs of the school as students are faced with bad hostel accommodation for females, non for male students and modern facilities lacking in the school.

He said, "Despite not having hostel accommodation, we have no e-library. "We go extra mile to organize tutorials for ourselves in order to pass our courses."

Following these numerous complaints by concerned group of persons on the college administration to the Governor of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu and the Nursing Council in Abuja, the Niger State Government has started taking a look into the problems of the college and the students and their parents may soon heave a sigh of relief if the promises of the Niger State Government through the Commissioner for Tertiary Education are fulfilled.

The Niger State Commissioner for Tertiary Education Dr. Mohammed B. Nuhu had paid a visit to the college following an instruction from Governor Babangida Aliyu to find lasting solution to the problems of the school.

Commissioner Nuhu told the students and staffs after his assessment of the college's problem that the Niger State Government has started taking all necessary steps in solving the problems which is predicated by his visit to the college.

The Commissioner promised that the State Government will do everything possible to meet up with the requirement of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for the needed accreditation and approval of annexing one hundred students at a time.

When that is done, it will also alleviate the suffering of all students in their various classes.

The Commissioner however urged the students to be disciplined and take their studies serious, while he also commended the students and their administrators for their high academic rating. He also promised that there will be positive changes before the November 2013 end of session for all levels from the Pre-Training to the final year class, that their problems will be sorted and solved.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Provost of the College, Mr. Joseph Garba Sule

“

This is the bane of the students' problems in their academic pursuit that has made them to be under undue pressure and stress

after thanking the Niger State Government led by the Chief Servant, Governor Babangida Aliyu and the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Nuhu for their quick response to their complain, he enumerated the problems of the college to include lack of infrastructure and human capacity development and pleaded for government's intervention in this direction.

Speaking on behalf of the students, Comrade Madiwu Ndajiya, President of the College Students Union Government (SUG) thanked the Niger State Government for taking the necessary steps to alleviate their sufferings and pleaded for speedy arrangement that will bring the needed change that they desired.

Ndajiya pleaded with the state government to put in place all the necessary facilities that are needed for up-grade the institution. He complained bitterly of the systematic decay of the infrastructural facilities, the lack of enough and habitable students' hostels, that they have no school bus that is needed for excursion and that all these, are necessary for conducive environment for learning.

Comrade Ndajiya went further to state that all things being equal, the college ought to have been a degree awarding institution by now, judging from its sound academic performances since its establishment in 1976.

He said the college is noted for its high performance rating and had attracted students from all over the country and Ghana in the past. He also pleaded with Niger State Government to continue work with the on-going renovation of the only female hostel and also employ more qualified and experienced lecturers in courses like Foundation of Nursing, Anatomy and Family Health.

Ndijiya pledged the students' readiness and commitment to always obey the college rules and regulations and their preparedness to remain disciplined for excellent performances.

Niger State Government House source in Minna revealed to journalists that the issue of the college has been tabled at the State Executive Council meeting and the State Government is prepared to work in compliance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria's requirements for the necessary up-grading of the institution.

The present state of infrastructural decay at the college depicts a picture of a higher institution that is no more than a glorified public secondary school.

The college that was established in 1976 has remained so in structure except for the recent painting of the administrative blocks and the uncompleted renovation work on blown-off roof of the female hostel.

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

NANTMP: Faction urges health agencies to desist from dealing with former leader

By A'isha Biola Raji

T

he current leadership of National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP) has urged the ministry of health and other health related agencies to cease from having dealings especially as concerns the association, with the former President of the association.

The Acting president of NANTMP, Alh. Dr. Mohammed Salihu made this known on Friday in Abuja at a press briefing organized by the current management of the association.

According to Dr. Salihu, the former President of NANTMP, Chief, Prof. Dr. T.O Omon Oleabhiele was suspended as a result of alleged mismanagement of the association's fund and his general conduct by the disciplinary committee on 20th of February 2013.

He listed the offences of the former leader as thus: Conversion of NANTMP into private organization, conversion of N25,000,000 money belong to the association realized from workshops organized in collaboration with Beijing Institute for Chinese Traditional Medicine in Anambra, Rivers,

Edo, Lagos and Oyo states into his private account.

Also, conversion in 2011 of N900, 000 take-off dues into his account, conversion of N3.7 000,000 collected from all the states' branches of the association to purportedly launch a task force in all the states.

Based on all these allegations and many more, he said the committee approved the suspension of T.O Omon from office and asked him Dr. Salihu Mohammed to take over as the national acting President of NANTMP. He said, "When the letter of suspension reached him (Prof.

Omon,) he went to 'Nation

Newspaper' and paid for Âź size publication that he, T.O Omon has deregistered me (the national deputy President), South West President Dr. Abdullateef Owolabe Adeyeye and the Chairman of the Board of Trustee, Chief Dr. G.C Ochiagha from NANTMP. "General meeting of NANTMP with 32 states in attendance, held on the 8th of March 2013 at the Secretariat Abuja to pass the information of what is happening in the house, the member however passed the vote of 'no confidence' on Prof. T.O Omon and asked me to fill the gap."

The acting President however implored all the agencies and

health agencies not to recognize Dr. Omon as the case had been reported to EFCC and other antigraft agencies.

Dr. Salihu said, "We have been following up in order to bring him to book. "Since he has refused to hand-over honourably, court action may be considered."

It would be recalled that, the umbrella body of NANTMP was facilitated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo through the federal ministry of health in 2006 to stop multiplication of traditional medicine practitioners association in nigeria and to check-mate quacks among them.

Tiny bypass that relieves the misery of swollen limbs, the story of Start Elcock

L

ymphoedema, painful swelling in the limbs is a common side-effect of treatment for breast cancer but also blights the lives of thousands of men with conditions such as prostate cancer.

Stuart Elcock, 69, a retired civil servant, underwent a new

procedure for tackling it.

When doctors told me I might develop lymphoedema after surgery for a tumour on my thigh, it was the least of my worries: I just wanted to get rid of the cancer.

I'd been treated for testicular cancer years ago, but had more than three decades of good health

after that.

Then, in 2011, I found a lump at the top of my right leg, it was a sarcoma, a rare type of cancer in the connective tissues.

The doctors said it might be due to the radiotherapy I had in the Seventies.

The surgeons managed to get

NAFDAC seizes substandard and expired drugs from drug outlets in Gboko

By A'isha Biola Raji

I

n response to reports about Adverse Drug Reactions and irrational use of medicines that has led to deaths in Gboko, Benue State in the past, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has carried out a mop up operation of medicine outlets and hospitals in the area to remove substandard and expired drugs out of circulation from the drug supply chain.

In a statement signed by Abubakar Jimoh, acting Director, Special Duties, the three-day exercise was carried out by four teams of NAFDAC officers drawn from Abuja, Lagos and Benue State who had visited medicine outlets and hospitals to carry out a surveillance of the quality and safety of medicines, being administered to the public.

NAFDAC in its quest discovered various kinds of violations ranging from outlets selling unregistered products, failure to properly labeled products and the sale of expired products by some outlets.

The leader of the team and acting Director of Pharmacovigilance/postmarketing surveillance of the Agency, Pharm. Adeline Osakwe said, "This has been a successful exercise. "We

Paul Orhii, NAFDAC Boss

have seen expired products and where people dump them, we have suggested how such drugs should be taken out of the system and have invited defaulters to our office for further investigations."

Pharm. Osakwe said the exercise was motivated by the mandate of NAFDAC to ensure that all medicine outlets sell the right medicines to the public and store their products under the right conditions so as to maintain their efficacy.

She reminded medicine outlets that the reason why medicines lose their efficacy is because of failure to store them under the right conditions and in the right

temperature, thus advising medicine outlets and hospitals to shun open markets when sourcing for their products and buy from distribution outlets that are licensed to handle such products.

She said, "In hospitals and clinics, we noticed that practitioners use containers to store products which could lead to identification error."

Advising that products should be stored in their original containers and properly labeled, she also said hospitals should employ the services of trained pharmacists who will properly handle their medicines to make them safer for use by the public, noting that poor handling of medicines poses a danger to the lives of patients.

Test carried out by NAFDAC on anti-malarial drugs using TRUSCAN machines during the exercise return a mostly pass result, confirming the sale of genuine anti-malarial drugs by drug outlets in the area.

NAFDAC however commended drug outlets for selling genuine anti-malarial drugs and encourage them to continue to do so. The positive result is a further confirmation that NAFDAC has reduced the incidence of counterfeiting of anti-malarial drugs as recently confirmed by a study carried out by the WHO.

the sarcoma out but over the next two months, my right leg swelled until it was about 50?per cent bigger.

I had lymphoedema, where the lymph system, a network of tiny vessels that drains tissue fluid back to the blood, doesn't function properly.

It was caused when the surgeons removed some of the lymph nodes next to my cancer.

The nodes are like filters, and the surgeons took them out to check if the cancer had spread, but if they are damaged or removed, fluid can build up.

My leg grew very heavy and I lost the feeling from my groin down to my knee. The skin became hard and my knee and ankle swelled. I struggled to walk short distances and had to stop driving.

Other problems arose too, the lymph system helps defend against infection, so you can get skin infections. I needed antibiotics for two bouts of cellulitis, infection of the tissue below the skin.

I had numerous urinary infections too. My GP referred me to a lymphoedema clinic, where I was given a compression stocking, but after a few days of wearing it, the 8in surgery wound in my thigh opened slightly and lymph fluid started leaking.

My GP referred me back to the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford, where I'd had my cancer surgery.

Dominic Furniss, a plastic surgeon, suggested I try a procedure he had recently learned in Japan, which would redirect the fluid away from the wound. I quickly agreed.

In April last year, I was put under general anaesthetic for six

hours while the surgeons stitched some of my lymph vessels directly to my veins so the fluid could bypass damaged nodes.

Over the following weeks there was a gradual improvement in the swelling in my leg; although it's only gone down a bit, the increase in mobility is tremendous. The skin has softened and the feeling is back.

I can walk the half mile from home to the shops with no trouble, and can shower, drive and put shoes and socks on unaided.

The cellulitis, urinary infections and leakage are gone, and the wound has healed nicely.

The surgeon, Dominic Furniss is a plastic surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals Trust and Oxford University. He said, "It's very common in women who've been treated for breast cancer, about 60 per cent of sufferers whose lymph glands are treated will develop it.

"You can get it after many other cancers, too, such as testicular, prostate and melanoma.

"There are even reports of lymphoedema in the face after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

For someone like Stuart, who was leaking lymph fluid through his open wound, it can be very distressing.

Conventional treatment involves massage, compression and life-long skincare to prevent infections but this doesn't address the cause, the blockage to the outflow of lymph fluid.

With this new technique, super-microsurgery, rather than trying to force the lymphatic fluid past the blockage, we direct the lymph vessels into the veins so the fluid bypasses the obstruction.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 31

Keeping secrets, telling lies ANALYSIS

By Charlotte Silver

W

hile liberal pundits in the US assert their devotion to democratic principles by revelling in decrying the abuses of any tyrannical government other than their own (especially if that government is out of favour with the US) the Obama administration continues to distinguish itself as one dedicated to maintaining fear-mongering and secrecy in all matters - from the profound (its drone policy, for instance) to the trivial.

In 1998, Warren F Kimball, the Chair to the Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation wrote a letter to then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright warning of the dangers the intelligence community - particularly the CIA - posed to the integrity of historical documentation by its resisting declassification of state documents over 30 years old.

"If sufficient documentation cannot be declassified to provide the broad outlines of those covert activities, then any US government documentary compilation about our foreign policy in situations where such activities took place will be so incomplete and misleading as to constitute an official lie."

In 1998, the year Kimball sounded his clarion call, the government had overseen 193 million pages declassified - a nearrecord high, second only to the previous year. However, just over a decade later - in 2011 - only 26 million pages, a record low, have been made available to the public.

The extent of the "lie" of which Kimball forewarned, but could not imagine, was in the making at the time. In 2001, the government initiated the clandestine Reclassification Program, which continued through 2006 and administered the reclassification - that is, reverting documents once declassified to classified status - of 55,000 pages.

Matthew Aid, an expert on the National Security Agency, revealed the staggering breadth of the well-concealed Reclassification Program in 2006. Aid wrote via email to me: "The simple fact of the matter is that vast amounts of information that were publicly accessible prior to 9/11 now are classified 'Secret'. It is all very sad and very frustrating."

Although the programme officially ended in 2006, its legacy lingers, stated Aid: "The reclassification program is dead, but not the allencompassing obsession with keeping even the most mundane information a secret."

Reclassification - and what has subsequently been called

The Obama administration continues to distinguish itself as one dedicated to maintaining fearmongering and secrecy in all matters - from the profound to the trivial [Reuters] overclassification - followed a short era of government openness. In 1995, Clinton signed Executive Order 12958, triggering a government-wide push to declassify documents over 25 years old. Aid described the brief period between 1996 and 1998 as constituting an "enormous advance in transparency".

In addition to encouraging declassification, the 1995 Executive Order established the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP), which Steven Aftergood, intelligence expert and director of the Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists, described as an "unheralded success" in 2004.

However, a 1998 "spy scandal" as well as alleged concerns that the Department of Energy had inadvertently released documents concerning nuclear secrets justified the trend toward more government secrecy.

Today's "penchant for excessive secrecy", as the ACLU described the government's irrational zeal to overclassify, has seemingly led the current administration to resurrect the Espionage Acts, described by one historian as "that unfortunate piece of wartime legislation". The Obama administration's resurrection of this legislation appears to be aimed at extending and expanding the government's secrecy programme.

In an email to me, Aftergood commented on the government's invocation of the Espionage Acts: "I think the government has adopted an extreme sort of zero tolerance policy for leaks (or

rather for unauthorised leaks by lower-level employees), in which every offence triggers an all-out, 'nuclear' response. This has become utterly disproportionate and unjust."

For example, James Hitselberger is the latest in a string of defendants charged under the Espionage Act for actions that, in fact, do not involve "espionage" at all.

Specifically, Hitselberger who is being represented by a public defender - has been charged with unlawfully retaining national defence information, thus violating a statute that has been described as "undoubtedly the most confusing and complex of all federal espionage statutes" in a 1973 comprehensive review of the Espionage Statutes in the Columbia Law Review, written

by Harold Edgar and Benno Schmidt.

A 56-year-old privately employed linguist, Hitselberger speaks Arabic, Farsi and Russian.

Before joining Global Linguist

Solutions in June 2011, he spent the preceding four years renovating homes in Michigan.

Before that he worked as a translator in Iraq with the Titan Corporation.

In September 2011, Hitselberger was assigned to work in Bahrain where he was cleared to handle classified and secret documents. In April 2012, he was observed printing classified documents and concealing them in a dictionary, which he placed in his backpack before leaving the military base.

He was quickly apprehended and asked to show the documents in question. Later that day, government agents searched his home where they found more classified documents.

The documents Hitselberger had in his possession discussed gaps in the US intelligence on Bahrain, assessments of civil unrest in Bahrain and the locations of US armed forces in the region.

Far from siphoning secret information to foreign nations,

“

“A significant governmental interest must be implicated in order to justify abridging an individual’s First Amendment rights and criminalise speech, but the Espionage Act fails to identify what that interest is or how significant the injury must be.”

Hitselberger is alleged to have sent classified documents to the Hoover Institute, the conservative think-tank located on the campus of Stanford University, where he had established an archive of various writings and documents collected during his time in the Middle East.

Aftergood wrote to me: "Hitselberger seems to have been neither a spy nor a leaker but rather a sort of document collector. He did not have any evident political motive or financial interest, he was just a packrat."

Hitselberger remains in jail as his defence team moves to dismiss the charges of espionage on the grounds that the statute is unconstitutionally vague.

Although past defendants of the espionage statutes have lodged similar protests against the outof-date law, the public defenders representing Hitselberger have constructed a particularly interesting and thorough argument, according to Aftergood.

The defence team's argument focuses, in part, on the notion that the statute is unconstitutionally vague in its use of the word "willful". According to the defence's motion, while there have been legal attempts in the past to qualify the meaning of "willful" in the statute so as to require that the defendant acted in "bad faith" or with "evil motive", in fact the legislative history suggests that the intent of the statute was that it be applied broadly, not narrowly.

Edgar and Schmidt wrote clearly in 1973, critiquing the impossibly wide net the law cast: "Neither the language nor the legislative intent of the espionage statute indicates that 'willfully' should be given any particular narrow meaning."

Thus, argues the defence, such a broad statute cannot be enforced constitutionally. In their motion, Hitselberger's lawyers remind the court: "The First Amendment requires that there must be 'narrow, objective, and definite standards to guide' criminal enforcement."

The motion goes on to implore the court to consider the breach of individual liberty the Espionage Acts pose: "A significant governmental interest must be implicated in order to justify abridging an individual's First Amendment rights and criminalise speech, but the Espionage Act fails to identify what that interest is or how significant the injury must be."

But in light of the reclassification, overclassification and wonton application of the Espionage Acts, it appears the US government's chief interest is to entrench its ability to keep secrets, not enhance democratic principles or individual freedoms from the government.

Source: AlJazeera

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Egypt's Morsi says gov't reshuffle not to be swayed by opposition pressure E U.S. drugs sting muddies Guinea-Bissau transition

A

U.S. drugs sting targeting Guinea-Bissau's top military brass may freeze cocaine smuggling through the tiny West African state in the short term but could jeopardize efforts to restore order after a 2012 coup.

The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday accused Armed Forces Chief General Antonio Indjai of plotting to traffic cocaine to the United States and sell weapons to Colombia's FARC rebels, after a months-long undercover operation that has also ensnared a former navy chief.

But Indjai - widely seen as the country's most powerful man remains in Bissau after evading the sting and the big question is how he will react to becoming a target for American law enforcement agents.

Guinea-Bissau's caretaker government is due next month to publish a road map to elections that African and Western diplomats hope will close the book on decades of political turmoil since independence from Portugal in 1974.

"The arrests could make some of the military and political leaders very nervous and less willing to carry on with a transition that might result in their demise," said Vincent Foucher, a researcher at International Crisis Group.

"Or it could do the exact reverse and increase the leverage of those in the international community that act as the good cops," Foucher said, referring to some diplomats who have shown an interest in engaging with the existing leadership.

Repeated coups, political assassinations and a civil war in the nation nestled below Senegal on Africa's Atlantic coast, have weakened its law enforcement and paved the way for Colombian cartels to use it as a transhipment hub for tons of narcotics destined for Europe and the United States.

The country entered its latest crisis last April, when the military arrested then Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior and acting President Raimundo Pereira in the midst of an election that Gomes Junior was poised to win.

gyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Saturday reaffirmed that a cabinet reshuffle will come soon but it will not be swayed by any opposition pressure.

"I am planning now for another reshuffle," Morsi told pan-Arab Al Jazeera TV, noting that the common interest of the Egyptian people would be the basic criteria for the reshuffle.

Cabinet reshuffle has been one of the major demands of the National Salvation Front. The main opposition bloc also demands sacking current Prosecutor-General Talaat Ibrahim Abdullah and amending controversial articles of the newly-written constitution.

The reshuffle will change several cabinet members to achieve the common good, said the Egyptian president, leaving

out whether or not Prime Minister HeshamQandil will be replaced.

Commenting on Egypt's bid for a loan of 4.8 billion U.S. dollars from the International Monetary Fund, Morsi said that Egypt did not fail to get the loan and that negotiations are still going on.

"We do not yield to internal or external conditions," Morsi said, noting that borrowing was "a very transient stage that will not last for long."

As for the recent antijudiciary protests held by his Islamist supporters, Morsi expressed full respect for the judicial system, adding that the public had "legitimate concerns about judiciary after a series of acquittals of ex-regime officials."

"Basically, judges are honorable and the judicial rulings are respected, yet there are some judges who deviate from

Mohamed Morsi

the right track," Morsi continued.

On Friday, thousands of Morsi's supporters rallied outside the Supreme Courthouse in

downtown Cairo, calling for purging the " corrupt judiciary," after the recent acquittals of exofficials who worked under former President Hosni Mubarak and the adjournment of the retrial of Mubarak.

While Islamists accuse judiciary of corruption, the opposition, mainly liberals and leftists, accuse Islamists of attempting to tailor the judiciary to serve their interests.

During Friday's protests, clashes broke out after dozens of masked men in black, likely members of the riotous Black Bloc, set fire to a bus belonging to the Islamists, leaving at least 115 injured.

The Islamist-oriented Egyptian president underlined that "there is no relation between the Muslim Brotherhood and the presidency in terms of decisionmaking."

IMF caps spring meetings with focus on jobs, growth

T

he International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Saturday wrapped up its spring meetings with calls for a mix of policies to boost growth and employment worldwide.

The meetings saw a "strong and common recognition that achieving growth and jobs cannot rest on one policy alone," s a i d TharmanShanmugaratnam, head of the IMF's International Monetary and Fiance Committee.

"No single bullet" exists to whisk the world back to prerecession levels of employment and growth, he added.

Warning against an overreliance on monetary policy alone to solve the world's economic woes, Shanmugaratnam called for a better blend of monetary, fiscal and structural strategies, with an emphasis on medium-term fiscal and structural reforms.

"There was a very strong desire to see us focus ... on getting growth back to normal," he told a news briefing Saturday. "And a very strong desire to see a return to some normality on jobs" in both emerging and advanced economies.

Earlier this week, IMF chief Christine Lagarde said the global

economy has entered a "threespeed recovery": Emerging economies are faring well, countries including the United States are on the mend, and the euro zone and Japan are not yet out of the woods.

This latest picture features rapid growth among emerging economies, with developing Asian countries and subSaharan Africa leading the pack with 75 percent growth over the last five years.

After a year of stifled performance, overall Asian growth is set to pick up steam this year and hit 5.75 percent, up by half a percentage point

from the previous year.

In China, growth is on track with earlier predictions, at a rapid clip of around 8 percent this year, and is projected to pick up to 8.25 percent next year.

Japan's stimulus is expected to help sustain growth at 1.5 percent this year, the IMF said.

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Barry Bosworth echoed ongoing IMF recommendations that export-led countries, especially those in Asia, boost domestic demand from newly wealthy consumers to shore up their economies against the crisis-riddled West.

Source: Xinhua

14,353 Somali refugees return home since January-UNHCR

U

p to 14,353 Somali refugees have made spontaneous returns from Kenya since January, with 1,029 people reported to have moved thus far in April, the UN refugee agency on Saturday.

According to latest report published by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Somali refugees have also returned home from Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia with 1,879 people reported to have moved since January.

"Food, livelihood support, agricultural/pastoralist support, shelter, transport, health, protection from conflict, water, equal access to aid, social/clan protection and protection from direct attacks remain the key priority needs of the cross-border movements and IDPs," the refugee agency said.

Relief agencies working in Daadab camp which hosts mainly Somali refugees attribute the movement to refugees crossing the

border back to Somalia as that of refugees returning in search of work in Somalia as well as to check up on their farms and the assess the situation on the ground, especially as Al-Shaabab has ceded many towns and areas following the offensive by the AMISOM forces.

The movements from Kenya, from where the vast majority of people crossed into Somalia, increased more than eight-fold between November and December and between January and February, according to the

UNHCR. The Horn of Africa nation is the country generating the third highest number of refugees in the world, after Afghanistan and Iraq.

The UNHCR leads protection and emergency relief interventions targeting 700,000 IDPs out of a total IDP population estimated at 1.1 million and over 2,300 refugees in Somalia.

"As at April 17, 2013, there were 1,037,554 Somali refugees in the region, mainly hosted in Kenya, Yemen, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea,

Melkadida is one of five camps in the Dollo Ado area near the Somalia boarder.

Djibouti, Tanzania and Uganda and almost 1.1 million Somalis internally displaced within the country, settled mainly in the South-Central region," the statement said.

According to the UNHCR, 10,755 Somalis have so far sought refuge in neighboring countries in 2013. In the month of April, 2, 000 movements were reported in different areas in Somalia due to insecurity, floods, IDP evictions as well as cross-border movements.

Thousands of people from the Horn of Africa, mainly from Ethiopia and Somalia, undertake a dangerous journey across the Gulf of Aden to reach Yemen and beyond.

They risk their lives escaping conflict, poverty and recurrent drought, in search of asylum, better economic opportunities and a better life.

Many die during the journey, while others are subjected to abuse and injury at the hands of unscrupulous smugglers.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Asia and Middle East

E

ight Syrians have been arrested on suspicion of inciting violence at a refugee camp in Jordan, officials say.

The arrests come after an incident on Friday in which some 100 camp residents threw stones at police who would not allow them to leave the camp.

Syrians held over violence in Jordanian refugee camp Ten police officers were injured - one so badly he had to undergo surgery, said a government spokesman.

UN officials have warned the flood of refugees fleeing Syria threatens to overwhelm those providing assistance.

One UN agency, Unicef,

Clashes ahead of Bahrain Grand Prix

B

ahraini police have clashed with anti-government demonstrators, only hours ahead of the Gulf state's Formula One Grand Prix race, which the authorities insist will go ahead without disruption.

Police have fired birdshot and tear gas to contain simmering resentment at a deadly crackdown by the Sunni royal family on Arab Spring-inspired protests that erupted two years ago led by the kingdom's Shia Muslim majority.

Al Jazeera's special correspondent, reporting from Manama, said that Sunday's clashes had broken out at Al Jabrya secondary school, one kilometre from the centre of the capital.

"Students have barricaded themselves in, we could see smoke from burning tyres and I've seen pictures of tear gas outside classrooms. We're hearing reports that two students are injured," she said.

"They are protesting because a fellow student was removed from the school last week by plain

PAGE 33

clothes police. He is still in custody."

"This has died down and now we are seeing sporadic clashes with police and protesters."

She said that the clashes were taking place in the west, away from the site of the Grand Prix, in the south.

Pro-democracy protesters had planned to reach the former Pearl Square in Manama, the focal point of anti-regime protests in February and March 2011, but were unlikely to be successful as it was being guarded by the National Guard, said our correspondent.

She said that people attending the race were likely to only see large plumes of smoke, a distance from the race, where protesters were being contained.

Both government and opposition have repeatedly urged students not to take up the political protest.

Our correspondent said that clashes had also been reported in Barbar after four police cars had entered the village to paint over anti-Formula One graffitti, but that no injuries had been reported.

recently confessed it was “broke” and said it would soon need to “scale back life-saving support” at the camp.

Zaatari camp hosts 150,000 refugees fleeing the brutal civil war in Syria - far more than it was originally intended to house.

Conditions in the camp, now dubbed Jordan’s fifth largest town, have deteriorated since it opened last July, says the BBC’s Dale Gavlak in Amman.

There have been several riots and clashes with Jordanian police.

A military prosecutor was due to question the arrested refugees on Sunday.

If convicted they could face up to three years in jail.

The number of refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict overall recently reached a million, the UN said.

Firefighters struggle to extinguish areas torched by protesters.

Chinese teams reach quake-hit region

B

ahraini police have clashed with anti-government demonstrators, only hours ahead of the Gulf state's Formula One Grand Prix race, which the authorities insist will go ahead without disruption.

Police have fired birdshot and tear gas to contain simmering resentment at a deadly crackdown by the Sunni royal family on Arab Spring-inspired protests that erupted two years ago led by the kingdom's Shia Muslim majority.

Al Jazeera's special correspondent, reporting from Manama, said that Sunday's clashes had broken out at Al Jabrya secondary school, one kilometre from the centre of the capital.

"Students have barricaded themselves in, we could see smoke from burning tyres and I've seen pictures of tear gas outside classrooms. We're hearing reports that two students are injured," she said.

"They are protesting because

a fellow student was removed from the school last week by plain clothes police. He is still in custody."

"This has died down and now we are seeing sporadic clashes with police and protesters."

She said that the clashes were taking place in the west, away from the site of the Grand Prix, in the south.

Pro-democracy protesters had planned to reach the former Pearl Square in Manama, the focal point of anti-regime protests in February and March 2011, but were unlikely to be successful as it was being guarded by the National Guard, said our correspondent.

She said that people attending the race were likely to only see large plumes of smoke, a distance from the race, where protesters were being contained.

Both government and opposition have repeatedly urged students not to take up the political protest.

Our correspondent said that

A makeshift hospital has been erected outside amid fears of possible damage from aftershocks.

North Korea 'moves missile launchers'

N

orth Korea has reportedly moved two more missile launchers to its east coast, where preparations have apparently begun for a missile test as tensions continue to simmer on the peninsula.

The North had said before fresh reports of the missile move emerged on Sunday that it was willing to discuss disarmament but rejected a US nuclear condition for talks.

Expectations had been high that Pyongyang would carry out a test to coincide with celebrations marking the birth of North Korea's late founding leader Kim Il-Sung on April 15 but it did not materialise.

The North's military moved two launchers believed to be for scud missiles to the northeast province of South Hamgyong last week, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, which cited a senior Seoul official.

"We have discovered the North has moved two additional TELs (transporter erector launchers) to the east coast ... after April 16," the official was quoted as saying.

The official said Seoul and the US were closely monitoring the site.

A spokesman for North Korea's defence ministry was not immediately available to confirm the report.

The North was previously

reported to have moved seven missile launchers to its coast facing the East Sea, or Sea of Japan, in apparent preparations for a test that would further escalate tensions.

Angered by fresh UN sanctions triggered by its third nuclear test in February, and joint South Korea-US military exercises, the North has for weeks been issuing threats of missile strikes and nuclear war.

But despite the passing of the Kim Il-Sung anniversary, a Seoul defence ministry spokesman said on Thursday that the possibility of a test involving shorter-range Scud, mid-range Musudan, or longrange Rodong missiles remained.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 34

Europe and Americas

Boston bombing investigation turns to motive

T

he surviving Boston bombings suspect is recovering in hospital with serious injuries, as investigators seek a motive for the attacks and try to determine whether the brothers accused of the crime acted alone.

DzhokharTsarnaev, 19, was captured late on Friday after a gunfight with police.

His apprehension in a Watertown backyard sent waves of relief and jubilation throughout Boston.

Tsarnaev's brother, Tamerlan, 26, died on Thursday after a shootout with police.

His younger brother was shot in the throat and could not speak because of injuries to his tongue, said a source close to the investigation.

Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher, reporting from Boston, said that when Tsarnaev was in a stable condition at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston and remained after heavy police guard.

"We know he lost a lot of blood," Fisher said.

"We believe he suffered several gunshot wounds."

It was unclear when Tsarnaev would be able to talk again or when he would be charged.

Life in Boston began to return to normal on Saturday as the Red Sox returned to Fenway Park for the first time since the bombings, paying an emotional tribute to the victims and the first responders before their baseball game.

The London Marathon also held a memorial service for victims of the Boston bombings before the event and many of the 36,000 runners wore black armbands to remember the dead and wounded.

The issue in the US turned to what rights Tsarnaev should have, as Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick said "we have a million questions" to ask him.

Venezuela election official plays down vote audit

T

he electoral commission in Venezuela has said an audit of last Sunday's disputed presidential vote will not affect Nicolas Maduro's victory.

Mr Maduro's main challenger, Henrique Capriles, agreed to the electronic audit after withdrawing his demand for a manual recount.

Officially, he lost by a margin of 1.8 percentage points.

The electoral commission's deputy head, Sandra Oblitas, said that the result was "irreversible".

The audit, which was agreed just before Mr Maduro was sworn in as president, is expected to take about a month.

Mr Capriles believes there were voting irregularities.

The new president has vowed to continue the social policies of his leftist predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez.

Maduro (L) sworn in as Venezuela's president.

Ms Oblitas, deputy head of the National Electoral Council (CNE), spoke to reporters at the commission's headquarters in the capital, Caracas.

"We will not let something that aims to verify whether the

system worked be turned into a sort of public impeachment that tries to question the results," she said.

"As always, when the CNE announces results to the country, it is because they are

irreversible."

Any challenge to the result must be decided by Venezuela's supreme court, she said.

The official count indicates Mr Maduro won 50.8% of votes to Mr Capriles's 49.0%.

Mr Capriles said he believed the crucial votes that had cost him the presidency were among the unaudited 46% of the vote.

Carlos Ocariz, national director of Mr Capriles' team, said the audit would be a "long process... and our people have to stay alert".

"We want to know the truth," he said. "Once we see what happened last Sunday, a new phase can begin."

In his speech on Friday, Mr Maduro promised a "revolution within the revolution" and compared Mr Capriles to the man installed as president of Venezuela during a short-lived 2002 coup against Chavez, Pedro Carmona.

More inmates join Guantanamo hunger strike

T

he number of detainees taking part in a hunger strike at the US-run Guantanamo Bay military prison has grown to 77, an increase of 25 in just the past few days, according to a US military spokesman.

Lieutenant Colonel Samuel House said in a statement that of the detainees refusing food, 17 are receiving "enteral feedings," a process involving being force-fed via tubes.

Five of the inmates have been hospitalised, although none faces "life-threatening conditions," House said.

The facility, which houses 166 detainees, has been hit by hunger strikes since February 6, when inmates claimed prison officials searched their Qurans for contraband. Officials have denied any mishandling of Islam's holy book.

The hunger strikers are protesting against their incarceration without charge or trial at Guantanamo over the past 11 years.

"They say they want their freedom," Al Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan, reporting from

Failing health feared for Gitmo inmates on hunger strikes

Washington, said. "Or they'll die trying to get it."

Lawyers representing inmates at the prison have said most of the estimated 130 detainees at Guantanamo's Camp Six wing, which houses "low-value" prisoners, are on hunger strike.

Al Jazeera journalist Sami

al-Haj, who spent six years at the Guantanamo Bay prison, said: "They used dogs on us, they beat me, sometimes they hung me from the ceiling and didn't allow me to sleep for six days."

Brandon Neely, a US Military Policeman and former Guantanamo guard, told Al

Jazeera that detainees were "treated horribly".

Neely said he regularly watched detainees being beaten and humiliated, as well as watching a medic beat an inmate.

Bill O'Neil, an international lawyer, pointed out that by its actions in Guantanamo, the US has violated the UN Convention against Torture, which it has ratified and is thus legally bound to uphold.

"As such under international law binding on the US, those involved in planning, ordering and overseeing those acts in Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and elsewhere that constituted torture [and those subordinate officers who were ordered to commit torture cannot use the defence of "following superior orders"] should be investigated and if the evidence so indicates, prosecuted," O'Neil told Al Jazeera.

Despite an order in 2011 by Barack Obama, the US president, to close Guantanamo down by the end of that year, there are no current plans to shut the prison.

U.S. asks Turkish PM to delay Gaza trip

T

DzhokharTsarnaev

he U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said here on Sunday that the United States had asked Turkish Prime Minister RecepTayyipErdogan to delay his Gaza trip.

Kerry made the statement at a press conference held in Istanbul during his 24-hour visit to Turkey.

He said: "We have expressed

to the prime minister and we think it would be better to delay and should not take place at this point of time for a number of different reasons."

Timing is critical with the respective of peace process, he added, "we try to get it on ground."

"It would be more helpful to wait for some time," he said.

Erdogan has sparked

concern by announcing his intention to visit the Hamasruled Gaza Strip next month after a trip to the United States.

The top U.S. diplomat also said that the Turkish prime minister and foreign minister are deeply committed to renewal of relationship between Turkey and Israel.

Source: Xinhua

Turkish Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 35

Ultimate privacy - the house built in the middle of a river Have you ever dreamed of having a home in the middle of nowhere to escape to every now and then? I have. And this house built straight in the middle of the Drina River in Serbia fits the bill perfectly.

Standing on an exposed rock bang in the center of the river, near the town of BajinaBasta, this tiny house has been getting a lot of attention on the internet ever since it was captured on camera last year by Hungarian photographer Irene Becker. Her photo was published by National Geographic as one of the best 'Photos of the Day' in August 2012, and ever since then the mysterious and tranquil abode of Drina River has captured the imagination of millions. "I'm so glad that my picture makes this tiny house known to more and more people," Becker said about her work. But in Serbia, the precariously placed house has been a popular tourist destination for decades, and a symbol of the picturesque Basta region. It was even nominated as one of the Seven Wonders of Serbia.

The house has been standing in its unusual location for over 40 years. According its owner, "this house was built in 1968. It was not easy to build then. But I finally made it happen with the help of my friends." Back then they were just a bunch of

Woman in coma wakes up after home, belongings sold

I

magine waking up and being homeless.Yvonne Rogers of Birmingham, England awoke from a 14month coma to discover she no longer owned her home and her family had sold her belongings.

The Birmingham Mail reported that the wheelchairbound patient suffered from hydrocephalus, meaning water on the brain. She fell into a coma after complications during surgery.

The Birmingham City Council reclaimed her home, saying that it had been unoccupied for too long. As a result, her family had to sell all her furniture, keeping only small items of memorabilia, because there was no storage space, according to the Birmingham Mail.

"I lost two years of my life in the hospital, and I lost my home too," Rogers told the paper.

Photo: Irene Becker

young boys who loved to swim in the waters of Drina River and sunbathe on the large rock that now supports the house. Its lumpy surface wasn't the most comfortable to sit on, so one day

they decided to build a proper place to rest. They started bringing in planks from a nearby derelict shed, and before long they had actually built a cosy shelter complete with walls

and a roof. It may not look very sturdy, but this wooden home has survived several floods and serious storms.After all the recent online exposure, the house in the middle of Drina

River has become a hot-spot for tourists wanting to see it with their own eyes. But if you can't go to Serbia to visit the house, you can at least check out itsFacebook album and blog.

Japan's first reptile cafe opens in yokohama T

he Subtropical Teahouse, a "reptile cafe" offering customers the chance to observe and pet dozens of species of reptiles, has recently opened in Yokohama, Japan.

The Land of the Rising Sun is notorious for a variety of wacky venues, like the relaxing cat cafes, or the Vampire Cafe in Ginza, but it didn't have a reptile-themed one. Since a few days ago that's no longer a problem, as the country's first reptile cafe opened its doors in Yokohama's Naka Ward. "I wanted to create a venue for those reptile fans hiding in the closet to get together and freely talk about the charms of the creatures they love," Mutsumi Nagano, the cafe's 42-year-old manager said about his idea.

Strangely enough, most of the reptile cafe's customers are women, and they apparently love observing the various species of lizards and snakes is specially designed tanks and

A visitor gives a close shot on a caged reptile. cages. There are around 40 reptiles displayed at the Subtropical Teahouse, including a 1-meter-long lizard and a 1.7-meter-long snake. "It is hard to keep them at home and we may not be able to get this close to them at zoos," one

of the cafe's customers said, while taking photos with his camera. Gutsy reptile-lovers are allowed to pet the coldblooded creatures, but are required to wash their hands on entering and leaving the partitioned-off area.

via Inventorspot and Kyodo News.

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2012

Old age is simply a 'state of mind' A

ge is nothing but a number, according to new research that suggests you're only as old as you let yourself feel.

A study has shown that people who perceive themselves to be old and frail are more likely to give up activities which could help to keep them young - such as socialising and taking regular exercise.

By contrast, people with a positive attitude are more likely to continue taking part in these activities which helps them to stay fit and mentally alert.

Krystal Warmoth, from the University of Exeter, believes that older people who categorise themselves as elderly and decrepit are more likely to behave as though they are.

She interviewed 29 older people in the southwest of England and asked them about their experiences of aging and fragility.

She discovered that an elderly person's attitude could lead to a loss of interest in participating in social and physical activities, poor health, and reduced quality of life.

One respondent summed up the findings: 'If people think that they are old and frail, they will act like they're old and frail,' she said.

Ms Warmoth also discovered there can be a cycle of decline whereby perceiving oneself as frail can lead to a person disengaging from activities that could reduce the likelihood of frailty - such as physical exercise.

This, in turn, makes them more likely to become frail and to have a poor quality of life.

People with a positive attitude are more likely to continue taking part in activities which help them to stay fit and mentally alert

People who perceive themselves to be old and frail are more likely to give up activities which could help to keep them young Ms Warmoth said: 'This study gives an insight into the role of psychological factors in older adults' health and activity levels.'

However, plenty of elderly people are clearly following Ms Warmoth's advice.

A 2010 report from the Health Protection Agency found a rise in the number of people in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s having sex with new partners

since 2000.

The study also found that there had been an increase in all of the five main STDs in older age groups, with the age group 45 to 64 witnessing the biggest rise in syphilis, herpes, chlamydia and genital warts between 2000 and 2009.

Meanwhile, researchers at North Carolina State University found that elderly

people who played video games had 'higher levels of well-being'.

They asked 140 people aged 63 and above how long they play games for, then put them through tests to asses their emotional and social wellbeing.

Sixty-one per cent of participants said they played video games 'at least occasionally', while 35 per cent

Fame may 'lead to a shorter life' H

aving a glittering career in the public eye may come at the cost of a shorter life, an analysis of obituaries in a US newspaper suggests.

It showed performers and sports stars tended to die a few years younger than people successful in other careers.

The researchers acknowledge the study does not provide any conclusive answers, but said it asked interesting questions about the cost of fame.

The data was published in QJM: An International Journal of Medicine.

Researchers in Australia looked at 1,000 obituaries in the New York Times between 2009 and 2011.

They showed that performers, such as actors, singers and musicians, as well those who made a career in sport died the youngest - at an average age of 77.

Writers, composers and artists died at 79. Those classed as academics, including historians and economists, survived until 82 on average while those in business or politics made 83.

The researchers, at the University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales, said cancer, particularly tumours in the lungs, was more common in performers.

anything, but it raises some interesting questions.

"First, if it is true that successful performers and sports players tend to enjoy shorter lives, does this imply that fame

"Or that psychological and family pressures favouring unusually high public achievement lead to selfdestructive tendencies throughout life?

Professor Richard Epstein said: "A one-off retrospective analysis like this can't prove

at younger ages predisposes to poor health behaviours in later life after success has faded?

"Or that risk-taking personality traits maximise one's chances of success, with the use

said they played at least once per week.

The results of the study indicated that those who played games occasionally reported higher levels of well-being, whereas those that did not play reported 'negative emotions and a tendency toward higher levels of depression'.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk of cigarettes, alcohol or illicit drugs improving one's performance output in the short term?"

He added that, whatever the reason, the findings should be considered as a "health warning to young people aspiring to become stars".

Honey Langcaster-James, a psychologist who specialises in celebrity behaviour, said so few people achieved star status that it made it difficult to scientifically study the effect on people's lives.

She said: "The results are interesting of themselves as they suggest an inherent hazard of a public career and that all that glitters is not necessarily gold.

"They may be paying a high price for their career."

However she said it was not easy to come up with a scientific explanation.

On the one hand she said such a career "has unique stressors" such as "the pressure to live up to a public image, which can lead to risky behaviours".

Yet she suspected that "particular personal characteristics predispose people to wanting a career in the public arena", which may also lead to lifestyle choices affecting health.

Source: BBCNews.com

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2012

PAGE 37

Elechi endorses second term for LG chairmen

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L-R Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Ali Gulak, and Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in a handshake during the visit by members of ECOWAS Parliament to President Goodluck Jonathan, recently at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye.

PDP not afraid of probe, Metuh tells APC

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Peoples Democratic Party at the weekend said it was not afraid of the plan of the opposition merger, All Progressive Congress to institute probe into the activities of its leadership in the last fourteen years.

The party, in apparent response to the opposition agenda to strengthen the nation’s anti corruption agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC and the ICPC in order to institute probes into the government led by former President Olusegun Obasanj, late President Umaru Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan between 1999 And 2015, said the APC agenda was a poor mimick of the PDP’s manifestos.

The party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, berated the APC stating “The leaders and members of the APC are entertaining themselves.

The opposition are in their dream world. They are in deep slumber but will soon wake up to the stark reality that it takes more than noise making to defeat the PDP, the only truly national political party in Nigeria, with impregnable structures in every polling booth, every ward, local government and every state of the federation. They will wake up on the eve of 2015 and see us

once again in power.”

“Then”, the statement added, “those who recited the parable of the bloody baboon and monkey and other fellows who pledged the impossible in desperation, may engage demagoguery to throw the state into chaos. Nigerians are however wiser!”

The PDP maintained that it had not only laid the foundation of a solid institutional framework for war on corruption but has over the years demonstrated its zero tolerance for the plague.

“Our government established the EFCC and the ICPC, equipped them with canine and molars to crush the backbone of corruption.

As relative as their successes are, no record will ever deny their impact in quest for a transparent polity. It suffices that the PDP has shown enough dispassion in fight against corruption and will continue to encourage all Nigerians, especially the opposition to do same.”

It further averred that the PDP was not afraid of the probe of the activities of its leaders since 1999 but asked the opposition to prove its self by taming the regime of corruption in the few states it controls as a demonstration of its fidelity to the anti corruption cause.

“The PDP is not afraid of probe. This is one of the major reasons our government established the Freedom Of Information Act so that every Nigerian can be a watch dog, well armed with facts to challenge impunity. ÁBut right under the nose of the leaders of the opposition are taxpayers money, state property defiled and pillaged to satisfy the greed of one man- the self styled leader, the Pontifix Maximus.

We urge the opposition to start the probe here as an earnest of its commitment.”

The statement added that it was another opportunity to alert Nigerians to the antics of

these politicians who have come once again to remind them of their religion and of their tribe, “ the factors that long kept our dear nation down; the very factors that the PDP relegated to insignificance in the last fourteen years as a broad based, nationwide and issue based political party.”

The statement went on, “much of this played out at their just ended national convention in Lagos. It promised a jamboree and ended up a jamboree of futile imagination from clueless and disparate forces. It was all noise and no deep thought. What the Zik of Africa would call “panjandrum”.

“Besides”, it ended, “we have again seen this in their so called 8-point agenda manifesto where they offered nothing new. The unstated which we however wish to alert all Nigerians is the use of religion and tribe to divide them.

It is their stock in trade.”

Edo LG polls: PDP wants election cancelled

By Umar Muhammad Puma

R

esults of the saturday's council election in Edo state indicated that 14 Local Government Areas (LGAs) was won by the ruling party; the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) out of the 18 in the state.

But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the cancelling of the entire results over what it calls, "serious

manipulation of results" by the ruling party in the state.

The chairman of PDP, in Edo state, Mr Dan Orbih, alleged that the figures released by the state's electoral body are "clearly doctored figures, so are unacceptable."

So far the state electoral commissioner has agreed to hold fresh elections in some local government areas of the state.

The Edo state Independent

Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) on Saturday postponed the conduct of local Government elections in Ikpoba Okha and Oredo Local Government Areas.

EDSIEC chairman; Solomon Ogoh said the elections were rescheduled due to inadequate materials.

He announced that fresh elections will be conducted in the affected areas on Thursday next week.

overnor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi over the weekend endorsed Chief Lazarus Ogbee, the Chairman of Ezza South Local Government Area of the state, for a second tenure in office.

Ogbee who hails from the Izzikworo Clan of the area is seeking re-election during the council polls scheduled for October, 2013.

Elechi made the declaration at Onueke, headquarters of the council, during an appreciation tour of the area organised by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The chairman has performed well so far, as he needs the support of all to succeed further.

“He and the coordinators of the area's development centres have stepped down democratic dividends to the doorsteps of the people and this deserves commendation.

“This overall, is a clear departure from the happenings of the past as all relevant stakeholders from the federal to the development centre level are now cooperating to develop the state," he said.

According to the governor, the people of the area must be commended for maintaining their stand even when hounded by the opposition during the 2011 general elections.

“Though I lost here during the elections, I am still proud of you for your numerous struggles during the period even at the expense of your lives.

“Despite the electoral loss here and Ezza North Local Government, we still continued executing projects that will impact positively on the lives of the people," he said.

He expressed concern about the spate of violence recorded in the area, especially during the elections and admonished the people on violence.

Also, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Chukwuma Nwazunku, urged the people to support the chairman's second term bid as he had performed tremendously in office.

“I don't care what others might feel, but the chairman had shown that he deserves another term in office to continue enhancing the peoples' lives.

In his response, Ogbee said he was inspired by the governor's developmental strides aimed at enhancing the people's wellbeing.

“We have constructed several roads, culverts and bridges across the communities in the area and also touched lives in the areas of health, agriculture, education, human development, among others," he said. (NAN)

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2012

Edo LG poll: ACN in early lead From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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he ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has been declared winner of the Chairmanship seats in seven local government results at Saturday election which was yesterday released by the Chairman of Edo State Independent electoral commission (EDSIEC), Solomon Ogoh.

The commission said the local governments include, Akoko- Edo, Egor, Esan South East,Etsako Central, Etsako East, Igueben and Orhionmwon local government areas respectively.

Ogoh who disclosed this at a press Conference on Sunday, also announced the cancellation of election in Esan Central, Esan North East, Ikpoba Okha and Oredo local government areas, said, the outcome of Seven local government areas will be release as soon.

According to the commission, the reschedule polls will hold in Esan West and Esan northeast on Wednesday April 24th while that of Oredo and Ikpoba Okha will be on Thursday April 25th respectively.

Already, In Akoko- Edo, Joseph Akerejola of ACN polled a total of 41,496 to defeat his closest PDP candidate who scored 5,171. In Egor, Victor Enobakhare of ACN garnered 10,152 votes to defeat his PDP opponent who polled 1951 votes.

In Esan South East, Joseph Ikpea of ACN scored 14, 43 votes to defeat PDP candidate who polled 2,776 votes. In Etsako Central, Emmanuel Momoh of ACN defeated his PDP rival with 9293 votes who polled 4357.

The results in Etsako East showed that Abdulmalik Suleiman Afegbua of ACN won the Chairmanship seat with 23,262 votes to defeat his closest PDP opponent who polled 4,281. In Igueben the ACN candidate polled 16,298 to defeat the PDP candidate who scored 1592 while in Orhionmwon, ACCN candidate polled 29,059 votes to defeat his PDP opponent who scored 5,843.

All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Governorship Candidate for July 14 2012 Governorship election in Edo State, Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri, has asked the State governor, Adams Oshiomhole to redeem his image, order his image by calling for outright cancellation of the election and sack EDSIEC members and Chairman in the interest of peace.

The leadership and members of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), Edo State chapter, yesterday called

•As ANPP, PDP call for sack of EDSIEC members for the conduct of fresh conduct of the local government elections into the 18 Councils in the state.

The party rejected in strong terms the rescheduled election in four councils out of the total 18 council areas, insisting that such attempt would amount to a staggered election.

The PDP challenged officials of the state Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) to come out with a new date instead of the one slated for Thursday this week.

Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Dan Osi Orbih who declared the party’s position yesterday at a news conference said that there was the need for the electoral commission to apologize to the people of the state for the obvious failure to carry out their mandate of ensuring free and fair elections in the last Saturday’s exercise.

Orbih also called for the immediate resignation of all members of the EDSIEC chaired

by Chief Solomon Ogoh for failing in their responsibility to conduct free and fair council polls.

“Elections were not conducted in the remaining 15 local government areas” and therefore “the issue of talking about Ikpoba Okha and Oredo going for election on Sunday is not acceptable to us as a political party. We are not interested in staggered elections.”

“We want a comprehensive programme of when they will conduct election in the 18 local governments in Edo state. If you cancel the election it is good for the people to know how much was invested ito this project that has been canceled now. It is clear that election did not hold, it will amount to total cancellation.”

“We are going for a new election date to be announced later. For us to deepen democracy they must announce a new date for the conduct of local government election in Edo state. It is also important, having distributed these materials to ACN members,” he added.

“We want them (EDSIEC) to come out with a clear programme for the conduct of local government election in Edo state.” Well, at this point I want to call for the immediate resignation of all members of Edo state SIEC. They have failed in their responsibility to conduct free and fair election for the local government in Edo state.”

He insisted that it was “their responsibility to come out to put the blame on the head of the governor who in the first place refused to fund them to conduct this election. That was why he has to collect money from the candidates. Thank God the High

Governor Adams Oshiomhole Court in Benin City has decided that they must return those money to all the candidates, it is unconstitutional.

If Oshiomhole refuses to give them money they cannot take money from Candidates.”

The PDP stated that it was aware the contract for printing of the sensitive electoral materials was made at the state government house instead of giving the responsibility to EDSIEC, adding that you cannot print materials, you give contract to a contractor and when they don’t deliver you pretend as if you don’t know what is happening. It is for them to come out to tell Edo people what has happened, to say why they have not been able to deliver in their official responsibility of conducting local government elections in Edo state”.

Orbih maintained that the integrity of the commission was at stake, particularly when the chairman of the commission has repeated assured the electorate that they would deliver in exercise.

He also condemned the use of Soldiers during the conduct of the council polls and warned further that any soldier on the streets of Edo state during the rescheduled elections would be tagged as a thug of the ruling party and that the opposition party would write a strong worded letter to the Chief of Staff to the president for further action.

Meanwhile, the chairman of EDSIEC Chairman, Solomon Oghoh in a broadcast said the cancellation was due to the non- printing of councillorships ballot papers and result sheets for the two affected councils

and called on the printing firm that the contract to print the electoral materials was awarded to, to tender an unreserved apologize to the people of the state over the anomalies.

The EDSIEC boss posited that the electoral materials have since been distributed to the various councils as early as 7am on Saturday.

Peoples Daily reports that the election was characterized with late arrival of election materials across the 18 local government areas.

A visit to Edo Central senatorial districts specifically, Esan West, Esan Central, Esan North- East and Esan South East local government areas respectively reported that electoral materials did not arrive in the 18 councils not at about few minutes to 2pm and after 2pm.

The same development was reported in Owan West, Owan East, Akoko- Edo, Etsako West, Etsako Central and East local government areas respectively.

At Urhonigbe in Orhionmwon local government electoral materials was said to have been hijacked by hoodlums of one of the participating parties after attacking the vehicle that conveyed the materials.

The late arrival of electoral materials also characterized the election in Ovia North East and Ovia South West local government respectively.

It was also gathered that in most of the local governments there were absence of result sheets and ballot boxes.

In ward 7, in Etsako Central local government a person was

said to have been wounded during a crisis that eschewed at the polling booth.

In Esan West and North East local government supporters of the opposition parties protested against the non- availability of councillorships ballot papers and results sheets.

The protesters however besieged the divisional police headquarters in Uromi, the administrative headquarter of Esan NorthEast local government area.

In an interview, Peter Aguele, Labour Party chairmanship candidate for Esan South East expressed disappointment over the nonpresence of electoral materials and however called for the entire cancellation of the elections.

Also speaking Alice Abumere, a centenarian and a 99 years old woman that simply identified as Abumere said they have been at the Eguare Primary School in Esan West local government as early as 7am.

They however expressed dismayed that as at 12.30 pm they are yet to see electoral materials just as they threatened to go home if the materials do not arrive on time.

Felix Akhabue, a former chairman of Esan West local government council as well the ex- national president of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) who said it was disheartening that at about 12pm the electoral officers and materials are yet to get to the locality noted that the development was a ploy by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) ruling party in collaboration with EDSIEC to rig the election.

Akhabue, a PDP chieftain who described the late arrival of electoral materials as a failure on the part of EDSIEC and the state government added that by the electoral act accreditation of voters suppose to start by 8am and ended by 12pm.

He however posited that as at 12pm electoral materials and officers were not in sight in the locality, explaining that the development was in fulfilment of ACN boast that the party will win all the 18 chairmanship and 192 councillorship seats.

The state chairman of ACN, Thomas Okosun said the allegations of the opposition parties are that of a drowning man who has lost the election.

Similarly, the House of Representatives member representing Owan federal constituency, Pally Iriase, an ACN who also described the elections as peaceful added that the voting time has been extended to 5pm.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2012

Rep. offers N4m reward for information on kinsmen’s killers From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

B

arely two years after some of his kinsmen, including two of his brothers, were gruesomely murdered by unknown gunmen on the eve of his election, Hon. Rotimi Makinde has pledged a cash reward of N4m to anyone that can offer useful information that could aid security investigation.

In a statement signed by his media assistant, Smart Oluwole, the lawmaker representing Ife federal constituency, Osun State, decried the state of the nation’s security apparatus, saying that the killers of his brothers and kinsmen are still walking free on the street.

On the 9th of April, 2011, hours before the National Assembly polls, some unknown gunmen attacked the residence of Makinde in Ile-Ife, Osun state.

Though the lawmaker representing Ife federal constituency, was not at home when the assailants visited, his two brothers who ran for cover in a church were killed alongside the pastor,his son and one other in the church auditorium during a vigil.

“It is a painful reality that Nigeria as a nation put little or no value on human life. I also want to state that such assassination could not be carried out by ordinary robbers on the street; it must have been thoroughly rehearsed by the powers that be in Osun State who are merely desperate for position that they will never have access to by God’s grace. The sum of N4 million will be offered to anyone who can provide useful information that can lead to the arrest of those criminals who carried out the dastardly act two years ago.’’ ‘‘I was actually their target, but thankfully escaped their vicious plans. It is a big shame in our country that over the years, killers of Bola Ige, Aminasoari Dikibo, Harry Marshall, Alhaja Suliat Adedeji, Funsho Williams and many others are yet to be found let alone brought to justice.

This has shown that there is a failure in the capacity to protect lives and properties against jeopardy, suffice to say the country is also bedeviled with moral deficit and to crown it all the authority lacks the capacity to govern the country.

“What our security agents are indirectly telling us is that crime pays; our government at the top has truly failed us, but I must commend the Governor of Osun State, His Excellency, Rauf Aregbesola for his stand on this case and his support over the years. I believe with the collaborations of all well meaning Nigerians these assailants who are still at loose, would be exposed and made to face the full weight of justice. With a breakthrough like this the country can set good precedence for the sustenance of our democracy.’’

PAGE 39

Senate mulls over N22 billion Dispute Resolution Commissions

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

S

enate has passed for second reading, two Bills seeking to establish Alternative Dispute Resolution agencies, both of which will cost over N22 billion, saying it will decongest the cases piling up in the courts.

The two agencies are National Alternative Dispute Regulatory Commission, which will cost over N3.7 billion and Office of the Nigerian Financial OMBUDSMAN, which will cost over N18 billion naira.

According to the bills, while the OMBUDSMAN will resolve disputes relating to financial institutions and transactions, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission will standardise and regulate the resolution of disputes between mainly individuals.

Making remarks on the bill, Deputy Senate President who presided over the plenary, noted that alternative dispute resolution

mechanism is already on ground, explaining that the bill is only seeking to set up a commission that will regulate the practise.

He said that even though some lawmakers believe it will be a duplication of duty of the traditional institutions and increasing the cost of governance, the relevance or otherwise of it will be determined at the committee level.

Leading debate on the bill which came from the House of Representatives, the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba, said the commission which the bill seek to set up will regulate through accreditation, all alternative dispute resolution bodies and institution in Nigeria.

He said the commission will also advise states and federal government on the use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, in addition to developing alternative dispute resolution policy for Nigeria.

Egba also said that the

commission will help to set and regulate standard for the institutions that practise this, arguing that it is more expeditious and cheaper than litigation However, most of the senators who spoke condemned the plan to set up the commission, saying its duties are better handled by traditional institutions.

While Ahmed Lawal, ANPP Yobe North, argued that it will only offer jobs to people that will have no work to do, Uche Chukwumerije argued that traditional institutions which had been performing the duty creditably should rather be empowered.

Similarly, while Sekibo Tompson, PDP, said it will be creating more avenue for expending scarce resources, Ita Enang, PDP argued that the bill be dropped for duplicating functions.

However, the Senate Deputy Leader, Abdul Ningi and James

Manager, insisted that the bill should be considered because it saves cost of justice and is faster.

Meanwhile, it was refered to senate committee on judiciary for consideration and would be returned in two weeks time.

In a related development, the bill seeking to establish the office of the Nigerian OMBUDSMAN was passed for second reading in the senate.

It seek to set up an office to inquire into and resolve complaints between individuals, financial institutions, regulators in the financial services sector, and financial institutions and regulators in the financial services sector.

Meanwhile, the financial implication of this office is placed at N18,001,042,050, including office equipments and staff salaries and allowances.

It was referred to the senate committee on judiciary and banking for consideration and would be returned in four weeks.

Members of Gender and Constitution Reform Network carrying placards, during the presentation of collated result of peoples' public session on Review of the 1999 Constitution to Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, recently at the National Assembly, in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Rivers PDP crisis: Group endorses Felix Amaechi-led exco

By Umar Muhammad Puma

C

oncerned elders of the people’s democratic party (PDP) and the PDP rivers state legislative forum yesterday expresses their support to Hon. Felix Amaechi Obuah led executive committee of the people’s democratic party in rivers state.

In a press conference in Abuja by chief Sergeant Awusa, and on behalf of the concerned elders said the Abuja high court had exercise its constitutional duties and jurisdiction, when it delivered the judgement that ousted G.

U Ake led exco was well represented by senior advocates and other lawyers.

The group in reacting to the press conference granted by a member of the house of representatives from the state, Rep. Asita Honorable, where he was alleges to have made some derogatory statement and disrespectfully of the office and persons of Mr. President and his wife, when he refers to them as “Oga and Madam at the top”.

According to him, this is an utter nonsense for person of Hon. Asita and his acolytes by exhibiting political immaturity. He caution Hon. Asita against irresponsible

statement pertaining to and concerning the nigerian courts and their judges. “we wish to let Nigerians know that we do not know any Oga and madam at the top,” In their part, the rivers state legislative forum led by Hon. Kingsley Chinda Said, it was least awful scurrilous from a supposed honorable member of the house of representatives and a very senior lawyer to have made such a derogatory statement especially as it affect the office and person of the President and his wife. “let me state clearly and unequivocally that the

members of rivers state legislative forum and indeed every true democrat received the judgement with joy and satisfaction, the judgement had indeed rekindle the hope of the common man in the judiciary and is a sound of warning to Nigerians that the era of installation of public officers by a few, for a few against wishes of the people is gradually being sent to the graveyard”.

The group also call on the members of the PDP in the state to give their unconditional support to the new state executive led by Hon. Felix Amaechi Obuah in preparation for future election.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2012

We are not involved in merger, AD

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he Alliance for Democracy (AD) over the weekend said that they are not part of the merger process to form APC by some political parties. It said also that it has not received invitation to participate in the merger.

In a statement issued by its national secretary, Rafiu Salau, he denounced Chief Micheal Koleoso claims that the AD has joined the merger. "It is

amazing that Chief Micheal Koleoso, a political leader of the ACN in Oyo state, masqueraded as the chairman of AD at the convention of ACN and made a mock statement that the great party was involved in the merger plan, when he is not an AD member".

While adding that those who are trying to deceive the public that AD is one of the political parties for the merger are unfair to the members of the party, he said it is an embarrassment to the political

class, stressing that using falsehood to mislead the people of this nation doesn't guarantee unity in the future of APC. "The kind of leadership that is now displayed is an indication of the possibility of failure of the merger".

"If the group of political parties believe that AD is very relevant in the merger, they should take a step in the right direction by inviting the leadership of the AD. Therefore, AD demands for an apology from all the political parties

involved in the merger that attended the ACN convention" The statement further revealed that the position of AD is that the members of the political parties who are involved in the merger should come to the only party that is principled and ideological.

“There is no doubt that the nation needs an overhaul of its democratic institutions and traditions. Therefore, AD has embarked on the emancipation of the people to embrace AD , their party”.

Edo state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, queues for accreditation, during the state local government election, on Saturday in Benin city.

Clash of interest will kill APC- Ex lawmaker From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

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former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yemi Taiwo, has urged Nigerians not expect much from newly formed All Progressive Congress, declaring that clash of selfish interest will kill the party.

The former House of Representatives member who stated this in a chat with newsmen in Ibadan, also urged President Goodluck Jonathan to close ranks

with former president Olusegun Obasanjo in the interest of peace in south west and Nigeria as a whole.

The former lawmaker recalled that similar alliance was arranged in 2007 which failed because of personal gains, asked Nigerians to wait and see as interest will begin to swallow interest.

“We are all students of history, we know what happened and operates when elections are coming, there were hundred of

mergers in the past unfortuntely, they did not survive.” he said.

Commenting on the rancour between President Jonathan and ex President Olusegun Obasanjo, the lawmaker who represented Iddo/Ibarapa East Federal Constituency between 2007 and 2011, said crisis is ban to happen between two bull allies, but warned that such should be settled amicably.

He maintained that if young man wrong elder, the young man

will apologize and if elder wrong young man, the young man will apologized.

“President Jonathan should go and reconcile with Obasanjo, Jonathan can not win any battle with Obasanjo. OBJ is man specially by God anointed to rule this nation and to be a leader “I am pleading Mr President to close ranks with Baba Obasanjo in the interest of peace for the ruling party, South west and the nation at large.” He said.

CPC group kicks against proposed convention

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

group of aggrieved Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) members has condemned the proposed convention by the Tony Momoh-led CPC, saying the convention is a fraud.

A statement signed by the Protem National Publicity Secretary of the party, Dennis Aghanya, claimed that the proposed midterm national convention of the CPC under the leadership of Momoh is a fraud aimed at deceiving and misleading the ignorant and

innocent members and supporters of the party.

The group, in the statement, insisted that until the legality of the purported national convention that brought in the Momh's leadership is determined by the court, every step taken to determine the faith of the party is illegal.

At this point, he argued that the only legal and authentic national leadership of the CPC is the leadership of Senator Rufai Hanga, who do not only have the possession of the original registration certificate of the party, but also the followership of the true membership

of the party.

He also disclosed that hearing has been fixed within the month, adding that though they are not against the proposed merger but are not part of the arrangement.

It argued that for a convention to be organized by an illegal leadership of a party to affirm the involvement of the party in their proposed merger is funny and does not have any legal backing.

While warning the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be careful before it compounds the problems of the party, and by extension the

proposed APC, the group said that it is waiting to see if the rules of merger guiding the intending political parties would be bent for the Momoh led CPC to fuse into the proposed APC without submitting the original certificate of CPC back to INEC. "We are therefore alerting those who are genuinely expectant of the proposed APC not to hold us responsible for the legal flaws which would arise after the emergence of their proposed new party as a result of the unfinished legal issues on who are the actual national leadership of the CPC." the statement read.

South East PDP refutes alleged bribe to impeach Okorocha

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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he South East Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has denied the allegation by the Speaker of Imo state House of Assembly, Benjamin Uwajumogu, claiming that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the zone offered him N3bn to impeach Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the National Vice Chairman of PDP, South East chapter, Osita Igbe, said the alleged bribe offered by Colonel Akobundu, alongside other persons, was in its entirety infantile, irresponsible and disingenuous.

PDP said that this kind of allegation indicates what the emerging picture of politics in Imo state since April 2011 has been like.

It further accused politicians in the state of playing politics that is based on dishonourable propaganda and flagrant disregard for truth, arguing that even if such plot existed, there is no chance that Colonel Akobundu, who is a former military officer and who knows the value of loyalty, would entrust it to a political 'turncoat' like Uwajumogu.

At this point, PDP described the allegation as another cock and bull tale from a discredited government of confidence tricksters who are doing everything possible to survive.

"It begs the question why anyone would offer a whopping N3billion to impeach a governor who has outlived his usefulness and who is facing definite impeachment

by Imo people come 2015.", the statement read.

He emphasised that if Uwajumogu's intention in fabricating the lies and misleading innocent journalists into publishing them as news, was to blackmail the PDP, it has failed miserably.

According to him, "His worst nightmare scenario is playing out in Imo state. PDP is waxing stronger each day while the megalomaniac, anti-people APGA leadership now relies on fabricated lies to hold on to power."

He therefore condemned the attempt by Uwajumogu to drag the name of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan into his mess, saying that if APGA politicians have no respect for their leaders, the PDP members hold thier own leaders, especially the President and Commander-inChief, who is its national leader, in high esteem.

Igbe, at this point said the Speaker should realise that he is a fall guy in the recent impeachment project against Jude Agbaso, adding that those who reneged on the agreement to nominate him as Deputy Governor basically do not trust him.

"If the alleged meeting took place in August 2012 as he claimed, why is he just revealing it? Is he under pressure to prove his loyalty? Who will trust a political associate who holds back such a sensitive secret for so long?

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

CAF Champions League

Rangers fire blank against Libolo

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igeria’s Enugu Rangers and their Angolan counterparts, CRD Libolo, played out a goalless draw in Enugu yesterday in the first leg of their Africa CAF Champions League clash.

The away team, CRD Libolo, would surely have their goalkeeper, Landu Mavanga to thank for his heroic display between the sticks at some point in the game.

Rangers head coach, Okey Emordi handed Nigeria international goalkeeper, Chigozie Agbim, his debut and the captaincy. The hosts also started out with a three-man attack of Efe Yarhere, Sanusi Sani and Alhaji Gero.

In spite of Rangers’ attacking intent, it was Mavanga who foiled Sani’s shot earlier in the game.

CRD Libolo defended very deep and in numbers too, to keep the score goalless at the break.

With five minutes into the restart, Flying Eagles striker, Gero, who had a quiet afternoon, could only look on as his goalbound was blocked out from going in.

Clearly angry with the attacking trio of Gero, Yarhere and Sani, Rangers gaffer brought on Rasaq Adegbite, Seun Taro and Chisom Egbuchulem as their replacements respectively.

But it was former Enyimba man, Adegbite, who sparked life into Rangers’ late surge to earn a win that never came their way.

Despite laying siege to CRD Libolo’s goal in the four minutes of added time, the Flying Antelopes failed to score and will now have their work cut out in a fortnight at the Estadio Municipal de Calulo in Angola.

PAGE 41

Djokovic beats Nadal to win Monte Carlo Masters title

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orld number one Novak Djokovic ended Rafael Nadal’s eight-year winning run in the Monte Carlo Masters, beating him in straight sets in yesterday’s final.

The Serbian inflicted Nadal’s first defeat in Monte Carlo in 47 matches and avenged last year’s final defeat to lift his first Masters title.

A blistering start saw Djokovic, 25, win the first set 6-2 in 46 minutes, before taking the second set 7-6 (7-1).

Djokovic had struggled with an ankle injury during the early rounds but showed no signs of any ailment as he dominated the early stages of the final.

In their first meeting since Nadal’s French Open final win in June, Djokovic secured the first set after storming into a 5-0 lead, with Nadal having no answer to his opponent’s brilliance.

In a tight second set, Djokovic recovered from going an early break behind but was broken again by a defiant Nadal as the Spaniard moved to within a game of levelling.

However, Djokovic broke

straight back to force the tiebreak, which he took comfortably 7-1 as Nadal’s bid for a ninth

straight title ended in failure.

Nadal is still working his way back to his best form after

returning from an eight-month lay-off due to injury and illness in February.

Djokovic

Congo coach tips Eaglets to win CAF U-17 trophy B

asile Erariki, Head coach of crestfallen junior Red Devils of Congo Brazzaville believes only the Golden Eaglets can justifiably lay claim to the CAF U17 trophy.

The coach also predicted that

Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire are likely to meet again in the of the cadet fiesta on Saturday. But applauded the depth and brilliance of the Eaglets stressing that the players have what it takes to take the world by storm.

Congo were mauled 7-0 by the Golden Eaglets in their last group B game and finished third behind the two West African teams in the group on two points after drawing 1-1 against Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana.

Some Eaglets listening to instruction in the dressing room

Speaking at the post match conference at the Grande Stade de Marrakech, Erariki rated Group B over Group A that had hosts Morocco, Tunisia, Gabon and Botswana.

“I agree that our group was the most difficult. Any of the four teams in this group is good and you could see that the semi-finalists did not emerge here until today.”

“Either Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire or Congo could have qualified easily in the other group but there is nothing we can do about that again. If Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire play the semi finals the way they played us, they can end up being in the finals.”

In a related development, Hon. Dalhatu Sidi Mamman, Sokoto Commissioner for Sports who saw the Golden Eaglets crushed Congo, has equally tipped the team to go all the way.

“I’m quite impressed with the performance of the Golden Eaglets against Congo today. I was quite happy with the way they responded against Congo after their loss to Cote d’Ivoire earlier and I believe they have the capacity to go all the way and win this tournament,” he said.

Garba happy with U-17 W/Cup spot

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igeria head coach, Manu Garba, has expressed excitement with his team’s qualification for the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Championship in the UAE. The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria romped to a 7-0 win over Congo in a Group B game to reach the last four of the African Under-17 Championship in Morocco on

Saturday.

Garba, stated that qualifying for the Under-17 World Cup was always “our first priority at this championship.”

“We are happy that we have eventually qualified for the World Cup because that was our first priority at this championship and we thank God that we have achieved that,” Garba said at the

post-match conference at the Stade de Marrakech.

The Eaglets manager also praised his boys for finishing top of their group ahead of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Congo. But Garba wants his team to now focus on Wednesday’s semifinals.

“We are happy that we eventually top a tough group that had three strong West African

teams and Congo. But we have put this victory over Congo behind us as we forge ahead for the crucial stages of the championship,” he said.

Meanwhile, Coach Manu Garba has debunked claims by Congolese journalists that the Golden Eaglets deliberately lost to the Baby Elephants of Ivory Coast to edge out their team.

“We came here to win all our matches and you could see that my players were crying after we lost to Cote d’Ivoire. Before that game, we have not lost any match for over one year; you could see that we were so pained after that set back,” Coach Garba said.

The Nigerians come up against Tunisia’s under-17s in the semifinals in Marrakech.

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Okagbare wins 200m race as Rodgers posts world best in 100m win

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igeria’s Blessing Okagbare posted the best women’s 200m time of 2013 of 22.31 (wind +1.3m/sec) at the meeting held on the Mount San Antonio College campus east of Los Angeles on Saturday.

The US-based athlete, who had not featured prominently since she failed to clinch a medal at the 2012 London Olympics Games, was impressive in the race as she returned to winniong ways and would surely be gearing up for improved performances this season.

American English Gardner notched a world-leading women’s 100m time with a victory in 11.00sec in a wind of 1.8m/sec.

Meanwhile, Mike Rodgers notched the fastest 100m in the world this year at the Mount SAC Relays on Saturday, while America’s top two sprinters – Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin took to the track in Florida.

Rodgers, the US national champion in 2009, won the Mount SAC 100m in 10.04sec ain an unfavourable wind of 0.4m/sec – ahead of compatriot

Ryan Bailey.

Bailey, a member of the US silver medal-winning 4x100m relay team at the London Olympics, clocked 10.18sec.

At the Kansas Relays in Lawrence, Kansas, Michael Tinsley won the 400m hurdles in a world-leading 48.77 seconds, heading a field that included 2005 world champion Bershawn Jackson.

At Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Olympic champion and world record-holder Aries Merritt won the 110m hurdles in 13.37sec – five-hundredths of a second outside the season’s best.

At the same meeting on the campus of Louisiana State University, Jamaican Natoya Goule won the 800m in 2:00.76, the fastest in the world this year.

At Gainesville, Florida, Gay clocked 45.95sec in a runner-up finish to Tony McQuay (45.88) in a 400m.

Gatlin, who denied Gay the 100m bronze at the London Games by one-hundredth of a second, won the 100m in Gainesville in 10.06sec.

At the Michael Johnson Classic in Waco, Texas, former world

and Olympic 400m champion Jeremy Wariner raced his first

400m of the season, clocking 45.72sec to finish runner-up to

American university stand-out David Verburg (45.56).

Blessing Okagbare

Anniversay Games: Kebede, Jeptoo win emotional London Marathon

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thiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede and Priscah Jeptoo of Kenya triumphed at a sombre London Marathon yesterday as the 36, 000 runners observed 30 seconds silence in honour of the victims of the deadly bomb attacks at the Boston Marathon.

Kebede hunted down 2011 champion Emmanuel Mutai to win the men’s race, while Jeptoo surged to victory in the women’s event, eight months on from her second-place finish at the London Olympics.

South Africa’s Irvette van Zyl improved her personal best by more than two minutes, finishing 10th in the women’s race.

The men’s and mass start races were preceded by a 30second silence in memory of the three people killed and around 180 injured in Monday’s bombings in Boston, while competitors donned black ribbons in tribute.

After a frenetic start in the men’s race, Mutai led Stanley Biwott, Feyisha Lilesa and Ayele Abshero past the 30-kilometre mark just 10 seconds outside world-record pace.

Biwott tried to force the issue but Mutai resisted his Kenyan countryman’s efforts to break clear and found himself in the lead.

However, he began to flag as he approached the Houses of Parliament and Kebede tore past him to cross the line in a time of 2hr 06min 03sec. Mutai trailed in second, with Abshero third.

British Olympic star Mo Farah had helped set the early pace before dropping out, as planned, after an hour.

The 5 000 and 10 000 metres champion at last year’s London Games is preparing to compete over the full distance next year, but he said he had struggled with the demands of marathon running.

Jeptoo, who finished third in last year’s race, streaked away from the women’s field to claim

Tsegaye Kebede

victory ahead of compatriot Edna Kiplagat and Yukiko Akaba of Japan.

London Olympic champion Tiki Gelana collided with men’s wheelchair athlete Josh Cassidy at a drinks station after 52 minutes and the Ethiopian’s challenge never recovered.

As Gelana toiled, Jeptoo led a three-woman breakaway that also featured world champion Edna Kiplagat and 2011 Berlin Marathon champion Florence Kiplagat.

Florence Kiplagat slowly fell back and her namesake Edna could not keep pace with Jeptoo either after the 28-year-old ran the 21st mile in a time of five minutes and 11 seconds.

Jeptoo completed the race’s final stages alone and raised her arms in triumph as she crossed the finish line in front of Buckingham Palace in a time of 2hr 20min 15sec.

Australia’s Kurt Fearnley took the honours in the men’s wheelchair race after pipping Marcel Hug of Switzerland in a sprint for the line.

Britain’s David Weir, who was bidding for a seventh London

Marathon title, was level with Hug as the leading racers entered the final straight but ultimately finished fifth.

American Tatyana McFadden claimed victory in the women’s wheelchair event in a course record time to follow up her success in the equivalent race in Boston.

Earlier, 35 000 runners bowed their heads and observed a moment of reflection in memory of the victims of Monday’s devastating twin bomb blasts in Boston.

Organisers have pledged to donate £2 ($3, 2.30 euros) for every finisher to a fund for the Boston victims.

Meanwhile, the police presence along the 26.2-mile (42.2kilometre) course was increased by 40 percent.

Despite security fears, organisers said 700 000 people took to the streets of London to watch the race on a day of blue skies and bright sunshine in the British capital.

US police arrested one suspect in the Boston bombing on Friday after his brother and fellow suspect was killed in a shootout.

MEN’S RESULTS 1. Tsegaye Kebede (Ethiopia) 2:06:04 2. Emmanuel Kipchirchir Mutai (Kenya) 2:06:33 3. Ayele Abshero (Ethiopia) 2:06:57 4. Feyisa Lilesa (Ethiopia) 2:07:46 5. Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich (Kenya) 2:07:47 6. Stephen Kiprotich (Uganda) 2:08:05 7. Yared Asmerom (Eritrea) 2:08:22 8. Stanley Biwott (Kenya) 2:08:39 9. Hafid Chani (Morocco) 2:09:11 10. Ayad Lamdassem (Spain) 2:09:28 WOMEN’S RESULTS 1. Priscah Jeptoo (Kenya) 2:20:15 2. Edna Ngeringwony Kiplagat (Kenya) 2:21:32 3. Yukiko Akaba (Japan) 2:24:43 4. Atsede Baysa (Ethiopia) 2:25:14 5. Meselech Melkamu (Ethiopia) 2:25:46 6. Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) 2:27:05 7. Mai Ito (Japan) 2:28:37 8. Alevtina Biktimirova (Russia) 2:30:02 9. Susan Partridge (Britain) 2:30:46 10. Irvette van Zyl (South Africa) 2:31:26

... As Kipchoge clinches Hamburg Marathon title

E

liud Kipchoge of Kenya yesterday dusted 15,000 runners to win the Hamburg Marathon even as the join their London Games anniversary counterparts to pay tribute to the victims of the Boston Marathon bomb blasts.

The 28-year-old Kipchoge came home in 2hrs 05.30mins with Ethiopia’s Limenih Getachew second 2min 5sec back, while Kenya’s Lawrence

Kimaiyo was third 4min 57sec adrift.

But thoughts of Boston were not far away and there was a minute’s silence before the Hamburg race for the three people killed and 180 injured in Monday’s attacks.

The Hamburg runners warmed up to the Boston Marathon’s signature tune “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond while many ran with

green and yellow wristbands bearing the inscription “Run for Boston”.

Lithuania’s Diana Lobacevske won the women’s race in 2hrs 29.17mins finishing 1min 33sec ahead of Switzerland’s Maja Neuenschwander while Kenya’s Priscilla Lorchima was third 2min 6sec behind.

There had been security concerns before the race when a suspicious package was found at

an inner city underground station.

Police closed down the U3 metro line, which runs under the port to the city’s town hall, but the object turned out to be an empty box and the all-clear was sounded.

Only eight runners had explicitly cancelled their places in the Hamburg Marathon due to the events in Boston, said organisers.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

PAGE 45

Peoples Daily CLASSIFIED CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS VICTORIA JOSEPH. NOW WISH TO BE CALLED AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. VICTORIA EMMANUEL ABENE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE AND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

Sharapova begins French Open build-up in Stuttgart

W

orld No 2 Maria S h a r a p o v a returns to the Stuttgart tournament as title-holder as the Russian No 1 begins her claycourt

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS NDAGI NDANUSA. NOW WISH TO BE CALLED AND ADDRESSED AS MUHAMMAD NDAGI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ADAEZE JENNIFER OLISAELO 2. EKAETTE PAUL EKONG (MRS) 3. ACHOLONU OBIAGERI VALERIAN 4. TABITHA DAVOU KWON (MRS) 5. SARAH IMARHENAKHUE OGIEFA AIMS 1. TO BRING TOGETHER WOMEN ESTATE SURVEYORS ND VALUERS ACROSS THE NATION IN CANTACT WITH SOCIETY, ASSOCIATIONS OF WOMEN,, ACADEMIC FACILITIES OF ESTATE SURVEYING AND VALUATION. 2. TO PROMOTE THE INTEREST OF THE NIGERIAN WOMEN ESTATE SURVEYORS AND VALUERS ON GENERAL ISSUES AND IN ESTATE SURVEYING AND VALUATION FIELD IN PARTICULAR. 4. TO ADHERE TO LAWS, ETHICS, NORMS AND VALUES OF ESTATE SURVEYING AND VALUATION PRACTICE IN NIGEIA. 5. TO ADVANCE AND PROTECT THE WELFARE OF WOMEN ESTATE SURVEYORS AND VALUERS. 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

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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. REV DAVID ADEGBILE 2. PST MRS CHRISTY ADEGBILE 3. PST JOHN LADAPO. AIMS 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 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

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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. CHAIRMAN-CHIDI RICHARD ALI 2. SECRETARY-OFUASIA CHIDI EUGENE 3. TREASURER-NNAEMEKA JOHN IFEAKOR. AIMS 1. TO CARE FOR THE WELFARE OF ITS 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

Maria Sharapova

preparations ahead of her defence of the French Open.

The 26-year-old has made a bright start to 2013 having reached January’s Australian Open semifinals and picking up her 28th WTA title in March when she beat Caroline Wozniacki in Indian Wells.

Last year, she defeated Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 64 in the final on her debut at Stuttgart’s indoor tournament.

The French Open victory which was to follow gave Sharapova the full set of Grand Slam titles, eight years after she won Wimbledon as a 17year-old.

The Russian said the

foundation of last year’s Roland Garros win was laid in Stuttgart, having once famously compared her movement on clay to “a cow on ice”.

Last year she beat Australia’s Sam Stosur and the Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova on her way to the final and similar confident performances would give her plenty of belief ahead of Roland Garros.

Sharapova said she was looking forward to the Stuttgart tournament where China’s Li Na, who lost this year’s Australia Open final to Azarenka, is the second seed.

With eight of the world’s top 10 players in

Stuttgart, Li is looking to put her recent ankle injury behind her and recapture her Australian Open form.

The injury in February and March forced her to withdraw from the Doha and Dubai tournaments while she lost in the quarterfinals in Miami to eventual winner Serena Williams.

Stosur, ranked ninth, is the sixth seed. She was runner-up in 2010 to Justine Henin.

Former world No 1 players, Wozniacki of Denmark, plus Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic will also be battling it out in Stuttgart.

Cleverly beats Krasniqi, sets sights on two more titles

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athan Cleverly, WBO light -heavy weight champion, is not content with one world title. Now, after beating Robin Krasniqi on points in London on Saturday night, has set sights on two more lightheavyweight titles by the end of 2013.

His defeated of Krasniqi means he has completed his fifth title defence and has expressed his desire to face IBF title holder Bernard Hopkins, who is, at the age of 48, the oldest world champion in boxing history.

The Welshman will fight again before talks about a unification bout can begin with the veteran American.

After beating Krasniqi, Cleverly may face another German boxer, former

WBO champion Jürgen Brähmer, this summer.

But he would prefer to face a rival champion and hopes a deal can be made to face US-based Kazak Beibut Shumenov, the WBA champion.

“I need to stay active and keep the rust away and try to unify the lightheavyweight division in 2013. I’m still learning, but I’m winning and winning quite well now. I want fights that test me; the elite fights, Hopkins and those guys,” Cleverly said.

“He (Krasniqi) was hurt a lot of times, but wasn’t quite ready to go so I had to go back to Plan A and box. I felt good in there and I’m pleased with the performance. It was a nice boxing display.

“At this level it’s

important to break your opponents down because these are world-level fighters, 12-round fighters who are very tough. So you can’t be gung ho and reckless.

“I was surprised he went the full twelve rounds because I hurt him early on with the right hand and I thought that sooner or later he’d go. But he dug in, was very hungry and kept fighting back. It was important that I stayed focused and boxed.

“We may have Brähmer next, but I don’t think he really wants the fight so we may go for a unification fight. Maybe Shumenov will be a good option and the winner maybe gets Hopkins.

“We’ll see if the WBO force the second mandatory, which is

Brähmer, but I don’t mind really.

The unification fights are the ones I want now. If Bernard won’t come out of America I’ll make sure I go to America and take that belt off him. I’m looking forward to unifying now and I believe I can do that.”

Nathan Cleverly

SWAN partners FRSC in monthly keep fit exercise

T

he Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), FCT chapter, on Saturday joined the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in their usual monthly keep fit exercise.

The exercise, organised by the FRSC in Abuja on a monthly basis, was part of the organisation’s way of keeping the staff mentally alert.

Kayode Adeniyi, the Chairman of FCT SWAN, said the partnership was to help SWAN members keep fit since their job required fitness of the body and mind.

“This has to continue. We work every day but we don’t have time to rest. Once we involve our bodies in this exercise at least once every month, even if it is for two or three hours, it will surely count in our body,’’ Adeniyi said.

Osita Chidoka, the FRSC Corps Marshal, said apart from improving the mental alertness of the Road Marshals, the exercise was a way of life of the organisation.

Osita Chidoka, the “If you go by the FRSC Corps Marshal recognition the FRSC

has received from various organisations, including the media, you will see that our work in the last five years has increased; our output has improved.

“The National Productivity Agency said that we are one of the most productive agencies in Nigeria.

“Every investment in FRSC gives commensurate returns for the government. So, we believe that part of what is keeping us successful in our productivity is physical fitness.

“Physical fitness should be a way of life, and for us in the FRSC, it is a way of life. Every Wednesday, we have our exercise activity. I will ask that the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria join us for this exercise regularly,’’ Chidoka said.

Brig. - Gen. Shehu Yusuf, the Director Physical Training and Sports, Nigerian Army, expressed regrets that most individuals don’t have the discipline to exercise their bodies.

He said regular keep fit exercise was among the reasons the personnel of the Nigerian Army was up to task in the fight against terrorism in the country.

Alim Musa, the FCT Director of Sports, said good health was achieved through regular exercise of the body.

“If you want to avoid hypertension, the easiest thing you need to do to check it is exercise. If you are caught up with it, the easiest way you can cure yourself is exercise. So, whichever way you look at it, you need exercise to prevent it and cure it.”

No fewer than 2,000 staff of the FRSC and members of SWAN, FCT chapter, participated in the keep fit exercise.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

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THE ADONAI SANCTUARY THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED SANTUARY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISION OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 2004 UNDER PART C. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.OLUSEYI ADEBAYO YOLOYE 2.BUKOLA SARAH YOLOYE 3.VICTORIA FADERERA OLUBOBOKUN AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO BRING PEOPLE CLOSER TO GOD THROUGH PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. 2.TO LIBERATE THOSE UNDER THE BONDAGE OF THE DEVIL WITH THE WORD OF GOD AND PRAYER. 3.TO DEVELOP A WIDER VISION OF CHRISTIAN LIFE AND ALSO TO STRENGTHEN PEOPLE’S FAITH IN CHRIST. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR –GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DAY OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED BARR. ADEBOWALE AFE.

OLAREWAJU MUSTAPHA ONIREKE FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR ADDITIONAL TRUSTEES UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.ALH. MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN OLAREWAJU 2.HAJIA KHADIJA ABDULHAMID MUSTAPHA 3.MR. AKANDE OLADIMEJI TAOFIQ 4.MR. OLAITAN OLAGOKE AYINLA 5.ALH. MUSTAPHA RASAQ AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1.GIVING AND FACILITATING ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT TO THE PEOPLE AT THE GRASS ROOT. 2.SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE AT THE GRASSROOT TO ACQUIRE RELEVANT SKILLS AND VOCATIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO ATTIN ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE. 3.TO SUPPORT EDUCATION BY WAY OF GIVING SCHOLARSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND SPORTING FACILITATIES TO THE STUDENTS IN THE PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS AT THE GRASSROOT. 4.ENCOURAGING FREE FLOW OF IDEAS AND KNOWLEDGE ON ISSUES RELATING TO POVERTY ERADICATION, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT AMONGST THE PEPLE AT THE GRASSROOT. 5.COLLABORATING WITH GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS TO WARDS JOB CREATION, ERADICATION OF POVERTY AND ILLITERACY AND PROMOTING THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE AT THE GRASSROOT. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRARGENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: HAJIA KHADIJA ABDULHAMID MUSTAPHA SECRETARY

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

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PUBLIC NOTICE

HIMIKEY UNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

LIFE CHANNEL ASSEMBLY INT’L

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED INITIATIVE WITH HEADQUARTERS AT NO. 15 ABRAHAM ADESANYA STREET, APAPA, LAGOS, LAGOS STATE OF NIGERIA HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUTEES ARE: 1.IBRAHIM LADAN WUNTI -CHAIRMAN 2.MRS. HAUWA HASSAN -SECRETARY 3.MRS. SUWAIBAT UMAR DAUDA -TREASURER 4.MRS. FATIMAH IBRAHIM -FIN. SECRETARY AIMS & OBJECTIVES. 1.PROMOTION OF MATERNAL, NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH AS WELL AS GIRL CHILD EDUCATION IN THE NORTH EAST SUB REGION OF NIGERIA, COMPRISING, BAUCHI, YOBE, ADAMAWA AND GOMBE STATES. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR -GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, WUSE ZONE 5 GARKI ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THE PUBLICATION. SIGNED: IRORAKPOR C. C. ESQ. LEGAL PRACTIONER.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED ASSOCIATION WITH HEADQUARTERS AT NO. 15 ABRAHAM ADESANYA STREET, APAPA, LAGOS, LAGOS STATE OF NIGERIA HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUTEES ARE: 1.LAWAN TEAKWANYE 2.HON. JOSEPH T. KWATRI 3.MR. MUSA NDUPWA SOLOS 4.SINI DRAMBI 5.BULUS T. SINI 6.TUMBA DALE 7.LUKA KWAZHE AIMS & OBJECTIVES. 1.TO PROMOTE CULTURE AMONG THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TO PROMOTE UNITY AND SOCIAL ORIENTATION AMONG SOCIETY MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR -GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, WUSE ZONE 5 GARKI ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THE PUBLICATION. SIGNED: USMAN ANDUWI DIBAL ESQ.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1.APOSTLE SAVIOUR FRANCIS UDOOBOT GENERAL OVERSEER 2.NANCY AMAEFULA SECRETARY 3.MRS REGINA PIUS TREASURER 4.CHIDI EKEH THANKGOD ADMIN 5.DEACONESS MRS ENO DOMINGO EDETH 6.DEACONESS JOY SAVIOUR 7.DEACON BENJAMIN ASHUMAN 8.EVANGELIST LIFE GEORGE THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE IS; TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD

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COMPATRIOTS WITHOUT BOUNDARIES FOR UNITY IN NIGERIA

BEARING IN MIND ACTION TO SAVE LIFE INITIATIVE

AMINCHI BUILDERS ASSOCIATION

COMMUNITY INITIATIVE FOR THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH AND EDUCATION SECTOR

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED BODY 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. KINGSLEY CHUKWUEMEKA OKORO - CHAIRMAN 2. KENECHUKWU OBUMSELU AGU - SECRETARY 3. NNAMDI ARTHUR ESOWE 4. OKECHUKWU NNAMDI OKECHUKWU AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE ABSOLUTE PATRIOTISM AND THE ADOPTION OF A COUNTRY FIRST ATTITUDE AMONGST ALL NIGERIANS. 2. TO CREATE A PLATFORM FOR INTERACTION, SELF DEVELOPMENT, EMPOWERMENT AND COLLABORATION FOR YOUNG NIGERIANS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROJECTING UNITY, PEACE AND TOLERANCE IN NIGERIA. 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 KINGSLEY CHUKWUEMEKA OKORO CHAIRMAN

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE 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. AARON T. SHEM - CHAIRMAN 2. ISA I. ISHAKU - SECRETARY 3. HADIZA SAIDU MUHAMMAD 4. AISHATU MUHAMMAD 5. ISA YARIMA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LIVING AMONG YOUTHS AND TO ASSIST MEMBERS ON HOW TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE. 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.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT,AGUIYI IRONSI STREET,MAITAMA,ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; SECRETARY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR AN APPROVAL FOR REGISTRATION UNDER THE PART C OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.MOHAMMED MADAKI KAURA CHAIRMAN 2.AHAMADU MOHAMMED UBA MEMBER 3.SALIHU JIBRIN SHABU MEMBER 4.ALIYU UMARU MEMBER 5.MALLAM YUSUF WADA MEMBER 6.BENJAMIN JOHN MAMA SECRETARY AIMS AND OBJECTIVE TO UNITE BUILDERS, CREATE AWARENESS AMONGST BUILDERS, TO ENHANCE BUILDER’S INTELLECTUAL CAPACITIES, TO CREATE CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATION AND GOVERNMENT, RE-ENTRY, ETC. ANY OBJECTION TO THE ABOVE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 20, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED SECRETARY

SIGNED BENJAMIN JOHN MAMA MEMBER/SECRETARY, AMINCHI BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, LAFIA, NASARAWA STATE.

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PUBLIC NOTICE

BURA WOMEN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

REDEEMED CHRISTIAN LIFE BIBLE CHURCH

RESURRECTED SON OF GOD CHURCH

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. MR. ANJIKWI MUSA CIWAR (OON) - CHAIRMAN 2. MR. MWAJIM MAIDUGU MALGWI 3. MRS. PATI AHMED BASSI 5. MRS. HAUWA MAINA LAWAN 6. MRS. DIANA DAWHA 7. BARR. HAUWA ZOAKA - SECRETARY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE UNITY UNDERSTANDING AND EFFECTIVE COOPERATION AMONG MEMBERS. 2. TO PROTECT, FOSTER AND COORDINATE COMMON INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE INTERESTS. 3. TO ENHANCE THE GENERAL WELFARE AND THE BETTERMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE 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.

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.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1.APOSTLE NWOGU COSMAS OBINNA MICHEAL 2.PASTOR MRS EBERE NWOGU 3.PASTOR LEVINUS IWUCHUKWU 4.PASTOR STANLEY NWOGU 5.BRO.MONDAY OKORIE 6. BRO CHIGOZIE AGUSOEGBE 7. DEACON BECKLEY ENUMAH THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1.TO PROVE THAT ONLY ONE JESUS RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD, AND HIS NAME IS ‘RESURRECTED JESUS’.

2.TO GIVE BIRTH TO NEW SET OF BELIEVING CHRISTIANS THAT WILL BE IN CONTROL OF THIS WORLD AND MAKE HEAVEN. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT,AGUIYI IRONSI STREET,MAITAMA,ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED SECRETARY

SIGNED LEONARD UGBAJAH

SIGNED BY; APOSTLE NWOGU COSMAS OBINNA MICHEAL

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GARU GLOBAL FOUNDATION

BLESSED FAMILY EVANGELICAL MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL

TWINS SALVATION MINISTRY

THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION 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.ALHAJI AHMED MOHAMMED LAME 2.ALHAJI AHMED ABUBAKAR GANA 3.ALH. ADAMU YA’U GITAL 4.MR. UMAR NALADO ABUBAKAR THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. TO PROMOTE UNITY, UNDERSTANDING AND MUTUAL CO-EXISTENCE AMONG MEMBERS. 2.TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE LESS PRIVILEGE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY WITH EDUCATIONAL AND MEDICAL FACILITIES. 3.TO PROMOTE GIRL-CHILD EDUCATION. 4.TO PROVIDE SKILL ACQUISITION AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR YOUTHS. 5.TO ENCOURAGE THE PARTICIPATION OF YOUTHS IN COMMUNITY BASED PROJECTS. 6.TO CREATE AWARENESS ON THE NEED TO CURB THE HIV/AIDS SCOURAGE AND OTHER SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE. 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 SECRETARY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH 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. BISHOP DR. JOSEPH TIM EDUOK 2. PASTOR (MRS) BLESSING JOSEPH EDUOK 3. EVANG. UMO SUNDAY AKPAN ENO 4. EVANG. EMMANUEL AKPAN 5. BRO. UDUAK UKO 6. ELDER IQUO VICTOR EBONG 7. DEACONESS COMFORT GODFREY ABBA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO PREACH, TEACH AND PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION.

THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH 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.AKPAN EMMANUEL PAUL PRESIDENT 2.EVANG. EMMANUEL INNIOBONG VICE PRESIDENT 3.EVANG. OKOLIE LONGINUS GINIKA SECRETARY 4.UMONWAH MICHAEL OKON TREASURER 5.DEACON PAUL E. AKPAN MEMBER THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST 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 AKPAN EMMANULE PAUL PRESIDENT

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY 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. PROPHETESS HELEN OMO-OGIESOBA, 2. PROPHETESS EVELYN EHIGENE, 3. PASTOR JOLLY OMO-OMOGIESOBA, 4. PASTOR OMOS EHIJENE, 5. GOODLUCK OGIES IZEHIUWA, 6. KELVIN EHIJENE GODS POWER OGIES IZEHIUWA, 7. EMMANUEL EHIJENE. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF GOD TO ALL NATION. 2. TO SAVE THE LOST SOUL THROUGH THE POWER OF GOD. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

LECAL NOTICE

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PUBLIC NOTICE

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE PROBATE DIVISION BIRNIN KEBBI, KEBBI STATE

FOUNDATION FOR PEACE AND SECURITY EDUCATION

Whereas the person/persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column.

And whereas the person(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the GRANT LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of the personal property.

SABI’U BALA SHUAIBU Probate Registrar

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE; 1.COMPOL (BARR.) LAWRENCE EKO-ALOBI (RTD.) MON CHAIRMAN 2.MRS. ALICE E. ALOBI 3.BARRISTER HYP EGBUNE (SECRETARY) 4.MR. FRANK EJIZU 5.ADEYEMI AYODELE OMIDIJI 6.HRH ETIM OKON EDET, PARAMOUNT RULER, BAKASSI 7.BARR. MRS. ROSEMARY OBANYE 8.CHIEF CHIKWENDU UDENSI 9.MR. TUNDE OJO 10. BARR. (MRS) AUGUSTA ERADIRI 11. CHIEF JULIUS AMAORJI THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE IS; 1. TO PROMOTE PEACE, SECURITY, DEMOCRATIC AND HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN PROSPERITY. 2.TO DESIGNED AND DELIVER INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES AIMED AT ADDRESSING CONFLICT AND ENTHRONING PEACE AND SECURITY. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT,AGUIYI IRONSI STREET,MAITAMA,ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED; BARR. ABDULRAHMAN ABUBAKAR

SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ZION BIBLE MINISTRY THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY 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. IFEOMA NWAFOR CHAIRPERSON BOT 2. CHARLES NWAFOR 3. APOSTLE COLLINS OKEREKE 4. CHIAMAKA NWAFOR 5. CHIZOBA CHIJIOKE SECRETARY 6. BARRISTER NWANKWO AMECHI 7. UCHENNA NWAFOR 8. UCHE OKAFOR AIMS 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 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. NWANKWO AMECHI (07036628105)

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PUBLIC NOTICE

OTU-UZO PROGRESSIVE CLUB LAGOS

OYEMEKUN INTERNATIONAL CLUB, BALTIMORE, USA

Notice is hereby that the said LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION be granted to such person(s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT” the grant thereof is field in the probate Registry of the above named court within twenty-one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE DECEASED NAME & ADDRESS

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT

DANDARE HUSSAINI MALAM MASAUDU MOH’D DANDARE 231 Battalion, Nigeria Army, No. 15 Sabon Gari Rd. Kamba Abogo Largema L.G.A., Kebbi State P.M.B. 1557, Borno State, BIU Who died on 21st day of October, 2012 Dated at Birnin Kebbi on the 15th day of April, 2013

ORLU ELDERS ASSEMBLY THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANIZATION 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. PROF. ANTHONY GOZIE ANWUKAH CHAIRMAN 2. HRH. EZE JOHN OKORIE NWOSU VICE CHAIRMAN 3. ENGR. CHIEF SONNIE HART IBEH SECRETARY 4. BARR. CHIEF PETER MGBENWELU 5. CHIEF (DR.) SAM UKADIKE 6. BARR. CHIEF GODFREY CUKWUNENJO IZUNOBI 7. RT. HON. JONATHAN OGU ONYEAMA 8. HON CHIEF ANSELM EJISOBI ONUNKWO 9. CHIEF (MRS) GERTRUDE EGO ODUKA 10. HON. (DR) GODDY ESOM OBODO AIMS 1. TO CATER FOR THE OVERALL CULTURAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF CITIZENS OF IMO WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT (ORLU ZONE)

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY EIGHT (28) DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED MR. ANUSIONWU CHRISTIAN MADUABUCHUKWU CHAIRMAN

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CLUB 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. DR. JOSEPH ADEGUNDE 2. DR. OLUWATAYO ALADE 3. ENGR. OLUWATUYIN OLUWALADE 4. HIGH CHIEF DARE ALO 5. MR ISAAC BABALOLA 6. MR CHARLES OTOKITI AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF NIGERIANS IN BALTIMRE USA 2. TO CATER FOR THE WELFARE OF HER PEOPLE. 3. TO LIAISE WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION IN PROVIDING TRAINING OR TECHNICAL AIDS TO INDIVIDUAL AREAS OF INTEREST. 4. TO LIAISE WITH GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS IN PROVIDING INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT TO HER COMMUNITY. 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: VICTOR BENSON MOMOH ESQ 08066317649, 08127340620

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WALK BY PRAISE PROPHETIC MINISTRY

IMMACULATE HOUSE OF GOD MINISTRY

FREE MINDS UNITED FRIENDS CLUB OF NIGERIA

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY 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. PROPHET JOSEPH ALEX 2. MR OLA OLASEHINDE OBAFEMI 3. JOSEPH CHILEZIE MBAGWU 4. MICHAEL ONYEBUCHI ANI 5. KATE NKEM ALEX 6. AUGUSTINE EKWUGHA AIMS 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. 2. TO UNITE THE BODY OF CHRIST. 3. TO CREATE AWARENESS ON THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST. 4. TO STRENGTHEN THE BODY OF CHRIST. 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: JEFF. OKOAFOR (08037863148)

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY 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 CLUB 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. MR SYLVESTER NWANKWO CHAIRMAN 2. MR VITUS ONYEBUCHI SECETARY 3. MR ONYEMA UGWUAJI FINANCIAL SECRETARY 4. MR CHUKWUMA IGWE P.R.O 5. MR PAUL KALU TREASURER AIMS 1. TO PROMOTE OUR CLUB. 2. TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT. 3. TO HELP MEMBERS IN TERM OF DIFFICULTIES.

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MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD DELIVERANCE FIRE MINISTRY

FAITH RECOVERY INT’L CHRISTIAN CENTRE

ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY 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 CENTRE 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. BISHOP JOE SOLOMON 2. PASTOR MRS ABIGIAL JOE SOLOMON 3. PASTOR PRINCE JOE SOLOMON 4. EVANGELIST MRS. ROSE EMMANUEL ESSIEN AIMS 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE NATIONS. 2. TO PLANT CHURCHES AND EXPAND THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

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. OLUCHI OGBONNA CHAIR LADY 2. FLORENCE UWAZIE VICE 3. ESTHER EZENWAFOR GEN SECRETATRY 4. CHIKAUDIRI ANIGBOGU TREASURER AIMS 1. TO HELP WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES PROVE THAT LIABILITY IS NOT LIABILITY 2. TO PROVIDE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM TO PROVE THEMSELVES AND COMPETE IN ALL FACETS OF LIFE. 3. TO CONTRIBUTES THEIR QUOTA TO THE ECONOMIC SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR FATHERLAND. 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

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. ANUSIONWU CHRISTIAN MADUABUCHUKWU - CHAIRMAN 2. HERBERT M. UKACHU FOUNDER 3. OKWANDU DOMINIC CHUKWUNYERE - WELFARE 4. OGBODO INNOMA AMAECHI - CHIEF PROVOST 5. BERNARD UKACHUKWU IBE - PATRON 6. DIALA CHIMA SUNNY - FINANCIAL SECRETARY 7. NGWAKWE CHIDI - TREASURER 8.KINGSLEY CHIGBO EGENU - GENERAL SECRETARY 9.IKE CHIDIEBERE ROMANUS - MEMBER THE OBJECTIVE: TO WORK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF MEMBERS’ WELFARE.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PROPHETESS HELLEN OLUCHI CHRISTOPHER 2. PASTOR CHRISTOPHER ONYINYECHUKWU NGOZI OLUCHI 3. EVANGELIST BRIGHT OSINACHI SAMUEL AIMS 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST TO ALL PEOPLE 2. TO RECONCILE MEN TO 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. ADANCHIN MAKANDIK ELIJAH ESQ 07033976049.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. OKUNFOLAMI JACOB FUNSHO 2. MR GREGORY OZEGBE 3. MRS OMOLARA FUNMILOLA OKUNFOLAMI 4. PASTOR EMMANUEL LAZARUS NENTY AIMS 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. 2. TO EVANGELIZE THE WORLD IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST AND PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. 3. TO DELIVER AND RESTORE MAN TO HIS CREATOR. 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: MCNERRY IDUH, ESQ. TEL: 08036899951.

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. ADANCHIN MAKANDIK ELIJAH ESQ 07033976049.

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: BARRISTER KALU UKA HUMPHREY (08056115474)

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.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

Some Interesting Facts •The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating its letters is uncopyrightable.

•Windmills always turn counter-clockwise.

•The "Sixth Sick Sheik's Sixth Sheep's Sick" is the hardest tonguetwister.

•The longest English word without a vowel is twyndyllyngs which means "twins".

•1 x 8 + 1 = 9; 12 x 8 + 2 = 98; 123 x 8 + 3 = 987; 1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876; 12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765; 123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654; 1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543; 12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432; 123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321 •The word "dreamt" is the only common word in the English language that ends in "mt".

•Albert Einstein never wore any socks.

•The average human will eat 8 spiders while asleep in their lifetime.

•In space, astronauts cannot cry because there is no gravity.

•Hummingbirds are the only creatures that can fly backwards.

•An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

•Cockroaches can live 9 days without their heads before they starve to death.

•A flamingo can eat only when its head is upside down.

•The lighter was invented before the match.

•It is physically impossible for pigs to look up at the sky.

•The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year!

•Scientists with high-speed cameras have discovered that rain drops are not tear shaped but rather look like hamburger buns.

•The first Internet domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com on March 15, 1985.

•When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone back in 1876, only six phones were sold in the first month.

•Approximately 7.5% of all office documents get lost.

•Business.com is currently the most expensive domain name sold: for $7.5 million.

•In 2001, the five most valuable brand names in order were Coca-Cola, Microsoft, IBM, GE, and Nokia.

•In Canada, the most productive day of the working week is Tuesday.

•In a study by the University of Chicago in 1907, it was concluded that the easiest colour to spot is yellow. This is why John Hertz, who is the founder of the Yellow Cab Company picked cabs to be yellow.

•It takes about 63,000 trees to make the newsprint for the average Sunday edition of The New York Times.

SUDOKU

PAGE 47

Say what?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Last edition’s solution

Star attraction: A seagull stands on the chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel, during the second Source: Dailymail.co.uk day of voting for the election of a new pope

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MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

Suarez may face FA hammer over 'bite'

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iverpool forward Luis Suarez could face retrospective action from the Football Association after seemingly biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.

The incident occurred in the second half of Liverpool's 22 draw with Chelsea at Anfield yesterday, as Suarez battled for the ball with Ivanovic in the Blues' penalty area.

Ivanovic was seen appealing to referee Kevin Friend after his tussle with Suarez, and television replays appeared to show the forward sinking his teeth into the defender's arm.

No action was taken against the Uruguay international, which was already on a yellow card after giving away a penalty for handball, which Eden Hazard duly tucked home.

The FA will now wait for referee Friend's report, and should the official not mention it, Suarez could face retrospective action.

The striker had the final say on the outcome of the game as he scored in the dying seconds to clinch a draw for his side and dent Chelsea's Champions League qualification hopes.

In 2010, Suarez, during his time at Ajax, was given a seven-match ban for biting PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal's shoulder.

In 2006, Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe faced no further action from the Football Association after appearing to bite West Ham's Javier Mascherano.

Suarez biting Ivanovic ADVERT: BUSINESS: NEWS: LAGOS:

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QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE If you want people to negotiate on behalf of the government, you have to consult and secure an agreement with them. But that was not done.

- Dr. Junaidu Mohammed, National Coordinator, Northern Politicans, Academics and Busnessmen, on why people are refusing to serve on Boko Hama amnesty committee

The North stops running Necessity unites hearts - German proverb

A

n extraordinary meeting was convened last week Monday at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center, Abuja by the Northern Elders Forum, a group that appears to house the residue of political influence and credibility in northern leadership. The meeting was to give muscle and support for its inputs into proposals for an effective engagement between government and insurgencies of Jamaatu Ahlil Sunnah Lid Daawati Wal Jihad and Ansar which it planned to submit to President Jonathan. The Forum had met with the President a few days earlier, during which it made a strong case for dialogue which should be preceded by the grant of amnesty. In the days following that meeting, there were widespread and divergent reactions to the setting up of a committee under the National Security Adviser (NSA) to advise on a framework for amnesty and dialogue, if it was the way out. As expected, the overwhelming reaction from the North was in support of the intention to explore options to the militarization of substantial parts of the region and the traumatization of the lives of citizens by both the insurgency and the security agents of the state. A few voices were raised against pardon without restitution for christian churches and lives taken by the insurgency. On the other hand, there was a chorus of condemnation from traditional nay sayers in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and a few political circles. Finally, although this would not have been reported, there must have been some resistance from security circles, since the military has become a major stakeholder in this conflict that shows no sign of yielding a victor.

Attention had become focused on the nature of the framework which the President may adopt in dealing with dialogue and peaceful resolution. It is safe to assume that many interests were at play to shape it; from those which would advise in favour of a controlled and limited framework designed to give government a firm grip on the process, to those who would suggest a comprehensive and largely autonomous framework that should target full acceptance, dialogue, restitution, rehabilitation and reconciliation as goals. Some other positions would have taken cognizance of the repudiation of the concept and offer of amnesty by leader of the JASLIWAJ, Abubakar Shekau as

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FIFTEEN MINUTES with Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed drbabaahmed@yahoo.com soon as it was even mentioned, and may have advised in favour of a strategy which seeks dialogue and reinforcement of existing strategies at the same time.

The Northern Elders had summoned retired Chief Justices and other senior judicial officers, senior technocrats, retired heads of military, police and intelligence services, politicians and an impressive array of other northerners who had served the nation with distinction and who may never have thought they would attend a meeting of that nature, to make further inputs into its own suggestions. The meeting turned out to be anything but a tame and measured gathering of elders who had been asked to make inputs into work in progress.

The first sign that it was to be anything but a routine meeting was the large attendance of very senior retired security officers.

Generals, including a few who held top, command positions do not make a habit of attending meetings summoned by elderly citizens and politicians in large numbers. When they join former Chief Justices and heads of police and other security agencies and politicians and elder statesmen who have stepped forward into public limelight over the state of security in the North, it could only signify that something is seriously amiss.

Secondly, the mix in the attendance was evidence that the meeting was a response to some deep-seated sentiment which had been twicked. It had people who had never shown an overt interest in political or public matters since disengaging, either owing to character or demands of positions they held, or personal experiences.

It had Christian and Muslim Northerners who lived lives only as Northerners in a nation which went where the North went. It had people who fought in the civil war, or were part of every major development in the history of the nation in the last 40-odd years. It had people who had crossed swords on many occasions, colleagues and comrades who had fallen out; victims and beneficiaries of intrigues and historians who chronicled how the North won and

lost the power game, all seated in the same room. It had elderly people who labored to keep attention and energy focused on the future, rather than around elaborate lamentations of a glorious past of which they were architects and beneficiaries. It has a smattering of relatively younger elders who think they are by right entitled to call the shots, but cannot do so owing to the state of the North and the nation.

Then you had the intense anger and frustrations which poured out of elderly men and women who two decades ago were the reference points in Nigerian politics. How could the nation have been reduced to what it is today: insecure, unsure and so dangerously divided? How did the North lose so spectacularly in the delicate management of power, and who was responsible for dropping the ball? How could the awesome political arsenal of the North have been so whittled down that it is now virtually an instrument in the hands of other Nigerians to manipulate for their own political interests? How could this insurgency have been allowed to grow and develop into what it is today: a veritable war machine which is even more dangerous because it attracts the vengeful powers of the Nigerian state to destroy lives, communities, infrastructure, the economy and political fortunes of the North?

How is it possible that the militarization of many parts of the North is the only strategy of the government, and why is the administration reluctant to examine other options? What does the law say about military mobilization and management of internal security, and what are governors doing about it?

Still more questions: why has it taken this long for anyone, anyone at all, to summon a meeting of this nature? Where are other northern elite groups or leaders? What is being done about northern elite disunity? Who will advise the President that the northern population sees the military as any army of occupation? How would the insurgents know that the people have had enough, and it is time stop killing them and ruining

their lives? What needs to be done by the people at the meeting to help the peace process? Where are northern political leaders, governors and others with influence? What are they doing to influence the thinking and actions of the President and his key advisers on this insurgency?

What next, after the meeting?

The import of the meeting which lasted three hours went far beyond its rather bland and restrained communiquĂŠ. There were many revelations which were, however limited to the meeting room. One was the significant response of highlyplaced northerners to the need to discuss issues and proposals on how the insurgency and the response of government to it are destroying the north. It is not an exaggeration to say there has not been anything even remotely resembling this public display of commitment from people who were in large measure, responsible both for the rise and fall of the north. Two, the Christians at the meeting, by no means inconsequential in their communities, reinforced the sentiment that all Northerners are paying an unacceptable price for this conflict, and want to see an end to it. The mixed nature of those who attended, and the heart-rending lamentations of the good old days when the strength of the North laid in its ability to manage its cultural and religious pluralism as an asset, suggests that a campaign to continue to exploit ethno-religious fautlines in the North may meet with stiffer resistance.

Three, there was a very strong resolve to work both against the insurgency and a government which merely makes life more difficult for its victims. Four, the North is virtually on its knees but is going to fight back because this not a position it wants to be, or is accustomed to be in. Five, northern leaders are determined to work towards the fastest and most comprehensive resolution of this conflict, and a genuine reinvention of the northern economy and society. Six, the gulf which exists between critical elements of the northern elite, as well as that between the elites as a whole and the federal government is hurting the North, the federal government and the nation.

Seven, and finally, the meeting drew a line for the North. It said in clear terms that the region is done with running, and being run over.

It will take back its destiny, and repair the severe damage being done to its future generations.

Anyone who has an interest in managing the affairs of the nation now or in the future should note this.

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 805 727 9862. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141