Peoples Daily Newspaper, Friday 26, July, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 11 No. 50

Friday, July 26, 2013

. . . putting the people first

Ramadan 17, 1434 AH

N150

Ramadan Timings Zimbabwe polls: Senate indicts President, for Abuja Mugabe rejects wife, Amaechi over MAGRIB

ALFIJR

6.54 p.m.

5.06 a.m.

Obasanjo

>> 28

Rivers crisis

>> 3

Court stops PDP special convention

By Lawrence Olaoye and Sunday Ejike Benjamin

A

n Abuja High Court sitting in Apo yesterday stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from conducting any Special Convention to elect its national officers pending the determination of the substantive suit brought against it by some members of the party.

The court sitting before Justice Suleiman Belgore also held that it cannot restrain Dr. Bamanga Tukur from discharging his duties as the National Chairman of the PDP. On the relief questioning the propriety or otherwise of the appointment of acting National Working Committee (NWC) members by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), at its meeting of June 20, 2013, the judge refused the relief, saying the action cannot be nullified as it was not part of the prayers sought by the plaintiffs in the originating summons.

However, Justice Belgore restrained the Jerry Gana-led Contd. on Page 2

We are yet to be served — Party spokesman

Remains of officers and soldiers who lost their lives in BOYONA and UNAMID operation laid to rest, yesterday at the National Military Cemetery, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Jonathan vows to stop overheating of polity P

By Lawrence Olaoye

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday vowed to do everything humanly possible to curb the excesses of politicians who are currently overheating

the polity ahead of 2015 general elections.

Jonathan made this promise while responding to concerns raised by the delegation of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) consisting of Contd. on Page 2

Senate okays N4.9tr 2013 budget >> 5

Ramadan Message Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. It is He Who has sent down the Book (The Qur’an) to you with truth, confirming, what came before it. And He sent down the Tawrah and the Injil, aforetime, as guidance to mankind. And He sent down the criterion.

(Qur’an 3:2-4) Sponsored by Kano state government

Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso Governor, Kano State

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

News CONTENTS News

2-10

Nigeria winning war on terror, says Jonathan

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

By Joy Baba

Letters

14

Opinion

15

P

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

Stockwatch S/Report

23 24-25

Islam Int’l

26 27-30

Strange World

31

You must fear no foe, Maigari tells Eagles, Page 41

Revue

32-33

Feature

34-35

Digest

36

Politics

37-38

Leisure

40

Sports Columnist

41-44 48

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has said that the nation was winning the war against terror, as, according to him, the state of emergency declared in the three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa has been yielding positive results.

Jonathan spoke yesterday at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja, during the burial of gallant officers and soldiers who died in Operation Boyona, set up to tackle the activities

of Boko Haram insurgents in the North-eastern part of the country as well as during peacekeeping efforts in Darfur, Sudan.

The President who was represented at the event by the Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo said the sacrifices of the fallen soldiers would not and will never be in vain.

According to Jonathan, “indeed, for us all, the loss is a tale of regret but we take solace in the fact that we are

winning the war. They shall rest in peace knowing that.”

Jonathan charged the military not to be daunted by the loss but to re-strategise in order to end the insurgency.

He said that his administration would continue to strengthen and improve the country’s security capabilities.

He said that, “as members of the Armed Forces, you must appreciate that the military profession is a hazardous job and in conflicts like

this, there are bound to be casualties, including deaths.

“Rather than despair and lose focus of our objective, it is incumbent on us to respect and honour the dead by giving them a befitting burial while still strategising to defeat the enemy,” he stated.

He assured the families of the late military personnel, including those still serving that the country would never forsake them, urging them to “remember that your loss is also the nation’s loss. Be comforted that your departed loved ones are resting in the bosom of the Lord.”

Highlight of the event was the laying of wreath by Vice President Sambo and other invited guests and also the presentation of national colours to the next of kin of the deceased.

Jonathan vows to stop overheating of polity Contd. from Front Page three former presidents of the body led by its President, Mr. okey Wali.

While acknowledging a rising political tension in the country, the President said “the political tension in the country is mainly built around the 2015 elections which should not be the case. It is quite disturbing. The year 2015 is still far off. I expect politicians to focus on the business of governance now. We must do what we were elected to do first. We will do our best to curb the overheating of the polity,” President Jonathan told the delegation which included three former presidents of the NBA.

Addressing other issues raised by the delegation, President Jonathan said that his administration was implementing the right policies, programmes and projects to accelerate economic development and boost employment in the country.

He called for a little more patience from Nigerians just as he insisted that the results of his administration’s efforts in areas such as power supply will become even more apparent in due course.

Jonathan also assured the NBA that his administration would do all that it could towards the positive reformation and

strengthening of Nigeria’s judicial system, including the resolution of issues related to increased funding for the judiciary.

He reaffirmed his commitment to the progressive reformation of Nigeria’s electoral processes to guarantee that all votes cast in elections truly count and that elections in the country are accepted by all objective stakeholders as free, fair and credible.

The President urged the NBA and other professional associations in the country to find ways of interacting with government on a regular basis, saying that the associations are established not

to antagonize government, but to contribute to national growth and development.

He accepted the NBA’s invitation to open the association’s Annual General Conference at Tinapa, Cross River State next month, promising to personally honour the invitation if his official schedule so permits.

In his address Wali conveyed the views of the NBA on the state of national economy, national security, the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, the anti-corruption crusade, elections and the electoral process as well as the ongoing review of the 1999 constitution.

Court stops PDP special convention Contd. from Front Page Special National Convention Committee from organizing the event, scheduled for August 31, 2013.

The suit was instituted by three members of the party, namely Abba Yale, Yahaya Sule, and Bashir Maidugu.

Also ruling on an application filed on 12th July, 2013 by counsel to the defendant (PDP), Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), challenging further jurisdiction of the court when 18 members of the party’s NWC, upon which the plaintiffs had sued the PDP, have resigned their offices, the Judge said the court has jurisdiction to continue with the suit.

Ikpeazu had submitted that since members of the NWC had resigned, no new relief exists in the originating summons, arguing that, “for the plaintiffs to question the propriety of persons appointed into acting capacity as national officers of the PDP amounts to a new cause of action.

“The names of affected members of the NWC have been removed from the case by the court; they have resigned their positions, therefore, the case cannot be judicially determined” Ikpeazu submitted.

But the court held that the issue in question as argued by the

plaintiffs’ counsel, Jubril Okutepa (SAN), bordered on the legality of the action of the PDP, which he claimed were compounded following the appointment of persons in an acting capacity without conducting an election.

“This court disagrees with the submissions of counsel to the defendant that the matter is spent and amounts to an academic exercise. This case is alive and not academic, it is not spent. A suit is academic if it has no practical utilitarian value. Therefore, this court has jurisdiction to continue hearing of the suit” Justice Belgore held.

The court also held that the PDP ought not to have taken action by appointing acting national officers, itself being a party in the pending suit and described the action of the party as an affront to the court and an effort to circumvent the course of justice as well as undermine the court even as he that the defendant cannot foist a fate accompli on the court.

“It amounts to recklessness of a high degree for the PDP to do or take action that has direct effect on a case that is before the court. The emphatic point is that the PDP is a party in the suit and subjected under the court; therefore the PDP is obliged to await for the outcome of the suit before taken action”

Justice Belgore said.

He said the court must be allowed to make pronouncement on the matter, pointing out that it does not matter if the action of the PDP in appointing persons into acting capacity would be what the court will be saying.

“The step taken by the PDP would diminish the integrity of the court and the court has a duty to impose disciplinary measures on a recalcitrant party who violates the rule of law and has no respect for the court”, Justice Belgore asserted.

When approached for a reaction to the court ruling, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prince Tony Ceasar Okeke, said the party has yet to be served the full details of the judgment and as such could not comment on it.

He said “We are yet to be served the court ruling; until we have the details of the judgment and studied it, the party would not be able to react to the ruling.”

Justice Belgore’s ruling has further thrown scanners in the works of the ruling party which had perfected plans to organize congresses to select its officials in the South West and at the national level.

Eight members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and their deputies had resigned their

positions owing to the reports by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that their elections at the party’s March 2012National Convention held in Abuja was done by affirmation and not election.

In the INEC report, the electoral umpire approved the election of the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the Financial Secretary of the party, Elder Bolaji Anani, the removed National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and the National Auditor Bode Mustapha, who had also been sacked.

Those whose election had been voided by the committee are the Deputy National Chairman, Sam Sam Jaja; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; Deputy National Organising Secretary and Okechukwu Nnadozie.

Others are the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh; Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Binta Goje; National Youth Leader, Garba Chiza; his Deputy, Dennis Alonge Niyi; Deputy National Auditor, Senator Umar Ibrahim; National Woman Leader; Kema Chikwe; her Deputy, Hannatu Ulam; deputy National Treasurer, Claudus Inengas; and the National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 3

Senate indicts Jonathan, wife over Rivers crisis

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Senate has affirmed that undue meddlesomeness of President Goodluck Jonathan and the First Lady, Dame Patience, in the political and security structures of Rivers State, resulted in the escalation of the political and security crisis in the state.

It also accused Governor, Rotimi Amaechi of being high-handed in handling political affairs in the state, referring to the suspension of the chairman of Obio/Akpo local government area of Rivers State.

The Senate through its committee on State and Local Government Affairs, explained that owing to these Presidential interferences, the police commissioner in the state, Mbu Joseph Mbu, refused to cooperate with the governor on matters of security, even when it is obvious that the governor is the Chief Security Officer of the state.

It also said the activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) which suspended Governor Amaechi for failing to reinstate the suspended chairman, infuriated the Governor’s supporters in the state.

On this basis, the Senate

*Accuses Amaechi of highhandedness *Orders IGP to remove CP Mbu

ordered the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, to immediately redeploy the the Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu, over his “ignoble” role in the crisis which has broken his relationship with the Governor.

In addition to the above resolutions, the Senate agreed with the earlier resolution by the House of Representatives that the legislative activities of the Rivers House of Assembly be taken over by the National Assembly, pending the resolution of the crisis and restoration of peace in the state.

Moreover, it mandated the Senate President, David Mark, who doubles as the Leader of the National Assembly, to mediate between the stakeholders in the crisis, including President Goodluck Jonathan and Amaechi with a view to resolving the crisis permanently.

The Senate arrived at these resolutions after about five hours closed session to deliberate on the recommendations of the senate committee on State and Local Government Affairs, which

investigated the political crisis going on Rivers state.

In his remarks before the recommendations were adopted, the Senate President emphasised that the National Assembly will maintain absolute objectivity in upholding the constitution of the country, with regards to the Rivers crisis.

He pointed out that the senate will not be partisan as it takes over the legislative activities of the Rivers House of Assembly, observing that no form of impunity would be accommodated by the National Assembly.

“Since morning, we have been discussing this Rivers crisis from the prism of our committee that went there to see things for themselves and we are happy with them.”

Meanwhile, the Senate urged the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police to restore the security details of the Governor, observing that Amaechi has been consistent in providing logistic aids to the security agencies in the state.

Reps probe alleged FCT land allocation irregularities

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he House Representatives said yesterday mandated its ad-hoc committee to investigate all cases of land allocation by the FCT during the period of (2010 -date) to ascertain the propriety and or abuses that borders on racketeering.

The House also mandated the committee to investigate the Mass Housing and Land Swap Schemes with a view to identifying beneficiaries and their competencies (financial, managerial and technical)as claimed which is very crucial to the realization of the goals of the schemes.

A motion moved by Rep. Ibrahim

Tukur El-sudi (PDP Taraba) noted that the improper allocation and cases of land racketeering in the mass housing scheme, land swap scheme and allocation of commercial and residential plots by the FCT from 2010 - date, has shown discrepancies.

“The Honourable Minister of FCT superintendants over land management in the FCT on behalf of the President. In utilizing these powers, he had in the period approved the allocation of commercial and residential plots, to both corporate institutions and individuals;” “The FCT Minister in the discharge of his duties has also approved various initiatives such

as the Mass Housing and Land Swap Schemes under which several hectares of land have been allocated to corporate entities, and that the allocations in the past 4 years have generated widespread concerns from informed Nigerians.”

He expressed concern that the identities of the beneficiaries are shrouded in secrecy underpinning the fact that they do not have requisite experience of property development elsewhere, and may not have the financial muscle to realize the objectives that informed the allocation of expensive acreages.

The motion was adopted by the House, and the committee was given 4 weeks to investigate and submit its report.

Sambo receives briefing on Nigeria– Cote d’Ivoire Bi-National Commission

T

he Vice President, Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, has received briefing on the establishment and hosting of the first Nigeria-Cote d’Voire BiNational Commission (BNC).

Receiving the briefing yesterday at the State House, Sambo sought to know the level of preparedness and involvement of key sectors of the economy including science and technology, tourism, education and more importantly, trade and

investment.

Briefing Sambo, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, said the hosting of the first Bi-national Commission meeting between Nigeria and Cote d’voire was the outcome of a productive state visit of President Jonathan to Cote d’IVoire along with strong ties between the two countries.

According to him, “it was

providential that our President happens to be the Chairman of ECOWAS then and was instrumental to the restoration of peace and the authentic person that won the election to become the president.”

He said there were 10 harmonised agreements and MOUs out of which three were ready for signature while others would be finalised during the preparatory meetings to be attended by experts from both countries.

News Ramadan Timing Day 17 TOWNS Aba Abakaliki Abeokuta Abuja Akure Argungu Ankpa Auchi Azare Bama Bauchi Benin Bichi Bida Birnin Gwari Birnin Kebbi Biu Calabar Damaturu Daura Dutse Enugu Funtua Gombe Gwoza Gumi Gusau Gwadabawa Hadejia ` Ibadan Ife Ilorin Jalingo Jere Jos Kabba Kafanchan Keffi/Nasarawa Kaduna Kano Katsina Kontagora Lafia Lagos Lokoja Maiduguri Makurdi Malumfashi Minna Port Harcourt Ringim Shagamu Sokoto Warri Yola Zaria Cotonnou-Benin Ndjamena-Chad Niamey-Niger Younde-Cameroun

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

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

Source: Society for Propagation of Islam Kaduna

PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

News ‘Why I named my son after Governor Shettima’

A

staff of the press department at the Government House in Maiduguri yesterday named his son after Governor Kashim Shettima.

Yusuf Adamu 42, a father of 5 children, said he decided to name his son Kashim so he would always remember the Governor throughout his life time because, according to him, he had never met a ‘big man with kindness, humility and respect for commoners like Governor Shettima “.

Yusuf said:”I have been working at the Government House in the last 22 years. I have worked with governors as a porter, controlling public address systems at the council chambers and I have been the one taking newspapers to the governor’s residence early in the mornings, day after day but I have never met a governor that has shown me so much empathy and treats me with so much kindness and respect like His Excellency Kashim Shettima.”

He said “for years, I was trekking from my house to post office to pick papers and then sometimes trek to Government House if I have no money for transport or get a lift so I can drop newspapers but last year I got a brand new car under Kashim Shettima, now I have a good car that I never dreamt of which helps me so much in doing my job and taking care of my family.

“Then, some days, I drop newspapers for him with the security men if he is still upstairs but when he is downstairs mostly around 8am,I personally give him the papers and whenever I meet him, he will ask about my children, their health, their feeding and their education.

“I felt I needed to have a Kashim in my family so I can honour and always remember that very good governor that is God sent to Borno. He is a very kind- hearted man, exceptionally humble and too friendly”.

Nasarawa killings: Emir of Lafia finger Baba Alakio, Ewuga From: Ali Abanre, Lafia

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ontrary to initial claims by the chief priest of the Ombatse cultists, Baba Alakio, suggesting that no invitation was extended to him by the authorities to appear before it, the Emir of Lafia, Alhaji Isa Mustapha Agwai II, yesterday, indicted Baba Alakio, explaining that the Lafia Emirate council had earlier invited him to appear before it to answer to the allegation of forcefully administering concoctions at a secret shrine in Alakio village but he refused to honour the invitation.

The Emir made the claims during the presentation of a memo to the commission of inquiry sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, pointing out that the priest had refused to honour invitations for him to appear before the Emirate Council to explain him-

self.

According to the memo submitted by the emir, the Emirate council, had on February 19, received reports about the alleged activities of the priest and his converts at the shrine, from two village heads of Ungwar Rere in Akurba, and Bakin Rijiya, respectively, following which the Emir directed the district head in charge of the area to summon both the village head of Ungwar Rere and the ward head of Alakio, both of whom appeared before the Emir on March 26 to receive directives to produce Baba Alakio “A week later, the ward head reported back to His Highness and informed the Emir that Baba Alakio said he will honour His Highness’ invitation only when he received instruction from the chairman of Eggon Cultural Development Association (ECDA).

“The Emirate Council viewed the refusal of Baba Alakyo to honour His Highness as very unusual. It is our belief that if the so called Baba Alakio had honoured the Emir’s invitation and availed himself, with the wise counsel of His Royal Highness, the incident that happened at Alakio few days after Baba Alakyo refused to appear before His Highness, would have been averted”, the memo said in part.

The Emir also raised a number of observations in the memo, noting that there has been an apparent infiltration of strange elements into the culture and traditions of the people, making difficult to control the youths, just as it added that “the activities of our political class where our people, mostly youths are misused by them, is also a very big contributive factor to the high level of insecurity in our society.”

He equally indicted Senator Solomon Ewuga, who he faulted for paying a courtesy visit to Baba Alakio without following due protocol, stressing that even though the Senator came from the northern senatorial zone of the state, he visited Alakio without informing the Lafia Emirate council.

The emir lamented that “it was like he (Ewuga) went there to congratulate his people for their victory over the security personnel”, just as he frowned that the senator, who is representing a different zone, was in Nasarawa-South on such a visit, without stopping at the palace for a visit.

“As if that was not enough, His Highness, members of his council and the entire general public watched on the television a courtesy visit by Senator Solomon Ewuga to the priest at Alakio where the sena-

EDO: Controversy Trails Alleged Murder of Suya Seller

T

ension is currently brewing in Benin City, the Edo State capital between Hausa Community and revenue collectors in Oredo Local Government Area of the state following last Friday’s murder of a Suya seller, Musa Alkali, at ADP junction by alleged revenue agents working for the Council.

It would be recalled that members of Hausa Community on Tuesday staged a protest to Oredo Council’s secretariat alleging that late Alkali was stabbed to death on his refusal to pay N100 fee to revenue agents said to be sent from the Council However, Chairman of Oredo local government, Hon Osaro Obazee, while reacting to the allegation absolved members of revenue officials of complicity in the murder of the Suya seller saying “no responsible government would sent revenue agents to go and kill anybody on any account” While urging the aggrieved Hausa protesters to be patient, he added that he has ordered for a full investigation into the incident.

A different account puts a questio n mark on the cause of death of Alkali, even as Oredo Council boss yesterday had scheduled for a meeting between the council and Hausa Community leaders.

An eye witness account at the incident said Alkali was shot and killed by bullets from fleeing armed robbers while another source had it that revenue agents operating in Oredo local government forcefully demanded the sum of N100 from Alkali at about 8: 30pm saying his refusal led to a fight and was subsequently stabbed to death in the ensuing fracas.

The remains of late Alkali is said to have been buried in a cemetery at Eyaen, a suburb populated by Hausa dwellers in Benin.

L-R: Executive chairman, Jigawa state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Sani Abdullahi, his Borno state counterpart, Professor Abbe Ali, Deputy Executive Secretary (Services), Universal Basic Education Commission, Prof. Rashidi Aderinoye, and Minister of Education, Professor Ruquayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, during a workshop on dissemination of World Bank report on Nigeria, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Northern Elders, others hail PDP, Jonathan over Al-Mustapha’s release

By Lawrence Olaoye

A

group consisting of Norhern Elders Forum, North/ South New Nigeria Forum, Fresh Air Continuity Group of North West and Northern PDP Youth, who paid a courtesy call on the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, commended President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the party for facilitating the recent release of the former Chief Security Officer to late Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Al-Mustapha.

The group led by the former Minister for Education, Alhaji Dauda Birma, also endorsed Jonathan for second term. According to the group, Jonathan is credible and qualified

to re-contest especially with the released of Major al-Mustapha It added that with the restoration of security to the North East zone alone, the President has proved he has the interest of Nigerians at heart.

In his presentation, the Chairman of NEF, Birma, who led the group, explained that the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, played a leading role in convincing Jonathan to grant executive accent to the release of al-Mustapha.

“I know how much the chairman has been working hard to get al-Mustapha released. I know that someone who has worked with a former head of state and was incarcerated for 15 years cannot be released by mere pronouncements of the judi-

ciary without the concurrence of the executive.

“I must thank Mr. Chairman for getting the ear of the President for this gesture. I must also thank the Nigerian women: three staunch women sat on the judgment and we want to thank the Nigerian women.

“Goodluck Jonathan’s leadership has been rated as the best administration so far. With what Jonathan has done in Maiduguri, I can affirm that the city is now safer than most parts of the country” Hon. Muhammed Waziri (Northern PDP Youths) and Dr. Aisha Nana Abdulkadir, who also spoke, told Tukur that he was facing criticisms from some members of the party of his principled stand

on fairness and truth, insisting that 2015 should be left for Jonathan.

Bayelsa state governor and newly inaugurated Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Reconciliation Committee, Henry Seriake-Dickson, yesterday declare that his committee would ensure the restoration of the party in all the opposition states of the country.

Meanwhile, Bayelsa state governor, Seriake-Dickson in his acceptance speech after the inauguration of the committee said he accepted the task of reconciling all aggrieved members of the party in the country in order to put the party on a sound pedestal ahead of the 2015 general elections.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

M

ajor streets in Kaduna were blocked yesterday as people living with various disabilities in their hundreds stormed the Ministry of Women and Social Development along Independence way to protest what they described as deprivation of their rights and non-inclusion in the recent distribution of Ramadan package by the Kaduna state government.

The protesters under the auspices of Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONPAD) faulted the Ministry of Women and Social Development which is saddled with the responsibility of taking care of the affairs of persons for sidling it in the Ramadan rice distribution in the state.

Spokesperson of the Group, Comrade Rilwan Mohammed Abdullahi, said they were yet to benefit from the Ramadan packages.

According to him, “as you are aware the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero last Thursday

PAGE 5

News

Kaduna Ramadan package: Persons with disabilities protest non-inclusion distributed Ramadan rice to the less privilege persons in the 23 local government areas of the state and the following day her Excellency through the Ministry of Women and Social Development followed suit by giving out food items but the sad aspect of it all is that persons living with disability were not part of the distributions.

“The Ministry of Women

and Social Development is the ministry saddled with the responsibility of taking care of the affairs of women and that of persons living with disability but to our surprise, we were told by the Ministry to write before we can benefit from the package.

“Unfortunately, the package was only given to the women while that of Persons with disabilities have not seen anything until now.

“We are here to request for our Ramadan package. The Women group of the Ministry enjoys every privilege while we are sidelined.

“We want them to include us and make the sharing an annual sharing for the persons,” he said.

“If nothing is done about it we will march to the Government House to drive home our demands and find out where we

persons with disability belong in the state,” Comrade Abdullahi stressed.

Addressing the group on behalf of the Commissioner of Women and Social Development, Mrs. Maria Dogo, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Hajiya Hauwa Umar, blamed the leaders of the persons with disabilities for not approaching the ministry before staging the protest.

Jonathan visits Nasarawa Monday From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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resident Goodluck Jonathan is billed to visit Nasarawa state Monday next week, to among other things, commission the new Federal High Court.

Hamza Elayo Mohammed, Commissioner of Information and Orientation, disclosed this while briefing journalists shortly after the Executive council meeting yesterday.

Elayo disclosed that Jonathan while on the visit is expected to commission one of the completed Al-makura Model schools at Bukan Sidi area of the city as well as the network of urban roads which are the first asphalt roads to be built in the state.

The Commissioner equally disclosed that the meetings between the Benue and Nasarawa state governments aimed at finding lasting solutions to lingering skirmishes along border communities, have begun to bear fruits, with the two state governments committed with far reaching decisions already taken.

On the issue of the flood relief package from the Federal Government, Elayo affirmed that the funds were still intact with a committee set up to look into how the funds could be used to mitigate the plight of the victims of the 2012 floods, with the committee expected to submit its report next week.

He observed that areas of intervention that the funds could be deployed include among others, resettling displaced victims, provision of health care facilities, refurbishing destroyed school structures, stressing that in some areas like Gotu in Loko development area, whole communities would have to be resettled because of the level of devastation by the flood.

President Goodluck (left), in a handshake with National President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Okey Wali (middle), during a visit by the NBA executives to the president, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. With them is Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (right).

Photo: Joe Oroye

Senate okays N4.9trn 2013 budget

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he 2013 budget impasse between the Executive and the Legislature was effectively resolved yesterday as the Senate approved for President Goodluck Jonathan, the sum of N4,987,220,425,601 for the 2013 fiscal year.

The 2013 budget amendment bill from President Jonathan which successfully passed through the third reading on the floor of the Senate, amounts to the same figure with the earlier budget approved by the lawmakers in the original budget on the 20th December 2012.

The total budget passed by the Senate was 4.987 trillion, out of which N388 billion is for statutory transfers, N591 billion for debt service, N2.415 trillion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, while the balance of N1.591 trillion was earmarked for contribution to the development fund for capital expenditure for the year ending on

the 31 December, 2013.

This development came after a closed-door meeting that lasted over three hours.

Presenting his committee’s report on the budget earlier, Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Ahmed Maccido, explained that the amended budget did not in any way increase the aggregate expenditure of the original bill passed in December 20th, 2012.

Jonathan, had in a letter to the Senate, asked the upper legislative chamber to restore the over N77.3billion which he said the National Assembly unilaterally removed from the proposed budget for the Capital Projects and Personnel cost, including N4 billion approved for Abuja –Lokoja road, N18billion from SURE-P, over N16billion for various power projects, among others.

In his remarks, Senate President, David Mark, advised the Executive to keep faith with the approved budget just as he tasked

the standing committees of the Senate to step up their oversight function on the Executive and government agencies.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo Iwealla, had threatened that unless the National Assembly restored the about N32 billion cut from different categoris of the budget, the Federal Government may run into difficulties in payment of salaries to workers as well as completion of the key projects contained in the approved budget Jonathan had told the Senate that the personnel cost was cut across all ministries, department and agencies, demanding immediate restoration to avoid breakdown of government.

Senator Victor NdomaEgba, who led the debate for consideration of the Budget Amendment, said the amendment proposal before the Senate from the Presidency was a product of extensive consultations between

the presidency and the leadership of the National Assembly for the singular purpose of promoting National development.

Senator James Manager, PDP Delta South, in his submission, said the said deductions made by the National Assembly in the 2013 budget were obvious mistakes that must be corrected as requested by the President and tabled by the Senate Leader.

All the lawmakers that contributed to the debate supported the restoration of the reduced capital budget allocations, making the Senate to pass the budget amendment proposal for second reading and forwarded it to its committee on Appropriation for 24hours consideration.

However the Senate President, David Mark in his remark said though there was need to urgently consider the amendment proposed by the President in the interest of Nigerians but the most important thing was proper implementation of the budget at the end of the day.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 6

News Gunmen kill two, rustle 1000 cattle in fresh Plateau attack From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

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unmen suspected to be Tarok assailants reportedly launched an attack at Takalafiya village of Wase local government area of Plateau state, killing two persons and rustled over 1,000 cattle in renewed violence on Wednesday.

An eyewitness told our correspondent that the assailants entered the village at about 5: 30 pm, shot two persons and went away with over 1,000 cattle.

According to the account, “the deceased were having a rest in the village when suddenly they were attacked and killed. The attackers went away with their cattle.”

Lead poisoning: FG celebrates “successful cleanup” in Zamfara

By Mohammed Kandi

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inister of Environment, Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, yesterday described as “major milestone” the successful clean-up and environmental remediation of lead contaminated sites in Bagega village and seven other communities that lost over 500 children to lead poison in 2010.

The Minister who disclosed this yesterday at a press briefing in Abuja, called on inhabitants of the affected areas to desist from illegal mining activities to preserve the lives of the “innocent” children who are mostly susceptible to lead attacks.

Commending the federal government for disbursing the funds used in undertaking the “Zamfara Lead Poisoning Response Project”, Mailafia noted that about N837 million was released and distributed among ministries of Environment, Health and Mines and Steel Development, for a successful clean-up of the affected areas.

Also speaking, Mr. Simba Tirima, an Environmental Scientist with Terragraphic International Foundation, who led a team of experts that conducted the environmental remediation on, affected areas in Zamfara state, declared the area safe of lead but noted that “a lot still needs to be done.”

Simba, who described project as “best clean-up in Africa,” however, urged that more sensitisation be organised for residents and workable policy frameworks developed in favour of the affected communities.

He, therefore, informed that during the clean-up exercise about 477 people were gainfully employed for the project, adding “about 119 staff of the Zamfara State Environmental and Sanitation Agency have been trained by the experts, including 15 others from the Federal Ministry of Environment.”

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Taiye Haruna, Minister of Environment, Hayiya Hadiza Mailafia, and representative of Terragraphics International Foundation, Mr. Simba Tirima, during a press briefing on clean up and environmental remediation of lead contaminated sites at Bagega village, in Zamfara state, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

ASUU vows not to renegotiate 2009 agreement

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he Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Thursdayinsistedthatitwould not open fresh negotiation with the Federal Government on the agreement reached with the latter on the management of Nigerian universities in 2009.

Ademola Aremu, the National Treasurer of the union, who gave the hint on Thursday, urged members to stockpile food stuff in preparation for a sustained battle with the government over the controversial pact.

ASUU has been on an indefinite strike for over three weeks over government’s refusal to honour

the 2009 agreement and a 2012 Memorandum of Understanding between both parties.

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, had said on Monday that the Goodluck Jonathan administration could not implement the agreement as it is. He said the government would renegotiate the agreement with the lecturers.

But, Mr. Aremu, speaking at a symposium at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, said the strike would continue until the government “comes to term with reality.

“Nigeria votes the least budget

to education while siphoning huge sums to irrelevant projects that do not encourage research and development.”

Researchers record breakthrough in diabetes prevention Researchers have discovered that the resistance to insulin seen in type 2 diabetics is caused partly by the lack of a protein that has not previously been associated with the condition.

The development may help to prevent diabetes.

“We discovered that Neu1, a protein nicknamed after “neuraminidase 1″, turns the

absorption of sugar “on” or “off” in body cells, by regulating the amount of sialic acid on the surface of cells”, Dr. Alexey Pshezhetsky of the SainteJustine University Hospital Research Center, affiliated with the University of Montreal, said. “We are now trying to find a way to restore Neu1 levels and function in diabetes. If we can remove sialic acid residues from the cell surface, this will force the insulin receptor do its job of absorbing blood sugar properly. This could give doctors an opportunity to reduce the use of insulin therapy, and might help to reduce the diabetes epidemic, Dr. Pshezhetsky said.

NPC not against press freedom T

By Abbas Aminu Bamalli

he Nigerian Press Council (NPC) has described as misleading, an advertorial by the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), that the NPC is moribund.

According to a statement by the NPC management in Abuja yesterday, “the truth of the issue is that, following an appeal against the High Court decision at the Court of Appeal, the judgment is held abeyance

until the appeal is resolved.”

“From the foregoing facts, reports based on the communiqué and the advertorial by NPAN alleging moves to revive the moribund Press Council as a usual official tool to gag the press is not only misleading but may portray our professional colleagues as deliberately not purveying the true position.”

The statement noted that though commenting on the matter would be subjudice, it will

suffice to assert that the NPAN is the Press Council is not against press freedom.

It said that the NPC’s function is to ensure the protection of the rights and privileges of journalist in the lawful performance of their professional duties.

The council recalled that, in May, 2010, a proposed bill to repeal the NPC Act led to the House of Representatives House Committee on

Information raising a committee of stakeholders to review and update the earlier agreed Bill of 2002 which if passed by the National Assembly, NPAN will return to the fold of the oversight of NPC. It said the judgment was immediately appealed by the defendants with a stay of execution at the Court of Appeal thereby holding the decision of the High Court in abeyance for the judgment of the higher court.

Blackmail: NUJ panel indicts Desert Herald publisher

BY Adeola Tukuru

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he Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) yesterday found the publisher of Kaduna-based magazine, Desert Herald, Malam Tukur Mamu, culpable in a case of alleged blackmail from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed.

An investigation panel set up by the union and headed by

Mr. Gbenga Onayiga submitted its report to the NUJ National President, Malam Muhammad Garba, in Abuja yesterday.

The report recommended that a public notice be placed to disown the publisher and warn members of the public that they may be at risk if they have any dealings with him.

The report also recommended that the union registers the name of the publisher in its black book as provided for in Article 7 (3)

(d) of NUJ Constitution though Tukur has since claimed not to be a journalist.

It further recommended that qualified, registered and practising journalists be cautioned on the danger of accepting employment in the establishment since it is capable of polluting and corrupting an ethically upright journalist.

The panel also recommended that the union disbands and withdraws its recognition of the

NUJ chapel at Desert Herald while urging the Nigerian Press Organization (NPO) to speed up the current review of its code of conduct and ethics with a view to spelling out penalties for infringing on the provisions.

Receiving the report, Garba said the union accepted in principle all the recommendations of the panel and would commence gradual implementation by next week.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 7

News

Bauchi: Relocation of Tafawa Balewa LG hqtrs insensitive, says Arewa group From Mohammed Ibrahim, Kaduna

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he Hope Arewa Development Initiative (HADI), a Pan- North group has described the recent relocation of the headquarters of one of the oldest local government councils in Nigeria, Tafawa Balewa, to Bununu, by Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi state as absurd, unconstitutional and an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians.

The President of the Initiative, Alhaji Mohammadu Ibrahim, at a press briefing on Wednesday in Kaduna said that it was sad that Yuguda displayed open insensitivity to the plight of inhabitants of the area who massively voted for him during

the two elections that ushered him to power.

“We all know the historic antecedent of this local government called Tafawa Balewa.

“It was created in 1976 and it is home to Nigeria’s post-independence leader, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.”

According to Ibrahim, if Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa had been alive today, Yuguda could not have mustered the courage to attempt to wipe out the name of a town the late Prime Minister loved so much as to adopt it as his surname?.

The Initiative further stressed that it was a fact that the area has witnessed several sectarian crisis but noted that a

number of the issues had been resolved.

“We are aware of more severe sectarian crises in Plateau, Benue Taraba, Nasarawa and even Adamawa states.

“The question here is have the governors of these states relocated the headquarters of the local governments involved in these crises.”

He said that the Tafawa Balewa issue was borne out of political interest regretting that instead of instead of fighting for federal presence in terms of institutions and projects in this historic town, the House of Assembly and the state government decided to embark on an anti-people project as represent-

ed in the relocation of the headquarters of Tafawa Balewa local government council.

While commending those who took the state government to court over this issue, the Initiative stressed that as citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria they condemned in strong terms the wrongful action of Governor Yuguda and called on all patriotic Nigerians to rise against “this unconstitutional move.”

The group described as cheap propaganda, a statement credited to the state government that the relocation of the administrative headquarters of Tafawa Balewa local government area has brought about full resumption of governmental activities

at Bununu and that there is normal social interaction with peace and normalcy now reigning supreme in the area.

“Does the state government mean that since Yuguda came to power governmental activities in Tafawa Balewa had been standstill?

The initiative recalled Gov Yuguda’s anti North’s activities in the Northern States Governors Forum and other sundry causes, adding, his betrayals have become legendary so much so that they could say with justification that he is up in arms against the north.

Akpabio charges council chairmen on rural development

By Mike Etim, Uyo

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L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Habiba M. Lawal, Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, Executive Secretary, WRAPA, Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi, and Mrs. Felicia Onibom, during a press conference on constitution review, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Kaduna farmers get free fertilisers From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

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aduna state Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, has directed the Ministry of Agriculture to commence distribution of free fertilisers to farmers in the state.

A statement signed by the Governor’s Director-General, Media and Publicity, Ahmed Maiyaki, said the fertilisers are free and will come to farmers at no cost.

According to him, to achieve the target, the government procured over 11,000 metric tons of assorted fertiliser for distribution to farmers in all 255 wards in the 23 Local government areas.

“The move which is part of Governor Yero’s commitment to boost agriculture in the state will provide free fertilisers to 600 farmers per ward, while additional distributions will be made through 960 farmers cooperative

societies across the state.

“Each ward is to receive a trailer load of the assorted fertilizers containing NPK, Urea, SSP, organic and agroliser.

“The products were procured at a cost of N1.6 billion and are to be delivered to farmers free of charge as Government has fully paid for the fertilizers including cost of delivery to the beneficiar-

ies,” “Governor Yero’s administration is committed to creating jobs through an efficient and modern agricultural sector which could be achieved through providing support and incentives to farmers in the state.

“The Ministry of Agriculture has already commenced distribution of the fertilisers.

“The government also wishes to call on all farmers to ignore anyone or group that demands for any payment for delivery of the fertilisers,” he said.

It could be recalled that Governor Yero has earlier approved the sale of fertilizers to farmers at about 60 percent subsidised rate to aide farmers in boosting food production.

Patience Jonathan pays tribute to late mother

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he First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has paid glowing tribute to her late mother, Madam Charity Oba, describing her as “a mother in a million who was a devoted a devout Christian.” The First Lady spoke yesterday when she returned to the country from a trip to Geneva.

She was received at the State House by the President Goodluck Jonathan, accompanied by former Head of State, Gen. Abdusa-

lami Abubakar, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Anthony Anenih, and some top aides.

The First Lady recalled that Madam Charity Oba, who was the younger sister of her biological mother, had raised her from a tender age and made her the person who she is today.

Earlier, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, had offered prayers for the deceased

and members of the extended family.

In a related development, the First Lady also received state governors who went to commiserate with her.

Speaking on behalf of the Governors, Dr. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state, urged Dame Jonathan to take heart while offering the deep condolences of the PDP family to the First Lady and her extended family.

overnor Godswill Akpabio has charged Chairmen of local government councils in Akwa Ibom to embark on development projects that would have direct impact on the people and improve their living standard.

The Governor at a civic reception organised in his honour at Nto Edino, headquarters of Obot Akara local government, during the inauguration of 13 projects executed by the State Inter-ministerial Direct Labour Committee in the area.

Represented by his Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr. Glory Edef, Akpabio reminded local government chairmrn of the need to invest tax payers’ money on meaningful projects that can empower the people and create job opportunities for the masses.

He urged council chairmen to regard their positions as opportunities to serve the people through efficient service delivery for meaningful impact in the lives of the people. This he said, would help to engrave not only their legacies, but also their names on the sands of time.

The Governor noted that as the third tier of government, local administration remained the closest to the people at the grassroots and that it was necessary for the operators at that level to show greater commitment and sincerity in serving the people.

He warned the council chairmen against embarking on white elephants, stating that, “it is one thing to embark on projects and another to complete those projects,” as, according to him, “monitoring and evaluation are key elements in project execution

PAGE 8

Photo Splash

R-L: Mother of the President, Mrs. Eunice Jonathan, consoling First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan on the death of her step-mother, Mrs. Iwari Oba, after her arrival on Wednesday night from Switzerland to the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

R-L: Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Mr. John Kennedy Opara, in a handshake with Kogi state Governor, Captain Idris Wada, during the NCPC sensitisation visit to the governor, recently in Lokoja.

L-R: Governors Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson, Abia state, Theodore Orji, Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio, Katsina state, Ibrahim Shema and Delta state, Emmanuel Uduaghan, during the PDP governors meeting, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

L-R: Former Information Minister and a chieftain of South-South Peoples Assembly (SSPA), Chief Edwin Clark, Deputy Chairman SSPA, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd), and National Secretary of the Assembly, Chief Ayakeme Whisky, during the South-South elders and stakeholders press conference on national issues, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) Board of Directors, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje (middle), flagging-off third Lagos-Kano-Lagos intercity passenger train, yesterday in Lagos. With him are NRC Managing Director, Engineer Adeseyi Sijuwade (left) and, Alhaja Atinuke Oyawole (right.)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 9

News

Police arrest 11 armed robbers From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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L-R:Chairperson, House Committee on the Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, Secretary to the Government of the Federal, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, and Minister of Police Affairs, Captain Caleb Olubolade, during the opening of the 6th Nigeria Diaspora Conference, yesterday at NICON Luxury Hotel, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Yobe groans under insurgency

From Uche Uche, Damaturu

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ince the deployment of military personnel to Yobe state following the 4th November, 2011 attack in the state capita, Damaturu, the state government spends over N400 million monthly in the provision of logistics support to the Joint Task Force (JTF).

Representing the state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, the state deputy governor of the state, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu disclosed this yesterday when a presidential committee on food and non-food relief administration in Yobe, led by the state Minister of finance, Alhaji Yerima Ngama paid him a courtesy visit in Government House,Damaturu.

He pointed out that from the start of the insurgency in the state; the administration has spent over N6 billion on security issues including the provision of operational vehicles to security men, payment of their allowances and other logistics support to the security operatives in the state.

While appreciating the federal government’s donation of N150 million to the state government in appreciation for what the state government has been doing to ensure security in the state through support to military and other security operatives in the state, the deputy governor said the amount is too small and asked the federal government to do more.

He said Yobe is one of the low incomes earning state and that the insurgency has equally affected the generation of internal revenue making the state dependent only on the monthly federal government allocation.

“We appeal to the federal government to do more because it has not done anything compared to what the state government has done.” He said.

He said the federal government response to the situation in Yobe make it look like Yobe state is neglected by the federal government.

“We have seen federal government’s prompt response in other

states with similar problems, and we saw how the federal government intervened and so we don’t know whether Yobe state experience is something different.” He lamented.

Reasoning that that the federal government is neglecting Yobe because it does not have or produce natural resources such as oil, the deputy governor said the state has oil and solid minerals that could be exploited gainfully.

He therefore called on the federal government to partner with Yobe state government for the exploitation and harnessing of the natural resources so that, “whenever the federal government is sending anything to Yobe, they would send it in millions instead of the token amount of N150 million.

Earlier, the Minister of state for finance, Dr. Lawan Yerima Ngama, said they were in the government house to inform the governor of the flagging off of the distribution of assorted grains to people in the state.

He pointed out that a total of

NAFDAC warns public against eating processed rice seedlings

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he National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned the people of Jigawa state against buying treated rice seedlings meant for planting for consumption.

The NAFDAC Director in the state, Malam Abduljalal Manzo, issued the warning during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse yesterday.

Manzo said NAFDAC had carried out a mop up operation in the area following reports by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) on the processing and sale of treated rice seedlings in Kazaure Local Government

Area.

He said that the mop up revealed that some market women were processing rice seedlings and selling to the public for consumption.

Manzo said that two suspects involved in the activity were arrested and handed over to the agency by men of NSCDC. “The NAFDAC laboratory analysis proved that there is serious accumulation of pesticide used in the treatment of the rice since it was meant for sowing.

“NAFDAC is warning the people selling this treated rice to stop the act because it is very dangerous and poisonous to health; it

can kill instantly or even have a long time effect on the people.

“Lack of education is the main reason why most people are ignorant of the dangers inherent in patronising and consuming such kind of food.

“The agency will not allow such people to operate in the society because they are merchants of death,’’ he said.

Manzo said the agency was collaborating with the police, local governments, health officials and the emirate councils to mop up the treated rice and other unwholesome products with a view to safeguarding the lives of the people.

…seeks FG’s assistance 222 trucks of grains were allocated to Yobe state and that the presidential committee is using nongovernmental organizations, such as the Waziri Ibrahim Foundation, the Jama’tu Nasir Islam among others.

He added that one truck of grains would be distributed to each ward, house by house instead of giving to individuals to assure that each reaches every house in the state pointing out that the committee for the distribution also has representatives of emirs in the state to ensure transparency.

atsina Police Command has arrested eleven suspected armed robbers that have been terrorizing some communities across the state, the police commissioner, Alhaji Muhammad Hurdi has disclosed.

Hurdi who made the disclosure while parading the suspects, yesterday in Katsina, noted that the robbers were arrested in Kafur, Safana and Faskari local government areas of the state.

According to him, some of the items recovered from the suspects include GSM handsets, five bundles of yards, one mock rifle and a black polythene bag containing some items.

He added that two persons were arrested in Sabuwa and Kaita local government areas in connection with the theft of cows valued between N420, 000 and N340. 000.

Hursi also disclosed that another set of two persons, a Nigerien, Bade Yusuf was arrested for been in possession of nine stolen cows and one Lawali Yusuf of Sabuwa local government with 20 stolen cows.

The police commissioner however noted that the command had successfully arrested five gang members of the dreaded Kauraye thugs in Kofar Marusa quarters while terrorizing the residents of the area.

He added that the state government has set-up a special patrol team comprising the police, soldiers and civil defence in order to safeguard the security of lives and property in the state.

Work with NAHCON to remove hitches in Hajj operations, Jonathan urges new Saudi Ambassador

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday charged Saudi Arabia’s new Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Fuad Bin Adul-Aziz Rajih to do everything possible to ease and facilitate the annual participation of Nigerian pilgrims in the Hajj.

Speaking at an audience with Mr. Rajih, after receiving his letters of credence at the Presidential Villa, President Jonathan urged him to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria to reduce or completely remove hitches and “grey areas” that crop up occasionally to hinder the airlifting of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

The president said Nigerians are a very religious people who take their religious obligations seriously and told the new Ambassador that the Federal Government will greatly appreciate his cooperation and support in

making the participation of Nigerian Moslems in the Hajj easier and free of hindrances.

The President told Mr. Rajih that Nigeria will welcome greater economic relations with Saudi Arabia as well and urged him to also focus on expanding areas of economic cooperation between the two countries during his tenure.

At an earlier audience with the new Ugandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Peter Kagimu Kiwanuka, President Jonathan said that African nations must make a greater effort to boost formal economic and trade relations amongst them.

The President told Mr. Kiwanuka that Nigeria was committed to making trade amongst African nations easier and less cumbersome, and will work with Uganda and other members of the African Union to achieve this objective.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 10

News

Ugandan’s Islamic University screens NorthWest students for admission From Mahmoud Muhammad, Sokoto

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he Islamic University in Uganda has commenced the screening of another batch of students for admission into the tertiary institution from the North-West states of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara respectively.

The institution is currently screening students of Sokoto indigenes, allegedly trooping to Giginya Hotel, Sokoto for the exercise being conducted by the Rector of Academic of the institution, Dr. Mouhammadou Mpezamihigo.

Speaking shortly after screening about 200 students, Dr. Mouhammadou Mpezamihigo, who described the exercise as peaceful and historical, told the gathering that last year, the school offered admission to 200 students, and only 70 reported to the school, adding that the institution is collaborating with the Sokoto State government, through the scholarship board to sponsor additional candidates admitted into various faculties of the institution.

Mpezamihigo reiterated the commitment to set up a pre-degree satellite campus in Nigeria to encourage participation.

He said the cultural values which Nigeria shares with Uganda, in terms of religion among others, was what triggered their interest in offering admission to students of the NorthWest zone of Nigeria.

It would be recalled that, over, 200 graduates have so far converged at Giginya Hotel for the screening exercise.

Court nullifies inquiry report on Ahmadu Muazu’s regime From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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Bauchi State High Court has nullified the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Bauchi State Government to investigate the activities of government ministries and parastatals during the regime of Ahmadu Muazu from 1999 to May 2007.

In his ruling, the trial Judge, who is also the State Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Zango quashed the proceedings of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the management of some ministries, Parastatals and extra ministerial department of the Public service of Bauchi State, from May 1999 to May 2007.

Justice Zango added that, “the Government white paper on the report of the commission and the letter written to the Plaintiff by the Bauchi state government and the State Commissioner of Justice on December 16, 2009 has also been quashed”.

Alhaji Lawal Baraza had, in a suit asked the court to nullify the Commission’s report and that the commission should refund the sum of over N3.6 billion to him.

He challenged the decision of the commission and the Bauchi State Government’s white paper that indicted him and asked the court to quash the decision of the state government.

Alleged contempt: Court summons Unity Bank MD, two others From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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Bauchi State High Court has ordered the Managing Director of Unity Bank Plc and two others to appear before it to explain why they should not be committed to prison for disobeying the order of the court.

The State Chief Judge Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Zango,

who is handling the matter, ordered that forms 48 and 49 be served on the managing Director of Unity Bank Plc and two others for their in ability to obey court order.

In his ruling, Justice Zango ordered for substituted service of forms 48 and 4 and other processes relating to the contempt proceedings against the respondents by pasting same on their last

known address situated at No 6 Mediterranian street, Imani Estate Maitama, Abuja, Plot 785 Herbert Macauley way Central Business district, Abuja, and Unity Bank Nig. Plc., Azare Branch, Bauchi State or serving them through their solicitors, M.A Abubakar and Co., suite No.4 Abba Zadawa Complex, Ahmadu Bello way Bauchi.

The Plaintiff, Attaib Mahmood had earlier filed a

L-R: A presenter at the seminar and senior scientist with Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Engineer Aduagba Nuhu, Deputy Director, Industrial Equipment Division (IED), Engineer Garba Ladan , and Assistant Director , Motor Vehicle & Miscellaneous, Engr.

Adekunle Joshua, during a seminar on Investigation of Emission Values of a Passenger Vehicle with Regulated Values, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

suit against the bank, Hexalix properties Ltd, Mohammed Hassan , Ministry of lands and survey, Bauchi State and commissioner of Justice, Bauchi State, alleging that the entire suit borders on a transaction for the sale of property at Katagum Sarki road, Azare in Bauchi State, covered by Certificate of occupancy No.BA/37 in the name of Bank of the North, and that the sale was done through a bidding process which he won but the Bank and Hexalix company changed the rule in favor of Mohammed Hassan and he prayed to the court to stop the transaction pending the determination of the suit.

The court granted the application for the restraining order, but the defendants went ahead and sold the properties to Hassan Mohammed and the plaintiff asked the permission of the court to serve them with form 48 and 49 which the court bailiff deposited a sworn affidavit that he was unable to serve on the respondents.

When the case was mentioned yesterday, Counsel to the Plaintiff, Barrister Blessing Ada Esinwoke moved a motion exparte and asked the court to order for substituted services on the unity Bank MD, Hexalix Properties and Mohammed Hassan.

Barrister Esinwoke added that the affected officers are out to frustrate the contempt proceedings initiated against them for disobeying court order, and asked the court to grant the application in the interest of justice.

Justice Zango adjourned the case to 2nd September 2013 for hearing.

Sokoto earmarks N762m for Government House fencing From Mahmoud Muhammad, Sokoto

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he Sokoto state government has earmarked the sum of N762 million for the fencing of the government house, the commissioner of information, Alhaji Daladi Bako has said.

The commission told newsmen yesterday that the state government decided to embark on the project because of the security challenges and to accommodate additional structures acquired by the state

government within the vicinity of the government house.

Alhaji Bako, who is one time the Director General of NBC, noted that the contract was awarded to a reputable constructing company with a completion period of four months.

In a related development, Sokoto State Government has also disbursed N1. 6 billion to farmers, in conjunction with commercial banks in the state, in order to boost rice and tomatoes production in all the 23 local government areas of the state.

Alhaji Maishanu Yabo of the state Ministry of Solid Mineral said the council after its deliberation, approved the disbursement of the loan package with state government providing N513 million as its counterpart funding on the payment of five percent out of the nine percent interest rate per annum and explained that the gesture was aimed at encouraging more farmers to venture in to farming to produce more food for both local and international consumption.

Also speaking, the state

commissioner of health, Aliyu Ahmed said the council had approved the reconstruction of the 1.5 kilometer road linking Anguwar Unguwan Rogo-Police station with Minanata area of Tundun Wada at the cost of N154 million.

Among the council’s approval was the General hospital Kware, Shuni, each costs N172 million.

Other projects approved by the council are the Army day secondary school for N120 million, while renovation of Magarta Collage costs N85.8 million.

Igbo not ready to produce Nigeria’s next president – Arthur Nzeribe

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ess than two years to the 2015 general elections, frontline politician and Southeast leader, Senator Arthur Nzeribe, Wednesday called on his Igbo brethren to bury the idea of producing Nigeria’s next

president.

His argument was anchored on the ground that it would be difficult for the region to produce a president due to lack of political cohesion.

Nzeribe, while speaking with newsmen in Abuja, yesterday,

observed that the Igbo are not just ready to spearhead the affairs of Nigeria.

He called on the people of the South-east geo-political zone to put their house in order, before seeking for the number one position.

He voiced his conviction thus, “Until we start speaking with one voice, we cannot get the Presidency.

“We should not try it now.

We are not just ready for anything like that, we must get our acts right.”

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 11

Money Sense

Energy: Efficient home improvements that save money

As energy costs rise, you might be looking for ways to be more energy-efficient without breaking the bank. Here are eight money-smart moves to consider when making home renovations.

Anything “low flow In addition to saving water, low-flow fixtures will save you more than a dime or two.

Inexpensive and easily installed, low-flow fixtures can reduce your home water consumption by as much as 50 percent and

can save you up to N22,475 per year. Low-flow showerheads cost

bulbs Fluorescent bulbs last four to 10 times longer than regular light bulbs. While they are more expensive initially, you will save about N930 per year on energy bills.

Weather stripping You might be surprised to find how much money you could save by patching up that draft in your kitchen or bedroom. In homes that haven’t been weather stripped, air leaks account for 30 to 40 percent of cooling loss.

Weather stripping materials

start for as little as N775.

A tank-less water heater Tank-less water heaters allow users to shave 20 percent off their water bill. In addition to lasting five to 10 years longer than tank heaters, tank-less heaters never run out of hot water.

Ceiling fans A ceiling fan will help keep your home at a comfortable temperature while reducing your energy bill by about N2, 325 per year, according to Energy Star.

Ceiling fans are priced at about N7750

One of the simplest things you can do to make sure you stay financially viable during retirement is pay attention to your spending. “It is important to understand exactly where your money is going and what you are getting for it,” says Keith Green, President of The American Retirement Initiative. “There are a lot of ways to cut spending on things you just don’t need.”

Whether you are in the midst of retirement or you are just planning ahead, consider cutting back in the following areas to prevent unnecessary expenditures and financial worries down the road: Adjusting to lower income: As you move into retirement, you will likely have to adjust to living on a lower income. To avoid getting into trouble later, make sure you are only buying what you can afford. “It’s generally a mistake to carry a balance on a charge card,” Green says. “The overarching thought here is that during their retirement years, folks are more likely to be living on a fixed income, and that may affect the repayment process later on.”

Technology: Don’t sign up and pay for anything you aren’t going to use.

“How many people watch 50 percent, or even 30 percent, of the things they pay for with cable?” Green says.

Paying for cable can become a major financial drain over time. Consider slimming down on elaborate packages or turning to cheaper alternatives.

“Today, you can get the content from other outlets.

Additionally, be realistic about your needs and wants. If you need a cellphone just for making an occasional phone call, don’t purchase the latest smartphone with an unlimited data package. “You don’t need to be paying for fancy phones with features or minutes you don’t use,” Green says.

Insurance: The older you get, the less important it becomes to focus your attention and money on life insurance plans. “In the event of your death, (life insurance pays) your dependents or those closest to you,” Green says. “But when you are retired, typically the folks who were dependent on you before aren’t anymore. Also, theoretically, you’ve had time to build up other assets so the need isn’t there.” That said you shouldn’t always cancel your life insurance policy because many of them have viable cash return options, and could help a surviving spouse or have estate planning benefits.

Travel: Travel tends to increase during the early years of retirement and taper off later on, Heichel says.

If you know you are going to travel more during retirement, try to factor those costs into your retirement saving ahead of time. However, regardless of prior planning, keep costs low by adjusting your travel itinerary. Shop around for the cheapest airline seats and discounted hotel rooms.

about N3100.

Compact fluorescent light

Money Tip: Ways to save money Money isn’t everything but how you manage it.

Money is only a tool to enrich your life and nothing more.

Once you understand your relationship to money, the rest is just habits and math.

Spend less than you earn, any other way leads to bankruptcy Accept what you can make, understand your expenses.

Pay your credit off monthly or cut them off.

Defer your purchases.

Keep your credit clean, bad credit costs you money Never bounce a check. Get overdraft protection.

Pay your bills on time, always.

Use automatic payments whenever possible.

Don’t co-sign for anyone.

Save 10% of your income always Pay yourself first (who else is more important?)

Don’t let debt stand in the way of saving for the future.

Understand the “magic” of compounding and time.

Quote Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.

-Jack Welch

Costs to cut in retirement

E

liminate these unnecessary expenses and live comfortably on a fixed income If you don’t have a traditional pension or large nest egg, it’s likely that you will need to closely monitor your spending in retirement. “(Retirees) don’t just sit around eating bonbons and living off pension plans,” says Bart Astor, author of “AARP Roadmap for the Rest of Your Life:

Smart Choices about Money, Health, Work, Lifestyle, and Pursuing Your Dreams.”

“At 50 or 60 years old, you still have to be thinking long-term. You will be without a major career for 30, 40 or even 50 years, which is probably longer than you actually worked before. Look at what you can afford to do, and balance it with what is important to you.”

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

EDITORIAL

The controversial Senate vote A manipulation arising from its ambiguity far outweighs any arguable benefits few females might arguably obtain”.

Senator Sani Yarima, who merely made a point of order that the Constitution does not allow parliament to rule on marriage under Islamic law, was demonized as a paedophile because of his marriage to a 13-year-old Egyptian girl.

Item 61 of the Second Schedule, Part 1 in the Exclusive List says pointedly that the powers of the legislature will include “the formulation, annulment and dissolution

“

Senate vote a week ago on when a Nigerian could renounce his or her citizenship went awry when it was misunderstood as an endorsement of child marriage. The vote on Section 29(4)(b) of the 1999 Constitution kicked up a whirlwind of condemnation of the senators by child rights advocates in the local media.

That section 29 enables Nigerians who are of full age to give up their citizenship if they so wish. Subsection 4(a) defines “full age” as the “age of eighteen years and above” for a man and (b) says any woman who is married “shall be deemed to be of full age”. It is this latter subsection that the Senate wanted to expunge as they considered it “archaic” and it appears to repeat 29(4)(a) and contradicts Section 21 of the Child Rights Act which abolishes marriage of persons below 18.

However, the Senate was unable to muster the required two-thirds majority (which is 73 of the 101 senators present that day) to repeal that subsection (4)(b) and so let it be.

When the vote was taken, fewer than that number backed a repeal and there were abstentions. The following day, national dailies carried screaming headlines that suggested the senators had legalized child marriage. Social media comments poured out with headlines such as “The Age of Rape”.

Mass hysteria was in full bloom.

Nigerian Feminists Forum, for example, rushed out a statement saying the senators had legalized paedophilia.

Gender and Constitution Reform Network decried the Senate’s failure to repeal that subsection: “The harm of maintaining (it) which is open to

...at a very critical moment when the Senate President should have demonstrated purposeful leadership, he failed dismally

of marriages other than marriages under Islamic law and customary law including matrimonial cases relating thereto”.

How come that two different issues – citizenship renunciation and underage marriage, one very emotive) got terribly mixed up and in such a manner that put the nation on edge? The media, to a very large extent, is to blame. By incorrectly labeling senators as having endorsed child marriage the media literally put the cat among the pigeons. The Senate vote controversy puts in very sharp relief the power of the media as an opinion molder.

But it also exposes how much harm it can do to social order if it feeds the public with wrong information. There is a big

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”

lesson here: media houses henceforth should ensure that their parliamentary correspondents have the right training to report the legislature factually and sensibly.

As for the Senate leadership, it waited too late to offer an explanation of what truly happened on the floor of the upper chamber of the National Assembly that day. Two senators did come out to deny that the Senate had allowed child marriage, but they did it on their own, not on behalf of the entire upper chamber. Their explanation was not strong enough to steady frayed nerves. It took some days later for the leadership to react officially to the reports, and another one day for the Senate President, David Mark, to state “the fact” of what happened. “We are on the side of the people; that was why we put it that we should delete it (Section 29 (40(b)).

That was what the people wanted”, he told visiting a Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN) team on Wednesday.

“We, in fact, are the first people that took a step in the right direction of deleting it. It didn’t go through because of other tangential issues that were brought in on the floor of the Senate, totally inconsequential issues, unconnected issues that were brought in”. He alleged senators were blackmailed. The question is who by. The truth is that at a very critical moment when the Senate President should have demonstrated purposeful leadership, he failed dismally. Asking Nigerians to show understanding isn’t good enough; an apology for a personal failure will be more like it.

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OUR VISION

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

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 13

Opinion Gulak on Lamido: Truth is sacrosanct

By Timawus Mathias

W

hat an old man, sitting under a tree, sees a young man atop the tree will hardly ever see. Thus goes a profound multi ethnic African saying, and right this moment, it seems to be the caution Presidential Adviser on Political Matters Ahmed Ali Gulak needs.

For if he gave heed to this adage which he so well knows even in his native Marghi dialect, he would not have run his mouth like he did on SuleLamido, Governor of Jigawa state, who has wisely warned President Goodluck Jonathan that securing the presidential ticket of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 elections will not guarantee his re-election. But because Gulak is bent on serving out his short term purpose, he would rather paraphrase SuleLamido in such a way that worsens the predicament of President Goodluck Jonathan, rising from one political blunder into another, albeit, demonizing Lamido.

Gulaksaid in a retort to Lamido’s timely caution, “the victory of President Jonathan in 2015, if he decides to contest lies with the Nigerian electorate and God”, as if this is not exactly the same thing that Lamido drawing attention to! For Lamido had said, “If you are saying his party must give him the ticket, it is okay. They

can say so. But it doesn’t mean he is going to win the election.

But when you say he must win the election, then what are you talking abou?” He must answer this question. What you are talking about is that even God has no mind and role on the matter of Goodluck Jonathan and Gulak must know that this is what SuleLamido is saying. God, through the people will reveal a mind on the matter, and the people will decide. It is this notion that whoever PDP fields, is a winner that is grossly abusive of the national conscience and indeed overheats the polity. Thus, when Gulak said “Governor SuleLamido cannot make Jonathan a president.

The fate of the president lies with Nigerian electorates and the PDP delegates at the presidential primary election. First is that the delegates to the presidential election will decide that Jonathan as the presidential flag bearer for the party, then the next stage is for the people to decide his fate as the Nigerian electorates and God”, and Gulak said so in perfect agreement with Governor SuleLamido. So how could Lamido have overheated the polity?

What the Presidency finds irksome is in Lamido’s assertion of fact and truth about loquacious Pa Edwin Clark: “This old man… in 2011, the name Edwin Clark, was not part of the PDP vocabulary.

But look at it today; it has become the main vocabulary. And what is

the qualification?“When before the election, somebody is saying ‘our son must serve a second term,’ while second term comes after election, what you are saying is a factor of the election! But when you say he must win the election, why then do we have democracy?”

Again, truth as sacrosanct from Lamido, and Gulak must admit it as good advice to the President who stands to benefit from it. In fact SuleLamido earns Gulak’s pay when he admonishes: “It is about politics and about PDP and he (Clark) had no input in making the president. He met Jonathan as a finished product, not as a raw material. That was why I said Edwin Clark was never part of the PDP vocabulary in 2011. Was he?

No! Recall that Edwin Clark was Education Federal Commissioner under General Yakubu Gowon, then, also a child of necessity just like his adopted “fatherless” son Goodluck Jonathan, uplifted into the Federal Cabinet as part of assuage of the South South who were being rescued from the Biafran occupation. This adoption can rescue from penury and obscurity, but it does not inflict madness. You can not run away from truth, no matter how bitter. SuleLamido is sincere, arrogantly so by nature, and suffers no fools kindly. He thundered truth Northern Nigeria believes - AsariDokubo and Clark, where were they in 2010? Where were

they when PDP held its primaries?

Nigeria made Clerk grow till 86 and secure. Is he giving the same hopes to younger Nigerians to be 80? Is he giving it to those who are 10 and 20 now by his pronouncements?”

Where was Gulak when Lamido and other eminent persons in the G34 laid their lives on the line and laboured to force Abacha’s hands into letting democracy be?

They did not pay the supreme price, thank God, but could have, and in deed languished in jail - 9 of them honoured today with monuments by Lamido in Dutse with the G9 quarters, scarring his memory for life. It was in the Abacha gulags that the foundation for the PDP was laid? Where was Gulak in 2011, when Lamido and his colleagues had their properties razed down in protests in which they were labelled apostates as they boldly staked their reputation and at the risk of losing personal life in 2011 to stick in principle to the truth of President Goodluck Jonathan deserving reelection after succeeding the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua?

When President Goodluck Jonathan declared a State of Emergency in the North-East states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe to deal with the Boko Haram insurgency and related security problems plaguing the region, the whole country united and rallied round him because for once, he

In search of role models

By Ahmad Salkida

A

s my parents would say, when they were growing up and getting married in the 60s, they revered great leaders and wished that their children would grow up to emulate these leaders.

They proudly recalled.Nigeria’s past heroes as if ‘they once walked on water’. The Sardauna of Sokoto, TafawaBalewa, NnamdiAzikiwe and others like them were wonderful role models. Our parents looked up to them, and so do we today because of their accomplishments. These leaders, it would appear, placed the needs of their subjects ahead of theirs and made sacrifices their ethos in public service.

Today, many Nigerians feel betrayed whenever our leaders stand on podiums to extol the excellent work of our past leaders.

At the funeral of Prof. Chinua Achebe, Nigeria’s literary icon, the follies of our leaders played out glaringly when President Goodluck Jonathan recounted reading Things Fall Apartin 1971. Many in the audience that evening felt the President did not learn any lessons from the book. And so, for me and numerous other countrymen, the question rings profoundly: Who are the role models in Nigeria’s contemporary political leadership?

There’s hardly any voice that speaks hope. Both from the camps of those occupying the various Government Houses today and the ones in opposition you routinely

receive in different decibels the voices of deceit. There’s nothing in the open pointing housing, healthcare, quality education, electricity, and access to potable water.

Steadily, it has been more of those that uphold ethical precepts that are routinely losing out, and those with dubious characters are heavilyon the ascendancy. Merit and hard work are hardly any qualification for elevation in any field of endeavour instead nepotism and crass political patronage are the rule. Journalism that ought to be the ground of cultivated values is up to the dogs, sadly. This is the case in many spheres of our public life, where many that decided not to thread the path of corrupt and retrogressive leaders, and chose to adhere to the highest ethical conduct are silenced and hounded into submission or passivity. I

“

have asked myself who among today’s rulers could inspire and not despair. Who could be a leader and not be a dealer? Who could be a real refreshing breath of fresh air, not a grandstanding, dubious claimant? I can only think of one or maybe two, but I couldn’t think of a third person in a country with over 160 million people.

Although, a role model can vary from one person to another, however, my focus, here is; are today’s leaders as selfless and committed to the overall good of Nigeria like what we see in some of the names mentioned here?

Why is the disconnect between today’s leaders and their followers so wide that they have to protect themselves with armoured vehicles and heavily armed guards? Can a leader serve without accumulating questionable wealth for himself and for his family? Can we have

Why is the disconnect between today’s leaders and their followers so wide that they have to protect themselves with armoured vehicles and heavily armed guards? Can a leader serve without accumulating questionable wealth for himself and for his family? Can we have a Madiba in Nigeria whose mission in governance was not the institutionalization of self, who served a single term and stepped down without being heckled?

a Madiba in Nigeria whose mission in governance was not the institutionalization of self, who served a single term and stepped down without being heckled? Who left power willingly for the younger generation of South Africans at a time he could command a landslide win in any national election?

There was something about most of Nigeria and Africa’s founding fathers that made them very special. They led by example, raised the bar for us, and we wish to be like them but today, I doubt if I want my children to be like any of the Governors or presidents that emerge today.

A look at one of my favourite pictures of our founding fathers, the picture of Nigeria’s Prime Minister, TafawaBalewa with his two children taking sugarcane in his farm. He sat on the mat with very modest clothes during a vacation in 1963. Such modesty was glaring when these leaders were found to have near empty bank accounts when they were killed in 1966. Can our local council chairmen today live a modest lifestyle? Today’s leaders at all levels of governance in Nigeria are in a race to have the fattest foreign bank accounts, the most palatial mansions, who will be treated in the best hospitals around the world when they or members of their families fall sick.

Today’s leaders or ‘bad’ role models have no compunction with the way they globe-trot with their private jets amidst the squalor

was acting real Presidential with courage and patriotism to address a stubborn society plague. Instead of shore up on the approval rating, the Presidency’s dabbling into the politics of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and produced for Nigeria the embarrassing democratic equation in which 19 votes were defeated by 16.

This has not yet been settled, in Rivers State House of Assembly, 5 votes have attempted to oust 25 in a totally unnecessary debacle of First Republic type political thuggery. All this crises diminish the Presidency.

The full import of Governor SuleLamido’s caution is that no aberration can ever stand for the norm. In politics, like minds come together and are bound by ground rules made for all, and not for one individual. The rules are the ties that bind. The tragedy of the Peoples Democratic Party is the persistent deliberate flouting of Democratic norms and practice while living the lie that we are practicing the American type democracy which as we all know, can not thrive if the people do not agree. The tragedy of the ruling party is an insecure and politically flatfooted Presidency, diminished by under performance and now resorting to arm-twisting and willy-nilly emasculation of all mature counsel.

Timawus Mathias via timmathias64@yahoo.com and indignation of the people they claim to be working for.

Apart from the general despair of any likelihood that things will ever change for the better in our lifetime, the generality of Nigerians have not witness practical dividends of democracy other than the strange cute scorecards that are published regularly. Today, the absence of role models have made it practically difficult for our traditional rulers, religious leaders, elders, or political leaders to ask restive or irate youths to rest their fists and shun violence.

Many youth will say we have never seen your kids in the schools we attended, under trees, with no instructional manuals, no teachers, where we have to stay at home many times due to strikes. Many youth will say how can they stop violence when, in fact, it was you, politicians, that provided them with money to buy hard drugs, money for training, provided them with weapons and charms to kill or intimidate people, especially their opponents for them to win elections. Today’s political elites erected high parameter fences around their houses, built private boreholes while the community in which they live is bereft of any public amenity. These rulers siphon the resources meant to build hospitals, roads and schools to support the industrialization drive and real estates of many developed countries and invested heavily in their companies and banks, while our industries that can provide jobs to teeming youths are in ruins.

Nigeria is indeed, in need of role models.

Ahmad Salkida wrote from the United Arab Emirate

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

Opinion

Freedom of women in old Sokoto Caliphate

By Bless James Anuwanida

M

any years ago before the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate, women were regarded more as property to be possessed, used and discarded at will. They were considered inferior both physically and mentally to men and therefore could not decide for themselves.

Even their consent in marriage was not necessary as they all accepted the choice of their parents and guardians. To the Buddhist, women are the greatest liars from whom truth is difficult to obtain. To the Chinese, women are described as a water woe that washes away all fortune. Western civilization which has its roots in the Greco-Roman civilization instead of up lifting the status of women with the coming of industrialization degraded them to the status of mistresses and societal butterflies employed as tools of pleasure for men.During the period of Jahiliya, Arabian societies buried their daughters alive. This condition of women continued in most societies and appeared to have spread over a very large area.

In Hausa land, too, before the Sokoto Caliphate, women were faced with similar problems of the denied of their rights. Women both young and old paraded on the streets, markets and public places without covering themselves as recommended by Islam. Those who

established were married were many schools treated like slaves. where many Subservience young boys and to the husband Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, girls received was emphasized text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written regular lessons. instead of Not quite obedience to God. contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters long, many Women were over - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your girls came burdened with name and a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be to memorize domestic work addressed to: the Qur’an such as fetching by heart and water, firewood, became very cooking, washing, The Editor, vast in Arabic and general house Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, grammar. They work. They were also translated used on farms 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. poems from and gardens Email: opinion@peoplesdailyng.com Arabic to the as providers of SMS: 08134607052 commonly free labour. In used languages certain respect, men. They should know the articles of the localities. they were denied inheritance.

In times of social emancipation, of faith, rules and regulations Even the dowry paid by their regarding ablution, prayers, fasting, while in the pre-jihad days, some husbands, are appropriated by men gave their wives ample their parents, guardians and elders. business transactions and duties opportunity to move, others which they have to accomplish.

Above all, women were left in the prevented their movement AbdullahiDanfodio changed the dark without being educated and completely even in the face of husbands, with the responsibility without being thought what God certain necessities. The caliphate of providing their wives with said they should know. authority turned to the institution education.

A wind of change suddenly of purdah which Islam has Nana Asma’u, the renowned blew across Hausa land with instituted. Women had social daughter of the Shehu was a firm the establishment of the Sokoto obligation which included: visiting advocate of women education. She Caliphate, which brought about parents, the sick’s one, other considered a right for women to go positive changes in the society relations, the guest for knowledge in search of knowledge when the and the women folk. The leaders as well as buying and selling. These husband failed to provide her with of the caliphate called for the were permitted. Anything outside it. With this policy not long after education of women and their these necessities was not allow for the consolidation of the caliphate emancipation from oppression. unlicensed movement of women many women became highly According to the shehu, a guest for which the caliphate leaderships educated in the Islamic religious Islamic knowledge is obligatory argued was capable of spreading knowledge consequently, they upon women just as it is upon

WRITE TO US

corruption to women hood.

Husbands were asked to allow their wives to answer the call of nature if there was no provision for that in the house. They were also allowed to attend prayers.

As to the transaction of business, they were allowed if they could not get a close relation, or old women to do it on her behalf.

The market should be within the locality since the women are not allowed to undertake a journey without her husband or blood relation. Old women are not forbidden to transact business in the market as long as they would adhere to the Islamic ethics of dressing. Male petty traders were not allowed to carry their wears from house to house selling them to married women.

In respect of the marriage of young girls, the caliphate leadership insisted on the freedom of girls in chosen their husbands in which case the role of the parent becomes only advisory. The caliphate leadership also insisted that when they should be divorce, he should be treated kindly. And the caliphate leaderships insisted that women should be given their share of inheritance as stipulated by the sharia.

Bless James Anuwanida is a 300 level mass communication undergrad at University of Maiduguri

How long must the king dance naked?

By Jonas Chinedu

I

have watched, with consternation, the events of the recent few weeks in my only country, Nigeria. The brazen show of impunity and indecorum among people that should ordinarily be role models is not only mind boggling but also utterly detestable.

In frustration, first I asked myself, ‘Must the king dance naked?’ But before the answer could come up, the king was already gyrating hysterically. Hence, I had to change my poser, ‘How long must the King dance naked?’ A related question is, ‘Who is beating this macabre drum to which the king is dancing?’ And of course, ‘Have all the implications been carefully considered?

Before I go further, let me clarify that if by the title of this piece, you were thinking of Fred Agbeyegbe’s ‘The King Must Dance Naked’, you are not completely to be blamed. Indeed, the title was borrowed from that drama.

However, here I am referring to the recent travails of the Rivers State Governor, RotimiChibuikeAmaechi and the role of the Presidency.

Many people have worked tirelessly to distance the President from the unsavory melodrama. To all practical purposes, anyone trying to absolve the Presidency of blame in this saga is just being hypocritical.

But then in my dear country, hypocrisy has been elevated to a point where it is beginning to be glorified. God forbid! In any case, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, recently put to rest the issue of who is behind the unjustifiable high-handedness

being meted out to Governor Amaechi. Speaking during a visit by some bishops from the Niger Delta, she confirmed what must people already knew, namely that the Presidency was responsible.

The truth is that the Presidency has gone full naked in the fight against an elected governor. But the sad part is that we cannot see the sins of the governor nor indeed how this fight fits into the transformation agenda of Mr. President. Rather, what we see is a flagrant abuse of authority and serial rape of constitutionality. The misuse of instruments of state, including but not limited to the aviation authorities and the police for personal wars is very worrisome and every decent folk, who has the love of this country at heart must vehemently condemn it. That may not solve the problem nor deter the President and his men, but neither would silence deter them. In the

“

end, we must all speak out because keeping silent would amount to a conspiracy, an unforgivable one.

Like, FelaAnikulapoKuti, I Go Shout Plenty O. Of greater concern to me is how low the morals in this country have degenerated. I watch the characters that have yielded themselves to be used for an ignoble, personal agenda and I worry at the future of this country. Look at the governor of one of the states! Considered one of the performing governors, he has morphed into a disaster. He was the one that publicly confessed to rigging elections in his state; he was the one that dashed out one million Naira each to party officials to ‘quench their hunger’, actually he was trying to buy their loyalty; he was the same person that gave out two Prado Jeeps to 2face and his wife as a wedding gift in addition to sponsoring 30 people to Dubai to attend the wedding – all with state funds!

Of greater concern to me is how low the morals in this country have degenerated.

I watch the characters that have yielded themselves to be used for an ignoble, personal agenda and I worry at the future of this country. Look at the governor of one of the states! Considered one of the performing governors, he has morphed into a disaster.

He was the one that publicly confessed to rigging elections in his state...

Jonah Jang himself, to perpetuate the shame, has continued to parade himself as the NGF Chairman. With his state perpetually under siege by retrogressive elements, he still finds time to be used for another person’s unjust war. Incredible!The Rivers state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu, is another character that has thrown everything away- professionalism and integrity - and elected to be a willing tool for destabilization of the state. Matters came to a head one faithful Tuesday, when the Nyesom 5 attempted to impeach the speaker of the state assembly in what seemed like a re-enactment of brigandage in Anambra State years ago. The fact that the police was written to provide additional security but failed to do so speaks volumes. The house leader, ChidiLoyd, was incredibly brutal in his attack on a fellow human being; I am appalled at his heartlessness.

Nevertheless, the police that actively allowed that breakdown of law and order have questions to answer. Declaring the house leader and a few others wanted is not sufficient rather a full scale investigation into the fracas of that day is required. What of the Minister of State for Education, NyesomWike? What of the state PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah? What of the leader of the Nyesom 5, Evans Bipi (well, in any case, Bipi’s own history connects very well with the role he is playing currently)?

One wonders, can’t these actors see that they are only securing themselves places in the hall of shame? Do they think that Nigeria

will always remain this brutish and base? They should make no mistakes; Nigeria will emerge from this quagmire again. A time will come when everyone’s role will be critically evaluated and the blacklegs will be consigned into where they rightly belong – utter darkness. My counsel to Mr. President especially is to take urgent steps to address this situation as the father of the country. He should refuse to be used by sycophants around him to set this country ablaze but rather sit back and honestly ask himself, ‘How long must the king dance naked?’ It is a wise man, who realizing that he is headed in a wrong direction makes a u-turn knowing that however hard he tries, he cannot arrive at his destination as long as he is not in the right path. The reasons that have been advanced for the Governor’s persecution, chief among which is his rumoured 2015 vice-presidential ambition as well as the fact that the NGF under his leadership is perceived to be antagonistic to the Presidency, are not tenable in a democracy, more so in a federal structure. In case he is looking at OBJ, Mr. President should realize that OBJ is still relevant today in spite of all the shame he presided over because all his successors have performed abysmally lower than he did. What is Dr. Jonathan going to leave in his account when he leaves office? He should think hard about it.

Jonas Chinedu can be reached on jones.nedu@ gmail.com.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 15

Comment CBN’s familiar trademark

By Akusoba Christopher Chigozie

I

n February 28, 2007, Nigerians were greeted with joy as CBN heralded the introduction of polymer banknotes of lower denominations to replace 5 to 50 naira paper banknotes, although, the introduction of 5, 10 and 50 naira paper note into polymer were delayed till the late 2009.

Nigerians were consigned into the state of euphoric mood as their beloved country was placed at par with other technological conscious countries which have earlier embraced polymer banknotes. The polymer banknote is associated with many positive advantages and the principal among them is its life span. The average life span of the polymer banknote is 5 years compare to 1 year that of paper note. Although, polymer banknote was three times more costly to produce than paper note but when you place its average life span of 5 years into consideration you have to concur that it is 2 times more cost effective than paper banknotes.

The country that pioneered

polymer banknote technology was Australia. It was introduced in 1988 with introduction of 10 Australian dollar paper note into polymer and was followed by NewZealand which introduce polymer in 1999. This was catalyzed as a consequence of widespread reported cases of forgery and counterfeit of Australian paper notes. Polymer notes are made from special protective coating of non-porous polymer which strengthens its durability and this also renders its counterfeit practical impossible. It is environmental friendly as it can be easily disposed and recycled into plastic product.

In 1999, Romania became the first European country to join the polymer note back- wagon and third in the world. In 2003, Zambia became the first African country to adopt polymer note in place of paper notes when it issued 500 kwacha and 1000 kwacha polymer.

Canada, Vietnam and so many other countries in the world have embraced the emerging technology of polymer. Many countries and organizations have open testified the numerous benefits of polymer

banknote. In 2008, CBN made a very strong case for polymer banknote prior to its introduction; they showcased a sophistry of a higher degree as a struggle to outwit the critics enraged. CBN said that their research finding tilts towards Polymer superiority over paper notes. The inherent benefits of the proposed polymer are carefully itemized by CBN and it appears very irresistible. Nigerians happily welcome CBN sacrosanct policy and was introduced and launched in 1st October 2007. Ever since the introduction in 2007 till 2013, the polymer notes have ever enjoyed the acceptability of every Nigerian.

Polymer banknotes of lower denominations have been in circulation for over six year and have enjoyed high level of public acceptability. Expectations were high among Nigerians that CBN next level of action is on the offing which will be formally introduction of higher denominations paper into polymers. This dream was dashed as CBN has announced policy reversal of polymer notes of lower currency denomination

back into paper. This rattling news comes as a rude shock to wellmeaning Nigerians and has been generating controversies ever since then. I considered the reasons for this policy reversal not cogent enough and can be taken to be too flimsy. On the point one, he said that polymer notes wizen when exposed to heat. On the point two, he made case for environmental unfriendliness of polymer.

These reasons are unconvincing; if polymer notes shrivel and fade when it comes in touch with heat then paper banknotes pucker, stain and tear when wet. Presently, every waste product is being recycled and put in other uses. Polymer plastic products are not an exception as they can easily be recycled and be converted into other useful products. This is in tandem with the actions of polymer embraced countries. Among the two, polymer lasts longer and it is more environment friendly than paper notes.

CBN should have told Nigerians the true reasons underlying their actions. Average Nigerian abhors

Drop that case, Jonathan

By Levi Obijiofor

W

hat does President Goodluck Jonathan aim to achieve by taking legal action against the Leadership newspapers company and two of its journalists -- Tony Amokeodo and Chibuzo Ukaibe? The journalists were charged at an Abuja Federal High Court on 11 counts of forgery and conspiracy. Their employer, Leadership, was also joined in the suit. The defendants were charged with falsifying a document entitled “Bromide of the Presidential Directive” and intentionally publishing it on the front page of the newspaper edition of 3 April 2013, knowing that it could “be used or acted upon as genuine”. The case has dragged back and forth for three months now. When the Presidency first expressed indignation over the publication by Leadership newspaper, the newspaper said emphatically it stood by its story.

That marked the beginning of angry exchanges between the newspaper group and the government.

In a feisty reply to the statement

by Leadership that it would not retract its story, Reuben Abati, the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, wrote angrily in a press release: “The circulation of a fictitious ‘presidential directive’ that seeks in the main to cause civil strife, engender a breakdown of law and order, and negate the values of our democracy is a very grievous act indeed that should not be ignored.

At its core, such a disruptive act erodes the ethos of governance and professionalism and naturally stirs up those entrusted with the protection of law and order; as it should also, every responsible citizen, interest group and the entire media.

In that regard, President Jonathan did not have to issue any orders before those who have as much constitutional responsibility as the media; that is, the police, see the need to act in the public interest.”

While the government believed it had valid grounds to express outrage over the publication, the Leadership newspaper said the

government was overstating the case. The newspaper was not willing to admit it erred and the government was adamant it had a clear case of forgery. The two sides were not prepared to engage in meaningful dialogue. Charges were first laid against the journalists and Leadership newspaper in mid-April 2013. On 2 May this year, the case was dropped after the initial six charges were withdrawn by the prosecution counsel. The accused journalists thought the allegations against them were over. Not so, it seems. One month later (June 2013), the Federal Government returned to the courts with fresh charges against the two journalists and Leadership newspaper.

It would appear the government’s recourse to legal action rather than direct engagement with the newspaper over the publication was designed to either intimidate Leadership newspaper or to extract an unreserved apology from the organisation or to send the unmistakable message that it would no longer tolerate media reports that are intended to denigrate the character of the president.

Whatever might be the reason for the legal action, it must be said the government acted rather harshly and imperiously. If Leadership newspaper had breached the criminal codes of the nation, the matter should be dealt with by the appropriate institution of law.

Directly or indirectly, Jonathan and the Presidency have no business descending to such a low level.

Jonathan in particular must be mindful not to be seen to be acting like a vindictive autocrat who is intolerant of press criticism. While one recognises the powers granted to the president by the Constitution, it would be tyrannous for the president to use those powers obnoxiously.

This is not the first time that Leadership would be taken to court for irritating the Federal Government or a serving Nigerian president. In 2008, former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua took the

newspaper to court over what the Presidency termed false reporting or misrepresentation of the President’s health condition. The government alleged at the time that Leadership newspaper deliberately published a misleading report about Yar’Adua’s declining health and embellished it with claims that Yar’adua failed to turn up at official state functions which he was scheduled to attend.

It was that report that triggered Yar’adua’s anger. It did not matter whether he was in good health or poor health. Yar’adua was able to direct his team of lawyers to start legal action against Leadership newspaper group.

What did Leadership newspaper say about Yar’adua that infuriated the man? According to The Guardian (Sunday, 9 November 2008), Leadership newspaper reported on Saturday, 8 November 2008 that: “Yar’adua has not attended any public function in the last two days... His deteriorating health prevented him from attending yesterday’s (last Friday’s) Jumma’at prayer at the National Mosque. Earlier, he had also failed to show up at Sheraton Hotel, where he was billed to attend a function along with the visiting German president. No excuse was advanced for the president’s absence on both occasions.”

On sighting the report, Yar’adua and his aides were incensed, especially when presidential assistants said they recognised that Yar’adua attended the events but the newspaper report stated the president was weighed down by his health problems that prevented him from attending the events. The Presidency said it had photographs and other proof to confirm that Yar’adua attended his public duties. Olusegun Adeniyi, acting in his capacity as Yar’adua’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, presented a vigorous defence of the ailing president. He said: “There is no truth in the entire report and the lies on which it hangs are so easy to disprove that the only reasonable conclusion is that the publishers of the newspapers ran the report in

furtherance of their reprehensible efforts to embarrass the President and destabilize his Administration…

If it had any regard for the truth at all and made the least effort to confirm the veracity of the assertions in its report, Leadership newspaper would know that the claim that Yar’adua has not attended any public function in the last two days is a big lie.”

Adeniyi’s strong denial of Leadership newspaper’s report showed the Presidency took the newspaper report as the hallmark of disrespect for the president. You could see a similar pattern in the serious tone with which Reuben Abati responded to the alleged offence committed by Leadership newspaper against President Jonathan.

In a democracy, it is regarded as out of place for a serving president or prime minister to take legal action against a newspaper, regardless of the gravity of the offence committed by journalists or news organisations. Jonathan might claim that, in this case, his choice of legal action against the journalists and their employer should be seen as a righteous way to express anger rather than resorting to other more high-handed options such as sending armed soldiers to seal the newspaper premises.

This was a common way through which military dictators in Nigeria suppressed press freedom.

Nevertheless, the fact that two journalists who work for Leadership newspapers were incarcerated by the police in the early days of this case showed that our law enforcement agencies have retained some of the remnants of the tactics used by military dictators to harass journalists and to restrict freedom of the press. This case has exposed the contradictions in Jonathan’s working philosophy. Days after he was sworn in as president, Jonathan talked repetitively about his respect for press freedom and his determination to enforce the rule of law. After two years in office, we no longer hear him reiterate his mantra or see him put into practice his prior

corruption and will happily support any policy against this odious menace. CBN owes Nigerians the truth and the truth must be told at all time to repose the public confidence and trust. Securency, having been indicted on the allegation of corruption and sharp practices is automatically ineligible to handle Nigeria currency and any contract it has with CBN and Nigeria should be cancel forthwith.

International best practices must be used on the issue concerning naira currency. Further research should be conducted by CBN concerning the Polymer note to ascertain the validity of the issues against naira polymer. More competent firm should take over the printing of naira polymer incase the issues against naira polymer are unfounded. Nigerians are exhausted of the frequent cases of CBN policy somersault and their only wish is to have a stabilized economic and monetary system which only CBN can avail. CBN cannot afford to fail the yarning and expectations of Nigerians. CBN should acquiescent themselves with proper research to forestall try and error method which has become the modus operandi of the organization in the past.

Akusoba Christopher Chigozie via chrischigozieakusoba@ pledge.

Jonathan’s decision to take legal action against two journalists and their employer has obvious implications for journalism practice and for the nation. The public can expect Jonathan to focus not on matters that require urgent state attention but on personal matters that contribute nothing to the advancement of the nation.

Jonathan’s tenacity in taking journalists to court suggests that he will dedicate his precious time to screening daily newspaper reports in search of matters he might consider offensive to the president.

Will Jonathan and his advisers be able to set aside valuable time to scrutinise newspaper pages in search of enemies?

There is even a more serious reason why Jonathan should drop the legal action against the two journalists employed by Leadership newspaper. Jonathan, like state governors, enjoys immunity from prosecution. Immunity for the president is recognised in the Nigerian Constitution. This implies that Jonathan, in his capacity as president, cannot be dragged to court to testify in his own case. The President, by virtue of the immunity he enjoys, will not be able to testify in court until he leaves office. The two journalists who are facing criminal charges cannot counter-sue Jonathan as they do not enjoy any immunity privilege as Jonathan does? There is no fairness in this case.

Defamation or deliberate falsehood that denigrates someone’s character should never be encouraged by newspaper owners and journalists. The right to publish has never included the right to defame or injure the personality of public officials. Press freedom carries associated obligations and responsibilities. Nevertheless, there are more pressing matters or obligations that should engage the attention of a president. To put it more forcefully, it is not the duty of Jonathan or his courtiers to comb the pages of daily newspapers in search of defamatory material. The office of president is a distinguished and venerable position. It must never be abused or belittled.

Levi Obijiofor is reachable on LinkedIn.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 16

FCTA cautions residents over proliferation of medical outfits

Gbagyi cultural troupe entertaining guests, during the launching of Health Insurance Scheme, on Tuesday at Karshi, in Abuja.

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has raised alarm over the proliferation of sub-standard medical outfits in the territory, warning residents against patronizing such outfits.

The Secretary FCT Health & Human Services Secretariat(HHSS), Dr. Demola Onakomaiya disclosed this when the official of FCT Private Health Establishment Registration and Monitoring Committee ( PHERMC) went for its routine and unscheduled visit to Abuja Unity hospital and maternity in Lugbe.

Dr. Demola said that the hospital was registered by a retired nurse and a doctor to cover the smooth running of the hospital initially, but the registrar of PHERMC later discovered that there is no doctor covering the facility, he strongly advices her to employ a doctor but she resisted to do so.

He added that the committee visited the facility after hearing the rumors and allegations of complicated twins delivery, whereby the first twin baby could not be delivered easily as a result of which the shoulder was dislocated due to untrained personnel that took the delivery, leading to the death baby later.

According to the Secretary, “in addition, the owner of the hospital has not renewed her practicing license for the year 2013; she has no qualified nurses and the environment is very untidy therefore the hospital is being run above the scope of its operation.

The Secretary who attributed the proliferation to the ever - increasing influx of people into the FCT, however said the administration is on top of the situation, adding that FCT- HHSS has been empowered to deal with such ugly situation through the activities of the PHERMC. Speaking earlier the registrar of PHERMC, Dr. Ibrahim Tata, urged residents of the territory to always demand for license issued by the FCT administration before registering as a patient in any hospital.

The Registrar, while urging owners of private hospitals, to conspicuously display their certificate of the facility with PHERMC in their reception, he advised residents to as a matter of urgency raise alarm wherever they suspect such outfits to be operating around them.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Commuters groan over security checkinduced gridlock on Abuja-Keffi highway

By Stanley Onyekwere with agency report

A

security checkpoint mounted by military personnel on the Abuja-Keffi road Wednesday caused a gridlock and forced many commuters working in the FCT, to get to their places of work late.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that many commuters mostly from the adjoining communities of Karu, Nyanya, Jikwoyi, among others in the FCT as well as neighbouring communities in Nasarawa State spent many hours on the road.

It was also revealed that the security checkpoint at Kugbo, Federal, which started early in the morning, resulted in long columns of vehicles stretching many kilometres.

However, some commuters

who expressed worry over the development argued that it was inexplicable considering the usual heavy traffic gridlocks recorded during peak periods along the axis.

Many passengers were stranded along the road as commercial vehicles and private cars, which would have conveyed them to their work places and businesses, were all trapped in the unpredicted and unprecedented heavy traffic.

One, Mr Augustine Ekechi, a Civil Servant, told NAN that he was stranded at the Karu Roundabout because the commercial vehicles were all trapped in the traffic jam.

“For the past three hours, I have not been able to get any vehicle to convey me to the office. This is unusual and unbearable”, he said.

Miss Glory Nwachi, said that she had left her home in Keffi as early as 6a.m to beat the traffic

congestion and to meet up with her daily activities, but only to get trapped for about an hour -plus on the security-check induced-traffic gridlock.

Similarly, a commuter, Mr. Chukwunonyerem Nna, who condemned the security check, said it was not necessary especially in the morning hours, ‘because it is frustrating to be in traffic for many hours.’

“Imagine the kind of situation the security check has put people into; passengers got stranded; overheating cars parked at roadsides and appointments missed.

“This kind of check is uncalled for in the morning hours as many people who are using the highway have commitments within the town and far away”, Nna expressed..

Another commuter, Mrs

Court discharges man accused of abducting 14-year-old girl for marriage

A

Grade 1 Area Court sitting in Aso Pada, Mararaba, on Wednesday discharged one Musbau Ahmed, 28, of Tudun Wada, Mararaba, accused of abducting a 14-year-old girl for marriage.

The police prosecutor, Cpl. Inuwa Maigida, told the court that he needed indefinite adjournment to enable him bring witnesses to court.

“We cannot go on with the

case today; I have tried on several occasions to get in touch with the nominal complainant but to no avail.

“This is a serious offence; we shall apply for the court to adjourn the matter indefinitely, till the complainant shows up”, Maigida said.

However, the presiding judge, Mr Albert Maga, over ruled the prosecution’s application.

He said: “The case was mentioned on April 10, and since then, the complainant has never appeared in court; and it is very clear that they have lost interest in this case.

“I therefore invoke section 165 of the Criminal Procedure Code; the case is hereby struck out and the accused person discharged.’’

Maga said to Ahmed, “If you want to marry, do it legally not by

FCT NDLEA secures 13 convictions in June

T

Justina Ayo, while appealing to the Federal Government to tackle the insecurity challenge in the country, also pointed out that the traffic would not have been heavy and frustrating if the Abuja-Keffi highway had been expanded.

On his part, a trader, Ademola Olagunji, also lamented that the development worsened the enormous stress and loss of man hours encountered while on the road on a daily basis.

Mr. Ibe Joel, a commercial motorist, decried that the situation only added to the woes of drivers, who were losing as a result of the hold ups and could not meet up their daily or weekly returns.

Joel recalled that on a normal day, it was usually tense for motorists during peak periods of between 6.30a.m and 9.30a.m as well as from 3.30p.m to 8.30p.m.

he FCT Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it secured 13 convictions at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in June.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Agency, Mr Peter Adegbe.

According to the statement, during the period, the command secured forfeiture of two vehicles:

Peugeot 406 Saloon car and Peugeot J5 bus used in illicit trade.

The statement said that those sentenced to various jail terms includedFriday Uwadiae and Osageh Imieka.

It added that the duo were arrested with 499.4 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa and were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each.

It further disclosed that one Ismaila Ahmadu

who was arrested with 65.8 grammes of Cocaine was sentenced to a six and half year imprisonment.

The statement also said that one Mustapha Yusuf was sentenced to three years imprisonment for being in possession of 52.8 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa.

The statement however, added that the agency was committed to the enforcement of its responsibilities and would ensure that there was no hiding place for any drug dealer. (NAN)

abduction.”

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Ahmed was arraigned before the court on April 10 for alleged abduction of a 14-year-old girl for marriage.

The accused had pleaded not guilty to the allegation preferred against him.

Earlier, Maigida had told the court that the matter was reported on Jan. 9 at the ‘A’ Division Police Station, Mararaba by Salisu Musa, of Tudun Wada, Mararaba.

He said that sometime in June 2012, Musa discovered that his 14-year-old daughter was missing.

According to him; “But through inquiry, it was discovered that Ahmed abducted her in the name of marriage and took her to unknown destination.

“After the abduction, the girl’s parents and relations searched for her until April 9 when the accused was seen and arrested in Mararaba.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 17

Metro

NHRC boss wants Bala to carry Abuja indigenes along

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

T

he Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu yesterday called on the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed to carry the indigenes of Abuja along in the administration and development of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Odinkalu, who was speaking in Abuja at a workshop on practice and enforcement of human rights in FCT, organized by the Abuja chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung said, “FCT

is the only place in the country where we have a capital without the owners of the land. The owners of Abuja land are driven out of Abuja town to the suburb.”

According to the NHRC chairman, “There is the need to have people from Abuja in the administration and economy of the FCT; and owners of Abuja needed to be treated with dignity, as we got to find a way of giving back to this place”.

In his paper titled, “Expanding the frontiers of human rights: The role of a lawyer”, Odinkalu, while lamenting the high rate of abuse of women in the nation’s capital, challenged legal practitioners to come up with a mechanism

that would check sexual abuse of women in Abuja.

He charged the Unity Bar (Abuja NBA) to take the lead in the efforts by the NBA to stop sexual abuse in the Bar, adding also that, a situation where senior lawyers appropriate young female lawyers as ‘conference materials’ does not portend good image for the legal profession and described such development as a, “culture of indignity, reinforced by impunity.”

NHRC boss noted that the massive demolition by FCT Administration is not only condemnable; it is corrupt and also endangered the lives of everybody living in the FCT.

“The ability of government to care for all who live within its territory is badly compromised by official corruption, indifference, cynicism and abuse of power which afflicts all echelons of governance, including those charged with ensuring accountability for such misconduct”, he stressed.

Earlier in her address, the Chairman, NBA Abuja Human Rights Committee, Mrs. Ozioma Izuora said the Unity Bar’s initiative was to reiterate principles of human rights in order to better understand what needs to be done to take care of those who count on lawyers for solutions and also better understand each other towards

achieving common goals.

According to her, “the concept of the workshop discussion was to find common grounds for collaborations with stakeholders within FCT, with a view to fashioning better ways to make the FCT and the country free from human abuses.

“Human rights practice and enforcement are governed by law. For this reason, some matters are technical and might require explanation, however, these laws are mostly drawn from natural rights which are written in our hearts.

“And the tendency to get sentimental and high-strung about our beliefs might lead us to radically unpleasant outcomes.”

Gwagwalada area council gets anti -corruption unit

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he chairman of the anti corruption unit of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Mr. Ozigis Yakubu, has established an anti-corruption transparency unit in Gwagwalada Area Council to fight corruption in the Council.

Addressing the staff of the area council during the sensitization campaign on anticorruption, Yakubu urged them to always abide by the rules and regulations of the anticorruption.

He said the unit under his supervision would continue to wage war against corruption in all government agencies in the FCT, for the betterment of the society.

He added: “the anticorruption unit of the FCT Administration had treated a lot of anti-corruption cases in the territory, said that more efforts would be intensified to arrest the perpetrators of the corruption.

Yakubu, who noted that the corruption had eaten deep into the fabric of our nation, however advised public servants to eschew corruption.

Speaking at the occasion, the chairman of the Council, Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri, who was represented by the council’s scribe, Alhaji Usman Yahaya, noted that the sensitization campaign by the anti-corruption unit of the FCTA would go along way to curb the corruption as well as bring development into the area and the country at large.

On her part, the chairman of the anti-corruption unit of the area council, Hajiya Hauwa Abubakar, said that the sensitization campaign on anticorruption would strengthen the staff towards combating corruption at all ramifications in the area.

FRSC officials rescuing accident victims, on Tuesday at Appo Bridge, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Yoruba community in FCT berates kinsman over comment on Oba

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Yoruba community in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) has rebuffed a recent statement in a National Daily credited to President of the Yoruba Community Council (YCC) Abuja branch, Prince Adewale Adelabu, that the Yoruba culture does not recognize the title of Oba outside Yoruba land and without the traditional rites and installation.

Condemning the said statement in strong terms, Oba Yoruba- FCT, His Royal Highness, Oba Olusegun Salau, who described it as a reckless statement said it amounts to a threat to peace in the Territory.

This position was contained in a letter to the FCT Commissioner of Police, and other security

agencies titled, “Report of threat to Peace” dated 15th, July, 2013, and signed by the Oba Salau.

The letter reads: “On behalf of the entire Yoruba Obas and Chiefs in Abuja, I wish to officially report to you one Adewale Adelabu, over his alleged reckless statement claiming among other things that use of the title of Oba by the leader of the Yoruba’s in the FCT, was inappropriate.

“As law abiding citizens, we wish to draw your attention to the danger this statement may cause, if not checked. This statement is capable of causing trouble within the Yoruba communities in the FCT and thereby leading to public disturbance.

“We wonder what has come of him to make this statement, more so as he is not in any

position of authority to make such pronouncement. Much as we wanted to ignore him, but we felt it is appropriate to react to this by reporting him to you so that he can be invited and cautioned.”

“The fact that we know that he is not credible to utter such pronouncement, but we felt if not checked the statement may confuse innocent members of the public to believe that what he said was true.”

“Clearly, there exist Obas in Abuja, as we are the traditional heads of our people chosen by Abuja native traditional rulers in our various communities in FCT. We were chosen by these traditional rulers to represent the interest of the Yoruba residence in their communities.”

The letter further affirmed that, “for the avoidance of doubt, myself as the Oba Yoruba of Abuja, I was duly chosen by the Yoruba community in 1995 and officially turbaned and received staff of office from the Ona of Abaji, who is also the chairman of FCT council of Chiefs, HRH Alhaji Adamu BabaYunusa.”

“As for the use of the title of Oba, which he claimed it was inappropriate, we are surprised that he came openly to exhibit his ignorance about what has been in practice all over Yoruba communities outside Yoruba Land. Therefore, using the title in Abuja cannot be an exception.

At the moment, we have Oba Yoruba of Kano, Bauchi, Suleja, Minna, Enugu, just to mention a few.”

PAGE 18

Metro INSIDE FCT COURTS

Nine arraigned over alleged incitement, disturbance

T

he police on Wednesday arraigned eight men and a woman in an Abuja Grade 2 Area Court, Kado for allegedly inciting public disturbance.

The accused were charged for joint act, inciting disturbance, criminal trespass and mischief.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Simeon Ibrahim, gave the names of the accused as Felix Nwaeze, 40; Michael Ndu, 45; Hamza Umar, 40; Nelson Onwuemeodo, 44 and Emeka Okah, 37.

Others are Peter Lawani, 41; Emmanuel Bamidele, 42, Hajiya Zainab, 42; who was absent in court, and Alex Igwema, 48, all traders and shop owners of Utako Market, Abuja.

The prosecutor told the court that, on June 19, one Festus Okoro of Utako Market, Abuja, reported the matter to the Utako police station.

He said that the complainant reported that, on the same day, Felix and eight others used a mega-phone to gather his group.

Ibrahim said that Felix, who was the leader of the group, incited them to cut out and pull down all cables in the market valued at about N300,000.

He said that Felix equally brought a crane vehicle to remove the generator plant belonging to the complainant to an unknown place, but the police arrived on time to foil the attempt.

The prosecutor said that, during police investigation, the accused denied the allegation.

He said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 79, 114, 342 and 327 of the Penal Code.

If found guilty, the offences carry a two-year imprisonment or with fine, or with both.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge.

Counsel to the accused, Mr Chuks Mpama, told the court that ``they are all executive members of the Utako Shop Owners/Traders Association, Abuja. A union recognised by the government.”.

He said ``all (accused) have assets there and need to go back to work. I pray the court to grant them bail.”

Mpama told the court that while the accused were on their way to court accompanied by the police, the complainant sent some technicians back to Utako Market to vandalise the generator.

According to him, unfortunately, a trader saw them and used his phone to photograph the vandals in action and contacted him to inform the police.

The Presiding Officer, Mr Ahmed Ado, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N50,000 each and two sureties, who must have permanent house addresses with their families living with them.

He adjourned the case to Aug. 18, 2013 for further hearing. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

Fashion designer, 22, docked for allegedly stealing 6 pieces of clothes

O

ne Rashidat Suleman, a 22-year-old fashion designer, of No.1, Ontario Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday, appeared in a Wuse Zone 2, Senior Magistrates Court, Abuja for allegedly stealing six pieces of clothes.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Monday Akor, told the court that, on July 17, Chris Nwobi, of same address, reported the accused to the

Maitama police station, Abuja.

According to Akor, Nwobi reported that the accused, who is a fashion designer in his company, stole six pieces of clothes belonging to a customer.

He said that Suleman was standing trial for the offence of theft by servant which was in contravention of Section 289 of the Penal Code.

Section 289 stipulates that ``whoever, being a clerk, or servant, commits theft in respect of any property in the possession of his master or employer shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years or with fine or with both.’’

The accused however pleaded not guilty.

The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Binta

A man pushing his cart loaded with client’s couch, on Wednesday at Nyanya, in Abuja.

Dogonyaro, granted the accused bail in the sum of N5,000 with one reliable surety in like sum who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

She said that the surety must be a person of means who must undertake to produce the accused for her trial.

Dogonyaro adjourned the case to Aug. 12, 2013 for hearing. (NAN)

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Two security guards docked for alleged negligence

T

he Police on Wednesday arraigned two security guards, Mike Chom, 32, and Godima Dashe, 29, in an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court for alleged negligence at their duty post.

Chom and Dashe, both security guards at G. Tech International Motor Ltd, Abuja, are standing trial for negligent conduct before Senior Magistrate Abdullahi Ilelah.

Police prosecutor Simon Emmanuel told the court that the accused neglected their duty posts thereby allowing unknown gunmen to gain entrance into the company premises.

Emmanuel said the armed robbers damaged the company’s generator set and stole electrical cables valued at N277,500. ``The unknown (gun) men cut off the electrical cables that supply light to the company’s

building and ran to an unknown destination,’’ Emmanuel said.

The prosecutor told the court that Mrs Sandra Temiterebo, the company’s admin officer, reported the case at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on July 15.

The prosecutor said the accused persons’ act of neglecting their duty post endangered the lives of the members of staff on duty.

Chom and Dashe, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Magistrate Ilelah granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of N100,000 each and one surety each in like sum.

He ordered that the sureties must have reasonable means of livelihood and must live within the jurisdiction of the court.

Ilelah adjourned the case to Aug. 14, 2013 for further hearing.

(NAN)

Salesman in court for alleged criminal breach of trust, theft

T

he police on Wednesday arraigned Victor Omotosho, 35, in an Abuja Senior Magistrates Court for alleged theft of N200,000 belonging to Fran Gold Limited, Abuja.

Omotosho, who resides at Dape Village, Abuja, is standing trial on two counts of criminal breach of trust and theft.

Police prosecutor Simon

Emmanuel told the court that David Usman of Dei-Dei barracks, who stood in for the director, Fran Gold Ltd, reported the case at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on April 24.

Emmanuel told the court that the accused person is a sales man with Fran Gold limited.

Emmanuel said the director of the company discovered while auditing the company’s sales

accounts that that the accused had stolen N200, 000 without the consent of the management.

The prosecutor said that during police investigation and interrogation, N110, 000 was recovered from Omotosho with a balance of N90, 000 had yet to be paid.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Senior magistrate Abdullahi Ilelah granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with a reasonable surety in like sum.

Ilelah said the surety must have a reasonable means of livelihood and must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

The magistrate adjourned the case to Aug.14, 2013 for hearing.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 19

INSIDE

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

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

he Bank of Industry (BOI) is considering setting up a special desk in Abuja and Lagos to handle investment enquiries by Nigerians in Diaspora.

The Bank also pledged to offer support and investment counseling to Nigerians in the Diaspora to enable them invest in manufacturing sector in the country.

BOI Principal Manger Strategic Planning Mrs Betty Obaseki, said yesterday in Abuja at a capacity building workshop for Diaspora Micro,

BOI pledges investment guidance to Nigerians in Diaspora Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) . ``We consider setting up a special desk in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to attend to the need of the Diasporas”.

She however said that, ``the same products that are available to the Diasporas are available to other Nigerians. There will be no special consideration because we have a dedicated

desk to meet there need”.

The Manager said bank had shifted focus from funding large entrepreneur to Small Medium Entrepreneurs to enhance the growth and development of the economy Obaseki said the bank was mostly interested in funding equipment and machinery for production and not trading noting that ``trading does not add significant value to the

L-R: Head, Mobile Financial Services, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Mr. Mike Ogbalu, Head, Technology & Services, First Bank, Mr. Akin Fanimokun, Director, Regulatory Affairs & Special Projects, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Osondu Nwokoro, and Team-Leader, Public Sector & Telcoms, MFS, Mrs. Folasade Femi-Lawal, during the formal launch of First Monie Talk more campaign, a partnership between First Bank of Nigeria’s First Monie and Airtel Network, recently in Lagos.

Metering: Electricity commission gives distribution firms ultimatum

By Etuka Sunday

A

gainst the backdrop of rampant complaint by electric consumers, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to meter customers or stop collecting the new electricity tariff.

NERC in a statement yesterday said it had discovered a violation of its Order by the DISCOs, and directed DISCOs to submit the list of all customers who paid for meters in January 2011, and commence metering them with immediate effect.

NERC Chairman/CEO Dr. Sam Amadi warned that “any DISCO that does not comply with this new directive will be

barred from collecting the new electricity tariff.”

In a letter dated 19th July, the Commission expressed dismay that all DISCOs have been in complete violation of the order as it relates to customers who have made payments within the given time frame, but are yet to be identified for immediate metering. “NERC views this conduct as totally unresponsive, and undermining the effort of the reform,” Amadi said.

NERC had earlier in the year issued an Order on Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation (CAPMI) , a response by the regulator to address the lingering issue of non-issuance of meters by the electricity companies.

CAPMI allows for any interested and willing customer to advance money to their

electricity distribution Company and in return will be given electricity credit until the cost of the meter has been recovered by the customer.

The CAPMI Order, amongst other things, stipulates that all distribution companies forward to NERC data of all customers who paid for meters but had not been supplied.

It will be recalled that in 2011, a N2.9billion metering intervention fund was made available to the companies with a view to closing the unacceptable metering gap. One year after, no appreciable progress was made by the companies, and this compelled NERC to demand for performance reports from the DISCOs. Eight of the twelve DISCOs submitted reports that fell short of the requirements of NERC.

economy”.

According to her the bank encourages initiatives that transform raw materials to finished products.

She said the best way to grow and develop African and Nigerian economy was to add value to their natural resources than exporting them as raw materials. ``So to ensure growth in Africa and Nigeria economy we have to strengthen our entrepreneurs to enable them transform urn our natural resources to the finished products. ``We need to know the area of where we have comparative advantage, this is what we try to encourage in the bank of industry. ``We are looking for Nigerians, we don’t want to fund foreigners, though that does not rule out the funding of foreign company but such must have up to minimum of 30 to 40 percent Nigeria ownership before accessing the fund”.

She assured them that they need not to anyone before accessing the bank’s loan, ``We are happy to be here to partner with you don’t need to know anybody before getting the loan” she said.

Mr John Achukwu, Director of Operation Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), at the event urged the Diasporas to ensure that they bring in quality machines that is of international standard to avoid being frustrated ``We have to be sure of the integrity of the machine they are bringing if they are coming as industrialists. ``If they are bringing products, we have to be sure of the quality for the products they are bringing so that they will not be frustrated,” he said.

NAHCO’s profit soars by 19pct in Q2 - Pg 20

MTN taps Ghana chief to head key Nigeria business

- Pg 20

Gov Ahmed advocates revival of textile industries

- Pg 22 Exchange Rates CBN

as at 24th July, 2013 Selling Buying

$

154.76

155.76

€

237.63

239.16

£

205.05

206.38

41.26

41.53

Riyal

Parallel Rates Buying

Selling

$

157.50

158.40

€

250

253.00

£

206.00

210.00

Riyal

43.00

45.00

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY

Send a handwritten note

P

ersonal written notes grow rarer by the day. But if you want to convey to a client, a potential customer, a colleague, or a direct report that you value your relationship, put down the Blackberry and reach for a pen.

Emails, tweets, texts, or Facebook messages are easy to write and free to send.

Handwritten notes mean more because they cost more.

Drafting an actual letter involves selecting stationery, paying for stamps, and visiting a mailbox. They let the people know you appreciate them enough to pause for 15 minutes and put pen to paper in an attempt to connect and sustain a relationship with them.

Source: Business Review

Harvard

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 20

Economy

NAHCO’s profit soars by 19pct in Q2

Company News

Skye Bank profit soars up to 5.5 %

N

T

igerian lender Skye Bank’s half-year pretax profit jumped to 10.54 billion naira ($65.83 million), compared with 9.98 billion naira the previous year, the bank said in a filing with the local bourse on Thursday.

Gross earnings at the midtier bank rose to 71.16 billion naira from 59.65 billion naira a year earlier, the bank said. ($1 = 160.1 naira) in a filing to the Nigerian Stock Exchange

Dangote Sugar says H1 pretax profit up 21 %

N

igeria’s Dangote Sugar said on Thursday it posted a 21.33 percent increase in its half-year pretax profit to 9.84 billion naira ($61.46 million), compared with 8.11 billion naira same period last year.

Barclays banker appointed new head of Kenya’s NIC Bank

K

enya’s NIC Bank has appointed John Gachora as group managing director to replace James Macharia, who joined President Uhuru Kenyatta’s cabinet in May, the bank said on yesterday.

Gachora, who will join the mid-tier lender in September, has been the head of corporate and investment banking at Barclays Africa in Johannesburg.

He previously worked with Absa Africa, Bank of America and Credit Suisse First Boston, NIC said in a statement.

His appointment is subject to the approval of the central bank, which regulates Kenyan lenders, NIC added.

Nigeria sells 114.9 bn in T-bills

N

igeria sold 114.89 billion naira ($717.61 million) worth of treasury bills of maturities ranging between 3-month and one year, with yields slightly higher on 91-day and 364-day paper and flat on the 6-month note, central bank data showed on Thursday.

The central bank sold 32.89 billion worth of 91-day paper at 11.6 percent, slightly higher than the 11.5 percent at the previous auction on July 10, 30 billion naira of 182-day paper at 12.75 percent, the same rate as the previous action.

Also, the bank sold 52 billion naira in the 1-year bond at 13.33 percent, more than the 13.21 percent the same tenor was sold on June 26, the last time the note was on offer at the regular auction. ($1 = 160.1 naira)

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

MTN taps Ghana chief to head key Nigeria business

A

frica’s largest mobile operator MTN Group has named its Ghana Chief Executive to head up its key Nigerian business, in a job reshuffle sparked by the abrupt resignation of its chief financial officer.

Nigeria is the secondbiggest revenue earner for Johannesburg-based MTN,

which has operations in nearly two dozen countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Harvard-trained Michael Ikpoki is replacing Brett Goschen, who took over as CFO after Nazir Patel resigned this week following an investigation into allegations against him.

The company has said the allegations against Patel were

13% derivation: Abia Communities insist 13 percent as first line charge

By Aisha Raji

T

he ranks of oil communities agitating for total control of 13% derivation has swollen by addition as Oil producing communities in Abia state have joined their counterparts in the push for resources control.

This time however, the communities are insisting that according to the constitution, 13 per cent desiccation fund is first line charge on the federation account.

The position was communicated in a memorandum addressed to the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and signed by 10 leaders of the communities namely Chief Jones Udeogu, Barrister Chinedu Elechi, Chief

Onyema Olujie, Prince Sam Nwogu, Obinna Ememenna, Nwaloziri Ignatius, Barr Emma Ukaegbu, Hon. Ugochukwu Ekpo, Reginald Ezenta and Maduka James.

The group,affirmed that 13 per cent derivation exists before any revenue formula and the amount due to the fund is constitutionally set aside before any Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting to share the balance of the total oil revenue of 87 per cent.

“Therefore, RMAFC has no right to send the 13 percent derivation fund through any state government account who is the third beneficiary of the Federation Account “It is also clear that 13 per cent Derivation Fund is not part of the consolidated of any tier of government. The fund is not part

over governance and would not impact its financial results. It has not given any other details.

Serame Taukobong, chief marketing officer for MTN’s South Africa business, will take over as head of Ghana.

MTN’s shares have dropped 7 percent since the announcement of Patel’s departure after close of trade on Monday. (Reuters) of state/local government Joint Account, the fund as provided in the 1999 constitution is on its own and should be treated as such” they stated.

They recalled that the fund is not manna from heaven as the oil and gas producing communities fought for it during the 1994/75 National Constitutional Conference where Chief Edwin Clark was the leader of the oil and gas producing communities to the conference.

“It was due to the pressure exerted by the oil and gas producing communities of Nigeria that made the 13 per cent derivation fund as one of the main decisions and resolutions of the 1994/95 conference. During the 1999 Constitution Drafting Committee, the oil and gas producing communities were there to pile pressure to ensure that 13 per cent derivation fund is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria” the group said.

he Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahco Aviance) Plc has posted a positive result as its second quarter result improved by 19 per cent.

In its result released to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Wednesday, Nahco’s year-onyear unaudited Profit Before Tax (PBT) leaped from N428million in June 2012 to N508million in June 2013.

The result reflects an improvement on earning per share from 23k to 25k per share as well as revenue increase of N658 million from N3.168billion to N3.822 billion year-on-year for the first half result.

A statement from Nahco’s Financial Controller Mrs. Chinwe Prisca Chiji-Nnorom said: “The result is consistent with our corporate and strategic objectives of improving earnings, efficiency and revenue, captured in line with our transformation objectives as well as expansion and diversification.”

The statement added: “The key drivers of Performance in Nahco is the impact of changing culture and core values of transparency, integrity and honesty and the new vision for improved service delivery and responsiveness to our markets and customers.”

At its last Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja, Nahco’s shareholders had given the company’s Board and Management nod to raise N25billion fresh capital for its major investment foray and diversification across Africa.

At the AGM, the group’s chairman Suleiman Yahyah had said: “Our future results will show improved year-on-year performance, retaining value in the company, sustaining our market leadership and brand presence.”

In the first quarter, the company had posted a year-onyear increase of 55 per cent in its Profit After Tax (PAT).

Nahco aviance Plc is a Nigerian diversified group with interests in aviation cargo, aircraft handling, crew and passenger transportation service delivery and power distribution. The company currently serves more than 30 airlines at seven airports across Nigeria, with plans to expand operations to other African countries. It handles about 70% of domestic and foreign airlines operating in Nigeria

Heritage Bank partners SMEDAN, LCCI on capacity building for SMEs operators

H

eritage Bank says it has strengthen the partnership with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on training micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) operators, Heritage Bank Executive Director Mrs Mary Akpobome, said those in the MSME sub-sector need to properly structure their businesses to make it attractive for

banks’ finance assistance.

Speaking at the bank’s MSME Clinic he said “over the last six months, we identified 60 MSMEs and studied their operations to see where we can help them. But we discovered that many of them had no business plans and are owned by one person who does all the work and usually has no business plan.”

She said the bank has stepped up its support by advising such firms on the need to properly structure their businesses to ensure

that banks fully understand what they are doing.

Mrs Akpobome noted that the bank would ensure proper training on basic cash flow, forecasting and analysis skills for customers to overcome some of the challenges that come with faulty reports.

She explained that under the arrangement, MSME operators could open current accounts, sole proprietorship, joint/partnership, corporate, fixed deposit, savings or domiciliary, in any of the bank’s

branches.

She listed the special features on the accounts to include zero Commission on Turnover; free e-business transactions and concessionary interest rate on loans and overdrafts.

Heritage Bank Managing Director, Ifie Sekibo, pledged the lender’s commitment to assist MSMEs to become large organisations that can be quoted on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) in the next three years.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 21

Tax Alert

Issues underlying transfer pricing (1)

By Frank Onero Obaro

M

uch of the issues surrounding international tax in most emerging markets and advanced economies are the focus on increasing revenue, blocking leakages without hampering the growth of businesses or stifling Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as the case might be in the face of tough global economic realities.

It would appear today that transfer pricing is one of such issues dominating the economic skyline, as the economics of scale revs up. However the greater risk is on developing countries losing tax revenue from cross-border transactions carried out by multinational companies and individuals.

A number of global trade activities are accounted for by crossborder trade taking place within multinational enterprises, where branches or subsidiaries of the same multinational enterprise exchange goods or services. These transactions within the group are not exposed to the same market forces as transactions between independent enterprises. They are referred to as “controlled transactions”. If the prices of these transactions are artificially lowered or increased they may lead to taxable profits being shifted from one country to another.

Transfer Pricing is a process of determining the price of exchange among related business entities. It is the inter-company/intra-company pricing arrangements for transfers of intellectual property, goods, services and loans among connected taxable persons.

A “transfer price” is the price at which one company buys and sells goods or services or shares resources with a related affiliate in its supply chain. Aggressive transfer prices may inflate profits in low-tax jurisdictions and depress profits in high-tax countries.

Thus, “transfer pricing” is the system of laws and practices used by countries to ensure that goods, services and intellectual property

transferred between related companies are appropriately priced, based on market conditions, such that profits are correctly reflected in each jurisdiction.

Transfer pricing rules generally provide companies (especially multinationals) the flexibility to set the conditions surrounding intercompany transactions. Planning allows taxpayers to optimize the allocation of income within the group. At the same time, noncompliance with transfer pricing rules can be costly for multinationals. Noncompliance can result in extended disputes with tax authorities, including litigation. It can also lead to double taxation and penalties.

In 2005, in recognition of the widespread phenomena of business restructurings among multinationals, of the tax issues they raise, and of the significant uncertainty arising for business as well as for governments and risks of double taxation or double non taxation due to the lack of international guidance in this area, the OECD started a project to develop guidance on the transfer pricing aspects of business restructuring.

Transfer prices serve to determine the income of both parties involved in a cross-border transaction. The transfer price therefore tends to shape the tax base of the countries involved in crossborder transaction. In any crossborder tax situation, the three parties involved are the multinational enterprises (MNES), treated as a whole, along with the tax authorities of the two countries involved in the transaction. When one country’s tax authority taxes a unit of the MNE group, it has an effect on the tax base of the other country. In other words, cross border tax situations involve issues related to jurisdiction, allocation and valuation.

In the transfer pricing context, business restructurings are defined as the cross-border redeployment by multinational enterprises of functions, assets and/or

FIRS boss, Alhaji Kabiru Mashi risks. They are not a new phenomenon as multinationals constantly need to adapt their business models to a dynamic commercial environment. They can involve a transfer of something of value (e.g. assets) and/or the termination or substantial renegotiation of existing commercial arrangements within an MNE group.

They can have a dramatic impact on the allocation of an MNE’s taxable profits among the countries in which it operates.

Transfer pricing adjustments have been a feature of many tax systems since the 1930s. Both the U.S. and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), of which the U.S. and most major industrial countries are members had some guidelines by 1979. The United States led the development of detailed, comprehensive transfer pricing guidelines with a white paper in 1988 and proposals in 1990-1992, which ultimately became regulations in 1994. In 1995, the OECD issued the first draft of current guidelines, which it expanded in 1996.The two sets of guidelines are broadly similar and contain certain principles followed by many countries. The OECD guidelines have been formally adopted by many European Union countries with little or no modification.

Over 60 governments have adopted transfer pricing rules.

Transfer pricing rules in most countries are based on what is referred to as the “arm’s length principle” – that is to establish transfer prices based on analysis of pricing in comparable transactions between two or more unrelated parties dealing at arm’s

length. The OECD has published guidelines based on the arm’s length principle, which are followed, in whole or in part, by many of its member countries in adopting rules. The United States and Canadian rules are similar in many respects to the OECD guidelines, with certain points of material difference.

A lot of persons will argue that globalization, advanced technology, borderless movement of goods and persons as well as inorganic growth of MNEs, mergers and acquisitions have increased calls for an appropriate Transfer Pricing system.

Locally, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has a responsibility to charge Nigerian “fair share” of the taxable profits of an MNE or taxpayer in respect of cross-border deals basically to counter tax avoidance cases involving transfer pricing (TP).

Prices adopted by an entity have a direct bearing on its profit.Transfer Prices determine in large part the income and expenses of an MNE and therefore taxable profits of associated enterprises in different tax jurisdictions Overtime taxpayers have hid under the absence of proper regulatory Transfer Pricing framework to avoid paying the appropriate taxes by devising a range of means such as shifting of profits to tax havens (low tax jurisdictions), using Export Processing Zones/Free Trade Zone to hide their profits or through dubious pioneer status/ tax reliefs claims and in some cases circumventing rules for capital repatriation.

The PITA – Section 17, CITA – Section 22, PPTA – Section 15, CGTA – Section 22, VATA – Sec-

tion 5 are the legislations that back the Regulative – Income Tax (Transfer Pricing) Regulations No.1, 2012 recently introduced in August 2012 by the FIRS which must now be given impetus with the Nigerian membership of the OECD Global Forum on Transfer Pricing and that of African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF).

The implication is that multinational enterprises and other companies involved in business with connected persons and share common capital or shareholders must then put in place transfer pricing documentation as quickly as possible. The implications of the regulations which in effect is the right direction for Nigeria is for companies or individuals to have “arm’s length” documentation in place from the beginning of the year as doing that at year end or mid financial year can result in misstating of annual reports.

With reference to documentation, the Regulations do not provide any specific guidelines on the documentation required for disclosure. However, as the regulations are benchmarked against the OECD guidelines, it is expected that the general documentation requirement on the OECD guidelines will suffice.

Annual returns will thus be declared to the FIRS alongside the details of related party transactions (or annual Transfer Pricing filing obligations), on the basis of the MNEs “arms length” documentation or methods used for Transfer Pricing documentation. Another key requirement will be an in-depth analysis of factors determining or affecting the pricing of taxpayer’s goods or service. This further reinforces the introduction of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which require a detailed disclosure of all related party transactions.

Another important aspect of the regulation is the Advance Pricing Agreement (APA), which in itself is a prospective agreement. FIRS is empowered to enter into APA with a taxpayer for future transactions on request by the taxpayer, though such transactions should be above the threshold of N250m total deductible cost or taxable revenue among connected taxable persons.

The regulations states that an APA ruling has a maximum life span of three years and can be cancelled by FIRS before expiration if it is established that there is a material breach of any of the critical assumptions or a change in the tax law within either of the jurisdiction in which the APA operates or there is misrepresentation, mistake or omission by the taxpayer. Above all it is the taxpayer that initiates the APA and requires negotiation with the relevant tax administrators.

The regulation also has a provision for corresponding adjustments to eliminate double taxation for taxpayers taking into account the various Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs) with some other tax jurisdictions.

PAGE 22

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

Economy

FG to appoint professionals to head maritime agencies

T

he President of Shippers’ Association Oyo State chapter Dr. Ayo Omotoso has urged the Federal Government to appoint professionals as heads of maritime parastatals for effective performance.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the association appreciated the confirmation of the appointment of Mr Hassan Bello as the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council

(NSC).

The shipper said that the elevation of the Shippers’ Council boss to a substantive chief executive officer was unique.

He said that was the first time an insider would be appointed to head the council.

“We want to appreciate the Federal Government for confirming the appointment of Mr Hassan Bello as the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer

of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.

“That is the first time that an insider-- I mean a staff of Nigerian Shippers Council-- would become the executive secretary and the chief executive officer of the council.

“I wish him a happy tenure of office. I pray that he will make a difference from others that have been coming onboard.

“I so much believe that he his going to perform, `` Omotoso

said.

The shipper advised the executive secretary to be diligent, adding that he should work on the inauguration of the Federation of Shippers’ Association and make it active.

He also advised the Federal Government to gazette the Inland Container Depots (ICDs), otherwise known as dry ports, to fast track the take-off of the project.

(NAN)

L-R: Manager, Public Affairs, Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Alhaji Idris Abdullahi, Managing Director, Ejeg petrol station, Mr Benjamin Omale, and community relations officer, Pipeline Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr Audu Bisallah, during the launch of KRPC community kerosene, yesterday in Kaduna.

Photo: NAN

Gov Ahmed advocates revival of textile industries From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

K

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

Governor Ahmed, who is also the chairman of Adhoc Committee of the Northern Governors Forum on the re-activation of Kaduna Textile Limited, said this when representatives of the

company’s workers visited him at the Government House, Ilorin.

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

The change in policy, he observed, will check the influx of cheap textile materials from Asia at the detriment of the local in-

dustry.

“Nigeria has no business importing textile materials. We should be exporters of textile materials”.

Governor Ahmed pledged the commitment of the committee and the Northern Governors’ Forum to the resuscitation of the Kaduna Textile Limited in order to boost employment opportunities and contribute to the country’s GDP. The leader of the Kaduna Textiles Limited Workers Forum, Engineer Anthony Afolayan

in his remarks said since the company closed operations November 2002, its workers and their families have been passing through rough times.

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

He also suggested that the Board of Directors of the Kaduna textile industry should be privatized through partnership with foreign or local investors.

AfDB, Citibank approve US $50 to boost trade finance in Africa

T

he Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved $50-million Risk participation Agreement (RPA) inc collaboration with Citibank NA (Citi) to support trade transactions originated by issuing banks in Africa. The facility will help address critical market demand for trade finance in Africa by providing support for trade in vital economic sectors such as agribusiness and manufacturing. Moreover, it will foster financial sector development and regional integration, and contribute to government revenue generation.

The majority of African banks have small capital bases which constrain their ability to obtain adequate trade limits from international confirming banks and to undertake sizeable transactions that have significant development impact.

Besides, despite the growth in trade risk distribution globally, local banks in Africa have not significantly benefitted from this growth.

AfDB’s additionally lies in the use of its “AAA” rating to share trade risk and expand the trade finance capacity of banks in Africa, thereby expanding trade and strengthening regional integration. Further, Citi has more than 60 years of experience, over 200 correspondent banking relationships, 14 subsidiaries and transaction coverage in 28 non-presence countries in Africa.

NIPOST appeals for resuscitation of zonal training school

T

he Deputy Postmaster-General, Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Mr Leonard Nwanawo has called for the resuscitation of the service’s zonal training school to improve postal service delivery.

Nwanawo made the call in his address at a workshop organised

by NIPOST for its departmental heads on the use of computers in monitoring the movement of mails in Abuja.

He said the abolition of the office zonal training school had affected the staff, especially as it concerned specific job schedule.

“The abolition of the school has affected the service a lot; every NIPOST staff needs training and retraining.

“One cannot supervise what you do not know, staff ought to be sensitised to ICT services for effectiveness and efficiency.’’

He said that in this modern age, one could not affect much change in service delivering, especially in the area of tracking and tracing of mails without the use of ICT. Nwanawo said there was the need for all NIPOST staff in all cadres to be ICT-compliant, saying that ICT was a basic necessity in achieving effective results.

The deputy postmaster-general called for the need to use airlines for effective dispatch of mails and parcels to distant places like Maiduguri.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 23

Stock Watch

Report as at Thursday, July 25, 2013

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Special Report

Power: Privatisation stretch on a final lap With preparations seemingly set for the privatisation of the nation’s power generating plants, Aminu Imam and Etuka Sunday report that the move is expected to improve electricity supply across the country. But how realistic and genuine is the privatisation drive?

T

he joint effort of the three-tiers of government to increase power generation, transmission and distribution capacities on a significant scale through the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) enters its final lapse, as the Federal Government offers the 10 power generating plants built by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) for sale to investors.

Set in motion with the Electric Power Sector Reforms Act of 2005 and the incorporation of the NDPHC in that year as a limited liability company to serve as the legal vehicle to build, hold and manage the NIPP assets using private sector-based global best business practices, the process has delivered 10 brand new generating plants built from the scratch by the NDPHC as mandated by the Act. Currently, the NIPP generation portfolio comprises 10 gas-fired plants with a combined design capacity in excess of 5,453 megawatts (MW) at ISO conditions and 4,774MW, all of which are now on offer to competent private operators for effective management through competitive bids as announced by the government through the NDPHC in collaboration with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

In order to handle the sale of the power plants in line with due process and laid down procedure, the three tiers of government have set up three committees namely: the Joint Evaluation Committee, whose work is to evaluate the expression of interest for the power plants; the Joint Transaction Committee of the NDPHC headed by Managing Director, NDPHC, Mr. James Olotu and the Joint Technical Committee, headed by Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam. A final approval of what the three committees would do shall be given by a board of NDPHC and National Council on Privatisation (NCP).

Towards this all-important

last leg of this power reforms phase, the NDPHC, alongside the BPE and other stakeholders in the power sector, recently launched a road-show in Lagos, which train also moved to London in the United Kingdom, one of the Asian Tigers, Hong Kong and New York in the United States, to provide needed information to potential investors on the 10 power plants.

The road-show has since yielded dividends as no fewer than 200 global and indigenous investors are currently jostling to buy the NDPHC plants.

Expression of interest (EoI) for the power plants closed by 5pm on Friday, July 19, 2013 and 110 private companies beat the EoI deadline. The BPE is billed to announce a shortlist of successful bidders for the power plants on August 8, 2013. And if all works as planned, the power plants would be transferred to the highest bidders between June and July 2014.

According to Mr. Olotu, “all the plants are in top condition and have gone through precommissioning and reliability tests to ensure optimal performance in the hands of the operators who would be selected through a detailed and rigorous process to ensure that the full objectives of the NIPP projects are realised.”

The exercise, he said, would draw lessons from the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) successor companies and introduce improvement in the auctioning of public sector assets in the country, adding that President Goodluck Jonathan would soon commission the comprehensive NIPP projects.

Vice President Namadi Sambo, who heads the NCP, has lauded the NDPHC management over “the manner it handled the successful completion of the 10 power plants.”

On the auction block are the 80 per cent shares belonging to the three tiers of government in the 10 power plants.

During the road-show, Mr.

Alaoji Power station in Aba, Abia state Olotu explained that the three tiers of government have agreed “to divest 80 per cent stake in each power plant as valued by our financial advisers/valuers.

We will retain 20 per cent in order to assure potential investors of our confidence in the plants we are selling.”

For the particulars of the facilities on offer, Mr. Olotu said the Alaoji Power Plant in Aba, Abia state has four gas and two steam turbines with current capacity of 1,131.4MW (ISO) and 961MW. It is designed as a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) facility with duct firing its heat recovery steam generators, (HRSGs).

831.3MW (ISO) and 706MW of the Alaoji Power Plant are anticipated by its date of sale to private investors.”

There is also the Ihovbor Power Plant in Benin City, which has four GE Frame 9E gas turbines of 507.MW (ISO) and 451MW (net) capacity.

It is an open cycle plant built to accommodate future conversion to combined CCGT configuration.

Prospective investors can also buy into the 634.5MW (ISO)/562MW capacity Calabar Power Plant, which is also an open cycle plant built to accommodate future conversion to combined CCGT configuration.

The Egbema Power Plant

located near Owerri, Imo State has three GE Frame 9E gas turbines capable of 380.7MW (ISO) and 338MW power generation output. It is designed and built to accommodate three additional gas turbines and future conversion to combined CCGT configuration.

Near Yenagoa, Bayelsa state is the 253.8MW (ISO)/225MW Gbarain Power Plant. With two GE Frame 9E gas turbines, this open cycle gas turbine power plant is also built to accommodate future conversion to CCGT configuration.

Also up for sale is the Geregu II Power Plant at Ajaokuta, Kogi state. An open cycle gas turbine power plant built to accommodate future conversion to CCGT configuration, Geregu II has three Siemens V94.2 gas turbines with 506.1MW (ISO) and 434MW capacity.

The fully operational Sapele II Power Plant is the seventh facility the NDPHC has put for sale. It has four GE Frame 9E gas turbines of 507.6MW/451MW capacity and is located in Sapele, Delta state.

Investors may also wish to buy into the Olorunsogo II Power Plant in Olorunsogo, Ogun state, which has 754MW (ISO)/676MW output capacity, provided by four GE Frame 9E gas turbines and two GE Steam Turbines.

Also available for purchase is the Omoku II Power Plant, near Port Harcourt, Rivers state. Designed and built to accommodate two additional gas turbines and future conversion to combined CCGT configuration, this plant is powered by two GE Frame 9E gas turbines of 264.7MW (ISO) and 225MW capacity.

Lastly, there is the Omotosho II Power Plant in Okitipupa, Ondo state. The four GE Frame 9E gas turbines

at the heart of this sprawling facility have the capacity to generate 512.8MW (ISO) and 451MW. It is also an open cycle gas plant built to accommodate future conversion to combined CCGT configuration.

With Nigeria’s population of over 160 million people, the country is without doubt the largest market for investors in Africa. To be sure, the meteoric rise of hitherto unknown telecommunications company in global reckoning following

Chairman, Technical Committee, National Council on Privatisation, Mr. Atedo Peterside

their entrance into the highly rewarding Nigerian telecoms sector has put both indigenous and foreign investors on the alert for any investment opportunities in Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that over 200 investors have indicated interests in acquiring the NDPHC plants.

Also, these investors are seeking to capitalise on the growth opportunities in the Nigerian electricity market where demand far outstrips

current supply and the potential for strong economic growth is high.

Moreover, some foreign investors are interested in the plants because they want to establish a strong presence in West Africa, using Nigeria as a platform for acquiring further assets in the region.

The NDPHC plants are also being sought after since they are all newly constructed and as such offer the best fuel efficiency and lowest operating costs, thereby relieving investors of pressure from construction cum commissioning costs.

Investors are also excited by the NDPHC plants because they are assets that can be further developed, as all but one of the open cycle gas turbine power plants have the potential for expansion and growth.

In addition, these investors relish the opportunity to partner with the three tiers of government who have shown a strong commitment to the country’s power sector reforms, including taking several measures to support the creditworthiness of investments in the country.

The power plants have also attracted mammoth investors’ interest because their buyersoperator would benefit from a Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) designed to be costreflective tariff that accounts for operating cost and capital recovery, incentivising efficient operations based on best new entrant capabilities and technology. The MYTO also brings certainty to the tariff regime.

Potential operators are also scrambling for the NDPHC power plants because they would benefit from a Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with the Federal Government owned entity – the Bulk

Managing Director, NDPHC, Mr. James Olotu

Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), which will act as the bulk buyer of electricity in the early stages of market liberalisation.

Lastly, the opportunity to benefit from the 10-year term Gas Supply and Aggregation Agreements with Nigerian oil producers makes the NDPHC’s power plants a good buy for private sector investors.

At the Hong Kong roadshow, Governor Suswam disclosed that the three-tiers of government had so far invested well over $8 billion in the building of the 10 power plants on offer for sale. However, the government expects over $6 billion (about N936 billion) in revenue from the on-going moves to divest 80 percent of public sector interests in the 10 new power stations.

The revenue receipt, according to officials of the Ministry of Power and Mr. Olotu, would be ploughed back into the sustained capacity development in the power sector, specifically to build a number of hydro-power dams across Northern Nigeria in line with the aspiration to drive the country’s economy up to the biggest 20 in the world by the

year 2020.

Also during the roadshow, Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, stressed that “the power sector will thrive in the hands of the private sector and drive the Nigerian economy. We will give maximum support to investors to take over the sector.

“The entire process of privatisation of the power sector is irreversible and what happened in the telecoms sector is about to repeat itself in the power sector. We expect that the achievement in the power sector will dwarf the telecoms sector. We expect this to revive our economy and revive our SMEs, which are currently moribund.”

Speaking in the same vein, Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Power, Mr. Dagogo Jack, stated:. “This project is consistent with government’s policy to push the plants to the private sector, which can manage it better. Government will create incentives for investors in the power sector.”

Also during the roadshow, Director-General, BPE, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, said the sale of the power plants fell

“

Potential operators are also scrambling for the NDPHC power plants because they would benefit from a Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with the Federal Government owned entity – the Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), which will act as the bulk buyer of electricity in the early stages of market liberalisation

Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo

within the context of President Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda, “which seeks to create a conducive atmosphere for private capital inflows.”

The BPE chief also added that “BPE is legally authorised to sell Federal Government’s 47 per cent shares, while NDPHC had the authorisation of the states and local councils to sell 53 per cent of the 80 per cent shares on offer.’’

The BPE helmsman advised prospective bidders to be aware of some of the observed lapses in the previous bid processes. These include bids failing to substantially comply with the Requests for Proposal, failure to meet the threshold of required tangible net worth, failure to submit bid bonds, failure to submit audited accounts, and failure to submit bids on time, among others.

Representative of the financial advisers to the privatisation programme, West African CPCS, Mr. Arif Mohiuddin, assured potential investors that the bidding process would commence in August and the final handing over to the eventual winners would be in June 2014.

Also, Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Steel and Metallurgy, Philip Tanimu Aduda, said, “Privatisation is the best for our economy because a lot of investment and money is needed to be injected into the power sector and that is why successive governments have had problems in ensuring that it works and I will say so far, so good, the present administration has done its best in putting machinery in motion for the privatisation of the sector.”

On his part, Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Senator Gbenga Obadara, at the London roadshow, assured the potential investors that the federal government would provide security for their investments.

“We are in the best position to market Nigeria’s products.

We will provide security for your investment in Nigeria and we are giving enough assurance of opportunities to investors in the country,” he said.

Similarly, Chairman, House Committee on Power, Steel and Metallurgy, Patrick Ikhariale, stated that “The power sector has been a major source of concern to all of us and the reason for this is that during the tenure of some administrations, particularly the military, there was neglect of basic infrastructure, especially in the power sector. What we have today is a problem that is all encompassing.”

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

Islam

Ramadan annotation (III) A

llah says: “Ramadan is the (month) In which was sent down the Qur’an, As a guide to mankind, also Clear (Signs) for guidance and Judgment (between right and wrong). so every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it In fasting, but if anyone is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.” [al-Baqarah: 185] In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All Praise is due to Allah! We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our evils and bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allah, is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, the Only One without any

partner; and I bear witness that medications, clothing and general Muhammad is His servant and welfare aimed at redeeming or final messenger to mankind. May reducing the many lots of the the peace and blessing of Allah be Ummah.

In this kind of infaq, no specific upon His last and final Apostle, his Household, his companions and all his followers until the end of time.

We are indeed grateful to Allah

By Husain Zakariyya for sparing us Yawale another week to continue to learn +234-8052952900 (sms only) the teachings of islamexplained35@yahoo.com Islam. The topic above started since the week penultimate. Today, amount is earmarked for payment we will move forward from where or spending for a specified case. It is usually based on the choice of we stopped last week. the spender and giver. Allah says: Infaq or Charity “By no means shall ye attain Infaq is an Arabic word which simply means charity done to righteousness unless ye give please Allah and free from any (freely) of that which ye love; and type of immediate favour or whatever ye give, of a truth Allah grace. In Ramadan especially, a knoweth it well.” [al-Imran: 92] In Ramadan especially here lot of well to do Muslims, allocate some special funds different from in Nigeria, and particularly in that of the usual annual dues; the north, rich people arrange zakat, to spend for the welfare cooked foods and porridges for of the less privileged Muslims. the passing travellers or masses The usual areas covered by this who do not necessarily own type of spending includes food, houses. Cold water and dates and also common entertainment for the less privileged. This is chiefly because of the huge rewards that await anybody who helps in the breaking of a Muslim brother’s fasting with either water, date or milk. But in the absence of aforementioned or addition to them, anything good goes!

Similarly, the well to do Muslims do send out invitations to their friends and relations to come to their homes and break their fasting on some specified days.

This is also by extension a match towards reaffirming relationships

ISLAM EXPLAINED

is one of the Pillars of Islam. It “ Zakat is an obligation prescribed by Allah

between some classes of people.

This is indeed an important method of social cohesion and blending through feasting together in the blessed month of Ramadan.

Zakat Zakat is one of the Pillars of Islam. It is an obligation prescribed by Allah on those Muslims who possess a amount of wealth for a certain period of time. Similarly for a certain amount or percentage to be distributed to certain group of people annually.

Zakat means ‘purity’ or cleanliness. The Prophet [pbuh] has said: “Allah has made zakat obligatory simply to purify your remaining property.” It is not equivalent to common terms such as ‘charity “ poor-tax’, ‘alms-tax’ and ‘poor-due’, for none of them actually conveys the true sense of the word zakat. Similarly, it is not a tax as the type levied by a government, nor is it a mere charitable annual contribution administered by the individual giver. It must be understood that

is a obligation enjoined by Allah as a form of worship. Allah says: “Lo! Those who believe and do good deeds and establish salat and pay zakat, their reward is with their Sustainer; and no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.” [al-Baqarah: 277] Again, He says: “These are verses of the Book full of wisdom, a guide and mercy to the doers of good -those who establish salat and pay zakat and have the assurance of the Hereafter. These are on guidance from their Sustainer, and these are the ones who will prosper.”

(Luqman: 1-5) In Islam it is the duty of the state to collect zakat from every Muslim who meets the requirements for paying it and distribute it to the right beneficiaries. That was why the first Khalifah, Abubakar Siddiq, declared war on those who refused to pay zakat while still professing Islam and observing daily prayers. The only time when the administration of Zakat is left at the discretion of the individual givers, is when a Muslim is residing in non Muslim state.

The specific percentage is constant and unchangeable at 2.5% or simply 1/40th of the estate.

on those Muslims who possess an amount of wealth for a certain period of time. Similarly for a certain amount or percentage to be distributed to certain group of people annually.

it is the duty of the state “ Into Islam collect zakat from every Muslim who meets the requirements for paying it and distribute it to the right beneficiaries. That was why the first Khalifah, Abubakar Siddiq, declared war on those who refused to pay zakat while still professing Islam and observing daily prayers.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26 , 2013

PAGE 27

International

Islamophobia and the rise of the EDL ANALYSIS

By Hassan Haruna Ginsau

T

h e r i s e o f Islamophobiais becoming a cause for concern in the UK. With organisations such as the English Defence League (EDL) gaining followership, sentiments of “anti- Islam” are alarmingly on the rise.

The English Defence League (EDL) is a far-right protest movement which opposes what it considers to be a spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in the United Kingdom.

The EDL has been described as Islamophobic. The group has faced confrontations with various groups, mainly those against facism.

A key event in fuelling these anti-Islam sentiments was the hacking to death of British Army soldier, Drummer (Private) Lee Rigby of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliersby Michael Adebowale, a 22 year old Muslim convert of Nigerian descent.

Even before the killing of Rigby, there has been a certain unease between the EDL and the Muslim community in Britain which has created a sense of anxiety and heightened tensions at the least.

An organisation working to reduce extremism and interfaith tensions, “Tell MAMA” (Measuring AntiMuslim Attacks), in its first 12 months since launching in March 2012 reported that there had been 632 anti-Muslim hate incidents, 58% of which were against women.

If reliable, Tell MAMA’s reports over the week following Rigby’s murder indicated a 15-fold increase on last year’s average.

It’s not just individuals that are at risk. There have been attacks against mosques. These incidents, which have occurred across the UK, include smashed windows, attempted arson and, in the case of Cardiff’s Shah Jalal mosque, bacon being left outside.

More recently, the attacks have taken a worrying twist.

There have been a series of bombings targeted at Mosques in the Midlands.

A nail bomb partially exploded at a mosque in the Wolverhampton, that was the fourth attack in two months on mosques in Britain during Friday prayers.

A p a r t f r o m t h e Wolverhampton attack there was an explosion at a mosque in Tipton on July 12, which coincided with the funeral of 25-year-old Lee Rigby.

There have also been sporadic attacks on Muslims, most notably Mohammed Saleem, a 75 year old pensioner, who was stabbed to death on

Police clash with EDL protesters in Birmingham April 29 in Birmingham, as he was on his way home from a local mosque.

A 25 year old Ukranian man has since been charged with the murder of the Birmingham pensioner and offences relating to the recent mosque explosions.

PavloLapshyn, a post graduate student from Dnipropetrovsk, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court.

Lapshyn ,who has been in the UK on a sponsored work placement was detained on July 18 by local West Midlands Police officers as part of a counter terrorism investigation into two explosions near mosques in Walsall and Tipton.

Following his arrest, evidence of a third blast was found near a mosque in Wolverhampton.

TheEDL in its continued Islamaphobic activities of hate and racism recently held protests in Birmingham, their purpose being to eradicate “Islamic extremist activity”.

As is mostly the case with their rallies, things turned violent with protesters clashing with police, leaving many bloodied and injured.

One policeman suffered a concussion during scuffles with protesters, while other demonstrators were left bloodied by missiles and clashes with police.

Birmingham has the highest number of Muslims in Britain with 140,000, making up roughly 14% of the town’s population. Majority of these Muslims are Pakistani.

Many of them have held on strongly to their traditional and religious roots, and even after decades of living in the UK haven’t fully integrated into a society.

Muslim men of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin are disproportionately unemployed compared to other Asians. Even after allowances for education and residence, Pakistani Muslims are three times more likely to be jobless than Hindus are.

The silence from the

“

UK government and the establishment in general regarding these recent attacks and the activities of the EDL has been worrying. Especially when you consider the nature and scope of what is at stake.

There is no example more clear than the wildly different coverage of Rigby and Saleem’s killings. When Rigby was killed, there was widespread condemnation and outrage from politicians.

In comparison to Lee Rigby’s murder, Saleem’s stabbing was widely underreported by both British and International media.

While policing of the incidents has been effective, the failure of senior British politicians and “No 10” to denounce assaults and comfort Muslims as British citizens has been criticised by many.

This “in-action” of the Government, combined with the actions of the EDL could serve to aidradicalisation of Muslim youths, 52% of whom are under the age of 24.

In a study carried out by

A 25 year old Ukranian man has since been charged with the murder of the Birmingham pensioner and offences relating to the recent mosque explosions.

the home office on ‘Religious discrimination in England and Wales’, a consistently higher level of unfair treatment was reported by Muslim organisations than by most other religious groups, unfair treatment in every aspect of education, employment, housing, law and order, and in all the local government services covered by the questionnaire.

Also, it could further marginalise the broader Muslim community. It not only alienates Muslims, but entrenches the view that they are second-class citizens, 50% of whom were born in the UK and consider themselves Britons first and Muslims second.

It is believed that by 2011 the total Muslim population had reached 2.7 million, 4.8% of the UK’s total population.

The EDL hasn’t been banned but While campaigning for elections in 2010, David Cameron stated that “The EDL are terrible people, we would always keep these groups under review and if we needed to ban them, we would ban them or any groups which incite hatred”.

A perceived trend of increasing Islamophobia and Islamophobic incidentshas been attributed by commentators to the aftermath of the September 11 attacks,while others associate it with the increased presence of Muslims in the Western world.

The UK Government shouldn’t wait until it is too late, until people have died in ‘counter-attacks’ before they turn this cycle of silence and complacency around.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 28

International

Zimbabwe doesn’t need Obasanjo- Mugabe

By Hassan Haruna Ginsau, with agency reports

Z

imbabwe is reportedly trying to block former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo from observing the country’s July 31 election.

Obasanjo, who was expected to arrive in Harare on Wednesday was said to have indefinitely postponed his arrival as the AU and the Zimbabwean government continue to discuss the matter.

Obasanjo is the African Union (AU) short-term observer mission leader. The former Nigerian leader is expected to lead a high-powered delegation to observe next week’s elections in Zimbabwe.

But according to top AU officials, Zimbabwe’s government was reportedly throwing “spanners in the works”.

President Robert Mugabe has stated that the former president is a known election manipulator and not needed in Zimbabwe.

According to Mugabe, The AU’ s choice of General Obasanjo as the

head of the Commission’s Monitoring Delegation was not needed by Zimbabwean people.

Mugabe added that “Obasanjo is a known election manipulator whose democratic credential has always promoted left wing politics right from hisdaysasthechairmanoftheEminent Peoples Forum”.

The AU Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma yesterday hinted that Obasanjo would only be allowed into Harare if he was invited by the Zimbabwean government.

Addressing journalists on arrival at Harare International Airport, DlaminiZuma said Obasanjo would only come into the country if invited by the government.

“I think he will come, if he is allowed he will come. They (the government) allowed me to come.

The government is obviously hosting us. There is no other meaning to what we have said,” she said.

Relations between President Robert Mugabe and Obasanjo chilled after Mugabe was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations in 2002.

Responding to Mugabe’s criticism, Olushegun Obasanjo, brushed aside reports that he had been dropped from the African Union, AU, Observer Mission to Zimbabwe’s forthcoming general elections.

Obasanjo

million people, but the opposition has denounced both as fraudulent.

The elections are the first legislative polls since 2007, when Gnassingbe’s party won 50 of 81 seats. Ninety-one seats will be decided this time.

The voting was initially scheduled for October 2012, but was delayed amid a series of protests by a coalition of opposition and civil society groups known as Let’s Save Togo, which has been pushing for sweeping electoral reforms.

Manyoftheprotestsweredispersed by security forces firing tear gas, while about 35 people, mostly opposition

members, were detained in the run-up tothevoteinconnectionwithsuspicious fires at two major markets.

Thirteen opposition members held over the fires have since been released, including five candidates in Thursday’s polls.

Despite the protests in recent months, the campaign in the run-up to the vote has been largely peaceful, though the opposition accused progovernment fighters of assaulting the convoy of one of its candidates in Kloto north of the capital on Tuesday.

Thegovernmentsaiditwaslooking into the incident and could not yet

SpeakingontelephonefromChina, where he is presently on a private mission, Obasanjo debunked the speculations,sayingthathewasheaded for his assignment to Zimbabwe as head of the AU Observer Mission to monitor the July 31 elections.

Long-delayed elections open in Togo

T

he West African nation of Togo has launched parliamentary elections, which were delayed by months of protests, with the opposition seeking to weaken the ruling family’s decades-long grip on power.

Thursday’s polls, which opened at 0700GMT and close at 1600GMT, mark the latest step in the country’s transition to democracy after GnassingbeEyadema’s rule from 1967 to his death in 2005, when the military installed his son Faure Gnassingbe as president.

Gnassingbehassincewonelections in 2005 and 2010 in the country of six

Tunisian opposition leader shot dead

Late Brahimi on the floor with bullet wounds

M

ohamed Brahmi, Tunisia’s opposition leader, has been shot dead in Tunis in front of his house.

Lawyer KhaledKhichi said from the hospital that Brahmi was shot dead on Thursday morning.

Sources said that it was not yet clear who had assassinated

Brahmi, who was also a member of parliament.

AlBrahmi was from the People Movement party, the same coalition as ChokriBelaid who was assassinated in February.

O n W e d n e s d a y , NoureddinB’Hiri, senior adviser to the prime minister, said that

six people believed to have orchestrated Belaid’s killing had been identified.

“We have identified the sponsors and the authors of the assassination of ChokriBelaid,” B’Hiri said after a cabinet meeting.

B’Hiri said had that he details would be revealed “soon”

by Interior Minister Lotfi Ben Jeddou, without saying when.

Belaid was gunned down outside his home on February 6, in a brazen attack that shocked Tunisians and sparked a political crisis that brought down the government of Islamist premier HamadiJebali.

The interior ministry blamed the killing of Belaid, who was an outspoken critic of Jebali’s ruling Ennahda party, on a cell of “radical Islamists”.

In April, the government released the photos and names of five suspects and appealed for help in arresting them.

comment.

Opposition members had at first threatened a boycott of the election, but they have since agreed to participate after negotiations which allowed its members access to polling places and granted them state financing for campaigning.

Fraud warnings On the eve of the election, however, oppositionmembersaccusedtheruling party of planning to carry out fraud and again called for a postponement to address organisational concerns.

Jean Pierre Fabre, the most prominent opposition leader and a candidate in Thursday’s vote, said he believedthepopulationwantedchange, but warned against the potential for fraud.

Asked why he did not boycott given his concerns, he said he did not want to leave the parliament without legitimate opposition voices if the ruling party maintains a majority.

“I do not want to let others be face-to-face with those in power,” he told AFP on Wednesday.

Gnassingbe’s party, formerly the RPT but now known as UNIR (Union for the Republic), has called on voters to grant it a comfortable majority to continue work in areas such as infrastructure improvements.

The president should be given room to govern to continue to “improve the quality of life for the Togolese,” said Patricia DagbanZonvide, minister of women’s advancement and head of the ruling party’s list of candidates in Lome.

A number of the best known opposition candidates have organised themselvesintotwoseparatecoalitions, Let’s Save Togo and Rainbow. Fabre’s ANC party is running with Let’s Save Togo.

Egypt rallies defy army chief’s call

S

upporters of the deposed President Mohamed Mursi continued to rally after an apparent call by Egypt’s army chief to crack down on dissenters.

Thousands of pro- Mursi supporters filled Nasr City on Thursday, repeating their weekslong demand that the deposed president - who was removed by the army on July 3 - is reinstated.

Many are also gathered at the al-Azhar mosque.

“Protesters here are calling for the Grand Imam of this mosque, Ahmed el-Tayeb, to go because he has accepted the roadmap for Egypt under interim President Adly Mansour,” said Nadim Baba, reporting from outside the mosque.

“It’s invevitable that there will be more protests on Thursday,” he said.

Military helicopters circled above Cairo early in the morning following a “state of alert” declaration by the army.

The alert was declared on Wednesday after general Abdel Fattah El Sisi called for all Egyptians to rallyagainst what he termed “violence and potential terrorism” on Friday.

In a speech to army graduates, he also denied accusations that he had betrayed the deposed president, Mohamed Mursi.

“I ask ... that next [upcoming] Friday all honest and trustworthy Egyptians must come out,” Sisi said.

“Why come out? They come out to give me the mandate and order that I confront violence and potential terrorism.”

Elsewhere, Sisi vowed to stick to a political roadmap that laid the way for a reform of the constitution and new elections within some six months.

He said his appeal for protests was not a call for violence and expressed support for efforts for national reconciliation.

The military reacted soon after, declaring the “state of alert”.

Ahmed Al-Meslemani, media adviser to the interim leader Mansour, echoed the call, asking people to take to the streets to protect the “revolutionary legitimacy” and support efforts to “fight terrorism”.

The Muslim Brotherhood reacted quickly, with senior member Essam al-Erian issuing a statement directed at Sisi saying: “Your threat will not prevent millions to rally against [the] coup ... You have been always in your office conspiring.”

Egypt’s opposition Islamist coalition, led by the Muslim Brotherhood said Sisi should be tried by for crimes against humanity for calling for Friday’s rally, which they said was “an announcement of civil war”.

PEOPLES DAILY , FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 29

International China charges former party Syria regime chief for corruption, bribery blocking aidAsia & Middle East

Xilai

C

hina has charged disgraced politician Bo Xilai with bribery, corruption and abuse of power, state media say.

Bo Xilai, formerly the Communist Party chief of Chongqing, was expelled from the party after a scandal

surrounding the murder of a British businessman.

His wife GuKailai was jailed in August for the killing of the Briton, Neil Heywood.

Mr Bo was charged by prosecutors on Thursday in Jinan in Shandong province,

state media said.

The Bo Xilai scandal, which exposed corruption claims and infighting at the top of the Communist Party, was one of the biggest to rock China in years.

Mr Bo had taken advantage of his office to accept an “extremely large amount” of money and properties, state-run news agency Xinhua said, citing the indictment paper.

He is also charged with embezzling public money, Xinhua said.

Murder investigation The sending of the formal indictment to a court in the city of Jinan suggests the trial is now imminent, the BBC’s John Sudworth in Shanghai reports.

However, no trial date has been announced yet.

It is common for high-profile political trials to take place in provinces away from where the accused is based, as they are considered more likely to gain beneficial treatment in their home province.

Mr Bo’s wife GuKailai was tried in a court in Hefei, Anhui

province, far from Chongqing.

Mr Bo was previously considered a rising star in the Communist Party, and one of the country’s most powerful officials.

However, he came under criticism after his former police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to the US consulate in Chengdu in February 2012, spending a day there.

Wang made allegations about British businessman Neil Heywood’s death while at the consulate, reports said.

Heywood had died in Chongqing the previous year.

The Wang Lijun incident prompted an investigation into his death.

Mr Bo was suspected of trying to cover up the murder, and was stripped of his party positions.

Mr Bo’s wife GuKailai was charged with Heywood’s murder, and given a suspended death sentence, which is usually commuted to life imprisonment in China.

Wang, meanwhile, was jailed for 15 years for defection, power abuse and bribe taking.

ikiLeaks founder Julian Assange Thursday officially launched his political party to contest Australian elections this year.

Assange said the WikiLeaks Party (WLP) would field seven candidates for upper house Senate seats in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.The 42-yearold Australian will run in Victoria, saying he planned to be an independent scrutineer of government activity.

“WikiLeaks Party’s core values of transparency, accountability and justice are the template against which we will examine any important issues for Australians: tax reform, asylum-seekers, climate change policy and more,” he said in an opinion piece in an Australian newspaper The Age “Putting the WLP in the Senate is the same as putting Australia’s best investigative journalists in the Senate, that is what the dishonest Canberra establishment fears most,” he said.

“We will not accept legislation or government policy that is based on inaccurate, poorly disclosed or inadequate information. In this way our positions will always reflect fairness, good government policy and practice, and protecting the interests of all Australians.”

Australia is due to go into the polls before the end of November with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Labor up against the Tony Abbottled conservatives. Opinion polls suggest Abbott will narrowly win.

Papua New Guinea A key plank of Rudd’s re-election campaign is a hardline response to deter boatpeople, announcing last week that all unauthorised arrivals would be sent to Papua New Guinea for assessment. They will be either settled there, sent back home or shipped to third countries.

Assange said one of his party’s first actions would be to demand full details of the government’s arrangement with PNG to be made public.

Spokeswoman for the WikiLeaks party, Samantha Cross

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said told The Age that Assange stressed how the party ‘would keep the bastards honest’ and said that he wants to be back in Australia to take up his seat.

Assange has been living inside Ecuador’s embassy in London since June 2012 as he fights extradition from Britain to Sweden, where authorities want to question him over alleged sex

crimes.

He believes that if he wins a seat in the Australian election, the US will drop its grand jury investigation of diplomatic memo leaks and Britain will follow suit. The UK refuses to grant Assange safe passage out of the country for now and Australia has been outspoken about his whistleblowing activities.

yrian authorities are blocking access to the old city of Homs, where trapped civilians are in dire need of food and medical supplies, the Red Cross said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in a statement issued on Wednesday, warned of possible “tragic” consequences if aid does not arrive in Homs soon.

The agency revealed last Friday that it was negotiating a humanitarian pause to be able to enter Homs, where President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have been conducting a heavy offensive against rebels, with air and artillery strikes.

“We have been trying, for close to 20 days now, to bring medical supplies and other aid to the old city of Homs,” Magne Barth, head of the ICRC delegation in Syria, said in a statement issued in Geneva.

“Despite lengthy negotiations with both sides, and three trips back and forth between Damascus and Homs, we have still not received the go-ahead from the Syrian authorities,” he said.

Homs, in central Syria, is the epicentre of the armed rebellion that grew from popular street protests against more than four decades of Assad family rule.

Some 2,000 people are now believed to be trapped there, aid agencies say.

Reaching tens of thousands of people in areas encircled by government forces or armed opposition groups remains one of the toughest challenges the ICRC faces in Syria, the agency said.

Underinternationalhumanitarian law,warringpartiesareobligedtoallow rapid safe passage of humanitarian relief for civilians.

“They must also allow civilians in areas besieged by fighting to leave for safer areas, should they wish to do so.

“Regrettably, these obligations are not always fulfilled,” the agency said.

Gesture of goodwill Meanwhile, in Aleppo, 80 members of the Syrian opposition have been released from Aleppo’s central prison under a deal named “Food for freedom” that was brokered by the Syrian Red Crescent.

Under the agreement, the Ahrar al-Sham movement which has been laying siege to government-controlled parts of the city will ease their blockade to enable the forces get in much needed food supplies.

Party (PPP) nominated Senator RazaRabbani and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, headed by former cricket star Imran Khan, nominated Wajihuddin Ahmed, a retired judge, as its candidate.

The PMLN won a majority in May’s parliamentary election and their nominee was expected to win the presidential poll, in which members of the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies can vote.

Zardari, who came to power in 2008 on a wave of public support after the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto, had already announced his intention not to stand again. Given the PMLN’s power he stood little chance of re-election in any case.

Following constitutional amendments brought in by the last PPP government, the Pakistani president has a largely symbolic role with little real power, although Zardari

was often seen as a sharp political operator behind the scenes.

In Pakistan, the president is not elected by popular vote, but by voting in the Senate, National Assembly and the assemblies of the four provinces.

Political analyst HasanAskariRizvi said Hussain was likely to win the election because the ruling party has a majority in the National Assembly and the assembly of Pakistan’s largest province, Punjab.

Wikileaks Party to contest Australia polls

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Red Cross

Assange

Pakistan parties name presidential candidates

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akistan’s main political parties have named their nominees for the upcoming presidential poll as the Supreme Court revised the date for the elections and asked the election commission to hold it on July 30 instead of August 6.

The court made the order because many of the politicians who will elect a replacement for President Asif Ali Zardari will be on pilgrimages or offering prayers on August 6 for the

fasting month of Ramadan.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N (PMLN) party nominated MamnoonHussain, a former governor of southern Sindh province (PMLN) and favourite to win the presidential poll.

“I will be the president for everybody,” Hussain said. “I will resign from my party office if I become president.”

Zardari’s Pakistan People’s

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 30

International

Spain train crash kills 78, over 140 injured

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t least 78 people have been killed in the passenger train derailment in north-western Spain on Wednesday.

More than 140 were hurt, 20 seriously, after all eight carriages of the Madrid to Ferrol train came off the tracks near Santiago de Compostela.

Media reports say the train may have been travelling at more than twice the speed limit around a curve.

It is one of Spain’s worst ever train crashes. PM Mariano Rajoy has declared three days of national mourning.

“Today is a very difficult day.

Today we have lived through a terrible, dramatic accident, which I fear will stay with us for a long time.

“For someone from Santiago, like myself, believe me, this is the saddest Day of Saint James of my life.”

MrRajoy, who was born in Santiago de Compostela, has been visiting the scene of the accident.

“I want to express my affection and solidarity with the victims of the terrible train accident in Santiago,” MrRajoy said earlier.

The black box of the train is now with the judge in charge of the investigation.

The president of railway firm Renfe, Julio Gomez Pomar, has said the train in the crash had no technical problems.

“The train had passed an inspection that same morning.

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Emergency officials attend to victims at the site.

Those trains are inspected every 7,500km... Its maintenance record was perfect,” he told Spanish radio.

Spain generally has a relatively good record in terms of rail safety, says the BBC’s Tom Burridge in Madrid.

This is a country which has invested huge amounts of money in its rail network, he says.

According to official figures, the crash is one of the worst rail disasters in Spanish history.

In 1972, a frontal train crash in Andalusia, in the south of the country, left dozens of people dead.

The figures given at the time range between 76 and 86.

In 1944, hundreds of people were believed to have been killed in a crash in Torre delBierzo, in Leon province - though the official account in days of heavy censorship under Gen Francisco Franco gave the figure as 78 killed.

‘Hell’

Renfe said the train came off the tracks on a bend about 3 or 4km (2-2.5 miles) from Santiago de Compostela station at 20:41 local time (18:41 GMT) on Wednesday.

It was on the express route between the capital, Madrid, and the ship-building city of Ferrol on the Galician coast, with 218 passengers on board - in addition to a unknown number of crew members.

Morales accepts apologies over plane row

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olivian President Evo Morales says he accepts the apologies from European countries which barred his jet from flying into their airspace last month.

The Bolivians accused France, Spain, Portugal and Italy of acting on an alleged US tip-off that the fugitive intelligence analyst Edward Snowden was onboard a plane flying from Moscow.

The Europeans apologised and said the decision had been due to mistakes.

Mr Snowden has been in the transit area of a Moscow airport

Morales

Snowden still stuck in airport

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ugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has not been given Russian travel documents, his lawyer has said, contradicting earlier reports.

Anatoly Kucherena told reporters his client would remain in the transit zone at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, where he has been for the past month.

Earlier, airport officials said that MrKucherena had given Mr Snowden the travel documents.

The US wants him extradited for leaking details of surveillance programmes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused to hand him to the Americanauthorities,butsaidhecould stayinRussiaonlyifhestoppedleaking US secrets.

‘Studying Russian culture’ Mr Snowden, whose passport has

Europe and Americas US House votes to continue NSA’s phone surveillance

been cancelled by the US, has stayed in the airport’s transit area since arriving from Hong Kong on 23 June.

He has requested temporary asylum in Russia, and said recently hisfavouredfinaldestinationwasLatin America.

MrKucherena visited his client at the airport on Wednesday and told a news conference later that the 30-yearold would not yet be leaving the airport.

He said the application for temporary asylum had not been processed, and no travel documents had been received.

“He is not planning to leave for now. He asked for temporary asylum, which in the case of a positive decision is granted for a term of one year,” said MrKucherena.

The lawyer said Mr Snowden wanted to study Russian culture, adding that he had given the American

books including Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment.

MrKucherena said Mr Snowden was“anxious”aboutleavingtheairport.

“I hope that this situation will be resolved in the nearest future,” he said.

Kucherena

since 23 June.

Mr Morales said he was not “fully satisfied” with the apologies, but accepted them nevertheless.

“Because we want to continue relationships of respect among our countries - relationships which are complementary and in solidarity with consequence and in coordination with our ministries and the presidents - we have agreed to send our ambassadors back,” he told reporters in the Bolivian capital, La Paz. After his flight diversion, Bolivia had recalled their ambassadors to the involved countries.

“This is the first time Russia is facing suchasituation,andthisissueofcourse requires time for the immigration workers.”

The lawyer’s account contradicted that of airport officials, who earlier told local media that the lawyer had handed Mr Snowden the documents he needed to leave the airport. Asylum offers

he US House of Representatives has narrowly voted to continue collecting data on US phone calls, in the first legislative move on the programme.

In a 205-217 vote, lawmakers rejected an effort to restrict the National Security Agency’s (NSA) ability to collect electronic information.

The NSA’s chief had lobbied strongly against the proposed measure.

The vote saw an unusual coalition of conservatives and liberal Democrats join forces against the programme.

The details of the NSA dragnet were made public by Edward Snowden, a former contractor for America’s electronic spying agency.

He is now a fugitive, seeking asylum in Moscow.

‘Fear’ The rejected amendment would have blocked funding for the NSA programme which gathers details of every call made by or to a US phone, unless the records were part of a specific investigation.

It was introduced by Michigan Republican Justin Amash, who warned during Wednesday’s debate that the proposal’s critics would “use the same tactic every government throughout history has used to justify its violation of rights: fear.

“They’ll tell you that the government must violate the rights of the American people to protect us against those who hate our freedom.”

Despite the White House’s lobbying against the amendment, a majority of House Democrats - 111 - voted for it. Eighty-three Democrats voted against.

Among Republicans, 94 voted for the Amash amendment and 134 against.

‘We’ve gone overboard’ Before Wednesday’s vote there were fierce exchanges on the House floor during what was the first sustained legislative debate on the NSA’s reach since Mr Snowden’s revelations.

“We’ve really gone overboard on the security side,” said Democratic Representative Peter Welch of the surveillance, which is part of a classified $30bn (£19.5bn) intelligence budget.

But others said the practice was essential in America’s efforts against terrorism.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 31

Strange World Physical deformities in the name of tradition

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Carrying heavy wooden obelisks causes the men to develop giant calluses on their backs and shoulders.

a FestadeiGigli, or The Festival of Lilies, is held every year in the Italian town of Nola in celebration of St. Paulinus, who in 410 AD saved his people from the invading Visigoths.

Local men carry heavy wooden obelisks, parading them on their shoulders through the streets of Nola, which in time causes them to develop giant calluses on their backs and shoulders.

Artistic photos of men sporting different-size growths on the back of their necks and shoulders have been making the rounds online for a few days now.

It turns out they are the works of Italian photographer Antonio Busiello, who recently won first prize at The Royal Photographic Society’s International Print Exhibition.

The men in his photos are known as “cullatori”,

meaning cradle rockers, and they are responsible with carrying large wooden obelisks on their shoulders during the annual FestadeiGigli, in Nola, southern Italy.

These decorative structures are 25-meters high and weigh around 2,500 kilograms. The cullatori carry them through the narrow streets of Nola for a day and a night without stopping, which leaves them with huge calluses on their backs and shoulders.

But the most fascinating thing about these keepers of an ancient tradition is that instead of hiding their physical deformities, they display them with pride as symbols of their sacrifice and devotion to Saint Paulinus, who once gave up himself and all his possessions to save the

ve

rt

looking crowd.

Carrying this huge weight year after year leaves the cullatori with large calluses on their backs.

You’d think that after seeing what years of cullatore duty does to your body, young men would think twice about literally carrying this ancient tradition on their shoulders, but statistics show otherwise.

La FestadeiGigli is one of the few festivals in Italy that manage to keep the younger generation interested, and the young men of Nola are apparently eager to become cullatori and show their calluses with pride.

Unlike other cultural events, this festival has kept on growing year after year, attracting tourists from all around the world.

in little more than a month for the sophomore from Bolingbrook, Illilnois.

Morrison also was arrested June 16 and accused of punching a bouncer.

He received deferred prosecution on the simple battery charge, a deal in which he was ordered to stay out of trouble for six months.

Florida head football coach Will Muschamp announced via the team’s official Twitter account Sunday that Morrison “has been suspended from the team and will miss at least two games to begin the season”.

Morrison was arrested for barking at a police dog.

US Footballer jailed after barking at police dog

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Ad

citizens of Nola during the Visigoth invasion.

The Festival of Lilies starts on the last Sunday before June 22nd and lasts seven days. Eight large obelisks known as “Gigli” are handcrafted out of wood and decorated by local artisans with papiermâché for the festival.

These elaborate structures represent the eight local trade unions which welcomed Saint Paulinus back from slavery in 410 AD, with armfuls of lilies picked from the fields.

The highlight of the festival is the last day, when each of the 2, 5-ton-heavy obelisks is carried by 120 cullatori through the city’s historical center, along a route that has been repeated for more than a thousand years, to the sounds of religious as well as Neapolitan music and the cheers of the on

US college football player has been charged after he was spotted barking at a police dog.

University of Florida linebacker Antonio Morrison was arrested on two misdemeanours.

According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Morrison walked up to an open window of a police car and barked at a dog named Bear.

The dog responded by barking back, prompting an officer to arrest Morrison for interfering with a police canine.

He also was charged with resisting arrest.

It was the second arrest

Geese Police fighting crime in China Chinese officials are using geese as crime fighters because they’re brave and really loud

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orrison for interfering with a police canine.

He also was charged

with resisting arrest.

It was the second arrest in little more than a month for the sophomore from

Bolingbrook, Illilnois.

M o r r i s on also was arrested June 16 and accused of punching a bouncer.

He received deferred prosecution on the simple battery charge, a deal in which he was ordered to stay out of trouble for six months.

Florida head football coach Will Muschamp announced via the team’s official Twitter account Sunday that Morrison “has been suspended from the team and will miss at least two games to begin the season”.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 32

Weekend Revue BBA: Sunny Boy, Jacky Appiah, OC Okeje to hit Sunday eviction show

WITH TOBIAS LENGNAN DAPAM lovelengz@yahoo.com 07036990957

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Sunny Boy

his Sunday’s live Big Brother Chase eviction show promises to dazzle once again – thanks to the presence of Namibian rap sensation Sunny Boy and AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice 2013 winners Jackie Appiah and OC Okeje.

Sunny Boy grew up dreaming of making music that touched people’s hearts. Four albums later, the darling of the Namibian rap scene has been making it happen now for nearly a decade.

His fusion of sounds from genres like Kwaito and Hip Hop led to the creation of his own unique ‘Hikwa Style’ – a mix of tight Kwaito beats with a Hip Hop flow. With hits like Balance, Serious, Summertime and Heat It Up, Sunny Boy has established himself as a serious player on the continental rap scene.

The Namibian rising star has won a host of awards, including an NBC Music Award and Namibia Music Awards and lent his fame to greater causes, like the Namibia Red Cross Society and Special Olympics Namibia.

In addition to Sunny Boy’s performance, DStv viewers can look forward to Africa’s film stars, Jackie Appiah from Ghana and Nigerian actor OC Okeje as judges in the Big Brother house for this week’s task on Thursday. The duo will also make a special appearance at the eviction show on Sunday. Appiah won the inaugural AfricaMagic Viewers Choice Award for Best Actress – Drama award for her role in Perfect Picture, while Ukeje picked up the Best Actor – Drama award for Two Brides and a Baby.

Tune in to get your dose of continental glamour this Sunday, with Sunny Boy, Jackie Appiah and OC Ukeje - and don’t forget to vote to keep your favourite housemate in the game! The housemates in danger of eviction this week are Annabel, Elikem and Sulu. Voting is open right now and closes at 06:00 CAT on Sunday morning.

‘Despicable me 2’ blocked from Chinese theaters

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niversal Pictures’ Despicable me 2 has been denied a release in mainland China, with commentators seeing the decision as part of the country’s attempts to dampen enthusiasm for imported animated features.

A Universal spokesperson confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter the film would not be opening in the country. The previous installment to the franchise, released in 2010, was

not released there as well.

Having already been released to much commercial success ($3.2 million) in Hong Kong – which operates an independent film distribution system from the mainland – Despicable Me 2 is one of the most strongly anticipated films on the mainland.

The latest development has come as a surprise, given how the country’s media has been running regular stories about

the film. On Tuesday, Beijing Youth Daily, the mouthpiece of the country’s Communist Youth League, published an article noting the film’s box office success in the US, and saying there are ”hopes” of the film being imported into China.

If mainland China’s censors stick with their decision, Despicable Me 2 will become the latest Hollywood animation feature to have fallen afoul of officials in the country.

Image of ‘Despicable me 2’

Jacky Appiah

Stephanie Okereke’s upcoming movie ‘Dry’

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ollywood actress, Stephanie Okereke-Linus has collaborated with a lot of acts in the Nigerian film industry to shoot a new movie.

She released an interesting trailer of her upcoming movie, ‘Dry’ starring veteran actress, Liz Benson among others.

Stephanie wrote on her blog: “At this critical juncture, I am now compelled to release the unofficial (raw footage) videos of my upcoming movie.

Stephanie Okereke’s

PAGE 33

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

Weekend Revue

Beyonce scraps 50 songs amidst endless album delay

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he diva, under self-management, starts fresh on an album Sony-owned Columbia and would drop this fall opposite releases from Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, Hollywood Reporter has said.

It added that the move started when producer Diplo revealed that two songs he hoped would make it onto the next Beyonce album ended up on the cutting-room floor, and that it stoked chatter that the project is running months behind schedule.

Like a record scratching to a halt, Beyonce, 31, is believed to have auditioned more than 50 songs for her much-anticipated fifth studio album but has decided to scrap them all and start over, a source tells THR. Among the writers potentially affected are Ryan Tedder, The-Dream, Sia, Diane Warren and Ne-Yo, who said in June that Beyonce was “still trying to figure out” a direction for the album.

The singer’s label, Sony-owned Columbia, had hoped to have new Beyonce music out by spring, which turned out to be a pipe dream. Now, it looks like a fall release may not be feasible.

Columbia had its sights set on a big fourth-quarter bow by Beyonce, both to compete with high-profile releases by Universal Music’s Lady Gaga and Katy Perry and to capitalize on her massive Mrs. Carter tour. “Beyonce has had some of the biggest hits of our format, and we’re ready for the next,” says Tom Poleman, president of national programming platforms at Clear Channel.

Yoruba actor, BigVal in child paternity mess with business woman

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oruba actor, Oreoluwa Jokotade is currently in child paternity mess with business woman turned movie producer, Bukola Ajayi, Nigeriafilms.com has said.

Sources said that the drama started last year when Bukola Ajayi who was a business woman until she ventured into movie productions, met Oreoluwa Jokotade, an actor who is popularly known as BigVal. Adding that they started dating but things got messy along the line.

The sources said BigVal allegedly sent a BBM broadcast to his friends, family and colleagues saying Bukola was “threatening to kill me and in case anything happens” to him she should be held

Bigval and Bokola Ajayi

responsible.

He went on to say she duped him and his sister of 500,000 naira.

Bukola, who denied the allegations, said she was the one taking care of him, feeding him also changed his wardrobe.

She also said he impregnated her and collected her N2million.

According to Bukola’s friends, she gave birth on the 31st of May 2013, and the baby girl, who has been named Ayomikun, is a carbon copy of the actor.

They also said the actor has been telling anyone who cared to listen that he has no daughter anywhere. But her friends are challenging him to come forward for a DNA test.

They also said they want him to start playing his role as a father in the little girl’s life.

Beyonce performing on stage

Rochas Okorocha sacks Nkiru Sylvanus

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ollywood actress Nkiru Sylvanus was relieved of her position as Special Assistant on Lagos Affairs. bangshowbiz.com Nkiru has been sacked from the cabinet of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State.

The actress was relieved of her position as Special Assistant on Lagos Affairs following a cabinet dissolution by the Imo State government which affected all commissioners, special advisers, senior special assistants and special assistants in the cabinet.

A statement from the government of the state explains that the ‘’the dissolution was necessary to give room for more capable hands into the system in order to fully actualize the rescue mission agenda of the State Government.’’

A lot of eyebrows were raised when Okorocha appointed the Abia State-born ‘Final Tussle’ star as Special Assistant on Lagos Matters in July 2011.

Nkiru Sylvanus

Late Whitney Houston’s head stone uncovered

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ulse.com has reported that Whitney Houston family has finally unveiled the singer’s headstone placed on her grave.

The monument carries a tear-drop shape and a heartshaped engraving with an inscription of the star’s portrait – gotten from the cover of her last album (I Look To You), her name and her date of birth and death and a powerful text, “The Voice”. A name she got after her death.

Beneath is the title of her greatest hit, a Dolly Parton cover of “I’ll Always Love You”.

Whitney is survived by her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, mother, brother and ex husband

and of course millions of fans across the globe.

February 11, 2012 will not leave our memories in a hurry because that day took out one of the world’s greatest singers.

It would be recalled that Whitney Houston, on 11 February, 2012, was found dead in a hotel bath tub just at the eve of the Grammy Awards.

An autopsy found she had drowned accidentally, with heart disease and cocain contributed to her death.

She was buried next to her dad in Westfeild, New Jersey.

Whitney Houston’s head stone

PAGE 34

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

Feature

Abba Moro and the many internal security challenges

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t is no news that the various security agencies under the Ministry of Interior have found themselves fighting unarguably, the toughest battle of their lives since the beginning of democratic governance in the country.

The security challenges were occasioned by the activities of Boko Haram, pipeline vandals, illegal immigrants and other unpopular miscreants in the country, who worked assiduously to disturb the relative peace of the country.

In his determination to quell the various security challenges in the country, the Interior Minister, Comrade Abba Moro, recently disclosed to the Senate Committee on Interior, led by its chairman, Bagudu A. Abubakar, that plans were on the way to accurately have a database of both legal and illegal aliens in the country, as part of measures to ensure security of lives and property and guard against external attack.

He said the plan will allow for some level of pardon for the aliens so as to accurately open up a database for them. He told the committee that the Nigeria Immigration Service still lack the required numbers of personnel to man the nation’s borders, adding that the ministry has concluded arrangement to introduce a modern equipment before the end of this year, to monitor the country’s border posts.

Also, Moro said a new visa regime, targeted at becoming a veritable tool for achieving the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Vision 2020, was introduced to quicken economic development, create jobs and boost tourism, allow businessmen and top management staff of multinational organisations that have visa agreement with Nigeria to collect their visas at the point of entry.

Another policy introduced by the Abba Moro-led Interior ministry, which has received commendation from Nigerians is the e-passport initiative. The policy, which is in line with international best practice, has placed the country on a higher rating and ensures the integrity of Nigerian passports.

It has also made it so easy to issue passport within three days compared to what it used to be.

Today, both Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora can feel secured with a sense of identity and pride.

The e-passport, according to the minister, “has been upgraded to include more features that will make duplication impossible. Speaking further, the Minister noted that the e-passport will replace the duplication by unscrupulous elements in the country who connive with other foreigners to produce multiple passports.

In his words : “We will not allow this practice to continue; that is why we have been working assiduously to create a new policy in line with global best practice”, adding that the country will only grant visas to genuine business men and not just anybody who wants to come in to the country.“The government is disturbed and we are not going to treat any unscrupulous elements with kid gloves”, he stressed.

To effectively manage the country’s borders, the ministry has entered into partnership with a Chinese company for the acquisition of ICT equipment. As such, it will not be business as usual

Since assumption of office in 2011, the Interior Minister, Comrade Abba Moro, has been faced with myriad of security challenges; ranging from Boko Haram, pipeline vandalisation, illegal immigrants and other miscreants who derive joy in disturbing the peace of the country, Tobias Lengnan Dapam takes a look at the challenges and the steps aimed at stemming them.

President Goodluck Jonathan for illegal aliens who come into the country through illegal routes, which the ministry has already numbered to 1,487.

Already, about 10,401 Nigeriens, Beninious, Cameroonians and nationals of other countries were refused entry into the country on various suspicions, while 8,337 Nigeriens were also repatriated.

Measures have also been put in place to capture the bio-metric data of travelers, to ascertain the identity of passport holders and to reduce the abuse of possible compromising of the automated Fingerprint Identification system which captures four fingers. The policy will help reduce the tendency for migrants getting involved in terrorism in the country.

In order to effectively contain cases of fire disaster in the country, the ministry has introduced an Automated Fire Alert System in partnership with a private organisation. The system is designed to alert house-owners as soon as smoke from any fire is detected.

In addition, a national Fire Safety Code has also been launched, with the main aim of reducing fire outbreaks, to ensure the safety of lives and properties of citizens.

On efforts aimed at reducing minimal cases of jail-breaks across the country, which observers attributed to the activities of insurgents in the country, the minister said his ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Nigerian-based Chinese firm to collaborate and implement an e-prison programme,

Abba Moro in order to boost prison surveillance and security through the Nigerian Prison’s Information Management System.

“In order to address the problem of external attack on prison formations across the country, several modern prison building are being constructed. For example, a block to accommodate 212 inmates has been constructed in Kano central prison and another one to accommodate 136 inmates was also completed at Aba prison. Those in Kaduna, Nsukka, Ibadan and Numan are at various stage of completion, in addition to a new prison yard which was completed and commissioned at Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, early this year”, he stated.

It is also worthy of note that the Prison service under Moro has also installed signal modems in 22 prison formations across the country to forestall future prison breaks, while a comprehensive inmates’ database has been created through purchase of bio-metrics computers in the state commands and zonal offices as well

as the provision of critical equipment such as metal detectors, concealable bullet-proof vests and protective gear for operatives among others, to ensure safety of inmates and prevent the nation’s prisons from incessant attacks.

The ministry has also suggested that alternative punishment to prison terms for offenders be introduced into the system and also address the problem of slow justice delivery, to achieve the desired reformation of inmates and problem of prison congestion.

On disaster management, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), has established a disaster management team in all the 22 airports across the country, to ensure effective management of aviation related emergencies. While on vandalism, aside collaborative efforts with the Joint Task Force (JTF), the Corps has destroyed over 95 illegal refineries, ceased over 545 trucks, 9 boats, 44 drums, 4 vessels and 1,548 jerry cans.

Apart from being effective in

Also, some of the Acts regulating the activities of the units under this ministry are totally obsolete and needs to be reviewed by the National Assembly, so as to give the ministry the full mandate to tackle internal security.

protection of critical infrastructure and national assets, the responsibility that has earned NSCDC several commendations under this administration, is the registration and monitoring of Private Security Guards and containment of fraudulent activities by some unscrupulous elements.

In order to stem the rising tide of insurgencies and extremism in the country, NSCDC has taken proactive steps to contain insecurity in the country by working with other security agencies. The Corps is currently building staff capacity in anti-terrorism training, participating in JTF’s operations and acquisition of modern equipment.

To motivate the staff and provide them with basic needs, the Minister has become the first to launch a Paramilitary Village housing scheme at Kyami District recently. The second phase of the project will cover other states across the country.

Judging by these, observers believe that the ministry under this administration has scored a pass-mark despite its challenges.

Also, some of the Acts regulating the activities of the units under this ministry are totally obsolete and needs to be reviewed by the National Assembly, so as to give the ministry the full mandate to tackle internal security.

It is a pertinent hope that, as the Minister struggles to achieve these laudable goals, the challenges in his line of duty and indeed that of other staff in the ministry will wither enough to enable them maintain focus on their official responsibilities.

PAGE 35

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

Feature

The importance of Ramadan

By Halima Mohammed

R

amadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar; Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting. This annual observance is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam.The month lasts 29–30 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon, according to numerous biographical accounts compiled in hadiths.

Ramadan is considered the holiest time of the year, and a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and increased devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. Although Ramadan is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, since the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar and the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar.

This difference means Ramadan moves in the Gregorian calendar approximately 11 days every year. The date of Ramadan may also vary from country to country depending on whether the moon has been sighted or not.

The word Ramadan comes from the Arabic root ramida or ar-ramad, which means scorching heat or dryness and it is believed that the first revelation to Muhammad (PBUH) was sent down during the month of Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Quran; a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast in the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and that you should complete the period, and that you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that perhaps you may be thankful. Quran 2:185 Fasting during the month of Ramadan is fardh (obligatory) It becomes compulsory for Muslims to start fasting when they reach puberty, so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. Exceptions to fasting are for those who are ill, travelling, pregnant, breast feeding, diabetic or going through menstrual bleeding though according to the Quran, those ill or traveling (musaafir) are exempted from this obligation, they must still make up the days missed later on.

While fasting from dawn (suhoor) until sunset (iftar), Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations; in some interpretations they also refrain from swearing. The thawab (rewards) of fasting are many, but in this month they are believed to be multiplied. Fasting for Muslims during Ramadan typically includes the increased offering of prayers (salat) and recitation of the Quran. During the Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Quran though Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Quran by means of special prayers, called Tarawih. These voluntary prayers are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Quran (Juz’, which is 1/30 of the Quran) is recited. Therefore, the entire Quran would be completed at the end of the month. Although it is not required to read the whole Quran in the Salatul Tarawih prayers, it is common.

The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities,

Muslim faithful during a Ramadan lecture at the central Mosque, recently in Bauchi. Photo: NAN its purpose being to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities.

Ramadan also teaches Muslims how to better practise self-discipline, selfcontrol,sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity (zakat).

Charity (Zakat/Sadaqa) in Arabic, is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadan. Zakat, often translated as “the poor-rate”, is obligatory as one of the pillars of Islam; a fixed percentage is required to be given to the poor of the person’s savings while Sadaqa is voluntary charity in given above and beyond what is required from the obligation of Zakat.

“Imam Bukhari, the most renowned Hadith scholar narrated: Eyes should refrain from seeing evil, ears from hearing evil, heart from reflecting evil, and tongue from speaking evil.”

“The prophet (pbuh) said ‘For One who does not give up speaking false words and acting by them it is not required by Allah that he give up only his food and drink’.

“On another occasion the prophet (pbuh) said ‘Many are the observers of fast who gain nothing from their fast but thirst and hunger’.

The end of Ramadan brings Eid-al fitr, the feast of breaking the fast, which celebrates the revelation of the Qur’an.

The Qur’an makes it clear: ‘that you

complete the number, and proclaim the greatness of Allah for His having guided you, and that you render your thanks.

(2:185).

FASTING AND YOUR HEALTH There are numerous physical benefits from fasting but most importantly, is the “detoxification” process your body goes through during the fast.

The excerpts below are taken from an article by W. Carroll on The Health Benefits of Fasting.Detoxification is a normal body process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver,kidneys,lungs,lymph glands, and skin. This process is precipitated by fasting because when food is no longer entering the body, the body turns to fat reserves for energy. These fat reserves are created when excess glucose and carbohydrates which were not used for energy or growth and not excreted are converted into fat.

When the fat reserves are used for energy during a fast, it releases the chemicals from the fatty acids into the system which are then eliminated through the aforementioned organs.

A second prescribed benefit of fasting is the healing process that begins in the body during a fast. During fasting, energy is diverted away from the digestive system due to its lack of use and towards the metabolism and immune system. This process is precipitated by the body’s

“

The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities.

search f or energy sources. Abnormal growths within the body, tumours and the like, do not have the full support of the body’s supplies and therefore are more susceptible to autolysis. Autolysis is the breaking down of fat stores in the body in order to produce energy. Furthermore, “production of protein for replacement of damaged cells (protein synthesis) occurs more efficiently.

A higher efficiency in protein synthesis results in healthier cells, tissues and organs. This is one reason that animals stop eating when they are wounded, and why humans lose hunger during influenza. Hunger has been proven absent in illnesses such as gastritis, tonsillitis and colds. Therefore, when one is fasting, the person is consciously diverting energy from the digestive system to the immune system.

In addition, there is a reduction in core body temperature. This is a direct result of the slower metabolic rate and general bodily functions. Following a drop in blood sugar level and using the reserves of glucose found in liver glycogen, the basal metabolic rate (BMR) is reduced in order to conserve as much energy within the body as can be provided. Growth hormones are also released during a fast, due to the greater efficiency in hormone production.

Finally, the most scientifically proven advantage to fasting is the feeling of rejuvenation, Part of this phenomenon is caused by a number of the benefits mentioned above. A slower metabolic rate, more efficient protein production, an improved immune system, and the increased production of hormones contributes to this long-term benefit of fasting.

Clearly fasting during the month of Ramadan covers our spiritual and physical life so it is important to participate to the best of our abilities. May Allah accept our fasting as an act of worship (Ibadah).

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

Digest

Using tree food recipes to fight off malnutrition

By Cathy Edwards

Y

ou can make a lovely smoothie with baobab powder, apple juice, some natural yoghurt and a handful of blueberries.”

Chef Malcolm Riley, whose family come from Zambia, but is now based in the UK, is a real enthusiast in spreading the word about the nutritional properties of African tree foods.

But as well as providing tasty variety for more affluent consumers, tree foods like baobab and moringa are helping to prevent malnutrition during the hungry season.

Long periods without rain occur virtually every year across the Sahel region - which runs

across Africa, south of the Sahara - through countries like Burkina Faso.

At Reo orphanage, in Sanguié in south western Burkina Faso, moringa is regularly on the menu for the children.

Known locally as the “tree of paradise”, much of the plant is edible. Its leaves are rich in vitamins A, B and C. Just 100g of fresh moringa leaves contains four times the amount of calcium found in the same quantity of milk.

Marie Bassole who is a nurse and manager of the orphanage says the children who eat moringa are far less likely to be malnourished.

“There is a real difference between children fed on moringa

Village women collect baobab leaves from a tree in Burkina Faso

A boy from the orphanage eats his midday meal fortified with moringa leaves

and those who don’t eat it.

Those who get malaria get better quicker if they have moringa in their diet.”

‘Leafy couscous’ In north west Burkina Faso there is an emergency feeding centre in Barbouli. Malnutrition is a fact of life for 40% of the rural poor in these communities.

Families tell of crop failures and how they and their children are having to survive on just one meal a day.

Breakfast linked to ‘healthy heart’

P

eople should eat breakfast to keep their hearts in good condition, according to researchers in the US. Their study of 27,000 men, in the journal Circulation, showed those skipping breakfast were at a greater risk of heart problems.

The team at the Harvard School of Public Health said missing the meal put an “extra strain” on the body.

The British Heart Foundation said breakfast helped people resist sugary snacks before lunch.

The men, aged 45-82, were studied for 16 years. During that time there were more than 1,500 heart attacks or cases of fatal heart failure.

However, people who skipped breakfast were 27% more likely to have heart problems than those who started the day with a meal.

The researchers adjusted for other lifestyle risk factors such as smoking and exercise.

Researcher, Dr Leah Cahill told the BBC: “The take-home message is eat in the morning when you wake up, preferably within an hour.

“The results show that something is better than nothing, but it’s always better to have something healthy and balanced.”

She said the timing of the meal

An hour’s drive away in the village of Bangmiogo, one of the residents Aicha Oudrago lives with her five children.

She leaves the village at dawn each morning with other women to gather baobab leaves.

“If we have any flour we can combine this with the leaves to make a leafy couscous. We also cook the seeds, boiling them in hot water, the same as you would green peas.”

Aicha says that they are 8090% dependent on tree foods in the lean season: “We eat the dawadawa fruits when they ripen. And in the rainy season we make shea butter.”

Yacouba Ouedrago is the regional director of the charity Tree Aid which is working on projects to draw attention to the nutritional and economic benefits of indigenous tree foods. The baobab is central to this as it can survive even if it doesn’t rain for 10 years.

Inside the fruit of the baobab pod is dry - it contains just 0.3% moisture. The contents of the pod look a little like sugar

cubes, with anything from 30 to 60 pieces inside. These are sieved into a powder which has a unique flavour including citrus notes.

Malcolm Riley remembers as a child ignoring the fruit, preferring a juicy mango when it was in season.

But now he lovingly creates recipes from the powder everything from Victoria sponge cakes to jams.

“Its high pectin content makes it a great thickening agent. If you make ice cream with it you can add less dairy and sugar than you normally would.”

The smoky flavour of leaves from the moringa tree works well with tomatoes, onions and salt, though some like to add peanut butter or groundnuts.

He is adapting his taste for African foods to ingredients more freely available in the UK - sometimes substituting the smallest fresh pumpkin leaves for the moringa.

Source: BBCNews.com

Could a bowl of cereal help your heart? seemed to be key and waiting until lunch rather than “breaking fast” may be straining the body over time.

She said this could be increasing the risk of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes which could in turn damage the heart.

“Don’t skip breakfast,” Dr Cahill

concluded.

Victoria Taylor, a dietitian with the British Heart Foundation, said: “These researchers only looked at men aged over 45, so we would need to see further research to confirm that breakfast has the same impact on the heart health of other groups of people.

Moringa leaves are picked and dried for use in cooking Moringa magic

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 37

Gladiators in Anambra November governorship poll

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

hough the Anambra state governorship contest has been slated for November, events in the state indicate that the political atmosphere has been charged to the brim. The political gladiators have begun rolling out their strategies aimed at outdoing one another.

In addition to the normal political campaigns, clandestine horse trading has taken a centre stage.

One interestingly remarkable aspect of the Anambra politics is the ability to assume a fluid and unpredictable dimension. This is predominantly due to the volatility of the political indices obtainable in the state, which can turn the table in favour of the least expected candidate.

The most visible political parties jostling to take over the Government House in Akwa are the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which has the incumbency; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) snd the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Others which may put up a good fight are the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Labour Party (LP), and United Peoples Party (UPP).

These political parties have their challenges and strengths, which may influence the performance of their respective candidates, depending essentially on how these high and low points are maneuvered.

In the meantime, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), though not yet definite on choice of candidate, is allegedly positioning the current Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Oseloka Obaze, for the prime job in the state.

This candidate is confirmed to be enjoying the support of the incumbent governor Peter

Sen. Chris Ngige

Charles Soludo (former CBN Governor)

Obi of Anambra state. There are rumours that Obi’s decision to dissolve the cabinet last year was primarily aimed at clearing the coast for Obaze to make his debuts in the Anambra state corridors of power. When the cabinet was reconstituted few weeks after dissolution, like a bolt from the blues, the Obaze emerged the SSG of the state.

It is alleged that Obaze worked closely with Governor Obi abroad before the latter invited him to come and serve in his cabinet as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. As a confirmation of their closeness, Obi in the recent times, has toured most communities in the Anambra North zsenatorial District, promising them that their son would, for the first time since the creation of the state, produce the governor for the state.

He is from Anambra North Senatorial Zone, which is where the incumbent Governor has openly zoned the governorship slot. It is worthy of note that this

Former PDP Woman Leader, Josephine Anenih

Ifeanyi Ubah

particular zone has never produced a governor for the state, and it is likely that this may generate sentiments in the favour of this candidate from the zone.

In addition, he has a formidable platform, with structures across all the local governments in the state. This, analysts believe, will give his candidature the boost and prominence it requires at the grassroots.

However, one major minus for this candidate is the internal crisis facing his platform APGA, anchored on the current faceoff between governor Peter Obi and the Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh.

Moreover, he is a relatively new face in Anambra politics. This some observers argue, will pose a challenge to his success, especially in the face of political dynamism which always play out in the state.

Another force to reckon with in the governorship contest is a House of Representatives member, Hon. Uche Ekwunife.

She has already declared interest

Sen. Andy Uba

“

One interestingly remarkable aspect of the Anambra politics is the ability to assume a fluid and unpredictable dimension. This is predominantly due to the volatility of the political indices obtainable in the state, which can turn the table in favour of the least expected candidate in the election, even emphatically pointing out that she is not in the race to be settled with Deputy governorship slot as being alleged at some quarter.

Political pundits have submitted that she would make strong impact in the contest, especially if she is able to secure the ticket of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).nAside being versed in grassroots politics, her political prominence has risen over the years, since she defeated Dozie Nwankwo to come back to the House in 2011 election.

On the contrary, observers say she may have some setbacks, given the peculiarities of Anambra politics which is considered too tough for females, especially with regards to governorship position.

Like Obaze, the crisis in APGA may also affect her performance negatively. In addition, it is believed that her popularity is only viable in Anaocha, Njikoka, federal constituency where she currently represent in the Federal House of Representatives.

Another influential candidate who is expected to pull the strings in the 2014 governorship election is Ifanyi Uba. It was alleged that he is behind the APGA crisis, hence he was allegedly conniving with the Chairman, Victor Umeh, to succeed governor Peter Obi. It would be recalled that at the height of the APGA crisis, he defected to Labour Party (LP), his current platform. Ubah, an oil mogul, is believed to have what it takes financially to bank roll election in the state. Aside from being young and charismatic, this candidate is renouned for the kind of intelligence requisite for a would be governor of Anambra state. He has a reasonable measure of popularity at the grassroots.

But LP is not a formidable political party in Anambra state.

Infact, it lacks a robust structure across the local governments in Anambra state. This is believed to be an enormous challenge which may hamper the efficacy of his campaigns in the 21 local government areas in the state.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), even though it has not declared any candidate as its standard bearer, remains a party to beat in the contest. This becomes more understandable because Anambra state is considered to be the stronghold of PDP in Nigeria.

It would be recalled that it was only in 2006 that PDP lost control of the state to the opposition APGA, and since then, the PDP has remained the major opposition to APGA in the state. From the events in the state, one does not need to be informed that PDP is leaving no stone unturned in clinching the control of the state from APGA. Meanwhile, there are some influential candidates positioning themselves to fly the flag of PDP in the election. These include Senator Andy Uba, Charles Soludo (former CBN Governor), Abuja Continued on page 38

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

Politics

Ekiti 2014: We won’t accept consensus arrangement, says Fayose

By Lawrence Olaoye

F

ormer governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose yesterday declared that he would not accept the outcome of the consensus arrangement for selection of the governorship candidate for Ekiti Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014 poll.

Fayose said this after a closed door meeting with the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, in the party’s national secretariat, Abuja.

This is coming as he former governor described his purported suspension by the state chapter of the PDP as ultra vires and of no effect.

According to him, the Ogundipe led PDP chapter in the state lacked the power to unilaterally expel him from the party without following due process.

He raised the fears that there are plots by some of the aspirants who are working in concert with some members of the state executive committee to impose a governorship candidate in the guise of consensus arrangement.

Fayose, who handed over several documents to Tukur over the recent crisis that engulfed Ekiti PDP declared that his opponents are jittery about his entry into the race because in a clean and clear contest, he will defeat them no matter how many time the primary election is conducted.

He said the PDP state executive are wrongly capitalizing on the advice of President Goodluck Jonathan for them to go for consensus candidate, if it is agreeable to all the candidates in order

to reduce friction, to impose a candidate after collecting N2million from each aspirant.

“The genesis of the crisis was as a result of the advice of Mr. President on a possible understanding of emergence of a consensus gubernatorial candidate if practicable. This has become a source of extortion leading to compromise of the state chairman and some exco members.

“This and other issues pitched members of the State Working Committee, SWC, against others as a result of a generation of a list of undemocratic consensus committee aimed at producing a particular candidate without the input of relevant stakeholders.

“I wish to state that Ogundipe has collected a non-refundable deposit fee of N2million from at least 13 aspirants and yet want to force a consensus arrangement on the aspirants after the collection of nonrefundable fees. On what moral ground can this be justified”, he asked.

Fayose who distanced himself from allegations of violence and wanton destruction of properties leveled against him by his opponents declared that he has gotten assurances of the PDP national chairman that there will be no imposition of candidate and there will be a level playing field for all the aspirants to participate in the governorship primaries.

“The only way out is to do it like Anambra and allow everyone to participate. If the minister wants to be governor he should come home and let the people know him. Abuja will not adopt any candidate”, he asserted.

L-R: House Leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande Adeola, little Aminat Ishola carrying placard, a member, Concerned Women of Nigeria (CWN), Chief Titi Oluwatoyin , and CWN President, Chief Nike Oriola, during a visit by CWN’s members to National Assembly to oppose under-aged marriage, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Forum petitions against Duguri district head for involvement in partisan politics From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

B

auchi League of Democrats Forum has petitioned the Bauchi Emirate Council to warn the district head of Duguri, in Alkaleri Local Government of Bauchi state, Alhaji Adamu Mohammed, to stay out politics.

A press release signed by the Forum’s Chairman Isa Mohammed Alkaleri and the Secretary, Salisu Bello Duguri, which was made available to newsmen yesterday in Bauchi , it warned that the council should call Mohammed by ordering g him to stop active participation in

politics.

According to the group, his involvement in politics in the state has some potentials of bringing the traditional institution into ridicule.

The Forum stated that the petition becomes necessary going by the growing concern of his subjects and the larger society on his involvement in so many party activities.

The statement reads “As concerned citizens and stakeholders, we are appealing to the Bauchi Emirate Council to as a matter of urgency immediately sanction him forthwith or order him to choose between politics and traditional

office.”

It added “it is our believe that traditional institution remains the only tool people cherish and as such, we remain committed in rising to the challenge to maintain its reputation.”

Responding, the District Head of Duguri said “actually I got the release but I tried to get those concerned but I could not do so; it could be that fictitious names and phone numbers were given. But all the same, did anybody see my posters vying for any position or campaigning for somebody in the state?”

Gladiators in Anambra November governorship poll Continued on page 38

business mogul and philantropist, Nicholas Ukachukwu, former PDP Woman Leader, Josephine Anenih amongst others.

Andy Uba, a serbing Senator, had been the governor of the state, even though for a very short period of seven-days; he is always a force to reckon with in Anambra election. His younger brother, Chris Uba, is a renouned kingmaker in the state. Chris Uba has a mastery of grassroots politics in Anambra. This, political observers believe, he can deploy to the advantage of this elder brother, Andy.

On the issue of funds, this would not be an impediment at all, especially considering the fact that Andy had been a very powerful Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Domestic Affairs. Also, being a current Senator, it is certain that he has what it takes to finance election in the state.

Nevertheless, like other candidates, he has some challenges to grapple with, which include the inglorious role played by his younger brother during the 2004 political mayhem in th stathashish led to he abduction of former governor Chris Ngige.

During the crisis, his younger brother allegedly masterminded the burning and destruction of state properties, including the Anambra Broadcasting Service, Anambra state Government House, among others. He is also being accused of being the sole reason why the government of former Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju (His political godson) could not pay pension and gratuities to retirees, including teachers, which resulted in a strike action that forced primary and secondary children to stay out of school for a long period of time.

It is believed that his political opponents would play up on this to undermine his chances if his party eventually adopts him for the governorship position. Again,

the PDP in the state is still having some internal challenges which are capable of undermining the success of its candidate.

In the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), there are high hope that former governor Chris Ngige, who lost to Peter Obi, at the election tribunal, would join the contest on the platform of ACN. Ngige, in addition to being a dogged politician, commands respect and popularity at the grassroots. Also, his platform is formidable, as a frmer governor, with structures across the communities in the state. He does not need introduction in the state’s politics, being a peoples’ man owing to how he was able to transform the state’s infrastructures within his short stay in office.

In addition, funds will not be an impediment for Ngige, given that he is a serving Senator and former governor. Besides, the ACN has shown strong determination to win he state owing to its aggressive campaign strategies it is poised to

deploy at he appropriate time.

However, his challenge would be how to deal with the Uba brothers, who are bent on taking their pound of flesh after he successfully took away control of the state from them.

Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) is however, not pronounced in Anambra state, especially as most voters see it as a northern political party.

This is essentially a minus for any candidate that would want to contest on that platform.

Obviously, this may be why CPC is reported as not being as vibrant as other parties, owing to these peculiar challenges in both popularity and resources.

United Peoples Party (UPP), which is a relatively new party in Anambra state, has reportedly awash the state with adverts, posters and jingles. Okey Umano is said to have taken the centre stage.

He has taken his campaign trips to the traditional institutions in the state, even though the number of

these traditional authority actually supports his bid, remained to be seen.

In addition, he is the chairman of the party in the state. This therefore has created the perception that he is holding fort for some big candidates in PDP or APGA who may not be accommodated by the scheme of things. This, of course, has raised the issue of credibility against his candidature. Also, UPP, being a relatively new party, obviously may not have what it takes to finance election in a state like Anambra.

Meanwhile, it is expected that new twists and changes would emerge by the time the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) releases timetable for the primary elections by the political parties in the election. Expectation is that these candidates would still swap both parties and position, especially those from PDP and APGA, being the most determined in the contest.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 40

Leisure

S

Some Interesting Facts

outh Africa is now the only country in the world to have hosted the Soccer, Cricket and Rugby World Cup! Table Mountain in Cape Town is believed to be one of the oldest mountains in the world and one of the planet’s 12 main energy centres, radiating magnetic, electric or spiritual energy.

The Cape Floral Kingdom is one of the world’s six floral kingdoms – and the only one which is wholly contained within a single country.

Some countries have deserts; some have subtropical forests, right? South Africa has: deserts, wetlands, grasslands, bush, subtropical forests, mountains and escarpments.

South Africa’s drinking water is rated 3rd best in the world for being “safe and ready to drink”.

Water is not all there is to drink in this thirsty country! South Africa’s Cape Winelands have around 560 wineries and 4 400 primary producers. Included in the Cape Winelands region is Route 62, considered the longest wine route in the world. That alone is good reason to visit South Africa if you haven’t yet been!

What about beer?

South African brewery SABMiller ranks – by volume – as the largest brewing company in the world. Saffers love their beer…but the real reason the brewery is so big? SABMiller also supplies up to 50% of China’s beer.

South Africa is the only country in the entire world that has voluntarily abandoned its nuclear weapons programme.

Can you think of any other place in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners lived on the same street? Both Nelson Mandela and

Archbishop Desmond Tutu had houses on Vilakazi Street in Soweto T h e r e i s n o correlation between the price of a brand of batteries and how long they last.

Breaking new ground only takes a small amount more effort than you’re used to giving. is a solo trip, but you’ll have lots of visitors. Some of them are long-term, most aren’t.

One of the best things you can do for your kids is take them on road trips. I’m not a

parent, but I was a kid once.

The fewer possessions you have, the more they do for you.

Einstein was wiser than he was intelligent, and he was a genius.

When you’re sick of your own life, that’s a good time to pick up a book.

Wishing things were different is a great way to torture yourself.

The ability to be happ ppy y is nothing other t ha han n th he ability to com m e to t e r mss with how w t hin h i ngs n g s ch cha a n ge. ang ge Killing time is an atro at roci city ty y . Itt ’s p rii ce celles less, and it never grows back ba ck.

Say what?

SUDODKU

PHOTO OF THE DAY

A Bond stuntman has pulled off the hottest card trick ever - blind-dealing four aces while engulfed in flames.Daredevil Steve Truglia from Wanstead, east London, staked his life against his magic skills as he went up in flames.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 41

FIFA appoints Madagascar officials for Eagles, Malawi

Umeh, Ladipo, Ikpeme think Victory Stories by Albert Akota

W

hen the Super Eagles landed in Abidjan, there was a syymbolic gesture by an immigration official that did not go unnoticed by the leader of the Nigerian delegation, Chief Mike Umeh and other members of the team.

The official simply asked the Nigerian team to forego filling of the immigration forms and proceed into the city because according bto him.

“Nigeria is here to win”.

Chief Umeh picked his positives from there and said, “thank God they know we will defeat them here. Nigeria is now used to winning and even airport officials know that fact.

Chief Umeh was not alone in his frame of mind, Chief Rauf Ladipo, who has been in the forefront of supporting the Super Eagles for ages also shared the same optimism, as the supporters club, Abidjan wing drummed away in reception of the reigning African champions.

“I am not used to failure and that is why I am here and the people of this city know exactly what I mean”.Chief Ladipo has already detailed his Ivoirien counterparts to ensure that he gets hot Amala and Gbegiri soup from his arrival till departure as a mode of celebration.

On his part, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme in his usual amiable self said he was impressed by the reception but is not carried away. As the reason he came to Abidjan was for victory to be achieved and for Nigeria to qualify for the first time for the CHAN tourney which holds

W

Super eagles arriving Abidjan yesterday for the return leg of CHAN 2014 qualifier.

Photo: NAN

Eagles arrive Abidjan, ready for Elephants T he Super Eagles yesterday afternoon landed safely in Abidjan, the Ivoirien capital ahead of the final leg, CHAN qualifier against host the Elephants scheduled for Saturday in the Ivoirien commercial capital.

The team of 18 players and officials was led by NFF Vice President, Chief Mike Okeke Umeh and had on board, NFF Head, Technical, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, President General of the Nigerian Football and Other Sports Supporters Club, Dr Rauf Ladipo and several other actors in the football fraternity.

The Air Afrique flight which conveyed the team from Lagos to Abidjan took about one hour, thirty minutes to land in smooth condition with showers of rain welcoming the team to the city. The flight landed at exactly 10:50 local time, which is 11:50am Nigerian time and was well received by members of the Ivoirien FA. The bus that took the team to its hotel in the heart of the city took about 30minutes to reach its destination at Ibis Hotel.

The team promptly checked in and took its lunch immediately.

The Eagles will have its first

training session at 3:30pm local time which is 4:30 Nigerian time to coincide with the time the game will be played today.

On Arrival, Skipper of the side, Chigozie Agbim, sounded a note of warning to his teammates when he said that the good reception should not be translated to mean that vthe Elephents have given up.

“We are wary and I have told my mates to take the game very serious because in football anything can happen. But we know we are here to pick the CHAN ticket and no team can stop us at this time.

You must fear no foe, Maigari tells Eagles

T

he President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari has told players of the Super Eagles Team B to fear no foe and believe in themselves as they confront their Ivorian counterparts in Abidjan on Saturday afternoon.

The Eagles landed in Abidjan on Thursday morning, with a handy 4-1 lead from the first leg, and Maigari immediately charged the boys to go and conquer, and forget whatever antics the Ivorians have up their sleeves.

“You should be pre-occupied with your own strategies and tactics to conquer, and not bother your heads about what

pranks the opponents would play.

“It is also important to approach the match as if you have no advantage from the first leg here in Nigeria. If you start thinking that you have a handsome credit, that would be a poor approach and the Ivorians will gain strength from that.

“The NFF believes in you and this is why we have given Coach Stephen Keshi all the support in his rebuilding plan, which has involved giving the home boys equal opportunities in the main team, alongside the overseasbased professionals.”

Maigari insisted that a professional approach to the

game would be key to delivering the ticket that would see Nigeria playing in the African Nations Championship for the first time.

“Go in there with the mentality of a winning team and you would get the ticket.

Nigerians are looking forward to your coming back with the ticket that will set the tone for another triumph for our country in South Africa early next year,” said the NFF President.

Saturday’s clash at the fabled Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in the heart of Cote d’Ivoire’s commercial and economic capital will start at 3.30pm Ivorian team (4.30pm Nigeria time).

orld football-governing body, FIFA, has appointed officials from Madagascar to take charge of the crunch 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Flames of Malawi, at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar on Saturday, 7th September.

Hamada el Moussa Nampiandraza, 29, and who became an international referee three years ago, will be centre referee for the cracker in which Nigeria must avoid defeat to progress to the 10-team, final elimination round.

His compatriot, Velomanana Ferdinand Jinoro, a 32 year old who became an international assistant referee last year, will be Assistant Referee 1, with 42-year old Jean Thierry Djaonirina, four years as an international assistant referee, as Assistant Referee 2.

Seth Jaovanona, 37, and who became an international referee last year, is the Fourth Official.

FIFA also appointed Egyptian Abdul Hamid Radwan as the Referee Assessor while former Ghanaian international defender Anthony Baffoe is the Match Commissioner.

Patrick Beckles from Barbados, who was Security Officer for the Eagles’ last home game, against Kenya at the same venue in March, will repeat the role on 7th September.

The African champions, on nine points, only need avoid defeat against seven-pointer Flames at Canaan City, to be eligible for the 16th September draw in Cairo that will set the group leaders against one another in a final knock-out race to Brazil 2014.

When both teams clashed at the Chichiri Stadium in Blantyre in June 2012, Malawi equalised with the last kick of the match for a 1-1 draw.

Nampiandraza

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 42

Sports

Keshi lauds Ejide’s professionalism

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he Uper Eagles Coach Stephen Keshi has said that Hapoel Be’er Sheva goalkeeper Austin Ejide would have the opportunity to claim the position against South Africa next month

Hapoel Be’er Sheva goalkeeper has been praised by for his professional attitude on and off the field of play.

The coach who has been with the national team for almost two years hailed the professional conduct of the

Israel-based goalkeeper and has tipped him to man the post in the Nelson Mandela Challenge against South Africa on August 14.

Ejide has been deputy to number one Vincent Enyeama in the national team for more

Ejide

than a decade. He has made 25 appearances for Nigeria since making his debut in 2001.

The 29-year-old enjoyed his most extensive run in the side during the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations where he was in goal in all four matches that the team played.

“One good thing about Ejide is that he is just a professional person. I remember his wedding was initially fixed for June this year but he moved the wedding to July because of the Fifa Confederations Cup and World Cup qualifiers. So how patriotic can a player be again,” Keshi said.

He also explained the reason for excluding stand in captain Enyeama from the squad that will play against Bafana Bafana next month.

“I wanted to have Ejide fill the goal post. He has been working very hard but Vincent Enyeama is my number one choice goalkeeper. But I need Enyeama more in the match against Malawi on the 5th of September. So I told Ejide to go out there and prove yourself and also get ready should anything happen.

“That is the reason and there is no other reason why Enyeama was not included,” said Keshi.

WCQ: We capitalize on Niger’s loopholes, says coach

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he Coach of the Nigeria’s Senior National Volleyball team, Coach Tony OghumaEghiemai has said that his team capitalized on Niger Republic’s loopholes to defeat them at the World Championship qualifier.

Oghuma- Eghiemai who disclosed this in Abuja after the women’s volleyball team beat their counterpart from Niger Republic 3-0 three straight sets said the players are battle ready for the qualification.

The match, played at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Abuja National Stadium, was the first phase of the Male and Female Sub-zonal Championship Qualifier.

Nigeria is hosting the first phase of the qualifier which started on July 23 to end on July 26.

He said the opportunity Team Nigeria had to watch the opponent’s first match on Tuesday gave the Nigerian side an advantage.

“The fact that we had the opportunity to watch them play gave us an advantage.

“This is because we had the time to plan our strategy against their loopholes and make sure that we had an easy game today,’’ OghumaEghiemai said.

“The fact that our opponent appeared young does not really matter because that is how they look, even at 30 years old.

“Our girls are much younger and the team has a bulk of the players that just came back from Czech Republic where they participated in the U-20 World Championship.

“So, what we have in the

President NVBF, Egre Abuh Gumel

team is basically U-20 girls and two senior players which really helped us today, “he said.

Peoples Daily Sports recalled that the host country beat Niger 25-11, 25-8 and 25-10 in its first

match of the championship.

The defeat means Niger’s female team’s second defeat in the championship after Togo beat them 3-2 in a tight encounter in their first match.

3000 workers hit Abuja for FEPSGA walking, jogging exercise Stories by Albert Akota

N

o fewer than three thousand civil servants across federation are set to hit Abuja national stadium tomorrow for the Federal Public Service Games, (FEPSGA) monthly walking and jogging exercise.

Making this known to newsmen in Abuja yesterday,

national public relation officer of FEPSGA Yohanna Tausam said that the exercise will create a forum to interact as well as helping the civil servants to keep fit physically and mentally ahead of their herculean task.

He noted that sports enthusiast likes commandant general of the Nigeria Security and Civil defence Corps, (NSCDC) Dr Ade Abulorin, head of civil

service of the federation Alhija Bukar Goni Aji, ministers and Foreign Ambassadors has assured to add glamour to the exercise.

“Civil servants in federal ministries, agencies and parastatals have intensified their readiness to troop the national stadium for the mandatory keep fit exercise.

“I want to thank everybody support to FEPSGA especially

the president led executives Mr. Victor Orji effort in realizing the aims of the body, also civil servants massive turnout in last monthly walking and jogging exercise particularly the Olympic day run, “he said.

Tausam who said the exercise is tagged: “Fitness for Life” called on civil servants in the country to make it mandatory in honouring the monthly exercise.

2013 Fed Cup: Heartland battle Akwa Utd in quarter-final

Ogbugh

C

up holders Heartland will face Akwa United for a place in the semi-finals of this year’s Federation Cup. In other quarterfinal fixtures, Kano Pillars tackle Warri Wolves, Lobi Stars are up against Akwa Starlets and Nasarawa United take on two-time winners Enyimba.

Heartland, who has won the Nigeria cup competition back-to-back in 2011 and 2012, beat Sharks on penalties on Wednesday to reach the last eight of the annual competition.

Heartland skipper Chinedu Efugh said that they expect a tough game against Akwa United, who dumped Enugu Rangers in the Round of 16.

“We want to retain the trophy and we know it won’t be easy because other clubs remaining in the contest want to dethrone us, but we are equal to the task, we are not far away from it. We are ready for Akwa, “he assured.

Akwa United forward Ubong Ekpai, on the other hand, said that they hope to go past Heartland as they wish to win the cup competition.

“Heartland is the cup holders and we know it will be tough playing against them, but we are ready for them as we want to win the trophy,” Ekpai said.

Kano Pillars, who are on course for a league and cup double, will tackle Warri Wolves in what promises to be a very exciting match-up.

Federation Cup Quarterfinal Fixtures Heartland vs Akwa Kaduna

Kano Pillars vs Warri Wolves - Ilorin Lobi Stars vs Akwa Starlets - Enugu Nasarawa United vs Enyimba - Abeokuta

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

PAGE 43

Sports

dismisses Saviola joins Olympiakos Liverpool Suarez £40m Arsenal bid A A

rgentine striker Javier Saviola has signed a two-year contract with Olympiakos, the Greek champions announced.

The 31-year-old former Real Madrid and Barcelona marksman was welcomed by some 2 500 Olympiakos supporters outside the club’s headquarters after meeting with team boss Vangelis Marinakis to finalise the deal.

Greek media reported that Saviola will receive a yearly salary of €1.6 million plus a bonus of €400 000. The diminutive forward has won 40 caps for Argentina, scoring 11 goals, and arrives from Spaniards Malaga.

He also played for Portuguese giants Benfica after beginning his career at River Plate, while Monaco and Sevilla count amongst his former clubs.

The Buenos Aires native has won domestic titles in Argentina, Spain and Portugal as well as the 2006 Uefa Cup with Sevilla and the Olympic gold medal at Athens in 2004.

He was named the South American player of the year at just 19 in 1999 while still at River Plate, which attracted the attention of Barcelona where he spent six seasons at the beginning of his European adventure.

Javier Saviola

Higuain, Fulham sign Plumain Reina in from Lens Napoli

A

rgentina striker Gonzalo Higuain and Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina moved closer to completing their prospective moves to Napoli as they passed medicals.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis took to social media sites to reveal the news Napoli fans, some of whom greeted Higuain at a Rome airport, had been waiting for all day.

“Higuain and Reina have passed their medicals and will soon join the group,” said De Laurentiis on Twitter.

Real Madrid forward Higuain, a reported target for both Arsenal and Juventus, is reported to be costing Napoli €37 million plus an extra three million euros based on bonuses.

Reina joins on loan from Liverpool and will link up with his former Anfield boss Rafael Benitez, who joined the Italians in the close season.

“He’s delighted to rediscover the coach Benitez who he knows from five years in Spain and England and with whom he worked very well,” said Reina’s manager Manuel Quilon.

Last week Napoli sold Uruguay forward Edinson Cavani to Paris Saint-Germain for a French record €64 million.

Gonzalo Higuain

F

ulham signed teenage French midfielder AngeFreddy Plumain on a free transfer from Lens yesterday.

Plumain agreed a three-year contract, with the option of a further year’s extension, and will start life at Craven Cottage as part of the Premier League club’s Under-21 development squad.

The 18-year-old made 22 appearances for Lens in the French second division last season, scoring once, and has also represented France at Under-16 level.

A Fulham statement read: “The club is delighted to announce the signing of Ange-Freddy Plumain on a contract until 30th June 2016, with an option to extend for another year.

Plumain is Fulham manager Martin Jol’s fourth pre-season signing following the arrivals of goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg from Roma, Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng and Athletic Bilbao defender Fernando Amorebieta.

rsenal is not anywhere near matching Liverpool’s valuation of striker Luis Suarez, according to Reds manager Brendan Rodgers.

Liverpool rejected an Arsenal club-record bid of £40m plus £1, but Suarez wants to talk to the London club.

The approach triggered a clause in his contract that means he has been told of the bid and can now talk to Arsenal.

“There was an offer a few weeks ago of £35m and two weeks later it is now £40m and £1. I don’t think it is anywhere near the value of what he is worth.

Suarez made his first appearance for Liverpool since his infamous bite on Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic’s arm last season, coming off the bench in an 18-minute cameo during the Premier League club’s 2-0 win over Melbourne Victory at the MCG. With Liverpool 1-0 up, the Uruguayan laid on the Reds’ second for new signing Iago Aspas late in the match.

Rodgers did, however, remind Suarez of the debt he feels the player owes the Liverpool fans who have stood by him after two seasons of controversy.

Liverpool have now turned down two offers from the Gunners, who are keen to boost their attacking options, while Real Madrid, now managed by Carlo Ancelotti, also remain interested in the player but have yet to make a formal offer.

Suarez wants to leave Anfield to play for a Champions League club despite only signing a new long-term deal last summer.

The striker still has to serve six games of that suspension and was also banned in 2011 after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra

Ange-Freddy Plumain

Gervinho’s Roma deal almost done

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ervinho’s nightmare at Arsenal is nearing a close as his move to Serie A club Roma is reaching its completion phase.

The Giallorossi have been in frequent talks with the London club for several weeks now, but finally seem to have made a break through to advance talks.

A delegation from the Serie A club met with senior Gunners officials in London on Tuesday and was expected to hold further talks yesterday in order to resolve his proposed move to the Italian capital.

According to both British and Italian media, talks have progressed smoothly and the deal could be completed by the end of Thursday.

The Italian club is willing to match the player’s £50,000-a-week Gunners salary.

Gervinho’s departure from the Etihad is expected to open doors for their primary targets in Luis Suarez (Liverpool) and Everton’s Marouane Fellaini.

Suarez

No bids for Baines, Fellaini, says Martinz

E

Gervinho

verton manager Roberto Martinez insists he has had no fresh approaches for Leighton Baines or Marouane Fellaini.

Manchester United had a £12 million bid for left-back Baines rejected at the end of June, while Arsenal have been linked with midfielder Fellaini for much of the summer, although have not submitted an offer.

Martinez, appointed

on June 5 after Everton’s former manager David Moyes agreed to take charge at Manchester United, is keen to keep both players at Goodison Park.

Martinez indicated last month that he planned talks with Baines to extend a contract that runs until 2015.

The 28-year-old enjoyed an impressive season, scoring his first England goal against Moldova in September and earning a place in the PFA’s

Team of the Year.

Fellaini, who has been linked with Manchester United as well as Arsenal, has a stipulation in his contract that allows him to speak to clubs in the Champions League who submit a bid of £22 million or more.

But it is understood that the clause has a time limit to protect Everton from losing him too close to the transfer deadline of September 2.

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

Sports

I am doping free, says Bolt

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ix-time Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt insists he is clean in the wake of failed drugs tests by fellow Jamaican athletes.

Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson recently tested positive, as did American Tyson Gay, the fastest man in the world this year.

The 26-year-old 100m and 200m world record-holder pointed to his success as a junior athlete as evidence of his innocence.

After Powell tested positive for the banned stimulant oxilofrine

at the national trials last month, Bolt sent him a text message.

“I didn’t want to bombard him with questions,” said Bolt, who will run the 100m and 4x100m at the London Anniversary Games.

With Gay and Powell still waiting for the results of their ‘B’ samples, Bolt was keen to avoid speculation when he spoke to the media in London on Thursday.

The recent spate of positive drug tests has put the focus back on a sport that has been dogged by

doping scandals in the past.

Bolt was speaking on the same day a Jamaica football player tested positive for a banned substance after a World Cup qualifying match against Honduras.

Bolt became the first athlete to retain the Olympic 100m and 200m crowns when he took gold in both events at the 2012 London Olympics last summer. He then won his third gold of the Games when he anchored Jamaica’s sprint relay team to a world record.

Bellew

Bellew to face Stevenson, Cloud for WBC world title

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ony Bellew will face Adonis Stevenson or Tavoris Cloud for the WBC light-heavyweight title later this year.

It will be the second time Bellew has fought for a world crown, having lost to Nathan Cleverly in 2011 - his only defeat in 22 professional bouts.

The Liverpool fighter, 30, beat Isaac Chilemba in London in May to become the mandatory challenger for the WBC belt.

Stevenson, from Canada, is the reigning champion and will defend his title against American Cloud in September.

Quebec City is the likely venue for Bellew’s title bout, with 30 November - his birthday - suggested as a possible date, as the WBC have ruled the fight must take place

before the end of the year.

“I am delighted Tony has got the shot, and what a perfect potential date for it,” said promoter Eddie Hearn.

“Tony has worked tirelessly to get a second crack at a world title and he’s ready to claim it now.

Bellew has won 20 of his 22 fights - the only other blemish on his record coming when he drew with Chilemba in the first of two bouts in March - while 35-year-old Stevenson has lost just once in 22 outings, against American Darnell Boone in 2010 when he was knocked out in round two.

Cloud, 31, has also lost once in a 25-fight career - being defeated on points by Bernard Hopkins in his last bout in March.

Dope test: Godolphin escape further charges

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odolphin’s Moulton Paddocks stable faces no further doping charges after an inquiry concluded banned trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni operated alone.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) found no evidence that anyone other than Al Zarooni was involved in the distribution of anabolic steroids.

However, the BHA said “structural and procedural deficiencies” at the stable in Newmarket must be addressed.

Al Zarooni is serving an eightyear ban after 22 horses tested positive.

Charlie Appleby, Al Zarooni’s assistant, has assumed control of Moulton Paddocks with immediate effect and has already begun implementing some procedural

changes alongside fellow Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor.

The BHA said it was happy Appleby had no knowledge of Al Zarooni’s wrongdoings.

The scandal - described as the biggest in racing history - became public on 22 April when Godolphin issued a statement in which it said 11 horses, including unbeaten 1000 Guineas contender Certify, had tested positive and Al Zarooni admitted a “catastrophic error.

At a subsequent disciplinary hearing, the trainer was banned for eight years after also admitting to doping another four horses.

Seven more racehorses trained

by Al Zarooni then failed tests for anabolic steroids on 20 May, including 2012 St Leger winner Encke.

Bolt

Swimming: FINA approves mix relays

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wimming’s world governing body, FINA, has approved the introduction of mixed relays, featuring two men and two women, to official competitions from 25 September this year.

The decision was made during a congress in Barcelona where delegates from 134 national federations were present.

The mixed relays will be

Keri-Anne Payn

included at a major event for the first time at the 2014 World Short Course Championships.

Beijing Olympic silver medallist Keri-Anne Payne tweeted: “This is amazing Just last week a GB quartet landed mixed freestyle relay silver at the European Youth Olympic festival in Utrecht, Netherlands.

“I think it’s going to be

interesting and exciting and a lot of tactics are going to come into play,” said.

“My only reservation is where they are going to fit it into an already very crowded programme. You’re going to see a lot of swimmers having to add another two races to an eight-day programme and that’s going to be tough.

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013

SPORTS LATEST

FIFA to move 2022 World Cup to November

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IFA is now planning to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in November rather than January, a source at the governing body said.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has confirmed that he intends to ask for the tournament to be held in the winter as temperatures in the Gulf state can reach 50°C during the summer.

It was initially expected that the tournament would be brought forward to January 2012, but kicker reports the intention is now to move it to November that year, with the final set to take place on December 18.

A winter World Cup would have a significant effect on domestic football across Europe. The major leagues in the continent all kick off in the summer, with the Russian Premier League changing its schedule to follow the same pattern a year ago, and will face severe disruption as a result of the Qatar tournament.

The planned change had been backed by Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and the German Football League’s executive Andreas Rettig.

Zwanziger, a member of the FIFA executive committee said, “If you change the match calendar, it not only affects Bundesliga but also goes all the way down to the minor leagues.

The structure of German football is in danger and therefore the unity of German football.

The 68-year old added: “If the decision [to award the World Cup to Qatar] was wrong back then you have to reverse it and should not load extra burdens on nonparticipants.”

Zwanziger said he had little hope that FIFA would change its plans.

“Looking at the executive committee and the interests there, the proposition will get the vote. I am curious to find out what U.S. association president Sunil Gunati, who is new in the committee, will vote for,” he said.

The United States had also made a bid for the 2022 World Cup but lost out to Qatar.

A vote among the 27 FIFA executive committee members is set for October at the next conference.

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QUOTABLE QUOTE Unless we want to engage in an endless war, I believe it is irrational of anyone to oppose dialogue as a means of resolving conflict.

— Gov. Shettima of Borno state on why he supports talking to Boko Haram moderates

Re: Katsina’s ‘no future’ budget

By Sani Ahmed Liman and Garba Sada Matazu

I

n his weekly column of 12/7/13, which appeared on the back page of the Peoples Daily newspaper as well as elsewhere on the Internet, including the online news medium Premium Times, Nasir el-Rufai had attempted, in an article disingenuously captioned “Katsina’s no Future Budget” to analyse Katsina State’s 2013 budget. For the past few months, el-Rufai had assigned to himself the task of ‘analysing’ the budget proposals of states in the Nigerian federation and making sweeping conclusions that have, by and large, exposed both his poor grasp of budgetary principles and a personal vendetta against states whose chief executives he appears to have issues with. Most of the state governments whose budgets he’d claimed to analyze have wisely and pointedly chosen to ignore him. Apparently most of those states have adopted silence as an answer, and in the case of el-Rufai one might add: “to the needlessly vindictive”.

The ad hominem arguments he deployed in his attempt to analyze the budget of Katsina state would have been completely ignored by those of us who know better; who feel the direct impact of the way the state is being governed, but for his personal attack on some personalities in the state. We shall not waste precious time pointing out the absurdity, factual distortions and conclusions that are contained in el-Rufai’s so called analysis; after all, just one such distortion would reveal just how shallow elRufai’s entire argument is. For instance, lounging somewhere in his house in Abuja or London, he had declared with characteristic smugness and self-righteous certainty that “With a total revenues at N89bn, what is evident is that the state would need to borrow some N23bn or 20% of its budget from external sources – loans and grants.” We wish to point out that

“

311 689 292 327 454

NASIR EL-RUFAI ON FRIDAY elrufai@aol.com

Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema seven months into the financial year and a steady, uninterrupted, faithful implementation of the budget, Katsina state, under the present regime of Governor Shema, remains one of the few, if not the only, state in the country that is free from any kind of indebtedness whether local or foreign. The state Governor Barrister Ibrahim Shehu Shema had challenged anyone to prove otherwise. Nobody has so far come forward.

But in his first two opening paragraphs in the article in question, el-Rufai had raised at least two or three questions and or assertions that are personal and in bad taste; and which need to be straightened out. Although not completely out of character, it is still regrettable that el-Rufai, in spite of himself has still not yet learned to show respect for the dead. Just because he was ‘analysing’ the

budget of Katsina state for 2013, elRufai had to find a way to castigate Malam Umaru Musa Yar’adua whose second tenure as Governor of the state ended more than six years ago, and who has been dead now for over three years (May his soul rest in peace). Vendetta, even in death?

But then, perhaps late Yar’adua was only an irresistible, incidental bonus, and that his real target is the Katsina State Governor, Barrister Ibrahim Shehu Shema, whose cool demeanor, personal achievements and exceptional performance as Governor for the last six years people like el-Rufai just can’t stand.

In what can be argued as a Freudian slip, el-Rufai had wondered: “What is it about this man – Ibrahim Shema – that elicits such strongly ambivalent reactions?

What is his style of governance and financial prudence, and why is it that so many think there is more to him than meets the eye in the way he runs Katsina state? How are the state’s finances and budget managed?”

Viewed from a purely academic perspective, el-Rufai is obviously himself intimidated--if not fascinated--by “this man” Ibrahim Shema. And what, in the name of grammar, can ‘strongly ambivalent’ possibly mean? You can be strongly for, or strongly against; but strongly ambivalent? Mallam el-Rufai, does it make sense to say that one is strongly indecisive, which is what your phrase connotes? You want to know why many people think there is more to Shema than meets the eye? Why don’t you walk up to him

But in his first two opening paragraphs in the article in question, el-Rufai had raised at least two or three questions and or assertions that are personal and in bad taste; and which need to be straightened out. Although not completely out of character, it is still regrettable that el-Rufai, in spite of himself has still not yet learned to show respect for the dead. Just because he was ‘analysing’ the budget of Katsina state for 2013, el-Rufai had to find a way to castigate Malam Umaru Musa Yar’adua whose second tenure as Governor of the state ended more than six years ago, and who has been dead now for over three years (May his soul rest in peace).

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and ask him. Shema runs an open door administration. We take time to make some of these observations to help el-Rufai to pay greater attention not only to the people he insults or criticizes, but to the documents he signs.

As for the questions he raised, it was so disappointing that elRufai failed completely to provide answers as he promised his readers.

That is understandable though, because el-Rufai wasn’t really asking questions; he was marveling at why “this man” Ibrahim Shema is who he is, how he is and why he is the way he is. Then he would know.

He should refer to paragraph three of his own article, part of which reads: “Katsina is home to some of the best and brightest of Nigerian public servants, politicians and military top brass.”

These include, again as listed by el-Rufai: “Katsina is home to two past presidents; Major-General Muhammadu Buhari and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Other Katsinawa dignitaries include late General Hassan Usman Katsina, MajorGeneral Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, former Chief Justice of the Federation Mohammed Bello, two past Inspector’s General of Police: Mohammed Dikko Yusuf and Ibrahim Coomassie, and pioneer Chairman of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Hamza Rafindadi Zayyad amongst others.” El-Rufai could approach any of these people that are still alive (assuming they would risk confiding in him), so they can explain to him why they actively or passively supported “this man Ibrahim Shema” to be governor of their state for two consecutive terms in a free and fair contest; whether Shema is meeting their expectations in the areas of education, agriculture, healthcare, human development, peace and security, and many others. By the time he is done, then el-Rufai would know why Ibrahim Shema elicits such STRONGLY PASSIONATE (and not strongly ambivalent) reactions among people. Then Mr. Know-it-all el-Rufai would know that Shema’s performance, including his financial prudence and faithful implementation of the budget is not mere perception. It is reality. As for el-Rufai’s speculation about people linking Governor Shema with higher office, he is free to speculate; but it is on record that Barrister Shema himself has never expressed interest in any office other than the one he is mandated to occupy by the people of Katsina state. He is focused on that and doing a damn good job of it.

Sani Ahmed Liman and Garba Sada Matazu reside at Federal Low Cost Estate, Malali, Kaduna and Bakin Kasuwa, Matazu, Kaduna

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