Peoples Daily Newspaper, Tuesday 25, February, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 10 No. 42

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Rabiul Akhir 16, 1434 AH

N150

No going back on Reps may reject Nasarawa: Two students killed, varsity N4bn Mission House, $1.56bn proposed says First lady NNPC loan shut over protest >> PAGE 3

>> PAGE 5

>> PAGE 38

Jonathan’s plot to remove Amaechi fails again

By Lawrence Olaoye

A

nother attempt by governors loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan to wrest power from the grip of the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi of River state, failed again yesterday as

…as NGF postpones election till May opposition governors in the ranks opposed the move.

This is coming as the NGF at the end of its meeting yesterday resolved to postpone its election billed to effect the change of leadership of the Forum till May.

Most of the PDP governors who attended the meeting left for the NGF meeting thereafter, but it was gathered that loyalists of Akpabio waited behind to take decisions on what should be done to ensure that the new Chairman

of the PDP Governors’ Forun takes over the mantles of leadership from Amaechi However, the NGF meeting which ended at about 7;45 pm in the evening failed to produce the leadership change, loyalists of

President Goodluck Jonathan had envisaged.

After series of deliberation, the meeting which was well attended both by PDP governors and others elected on the platform of opposition parties, resolved to postpone the election till May this year.

It was gathered that governors Contd on Page 2

Okonjo-Iweala in FIRS top job controversy

By Hammeed M. Bello

T

he Minister of Finance and coordinating minister for the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has come under allegations of breach of due process in the appointment of a substantive executive chairman for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) which is under the supervision of her ministry.

Okonjo-Iweala is being accused of exploiting her office to plant her preferred candidate for the top job, allegedly in defiance of federal character principle and due process requirement in recruitments into federal government positions.

The process for appointing a substantive executive chairman Contd on Page 2

PD INDEX

25th Feb., 2013

CBN RATES $ £ EURO CFA RIYAL

BUYING 154.74 236.22 203.87 0.2964 41.26

SELLING 155.74 237.75 205.18 0.3164 41.52

PARALLEL RATES EURO £ RIYAL $

BUYING 208 254.50 42 157

SELLING 210 257.50 43 158

L-R: Nasarawa state Governor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-makura, Niger state Governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Rivers state Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Akwa Ibom state Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, and other governors, addressing journalists after the Forum's meeting, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

CONTENTS News

2-10

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

23

S/Report

24-25

Defence

26-27

Agric

28-29

PDP Govs Forum to counter APC — Akpabio

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he newly elected Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Godswill Akpabio yesterday disclosed that the body was formed to respond to the emerging challenge of the evolving opposition party, All Progressives’ Congress (APC).

Akpabio who spoke with newsmen after a meeting held in Akwa-Ibom House in Abuja said the Forum was formed to holistically x-ray the affairs of the ruling party with a view to

repositioning it to meet the fresh challenge from the opposition merger.

He said “We are of the opinion that we should take steps to set up structures to meet the emerging challenge of APC. And part of the resolution is that we should have continued interaction of the party, the NWC, leadership of the Board of Trustees and the build a synergy with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum “We set a committee to evaluate the situation in the South-West and we will be communicating with the

southwest leaders and that committee is headed by Governor Ibrahim Shema.

Governor Shema and the leaders of that committee would be meeting with the leaders of the southwest and they will come with resolutions that can resolve the issue in the South-west.

“We also looked into the issue of Adamawa state PDP and came to the conclusion that we should allow Governor Sule Lamido’s Committee to do its work to report immediately to the party, NWC and the Presidency.

Prince Audu's son, wife to be arraigned today

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Mustapha Audu, son of former Kogi state governor, Prince Abubakar Adudu, along with Mustapha’s wife, Zahrah.

The duo was arrested

yesterday in connection with a property scam to the tune of N18 million.

Preliminary reports say that the suspects through their company, Constructors Guild Limited, obtained the money from one Nike Kolawole under

the guise of helping her secure choice properties in Katampe Extension, and Caemly Estate, Idu Sabo, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

They are expected to be arraigned at the Federal High Court 12, Maitama, Abuja.

Gunmen kill MOPOL Commander in Kano From Edwin Olofu, Kano

U

nidentified gunmen on Monday evening attacked and killed the Commander Police Mobile Force in charge of MOPOL 9 Kano.

Eyewitness accounts said the gunmen had trailed Superintendent Dahiru Musa Majiya to his residence on Sabuwar Gandu in the Kano metropolis in car and shot him at a close range. He reportedly died on the spot.

The account added that when the gunmen stormed the area, they fired sporadically into the air as residents scampered for safety.

Operatives of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) who later arrived the scene of the incident, cordoned off the entire place but could not make any arrests.

The deceased was transferred recently to Kano.

Jonathan’s plot to remove Amaechi fails again New emirate councils: Katsina State House of Assembly’s wrong moves, Page 4

Newsxtra Int’l

30 31-34

Strange World 35 Digest

36

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-45

Leisure

47

Columnist

48

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

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

Phones for News: 070-37756364 09-8734478

Contd from Page 1 from the opposition parties stood their ground and insisted that the plan to elect a new chairman on Monday be shelved on the premise that Amaechi's tenure has not ended.

It was gathered that the plan to forcefully remove Amaechi was

frustrated by the opposition governors who stood their ground that the constitution of the forum must be strictly followed and that Amaechi must be allowed to complete his tenure.

After exhaustive debate and arguments, the supporters of Godwill were forced to accept the

resolution that Anaechi be allowed to complete his tenure of office.

The two paragraph communique issued and signed by Rotimi Amaechi, the NGF Chairman at the end of the meeting reads thus ; " Members reviewed the affairs of the forum in the past 21 months detailing activities,

achievements and challenges experienced during the period.

"After exhaustive deliberation on it he issues regarding filling vacant positions, the forum resolved that election in this regard be postponed until May when the Chairman's initial twoyear tenure will expire".

Okonjo-Iweala in FIRS top job controversy Contd from Page 1 for the FIRS had commenced in April, 2012 with a pronouncement by President Goodluck Jonathan that the position should be advertised and filled through a competitive process to produce the most qualified candidate.

Inside sources however informed Peoples Daily yesterday that Okonjo-Iweala, working in concert with some of her close associates, has allegedly made the process not competitive by blocking candidates from other regions in a bid to pave way for her preferred candidate suspected to lack the requisite experience and qualification in tax administration in Nigeria.

It was gathered that out of close to 30,000 applicants that applied for the job, Okonjo-Iweala and the former chairman of the FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui chose applicants without scrutinizing their certificates and following approved interview procedures.

Among the six candidates shortlisted, one is said to be a graduate of Chemistry.

The criteria adopted to arrive at the three names that were shortlisted were also controversial, the source said, adding that the next chairman of FIRS may be someone who has never paid tax in Nigeria in the last five years because she is

ordinarily resident abroad.

“It’s also important to note that out of 52 years of Nigeria’s independence, the leadership position was only occupied by a northerner for only five years and the fact that last eight years have been occupied by southerners logically mean the position should now come to the northern part of Nigeria.

“What baffled all those that applied for the job, was that nobody was asked to present his claimed academic or evidence of experience stated in the application for verification. The criteria adopted to arrive at the three names are best known to Ifueko and Okonjo-Iweala,” the source said.

All the six candidates are from one geo-political zone of the country without recourse to federal character principle as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it was gathered.

Our source said that several applicants who felt shortchanged by the manipulative process have challenged the propriety of appointing external consultants, Phillips Consulting, to carry out a process, which is ordinarily the prerogative of the President.

According to him: “It was the view of several applicants that the President was unduly ceding his powers to Consultants on the

misleading advice of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Honourable Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

“It was also felt that the process and criteria adopted by the consultants was illegal as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2007 clearly provided that the appointment of the Executive Chairman of the FIRS was to be done by the President subject to the confirmation of the Senate. The Act did not create room for the use of Consultants to carry out a process, which would have been better handled by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as has been previously done. In addition, the criteria put out by the Consultants were at variance with the requirements in the FIRS (Establishment),” he said.

A reliable source within the Ministry of Finance, who did not want to be named, stated that various persons within the Ministry had queried the process adopted by the Minister in arriving at the list of persons who were invited to the interview, adding that only the Minister and the Permanent Secretary were involved in the selection process and only they knew or could state what criteria they adopted.

“The involvement of the immediate past Executive

Chairman of the FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui Okauru in the process was also queried because being the immediate past Executive Chairman, she is an interested party, whose neutrality cannot be guaranteed,” the source said.

“It’s unfortunate that, the appointment into the 2nd highest revenue generating body next to oil in Nigeria should be left in the hands of two ladies whose judgments are suspect,” the source said.

For example, it was rumoured that she facilitated the appointment of the current Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi, even though he was not the most senior officer of the FIRS at the time that Mrs. Okauru left office and is not qualified for the position. The source noted that Mrs. Okauru’s attempts to ensure Alhaji Mashi was invited for the interview failed as it was pointed out that he did not have the required qualifications set out in the advertisement for the position.

However, all attempts to contact the Federal Ministry of Finance for their response to the allegations failed as the spokesman of the Ministry, Mr. Paul Nwabuiku, who is the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, did not respond to several calls and text messages sent to his mobile phone.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 3

Northern govs to terrorists: Give peace a chance

T

L-R: President, Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), Dr. Abdul-Alimi Bello, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Vice-Chancellor, Veritas University, Prof. Mike Kwanashie, during the 34th Kaduna Internatinal Trade Fair seminar, yesterday in Kaduna.

Photo: NAN

Nasarawa: Two students killed, varsity shut over protest From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

T

wo students were reportedly killed yesterday, allegedly by soldiers who were said to have shot in the air in an attempt to disperse protesting students of the Nasarawa State University Keffi, who blocked the busy KeffiAbuja road as they expressed their grievances over the scarcity of drinking water on the campus of the university and its environs.

Our reporter gathered that when effort by the management of the institution to prevail on the rampaging students to call off the

strike failed, armed security men were drafted to disperse the students, as a result of which two students were allegedly shot and killed .

Commuters were stranded for hours following the blockade of the road by the protesting students.

The Nasarawa state police command spokesman, Michael Ada, however failed to confirm that two student lost their lives. He said that the situation at the university has been brought under control and that investigations were still ongoing, with a promise to get back to our reporter with the latest on

Give priority to agriculture, Abdulsalami advises FG From Nasir Mu’azu Isa, Kaduna

T

he former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, has asked federal and state governments to give priority to agriculture in their fiscal policies arguing that the sector is still the biggest contributor to our GDP with over 40 per cent.

Abdulsalami spoke yesterday during a seminar organized by the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), at the on-going 34th edition of the Kaduna International trade fair.

He also urged governments at all levels make primary and secondary school education free so that a larger section of the people can have access to education.

According to Abdulsalami who chaired the ceremony, "a country that cannot sleep and wake up secure in the knowledge that it's values, interests and citizens are

safe from external attacks, internal insurrection and serious criminal activitie, such a country cannot make any progress."

Vice Chancellor of Catholic University of Nigeria, Prof. Mike Kwanashie who was the guest speaker, noted that in spite burgeoning foreign revenues accruing to the country, Nigeria's population is still among the poorest in the world.

According to him, the security situation in the country worsened with the exit of the military, as, according to him, " the different crises that have plagued the north have religious undertone and the objective has always been economic and political.

"Corruption, economic mismanagement, land disputes and lack of aid for victims or punishment for troublemakers have all fuelled terrorism and insecurity in the nation."

the incident.

Meanwhile, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura, has ordered the immediate closure of the university, asking students to vacate the institution with immediate effect.

A statement, signed by Sani Mairiga, media aide to the governor said that the closure followed the demonstration staged by the students leading to the blockage of the Keffi-Abuja road for hours.

On its part, management of the university, in a press statement signed by the Registrar of the

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday approved the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC) for the compulsory retirement of Justice Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court, Lagos saying that the judiciary must be purged of corrupt elements.

Announcing that it had already suspended two judges, the NJC last Thursday requested the President and Plateau state governor Jonah Jang to sack two judges, Justice Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court, Lagos, and Justice T. D. Naron of the High Court of Justice, Plateau State.

Speaking to State House correspondents on the issue after a meeting with President Jonathan, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke noted that Justice Archibong's compulsory retirement was with immediate effect.

The President, Adoke said, holds strongly that the war against corruption would be more effective if the country's judiciary was purged of corrupt elements.

"This is to inform you that

university, Alhaji Dalhatu Mamman, maintained that following the inability of the students to heed to its spirited efforts to persuade them to accept the alternative measures put in place by supplying water through bore holes and water tankers, the Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of Senate of the university, had approved the indefinite closure of the institution to avoid further breakdown of law and order.

The Nasarawa State Police Command spokesperson, Michael Ada, confirmed the killing of the students but denied that they were shot by police officers.

He said the commissioner of police in the state was already at the scene.

he Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has appealed to terrorist groups in the country to give peace a chance, saying a situation where aggrieved individuals take laws into their hands will not advance the course of peace.

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger State, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu said the senseless killing of innocent citizens from Thursday last week through the weekend in various parts of the North negated all efforts to restore peace to the region.

In a statement signed by Governor Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, the forum expressed serious concern at the renewed attacks on citizens, beginning from a fire incident caused by bomb blast at Gamboru Market in Borno state on Thursday, as well as the killing of 10 people at Kogom Village in Plateau State on the same day.

The forum said it was equally alarmed at the killing of five young men playing card game in Gombe town on Friday and the killing of another five persons and burning of houses when Hausas and Jikuns reportedly engaged themselves in a bloody combat in Wukari, Taraba State on Saturday.

The forum said it is saddened by the news on Sunday of the death of five persons in Zangon Kataf Local Government of Kaduna State which took a violent pattern like the ones before it.

It decried the rising wave of murders of innocent Nigerians and increasing propensity of citizens to resort to violence to settle their differences.

The forum said the surest way to resolve differences is through dialogue and therefore challenged those with grievances in all parts of the country to follow the path of dialogue instead of violence.

Corrupt judges must be sacked, says Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan is in receipt of a recommendation from the National Judicial Council recommending the compulsory retirement of Justice Charles Archibong and Mr. President has approved that it should take immediate effect.

"It is Mr. President's belief that once we are able to cleanse the judiciary of corruption, then our fight against corruption in its entirety will take a firm root and will be on its way to success."

The two judges had delivered controversial judgments that many described as embarrassing to the judiciary".

Naron had incurred the wrath of the NJC over his shoddy handling of the governorship case between former Governor of Osun, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and the current Governor, Rauf Aregbesola.

A statement from the Acting Director, Information of the NJC, Mr. Soji Oye, while noting that the

Council took the decision at an emergency meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, stated that the Judge also lied in his controversial ruling in the case involving a former managing director of Intercontinental Bank, Erastus Akingbola.

The statement noted: “Hon. Justice Archibong was recommended for compulsory retirement to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, pursuant to the findings by the council on the following complaints leveled against him; that the judge dismissed the grievous charges against an accused person (Erastus Akingbola) without taking his plea.

“That he refused to release the Certified True Copy of his ruling to the lawyers. That the judge issued a bench warrant on some officials of the Peoples Democratic Party for contempt even when the counsel who was directed by the court to serve them an affidavit had not been able to serve the contempt application.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY, 26, 2013

New emirate councils: Katsina State House of Assembly's wrong moves.

D

epending on the reader's knowledge of the power play playing out in Katsina state, the move by the House of Assembly to curve out additional emirate councils out of the present Katsina Emirate Council as well as remove seven local government areas out of Katsina Emirate and join them into Daura Emirate is at the same time both a surprise and not so much so.

On Wednesday penultimate week, the Katsina State House of Assembly was reported to have "given the go-ahead to people in eleven local government areas in the southern part of the state, popularly called Karaduwa to seek for a new emirate and break away from Katsina Emirate council".

According to the report, the legislature "gave the go-ahead while making efforts to enact a law to support the transfer of seven local government areas from Katsina Emirate Council to Daura Emirate Council".

Made up of Katsina and Daura Emirates, Katsina state has 34 local government areas with 29 under Katsina Emirate and five under Daura Emirate.

The move to enact the law, according to the report, "followed a unanimous adoption of a motion moved by the minority leader of the house, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim Mahuta of the Congress for Progressive Chance (CPC), which was seconded by Haliru Atiku Bakori".

The local government areas to be affected are Kankia, Ingawa, Kusada, Bindawa, Mani, Mashi and Dutsi, whose people the sponsor of the bill claimed to have similar culture and norms with their counterparts in Daura Emirate.

Though part of Katsina Emirate, the seven local government areas however, fall under Daura Senatorial zone.

And to facilitate the transfer, the Speaker of the House, Ya'u Umar Gwajo-Gwajo, has reportedly "given five-day notice to the legal drafting department of the Assembly and sponsor of the motion to come up with relevant constitutional provision to make the process valid".

The move by the legislature is simply a red herring to mask the administration's dismal failure to attend to the more critical areas that would make the citizens' life worthwhile; pipe-borne water, health care, education and empowerment, among others.

It does not require deep reflection to know that the creation of new emirates and or transfer of some local government areas from one emirate to another is the least concern for the average citizen of the state at a time when qualitative education, reasonable health care delivery and three square meals have become out of the reach of all but a negligible percentage of the over 4 million people in the state.

The so-called giant strides made in the construction of new primary and secondary schools remain of

To underscore the awesome powers state chief executives wield in the current democratic dispensation, a wit once observed that when a Nigerian governor sneezes, the House of Assembly and local government councils in his state catch cold. The truism of this statement could not have found a more fitting accommodation than in the ongoing move by the Katsina State House of Assembly to create additional emirate councils as well as move out seven local government areas out of one emirate to another. To those who are no strangers to the political intrigues in the state, the voice may be Jacob's, but the hands are clearly Esau's, in the state legislature's move to break up the Katsina Emirate Council, writes Abdu Labaran Malumfashi.

Governor of Katsina Ibrahim Shehu Shema

Alh. (Dr.) Ya’u Umar Gwajo-Gwajo Katsina Speaker

little, if any, utility as most of the new schools have only the head teacher and his assistant as the sole teaching staff. The record in the state owned tertiary institutions are equally bleak, with teaching staff at extreme premium. The story is no less different in the health sector where, despite the expenditures of billions of naira, hospitals and clinics remain consulting centers at best, with little by way of medicines and vaccines.

But before the state is committed irrevocably, there must be a referendum to determine whether or not majority of the people are in support of this clearly self-serving move. Not many people, if any, are prepared to trust the legislature to take a decision on their behalf on matters that matter most, when it is an open secret that it is often the puppeteer that has the last word.

It is no secret that unlike the National Assembly (NASS), state assemblies, more often than not, lack the courage, vision or wisdom to disagree with governors, even where doing so is clearly in the interest of their societies.

In fact, it becomes a matter for

2.5million people and 23 local government areas; there is also only one emirate council. Still, in the two states, there is no known agitation to break up these super emirates for the simple reason that the people are getting a good deal by way of dividends of democracy from their respective governments.

Once upon a time, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmunin Kabir Usman went public sometime in 2010 to urge the governor to contest for re-election, failing of which he (Emir) would go to court to compel him (Governor) to do so. So strong

serious concern worth giving a second and deeper look, whenever the entire members of our legislatures in the states "unanimously" agree on issues that have clear opposing support bases in the society. It is more so in this particular instance, where the Congress for Progressive Chance (CPC), the party of the minority leader who moved the motion, was taken unaware.

It is quiet doubtful that all the members of the Katsina State House of Assembly from Katsina Central zone would give their unconditional imprimatur to the breakup of Katsina Emirate into two or more units even if members from other zones are in support. Even in areas that may otherwise "benefit" from the breakup of Katsina Emirate Council, there is not much enthusiasm in a dated institution of questionable utility to the overall wellbeing of the majority in the society.

In the neighbouring Kano state, which has a population of about 10 million and 44 local government areas, there is only one emirate council. Ditto, in Sokoto, the seat of the Caliphate, and home to about

was his conviction that even when it was pointed out to him that it was wrong of him to take sides as father to all in the state, the Emir insisted that he had no apology for publically endorsing Shema for a second term, even when the Governor himself had yet to declare his intention to contest the 2011 elections for a second and final term. Less than two years after that election, it would seem that the Katsina Government House and the Katsina Emirate Council have fallen apart, with the chickens coming home to roost.

“

The move by the legislature is simply a red herring to mask the administration's dismal failure to attend to the more critical areas that would make the citizens' life worthwhile; pipeborne water, health care, education and empowerment, among others.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 5

No going back on N4bn Mission House- First Lady

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

I

n spite of the public outcry against the initiative, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has said that the proposed N4 billion African First Ladies’ Peace Mission Building is a project that must go on in line with the country’s status and leadership role in Africa.

The proposed building has been the subject of a raging criticism, with civil society groups contending that, apart from being illegal and a misplaced priority, it would also constitute profligacy on the part of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Speaking through her spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, during an interactive session with State House correspondents, the First Lady contended that the attention should be given to the gains of what she described as the “all important continental attraction to the country.

“It offends the original African culture of charity to obstruct any effort to promote peace and development such as the decision of all African First Ladies to rise up to the social responsibility as mothers and wives of leaders on the continent to save the women, children and the aged on the continent from the traumatic consequences of violent conflicts and wars.

“I can assure you, without any doubt, that it is far from the desire of the First Lady to have the project turned down.

“One, it will amount to an

abdication of responsibility by Nigeria and that level of disappointment will be injurious for the leadership status of Nigeria in Africa.

“It means therefore that the credibility of Nigeria will drop significantly if it goes back on its deliberate and willing commitment to host such an organ for the continent and at the request of the continent.

On the gains of the peace mission to Nigeria, he said, “there are other several advantages that the peace mission will attract to the

country for which the First Lady would want the project to go on.

“For as long as that peace mission secretariat which is going to be a huge complex of international status is sited in Nigeria, it will continue to attract different kinds of international meetings and conferences, some continental and some global to the country.

“And then, of course, it promotes Nigeria’s strive to open up job opportunities for its citizens.

“Apart from the prestige

R-L: National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur,and Adamawa state Governor, Admiral MurtalaNyako, jointly briefing journalists during their courtesy visit to Vice-President Mohammed NamadiSambo, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo:Joe Oroye

Kogi to build house for flood victims From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

T

he Kogi state government says that about 1000 low cost houses for victims of last year's flood disaster in the state will be ready soon.

The Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, this yesterday in Lokoja while presenting cheques of N139,500,000 and N4.550,000 respectively to some of the flood victims in the affected council areas of the state.

He said that a total N4. 550 million was given to victims who had remained at the relief camp since last year due to lack of proper accommodations for them.

Awoniyi who represented Governor Captain Idris Wada at the occasion described the exercise as the first phase, in government's quest to give total rehabilitation to the flood victims in the state.

He appealed to those living at water channels as well as the river banks to move to high ground in view of the recent warning by the metrological agency that another flood is imminent this year.

According to him, "we are going to ensure more funds will be spent on intervention areas such as in the transport, education, health, agriculture and roads amongst other sectors.

"The schools affected and used as relief camps during the flooding are now undergoing renovation while roads destroyed during the flooding have been assessed for the award of contracts for rehabilitation."

that this peace mission building brings to the country, there will also be social and economic advantages accruing to Nigeria from that.

“Look at the United Nations Building before it was attacked in Abuja.

You can imagine the large number of young Nigerians that were engaged there as cleaners, security personnel and as maintenance workers around the structure.

“So, for this and many other reasons of course, it is the First Lady’s interest that the project should continue as proposed.”

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

T

he Federal Government will soon start sanctioning erring Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) which disregard the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act, the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Alhaji Abdullahi Yola has said.

Answering questions from reporters after the opening ceremony of the zonal workshop for legal officers in the north central zone, on the

FoI Act: FG to sanction erring MDAs implementation of the FoI Act 2011, Yola said the ministry aspires to give effect to the Act. He said public servants must comply with the guidelines for the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act or face sanctions.

Yola, who represented the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) at the event, said:, “we have plans to sanction erring public officers who fail to

implement the Freedom of Information Act because they also stand the risk of running foul of the law and when you run foul of the law, there will be sanctions.

“I will advise public officers to be very careful and ensure that whatever they do with the FoI Act is within the ambit of the law. The best thing to do is to fall back on the guidelines issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. “We are consistently being bombarded with questions

about how the FoI Act should be implemented.

We receive letters daily from MDAs on how to go about the implementation of the Act and that is why we have decided to develop our website so that they can go there and get answers to any challenge they may be having,” he added.

Yola described the FoI Act as one of the most important pieces of legislation ever produced under the current democratic dispensation.

Boko Haram threat: Security beefed up at govt agencies

By Abdulwhahab Isa

T

here was beef up of security and surveillance in and around federal ministries, parastatals and other government agencies within Abuja yesterday.

Investigations by Peoples Daily indicated that the development may not be unconnected with what sources described as security reports suggesting that the Boko Haram Muslim sect may have planned attacks on select government targets.

According to the source, “the deployment of these security

officials to the premises of MDAs is as a result of intelligent reports that some public buildings could be target of attack by BokoHarram sect.”

One of the buildings which has had its premises under close watch by men of the SSS since last weekend is the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A source there told our correspondent that two vehicles belonging to the security men have been there since the weekend.

The source explained that curiosity raised by the staff compelled management to summon staff for a meeting

yesterday during which it gave reasons for the unusual presence of security officials.

The source quoted the meeting convener as telling disturbed SEC staff that the deployment was from above, and was in response to security intelligence report.

The Special Assistant (Media) to Director-General of SEC, Mr. Obi Adindu confirmed the presence of security officials at SEC premises.

According to him, “there is no crisis at the SEC but just routine security checks.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),

Central Bank of Nigeria, National Communications Commission (NCC) are some of the other agencies of government that have received security boost.

The development is coming barely 72 hours of a declaration by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Muhammad Abubakar, that security of Nigerians could not be completely guaranteed and that, no state or region in the country is immune from attack by insurgents.

Abubakar had declared that every part of Nigeria is under threat of security challenge as the police could for certain, say where attack could occur or not.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

T

he abducted University of Maiduguri lecturer, Dr. Abba Kagu, who was whisked away by gunmen, last Saturday, was reportedly mistaken for an in-law of a top official of Borno state government.

Family sources said the

EFCC arrests Akingbola

PAGE 7

Unimaid lecturer abducted in 'error', kidnappers demand N5m suspected kidnappers have spoken with some relations of Dr. Kagu, demanding the sum of N100m as ransom for his release.

However, after realizing that they were holding a wrong hostage, the kidnapers have reportedly informed the

relations that the lecturer was indeed abducted for mistaken identity and subsequently reduced the ransom to N5million.

"The abductors have initially demanded N100 million ransom for the release of the supposed target who is a brother in -law to

a top political office holder in the state.

"But they later realised they were holding the wrong person after reading newspapers where the true identity of the lecturer was fully unveiled", the source further hinted.

"When they called us this

morning, we pleaded with them to kindly release him since they now realised he was not the actual target, but they insisted that we must pay N5 million", said the source.

Efforts to get official comments of the security officials proved abortive as at press time.

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

O

peratives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested the former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), Mr. Erastus Akingbola, in Lagos.

He is currently being held at the Commission’s facility in Ikoyi, Lagos, preparatory to his arraignment in court today.

He is expected to appear before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Lagos High Court on fresh charges of stealing.

When contacted, EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwughiren confirmed the arrest before did not give further details.

N55bn spent on roads in Plateau

Kano state Police Commissioner, Musa Daura (right), decorating Superintendent Shuaibu Bello (middle),with his new rank of Chief Superintendent of Police, during the decoration of 17 officers who were promoted to the rank of CSP, recently in Kano.

From Musa Pam, Jos

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

T

he Plateau state government has since inception in 2007 spent over N30 billion on construction of urban and rural roads projects alone.

State commissioner for Information and Communication Yiljap Abraham disclosed this while on inspection tour of ongoing road projects in Southern and Central zones of the state.

According to the Commissioner, “In terms of capital investment on roads, the government has so far spent over N55 billion on roads, majority of the roads which spread across the three senatorial zone have been commissioned and are already been put to use by benefiting communities” Yiljap said, “Initially, the sum of N30 billion was spent on the first phase during the first term of Governor Jang administration.

So far in this second term, N25 billion has been disbursed for road project which includes the ongoing road projects across the three senatorial zones of the state.

“The reason for these massive urban and rural road projects covers economic, social, political and security factors particularly as many communities have been suffering from this (insufficient) basic social amenities for a very long time now and the overall need to link these rural communities to one another.

Nigeria committed to resolution of Guinea Bissau crisis

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan has said that Nigeria is committed to resolving the crisis in Guinea Bissau under the aegis of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations (UN).

President Jonathan was speaking to Mr. Jose Ramos Horta, Special Representative of the

United Nations’ Secretary-General on Guinea Bissau, at the State House yesterday.

“We are committed to resolving this crisis, so we will work with you, under the ECOWAS, to restore peace and democracy to Guinea Bissau’, he stated.

The President said the forthcoming 42nd Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government would provide an

opportunity to share ideas with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Guinea Bissau.

Earlier, Mr. Jose Ramos Horta, told President Jonathan that Guinea Bissau needs the assistance of Nigeria and ECOWAS to resolve the political crisis, expressing confidence in the sub-region’s capacity to positively determine the future of 1.6 million people of Guinea

Bissau.

He said the United Nations’ Secretary-General would support the efforts of ECOWAS leaders towards solving the Guinea Bissau predicament, and agreed to brief the leaders at the sub-regional Summit in Cote d’Ivoire.

Mr. Horta, a former President of East Timor, said Guinea Bissau also needs competent personnel in critical areas of national development.

Kano to send technical school teachers to UK for training From Edwin Olofu,Kano

T

he Kano state government is set to send selected teachers from technical college in the state to the United Kingdom to acquire new skills so as to be abreast of prevailing challenges in the teaching of technological courses.

A statement signed by the Kano state governor’s Director of Press and Public Relations, From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

T

he Academic staff Union of secondary school (ASUSS) in Bauchi state has announced plans to boycott WAEC,NECO, NABTEB and JAMB examinations this year as well as demanding the immediate resignation of the state Commissioner for Justice.

ASUSS chairman, Abduallahi Muhammad Tanko Ningi who stated this while briefing newsmen, said the decisions followed

Halilu Ibrahim Dantiye stated that under a retainership programme with Bradford College, London, the state government would sponsor the teachers to acquire contemporary proficiencies, and subsequently impart them on their students on returning to Nigeria.

He added that the move would complement the setting up of 44 new crafts schools across

the state by the government.

This, he said, was part of a grand initiative to ensure that youths in the state are gainfully employed instead of relying on civil service jobs that are hardly available.

He therefore restated commitment to engage youths in the state in vocational training, pointing out that already, thousands of youths have benefitted under the

government’s skills acquisition programmes such as the Lafiya Jari, work bull traction scheme, Livestock development training and poultry training, among others.

The statement further disclosed that the government planned to expand its Lafiya Jari Chemists scheme to other states in the North-West part of the country by training youths with bias in health education.

Bauchi teachers to boycott WAEC, NECO others, demand commissioner’s sack government’s decision to threaten the striking teachers with disengagement letters should they fail to resume work on February25, 2013.

Tanko added that the demand for the immediate resignation of the commissioner is directly connected with public condemnation of his ineptitude and

abuse of office by wrongly advising the government when the matter is still in court in violation of the rule of law.

The Union, according to the chairman, has therefore urged the striking teachers to neglect the “empty threat” by government to sack them.

Tanko urged teachers to

remain focused, resolute and continue the strike until further directive from the Union and not government or any “irresponsible” individual.

He, however urged Governor Isa Yuguda not to allow himself to be misled by sycophants as the ASUSS is not ready to negotiate with anybody except the governor.

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

L-R: Director Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr. Bridget Okoegwuale, Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Fatima Bamidele, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu and, Country Representative, World Health Organisation, Dr. Rui Vaz, during the launch of the International Certificate of Vaccination Yellow Cards, yesterday in Abuja.

L-R: New Oyo state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa, receiving hand over notes from his predecessor, Mr. Mbu Johnson Mbu, yesterday in Ibadan.

L-R: Founder Kanu Heart Foundation, Mr. Nwankwo Kanu, receiving the “Do the Right Thing” plaque from Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, during the foundation’s visit to NOA corporate headquarters, yesterday in Abuja.

National Directorate of Employment’s special vocational trainees displaying their products, during the graduation ceremony, yesterday in Yola, Adamawa state.

L-R: Buba Kija, Richard Dauda, Kola Bakare, and Samuel Mamman,were newly promoted from ASP of Police to DSP, after their decoration, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photos: Joe Oroye, Mahmud Isa, Justin Imo-Owo & NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 9

Kogi urges Chinese contractors to slash quotations From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

C

hinese Investors doing business in Kogi State have been asked to lower their bill of quantity or contract quotations in order to further enjoy patronage from the government.

Kogi State Governor, Capt Idris Wada, made the appeal at this year’s annual Chinese

Japan donates 13 boreholes to 13 communities in Bauchi From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

T

he Japanese government donated 13 boreholes to 13 communities in Tafawa Balewa local government area of Bauchi state.

The Coordinator, Women Empowerment Initiative Nigeria (WEIN) Bauchi state chapter, Mrs. Lydia Haruna Tsammani disclosed this during commissioning of the boreholes at Zango, one of the communities that benefitted from the help.

According to her , the gesture has reduced water borne diseases in these communities and has also diverted the time and energy of women to other economic generating activities.

She said “with this gesture, the girl child would have the opportunity to attend school since water is now close and available in those communities” Mrs. Tsammani said training was given to some members of the communities on how to maintain the boreholes along with toolkits to the benefitting communities.

The WEIN Coordinator appealed to the executive, legislatures, stakeholders and the people of Bauchi state to strive hard and restore peace in the area to attract further national and international donors funding in the state.

In his remark the Caretaker Chairman of Tafawa Balewa Local government Dr. Illiyasu Aliyu Gital who was represented by his councilor Garba Bako, expressed appreciation to the people Japan for responding to the plight of these communities over portable water.

lantern festival, to mark the Chinese lunar year and appeasement of the gods against natural disasters, organised by CGC Nigeria Ltd, the Chinese contractors to the Greater Lokoja Waterworks.

While noting that the State was ready to partner with reputable Chinese companies in view of their record of performance, Wada however

called on them to lower their prices to enable government sustain its patronage.

Represented by the state Deputy Governor,Yomi Awoniyi, the governor commended the age long tradition of the Chinese people still celebrated 3000 years after with its attendant positive result.

The governor rejoiced with

V

eterinary doctors from the University of Ilorin’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine have carried out a successful surgical operation on a striped hyena which suffered perineal trauma.

The exhibition of the procedure leading to this surgical feat is expected to be one of the highlights of a clinical seminar being planned by the Faculty on Thursday, February 28, 2013.

The operation for the correction of the perineal trauma on the hyena was performed at

avert calamities such as flood that ravaged the state last year.

In his remarks, Mr. Jiang Hun, DGM CGC NIG LTD, said the Chinese lantern festival, the second most recognised Chinese festival celebrated all over the world, was not held last year, which led to the flood disaster that ravaged the country especially the State.

Emir commends Unilorin COBES programme From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

T

he Emir of Shonga, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, Dr. Yahya Haliru, has commended the University of Ilorin’s Community-Based Experience and Service (COBES) programme, describing it as a bridge between education and community service in the country.

Emir Haliru who made this commendation at his palace when a team from the Faculty of Agriculture paid him a courtesy visit, told the team led by the Dean, Prof. A. Adeloye, that the COBES centres across the state, would stand the test of time stressing that students have learnt the practical aspect of the theoretical studies learnt in the class.

The Emir, who also said that

the community had been anxious and thirsty for development for so many years, expressed happiness that the University considered the ancient agrarian community as a place for students to learn practical agriculture.

The Emir noted that the presence of the Zimbabwean farmers in the community has boosted its agricultural profile, saying that the community is

now a nucleus of agriculture and the epi-centre of cultural growth in the state.

In his remarks, the Dean of Agriculture, Prof. Adeloye, thanked the Emir, his chiefs and members of the Shonga community for accepting the students into their midst and affording them the opportunity to interact with the local farmers with what they were taught in the classrooms.

L-R: Group Managing Director of NNPC, Engineer Andrew Yakubu,and Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Maduekwe, during the public hearing of the joint Committees on Petroleum Resources Upstream and Downstream on the $1.56 billion proposed NNPC loan, yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

NIA presents mobile devices to Ogun VIOs From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

N

igeria Insurers Association (NIA) has presented the Nigerian Insurance Industry Database (NIID)’s mobile

devices to the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) in Ogun Sate as a major effort towards enforcements of Motor Third Party Vehicle insurance policy and to track fake insurance

Unilorin vets carry out surgery on hyena From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

the government and people of the China on the celebration, stating they have been able to carve a niche for themselves in virtually all sectors of the state economy.

Earlier in her speech, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Hajia Adiza Onotu, lauded the importance of the festival, adding that it has to do with appeasing the gods to

the University Zoo on January 17, 2013 by a combined team of veterinary doctors from the Faculty, comprising Dr. M. Adams, Dr. Francis Olowoleni and Dr. (Mrs.) M. O. Azeez assisted by other staff.

The instutition, in a statement by its Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs, Kunle Akogun, stated that the Clinical Seminar, with the topic: “Surgical Correction of Perineal Trauma in a Striped Hyena”, would be the first to be organised by the Faculty.

The Dean of Veterinary Medicine, Prof.

Sulaiman Ambali, according to the

statement, advocated more attention to the care of animals to ensure their comfort and prevent their extinction.

Ambali in an interview with Journalists was quoted to have emphasized that animals are the best source of protein and so, humans should do all they could to guard against their extinction.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified Nigeria as one of the countries where animal proteins are lacking in our meals, and as such it behoves on Nigerians to rise up to the challenge of sustaining the ecosystem”.

certificates across the country.

The mobile devices, a product of the “Nigerian Insurance Industry Database (NIID)” would help in easy identification of genuine insurance documents by law enforcement agencies and authorized persons.

The NIID, an initiative of the Nigerian Insurers Association officially launched in June 2012, is an information technologybased system that would facilitate easy collation and dissemination of statistical and other information relating to insurance which would help check fake insurance documents makers.

Council Member, NIA, Sakiru Oyefeso, joined by Sunday Thomas, director-general of the NIA who over the weekend led a delegation of the Association to the Office of the VIO in Ogun State, was received by Kayode Ademolake, permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the Bayo

Otuyemi, the chief VIO. Oyefeso said the nation’s insurance industry is worried about the inability of Nigerian’s to enjoy the social and economic benefits of genuine insurance as a result of the activities of fake operators.

“A key aspect of the project is the verification of genuine insurance policies via mobile handsets. A standard mobile device bundled with mobile app is available for law enforcement agents for on-the-road verification of genuine insurance documents. The application is available 24/7 and works with all networks in Nigeria” According to him, the situation is worrisome to the extent that in the event of accident or loss, there is no compensation to victims or their dependants to enable them recuperate from their loss, having been given fake insurance certificate by people who do not have bearing with insurance.

PAGE 10

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

‘Social media, threat to newspapers, magazines’

By Etuka Sunday, Joy Baba & Abdulkadir Isa

T

raditional media organizations especially newspapers, magazines and televisions have been advised by media practitioners at the weekend to transform in line with new technology or be forced out of the market by the new media otherwise known as social media.

Local and international media practitioners at the close of the seminar, ''Social Media and 21st Century Journalism'' organised by Seismonaut Africa in Abuja, put the traditional media organisations on red alert of the obvious threat from the social

media.

Participants were drawn from the African Independent Television(AIT), Raypower FM, Love FM, Wazobia FM; The Punch, Peoples Daily, Leadership, National Mirror, Daily Trust, ThisDay newspapers as well as Aljazeera Television, Voice of America and US Newsweek magazine.

In a statement, they advised the traditional media organisations to adopt new measures or make use of the convergent opportunities available to them to stand above the social media.

They also advised the business department of the organisations to develop or align with the internet

in advertising the organisations or attract advertisers since the social media are ahead of them in that aspect, adding that they could only stay in business with good contents.

According to them, stories read online are not totally free, but either paid for directly or indirectly, adding that with the professional training, the traditional media would always have an edge over citizen Journalism.

Speaking at the event, the publisher of Ovation Magazine and former presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu said, social media has come to stay in Nigeria and would be used to cause change in governance.

He therefore urged the government to be more responsive or else the social media would be compelled to report it negatively.

Momodu said that Nigerians often grumble without leaving their comfort zones to make the needed change and emphasised the use of local languages in social media to mobilise people towards governance.

According to him, over 80 million Nigerians are floating without political ideas, adding that it was futile to tell a hungry man not to collect money during election.

He however advised voters to collect the money but vote with their conscience.

L-R: Acting Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Malam Rilwan Bala Musa, discussing with Head of Cameroonian border post, Umar Abdoulaye, at the Banki border during his tour of Nigeria borders at Borno and Yobe states, recently.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

A

uthorities at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) have said that rehabilitation and upgrade of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) has been completed and ready for

K

ano state government has earmarked N1.76 billion for the establishment of a garment production center in each of the 44 local government areas of the state.

Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso who disclosed this at the weekend when he received a team of investors from India,

T

he Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Najib Hussaini Adamu, at the weekend rounded up the distribution of last year’s Zakkat worth over N22 million.

Speaking during the distribution ceremony at the Rorau district, the Emir called on wealthy individuals to pay their Zakkat as at when due in fulfillment of Islamic injunctions.

According to him, nine districts in the emirate benefitted from the Zakkat, consisting of farm produce and animals valued at over N22 million.

The Emir gave prizes to the district heads of Rorau, Amaryawa and Gwiwa for excelling in collection of Zakkat in their areas.

The local governments in turn also presented gifts to the village heads of Buntusu, Dandi and Maraganta for their outstanding performances in the Zakkat collection at the village level.

An Islamic scholar, Sheikh Umar Sani Fagge, in a keynote address highlighted the importance of giving out the mandatory Zakkat.

By Ibrahim Kabiru Sule

T

commissioning soon.

The FAAN Managing Director, Mr. George Uriesi who dropped the hint at the weekend during an assessment tour of the project described it as “most assertive, progressive and world class” which, according to him, would trigger accelerated economic

growth in the area, adding that, “more facilities would be put in place to for the economic advancement of the state in particular and the nation in general."

Uriesi described the domestic terminal of the airport as the best in the country.

He said, “what we are trying to do is to put all the necessary facilities in our airports to meet international standard.

“For Kano airport, for example, we are going to see that we build a five-star hotel, standard car park and a standard filling station among other facilities.

Kano to establish garment production centres From Edwin Olofu, Kano

From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

Muslim group raises N4m for Hijrah calendar

Aminu Kano airport set for commissioning, says FAAN MD From Edwin Olofu, Kano

Kazaure Emir distributes N22m worth of Zakkat

explained that government would convert the moribund agricultural supply stores in the local councils for the project, noting that there were huge potentials in the garment industry.

He said that during his recent visit to India, he interacted with investors in the sector and visited garment industries with a view to sourcing equipment and technical expertise for the proposed garment

production centers and craft schools in the state.

Acording to the Governor, “we are living in a globalized world today where we can easily adopt the experiences of others to improve on our standards”.

He expressed optimism that youth in the state, especially those who are already in the tailoring business, would take advantage of the opportunity to

improve their ventures and provide wider prospects for job creation.

He told the investors that government also welcomes investment in the transport sector in view of the pressing demand for public transportation in the state, as well as investment in education, irrigation, poultry development and film production for which India is well known.

he Muslim Consultative Forum (MCF) at the weekend raised the sum of over N4 million during the launch of the 1434 Hijrah calendar in Abuja.

The forum also used the ceremony to honour Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin.

The highest donations of N1 million each came from the Osun state government and the chairman of Bi-Courteney Company, Abdulrauf Wale Babalakin.

In his remark, chairman of the occasion, Etsu Nupe Alhaji Dr. Yahaya Abubakar, who was represented by a former Minister of Agriculture, Professor Sheik A. Abdullah, called on Muslims in the country to work towards stemming the trend of increasing drug abuse among the youth.

In his lecture titled, “Peace as Springboard for National Development: the Madina Model,” Niger state Governor who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ibrahim Sule, described the event as a platform for reflection on the present and the future.

He said that there was need for mutual understanding, tolerance and peaceful co-existence by Nigerians which according to him, was the hallmark of the city of Madina during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad.

PAGE 11

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY, 26, 2013

ways to save money using social media W

ith the popularity of sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. These sites are a great way for people to connect with others all over the world. Though social media has its downfalls, there are also numerous benefits, with one of the greatest being its ability to save you some cash.

Here are three ways that social media can save you money: *Connections I'm an avid baseball fan, and I recently started playing an online simulation game. I became borderline-obsessed with its functionality and realistic game play. After my first day playing the game, I sent a tweet to the company who makes it. They immediately responded, and we began to interact. Eventually, they offered me an early release of the newest game, as long as I wrote a review on one of my blogs.

You never know who you'll encounter on social media, which is why I love it. Connecting with others can sometimes lead to opportunities, as well as money saved. *Competitions Competitions are a popular way for companies to promote their businesses through social media. Before our wedding, my wife searched for competitions to bring down our costs. She entered a Facebook contest for free hair/ makeup and half-off a photo booth rental. The contestant with the most "likes" on their status would be the winner. She spread the word to friends and family and won the competition, which saved us hundreds of dollars on the final wedding bill.

Some competitions are more difficult to win, but it still costs nothing to give them a shot. My

M

y husband is in the process of looking for jobs online. He is just finishing up his PhD work, and is looking for work. Because we live in a rather small and secluded town, it is clear that we will have to move in order for him to find work. This makes the internet essential to his efforts. As he searches online, he is making efforts to search more efficiently, without spending time wading through irrelevant postings on huge sites.

With unemployment stubbornly high, the way you conduct your online job hunt could make the difference between having a great job and being in one that you absolutely hate.

Here are some things to consider as you work to improve your online job hunt: Look to the source One of the best things to do is

Quote

"Don't be too hard on yourself.

There are plenty of people willing to do that for you. Love yourself and be proud of everything that you do. Even mistakes mean you're trying."- Susan Gale: Educator

wife recently entered a dream home giveaway; though the chances of winning are low, the cost of entering is free.

Look for contests that yield a good product, don't have a lot of entries, and can save you money.

If you pay close attention on social media, you just might find the perfect contest. * Articles

Most social media outlets are filled with users posting articles about personal finance. If you're looking for money-saving advice, try following these users; it's a great way to learn more about finances and discover new sources of information.

Social media can be a great way to save money if you use it correctly. My wife and I have used

it a few times to help save money, and we're constantly looking for more opportunities to do so.

Whether it's through connections, competitions, or sound financial advice, social media can definitely help your bottom line.

Can I save money on my life insurance premium?

The amount of premium you pay may really not determine the

value you get on your life insurance. So, negotiation for value could mean much on your bottom line, meaning that you can save money and still get good value. Therefore, while seeking for a cover, find out if you can also save money and get same value.

Experts say there is always ways to "save" on something, depending on your definition of the word, save. There are oftentimes ways to use your premium more efficiently, in other words, get the most out of your buck.

With term life insurance, this can be fairly simple. If you are comparing apples to apples - ten year guaranteed level premium policies with two companies that both have solid financial strength ratings, then the lowest premium will be the best way to go.

Permanent life insurance is very tricky. The products are highly complex and there are many ways to end up worse off than you started with. In the majority of cases, replacements are ill-advised. While you may find an illustration that shows a lower premium, remember that illustrations are just that illustrations and as such are not guaranteed. Unless, there is sufficient reason to move and you are able to move to a product with a quality company (see below) that provides a guaranteed death benefit, then you probably shouldn't change your coverage.

There is a shortage of advisors who are qualified to assist in this area, so proceed with caution. At a minimum-as discussed in a prior question, you should consult with a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), a special designation for insurance sales people.

Improving your on-line job hunt to think about which organisations you are interested in working for, and go to the source. My husband would like to work in public health, so he has been looking at postings for different state and local governments to see whether researcher and community educator positions are available.

He is also looking at research institutes and even the federal government's USA jobs site.

If you have an idea of what you want to do, and where you could do it, go to the source and look online to see if there are job openings, or if you can put your application and resume on file.

Visit industry and niche job boards Rather than looking at major job sites, you can check out niche job boards. My husband is also considering that post-doc may be his best bet for riding out the current job market troubles. So he is looking at boards that cater to post-docs, as well as visiting the sources of jobs. Many industries have job boards related to them,

and this can be a good way to see what is available in your specific industry.

Watch your on-line profile As you engage in your online job hunt, it is important to make

sure that your online profile is professional. This is about more than just signing up for a LinkedIn profile. It means that your other social media profiles, such as on Facebook and Twitter, are

appropriate as well. More and more, employers are doing research on a wide variety of social media. What you put out there in public could be a problem.

On the other hand, if you are tweeting interesting and useful information about your industry, and if the "info" section of your Facebook account offers some insight into your expertise, your social media profiles could be helpful. It's all about creating a consistent picture of your personal brand image.

Get the word out You don't have to beg for a job, but you can let your social network know that you are looking. Even your offline network can help you.

My mom sent my husband a link to a possible job that she had heard of. This made my husband's online job search a little easier - and offered a possibility he hadn't considered originally. When others know you are looking, it makes it easier for your name to come to mind if someone asks for recommendations. Don't worry, opportunities are everywhere.

(Source: Moneywiseng)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

Inspector General of despair T

he legendary French President, Napoleon Bonaparte once observed that leaders are dealers in hope.

The message in this profound statement is that leaders at whatever level should at all times endeavor to inspire hope into their people, regardless of the challenges facing the society. The famous "blood, tears and toil" statement by the equally legendary British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill inspired the British people to rally round in support of the government during the Second World War when things looked decidedly bleak for the nation in particular and the Allied Forces in general at the height of the German relentless onslaught on the Allied Forces and bombardment on London. The rest, as they say, is history, with Churchill going down as one of the greatest British leaders of all time, his foibles notwithstanding.

Here and now at home, the preposition is one that kills not raises hope. Rather than inspiring hope, our leaders are more likely to engender despair into the people with the obvious intent of conning the society into believing that not only are they up and doing, but they also care.

The recent declaration of doom credited to in Inspector General of Police to the effect that his organization, the Nigeria Police, cannot guarantee security in

Nigeria is a case in point.

The Police boss, who spoke through the AIG in charge of Zone 8, Mr. Jonathan K. Johnson over the weekend during the inspection of police facilities in Kwara state, declared that, "we cannot guarantee that this thing will not occur here or there, so we should be more watchful and be more security conscious, when we do

“

Please Police boss, we know where you are headed. On these shores, when our leaders go about over-dramatising the pressure under which they perform their duties, we know clearly it is time to start ringing the national till, because it is more money they want, even if there is pretty little on ground to justify the preceding receipts that, we will gradually minimise the threats", in reference to the security challenges inundating the security agencies in the country.

He went on to say that, "On the issue of IED, definitely there is no part of this country that is immune or not being threatened. So when we gather all these things together, they are enough worry for the

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

government and for the security agencies. If all of us have the same level of observation culture, these threats will be nipped in the bud.

But the problem with us is that we rely so much on the security agencies and that is why we are having these problems. People should be more security conscious".

Now, if this statement is meant to inspire hope, then Nigerians would beg the IG to please keep his mouth shut, because this is not what we expect to hear from the head of an institution entrusted with securing our society and guaranteeing our collective security.

So we rely so much on the security agencies, eh? On whom then are we supposed to rely; the Boys' Scout or the Girls' Brigade?

Please Police boss, we know where you are headed. On these shores, when our leaders go about over-dramatising the pressure under which they perform their duties, we know clearly it is time to start ringing the national till, because it is more money they want, even if there is pretty little on ground to justify the preceding receipts.

Common, IG, sit up, sell us hope, even if you cannot guarantee it, not doom, please.

Otherwise, do what they do in decent societies when they fail to measure up to the demand of their jobs: throw in the towel and allow others to try their magic.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

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

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALI M. ALI

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA

ACTING EDITOR, WEEKEND JAMILA NUHU MUSA

MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

HEAD, LAGOS BUREAU ADESOJI OYINLOLA

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

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 13

Boko Haram: What manner of truce?

O

n one issue, a majority of Nigerians are all agreed: Boko Haram is bad news and it should just go and let us be.

On January 28, there was some relief in certain quarters when an announcement, purported to be made by the group that prefers to be called ‘The Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad’ unilaterally declared a ceasefire in Maiduguri.

An excited Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, described the ceasefire offer as a welcome development and urged the Federal Government not to throw away the opportunity of engaging the sect in negotiation with a view to ensuring peace in the polity. “We welcomed it and I believe it is an issue we have to open up to. It is for the government to now say even if it is a faction, let us talk to them because from the way you deal with one faction, you will get to the other faction. This is not an issue that should be thrown away by government.”

Similarly, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu noted that the cease-fire move by the sect should be seen by the government as an opportunity to be fully utilized.

“The JNI calls on the government to use this medium and dialogue with the group, so that peace and security will return to the north-east, north-west in particular and Nigeria in general.

Additionally, the Secretary of the Borno Elders Forum an organization that has been very

vocal on Boko Haram, Dr. Gubio supreme leader of Jamaatul ahlil Bulama, declared that “the Sunna lidawati wal Jihad.” said ceasefire is genuine and the Boko Abdulazeez in declaring peace.

The government did not issue Haram members have already started submitting their arms to any official response to the truce offer but the body language of the their commanders.”

He went further to state that Federal Government suggested “there is no faction of Boko Haram that it took the pronouncements of Vice anywhere that is not part of the Abdulazeez seriously.

P r e s i d e n t ceasefire. All the Namadi Sambo’s commanders of trip to Maiduguri the group in all immediately the 19 northern after the offer states were there was made, the when the ceasefire first by any was announced.” elected official in T h e the Presidency controversy over since the the ceasefire escalation of started with violence is pronouncements Emmanuel Yawe evidence that the of a self-proclaimed 08024565402 government was top commander of a the group, royawe@yahoo.com celebrating significant Muhammed Abdulazeez Ibn Idris who introduced breakthrough.

There was however evidence to himself as the 2nd in Command to Imam Abubakar Shekau in charge suggest that Abdulazeez was fake.

"I don't think Abdulazeez [Idris] is of southern and northern Borno.

“We in the top hierarchy of our representing Boko Haram," said lawyer, movement under the leadership Maiduguri-based of Imam Abubakar Shekau, as well Mustapha Zannah, who stood as as some of our notable followers defence counsel to the sects agreed that our brethren in Islam, members arrested during the both women and children are 2009 insurgency. "The group suffering unnecessarily; hence we attaches much importance to resolved that we should bring this leadership and a declaration as crisis to an end. We therefore called monumental as a ceasefire would on all those that identify not come from anybody other than themselves with us and our course, Shekau," he said.

Also sounding a word of to from today lay down their arms.

Let every member who hears this caution, Ahmed Salkida, a announcement relay it to the next reporter with deep knowledge member who hasn’t heard….This about the operations of Boko message, by the Grace of Allah, Haram said in an article published comes directly from the office of on several websites that “I know Imam Abubakar Shekau, the enough about the leadership of the

sect and its protocols to know that the so called Abdulazees is a grand fiction created by those who want to feather their personal nests.”

The article hinted darkly that Boko Haram may have reached a stage in their crusade where they have adopted the Taliban style of attacks and information dissemination. In this new stage, issuing press dispatches may no longer be fashionable as the leadership may have found more discreet and security proof means of communicating with their cadres.

Barely a few days after the article was published, nine health workers were killed in Kano by suspected members of the Boko Haram, followed by the killing of another three North Koreans who were giving technical assistance to the Yobe State Ministry of Health.

Was Ahmed Salkida’s warning about Taliban tactics off the mark or right on time?

Today, it is clear that the 28 January ceasefire declaration by Muhammed Abdulazeez Ibn Idris, on behalf of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau is nothing but a ruse.

It is amazing how the Boko Haram ‘commander’ hoodwinked particularly Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar who before ascending to the exalted throne was a senior security operative into believing his cock and bull story. This is the same ‘commander’ who had previously made a ceasefire offer to the government on November 1, 2012, based on conditions, including the arrest and prosecution of former Borno governor Ali Modu Sheriff over the

killing of sect leader Mohammed Yusuf and sect members during the 2009 Boko Haram uprising in Maiduguri when Sheriff was governor.

He had also requested that retired military general and presidential candidate of the CPC, Muhammadu Buhari serve as a negotiator in the talks but Buhari and his party dismissed the request, accusing the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) of deliberately using him to portray Buhari as a Boko Haram sponsor to discredit him politically.

In his declaration of January 28, Abdulazeez said he was the second in command to Shekau and commander of southern and northern Borno. Ahmed Salkida wrote that such an office does not exist in the hierarchy of Boko Haram. Abdulazeez said that some factions of Boko Haram may resist the ceasefire but Dr Gubio Bulama says that no such faction exists. So whom do we believe?

If these doubts continued to linger in our minds, on February 20, leaflets linked to Shekau were distributed in Maiduguri disassociating him from the ceasefire declaration and vowing to continue the deadly attacks. To show the world that they are dead serious, they bombed ten people to death in Maiduguri on that day.

So we are now back to square one, just wandering how the people we turn to in government, traditional and religious institutions could be fooled to the extent that we the ordinary citizens become even more vulnerable.

Maybe a national conference on Boko Haram will help.

Critically thinking about sorcery and magic

By Leo Igwe

C

ritical thinking is one of the powers and abilities which we humans have and can exercise to apply in our daily lives.

It enables us to identify gaps in our thinking, ideas and outlook. Critical mindedness is humankind’s most potent weapon against erroneous credulous notions and superstitions.

It helps us to explore new frontiers of knowledge, explode myths, debunk claims, dispel mistaken ideas and beliefs that darken and destroy our society.

Critical consciousness drives our curiousity and ability to generate new ideas, renew our society and enhance human enlightenment. Most importantly, critical thinking saves- and can save- lives. Many lives are lost or wasted due to dogma, blind faith and unreason. History is replete with instances of wars waged and killings perpetrated due to irrational beliefs. Infact, right now many people around the world suffer and die or are subjected to so much suffering due to fanatical creeds and mistaken notions of the world. As Socrates once said, an unexamined life is not worth living. Critical thinking can propel us to examine and re-examine our lives. It shields us from the terror and truama of worthless existence. We need to spread the Socratic wisdom around the world.

Recently, Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been in the news. The report of the brutal killing of a 20 year old woman, Kepari Leniata,

has outraged the world. But it was not the first time such killing had taken place in that country. There have been reports in the past of horrifying abuses, torture and murder of alleged witches in PNG. So the belief in witchcraft is strong there. Witch belief is taken seriously. Witch hunting persists across the nation. Clearly efforts to tackle the problem over the years have not been very effective. They have not yielded the desired results.

As a matter of urgency, we need to critically examine the belief in witchcraft and the notions associated with it. We need to identify the gaps in witch thinking, and highligh the absurdities therein. We need to publicized the gaps,the illogicalities and absurdities of witch mentality so as to weaken the grip of witch belief on the minds of the people. Witch burning is caused by certain beliefs about witches. Those beliefs are grounded in certain notions of the world. We need to identify these notions and the grounds on which witch belief rests in order to shine the critical light on them. We need to shake the foundation of witchbased epistemology and cosmology.

We need to promote the critical evaluation of issues and encourage people to cultivate and apply the value in all areas of human endeavour. We need to spread the message of reason and make the logic of critical thought a permanent feature of the society.

First of all it is important to stress that the belief in sorcery is not specific to the people of PNG. Witch belief is found in most cultures of

the world. It is not only in PNG that people burn witches. Witch burning is still taking place in many parts of Africa and Asia. For centuries witches were burnt at stake in Europe and in America.

Drawing lessons from societies is important in putting the case of sorcery related murder in PNG in proper perspective.

The belief in sorcery is founded on the idea that some people have supernatural powers and that these supernatural powers can be used to perpetrate evil- cause death, diseases, accidents etc. Witches are believed to be those who can kill or harm others through magic. Hence in many communities, many people attribute their misfortunedeath or disease- to the malevoment magic of sorcerers. People embark on witch hunting to identify, smell out and eliminate these ‘enemies within’.

And now let’s critically look at this. Is there any evidence that some people have supernatural powers?

What does supernatural power actually mean? How do we differentiate supernatural from natural powers? Is there any proof to demonstrate that people actually exercise their alleged supernatural powers for good or evil?

If there really are people with supernatural powers who can do anything, why do we need to set up institutions to educate our children, secure our streets or care for the needy? Why do we need to set up factories and employ factory workers? Why do we have humanitarian organisations? Why do we have infrastructure? Many

people believe that witches have the powers to flying around in the night. Then why do we have aircrafts? Won’t it be cheaper or easier to travel across the country and the world using spiritual means rather than by boarding planes, ships and trains?

It is true that people can inflict harm on others. People can kill or harm others using knives, matchetes, guns, stick or by lynching them. But where is the evidence that people can harm others using the supernatural means of sorcery? If we cannot explain how a particular harm is done or who did it, does that mean it is witchcraft, or that the harm is inflicted through supernatural means? And if some people can really inflict harm- death or disease- on others through sorcery why do people still employ guns, bullets and bombs to kill others? If witchcraft truly exists, there will be no physical arms; there will be no need for arms. There will be no market for arms. Witches, not the police or soldiers will be employed by the state to protect and defend it.

In most cases, people invoke the belief in witchcraft to explain instances of death or illness. But death and diseases have natural explanations and do not need supernatural agencies to take place. The imputation of spiritual agency on human experiences is no longer necessary. Supernatural explanation of misfortunes like deaths or accidents is flawed, absurd or nonsensical.

For instance, Kepari Leniata

was accused of killing a 6-year old boy through sorcery. The boy reportedly died in a hospital. If one may ask, what does killing someone through sorcery mean?

What is the evidence that anybody can be killed through this means?

If a human being can be killed through sorcery, can an animal or an insect be killed through sorcery too? If yes, how many insects or animals did Kepari kill using her alleged magical powers?

If no, why not? And again why is it that it is often women who are accused of sorcery related crimes and it is often men who constitute the witch hunting gang or the lynch mob?

To end the wave of sorcery related accusations, abuses and killing in Papua New Guinea, people need to rethink and reexamine their belief in sorcery, magic and supernatural powers.

People should have the courage to probe and inquire into sorceryrelated claims. Sorcery is a beliefmere belief, a make belief. Sorcery is a belief which people entertain due to fear and ignorance. It is a scapegoating mechanism used in occasions and under circumstances where people are looking for somebody to blame for their woes and ills. So we need to get people to begin to question and demand evidence for sorcery from those who make such accusations including those those who claim there are supernatural powers or that they have supernatural powers. The burden of proof lies with the claimant, so it is with witchcraft and sorcery.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 14

Where is Hon. Mukhtari Aliyu Batara?

By Ugochukwu Jim-Nwoko

P

lease permit me a space in your widely read Newspaper to expressed our dissatisfaction on behalf of the People of Miringa District at Ward Six in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State over the poor leadership style of Honourable Muktari Aliyu Betara, a member representing BIU, SHANI, KWAYA KUSAR and BAYO Federal Constituency in the House of Representative; despite the fact that he is serving his second term but he is not upto his constituent responsibilities more especially his neglect to the people of Ward Six area.

Mukhtari has been missing both to his people and also at the floor of the House of Representatives where he supposed to represent the good interest of his people who stood under the sun to elect him into office but yet we hardly find him with us until when election is approaching. The Ward Six comprises of some Districts under his constituency also where he has all our supports but he choose to neglect us. Now we understand that, we are only relevant to him just during election time but after that he would abandoned us.

Honestly, I use to wonder if truly we have a representative on the floor of the House, because you can't find him on the floor move or second's a motion nor

project initiated contributing or executed by significantly him in the past like others does six years as a speak for their Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text representative people in order messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written and the voice of to make laws contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 the masses? that would Why? We the better the life of words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and people of ward Nigerians, a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed six where he has what is he doing to: the highest there as a votes that lead to representatives?

The Editor, his election, I could Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, what has he remember the 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. done to us? Let year 2011 Email: opinion@peoplesdaily-online.com me be fair here to when flood SMS: 07037756364 him, I could displaced r e m e m b e r thousands of sometimes people of Miringa and render them the green chamber? NO or did he when some youths confronted homeless, destroyed properties do anything within his capacity him for his lack of concern to the worth millions of naira, but as our to reduce the suffering of the people of Wards Six and at the representative did he ever file affected victims? NO. Why? same time seek his assistance for any motion to state the outcry to First, can he single out a a borehole then he was able to secure one hand pump borehole through MDG project that was sunken at Yoksa Area. Besides that, what again?

Miringa town We are tired of your politics of buying Golf hasFurthermore, just two blocks of Maternity Car or motorcycles to some few individuals Clinic build by the then Military under the effort and of your choice instead of using the money Regime watch of the duo Honourable for some developmental projects that can Adamu Garubula and Barrister Buratai and later transform so many lives and create impact, Isah commissioned by the then Late rather you choose the politics of buying few Governor Mala Kachallah leads yet through wrappers, bags of rice, salt and sugar and Administration, your constituency projects in the past six years you didn't donate giving out a little amount of money in the even a single bed nor wheel chairs name of campaign logic not to talk of effort to add an additional block to the existing

WRITE TO US

“

ones, if you are a true representative what have you done in that aspect? Or a rural healthcare not part of your constituency projects? Haba Muktari what have we done to you to deserve this? If not for the intervention of one of our Business mogul Alhaji Yusuf MaiWake who extended his kind gesture as part of his social responsibility with three automatic electric tap water, before the coming of our great Governor, a dynamic leader per excellent Governor Kashim Shettima who came to our rescue with a lots of social basic amenities that easy our suffering. In fact we would forever remain grateful to him.

Lastly, I am telling Hon. Muktari Aliyu Betara that we are tired of your politics of buying Golf Car or motorcycles to some few individuals of your choice instead of using the money for some developmental projects that can transform so many lives and create impact, rather you choose the politics of buying few wrappers, bags of rice, salt and sugar and giving out a little amount of money in the name of campaign logic. So what legacy would you leave behind to be remembered on? Let me tell you this time around it won't work with us, because we have been watching you patiently for the benefit of doubt, but yet you are not back on you fit. Remember our vote is our power!

Musa Salihu Kachallah The Print Communications, Abuja Abareone2006@yahoo.com

As David Mark, Al-makura storm New Nyanya…

By Jamila Erina

F

or many years all of us were held spellbound by his technical, management and leadership wizardry. Call him an embodiment of the 'American Dream' and you would have hit the nail squarely on the head. Lee Iacocca's can-do spirit in particular is as remarkable as it is infectious.

"Get all the education you an, but, by then, do something!" Iacocca, the legendary automobile genius of the Ford Motors fame, declared.

"Don't just stand there; make something happen! It isn't easy, but if you keep your nose to the grindstone and work at it, it's amazing how….you can be as great as you want to be."

Were the former Ford Motors chief executive addressing a Nigerian man of God called Rev. Fr. Lawrence Soja Anyembugu, he would have readjusted that statement thus: "… make something happen! It isn't easy, but if you keep your nose to the grindstone and work at it, it's amazing how…You can help make many people out there as great as you want them to be."

Make other people as great as you want them to be? Yes, indeed.

For this, in a nutshell, encapsulates the life of Rev. Fr. Lawrence Soja Anyembugu, the quintessential man of God for whom a legion of both ordinary and prominent Nigerian are scheduled to "storm" New Nyanya in Nasarawa state, on March 3, 2013. Among these

expected at the forthcoming twoin-one event in honour of the young, reputable priest are the senate president, David Mark; governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State; ex-plateau state deputy governor Pauline Tallen; and erstwhile Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, among others.

Who, you may wonder, is this gentleman Rev. Fr. Lawrence Anyembugu, and what distinguishes him? In what ways has he "made something happen" as admonished by Lee Iacocca?

More significantly, in what ways has this man of God helped make many people out there as great as he wants them to be? What are the virtues that make Anyembugu exemplary to the extent that the Marks, Al-makuras, Tallens, Okiros, and their ilk, wouldn't hesitate to identify with him? And what lesson, if any, can we learn from Anyembugu's chequered sojourn in the Lord's vineyard?

Rev. Lawrence Soja Anyembugu is the parish priest of St. Sylvester's Catholic Church, New Nyanya, Nasarawa State.

For a young man who has spent barely five years in his priestly adventure, there is little or nothing remarkable about this. But as a notable Isreali philosopher, Hakiem Benjamin said, "It's not how long you live or do something that makes the hosts of heaven and earth rejoice but how well". In this respect, Anyembugu has distinguished himself as a priest, educator, philanthropist, writer

and mentor. Ask the parishioners of St. Sylvester's Catholic Church in particular and resident of New Nyanya in general, and they would candidly concede that "Father", as they affectionately call him, is "a priest like no other". A priest who, despite his busy schedule, always finds time to care for the spiritual and welfare of his parishioners and compatriots alike.

In fact, his residence is like a Mecca of sorts for all and sundry, what with every member and nonmember alike flocking there every now and then with their personal challenges. Irrespective of how busy he might be, Anyembugu is likely to squeeze out time for you, to listen to your concern, and to demonstrate uncommon empathy.

Space constraint does not allow us to dwell on the legion of examples of this man's exemplary ways of impacting people's lives. Suffice it to mention the free medical checkup he organized for his parishioners and community only last week.

Organized in conjunction with Manifestation Laboratory Health Centre, the two-day programme witnessed multitudes of people enjoying the best of state-of-the- art medical services, free of charge.

Infectious disease tests (HIV, Hepatitis B, Syphilis, etc), pulse rate, blood pressure and ulcer screening, among others, held sway on those two days.

It's pertinent to point out at this juncture that the founder of Christianity , Jesus Christ,set an abiding example for all his followers by not only spreading the Good

“

In short, Senator David Mark, Governor Tanko Al-Makura and a legion of others would be in New Nyanya not only to recognize an exemplary priest but also to appreciate a selfless compatriot who goes extra miles to impact people's lives

News, but also caring for the people's welfare, even as he cared for their physical needs by feeding the hungry and healing the sick.

Rv. Fr. Anyambugu and his ilk could have been content with providing only spiritual food for their parishioners; instead they are going to extra mile by imitating the Lord's life-changing examples.

No less remarkable is the books which Anyembugu have been writing over the years, including the latest one entitled "Shadows of Existence." The work, scheduled to be launched on Sunday 3rd March 2013, has been described as a "treasure trove of insight into not only spiritual matters, but a variety of other issues that are not necessarily spiritual." In short, Senator David Mark, Governor Tanko Al-Makura and a legion of others would be in New Nyanya not only to recognize an exemplary priest but also to appreciate a selfless compatriot who goes extra miles to impact people's lives.

In conclusion, I sincerely believe that all of us have one or two lessons to learn from Rev. Fr. Anyambugu. And the main lesson is this: no matter where we may be and irrespective of the position we occupy, we should not just do our work and leave it at that.

Rather, we should go the extra mile so that, like Anyembugu and others like him, we would touch as many lives as we can one way or the other.

Jamila Erina is reachable via jamilaerina@yahoo.com

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 15

Demolished, dehumanised, denied How many ears must one have/ Before he can hear people cry/ How many deaths will it take till he knows/ That too many people have died/ The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind - Song by Bob Dylan

S

hylock. This name has gained universal infamy and scorn the world over on account of his unforgiving spirit and obsession with vengeance, as chronicled in William Shakespeare's play, 'The Merchant of Venice'. But despite his lessthan-edifying attributes, Shylock stirs the heart with some of his statements, regardless of whether you agree with him or not.

Consider this example: "You take my house when you do take the prop/ That dot sustain my house; you take my life when you take the means whereby I live."

Who would dispute that? Who would dispute the fact that taking a person's means of livelihood tantamount to taking his or her life? Aside from the fat cats in the corridors of power here in 'Naija', it is difficult to find any mortal who would deny the living truth evident in that statement. And, pray, who would deny that you take a person's house when you take the prop that sustains his house? With the exception of our government officials, it is difficult to find any sane person who would dispute that truism.

This obviously explains the glee with which officialdom bulldozes the masses' houses all

over the nation. Ever since demolition of so-called "illegal structures" caught the public's imagination during the military era when bulldozers, accompanied by armed-to-theteeth cops and soldiers, leveled Marako, a densely populated Lagos ghetto. The craze has been spreading like a wild harmattan inferno ever since then. The ungodly i n d u l g e n c e heightened during the Nasir el-Rufai era as FCT minister, with every "illegal structure" in sight being leveled even when courts of law decreed otherwise.

Last week it was the turn of residents of Mararaba, New Nyanya, Masaka, and other towns in Nasarawa State bordering Abuja, to feel the heat.

In a week-long exercise that defied logic and common sense, agents of Nasarawa State government swooped on the hapless populace, demolishing their shops and homes with reckless abandon.

Initially, the government had announced that all it wanted to do was to level the road-side structures that were causing traffic snarl in Mararaba. But hardly had hundreds of houses been demolished there than the bulldozers spread to the adjoining towns, leaving tears, blood and death in their wake. In their overzealousness, the agents of

sorrow burrowed into distant streets in every nook and cranny of the ill-fated towns.

The Nasarawa State government might have meant well, but the ruthlessness and

family's life savings. Nobody gave a damn in respect of the economic, social and mental havoc wrecked on the defenceless citizenry.

The destruction in Nasarawa is, needless to say, not an exception. Rather, it is the case across 'Naija'.

Every governor, LGA chairman, and their ilk often act as if their responsibility would be uncomplete until they demolished as many houses as they asonde@yahoo.com can. In the past we 0803-2159-249 (SMS only) were made to believe that government heartlessness that hallmark the was in earnest to provide "houses serial demolition frenzy belied its for all by 20000". Now it seems intention. Uncountable people government is hell bent on were rendered homeless or jobless rendering the masses homeless in the heat of the destruction of within the shortest possible time. the houses built with many a In fairness to government,

SONDE’S DIAR Y DIARY

By Sonde Abbah

“

officialdom should temper its craze for socalled illegal structures with common sense.

If successive 'Naija' governments have proven over the decades that the otherwise simple chore of providing shelter for the citizenry is above their level of competence, they should not compound an already torrid situation with 'demon-lition'

some Nigerians, either deliberately or otherwise, take recklessness to the luimit by erecting houses here and there indiscriminately. Even when some people are warned to keep off, they would proceed to encroach on government's land with abandon. Such persons deserve to be punished, at least to serve as deterrent to others That, however, does not justify the recklessness and heartlessness that characterizes the typical government development exercise. In a typical case, the baby is thrown away with the bathwater. The guilty and innocent alike are usually lumped together in the demolition frenzy. The result: thousands of internally displaced persons are roaming the land, feeling utterly demolished, demolarised, dehumanized and dumped.

Abandoned to their fate by their fatherland!

In my humble opinion, officialdom should temper its craze for so-called illegal structures with common sense. If successive 'Naija' governments have proven over the decades that the otherwise simple chore of providing shelter for the citizenry is above their level of competence, they should not compound an already torrid situation with 'demon-lition.' Because, as Shylock poignantly put it, "You take my house when you do take the prop/ That dot sustain my house; you take my life when you take the means whereby I live."

Lessons from blunders of 1959, 1979 and 1999 (II)

By Tunji Ariyomo

E

xtraneous circumstance scuttled that goal. In his well researched piece published in the Punch of February 22, 2013, Jide Akinbiyi went down memory lane stating that "in 1983, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe's Nigerian Peoples Party whose members had been in President Shehu Shagari's NPN Federal Government since 1979 decided to team up with Awolowo's Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN); Waziri Ibrahim's Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP) and Comrade Michael Imoudu's Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) for the purpose of unseating Shagari's government in the presidential election of that year.

They came together under the banner of Progressive Parties Alliance (PPA). But they could not agree on who would be their presidential candidate. Awolowo wanted to run, so did Azikiwe and Waziri. At the same time, Shagari who was sure of his victory assured Dr. Azikiwe and his NPP that he would give them 'juicy' positions if he was returned to power. Being thus wooed away from the PPA, Dr. Azikiwe described himself as a beautiful bride torn between different suitors. In the end, Shagari won the election and fulfilled his

promise by appointing NPP members into his cabinet."

As history stands, what eventually unchained Nigerians from the shackles of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) was a jackboot intervention by the military in 1983 - civilian strategies having failed.

Timeline - 1999: The next date with history was 1999. By then, most of the original dramatis personae had either died or retired from active politics. The Nigerian people, pushed to the wall, had engaged the military for nearly sixteen years. Suddenly and unexpectedly, some behind the scene intervention led to the death of General Sani Abacha. As revealed by Al Mustapha at the Justice Oputa Panel, the events were choreographed. Wole Soyinka, Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, Balarabe Musa and several others were clear champions of this struggle against military rule. However, when opportunity to decide the next leaders arrived, these vocal and leading light rather than retreating and coalescing behind a single candidate and making a united push for the leadership of the nation, got themselves scattered over the nation's political space with some even forming their individual political parties. There was hardly anyone

of them that did not register a political party or group whether as an individual or in conjunction with others. Gani, who should have been the senatorial candidate of a leading party in his state (Ondo), aimed for the presidency while Falana who should have been a Senatorial candidate of a leading party in his Ekiti State gunned for the governorship. These ones even tried as many who were capable of contesting did not, leaving a vacuum that was successfully exploited by the 'jegudujeras' such that although ideologically cohesive, these leading lights weakened and diminished their political worth through their inability to unite. The established cartel of evil that has held the nation to ransom since independence quickly united behind a single candidate and even wooed more unto their sides.

Predictably, they won the election and the story went back to status quo. This was in 1999.

As 2015 beckons: The Nigerian people have been pushed to the wall. The level of poverty and insecurity in the land is unprecedented despite unmatched income from crude oil and other sources. Like the previous attempts, the opposition is being united by a common enemy. The politicians in the opposition are

doing what they ought to be doing - forming a united political group (via merger). The only difference this time, bar a few exceptions, is that members of the political opposition are also mostly people who have been tested and who have failed in the past. The list is endless. Many leading figures of the merger experiment were either notable stalwarts of the ruling party in the past or active contractors and hanger-on of the military while those that have been members of opposition genuinely over time have also presided over their dominions with the same high handedness with which the ruling party has ruled Nigeria. There is little doubt that many are party to the merger solely because they lost out in the PDP. Even at that, they are doing the correct thing - merging!

Those who are not playing their roles are members of the true intelligential, the real moral voices of the nation - those patriots who are not driven by personal political gains - the non professional politicians. Those are the people that are truly capable of objectively searching for and identifying capable and merit-based leaders for the Nigerian people. Those are the people that need to learn from the experiences of 1959, 1979 and 1999.

What can you do?

Professional politicians often take it for granted that theirs is the heaven-ordained right to elect (select) leaders for the rest of the country. It is a farce that thrives because the people allow it. If the mass of the people challenge this notion, they will succeed and 2015 is a good time for such an experiment.

If you are appalled by the level of decadence and leadership missteps in Nigeria, then your best choice is to commence actions at your end toward identifying the leaders you want in positions rather than merely expecting what characters politicians would throw up in 2015. Professional politicians would naturally prefer candidates that would give them high return on their investment.

You however should be targeting capable people that can lead Nigeria out of this quagmire of poverty and deprivation.

Nigerians from the North, West, East and South are presently working behind the scene and would be storming the nation's political space shortly over the choice of leaders they want in 2015.

Will you join them or simply idle away thus exposing our people to more years of uncertainty under incapable leaders? The only way we will not jump from frying pan to fire in 2015.

Concluded

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

INSIDE FCT COURTS 2 Persons appear in court for alleged criminal trespass, causing hurt

T

A commuter bus on fire after somersaulting on Gwagwalada/Airport road at Iddo bus stop, recently in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Man jailed for stealing machine, school bag A

Zuba Grade one Area Court in the FCT has sentenced one Benjamin Nwafor of Madalla, Niger, to nine months imprisonment for stealing a motorised filing machine and a school bag.

The presiding officer, Alhassan Kusherki, sentenced Nwafor, after he pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of criminal trespass and

theft.

Kusherki did not give the convict an option of fine.

“I did not give you an option to pay fine because you have previously been convicted by this court.

“It seems that you have not learnt any lessons from your previous experience.

“The court shall not be lenient

with you by asking you to pay a fine.

“I am sentencing you to nine months in prison and order that you pay N15,000 as compensation to the complainant for his loss,” Kusherki ordered.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Haruna Danlami, had told the court that the convict criminally trespassed into a shop belonging to

Woman, 45, charged to court for alleged encroachment

T

he Police in Abuja on Thursday arraigned a 45-year-old woman, Duru Olayinka of Jeremiah Useni Road before a Gwagwalada Upper Area Court in the FCT for alleged trespass and mischief.

The police prosecutor, Insp.

Modupe Musa, told the court that Olayinka encroached on the land of Mrs Margaret Jathro of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Abuja, on Nov. 30, 2012.

She said that apart from trespassing, Olayinka also destroyed the beacons valued at N10,000 and built a piggery on the said land.

Modupe said the matter was reported at the Police Area Command Office in Gwagwalada by the complainant.

She added that the offences were punishable under sections 348 and 327 of the Penal Code, but the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Her counsel, Miss Chinwe Asoronye, urged the court to grant her client bail.

“The accused will not jump bail

or tamper with police investigation.

She has no previous criminal record,’’ she said.

The Presiding Judge, Alhaji Babangida Hassan, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 and a surety in like sum.

Hassan said the surety must be resident within the FCT and must be a civil servant or own a landed

property.

He said the surety’s passport should be attached to the bail bond and that the prosecutor should verify the address of the surety.

Hassan said that if the accused failed to keep to the terms of the court, she should be remanded in prison, and he adjourned the case to April 8 for hearing. (NAN)

one Michael John of Yimi, Abuja.

Danlami said that the convict stole a motorised filing machine and a school bag, valued at N19,000 from the shop.

He said that during investigation only the school bag was recovered from the convict, adding that the convict confessed and admitted to stealing the filing machine. (NAN)

Police arraign man for misappropriation of funds

T

he Police on Thursday arraigned Joseph Omachoko, a staff member of Sunoni Lodge, Wuse 2, Abuja, before an Abuja Senior Magistrates Court for alleged misappropriation of funds.

Omachoko, a cashier, was said to have misappropriated N8.6 million

Court discharges sale’s boy who allegedly stole 18 bags of cement Stephen Eimoga, said Mrs Nwibe offence contravened the provisions

A

Karu Senior Magistrates Court in Abuja, yesterday discharged a sale’s boy, Ifeoluwa Adekoya, 18, who was standing trial for allegedly stealing 18 bags of cements.

Adekoya of Prayer Road, Jikwoyi Phase IV, Abuja, was arraigned before the court on Jan. 21.

The accused pleaded not guilty and was granted bail, but when he could not meet up the bail conditions, he was reminded in prison.

The police prosecutor, Sgt.

Victoria of House 3, Road 122, FHA Karu, reported the matter to the police on Nov. 12, 2012.

On Oct. 26, 2012, Victoria employed Adekoye as sale’s boy to sell cement in her shop.

“On the same day a trailer loaded with 600 bags of cement was handed over to him.

On Nov. 12, a stock taken was carried out and 18 bags of cement valued at N30, 600 were discovered missing.

The prosecution said that the

wo persons, Mariam Salihu, 25, of Pyakasa, Abuja, and Theophilus Aleh, 21, of Derby Pool Company, Silverbird Entertainment, Abuja, on Friday appeared before an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court for alleged criminal trespass and causing hurt.

Police prosecutor David Udeh told the court that on Feb. 17, at about 7.15 p.m., one Happiness Ibrahim of Derby Pool Company, Silverbird Entertainment, Abuja reported the two accused at the Wuse Police Station.

Udeh said that on the same day, at about 6.45 p.m., Ibrahim reported that Salihu had trespassed into her office and spread devil beans on her T shirt.

This, he told the court, caused Ibrahim serious pains on her skin and thereafter, Aleh also threatened to deal with her.

Udeh told the court that the offences of criminal trespass, joint act, criminal intimidation, and causing hurt were contrary to sections 348, 79, 397 and 242 of the Penal Code.

The two accused pleaded not guilty.

Senior Magistrate Chinyere Nwecheonwu granted the accused bail in the sum of N20,000 each and two sureties each in like sum.

The sureties must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court, she said.

She adjourned the case to March 4 ,2013 for further hearing. (NAN)

of Section 289 of the Penal Code.

During the hearing on Friday, Victoria told the court that she and Adekoye’s mother had discussed and reached an understanding to withdraw the case.

The Magistrate, Mrs Sharon Tanko, discharged the accused.

“Due to the understanding by the plaintiff and the accused person’s parent, I hereby discharged the accused and the First Information Report terminated”.

(NAN)

belonging to Sunoni Lodge of 40, Birao St., Wuse 2, Abuja, without the consent of the management.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The police prosecutor, Sgt. Abdullahi Adamu, told the court that the accused was reported at the Wuse Police Station by one Nnaemeka Agbasi of Suite 09, Jinifa Plaza, Central Area, on July 26, 2012.

According to Adamu, the accused dishonestly converted the said money to his personal use, contrary to sections 312 and 309 of the Penal Code.

Following an application the defence counsel, Senior Magistrate Aliyu Shafa granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties who must be civil servants on not less than GL10 and above.

He added that the sureties must reside within the FCT and adjourned the matter to March 14, 2013 for further hearing. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 17

Over 20 suspected Boko Haram members decry over congestion of Kuje prison

By Usman Shuaibu

A

bout 20 Boko Haram suspects in Kuje prison of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who are awaiting trial have protested against prison congestion and their long keeping in the prison custody without trial since eight

years.

The inmates made this known to the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro who visited the Kuje maximum security prison, said that the government of the day had violated their constitutional rights by keeping them in the prison without trial.

They noted that since they

are kept in prison, no court had entertained their case because the appropriate authorities had neglected them.

Peoples Daily gathered that about 545 inmates in Kuje prison have been awaiting trial for now.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Interior who addressed the staff of Kuje prison had warned the

Comptroller General of Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), Alhaji Zakari Ibrahim against negative attitude of warders towards work.

The minister accused the prisons boss of failing to supervise the prisons and allowed the prison personnel to make use of government facilities for personal use.

Polluted Suma River as a result of busted crude oil pipelines, on Wednesday in Gwagwalada, Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Gwagwalada chair tasks FCTA on dry season farming

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Zakari Angulu, Chairman, yesterday called for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) support for dry season farming to enhance food security in the territory.

Angulu stated this in Gwagwalada at the flag off ceremony of FCT 2012/2013

dry season farming with the theme, Women in Agriculture Value Chain.

He said the support was to harness the huge natural potentials available in the council for irrigation facilities adding that optimum utilization of the potentials would enhance youth and women employment.

According to him, our farmers in the council have demonstrated reasonable sense of commitment with the little resources available to them.

In his remark, the Director, FCT Agricultural Development Project (ADP), Dr Mike Uwazie said irrigation facilities in FCT had potentials for employment opportunities for teaming youths in the territory.

He called on youths in FCT to embrace farming so as to address challenges of employment adding that ADP was on ground to offer advisory services where necessary. ``The challenge has been

that youths are not in agriculture because of the believe that it takes one year to grow a particular crop. ``With the variety of vegetables we have at present, it just takes 60 days to start harvesting and thereafter, the farmer keep harvesting every three weeks," he said.

Mrs Felicia Ayuba, a farmer called for support from FCTA in the area of funds and provision of farm lands so as to address the challenges before the farmers.

Residents of Abaji, Kuje, others urged to vote credible candidate

By Usman Shuaibu

A

member of the House of Representatives representing Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at the National Assembly, Hon. Isah Egah Dobi, has called urged electorates in the council to vote

for the credible candidates that will move Gwagwalada Area Council forward in terms of development.

Dobi, who also urged politicians to shun violence during the forthcoming Area Council election in the area, called all the security agencies in the area to be at alert to security issues in order to forestall any breach in the forthcoming council election.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Dobi, he further urged the electorates to vote for the credible candidates that will move Gwagwalada Area Council forward in terms of development.

He advised the youths against being used as thugs by so called politicians to perpetrate evils during election.

Dobi, who is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), stressed the need for PDP members across his constituency to remain loyal and shun antiparty activities.

While commenting on his achievements, the lawmaker promoted out that he had carried out about 58 developmental projects across his constituency.

Over 500 youths trained to eradicate fake products in FCT

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he Consumer Protection Council's Products and Services Monitoring and Registration Scheme, known as ProServe programme has trained over 500 youth to monitor and register businesses in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in order to eradicate fake products in the territory.

The National Coordinator Budgetcoat Nigeria Limited, the consulting firm serving as the registration project team, Mr. Odang Enyigwe , who spoke to journalist during the induction of the project's 500 field officers in Abuja, said that the 500 youths had been recruited and trained to interact face-to-face with products manufacturers and services providers in the FCT and some selected states.

According to Enyigwe, the scheme which is aimed at increasing consumer confidence in the listed Nigeria products and services and eliminating counterfeiting and quackery, was launched by the Federal Government on August 23rd, 2012.

In his words:"Budgetcoat Nigeria Limited was appointed by the coordinating consultant as a member of the registration project team under the CPC/ ProServe project of the federal government. This company has been given nine states and the FCT to register and monitor product manufacturers and service providers and to report same to CPC/ProServe project committee.

"While we are to commenced work in the FCT, other states assigned to Burgetcoat are, Lagos, Rivers, Anambra, Edo, Delta, Benue, Enugu, Akwa Ibom and Cross River state respectively. As of today our company has employed over 500 Nigerians, who are informed and equipped to interact face to face with product manufacturers and service providers.

"The FCT public is not to patronise products and service that are not listed with CPC, the council is backed by law to shut down premises of product manufacturers/service providers that fail to list their products and services. Also non-listing will exclude defaulters from the national business directory that will be published after this programme," he said.

Asked to provide information on the registration requirement, he explained that registration fee depended on the size of the company, noting that while commercial banks could pay as high as N25,000 registration fee, some business owners would pay as low as N2,000 in the FCT and other affected states of the federation.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

No demolition in Abuja without due process, says Minister

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (CON) has assured the residents of the Federal Capital Territory that the FCT Administration will continue to follow due process while demolishing illegal structures in the Territory.

The Minister gave this assurance during the grand finale of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) official campaign for the forthcoming Area Councils’ Chairmanship and Councillorships Election for the Party in Abuja Municipal and Bwari Area Councils respectively.

The Minister explained that demolition of illegal structures are also part of development and therefore a statutory duty of the FCT Administration but that it would be carried out with human face.

Police arraign man for visa scam The police on Wednesday arraigned Ajayi Adeshola, of No. 12, Akintola Street, Adigbe, Abeokuta, Ogun in an Abuja Senior Magistrates Court for failure to procure visas for his clients.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Abdullahi Adamu, told the court that the matter was reported on Feb. 14,2013 at the Wuse Zone 3 Police Station, Abuja, by one Matiu Lawal of No. 53, Idumagbo Street, Lagos.

He said that the accused had a deal with Lawal in February 2012 to procure two Swedish visas for his brothers named Lawal Quadri and Abdulrahaman Kabiru within the duration of one month.

Adamu said that after collecting N706, 000 which was paid into the accused person's Diamond Bank Account No. 0021659477, Adeshola failed to fulfill his promise, instead he diverted the money to his personal use.

The prosecutor said that the accused absconded to unknown place, until his apprehension at Berger Junction, Abuja, on Feb. 4.

The prosecutor said that during investigation, the accused confessed that he collected the money and failed to procure the visas.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty in court.

In her ruling, Senior Magistrate Vera Tomtukura, granted the accused bail in the sum of N800, 000 with a surety who must be a senior civil servant and must reside within the court's jurisdiction.

She adjourned the matter to March 21,2013 for hearing.

(NAN)

Senator Mohammed further assured that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) would be more civil in carrying out its responsibilities of cleaning Abuja especially in curtailing the activities of street hawkers, beggars and other environmental nuisance.

He said that the FCT Administration under his leadership would continue to work for all classes of people in the Federal Capital territory in

tandem with the yearning and aspirations of the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Minister emphasized that his Administration will assiduously work to deepen the democratic tenets in the Federal Capital Territory by providing level playing field for all the political parties to operate.

Senator Mohammed while reiterating that as his Administration provides level

playing field for all the Political Parties to canvas for votes, warned against intimidation and harassment against the electorates because the government cannot condone such illegalities.

According to him, the FCT Administration is more than ever prepared to provide security before, during and after the elections in the entire 8,000 square kilometers of the Federal Capital Territory as government would not shy

away from its responsibility in providing adequate security to lives and property of all the residents.

The grand finale campaign which was attended by the crème de la crème the Peoples Democratic Party across the country also witnessed the presentation of flags to the Party’s flag bearers charging members of the Party to embark on vigorous campaign to ensure that PDP sweeps all the polls in the FCT.

Giri, a village that lacks social amenities

By Usman Shuaibu

G

iri, a village located along Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was established by a man called Yerima Makasuna. The man migrated from Gwagwalada to a nearby stream known as Dokosa. The reason for his leaving Gwagwalada was a result of perpetual death of his clan (i.e.

Vodogo clan).

The original inhabitants of

Giri village are Bassa people.

They are known to be farmers and hunters. In fact, the first man that settled at Giri had a locally made instrument called Igiri trap that he used to catch wild animals with it. The history has it that when the first Whiteman that settled in the area could not pronounce Igiri trap properly, which he called Giri henceforth the name Giri came into being, as a result of mispronunciation of the name by the Whiteman.

However, there were several

The Village Head of Giri village, Mallam Muhammadu Allabachi.

traditional rulers who ruled the people of Giri. These were Chief Dogwo Yerima, Chief Tanko Dagwo, Chief Magaji Danzeye, chief Bako Tanko and chief Magaji Kaura among others.

Presently, Mallam Muhammadu Allabachi is the village head of Giri. Since he was turbaned as the village head the people have been enjoying peace and good relationship with one another in Giri. The people of Giri have been known as peace-loving and tolerant hence their

Photo Usman Shuaibu

magnanimity in accommodating people of various ethnic backgrounds in the area is commendable.

As a matter of reality, the people of Giri town had suffered neglect under the past chairmen of Gwagwalada area council in the area of provision of social amenities. The Giri village is lacking good roads, potable drinking water, good health centre for a long time now, until the present chairman of the area council, Honorable Zakari Angulu Dobi was able to connect light from the airport to Giri to boost electricity supply in the area.

In an interview with some of the personalities in Giri who did not want their names in print alleged that the subsequent administration of Gwagwalada area council had abandoned the people of Giri in terms of infrastructural development.

They also accused the past elected councillors of failing to channel the needs of the town to the council chairmen for urgent attention.

On education, they explained that despite the large number of children in Giri, the federal capital Territory Administration (FCTA), as well as the administration of Gwagwalada area council had failed to build a senior secondary school to enrol the students. On his part, a farmer in the area, Mallam Yakubu Suleiman cried out that over the years, the government of the area council did not provide enough fertilizers for the farmers during the cropping season.

Not left out, the village head of Giri appealed to the authority of the area council to redouble its efforts to arrest some pending problems affecting the people of Giri. The village head also called on the leadership of the council to elevate him to the status of the district head to enable him benefits more from the area council.

Meanwhile, for the inhabitants of Giri to feel the impact of the present democratic dispensation, the administration of the Gwagwalada area council needed to focus on the developmental needs of the area. Giri people deserve no less service.

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Email: aminuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE

Electricity: Nigeria to generate 8,000 to 10,000 MW by December - Minister

Mob: 08033644990

Nigeria, Brazil trade hits N1.44tr in 2012

By Aminu Imam

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan and Rousseff at the weekend signed an agreement to boost cooperation on energy, aviation, agriculture, electricity, infrastructure development and defense.

Brazilian national petroleum corporation, Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) expects to expand oil production in Nigeria as the Rio de Janeiro-based company looks to strengthen its presence in Africa’s top oil producer.

“Petrobras has been producing oil in Nigeria for 14

years, and expects to increase production,” Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said during a speech in Abuja, adding that, “Petrobras expects to establish an ever-stronger presence here in Nigeria.”

Trade between Brazil, South America’s biggest economy, and

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is $9 billion (N1.44 trillion) a year. .The two leaders “pledged to work together toward attaining a more balanced, diverse and mutually beneficial trade relationship,” according to a joint statement issued after they held talks.

L-R: Bayo Otuyemi, Chief VIO, Ogun State; Eng.Kayode Ademolake, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Ogun State; Sakiru Oyefeso, Council Member, Nigerian Insurers Association and Sunday Olorunda Thomas, Director General Nigerian Insurers Association during the Official Presentation of NIID Mobile Devices for Moror Insurance in Ogun State.

From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

T

- Pg 20

Jigawa Savings & Loans records N70m profit

Sterling Bank introduces new customer-friendly product From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

I

n line with the Bank’s objective of making its services available to everyone in the country irrespective of socio-economic status and in conformity with the new Know-Your-Customer (KYC) regulations set out by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Sterling Bank has announced its Kia Kia Account for all to enjoy. It said Kia Kia account gives people in the low-income bracket, such as artisans and other unbanked people in the country, easy and instant access to top-class banking services as offered by Sterling Bank.

The account is distinguished by the immense ease and convenience associated with its opening process as it can be opened on the spot even without the customer being physically present at the branch with little or no KYC documentation required.

The KYC requirement for the lower end of the population has always been a challenge as experienced with opening an account. Sterling KIA – KIA account affords the customers the opportunity to open an account without hassles, which implies that prospective customers can complete their savings account opening process and start running the account instantly by filling a simple form on-site at branches or online.

Customers can open a Sterling KIA KIA account with zero balance and there is no minimum balance requirement on the account once it starts to operate. As with most savings accounts, only the account holder can make withdrawals on the account; but deposits by third parties are allowed.

he Jigawa State Saving and Loan Limited has declared that it has realised over N70 million as profit last year.

The Managing Director of the Bank, Alhaji Babangida Umar Gantsa made this known to our reporter in an interview in Dutse.The Managing Director said the profit followed the financial and moralsupport rendered to the bank by the state government and itscustomers.

He said over three thousand customers have received various soft loansfrom its branches last year, adding that the bank has proposed to construct a befitting office to serve as its headquarters in Dutse this year and already hasreceived the certificate of occupancy from the Ministry of land.

He said the bank has proposed to provide 5 additional branches thisyear apart from

From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

Life underwriters urged to leverage on GLIS

T

he Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance (NCRIB) has urged Life Assurance companies to take advantage of the Group Life Insurance Scheme (GLIS) as provided for under the Pension Reform Act 2004 to develop the nation’s insurance market.

Speaking through its President, Mrs Laide Osijo, in Lagos, the council opined that the 27 existing life companies in the country should continually evolve insurance policies that would meet the needs of the teeming Nigeria population as obtained in other developed countries.

The NCRIB President noted that under the Pension Act, every employer of labour was under obligation to arrange for a life insurance cover for employees and in order to

make it workable, the scheme is arranged on group basis under the Group Life Insurance.

While disclosing that the public sector was already complying with the Act, Osijo said there were rooms for ingenious Life companies to prospect the numerous private

the 4 that are existing and operating in some parts ofthe state.Alhaji Babangida explained that the state government has given the bank additional capital in this year’s budget so as meet the Central Bank of Nigeria target.

He also said the bank will soon introduce the Automotive Teller Machine(ATM) cards to its customers, especially workers, as part of efforts to improve on its services.

sector workers and take advantage of the Act to grow the industry.

She said all over the world, life specialist companies play catalytic roles to economic development as they possess the required professional competence to conceive life policies or welfare schemes that

Alhaji Babangida Umar Gantsa stated that over 10,000 new customers have opened accounts with the bank last year, which include 4,000 from Kazaure, while Ringim, Maigatari and Dutse zones have 3,000 respectively, which forms about 22,000 customers across the state.Alhaji Babangida Umar also assured its customers of the bank’s readiness and better services at all times.

would ultimately benefit both employers and employees.

Osijo commended the ongoing synergy between the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Pension Commission (PENCOM) on Group Life insurance and annuity, noting that the action would grow the

Management Tip of the Day

I

Balance creative free time with structure

t’s a well-established principle that people need slack time to work through their ideas. Companies like 3M and Google have given innovation “time off” to their scientists and engineers. But perhaps your company struggles to justify that

level of slack, or you aren’t confident that your employees would use such time effectively.A more focused approach is to get people working together on a specified challenge. Take a group of volunteers away from the office for a week to see if they can make

progress on a specific product. Or, once a year, ask everyone to put his or her normal routine work on hold for a week and commit to doing something new or a bit risky.

Source: Harvard Business Review

industry and improve the social welfare of Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the February edition of the NCRIB Members Evening is to be hosted by Law Union and Rock Insurance Plc today, February 26th, 2013.The event which is a bimonthly programme utilized to promote professional and social interaction between leading underwriting companies and insurance brokers in the fold of the NCRIB holds at the Insurance Broker House, 58 Moleye Street, Alagomeji Yaba, starting from 3.00 pm.

The management team of Law Union, led by its Managing Director, Mrs Toyin Ogunseye will be received by the President of the Council, Barrister Laide Osijo.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS Africa Prudential

A

frica Prudential Registrars Plc (APR) became the first registrar in the country to be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange following its listing on 11 January 2013.

Formerly known as UBA Registrars, the newly listed entity, which has an authorised and fully paid share capital of N500 million, delivered over 100 per cent increase in profit before tax in 2012 and looks set to continue the trend in 2013.

Africa Prudential Registrars has several local and international investors, the most prominent of which is Heirs Holdings, the pan-African investment company with long term, strategic interests in key economic sectors that generate social wealth.

Lenovo

I

n recognition of the strategic importance of growth markets such as Nigeria, China-based personal technology company, Lenovo has reinforced its commitment to the country, bringing in its latest innovations to empower businesses and consumers.

A Lenovo delegation, led by Oliver Ebel, executive director and general manager of Lenovo Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Graham Braum, general manager for Africa, recently met with representatives from government and private organisations, as well as business partners, to reinforce Lenovo’s commitment to Nigeria and outline the company’s business and PC+ strategy in the country.

The global corporation, which is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered personal computers (PC) and mobile internet devices, serving customers in more than 160 countries, has secured the number two market position amongst PC manufacturers worldwide, according to IDC Q4 2012 Preliminary Results.

UNICEM

A

leading manufacturer and supplier of cement in the South-South and South-East Zone has embarked on environmental, health and safety week for its workers and contractors within the host communities at Mfamasing Akamkpa Local Gvernment Area of Cross River State.

The United Cement Company of Nigeria(UNICEM) based in Calabar has engaged the services of a Swiss-based service provider, EMEX to provide an automated platform that will facilitate the monitoring, tracking and reporting of environmental, health and safety matrixes within the company’s operating environment.

Electricity: Nigeria to generate 8,000 to 10,000 MW by December - Minister Stories by Etuka Sunday

M

inister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo has revealed that with the current government’s commitment to improving electricity supply to Nigerians and the Road Map to power sector reform, Nigeria’s electricity capacity generation would hit between 8000 to 10000MW by the end of the year.

The Minister, who stated this at the just concluded Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja said, “We have seen some substantial increase in the quantum of power delivery to consumers nationwide. We have come a long way from less than 3000MW to over or near 4200MW as at the moment. We have ensured that power supply is steadier and more predictable and ensure that supply is two times the level it was in August 2012.

“By 2013 we would have the capacity by the end of December to generate anywhere between 8000 to 10000MW,” he said.

According to him, the road map is based on some fundamental facts like removing obstacles to private sector investment to ensure accelerated development of the Nigeria’s electricity market, improving service delivery throughout the transmission period to ensure that average Nigerian begins to feel the impact of the reform, divestiture of the PHCN successor companies and reforming the fuel-mix to power sector.

Nebo said that the removal of obstacles to private sector investment has so far revealed the “establishment of the cost reflective tariff, establishment and operationalisation of the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company, provision of Federal Government’s credit

enhancement to the bulk trader, operationalising Nigeria’s Electricity Liability Management Company of Nigeria and strengthen the licensing regime of the NERC; making sure that the commission is well equipped to act and ensure that the power sector reform is fully operationalised.”

He identified problems in the area of transmission but added that divestiture of the PHCN successor companies, the management of TCN have been appointed, the Manitoba Hydro, was also appointed and this appear to have instill a lot of confidence on those who purchase the Gencos and Discos.

In the area of gas supply, he said “We will implement a framework that will guarantee gas supply to power generation.

Once again, even when we have come to a kind of fuel-mix for

power generation, gas will continue to be dominant at 80 per cent or so. Implement a short term gas action plan for the industry and develop hydro and coal as alternative sources of energy where we also look at possibility of using our own naturally endowed resources like sun and wind for solar and wind energy. One of the things that we intend to do is to ensure that we have a renewable energy policy for the country.”

“The process of privatisation is moving towards completion and awaiting payment; many of the companies will be signed on and be required to pay the first tranche of the money that they have been asked to pay so that eventually they will take over these companies. What remains to be done we want to enhance investors confidence through successful completion of the privatisation process. That is why

Swedish firm targets Nigeria’s oil sector

N

igeria’s oil and gas sector is set to attract a new investment as Alfa Laval, a Swedish equipment manufacturer has concluded plans, in collaboration with an indigenous firm, Jocam Nigeria Limited, to provide parts and maintenance services for the oil industry.

The investment will focus on the areas of skill acquisition, equipment maintenance and technology transfer.

Speaking, the Managing Director of Alfa Laval, Mrs.

Maryne Lemvik noted that Nigeria was a very fastgrowing economy, which has become globally relevant to equipment makers like her company. “We see growth and opportunities in Nigeria and we want to be fully involved. our ambition is to provide for companies in the Oil and Gas sector a wide range of key solutions designed for increased efficient performance,” she said.

Also speaking on the

partnership, the Managing Director of Jocam, Mr Nnamdi Okam said that Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) conference has afforded the visiting team an opportunity to interact with clients with a view to understanding the challenges of performance and maintenance of the equipment.

He noted that Nigeria’s oil and industry was yet to attain its full potential because a lot of key technologies and expertise needed for optimal were still sourced from abroad.

Siemens to install power plant at BUA’s cement

S

iemens Nigeria Limited has secured the contract for the BUA Group’s Edo cement factory power plant, located at Okpella, Edo state.

The contract, according to Siemens involves the supply of three units of Siemens Gas Turbines SGT-500

manufactured by Siemens Industrial Turbo Machinery AB in Finspang, Sweden.

The Project is unique because Siemens will be installing the SGT-500 for the first time in Nigeria in its 50 years existence.

Siemens in a statement said

the SGT-500 turbines are unique for the African market because they offer flexibility in optimizing investment returns, extremely low maintenance costs, high reliability and limited number of personnel required for their operation and maintenance.

a lot has gone into ensuring that transparency is the watch-word in the entire process of the privatisation,” he said.

Shell makes N272 bn from upstream divestment

T

he Royal Dutch Shell raked in $1.7 billion (N272 bn) from divested upstream assets in the fourth quarter of last year, while $7 billion was realized from the total upstream divestment.

In its fourth quarter and full year financial report, the Shell Group said the revenues were realized from the divested assets in the Niger Delta, Gulf of Mexico and Canada.

It said: “Upstream divestment proceeds totaled some $1.7 billion in the fourth quarter 2012. Divestment mainly included Shell’s 30 percent interest in Oil Mining Lease 30 where Shell’s share of production was 11, 000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the Niger Delta, Shell’s 50 per cent interest in the Holstein field, where the company’s share of production was 5,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the Gulf of Mexico and Shell’s interest in the Seal area, where its share of production was 2,000 within the Peace River oil sandas of Alberta, Canada.”

The report said during the fourth quarter of last year, Shell participated in the Arnhem-1, Pinhoe-1 where it has 50 per cent share in gas discoveries in the outer Exmouth and theSatyr-4 where it has 25 per cent share in gas discovery in the Gorgon area offshore Australia and the Zabazaba-3 oil discory off-shore Nigeria, where it has 50 per cent share.

PAGE 21

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

FG Approves N1.7bn for NIPOST pensioners

By Chris Alu

T

he Postmaster-General of the Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Mori Baba has said that the Federal Government has approved the sum of N1.7 billion for the payment of pensioners entitlement of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST).

Speaking to journalists at the weekend in Abuja, he

lamented over the protest of pensioners last month for shutting down NIPOSTs offices nationwide over non-payment of their pensions.

He said: “We eventually signed an agreement on January 27 on the payment of their claims.

The figure is about N1.7 billion and the Office of the AccountantGeneral is working towards paying them as soon as possible.”

Baba said the Federal

Government had accepted to clear the backlog of arrears, saying the problem of non-payment of regular pension was not restricted to NIPOST. “This is because the Federal Government is responsible for the payment of pensions and not NIPOST,” he stated.

On the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s newly introduced Financial Inclusion Strategy, he urged NIPOST staff

to ensure its successful implementation billed for Borno state.

Baba said NIPOST is expected to serve as the scheme’s major agent.

According to him, the scheme is aimed at providing access to financial services for the lessprivileged.

He stressed the need for the staff of NIPOST to work hard to justify the government’s

Airtel Launches Z10 BlackBerry

investment in the scheme.

Baba said the management was working on plans to train the staff on the scheme.

“We will also try as much as possible to update our equipment subject to availability of funds”, he said.

He added that the management was looking at possibilities of introducing some incentives to the staff to motivate them.

Trend Micro adds mobile security to its Facebook scanners

By Chris Alu

T

By Chris Alu

O

ne of Nigeria’s leading telecommunication network, Airtel, has made another debut in the market, by launching BlackBerry Z10 smartphone in its showrooms across the

country.

Airtel customers who had pre-ordered for the device on-line or through its retail outlets across the country, can now take delivery of their smartphones at their preferred locations.

Speaking during the launch, Airtel’s, chief

marketing officer, Mr. Olu Akanmu said the company is delighted to be the first operator in the country to move beyond the pre-ordering process to the commencement of actual sale and distribution of the BlackBerry Z10 device to Nigerians.

Invisible smartphone on the horizon?

A

n invisible smartphone may be on the horizon.

Using technologies developed for displays, a Taiwanese company is showing off prototypes of a phone made of glass.

P o l y t r o n Technologies has released a phone that is invisible, nearly, with electronics that are so tiny they are too small to see. The phone’s circuitry is made up of ultra-thin wires sandwiched between two glass layers.

The liquid crystal molecules in the glass are arranged randomly when the current is off, but when it is on they line up and allow light to pass through.

So, this phone would be invisible until it is turned on.

Polytron has said that several mobile phone companies are interested in using the technology. That said, the phone is at an early stage yet. There are also parts of the phone that can’t be transparent, such as the SIM card and the battery.

Cool as it is, it seems that a phone made of glass would have to be shatterproof at the very least.

And it might give a new twist to finding your misplaced phone.

(Source: Discovery News)

Akanmu explained that Airtel would continue to consolidate its position as a pioneer of innovation in the telecoms landscape, in line with its vision of being the most-loved brand in the lives of Nigerians.

“Our superior and widest 3.75G coverage across the country would further complement the distinctive computing features of the smartphone to provide customers with a delightful internet experience round-theclock, irrespective of their location”.he stated.

He added that the launch of the Blackberry Z10 on the Airtel Network is significant, as customers would take advantage of its largest 3.75G network and the most robust data network in the country.

Accordingly, customers who pre-ordered for the latest BlackBerry Z10 Smartphone would purchase the device at N100, 000 per unit.

The new BlackBerry flagship Z10, which is currently the toast of the smartphone family is positioned as a premium handheld device with the capacity to attract the interest of high net-worth individuals.

rend Micro, a leading software organization has added a flagship security software technology to its Facebook privacy settings for improve services.

Trend Micro says more than a billion people use Facebook, often sharing private and intimate moments of their life that can provide a wealth of information for about their lives without adequate security protections and more than a third of users profess to not knowing much about the site’s privacy settings and often share things in public without realizing it, said Greg Boyle, a marketing manager at Trend Micro.

Trend Micro is also offering the Facebook security software available as a free stand-alone app, Privacy Scanner for Facebook.

In addition to virus and malware scanning and protection against phishing, the paid version of the software also includes a data back-up service that can include the phone’s photos, music, calendar, videos, text messages and call history.

The first 50MB of back-up space is free and an additional 5GB will cost US$2 per month.

Trend Micro Mobile Security version 3.0 costs $30 and is available now on Google Play.

The software was announced at the Mobile World Congress exhibition, which is taking place from the beginning of this week in Barcelona, Spain.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 22

6 high-altitude vacations to take while you can Here are suggestions he and other experts offer for how to stay healthy – and have a good time — while visiting some iconic high-altitude destinations: Jungfrau, Switzerland

F

Nepal

I

f you're determined to climb Mt. Everest-or at least get to the 17,600-foot high base camp-but can't tolerate the abrupt altitude change of flying into Lhasa, going through Nepal might be a more comfortable way to reach your goal.

Kathmandu, its colorful capital and the gateway to tourism in Nepal, is in a valley and roughly

the same altitude as Denver. The city is a rich cultural center with several world heritage sites and can easily occupy you for a week before you take off on your trek.

When you go to the Everest area, travel by land or fly into Lukla (elevation: 9,393 feet), and give yourself another day or two to acclimate before going higher, Dr. Harris says. "The Everest track is the perfectly graded ascent."

Machu Picchu, the 15th century "Lost City of the Incas" in Peru, is at an altitude of nearly 8,000 feet.

Photo: iStock Machu Picchu, Peru

M

achu Picchu is one of a handful of high-altitude destinations on the bucket list of many sophisticated travelers.

Travelers today take a more drastic approach, flying to Lima and typically connecting directly to Cusco, which is at an altitude of more than 11,000 feet. Like visitors to Tibet, it's therefore hard for them to totally avoid at least some symptoms of altitude sickness. So spend a few days there

Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

J

ames Finley, 60, a retired pathologist who lives in Greenville, N.C., has fond memories of climbing Africa’s highest peak with his wife Bonnie when he was in his mid40s. The couple chose one of the easier routes up the mountain,

Bhutan

T

his rarely visited country in the Himalayas has much in common spiritually with Tibet. You can become immersed in Buddhism and trek here too, but mostly at lower altitudes (the average elevation is 8,000 feet). As in Tibet, tourism is tightly controlled. (See my post, “Plan Before You Travel; Without A

Visa You Might Need To Stay Home.”) You must have a guide, but don’t need to travel in a large group. And any time altitude could be an issue, the fewer people you must accommodate, the better.

While it’s true that a person’s reaction to altitude can vary from one trip to the next, it’s more likely that your response will be consistent, experts say.

So plan accordingly.

Tibet

N

o matter what your religious persuasion, or whether you are religious at all, it's hard not to be captivated by the pervasive Buddhist traditions and age-old rituals when visiting Tibet.

Many travelers come here to trek-the desolate barren topography is high desert.

Though few climb Mt. Everest,

or gorgeous mountain scenery and activities, few spots rival the Swiss Alps.

Year round, the scenic Bernese Oberland region tops the lists of many savvy travelers. The third highest peak in the Swiss Alps is the Jungfrau, where you’ll shiver in the summer standing in the snow; in winter the summit is inaccessible.

Don’t worry about reaching it; visitors go by train to the summit which is Europe’s highest station.The views are breathtaking on a clear day, but unfortunately, it’s haute theme park up there, with travelers woozy from the altitude contemplating the purchase of tacky souvenirs they wouldn’t seriously consider elsewhere.

acclimating before you move on to Machu Picchu, which is 3,000 feet lower, but still high enough for most people to feel uncomfortable.

The most popular way to approach Machu Picchu is by hiking the famous but crowded Inca trail, but take it slow. Young travelers do the four-day hike, which covers a distance of about 27 miles, camping in tents along the way. The alternative for older tourists is to do an inn-to-inn trek, staying at luxury lodges, where you can soak in a Jacuzzi at the end of a long day of trekking;

enjoy a good meal with fine wines; and sleep between Egyptian cotton sheets. While you're hiking, a porter transfers your baggage to the next lodge.

Whether you trek upscale or budget, you can't take the trail independently - you're required to go with a licensed operator.

And forget about blissful solitude; up to 500 people a day, including guides and porters, are allowed on the trail. Machu Picchu, which remained unknown to Spanish conquerors is now visited by up to 250,000 people a year.

admired the flora and fauna as it changed from jungle to high forests, and then high alpine vegetation.

As important as it is for travelers to move at their own pace, there’s sometimes pressure from guides and, for those trekking in groups, from other group members, to ascend

more rapidly.

People tend to climb Kilimanjaro shockingly fast, resulting in high rates of altitude sickness. In contrast, people who had taken longer to acclimate to Kilimanjaro were much more likely to enjoy being there and to make it to the summit.

which borders Tibet and Nepal, many tourists spend the night in a tent at the base camp, or take a ritual walk counterclockwise (called a kora) around the foot of Mt. Kailash-a holy mountain in western Tibet that is sacred to four religions.

Most people arrive by plane to Lhasa, where the elevation is nearly 12,000 feet.

Under Chinese government rules, foreign visitors are not

allowed to enter any of the holy sites without a guide, and the information they impart will vary, depending on whether you deal with a Chinese or a Tibetan-run enterprise. The well-researched,Lonely Planet Tibet guidebook is banned there, so keep yours under wraps.

Among other things it's a good source for day trips from Lhasa as your energy and schedule permit.

PEOSPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Report as at Monday, February 25, 2013

PAGE 23

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Intensifying the fight against polio in Abuja T

he fight against Polio in Nigeria, especially in Abuja by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is commendable; however a lot is expected of the Administration to permanently declare the obituary of polio and its incessant attacks on the future leaders of the country.

For those who have lost one of their legs or both to polio attack, the lamentation is infinitum-especially those who wished they have their legs to either play football or involve in other sports. They watched from the sidelines or Televisions biting their fingers helplessly without making any input. To such people, polio would remain their arch-enemy, the killer of destiny.

Since poliomyelitis as described by medical experts is a viral infectious disease spread through crowding, unclean conditions and improper sanitation of waste fluids, a remedy could be easily provided through proper sanitation and thorough vaccination.

Therefore, the Administration must renew its commitment to the fight by ensuring that permanent measures are provided to guide against future attacks.

It’s not new that Nigeria is the only polio-endemic country in Africa. But what is however surprising and new to Nigerians is why the

Mr. Obansa Jimoh

A cursory look into the consistent fight against Poliomyelitis by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) shows that much more needs to be done to eradicate the disease. Etuka Sunday presents some of the measures so far taken by the Administration to stamp out polio from the six Area Councils of the FCT. fight is less effective in spite of the intervention from different quarters including the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). Has polio come to stay in the FCT? Just last year, 10th December 2012 to be précised, the Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Development Board (PHCDB) announced a new case of type-one wild polio virus in Jahi, a District in Gwarinpa area of Abuja with the confirmation from the Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, who visited the area.

Mohammed confidently declared that the polio outbreak at Jahi in December was the only case recorded in the FCT since 2010 therefore promised that media jingles and community dialogue would be used as measures to tackle the situation.

As a follow up, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed inaugurated a high-powered Task Force on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization Exercise in Gwarinpa Abuja to totally eradicate polio from the Federal Capital City.

The inauguration was done in line with the similar one constituted earlier by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Federal level to ensure the sustenance and coverage of its campaign.

According to the Minister, the Task Force which comprises of experts and representatives of stakeholders and Development partners are to put their grey hairs together by brainstorming the best approaches to be used to ensure that immunisation exercises are well conducted without resistance to fully eradicate the killer of destiny.

That was not all. In September 2012, the Minister of State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide flagged off Local Immunisation Days (LIDs). A programme put together by the Administration to get rid of polio and other diseases from the territory.

It was also designed to improve the health care of women and children through immunization in 250 health facilities across the six areas councils of the Federal Capital Territory.

In its efforts, the FCT Primary Health Care Development Board (PHCDB), aside from house to house campaign and immunization had solicited support of Road Transport Union and the Market Women Associations to step up fight against polio in the FCT. The Board expected the road transport union and

market women association to put a stationary post at various motor parks and markets for immunisation to be administered to children coming into the market or Federal Capital Territory.

The Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Board (PHCDB) Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed said “Any child coming to the motor parks irrespective of whether such a child had been immunised before or not, should be administered with the vaccines to ensure that children, who had been missed out are immunised.

Mohammed said the board had concluded plans to establish a surveillance team to control the disease in Abuja adding that formerly it was Type one polio that cause paralysis but that now, type three has started causing paralysis because of resistance and noncompliance in endemic areas.

He gave the reason of polio outbreak in the Federal Capital Territory to the regular influx of people from different parts of the country to the Capital City and that the virus transmission could be curtailed if routine immunization is administered from one area to another.

Activities have been lined up for 2013 by the Board to help in the eradication of polio according to Dr. Mohammed.

He said the first Immunisation Plus Days (IPDs) would go with house to house and another in February and March respectively because of high risks of polio in FCT. Last month, a physically challenged corps member serving under the platform of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), MAC Group, Mr. Obansa Jimoh Muhammed on Wednesday donated wheelchairs, bags of rice, bags of semovita, oil, books, drugs and other materials to the physically challenged students at the FCT Vocational Rehabilitation Centre Kuchiko in Bwari Area

Students of FCT Vocational Rehabilitation Centre Kuchiko Council.

The gesture which was part of his personal project and his contribution to humanity was also done to discourage some of the students who may have the mind to go into begging; adding that there is ability in disability therefore it should not be used as a justification for begging.

Mr. Jimoh said that the project was anchored on polio

eradication campaign since he was a victim so as to sensitize potential mothers on how to guide their unborn children against polio attacks and to encourage those who are already victims to sit up because they can still go to school or go into business to better their lives.

He said with the little help he got from his sponsors

“

The fight against poliomyelitis should be viewed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration as a must win fight considering the support it has received from the Federal Government and other international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) over the years

especially NTA, he was able to buy things that could help the students in skills acquisition, confident that out of his love for those living with disabilities he may wish to continue the project after his service year.

The Principal, FCT Vocational Rehabilitation Centre Kuchiko, Comrade Bala Tsoho Musa who received the materials on behalf of the students, thanked Mr. Jimoh and NYSC body for rendering services and support to the people considered less important in the society, saying that the best of life is by affecting the life of others positively.

Comrade Bala said that a victim of polio rendering support to victims of polio is a thing of joy. According to him, as long as the society is advocating for the total eradication of polio, those who are already victims should not be neglected. “I don’t blame my parents for the mistake they made out of ignorance because it has not reduced my

personality in anyway,” he added.

The fight against poliomyelitis should be viewed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration as a must win fight considering the support it has received from the Federal Government and other international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) over the years.

The southern part of the country has been able to fight the disease to a finish therefore the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) must employ all measures available to ensure that the capital city is properly rid of polio attacks to guarantee the future of the young ones.

By doing that, proper monitoring of those in charge of vaccine administration should be done to ensure that the right people are the ones getting the vaccination. It is not enough to sit in the office and assume that all is well.

Proper actions must be taken if we must expect positive results.

FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 26

DHQ launches peace campaign in Maiduguri s a new strategy to restore peace and order in the metropolis of Maiduguri, Borno State, the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim recently directed the Department of Civil-Military Relations, Defence Headquarters to embark on a 2-Day working visit to the JTF troops, commanders and good people of the state on the best way to restore peace to the ancient city and its environs.

On arrival, the team paid a courtesy visit to the Commander, Joint Task Force (Operation Restore Order) Major General J. Ewansiha in his Office at the JTF Headquarters, Maiduguri.

The team leader, Air Commodore A.A. Onitiju briefed him on the mission of the team in the State which includes interacting with the troops and the people of the metropolis on a better way to tackle the challenge of insecurity in the area.

Responding, JTF Commander acquainted with the current situation of things in the area as well as the successes recently recorded by his troops in their areas of responsibilities and assured them of his total support towards the success of their mission in the state.

Interacting with the troops at JTF Headquarters Maiduguri, Onitiju applauded

their courage, commitment and dedication to their job which he said has brought calmness to the state.

He further urged them to shun brutality of any kind and uphold the discipline which is known to be the bedrock of the military profession.

In a meeting at the Elkanemi Stadium, indigenes of the state decried the pains and ugly experience at the height of the insurgency and the reprisal of the Joint Task Force (JTF).

According to some of them, they lost either their husbands, wives, children and in some cases the whole family wiped out.

They further lamented their ward inability to attend school because of the security situation in the state.

They also said their means of livelihood has been hampered as most markets in the state were no longer safe for business transactions, and most routes linking the towns and cities were barricaded.

They however pleaded with the military authority to do all they could to restore peace and sanity to the ‘home of peace’ they were used to be.

The leader of the delegation, Air Commodore Onitiju assured the indigenes and residents within the state of Defence Headquarter’s commitment to restore peace to the state.

According to him, “Federal Government is not happy with

T

Military needs more funding – Badeh

Stories by Joy Baba

A

he Chief of Air Staff, (CAS) Air Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh has said Nigerian Military Forces needs more funding than what is obtained at the moment urging members of the National Assembly to allow financial support for the military outside the annual budget in order to take the military to the enviable level globally.

Badeh stated this over the weekend in Yola during a civic reception held by his course mates at the Nigerian Defence College, members of 21 Regular Course in honour of his appointment as the 18th CAS and promotion to the rank of Air Marshal.

According to the Air Chief “We cannot through the normal budgeting process make the Nigerian Air Force or military generally move without sourcing for fund; It happens in every country, and Nigeria cannot be an exception’’.

Badeh further said that democracy has come to stay in the country but appealed to the political class to lend support to the military in order to aid it in the discharge of their constitutional responsibility.

“I want to thank God for democracy” Badeh added.

“Armed forces have always

thrived better under democracy and democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.

“Let us make the armed forces strong again; without armed forces, democracy would be weak since democratic leaders use the armed forces to enforce their decisions either at the national or in politics’’ He also called on friends of the NAF to support to the force as his administration intends to take the force to the next level.

According to him, “with your support, I am confident that we will continue to take NAF to a higher level.’’

Badeh also appreciated the gesture of President Goodluck Jonathan who deemed it fit to elevate him to the position at this critical point and pledged his loyalty and support to the country and his government.

In his remark, the chairman of the organising committee, Major General P J Isang identified the leadership qualities of the air chief and tasked him to continue representing them well even as he pledged their support for him in the task ahead of him.

Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim the security situation in this part of the country and it welcomes ideas or solutions that could improve the situation from you (residents) of the metropolis.

“In fact, that is why we were directed by the Chief of Defence Staff, to assure you that, our troops are not posted here to kill or brutalise innocent citizens of

Maiduguri; but to make things difficult for the bad heads who have made up their mind to take laws into their eggs and cause trouble.

Security agencies are investigating those currently in our custody to determine those who were really involved in the crisis and those that were not” He thereafter urged them

Chief of Air Staff, (CAS) Air Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh Isang also thanked Mrs. Badeh, who is also the National President of the Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA), for holding forth in the home front noting that her effort has helped her husband get to the peak of his career.

In his address, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who was also the chairman of the occasion, commended members of NDA Regular Course 21 for organising the event in the home state of the CAS. Tukur also expressed confidence on the capacity of Badeh to carry NAF to a higher

to report to the nearest JTF office those involved in this nefarious act so that peace will reign once again in their various communities.

Subsequently, the DHQ team met with the Bulamas (the Community Leaders) in the state on how best they could handle the situation.

Onitiju urged the elders to avoid harbouring these vandals who call themselves jihadists or members of a religious sect to cause mayhem in the metropolis.

“Please, talk to the youths and children in your various Communities on the need to sustain peace and harmony; there can’t be any development in the midst of pandemonium” Onituju added.

He further said there are procedures of channeling grievances as entrenched in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, other than groups or individual taking laws into their hands.

“We will also like you to see our soldiers as friends, not enemies of the communities; cooperate with them to ensure lasting peace deserved by this beautiful state.

“Ensure that you furnish them with necessary details and pray for quick restoration of orderliness.

“We shall take these suggestions to the superior military authorities for consideration and necessary action”, he added.

standard than he met the service.

“I will like to give the NDA Regular Course 21, a 21 gun salute because I am so much impressed that you decided not to celebrate this in Abuja or Lagos but here in Adamawa to show that you care and appreciate our people,” he said.

The Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, represented by his deputy, Mr. James Ngalari, noted that the Air Force Chief exhibited the kind of character needed to move the country to next level.

“He is somebody who is humane, who through sheer hardwork, patience and humility got elevated,” Nyako said.

“Our country is on the threshold and only men with such leadership trait like yours can take us to the next level,” he added.

Badeh was appointed the Chief of Air Staff on September 4, 2012 and promoted on September 8, 2012 by Jonathan alongside Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Joseph Ezeoba, and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 27

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika (middle), in a group photograph with Officers and journalists, after the press conference on the retirement and promotion of some officers, recently in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Nigeria Navy ships in Cameroun for sea exercise Stories by Joy Baba

T

he Nigerian Navy ships, NNS Thunder and NNS Burutu scheduled to take part in this year’s International Maritime Sea Exercise codenamed ‘Obangame Express 2013’ have arrived Doula, Cameroon.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the Naval Public Affairs Officer Lt. Commander Jerry Omodara.

According to the statement “the sea exercise which will involve 15 nations including Nigeria, USA, Spain, Belgium and other Gulf of Guinea States will take place from 25 – 27 February 2013”.

The Ships, the statement further said left Port Harcourt, Nigeria on 17 February 2013 and the Nigerian Air Force Maritime Patrol Aircraft which will form part of the Nigerian Contingent is expected to join the contingent before the commencement of the Exercise.

The statement also said, Nigerian Contingent Commander, who is also the Commanding Officer, ‘NNS THUNDER’, Captain Adeseye Ayobanjo said the Contingent was happy to be in Cameroon for the exercise having taken part in the 2012 edition.

Ayobanjo thanked the Nigerian Ambassador to Cameroon, the Defence Attaché and other Embassy staff for the warm reception accorded the Nigerian Contingent noting that the exercise was a good avenue for training, exchange of ideas and for the security of the Gulf of Guinea.

While enroute, the statement continues, the two

Nigerian Ships carried out patrols, training exercises including search and rescue as well as boarding and interrogation. The two ships would participate in the predeployment training before the commencement of exercise. Nigeria hosted the 2012 Edition in Calabar in which 11 nations participated.

The Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS) Admiral Ola Ibrahim has said terrorism, kidnapping and all other forms of vices paint Nigeria in bad light to international community if it begins to create an environment that is not safe for foreigners.

The CDS stated this over the

weekend during the 2013 “Conseil International du Sport Militaire” (CISM)/ “International Military Sports Council” held in Abuja.

According to Admiral Ola “What you should know is that, terrorism paints this country bad when you begin to create an environment where it doesn’t appear safe for our foreigners.

“Our foreigners are in our midst still like our own citizens are elsewhere, trying to improve the lots of our country. Most of them are expatriates. So it is bad news every step of the day.

“We are doing something about it and very soon, you will get to know”.

He further said that they were trying their best to manage the situation because of the nature of the challenges.

The CDS also said sports helps the military keep fit to enable them discharge their duties noting that the Nigerian Armed Forces have a community of healthy personnel who through this type of sports engagement are encouraged to do more either in participating in other sports organised by other agencies or within ourselves.

Also speaking at the event, Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp, (NSCDC) Ade Abolurin was overwhelmed with

excitement as his men won most of the prizes at every stage.

He said it was God at work adding that they want to make a change and create an impact and also lift the flag of Nigeria higher than it is at the moment.

Abolurin also said NSCDC is trying its best to ensure that the issue of pipeline vandalism is reduce to the barest minimum if it cannot instantly stop vandalism.

“But with our new drive, our new vigorous and aggressive drive on vandalism, I think we are trying to keep the vandals off the track and it is a signal for them to keep away from Nigeria” He added.

Boko Haram ceased fire because of Mali war- Gen Bello

A

former Special Adviser to the National Security Adviser to the President, Major General Sarki Yaki Bello (Rtd) has said Boko Haram’s latest decision to cease fire was because of the on-going military onslaught on their Malian counterparts.

Bello stated this recently at the National Defence College Abuja, Nigeria, in a lecture in honour of the visiting Delegation of US Capstone Course, National Defence University, Washington, USA. General Bello said it is the success of the military forces in Mali that is forcing the Boko Haram sect to embrace dialogue.

According to him‘‘The current onslaught by the Africa-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA) against Islamist

rebels and other factions in Northern Mali has forced Boko Haram terrorists to retreat into Nigeria where efforts are equally being intensified to flush them out The terrorists appear to be approaching a cross-road as far as their activities are concerned; this may have informed the recent declaration of a ceasefire agreement between the Borno State Government and one of the factions of the terrorist Sect.’’

He noted that the security threats in the continent have gone beyond one country but becoming inter-states and they are being orchestrated by some religious extremists. ‘‘In Africa for instance, security threats gradually shifted from interstate conflicts to issues related to the activities of violent non-state actors or

terrorists groups such as alQaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al-Shabab in Somalia, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda, Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) Sect in Nigeria to mention but a few.’’

According to him, ‘‘Terrorism is a global phenomenon and no country including Nigeria is immune to it and its effect. It is however fair to state that, in the over half a century of existence as a nation, we have not faced a challenge that is as trying as the one that confronts us presently.

“We had, until a few years ago, only read, seen on TV or thought of terrorism in the way that it is unfolding in our country today as events or happenings that were possible only in distant lands like Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen etc.

Regrettably, we are now

grappling with this menace and its attendant consequences which have further compounded the ethno-religious crises and communal/ sectarian violence and etcetera, that hitherto constituted threats to our national security. ‘‘The situation was made even more complicated by the apparent inadequacies of the relevant security agencies charged with the responsibility of handling them.

“This necessitated the involvement of the Nigerian military in confronting these threats in furtherance of its constitutional role of providing aid to the civil authority.

“The Nigerian military is therefore saddled with this enormous task while still carrying out its other constitutional roles”.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY, 26, 2013

PAGE 28

By Mohammed Kandi

T

he need for the federal government to sign into law the Biosafety bill that would facilitate the development of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), which has long been passed by the Senate, has reemerged.

This is coming in the assertion made by a Biotechnologist and Plant breeder, who specialises in Cowpea and other crops at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Mohammed Ishiyaku, who said if the country must solve its problems of hunger and food security, it must institute a law enabling the commercialisation of GMOs. The Plant breeder, who made the assertion at a media training on biotechnology application for journalists, organised by an NGO, Biosciences for Farming in Africa (B4FA), expressed optimism that failure for Nigeria to establish such law that would favour the commercialization of the GMOs would be great advantage to Ghana, its close neighbour and other African countries as the increasing demand for GM food is gradually clutching the continent.

Meanwhile, it would be recalled that the Senate had in

Katsina Govt. allocates 3 tractors to women farmers' association in 2012 – Chairperson

A

s part of effort to encourage women to embrace farming, the Katsina State Government in 2012 allocated three tractors to the Association of Women Farmers in the state.

The Chairperson of the association, Hajiya Binta Dalhatu, disclosed this to newsmen on Thursday in Katsina shortly after the election of the state executives of the association. Dalhatu emerged as Chairperson while Indo Lawal was elected Secretary.

She said that the tractors were allocated to the association through the effort of the wife of the governor, Hajiya Fatima Shema.

Dalhatu said that the government also allocated 600 bags of fertilisers to the association in addition which were shared among women farmers in the state.

While commending the government for its support to the farmers, Dalhatu urged women farmers to join the association to enhance their agricultural activities.

Speaking earlier, the Managing Director, Katsina State Agriculture and Rural Development Agency, Alhaji Abashe Saidu, commended the association for its assistance to women farmers.

Represented by Alhaji Yusuf Abubakar, Assistant Director, Seeds, Saidu said that the assistance would help women farmers to boost crop production.

He described the election as `'free and fair.'' (NAN)

Biosafety law and GMOs: Nigeria's loss, Ghana's gain June, 2011 agreed that the bill should be harmonised with a version passed by the House of Respresentatives in July 2009.

However, despite intensive efforts made by supporters of GM crop technology in the past, expressing concerns that their efforts to get the bill passed was becoming elusive, particularly as the government has turned deaf ears to their proposition.

Prof. Ishyaku, who informed that the institute, through partnership with some international organizations had developed and set to release insect resistant cowpeas to farmers in the next three years (2015).

According to him, the partnership resulted in successful development of cowpeas that has shown astute resistance against Maruca, an insect that has been linked to over 80 per cent reduction in yields, through genetic engineering.

"Nigeria is the highest producer of cowpeas in subsahara but we are producing on a national deficit of about 500, 000 which is evident in the less than 400 kilograms per hectare (350 kg/ha), mostly because of the effect of maruca insects," Ishyaku stated.

The expert admitted the institute uses the meager resources it gets from the government to procure material for research but was quick to say

A farmer displaying a high yield maize developed through GM techniques those researches became successful with the support of foreign partners while calling on the federal government to establish an act commercializing the GM products as well as quickly assent the biosafety bill before it.

Ishiyaku therefore warned that if the country is unable to pass the biosafety law within the next three years, their efforts may not transcend beyond the shelves of their laboratories.

He laments that without a law

supporting the development of GM groceries in the country, no breeder or farmer is allowed to commercialise the products, saying "it means the demand for GM food and the copious economic benefits that follows will definitely go to our African neighbours."

"The introduction of marucaresistant cowpea would have reduced dependence on insecticides, which have been linked to many health and

environmental problems," he said.

He said: "We have worked on the genes of the cowpeas, tested and seen that they are safe and resistant. We are hopeful that something will happen towards signing the biosafety law before then."

The breeder therefore called for more awareness, enlightenment and education of farmers and consumers to accept the GM food so as to achieve food security as fast as possible.

Ijumu LG to engage 5,000 youth in Agriculture

T

he Ijumu Local Government Council in Kogi State said it would engage more than 5,000 youths in its agricultural projects to reduce unemployment among youths in the area.

The Liaison Officer 1 of the

council, Mr Funsho Olumoko, who disclosed this recently at the launch of phase 1 Fadama project at Aiyetoro-Gbede, said the council was set to tackle the unemployment rate.

He said that the council had acquired land for the

commencement of a comprehensive agricultural project geared toward reducing poverty and boosting the internally generated revenue of the council.

Olumoko said the council was poised to key into the Federal

Government's agricultural transformation agenda, adding that 400 farmers would be engaged in the first phase of the Fadama programme with 40 groups comprising 10 members each.

He said the Fadama rice programme h a d commenced in the three districts of the l o c a l government, stressing that the council was targeting A group of Journalists having a chat with Prof. Mohammed Ishiyaku, a cultivation of Biotechnologist/Plant breeder during the recent media training on 100 hectares of rice by the end biotechnology application for Journalists, organised by an NGO (B4FA)

of the year.

He said the Federal Government had promised to complement the effort with another 100 hectares to boost production.

Olumoko hoped that the cultivated rice would be ready for harvest within the next 90 days with the farmers taking the largest share of 40 per cent, while the State and Federal Governments would take 30 percent each.

He noted that the Federal Government would provide instant market for the produce by buying up the farmers and State Government's shares to prevent glut.

The Liaison Officer said that the council had also prepared another expanse of land to establish large-scale fish farming, grass-cutter and piggery business.

Olumoko said that cocoa and cassava seedlings would soon be produced in large quantities and distributed to farmers free.

He stated that a seven-man Agricultural Transformation Committee headed by a renown agriculturist, Chief Michael Babayemi, had been set up to oversee the council's agricultural programmes. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY, 26, 2013

PAGE 29

Firm supports FG's Phonesfor-Farmers initiative

By Mohammed Kandi

A

Novus Agro, an indigenous technology firm, is seeking ways to help Nigerian farmers boost their income by increasing their sales through

Gov. Ajimobi inaugurates 320 tractors for agric growth

G

overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has inaugurated 320 tractors to promote growth in the agricultural sector.

Ajimobi performed the ceremony in Ibadan recently, saying with the new improved farming system youths would be encouraged to engage in farming.

"This will thereby make the sector more profitable, sustainable and technologically-driven,'' he said.

The governor said the state government purchased the tractors to meet the peculiar needs of the people, as well as to improve agriculture and develop rural communities.

He added that the state would soon take the lead in food production with the tractors' purchase.

Ajimobi said the state's 20 Local Government Councils would have 16 tractors each, urging them to ``put them to maximum use for the benefit of all the farmers in the area''.

The governor also used the occasion to warn the civil servant to desist from writing frivolous petition about government contracts.

He said the present administration in the state was open, transparent and accountable to the people.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the councils benefiting from the purchase of tractors included Atiba, Oyo West, Oyo East, Afijio, Shaki East, Atisbo and Ogbomoso South.

The rest are Ibarapa Central, Ibarapa East, Orelope, Olorunsogo, Irepo , Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Kajola , Surulere, Ibarapa North, Shaki West and Orire.(NAN)

By Mohammed Kandi

F

ollowing the global controversies that engulfed development of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), insinuating that the GM food is harmful for human consumption, a Biotechnologist and Cowpea breeder at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof.

Mohammed Ishiyaku, has passed a vote of confidence on GM groceries.

The Cowpea breeder, who

access to markets using the mobile phone technology.

The company, according to a statement issued by Dr. Oyeleye Olukayode, one of the aides of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in Abuja, pointed out that the agricultural transformation agenda may not succeed if it is not technology-driven, especially if the use of mobile phones is left out.

A representative of Novus Agro, Obiajuru Igborgbor, in the statement noted that the company was trying to bridge the information gap in the agricultural sector using technology through the mobile phone.

She explained that prices are usually monitored and passed along the value chain from the farmers to the processors, exporters and consumers who then have access to them, and that the company, which has been in existence for the past

three years, also provides this information via the internet and not just through mobile phones.

"Our subscribers do get SMS alerts depending on the interval they choose which could be daily, weekly or monthly alerting them on the current prices of commodities.

We believe that price information is vital for virtually everybody from the housewife that wants to know the cost of food items before leaving home for the market to the exporter who wants to know where he can buy the cheapest," she said.

Another representative of the company, Victoria Ononoju, noted that the company was out to power agriculture with technology and urged farmers to embrace the use of mobile phones in getting information out to their market and also to get feedback from them.

According to her, phone technology is a revolution that will

also lead to the upgrading of standards for buyers and sellers as more consumers are bent on buying only the best and substandard commodities continue to be discounted in the market.

She stressed that it was important for farmers to adopt the use of best practices in the cultivation and processing of their commodities in order to add more value to what they produce and get higher prices for them.

Ononoju underscored the benefits of collaborating with government and various commodity associations across the country in order to ensure that grades and standards of commodities are raised to globally accepted levels.

"We are looking forward to partnering with the ministry of agriculture under the proposed mobile phones for farmers project

in providing relevant contents to the farmers. There will be no need to reinvent the wheel as we are already providing these services and have been reaching out to farmers in the rural areas," she said.

Victoria Ononuju and Obiajuru Igborgbor, explained that the company gathers prices of agricultural products from various markets, collates them into a data base and send them to farmers through their mobile phones.

Ononuju disclosed that the company has conducted various pilot programmes across the country and has signed partnership agreements with processors, exporters and other farmers'-based organisations to promote trade facilitation between farmers and raw materials users.

Special Assistant on Media and Strategy to the Minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr. Olukayode Oyeleye expressed thanks to the participants at the forum, enjoining them to ensure that people get to know and be enlightened about agriculture.

Nigerian farmers to receive 10 million Cell phones as part government incentives to boost the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA)

GM food not harmful, says Biotechnologist indicated that no research had shown that GMOs are harmful for consumption, however, condemned those who are "anti-GMOs" saying "the antagonist of GM food are being paid to do so, otherwise the improved crops are far beneficial to farmers."

Prof. Ishiyaku was speaking at a media training on biotechnology application for journalists, organised by an NGO, Biosciences for Farming in Africa (B4FA).

Admitting though that the biotechnology has it "downsides", the plant breeder emphasized that genetically modified plants are of great benefits to humanity especially in terms of greater yield, nutritional values, and the ability to resist diseases, as well as in there capacity to stand harsh weather conditions.

The biotechnologist therefore advised that "there is no need to entertain fears on plants created from

molecular biology techniques as this technology can help enhance food sufficiency and food security and also help improve farmers' income.''

According to him, "the term GMOs is commonly used to refer to crop plants, created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques.

The biotech allows a combination and manipulations of specific

ingredients in the laboratories to achieve quicker and faster results crops and animals. " "These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content," he stressed.

Prof. Ishiyaku also stressed the need for more awareness, enlightenment and education of farmers and consumers to accept the GM food so as to achieve food security as fast as possible.

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY, 26, 2012

Britain's top Catholic cleric steps down over allegations of 'inappropriate' behaviour towards priests

By Hugo Gye

T

he Roman Catholic Church in Britain was thrown into disarray yesterday when its most senior clergyman resigned after being accused of 'inappropriate behaviour' towards a number of young priests.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien stepped down as Archbishop of St Andrew's and Edinburgh a few weeks before he was due to retire, and announced that he would not travel to Rome to help elect the successor to Pope Benedict XVI. His resignation means that the UK has no active priest who holds the office of cardinal, and no British clergyman will participate in the forthcoming papal election.

Cardinal O'Brien, head of the Church in Scotland, confirmed that he would leave his post immediately, saying: 'The Holy Father has now decided that my resignation will take effect today.'

He added that he would not join the conclave to choose a new Pope and said: 'I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focussed on me - but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor.'

In a statement, the archbishop said: 'I have valued the opportunity of serving the people of Scotland and overseas in various ways since becoming a priest.

'Looking back over my years of ministry: For any good I have been able to do, I thank God. For any failures, I apologise to all whom I have offended.

'I thank Pope Benedict XVI for his kindness and courtesy to me and on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Scotland, I

Quit: Cardinal Keith O'Brien has resigned as Archbishop of St Andrew's and Edinburgh wish him a long and happy retirement.'

He concluded: 'May God who has blessed me so often in my ministry continue to bless and help me in the years which remain for me on earth, and may he shower his blessings on all the peoples of Scotland, especially those I was privileged to serve in a special way in the Archdiocese of Saint Andrews and

In Rome: The cardinal had been due to travel to the Vatican to take part in the forthcoming papal conclave

Edinburgh.'

The statement made no reference to the allegations against him, which first came to light on Saturday night.

The archbishop's resignation was apparently accepted by the Vatican last Monday, although it was not made public until yesterday. Despite having given up his office as archbishop, he will remain a cardinal for the rest of his life.

It is understood the complaints by three serving priests and a former priest were reported to the Vatican through the papal ambassador to Britain a week before the Pope's announcement that he was to step down.

The complainants - all associated with the Archdiocese of St Andrew's and Edinburgh - are said to have told Apostolic Nuncio Antonio Mennini they wanted Cardinal O'Brien to resign before next month's conclave to pick a new pontiff.

The former priest claims the cardinal made an inappropriate approach to him in 1980 after night prayers, when he was a seminarian at St Andrew's College in D r y g r a n g e , Roxburghshire, where the cardinal was spiritual director.

The complainant, who is now married, is reported to have said he gave up the priesthood when Cardinal O'Brien was first made a bishop.

He said: 'I knew then he would always have power over me. It was assumed I left the priesthood to get married. I did not. I left to preserve my integrity.'

The second complainant is reported to have said he was living in a parish when he was visited by Cardinal O'Brien, and 'inappropriate contact' took place.

The third complainant is said to have alleged 'unwanted behaviour' by the cardinal in the 1980s after they shared a latenight drinking session.

And the fourth reportedly claims the cardinal used night prayers as an excuse for inappropriate contact.

Cardinal O'Brien missed a morning Mass in Edinburgh on Sunday at which he was due to celebrate the Pope's eight-year tenure.

He was supported on Sunday

by Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, a former Archbishop of Westminster.

Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said: 'I was obviously very sad, but the cardinal has denied the allegations, so I think we will just have to see how that pans out.'

Cardinal O'Brien was born in Ballycastle, Co Antrim in 1938 and ordained as a priest in 1965.

He has been Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh since 1985, and was proclaimed a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in October 2003.

He has been an outspoken opponent of plans to legalise same-sex marriage and several days ago called for the Catholic Church to end its celibacy rule for the priesthood.

Cardinal O'Brien claimed that many priests struggle to cope with celibacy and should be allowed to marry if they wish.

Following his resignation, Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said: 'I hear the news of Cardinal O'Brien's resignation with the greatest sadness.

'In all of my dealings with the Cardinal, he has been a considerate and thoughtful leader of the Catholic Church in

Scotland, stalwart in his faith but constructive in his approach.

'It would be a great pity if a lifetime of positive work was lost from comment in the circumstances of his resignation.

'None of us know the outcome of the investigation into the claims made against him but I have found him to be a good man for his church and country.'

Colin Macfarlane, Scotland director of gay rights group Stonewall, said: 'We trust there will now be a full investigation into the serious allegations made against Cardinal O'Brien.

'We hope his successor will show a little more Christian charity towards openly gay people than the Cardinal did himself.'

Jack Valero, of the group Catholic Voices, said: 'It was very surprising to hear of these allegations and also very sad but given what has been alleged, I think it was the right decision to resign and not cast a shadow over the conclave, so that the pope can be elected without this distraction and the allegations can be investigated properly over the next few weeks.

'I think it is good that it has been dealt with so quickly, and we must get to the truth, but not let that distract from the big process that is going on in the church.'

Allegations against members of the Church have dogged the papacy of Benedict XVI and some in the Vatican believe the endless scandals prompted him to resign.

The Pope told 150,000 pilgrims yesterday he is stepping aside because God told him to.

At his last Sunday appearance in the Vatican's St Peter's Square Pope Benedict XVI revealed God had called on him to devote himself to prayer and 'climb the mountain'.

Benedict, who steps down on Thursday, said he was 'not abandoning the church' but aims to serve with the same dedication 'in a way more suitable to my age and my strength'.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Staying away: Cardinal O'Brien, pictured with the Duke of Edinburgh and the Pope, will no longer attend the election to choose Benedict XVI's successor

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 31

The coming collapse of Iran sanctions ANALYSIS

By Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett

W

estern policymakers and commentators wrongly assume that sanctions will force Iranian concessions in nuclear talks that resume next week in Kazakhstan - or perhaps even undermine the Islamic Republic's basic stability in advance of the next Iranian presidential election in June.

Besides exaggerating sanctions' impact on Iranian attitudes and decision-making, this argument ignores potentially fatal flaws in the US-led sanctions regime itself - flaws highlighted by ongoing developments in Europe and Asia, and that are likely to prompt the erosion, if not outright collapse of America's sanctions policy.

Virtually since the 1979 Iranian revolution, US administrations have imposed unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic. These measures, though, have not significantly damaged Iran's economy and have certainly not changed Iranian policies Washington doesn't like.

Between 2006 and 2010, America got the UN Security Council to adopt six resolutions authorising multilateral sanctions against Iran also with limited impact, because China and Russia refused to allow any resolution to pass that would have harmed their interests in Iran.

Beyond unilateral and multilateral measures against Iran's economy, the US has, since 1996, threatened to impose "secondary" sanctions against third-country entities doing business with the Islamic Republic. In recent years, Congress has dramatically expanded the range of activities subject to such sanctions, going beyond investments in Iranian oil and gas production to include simple purchases of Iranian crude and almost all financial transactions.

This year, Congress blacklisted transfers of precious metals to Iran, to make it harder for Tehran to repatriate export earnings or pay for imports in gold. Congress has also increased the sanctions that can be imposed on offending entities, including their cut-off from the US financial system.

Secondary sanctions are a legal and political house of cards. They almost certainly violate American commitments under the World Trade Organisation, which allows members to cut trade with states they deem national security threats but not to sanction other members over lawful business conducted in third countries. If challenged on the issue in the WTO's Dispute Resolution Mechanism, Washington would surely lose.

Consequently, US administrations have been reluctant to impose secondary sanctions on non-US entities transacting with Iran. In 1998, the Clinton administration waived sanctions against a consortium of European, Russian and Asian companies developing an Iranian gas field; over the next decade, Washington declined to make determinations whether other non-US companies'

Since the 1979 Iranian revolution, the United States has imposed unilateral sanctions against the nation [Reuters] Iranian activities were sanctionable.

The Obama administration now issues blanket waivers for countries continuing to buy Iranian oil, even when it is questionable they are really reducing their purchases.

Still, legal and reputational risks posed by the threat of US secondary sanctions have reduced the willingness of companies and banks in many countries to transact with Iran, with negative consequences for its oil export volumes, the value of its currency and other dimensions of its economic life.

Last year, the European Union which for years had condemned America's prospective "extraterritorial" application of national trade law and warned it would go to the WTO's Dispute Resolution Mechanism if Washington ever sanctioned European firms over Iran-related business - finally subordinated its Iran policy to American preferences, banning Iranian oil and imposing close to a comprehensive economic embargo against the Islamic Republic.

In recent weeks, however, Europe's General Court overturned European sanctions against two of Iran's biggest banks, ruling that the EU never substantiated its claims that the banks provided "financial services for entities procuring on behalf of Iran's nuclear and ballistic

missile programmes".

The European Council has two months to respond - but removing sanctions against the banks would severely weaken Europe's sanctions regime. Other major players in Iran's economy, including the Central Bank of Iran and the National Iranian Oil Company, are now challenging their own sanctioned status.

On the other side of the world, America is on a collision course with China over sanctions. In recent years, Beijing has tried to accommodate US concerns about Iran. It has not developed trade and investment positions there as rapidly as it might have, and has shifted some Iranrelated transactional flows into renminbito to help the Obama administration avoid sanctioning Chinese banks (similarly, India now pays for some Iranian oil imports in rupees).

Whether Beijing has really lowered its aggregate imports of Iranian oil is unclear - but it clearly reduces them when the administration is deciding about sixmonth sanctions waivers for countries buying Iranian crude.

The administration is taking its own steps to forestall a Sino-American conflict over sanctions. Besides issuing waivers for oil imports, the one Chinese bank Washington has barred from the US financial system for Iran-

“

related transactions is a subsidiary of a Chinese energy company - a subsidiary with no business in the US. However, as Congress enacts additional layers of secondary sanctions, President Obama's room to manoeuver is being progressively reduced. Therein lies the looming policy train wreck.

If, at congressional insistence, the administration later this year demands that China sharply cut Iranian oil imports and that Chinese banks stop virtually any Iran-related transactions, Beijing will say no. If Washington retreats, the deterrent effect of secondary sanctions will erode rapidly. Iran's oil exports are rising again, largely from Chinese demand.

Once it becomes evident Washington won't seriously impose secondary sanctions, growth in Iranian oil shipments to China and other non-Western economies (for example, India and South Korea) will accelerate.

Likewise, non-Western powers are central to Iran's quest for alternatives to US-dominated mechanisms for conducting and settling international transactions a project that will also gain momentum after Washington's bluff is called.

Whether Beijing has really lowered its aggregate imports of Iranian oil is unclear - but it clearly reduces them when the administration is deciding about six-month sanctions waivers for countries buying Iranian crude.

Conversely, if Washington sanctions major Chinese banks and energy companies, Beijing will respond - at least by taking America to the WTO's Dispute Resolution Mechanism (where China will win), perhaps by retaliating against US companies in China.

Chinese policymakers are increasingly concerned Washington is reneging on its part of the core bargain that grounded SinoAmerican rapprochement in the 1970s - to accept China's relative economic and political rise and not try to secure a hegemonic position in Asia.

Beijing is already less willing to work in the Security Council on a new (even watered-down) sanctions resolution and more willing to resist US initiatives that, in its view, challenge Chinese interests (witness China's vetoes of three US-backed resolutions on Syria).

In this context, Chinese leaders will not accept American highhandedness on Iran sanctions. At this point, Beijing has more ways to impose costs on America for violations of international economic law that impinge on Chinese interests than Washington has levers to coerce China's compliance.

As America's sanctions policy unravels, President Obama will have to decide whether to stay on a path of open-ended hostility toward Iran that ultimately leads to another USinitiated war in the Middle East, or develop a very different vision for America's Middle East strategy - a vision emphasising genuine diplomacy with Tehran, rooted in American acceptance of the Islamic Republic as a legitimate political order representing legitimate national interests and aimed at fundamentally realigning USIranian relations.

Source: Aljazeera

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Niger arrests doctors in graft probe at Bill Gates charity N

iger arrested about 20 doctors suspected of embezzling funds from a charity promoting vaccination in poor countries, set up by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, judicial and police

sources said on Monday.

Niger's government has made tackling corruption a priority since taking office in 2011, and last year President Mahamadou Issoufou fired two ministers suspected of illegally

President Mahamadou Issoufou

awarding state contracts.

The new investigation centers on some $1.5 million donated between 2007 and 2010 by the GAVI Alliance, backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, UNICEF, donor governments and others.

The non-profit organization, which aims to improve access to immunization in the world's poorest countries, was launched in 2000 with a $750 million grant from the Gates foundation.

"Some 20 doctors and public health managers were the object of arrest warrants and therefore jailed following an investigation into embezzlement of GAVI funds," said a judge in Niamey, who asked not to be named.

The arrests were made over the weekend.

A source close to the public health ministry said that GAVI had suspended its financing of programs in Niger until the embezzled money was reimbursed.

In December, GAVI suspended $6 million in funding to Sierra Leone after an audit showed misuse of $1.1 million of previously disbursed funds, including undocumented expenses, cash handouts and overcharged procurement costs between 2008 and 2011.

Landlocked Niger, one of the poorest countries the world, has about 850 public doctors for its 17 million people.

Earlier this month, GAVI which funds bulk-buy vaccination programs - said Niger would be one of eight countries in Africa and Asia taking part in a pilot project to immunize 180,000 girls against cervical cancer.

Video appears to show French family kidnapped in Cameroon

A

video appearing to show seven French citizens, including four children, kidnapped in Cameroon last week was posted on the YouTube website on Monday.

"We have been taken by Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad," one of the male hostages said in the video, referring to the name i n A r a b i c o f Nigeria's Boko Haram militants.

"They want the liberation of their brothers in Cameroon and their women imprisoned in Nigeria."

The kidnapping on Tuesday of the seven French nationals in Cameroon's far north, near the border with Nigeria, highlighted the risk to French citizens in Africa since Paris sent troops into Mali to oust Islamists there.

"The president of France has launched a war on Islam," said one of the apparent kidnappers,

The Video shows members of the family guarded by gunmen. warning the hostages would be killed if their demands were not met.

France's foreign ministry said it was still trying to verify the authenticity of the

video.

Cameroon's Communication Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary said he could not comment because his government was not aware of the video.

The governor of Cameroon's Far North Region, Augustine Fonka Awa, said he was not aware of any Boko Haram members being held in the country.

Scores dead as rival DR Congo rebel groups 'clash'

A

t least eight people have been killed in the first clashes between rival factions of the M23 rebel group in DR Congo, sources have said.

The violence was linked to a power-struggle between M23 political leader Jean-Marie Runiga and military chief Sultani Makenga, the sources said.

On Sunday, regional leaders signed a UN-brokered accord to end conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

About 80,000 people have been displaced in fighting since May 2012.

The M23 launched a rebellion against the DR Congo government, briefly seizing Goma, the main city in the east, in November.

Both Rwanda and Uganda strongly deny claims they back the

rebels.

Ignatius Bahizi reports from neighbouring Uganda that the rival M23 factions exchanged gunfire in the town of Rutshuru, 70km (43 miles) north of Goma.

Congolese sources told him eight people had been killed - including six civilians.

But one source said that 19 people were killed - nine civilians and six fighters, including two majors.

The M23 denied that it was hit by dissent, our reporter says.

It blamed the violence on the FDLR rebel group, which is made up of Rwandans accused of involvement in the 1994 genocide that left about 800,000 people dead, he says.

The M23 is involved in separate peace talks with the DR Congo government in Uganda.

In January, it declared a unilateral ceasefire.

The talks could run into trouble if

the M23 mediation team splits between supporters of Mr Runiga and Col Makenga.

M23 political leader Jean-Marie Runiga

Oscar Pistorius reports to South Africa authorities

O

scar Pistorius has reported to the authorities in the South Africa, despite not being required to under the bail terms set by a judge last week.

Mr Pistorius visited correctional officers in the capital, Pretoria, spokeswoman Lunice Johnston said.

Earlier, prosecutors said a probation officer would go to his home twice a week before his trial began on 4 June.

The 26-year-old has admitted shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on 14 February, but denies murdering her.

Prosecutors say the pair had an argument before Ms Steenkamp, 29, was killed, but Mr Pistorius says he mistook her for an intruder.

A large number of local and international journalists gathered outside the Brooklyn police station in Pretoria on Monday morning, hoping to catch sight of Mr Pistorius.

Earlier reports had said the double-amputee athlete would have to sign in with police on Mondays and Fridays between 07:00 (05:00 GMT) and 13:00 (11:00 GMT).

The requirement had been agreed by both the prosecution and defence teams, but Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair did not include it in his final order granting Mr Pistorius bail on Friday, prosecutors said on Monday.

"The National Prosecuting Authority has confirmed that the condition that he report to the Brooklyn police station has not been made an order of court," one official said.

Instead, a probation officer will go to Mr Pistorius's residence twice a week. He is currently staying at the home of his uncle, Arnold, in the Pretoria suburb of Waterkloof.

Ms Johnston told reporters that he had nevertheless reported to the authorities on Monday morning, but would not say where. "[Mr Pistorius] takes this trial very seriously. He takes the conditions very seriously and he will comply with all those conditions," she told the South African Press Association. "He does not want to do anything to impede his case. He is committed to the legal process."

The magistrate set bail for Mr Pistorius at 1m rand ($113,000).

He was also ordered to hand over his passports and any firearms; not to leave the capital without his probation officer's permission; not to consume drugs or alcohol; and to keep away from his home in a gated community in the capital, which is still a crime scene.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Asia and Middle East

T

he daughter of South Korea's late military ruler, has been sworn in as the country's first female president.

Monday's two-and-a-half hour inauguration ceremony included a 21gun salute and a performance by Korean

South Korea inaugurates first female president rapper Psy, whose song "Gangnam Style" was the global hit of 2012.

As leader of Asia's fourth-largest

Tensions high amid West Bank funeral

T

he funeral of a Palestinian whose death in Israeli custody on Saturday fuelled riots has been held in a village in the West Bank.

Palestinians say Arafat Jaradat, 30, died from torture, while Israel says a post-mortem was inconclusive and that investigations into his death continue.

There were clashes across the West Bank on Sunday, while prisoners refused food in protest at Mr Jaradat's death.

It follows days of violence amid protests over Palestinian detainees.

Mr Jaradat, from Saeer, near Hebron, was arrested last week for throwing a rock which injured an Israeli citizen, Israel's internal security agency Shin Bet said.

The father-of-two died six days later at Megiddo prison, from what the Israel Prison Service (IPS) said appeared to be a heart attack.

Palestinian officials, however, said an autopsy, carried out by Israeli physicians showed he had suffered two broken ribs and had bruising. "[Arafat Jaradat] faced harsh torture, leading to his immediate, direct death. Israel is fully responsible for his killing,'' Palestinian minister of prisoner affairs Issa Karake said.

Israel's health ministry said the injuries were likely the result of attempts to resuscitate Mr Jaradat, and that the cause of his death had not been determined by the postmortem.

Thousands of Palestinians - many waving Palestinian flags - packed the streets in Saeer as the funeral took

India set to launch seven satellites

I

ndia is set to put into orbit seven satellites in a single mission, the country's space agency says.

They include a satellite built in collaboration with France which will study the world's oceans.

It will carry two climate tools developed for analysing ocean current and sea surface heights by the French space agency CNES, reports say.

The satellites will be launched from Sriharikota in southern Andhra Pradesh state.

The six other satellites include two each from Canada and Austria and one each from Denmark and Britain.

This is the 23rd mission for India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) - a seven-storeyhigh, 230 tonne rocket.

PAGE 33

place.

Militants from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, to which Mr Jaradat belonged, fired into the air and vowed to avenge his death, AFP news agency reported.

"This horrific crime will not go unpunished and we promise the Zionist occupation that we will respond to this crime," it said in a statement distributed at the scene, the agency said.

Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said Israel's treatment of prisoners and violence by Jewish settlers were to blame for the upsurge in anger.

Israel's security minister Avi Dichter, however, accused the Palestinians of fomenting violence and "trying to drag us to a situation where there will be dead children".

economy, Park, 61, faces significant challenges, including a nuclearised North Korea, a slowing economy and

soaring welfare costs in one of the world's most rapidly ageing societies.

"North Korea's recent nuclear test is a

Park Geun-Hye takes the oath of office.

BBC faults China on shortwave radio jam

T

he BBC has said shortwave broadcasts in English of World Service radio are being jammed in China.

In a statement, the corporation said it was not possible to determine exactly where the blocking was coming from.

But it said the "extensive and co-ordinated efforts are indicative of a well-resourced country such as China".

"The BBC strongly condemns this action which is designed to disrupt audiences' free access to news and information," said the statement.

The BBC has experienced several instances of satellite services being jammed in recent years.

Shortwave jamming is less frequent, it says, although it has hit transmissions by BBC Persian in Iran and was historically used to block broadcasts during the Cold War. BBC director of global news Peter Horrocks said the jamming in China was being timed to cause maximum disruption to BBC World Service English broadcasts there.

"The deliberate and coordinated efforts by authorities in countries such as China and Iran illustrate the significance and importance of the role the BBC undertakes to provide impartial and accurate information to audiences around the world," he said.

Thousands of Palestinians wave flags at the funeral.

BBC director of global news Peter Horrocks

challenge to the survival and future of the Korean people," Park said in her inauguration speech.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 34

Europe and Americas Britain's senior Catholic cleric resigns

B

ritain's senior Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, has resigned after denying claims of "inappropriate acts".

The UK's Observer newspaper reported on Sunday that three priests and a former cleric had accused Cardinal Keith O'Brien of impropriety.

The 75-year-old head of the Scottish church has rejected the claims.

In a statement released on Monday, O'Brien said Pope Benedict XVI, who himself announced his retirement earlier this month, had accepted his resignation.

"The Holy Father has now decided that my resignation will take effect today, February 25," he said. "For any good I have been able to do, I thank God. For any failures, I apologise to all whom I have offended."

He also said he would not attend the papal conclave, the meeting to elect the next pope, which will be held after the pope resigns on February 28.

"I will not join them for this conclave in person," O'Brien said."I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focussed on me - but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor."

Benedict, only the second pope to resign of his own free will in the church's 2,000-year history, changed church laws on Monday so that the conclave can begin earlier, the Vatican said.

Instead of having to wait 15 days until after the papacy becomes vacant to vote, the conclave can now start before March 15.

The Observer newspaper reported that the four accusers filed their complaints about O'Brien before Vatican ambassador Antonio Mennini.

In one instance, one of the complainants alleged that O'Brien made the advances after a late-night drinking session.

A spokesman for the cardinal said the allegations have been contested, according to the report.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien

Cuba's Raul Castro to retire in five years

R

aul Castro has announced that he will step down as Cuba's president in 2018 following a final five-year term.

On Sunday, shortly after he made the announcement in a nationally broadcast speech, the new parliament named a 52-yearold rising star to become his first vice president and most visible successor.

Miguel Diaz-Canel, a member of the political bureau, rose through the party ranks in the provinces to become the most visible possible successor to Castro.

"I should clarify that, in my case, independent of the date on which the Constitution is perfected, this shall be my last term," Castro said soon after the Cuban National Assembly elected him to a second five-year term in the opening session of the new parliament.

Diaz-Canel would succeed Castro if he cannot serve his full term. The new government will almost certainly be the last headed up by the Castro brothers and their followers who have ruled Cuba since they swept to power in the 1959 revolution.

Raul Castro starts his second

term immediately, leaving him free to retire in 2018, aged 86.

Former president Fidel Castro joined the meeting, in a rare public appearance. Since falling ill in 2006 and ceding the presidency to his brother, the elder Castro, 86, has given up official positions except as a deputy in the National Assembly.

Raul Castro starts his second term immediately, leaving him free to retire in 2018, aged 86 [Reuters] Governments, Cuba watchers and Cubans were keenly observing to see if any new, and younger, faces might appear among the Council of State members, in particular its first

80, and Gladys Bejerano, 66, the comptroller general were also reelected as vice presidents.

Two other newcomers, Mercedes Lopez Acea, 48, first secretary of the Havana communist party, and Salvador Valdes Mesa, 64, head of the official labor federation, also earned vice presidential posts.

Former vice president Esteban Lazo, member of the political bureau of the Communist Party, 68, left his post upon being named parliament president on Sunday, replacing Ricardo Alarcon, who served for 20 years.

Six of the Council's top seven members sit on the party's political bureau which is also lead

by Castro.

The National Assembly meets for just a few weeks each year and delegates its legislative powers between sessions to the 31member Council of State, which also functions as the nation's executive through the Council of Ministers it appoints.

Eighty percent of the 612 deputies, who were elected in an uncontested vote on February 3, and with an average age under 50, were born after the revolution.

said ahead of the February 2627 meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"We think ... there will be some additional sanctions relief (in the powers' updated proposal to Iran)," the official said, without giving details.

Western diplomats have told Reuters that the United States, Russia,China, Britain, Germany

and France will offer to ease sanctions on trade in gold and precious metals if Iran closes its Fordow underground uranium enrichment plant.

Iranian officials have indicated, however, that this will not be enough. Iran denies Western it is seeking to develop the capability to make nuclear bombs, saying its program is

entirely peaceful.

The U.S. official said the powers hoped that the Almaty meeting would lead to follow-up talks soon. "We are ready to step up the pace of our meetings and our discussions," the official said, adding the United States would also be prepared to hold bilateral talks with Tehran if it was serious about it.

vice president and five vice presidents.

Their hopes were partially fulfilled with Diaz-Canel's ascension.

He replaces former first vice president, Jose Machado Ventura, 82, who will continue on as one of five vice presidents. Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdes,

The Castro brothers

Powers to offer Iran sanctions relief at nuclear talks: U.S. official

M

ajor powers will offer Iran some sanctions relief during talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, this week if Tehran agrees to curb its nuclear program, a U.S. official said on Monday.

However, the Islamic Republic could face more economic pain if the standoff remains unresolved, the official

Putin signs law to curb smoking, tobacco sales in Russia

R

ussian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that will ban smoking in most public places and restrict cigarette sales in the world's secondlargest tobacco market after China.

The law will ban smoking in some public places such as subways and schools from June 1, and come into force a year later in other places including restaurants and cafes.

It will also ban sales of tobacco products at street kiosks from June 1, 2014, restrict advertising and set minimum prices for cigarettes which now cost 50 to 60 roubles a pack (less than $2).

Putin, who started a new sixyear term in 2012 and has promoted healthy lifestyles, hopes the law will help undermine an entrenched cigarette culture and reverse a decline in Russia's population since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Advocating the law in a video blog before it was submitted to parliament last year, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said nearly one in

three Russians were hooked on smoking, and almost 400,000 die each year from smokingrelated causes.

The Kremlin said Putin had signed the law on Saturday but did not announce it u n t i l Monday. It said the law w a s intended to bring Russia into line with a World H e a l t h Organization t o b a c c o c o n t r o l treaty that M o s c o w ratified in 2008.

The law f a c e d opposition from foreign t o b a c c o companies t h a t dominate a

cigarette market estimated to be worth $22 billion in 2011

by Euromonitor International, a market research company.

Russia's population fell from

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L).

148.6 million in 1991, the year the Soviet Union collapsed, to 141.9 million in 2011, according to World Bank figures.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 35

Iceland’s plan to ban internet porn sparks uproar I

n the age of instant information, globe-spanning viral videos and the World Wide Web, can a thoroughly wired country become a porn-free zone? Authorities in Iceland want to find out.

The government of the tiny North Atlantic nation is drafting plans to ban pornography, in print and online, in an attempt to protect children from a tide of violent sexual imagery.

The proposal by Interior Minister Ogmundur Jonasson has caused an uproar. Opponents say the move will censor the Web, encourage authoritarian regimes and undermine Iceland's reputation as a Scandinavian bastion of free speech.

Advocates say it is a sensible measure that will shelter children from serious harm.

"When a 12-year-old types 'porn' into Google, he or she is not going to find photos of naked women out on a country field, but very hardcore and brutal violence," said Halla Gunnarsdottir, political adviser to the interior minister.

"There are laws in our society.

Why should they not apply to the Internet?"

Gunnarsdottir says the proposals currently being drawn up by a committee of experts will not introduce new restrictions, but simply uphold an existing if vaguely worded law.

Pornography is already

"This kind of thing does not work. It is technically impossible to do in a way that has the intended effect," said Smari McCarthy of the International Modern Media Institute. banned in Iceland, and has been for decades - but the term is not defined, so the law is not enforced.

Magazines such as Playboy and Penthouse are on sale in book stores, and more hardcore material can be bought from a handful of sex shops. "Adult" channels form part of digital TV packages.

Iceland's left-of-center government insists it is not setting out to sweep away racy magazines or censor sex. The ban would define pornography as material with violent or degrading content.

Gunnarsdottir said the committee is still exploring the details of how a porn ban could be enforced. One possibility would be

Debbie Zamacona accuses ghost of stealing her $5,000 resume

W

hat's more unlikely?

Telling police that a ghost stole your resume -- or valuing that resume at $5,000?

Debbie Michelle Zamacona, a 40-year-old woman from Winder, Ga., recently made the shocking allegation that an apparition swiped her curriculum vitae -- which she valued at a whopping $5,000.

During the Dec. 22, a thieving spook also stole a paper documenting her criminal history (including her terminated parole) and a black

and blue blouse, according to a police report filed by the Barrow County Sheriff's Department.

When deputies asked her if she had any idea who might have taken the missing items, she explained she suspected the thief was one of two ghosts, the Augusta Chronicle reported.

The responding officer noted in the police report that there was no method of entry to the house, but he had a little problem getting the estimated value of the items from Zamacona.

"Mrs. Zamacona stated she was unsure how much the resume was

A woman in Winder, Ga., said her resume was stolen by a ghost.

Police have no suspects.

worth because she was not good at math," the report stated. "I told Mrs. Zamacona that I needed a value for the report and that it just needed to be an approximation.

Mrs. Zamacona stated that she did not understand what I was asking.

"At that point, I noticed a flat screen television mounted on the wall of her bedroom. I explaimed to Mrs. Zamacona that the value of the resume was like me asking her how much she would sell her television for. Mrs. Zamacona stated that she did not know how much she would sell the television for because she does not like television."

What kind of ghost would do such a thing? Well, Zamacona told the officer that she didn't want the officer to think she was crazy, but explained that the ghost of her dead mother often visits her.

Zamacona told the officer she didn't think her mom's ghost stole her resume, and instead placed the blame on "black spirits" that follow her from time-to-time.

The officer didn't get her to pinpoint whether those "black spirits" were dark, malevolent entities or African-American ghosts.

to make it illegal to pay for porn with Icelandic credit cards.

Another, more controversial, route would be a national Internet filter or a list of website addresses to be blocked.

That idea has Internetfreedom advocates alarmed.

"This kind of thing does not work. It is technically impossible to do in a way that has the intended effect," said Smari McCarthy of free-speech group the International Modern Media Institute. "And it has negative side effects - everything from slowing down the Internet to blocking content that is not meant to be blocked to just generally opening up a whole can of worms regarding human rights issues, access to information and freedom of

expression."

Despite its often chaotic appearance, the Internet is not a wholly lawless place. It is regulated, to varying degrees, around the world. Police monitor the net for child pornography and other illegal material, and service providers in many countries block offending sites.

Some governments also censor the Internet at a national level though the likes of authoritarian Iran, North Korea and China are not countries liberal Iceland wants to emulate.

European countries including Britain, Sweden and Denmark ask Internet service providers to block child pornography websites, measures that have met with only limited opposition.

Man kills boy for laughing at the way he ate sandwich

J

ohnny Cash once sang that he shot a man in Reno just to watch him die, but a man in Gardena, Calif., is guilty of killing a guy who laughed at him because of the way he ate a sandwich.

Ronald Eugene Murray II, 26, was found guilty on Monday of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Mun Jang, who he punched and kicked on Oct. 1, 2011 so severely that Jang died two days later in a hospital, the Daily Breeze reported.

The attack occurred after Murray purchased a pastrami sandwich at a restaurant called Donut King. When he took his first bite, some of the meat fell out and Jang laughed at him, according to the Associated Press.

That angered Murray, who snapped, "Who you laughing at?" He became even more upset when the

clerk behind the glass refused his request for another sandwich at halfprice, according to Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Turk.

"The real focus of his anger were the people who would not give him a sandwich,"Turk said, according to the San Jose Mercury News. "The only person he could take his rage out on was the victim."

Prosecutors said Murray suckerpunched Jang and hit him repeatedly, then threw the sandwich so hard at Jang's head that mayonnaise and lettuce stuck in his ear, NewJerseyNewsroom.com reported.

Murray testified that he acted in self-defense and claimed that after slipping on the pastrami, he fell to the floor and saw Jang standing over him with clenched fists, UPI.com reported.

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

How skipping can banish hunger by making you feel full up

By Pat Hagan

I

t brings a whole new meaning to the expression 'skipping meals'.

But it turns out that spending just a few minutes skipping with a rope could be the perfect way to curb your appetite and get slim.

New research shows that

Cycling is a great way to get fit, but does not help to keep hunger pangs at bay in the same way that skipping does

resorting to the playground pastime is one of the best ways of banishing hunger pangs and reducing calorie intake.

Volunteers who took part in a study to see which form of exercise had the most powerful effect on appetite were much less likely to snack if they skipped for a few minutes than if they rode a bicycle.

Although the activity hugely popular with both amateur and professional boxers - is known for being an excellent form of aerobic exercise, this is believed to be the first time scientists have demonstrated its powerful effect on hunger.

Exercise of any kind can act as an appetite suppressant but scientists believe some forms of activity are more effective than others.

Researchers from the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Waseda University in Japan believe skipping is the most effective way to slash calorie intake because it is weight-bearing exercise, where the body's major muscles and joints bear the repeated impact from hitting the ground.

Cycling, on the other hand, is not weight-bearing and although it is also an excellent way of getting fit, it won't curb hunger pains as much as skipping does.

Their theory was that rapid

'up and down' movement in loadbearing activities, such as skipping or running, disturbed the gut and possibly interfered with the release of hormones that govern appetite.

The researchers recruited 15 young men aged in their midtwenties and asked them to fast for 12-hours before taking part in an experiment to see which form of exercise worked best.

The men then took part in three separate trials.

One involved skipping with a rope for ten minutes, followed by a five minute rest. After doing this three times they rested for two hours.

They repeated the exercise but this time used a static bicycle and, in the third test, did absolutely nothing but rest for two-and-a-half hours.

Throughout the experiments, the volunteers were asked how hungry they felt and were also tested for levels of certain hormones in their blood known to be involved in controlling appetite.

The results, published in the journal Appetite, showed the men were less hungry after skipping than cycling. Both activities left them much less hungry than doing nothing.

As expected, skipping did lower levels of certain hunger hormones, such as ghrelin, which stimulates appetite.

Skip yourself slim: Researchers find that the up and down motion of skipping helps to curb your appetite But there was little difference in hormone levels between the two activities, scientists said.

This suggests skipping does not necessarily work by causing a bigger drop in hunger hormones than riding but by some other mechanism.

Now they are calling for more research to establish exactly why weight-bearing exercise is better at curbing appetite.

In a report on their findings the researchers said: 'The suppression of hunger during rope skipping was greater than that during the bicycle exercise, despite the similar energy expenditure between them.

'This suggests weightbearing exercise may induce greater suppression of appetite than non-weight bearing.'

when the same mosquitoes were offered a chance to dine again, the researchers found that the Deet was less effective.

To investigate why this might be happening, the researchers attached electrodes to the insects' antenna.

Dr Logan explained: "We were

able to record the response of the receptors on the antenna to Deet, and what we found was the mosquitoes were no longer as sensitive to the chemical, so they weren't picking it up as well.

"There is something about being exposed to the chemical that first time that changes their olfactory system changes their sense of smell - and their ability to smell Deet, which makes it less effective."

Earlier research by the same team found that genetic changes to the same species of mosquito can make them immune to Deet, although it was not clear if there were any mosquitoes like this in the wild.

Dr Logan said it was vital to understand both these permanent genetic and temporary olfactory changes that were taking place.

He said: "Mosquitoes are very good at evolving very very quickly."

He stressed that the findings should not stop people from using Deet in high risk areas, but that they would help scientists who are trying to find new versions that could be effective.

To follow up on the study, the researchers now plan to find out how long the effect lasts after the initial exposure to the chemical.

The team would also like to study the effect in other mosquitoes, including the species that transmit malaria.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Mosquitoes ignore repellent Deet after first exposure

By Rebecca Morelle

T

he widely used insect repellent Deet appears to be losing its effectiveness against mosquitoes, scientists say.

Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine say mosquitoes are first deterred by the substance, but then later ignore it.

They say more research is needed to find alternatives to Deet, which was first developed by the US military.

The research was carried out on Aedesaegypti, a species of mosquito that spreads dengue and yellow fever.

The findings are published in the journal Plos One. Dr James Logan from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "The more we can understand about how repellents work and how mosquitoes detect them, the better we can work out ways to get around the problem when they do become resistant to repellents."

Human bait Deet - or N,N-diethyl-metatoluamide - is one of the most widely used active ingredients in insect repellents. It was developed by the US military, following its experience of jungle warfare during World War II. Continue reading the main story

For many years, it was not clear exactly how the chemical worked, but recent research suggests that insects simply do not like the smell.

However, there are concerns that some mosquitoes are growing resistant to it.

To find out more, researchers

from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine took some A. aegypti mosquitoes in the laboratory, and tempted them with a human arm covered in Deet.

As expected, the repellent put the insects off their potential meal.

However, a few hours later

Deet works the first time, but for some hours afterwards it loses its power

Source: BBCNews.com

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 37

APC: Perfecting ploys to break PDP’s political hegemony?

FEATURES

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

S

ince the fusion of major opposition parties, including Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP), and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to give birth to All Progressives Congress (APC), political analysts have submitted that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is apparently rattled, will not easily have its way as usual in 2015 general election.

Already, shudder has been sent down the spine of the Chairman of the ruling party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who pretentiously dismissed the potency of the new force; APC, saying that his party; PDP remains a party to beat.

Though PDP stalwarts are always quick to refute the fact that horror has been injected in the party on the very day APC was conceived, emerging facts indicate that the time and circumstance of the merger is such that has made the issue a terrible concern for the ruling party.

Initially, the merger talks germinated like a seed that will yield no fruit. This is in addition to the myriad of obstacles which faced it owing to some volatile areas that needed to be ironed out by the stakeholders. Such issues included identity of the new party, the positions of the opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly, in addition to the intraparty crisis facing some of the parties lining up for the merger.

Like a stray bullet, on the 7th day of February, 2013, four major opposition parties announced that they have surrendered their various identities and authorities to give birth to a new platform intended to wrest power from the PDP in 2015. Since then, variant shades of views and perception have pervaded the political scene of the country.

While some argue that the new APC will die in matter of months, saying it is made up of people with discordant political ideologies, another side in the argument insists that the new platform is an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), which is immune from the political gimmicks which PDP has been using to frustrate formation of formidable opposition.

For instance, the former Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, and current chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment, Bukola Saraki, has predicted that more serious crises will still rock the newly formed APC in the course of its evolution.

According to Saraki, who briefed

President Goodluck Jonathan journalists in Abuja, the parties, which are more or less, strange bed fellows, still have to convoke congresses at both wards, local government, states and national levels, after which it wiould formally write to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to renounce their former names, submit their original certificates of registrations, and declare interest in the merger, before INEC will issue them new certificate.

He said these huddles are not likely to be scaled by APC without having misunderstandings that will crash the party even as he pointed out that it is only when APC is able to jump these huddles that both PDP and Nigerians will start taking them serious.

On the contrary, the leader of CPC, Muhammed Buhari, recently declared that APC has come to salvage Nigeria from the hegemony of the PDP, ahead of 2015. In addition, just recently, the governor of Niger state, Babangida Aliyu, while inaugurating new members of the state Executive Council in Minna, attested to the potency of the APC, by saying that the new party will provide an alternative platform to PDP for Nigerians.

The Niger governor and Chairman Northern Governors Forum (NSGF), said this against the backdrop of the a fresh conflict in PDP, where the governors are claiming that President Jonathan signed a one term pact with them.

But which the President has dared the governors to publish the

Gen. Buhari Mahmmadu

Sanator Bola Tinubu agreement if they have it.

Moreover, as an indication that the merger is not a child’s play, political heavyweights, such as Buhari, opposition lawmakers, including the opposition governors, have publicly declared their supports for the new party.

In the contest of Nigerian politics, funds play a significant role, which is one of the reasons why, at some quarters, the argument is that

insufficient fund will impede the emergence of APC. However, this fear was allayed from the point at which governors, Senators, House of Representatives members, even some PDP governors, started streaming aboard the new APC. Another remarkable event that happened after the merger was the move by one of the arrow heads in the merger, Bola Tinubu, to reconcile the aggrieved factions in

the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). After over three hours meeting with the faction of the CPC led by Senator Rufai Hanga, Tinubu told journalists in Abuja that his assignment was to unify all the factions in the merging parties to ensure that the merger is free of hiccups.

Meanwhile, the meeting in Abuja took place after a similar meeting with the Tony Momoh and Buhari’s group in Kaduna, after which the Hanga group accepted to withdraw its court cases challenging the legality of the Momoh’s group, which are still pending in the law courts across the country. Interestingly, the potency of the new APC is more appreciable considering the crisis currently rocking the ruling PDP, which is threatening to send the party to its early grave, if not properly addressed.

As it is today, some of the 23 PDP governors are at war with President Goodluck Jonathan. It would be recalled that at the build up to the 2011 elections, Jonathan was said to have admitted that he will not contest 2015 presidential election, which was one of the reasons why the PDP Governors’ Forum supported him against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Against the above allegation, the President, through his body language and utterances, is very prepared to contest the 2015 presidential election; thus a battle line is drawn between the PDP governors and President

Contiuned on page 39

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Reps may reject $1.56 proposed NNPC loan, says is not captured in the 2013 budget

By Umar Muhammad Puma

S

R-L: Outgoing Chairman, Yamaltu Deba Local Government Council, Gombe state, Arch. Habu Mohammed Shinga, Gombe stateCommissioner for Water Resources, Engr. Idris Mahdi, member representing Yamaltu Deba, Gombe state, Hon. Shaibu Umar Galadima, and Musa Aliyu after casting their vote during the local government election, at the weekend in Yalmaltu Deba, Gombe state.

Only merger will defeat PDP, says Buhari

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he leader of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday said that it is only by the merging of various opposition parties that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could be defeated in 2015.

Speaking yesterday during the CPC’s interactive dialogue with its elected representative and executives in Abuja, Buhari also accused the PDP of unholy alliance with some public service agencies to hold to power by crook means.

He said the country has been in the grip of bad governance since 1999 under the PDP-led government, observing that it has manipulated some relevant government institutions to remain in power.

On this basis, he said the only way to root PDP out is to have a strong and broader merger.

“The country is in the grip of a bad government whose only purpose is to hold on to power by hook or by crook-preferably by crook. PDP does not need merger or alliance, they are already merged and are in alliance with Police, INEC, and the Judiciary, and also with the NNPC and pension funds. The country is tired of PDP, we are tired of

•••It uses state apparatus to win election oppression, corruption, and insecurity.” Buhari said.

Buhari, who was optimistic that merger is the only political instrument that can end PDP’s governance, also urged the political class to embrace and actualise the merger currently pursued by opposition parties to rescue the country from the grip of the PDP. “I believe merger is the only way to prevent the continuation of this bad governance. The political class is at one that the only way to stabilise the nation is for the opposition to merge and face the ruling party”, He said.

Buhari also showered encomium on the party’s elected representatives for their victory at the2011 general elections without any form of electoral malpractice, and described them as face of CPC. “Let me once again congratulate you, Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members on your status of genuinely elected members. You were actually elected. You did not use police to intimidate voters; you did not use INEC staff to inflate your votes. You won in spite of all attempts by government to rig you out.

“ How many in the PDP can say that? Very, very few. You can therefore hold your heads high and regard yourselves as genuine representatives of your constituencies. You are true sons of democracy, your position are more important than party officials and leaders- because you are the face of CPC,” Buhari stated.

Buhari’s Clarion Call To Unseat PDP Buhari who was passionate while delivering his speech on his vision for the country made a clarion call to all elected representatives of CPC to join forces with the aspiration and dream of the party to unseat PDP in 2015.

“The call to duty for you today is to regard yourselves as the arrow-head of this movement.

And, therefore, act with speed and purpose to reach our goal.

Without your leadership and effort our fight for democracy will not succeed. Each one of us in this hall should regard himself as part of the great movement to come together and unseat the PDP. “ He assured stalwarts and members of the party of the success of the merger, and urged them to believe and support the

new political order and course the party is pursuing along with other opposition political parties to actualise the merger as soon as possible.

“Our party CPC is on the doorsteps of a historic opportunity to alter the political landscape of Nigeria. Our move to link and merge with ACN, subsequently with other parties, who have broadly similar philosophies namely good governance, is on the verge of success.”

Other party chieftains who delivered papers at the forum included former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, Emeka Nwadiba, Garba Datti, former Minister of FCT, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, Gen Buba Marwa, chief Dapo Oyeyemi and Sen Abu ibrahim.

The meeting had in attendance the National Chairman, CPC, Prince Tony Momoh, members of the board of trustees, members of the National Executive Council, Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Almakura, CPC Senators and Honourable members, and other party stakeholders across the country.

Commonwealth university Honors J. T Usaini

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he Commonwealth University of Business, Arts and Technology, Belize yesterday in Abuja bestowed an Honourary Doctorate Degree (CAUSA), Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) on former FCT Minister, Lt. Gen.

Jeremiah Useni (rtd).

The award was bestowed on Useni by the Executive Consultant of the University, Prof. David Iornem and the Registrar/Chief Executive, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof. Adisson Wokocha.

Prof. Iornem said Useni was honoured for the outstanding

roles he has played in his home state, Plateau and his selfless contribution to national development.

"Lieutenant Gen. Jeremiah Useni is a nationalist who is widely accepted among several ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and which has earned him prominent traditional titles from various communities. He

has differentiates himself from the people who are nothing but theorists, assumptionists and exagerationists," Iornem said.

Useni is his response commended the University for honouring him, saying he cherish the honour and would not relent in positively contributing to national development.

peaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal yesterday stated that the proposed $1.56 loan by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC was neither captured in the 2013-2015 Medium Term Framework nor the 2013 budget.

This was even as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dieziani Allison-Madueke and the Group Managing Director, GMD, NNPC, Andrew Yakubu in separate statements before the Committee, claimed that the money in question was not a loan but a forward sales agreement between the Corporation and its trading partners in lieu of the Corporation' s indebtedness to them.

Tambuwal made the statement while declaring open the public hearing on the said loan by the House Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream), Aids, Loans and Debt Management and Justice.

While encouraging the Joint Investigative Committee to do a thorough work on the matter, Tambuwal , who was represented by the Chief Whip of the House, Mr Ishiaka Bawa, expressed optimism that the findings and recommendations of the panel would tremendously influence the direction and decisions of the Parliament.

His words: "the issue before us today for consideration, the proposed $1.56 billion loan by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is very important. It's importance is predicated on the fact that the proposed loan was neither captured in the 2013-2015 Medium Term Framework, nor the 2013 budget".

"As a Parliament, we believe that if we continue on the parth of truth, history shall vindicate us. I assure you that members of the Seventh Assembly are fully committed to bringing the dividends of democracy to our people, and ensuring that we have a policy that we shall all be proud of".

"It is on account of this belief that the House in its wisdom referred this matter to the committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream), Aids, Loans and Debt Management and Justice to investigate fully and report back to the House".

"We are convinced that your findings and recommendations will greatly influence the direction that the House will take, and therefore urge you to do a thorough job. As leaders, we must be sensitive to the needs of our people and do only those things that will reflect us in a positive light".

In his opening remark, the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), and lead Chairman of the Joint Committee, Rep Muaina Ajibola, assured the stakeholders that the Committee was only performing its constitutional function and would not witch-hunt anybody in the process.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 39

Chatham House Hosts Ihedioha on constitution review

L-R: Gombe state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo, congratulating the chairman, Akko LG Council, Alhaji Bello Sulaiman, during the swearing-in of newly elected LG chairmen, yesterday in Gombe.

Photo: NAN

By Lawrence Olaoye

D

eputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, has been invited by Chatham House to present a keynote address on the constitution review process by the National Assembly to an audience of Nigerians in the Diaspora and key foreign policy experts.

Ihedioha, who is chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, in a release signed by his Media aide, Oke Epia, stated that he is expected to address the audience on the level of progress on the constitution amendment process thus far at the meeting slated for Wednesday, February 27th, 2013 in London.

It is noteworthy that under Ihedioha's leadership, the House Committee on Constitution Review successfully midwifed the peoples' public sessions, a first-ofits-kind and novel initiative that sought and received the views of the grassroots in the amendment process simultaneously in all 360 federal constituencies of the country.

Expected to address the audience alongside the deputy speaker are Hon. Abike DabiriErewa, Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora; Dr. Robin Niblett, Director, Chatham House, Nigeria's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, Robin Gwynn, Additional Director, Africa Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK, Dr. Titilola Banjoko, Nigeria Leadership Initiative and Mr. Clement Nwankwo, Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre.

Chatham House, home of the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, is a globally recognised renowned independent centre for research, analysis and discussion of international affairs established since 1920.

PDP backs formation of PDP Governor's Forum

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday threw its weight behind the recently formed PDP Governors' Forum chaired by the Akwa-Ibom state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio.

This is coming as the party also charged its caucuses in the two chambers of the National Assembly to close ranks and ensure that the activities of the federal legislature is dominated by PDP-led objectives which are in the general interest of the people.

The party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, maintained that the formation of a PDP Governors' Forum has been long

overdue and commended the PDP state governors for taking a bold step in that direction.

The party noted that while the general Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) is a laudable idea, the PDP Governors' Forum must be used by the PDP governors as an effective platform to project the activities of the party and the successes recorded by PDP-led governments across the board.

"The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commends the PDP state governors for having formed the PDP Governors' Forum and electing a new chairman. It is long overdue for the PDP to have its own governors' forum with its own chairman.

"The new PDP Governors' Forum must therefore use its large membership to project the people

oriented policies and programmes of the PDP as well as the successes recorded by PDP-led governments across the board", the statement said.

The party charged its governors to be conscious of the fact that there is presently a big divide between the PDP and the opposition parties in terms of policies, programmes and manifestos and as such endeavor to use the new forum to forge a partnership that will clearly show the successes achieved in the PDP controlled states.

"We must show something that is different between the performance of the PDP governors in office and the performance of the opposition. Let the difference be clear. It is not a thin line. It is a large wall dividing the PDP and

the opposition parties", the party said.

The party also commended the governors for choosing Akpabio as the Chairman of the PDP Governors' Forum, describing him as a "loyal, dedicated and committed party man". The party said it believes that Akpabio will use his new office to ensure that the programmes of the party were effectively implemented.

In urging the PDP caucus in the National Assembly to close ranks, the leadership of the party said the lawmakers should use the actions of the governors "as a tonic for them to engineer their caucuses in both the Senate and House of Representatives to ensure that their activities and debates are dominated by PDP objectives and our manifesto."

APC: Perfecting ploys to break PDP’s political hegemony?

Contiuned from page 37 Jonathan.

As an indirect consequence to this faceoff between the PDP governors and President Jonathan, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has been polarized into two major factions; one loyal to Jonathan and another loyal to PDP governors.

While the faction loyal to the PDP Governors Forum are ruthlessly dancing to the whims of their principals, the Chairman, Bamangar Tukur, with the Acting National Secretary are still glued and loyal to the dictates of President Jonathan.

A source in the party recently told journalists that the aggrieved governors have withheld their funding to the party, due to the faceoff. He said this has greatly impacted negatively in the

running of the party’s daily activities. It would be recalled that the effort by the party to elect a new Chairman of its Board of Trustees (BoT), shortly after former President Olusegun Obasanjo resigned his chairmanship of the board, proved abortive due to the inability of the stakeholders to harmonize their interests.

Political observers posit that the abortive BoT chairmanship elections is a consequence of the efforts and determination of the governors not to allow the President have his way in nominating the chairman of the party’s board. Moreover, there are strong indications that about 10 PDP governors, who are either aggrieved by the crisis in the party’s leadership or the insistence

by President Jonathan not to relinquish power to the north

come 2015, have concluded plans to join forces with the new APC. According to Peoples Daily’s findings, most of these governors who are from the North West and North East are waiting for the President to declare his ambition for 2015, so as to throw up the towel and join the new APC. This, according to our source, is due to

their believe that power must return to north in 2015.

Before APC came on board, various challenges ranging from economic to security problems had bedeviled the country. This, many analysts have pointed out as a revelation of the lacuna in the PDP led central government and its inability to save its citizens.

“

Political observers posit that the abortive BoT chairmanship elections is a consequence of the efforts and determination of the governors not to allow the President have his way in nominating the chairman of the party’s board

With this in mind, one can say that the new APC is a movement which might have come to salvage the dilapidated country’s economic and political foundations, of which PDP is widely believed to be culpable.

Considering the nature of government the APC proposes to run, which was unveiled by the co-chairman of the merger committee, Tom Ikimi, many Nigerians may develop sympathy for the new APC, especially in the face of the widely held notion that PDP’s current system is not working. Though 2015 is still reasonable months away, but given the momentum which the APC is gathering daily, and if the promoters are skilled enough to withstand the tricks for which PDP is widely acclaimed, the new party may break the jinx and hegemony of the ruling party.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 40

Survival of democracy depends on LGs, says Gov Aliyu

L-R: Chief Whip of House of Representatives, Hon. Ishaka Bawa,and Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Upstream, Hon. MurainaAjibola, during the public hearing of the joint Committees on Petroleum Resources Upstream and Downstream on the $1.56 billion proposed NNPC loan,yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja.

From Iliya Garba, Minna

W

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Northern Senators not against PIB – Gaya

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

F

ormer governor of Kano state and current chairman of the senate committee on States and Local government, Senator Kabiru Gaya, has explained that the northern senators are not against the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill which was submitted to the senate last year by the executive through the petroleum minister, Diezani AllionMadueke.

Briefing senate press corps yesterday on what is still holding the PIB since it was submitted last year, Gaya said the only issue is that the senators are insisting that some of the sections which are not in the interest of both the north and Nigeria at large must be amended before it is passed to law.

He pointed out that if the

law is not passed, investors will not cone in to invest in the oil industry, noting that all necessary amendments must be made to avoid frequent amendment in the future when the bill must have been passed into law.

Speaking further on the national budget which is yet begging for Presidential assent of Goodluck Jonathan, Gaya explained that the issue of constituency projects which the lawmakers have added in the budget and which the executive is protesting against is inline with the agreement the lawmakers had with the executives.

He said that the constitution only forbids the lawmakers from exceeding certain percentage, observing that the claim by the Presidency that the National Assembly has altered the budget was unfounded hence

the constitution provided for the lawmakers to make alterations on the budget as it deemed necessary.

He advised the executive to endeavour to accommodate constituency projects in the budget, saying that through it, lives of the people at the grassroots are improved, citing the case of the power sector where billion of naira was invested, yet no result was seen.

He therefore observed that thirty days has passed since the budget was passed by the National Assembly, saying that if the President refuses to sign it into law, the lawmakers will react accordingly.

Gays, who noted that the senate has been gentle with the President, however pointed out that if they are pressed to the wall, they will have no option that to become hostile with the executives.

While referring to the Chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Pension, Abdulrasheed Maina saga, the Senator said that it was a clear violation to the rule of law, as well as gross disregard to the constituted authority.

He noted that if corruption, both in the government cycle and on the street is not tackled drastically, Nigeria will collapse, explaining that what angered the senate in the case of Maina was the attempt by the Presidency to discourage their effort to fight corruption, despite its claim to be anticorruption.

Meanwhile, he backed the current presidential system of government which has bicamera legislature, saying that conscious efforts should only be made to reduce recurrent expenditure through drastic cut in the cost of running the government.

Senator Gumba dares critics to investigate achievement

By Umar Muhammad Puma

S

enator Adamu Ibrahim Gumba, representing Bauchi south senatorial zone who is currently facing a threat of recall, has appealed to critics of his representation to exercise restrain by investigating his achievements since he took over in 2010.

In a statement issued by his Personal Assistant Dantata Tilde, said in 2010 alone, the senator sunk over 100 boreholes at different locations within the senatorial zone, complete with reticulation and overhead tanks that include Narabi, Tilden Fulani, Muda Lawal market, Liman Katagum and several other places apart from payment

of scholarship to qualified students as well as the sponsorship of selected 50 youths for skills acquisition programme in different parts of the country and payment of N7million advance training fee for seven selected road side mechanics in mechanical/ electrical automobile engineering with a Lagos based British automobile company, Excellsoir Automobile Limited.

He added that part of the senator's contribution to the development of the senatorial zone is the donation of 35 trailer load of assorted fertilizers to farmers in the 2011 farming season as well as the provision of the other requirements for bumper harvest.

"Despite the non-payment of

constituency allowance since he took over in 2010, Senator Gumba has attended to the yearnings and aspirations of his constituents more than any other senator in the state to justify the mandate of the electorates and he is putting more efforts to improve the living standard of the people within his meager resources in several aspects".

"Those making the efforts to recall him are only displaying their ignorance on his achievements as well as justifying their sponsorship to ridicule his reputation to divert his attention to settling imaginary issues".

It further stated that, "it is not the recall that matters but the circumstance that warranted the effort to recall such a credible

politician that is putting in his best to serving the people. So far, from the records, Senator Gumba is the best senator ever from Bauchi south since 1999 in service delivery that deserves support and encouragement from genuine democrats than ridicule and hatred".

The release advised critics and their hidden sponsors to shun fanning the embers of hatred, blackmail and unnecessary opposition for the system to grow and provide the envisaged dividends.

"Opposition and critics should not allow sentiments to over shadow their reasoning faculty for whatever reason but should remain committed to the ideals of good governance", he said.

orried by the inability of some state government to conduct local government elections, Niger state Governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, has said that Democracy will not survive in this country if local government administration is not sustained.

He made this known yesterday in Minna when national officials of National Union of Local Government Employees paid him a courtesy visit in government house, noting that the conduct of election into local government councils will help to embed democracy.

Governor Aliyu affirmed thus, “local government is the foundation of democracy, if the foundation is bad the top will be bad, if the local government is good there will be no rancor at the top”.

According to him, the practice whereby some governors refuse to conduct local government election was against the provision of the constitution which the governors have sworn to uphold.

“Our democracy is still growing, we need to help to grow by removing all forms of ignorance and misinformation”.

He disclosed that the call for autonomy of local governments should be viewed from many perspectives saying that most of the proponents were only looking at the financial aspect of the autonomy without considering other variables that could run down the local government structure.

Aliyu said that if complete financial autonomy is granted to the local governments in the state, ten of them will go under because they will not be in position to perform their constitutional roles.

The governor stated that his administration had not interfered into how money in the joint local government account is shared, stressing that the local government officials and relevant ministry officials carry out this assignment to the satisfaction of all.

He also opposed the present practice whereby council chairmen were elected for only a two year term, saying such a mandate was not enough to perform, stressing also that local government staff with relevant qualifications should rise up to level 17, as their counterparts in the state civil service.

In his speech, National President of NULGE, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, made a strong case for the autonomy of local governments in the country, saying that most governors have turned the local government system “to a small unit in the governors’ office”.

Ibrahim maintained that NULGE will save the local government system from the “hands of corrupt and clumsy leaders”, saying that presently, the local governments are handicapped under the leadership of majority of the governors, a situation that should not be so.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 41

NNWL holds AGM, to focus on awareness, sanity

By Albert Akota

T

he annual general meeting of the Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL) scheduled for today in Abuja will focus on deliberate efforts to create awareness for the league and thus generate good corporate image that would attract sponsorship.

The Chairman of the NNWL Alhaji Ahmed Kawu, also said

that the congress would focus on how to sanitising officiating, proper conduct by clubs and fans and thus ensure that the league is credible and appealing.

Kawu revealed that these measures will ginger grassroots development to the advancement of the game at that level.

“The board wants the game to develop so that national teams’ players can be discovered. We have reviewed

some of the problems we witnessed last season to include lack of awareness, poor patronage even football stakeholders.

“A major hindrance to our prospect for sponsorship arose from bad officiating and hooliganism, this is because you don’t expect sponsors to put their hard earned resources on a bad league. Such image will adversely affect their corporate name,” he said.

Blatter congratulates Super Eagles, Keshi

F

IFA President Sepp Blatter has lauded the Super Eagles for their recent conquest of Africa at the 29th AFCON held in South Africa.

In a letter addressed to the team through NFF president

Aminu Maigari, the FIFA boss said, “Allow me to offer you my warmest congratulations on Nigeria’s triumph in the Africa Cup of Nations last Sunday your third title overall and your first for nearly 20 years. It is great to

Reuben eager to face Harambee Stars

S

uper Eagles’ dependable midfielder before the 29th AFCON which Nigeria won, Gabriel Reuben, is eager to file out against the Harambee Stars of Kenya in the 2014 World Cup qualifying game next month at the UJ Esuene Stadium Calabar.

The Kano Pillars ace, whose participation in the Nations Cup finals was blighted by injury, wants his teammates to put behind them the joy of victory over the Stallions of Burkina Faso to become African champions to regroup for the Stars.

Speaking to a wire service yesterday, Reuben, who regretted not featuring even once for the Eagles at the Nations Cup finals in South Africa, said the Eagles scintillating performance has turned the continent’s focus on them.

“The 2013 Nations Cup was my first tournament with the Super Eagles, and I thank God that my name was among those that entered Nigeria’s history book of success.

“Now that we are the champions of Africa, we would no longer find it easy against any opponents but I strongly believe that we would qualify for the World Cup in Brazil,” said the Kano Pillars’ midfield maestro said.

The erstwhile Enyimba star was among the six home-based players who were taken to the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations by the Super Eagles’ gaffer, Stephen Keshi.

The Super Eagles, at present, top Group F of the 2014 Fifa World Cup qualification on four points after beating Namibia 1-0 and forcing Malawi to a 1-1 draw in Blantyre in June 2012.

see the Super Eagles back as one of Africa’s strongest footballing nations.

“Please convey my warmest wishes to all of the players, the technical and medical staff, and in particular to Stephen Keshi – only the second man to lift the trophy as both captain and national team coach.

“Stephen is a great example to other African associations of what they can achieve through long-term planning and employing local coaches, and I commend your appointment. I would also like to extend special greetings and thanks to the Nigeria fans present at the final, whose support not only willed their team on to victory but also lit up the match as a spectacle.”

Similarly, President of the Spanish Football Federation, Angel Maria Villar Llona, and the Spanish national in a letter dated February 11 also lauded the Super Eagles for their ‘wonderful victory’.

African champions Nigeria will play Oceanian champions Tahiti, South American kings Uruguay and World and European champions Spain at the FIFA Confederations Cup starting in Brazil on June 15.

Sunday Mba

NPL warns Rangers over Mba, Agbim, says duo Wolves players

T

he Nigeria Premier League has warned Rangers from parading themselves as the bonafide owners of the duo of Sunday Mba and Chigozie Agbim.

Both had featured for the Super Eagles at the 29 th edition of the AFCON with Mba scoring two vital goals against Ivory Coast and the sole goal that gave the trophy to Nigeria against Burkina Faso.

Rangers had though went on to register them for their CAF Champions League campaign even as Warri Wolves cried out that the Enugu team do not have any legitimate claim over them.

In a letter signed by the executive secretary, Tunji Babalola, Mba and Chigozie Agbim have been declared as players of Warri Wolves.

“We are in receipt of your correspondence on the above subject.

From our records, it is established that Chigozie Agbim and Sunday Mba are bonafide players of Warri Wolves FC.” The League Interim Management Committee has therefore warned any club interested in the players to contact Warri Wolves.

“Consequently, the ownership of the players is not subject to any controversy and any club who require their services should contact the management of Warri Wolves,” continued the letter from the league body.

Why we met Maigari, caucus of FA chairmen speaks

By Patrick Andrew

A

minu Maigari’s unattractive handling of serious administrative matters came under focus weekend when the caucus of the state FAs chairmen held a nearmarathon meeting with the NFF president in Abuja.

Key issues ranging from Maigari alleged plot to get the Chairman of Chairmen, Chief Efffiong Johnson removed from office through a proxy of 16 FAs chairmen who were allegedly

taken to South Africa during the AFCON tournament specifically for that purpose to his utter refusal to work with subcommittees were the thrust of the meeting, according to impeccable sources.

The chairmen that attended the meeting included among others Ibrahim Musa Gusau, Chidi Nwantu, Laye Adepoju, Amanze Uchegbulam, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Mike Umeh, Christopher Green and presided over by Chief Effiong Johnson, had issues with Maigari over the disdain with which the NFF was treated by the Presidency

during the reception accorded the victorious Super Eagles.

Though our sources admitted that some of the issues were ‘close to impeachable offences’ however the attendees insisted that the idea

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS UMMASALAMA USMAN BASHIR, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS UMMASALAMA GARBA IBRAHIM DODO. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. NYSC AND GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Aminu Maigari

was not to impeach him but to reawaken his consciousness to the fact that he cannot steer the boat single-handedly.

“Yes, we met. No, it was not to impeach Maigari, notwithstanding the fact that some issues were something close to impeachable offences. We would rather say that it was to reason with him on the way forward for Nigerian football.

“Our intention was also to awaken him from slumber because he seems to have derailed in focus by opting to work with a clique instead of the subcommittees that he set up himself. Yes, we heard he took some of our colleagues to South Africa with the intent of swaying them against the leadership of the FA chairmen.

“His grouse, we learnt, was because the leadership fiercely opposed his involvement in the impeachment of Victor Baribote

and the fact he was directly accused of leading some persons to a caucus meeting after the Super Eagles’ match with Liberia in Calabar specifically to get Baribote removed,” the sources who spoke separately to Peoples Daily Sports said.

The chairmen, we learnt, also had issues with events leading to and the the manner the Stephen Keshi resignation was handled.

Accordingly to them, one of their colleagues, who was pointedly accused before the Senate President by Keshi equally came under fire as colleagues bluntly told him that he had repeatedly acted out-of-bounds.

“On the whole, we charged Maigari to retrace his steps, focus on winning more laurels for Nigeria and ensure that the disgrace meted out to the NFF on account of his administrative inadequacies and the matter of being some persons’ lapdog doesn’t re-occur,” one source said stressing that an apologetic Maigari promised to be in tow with the decisions of the caucus subsequently.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Sports help to develop students’ physical, mental abilities, says VP

S

ports enhances children’s physical fitness, boosts their mental abilities and helps them concentrate to achieve excellent examination results, a teacher, Malam Muhammad Chedi, said.

Chedi, who is the VicePrincipal (Administration) of Government Secondary School (GSS), Nyanya, Abuja, made the statement at the 14 th Annual InterHouse Sports competition of the school on Thursday.

He also said students’ participation in sports helped teachers in discovering the abilities of children and their areas of strength.

“Inter-house

sports create an avenue for hidden potential to be discovered and showcased.

“This occasion is set aside to enable students showcase their potential in various sporting events and games, which helps develop the students’ physical and mental abilities. It also helps us to discover hidden talents that can represent the school in inter-school competitions,’’ Chedi said.

The vice-principal urged the competitors to take the result in good faith and imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship, adding that AMAC, Abaji and Kwali houses could work harder in the next edition.

The Sports Master of the school, Alalade Aderemi, said he was impressed by the students’ performances.

He said “although the space was small for the track and field events, at least they have an idea of what to expect when they go out there.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the six houses in the school competed in races, including 100m, 200m, , 4x100m, football, volleyball, handball and other field events.

Gwagwalada House emerged the overall winners of the competition with 196 points, followed

by the Kuje House with 172 points and Bwari

House, with 170 points.

Victorious athletes

received prizes for their performances.

School sports

Tennis medalists solicit sponsors for Commonwealth Games

T

he Lagos State table tennis gold medalists at the 18 th National Sports Festival have solicited for sponsors ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

They pleaded with corporate firms for sponsorship to enable them to attend international competitions that would improve their experience.

Adeyinka Ahmed won gold in the men’s singles while Omotola Olajide and Ganiu Ashimiu won gold and bronze respectively.

Ahmed said that attending both national and international championships was crucial to the development and preparation of an athlete for major competitions.

He said such competitions enabled athletes to meet people who were better than them, thereby perfecting their playing skills.

“Sometimes the weakness of an expert may lie in something simple. It could be in not knowing how to use the back hand to receive or how to receive loops.

“These competitions serve as a sparring ground to size our opponents up before the major competitions such as the Olympics and world championships.”

He said that he had begun training since January soon after the festival ended, to improve himself even without sponsors.

“I train at the Knock- up Hall of the National Stadium

for eight hours, six times a week where I engage in rigorous skill sharpening and endurance exercises.

“There is no way that I would not bring home a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.”

Omotayo Olajide, one of the duo medalists of the men’s doubles, also said it was crucial to play with athletes from other countries, to adapt to their style of play.

Olajide noted that it would expose them to the kind of people to meet at major competitions, thereby developing some tactics against them.

He also said that lack of funds hindered the players from participating at various international competitions which would build their experience for the games.

“For instance, we were not able to partake at the ITTF World Tour Austrian Open in Wels which held from Jan. 23 to Jan. 27 and the just concluded ITTF World Tour Kuwait Open which ended on Feb. 18.

“However, the upcoming ITTF LIEBHER World Table Tennis Championships slated for Paris is scheduled for May 13 to May 20.

“If we could get sponsorship to attend these competitions, it would serve as preparatory ground to excel at the Common Wealth Games,” he said.

Olajide expressed optimism of winning gold at the Commonwealth Games, if the players could get sponsors.

Coach demands better cycling facilities in Kaduna

S

amaila Usman, the Chief Coach, Kaduna State Cycling Association, has canvassed for modern facilities in the state to enhance athletes’ performance in competitions.

Usman said that the bicycles currently being used were those deployed at the 2009 National Sports Festival (NSF) held in Kaduna.

“We have talents in the state but if our facilities can

Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero

be upgraded to latest equipment, they will go a long way in ensuring a better performance of athletes.

“It is not that we lack facilities, but they are becoming obsolete because it was those that were bought for the KADA Games in 2009.

“Although it has not affected our performance in competitions because we have won at least a medal in cycling since the KADA

Games and the EKO 2012 in Lagos” he said.

The coach said the demand for modern facilities was in line with best global practice, adding that other states were not relenting in upgrading their facilities.

Usman also recommended for constant training and competitions to enable athletes to assess their skills.

“If you train constantly as an athlete and do not engage in any form of competition, whatever the importance of the competition, you will be discouraged.

“And it will not allow the athlete and coach to assess their performances which is not good for sports development.”

He expressed optimism that the maiden Kaduna State Peace and Unity Cycling Championship held in 2012, would be repeated so that more talents would be discovered.

“After the maiden edition of the cycling championship in August 2012 under the regime of late Patrick Yakowa, we discovered a lot of talents. And it also helped in preparing athletes ahead of the EKO 2012 in Lagos.”

The Games is scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to Aug. 3.

Heartland vows to win 2012/2013 NPFL

H

eartland FC of Owerri, the Confederation Cup defending champions, will be targeting the top position of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) as the 2012/2013 season kicks off on March 9.

Head Coach, Ndubuisi Nduka, who led Heartland to win the Super Four League last November disclosed this over the weekend, said Heartland FC will be among the top four teams.

“Winning the Super Four is technically a boost to my boys, who do not see any team stopping them from getting the 2012/ 2013 league trophy,” he said.

According to him, the team had won most of the build-up matches it played which he said showed that the boys would get to the top position of the 2012/

2013 league.

The coach said that although he did not feature two of his best players in their last friendly with a premiership team, Sharks of Port Harcourt at Owerri, the match still ended 1-1.

Nduka said that the outcome of the match was a pointer to the fact that there was no player in the team that cannot perform well when fielded.

“I have a good team, so there is no need to introduce new players into the team for they have really blended,’’ he said.

He said that for the forthcoming season, he had perfected a mass attack, mass defense pattern and other undisclosed patterns for good results.

Heartland, which were seventh on the league last season, qualified to play in the Super Four by virtue of winning the Federation Cup last season.

NBBF says 2012/2013 basketball season dunks off in March

T

ijani Umar, President, Nigeria B a s k e t b a l l Federation (NBBF), said on Friday in Lagos that 2012/2013 men and women leagues would commence in March.

Umar said that NBBF and its major partners Multichoice Nigeria Ltd and Zenith Bank Plc sponsors of the competitions respectively had endorsed the commencement dates.

He said that the 2012/ 2013 DStv Premier League for Men will dunk off March 9 at the Indoor

Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.

Umar said that games would be played in the DStv League on the opening day across the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences.

“This season, the DStv League will welcome back returnees, Plateau Peaks, and that new-comers Mark Mentors, will replace Tapgun Rockets in the Savannah Conference .

“Debutants Oluyole Warriors of Ibadan will also taste premiership action in the Atlantic conference,’’ he said.

Umar added that the Indoor Hall, National Stadium, Abuja would host the commencement phase of the Zenith Bank League for Women from March 23 to April 6.

He said that teams for the female competition were expected to arrive on March 21 in time for the technical meeting on March 22. “The NBBF and Zenith Bank have finalised arrangements for a pre-season press briefing and cheque presentation ceremony at the Press Centre, National Stadium, Lagos on March 28,’’ Umar said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 43

Arsenal can finish second in EPL, says Wenger

A

Arsene Wenger

P

resident of the Handball Federation of Nigerian (HFN), Yusuf Dauda has dismissed claims that he has decided not to run for the office in the election in April.

Dauda had been claimed to have supposedly stepped down for the former Vice president of the federation, Mark Jacob, a released signed by Yinka Adeola debunked the said claim stating instead that it was the figment of imagination of unnamed officials from the Secretariat of the HFN. “We never had any stakeholder meeting in Lagos but a meeting between me and former president, Mark Jacob.

rsene Wenger says finishing second in the Premier League is not out of Arsenal’s reach.

Wenger has recently seen his side beaten by Blackburn in the FA Cup and Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

But he believes they can secure the runners-up spot in the league, despite being nine points behind secondplaced Manchester City with 11 games left.

Despite enduring a torrid time last week in cup competition, Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday was their third straight league success, following victories against Sunderland and Stoke.

Yet they remain fifth in the table, behind City, Chelsea and Tottenham ahead of the north London derby at White Hart Lane on 3 March.

Manchester United, who Arsenal still have to play

at Emirates Stadium on 28 April, are 21 points clear of the Gunners at the top of the table.

Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez suggested before his team’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday that a top-two finish could be out of reach if the Blues lost at Etihad Stadium.

Yet Wenger believes his team can not only overtake Tottenham and Chelsea but also overhaul City and qualify automatically for a place in next season’s Champions League group stage.

Arsenal has not finished outside the Premier League’s top four since Wenger took charge in September 1996.

The last time they ended the season in the top two was in 2004-05 when they were runners-up to Chelsea.

HFN boss refutes claims After the discussion, he told me that he was going to meet with his group before taking any decision and I also told him that I had people who I will consult with.

“I must say that this is false because I never told him that. Also, the press release did not emanate from my office as stated in it.

“Some weeks back, I was told that there was a stakeholders meeting in Abuja after a veterans’ game between between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) team and Niger State.

“I decided to attend and

I used the opportunity to clear the air on so many issues and that was when those who have been critical of my administration had a change of heart.

“They also agreed that I and Jacob should meet to trash out our differences and we met in Lagos where we did not reach any agreement. I am surprised that a release was purportedly issued from my office to announce my decision not to contest in the April polls.

He described the publication as cheap blackmail intended to

embarrass him. He also expresses disappointment over the publication

noting that he didn’t expect that from someone that was aspiring to be on

the board of a federation.

The president said Jacob had never seen anything good in the present board because the league was put on hold due to its dwindling form.

Chelsea to sacrifice cups for top-four

C

helsea manager Rafael Benitez has hinted he will consider prioritizing a top four finish ahead of cup glory in the final few weeks of the season, as a leg-weary Chelsea struggle to juggle their ambitions in three different competitions.

Premier League defeat at Manchester City was a blow to Chelsea’s hopes of claiming a top four finish, with their FA Cup and Europa League commitments in danger of deflecting the focus away from the battle to return

to the Champions League next season.

Tottenham will move ahead of Chelsea into third position if they beat West Ham at Upton Park on Monday night, with Benitez admitting Sunday’s defeat at Etihad Stadium has opened the door to his side’s rivals in the top four skirmishes.

“If we feel we need to prioritise something we will do it,” conceded Benitez after seeing his side go down to a 2-0 defeat against the reigning Premier League champions.

“We are

playing too many games, games each three days.

You have to manage your squad. ”The race for the top four will go to the last day of the season. Our last game is against Everton, so I’m sure that it will be very tight, very close to the end.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s interim boss moved to explain his decision to leave skipper John Terry on the bench for the clash with Manchester City, as he insisted squad rotation will be vital in the final few weeks of the campaign.

Real Madrid learn from Barcelona, says Mourinho

R

eal Madrid boss Jose Mourinho claims he has learned a sporting lesson from Barcelona and is not going to talk about referees ahead of today’s Copa Del Rey semi-final second leg at the Camp Nou. Mourinho spoke to the Spanish media after training in Madrid yesterday, soon after Barcelona’s stand-in coach Jordi Roura had questioned the “permissive” refereeing style of Alberto Undiano Mallenco in an apparent attempt to ensure a strict line was taken with any physical play.

The Portuguese said he had nothing to say about the officials because he had learned from the Catalan

Lione Messi

club that it was not proper to speak about referees or to try and influence them in any way.

“I prefer to stick to the lessons we have received in the past from Barcelona,” he said.

“I do not speak about referees, nor crowd around them, nor look for yellow cards for opponents, nor conceal things. And, of course, lessons in how to play football, which they do very well. We must try, humbly, to follow that line.

Today’s game the first leg of which ended in a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu begins what looks likely to be a season-defining three games in eight days for Madrid.

They face Barcelona in La Liga at the Bernabeu on Saturday and then take on Manchester United in the Champions League at Old Trafford on March 5.

Mourinho said both he and his players, whose struggles against supposedly smaller teams have seen them drop 16 points behind Barcelona in La Liga, enjoyed it when the pressure was on.

Neither Madrid’s recent good record at the Camp Nou, which does not include the 2-1 win which clinched last season’s La Liga title, nor Barcelona’s recent apparent dip in form, would have any bearing on the latest clasico,

the coach said.

“This is an isolated game, with nothing to do with past ones,” he added. “Anyway, that was a long time ago. We have not played there for months.

“We must try and play as well as possible to get the best result possible. Form does not matter so much in games between the best teams. The moment in which the game is played has no significance.”

Madrid fans had positive news from training, with Xabi Alonso and Karim Benzema - both of whom missed Saturday’s 21 Primera Division comeback win at Deportivo La Coruna through injury back in harness.

Ronaldo

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Farah beats Gebremariam to sets course record in New Orleans

B

ritain’s double Olympic champion Mo Farah won the New Orleans half marathon in a course record of one hour 59 seconds after holding off Ethiopian Gebre Gebremariam in a sprint finish on Sunday. Ethiopia’s 5 000 metres Olympic gold medallist, Meseret Defar, had an easier time in the women’s race finishing in 1:07.25 in a course record and more than a minute ahead of American Shalane Flanagan.

Farah, winner of the 5 000 and 10 000 at the London Games, ran with Gebremariam for the final few kilometres before turning on the speed over the last 200 metres to beat the 2010 New York marathon champion by a second.

“I was working pretty hard. It was an effort. I was really pushing it. It was definitely a fast course and with good guys pushing the pace,” Farah told reporters The previous men’s course record was 1:01.07, set by Kenya’s Martin Lel in 2010, and the women’s was 1:07.36 run in 2011 by New Zealand’s Kim Smith.

Lel, a three-time London marathon winner, was fourth on Sunday some three minutes behind the leading pair.

Farah will run half the London marathon in April prior to making his debut over the full distance in 2014.

Looking ahead to the longer race the 29-year-old said: “It is going to be a completely different ball game. It does not necessarily mean that I am going to be amazing at it, I’ve got to go out there and do it.

I am quite excited.”

Mo Farah

Maisei breaks Hong Kong marathon jinx

J

ulius Maisei learnt his lesson from two failed early breaks to time it just right at.

Once beaten twice shy did not prove to be the case with Julius Maisei as he defied two previous failures to win the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon on Sunday at the third time of asking.

The 32-year-old took the IAAF Silver Label race in a time of two hours, 14 minutes and 18 seconds ahead of compatriot James Mbugua (2:14:28) and Ethiopia’s Deribe Robi in third (2:14:37).

“I made the mistake of making my move too early in the last two years and my opponents

caught me and overtook me.

This time I changed my tactics and made certain I timed my break better and then went all for it,” Maisei told reporters.

Maisei blamed the slow time on the tricky conditions.

“It was tough out there. It is not easy running inside a tunnel for almost three kilometres and

the course is very hilly. Hong Kong is a hard race,” he said.

In the women’s race, Ethiopian Misiker Demissie became the first athlete to retain the title as she romped home in 2:30:49.

“It was a bit more windy than last year, which is probably the reason I went a bit slower, although I like racing in those

101-year-old marathon runner trims time at last race

A

day before his final competitive marathon race, Fauja Singh had felt very sad that he was bowing of contest rather pre-maturely.

Well, he’s only 101-years-old but believes he could still do some more marathon race and was sad he was retiring from the scene.

The Sikh believed to be the world’s oldest distance runner finally hangs his running spikes on Sunday after ending his last race in Hong Kong on a high, describing it as one of the “happiest days” of his long life.

Fauja Singh, nicknamed the “Turbaned Tornado”, finished the 10-kilometre (6 mile) run at the Hong Kong Marathon in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds half a minute faster than at the same event last year.

“Today is one of my happiest days,” the Indian-born British national, who only speaks Punjabi, said through his interpreter after he crossed the finishing line with a broad smile and waving the Hong Kong flag.

“I felt so fresh and so good. I felt I’m full of power today.

“I will remember this day and I will miss it, but I will not stop running for charity,” added Singh, who was mobbed by supporters when he completed his final competitive event, weeks before he turns 102 on April 1.

The centenarian, a farmer in his home state of Punjab before

settling in England, became an international sensation and made headlines worldwide after he took up the sport at the ripe age of 89.

He has since completed nine 42-kilometre (26 mile) marathons in London, Toronto and New York. His best time was in Toronto, where he clocked five hours, 40 minutes and four seconds.

The great-great-grandfather has said that while he is quitting competitive events, he will not stop running for personal fitness.

In Hong Kong Sunday he ran with 100 supporters from a community group “Sikhs in the City”, forming a group of 101 to mark his age.

Group member Karamjit Singh said the runner was in top form throughout on a breezy and slightly overcast morning in the southern Chinese city.

“Apart from a toilet break at about 6 km into the run and at one point he nearly slipped due to wet ground, he did not stop, he just kept on going,” Karamjit, a nurse who lives in Hong Kong, told AFP. “It’s amazing. We’re always proud of him.”

The 101-year-old, who has attributed his longevity to a positive attitude and simple lifestyle, was in high spirits and cracked jokes with journalists several times after finishing the race.

“Actually I was expecting a much faster (finishing time),”

he laughed.

“When I reached mid-point, people reminded me that it was halfway already, though I thought it was only one-third of it,” said Singh, whose name Fauja means “soldier”.

He was one of the top fund raisers at the event, after raising HK$160 000 ($20 630) for a charity to help disabled athletes in Hong Kong.

Singh was inspired to take up marathons after he saw television coverage of one 12 years ago. It was not long after the death of his wife and a son, at a time when he said he needed a new focus in life.

Although widely regarded as the world’s oldest marathon runner, Guinness World Records has not certified him since Singh cannot prove his birth date.

He has said there were no birth certificates available when he was born under British colonial rule.

But Singh has won widespread accolades.

He was a torchbearer for the 2004 Athens games and last year’s London Olympics, and appeared in advertisement for a major sports brand several years ago alongside the likes of David Beckham and Muhammad Ali. His trainer has said Singh will continue his routine of running 16 kilometres a day even after retirement from competitive events.

Fauja Singh

conditions, it was good,” she told reporters.

The event also featured a 10 kilometre race which was completed by 101-year-old Indian-born Fauja Singh, the world’s oldest marathon runner, who retired from running after clocking a time of 1:32:28.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

PAGE 45

LL A I RR I A O TO T I CI C PP 1

2

3

1/ Serie A officials will meet today to discuss possible sanctions against Inter Milan following allegations of racial abuse being directed at AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli at the weekend.

2/ British heavyweight David Price wants a rematch with Tony Thompson and would consider fighting in the United States.

3/ World Cup winner Lewis Moody hopes England do not claim the Grand Slam this year as it could see them peak too soon.

4/ David Beckham was the undisputed star of the show as Paris Saint-Germain triumphed 2-0 in Sunday's Classique against Marseille to remain on course for the Ligue 1 title.

5/ Debutant Moises Henriques hits an unbeaten 75 as Australia close 40 runs ahead of India in the first Test in Chennai.

6/ Swansea forward Michu has urged manager Michael Laudrup to ignore any job offers and spearhead the club's European campaign next season.

6

4

5

PAGE 46

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Indian Wells: Nadal to decide this week

R

ecuperating Rafael Nadal will decide after this week’s Mexico Open whether to participate at his first Masters Series event of the year on the hard courts of Indian Wells.

The Spainaird who is still testing his knee after being out of action for over six

months, hopes to gradually return to active tennis soonest.

Spain’s 11-time Grand Slam champion will conclude a three-tournament Latin American comeback tour in Acapulco, playing in his third ATP clay court tournament in four weeks.

Rafael Nadal

M

atch-fixing bans on 58 Chinese soccer officials and players will be extended worldwide, the sport’s governing body FIFA said yesterday.

Earlier this month, the Chinese Football Association’s (CFA) disciplinary committee gave five-year suspensions to 25 people while the remaining 33 were banned from all football activities for life following a probe into match-fixing in the

He came back from an injury layoff of seven months to reach the final in Vina del Mar, Chile, and followed up by winning the title in Sao Paulo on February 18.

In Brazil he needed just 78 minutes to beat Argentina’s David Nalbandian 6-2, 6-3 in the title match.

But the 26-year-old says he still feels intermittent pain in his left knee and could yet opt out of the hard court tournament at Indian Wells, where men’s main draw play begins on March 7.

Nadal is a two-time champion at the BNP Paribas Open in the California desert east of Los Angeles. That tournament is immediately followed by the Masters Series event in Miami where he has never won.

“Let’s see how my knee responds in Acapulco. We will discuss what has happened during these three tournaments and what I thought about it,” Nadal said after his Brazil triumph.

“Then we will see if we are ready to play in Indian Wells or not.”

Nadal said it wasn’t the thought of stepping up against top competition like Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and compatriot David Ferrer that caused him to hesitate, nor was it the possible stresses of the hard court surface.

Instead it’s just the simple fact that his knee is still not 100 per cent.

“It’s better and I’ve been able to compete, but it’s still bothering me,” he

China match-fixing bans now worldwide 1990s and early 2000s.

“The chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee has extended the sanctions to have worldwide effect,” a FIFA statement said. “In taking those sanctions and notifying FIFA of them, the CFA has emphasised its on-going commitment to stamping out all forms of match-fixing

and corruption in the game. The CFA set up a special task force consisting of members of the CFA disciplinary committee in March 2012 to make recommendations based on the investigations.”

FIFA has been keen to crack down on corruption after European anti-crime

Retiree Saleta retires Golota again

A

ndrew Golota returned to boxing after three and a half years and was promptly knocked out on Saturday night by someone who had not fought for seven years.

Golota, who challenged for “world” heavyweight titles four times, was beaten in the sixth round by former European heavyweight champion Przemyslaw Saleta.

Fighting in Gdansk, Poland, the two brought a total of 100 professional fights into the ring. Golota, 45, got out with a record of 41-9-1, including 33 knockouts.

Saleta, 46, improved his record to 44-7, with 22 knockouts.

In London, another heavyweight hasbeen, Audley Harrison, won a “prize-fighter” heavyweights tournament. The 41-year-old Harrison stopped American Derric Rossey in the second round of the final.

In the semifinals Harrison avenged a 2008 loss to Martin Rogan, whom he beat on points over three rounds. In the other semi-final Rossey won by split decision against Ian Lewison.

Another seasoned heavyweight, Malik Scott, moved his record to 35-0-1; 12 when he drew over ten rounds with Vyacheslav Glazkov, who now stands at 14-0-1; 10.

The scores at the end of the fight in Huntington, New York, were 98-92 for Scott, 96-94 for Glazkov and 95-95. It means both are still unbeaten.

In Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico, former world champion Jhonny Gonzalez got up from a knockdown in the fourth round to beat Easubio Osejo 115-

said after arriving in Mexico.

“It’s better on some days and worse on others, which isn’t ideal for someone like me, because my idea of competing is based on giving it all at all times.”

In Acapulco, Nadal is the second seed behind Ferrer, the world No 4 who will arrive in Mexico fresh from a successful title defence in Buenos Aires.

Ferrer, 30, earned his 20th career title and his second of 2013 on Sunday and will be going for a fourth straight Acapulco crown.

The men’s field for this combined ATP and WTA event also includes 2008 champion Nicolas Almagro and Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, a semifinalist last year who lost to Ferrer in the Buenos Aires final on Sunday.

Nadal may get a chance to ease into the tournament, drawing a qualifier in the first round.

A massive security operation has been mounted for the event, prompted by a gang rape earlier this month as well as the brutal ongoing turf war between drug gangs that has seen the Pacific port and longtime tourist destination become Mexico’s deadliest city.

The 4 000-strong security force is three times the size of the city’s own police force and will feature army, navy, federal, state and municipal police, a senior Guerrero state government official told AFP.

111, 115-112 and 116-110 in a featherweight bout.

Gonzalez (53-8; 45) won on points against Osejo (21-13-2; 7) after being knocked down in the fourth round. The scores were 115-111, 115-112 and 116110.

In Atlantic City, Patrick Majewsk, moved to 21-1; 13 when he beat Jamaal Davis (14-9-1; 6) on points – 99-91 on two cards and 98-92.

In a super-lightweight bout Jose Pedraza (12-0; 8) knocked out Geraldo Zayas (21-20-2; 11) in the first round.

Palm Bay, Florida: Jose Nieves (22-23) came back from a third-round knockdown to stop Danny Flores (14-3; 8) in the ninth round and retain his WBO Latino bantamweight title.

Cruiserweight Yunier Dorticos (14-0; 14) stopped Willy Hering (14-13-3; 5) in the third.

Cabazon, California: Art Hovhannisyan lost his unbeaten record when Alejandro Perez beat him 96-93 on two cards and 95-94 in a superfeatherweight bout. Hovhannisyan now stands at 15-1-2, with 8 knockouts. Perez improved to 17-3-1; 11.

Middleweight Tureano Johnson (14-0; 10) beat Willie Fortune (15-1; 7) on points over eight rounds.

New York City: Puerto Rican junior middleweight Thomas Dulorme (17-1; 13) stopped Edward Brooks (9-4; 3) in the first round.

Melbourne: Australia-based American Fred Tukes won the national welterweight title and improved to 12-1-

1; 6 thanks to a split-decision win over Samuel Colomban (20-5; 10). The 40year-old won 97-94 and 96-95 against 94-96.

Przemyslaw Saleta

agency Europol caused consternation in the game when it announced on February 4 that around 680 matches globally were suspected to have been fixed in a betting scam run from Singapore.

Critics said many of the matches were already known about.

Tokyo: Former WBA superbantamweight champion Retsuri Lee moved to featherweight and drew over twelve rounds with Cirilo Espino of the Philippines. The scores were 115-113 for Lee, 116-112 for Espino and 114-114.

Lee’s record now stands at 19-3-2; 10 and Espino’s at 18-11-3; 11.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

SUDOKU

PAGE 47

Say what?

Yesterday’s solution

Some Interesting Facts •The Sanskrit word for "war" means "desire for more cows."

•The "save" icon on Microsoft Word shows a floppy disk, with the shutter on backwards.

•The saying "it's so cold out there it could freeze the balls off a brass monkey" came from when they had old cannons like ones used in the Civil War. The cannonballs were stacked in a pyramid formation, called a brass monkey. When it got extremely cold outside they would crack and break off... thus the saying.

•The sound of E.T. walking was made by someone squishing her hands in Jello.

•The starfish is one of the only animals who can turn it's stomach inside-out.

•The state of Florida is bigger than England.

•The term "the whole 9 yards" came from WWII fighter pilots in the South Pacific. When arming their airplanes on the ground, the .50 caliber machine gun ammo belts measured exactly 27 feet, before being loaded into the fuselage. If the pilots fired all their ammo at a target, it got "the whole 9 yards."

•The three best-known western names in China: Jesus Christ, Richard Nixon, and Elvis Presley.

•The United States Government keeps its supply of silver at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York.

•The United States has never lost a war in which mules were used.

•The verb "cleave" is the only English word with two synonyms which are antonyms of each other: adhere and separate.

•The very first bomb dropped by the Allies on Berlin during World War II killed the only elephant in the Berlin Zoo.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Unlikely alliance: Instead of eating the turtle the alligator allows it to sit on its back as they bask in the river, at South Carolina, in USA Source: Dailymail.co.uk

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

Gattuso takes charge of Sion as player, coach

F

ormer AC Milan and Rangers midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has been appointed player-coach of Sion.

The Swiss Super League club confirmed on their official website that Victor Munoz had taken a "step back" following a 4-0 defeat at Thun, with 35year-old former Italy international assuming control of the first team for the rest of the season.

The statement read: "Following Sion's disastrous performance against FC Thun and in the face of the lack of effort showing in the team, the club's board has decided to make the players face their responsibilities.

“To do this, from now until further notice, they will take charge of their own affairs. The club entrusts the responsibility for the group to its captain Gennaro Gattuso."

Gattuso arrived at the Stade Tourbillon as Sion's marquee summer signing after ending a 13-year association with Milan, and the current campaign began with the expectation of a title challenge after a disappointing ninth place finish last season.

Despite a strong start, Sion lost three of their last four games to slip to fourth in the table, nine points behind leaders Grasshoppers and five behind second-placed Basel.

Gattuso's first match in charge comes in the form of a Swiss Cup quarter-final trip to Lausanne, where Sion striker Kyle Lafferty - also formerly of Rangers - will hope to add to his four-goal tally for the season.

Gattuso was a 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany winner with Italy.

Gennaro Gattuso ADVERT: BUSINESS: NEWS: LAGOS:

0803 0805 0803 0805 0803

QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE The Boko Haram threat is gradually coming down. Their capacity has been terribly weakened but that does not mean that they are not still a threat.

— Inspector-General of Police, Muhammad Abubakar

A real alternative is what we need I

recall that at the time he was going to declare for the 2011 election, all the PDP governors were brought together to ensure that we were all in the same frame of mind.

And I recall that some of us said given the circumstances of the death of President Umaru Yar'Adua and given the PDP zoning arrangement, it was expected that the North was to produce the president for a given number of years.

I recall that at that discussion, it was agreed that Jonathan would serve only one term of four years and we all signed the agreement. Even when Jonathan went to Kampala, in Uganda, he also said he was going to serve a single term.

— Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger state.

If the we had only been a little more observant, and added things up correctly, Governor Babangida Aliyu's recollections, as quoted above, would hardly have come to us as news that is worthy of the kind and level of controversy it has now excited.

They would have been seen, and treated, as not much more than a confirmation of what has all along been obvious.

There were signals, emanating from goings-on at the time, flashed across the county. If the signals were not read correctly, there were clear hints, even intimations, dropped by the principal actors themselves, that some understanding had been reached between the president and the governors. Plus, there were disclosures, made publicly and in plain language by those in the thick and thin of it, including Jonathan himself, that there was some sort of a pact between the two sides as a prelude to the emergence of Jonathan as the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) presidential flag bearer in 2011.

Some recollections of our own will be in order here. In 2010, Jonathan, though a sitting president, having taken over after Yar'adua's death in 2009, was facing serious difficulties in his effort to get his party's ticket for the 2011 presidential election. The PDP zoning arrangement didn't favour him.

He was up against powerful forces and power brokers from the North who were insisting that the presidential slot was for the North, in keeping with existing party policy. He was also up against his party's over twenty state governors, who he strongly felt, were playing a double game, feigning support for his aspiration in the afternoon but jumping into bed with Atiku, his

311 689 606 327 454

7458 1765 3308 1969 0344

FOR THE MASSES

By Rufa’i Ibrahim ruf585@hotmail.com main rival for the ticket, in the night. Then there were the uncertainties and the generally opaque definition of the country's political situation at the time.

At a meeting with party chieftains and the governors at the PDP headquarters in Abuja in December 2010, Jonathan described his situation and frustrations better than anyone can. Hear him: "You have given assurances of support but some of you are secretly campaigning for Atiku. I can't stand here and be humiliated by you. Everything I have asked for, you have refused to give me. No president anywhere has been treated by his party the way you are treating me. I am the captain of his boat. I am not going down alone. I am going to sink this boat and go down with all that are in it."

Well, as we all know, he didn't sink the boat. But he got the ticket.

The combination of his knee-bent appeal, tough-talking, threat and bribe (release of excess crude money to the states) led to a deal being struck with the governors which helped to secure for him the ticket.

The communiqué issued at the end of the meeting of the PDP governors in December 2010, which was read by Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Shema, made it very clear that the president and the governors had reached an agreement by which the governors pledged their support for Jonathan's aspiration and he in turn had given an undertaking to rule for one term of four years only. Jonathan's Campaign Director, Dr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, made it a point at campaign outings to tell people that Jonathan wanted to serve for only one term.

Jonathan himself, talking to Nigerians in Diaspora in Addis Ababa while attending an African Union meeting there, regretted that Nigerians in Diaspora would not be able to vote in the 2011 elections in Nigeria, but promised to work to ensure that they did so in 2015, even though - to quote him verbatim- "I will not (in 2015) be running for election."

Then, there was his godfather at the time, former President

Obasanjo, who, at the grand finale of the Jonathan's presidential campaign in Abuja, went even further than all the others by showering praises on his godson for his sacrifice in agreeing to be a one - term president, and pleading with Nigerians to give him that one chance.

Clearly, that there was an agreement by which Jonathan agreed to serve for only one term of four years is not in any doubt. It may be, though, that Jonathan did not personally sign the agreement. Perhaps it was signed on his behalf by the PDP chieftains who helped broker the deal. We will, I am sure, get to know the full details before long. And it seems the details will come not at one go, but in bits and pieces, in such a way that Jonathan will, at the end of it all, be seriously hurt politically.

It seems to me, in fact, that Governor Aliyu's recollections mark the setting in motion of what in British journalism is called the drip-drip strategy -a strategy by which information gathered about a person being investigated is released piecemeal, eliciting denials or attempts to explain the inexplicable by the person who, with every new release of information, gets more confused and further exposed. It is not unlikely that in the coming days and weeks, the copies of the agreement as well as of other pacts or agreements reached but which we are yet to hear about will be made public.

It may be that Governor Aliyu is not alone in this and is acting as the arrow-head of the plan. 2015 politics has started in earnest. The stakes are high. And when and where the states are high, people don't act alone. In fact, as the stakes increase, the conspiracy or plan is expanded to accommodate more stakeholders.

Doubtless, this whole thing is a reflection of the unserious nature of our politics and politicians. It is part of the tedious divagations of our politicians, who give priority to theatrics and drama over thoughtful actions and mindful commitments.

It is clear, though, that this drip-drip strategy has two main goals. The first is to decampaign Jonathan, and show him as well as reinforce the public perception of the man in many quarters, as someone who is dishonourable, a serial breaker or disrespector of agreements and pacts. The strategy is sure to include other "recollections" by Governor Aliyu and others, showing how Jonathan has disrespected his own party's constitution, how the presidency has been lying to the nation, even over the issue of the First Lady's health, how the presidency has been dodgy over the important issue of the economy, and how generally the government has been conducting itself and our affairs under heavy clouds of suspicion.

Given this backdrop, any denial of the one-term agreement will be sure to muddy whatever patches of the moral high ground, if any, that Jonathan still has.

In other climes, this will be sure to completely hiss the air out of his campaign and ground him.

But to what extent will this hurt his chances in this country where morality in public life counts for very little and where there are no high standards of conduct in public.?

In line with other commentators, I suspect that the second goal of what we are seeing is one of some Northerners trying to atone themselves for their past sins and get back to serious reckoning once again in especially the North. They were the ones who worked overtime to foist, or impose Jonathan on the country against the popular sentiments in the North and elsewhere. Now that they have seen that he is not a good brand or product, they are trying to wash hands off him, and, by so doing present themselves as viable alternatives.

To be sure, across almost the entire country, there is yearning - expressed here in loud protests or voices, there in barely audible tones - for an alternative to Jonathan and what he has so far offered us. But the alternatives Nigerians are yearning for are ones not of mere new faces in Aso Villa, but real alternatives in terms of visions, programmes and candidates. What is required are definite and well defined programmes of action, based on a clearly defined ideology, that will bring about real and concrete improvements in the lives of the masses of the Nigerian people, and not the ill-defined transformation waffles that the Jonathan administration has been offering in these three years.

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