Peoples Daily Newspaper, Tuesday, June 26, 2012 by Peoples Media Limited

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

Vol. 8 No. 67

. . . putting the people first

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Court asks NASS to disclose lawmakers’ earnings >> PAGE 3

Kaduna Yobe relax curfew >> PAGE 4

Kano Hisbah takes campaign to schools >> PAGE 7

Shaaban 6, 1433 AH

N150

Court stops Jonathan from renaming UniLag >> PAGE 4

Nigeria may break up – Mark Service chiefs on firing line NASS mulls stiffer legislation Jonathan meets Sultan, Kukah, others By Lawrence Olaoye & Ikechukwu Okaforadi

enate President David Mark yesterday warned that Nigeria may eventually break up if the wanton killings and destruction perpetrated by the dreaded Boko Haram sect is not checkmated. Mark in his remarks at the opening of a three-day retreat for senators in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom state, challenged various stakeholders, especially northern elders to Contd on Page 2

. . . Govs call for state police By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

n the wake of the myriads of security challenges confronting the nation, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) rose from a crucial meeting on Sunday in Abuja, with a firm demand for the establishment of state police and a special intervention fund to help tackle the challenges. The forum, which consists of the 36 elected governors of the federation, stated this in a communiqué issued yesterday. The communiqué, which was read by Contd on Page 2

L-R: Senator Ndoma-Egba (standing behind), Senate President David Mark, President Goodluck Jonathan and Akwa Ibom state Governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio, during the opening of the Senate’s 2012 retreat, yesterday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

CONTENTS

Six electrocuted by PHCN cable in Ibadan

News

By Lawal Saddiq Sanusi

2-11

Editorial

Op.Ed

Letters

Opinion

Metro

16-17

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

S/Report

For the Record

Newsxtra

Agriculture

Bribery saga: Police ask Tambuwal to release adhoc c’ttee members for interrogation, Page 6

International 31-34 Strange World 35 Digest

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-47

Columnist

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU The Peoples Daily wants to hear from you with any news and pictures you think we should publish. You can send your news and pictures to: letters@peoplesdaily-online.com pictures@peoplesdaily-online.com contact@peoplesdaily-online.com

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esidents of the Apata area of Ibadan, Oyo state capital, were yesterday thrown into mourning as a Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) electric cable fell from an electric pole electrocuted six people.

A lady who would have been the seventh victim, however, survived and is currently receiving treatment in a hospital in the city. Our correspondent learnt that among those electrocuted was a pregnant woman and her mother. Corpses of the deceased, ac-

cording to our investigation, were yesterday deposited at a morgue in Ibadan. Our correspondent reported that Mrs. Afusatu Abiade, the only survivor of the incident which happened at the Agbekoya Market, was seriously injured. The woman, who was

placed on admission at the Garden of Eden Hospital in Aba-Alamu area of Apata, thanked God for surviving the incident. Security agents had cordoned off the accident area apparently to save unsuspecting pedestrians and other road users from falling victims.

Nigeria may break up – Mark Contd from Page 1

call the radical sect to order immediately before greater damage is done to the corporate existence of the country. “The way the exercise is going at the moment, if Boko Haram is not halted, it may result to the breakup of this country and God forbid, because people will not take it for too long”, he said. The Senate President said so many reasons have been adduced for the insurgency but affirmed that none of the reasons was strong enough to warrant the wanton destruction being perpetrated by the dreaded sect. According to him, “People have given reasons for the causes of the violence by the Boko Haram sect; they say it is poverty. To me the reason is very tenuous. If every poor man in this country decides to be a suicide bomber, Nigeria strictly will not exist. Secondly, people have said it is lack of education. I agree that that will be an issue but we cannot overcome that overnight, somebody who is not educated cannot wake up overnight and become educated.” He said the excuse of unemployment in the country was equally untenable even as he identified the issues of ideological and religious fundamentalism as the main causes of the social dislocations in the country. While urging the government to continue executing its programmes as

halting same would translate to the success of the ‘terrorists’, Mark said the development has succeeded in promoting ethnic and religious conflicts in the country. The Senate President added that the government must dialogue with the sect to end the reign of terror but insisted that it will not do so with a faceless group whose leaders are unknown. He said there has been clamour for development in the North but asserted “the same people who are crying that under-development is in the North are at the same moment responsible for the subsequent under-development that is occurring in the North. No investor is going to bring his money and invest in Kaduna, Kano or Jigawa when his life is in danger.” Mark said the National Assembly must review the laws on terrorism with a view to giving more powers to security agencies fighting the menace even as he suggested that the mantra of the rule of law may have to be jettisoned. Equally speaking on the need to halt terrorism in the country, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who delivered a paper at the retreat said: “We need to re- examine our laws again, to see if there are loopholes we can plug, and if there are more creative ways we can liaise with the other arms of government to bring synergy into the efforts to stop the unending state of

violence.” Declaring the retreat open, President Goodluck Jonathan said: “Mr. Senate President, Distinguished Senators, Ladies and Gentlemen, to ensure the security and safety of our people, and safeguard our national borders from insurgents, I will continue to reorganize and reposition our security operations. As we do this, we need to put in place new legislations that will make it easier to track, obstruct, prosecute and punish terrorists. And I need your support. “As an elected leader, my primary responsibility is to protect Nigerian citizens and those who come here to work. Security is that which primarily concerns me as an elected President. I will continue to reorganize and reposition the security apparatus of the country to address insecurity challenges to a logical end”, he said. It would be recalled that Jonathan on Friday sacked his Minister for Defence, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed and his National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Andrew Owoeye Azazi. His latest comment of yesterday in Uyo may be a veiled disclosure that the Service chiefs are on firing line since he has disclosed that he would continue to reorganize and reposition the security apparatus. Meanwhile, the President further solicited the cooperation of the lawmakers

for proactive laws to combat the evil of terrorism in the country. He added that as politicians, they must not play politics with national security. Commenting on areas of conflict between the National Assembly and the Executive, Jonathan said: “The performance of the oversight functions by the National Assembly or the use of executive powers by the President must not act as a barrier to the compelling need for cooperation in service delivery for the good of our country. We are one government with one constituency, the Nigerian people.” Speaking on efforts made so far to curtail the activities of the Boko Haram sect in the country, the President said “Over the past one year, we have upgraded our capabilities and intensified our actions against this threat. Although the threat has far from abated, we have implemented several measures that weakened the terrorists’ infrastructure.” The President had before leaving the Akwa Ibom state capital held a closed door meeting with Mark, Tambuwal, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Bishop of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Reverend Mathew Hassan Kukah, among others who were at the forum. See an abridged version of Mark’s speech at the retreat on Page 26.

. . . Govs call for state police Contd from Page 1 the Chairman of the forum, Gov. Chibuike Amaechi, said the NGF was committed to convening a governors‘ forum conference on security in the country. “State governments are currently overstretched in funding security, so, a special intervention fund from the Federal Government, especially to states that are mostly affected is needed’’, he said. The communiqué condemned the current spate of insecurity and violence in the country and called for multi-

dimensional approach in tackling the problem. It stressed the need for enhanced coordination and collaboration among security agencies, effective use of technology and intelligence, value orientation and sincerity of purpose. Also speaking on the issue, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state said the perception that governors had not been in the forefront of discussions on how to address the country’s security challenges was wrong. “It is not that we are not talking, we are talking individually. We may not have

talked as a forum collectively but our chairman has been engaged fully in this matter. “Beyond partisan affiliations, we all must work with the President to ensure that we rescue the country from every impending doom that might arise as a result of insecurity that is raging all over the country”, he stressed. The issue of Federal Government’s lackadaisical attitude in supporting the state governments where Boko Haram attacks seem more constant, is not new. Most of the concerned governors have complained

severally on the way they spend huge sums of money in funding the activities, accommodating and feeding Federal Government’s security operatives like the Joint Task Force (JTF), which are operating in their respective states. This is in spite of several billions of Naira budgeted for security at the federal level. A particular state was said to be spending about N1.2 billion on security monthly. The Federal Government in fact budgeted N1 trillion naira for security in the 2012 budget. This may have been responsible for the demand for state police by the NGF.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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Court asks NASS to disclose lawmakers’ earnings By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday gave the Clerk of the National Assembly 14 days to release details of the salary, emoluments, and allowances received by members of House of Representatives and the Senate between 2007 and 2011 to Legal Defense and Assistance Project (LEDAP). The court sitting before Justice Bilkisu Bello Aliyu gave the order in a ruling she delivered yesterday, in the suit filed by LEDAP, pointing out that the Freedom of Information Act 2011 permits the organisation to demand for any public information such as the details of salaries, emoluments and allowances earned by the legislators. LEDAP, a non-governmental

organization had in a letter dated July 6, 2011 addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly requested for information, under sections 2 and 3 of Freedom of Information Act (signed into law in May last year) on salary, emolument and allowances paid to all Reps and senators from June 2007 to May 2011, but the National Assembly refused to respond to the group’s request. Following National Assembly’s refusal, LEDAP filed its suit in September last year seeking an order of the court declaring that the refusal of the management of the National Assembly to provide the required information was illegal as well as and an order mandating the NASS management to release the required information within 14 days. Justice Aliyu granted both

orders. LEDAP claimed in the suit that the legislators were overpaid beyond the rate approved by the law and demanded refund of overpayments. Counsel representing the National Assembly, Yunus Ustaz Usman (SAN) had argued that legislators’ earnings were beyond the purview of the FOI, and that LEDAP had no locus standi to institute the suit. The court, in its ruling, disagreed with the National Assembly lawyer saying the payments are of public interest since they were made from public funds. Nigerian lawmakers are considered the highest paid lawmakers in the world. Chino Edmund Obiagwu, counsel to LEDAP, said his client would not relent until all the illegal

allowances collected by lawmakers between 2007 and 2011 were returned. “Legislators are those who made the law on how much each public officer should be paid in salary and allowances. They are liable to refund any excess money collected beyond approved sum, and we will pursue this issue in the courts until all unlawful overpayments to the legislators of the 6th Assembly are repaid to public coffers”, Obiagwu stated. Meanwhile, Peoples Daily gathered that the Director of Information of the National Assembly, Mr. Monima Daminabo, has expressed the willingness of the assembly to comply with the ruling of the court. “We are going to comply exactly in line with the court order,” he said. Mr. Daminabo who categorized the controversial earnings of the lawmakers as “operational expenses.”

he Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, Alhaji Aliyu Musa, said yesterday that his command had adopted a rural community-based policing to sustain the peace in the state. Musa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto that the initiative would enable the people offer intelligence information on suspicious characters to curtail criminal activities in the state. Through the new measure, he said, members of the public would give the police useful information on the hideout of criminals. The commissioner said the state had not recorded any cases of robbery attacks in the last two months. He noted that the provision of 60 Toyota Hilux Vans and 1,000 motorcycles to the command by Gov. Aliyu Wamakko had boosted the morale of officers. (NAN)

N47.1bn theft: ‘Akingbola did not benefit from transaction’

N27.5bn theft: Cheque exhibits not signed by Atuche, EFCC witness tells court

From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

field detective in the bank fraud investigative department of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), David Olom Nkpe, yesterday, told Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, that some of the cheques tendered as exhibits in court was signed by one of the prosecution witnesses, Mrs. Elizabeth Ebi. Nkpe, who was being led in evidence by counsel to the troubled bank chief, Anthony Idigbe (SAN), while testifying before the court in the ongoing trial of former Managing Director of Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank), Mr. Francis Atuche and two others, also agreed with Idigbe that the cheques were part of the proceeds of the loan that formed the charge for which Atuche is standing trial. Atuche, his wife, Elizabeth and the former Chief Financial Officer in the bank, Ugo Anyanwu are standing trial over allegations of stealing N27.5 billion instituted against them by the EFCC. Nkpe said all the loans that they investigated were in the book of the bank at the time of their investigations as non performing loans, adding that he is not aware that anything was done by the defendant to cover up the loans. He also agreed that their investigations did not reveal that the defendants did anything to cover up the loans so that it will not be paid back and he is not aware that it was written off as costs. The said cheques were part of the exhibits and were labeled exhibits P167 and P168. The case continues tomorrow for cross examination.

Police adopt communitybased approach in Sokoto

L-R: Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, with Benue state Governor, Mr. Gabriel Suswam, during the investiture of the governor as the patron of Nigerian Universities of Arts and Culture Festival, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

NUC suspends part-time programmes By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

gainst the background of various unaccredited courses being offered by various universities mostly in the satellite campuses, the National Universities Commission (NUC) yesterday announced the suspension of all part-time programmes being offered across the country as satellite programmes. Speaking yesterday during the unveiling of accredited courses of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), the Executive Secretary of NUC, Julius Okojie, said the suspension was in a bid to stem the tide of corruption going around such programmes. He alleged that the programmes have constituted a

breeding ground where unsuspecting students are defrauded by the promoters of such satellite campuses, adding that where such programmes would be allowed by the commission, it must operate within the universities concerned. According to him, the NUC is working hard to streamline the parttime programmes, saying that NOUN has the capacity to accommodate the learning quest of Nigerians under the satellite programmes. He lamented that many Nigerian students are currently studying illegally in the various unaccredited satellite campuses across the country, retting that in accreditation executrices, if a university does well, it blow its trumpet, while the find it difficult

to accept the reality if they are denied accreditation. Okojie further disclosed that out of the 31 courses being offered by the NOUN, 26 had full accreditation, four had full accreditation while Nursing was denied accreditation due to its obsolete academic curriculum. He stated that accreditation is usually carried out through various considerations such as quality of teachers and their quantity, in addition to quality of library facilities. In another development, the Commission also bestowed the NUC’s honour of Art and Culture Theater on the governor of Benue state, Gabriel Suswam, saying he has been identifying with the course of the commission.

he second defence witness in the trial of former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, Dr Erastus Akingbola, Mr. Thomas Ayodele, on yesterday, told Justice Habeeb Abiru of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, that the troubled sacked bank MD did not benefit from the transactions he was being tried for. Ayodele, who was former Managing Director of Intercontinental Capital Markets Limited (ICML), a subsidiary of Intercontinental Bank (now Access Bank) made the claim at the trial of Akingbola while testifying before the judge. Akingbola alongside an associate, Bayo Dada, were charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing N47.1 billion belonging to the bank. The witness, who was led in evidence by Akingbola's counsel, Mr. Deji Sasegbon (SAN) said the N2.1 billion transaction involving ICML and Regal Investment Company Limited was done with the approval of the board. He said: “On March 10, 2009, Dr Raymond Obieri, the chairman of Regal sent us a request that we should transfer some (N2.1 billion) for the company. “The placement (transfer) was approved by the board before the transaction was made.” Ayodele added that following the development, ICML wrote to Intercontinental Bank to increase their placement (funds) from N2 billion to N5.5 billion to enable them to carry out the transaction.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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Kaduna govt. Court restrains Jonathan relaxes curfew from renaming UNILAG K A aduna state government yesterday relaxed the 24-hour curfew imposed on the state following a gradual return of peace to the state. A statement signed by the Special Assistant, Media, to the state governor, Mr Rueben Buhari, said the curfew was relaxed by four hours on Monday to allow movement of people between noon and 4pm. It also said that movement would be allowed between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. in Kaduna South, Kaduna North, Igabi and Chikun local government areas as from today, Tuesday. Residents of the remaining 19 local government areas, according to the statement, are allowed to move around between 6am and 6pm. The 24-hour curfew was imposed on the state following bomb attacks on three churches,

ECWA Church, Wusasa, Zaria; CKC, Sabon-Gari, Zaria and the Shalom Church of God Trikania, Kaduna and reprisal that followed it. Although the curfew was initially relaxed on June 18, it was reinstated the following day due to fresh violence in the state capital. (NAN)

From Francis Iwuchukwu, with agency report

Federal high court judge in Ikeja has restrained the Nigerian president from changing the name of the University of Lagos, a 52-year old school widely known as UNILAG. Justice Stephen Adah granted the interim injunction sought by

students and alumni of the institution. The plaintiffs had filed a lawsuit against the university’s governing council, the senate, office of the AGF and the Nigerian national assembly. On May 29, 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan arbitrarily renamed the university after Bashorun MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12 1993

presidential election that was annulled by the former Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. However in the course of street protests students and alumni of the university resisted the name change leading to the closure of the university. The court has adjourned further hearing in the case to July 4.

Shop and uncompleted church building that were affected by Sunday night explosion in Bauchi, yesterday. Photo: NAN

... Gaidam too in Damaturu By Maryam Garba Hassan

overnor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe state has yesterday approved a further easing of the curfew imposed on the state capital, Damaturu. A statement issued yesterday by the governor’s Special Adviser on Press Affairs and Information, Abdullahi Bego, stated that consequently, public movement within Damaturu metropolis is now allowed between 7:00am and 6:00pm daily from yesterday, Monday, adding that members of the public are expected to remain in their homes from 6:00pm to 7:00am daily. “Restriction on public movement in other parts of the State, except Potiskum town, remains from 10:00pm to 6:00am daily. Restriction of movement in Potiskum Town remains between 6.00PM and 6.00AM daily”, the statement added. According to the statement, the decision was taken following a meeting the governor had yesterday with heads of law enforcement and security agencies in the state. The governor however reminded the citizens of the state that the task of ensuring and maintaining security is not the responsibility of the security agents alone but for every law abiding citizen. “The governor therefore calls on the general public to continue to assist and cooperate with the security agents in their task of ensuring security and maintaining law and order”, the statement further stated. He also prayed the Almighty Allah (SWT) to grant peace, security and prosperity to the State and the nation in general and call on members of the general public not to relent in their prayers for peace too.

Fear grips Jos residents as Police detonate 2 IEDs at relaxation spot From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

he anti bomb squad of the Plateau state police command yesterday detonated two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in a local relaxation spot in Tundun Wada area of Jos North local government area (LGA) of Plateau state. Special Task Force (STF) otherwise known as “operation save heaven” in a press statement signed by its media and information officer Captain Salisu

Mustapha said the two IEDs were found on Sunday by 9:30pm in a popular local relaxation spot in Tundun Wada area. According to the statement, one of the IEDs was planted by the fence of one resident of the area and the other was found under a parked vehicle and that the two IEDs were detonated by the anti bomb squad of the state police command. It added that no causality was recorded and the security situation in the area is calm. It

Man receives 30 strokes, 1 yr jail term for raping girl, 6

n Upper Sharia Court at Gusau in Zamfara on Monday, sentenced a 36year-old man, Saidu Abubakar, to one year imprisonment and 30 strokes of the cane for raping a sixyear-old girl. Delivering judgment on Monday, the Presiding Judge, Alhaji Sanusi Magami, said that Abubakar, having pleaded guilty to the offence was convicted as charged. Magami said that the convict had been given a leeway to consider the implication of his statement of guilt but had refused to withdraw it. The judge said the 30 strokes of cane would be administered on Abubakar publicly in addition to the imprisonment, noting that the punishment was designed to serve as deterrence to others. Earlier the prosecutor, Malam

Hamisu Ibrahim, told the court that Abubakar, a neighbour to the family of the victim, had on May 5, 2012 lured the little girl into an uncompleted building opposite his house and raped her. He said that on the fateful day, the girl’s father returned from work and met his daughter crying. When prodded on what happened, the girl told her father that somebody forced her into the uncompleted structure and sexually abused her. The prosecutor stated that virginal normality and sexual diagnostic abuse tests conducted confirmed forceful penetration into the little girl’s organ. He told the court that Abubakar deserved severe punishment because he was similarly, convicted for a similar offence last year. (NAN)

enjoyed residents of the state to be vigilant and report any suspicious persons, activities or objects within their environment to security agencies. A resident of the area, Mr. John who is also a barber told our correspondent that at about 910pm he went out to buy bread and saw people running, saying something like bomb was found in the area and he immediately ran back home for fear of the

unknown. It would be recalled that early this year another improvised explosive device was found and detonated in a football viewing centre near the Tundun Wada motor park. However, the fear of yesterday’s discovery of IEDs crippled business activities in Tudun Wada as many shops were seen under lock and key and other stay indoors for fear of unknown.

Security beef up in Bauchi metropolis From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

ecurity has been beefed up in Bauchi metropolis following the explosion that rocked an uncompleted church building at Bayan Gari area of the state, leaving nine injured including a little baby of three months. Our correspondent who went round the town confirmed that the security agents were seen all over the place including the ATBU Teaching Hospital were the victims of the bomb explosion are currently receiving treatment. The Public Relations officer of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi, Aminu Bambayo told Peoples Daily that none of the victims of the Sunday night explosion brought to the Teaching Hospital has died. “They are responding to treatment no report of dead is received yet,” he said. He said already, the Bauchi state Police Commissioner Mohammed Ladan has confirmed

to newsmen in Bauchi that “Some hoodlums detonated explosives in an uncompleted building in Bayan Gari, nine persons were injured and had taken them to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital” Also a security source in Bauchi said “all the injured persons were not affected by the blast, they sustained the injuries in the process of running for their lives.” An eye witnesses who spoke on the condition of anonymity said “the blast occurred very close to where we were dancing in a Hotel. We heard a loud sound of explosives, the blast shattered glasses of our cars, we were trapped but God saved us, nothing happened to me” All the effort by our correspondent to talk to some of the victims of the explosion proved abortive as the Management of the ATBU Teaching Hospital said they lack the power to allow the victims to speak to the press.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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At last, governors make u-turn, back sovereign wealth fund By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, with agency report

overnors of the 36 states of the Federation yesterday modified their earlier stance against the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) and approved the federal government's proposal to launch the fund with an initial $1 billion, ending months of political wrangling. Finance Minister Ngozi OkonjoIweala said in October last year the fund was being launched but

governors initially blocked the proposal, leading to eight months of negotiations. "The council has agreed with the federal government to go ahead to implement the Nigeria sovereign investment authority with an initial fund of $1 billion," Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Rivers state Governor, Rotimi Ameachi told State House correspondents at the end of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

The sovereign wealth fund was supposed to replace the Excess Crude Account (ECA), where Nigeria saves oil revenues over a benchmark price, currently $72 a barrel. The ECA can be too easily dipped into and there is little transparency over how the money is spent, economist say. The ECA contained $20 billion in 2007 but now holds around $5 billion despite years of record high oil prices. State governments collect a

share of any money removed from the ECA and Amaechi has said governors want the savings account to remain regardless of the SWF launch. "We also stressed the need for government to boost the excess crude account from $5.3 billion to $10 billion to provide a buffer ... as a means of protecting the country from the mounting uncertainty in the global economy," he said. Oil prices have slipped in recent months, from $110 a barrel in

January to below $80 a barrel yesterday. Nigeria was one of only three OPEC member states not to have a sovereign wealth fund. The government has said the fund will provide a firmer legal basis to ring fence Nigeria's savings. It has three main aims: saving money for future generations, providing financing for badly needed infrastructure, and starting a stabilisation fund to defend the economy against commodity price shocks.

No plans to compensate crisis victims - Yakowa By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

aduna state government has no plan to compensate victims of the recent violence in the state. Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa who spoke to State House correspondents in Abuja yesterday did not however rule out government assistance to those affected by natural disasters across the state. “We have had a lot of these crises over the years and when you talk about compensation, I’m very careful about using the word compensation. “You can never compensate for loss of lives and property. When you have disasters at best all that you can do is to assist and from time to time we will assist.” Yakowa also expressed delight that peace had finally been restored to the state. He disclosed that his administration had since commenced dialogue with stakeholders in the state with a view to finding lasting solutions to the security challenges in the state. “All of these people come from different constituencies where we are having these challenges and I charged them that it is not only the responsibility of the Governor, all of us have a responsibility to go back to our constituencies, to our wards, to our local government and preach peace and talk peace,” the governor said.

L-R: Kebbi state Governor, Alhaji Saidu Dakingari, Sokoto state Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wammako, Kogi state Governor, Captain Ibrahim Wada, Kaduna state Governor, Mr Patrick Yakowa, and Oyo state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, yesterday at the State House, Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

How Yar’adua doled out N87bn to airlines, by Captain Iyal From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

he late President Umaru Yar’adua and his successor President Goodluck Jonathan are said to have ensured that ten airlines operating on the domestic route benefited from the N300 billion Aviation Intervention Fund when the idea was first raised during the Yar’adua administration. The sum total received by the operating airlines stood at N87 billion when they lodged a complaint following the global economic recession of 2009 when

the airlines’ operations were bogged down by mounting debts profile. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Aviation, Captain Shehu Iyal, disclosed that when some of the airlines requested for assistance from President Yar’adua, the late Nigerian leader magnanimously directed funds be made available in order to keep them solvent and prevent the loss of jobs. In a paper submitted to the National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation probing the June 3 DANA Air crash,

Captain Iyal disclosed that some of the major airlines made the request for assistance during the tenure of the late President Yar’adua. Iyal, in a paper submitted to the National Assembly joint committee, said a breakdown of the airline-by-airline chart, which was attached to his submission, indicated that the Air Nigeria Developmental Limited got the highest share of N35.5 billion as term loan. Aero Contractors followed with N14 billion as term loan and another N6 billion as working

capital. However he said Air Nigeria did not collect a working capital. The presidential aide noted that following Yar’adua’s demise after a protracted illness, President Jonathan ensured that the funds were disbursed to the airlines through the Bank of Industry (BOI) and the airlines’ sponsoring banks. Iyal said the former President directed his office to organise a stakeholders’ forum and take a holistic view of the sector to “find out how best the government could assist the airlines”.

NCC differs with Reps over closure of GSM base stations By Lawrence Olaoye

he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), yesterday disagreed with the House of Representatives over controversies in the closure of some GSM operators' base stations across the country in the last few months. NCC said it acted within ambiance of the law that established it by re-opening some base stations initially shut down

by National Environmental Standard Regulatory Agency, NESREA against the position of the lawmakers. Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Engr. Eugene Juwah, who appeared before House Committee on Environment yesterday said his Commission followed international standards like comparable to what obtained in the United Kingdom (UK) and Pakistan on safety by supporting NCC on Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA over the

closure. According to him, NCC is against demand by NESREA for payment of fines on GSM operators before reopening about fifty base stations it recently shut down. According to him, "major issues that caused problem in the regulation of the telecommunication industry still linger" He explained to the Committee that issues of conflicting regulations between the two

agencies had been on for some time until a recent meeting called by the Ministry of Environment. “These issues have reduced now, though the major cause of the conflict comes from the fact that NESREA Act came four years after the establishment of NCC. “Nigeria did not start mobile telecommunication before others, infact we started very late; so we're able to get enough examples to copy from. It is on the basis of empirical studies that five meters

was arrived at, it is the international standard. It did not come from us.” Disagreeing with the chairman of the committee, Rep Uche Ekwunife Juwah said "Reason adduced to pollution is not also tenable based on research. As a matter of fact, the radiation from a telecommunication mast is less than what we get from our television, this is empirical that can be measured. So the issue of pollution is very minimal.”

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Bribery saga: Police ask Tambuwal to release adhoc c’ttee members for interrogation By Lambert Tyem

he Nigeria Police yesterday once again wrote a letter of reminder to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal requesting him to "release" members of the adhoc Committee on Investigation of the Subsidy Regime in the country for interrogation. The letter, according to a police source, is asking Tambuwal to

release the committee members between today and tomorrow, June 26 and 27. The committee members were expected to present themselves yesterday (Monday) before the Ali Ahmadu-led Special Taskforce which is probing the $3 million bribery scam involving a "ranking" federal lawmaker, Hon. Farouk Lawan and oil magnate, Femi Otedola. Lawan who spent about five hours at the Force

headquarters yesterday also did not tender the $620,000 bribe money allegedly handed to him and the Secretary to the adhoc committee, Boniface Emenalo. The lawmaker was said to have maintained his innocence while claiming that the House Committee on Narcotics and Financial Crimes was duly notified about the incident. Chairman of the House Committee on Narcotics and

Financial Crimes, Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba, also did not show up at the Force headquarters but reportedly wrote a letter to police interrogators denying knowledge of the $620,000 bribe money which was allegedly payed to Lawan and Emenalo as a first instalment of a $3 million bribe offer. Jagaba was said to have written the interrogators denying claims by Lawan that he was informed about the bribe

offer from Mr Otedola. According to Jagaba in his letter to the police, "The issue of the exhibit of the sum of $620,000 was neither brought to my knowledge as the Chairman of the Committee on Narcotics and Financial Crimes nor as a member of the House". He said that at no time did Lawan hand over the said sum of $620,000 to him personally or through any member of the committee.

Osun commences food security programme with 1,600 acres of yam farm From Inumidun Ojelade, Osogbo

sub-committee of the Executive Council of Osun state will today (Tuesday, June 26, 2012) visit the 1,600 acres proposed yam farm site in Ife-Odan, Ejigbo local government, in order to ensure that its administration's food security programme being spearheaded by the Quick Impact Intervention Programme (QIIP) is faithfully implemented. The sub-committee which is led by Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, would conduct an on-thespot assessment of work going on in the farm to underscore the seriousness of the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola on agriculture. The farm which is to be used for yam planting from August is currently being utilized for maize farming to prevent the land from being overgrown with weeds. QIIP, the state government agency carrying out intervention works to assist farmers to access support packages put in place by Governor Rauf Aregbesola is being coordinated by Mr. Dele Ogundipe. Already, QIIP had added 252.5 acres of land in Oyan and Asi towns in Odo-Otin Local Government to support and enhance the ability of potato farmers to increase production and maintain the leadership position of Osun as the leading producer of sweet potato in Nigeria.

L-R: Chief SERVICOM Officer, Mrs. Nnenna Akajemeli, Senior Special Assistant to the President and National Coordinator of SERVICOM, Mr. Sylbriks Obriki, and Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, during a visit by the SERVICOM coordinator to NOA headquarters, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Court slates July 17 to hear Kigo, others’ application By Sunday Ejike Benjamian

n Abuja High Court sitting in Gudu yesterday slated July 17, 2012 to hear separate applications brought before it by the suspended Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of Service, Alhaji Abubakar Kigo, and five others praying the court to quash the charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Abubakar Kigo who was docked alongside Mr. Esai Dangabar, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, John Yakubu Yufufu, Sani Habila Zira and one woman, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Oyegbula are facing a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust by public officers. The want the court to quash the charges slammed against them by the anti graft agency on the ground that the proof of evidence did not disclose any crime against them.

Kigo and the other accused persons are alleged to have stolen the sum of N3.8 billion pension funds; an offence that is contrary to Sections 37and 315 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria, 2007. When the matter came up for hearing yesterday, counsel to all the accused persons told the court sitting before Justice Abubakar Talba that the prosecuting counsel, Chief Rotimi Jacobs served them with

NOA boss tasks ministries, MDAs on e-Governance By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

he Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri has tasked all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA's)

at the Federal and State levels to adopt e-governance as an integral part of service delivery in order to achieve the demands of the SERVICOM charter. Omeri made this call when the Senior Special Assistant to the

President and National Coordinator, SERVICOM, Mr. Sylbriks Obriki paid him a visit in his office, to forge a new partnership with the NOA on public awareness creation about the Service Compact.

Information sharing key to revenue generation, Okonjo-Iweala tells ECOWAS By Abdulwahab Isa

oordinating Minister for the Economy / Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi OkonjoIweala has harped on the need for information sharing among ECOWAS member countries to bolster resources mobilization and revenue generation. The minister who was represented by the acting

copies of his written address in court, shortly before commencement of the case yesterday. The accused persons, through their counsels asked the court for time to study the address to enable them reply on points of law. Consequently, the trial judge adjourned till July 17, 2012 to enable parties argue the applications for quash of the charges preferred against the accused persons by the EFCC.

Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Alhaji Kabiru Mashi gave the advice at the opening of the 4th meeting of the West Africa Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) that held in Abuja yesterday. A statement issued by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) quoted Okonjo-Iweala as saying "as Ministry of Finance we will maintain a keen interest in the

work of WATAF, which is expected to assist in developing strong tax administration in West African countries and make them well positioned to generate revenue for governments within the region so as to meet their huge developmental needs. “This initiative agrees with the global focus on domestic resource mobilization especially for developing nations and I

believe that West African countries can use this forum as a platform towards achieving our individual and collective developmental goals,'' she sais. She expressed delight that FIRS had taken the lead in implementing the provisions of the National Tax Policy as regards wide network on international and regional treaties.

A statement issued yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary in the agency, Paul Odenyi, said that the use of electronic means of file treatment and transfer as well as transaction execution in government business would reduce the incidences of file hoarding and fraudulent transactions. The Director General was of the view that if government must deliver quality and efficient service to Nigerians, then the adoption of electronic based governance was of utmost necessity. He disclosed that the NOA, in its bid to lead the SERVICOM sensitization drive by example, was already planning to organize an in-house workshop for its staff on service delivery.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 7

Lamido chides Nigerian universities for ‘breeding corruption’ From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

G L-R: Secretary General, Union of African Shippers Councils, Mr. Serigne Thian Diop, former managing directors of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Malam Bello Gwandu and Architect Aminu Dabo, during the 35th annual meeting of Ports Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), yesterday in Lagos. Photo: NAN By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

Human Right lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo has said that the House of Representatives lacked the power to enforce its summons against the President Goodluck Jonathan to explain the security situation in the country. In a statement made available to newsmen yesterday, Keyamo said even though the House of Representatives has the power to summon the President, in exercise of its power under section 89 (1) C-D of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), it lacks the power to enforce its summons, because no warrant of arrest by anybody, institution or whatsoever can be issued or enforced against the President. “The conclusion of the matter, therefore, is that whilst the National Assembly can summon the President, it cannot enforce such summons.

Reps cannot enforce summons on Jonathan, says Keyamo

However, such action of the President in refusing to honour such summons may amount to “gross misconduct” which can trigger impeachment proceedings against the President by the National Assembly”, the human Right lawyer stated. Keyamo noted that the constitution does not exclude any person whosoever, including the President of the country from being summoned by the National Assembly to appear before it, provided the subject matter of the inquiry is a matter within its constitutional legislative competence. “In this case, the subject matter of the inquiry relates to the peace, order and good government of the country which is the primary responsibility of the National Assembly by virtue of section

4(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)”, he said pointing out that the House has acted purely within the scope of its powers in inviting the President to appear before it. The House of Representatives had, on June 19, 2012 passed an extraordinary resolution summoning the President and all the service chiefs to a closed door session over the incessant bombing in parts of North. The meeting, according to the House, is to fashion way out of the lingering insecurity situation in the country. The House, however, did not disclose the date for the closed door session. The lawmakers routinely mandate ministers and other government officials to appear before them. The president’s appearance at the National

Kano Hisbah takes societal reoreintation campaign to schools From Bala Nasir, Kano

he Kano state Hisbah Board has taken moral reorientation campaign to secondary schools in the state with a view to instilling in the students moral virtues. The campaign which started last week is headed by the Deputy Commander General of the Hisbah commander, Hajiya Zahrau Mohammed Umar. Also, the public relations unit of the board, which is charged with the responsibility of under the supervision of its head, Malam Musa Tanko, tagged the campaign “Catch Them Young.” Tanko who explained the

motive behind the school campaign stated that the Board decided to move to schools with a view to entrench moral values there because the students are the future leaders. Inculcating in them these moral values, he said will go a long way in shaping their minds to guard against all the moral decadence the society is now grappling with. At the moment, according to Tanko the campaign is been carried out in all the science secondary schools for both boys and girls in the state, and that the rest will be followed immediately after the forthcoming Ramadan period.

Other agencies involved in the campaign include the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Ageny for the Protection of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP). The Board, according to Tanko considered the campaign necessary in view of the fact that secondary students are among the most vulnerable group in the society. Because they can easily indulged in drug abuse and also the most potent victims of human trafficking, they need to be guided against them and all other evils that usually tend to destroy their lives at their tender age.

Assembly had always been to address a joint session annually during budget presentation and occasionally during the visit of some foreign dignitaries. But now he is to officially brief members of the House on the existing state of insecurity in parts of the North.

overnor of Jigawa state, Alhaji Sule Lamido yesterday, took a swipe at Nigerian universities for “breeding corruption”. Lamido, who made the indictment while receiving the Arewa Youths Parliament in his office, said “Nigerian universities who are supposed to be grooming future leaders of tomorrow as agents of breeding corruption in the country”. Continuing, he said: “If university lecturers are still extorting money from handouts from their students whom are supposed to be the future of this country, then how do we win in the war against corruption in this country”? The governor, who urged Nigerians to continue to exercise patience with the country’s President, said that the current pull-down syndrome-people against the President may not allow him to concentrate on his policies.

ITF trains over N12m Nigerians on vocations From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

he Industrial Training Fund (ITF), yesterday appealed to the Federal Government and employers of labour to focus on skills, rather than laying emphasis on paper qualification. The Director-General of ITF, Prof. Longmas Wapmuk, who made the appeal when he received the House of Representatives Committee on Industry at the Fund’s headquarters on its oversight function, said this would contribute speedily to economic growth and curb insecurity in the nation. Prof. Wapmuk intimated the committee that the fund has trained over 12 million Nigerians through its numerous programmes as the Fund has refocused its operations on technical and vocational skills acquisition. He explained that the aim of the Fund is to provide, promote and encourage the acquisition of skills in industries and commerce. He said such would generate sufficient manpower to meet the needs of the public and private sectors of the

economy. The DG noted that “In view of the fact that the country had long dwelt on paper qualification while neglecting the aspect of skills development which is a catalyst and bedrock for the economic development of any country, ITF has trained over 12 million Nigerians through its numerous programmes to refocus the operations of the Fund towards technical and vocational skills acquisition”. Wapmuk advocated for more industrial skills training centres and necessary legislative backing to make the Fund more effective to meet up the aims and objectives of establishing the Fund. The Chairman of the committee, Hon. Mohammed Onawo said it was not enough to appropriate funds to run ITF but that is very important to properly supervise the usage of the funds allocated to ITF other government establishments. Onawo expressed satisfaction with achievements recorded by the Fund and encouraged the Fund’s management to keep on the good it has started in ITF.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 9

Lamido awards N1bn contract for state broadcast house From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

n a bid to boost the present democratic dispensation through keeping the citizenry close and abreast with government activities the Jigawa state government has awarded a contract for the construction of its state own broadcasting house at the cost of N1 billion.

The commissioner for Information Alhaji Babandi Ibrahim disclosed this yesterday after the state executive council meeting. Thw commissioner said the determination to set up its television Station was borne out of the desire to meet up with the modern technological advancements in broadcasting. He further said that the contract

was awarded at the cost of N1 .9 billion and would be completed within 8 calendar months. The commissioner said the broadcasting house would comprise of 4 storey building that would house both the television and radio houses. "We are optimistic that, if the stations commence operation, its program would enhance the

dissemination of information, entertain, and enlighten the general public on government, social and other current affairs in the state and the globe" "However the new television station will create job opportunities for our teaming youths as well as serve as a training ground to those who want to venture in to broadcasting business" Babandi stated.

R-L: Force Commander, United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan, Major-General Moses Obi, and Nigeria’s Defence Adviser to the United Nations, Major-General Garba Audu, during the commander’s visit to UN headquarters yesterday in New York. Photo: NAN

Kebbi LG bans canoe night trips

he Birnin Kebbi local government council in Kebbi yesterday banned the use of canoes for transportation after sunset to prevent further loss of lives on such trips. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ban was sequel to the death of 17 people after the canoe in which they were travelling on sank in the Dukku River on June 22. The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Ahmed Zauro, told NAN that the banning option was adopted to avert further tragedies in the area, pointing out that the canoes lacked safety measures such as inflated containers to assist victims of accidents. In the latest tragedy, an overloaded canoe with 17 people travelling from Birnin Kebbi to Samba Doguwa struck an object and sank. The chairman said that the illfated canoe embarked on the journey after sunset while only seven people survived the accident. Zauro said: "if the canoe had safety devices many would have survived," pointing out that there would be no more night journey by canoe in the area. (NAN)

Report objectively, provost urges press club From Iliya Garba, Minna

Sokoto sells 720,000 litres of NMA flays attacks on personnel, health facilities kerosene at pump price

he Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kaduna State Chapter, has decried attacks on its members and the vandalism of health facilities during crises. The association said that three private clinics and some of its members were attacked during the recent violence in parts of the state. This is contained in a statement jointly signed by the State Chairman and Secretary, Dr Solomon Avidime and Dr Joseph Ovosi, respectively. The statement listed two of the affected clinics as Covenant Hospital, Benin Street by Kano road and Alheri Clinic, Jos Road by Bayajidda Street. It said that one Dr Zainab Mohammed-Idris was also attacked along Kamanzo. While describing the attacks as ``utterly condemnable,'' it said Zainab lost her driver on her way to duty during the mob action by some irate youths. NAN recalls that the Calvary Clinic at Kafanchan in the southern part of the state was

burnt in a similar violence during the 2011 general elections. “It should be noted that doctors and other healthcare personnel are doing their utmost best. “This is at the risk of their lives to render emergency and basic healthcare services without any discrimination to religion, tribe, creed or political affiliation as enshrined in the Oath of Service, which we swore to uphold. “Therefore, the NMA Kaduna State see this recent development as totally unwarranted and call for restraint on the attacks of innocent and law abiding citizens and also healthcare facilities and personnel who defy odds to help the sick and the wounded in the face of these crises. “Life is sacred and its sanctity should be respected by all irrespective of the differences in our affiliations,” the statement said. The association also condemned the bombing of three churches in Zaria and Kaduna cities on June 17, the attendant reprisal and counter-reprisal attacks which claimed several lives and property. (NAN)

okoto State has sold about 720,000 litres of kerosene at N50 per litre to residents of Sokoto city and its environs from January to June, said an official on Monday. Alhaji Muntari Maigona, chairman, Committee on Monitoring and Sale of the Subsidised Kerosene, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The interview was held shortly after the committee's monitoring of the sale of the commodity at Government Day Secondary School, Arkilla and Turaki Model Primary School. “We have sold the commodity 36 times since the beginning of the exercise in January. “The commodity is being sold at two points every Saturday and Sunday, using five mobile stations/tankers purchased by the state at the cost of about N125 million,” Maigona said. He stated that two 22,000 litre-capacity tankers were used for the exercise. “Each of them sells 11,000 litres on Saturday and 11,000

litres on Sunday. So they collectively sell 44,000 litres per week. “So far, 23,000 residents of the city and its environs have benefited from the gesture aimed at alleviating their suffering,” he explained. The chairman also said that each customer got a minimum of five litres at N250 instead of the current black market price of between N750 and N1,000. “The beneficiaries get a maximum of 20 litres to avoid abuse of the gesture as well as its usurpation by some shylock middlemen and traders.” According to him, the state has built a 100,000 litre-capacity depot for the product at the Trade fair complex. Maigona also said the scheme would soon be extended to the remaining 21 local government areas in the state and commended the officials and security agents involved in the exercise and pledged that they would continue to be adequately motivated to enable them to live above board. (NAN)

he Provost of Niger State College of Education, Prof. Faruk R. Haruna, has urged the school Press Club to report objectively the transformational activities of the school. He made this known Monday in Minna while declaring open the Press Week organized by members of college press club, urging them to always report dispassionately the activities of the school and its environs. Prof. Haruna counseled students to always distance themselves on any thing that would cause trouble in the school and pledged N60,000 to support the press week activities. The President of the school Press Club, Abubakar Dada Suleiman in his address, said the Press week is an annual event in the college which enable the members to know more about journalism and also creates a forum of interaction between experts and the club. Suleiman restated that the press week would be used to sensitize students on the role of information in achieving continuous peace and stability in the school. He said, “it is obvious that the present insecurity challenges in Nigeria can be attached to religion and political instability, but misuse of language can create misunderstanding and misinterpretation of event.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 11

Jang's wife tasks NAWOJ on interests of women From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

L-R: Assistant Corps Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ojota unit, Mr. Leye Adegboyega, Lagos Sector Commmander, Mr. Nseobong Akpabio, and Sector Head, Training, Standard and Certification, Mr. Oseni Sulaiman, during the commander's visit to Ojota unit yesterday in Lagos. Photo: NAN

NSCDC officials nab oil vandal kingpin in Abia O

fficials of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have arrested a principal suspect behind vandalism of oil facilities in Abia, Mr Nathaniel Ubong, the State Commandant of NSCDC said. Ubong told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Umuahia that the suspect was nabbed with 60 pipes by the antivandalism team of the organisation on June 4.

He said the suspect was caught around Timber Market in Aba following a tip-off and intelligence surveillance by the officials of the command. Ubong said the pipes were traced to have been stolen from Shell Owaza location in Ukwa West Local Government Area. “After the tip-off, we carried out a week surveillance before making the arrest. We have also informed Shell Company for

identification and prove of ownership,” he said. The commandant said that the suspect would be arraigned as soon as investigations on the matter were concluded. The Abia NSCDC commandant also said that the command was investigating the presence of illegal refineries in oil bearing communities in Abia. “We have destroyed many of the illegal refineries in Abia. We

have equally arrested more than eight persons in connection with the crime. “Officials of NSCDC are ready to ensure that all forms of illegal activities aimed at frustrating oil operations are tackled head long,” Ubong said. He advised youths, especially those from the oil communities involved in oil vandalism, to refrain from it or be ready to face the law. (NAN)

Katsina govt allocates 434.7 tonnes of fertiliser to farmers

he Katsina state government has allocated 434.7 tonnes of fertiliser to Danmusa Local Government Council in the state for direct sales to farmers in the local government at subsidised rate. Alhaji Musa Adamu, the Commissioner for Agriculture stated this, while distributing the consignment to farmers in Danmusa

in Katsina state yesterday. Adamu said said that the fertiliser would be distributed to each polling unit in the area so as to ensure that peasant farmers benefited from the gesture. He said that each bag of fertiliser would be sold to farmers at the subsidised rate of N1,780 in order to enable ordinary farmers get the commodity at ease.

The commissioner also warned the beneficiaries against reselling the commodity to marketers as the government would not condone acts of diversion. He said, “the state government has directed that any vehicle caught with diverted fertiliser will be seized and its owner prosecuted.” Adamu, who expressed the state government’s continued

commitment to agriculture, urged the farmers to report any person found diverting the commodity to the appropriate authority. In his address, Alhaji Nasiru Mu’azu, the Danmusa local government caretaker chairman, gave the assurance that justice and fairness would be observed in the distribution and sales of fertiliser. (NAN)

Secondary teachers pass no confidence vote on union leadership From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

oncerned secondary school teachers in Bauchi state have passed a vote of no confidence on the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) in the state, and opted to dissolve the leadership of the union with immediate effect. The leader of the concerned tutors, Mallam Nuruddeen Yusuf Abubakar, said at press conference in Bauchi that the union would

decide appropriate sanction against any erring officer in this regard. The union’s members were questioning the utilisation of N11 million from the proceeds of a motor-cycle as well as a Daimond Bank loan which, they argued, both the chairman and secretary of the union could not account for. They recalled that ever since the formation of the ASUSS in Bauchi in 2010 when its leadership was nominated, no

election was held under the union. “This mandate was left unchecked for all these years and the power so given has corrupted the leadership of the union where they decided to take the place of members in all policy matters”, Abubakar said. He said unless the present executive leave office ASUSS shall know no peace, and as an organization has no moral reason of suspending some of its generals as a pleasant gift to one

and expect the maintenance of its core value which is justice for all. The concerned members formed a caretaker committee comprising Yakubu Chiroma, Sani Ado, Osbert Alkali Zabs, and Jibi G. Iliya, to conduct elections into the executive council of the union. The committee which has been given three months to wind up is also mandated to set up an investigation body to recover proceeds accrued to the union from the Diamond Bank and motorcycle loans.

Wife of Plateau state Governor, Mrs. Talatu Jang, has tasked the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), to team up with other women professional bodies to promote the interests of women. Mrs. Jang who was represented by wife of the state Deputy Governor, Mrs. Maureen Longjan, at the National Executive Committee of NAWOJ, Zone ‘D’ held in Jos, added that if women must occupy their due place of pride in the society, the women professional bodies must unite and promote their causes, particularly in the limited political space. According to her, the teaming up of women would ensure that the problems confronting them such as high rate of maternal mortality, girl-child education, female genital mutilation, early marriage which often resulted in VVF, would be reduced. “As it is often said, ‘united we stand, divided we fall’; I urge you to team up with other sister professional organizations like the International Federation of Women Lawyers , National Association of Women Judges, Nigerian Association of Female Pharmacists, as well as, the Nigerian Association of Women Doctors and the likes", she said. The NAWOJ President, Asabe Baba Nahaya said it has been the concern of the association to fight for the rights of women in both the rural and urban areas, regretting that women are often abused and traumatized in the society and they are working hard to put a stop to all manner of abuses of women's rights.

Dickson orders evacuation of Bayelsa students in Kaduna

he Bayelsa state Governor, Chief Seriake Dickson, on Monday directed that steps should be taken to safeguard the lives of Bayelsa students in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. Citing the insecurity in Kaduna State, the governor directed the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Education, Chief Adikumo Salo, to facilitate the evacuation of the students and ensure their safe return home. The order was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor, Mr Daniel Markson-Iworiso. The statement said the order became imperative, following reports of persistent threat to peace in Kaduna State by terrorist groups. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the safety of students had already left Yenagoa for Zaria. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

Now that NSCDC has arms

he Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) recently received 5,000 G3 guns and 25,000 7.2mm live ammunition from the Nigerian Army. The handover was in fulfillment of the provisions to that effect as contained in the NSCDC Amendments Act No. 6 of 2007. This section, which was passed by the National Assembly and assented to by then President Olusegun Obasanjo, provides that: “For the purposes of efficiently carrying out the functions set out in Section 3 of the principal Act, the Corps shall maintain an armed squad which shall be entitled to bear fire arms and deployed by the Office of the Commandant General.” The Nigerian Civil Defence Corps was founded in 1967 during the civil war as a voluntary corps providing complimentary service to Nigerian citizens. It was upgraded and inaugurated in 2003 as a paramilitary organ with powers to arrest or conduct house search. But it had no arms. Even with such defects, Nigerians looked up to it to provide security in the face of such security challenges as vandalism, oil bunkering, arson, kidnapping and, more recently, terrorism.

It is with this in mind that we laud government’s decision to arm the Corps. Nigeria’s internal security situation today requires tough and drastic measures; and appropriately equipping the NSCDC to better discharge its function as a security agency is just one of such measures. Moreover, the task of securing

“

But the surest way of guarding against the abuse of arms in the hands of the Corps is to ensure their adequate training the nation cannot be left to only one agency. It requires the collaborative efforts of all the agencies empowered by the Constitution to ensure that every law abiding Nigerian can sleep with his/her two eyes closed. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s Civil Defence Corps is yet to be brought up to meet these internal security

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”

demands and also meet international standards in its operations. In countries such as Syria, Pakistan, Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, among others, they are not only armed, but also equipped with helicopters and boats for rescue operations during emergencies. We, however, share the fears of some Nigerians that the arms we are giving to NSCDC may likely be used to oppress Nigerians either by the corps members or by politicians who may hijack the organization for their own selfish goals. We must therefore caution the corps members and politicians against such unpatriotic acts. But the surest way of guarding against the abuse of arms in the hands of the Corps is to ensure their adequate training. Other countries running similar organizations have established Civil Defence Academies and even universities. Sadly, such facilities are yet to be established in Nigeria. If government’s decision to arm the Corps is to be seen as a step in the right direction, such training facilities must be provided here in Nigeria so that the new improved NSCDC will not only handle their arms well, but have the right orientation towards civil/military relationship to go with it.

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CHAIRMAN MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE EDITOR, DAILY AHMED I. SHEKARAU

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 13

Kwankwasiyya: A solution to the abandoned Asibitin Aisami Road By Sulaiman Muhammad Ayagi

ndoubtedly, to most populace of Kano State three undisputable leadership qualities remain responsible for Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso’s hard-earned popularity and recognition amongst his subjects. These three fundamental qualities of Governor Kwankwaso include but not limited to unparalleled commitment to the welfare of the downtrodden as evidently exhibited, repositioning of the State for replication by other federating units who formed a polity called Nigeria through unfettered access and provision of infrastructures capable of transforming not only the State capital to a Mega City but the state as a whole. Thirdly, the empowerment of citizenry through series of social and economic re-orientation policies capable of widening individual economic horizon and selfreliance. In spite of seeming or deliberate political misinterpretation of his Government policies by a segment of the political class, pundits with equally different opinion were of the strong

By Osi Okponobi

s things have turned out, I am probably the only person that was unimpressed with the outcome of the Faruk Lawan led Fuelsubsidy probe panel that conducted an enquiry into the activities of the fuel marketers or cabal. I was unimpressed that a panel would reverse itself or include ‘innocent’ persons, in the first place, and later announce that those names be expunged from the list of those found wanting. Not many people asked why or how the names got there in the first place. Was it a typo error? I immediately suspected something fishy or dubious had taken place. You do not mistakenly include a name on a list or include names in error. I am not always impressed when the country makes bad decisions. Bringing it home to the Super Eagles, I am probably also the only Nigerian that was unimpressed with the decision to appoint Stephen Keshi as the Super Eagles coach. In one of my articles, I questioned Nigeria’s appointment system and blamed this as one of the bane of our underdevelopment. Others include ‘zoning’, quota system, Federal Character, ethnicity, nepotism or ‘man know man’. The worst of them is appointment based on noqualifications and lack of experience or inexperience. For I can excuse appointments based on nepotism or Federal Character, if these throw up

conviction that these leadership qualities synonymous with Kano State Chief Executive may not be unconnected with niche acquired through the dint of hard work, perseverance and doggedness in furtherance of the cause of governance keyed into long-term vision to serve humanity and excel where others failed! Whereas either of these identified qualities of Governor Kwankwaso is capable of being a topic for public discourse but for economy of space one limits his approach to infrastructural provision, sustainability and their renewal in tandem with the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals, an issue religiously observed by the present state leadership. Against this backdrop, one recalls with nostalgia the rather abandoned initiatives of Governor Kwankwaso by his successor (between 2003 and 2011) to implement a roadmap aimed at identifying and opening strategic locations within Kano city. As encapsulated in the blueprint one is privileged to note that these roads are meant for expansion and/or total reconstruction with a view to improving the lots of dwellers and indirectly rejuvenate

economic activities in the affected areas. Consequently, these types of crannies or climes hitherto locked-up in the metropolitan Kano due to historical background may not be unconnected with their unplanned nature spanning over centuries occasioned with total absence of town planning. Of strategic importance to the overwhelming majority of

policy during his first tenure. In spite of the then Government’s effort and recognition of the strategic and economic importance of this road project, it was deliberately and politically manipulated until the twilight of the erstwhile immediate-past administration in the State. Against its earlier design, the Asibitin AisamiMandawari road project initially

“

Against this backdrop, one recalls with nostalgia the rather abandoned initiatives of Governor Kwankwaso by his successor (between 2003 and 2011) to implement a roadmap aimed at identifying and opening strategic locations within Kano city the residents of Kano City is the popular and historical road called: “Asibitin Aisami– Warure–Mandawari road” which His Excellency, Engr. (Dr.) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso magnanimously ensured its inclusion in the State fiscal

conceived to be a dual carriage way was altered to a single lane, reducing it to a mere local street! What a pity to the downtrodden! It will interest readers and others alike that this abandoned road project is as old as the history of the ancient city.

shown on mainstream British televisions, for instance. The competitions are feeder to the senior teams or the big league. That, unfortunately, was the only pedigree and exploits that Samson Siasia boasted. His stint at Heartland F.C was lacklustre. Even with such dismal ‘record’ or pedigree, he still edged and was preferred over Stephen Keshi. Siasia performed woefully and failed to qualify Nigeria for the 2012 African Nations Cup finals, after having already failed to qualify for the 2011 World cup finals in South Africa. This was, perhaps, the first in history of Nigeria, at least, for a long time. Stephen Keshi, on the other hand, could only boast of coaching a second rate (or even

third rate) Togolese National team, as his biggest achievement. And even then, a small country, both in terms of size and footballing history, still rejected him and did not have confidence in his ability to lead Togo to the world stage, to compete against the likes of Italy, Germany, Spain, Brazil and Argentina, after performing dismally at the African Nations Cup. In other words, he became a reject and was second rate to a little known coach, who was appointed in his place, to superintend the second rate Togolese national team to the world cup finals. Keshi was also sacked by the Mali National team because of poor performance. That Stephen Keshi was rejected by a small

Thus, Asibitin Aisami– Mandawari–Warure road is one of the most strategically and historically carved road preBritish colonization of Nigeria which was subsequently used by the representatives of Queen of England to access Kano in 1903 in furtherance of indirect rule in the northern region. Further, the road linked the defunct Native Authority Offices and central Kano for administrative and commercial conveniences with neighboring states particularly of the western axis. Precisely, this referenced road has historical linkage with the Sultanate, Niger Republic amongst others. Without regards to economic and social importance attached to this road project, work was stopped abruptly and abandoned thereafter a dismal performance considered below 30%. Unless one explores the benefit of the recently enacted Freedom of Information (FoI) Act, the rather non-explanation to the electorates or beneficiaries of the road project as regard the reasons for its abandonment by the erstwhile administration bring to fore the much-touted credibility test and prudence in the management of public funds Continued on page 15

X-raying the Super Eagles experienced and competent persons. Reviewing Mr Stephen Keshi’s appointment, he was second rate. Second rate and second best behind Samson Siasia, who himself was not a success. Samson Siasia boasts of better qualifications and record of achievements, as a coach, compared to Stephen Keshi. Samson Siasia was preferred to Stephen Keshi, and was thus appointed by the NFF as coach of the Super Eagles after the exit of Lars Lagerback, following the not too bad performance of the Super Eagles, who took bronze at the last Nations Cup finals. Mr Lagerback had only been with the Super Eagles for ONLY 3 months, and yet he achieved such feat. That could have been a good foundation to build on. But Nigerians condemned this feat because it fell short of the UNREALISTIC expectation and target given to him to win the competition. That is the Nigerian way! After only 3 months we expect to start running, when we have not even started sitting or walking. Samson Siasia, who the mantle fell on because of the clamour for a local coach, performed below par on the big stage. Most serious footballing nations do not take those junior level competitions seriously. Those competitions are second rate and are not usually aired or

“

If Stephen Keshi is not good enough for a Second division team (for the sake of upgrading him) in England, how then can the Super Eagles compete on the same level playing field as teams like England, Spain, Germany and Brazil who engage the best of the best to manage their national teams?

football country like Togo, and sacked by Mali, should have given Nigeria cause for concern about appointing such a person. If tiny Togo could not trust Stephen Keshi’s ability to steer their country’s football team at the world stage, what is Nigeria doing with him? Why also has Nigeria appointed Mali’s reject? In other words, why did Nigeria go for this second rate coach, calling a spade a spade. His records speak volumes that he was second rate, and second best even to coach Samson Siasia, who was appointed ahead of him, but performed disappointingly. During staff recruitment or selection process, the only time the second best is usually considered and offered a job is when the first candidate refuses the job, and the second best is appointable. Was Stephen Keshi appointable? What was/were his record(s) that made him appointable? What was his pedigree? Besides Togo (which is not even a footballing nation to reckon with) what other record of achievement does he possess, that qualified him to coach a onetime 9th FIFA ranked footballing nation, like Nigeria? If he was good, why did Mali sack him based on poor performance? Let us do the sums, for a minute, and see how they stack. Stephen Keshi, in a Continued on page 14

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

By Muhammad Jameel Yusha’u a t will not necessarily be a swift generalisation to suggest that corruption is the largest industry in Nigeria. Data from the World Bank suggests that the corruption industry in the world is worth $1 trillion. Coming closer home, the African Union stated that corruption costs African countries $148 billion every year, which represents 25 percent of the continent’s GDP. During his testimony to the US House of Representatives on May 19, 2009, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, told the US Congress: “Between 1960 and 1999, Nigerian officials had stolen or wasted more than $440 billion. That is six times the Marshall Plan, the total sum needed to rebuild a devastated Europe in the aftermath of the Second World War”. Following this statement was another one on May 25, 2009 by General Muhammadu Buhari in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service where he mentioned that between 1999 to 2009 Nigeria made more money from oil proceeds than it had generated between 1914 when the country was amalgamated to 2009. Yet there is nothing to show on ground that matches those figures. The data that one could not lay his hands on is, how much of the one trillion dollars generated from corruption the world over, is Nigeria contributing annually? This entire amount was

Corruption industry and the political future of Nigeria

According to John generated before the world came In the modern age, as to know about the probe conducted discussed by some of the leading Thompson, “If corrupt activities by the House of Representatives theorists in the study of remain hidden from the view of committee under the corruption such as John others, if they are consigned to a chairmanship of Farouk Lawan Thompson, James Lull and shadowy existence in a world which found that about £12.6 Stephen Hinerman, the corrupt that is shielded from public billion or at least N2 trillion behaviour of public officials in scrutiny, then they will not and vanished from the so called fuel using public office for private gain cannot become the focus of scandal. A subsidy. Added scandal can arise to that was the if and only if the new allegation veil of secrecy is that the Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text lifted and the committee c o r r u p t chair who led messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written a c t i v i t i e s t h e contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 become known investigation words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and to others or was promised a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed become the focus $3 million to: of public bribe, of which investigation”. $620,000 had The Editor, In this case already been Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, the allegation collected. 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. made against Corruption Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com Farouk Lawan is an old by Femi Otedola business. The SMS: 07037756364 has qualified to word itself be called a originated from the Latin word ‘currumpere’, leads to what is called scandal. scandal, even if the amount and it entered the English Although newspapers have made allegedly collected is just one because what is dictionary in the fourteenth the word into a cliché in dollar, century. Its original meaning describing certain aspects of important is unveiling the refers to a state in which a corruption, it will be important shadowy nature and the secrecy substance is completely dissolved, to make a clear distinction of the deal. The moral outrage spoilt or disintegrated. This between corruption and scandal. from members of the public, as meaning was then applied to the This will help us to understand well as the mediation of the story human behaviour in which there the current state of confusion in the media, qualifies it to be a is loss in the integrity of the about the stories that dominated scandal. Some cases of scandal individual in discharging public the pages of Nigerian newspapers require thorough investigation and the involvement of law responsibility. involving Farouk Lawan.

enforcement agencies. But an additional dimension to the story about the Lawan bribery allegation is its tendency to divert attention from the scandal that gave birth to it. That is the House Committee Report which indicted some ‘untouchable’ individuals in Nigeria. Both cases of abuse of public office whether directly by those in position of authority or by their proxies parading as businessmen are abominable. But the Machiavellian tactics employed by Nigerian politicians on issues as important as these allegations will only sink the country further into political turmoil. An important aspect of investigating corruption scandals is the consequence that follows such behaviour. Richard Nixon lost his office for getting involved in corrupt activities. The growth of the corruption industry in Nigeria in recent months, coupled with the state of insecurity, causes a lot of concern. When you combine these two evils together, you begin to wonder whether those in the position of authority are interested in having a geographical location called Nigeria. Muhammad Jameel Yusha’u can be reached at mjyushau@yahoo.com

Kabuga, Mai-Aduwa, Garangamawa etc are not qualified to enjoy or attract a befitting road project unmindful of its economic importance. In spite of non-completion, the abandoned road project presently serves as a reservoir to human and vehicular movement along Mandawari–Sabon Titi–Tal’Udu road junction which recent happenings in the State has justified the public outcry against non-adherence to the initial project specification which some people struggles to subvert

particularly its dual lanes status! What a misleading and untenable argument being propagated albeit unsuccessfully. It is my candid view though without intent to disrepute any personality or community in general that between Mandawari to ‘Yar Mai-Shinkafi, Warure, part of Dandago and Asibitin Aisami/Ayagi quarters one cannot point out 15 houses out of over 200 affected that possess Certificate of Occupancy – a basis on which compensation will extremely be higher than the cost

same level playing field as teams like England, Spain, Germany and Brazil who engage the best of the best to manage their national teams? Mr Stephen Keshi, by default, is the coach of the Super Eagles, rightly or wrongly. The country can only get behind him and wish him all the best. However, if he underachieves, I won’t be disappointed. He is already showing himself up by the lacklustre performance put up by the Super Eagles so far. Like

the Farrouk Lawan saga, I won’t be disappointed, but would simply say, I warned you, if he fails or underachieves. If he performs well, which I doubt very much, I will be pleasantly surprised. I desire that he performs well, for his own sake, the sake of our Local coaches and the sake of Nigerians. But I can’t see how! I can’t see that he has what it takes and has the experience it takes. I hope I eat my words. Osi Okponobi can be reached at Jasol2kone@yahoo.co.uk

may take refuge in the partially demolished structures to perpetrate their evil mission. On behalf of the good and obedient people of Asibitin Aisami, Warure and other adjoining localities considered direct beneficiaries of this project, I appeal to Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso to review the contract design with a view to reverting to its original concept of dual carriageway, direct the contractor, if found suitable, to return to site with immediate effect. And, in furtherance of the all-inclusive approach of His Excellency’s government policy for community participation, constitute an Adhoc Committee comprising of representatives of relevant state supervising ministries on the project and stakeholders of the affected areas for monitoring, timely delivery and other purposes. Having believed that the present state leadership has the capacity and political will to address the issue we look forward to HE’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of his subjects. Sulaiman Muhammad Ayagi can be reached at 0802 334 0986

WRITE TO US

Kwankwasiyya: A solution to the abandoned Asibitin Aisami Road Continued from page 13

spanning over 8 years. However, I am further appalled by the argument being advanced by a cross section of people that the cost of compensation will triple the contract value, “hence the alteration of the road project to a single lane.” In another version, the proponent of this view simply means that the residents of Asibitin Aisami, Warure, Dandago, Mandawari and numerous adjoining localities of Gyaranya, Durumin Sambo,

X-raying the Super Eagles Continued on page 15

million years, can never coach a League 4 team in the UK, talk less of Premiership teams, like Chelsea, Arsenal, Man Untd or Man City. Yet, not many of the Premiership teams coaches are good enough for the England team, not to talk of the Championship league teams (Second division). If Stephen Keshi is not good enough for a Second division team (for the sake of upgrading him) in England, how then can the Super Eagles compete on the

of the road contract as we were made to understand. For us to avoid mischief and playing to the gallery people of retrogressive views need to be reminded on similar but farreaching decision occasioned by a strong political will as exemplary taken by the Governor of Lagos State to construct a 4-lane road. Structures and/or offices with 35 floors were pulled down in the interest of the general public! Can any cynic mind see wisdom in this action? Against the stance of sympathetic views of the past administration; more importantly against the wishes of the teeming beneficiaries of this project work on the Asibitin Aisami–Warure–Mandawari road was hurriedly started at the twilight of the former Administration and abruptly abandoned pre-Kwankwaso swearing in. Consequent to its abandonment over 1½ years neighbourhood of the locality are being exposed, particularly school children and weak gender to avoidable danger and menace of hit-and-run commercial motorcyclists and flooding as well as local miscreants who

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 15

Culpability in the DANA Air crash By Tochukwu Ezukanma

gain, Nigeria wept over another avoidable colossal waste of human lives. The crash of the Dana Air Flight 0092 was a direct consequence of disregard for safety standards in pursuit of profits by the management of Dana air coupled with the corruption in the government agencies that regulate the aviation industry. As in prior air disasters in Nigeria, the Nigerian government reacted. The president did the usual. He sent condolence messages to the families of the air crash victims, visited the site of the crash, promised a full investigation into the causes of the crash and declared a number of days of national mourning for the dead. And expectedly, the legislature, also, responded. It mouthed a number of traditional platitudes, and promised to conduct its own investigation on the air crash. The objects of these investigations, governing officials said are “to make sure that this (air disaster) does not repeat itself in this country”; so that “lesson should be drawn from the incident to avoid a recurrence of such disaster”; etc. In addition, the legislators’ investigation will also “ascertain the air worthiness of all aircrafts operating in the country to ensure that they conform to global safety standards.” What did previous investigations into earlier air crashes in Nigeria reveal? What lessons were “drawn” from them and why did these lessons not ensure that avoidable “air disaster (did) not repeat itself in this country?” Surprisingly, the Senate is demanding that “the Ministry of Aviation release, without further

delay, the investigation reports on all previous air mishap in the country and prosecute all those indicted in the reports.” It then seems that the reports on earlier investigations into air crashes in Nigeria were never released and those indicted by them never punished? If that is the case, then, it is reasonable to think that the present flurry of promises and orders to investigate this last air mishap may just be mere playing to the gallery. It should not take a plane crash and an investigation by the legislature to ascertain that airline companies in this country adhere to global safety standards. It is the routine duties of the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ensure the safety of the Nigerian air space and the air worthiness of all the planes registered and permitted to fly in it. Evidently, the Ministry of Aviation and the NCAA have routinely failed in their work to guarantee safe air travel in Nigeria. It is understandable that entrepreneurs, even in the most advanced and civilized countries of the world, may sometimes mortgage safety standards for profits. No wonder, even in those countries of the world populated by honorable and law abiding businessmen, governments still diligently labor to maintain quality and safety standards in the aviation industry. The need for such quality and safety controls is even most desperate in this vast scene of confusion that is our beloved country with an aviation industry replete with old, second hand and frayed planes. The Nigerian aviation law prohibits the registration and operation of aircrafts more than 22 years old for ferrying air

passengers. That airline companies in Nigeria continue to register and operate planes older than 22 years is an indictment of the Ministry of Aviation and NCAA. Airline passengers routinely lament the dangerous conditions of some of these old and decrepit aircrafts permitted to shuttle air passengers between the country’s airports. If passengers can notice the terrible conditions of these airplanes, including some owned by Dana Air, then their hazardous conditions must have been conspicuously evident to the aviation experts that suffuse the Aviation Ministry and NCAA, It was one of these ramshackle aircrafts that air travelers previously complained about that crashed at Uju/Ishaga in Lagos State on June 3rd, 2012; killing all the 153 passengers on board. The crash of the Dana Flight 0992 would have been avoided if the officials of the Ministry of Aviation and NCAA have been committed to their responsibilities, and as such, conscientious in their duties. These two government agencies,

involving Gusau as based purely on the merit of the former NSA. However, it surely goes beyond that. I do not also believe that it is a gesture made to appeal to northerners to dismiss the notion that the inability of the government to handle the situation is not a conspiracy to destroy the North. In my humble opinion the return of Gusau was due to two reasons. One, from what Azazi said two months ago – that violating the principle of zoning in PDP was responsible for the present security challenges in the country and that no one expects that those aggrieved would fail to respond by creating difficulties for the Jonathan administration – it is clear that he meant that Boko Haram is recruited by those who lost the ticket to Jonathan. So they must know the secret behind it. Nobody expects that Azazi will make such serious accusations without any support from the hundreds of files he has treated on the matter. Jonathan, according Azazi’s spokesman, has

resisted the fomer NSA’s advice that such people be called for questioning. Gusau, being one of those aspirants, must have made it to Azazi’s list of conspirators. Jonathan here took a directly opposite route. If he cannot invite Gusau for questioning, it would not be a bad idea to saddle him with the challenge of restoring security to the country. The second reason is that possibly few people, if any, in our security domain would know about Boko Haram than Gusau. It was under the tenure of Obasanjo that Boko Haram was conceived, hatched and nourished to full growth. The first we heard about the group was when it called itself the "Nigerian Taliban" after it clashed with the police in Yobe in the early 2000s. Many of the arrests made then turned out to be sons of influential people in the old Borno state. The suspects were eventually released. From there, the group moved its headquarters to Maiduguri and allegedly enjoyed the support of people like Governor Ali Modu Sheriff. Perhaps few people knew

that control the aviation industry, are culpable, more so than the profit maximizing management of the Dana Air, for the crash of the Dana Flight 0992. The Minister of Aviation, Stella Odua, and the Director General of NCAA, Harold Demuren, should take personal responsibilities for the crash of the Dana Flight 0992 and resign. But they will not resign because the panjandrums that run this country are arrogant, lawless and notoriously contemptuous of the Nigerian masses. Sheltered in their cocoon of privileges, consumed by greed, giddy with power and flush with wealth, they trample the law and disregard the constitution. Consequently, they refuse to recognize that their legitimacy and moral authority derive solely from the trust reposed in their office by the people. And that once they betray this trust, they must resign. The problem of Nigeria is not lack of the right verbal responses and display of emotions and show of concern for bereaved families in times of emergencies and

“

The problem of Nigeria is not lack of the right verbal responses and display of emotions and show of concern for bereaved families in times of emergencies and disasters. It is not in the inability to order investigations or in the dearth of investigators and investigation report writers

disasters. It is not in the inability to order investigations or in the dearth of investigators and investigation report writers. Our problem is lack of accountability in public life. And this breeds corruption and undermines efficiency. It also imperils a sense of responsibility to the society. Until there is a modicum of accountability and a sense of responsibility to the people within the ranks of the Nigerian power elite, all the rhetoric, exhibition of concern and the bust of investigations and probes that attended this last air mishap are wonderful, but still, pointless. Because they will not put an end this repeated preventable waste of human lives by the Nigerian aviation industry, Ministry of Aviation, National Civil Aviation Authority, and sometimes, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). It is all de je vu. Nigeria has known a series of these air disasters. They were each followed by similar government responses. And temporarily, the airlines sat up and tried to improve their safety standards. With time, they relapsed to their old and sloppy ways. The officials of government regulatory agencies, because they are corrupt and can be compromised, tolerate this jettisoning of safety measures for profit maximization. And sooner or later, there is another air crash and the same sequence is replicated again, and again and again. This is so because the reprobates and sociopaths that rule this country are, in steady but imperceptible gradations, reducing her to something of a menagerie. Tochukwu Ezukanma, who wrote from Lagos, can be reached at maciln18@yahoo.com

The fall of Azazi, the return of Gusau Contd. from Back Page

the familiar. Also, he might have been hindered morally by his contest for the PDP presidential ticket against Jonathan under whom he last served as NSA. The idea of a proxy is therefore apt. Sambo would sit in as the figurehead NSA, definitely, while Gusau would ably determine the security operations of the country. From his position at the top, Jonathan must have perceived that Boko Haram is inching closer and closer to him. It has caused the sacking of all categories of police and security chiefs. With some clerics warning him of an impending war, the President must have realized that he could be the next victim. The nation has, with distinctions, fulfilled all the requirements for a coup d’etat. The condition is so critical that he will not hesitate to call for the assistance of anyone perceived to be capable of making a difference between democracy and military rule. It is easy to see the idea of

that it would turn so dangerous. But the SSS Director-General then, Afakirya Gadzama, has raised sufficient alarms which, for unknown reasons, were not heeded to. It took the vacation of Obasanjo from that office, along with NSA Gusau, before the authorities could provoke a violent engagement with the group resulting in the present crisis. Why was the group not stopped from blooming and fruition during Obasanjo still remains a mystery to many of us. But it will not be a mistake to assume that the person at the helm of our security structure during the formative years of the group clearly knows its dynamics and the forces behind it. Who else is then best qualified for the job than him? So from whichever angle one looks at it, appointing a proxy to Gusau would make a lot of sense for a scared Jonathan who is presently confined by the terror to the Villa. By appointing Sambo Dasuki, Jonathan might have bought some time, but only

a little. How far he can run before the monster that caught up with those immediately below him also catches up with him is a distance known only to his destiny. Finally, I would like to put this question to my readers. Should the new NSA fail to meet the expectations of Jonathan and Nigeria precariously attains a tipping point, would the country be ready to sacrifice Jonathan in order to avert the impending disaster or would it prefer to go into an indefinable civil war and dismemberment simply to maintain him as the President of a democratic Nigeria? Jonathan would be keen to know your answers. But he must be under no illusions as to what they would be. Nigerians have answered such questions each time the country reaches the brink in the past. And consistently, the answers have never been in favour of the presidents. This one too will not be different, I suppose. Dr. Tilde, a renowned columnist, wrote from Jos.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

200 foreign firms for 7th Abuja trade fair T

he Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ABUCCIMA) in Abuja yesterday said about 200 foreign companies from nine countries would participate in the “Seventh Abuja International Trade Fair’’. The President of ABUCCIMA, Dr, Solomon Nyagba, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the chamber was expecting more than 100 million dollars from the fair. “About 200 companies from nine countries will participate in the fair which will also feature

100 federal, state and local government agencies. “We have become the one exhibition centre in Nigeria. In one of the fairs, about three to four years ago, we had a turnover of close to 10 billion naira which we got through the exchange of business at the fair. “We expect to make over 100 million dollars from the forthcoming trade fair within the 12 days period,’’ he said. Nyagba said there was an urgent need to transform the Nigerian economy from ‘consumption to production

economy’ as there were so many things Nigeria could produce. He expressed regret that Nigeria was still exporting primary agricultural products. “I have been telling our members that it is not enough to import these things from China, we can establish similar facilities here, produce such things here and compete with China,’’ he said. Nyagba urged Nigerians to harness the agricultural potentials in the country, adding that the recent move by minister of agriculture to invest N40

Young men relishing their breakfast, yesterday in Area 1, Abuja.

million in rice planting in Taraba state was commendable. He said that Nigeria could produce sufficient rice for local consumption through such efforts. Nyagba said that the forthcoming fair would cover all aspects of businesses and economic activities in Nigeria. He said that the fair would also serve as a meeting point for local and foreign policy makers, industrialists, manufacturers, suppliers, buyers and users of a wide range of goods and services. (NAN)

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Court remands man in prison for allegedly stealing bag of charcoal

20-year-old man, Zabutu Warili, was yesterday, remanded in prison by an Upper Area Court sitting in Gwagwalada for allegedly stealing a bag of charcoal. Warili, a resident of Chikuku village at Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was arraigned on a one-count charge of theft. The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Modupe Musa, told the court that the accused on June 17, 2012, stole a bag of charcoal, valued at N1,100, belonging to one Pius Ani of the same address. She said that the accused sold the charcoal to one Blessing Shedrach of the same address without the consent of the complainant. The prosecutor said the offence contravenes Section 286 of the Penal Code. Warili, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The Judge, Babaginda Hassan, ordered that the accused person be remanded in prison and adjourned the case to July 25 for hearing. In a similar development, the police also arraigned, 28, years before the same court for allegedly buying stolen charcoal. Musa told the court that Shedrach residing at Chickuku village was arraigned on a onecount charge of receiving a stolen item. Musa said that the accused bought the stolen charcoal belonging to Ani from Warili. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. Hassan granted her bail in the sum of N1,000 and adjourned the case to August 1, 2012 for hearing. (NAN)

FCTA approves establishment of dialysis unit By Josephine Ella

he Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration said it has concluded arrangement to establish a dialysis unit in the FCT. The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, who disclosed this, said approval has already

been given to the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat to a matter of urgency make the facility available to combat the alarming cases of kidney diseases in the country, and FCT in particular. Senator Mohammed further disclosed that approval has also been given for the procurement and installation of Operative Laposcope in general surgery,

gynecology and Urology, as well as endoscope to upper and lower gastrointestinal track. He also revealed that his administration had in the 2012 statutory budget of the Federal Capital Territory, made provision for the procurement and installation of 1.5 Tesla MRI Machine in Asokoro and 64-Slice Computerized Tomography (CT) Scanner in Maitama

District Hospitals. According to him, access to Health care in the Federal Capital Territory has been drastically increased in line with Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. Senator Mohammed said that the administration has procured, installed and commissioned some sensitive modern medical equipment

under radiology which includes 64-Slice Computerized Tomography (CT) Scanner and Digital Fluoroscope X-Ray machine at the Asokoro District Hospital. He added that among others, his administration has also been able to procure and install the Mammography Machine for detecting breast cancer in the Maitama District Hospital.

Council chair solicits support from residents By Usman Shuaibu

he Vice- Chairman of Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Abubakar Bala Matawale has charged the people of Bwari and its environs to continue to support the present

administration of the area council for the overall development of the area. Matawale, who gave the charge in an interview with Peoples Daily, said that the administration of the area council would continue to deliver the dividend of democracy to the

people of Bwari. He further urged the inhabitants of Bwari and its environs to embrace peace in anywhere they are staying, noting that no meaningful development will take place without peace. While speaking on the

welfare of traditional rulers in the area, Matawale said that the leadership of the council had done a lot to traditional rulers in terms of their welfare especially the district heads/ village heads, who have been receiving monthly salaries from the council.

The vice chairman, however, appealed to traditional rulers across the six area councils to maintain cordial relationship with their area council chairmen all the times and warned them against negative utterances which could cause dispute among the residents.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Traffic congestion: FCTA designate routes for mini, high capacity buses By Josephine Ella

s part of measures towards tackling the perennial problem of traffic congestion in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the FCT administration has announced the commencement of feeder service operation by mini buses in Abuja from August 1, 2012. This was disclosed by the Secretary, FCT Transportation Secretariat, Engr. Jonathan Achara Ivoke yesterday, at an interactive session with stakeholders to mark the beginning of the sensitisation for the implementation of the feeder service operation. What this implies, according to the secretary is that, upon commencement of the scheme, the mini bus operators would be required to move only on routes designated for them. Ivoke said that on the other hand, the high capacity buses would be required to as well operate only on the routes designated for it. He recalled that the Operators’ Licence Scheme launched by the FCT minister in May 2011 provided for the provision of bus mass transit operation in the FCT, one of which is that of high capacity bus services, along some major routes in the territory and the feeder service operation by mini buses. “For the high capacity bus service we have started providing and we have also ensured that we licence operators that have the capacity to provide the

Stranded commuters queuing to enter bus, at Nyanya, Abuja.

services. But, what we are about to do now which is very important is to separate the movement or operations of the high capacity buses from that of the mini buses,” he explained. He said that this became necessary because the persistent traffic jam in the territory is one of the numerous problem or factors that have been identified to be , responsible for the collapse of previous high capacity buses that was put in place by the previous administrations.

Heavy traffic jamb, in Nyanya Abuja.

”So having painstakingly studied this programmes we now decided to come on board so in order to commence this services we embarked upon plans and implementation of many things. First of all, we ensured that the existing stakeholder were trained and licensed”. He said 15 routes have been designated to be covered by the mini buses only, while 7 routes, including the Nyanya-Kugbo, Airport Road and the Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX) also

Photos: Mahmud Isa

known as the Kubwa road would be covered by the high capacity buses only. “What we have just done is to direct and redirect traffic, connecting places of major traffic problem without causing unnecessary traffic congestion,” he stressed. The secretary said that the administration plans to take delivery of 300 buses to add up to the 200 buses available, adding that the minister has provided funds in the 2012 statutory budget in order to ensure that high capacity bus mass transit is affordable and very efficient. With this, the administration is going to disburse N1 billion to subsidise the cost of transportation by 20 per cent, he said, pointing out that “this would encourage our people in the FCT to use the buses which we have provided and at the same time, it would enhance the financial success of the operators. Also, as part of the measures to tackle the traffic problem, he recalled that in order to enhanced traffic enforcement in the FCT, few months ago, the FCT minister commissioned some new operational vehicles for the Directorate of Road Traffic Services(DRTS), otherwise called VIO. To augment this, Ivoke said “we are going to increase the number of personnel in the DRTS and engaged them with

intensive training for them to cope with the level of task we wanted provided in the FCT”. He said that the secretariat would visit motor parks to further sensitise transportation stakeholders and use other available mediums like radio, television mediums “to ensur e that before we commence this mini bus service operation, people would have been adequately sensitised”. It would be recalled that traffic congestion is common place along many routes in the FCT, especially the Nyanya-Kugbo road, LugbeAirport road and the Kubwa road. The development has plunged commuters in the FCT into perpetual hardship, as they are often stranded at bus stops due to the failure of many of the high capacity buses provided by goverment, a development the Transport Secretary, earlier attributed to the persistent gridlock being experienced along some routes in Abuja. These has been identified as the factor responsible for the breaking down of some of the high capacity buses, many of which have been grounded. In a bid to put an end to this, several measures have also been put in place by the FCT administration, among which is this latest one, the designation of routes for mini and high capacity buses.

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Email: amunuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE

- Pg 20

NNPC, Shell to boost NPDC’s oil production target

Mob: 08033644990

CBN sells N5.43bn forex at WDAS

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday sold foreign exchange worth 350 million dollars (N5.43 billion) at its 48th bi-weekly Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS). This was contained in a data published on the apex bank’s Website yesterday. The CBN sold the same value of forex on June 20. Some dealers said that the apex bank sold the sum in order to control the foreign exchange in the system. The official exchange rate remained at N155.90 to the dollar at Monday's auction. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CBN has been selling 400 million dollars weekly since May. A total of 21 banks participated at Monday's auction of WDAS. (NAN)

Roll in-Roll (Ro-Ro) out terminal at Nigeria Ports Authority in Tin-Can Island, Lagos

India overtakes US as Nigeria’s biggest export market

ndia has overtaken the US to become Nigeria’s largest market for exports, according to the first quarter Trade Statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The moving of the US to the second position is seen as a major development for Nigerian and Indian trade relations, given that the US had remained the country’s largest export market since 1964. In a broader context, the NBS data also reveals that during the quarter, India-Nigeria bilateral trade reached US $

5.15 billion in the first quarter or within 0.5 percent of the US which, for the moment, retains the top-spot. NBS put the total value of Nigeria’s exports in the first quarter of 2012 at about US $ 30 billion, showing that exports to India reached US $ 4.2 billion, compared to US $ 3.7 billion credited to the US in the period under review. Nigeria’s export to India is mostly crude oil and cashew nuts while India exports pharmaceutical goods, machinery, electronics and rice. The US was trailed by the

Netherlands with US $ 2.9 billion, followed by Spain with US $ 2.4 billion and Brazil which recorded US $ 2 billion. High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mahesh Sachdev said it is indicative of a trend of consistent robust growth. “If this growth persists, India can be expected to emerge as Nigeria’s largest trading partner in the next quarter. Interestingly, Nigeria was India’s 14th largest trading partner last year.” he added. Sachdev said an important take-away from this data-set is the trade deficit of USD 3.7

billion that India had with Nigeria. “This figure is obviously too high to be sustainable. Consequently, both sides need to ensure that more Indian products are imported into Nigeria so that the momentum of growth in bilateral trade can be maintained,” he said. This data, Sachdev said, is consistent with official Indian data which puts the bilateral trade in 2011 at US $ 16.4 billion, with Indian exports to Nigeria at US $ 2.6 billion (up 38 percent annually) and India’s imports from Nigeria at

US $13.728 billion (up 34 percent annually). He gave a figure from India’s Department of Commerce for the financial year that ended June 12, 2012, which shows the country’s exports to Nigeria in the first quarter of 2012 increasing by nearly 4 percent over previous quarter. Sachdev pointed out that in recent weeks, India has permitted global unrestricted exports of agricultural products such as wheat, rice, sugar, milk powder and other goods which are needed by Nigeria. (Source: BusinessWeek)

Nigeria power sector to receive N16bn aid from India By Muhammad Sada

ndia has committed a $100 million (N16 billion) line of credit to Nigeria for the improvement of power supply in its power sector which, over the recent years, has been

battling with instability and corruption. This was announced by the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mahesh Sachdev during the inauguration of the manufacturing and repair of power transmission equipment plant, developed by India’s

CFA • £ RIYAL $

22nd June, 2012 BUYING 0.281 194.415 241.6905 41.3023 154.9

SELLING 0.301 195.6701 243.2508 41.5689 155.9

PARALLEL RATES • £ RIYAL $

BUYING 210 250 40 156

SELLING 212 252 42 158

power sector. ”India, which is Nigeria’s second-largest trading partner, has both the capacity and expertise to support Nigeria’s ambitious development plans in the power sector.” he said. He noted that unlike many other foreign companies which

Management Tip of the Day

EXCHANGE RATES

CBN

Skipper Group based in Ikorodu area, of Lagos state recently. According to Mr. Sachdev “Nigerian and Indian governments will soon sign the agreement for the line of credit,” and 12 Indian companies have shown interest to invest in Nigeria’s

Be yourself at conferences

onferences can make even the most outgoing person nervous. In such a socially intense environment, it’s easy to have a mini identity crisis: Who am I? Why would people want to talk to me? Forget those worries and be yourself. Resist the urge to drop a name

or spout off your credentials, e.g., you have a fancy title or you’ve had work published. Instead, get to know people as people, free of titles and status. Let them get to know you in the same way. Sure, it’s nerve-wracking to introduce yourself without immediately identifying your

role. But try asking open-ended questions and getting personal. Ask your fellow conference attendee what she’s enjoying about the conference, or even how far she travelled to get there. Source: Harvard Business Review

were content to execute projects on tactical basis, Skipper Group, over the past decade, had invested in Nigeria to create manufacturing and repair capacity, transfer of technology and employment generation. While speaking, the Nigeria’s power minister Bart Nnaji said with the completion of the repair plant, the country would no longer ship transformers to South Africa, India and other countries for repair. “With this repair facility, we will not be shipping transformers to South Africa, India and other countries for repair. It costs us money; it costs us time. Now, the repair is going to be done here and on top of that, it will create local employment,” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS

76 oil wells: Akwa Ibom indigenes fault Cross River’s claims

Energy services provide N5.9 tr business opportunity for investors

By Muhammad Nasir

new report from IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has identified a $37 billion (N5.92 tr) opportunity for the private sector to improve energy services for people who live in relative poverty.

Air France launches ParisAbuja operations

s part of the Bi-lateral Air Services Agreement between Nigeria and France, the Federal Government has approved the flight services of Paris-Abuja for Air France.

Consolidated Hallmark Insurance maintains strong growth trend, pays 2k dividend

espite the challenging business environment in the 2011 financial year, underwriting firm, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance plc remain above board with positive growth trends and improved shareholder value.

Security challenges slash Capital Hotels gross profit by 35%

hareholders of Capital Hotels Plc, owners of Sheraton Abuja Hotel, at the Group’s 31st annual general meeting (AGM) in Abuja approved for the year ended December 2011, dividend payout of N7 kobo per share.

Fitch upgrades Access Bank’s ratings

itch Ratings has upgraded Access Bank Plc’s Longterm Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘B’ from ‘B-’.

Associated Aviation to buy 4 new aircrafts for $30m

ssociated Aviation has revealed that it would be acquiring four new 60seater Embraer 145 aircraft from the United Kingdom, worth over $30 million, just as it has started a phasing out process of the old aircraft in its fleet.

L-R: Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, Director Public Affairs , NCC, Mr . Tony Ojobo , and Director Legal & Regulatory Services NCC, Miss Josphine Amuwa, during a meeting with the House Committee on Environment on the indiscriminate location of GSM masts. yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

NNPC, Shell to boost NPDC’s oil production target By Muhammad Nasir

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said it will partner Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to boost the 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) crude oil production growth aspiration of its exploration and production company, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). NNPC said recently in a statement by its Acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Fidel Pepple, that it had resolved to engage in such collaboration with the Royal Dutch oil giant, Shell, as part of efforts to meet NPDC’s 250,000bpd growth target which it had set to achieve by 2015. It was noted that the partnership between NNPC and SPDC was geared towards building NPDC into a world class exploration and production (E&P) company. It said this would in time position NNPC to assume the role of a credible and efficient

national oil company (NOC) just like its contemporaries in other oil producing countries. Pepple quoted the Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Mr. Austen Oniwon, as saying after a tour of Shell Training Technology Centre at The Hague, Netherland, that the corporation was ready to collaborate with SPDC to grow NPDC, its upstream flagship company, to an enviable height in the global hydrocarbon industry. “We believe that in less than fifty years from now, NPDC will become a world class exploration and production company by producing 250,000bpd in 2015.”Oniwon said. Similarly, the Director, Upstream International, of SPDC, Mr. Andy Brown, said in the statement that Shell was committed to the NNPC partnership. He revealed that the joint venture partners would also explore ways to develop domestic gas for the Nigerian and global market, going forward. Meanwhile, the Group

Executive Director, Exploration and Production, of the NNPC, Mr. Andy Yakubu, and the Managing Director of SPDC Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sumonu, described the joint venture partnership of the two companies as a success story. The statement also quoted the Director of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. Osten Olorunsola, to have said the DPR as a watchdog of the oil and gas industry was glad to witness a partnership that would transform the landscape of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. It would be recalled that oil was discovered in Nigeria in 1956 at Oloibiri in the Niger Delta after half a century of exploration. The discovery was made by Shell-BP which was at that time the sole concessionaire. Nigeria joined the ranks of oil producers in 1958 when its first oil field came on stream producing 5,100bpd. After 1960, exploration rights in onshore and offshore areas adjoining the Niger Delta were extended to other foreign companies.

Illegal refineries: NNPC strengthens synergy with security agencies By Muhammad Nasir

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it is strengthening its partnership with security agencies to rid the country of illegal refineries. In a statement issued recently by NNPC, signed by its Acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs

Division Mr. Fidel Pepple in Abuja, the NNPC decried the menace of illegal refineries and oil theft, as well as its negative effects on the nation’s economy, urged all stakeholders to join the fight against the menace, adding that the nation loses about 180,000 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) to oil theft and illegal refineries. The corporation however

added that there had been a better coordination in the operations of security operatives with the setting up of the task force on oil theft by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke. “There have been better coordination’s and results with the setting up of the Special Task Force by the minister, and I am sure we will soon conquer

ess than 24 hours after some people who claim to be indigenes of the ceded Bakassi peninsular to Cameroon had protested in Cross River state over the ownership of the 76 oil wells, the people of Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom state have strongly condemned the protest describing it as uncalled for and part of an orchestrated propaganda aimed at confusing some members of the public. On Thursday, a group of people reportedly staged a peaceful demonstration in Calabar, Cross River state capital over the disputed 76 oil wells which the Supreme Court is billed to deliver judgment on July 10, 2012. Reacting to the protest yesterday in Uyo, a Socio-cultural group in Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom State, the Ibaka Development Organization (IDO) observed that the demonstration by the purported indigenes of Bakassi was a cheap blackmail sponsored to whip sentiments ahead of the Supreme Court ruling on the case instituted by the Cross River state government. The Chairman of the Ibaka Development Organisation, Engr. Asuquo Ating told newsmen that the protest was unwarranted since the facts of the ownership of the oil wells are clear and locate the wells within Akwa Ibom territory. He reasoned that since the case is still in court pending it final determination, it was totally wrong for the people to start making unnecessary comments as with the assumption that such could attempt to influence the proceedings of the court. Engr. Ating stressed that the people of Cross River state should be thankful to Akwa Ibom state for allowing more than N600 million to be drawn monthly from the allocation of the Akwa Ibom state government and paid to Cross River state government under the guise of ‘effect of oil exploration on the environmental’ and wondered why the people of the area are trading ‘half truths’.

this challenge,” he said. The acting GMD said the surge in the operations of the Joint Task Force (JTF) led to a lot more illegal refineries being discovered and destroyed. He appealed to host communities to volunteer and pass information to security operatives about the hideout of miscreants, so as to arrest and destroy their warehouse. The activities of the JTF led to the arrest of culprits in the Niger Delta and the destruction of illegal refineries in the region and other parts of the country.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 21

Nigeria leads in crude oil theft — Jonathan N

By Muhammad Nasir

igeria is the only country in the world where crude oil is stolen at an alarming rate and the situation has reached the stage of a fullblown cancer. The disclosure was made on Sunday by President Goodluck Jonathan at the interactive

media chat, where he expressed worry over crude oil theft in Nigeria, adding that the stealing of crude oil appears to be in Nigeria and not happening elsewhere. “It is like a cancerous cell. A cancerous cell starts developing somewhere in your body, either in your prostate region or in your breast and

they won’t notice it still; or probably when they notice it, they think that it is ordinary boil. It gets to a point where, when they know, they cannot control it”, the President stated. He also noted that the governments have held serious meetings between security services, the private sector,

like Shell, and all the key oil players to tackle the problem of oil bunkering in Nigeria. “They will have to stop it. But it is like allowing a cancerous cell to develop a major tumour that even spreads to the critical organs. So, we need stronger effort. We need to spend more money than to spend more days in the

hospital. That is where we are. We will crush it; we are on it. Because there is no county where they are stealing crude oil the way they are stealing in Nigeria”, he added. According to him: “The word bunkering I knew when I was in the Customs in Port Harcourt, happens in a way that when ships come, there are big companies that are legalised to go and sell them in water. But, here, somebody goes there to open a pipe and steal crude oil and they call it bunkering. I don’t know whether, technically, it’s bunkering. I call it crude oil stealing; It is not bunkering. Those who steal crude oil are thieves. They are common criminals.”

World Bank to boost access to electricity, says MD By Muhammad Sada

L-R: Chairman of the Summit, Dr Ezekiel Olajide, with Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Christain Oboh, during the 1st Niger-Delta Investment and Business Development Summit, recently in Port Harcourt. Photo: NAN

National Assembly to give DPR more powers on crude oil theft By Muhammad Nasir

here is an indication that the National Assembly may put together a legislation that will empower the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to apply very drastic measures in tackling illegal oil bunkering and other criminal activities in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. The disclosure was made recently by the Chairman,

House committee on Gas, Hon. Ewa Bassey during the committee’s oversight visit to DPR office in Lagos. He noted that illegal bunkering and illegal refineries are issues that must be addressed drastically by the oil and gas regulatory agency. For this reason, he said “the national assembly will give the DPR more powers to address issues bothering on bunkering and illegal refineries”.

He expressed regret that security operatives, whose duty it is to combat crime now collude with perpetrators of the sordid act. The House committee chair further revealed that some provisions in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) gives the DPR more powers to deal with oil thieves. “Bunkering and illegal refineries are issues that must be addressed drastically by the

DPR, the regulator of our oil and gas industry. We are not happy about the development and we have put our heads together on how to provide very drastic and stiff measures to ensure that those who are carrying out these acts are brought to book. Be rest assured that the committee on gas at the House and the Senate will definitely cooperate with the DPR to ensure that this issue is addressed,” he noted.

Oil rig explosion: Chevron dismisses Senate’s directive on compensation By Muhammad Nasir

merican oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited, at the weekend dismissed the directive of the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Upstream and Environment for the commencement of the payment of compensation to communities affected by the January 16 gas explosion at the KS Endeavour rig in Fulwa field in Bayelsa state. The Senate Joint Committee had last month met with the management of the Chevron

Nigeria Limited and urged that, besides sending relief materials to affected areas, plans should be put in place to immediately make available alternative sources of livelihood for the communities. But the management of the company has dashed the hope of the community and ruled out payment of compensation to victims of the incident. The oil firm contended that an independent evaluation of the environment indicated that there was no scientific evidence of damage done to the ecosystem of the coastal communities.

The communication manager of Chevron, Mr. Adesola Adebawo, who reacted over the issue via email, said: “We have listened to their concerns and explained what happened, and we are responding. So far, independent evaluation of the environment has revealed no scientific evidence of impacts to the coastal environment or ecosystem.” He added that “there was no oil spill and the shoreline was not polluted,” stressing that, after the incident, Chevron had donated food items and other relief materials to several

communities along the coastal lines. “The donations were in appreciation of the assistance the villagers provided during the incident, including locating and rescuing some workers from the drilling rig,” he said, adding that “apart from food and other relief materials, Chevron also donated medical supplies to the communities, while public health experts from the University of Benin were commissioned to carry out independent medical assessment residents in the communities”.

esponding to the United Nations SecretaryGeneral, Ban Ki-moon’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative at the recent Climate Change Summit in Rio, the World Bank Group, has announced that it would boost efforts to expand energy access, while also increasing support for renewable energy and energy efficiency in developing countries. The World Bank Group provides about $8 billion a year in financing for energy projects and programmes, which leverages a comparable amount from donors, governments and the private sector. Through the initiatives and as part of its effort to support the ‘Sustainable Energy for All’ initiative, the Bank Group seeks to double leveraging of its energy lending, emphasising low-carbon energy, to $16 billion a year. The Bank Group, which already supports energy access initiatives in 60 countries around the globe, plans to scale up initiatives to provide electricity, clean household fuels and improved cooking stoves in selected countries while also seeking increased financing to implement them, said World Bank Managing Director, Mahmoud Mohieldin. ‘Providing access to electricity to the world’s 1.3 billion people who are without it, and clean household fuels to the 2.7 billion without them, is a priority for the World Bank Group,’ Mohieldin said, adding: “At the same time, we will promote energy efficiency practices and facilitate efforts by countries to shift to cleaner energy sources”.

PAGE 22

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Cross River to resuscitate Tinapa rail project

he Cross River Government yesterday in Calabar said it had signed an MoU with a Canadian firm to resuscitate the abandoned “Tinapa Line’’ monorail project. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the project was conceived by the administration of former Gov. Donald Duke at a cost of $36 million with expected funding from the African Export-Import Bank. The project was, however, abandoned due to the financier’s lack of interest. It was designed to link the Margaret Ekpo International Airport road bye-pass to the

Tinapa Resort in Adiabo, near Calabar. Special Assistant to Gov. Liyel Imoke on Special Project, Mr. Clement Agwaji told NAN that slight adjustment had been made on the concept of the project. Agwaji stated that the new “City Line’’ monorail would now cover 75.5 kilometres across densely populated areas in the state’s capital to terminate at Tinapa. “We abandoned the old concept of the rail because it did not capture the densely populated areas, it is now called the city line quite different from the Tinapa line,’’ he said. According to him, the

Canadian firm which is the new concessionaire and funding partner of the monorail, has conducted feasibility study on the project and assures the State Government that the project is viable. He said that the concession agreement with the firm include engineering work, design of train track, shipment to Cross River and actual construction for the rail columns

By Muhammad Sada

Cash-less: CBN engages service providers on Wi-Fi From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it is presently engaging service providers to ensure creation of cloud Wi-Fi hotspot services to facilitate seamless electronic payment (epayment) services in the country. According to the CBN’s Head of Shared Services, Mr. Chidi Umeano, the initiative, which would be driven by banks, would enable customers access epayment services in areas where the over 60,000 activated Point of Sale (PoS) terminals are clustered. Umeano pointed that bringing more cash into the formal financial system of the economy, through electronic payment platforms such as PoS

Agwaji said that the project which would cover three Local Government Areas in the state, would have four stations at Atimbo road roundabout, University of Calabar gate, Cross River University of Technology roundabout and Eight Miles. The special assistant stated that some of the equipment needed for the project were already on ground. (NAN)

Fortis microfinance bank targets N7bn as expansion capital

Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Amal Pepple (left), inaugurating the Federal Mortgage Bank’s, National Housing Fund e-collection platform, recently in Abuja. With her is theChairman, Senate committee on Land, Housing and Urban Development, Senator Bukar Ibrahim (middle). Photo:NAN

terminals, would be useful in the overall economic planning and development of the nation. Specifically, by creating a WiFi hotspot in areas of concentration of PoS terminals, he said customers within range of the hotspot get automatic connectivity to the Internet for e-payment transactions. “This means e-payments costs for customers are slashed by at least 30 per cent,” he said. “This is ideal and less expensive because wireless Internet access is more practical and flexible than each user getting separate connectivity in areas such as markets where there are clusters of PoS terminals. “Reduction of payment charges and seamless integration of the un-banked

to stand among others. Agwaji said that the components, namely rail tracks, rail columns and train were still being expected while the State Government’s involvement would be the provision of land for the monorail. He, however, did not state the cost of the new monorail, saying “until we firm up the concession agreement with the firm’’.

into mainstream financial services through easy accessibility, affordability and reliability of transactions would drive financial inclusion in the country. “Additionally, as all transactions would pass through the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) for settlement, transparency would be ensured,” he added. The cash-less policy was introduced, among other things, to meet the Vision 20:2020 requirements, modernise the nation’s payment system, reduce cost of banking services and drive financial inclusion of the unbanked. The objective is to reduce the amount of physical cash in the economy and encourage more electronic-based transactions.

ortis Microfinance Bank Plc (Fortis) is embarking on a three year strategic growth plan commencing with a capital raising exercise that will pool in about N7.0 billion fresh funds to the organisation. The plan is set to put the bank at the lead of the microfinance bank industry when completed. The hybrid security issuance which is said to have reached advanced stage is being packaged by DEAP Capital Management & Trust Plc as the Issuing House/ Financial Advisers. According to the Managing Director/Chief Executive of Fortis, Mr. Kunle Oketikun, ”the bank has in the past four years laid the foundation for a rapid growth aimed at positioning it at the top wrung of the ladder of microfinance industry in Nigeria. The MD also noted that the operational strategy that underlines the foundation and success of Fortis is the professionalism and a commitment for best practices, which have equally translated to consistently good

performance of the company. “Fortis Microfinance Bank Plc, since inception, has committed itself to be a microfinance bank of choice in the Nigerian financial industry. We adhere strictly to professional standards and international best practice. We have constantly achieved record pre-tax earnings, earnings per share, free cash flow and improved profit margins, with increased revenues and have continued to deliver superior returns to shareholders most importantly”, he said. Also speaking, Jacob Esan, Executive Director Investment Banking/Public Sector, DEAP Capital said Fortis Microfinance Bank Plc was poised to be the leading microfinance institution in Africa with the ability to generate outstanding value for all stakeholders. According to him, “The value proposition of Fortis Microfinance Bank Plc within the emergent microfinance banking space in Nigeria represents a unique opportunity for investors.”

Dangote Cement, Zenith Bank, ETI top Forbes list of W/African companies

angote Cement, Zenith Bank Plc and Ecobank T r a n s n a t i o n a l Incorporated have emerged amongst the highly rated West African companies listed for an award ceremony by Forbes Africa that will hold in Lagos. A statement by Forbes Africa holding recently revealed that the event, titled: “The Top Listed West African Companies” was a celebration of the success of risk takers and job creators in the West African sub-region. Companies on the list include Zenith Bank, Dangote Cement Plc, Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated and Cote d’Ivoire’s Soc Africaine De Plantations. The statement added that the event, which would be hosted by Pan-African Event Company, ABN Productions and Forbes Africa Magazine, was an initiative aimed to encourage

organisations to strive for sustained excellence and to promote their profiles in Nigeria and around the world. The list covers the top 25 companies in the West African capital market comprising the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Ghanaian Stock Exchange and the Abidjan-based Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières SA (Regional Securities Exchange SA) or BRVM. Speakers expected at the event include the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema, and Managing Editor, Forbes Africa, Mr. Chris Bishop. The event is the first of a series of awards organised by ABN Productions with broadcast partner CNBC Africa and it is expected to bring together listed West African companies that operate across a variety of sectors.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Africa: Exploding the myths of China and India in Africa As if investment is soon going out of fashion, the two Asian giants, in terms of both population and economy, China and India are falling over themselves to out- invest one another in Africa, a vast continent with vast economic potentials. In this report, Kristin Palitza examines the myths of China and India in Africa.

he reality of Indian and Chinese investment in Africa is much more complex than the good cop, bad cop image of Asia’s two emerging economic giants. China and India have caused an explosion of trade and investment in Africa in the past decade. Yet they are perceived quite differently: China has a reputation for economic ruthlessness, while India’s business interests are generally seen as beneficial to Africa. But their investment in Africa needs to be viewed in the context of broader investment trends on the continent, trade experts said at the OpenForum on Money, Power and Sex: the Paradox of Unequal Growth that was organised by the four Open Society Africa Foundations in Cape Town. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of African governments to set firm ground rules for foreign investment flow and ensure a direct relationship between trade and development, the experts said. “We are not leveraging our regional economic communities or the African Union (AU) to get better deals and the kind of investment that we need,” lamented Buddy Buruku, policy advisor at the African Centre for Economic Transformation. If Africa would make development its priority, with the support of the AU, its 54 nations would quickly gain more control over emerging economies’ investments in their territory. ”World powers compete for a presence on the continent, and Africa can benefit from that. If the AU countries would work in solidarity, they wouldn’t need to fear India’s or China’s

Chinese President, Mr. Hu Jintao presence,” said Zhongying Pang, professor of international relations at the Renmin University of China in Beijing. Although it is still too early to tell what China’s and

India’s impact on Africa will be, “it’s potentially more positive than negative,” says Howard French, former New York Times bureau chief in China and a fellow with the Open Society Foundation

researching Chinese migration to Africa. ”Africa has for a long time been stuck in a position with few options of whom it wants to trade with,” French said. With China and India

competing for investment opportunities alongside Europe and North America, African nations now have a multitude of potential trading partners to choose from. And more leverage to

set the rules. According to the World Bank, Indian and Chinese foreign direct investment in Africa has grown dramatically. To date, China has been the largest single investor, aid-giver and trade partner on the continent, with 127 billion dollars in resource extraction and infrastructure deals in 2010. India has much less financial muscle than China, but its influence in Africa is on a rapid rise. It currently accounts for 46 billion dollars in trade deals on the continent and has announced it will invest 70 billion dollars by 2015. “The Chinese state is surely a major motor of economic activity in Africa. But India is equally striving to boost its investment in resource extraction on the continent,” said French. At the same time, exports from Africa to Asia tripled in the last five years, to 27 percent of total Asian imports, according to 2010 World Bank data, showing a clear trend towards rapidly growing South-South commerce. This tendency has been heightened since South Africa joined the Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) group of emerging economies in December 2010, now called BRICS. China’s push into Africa is viewed more critically because it is largely based on massive state companies pursuing major public works and infrastructure projects, such as stadiums, highways and railroads, very often with state and multilateral funding. “China has a very formalised policy to encourage Chinese interests and investment in Africa. India has no such policy,” explained Buruku. India instead follows a short-term investment

outlook, with a two- to fiveyear strategy. India’s engagement with the continent is primarily driven by private businesses and focused on acquisitions. “That means Indian companies tend to generate more jobs and facilitate skills transfer, while only a very small component of Chinese investment in Africa creates jobs,” Buruku noted. China says it is committed to reversing its negative image. The Asian giant plans to revise its Africa foreign policy, hoping this will provide

Chairman of African Union, Boni Yayi further political advantages in Africa. “We have learnt from criticism levelled at our investment policy. If China wants to continue to play a role in Africa, it needs

India's Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh

to maintain its principle of non-interference, but also add others, such as multilateral interventions and careful policies on land ownership,” said Pang.

Chinese enterprises in Africa also need to comply more strictly with local labour and environment regulations, facilitate the transfer of skills to African

countries and upgrade their industries. Others argue that India is getting off too lightly. ”India has invested in buying off agricultural land to fight food price inflation in its o w n c o u n t r y . I n d i a doesn’t have better labour standards than China. Exploitation, corruption and bribery are rife in India,” argued Aniket Alam, a senior editor of the Mumbai-based journal Economic and Political Weekly. Like China, India has been particularly interested in Africa to help meet its rising energy requirements, investing in nations with crude oil resources like Nigeria, Sudan, and Angola, he said. China and India both have rapidly modernising industries and burgeoning middle classes with rising incomes and purchasing power. They have therefore demand not only for natural resourceextractive commodities and agricultural goods but also for diversified exports, such as processed commodities, light manufactured products, household consumer goods and food. All of which Africa can offer. Culled Africaonline

from

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Boko Haram: Northern elders must speak up – Mark T

he problem we have in this country today and we must say it loud and clear is the Boko Haram. Whatever name we might want to give to it is just saving the issue. People have given reasons for the causes for the Boko Haram sect, they say it is poverty; to me the reason is very tenous. If every poor man in this country decides to be a suicide bomber, Nigerian strictly will not exist. Secondly people have said it is lack of education, I agree that that will be an issue but we cannot overcome that overnight, somebody who is not educated cannot wake up overnight and become educated. There is a long process to it. And I think government has taken the right step by educating the almajiris in the north. For a long time nobody in the north wanted to talk about it. Because if you did all the religious teachers and clerics will take you on but thank God we have gone past all that now. Now we have all agreed that the people and almajiris have to be properly educated. Then they talk about unemployment, again if everybody who is unemployed in this country turns out to be a suicide bomber, who is going to remain. I don’t think there is any country in the world where everybody is employed but government must create a conducive environment where most people should be employed. I think the issue is ideological and religious fundamentalism and we must address these issues. I am not in any way a religious scholar, but just out of curiosity, I read a book the other day, on the stand of Islam on the issue of suicide bombing and it is the same as the Christian stand. If you commit suicide, for the chirstians, you are destined to hell and Islam has the same position. So who are these preachers who are telling them that as a suicide bomber, you will go to heaven and you will meet 77 virgins; it is an uphill task to go and sleep with 77 virgins at the same time. I think that there is something fundamentally wrong with all these teachings. We must do something serious to make sure that that kind of teaching does not gain ground. There is also the issue of lack of national values in our system today. I think the National Orientation Agency must begin to educate Nigerians on what our national values are. Of course I don’t think that our national values are what they are today.

May I humbly appeal to government that once you stop carrying out your programmes, the terrorists would have succeeded. Government programmes must go on as designed. If the President must visit Borno state tomorrow, he must visit it. We must not stop. If Mr. President must visit Port Harcourt tomorrow, he must make that visit. Because the moment the terrorists stop you from accomplishing government programmes, then they have succeeded and we don’t want them to succeed and by God’s grace they will not succeed.

he consequences of the Boko Haram at the moment are so numerous and we cannot imagine them. There is already a lot of mass movement on regional basis and this is not good for this country. It is promoting ethnic and religious conflict and thinking and that is not good for this country. Under-development in the northern parts of this country has become obvious. Already the hue and cry is that the north is not developed. With the activities of Boko Haram; will that solve the problem of development in the north? The answer is no. So we are shooting ourselves in the feet. Nobody is going to wait for the north. Akpabio is not going to wait for the north to develop, the man in River state is not going to wait for the north to develop. So the same people who are crying that underdevelopment is in the north are at the same moment responsible for the subsequent under-development that is occurring in the north. No investor is going to bring his money and invest in Kaduna, Kano or Jigawa when his life is in danger. The investor that comes to Nigeria will at the safe and the safe area are the southern states. The northern states have to think properly before we allow what Boko Haram is doing now to bring the north to its knees; a few selected cabal on their own want to bring the north on their knees and we must do something positively about it. If things are allowed to go on like this, it will encourage disunity and religious war because there is a limit to patient. Christian preachers and organizers have been appealing, and I have been almost at the forefront of appealing to Christians that they should not go for vengeance. But how long will they people continue to listen to us because if a bishop

consistently in his preaching to his congregation, yes God says vengeance is mine, yes we all hear that, but if we have no church anymore to reach out, if he wakes up in the morning, where will he preach? So there is a limit to the patience that preachers will have to tell their people.

n the other hand, if Christians go out for vengeance then the terrorists have succeeded in what they want to do because they want to bring religious war. Again we must make sure that we continue to preach to the people hard and difficult as it might appear that there should be no vengeance and that they should leave vengeance to God and that is a religious issue for both Christianity and Islam. International rating of the country will go down and no investor will like to come to the country to make any investment. The submission to me is that we must dialogue with the group. Government must open an avenue for dialogue. I am a great supporter of dialogue. The sect must make their leaders known, because we cannot dialogue with nobody. You can’t dialogue without knowing who is the leader of the sect. like I keep saying, if they have genuine grievances, there is no reason their leaders will not come out. The mere fact that they are hiding behind the scene and doing what they are doing shows that they know that what they are doing is evil otherwise, if you are leaders of men who have good intensions, there is no reason to fear in coming out. If their leaders come out today and they want to dialogue, they will not be arrested and nobody is threatening them. We want to know the people who are behind this group and their leaders so that we can dialogue with them. Everywhere in this country as far as I know has somebody who is in charge and who can talk to the people and who can make a report if there is a strange face in any community. We must intensify our intelligence gathering locally and internationally. There is a requirement for speedy dispensation of cases involving terrorists. The Judiciary, we don’t want to force them about these cases but I believe that the longer the cases on terrorism are delayed, the longer it takes us to continue to be in the present situation. We in the legislature, we must review the laws of terrorism to give more powers

Senate President David Mark to security agents who are fighting terrorism. Desperate times require desperate measures. At the moment, we cannot go by mere rule of law. I think that there is requirement for us to revisit existing laws on terrorism. We must seek external support and cooperation, we should not be ashamed to do that if we cannot handle the situation.

e need to direct our searchlight at the moment on how these terrosists are being funded and trained. It is important. We need to consider license for preachers. If an imam is preaching that if you do this you will go to heaven and we know that that preaching is wrong, we must find a waty to stop such preachers. Where are the good Islamic scholars? Where are the good Islamic teachers? We need to see them and they need to come out. Because Boko Haram cannot kill everybody who opposes Boko Haram unless we summon up the courage to speak up. If we don’t speak up, it is just as bad as funding them. It is as bad as training them, it is as bad as funding them. So the good people must now begin to speak up. It is time government considers issuing licenses to

preachers. The elders in the north, I ask, can they really stop this menace and if they cannot, let them say so. Because the impression at the moment is that there are some group of elders in the north, who can stop it; there are group of elders who know what is happening. My candid opinion is that they cannot stop it and they don’t know what is happening. If they were involved at all at some time, they are now completely out of control right now as we speak but if they are, I think it is proper that they come out because Nigerian has to be one for northern Nigeria to exist.

he way the exercise is going at the moment, if Boko Haram is not halted, it may result to the breakup of this country and God forbid, because people will not take it for too long. I call on the elders that they should come out frankly and they should assist if they are in the position. But if they don’t, they will also break. Being excerpts of a speech by Senate President David Mark at the opening of a 3-day retreat for senators yesterday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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Scientists to ‘hack’ Hawking’s brain in bid to help him communicate more easily S

cientists are working out a way to ‘hack’ into Stephen Hawking’s brain to enable him to communicate more easily. The world-famous physicist has been trying out the ‘iBrain’ which picks up his brain waves and sends them to a computer for analysis. Hawking was fitted with a black headband which has a series of neurotransmitters inside it and was told to think about scrunching his right hand into a ball. He was able to create a pattern which the researchers hope they can one day convert into letters, words and sentences. Hawking has been unable to

speak for the last 30 years due to the motor neurone disease which is ravaging his body and weakening his muscles. He famously uses a computer to communicate with a robot-like voice which he until seven years ago he used to activate by a clicker. Now because the muscles in his hand are too weak an infra-red sensor superglued to his glasses monitors his cheek movements which are translated into text by a computer on his wheelchair. The iBrain has been developed by Philip Low, a professor at Stanford University in the US. It is about the size of a matchbox and is very light so does

The iBrain is being developed by Philip Low, a professor at Stanford University, pictured, who hopes that it will be able to monitor Hawking in real time

not weigh down Hawking’s head. Professor Low said he hopes that it will be able to monitor him in real time, regardless of what he is doing. He said: ‘We’d like to find a way to bypass his body, pretty much hack his brain. ‘This is very exciting for us because it allows us to have a window into the brain.

‘We’re building technology that will allow humanity to have access to the human brain for the first time. ‘The emergence of such biomarkers opens the possibility to link intended movements to a library of words and convert them into speech, thus providing motor neurone sufferers with communication tools more

dependent on the brain than on the body.’ Mr Low will unveil his latest findings next month at a conference in Cambridge, and Hawking may demonstrate the technology. It could also be used to treat sleep disorders and possibly help to quickly diagnose autism. Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Professor Steven Hawking is having his brain 'hacked' into by scientists so they can try and help him communicate more easily.

Social workers ‘considered sending African boy to Congo for traumatising exorcism

ocial workers have been accused of ‘misguided political correctness’ after they considered sending a boy in their care to the Congo for a ‘deeply traumatising’ exorcism. Bosses at Islington Council in north London considered sending the African boy to the Democratic Republic of Congo because his mother claimed he was possessed by evil spirits and needed ‘deliverance’. An expert has claimed that Islington council officials were ‘mindful to agree to the request’ for exorcism, which it is claimed involved starving children and sometimes beating them. The boy’s family, who were from Africa, had claimed an exorcism was necessary because he was possessed by ‘kindoki’ or evil spirits. The child’s mother no longer has responsibility for him, and he had been taken into care by Islington Council. The local authority paid an expert over £4,000 to travel to Africa to investigate the possibility of an exorcism as they were worried the family’s ‘sensibilities might be affected’. Dr Richard Hoskins, an expert in African religion, completed the trip and advised the council the boy should not be exorcised as the rituals can be ‘violent...deeply disturbing and traumatising’. Dr Hoskins has since told how the case - which Islington Council later

dropped on his advice - highlights how British officials do not tackle abuse when it is ‘masked behind multiculturalism’. According to the Daily Telegraph, Dr Hoskins told a conference yesterday: ‘We fear to trend where sensibilities might apparently be affected.’ ‘This problem is about the underlying failure to tackle abuse when it is masked behind multiculturalism.’ Dr Hoskins added that officials do not challenge the mistreatment of children when it is committed under the guise of ‘religious or cultural practices’. Dr Hoskins visited Kinshasa, the capital of DRC, in 2005, where he met the grandparents of the child. The grandparents claimed the boy had been ‘infected by sorcery’ in the UK which would ‘destroy them all’. Church officials in Congo also claimed that the evil spirits would lead to ‘strife, illness, divorce, hardship, poverty and death’ if not dealt with. The ritual would have involved depriving the boy of food or fluids for three days in order to ‘cast out’ the evil spirit. Although Dr Hoskins was assured the boy would not be beaten, his investigation found evidence that other children who had been exorcised suffered violence and were left ‘scared and traumatised’. He concluded his work, for which

the council paid £4,372, by telling the authority the ‘child should not be be allowed to go through a deliverance service such as that envisaged’. Dr Hoskins added: ‘From my research I think this might be deeply disturbing and traumatising for him.’ Islington Council acknowledged to the Telegraph that they had paid Dr Hoskins to go to Africa, but said they did so on the recommendations of a judge.

A spokesperson said: ‘It is a normal process in care proceedings to assess the extended family when a child has been removed from parental care,’ a spokesman said. ‘Dr Hoskins was instructed to meet with extended family members to assess their belief that a child of the family was possessed by spirits. This was on the instruction of the Family Court during care proceedings.’ A spokesman for the Department

for Education echoed the findings of Dr Hoskins, adding: ‘It is not acceptable for councils to be considering this. These services can be extremely traumatic. ‘We are tackling all forms of child abuse linked to belief, including belief in witchcraft or spirit possession. ‘Such abuse is rightly condemned by people of all cultures, communities and faiths.’ Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Traumatising: Dr Richard Hoskins claimed African exorcisms on children can be 'disturbing and violent' (file picture).

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Syrian top army officers defy Assad, defect to Turkey with own families A

host of top Syrian army officers have defected from brutal President Bashar Assad’s forces and arrived in Turkey. A general, two colonels, two majors, one lieutenant and 33 soldiers have turned up, with their families, Turkish state television has said. A total of 224 individuals are seeking asylum in the neighbouring country, also reported by private news channel CNN Turk. They are being hosted at a refugee camp near the border. It follows the defection of four highplaced Syrian military officials two brigadier-generals and two colonels who are all brothers - on Saturday. And on Thursday a MiG fighter pilot, the first aircraft defection, flew to Jordan and was given political asylum. Thousands of soldiers have abandoned the regime, but most are low-level conscripts. The Free Syria Army - the loosely linked group of rebel forces - is made up largely of defectors. Defectors affiliated with the Free Syrian Army and based in Turkey are known to collect food and other supplies to deliver to comrades on smuggling routes. The latest defections come as European Union foreign ministers today called for a calm response after Turkey accused Syria of shooting down one of its military reconnaissance jets on Friday. The ministers, meeting in Luxembourg for a regular conference, said they would increase pressure on Assad. Turkey says the downing occurred in international airspace and without warning. Turkey is a member of NATO, but is only a candidate for membership of the European Union. The ministers added one person and six companies and other entities to a sanctions list, an EU official said.

So far, the EU has imposed asset freezes and visa bans on more than 100 people responsible for or associated with the violent repression against Syria’s civilian population, and an asset freeze on 43 entities. British foreign secretary William Hague called for increased pressure, but said the jet incident did not fundamentally alter the situation in Syria, where Assad has been suppressing a 16-month revolt against his rule. He said: ‘I don’t think it illustrates a different phase. It’s very important that we increase the pressure with additional sanctions. ‘Other countries will be very active in arguing for a new resolution from the (United Nations) Security Council.’ Russia and China, both permanent members of the UN Security Council with veto power, have blocked efforts by Western powers to condemn Assad or call for his removal. Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Defection: The host of top Syrian army officials have turned up in Turkey.

The Plough is a short drive away from Chequers.

Left: The F4 Phantom jet had taken off from Erhac airport in the eastern province of Malatya shortly before all contact with the aircraft was lost last week (file picture)

“

Thousands of soldiers have abandoned the regime, but most are low-level conscripts. The Free Syria Army - the loosely linked group of rebel forces - is made up largely of defectors. Defectors affiliated with the Free Syrian Army and based in Turkey are known to collect food and other supplies to deliver to comrades on smuggling routes. Continued protests: Demonstrators protest against Syria's President Bashar Assad in Dael near Deraa.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

By Mohammed Kandi

n its effort to promote the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has pronounced the Guarantee Minimum Price (GMP) per metric ton for seven commodities for the 2012 season. The objective of the guaranteed

IITA, WACCI partner to increase plant breeders in Africa

he International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at training plant breeders in Africa. A statement issued recently in Abujam by IITA said that the agreement was a strategic move to boost the number of indigenous plant breeders, which would help to address the issue of food security in the continent. “Under the agreement, WACCI, a centre at the University of Ghana, will send postgraduate students to IITA for three years to carry out research in plant breeding. The students will have access to IITA facilities and will be supervised by senior IITA scientists,” it stated. According to the statement, WACCI and IITA see the alliance as a panacea that will halt the dwindling number of plant breeders in Africa. “African breeders will be trained on the problems facing African crops with the hope that they will remain in Africa. “We need an African approach to address Africa’s food productivity challenges,” the statement quoted Prof. Eric Danquah, Director of WACCI as saying. According to the statement, both WACCI and IITA plan to evolve better strategies to address the numerous problems that limit food productivity in the continent. It said that the alliance would give birth to a new set of plant breeders that would spear-head Africa’s goal of attaining food sustainability and having its own “Green Revolution”. WACCI was established in 2007 as a centre for crop improvement similar to the Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. IITA, established 45 years ago, is Africa’s leading research partner, having trained more than 74,000 people in Africa and elsewhere. The centre recruits students from national agricultural systems of 15 countries across East, West, and Southern Africa. To date, 42 doctoral students from 11 countries have graduated from WACCI, 128 students have been enrolled in both centres and a further 30 will be enrolled in the next 2 to 3 years. The graduates have already released 23 new crop varieties in Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, and Burkina Faso, and have published 85 research papers internationally, the statement said. (NAN)

PAGE 29

Ministry announces new price scheme for 7 crops prices, according to a statement issued by the ministry’s Information Director, Salisu Na’inna Dambatta, was to encourage farmers to produce more food, get assured market for their crops and earn better incomes.

He also noted that the prices were determined after consultations with various farmer groups, commodity associations, research institutes as well as private licensed Buying Agents. Dambatta further stated,

“Other stakeholders consulted were representatives of large-scale farmers and the specialist Directors of the Ministry.” The approved price per metric ton for Maize, Dambatta declared, was N55, 000, while that of

Sorghum is at N52, 000. The prices approved for other grains are as follows; Millet, N45, 000, Soya beans, N60, 000, Paddy rice, 62, 000, Gari, N118, 000 and Cassava Chips, 100, 000 respectively.

Kano state trains 5,000 women on animal traction

overnor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State has said that over 5,000 women will be trained in animal traction in the state within the next three years. A statement issued recently in Kano, by the Director of Communication and Public Affairs Strategy, Halilu Dantiye, said Kwankwaso made the remarks when he received the North-West Zonal Women Leaders of the PDP. He said the women would be camped and trained for a few weeks at the Kadawa, Dambatta and Gwarzo animal traction schools in the state, following which they would be given cows to rear. “Part of this arrangement is that the women will be trained to obtain milk from the cows which they will sell and reuse the money in other worthy ventures.” He stated. Kwankwaso also said that 600 women across the three senatorial zones of the state had benefitted from a special poultry farming scheme initiated by his administration. He said his government had trained 44,000 women in various skills and assured that the third phase of the programme would

commence soon. In her remarks, the North-West Zonal Women Leader of the PDP, Hajiya Mariya Waziri, commended Kwankwaso for initiating the skills

acquisition programme for women, free maternal care and the widows/ divorcees marriage scheme. She, however, urged the governor to assist the women to

reproduce and distribute the PDP national women empowerment programme form to local governments, wards and chapters in the state. (NAN)

Animal traction

Food security impossible without irrigation, says Ochekpe

he Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe has said that food security cannot be achieved without the development of irrigation infrastructure in the country. Ochekpe made the disclosure recently after her inspection tour of irrigation projects to Kano and Sokoto states. To ensure the attainment of food security in the country, she said, the Federal Government had concluded plans to invest in the rehabilitation of 57 irrigation projects across the 36 states of the federation. “For a start, we have already identified 57 irrigation projects across the country for investment by the Federal Government. “These are critical facilities that we must pay attention to; certainly we cannot achieve food security without irrigation development. “These are critical facilities that we must pay attention to; certainly we cannot achieve food security without irrigation development. The inspection tour, she said, was to appraise the projects and obtain first hand information for the Federal Executive Council from interaction with farmers and their families on project sites. According to her, the projects slated for rehabilitation have a total irrigation potential of 316, 000

hectares, adding that the National Economic Council had endorsed the initiative as part of plans to boost food security in the country. “All irrigation facilities are already being prepared for either rehabilitation or further development. For those that we have not fully developed, we are making efforts to develop; for those that need rehabilitation we are already working on that,” she explained. She also revealed that when fully operational, three million jobs would have been created nationwide for the teeming youths of the country who had passion for agriculture. “There is need for work to continue on these projects; some phases are ready for commissioning, farmers are already benefitting from them while others need work done and good funding. “For us to be able to produce much more than we will need we will have to crop several times during the year and you can only do this by irrigation. “Farming families will be allocated plots; young graduates will be encouraged to take farming seriously and we believe that in the next few years, our situation in terms of food production and food security will change for the better,” the minister said.

Some of the projects which the minister visited were the KanoRiver and Gari Irrigation projects in Kano, the Middle Rima Irrigation Project, Goronoyo Spillway Repairs, Shagari, and Bakolori Irrigation Projects, all in Sokoto. At the Kano Irrigation Project, with a total number of 22,000 hectares, NAN gathered that 16,000 hectares of land already been developed and distributed to farmers. The minister said the Federal Government would develop the remaining hectares to ensure that agricultural activities were improved upon, to boost the activities of the Hadejia Jama’are, River Basin in the state. She also disclosed that 10 tractors were recently released to the basin to augment farming challenges, adding that the list of farmers’ needs had been compiled and would be forwarded to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the provision of the necessary farm inputs. In Sokoto, Ochekpe said that 15 tractors had been released to the Sokoto Rima Basin Authority to support the irrigation programme in the state. She underscored the Federal Government’s desire to stop food importation completely, and noted that the irrigation projects would

serve as a springboard for the attainment of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). At the Middle River Valley Irrigation Project, NAN gathered that there were challenges of effective flood protection works at the second phase of the project. These flood protection works, according to the project managers, were imperative to guarantee the safety and sustainability of the project, as a response to the environmental impacts of climate change. According to them, climate change impact was not considered during the planning and design of the project in 1984. The minister further said that the ministry had projected the execution of additional irrigation projects in other River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) to boost food production in the country. She identified the authorities to include Anambra-Imo, BeninOwena, Chad Basin Development Authority, Cross River, Hadejia Jama’are, Lower Benue, Lower Niger, and Niger Delta. Others are Ogun-Oshun, Upper Niger, Upper Benue, and Sokoto Rima, which together have 21,250 additional irrigation hectares. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 30

Zamfara earmarks N50m to boost agric

he Zamfara Government has voted N50 million to upgrade facilities and renovate dilapidated structures at the College of Agriculture and Animal Sciences at Bakura. Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Malami Yandoto disclosed this recently during a facility inspection visit to the college. Yandoto said that the college would continue to attract the attention of the state government to stand the test of time. He said that the college remained one of the lasting and virile legacies of the late premier of the defunct Northern Region, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello Sardauna. He said that the state government had prioritised agriculture as the mainstay of the state economy, adding that it would provide facilities that could assist farmers to imbibe mechanised agriculture. “Zamfara is noted as home of agriculture where farming occupies the centre stage of the state

economy. The government would do everything possible to provide facilities that could transform our farming,” he said. The commissioner said that provision of standard facilities at the college would enhance better learning of modern agricultural techniques and open more grounds for technical training of extension workers. He said that the knowledge would be imparted to rural farmers by the extension workers so that agricultural production in the state would triple while the local economy could grow fast. Yandoto said that some of the facilities that would be renovated included classroom blocks and students hostel while laboratory and research equipment would be upgraded. The Provost of the College, Malam Umaru Muhammad, commended the state government for coming to the aid of the institution. He promised to make use of the facilities for high quality teaching and learning. (NAN)

FG rolls out incentives for farmers

IFAD distributes N3.8m equipment to 123 young farmers

t least 123 youths in Abia have graduated from the youth empowerment scheme under the CommunityBased Natural Resource Management Programme (CBNRMP), an International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) assisted programme. The programme is being financed by a collaboration of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Federal Government, and NDDC, with participating states and local governments contributing counterpart funds. The programme is being implemented in the nine-Niger

Delta states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers. Meanwhile, the Programme Coordinator, Mr Mark Ezeala, told journalists recently in Umuahia, that the youths were drawn from six local government areas of the state. Ezeala said further that the scheme was designed to facilitate the creation of self-employment opportunities for youths and other vulnerable groups with a view to alleviating poverty in the areas. It was learnt, however, that more than 300 youths had enrolled in various skill acquisition programmes under the scheme.

...advocates more support for savings, loans group

he International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has called on the Benue Government to show more commitment to the work of savings, loans and credit associations in the state. Country Programme Manager of IFAD, Miss Atsuko Toda, made the call during her recent visit to the state. Toda led the supervision mission monitoring to the Rural Finance Institution Building (RUFIN) projects in the state to Benue Commissioner for Cooperatives and Rural Development, Mr Jacob Omenka. RUFIN is a seven-year IFADassisted programme designed to improve the performance of nonbank rural finance institutions to enable them to develop to sustainable Rural Micro-finance Institutions in participating states. The goal of the programme is to strengthen the income, food security and general living conditions of poor rural households, particularly women-

headed households, youths and the physically challenged. Toda said that support to the groups should be in the context of upgrading access to loan facilities from micro-finance banks. According to her, the number of micro-finance banks and groups being supported by the banks in the state are small. Earlier, Omenka said the state government had disbursed N1 billion loans to large-scale farmers in the state outside of RUFIN activities, adding that no farmer got less than N3 million loan from N1 billion. “We can review this N1 billion loan to these large-scale farmers to accommodate the small-scale farmers if IFAD permits the state.’’ He said the mission’s visit had enabled the state to realise its weaknesses in the areas of managing savings, loans and cooperative groups. He promised that the state would improve on its loan commitments to small-scale farmers and the rural poor. (NAN

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina By Salisu Na’inna Dambatta

he federal government has taken steps to ensure that Nigeria grows its own food, curb food imports and substantially reduce the US$10 billion the country expends annually on importing rice, wheat and other semi-luxury food items that could be produced locally. It is certain that the country has the requisite fertile land, an army of willing farmers, adequate experience and modern technical know-how that could be harnessed to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. A robust agricultural plan which identified five major priority crops sets a target of producing additional 20 million metric tons of food and the creation of at least 3.5 million agric-related jobs is on course. It also provides many incentives for farmers. The package of those incentives tagged Growth Enhancement Support scheme (GES) is being rolled out by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in partnership with the governments of the 36 states of the federation and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. An aspect of GES is the delivery of government-subsidized fertilsers and complimentary improved highquality seeds for small holderfarmers and seedlings for growers of tree crops such as Cocoa and cassava. The incentives are processed through a tamper-proof electronic wallet or voucher system. Only farmers in a validated data base of 4.7 million receive the subsidized agricultural inputs. This writer recently witnessed the roll out of GES by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina in Ogun State where he told

farmers, investors, bankers and food processors that the Federal Government would support farmers to achieve a sustainable national food security through local production of sufficient food for the 168 million people in Nigeria. The Minister emphasised that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is committed to transforming the agricultural sector, which as the backbone of the Nigerian economy contributes over 40% of GDP. He highlighted the linkage between national security and food security saying: “No nation is secure if it is not food secure.” The incentives for farmers in Ogun state include 200, 000 bundles of improved, cassava stems free of charge for the 2012 season. He said this incentive is provided to ensure that enough cassava is grown for processing into highquality flour in a 75, 000 metric tons plant to be located in the state. The cassava flour will be blended with wheat flour to produce composite baking flour. He assured Nigerians of the safety of cassava bread Dr. Adesina announced more incentives for farmers in the state: 232, 000 improved cocoa seedlings that mature in two years and yield 2.2 metric tons per hectare: all the necessary chemicals required to protect cocoa plants will accompany the seedlings free of charge. The idea is to expand cocoa production in Nigeria to 500, 000 metric tons from a current dismal 250, 000 tons per annum and ultimately restore Nigeria to its lost position as the largest cocoa producer in the world. He said the federal package of incentives and subsidies for cocoa farmers in Ogun State in 2012 is worth N156 million. He disclosed that the 40,000 registered farmers in Ogun State will get 12, 000 metric tons of subsidized fertilisers. Farmers would pay 50 per

cent of the cost of the subsidized fertilisers and redeem it along with 50 kilogrammes of improved rice seeds or 40 kilogrammes of improved maize seeds free of charge. “Three large-scale rice processing mills would be sited in Ogun state to process 90,000 metric tons of rice grown in the state,” he said. One other significant announcement made by the Minister at the occasion was the decision by the federal government to collaborate with the Ogun state government in revamping some 1960s farm settlements in the state for the training of farmers in modern agriculture. Ogun state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun said his government has facilitated access to a N1 billion agricultural credit at a single digit interest rate for farmers in the state and released cheques for such loans to several agricultural cooperatives at the occasion. He announced the clearing of 30, 000 hectres of new agricultural land and said investors in agriculture would enjoy a waiver of 80 per cent on the cost of land. A similar rollout of the incentives was jointly staged in Kano by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Alhaji Bukar Tijjani and the Governor of Kano state, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Alhaji Bukar Tijjani said at the occasion, which was crowded by small-holders, that the Kano State Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO) is one of the producers of fertilsers selected by the federal government to supply fertilisers to farmers under GES. Kano state has 100,000 registered farmers: He said all of them would benefit from GES. Alahaji Tijjani said that the farmers would pay 50 per cent cost of the 14, 800 tons of fertilsers allocated to the state in the 2012 wet season, and take rice and maize seeds free of charge at the redemption centres. The Minister disclosed that seeds and seedlings would also be given to soybeans, cotton, cocoa and cassava farmers free of charge. Alhaji Bukar Tijjani said that the e-wallet system and the vigilance of farmers have ended the days of diverting subsidized fertilisers and other inputs meant for small-holder farmers. The Minister of State for Agriculture said that after extensive consultations with the relevant stakeholders the Federal Government has approved Guaranteed Minimum Price (GMP) per metric ton for Millet, Maize, Cassava chips, Cocoa, Sorghum, Soybeans and Gari to shield farmers against price fluctuations and guarantee income for their efforts. The Governor of Kano State, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso praised the federal government for its efforts in transforming the sector and listed many incentives provided to farmers by his administration. The Governor said that KASCO has so far delivered about 50 per cent of the GES fertilsers ordered for 2012 wet season to farmers. Salisu Na’inna Dambatta is the Director of Information in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 31

Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s echoes of Algeria

The goals desired by Field Marshal Tantawi and SCAF have long been known, say analysts [Reuters]

ANALYSIS

ashington, DC - "They are falling into the trap," he said. "The Islamists will soon win their election, and they will come to power. But this will be their undoing. Soon the people will see that they are no more capable of solving the country's problems than we were; before long, the public will blame the Islamists for their problems, rather than us. Then you will see what will happen: the people will turn on them, and turn again to us." My friend might well have been an Egyptian Army officer or a member of the ancien regime, speaking before the parliamentary elections of November 2011, in which the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and the Salafist Al-Nour party won a majority of seats. Or he might well have been speaking just days ago, before the presidential run-off election - won by the Freedom and Justice party's Mohamed Morsi. He might have been speaking about the Egyptian elections, but he was not. My friend, a very junior Algerian government official and a member of the National Liberation Front (FLN) that has ruled Algeria with an iron hand since independence in 1962, was speaking in the summer of 1991, as Algeria was fitfully preparing for the first truly free and fair national elections in its history. But my friend's voice lacked the ring of true conviction. Even as he spoke, the FLN government and the Algerian Army that controlled it were working feverishly to gerrymander

voting districts and to otherwise create electoral impediments to the rise of the Islamist Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), which had swept local council elections the previous year, and would again win overwhelmingly in the first round of national parliamentary elections that December. A genuine democratic tide We all know what happened next: Convinced that it had seen enough of democracy, and never willing to subordinate itself to an Islamist government in the first place, the Algerian army stepped in to shut down the electoral process and arrest the leadership of the FIS. The civil war that followed produced such mass ferocity, such pitiless violence, that out of decency we were forced to avert our eyes, even now. What we now see being played out in Egypt, for all the differences, is eerily reminiscent of what I saw at close hand in Algeria just over 20 years ago. Like the Algerian army before it, the Egyptian military has never had any intention of subordinating itself or making itself accountable to a genuinely democratic government - still

less one dominated by the Muslim Brothers and the Salafis. And like the FLN regime before them, the power behind Mubarak-era repression has found that subtle political manipulation and intimidation is not sufficient to control a genuine democratic tide once unleashed. "Charges from oppositionists that [SCAF] has launched a coup over the past weekend actually come 16 months late... Hosni Mubarak was not removed by revolutionaries; he was removed by his generals." By leveraging Mubarak's Constitutional Court to dissolve an elected parliament, and by issuing a decree arrogating sweeping new powers to itself and effectively neutering the presidency, while simultaneously hijacking the process to create a new constitution, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) seized control of Egyptian political life last weekend in a manner hardly less thorough than that which we saw in Algiers in January 1992. Charges from opposition figures that the Egyptian army

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

launched a coup last weekend actually come 16 months late. Whatever the democratic opposition may have thought, theirs was never a genuine revolution. Hosni Mubarak was not removed by revolutionaries; he was removed by his generals. And while Field Marshal Tantawi and the rest of the Supreme Council may have exhibited some considerable ambivalence and indecision along the way in determining how to channel democratic reform to ensure it did not threaten them or their interests, the desired end, in their minds, has never been in doubt. Ironically, having temporarily eliminated the short-term risks to their interests inherent in a genuine democratic process, they may simultaneously have multiplied the long-term risk of genuine revolution, and of their ultimate demise. The generals are counting, in effect, on Egyptians to act like Egyptians, and not like Algerians. They may be right, for now, in doing so. An uphill climb Notwithstanding the renewed energy of large

We all know what happened next: Convinced that it had seen enough of democracy, and never willing to subordinate itself to an Islamist government in the first place, the Algerian army stepped in to shut down the electoral process and arrest the leadership of the FIS.

numbers of protesters in Tahrir Square, some chanting: "If they want it to be Syria, we'll give them Libya", a majority of Egyptians seem to have opted for renewed stability and security, rather than the evanescent dream of freedom and political reform. Their renewed complacency is further encouraged by deep political divisions. Egyptians select first new president of post-Mubarak era Though having taken decisive action, the generals cannot rest easily. In opting for outright confrontation over cooption and manipulation, they run a serious risk of uniting the Islamist and liberal-secularist wings of the opposition, particularly if the Muslim Brotherhood are clever enough to moderate their social agenda and provide credible assurances of significant secularist and minority representation in a reconstituted Constituent Assembly. Although Morsi is already taking steps towards this end, he has an uphill climb. He seems to have temporarily dropped the word Islam from his political vocabulary, but he has shown in the past that, when pressed, it is impossible for him to do anything but uphold the primacy of God's law over man's. Christians and secularists will not be reassured. And few will forget that, once having opted to maximise their representation in parliament, the Islamists have used their clout to seize control of the now-moribund Constituent Assembly. Having belatedly backed the democratic transition in Egypt, the Obama administration is mortified by the turn of events at the Constitutional Court. Cries have immediately gone up in Congress to withhold this year's allotment of $1.3bn in military aid. But their action, when it comes, will prove symbolic, and serve only to remove their fingerprints from what comes next. Faced with the choice between continued US assistance and an Islamistdominated government, the generals will have little trouble in deciding. Yes, we can hear the echoes of Algiers in the shouts now emanating from Tahrir Square. Political chaos and a good bit of violence are no doubt in store. But differences of time, place, circumstance and culture probably mean that the brutal repression which required eight years and the slaughter of perhaps 200,000 people on the southwest edge of the Mediterranean will be achieved at far less cost along the banks of the Nile. Democratic reform will eventually come to Egypt, but only when those who want to achieve it are prepared to act wisely, and in concert. Robert Grenier is a retired, 27year veteran of the CIA's Clandestine Service. He was Director of the CIA's CounterTerrorism Center from 2004 to 2006.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 32

Bashir says Sudan protests are no Arab Spring

who are burning tyres are a few agitators." Witnesses on Sunday evening reported groups of about 100 people demonstrating in two areas of Khartoum. Security forces in the Red Sea town of Port Sudan beat people who were about to protest there, arresting some, witnesses also reported. State security officers ordered one of Sudan's main opposition parties, Umma, not to hold any public forums at its headquarters, a party leader said. "We are going to discuss this in

our political bureau and decide what do," the party's general secretary, Ibrahim Al Amin, told AFP. In El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, about 100 students from a local university called for the downfall of the regime, while other demonstrators gathered in the town's main market, witnesses said. Police responded with tear gas and batons, they added, in what has become the standard reaction by security forces since demonstrations began on June 16 in Khartoum. A Reuters reporter saw a heavy police presence in the area and rocks

strewn on a street near the campus. The police were not immediately available to comment. Bashir, an army officer who seized power on June 30, 1989, withstood earlier student-led protests by thousands of people objecting to high prices in 1994. Though smaller in size, the current protests have occurred continuously for more than a week, with citizens blockading streets and throwing stones at police. The demonstrations follow the government's announcement last week of spending cuts to tackle an economic crisis worsened by the secession of oil-producing South Sudan a year ago. Sudan has faced high food inflation and a weakening currency since South Sudan seceded, taking with it three quarters of the country's crude production - previously the main source of state revenues and foreign currency. The measures include a cut in fuel subsidies. Activists and opposition groups have been trying to use discontent over rising food prices and other economic woes to build a broader movement to end Bashir's 23-year rule. But although spread across a wide variety of neighbourhoods, the demonstrations have so far lasted for only short periods and rarely exceeded more than a few hundred people at any one time Plagued by inflation, and with a severe shortage of dollars to pay for imports. the country's poverty rate is 46.5 per cent, the UN says. Sudan's demonstrations remain small compared with the mass uprisings that swept some Middle East countries last year as part of the Arab Spring protests.

attraction, which is close to the border with Kenya. The Red Cross has sent a team to the area to assess the extent of the damage and loss of life. Uganda Red Cross Secretary General Michael Richard Nataka told the BBC that in one village alone 15 homes had been buried and another 29 were at risk. At least two other villages have also been affected, he

said. He said 20 people had been confirmed dead and the toll could rise. "The initial estimate [of those killed] is between 20 and 100," he said. Mr Nataka said that at least nine people had been injured. Local MP David Wakikona told Reuters that the area had been experiencing heavy rains for several

days. "I am told the landslides started at around midday [Monday] and that they are still going on and some villagers who survived the early slides are fleeing," he said. Last August, at least 24 people were killed when torrential rains triggered landslides in the Bulambuli district of eastern Uganda.

Tunisia president disagrees with parliament over Libya PM's extradition

unisia's president, Moncef Marzouki, has said his own government's extradition of Libya's former prime minister was illegal. Marzouki said he was not consulted over the extradition of AlBaghdadi al-Mahmoudi, whom Libya has accused of crimes committed during Muammar Gaddafi's rule. Tunisia's executive, however, insisted the extradition last weekend - which had been opposed by human rights groups - was legal, claiming the president's permission was not needed. It said the decision was made after a delegation visited Tripoli, which enjoys close relations with Tunis, and found Libya's justice system was competent enough to hold a fair trial. Mahmoudi fled Libya in August after rebel forces stormed Tripoli, and has been held in Tunisia accused of illegally entering the country. For Libya, there is immense satisfaction at having such a pivotal figure in custody. Mahmoudi, 70, spent two decades rising through the ministerial ranks of Gaddafi's Libya. As the former chairman of both the high council for oil and gas and the Libyan Investment Authority, which owns ÂŁ100bn in overseas assets, he can point investigators towards cash Gaddafi had moved abroad. Peeling back the layers of Gaddafi's Libya will be a delicate process, with many current government officials having served in prominent positions under the former regime. Tripoli hopes Tunisia's decision to hand over Mahmoudi will encourage other states to do likewise with other figures prominent under Gaddafi.

Mahmoudi is being held in a prison under the supervision of the Libyan justice ministry, officials say [EPA]

Omar al-Bashir, Sudan's president, has said anti-government protests against high prices is the work of "a few agitators".

ore than a week of protests sparked by austerity measures have spread across the capital Khartoum and other cities, expanding beyond the core of student activists who hoped to turn public discontent into an "Arab Spring" movement. Dismissing the demonstrations in a speech late on Sunday, Bashir said: "They said the economic measures were a chance for the Arab Spring, but we've already had the Arab Spring a number of times. "When the Sudanese people revolt, they all come out. The people

Deadly landslide strikes eastern Uganda

cores of people are feared dead after a landslide struck villages in a mountainous region of eastern Uganda, officials say. The Ugandan Red Cross told AlJazeera that the landslide had buried at least 15 homes in Bududa district. Villages affected are near Mount Elgon, a major tourist

Mombasa bar attack: Kenyan police hold suspect

hree people have now died after a hand grenade was thrown into a Kenyan bar where patrons were watching a Euro 2012 football match, the Red Cross says. Earlier reports said one person had been killed in the blast in Mombasa, but two victims died later in hospital. One of those injured at the Jericho bar is being held as a suspect. The blast comes a day after the US embassy had warned that there was an "imminent threat of a terrorist attack" in the area. Local police chief Aggrey Adoli told the AFP news agency that 30 people were still in hospital with injuries from the blast, while the Red Cross put the number at 25.

"One of those wounded people is assisting us because he is providing contradictory statements. He is being held as a suspect," Mr Adoli added. Warning signs Earlier this week, Kenyan police arrested two Iranian nationals over suspected links to a network planning attacks in the port city of Mombasa. Police also said they had recovered suspected bombmaking material in the capital, Nairobi, on Saturday. The explosion happened at around 22:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Sunday, a police source told the AFP news agency. The bar was busy with people watching the quarter-final match between England and Italy in the Euro 2012 football

tournament, witnesses said. Along with the US, France had also warned its citizens to be "extremely vigilant". US officials had also been told to avoid the area until 1 July. In May one person died after

explosive devices were thrown into a nightclub in Mombasa. Kenya has seen a number of grenade attacks since sending troops into Somalia last year to fight the Islamist al-Shabab militia.

Blast survivor Winsley Otana: ''There was a commotion''

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 33

Qatar seeks $5bn investment in China markets

atar is applying for a licence to invest $5bn in China's Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (QFII) scheme, the main channel for foreign investment in Chinese stock and bond markets. Mohammed Bin Saleh al-Sada, Qatar's energy and industry minister, said that the QFII quota will be used to invest income earned from selling liquefied gas to

China in the country's securities market as well as initial public offerings. QFII quotas are currently capped at $1bn per each investor but official media reported last month that Chinese regulators are looking at increasing the cap. Thirty-seven QFIIs, including Norges Bank and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, have

applied to increase their quotas by a combined $12.54bn, it said. China has launched a series of initiatives intended to attract more investment in the country's capital markets, including stepping up efforts to expand the QFII programme, which it launched in 2003. Under the QFII programme, an investor is given a licence and an

investment quota by regulators. Last week, China's securities regulator said it was looking at increasing the cap on the combined stake in a listed company held by QFIIs to 30 per cent from 20 per cent. Earlier this year, the government raised the total maximum QFII quota by $50bn to $80bn. As of April 16, China had granted

Syria shot at second Turkish jet, Ankara claims

Thai Red Shirts stage mass protests

ens of thousands of supporters of Thailand's "Red Shirt" protest movement have staged a mass rally in Bangkok, police said, amid renewed political tensions in the troubled country. The Reds, who are broadly loyal to fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, marked the 80th anniversary of the coup that ended Thailand's absolute monarchy with a call for the judiciary to stay out of politics. "Today we mark the 80th anniversary and show our concern over threats to democracy. Let's prepare for an unfinished fight," Red Shirt leader Kokaew Pikulthong told the crowd near the capital's Democracy Monument on Sunday. Thailand has seen about 20 attempted or actual coups since 1932, he noted. "In recent years they have changed from military to judicial coups," he said, arguing that Thaksin and his allies had been unfairly targeted. An estimated 30,000 people had joined the rally by early evening, a special branch police officer told AFP news agency. The country has been riven by political tensions since Thaksin was ousted by royalist generals in a 2006 coup. Judicial rulings have played a pivotal role, with courts forcing two pro-Thaksin prime ministers from office in 2008. Mass opposition protests by the Red Shirts in April and May 2010 paralysed parts of central Bangkok, triggering a military crackdown that left more than 90 people dead in the country's worst civil unrest in decades. Thaksin, a former telecoms tycoon who lives in Dubai to avoid a jail term for corruption, is loved by many rural and poor Thais for his populist policies while in power, but hated by the elite who see him as a threat to the monarchy. His sister Yingluck Shinawatra is now prime minister after a landslide election win by her brother's party last year. This month her party postponed voting in parliament on controversial "reconciliation" proposals strongly opposed by opposition members of parliament, who fear they will be used to grant an amnesty to Thaksin.

QFII licences to 170 investors, and 129 of them had obtained combined quotas of $25.19bn from the country's foreign exchange regulator. The State Administration of Foreign Exchange has said it will adopt fast-track procedures and allocate more quotas to foreign investors such as pension funds, government-linked funds and insurers.

T Qatar's energy and industry minister said the quota is aimed at investing in China's securities market [File Photo: EPA]

Syria officers, troops 'defect to Turkey'

The Red Shirts back constitutional amendments as part of reconciliation plans to end years of political crisis [AFP]

urkey has sharply raised the stakes in a military standoff with Syria, claiming one of its search and rescue planes was shot at as it attempted to find a Turkish jet that was shot down on Friday by Syrian gunners. BĂźlent Ar?nĂ§, the deputy prime minister, said the second plane had been attacked as it flew above the Mediterranean searching for two pilots. The claim undermines Damascus's insistence that mistaken identity caused the attack on the first jet. Members of Nato are to hold consultations in Brussels on Tuesday morning over the incident, but the meeting will not lead to any form of military response, according to diplomats. The downing of the Turkish military plane over what Ankara says were international waters was denounced by European Union foreign ministers. They called for full Syrian co-operation with an investigation and imposed a new round on sanctions on Bashar al-Assad's regime. "The European Union condemns the unacceptable shooting down by Syria of a Turkish military plane on 22 June. It offers its sympathies to the families of the airmen involved and commends Turkey's measured and responsible initial reaction," the foreign ministers' statement said. Turkey has called a meeting of the National Atlantic Council, Nato's political steering body made up of ambassadors from member states, under the article four of the North Atlantic treaty, which allows any member to consult its allies whenever it believes "the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened". Syria tried to defuse tensions with its northern neighbour, claiming the Turkish air force F-4 Phantom had been flying at low altitude

PAGE 34

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Morsi calls for unity after poll win

gypt's president-elec, Mohamed Morsi, is set to building a civilian administration to overcome deep political division, and to coax a mistrustful army into relaxing its grip on power. Behind the scenes, talks were already under way between the

Muslim Brotherhood and generals to resolve disputes that blew up this month over steps by the ruling military council to hem in the powers of the first freely elected president Egypt has known. Morsi retains the right to appoint the prime minister and

cabinet. He has already begun talks to form a presidential team and cabinet that "would truly represent Egypt after the revolution," according to a statement on the Brotherhoods' Twitter account. Morsi claimed victory just hours after last week's runoff

election, based on unofficial numbers tallied by the Brotherhood, but the commission delayed its official announcement until Sunday. In the intervening days, Khairat al-Shater, the Brotherhood's political boss, met generals from SCAF at least once. Sources say they were negotiating exactly what powers the president will have. Shortly before the polls closed last week, the generals issued a decree sharply limiting the powers of the new president. It permitted him to declare war, for example, only with the approval of the military council. SCAF will also keep control of legislative power, and the budget, until a new parliament is elected. Egyptians went to the polls in November to elect a legislature, which was dominated by the Freedom and Justice Party, but it was dissolved earlier this month after a high court ruling found parts of the electoral law unconstitutional. Despite Morsi's victory, many of those questions about his power remain unanswered. Gehad el-Haddad, Morsi's

Monday's meeting, an EU official said. So far, the EU has imposed asset freezes and visa bans on more than 100 people responsible for, or associated with, the violent repression against Syria's civilian

population, and an asset freeze on 43 entities. William Hague, the British foreign secretary, called for increased pressure, but said the jet incident did not fundamentally alter the situation in Syria, where Assad has been suppressing a 16month revolt against his rule.

campaign spokesman, said in an interview shortly after the results were announced that Morsi would work to be a "president for all Egyptians". "This is not the end of the game, it's a start of a huge responsibility," el-Haddad told Al Jazeera. "It comes with more challenges, turning from being the largest opposition group in Egypt to leading the country with its national front." Cairo's Tahrir Square, theatre of the revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak, exploded in joy and relief - on Sunday as Morsi was declared the narrow but convincing winner of last weekend's presidential run-off against Ahmed Shafik, another scion of the military establishment which has ruled Egypt for 60 years. The president-elected delivered a victory address on Sunday night. He spoke on state television, long a medium which demonised him and the Muslim Brotherhood. He thanked the Egyptian people for their votes, calling them "my family" and "my beloved," and promised to work to "restore their rights." "I have no rights, only responsibilities," Morsi said. "If I do not deliver, do not obey me." He also reached out to the army, the police, and Egypt's intelligence services, thanking them for their work in protecting the country, and promised to "preserve" the military. Crowds were still gathered in the early hours of Monday morning. The celebrations continued through an unforgettable night after Morsi won by 3.5 percentage points or some 880,000 votes. Those in Egypt and beyond who feared a win for Shafik might have spelled the end of the Arab Spring acknowledged a triumph for the popular will, and for the army which accepted it. From Syria's opposition came word that Cairo was again a "source of hope" for a people "facing a repressive war of annihilation". But beyond the vast throng who waved their flags and chanted praises to God for hours on end on Tahrir Square, millions of Egyptians, and the Western powers, looked on with unease at the prospect of the longsuppressed Brotherhood making good on its dream of an Islamic state for the Arab world's biggest nation.

up the euro. The Spanish prime minister called for Thursday's European Union summit to "dispel doubts" about the euro. The Italian and Spanish indexes both closed about 4% down. The fall on Spain's Ibex index was exacerbated by a Reuters report that the Moody's credit rating agency is planning to downgrade Spain's banks. Earlier, Spain formally requested a bailout loan for its banking sector, expected to be for

up to 100bn euros (ÂŁ80.2bn, $125bn). The country needs to find about 1.8bn euros over the next few days to recapitalise its second largest lender, Cyprus Popular Bank. In a short statement, the government said that it required assistance following "negative spillover effects through its financial sector, due to its large exposure in the Greek economy". A government spokesman, Stefanos Stefanou, said the

amount of European aid would be subject to negotiations in the coming days. He said that despite the request, the Cypriot government would continue negotiations for a possible loan from a country outside the EU, such as Russia or China. The country has already borrowed 2.5bn euros from Russia, whose business people are important customers of Cyprus's relatively large offshore financial sector which offers low tax rates.

Egyptian presidential candidate Mohammed Morsi waves to his supporters

Major blow to Arizona immigration law

he US Supreme Court has struck down most of a controversial immigration law in the state of Arizona, but upheld one key provision allowing police officers to check the immigration status of anyone they stop. In a split decision, the justices ruled that three provisions of the law went too far, including one that makes it a crime for illegal immigrants to work and another that requires them to carry their documents. The decision did uphold the "show me your papers" clause by a unanimous decision, but took the teeth out of it by preventing police officers from arresting people on minor immigration charges. Arizona, on the southwest border with Mexico, two years ago became the first of a handful

of US states to pass laws aimed at driving illegal immigrants out, including requiring police to check the immigration status of anyone detained and suspected of being in the country illegally. The battle over the law goes to the heart of a fierce national debate between Democrats and Republicans over what to do with the roughly 11 million illegal immigrants in the country. Critics have said the Arizona law could lead to ethnic and racial profiling of the fast-growing Hispanic population in the United States. Hispanics are the largest US minority group. President Barack Obama said he was pleased that the court struck down most of the law, but "remained concerned" about the provision upheld by the court. "No American should ever live under a cloud of suspicion

just because of what they look like," he said. "Going forward, we must ensure that Arizona law enforcement officials do not enforce this law in a manner that undermines the civil rights

The Arizona law has proved deeply controversial; critics say it would lead to racial profiling against Hispanics [Reuters]

EU ministers urge restraint from Turkey

uropean Union foreign ministers have called for a calm response after Turkey accused Syria of shooting down one of its military reconnaissance planes in international airspace. The call came as the ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, announced further sanctions against Syria. "We're very concerned about what's happened and very concerned for the family of the two pilots who are missing," EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Monday. "We will be obviously looking to Turkey to be restrained in its response." The ministers were meeting a day before a NATO meeting requested by Turkey to discuss how to react to Friday's incident, which Turkey says occurred without warning.

Turkey is a member of NATO, but is only a candidate for membership of the European Union. The ministers added one person and six companies and other entities to a sanctions list following

of Americans." Jan Brewer, the governor of Arizona, put her own positive spin on the ruling, calling it a "victory for the rule of law" in a statement on Monday.

Cyprus to ask for bailout from eurozone partners

yprus has told the European authorities that it intends to apply for financial assistance, the fifth eurozone member to do so. It said it needs help to shore up its banks, which are heavily exposed to the Greek economy. The announcement came on another day of nervousness about the single currency. Shares in Italy, Spain and Greece fell sharply amid concerns that an EU summit this week will again fail to produce a deal to shore

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Women over 50 ‘just as likely to suffer from eating disorders as teenagers’ T hey are commonly seen as issues faced predominantly by teenagers and young women. But new research has found that ladies over 50 are just as likely to suffer from eating disorders such as bulimia as those of their younger generations. Scientists also found that women aged 75 and over can still suffer from binge eating or purging problems. Researchers found in women aged 50 and over that 3.5 per cent reported binge eating, while nearly eight per cent said they had purged food from their bodies and more than 70 per cent admitted they were trying to lose weight. The study, published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, also found that nearly

two-thirds of older women (62 per cent) claimed that their weight or shape negatively impacted on their life. The researchers, led by Dr Cynthia Bulik, Director of the University of North Carolina Eating Disorders Programme, reached 1,849 women from across the U.S. participating in the Gender and Body Image Study (GABI) with a survey titled Body Image in Women 50 and Over - Tell Us What You Think and Feel. Dr Bulik said: ‘We know very little about how women aged 50 and above feel about their bodies. ‘An unfortunate assumption is that they “grow out of” body dissatisfaction and eating disorders, but no one has really bothered to ask. ‘Since most research focuses on younger women, our goal was to capture the concerns of women in this age range to inform future research and service planning.’ The average age of the participants was 59, while 92 per cent were white. More than a quarter (27 per cent) were obese, 29 per cent were overweight, 42 per cent were normal weight and two per cent were underweight. Results revealed that eating disorder symptoms were common. About eight per cent of the women reported purging in the last five years and 3.5 per cent reported binge eating in the last month. These problems were most prevalent in Not the preserve of the young: Even women in their early those aged over 75 can suffer from 50s, but also occurred disorders (file picture)

Spanning the generations: Women over 50 are just as likely to suffer from eating disorders as teenagers, new research has found (file pictures posed by models). in women over 75. When it came to weight issues, 36 per cent of the women reported spending at least half their time in the last five years dieting, 41 per cent checked their body daily and 40 per cent weighed themselves a couple of times a week or more. Nearly two-thirds of the women (62 per cent) claimed their weight or shape negatively impacted their life, 79 per cent said that it affected their self-

perception and 64 per cent said that they thought about it daily. The women reported resorting to a variety of unhealthy methods to change their body, including diet pills (7.5 per cent), excessive exercise (seven per cent), diuretics (2.5 per cent), laxatives (two per cent) and vomiting (one per cent). Two-thirds (66 per cent) were unhappy with their overall appearance and this was highest when it came to their stomach

(84 per cent) and shape (73 per cent). Dr Bulik added: ‘The bottom line is that eating disorders and weight and shape concerns don’t discriminate on the basis of age. ‘Healthcare providers should remain alert for eating disorder symptoms and weight and shape concerns that may adversely influence women’s physical and psychological well-being as they mature.’ Source: Dailymail.co.uk

People who are uninterested in food ‘are more likely to take cocaine’

eople uninterested in food may be more likely to take cocaine, a study shows. Researchers found that neurons associated with overeating were also associated with non-food activities, such as drug taking. But while both are linked to the brain’s ‘reward’ circuitry, a desire to eat was linked to decreased interest in ‘novelty’ behaviour such as drugs, reports Nature Neuroscience. Researchers had been studying the brain to investigate the notion that food could become a ‘drug of abuse’ just like cocaine. But they found that the common wisdom was ‘flipped on its head’. Dr Marcelo Dietrich, of Yale School of Medicine, said: ‘Using genetic approaches, we found that increased appetite for food can actually be associated with decreased interest in novelty as well as in cocaine, and on the

other hand, less interest in food can predict increased interest in cocaine.’ The team studied mice in which a signaling molecule that controls hunger-promoting neurons in the hypothalamus

was taken out. The mice were given various non-invasive tests that measured how they respond to novelty, and anxiety, and how they react to cocaine. Professor Tamas Horvath

People who are less interested in food could be more likely to take cocaine, according to a recent study

Researchers found that neurons associated with overeating were also associated with non-food activities, such as drug taking

said: ‘We found that animals that have less interest in food are more interested in novelty-seeking behaviors and drugs like cocaine. ‘This suggests that there may be individuals with increased drive of the reward circuitry, but who are still lean. ‘This is a complex trait that arises from the activity of the basic feeding circuits during development, which then impacts the adult response to drugs and novelty in the environment. ‘There is this contemporary view that obesity is associated with the increased drive of the reward circuitry. ‘But here, we provide a contrasting view: that the reward aspect can be very high, but subjects can still be very lean. ‘At the same time, it indicates that a set of people who have no interest in food, might be more prone to drug addiction.’ Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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Nigerians don’t deserve Jonathan’s incompetent, corrupt leadership – Junaid Mohammed Dr. Junaid Mohammed is the National Chairman of the People’s Salvation Party (PSP) and was a member of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic. In this interview with Edwin Olofu in Kano, he painted an apocalyptic picture of the security challenges facing the country and stated that the declaration of state of emergency in some local government areas in the country by President Goodluck Jonathan is unconstitutional.

INTERVIEW

ome parts of the country have been engulfed in crisis, and President Goodluck Jonathan left the country to the Earth Summit in Brazil; many Nigerians are of the view that he shouldn’t have travelled. What is your take on this? Look, I left Abuja last week and I noticed heavy presence of security men and I asked what was happening; I was told the President was travelling out. It was absolutely unbelievable! If really he believes in this country, the last thing he can do was to leave the country at this critical period. It was the same kind of fateful journey which was undertaken against the advice of many wellwishers including foreign diplomats, urging late President Umaru Yar’adua not to travel to Brazil in 2009 which he ignored and even when he was at the airport, his security advisers and personnel told him about the violence between the Boko Haram and security agents in Borno state. He recklessly issued an order asking the security forces to crush the Boko Haram insurgency by whatever means necessary. Now that unfortunate order from late Yar’adua given in a hurry while flying to Brazil and clearly ignorant of the multidimensional character of the Boko Haram insurgency contributed in turning the Boko Haram problem into a major multidimensional insurgency. This gave birth to the so-called Joint Security Task Force (JTF) from 2009 to date; it is now clear that Boko Haram has not been defeated. But the only option open to the government is to negotiate in good faith with Boko Haram militant or do the stupid thing. After promising Nigerians that Boko Haram will be crushed in June, it seems the President is about to have to eat his words, because the Boko Haram is very much alive. Their leadership is by and large intact, their funding seems assured. On the contrary, the government has used dirty tricks to create its own franchise Boko Haram and some of the terrible outrages especially in the north are traceable to that

Boko Haram. Government and their fellow ethnic terrorist in the Niger/Delta are making noise about their own superiority in terrorism by saying that they have a leadership and commercialized political message. As far as I’m concerned, there is nothing superior about the terrorist in Niger/Delta; they are nothing but a bunch of blackmailers and terrorist who are known by the government and protected by the government. Jonathan must immediately come back to the country to attend to the serious security issues he is trying to run away from. And if he doesn’t do that the National Assembly should commence impeachment proceedings against him for irresponsible dereliction of duty. And whatever happens on this occasion Nigerians must begin to think of how to get rid of this President before he plunges this country into a full scale civil war. Enough of this irresponsibility, shameless corruption and incompetence a word is enough for the wise. What is your view on the number of persons in the delegation the President travelled to Brazil? I think for the purpose of comparison, between the irresponsible behaviours of Jonathan, the cabals around him, the PDP as a party and the government, it will be well to remember that at the Earth Summit in Brazil, Nigeria has the largest delegation of 116 people and yet there is not a single draft resolution sponsored by Nigeria. The early Earth summit 20 years ago in Rio de Janeiro, Nigeria was represented by not more than 10 people and from the records of that summit there were resolution co-sponsored by Nigerians. It is now up to Nigerians to decide whether this incompetent and corrupt President is the leader Nigeria needs at its most trying time historically. It is common knowledge that the election he claimed to have won was massively rigged in collusion with the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) which is the election management body and the security services especially the Nigeria Police and Para Militaries. It is little wonder therefore that Jonathan and the

Dr. Junaid Mohammed thugs around him and the scoundrels PDP members around him have nothing but contempt for the average Nigerian public. As we talk now, 19 local governments in Nigeria are under some form of emergency rule declared by the President but not ratified by the National Assembly and therefore it is unconstitutional. That notwithstanding the Federal Government under Jonathan is refusing to release the statutory allocations to the local governments so declared. Clearly, this is an act of brigandage by the Presidency. In addition, the federal government under Jonathan is setting aside over N1 trillion in the name of security. That amount is about 25% of our total national budget. For the past two months, I have been travelling throughout Nigeria in the cause of which I discussed with so many governors and their officials. Those in the states where the federal government has stationed soldiers in the name of so-called JTF, the governors and their opinion leaders in all most the states concerned are bitter about the way the soldiers are behaving in those states. As a rule these soldiers are behaving like an Army of occupation going around raping women and pillaging private properties;

burning grains in silos in rural areas and in some places taking cattle away from herdsmen while at the same time the NSA and their Military Commanders insist that state governments must put their hands in their respective treasuries to pay for what the soldiers are doing in their states. That in effect means that you pay a bunch of thugs in uniform, who are stealing your properties, rape your women and burn your food stuffs simply because they are JTF and they were sent by the Federal government. Are you saying the declaration of the state of emergency was unconstitutional? I said it before and I will say it again that the so-called declaration of state of emergency in some local governments of some states was and is still unconstitutional. Because it has not been ratified by the National Assembly unless the National Assembly ratifies the declaration of the state of emergency within a stipulated period that declaration is ultra-viries and therefore null and void. And anything done sequel to that declaration is illegal and must not be allowed to stand. Nigeria therefore is at a crossroad. We either get rid of Jonathan, his cabal, his party and his

government or he will lead us into a civil war. The check and balances enshrined in the constitution are clearly inadequate and therefore ineffective. The framers of our constitution didn’t foresee and couldn’t have foreseen the possibility of somebody like Jonathan becoming a President and turning the Presidency into an Ijaw country club. But the Constitution empowers the National Assembly to check the executive arm of government. The scoundrels and corrupt persons in the National Assembly can never counter balance the powerful executive; the judiciary is equally rotten and corrupt, and in fact they are more complicit in the major scandals that have afflicted our polity. So, no redemption should be expected from the Nigerian Judiciary. The so-called civil society organizations are corrupt and have been compromised by taking money from foreign countries. Most of their monies come from the intelligence services of the western countries. The PDP is like a Mami market where you go and pick what you want if you can, if you cannot you leave. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is a tribal party exclusive for the Yorubas. No matter how good you are if you not from their tribe you are a second class citizen. For General Buhari in forming the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) was tragically misguided by the people he trusted and whose political acumen he raised very high. They are overwhelmingly responsible for his political misfortune from the time he joined, then it was the All Peoples Party (APP) and later the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to the recent formation of the CPC. He has been continuously ill served by his so-called friends who are emerging as political genius. The serious weakness of Buhari’s party is today largely responsible for the paralysis manifest in all the opposition parties. His refusal to commit to any ideology whether of the right or of left make it impossible to differentiate what he stands for as opposed to what the PDP stands for. Nigeria is still in the wood, there is no realistic savior insight, so God save us.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Okorocha tasks new commissioners on corruption

L - R: Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Victor Ogene, Chairman of the Committee, Hon . Zakari Mohammed, and Senior Special Assistant to the Speaker on Print Media, Malam Mohammed Isa, during a briefing to deny the advertorial on pension fund yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Presidency feathers the nest of corruption in Nigeria, says CPC By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

he Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has accused the Presidency of feathering the nest of unending corruption in the country. The CPC made this accusation in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, while reacting to President Goodluck Jonathan's comment in a presidential chat that he was

not under obligation to declare his assets. It said, "For the avoidance of any doubt, the Fifth schedule Part1, 11(1) of the 2010 Constitution (as amended) compelled any public officer to declare his assets within three months. "It is with grave concern that we view the assertion by the President that as Vice-President to the Late President Umaru Musa-Yar'adua, he was forced to

declare his assets against his desire. Should this mean that this President is not principled, otherwise he ought to have resigned his appointment if he was forced to act against his desire? "What is unmistakably clear is that the President's demeanor on this issue of asset declaration leaves many unanswered questions", it said. The party wondered whether the President is at liberty to select the section of the constitution he

will comply with. "Should the President still be trusted in championing the fight against corruption and lack of probity in public office?" The party asked The statement further said that the portent of the President's persistent refusal to declare his assets is too grave for the wellbeing of the Nigerian polity, and called on well-meaning Nigerians to condemn the latest comment by the President.

PDP praises Akpabio for delivering democratic dividends By Lawrence Olaoye

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday identified the governor of Akwa-Ibom state, Godswill Akpabiop as its model governor based on his performance in office in the last five years. The party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, made available to newsmen yesterday disclosed the it evaluated several projects executed

by the Niger Delta governor. He stated “The Akwa Ibom state government has executed thousands of ambitious projects ranging from renovation of cottage hospitals and construction of several new ones, all of which are provided with modern medical equipments as well as declared free medical treatment for children within age five and below, elderly people from age 60, pre- natal and post- natal treatment for pregnant women. “The state has constructed

hundreds of quality standard intra and inters city roads many of which were dualised as well as bridges; water facilities; and free and compulsory education for all children resident in the state. “Akwa Ibom state free education policy is backed up with state promulgated laws that make it criminal for any parent or guardian to deny any school- age child access to education; creation of employment for thousands of its citizens and provision of one of the best prison facility in Africa

today. “Many international organisations and Human Rights groups have been visiting the new prison which they have described as one of the best in Africa. Akwa today has the best e-library in Africa, the best golf course, best motorised drainage system in Nigeria, the first international Airport in the country equipped with Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Service Workshop and many more,” the statement said.

Lamido urges Nigerians to be united for development

ov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa has urged Nigerians to be united and shun sentiments for the development and progress of the country. Lamido gave the advice when he received members of Arewa Youth Parliament who paid him a courtesy call yesterday in Dutse. He explained that the paramount issue that must be addressed now was to secure the

country as a single entity. The Governor solicited the support of the people for President Goodluck Jonathan, irrespective of political, religious and ethnic affiliations, for the development of the country. “Anyone can be President and perform but whoever is the President must be supported by the people for him to succeed” “If all Nigerians can be united,

devoid of sentiments and rally round President Jonathan, there will be miracle in terms of development.” Lamido said that Nigeria was blessed with both human and natural resources, pointing out that if there was peace, unity and good leadership, there would be development. Earlier, the Speaker of the parliament, Malam Bashir Maru,

commended Lamido for the development projects in the state. Maru decried the spate of bombing and violence in the northern part of the country. He stressed the need for government, at all levels, to take education as a priority in the North, reminding that only education could save the region from the current situation.

ov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo yesterday told newly-appointed commissioners in the state to desist from corruption in the discharge of their duties. Okorocha gave the charge at the swearing in ceremony of the commissioners in Owerri. He advised the commissioners to take their appointment serious, saying that they were appointed to serve the people and not to enrich themselves. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the newlyappointed commissioners and their portfolios are Prof. Chima Iwuchukwu, Commissioner for Public Utilities; Mr Uche Mbanaso, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry while Prince Charles Onuoha is the Commissioner for Housing. Others are Mr Chinedu Ofor, Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Mrs Ugochi Okoro, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and Mr Emma Ekweremadu, Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources. The new commissioners swore to an oath of allegiance and oath of office which was administered by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Soronnadi Njoku. The governor urged the appointees to ensure that their personal interests did not overshadow that of the masses and to see themselves as leaders and not politicians, noting that politics was only a ladder through which they became leaders. “We are here to get the records right. We are here on a rescue mission. You are here to prove the confidence placed on you. Also know that there is no room for corruption. You must come with a pure heart to serve the people. “You are not on political appointment but on leadership appointment, therefore, see yourself as a leader and not as a politician,” he said. The governor, who congratulated the commissioners for being counted worthy to serve the state, pointed out that the aim of his administration was to deliver dividends of democracy to the people of Imo. He enumerated his achievements in his one year in office, expressing hope that the new commissioners would help the government to achieve more developments. Okorocha charged the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism to ensure that Ugwuta Lake became a tourist attraction while the commissioner for information was to ensure that the state’s newspaper was revived. He used the opportunity to reassure Imo citizens of the security of their lives and property, adding that the government had taken necessary steps to check the menace of kidnapping in the state.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Amnesty: PDP lauds Yar’Adua, Jonathan By Lawrence Olaoye

he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday described the government amnesty programme to the Niger Delta militants as one of the most ingenious and successful innovations that tackled the persistent crises in the region. The party described it as a clear test of the success of the progammes of the joint ticket of late President Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan. Reflecting on the three years of the programme which was declared in 2009, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh said the decision of late President Yard’ Adua to declare the amnesty and the strong resolve of Present Jonathan to implement the programme to the letter, has not only restored peace to the region but reinvigorated the economic base of the nation. “Not only did the militants enthusiastically lay down their arms, they have adequately, reciprocated governments good faith by demobilizing their combatants and reintegrating them into the larger society. “It is to the credit of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan that today; a lot of successes have been recorded in the Amnesty prgramme. For instance, cases of bombings of oil pipelines and flow stations are virtually non-existent at the moment. Nigeria currently produces oil to the maximum quota allocated to it by OPEC, a feat that was a mere wish prior to the Amnesty programme.

NCP ready to team up with other parties for good governance

he National Conscience Party (NCP) says it is ready to collaborate with other political parties to ensure good governance in the country. Mr Yunusa Tanko, the party's National Secretary, said this yesterday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He expressed the concern of the party over the challenges facing to the country, adding that collaboration with like-minded parties would go along way in solving them. Tanko mentioned the parties as the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Progressive Action Congress (PAC) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). Tanko also said the party was working hard to make its National Convention, slated for between July 6 and July 7 in Osun, a great success. He said the party had set up five working committees of committed members across the nation and listed them as Electoral, Media, Finance, Transportation and Accommodation. The national secretary said the candidates, who had shown interest in the various posts, had collected forms.

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Osun PDP tackles Aregbesola over foreign trip From Inumidun Ojelade, Osogbo

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun state has described the recent trip made by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to Brazil as a waste of resources which would have been used for other significant development projects in the state. The party in a statement

signed by its state Chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa, further described Aregbesola as the worst governor the state ever had. He said the trip to Brazil by the governor with a long retinue of people amounted to waste of the peoples funds which could be used for important things. According to the

statement, Aregbesola's trip was unwarranted because since he took over the affairs of Osun state adding that he could not point to any significant project that he has started and completed. The PDP chief noted with dismay the non-challant attitude of the governor towards the development of Osun state adding that almost

of all the roads which he said he was rehabilitating were in worse state than he met it. He announced that the days of the Osun state governor are numbered because the people of the state are well informed and they now know better that the CAN, the so called progressive government, is founded on hypocrisy.

L - R: Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Acting Vice- Chancellor, University of Lagos, Professor Rahamon Ade Bello, and Deputy Vice -Chancellor, University of Lagos, Professor Babajide Alo, during a lecture on "The Legislature: Role, Misconception and Experience in Consolidation of Democracy In Nigeria" organised by Department of Political Science of the university , yesterday in Lagos.

HURIWA to Jonathan: Address security challenges, corruption or quit By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

uman Right Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has tasked the Jonathan administration to effectively implement resultoriented pro-active security measures to address the nation’s grave security challenges and to resuscitate the anti-graft war to save Nigeria from imminent

collapse. “This is necessary because the President Goodluck Jonathan-led federal government has in the last one year failed woefully to address the two strategic areas of breakdown of law and order in the North and the moribund anti-graft war. These fundamental problems are capable of undermining the sovereignty of Nigeria and

could result in the imminent collapse of our nation-state”, the group said in a statement yesterday. The rights group in the statement issued by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Officer, Miss Zainab Yusuf, added that so far there is nothing concrete on the ground to show that

Government is willing to confront the security nightmare facing Nigerians. The group further carpeted President Jonathan’s failure to openly, publicly declare his assets in line with established precedence which was started by a Federal administration headed by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua in which he (Jonathan) was Vice-President.

Edo: ‘PDP won’t boycott election over use of corps members’

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo said in Benin yesterday it would not boycott the July 14 governorship election should INEC insist on using serving corps members for the exercise. The state PDP Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, who made the clarification at a news briefing in Benin, however, denied the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) accusation that it was secretly sewing uniforms for corps

members ahead of the said election. Leadership of the ACN in the media yesterday among others accused the PDP of allegedly planning to sew NYSC uniforms it hoped to rig the July 14 election with. But Orbih asked: “How can we be sewing uniforms when we have from the onset opposed the use of corps members in the Edo election. these accusations are diversionary tactics of

Oshiomhole and his party. He said that his party had thrice officially written INEC of its opposition to the use of serving corps members in the state over their alleged bias. “We have shown INEC video documentary evidence where serving members of the NYSC are seen in rallies campaigning with the ACN. “We, therefore, think that because these corps members have compromised their

positions, they certainly are not going to be fair umpire. “PDP is therefore only opposed to the use of serving members of the NYSC. INEC can bring in corps members from outside of this state and that will be acceptable to us.’’ Asked if PDP will boycott the election in the event of INEC’s insisting on the use of serving corps members, Orbih said “no, but we will ensure that the people come out to massively vote out this government.’’(NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Crisis looms in Oyo PDP over board appointments From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

nother fresh crisis surfaced in the camp of the Oyo state Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the South-West Chairman of the party, Engineer Segun Oni allegedly handed over Federal Board positions to former Governor of the state, Chief Adebayo AlaoAkala. Former Minister of Power and Steel, Elder Wole Oyelese, who spoke at the weekend on behalf of other founding father said Oni’s action clearly negated his pronouncement after he received the baton of leadership of the party. The decision of Engineer Oni to hand over to former Governor Akala was described by some founding members of the party as robbing Paul to pay Peter and has worsened the leadership crisis in the party. According to him, Engineer Oni has failed on his promise that he would not be partial or recognize one faction at the expense of the other. He said: “One may wish to ask Engineer Oni as to what has really changed in the situation in Oyo state PDP that influenced and encouraged his decision to hand over the list of allocated Federal Board positions to Alao Akala and his self-appointed Chairman”. He noted that there was definitely no excuse for his action as he had allegedly made himself a tool in Akala’s hand. To Oyelese, it was highly disappointing that the optimism, confidence and the goodwill

generated by the bold statement of Engineer Oni made during his maiden visit to Oyo state condemning the kangaroo parallel state congresses held by two factions of the party could be so easily frittered away by him. He pointed out that instead of carrying along all necessary stakeholders in the party in bringing the crisis to an end; the South-West Chairman went to do the exact opposite by giving surreptitious support to a faction of the party. “For those who knew of the level of corruption perpetrated by some individuals in the last

administration and national executive as regards the Oyo state PDP crisis and used same for pecuniary benefits, an action that is responsible for the intractable nature of the crisis, Oni’s action is indeed a worrisome and sad development”. He wondered why the Zonal Chairman who was well aware and he had made statements to the effect that there had not been any credible congresses in Oyo state PDP and that he would not recognize any executive in the state would now act contrary to his statement. “The truth and stark reality is

that any steps taken on Oyo state PDP crisis that does not address the issues right from the ward to the state level would be an exercise in futility and this portends great danger to the survival of a virile party”, Oyelese said. He reminded the zonal leader that besides the two warring groups who are of the same political root that joined the party at a later stage, he should know that there were also the founding fathers and leaders who felt disgusted by the goings-on of the trouble makers during the congress period and thus refused to be part of the madding crowd at the Liberty and Olubadan stadium.

Chief Whip, House of Representatives, Hon. Ishiaka Mohammed Bawa (middle), Chairman, House Committee on Marine Transport, Hon. Ifeanyi Oguanyi, (left) and Chairman, House Committee on Justice, Hon. Ali Ahmed (right), during a joint committee public hearing of Marine Transport and Justice on Coastal and Inland Shipping Cabotage Amendment Bill, yesterday at the National Assembly, in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Kwara Assembly passes 5 bills in 1 year From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin, with agency report

he Kwara State House of Assembly has passed five bills into law in the past 12 months, the Deputy Speaker of the house, Prof. Mohammed Gana-Issa, has disclosed. Gana-Issa who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria

(NAN) yesterday in Ilorin said that three other bills were at advanced stages and would soon be passed into law by the house. The lawmaker disclosed that 15 motions and 120 resolutions were similarly adopted in the past one year, noting that the house had been collaborating with the executive in the development of the state. Gana-Issa said that the assembly had been performing its oversight

functions effectively to ensure judicious use of fund for various projects. The deputy speaker said that various ministries and parastatal agencies in the state had been implementing the resolutions of the house, calling on residents of the state to join hands with government to ensure rapid development. Gana-Issa also said there was need for training and retraining of

security personnel to enhance policing, pleading with the Federal Government to equip security personnel to cope with challenges of policing. He also advised the government to address the problem of unemployment to curb crimes in the country, urging the State Government to tap the abundant mineral and tourism potential of the state.

Ajimobi promises judicial independence, separation of powers From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state has said that his administration will continue to uphold the principle of separation of powers among the three arms of government and ensure the independence of the judiciary in the state. The governor, who said this at the swearing-in of members of the state Judicial Service Commission in Ibadan at the weekend, said he would do everything possible to rewrite the history of the judiciary and put it on a good pedestal for

quick administration of justice. He called on members of the commission to partner with his administration to ensure that the judiciary in the state regained its lost glory. Ajimobi also charged them to work towards the rehabilitation of courts and judges’ chambers across the state, computerization of the judicial process, introduction of digital recording of court proceedings as well as appointment of more judges and magistrates. According to the governor, members of the commission are

also to review and improve on the welfare of judicial workers, and arrange for a comprehensive review and standardization of training programmes for the judicial personnel, both locally and internationally. He said that they should bring their wealth of experience to bear on the quick and successful execution of justice, imploring them to live by the dictates of justice to ensure equity and fairness in their activities. “Let the judiciary remain the last hope of the common man as it is supposed to be,’’ Ajimobi said,

adding that they should embrace faithfulness, diligence, service above personal interest, shun discrimination and abate corruption in the performance of their duties. The Commission has the state Chief Judge, Justice Badejoko Adeniji and the AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adebayo Ojo as its chairman and vice-chairman respectively while other members included Alhaji Lasun Sanusi (SAN), Messrs Paul Ayoola, Adeniji Ademola and Oseni Abdulganiyu.

5,542 PDP, ANPP members defect to CPC in Nasarawa From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia, with agency report

ore than 5,542 members of the PDP and ANPP in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa have defected to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). NAN reports that the defectors were received at the CPC’s office in Gwunduma, Karshi Development Area by Gov. Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa. Receiving the defectors, Almakura urged the people to follow the path of the CPC, while appreciating those defected from the PDP and ANPP to the ruling CPC in the state The governor, who reiterated the focus of the party to embark on projects that would benefit the people, said his administration would embark on the construction of rural roads among other things. Al-makura said the plight of women, children, and the physically challenged and other vulnerable groups would always form part of his priority. While appreciating the people for sustaining the existing peace, Al-makura stressed the importance of living in peace and harmony. Al-makura called on members and supporters of the CPC in the area to embrace the new entrants into the party. He commended their courage to join the party, which, he said, was worthy of emulation toward a lasting development of the state. He, therefore, urged them to support the security operatives in their task of ensuring peace and harmony in the society. The governor also used the forum to canvass support for the party to attain victory at the upcoming House of Assembly bye election in Awe Local Government scheduled for July 7, this year Speaking on behalf of the defectors, the former Deputy Speaker in Karu Local Government, Alhassan Mohammed-Gurkuuo said that their decision to join the party was informed by the leadership style of Gov. Tanko Al-makura. The new entrants observed that Almakura carried everybody along irrespective of tribal, religious and political inclination. Earlier, the state AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner of Justice, Mohammed Abdullahi, who presented the defectors, appreciated their foresight for joining the CPC, which, he noted, was an attestation to the development efforts of Almakura Abdullahi also expressed the need for peaceful co-existence among the people for the progress of the area.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PAGE 41

London Games: Nigeria will only make up the number, says Sambawa

igerians should not expect any positive performance from Team Nigeria at the London Olympics Games next month, according to forrmer Minister of Sports, Samaila Sambawa. The former said Nigeria’s participation at the Games will only amount to a jamboree because Team Nigeria has not had the right training exposure and in the desired measure to harbour any hope of beating their counterparts who have had adequate preparations ahead of the Games. Sambawa whose reign as minister of sports was controversial, said whereas other countries had spent the last three to four years incubating ahead of the Games, Nigeria as usual has only embarked on fire brigand approach and hopes in vain to reap where it did not sow. Sambawa disclosed that the Olympics is a serious endeavour and therefore not a place for the ill-prepared or the fledglings stressing that Team Nigeria contingent tended to have the combination of the above and would only be going for sightseeing. “I have doubt that Nigeria will win a medal in London because we started our preparations very late and yet we want to win medals, which I think may not possible. “I want to tell Nigerians that we are going to London for participation sake or to complete the number of countries that will be featuring at the Games. Our preparations are too poor to guarantee even a medal.

“Olympic Games are not a place you pink medals for sentiment or a place for average preparation, Olympics is for serious countries that are dim in winning medals.

By Patrick Andrew with agency report

eam Nigeria contingent to the Africa Athletics Championships in Port Novo, Republic of Benin, departed yesterday in an ABC luxury bus from the National Stadium, Lagos. The contingent of 30 and officials left for Port Novo by road for the championships which has been fixed to be held today through to July 1 at the Stade Salla d’Golla. The championships, which is organised by the Confederation of African Athletics, will serve as qualifiers for some of the athletes for the London 2012 Olympics. According to the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN, Chief Solomon Ogba, Team Nigeria will use the biennially championships to further test its potentials for the next month’s Olympics Games to

Bolaji Abdullahi, Minister of Sports

“It takes some country four years to win a medal not like our athletes that just started preparing three months ago for an event like Olympics, he explained. Sambawa called on Nigeria to

start preparing for 2016 Olympics slated in Brazil by way of identifying the athletes and grooming them ahead of the global event for the interest of the country.

Team Nigeria departs in luxury bus for Africa Athletics Championships be held in London. Ogba believes with the likes of sensational Blessing Okagbare, Tosin Oke, Gloria Asomu, Vivian Chukwuemeka and hosts of athletes including upcoming stars, Nigeria will not flex its muscles but surpass its records two years ago when Kenya hosted the last edition. According to ken Onuaguluchi a coach in the throwing events, Nigeria’s prospects have increased with the return of defending women shot-put, Vivian Chukwuemeka. “We’re expecting to do well in the women shot-put event because we have the current champion in the person of Vivian Chukwuemeka. And we can still do well in the men javelin if we remain focus,” he said. Onuaguluchi appealed to the officials of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) that the same attention given to track events should be given to field events. “Field events should be encouraged more in the sense that throwers should be exposed to more competitions outside the shores of the country,” he said. Durotoye Adetoyi, a 100m athlete based in the UK and participating in the tournament,

said that he expected the team to dominate the competition. “With the performance displayed in Calabar, I expect our athletes to dominate the event. The more we compete, the better we become as athletes and in the process we discover talents yet to be identified,” Adetoyi said. Adetoyi said that participating in competitions often would enhance the performance of the

athletes in international tournaments. Another athlete, Noal Akwu, a 200m and 400m sprinter based in the U.S, said that he hoped to give his best at the championships. “I’ll give it my all not only because it is a competition but it also serves as a means for some of us to qualify for the Olympics,” Akwu said.

Damola Osayomi

Margret Etim

Super Falcons will retain AWC title, says Ebi

Fed Cup: 3SC, Wikki, Tornadoes crash out

nome Ebi, a Super Falcons’ defender is optimistic the team will retain the trophy it won two years at the forthcoming 8 th Africa Women’s Championship (AWC) to be held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea from October 28 through November 11. The defender said yesterday in Lagos that the quality of players in the present fold have the potentials to surpass their predecessors in performance and result, adding the team would only lose at the biennial women’s football fiesta to itselves. The player, who plies her trade with Atasehir Belediyesi FC of Turkey, added that the Falcons would strive to prevail over their opponents to retain the title as the best women’s team in Africa. “We are going to retain the cup that we won two years ago through hard work. Definitely by the grace of God, I believe we will win the title for the seventh time. “The team is waxing stronger because it was evident in the way we played against the Mighty Warriors of Zimbabwe and the London Olympics bound Banyana Banyana we recently engaged in a friendly encounter. “The team is now blending well and becoming conversant with the tactics of Coach Kadiri Ikhana. With this standard we will take the world by surprise,” she said. She noted that other African countries are striving hard to usurp the Falcons’ position as the best female team in Africa. “Other African countries are not sleeping; they want to measure up to our standard. “The way we are training, is how other countries are training to ensure they become the best in Africa, but I know we will always excel through hard work,” she said. She also applauded the Nigeria Football Association for organising friendly matches for the team as it continued its preparations for the competition.

espite being in fine run of form in recent weeks, former champions, Shooting Stars and Wikki Tourists and Niger Tornadoes were yesterday bundled out of the Federation Cup in keeping with the tradition of oddities in the fiesta. Unknown Fame hit the giant killers’ books by beating the Ibadan side, while Prime FC sent Wikki Tourists of Bauchi packing from the race as was the case with Gateway FC and FC Taraba who were both beaten by amateur club sides Akpabio FC and Dynamite FC respectively. Shooting Stars took the lead in the 38th minute through striker Ighodalo Osagona, before the youngsters from Lagos drew level in the 69th minute courtesy of Obieje Ugo. Adigwe Victor secured victory for Fame five minutes from time against a 3SC side who were without eight of their recent signings because they were not registered for the cup competition.

Chief Patrick Ekeji, DG, NSC

“We’re very disappointed to have lost, but we will not focus on the league because we wish to play on the continent next year,” said 3SC coach Tunde Odubola. In Minna, Wikki of Bauchi lost 2-0 to NNL side Prime FC of Oshogbo. In the second game in Lokoja, Kwara United halted Mbaise Lions 3-1 in a game that was marred by poor officiating. “In all my time in football, this is the worst officiating I have experienced. “The young boys outplayed Kwara, who did not show on the pitch they play in the Nigeria Premier League,” said Imo State FA secretary Ben Agu. The Lions lone strike was delivered by lively striker Chukwudi Onuyeanwuna, whose two penalty appeals were ignored by the referee. Kwara goals were by Bala Zakka, Anthony Okemiri and Suleiman Salim. In Ado Ekiti, Warri Wolves beat Olorunda FC 3-1. Jude Aneke scored a brace to give the Warri side a two-goal cushion,

before Michael Okoyoh made it three. Sharks showed superiority over Niger Tornadoes by beating them 3-0. Bright Ejike’s brace and Gomo Onduku’s lone strike were all Sharks needed to advance to next stage of the oldest football competition in Nigeria. NPL leaders Rangers defeated hard fighting Hajaig FC 2-1 in Ibadan. Ejike Uzoenyi and Efe Yarhere scored for Rangers. First Bank of Lagos defeated Dabo Babes 2-0 in Abuja, while non-league Akpabio FC shocked Gateway FC 2-1 in Benin City. The competition continues today across the country.

RESULTS Sharks 3 Tornadoes 0 Warri Wolves 3 Olorunda 1 JUTH 1 Yobe Stars 0 First Bank 2 Dabo Babes 0 Kwara 3 Mbaise Lions 1 Dynamite 1 FC Taraba 0 Wikki 0 Prime 2 Akpabio FC 2 Gateway 1 Rangers 2 Hajaig 1 3SC 1 Fame Academy 2 Sunshine 4 Jimeta Utd 0 UniRovers 2 All Stars 0 First Bank 2 Dabo FC 0 FC Ebedei 1 Canaan FC 2

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Unuanel demands N3.75m salary arrears from Ocean Boys

cean Boys Chief Coach, Samson Unuanel, has challenged the management of the team to formalise the alleged termination of his services with them by paying him the N3.75m salary arrears and the other entitlements including the three months outstan ding wages since February this year. The Assistant Coach of the Super Falcons was to reacting to the alleged termination of his contract as head coach of Ocean Boys, who are at present

languishing at the bottom of the NPL table after 32 weeks. The coach, who had been with the Falcons since April when he was formally requested to join the coaching crew of the senior women team, was said to have been releaved of his post by the management because his absence was not formalised through the NFF. “The secretary of Falcons told me they wrote formally to Ocean Boys requesting for my

Technical committee member lauds 2nd ECOWAS Games

r Simon Taro, the Head of the Sports Division of ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre, has expressed delight at some improvements recorded at the 2nd ECOWAS Games in Accra. Taro said at the end of the Games in Accra that the improvements were in the areas of communications to member countries ahead of their arrival in Ghana for the Games.

He said all the teams were aware of the requirements, the documents, the nature of the competition and what was expected of them before their arrival in Accra. “We tried to improve communication; giving the information to the countries, to the federation

release. If they’re angry that the NFF didn’t inform them, it’s between them and the NFF and not me. They should not drag my name into the matter. “If they don’t want my service let them do the right thing, offset the N3.75 million owed me for last season and an outstanding three months salary this season. “I collected my salary last in January before I left for the Falcons’ job in April. I don’t have any regret agreeing to take up the Falcons’ job, it’s a national

for them to know the kind of participants, the kind of competitors who should participate in the competition. “This has to do about the ages of the competitors; about the papers they need to come with and then about the number. Before the delegation came, they were all informed about

assignment and I think it takes precedent over club duty,” he said. Peoples Daily Sports learnt from the General Manager of the Brass-based side, Tony Ogola Ocean Boys’ management was longer comfortable with Unuanel’s continuous ‘unwarranted’ absence from his duty post. “Yes, coach Samson Unuanel has been asked to step aside for the remainder of the season. We’re not happy with his absence from his duty post since April. No management

that. Secondly, we tried to encourage the people. “So, we said we would give trophies to the best male player and the best female player to encourage them; we also said we would give a trophy to the fair play team to encourage them so that we will promote integration through

would tolerate such act from its head coach more so when his job with the Falcons was not routed through the NFF rather a personal term with coach Kadiri Ikhana. “I know he would want to return as Falcons are on break but we won’t want a disruption with the standin coaching crew. “We have about six matches to end the season. We have coped with his absence and we felt it’s better for him to step aside and allow coach Ada Gwegwe finish up the job,” he said.

friendship.’’ According to Taro, though the committee did well, it would still evaluate the entire competition to determine whether or not a resounding success was achieved. On what to expect from Cote d’ Ivoire, the host of the 3rd ECOWAS Games in 2014, he said the

Samson Unuanel, Ocean Boys Head Coach and Super Falcons Assistant Coach committee would hold an evaluation meeting on it. “We are going to hold an evaluation meeting first, to evaluate what was good; what was not good; and what can be improved. Then we will be able to tell you what will happen in the 3rd edition of the games.’’ He praised the heads of delegation over the admirable way in which they managed their teams, saying that the discipline exhibited by the teams was commendable.

‘Grassroots a must for coaches to revamp handball’ C

oach John Jatau, President, Nigeria Handball Coaches Association (NHCA), has said that coaches should go back to the grassroots to regenerate their handball teams and thus revamp the game in Nigeria. The coach, who regretted that handball has lost its status in the country, urged coaches to go to the primary and secondary schools to get new fresh and budding talents who could be trained to realise their full potentials in the game. Jatau stated that

handball could not make it to the Olympics because the federation rushed to pick the wrong players. “We have rushed and not allowed ourselves to choose the right calibre of players because we were still believing in our past glory which we got it wrong; that is why we coaches are on ground now to get it right” He urged coaches to imbibe the right attitude and bring in the right players and not over-aged players for the U-12 and U-18 handball team. “We have to change our

attitude to bring the real age players so that players start from U-12, U-18 which will produce the right players for us. “The coaches will have to go to the grass roots and do the right thing in bringing the right calibre of players to move the federation forward,” he said. Patrick Atusu, Chief Coach of Sokoto State Sports Council, said coaches must be role models and demonstrate a healthy lifestyle for the players to emulate and encourage the players all

Nigerian handball team in action during a competition the time. He said building a new handball team required a lot of skills which a coach must impart to his

players. Further, Atusu stated that for the handball federation to move forward, all hands must

be on deck and called on coaches and the exhandball players to look for sponsorship for competitions.

there were no national championships since after the 2011 National Sports Festival held in Rivers, attributing it to lack of sponsorship. Okegbe said he was impressed with the turnout of participants at the Makurdi event and the skills displayed. He said some athletes came on their own to feature in the championships. “Athletes are hungry for competitions, and

even when their states could not support them, they came on their own, just to participate and appraise their skills,’’ Okegbe said. The kick-boxing coach appealed to the National Sports Commission (NSC) to give financial support to KFN programmes. He said a comprehensive training programme would be sent to states’ coaches, as a follow-up for talents discovered at the championships to enhance their development.

Kick-boxing official tasks board members on sponsorship

Chief Patrick Ekeji, DG, NSC

fficial of the Kickboxing Federation of Nigeria (KFN) have been challenged to source for and sponsor competitions for the games. The officials are also to justify their board membership by offering necessary logistics and moral support to the game, according to Cletus Okegbe who asserted that unless the members take the bull by the horns the game

may remain in the duldrum. Speaking in Lagos over the weekend, Okegbe urged the KFN board members to emulate Emmanuel Peters, who recently sponsored a tournament, to fully identify with the game through sponsoring competitions. The kick-boxing coach said Peters singlehandedly sponsored the just-concluded Aguma Open National

Championships, which held in Makurdi from June 12 to June 17. Okegbe said over 86 kick-boxing athletes from 30 states and the FCT, attended the competition in 34 weight categories. “Peters’ benevolence is worthy of emulation because the competition brought live to the federation, as athletes were able to evaluate their abilities after a long while,’’ he said. The KFN official said

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Transfer The season is over. Clubs are counting their blessing as well as losses and would like to make amends and even beef up their squads where noticeable lapses exist. And the transfer market is agog barely 24 hours after major European leagues dropped the curtain. And so to keep abreast with latest rumours, we begin daily doses of movements within the market both for players and coaches like.

Chelsea target hints Napoli exit

helsea received some encouragement in their pursuit of Edinson Cavani when the striker revealed he is not certain to be a Napoli player. Blues owner Roman Abramovich has targeted the Uruguayan as his big signing of the summer transfer window, even though he has not yet appointed a manager for next season. Napoli officials have stressed that the 25-year-old is not for sale, but the message does not seem to have got through to the player. In an interview with Sky Sport Italia, he was asked whether he would stay if Napoli failed to qualify for the Champions League. ‘I don’t know, the club will deal with this sort of thing,’ Cavani replied. ‘I am focused only on playing my football and winning every game. The club will think about the rest and they know what to do.’

Blackburn target Newcastle duo Gosling, Best

lackburn is interested in a loan deal for Newcastle’s Dan Gosling after bolstering their midfield by agreeing a deal for former Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy. Manager Steve Kean has also placed a £2.5m bid for Gosling’s team-mate, striker Leon Best but he is also attracting interest from Norwich and Southampton. Alan Pardew might be tempted to let the striker go with Demba.

anchester City’s hopes of snaring Thiago Silva from AC Milan were reduced to virtually zero, after the Italian side rejected a £37million bid from Paris Saint Germain. Premier League champions City were keen on luring the Brazilian centre-back to the Ethiad this summer, and manager Roberto Mancini made

Yakubu set to join Drogba in China

hinese clubs are eyeing Wayne Rooney and other young Premier League stars in a bid to help them conquer the football world. The latest capture of Didier Drogba and possibly Yakubu from Blackburn are just the start in their money-no-object quest to become a global force, a top sports business expert has revealed. Backed by millions from businessmen seeking political influence through football, the success-hungry Chinese are prepared to splash out fortunes on young superstars rather than ageing ones. Lionel Messi is now being targeted as potential big money

recruits who can expect to be paid even more than the £220,000 a week Drogba is reported to be banking from his new club, Shanghai Shenhua. Drogba’s new club is also hoping to bring in Argentinian midfield ace Giovanni Moreno to help supply him, and their Super League rivals Guangzho Evergrande have turned to Italian legend Marcello Lippi to try to fast-track them to success. “They are not prepared to accept Europe’s cast-offs any more. They want the likes of Rooney, Sergio Aguero and Bastien Schweinsteiger,” revealed Professor Simon Chadwick, head of the business strategy faculty at Coventry University.

a personal enquiry for Silva during a visit to Milan last month. However, City were met with a stern ‘not for sale’ message from the Serie A giants, who have spectacularly reinforced their point by rejecting a world record bid for a defender from PSG. ‘We have not changed our mind,” Milan president Berlusconi said to SportItalia. ‘We had no intention of selling the player but we had received an extraordinary offer from PSG. ‘We have always been clear and PSG should not feel let down. ‘We told them from the start

Thiago Silva that we would take a decision once we had looked at the offer

Wayne Rooney and seen what is out there in the market in terms of finding a possible replacement. ‘They made us a very interesting offer, close to 46million euros. ‘We considered the possibility (to sell) and we looked at the central defenders that would replace Thiago Silva but we haven’t found an adequate player. ‘The old heart of Silvio Berlusconi has allowed us to reject this offer.’ Silva’s agent has now suggested the former Fluminense man will seek wage parity with Milan’s top earner Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is reported to pocket £5.3m a year.

Murphy join Blackburn on two-year deal

ottagers’ veteran captain is Steve Kean’s first signing of the summer as he looks to bounce back relegated Rovers to the Premier League first time Blackburn has signed midfielder Danny Murphy from Fulham on a two-year deal, the Championship club has confirmed. Rovers have made their first signing of the summer by

Joan Angel Roman

Chinese see Rooney as next big signing

AC Milan shatters City hopes on Silva deal

Barca set to land City starlet panish giants want to take Etihad-based midfielder back to Spain. Barcelona has made a move for Manchester City teen Joan Angel Roman. Angel Roman, 19, went to City three years ago from Espanyol but has not lived up to his promise. Barca now want to take the midfielder back to Spain in a deal likely to be structured so they pay a fee if he gets into the first team.

PAGE 43

bringing in Fulham captain Murphy. The 35-year-old returns to the north-west, where he previously played for Liverpool and Crewe, having also spent time at Charlton and Tottenham before his move to Craven Cottage. “Being able to bring Danny on board is a massive boost for everyone and I couldn’t be more

delighted,” manager Steve Kean, preparing for life after relegation from the Barclays Premier League, told rovers.co.uk. His record is there for all to see. He is a model professional, who has a real hunger to keep on playing football and we are thrilled he has decided to commit his future to us.

City plot £80m swoop for Cavani, Falcao Yakubu Ayegbeni

igeria striker Yakubu is due to arrived China yesterday to seal a move to Guangzhou R&F. Officials from Guangzhou and Yakubu’s representatives have been negotiating the deal. The Blackburn Rovers striker, who scored 17 league goals last season, is now poised to complete the deal in China. Yakubu admitted in May he was looking at his options after Blackburn’s relegation from the Premier League. Details of the deal have not been revealed but he will reportedly earn around £5.7m a year ($9m US). The 29-year-old will be following the footsteps of Didier Drogba by moving to China after the Ivory Coast captain joined Shanghai Shenghua last week.

anchester City has reportedly made initial enquiries about signing Napoli’s Edinson Cavani and Atletico Madrid’s Radamel Falcao. Both clubs would demand at least £40 million each for their prized assets, but Abu Dhabibacked Man City plan to free up some space in the club’s wage bill by offloading four strikers. Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko,

Edinson Cavani

Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz could all be put up for sale in order to fund moves for Cavani and Falcao. Napoli faces an uphill struggle to retain Uruguayan Cavani after they failed to qualify for next season’s Champions League. But with the 25-year-old’s strike partner Ezequiel Lavezzi expected to join mega-rich Paris St-Germain, Napoli will be reluctant to sell their other main forward, while Serie A champions Juventus are also said to be interested. Colombia’s Falcao, who has scored 108 goals in the three seasons since he left River Plate in 2009, meanwhile, only signed for Atletico Madrid last summer for £35 million and has been a huge hit at the Estadio Vicente Calderon after helping his club to the Europa League title. The 26-year-old, who has also been linked with Real Madrid and Chelsea, is thought to agree with manager Diego Simeone

that it would be in the interests of player and club for him to remain in La Liga for at least one more season. City does have a good relationship with Atletico, however, after paying £38 million up front to sign Sergio Aguero last summer. The club’s pursuit of Cavani and Falcao suggests Roberto Mancini’s team have given up on signing Arsenal’s Robin van Persie.

Radamel Falcao

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

London Games: 36 women seek Olympic honours in boxing

Savannah Marshall

he door to the last remaining boys club in the Summer Olympics finally opens in London next month when three dozen women will slug it out in the boxing ring. Women’s boxing is an Olympic sport for the first time, and 36 fighters in three weight classes will make history by competing for the first medals. A sport long derided by elitists as a sideshow, women’s boxing has been hotly competitive for several years. Its debut Olympic tournament is expected to bring worldwide attention and cachet to boxing, which has slipped into secondary status after decades as a main Olympic event. Boxing joined the Olympic program in St Louis in 1904, but was the only Summer Games sport without a female analogue until 2009, when the IOC added a women’s competition to the London programme. Supporters had argued for the addition for several years. A new worlds suddenly opened for athletes such as Katie Taylor, the lightweight world champion who also plays for Ireland’s national soccer team, and Queen Underwood, the five-time American champion who took up boxing nearly a decade ago with no illusions of Olympic glory or financial rewards. Underwood and Taylor simply boxed for the love of their sport, but now they’re Olympians. “This whole process has been a dream come true,” says Underwood, who did not secure an Olympic berth until five weeks before the start of the London Games. “So many women have worked so hard to get us here, and now we just want to go out and put on a great show for everybody, and show we deserve to be right next to the men at the Olympics.” With a relatively small field compared to the 250 fighters in ten weight classes in the men’s competition, the women’s

Katie Taylor

tournament does not begin until the Games’ second Sunday and lasts only five days. The rest of the 16 Olympic days and nights at ExCeL Exhibition Centre will be filled with the men’s competition, which also is at a key point in its evolution. Interestingly, Nigerian female boxers will also be part of the history and not just part but hope to mount the podium to be decorated after the hard contests among their peers. The London Games will be the final major international event featuring head guards and the amateur game’s computerised scoring system, which receives nearly as much criticism as the sometimes corrupt judging. The system has been tweaked in recent months to improve its accuracy, but fighters are likely to again complain about “unfair decisions”, a common occurrence at every level of the amateur game. Wu Ching-kuo, the influential president of the International Boxing Association, is moving the sport back to pro-style judging and removing the debatably useful headgear in his attempt to move amateur boxing closer to MEDAL PROJECTIONS Women Flyweight (51 kg) Gold: Ren Cancan, China Silver: Mary Kom, India Bronze: Nicola Adams, Britain; Elena Savelyeva, Russia Lightweight (60 kg) Gold: Katie Taylor, Ireland Silver: Sofya Ochigava, Russia Bronze: Natasha Jonas, Britain; Mavzuna Chorieva, Tajikistan Middleweight (75 kg) Gold: Savannah Marshall, Britain Silver: Elena Vystropova, Azerbaijan Bronze: Anna Laurell, Sweden; Li Jinzi, China Men Light-flyweight (49 kg) Gold: Zou Shiming, China Silver: David Ayrapetyan, Russia Bronze: Shin Jong-Hun, South Korea; Jose de la Nieve, Spain Flyweight (52 kg) Gold: Misha Aloyan, Russia Silver: Andrew Selby, Britain Bronze: Robeisy Ramirez, Cuba; Vincenzo Picardi, Italy Bantamweight (56 kg) Gold: Lazaro Alvarez, Cuba Silver: Anvar Yusunov, Tajikistan Bronze: Luke Campbell, Britain; John Joe Nevin, Ireland Lightweight (60 kg) Gold: Vasyl Lomachenko, Ukraine Silver: Yasniel Toledo, Cuba Bronze: Domenico Valentino, Italy; Robson Conceicao, Brazil Light-welterweight (64 kg) Gold: Tom Stalker, Britain Silver: Everton Lopes, Brazil Bronze: Denys Berinchyk, Ukraine; Munkherdene Uranchimeg, Mongolia Welterweight (69 kg) Gold: Taras Shelestyuk, Ukraine Silver: Krishan Vikus, India Bronze: Fred Evans, Britain; Alexis Vastine, France Middleweight (75 kg) Gold: Evhen Khytrov, Ukraine Silver: Ryota Murata, Japan Bronze: Darren O’Neill, Ireland; Bogdan Juratoni, Romania Light-heavyweight (81 kg) Gold: Julio Cesar La Cruz, Cuba Silver: Egor Mekhontsev, Russia Bronze: Damien Hooper, Australia; Elshod Rasulov, Uzbekistan Heavyweight (91 kg) Gold: Artur Beterbiev, Russia Silver: Wang Xuanxuan, China Bronze: Oleksandr Usyk, Ukraine; Teymur Mammadov, Azerbaijan Super-heavyweight (over 91 kg) Gold: Anthony Joshua, England Silver: Magomedrasul Majidov, Azerbaijan Bronze: Erik Pfeifer, Germany; Roberto Cammarelle, Italy

the professional game. He hopes to attract better athletes to the sport while also fostering talent for his innovative pro-amateur hybrid programmes, including the World Series of Boxing. For one last tournament, the boxers will be judged on the total number of punches landed, sometimes turning matches into elaborate slap fights. Amateur fights sometimes become tests of pure reflexes rather than punching power under the computer scoring system that baffles professional trainers, including US team consultant Freddie Roach. Yet the best young fighters can adapt their styles to the amateur game, just as Andre Ward did in 2004 in Athens to win the Americans’ only gold medal in the previous three Olympics. But one returning fighter has the talent to star under any conditions. Ukraine’s Vasyl Lomachenko was the breakout star of the Beijing Games, dominating all five of his fights with style and grace on the way to the featherweight gold medal and the Val Barker Trophy as the tournament’s best boxer. After resisting the temptation to turn professional, Lomachenko is back in London as a lightweight. His first-round victory over Albert Selimov in Beijing was arguably the fight of the tournament, punctuated by Lomachenko’s confident come-at-me gesture while picking apart the Russian world champion. Lomachenko has won two world championships since Beijing, but didn’t dominate those tournaments with the flair and style he showed four years ago. “He’s a great fighter, but there’s a lot of talent all throughout our division,” says Jose Ramirez, the American lightweight who nearly beat Lomachenko at the world championships last October. “Anybody is going to have to win a lot of tough fights to get that gold medal.” Lomachenko will be joined by several Ukrainian medal hopefuls in a particularly strong team, including welterweight Taras Shelestyuk and middleweight Evhen Khytrov. The rest of the Olympic field is dotted with elite talent and returning medal winners, including Chinese light-flyweight Zou Shiming, who became a national hero when he won the host nation’s first Olympic boxing gold in Beijing. Cuba and Russia are the sport’s traditional powers, particularly in recent decades, and both are expected to field competitive teams, although both nations disappointed in Beijing. The Americans, frequent underachievers after years as a dominant power, sent a surprisingly large team to London, getting nine men and three women into the field. They are led by Rau’shee Warren, the Cincinnati flyweight who will become the first three-time Olympian in boxing in US history. Warren has lost each of his two Olympic fights, but stayed in the amateur ranks to chase the goal of putting a gold medal around his mother’s neck. “I’m going for an Olympic dream, but that’s what everybody is doing,” Warren said. “It’s going to be the toughest thing I’ve ever done, but I waited for it.”

Natasha Jonas

Ren Cancan

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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PICTORIAL

a. Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has claimed Mario Balotelli won the battle of the strikers with Wayne Rooney in Italy's win over England. b. England manager Roy Hodgson defends Ashley Young and Ashley Cole after they fail to score in the Euro 2012 penalties defeat by Italy.

c. Cardiff Blues centre Jamie Roberts hopes to be fit for Wales' fourmatch autumn Test series following major knee surgery. d. Cesc Fabregas has compared Spain's upcoming Euro 2012 semifinal with Portugal to the Clasico between Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.

e. England name an unchanged squad for the one-day series against Australia after the 2-0 triumph over West Indies. f. The 126th championships start with Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova, Roger Federer and seven Britons featuring. g. Britain menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and women sitting volleyball teams for the 2012 Paralympics game in London.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Efe Ambrose: Eagles champions again

Efe Ambrose

arly next month, the draw for the final round of the qualifiers for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations will be staged in Johannesburg, South Africa. Which of the unseeded teams would you want Nigeria to be drawn against? Every team is good, so any of them up against us would be okay. What we need do is to be focussed and go for victory in our matches. I fear no team. What do you now wish to achieve with

the Super Eagles? I am looking forward to featuring at the 2013 Nations Cup after missing the last edition. After that, winning the trophy will be next on my mind. I also want to be at 2014 world Cup and make history there with Nigeria, who knows we could win it for Africa. You have played two different roles in Eagles defence and your team, which role do you prefer? I don’t have preference for any of the roles. Mine is to contribute to my team’s success in a game in any capacity the coach wants me to play. I can play right back, central defence and defensive midfield. When did you get your first call-up to represent Nigeria? That was in 2007, I was playing for Kaduna United and I got invitation to play at the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2007. I was very happy and it was a worthwhile experience for me to play at Canada 2007, but was disappointed we could not reach final, but that was also the start with my time in the various national teams. Talking of the Olympics, how did you feel losing to Argentina in the final of 2008 Beijing Olympics? Nobody likes to lose, I was very sad when we failed to win the gold because that was our target and we almost got it but we have no choice than to take what we got then in good faith. How do you rate the Israeli league? It is a good and tough league. It can stand side by side with any top league in the world. Quality players are there. How was it for you last season at your club? It was a good season for me and my club. I played almost every single minute for my team in both the league and cup. I even scored a

goal. We did well as far as I am concerned, but next season would be better. What do you hope to achieve with FC Ashdod next season? I want to win trophies, the league and the State cup. What next after FC Ashdod? I can’t say for now. I still have a season left on my contract with Ashdod. What are the trophies you have won so far? As a national team player, I won an international Invitational tournament in Malaysia in 2008, before the Olympics the same year, when we won silver. Where do you hope to play in future? That would be Chelsea. It has been my childhood club and I have dreamt to one day play for them. Do you have any bad moment in your career? Not really but when my father died in December 2006, I was devastated and it took me a long time to get back to my normal self. It almost derailed me. Which other teams did you play for in Nigeria apart from Kaduna United? I also played for Bayelsa United. Are any of your brothers playing football? Yes, two of my younger brothers are playing for Kaduna United. Who are your role models? I admire and cherish the achievement of many players. In defence, I love John Terry, Joseph Yobo and Celestine Babayaro. They are always business-like and defend with their lives. I love the purposefulness of Ronaldo De Lima, Kanu Nwankwo and Austin Okocha. I want to make name for myself like them. What would you say to your fans? I thank them all for their support, they should keep praying for me. I won’t let them down. I love them all.

London 2012 Olympics: Saudis allow women to compete

audi Arabia is to allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympics for the first time. A statement from the Saudi Embassy in London says the country’s Olympic Committee will “oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify”. The decision will end recent speculation as to whether the entire Saudi team could have been disqualified on grounds of gender discrimination. The public participation of women in sport is still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives. There is almost no public tradition of women participating in sport in the country. Saudi officials say that with the Games now just a few weeks away, the only female competitor at Olympic standard is showjumper Dalma Rushdi Malhas. But they added that there may be scope for others to compete and that if successful they would be dressed “to preserve their dignity”. In practice this is likely to mean modest, loose-fitting garments and “a sports hijab”, a scarf covering the hair but not the face. For the desert kingdom, the decision to allow women to compete in the Olympics is a huge step, overturning deep-rooted opposition from those opposed to any public role for women. As recently as April, the indications were that Saudi Arabia’s rulers would accede to the sensitivities of the religious conservatives and maintain the ban on allowing women to take part. But for the past six weeks there have been intense,

behind-the-scenes discussions led by King Abdullah, who has long been pushing for women to play a more active role in Saudi society. ‘Subtle reform’ In secret meetings in Jeddah, officials say a consensus was reached in mid-June between the king, the crown prince, the foreign minister, the leading religious cleric, the grand mufti and others, to overturn the ban. An announcement was ready to be made but then had to be delayed as the country marked the sudden death of Crown Prince Nayef. “It’s very sensitive,” a senior Saudi official told the BBC. “King Abdullah is trying to initiate reform in a subtle way, by finding the right balance between going too fast or too slow. “For example, he allowed the participation of women in the Shura council (an advisory body) so the Olympic decision is Saudi sports women

Super Eagles defender Efe Ambrose has disclosed to MTNfootball.com that his main target now is to win trophies for Nigeria starting with the 2013 AFCON in South Africa. The FC Ashdod of Israel defender said he believes the team will be focused to beat any team they are drawn against in the final qualifying tournament for next year’s tournament after they sensationally failed to qualify for the 2012 edition.

part of an ongoing process, it’s not isolated.” The official acknowledged that to refuse to let women take part would have looked bad on the international stage. “Partly because of the mounting criticism we woke up and realised we had to deal with this. We believe Saudi society will accept this,” the official said. It is not the first time a Saudi monarch has backed a controversial reform against domestic opposition. King Faisal, who introduced television in the 1960s and was eventually assassinated, insisted on introducing education for girls. Today, Saudi women graduates outnumber their male counterparts.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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UERO 2012

Germany versus Spain will definitely be dream final, says Babbel Markus Babbel excelled with Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart and Liverpool and won 51 caps for Germany as a world-class defender and lifted the UEFA EURO trophy in England in 1996, the country’s last success to date. Now 39, Babbel’s career has moved from playing to coaching, and after stints with Stuttgart and at Hertha BSC Berlin, the man from Munich has been in charge at 1899 Hoffenheim since February. He spoke FIFA.com on several issues and of course UEFA EURO 2012, where Germany are through to the last four.

arkus, 1899 Hoffenheim are the first Bundesliga team to have started preseason training already. Why did you cut your players’ holidays so short? I feel sorry for the lads five weeks isn’t much of a holiday, is it (laughs)? Joking aside, training ahead of the new season had been arranged by my predecessor a long time ago, before I took over. Besides, I don’t think that too much holiday would do the players any good. I always found it tough to get my rhythm back after too long a break, so I think it’s useful to get back to training early. After winning promotion in 2008 and the incredible first half of the season in the top flight when Hoffenheim went into the winter break as league leaders, things seem to have levelled off. What are your goals as far as the new season is concerned? Wins are the only things that count, and we want to get as many of those as we can to keep ourselves clear of the relegation spots. Above all, we need to have some more wins at home to give our fans something to cheer about. We’ll take each match as it comes, but the quicker we can achieve that first objective, the better shape we’ll be in to try to establish ourselves in the top half of the table. That may explain why Hoffenheim has been investing in new players, including German international goalkeeper Tim Wiese and Swiss international Eren Derdiyok. What are you hoping for from these two new signings? It’s pretty simple they need to show what they’re capable of. Tim Wiese is the second-best goalkeeper in Germany and has enormous amounts of international experience. He’s used to playing at the highest level and is very motivated, so we hope he can pass that on to the rest of the team. He has this ability to spur his teammates on. With Eren Derdiyok, I hope that he will be able to fulfil his massive potential and serve the team well. He’ll

obviously also be judged by the number of goals he scores. I as a coach and all the rest of the staff at the club have every confidence in Tim and Eren. This is the first time that you have been both coach and director of football at the same time. What new challenges will this role bring? I was obviously very proud that the club showed such faith in my abilities to carry out both roles. I feel more like a coach than a director of football, but this is why I have a staff around me that I can rely on 100 per cent. They do a lot of work behind the scenes and give me incredible support, meaning that I can concentrate fully on working with the team. And should I ever have an important meeting as director of football, my assistant coaches can fill in for me on the pitch. You’re famous for having the badges of your former clubs tattooed onto your upper right arm. Have you already booked an appointment to get the Hoffenheim badge added? I’ll do that when we manage to find the right time, which hasn’t been the case up until now. The tattoo artist I use wasn’t available over the summer break meaning that the 1899 Hoffenheim tattoo has had to wait a little. There’s no rush though I’m intending to stay here for quite a while yet… Your tattoos are a reminder of the incredibly successful career you had and the silverware you won as a player. You’re yet to open your account as a coach how much do you miss having the kind of success you enjoyed on the pitch? Well I did coach Hertha BSC Berlin to the second division championship that’s a start. I think it’s no surprise I haven’t yet had any major successes as a coach as I’m still only 39. I’m at the beginning of my career and you need to earn titles which is what I fully intend to do. That’s why I work hard every day with my team. All the right conditions are in place here in Hoffenheim and that is the main reason why I enjoy my work so much, and that’s a lot more important than winning

Mario Gomez, Germany forward titles. But obviously I still am ambitious when it comes to winning more trophies. You played for a lot of great coaches throughout your career which one did you learn the most from? I was fortunate enough to work with a lot of very experienced coaches, and people like Giovanni Trapattoni, Ottmar Hitzfeld and Matthias Sammer obviously make quite an impression on you. I also picked up a lot from the coaches at Bayern Munich when I was a youngster. I think it’s a mixture of what I picked up from all of them that’s made me the coach that I am today. During your playing days, you were a toughtackling centre half how do you think this position has changed in recent years? What are the demands of the role nowadays? Central defenders have become the first playmakers in modern football. They build up play from the back which means that they have to be technically very solid and aware of every situation. They also have to be able to play short passes and long balls, be strong in the tackle and quick. When you look at Germany, you see how important guys like Mats Hummels and Holger Badstuber are. The players you mention do embody the ideal new centre half. How do you think Germany are shaping up at UEFA EURO 2012? Besides Hummels and Badstuber who both combine well with Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger, the rest of the team has had a great tournament so far. Germany definitely have the potential to win the EUROs. Other teams have recognised this and are playing scared, lining up very defensively against them. Germany versus Spain would definitely be my dream final and I’m convinced that they can beat the reigning World Cup and Euro holders. Joachim Low’s team look to be a little fresher in my opinion, whereas Spain might have lost their hunger for success. Germany will now be facing Italy in the semis, having lost to them at the same stage at the FIFA World Cup 2006. What kind of match do you think this one will be? I would have preferred to have played England – on the one hand because I played in the Premier League myself for a number of years, and on the other because I think England would have suited us better. Italy are tough to gauge. They have two top stars in Antonio Cassano and Mario Ballotelli, but both of them are the type of flamboyant player that can make a coach want to tear his hair out. Italy can cause any of the big teams problems at any time.

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Italy are tough to gauge. .. have two top stars in Antonio Cassano and Mario Ballotelli… both are the type of flamboyant player that can make a coach want to tear his hair out. Italy can cause any of the big teams problems at any time. Central defenders have become the first playmakers in modern football. They build up play from the back which means that they have to be technically very solid and aware of every situation. They also have to be able to play short passes and long balls, be strong in the tackle and quick. Markus Babbel, Mats Hummels, Germany’s centre back

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE If you study the evolution of Boko Haram, they are changing their tactics ever y da y, so y ou also ha ve to c hang e ery day you hav chang hange your staff and personnel to beat their styles — President Jonathan on sacking of Azazi and Haliru

SPORTS The fall of Azazi, the return of Gusau LA TEST LATEST

Yakubu flies into China

igeria striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has arrived China to finalise talks over a lucrative move to Guangzhou R&F. The striker, who scored 17 goals in the English Premier League with Blackburn last season, flew in yesterday and he is now poised to complete the deal in China and earn around £5.7 million a year. He will join Peter Utaka, another Nigeria striker, who now features for Dalian in China after several seasons with Danish club OB Odense. Several other Nigerians including Benedict Akwuegbu, Garba Lawal and Tijjani Babangida have played in China. Yakubu has activated a clause in his contract which allows him to quit for one million pounds when Blackburn are relegated. Reports suggest that the Chinese are still looking for the big names to recruit after capturing Didier Drogba with Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Tim Cahill just a few of the Premier League stars on their shopping list.

Djokovic, Federer ease into second round

efending champion Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon second round yesterday with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 win over Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero and will face America's Ryan Harrison next. Third seed Roger Federer also beat Spain's Albert Ramos 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 after just 79 minutes to kick off his bid for a record-equalling seventh title. The six-time champion, and record 16-time Grand Slam title winner, will face colourful Italian Fabio Fognini next. Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych, the 2010 runner-up, was knocked out in the first round, losing 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/ 4), 7-6 (7/4) to Latvia's Ernest Gulbis. World 87 Gulbis will tackle either Italy's Simone Bolelli or Jerzy Janowicz of Poland for a place in the last 32. David Nalbandian was beaten 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 by Serbian eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic his first match since being disqualified in the Queen's final.

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oko Haram has claimed its most important victim yet last weekend: The National Security Adviser, A. O. Azazi. For an avowed enemy of the nation’s security apparatus and political system, only the ultimate target remains: the President. If it can manufacture his downfall or the end of his regime, the group would boast that it has proved its mettle. The fall of Azazi must have surprised many Nigerians. Ah, so the ‘clueless’ and ‘weak’ Jonathan can also bite, they would exclaim. Beyond that, biting his Ijaw brother was least expected. Many people think Azazi did not expect his sudden fall. He has since his resumption as NSA walked firmly on the presidential turf with a mien that was informed by the confidence of an insider and the assurance of a kinsman. As the weakness in the President became clearer, the arrogance of Azazi as his untouchable protector and indispensable ally was increasing by the day. His display of power reached its peak last week when his contempt for the President was reported online. Somewhere the idea of declaring the state of emergency in Kaduna state was discussed and it was agreed that it was a good idea. To seal its fate however, the former NSA employed a sarcasm that portrayed his level of disdain for his boss, the President. “Where is the President to declare it”, was his reported remark, as if Jonathan was missing in Bermuda Triangle or he has abandoned the hot seat for a mere trivial summit in Brazil. Azazi left office with the same demeaning impression for the President. After receiving the news of his sacking, his spokesman issued some statements that did not hide his long-standing poor rating of Jonathan’s courage to face challenges squarely. The spokesman said when Azazi suggested that Buhari and some top northerners be invited for ‘questioning’, Jonathan refused and accused the NSA of trying to “scuttle his government.” As a tribute, I feel compelled to attest that Azazi was different from former NSAs in his relationship with the Nigerian public. Two months ago, he declared the ruling party and the northern presidential aspirants guilty of precipitating the present security crisis in the country. Right or wrong, the public felt that such statements should not have come from a person so close to the President and his NSA for that matter - a Freudian slip, you can

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GUEST COLUMNIST Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde

General Aliyu Gusau

say. The tradition of the NSA in Nigeria as cut by his predecessors is complete silence. They understood that the strength of any security apparatus lies in its secrecy, through leaving the public guessing about its opinion and what it knows about any security issue. Even if Azazi shared that philosophy, the politician in him was not comfortable with it. He preferred activism to mystery. Under him, even the secretive SSS went public, appointing a spokesperson, issuing press statements, parading suspects and holding press conferences. The public could easily discern from these developments that there was a competition for its recognition between the SSS and the police in any success, no matter how small, which was recorded in the fight against Boko Haram. Azazi might have usurped the functions of the police and

demystified the office of the NSA. But if it were not for his approach, we would not have been able to read the mind of the administration regarding crucial issues like its perception of the causes of the Boko Haram insurgency. To the delight of journalists, commentators and the opposition, Azazi was always there to let the cat out of the bag. Well he is gone, for whatever reason and for whatever sin he committed. He is the latest victim of Boko Haram. He is familiar with sackings though, having suffered one as the Chief of Defence Staff under Yar’adua when he was indicted by an army security report on the theft of weapons from his 1 DIV by a Niger Delta militant syndicate. Perhaps, that was the first time he established relationship with Jonathan, who the report fell short of naming as one of the financiers of the gun running activities of the syndicate. Azazi's return as NSA might be a reward for his ethnic chauvinism. Our own, an Ijaw, possibly, my partner in the illegal arms deal is now the President, Azazi may have calculated when Jonathan became the President. Jonathan too might have wondered if he could trust anyone better than the devil he knows. And on the NSA seat, we saw all sorts of sumptuous security contracts awarded to Niger Delta militants, the latest being the concession of our maritime security to them by the Jonathan administration. We also witnessed the largest allocation

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Azazi left office with the same demeaning impression for the President. After receiving the news of his sacking, his spokesman issued some statements that did not hide his long-standing poor rating of Jonathan’s courage to face challenges squarely. The spokesman said when Azazi suggested that Buhari and some top northerners be invited for ‘questioning’, Jonathan refused and accused the NSA of trying to “scuttle his government”

of our budget to national security in our history. Azazi may now be bitter for losing the top security job but he can still keep himself busy by paying full attention to the execution of those security contracts that were awarded to Tampolo and other Niger Delta militants. With his departure, the dream of Niger Delta republic has suffered a serious setback. It is clear that Nigeria is bigger than his dream. Safe journey, sir. At his heels comes Sambo Dasuki, a lesser known person from the Sokoto royal family. Compared to General Azazi, Sambo is a dwarf: a junior officer who retired almost two decades ago as a colonel. Politically, the highest position he held in the Army was the ADC to President Babangida. He was nowhere close to commanding a division or becoming Nigeria’s chief of defence staff. Likewise, I doubt if he ever dreamt of becoming the NSA. Now, if the NSA job has put his predecessor general to shame during these trying times, how did the President got convinced that Sambo would succeed in disabling the bombs of Boko Haram and silencing their guns? Look at the gamble: apart from his political appointment as the Managing Director of Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Corporation, the new NSA has nothing in hand to prove that he is competent in heading the security apparatus of the country as it is today. At its face value, one is tempted to think that the appointment of Sambo is one of the most stupid things that Jonathan ever did as President. So are we heading for the rocks, again? Hold your breath. we are not. The President is not stupid. Come with me. The reason is simple. Some things we get by birth. Many others we get by hard work. Few we get by association. Sambo Dasuki, I am tempted to believe, got this appointment by his marital link to the longest serving NSA, General Aliyu Gusau (rtd). Gusau is married to Sambo’s sister, the wife of late Aliyu Dasuki, may God have mercy on him. In the past few months, there have been reports that Gusau was resisting the pressure to return to the NSA office. Gusau might have calculated the cool reception that Nigerians would accord him if he were to return for the simple fact that he has been there three times before. Man is hardly excited with Contd. on Page 15

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