Peoples Daily Newspaper, Thursday 25, July, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 11 No. 49

Thursday, July 25, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Ramadan Timings Jonathan for Abuja hails Bayero MAGRIB

ALFIJR

6.54 p.m.

5.06 a.m.

at 83

>> 5

Ramadan 16, 1434 AH

N150

Health minister, presidential aide resign >> 3

2015: Govs can’t stop me — Jonathan

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday declared that whoever is the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum

(NGF), lacks the capacity to stop his re election in 2015.

The NGF, he said, is inconsequential in deciding the emergence of a president in 2015 election.

Jonathan also distanced himself from the speculations that he was the brain behind the crisis rocking Rivers state and the factionalization of the NGF with Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi at the

head of one and his Plateau state counterpart, Jonah Jang, leading the other.

Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, President Jonathan said it

was wrong for anyone to believe that he will fret over the so called power in the hands of the NGF Chairman even as 2015 draws nearer, noting that he has defeated the NGF in the Contd. on Page 2

Citizenship: Senate moves to delete controversial section

Withdraws President’s assent to constitution review

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Senate yesterday disclosed that it would revisit the passage of controversial Section 29(4b) of the constitution which stated that a female citizen below age 18 is presumed matured on marriage and therefore could change her citizenship.

This disclosure was made

L-R: Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Special National Convention Planning Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, Deputy Chairman and Akwa Ibom state Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, and Secretary and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu during the inauguration of the Special National Convention Committee, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

by the Senate President, David Mark, yesterday to clear the air on the controversy that the Upper Chamber had lowered the marriageable age of a girl-child below 18 years.

This is just as the Chairman of the Senate Committee that reviewed the 1999 constitution, Ike Ekwerenmadu, has disclosed Contd. on Page 2

PDP to Nyako: Revalidate your membership or quit in 14 days

>> 7

Ramadan Message The Prophet (SAW) said: “The most beloved fast to Allah is the fast of Dawud and the most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud. He used to sleep half of the night, stand (in prayer) a third of it and sleep a sixth of it. And he used to fast every other day. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Sponsored by Kano state government

Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso Governor, Kano State

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

News CONTENTS News

2-10

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

Stockwatch

23

S/Report

24-25

Earth

26-27

Update

28-29

Feature

30

Citizenship: Senate moves to delete controversial section Contd. from Front Page that in line with the approved amendments, any alteration approved by the 2/3 majority of the federal lawmakers, and which 2/3 of the state Assemblies agree with, will henceforth not require the signature of the President to become law.

Section 29(4)(b) which says that every married woman is of full age to renounce her citizenship, was what the Senate attempted to delete from the constitution, but could get the required 73 votes to make the required 2/3 majority. The latest development is seen as the last ditch effort to remove the clause from the constitution.

Mark, who made this disclosure when he played host to coalition of women groups in Nigeria, led by the Minister of Women Affairs, Zainab Maina, emphasised that deleting the section from the constitution is the only solution to the controversy it has generated.

He pointed out that the Senate decided to adopt open voting on

the constitution review at the plenary because he wanted the people to know how each of the Senators voted. He explained that the controversy about the section came only when the Senate was unable to get the mandatory 2/3 votes required to expunge the clause from the constitution.

Mark argued that the Senate would always be on the side of the people, recalling that in the first voting excercise on the matter, 85 senators voted that the section be deleted, regretting that at the second stage, because some people brough religious coloration to it, they were not able to get the required 73 votes again.

“Now that the people are better informed about the clause, we will go back to see if we can get the number of votes, because that is the only solution to it”, Mark said.

In her remarks, the Minister of Women Affairs, Zainab Maina, called for the removal of the clause, arguing that no religion would place on any girl child a responsibility

which she lacks the mental capacity to handle.

She pointed out that gender equity would be attained in Nigeria if the section is deleted from the constitution.

She listed the problems of VVF, malnutrition, as some of the consequences of child marriage, adding that when such kids are withdrawn from schools, their tendencies of contacting HIV becomes higher.

“Evidence shows that when nations have a policy towards higher minimum age for marriage, it allows girls to be adequately educated, nutritional health and infant morality, thereby impacting positively on overall socio-economic development”, she said.

While regretting that some politicians have exploited the issues of religion and illiteracy to perpetrate such evils, Maina observed that the issue has been of concern to Nigerians, saying everything possible should be done to reverse the position of the Senate

on the matter.

Also speaking, the President of Gender and Constitution Reform Network, Sadattu Mahdi, said that Nigerians deserve to be protected by their constitution, emphasizing that the Upper Chamber must remain steadfast in doing what is right, irrespective of emotional, religious reasons.

She insisted that the focus of the lawmakers must be anchored on the aggregate social good, which will protect and enrich the lives of majority of the nation’s population.

Those in the visit were former Minister for Education, Obi Ezekwesili, Director General of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, among others.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Senate President has said that over 30 amendments, affecting about 26 sections of the constitution were altered according to the recommendations of the committee, adding that there are other 10 Contd. on Page 3

2015: Govs can’t stop me — Jonathan Unpredictable outcome as FG lures N800bn from mobile phone-carriers, Page 4

Int’l

31-34

Strange World Digest Politics Newsxtra Sports Leisure Columnist

35 36

37-38 39-40 41-46 47 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: adverts@peoplesdailyng.com pictures@peoplesdailyng.com contact@peoplesdailyng.com

Phones for News: 08142929046 08024432099

Contd. from Front Page past, in the race for the presidency, therefore, he has nothing to fear about anyone heading the group.

He stated: “The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) issue like the political development in Rivers State remains essentially an affair of the 36 state governors. The outcome of elections in the body is inconsequential to the orderly governance of the Nigerian state by the Presidency. “The choice of who becomes leader of the body clearly has no significant ramification on the wider political calculation of who becomes President of the country as events in our recent history bear out.

“We note that the chairman of the NGF in 2011 was clearly at odds with the President.

“He contested and lost the party’s presidential primaries to the incumbent President of the country who went ahead to be elected President by the overwhelming majority of Nigeria. “It is clear therefore that occupying the chairmanship of the NGF does not in any way confer any political influence or advantage as regards who becomes President of the country neither will it be of any major political significance in the 2015 Presidential race as is being bandied about erroneously.”

According to the president, the insinuation that he is fighting Governor Rotimi Amaechi on both ends because of 2015 presidency is a fallacy because the governor (Amaechi) has no power whatsoever to stop him (Jonathan) from clinching the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket nor win the general election, even if Amaechi sits as NGF Chairman.

The Presidential spokesman also chided the four Northern Governors, who have been going round the country, for wiping up sentiments against him (Jonathan)

over the crisis in River state, saying they have shown that they have nothing tangible to do with their time.

According to him, the trips of the governors were not intended to do anything tangible to the development of democracy in the country but was meant to “create fear, despair and sense of apprehension among the citizenry”.

Okupe said that it was wrong for the governors to take up the localized crisis in River State and blow it out of proportion whereas, they were mute when bigger problem of Boko Haram was threatening the peace of the nation.

He insisted that the alarm being raised by some persons that the crisis in River State has the potentials to cause a bigger conflagration in the country was not true, adding that such incidences, as obtained in River State House of Assembly, had occurred in some other states in the past without affecting the security of the nation.

“Insinuations and statements suggesting that Rivers state is on fire are grossly unfounded. So far, as it is evident to every discerning observer of political developments, the state is calm and peaceful.

“Developments in Rivers state do not pose any threat to our democracy. Our democracy remains robust, alive and well.

“In politics, as in every sphere of human activity, different shades of opinion on issues are not uncommon within the polity but often get resolved either politically or through legal channels.

“It is therefore disingenuous for anyone to suggest that the political disagreement in Rivers State would imperil and ultimately derail our democracy.

“We recall that in Ogun State in 2010 after series of sustained fracas and attempts at impeachment and counter impeachment, the Inspector General of Police locked

up the House of Assembly for several months.

“In all that time, nobody in the whole country suggested that the situation was a threat to our nascent democracy, and no state Governor went on any solidarity visit.

“Nigeria is not in any way in disarray. As is the case in every country of the world, there may be conflicts of ideas and interests here and there, which in itself is the beauty of democracy and should not by any means be construed to mean that there is chaos in the country or that Nigeria is tilting towards anarchy as some people have claimed. Nigeria remains peaceful and is not and cannot in any way be threatened by political developments in Rivers State.

“It is clear that one of the most potent threats to our corporate existence and sovereignty since independence has been the Boko Haram insurgency.

“This menace has been confronted frontally with strong determination and focus, which has led to decisive action that has brought about the containment of the menace by the Nigerian military and other security agencies.

“Most reasonable Nigerians would have expected these governors to be deeply concerned and appreciative of the laudable effort of the Federal Government, which has brought reprieve from fear as well as comfort and solace not only to the people of the affected areas but also to the entire nation and international community.

“Surprisingly, they appear to be more interested in political maneuvering and grandstanding at the expense of the well-being of the people in their states and the stability of the nation at large.”

Admonishing the angry governors to sheath their swords, the President advised them to stop dragging his name into the crisis, but look inwards into the party to

solve their problems.

“We therefore admonish Governors having serious issues with their party to take advantage of various channels within the party machinery to resolve it.

“Also, they may first of all try to show good example of their commitment to peace by working to put their own house in order through restoration of peace and consensus within the NGF. “While we note their current political moves, they should be mindful that in all they do as political leaders, they ought to put the interest of the nation and our democracy first. This indeed, is the hallmark of true patriotism.

“We note with satisfaction and appreciation, the subsequent visit by five Governors and two deputy Governors including Governor Fayemi, Governor Fashola, Governor Aregbesola, Governor Ajimobi and Governor Amosun, who demonstrated high and commendable sense of patriotism and genuine concern for the nation, with very conciliatory disposition and statesmanlike advise to Governor Amaechi towards finding a lasting solution to the political disagreements between the Governor and members of the State’s House of Assembly.

“We want to assure Nigerians that the Presidency is not involved in the dispute in Rivers State and will not deliberately engage in any act of destabilization of Rivers State or any state in the country neither is it interested for whatever reason, in destabilization of the NGF. “In consonance with the dictates and practice of true federalism and the supremacy of the rule of law, it will be advisable that whatever political entanglements may still exist in Rivers State should be resolved politically or by employing due process of law, in the interest of peaceful co-existence and overall well-being of its citizens.”

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 3

News

Health Minister, Presidential aide resign T he Minister of State for Health, Muhammad Pate, has resigned from his position.

Mr. Pate announced his resignation in a later dated July 22 and sent to President Goodluck Jonathan. Jonathan has also accepted the resignation which takes effect from Wednesday.

Also, Akachukwu Sullivan Nwankpo, the Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters and Secretary of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) Committee has tendered his resignation.

A source said Nwankpo resigned to participate in active politics.

In the letter, Pate said he was resigning to take up the position of Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, in the U.S. He said in this new capacity, he would serve as Senior Adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in Washington DC and also participate in a university-wide Africa initiative.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plays a major role in Nigeria and other African countries in the fight against major disease like Polio.

Pate, who is currently the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication, however, said he was willing to restate this position on a part time basis; as well his position as head of the Saving One Million Lives Initiative. The president accepted both recommendations.

“As we have discussed, I wish to offer the continuation of my service on part-time basis as chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication and the public-private coalition for Saving One Million Lives Initiative, if you agree, in fulfilment of my previous commitments to see to conclusion of these important national priorities. This may entail an honorary advisory role reporting directly to you progress at least on quarterly basis,” he wrote.

President Jonathan’s spokesman, Reuben Abati, while

speaking on the resignation, said Jonathan was highly elated that members of his cabinet were attracting required global attention.

Mr. Abati said the president saw Pate’s appointment as a plus for the administration and the country. He said President Jonathan commended Mr. Pate for his successful performance first as the Chief Executive of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency; and later as a minister.

The spokesman recalled that another cabinet member, the Minister of Finance, Ngozi OkonjoIweala, was one of those shortlisted for the position of the World Bank’s President last year.

“The cabinet is full of very distinguished men and women; people with not only national but also international recognition.

“The President congratulated the minister and accepted his offer to continue to serve on a part-time basis as honourary adviser.

“It is a positive development that we have people who are recognised globally. His appointment a plus for the administration and the country,” Mr. Abati said.

Nyako not a responsible party man, says Tukur

By Lawrence Olaoye

N

ational Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday said the Adamawa state governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako is not a true party man.

Tukur, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Prince Oliver Okpala, stressed that a committed party man would not stay within a party that brought him prominence to say that it would die.

The National Chairman also lamented that the dearth of proper orientation for code of conduct as public officials was responsible for outbursts from governors like Nyako and other public officials of his ilk against the leadership of their parties.

While denying that allegations that he was working to kill the PDP, Tukur said “The PDP as an institution

has come to stay and will never die, like democracy was propounded by Socrates and it outlived Socrates and became universally acceptable, the PDP will outlive those wishing her premature death and gain more recognition worldwide as the largest political party in the black world.”

“It is unfortunate that in Nigeria like in other advanced countries, orientation courses, seminars or retreat are not organized for those elected into the office of Governor of States in Nigeria to help reform and remodel them into strict adherence to being politically and socially civil in terms of their public utterances, mode of dressing, social comportment and the norms of the society as against their past indoctrination and behavior,” Tukur lamented.

He continued “This lacuna in our political structure has allowed those elected as Governors to behave

and talk in ways that desecrate the sanctity of the office of Governor of states they have been elected to hold.

“It is the fervent view and recommendation of the National Chairman that this lacuna in our political system in the country should be addressed properly through a legislation in the National Assembly making it a must for those elected as Governors or other political office holders to attend orientation courses, seminars or retreats before assuming office as Governors of States or holding other top political officers in the country.”.

“By predicting the death of a political structure that brought him to public recognition as a Governor, Governor Nyako has shown that he is not a true party man, for no responsible party man or head of a family would wish that death or eclipse of his own family,” he stressed.

Citizenship: Senate moves to delete controversial section Contd. from Page 2 clauses which the Senator voted against.

He gave some of the amendments which passed through the Senate to include: alteration of section 9 of the constitution to provide for procedure for drafting an entirely new constitution.

He said that if this particular amendment passes through the remaining processes, Nigerians can now enact an entirely new constitution as being clamoured by those calling for Sovereign National Conference, including the issue of referendum.

He added that as a measure to strengthen the legislature and ensure timely passage of Bills, the Senate approved the recommendation which compels the President to signify assent or withdrawal of assent within thirty days after a bill has been sent to him, failure of which the bill will automatically become law.

Others, according to him are alteration of section 100 to apply the above provission at the states level, putting the office of the Auditor General of the federation, revenue mobilisation, allocation and fiscal commission on first line charge to make them independent.

He also pointed out that payment of pension to ex Speakers and their Deputies, ex Senate Presidents and their Deputies, at an amount equal to what the serving ones are paid, is part of the recommendations approved by the Senate.

Ekweremadu added that the Senate has also fixed time limit for the determination of pre-election maters, even as he said that some items in the exclusive lists, such as railway, stamp duties, wages and post and telegram, have been moved from exclusive legislative list to concurrent list.

However, other recommendation, according to him, which did

not pass through are: Citizenship renunciation age, six year single term, placing the office Attorney General of the Federation and those of states on first line charge.

Others are financial autonomy for local government, removal of the word ‘force’ from the Nigerian Police Force, Mayoral status for Federal Capital Territory, removal of NYSC Act, Land Use Act, National Security Agencies Act, Public Complaints Commission Act, delisting of Prisons from the exclusive list Prisons Public Complaints, and land on the concurrent list.

Meanwhile, he said the Senate awaits the version of the constitution amendments which the House of Representatives would pass, before they will go on concurrence to harmonise their positions. The harmonized version of the bill will then be sent to the State Houses of Assembly for onward consideration and voting.

Ramadan Timing Day 16 TOWNS Aba Abakaliki Abeokuta Abuja Akure Argungu Ankpa Auchi Azare Bama Bauchi Benin Bichi Bida Birnin Gwari Birnin Kebbi Biu Calabar Damaturu Daura Dutse Enugu Funtua Gombe Gwoza Gumi Gusau Gwadabawa Hadejia ` Ibadan Ife Ilorin Jalingo Jere Jos Kabba Kafanchan Keffi/Nasarawa Kaduna Kano Katsina Kontagora Lafia Lagos Lokoja Maiduguri Makurdi Malumfashi Minna Port Harcourt Ringim Shagamu Sokoto Warri Yola Zaria Cotonnou-Benin Ndjamena-Chad Niamey-Niger Younde-Cameroun

MAGRIB 6.50 6.48 7.07 6.54 6.59 7.08 6.47 6.55 6.46 6.31 6.45 6.58 6.54 6.59 6.57 7.11 6.34 6.44 6.39 6.55 6.50 6.49 6.58 6.39 6.32 7.06 6.59 7.08 6.48 7.04 7.03 7.04 6.37 6.53 6.48 6.57 6.51 6.54 6.55 6.53 6.59 7.02 6.47 7.05 6.54 6.32 6.47 6.59 6.58 6.49 6.50 7.05 7.08 6.57 6.33 6.54 7.08 7.23 7.21 6.29

ALFIJR 5.06 5.08 5.25 5.06 5.17 5.05 5.07 5.13 4.48 4.35 4.54 5.18 4.55 5.11 5.06 5.11 4.36 5.09 4.41 4.52 4.53 5.09 5.01 4.48 4.37 5.08 5.01 5.05 4.47 5.20 5.19 5.20 4.49 5.02 4.57 5.13 5.01 4.56 5.02 4.55 4.56 5.11 5.01 5.25 5.25 4.36 5.03 4.55 5.08 5.14 4.53 5.23 5.05 5.18 4.45 5.00 5.30 4.29 5.18 4.58

Source: Society for Propagation of Islam Kaduna

PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Page 4 Report

Unpredictable outcome as FG lures N800 bn from mobile phone-carriers Despite bomb attacks in the country, unreliable electricity and government interference, Chris Alu reports that mobile-phone companies are planning to invest at least N800 billion ($5 bn) in Nigeria, in anticipation of rapid adoption of data-carrying smartphones.

T

he most visible threat to the carriers comes from Islamist militants, especially a group called Boko Haram.

The insurgents, who have killed thousands of people in the north of the country, have said they target phone company installations.

“It’s becoming increasingly challenging to operate” in areas where rebels are active, CEO of Bharti Airtel Ltd’s Nigerian unit, Segun Ogunsanya has said. “We are not security experts.”

With a population above 160 million, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and is expected to grow by 7.2 percent this year, versus an average of 5.6 percent for sub-Saharan Africa, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Its mobile market is also the continent’s biggest, at 114 million subscriptions.

That will grow to more than 200 million subscriptions by 2017, researcher Informa Telecoms & Media predicts.

Three days before Christmas last year, two suspected Islamist militants killed themselves in separate bombings that rocked offices of Airtel and MTN Group Ltd. (MTN) in northern Nigeria.

“The insurgent couldn’t get into our facility and he ended up blowing himself up at the gate,” Brett Goschen, Chief Executive Officer of MTN’s Nigerian unit, said in his Lagos headquarters, where guests must be searched with metal detectors before entering.

MTN, Nigeria’s biggest mobile-phone provider, in April said it secured a $3 billion loan to invest in the country. Globacom Ltd., the No. 2 carrier, is investing $1.25 billion to upgrade and expand its network in Nigeria. No. 3 Airtel has invested $1.2 billion in Nigeria since 2010. Emirates Telecommunications Corp.

(Etisalat), the fourth-largest carrier in the country, said its Nigerian unit has secured a $1.2 billion loan for

Minister of Communications Technology, Omobola Johnson

expansion.

The number of Nigerian smartphone users is expected to increase to more than 35 million in 2017 from 5.6 million at the end of last year, according to researcher Informa. About 10 percent of Nigerian wireless subscribers use smartphones today.

“Voice will remain the major chunk of revenue, but data is where the growth is,” Airtel’s Ogunsanya said. His company says its Nigerian business will expand at 10 percent or more this year.

MTN’s growth in Nigeria has attracted the attention of Fitch Ratings, which has

warned investors about the company’s exposure to high-risk markets. The West African country accounted for 28 percent of MTN’s 2012 revenue.

The company has built networks in many countries where sovereign debt is below investment grade due to weak corporate governance, an unpredictable regulatory environment, and the possibility of default. That could hurt MTN’s credit rating -- currently BBB, two notches above junk status, according to Fitch analyst, Darshak Juta.

“MTN’s operating model

“

Executive Vice Chairman,, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) boss, Dr. Eugene Juwah

has changed from a pureplay South African company to now a company that’s spread all across Africa,” Juta said. MTN, which also operates in Yemen, Iran and Afghanistan, didn’t respond to e-mails and phone calls seeking comment on Juta’s assessment.

The Johannesburgbased company says it last year added 1,175 base stations using 3G -- the technology that’s optimized for delivering data -- roughly double its 2011 installations.

About 70 MTN sites have been attacked with machine guns and petrol bombs in the

The company has built networks in many countries where sovereign debt is below investment grade due to weak corporate governance, an unpredictable regulatory environment, and the possibility of default.

past year, according to CEO Goschen, who was recently named MTN’s Chief Financial Officer.

Vodacom Group Ltd. (VOD), South Africa’s largest wireless provider, is less bullish on Nigeria. While the company has had some operations in the country and has explored buying an operator there, at this point any deal would be too expensive, according to CEO Shameel Joosub. “The pricing has always been wrong,” Joosub said over lunch at the company’s highsecurity headquarters in Johannesburg.

Carriers already in Nigeria, by contrast, say the potential earnings from the continent’s second-largest economy are worth risk. “Any company operating in Africa knows Nigeria cannot be ignored,” Airtel’s Ogunsanya said. “It’s still a profitable place to be.”

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

S

enate has directed the Nigeria Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to immediately re-absorb ninety six out of over three thousand employees of the Commission who were disengaged in August 2012 by the commission.

The affected officers, Peoples Daily gathered, at the time of their retrenchment, had no additional qualifications as most of them were studying in various universities in the country in a bid to earn higher skills and qualifications.

Senate in its resolution also directed the management of the NIMC to pay one year salary as take home severance allowance for each of the disengaged staff, using the same formula that produced the earlier approved package which stands at N621,953 as lowest and N1,441,735.60 as the highest.

Senate made these resolutions following its decision to uphold the position of its joint committees that considered the alleged unlawful dismissal of those affected staff.

The resolution by the Senate were part of the recommendations in the report of the Senate Joint Committee on ID Cards and Population, Labour and Productivity, Ethics and Petitions on disengaged staff of the National Identity Management

PAGE 5

News

Senate orders reinstatement of sacked NIMC staff Commission (NIMC) Chaired

by Senator Maina Ma’aji Lawan (Borno North).

The report was presented

by Senator Wilson Ake who was Vice Chairman of the Joint Senate Committees.

Before arriving at their resolution, the Senators who contributed during the debate on the report on, considered the difficulties the affected staff and their families had been passing

through since their retrenchment, and resolved that there was need for those that have genuine case to be reabsorbed by NIMC, in line with the Civil Service Rules.

However, it said that others who do not have genuine case should be paid a one year severance allowance to enable them get on with their lives.

Senate also reasoned that this approach was necessary in other not to worsen the unemployment

situation in the country.

About 4,029 disengaged staff of the NIMC had petitioned the Senate Committee on Identity Card and Population on September 10 last year.

While the petition was still receiving the attention of Senate, the aggrieved staff launched a protest on September 25, 2012 at the National Assembly to drive home their grievances.

Following this development,

Jonathan hails Kano Emir at 83

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan has conveyed warm felicitations to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, on the occasion of the monarch’s 83rd birthday anniversary.

In a congratulatory letter to the Emir, Jonathan extolled his “uncommon leadership qualities” and prayed that God Almighty will grant him many more years of service to the people of Kano and Nigeria.

According to Jonathan, “as

you mark your 83rd birthday anniversary which comes up on Thursday, July 25th 2013, I write on behalf of my family, the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to extend warm felicitations to Your Highness.

“Only recently, you marked 50 years of unqualified success on the throne as the Emir of Kano.

“Your uncommon leadership qualities and evident faith in the peace, unity, progress, and

prosperity of our dear nation, have combined to make you one of the most highly respected monarchs in Nigeria today.

“As you continue to use your exalted throne to build bridges of friendship and harmony across our nation, it is my prayer that Almighty Allah grants you many more years of abounding health, prosperity and enduring fulfillment.”

Jonathan wished the Emir very happy birthday celebrations.

L-R: Minister of State for Power, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi, Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple, and Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Constitutional review: Reps adopt LG autonomy

M

By Umarembers Muhammad of the Puma House of Representatives yesterday at plenary differed with their Senate counterparts by voting for the controversial local government autonomy as recommended in the result of the people’s public session.

The lawmakers, who were in plenary for more than six hours, took time to vote according to the individuals dictates. Although, the result was yet to be announced as at press time.

The voting was conducted manually due to the inability of the NIGCOMSAT team to conduct accreditation of all the members present.

Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Ahmed Rufa’i, informed the House that he devised another method of accreditation according to seat columns but sounded a word of despair when he said, “for the second time, we apologise to the House.

“We will try again, but if it fails,

we will have to finally give up.”

Other items considered include the immunity conferred on the President, Vice-President, governors and deputy governors in the 1999 Constitution, rotational presidency between the north and south as well as among the six geopolitical zones.

Some others were the role for traditional rulers, state police, conduct of state elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), rejection of

single tenure for president and governors; rejection of reservation for certain percentage of elective offices to women among others.

The report also revealed that not only did Nigerians reject fiscal federalism, they also rejected the continued demand by oilproducing states to have the revenue derivation formula raised from its current 13 per cent to at least 20 per cent. These were also considered.

Senate President, David Mark, directed the relevant committees of the senate to look into the grievances of the protesting staff and report back to the senate.

The affected staff were originally employed by the Federal Ministry of Interior (then Ministry of Internal Affairs) and deployed to the Department of National Civic Registration (DNCR) as computer Operators/Interviewers for the production of National Identity Card.

British police probe Shell, ENI over sale of $1.3bn OPL 245

B

ritish police said yesterday that they were investigating a money-laundering allegation related to a big oil field bought by Shell and ENI from Nigeria for $1.3 billion, after most of the cash they paid ended up in a company linked to former Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete.

The probe concerns offshore block OPL 245 which industry sources say contains up to 9.23 billion barrels of crude – more than enough to keep China running for two and a half years – the ownership of which had been in dispute for more than a decade.

“The proceeds of Crime Unit is investigating a money-laundering allegation in the UK in connection with OPL 245. The investigation is at an early stage,” a UK spokesman said.

Transparency campaigners, who asked the UK to look into the matter, assert that Shell and ENI used the Nigerian government as a go-between to obscure the fact that they were dealing with former oil minister Dan Etete, who also has a 2007 money-laundering conviction in France related to bribes he was alleged to have taken when in government.

In his capacity as Minister of Petroleum, Etete awarded block OPL 245 in 1998 for a payment of just $2 million to Malabu Oil and Gas, a company in which he played a prominent role.

The critics claim that Shell and ENI, which have not been accused of any legal wrongdoing, wanted to distance themselves from Etete given his reputation and his involvement in the original award of the oil block to Malabu.

A Shell spokesman told Reuters it had purchased the block from the government, making no payment to Malabu, and that it acted transparently and in accordance with Nigerian law.

ENI declined to comment to Reuters, but it told shareholders in May that the transaction was with the government, not Malabu.

Reuters was not able to locate Etete for comment. His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 6

News

Jonathan warns MDAs against contract inflation

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday warned Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) against the augmentation or variation of contracts beyond 15 per cent of their original costs.

The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said in Abuja that the president gave the warning at this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting.

He said the president was not happy with a situation where augmentation or variation of contracts sometimes ended up

making the cost of such contracts higher than the original contract outlay.

“Mr. President gave a directive to all members of the council to henceforth, not bring any augmentation to council that is beyond 15 per cent of the original cost of projects.

“The president frowned at a situation in which sometimes augmentations or variations of contracts end up going higher than the original contracts awarded.

“Mr. President believes that if MDAs do their jobs thoroughly

through proper planning and of course cost evaluation of projects before awards, the incidence of half valuation of contracts will be avoided.’’

Maku said the President also directed the Bureau for Public Procurement to jettison any application for valuation of contracts that exceeded 15 per cent of the original cost.

According to him, ministers and agencies of government must ensure that in awarding contracts, they verify the actual workload that is expected so as to ensure proper valuation of the projects.

“So, it is expected that all agencies of government who are in the process of giving awards for contracts must make sure that they are thorough in the pre-plan for those projects and also ensure that the costing is professional to avoid variations that go very high and leave cost to government,” he said.

Also briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Bala Muhammed, said the council approved the award of a N22.6 billion contract for the provision of roads and

engineering infrastructure at a new layout and diplomatic area of the Guzape Lot II District.

He said the areas and layout were allocated in 2005 to meet the aspirations of members of the National Assembly, well placed Nigerians, diplomatic missions and some members of the general public.

He expressed the hope that the project would generate over 600 jobs, ``that would emanate from construction activities.’’

The project is expected to be completed within three months.

(NAN)

Mark commiserates with Jonathan over mother-inlaw’s death

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

S

enate President, David Mark and his Wife Helen, have sympathised with the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, over the death of her mother, Madam Charity Fyneyaco Kalada, who died in an auto crash along EleleIsiokpo road, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Mark in a condolence message to President Goodluck Jonathan, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and the entire First Fmily, said the death of late Madam Kalada was heartbreaking, stressing that, “God gives life and takes it at will.”

“This is very sad, it is indeed a great loss. I can only console our dear First Lady to take solace in the fact that Madam Kalada lived a life full of passion and dedication to the betterment of humanity. “ H e r m o t h e r l y c ounsel and encouragement would be seriously missed.”

Mark urged the First Family not to be depressed but to be courageous while praying God to give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

On her part, the wife of the President of the Senate, Helen Mark, counseled the First Lady and the immediate family of the deceased to strengthen their faith in God during this period of painful loss of their mother.

House Representatives members waiting for result of manual voting on Constitution Amendment, yesterday night in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Power reforms: Institute trains 5,340 technicians

By Etuka Sunday

M

inister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has disclosed that the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN) has so far trained a total of 5, 340 technicians as a way of building capacity for the current power transformation in the country.

The Minister disclosed this

in a presentation at the 2013 Ministerial Platform held at the National Press Centre, Radio House in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to him, the Ministry has also rehabilitated NAPTIN six (6) existing Regional Training Centres (RTC) inherited from Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and building of two

Ahmed advocates revival of textile industries From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

K

wara state Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has advocated the revival of textile and cotton industries in the country as part of efforts to create jobs and boost the nation’s economy.

Ahmed who is also the chairman of adhoc committee of the Northern States Governors Forum on the re-activation of Kaduna Textile Limited said this when representatives of the company’s workers visited

him at the Government House, Ilorin.

Ahmed added that as part of the revival strategy, an enabling environment should be created for the textile industries to have regular access to reliable energy since irregular electricity supply and cost of maintaining alternative energy supply hinder industrial growth.

Ahmed pledged the commitment of the committee and the governors’ to the resuscitation of the Kaduna Textile Limited in order to boost

employment opportunities and contribute to the country’s GDP. The leader of the Kaduna Textiles Limited Workers Forum, Anthony Afolayan, in his remarks said since the company closed in November 2002, its workers and their families have been passing through rough times.

Afolayan said the company could be resuscitated through access to loan facilities reserved for textile companies’ by the federal government through the Bank of Industry.

ultra-modern training centres.

NAPTIN received a total of N50 billion from the Federal Government to aid the training of personnel in the power sector.

He said that it was of building capacity by encouraging Nigerian engineers to actively participate in the revolution that is about to take place in the power sector.

18 years old girl murdered, buried in farm From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

T

he police have arrested three persons suspected to have murdered a teenage girl and buried her in a farm in Benue state.

The 18 year old girl whose name was given as Adiyetu Tijani, according to sources, was sent to the farm on the July 18, 2013 by her mother to get some food crops for domestic consumption.

The account said that when she delayed in returning, her mother got apprehensive and reported to some community leaders who quickly raised a search party to find Adiyetu.

On reaching the farm, the team discovered to their utter shock that she had been murdered and her body buried in a shallow grave in the farm.

They exhumed the body and later deposited it at the General hospital in Apa. Confirming the incident, the Otukpo Police Area Commander Mr. Samuel Darakoji, said the suspects were assisting the the command to unravel the circumstances of the murder.

He also urged members of the public to avail the police with useful information.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 7

News

Adamawa PDP gives Nyako ultimatum to revalidate membership card From Umar Dankano, Yola

G

overnor Murtala Nyako and other elected representatives of the party in his government in Adamawa state have been given 14 days ultimatum to re-validate their membership cards or to face the risk of expulsion out of the party (PDP).

The factional state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Chief Joel Madaki, disclosed this at a press conference yesterday in Yola, saying that, the recent utterances of Nyako has shown his intention to dump the party.

He warned that Nyako cannot

intimidate the party.

Madaki, stated that, the party had opened register for the Governor and his other elected representatives to sign the within 14 days from yesterday and that failure to comply will mean that they are biding the party goodbye.

“Nyako has turned himself to rebellion child of PDP, he mentioned that he will help to bury the party, and equally gave his consent for Local Government Chairmen and Councilors duly elected on the platform of the PDP to defect to a rival political party using coercion and intimidation. As the state chairman of this party it should be cleared to

Nyako that PDP, is not a party he can toy with’’. Madaki warned.

“It is no pretence that Governor Nyako has since instructed his loyalists to move to another party and maintaining that he is still in the PDP, to cause havoc.

“Democracy is about freedom to make choices, we wish to warn that the PDP will not tolerate any attempt to coerce and intimidate our elected Local Government Chairmen and Councilors. The basic tenet is that one cannot serve two masters.”

He however assured all elected representatives of the party that proactive measures will be taken to protect their mandate

with all the might at their disposal as a political party.

He urged elected representatives on the platform of the PDP to remain resolute in defending their mandate and are all urged to re-validate their membership status as we approach the midterm convention.

“We promised to defend our elected representatives and we shall not stand in the way of anybody wishing to leave the party,” he said.

Madaki said that registers had been opened at the ward, local government and state party offices for elected representatives to sign signifying their resolve to remain in the PDP.’’ Madaki told Nyako that his (Nyako’s) mortal wish against

the party on whose platform he assumed power will not come to fruition.

“It is no pretence that Governor Nyako has since instructed his loyalists to move to another party,” Madaki said.

But in a swift reaction , the Secretary of the party loyal to Governor Nyako P. P Elisha and the Director of Press and Public Affairs Ahmed Sajoh, berated Madaki’s position saying, “He is an impostor expressing the level of extremist show of power with his callus statement.”

Elisha claimed that Madaki may be working on the script written by the National Chairman of the party who wants to force him on the people.

Elisha and Sajoh called on all elected members of the party to shun Madaki’s directive.

Rivers House Leader still being detained, says police

By Lambert Tyem

P

olice authorities in Abuja yesterday said the House Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Honourable Chidi Lloyd, who reported at Force CID Abuja, was still in detention and helping the police in investigation of the crisis that erupted in the House.

The police said said in a statement that, the Honourable member who arrived Force Headquarters at about 4.00 pm, in company of his lawyers, is currently helping police investigators in efforts at unraveling the circumstances surrounding the crisis that occurred in the hallowed chambers of the House of Assembly.

According to the statement, “the lawmaker has commendably, so far, shown a high level

L-R: Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former women affairs Minister, Chief Josephine Anenih, Senator Chris Anyanwu, and Senate President David Mark, during the protest visit by gender and constitution reform network to the Senate President on section 29 (4b)of the constitution, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

US donates remote control explosivedetonating devices to Police

By Lambert Tyem

A

s part of efforts at strengthening the capacity of the Nigeria Police personnel in tackling terrorism and other contemporary security challenges, the United States (US) Department of State yesterday donated Explosives Ordinance Disposal (EOD) remote control robots to the Nigeria Police.

Police spokesman, Frank Mba, explained that the robots are capable of carrying out safe detonation of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and can demobilise explosive-laden vehicles.

While demonstrating the

capacity of the robots during a formal presentation of the equipment to the IGP, Police EOD robot technician stated that the device can locate and defuse suspicious and hazardous explosive items from remote places and is also capable of firing “disrupters” and delivering counter IED charges that can demobilize and render an IED safe.

“The IGP expressed his immense gratitude to the donor and promised to put the robots to effective use across the country. He enjoined other wealthy countries/individuals as well as corporate organisations to take

a cue from this United States’ gesture and join hands in supporting the Police and other security agencies in the fight against crime, as the task of securing our country is a collective responsibility and not that of the government alone.”

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, charged officers and men of the police particularly those in bomb disposal unit to take advantage of the equipment and others recently acquired in delivering on their mandate of making Nigeria a crime and explosivesfree nation.

of cooperation with police detectives and his interrogation is still on-going.

“It will be recalled that the Force had on 17th July, 2013 summoned Honourable Lloyd and two others to report at the Force CID to explain their roles in the current crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly, especially, as shown in some video footages by the media.

“While commending the people of Rivers state for the prevailing peace in the state, the IGP assures Nigerians that the Force will do everything within its power to ensure that justice is not only done, but manifestly seen to be done.

“He therefore, promised a quick, fair and unbiased investigation.”

Fulani-farmers clash: Suswam threatens to suspend erring traditional rulers

B

enue state Governor, Gabriel Suswam, has said that the seemingly endless clashes between farmers and herdsmen in Benue and Nasarawa state may be a thing of the past as governments of the two states have set up committees to handle the matter.

Suswam who briefed President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday at the State House on the outcome of a meeting he had with Nasarawa Governor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-makura, said that any Fulani herdsman or farmer found wanting will be handed over to police for prosecution.

According to Suswam, “we resolved to set up committees in local governments that

share borders in Nassarawa and Benue. “We set up committees headed by the paramount rulers of local governments involved.

He explained that Fulani herdsmen and the farmers are members of the committees and that they are expected expected to report missing cow(s) or destroyed farmlands to the committees, “whether he is in Nasarawa or Benue.”

According to him, “anyone who takes the law into his hands, we will hold members of that committee responsible and the Fulani and the farmers were very excited about that.

“We have mischief makers who are not happy at anytime there is peace, but we are watching out for such people.”

PAGE 8

Photo Splash

L-R: Head of Water Sector Reform, Federal Ministry of Water resources, Mr Ajisegiri Benson, representative of Permanent Secretary, Mr Adeoye Adeboye, and representative of World Bank, Mr. Alexander Damlenko, during the 2nd workshop on water agencies performance assessment and benchmarking, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

The bad state of Memudu street, Orile Iganmu, in Lagos yesterday.

Officials of Zamfara State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (ZAMSACA), distributing drugs, foods items, clothes and money to people living with HIV/AIDS in the state, on Tuesday in Gusau.

Photo: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

L-R: Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, saying bye-bye to former Minister of State Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, who resigned from the Federal Cabinet after the Federal Executive Council meeting, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Photo: NAN

Destitutes numbering about 70 who alleged they were dropped at the upper axis of Onitsha at about 3:20 a.m. yesterday morning.

Photo: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 10

News

Hajj 2013: Officials advised to be fair in distribution of seats From: Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he national C h a i r m a n of Jama’atu Izatul Bidi’a wa Iqamatussunna (JIBWIS), Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau has tasked Hajj officials in the country to ensure fairness in the distribution of hajj seats to intending pilgrims this year.

Sheikh Bala Lau gave the charge yesterday in an interview with journalists in Yola stressing that, Muslims pilgrims’ welfare boards need to follow the laid down procedure guiding the exercise with a view to making sure rules and regulations are not compromised in all ramifications.

It could be recalled that, the Saudi Arabia Authority had cut down the number of seats initially allocated to all countries of the world including Nigeria by 20 percent, due to the expansion projects going on at the holy mosque and other worshiping locations in Mecca.

According to the Sheik, state pilgrim welfare boards need to follow the due process by ensuring that rules are not bent by their officials in allocating the limited seats to intending pilgrims.

The cleric however cleared Nigeria and Saudi governments of blame from the cut in number of hajj seat from 95,000 to 76,000 saying that the measure was not peculiar to Nigeria alone and that it was taken to ensure safety of pilgrims and a hitch free hajj exercise.

“Because of the expansion projects at the Holy Mosque in Mecca, adequate measure like this need to be taken to control crowd and save pilgrims from any danger.

“By the grace of Allah when the expansion projects are over, number of pilgrims would be increase and we will be better for it,” the cleric said.

He also urged pilgrims who could not make the final list to accept the outcome in good faith and take it as an act of God. “Going to hajj is a destiny, if Allah destined you will go, you must go and base on that I want to appeal to all intending pilgrim to have faith in that and accept the final outcome of the list,” Lau observed.

NCC arrests three service operators for alleged sale of prepaid sim cards From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

T

he Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) on Wednesday apprehended three suspected staff of Glo, Airtel and MTN service operators

for allegedly selling prepaid sim cards to customers against the Commission’s warning.

The NCC Head of Enforcement, Mr. Efosa Idehen, who led his team to the head office of the service operators along law enforcement officers

disclosed that they got a large number of already registered sim cards not bought by customer and were traced to the three network operators.

Speaking with journalists after the arrest, Idehen disclosed that out of the three

Yobe state Governor, Malam Ibrahim Gaidam (left) inspecting an X-Ray machine, during the governor’s visit to General Hospital, yesterday Buni-Yadi. With him are Principal Medical officer of the General Hospital, Dr. Musa Sarki (right), and other government officials.

network operators, only MTN did not cooperate with the NCC enforcement and their staff was arrested in order to help the police to fish out the staff behind the registration of their sim yet to be bought by the customers.

He disclosed that the investigation of the Commission shown that some sims were registered with pictures of goats, flowers, dogs and even names of unsuspected subscribers which he said could cause security problems.

At Glo office, situated along Taiwo road,Ilorin, a staff position for registering subscribers was arrested and handover to the police along his counterpart in Airtel.

They were taken to the CID department for further interrogation.

On the likely permanently, Idehen disclosed that each sim found would be charge with N200,000 apart from criminal allegations that would be level against the suspects.

He added that the Commission had told them not to be selling such sim to the people stressing that it would not assist Police and other law enforcement agencies to trace cases of Kidnapping, armed robbers and stolen of mobile phone among others.

He said the suspects would be charge to Court while the Commission would defend the case till end.

Amnesty Int’l uncover plans to execute more prisoners in Nigeria

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

A

mnesty International yesterday said it has received worrying reports that Nigerian prison authorities have moved a group of death row prisoners into cells closer to the gallows, including one man who narrowly escaped execution last month.

The Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Africa Programme, Lucy Freeman

said, “These latest reports shows that the authorities at Nigeria’s Benin prison may be gearing up to continue executing.

“In a cruel twist, one of the men who have just been moved within the prison was also amongst those brought to the gallows to be hanged last month, before the prison authorities postponed his execution after realising his death sentence required a firing squad.

“Many countries in West

Africa and most of the world are moving away from the death penalty, but Nigeria insists on bucking this clear international trend – President Goodluck Jonathan must call for an end to all executions in the country and return to the moratorium that was previously in place,” Freeman said.

While it is believed that execution warrants have been signed for the men, Amnesty International said further appeals are pending in relation

to their cases, adding that the Benin Prison, where the men are being held, executed four prisoners on June 24, 2013.

“They were the country’s first known judicial executions since. 2006”, the organisation said.

According to the organisation’s Death Sentences and Executions 2012 report, Nigeria sentenced 56 people to death last year, and approximately 1,000 people are on death row in the country.

Immunization: Group trains Zamfara community health workers From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

T

he Partnership for the Revival of Routine Immunization in Northern Nigeria and Maternal New Born Child (PRINN-MNCH), has flagged-off a capacity training to community based health workers from sixty communities in Zamfara on a project titled “Community Based Service Delivery”.

The new programme which aimed at enhancing health care delivery services at the grassroot and help Zamfara state to achieve the MDG goals 4 and 5 designed to assist pregnant women and children under five

with the best health care system at their door step.

The programme coordinator who also doubles as the CBSD National Consultant, Doctor Halima Nuhu Sanda, explained that, it is part of the over-all objectives of the new programme initiated by PRRIN-MNCH to among other things, empower the people and community, improve efficiency and effectiveness as well as ensure sustainable intervention and local governance on the grassroot support for better health care system among women and children in the state.

Part of expectations of the programme, according to Halima, include revolving

of drugs by the community, absorbing the programme after PRRIN-MNCH leave Zamfara as well as patronage and utilization of CBSD by the community.

In his remarks, the State Senior Programme Officer and acting State Team Leader for PRRIN-MNCH, Dr. Sani Dahiru Abubakar, who under scored the significant contribution of the new programme in health to improving the quality of the delivery in the state said, with the involvement of the community fully in the health service management of their respective areas, issue of raising awareness in changing the quality health assurance of the communities involved will be

granted.

Sani who described the intervention of the PRRINMNCH in the health care delivery in the state as worthy of commendation, he further called on the benefiting communities to take good advantage of the new programme to enlighten the people on the importance to fully participate so as to ensure the successes of the project.

No fewer than 55 communities from the 14 local government areas of the state have been chosen.

This is in addition to the existing five communities in Bungudu local government area where PRINN-MNCH is currently working.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 11

Money Sense

Ways to cut your spending: Save money without altering your lifestyle

W

hether you’re cutting costs because you need to or want to, the process should be manageable and positive. “Either you are a master of your money or a slave to it. Use your mind and have fun,” says Sharon Lechter, contributor to the American Institute of CPAs’ book “Save Wisely, Spend Happily.” These tips can help reduce your spending without making major sacrifices or time commitments.

Make a budget: Before taking action, sit down and figure out what you have to work with, and then prioritize your expenditures.

“Making a budget is the most important thing you can do because then you will be able to understand where your money is going and where you can afford to make cuts,” says Meg Favreau, senior editor of Wisebread.com Have a shopping list: Sticking to a list will make you less likely to buy impulsively and forget necessary items, both of which can quickly increase the amount of money spent in a week. “You will also save

money on fuel because you won’t be making as many trips to the store,” says Cameron Huddleston, contributing editor of Kiplinger.com.

Pack your lunch to office: Although it might not be the most enticing option, the money you can save by bringing lunch from home instead of eating out each day can really add up. To add variety, try getting your co-workers involved, too.

“Get a group together and pick a day for each person to bring lunch for everyone,” Lechter says. “You will save money, eat healthier and have fun.

Cancel email deals and sale alerts: Avoid the temptation of unnecessary shopping by unsubscribing to daily deal emails and other sale announcements. “Get out of the mindset that shopping sales when you don’t need to shop is saving you money,” Huddleston says. “Sure, you are going to spend less money than you normally would have, but would you have spent that money anyway?”

You should drive less, bike more:

Not everyone can cut out driving completely, so focus on making reasonable compromises. “A lot of people

cannot bike everywhere because of long commuters,” Favreau says. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t use a bike to get to

The cost of worrying about money

I

f money worries are getting you down, you might want to figure out how to release some of that tension. A new survey suggests that financial worries eat up a substantial portion of one’s day and that, in turn, can be a costly distraction from work.

In a survey of more than

1,000 people, the McGraw Hill Federal Credit Union found that 36 percent of respondents said they spend at least two hours a day either worrying about their finances or handling them. (The survey took place in the spring just before taxes were due, which might account for such a large portion of the day spent on money

matters.)

That’s a lot of time to spend worrying while at work. And it comes on the heels of another study, “Stressed at Work,” from Bensinger, DuPont and Associates, an employee-assistance program provider, that suggests almost half of workers are so stressed out that it interferes with their

ability to get their jobs done.

About 44 percent of male respondents and 49 percent of female respondents said they had “difficulty concentrating” as a result of “personal problems and stress.” Meanwhile, Gallup’s 2013 State of the American Workplace report finds that 7 in 10 workers are not engaged with their work.

Employers might want to take note: According to “Stressed at Work,” stress can cause cost any business great loss and make you unproductive.

For stressed-out employees, Gilfedder has some words of wisdom, too: “The first thing you have to do is not panic,” he says. The best approach varies by person. When he first met his wife, for example, she showed him a block of ice in the freezer that held her credit cards. She called it her “debt management system.”

It’s important to have resources in place to help you live a healthy financial life.

Those resources can include an online management system. The aggregation tool lets you put all of your financial information in one place. Certified financial planners and counselors can also help.

While getting on top of finances helps relieve daily stress, the bigger pay-off comes when something unexpected, a car accident, health scare or other negative event, threatens to throw everything off course.

Without a plan, when life happens, it becomes that much more insurmountable, It pays dividends when things are going well, and it really pays dividends when things are not going well.

places locally. Not only will you spend less on fuel but you will get more exercise too.”

Evaluate your utilities and services.

Call your cable and Internet providers to see if you can negotiate a lower bill. If not, consider reducing or cutting those services altogether.

“There are so many other options out there for less, like Netflix and Hulu,” Huddleston says. To keep your utility costs down, opt for fans instead of air conditioning and turn off all unused lights and appliances.

Save before you spend: Instead of rushing to the store on payday, consider the long-term benefits of reducing your spending today. “Another way to cut spending is to adopt a ‘save first’ mentality,” says Schrage. “Whether you store money in a separate savings account, an emergency fund or in retirement savings, make [those] contributions right before you spend a dime on anything beyond the necessities.”

Money Tip Helpful advice Evaluate the financial tools you are currently using and select the new systems to achieve your financial goals Calculate what it takes to be financially independent and learn how to save for retirement Develop a plan to address the steps of managing your money and establish a financial plan that makes sense

Quote Our business in life is not to get ahead of others, but to get ahead of ourselves, to break our own records, to outstrip our yesterday by our today.

-Stewart B. Johnson

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

EDITORIAL

he indefinite strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is in its third week, and there is no indication as yet that it will end anytime soon. The university lecturers have vowed to press on with their industrial action until the federal government fully implements an agreement it entered into with their union in 2009. Besides, ASUU alleges “a cloud of despair and despondency” over the entire education sector. It refers to specifically the crisis in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, the fate of UniIlorin’s reengaged 49 academics and UniAbuja’s accreditation problem.

The government clearly is not ready to yield any ground either. As it has always been the case whenever the union members down tools, this time too, the federal government neither has shown a readiness to engage the varsity lecturers in constructive discussionnor has it taken concrete steps towards addressing their grievances.

To worsen the situation, the government, early this week, came up with this lame excuse that the 2009 agreement “is complex”, and, therefore, not implementable.

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chukwuemeka Wogu, who disclosed the government’s position on Tuesday, however, claimed that the government had “made an offer to ASUU”. He did not reveal what that offer was that it had made to the varsity lecturers,

but simply added that “negotiation is ongoing”. But ASUU has said it is not in any discussion with the government on how to end the impasse.

A spirited effort earlier on by the National Assembly to hasten the resolution of the row has failed. A joint committee made up of members of the education committees of the Senate and

“

T

ASUU and the rot in our varsities

Yes, we know the government has been negligent towards university education but the teachers have not helped matters themselves House of Representatives met three times in two weeks with representatives of ASUU and the federal government, but could reach a decision.

We are deeply disturbed by the latest battle of wits between ASUU and the government, which we fear will make the already pitiable situation of the nation’s universities even worse.And as we did in previous editorials that this newspaper wrote on the protracted ASUU/FG imbroglio, we again blame the government’s high indifference for the current level of decay in our universities, polytechnics, and at even the lower levels of the education system. Indeed, we are tempted to align with those who link the poor management of the public

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”

education sector to the fact that our elites have their own children and wards schooling outside this country.

However, while condemning the criminal neglect of this critical sector by government, we believe ASUU shares in the blame for the rot, especially at the higher level. We note with deep concern, for instance, the increasing commercialization of degrees and other certificates awarded by institutions of higher learning through various means of extortion of students and their parents. This is orchestrated by no other persons than lecturers.

Equally disturbing is the rising cases of immoral conduct among varsity and polytechnic staff. We believe these and more are challenges that ASUU needs to urgentlyaddress by not only sanctioning its members who are guilty of such misconduct, but where necessary, also reporting them to the relevant law enforcement agencies for prosecution. Another challenge we think ASUU must focus on is how to stop the mad rush by many of its members to publish half-baked research works in dubious journals, mostly associated with India and Pakistan, in a bid to accelerate their promotions.

We believe the wise saying that he who must come to equity must do so with clean hands applies to ASUU and its striking members. Yes, we know the government has been negligent towards university education but the teachers have not helped matters themselves.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

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

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALI M. ALI

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA

ACTING EDITOR, DAILY HAMEED M. BELLO

MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

DEPUTY MANAGER, PRODUCTION ABDUL-RAUF MUSA

ACTING EDITOR, WEEKEND JAMILA NUHU MUSA

HEAD, LAGOS BUREAU ADESOJI OYINLOLA

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

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 13

Opinion Section 29(4)(b) is not about age of marriage

By Myne Whitman

Y

esterday, several people in my blog networks sent me links to a couple of change. org petitions which urged the UN and human rights organisations to stop the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Nigerian government, from altering the constitution in a way that would allow for child marriage. By then, I had seen the headlines on some blogs, and was fulminating inside, thinking of writing a scathing post, or something. I went over to sign one of the petitions, and there was a link to a Premium Times article that initially reported the constitutional amendments being voted on by the Senate. These parts of the report below caught my attention immediately.

Section 29 allows citizens who are of age to renounce Nigerian citizenship if they wish. For that purpose, the constitution says, 18-year-olds and above shall be considered to be “of age”. In addition, a woman or girl who is married shall be considered to be of age - a section that could be interpreted to imply that even a day old child, once married, shall be considered to be of age. The Senate’s amendment committee had proposed that definition be deleted.So it turns out we’re talking about a woman’s right to renounce her citizenship of Nigeria, and at what age and marital status. This is very far from the viral stories of the Nigerian Senate sneakily

passing a law that made pedophilia legal by deleting a clause that clearly stated the age of majority for marriage. Even the Nigerian Feminists Forum was hoodwinked by untutored journalists. They recently released a statement about how “greatly concerned” they were “about the resolution by the Senate to alter section 29(a) of the Constitution which stipulates that a woman shall not be qualified for marriage until she attains 18 years of age.”

But this is not what section 29 of the constitution is about at all; it relates to the renunciation of citizenship, and this is the section in full: 29. (1) Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation; (2) The President shall cause the declaration made under subsection (1) of this section to be registered and upon such registration, the person who made the declaration shall cease to be a citizen of Nigeria; (3) The President may withhold the registration of any declaration made under subsection (1) of this section if-(a) the declaration is made during any war in which Nigeria is physically involved; or(b) in his opinion, it is otherwise contrary to public policy; (4) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, (a) “full age” means the age of eighteen years and above;(b) any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.The part under

contention is actually section 29(4) (b) which the senators had wanted to remove because it seemed to be a repetition of 29(4)(a) since Section 21 of the Child’s Rights Act of Nigeria already nullifies the marriage of persons below 18 years. There is a punishment of N500,000 or a 5 year jail term, or both for offenders.

But in as much as I might disdain his personal life, Senator Yerima, former governor of Zamfara state, champion of Sharia, and husband of a 15-years old girl, was actually calling the other senators to proper order.

The constitution does not allow the legislature to rule on issues of Islamic marriage. Item 61 of the Second Schedule, Part I in the Exclusive Legislative List says the Legislative Powers include “The formation, annulment and dissolution of marriages other than marriages under Islamic law and customary law including matrimonial causes relating thereto.

I took time to read more of the Nigerian constitution - which you can download free from GooglePlay or read onlinehere and it does not stipulate in any section the full age as regards marriage. Contrary to reports that some clauses were removed which defined the legal age of marriage for women, a clause was left in for women, or in this case girls, who are married before the age of 18 to be deemed of “full age” not for any other reason - not voting, not alcohol, not driving, not age

of liberty (majority) - but for the sole purpose of renouncing their Nigerian citizenship.

For sure, there are gender and child discrimination in the Nigerian constitution, with only 2 mentions of the noun ‘woman’ and 7 uses of ‘child/ren’ compared to 235 appearances of the pronoun “he”. However, after my study, I support that the senate left in the clause allowing the under-age girl who is married the right to renounce her Nigerian citizenship.

I see some sweet scenarios where this right may be used; Senator Yerima’s Egyptian child-bride who is probably now a Nigerian citizen by registration using section 26(2)(a) can right now decide she’s no more a Nigerian. Instead of waiting till she is 18, she can renounce her citizenship, and head back to Egypt. She, and other under-aged Nigerian women married under duress or coercion by Islamic law, can also seek Asylum and citizenship with other countries without being burdened by their Nigerian citizenship. For a lot of countries, you can only have primary or dual citizenship, and most times not more than 3 countries you’re a citizen of.

But there is a second scenario where 29(4)(b) can be abused.

The husband of an under-aged wife may be able to force her to renounce her Nigerian citizenship either to deny her rights under the Child’s Right Act or citizenship, liberty and other rights under

The ideal presidential partner

By Femi Odusola

I

t takes someone who is genuinely a nationalist to make the declaration made by Vice President NamadiSambo to the effect that democracy cannot survive without strong political parties. The declaration made on his behalf by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Senator Isaiah Balat, is consistent with the nationalist outlook for which the Kaduna born politician has come to be known for. This declaration is not only timely, coming at a time when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to which the Vice President belongs, is undergoing a rebirth, it is also coming at a time when the country contemplates the shape of things to come on the political terrain. It reflects the capacity of Sambo to be a stabilizing factor in the polity, a quality that is direly needed to douse the persistent bouts of tension in a country with the penchant for being politically overheated.

A demonstration of this is his mature disposition in the way he performs his duty even in the face of the vituperations that Nigerians are wont to unleash on public office holders whether rightly or wrongly. On the other side of the spectrum is the fact that the Vice President has not sought to benefit from prevalent situation with the incumbent administration by launching a parallel ambition. His

not overtly or covertly nursing a 2015 ambition is a testament of loyalty to his boss, who is daily at the receiving end of a political process bogged down by ethnoregional sentiments and opposition diatribes. He is not even spared the syndrome of ‘pull him down by all means’ within his party’s fold.

By subsuming his ambition in a possible “Jonathan 2015”platform, Sambo has further reinforced the concept of the presidency being one. Any disposition different from this would have compounded whatever crisis or political distraction Nigerians may think they are facing now since there are witnesses to the dance of shame occasioned by such ambition in the recent past. Aside from heating up the polity, such move would have distracted governance and Nigerians would be the worse for it.

“

Namadi Sambo is an asset to the Jonathan presidency for which he acts like buffer or intervening membrane. He has been able to diplomatically handle situations that could have further worsened relations among key political players in the on-going faceoff.

Unfortunately this posture could be misinterpreted as a sign of weakness by those who have not taken the pains to understand the fundamentals of political integrity and dignified behaviour. The soft approach adopted by the vice president, similar to the way he has subsumed any personal ambition, has done a great deal to diffuse the tension that could have built up if the approach were different. He has demonstrated that dialogue and not engaging in war of words is the better option in a democratic space.

Regarding his job performance,

the responsibilities assigned to the vice president, both constitutionally and otherwise, have been discharged with the level of finesse that only a seasoned administrator could deliver. Sadly, the nation’s security challenges and the heated political space do not allow Nigerians to appreciate the positive results from such acumen.

However, those who would like to present Sambo in different lights would suggest that he lacks the clout to galvanize the north for President Jonathan. Given the known capacity for mischief in this country, it is instructive to note that the same people who today insinuate that the vice president does not have enough clout are the ones that would accuse him of outshining and constituting a political threat to his boss should he become as aggressive as they

By subsuming his ambition in a possible “Jonathan 2015”platform, Sambo has further reinforced the concept of the presidency being one. Any disposition different from this would have compounded whatever crisis or political distraction Nigerians may think they are facing now since there are witnesses to the dance of shame occasioned by such ambition in the recent past. Aside from heating up the polity, such move would have distracted governance and Nigerians would be the worse for it.

the constitution. In conclusion, it is said that a large number of Nigerians don’t really know the law or their rights, and I think the lawmakers fall into this category.

Those who pushed to delete section 29(4)(b) did it on the grounds that it contradicts 29(4) (a) and infringes the right of a child by allowing early marriage. I think otherwise. I believe section 29(4)(b) of the constitution deals with the age of a woman after the fact of marriage, and what rights she has at that time.Section 21 of the Child’s Rights Act already stipulates legal age of marriage, and pedophiles who flout this law should be penalised [I don’t know if the CRA trumps the Islamic marriage laws though]. 29(4)(b) therefore supports the foregoing article, and grants additional rights to Nigerian children married [legally or illegally] under Islamic or Customary laws either within or outside the country.

The petition we should be signing is one asking the entire legislature to find ways to make the constitution more woman and child friendly. They need to stipulate age of marriage in the constitution and remove the inability of the national house of assembly to make laws covering Muslim women and children, especially where under-age marriage is concerned. Also, they should change all the appearances of ‘he’ to ‘they’ to cover all genders.

Follow Myne Whitman on twitter or facebook. want. Once this happens, there is no telling how fast things can degenerate. The lynch crowd would gather at a moment’s notice.

The PDP and national interest will be best served if the vice president continues along the path he currently threads as there is nothing to be gained from rocking the boat. Not only would disturbing the existing equilibrium create a distraction for the presidency, it would also bring the entire country under untold strain that it can ill afford. It is, however, not closing time yet. Those opposed to the Jonathan presidency may see the position occupied by Sambo as a vantage point for making inroad into his government by having one of their own replace the incumbent in the name of political realignment. Should this happen, Nigerians needs no prophet to warn them that they would all be in for a rough and bumpy ride as whoever emerges from such arrangement would ultimately play the hand of the group that pushed him in. A president who presently has a loyal lieutenant would then be forced into running battle with a deputy that emerged for the sole purpose of crippling the government for political gain.Thus, as the drumbeat for 2015 gets strident, discerning minds would concede the fact that NamadiSambo is the ideal presidential partner for President Goodluck Jonathan regardless the fact that political hawks would have Nigerians believe otherwise.

Femi Odusola lives in AdoEkiti and can be reached at odusolauja@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Opinion

Tinubu: Of opportunity and responsibility

By Remi Oyeyemi

I

n the days and months leading to the elections of 2003, there was a lot of confusion in the political firmament of the Yoruba Nation. Main reason was the prevarication of the Yoruba mainstream political leadership on whether to accept their wayward son, OlusegunAremuObasanjo, and support him for the second term elections or field another candidate on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). At that time, the political leadership in Yoruba Nation operated under the dual auspices of Afenifere and AD. There were contending schools of thought on this dilemma. Some felt that an incorrigible prodigal son was a son nevertheless and the baby ought not be thrown out with the bathwater. Others believe Leopards never change their spots.

They insisted Obasanjo could not be trusted and should not be touched with a long pole. The latter group were very vociferous but were in the minority. They lost out. Bola Tinubu was among the minority that lost out. The elections of 2003, lent credence to fears expressed about Obasanjo by Tinubu et al. All those who gave Obasanjo the benefit of the doubt were betrayed, stabbed in the back and rigged out of office to pave way for the members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was only in Lagos state where Bola Tinubu held sway that the PDP did not get the chance to wrought their ruins. This, to a great extent, attested to his political sagacity.

After 2003 elections, Tinubu began to build a new coalition consisted of a new generation of Afenifere as evident in the birth of the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) and the Action Congress of

Nigeria (ACN). and worsening It was a timely social malaise? task embarked Is this an upon. It was the opportunity Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, new direction that to foster the the people of the positives text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written Southwest needed of Yoruba contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters in the aftermath culture in lieu - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your of the Obasanjo’s of modernity treacherous and racy name and a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be earthquake. technology of addressed to: Tinubu tapped today’s world? into the psyche of What kind of the people and got opportunity The Editor, a very favourable does Tinubu Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, response. The considers this 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. results of his to be? efforts were Does Email: opinion@peoplesdailyng.com denied him in Tinubu see SMS: 08134607052 2007 across the his present Southwest, except political and happenstance? Is Tinubu preeminence as a responsibility?

Lagos. This was followed by series of court cases that restored Osun seeing his role as an opportunity?

A responsibility to give genuine, and Ekiti States to the ACN. In If he sees this as an opportunity, sincere, committed, and dedicated of what kind is it? Does he see this leadership imbued with clear vision 2011, Oyo and Ogun joined the as an opportunity to amass more for the Yoruba people in the context ACN train. Today, the rest, as they always say, is now History. But wealth and create more cronies? of Nigeria? Is he really ready to lead that History, obviously, is yet to be Is this an opportunity to extend the Yoruba people and by extension his tentacles just for the sake of it? be a historical leader? Does he have concluded. the ability to bear the responsibility Right now Tinubu is unarguably Is this an opportunity to create a the de facto political leader in political Mafia in Yoruba Nation that comes with this political Yoruba nation because of the fact that opens its doors only to its preeminence?Does he have the that the majority of the people in cohorts and their hangers-on? Does moral discipline to lead the Yoruba the Southwest have chosen the this look like an opportunity to be Nation? Is he able to engage in selfACN. He is the leader of the party a political godfather or a political denial as some situations would and all of the governors and other leader? Does he want only those require, thus immunizing himself elected officials defer to him. Even, who see him as a tin god around as a leader? Is he willing to deny Governor SegunMimiko of Labour him or those who would be willing himself gratifications of any kind?

Party has been careful enough not to make him greater with great Is he willing to pay any price for to be on his wrong side, at least ideas? Or is his main goal to take the liberation and revitalization of openly. Tinubu looms large in the over Yoruba Nation and use this as Yoruba greatness? Or he is only present political equation and this his negotiating chip on the wider concerned about what could accrue portends of great opportunities as Nigerian political pedestal? to him as the leader of the Party well as grave responsibilities.

Is this, to him, an opportunity controlling the governments of But the question is: How is to pull his Yoruba people to their the Yoruba States and elsewhere?

Tinubu himself seeing his role? destiny? Is he really out to use this What responsibility is he willing Is Tinubu a man of history, opportunity to break a new dawn to undertake and what sacrifices is destined to leave indelible marks for the Yoruba Nation and set it on he willing to make to pilot Yoruba in the sands of time? Or is he the path to greatness? Is this an Nation in the way and manner just another “flash in the pan” opportunity to liberate the Yoruba its people would like? Is Tinubu politician, favoured by providence Nation from economic stagnation willing to accept the responsibility

WRITE TO US

Corruption: Beginning and the end

By Olayinka Ajila

W

hen I heard Nigeria was ranked the second most corrupt nation in the world. I was forced to research what it looks like to be a Nigerian woman. And my report shows that only 5% of Nigerian women are super-comfortable, 10% are comfortable, another 10% are less comfortable, and the rest are not just comfortable. Therefore, with statistics showing 75% of our women living in penury, I wonder if Bob Marley’s philosophy actually hit it well on Nigerians.Corruption itself is a kind of solution. And if we wouldn’t substitute reality for morality, I know you will agree with me that protocol in Nigeria is one mighty problem that lives like it is no problem. I came about this as I was wondering what the Nigerian men has to show for being corrupt in a society with very little regards for women. It was at this point that I knew something different was actually responsible for our current position in the world record.

No place carries protocol like Europe, and there’s no where protocol is reliable like the western world. This is because protocols are made with consideration, not crucifixion. In Britain, protocol is a win-win game between the

government and the people. Laws however strict will one way or the other have a positive impact on the people, and they are made such that pre-existing laws wouldn’t stand as obstacle in the light of seeing it comfortably obeyed. This is flexibility of law.

In Nigeria, protocol is a death sentence. So harsh that its rigidity the common man cannot withstand. And in the course of being patriotic, other laws will make you guilty of being the Nigerian you want to be. By the time you sum up the whole thing, you can only count losses, not blessings. And like hunting squirrel with a machete, the hunter returns with neither the squirrel nor the

“

machete.

If protocol becomes a problem, definitely corruption becomes the solution as people can’t just afford being a looser. There possibly might not be a second chance! This is the story of Nigeria and I can say vividly that it is responsible for our current ranking. What Nigeria is suffering is the management of protocols not corruption. And for your information, the whole world is a corrupt place because everybody is guilty of the real definition of corruption. Although some have managed to disappear from the league table, if you ask me, corruption are the lies told about anything. It is a person fraternizing with the enemies of his

Today, Nigerians have resigned to corruption because protocol is not worth talking about. With protocol, a student makes good grades yet he is denied admission into the university.

With protocol, the complainant becomes the accused while the suspect is discharged and acquitted.

people. It is that father preferring one child to the other. Corruption is that unfaithful partner that hasn’t just been caught. Therefore, if I say corruption is everybody’s fault, you should know it isn’t all about financial crimes.

Today, Nigerians have resigned to corruption because protocol is not worth talking about. With protocol, a student makes good grades yet he is denied admission into the university. With protocol, the complainant becomes the accused while the suspect is discharged and acquitted. If only someone can tell me! Tell me why to get a job in Nigeria is to sacrifice your first few salaries. Tell me why the 2nd choice in a JAMB form is as good as useless. Of course I will be pleased to hear a different story.

But if by any way it has a link to my opinion, I will be proud to say that it is with protocol we have made this land a hell for he who’s got no shoulder to lean on.

The responsibility of a sane mind is to protect his own life.

And protecting one’s life is making effort to seeing one’s self comfortable. Can we review this using the logic of tautology? Of course we can! And it goes thus. To be comfortable is to find ease, and to find ease is to be painless. But when someone is in pain, a serious

for the consummation and the realization of the heartfelt dreams of Yoruba people in the context of Nigeria or his plans is to drag them along in the ambit of his personal interest and ambitions?

Tinubu has the ability to exercise a lot of power in Yorubaland today. To what end is he willing to use that power? How responsibly is he going to deploy this power? It is hoped that it is not in Tinubu’s character to exercise power without responsibility akin to what Rudyard Kipling characterized as “the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages.”

How much responsibility is Tinubu willing to take on for the future of Yoruba Nation? How far is Tinubu willing to “carry the water” for the Yoruba Nation? How much inconvenience – social, financial, political, economic, religious and family – is Tinubu willing to suffer for any Yoruba cause that might emerge in the nearest future?

Should the majority and or cross section of Yoruba people want self-determination in whatever coloration, is Tinubu willing to throw his hat into the ring?

Winston Churchill once contended that “responsibility is the price of greatness.” So, the question still remains: What kind of opportunity is this to Tinubu?

Does he see any responsibility in his present opportunity? He is the Asiwaju of Lagos. Right now, Tinubu has the “gift” of “life” as Anthony Robbins called it.

This “gift” is resting in Tinubu’s laps as we speak. This is a “gift” of “privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” Does Bola Tinubu have the ability to “become more?”

Femi Oyeyemi wrote in from Lagos. one, he care less how he finds ease.

Therefore, if anybody looses faith and sees comfort achievable the other way round, don’t blame him, he is not just comfortable being uncomfortable.

I can read your mind. And I have the answer to your question.

Yes corruption exist in Europe despite the reliability of their protocols. But unlike Nigeria where corruption is in fact a solution, the corruption in Europe is a crime.

You want to know why? Corruption over there doesn’t necessarily result from pain because of the standard protocols they maintain.

As a graduate you have jobs, as an undergraduate you have benefits, and as a citizen you have a reason to be responsible. A nursing mother is cared for and the aged ones are properly monitored. Good health care services and prompt emergency attention is also one thing that draws commendation.

And because it is worth it, you can pay taxes without wearing the face of a bull dog. Thus, if I say corruption in Europe is uncalled for compared to what we have here. I mean theirs is just another research project. “A stitch in time saves nine” are not my words. But in a situation where nine is being destroyed in the very first attack, the thread, the needle, and the doctor will have a work free day.

What about that?

OlayinkaAjila is on LinkedIn.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 15

Comment The blind can see at Oshodi

By Uzor Maxim Ozoatu

M

iracles do not come any greater than giving vision to the blind. The Nigeria Society for the Blind (NSB) at its Vocational Training Centre (VTC), Oshodi, Lagos, deserves support and celebration for giving vision and mission to the blind. The fear that going blind amounts to the very end of life has been defeated, as I can attest to after paying a visit to the centre. It was a brave new world that one discovered at the centre that is adjacent to the Armed Forces Rehabilitation Centre, Oshodi.

The Nigeria Society for the Blind is a voluntary, nongovernmental and not-for-profit, organization established in 1955 under the charge of Justice AdetokunboAdemola with the objective of training and giving hope to the visually handicapped.

The Vocational Training Centre is in its 56th year and well over 2,000 blind men and women have benefitted from the superblyguided training. It is a testament to the success of the VTC that some of the graduates are now in gainful employment. According to the rules of engagement, “The period of training is two years. Students with a minimum educational attainment of Primary Six do the Handicrafts course, while those with a higher

standard of education and who show enough aptitude are trained in Braille Reading and Writing, Touch Typing, Telephone and Dictaphone Typing (audio typing) and Computer Training. Extracurricular activities include Home Economics. The female trainees also do Home-craft, Knitting and Cookery. Counseling on the social effects of blindness is also given regularly.”

This way, the society prepares trainees to be self-employed, and equally solicits employment opportunities with organizations and governments where the skills learned could be put into effective use. The NSB needs help “to be able to give scholarships to undergraduates and post-graduate students in Nigerian universities.”

The centre has no subvention whatsoever from either the State

“

or Federal Government. The class of people who go blind through unfortunate circumstances later in life and who are in dire need of rehabilitation with the support of philanthropists, corporate organizations, religious bodies etc. are given a new lease of life.

Chairman of the Executive Council of the NSB, Mrs. BiolaAgbaje is full of praise for Lagos state Governor BabatundeRajiFashola (SAN) who surprised the society with a visit on his birthday, June 28, 2012, made promises and “has delivered on all the promises.” In this light, “tuition fees for 60 students for 2013 has been paid through Lagos State Scholarship Board… the funds for the renovation of our State of Art Workshop have been provided by the Lagos state government.”

According to the administrator, Ms Ivy Bassey, the centre needs

seed money to be set aside “for disbursement to our deserving trainees on graduation to provide them with credit.” She informs that “this micro-credit scheme has not been actualized because the banks we have approached seem to feel our money is too small for them to administer.” Subscription to become a member of the NSB is : N2,000 for students, N5,000 for annual adult dues, N50,000 for life subscription, and N250,000 for corporate bodies. One can donate to the society a dedicated amount every month. Also, a dying person can leave clear instructions so that his or her cornea can be given to the society to give sight to someone after passing. The maiden edition of the NSB Membership Day was held on Sunday, October 21, 2012 at VTC, Oshodi, Briscoe etc.

ChidozieObianyo lost his sight

Chidozie Obianyo lost his sight to glaucoma in 2007 after passing out of secondary school and sitting for JAMB in the bid to study Medicine. He was made to stay at home for all of six years, almost giving up on life, until he got to know of VTC, Oshodi in November 2012 and was admitted into the centre in January this year. Now he has been able to travel from Lagos to Anambra State all on his own!

to glaucoma in 2007 after passing out of secondary school and sitting for JAMB in the bid to study Medicine. He was made to stay at home for all of six years, almost giving up on life, until he got to know of VTC, Oshodi in November 2012 and was admitted into the centre in January this year. Now he has been able to travel from Lagos to Anambra State all on his own! Miss AdesopeLatifatAdeleye obtained an OND in Business Administration from Osun State Polytechnic, Ire, but, in her words, “on the morning of 30th December 2011 while going for my prayer, acid was poured on me by an admirer whose advances I had refused to acknowledge.” She lost both eyes, and after her discharge from LASUTH she found succor at VTC, Oshodi. She was able to travel home alone during the April break and intends to study Mass Communication at the university.

The library at VTC is a sight to behold, being the best of its kind in all of West Africa. Braille books are printed readily and we witnessed a printing by the hardworking librarian. After being at VTC, Oshodi, I discovered that I had been blind, and I was given new vision as I encountered the magnificent work being done there. Now I have reason to believe and see!

Uzor Maxim Uzoatu is on facebook.

A vote for strong consumer protection law

By Emmanuel Onwubiko

T

he House of Representatives was last week held a public hearing on a proposed bill to amend the extant law setting up the Nigerian Consumer Protection Council to make it stronger to protect the rights of all Nigerians.

The Consumer Protection Council is the apex consumer protection agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria established to amongst other things promote and protect consumer’s interest in all areas of products and services, provide speedy redress to consumers’ complaints, inform, educate and empower consumers to act as discerning and discriminating consumers in the market place.

Since it was set up, this agency has faced several challenges among which are what experts have identified rightly as inherent weaknesses in the enabling law which include but are not limited to non definition of consumers’ rights and inadequate provisions for their enforcement; lack of a specific institutional framework for the defence of consumers’ rights; undefined relationship with sector regulators leading to some confusion as to the role of the agency; an over-bloated and unwieldy 43-member governing board and many more.

At the public session attended by the Minister of Trade and investment, the urbane looking Mr. OlusegunAganga, and Mrs. Catherine Dupe Atoki, the Council’s newly appointed Director General,

a consummate human rights expert clearly told her audience that the agency has had to contend with lots of teething operational impediments even as she rightly pointed out that, over the years, emerging technological changes, new trading methods, patterns and agreements have brought about new challenges to consumers of goods and services in Nigeria making it necessary to develop and employ further innovative ways to protect the interests of consumers. According to her, these challenges necessitated a review of the enabling law, a difficult but necessary process this government agency commenced in 2003.

The first effort spearheaded by Jonathan Zwingina ’s committee in the Senate faced the presidential huddle when President Chief OlusegunObasanjo failed to sign the passed bill into law, thus necessitating the presentation of this bill afresh. This bill for the review of the enabling law setting up the Consumer Protection Council didn’t scale through in the

“

last sixth session of the national assembly which automatically transmitted it to the current seventh session. Nigerians are looking up to the Federal House of Representatives and their counterparts in the Senate to see this and many other human rights friendly proposed bills as their chance to redeem their waning image by passing them on time to enable the President assent to them so as to broaden the horizon and frontiers of human rights respect in Nigeria.

A review of the law setting up the consumer protection council should be seen as a national priority by all and sundry, particularly because the consumer rights of all Nigerians are breached fragrantly by major businesses and most times people are not even aware that they have inherent rights as citizens and importantly as consumers. Even the popular slogan that the consumer is king is most times seen as a huge joke by even the consumers who often sleep n their rights and

allow manufacturers; traders and service providers to violate their rights as consumers with reckless abandon. Others who are aware of their rights do not want to pursue it to the highest level because of the belief that the agency charged with these onerous tasks is institutionally and structurally weak. These are the challenges that this on-going review seeks to tackle.

When this bill is passed into law here are some of the specific benefits that will accrue includes the expert formulation of clearly written Fundamental Consumer Rights which for the first time in Nigeria certain specific rights of consumers are defined for codification even as the Part 6 of the proposed amendment will state that Consumers’ right to disclosure and information; right to choice; right to fair and responsible marketing; right to fair and honest dealing; right to fair, just and reasonable terms and conditions; and the right to fair value, good quality and safety are hereby

A review of the law setting up the consumer protection council should be seen as a national priority by all and sundry, particularly because the consumer rights of all Nigerians are breached fragrantly by major businesses and most times people are not even aware that they have inherent rights as citizens and importantly as consumers.

guaranteed by law. These represent the basic rights of consumers in the United Nations declaration of 1985 and this amendment makes those rights an integral part of Nigerian law.

Shedding light on the ease of enforcement of the proposed bill if passed, Mrs. Atoki stated thus; “the bill makes the enforcement of consumers’ rights by the consumer or the Council faster, cheaper and less time consuming. Hitherto, consumers were constrained to go to court with the attendant delays and costs. Under this bill they have alternatives. “Institutions dedicated specifically for the protection and enforcement of consumer rights are established under part 10. These include a Negotiation, Mediation and Conciliation Tribunal, mobile courts and small claims courts”, She stated.

It is believed that when this proposed bill scales through and the President assents to it, the Consumer Protection Council will become operationally and financially independent to more effectively battle the scourge of violations of the consumer rights of Nigerians and the National Assembly and state legislators will be clearly assisted by this new law to more effectively protect the rights of their constituents as the elected representatives of the people. The new law should therefore be considered as a priority bill in the ranking of the National Assembly.

Emmanuel Onwubiko is reachable on LinkedIn.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 16

AEPB tasks residents on prompt payment of waste bills

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Abuja Environmental Board AEPB has appealed to FCT residents to pay their waste bills promptly, to enable the board and its contractors work effectively towards a clean and healthy environment for all.

The Acting Director of the board, Mrs. Aishat Adebayo who made this appeal while addressing news men in her office, on Monday, said waste management is very expensive and government cannot do it alone if residents don’t do their own part by ensuring that they pay their bills.

She also advised residents to ensure that they procure waste plastic bags and waste bins from the board for proper disposal, saying, ‘it is easier to evacuate wastes that are in the bins than when it is dumped on the ground.’

Adebayo however noted that waste generation is high and heavier during raining season and evacuation is slower due to the bad road network to the landfill refuse dumpsite site at Gosa.

According to her, the construction of the road to the dumpsite, which had hither to pose a challenge to having access to the landfill site by waste collection contractors, has been contracted out.

“AEPB on its own part has temporary stabilized the road to ensure refuse trucks have access to and fro the dumpsite.

“As for the Area Councils, Satellite Town Development Agency is responsible and that they have also assigned contracts for waste collection in the Six Area Councils; with 1st of August, 2013 being the commencement date”, she explained.

Adebayo therefore urged residents to cooperate with the board towards achieving a cleaner and healthier environment for all.

FG approves N22.6 bn for Guzape II infrastructure project

By Stanley Onyekwere

F

ederal Government yesterday approved the award of a N22.6 billion contract for the provision of roads and engineering infrastructure to new layout and diplomatic area as Phase II contract of the on-going Guzape Lot II District infrastructure in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Messrs Gilmor Engineering (Nigeria) Limited clinched the contract.

This was one of the outcomes of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) held at the presidential villa, Abuja. The other one was a directive by the president that all contracts variation beyond 15% of the original cost should not be brought to the council.

The Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed alongside his counterpart, Minister of Information, MrLabaranMaku, told State House correspondents that the approval of the contract followed the tabling of a memo

to seek council’s approval for the projects.

According to Mohammed, “the areas were laid out and allocated in 2005 to meet the aspirations of members of the National Assembly, well placed Nigerians, diplomatic missions and some members of the general public.”

The project, which is expected to be completed within three months, the minister said would generate 600 jobs “that would emanate from construction activities following the

The Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA),during a One million-naira protest to the National Assembly yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Adeola Tukuru

Police disperse protesting Abuja indigenes with live bullets, tear gas

By Adeola Tukuru

F

ollowing the plans for a one million-man match by the Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA) to the National Assembly to protest the rejection of the proposed mayoral government for FCT by federal lawmakers, protesting indigenes were yesterday forcefully dispersed by the police at a peaceful protest

at the entrance into the National Assembly complex.

The incident happened around 8.00am as the protesters were converging. The Abuja natives said the police fired live bullets into the air consistently and shot tear gas on the protesters chasing them towards Eagle Square, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and down to the Ministry of Finance office complex junction.

President of the Original

Inhabitants Association of Abuja, OIDA, Pastor Danladi Jeji said “the police in about eight Hilux vans with soldiers standing by consistently used tear gas on our people which later led to two old women fainting as a result of the tear gas.”

Despite the threat, the natives later addressed a press conference where they rebuked the Nigerian government for disrupting their fundamental rights to protest.

FCTA signs N19.4bn water project in Karshi

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, on Tuesday in Abuja signed a memorandum of understanding for water supply project worth N19.4 billion for Karshi residents and its environs, assuring that the project will be completed within 30 months Akinjide, while signing the

implementation of the project.”

Maku, who spoke on the contract variation order said the President “frowned at a situation in which sometimes augmentation or variations of contracts end up being higher than the original contracts awarded,” saying “Mr President believes that if Ministriees, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) do their jobs thoroughly through proper planning and of course cost evaluation before award, the incidence of half valuation of contracts will be avoided.”

The president, the minister added also directed the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) to jettison any application for valuation of contracts that exceed 15% of the original cost, insisting that “ministers and agencies of government must ensure that in giving awards of contract we verify the actual workload that is expected, we ensure proper valuation of our projects so that we will not continue with his pattern of variation of contracts that sometimes go so high as 100% of the original contract awarded.”

“So it is expected that all agencies of government who are in the process of giving awards for contracts must make sure that they are thorough in the pre-plan for those projects and also ensure that the costing is professional to avoid variations that go very high and leave cost to the government,” the minister said.

contract between FCTA and SCC Nigeria Ltd., said that the project would be completed in 30 months.

She said that the Federal Executive Council had approved the water project for residents of Karshi satellite town and would be financed from the National and Statutory budget of the administration.

The minister said that the

scope of the work included the construction of two dams, pumping station and water treatment plant would be built. ``The scope of the work also includes, reservoir, access road, and electrical power system,” she said.

According to her, the contractors have been fully mobilised, and they are expected to start work in fully in order to

deliver the jobs within the time frame.

The Managing Director of SCC Nigeria Ltd., Mr Yuval Levy, commended the administration for choosing the company to handle the water project.

He said that the company was the most experienced water company in Nigeria, adding that the project would be delivered within the stipulated time.

They called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate the use of brutal force against Abuja natives who have continued to be treated as second-class citizens by the Nigerian government. They rebuked the police warning that such use of crude force in the future may lead to them being militarized like the Niger Delta militants.

The original inhabitants disclosed that they were at the National Assembly to peacefully protest the non-passage of the Mayoralty bill by the National Assembly.

They advised residents of FCT to brace up for a wave of mass protests and civil movements against the Nigerian system that has “refused to give a voice or representation to FCT indigenous people throughout the years.”

The aborigines later promised to return to the National Assembly on another date to continue their protest and register their grievances on a system that oppresses and continually render them stateless with second-class citizenship status.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 17

Metro AMAC trains staff on modern revenue generation techniques

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

An accident scene involving two cars , causing a traffic gridlock along Wuse, Zone 4, Abuja yesterday Photo: Melea Jude Moses

Gwagwalada residents urge chairman to give priority on roads

By Usman Shuaibu

R

esidents in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have urged the chairman of the area council, Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri to give priority on deplorable roads in the area.

Reacting to Giri’s victory in March, 2013 chairmanship election, they told the Peoples Daily in Gwagwalada that successive chairmen had been paying lip

service to the roads rehabilitation.

They lamented that the delay in rehabilitating roads had led to many accidents by the motorcyclists.

A transporter, Mr. Emma Sunday, said that he would like the council chairman to ensure that the dilapidated roads within Gwagwalada were repaired to as a matter of urgency to reduce the number of accidents.

A business woman, Mrs. Teresa Mangot, said that the rehabilitation

of Gwagwalada roads would drastically reduce the heavy traffic jams witnessed by the masses on the daily basis. “if the bad roads within Gwagwalada were rehabilitated under Giri’s tenure, it will go down in history and his name will be written in gold”, Mangot said.

Malam Inuwa Aliyu, also a businessman, urged the chairman to ensure the roads were dualised to arrest hardship faced by the people.

Mr. Salisu Musa, a motorist, described the roads as a living nightmare and asked the chairman’s administration to deem it necessary to repair the roads.

“The roads needed urgent rehabilitation include town hall road, sharp corner roads, Paikon Motelmarket road, Alhaji Nura road, Kutunku-Aguma road and ObannaUniAbuja road”, Mr. Silas Ogbonna, another motorist said.

Director tasks students on good conduct

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Zonal director of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Abuja National Station in Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Mohammed Bello, has called on the graduating students of Government Day Secondary School Gwagwalada to be of good conduct in any society they found themselves.

He also charged the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the school in anywhere they go.

Bello, who made the call while addressing the students during the graduation/prize giving day ceremony of the school in Gwagwalada, advised the grandaunts’ to endeavor to further their studies to enable them to compete favorably with outside world.

He urged the graduating students

to choose good courses of studying in order to make them productive in the society, as according to him, self-development was not achievable without education.

He said that if the students were educated the way it supposed to be nobody could control their destiny, saying that education is a key to successes in any society.

The zonal director who was the chairman of the occasion appealed

to the entire students of the school to face their studies squarely.

Delivering her speech, the principal of the school, Mrs. Inyang Sylvia Akpan, requested the leadership of the Secondary Education Board (SED) to provide more of infrastructural facilities in school to enhance learning.

Meanwhile, a total of 167 students graduated in this year’s academic session.

Accident scene causes traffic gridlock in Wuse

By Melea Jude Moses

A

n accident scene which occurred yesterday morning around Wuse , Zone 4 ,Abuja between two cars BMX3 with Registration No: TY979-KJA and a Honda with Registration No:MD02-ABC caused a traffic gridlock in the area .

According to the traffic warden,

SGT. Dinatu Adamu and Dawaki Joel explained to Peoples Daily that the suspect who was alleged to have caused the accident was on a high speed while his lane was on the Green light and was unable to control the car then landed on the Red Honda car waiting.

They went further to state that the suspect to have caused the accident with the BMW X3

is a car washer taking the car for joyriding.

An eyewitness recounted that with rate of speed taken by the car washer was as if he was trying to steal the jeep.

The owner of the BMW X3 jeep who pleaded anonymity said he took his car to a car wash and when he came back, he got a phone call that his car was involved in an

accident in Wuse.

According to the owner of the Honda car, Alhaji Ismaila Mohammed said he was in his car waiting for the traffic warden, when suddenly heard a bang at the back of his car.

Peoples Daily observed that no casualties at the scene but the car washer of the BMW sustained some injuries.

n a bid to maximize Internal Revenue potentials of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), the council in collaboration with Kadoom Ventures organized an in-house training for its Staff in the Revenue Department of the council on modern techniques of revenue collection.

The training workshop held at the AMAC Legislative Chamber, recently had the topics: Maximizing Potentials in Revenue Collection; and Effectiveness in Revenue Collection.

Speaking at the event, the council treasurer, Adamu G. Muhammad, said the essence of the in house training is to keep the revenue collectors up to date on the modern techniques of collecting revenue in the council, as part of efforts toward boosting the revenue profile of the council.

According to him, to make sure that they understand what they are expected to do, this training is expected to that broaden their knowledge on all aspects of revenue generation, so as to be effective in the area.

“Revenue is a critical factor in the effective administration of any organization; and no organization would survive with porous revenue base, that’s why we want make sure that our revenue collectors are up to date with the current trend in effective revenue generation; we want to ensure that what is due to the council is collected at the right time; we want to ensure that everything that is collected is accounted for.

“For us to be able to provide essential services, we have to make sure that revenue due to the council are collected, because without collecting this revenue we cannot perform effectively; that’s why we will continue to update our staff on how to maximize the revenue generation potential of the council”, he stressed.

Adamu therefore urged the participants to take the workshop serious with a view to putting into practice what they are been thought to ensure improved and prompt collection of revenue in the council.

On his part, the consultant, Elias Ahile, who described the decision of the council leadership to organize the training as a step in the right direction, said it is poised to boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) base of the council.

He however disclosed that the resource persons are not looking at new areas of revenue generation in council, but how to maximize the available IGR potentials using available structures.

“The reason why it appears that the revenue collectors are not fully maximizing the IGR potentials of the council may not necessarily be the absence of resource but lack of will power to what they are supposed to do”, he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 18

Metro

Court remands man in prison for allegedly having canal knowledge of boy

A

Mararaba Upper Area Court in Nasarawa State on Tuesday ordered the remand of 33-year-old man in prison for allegedly having anal knowledge of a boy.

The presiding judge, Mr Vincent Gwahemba, ordered that

the accused, of no fixed address, be remanded up until Aug. 14 when further mention in the case would begin.

Gwahemba said that the court was using its powers under Section 183 of the Criminal Procedure Code to remand the accused to

enable the police to conclude investigations.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Cpl. Stephen Kwaza, had told the court that on July 18 at Masaka, Nasarawa State, the accused lured the nine-year-old boy into his apartment and forcefully had anal

knowledge of him.

The prosecutor said that the offence is punishable under Section 284 of the Penal Code, adding that the offence is not bailable.

However, the accused had pleaded not guilty to the offence.

(NAN)

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory, Engineer John Chukwu, Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, and Managing Director of SCC Nigeria Limited, Mr. Yuval Levy, during the signing of N19.4 billion agreement between FCTA and SCC for the provision of water to Karshi Satellite Town in FCT, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Two men jailed for stealing cars A n Abuja Senior Magistrates Court on Tuesday sentenced two men, Musa Ibrahim and Sa’ad Haruna, to 18 months in prison each for stealing two cars belonging to their employer.

The presiding magistrate, Mrs Grace Adebayo, who handed down the judgment after the convicts pleaded guilty to the charge, did not give them an option of fine.

Adebayo said the court had

listened to the convicts’ plea for mercy and had considered that they were first offenders who were remorseful for their actions.

She said they must, however, be punished to serve as deterrent to other offenders with similar intention.

Ibrahim, who worked as a security man for Odo at his Wuse Zone 4, Abuja residence and Haruna, his driver, were convicted for joint act and theft.

They both begged the court for mercy, and promised not to commit such an offence again.

The police prosecutor, Cpl. Francis Tanko, had earlier told the court that Odo reported the matter at the Wuse Police Station on June 28.

Tanko said on the same date, Ibrahim and Haruna connived and stole Odo’s Toyota Corolla and a Toyota Sienna with registration numbers RSH 60 AH and RVC 300 AL respectively.

He said the vehicles were stolen from the complainant’s compound in Wuse zone 4.

The prosecutor said that using a security device, the police tracked and arrested the accused on their way to sell the vehicles.

Tanko said that during investigations, the vehicles were recovered and the accused persons confessed to the crime, adding that the offence contravenes sections 79 and 289 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

Court grants bail to man charged with joint act, theft

A

n Abuja Grade 2 Area Court sitting in Kado on Wednesday granted bail to one Anayo Okafor, 28, of Eda Plaza, Jabi, Abuja, for alleged joint act and theft.

Okafor had pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of stealing 129 drums of Omega paints valued at N1.2 million at Santerila Hotel, Abuja, and selling same to one Eze Ifeanyi.

The defence counsel, Mr

Eze Ude, told the court that the accused had been on police bail prior to his arraignment, adding that he had not violated the terms of his bail.

He said that an accused person was innocent until proven guilty of an offence.

The Judge, Ahmed Ado, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties in like sum, saying that one of the sureties must be a civil

servant of any grade level.

The judge adjourned the case to Sept. 17 for further hearing.

Earlier, the police prosecutor, Sgt. Simon Ibrahim, told the court that Mr Innocent Okwonko of Plot 295, Ebitu Oke Street, Utako, Abuja had reported the matter at the Utako Police Station on July 11.

Ibrahim also said that the offence contravened Sections 79 and 287 of the Penal Code.

Section 79 states that ``when a criminal act in done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all, each of such persons is liable for that act in the same manner as if it were done by him alone’’.

Section 287 stipulates that ``whoever commits theft, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or be fined or with both.

(NAN)

INSIDE FCT COURTS Man, 29, in court over alleged kidnap, rape

A

29-year old Ibrahim Rashid of Gwarimpa Village, Abuja, on Tuesday appeared before an Abuja High Court for alleged kidnap and raping a four-year-old minor.

Rashid is standing trial on a four-count charge of alleged kidnap, abduction, attempted rape and causing grievous hurt to a minor.

At the resumed hearing of the case, prosecution witness, Mr Francis Joe-Okpa, being led in evidence by the prosecutor, Mr Obeka Chris, told the court that the case was reported by one Mr Bello.

Joe-Okpa said that the complainant reported the matter at the Civil Defence office in Ushafa, Bwari, on March 14.

In his testimony, Joe-Okpa said that after receiving the report ``I went to the scene of the incident and I saw a large crowd of people beating up the accused, which I rescued him.”

The witness said that he took the accused to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) station in Ushafa for investigation.

He also told the court that there was one Mr John Yusuf who accosted Rashid while attempting to rape the 4-year-old minor.

Joe-Okpa said Yusuf, who was the eye-witness of the incident, told him that the accused was caught in an uncompleted building at Ushafa village.

He said that while interrogating the accused at the NSCDC station, a large crowd of people came and threatened to kill the accused. `` I now transferred the matter to our FCT command for further action,” he said.

However, in his cross examination, the accused counsel, Mr Suleiman Abdulla, asked Joe-Okpa if really he investigated the matter and the prosecution witness admitted that he did.

Joe-Okpa, however, added that: ``I was not at the scene of the crime.”

He further testified that the accused forced the victim, whose shouting attracted people to the scene of the incident. ``I don`t know any other person that witnessed the incident apart from Mr Yusuf who was the eye witness,’’ he said.

Abdulla further asked the prosecution witness if the victim sustained injury. ``No, I don’t know because I am not a medical doctor,” JoeOkpa replied.

In his ruling, Justice Ishaq Bello adjourned the case to Sept.

2, 2013 for hearing. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 19

INSIDE

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

L-R: Director-General, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Umar Bindir, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Ibrahim Dikko, and a 200 Level student of Electrical Electronics Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Mussayibi Shuaibu, receiving his Certificate of Merit, during the 2013 Etisalat Merit Awards, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Electricity: 47% Nigerians experience poor power supply – Poll

By Abdulwahab Isa

A

n opinion conducted

by NOI Polls Limited revealed that an average of 47% of Nigerian adults attested that electricity supply was poor or went from bad to worse in the second qurter 2013.

The results also indicate that about 8 in 10 of those interviewed (81%) generate their own power supply through alternative sources to compensate for irregular power supply; while a combined average of 69% have experienced increase in their spending on alternative power supply compared to a year

ago. These are some of the key findings from the power sector polls for the 2nd quarter (Q2) of 2013r polls for the 2nd quarter (Q2) of 2013.

Similarly, combined average of 69% has experienced increase in their spending on alternative power supply compared to a year ago.

The poll, a recent one conducted by NOI Polls Limited for the second quarter of 2013 centers on electricity supply.

NOI, a specialist in opinion poll conduct in releasing its latest Poll gave insight to

methodology approach used by it elicit responses.

It said that “in order to measure the level of power supply to households, respondents were asked: ‘How would you describe power supply in your area in the past 1 month?: A combined average of 47% said power supply had either remained bad (25%) or had worsened (22%); compared with about 33% who said they witnessed some slight improvement, and 20% who experienced no difference in the past month”.

Nonetheless, NOI noted

NEITI to release fiscal audit report Monday

By Etuka Sunday

T

here are strong indications that the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) is set to release another fresh report on the activities of oil and gas sector next Monday.

The report covering sector activities (2012 to 2013) is presently going through what a source describes a final review preparatory to it release hopefully next week.

NEITI source told Peoples Daily that body has been working tirelessly on the report, and that it has gotten to its final stage, assuring it will be in public domain soon. He refused divulging an item of the report.

Executive Secretary, NEITI Hajiya Zainab Ahmed confirmed

same in a phone conversation with our correspondent yesterday saying “yes it is ready and it will be formally presented to the public on Monday”.

NEITI, an agency set up with the mandate to enthrone transparency, accountability and good governance in the extractive sector, NEITI has been working tirelessly through series of audit reports pointing out gaps in the revenue loss in oil and gas operations .

Since it debuted 2004, NEITI has released series of audit reports that beamed searchlight on the Nigerian extractives sector. In most of such reports, the agency highlighted that actual amount oil companies were supposed to pay to government coffers and what it received.

NEITI’s first audit covers the

period 1999 to 2004, the second covers 2005; the third 2006 to 2008, and fourth 2009 to 2011.

For instance, in January 2013, the one of 2009 to 2011 was released, putting the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’s debt to the Federation at N1.3trn. A report that the Management of the NNPC alleged was hurriedly made public and released to press.

The NNPC management had said that “the report contained fundamental inaccuracies which are misleading and constitutes misinformation to the generality of the public. NEITI without taking cognizance of the extant laws and regulations, guidelines and terms of relevant contracts in NNPC’s operations has continued to portray the Corporation to the public in bad light.”

that, it worth pointing that the poll results indicate a 1-point increase between April and June (April: 31, June: 32) of respondents who saw some improvement, a 5-point drop in respondents who said it remains bad (April: 27, June: 22) and a 3-point increase in those who said it remained the same (April: 18, June: 21).

The polls, NOI further said, indicated a link between power supply and the president’s approval rating; as it was observed that in the months where respondents perceived that power improved, the president’s rating seemed to increase and vice versa. The month of May had the best power supply of the three months.

FG to monitor new standard for CSR - Pg 20

Control of 13% derivation: Bayelsa Communities want reversal to 1982 Act

- Pg 22

Exchange Rates CBN

as at 24th July, 2013 Selling Buying

$

154.76

155.76

€

237.63

239.16

£

205.05

206.38

41.26

41.53

Riyal

Parallel Rates Buying

Selling

$

157.50

158.40

€

250

253.00

£

206.00

210.00

Riyal

43.00

45.00

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY Get through a turnaround by talking

W

hen a company is in crisis— facing bankruptcy or a disruptive competitor— it needs to act fast. But it’s also important to stop and speak with the people who are doing the day-to-day work of moving the organization in a new direction. Here’s how to use conversation to help orchestrate a successful turnaround: Talk straight. Be honest and authentic, especially when it comes to sharing bad news or addressing difficult topics.

Make talk happen. Stressful

times can cause people to keep to themselves. Promote interactivity and encourage debate. Forego one-way communication channels (like memos) and choose mediums that allow for back-andforth discussion instead.

Let everyone talk. Include people at all levels in the conversation. This will increase engagement among those who must carry out the turnaround work.

Source: Business Review

Harvard

PAGE 20

Commerce&Industry Company News

Ecobank expands to 34th African nation

E

cobank Transnational Incorporated has announced the opening of its South Sudan banking affiliate, making it the 34th on the African continent. According to a statement from the bank on Monday, the development offers the opportunity to support the youngest African state in addressing the challenges in regards to its development.

The bank said its new

Money laundering: CBN set to penalise defaulting banks

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

FG to monitor new standard for CSR Stories by Ayodele Samuel,Lagos

T

he Federal Government has promised to monitor compliance with the newly introduced Guidance Standard on Social Responsibility (ISO 26000 GSSR) to regulate companies’ corporate behaviour in Nigeria by Standard Organization of Nigeria SON. Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, while speaking at the unveiling of ISO 26000, an international standard that gives guidance on social responsibility, said the standards provides solutions for almost all sectors

as it was globally developed and accepted with the active involvement and participation of relevant stakeholders and interested parties.

Aganga who was represented by the Director-General, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Jim Osayende Obazee said the standard is intended to be used by organisations in public and private sectors both in developed and developing countries as well as in economies in transition.

He revealed that the Standard took five years of negotiation among different stakeholder groups, including governments, NGOs, Industry, Consumer Groups and Labour organisations

around the world before it was formally launched in 2010.

He commended the active participation of Nigeria in all the activities leading to the elaboration of the unique international standard through the National Mirror Committee on Social Responsibility, whose membership cuts across all stakeholder groups.

Also SON Director-General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, said the event was historic as it marked the hallmark of advocating the benchmark of organisational behaviour against a set of internationally-negotiated and agreed criteria for social responsibility.

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria is set enforce the Money Laundering Act to the letter. Already, the bank has asked banks, discount houses and development banks to forward the particulars of their chief compliance officers who are expected to, among other things, enforce the provisions of the Act.

Etisalat group declares 35 files dividend for mid quarter operations

By Chris Alu

T

Keystone Bank implements new workers’ appraisal system

K

eystone Bank Limited has implemented a performance-based appraisal system that seeks to reward hardworking workers and disengage those whose performance falls below the satisfactory level. The performance model, according to a statement from the Head of Corporate Communication, Mohammed Ciroma, has led to the promotion of 1,000 staff members.

RSL deploys IT infrastructure, ATMs in more locations

R

esort Savings and Loans has deployed information technology infrastructure and more Automated Teller Machines in more centres across the country.

The company also said it was creating affordable mortgages to help the Federal Government address the 17 million units of housing deficit in the country. The company also said in a bid to enhance operations.

He observed that the active participation of the country in the process, led to the final elaboration of the standard as the business operating environment was considered alongside other developed and developing economies. Odumodu added that the strict implementation of the standards by the various stakeholders would grow the economy.

“Being a guidance standard on social responsibility, the application and implementation of the requirements of ISO 26000 standards requires deep commitment of the top management of any organisation or institution, if the benefits of the standard are to be fully derived. It is therefore imperative to call on all organisations and institutions including governments at the various levels interested in responsible social behavior, to endeavour to internalise the requirements of this standard as a benchmark for measurement.”

L-R: Executive Secretary, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Dr Busari Abdullatif, presenting a copy of the Nigerian sugar master plan to Kogi state governor, Captain Idris Wada, during his visit to the governor, on Tuesday in Lokoja.

Photo: NAN

FG to halt sugar importation

By Aisha Bolaji

O

n the heels of robust comparative advantage it has on sugar production , the Federal Government has hatched plan to wean the country of sugar importation, Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Dr. Latif Busari hinted yesterday.

He dropped the hint at a meeting he hosted with Sugarcane Outgrowers Farmers’ Association in Abuja.

“Our mandate is to stop sugar importation. Every grain of sugar imported is one job exported,” he said.

He added that the Council was ready to give adequate support to the association with the provision of 50 percent of the capital needed for the next outgrower programme.

“The Federal Government is very much interested in the outgrower programme. We will start with Oyo state as the pace setter state.

The scheme is part of the sugar master plan approved

in September, 2012 for the achievement of national self - sufficiency in sugar. It’s implementation effectively commenced in January, 2013.

NSDC will not raise the whole money; it will bear 50 percent while banks will bring 50 percent because agriculture is a very risky area that is why banks always shy away.

Interest should not be more than 7 percent, insurance, 1.5 percent admin charge .5 percent,” Dr Busari said.

He continued: “What we must emphasize here is that the present government has taken agriculture as a business rather than as social services, so banks which are involved are in it for profit as well, though they do corporate social responsibility too but in this case, it is purely business.

It’s no longer social services, its business and the ministers of trade and investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga as well as minister of agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina have also

emphasized this.”

The NSDC boss further said: “The Sugar Council is no longer to be directly involved in outgrower schemes; it will only act, in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Agriculture, to facilitate the process. This facilitation insures assisting the farmers to form cooperative associations if they have not done so, introducing them to consultants who will help them to produce the feasibility report or draw up memorandum and introduction of the cooperative association to banks and equipment suppliers etc.”

He added that NSDC will provide 50 percent of the cost of such outgrower operations as collateral, as a way of sharing risks with the banks.

After the address of the Executive Secretary, a cross section of the association members who spoke, urged the NSDC to prevail on the government to reconsider its stand on not funding the scheme 100 percent.

he Etisalat Group of companies has declared a mouthwatering dividend for its second quarter operational for the year 2013.

Announcing the company performance result, Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Group , Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, said the result of its mid quarterly results interim dividend of 35 fils per share represent over 40% from the prior year; and revenue growth 20% per cent .

Also revenue from international operations grew by 50% while aggregate subscribers grew to 143 million.

The group also announced that it launched “Flous” that offers banking for unbanking in Egypt and obtained mobile network universal service license in Benin.

It joined GSMA and Global Mobile Health Community in battle against diabetes; and was awarded best CSR practices award. Etisalat Group reported strong consolidated revenues during the second quarter representing an increase of 20% in comparison to the same period of last year and an increase of 3% in comparison to the first quarter of 2013.

During the quarter, Group consolidated revenues was affected by the changing in the accounting treatment of the operations in Pakistan, which was consolidated with effect from January 1st 2013.

In the UAE, revenues of AED 6,303 million for the quarter were 12% higher than in the second quarter of 2012 and 5% higher than the first quarter of 2012. The quarterly year-over-year growth in revenues was primarily due to customer acquisition, an increase in the revenues of data and handsets sales.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 21

Feature Factory, labor market data offer bright signs for economy

A cement factory

N

ew claims for jobless benefits fell last week and factory activity picked up in the Mid-Atlantic region in early July, signs of a stronger economy that could help push the Federal Reserve to ease its monetary stimulus.

Data over the weekend bolsters the view that economic growth could pick up after a dismal first half of the year in which consumers were smacked by tax hikes and deep cuts in the federal budget.

“This is an encouraging sign heading into the second half of the year,” said Ryan Sweet, senior economist at Moody’s Analytics in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke expects the economy will gather enough steam by the end of the year for the Fed to begin scaling back a bond-purchase program it has used to push down borrowing costs, and Thursday’s data appeared to support his case.

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank said factory activity in eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware rose to its highest level in more than two years as employment and shipments picked up.

The bank’s index of business activity index rose to 19.8 from 12.5 in June, far exceeding economists’ expectations. Any reading above zero indicates expansion in the region’s manufacturing.

The report adds to early signs that U.S. manufacturing is expanding despite weakness in the global economy. The New York Fed said on Monday factory activity accelerated in New York State in July.

In a separate report, the Labor Department said initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped by 24,000 to a seasonally adjusted 334,000. It was the lowest reading since May and a steeper fall than analysts had expected.

The drop in new claims was the latest data to point to resilience in the labor market. While Washington’s austerity measures appear to have dragged heavily on growth in

“

The drop in new claims was the latest data to point to resilience in the labor market.

the first and second quarters, the pace of hiring has barely slowed, with employers adding 195,000 jobs in June.

At the same time, the labor market data from last week was clouded by seasonal factors. Readings for claims can be volatile in July because many auto factories close to retool, and it is difficult for the government to adjust the data for seasonal swings because shutdown schedules vary from year to year.

Still, a four-week average of new claims, which smoothes out volatility, fell 5,250 from a week earlier.

“This is still consistent with moderate job growth,” said Scott Brown, chief economist at Raymond James in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The dollar extended a rally against the yen and yields rose for long-term U.S. government debt, signs that investors were betting on tighter monetary policy in the future. U.S. stocks rose to record highs after investment bank Morgan Stanley posted stronger-thanexpected profits.

The jobless claims data covered the same week in which the Labor

Department looks at employers’ payrolls to estimate how many jobs the economy added during the full month. Compared to the survey week for last month, the four-week average for claims was 0.7 percent lower last week.

A third report showed a gauge of future U.S. economic activity held at a near five-year high, with the Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index flat at 95.3 last month.

Bernanke, who appeared before lawmakers for the second straight day on Thursday, repeated his message that the Fed would only begin withdrawing its support if the economy improves as much as policymakers expect.

In a potentially negative sign for the labor market, the Labor Department said the number of people still receiving benefits under regular state programs after an initial week of aid rose 91,000 to 3.1 million in the week ended July 6.

However, analysts said the increase could also be related to difficulties in adjusting the data for seasonal swings around America’s July 4 holiday.

(Reuters)

PAGE 22

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Economy

Naira firms 1.23 % as CBN tightens liquidity

T

he Nigerian naira firmed to a four week high against the U.S. dollar yesterday , a day after the Central Bank tightened liquidity in the banking system to support a currency which had fallen two percent since May. The naira closed at 159.9 to the greenback, its strongest since June 19 and against Tuesday’s close of 161.9 naira.

On Tuesday the naira fell 0.37 percent to its lowest level in three weeks against the U.S. dollar on

the interbank market, as dealers were anticipating that the central bank would lower its trading band on the currency, which did not happen.

Dealers said local units of French oil firm Total and Italian oil company Eni sold a combined $80 million to the interbank market, helping support the naira.

Nigeria’s central bank on Tuesday hiked the cash reserve requirement for public sector deposits -- which accounts for ten

percent of banking sector deposits -- by a surprise 50 percent to tighten liquidity and curb speculation on the currency.

The cash reserve for government deposits was previously 12 percent.

“Banks are reducing their long position on the dollar as the market digests the (central bank) decisions,” one dealer said.

The move also drove government bond yields higher on Wednesday, with yields rising

more than 0.3 percentage points across maturities. The short-term most liquid 3-year note rose 0.52 percentage points to 13.93 percent.

Currency weakness has been a source of concern for a central bank worried about inflation, particularly damaging in a country of around 170 million people that imports around 80 percent of what it consumes.

At a currency auction on Wednesday, the central bank sold

NSITF inaugurates Independent Investment Committee

T

he Board Chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mrs Ngozi Olejeme, has urged members of the Independent Investment Committee to work to stabilise the Employee Compensation Act (ECA).

Olejeme, who made the call on Tuesday in Abuja, said that the scheme was still new to people and that a lot needed to be done to ensure its stability.

She apologised for the delay

in inaugurating the committee, which she said was as a result of scarcity of funds.

She stressed the importance of the assignment of the committee to the growth of the organisation and urged the committee members to avail themselves of the copy of the Employee Compensation Act in order to know what was expected of them.

“Your committee is to advise the board on the fund development and initiate investment

drive programme for the organisation.

“You are also expected to build a cordial relationship with the board members and Directors in the organisation,’’ Olejeme said.

Mr Olusegun Oshinowo, the Chairman of the Committee, who spoke on behalf of other members, said the responsibility of the committee was enormous but gave the assurance that it would live up to expectation.

“We have been invited to add

value to the work of the organisation and we promised not to disappoint you.

“We are ready to support NSITF to play its important role as the provider of Social Security to all Nigerian citizens.

“Safety is not about the amount you want to pay a worker but the amount you want to pay to provide a safe place where after retirement, a worker can go home with his hand, limbs and body intact,’’ Osinowo said.

$300 million at 155.76 naira to the dollar at its twice-weekly auction, the same amount and rate that it sold at on Monday.

The regulator also sold treasury bills on Wednesday to mop up extra naira liquidity, dealers said, with foreign investors expected to participate due to the high yields seen from previous sales. Auction results are expected Thursday.

“We see the naira strengthening further as more oil companies sell dollars towards the month-end and banks cover short positions on the naira,” another dealer said.

The naira had been under pressure since May, despite the central bank selling $6.5 billion over two months at its currency auctions to support it. The currency was hit by a sell-off in bonds after the U.S. Federal Reserve signalled an end to the monetary stimulus that has supported emerging markets.

(Reuters)

Transcorp Hilton coasts home best hotel laurel

T

L-R: Group Chief, Human Resources, Dangote Industries, Mr Paramjit Pabby, Executive Director (marketing), Nigerite ltd, Mr Toyin Gbede, Lagos state Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, Lagos state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, and his Special Adviser on Commerce and Industry, Mr Seye Oladejo, during the 1st Lagos state Enterprise Day, on Tuesday in Lagos.

Photo: NAN

Control of 13% derivation: Bayelsa communities want reversal to 1982 Act

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

he agitation for the control of 13 % derivation by the 0il producing communities has taken another dimension as oil communities in Bayelsa state have urged the Federal Government to revert to the provisions of the 1982 Act in the disbursement of 13 per cent derivation fund.

In a memorandum sent to the Chairman Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and obtained

by the communities affirmed that the provisions of the 1982 Act stated that the 1.5 percent derivation fund accruable to oil producing communities be managed by them and wondered why it was changed when it increased to 13 per cent.

The memorandum was signed by 10 leaders of the communities namely Ikiobofa Amasamana, Pastor Macpherson Kurobo, Chief Victor Fazie, Hon. Mary Arugu, Leon Kereotubo, Hon. Robert Enaikator Onu,

Hon. BomaAlbert, Jack Andela, Azibola Egba and Cordelia Aridu.

According to them, “ In 1982, the derivation was 1.5 per cent of the total oil revenue. It is pertinent to state that the Revenue Act 1 of 1982 made provision of 1.5 per cent derivation fund for the development of Mineral Producing Areas in Nigeria. The derivation fund of 1.5 per cent was administered and managed through administrative committee system

by Federal Government and not the state Governments

“It is therefore surprising that RMAFC decided to pay the 13 per cent derivation into state government accounts when there is enough evidence from past administrative records and law that derivation fund is a Federal government matter”.

They claimed that the oil and gas producing communities fought for the payment of 13 per cent adding that it was due to the pressure exerted by the communities that the 13 percent is enshrined in the 1999 constitution.

ranscorp Hilton has been selected and voted as the best Hotel in Nigeria for the year 2012/2013 at the 11th edition of Travellers Awards in Abuja.

The awards, which were announced at Abuja Bantaba, Abuja’s premier event for travel professionals, are in recognition of excellent performance in the Travel & Tourism industry.

Transcorp Hilton Abuja emerged the winner of the award through a selection process that included online pool and survey conducted by editors of ATQ magazine. Presenting the award, Mr. Ikechi Uko, Publisher of ATQ, organisers of the award, remarked that Transcorp Hilton deservedly won the award because it ‘has consistently demonstrated high quality of service and facility’ ‘It is great to see the hard work and dedication of our team recognised by industry professionals.

We appreciate the recognition and thank the organizers of the Travellers Awards’ said the General Manager, Etienne Gailliez.

Winner of Hilton Worldwide ‘Hotel of the Year for Middle East & Africa 2010’, Transcorp Hilton Abuja is the choice hotel for local and international conference and events. The hotel’s location, quality of accommodation and the level of service delivery all combine to make it the preferred venue for group conference and events. The hotel recently won the coveted prize of Hilton Worldwide GC&E Sales Team of the Year award for Middle East & Africa Region for year 2012.

Transcorp Hilton’s Public Relations Manager, Shola Adeyemo, received the Travellers Awards ‘Best Hotel in Nigeria’ plaque on behalf of the hotel at the Award Dinner of Abuja Bantaba which took place at the Sheraton Abuja Hotels & Towers.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 23

Stock Watch

Report as at Wednesday, July 24, 2013

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Special Report

Scarcity of lower currency denominations threaten daily commercial transactions in Nigeria’s informal sector

By Aminu Imam and Suleiman Idris, Lagos

W

hile Nigerians have been told that their quest for lower value naira notes may soon come to fruition by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), many Nigerians, particularly traders and commercial vehicle owners and commuters are crying out to the concerned authorities over the persisting lack of lower currency denominations in the Nigerian financial system.

The shortage of the denominations in circulation has become very noticeable among retailers, bus conductors and petty traders.

Many traders and commuters have been forced to abandon their balances after purchase or exchange of services due to the fact that concerned sellers and/ or bus conductors could not raise the necessary balance to complete transaction.

Peoples Daily investigations, however, revealed that such shortage is not experienced among “currency hawkers,” who line the streets of Lagos on Fridays and Saturdays, selling crisp notes, particularly in lower denominations.

Some Nigerians have attributed the development to the CBN cash-less policy while others said the failed planned introduction of N5,000 note in 2012 may be responsible.

Since about 85 per cent of the nation’s daily transactions are conducted in cash, it is becoming a daily hassle for most ordinary Nigerians to access lower currency denominations, so much so that the issue of one getting ‘ordinary change’ in lower denomination of Naira notes has become a daily nightmare for most Nigerians.

It has become almost a crime

now in Nigeria to walk into a restaurant or supermarket, or board a commercial vehicle and not hold your own change.

After buying stuff and trying to pay, the first thing you hear is something like, “Hold your change o!”

Since when did it become a customer’s duty to hold his or her change? And since when did Nigerians have to pay the price for not having that said change?

Most businesses only require lower currency denominations for petty-cash purposes which are not frequently a significant amount. For retailers and others dealing directly with the public, there is often the need to pay in substantial amounts of cash in different denominations of notes.

A fried yam seller at Utako market, who spoke to our correspondents, but preferred anonymity, described the problem of change in her business as ‘seriously’ affecting her business. “Actually, we get serious problem with small changes with customers like if somebody comes with N1, 000 or N500, because some people will not even buy if you don’t have change. They will ask you first”.

However, despite the agreeing with the problems associated with larger denominations, the yam seller doesn’t believe that the attempt last year by the CBN to introduce N5, 000 notes would have solved the problem. She said, “I think the problem will even get worse if CBN brings out new N5, 000 notes. Even now, we encounter problems of changing N1, 000 or N5, 00 notes, so if it’s N5, 000 it will be worse.”

A conductor with one of the Mass Transit Buses, popularly known as “subsidy bus” in the federal capital Territory (FCT), who could barely speak because of emotion opined that they used to tell passengers to hold their change before they enter such buses, because of the challenges they face.

He stated that they waste long time looking for change, especially when a passenger is dropping before they reach their bus stops, which according to him affects their bottom line.

“We dey tell passengers to hold change for hand before they enter; na because of the problem we get o; na im be the reason we dey tell passengers.

We fit stay long on the way before we get change. The problem e no be small o!” he lamented.

When pressed to talk about his opinion if CBN introduces coins this year, the conductor frowned his face, and answered thus: “For this kind our work, if you come bring coins, we no fit collect am, I tell you, bros; For where we go keep am?” he angrily queried.

Also, a mechanic along Jabi road in Abuja, FCT, Hassan, said that he often encounter problems with the issue of change. He cited the nature of his business and the fact that he, most times, deals with commercial transport.

When asked whether he would welcome the introduction of new N5, 000 notes, Hassan stated that it wouldn’t affect his mechanic business much.

“If they bring N5, 000 notes, it will make no difference to my business, because I deal with lower notes.” On lower denominations coins, he claimed that “most people will not be going round with coins in their pockets, so you see they won’t last before they

(L-R): Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy & Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala disappear.”

According to a bus driver in Jabi, Felix Emmanuel, “Sometimes, we find it difficult to give our passengers change and it affects our business”.

Could you believe a passenger will give you N1,000 from Area 1 to Berger, how can you manage to find a change?

Especially when you just came out in the morning; to me, I find it difficult to leave change for any passenger because the gain is not much.

The botched planned introduction of N5,000 note by the CBN would surely have affected many businesses across the nation, whereby people are suffering in their daily search of livelihood. Whenever you go to the market with huge amount to buy foodstuff of N500, where do you expect the trader to find a change? It’s either you as the buyer forfeit your change or the seller does, which will surely affect your budget as the buyer and in turn affect the seller, because he might not meet up with his/her profit at the end.

According to a taxi driver, Suleiman Abdullahi, having the requisite change is very important in every business because, according to him, “It gives you rest of mind any time you have passengers and issue their change to them without any hitches.

On the issue of the N5,000 notes by CBN, he said, “It is a good idea, in terms of travelling

safely with a large amount of money without being noticed by thieves or hoodlums; also, it will make transactions easier and faster as one can be able to keep a large amount in his house or office for business transactions”.

However, he noted that when carrying out a transaction, one sometimes find it difficult to buy some items in the market as sellers refuse to accept higher denominations because of change. This will surely affect the seller, according to him, who is likely to take longer time before selling his goods and “it would also affect the buyer if he/ she is pressed to buy the goods, leaving his change behind. It will also affect the economy, putting more hardship to the poor.

Cash is still the king of transaction in the country, even in Lagos state, where the CBN introduced a new cashless policy last year as a pilot test, and therefore the availability of lower denominations is a task for the CBN The amount of the huge loss to the country arising from aborted transactions due lack of appropriate ‘change’ can best be imagined. Even the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) dotting the country’s landscape for now dispense minimum of N500 currency note.

Most people, especially the affluent of the society, may see this as a small issue as they

are wont to leave their change rather than face the hassle of, “No change o.” But for the rest of most Nigerians, who are left to bear the brunt of endless frustrations, and sometimes degenerating into quarrels and even exchanging blows.

In September 2012, following the outcry from Nigerians over the planned introduction of the N5,000 note, the Federal Government stepped down the introduction of the note by the CBN under its governor, Lamido Sanusi.

Presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, said the move was to allow more enlightenment by the CBN. Abati, while justifying the government position said, “The introduction is being suspended for now to enable the CBN do more enlightenment

on the issue. Yes, President Jonathan has directed that the implementation of the new N5, 000 note be suspended for now. This is to enable apex bank to do more in terms of enabling Nigerians understand why it proposed it in the first place. So, for now, the full implementation is on hold.”

Speaking with Peoples Daily, a trader in Ikeja, Miss Funke Adeyemi, said the issue of “change” (balance) in lower denominations is becoming a big problem for retailers, saying; “We hardly have ‘change’ to give to customers after purchase and this is causing problem for us because most customers believe that we don’t want to give them ‘change.”

Also highlighting their challenge, a bus conductor at

“

We dey tell passengers to hold change for hand before they enter; na because of the problem we get o; na im be the reason we dey tell passengers. We fit stay long on the way before we get change. The problem e no be small o!

Oshodi, Abiodun Shittu, told our correspondent that the scarcity of lower denominations in circulation is a major issue between bus conductors and commuters.

“We have to contend with abuse and curses from passengers who are not able to get their balances after our service. In most cases, we have to forgo our own fair for peace to reign and often we do advise passengers to board with their ‘change’ to avoid any quarrel,” he said.

The situation is not also palatable in major shops such as Shoprite, Just Rite and other departmental stores in Lagos.

Even eateries like Mr. Biggs, Tantalizers and Tastee Fried chicken are not spared.

A consumer, Adebola Awofeso, said, “Retrieving your balance after transaction is not easy nowadays. Even at the banks, it is becoming a major crisis point and I have witnessed a major fracas break out because of as little as N10. It is a big problem and I think government should do something about it before it becomes an economic challenge,” he said.

The CBN’s Director of Communications, Ugo Okoroafor, while explaining the situation, acknowledged the shortage of the lower denominations in the system but said the situation has improved.

A source in CBN, who spoke to Peoples Daily on condition of anonymity, however said the scarcity of lower denominations may not be unconnected with the government’s suspension of the introduction of N5,000 note, which would have also ensured that lower denominations are minted to replace old ones.

“We (CBN) do not want to talk so that it would not be like we are forcing the Federal Government to reverse the suspension. But the scarcity cannot be far from the suspension of the N5,000 note proposal last year,” he said.

Beside their nonavailability, six years after their introduction by the CBN, the public has almost lost interest in monetary transactions involving the exchange of N5, N10, N20, and N50 polymer notes.

Public attitude to these notes is predicated on what economists describe as their poor quality that has somewhat reduced their quality, over some periods of transaction, to an insignificant difference between them and mere papers.

“In some instances, the qualities that validate these notes as part of the Nigeria’s monetary system or legal tenders are not there altogether, including the inscriptions, rendering them not suitable for transactions,’’ Mr. Tunde Egbinola, an economist has said.

Egbinola said the currency reform carried out in 1991 in which 2 kobo and 5 kobo coins were phased out and 1 kobo, 10 kobo and 25 kobo coins were redesigned, should not have been reversed.

He observes that the subsequent coinage of 50k and N1 notes when the N50 note was put into circulation, could, somewhat be cited as the cause of sudden disappearance of coins in some business transactions.

According to him, while other developed and developing countries make use of coins for daily financial transactions, it is unfortunate that the coins, comprising 50 kobo, N1 and N2, have failed in that regard.

Okoroafor notes that the apex bank could have replaced the polymer notes with coins but the Federal Government stopped currency restructuring.

According to him, the CBN does not print new polymer notes now but it is operating with the existing ones because they fade quickly.

To stop the abuse of the Naira, he says the bank will continue “massive campaign’’ to ensure that government does not continue to spend huge sums of money in printing new notes to replace torn ones.

The irony in the Nigeria’s informal sector is that while the lower denominations are exiting the currency circulation system, the higher denominations such

as N100, N200, N500 and N1,000 are prevalence.

Observers noted that the current scarcity of the denominations may be associated with the handling of the notes by the public. They, therefore, call for caution.

According to Okoroafor, the CBN doesn’t print new polymer notes now but operates with the existing ones because they fade quickly.

The apex bank’s Deputy Governor, Mr. Tunde Lemo, however, gave the assurance that by the second half of the year, “we will start to produce the second generation of lower denomination notes, now in paper not in polymer.”

As it stands, it is a major concern for the retail end of the economy because their activities can only be sustained by adequate supply of lower denominations.

According to Mrs. Njideka Chima, a petty trader in Agege, “If Central Bank of Nigeria fails to do anything to address to shortage in supply of these currencies, we will wake up one day to find that N5, N10, N20 and N50 have been rested and we will be forced to buy a product of N10 for N100.”

It has therefore become imperative that the CBN should come to the rescue of the common man so that the unbearable and unnecessary hassle can be reduced to the barest minimum.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 27

Mother Earth

CITES and species ‘extinction crisis’

Ambrose Inusa Sule,

mnes

ENVIRONMENT WATCH globenviron@yahoo.com 0703-441-4410 (sms only)

I

n a recent study, it has been predicted that due to the challenge by prey loss and predation by humans, nearly half of all of Africa’s lion populations could face extinction in the next 40 years if conservation measures are not changed.

The study found that lion populations that were fenced into conservation areas rebounded in recent years, whereas lions in open preserves were challenged by prey loss and predation by human neighbors.

Findings revealed that lion populations have been shrinking across Africa as they rub-up against growing human populations. Herding cultures often convert wild habitat to grazing land, thereby reducing the population of natural prey for the big cats. So, instead of going after a zebra, lions will hunt people’s livestock, and occasionally kill people.

It further revealed that about 3,000 live great apes are stolen from the wild each year in Africa and Asia. As with elephants and rhinos, this illegal trade is linked to crime syndicates that move animals across borders like drugs, weapons or laundered money. At least 22,218 great apes have been taken from the wild since 2005, the report finds, nearly two-thirds of which are chimpanzees.

The apes are poached mainly for private collectors in the Middle East and unscrupulous zoos in Asia, and their social nature often leads poachers to gun down entire chimp or gorilla groups just to steal one infant.

That message seem to have resonated with the Convention on

International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) delegates in their meeting in Bangkok early in the year, where they agreed for the first time to establish a global reporting system to monitor how many great apes are being poached from the wild.

Also, multi-national crime syndicates have been reported to be waging war on elephants and rhinoceroses lately, fueled by rising demand in Asia for their tusks and horns.

The resulting slaughter has decimated both animals.

But the international wildlife-saving conference, held just once every three years, CITES 2913 may have at least put a dent in the free-for-all trade.

As we all know endangered species won’t be saved from the brink of extinction overnight, but compared with many of similar environmental conferences, namely United Nations climate talks, the 2013 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) was action-packed.

That’s especially important because, unlike annual U.N. climate negotiations, CITES is held just once every three years.

It’s often bogged down by countries that have vested interests in exploiting certain species, and while that still happened at this year’s CITES in Bangkok, pro-conservation countries also banded together to force significant action on several fronts, rising hopes that global wildlife laws may finally be growing teeth.

The conference featured beefed-up agreements on the trade of rhino and elephant parts, including measures to boost

forensic testing of seized or stockpiled contraband, a strategy that uses DNA and other scientific clues to pursue poachers and smugglers.

Trees may be less charismatic than other species, but some endangered trees also received much-needed attention in Bangkok.

The global trade in illegal timber is said to be worth about $30 billion per year, and CITES delegates focused most of their arboreal intervention on two particularly troubled trees: rosewood and ebony.

Both are over-harvested in Africa as well as SouthEast Asia, to make highend furniture. Rosewood is logged intensively in Thailand, where it meets demand from China’s growing middle class, but Thai rosewood will now be

listed in CITES Appendix II, a designation that requires permits from exporters as well as importers.

Endangered ebony from Madagascar is also popular and widely sold in China, despite existing Malagasy laws that ban exports of the dense, dark-colored wood. But under CITES restrictions, exporting countries will need to play a more active role in ensuring their native species aren’t being harvested unsustainably, and if they are, a lack of legal measures or enforcement could trigger across-the-board sanctions on all CITES species.

Despite such breakthroughs, however, CITES 2013 also yielded plenty of disappointment for wildlife advocates. An effort to ban international trade in polar bear parts,

Are the extinction rates of such species overestimated?

for example, failed despite vocal support from the U.S. delegation.

Delegates also left ample work for themselves to tackle when they reconvene in three years.

Conservationists will likely renew their calls for fullscale bans on elephant ivory, polar bear hides and many other animal parts, and the specter of climate change increasingly complicates existing threats like over-hunting and habitat loss.

New plans to protect elephants, rhinos and other species was reviewed at CITES 2013.

With a global “extinction crisis” facing many species, this year’s meeting was described as the most critical in its history with around 35,000 animals and plants are at present protected by the treaty.

It entered into force in 1975 and experts say that legitimate global imports of wildlife products are now worth more than $300bn (£200bn) a year.

The convention works by licensing commercial trade in species. The process is meant to be governed by the scientific evidence of threat against an animal or a plant.

However, as CITES consists of government delegations, its decisionmaking is rooted in the political and economic interests of member countries.

Many conservationists have criticised the issue of secret ballots, argued

that CITES delegations sometimes hide behind the secret ballot process when they want to avoid being seen putting commercial interests ahead of conservation.

Many campaigners are hoping that the meeting will vote to restrict the use of secret voting in order to set a more open tone for the meeting.

It is instructive to note that Nigeria is one of the 178 parties of CITES. As far back as 2005, the UN wildlife trade regulator lifted suspension on wildlife commerce with Nigeria, citing the country’s improved efforts to combat illegal trade.

Before then the regulator had called on states to suspend such dealings with Nigeria as it was the “hub” of much illegal wildlife trade in West Africa, notably in ivory but also in reptile skins.

Since then records indicate that Nigeria has significantly reduced illegal trade in Endangered Species, due to what has been considered as change in political will and the authorities’ positive engagement to stamp our illegal wildlife trade.

In 2010, the agency visited areas for blackmarket ivory commerce in Nigeria, but could no longer be found ivory there.

While it could be acknowledged that illegal trade has not disappeared completely, there are now laws in place, being implemented which ensure that this trade is controlled.

The next CITES will be held in South Africa in 2016.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 26

Mother Earth

By Mohammed Kandi

A

s global concerns over the devastating impacts of climate change overwhelm the humanity, a new study highlighting the damaging effects of climate change on West Africa’s Volta River basin was released at the recent 6th Africa Agriculture Science Week in Accra, Ghana.

In a report, which was put together by the Ghanabased International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research’s (CGIAR) Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), It examined the effects of climate change on water storage in Africa and detailed how a predicted 3.6 degree Celsius increase over the next century could affect the region.

Climate Change: Research orgnisations highlight damages on Volta River

The Volta River Basin is home to close to 34-million people who are spread across six countries, which include Ghana, BurkinaFaso, Mali, Ivory Coast, Benin and Togo. Researchers said the predicted drop in rainfall and resulting decrease in water flow would directly impact their lives for many years if it is not addressed now.

Director for Africa at the IWMI, Tim Williams, said, “The study found that climate change will add significant impact on rainfall as well as river flow and ground water recharge in the Volta Basin, which in turn will have impact on development outcomes

relating to economic development, food security, and the livelihoods of farmers in the Volta Basin.”

“By 2050 there would be enough water for only 50 percent of current hydropower production, the study found. Ghana’s Akosombo dam, the world’s largest man-made lake, currently generates 1,020 megawatts,” he informed saying “normally, surface water storage in the basin would allow for irrigation of larger areas. But he said this would be adversely affected the drop in rainfall brought about by climate change.”

Williams said the report

should be a wake-up call for the government and public officials to look at the likely impact of climate change on water resources in the Volta Basin.

He said: “I hope leaders will start taking appropriate measures to ensure that the coming changes in weather patterns will not harm the economic development, wellbeing and livelihoods of the people of the Volta Basin.”

“We do notice two trends: The increasing demand on the available water resources which is population driven - that is already affecting the water availability.

On top of that there is anecdotal evidence by farmers who point to

shifts in the onset of rains as well as variability within the season in terms of frequency of dry spells within the growing season,” he explained.

The study’s lead author, Matthew McCartney, noted that climate change effects were already being felt in the basin.

“Climate change warning signs in the Volta Basin are an upward trend in mean annual temperature,” he said.”Because of the natural variability, rainfall trends are much harder to assess than temperature, but there is some evidence of declining trends in rainfall, at least over Ghana,” he said.

Researcher calls for collective efforts to mitigate flooding

A

researcher, Dr Stella Smith, has called for collective efforts of government at all levels and corporate organisations to mitigate the effect of flooding during this year’s rainy season.

Smith, who is Head, Emergency Response and Preparedness Research Group, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recently in Lagos.

She said that flooding, if not properly controlled, could trigger health crises such as malaria, cholera, diarrhea, and other infectious diseases. “Actually, there are different hazards that occur when there is flooding; possibility of drowning is quite high and apart from that infectious diseases, cholera, diarrhea diseases.

People are also exposed to malaria, because you have stagnant water all over the places.

“And apart from that, there is mental health effects that people are actually traumatised because it came suddenly to them. Some of them they least expected it and it was a traumatic experience and affected them mentally.

“Even, some of them right now are still not been able to come out of it, others committed suicide due to the flooding.

“And you hear that the elderly, of course, physically challenged people could face problems when this flooding comes in. And you have issues of people defecating in the environment when there is no proper provision for toilets, so, those are things they could be exposed to,” she explained.

She, however, called for tree planting, construction of drainage systems, and effective communication and individual preparedness to mitigate the impact of flood disasters.

“There are various things that could be done to prevent flooding.

I mentioned tree planting, people in the flood prone areas should be communicated effectively,

they should have communication channels by which they get to know when there is going to be flooding.

“There are sometimes they can get prepared and we are not only preparing just by hearing, but they should prepare with emergency kits such as having flooding shoes, having a lot of money ready, having a lot of change of clothes.

“Having radio with batteries that they could use to get current information having things like torch light, of course when it gets dark you need to feel your way.

“Last year we were able to discover that during those flood areas we saw snakes; you know those are dangerous things that these people are exposed to.

So, there should be individual preparedness.

“There should be tree planting, there should be receptive use of the land, proper drainage system, because these are the things that could also lead to flooding, construction of bridges and canals in the right places.” (NAN)

Volta Basin Authority

NGOs to involve disabled women in climate change mitigation

A

registered communitybased organisation called ‘Beakanyang Kafo’, and the Rural Support Organisation for the Disabled (RSOD) recently held discussions in Basse, Upper River Region (URR), in the Gambia to devise means of involving disabled women in climate change mitigation process in the country.

Beakanyang Kafo is an organisation operating in the village of Barrow Kunda in Wuli-West District of Upper River Region. It was founded in

September 2001, with the aim to improving the livelihood of the people of Barrow Kunda and its satellite villages. Beakanyang’s key areas of intervention are education, health, agriculture and sports.

The organisation is now becoming a house-hold name in The Gambia, particularly in the URR. It maintains its main office in Barrow Kunda village in Wuli, and has a chapter in the Greater Banjul Area, known as Beakanyang Kombo Chapter, with a membership of over 200.

The project co-ordinator of Beakanyang, Nfamara Jawneh, explained that the two NGOs are out to ensure a greater participation of marginalised voices in climate change mitigation processes. He said that even though climate change disproportionately impact on disabled people, especially women, the presence of disabled people in climate change discussions is very low.

“We decided to meet with RSOD, the only URR-based NGO working with persons with disabilities in the region, to see

how best we can involve disabled women into climate change mitigation process in our future projects,” he remarked.

Jawneh further stated that RSOD as an NGO dealing with persons with disabilities for many years will be a great asset in the implementation of the climate change project. The project coordinator of Beakanyang also thanked them for their willingness to partner with his organisation in empowering vulnerable rural women.

(Source: allAfrica.com)

Desert Encroachment: NSCDC plants 12, 000 trees in Jigawa

T

he Jigawa state Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has commenced the planting of 12, 000 trees as part of its contributions to halt desert encroachment in the state.

The NSCDC commandant

in the state, Mr. Muhammad Gidado, said at the inauguration of the exercise in Dutse that 6, 000 of the trees would be planted in Dutse, the state capital. Gidado said the gesture was to support the state government in its war against desert encroachment and deforestation. He said it was also

a part of the Corps’ community support services programme.

“We want to render our community service to the people of Jigawa; we are not only security officers, but also plant officers,” he said.

“We will plant 6, 000 trees this week in Dutse and its

environs, and the remaining 6,000 will be planted in the rest of the local government areas of the state,” he added.

Gidado said every officer of the command would plant a tree and nurture it to maturity.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 29

Emergency Update YOUTH FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

By Abubakar Jimoh abujimoh01@yahoo.com

Risingdeathsfrompowergenerating fumes (1)

T NEMA’s Gombe operating office, in collaboration with the state’s SEMA and other critical stakeholders in disaster management embarked on a 2-day evacuation drill exercise for MDA’s at the state secretariat in Gombe state recently.

19 countries benefit from Nigeria’s humanitarian aid, says Sani-Sidi Stories by Mohammed Kandi

T

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has provided humanitarian assistance to 19 countries facing emergency challenges, Director- General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani-Sidi has said.

In a statement issued by Sani Datti, Information Officer at the Agency in Abuja, the DG made this known while addressing the 2013 Humanitarian Affair Segment of United Nation Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The NEMA boss also said the assistance were donated severally in different forms of cash and relief items, and were delivered by the agency in line with the Nigeria’s concentric foreign policy and the spirit of ‘South-South’ cooperation.

Sani-Sidi, who noted that the gesture was meant to foster closer cooperation between Nigeria and the benefiting countries to

strengthen disaster management, however said, “Nigeria has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Gambia on sharing of information, assets and manpower for effective disaster management and humanitarian service delivery.”

“Through the MoU, two technical personnel of NEMA are presently in Gambia to support National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) of Gambia NDMA to develop institutional framework and capacity building,” he said.

Sani-Sidi, who said that Nigeria had received some relief donations from the international community in the past, stressed the need for the country to reciprocate in many folds.

“We received aids for people that were affected by identified disasters. Some of the donors included UNFPA, JICA, KOICA, ECOWAS, Islamic Development Bank, Chad Basin Commission among others,” he explained.

He said beside the donations, Nigeria has also benefited from the supports of other international humanitarian actors that have contributed to disaster management in the country, including the joint partnership in the coordinated disaster preparedness and capacity development.

Also speaking at the event, the United Nation (UN) s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordination, Baroness Valerie Amos, advised actors to work closely more with governments and local authorities to address humanitarian issues in the communities.

It would be recalled that Sani-Sidi was recently appointed to preside over the Regional Committee on Disaster Management at the ECOWAS. The appointment was in recognition of important roles Nigeria played in promotion of disaster issues.

NEMA urges South-West to evacuate residents on floodplains

N

ational Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised occupants of houses located on floodplains in the South-West region to vacate those areas, following predictions on likely heavy rains this month and in the remaining part of the year.

The Coordinator of NEMA in the South-West, Mr. Iyiola Akande made this known in Ado Ekiti, Ondo state after the distribution of relief materials to victims of rainstorm and flood disasters in six local government areas of Ekiti state.

Akande said in a statement that the materials distributed to the victims included iron sheets, cement, other building materials

and food items. No fewer than 285 houses were destroyed by rainstorm in six local governments and 1,508 victims were affected.

According to him, some of the disasters ravaging the nation are caused by human beings, stressing that they can be prevented.

Akande urged residents of the zone to heed the prediction by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, which predicted heavy rainfall in the region in 2013, especially in July.

He said: “Those who have houses on floodplains should evacuate because heavy rainfall will definitely result in flooding and they will be affected. They should heed the warning and government should also provide alternative places for them.

“As earlier predicted, the flood of this year will be more but the impact won’t be devastating because of proactive measures being taken by governments of southwestern states”, he added. The co-ordinator also urged some states, whose emergency management agencies lacked the backing of the law, to enact laws to do so.

Also speaking, the General Manager of SEMA in the state, Mr. Femi Osasona, said the state government would also give money to the victims of the disasters to enable them to pay artisans who would do the repair of their houses.

He urged residents to always use quality cable for electrification of their houses saying such would prevent fire outbreaks.

he accelerating cases of death and diseases through generator-related accidents have become a daily phenomenon in Nigeria in the last few months. Little wonder, many users are ignorant of the dangers associated with over-reliance on generators that are fast becoming indispensable for Nigerian homes.

The irregular or outright failure of Nigeria’s power regulator—Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), to supply electricity to the citizenry has left users with single option of resorting to the use of generating sets of different kinds, even with horrible and life-threatening implications.

On several occasions, an entire family has been reportedly wiped out, inhaling dangerous fumes from their generating sets. In fact, almost every home in urban areas identifies with generating sets.

Interestingly, the pathetic situation of deaths arising from dangerous fumes is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. In the analysis of United States’ National Toxicology Program (NTP), it confirmed that exposure to generating fumes is widespread in the modern world.

“While exhaust from generating sets brings a complex mixture of soot and gases to roadways, cities, farms, and other places exposing individuals to health-related problems such as cancer, lung (respiratory) and heart diseases.”

It would be recalled that one of the recorded deaths from fume poising in Nigeria was that of the awful incident of July, 2012, when nine members of the same family died mysteriously in their home in Imo state. Just three weeks after that horrific news, the nation’s newspapers broke stories of another incident on the death of family of seven at Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi state.

Of course, Nigerians would not forget in a hurry how the news four persons who lost their lives right in the comfort of their rooms as a result of suspected fumes from a generating set stormed Urum community in Awka-North local government area of Anambra state, soon after the Uburu incident.

Subsequently, another family of four, comprising a man, his wife and two children was mysteriously killed by generating fumes at village of Nkwere - Ezunzka in Oyi local government area of Anambra state.

Moreover, Nigeria is not alone in this tragedy. For instance, in October 2006 in the New York, as many struggled to get

by without power on the East Coast following Hurricane Sandy, no fewer than nine deaths were recorded from some who turned to portable generators to provide basic electricity to their homes.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that the misuse of the portable power sources has killed at least five people and sickened dozens more after Hurricane Katrina in October, 2005. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the above five deaths were among 51 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning reported in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama after the hurricane.

In efforts to prevent the needless deaths and other health implications from generating fumes, the Youths Against Disaster Initiative (YADI), in collaboration with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) under the leadership of its Director-General, Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi, made some useful recommendations extracted from the views of safety experts at national and international levels.

They said: “Individuals should avoid using generators indoors or in an attached garage. Only operate a generator outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry area, away from air intakes to the home. It is an internal combustion engine that exhausts a deadly gas called carbon monoxide.”

It is important to stress the fact that there is need for effective sensitisation campaign on the part of the environmental and health ministries, at both federal and state levels, to enlighten the general public on the danger surrounding the use of generators and how they can be safely used.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission noted that, connecting a generator directly to your household wiring can be deadly. “A generator that is directly connected to your home’s wiring can back-feed into the power lines connected to your home.”

“The correct way to use a generator is to connect a heavyduty, outdoor-rated power cord to the generator. Then, appliances can be connected to the power cord, and ensure that the outdoorrated power cord has a sufficient wire gauge to handle the electrical load,” the commission advised.

Besides, if you wish to hardwire a generator to your home, it should be installed by a licensed or experienced electrician with an approved cut-off switch that will automatically disconnect the home from the power grid when the generator is being used.

PAGE 28

Emergency Update

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Revisiting stakeholder collaborations in disaster management

By Ola Lookman

T

here are many institutions in Nigeria that jointly manage disaster situations in the country.

While the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is coordinating bodies for disaster management, other stakeholders are always on ground to address various emergency challenges as they occur.

Some of the institutions involved in disaster management effort include the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NSDC), Nigeria Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and volunteer groups like the Red Cross societies. Meanwhile, there are other powerful agencies whose actions could lead to injuries and loss of lives while tackling emergencies. They are the Police, Army, Navy and Air Force; such bodies are authorised to carry arms.

While it is the responsibility of the Police to manage internal conflicts and crises, the military are to protect the territorial integrity of the state especially from external aggression.

Interestingly, there have been efficient and effective collaborations among the response agencies, especially in managing some challenging emergencies in the country.

While the military, police and other security agencies jointly protect the citizens from marauders and militants, NEMA and the Red Cross have remained actively involved in addressing the needs of victims of disasters.

The seeming missing link in the joint operation of response agencies is the alleged cynicism between the civilian residents and the security personnel, who are always on ground to protect them.

Recently, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, however called for better co-operation and understanding between the civilian and security personnel, as the nation wages war against terrorism in some parts of the country. The call came at the time when some people are expressing the fear that more troops have been deployed by the Federal Government to curtail the increasing security challenges posed by terrorists, armed robbers, kidnappers and other anti-social elements, who are making life unbearable for the law-abiding citizens.

At a recent National CivilMilitary Dialogue in Abuja, participants observed that the past decade has witnessed multiple forms of unrest — armed robbery, kidnapping, electoral violence, communal and ethno-religious crises, while some parts of the country still battle with series of insurgency and terrorism issues.

Director-General of NEMA, Muhammed Sani-Sidi (4th left) in a group photograph with other participants at the 2013 Humanitarian Affair Segment of United Nation Economic and Social Council meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, recently

From the outset, it is necessary to say that the current security challenges facing Nigeria can be said to be a global phenomenon, which is also being witnessed in various countries where the military have to protect the state from high-profile terrorists.

Some countries have witnessed lawlessness at its peak where vagabonds, masquerading as freedom fighters attempted or succeeded in taking over governments. The changing role of the military in fighting terrorist groups like the Boko Haram in Nigeria has brought about closer ties between the soldiers and the host communities. This, has definitely created a calmer scenario doused the sustained tensions as both groups (civilian and military) chart a new way to accommodate each other.

There is nothing wrong with deploying military troops to assist civilian authority to check civil disobedience, especially when the people

no longer have confidence in the police. But the question we must ask is: Are the police ready to cope with the current challenges when their officers (including DPOs) are ambushed and killed arbitrarily, when their formations have been destroyed with sophisticated explosive devises, or when they are excessively overwhelmed and to protect the innocent citizens has become a big issue for them?

A logical solution, which has now been set-up to deliver to the public efficient security system, is the Joint Task Force (JTF), which has membership from all relevant security agencies.

The setting up of the JTF is in the realisation that policing the domestic arena is not the duty of the military, whose training is directed against external enemies of the state.

However, we must realise that the military’s participation in joint activities with other paramilitary outfits to confront the tasking new Millennium security challenges are for

strengthening efforts to protect our people from devilish and wicked marauders.

On this note, the NSA, in a bid to prevent some frictions between soldiers and the civilian populace, sought for better understanding and collaboration among these groups. According to him, “the military can provide desirable assistance to civilians wherever they operate, while the civilian populace can reciprocate this in many other ways.”

There is no doubt that, civilians’ vigilance on their immediate environment, as well as provision of useful information to the appropriate authorities have enhanced efficiency of the security agencies in the fight against insurgency, terrorism and other forms of criminality across the country. Also, it is gladden to note that presently local indigenes, youths and vigilant groups are actively providing the support through formation of specialised community-based groups. Such groups like the Civilian JTF

The seeming missing link in the joint operation of response agencies is the alleged cynicism between the civilian residents and the security personnel, who are always on ground to protect them.

recently apprehended top Boko Haram members and handed them to the security. It is also encouraging to see prominent personalities including traditional rulers now coming out openly to disclaim and condemn activities of the insurgents. There is notable reduction of terrorists’ attacks which in the past were weekly occurrences, especially on the weekends, even outside the prone areas of the North-East.

While we must urge other security outfits to brace up to the new challenges of policing and protection of lives and property, as while as calling on NEMA for timely provision of relief materials to victims, the military’s intervention in the war against terrorism should be sustained until normalcy returns to the enclaves. The civilians themselves and the media should be security consciousness and alert relevant security agencies of suspicious movements, behaviours and objects that could pose security threat to our national integrity.

As a people, Nigerian should establish and sustain our supports and relations with the response agencies, especially NEMA and police and the military presence as a necessity to protect our people in dangerous zones, pending when those terrorists with their well-armed lethal armaments and sophisticated gadgets are completely uprooted and eliminated from our national life.

Ola Lookman is member of the Youth Against Disaster Initiative, Abuja

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Feature

As Nigeria’s vigilantes take on Boko Haram Vigilante groups have been formed in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri to fight the militant insurgent group, Boko Haram, a move welcomed by the military as it battles to quell the insurgency, as the BBC’s Will Ross reports.

By Folasade Folarin

M

ilitary checkpoints have been a common sight in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri the birthplace of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram - for several years.

But these days the people asking the questions at the ubiquitous roadblocks are often not in uniform. They are civilians who are adding their muscle to the fight against Boko Haram, which is waging a military campaign to create an Islamic state across Nigeria.

More than 2,000 people have been killed since it launched an insurgency in 2009.

“When the situation became too bad to endure, we decided to find the Boko Haram members ourselves,” said Mohammed, who was stopping and searching cars at one of the checkpoints. “Whenever we see them we arrest them and hand them over to the army. Some of us know these people,” he said, adding that he and his colleagues are not paid for the work.

The vigilantes started appearing on the streets in early June, after a state of emergency was declared in May and thousands of extra troops sent to the area to wipe out the militants.

The civilian-run checkpoints have since spread across almost every district of the mainly Muslim town. They are mostly manned by teenage boys and young men in their twenties but there are also some women searching female passengers.

Mohammed said that when they detain a suspected militant, “we bring the holy Koran and then ask him to swear on it. If he’s lying we are sure he will die”.

‘Idiotic thieves’

The vigilantes all carry crude weapons; sticks, machetes, knives and metal pipes.

Considering the Islamist militants are known to be well armed you might think the vigilante members feel exposed.

“It is thanks to the protection of God - God is our guide whenever you do something with good intention you will definitely succeed,” said Mohammed, who normally works as a lorry driver. “If we are allowed to operate without any interference, definitely we will bring an end to this problem,” he added.

His colleague Salisu, normally a bricklayer, said that the vigilantes, and not Boko Haram, are carrying out the work of Allah.

“It is a mission for the sake of Allah.

If we refuse to expose these irresponsible archaic hypocritical idiotic thieves, then we will face the wrath of the Koran”, he stated.

Boko Haram continues to stage attacks despite the state of emergency

The Nigerian military Joint Task Force (JTF) has welcomed the presence of the vigilantes on the streets of Maiduguri.

“These gestures are commendable as it underscores the desired positive civil-military collaboration necessary for the success of the ongoing internal security operation,” said Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade just after civilians had started appearing at the roadblocks.

It is not clear if the vigilantes, also known as the civilian JTF, will later be armed with guns by the government.

Many of the soldiers deployed in northern Nigeria are from other parts of the country and do not know the Kanuri language, the most common used in Maiduguri.

‘Guns in coffins’ “Without knowing the environment and the people, building confidence and establishing a presence is very difficult,” said Kole Shettima, chairman of the

Centre of Democracy and Development in Abuja.

“The vigilantes know the local population and can help fish out the insurgents. But increased conflict between the vigilantes and Boko Haram is possible and this would further militarise the society and make it extremely difficult to see an end to the violence,” he said.

“A new group of young people who may get armed could then try to get what they can out of the situation. They may themselves become a danger and mete out their own form of justice.”

There are already some reports from Maiduguri of vigilantes killing people, rather than handing suspects over to the army. In order to sidestep the tighter security presence in Maiduguri, the Islamist militants have diversified their tactics.

Earlier this month several suspected Boko Haram members disguised themselves as women. They hid their faces behind veils and their guns beneath full-length robes. Local reports from Maiduguri said their mission was thwarted and soldiers shot several of them dead.

In June eyewitnesses said Islamist insurgents shot dead 13 people in an apparent reprisal attack on members of a vigilante group. They had sneaked their weapons into the area by pretending to be on their way to a burial, hiding their weapons in the coffin.

The recent attacks on schools have also proved how vulnerable the local population is. Over the past month 48 students and seven teachers have been killed in four attacks in northern Nigeria.

In a video on the internet, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said his group supported the recent attacks on schools, although he denied being behind the attack on Mamudo in Yobe state where at least 29 students were killed.

There are dangers associated with relying on vigilante groups to offer security for the population.

But as Islamist militants seem determined to attack softer targets, the vigilantes could play a vital role in trying to thwart attacks and save lives, some analysts say.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 31

International China-Africa co-operation: coming under academic scrutiny ANALYSIS

By Charles Onunaiju, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania he Nkrumah Hall of the Legendry University of Dar es Salaam was emblazoned with the red and green banners, depicting the colours of national flags of both the Peoples Republic of China and the United Republic of Tanzania. The serenity of the hall did not quite betray the intellectual fireworks that were to rage in it for the next two days.

China/Africa co-operation is a regular menu on international political round tables and generates substantial interests in the media.

However, rarely has it come under concerted academic debates.

Against this background, the University of Dar es Salaam and the embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in Tanzania jointly organized a two-day academic forum with the theme, of “China dream-African dream; achieving common development through common efforts” and invited scholars from across Africa and China. The opening day of the seminar have keynote addresses delivered by the former Deputy SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, director for African Affairs department of the China’s ministry of foreign affairs, ambassador Lu Shaye, the Tanzanian minister for foreign affairs and international co-operation, Mr. Bernard Membe and the ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to Tanzania, Mr. Lu Youqing. The vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Rwekaza Mukandala delivered the welcome and introductory remarks. The Tanzania minister of foreign affairs in his address wondered aloud while the West takes a lot of pain in dissuading Africa from deepening co-operation with China, while then, themselves are profoundly engaged with China. Former Deputy SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro said that China/Africa co-operation is a significant block of the emerging global architecture and deserve in depth academic enquires.

Director of the African affairs in Chinese ministry of foreign affairs, ambassador Lu Shaye in his remarks said that the co-operation between the two sides have entered a new stage, where it could be complimented and boosted with academic research.

He urged the assembled scholars to break new grounds and develop appropriate paradigms in understanding and evaluating the bourgeoning

T

AU Chairperson, Dr. Dlamini Zuma co-operation between the two sides.

With keynotes addresses and remarks delivered, the floor was thrown open for the intellectual fireworks. First to raise the storm, was Sam Maghimbi, sociology Professor at the University of Dar es Salaam. Speaking on the sub-theme of “what opportunities does. ‘Chinese dream’ bring to Africa”, he questioned what China actually want in Africa. Seemingly answering his own question, he claimed that an emerging global power like China would obviously feel good to be patronizing the least developed part of the world. Beyond the show of humanistic ideal, Professor Maghimbi held that Africa’s vastly held strategic minerals and resources could help keep the Chinese expanding economy throttling on. He concluded that China seemed fairly clear of what she wants from Africa, but doubt if Africa has a coherent understanding of what she wants from China.

Professor Severine Rugumamu of the political science and international relations department of the University of Dar es Salaam toed the same line as his colleague, claiming also that for China, Africa is a vast untapped market, adding that for Africa, China’s aid and development assistance which comes with little or no strings were huge attraction for Africa leaders. He challenged Africa to also tap from China’s huge market by exploring the complementarities in the economies of the two sides. Dr. Zhang Chun, a senior research fellow at the Shanghai Institute of International Studies drew attention to the expanding trade of the two

“

Chinese President Xi-Jinping

With keynote addresses and remarks delivered, the floor was thrown open for the intellectual fireworks.

sides. Professor Katabaro Miti of the international relations department of the University of Cape Town in South Africa explored the trajectories of Africa-China co-operation and came down almost to the point that the economy remains the key driver to the expanding co-operation between the two sides. Dr. Mustapha Machrafi, a professor of economics at Mohammed V Souissi University, Rabat in Morocco said that SinoAfrican relations are explained on the one hand by the strategic position of Africa on the world stage because of its geographical position and its energy riches

and also by the position of large number of African countries that weigh in international negotiations and international institutions. He however, noted that Africa constitute only 4% of China’s global market outreach, and therefore very small.

Your correspondent who was invited to present a paper on the sub-theme of “China-Africa cooperation in new circumstances: Challenges and opportunities” raised issues about a seemingly intellectual orthodoxy that view China-Africa co-operation from an exclusive economic prism.

The shared history of colonial domination, exploitation and humiliation provided a strong base for solidarity which has in recent times transformed to functional co-operation at all levels including economic. Africa and China in contemporary time share similar aspirations for sustainable development and peace under international legality. According to the paper, the deepening co-operation of the two sides reinforces the historical solidarity and an affirmation of common aspiration for a just and fairer international system.

The win-win framework and mutual benefit that is at the root of China-Africa economic cooperation was vividly espoused by Premier Zhou Enlai on the eve of his 14-nations Africa tour in 1964.

The three elements includes, that Chinese development assistance must be relevant in building local capacities, the co-operation must not lead to dependency but selfreliance and that Chinese experts working in Africa must not enjoy higher living standard different from their African counterparts.

Though, China Africa relation has undergone profound changes, these key elements in its organisation and promotion remains an unrelenting driver of the deepening process. One further argued that Sino-Africa relations have enabled the two sides to mutually support each on key international issues. Africa played leading roles in the restoration of China’s legitimate seat at the United Nations in 1971.

In the whole, the two-day seminar drawing scholars from all across the sub-regions in Africa and China saw the final communiqué of the seminar expressed deep appreciation of participants to the organizer for the scholarly platform like the seminar and added that it would tremendously deepen and broaden the co-operation between Africa and China. Professor Li Ansan of the history department of University of Peking, China concluded in his remarks that the problems of Sino-Africa relations which scholars have pointed out in the course of the seminar showed that Sino-Africa co-operation is on course, noting that problems arises only from contacts.

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

International Nigeria’s foreign minister in Asia for prison transfer talks

By Abdulkadir Isa

T

he minister of foreign affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru has arrived Indonesia to kick-

start prisoner transfer talks.

Ashiru left Nigeria yesterday on a two-state tour of Asia – Indonesia and Philippines with a threepronged mission.

Speaking through the director of his office, the minister said the trip was necessary as the life of well over 40 Nigerians was at stake.

He said “there are many Nigerians on death row particularly in Indonesia and plea for their release

or transfer as a measure of saving their lives is of priority to the nation”.

The minister will also be in the Philippines to further bilateral talks on Nigeria-Philippines relations, to boost ties particularly on economic partnership.

Furthermore, the minister will use the opportunity to solicit the Asian countries’ support for Nigeria’s bid as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

The visit to the Philippines is a return homage made earlier by a high-powered trade delegation from Manila seeking to revive the 35-yearold dormant partnership.

This prisoner repatriation effort has been lingering for long as dozens of Nigerians have been sentenced to death in many Asia and Middle East countries, thereby sending dangerous signals for the country’s image.

It is expected that the minister’s visit will yield immediate fruitful results as in 2010, the then minister of foreign affairs; OjoMadueke made a similar move on prison transfer to Indonesia with no prisoner freed or repatriated.

The present number of Nigerians wallowing in Indonesian prisons is not certain but in 2010, they were 48

and to date, only one is said to have been executed as he was caught in a drug related deal gone bad already as a condemned inmate.

Responding the move by the minister, former ambassador of Nigeria to Sudan, Suleiman Dahiru said there is a need to sensitize Nigerians the more to abort taking the risks of drug trafficking, particular to countries where it is law that drug trafficking attracts life penalties.

Mr. Suleiman however showed remorse, reflecting his experience in such cases that the possibility of winning back condemned drug traffickers is very slim.

Sisi also vowed to stick to a political roadmap that laid the way for a reform of the constitution and new elections within some six months.

He said his appeal for protests was not a call for violence and expressed support for efforts for national reconciliation.

The Muslim Brotherhood reacted quickly, with senior member Essam al-Erian issuing a statement directed at Sisi saying: “Your threat will not prevent millions to rally against coup ... You have been always in your office conspiring.”

The army chief’s speech came ahead of proposed “national reconciliation” sessions called for by the interim leader Adly Mansour, and followed renewed violence in and outside the capital Cairo, in which at least three people died.

Sisi offered condolences to the families of victims killed in such violence, which has been seen as recently as Wednesday morning.

Unknown gunmen who shot at

Mursi supporters in Cairo killed at least two people, witnesses and health officials confirmed, adding to a death toll of more than 100 people since the president was removed by the military on July 3.

In a separate development on the same day, a bomb exploded at a police station in a province north of Cairo, killing one conscript, and wounding more than 15 people health officials said.

Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood has said it will boycott Mansour’s reconciliation talks.

A senior member of Al-Nour, Egypt’s most powerful Salafiparty,said that it will also not be attending.

“TheMuslimBrotherhoodrejected an invite to Wednesday’s national reconciliation meeting. For them, the legitimate president of Egypt is Mohamed Morsi,” said Nadim Baba in Cairo.

Earlier this week, Mansour renewed appeals for reconciliation with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Egypt army chief calls for nationwide rallies

al-Sisi

E

gypt’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called for nationwide rallies to give the military a mandate to confront what he termed violence and terrorism following the removalofPresidentMohamedMorsi.

In a speech on Wednesday at a military graduation ceremony, Sisi called for the protests to be held on

Friday, and denied accusations that he had betrayed Mursi.

“I urge all Egyptians to rally next Friday to give me an order to face possible violence and terrorism,” he said. “I did not betray the former president ... I warned [him] that his religious project is impossible to achieve.”

South Sudan President fires cabinet

S

outh Sudan’s President SalvaKiirMayardit has dismissed Vice President RiekMacharTeny, along with all his cabinet ministers.

Heavily armed South Sudanese troops and police guarded key government institutions in the capital Juba Wednesday, as radio broadcasts called for calm after the suspension. “[Kiir] has taken the power struggle to a whole other level,” Sara Pantuliano, head of the humanitarian policy group at the Overseas Development Institute said.

“We are going to see big confrontation in the next few days.”

Kiir had issued a presidential decree on Tuesday which also removed all deputy ministers of the government, local media reported.

“President Kiir wants to make a major reshuffle, so from the vice president downwards, all national ministers and deputy ministers have been removed,” BarnabaMarial Benjamin, told

AFP news agency.

Benjamin was, until his suspension on Tuesday, the information minister and government spokesman.

The move has been called a “reshuffle”, and has been expected, but there have been no appointments to replace those dismissed.

The government is now being run by undersecretaries until further notice.

Kiir also reduced the number of ministries in his government from 29 to 18, though it was not yet clear which ministries had been cut, with no reasons provided for the changes.

Benjamin told AFP that the president had acted within his constitutional mandate.

“It is his constitutional mandate to form and dissolve a government.”

The now dismissed Benjamin also said that “some of these people will come back and some will not.”

Security forces had deployed on the streets of Juba, the capital, a common sight in the city, but all seemed calm, reported AFP. Kiir

L-R: Tanzania Vice-President, Dr. Mohammed Gharib Bilal, and Special Adviser (Special Duties) Office of the Vice-President, Senator Isaiah Balat, during Tanzania Vice-President’s visit to Nigeria, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

US warns Rwanda over support for DRC rebels The United States called on Rwanda to end support for M23 rebels in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.

“We call upon Rwanda to immediately end any support for the M23 and withdraw military personnel from eastern DRC,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

Psaki said the latest concerns over M23 follow credible evidence from Human Rights Watch that said the rebels were to blame for executions, rapes and forcible recruitment of men and boys while receiving support from Rwanda.

The HRW acknowledged erroneous testimony in the report but said it stands by its conclusions. Rwanda rejected the group’s allegations, saying that the inclusion of incorrect testimony undermined the report.

M23 began taking parts of eastern Congo early last year, accusing the government of failing to honor a 2009 peace deal.

A UN report in June this year said the M23 recruited fighters in Rwanda with the aid of sympathetic Rwandan army officers, while elements of the Congolese army have cooperated with the Rwandan Hutu rebel group FDLR. The report prompted the United States and European states to suspend military assistance to Kigali.

It is the first response

by Washington to recent M23 clashes with Congolese government forces near Goma, the largest city in the DRC’s mineral-rich eastern region.

But Washington stayed clear of directly implicating Rwandan President Paul Kagame, a US ally whose poverty-fighting programs are often heralded by donors.

The UN investigation provided the strongest evidence yet that officials from Kagame’s government were providing military and logistical support to armed groups in Congo.

A 17,000-strong UN force, known as MONUSCO, and Congo troops have struggled in the past decade to stem a conflict involving dozens of armed groups and complicated by national and ethnic rivalries. A 3,000-member UN Intervention Brigade was recently deployed to fight and disarm rebels in the east.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 33

International

Japan scrambles jets after China plane flies over airspace

J

apan scrambled fighter jets on Wednesday after a Chinese military aircraft flew for the first time through international airspace near its southern islands out over the Pacific, in a move seen by Japan as underlining China’s maritime expansion.

Ties between China and Japan have been strained by a territorial dispute over uninhabited East China Sea islets and hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won a decisive victory in upper house elections on

Sunday.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said a Chinese Y-8 airborne early warning plane flew through airspace between Okinawa prefecture’s main island and the smaller Miyakoisland in southern Japan out over the Pacific at around noon and later took the same route back over the East China Sea. “I believe this indicates China’s move toward further maritime expansion,” Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters, in comments

carried on public broadcaster NHK. Chinese government spokesmen were not immediately available for comment.

The waters around the disputed islands, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, and which are to the west of Okinawa’s main island, are rich fishing grounds and the sea floor around them could hold big oil and gas reserves.

Tension between China and Japan escalated last September when Japan

bought three of the disputed islands from a private Japanese owner.

Since then, patrol ships and aircraft from both countries have been shadowing each other in the sea and skies around the islets.

That has raised fears of an unintended collision leading to a broader clash.

Abe has pledged to take a firm stance in the territorial dispute, but said in his news conference following the upper house election win that Japan’s door was open to dialogue.

China Vice-President to visit North Korea

C

hina’s vice-president is to visit North Korea, China’s Foreign Ministry has announced, amid strained ties between the two nominal allies.

Li Yuanchao would attend commemorations for the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, state media said.

He will be the highestranked official from China to visit North Korea since Kim Jong-un became its leader.

Relations between Pyongyang and Beijing have been strained in the wake of North Korea’s 12 February nuclear test.

Angered by expanded UN sanctions and USSouth Korea military drills, Pyongyang threatened attacks on Japanese, South Korean and US military targets in the region.

China, North Korea’s biggest trading partner, is seen as its closest ally and the nation with the most influence over it.

It has traditionally prioritised maintaining stability in North Korea to avoid any crisis that could trigger the fall of the regime

Li Yuanchao

and propel a flow of refugees across the border.

But ties appeared to chill as Beijing backed the UN sanctions and state media began openly debating the merits of maintaining good ties with Pyongyang.

In May, however, as tensions lessened somewhat,

North Korea sent ViceMarshal ChoeRyong-hae to Beijing.

Mr Li is scheduled to stay in North Korea until Sunday.

While the Foreign Ministry did not provide other details of his trip, analysts say he could meet Kim Jong-un and other top leaders.

Mr Li, who assumed office this year after China’s leadership change, is a member of China’s politburo but not part of the powerful politburo standing committee.

North Korea is expected to mark the Korean War anniversary with mass games and parades.

children had died, and that 189 other suspected asylum seekers had been rescued. The search for survivors is continuing.

“This ... sends a very clear message to people smugglers to stop sending people by boat to Australia,” Rudd told a news conference in Melbourne.

A former senior official at the Manus Island processing centre in PNG has said that people have been raped and tortured at the facility.

Tony Burke, Australian Immigration Minister, described the claims of Rod St George, the former head of occupational health and safety at the centre, as “horrific” and promised to fly to Manus Island this week to investigate. He said that any troublemakers would be removed

from the camp.

Graeme McGregor, refugee campaign co-ordinator for Amnesty International Australia, said that it was vital that the government immediately took steps to support the complainants of rape and torture at the camp, and for those accused to be arrested and charged “in a fair court of law”.

St George told Australia’s SBS television that self-harm and attempted suicides occurred on an almost daily basis and that weapons were being accumulated in readiness for a break-out attempt.

St George said the men who were sexually assaulted were sent back to the same tents as the people who raped them.

Rudd

Asia & Middle East

Gunmen kill nine policemen in Iraq

M

ilitants riding on pick-up trucks opened fire on a checkpoint in northern Iraq on Wednesday, killing nine policemen, police said.

The attack took place in Shura, 50 km (35 miles) south of Mosul, Iraq’s third largest city and capital of the Sunni-dominated Nineveh province, where al Qaeda has been regrouping.

The gunmen showered the checkpoint with a hail of bullets from several directions. An ambulance that rushed to the scene was hit by a bomb that had been planted on the road beforehand, wounding the driver and a nurse, police said.

Sunni Islamist militants have been regaining momentum in their insurgency against the Shi’ite-led government in recent months, striking on an almost daily basis.

Iraq’s steadily deteriorating security was highlighted by a mass jailbreak near the capital on Sunday when around 500 convicts, including senior al Qaeda operatives, escaped after militants attacked two prisons.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which was formed through a merger between al Qaeda’s Syrian and Iraqi branches, claimed responsibility for the raids and said it had freed its jailed comrades after months of preparation.

One security official told Reuters on that some of the escaped inmates were heading to Syria to join the ranks of the mainly Sunni rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, whose Alawite sect derives from Shi’ite Islam.

Sectarian tensions across the region have been inflamed by the Syrian civil war, which has also drawn in Shi’ite fighters from Iraq.

More than 720 people have been killed in militant attacks in Iraq so far in July, according to violence monitoring group Iraq Body Count.

Australia to probe refugee rape, torture claims

A

ustralia is to investigate reports that asylum seekers at one of its detention camps in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are being raped and tortured.

Kevin Rudd, Australia’s prime minister, has said that no more boatpeople will be allowed to resettle in Australia and unauthorised arrivals will be sent to camps in PNG, according to a new agreement between the two countries.

Rudd said on Wednesday that the sinking of a refugee boat off the coast of West Java, Indonesia, on Tuesday evening justified his new offshoreprocessing policy, denounced by human rights groups.

Officials said on Wednesday that at least nine people, including

PAGE 34

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

International White House attacks plans to curb NSA data collection

T

he White House is urging Congress to reject an attempt to stop the National Security Agency (NSA) collecting Americans’ phone records.

NSA chief Gen Keith Alexander has been lobbying Congressmen to vote against the proposed measure.

Critics say NSA phone data collection is an unwarranted invasion of privacy.

The details of the programme were made public by Edward Snowden, who had worked for the NSA and is now a fugitive, awaiting a decision on his asylum application in Moscow.

House of Representatives Republican Congressman Justin Amash has tabled an amendment to a defence spending bill, which would block funding for the NSA’s programme to collect details of every call made by or to a US phone.

MrAmash said: “My amendment blocks funding of NSA’s collection of personal data if that data does not pertain to a person under investigation.”

Voting on the amendment is planned for Wednesday.

The White House said the measure would deprive the intelligence agencies of a key tool in preventing terror attacks.

“This blunt approach is not the product of an informed, open or deliberative process,” said spokesman Jay Carney.

“We urge the House to reject the Amash amendment, and instead move forward with an approach that appropriately takes into account the need for a reasoned review of what tools can best secure the nation.”

NSA head Gen Alexander held separate, closed-door sessions with Republicans and Democrats on the eve of the vote in an attempt to persuade them to vote against.

Theissuehassplitthemainparties, with Democrats and Republicans lining up on both sides of the debate.

Self-defence vigilante groups have formed in several towns in the region vowing to fight the violence, kidnappings and extortion carried out by drug cartels.

Hundreds of people demonstrated in the town of Los Reyes on Monday, holding up placards opposing the Knights Templar drug gang and the extortion rackets it runs in the area.

Armed men believed to belong to the cartel opened fire on the demonstrators, killing five and injuring at least eight.

Will Grant in Mexico City says the Knights Templar seems to have strengthened their stranglehold on some parts of the region.

He says their rise may be behind a spate of violent clashes with a rival criminal gang from the neighbouring state of Jalisco, called Nueva Generacion (New Generation), as well as constant battles with the security forces.

The latest clashes came after gunmen blocked several roads and bridges by setting trucks on fire.

They then ambushed police arriving at the scene.

The interior ministry said 20 armed men were killed. Two police officers died in the clashes and 15 were injured.

It is not yet clear which gang was behind The attack, but the authorities say the ambushes had been well-planned and the gunmen were armed with high-

powered weapons.

Earlier this month, Mexican marines captured one of the world’s most notorious drug bosses.

Miguel Angel Trevino Morales was the leader of the Zetas, considered the most violent of Mexico’s cartels.

Trevino Morales is the highest-profile arrest since President Pena Nieto took office last December, promising a stricter clamp down on cartels through law enforcement at a local level.

Some 60,000 people have died across Mexico since 2006 when the previous government under Felipe Calderon deployed the military against the drugs gangs.

After an hour, the vehicle had to return to the building. The people hurt included some with head injuries.

A total of 109 people - including three ministers and 30 other politicians, journalists and parliament staff - were trapped, according to national television.

Seven protesters and two police officers were treated in hospital for headwounds,nationalradioreported..

The Socialist-backed government took office after early elections in May, following the resignation of the previous cabinet amid anti-austerity protests. The government commands only 120 seats in the 240-seat Parliament and has to rely on the tacit support of a nationalist party.

The appointment of controversial media mogul DelyanPeevski as head of the national security agency has sparkedpublicangeranddailyprotests since June 14. The appointment was immediately revoked but demonstrators insist the government is corrupt and must resign.

The government’s withdrawal of the appointment failed to quell public

discontent in the European Union’s poorest country, which also is one of the bloc’s most corrupt.

President Rosen Plevneliev appealed to protesters and police to keep the demonstrations peaceful as they had been for the past 40 days, and

to avoid provocation.

“I appeal to the protesters to keep the protest the way it was and the way it impressed all of Europe - peaceful, civilised and aimed at achieving the values of a democratic society,” Plevneliev said in a statement.

With a key vote coming up, President Barack Obama’s spokesman said curbs on the NSA would “hastily dismantle” a vital counter-terrorism tool.

Alexander

Clashes in Mexico leave 22 dead A

t least 20 armed gang members have died in clashes with police in Mexico’s western Michoacan state, officials say.

Two police officers were also killed in shootouts that started after gang members blocked roads with vehicles and ambushed police patrols.

The attacks came a day after members of the Knights Templar drug gang shot dead five demonstrators protesting against the cartel’s violent tactics.

Michoacan has seen a steep rise in violence in recent months.

In May, President Enrique Pena Nieto sent in a general to take over police and military operations in the western state.

Bulgaria MPs freed after protest blockade

A

nti-riot police broke up a protesters’ blockade of Bulgaria’s parliament and escorted out over 100 ministers, politicians and journalists who had been trapped inside for more more than eight hours.

Policemen with shields pushed away the anti-government protesters on Wednesday and formed a tight cordon to get the trapped out of the state building in Sofia, hours after demonstrations turned violent.

Shouting “mafia” and “resign”, opponents of the Socialist-led government threw plastic bottles and other objects at a heavily-guarded bus that had earlier tried to get deputies out of the parliament where they had been discussing budget measures.

Stones flew, breaking several windows on the bus, as police in antiriot gear tried to push the protesters back to make way for the vehicle.

Demonstrators shouted “Murderers!” as dozens of police in riot gear pushed and clubbed them to clear a path for the bus.

Bulgarian riot policemen tried to force their way through protests [Reuters]

Europe and Americas

Snowden ‘allowed to leave airport’

Snowden

F

ugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden will be given an official pass to leave Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, Russian reports say.

Russia’s Federal Migration Service is said to have issued a document. He has been staying in transit since arriving from Hong Kong on 23 June.

Wanted by the US authorities for leaking details of government surveillance programmes, he recently requested temporary asylum in Russia.

He could leave the airport’s “sterile zone”,a source close to events told Russia’s Interfax news agency.

The American will be handed the document by lawyer Anatoly Kucherena and will be provided with new clothing, the source added.

There was no official comment on news of the pass, which is believed to be an official paper that confirms his asylum application is being considered and allows him to enter Russian territory.

A number of Latin American states say they are willing to offer Mr Snowden asylum, but he says he first needs Russian asylum in order to be able to travel because the US has cancelled his passport.

The US has charged Mr Snowden with leaking classified information.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused to hand him to the US authorities, but says he can stay in Russia only if he stops leaking secrets about US surveillance schemes.

Mr Snowden revealed that the National Security Agency (NSA) was collecting Americans’ phone records, which civil liberties campaigners say is an unwarranted invasion of privacy.

The White House is urging Congress to reject an attempt to end the practice.

Congressman Justin Amash has introduced an amendment to a defence spending bill that would block funding for the controversial programme. A vote is due shortly.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 35

Strange World

‘Smoking’ Turtle goes through 10 cigarettes a day

A

ccording to Chinese media reports, in a village on the outskirts of Changchun lives a nicotineaddicted alligator snapper turtle who smokes around 10 cigarettes a day.

The turtle’s keeper says that whenever it feels the need for a smoke, the reptile becomes agitated and starts to hiss.

So how does a turtle become addicted to cigarettes? A local chef, surnamed Tang, who is helping his boss take care of it, says it all started about two months ago when he noticed the pet had lost interest in its daily fish diet.

After inspecting the reptile, he noticed there was a sharp chicken bone lodged in its soft belly, but when he tried to pull it out, it snapped at his hand from the pain, nearly biting off

his fingers.

Tang realized the only way he could take out the bone was to distract the turtle, so he took the lit cigarette that was resting in his mouth and gave it to the pet to bite on. Its jaws snapped on the filter and didn’t let go for hours.

His idea proved effective, as he managed to remove the sharp chicken bone, but little did the cook know it would lead to an even bigger problem.

The next day, Tang sat down on a chair near the snapper turtle and lit a cigarette after a hard day’s work. As soon as it saw the smoke, the reptile crawled up on him, and being the responsible keeper that he is, he lit another one and put it in its mouth.

The two often went on cigarette breaks together after that, until the turtle became hooked. Now, whenever it doesn’t receive

a cigarette,the turtle starts to make hissing sounds and follows Tang around wherever he goes, crawling up on him until it gets the nicotine it craves.

It was fun in the beginning, Tang told the Changchun Evening News, but now he feels responsible for getting the turtle addicted to smoking, plus he can’t afford to keep sharing cigarettes with it.

He says he welcomes any advice to help the turtle kick the habit.

This is not the first time an animal becomes hooked on cigarettes. Back in 2011, we wrote about Shirley, an orangutan from Malaysia who begged visitors at her zoo for cigarette butts to satisfy her cravings.

Unfortunately, most people ignored the “no smoking”signs in front of her enclosure and kept throwing her cigarettes, for amusement.

allows him to perform a series of useful tasks.

33-year-old Angel Sanguino was riding his motorcycle when he was hit by a speeding car engaged in illegal street racing. He was taken to the emergency room, and doctors were forced to amputate his left arm

from the shoulder.

It was a devastating blow for the talented electronics technician who worked for a prestigious computer part manufacturer, as he could no longer do his job with just one arm. The orthopedist told Angel he should accept his disability and

Whenever it doesn’t receive a cigarette,the turtle starts to make hissing sounds and follows his owner wherever he goes.

Man builds his own robotic arm

A

ngel Sanguino, an electronics technician from Caracas, Venezuela, who last year lost his left arm in a motorcycle accident, has recently been awarded a Prize for Science, Technology and Innovation, after hemanged to build an ingenious robotic arm that

Angel managed to create an ingenious robotic arm fitted with a series of switches and sensors.

move on with his life, but he had other plans.

While in intensive care recovering from the surgery, severe internal organ damage and fractured legs, Sanguino learned he was going to become a father soon, and that gave him the strength to fight for his life and make sure he was able to provide for his family.

Three months after his accident, the young Venezuelan used his experience as a cartoonist to design a prosthetic arm that would allow him to repair electronic components just like before.

With the help of his uncle, Brunel Rodriguez, Angel managed to create an ingenious robotic arm fitted with a series of switches and sensors that allowed him to control it with the motion of his collarbone.

Rodriguez, who is an orthopedist, provided the necessary parts from other prosthesis, and Angel used his knowledge of electronics to make sure the artificial arm allowed him to do his job without any kind of assistance from anybody else.

He paid little attention to aesthetics, focusing solely on functionality, but he already has a new prosthesis in the works that is apparently much more visually appealing.

His home-made prosthesis is equipped with with a clamp for

holding the items in need of repair, lighting and a magnifying glass for improved visibility. It’s powered by a small motor connected to a battery, and he is able to control the motions through a series of sensors that react to the movement of his collarbone.

Sanguino plans on replacing the rudimentary motor with a servomotor that will operate the arm instantly and more precisely.

Before the accident, Angel Sanguino used to repair around six mobile phones per day. Now he can only work on four devices, but he is confident the improvements he has in mind will increase his productivity. ”I’m doing this kind of prosthesis for me, but if one day someone wants me to make one for them, I can do it with my eyes closed and adapt it to the way they live and work,” Angel said.

A high-tech prosthesis costs around 90,000 bolivars ($14,500) in Venezuela, much more than the average person can afford to pay, but because Angel’s is made exclusively out of domestic materials, it costs between VEF2,000 ($320) and VEF5,000 ($800).

The ambitious Venezuelan also plans to build a more efficient and feature-rich wheelchair and donate it to a child who needs it.

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Digest

Six questions that could save your life

By Cathy Edwards

M

aking a series of simple checks such as ensuring that the correct patient is on the table and operating on the right part of the body, could help surgical teams save almost half a million lives a year across the world.

Patients have died when surgeons have removed the wrong organ, left instruments inside the body, or even operated on the wrong patient.

In 2008 the World Health Organization launched the Surgical Safety Checklist to counter human errors like these. Studies showed it was so effective in reducing complications that many hospitals quickly adopted it.

But although it was developed as a global tool, it has proved harder to roll out in poorer countries.

The Lifebox Foundation is training staff in one Rwandan hospital how to use the checklist, and hope to roll out the training to the rest of the country’s 45 hospitals.

So what are the questions that could save your life?

1. Are you operating on the right patient?

Incredible as it sounds, surgical teams don’t always operate on the right patient, with an estimated 200-300 ‘wrong-person’ operations taking place in the USA each year.

Checking the right person is on the operating table is so critical that it is on the list twice: once before the patient goes under anaesthetic and again before the incision is made.

A UK hospital trust recently performed eye surgery on the wrong patient, despite the Surgical Safety Checklist being compulsory in UK hospitals since 2010.

It’s not enough just to have the checklist to hand. The questions seem simple but using the list properly means really thinking each step through, says Dr Iain Wilson, a consultant anaesthetist

Checking the right operation is being performed can save a lot of time and distress

“There’s often someone who’s noticed something that’s not quite right.

If that person’s been introduced and they’ve got a voice, they’re much more inclined to speak up.”

4. Has the anaesthetic machine been checked?

Although the checklist itself only takes a few minutes to run through, it

refers to inspections that should have already taken place, like thorough machine checks.

This is especially important in developingcountrieswhereanestimated 40% of healthcare equipment is out of action, compared with less than 1% in high-income countries.

Modern techniques and monitoring

have seen deaths from anaesthesia fall to 1 in 200,000 in the developed world.

But in Togo the risk of anaesthesia mortality is as high as 1 in 133, according to a study from 2005, and the vast majority of the deaths were considered to be avoidable.

5. Are the patient’s oxygen levels being monitored?

Staff at Kibagabaga Hospital in Rwanda have developed their own version of the checklist

Oxygen levels in the patient’s blood can be monitored by a pulse oximeter, a device which clips onto a finger or earlobe and sounds an alarm if the level drops.

While they are acknowledged as a standardsafetydeviceandareubiquitous in Western operating theatres, 70% of operating theatres in Sub-Saharan Africa work without them.

It is the only item on the checklist that refers to new technology not widely available throughout the world.

To address this ‘pulse oximetry gap”, the Lifebox Foundation distributes pulse oximeters cheaply or even for free to lower income countries.

In the Rwandan project, pulse oximeter distribution goes hand in hand with Surgical Safety List training.

6. Have you removed all instruments from the patient?

A woman in Uganda died when a 12in mop was left in her body after a caesarean section. A mop is a large swab often used instead of suction in low-resource hospitals. By the time the mistake was discovered, the mop had completely embedded itself in the woman’s intestines.

Therearethreestagestothechecklist: “sign in”, checks carried out before the patient goes under anaesthesia; “time out”, before the first incision is made; and “sign out”, before the patient leaves theatre.

One of the last checks before the patient leaves is a complete count of all instruments, sponges and needles aimedatensuringthosekindsoflife-anddeath mistakes do not happen.

Source: BBCNews.com

Making sure the right patient is on the operating table is on the checklist twice who was involved in the development of the checklist.

“If you create a ‘tickbox culture’ it doesn’t necessarily get introduced in the right spirit. It’s a problem if you move the focus from the patient to the procedure.”

2. Are you performing the right operation?

This is another double-check on the list.

‘Wrong-site’ operations are, not surprisingly,morecommonwhenthere’s a choice of left or right.

In a case where a man died when his only healthy kidney was removed, the surgeon said he studied the X-ray the wrong way round before the operation.

One of the last steps on the checklist is to count all instruments, sponges and needles

In Rwanda, where very few hospitals currently use the checklist, an elderly man went in for an operation for his fractured right hip. He woke up some time later to be told they had put the screw in the the wrong side and would have to start all over again the next day.

3. Do you know the name and job of everyone on the team?

This is something surgical teams

Pulse oximeters, which measure blood levels, are essential for safe surgery under time pressure might balk at: why do they need to introduce each other?

But group introductions not only let everyone know each other’s role in the operation, they also encourage people to speak up later on in the operation, says consultant paediatric anaesthetist Dr Isabeau Walker.

Team introductions help everyone understand what they are doing

Well-functioning equipment dramatically reduces deaths from anaesthesia

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 37

Rivers PDP faults govs visit to IBB, Abdulsalami From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday condemned the reported visit of some four Northern States governors to two exmilitary Heads of State, Gen Ibrahim Babangida and Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar in Minna, Niger State, describing them as desperadoes who are looking for exit plans as their tenures draw to an end.

The PDP strongly faulted such actions of Gov Sule Lamido, Rabiu Kwakwanso of Kano, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto and Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, believing that it was not borne out of genuine interest to resolve the lingering political crisis in Rivers State but to fuel it.

The party in a statement issued in Port Harcourt through the Special Adviser on Media to the State Chairman, Jerry Needam, wondered why the northern governors who are now “patriots” of democracy cannot remove the logs in their eyes before removing the speck in other people’s eyes, noting that the Boko Haram menace, underdevelopment, hunger and disease, unemployment and deplorable poor standard of education in the North are enough to engage these governors more than the internal crisis in Rivers State.

“How can any serious minded governor not be worried that the average Northerner today lives in grave fear of insecurity and poverty and yet these busybody governors are wasting tax payers’ money, flying on chartered executive jets to stoke trouble in Rivers State, noting that the state of emergency declared in three states in the North is a huge dent on their credibility to govern well and this is why they find Amaechi as an ally in failure“, he said We believe these governors have ulterior motive in their seeming concern in the Rivers State matter

involving their colleague, Gov Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, who we also believe, has consistently concocted lies for the consumption of those who care to listen instead of concentrating on the challenging task of governing the state. “Amaechi must be told to stop wasting public funds on his personal pursuit for power”, the party added The Rivers PDP also emphasized that dramatizing this issue and blowing it out of proportion, as done by the governors, will not help in resolving this situation, stressing

that the Northern governors, by crying more than the bereaved, have only shown that they are interested in using the Rivers State governor to destablise the PDP and weaken the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan if he decides to run for the presidency in 2015.

It is most regrettable that these governors are abusing the sensibilities of Rivers people who are aggrieved over the recklessness and misappropriation of their resources by their government.

While we hold the two former

military administrators in high esteem, it is also our candid opinion that they should not allow themselves to be used by these gold-digging governors who have abandoned their primary responsibilities of governing and ensuring security of lives and property in their states for meddling in an internal Rivers State crisis.

It is also important that we appeal to well meaning Northern elders to call their governors to order to desist from fueling the political situation in Rivers.

L-R: Members House of Representatives, Hon. Garba Umar Uba, and Hon. Suleiman Yahaya Kwande, after the House plenary session, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

PDP upholds Gana’s date for Congresses

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday upheld the dates fixed by the Professor Jerry Gana’s led Convention Planning Committee.

National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur,who had earlier insisted on ratifying decisions taken by the committee while inaugurating the Gana’s committee, affirmed August 24th and 31st for the South West Zonal Congress and the National Congress.

Following a friction between the party leadership and the committee, the party had last week ordered the committee to halt all preparations ahead of the convention. The party cited abnormalies and breaches of the party constitution by the Convention committee.

...Charges committee on loyalty, transparency Inaugurating the committee, Tukur urged them to ensure a free and fair convention. He asked them to make loyalty, patriotism the hallmark of their work.

In his response, Gana said the 14

subcommittees set up are expected to submit their reports next week Thursday.

He added that the committee will start work immediately and urged the members to report

everyday to the office.

Gana who thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for the opportunity to serve, further pledged the loyalty and dedication of the committee to the party.

Enugu Reps back creation of Adada state

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he Enugu State caucus of the House of Representatives has thrown its weight behind the proposed creation of Adada state from the current Enugu state.

The lawmakers at press conference chaired Rep. Ifeanyi J. Ugwuanyi (PDP Enugu), after the caucus meeting in respect to the Constitution Amendment process currently going on at the National Assembly, said the caucus is fully committed to and supports the ongoing Constitution Amendment process.

He added that the caucus has consistently and persistently requested for the creation of Adada State out of the present Enugu State with capital at Nsukka.

According to him, the request for creation of the new state has received the endorsement of all the Senators, members of the House of Representatives and Local Government council members in the Area.

He disclosed that the Enugu State House of Assembly as well as the chairmen and councilors of all the local government councils in Enugu state (in particular those from the Area in question) have endorsed the creation of Adada state.

Ugwuanyi lamented that the Adada state initiative has the backing of many traditional rulers, Clergies, leaders of thoughts, intellectuals and academia, political Leaders, women and youth groups.

Significantly also, the House of Representatives on 16th March, 1983 passed a Resolution in support of the creation of Adada State.

“The Adada State creation process and procedure has satisfied all the requirements of section 8 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999,” he stressed.

He however stated that the purpose of the briefing was to seek the support of the South-East caucus and their colleagues in the National Assembly in their quest for justice, fairpaly and recognition of the contributions of the people of the area in the social, educational, economic and political development of the country.

Ajimobi tackles Senate over underage amendment bill

T

he wife of Oyo State governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, yesterday condemned the underage marriage amendment bill passed by the Senate, saying it poses a danger to the girl-child in Nigeria.

Ajimobi spoke during her investiture as matron of the Girls’ Guide of Nigeria, Oyo State chapter, at Government House, Agodi , Ibadan.

She condemned senators who voted in favour of the amendment

bill during the review of the 1999 constitution. ``It is a despicable act and a huge step backwards for a society that claims to be moving forward,’’ she said.

She called on Nigerian women to rise and raise their voices against the amendment, describing it as an attempt by the senators to legalise child marriage. ``Since time memorial, the girlchild has continued to face a lot of

challenges and the challenges persist. ``We must therefore focus attention in rescuing her from the danger that looms and which could affect her if we fold our hands and watch events unfold,’’ she said.

She appealed to older women in the society to serve as role models to the younger ones by living by example in words and in deed.

Ajimobi also thanked the association for making her its matron

and promised to offer support .

Earlier the leader of the Western Zone of the Girls Guide, Mrs Ansa Uko, urged the governor’s wife to be a mother to all women in the state.

She said that it was a usual practice to have the wives of governors as matrons of the association..

Uko urged Ajimobi to ensure that the girl-child at the grassroots was sensitised on the need to join the association. (NAN)

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Politics

My mission is to turn Anambra state around, says Ifeanyi Ubah In this interview with journalist in Abuja, Ifeanyi Ubah, oil magnate who recently signifies his interest in running for governorship election in Anambra state on the platform of Labour Party, says he would turn around the fortunes of the state by tackling the menace of insecurity and restore its glory if elected. Lawrence Olaoye was there. Excerpts: How long have you been in the Labour Party? have always been a labour man. I am a comrade by nature and if you watch my antecedents, you will know that I have been a labour man. I am today joining my party; a party I have always belonged to. The rest is history. I am a comrade of the Nigerian Labour Congress, I am the Chairman of Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria, which was founded over three years ago. I decided to run under Labour Party because I believe in the manifesto of the party. I am here because I care about the unemployment of our youths; I am here because I represent all that is contained in the manifesto of Labour(Party).

If you look at the manifesto of Labour, you will see that it is all that Nigeria needs at present time. So that is why I am in Labour.

You are already known as a successful business man, what is your intention for going into politics and why join the governorship race and not Senate or House of Representatives?

If you are asking this question then I might be forced to think you don’t know much about Anambra state. Our state is going down, the unemployment in the state is almost at the highest point. There is so much insecurity in the state and we are becoming kidnappers. This is a state that produced people like the late Zik of Africa, Ukpabi Asika, Chinua Achebe and so on. But today what we have is that our business men have fled the state. This is in view of the fact that we are

I

supposed to be representing the commercial hub of this country.

So we want to see my people coming back to position that we have always been holding. So we are going back to Anambra State to use commerce in order to bring back the lost glory of the state.

We will employ youths, give the basic infrastructure as contained in the manifesto of labour. At this particular time, what Anambra people want is food on their table and to be employed and at the same time have the opportunity to attain the highest standard of living in the country.

We are aware that you were interacting with the APGA with regards to the election, all of a sudden you are in Labour Party. Why the sudden change?

You know Anambra state has always been an APGA state.

But I have been able to discover that Labour Party is the party to beat. So, I have moved all my supporters to Labour Party. It is a decision I made for myself and that decision, by the Grace of God, will change the face of this country.

You complained of lack of infrastructures in the state.

Specifically, can you tell us some of the salient things you would do to turn the state around?

First is insecurity in Anambra State. We should be able to sleep with our two eyes closed.

We have to be able to move around Anambra state and do our businesses without the fear of the unknown. That is one key thing we want to bring back. We want to form a government that will support individual businesses

so that we can promote trade and industry. If you promote trade and industry, it means there will be jobs for our teeming youths.

In Anambra state, God has made everything available for our people but we have not been able to use the structure of government to get that for our people. That is why we are going into Anambra state to use government machinery and replicate the little we have done in the private sector.

You have done very well in private business but in politics you are little known.

In Anambra politics, there are heavy weights and it is usually volatile. How prepared are you to face this big battle?

God is my helper, with him all things are possible. I have also played big also in the business field and by His grace I conquered. Remember the David that defeated Goliath, so we are going to invoke the spirit. And by the grace of God we are going to make it.

There are growing agitation for zoning of the governorship position to Anambra North. Do you think the call is justified?

Let me make a clear statement about the Anambra North issue.

Anambra is a state in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There is no law passed by the House of Assembly of Anambra state that the next governor of Anambra state must come from the Northern part of the state. Anambra North has always been part of every political process in Anambra State. Late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe came from the north, Ukpabi Azika of blessed memory came from the north,

Ifeanyi Ubah Chuba Okadigbo came from the north, the current Minister of Aviation came from the north. I don’t see a reason why Anambra people will place their fate on a mere promise the governor made in one of the royal father’s house and we convert it into law.

I don’t think it is fair. If by his grace I become the governor of Anambra state, will give the north more than they are reaping or anticipating because it is a land that needs to be developed; and it is one of the most fertile areas in Anambra state that will have the dividends of development if by God’s grace we go into governance by 2014. So I don’t think we need to emphasize on this agitation for the Anambra north. what we need is somebody that can deliver good governance, and wipe the tears of Anambra people who have always craved good governance. That is what I believe Anambra needs now. Anybody can be governor of Anambra state till we come and say there is going to be a summit or we pass a resolution in the House of Assembly, and get a template on how our political future will be. Unless that is done, nobody has the right to say Anambra North, or south or east or west must produce the

governor. Since the governor is so passionate about zoning the governorship seat to Anambra North he should have given them half of his tenure to rule, but not now that he is going. Or he would have made his deputy, now that his deputy is from the north, he should have asked him to come and take his place. He can also resign and give them since he loves them so much. Anambra is too big for this zoning issue.

The issue of god-fatherism has always recurred in Anambra politics. Some people believe that you made a covenant with traditional rulers in the state for them to become your god fathers?

In some sections of Nigeria, Ifeanyi Uba is highly misunderstood and controversial to some people. It may sound immodest but I have to tell you that up to date I have not taken any chieftaincy title anywhere in Nigeria. So if I don’t have that chieftaincy title even, when I have had over 100 proposals for me to have one, then you should understand that I don’t have my god father in traditional rulers.

They are our fathers and I respect them. But I believe my god father is my Heavenly Father.

Yaba LCDA appeals for more wards From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

C

hairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Hon. Olajide Jimoh, has pleaded with the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) to give at least two additional Wards to Lagos Mainland Local Government of the State.

The council boss made the appeal during an interactive forum on delineation of Wards and creation of additional polling units organized

by LASIEC at Yaba Local Council Development Secretariat in Lagos.

Jimoh noted that the two councils are like twins, pointing out that since Mainland Local Government has higher population and more landmass, the Commission should recommend at least additional two wards for Mainland Local Government as it did for his own council, Yaba LCDA. Also speaking, the chairman of Mainland Local Government, Hon. Oladele Adekanye, expressed

happiness that his colleague in Yaba LCDA shared the feelings of the people of Mainland Local Government in their demand for additional wards and polling units.

He however expressed disappointment that the Commission could not recommend any additional ward for his council. He, therefore, declared that his Local Government would submit a memorandum to the Commission on the demand of the people for new wards and polling units in the area.

Adekanye explained that the chairmen of the two Councils are like siamese twins and warned against any action that could create unnecessary rivalry between them.

Responding on behalf of the Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Olalekan Mabinuori, a Commissioner, assured the people that the body would do all within its power to meet the demand of the residents of the Councils.

He added that the Commission would be fair and just to all concerned

in a bid “to deepen democracy”, stressing that LASIEC is doing what no other State Independent Electoral Commission in the Federation has done”.

Mabinuori also allayed the fears of the people on the structural changes that would arise from the ward delineation and polling units creation exercise, pointing out that the Commission would embark on public enlightenment and sensitization when the exercise is concluded to educate the people.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Fulani herdsmen warn Plateau cattle rustlers From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

T

he Plateau State Chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), has warned Tarokh youths against persistent rustling of cattle belonging to its members in the State.

The association made this known yesterday following the rustling of 500 cattle last Monday in Lonvel village of Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State.

It said despite the assurances given by the Special Task Force to recover those cattle, not a single one was found yet.

It further complained that the security personnel in Southern Zone of the state were not helping matters, adding that anytime cattle were rustled ,the security personnel keeping peace in the area, would only make shallow attempt in recovering the rustled cattle.

A source from the Fulani community revealed that all the cattle rustled including those of last Monday, were kept in Tabo and Pidir villages of Langtang Local Government Area of the state, adding that “ there are 4000 cattle rustled and hidden between Pidir and Tabo villages of Langtang.

“Most of our herdsmen are of Tarok parentage. We have asked them to spy for us and the reported to us that our cattle are hidden between Pidir and Tabo villages.

“We want our cattle back. It is not as if we cannot go to those villages ourselves but any attempt to go there may result to violence. Let the STF lead us to those areas to recover our cattle”, the source added.

Also speaking, the chairman of MACBAN, Alh. Usaini Boro alleged that Tarok were behind the theft of their cattle which “are hidden in villages of Langtang.

“Boro called on security agents to quickly intervene and recover the cattle so as to avoid further problem, adding that “our concern now is to get the cattle back”.

However, a source from Langtang who is of Tarok parentage told Peoples Daily on the condition of anonymity that Tarokhs were among the rustlers which include other tribes like Gmai, Angas and Fulanis, adding that Tarokh should not be blamed alone.

T

News Extra

Minister blames past housing policy for current woes A’isha Biola Raji

T

he Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Amal Pepple, has attributed the failure of country’s first housing policy for the current over 16 million housing deficit.

Nigeria’s first housing policy had as part its central mandate, the provision of houses for all Nigerians by the year 2000.

The failure of the policy she noted, led to the present accumulation of housing deficit put at over 16 million.

She made the observation while inaugurating the Steering Committee on the Restructuring and Commercialisation of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) to recommend cheaper

ways of funding the housing sector in the country.

She said that the outcome was crucial for the private sector to invest in the housing sector.

A statement issued by Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) quoted her urging the committee to actively participate and make their valued contributions, stressing that the Committee was made up of experienced and knowledgeable professionals, carefully selected to deliver on the objectives.

According to the Minister, the new national housing policy which was approved last year was designed to bridge the gaps by providing affordable housing for Nigerians.

She stated that achieving the objectives require the concerted

efforts of all stakeholders, the three tiers of government, financial sector operators, the organized private sector, professional bodies and cooperative societies.

She said that in line with the Federal Government desire to achieve mass housing for the citizenry, the FHA was established in 1973 for the purpose but unfortunately after 40 years of existence, the agency was only able to build 37,000 houses.

The Minister attributed the poor performance of the FHA to, among others, historical operating losses, huge legacy debts, poor IGR base, poor corporate governance, high cost of housing units and lack of internal cohesion.

She charged the committee to work with the Technical Board and the Interim Management

Team (IMT) to ensure the full commercialization of the FHA in accordance with the Public Enterprises Privatisation and Commercialisation Act of 1999.

Speaking at the event, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Dikki, said that the committee should look at all issues that hinder participation of the private sector in massive housing development in the country.

“The Committee will review the institutional policy and legal and regulatory framework of the country’s national housing sector and make recommendations in line with the President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda. It will evolve a workable housing policy for the country”, he said.

R-L: Abia state Secretary to the Government, Professor Mkpa Agu Mkpa, Federal Commissioner, South-East, Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Dr. Zion Solomon Ibenye, Abia state Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, NCPC Executive Secretary, Mr. John Kennedy Opara, Special Assistant to NCPC Executive Secretary, Mr. Gad Onyeanu, NCPC Zonal Coordinator South -East, Mr. Frank Chukwura, and NCPC Ex- Officio member, representing Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sydney Moneke, during NCPC board sensitisation visit to Abia State, recently.

Kano to train 485 destitute

he Kano State Government is to train 485 physically challenged destitute persons in selected trades as part of efforts to eradicate street begging.

The Director-General of the state Hisba Board, Alhaji Abba Sufi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Kano.

Sufi said that the destitute persons were evacuated from 45 streets in the city, where they were begging for alms.

He said that the training would enable the affected persons to be self-reliant.

PAGE 39

Sufi said that the government was determined to discourage the less privileged from street begging.

He gave the assurance that the government would give the beneficiaries some amounts of money to start business at the end of the training.

The director-general said that the government had consulted with the leaders of the destitute persons to ascertain the trade they would prefer to learn. ``By the time we train them, it will be an offence for them to beg on the streets,’’ he said. (NAN)

Kebbi disburses N800m for community projects From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

T

he Kebbi State Community and Social Development Projects [KSCSDP] has expended over N800 million on community development projects in the areas of health, water supply, agriculture and education across the state since the beginning of the year.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the opening ceremony of a two- day training workshop for members of 11th batch of the community project management committees held at the Waziri Umar Federal Polytechnic conference Hall Birnin Kebbi.

General Manager of the projects, Usman Abubakar Gwandu stated that about 5000 personnel have already been trained across the 135 communities in the state.

The GM added that three identified Micro Projects were executed by each of the communities, adding that N395m were expended so far on this identified projects. ‘’Kebbi CSDP has conducted a 2 day pre-implementation training workshop for members of community projects Management committees of eleventh batch approved by community development plans’’, he said.

Gwandu pointed out that the objective of the training includes, training on community contract, records keeping and documentation, financial management and book keeping.

The GM also stated that about 42 micro projects which cut across all sectors of intervention have been approved for funding by the agency.

The agency would disburse about 90 percent of the fund with communities putting in 10 percent of the cash.

He pointed out that it was the community which initiated the projects to be executed while the agency lent its support.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

News Extra

Briefs Consumers want PHCN charges cut

Muslim and Christian faithful in a group photograph, during the 2nd Dialogue and Peace Iftar Dinner, organised

by UFUK Dialogue Foundation, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

E

Adamawa PDP rejects Tukur reconciliation committee From Umar Dankano, Yola

C

riticism has started trailing the latest 30-man reconciliation committee set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reconcile the aggrieved members of the party.

Faulting the composition of the committee, the Adamawa state Secretary of the PDP, Mr. P. P. Elisha, described it as “aimless, endless and bias right from formation level”.

He noted that the PDP at the national level had had over five committees set up by the party and President Goodluck Jonathan to resolve the party crisis. Which he claimed, Tukur has always sabotaged the reports based on selfish reasons.

“Let Nigerians asked Tukur, to explain to us of what happened to Chief Tony Anenih’s committee report, Pius Anyim Pius Committee

report and the rest just to mentioned but a few.

The party scribe said that the present 30 man committee, will complicate and add more fuel to the crisis bedeviling PDP, rather than solving it; stressing that, the National Chairman of the party Alhaji Bamanga Tukur had head such a committee but end up in dividing the party “How many reconciliation committees are we going to have before we put our house in order?

“We started with the one headed by the National Chairman of the party himself, when he went round the country unfortunately by the end of the day, he lost more members than the one he set up to achieve.

“By and large Tukur’s reconciliation tour produced lesser members than what we use to have before he embarked on a peace mission” Elisha stated.

He pointed out that, the problem of the party is its National Chairman’s dictatorial tendency, adding that there is no way he can set up impartial committee” if I were Tukur, I would have resigned my appointment as the National Chairman of the party rather than destroy it” According to him, the composition of the members of the committee are yes boy to Tukur, and will eventually act on the script written by the national chairman of the party to suit his desire.” Funny enough this committee will not contribute to the unification of PDP. “The Secretary of the Committee Ambassador Umar Damagun was here in Adamawa State as a chairman of Caretaker Committee, he knew very well that his appointment was illegal because it was not rectified

by NWC, but rather teamed up with Tukur to work against the party

Constitution”. He affirmed.

“Elisha said that, despite the injuries inflicted to PDP members in Adamawa state, President Goodluck Jonathan, in his wisdom set up Sule Lamido committee, which submitted its report to the national chairman of the party with facts that touched core matters affecting the party across the country.”

He added that a day to PDP, NEC meeting after the party caucus met President Goodluck Jonathan who was said to be heading a reconciliation Committee which is yet to start work before Tukur announced another committee.

“Honestly, this is confusion borne out of lack of focus”. He queried.

“As party men and women, we believe that any other committee cannot be above the one Mr. President is heading which we are yet to know which time it will commence work”.

Diabetic patients get Ramadan support in Jigawa From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

N

o fewer than 360 diabetic patients have benefited from free drugs by the Kazaure local government council of Jigawa state under the local council’s programme of Ramadan welfare.

This was disclosed by the council Chairman, Alhaji Sale Yahaya Taki yesterday while flagging off the programme in Kazaure town, the headquarters of Kazaure local government area.

He said that the council also procured over 70 bags of recommended food stuff for onward distribution to the patients to augment their medication.

Taki said the idea of free food and drugs to the patients was conceived out of compassion and concern to the plight of the victims.

According to him, “it is obvious that most of our people who are

battling with this disease cannot afford to strictly abide by the recommended food and such carelessness of use of other food could aggravate their situation or even lead to death.

“We chose to launch this

program in the month of Ramadan because it is the month of mercy and also we want to put smile on the faces of our people and make them to have a sense of belonging in the larger society.”

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, one of the patients Hajiya Amina Mustapha, expressed their gratitude to Almighty Allah who gave them a leader with concern to the need and survival of the people.

Boko Haram: FG donates relief materials to victims in Gombe From David Hassan, Gombe

T

he Gombe operation office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in collaboration with Gombe state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has donated relief materials to internally displaced persons affected by the security challenges in Adamawa, Borno and Taraba states.

Donating the relief materials on behalf of the Federal Government

in Gombe yesterday, the NEMA Head of operations, Mr. Jediel Apollos, noted that the materials was meant for only displaced persons.

He urged the beneficiaries to use the materials judiciously noting that government will continue to come to their aid in times of need.

According to him, the materials which included mattresses, mats, indomie noddles among others are expected to be shared to only those that were affected.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Non Governmental Affairs, Hon. Jalo Ibrahim Bajoga, expressed government’s commitment towards the assistance to the displaced persons.

He also called on the beneficiaries to used the materials wisely to enable them achieve their goal.

The Commissioner thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for having Gombe citizens at heart by providing them with relief materials.

lectricity consumers in Kaduna have called for downward review of newly introduced ‘fixed charges’ by Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) describing them as too high and unjustifiable.

According to the Chairman, Customers Consultative Council at the Tudun Wada Business Unit, Barrister Ado Ali, “we want a total downward review of the fix charges.”

But Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of EDC/PHCN, Malam Idris Danlami Mohammed said the fix charges were meant for regular maintenance of facilities for effective service delivery.

He urged PHCN customers to be more concerned about the quality and quantity of service delivers to them and stop bothering about the charges.

From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

Al-makura commended on appointments

G

overnor Umaru Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa state has received commendation for equitable distribution of appointments across the two main religions in the area.

“This clearly shows that the CPCled administration in Nasarawa state is ever ready to carry everybody along in the state,” the National President of youth CAN who also doubles as the Special Assistant to the Governor on the Religious Affairs, Dr. Simon A.S Dolly, said during a thanks giving service at the Zion First Baptist Church, Lafia.

He promised to use his position to promote peace and to ensure that people live in harmony with one another.

From Maaji Dandaura, Lafia

Ramadan: Kaduna widows get foodstuff

A

n Islamic group under the aegis of Initiative for Muslim Women of Nigeria (IMWON), yesterday donated food stuff to widows as Ramadan gift and part of preparation for Eid-El-Fitr celebration in Kaduna.

According to the organizers it was unfortunate the way and manner widows and orphans are treated in the society.

Speaking at the event the IMWON President, Hajiya Rabiat Safiyan Ahmed, said the group was set up to help the less privileged.

She frowned at the attitude of the wealthy in society who are supposed to be assisting these category of people but are not doing so.

From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 40

Leisure

S

Some Interesting Facts

outh Africa is now the only country in the world to have hosted the Soccer, Cricket and Rugby World Cup! • Table Mountain in Cape Town is believed to be one of the oldest mountains in the world and one of the planet’s 12 main energy centres, radiating magnetic, electric or spiritual energy.

• The Cape Floral Kingdom is one of the world’s six floral kingdoms – and the only one which is wholly contained within a single country.

• Some countries have deserts; some have subtropical forests, right? South Africa has: deserts, wetlands, grasslands, bush, subtropical forests, mountains and escarpments.

• South Africa’s drinking water is rated 3rd best in the world for being “safe and ready to drink”.

• Water is not all there is to drink in this thirsty country!

South Africa’s Cape Winelands have around 560 wineries and 4 400 primary producers. Included in the Cape Winelands region is Route 62, considered the longest wine route in the world. That alone is good reason to visit South Africa if you haven’t yet been!

• What about beer? South African brewery SABMiller ranks – by volume – as the largest brewing company in the world.

Saffers love their beer…but the real reason the brewery is so big? SABMiller also supplies up to 50% of China’s beer.

• South Africa is the only country in the entire world that has voluntarily abandoned its nuclear weapons programme.

• The world’s largest themed resort hotel in the world – The Palace of the Lost City – is found in South Africa.

Surrounding the Palace is a 25 hectare manmade botanical jungle with almost 2 million plants, trees and shrubs.

• South Africa is extremely rich in mining and minerals and considered the world’s leader with nearly 90% of all the platinum metals on earth and around 41% of all the world’s Gold!

• South Africa is home to the oldest meteor scar in the world – the Vredefort Dome

in a town called Parys. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• The South African Rovos Rail is considered the most luxurious train in the world.

• South Africa is home to the highest commercial bungi jump in the world at 710 feet.

• General Motors South Africa is the only place outside of the USA to build the Hummer H3!

• Despite the country’s status as a democratic republic, the Province of KwaZulu-Natal has a monarchy, specially provided for by the Constitution. Goodwill ZwelithinikaBhekuzulu is the King of the Zulu Nation, has 27 kids and 6 wives and lives,

literally, like a King!

• There are more than 2000 shipwrecks off the South African coast, most dating back at least 500 years.

• The oldest remains of modern humans were found in South Africa and are well over 160,000 years old.

• The Karoo region in the Western Cape is home to some of the best fossils of early dinosaurs. In fact, it is estimated that some 80% of the mammalian fossils found to date were found in th thee Karoo.

• SA has t hr hree ee c ap p ital i t all cities: Prettor oria ia a is th thee Exe Execut utiv iv ve Capi pita tall, l , C ap p e Tow T o wn w n t he Lee gi gisll at atiive i v e Ca a pi pittal t a l an and d Bloemffon Blo onttein thee judic udiccia iall Capi Ca pita ta al.

Say what?

SUDODKU

Mannerly: Visitors are welcomed by a sign telling them they are entering a ‘civilized airport’

PHOTO OF THE DAY

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 41

Jonathan rewards 2000 Sydney Olympic gold medalists

President Goodluck Jonathan (middle), with the 4x4 men’s relay team at the 2,000 Olympics in Sydney, after presenting their gold medals to President Jonathan, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. The team was initially awarded silver medal at the 2,000 Sydney Olympics.

Photo: Joe Oroye Stories By Albert Akota

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan has rewarded the 4 by 400 relay of the 2000 sydney, Austrialia Olympic gold medals with cash and national honours.

He announced cash reward of N5 million each for the athletes and N7 million each for the two coaches at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa yesterday in Abuja.

The number one citizen also said that the athletes and their coaches would be decorated with national honours at a later date while the decoration of the gold medals was done by the country representative in the International Olympic Committee, Egnr Abul Gumel.

The athletes, who were rewarded 13 years after the sporting event were Clement Chukwu, Jude Monye, Fidelis Gadzama, Aniefiok Udobong, Nduka Nwanze and late Sunday Bada, who was represented by his wife, Adesumbo while the two coaches were Innocent Egbunike and Solomon Abari Peoples Daily recalled that the silver medals won by the Nigeria’s 4 by 400 metres relay men at the 2000 games in Sydney was upgraded to gold medal by the International Olympics Committee.

This was due to the disqualification of the USA’s male

relay team which initially came first at the event as a result of doping infraction.

Jonathan, who said he was in Sydney for the event as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, congratulated the team for the honour they brought to the country.

He said the team’s victory, 13 years after the event took place, was a confirmation of the saying that ``there is no shortcut to fame.

“For me, I think today, I am as happy as yourself because I was there in Sydney with you as the deputy governor of my State.

“And if this medal was given to you there, I could have had a handshake with you, but what I missed in 2000 I am getting it today (yesterday).

“So, I personally congratulate you for this, even though the honour you have been accorded today is most belated through no fault of yours, it is as they say, better late than never.

“What your experience has shown is that our sports men and women must endeavour to operate and compete within the rules of the game.

“They must resist any temptation to take a short cut to fame, adulation and wealth, let me also use this unique opportunity to condemn cheating in all its ramifications, whether in sports, or in academics, in business or in

politics.

“Be informed that malpractices in any form are evil to the society, we must build a society that puts premium on integrity and transparency and hard work.

“What has been proven by the gold medal that you have just received is that if we do things the right and honest way, truth will always prevail, no matter how long it takes,’’ he said.

Meanwhile the minister of Sports, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the event was yet another significant sporting milestone in

the history of the country.

He said that with the award, Nigeria moved up from position 55 to 41 on the medal table in the 2000 Olympic Games with one gold; two bronze and two silver medals.

Abdullahi said Nigeria’s overall performance at the Olympic Games now stood at three gold’s, eight silvers and 12 bronze to place 68 on the overall medal table.

“Even though this is not a true reflection of Nigeria’s huge potential in sport, we

are optimistic that with the unprecedented commitment that the president has demonstrated and the various initiative that we are currently undertaking Nigeria will soon be ranked amongst the very best in the world,’’ he said.

The minister acknowledged the efforts made by various people over the years to ensure that the justice was done.

He specifically recognised the efforts of former Ministers of Sports, Sanni Ndanusa and Damishi Sango, who were also present at the event.

Federation Cup: Enyimba beats 3Sc 3-1 to advance to quarter-final

T

wo-time Africa champions Enyimba of Abia beat 3Sc of Ibadan 3-1 to advance to quarter-final at the ongoing Confederation Cup at Area 3 pitch in Abuja.

The classic encounter which took placed yesterday between the four-time winners 3SC and twotime winners of the competition witness the Abia boys dominated the entire 90 minutes of the game.

The harvest of goals started from Sokari Bobby at the 22 minutes before Andrew Abanogu at the last minutes of the first half.

Enyimba quickly capitalized on the defence error on the part

of 3SC to make it 3-0 by Amanfor Chemenze in the 77 minutes.

Former U-20 star Gbolahan Salami scored the consolidation goal for 3SC as Moses Ogargar saw red card for insulting referee, claiming the referee refused to blow a deserved penalty at the 79 minutes of game.

Meanwhile the Coach of 3SC of Ibadan Akeem Busari said “it is unfortunately we could not move to the next round, we never bargain for this, but sometime football happen the other way. “we have our chances my boys could not convert it, I can tell you authoritatively that the boys are

not special but lack to beat us, we play them 1-1 in Abia in a league match but today they are more luckier than us, “he said.

However Enyimba coach, Imama Amapakabo who could not hide his feels said that the game was special and his side deserved the victory. “let me tell you, I have taken part in this competition as a player with Sharks and as a coach with Kano pillars, whenever we play against Shooting Stars, it’s always a special occasion, the game was not against my earlier plan because I know them very well,” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 42

Sports

Gambo ruled out for 6 weeks Confed Cup: Rangers K know fate today

Sunday Mba

E

nugu Rangers will know their fate in the 2013 CAF Confederation Cup according to CAF today.

Rangers have appealed

against their disqualification from the Confederation Cup. In a letter to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) dated July 23, CAF secretary

general Hicham El Amrani promised that within the next 48 hours a formal decision on Rangers appeal will be made known.

The appeals committee met on Saturday, July 20 and the NFF through general secretary Musa Amadu had contacted CAF on Rangers appeal after a Confederation Cup match between CS Sfaxien and Etoile du Sahel both of Tunisia went ahead last weekend.

Rangers were thrown out of Africa’s second tier club competition after CAF ruled that goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel was ineligible to play for them against Sfaxien in a final qualifier.

Sfaxien therefore replaced Rangers in a mini-league group that included Saint George of Ethiopia, Etoile du Sahel and Stade Malien from Mali.

Eagles will surely overcome shortcomings, says Amun Stories by Albert Akota

T

he Former Coach of the Golden Eaglets Fanny Amun, yesterday assured that the Super Eagles would soon overcome shortcomings through the rebuilding process of the Chief coach Stephen Keshi.

The Golden Eaglets coach when

Keshi

Nigeria won the 1993 edition of the U-17 World their Cup, Japan 1993, said that the Eagles only needed some time to get it right, but that the team needed the maximum encouragement from Nigerians.

“Building a team takes some time; it sure takes some time to put all in place. It takes Brazil, for example, several years to become

the world champions, yet, they are still building to become a perfect team.

“Yes, we won the African Cup of Nations in 2013 in South Africa while undergoing our rebuilding process and that shows we are on the right channel to perfection.

“Nigeria’s situation is not a peculiar one because if you dare to achieve something, it takes some time to either maintain or surpass such achievement.

“Sooner than we expected, our formidable national team will be formed, Coach Stephen Keshi knows what he is doing and will not disappoint Nigerians, “ he added.

According to Amun, Keshi will, in the nearest future, be remembered for producing some of the best players dominating the world.

“Some of these boys been groomed by Keshi will be part of the best players in the world that formidable foreign clubs will be aspiring to have in their teams.

“It is a good thing to believe in someone and help such person to achieve his or her aim and that is what Keshi is doing,’’ he said.

Amun added that he believed Keshi knows the team’s weaknesses and was working on them to have a good run in the return leg match of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Abidjan.

“They had a fantastic match in the first leg in Nigeria and I believe that the return leg will be an easier one,’’ he added.

The Eagles in CHAN’s first leg defeated the Ivoirians Elephants 4-1 in Kaduna on July 6 and the return leg is scheduled for July 27 in Abidjan.

ano Pillars striker Gambo Mohammed will be sidelined by a muscle injury for at least six weeks, officials have announced.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi said he has been informed the Club Africain of Tunisia-bound striker will be out of action for several weeks.

“It’s a pity that Gambo got injured two days ago. He has a muscle tear or something and with what the doctor told me last night, he is out for six week. That’s a big blow,” Keshi said “I would want every of our good player to be fit for this game against Cote d’Ivoire. Any other player that would fill his shoes would surely give his best.

Gambo

CHAN: Keshi selects 18, drops 6 against Cote d’Ivoire return leg

T

he Head Coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi has selected 18 players for the second leg of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) against the Ivorian Elephants in Abidjan on July 27.

Keshi disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Abuja after the final 18 were selected out of the 24 homebased players invited to camp.

According to him, it was difficult dropping the six players because he already has a sound working

Chibuzo Okonkwo

relationship with them.

“You know it is difficult after staying up to two or three weeks with them; they know you and the rapport is very sound, letting them go is very difficult.

“But, I have to make it easy for myself; so, I allowed Daniel and Coach Vale to do the rest and to talk to the ones that are leaving, so I don’t have to cry,” he said.

The coach said although the game would not be an easy one, his players were ready to make themselves and the country proud.

He said there was no room to entertain fear, stating that they would go there (Abidjan) and do their job.

“I think the players are ready, they want to do something to make themselves proud and Nigerians proud as well; so, they are ready.

“If we are entertaining fear we might as well just stay back instead of going to play, we just have to believe in ourselves and in what we have got as a team and go out and do our job,” he stated.

The full list of the 18 players for the Abidjan trip is as follows: Chigozie Agbim, Daniel Akpeyi, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Godfrey Oboabona, Solomom Kwambe, Kunle Odunlami, Benjamin Francis, Chibuzo Okonkwo, Sunday Mba, Ayo Saka, Olufemi Oladapo, Etebor Oghenekaro, Gomo Onduku, Ifdeanyi Ede, Ezekeil Mba, Gero Abdulahi, Joseph Osadiaye, Rabiu Ali.

NFF mourns Architect Abubakar

T

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)has expresseddeepshock and sadness at the death of Architect Abdullahi Shime Abubakar, a leading promoter of the game of football, especially beach soccer, in the country.

Architect Abubakar died in his home in Abuja yesterday, at the age of 55, only three days after returning from India where he had gone for medical attention. He was the one who designed and supervised the construction of the NFF’s FIFA Technical Centre which is situated at Package B of the National Stadium, Abuja.

Last year, the Chief Executive of Sports Solutions Limited, a Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Architects (FNIA), organised a beach soccer clinic for kids and was already into

partnership with some corporate organisationstostimulatethegrowthof thegameofbeachsoccerinthecountry.

NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, was in a state of shock yesterday: “This is a huge blow to Nigeria football in general, and beach soccerinparticular.ArchitectAbubakar was a towering inspiration as he always had good advice to offer on a wide range of issues, and was a man of high integrity.

“The NFF was actually looking forward to him to lead the way in our enthusiasm to start a beach soccer league, and he had done tremendous work in that regard.

“The NFF and the entire Nigeria football family will miss him in a big way. Our prayer goes out to the family, forGodtogivethemthefortitudetobear the loss. He was a kind man.”

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 43

Sports

Liverpool rejects Arsenal’s £40m bid for Suarez A

rsenal has stepped up their attempt to sign Luis Suarez with a £40,000,001 offer which Liverpool has rejected.

The bid was made on Tuesday after Liverpool had turned down a previous offer of £30 million.

It is understood that Arsenal has made their latest bid in the belief that it will trigger a reported £40

million release clause in the contract Suarez signed last summer.

But Liverpool have knocked back the new offer, maintaining that they are only compelled to inform the 26-year-old of any bids exceeding that amount - and that they do not have to sell at that price.

They have made it clear that they do not want to sell the striker,

and are unlikely to contemplate any offers below £50 million.

Suarez is scheduled to hold talks regarding his future with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers in Australia on Wednesday, following a friendly against Melbourne Victory at the MCG. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s desire to sign the Uruguay

Gerrard urges Suarez to stay

V

alencia president Amadeo Salvo has given Tottenham an ultimatum in their pursuit of striker Roberto Soldado.

The Premier League side was unwilling to meet the €30 million valuation placed on Soldado’s head

by Valencia.

But Salvo has insisted that Spain international Soldado, who scored 24 goals in 33 La Liga games last season, is not for sale unless his price tag is paid in full and upfront.

“Soldado can go if he wants - for €30 million and under our conditions,” he said. “Valencia

Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez

Higuain poised to sign for Napoli Fiorentina agree deal G for Ilicic

F

iorentina have reached an agreement to sign attacking midfielder Josep Ilicic from Palermo.

The resurgent Serie A side announced a deal for the Slovenian on their website yesterday adding that it was subject to the player signing a contract.

The 25-year-old made a big impression in his first season in Sicily in 2010/11 having signed from Slovenia’s Maribor and pricked the interest of several of Europe’s top clubs.

However, Palermo went down from Serie A at the end of last season and Ilicic has now joined the Florence side, which lost Montenegro forward Stevan Jovetic to Manchester City but have recruited Germany striker Mario Gomez from Bayern Munich.

Fiorentina finished fourth in Serie A last term, just missing out on the Champions League.

Josep Ilicic

Gonzalo Higuain

onzalo Higuain was poised to leave Real Madrid for Italian giants Napoli yesterday, according to reports in AS and Marca.

Marca claimed that Napoli will pay around 37 million euros (48.8 million dollars) for the 25 year-old Argentine striker.

If the deal is finalized, Higuain will become the third player sold

by Real to Napoli this summer, following defender Raul Albiol and forward Jose Callejon.

Napoli is managed by Spaniard Rafa Benitez. According to media reports, Real will use the money for Higuain to bid for Gareth Bale of Tottenham and Luis Suarez of Liverpool

Karnezis signs with Udinese

G

run.

Rodgers has also stated that he believes the striker to be as valuable as Edinson Cavani, who recently joined Paris Saint-Germain for £55 million on June 16.

Suarez, signed from Ajax for £22.8 million in January 2011, first announced in May that he wanted to leave Anfield.

Valencia give Spurs ultimatum over Soldado bid

L

iverpool captain Steven Gerrard revealed yesterday he has been working to convince Luis Suarez to remain at the club as Arsenal reportedly upped their bid for the Uruguay striker to £40 million.

Suarez, 26, has made clear he is keen to move to a team playing Champions League football, although he joined his teammates in Melbourne this week in what manager Brendan Rodgers called “great spirits”.

Under the terms of Suarez’s deal, the club are duty bound to consider any offer for him in excess of £40m, but Liverpool appear determined to keep their star asset and again reportedly turned down the bid.

Gerrard said he had been talking to Suarez since he arrived on Sunday from Montevideo and continued to remind him that there is “a lot of love” for him from the club, the players and the fans.

international has intensified after being frustrated in his attempts to sign Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain, who looks set to join former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez at Napoli.

But Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said on Monday that he expects Suarez to honour his contract, which has three years to

reek international keeper Orestis Karnezis has signed a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee with Udinese, Greek media reported yesterday.

Karnezis, 28, will reportedly be loaned to Spain’s Granada for this season by the Italian club.

His former team Panathinaikos, which he joined in 2007, will receive €750 000 for the transfer, the reports said.

Karnezis has played for the Greek national team in 10 matches since 2012.

Orestis Karnezis

never had any intention of selling Soldado. If he goes then it is because the €30 million figure has been met, not a cent less or a cent more.

“The buying club will also have to accept Valencia’s conditions of payment also. We agreed to meet Tottenham again to discuss the ways of paying and we did that because we understood that his buy-out clause would be met.

Tottenham head coach Andre Villas-Boas had confirmed that his side were interested in signing Spain forward Soldado, 28, as they look to bolster their attacking options ahead of the new season.

Sevilla sign Gameiro from PSG

S

evilla have signed striker Kevin Gameiro from French champions Paris SaintGermain, the Spanish Liga club said yesterday.

According to media reports, Sevilla will pay around 10 million euros (13.2 million dollars) for the 26-year-old forward.

Sevilla, who finished ninth in La Liga last season, have been looking to strengthen their attack since selling Spain strikers Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas to Manchester City.

Sevilla also said that they have loaned defender Alberto Botia to newly-promoted Elche.

Kevin Gameiro

Spurs rejects rumours linking Bale to Real

T

ottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has countered rumours that star player Gareth Bale could be on the verge of a move to Real Madrid, saying they were “counting on him for the future”.

Reports in Spain said the Wales midfielder has told Tottenham he wants to leave and has agreed a sixyear deal with Madrid, who will pay him €10 million a season.

“On Gareth I want to repeat what I was telling you last season and what I was telling you from the beginning of pre-season so I cannot extend myself,” he said.

“He’s a player that we are willing to continue to have, he’s a Tottenham player, he’s one of the most fantastic players in the world at the moment and we are counting on him for the future.

Gareth Bale

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Sports

Armstrong tells US government to overlook drug allegations

C

yclist Lance Armstrong has called for a federal lawsuit by the US government against him to be dismissed.

The suit argued that the 41-year-old defrauded the public by insisting he was not using drugs during his seven Tour de France wins.

However, Armstrong, who

was stripped of the titles last year and admitted doping this year, has questioned the government’s motives after claiming it overlooked allegations of drugtaking at the time because his team were sponsored by the US Postal Service.

Armstrong, who was riding for the US Postal Service team at

Armstrong

the time relating to the lawsuit, ended years of denial in January during an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey in which he described doping as part of the process of winning the Tour.

The Texan rider asked an American judge to dismiss the justice False Claims Act lawsuit yesterday.

“The rationale behind the government’s decision is obvious.

Armstrong had recently won the 2000 Tour de France. The government wanted a winner and all the publicity, exposure, and acclaim that goes along with being his sponsor. It got exactly what it bargained for.

Armstrong has also argued that the government’s case is too old to move forward because it is barred by the six-year statute of limitations.

The American rider, who won the Tour a record seven times between 1999 and 2005, was last year exposed as a serial drug user in a US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) report that plunged cycling into crisis.

Joshua turns professional boxer this week

O

lympic gold medallist Anthony Joshua will turn professional this week after leaving the Great Britain amateur boxing programme.

Joshua, 23, has not fought since his thrilling super-heavyweight Olympic win over Roberto Cammarelle last summer.

Joshua could make his debut on the undercard of Carl Froch’s world supermiddleweight title clash with George Groves later this year.

“Anthony is a very talented sportsman who has enjoyed a meteoric rise to become Olympic champion, less than four years after he first began boxing.

“Naturally, it is a disappointment for us that Anthony has decided his future lies away from the GB Boxing programme, but he departs with our very best regards and we wish him every success in his future career.

Anthony Joshua

Woods wants to be more than Tiger

BBC extends British Athletics coverage till 2020

C

B

heyenne Woods has set her sights on making a major impact as she aims to prove her uncle Tiger Woods who excels on the golf course.

Cheyenne, niece of 14-time major winner Tiger, says she is honoured to be related to the men’s world number one.

But she is intent on making a name for herself, starting by qualifying for the British Open in early August.

The American is embarking on her first full season as a professional as part of the Ladies European Tour.

But she has a big few days ahead of her if she is to make the Open and will attempt to

Cheyenne Woods

clinch a place at St Andrews at the Ladies European Masters at Buckinghamshire Golf Club between 26-28 July.

“It will take some time for some people to get used to the fact that I am Tiger Woods’s niece and I’m playing professionally now,” she admitted.

As both lead busy schedules, Cheyenne sees little of her uncle but he is never far away from her thoughts.

“We’re both extremely busy but he keeps up with events especially with me playing in Europe, he’s aware I’m out here and doing my thing on tour.

Maybe if I qualify for the Open then I’ll get a tip or two from him.

BC will continue to show British Athletics until 2020 after extending their broadcasting rights agreement.

The deal ensures events such as the Anniversary Games and the British Championships will be shown on free-to-air television.

This will provide the sport a platform in the years building up to and beyond the 2017 World Championships in London.

“We’re very proud to continue our association with British Athletics,” BBC Sport director Barbara Slater said.

“This deal enables BBC Sport to bring the best of top-flight UK competition to audiences complementing our coverage of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2016 Olympics in Rio and the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London, making the BBC the

Alamrew, Farahand Koech leading others during Olympic Games

place for audiences to follow the full story of the UK’s top track and field athletes right through to 2020.

The extension to the current broadcast rights agreement was announced by UK Athletics chief executive officer Niels de Vos, who also outlined its vision to win more medals, stage worldclass events, create an athletic nation and stage the best ever World Championships.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

PAGE 45

Sports

P-i-c-t-o-r-i-a-l

1. Cheyenne Woods has set her sights on making a major impact as she aims to prove her uncle is not the only family member who excels on the golf course.

2. Former Australia fast bowler Jeff Thomson admits he was “embarrassed” by his compatriots’ batting performance in their second Ashes Test loss at Lord’s.

3. Judy Murray reveals some of the games and tips that helped turn her son Andy into a future Wimbledon champion.

1

4. Olympic gold medallist Anthony Joshua will turn professional this week after leaving the Great Britain amateur boxing programme.

5. Olympic gold medallist Anthony Joshua will turn professional this week after leaving the Great Britain amateur boxing programme.

2

4

3

5

PAGE 46

PEOPLES DAILY| FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2013

Sports

Newcastle question Cisse for visiting casino

A

photograph has emerged of Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse at a poker table in a casino as the row rumbles on over his refusal to appear for the club in a shirt bearing the logo of a payday loan company.

Cisse pulled out of Newcastle’s tour of Portugal last week after claiming that, as a Muslim, he could not wear Wongasponsored club merchandise as sharia law forbids followers from profiting through money-lending (“riba”).

However, gambling (“maisir”) is also described as a “grave sin” in the Qur’an.

A spokesman for Aspers casino in Newcastle confirmed that the striker is “an occasional visitor” to the establishment but did not say whether he had engaged

Jose: Man City are title favourites

Fernandinho

C

helsea manager Jose Mourinho believes Manchester City should be recognised as favourites for the Premier League title next season after a summer of extravagant spending was overseen by new boss Manuel Pellegrini.

City have spent close to £100m in signing Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk, Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo from Sevilla and Montenegro schemer Stevan Jovetic, with Mourinho suggesting that adds up to a winning combination.

Comparing City’s spending exploits to the pressure he was forced to deal with when he was offered huge transfer funds during his first spell as Chelsea boss, Mourinho was keen to remind Pellegrini of the expectations he will need to handle in his first season in English football.

“I know the players City have bought and they are players without surprises. They are more than ready.

If you see their ages, their maturity, they are in the perfect moment of their career to go to England.

“Navas and Negredo are two world champions, two European champions. Jovetic has been one of the best in Serie A for more than two years. Fernandinho has big experience.

Mourinho again refused to be drawn on his ongoing pursuit for Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, after vowing not to comment on the issue after an initial statement last week.

in gambling. Even so, Newcastle city councillor Dipu Ahad, who had supported the player over his Wonga protest, feels his behaviour was unacceptable.

“I feel absolutely ashamed of what he’s done,” he told the BBC. “There’s not just me, there’s been other people who’ve been supporting him. What he’s done now, seeing him in the casino, even if he wasn’t gambling, I think this gives a wrong message.

“People will say: ‘Look, this is Islam they can pick and choose whatever they want’, and Islam isn’t about picking and choosing.”

Cisse, who has offered to wear an unbranded shirt or one promoting a charity, has been linked with a move to Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala.

Cisse pictured at casino

Celtic cruise into third qualifying round of Champions League

C

eltic eased past Cliftonville to reach the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League with a 2-0 win, comfortably beating the Northern Irish club 5-0 over two legs.

With so much at stake - UEFA earlier revealed Celtic made €30m from their run to the round of 16 during last season’s competition - the Hoops fielded a strong side despite holding a 3-0 advantage from the first leg in Belfast.

After the visitors had withstood some early pressure, the Cliftonville backline was finally breached in the 16th minute when Efe Ambrose headed the Scottish champions into the lead.

Efe with teammates

Kris Commons and James Forrest then both came close to adding more as the Glasgow giants dominated the first half at Parkhead.

The Belfast part-timers improved after the break but the Hoops made sure of the win when a Georgios Samaras header made it 2-0 in the 70th minute.

Neil Lennon’s side will need to overcome much tougher opposition in the form of Elfsborg for a place in the play-off round of Europe’s elite competition. The Swedish champions, who won their second leg match against Latvians FC Daugave 4-0 to progress 11-1 on aggregate, will visit Celtic Park on 31 July.

IPC Athletics: Peacock beats Richard, Browne to win gold

B

ritish sprinter Jonnie Peacock beat American rival Richard Browne to add a world title to the Paralympic gold medal he won at London 2012.

Peacock overcame a stumble at the start to win the T44 100m final at the IPC World Championships in 10.99 seconds.

The 20-year-old finished 0.02 secs clear of Browne, with reigning champion Jerome Singleton third in Lyon.

Browne had beaten Peacock’s single leg amputee world record of 10.85 by 0.02 secs in semi-final.

Browne, who had been vocal on Twitter in the build-up to the race about his rivalry with Peacock, was visibly annoyed and initially left without speaking to the media before returning a few moments later to pay tribute to the winner.

The pair is set to meet again on Sunday at the London Anniversary Games in the Olympic Stadium, where they could also be joined by

Peacock, Richard and Browne competing during IPC Brazilian double amputee Alan Oliveira, who won gold in his event on Tuesday, the T43

100m.

The Brazilian triumphed in a time of 10.80 - just outside

the 10.77 world record he set in Berlin in June - to complete the 100m and 200m double.

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

QUOTABLE QUOTE Unless we want to engage in an endless war, I believe it is irrational of anyone to oppose dialogue as a means of resolving conflict.

— Gov. Shettima of Borno state on why he supports talking to Boko Haram moderates

SPORTS

Constitutional anguish (I)

Moses glad with Chelsea’s Asia tour

D

LATEST

V

ictor Moses has said he has been boosted by the experience from his first tour with EPL side Chelsea.

The Nigeria winger, who has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer, is back in action after he was sidelined by injury in the close season.

“Now I’m delighted to be here, working hard and getting as fit as possible for the new season,” he told the Chelsea official website at the squad’s hotel in Jakarta, the last stop on our Asia tour.

“It’s my first Chelsea tour and it’s been a good experience for me with the club. When I first came, I arrived after the start of the season which was unfortunate because it makes it a bit harder to get to know everyone.

“It’s been great so far. We’ve got a few new players in and others back from loan, and so far I think everyone has done well in achieving their aims.”

He added: “Also, the fans have been great everywhere and here in Indonesia right from landing at the airport we’ve seen this amazing support we’ve had.

“There is nice hot weather too, which I like, so it’s good to be here, and I think we’ve all really enjoyed the experience.”

The Nigeria forward said he was disappointed he did not feature at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil after he helped the Super Eagles win the 2013 AFCON. “When I was in America with the team at the end of last season, I was getting treatment on the injury which was progressing, but I couldn’t make the Confederations Cup,” explained the 22-year-old.

“I felt disappointed not to have my day with Nigeria. It was a great tournament, they were the sort of games I would like to be involved in, playing against some of the best teams in the world, but that’s football and injuries happen.

espite some major improvements in the past two years, methodical and intelligent discussion of constitutional or legislative issues often seems to evade us. Even on the floor of the hallowed chambers of House and Senate. Things can disintegrate into thinly veiled hate messages against each other, a region, an ethnic group or yes, the religion of Islam. Even if one factors in the well-heeled organisations –foreign and local- that are spending huge amounts of money into keeping us so preoccupied, it is still depressing.

One cannot help but despair as one listens to the calibre of people talking and what they are saying – making inaccurate, self-serving or outrightly false claims to make trouble - or is it rack up some political capital? It happened (is happening) during the discussion of the long-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill. Suddenly our headlines were replete with the claim that 83% of Nigeria’s oil blocks were owned by Northerners.

I think Senator Ita Enang should by now have apologised for a claim that has since been discredited and that was really a calculated attempt to mis-inform and divide Nigerians. He was actually talking about less than 7% of Nigeria’s total production and even then was long on names and short on detail.

That was his way of countering the mostly Northern Senators’ opposition to a 10% host community fund. In his mind the privately owned oil blocks (of Nigerians) were equivalent to the prospect of an additional tax reduction on oil revenues disbursed to states. It’s always about territory, rather than substance.

The most frustrating aspect of all this is that the real questions of public welfare, social policy and national progress are lost. And vested interest, the corporate and parasitic political class can carry on with their Cartelopian business uninterrupted - while we argue for instance about whether it is ‘moral’ for a 6 or 8 or 11 year-old to be married. Personally as I watch my 6 year-old daughter Karima play in a video she inadvertently took of

“

Victor Moses

ADVERT: BUSINESS: NEWS: LAGOS:

0803 0805 0814 0805 0803

311 689 292 327 454

CARTELOPIA With Aisha Yolah ayolah06@yahoo.com 08086296783 (text only please)

Senator Sani Yerima herself I know the answer to that question.

Yet again we have another ‘famous’ Senator to thank for our current national angst. An objective reading of the legislation in question would make it appear as if Senator Ahmed Yarima is in fact – quite in the right. Senator Yarima raised an objection against the removal of a clause that allows a woman who is below 18 and married, to renounce her citizenship. In other words the 1999 Constitution provides two definitions for ‘majority’ or a person of full age: 18years and above, or any married woman.

Sounds reasonable until you think about it a minute as the Premiuim Times people did in their report: That means even ‘a day old child, once married’ can be considered of age! In addition, I would say there is a clear gender bias against males – so a girl is deemed an adult because she is married while a boy (married or

not) is legally a child. Rather than figure out how to redress such obvious holes in the drafting of what constitutes age of majority, in light of Islamic and Customary law, we have all resorted to misinformed name-calling.

Even the youngest Muslim child can tell you that the following reported (senatorial) assertion is false: ‘Islam deems any woman who is married to be of age’.

As the beneficiary of the world’s first systematic conceptualisation of personal accountability to God and community, a Muslim child is keenly aware that it is upon puberty that he/she is considered responsible and accountable for his/her actions. This is the age of majority for a Muslim. Clearly this may vary from person to person and thus no specific age can be stipulated. In fact, the concept of accountability is why Muslims are obliged to educate themselves, to know their rights and responsibilities in every

As the beneficiary of the world’s first systematic conceptualisation of personal accountability to God and community, a Muslim child is keenly aware that it is upon puberty that he/she is considered responsible and accountable for his/her actions. This is the age of majority for a Muslim. Clearly this may vary from person to person and thus no specific age can be stipulated. In fact, the concept of accountability is why Muslims are obliged to educate themselves, to know their rights and responsibilities in every relationship. It is a system based on a keen sense of order and yes- rule of law.

7458 1765 9046 1969 0344

relationship. It is a system based on a keen sense of order and yesrule of law. This rule of law and order also covers the provisions of marriage conferring rights and responsibilities on both parties.

Now, as a committed Muslim and decrepit, undesirable 45year old woman, I find myself silently angry. On the one hand, I am offended by the gleeful and uninformed commentary of what I call your regular ‘Islam haters’. On the other, I am flummoxed by the constant, and relentless inability of many Muslim males including –the mostly male clerical class - to truly aspire to live by the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) example.

Our beloved Prophet, known as a ‘mercy to mankind’, the best of creation, was ‘gender’ sensitive one thousand years before it became fashionable to be so. He married Nana A’isha (RA) at a tender age after being widowed. His beloved wife of 25 long, monogamous and happy years, Nana Khadija (RA) had passed away. As head of the Muslim community and state his subsequent marriages were to elderly widows in need of care and protection or to cement peaceful political relations. Only Aisha had never been married before. He never married for lust or personal ends. This is the Sunnah or Prophetic example that we still can only wish for.

Finally, any honest Islamic scholar will tell you that none of the legislation on Islamic marriage had been revealed when the marriage with Aisha was contracted under the traditional customs of the time.

In the context of the extensive rights and responsibilities of marriage as eventually stipulated in the Quran and Sunnah, the two parties must be agreeable and responsible and –have reached the age of majority.

Child marriage indeed.

If I remember correctly the United Nations recently released the most appalling statistics on sexual violence against women.

Every day Nigerian newspapers will carry at least two or three stories of children being raped, abused and molested – mostly in urban cities from Lagos, to Abuja to Kano. The stories are often written in such a way that they sicken rather than inform, sometimes with a hint of the pornographic rather than reportorial. Every single day. Yet our social activists would rather address themselves to how our ‘laws cover Muslim women and children’.

This issue has highlighted two things for me – the blinding bigotry in wider society and the huge shortcomings of many Muslim men (and women) when it comes to aspiring to the lofty ideals of Islam.

I noticed that not a single Muslim woman senator voted for the retention of that clause. Food for thought – for the thoughtful that is.

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: +234 814 292 9046. Cell: +234 802 443 2099; 803 7007 759. e-mail: contact@peoplesdailyng.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141