Peoples Daily Newspaper, Tuesday March 27, 2012

CJN, Dahiru Musdapher, proposes 56 amendments to 1999 Constutition

PAGE 2

Vol. 8 No. 3

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Jimadal Ula 5, 1433 AH

N150

Security scare at US embassy in Abuja Police, envoys disagree over incident

By Lambert Tyem with agency report

T

here was panic at the embassy of the United States of America in Abuja after two teenagers set off fireworks yesterday afternoon.

Eyewitnesses said they saw the teenagers set off the fireworks on an undeveloped plot located a few metres from the well guarded American embassy.

This is coming at a time when bombs principally associated with the Boko Haram sect have

exploded in parts of the North with fears of more still subsisting.

The United Nation’s building located a walking distance away from the US diplomatic structure was bombed in August last year, killing about 30 people.

Some policemen at the Diplomatic zone, which houses several embassies, told NAN yesterday that there was “panic and confusion’’ after the fireworks went off.

A petty trader at the location Contd on Page 2

New Revenue Formula: RMAFC fails to beat deadline

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

R-L: President Goodluck Jonathan, with South Korea President, Lee Myung-Bac, during the opening of 2012 Nuclear Security Summit, yesterday in Seoul, South Korea.

he anticipation that a new revenue sharing formula will be ready by end of the first quarter this year turned a mirage as the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) said yesterday it was unrealistic, citing security and national challenges in the country.

The Commission’s Chairman, Engr. Elias Mbam,

who disclosed this yesterday during a question and answer session when he played host to top officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), led by its Comptroller-General, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde, cited security challenges confronting the nation as its greatest obstacle. He however did not give detail of those challenges.

“Yes, it’s true that we should have a new revenue formula Contd on Page 2

INSIDE

World Bank: AU seeks support for Okonjo-Iweala >>PAGE 3

CSOs slam Jonathan’s police reform

‘Capital Market probe compromised’ >>PAGE 4

‘EFCC not serious with anticorruption war’

>>PAGE 6

WWW.PEOPLESDAILY-ONLINE.COM

>>PAGE 9

Again, Senegal sets pace as Wade concedes defeat >>PAGE

32

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-17

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

23

S/Report

24

Newsxtra

26

Defence

28

Agriculture

29

Jonathan assures world of nuclear security in Nigeria

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan has assured the international community in far away Seoul, South Korea that his administration would ensure adequate safety measures when the country introduces nuclear power into its energy mix.

Speaking at the opening of the Nuclear Security Summit in the South Korean capital, President Jonathan declared Nigeria full commitment to complying with all international legal and regulatory requirements for safety and security in the use of nuclear energy.

“Our commitment is unwavering; as it would be recalled that Nigeria was the second country to sign the NonProliferation Treaty in 1968 and voted for its indefinite extension in 1995.

“Nigeria also signed the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement in 1998 and ratified the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident in 1990.

Furthermore, in preparation

for the introduction of nuclear power in the country, Nigeria has ratified all relevant international treaties and conventions,” President Jonathan told world leaders assembled for the summit.

The President said that Nigeria had already taken significant actions in support of the resolutions of the Washington Nuclear Security Summit in 2010 and UN Security Council’s Resolution 1540 including collaboration with the USA, China and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to convert the country’s research reactor from High Enriched Uranium to low enriched uranium so as to reduce the risk of fissile materials being stolen by criminal or terrorist groups.

He said that Nigeria was also working with the IAEA and other international expert institutions to enhance the training of personnel of its security agencies so that they are more able to meet the challenges of nuclear security threats.

President Jonathan announced that, a national institute for nuclear security

training is being established in Abuja to provide human capacity development for the country and other African nations.

“As a country, we are desirous of the application of nuclear

technology for peaceful purposes only. We are committed to the achievement of a world free of nuclear weapons and we would continue to work assiduously with like-minded countries to achieve that goal,” Jonathan said

CJN proposes constitutional amendment to NASS

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

T

he Chief Justice of Nige ria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, will tomorrow present to the Senate a Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and for other Related Matters.

A statement by the Media Adviser to the CJN, Mohammed Adamu said the 56-item, 29-page Bill which seeks to alter certain provisions of the1999 Constitution, relates generally to the judicature and covers, with a view to entrenching, all the items on the judiciary reform agenda of the CJN. Its overall intendment is to

enhance judicial efficiency and juridical probity.

It thus touches generally on the appellate and traditional jurisdictions, respectively, of the Supreme Court and the Federal High Court.

It proposes amendment to membership of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and appointment; removal and pension rights of judicial officers; redefine areas of jurisdiction of Federal and State High Courts in certain matters; appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in certain matters, etc.

The controversial suspension of former President of Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami had thrown up many grey areas that require urgent reviews.

Security scare at US embassy in Abuja Kebbi re-run: How opposition dissolved into PDP, Page 37

International 31-34 Strange World 35 Digest

36

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-47

Columnist

48

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

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

Phones for News: 070-37756364 09-8734478

Contd from Page 1 told NAN: “I hear noise and see smoke; people dey run and I think say na knock out and people say na gun shot, naim I pick my egg roll and Kunu and run too.”

A member of staff at the U.S. embassy, who pleaded anonymity, said “we were placed on emergency following an

incident across the street.”

In an e-mail to reporters, the Information Officer at the U.S. embassy, Mrs Deb MacLean, said: “We believe there were shots fired in the vicinity of the U.S. embassy.

The Nigerian authorities have two individuals in custody.

“We refer you to the Nigeria police for further information,” she

stressed.

A NAN correspondent saw a combined team of Nigerian and U.S security officials questioning two teenagers detained in front of the embassy.

The FCT Police Command spokesman, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, confirmed that the police received a report of an incident near the U.S.

embassy.

“We immediately sent in a patrol van and personnel to the scene but there was no shooting,’’ he said adding that “there has been no official complain to that effect. Also, policemen at the embassy have said there was nothing like that”, he stated.

Moshood also said no arrest had been made in connection with the incident.

New Revenue Formula: RMAFC fails to beat deadline Contd from Page 1 ready for presentation to the President at the end of first quarter. It’s also true, that I said all things being equal, but unfortunately, you know very well that we have had many challenges, including national challenges”, Engr. Mbam stated.

The Commission had embarked on the process of producing a new formula it says will be reflective, balanced and productive to replace the subsisting one which gives the Federal Government 52.68 %, states 26.72% and local governments 20.72% from the Federation Account.

Mbam said evolving a revenue formula is a sensitive issue that must not be politicised, adding that, the commission was very conscious of that and is very careful in all its actions and in- actions.

Explaining further, the RMAFC boss said, “Even the budget was moved from December to March. There are so many other challenges which you know as much as I do. We

have a lot of challenges if you don’t know I can give you the details of subsequent happenings.

“I said at the end of the quarter, I will brief you on the progress so far, but it may be difficult to assure you that it will be available in a weeks’ time. But I can assure you that I will brief you on the progress so far and we have really made progress”, he further stated.

“We don’t want to start by shouting. There will be a lot of work behind the scenes because the issue is very sensitive; the issue has a lot of implication on the unity and progress of this country and we are conscious of that and we are very careful in all our actions and inactions. We don’t want to be joined in that politics ; we want to retain our image as an unbiased umpire that will be fair, free, devoid of any political consideration in terms of politics of any section of the country”, Mbam declared.

The setback for the new revenue formula comes as the Comptroller-General of Customs

declared the services’ monthly revenue has hit N80 billion from a paltry N30 billion it was generating monthly in 2009.

He hinged the tremendous improvement in revenue generation on transparency culture enthroned in the system and the automated system introduced.

Inde said he was visiting the commission to solicit it’s support, especially against the backdrop of several of its bills pending before the National Assembly.

“If you look at the trend of the Customs before 2009 when we took over, the average revenue collection was N30 billion a month, but today, with the effort of the management of the Nigerian Custom Service, they adopted a fully automated system which block many of the revenue leakages and that has increased the revenue collection to almost N 70 to 80 billion a month now.

I want to inform the commission that we need its support, the support we need is political; not because we are on uniform but

because we took it in the best interest of this nation”, Inde said.

The Customs boss exonerated the Service as one of the revenue generating agencies that allegedly withheld funds from the Federation Account that , created insufficient funds thereby stalling the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC)’s bid to approve monies for sharing to the three tiers of government last week.

He said Customs has a tradition of remitting to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) whatever it generated on daily basis latest by 6.00 pm each day.

“The issue does not affect Customs. I want to assure you that today 6, o’clock the revenue collected are remitted to the CBN. So, we don’t waste time in terms of revenue collection. We reconcile on ebasis and my reconciliation between the CBN, commercial does not take five minutes” he affirmed.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 3

EFCC seizes properties of former pensions director T

3 policemen jailed for raping 16-year-old girl

By Lambert Tyem

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized some properties belonging to Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu, a former Director, Pension Administration in the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, standing trial over a N4.56 billion pension scam.

The interim forfeiture is sequel to an order by Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja made on July 11, 2011.

The properties which were

taken over by the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the EFCC during an operation at the weekend included two choice buildings and four filling stations.

One of the buildings located at No.1 Shuaibu Close, G.R.A. Idah, Kogi state is an imposing 8-bedroom twin duplex, a 5-units 2-bedrooms apartment, two-room security house and a mosque all scattered in the expansive compound.

The property at the Polytechnic Road, directly opposite Federal Polytechnic, Okenya, Idah, Kogi state is an unpainted one story duplex with multiple sitting

rooms and apartments built within. The third property that was seized was a non-functional filling station, located 100 meters away from Ajaka police station.

It has a small office building with four rusted and non-functional fuel pumps and a leister generator in a small generator house. At Agbeji in Ayingba, Kogi state, a thriving MRS filling station located at Agbeji along Ayingba Road, a few meters from Confluence Fertiliser Company Limited was also seized from Dr. Shuaibu.

An NNPC Mega station along Lokoja-Enugu High Way, Ayingba

and a Texaco filling station with a shopping mall along Ganaja Road, opposite Ibra Petroleum and Petrochemical Limited, Lokoja, Kogi state were among the properties seized from Dr. Shuaibu.

Dr. Shuaibu, Mrs. Phina Ukamaka Chidi and 30 other suspects are facing trial on a 134-count charge bordering on diversion of pension funds, abuse of office, using ghost pensioners to pay N2 million and N3 million into their accounts monthly and diversion of the same amount through award of fictitious contracts to companies which they manage.

L-R: Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, during the opening ceremony of INEC conference at the Transcorp Hotel, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

World Bank: AU, Ethiopia PM seek support for Nigeria’s FM

By Aminu Imam, with agency report

T

he African Union (AU) Commission has endorsed the candidature of Nigeria’s Finance Minister and Africa's candidate for the World Bank Presidency, Mrs. Ngozi OkonjoIweala.

In a press release the AU issued yesterday, the Commission urged all African countries to ensure her success.

Also, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Mr. Meles Zenawi, who chaired the opening session of the

meeting, urged all African countries to support the candidature of Okonjo-Iweala.

“I endorsed and recommended of Ngozi’s candidature for the World Bank Presidency and I urge African countries to support her for positive global economic changes”, Zenawi said.

Meanwhile, Mrs. OkonjoIweala yesterday said her candidature was based on her 25 years experience of working with international bodies.

Okonjo-Iweala, who is attending the fifth AU/UNECA

joint meeting of African ministers of finance, economy and planning, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent in Addis Ababa that while at the World Bank, she had worked in almost all the continents of the world.

“During my 25 years of working, I worked in the Middle-East, East Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa and South Asia. As the VicePresident of the World Bank, I focused on policy making, crises management and I was instrumental in certain policies that the bank worked on,'' she said.

Kebbi governorship rerun holds, INEC insists From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

T

he Resident Electoral Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kebbi state, Alhaji Mikailu Abdullahi, yesterday, assured that the governorship rerun election scheduled to hold on March 31 stands.

This clarification is coming on

the heels of the reports that opposition parties in the state has sued INEC with a view to stopping the election from holding on the scheduled date.

The INEC boss equally denied the speculations that the election has been postponed due to the court case allegedly instituted by the some opposition parties in the state.

He said: “There is no change of

the candidate from the 51 aspirants of political parties that indicated interest to contest for the position of governorship in the state”.

Speaking to our reporter through the INEC Public Relations Officer (PRO), Alhaji Mohammed Garba Kebbe Abdullahi, said none of the candidates have withdrawn from the race, assuring that the election would hold this weekend.

Okonjo-Iweala said she initiated World Bank support for post-conflict countries where 4.5 billion dollars was provided to support countries that just came out of conflicts.

She said $1.2 billion was also put in place to support some African countries under stress.

The minister said she chaired the Bank’s replenishment efforts of supporting some of the poorest countries with soft loans and credit.

She said her latest contribution to the bank was in its response to the global food and financial crises programme where adequate measures were put in place by the World Bank to support countries affected.

“I developed certain policies and programmes that have international significance on many countries, and I am now managing one of the most complex economies in the world,'' she said.

Okonjo-Iweala thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for nominating her and getting other African leaders to endorse her candidature.

he Kano State High Court yesterday convicted and sentenced three policemen for abduction, conspiracy and rape of a 16-year-old girl in 2011.

The policemen were former Insp. Dantalle Mohammed, who was convicted on three-count of abduction, conspiracy and rape and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in addition to a fine of N100,000 for rape.

He was also sentenced to eight years in prison for abduction with a fine of N50,000 and six years in prison with a fine of N50,000 for conspiracy.

The other convict, former Insp.

Yusuf Ibrahim, was sentenced to 14 years with a fine of N200,000 for abduction, eight years and a fine of N100,000 for conspiracy and six years with a fine of N50,000 for rape.

The third convict, Mahmuda Muhammad, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for rape.

In her judgment, Justice Tani Yusuf expressed dismay over the action of the three former policemen of Kwalli Division, who conspired, abducted and raped the girl while they were on duty.

She said that it was inhuman for the police to have paraded the lady alongside three other suspects who ran away.

She ordered the police to trace and arrest them. (NAN)

Excess Crude Account: FG/ states consider out of court settlement

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

T

he Federal Government yesterday asked the Supreme Court for an adjournment to enable it settle out of court the case instituted by the 36 states of the federation challenging the legality of the Excess Crude Account and the decision to transfer $1 billion from the account to the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

The states accused the Federal Government of insincerity in her promise to settle the case of court.

Yusuf Alli (SAN), counsel representing the states said that his clients wanted the issue resolved once and for all, but counsel to the Federal Government; Austine Alegeh (SAN) pleaded with the court to allow a short adjournment to enable the parties hold further discussion and resolve the dispute amicably.

He said that almost all the issues had been resolved and that outstanding issues could still be resolved out of court by the parties.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher conceded and adjourned the matter till May 21st 2012 for the parties to report back to the court how far they have gone with the out of court settlement arrangement.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 4

Abuja’s popular furniture house, Alibert, burnt

By Abubakar Ibrahim with Agency Report

F

ire Fighters yesterday battled to put out a razing inferno that engulfed a building housing Alibert Product Nigeria Limited, a popular furniture manufacturing outfit, in Wuse 2, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

The building located at Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent in Wuse 2, had its fifth floor completely destroyed by the fire.

The Maintenance/Sales Manager of the company, Mr Mohammed Ahmed, told NAN that he was on a routine inspection when he noticed smoke in the building.

Ahmed said he immediately rushed into the control room to turn off the main electrical

switch.

He told NAN that the fifth floor contained mainly settees and some gift items but could not give the monetary value of the goods.

An eye witness, Mrs Rita Eghujovwo, also told NAN that she was passing by the building when she noticed the fire and immediately called for help.

However, the timely intervention of men of the Federal Fire Service brought the situation under control.

Officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission and the police were also at the scene of the incident.

A staff of the company who spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity, said only a female staff had fainted apparently out of shock and was rushed to a hospital.(NAN)

Confusion over representation stalls governors' suit against FG

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

C

onfusion over who was briefed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, to defend the Federal Government in the suit filed by 16 northern states for the payment of N7 billion as outstanding value of the assets of the defunct Northern States Marketing Board stalled hearing of the case at the Supreme Court yesterday.

Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Damian Dodo and Ade Okeaya-Ineh were both in court to represent the AGF.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher who could not understand why the AGF would brief two lawyers for the same case, was forced to adjourn the case till April 26 to allow the two senior counsels to sort out the confusion over representation.

While addressing the court, Dodo said that he was the first to be briefed but that he would try to accommodate OkeayaIneh.

Not satisfied with the explanation, Musdapher after consulting with fellow justices, decided to adjourn the case to next month with a firm

instruction to the lawyers to sort out who between the two of them would represent the Federal Government.

There has been renewed fight by Northern states to redress what they consider to be lack of equity in the distribution of the nation's resources.

Sixteen of the region's 19 states headed for court with a suit seeking the Supreme Court to compel the Federal Government to pay them N7 billion as outstanding value of the assets of the defunct Northern States Marketing Board (NSMB).

Again, Ngige triumphs over Akunyili

T

he Court of Appeal in Enugu yesterday dismissed the appeal filed by a former Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili, against the judgment of the election petitions tribunal in Awka.

Akunyili of the All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) appealed against the judgment of the tribunal, which was in favour of Sen. Chris Ngige of Action Congress of Nigeria.

The tribunal said the time for the hearing of the case had lapsed after 180 days of the election and could no longer be entertained by the panel.

But the former minister, citing delay tactics by her opponent,

went to the appeal court which had earlier returned the case to the tribunal to be heard on its merit.

The Court of Appeal, agreeing with the verdict of the tribunal, struck out the appeal against Ngige’s victory in the Anambra Central Senatorial District election.

The appellate court held that 180 days allowed by the constitution had since lapsed.

“Once the Supreme Court gives a verdict, every decision of the subordinate courts give way,” the court said.

The court held that the tribunal was right in striking out the matter on February 21 given that “no order can bring to life a petition which is dead.” (NAN)

Kainji Dam to generate 100mw after repairs – CEO

C

hief Executive Officer, Kainji Hydro Power station, Mr Reuben Akinwumi, has said more than 100 megawatts will be added to the national grid after the ongoing rehabilitation of the plant.

Akinwumi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that although the station generated 238 megawatts through its four units, the repair of the fifth one would boost output.

“We are currently generating about 238 megawatts, but, we hope that by the time the fifth unit comes back on stream, we are going to hit 350 megawatts,” he said.

He said that the turnaround maintenance of the dams was

long overdue, adding that the Federal Government had promised the continuous rehabilitation of all the dams in the country.

Akinwumi said that the plant had not been overhauled since its construction 44 years ago.

He said that there was still room for improvement with the ongoing World Bank programme to rehabilitate the station to reach its installed capacity of 760 megawatts.

The first set of the generating units at the dam was installed between 1968 and 1969 with an installed capacity of 320 megawatts.

The second set was installed between 1976 and 1978 with a capacity of 440 megawatts.

The building uncovered by State Security Service, yesterday, where improvised explosive devices are alleged to be manufactured, in Kabba, Kogi state.

Photo: Sam Egwu

Security agents discover grenades, IEDs in Kogi From Sam Egwu, Lokoja with agency report

S

ecurity operatives in Kogi state have discovered Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), including five hand grenades and other chemicals for manufacturing such devices, in an uncompleted building at Kabba.

The discovery was made yesterday in an uncompleted fourbedroom flat at Asunta Quarters, behind Baptist Primary School in the ancient city of Kabba.

A combined team of the SSS, police and the soldiers acting on intelligence report, cordoned off the building at about 2 p.m., They forced the iron doors open and with the aid of the Police AntiBomb Squad recovered the devices.

Other items recovered include NPK brand of feriliser, and other chemicals that are basic raw materials in the manufacturing of explosives.

Also recovered were army camouflage cap, saw, cable wires,

Capital Market probe was compromised, says Senate leader

By Ali Alkali

M

ajority Leader of the Senate, Victor NdomaEgba (PDP Cross River), has said that the probe on Capital Market being conducted by the House of Representatives was compromised by the financial support sought from the organisation to be probed.

Speaking yesterday at the commissioning of the National Assembly ICT Research and

Training Centre, Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba said it was constitutionally and ethically wrong for lawmakers to demand, expect or obtain help from the MDAs in carrying out their oversight functions.

“Though the legislative power of oversight is a constitutional one, its efficacy however derives from the legislature’s moral authority to exercise it. Therefore, if the support of any kind is requested

or obtained from the ministries, departments and agencies to be over-sighted in carrying out that responsibility, the legislature’s powers and functions would have, ab initio, been compromised,” he said.

He however said that what is happening was part of the process of establishing real democracy, as he noted that “Our activities as a legislature representing the people, remain and must remain open at all

times to public scrutiny, as otherwise we lose our moral authority in exercising our constitutional responsibility of oversighting the executive.”

The Senate leader further stressed the need for the National Assembly to exploit the advances in information and communication technology to support its core functions of legislation, appropriation, oversight, advocacy and confirmations.

transistor radio, batteries of different sizes and video CD players, but no arrest has been made.

The Commander, Police AntiBomb Squad, Mr Cletus Nzeji, said that all the recovered items would be taken to their laboratory for analysis.

He said that investigations would reveal whether the devices belonged to armed robbers or Boko Haram religious sect, but promised that the suspects would be tracked down.

Nzeji said that the building where the items were discovered would be demolished, while the owner of the building would also be identified.

The landlord of the next building, Mr. Hezekiah Omodamori, a retired Chief Nursing Officer expressed shock at the discovery, and said that he never knew that the building was being used for criminal purposes.

In the last six months, there has been increased rate of attacks on police stations and banks in Kabba and environs involving the use of explosives. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 5

Man, 24, rapes 6-year-old in Katsina From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

A

24 year old man, Kabir Abdullahi of Sabuwar Unguwa, Katsina state, was yesterday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court 1 Katsina, over alleged rape of a six year old girl.

Prosecuting police officer, Inspector Babangida Shehu, told the court that it was the father of the girl who reported the alleged sexual abuse of his daughter to the police.

According to him, the father of the girl alleged that the accused took the girl to his house where he repeatedly inserted his fingers into her private part as a result of which she sustained injuries in the private part.

He noted that the girl was taken to a hospital where it was certified that she has injuries in her private part and was treated and discharged from the hospital.

By the alleged immoral act, the accused, the prosecutor said, had committed rape and act of gross indecency which was he averred was contrary to section 285 of the penal code law.

3 friends killed in Jos auto crash From Bayo Albira, Jos

T

hree friends lost their lives over the weekend in an auto accident which occurred at Tinna Junction, Jos, Plateau state capital, after a night party organised during a friend's wedding.

According to an eyewitness, Miss Nora Azi, the car in which the deceased were, lost control and crashed into a building called Search Gate House at Tinna Junction where the driver, Mr. Douglas Olando, his friend and one Miss Janet died instantly, while the remaining four occupants of the car sustained serious injuries and are now receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, (JUTH).

According to Azi, the accident occurred when the people were asleep, ''they were coming from a party organised after a wedding of their friend at Lamingo Social Joint; immediately it occurred I came out of my room and I saw them, these three died instantly, while the remaining four were rushed to JUTH, because they were seven in the car''.

L-R: Deputy Corps Marshal, Operation, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal/CEO, FRSC, Mr. Osita Chidoka, and Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service/Joint Tax Board, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, during the public hearing on plan to phase out old vehicle number plates and drivers licence, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

EFCC: Atuche used Bank PHB’s money to buy shares for own companies From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness, David Nkpe, who is an investigator with the EFCC, in the ongoing trial of former Managing Director of Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank), Francis Atuche, yesterday told Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja that the exbank chief used money belonging to the bank to buy shares for his companies.

The witness, while being led in

evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheirho (SAN), confirmed that investigations showed that Atuche used funds from the bank to buy shares of the bank for companies owned by him and his wife, Elizabeth.

Nkpe said contrary to the claim, the statement made by Atuche's wife that a company, Gazali Yakubu Investments Limited was not owned by her, findings from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) showed that the woman owned 80,000 units of shares in the company.

He said that an application form for the shares, a cheque from Oceanic Bank PLC and a deposit slip of Bank PHB showed that 168,750,000 units of shares valued at N2, 868,750,000 were purchased by Gazali Yakubu Investments Ltd. Nkpe also testified that the third defendant in the case, Ugo Anyanwu, who was the Chief Financial Officer of Bank PHB made a statement that he was the one that facilitated the subscription of the companies owned by Atuche to the shares of Bank PHB sold to them.

However, he was re-arraigned alongside his wife, Elizabeth by the EFCC at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja in 2010 for alleged stealing of depositors' fund.

The EFCC lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) however told the court that he would be opposing the application vehemently.

However, the court told both parties to file their written addresses before the court in order to save the court's time and fixed (tomorrow) Wednesday March 28, 2012 for arguments on the application.

Man, 75, another jailed over breach of trust From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

A

75-year-old man, Danlami Makarfi, a herbalist and one Mohammed Inuwa, alias Ibrahim, 25, were jailed two years respectively for cheating and breach of trust by Chief Magistrate Court 8 Bauchi.

The court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Isa Mohammed

yesterday convicted the suspect for cheating one Adamu Mohammed of Wunti Street over N3.3mn and a car worth 2mn.

Isa Mohammed ordered the suspects to pay back the sum of 3.3mn to the victim in accordance with Section 75 of the Penal Code and in default they should spend 12 months in prison, they should also pay N10,000 to the prosecution as per section 365

of the penal code.

Peoples Daily gathered from the police that one Adamu Mohammed of Wunti Street reported to Zone 12 Police Zonal Command, Bauchi, that sometime in February 2009, one Danlami Makarfi, Mohammed Inuwa and Alhaji Murtala of Makarfi town in Kaduna state who is still at large, collected 3.3mn and a car, Toyota Avalon worth N2

million over the pretext of praying for him to overcome his problem which at the end turned out to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 96,312,and 322 of the penal code.

All the accused pleaded guilty to the offence and the presiding Magistrate, Isa Mohammed tried them summarily in accordance with section 157 of the penal code.

Lagos Speaker, aide ask court to quash charges against them, as motion stalls trial From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

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peaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji and his personal assistant (PA), Oyebode Alade Atoyebi, yesterday prayed Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, to grant an order, quashing the 20count charge preferred against them by the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

EFCC had on March 1, 2012 arraigned Ikuforiji and Atoyebi on an amended 20-count charge bordering on money laundering.

The accused persons were initially charged before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, but the judge suddenly signified his intention not to

continue with the case. He had failed to give reasons for the withdrawal from the case.

The development later prompted the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta to re-assign the case to Justice Okeke.

EFCC's lawyer, Godwin Obla, had informed the new judge of the existence of the charge, and asked that it should be read to the accused

persons.

The Defence team led by Tayo Oyetibo did not object to the application. The 20-count charge was subsequently read to the accused persons, while they pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

In his ruling, Justice Okeke granted bail to Ikuforiji on self recognition, while the Clerk of the Lagos Assembly, Segun Habiru

stood as surety for Atoyebi.

According to the charge sheet, which was signed by one Mary Onoja, EFCC alleged that Ikuforiji and Atoyebi conspired among themselves between April 2010 and July 2011 to do an illegal act by accepting various cash payments amounting in the aggregate of N273, 303, 780:00 from the Assembly without going through a financial institution.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

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Kwankwaso signs two bills into law From Bala Nasir, Kano.

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overnor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano state has signed two Bills into law. The bills are for the establishments of the new Northwest University in Kano and the Primary Healthcare Management Board.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at the state executive council meeting, held at the

Aminu Kano House, Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, weekend, Governor Kwankwaso said the objective of the university was to produce graduates with entrepreneurial skills in all fields of human endeavour to cater for the manpower needs of the public and private sectors.

The school would also provide quality manpower that can marshal the vast economic potentials of the

Kano community and beyond for sustainable development.

He also reiterated that the new university will dedicate itself to the challenges of solving societal problems by encouraging collaboration and innovative multidisciplinary research and seeking out ignored challenges.

According to him, it would also render community service, foster peace, unity and development, in addition to collaborating with other

institutions of higher learning both locally and abroad for the exchange of staff, ideas and curriculum.

The Primary Health Care Management Board, according to the Governor, would regulate, coordinate and supervise the activities of all primary health care departments of local governments in the State, employ and its train its staff and exercise disciplinary control over staff.

…Builds new hostels From Bala Nasir, Kano

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ano state government has earmarked the sum of N320 million for the construction of two new students’ hostels at the state’s University of Science and Technology(KUST).

The state Deputy Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who represented the state governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, disclosed this at the second Convocation ceremony of the University at the weekend.

The deputy governor who said their administration was committed to boosting education for self reliant youths, explained that a standing order of N52 million for the development of infrastructure and other abandoned projects in the University had been made.

A new conventional university, he said, was being established by the state government to take care of the ever increasing student population in the state while another university to focus on public health would be established in the state in collaboration with Texas University of the United States of America.

Already, arrangements are on for 30 pioneer students to start the programme in the next academic session.

John Haruna’s aide for burial today L-R: Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa, Deputy Chairman, National Council of Privatisation (NCP), Chief Atedo Peterside, and Acting Director, BPE, Alhaji Ibrahim Baba Gana, briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting of the NCP, at the State House, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos.

N19,987 minimum wage for Oyo workers T From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

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overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state yesterday, approved another table of N19,987 minimum wage for the state workers.

For this, the governor has charged workers to work hard towards improving the state’s internally-generated revenue (IGR) of the state to enable her pay the new wage and deliver on its electioneering promises to the people.

The minimum wage issue had pitched the workers against the state government, with a factional group of labour leaders calling out workers on a strike on March 19, 2012 after the purported sack of the authentic labour leaders.

The tension generated by the development had forced the governor to call for an interaction session with the civil servants at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat in Ibadan.

Gov. Ajimobi painted the glooming picture of the state’s financial position, saying that government would require a total sum of N4.1 billion monthly to pay the new wage while the total revenue accruing to the state on monthly basis amounted to N4.55 billion.

This, he said, was further worsened by the fact that the state’s IGR only covered 26 per cent of the total expenditure and that the state had the highest workforce of 38,000 and 13,000 pensioners in the whole of the South-West geopolitical zone, with salaries and wages gulping 92 per cent of the total income.

In spite of these, Gov. Ajimobi said that his

administration was not ready to retrench any worker in order to pay the new minimum wage, stressing therefore that measures had to be fashioned out to increase the IGR from its present N1.1 billion monthly to N3.5 billion monthly within the next one year and to N100 billion annually by 2015.

To achieve this, he said that some of the neglected areas of revenue generation had to be

explored.

These, he said, included the upgrade of the Bola Ige International Business Complex, Ibadan, improved vehicle registration process; introduction of Land Use Charge, Signage charges, Transportation system, Recertification of Business Premises, improved Title Perfection Process; Quarry Levy and Agriculture Tariff among others.

Civil society slams police reform panel

By Lambert Tyem

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oalition of Civil Society Organization in Nigeria (CSO) yesterday expressed doubts over the recently inaugurated Police Reform Committee headed by Chairman of Police Service Commission Parry Osayande.

The groups under the auspices of the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) said the Parry Osayande panel may not be different from the fate of many other panels in the past.

Speaking at a Press conference in Abuja, Chairperson of the group, Mrs. Ayo Obe said “Civil society groups fear that the fate of the efforts made by the Osayande

... Sets up own committee panel may not be different from the fate of its predecessors, particularly given the Jonathan Administration’s predilection for establishing committees, the reports of many of which will soon be on stream.

“While some have dismissed it as just another jamboree designed to compensate people whom the government could not appoint into some other substantive positions and whose assignment will come to nothing, others are rearing to resubmit memoranda and other publications they sent to

previous panels, hoping that this time government will act differently, but without really believing that it will”, she said.

NOPRIN, she said, have decided to engage the process in a supportive and proactive way by establishing its own committee on Police reform to complement the Osayande panel to provide “a uniquely civil society perspective on the terms of reference that have been given to the Osayande panel”.

The group’s six member panel includes, Mrs. Ayo Obe as Chairman, Dr. Smart Otu, Josphine Effah-Chukwuma, Aisha Osori, Samson Itodo and Dr. Abubakar Mu’azu.

he family of late Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Hananial Pwol-ja and the Plateau state police command have released the schedule for the burial of Hananial billed for today.

It would be recalled that the deceased died two weeks ago in helicopter crash in Kabong area of Jos North local government area of Plateau state alongside DIG John Haruna and two others on board.

Two separate statements by the family signed by Joe Pwol-ja and ASP Samuel Dabai, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said the deceased would be buried on March 15, 2012 while service would be conducted at the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) headquarters in Jos, by 10:00am.

According to the schedule, the final interment would follow immediately at Shaka alone Gold and Base, Rayfield road.

Late DIG Haruna John

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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he Bauchi state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has issued 21 days ultimatum to the state Universal Basic Education Board within which to withdraw its plans of downgrading some teachers or face a strike action by its members.

This followed an emergency meeting held by the union at its secretariat where it resolved to issue the ultimatum to the SUBEB management for what it

PAGE 7

Strike: NUT gives 21 days ultimatum to Bauchi govt described as witch-hunt of its members through the “unnecessary” exercise.

According to the statement issued and signed by its chairman, Mohammed Kawu Maude and secretary, Aminu Ahmad, the decision to downgrade about 600 teachers was uncalled for even as the union was not contacted before the decision.

NUT argued that the demotion of teachers was

negative when some of them have spent over 16 years in the service and have been routinely elevated.

Responding to the threat, the Director, Monitoring and Evaluation of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Bala Mohammed Baba, said the union leaders were invited to partake in the exercise but failed to honour the invitation.

He assured that the exercise

was organised by the board in good faith and not for witch-hunt but rather to assist in improving the standard of education in the

state, saying that teachers with academic deficiency would be sent to College of Education, Azare, to further their education.

CP warns cops against illegal detention From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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he newly deployed Bauchi state Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Ladan has warned his men not to unduly detain suspects but prosecute them within 24hours as provided by the law.

The commissioner who stated this while chatting with journalists in Bauchi, assured that he would issue a standing order that no one would be detained longer than necessary.

“Let me sound a warning to all officers that I came to the state with the determination to

correct the societal ills and officers should prepare to do their work diligently as any corrupt officer found will be dealt with decisively and I’m calling on the general public to assist the command by providing us with relevant information”, he said.

He also solicited the support of traditional and religious leaders to enable the police overcome the current security challenges in the state pointing out that security was a collective responsibility towards eliminating crimes in the state.

Nigeria to participate in transnational highways, says minister

By Adeola Tukuru

L-R: Kaduna state governor, Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, former Ogun state governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, and Osun state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, during the Ogun state Investors' Forum, yesterday in Abeokuta.

Don’t reject corps members, NYSC tells employers From Iliya Garba, Minna

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he Niger state Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Hajiya Fadimatu Mohammed, has advised employers of labour to desist from frivolous rejection of corps members to enable the NYSC actualise the presidential directive geared towards repositioning the scheme for national growth and development.

She gave the advise yesterday at the swearing-in ceremony of 1,925 corps members of the 2012 Batch “A” deployed to the state, at the NYSC Temporary orientation camp, Government Girls Secondary School, Minna.

Hajiya Mohammed reminded the corps members that the call

to national service was a clarion call to integrity, commitment, teamwork and patriotism, for which they would apply themselves to physical, psychological and leadership training during the two-week orientation course.

“The orientation course which commenced on Thursday, 22nd March 2012, with the registration of corps members, will last till Thursday, 5th April, 2012, when we shall all gather here again for the closing ceremony”.

She said in line with the new posting policy from the Federal Government, corps members would be posted at the end of the orientation course, primarily to serve rural health, primary and secondary education, rural

infrastructural development and agricultural sectors.

“This is being done in order to restore national integration, economic transformation and youth empowerment and as part of Mr. President’s transformation agenda”.

Hajiya Mohammed also commended the effort of the governor who provided enabling environment for the smooth operation of the scheme in the state.

The Governor of Niger state, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, said that the state would ensure that corps members welfare and wellbeing were guaranteed to enable them contribute their quota towards the transformation of the state and the realisation of the vision of 3:2020.

FOI Act not meant for seeking personal details -Dabiri-Erewa

By Lawrence Olaoye

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hairman of the House Committee on Daispora, Rep Abike Dabiri-Erewa, yesterday clarified that the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) Act is not meant for seeking out personal details of individuals.

Dabiri-Erewa, a proponent and one of the sponsors of the Act, warned that the Act should not be abused by Nigerians in seeking personal vendetta.

The lawmaker said the

warning became imperative given a recent letter by an Abujabased lawyer, Mr. Kayode Ajulo urging the Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola to furnish him with his medical records within seven days or face trial.

Dabiri-Erewa cited section 16 (a) of the FoI Act, dealing with the Medical Worker - Client Exemption, as part of the broad category of issues that are exempted under the Exemption of Professional Privileges and other related matters.

In the purported letter to the governor's physician, Ajulo had claimed that the governor's actions since he came to power suggested mental instability.

Dabiri-Erewa said such request amounts to the use of the instrument of the FOI to promote a personal political agenda.

Describing the letter as an insult to the collective intelligence of all, the lawmaker said such requests were capable of making Nigerians to lose respect for the law.

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he Minister of Works, Architect Mike Onolemenmen has said that Nigeria has started participating in the development of transnational highways linking the country with other African nations.

The minister revealed this yesterday, when the Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Ebenezer paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

According to him, the project which is been funded by the World Bank and African Development Bank would provide a surest link between the African nations.

In his words: “This year alone, the ministry of works has awarded two special highways that will link Nigeria with the Cameroon.

We are also collaborating with the Republic of Benin, Niger Republic and other corridors along the transnational

highways. In Nigeria we believe in integration in Africa, we believe in that way, the natural resources that is abundant in our continent will be exploited and used for the development of our continent”, he said.

He also said that the visit of the Rwanda Commissioner was important to further the objective of the African Union, in terms of national cooperation among African states.

He enjoined Rwanda to collaborate with Nigeria to key into this laudable project and also learn to advance development in Rwanda.

Earlier, the Rwanda High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Ebenezer, commended the ministry of works for their achievement, adding that the essence of the visit was to the see how they can cooperate with ministry in terms of infrastructural development to Rwanda.

I’ll give priority to infrastructure, says Kazaure Poly Rector From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

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he Rector, Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure in Jigawa state, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Matazu, has said his five year tenure will give more priority to provisions of new infrastructure and improving the existing ones in order to create conducive atmosphere for learning.

The rector who said this over the weekend while fielding questions from newsmen in Kazaure, added that the polytechnic started as a secondary school which was later converted into a polytechnic with most of the buildings constructed since 1970.

Dr. Matazu explained that, “with good infrastructure such as water, road network, staff quarters, students hostels, lecture halls,

laboratories and workshops, the institute will achieve the purpose for its establishment”.

He noted that “last week we did an academic board meeting where we resolved to at least incorporate one course or two every year on National Diploma and Higher National Diploma programmes depending on the available resources we have.”

“Our intention is to use the available resources especially from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETF), we are now happy their intervention have improved from its focus on tertiary institutions.

Dr. Matazu further stated that because the polytechnic is a science and technology institution, the focus was to continue increasing the number of students and hostels while looking at the needs of the host community.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Photos: Ali Abubakar, Osaigbovo Iguobaro, and NAN

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Students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, making frantic efforts to rescue two of their colleagues who fell into an open well during their search for water but later died, recently.

Bags containing 1,489kg tonnes of substances suspected to be Cannabis Sativa impounded by the Plateau state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), recently in Jos.

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L-R: Nasarawa state Governor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, exchanging documents with Director-General of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Pofessor, Olusegun Adewoye, after the signing of MoU, at the weekend in Abuja.

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L-R: Secretary to the Kwara state Governor, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, state Government, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, wife of the state Governor, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed, wife of the state deputy governor, Deaconess Felicia Kisra, singing Kwara Peace Anthem at the twoday Summit on Peace, yesterday in, Ilorin.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

NBA backs FRSC over issuance of new number plate, drivers’ licence

By Lawrence Olaoye

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he President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Daudu, SAN, yesterday declared his support for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) over the issuance of new number plates and vehicle licences.

The NBA boss who gave evidence at the House of Representatives public hearing into the activities of the Corps chaired by Rep Nasir Daura, also charged the lawmakers to review the Acts establishing the Nigeria Police and the FRSC with a view to removing all the areas of overlap in their functions.

The NBA chief however called on the National Assembly to step up its oversight functions on various implementing agencies in the bid to ensure effective implementation and avoid overpricing at the state level.

Speaking earlier, Osita Chidoka, Corp Marshal of the FRSC explained that the proposed number plates and driver’s licences have additional security features that would help in checking the spate of road accidents and death rate caused by untrained drivers.

On her part, Mrs. Ifueko Omogui-Okauru, Chairman, Joint Tax Board who expressed support for the scheme explained that the scheme will reduce the problem of racketing and loss of revenue to stae governments.

The new number plate as approved by the JTB, including all the state tax boards, showed that the sum of N3,000 against N750 (old price) for motorcycle; N15,000 as against N2,500 (old price); N20,000 against N3,000 (old price) for Articulated vehicle; N40,000 against N6,000 (old price) for Out of Series; N80,000 against N18,000 (old price) for Fancy; N30,000 against N7,500 (old price) for Dealer; N15,000 against N5,000 (old price) for Government and N40,000 against N10,000 (old price) for Government Fancy.

To obtain the new driver’s licence, the JTB approved upward review of prices from N3,000 to N6,000 for vehicles while driver’s licence for motorcycle was raised from N1,500 to N3,000.

L-R: Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Engineer Elias Mbam, with Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde, during the Comptroller General's visit to the commission, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

FG threatens BA, others over exhorbitant charges

By Muhammad Sada

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he Federal Government has given a 30-day ultimatum to British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and other international airlines operating in Nigeria to charge flight rates like they do in other West African countries or quit, as Nigerians will no longer pay higher for international flights than their contemporaries in the

region.

The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Odua, made this known in a statement made on her behalf by the senior special assistant to the minister, Mr. Joel Obi which also stated that any airline that failed to abide by the ultimatum, which takes effect from March 26, 2012, would be banned from operating in Nigeria.

The statement added that the

ministry is seeking the National Assembly’s cooperation towards the enactment of the Passengers’ Bill of Rights to check arbitrary charges by airline operators, among other outstanding issues.

The ministry had demanded for equality in air fare from all international airlines operating in the country, in the wake of the impasse between British Airways and Arik Air regarding the denial

FADAMA III funds 615 projects in Plateau

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total of 615 projects have been executed by FADAMA III programme in Plateau state in the last two years, the State Coordinator, Mr Gideon Dandan, has said.

Dandan said yesterday in Jos that the Fadama III programme in the state had been a success story since it started in March 2009.

The coordinator explained that the projects were spread evenly across the 17 Local Government Areas of the state based on the peculiarity of the farmers in each area.

“The 615 projects executed by Fadama III programme include infrastructure like feeder roads,

culverts, market stalls which could serve all members of the farming community.

“Others include agroprocessing, fishing, piggery, beekeeping, poultry, hunting, cow fattening and crop production for yam, rice and Irish potatoes under both rain-fed and irrigation.”

According to Dadan, the programme has also distributed more than 500 water pumps to farmers to prepare them ahead for this year’s dry season farming.

He explained that FADAMA III distributed 23 rice milling machines, 22 groundnut processors, 21 grinding mills, 274 chemical sprayers and a large quantity of herbicides to farmers.

“We distributed 540 fattened cows, 210 pigs, 445 goats and 1,487 sheep to livestock farmers while 20,000 fingerlings and 4,000 chickens were distributed to fish and poultry farmers.”

The coordinator said that 62 work bulls and traction equipment had been distributed to farmers in Kanam and Wase Local Government Areas because of the peculiarity of the soil in the areas.

Dandan explained that FADAMA III gave opportunities to farmers and communities to demand projects and infrastructure they wanted from the programme, saying that it was demand-driven.(NAN)

Halliburton: EFCC not serious with anticorruption war, says judge

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ustice Abubakar Umar of an Abuja High Court yesterday struck out a suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) against three persons named in the Halliburton bribery scandal.

The EFCC is charging a former Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of Service, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, retired AVM Abdullahi Bello and Mohammed Bakari of the Urban Shelter Ltd.,

on a nine-count charge bordering on corruption and bribery.

They were alleged to have used their companies; Intercellular Nigeria Ltd., Sherwood Petroleum Ltd and Tri-Star Investment Ltd. to benefit from a $7.5 million Halliburton bribe.

Justice Umar struck out the suit after the EFCC Counsel, Ms Kauna Pindam, prayed the court to grant the commission another adjournment to enable it to arraign the accused persons.

Umar refused to grant the adjournment but reminded the EFCC of an order he gave on January 23 that the commission should be ready to arraign the three suspects named in the 180 million dollars Halliburton bribery scandal unfailingly yesterday.

“I gave the long adjournment to allow the EFCC to interface with its U.S. sister agency in utilising security information you said you got.

“I warned the EFCC that upon its failure to arraign the accused today, I will strike out the case and write to the Minister of Justice to lodge a complaint about the attitude of the commission.

“I remember I also warned the EFCC and the accused counsel to adhere to the specific details of the order or suffer certain penalties for not following the instructions.’’

Umar warned the EFCC not to expose the judiciary to ridicule.

“I have checked my records and in the past one year, since February 17, 2011 when I granted

of landing slots to the latter at the London Heathrow Airport.

The British Airways and Virgin Atlantic airlines particularly asked for more time to conduct its own study on the alleged fare disparity, promising to report back to the ministry last December.

According to the minister, “We are seriously concerned and worried by the reluctance to restore equity within the region by the foreign airlines. They have been using all kinds of delay tactics which is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated. Nigerian passengers do not deserve this kind of exploitation and we are willing and ready to stand up for their rights,” she said.

She stressed that Nigeria remains an important and lucrative route for the international airlines, saying anyone not ready to treat Nigerians with equity and dignity would be barred from operating in the country. adding that” In the interim, we encourage Nigerian travellers to avail themselves of other competitive alternatives while the ministry tries to address and resolve this issue once and for all,”. leave to the prosecution to arraign the accused; they have not done so.

“It has been over a year now and still the EFCC is coming up with excuses; the EFCC should know that if it is not ready to prosecute and bring cases to conclusion, it should not apply for leave of court to arraign anybody.

“The EFCC should know that I am answerable to the National Judicial Council and what will I say is the reason why this case has been at arraignment stage for the past one year?

“I therefore strike out the suit for want of diligent prosecution.’’

(NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Kogi: ACN witnesses present torn clothes, video clips at guber tribunal From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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National President, Catholic Women Organisation of Nigeria, Mrs. Felicia Onyeabo (left), leading other women to the altar during the special mass to mark the 2012 Women's Day on Sunday, at the Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro Cathedral, Area 3, Garki, in Abuja.

Nigeria will grow like Asian Tigers, says Jonathan P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Seoul said Nigeria will replicate the experience of the Asian Tigers to transform the nation into a major economy by 2020.

Jonathan stated this at the Nigeria-Korean Investment Forum on Infrastructure and Energy Development.

The event co-hosted by the Nigerian Embassy and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry brought together more than 150 investors.

The Asian Tigers is a term used in reference to the highly developed economies of Hong kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. These nations and territories were notable for

maintaining exceptionally high growth rates (in excess of 7 per cent a year) and rapid industrialisation between the early 1960s and 1990s.

By the 21st century, all four have developed into advanced and high-income economies, specialising in areas of competitive advantage.

While listing the potentialities that abound in the various sectors of the economy, Jonathan urged the investors to especially key into infrastructure and energy development, noting that his administration was committed to diversifying the nation’s economy.

He said Nigeria had a viable market which would guarantee returns, adding that such a

partnership in trade and investment would further boost the existing cordial bilateral relations between both nations.

“South Korea is one of the world’s fastest growing economies and Nigeria stands to gain from the partnership; a world of shared prosperity is our common goal,” the president said.

He said Nigeria’s population of 167 million, its large market and commitment to democratic freedom had made it an investment destination.

In his comments, Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru told the investors that Nigeria had put in place incentives that would make investment attractive and profitable.

He urged them to take a cue

from the telecommunications sector which, he said, had been experiencing a boom for more than 10 years.

“This is the time to move in full force, and not sit on the fence; I implore you to take advantage of the opportunities and invest in Nigeria’s power and energy sector,” Ashiru said.

He further said that the private sector was fully represented at the forum in line with government’s transformation agenda of driving the economy through the sector.

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Korea, Mr Desmond Akawor, said the forum would enable investors from both countries network and fashion out ways through which Korean investors would invest in Nigeria. (NAN)

Kogi bans illegal mining Artisans groan over epileptic From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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ogi state government has banned illegal mining activities on the disputed land between Egbe and Akumarun communities in Yagba West local government area to avoid more violence.

Deputy Governor and chairman of the state Boundary Committee, Arch. Yomi Awoniyi made the pronouncement in Lokoja at a meeting with representatives of the warring communities.

He warned that any breach of the order would be met with the full weight of the law but added that the inhabitants of the land the people of Okunran, Okoloke, and Isanlu Esan were however, free to continue with farming and allow their children to go to school.

Awoniyi maintained that the

state government was committed to peaceful resolution of the dispute and called for the full cooperation of the warring communities saying that as brothers and neighbours, they ought to maintain peace.

The deputy governor said, though the dispute had lingered over a long period, he was optimistic that government, through dialogue, would find a lasting solution to it.

He said that development could only take place in an atmosphere of peace and warned the community leaders against inciting youths into violence and destruction of lives and property.

The Egbe community had over the years laid claim to Akumarun community land and started trouble when some investors declared intention to establish a cement company on the land.

power supply

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group of artisans in IjebuOde, Ogun state, have expressed worry over the epileptic power supply in the town, saying it was affecting their businesses.

The artisans who spoke in Ijebu-Ode yesterday, appealed to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to urgently find a lasting solution to the problem.

The artisans also said that as a result of the power outage, their businesses were at the verge of collapse.

The artisans, however, appealed to the management of PHCN to pay attention to all the faulty transformers, which was the major power supply in the town.

Mrs. Tinuola Akindele, a

hairdresser, described the epileptic power supply in the town as ``age long problem which needed urgent attention.”

Akindele, who claimed to be spending N2,000 per week to fuel her generator for business, said she hardly made any profit after buying the fuel.

She noted that the metre installed by the PHCN in her shop was just a “mere decoration” as it does not generate electricity.

“The most annoying part is that at the end of the month PHCN will still bring bill for me to pay for the electricity I did not consume.”

In his reactions, Mr Kunle Ibiwoye, a welder, said that the problem of epileptic power supply was having negative impact on his business as he spends an average of N3, 000 to power his generator to keep his business running.

ction Congress of Nigeria (ACN) witnesses testifying before the Kogi governorship election tribunal have brought torn dresses and video clips to prove massive rigging and violence during the election.

Under cross-examination on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, about 30 witnesses alleged that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agents unleashed terror in some polling units, intimidated voters and assaulted ACN agents, tearing their clothes.

Many of them said they refused to sign the INEC FORM EC8B as a result of widespread malpractices saying that rigging in several wards was open to all in the presence of security agents who did not help matters.

One of the witnesses, Danladi Sunday, ACN ward supervisor for Bagana in Omala local government brought a clip of video recording made with his handset of PDP agents thumb-printing ballot papers in a secret house.

Sunday said when he got wind of it, he went to the place with his handset and recorded the illegal thumb-printing through the window unnoticed.

According to Mr. Oluwasesan Fabiyi, Ward Supervisor for OdoEri in Yagba West, an ACN lady agent was “mercilessly beaten” and another chased away from the Ward collation centre for refusing to sign the forms.

Mr. Joseph Aro, ACN ward chairman and supervisor for OkeEgbe who claimed to have been voting since 1950, came with his torn clothes alleging that he was beaten as PDP agents went violent in their bid to perpetrate the rigging.

Similarly, supervisor for OkeEgbe 3, Ward 10, Mr. Henry Aina came with his torn suit alleging that he was beaten and wounded

by PDP agents.

Supervisor for Odo-Ere Ward 3, Mr. Tayo Taiwo also in Yagba West, who also brought his torn shirt and trousers claiming to have been beaten by PDP agents, said they went from house to house forcefully collecting electorate’s voters’ cards.

During voting, he said, they collected the ballot papers from the youth corps members and started thumb printing, “We challenged them and it resulted in fighting.

They tore my clothes and injured me in the leg.”

Seventy-one witnesses have so far testified for the ACN at the tribunal in the petition filed by Prince Abubakar Audu the party's flag bearer challenging the return of Capt. Idris Wada as governor elect in the December 3, 2011 governorship election.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 11

Why FG shouldn’t dialogue with Boko Haram, by CAN president From Lawal Sadiq Sanusi, Kaduna & Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

T

he President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has called on the Federal Government not dialogue with members of Boko Haram as that will give room for creating the instruments of disunity in the country.

Oritsejafor who spoke yesterday at the 46th Annual Convention of the United Church of Christ in Nigeria, otherwise known as Hadaddiyar Ekklisiyar Krista A Nijeria (HEKAN), Katsina

Road, Kaduna, said: “I don’t think any sensible government whether the president is a Muslim or a Christian will want to sit down and discuss such thing because it is greatest instrument of disunity that this country will ever experience.

According to him part of what the Boko Haram was demanding that he sees as impossible was the Islamisation of the country, asking “will you discuss with somebody who is saying Nigeria must become a Muslim or an Islamic nation?”

Oritsejafor, who was the guest preacher at occasion concluded, “I don’t think any sensible

government whether the president is a Muslim or a Christian will want to sit down and discuss such thing because it is greatest instrument of disunity that this country will ever experience, how do you discuss that?”

The CAN President however, called for dialogue among the different religious groups in the country for better understanding among themselves.

He said, “We must begin to come together and speak as one, there are Muslims who are wonderfully good people; we are reaching out to them, we are looking for them, let them join with us, let’s work together, lets speak

the same voice, let’s not attack each other, let’s not go against each other”.

In a related development, Pastor Oritsejafor has said that the evil currently besetting Nigeria is caused by the love for money, selfishness and greed which had stifled the nation’s growth.

Pastor Oritsejafor who stated this in Omu-Aran, the headquarters of Irepodun local government area of Kwara state during the funeral thanksgiving of Morenike Oyedepo, the mother of Bishop David Oyedepo, noted that the vast majority of Nigerians are in abject poverty

Lack of human capital may ruin oil sector growth – LDOL boss

World poetry day: Korean govt awards best Nigerian poets

By Mohammed Kandi

I

By Muhammad Nasir

C

hairman of the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics, Mr. Ladi Jadesimi has warned that urgent steps needs to be taken to address the shortage of human capital in the oil and gas sector or the Federal Government’s objectives in the local content might not be realised.

Jadesimi who gave the warning while speaking with newsmen, noted that Nigeria’s oil and gas is naturally endowed with the potential that could provide millions of jobs for teeming Nigerian youths if properly harnessed and well managed.

He also noted that the Federal Government had enacted the Nigerian Content Act of 2010 primarily designed to increase indigenous participation in the oil and gas sector which before now had become an exclusive preserve for foreigners.

“Despite efforts by institutions, agencies and private operators to train a workforce in this key sector, not much has been achieved so far and so there is still a wide gap for adequate manpower development.”

because few people have cornered the people’s commonwealth.

“Nigeria is not poor; it is Nigerians that are poor. A handful of Nigerians are cornering the country’s resources to their own advantage. Corruption is a product of greed and selfish interest. No matter how long we live on this earth we will go one day and people will gather to celebrate one’s good or bad deeds”.

The CAN president said that Nigeria could only get out of the woods “when hard work is rewarded and wickedness is punished”.

“I hope of Nigeria where a man from Kano will go to Port Harcourt and be a Nigerian, where a man from Abeokuta will go to Calabar and be a Nigerian”, he said.

L-R: Osun state Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar, during governor's visit to the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, at the weekend in Abuja.

Vatican Ambassador sues for religious tolerance From Sadeeq Aliyu, Sokoto

T

he Vatican Ambassador in charge of interreligious affairs Cardinal Jane Louis Turam has said that Muslims and Christians have the common responsibility to ensure unity and protect the dignity of man.

Cardinal Turam who made the comment when he paid visit to Government House Sokoto said the church has a long history of integration, provision of

education and health care services and would like the state government to partner with it in that direction.

He said though Sokoto is the seat of Caliphate it has religious harmony which provides freedom of religion and dignity of man, stressing that both Muslims and Christians have the responsibility to provide proper up bringing of their followers.

Resonding, Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko said they believe in peaceful

coexistence and respect for other religions, and that Sokoto is a home for all without discrimination. He said it is in view of that the state government abolished all school fees to people from different tribal groups resident in the state.

He further said God has destined Nigeria to be a country with different religious groups and there is need for Nigerians to be tolerant and remain united with a common goal to forge ahead.

n a bid to strengthen binational between Nigeria and Korea, the Korean Cultural Centre (KCC) has rewarded the best poets who participated in the second edition of the Nigeria-Korea poetry feast.

Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Choi Jong-hyun, said the event was not only aimed at bringing together citizens of both countries but will set a tune for cultural exchanges via literature.

Jong-hyun also pledged to ensure continuity of the annual event, saying the significance of the occasion was in the best interest of both countries.

Chairman of the occasion and Pro-Chancellor, Baze University, Abuja, Senator Yusuf Datti BabaAhmed, said poetry had been used to fight imperial powers and independence for different nations.

"In Africa, poets stood up against colonialism and even apartheid. Their songs reached the worlds and generated echoes of change, suppressive force beyond the endurance of all, he stressed.

Minister of State for Education, Bar. Nyesom Wike, represented by his technical director urged parents to encourage their children to inculcate reading habits.

Speaking on behalf of the awardees, Kabura Zakama, extolled the Korean government for their multi-dimensional support saying it had done so much to improve Nigeria’s educational sector.

Nigeria to continue on growth path - CBN, UBA, others tell London investors

By Abdulwahab Isa

N

igeria will continue to steady on the path of growth in spite of the current economic challenges and challenging market conditions, Nigerian financial experts have said in London.

According to their projection, Nigeria will continue on the growth path over the next couple of years, presenting increasing opportunities for corporate financiers, sovereign investors, corporations and financial intermediaries.

The London forum was

organised by Bloomberg, which had the leadership of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and United Bank for Africa (UBA) in attendance.

In his presentation on Doing Business in Nigeria: Creating Wealth from Opportunities in Africa’s Largest Market, the CEO

of UBA, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, said the growth will be fuelled by activities in the oil and gas, power, infrastructure, manufacturing and agricultural sectors of the economy.

Also speaking at the conference, the CBN Deputy Governor and Coordinator of the

Financial Systems Strategy 2020, Mr. Suleiman Barau, gave an update on the financial system reforms and highlighted that the planned Nigerian International Financial Centre (NIFC) presents more than N35 trillion worth of opportunities in the near term.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

Let the peace be

W

ith the intervention of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, and the spirited efforts of the supervising Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi as well as several well meaning individuals, a commitment for peace was finally obtained from the warring parties in the Nigeria football fraternity, who have agreed to sheath their swords in the interest of the nation and the game. Since the controversial annulment of the NFA elections in 2005, there had been no peace in the football community in this country.

Subsequent elections did little or nothing to assuage raw nerves. Instead, the football polity witnessed an unprecedented number of civil cases in our courts over a change in nomenclature from the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and sundry electoral and other matters of football. The world football governing body, FIFA, did not only frown at but also abhorred what it considered a serious breach of Article 64 (2, 3 and 4) of its statutes.

The decision by two of the

principal actors to withdraw their suits against the NFF in the Federal High Court, especially after having obtained verdicts that invalidated the existing boards of the NFF and the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) is commendable for obvious reasons. Firstly, the court rulings incapacitated the respective

“

there is a commitment to peace, needed for our football to grow again, and given the place of football as a unifying force and the passion it generates among Nigerians a foundation has been laid for the amicable resolution of outstanding matters. Now the door is open for those sidelined by the elected boards to return to the Nigerian football fold boards and effectively grounded operations at their secretariats.

Secondly, there is a commitment to peace, needed for our football to grow again, and given the place of football as a unifying force and the passion it generates among Nigerians a foundation has been laid for the amicable

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”

resolution of outstanding matters. Now the door is open for those sidelined by the elected boards to return to the Nigerian football fold.

Finally, the intervention by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has also thawed icy relations with the National Assembly, thereby encouraging it to move to amend the 2004 Nigeria Football Association (NFA) 2004 Act. The process will legalize the change from NFA to the present NFF. While we commend the boards of the NFF and NPL as well as Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and Barrister Ray Nnaji for conceding grounds for the sake of peace, we urge those that still have an axe to grind to let peace be.

The payment of compensation to and appointment of one of the litigants as an honorary member of the NFF board may be abnormal, but it is Peoples Daily’s position that abnormal situations do require uncommon and sometimes odd measures to attain the desired result. Nothing could be more abnormal than the retardation that football-the nation’s number sport- has been subjected to for over half a decade now.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 13

North, poverty and the prejudiced thought

By HussainAi Sani Kagara

A

widely circulated piece recently in the media, one Ross Alabo-George seemed to have concluded that the poverty in the North is nothing but a creation of the “Northern elites” that have amassed wealth from the oil fields of the Niger Delta.

Ross asserted that he is “an unabashed capitalist who believes that every citizen has a right to do good business and make profit.” Of course, that is the doctrine of capitalism. Ignorantly, however, Ross did not show any substantiation that the businesses being run by those he described as “uncompassionate” capitalists of the Northern aristocracy are illegal. Ross failed to realize that capitalism, as he claimed to be its disciple, is driven by profit.

Capitalism does not have compassion and charity as its core principles. It has always being profit, profit and profit!!! In fact, capitalism is not a free shopping mall.

Ross had submitted that “greed and senseless chase for power by the Fulani aristocrats and political elites of the North are responsible for the extreme poverty of the North.” It is unfortunate that there is poverty in the North but interestingly, poverty is not biologically Northern alone – it is also Southern, Eastern and Western. There is no part of Nigerian that is not being ravage by extreme poverty. If not, is Ross admitting that the Niger-Delta

claim of underdevelopment and poverty is a lie? It is indeed, agreeable that greed can be a cause for poverty, but the so called company-ownership theory has no any link with poverty in the North.

How does the operation of these companies lead to poverty? Indeed, a mere narration of company ownership by Ross is the dullest argument I ever read. Ross ought to have tells us whether those companies are involved in bunkering, whether they are not paying taxes to the government or whether they stole public funds to own or set up those companies. It is only when these issues are evidentially proved by Ross that a connection between poverty in the North and the activities of the companies own by the Northerners could be found. This is because, by implication, government is losing revenue that ought to be used for public good.

More so, there is nothing new in what Ross has said about the individuals he has mentioned. Is it now haram for a northerner to operate an oil company?

If greed is Northern, is greed not also Niger Deltan? In fact, greed theorists argued that natural resources provide the attraction to covetous individuals or groups to rebel in order to take control over revenues from the natural resources. This is why many have posited that “conflicts are far more likely to be caused by economic opportunities than by grievance.”

And this is obvious from the picture and dynamics of the conflict in the

Niger-Delta region that the element of greed rather than grievance is more pronounced as various groups and factions emerged making conflicting demands and more often violently clashing with each other over the control of areas where pipelines installation passes through, waterways, etc. This is why we have the Dokubos, the Tampolos, the Ateke Toms, the Boyloaf, the Fara Aidids, etc. Do all these people represent the common interest?

Ross asked the question – “who impoverished the north?” His vague answer is the Northern Elites. Deprivation in the North is a product of many factors.

Whereas the factor of the Northern elites is inexcusable, the deliberate policies of the government that undermine the progress of the North are also palpable. For instance, in the Aviation sector, even more than 60% of those that traveled to Dubai are from the North, there is no originating flight from the North as the traveler is forced to go to Lagos when the same flight would pass the skies of Kano on the way to Dubai. In the Banking Sector, a small farmer in Gamborun Ngala would save in a Bank but that saving is only decided in Lagos. This means that the North finance the business of the Southerners. The dredging of River Niger is being sabotage by those who benefits from the Ports in their area. One of the central arguments of Ross was that some Northern elites get more revenue from oil than their respective state

governments. Whether it is ignorance or malevolence, as is in this case is both, Ross irrationally failed to realize that it is public funds that is being used to provide services to the citizenry and not private funds.

Corporate or private funds can only be used for corporate social responsibility or charity neither of which is compulsory. At any rate, we have the example of T.Y. Danjuma Foundation.

The point that has always been made is the fact that the system of revenue allocation in Nigeria is extremely disproportionate. The horizontal inequality is indispensible.

It is that disequilibrium that has created uneven development. In fact, Section 16(2)(a-c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is very emphatic: “The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring: (a) the promotion of a planned and balanced economic development; (b) that the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good; (c) that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group;.” In spite of these provisions, the system of revenue allocation we have today has negated the provision of the Constitution. What we have today is the concentration of wealth on few States, with less population, less size and a proven legal evidence

of mismanagement of resources. It is the concentration of wealth on segment of the society with lack of executive capacity that has led to the outcry of underdevelopment in the Niger-Delta.

Then, who impoverished and underdeveloped the Niger Delta?

The Technical Committee on Niger-Delta led by Ledum Mitee in 2008 acknowledged that “whilst it is true that paucity of funds have affected the development efforts of the region ... had available funds been judiciously used, it would have gone a long way to address development challenges in the region... the implications of corruption for Nigeria as a whole are wide and multiple and even more grave for the region” (see page 65 of the report). It further stated that “unfortunately and sadly enough, governance structures and leadership patterns across the Niger Delta States have compromised the hopes and dreams of the people, distorted the processes of growth and development, undermined institutions, failed to prudently utilise scarce resources and generally improve the living conditions of the people. With no direct commitment and oversight from the Federal level, State and Local Governments find it easy to get away with a culture of bad governance and opportunistic leadership” (see page 48 of the report). For example, the former Contd. on page 15

And the drizzle became a downpour (I) I

By Emeka Eto Nwalozie

t all began when we, or actually, those that purported to represent, or rather foisted their will on us, wielding their martial argot, were faced with a choice between a grin and a grimace. Since we lacked the necessary collective forge to counter their hijack, their particular preference became our obligatory assent. Silence, they say, connotes consent. Distress sometimes speaks in silence, and silence many a time spells powerlessness.

Between two warriors! One: a pin-up persona from the savannah, carrying a beaming face which looked like coating a propensity to coax and fox. The other: a gangly figure from the Sahel, with a scowling mien which seemed to coerce and compel. A smile can say so many things, but one knows where he stands with a frown.

We could not parse the grim, prefectorial visage of the parsonical, the ferial figure of beneficence. Oh how we needed some excitement, even a little diversion, if not outright distraction, especially after an interregnum of enervating ennui.

We went for the fanciful fib, we christened it enigmatic, yodeled it as festal. We bought an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms, a misnomer - a package of mutually exclusive concepts which our mystique marketers branded

benevolent dictatorship, or visionary realism. We paid the indemnity in our fantastic failure and our abysmal regress. Today, a quarter of a century-plus d-own the road, we suffer our pick. We reel from the germ that touched us from the gilded hand of a poster man. We have a deadness of culture and social slide staring us everywhere we care to turn. We grope and thrash about gasping for mitigation.

Our charming hero, the alibi man, the proponent of the euphemism called dwindling resources, dazzled and dribbled us through one byroad after another bush track. But we cooed in adulation. He was so emblematic, so inimitable, so hypnotically hip.

Only a countable discerning few were not amused, and they consequently suffered severely under the mechanism codenamed FID (find, identify and destroy), which was to be advertised later as a doctrine of opposition strangulation and junta preservation by a one-time military governor of the mid-west ministering for a more brazen successor bulldog brutality and sadistic despotism.

We could forgive anything and forget everything once those fey smiles homed in on us. Everything could be waved aside and explained away. Including a letter-bomb assassination (the first peace-time bomb incident in the country, the prime model of the present spectre of detonations everywhere);

improper executions based on charges propped more on the crutches of ego; and a mindless misadventure like swimming with a sinking Sergeant Doe in Liberia. We could live with it all.

After all, we had been charged to use what we had to get what we wanted. And were we not enjoined to feel free to argue and debate?

What else could be more liberating or exhilarating?

Anything could be tinkered with.

Even protocols underpinning and insulating our sovereignty. That was how certain imported measures, touted as salutary, were instituted to whittle down the spirit and selfbelief of a commonwealth of multimillion proud, hyperactive, even if hyperbolic, marching men and women - strong, sophisticated, assertive, ambitious representatives of a resurgent race. The Orwellian notion of suffering as an instrument of power and control and domination of the environment was the main motivation. It was a police measure, combined with the bizarre mix of FID’s patronizing plank: the Machiavellian brand of co-option or de-animation.

Our enchanting warrior was not without a sensitive barometer. After all, he did warn that he was not just in office, but also in power. His sensors did not fail to pick the pullulating underground frothing with the molten magma of angst, if not

wholesale resentment. He went after them. First the most crucial symbol, the teacher, the form master. He accused them of teaching what they were not paid to inculcate. The bright and beautiful ones, who would not stand the perceived affront, the pugnacious, condescending, pretentious intellectual holler of a soldier, an adept only in the art of organized violence, on the hallowed grounds of the academia, picked their pride and their brain and drained into voluntary exile.

And those who did not flee among the intelligentsia, the professional class, the rampart of civil society, only a few could find the nerve not to retire into internal hibernation. Then he turned on the middle class pulverizing them into such a penurious shape that they had neither the leeway for creative contemplation, nor the latitude to cross-pollinate with the critical material base. Everyone was sucked into the sump. Living took the gangster name of hustle. The conquest was complete. Babylon had reincarnated, brandishing its trademark banner of hedonistic bazaar and lavish ostentation and impunity the nearer the nabobs of power and the shrine of their golden calf – and dreadful destitution and drudgery for the rest of the population.

With the brilliant ones in flight, as with the artist, the poet, the philosopher, the prophet, the shaman, the seer, the sage, the

spokesman trampled under the totalitarian jackboot – all the kindred spirit, the national collection of alluvial deposits from the elemental flow, carriers of the primordial, eternal hump of inexhaustible native waters, the human ornamental flowers who string the delicate weave of society with brilliant colours, inspire its hopes and dreams, illustrate its ways and means, commemorate its triumphs, promote its common heritage and celebrate its communal laughter and joy --– the social climate, like a left-over soup, became cold and stale, and the scum and the dreg, the fool and the phony, the misguided and the mal-imprinted, rose to the top.

W.B. Yeats, the Irish poet, yelled it more than a century before: The best lacked all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity! Mobocracy: rule of the mob. Kakistocracy: government by the most unscrupulous and unsuitable.

Idealism collapsed, and with it heroism. Values somersaulted -– money and what money can get gained sway.

Corruption democratized and seeped down to vulgarize, materialize and venalize the common folk, who until then were somewhat at a remove from the profane ways of the insensate, philistine elite.

Emeka Eto Nwalozie contributed this piece to saharareporters.com

PAGE 14

By Simeon Nwakaudu

O

ne journalism principle that has stood the test of time is the sacredness of facts. No matter how stunning or attention-grabbing a report or feature is, if it lacks facts then it has no basis in journalism and must be disregarded. In other words, columnists and other senior writers in the media are under strict responsibility to respect facts. This responsibility can never be taken lightly.

On Tuesday, March 20, 2012, a Nigerian columnist attacked the person of the Minister of State for Education, Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike. His piece ‘Minister Wike’s globetrotting and other issues’ was a deliberate fabrication and twisting of facts to trick the general public that has come to appreciate the revival of basic education that the minister has kick-started and sustained in the Federal Ministry of Education.

The first observation reading the article is the fact the column which is technical in nature had deviated from its primary responsibility. The columnist, Gabriel Amalu, rather than dwell on legal matters for which the column was created, completely deviated and used the column as a platform to promote personal interests and attack a personality without proper research and verification.

Wike is known as a strict public official not interested in frivolities.

His interest lies in the total revival of basic education in Nigeria, touching all critical areas in this

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

When silence is golden sector. Since July 14, 2011, he has represented at the meeting by its at KOICA headquarters, the driven the process with the President, Park Dae Won. The Minister put forward the request commitment and dedication that Korean government needed for the construction of four new has attracted commendation and commitment on the part of model technical colleges across the respect from all stakeholders.

Nigeria’s education sector at the geo-political zones of Nigeria. This Unlike Mr. Amalu attempted highest level of administration, request received the favourable to portray, the Minister of State hence the invitation extended to response of the KOICA leadership for Education has never been the Federal Government. who declared that the process for involved in any frivolous foreign In case Mr Amalu is unaware sitting and kick-starting the trip. All trips that schools should he has been commence. involved in were The Minister necessitated by also met with Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text their relevance to the Director messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written the overall General of objective of K o r e a n contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 r e v i v i n g International words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and t e c h n i c a l Bureau of a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed education in Cooperation, to: Nigeria.

Most Dr. Youmi fundamentally, Suh. The The Editor, these necessary Bureau has Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, trips are at the asked the 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. expense of the F e d e r a l Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com countries visited Ministry of SMS: 07037756364 by the Minister.

Education to The South nominate Korean trip which Amalu sought of this fact, the Minister through universities and schools to partner to use as his platform to heap his negotiation with KOICA has with Korean universities in areas the Korean of research and curriculum insults on the Minister was at the convinced instance of the Korean Government to invest in the development. government.

The Nigerian construction of vocational and Aside from the Korean government spent no funds on technical schools in Katsina, government, the minister has that trip. The Korean government Lokoja and Adamawa. The worked out direct investment by through its Korea International Minister has secured land for the the governments of China and Cooperation Agency, KOICA, had Korean government to build a Japan in the nation’s basic extended invitation to the comprehensive model school in education sector. The Chinese minister to carry out high level Abuja. A teachers’ training school government has completed the bi-lateral discussions on its will also be constructed by KOICA construction of a model school in investments in the nation’s basic in Enugu.

Abuja, with another four still During the bi-lateral meeting under construction. The Japanese education sector. KOICA was

WRITE TO US

government is sponsoring the capacity building of our mathematics and science teachers.

It is rather disheartening that Mr. Amalu would describe the President of KOICA, a nation’s arm of international investments as a low level government official.

Neither is Dr Youmi Suh, the director general of the Korean International Cooperation Bureau.

The Minister has liaised with the Canada government and Danish teachers association to help in the training of Nigerian teachers in Canada, while the Danish teachers have visited the country to embark on the training of teachers. It may interest Amalu to know that KOICA of Korea sponsored the training of the nation’s critical education administrators. They accepted to sponsor the training of close to 40 selected teachers who will also train other teachers when they return. This training programme which the Minister secured is to take place in April.

The Minister understands the scarcity of resources to execute very laudable projects outlined for the revival of basic education. In a world where no country is an Island, the minister is building international partnership to promote the nation’s interest.

One other issue that Amalu Contd. on page 15

Child malnutrition and agriculture

By Salisu Na’inna Dambatta

T

he ironic report came as a rude shock: that about 50 per cent of infant deaths in agrarian Nigeria is caused by malnutrition.

Experts in nutrition at a National Nutrition Summit held in Abuja on February 20, 2012, painted a grim picture which says that malnutrition kills as many infants in Nigeria as all the other known child-killer diseases put together The United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) country representative, Suomi Sakai quoted data from demographic and health surveys which graphically revealed that “Nigeria continues to have a very high rate of malnutrition with stunting affecting 41 per cent of the children under five; 14 per cent are wasted, 23 per cent are under weight, 13.7 per cent of new born are born with birth weight below 2500 grammes.”

The numbers reeled out are as shocking as the over N1, 000 billion Nigeria spends on the importation of wheat, rice, fish and sugar annually, whilst with some effort, the country can reverse the trend and become selfsufficient in the imported and other food items, join the food exporting nations of the world and stamp out the current rampant child malnutrition and its consequences.

Indeed, the country has a wellarticulated Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) which is designed to achieve the goals of transforming the largely peasant-driven, small-holder subsistence agriculture in Nigeria into a commercially-driven agricultural sector capable of creating wealth for farmers, providing raw materials for industry and ensuring food security for 150 million people, including the large proportion of infants who suffer from malnutrition.

At the just-concluded 35 th session of the governing council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina emphasised the purpose of ATA: “We have articulated a clear vision to achieve a hungerfree Nigeria, through an agricultural sector that drives income growth, accelerates achievement of food and nutrition security, generates employment and transforms Nigeria into a leading player in global food markets, to grow wealth for millions of farmers.”

Blessed with vast uncultivated arable land all over the country and a large pool of experienced, albeit peasant farmers, it is the belief of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural development Dr. Akinwunmi

Adesina and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr. Bukar Tijjani, that the agricultural transformation agenda will pull Nigeria out of the woods.

The Agricultural Transformation Agenda envisages the attainment of selfsufficiency in rice production to end its importation; the massive production of improved sorghum for the non-alcoholic part of the beverages industry; a major boost in the production of cassava for home-consumption and export; the renewal of large-scale production of cocoa and the rehabilitation of the production of cotton for the ailing textile industry in Nigeria.

Massive production of vital vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, cabbage and a clutch of greens is part of the agricultural transformation agenda.

Under ATA, farmers would be given all the necessary financial and technical support to produce crops on a profitable, commercial scale. They would have access to improved seeds; fertilsers subsidized through vouchers would be readily available; the much-needed extension services by experts on different crops in all the eco-zones will be there for the farmers.

At a presentation to Nigeria’s economic management team, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina assured that whatever

quantity of crops farmers produced would be purchased by agro-dealers and processors. He explained that an element of ATA will “focus on attracting private sector agribusinesses to set up processing plants in zones of high food production, to process commodities into food products.

The government will enable this by putting in place appropriate fiscal, investment and infrastructure policies for staple crop processing zones.”

Some of the practical steps taken so far by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to achieve the objectives of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda include the development of a farmers’ data base through a nationwide registration exercise, the creation of six Zonal Directorates of Agriculture thus bringing the services offered by the Ministry closer to the people and the establishment of various commodity value-chain committees that would ensure that the country derives maximum value from each crop.

Following these activities by the Ministry, many investors have signified their intention to invest in the large-scale production and processing of rice, cassava, cocoa, cotton and sorghum in the country. This is significant as the benefits derivable from such investments will include the desirable creation

of wealth and jobs, transfer of technology and the deepening of the food processing industry in the country. It will also turn farming into business in its own right, thereby attracting youths who will in turn complement the efforts of our aging farmers.

On the issue of malnutrition and infant deaths in Nigeria, an inter-ministerial collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Federal Ministry of Health to formulate a solution is imperative. While the Ministry of Agriculture is to ensure the production and supply of adequate food, the nutritionists in the Ministry of Health have the responsibility of enlightening mothers during ante-natal and post-natal sessions of the combination of foodstuff that would best nourish their babies to a healthy childhood and active adulthood.

With active and healthy adult population, which is educated in various skills and empowered with well-articulated plans of action such as the agricultural transformation agenda, Nigeria can and indeed should achieve the objectives of Vision 20:2020, growing the economy strongly enough to make Nigeria the one of the 20 largest economies in the world.

Salisu Na’inna Dambatta is of the Federal Ministry of Information, Abuja

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 15

Africa’s ‘most organized’ political party

By Folabi Ogunleye

F

ew weeks ago, Nigerians were mostly minding their business, striving to keep ahead of the rat race of a competitive world when President Goodluck Jonathan grabbed a microphone to tell his fellow citizens something he thought they should know. According to him, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party “is the only party we have in Nigeria today that does not have one person that his word is law; most other parties have one leader whose words are laws. In PDP there is no one person that his word is law.”

That was on Wednesday, February 29, at the 59th National Executive Council Meeting of the PDP in Abuja. About eighteen days later, Vice-President Namadi Sambo would echo a variation of his boss’s sentiments at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Complex in Kaduna. The PDP is the most organized party, not only in Nigeria, but the entire Africa,” he intoned, no doubt, proud of his political party as any party leader should be.

It is easy to see where the President and the Vice-President were coming from. In the 13 years of its existence, the PDP has largely remained intact, outliving its rivals who have either completely dissolved or undergone some form of metamorphosis or the other.

Most of the political power-brokers who were present at its founding Contd. from page 13 Chairman of NDDC was accused of embezzling N800million in what was described as “juju scandal” to retain to his seat and command supports at higher hierarchy of power”.

Also, the former governor of Bayelsa state, DSP Alamieyeseigha wasconvicted for massive lundering of his state’s resources. Similarly, the former governor of Delta, James Contd. from page 14 breezed through is whether or not the Minister has been visiting schools in Nigeria. To date, the Minister of State for Education has visited 30 out of the 104 Federal Unity Colleges. In each of these schools, he met with school administrators, teachers and students. Shared ideas with them and laid the foundation for the revival of these schools. All these visits were unscheduled.

Administrators and teachers are now on their toes across the nation. These visits have been in the public domain through reports by the electronic and print media.

Quite shocking that Amalu never came across any of these reports in the print or electronic media. Wike did not visit these schools alone. He invited the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwa,l to visit the Federal Unity College in Sokoto. Also, the chairman House Committee on Education, Farouk Lawan visited the Federal Government College, Kano alongside the minister. In

still remain as active members of the party, with some still as influential as they were in 1998 and 1999.

Besides the cohesion that has kept the party relatively united, there is also something to be said of the successes of the PDP. Yes, you read me right: successes.

Save for a couple of political upsets here and there, especially the recent political routing it got at the hands of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Action Congress of Nigeria in last year’s general election in the south-west, the PDP has mostly remained, by hook or crook, the party to beat.

What more, the PDP appears to be the most widely noticed of the political parties in Nigeria, no thanks to its flamboyant, wellchoreographed events, from local congresses to national conventions. It does not matter what part of Nigeria you find yourself; there is always a PDP umbrella nearby, beckoning on you to try the Party for a shade from the burning heat of the Nigerian sun. If in doubt, ask the first lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan. (As for whether the average Nigerian gets to enjoy the protection of the PDP umbrella, that is another story altogether).

For these reasons and more the PDP man can boast of his party and its good fortunes, and cite same, rightly or wrongly, as the product of hard work and the integrity of the manner the Party’s affairs are run, relative

to other political parties in the country.The rival parties of the PDP, and indeed a good portion of the Nigerian citizenry, love to scoff at such chest-thumping – and perhaps for good reason, too.

For many of these people, the PDP is the epitome of official corruption in Nigeria. But all that can be deemed subjective, especially when it comes from rival political parties who are steeped in their own shady ways as well. For some of these opposition parties, the only barrier against the ocean of official corruption is the absence of access to the levers of power.

As activities entered a heightened phase within the ruling party in the last few weeks, President Jonathan and his fellow party members did not lose the opportunity to remind Nigerians that their party is the best in the country. Hence the recent comments from the president and the vice president at their different forums.

Yet, there are strong grounds to challenge the narrative being sold by the PDP, and those who care to do so are doing a good job of it. Among such persons is the irrepressible National Publicity Secretary of opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, Lai Mohammed, who dug deep into his lexicon trove to challenge the president on the facts of his February 29 remarks. Mr. Mohammed’s comments were bothersome enough to force an

irritated response from the presidency, warning the ACN leader to watch how he speaks of the president and the commander-in-chief of the country.

It is important to hold persons and political parties, whether in the opposition or in the ruling party, to fair standards always.

So when the president and other leaders of the ruling party tell Nigerians that the PDP is the best thing since moi-moi and akamu, it behoves the informed citizenry to check the facts and challenge them where need be.

The recent flurry of political activities within the PDP peaked in the last few days, starting with congresses at the local government and state levels, culminating in Saturday’s convention at Abuja’s Eagle Square where a 76-year old former governor of the defunct Gongola state, Bamanga Tukur, emerged as the National Chair of the PDP. In virtually all the party posts sought at every level of the party, from ward to state and national offices, some sort of gentlemen agreement was reached between the party members to anoint certain candidates – often to the chagrin of other members desirous of the same posts, who eventually vouchsafed their reluctant loyalties to these anointed candidates. A slightly amusing case in point concerns a political bloc whose high hopes for a

national office was shattered at Saturday’s convention. The group, Forum for the Strategic Positioning of the Nigerian Woman for Nation Building, released a statement signed by a certain Mrs. Sokomba expressing its bitter disappointment, even as it tamped down its rhetoric towards the final paragraphs of the statement to ever-sodiscreetly purr its obeisance to those who hold the aces. In other words, the losers grin, bear it and hope for a bite of the cake at a later point of this magical process perfected by the apparatchiks of the PDP. Yet these are delegates – that is, members of the party leadership, and not just the regular Bola out there on the streets. If that is the lot of PDP delegates, what hopes do regular citizens have, if any? Where do citizens factor-in in the decisionmaking process of the PDP leadership? Is the ballot, as opposed to the convocation of secret ‘conclaves’, not better in serving the aspirations of the people in representative democracy? How can the very same PDP members who love to ridicule opposition party members for their lack of internal democracy base an entire process of selecting party leadership on sheer consensus? These are questions that informed Nigerian should be asking.

Folabi Ogunleye wrote in from Belleview, Nebraska.

North, poverty and the prejudiced thought Ibori, was found guilty by a court in London while Lucky Igbinedion of Edo state was convicted for looting public treasury. In the end, the TCND begged the Federal Government “to set in place institutions and mechanisms that [should] effectively contain the brazen abuse and misuse of public funds

in the Region…” For now, no any Northern governor has been convicted. I am not saying, however, there are no cheats among them.

At any rate, each part of Nigeria has its own challenges and should be given the reasonable resources to meet those challenges.

The poverty in Nigeria is man-

made. Statistical poverty rate by percentages as the one dished out by the National Bureau of Statistics should be distinguished from the real poverty rate in every part of Nigeria.

Ross’s company profiling theory could only be linked to poverty if those companies have failed to pay taxes, are operating

illegally or involved in a proven bunkering activities, etc. When has capitalism embraced generosity, compassion and charity as parts of its dogma? Mr. Ross’ theory is dangerous and shameless amalgam of facts misused.

Hussaini Sani Kagara wrote in from Kagara, Katsina state.

When silence is golden both instances, the legislators admitted that they would participate actively in the revival of basic education.

To us, the most fundamental achievement of the minister is the reform of the budgeting process for the funding of projects at the federal unity colleges. Beginning from this year, the Federal Government will commence a phased rehabilitated of selected Federal Unity Colleges. In the past, paltry sums were shared across the board with no impact on the schools. This year, 30 schools will be totally rehabilitated and this process will continue till 2015.

Federal Technical Colleges and Federal Government Girls Colleges will feature prominently in the rehabilitation fashioned out by the Federal Ministry of Education.

The Minister of State for Education met with governors

when the states were not forthcoming with their counterpart funds for the release of Universal Basic Education funds.

Since building that synergy, the states have drawn their funds up to 2011. The backlogs of funds have reduced drastically. The impact of this achievement on the overall development of basic education is massive.

Nobody in this country will say that he is not conversant with the minister’s commitment of getting almajirai off the streets of Nigeria.

In the last one month, he has personally supervised the construction of these schools. Out of the 400 earmarked, the Federal Government will hand-over 100 to different states in June. The Minister has been directly involved in advocacy to improve mass literacy through his meetings with Emirs. He believes that mass literacy is the only practical

solution to insecurity. Similarly, the minister has taken the lead to promote boy-child education in the South East.

For Wike, reviving Basic Education will not be complete without a functional inspectorate division. He personally worked for the renewed funding of the Federal Inspectorate Division to monitor schools and projects. This is the first time since 2008 that the inspectorate division will get budgetary allocation to carry out its functions.

Talk, they say, is cheap. Every practicing journalist knows that what you are not sure about, you leave. Mr Gabriel Amalu was not sure of his facts, yet he decided to use the legal pages of a newspaper to cast aspersion on a distinguished public official. The irreverent pastime of running down public officials committed to public service does the nation no good.

Worse is the holier than thou attitude of some columnists who choose to display their ignorance in the market-place of ideas.

Amalu betrayed his interest through the title of his essay, ‘Minister Wike’s globetrotting and other issues’, when the piece to a larger extent dwelt with ‘other issues’ than with the Minister of State for Education. Public Officers who perform their duties diligently need encouragement and not distraction. This is what Mr Amalu and his co-travellers must learn. If you are made a columnist in a newspaper,you are not under strict obligation to write every week. When there is no issue to write about, silence is golden.

There is no need formulating issues where there is none.

Simeon Nwakaudu is the Special Assistant (Media) to Minister of State for Education.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Heat, hazy weather: Mararaba residents pray for rain

A

s weather conditions in the northern part of the country gets hotter, and the atmosphere getting hazier, residents of Mararaba, a densely populated suburb in Nasarawa, near the FCT, have resorted to prayers for rainfall.

A cross section of residents of the area, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on yesterday, said that the hot weather was “really getting unbearable”.

A farmer, Mr. Jeremiah Putu said he had lost most of the crops he planted in his farm in January, to “the excessive heat”.

“The effect of the heat does not allow my yams to germinate, even the real yam tubers I planted have all melted in the soil, and the few that struggled to germinate in January have all died off now.

“We have been praying for rain, but we are wandering when the much awaited rains would come so that we can try our hands in late planting,” Putu added.

He said the heat had made him and his six-member family to resort to drinking more water now than before, “because our throats often go dry”.

“I now take bath frequently to cool down my body, “he said.

However, for a builder, Mr. Jatau Smart, “The weather is normal”. It has always been so in this part of the country”. ”Since I came to Abuja for more than 10 years now, the weather condition has been like this during this time of the year, so it is not new to us. But to say

the least, the dusty weather is affecting me because it causes catarrh and I cannot breath freely,” he said.

But producers and hawkers of sachet water and juice drinks in Mararaba are making brisk business as their number keeps increasing on daily basis.

A sachet water and juicy drinks dealer at shop 117/118 in Mararaba Shopping Complex, Malam Isah Ismaili, told NAN

that the demand for the products in the area had risen sharply since January when the heat commenced.

“People now complain of too much heat and thirst as a result of the current hot and hazy weather condition, “ he said.

Ismaili said that “a bag containing 20 sachet water is sold for N100, while foot hawkers of the commodity sell a sachet for 10”, adding they make a gain of

N100 per bag.

“We now sell between 60 bags to 70 bags of sachet water a day, as against 20 bags to 40 bags sold in a day before the dry season set in. More buyers are still trooping in daily, but despite this rush, we have not increased our prices, irrespective of the fact that we are cooling our products with iced blocks and generators because there is no reliable power supply in this area,” Ismaili stressed.

Fire gutted five a storey building belonging to Alibert furniture company at Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent Wuse 2, yesterday, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Garki indigenes appeal to FCT minister to investigate resettlement exercise

By Josephine Ella

G

arki community leader, Hon. Joel Dantani has appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed to set up a panel to investigate the past resettlement exercises conducted in the village.

Speaking to journalist in Abuja yesterday, Dantani who accused officials of the FCT administration of not involving them in the entire resettlement programme, alleged that officials “only used the exercise to enrich themselves”.

“They only did that on their own, coming out with list that

80 percent of it did not carry the names of the indigenes, they did it within themselves because most of the houses and lands carried the names of FCDA officials,” he said.

Hence, he called on the minister to set up a committee to investigate what really went wrong in the resettlement

exercise of the Garki community, saying ” it is with this that we can find a lasting solution to the irregularities that occurred during exercise and the main thieves will be fished out”.

He advised indigenes to exercise patient while they hope for the intervention of the Federal Government on the matter.

Fulani communities commend Kuje boss over cow vaccination

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he Fulani communities in Kuje Area Council, yesterday, commended the council administration over its cow vaccination program aimed at breeding healthy animals for consumption in the council.

Members of communities made the commendation during an appreciation visit to the council chairman, Hon. Danladi Zhin.

It would be recalled that the council had on February 28 ,

2012 flagged-off the cow vaccination program in which all Fulani settlements in the ten wards of the council benefited.

A member of the community Mallam Musa Chibiri lauded the council administration for its programs aimed at impacting positively on the lives of residents especially those at the grassroots.

He said the gesture was the first of its kind in the council, adding that the good quality of the vaccines used had started reflecting on the lives of the animals.

Another member of the

community, Alhaji Hassan Ibrahim said the gesture would no doubt enhance consumption of healthy cows in the council.

Ibrahim, who pledged the commitment of the community members to support the council administration in its programs, called for sustenance of cow vaccination program in the council.

Responding, Zhin commended the delegation for the appreciation visit, saying the council would continue to do its best to ensure that all residents were carried along in its program.

Zhin, who said the appreciation visit, would no doubt spur his administration to do better emphasised that the council had opened its veterinary clinic to enhance easy veterinary services for residents especially the Fulani community members.

The council boss therefore, called on the community to take advantage of the clinic by ensuring regular visit for counselling and advice and urged peaceful co-existence among members to enable the council administration serve them better.

Dear reader, Metro welcomes human interest stories in your neighbourhood. Please call or send SMS to 08065327178 or e-mail jomarch4@yahoo.com to inform us about happenings in your area. Share your experiences or those of your friends and neighbours with fellow readers.

FCTA unveils new permanent secretary FCTA unveils new T permanent secretary

he Federal Capital T e r r i t o r y Administration (FCTA) yesterday, unveiled Engineer Anthony Ozodinobi at its Operations Briefing Session as the new Permanent Secretary of the FCT. At the official presentation, the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed commended the ongoing Acting Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Nuhu Ahmed for his hard work and commitment, saying that he discharged the duty with competence.

This was even as he assured the new Permanent Secretary of full cooperation of the ministers and all staff of the FCT Administration.

In a remark, the new Ozodinobi promised to ensure harmony in the system, adding that he would support the policy direction of the ministers to achieve the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Shopkeeper held over N.4m fraud

A

shopkeeper, 30, has been arraigned before an Abuja Area Court I presided

by Area Court Judge, Ahmed Ado for breach of trust and cheating.

Police Prosecutor, Egwu Clement told the court that Alhassan Sani, committed the offence contrary to Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

Clement said that Mr Davidson Ayodele, who works at a company at Life Camp, Abuja, reported Sani at the Life Camp police station.

He told the court that Sani, who was the storekeeper of the company, fraudulently cheated the company of N499, 362.50k.

The prosecutor told the court that instead of using the invoice of the company, the accused used a different invoice and inflated the price of the goods.

Sani pleaded not guilty and the judge granted him bail in the sum of N400,000 with a reasonable surety in like sum, who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

He adjourned the case to April 4, 2012 (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 17

Selecting the useful things and clearing the refuse at Durumi District yesterday in Abuja.

The man here thinking of what to do next with his faulty car at City Gate, Abuja on Saturday.

Street belts hawker along Karu market yesterday in Abuja.

A vulcanizer attending to customers, along Karu road, recently in Abuja

A motor mechanic attending to a faulty vehicle engine at the Gudu market in Abuja yesterday.

Photos: Joe Oroye

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

AP manager accuses tanker driver of setting filling station ablaze

By Josephine Ella

S

tation Manager of the AP petrol service station located at Life Camp junction in Gwarimpa District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), yesterday, told how hoodlums attacked pump attendants and carted away more than N3 million cash during a fire outbreak which gutted the entire station at the weekend.

Although no life was lost, items ravaged by the explosion from a petrol tanker, which tensed the atmosphere in the area as people fled in panic, thinking it was bomb blast, include a Honda Bullet car belonging to the station manager, which was burnt beyond recognition.

Others are two pumps, a tanker loaded with fuel, a transformer, the building, station’s supermarket among others which were razed by the fire before fire service men were said to have arrived at the scene.

The manager, who said he had travelled to his village in the eastern part of the country for a burial rite when the incident occurred, said information made available to him, has it that thugs hijacked the situation to loot the station.

Apart from cash, they were said to have also carted away drinks, snacks, jars of motor engine oils and other items being sold at the station’s super market.

The manager, who did not want his name in print told our correspondent yesterday morning at the station that, he had just returned from the journey when officials of the station showed him round the devastated facilities.

According to him, the hoodlums even went as far as matcheting one of the pump attendants, as they forcefully,

•••Says hoodlums carted away over N3m from station

The petro tanker which exploded at the AP service station in Life Camp and the Honda bullet burnt in the inferno. collected all the money in his possession.

They had finished selling the stock on ground, a full tanker of petrol at about 5.45 pm Saturday, and were about to remit the money to the accountant when the fire was noticed, he narrated to Peoples Daily.

The manager, who said that the stock sold that day, was worth N3.6m -N3.7m said that the police, who later arrived at the scene, was able to recover only N650, 000 from one of the hoodlums.

Narrating, how the fire started, he told our correspondent that the station had taken new delivery of one full tanker load of petrol that evening.

However, there was a delay in the discharge of the fuel because a staff of the station, simply identified as David, responsible for the discharge, noticed that two compartments of the tanker were almost empty, leaving only four compartments, rather than six.

He was said to have confronted the tanker driver,

who unconvincingly, explained that the situation was because the compartments were interleaking.

According to the station manager, an argument ensued and David was said to have excused himself to go and eat, when the driver allegedly set fire to the tanker in order to get away with his criminal act.

He emphasised that the explosion did not result from discharge of petrol, as he took our correspondent to the discharge point, which appeared to be intact.

Presently, the tanker driver is said to be the chief suspect in the matter as the manager said he supposedly, set the station on fire to cover up the shady deed.

The station manager said

that tanker drivers were found of siphoning some litres of petrol before delivering the product, only for them to later notice shortages in the total litres in the tanker, but this time around this particular one was discovered.

The driver and some of the hoodlums arrested are presently in detention at Life camp police station, alongside David.

When our correspondent visited the station, the police confirmed their arrest. The officer, who is in charge of the case said they are already making useful statement.

Attempts to speak to the suspect failed as the officer told our correspondent that: “There is no way the police can allow you to talk to them here in the station”.

Coy manager remanded for cheating

A

The building at the filling, also razed by the fire. Photos: Josephine Ella

n Abuja Area Court I has remanded Uche Ihunnia, the Managing Director of Perfect Hands and Company Limited, Jabi, in prison for alleged cheating and breach of trust.

The Area Court Judge, Mr Ahmed Ado, gave the order for his remand pending his application for bail and adjourned the case to April 4.

The Police Prosecutor, Egwu Clement, told the court that Mr Osita Okammelu, a resident of No. 68, Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja,

lodged a complaint against Ihunnia on January 30 at the Life Camp police station.

Clement told the court that on October 27, 2011, Okammelu gave Ihunnia N935,000 to construct a workshop container for him.

He said that the accused did not use original materials for the container neither did he complete the work, an offence which, according to him, contravenes Sections 322 and 312 of the Penal Code.

Ihunnia pleaded not guilty to the offence.(NAN)

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Email: amunuimam@yahoo.co.uk

FAAC allocation for the month of March 2012 S/N

BENEFICIARIES

SUB-TOTAL (N)

1

FG (52.68%) States (26.72%) L/govt Councils (20.72%) Derivation (13% of Mineral revenue-oil/gas) Value Added Tax (VAT) & Transfers

620.7 billion

Centre trains over 1,000 on Islamic banking fundamentals

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

T

he Director of Metropolitan Skills Ltd, Ummahani Amin has said that the organisation had contributed to the Islamic banking literature in Nigeria and other parts of the world by training about 1,000 people since July 2008 on the fundamentals of Islamic financing.

Speaking with newsmen during a training workshop on the fundamentals of Islamic banking in Abuja yesterday, Amin added that the centre conducts different 4 training sessions in a year in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other regulatory bodies as well as private financing intuitions and state governments.

“Recently, we did a train- thetrainer workshop in Minna, where 80 people were trained. We also

Flight schedule AIR NIGERIA (MONDAY - SUNDAY) LOS-A BJ: 07.15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.30, 17.00, 17.20, 18.30 ABJ-LOS: 07.00, 09.30, 10.30, 11.15, 16.15, 19.15, 19.35 ABJ-KANO: 18.40 KANO-ABJ: 08.35 ABJ -SOK (MON): 09.35 ABJ-SOK (FRI): 10.10 ABJ-SOK (WED/SUN): 11.20 SOK-ABJ (MON): 11.35

recently partnered with the Kano state government to train about 100 people in the state drawn from different agencies and parastatals.”

She continued: “The aim of this is to enlighten Nigerians on the difference between Islamic banking and conventional banking and the gains of practicing the former to any economy.”

She added: “The basic idea is to do business, make profit and have a clear conscience that you have done so ethically. Let us not consider the religious aspect because Islamic banking is only a minute part of Islam, which is a complete way of life. So, the products are for everybody to benefit from.”

Also speaking to reporters, the course lecturer, Shaik Ziyaad Muhamoed added that the concept of Islamic banking was beneficial to the long term sustainability of any economy because it is free from interest and the financing of unethical businesses like gambling, pornography as well as certain uncertainties that cannot be calculated.

He continued: “The reason why we have seen Islamic banking gaining ground even in western countries these days is not because Muslims have been pushing it. It is rather because the philosophy makes sense.

Look at the 2009 market crash, you recall that it was only Islamic banks that were profitable.

In a quarter, about 350

SOK-ABJ (FRI): 12.00 SOK-ABJ (WED/SUN): 13.20

AEROCONTRACTORS (MON - SUN) LOS-ABJ: 06.50, 13.30, 19.45 LOS-ABJ (SUN): 12.30 LOS-ABJ (SAT): 16.45 ABU-L OS: 07.30, 13.00, 14.00, 19.00 ABU-LOS (SUN): 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 ABU-LOS (SAT): 18.30

DANA AIRLINES (MON - SUN) LOS-ABJ: 07.02, 08.10, 12.06, 15.30, 17.10 ABJ-LOS: 07.20, 09.36, 13.05, 14.40

KANO-LOS: 11.25 KANO -ABUJA: 11.25 ABUJA-KANO : 10.08

IRS AIRLINES

By Abdulwahab Isa

N

igeria will continue to steady on the path of growth in spite of the current economic challenges despite the challenging market conditions,, Nigerian financial experts have said in London.

EXCHANGE RATES

CBN CFA • £ RIYAL $

26th Mar, 2012 BUYING 0.2923 205.7956 246.5299 41.346 155.06

SELLING 0.3123 207.1228 248.1198 41.6127 156.06

PARALLEL RATES

LOS -ABJ: 9.45, 11.45, 2.45 ABJ-LOS: 11.30, 3.45, 4.45 LOS-KANO: 6.15 LOS-KANO (SAT/SUN): 16.30 KANO-LOS: 07.30 KANO-LOS (SUN/SUN): 10.30

INSIDE - Pg 20 Nigeria to be a major player in the int’l gas

Mob: 08033644990

Nigeria loses over N3tr to illegal bunkering, crude oil theft– Jonathan’s aide

By Muhammad Nasir

N

igeria is losing about 40 million metric tonnes of Petroleum Products amounting to about $20 million (N3 trillion) to crude oil theft and illegal bunkering.

Senior Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Maritime Affairs, Mr. Leke Oyewole made it known in Lagos at the weekend.

He reiterated that the estimated loss was what obtained as of 2009, adding that the diversion of petroleum products to neighbouring African countries by fuel importers amounted to a drain on the nation’s foreign exchange as well as employment opportunities

being left to nationals of countries where fuel was being imported.

Oyewole noted that the loss was sequel to sharp practices characterised by numerous leakages, adulteration of products as well as diversion of refined imported products by some of the players in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.

He maintained that President Goodluck Jonathan is firm on the deregulation of the oil sector and that there is need to put things in order to stop the revenue haemorrhage arising from the leakages in the sector.

He maintained that deregulation will allow investment in refineries, which will in turn create jobs in Nigeria

and pave the way for export of products to other countries around us.

According to him, the porous nature of the country’s waterways also provided a lee way for unscrupulous importers to shortchange government, by not paying duties to relevant government agencies.

“Our waterways are currently not so well monitored by the relevant maritime agencies. For instance, most of the vessels bringing products to Nigeria do not pay a dime to government, either though the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) or Customs.

This constitutes serious revenue losses to the economy,” he added.

L-R: Principal Attorney, The Metropolitan Law Firm, Ummahani Amin, Islamic Finance Consultant, Shaikh Ziyaad Muhammad, and Assistant Director, Bank Examination Dept. Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Alkali Bello, during a workshop on fundamentals of Islamic Finance and Insurance, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Nigeria to continue on growth path- CBN, UBA, others tell London investors

ABJ-LOS (SAT/SUN): 13.05, 18.00 LOS-KANO : 08.10

PAGE 19

• £ RIYAL $

BUYING 210 255 40 158

SELLING 212 257 42 159

According to their projection, Nigeria will continue on the growth path over the next couple of years, presenting increasing opportunities for corporate financiers, sovereign investors, corporations and financial intermediaries.

The London forum was organised by Bloomberg, which had the leadership of Central

Bank of Nigeria(CBN), Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and United Bank for Africa (UBA) in attendance .

In his presentation on Doing Business in Nigeria: Creating Wealth from Opportunities in Africa’s Largest Market, the CEO of UBA, Mr. Phillips Oduoza said the growth will be fuelled by activities in the oil and gas, power,

infrastructure, manufacturing and agricultural sectors of the economy.

He emphasised that the government reforms in these sectors and the attendant multiplier effects of the linkages between them in terms of job creation and increased consumer spending, will be very significant in the years ahead.

Management Tip of the Day

W

Say less and convey more

hen you're giving a presentation and nervousness kicks in, it's tough to be brief.

But, your audience expects you to state your conclusion and stand behind it, not ramble on aimlessly.

You can only do that if you zero

in on the purpose. When you prepare for your talk, work backwards. Before you put anything down on paper, know the key message you want your audience to remember.

Ask yourself: If my presentation were 30 seconds

instead of 30 minutes, what would I say? Force yourself to summarize your key point. Once you've done that, think through what other information you'll need to support that point.

Source: Harvard Business Review

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 20

Nigeria to be a major player in international gas market - Jonathan

COMPANY NEWS

Firm opens N1bn leather waste treatment plant in Kano

O

ne of the biggest tanneries in the country, Unique Leather Finishing Company Limited has commissioned a N1 billion secondary waste treatment plant it established in the commercial city of Kano.

By Muhammad Nasir

P

Cash-less economy will grow govt revenue - Experts

E

xperts in the financial sector have said that increased sales in a cashless economy will have a positive impact on Government’s revenue translating to increased value added tax (VAT). In addition, they also believe that cashless economy will enhance the efficiency of monetary policy.

FinBank showcases e-payment, consumer loan products

F

inbank Plc is offering unique banking services at the Enugu International Trade Fair in line with its renewed business focus. The Bank is showcasing a bouquet of consumer loan products such as ‘My salary plus’, ‘Auto loan’; among others.

NIMC urges banks to provide financial support for national ID project

F

or smooth execution of some of its mandates, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has appealed to Nigerian banks to provide financial support for the two concessionaires the commission engaged to serve as the Front End Partners (FEPs) to the project.

Importers label fake electric cables as ‘made-inNigeria’ - SON

I

mporters of sub-standard products have resulted to producing fake electric cables with made-in-Nigeria inscription and exporting them into the country.

Unity Bank wins error-free award

U

nity Bank Plc has been awarded the most error free non-settlement bank of 2011 by the Central Bank of Nigeria in Makurdi.

L-R: Lagos state Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ben Akabueze, COO, Dangote Group, Olakunle Alake, and Chairman, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Jim O'Neill, during the recently concluded "The Times CEO African Summit", last week d in London.

NCP approves Canadian firm for Transmission Coy. of Nigeria

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

T

he National Council on Privatisation (NCP) has approved a Canadian firm, Manitoba Hydro International as the management contractor for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Following NCP’s approval at a meeting yesterday, presided over by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, should the financial bid sail through, Manitoba will manage TCN for three years.

Three firms- Manitoba,

Power Grid Grid Corporation of India Limited and ESB International of Ireland were invited for bid by NCP. At the deadline for submission of the technical bid and financial proposals on Feb 29, 2012, two bids were opened.

The result of the evaluation of the technical proposals showed that only Manitoba Hydro International of Canada met the benchmark “which led to its being appointed as the management contractor for TCN”, Mr. Atedo Peterside who

briefed newsmen alongside the DG, BPE, Ms Bolanle Onagoruwa said.

NCP also approved the constitution of a six-member team to negotiate with Manitoba Hydro International, which is the electric power and natural gas utility in the province of Manitoba, Canada.

Founded in 1961, it has considerable experience in managing transmission systems via management contract in many parts of the world including African countries.

Nigerdock clinches Total’s Ofon field project

By Muhammad Nasir and Rukaiya Muhammaed

N

igerdock has clinched Total Ofon field project with the commissioning of Abang and Itut, and is also to embark on the construction of OFON 2 platforms, another challenging project for Total.

The multi-billion naira project is in line with the local content philosophy of the Federal Government, of ensuring that certain categories of projects should be done in the country tosave the country sizeable amounts of foreign exchange.

This was disclosed by the chairman of Nigerdock, Anwar Jarmakani during the commissioning of the NNPC/ MPN Satellite Field Development Project Platforms, the first local content project in oil & gas sector with 100 percent Nigerian input and that the Nigerian content and skill development was at the core of the company’s value.

Meanwhile President Jonathan at the event noted that the two platforms fabricated and installed with 100 percent Nigerian manpower and content

by Nigerdock and Jagal Group for ExxonMobil Production, Nigerian oil & gas sector will no longer depend on Asia, Europe and America for facility procurement and manpower.

“With this development, we have started a journey that will set our oil & gas sector on a pedestal of global competitiveness and growth and promised more legislative support and provision of enabling environment for more investments in the sector”, said the President.

Also, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke noted that the commissioning was an enviable milestone in the sector because of the over dependent of the sector on Asia, Europe and other countries of the world for facilities, procurements, and even manpower.

She noted that with the development and more that will follow, Nigerian oil and gas sector stands a better chance of looking inwards and doing business more competitively as cost of doing business and as such facilities hitherto imported are now reduced.

Alison also noted that the development in local content would boost Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with a projection of about $150 billion FDI in five years as some of the infrastructural needs are now met here in the country, an incentive, she said, investors would jump at.

The chairman of Nigerdock Plc, Jarmakani also noted that the construction involved over 2.5 million man hours without any lost time incidents, and that the impressive performance has earned the indigenous ship builder, a prestigious safety award by Mobil, while the Abang and Itut Platforms won the company Project of the Year Award at this year’s Nigeria Oil & Gas conference in Abuja.

He noted that the projects, which have transferred skills and also empowered many Nigerians was made possible, with the signing of the Nigeria Content Bill into law by President Jonathan, and commended ExxonMobil, its client, for having confidence in Nigerdock’s credibility to deliver such a huge project.

resident Jonathan has vowed that his administration is set to make Nigeria a major player in the international gas market.

He maintained that his administration has designed a framework for the expansion of gas infrastructure within the domestic market to boost commercial exploitation of gas for domestic consumption and export on Saturday at the 9thNational Convention of the People’s Democratic Party in Abuja.

He noted that the gas master plan is a roadmap to fully harness Nigeria’s gas potentials and meet the challenges of gas supply to the power plants in the country.

“We have designed a framework for the expansion of gas and the diversification of the economy is progressing steadily with sustained increase in non-oil Gdp growth, particularly through agricultural production and our country has continued to record favourable ratings from international credit agencies due to the success of our economic reform programmes,” he added.

UN report highlights Africa’s hydroelectric potential

A

ccording to a UN report launched at the World Water Forum in Marseilles this month, hydropower could supply all of Africa’s electricity needs if cross-border cooperation was increased.

Africa generates a third of its electricity from hydropower, but could learn from cooperation and training programmes between India and some Western countries, according to Ulcay Unver, coordinator of the UN World Water Assessment programme, which produced its fourth edition of the World Water Development report.

The report said African governments have begun to recognise the importance of cooperative hydropower projects.

Several examples of cooperation have begun to emerge, including the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), the East African Power Pool (EAPP) and the West African Power Pool. These bring together groups of national electricity companies in regional cooperation.

SAPP has created a common power grid between its 12 member states.

Such cross-border cooperation is increasing. However, Amadou Hama Maiga, the Deputy Director-General of the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (IIWEE) in Burkina Faso warns that the challenges of financing dam and hydropower plants were significant.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Small wind sector to increase tenfold by 2020

A

report released by the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) says the total of small wind turbines installed all over the world will reach 3,800 MW, representing an almost tenfold increase compared with 2010. The market for new small wind turbines will have a volume of around 750 MW in the year 2020.

The forecast is based on opinions of industry experts, the growth pattern of the large wind industry, and the historical growth trend of the solar photovoltaic renewable industry for the past decade that shares many characteristics in common with the small wind industry.

The global large wind annual installed capacity has seen an average growth of 22% between 2001 and 2011 and photovoltaic installed capacity experienced an average annual increase of 39% during the initial period of growth of the

solar industry between 2000 and 2010. Accordingly, the small wind industry can be expected to follow similar growth patterns of the large wind and solar industry between until 2020.

The total of installed small wind turbines reached 656,000 units as of the end of 2010, up from 521,000 in 2009 and 460,000 in 2008. Small wind is loosely understood to be anything between from wind turbines with a rated capacity from 6.0 Watts up to 300 kW. However, IEC 61400-2 defines small wind turbines as having a rotor swept area of less than 200 m2, equating to a rated power of approximately 50 kW generating at a voltage below 1,000 V AC or 1,500 V DC. At the end of 2010 small wind turbines represented a total capacity of around 440 MW compared with a total capacity of 240 GW of large wind turbines. The largest share of the small wind turbines can

be found in two countries, China (with 450,000 units totalling 166 MW) and the USA (144,000 units totalling 179 MW), followed by the medium sized markets with two to 22,000 installed units and five to 50 MW total capacity, these being the UK, Canada, Germany, Spain, Poland, Japan and Italy.

Today, more than 330 manufacturers of small wind turbines have been identified in

40 countries on all continents, and another estimated 300 companies are manufacturing equipment for the small wind industry.

Most of the manufacturers are still small and medium sized companies.

More than half of these manufacturers can be found in only five countries, namely in China and the USA, as well as in Germany, Canada and the UK. In Africa, South Africa is listed as having four such

manufacturers and Kenya one.

The WWEA says that in spite of a vibrant small wind sector in many countries, only few governments are offering specific support policies for small wind. Only in China do small wind turbines contribute on a large scale to rural electrification, which is also thanks to the relatively modest price level of small wind turbines in the country. (Source: ESI Africa.com)

ECOWAS seeks to finance transportation, oil and gas sectors in West Africa

By Muhammad Nasir

T

he Economic Communities of West African States (ECOWAS) seek to finance for transportation and oil and gas sectors in West Africa.

According to a statement by the regional bloc in March 21, 2012 the study is meant to cover investment needs in the ECOWAS transport and energy sectors within 20 years as agreed under the terms of reference with eligibility criteria for projects to be funded after the area of needs have been identified.

It was noted that the Fund for Development and Financing of the ECOWAS Transport and Energy Sectors (ECOWASFODETE) has launched a feasibility study towards improving infrastructure of transport and energy projects through financing in the region.

Also a consortium is included in the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) and consultants has therefore been urged to establish a framework

for an effective feasibility study.

ECOWAS has maintained that the study will also include a data collation exercise with the ECOWAS Commission expected to request national units of member states to assist the consultants in obtaining information from the relevant regional institutions.

The consortium is required to analyse the legal, tax and institutional framework of ECOWAS-Fodete, noting that “the consultants were further enjoined not to limit the study to funding in the agriculture, mining and hydrocarbon (oil and gas) sectors, but to also consider other sources of funds including involvement of the private sector and donors”.

However, The ECOWASFodete was formed following a decision by the Authority of Heads of state and Governments at its 37th Ordinary Summit in Abuja in June 2009, in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AFDB), EBID and the Project Preparation and Development Unit (PPDU).

Wind turbines can be combined to form clusters

Lack of human capital may ruin oil sector growth – Stakeholder

By Muhammad Nasir

C

hairman of the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics, Mr.Ladi Jadesimi has warned that urgent steps need to be taken to address the shortage of human capital in the oil and gas sector or else the Federal Government objectives in the local content might not be easily realised.

Jadesimi, who gave the warning while speaking with newsmen noted that Nigeria’s oil and gas is naturally endowed with the potential that could provide millions of jobs for teeming Nigerian youths if properly harnessed and well managed.

He also noted that the Federal Government had

enacted the Nigerian Content Act of 2010, primarily designed to increase indigenous participation in the oil and gas sector, which before now had seemingly become an exclusive preserve for foreigners.

“Despite efforts by institutions, agencies and private operators to train a workforce in this key sector, not much has been achieved so far and so, there is still a wide gap for adequate manpower development.”

He reiterated that the burning desire to bridge the knowledge and manpower gap in the sector informed why LADOL recently engaged in a partnership with Samsung Heavy Industry of Korea to

establish a training institution which will no doubt upliftthe industry”, he further disclosed.

Jadesimi maintained that Samsung is a better choice in partnership because the two companies share belief that Nigeria has a bright future and possesses unlimited potential for growth in the oil and gas sector.

“Ladol and Samsung, through this partnership, will be working and consulting with leading indigenous Nigerian fabricators to determine additional programmes needed in the country, and considering the track records of both organisations, there is no doubt that the dream will be a reality”, he assured.

Expert ranks Nigeria second in contributing to global climate crisis From Soji Oyinlola, Lagos

T

he Director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FOEN), Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo has said Nigeria currently flares gas that is generated in association with crude oil production to the tune of almost 18.9 cubic meters per annum.

Dr. Ojo said this while

delivering a lecture on the occasion of an environmental parliament with the theme: ‘Legislative Advocacy and the State of the Nigerian Environment’, which held at the organisation’s office in Benin City, South-South Nigeria.

The Director said this translates to 75 percent of all associated gas produced in the country and greenhouse gas emissions of 70 million tones

CO2 equivalent, making Nigeria the second largest contributor after Russia to the global climate crisis, thereby contributing about 12.5 percent of all globally flared gas.

“This is serious air pollution!

Revenue wise, Nigeria loses about $2.5billion annually to gas flaring arising from the over 257 flow stations in the Niger Delta region,” he added.

He asserted that some of these

environmental issues are key factors in the Niger Delta agitation which has resulted to militancy.

On climate change impact in the country, the environmental activist stated that recent data taken over a five year period (2000 – 2005) show that Nigeria has the largest desertification rate in the world with loss of 55.7 percent of its primary forest Continuing, he stressed that

“the annual rate of deforestation in Nigeria is approximately 3.5 percent. The combination of extremely high deforestation rates, increased temperature and decreasing rainfall are all contributing to desertification in the country.”

He averred that an estimated 70 million Nigerians “have a direct and indirect experience of the negative impact of drought and desertification.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

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PAGE 25

Jos Terminus: A cauldron of unity D espite the unpredictability of Jos, the Plateau state capital, since nobody can tell when and where the next crisis would occur, social interactions among the diverse ethnic and religious groups remains the best in the whole federation.

The beauty of Jos is that every time there is a wave of violence, social activities resume two days after such crisis. Business activities return to the markets located within the city, even if these markets operate on ethnic lines or designated according to faith.

However, the Terminus market stands out and remains one that brings together all the diverse ethnic groups and the various religious adherents together.

It has also been noted that, if crisis occurs within Jos, the following day, both Muslims and Christians meet at the Terminus market for their usual shopping, buying and selling while using the opportunity to interact and discuss the previous day’s happenings how it has happened the day before dominate the activities of the day.

Often times, even when there is crisis within the city but far from the Terminus market, traders and buyers as well as hawkers remain in the market and watch the unfolding orgy of violence taking place in the distance.

They remain there till the problem is completely solved or taken care of by security agencies.

Furthermore, it has

become a tradition in Jos to hear people or residents saying ‘am parane?’ that is “has it started?

The recent problem caused by the bomb blast at the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) headquarters and Saint Finbarrs Catholic Church Rayfield which resulted in mayhem within the town for two days did not stop business activities at the Terminus market. Terminus market area remains the safest and a focal meeting point for both Muslims and Christians whenever there is crisis anywhere in the city.

Since the terminus market remains the unity point of Jos in particular and Plateau state in general, the questions remains why is it so? The simple reason is that It is a market where different people from the six states of the North-east passed through? It was observed that if not for the terminus market Jos city would have been deserted there by now.

However Jos remains a burstling city with a lot of people and heavy traffic everywhere.

From Secretariat Junction through Ahmadu Bello and Murtala Muhammed Ways to Bauchi Road, British American Junction to Bauchi Ring Road, Farin Gada and University of Jos, Gada Biu the story is the same.

Speaking on the social interaction among Nigerians who found themselves in Jos Terminus market in particular, Alhaji Munkailu Adamu a trader selling shoes at the

The Jos Terminus is known as a place where ethnicity and religion do not count as Muslims and Christians mingle freely, in spite of the raging crisis in various parts of the town that often take ethnic or religions colloration. Bayo Alabira, chronicles factors that have made the area a ‘free zone’ whereby the many crises that have bedeviled Jos and its environs have not taken place there.

Terminus market explained that “the place being central, a meeting point for both Muslims and Christians and also a place that is peaceful.

“The traders that are carrying out their business there have leaders and in most cases if there is any break down of law and order anywhere within Jos, Bukuru and environs the leadership meet quickly and find a way of controlling their members, that is why there’s always peace here”.

Alhaji Adamu another trader, said; “Each time we notice any problem here, we immediately try to identify the trouble makers and send them away, or inform security agents about the matter who in turn carry out arrests. We the traders do not want crises and we do not want any problem that can destruct our businesses and from time to time we mobilize our members and discuss peace, we warn them against anything that would bring about disintegration and disunity among us”.

He also observed that Jos has special features that attract Nigerians, because

Busy as usual: Activities going on unhindered around the vicinity of the Jos Terminus

The ever bustling terminus market

The ever busy Jos Terminus

even with trouble or disturbances in town, people did not stop coming in to do their businesses. “So this gives me the impression that, people living in Jos do not want trouble or any problem that would cause them their businesses or lives.

“These crises are being brought by agents of destabilization, those who do not want to see progress of others in town; otherwise there would have been no fight in the whole of Jos. Because those that have nothing doing are subject to be manipulated and used against the peace loving people of this blessed city.

And again people should know that if you attack somebody here, somebody closer to you would also be attacked somewhere, so we always make our members know that principle”.

Mr. Alexander Ellop on why he always come for business at Terminus market said, Terminus is the only place where both Muslims and Christians come together and trade as members of one family, no matter the situation in town but at this place there are

security agents that are patrolling, going up and down. So coming together, traders at Terminus market bring about national integration and unity among various ethnic groups and religions, “it is only Terminus there is of peace in this town, if they drive traders from the

“

The traders that are carrying out their business there have leaders and in most cases if there is any break down of law and order anywhere within Jos, Bukuru and environs the leadership meet quickly and find a way of controlling their members, that is why there’s always peace here

market strangers coming into town would assume that crises still persist and they will be scared away, but if we are here, the strangers would have confidence that peace is still in town”.

Malam Ibrahim Adamu a commercial motorcyclist at Terminus said since the recent bomb blast that took place in Jos, he only comes out from his house at about 10 am, because he has to wait and see hear the news around town first, if there is no problem he comes around with his ‘Achaba’ for business at Terminus.

“So from here if passenger carries me to anywhere I can go without any doubt knowing very well that all is well within Jos town.

Madam Rabecca Yugu a yam seller at Terminus market also said she goes around hawking, in places around ‘Yankwalli’,

Used clothes seller at the Terminus where tribe or religion does not count

‘Yantaya’, ‘Delimi’ and ‘Wrang Pam’ streets where she has her customers, after which she quickly goes back to her spot at Terminus

market. “Because I mix with different kind of people of different ethnic groups and religions, I always feel happy seen people mingle with one

another irrespective of their differences”.

In conclusion, Terminus market is being identified as the pivot of peace, unity and

social interaction among various ethnic groups in the state hence Jos is often referred to as a “Miniature Nigeria”.

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Freedom: Tibetan man sets himself on fire to protest Chinese president’s visit to India

A

Tibetan protester has been treated for severe burns after setting himself on fire in a demonstration during the Chinese president’s visit to India.

The unidentified male protester sprinted for 50m through New Delhi today engulfed in flames as hundreds demonstrated against China’s rule over Tibet.

The protester carried out the self-immolation as he ran near the speakers at a rally near the Indian Parliament in the country’s capital.

He collapsed after around 50m as fellow protesters beat out the flames with Tibetan flags they were carrying.

The man was later treated for severe burns at a New Delhi hopital, one Tibetan organiser said.

He made the dramatic protest as Chinese President Hu Jintao prepared to arrive in India later this week for a summit meeting.

More than 600 protesters, carrying banners and posters, marched across New Delhi to a central plaza near the Indian Parliament to hold a protest

meeting.

Some carried posters saying ‘Tibet is burning’ and ‘Tibet is not part of China’.

At the protest venue a big poster featuring Mr Hu’s face with a bloody palm print on it said: ‘Hu Jin Tao is unwelcome’ at the summit.

As speakers addressed the crowd, the protester set himself ablaze and ran across the venue.

After witnessing the man set himself on fire, one onlooker, Tenzin Dorjee, said: ‘This is what China faces unless they give freedom to Tibet.’

At least 30 people in Tibet have set themselves on fire over the past year in protest at Chinese rule over their homeland.

The Dalai Lama has blamed China’s ‘ruthless policy’ for the selfimmolations. China accuses the Dalai Lama of stirring up trouble.

China says Tibet has always been part of its territory. Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent for centuries.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Demo: The unnamed Tibetan man ran 50m outside the Indian parliament before collapsing yesterday

What a dummy

31-year-old man lives like a baby... wearing nappies & sleeping in crib

A The Tibetan protest came as Chinese president Hu Jintao prepared to visit New Delhi for a summit meeting

The Tibetan exile, who had been protesting at China's continued ownership of Tibet, is being treated for severe burns at a New Delhi hospital

man of 31 spends his days pretending to be a twoyear-old — complete with wearing nappies and a dummy.

Stanley Thornton has spent the last 18 years as an adult baby, wearing a romper suit and sleeping in a super-sized cot.

Stanley, who revealed his favourite age is two, said: “I feel like when I’m wearing a diaper, it’s like a constant hug from mommy.

“I think about acting like a baby every day.

“For me it’s a big part of my life — it’s something you can go to bed doing.”

He added: “I feel having a crib is the most important thing.

“The bars, they signify safety and it’s something babies have when they are growing up.”

American Stanley has also kitted out his home with a playpen, crayons and a giant high chair where he eats his meals.

The 5ft 6in man gets his baby clothes tailor-made, including pyjamas and a special blue romper suit.

Stanley — who weighs in at 21st and is on benefits — claims his desire to dress up and play baby stems from his childhood.

He said: “It’s not sexual at all.

It’s a feeling of being safe.

“It’s a feeling I didn’t have while growing up — and being an adult baby became my way of coping with the world and my

own problems.”

American Stanley — who was featured on TLC’s My Crazy

Obsession — is currently searching for a full-time mum.

Source: TheSun.co.uk

Big baby ... Stanley Thornton enjoys spending his day dressed and acting like a toddler

Sleeping like a baby ... Stanley kips in a supersized infant cot

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 27

I can walk again: Prosthetics for meningitis survivor Ava, two W

hen she lost her toes and part of her feet to meningitis, Ava Bainbridge had barely even learned how to walk.

More than a year later, the two-year-old is ready to try again – thanks to a unique pair of slippers.

The prosthetics are the first to be made for someone so young, and were built with a set of toes to help Ava walk.

Her mother, Gemma Clay, 27, said: ‘It has never been done before and they have been designed especially for Ava. She is thrilled with them as now she can wear normal shoes again.

‘And it has helped her to walk again properly too. It was amazing when we put them on for the first time and she took her first steps.’

Ava contracted the deadly illness last January, when she was 14 months old.

Miss Clay, who lives with her partner Ken Bainbridge, 32, and Ava in Newcastle upon Tyne, said: ‘They diagnosed her with meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia and within half an hour she was on a ventilator fighting for her life.

‘Our whole world just fell apart.’

Ava’s toes went black, but

doctors managed to save her fingers with drugs used to fight frostbite.

Surgeons eventually had to remove Ava’s toes and half of each foot, as they were damaged beyond repair.

After the operation, Ava was given foam blocks to put into her shoes to help her walk again, but she found them too uncomfortable.

Then experts at Dorset Orthopaedic, a prosthetics firm, came up with a better idea.

They built Ava a tiny pair of silicone slippers with toes on the end, allowing her to walk properly and wear ordinary shoes. They cost £900, which was raised by Ava’s family and friends, and will need to be replaced with larger versions as her feet grow.

‘She loves the new slippers,’ Miss Clay said. ‘She thinks that we have bought her some new toes from a shop.

‘She knows that she wears her new toes during the day and takes them off for night.’

A spokesman for Dorset Orthopaedic said: ‘This is the first time we have ever made these for someone so young.

‘It was quite difficult to cast her feet as they were so tiny…[but] they look extremely realistic and they look great.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Two of a kind: The unique silicone slippers, which pioneering experts built with a set of toes to help Ava walk and wear normal shoes. The prosthetics cost £900 and will need to be replaced as the toddler grows

Thrilled: Ava with her mother Gemma Clay, who says the toddler is happy not to be walking in the uncomfortable foam blocks she used to use

Big step forward: Ava Bainbridge is back on her feet thanks to her silicone prosthetic feet

Survivor: Ava, pictured before she contracted meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia, leaving her fighting for her life

Just like the real thing: Ava wearing her new feet, which were designed by Dorset Orthopaedic and paid for thanks to the fundraising efforts of friends and family

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Security challenges: Every soldier BY be a marksman – Ihejirika EMMANUEL must he Chief of Army Staff (COAS), the fight against Boko Haram and not have the opportunity to practice, Lt Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika has other security challenges facing the either due to lack of funds or due to IRIOGBE reaffirmed that the on-going nation. security concerns. This routine emmacopi@yahoo.com 08026125552

T

training amongst men and officers of the Nigerian army is to turn them into marksmen with the aim of reducing casualties among the civil populace in

Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff-Toothless bulldog?

T

he committee of chiefs of defence staff (CCDS),is made up of chiefs of defence staff in countries that make up the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS). By their rankings, they represent the most senior military officers in their respective countries.

For four years, the Nigerian chief of defence staff beginning with the reign of Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike (Rtd) and the incumbent CDS Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin held fort as the chairman of this body until two weeks back when Petinrin handed over to Maj.Gen. Soumaila Bakayoko of Cote de Voire as the incumbent chairman.

By their brief, they remain the highest defence advisory organ of ECOWAS and their advice to the ECOWAS secretariat on defence matters remains sacrosanct.

They meet on quarterly basis by moving round member nations.

By and large, this committee has remained a toothless bulldog that has refused to bite after many years inexistence especially these past two years. All they engage in is hold meetings and come out with communiqués whose contents are usually not implemented. An example is the communiqué issued after the two-day meeting held in Bamako the Malian capital on 19the January 2011.

The communiqué read in part: “The Chairman of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS), Air Chief Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin,has called on his colleague Chiefs of Defence Staff from Member States to “play a positive lead role in the region to forestall a situation where globalization and its tenets, if misapplied, could easily subvert the security and peace of our region.

The meeting reviewed the security situation in West Africa including the deteriorating political situation in Cote d’Ivoire and the impending refugee crisis, Al-Qaeda activities in the Islamic Maghreb as well as maritime security issues in the Gulf of Guinea with its attendant drug trafficking, piracy and other security concerns within the region.

The Air Chief Marshall noted that the importance of finding sustainable solutions to all these security challenges is “underpinned

by the current dynamic global order where technology plays a key role in making rapid changes within space and time”.

It concluded by stating that “ECOWAS problems are better solved with ECOWAS solutions”.

The reason for the above statement cannot be overlooked since under Air Chief Marshal Petinrin, there have been upheavals in the sub region. The question is; why was an ECOWAS solution not brought to bear on the Ivoirian and Malian problems.

It is on record that when Laurent Gbagbo of Cote de Voire refused to honour the electoral wishes of his people by vacating office after been roundly defeated by then opposition leader, President Allain Outarra, the committee talked tough but left the French army to deliver Ivoirians from the tyrant and also take the glory afterwards. They ranted about taking military action against the then sit-tight leader while South Africa left its many problems in its region and came down to West Africa to warn us about the repercussion of any military action against Gbagbo.

After the liberation of the Ivoirians by the French army, the committee of CDS went home with their tails behind their legs.

Another case has been thrown up with last week’s coup in Mali. Though nothing has been heard from the committee, (which is rather unfortunate), expectations are high that this time around, the military chiefs will take action against the renegade soldiers that are set to draw Mali back by a hundred years. After all, the entire world has come out to condemn the actions of the coupists unlike the Ivoirian situation that sort of polarized the world.

It must be noted that things have not always remained like this for the committee of chiefs of defence staff as it can be recalled that during the era of the immediate past chief of defence staff, Air chief marshal Paul Dike (Rtd), the committee was able to put the Guinea Bissau military in check.

For followers of history, that country remained one where political instability has reigned supreme since their independence. The military there has refused to succumb to civil rule even when there is a sitting civilian prime minister leading to assassinations of political leaders.

It took the trouble shooting efforts

of Dike and his committee in May 2010 to convince the Guinea Bissau military that there was a need to allow civilians manage and pilot the affairs of the country while the top brass of that country’s military took honourable exit from power.

Those were days when trouble shooting jaw-jaws took parties into days of negotiations, unlike what obtains now, when emergency meetings are called when issues broke and after a two or three hours of deliberations, a communiqué is issued which practically refuses to incorporate the views of other contending parties.

The committee of chiefs of defence staff is also the body mandated by the African Union to fashion out a mechanism on how best to set up an African stand-by force whose primary function is to checkmate issues like military intervention in governance on the continent.

Aside the “operation Cohession Benin 2010” where the CDSs under Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike (Rtd) gathered in Benin and reviewed troops contributed by participating countries for the West African “Batch B” nothing has been heard of the stand-by force after then.

It is most unfortunate that with a laudable project like a stand-by force, West Africa has continued to remain the only region on the African continent where military incursion into governance has remained the order of the day; first it was Cote de Voire, now it is Mali. With the proximity of Mali to Nigeria who have similar security challenges, who knows whether Nigeria will not be the next place of call by the military.

With the civil populace making their ruling class to bow out of power in North Africa through popular revolts, West Africa cannot be seen to be different, after all, the region was the first to embrace the idea of a stand-by force when the idea was muted.

There are already suggestions from many quarters that if the committee of chiefs of defence staff refuses to function effectively in the discharge of their duties, they should be scrapped out right in order to save tax payers their money channeled into funding these endless trips around the sub region without necessary result by these military top brasses.

Committee of Chiefs of Staff in a group photograph; where lies their potency?

He stated this at the 117 guards’ brigade shooting range in keffi Friday during the annual classification shooting exercise organized by the army headquarters Garrison, Abuja.

According to him; “By classification, we ensure that every soldier of the Nigerian army, annually, practices to shoot his and other weapons. It is aimed at ensuring that the weapons are in good conditions and that the firers are good shots.

“The need to sharpen our skills as far as marksmanship is concerned is very much desirable now. Because in the present security challenges, we do not want any cases of accidental discharge, we want to be sure that collateral damages are reduced to the barest minimum, so every soldier needs to be trained as a marksman” The army chief also disclosed that men and officers of the Nigerian army now have the opportunity to train as against practices during the military era when such exercises could not hold.

“I want to also say that these are the benefits of democracy, so contrary to recent assertions in some quarters that the army is not training, I want to state that the army is not just training, a lot of improvements are being made in what used to happen. During the military era, soldiers and officers did

training is different from special training exercises’ which is also ongoing.

The COAS who participated in the exercise showed his marksmanship when he scored a total of 23 points while hitting the bulls eye twice.

Other high ranking officers in the entourage of the COAS included, the newly appointed Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army who also doubles as the Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Maj. Gen. Raphael Isa, Chief of trainings and Operations, Maj. Gen. Lawrence Ngubane, Chief of Administration, Maj. Gen. Edet bassey, Director of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Tijani Ibrahim, Director of Army Legal Services, Maj. Gen. Agha Okoro and the host, Maj. Gen. Mike Nasamu, Commander, Army headquarters Garrison.

Personal orderlies to the officers, Body Guards from the military intelligence attached to the officers and others participated in the exercise which produces marksmen that represents the army in shooting competitions.

Such weapons like the AK 47, FN, Pistols and General purpose machine guns were used for the exercise which included static 200meters, 100 meters firing at targets and the firing and movement exercise.

COAS, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika taking aim at a target during the annual classification shooting exercise held by the Army headquarters in Keffi, Nasarawa state, Friday

Chief of Naval Staff commends Sailing Federation

V

ice Admiral Ola Ibrahim, Chief of Naval Staff, on Friday in Abuja pledged the Navy’s support for the Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing Federation of Nigeria.

Ibrahim stated this when the President of the Federation, retired Rear Adm. Festus Porbeni, led other members of the federation on a visit to his office.

“Nigerian Navy is totally committed to the success of the rowing, canoeing and sailing federation as sports development on one side and the spirit behind the success on the other side.

“To our young athletes that have done us proud by projecting the image of the Nigeria Navy at the All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique, in September 2011, I urge you to do more to represent this country very well. ‘’ “So we are celebrating the board of the rowing, canoeing and sailing federation as these medals are proof of hard work. ‘’

He said the Navy was proud that the federation was doing well and showing strong leadership in Africa.

Earlier, Porbeni had told the naval chief that the members of the federation were in his office to thank him for the role the navy was playing for the success of the federation.

He said they were also in the office to present the athletes who had made the federation proud at the All Africa Games in Maputo.

“The federation was able to compete in the games, winning one silver and two bronze medals. ‘’ According to him, Nigeria has been given the right to host an African competition of the federation.

He said a member of the federation, Jonathan Akinyemi, has qualified for the 2012 Olympics and was currently training towards winning a medal at the games.

The two athletes, who made the country proud at the All Africa Games, are Miss Adeola Iwajomo and Lilian Japhet. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Africa Agric Fund: France commits $120m in Zambia

T

he French government has set up Investors’ Fund under the Africa Agriculture Fund, with an initial target amount of US$120 million to support the development of the agricultural sector in Africa.

This came to light when the new French Ambassador to Zambia and Common Market Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), MarieAnnick Bourdin, presented her letters of credence to COMESA secretary general, Sindiso Ngwenya in Lusaka recently.

Meanwhile, Ngwenya noted that France was highly supportive of COMESA and Africa as a continent, indicating that the continent benefited greatly from its G8-G20 presidency in 2011.

He said that the French government set up the investor fund to support the development of agriculture and food distribution projects in the continent. “This fund will initially raise $120 million, with the possibility of reaching $300 million,” he said.

The secretary general also appealed to France to help COMESA on the issues of the Small and Medium enterprises, saying that the sector was critical in enhancing the development in member countries.

Ms Bourdin, however, pledged continued support to the regional body and Africa as a whole, saying the aim of her country was to help eradicate poverty in the COMESA region.

Source: Times of Zambia

PAGE 29

AFAN advises farmers on crop planting C

rops farmers in Delta have been advised to exercise caution and wait for the rains to set in properly before planting their crops.

Former chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in the state, Mr Jerry Ossai, gave the advice in an interview with journalists recently in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

He said that the state, especially areas in the North senatorial district, had peculiar climatic condition, which delayed rains till about the fourth month of the year.

Ossai said no rain had fallen in that part of the state, adding “therefore, we need to wait for the land to be sufficiently wet before planting”.

“Quite a lot of farmlands have been cleared for the season, with the hope that the rains will begin in March but up till now, there has been no sign of meaningful rainfall to enable planting to begin,” he said.

“In the circumstance, we really need to wait, especially farmers involved in melon, cowpeas, tomatoes and other crops,” Ossai stated.

Besides rainfall, Ossai said unavailability of fertilisers, tractors, agro-chemicals, pesticides and improved varieties of seedlings were other challenges faced by farmers in the state.

He also said that funding had

remained a major constraint of the farmers, disclosing that it had been difficult for them to access agricultural loans provided by the Federal Government.

The former state’s Commissioner for Agriculture lamented the non-inclusion of Delta

among states where the new variety of cassava would be tested around the country.

“We can say that Delta is number one or at the worst, number two in cassava production in the country and yet, it was not selected alongside Benue, Oyo, Imo and Akwa Ibom for

the test planting,” he declared.

Stating that cassava production was one area where Delta had comparative advantage, he challenged the state government to support farmers to enable them to continue to improve their yields and boost its economy. (NAN)

Balarabe Kausani, a smallholder farmer in northern Nigeria

Egg mop-up: Poultry farmers protest against payment of high fees in Jos

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oultry farmers in Plateau State have protested against alleged payment of high fees imposed by officials of the State’s Ministry of Agriculture in the implementation of the eggs mop-up exercise initiated by Governor Jonah Jang.

Some of the farmers decried the move saying the high registration fees charged by the Ministry had made it impossible for them to offer their excess eggs for purchase by the government.

It was learnt that Governor Jang had released N30 million for the mop-up following the glut in the product to ease the losses being incurred by the poultry following poor patronage.

The glut followed the closure of the nation’s land borders, which had closed down a major market for the eggs as most of the massive sale was usually from Chad.

With the more than 2,000 poultry farmers faced with the resultant huge losses, the state government opted to buy off the excess which its officials said would be supplied to schools, hospitals, ante-natal centres and motherless babies’ homes.

Six weeks after the money was released, however, the farmers have continued to accuse the Ministry of Agriculture of extortion through “outrageous registration fees” that could frustrate the good intentions of the intervention fund.

Owner of a 500-bird capacity farm in the state, Mr Amos Yakubu, said: “The Ministry of Agriculture is

demanding fees ranging from N5, 500 to N8, 500 from each farmer as registration fees.”

“One is being forced to pay, but there is no guarantee that one’s eggs may be purchased. Even if they are purchased, no one has told us how many crates of eggs will be purchased from each farmer and for how much,” he explained.

Yakubu noted that farmers had been directed to register with N5, 500 at the Desk Office of the ministry, while another N2, 000 registration fees was being paid to renew membership of the state chapter of Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria.

According to him, “we suspect that these payments are aimed at disqualifying most of us from benefiting from the Governor’s good gesture.”

Another farmer based in Terminus area of Jos, Mrs Joke Adebayo, also deprecates the fees saying that paying N5, 500 to get their eggs sold would defeat the Governor’s good intention and further worsen the condition of farmers that had incurred losses.

“If government buys a farmer’s eggs at N450 per crate and he pays N5, 500 as registration fees, it means the eggs are bought at N395 at the end of the day and that is a great loss to us,” he said.

In his own view, Mr Obinna Chukwuemeka, who said he was asked to pay N8, 500 to register, expressed reservation over the registration fees and claims by the

ministry that the step was to generate revenue for government.

“It is not right to seek to generate revenue from a bail out initiative aimed at rescuing farmers who are already groaning under losses.

Plateau boasts of about 5,000 poultry farmers and by the time you multiply N5, 500 registration fees by 5,000 farmers, it is cool N27.5 million. This is aside others who paid N8, 500,” Chukwuemeka stated.

“Why will the commissioner want to generate revenue for the Governor that has magnanimously released N30 million to bail us out? We believe he (Jang) is not after the money,” he declared saying “we feel that the aim was to save us from incurring huge losses and we are calling on the Governor to save us from this exploitation.”

Some other farmers also questioned the rationale behind the fees and accused some government officials of trying to exploit their misfortune to make some quick money through the fees.

They also doubted the sincerity of the ministry in collecting the registration fees, saying that they were not sure that all their eggs would be bought after paying the fees.

The farmers said government already had a fixed quantity of 50,000 crates on “first come, first buy” basis.

The farmers also alleged some connivance with Poultry Farmers Association to further exploit them, adding that they had paid to register with the ministry and were being asked to register with the association

again.

At the Desk Office, an official, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the fees to NAN, saying that many farmers had paid the fees charged by the ministry and the state chapter of the Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria.

“Anybody who brings eggs for sale pays N3, 500 as registration fees. The farmer is also expected to register with the poultry association whose fees range from between N2, 000 and N5, 000 depending on the size of the farm. These fees are mandatory before you can benefit from the government’s gesture.”

“The approved price per crate ranges from N450 to N550 depending on the size, while the approved maximum crates bought ranges from 100 to 600 crates depending on the farm capacity.

“The ministry expends a maximum of N50, 000 to buy 100 crates from farms with up to 499 birds and a maximum of N200, 000 for 400 crates from farms with 500 to 4,999 birds.

“We also buy a maximum of 600 crates at N300, 000 from farms with 5,000 birds and above,” the official explained.

When contacted, Mr Julius Gusan, Chairman, Plateau chapter of the Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria, said that more poultry farmers had been coming to register since the Ministry’s directive.

“The registration fees depend on your farm capacity. The minimum membership registration fee is N2,

000 while those that have large farms pay up to N5, 000.”

The Chairman, however, said that he did not know the strength of the poultry farmers in Plateau, adding that each farmer must be registered with the ministry’s Desk Office incharge of the registration.

The Commissioner, Stephen Barko, who confirmed the charges, said the fees were being charged to generate revenue and warned that farmers who did not register would not be patronised.

According to him, the N30 million released for the mop-up was only a market guarantee they could gain from if they registered with the ministry’s Desk Office “with a token fee”.

The Commissioner said government would buy a total of 50,000 crates at N500 each, instead of the prevailing market price of N700.

Barko said government’s intervention was only a form of risksharing and did not mean that the eggs would be bought at “a pure commercial or market price”.

“It is just an intervention, to give something so that our farmers don’t lose out completely.”

The Commissioner, however, refused to respond to farmers’ allegation of extortion and declared that he owed no one any explanation.

“As far as the issue of extortion is concerned, that is your problem and headache. You can go and write whatever you like, I don’t care.

“You can also tell the whole world that I don’t know how to talk to the press, that I talk anyhow.” (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 30

$12m agric project launched in Gambia

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he Gambia has joined 13 other West African countries to kick-start the implementation of a multi-million dollar agricultural project tagged “West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP)”, initiated by Ecowas with financial support from the World Bank.

WAAPP is a regional project that succeeded The Gambia Emergency Agricultural Productivity Programme (GEAPP) in The Gambia, created to intervene on the development of rice, maize, groundnut; vegetable valued chains and feed resources management for small ruminants and poultry in The Gambia.

It aims among other things to increase sustainable productivity of national and regional priority sectors while providing support to regional integration as a means of fostering shared growth and poverty reduction in West Africa. It started in 2007 involving set of countries and later 2008 and 2011 respectively.

During WAAPP’s launching on Tuesday at the Baobab Holiday Resort in Bijilo, its national coordinator, Sheikh Tijan Sosseh, explained that the programme seeks to support regional cooperation in the agricultural sector of West Africa through integration and harmonisation of policies; building of strong linkages between research, extension, producers and private sector.

He further explained that the four main components under the project are: component one, enabling conditions for regional cooperation in improved technology generation and dissemination; component two, national centres of specialization; component three, funding of demand-driven technology generation and adoption; whilst component four deals with project coordination, management, monitoring and evaluation.

Source: Daily Observer (Bajul)

Farmer lauds micro credit scheme in Delta

A

n Asaba-based large scale farmer, Mr Jerry Ossai, has urged the Delta Government to sustain the micro credit scheme because of its antecedents in the state.

Ossai, who disclosed this in Asaba, the Delta State capital, said many small business and cooperative societies had benefited from the scheme.

According to the farmer, the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation whose responsibility it is to release the credit, has done well and should be encouraged to sustain it.

He said although it seemed the funds were drying up, the scheme should be resuscitated, adding that; “If I were the Governor, that is one programme I will keep running no matter the cost because it has touched the lives of many Deltans.”

“And the ministry responsible is running it like a private sector organisation; ask any question, you are given an answer directly, knock on the door somebody responds. These are the ingredients that make the programme a success. N5, 000 makes a difference to the person who sells plantain or yam on the road and others,” he explained.

Ossai, who is also former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, gave account of the scheme as it affected his community, Ishiagwu in Aniocha South Local Government Area.

“I head a cooperative in 2009 and the first good money my cooperative members got was through the micro credit, N450, 000 which I distributed among the members, they all made their money and paid back,” he stressed.

“There are a number of cottage industries in my community, they got money from the scheme and they are doing well. Some of the people who are into pottery and clay material, mat making, palm oil dealers, cloth weaving and even cassava farmers got money and they paid back,” he explained.

Ossai advised beneficiaries of

India plans agriculture equipment hub in Tanzania

T

he Acting Indian High Commissioner to Tanzania, Mrs. Hemalata Bhagirath, has said that her country is considering investing in industrial production to make Tanzania the biggest investment destination for substantial Indian products.

Bhagirath also said India want to establish an industrial hub to manufacture the tractors in order to realize the kilimo kwanza initiative that was launched by the government in 2005 to create more jobs for citizens.

“This move will aim to benefit Tanzania and enable it become a major exporter of agricultural products in the East African region and the world at large, Bhagirath said while visiting the Suma JKT, a Kilimo Kwanza agro business project in Dar es Salaam last week. The project is being co-financed by the

Indian government and Tanzania,” she said.

It was learnt that the Indian government had so far provided loans to Tanzania on the agriculture Kilimo Kwanza initiative in form of tractors to farmers amounting to around $40 million under the Suma Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa (JKT) project in Dar es Salaam.

The Executive Director of Suma JKT, Col. Ayoub Mwakang’ata, said: “Tanzania’s trade balance with India stood at US$895.01 million by the end of last year and within the same year the exports to Tanzania from India stood at US$226.19 million where as bilateral trade stood at US$1,121.2 million with India’s export of US$895.01 million compared to import of US$226.19 million in 2011.”

Source: East African Business Week (Kampala)

the scheme to endeavour to pay back, adding that the benefits were not quantifiable and

positively impacted on the lives of many poor people of the state.

He said if they paid back

promptly, the funds would be there for others to borrow and improve their lives. (NAN)

A cocoa plantation

22,566 farmers benefit from Fadama programme in Cross River, says coordinator

By Mohammed Kandi, with agency report

T

he Coordinator of Fadama III project in Cross River, Mr Bassey Elemi, has said that 22,566 farmers have benefited from the fadama programme since its inception in the state in 2009.

Elemi made the declaration in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, that the beneficiaries comprised of 17, 640 male and 7, 560 female farmers.

He said that a mid-term evaluation of the programme in the state had shown that 79 per cent of Fadama Users Groups were satisfied with its implementation, especially the maintenance and utilisation of community infrastructure and capital assets.

“More than 79 per cent of the Fadama User Groups in the state are satisfied with the operations and maintenance of the project, while 81 per cent were satisfied with utilisation of facilities provided by the programme”, Elemi said.

He said a total of 768 projects were undertaken under the programme in the 18 Local

Government Areas of the state.

These projects, according to him, comprised of crop production, fisheries, processing, livestock development and small scale community-owned infrastructure, among others.

Elemi said that the Fadama programme was partnering with other institutions in the state to strengthen the implementation of its projects across the state.

“We partner with the Department of Cooperatives to train our cooperative societies on cooperatives management and with USAID to train our farmers on the Nigerian Agriculture Enterprise Curriculum.

“We also partner the Global Environment Facility to implement various projects under the sustainable land management programme,” he stated.

The coordinator identified delay in the release of counterpart contribution by communities, the fadama groups and local councils as a major challenge to the programme.

Elemi noted that the 18 councils in the state were yet to pay their counterpart contributions for 2009, 2010 and 2011, stressing that the payment

of the funds was a condition for the commencement of any project.

He, however, stated that the state government had been paying its contributions, adding that this had facilitated the progress the project has so far recorded in the state.

“I must say that even with the paucity of funds in the state, the state government has tried in the payment of counterpart funds.

“The state government paid N15 million in 2007, N56.9 million in 2008 and N56.9 million for 2009. The government is only owing for 2010 and 2011, and the governor has given approval for release of the funds”, he said.

Elemi disclosed that the state had been selected to benefit from the newly introduced Fadama Information and Knowledge Services (FIKS).

“FIKS is a Japanese government-supported grant to assist Fadama implementation through ICT”, the coordinator said.

He recalled that the state had recently won the best performing state in the South South zone, in the implementation of Fadama III projects. (NAN)

PAGE 31

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Seoul’s turn: The second nuclear security summit ANALYSIS

By Sung-Hwan Kim

T

he fact that Korea, the world’s fifth largest producer of nuclear power, is hosting the Second Nuclear Security Summit is a reflection of the high standards the country maintains with regard to its own nuclear facilities and personnel. To illustrate, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) released a Nuclear Materials Security Index in January this year that rated Korea as the most secure country in Asia overall. In particular, it ranked Korea first in terms of its domestic commitments and capacity. In addition, the Seoul Summit reflects Korea’s elevated international standing and the international community’s growing confidence in its peaceful nuclear activities.

This summit will enjoy a larger presence than the previous summit. The participating states will represent some 80 percent of the world’s population and 90 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. In addition to those countries that attended the Washington Summit, we have invited several more countries in light of their commitment to, and interest in, strengthening nuclear security, as well as to reflect balanced regional representation.

The fact that so many countries have shown an interest in this summit shows that there is significant global awareness and understanding of the gravity of this issue.

As an active contributor to a number of key international forums, Korea is poised to serve as a bridge between various groups on this priority issue, encouraging contributions from both the Nuclear Security Summit Participating States and nonparticipants. The Seoul Summit will consolidate the highest political resolve of leaders worldwide and take the important next step in making the world safer from nuclear threats. By fostering substantial co-operation among 53 countries and four international bodies - comprising both NPT and non-NPT states as well as nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states, under the shared principle of preventing nuclear terrorism - the summit will contribute to building the confidence which will be an important asset in our long journey to achieving a world without nuclear weapons. In this regard, we hope the Seoul Summit will be a stepping-stone to breakthroughs in broader areas of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. While addressing the three key agendas of nuclear security - namely, response to nuclear terrorism, protection of nuclear material and facilities and prevention of illicit trade in

South Korea President Lee Myung-Bak nuclear material - the Seoul Summit will reflect on the changes in the international security environment since the Washington Summit and expand the scope of discussions. One focus will be the interface and synergy between nuclear security and nuclear safety, which has emerged all the more significantly since the Fukushima nuclear disaster last March.

The discussions on the implications and effects of nuclear safety in the context of strengthening nuclear security could enable us to achieve both of these key objectives without compromising either element.

Another important issue will be the threat of radiological terrorism that threatens to use more primitive yet sufficiently devastating “dirty bombs” radiological dispersal devices.

Because radiological materials are more accessible due to their wide range of use, and thus their greater vulnerability to theft, this issue warrants more attention and action. Other areas of key interest at the Seoul Summit are strengthening the security of sensitive information, nuclear forensics, nuclear culture and transportation of nuclear material. In particular, forensic examination of trace nuclear material will help to determine the material’s origin and other crucial details in the case of an attack. The Seoul Communiqué that will emerge from this summit will weave together existing architecture and new initiatives to break fresh ground on nuclear security. As a result of the Sherpa meetings and consultations held

over the last two years, we have garnered widespread support for the Seoul Communiqué. Once adopted, this document will provide a solid ground for sustained political, diplomatic and technical engagement from the participating states. The Seoul Summit will also comprehensively assess the progress made since the Washington Summit.

For instance, the US and Russia have dismantled seven tons and 48 tons of HEU, respectively, equivalent to some 2,200 nuclear weapons.

Around 400 kilograms of HEU were repatriated by seven countries to the US and Russia, the original providers. More than 10 countries additionally acceded to or ratified the CPPNM and ICSANT. The IAEA guideline on physical protection of nuclear facilities (INFCIRC/225) was further strengthened. Many more countries are expected to contribute to the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund and establish Centers of Excellence for training and education in nuclear security. Moreover, as at the Washington Summit, participating states are expected to put forth new voluntary national commitments in Seoul.

As for Korea, we will do our part to contribute significantly to setting up a responsive nuclear security mechanism.

We have almost completed our domestic procedures to ratify the ICSANT and the amended CPPNM; last December, the National Assembly approved their ratification, which will come to

“

Nuclear security cannot be achieved by one country’s efforts alone

effect as soon as relevant domestic laws and regulations are accordingly amended. Korea will also propose concrete ways to make the best use of its state-of-the-art nuclear and information technologies, such as making highdensity low-enriched uranium powder for use as fuel in research reactors that were originally designed to run on HEU fuel. We will also introduce a technology to integrate a real-time tracking system for radioactive sources that will significantly enhance accounting capabilities.

On Nov. 29, 2011, the Eminent Persons Group (EPG), comprising 15 prominent figures from 10 countries with extensive experience and expertise in this field, was established to advise President Lee Myung-bak. They gathered in Seoul and exchanged views and shared ideas in order to ensure the success of the Seoul Summit. Following in-depth discussions, the group released a 10-point joint statement. It affirmed the EPG’s strong support for Korea’s leadership and for the Seoul Summit that would serve as a catalyst for realizing a world free of nuclear and radiological terrorism.

It also highlighted the following six elements in guaranteeing the success of the Seoul Summit: demonstrating tangible progress in implementing the commitments made at the Washington Summit; setting out a practical vision and new concrete measures in the Seoul Communiqué; securing significant commitments from participating states; developing measures for co-operation to reduce the threat of radiological terrorism; strengthening international and regional cooperation to prevent the illicit transfer of nuclear materials; and maintaining the momentum by holding a third Summit.

In addition to the main summit in Seoul, two special events will also be held on the sidelines. First, a Nuclear Security Symposium will be hosted by the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) and the Korea Institute of Nuclear Non-

proliferation and Control (KINAC) on March 23. Around 200 nuclear experts will discuss ways to innovate global nuclear security governance. On the industrial side, a Nuclear Industry Summit will be sponsored by Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company (KHNP). The event will be attended by around 200 CEOs from the global nuclear industry.

In this way, the Seoul Summit will involve all key stakeholders including governments, scientific and industrial communities, as well as the general public, all of whom have vital contributions to make.

As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon once said, just one nuclear terrorist attack could bring “unwanted change in the world forever.” We face a common security problem that warrants our constant attention and immediate action. We must forge a strong alliance to serve this noble cause and invest today to prevent a catastrophe tomorrow. As former US Senator Sam Nunn has pointed out, global nuclear security is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain.

Through the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, I am confident that the international nuclear security architecture will advance from the stage of political declarations to practical steps toward concrete implementation.

To translate the motto of the Seoul Summit - “Beyond Security Towards Peace” - into reality, the Republic of Korea will do its utmost to contribute its experience, knowhow and capabilities. As Chair of this premier security forum, Korea will continue to contribute to the world as a leader in global security governance.

Strengthening nuclear security is a long-term process that warrants sustained investment. Nuclear security cannot be achieved by one country’s efforts alone. As such, it is indispensable for us to garner strong international will and commitment to establish firm standards and reinvigorate global nuclear security governance.

Complacency has no place in this noble undertaking. Korea rose from the ashes of the Korean War and achieved economic development and democracy in a remarkably short period of time.

As Chair of the 2010 G-20 Summit, Korea demonstrated its capacity as a contributor to the international economic regime.

The Seoul Nuclear Security Summit will serve as another opportunity for Korea to take “Global Korea” to the next stage.

Finally, with 58 world leaders gathering in Seoul to engage in discussions on key nuclear issues, the Seoul Summit will also send a message on the vital importance of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Sung-Hwan Kim is Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 32

Senegal: Wade concedes run-off defeat to opposition’s Macky Sall S Kenya announces discovery of oil

O

il has been discovered in Kenya after exploratory drilling by Anglo-Irish firm Tullow Oil, President Mwai Kibaki has said.

The discovery was made in the country's north-western Turkana region.

Mr Kibaki said it was "the first time Kenya has made such a discovery" and called it a "major breakthrough".

Kenya is a regional business and tourist hub with the largest economy in East Africa, although its relative wealth is not based on mineral riches.

The Kenyan president said Tullow would drill more wells to establish the commercial viability of the oil.

"It is... the beginning of a long journey to make our country an oil producer, which typically takes in excess of three years. We shall be giving the nation more information as the oil exploration process continues," he said.

Tullow Oil, which also struck oil in neighbouring Uganda, said the Kenyan find had exceeded their expectations.

"This is an excellent start to our major exploration campaign in the East African rift basins of Kenya and Ethiopia," said Angus McCoss, the company's exploration director.

He added: "To make a good oil discovery in our first well is beyond our expectations and bodes well for the material programme ahead of us."

Tullow has found oil in, or off the coast of, a number of African countries, including Ghana and Sierra Leone.

President Mwai Kibaki

enegal's President Abdoulaye Wade late Sunday conceded defeat to opposition candidate Macky Sall, in a run-off ballot. The election continues Senegal's tradition of democratic successions since its independence from France in April, 1960.

The 85-year-old Wade had sparked controversy by insisting that the two-term limit for serving presidents, enacted after he was in office, did not apply to him. The country saw rising tensions during the campaign, including large-scale demonstrations, with some expressing fears that Wade would find a way to cling to power, ushering in social unrest.

When Wade took office in 2000, hopes were high for improved standards of living. He easily won election in 2007, in a campaign managed by the victor in Sunday's vote. But despite steady economic growth averaging 4 percent in recent

years, prices have risen even faster, while unemployment -

especially among young people has also mounted. The aging

Senegal's President-elect Macky Sall

president's appointment of his son to head several government ministries added to the government's unpopularity.

Fifty-year-old Sall campaigned on a platform of economic reform and service delivery. A one-time Wade ally, he has served as prime minister and president of the national assembly, among other posts.

His background as a geological engineer and minister of mines and energy will be put to the test as Senegal seeks greater benefits from its natural resources.

The continuing rise in world gold prices has attracted thousands of migrants to dangerous informal mines, where mercury poisoning has become a significant problem. Sall's first challenge will be dealing with the high expectations for change from a growing population, half of whom were too young to vote in this election.

. . . Opposition celebrates win

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housands of people were yesterday celebrating in the streets of Dakar after preliminary results showed Senegalese opposition candidate Macky Sall has won over Abdoulaye Wade, the incumbent president who sought a third term in office.

Sall supporters gathered in the streets of the capital on Monday, chanting, dancing and sounding car horns.

Outside Sall's party headquarters people danced to music blaring from powerful speakers, and revellers shouted: "Macky president", "This time we have it", "We have won".

Wade conceded election defeat and congratulated Sall, as preliminary results gave an

and make a phone call to his opposition candidate and basically concede defeat.

"Then, within an hour-and-ahalf that phone call was made and people were already on the streets celebrating," Simmons said.

The congratulatory phone call to Sall, at 21:30GMT on Sunday, alleviated fears that Wade, 85, would attempt to stay in office by challenging the runoff results.

It was seen as bolstering the West African state's democratic credentials in a region fraught with political chaos.

Official results of the vote are not expected until Tuesday or Wednesday, but celebrations started just hours after the polls closed and results started filtering over the radio waves, Al Jazeera's Azad Essa reported from Dakar.

… win ‘example for Africa’

Senegalese."

Thijs Berman, with the EU election observer mission in Senegal, told Al Jazeera: "It is the Senegalese people, who by the ballot boxes, by their own voting, said no to all the violence, said no to all the rumours of vote rigging of fraud.

"All these rumours are without any content if you look at the result."

Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons, reporting from Dakar, said: "A lot of people could not envisage Abdoulaye Wade ever standing down. He was going for a controversial third term, insisting the constitution could be changed against the will of many many people. He really misjudged the electorate of Senegal it would seem.

"But within an hour of the polls closing we were told by a special adviser to the presidency that if it is a defeat he will do the honourable thing

enegal’s presidential election, which saw the incumbent concede defeat peacefully, has been hailed as a “great victory for democracy” in Africa.

The African Union said Mr Wade’s concession showed “maturity” in the country’s democracy while the European Union called Senegal a “great example”.

Also, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said it was “a great victory for democracy in Senegal and in Africa”, reports the AFP news agency.

“Senegal is a great example for Africa,” he added.

AU Commission chairman Jean Ping said the peaceful conduct of the presidential elections “proved that Africa, despite its challenges, continues to register significant progress towards democracy and transparent elections”.

People on the streets in Dakar celebrate Senegal's election result

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overwhelming lead to his runoff rival.

“My dear compatriots, at the end of the second round of the vote... the current results indicate that Macky Sall has won," Wade said in a statement.

Amadou Sall, a spokesman for Wade, told the Reuters news agency: "It is the whole country that has just won ... This is a big moment for democracy and President Abdoulaye Wade has respected the voice of the people."

"The real winner remains the Senegalese people," said Sall, a former prime minister who served for years under Wade.

"We have shown to the world that our democracy is mature. I will be the president of all the

Earlier, President Nicolas Sarkozy of Senegal’s former colonial ruler, France, said the peaceful election was “good news for Africa in general and for Senegal in particular”.

“Senegal is a major African country and a model of democracy,” he said.

The election comes just days after a military coup in neighbouring Mali.

Senegal remains the only country in West Africa to have never undergone a coup.

Mr Wade “phoned his rival Macky Sall at 21:30 GMT [on Sunday] to congratulate him after the first results showed him to be the winner of a presidential run-off,” the Senegalese Press Agency said.

Even before Mr Wade’s concession, thousands of Sall supporters began celebrating on the streets of Dakar.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 34

Israeli court rules against illegal settlement

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he Israeli Supreme Court has rejected the state’s request to postpone dismantling a large, unsanctioned West Bank settler enclave until late 2015.

The decision is a serious blow to settler hopes to keep dozens of rogue outposts standing and could ignite a violent showdown with settlers, who have previously vowed not to abandon their hilltop stronghold, Migron. Settler leader Shimon Riklin, one of the enclave’s founders, told Israeli TV the evacuation of Migron “would not pass quietly”.

A Palestinian spokesman was sceptical the ruling would be carried out.

The state submitted the delay petition this month, seeking to bypass the high court’s earlier order to dismantle the Migron outpost by 31 March because it was built on privately held Palestinian land.

Binyamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, scrambled to find a solution that would satisfy both settlers and the court. His government asked the court to let Migron’s settlers stay put until new homes were built for them on a nearby West Bank hilltop by

November 2015.

On Sunday, the court ruled that accepting the state’s agreement would be tantamount to flouting the rule of law.

“The obligation to fulfil the [earlier] ruling is not a matter of choice,” the court said.

Even so, it extended the evacuation deadline to 1 August.

In a text message to reporters, Netanyahu said the government “respects the court’s rulings and operates according to Israel’s laws”.

Some hardline lawmakers said they would promote legislation to skirt around the ruling although previous attempts at legislation have failed.

Ultranationalists began settling Migron more than a decade ago on a windswept West Bank hilltop about 10 miles north of Jerusalem.

The government said settlers took over the territory unlawfully in 2001. Settlers claim Arab plaintiffs have not proven ownership of the land and note that government officials helped them to set up their outpost, even though it was not officially sanctioned.

Pakistan parliament debates US ties

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akistani legislators have resumed debate on revising the rules of relationship with the US, about four months after 24 of its soldiers were killed in an American air raid along the Afghan border.

Yesterday’s session of parliamentarians would consider whether to allow NATO supply routes via Pakistan, which have been blocked since the deadly attacks in November.

A Pakistani parliamentary commission tasked with proposing new guidelines for the relationship between the two countries last week demanded an end to American drone attacks and an apology for the airstrikes that killed the Pakistani troops.

The commission also recommended that the Pakistani government charge NATO more for shipments through the country if they are allowed to resume.

Washington has expressed regret for the border incident, but avoided a formal apology.

On Saturday, the US military said it was not planning to discipline any of its forces over the incident.

A US military investigation last year had already exonerated American troops operating in Afghanistan from inappropriate use of force against the Pakistani forces – even as the US military acknowledged some of the blame in the incident.

Al Jazeera’s Imtiaz Tyab, reporting from Islamabad, said: “What we are seeing today is the end of four months of

investigations by senior Pakistan Parliamentarians, senior members of military and indeed intelligence agencies.”

“A four-month review of this complex relationship with the US,” he said.

Tyab said: “Last week they submitted to both Houses of Parliament 40 key points that they wanted Parliament to debate.”

“Some of the key points included tariffs on NATO transitory routes and end of US drone attacks.”

Monday’s meeting comes amid fresh warning from Taliban, who threatened to attack Pakistani politicians and their families if they allowed NATO to resume shipping supplies through the country to troops in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Ahsanullah Ahsan, Pakistani Taliban spokesman, accused Pakistani officials of acting like slaves for the US and said allowing NATO supplies to resume would be “shameful and unacceptable”.

“These parliamentarians must know that in such case, none of them will be safe in their homes,’’ Ahsan told The Associated Press news agency.

“We will start attacking all the parliamentarians and their families.’’

Ahsan also said his fighters would “publicly slaughter’’ drivers ferrying NATO supplies.

The US is eager to get the supplies moving again because it has had to spend much more money shipping goods by an alternative route that runs through Central Asia.

Obama harps for ‘world without nuclear weapons’ B arack Obama, the US president, has said that he is pushing for “a world without nuclear weapons” and is committed to deterring nuclear proliferation, while on a visit to Seoul for a two-day 53-nation nuclear summit that is under way.

“The danger of nuclear terrorism remains one of the greatest threats to global security.

That is why in Seoul we need to keep at it,” he said before the summit focussing on reducing access by terror groups to radioactive material to build a nuclear bomb.

“To the leaders of Pyonyang, I say, this is choice before you: Have the courage to pursue peace and give a better life to the people of North Korea”.

Obama also assured that the United States can further reduce its nuclear weapons stockpile while maintaining its strategic deterrent and international commitments.

Speaking at Hankuk University before the summit on Monday, Obama reiterated the commitment of the US as ‘’the only nation to have ever used nuclear weapons’’ to reducing its nuclear arms stockpile.

Obama told students that he is confident the United States and Russia can jointly reduce their stockpiles of nuclear weapons, building on the successful extension of arms control agreements known as START. The White House said nuclear weapons reduction continued to

Obama spoke sternly against North Korea and Iran regarding nuclear technology development be a priority in US relations with Russia, and that Obama would raise it with President-elect Vladimir Putin when they meet in May. Obama would seek to follow on from the New Start (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) pact he struck in 2010 with outgoing Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev in 2010, he said.

Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett, reporting from Seoul, said: “This was a speech by President Obama to unify the big themes of his visit; he used the speech to help achieve his dream of a nuclear free world.”

But Obama’s strongest terms

were directed toward North Korea: “By now it should be clear: Your provocations and pursuit of nuclear weapons have not achieved the respect you seek, but undermined it.”

The US President said North Korea needed to change its ways because continuing down the same path would lead to “more broken dreams” and “more isolation”.

“Instead of earning the respect of the world, you’ve been met with sanctions and condemnation.

There will be no rewards for provocations. Those days are over, Obama said.

Guatemala’s president urges debate on drug legalisation

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uatemalan President Otto Perez Molina has said the war on drugs has failed, and it is time to end the “taboo” on discussing decriminalisation.

He was addressing a Central American summit in the Guatemalan city of Antigua.

Mr Perez Molina convoked the meeting to consider decriminalisation as a way of reducing drug-related violence.

But the presidents of Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras all cancelled their attendance at short notice.

Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, Mauricio Funes of El Salvador and Porfirio Lobo of Honduras decided not to attend.

All three countries were represented by senior officials, and Mr Perez Molina was joined by President Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica and Ricardo Martinelli of Panama.

“We have seen that the strategy that has been pursued in the fight against drug trafficking over the last 40 years has failed,” he said.

“We have to look for new alternatives. We must end the myths, the taboos, and tell people you have to discuss it,” he added.

Central America is a major transit route for South American cocaine heading north to the US.

The rising power of drugs gangs has fuelled corruption and soaring murder rates in the region, with Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador particularly affected.

President Perez Molina caused widespread surprise when he announced in January that he thought it was time to consider decriminalising the consumption, production and trafficking of drugs.

The former army general was elected last November after promising an “iron fist” approach to organised crime.

But he has argued that the price

President Otto Perez Molina

Central America pays in human lives for the war on drugs is too high.

Mr Perez Molina is the first Latin American president to propose decriminalising drugs while in office, though several prominent former leaders have backed the idea.

The subject is also likely to be discussed at the Summit of the Americas in Colombia on 14-15 April.

The US has made clear its continued opposition to legalisation of drugs, while acknowledging it as a legitimate subject for debate.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 35

Britain’s shortest marriage? Couple separate after just four days as jealous husband beats up wife smashes ‘for flirting with the best man’

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his is the unhappy couple who split after just four days of marriage, when the groom accused his bride of flirting with the best man, then beat her up and smashed all their presents.

Tammy Driver, 21, and Nicky Pearce, 29, separated upon returning from their honeymoon weekend, following a violent row at their home near Aberdare, South Wales.

Jealous Pearce flew into a drunken rage and attacked his new wife, grabbing her by the neck before allegedly biting her and breaking her nose.

He has now been jailed for a year after admitting the assault, which caused Miss Driver to flee their home in Penrhiwceiber for hospital.

A devastated Miss Driver said: ‘The sacred vows that Nicky and I took four days earlier meant nothing to him at all.

‘He promised to love me and take care of me for the rest of my life. But it was a

The couple then enjoyed a romantic two-day honeymoon weekend at a seaside hotel in West Wales.

But trouble began when they returned for a celebration drink with the best man and his girlfriend in a village pub.

Miss Driver said: ‘Everything had been fantastic on honeymoon and really romantic. I thought everything was great when we had a drink with his best man - we had a good laugh together.

‘But then we got home and he accused me of being all over his best man. He really flew into a rage.’

The young bride said she feared for her life as her husband attacked her.

She said: ‘I had a broken nose, bruises and bite marks on my face and neck.’

‘All I could think was that I didn’t know who this man was.

Where had my husband gone the man I married just a few days before?

‘I thought he was the perfect man to spend the rest of my life

Shattered dreams: Tammy Driver and Nicky Pearce on their wedding day, just days before their marriage fell apart in a whirlwind of violence Broken promises: The couple pledged to stay together forever but Miss Driver fled their home in fear of her life just days after they made their vows nightmare.’

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard that she suffered a face wound from the bite and a suspected cheek fracture.

Prosecutor Karl Williams told the court: ‘Things turned sour when he accused her of flirting with his best friend.

‘Pearce, who had been drinking, lunged at his wife and grabbed her around the throat.’

Jeremy Jenkins, defending, said: ‘It’s a very sad state of affairs that this marriage was doomed.

‘He is ashamed at overreacting in the way he did and the injuries he caused.’

Miss Driver today said: ‘I feel lucky to get out in one piece. It is very sad that our marriage lasted such a short time.’

The 21-year-old’s family paid £1,000 for the June wedding, which took place at a register office before a reception at a local rugby club.

Glowing in a white dress, the bride thought all her dreams had come true after a whirlwind three-month romance.

Painful experience: Today the betrayed young woman is trying to move on with her life

with but it was all shattered by the next weekend.’

Miss Driver never went back to Pearce after he was arrested by police - and she now has a new

man in her life.

She said: ‘I feel I had a lucky escape. It was all too soon and I was too young but I never thought it would end like that.’

Doomed relationship: The 21year-old ahead of her wedding, left, and after being brutally attacked by her new husband, right

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Women who cut out red meat ‘twice as likely to suffer from depression or anxiety’ W

omen who cut red meat out of their diet are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, according to a study.

Those who eat less than the recommended amount of lamb and beef were twice as likely to be diagnosed with the mental health disorders, researchers in Australia have found.

The study of more than 1,000 women showed that completely switching to protein such as chicken and fish is not as healthy as many believe.

‘We had originally thought that red meat might not be good for mental health, as studies from other countries had found red meat consumption to be associated with physical health risks, but it turns out that it actually may be quite important,’ said Felice Jacka, from Deakin University, Victoria.

‘When we looked at women consuming less than the recommended amount of red meat in our study, we found that they were twice as likely to have a diagnosed depressive or anxiety disorder as those

consuming the recommended amount.’

The associate professor added: ‘Even when we took into account the overall healthiness of the women’s diets, as well as other factors such as their socioeconomic status, physical activity levels, smoking, weight and age, the relationship between low red meat intake and mental health remained.

‘Interestingly, there was no relationship between other forms of protein, such as chicken, pork, fish or plant-based proteins, and mental health.

‘Vegetarianism was not the explanation either. Only 19 women in the study were vegetarians, and the results were the same when they were excluded from the study analyses.’

But the professor, whose results have been published in the journal Psychotherapy Psychosomatics, advised women not to exceed the recommended amount of red meat either.

‘We found that regularly eating more than the recommended amount of red meat was also related to

Complex choices: The study found no relationship between other forms of protein, such as chicken and fish, and mental health increased depression and anxiety,’ she said.

‘We already know that the overall quality of your diet is important to mental health. But it seems that eating a moderate amount of lean red meat, which is roughly 3-4 small, palm-sized serves a week, may also be important.’

The study by Deakin’s Barwon Psychiatric Research Unit took place in the Geelong

region.

Associate Professor Jacka also suggested that women should stick to organic, grass-fed meats whenever possible.

‘We know that red meat in Australia is a healthy product as it contains high levels of nutrients, including the omega3 fatty acids that are important to mental and physical health,’ she said.

‘This is because cattle and

sheep in Australia are largely grass fed. In many other countries, the cattle are kept in feedlots and fed grains, rather than grass. This results in a much less healthy meat with more saturated fat and fewer healthy fats.’

The Department of Health recommends consuming no more than 70g of red meat a day.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Obesity ‘could harm the brain as well as the heart’, say researchers

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Tuck in: Women should eat the recommended amount of red meat to avoid mental health problems, researchers say (picture posed by model)

hose who are overweight in later life aren’t just putting their physical health at risk - researchers have found they are more likely to experience cognitive decline as well.

A five-year study of 250 people aged between 60 and 70 found those with excess body fat scored worse on mental ability tests.

A spokesperson from the UK Alzheimer’s Society said: ‘We have all heard how a high BMI is bad for our heart but this research suggests it could also be bad for the head.’

They noted that it wasn’t known if the people in the study went on to develop dementia but previous studies have shown risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, were also risk factors for dementia.

Scientists from Seoul National University in South Korea took body mass index readings and waist measurements from the study group between 2004 and 2009.

The participants also took a ‘Mini Mental State Examination’ made up of 30 simple questions looking at functions including arithmetic, memory and orientation.

Those with high levels of body fat scored lower on the test than

their leaner peers. However, this link disappeared in participants aged over 70.

Lead author, Dae Hyun Yoon, said: ‘Our findings have important public health implications. The prevention of obesity, particularly central obesity, might be important for the prevention of cognitive decline or dementia’.

One in three people over 65 will die with dementia according to the Alzheimer’s Society However, eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked could all make a difference.

In 2010, just over a quarter of adults (26 per cent) in England and a third of U.S adults (35.7 per cent) were classified as obese.

The study was published in the journal Age and Ageing.

S o u r c e : Prevention of obesity could be important for the prevention of cognitive decline or dementia Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 37

Kebbi re-run: How opposition dissolved into PDP ANALYSIS From Ahmed Idris, Brinin Kebbi

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he political history of Nigeria is full of positive hopes and confidence but the confidence since the nation’s independence in 1960 has been betrayed due to the fact that its political leaders are not putting their acts together to sustain the political expectations of the electorates who voted them into power.

However, political development in Kebbi state ahead of the impending rerun slated for this weekend has shown that the era of bread and butter politics may have returned with the supposed opposition dissolving into the monolith Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

On 22 March, 2012, Politics in Kebbi assumed a surprising dimension as the head of the opposition to the ousted Governor Seidu Dakingari (PDP), Senator Adamu Aliero of the Congress for Prpgressive Change (CPC) and the governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the state (ACN), Kabiru Taminu, formally declared for the PDP. Senator Aliero was not particularly alien to the politics of the PDP having won an election as the governor of Kebbi in 2003 immediately he ditched the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) that brought him to power at the advent of democracy in 1999.

Governor Dakingari who repudiated the political fraternity and antecedents of his succession to governorship in 2007, also finds himself facing fresh election having had the initial one he won nullified by the Supreme Court.

The former governor found the greatest opposition from his political mentor, Aliero, who worked tirelessly to ensure that the victory Dakingari had immediately after the 2011 governorship election in that state was pyrrhic.

But now the coast has become clear for the removed Governor Dakingari as his major opponents have decamped to the ruling party (PDP). The decampees made their declaration at the campaign rally flagged-off for Dakingari’s re-run bid held at Haliru Abdul stadium in Brinin Kebbi. At the stadium, two prominent among the decampees, former Minister of FCT Adamu Alerio who ran for a senate seat in the 2011 general election

Senator Muhammadu Adamu Aliero

Alhaji Saidu Usman Nasamu Dakingari on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and also the gubernatorial candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] in the last April governorship election Kabiru Tannimu (SAN) defected to the PDP. Indeed, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was in Brinin Kebbi while receiving the decampees said that they were all welcome even as he said their decampment into the PDP was a sign of unity and progress to Nigeria democracy.

Peoples Daily checks indicated that the Vice President, Arc. Namadi Sambo, played a pivotal role in the defection of the two political heavy-weights in Kebbi politic from the opposition into the ruling PDP. Senator Adamu Alerio was a member of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) before defecting to PDP close to the end of his tenure.

He later dumped the party to join the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) after falling out with the ruling party.

Speaking at the rally, the chairman Board of Trustee of PDP and former President (Chief) Olusegun Obasnajo assured the former Minister Senator Adamu Aliero, and the former ACN

gubernatorial candidate of full support and cooperation for decamping to PDP and promised to carry them along, saying “opposition parties in Kebbi state has collapsed’’ he said.

“We’re celebrating the collapse of the other political parties, we welcome those that are joining us, telling them the PDP is one family and we’re ready to work with those that are ready to work with us’’ he said. However, OBJ further explained that the re-run election in Kebbi state was just a mere a formality because there was no more opposition in the state.

Also speaking at the occasion, the President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR has commended

the people of Kebbi state, most especially politician for resolving their political differences and promoting democracy in the state and Nigeria at large, adding that they remain grateful as the unity has been declare himself.

He said that the Party welcome the former minister of FCT Senator Adamu Aliero of CPC and ACN gubernatorial candidate Kabiru Tanimu who official announce their decamping to PDP, describing it as unity for progress, “PDP is interested on unity, peace and unity of this country is for development’’ said.

President who called on the people across the country to come and witness Kebbi re-run election with ‘’one man one vote, one vote one man’’ added that the party will work hard to show the transparence and unity of this country and to ensure that the electorate vote for PDP. Speaking early the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Saidu Usman Dakingari said that his administration will still accord for the dividend of Democracy and unity with the party and state at large.

He said that key transformation agenda for the better and for the life of the people will be his cardinal focus and agenda, “I promised to reciprocate to the people of Kebbi and instill peace with each other, we’re back for peace and tranquility of our party, state and nation; we can

“

We’re celebrating the collapse of the other political parties, we welcome those that are joining us, telling them the PDP is one family and we’re ready to work with those that are ready to work with us

never depart again and I forgive my enemies Know and unknown, open and secret ’’ he said.

Dakingari then assured and promised the people of Kebbi state that for the past four year his administration was not involved in any loan and promised not to take loan from anybody or bank adding that development will be his priority and that it will remain its major priority throughout his administration’’ he said.

Speaking earlier, the Vice President and the Chairman Campaign Committee of the PDP on Kebbi state gubernatorial rerun election Arc. Namadi Sambo, who was brain behind their reconciliation, expressed satisfaction over the event that happened in Kebbi state adding that there brothers have finished everything by decamping to PDP. He also commended the effort of Senator Adamu Aliero for his action and promised more unity within the party. He told Aliero ‘’we’re happy with what you demonstrated today, it shows progress and unity within Nigeria’’ he said.

Also speaking at the event the Acting National Chairman of the PDP Alhaji Abubakari Kawu Baraje thanked the people of Kebbi state for supporting the ruling party promising that all over the country PDP will be the ruling party and assured that there will no more opposition again not only Kebbi and other part of the country.

The state PDP chairman Alahji Mansiru Shaehu described the gathering as a good one manifesting that PDP is the wining party in Nigeria and also the party that has good leadership quality.

He said that Dakingari has delivered the dividend of democracy to its electorate ‘’we won the last election but were being punished by some people; now let us join hands together and

Continued on page 39

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Benue: Kakih wants court to declare him governor From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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R-L: Enugu state Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, and Senator Ayogu Eze, casting their votes, during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention, at the Eagles Square, on Saturday in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Edo 2012: Oshiomhole picks deputy, inaugurates campaign organisation From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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ction Congress of Nigeria, ACN, governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole, has picked his running mate, Barr. Pius Odubu, for the second time running ahead of the governorship election built for July 14 th 2012.

Similarly, former Secretary to the state government and South-South Vice Chairman of ACN, Pastor Osagie-Ize Iyamu has been appointed as Director

General of Oshiomhole campaign organisation.

Barr. Henry Idahagbon is to serve as Secretary of the Campaign Organisation while Chief Osaro Idah was appointed Campaign Director of Edo South Senatorial district of the campaign organisation.

The former Foreign Affairs minister and National Leader of the party, Chief Tom Ikimi was appointed as Chairman of the nine Board members.

Charles Idahosa, Alhaji

Malik Afegbua, Mrs Modino Emovon, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uyi Igbe, Chairman of the Party, Barr Thomas Okosun, Prince Tony Omoaghe, Secretary to the State Government, Simon Imuekemhe and Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Barr.

Osarodion Ogie are to serve as members of the Campaign Board.

Addressing newsmen at the inauguration ceremony of the

Campaign Secretariat in Benin City recently, Oshiomhole admonished ‘the crack team whom he described as fishers of men to embarking on issue base Campaign.

He reminded the people that politics was to be used as the instrument of state to touch and develop society through equitable distribution of wealth and urged them to remain focused in taking the state to unprecedented level of development.

Zamfara transition c’ttee recovers stolen items, calls for peace From Salisu Zakari Maraun Gusau

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hairman of the Bakura Transition Committee, Alhaji Bello dan Kande Gamji, has said that it has succeeded in recovering government properties from its former officials.

He also reistated his determination to fight corruption even as he urged that the people should always live in peace irrespective of tribal and religious differences.

Gamji, who is also the former chairman of Bakura local government noted that if helping hands are extended to the government by the people it could definitely win the war against corruption in the society.

According to him, “Peace is the most needed ingredient in achieving whatever one wants to achieve; and we are known for that in Zamfara,” he added.

He stated that Zamfara state under Abdul’aziz Yari has been able to record a lot of

achievements with the regard to peace maintenance and corruption reduction. He added “ the measures taken by Governor Yari shortly after he was swornin as a governor, has since started to yield a good fruits. Yari believes in honesty, transparency and accountability, and with this, God will protect any leader who abides by them”.

The former Chairman who is presently the Chairman of the Transition Committee of Bakura local Government commented

further that his committee was able to recover a number of stolen items belonging to the government and efforts are being geared toward another recovery in which the erstwhile leaders of the local government were involve.

Gamji stated that the committee will tirelessly continue to pursue them until all lost government property are recovered while those involved in the crime will be made to face the wrath of law.

on. Terver Kakih of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) had at the weekend urged the Federal High Court in Makurdi to nullify the party’s primaries held on the 9th January 2011 that saw Governor Gabriel Suswam emerge as the party’s candidate for last year’s governorship election in the State.

Kakih also pleaded with the court to declare him as the candidate of the party insisting that he should be sworn-in as governor having scored legitimate votes during the primaries.

He faulted the conduct of the primaries, regretting that it was not held in compliance with the PDP guidelines as well as the Electoral Act. Under cross examination by counsel to Governor Suswam, Jubril Okutepa (SAN), Kakih maintained that the primaries were marred by fraud as it was manipulated in favor of the governor, boasting that the 6 votes he scored were genuine.

Kakih also said his claims that Suswam forged certificate was not based on hearsay but facts and figures he obtained from investigation.

But when asked if he was present at the time the governor forged his certificate, the plaintiff said no, just as he contended that Suswam swore to an affidavit before the Benue State High Court but did not attach his grades since there was no provision for that.

Also during the proceedings, there was confusion as Barr.

Orkuma claimed that he subpoenaed either WAEC or INEC to testify but it was learnt that the WAEC and INEC witnesses who were in court did not come as his witnesses.

Orkuma’s dilly-dally act caught the ire of Okutepa who accused him of delay tactics contending that there was no witness statement of any subpoena.

Justice Marcel Awokulehein also warned Orkuma to desist from frustrating the case, adding “I intend to dispense the case as soon as possible and have my rest”.

“Orkuma you should have enlightened your client not to get agitated but to remain calm and answer the question asked him politely.

Justice Awokulehein later adjourned the matter for 26th and 27th April, 2012 for continuation of hearing.

Egbeda/Akowonjo chairman commended for development initiatives From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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esidents of Egbeda/ Akowonjo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Alimosho local government in Lagos State has commended the council Chairman, Mr. Sola Adekunle’ over what most of them described as the provision of the dividends of democracy in the area.

The people of the area who spoke to our correspondent said the creation of the LCDA has helped facilitate the development of the area by the present chairman who stated that the projects are executed in fulfillment of his promises to the people of the council for their support during and after the elections.

According to them, Adekunle who is serving his second term as

Chairman of the council under the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has been able to affect lives positively in the council in view of the obvious achievements so far recorded which has greatly improved lives in the area.

Among laudable projects executed, they say, include the completion of a modern secretariat administrative block for the

running of affairs of the council which will be commissioned very soon.

Others include the upgrade of feeder roads within the council are, the construction of boreholes and the ongoing work on the major Adeboun and Modupeola streets in the council.

The council chairman said upcoming projects that will have direct bearing on the life of the people

will include education, health, road construction and other areas of social amenities.

He said the council has commenced plans to begin printing of exercise books for primary and secondary schools under the Egbeda/Akowonjo council and indicated readiness to start purchasing and distributing JAMB and GCE forms to students.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Legislators demand for local council polls

M

embers of the Kaduna state House of Assembly have called for the immediate conduct of local government elections in the state.

Dr. Shehu Danfulani, the Minority Leader, who made the call in Kaduna, said the sole administrators and caretaker committees appointed to run the affairs of the 23 local councils was a democratic misnomer. ``It is not only the electorate, but politicians and other stakeholders are equally worried that for about a year now their affairs are being governed by undemocratic structures. ``Our people are yearning for democracy dividends at the local level through elected leaders and representatives,'' he said.

Danfulani (CPC-Maigana) pointed out that the financial year had gone into a quarter without budgetary provisions for the councils.

He called for an urgent review of the state's local government law to specify the tenure of councilors similar to those of the President and Governors to ensure continuity at that level of governance.

According to him, the lawmakers will initiate a private member bill to amend the local government laws, if the executive failed to do so to strengthen the system.

Besides, he advocated for a constitutional review to grant ``full autonomy'' to the local councils in the country to deepen the democratic project. ``The local government system is the closest to the people at the grass roots,'' the minority leader added.

While urging the electorate to conduct themselves, according to the rules of the game, Danfulani also advised the state independent electoral commission (KADSIECOM) to release the time table for the polls in the interest of justice and fairplay.

He appealed to all stakeholders to remain patient and law abiding pending the conduct of the elections.

PAGE 39

Youth group angry with North East PDP governors From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

L-R: Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Compliance, Hon. Moruf Fatai, Vice Chairman of the committee, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and a member of the committee, Hon. Mathew Omegara, during the committee's meeting with management of Mainstreet Bank over the sack of 41 Afribank staff, at the National Assembly, recently in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

NCP holds national convention April 28

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he National Conscience Party (NCP) has announced that the party's National Convention will hold in Abuja on April 28.

The National Secretary of the party, Dr Yunusa Tanko, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that the decision was reached after the party's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Benin. ''The convention is a

statutory convention that takes place every three years as is enshrined in the constitution, it is an elective convention for the change of guards in the leadership of the party.

This is to ensure true internal party democracy. Once you are due and you've served your term, it is time for another person who is interested, but if you seek for re-election based on the constitution, you are eligible

to do so. '' He said: ``Forms for elective positions of the leadership of the party are available at the National Secretariat and every interested contestant is expected to obtain the form.''

To ensure a successful convention, Tanko said committees were already in place,adding: ''Subsequent and relevant committees are already on ground to make sure that the election takes place and is hitch-

free. '' The party chieftain noted that the party had yet to come up with a theme for the convention but will do so to ''ensure that Nigeria has a new, restructured and vibrant National Conscience Party, come April 2012.''

Tanko appealed to all party members interested in elective positions in the party to pick up their forms before April 27, when sale of forms would be closed.

Kebbi re-run: How opposition dissolved into PDP Continued from page 37 move the party, state and Nigeria forward’’ he said.

People’s Daily could re-called that on 20th of March, the Leadership of Kebbi state Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) under the leadership of Kabiru Tannimu Turaki (SAN) and his deputy Prof.

Mohammed Wasagu resigned their Membership of the CAN and decamped to the PDP. Addressing newsmen at the party office, the spokesman of the movement to PDP Mallam Haruna Dandid Saidu of ACN said that after series of meeting and regards to the plight of their people in dire need of the state to move

forward, they have resolved to align themselves with ‘anything’ that would bring about sanity, decorum and progress and good governance in the state.

Saidu explained that from the date of the fusion of the political stakeholders in Kebbi, the leadership of the party at all levels have resigned their membership of the ACN and decamped to PDP with immediate effect adding that all the Senatorial, House of Representatives, state Assembly, Local Government chairmanship candidates have also resigned their membership of the ACN and decamped to PDP. He expressed dismay over the way the National Leadership of

ACN disappointed the Kebbi state party supporters adding that after the all suffering of the membership of the party by their supports the National leadership gave them the directive to support the CPC in the state in fresh election and abandoned their candidate so that alliance of the opposition parties can be made to win the election in Kebbi state.

He then urged the people of the state from all the nooks and crannies of Kebbi to come out enmass on Saturday 31st of March, 2012 and vote for the Alhaji Saidu Usman Nasamu Dakingari, the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate and also called them to immediately proceed to register with PDP in their

respective wards and receive their membership cards.

When Peoples Daily contacted the former Minster for Sport, Hon. Bala Kaoje who also a stakeholder in the party and state at large, he said that a lot of development and achievement has made by PDP government in the state and Nigeria at large an acceptable political platform. He described Dakingari Dakingari and President Goodluck Jonathan as achievers.

He promised that with the new development, there will be more changes, unity and peace in Kebbi state.”Let’s join hands together and move the state, democracy and Nigeria forward for the better of

our new generation’’ he pleaded.

A political observer, Awuwal Brinin-kudu he said that most of the leaders have not learnt anything because history has eluded them. For instance, they did not learn anything from the electorate crisis and non-return of those who have served but vied for elective position.

According to him, most politicians in the country go for money; the electorate too, on the other hand, do not care if you were a criminal before becoming their leader. However, he said that the economic frustration amount to why they grossly choose anybody they see as their representatives.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Reps to amend local govt. laws to ensure fiscal autonomy

By Lawrence Olaoye

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L-R: House of Representatives Leader, Hon . Mulikat Akande-Adeola; Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba; Clerk of National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, and Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT), National Assembly, Mrs. Felicia Uchola, during the commissioning of ICT Research And Training Centre, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

No candidate was forced to step down in our congress, says PDP

By Lawrence Olaoye

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday insisted that none of the candidates that showed interest in the leadership of the party at the National Congress was forced to step down for anyone.

Responding to the criticisms by the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) against the conduct of the PDP congress, the party in a statement signed by its newly elected National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, stated that such criticisms were not only mindless but mischievous.

The statement read in part “Our attention has been drawn to the unfair, unjust, uncouth and senseless remarks by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and a loose coalition of fringe parties under the auspices of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) wherein the outcome of our recently held National Convention came under criticism.

“The PDP as a Party has for so long tolerated mindless criticisms by the opposition on seemingly obvious achievements by the PDP and its elected representatives.

“The voluntary decision by aspirants contesting various positions to step down at the

convention ground shows the PDP’s capacity for consensus building and internal cohesion. For the avoidance of doubt, contrary to the mischievous insinuations of these groups, no candidate was forced to step down.

“We challenge the ACN and indeed any other Party in Nigeria to come up with evidence of any of their internal electoral processes that is anywhere near our Congresses and Convention in terms of mass participation and transparency.

“We particularly deplore the hypocritical stand of the ACN. It is disingenuous for a party

that is completely under the whims and caprices of one individual to criticize a tested and trusted PDP process. The undemocratic nature of their conduct in anointing and appointing its representatives is a well known fact and cannot be shielded by a false sense of self righteousness.

“The new National Working Committee of our Party under the able leadership of Alhaji Dr. Bamanga Tukur shall not be distracted by attention seeking criticism in its avowed commitment to return the Party to the lofty ideals envisioned by the founding fathers,” Metuh insisted.

Lagos PDP chieftains urge BamangaTukur to unify members ByLawrenceOlaoyewithagencyreports

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he Chairman of the Lagos state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tunji Shelle, yesterday called on the newly elected National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to urgently embark on unification process among the members of the party.

According to him, the reunification exercise would take the party to enviable heights just as he

urged him to revisit the party's manifesto.

Shelle said ``This is to ensure strict compliance by all its members holding public office. It will also ensure that the dividend of democracy is brought to bear on all Nigerians.''

He said for PDP to move to greater heights, attention must be paid to internal unity in the party. ``The more unified the party, the more victory it would record come 2015,'' he stated. He noted that structures are already on ground for

the national chairman to achieve this.

Similarly, Qudus Folami, a former ECOWAS Adviser on Economic Matters, asked Tukur not to delay in unifying the party especially in the South West.

Folami, a chieftain of the party in Lagos, said the disunity among members of the PDP cost the party a lot of setbacks in the 2011 polls.

He also appealed to the new National Chairman to strengthen the party's internal democracy.

``The culture of impunity and arbitrariness in circumventing the party's rules must stop as this has been the bane of the party's loss especially in the South West,'' he said.

Folami said that the way out was for the party leaders across board to be financially self sufficient and independent from those in power. ``The situation where party machinery depends on elected members to sponsor it disallows it from acting according to the rules,'' he argued.

Alao-Akala congratulates Tukur, Oyinlola

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he former governor of Oyo state, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, on Sunday congratulated the new National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and the new National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

Alao-Akala, who spoke to newsmen in Ibadan, said the emergence of Tukur and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC} through consensus indicated that the party was ready for the 2012 polls.

The former governor also

commended the other aspirants for their maturity and magnanimity to step down for the new leaders.

He urged both Tukur and Oyinlola to strive to meet the yearnings and vision of the founding fathers of the party.

The former governor

stressed the need for internal democracy, saying this had been the bane of the party since inception.

He also urged Oyinlola to evolve a strategy through which the party could regain its lost glory in the South West region.

peaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has assured that relevant laws governing the administration of local government areas will be amended to ensure that the councils are free from external influence.

He said the aim of the amendments is to ensure that they perform their roles of driving development to the grass root.

The Speaker gave the assurance when he received executive members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) who were in his office on a courtesy visit.

Tambuwal expressed concerns that over the years, local government councils have lacked the capacity to perform their statutory duties, adding that efforts are on to reverse this trend, especially in the areas of funding.

He also disclosed that the National Assembly will look into the desirability or otherwise of the state electoral commissions.

The Speaker noted that the Federal Government needed to do more in the area of supervising the way state governments spend funds allocated to them, and local governments needed to be autonomous if they are to remain a functional tier of government.

Tambuwal assured the delegation that the House of Representatives would continue to partner with NULGE to assure that Local Government Councils are well positioned in order to bring development to the people.

He however charged NULGE to take its advocacy to state Houses of Assembly where their approval is required for relevant legislation passed to be effective.

Earlier, the National President of NULGE, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleed, called for the amendment of section 7 of the 1999 constitution in order to restore the autonomy of the Local Governments and guarantee its status as the third tier of Government in Nigeria.

The Union also wanted section 162 of the 1999 constitution amended to scrap the State-Local Government joint account in order to enable the Local Governments serve as catalyst of development at the grassroots level.

Comrade Khaleed lamented that all efforts in the past to reform the Local Government have been frustrated, pointing out that as at today, only nine out of the 36 states of the Federation have elected representatives running the affairs of their local government councils.

The Union, he said, will work in association with other progressive allies to embark on aggressive mobilisation of all its members and residents in the 774 Local Governments of the Federation to educate Nigerians on the importance of the Bill to National development, peace, stability and progress of the country.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 41

Sports administration in Nigeria is like war, Minister confesses to Senate Stories by Patrick Andrew and Ali Alkali

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he whole gamut of sports administration in the country is like being in a war zone that is laden with mines and the administrators are war lords who conduct business sports in the most dastardly manner, according to the supervising Minister of Sports, Honourable Bolaji Abdullahi.

The Minister said such atmosphere lacks

David Mark

the ingredient necessary for positive sports development and administration stressing that it has become inevitable to streamline and transparently restructure the system for proper management and positive results.

Abdullahi said this yesterday at the public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Sports, on the downward trend of Nigerian sports in general and football in particular, where he observed that beside structural defect that there were

Bolaji Abdullahi

deep-rooted enmity among sports administrators.

“The way the administration of sports is configured makes it to be such that it is a battlefield, full of mines, and it is like an opportunity for rivalry, ego-massaging and muscle-flexing, and all that.

“Today’s (poor) results are inevitable because the system to drive these results is arranged. But, with the way it is in our land, with so much disorder, we cannot achieve

Aminu Maigari

Sango stirs funding controversy, says NSC should get only 75% allocation

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ormer Minister of Sports, Damishi Sango, has stirred controversy over what percentage of its budgetary allocation should be released to the National Sports Commission (NSC) Sango told the National Assembly that the NSC should be given 25 percent less its allocation because sports have the wherewithal to generate sufficient funds to fend for itself.

“When I was Minister of Sports, I organized stakeholders’ conference; and we prepared what would have been the blueprint for a national sports policy. I generated N500m through lottery and I think it should have been sustained.

But in a swift reaction, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP Bauchi) dismissed the suggestion even as former member of the House of Representatives and ex-secretary general of the then NFA, Hon. Ahmed Sani Toro insisted that government must continue to fund sports because of its strategic role in youth development and as a unifying force.

“The government should continue to fund sports because the national team is representing the country and enhancing its image. So, we should not deceive our selves. All countries do it. What is urgently needed is checkmating the corruption in the system.”

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of Adedoyin Adefuye Foundation, Bunmi AinaCraig in a warm handshake players of the Golden Boys FC of Nasarawa, the winner of the Tournament U-12 Foundation tournament that ended in Abuja on Sunday

Further he said, “Corporate Nigeria is not willing to fund sports because of the monumental corruption in the system.”

Ningi also said that the wrangling over mere name change was unnecessary because most such things do not require legislation. “What they require is administrative will and determination.

Oou determine your vision and mission design your action plan and direct your subordinates to implement it. If they don’t, you fire them,” Ningi said.

WAUG: Unilorin stages road show

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he 13th edition of the West African Universities Games (WAUG) kicked off on Monday with a road show organised by the host University of Ilorin.

The show, which was taken to the major roads in Ilorin, was designed to create awareness among residents of the host community.

The university train, which consisted of many vehicles moved through Tunde Idiagbon road to Ahmadu Bello way, Emir’s road, Taiwo road, Abdulazeez Attah road and Asa dam road.

The train also moved through new Yidi road, Wahab Folawiyo road, Ajase-Ipo road and NNPC pipeline road.

Dr Mahfouz Oladimeji, the institution’s Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs, told newsmen that the road show was organised to create awareness among residents of the state.

He claimed that the road show signalled that the university was ready for the sporting event, with participants drawn from the West African sub-region.

Oladimeji said the facilities needed for the games were ready, promising that the fiesta would be successful.

The fiesta would witness the arrival of participants on Tuesday while the official opening ceremony would hold on Saturday.

much.

“We, therefore, need to streamline it for proper delineation of duties and offices, for people to know their bounds and to be given clear assignments. It has to be in a way that people will be there to take responsibility for their actions. If not, nothing will change,” the minister said.

Abdullahi said most of the problems confronting Nigerian sports as deep-rooted and noted administrators every so often conduct businesses as if they were in a war zone.

“Most of the battles in sports, and which are affecting sports, don’t happen in the public domain. Yet, they represent deeprooted sentiments and big problems that militate against sports.

“But they gradually and slowly cripple the system, and it is only when we are ready to transparently look at sports administration that we can nip this in the bud,” he said.

Bickering among administrators is bane of Nigerian sports, says Mark

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he President of the Senate, Sen. David Mark, has blamed the seemingly stagnation in the nation’s sports on the endless bickering among administrators in the country.

Mark, who gave the damning verdict yesterday while declaring open a Public Hearing on the ‘Downward Trends in Sports organised by the Senate Committee on Sports, said the bickering was largely selfish and a demonstration of want of patriotism.

“The problem is that while the bickering and jostling for position continues, the country’s sports development stagnates. We can’t tolerate it. It’s unacceptable to us as a nation because Nigerians may end up as the losers. Individuals responsible for these unhealthy developments should stop in the interest of the country,” he said.

The Senate President who only few weeks ago described the NFF as ‘the centre of corruption in the country’ said the incessant administrative bickering and lack of transparency in the selection processes of athletes, had been a drawback on the progress of sports.

“Interference and nepotism in the selection process is not helping matters at all. There can be no federal character in the selection of sports men and women. This is a total mockery of federal character. It is not a state representation. It’s not a local government representation. “The selection of sports men/women must be done purely on merit. All those responsible for selection of our sports men/women should hide their heads in shame,” Mark said.

He implored the NSC to ensure that the country’s athletes were properly motivated for better performance at all times, stressing that the half-hearted measures of funding of sports would not yield the desired results because it will be money down the drain.

“I know that our athletes ought to be patriotic at all times, but they also need to have something in their pockets to feed themselves. A patriotic person needs to be alive to be able to show patriotism,” Mark said. The senate president gave the assurance that the National Assembly would take necessary action to enact the relevant legislation to reposition Nigerian sports.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

100 schools for Lagos All Comers Meet

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o fewer than 100 schools will compete in the Lagos State “All Comers Meet” scheduled for March 30 to March 31 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, an official said.

Segun Odunlami, the Secretary, Lagos State Athletics Association, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that the competition was to help the students to showcase their talents in track and field.

He said that talents that would be discovered at the two-day meet would be trained further for the 18 th National Sports Festival scheduled for Lagos from Nov. 27 to Dec. 9 .

Odunlami explained that the Lagos State Athletics Association intended to use the competition as part of its preparation for the sports festival.

“We have lost most of our athletes to poaching, so we intend to scout for talented athletes in the schools who can represent the state at the sports festival,” he said.

The secretary also said that a two-day coaching seminar was being planned for coaches as well as games masters and mistresses to update their capacity on their various sports.

“Some of our coaches, sport masters and mistresses are not in tune with the current rules of their sport, so they needed to be updated,” Odunlami said.

According to him, the seminar will hold between March 28 and March 29 at the University of Lagos. Odunlami said that some of the events to be competed in are 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres race, long jump, javelin, shot put and discus.

ABS’ unbeaten streak will continue, Dogo assures

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oach of ABS, Kabir Dogo has vowed to extend his sevenweek unbeaten race to the end of the first term.

Dogo’s wards came from behind to defeat visitors, 3SC 2-1 in the week 16 over the weekend at the llorin Township stadium to successfully complete an early target of seven-week unbeaten run.

Forward, Thomas Zenke and the team’s last season top scorer, Abdulrahman Bashir got the two goals for the llorin side.

An elated ABS tactician told SuperSport.com that his attention is now directed at

extending the unbeaten run to the end of the first half.

“I am excited to achieve our humble target of seven-week unbeaten run with today’s (Sunday) victory against Lobi. I am now determined to extend the unbeaten record to the end of first term of the season.

“We’re going to sit back and plan on how to go about the new challenge. I believe we’ll achieve it even surpass it.”

ABS have up their points to 22 from possible 48, far away from the drop zone and Dogo said he is looking forward to finishing among top five at the end of first

term.

“We’re working towards finishing first term among the top five teams. We’ll work extremely hard, pick our chances and grab every opportunity that comes on our ways. ABS is a small team with young players, we won’t allow the little success get into our heads,” he said.

ABS started their soldiering run at Kaduna with 2-1 spanking, held Pillars 2-2 at llorin, split points at Gombe United, piped Rising Stars 1-0 at home, walkedover Sunshine Stars in rescheduled matchday 3 before it added Lobi Stars to the list.

Kabir Dogo, coach, ABS

A goal’ll see us through against Dolphins, says Coton Sport coach Omo Ojabu of Dolphins

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oton Sport FC of Garoua coach, Obed Bouazan, says he is optimistic of a win against Dolphins of Port Harcourt in Cameroon in two weeks’ time.

The coach believes it’s the end of the road for the Nigerian champions, Dolphins, inspite of their 2-1 win over the Cameroonians on Sunday. But the coach is convinced that on the strength of their away goal they are capable of eliminating Dolphins in a fortnight.

Bouazan said this in an interview shortly after his side lost 1-2 to Dolphins in CAF Champions League first leg, second round match that Dolphins race in the competition has ended.

“I am sure we will win the return match in Cameroon. We need just one goal to qualify.

Dolphins is a good side but we are sure of winning them in Cameroon.”

Dolphins’ Manager, Stanley Eguma attributed his side’s nottoo-impressive outing to fatigue.

“I must say the two teams played well but I wasn’ t impressed with my team’s performance. We did not get a good game because I think we looked fatigued and my players did not move as usual.

“We look forward to the second leg; it is another ball game. We will work hard and work harder.

We have seen them play today (Sunday); they are a good side.

We have to strategise and I want to assure you that it is not yet over.”

Eguma assured that Dolphins

could still do well when they go to Cameroon for the return match on April 8.

Dolphins scored the first goal in the second minute when Ifeanyi Egwim connected a pullout from the right flank.

Coton Sport fought back to equalise in the 20th minute

when Boukama nodded home a corner kick.

Ifeanyi Egwim lost a penalty for Dolphins in the 60th minute while Owusu Addae scored the second goal in the 87th minute when he hit the back of the net after latching on to a pullout from Omo Ojabu.

Hamilton, Amun hail Flamingoes victory over Shepolopolo

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ome football enthusiasts on Sunday in Lagos commended the Flamingoes for their qualification for the FIFA U-17 Women World Cup, scheduled for September 22 through October 13 in Azerbaijan.

The Peter Dedevbo-coached Flamingoes, thrashed their Zambia She-Polopolo counterparts 5-0 on Saturday at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, a result that gave them 7-1 aggregate score line and the World Cup ticket.

Paul Hamilton, a former Super Falcons Coach in the maiden Women World Cup in China in 1991, said Nigeria’s qualification for the world championship gladdened his heart.

The former Super Eagles coach advised the players to remain focused to enable them excel in Azerbaijan.

“The result gladdens my heart.

I only hope they can step up their campaign by remaining focused.

I have confidence in them because I know they will do better,” Hamilton said.

Fatai Amao, a former Super Eagles Assistant Coach, described the result as a sweet victory for Nigeria, but advised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to ensure early preparation for the championship.

“They know the team will not be playing against Africans in the World Cup, the only way to ensure victory is to start early preparations,” he said.

Fanny Amun, Nigeria’s Japan ’93 U-17 World Cup winning coach, also commended the Flamingoes’ victory over the Zambians and urged the team to work harder to enable them excel at the competition.

Fabio Lanipekun, a football analyst, congratulated Nigerians for the victory saying: “It was a good result, we all have to be happy”.

Flamingoes team

FIFA to discuss further reseach on cardiac arrest in Budapest May

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IFA is extending research into cardiac arrest cases involving footballers to learn about the condition which caused Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba to collapse during a match.

FIFA’s chief medical officer, Jiri Dvorak, said yesterday that the project will be advanced at FIFA’s medical conference scheduled for May 23-24 in Budapest, Hungary.

“We have invited all national-team doctors to establish a worldwide database for cases of sudden cardiac arrest,” Dvorak told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “This will lead to analysis of the risk factors.”

The FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Center (F-MARC) also helped complete a recent study of electrocardiogram (ECG) testing in African players.

Muamba was born in Zaire.

Dvorak said the study of 230 healthy players in Gabon was needed because most data from ECG testing, which looks for electric faults of the heart, is related to people of Caucasian ethnicity.

The variation in data from players of different ethnic backgrounds was discussed at the inaugural FIFA medical conference held October 2009 in Zurich.

FIFA also contributed to a summit of cardiologists in Seattle last month, which was hosted by the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine.

The two-day session focused on how to better interpret readings of ECGs performed on athletes, Dvorak said.

FIFA began insisting on cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory tests for all World Cup players before the 2006 tournament in Germany.

Mandatory testing was introduced ahead of the 2007 Women’s World Cup, and now applies to all FIFA age-group tournaments for men and women.

Dvorak said a defibrillator, which was used on Muamba as he lay on the field, is required at all FIFAsanctioned matches and should be available at all World Cup qualifying matches.

Each of FIFA’s 208 national members receives funding for medical projects as part of its $250,000 annual FIFA grant, Dvorak said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 43

Federation pledges to pick Africa’s Olympics beach volleyball ticket

National Foundation Academy coach eyes Shell Cup

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he Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) has said that the Beach Volleyball team is working hard to pick the only ticket for Africa at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The secretary of the federation, Patrick Abobi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja that the team was preparing for the qualifiers in Mauritius.

According to him, the players are already in the camp for the second phase of their preparation.

“You know, this is the second phase of their camping; in the first phase, we camped for 30 days, we gave them a break for two weeks and they are now back. They are very determined and in top shape; currently, we have six but at the end of the day, only four will travel.

“We are going to Mauritius and we are flying aboard South Africa Airways and we need a transit visa.

They are on their way now to the High Commission. They have visa appointments for 11 a.m. today (yesterday),'' he said.

He said the Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr Patrick Ekeji, and the President of NVBF, Mr Habu Gumel, were in the camp on Sunday to motivate the players.

Abobi said Nigeria was the second country to be reckoned with by the Confederation of Africa Volleyball out of its 53 affiliates.

According to him, Nigeria was first in rating before the All African Games in Maputo, Mozambique where it went down to second.

Abobi said that with the current performance of the team, they would pick the only ticket for Africa in beach volleyball for the London 2012 Olympics.

Defending champion of the Nigeria DStv Premier League

Basketball referee tasks NBBF on developmental programme

K

ingsley Ojeagburu, an International Basketball Federation (FIBA)-badged referee, over the weekend in Lagos blamed Nigeria’s average performance in international competitions on lack of development programmes.

Ojeagburu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the introduction of development programme would provide an avenue for steady replacement of ageing players in the sport.

He said that such a programme would help in the discovery of young and talented players from the secondary schools,who would be groomed to be future stars.

“The issue we have in this country is that we are not patience enough to have a developmental programme for basketball to achieve more internationally.

“We suppose to have like four or five teams in different age groups that could be used for different competitions.

“Why Angola is still dominating Nigeria in basketball is because they put

several programmes in place, which they fall back on, and they also ensure they train together at all times.”

Ojeagburu advised coaches who are scouting for players not to use height alone as yardstick, but should also focus on short but exceptionally gifted materials.

He said that though height was a prerequisite in basketball, it should not be made the only factor, adding that shorter people slammed and dunked better most times because of the talents in them.

The referee advised the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to ensure more international exposure for its players to improve the ranking of referees and judges.

“If our players take part in international competitions, it will give them more exposure and also boost the ranking of Nigerian referees and judges.”

Ojeagburu commended the NBBF for promoting the basketball league in the country, and urged them not to relent, to ensure improvement in the standard of the sport.

Supreme Court coach hails team’s victory

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oach Henry Haggar of Abuja-based Supreme Court FC on Saturday attributed his team’s lone goal victory over Kuje United FC in the Nigeria Nationwide League to hard work.

Haggar, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), also commended his team’s performance, describing it as ‘good’.

The coach also commended his unnamed assistant for the victory, adding that the players had been well motivated through prompt payment of their salaries and other allowances. ‘’Actually, I have been on and off, running another programme, so it has been my assistant who has been

coaching the team. ‘’With this game, I believe he has done a good job and I am very proud of him. ‘’The players have always been well taken care of; like their salary, I always make sure they get it at the right time,’’ he said.

The only goal of the match was recorded in the 66th minute by Taiwo Kuti, while Friday Charles of Kuje United got a red card.

Supreme Court FC’s Nwachukwu Abraham also got a yellow card in the encounter.

Meanwhile, Kuje United’s coach, who simply identified himself as Raphael said his players did their best in the match.

oach David Emunefe of National Foundation Academy, Delta, on Sunday expressed confidence that his team would win the 2012 Shell/NNPC Cup. Emunefe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that his team’s 5-4 victory in the semi-final against Mafoni Secondary School Maiduguri, would boost the players’ morale to lift the trophy.

The coach described Friday’s win through penalty shoot out as a dream come true for himself and his team. “ I am delighted in getting to the final of the Shell/NNPC Cup and I am confident that we will win the tournament. “ We have come a long way in the competition, and now that we are in the final, it is a positive indication that we are lifting the cup.”

NAN reports that the National Football Academy, Delta would meet the winners of the second semi-final encounter, Kwara Football Academy in the final.

Semenya fails to get Olympic qualifying time

F

ormer world 800 metres champion Caster Semenya failed to reach the Olympic qualifying time when she clocked two minutes 3.60 seconds in her return to action after injury on Saturday.

Semenya won her event but the time was well outside the London Games qualifying standard of 1:59.90.

“I ran a little stupidly because I didn’t take the lead from the beginning. I thought they would push the pace but we all learn from our mistakes,” she told reporters.

“Everyone knows the Olympics is the most important thing this year so I must set the qualifying time, and we’ll take it from there.”

Semenya, 21, was embroiled in a controversy over her gender after her 2009 triumph in Berlin and the International Association of Athletics Federations ordered her to undergo gender testing.

In July 2010 she w a s cleared to run in women’s e v e n t s and is currently returning to full fitness after a b a c k problem disrupted her season Caster Semenya last year.

Coach calls for resuscitation of handball league in Lagos

A

Bolaji Abdullahi

handball coach, Lukas Honvosuru, on Sunday called on the Lagos State Government to resuscitate the state’s handball league, now moribund.

Honvosuru told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the “dying state of handball” was hampering its promotion and development in the state.

The coach noted that handball used to be highly competitive in the state, adding that the now moribund league had produced talented players who had won laurels for the state at sports festivals.

Honvosuru counselled that some of the new coaches employed by the state government should be deployed to the zones to enable them to assist in the restoration of the handball league.

“When the Handball League was in place then, there were many competitions where we discovered talented players who performed well at sports festivals.

“I am appealing to the state government to help us revive the league for the promotion of the sport,” Honvosuru said.

The coach said that most of the state

handball players had been poached by other states, due to dearth of competitions.

He said the state’s handball association was preparing an aggressive talent hunt for more players in tertiary institutions, ahead of the 18th National Sports Festival to be hosted in the state.

Honvosuru expressed confidence that the team to be assembled for the Nov. 27 to Dec. 9 National Sports festival would excel.

“The coaching crews in the association are capable of selecting the best team, who will do the state proud at the festival,” he said.

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

Five states register for national scrabble tourney

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he Secretary, Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) James Eakyns, said yesterday in Lagos that six states had registered for the national championship scheduled for April in Abuja.

Eaykns confirmed that Rivers, Oyo, Ogun, Abuja, Lagos and Kano, haD registered for the competition holding from April 6 to April 8.

The scrabble official said each state would be allowed to register six players and would pay N18,000 each, while the hosts would have two wild cards.

Nigerian female weightlifter

“Each participating state is to register a maximum of six players and for the states to be eligible to feature in the event, each of them must have paid N18,000 to the NSF’s Access Bank account. And the closing date for registration will be March 30,” Eakyns said.

He said the defending champion, Eta Karo from Delta, would have an automatic slot at the competition “It is only Delta that will come with seven players because their athlete is the defending champion,’’ Eakyns said.

Tadese collects third consecutive win in Lisbon E

ritean Zersenay Tadese did not run under 59 seconds as he had planned to. Had he done that it would have erased his world record that stands at 58.23 seconds.

Nonetheless, for the third consecutive year, the Eritrean won the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday as he ran 59.34 seconds just enough to guarantee victory.

USA’s Shalane Flanagan won the women’s race in 1:08:52 at this IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

There were high expectations from Tadese’s appearance, because the weather wasn’t as bad as predicted but still quite warm. At the race time, the temperature reaches 23 ºC with moderate winds.

From the start Tadese ran in the front, with John Mwangangi (2nd in 2011 Lisbon Half Marathon and Valencia Half

Leading Results:

Marathon 2010 and 2011 winner), but always well off World record pace.

After the race, the five time IAAF World Half Marathon champion said, “I couldn’t run as fast as last year because I had a flu, and that affected me. I hope I can do better next year, if I can compete here, again.”

After Tadese and Mwangangi, another Kenyan, Lucas Rotich, finished the podium 1:40 ahead of Portuguese Rui Silva, who achieved a new personal best of 1:02:40. For Silva, “The most difficult thing was being alone almost from the beginning.

Tadese and company soon went to the front, pacing the race to a level hard for my current shape.

So I ran almost alone to finish with a personal best.”

The high temperature proved to be harder than expected and several athletes didn’t finish.

Men 1. Zersenay Tadese, ERI 59.34 2. John Mwangangi, KEN 1.00.44 3. Lucas Rotich, KEN 1.01.00 4. Rui Silva, POR 1.02.40 5. Gilbert Masai, KEN 1.02.40 6. Titus Masai, KEN 1.03.07 7. Dickson Marwa, TAN 1.03.09 8. Yared Asmeron, ERI 1.03.43 9. Manuel Damião, POR 1.03.56 10. Sammy Kigen, KEN 1.04.11 Women 1. Shalane Flanagan, USA 1.08.52 2. Diana Chepkemoi, KEN 1.09.08 3. Margaret Muriuki, KEN 1.09.21 4. Peninah Arusei, KEN 1.10.24 5. Jelena Prokopcuka, LAT 1.10.37 6. Rita Jeptoo, KEN 1.10.50 7. Ana Dulce Felix, POR 1.11.18 8. Alice Mogire, KEN 1.11.24 9. Lornah Kiplagat, KEN 1.12.19 10. Nadia Ejjafini, ITA 1.12.41

Among the first ten finishers, seven of them were born in Africa, two in Portugal (Silva and Manuel Damião, 2012 Portuguese road race and crosscountry champion), and one Argentinean.

In the women’s race, Flanagan, the 2012 Houston Half Marathon winner, 2011 World Cross Country bronze medallist and 2008 Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist, crossed the finish line 16 seconds ahead of Kenyan Diana Chepkemoi (7th in 2011 Lisbon Half Marathon, 2nd in 2011 Berlin 25 km), who lowered her personal best to 1:09:08.

Two more Kenyans followed in third and fourth: Margaret Muriuki (6th at the 2011 World Cross Country) and Peninah Arusei (2010 World Half Marathon bronze medallist clocked 1:09:21 and 1:10:24, respectively.

Zersenay Tadese

Latvia’s Jelena Prokopcuka, a Marathon standout who lives in the south of Portugal, finished fifth ahead of Kenyan Rita Jeptoo and the Portuguese Ana Dulce Felix, who crossed the line in 1:11:18. Last year she was second in 1:08:33.

“This was a great race,” said Flanagan. “I’m very pleased for this opportunity, hoping this can give me more confidence for this summer in London, in the Olympic Marathon.”

Felix wasn’t disappointed.

“Last year at this time I was preparing for the Vienna Marathon, in another level of shape. This year, our work is focused on the Olympic marathon so I ran slower than 2011.”

Overall, it was a spectacular and well organised race with more than 38,000 runners crossing the bridge over the Tagus river.

Shalane Flanagan

Bolaji Abdullahi

1st Adedoyin Adefuye U-12 football tourney ends in Abuja

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he 1st U-12 Adedoyin Adefuye Foundation Tournament has ended with Golden Boys FC of Nasarawa state emerging champions at the expense of Rising Stars FC of Abuja, whom they defeat 1-0 in the final decided over the weekend.

The maiden tornament, which the sponsors planned to make national is meant to generate grassroots talents and at the same time help keep the impressionable members of the society from delinquencies.

Chairman of the Board of Trustee of the foundation, Bunmi AinaCraig said at the closing ceremony that their effort to inspire the kids to higher heights is being achieved especially as it has assisted in no small way to keep them off the streets and onto useful ventures.

‘I think it is in our own best interest to invest in the future of our children, when you invest in them whether in time or resources we are investing in our own future. So we need to do so now to prevent our future leaders from being streets urchins or destitute.

The U-12 football tournament is essentially designed to achieve this,” he said.

According to him, the tournament had focused and will continue to do so on kids from the less privileged homes an ensure that they are not made tools in the hands of miscreants. Eight clubs within the FCT and Nasarawa state participated in the fiesta which the organisers hope to sustain and expand in subsequent editions.

Deputy chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Alhaja Ayo Omidiran ,Board member of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) Barrister Austel Elumelu witnessed the closing ceremony of the event in Abuja.

NWF confident of qualifying for Olympic Games

T

he Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF) says it hopes to secure at least four slots at the Africa Olympic qualifiers holding from March 28 to April 5 in Kenya.

It would be recalled that 15 weightlifters, comprising eight males and seven females, were selected for the qualifiers at the end of their six-week camping in

Owerri.

NWF secretary Uche Onwumeh said yesterday that she was confident that the lifters, having gone through adequate training, would secure the four slots for the Olympics.

She said that weightlifting was one of the sports that had always won medals for the country and would not be found wanting now.

“I pray we won’t fall short of expectations as all eyes are on us to maintain our past record of winning medals in world events like the Olympics’’ Onwumeh said.

She said the selected lifters would be participating in all categories, adding that the contingent would depart the country on Wednesday for Nairobi.

The federation’s head coach,

Patrick Bassey, also assured Nigerians of good performance by the lifters at the continental championships.

“I am optimistic that the 15 lifters selected for the Olympic qualifiers would do the nation proud by securing the necessary spots for participation in the London Olympic Games’’ Bassey said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 45

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

France pick 29 swimmers, aim for to 10 medals in London

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rance are aiming to win eight to 10 swimming medals at the London Olympics after 29 swimmers qualified via the national championships.

Three swimmers joined the squad on the competition’s last day on Sunday when Anna Santamans, 18, won the 50 freestyle in 25.16 seconds, while Anthony Pannier and Damien Joly qualified in the 1,500 metres.

“We’re really satisfied. We have the potential for eight to 10

Laure Manaudou

medals,” French swimming federation president Francis Luyce told reporters.

Fifteen swimmers qualified for individual races while 14 others will take part in the relays, including Alain Bernard, the 100 freestyle Olympic champion in Beijing, who failed to qualify for an individual event.

France’s biggest hopes would be Camille Lacourt, the 100 backstroke world champion in Shanghai last year, and Camille Muffat, who broke 200 and 400

Coralie Balmy

freestyle French records to qualify, national technical director Christian Donze said.

He also tipped Yannick Agnel, 19, who beat his own national record in the 200 freestyle with 1:44.42 and also booked a place in the 100.

The 400 freestyle Olympic champion in Athens in 2004, Laure Manaudou clinched berths in the 100 and 200 backstroke.

She will travel to London with her younger brother Florent, who clocked the third best time of the year in the 50 freestyle.

France squad: 50m freestyle: Amaury Leveaux, Florent Manaudou 100m freestyle: Yannick Agnel, Fabien Gilot 200m freestyle: Yannick Agnel, Amaury Leveaux 1,500m freestyle: Damien Joly, Anthony Pannier 100m backstroke: Camille Lacourt, Benjamin Stasiulis 200m backstroke: Benjamin Stasiulis 4x100m freestyle: Yannick Agnel, Fabien Gilot, Amaury Leveaux, Alain Bernard, Clement Lefert, William Meynard 4x200m freestyle: Yannick Agnel, Amaury Leveaux, Lorys Bourelly, Clement Lefert, Gregory Mallet, Jeremy Stravius 4x100m medley relay: Camille Lacourt, Benjamin Stasiulis, Clement Lefert, Giacomo Perez Dortona,

Romain Sassot, Hugues Duboscq Women 50m freestyle: Anna Santamans.

200m freestyle: Camille Muffat 400m freestyle: Coralie Balmy, Camille Muffat 800m freestyle: Coralie Balmy 100m backstroke: Alexianne Castel, Laure Manaudou

200m backstroke: Alexianne Castel, Laure Manaudou 4x200m freestyle: Coralie Balmy, Camille Muffat, Charlotte Bonnet, Ophélie-Cyrielle Etienne, Margaux Farrell, Mylène Lazare 4x100m medley relay: Charlotte Bonnet, Laure Manaudou, Justine Bruno, Fanny Babou.

Kogi plans golf course in Lokoja to boost tourism, sports

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heKogi government plans to build a golf course in Lokoja in an effort to boost tourism and sports in the state, Gov. Idris Wada said over the weekend in Abuja.

Wada told newsmen at the IBB Golf and Country Club that his administration would be aiming to place Kogi amongst the top 10 in sports in Nigeria through sports and tourism.

“Our ambition is to ensure that within the next few years, Kogi is among the top 10 in sports in this country. This is why we are planning to build a golf course in Lokoja.

“We all know that both sports and tourism go together and we have the potentials to utilise both to achieve our aim,’’ the governor who took part in the Fifth J.K. Gadzama and Partners Golf Tournament in Abuja on Sunday said.

He said a golf course in Lokoja would help to enhance tourism development in the state.

“A golf course is a top thing for tourism, and with Lokoja as a place for tourism, we will derive the maximum benefits from all the tourism attractions,’’ Wada said.

He disclosed that his administration was looking towards uplifting Lokoja to help in achieving the objective.

“We will uplift Lokoja for it to become a top tourist centre and help the state become the gateway state for tourism in the country.

“We need this in fulfilling our aspiration of using tourism to boost the state’s economic potentials, and making the state one of Nigeria’s best in sports,’’ Wada said.

Zab leads veterans’ victory march S

everal veterans, led by Zab Judah, showed at the weekend they can still hold their own against younger opponents.

Judah, a former two-division champion, won his 49th professional fight when he stopped Vernon Paris in the ninth round in Brooklyn, New York.

Improving his record to 42-7, with 29 knockouts, Judah finished the fight 2 minutes 27 seconds into the round after dominating the IBF junior welterweight title eliminator. Paris, previously undefeated, dropped to 26-1; 15.

On the same card former WBC light-heavyweight and IBF cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek contributed to a good night for the veterans when he beat Nagy Aguilera on points over ten rounds.

In his first fight since being stopped by Vitali Klitschko in a bout for the WBC heavyweight belt, Adamek improved his record to 452; 28. Aguilera’s dropped to 17-7; 12.

Bryant Jennings remained undefeated and improved to 13-0; 6 when he stopped former WBO heavyweight champion Sergei Liakhovich (25-5; 16) in the ninth round.

Another seasoned fighter, Enzo Maccarinelli, proved his durability when he beat Shane McPhilbin over twelve rounds in Wolverhampton, England.

The former WBO cruiserweight champion had to come back from knockdowns in the first and third rounds to improve his record to 35-5, with 27 knockouts.

Shane McPhilbin dropped to 8-3; 5 when the scores come in 115111, 115-110 and 116-111.

In Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Nate Campbell, a 40-year-old former world champion, moved his record to 35-9-1; 26 when he stopped junior welterweight Victor Cayo (27-3; 19) in the ninth round.

In Sonora, Mexico, WBA flyweight champion Hernan Marquez improved his record to 33-2; 25 by beating a late replacement, Richie Mepranum (25-3-1; 5) on points over ten rounds in a nontitle bout after Rodel Mayol had withdrawn. The scores were 95-93, 96-92 and 97-91.

However, in Atlantic City, heavyweight Tye Fields came up short against a less experienced man.

Mariusz Wach, still unbeaten at 27-0; 15, stopped Fields (49-5; 44) in the sixth round Sapa-AP reports that Wach unloaded a series of lefts and rights at the head and sent Fields into the ropes and face first on to the canvas.

Fields made it to his knees but was counted out 1 minute 44 seconds into of the round.

Wach, who had hundreds of Polish fans cheering him on, is from Krakow but now lives in New Jersey.

Former Olympian Jerson Ravelo improved to 21-5; 12 when he won on a split decision against Joey Spina (26-2-2; 18) in a light-heavyweight bout.

In Maribor, Slovenia, Jan Zevek, a former IBF welterweight champion beat Namibian Bethuel Tyson on points over twelve rounds. The scores were 117-109 on two cards and 119-110.

Zaveck, who won the vacant WBO Intercontinental title, improved to 32-2; 18 and Ushona dropped to 25-2-1; 8.

In a light-heavyweight bout Denis Simcic (28-

1; 14) beat Fatjon Murati (13-2-2; 3) to win the WBO European championship. The scores were 117-110, 117-111 and 116-111.

In Tucson, Arizona, super-featherweight Diego Magdaleno remained undefeated and improved to 22-0; 8 when he stopped a late substitute, Fernando Beltran Jr (36-8-1; 20) in the seventh round after being knocked down in the fourth.

Junior welterweight Johnny Garcia moved to 12-0; 8 when he won on an eight-round split decision against Cuban Yordenis Ugas, a former Olympic bronze medallist (11-1; 5).

Heavyweight Andy Ruiz Jr (14-0; 8) outpointed Homero Fonseca (9-5-3; 2) over eight rounds.

Zab Judah vs Jose Armando

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

PAGE 47

Champions League quarter-finals

Real Madrid favourites versus Apoel Nicosia

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eal Madrid will be favourites to win when they play the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal against Apoel at the GS Pancypria Stadium tonight.

The Whites have been in great form in the competition this season, winning all six of their group matches before they were held to a 1-1 draw away from home against CSKA Moscow in their round of 16 tie.

However, Jose Mourinho’s men bounced back in emphatic fashion to win the second leg 4-1 at home to send the Russians packing.

Real Madrid have scored 24 goals and conceded only four so far in this competition and Cristiano Ronaldo will be looking to score in three consecutive Champions league matches after scoring in both legs against CSKA. Apoel, on the other hand, managed to reverse their 10 loss to Olympique Lyonnais at home in the second leg and the tie eventually ended 1-1 on aggregate after extra time.

A

touch of romance has returned to the Champions League quarterfinals with seven countries, including Cyprus, represented in this week’s first legs with AC Milan-Barcelona topping the bill.

Although tomorrow’s heavyweight clash at San Siro dominates the ties, the most intriguing clash sees upstarts Apoel Nicosia against nine-time European champions Real Madrid, in the sort of David-versus-Goliath clash that has become a rarity.

The presence of Benfica, twice winners in the early 1960s, has added a dose of nostalgia to the last eight, although their policy of recruiting South American players rather than developing Portuguese talent has provoked criticism.

Benfica host Chelsea, the Premier League’s lone survivors, while Bayern Munich, whose stadium hosts the final in May, are at Olympique Marseille in their first meeting.

It is the first time so many countries have been represented in the quarterfinals since 1996-97, the last year in which the competition was restricted to the champions of domestic leagues. Since then, the Champions League has been expanded to include runners-up and then third and even fourth-placed teams from some countries and the quarterfinals have become the preserve of the wealthy few.

From 1997-98 until last season, only 11 of UEFA’s 53 member associations Germany, Spain, Ukraine, France, Italy, England, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Netherlands and Russia managed to get teams to the last eight.

In the 2000-01 season, Spain and England had three teams apiece in the quarter-finals, while two seasons later Spain and Italy had three each and in 2007-08 four of the quarterfinalists were from the English Premier League.

UEFA president Michel Platini, however, has been keen to make the competition more democratic and open.

His Financial Fair Play programme, which comes into effect for the 2013-14 season, aims to force clubs to live within their means and prevent those with rich owners taking a stranglehold.

UEFA has also reserved five places in the Champions League group stage for the winners of smaller domestic leagues such as Cyprus.

Although most of those, such as Viktoria Plzen, Bate Borisov

The Legends then went on to win the tie 4-3 on penalties to become the first side from Cyprus to reach the quarterfinal stage.

Apoel fans are banking on Greek goalkeeper Dionisios Chiotis, whose heroics have been a crucial part of their dogged defence this term and who was in the AEK Athens team which drew twice against Real in 2002.

Madrid bounced back from two draws in the domestic league to beat Real Sociedad 5-1 over the weekend, while Apoel ended their five-match winning streak with a 0-0 draw with Omonia.

The Spanish side will be without Lassana Diarra, Angel Di María, Ricardo Carvalho and José Callejon, who are all battling with injuries, as well as the suspended Xabi Alonso.

Ivan Jovanovic’s side will be missing reserve goalkeeper Gustavo Manduca who underwent knee surgery last week, as well as Gustavo Manduca who is serving suspension.

Ronaldo Cristiano

Dionisios Chiotis

Messi has scored 18 goals in his last nine games and became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League game as Barca dispatched Bayer Leverkusen 7-1 in the last round.

Bayern also put seven goals past FC Basel in the last 16 as they destroyed Swiss hopes of getting a team to the quarterfinals for the first time in 33 years.

The Bavarians, whose three-pronged forward line of Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Mario Gomez also makes them a force to be reckoned with, visit Marseille who are in the quarterfinals for the first time since winning the competition in 1993.

Chelsea visit Benfica, who are unbeaten in their last 10 European games, on Tuesday only three days after a Premier League match at home to Tottenham Hotspur in their battle to finish fourth, which has angered manager Roberto Di Matteo.

Seven countries begin trophy chase

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and Dinamo Zagreb, sank without trace in the group stage, Apoel have managed to keep going.

An Apoel victory tonight would be a stunning upset while a win for a weakened AC Milan over Barca in a repeat of the 1994 final, which the Italians won 4-0, would also be a surprise.

Seven-times European Cup winners Milan have been plagued by injuries and will be without Thiago Silva, the lynchpin of their central defence, with a thigh injury which is the last thing they need when facing the apparently unstoppable Lionel Messi.

The teams met in the group stage with a 2-2 draw at the Nou Camp followed by a 3-2 win for Barcelona at San Siro, a match in which both sides had already qualified for the last 16.

Rejuvenated Chelsea face dogged Benfica in Lisbon

By Patrick Andrew

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helsea are rejuvenated. Since the sack of Andre Villas-Boas things have been looking up for the sole English Premiership left in the UEFA Champions League. Aside the loss to Man City last Saturday, interim manager Roberto D Matteo seems to have infused Stamford Bridge boys with a new spirit.

Tonight in Lisbon, Chelsea will carry the weight of English soccer fans plus their die-hard supporters across the world to attempt to further breath life into the quest to wrestle the Champions Legue trophy from the traditional hands.

But first Benfica are an obstacle and until they

depose the Portuguese team, Roman Abramovich’s dream will remain just what it is a mere wish. This though is at variance with the new spirit in Chelsea where Di Matteo who secured four wins in five matches will hope to further bouy up the squad with another continental win after dismissing Napoli against all odds.

Handy to do the magic will be former Benfica players David Luiz and Ramires the duo who will be desperate to help Chelsea start winning again on their return to the club they helped to the 2010 title.

Besides, the wrangling with senior players having been resolved as evident by the unity and near perfect return to the character and poise of Jose Mourinho’s days,

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Pablo Aimar Oscar Cardozo

Didier Drogba Chelsea will be marshalled by inspirational skipper John Terry leading Juan Mata, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Petr Cech to battle.

Chelsea’s trio of Cole, Lampard and Terry will hope to leave Lisbon happier than in Euro 2004 when they all scored penalties there when England were beaten 6-5 on spot-kicks by Portugal in the quarterfinals.

Lampard also scored a late extra-time equaliser for England after Rui Costa, now a Benfica director, had put Portugal 2-1 in front.

But Benfica are no ordinary team. The Eagles played a major role in knocking Manchester United out of the tournament in the group phase, drawing twice

John Terry against the Premier League champions and surprised all when they secured the quarter-finals ticket.

They have quality and Coach Jorge Jesus will bank on Pablo Aimar to him orchestrate their attacks and create chances for goal machines Oscar Cardozo and Rodrigo. Cardozo is Benfica’s top scorer in the Champions League and championship.

At the back Brazil centre back Luisao will likely form a partnership with compatriot Jardel in the absence of Ezequiel Garay who is doubtful.

Though it may not particularly be Champaign football, however, there may be no dull moment either as both teams would seek to post comfortable results to lessen the pressure of the return leg.

QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE Attempt easy tasks as if they were difficult, and difficult as if they were easy; in the one case that confidence may not fall asleep, in the other that it may not be dismayed — Baltasar Gracian

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

Barca’s Abidal to undergo liver transplant on today

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arcelona’s left back Eric Abidal will undergo a liver transplant today at the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona.

It was recently announced that the Blaugrana defender needed to go under the knife again just over a year after having a tumor removed from his liver.

According to reports, a childhood friend with the same blood type as Abidal then stepped forward to act as a donor for the essential procedure.

There has been speculation that Abidal might never play competitive football again but the Frenchman made a remarkable recovery last year and featured from the starting whistle in Barca's 3-1 victory over Manchester United in the Champions League final at Wembley.

Abidal also recently signed a new contract with the Catalan giants even though both sides were aware that the player needed a liver transplant.

Venues for 2013 African Cup to be named April 4

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he host cities and stadiums for next year’s African Cup of Nations will be announced on April 4.

The South African Football Association says the match venues will be made public during a visit by Confederation of African Football officials.

Representatives from eight bidding venues were presenting their cases to SAFA on Monday.

South Africa could use seven stadiums for the 16-team event in January and February next year, the most ever at a Cup of Nations.

Organizers say those built for the 2010 World Cup will be preferred.

Soweto’s 90,000-plus FNB Stadium, which hosted the World Cup final when it was known as Soccer City, will likely be the tournament’s center point.

South Africa took over the 2013 African Cup from troubled Libya. Libya will host in 2017.

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If Mitt Romney were a Nigerian

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ard as mere students of politics and especially those chronic political junkies in the rest of the world might try, it is practically impossible to ignore American politics. As a means of detoxicating ourselves from the binge consumption we went through during their 2008 elections, many of us have resorted to staying away from American domestic news and to mind our business this time around. It is, however, now clear that such is not going to be the case, they have won again, we cannot resist the temptation and against our wishes and decision we are now being drawn back to peep into their business.

It must be said at this stage, the attraction for American politics is not just because the USA is still undoubtedly the world’s leading super power. If you meet someone tempted to forget, just remind him or her that the USA still has the gross economic size of China; it is as technologically advanced as Japan and it possesses equal, some would argue more, strategic and military power than Russia. By the way, its population is still high up there too. There are other superpowers in the world but none of their domestic politics can rival the attraction the USA gets.

The attraction for American politics has lot of things to do with the sheer drama of its clearly eclectic, sometimes eccentric, candidates and the raw passion they bring and generate. It is in the speeches and the grand gestures the candidates provide thanks to the use of smart creative and intuitive strategists that guide and create narratives and choreographies for campaigns. It is naturally in the money too; in relative terms, American politicians spend almost as much as Nigerians politicians on elections.

We are drawn to their politics because of the transparency in the process and the scrutiny the participants undergo. In the US political arena, nothing seems to be off limit. In the USA, the day you decide to run for office you are also saying “welcome to poke nose into my world”; you are saying “I am ready to talk about my past, my personal and professional life”.

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GUEST COLUMNIST

By Anthony A. Kila

Mitt Romney American candidates know that the press as well as their opponents will go through every single political and public action or utterance they have made and will throw it out there in the public domain to see if it matches what they are saying now.

The most original and perhaps the most intriguing trait of American domestic electioneering and politics in general is the role of its people and the status pundits and politicians ascribe to them in politics. Right from the beginning of any electoral process, contestants and observers agree

and consequently treat voters as the lord and master of the whole process. Media investigations, interviews and analysis are done on their behalf, politicians go about all ways to reach voters, debates and speeches are made to convince and connect with them. In the US electoral process, the voters are so important that rulers strive to appear to be like just one of them.

In such a context and contest contenders like Mitt Romney that are clearly not just one of the voters struggle to make headway.

It would be quite a trip to meander inside Mitt Romney’s head and get a feel of what he really thinks of the US politics now. The former Massachusetts governor and almost certainly the Republican presidential candidate for the 2012 presidential elections has done practically everything a candidate should do: he has studied the role for years, travelled the country. He also bought practically everything money can buy a candidate. By the way, Mitt Romney is one also one of the few candidates in history that already look like a president even before contesting. Yet and yet Mitt Romney is struggling, he is getting just about enough votes to get by

and he is not blowing away voters in his own party. His major opponent, Rick Santorum, with less money, less organization and less exposure is spoiling his party for him.

Brace yourself if you have not been following the Republican primaries; amongst his own party members, Mitt Romney’s problem is simply that he is too rich, too removed, too sophisticated to win people over.

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine he was running in Nigeria. If Mitt Romney were a Nigerian he would, of course, not be having any of these problems.

In Nigeria, a Mitt Romney would be focusing on buying party delegates rather than convincing voters. If Mitt Romney were Nigerian, he would not be worried about connecting with his voters; it would not matter to most people in his party or in the press that he cannot feel the pains of the average Nigerian. They would be citing his ivy schools and qualification. Mitt Romney is a deeply religious man but he is careful not to make that an issue because he knows that the church he attends might divide voters. If Mitt Romney were Nigerian he would just align with the most popular or influential religious leaders and flash a divine calling.

If Mitt Romney were a Nigerian how do you think the voters would react to him?

Anthony A. Kila is the Principal, Akila Business Services LLC, Marietta, Georgia, United States.

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Close your eyes for a moment and imagine he was running in Nigeria. If Mitt Romney were a Nigerian he would, of course, not be having any of these problems. In Nigeria, a Mitt Romney would be focusing on buying party delegates rather than convincing voters. If Mitt Romney were Nigerian, he would not be worried about connecting with his voters; it would not matter to most people in his party or in the press that he cannot feel the pains of the average Nigerian. They would be citing his ivy schools and qualification. Mitt Romney is a deeply religious man but he is careful not to make that an issue because he knows that the church he attends might divide voters

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