Peoples Daily Newspaper, Thursday 28, February, 2013

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 10 No. 44

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero returns amid fanfare

. . . putting the people first

By Abdulwahab Isa

A

gainst all odds, the Nigerian economy is strong and on sound footing, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said yesterday.

The minister made the statement in a release issued in Abuja, apparently in response to the gloomy picture of the nation’s economy painted by for former United States President, Bill Clinton.

Clinton had at the weekend in Abeokuta, indicted the federal government for mismanaging Nigeria’s oil money over the years which has ushered in unprecedented poverty in the country.

But according to OkonjoIweala, using known economic indices such as inflation and interest rates, debt endorsement by renown rating agencies, Nigerians need not panic about state of the economy.

The Minister said “the Nigerian economy is strong. Our economic performance is robust when viewed against a whole range of objective factors.

“Inflation is now down to singleContd on Page 2

PD INDEX

N150

Oshiomhole trades words Oboni emerges with police over Olaitan’s new Attah Igala murder

>> PAGE 3

FG faults Clinton, says Nigeria’s economy sound

Rabiul Akhir 18, 1434 AH

>> PAGE 3

>> PAGE 3

Jonathan’ll run in 2015 - Tukur

Presidency plotting against me - Aliyu

By Lawrence Olaoye

N

ational Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday declared that nothing stops President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting for a second term

in 2015.

Tukur in a chat with newsmen equally said that the creation of the PDP Governors’ Forum chaired by the Akwa-Ibom state governor, Barrister Godswill Akpabio, as a veritable vehicle for the realization of Jonathan’s ambition was not out of place.

Responding to questions as to whether the PDP Governors’ Forum was set up to realize Jonathan’s ambition, Tukur said “Let me tell you, that is in order in politics. Jonathan is the President under our party and what is wrong if he decides to run?

The others have the same

opportunity to promote their candidates, if they have.”

The PDP National Chairman’s declaration is corroborating similar one made by the party’s National Woman Leader recently during the launching of women on power almanac in Abuja.

Contd on Page 2

27th Feb., 2013

CBN RATES $ £ EURO CFA RIYAL

BUYING 154.74 236.22 203.87 0.2964 41.26

SELLING 155.74 237.75 205.18 0.3164 41.52

PARALLEL RATES EURO £ RIYAL $

BUYING 208 254.50 42 157

SELLING 210 257.50 43 158

L-R: Emir of Azara in Nasarawa, Dr. Kabir Ibrahim, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, and Jigawa state Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, when the duo led members of Nigeria Inter-Faith Action Association on a visit to the governor, yeterday in Dutse.

Photo: NAN

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

CONTENTS News

2-10

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

23

S/Report

24-25

Earth

26-27

Update

28-29

Sultan advocates inter-agency synergy to reduce poverty T he Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, yesterday called for interagency collaboration to reduce poverty and unemployment in the country.

Abubakar III, specifically advocated the synergy between the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) and the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), to further combat poverty.

The Sultan made the appeal in Sokoto when the Managing Director of BOA, Dr. Mohammed Santuraki, visited him.

“Not that I am calling for their

scrapping or merger rather they should work hand-in-glove as they have similar mandates.

“They should have an efficient inter-link among themselves.

They all have the same aims of engaging more Nigerians meaningfully.

“By such gestures, more Nigerians will be taken away from violence, crimes and have a better society," he added.

Abubakar further said that poverty was the major factor precipitating crimes and the various security challenges in the country.

“When it comes to food, there is no politics. A hungry man is an

angry man. When the people are left with no food or nothing to do, there must always be problems for the society.’’

Abubakar commended the Federal Government for reinvigorating the bank, recalling the glorious days of the defunct NACB, the predecessor of BOA. “We are delighted with what the Federal Government has done to revamp agriculture after the sector was neglected after the discovery of the black gold.

“We have so many water resources which were allowed to rot away and they are largely under utilised.

“No amount of oil or gold would

be enough, you still needed food to eat. You cannot just throw away agriculture because of this basic need.’’

He pledged to continue to be an active partner with the bank and other agencies aimed at further improving the living standard of Nigerians.

Santuraki had earlier told the Sultan that the visit was aimed at showing appreciation to him on his sustained support to the bank.

“It is a fatherly visit to also thank the Sultan for his contributions to peace and unity in Nigeria and humanity across the globe generally,” he said.

(NAN)

PDP’ll present credible candidate in 2015 - Lamido

G

overnor Sule Lamido of Jigawa said yesterday that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would present a credible candidate for presidential election in 2015.

According to a Premium Times report, Lamido gave the assurance in Dutse when he received members of Arewa Youths Forum who paid him a

courtesy visit.

“From my political history, I don’t present myself for any position, I believe in my party and it will present a candidate that will be acceptable by all,” he said.

“PDP has modalities of doing things, we should wait and see the person that will be chosen to be the flag bearer of the party in 2015.

“PDP is built on justice and

fairness and my party has sagacity to break religious dichotomy and it is a party that was formed to unite the country, ” he added.

The governor advised the forum not to allow politicians to use it to achieve their political machinations.

Lamido has been rumoured as a possible presidential candidate of

the PDP for the 2015 election.

Earlier, the President of the Forum, Ibrahim Gujungu, said its members visited Dutse as part of its working tour of Northern Nigerian states.

Mr. Gujungu commended Lamido for his development projects and urged him “to wade in and save the north from total collapse.”

FG faults Clinton, says Nigeria’s economy sound 2015: Jonathan’s game plan with Governors Forums, Page 4

Newsxtra Int’l

30 31-34

Digest

36

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-45

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 digit at 9.0 per cent in January 2013, compared with 12.6 per cent in January 2012.

“The exchange rate has been relatively stable and the fiscal deficit at just under two per cent.

“Our national debt is at a sustainable level of about 19.4 per cent of the GDP. “The overall GDP growth for 2012 was 6.5 per cent and projected at 6.75 per cent for 2013, compared with the projected global growth of 3.5 per cent.

“The above facts have been independently noted and validated by international rating

agencies (such as Fitch, Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s) who have upgraded the country’s economic outlook even as other countries are being downgraded.

“In addition, Nigeria’s bonds have recently been included in the Barclays and JP Morgan Emerging Market indices.”

She also commented on the controversy generated by the Excess Crude Accounts and External reserves noting that there were never inconsistencies between figures reported by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

As Okonjo-Iweala put it, “there have also been claims of

inconsistency of account balances provided by the Ministry of Finance and the CBN. It is worth noting that the Ministry of Finance typically reports its balances following Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings which often take place at the middle of the month whereas CBN data are reported at the end of each month.

“There is thus a time lag between the reports from the two institutions and as a result, there are usually some differences due to transit items which are yet to be reconciled in both accounts.

“In addition, for quite a while, the CBN excess crude reports have

included the $1 billion allocated to the Sovereign Wealth Fund as this is still domiciled with the CBN whereas the Ministry of Finance does not regard it as part of the distributable Excess Crude Account.”

Although she admitted that there were obvious socio-economic challenges facing the nation, the Minister however admonished Nigerians to, “let us keep working to correct what is wrong and stop focusing on the denigration of what is being done right.

“Poverty needs to decrease at a faster pace as we do not want excessive inequality to be a feature of our economic growth.”

Jonathan’ll run in 2015 — Tukur Contd from Page 1 This is coming on the heels of the revelation by the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, that Jonathan signed a deal of single term with the PDP governors in 2011 before his candidature was backed against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the party’s national congress.

Commenting on Aliyu’s comments that the PDP Governors’ Forum was created to supplant the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Tukur said the Niger state governor was just expressing his personal opinion.

He however disclosed that the group was formed to enable the

governors on the party’s platform to come together.

The PDP Chairman also hinted that the party would soon convene its National Executive Committee (NEC)’s meeting as demanded by some governors.

Meanwhile, the Niger State Government has alleged the existence of a plot to silence its governor over his recent comment on the 2015 presidential election of Jonathan.

It specifically claimed that some hawks in Abuja have concluded arrangements to print posters with Governor Aliyu’s portrait and a message of 2015:Vote Babangida Aliyu for President, thereby pitting him against the

party which has placed an embargo on campaign for the presidency.

A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo further alleged that some media houses have been commissioned to write negative reports against Gov Aliyu as part of a grand design to discredit him and the state government.

But the statement said Gov Aliyu is a law abiding member of the PDP and is very much aware of the party directive to members not to commence campaign for the 2015 presidential election yet.

"For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Aliyu has not declared for the presidency. If anything, he is at the moment focused on

delivering on the mandate given to him by the people of Niger State and would not be distracted,” the statement said.

Aliyu said God is the ultimate decider of who becomes what, just as he cautioned Nigerians to be wary of persons who may want to discredit others for selfish gains.

Aliyu said he remains committed to his present assignment and would not be distracted by any devious plot by mischief makers.

He reiterated his commitment to the ongoing efforts at reengineering the state to achieve its vision of becoming one of the top three most developed state economies by the year 2020.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 3

New Attah Igala emerges From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

K

ogi state Governor, Captain Idris Wada, has approved the appointment of Prince Idakwo Michael Oboni, as the new Attah Igala.

According to a government press statement, the appointment

was sequel to the completion of due legal process for the emergence of a successor to the stool of Attah Igala.

The statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr. Jacob Edi, noted that, "for the benefit of doubt, the appointment followed the laid down procedure according to the

Igala Native Law and Customs as it relates to the selection and appointment of a successor to the throne of Attah Igala."

According to the statement, the appointment takes immediate effect and that all the necessary plans for the coronation should begin.

The appointment has put to rest several months of anxiety after the demise of the last Attah Igala, Alhaji Aliyu Obaje, who died in July, 2012.

The new Attah is the third in his lineage to hold the after his father, Ameh Oboni who died in 1954.

Oshiomhole trades words with police over Olaitan’s murder ď ŹWe are confused, says AGF

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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Sokoto state Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (right), being assisted by his deputy, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari (2nd right), distributing grains donated by the Federal Government to flood victims, yestrday in Silame local government area of the state.

Photo: NAN

Yobe govt petitions Nigerian Press Council over Leadership newspapers

By Agaju Madugba

Y

obe state government has lodged a complaint with the Nigerian Press Council against Leadership newspapers over its reports and comments which deems injurious to it and its officials.

The Special Adviser to the state governor on Press Affairs, Abdullahi Bego, lodged the complaint yesterday on behalf of the state government.

Addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, the letter says the Yobe state government is concerned that a recent personal column of the Leadership Publisher and some reports in the paper are, "capable of putting us into disrepute or misleading innocent members of the public within and outside Yobe state to think that our government, dedicated and hard working officials are not appropriately discharging their democratic, constitutional mandate to our people."

In the complaint, copies of which were also sent to the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), government attached relevant publications of the paper to demonstrate what it called the "unethical practices" against its officials.

The petition said that, "we strongly believe that it is simply because we have spurned his entreaties for advertisements, contrary to his expectations, that we should have pleased him all the way, even when the services of his newspaper were not needed. It is also because, while he effortlessly maligns our state government, he feels personally challenged or confronted, each time we decided to do a rejoinder to counter the falsehood contained in his writings", the letter says.

"As a democratically elected government, we place advertisements in the media from time to time. We do so because we think that it is the best way to showcase our achievements and to inform our people at home and elsewhere about

our programmes, projects and policies.

In doing this, we are guided by the imperatives of availability of funds and the reach and relevance of the media we patronize.

"We had in the past, placed advertisements in Leadership when we thought it was needful to do so.

However, on almost all occasions that we had reason not to patronize Leadership, we received harassing calls from Mr. Nda-Isaiah himself or some of his staff.

"In the space of one week, the newspaper published an editorial entitled 'Yobe And The Murder of Korean Doctors' (Leadership Wednesday, 13th February, 2013), where it accused the Yobe state Governor of being responsible for the regrettably cold-blooded murder of three Korean doctors in

our state (about which the security agencies with the support of the state government are working tirelessly to unravel). We wrote a rejoinder calling attention to the untruth in the editorial's claims and pointing out the many inaccuracies that informed its conclusions. A few days after our rejoinder, Mr. Nda-Isaiah again dedicated his personal column, under the title 'Yobe Governor Should Be Held Responsible for This' (LEADERSHIP, Monday, 18th February, 2013), to hurl invectives and to repeat the same false claims against us. He called the Yobe State governor a "sadist" and his media adviser a "thuggish underling," among many insults.

This, we strongly feel, is beyond the pale."

The letter asked the Nigerian Press Council to "urgently and thoroughly" investigate the matter and take appropriate action in line with relevant laws and ethics of journalism.

Emir of Kano returns amidst fanfare From Edwin Olofu, Kano

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ome six weeks after they were attacked and flown abroad for medical attention, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, and two of his sons returned to Kano yesterday amidst tumultuous reception. The revered monarch and his children arrived the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) at 7 pm, aboard

an Air Force aircraft as residents defied the security and trooped out en masse to give them a rousing welcome.

He was welcomed on arrival by government officials represented

by Brigadier-Gen. Bello Danbazau who is the Special Adviser to Kano state Governor on Special Duties.

The Emir had a brief stay at the presidential wing of the airport where some traditional title holders

went to pay him homage and he was later driven to the palace.

Bayero was attacked in January n the course of which five persons in his convoy were killed but the Emir escaped unhurt but two of his children sustained injuries in the.

It was celebration galore on the streets of Kano as soon as news filtered in that the Emir had returned to the town.

he Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke yesterday expressed frustration over the case of the murdered Principal Private Secretary to the Edo state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, saying he is confused.

The confession came as Oshiomhole traded words with the Nigerian police hierarchy as he maintained his earlier allegation that the police had a hand in Olaitan's death.

It was mild drama during the sitting of the Uzo Azubike-led House of Representatives committee on Public Petitions yesterday as the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Peter Gana, who stood in for the Inspector General of Police refuted the Oshiomhole's claim, describing it "false, baseless and intended to mislead the public."

According to Gana, Oshiomhole was using his privileged position to impugn reputation of the police as well as the character of its officers.

Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Investigation, Chris Esike, said the investigation had been derided by Oshiomhole and described the allegation as, "false, unfounded and diversionary."

Minister of Justice who was represented by Mr. O. T. Olatigbe, a Deputy Director in the ministry, said it would have done the agencies a lot of good if they had a harmonized position which would have made it easier for the AGF's office to proceed with the judicial aspect of the case.

According to Olatigbe, the police and the State Security Service (SSS) had forwarded "two different believable reports to AGF's office and we do not know which one to act upon and we are confused. We need further investigation. We have two reports and both are convincing but we do not know who to believe."

But the committee chairman flayed the position of the AGF saying it was sad that AGF whom the President and citizens of the country depended on for legal advice in such a situation is claiming confusion.

Azubuike said, "it is unfortunate. It is shameful and embarrassing that in a situation like this, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation is confused when the President of the country and everyone is looking up to you. It is sad to note that the office of the attorney General is confused."

Oshiomohle while making his presentation re-affirmed police complicity in the murder arguing that the suspects and the murder weapon that killed Oyerinde had been in police custody since April 24, 2012.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUART 28, 2013

2015: Jonathan's game-plan with Governors Forums

T

he frosty relationship between the Presidency and the 36 state governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) has deepened foreclosing amicable resolutions, a la Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). No thanks to the NGF's opposition to some government, even though the ruling party has the majority of governors in the folds of the governors' club. For instance, the NGF has challenged the consistent deductions of their funds for the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) and has opposed the proposal for independence of local governments and the state assemblies in the ongoing constitution review exercise.

To further heighten President Goodluck Jonathan's nightmares, some of the most portent opposition political parties in the country have merged into a single party, determined to dislodge the PDP in 2015. This has necessitated rapprochements in the ruling party with the need to guard against surprises that are bound to occur on the nation's political front ahead of the new election year. Both the PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the Chairman of the newly formed PDP Governors' Forum, Barrister Godswill Akpabio, have said that the new governors' body was formed to respond to the new challenge posed by the new All Progressives Congress (APC).

But PDP has always been its greatest enemy. Selfinterest is the rule in the ruling party, with the larger interest of the masses relegated to the background. In a saner clime, the politics of 2015 ought to be last in the minds of the nation's political leaders, whether in the ruling party or in the opposition. But, politics has become the biggest money spinning industry in the country distracting those in government. Although this development may not be unexpected because of the volatility of the country's political climate, not a few political watchers believe that the government should rather be concerned with the business of governance with the sole aim of delivering the democratic dividends, leaving the political parties to strategise on winning and losing elections.

The political realities facing President Goodluck Jonathan with the NGF, under the leadership of his fellow south southerner, fast assuming the status of a virulent opposition and with PDP governors in the majority, has made him to further guard his loins before the rug is pulled from under his feet. His strategists, having studied the activities

The heat for the 2015 Presidency is on! Permutations, political intrigues, tactics, outright offensive against perceived political enemies, and the politics of giving-the-dog-a-bad-name in order to hang it have taken over the nation's political space, especially within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). With the D-day still some two years plus away, the charged atmosphere has all the potential of making the 2015 Presidential election, nay general elections apocalyptic, writes Lawrence Olaoye.

President Goodluck Jonathan of certain prominent members of the NGF who have turned the body into a pressure group of sorts to hold the Presidency to ransom, had to put up their thinking caps to decimate the influence of the exclusive club.

Therefore, when recently the Presidency in active collaboration with the PDP hatched the plan to inaugurate the newly formed PDP Governors' Forum, it was not a big surprise to political watchers that the game-plan was a direct affront to the leadership of the NGF under the Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who has never hidden his disdain for Jonathan's continued leadership beyond 2015.

Although President Jonathan has yet to openly indicate interest in contesting the presidency in 2015, his actions and political gesticulations are indicative of such. The threat to Jonathan's undisclosed ambition became even more open when the Chairman of the Northern Governors' Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, in an outburst declared that the President, in the twilight of the 2011 Presidential election entered into a pact with his colleagues to stay only for a single term and hand over the reign of power to his successor.

It has been severally rumoured that two notable governors, Jigawa's Sule Lamido and NGF's boss, Amaechi, have perfected plans to pair for the presidency in 2015, and Jonathan's anticipated refusal to allow such on the platform of the PDP could lead to mass exodus from the ruling party. Obviously, it

PDP National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur would only result to a political Harakiri for the President and his co-travelers in the ruling party to allow his perceived political detractors to use the NGF as the vehicle for his removal. The formation of the Akpabio-led PDP Governors' Forum, analysts believe, is a direct political response to the Lamido/Amaechi challenge.

The Lamido presidency challenge was made even more pungent with supports coming from the unusual quarters. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Jonathan's political god-father obviously showed resentment to his continued stay in office beyond 2015 when he openly criticized his policies with snippets coming from reliable quarters that he and other leaders in the country may have made up their minds to ditch him for Lamido come 2015.

Reacting to the threats, Jonathan's men have perfected plans to take over the rein of power in the NGF first by balkanizing the forum and rendering the leadership ineffective, and then ensuring

a change of leadership to cut the ambitious ones to size.

Really, it would be horrendous and politically suicidal to leave the leadership of the NGF, whose members hold the political destinies of their states, to someone considered a political opponent.

The creation of a splinter group, which is supposed to have 23 of the 36 governors in the country, would at least checkmate the perceived excesses of the NGF boss pending the time of his removal slated for May this year. Amaechi survived the last move for his removal and planned replacement by the Katsina state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema. To further complete the task and crush the emerging opposition in the ranks of the governors, there are plans for the replacement of the Chairman of the Northern States Governors' Forum, Aliyu with the Benue state governor, Gabriel Suswam, who is considered an unalloyed loyalist of the President's.

At the party level, Jonathan has ensured that

“

To complete the cycle of dominance and control of the ruling party ahead of 2015, Jonathan's strategists have recently clinched the chairmanship of the party's Board of Trustees (BoT) with the emergence of Chief Tony Anenih in an acrimonious politicking.

sensitive positions are being held by his core loyalists. PDP chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has been doing a great job in ensuring that those perceived to be opposed to Jonathan's second term bid are not only ostracized but politically decimated. Tukur ensured that those perceived loyal to Jonathan's political opponents in the party's National Working Committee (NWC) were dealt with. The party's National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and its former National Auditor, Chief Bode Mustapha, must have known that they were taken out because they were on the other side of the divide.

To complete the cycle of dominance and control of the ruling party ahead of 2015, Jonathan's strategists have recently clinched the chairmanship of the party's Board of Trustees (BoT) with the emergence of Chief Tony Anenih in an acrimonious politicking. Although Anenih, Tukur and Akpabio have severally assured that they would reconcile aggrieved party members, such venture would be Herculean.

Nevertheless, it has become apparent that Jonathan and his supporters in the ruling party would be willing to crush every obstacle on their way and sacrifice any dissent for him to return to power in 2015 irrespective of the one single-term pact he had allegedly entered into with some party chieftains in the run up to the 2011 presidential election.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 5

‘NDIC paid N 90bn to depositors of failed banks’

By Nasiru Mu’azu Isa.

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L-R: Wife of Cote D'ivoire President, Mrs Dominique Ouattara, first lady, Mrs Patince Jonathan, President Goodluck Jonathan, and President Alassane Ouattara of Cote D'ivoire, during the arrival of President Jonathan for the 42nd ordinary summit of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS, yesterday in Yamoussoukro.

Opposition, not Boko Haram attack public property, says Shettima From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

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overnor Kashim Shettima of Borno, yesterday alleged that members of the opposition were responsible for most of the destruction of public structures in various parts of the state and not the Boko Haram insurgents, as widely believed.

As part of measures to check the trend, Shettima yesterday directed chairmen of the 27 local

By Umar Muhammad Puma

W

orried by the unprecedented flooding that ravaged parts of the country last year, the House of Representatives yesterday directed its committees on Environment, Emergency and Disaster Management to liaise with the Ministry of Environment and other relevant agencies of government to facilitate the establishment of such earthquake and Tsunami monitoring stations across the country.

The directive followed a motion brought to the floor of the House by Hon. Akpan Micah Umoh who noted that the nation is intensively involved in extractive industry especially onshore/offshore and deep sea oil drilling as well as what he described as indiscriminate water borehole drillings.

He argued that without

government areas to ensure adequate protection of completed and on-going projects in their respective domains.

The Governor also directed the chairmen to ensure safety of engineers, supervisors and other workers engaged in the execution of various projects against possible attacks by terrorists and other criminals.

Shettima who spoke while inspecting the Pivot Irrigation site project in Konduga local government council said, “I can

tell you that most of the destructions on infrastructure like schools, local government secretaries as well as attacks on workers executing various developmental projects, are the handiwork of the opposition.

“Politicians who do not want us to succeed will definitely act like Boko Haram. They intend to divert the attention of public from our numerous achievements but God willing they will fail.”

Shettima explained that the Pivot Irrigation Scheme will be

among the projects to be commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan who is expected to visit the state next month.

According to him, “we as government will not fold our arms but will provide adequate security to all government projects across the state.”

According to him, 40 security operatives comprising of soldiers and police as well as 20 members of the vigilante will be deployed to guard the project.

Reps call for establishment of earthquake, tsunami monitoring stations facilities for early warning information on seismic occurrences, these activities can engender earthquake and tsunami.

According to him, “these activities with seismic implications especially deep sea drilling are advancing with high intensity towards the mid-

Atlantic edge where the massive African and South America tectonic plates meet.”

Last year’s climate change which led to severe flooding in Nigeria, according to the lawmaker, is a pointer to the fact that the authorities we must be proactive in disaster management preparedness.

“The Nigerian economy depends mainly on petroleum activities and any undetected tsunami or earthquake with its attendant destruction on oil installation will crumble the economy as cities like Calabar, Eket, IkotAbasi, Warri Lagos and others along the nation’s coastline will be worst hit.”

Yero signs Kaduna 2013 budget

K

aduna state governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, has assented to the 2013 budget of about N179 billion.

Speaking at the budget signing ceremony, Yero urged the entire people of Kaduna state to continue to cooperate with government by shunning acts of violence in order to create the enabling

environment for peace and sustainable growth.

He said that 2013 budget was in line with the commitment of his administration to reduce the cost of governance by cutting down on recurrent expenditures while concentrating on capital, arguing that, “it is part of government’s

determination to rapidly transform Kaduna state through provision of critical infrastructure that will improve the living standards of the people.”

A breakdown of the budget shows that N104 billion is for Capital Expenditure with the balance of N74 billion for Recurrent Expenditure.

he Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation said it has paid a cumulative sum of N90.13 billion to depositors of 48 money banks in liquidation as at December 31, 2012, an increase of about N10billion from N80 billion paid in 2011.

The NDIC Managing Director, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, who was represented by the Director, Research Policy and International Relations, Dr. Jacob Ade Afolabi, gave the figures yesterday at the ongoing Kaduna international trade fair.

According to him, the NDIC has also paid over N2.5 billion to depositors of the 103 failed micro finance banks as well as payment to shareholders of three merchant banks in liquidation.

He noted that the mandate of the corporation is to provide financial guarantee to depositors of financial institutions.

While acknowledging the problems between customers and banks with regards to bank charges, account balance and frauds, the NDIC boss urged the public to make use of the free 24 hours telephone help line to report any complaints.

Why I accepted the Champion award- Aviation Minister From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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inister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, has said she decided to accept the “Champion Man of the Year Award” because it is a challenge to her and the Ministry of Aviation not to rest on their oars, but to continue to do all they can to expand the frontiers of transformation in the aviation industry.

She spoke at the award ceremony held in her honour in Lagos, explaining that, “I hold the strong belief that I do not need to be given any award or honour simply for doing my job.

“I think as Aviation Minister, everything I am doing and everything I am going to do going forward, is within the normal brief of an Aviation Minister. So, I do not feel I am doing anything extra-ordinary.

“The award will serve as a tonic for the ministry to pursue even more vigorously, the mandate to revolutionize the country’s aviation industry and make it safer, more secure, more customer-friendly and more commercially viable, in accordance with prescribed international standards and practices.”

PAGE 6

JTF kill gunman, arrest one in katsina From Lawal Sa'idu Funtua, Katsina

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he Joint Task Force, JTF, soldiers on a routine stop and search in Lambar Rimi along KanoKatsina road have killed a suspected gunman and arrested one person in an alleged shoot-out.

The JTF spokesman in Kano Zone, Captain Iwedichi Iweha who confirmed the incident in an interview with our correspondent in Katsina, disclosed that the incident occurred when his officers on routine stop and search were fired upon from the car the gunmen were travelling in.

He noted that a soldier returned fire killing one of the gunmen while the second person in the car was shot and wounded, adding that investigation would be conducted over the incident.

However, when our correspondent visited the scene of the incident, he saw the body of the alleged gunman lying by the road side while the Green Golf Car they were travelling in was riddled with bullets.

The incident occurred close to the Wind Energy Project site in Lambar Rimi where a French Expatriate, Francis Colump was kidnapped few months back with no news of his whereabout till date.

4 Dead, 250 Jigawa children infected with measles

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Father alleges daughter’s kidnap by school principal

By Maryam Garba Hassan

1

7year old Sadiyya Nurudeen, a student of Junior Secondary School Kado, Kuchi whose father alleged that she was kidnapped by her Principal, one Mrs. Mary Ebong, is said to be in the custody of the FCT Social Development Secretariat.

According to the father of Sadiyya Nurudden, Nuruddeen Abubakar Dan Musa, who lodged a complaint in a letter titled "Complain of Kidnapping of my Daughter Sadiyya Nurudeen by the principal of JSS Kado, Kuchi, Abuja", and copied the FCT Secretary of Education, Inspector of Education, Executive Secretary of Human Rights Commission, FCT and the Divisional Police Officer of Mabushi, FCT, his daughter Sadiyya left his house on Friday, February 22 , 2013 at 6.30am to the school and never returned home.

He said when the family became disturbed, they called

…She is safe and in our custody- FCT Director her telephone line and was told that she was taken to an undisclosed place by her principal adding that all efforts to return her home proved abortive.

Abubakar who insisted that his daughter was abducted by her principal, further explained that he is taking up the issue not for the sake of his daughter alone but to ensure that the incident does not repeat itself.

A letter from Danmusa's lawyers,Messrs Hammart & co, addressed to the principal reads in part: "Our client informed us that one of the attendants of the camp or place called our client on phone and informed him of the predicament of our client's daughter Sa'adiya Nuruddeen.

At the moment, she is being kept in that squalid condition without the reach or care of her parents four more than 4 days.

In view of the foregoing, we have the brief of our client to bring the notice of this ugly

development to the Education Secretariat of the Federal Capitral Territory Administration to take immediate disciplinary action against the principal of the school and our client intends to sue the principal in her personal name in a court of competent jurisdiction".

However, the Director Gender Development Department, Social Development Secretariat, Hajiya Amina Abubakar, acknowledged that the girl is in their custody since she left home on Friday, February 22, 1213.

Narrating the story, she said the girl has been complaining to the school authority about the pressure her father mounts on her to produce a husband within two weeks or get married to a person of his choice.

She said, on the said day when the girl came to the school, she ran to the school authority with her belongings asking them

R-L: Director, Defence Information, Colonel Mohammed Yerima with the Deputy Director, Defence Information, Group Captain AdedayoMakun, during Defence Headquarterspress briefing on Nigerian Armytroops deployment update in Mali, yesterday in Abuja.

From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

T

hree children died of measles and one of Cerebral Spinal Meningitis while over 250 others infected with the dreaded measles, records of the state ministry of Health has revealed.

According to the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Tafida Abubakar while speaking to Peoples Daily in Dutse, said the state planned to immunise over 250, 000 children under one year against the measles in two weeks time.

Dr. Tafida Abubakar explained that "the 250, 000 children of less than one year of age were targeted for vaccination against measles across the state".

He added that "the planned vaccinations followed the changing weather and reports of pockets of outbreak of the disease in neighbouring states."

The Commissioner noted that "there is a report of an outbreak of measles in Kano, Katsina and Kebbi states, which are directly bordering the state and a lot of inter mingling between the peoples of the states, you are fully aware that they are highly infectious".

By Joy Baba

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uthorities of Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Abuja said it has deployed the last batch of Nigerian troops to the African led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA) to mzke up a total of over 1200 officers and men to Mali.

The Director of Defence

to call the father and plead with him to allow her to complete her secondary school education before he get her married.

According to her, the girl told the school authority that she couldn’t talk to her father to make him consider her request as he was feared by all his children and that he often sent them out of the house whenever he was angry with any of them.

Amina further explained that the school authority had to take the girl into the custody of the social welfare workers to prevent her from running away from home because she was a brilliant student adding that their intention was to invite the girl's father to meet with them to resolve the issue.

The director added that already an invitation has been sent to the father through the D.P.O of Mabushi for a meeting between him a the Director General and the officials of the social welfare today.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Gov. Nyako's candidacy: Opponent heads to Supreme court From Umar Dankano, Yola

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r. Umar Ardo, the only aspirant cleared by PDP to contest 2011 governorship primaries with Gov. Murtala Nyako, said he will head for Supreme Court to

seek justice over the conduct of the party primaries.

Ardo told newsmen while reacting to Wednesday's judgment of the Court of Appeal Yola, that affirmed the ruling of a lower court that struck out his case challenging the

emergence of Nyako as the winner of the primary which he said was not validly conducted.

The appeal court judgment which dismissed Ardo's case affirmed the lower court position that Ardo did not

Nigeria's last troops sent to Mali Information, Col. Mohammed Yerima stated this while addressing journalist yesterday at the Defence Headquarters Abuja.

Yerima said the last batch airlifted yesterday by the Nigerian Air Force Charlie (C130) aircraft comprise of162

troops while the British Government airlifted support equipment to the operations side by side with the same aircraft type.

On the French citizen's held hostage by Boko Haram sect, Yerima said Defence Headquarters does not make official response to

videos on Youtube.

According to him " If Boko Haram group wishes to express concern about their members being held, they ought to have channeled their demands through the Joint Task force (JTF) telephone help lines which they are conversant with".

actively participate in the primaries and therefore lacks the locus standi to challenge the outcome.

Ardo however said his decision to head for the Apex Court was irreversible as he could see ray of hope there.

The petitioner who insisted that he participated actively in the primary and scored zero vote said he did not agree with the courts position.

Ardo dragged Governor Nyako and PDP to court was seeking the declaration that Nyako was not a valid candidate of PDP and an order for a fresh primary to be conducted.

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

SURE-P not political programme - Sambo

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

V

ice President Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo has re-affirmed that that the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) is not a political programme but an empowerment programme aimed at improving the socioeconomic status of Nigerians.

Vice President Sambo stated this during a review meeting of the Community Services Women and Youth Employment (CSWYE) programme, with stakeholders from the 36 States of the Federation, which held at

the State House, Abuja.

Arc Sambo stressed that the impact of the interventions of the SURE-P in the critical sectors of the Nigerian economy had been tremendous both in the infrastructure and social safety net programmes.

He noted that part of its infrastructure interventions was the ongoing refurbishing of over 3700km of roads across the country, with some already being commissioned and others nearing completion. He also added that the intervention of the SURE-P in the railways had facilitated the re-commissioning in December 2012 the LagosKano railway after over 35 years

of disrepair.

Vice President Sambo said that the CSWYE was one of the critical components of the safety net programme of SURE-P, adding that the President Goodluck Jonathan administration holds women and youth in high esteem.

“This programme is for the young men and women of Nigeria, it’s about empowerment; it is about building capacity and creating opportunities for the gainful employment of young people in our various communities to harness their energies and channel them into projects that will enrich their communities.

We need each and everyone’s cooperation to ensure that this project succeeds -without your full cooperation we cannot achieve that,” he said.

Sambo disclosed that in order to strengthen the CSWYE for proper coordination, efficiency, transparency, accountability and effectiveness, “the CSWYE Federal Project Implementation Unit has now been moved to the Federal Ministry of Labour, which also supervises the NDE to ensure better coordination of the project since the NDE is the technical implementation organ of the programme.”

He therefore charged the stakeholders to ensure

Pensioners staging a peaceful protest, yesterday in Lagos.

transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties.

Earlier the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu in his remarks enjoined all the stakeholders to put in their best to ensure the success of the programme. He noted that the programme had the capacity to reduce drastically the unemployment status of the country.

The Federal Government set up the SURE-P in 2012 as a means of changing the socioeconomic status of Nigeria through rapid interventions in critical sectors of the country’s economy.

Photo: NAN

Hembe, Azubuogu trial: EFCC witness says estacode non-refundable after payment

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

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staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Hassan Maman, yesterday told an Abuja High Court that once an estacode has been approved for an officer to travel the money belongs to the said officer.

The witness, a protocol officer with SEC declared that EFCC has never dragged anybody to court for failure to return an estacode meant for a trip the officer failed to attend.

Maman stated this during cross examination by Counsel to Azubuogu Dr. Chuba Ikpeazu (SAN) when EFCC closed its case against Hon. Herman Hembe, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and his deputy, Hon. Chris Azubuogu.

The witness said, “in the case

of SEC staff estacode that were s not used, another trip will be arranged for them and until another trip is arranged for them, they have done no wrong in keeping the estacode.

“The second accused approached me and inquired about how the ticket could be rerouted to Russia, I have never testified in any court over the failure of anybody to return estacode within five months, to the best of my knowledge the only conference organized by SEC was the one that ended on October 19th, a ticket is valid for 12 months within which it is either used or re-routed. The second accused person did not claim that he travelled. He did not call me to inform me that he travelled, no other trip was approved for the second accused to go to Russia.”

Another prosecution witness, Usman Ibrahim, a staff of SEC during cross examination by Ikpeazu, blamed the delay in getting the tickets and estacode

for the trip to the accused persons to the bureaucracy in the civil service.

During re-examination by the Counsel to the EFCC, Chile Okoroma, Ibrahim said that the approval for the trip was made by the Acting DG of SEC and that the Secretary of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market, Femi Ogunsanya, collected the estacode to give to the

two accused persons, noting however that, he never met with them in person.

Counsel to Hembe, Joseph Okutepa (SAN), and Ikpeazu (SAN), for Azubuogu, had told the court that the defence will make a no case submission as the prosecution has not made any case.

The suspended Chairman of the House Committee on Capital

Market Hembe and His Deputy, Azubuogu are standing trial for allegedly misappropriating the sum of $4095, about N600,000 in estacodes given to them by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to travel to Dominican Republic for a conference. The matter has been adjourned to April 30, 2013 for addresses on the no case submission.

Senate moves to decongest prisons

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Senate yesterday made remarkable progress in its efforts at decongesting Nigerian prisons as the bill to amend the criminal justice system passed second reading.

The bill seeks to de-congest the prisons by mandating the Comptroller General of Prisons to send details of inmates to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chief

• Laments condition of inmates Judges of the states through which the Judge can order express and unconditional the release of persons if he is satisfied that such a person is unlawfully detained.

The bill when passed will also make it compulsory for the Comptroller General of Prisons to make the monthly returns and

apply for release order from the Judges.

In his short remarks before ruling on debate, Senate President, David Mark, regretted that it is only the poor people who suffer from the congestion as the higher social are not kept in such conditions in the prisons.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 9

Army wives dole out loans From Musa Pam, Jos

T

he Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA), 3 Division Chapter, Jos has disbursed over N10 million defence skill acquisition loan facilities to its members.

The facilities, which were obtained from Hedgeworth Group, were issued out to 47 beneficiaries by the GOC, 3 Armoured Division, Maj. Gen. Ebi Awala , who was assisted by his wife and president, NAOWA 3 Division Chapter, Sophia.

The micro-credit scheme was categorized into eight to include tailoring, beauty care, soap making and photo processing.

Others are catering/fast food, business ICT and embroiling.

Speaking at the occasion, Awala charged the beneficiaries to repay the loans so that other members could equally benefit.

“As a revolving loan scheme you are expected to pay the loans as at when due so as to enable your members in the next issuance benefit like you.

“I hope with the happiness you have come to receive these facilities, you will use the same to pay back the loans “, he said.

Also speaking, Sophia Awala thanked the Hedgeworth Group for the loan facility granted NAOWA which she said, would go along way in affecting the lives of family members of beneficiaries.

STF commander sues for peace From Musa Pam, Jos

T

he Commander, Special Task Force (STF),in Jos Major-General Henry Ayoola has called on youths in Plateau state to embrace peace as it gives room for meaningful development of every community.

Ayoola stated this Tuesday in Jos at a Plateau youth peace parley organized by the STF for Riyom, Jos South and Barkin Ladi local government Areas held at Da Pwajok Wang Hall in Kuru.

According to him, the purpose of the peace parley was to brainstorm with the youths of the three local government areas on the way. He said change was a very difficult thing to embrace, but without it, there would never be development, adding that as potential leaders, they should imbibe discipline necessary for peace building.

The STF boss revealed that in the promotion of peace in the state, they have designed vocational skill acquisition programmes for youths, adding that so far, the STF has given out free medical treatment to many communities and was working hard to provide over fifty boreholes to the three local government councils.

The youths from Berom, Fulani and Hausa ethnic groups at the parley through their leaders Isa Abdullahi, Alhaji Ado and Sam Pam, commended the effort of the STF and promised to work with the security agencies towards finding lasting peace in the state.

L-R: Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe; Head of Service,Alhaji Isa Bello Sali; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; and Vice-President Mohammed NamadiSambo, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

Students threaten to sue striking Bauchi teachers

N

ational Union of Bauchi State Students (NUBASS) has threatened to drag the striking Academic staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) in Bauchi state if it continues to brutalise secondary students.

This is coming against the backdrop of the suit filed by the Bauchi state government against the leadership of the ASUSS before the chief magistrate 5 over what it called

the illegal strike being sustained by the union. The court fixed March 6, 2013 for hearing.

NUBASS President in Bauchi state, Comrade Mohammad Abubakar Jibo stated while addressing Journalists at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists that students may consider dragging the teachers to court if they continue to molest them in the attempt to enforce the strike.

According to him, the union would not tolerate the maltreatment and victimisation of students in various secondary schools across the state, hence the need to call on the teachers to rescind its decision in the interest of students and the state in general.

Jibo dispelled the rumors that the union is being sponsored by the government to discredit the teachers who are on strike for

almost two weeks now, saying the forthcoming senior secondary examination is around the corner hence the call for ASUSS leadership to suspend the strike.

He urged students to remain calm and steadfast as all avenues were being exhausted to end the lingering crisis as students, according to him, are children of ASUSS members only asking for education and not mass confinement and brutalisation.

Commissioner for youth development, Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Wushishi who made this known Tuesday, at the graduation ceremony of the Talba Vocational Training and Skill Acquisition held at Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Centre, Minna, said the scheme was aimed at making the state one of the three best economies in the country by 2020.

He identified areas of training which includes welding and fabrication, chalk manufacturing, duster

production, screen printing and paint production.

Others are agriculture, tailoring, knitting, ICT capacity development courses and business management.

“What should also interest us is that every successful programme processes a lifespan and the ability to measure policies is geared towards the success rate of programmes and implementation”, he noted.

Alhaji Wushishi said, “I will continue to give the much needed political leadership and commitment to ensure that

over 26,000 registered unemployed youths in our database get required training”.

Responding, the Governor of Niger state, Dr. Mu’azu Aliyu Babangida promised that his government would pay the remaining N12 million on behalf of the trainees who graduated in 2008 so that they can get their certificates.

He emphasized that youths are the bedrock of any nation and advised them to be disciplined in everything they do.

Unemployment: Niger trains 2,500 youths From Iliya Garba, Minna

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iger state Ministry of Youth Development has introduced a Vocational Training Scheme that has trained 2,500 youths towards reducing unemployment.

The training programme was meant to equip the participants with relevant skills that would not only enable them earn a living and become selfreliant but also enable them contribute their quota towards the socio-economic development of the state.

66 Tsangaya teachers to get modern teaching From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

B

auchi state government has pledged to train sixty six Tsangaya (Almajiri) teachers across the state on modern learning and teaching methods.

The Director General, Bauchi state tsangaya education agency, Sheikh Sayyadi Aliyu Dahiru Bauchi disclosed this during the opening ceremony of the training which held Tuesday at the secretariat of the Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi Foundation.

He explained that the training was aimed at updating the knowledge of the almajiri teachers in modern teaching techniques.

According to him, the state’s Tsangaya education body, in collaboration with the

Foundation, has organized a three months training for Qur’anic teachers in the state capital.

Sayyadi noted that great Islamic scholars from Egypt were engaged to train the almajiri teachers on various courses,

adding that about 66 participants were drawn from different schools in the metropolis to benefit from the gesture.

He added that the office has recently organized same training for Imams and free classes to

numerous sara-suka thugs to rehabilitate them.

The DG applauded the state government for initiating the payment of unprecedented salaries to tsangaya teachers in the state.

traditional and religious leaders on promoting routine immunization, maternal and child health services in Bauchi state, saying that the leaders have been in full support.

He called on parents and guardians to ensure that their children and wards were

properly immunized and also appealed to all Nigerians to support government in wiping out polio and other child killer diseases in the society.

The Ningi Monarch stressed the importance of prevention and advised people to support the laudable measures in reducing maternal mortality rate.

No traditional, religious leader oppose immunization- Ningi Monarch From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

T

he Emir of Ningi in Bauchi state, Alhaji Yunusa Muhammadu Danyaya has said that none of the religious and traditional leaders in the country is against immunization exercises.

The Emir made the remark at a sensitization workshop for

PAGE 10

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUART 28, 2013

BSPHCDA worries over rejection of immunisation From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

T

he Bauchi state Executive Chairman of Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr. Nisser Umar has expressed worry over the refusal of parents to immunize their children.

Umar stated this Tuesday at a one day workshop organized by PHCDA for traditional and religious leaders in the Bauchi Emirate Council to promote

health services, polio eradication and routine immunization.

He described the non compliance of people with the immunization exercise as unfortunate saying that efforts are being made by the government to ensure that all children are immunized against the polio disease.

Dr. Umar said , "vaccines and other logistics provided by the government are being wasted as our people don't take their

children for immunization. As our leaders, there is need for information to flow to so that people will know the importance of immunization and other health services''.

The Chairman then assured of government's relentless effort to ensure the participation of citizens of the state in immunization.

Also speaking, the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwan Suleman Adamu who was represented by the Galadiman Bauchi, Ibrahim

Saidu Jahim emphasized the importance of immunization on all children.

He explained that religious and traditional leaders were in full support of the immunization exercise, calling on parents and wards to ensure that their children are properly immunized.

The Emir attributed the rejection to immunization to the ignorance of the people, some of which, he said, were linked to spiritual beliefs.

J

ustice Adamu Bello of a Federal High Court in Abuja Tuesday told parties to avoid any action capable of delaying proceedings in the suit brought before him by the chairman of the recently dissolved Pension Reform Task Team, Dr Abdulrasheed A. Maina seeking to quash the warrant of arrest issued against him by the Senate.

"Anything that will be a ploy to delay proceedings should be dropped, so that this matter be given expeditious hearing in the interest of all the parties", Justice Bello stated, while granting the application filed by the counsel representing the Senate and other respondents, Ken Ikonne, seeking an extension of time within which to file and serve out of time, the counter affidavit and written address to the Plaintiff's suit.

Maina's counsel, Mahmud Abubakar Magaji (SAN) then prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable him respond to the counter-affidavit and other processes filed by the respondents in the matter.

The trial Judge adjourned the matter to March 5, 2013 for

section 6 (6) B of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

Other reliefs are declaration that the threat and intimidation and attempts to arrest him by the Respondents on the basis of the exercise of his lawful and legitimate duties as Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team was unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever and an order directing the respondents to pay him the sum of one billion naira as aggravated and exemplary

F

damages for unlawful interference with his right to perform his lawful duties and sum of N500 million as general and exemplary damages.

Maina's pension reform team was alleged to have been involved in N195 billion frauds, a situation which prompted the Joint Senate Committee investigating Pension Administration to issue a warrant for his arrest after his persistent refusal to appear before it to clarify the issues surrounding the alleged fraud.

the inmates and prison personnel in the six prisons.

Describing the move as timely, the Comptroller noted that it was better and cheaper to prevent than to cure saying that the heat was a warning signal of possible outbreak of the disease at any time.

Omale said that the disease which was usually heralded by severe headache and fever, often caused stiffness of the neck and could be fatal if not properly managed by qualified health personnel.

According to him, the

vaccination is going on at Federal Prisons in Koton-Karfe, Okene, Kabba, Idah, Dekina and Ankpa as well as the state headquarters of the command in Lokoja.

The Comptroller said that though the disease had not been reported in any part of the state, there was the need for people to guard against its outbreak.

He urged the general public to ensure adequate ventilation of their houses and allow good space for free flow of air as he reiterated, that "prevention is better than cure."

Alleged N195bn pension scam: Court warns against delay in Maina's suit parties to adopt their written addresses and also warned parties to avoid doing anything that will affect the suit, which is pending before his court.

It would be recalled that Maina had on February 4, 2013 dragged the Senate and Nigeria Police Force to the Federal High Court Abuja over alleged breach of his fundamental rights pursuant to Section 46(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He is seeking a court order setting aside the warrant of his arrest by the Senate on February 2, 2013 as same constitute a violation of his Rights as guaranteed under section 35(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

Maina also prayed the court to declare that the decision of the Senate, through its Joint Committee on Establishment & Public Service; and the Committee on State and Local Government Administration directing his immediate arrest and detention by the police without any legal justification, was unconstitutional, illegal ultra-vires, null and void of effect whatsoever as same violates section 36(1) and

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

aith leaders comprising Muslims and Christians under the auspices of Nigerian Inter-Faith Action Association (NIFAA) have moved to kick out malaria from Nigeria.

Over 200 religious leaders in Bauchi were yesterday trained on social mobilization for malaria prevention and eradication which was organized by the Nigerian Inter-Faith Action Association (NIFAA) in collaboration with National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) was meant to generate consumer demand for anti-malaria commodities using well defined structures of both faiths.

The NIFAA liaison officer in the state, Mr. Peter Salisu who disclosed this during the training session held at Zaranda Hotel Bauchi, said the religious leaders were co-opted because of their importance in the society.

Salihu said 10 faith leaders were selected from each of the 20 local governments in the state adding that each of them is expected to train 15 of their members in their respective areas.

He further said that the 15 members train by the faith leaders in their areas will in turn engage 3 volunteers who would carry out door to door campaign on malaria prevention Also speaking NIFAA Executive Director Bishop Sunday Onuoha challenge both Muslims and Christians clerics to work together in order to carry out effective mobilization campaign against malaria.

NMCP national coordinator said they work with faith leaders in order to use them to create demand for healthy behaviors and increase knowledge on malaria in order to have a malaria free country.

Earlier the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwan Sulaiman Adamu who was represented by the district head of Bauchi Adamu Jumba, advised both Christians and Muslims to embrace peaceful co-existence as was obtained in the past.

L-R: Founding Partners SIAO, Mr. Ladi Smith, Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Engineer Elias Mbam, and Acting Executive Secretary, Nigerian Extractive Industries and Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, during the opening of workshop on Fiscal Allocation and Statutory Disbursement Audit, organised by NEITI, yesterday in Abuja Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

Religious leaders move to kick out malaria

Prison inoculates inmates in Kogi

From Sam Egwu, lokoja

T

he Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) in Kogi state has commenced vaccination of inmates and its personnel in the six prison formations in the state against cerebro-spinal meningitis.

Comptroller of Prisons in the state, Mr Adams Omale disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday in Lokoja.

Omale said the deadly disease thrived in hot weather adding that prevailing heat informed the decision of the service to inoculate

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUART 28, 2013

Financial planning as basis for efficient investment

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any people believe that long-term financial planning is only important for the wealthy, or that it is a task best left for professionals.

But in reality, there are many steps that an average investor can take to solidify his financial future.

As soon as you begin to bring in enough money so that a portion of it may be set aside for investing, a plan is necessary to take full advantage of that money.

The amount of money available to invest also plays an important role in what investments can be purchased, because some investments are subject to limited access because they require certain minimum amounts.

One of the most important aspects of investing is determining time horizons. Put simply, it is crucial to know when you will need the money.

Common time horizons are based on large future expenses,

such as retirement, college, houses or cars. Knowing when money will be needed allows for the most effective investment strategy to be tailored fitting the specific goals you have outlined.

"More generally, investing a greater amount of money opens the door to a portfolio with more risk and potentially greater returns. However, despite the importance of investing to your overall long-term financial situation, money for health, auto and life insurance and retirement plan contributions should be a higher priority, and should be budgeted for before beginning to invest.

Additionally, investing should begin after high-interest debt, especially credit card debt is paid off. And because after-tax returns will probably not exceed the interest rates paid on credit card debt, paying off the debt first will increase the amount of money you have each month," according

to personal finance experts at Investor guide.

"After subtracting essentials and debt, the first decision to make within available funds is between savings and funds to invest. Saving allow for access to cash without the fees and lost opportunities associated with removing money from investments ahead of schedule.

They should be highly liquid and will usually be located in a savings account, or other safe low-yield investment vehicle. Savings should include an emergency fund and funds for any major near-term purchases.

To create a sufficient emergency fund, you should amass enough cash to pay bills for a couple of months in the event of unemployment or cover the costs of major auto repairs or similar unexpected major expenses," investor guide analysts further stated.

The first step in the financial

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it on even though it might disappear faster than you intended. It is tangible and feels real and it gives one a sense of really possessing something.

All over the world, the trend has been for governments and financial institutions to pursue policies to reduce the volume of cash in the system. Nigeria is no different and indeed cannot afford to be left behind in this initiative. To limit

cutting their expenses and thereby increasing their revenues. The rest of us should embrace electronic and internet banking for the speed, convenience, security, and the efficiency that it provides.

Have you embraced internet banking?

The internet has revolutionised banking and personal finance in many ways. If you have not yet embraced your banks internet

the negative impact of the use of cash in the Nigerian economy, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently directed that sanctions or penalties would be imposed for exceeding the maximum transaction limits of N500, 000 for individuals and N3million for corporate bodies.

There are many benefits from doing away with "old fashioned cash." Government and the Central Bank will embrace it, as it is a means of curbing money laundering and other financial crimes, security challenges and the exorbitant cost of cash management to the banking industry.

Businesses will embrace it as a means of receiving instant payment and automating their inventory and accounting systems,

banking service, there are some compelling reasons to do so.

Nowadays, we are all so busy in our work lives that there often isn't the time to visit the bank. With internet banking, you can carry out most of your routine banking transactions at your convenience.

If you have internet access, you have unlimited access to your bank accounts; you can check your account balances, pay bills, make transfers, and manage your various accounts with a few simple clicks from your laptop or computer, your I-pad, or your cell phone.

Many people today are opting for electronic banking, using automated processes and electronic devices for their financial transactions for convenience, and

planning process is to determine net worth. An investor's net worth will serve as a jumping off point to begin thinking about his financial future.

Net worth is simply the sum of an investor's assets minus the sum of his debts. Assets include all of an investor's assets including real

estate, securities, valuables and cash.

The goal of financial planning is simply to find ways to increase net worth at a steady pace. Saving money, allowing assets to appreciate, and paying down debt will all contribute to this goal

efficiency. The most common forms of electronic payments are telephone banking, internetbanking and plastic cards; credit cards, debit cards and automatic teller machine (ATM) cards, instead of currency.

Do you routinely use plastic cards?

Not long ago, even a withdrawal of N1, 000 had to be processed through a bank; one had to walk into a branch, queue up for long period and places a request by writing a cheque which had to be processed over the counter by the banker. This process can sometimes be tedious and time-consuming.

Plastic money in the form of credit & debit cards has transformed our financial lives, where a person can affect a host of transactions, without ever having to visit a bank.

Whether it is from an online portal or your nearest grocery shop, an increasing number of merchants, including shops, restaurants, clubs, hotels etc. will accept your card; even if they don't, you can always walk into your nearest ATM and withdraw cash.

Buy now, pay now Your debit card electronically transfers funds from your bank account to the store you are making a purchase from; this means that you do not have to carry cash and risk losing it. Your card also has the advantage of being replaceable; if one is lost or stolen, it can be replaced.

Debit cards draw money out of your account almost instantly, which is much faster and more convenient than writing cheques.

The fact that the money is withdrawn immediately means that spending is limited to the amount of money that you have in the account that the card is tied to and there is no financing charge; this makes it easier to keep track of your spending.

Buy now, pay later While a credit card is advantageous because purchases can typically be paid back over

time, interest rates, which usually exceed 20 percent per year, tend to create significant debt depending on how much the consumer spends on credit-card purchases.

It is tempting to keep spending and spending until you have reached your limit, often times, thousands of naira later! If you don't pay off your balance when your statement is due, you will be charged expensive fees and interest on your credit card balance and risk the potential of your account being closed with damage to your credit rating. It is thus important to be cautious and disciplined with a credit card.

Are you going away on holiday?

The Naira Visa and MasterCard debit cards are most innovative products that have been introduced into the Nigerian financial system. These cards allow you to access foreign exchange from your Naira account while abroad and Naira while in Nigeria.

Denominated in Naira, they can be used at ATMs or Point of Sales (POS) terminals globally where the Visa or MasterCard signs are displayed to either pay for goods and services or access foreign exchange.

Linked to your current or savings account, all transactions reflect instantly.

If you plan to use your cards whilst you are away,to save you carrying too much cash, notify your bank or credit card company; as an added security precaution, many card providers look out for what appears to be "suspicious" activity. If they see your card being heavily used particularly in what is an unusual environment for you, your account may be suspended until they have heard from you to confirm that it is indeed you using the card. Ensure that your card providers can reach you while you are away and as far as possible use your debit card for withdrawals at ATMs during bank opening hours.

(Source: www.moneyning.com)

Run with cashless, don't be left behind

re you prepared for a cashless society?

Are we heading towards a cashless society where digital or electronic money eventually replaces physical money? The world of banking and finance has been one of the greatest beneficiaries of technological innovations and advancement in global payment systems.

Technology has changed so much in our lives; the greatest impact has been felt in the actual way transactions take place, that is, the use of physical money itself.

In some developed countries, one can do almost entirely without the use of hard cash and electronic means of payments far outstrip cash transactions in much of the industrialised world today; indeed, one is regarded with consternation should one wishes to make a purchase with a large amount of cash.

Financial institutions are implementing electronic payments via internet-banking and plastic cards; credit cards, debit cards and automatic teller machine (ATM) cards, instead of hard cash.

How would you feel if you were told that you would no longer be able to use paper money and would have to rely on electronic technology for all your transactions? We all like the speed and convenience of electronic commerce, but we also like the look and feel of our hard cash; you take out N10, 000 at the ATM and have a rough idea of how long it will last, you can see what you are spending

Quote

Nobody talks about entrepreneurship as survival, but that's exactly what it is and what nurtures creative thinking.

Running that first shop taught me business is not financial science; it's about trading: buying and selling. - Anita Roddick

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

The insufferable arrogance of the First Lady T he recent insistence by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, that regardless of the universal uproar against the proposed N4 billion African First Ladies' Peace Mission Building in Abuja, that the project must go on, underscores the truism in the statement that 'of all the dangers of statecraft to the citizenry, the most deadly is the use of power without responsibility'.

We could not agree more, because the office of the First Lady is not recognized by the Nigerian Constitution or any other laws in the land to imbue such arrogance into the occupier.

When the budget proposals of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was presented to the Senate for approval by the Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed a couple of weeks ago, the upper chamber of the National Assembly roundly condemned the plan to build the N4 billion African First Ladies' Peace Mission Building at the tax payers' expense, calling it a white elephant project that has no edifying value to the larger society.

Other stakeholders, notably anticorruption Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) even took to the streets to protest against the project with calls on the FCT administration to reconsider the ill-thought decision.

Commentators on both conventional and social media have also been up in arms against the proposal, calling on the President not to allow his wife's over bloated ego to run roughshod on his better judgment.

But two days ago, the First Lady's spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, told State House

correspondents that there was no going back on the project, considered by his principal as an "all important continental attraction to the country".

According to him, aborting the project, "offends the original African culture of charity to obstruct any effort to promote peace and development such as the decision of all African First Ladies to rise up to the social responsibility as mothers

“

What credibility is there in a country whose leadership is noted more for corruption than compassion? and wives of leaders on the continent to save the women, children and the aged on the continent from the traumatic consequences of violent conflicts and wars.

He added that, "it will amount to an abdication of responsibility by Nigeria and that level of disappointment will be injurious for the leadership status of Nigeria in Africa.

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

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”

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

What credibility is there in a country whose leadership is noted more for corruption than compassion? What can be a greater abdication of responsibility than for a country that, despite its stupendous yearly earnings, its public hospitals and other health facilities are only so in name, lacking medicines and vaccines, and its public schools only good for the children of the plebeians? What credibility is there in a nation whose leadership rushes to the best health facilities outside these shores for as common an ailment as cold or to put their wives and daughters to bed? Where is the pride in a country ready to waste billions of naira on an ego-trip project when more than 50% of its population lives on less than $1 a day? What can be more incredible or a greater abdication of responsibility than the failure of the leadership to guarantee security for Nigerians, even as its members live in fortified mansions guarded 24 hours all year round? Above all, what is credible about a leadership whose stock-in-trade is telling bare faced lies to the nation, even where telling the truth will serve its purpose better?

No, apart from massaging the over bloated ego of Dame Patience Jonathan, it will take more than the N4 billion African First Ladies' Peace Mission Building to add any credibility on Nigeria in the eyes of the international community, to which our leaders seem more enamored to than the Nigerian citizens.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

CHAIRMAN MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE DIRECTOR/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RUFA’I IBRAHIM ACTING. EDITOR, DAILY HAMEED M. BELLO

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALI M. ALI

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA

ACTING EDITOR, WEEKEND JAMILA NUHU MUSA

MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

HEAD, LAGOS BUREAU ADESOJI OYINLOLA

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

By Owen Ozue

I

t came like a phantom. Indeed it was because not even those who came with the concept could prove it or even offer an explanation. The ‘Independent’ National Electoral Commission (INEC), which at the time and up till now is negotiating its independence with the Nigerian National Assembly, sacked 28 political parties by fiat, without explanation. As if that was not enough, they struck the names of three other parties out of their list before the dust could settle.

So the expected hew and cry aggravated. In literature; in wraps of emotion; in law and in media blitz. It is not as if this is not a familiar path. Salihu Abubakar’s Nigeria had in 1998 allowed the registration of only three political parties Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Peoples Party (APP) and Alliance for Democracy (AD).

Those in the inner circles had insisted that they had, just like their grand predecessor Babangida, and driven by the same philosophy of creating only ‘national parties’ decided to register two parties. However, the AD challenge which unfortunately housed many street fighters in the battle to regain democracy stuck out like a sore thumb, so the goal post was literally shifted and Nigeria had a total of three political parties.

But Chief Gani Fawehinmi and the National Conscience Party who had formed their political party five years before would have none of that. They led other interests to the court of law in and the judgement which came in 2002 vindicated them, opening up Nigeria’s political space. From that year, the number of political

PAGE 13

INEC’s fast lane to Utopia parties in the country exploded to 64, before INEC suddenly deregistered the first batch of seven (7) parties on August 18, 2011.

However, the fact least discussed is the basis for INEC decision on the affected political parties, the basis of the law and the fact of an existing litigation on the connection of the law to the Nigerian ground norm. Perhaps this is owing to the fact that INEC initially felt shy of openly stating the reasons for their action in the first and second ‘de-registration’ exercises. They only tried to correct their omission or commission through newspaper advertisements, after the Fresh Democratic Party had filed an action in court challenging the electoral/certifying body for deregistering their party.

The National Assembly, had in 2010, made some limited amendments to the constitution have argued that the suit challenging that law based on consistency with the 1999 Constitution as amended is in the federal High Court and both the NASS and INEC are parties in the suit, which pre-supposes that INEC has every reason to await the decision of the court in respect of that matter, but did not.

It is trite law and common sense that should the action of the 51 political parties succeed, the law on which INEC solely relies for its actions would have become extinct and therefore the decision of INEC would be unenforceable. If on the other hands it succeeds, INEC would be justified. But the mere fact of not waiting the judgment has prejudiced the action of INEC,

the parties argue with some merit.

In my view, it is either INEC was acting out a script that could not afford to wait on the court, or has a vested interest in the matter.

Either perspective portrays the electoral umpire as an interested party in both actions, which is not good for our democracy.

Yet having dealt with the legal side of it, it still leaves the political side. The outstanding issues are: Does it make sense for us as a nation to insist that all political parties, must be national parties. If so, what constitutes a national party? Is it membership of parties by a specific proportion of nationalities in Nigeria or merely having secretariats in all parts of Nigeria like business offices can do? Does it not make sense to allow political parties to exist and expand either through growth, alliances, coalition or whatever at their own pace? Does a party formed In Bayelsa State to protect the fishing rights of Ijaw fishermen, need a branch in Bauchi State? The changes in the electoral law which replaced Electoral Act 2006 with Electoral Act 2010 introduced a minimum attainment for political parties to stay alive.

In the face of this new law it would have been easy to sum up that INEC’s decision with respect to the parties is justified, but the parties In the wake of the enactment of the new law challenged it as a bloc in court for being a bad law running against the grain of the constitution. INEC incidentally is a party in the lawsuit, which is still running, just like the National Assembly. The litigants claim without that the electoral body, as

well as NASS have been served the processes of the court in the matter.

Yet neither INEC nor NASS would wait for the outcome of the matter before snuffing the life out of 31 political parties in a space-time of two weeks. NASS has given blanket support and the logic is not farfetched.

But beyond legalities, is it fair for parties to exist in name alone in elongated ballot papers during elections and no more? This is the moral question hanging over the legitimate attempt for the parties to regain life. INEC cites, even though belatedly that any of them were registered for having expired executives and inactive offices. This situation does not hold any prospects for the development of party politics in Nigeria and needs to be discouraged by all available means.

However the issue remains whether an outright ban of existing political parties remains the credible way to arrive at the desired end of activating the existing parties and enriching party politics in the country, or if the latest policy action of INEC amounts to appropriating more powers than the constitution has allowed the political umpire.

Hence whether the subsisting INEC action can stand. That remains to be seen from the interpretation of the law courts.

One can only advise at this stage that the political parties should see an end to the legal pursuit of this matter, just like the Gani Fawehinmi-led National Conscience Party (NCP) did in 2002, because it is favourable to our political jurisprudence.

In the meantime, the nation

should be mindful that if INEC did not step out to ban the political parties, it had alternative ways of achieving a decent electoral process, by evoking its own internal powers and the mechanism of collective bargaining to set benchmarks for inclusion of a political party on the ballot papers, which its development partner in this matter, NASS should have no problem reflecting as a further amendment of the Electoral Act. While we need strong institutions, for our democratic development, we need to be careful not to concentrate too many powers in the hands of INEC, because experience has shown that such could backfire and leave the nation’s political machine facing where it has been backing for a while.

In the best of INEC’s calculations, it desires a sanitised political space where at least two or more national political parties engage in a strong contest for power, alternating same among themselves. Indeed there are nations with this scenerio, and one would not be foolhardy to say that it is not working for America, UK and the likes. Yet one would also like to admit that the history of America does not showcase cases of dissolution of parties by fiat. In fact if anything it shows a labyrinth of fragmentations, mergers, and cu—and-joins right from the coming of the days of the republicans and the federalists in the seventeenth century.

So why does INEC and its advisers want to drive Nigeria so fast, and so inorganically to the Western Utopia that matured in hundreds of active faltering?

Dr Owen Owue writes from Nnewi, Anambra state oozue@yahoo.com

The 'Hubris' documentary and its future lessons (II)

By Wumi Akintide

T

hey used to be vocal champions of voting rights for all Americans. Not anymore. They used to be party of national security but since Obama is now showing as much passion and resolution for national security, the Republicans are no longer as enthusiastic for national security like before. They are now rooting for Sequestration to kick in regardless of its impact on national security. They do not support closing the loopholes for private jets and or the other privileges the filthy rich one per cent of Americans millionaires and multimillionaires still enjoy. They are automatically against anything Obama is for because they are still in denial that Obama is as legitimate as any of his white predecessors.

They just want to see Obama fail regardless of how his failure as President is likely to impact the entire nation. Having woefully failed to stop him at the last election, they want to make sure his legacies as President should not endure. Obama's success as President is a nightmare for the Republicans Their position on the Chuck Hegel nomination as Defense Secretary has totally destroyed their fairness and

credibility as a party to reckon with. Good Republicans like Richard Lugar and Chuck Hegel who prefer to think outside the box and would speak their minds no matter what, have become endangered species in the Republican Party. Richard Lugar and Chuck Hegel have all been great assets to the party in the past, but now they are being pushed out or forced out of the grand old party as we speak. Senator Hegel is precisely the right kind of Defense Secretary America needs now.

President Obama was right to pick him and he is going to be confirmed when all he is said and done.

To cut a long story short, my concern in this article is to depose that most if not all Governments including those in developed countries lie or mislead their people to get their way but Governments in the third world or in developing countries lie and mislead their own people all the time and quite often they get away with it because the whistle blowers or the Press and the Media have been compromised, bought or bribed by Government to either remain silent or look the other way, or just help Government to spread the lie and stifle public opinion or protest. The Yar Adua/Jonathan Government deliberately kept Nigeria in the

dark on the health status of Yar Adua for so long in an animal kingdom kind of scenario. The Jonathan Government is doing the same thing or worse today with what actually happened to the first lady when she reportedly went abroad for vacation or medical treatment she could not get at home all at Government expense. She returned to Nigeria to openly admit she actually died, so to speak for 7 days and she rose from the death. She and her husband, the so called transformative President who is going to change Nigeria, are now inviting Nigerians to join then in giving thanks to God after the fact.

The only liberal press to raise an eyebrow and to ask what the whole scenario says about the integrity and the transparency of the Jonathan Government is the Sahara Reporters which operates out of New York. The local Media would not say much about the development because they have been silenced by Government.

Reuben Abati the Media adviser to the President who used to be the most vocal critic of Government before he joined the Government is now looking the other way or defending the indefensible.

The lessons from what is happening in America today have become all the more serious and

infectious because Governments in third world countries can now point to America to justify most of the terrible things they do.

America which is supposed to be a positive role model is behaving worse today than many of the countries looking up to her for leadership. The whole world welcome the election of the first black President in America in 2008 and its re-election in 2012.

It viewed the democratic experiment in America as clearly the best but if you take into account the gridlock and the obstacles the black President has faced from the Republican opposition, you will realize that what happened in 2008 was simply God at work and not so much because America was better or more politically sophisticated than her peers in other countries. The Republicans are trying to re-write the rules, impose voter suppression techniques across the country in Republican-controlled states because they now know they cannot win fair and square unless they cut corners.

They have remained in denial that the young black President had won in 2008 and 2012 because America is no longer the country they used to know.

They blackmail the President every step of the way calling him

a Muslim and a socialist and making it harder for him to have his Cabinet nominees confirmed.

They want to make the country ungovernable by saying no to every good and balanced initiative from the President. They want to use extreme partisanship and Sequestration to destabilize the Government and to make it impossible for the President to leave behind any legacies he could be proud of.

One way or the other the President is going to laugh last and laugh best because he is doing the right things and God is definitely on his side. The Republicans should look in the mirror if they are looking for their enemies. As long as they remain on the wrong side of most of the issues that should determine the next and future elections, they have a rough road to travel for them to ever regain power at the national level in the foreseeable future, They are doing America a huge disfavor, however, by tarnishing the good image of America as leader of the Free World and as arguably the best experiment in democratic Government the world has come to know.

I rest my case.

Concluded Wumi Akintide wrote in from Lagos

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 14

Gov. Wamakko, the Caliphate son @ 60

By Tosin Adeyanju

W

riting about the governor of Sokoto state Alhaji Aliyu Magataka Wammako is about the most difficult, and - confusingly the easiest - task to do. It is difficult because of the numerous angles one can explore about the man Aliyu, each enough to be an independent subject with rich intellectual and moral benefits. On the other hand, it is easy because there is nothing one can say about Aliyu Wammako that has not been said before with even better clarity. No word can add value to the person of Gov. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (Sarkin Yaman Sokoto).

Equally, no word can reduce an ounce out of the tons of respect, belief and sincere goodwill he enjoys from majority Nigerians and especially Sokoto state indigenes built overtime through hard work, selflessness and impeccable quality of character. Still, that would not stop me, like many of his well wishers to chip in a word about this epitome of honesty,a detribalized Nigerian and a lover of country especially at this time when he is celebrating his 60th birthday.

At 60 is no doubt a wonderful age, the attainment of which is akin to achieving the pinnacle of wisdom. To Aliyu, 60 is just like any other age. His wisdom and quality of character have since reached their peak long before he reached the age of 30. There is no evidence that Aliyu of today is any different from Aliyu of 70s. It has always been the same humility, the same selflessness and the same seriousness that keeps the flame of

By Jon Chikadibie Okafo

N

igeria is a richly blessed country with an abundance of mineral wealth and an energetic workforce; sadly, it is easier for a Senator of the Federal Republic to disclose how much he earns than for one to land any gainful employment here. Thus, in a bid to stand taller than most peers in the labour market, I joined the league of those that travelled to the UK for further studies. As a warning, those of you still contemplating returning to Nigeria for good should either look away now, or be ready to be jolteddon’t come back if you are afraid to try.

When I decided to relocate to Nigeria after a little under a decade in Europe, I did not imagine it would be easy to start a better life here - a life powered by a lucrative job - neither did I reckon I would still be grappling with the viciousness of the Nigerian situation more than a year after I returned. I had many luring job promises from friends and contacts that gave the impression they had something to offer; I was very confident and couldn’t wait for the Arik flight to depart London Heathrow airport for the journey back home.

Finally in Nigeria, the euphoria of being back to a place I call home started to wear off after a month. As a man on a mission, I started moving around the country armed with my CV and a strong faith in Nigeria-I sinfully thought my newly acquired British accent and my UK

a burning desire politics; hence to see a good creating a level country built playing ground out of Nigeria for true Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text not just Sokoto democracy to state. Unlike the nurture. messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written d i f f e r e n t As a contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 "visions" some of grassroots words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and which are so politician, he was a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed confusing to able to organise to: even be interactive understood both sessions at the in meaning and constituency The Editor, context, Aliyu's level in each local Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, vision for Sokoto government 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. state was clear area with a view Email: opinion@peoplesdaily-online.com and simple --- a to broadening SMS: 07037756364 solid state built stakeholder on a foundation participation in of sincerity, the formulation of policies that would enjoy general state's economy. purposefulness and equality.

Some politicians are hell bent acceptability of the people.

It is only in a democratic setting He has embarked on the that people have the right and in ensuring that Governor Aliyu freedom to criticise wrong doings is distracted from the business of completion of all on-going projects or shortcomings of an elected governance. Unfortunately for and initiated new ones that are government. But at the same time, such detractors, the people can considered as critical to the lives of if the government has delivered read between the lines and are the people, and has declared a state on its mandate, fairness requires determined to work and support of emergency in the education that it be commended as well. In the state administration in its task sector. He has also done well in diversifying productive base of the Sokoto state where various of developing the state.

Before the current state economy through enhanced developmental projects have been executed and implemented across administration came on board, capacity utilization, increased the state, it becomes necessary to political hawks in Sokoto had a field agricultural productivity and comment positively about the day manipulating the machinery accelerated development of non-oil Alhaji Aliyu Magataka of government and tinkering with sectors.

In the critical sectors of Works public funds. Then came Aliyu Wammako -led administration.

The politics of Sokoto state has with the sermon of justice, equity, and Infrastructure, Sokoto can be today taken a new dimension. and fairness in a government described as a construction site Transparency and accountability where the rule of law determines now if you visit. Governor Aliyu have become the hallmark of the the function and performance in has built township roads in urban Aliyu's administration. The all the ministries, departments and semi-urban areas and invested in regional roads linking governor made this yardstick a and agencies.

The Aliyu's administration has commercial centres with rural must because of some selfish politicians who had been working established various initiatives that communities so that agricultural bring about rapid products could easily move to the round the clock to undermine the would leadership style of the governor, development in the state; it market.

In seeking to end the rot in the despite his efforts at revamping abolished the mentality of dirty

WRITE TO US

education sector, the governor has embarked on the rebuilding of all dilapidated primary and secondary schools in the state so as to create conducive environment for teaching and learning. He equally reintroduce scholarship for indigent students and many students are now abroad on scholarship because of the value he attached to education, this milestone has never been witnessed in the history of the state.

Aluu as popularly called in sokoto because of his simplicity and assesibility which is uncommon among governors in Nigeria. He has invested huge amount of resources to boost and improve the agricultural sector. This has helped greatly in stimulating the agricultural potentials of the state by promoting commercial farming through the provision of farm equipment.

Governor Aliyu's administration has remained committed to the development of the rural areas, in terms of access roads, potable water and electricity by procuring transformers for all local government. All these he has done to position the state to be one of the best three states in the federation by the year 2015.

As you attain this wonderful age, I pray Allah (SWT) should shower more of His blessing long life and continue to favour you because Nigerians need your service beyond 2015.

Congratulations and happy birthday your excellence.

Comrade Tosin Adeyanju is Executive Director, Conscience Nigeria

Foreign degrees vs Nigerian reality certificates would make any difference. Well, my certificate has not made any difference and my “fake” accent only made most interviewers unfriendly. The only difference I have noticed is that the soles of my shoes have started moaning at the effect of trekking, and my London clothes have started “washing”.

I have attended many interviews, passed all of them and asked to “be ready to resume in two weeks”. Well, it is gone past one year now, and I have finally given up on this country; one thing though is clear, people like Reuben Abati and Doyin Okupe might disagree (who cares?), but about 90% of jobs in Nigeria go to cronies of either those in government or those working in places where such vacancies exist.

Merit has been thrown to the dogs and that is why you find all manner of unintelligent folks working in sensitive positions all across the country.

Well, why not start something on your own-you don’t expect the government to do everything for you, you know? What have I not tried? Even though it smirks of having a pessimistic disposition towards striving to make a living here, the fact remains that the government of Nigeria has not put the enabling conditions in place for the advancement of private enterprise. That may well explain why you notice that only those that are close to the government in power make the list of “20 richest

Nigerians”.

It is really a harrowing experience having to explain to friends why a business plan you thought was going to work out perfectly in Nigeria collapsed the very moment you stand up to try it out. Nigeria banks are not helping matters either; it is easier for a Boko Haram chap to embrace Christianity than for a Nigerian bank to agree to give you a loan to start a business. Be ready to produce all manners of outrageous “collaterals”, your greatgrandfather’s living next of kin, etc. This is the first step towards being disillusioned here.

If eventually you manage to establish something that has a semblance of a consultancy, or able to team up with an already established practice, you must be ready to deal with the reality on ground. Warning number one; Nigerians must remain Nigeriansdo not expect to see everybody exhibiting that rare sense of honesty. If you want to show most people that the way things are done here should be dumped for the better ways you learned abroad, brother, “you dey on your own”.

Ours is a system whose major fuelsource is CORRUPTION-be ready to play ball, or at most, do not attempt to rock the boat.

After a while, you begin to ask yourself if it was really worth the stress-going to spend some good money studying abroad only to come back to Nigeria armed with

a foreign certificate, an accent that makes you sound funny and a soon-to-be dashed hope. Well, given another opportunity, I will do it again, and again. Quality education is power people.

But then, what is the way forward?

I believe strongly that Nigeria remains one vast very lucrative market and whoever that is daring will surely hit gold here. However, the key is to discard any false hopes that suggest that having a foreign degree is an assurance to some splendid employment. That was in the past-not any more.

Secondly, it is better to research your intended engagement before you jet into Nigeria; from experience, all I had going for me was a luggage filled with job promises and a conviction that my foreign certificates would speed up the process of getting a good job that is well remunerated. Wrong, wrong and wrong. People here excel in promising what they know is not within their power to do, unless you are willing to bribe your way through.

Thirdly (may be most importantly), save up some cash before relocating to Nigeria-at least, enough cash to last you for about a year. Friends are many when you are “fresh” from overseas but the vanishing acts commence the moment you start moaning about paucity of funds and no employment. Most “friends” have a mental problem

that makes them run faster away than Usain Bolt the moment they suspect you will start asking for a loan. So, make sure you pinch your resources till you are sure of a regular income.

On a lighter note, be ready to become a Bible carrier, a “practicing Muslim”, or a strong adherent of African Traditional Religion. You will be ridiculed, excluded and mocked the moment you attempt to convince your mates that there is so much poverty and ignorance in Nigeria, not because one is not a follower of any religion but because we have over the years, been ruled by visionless men and women whose major pre-occupation was looting our resources and banking same in foreign banks. Has that situation changed?

Finally, Nigeria is a beautiful country with majority of the people willing to work to make a living.

However, years of lousy leadership and a docile citizenry have reduced living in Nigeria akin to living in hell. Believe me, there is everything stacked against you here, but the reality remains that if you are daring, if you can choose to ignore all the odds and be ready to get dirty to make a living here, Nigeria is the place to be. There are countless opportunities in Nigeriawe are not bad people, but our government is peopled by bad people.

Jon Chikadibie Okafo is reachable on Twitter: @chikadibie

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 15

Piracy: AFRICOM and this dangerous ahoy

By Ifeanyi Izeze

A

hoy normally is used as a hail by seamen to greet another ship or person to attract attention. It is also used by sailors to announce that something, usually another ship or land is in sight. But in the Gulf of Guinea this ahoy has become a dangerous one as it connotes imminent danger of deadly pirate attack which now is common place throughout the waters.

From obvious indications, member states of the Gulf of Guinea Commission have clearly shown they are incapable of tackling this evolving problem on their own as it is suspected to be a much more widespread set of activities. And as said by Kwesi Aning, head of research for the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center in Ghana, “every country in the region has been hit. They are trying to make us all think that piracy is about oil in the Gulf of Guinea. That is not true. It is also about narcotics. It's about small arms.

It's about human trafficking.” These other areas the joint operations should also look at.

The seriousness of the problem would be better appreciated if we look at statistics of the frequency and scale of some reported cases.

Few major incidents reported (media) as chronicled by Wikipedia included in 2009 alone: the hijacking of the French ship Bourbon Leda with five Nigerians, two Ghanaians, one Cameroonian and one Indonesian on board on January 4. It was freed January 7 after its cargoes were discharged and also ransom paid. The diesel tanker MT Meredith was attacked by gunmen on January 21 and a Romanian was kidnapped but released a day later. Also, the Exxon tanker MV Ngoni was attacked on

By Edwin Ekene

S

helter is one of the three basic necessities of life. It is in recognizing this reality that, our constitution in section (16) subsection (2d) states: “The state shall direct its policy towards ensuring--that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens” However, it was in keeping faith with his oath of office that President Good Luck Jonathan recently ordered for the construction of one million housing units annually in the country so as sure up the shortfalls in the nation’s housing sector. It is however on records that, the current administration inherited a housing deficit of about 16 million which past authorities in the country made little or no efforts in addressing. The lackadaisical attitude shown to one of the most important needs of man in the past, contributed to factors that have made millions of Nigerians to become hobos in their own fatherland. So, it is understandable why some cynical Nigerians expressed doubts over the workability of such Presidential order. Some even said that it is part of the grand plan to make the

the 23rd of that same month and a tugboat was also seized.

Two crew men were kidnapped after the Turkish ship Ilena Meran was attacked on April 21, 2009.

Also on November 24, of the same year, pirates hijacked the Liberianflagged Cancale Star off Benin and killed a Ukrainian officer before robbing the ship. And December 1 2009 saw the Ghanaian navy intercept the hijacked oil tanker African Prince a week after it was taken. The pirates escaped after killing the ship's chef.

Following the coming onstream of the Nigerian government’s amnesty programme for militants in the oil producing Niger Delta region, reported incidents of pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea dropped drastically in 2010 though the following cases were recorded: March 13, A Chinese fishing vessel was hijacked off the Bakassi Peninsula, Cameroon. Seven fishermen were abducted. The kidnappers demanded a ransom and later released the vessel and its passengers on March 18. Also in September 23, Three Frenchmen were kidnapped from a vessel belonging to the company Bourbon off the Nigerian coast.

The flag-down in the criminal activity continued into 2011 where one of the major incidents reported occurred in August 3 when two Panamanian-flagged tankers were attacked off Benin's coast but the ships were not taken.

This was barely one week after an Italian diesel tanker and a Swedish tanker were also attacked off Benin.

However, for whatever reason, the third quarter of 2012 heralded another hike in the dangerous ahoy in the Gulf of Guinea.

According to the International Maritime Bureau, pirate incidents off the West Africa seaboard in

2012 increased to 94 from the 45 cases reported in 2011 which was almost at par with reported major hijackings in 2010.

In August 2012 two major hijacks and several other minor incidents of armed robberies were reported. On the 19th of that month, a British-owned oil tanker was hijacked in the Port of Togo.

This was followed by another incident on August 28 where a Greek-owned oil tanker was hijacked in the Port of Togo on Tuesday. The August 2012 attack introduced another dimension to the activities of the criminals as in all the recorded incidents, cargoes of the vessels which were majorly stolen crude oil from Niger Delta and petrol and gas oil (diesel) was siphoned from the hijacked vessels and tankers.

Abu Dhabi Star, a Singaporean-flagged oil tanker was hijacked on September 4 and this was followed by another incident on October 15 when a Luxembourgish-flagged anchor handling vessel named AHT Bourbon Liberty 249 was hijacked while off the coast of Nigeria. In December 23 2012, an Italianregistered ship was hijacked by seven pirates off the coast of Bayelsa state. Pirates successively released the ship with most of the crew, but took three Italians and a Ukrainian as hostages, who were freed a couple of weeks later after ransom was paid.

Then this year (2013) alone, four major hijacks were already reported. The first was on January 16 when a Panamanian-flagged vessel, ITRI, (owned by Ivory Coast company, Koda Maritime) was hijacked while transferring 5,000 tons of oil near Abidjan. This was followed by the hijacking of a Luxembourg-flagged oil tanker, Gascogne (owned by France) was hijacked approximately 70

nautical miles south of the port city of Abidjan on February 3.

Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker, Pyxis Delta (owned by the UAE), was hijacked off the coast of Nigeria on February 4. A Filipino crew-member was killed during the hijacking. This was followed a week later (February 11) by the hijacking of a UK-flagged cargo ship, Ester C, (owned by the Isle of Wight-based Carisbrooke Shipping) was hijacked by pirates between the Cameroonian port of Doula and the port of Malabo in Equatorial.

Interestingly, most of the reported cases involved mostly oil tankers, vessels and supply ships/ boats. And seized oil vessels and tankers were redirected to chartered tankers that receive the stolen oil. So you see that it is a matter of oil. And as rightly captured by Raymond Gilpin, the director of the Center for Sustainable Economies at the U.S. Institute of Peace, “It's clear that the gang or gangs involved in this know exactly what they are looking for - oil tankers that are either anchored or moored in some form.

The intent is to take over the vessel, direct it to a safe location and offload its cargo.”

According to a report done for Ajazera Centre for Studies by Freedom C. Onuoha, Research Fellow at the African Centre for Strategic Research and Studies at the National Defence College, Abuja, on “Piracy and Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea” a good percentage of the oil imported into the West and even East (China) come from the Gulf of Guinea.

Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola and Katanga province of DR Congo are all oil producing. Cameroon in addition to its marginal production serves as the most critical terminus of a pipeline that drains oil from Chad.

So this thing is no longer a Nigerian problem as previously perceived by other countries in the region. The astronomical rise in the number and brutality of these attacks in the Gulf of Guinea should no longer be treated with levity and if countries in the region cannot on their own check the evolving menace, they should call for assistance from foreign navies and intelligence organizations to shore up maritime security in the region as done in waters in the Gulf of Eden off the coast of Somalia.

Is it not curious that the Gulf of Guinea is witnessing a rapid increase in hijacks, pirate attacks and other criminal activities despite the presence of foreign initiatives such as the Africa Partnership Station (APS), led by the U.S. Navy under the aegis of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM)?

What are these collaborations supposed to be doing in the regionmake the waterways safe or just watch while things go bad? Were they not supposed to be strengthening local capabilities through robust engagements?

Although, the United States may be restricted in its efforts to help because coordination may be tricky, as armed criminal gangs in most of the Gulf of Guinea states particularly Nigerian, Equatorial Guinea and Angola, claim their activities were mere expression of grievances against marginalization by their respective governments. But if AFRICOM cannot come in for full military intervention, it should actually play a more active role in capacity building in the area of quick response and intelligence to assist Navies and other maritime security agencies of the Gulf of Guinea states.

Ifeanyi Izeze can be reached on iizeze@yahoo.com

President look more appealing to the broad spectrum of the society ahead of his rumored plan to seek re-election in 2015 Presidential Election!

It is unfortunate that Nigeria is a country where one soiled finger affects others. If not so, how can we relate the hallowing experience of Nigerians who wanders around with little or no place to call their home to a presidential election that is still far away in 2015?

Ordinarily, I would have paid a sealed lip to the melting pot of cynics which some Nigerians are currently embroil in, but because

there is a call that is above all calls, which is the call of conscience, I have decided to pen down my thoughts on the subject matter above.

The Federal Ministry of Lands and Housing has the plan of building mass housing projects for artisans, medium and low-income earners and other category of Nigerians. To achieve this, the Federal Government must partner with both the state governments and local governments in the country, because the Land Use Acts of 1978 only recognizes two rights of

occupancies which are; Statutory Right of Occupancy and Customary Right of Occupancy.

While the Statutory Right of Occupancy is under the control of the state government or governor who holds the land in trust for the people, the Customary Right of Occupancy is under the control of the local government. As of now, we have 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory FCT, and we have 774 Local Governments in the country.

Now, if we truly feel the pains of the homeless Nigerians as we vaingloriously claim on the pages of newspapers, radio and television stations, we will drop politics aside and work for the realization of the president’s targets. For goodness sake, what is one million housing units per year? If leaders at the various levels of governments across the country should be more interested in walking the walk than talking the talks, the combination of the 36 States plus FCT and the 774 Local Governments in Nigeria is 811. And if you divide the one million housing targets by 811, you get 1,233 housing units per year.

With about 17 million housing deficits in Nigeria, it means within 17 years, the housing problems currently faced by Nigerians would have been conquered!

Nonetheless, if the governors will not use their influence on the various States Assemblies to block the plan by the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) to remove the Land Use Acts from the constitution, it will also help in the speedy administration of land matters in Nigeria, thereby encouraging private investors to come in to the housing sector because it has been established that, apart from agriculture, which is the highest employer of labour, the housing sector is the second largest employer of labour force. When this happens, we can imagine how the burgeoning rate of unemployment could in the country would be drastically reduced.

Therefore, the ball is rolling on the courts of our leaders, and am happy that, the major opposition parties in the country have one or two states under their control. So, any party that plays politics with the all important directive from the President will have no accusing finger to point in 2015 general elections, because Nigerians can no longer be swayed by mere rhetoric.

Comrade Edwin Ekene wrote in from No.29, Ben Mbamalu Crescent, Achara Layout, Enugu state.

Housing the homeless Nigerians

“

It is unfortunate that Nigeria is a country where one soiled finger affects others. If not so, how can we relate the hallowing experience of Nigerians who wanders around with little or no place to call their home to a presidential election that is still far away in 2015?

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Abuja land swap: FCTA begins enumeration for compensation next week

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

Grande Ville Academy pupils on excursion to the National Stadium, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

AMAC wins legal tussle on tenement rate

By Adeola Tukuru

A

n Abuja High Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, yesterday, ruled in favor of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) in an originating sermon filed against the council before the court in 2011 by Next Level Resort, Wuse Zone 5.

The Plaintiff, Next Level Resort, which had joined the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in the suit as the second defendant, formulated three issues for determination of the court: to wit whether AMAC is authorised by the law to collect tenement rates.

Furthermore, the plaintiff had asked the court to determine whether it does not amount to double taxation on the Next Level Resort to pay Ground Rents

to FCDA, pay Taxes to the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) and in addition pay tenement rates to AMAC. Again, the plaintiff wanted the court to determine whether tenement rates can be paid to AMAC without inspection being carried out on the property.

Delivering judgement, the court presided by Justice Danlami Senchi resolved the case in favour of the first defendant, AMAC, on grounds that by virtue of the provisions of Sections 7, 303, 318 and Section 1 of the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution, Section 55(a)(5) of the Local Government Act of 1976 and the Abuja Municipal Area Council By Law of 2001, AMAC is empowered to collect rates

for the economic, physical development of the council and for provision of basic amenities within the council.

Addressing journalists after the court verdict, counsel to the plaintiff, Barr.

Emmanuel Esele, said his argument for his client had been anchored on the fact that there is no such law passed by the National Assembly enabling the first defendant to charge tenement rates on landed properties in Abuja.

He said whereas, the court has ruled in favour of the first defendant on grounds that it has the legal backing to collect tenement rates by virtue of the FCT Act which is incorporated in the Niger state Development Act, “We still intend to look at

the judgment to see if we can go further”.

The issue is that despite the decision by the court that the Niger state law backs them up, that area is still questionable. We may look at it. We can make laws h e r e b y ourselves, why imposing or bringing Niger state local government edict here,” he argued.

Also reacting to the judgement, counsel to AMAC, Barr.

Benjamin Aniche, expressed satisfaction with the decision of the court.

“The law is settled. Section 7 of the Constitution; Section 303 and 318 all provides and empowers AMAC to collect rates for the betterment of the council.

AMAC is empowered by the constitution to make law for the council and that is the law, it is settled,” he said.

Fire guts UniAbuja science laboratory

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he science laboratory at the university of Abuja mini campus in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory

(FCT) has been razed by fire.

Disclosing this to Peoples Daily, the Head of Department of Chemistry in the Institution, Mrs M. S. Dauda said that the incident occurred in the night.

She revealed that so many

scientific apparatuses were destroyed while the staff properties were damaged.

She said that the actual cause of fire disaster cannot be ascertained, as an investigation is in top gear by

the management of the university.

Mrs Dauda, however, said that efforts would be intensified by the authority of the University to replace the damaged scientific apparatus.

n furtherance to its promise of ensuring adequate compensatefor Abuja natives, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) would next week commence the enumeration of all the economic trees, farmlands and household to be affected by the Abuja Land Swap Initiative in the Phase IV of the southern part of the Federal Capital City (FCC).

According to the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, who disclosed this yesterday, directed the officials of the Resettlement & Compensation Department under the Federal Capital development Authority (FCDA), in conjunction with the Land Swap investors to commence the exercise by next week,so as to enable the administration have a full and concise data that will be used for compensation and resettlement of the local inhabitants.

The Minister reiterated that his Administration has taken the step forward in fulfillment of his promise to the Abuja natives that adequate compensation would be paid by the Land Swap investors for economic trees as well as farmlands before the commencement of infrastructural development.

According to a statement by Asst. Director/Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Hazat Sule, the minister had last weekend instructed the officials of the FCTA and representatives of the investors participating in the Abuja Land Swap Model Initiative to visit all the villages in the affected districts of the Phase IV of the Federal Capital City, as the ground breaking is expected to take place next month.

Also the minister further revealed that all the villages visited for sensitization and community engagement were Waru, Wasa, Takushara, Burum, Sauka (Chikpowu) Kuje Area Council; Kabusa, Sheratti, Ketti and Gbawukuchi (Kuje Area Council).

Furthermore, the Minister reassured that all the rights and privileges of the Abuja natives would be adequately protected in consonance with the global best practices, principles of justice, fairness and equity as well as vision of the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, thereby ensuring that there exists harmony amongst all the stakeholders as this new initiative kicks-off.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 17

Businessman jailed for duping footballer

A

Karu Senior Magistrates Court, Abuja, on Wednesday sentenced a 38-year-old businessman, Steven Lokeit, to one year imprisonment for duping a footballer the sum of N150, 000.

The convict was arraigned on a two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Francis Udofia, told the court that Uwoloh Joshua, of Phase 1, Jikwoyi, Abuja, reported

the case to the Karu police station on Dec. 20, 2012.

Udofia said the complainant, on Sept. 25, 2012, entrusted the sum of N150, 000 to the convict, of New Nyanya, Nasarawa State, who promised to register him with a foreign football club in Dubai, United Arab Emirate.

The prosecutor said the convict promised that he would finish all the processes within eight weeks for Joshua to travel to Dubai for the football club of his choice.

Udofia said the convict, however, absconded to an unknown destination after collecting the money.

He said he was later sighted and apprehended at Nyanya Gwandara where he was hiding, and handed over to the police. ‘’During police investigation, the convict admitted to have collected the said amount and converted it to his personal use. ‘’The offence contravened Sections 312 and 320 of the Penal Code,’’ he said

The convict pleaded guilty to the charges after listening to the First Information Report (FIR).

The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Anna Akobi, sentenced the convict to three months in prison for the offence of criminal breach of trust and nine months for cheating to run concurrently.

Akobi also asked the convict to pay the sum of N150, 000 as compensation to the complainant or serve an additional one year jail term in default. (NAN)

INSIDE FCT COURTS Court sentences two men to five months in prison for theft

A

n Abuja Area Court has sentenced two men, Lawanu Lawal, 20, and Isah Salihu, 17, both of Mac-Global Estate, Gwarimpa, to five months in prison each for theft.

Police prosecutor, Sgt. Mohammed Salihu, told the court that the accused persons were caught while attempting to steal electrical cables valued at N300, 000 from the house of one Dr Ogaja Anthony in Gwarimpa.

Salihu added that Anthony, who caught the accused in the act, reported the matter at the Gwarimpa Police Station.

He said that the accused, upon arrest pleaded guilty to the offence and “are hereby arraigned on a two-count charge of joint act and theft’’.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 79 and 287 of the Penal Code.

Presiding judge, Mr Ahmed Ado, in his ruling said: “In view of the plea entered by the accused persons and I listened to their plea for leniency, I must rule with a view to deter others with like minds.’’

He thereby sentenced each accused to five months imprisonment with the option to pay N5, 000 as fine. (NAN)

Court sentences man, 36, to 6 months imprisonment

A Swange dancers performing at the Nigeria Oil and Gas gala night, recently in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Businessman arraigned for allegedly cheating landlady

T

he police has arraigned a businessman, Nnaemeka Ijiakor of New Nyanya, Nasarawa State, before a Senior Magistrates Court, Abuja, for allegedly defrauding his landlady of N1.2 million.

Police prosecutor Abdullahi Adamu told the court that the matter was reported at the Wuse Police Station on

February 12, 2013 by Mrs Phina Onuorah, the landlady at the Wuse market, Abuja.

Adamu said that Ijiakor collected N1.2 million from one Mr Ogechukwu Onuzulike as rent on Onuorah’s shop at the Wuse Market for 2009/2010.

He said that Ijiakor failed to remit the said money to Onuorah but rather converted

it to his personal use.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 322 of the Penal Code, but Ijiakor pleaded not guilty to the charge.

His counsel, Mr Nnaemeka Ejiofor, urged the court to grant bail to his client on liberal terms.

Senior Magistrate Aliyu

Shafa said that since the prosecutor was not objecting to the bail “the accused is granted bail in the sum of N250, 000 and a surety in like sum.

“The surety must be a civil servant on GL.09 and residing within the court’s jurisdiction.’’

He adjourned the case to March 11, 2013 for hearing.

(NAN)

Police arraign security guard for negligent conduct

T

he Police has arraigned a security man, Ocheni Samson, of Lome Street, Wuse, Abuja before a Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, Abuja for alleged negligent conduct.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Francis Tanko, told the court that the case was reported at the Wuse Police Station on

February 10 by one Umar Ahmed of the same address.

Tanko said that Samson was employed to guard property at Omega Hotel, Wuse but failed in his duty.

He said that Samson abandoned his duty post and that this led to the theft of the hotel’s 18-seater bus with registration number DC 349

GG, valued at N5.6 million.

The prosecutor said that during investigation, Samson could not give a satisfactory account of himself, adding that the offence contravened Section 196 of the Penal Code.

Senior Magistrate Nafisat Ibrahim granted Samson bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum, who

must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

Ibrahim said that the addresses of the sureties must be verified by the prosecutor, adding that one of the sureties must be a civil servant on not less than grade level 9.

She adjourned the case to March 12, 2013 for hearing.

(NAN)

n Abuja Grade 2 Area Court on Monday sentenced one Bulus Dama, 36, of Masaka in Nasarawa State to six months imprisonment for cheating.

The Presiding Judge, Mr Ahmed Ado, passed the sentence after the accused pleaded guilty to the offence.

Ado, however, gave the convict an option of three thousand naira fine and an additional N30,000 to be paid as compensation to the complainant, one Mr Ibrahim Mohammed.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Simon Ibrahim, told the court that on Feb 16,2013 Mohammed of Plot 665, CBN Quarters, Utako, Abuja, reported the incident at the Utako Police Station.

Ibrahim said that on Feb. 15, the accused deceitfully collected recharge cards valued at N30,000 on the pretence of paying the complainant later.

He said that the accused however, converted the recharge cards to his own personal use and refused to pay the complainant.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 322 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Victims of demolished Minanuel estate appeal for Jonathan’s intervention

By Adeola Tukuru

V

ictims of the 500 housing units pulled down by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), late last year in Minanuel Estate, Lugbe have called for President Goodluck Jonathan’s intervention The spokesperson of the Minanuel Estate Subscribers, Barr. Festus Adebayo, who made the appeal in a statement yesterday in Abuja, described the

demolition of the estate as a setback to development.

He said: “The subscribers are feeling the pain of the demolition extremely to the extent that we have lost one of the pensioners about a week ago. It is very painful that this is what democracy can offer the subscriber to home ownership in Nigeria.

Unfortunately, President Goodluck Jonathan did not promise us this kind of agony but instead he promised us fresh air.

“How would Nigerian government explain demolition of

500 houses in a country where there is 18million housing deficit?

It is a bad signal for investors, and a clog on the wheel of attaining the much talked about Millennium Development Goals come 2015”.

He further lamented that six month after the estate was demolished and our hope of owning a house in the Federal Capital Territory, dashed, the President Goodluck Jonathan have not made any statement either as consolatory or words of promise to the victims.

According to him, the victims have been subjected to untold hardship as a result of these and believe that demolishing 500 houses is equivalent of demolishing a community or a village.

He said they have taken the case to God and the international community, United Nation Habitat, world human right bodies as they do not have the money to take legal action against the FCDA. “All over the world the main responsibility of government is to

L-R: Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat in FCT, Mrs. Olvadi Bema Madayi, Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, and Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Hon. Zakari Angulu Dobi, during the flag-off of 2013 dry season farming by the minister, on Tuesday at Kutunku, Gwagwalada, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

protect lives and properties. The case of demolishing 500 housing units of houses already completed for occupation, is the worst in the history of our country, not even the worst military government had done this,” Adebayo added.

He accused the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed of not following due process but resorting to self-help because of his hidden motives in demolishing Minanuel Estate.

This was as he concluded by raising the following questions: “These houses were pulled down on Saturday and Sunday which are not working days, why the hurry!

Beside, where Minanuel Estate was situated there were other estates, why was the Minanuel Estate the target?

“Why did the FCT Minister not drag the developer to court, if really he had committed any offence in the course of developing the estate?

Why did the FCT Minister boycott the advice of FCT Urban &Regional Tribunal.

“Why can a good government demolish 500 houses on completion, on the ground that it does not have building approval? Where were they when the houses were going from foundation to lintel? What effort did the FCTA make in sighting and confirming the documents of Minanuel Estate, can the FCTA be an accuser and still be the judge in its case. Now N5bn investment have been wasted on the carapace of vendetta by unknown people”.

Traditional ruler tasks residents on peaceful chairmanship election

AEPB workers protest against T non-payment of salary W orkers of the Abuja E n v i r o n m e n t Protection Board (AEPB) on Tuesday barricaded the main entrance to the board’s premises in protest against alleged non-payment of their two months’ salary.

They are also protesting against what they described as unfriendly working conditions.

Musa Adamu, one of the workers, said that they were protesting against the nonpayment of their January and February salary “and unkind treatment by the Mr Isah Shuaibu-led management of the board.’’

He claimed that the director general had been insensitive to issues concerning their welfare, “considering the hazards of our work’’.

“We get hawkers, miscreants, prostitutes and others, off Abuja streets, yet we

are not well paid.’’

A taskforce officer, Yakubu Abraham, who collects N18,000 monthly, said he spends N600 everyday on transportation to work and expressed regret over the delay in the payment of their salary.

He said “we need care, we are in bondage, we are enslaved, we are hungry, the money they are paying us is not enough; some of us, especially the ones under SURE-P are collecting as low as N10,000 monthly.

“We are taskforce officers and we face people who are angry everyday because of our operations; some of us have sustained permanent injuries, some are on clutches, while others are confined to wheel chairs.

The workers, who blocked the entrance to the office building with dust bins, empty tanks and woods, also locked in the agency’s management staff and other

workers as well as visitors.

Mercy John, a SURE-P officer, said she earns N10,000 as monthly salary, adding “we do not get any allowance as it is being given to SURE-P staff in other agencies.’’

She appealed to the management to pay them their salary and give them employment letters.

The AEPB Director-General, Mr Isah Shuaibu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that the problem of salary in the first quarter of the year was not peculiar to the organisation.

Shuaibu, however, said that all outstanding issues with the workers had been resolved and that they would be paid their salary in the next two days.

“The most exciting thing is that unlike before, their salary has been approved by the FCT minister and captured in the

budget, and the process of payment has been completed.

“I can tell you that they will be paid in the next two days.’’

He, however, advised the workers to appreciate the effect the FCT administration had made to provide them jobs.

“What government did was to take the heat off the streets by employing these boys and they should appreciate that.

“The most important thing is that we have created jobs for them and they should not misuse the opportunity.”

The AEPB boss said the board had put in place a mechanism to restructure the system to enhance the workers’ performance.

“Very soon, the board will engage them in training that will improve their conduct while interfacing with the public.

“The training will be in three batches of 200 workers per batch,’’ he added. (NAN)

he Chief of Kuduru in the FCT, Chief John Kure, has advised people of the area to maintain peace during the forthcoming chairmanship election, scheduled for March 16,2013.

The chief gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Kuduru, a suburb of Bwari town.

He called on residents of Bwari Area Council to support government policies to enhance socioeconomic activities in the area.

Kure advised all aspirants to preach peace to their party members before March 16.

The chief stressed that the election should not be seen as a door-die affair, noting that violence would not do anyone any good.

“It will rather stunt the economic growth of the area,’’ he added.

He commended the outgoing administration for its efforts in facilitating the construction of the express way in Kuduru.

The chief said the express way had brought a lot of development to the area.

He expressed optimism that more infrastructure development would take place in the area to alleviate the suffering of the people.

(NAN)

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Email: aminuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE

- Pg 20

FG to partner Omatek on provision of made-inNigeria computers to schools

Mob: 08033644990

Etihad, Kenya Airways sign partnership deal From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

E

tihad Airways said it is set to expand significantly its reach across Africa, following a commercial partnership agreement signed with Kenya Airways, the national flag-carrier of Kenya.

Etihad Airways will place its EY code on Kenya Airways flights from Nairobi to 27 destinations across the Kenyan airline’s network in Africa.

As part of the reciprocal codeshare agreement, Kenya Airways will place its KQ code on Etihad Airways’ daily service from Nairobi to Abu Dhabi and, subject to government approval, onward to up to 32 key destinations across Etihad’s global network.

The agreement will also

allow Kenya Airways launch a new three times a week service between Nairobi and Abu Dhabi from this mid-summer.

The deal paves the way for greater collaboration between the airlines on the joint procurement of services for ground handling, line and heavy maintenance, training

and cargo operations.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways president and CEO, said, “The partnership agreement with Kenya Airways is in line with our strategy of forming alliances with airlines around the world to enhance our network and marketing reach.

This

agreement will also allow both airlines to benefit from cost savings achieved through synergies and economies of scale.

MD and CEO, Kenya Airways, Titus Naikuni, said, “The new codeshare partnership with Etihad Airways is a significant strengthening of the

global network of both airlines, which provides more choice to all our passengers. As part of the agreement, we are looking for greater collaboration and coordination on cargo operations, training and procurement opportunities that will make us more cost-efficient and customer-responsive.”

Brent oil nears $113 after Bernanke talk

B

rent futures rose to 113 dollars (86.32 pound) a barrel yesterday after the Federal Reserve’s commitment to monetary stimulus renewed hopes of a revival in demand growth in the U.S. Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke defended the bondbuying stimulus before Congress and a spike in U.S. home sales boosted Asian shares, base metals and other riskier assets.

Yet, concerns over spending cuts in the U.S. and a prolonged instability in Europe as elections in Italy failed to produce a strong government kept a lid on prices.

Brent crude slipped 6 cents to 112.65 dollars a barrel this morning, after rising to as much as 113.10 dollars.

Bernanke said Fed policymakers recognise the potential risks from their extraordinary support for the economy, including the possibility it might fuel unwanted inflation or stoke asset bubbles.

But the risks did not seem material at the moment, he said, adding the central bank has all the tools it needs to retreat from its monetary support.

Markets were also buoyed by data showing U.S. home prices closed out 2012 with the biggest annual gain in more than six years while sales of new homes spiked in January, the latest sign that the long-suffering housing market was on the mend.

Yet, oil, particularly the U.S. contract, drew some support as American Petroleum Institute data showed U.S. crude stockpiles rose less than expected.

Stocks rose 904,000 barrels in the week to Feb. 22, the data showed, while analysts had expected a rise of 2.4 million barrels. (Reuters/NAN)

Akhil Gupta, Deputy Group CEO & Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises; Segun Ogunsanya, CEO, Airtel Nigeria; Manoj Kohli, MD & CEO International, Bharti Airtel; Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel; Osondu Nwokoro, Director, Regulatory Affairs & Special Projects and Omobola Johnson, Hon. Minister of Communication Technology, Government of Nigeria at the inauguration of the Airtel Pavilion at the Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona, Spain.

Fitch rates Kaduna’s economic performance high ….says outlook ‘stable’

By Aminu Imam with agency report

F

itch Ratings yesterday affirmed the Kaduna state’s Long-term foreign and local currency ratings at ‘B+’ and National Long- term rating at ‘A+(nga)’, reflecting the state’s stable financial performance and gradually developing local taxes.

According to Reuters report, Fitch also took into account the state’s high infrastructural needs amid weak socio-economic indicators by international standards. It noted that the Outlooks are Stable.

“Fitch expects the operating margin to continue to hover around the 40% posted in 2012 according to preliminary

figures, reflecting the state’s efforts to develop non-oil revenues while controlling the growth of costs.

“The latter grew by about 8% in 2012, according to preliminary figures, roughly in line with Fitch’s expectations.

Curbing insecurities raised by insurgents’ activities while developing the provision of education and health could add pressure to the state’s budget over the medium term,” a statement from Fitch read.

“Oil-related revenues, which account for about 70% of the state’s income, are expected to gradually reach NGN80bn by 2015 from NGN60bn in 2011-12. The state plans to improve collection methods

while developing the hotel tax and land use charge in order to boost internally generated revenues (IGRs).

“Although the potential is there, Fitch expects development of IGRs to be more gradual heading towards NGN30bn by 2015 from about NGN15bn in 2012 due to projected 7% growth in the local economy, fuelled largely by construction and agriculture” Fitch stated.

“Investment in projects such as power, transport, water supply, education, health could hover around N35 billion per annum, over the medium-

Management Tip of the Day

I

Learn to be charismatic

nspirational leaders have charisma. People want to hear what they have to say and do what they advise. But can you learn to be inspiring? Sure. Here are three things you can do to build your charisma:· Focus on others. Don’t concentrate on

what you need and want.

Understand what others care about. The more you relate on a human level the better.· P u t yourself out there. Seek out and engage others. Be upbeat whenever possible so others feel the same way.· Communicate

you care. Charismatic leaders are verbally expressive. Tell stories. Use concrete examples.

Talk about your feelings. All of these things will invoke common ground in an audience.

Source: Harvard Business Review

term, as the state’s capital spending is largely driven by operating surpluses. Fitch expects Kaduna to fund about 5%-10% of capital spending with debt.

“Kaduna’s debt could rebound towards NGN60bn by 2015, up from NGN44bn in 2012, according to preliminary figures. The decline in the state’s debt in 2012 put the stock in line with the national borrowing guidelines of 50% of revenues from about 70% in 2011. The debt service coverage by the operating balance is likely to rebound towards 4x from about 1.5x in 2012, while the debt to current balance may continue hovering around two years over the medium term.

Fitch further stated that the ratings could be upgraded if the development of IGRs strengthens the operating margin towards 50% while controlling cost growth.

‘Conversely, financial or commercial debt growing beyond Fitch’s expectations could lead to a downgrade,’ Fitch said.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS

Union Bank

U

nion Bank of Nigeria has announced the appointment of a new Chairman of the Board of Directors in addition to new non-executive directors.

Udoma Udo Udoma a former Senator of the federal Republic of Nigeria, becomes the new chairman of the Board, taking over from Richard Kramer. Udoma is currently the Senior Partner of Udo Udoma and Belo-Osagie, a corporate law firm, established by him in 1983.

He is currently Chairman of UAC of Nigeria PLC and a Director of Unilever Nigeria PLC and is Japan’s Honorary Consul in Lagos.

STACO Insurance

T

he expected growth in economic activity buoyed by ongoing reforms in the energy and power sector as well as road construction will result in a spillover effect of all of these to the insurance industry, Sakiru Oyefeso, Managing Director, STACO Insurance Plc has said.

He said all these projects will definitely require adequate insurance because of huge capital layout, which will enhance the demand for insurance companies’ products such as covers and risk management services.

The STACO MD stated that the company was looking at premium growth of N8.5 billion in 2013 as against N6.7 billion in 2012, if “No premium-No Cover” did not affect market volume.

United Bank for Africa

N

igeria’s leading and most innovative eChannels provider, the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has introduced a reloadable prepaid card offering customers financial control, convenience and security.

The UBA Prepaid Card which is available in Nigeria and 18 African countries where UBA has presence is accepted at all VISA acceptance points, on over 1 million ATMs, 30 million POS/Merchant Terminals in over 179 countries across the world.

The Card, which is the first of its kind in the industry, is one of the most prestigious pre-paid cards in the world. It gives user full control over personal finances as it is not linked to any bank account and therefore attracts no minimum balance.

SON’s e-product registration fraudulent –Traders Stories from Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

A

s the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) sets May 21st deadline for E-Registration of all goods in Nigeria’s market, traders and market leaders have described the agency’s electronic registration initiative as fraudulent and another avenue for extortion by the agency.

The traders, who spoke with Peoples Daily in Lagos said since all products are registered with SON to ascertain its quality, “the newly introduced e-product registration programme initiated by the regulatory agency is baseless,” Matthew Uso, a market leader in Oke Arin Market said.

Uso also wondered why the

agency would begin to confiscate goods in the market for not registering electronically with SON, after bearing SON’s logo certifying such product for public consumption. ”I learnt they will begin to raid markets for products that are not electronically registered, it is fraudulent!

They should go to the manufacturing companies, ports and borders to ensure the implementation of their programme; they should leave the poor traders goods alone”, he lamented.

In Alaba electronics market, traders said the e-product registration programme does not affect sellers of imported used electronic ‘tokunbo’, but that major manufacturers of electronics will register with

SON. Alaba traders also described the agency’s on-line registration initiative as another means of extortion by the agency officials; “Now that the deadline has been given, various officials would start to inspect markets and confiscating goods, which will cost us fortunes to get back; SON should update their data base with the list of products manually registered with them”, some of them said.

Sunny Okorie however wondered the fate of traders who had stockpiled goods as the deadlines approaches.

Mrs. Iyeola Rose, on her part, called for more enlightenment and sensitisation of traders on the program, insisting that the program will benefits big-scale traders while medium

enterprise might suffer the brunt. ”We know that in Nigeria things don’t work out as planned, because this a good idea but the agency should give it a face-lift that will make it beneficial for both big and small-scale investments in the country; if products are not registered it is the manufacturers that should be held responsible, not raiding the traders of their goods”, she stated.

At a meeting in Lagos with importers and manufacturers, the Director-General of SON, Mr. Joseph Odusolu stated that the move is an international standard requirement that identifies genuine manufacturers, enhance traceability and help protect consumers from substandard products.

Non-oil export critical to CAC, NEPC, OGFZA Nigeria, NEPC boss insists boards inaugurated

T

T

he Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. David Adulugba, has said non-oil export business is critical to the nation’s survival, calling on Government to encourage the exportation to other commodities aside from oil.

He warned that no nation can survive on consumption, stressing that export business can impact positively on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.

He recalled that in the last 15 years, export products had been getting the necessary support, urging operators to learn to operate, according to international standards, saying most developing countries have repositioned their export sectors for prosperity.

“It is a proven fact that export business is critical to a nation’s health as it impacts positively on the GDP. This is because it catalyses economic growth, creates a strong base for technological development, encourages economic specialisation and ultimately, high rate of investment.

“Yet, their products still appear in Nigeria through the ECOWAS Trade Liberation

Executive Director, NEPC, Mr. David Adulugba Scheme,’’ he said.

He said most of the foreign companies used Nigerians for temporary jobs without equipping them with the technical know-how.

Adulugba noted that Nigeria had relied too much on oil as the main revenue earner, which might not guarantee a prosperous future for the nation’s youths and said the agency had a number of incentives to encourage export business.

he Federal Government, last week, inaugurated the Boards of four parastatals under the supervision of the Ministry of Trade and Investment.

They are the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA).

The CAC’s 10-member board is led by Mr. Funsho Lawal as Chairman, while other members include Prof. Adedeji Adekunle and Dr. Ausbeth Ajagu, among others.

For the NEPC, its 11-member board has Mrs. Grace Clark, as Chairman and Ambassador Asalina Mamuno, and Alh.Salisu Umar as members, among others.

OGFZA’s 14-member board is led by Barr. Chris Asoluka, while other members include Gen. Geofrey Ejiga (rtd.) and Barr.

(Mrs) Mary Mbu, amongst others.

For SON, its 10-member board has Alh. Abubakar Mustapha as Chairman, with Engr. Abubakar Magaji and Mrs. Roseline Ekun as members, amongst others.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Abuja,

Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said members of the newly constituted board comprised men and women of integrity, knowledge and experience in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The ministry is also responsible for boosting industrial development and enabling Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as the engine of economic growth.

FG to partner Omatek on provision of made-in-Nigeria computers to schools

T

he Federal Government will work with the nation’s leading indigenous computer manufacturer, OMATEK, to make available ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ computers to educational institutions across the country, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga,has said.

Aganga said that the partnership was in line with the Nigerian Industrial Revolution

Plan (NIRP) and the local patronage initiative of the Ministry of Trade and Investment.

He spoke during his official visit to Omatek Computers Limited factory in Lagos, on Monday.

“We will be able to achieve the much needed linkage between our abundant natural resources and the application of appropriate technology and production processes, through the application

of ICT in our schools and industries.

“We are, therefore, designing a strategy for a workable partnership between Government, Omatek and the banks to make available your ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ computers to all our schools and colleges,” the minister said.

While acknowledging the giant strides so far made by the company, especially in

pioneering local production of computers, the minister assured local manufacturers of the Federal Government’s support and commitment towards providing an enabling environment for their businesses to flourish.

Aganga noted that Government would continue to strengthen its partnership with the private sector in order to realise the objectives of the NIRP.

PAGE 21

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Indomie rewards partners, sub-distributors with cars, generators From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

T

o demonstrate its appreciation to the loyalty of sub-distributors across the country, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of No. 1 noodles brand - Indomie instant noodles, has commenced its trade promo, rewarding several trade partners with over 250 prizes worth several millions of naira.

The Trade Promo would takes place in 12 key cities across the Nigeria which include Port Harcourt, Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Warri and Uyo. Others are Calabar, Owerri, Abuja, Minna, Ibadan and Benin.

The company told journalists the first draw would be held on the 27th of February in Uyo and Warri, while Onitsha, Enugu and Calabar and Owerri will follow subsequently.

Public Relations and Event Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, declared that the Sub-Distributors Trade

Promo is the noodles giants little way of showing appreciation to its partners who have continuously stood by the company over the years and have contributed immensely to its success.

Ashiwaju disclosed that for Sub-distributors to be qualified, they are expected to buy in multiples of 10 Cartons of Indomie 120 grams size (super pack) from their distributors.

A coupon is given out for every 10 cartons purchased and sub distributors are allowed to collect as many coupons as possible based on their purchases. All coupons are collected with a copy given to them to claim their prize during the lucky dip draw at an announced date in each of the 12 locations.

The prizes to be won during this sub-distributors trade promo includes; 12 Skoda Fabia Cars, 120 Generators, 70 Air Conditioners, 50 Refrigerators and other consolatory prizes.

Visa to sponsor BT Africa ‘Dark and Lovely’ takes antibreakage campaign to campuses West Africa Expo and Conference in Nigeria

D

ark and Lovely’ bntibreakage, premium hair product from L’Oreal Nigeria has continued to engage major stakeholders in its business line, as it takes the first ever hair treatment mobile saloon to campuses.

Last year, L’Oreal embarked on a pan-Nigeria hair professional’s activation campaign in Lagos, Aba and Abuja for ‘Dark and Lovely’ Anti-Breakage, which was proved to be more than successful.

Head, Education and Training, L’Oreal Nigeria, Mrs. Titilola Igri-Offor said that the brand activation this time is to engage the end-users by offering free hair touch up to students, and enlighten them on benefits of anti-breakage product.

Igri-Offor said, “The first set of activation we had or we did was actually for hair professionals, we spoke with the hair professionals because in the industry they are the first point of contact between the product and the consumers.

“So, when the product was launched we called them together and they endorsed it, they actually say it is the best

V

hair product that is being launched into the Nigerian market, so the next step is to speak with consumers so that is what we are in schools because the consumers are in schools and they are our target audience.”

Dark and Lovely antibreakage contains wheat germ oil and reparative ceramide. The wheat germ-oil nourishes while the ceramide repairs the hair, therefore, the brand offers a two way benefit to women.

A second year student of Mass Communications in UNILAG,

Miss. Mojisola Adeleke, who benefited from the ‘Dark and Lovely’ Anti-Breakage mobile saloon campaign said, she never realised how good the product is until her experience at the mobile saloon. ”I am amazed at the efficacy of this brand, it can never be compared to any other hair beauty brand, it is just exceptional and unique. Really, I can’t imagine going back on it.

I encourage other women to embrace it and they would not regret choosing the product.”

She told reporters.

isa, global electronic payments company, today announced its partnership with Future Group and its Nigeria-based partners Tradeblazers Limited, to sponsor the BT Africa West Africa Expo and Conference in Nigeria.

In its third year, and in association with Future Group’s Business Traveller Africa magazine, the conference will be held at the Federal Palace Hotel & Casino in Lagos from 2021 March 2013.

Through this partnership Visa aims to consolidate its position in the travel industry throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.

Country Manager for Visa in West Africa, Ade Ashaye said, “Visa plays an active role in travel and tourism and its research in the tourism industry provides key insights into the trends.

We believe that continued engagement in the industry is important and are therefore delighted to partner with one of Africa’s premier business travel publications to host this event. The Expo and Conference brings together the industry heavyweights with the

Liberia apex bank commends HASAL MFB on financial inclusion

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

he Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has expressed satisfaction with strong operational thrust of Nigeria’s Hasal Microfinance Bank Limited.

The Liberia apex bank delegation team, led by Tefleh Wollor lauded the microfinance bank’s commitment to financial inclusion.

The Liberian apex bank team, which had earlier visited the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN),

was at Hasal MFB in company with the Nigerian apex bank’s officials as part of its initiatives targeted at gaining some insights into how the Nigerian apex bank and other financial institutions are implementing the financial inclusion strategy and how such experiences could be used to design appropriate framework for the implementation of financial inclusion strategy in Liberia Earlier, the Managing Director of Hasal MFB, Mr. Rogers Nwoke, took the

delegation through core areas of the bank’s operations, including product development and marketing strategies .

He listed some of bank’s products like the Mobile Banking which enables transactions through the use of POC (Point of Collection) terminals by HASUSU Savings Executives who carry out door-to-door cash mobilisation from micro customers.

In addition, he explained the introduction of POS (Point Of Sale) terminals to both SME and

Micro customers which enable them use their Debit Cards for purchase and payment for goods and services, amongst others.

He said the bank “has also built a large network of branches and cash centres across the Federal Capital Territory with several Correspondent Banks for easy deposit/withdrawal of cash mobilized”.

Speaking, the leader of the LCB team, Tefleh Wollor, said the visit was made to the MFB “to understand their role to Financial Inclusion in Nigeria”

sole aim of unlocking Africa’s trade and tourism potential.”

Visa has an office in Lagos, which has been instrumental in reshaping the payment landscape in West Africa, with the introduction of several products, including the Visa Corporate card, for enabling secure and convenient cashless transactions within the region.

The BT Africa West Africa Expo & Conference serves as a mouthpiece in the business travel arena and is a platform on which leading industry delegates can engage and discuss, among other topics, business travel in and out of West Africa, and other travelrelated issues. The event also serves as an opportunity to expose delegates to the relevant products in the travel sector, as well as encourage networking among those attending.

Expected attendees, delegates and panelists include representatives of airlines, air charter companies, hotels and hotel groups, financial institutions, travel management companies and car rental brands.

“This corporate travel indaba serves as a great opportunity for all those with a vested interest in West African business travel to come together under one roof,” said Dylan Rogers, Editor of Business Traveller Africa magazine. “The benefits of attending include extensive networking opportunities, the sharing of knowledge, and exposure to a range of business travel-related products.”

As the title sponsor, Visa gains branding rights at the Expo & Conference and will have the opportunity to engage directly with business travellers, travel agents and the wider consumer market.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 22

By Joe Brock

N

igeria will earn less for its oil and struggle to replace reserves unless it can end years of industry stagnation, at a time its biggest customer is becoming selfsufficient and African rivals are boosting supplies.

A domestic energy boom in the United States has already sharply cut demand for Nigerian oil, while legal uncertainty, political wrangling, corruption and insecurity plague an oil industry which is still Africa's biggest.

In addition, rivals on the continent - both East and West are fast catching up, and hungry for returns to boost their smaller economies they are tempting foreign oil and gas companies with better terms and fewer bottlenecks than Nigeria.

"Nigeria has multiple problems in its oil game - it has failed to meet reserve growth and production targets for many years ... while competition grows worldwide," said Duncan Clarke, Head of African oil experts Global Pacific & Partners.

"High crude prices have shielded Nigeria of late - but this may not last forever, and its reputation as the proverbial Land-of-No-Tomorrow continues."

With oil accounting for around 80 percent of government revenue and 95 percent of foreign exchange reserves, Africa's second largest economy is vulnerable to any negative shifts in oil and gas prices and demand.

The U.S. accounted for 35 percent of oil exports from Nigeria in 2011. But it imported around 40 percent less last year, taking purchases from Nigeria to their lowest in over 20 years, according to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), a U.S. government agency.

This drop in demand has already resulted in Nigerian barrels selling for around 40 cents lower than its official selling price and left dozens of

Nigeria losing ground in changing oil world

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deizani Alison-Madueke cargoes unsold and rolled over to future months, according to research by Africa's Ecobank.

Asian Demand "Nigeria must make increased efforts to capture more of the rapidly growing Asian market," said Kayode Akindele, partner at Lagosbased financial adviser 46 Parallels.

"A big issue is that the growing East African oil and gas industry will prove to be a serious competitor, especially given its proximity to key Asian

markets compared to Nigeria."

There have been around 70 discoveries in sub-Saharan Africa in the last five years with the majority coming in East African countries like Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique.

Around 250 trillion cubic feet of natural gas may lie off those three countries alone, the US Geological Survey estimates.

Several East African LNG plants are expected to come online in the next 5 years, while

Nigeria with similar gas reserves has stalled a new LNG project for the last 8 years, seeing oil major partners Chevron and Conoco give up stakes.

Shell has sold onshore oil blocks in Nigeria but is seeking to expand elsewhere in Africa.

West African neighbour Ghana recently became an oil producer.

"There is a finite amount of money to be invested by oil and gas majors in the short to medium term, and Nigeria needs a slice of that cake," Mutiu Sunmonu, Shell's Nigeria country head, told an investor conference last week.

"The competitive landscape has changed ... Nigeria cannot afford to miss the boat."

Oil Minister Diezani AlisonMadueke looked to ease concerns last week when she told bankers and oil firms that Nigeria was entering "a new dawn to boost investment and production."

Old Promises Alison-Madueke said Nigeria would fix its ailing refineries, expand oil and gas output, tackle insecurity in the Niger Delta and ensure the passage of a landmark energy law, which would make it competitive with rival producers.

The minister made similar promises when she took office in 2010 but many targets have been missed.

Nigeria loses $6 billion annually to crude theft, offshore piracy is on the rise and oil majors say it's operating costs are among the most expensive globally.

Energy consultants Wood Mackenzie forecast Nigeria's oil production could drop by 20 percent by 2020 because years of delay to a Petroleum Industry

“

The U.S. accounted for 35 percent of oil exports from Nigeria in 2011. But it imported around 40 percent less last year, taking purchases from Nigeria to their lowest in over 20 years, according to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), a U.S. government agency.

A typical oil rig

Bill (PIB) have blocked tens of billions of dollars in exploration investment.

Oil majors say they can't invest in major new projects until the PIB is passed and if it is passed as it stands with higher taxes, then new investment will be deterred.

The Chinese have some interest in Nigeria through Addax, owned by Sinopec, which has said it wants to buy more onshore fields.

Two Nigerian oil firms last week said they did not think the PIB will ever become law because of vested interests blocking progress and an insurmountable gulf between oil firms, lawmakers and the oil ministry over terms.

Nigeria state oil firm NNPC is at the centre of the country's energy business but is blighted by under-funding and corruption, according to several government probes.

But around half of subSaharan oil output still comes from Nigeria and oil firms say it could comfortably double crude production and unlock the world's ninth-largest gas reserves if Alison-Madueke comes good on her promises.

Changing global oil dynamics still offer an opportunity.

"Declining U.S. demand provides yet another incentive for the Nigerian government to conduct the reforms needed to reduce the losses, leakages and general dysfunction," said Roddy Barclay, West African analyst at Control Risks. "(If not taken) investor appetite will remain muted by the array of complex political, operational and security risks that will continue to characterise Nigeria's oil sector." (Source: Reuters)

PEOSPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Report as at Wednesday, February 27, 2013

PAGE 23

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Girls education a top priority in Borno- First Lady Hajiya Nana Kashim Shetima, is the wife of the Borno State Governor and founder of Support for Women, Orphans and Tsangaya (SWOT) foundation. In this interview with Maryam Garba Hassan, she talks about the statistics of girls’ enrolment in schools which she said out-numbered that of the boys; the suffering of widows and orphans which is on the increase and her passion to alleviate their plight; challenges her pet project is facing and the measures taken to ensure the sustainability of the project among others.

W

hat informed your decision to choose widows, orphans and Tsangaya as your pet project?

The decision to support these groups of people is not far-fetched from the fact that they are poor, indigenes, and vulnerable

Nana

and some are even displaced or homeless. My prayer and passion as usual is to help the needy or bring succor to the needy for the sake of Allah.

Secondly, the widows, orphans and Tsangaya pupils are one group that, not many people place priority on, especially on

their basic needs.

Remember, they are people like you and I but destiny made them what and who they are today.

As for the Tsangaya, you know Borno state is known as a center of Qur’anic memorisation throughout the country and beyond and pupils in

search of Islamic knowledge troop into the state from West African countries but of course, not without constraints.

This traditional system of education is faced with many challenges and associated with other social problems but if we can organise them, by registering each Almajiri with his full name and address of where he is from, support the system with the basic needs within our resources, give them a sense of belonging and make the school conducive for habitation.

Can you approximate the percentage of population of widows and orphans in the state?

Lets look at it from this perspective, the statistics of registered Muslim widows and orphans as at June 2012, just within the state capital stand at over 10,000 with over 20,000 orphans. Mind you the registered ones just within the metropolis was over 2,000 not to mention the unregistered ones and those who reside at the local governments areas.

The fact remains that unregistered widows and orphans are many.

Recently, you were reported to have wept for the widows in the state over their condition.

Is their situation that bad despite your intervention through your pet project?

Well, I did not weep for the widows over their condition, but for realising one of my dreams of reaching out to the needy, not only widows but the needy, giving them a lifeline through the free training programme of my foundation which commenced with over 40

trainees selected irrespective of gender, tribe, social status or religion.

However, having empathy as a woman you will shed tears and glorify your Creator in all conditions you see yourself or a fellow human in and wish to do more to elevate the suffering of the person or improve his living standard if you have the means.

How do you intend to carry along every widow and orphan in

we can because the “SWOT Foundation” is empowering as many people as possible.

I believe empowering them is one way of carrying them along to find solutions to their multiple problems.

What can you say constitute your greatest challenge in the execution of your pet project?

Challenge they say is the salt of life because they mould a person to improve or correct any over sight in executing any project. But to me, the most challenging

“

Lets look at it from this perspective, the statistics of registered Muslim widows and orphans as at June 2012, just within the state capital stand as over 10,000 with over 20,000 orphans the state in your p r o g r a m m e , especially with the increase in the number of the groups in recent times?

Honestly, with the increasing number of widows and orphans in the state, carrying them all along as you said, is very difficult, but it is my wish to do so; supporting these groups can and should be done in partnership with wealthy individuals in the state, NGOs and government so as to play various roles in giving them succor.

However, for now, we are reaching out to widows and orphans as possible as

aspect of executing my project is how to distinguish between the widows and the married women as well as the vulnerable ones as they are all crying for help.

Another issue that compounds the problem is the security situation which led to imposing of curfew for over one-year in the state by the state government.

This development crippled all evening and night businesses that are mostly done by women to support their families.

More worrisome is the increasing number of widows and orphans by the day. This brings about quantity and coordination problems to

the foundation.

Another issue is proper evaluation of performance of those engaged in petty trading as they move from one business location to the other due to security threats.

Lastly, the burden of single handedly shouldering the training cost, footing medical bills of indigent patients, paying of school fees for orphans and providing clothing, foodstuff and learning materials to tsangaya pupils among others also contributes to the challenges that hinders the smooth operation of the foundation.

It is not easy, but with the help of Allah, I am doing it not because I have so much to give but because I have the heart to share the little I have with many in line with the priorities of each group.

What is your dream for the women and children of Borno state?

My dream for the women and children of Borno state is to see them empowered, restore the lost glory and our rich cultural heritage which is one of the richest cultures in the world.

For the children, my dream is for them to experience less hardship in its entire ramifications, to tap their hidden talents and explore it for the benefit of all.

The state that I am so proud of, Borno may Allah restore peace that we all cherish and above all, our pride and identity in Borno.

At the end of the 2012 meeting of forum of Northern Governors’ Wives held in Abuja, it was

resolved that the 19 northern states first ladies should support their husbands in ensuring that peace is brought back into the country. In what way have you been able to support his Excellency to achieve that course in a state that was the first to be hit by Boko Haram insurgency and among the worst hit in the country?

To me, first and foremost I pray to God to give all the governors of the 36 states of the federation the wisdom to overcome the challenges and as I said earlier, I support the victims of insecurity in Borno particularly the women and children in various ways, such as providing them with foodstuff, clothing and a token to cushion their hardship. As you rightly said, our state bears the burden of the insurgency, which I believe is an act of Allah and only He has the power to control or bring it to an end since we believe it is a trial and trials can come to an individual, group, state or a nation in any form and at any time.

Prayer is the best weapon we rely on.

What is a day like in the life of the first lady?

My day is always busy, but with proper time management and planning, one can achieve a lot in a day. Every day I tidy up my husband’s apartment and attend to the children.

Thereafter, I prepare and supervise our breakfast and ensure that the children are prepared to go to school in time before I attend to any other business of the day.

What are you doing on the issue of girl child education in the state, as Borno is

Hajiya Nana Kashim Shetima

reported to be one of the states with the highest cases of school dropout girls?

Well, I disagree with you on this issue. I am sure you have not visited the state for sometime or see the updated statistics of our state on the enrolment and retention of girls or even women whom you referred to as dropouts.

Despite the security challenges in the state, women and girls attend school regularly; in fact,

parents and school authorities have confirmed that girls nowadays are more committed to education than the boys as they don’t record lateness in both boarding and day schools. I believe that might not be unconnected with the rapid transformation going on in the education sector despite the security challenges. As you can see women and girls are attending schools with full vigor and commitment.

One of the reasons for

“

with the increasing number of widows and orphans in the state, carrying them all along as you said, is very difficult, but it is my wish to do so; supporting these groups can and should be done in partnership with wealthy individuals in the state, NGOs and Government so as to play various roles in giving them succor

this I believe is the turn around of the education sector by our governor, so I can say kudos to our dynamic governor Hon. Kashim Shettima who prioritised education and gives teachers all the incentives they need.

These include the renovation of school structures, staff quarters, and laboratory equipment, teaching and learning facilities in addition to the improvement recorded on the feeding system. You can go to any school in Borno to confirm what I am telling you.

What measures have you put in place to ensure the sustainability of your pet project even at the end of your husband’s tenure in office as the governor of the state?

In Sha Allah, SWOT Foundation will out-live our tenure because we have invested a lot into the foundation to ensure its sustainability. Apart from that, just like any other NGO, we will bid for place on website and the dailies to generate revenue for sustenance.

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

EMERGENCY UPDATE

Korean Ambassador in Nigeria, H.E. Jong-hyun Choi (M) with NEMA D-G, Muhammad Sani-Sidi (2nd left) and other official of Korean Embassy in a group photograph during a donation of 20 rice milling machines to 2012 flood victim.

Oil Pipeline Explosion: YADI tasks government on youth employment

By Mohammed Kandi

F

ollowing the devastating explosion of pipelines last Saturday, killing about 50 persons at Arepo village in Ogun state, as a result of vandal activities, a NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO), Youth Against Disaster Initiative (YADI), has called on the government to create employment for the country’s teeming youth population.

YADI made the call in a statement issued to journalists yesterday in Abuja, noting that “effective measures must be promptly embarked upon towards the creation of massive employment opportunities and poverty eradication by all levels of government”.

National Coordinator of the group, Abubakar Jimoh, said it was imperative for government at all levels

including stakeholders to ensure proper environment safety by improving security against the illegal activities.

“We commend the rapid intervention of the search and rescue team of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Police Force, Fire Service and Red Cross Society of Nigeria, who have helped to keep the

environment safe against further disasters,” he said.

Jimoh therefore observed that there should be “installation of the modern Pipeline Telecontrol System for adequate control and monitoring of oil process equipment and transfer from one station to another.”

The Coordinator also advised that stiffer punishment should be leveled against perpetrators of black

marketers and anyone found guilty of pipeline destruction.

He however recalled that, “In the recent times, Nigeria has experienced huge losses of thousand lives and property worth billions of naira from various pipeline vandalisms.”

“Pipeline vandalism will continue to sabotage the government development projects, as unemployment rate accelerates in the country,” he warned.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

PAGE 31

EMERGENCY UPDATE

NEMA strategises for improved DRR

By Mohammed Kandi

T

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has mapped out strategies to improve on its frame works that would brace up against routine challenges, as well as enhance capacity development of emergency preparedness, mitigation, response and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Nigeria.

Recently, the NEMA's North West Zonal Office under the leadership of its Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah embarked on courtesy visits to respective disaster managers across the seven states in the zone to enhance perfect collaboration in carrying out their mandated tasks.

A statement issued by the Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah recently, said this development comes as a result of a wide range of human and natural hazard induced disasters, adding that, "some of these disasters include ethno-

religious crisis, political chaos, floods, drought, food insecurity & malnutrition, population migrations, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP's), refugees and others."

"While health epidemics like Polio, Meningitis, Cholera and Lassa fever) are recurrent diseases that continue to pose great threat to the lives and livelihood of the populace, the multiple humanitarian challenges posed by these disasters could have far reaching impact on the situation," Ilallah said.

The zonal coordinator stated: "Naturally, despite all the effort being put in place to tackle disasters in a timely manner, the multiplicity of crises affecting the zone overstretches its capacity while the critical challenges still remain."

"NEMA faces several constraints having to take on responsibilities of other first responder agencies to take the lead in some critical disaster management but who lack the

capacity to do so. Consequently, the bulk of tasks still fall back upon the agency due to the limited human and material resources available for disaster response among responder agencies and stakeholders," he stated.

"In view of these challenges the agency has given signals of a new commitment by the authorities to work with respective stakeholders to tackle the country's humanitarian issues which the UN has been requested to provide support to address and notably assist in the elaboration of this policy," the coordinator explained.

Meanwhile, areas visited by the Agency include the States Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), States Fire Services, Federal Road Service Corps (FRSC), State Ministries (health, environment, local government, works, youths and sports etc.), Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agents.

Photographs of participants at the recent 4th Africa Regional Platform for DRR in Arusha, Tanzania alongside the 5th Africa drought Adaptation Forum planned for 11-12 February 2013.

YOUTHS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

By Abubakar Jimoh abujimoh01@yahoo.com

Mitigating the impacts of global warming on biodiversity

T

he earth has hitherto witnessed series of atmospheric changes, among which is the ongoing increasing global warming that has continue to wreak havoc on humanities.

The phenomenon of the dredged global warming are generally facilitated by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane, which traps heat and light from the sun in the atmosphere and speed up the earth's temperature level.

Apparently, global warming has posed negative effects to the weather in particular and by extension, to the agricultural conditions across the world as drier situations have continue to prevail across Sahel region of Western Africa, Southern Africa, Mediterranean, and parts of Southern Asia.

Consequently, drought becomes longer and more intense since 1970s particularly in the tropics and subtropics. Weather patterns have turn out to be less predictable giving chances to unexpected outbreaks of natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and copious incidents of desertification around the world.

Also, the accelerating atmospheric warming has caused reparative effects on the surface layer of the ocean, thereby expanding it in volume and thus raising sea level which has complicated life in various parts of the world. Besides, the erosion of cliffs, beaches, and dunes increases and hence invade the river banks resulting to heavy flooding.

In its own accounts, Youths Against Disaster Initiative (YADI) observed that constant rising temperature level would cause a great harm to plants, which are naturally are sources of food to man and animals. YADI further stated that the impacts of global warming could heighten the amount of tropical diseases such as malaria mostly found in the tropics and transmitted by mosquitoes, yellow fever, and encephalitis.

In a bid to immune the Nigerian environments against hazards of global warming, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi recently reacted that responding to the challenges of global warming would require fundamental changes in energy production, transportation, industrial and government policies, and development strategies around the world. This he said has prompted his sensitization campaigns against global

warming within and outside the country.

His words: "Forest preservation is an essential tactic to keep carbon dioxide emissions from reaching the atmosphere. It has been reported that trees, especially young and fast-growing ones, soak up a great deal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store carbon atoms in new wood. There is a need to reduce the growing rate of deforestation particularly in the tropics."

Undoubtedly, the industrial demands for agricultural products such as rubber must have prompted high incident of deforestation and soil changes across the globe. Arguably, such practices has accelerated the industrial growth, but may have paved way for intense global warming.

Therefore, there is the need for adequate environmental and wastes management through the adoption of systematic recycling to tackle global warming.

According to YADI, "recycling reduces pollution, as a product recycled creates less pollution than new one. It can also save energy by reducing the need to process new material, which usually requires more energy than the recycling process."

In the same vein, NEMA has cautioned individuals on the use of electrical gadgets such as leaving turned on television, computer, and light. It advised that individuals take time away from television and spend more time outdoors; while excessive use of mechanical engines like cares, buses, trucks that generate fume must be reduced.

At industrial level, the carbon dioxide brought to the earth surface through the natural gas drillings around the world must be properly captured, compressed, and injected into an aquifer deep below the seabed from which it cannot escape. In most cases, the process of carbon capture should include transporting the gas in compressed form to suitable locations for underground storage.

There is the need for a review and implementation of the global Environmental Protection Laws.

This would help to promulgate proper environmental use guidelines; and timely sanctions against injudicious use of agroallied materials by industries. For instance, United States has embarked on serious effort against local and regional air pollution since the declaration of Clean Air Act of 1970, amended in 1977 and 1990. This can also be achieved in Nigeria through sufficient reforms of the Environmental Protection Boards across the country.

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

2013 Flood disasters’ prediction: Any precautionary measures?

N

atural disasters have been tormenting man from time immemorial, but the present frequency and severity of these disasters have been attributed to man "inhumanity" to his environment.

In the face of this overpowering nature, shows that for man, for all his technological might, seem to humble nature by natural disasters.

There is no technology to plug volcanoes which pierce the earth's crust, or to bind the faults which cause earthquakes. There is not yet even a science for predicting when faults and volcanoes will let loose. To that extent, mankind is still vulnerable to the vagaries of the planet.

But the story of human development is one of becoming better at coping with them, as deaths by disasters are often seen as symptoms of economic underdevelopment.

In general, it has been discovered that richer places and richer people are better able to survive and rebound, as more interconnections provide more ways to mobilize resources and explore alternatives when disasters come visiting.

Researchers point to global warming, dams, deforestation and slash and burn farming as some of the exacerbating factors in the natural disasters that have plagued the world today.

Another factor is population density in high risk areas and the materials used in buildings and the structural quality. The adage that "Earthquakes don't kill people; buildings do," is often the case as most people are too

poor to build earthquake resistant structure. This was the case in the Haiti's earthquakes and aftershock in 2004 that claimed over 200,000 lives and rendered over a million people homeless.

There's no gainsaying the fact that environmental concerns are always heightened by a major crisis. And flooding because of its relatively rapid onset can capture a great deal of public attention. Over the past decades a number of dramatic flood disasters have been documented and well publicized.

Historically, floods are as old as humanity. Like other natural disasters, the intensity and frequency of flooding have been attributed to climate change which has continued to disrupt weather variations and no doubt altered the geology of the earth.

According to reports, 2012 was the worst flood disasters in 40 years, described by scientists as a disaster of "biblical proportion", in view of the Armageddon of flooding across all the continents of the earth where millions of people were displaced and thousands died.

Most parts of our country were last year equally under siege by floods, with huge costs compounded by lost of incomes in farming, mining and tourism.

Victims of this ungainly flooding have been humans and livestock, farmlands and property.

Aside from the environmental hangovers of the floods, the economic impact on the country as regards food security was the most severe.

The questions are; were there measures that would have been taken but were ignored? Are

we today prepared for the dire consequences of this year's predicted flooding as regards the food crisis? Are the expected palliative measures sufficient?

The causes of these flooding are very obvious. They range from poor drainage systems, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, and building on waterways, improper town planning, overcrowded slums and lack of precautionary measures.

The loss of lives and property worth millions is a painful chestnut.

According to NEMA, "Some 1.3 million Nigerians were displaced and 431 died in what the authorities say is the worst flooding in over 40 years. Farms crops and seedlings like cassava, rice and maize meant for this year's farming session were swept away by the flood.

No doubt that the effort of the Federal Government is commendable especially as President Goodluck Jonathan's release of N17.6 billion to aid the affected States and some Federal Government agencies responsible for disaster management to tackle the menace floods.

Equally, the bold step of setting a National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation chaired and co-chaired by Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr. Olisa Agbakoba respectively, to provide urgent succor and relief to victims should be commended.

This time, the Federal Government should make adequate preparations not only to help the affected people, but to boost irrigation in the affected areas as promised.

Our various tiers of

People leaving their homes during last year flood disaster, in Lokoja, Kogi state.

ENVIR ONMENT ENVIRONMENT WATCH

By Ambrose Inusa Sule, mnes globenviron@yahoo.com 0703-441-4410 (sms only) government must learn to move from taking curative measures to concrete preventive measures like proffering solutions for the imminent hunger that's likely to take place in the country in this year's expected flood disasters.

It is expected that government, as a matter of urgency, should start to embark on massive clearing of drainages, dredging of primary and secondary channels, and lining of many earth channels should be parts of efforts by the governments to cope with the rains.

But little can be achieved without the collaboration of the people as no nation can promise a flood free state, only mitigate it.

This is where National Orientation Agency (NOA) should in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment embark on enlightenment campaign by educating people to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, to drain around their homes, and building of structures on drainage alignments must stop. This enlightenment campaign should start today, if we want to

minimize flood disasters this year as predicted by NIMET. Nigerians should be called for a change of perception as regards environmental hazards, dumping of refuse into drainage channels, well-articulated and comprehensive physical planning control in the face of unprecedented urbanization, strong compliance with relocation directives in the wake of impending hazards, even if it means leaving ancestral homes -cautioning all against the use of cultural spectacles to view environmental dangers.

It could be recalled that the federal ministry of environment did promise to establish Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) in 36 states which is web-based system for forecasting devastating floods in the country. Nobody has told us if these warning systems are already in place.

Warning of an intending environmental disaster is one thing; solution is another. What are the measures that have been put in place by these agencies to mitigate the effects of these disasters when they occur?

All tiers of government agencies responsible for environmental problems should be ready to invest in disaster monitoring equipment like the Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) promised to be installed by the ministry of environment.

What we urgently need are flood and erosion prevention, control and management mechanisms? The approach of governments to environmental problems has always been medicine after death, ready to be administered by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

A disaster that strikes an unprepared country can set it years back.

Procrastinating on flood and erosion prevention and control is like refusing medication for a developing infection.

Other countries such as Pakistan, India and Australia who suffered devastating flood disasters in recent time, should serves as a wakeup call on the authorities to act pro-actively in the area of disasters management.

Structures should be put in place to monitor as well as tackle such disasters whenever they occur.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 27

Restoring the vanishing potable water in Nigeria

By Mohammed Kandi

A

pparently, unlike the developed societies across the world, access to safe and clean drinking water has long eluded most parts of Nigeria, especially the rural communities and such developments have been linked to lack of political will by government and poor water management on the part of citizens.

Recent findings show that every year, approximately three million children under the age of five die from diarrheal illnesses while more adults are killed as a result of cholera pandemic. There are cases of population shifts from rural to urban, mass movements due to armed conflicts, poor and aging infrastructure and increasing water demands from growing populations - all contribute to the challenges of provising safe drinking water (CDC, 2003).

However, the ugly situation and the resultant deaths associated with lack of potable drinking water in the country had earlier in the week prompted the Federal Government into action, convening a two-day Presidential Summit on water entitled: "Innovative Funding of the Water Sector in Nigeria".

The summit, not only aimed at sourcing alternative funds for water infrastructure, development and maintenance from donor agencies, but stressed the needs to have a shift on water utilisation, processing and production, and for the effective management and sustainability of the sector.

At the forum, President Goodluck Jonathan said an estimated N350 billion (1.91 billion dollars) was required every year to meet Nigeria's thorough demand for portable water.

The President disclosed that robust investments had been budgeted by his government that would boost various aspects of the sector, including special funds dedicated to ecological matters and natural resources.

"In 2011, N40.94 billion was budgeted and untilised on water sector. Over N43.6 billion was spent on water supply excluding expenditure on specific projects," Jonathan stated.

"The specific projects funded in 2012 include the Goronyo Dam - N3.4 billion; Kashimbila Dam - N38 billion; Gurara Dam and irrigation- N36 billion and Ife Dam - N3 billion," he added.

But, despite these interventions including the proposed N39 billion from line budget to be spent on water related projects in addition to special intervention funds in 2013, only little success had been recorded so far in the sector.

Also speaking at the summit, Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochepe, lauded the initiative of the President, saying similar efforts in other sectors had witness improvement in services, including power supply, rail and road networks, aviation infrastructure, housing and sports.

Ochepe submitted that the initiative would assist the country in attaining drinking water and sanitation targets for MDDGs and for other multipurpose uses of water, pointing out that the "ministry had completed projects and initiatives in the water sector which would soon be commissioned and put into full use."

"The ministry had established a Public Private Partnership Unit last year and the unit is working with other relevant agencies to screen various water sector projects for concessioning. This will ensure better operation and management and thereby lead to increased production from such investments," Ochepe explained.

"These include existing water supply, irrigation and dam projects as well as new schemes that have been designed spread around the country,'' the minister said.

In the same vein, the minister called for the prosecution of water polluters saying "people who pollute water sources should be made to face the consequences by paying for damages caused."

"There is the need for proper checking of the water sources and I will also propagate that when such is determined that the polluter would have to pay within such water process," she stated.

She said the ministry would partner with the Ministry of Environment to ensure punishment for those who pollute the nation's water sources.

In his own remarks, Senate President, David Mark gave assurances that the National Assembly would do everything in its powers to safeguard the right of Nigerians to access clean and affordable water, as well as ensuring better water management and more water security for citizens.

"State shall protect and improve the environment and safeguard the water, air and land, forest and wild life of Nigeria'', leader of the Senate quoted section 20 of the 1999 Constitution, adding that, "It is our duty to find ways of generating, distributing and managing water resources.

And to do all of these in a manner that is affordable."

Mark, who frowned at the current situation of water supply in the country urban and rural areas, challenged the participants to carefully deliberate on the problems facing the nation's water sector

Children in search of potable drinking water with a view to finding lasting solutions to them.

He also expressed optimism that the NASS is convinced that water management could be a potent way to fight poverty and alleviate the effects of climate change.

On its own part, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme accentuated the need for the prioritisation of the resources allocated to the water sector. Chief of the UNICEFWASH in Nigeria, Mr Kannan Nadar, advocates that appropriate systems and structures be put in place to maximize effective utilisation of resources allotted to the sector.

"Proper systems and structures should be established to really maximise the proper utilisation of resources that comes to the sector; maintenance is also very necessary in the sector," he said.

Nadar, however, said resources at all levels should be harmonised for better planning, structuring and effective disbursement of all allocations targeted at the sector.

Meanwhile, former Presidents of Nigeria and that of its close neigboug, Ghana, Olusegun Obasanjo and John Kuffour stressed the need for the total overhaul of the nation's water sector.

Obasanjo, in his brief remarks, said the subject of water and speedy action was long overdue, observing that the situation was imperative in view of the fact that water is

an essential aspect of human existence and survival.

"Water is too serious to be left in the hands of politicians, private sector, donor agencies, civil society organisations alone. We have to leave it in the hands of all to ensure adequate and sustainable water supply," he added.

The former president noted that 70 per cent of the human body is made up of water and that water constituted an essential aspect of sanitation, agriculture and water transportation.

He further stressed the need for partnership among all tiers of government, private sector, civil society organisations and donor agencies to address the nation's water problem.

In his contribution, Mr Kuffour, who express regret that many people were still denied access to water due to prohibited high cost, noted that traditional sources of funding (donor agencies) for the provision of portable water in developing nations "leaves much to be desired, hence the summit's theme couldn't have been more apt."

Also speaking, a specialist and Chairman, Water Initiative for Africa, Mr Kevin McGovern, remarked that there was the needs to change the paradigm of water utilisation, processing and production for effective management and sustainability in Nigeria.

McGovern decried the amount of quality water being wasted during processing of especially bottled water saying "40 per cent of all bottled water produced in the world was

gotten from tap water and in the process of producing bottled water, lots of water was being wasted."

He suggested that the Federal Government should adopt the 3Ds (Diagnose, Develop and Distribute) approach being used by the U.S. to improve its water sector.

The chairman explained that the 3Ds involved first to diagnose the conditions affecting the sector negatively, secondly develop solutions to these conditions as it relates to the country, and thirdly distribute global products which were affordable.

On a whole, there is the need for the government and the entire stakeholders in the water sector, to sincerely and transparently declare the elusive water projects in Nigeria a "state of emergency".

That successive governments with the support of international donors have expended huge resources to resuscitate the sector, is not just enough.

Like every other speaker at the summit submitted, access to clean and safe drinking water by citizens of Nigeria is long overdue, and is indeed a "great deal" for the nation's development. It is therefore high time we stop paying lips services and get down to 'real businesses of truly striving to scrutinize the terrible circumstance surrounding our water project. It is time to say no to corruption associated with providing water to citizen, as well as indiscriminate pollution of the water resource and wastages.

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUART 28, 2013

EMERGENCY UPDATE

Nigeria donates relief items to Mali

By Mohammed Kandi

F

ollowing the current political unrest in Bomako, Mali, leading to the ongoing African led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA), with Nigerian government deploying over 500 military for the mission, the Federal Government has donated a total of 1110 metric tons of assorted relief materials to Malian government as part of support for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had last weekend conveyed the items to Bamako, the capital of Mali in 37 trucks, the DirectorGeneral of the agency, NEMA Muhammad Sani-Sidi, have said.

In a statement issued by NEMA's Head, Public Relations, Yushau A. Shuaib, the Sani-Sidi said the relief intervention came on the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan, who urged urgent delivery of the emergency materials to the affected population to ensure return to normalcy in Mali.

The items, he said, comprised food stuff, clothing, household utensils, detergent, antiseptic, mosquito nets and beddings. Meanwhile, NEMA's Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Charles Otegbade, who led the team of aid and emergency workers to Mali said "the recent draught and the ongoing armed conflict in Northern Mali, occasioned by insurgency and rebellion has created a serious humanitarian crisis and displacement of persons in the country."

"It becomes necessary for friendly nations to render logistic and humanitarian assistance and to restore normalcy and avert the spillover of the unfortunate event to the border areas of Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritain and other countries of the subregion," he explained.

In his remarks, Nigeria's Ambassador to Mali, Mr Iliya Ali Nuhu, who presented the items to Malian Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Mamadou Sidibe, at the Nigerian Embassy in Bamako, said the humanitarian gesture was in line with mutual

Malian Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Momodou Sidibe (2nd left), receiving a relief items from Ambassador Ali Iliya of Nigeria (3rd left), at a ceremony recently in Mali cooperation and the friendly relations between the two countries. He said assistance also demonstrates collective solidarity towards sustaining peace and stability in the West African sub-region.

Receiving the items, Malian

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Mamadou Sidibe, described the gesture as timely, and therefore thanked the people and government of Nigeria for the effort which he said will further strengthen the existing ties between the two

countries.

"Our country and people indeed appreciate Nigeria's participation in the ongoing military support mission in northern Mali and we shall remain grateful for this gesture", he said.

The minister, who assured that the relief items would be delivered to the victims within one week, said Mali urgently needs humanitarian assistance following the closure of Mauritanian and Algerian borders because of the ongoing armed conflict in northern Mali.

NEMA delivers relief materials to victims of Ibadan storms

By Gladys Kenneth

A

s part its mandate to provide succour for victims of various disasters in the country, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has delivered some relief items to victims of recent windstorm that wreaked havoc in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The Agency's Director of Relief and Rehabilitation, Mr Eugene Eze, who delivered the items in Ibadan, alerted of the predicted high rainfall in the area this year and urged communities to cooperate

with the government in preparations ahead of likely floods which may occur in many parts of the country.

Eze said the Agency has already commenced a series of consultation and awareness campaigns to prevent the disaster where possible and minimize the impacts in unavoidable circumstances.

A statement by NEMA's Head, Public Relations, Yushau A. Shuaib, said a member of the House of R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s , representing Oluyole Federal Constituency, Ibrahim Olaifa, whose area was affected by the storms and witnessed the

delivery of the relief items, lauded the timely response of NEMA to the disaster.

He therefore urged the Agency to remain focus and proactive, especially, in the face of the increasing incidence of disasters in the country.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Chairman of Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State, Ayodeji Aleshinloye, appreciated NEMA'S assistance, noting that "the gesture was timely and complementary to the earlier intervention from the state and local governments."

The items delivered include building materialsbags of cement, bundles of roofing sheets, nails, planks as well as bags of rice and other household items for the affected persons in the area.

It will recalled that communities in the identified three local government areas of Oyo State were devastated by the windstorms which occurred on Sunday 17, February 2013.

The following day after the disaster, NEMA officials were at the affected areas and conducted the rapid assessment based on which the relief items were approved and delivered to the affected residents.

local government areas of the country.

He added that by the first quarter of 2014, the training would have been concluded in all the zones.

He stressed the need for a concerted effort in ensuring that disasters in whatever form were reduced in the country.

The NEMA boss said, "There is a remarkable increase in the number of disaster incidents in Nigeria which are mostly hydro-meteorological.

This is sending a strong signal that negative impact of climate change is escalating until we rise up to the challenge and stand together to curb it.

"NEMA will continue to work to make the communities safe and happy place to live in.

We are working on an existing platform and blue print of having at least two hundred NEMA volunteers in each of the 774 local government areas of the country, thus having at least 154, 000

volunteers nationwide and integrating them into NEMA Community Resilience Network. This will enable every community to understand their core values, how well they protect it and how well they live and support one another.

"The flagging off in the North West Zone, and by the grace of God, by the first quarter of next year, we would have finished the training in all the zones across the country."

NEMA trains 154, 000 disaster managers D irector-General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi, said in Kaduna recently that the agency would train over 154,000 volunteers' corps to be integrated into community resilience groups across the country.

The NEMA boss, who decried the high level of disaster in Nigeria, noted that it became imperative for the agency to set up a community resilience network and peace

brigade to assist in the management of disaster in the country.

Also, Kaduna State Government said it had established Local Emergency Management Committee to replicate the State Emergency Management Agency's effort in the 23 local governments of the state. At the inauguration of community resilience network and peace brigade, Sani-Sidi said no fewer than 200 volunteers would be selected from each of the 774

PAGE 29

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUART 28, 2013

EMERGENCY UPDATE YOUTHS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

By Abubakar Jimoh abujimoh01@yahoo.com

Averting fire disaster in Nigeria

Workshop for spike holders in disasrer mitigation, response and preparedness in Abuja

Participants at a stakeholders meeting for review of the UN mass casualty plan for Nigeria recently.

The ever-increasing fire accidents in the country and its resultant losses of hundreds of lives and properties worth billions of naira, as well as the compelling psychological trauma that follows have continued to raise disquiet among the people.

In spite of the immeasurable scar such incidents had engraved in the minds of victims for decades, the government is not doing enough to ameliorate the suffering and plight of the teeming fire victims, neither is it providing workable measure that would curtail or even prevent such occurrences across the country.

However, there was an estimated death of about 990 lives out of 7, 129 fire accidents annually in the country.

Similarly, in the analysis of the United State Fire Administration (USFA), there were about 3, 320 deaths and 17, 000 related injuries occurred in the year 2008 from series of fire accidents.

Also, the death associate with different fire accidents result not only from burns but also from smoke inhalation and toxic gases as it does to Nandnagari community of Eastern Delhi and Nigerians victims of fire mishap in Saudi Arabia in November 2011.

In a bid to avert the intense fire outbreaks across the country, however, a study conducted by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) under the leadership of its Director-General, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi, attributed several fire outbreaks to accidents and carelessness via electrical outlets, faulty wiring, electrical appliances, heating gadgets, unattended stove and gases, as well as children playing with matches among others.

The agency therefore recommends that several useful guides to preventing fire disasters in the country- individuals are advised to avoid smoking in bed; and ensure that he douses his cigarettes in water before disposal so that they will not re-ignite.

Smoking is one of the common causes of fire outbreaks in homes, offices including public domains.

Several disastrous fire occurrences have resulted from re-ignited discard cigarettes that are not properly extinguished.

On its own part, the Youths Against Disaster Initiative (YADI) assured that early detection of fire outbreak is a crucial step in fire prevention.

This, YADI noted, could be achieved by alerting, informing and creating awareness among individuals, through volunteer system, and installation of automatic fire detection systems.

YADI also observed that the use of device know as smoke detector could help in averting a fire disaster.

This device should be installed in industries and commercial complexes to issue a signal to a fire alarm system.

While household detectors, known as smoke alarms can be connected in homes to generally issue a local audible and visual alarm on anticipated fire, the kitchen, which is known to be prone to fire outbreak should be inclusive.

It is advisable never to leave cooking pots and pans unattended,

not even for a short while.

There are clear indications that several fire incidents have been linked to nonchalance on the part of kitchen users.

Thus, ensure that the gas tank, ovens, and stoves are shut off so that food won't be burnt and flammable gas won't leak.

Also, while cooking, it would be wise to avoid wearing loose cloths as they can easily catch fire.

YADI also advised: "Never leave burning candles unattended, and avoid placing them near air vent, plastic, carpet or windows where they can be knocked down by wind.

Keep candles, matches, lighters and other flammable materials out of children's reach. " As part of recommended precaution against fire disasters globally, the United States Burn Awareness Coalition in a study, revealed that matches and lighters in hands of children have resulted to burns which constitute the major cause of accidental deaths in children under the age of two; while fire and burn injuries are the second leading cause of accidental deaths among children between age 1 to 4 years, and the third leading cause of injury and death between age 1 to 18 years.

It also stated that, "electrical appliances are another cause of fire outbreaks.

Remember to turn off and unplug your electrical appliance after use; and avoid placing them near sources of heating like the store, fire place, or furnace. " Similarly, an Indian safety expert, Srinivas Katta, identified some electrical conditions that can be fire hazardous including damaged electrical conductors, overloaded sockets and extension cords, faulty wirings, blown fuses, low quality electrical equipment, malfunction of electrical devices, loose electrical connections, and lack of clearance between electrical heating devices and combustible materials.

The expert said the tools including standardized fire extinguishers must be installed at strategic places.

"Avoid using wrong fire extinguishers; and learn how to use the right ones. Mostly, fires are extinguished by water or sand.

Special foam chemicals are used in case of oil fire." "Electric fires are extinguished by switching off electricity and using carbon-dioxide to extinguish the fire. Forest fires can be extinguished by beating the burning bushes using hand tools and by cutting a strip through forest to prevent fire from spreading," he stated. Furthermore, individuals must create an effective fire escape route; and educate their families on how to use it in case of emergency.

This is because if a fire breaks out, it is very easy to become disoriented by smoke, flames and darkness.

If you and your family have planned and practisced your escape route, you will be better prepared ahead of a situation when you have to escape a fire in your home.

This should be designed in such a way that any person confronted by fire anywhere in the building can turn away from it and escape to a safe environment.

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY, 28, 2012

Achieving industrial growth via vocational training

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

O

ne of the focal points of President Goodluck J o n a t h a n ' s Transformation Agenda is the development of skilled manpower so as to foster Nigeria's industrial growth.

The government intends to promote the country's industrial development through vocational training, development of industrial clusters and facilitating skills'transfer to Nigerians by foreign companies, among other strategies.

Against this backdrop, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), which was established in 1971 to facilitate skills' acquisition and development of local manpower, has been reinvigorated, while its capacity has been increased.

Prof. Longwas Wapmuk, the Director-General of ITF, said that the Fund trained 360,000 persons in various fields and trades in 2012.

He said that 10,000 persons from each of the 36 states of the country received training during the year. ``Some of the people received three months' rigorous training in skills' acquisition and in important trades that assisted them to become self-employed,'' he said.

Wopmuk listed the skills as carpentry, welding, shoe-making, tailoring, barbing and hair dressing, among others. ``Others were trained in many aspects of poultry, fishery and honey farming, cake baking, as well as soap and candle making,'' he said.

Wapmuk pledged that the Fund would continue to assist trainees to secure start-up capital for their own businesses through the loan scheme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). ``ITF's mandate to train people in various skills is made easy with the approval to establish skills' acquisition centres in the 36 states,'' he said.

He said that the Federal Government had also approved ITF's proposal to establish three special skills training institutions. ``The three special training institutions have already been captured in the 2013 budget; their locations will soon be selected so that construction work will commence in earnest. ``The training institutions will focus on preparing young Nigerians to depend on themselves and contribute to national growth,'' he said.

Wapmuk said that the Federal Government would also establish 37 industrial skills training centres across the country's six geopolitical zones.

He said that the planned centres were part of efforts to address the shortage of skilled manpower in the country.

Wapmuk said that the

Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga government adopted the strategy with a view to generating a pool of indigenously trained manpower, which would be sufficient to meet the needs of the private and public sectors of the economy.

He said that the Fund had already established three centres in Ikeja, Kano and Jos, adding that that the agency, in collaboration with the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (ITEE), Singapore, had also established a model skills training centre in Abuja. ``The centre in Abuja runs training programmes in information technology (IT), electrical/electronics, information and communication technology (ICT), mechatronics and culinary arts,'' he added.

In his remark, Dr Samuel Ortom, the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, said that the Federal Government had initiated the National Industrial Skill Development Programme to facilitate the establishment of skills acquisition centres to service the manufacturing sector.

He said that the programme was being supported by the Bank of Industry (BOI), Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the ITF. Ortom, who noted that SMEDAN was making considerable efforts with its limited resources to establish the centres, expressed the determination of the ministry to ensure the programme's effectiveness.

In the quest to fast-track the acquisition of industrial skills, the ITF is also collaborating with some organisations.

One of such bodies is the UN Industrial Development

Organisation (UNIDO), which recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ITF on industrial skills' development.

Mr Patrick Kormawa, UNIDO's Country Representative to Nigeria, stressed that the development of industrial skills in Nigeria would increase the contribution of the industrial sector to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He said that the investment in the industrial infrastructure would increase Nigeria's GDP from the current four per cent to 10 per cent within the next 10 years. ``There is a projection that Nigeria needs to provide 25 million new jobs in the next decade. ``Such jobs will come largely from the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs). It is our aim to work closely with ITF and SMEDAN to identify those skills required in the SMEs to create jobs. ``In this respect, we need to focus not only on the traditional skills in trade and craft. ``Innovative vocational skills are essential because they will significantly contribute to job and wealth creation for the teeming youth population, while promoting the economic and social wellbeing of Nigerians,'' he said.

Besides, Kormawa said that the partnership would boost industrial growth and innovation, adding that it would also introduce world-class skills and standards in the industrial sector.

He also said that the partnership would focus on improving vocational skills in food processing and manufacturing, as well as ICT. Kormawa, who recently spoke

at the handover of project equipment to three training centres drawn from across the country, said that not less than 17, 801 Nigerian entrepreneurs had been trained under UNIDOHP's Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (LIFE) programme in 2011.

He listed the three beneficiary training centres as the Abuja Enterprise Agency in the FCT, SME-Microfinance Agency in Niger State and the National Institute for Education Planning and Administration in Ondo State.

Kormawa said that UNIDO, in partnership with HP -- one of the world's largest IT companies -- had been running the programme, targeted at entrepreneurship development and IT education, since 2008. ``Together, we equip aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in developing countries with handson business and IT skills to start, run and grow their enterprises. ``Today, at the core of the partnership lies the global LIFE training programme, which covers finance, marketing operations and communications for different stages of entrepreneurship,'' he said.

Kormawa stressed that trainings under the LIFE programme were provided by carefully selected partner organisations, which received HP technology packages, access to the LIFE curriculum and various online tools and grant.

He said that the designated trainers were also engaged to carry out a ``train-the-trainers'' course, in order to pass on their knowledge to their students.

The UNIDO representative noted that the programme was implemented in collaboration

with institutions such as University of Uyo, Ebonyi State University and Africa Leadership Forum.

All the same, the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has been striving to synergise efforts aimed at promoting the development and use of indigenous technologies.

Malam Umar Bindir, the Director-General of NOTAP, however, identified the dearth of synergy between NOTAP and other agencies as a major problem militating against the country's technological breakthrough.

Bindir, nonetheless, said that NOTAP initiated an agenda tagged ``1777'' in 2012, as part of its efforts to promote the country's technological growth.

He said that the strategy would give every Nigerian the opportunity to directly or indirectly contribute to efforts to attain the goals of the Federal Government's Transformation Agenda and Vision 20:2020.

Bindir said that NOTAP would implement some programmes to facilitate its technology transfer agreement process this year. ``When you come for a technology transfer agreement, we will give you a number; you will then be able to follow the process of registration on our website and you can just come and pick your certificate without any personal interaction with us. ``We believe that this will make us to be more efficient, as it will create more time, more visibility and partnership for us and the industry,'' he added.

Due to the importance of skills' acquisition as a dependent variable in Nigeria's industrial development efforts, the National Assembly is planning to amend the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Act of 1971.

The bill also seeks to empower the Fund to design, set up and operate guidelines for training and certification.

According to the bill, training and certification will be done at the state, local government and ward levels.

The bill seeks to establish area registries across the country for maintaining up-todate registration of certified artisans and technicians in all fields of human endeavour.

Perspective analysts are of the view that Nigeria has the potential to compete with emerging economies like Brazil, India, Singapore and Malaysia, if the development of industrial skills in the country is taken seriously.

They also underscore the need for all stakeholders to make concerted efforts to promote the country's industrial growth through structured vocational skills' acquisition programmes.

Source: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 31

Missions and commissions leading to what?

O

n January 31, 2013, the International FactFinding Mission on Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory issued its report.

The Commission said: "Despite all the pertinent United Nations resolutions declaring that the existence of the settlements is illegal and calling for their cessation, the planning and growth of the settlements continues."

It asserted that these settlements undermine "the right of the Palestinian people to selfdetermination".

Although some cheered it as "a blockbuster report", it said nothing new and will not change anything.

In fact, after the UN mission on settlements asserted that Israel "must cease all settlement activities without preconditions" and withdraw settlers, Israeli authorities approved construction of 90 new homes in a West Bank settlement.

It would be easy to appreciate and then dismiss the work of this factfinding mission. Here we have yet another group of well-meaning UN investigators rediscover what is known already about the ongoing human rights violations caused by the Israeli occupation in general and the settlements in particular. There are no secrets uncovered in this document.

The report ended with recommendations addressing the Israeli government, Member States, private companies, and the Human Rights Council Working Group on Business and Human Rights. The Mission called upon these parties, urged them, recommended actions, and called upon them further, crying out for remedies, accountability, and assumption of responsibilities as spelled out by international human rights and humanitarian law.

Instead of binning this document along with the files full of reports and declarations from decades of UN investigations into the Israeli occupation and its concomitant human rights violations since 1967, however, we should consider this factfinding exercise in light of a longer trail of international investigative commissions to Palestine. It reveals some interesting patterns.

The Mission on Israeli Settlements is merely the latest in 94 years of investigations into the problems in Palestine, with perhaps the first such international investigation occurring in 1919. As a first instance, on the eve of the Paris Peace Conference that would divvy up the post-Ottoman Middle East among European powers, US President Woodrow Wilson dispatched the King-Crane Commission to the Levant in 1919 to assess "the state of opinion there with regard to these matters [of the postOttoman Middle East], and the social, racial and economic conditions".

Since then, various commissions have visited Palestine, and Palestinians have drafted memos for

them and provided testimony, trying to make their case for political independence, year after year. They have presented their arguments to the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations, the AngloAmerican Committee of Enquiry of 1945-1946, the United Nations Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories from the 1970s onwards, the Mitchell Commission in 2001, and the UN Goldstone Commission of 2009, to name just a few.

Concerned liberals and humanitarians, diplomats, legal experts and governmental administrators of various political inclinations, and propelled with various official remits, have long been inquiring into the causes and violent effects of the Zionist-Palestinian conflict.

The settlements report describes the violations of "rights to freedom of self-determination, nondiscrimination, freedom of movement, equality, due process, fair trial, not to be arbitrarily detained, liberty and security of person, freedom of expression, freedom to access places of worship, education, water, housing, adequate standard of living, property,

access to natural resources and effective remedy", among others.

These are violations that Palestinians have been telling the world about since before the occupation began. It is yet another report reminding Member States of their "obligations under international law and to assume their responsibilities in their relationship with a State breaching peremptory norms of international law". But the Member States knew about those already, too.

For each and every commission, Palestinians have organised their arguments, corralled historical facts, collated statistics, presented photographic evidence and offered eye-witness testimony. In these repeated efforts, they have tried to present their political demands for liberation in ways that those with final say over their fate might hear and understand the justice of their position.

And yet they are farther away from having an independent state than ever.

To the King-Crane Commission, they expressed their desire for complete independence (in that case of a Greater Syria, including Palestine) in a decentralised civil democratic kingdom, with rights for minorities.

They rejected the idea of a mandate and asserted that they deserved independence because "the Arab peoples living in Syria are no less naturally elevated than the rest of the elevated peoples". "We do not want anything other than independence and freedom," delegates to the Commission proclaimed in city after city, from Haifa to Ramleh, Bethlehem to Gaza.

They used analogy in front of the Anglo-American Commission. As historian Philip Hitti quipped to that commission's delegates, if the Zionists were basing their case for "restoring" Palestine as a Jewish National Home because they once controlled the area, then, the "Arabs would like to do some restoration, too. They would like to restore their authority over Spain, which they controlled much later than the time in which the Jews controlled Palestine and for a much longer period."

Over and over again, Palestinians have endeavoured to prove the irrationality and inhumanity of their conditions of unfreedom in rational terms - using logic, law, precedent and parallel. Every year, they provide the United Nations Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories with evidence and testimony, of torture, unfair incarceration and home demolitions.

To the Mitchell Commission, (officially the Sharm el-Sheikh FactFinding Committee), Palestinian lawyers provided destruction assessments and tallied the deaths and injuries caused by the Israeli assaults on the occupied territories during the second intifada. It's all in the annexes. They also explained, with Power Point presentations and guided tours, the history of occupation and settlement construction that set the stage for the Palestinians' rebellion.

And in response to all these reams of documentation, the commissioners have done their

duty. They have read, listened and looked, and then assigned one of their staff to write a report. The report findings circulate in the media for a while and the Israeli occupation goes on while more settlements are built.

Often the reports reflect well the conditions on the ground, as the International Fact-Finding Mission on Israeli Settlements does. Occasionally the reports cause a brief stir, as the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict did. Formed to investigate what happened during the 23-day military offensive on the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army in 20082009, the Goldstone Commission was the subject of fierce controversy for a while. First because it accused both Palestinians and Israelis of possible crimes against humanity, and then because Justice Goldstone publicly recanted some of the report's assertions.

But usually, the reports end up having no political impact at all. The King-Crane report - which relayed quite faithfully the Arabs' assertions of national unity, rejection of Zionist claims in the land then known as Palestine, and demands for independence - was shelved for a few years before it was even made public.

By the time its findings came to light in 1922, the Middle East had been split and allocated, doled out to European mandatory powers, with Palestine coming under British rule until Israel took over in 1948.

There is not much evidence that any of the tens of missions and commissions that have reviewed and reported on conditions in Palestine have had any salutary effect. As a Palestinian friend said to me with some sarcasm, it seemed to him that undertaking these missions is part of the job requirements for working at the United Nations, requirements which clearly do not entail any duty to turn findings into actions.

The blame cannot lie only with the commissioners and their sponsoring organisations. Those who might activate these reports, at least as advocacy tools, haven't done much either. One would have to search hard for any response to the UN settlement report from the Palestinian Authority, despite the fact that it is now a fullfledged non-member observer state in the UN. And around the same time as this report came out, a UK researcher published findingsthat "the Palestinian Authority has been approving water infrastructure for illegal West Bank settlements for the past 15 years".

This week has seen an intensified round of demonstrations against Israeli occupation. Palestinians are throwing stones and burning tyres, while political prisoners continue to starve themselves in protest against the Israeli use of administrative detention, whereby Palestinians are imprisoned without trial or due process.

With these decades of investigations, these pages of reports, these continual efforts to explain to the international community why Palestinians deserve to be independent like other peoples, and to convince the world that the occupation and its brutalities must end, is it any wonder that some people might consider alternative methods of making their opinions matter?

Source: AlJazeera

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 35

Yes, Borno now exports finished leather to Italy, Spain

By Isa Gusau

I

t is not a dream but a reality, in case you are wondering and asking 'how come'. I was stunned too when I first heard about it from a key player in the export business, that ships are set for Italy and Spain, to convey high quality finished leather, entirely produced by Neital Nigeria limited, a state owned tannery and shoe manufacturing factory, which had been in wreckage in the last 20 years, without even the sounds of hovering birds, making it a sort of deserted museum.

The story behind that rebirth is a simple one. First, Governor Kashim Shettima, visited the factory and assessed it. He interacted with the management of the factory and then mobilized the General Manager, Usman Tomsu, a graduate in leather technology with over 20 years relevant experience, also a post graduate of in business management, with a directive that an Italian, said to have designed and established the company back in the 1970s be traced so he can be contracted to revive the hopelessly sick factory.

In his usual way, the Governor kept the pressure high because a he had a vision he wanted attained within the shortest time. The company's management went searching, the Italian had died long ago but his son was traced. The son had some documents that were helpful. One Ibrahim Bengalo with Borno investment, I was told, helped in that direction, he knows a lot about the company.

All facts were gathered, Shettima was determined to resurrect was seemed like a dead body. He was ready to release funds but one condition. He said to the General Manager of the factory, "I will not erect structures that will make the factory look flamboyant from the outside, I just want it to start functioning, we will combine the old things you have with new technology, I will release money for all your essential needs but I will not entertain stories, I want to see the factory working with my eyes through all production stages and I want you to present to me, samples of finished leather to be produced by the factory and the leather must be of export standard".

Tomsu, the factory's G.M accepted the governor's offer, he knew all he needed was a good leader and he got one in Shettima, what more could he need?

Now, what I will say could get you angry. One hundred twenty million naira only, approved and released by Governor Shettima brought back the factory alive. Just imagine that amount, the absence of which, kept a promising factory with abundant raw materials and market close by, to be in carcass for 20 long years, denying jobs for 2,500 old Borno people that were targeted to be employed at the factory's full capacity. 'Wonders shall not end' in Nigeria!

Anyway, it is better late than never. The factory back on track with focus on the tannery section (dealing with leather production) and it's fast growing; has 100 workers on board for now with more to be gradually trained and employed as business picks up.

Machineries, spare parts from Italy and other consumables like chemicals and skins were procured for production. Skins, once supplied, are made to undergo various stages: hair-shaving, curing, wetblue, crust and finished leather.

Through aggressive marketing and diplomatic relations championed by Governor Shettima, two fashion companies in Italy and Spain (sorry, I won't mention their names because of mischievous competitors) placed orders on seeing samples of Made in Borno, sorry, I meant to say, made in Nigeriahigh quality finished leather. Livestock are said to have unique skin-types, very suitable for high grade leathers.

You may want to breathe a sigh of relief, that at last, the dreams of our fallen heroes are being attained; some 50 or so years after the most of them

Borno State Governor

KASHIM SHETTIMA laid a solid foundation and departed a then, better nation. I'm happy that little me is also part of Governor Shettima, a man outstandingly determined to make a difference; change the fortunes of Borno into a model in the comity of great societies, inhabited by prosperous people.

Neital: A background history 'N-E', the first two letters of the name 'NEITAL', derived from North-East while 'ITAL', derived from Italy. It was conceived under the defunct Northeastern state in 1972, in collaboration with an Italian entrepreneur who did the feasibility studies and was incorporated on February 18, 1974. The former North Eastern State accounted for over 70% of Nigeria's livestock population with the old Borno (comprising current Borno and Yobe States) in front line. The factory was planned that the tannery be commissioned to commence production since 1976, but was deferred due to financial constraints, until three years later when the shoe section was commissioned (20th January, 1982), while the tannery was commissioned on the 24th of August, 1987, records have shown.

The factory was primarily set up to take advantage of abundant hides and skin in the old Borno axis as

“

Through aggressive marketing and diplomatic relations championed by Governor Shettima, two fashion companies in Italy and Spain (sorry, I won't mention their names because of mischievous competitors) placed orders on seeing samples of - Made in Borno, sorry, I meant to say, made in Nigeria- high quality finished leather.

Livestock are said to have unique skintypes, very suitable for high grade leathers.

raw materials for the production and supply of high quality leather to fashion factories in Italy as well as for the manufacturing of shoes and other leather products for domestic and export needs. An Italian was said to have designed the factory with machineries imported from his country.

Borno is believed to be one of the States with the highest production of livestock. As at 1991 the old Borno state was believed to have about four million cattle (sheep, camel and goats), in addition to estimated 250,000 (as at 1991), coming in from neighboring countries of Chad, Cameroon; Niger Republic, and from far northern Sudan and Central Africa down south.

The Maiduguri cattle market is the biggest in West Africa. Given this, it was rightly thought that the rawskins and hides were available in abundance beyond the requirement of the factory when operating at fully installed capacity.

"The factory complex comprises of two clearly district units: Unit one (1) being a full-fledged tannery with processing facilities up to finished leather. The tannery has an installed capacity of 1.5million sheep/ goat skin and 175,000hides annually, it can process raw-hides and skin into picked, wet - blue, crust and finished garment, leather, offering the market subtle shades and colour and in a fashion. All its over fifteen drums (OAK WOOD) and machineries were imported from Italy and installed. It has also a 275KVA standby generator, a pump-house and two boiler units for hot water. The installed capacity was built to be increased four-fold by addition of machines to generate an employment of over 1000 personnel.

Unit two (2) which is an integrated shoe and leather product manufacturing unit with over 500 different machines already installed was built to independently provide employment of up to 1500 personnel with seven working conveyers. The shoe section has and installed capacity of 1 million pairs of shoe annually. It has seven working conveyers installed, single sole injection moulding machine, pattern grading, skiving lasting and insole moulding and numerous stand by sewing, folding trimming and clicking machines. It has a stand-by generator of 175KVA. Governor Shettima is unwavering in his quest to make the factory attain its full capacity so that jobs can be created. He has proved his readiness not only in turning around the NEITAL factory but also in reviving the sack factory which is doing very well at the moment.

But you aren't seen nothing yet, you just pray for peace and see wonders. You may wish ask, like many are already doing, if Governor Shettima man can achieve so much inspite of the security challenges in Borno State, what more if there is peace? Your guess, is as good as every one's.

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Eating nuts and olive oil can reduce the risk of heart attack as much as statins

By Jenny Hope

E

ating a Mediterraneanstyle diet can cut heart attacks, strokes and death rates in people at high risk of heart disease by as much as a third, research shows.

Changing the balance of foods in a diet can lessen the risk even before heart-related illness strikes, according to a major clinical trial.

Previous studies have compared the effects of the diet on people after they have suffered a heart attack or stroke - with many showing improved heart health.

But this research was the first to rigorously test the effects on a high-risk group.

In fact, the study of around 7,500 people was halted early, after almost five years, because the results were so clear it would have been unethical not to recommend the diet to all those taking part.

The diet is high in fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts, whole grains and 'healthy' fats such as those in olive oil, while low in red meat and dairy products.

In the study, researchers randomly assigned 7,447 people in Spain aged 55 to 80 years who were overweight, smokers, had diabetes or other risk factors for heart disease to follow the Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet. More than half were women.

Those on the Mediterranean

Keep swimming: The 'Mediterranean dieters' were told to eat fish at least three times a week, improving their health

diets got five servings of fruit and vegetables, and fish three times a week. They were also given either additional olive oil or nuts each day.

They were encouraged to eat white meat rather than red, and legumes, including beans, peas and lentils, at least three times a week.

Those accustomed to drinking were meant to have at least one glass of wine a day with their meals.

They were asked to avoid commercially made cookies, pastries and cakes, and limit their consumption of dairy foods and processed meats.

After an 'interim analysis' showing 288 people had an 'event' - a heart attack, stroke or died from a heart-related cause - the trial was stopped early after 4.8 years.

Altogether, 3.8 per cent of 'events' occurred in the group eating a Mediterranean diet with extra-virgin olive oil, 3.4 per cent in those on a Mediterranean diet plus nuts, and 4.4 per cent on a low-fat diet.

Overall, people eating a Mediterranean-style diet were 30 per cent less likely to suffer heart attack, stroke or heart-related death compared with those on a low-fat diet, according to the findings published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.

It is the first time the Mediterranean diet has been put to the test in such a rigorous way

previous cholesterol or hypertension or weight. They looked research was at heart attacks and strokes and deaths. At the based on end of the day, that is what really matters.' analysing the lifestyle of Source: Dailymail.co.uk populations from countries such as France, Greece, Spain and Italy.

Dr Ramon Estruch, a professor of medicine at the University of Barcelona, who led the study, said he thought the diet worked because of the e n t i r e nutritional package.

But the farreaching, rapid effect was unexpected, he said. 'This is actually really surprising to us.'

Professor R a c h e l Johnson, of the A m e r i c a n H e a r t Association, said the findings were 'really impressive'.

She added: 'They did not look at risk Hearty meals: Switching to a Mediterranean diet factors like can cut the risk of a heart attack by a third

Popping a daily fish oil tablet could reduce the risk of skin cancer The study showed little influence on those in the 30minute group.

Fish oil has already been shown to have many beneficial health effects, such as helping with cardiovascular disease.

Prof Rhodes' team are now continuing their research with further omega-3 studies being carried out on healthy volunteers at Salford Royal Hospital.

Around 100,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer were diagnosed in the UK in 2010, according to the most recent figures available, making it an extremely common cancer.

By Emma Innes

F

ish oil could protect sunworshippers from skin cancer, new research suggests.

Scientists from the University of Manchester have discovered that omega-3 acids in the oil boost the immune system, affecting the body's ability to fight skin cancer and infection.

It is the first time the protective effect of omega-3 commonly found in fish and plant oils has been demonstrated in humans.

The research team, from the university's photobiology unit, claim the oils reduced the sun's impact on the immune system by half.

Exposure to a lot of UV radiation from the sun can suppress the immune system, which affects the body's ability to fight skin cancer and infection.

Team leader Professor Lesley Rhodes, who also works for Salford Royal Hospital, described the findings as 'very exciting'.

He added: 'It has taken a number of years to get to this stage.

'This study adds to the

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Omega-3 acid reduces the way sunlight suppresses the immune system, scientists believe evidence that omega-3 is a potential nutrient to protect against skin cancer.'

He added that although the changes when someone took the oil were small, they suggest that omega-3 could reduce the risk of skin cancer over an individual's lifetime.

'There has been research in this area carried out on mice in the past but this is the first

time that there has been a clinical trial directly in people.'

The study was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The 79 patients who volunteered for the trial took a 4g dose of omega-3 - about one and a half portions of oily fish daily, before being exposed to the equivalent of either eight, 15 or 30 minutes of summer

midday sun in Manchester using a special light machine.

Other patients took a placebo, before being exposed to the light machine.

Suppression of the immune system was 50 per cent lower in people who took the supplement and were exposed to eight and 15 minutes of sun, compared with people who did not take the supplement.

Fish oil has also been shown to have other beneficial health effects, such as combating cardiovascular disease

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 37

PDP Gov Forum not to divide NGF, says Bamanga INTERVIEW

C

an you tell us the need for PDP Governors’ Forum, because there have been so many perceptions coming from different angles that it was to checkmate the NGF? Well, I see the NGF as very important; I can tell you why.

Look at Nigeria, we have so many colourations: ethnic, religious. Now if you don’t have this kind of association, whereby people have to meet and discuss how Nigeria can sustain its role as a regional power. You cannot do that, unless the help come from governors. So, NGF is very healthy, because we have to be frank with ourselves. If we understand our differences, then we can work together better. If they are working together to ensure peace and whatever is good we all agree.

To that extent it is a very important forum.

There is insinuation that the PDP Governors’ Forum is meant to foster President Jonathan 2015 ambition.

Let me tell you, that is in order in politics. Jonathan is the President under our party and what is wrong if he decides to run? The others have the same opportunity to promote their candidates, if they have.

That means that the party has agreed on President Jonathan as a candidate for 2015?

But the Governors Forum isn’t the platform for

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, in an interaction with newsmen yesterday declared that there was nothing wring in President Goodluck Jonathan declaring his intention to run for the Presidency in 2015. He also disclosed that the formation of the PDP Governors’ Forum was not to dislodge the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. Excerpts from Lawrence Olaoye: electing candidate; we have our own system.

You just told us that the PDP Governors’ Forum wasn’t created to undermine the NGF. How do you reconcile your submission with the declaration of Niger State governor, Babangida Aliyu that President Jonathan was behind this, with intention to supplant the larger body, the NGF? Well, it is an opinion. It doesn’t mean that all our governors agree with him. He can say so but I have explained to you as the Chairman of this party that they are all my governors, we may not shared the same position on the formation of PDP Governors’ Forum. But I have explained to you our intention, as a party.

We want our governors to come together.

Do you share the opinion of certain eminent Nigerians who have dismissed the Governors’ Forum as a threat to democracy?

Well, if you say people are criticizing them, it is politics— it is an opinion, people can criticize. That was why I took my time to explain to you the basis of our action.

PDP as a political party hasn’t convened its NEC meeting for quite sometime.

Now that you have a Board

Alhaji Bamanga Tukur of Trustees Chairman, when are you going to convene your NEC meeting?

You are very correct. We are going to have our caucus; then we shall have our NEC meeting. It is part of the structures of our party and we follow due process in line with the structures in our party.

That’s the only way we can

continue to keep in touch with our members, from the lowest level to the highest. We are going to do that.

How do you react to the statement credited to General Buhari that PDP doesn’t need any merger, because it has already merged with Police, INEC, the judiciary and Pension Fund?

I don’t think one need to react to this kind of statement.

I think the best thing to do is to ask for evidence, but if you cannot show evidence, there is no need to react. I an only react to things that are factual, not rumours, not antics.

Can you give us an update on efforts to resolve the crisis in Adamawa?

There is crisis in Adamawa, what crisis. If there is crisis in Adamawa, please, tell me.

There is speculation that the leadership of the PDP and the Presidency was behind the move to remove Governor Amaechi, as Chairman of NGF because it isn’t comfortable with his leadership style.

No, we aren’t behind it.

They have an arrangement of two year tenure for their chairman. So, neither the party leadership nor Mr. President is against Amaechi or whoever they elect as their leader for the NGF. Can you tell us whether the party has dropped the idea of e-registration, or will still implement it?

It is in the works, we are going to do it. We believe that now in the age of technology, you don’t need to do a cumbersome process of registration.

Reps oppose social welfare package for unemployed graduates

By Lawrence Olaoye

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he House of Representatives yesterday opposed a bill proposing a welfare package for unemployed graduates in the country.

The billed killed by members of the Green Chamber provides that a token of N10,000 be paid to any university or polytechnic graduate as monthly stipend until they get employed.

Rep Arua Arunsi (Abia PDP) who sponsored the bill had sought to amend the National Directorate of Employment NDE Act (2004) had prayed his colleagues "to create specific functions and objectives for the unemployed graduates of tertiary institutions and related matters" But shortly after Arunsi introduced the bill for second reading, various arguments emerged from the lawmakers kicking against it and why it must not be passed.

Lead opposition to the proposal

came from Chairman, Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, Essien Ayi (PDP, Cross River), who noted that there was no need for it, adding that his committee was already working on a similar bill.

Ayi said an earlier bill on National Social Insurance Trust Find (NSITF) on which a public hearing was held in March 2012 would address issue of stipends but not necessarily for unemployed graduates alone.

He argued that while further debate on the amendment would amount to wasting time of the parliament, he also added that such might disallow NSITF from carrying out its constitutional duties.

But Arunsi in his defence still went further to explain that given rate of unemployed graduates being shunned out of growing number of institutions, it has become imperative to urgently address such menace through legislative framework.

Most lawmakers who spoke against the Bill said it failed to meet

critical criteria of filling gaps inherent in the existing laws on labour welfare.

One of them was Ibrahim Elsudi (PDP, Taraba) who said "There is a graduate attachment programme that does exactly what this bill is seeking" He added that "Even, a similar programme is existing for non-

graduates on the social aspect for unemployed non-graduates at the NISTF. What should happen is for the authorities to strengthen these Programmes" According to James Faleke (ACN, Lagos) who also opposed the bill on the ground that the nation's economy should not be encouraged to be a consuming one, "Rather

than turn our unemployed youths into lazy ones, government should channel the monthly stipends towards the revival of our industries. In other words, lets teach them how to fish instead of giving them the fish. When our industries are revived, the economy will be able to a absorb them"

Kogi ,Osun, ex-Speakers urges FG, states to respect constitution lecture and award ceremony of the leaders stressing that their roles did From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

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he former Speaker of Osun and Kogi states Assemblies, Professor Majeed Alabi and Hon Clarence Olatunde have called on Federal and state governments to ensure effective functionality of section 39 of the 1999 Nigeria constitution and adhere to it for sustenance of democracy.

The two speakers made the call at the 2013 Press Week public

correspondent’s chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kwara state held on yesterday.

Alabi in his lecture said press freedom must be married with social responsibility and government must provide enabling environment for journalists to deliver effectively, noting that molestation of journalists must be stopped across the country.

The University of Ilorin don who commended Nigerian journalists for enthronement of democracy said the professionals should utilize the FoI Bill to expose corrupt and bad

not stop after May 29, 1999.

Speaking with newsmen, Olafemi said the merger of opposition parties may not be to end Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) but its failure to adhere strictly to the law of the party.

The former governor of Kogi state who noted that the formation of PDP Governor’s Forum was a welcome development and a measure to sustain the ruling party said if PDP continues to hurt many of it members with imposition of candidates, the party may lead itself to destruction.

PAGE 38

2015: APC, an alternative to PDP – Onu

By Mohammed Umar-Puma

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ational chairman of the All Nigerian peoples party (ANPP), Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has said there was no basis of comparing the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the newly formed All progressive congress (APC), as it would amount to comparing darkness with light.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja at the presentation of the ANPP Rebuilding and Inter Party Contact Committee report, Onu said the moment the APC is registered, and its manifesto made public, it would provide the alternative platform that Nigerians desirous of change had been yearning for over the years.

"2015 polls would be a contest between the progressive members of the APC and the PDP conservatives that had failed to move the country forward since the return of democratic governance in the country. Once registered, the APC would pursue the interests of the ordinary Nigerian man and woman.

We would put the interest of Nigerians first. There would surely be a marked difference with the PDP. It is this difference that would make Nigerians to support us," Onu said.

He recalled that there were skeptics that thought the ANPP could never make good its resolve to merge with other opposition parties, he maintained that the moment the APC is voted into power in 2015, it would redress the multifaceted problems facing Nigeria.

Leader of the committee and former Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, thanked the ANPP leadership for the honour and privilege accorded to his members to offer their service to the country.

He said more opposition parties have expressed interest to join the APC. "The talk is in progress and fruitful discussions going on. I want to inform this house that there are other parties that want to join the merger.

Their letters and submissions are tabled to the body.

We want everybody to come on board. There is no question about who is big or who is small," Shekarau said.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

2013 Budget: PDP charges MDAs on implementation

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the National Assembly for successfully signing of the 2013 budget, even as it urged all government agencies to ensure full implementation of the budget for the benefit of all Nigerians.

The party said the delay in the signing of the budget was as a result of insistence by the President and the PDP-led National Assembly to be thorough and to ensure that the provisions were in the best interest of the country.

PDP National Publicity

Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said in a statement yesterday that the party is highly impressed by the fatherly role played by the President in being meticulous with the budget.

The party also commended Senate President David Mark and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for their roles in ensuring an understanding between the two arms on the budget.

The party said “The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commends President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the National Assembly for the successful signing of the 2013 budget.

“The Party commends the

two arms for ensuring that they played their constitutional roles of checks and balances to guarantee that the provisions of the budget were in the best interest of Nigerians.

“The successful signing of the budget after proper checks were made to confirm that its provisions are in the best interest of the Nigerian people indicates that the Presidency and the National Assembly have been on the same page in ensuring the welfare of Nigerians which is the hallmark of the PDP-led administration”, the statement said.

The PDP urged the executive to ensure proper implementation of the budget even as it charged the National

Assembly to strengthen its oversight capacity to guarantee effective utilization of resources.

Similarly, the party after its NWC meeting yesterday said it has taken steps to ensure lasting peace in its Anambra State Chapter by setting up a fiveman fact finding committee.

The committee, according to the party, will be chaired by the National Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha while the National Legal Adviser, Barr. Victor Kwon will serve as Secretary. Other members of the Committee include the National Financial Secretary, Elder Bolaji Anani, National Treasurer, Hon. Bala Bawa Kaoje and the National Vice Chairman, South East, Col. Austin Akobundu.

L-R: Governor Henry Dickson of Bayelsa, Chairman PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Chairman, PDP Governors Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio and Chief Olisa Metuh, during a courtesy call to the PDP NWC.

PDP commends Jonathan, Oduah for aviation improvement

By Mohammed Umar-Puma

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he leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has showered encomiums on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah saying the administration has delivered on the aviation sector.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement yesterday said the party is particularly impressed by the development of the Aviation Master Plan by the President Jonathan-led PDP administration which gave birth to the revolution in

the sector.

The party said it is highly elated by the massive turnaround of the nation’s airports as well as the enforcing of best practices in the sector.

“The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commends President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah for the revolution going on in the aviation sector in the last 18 months.

“We are particularly impressed by the massive infrastructural development that have turned around the airports as well as the enforcement of regulatory

reforms and best practices to guarantee safely in the industry,” the party said.

Some major projects listed by the party include the completion of the remodeling and reconstruction of the nation’s airports including, Lagos, Abuja, Calabar, Kaduna, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kano, Yola, Owerri, Benin, Jos and Sokoto airports.

Others are the remodeling and reconstruction of the Akure, Katsina, Ibadan, Ilorin, Makurdi, Bauchi, Maiduguri, Gombe and Jalingo airports which are now wearing new looks with state of the arts facilities and equipments.

Also noted by the party are

the resurfacing and extension of runways; the construction of new and upgraded control towers and the development of four new international wings in Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja as well as Cargo terminals.

It said it is impressed by the administrative drive of the President and the minister in ensuring international best practices through the certification of airports, airline and personnel in line with international best practices and ICAO standards.

The PDP also commended the minister for the execution of safety projects including the installation of solar energy

systems for reliable backup powers in four major airports; acquisition and installation of Satcom and Terrestrial Communication Facilities to improve controller to pilot communication and the procurement and installation of navigation aids and radar systems in some airports including Maiduguri, Kano, Lagos, Yola and Port Harcourt airports.

It urged other government functionaries to emulate the Aviation Minister in the discharge of their duties in line with the Transformation Agenda of the President J o n a t h a n - l e d PDP administration.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 39

Akume’s certificate forgery: Protesters are sponsored Hon. Dyegh

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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L-R: Chairman,Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, and former Bauchi state Governor, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu,during PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting, on Monday at the State House, in Abuja. Photo Joe Oroye

Tukur wades into Taraba PDP crisis

By Lawrence Olaoye

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n a bid to resolve the lingering crisis in the Taraba state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the National Working Committee will today (Thursday) meet with PDP Stakeholders from the state.

Taraba was one of the nine states the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, complained that there were no valid congresses as the selection of the party leaders were in total breach of the PDP congresses guidelines.

It was learnt from PDP national secretariat yesterday that invitations were earlier in the week sent out to aggrieved PDP members led by Senators Aisha Alhassan (Taraba North) and Abubakar Tutare (Taraba Central).

The two Senators have been having running battle with

Governor Danbaba Suntai since the flawed congresses were conducted and made several representations to the former Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje over the conduct of the congresses.

However, Baraje did not attend to any of the complaints arising from non-conduct of congresses in several states in line with the letter from INEC until his tenure expired in March 2012.

In response to several complaints made by the aggrieved PDP members, the party’s Deputy National Secretary had on September 17, 2012 summoned Suntai and the two Senators to a meeting with the NWC members in Tukur’s residence.

The National Deputy Secretary explained that the meeting scheduled for September 22 “was to seek ways of the

various interests affecting the cohesion of the party in Taraba State.”

The meeting in Tukur’s house could not hold due to the absence of Governor Suntai who sent a message to the national leaders of the party that he could not sit down at any meeting with the two senators in attendance.

Inability of PDP national leaders to resolve the crisis led to a gale of resignation of appointment of PDP executive committees in some wards and local government councils in Taraba state late last year in protest against the directives of ailing Suntai to PDP members, instructing them not to associate with Alhassan and Tutare.

In one of the joint letters of mass resignation of the entire executive committee of Sarikin Dawaki ward in Jalingo, the party elders said they were quitting in protest

against the suspension of the Ward Chairman, Alhaji Nuhu Musa Kasimu; the Women Leader, Aishatu Shuaibu and two others over alleged insubordination.

They said “the reason advanced by the party at the local government secretariat in Jalingo for suspending the Ward leaders is frivolous and vexatious as it was clearly stated in the letter summoning them to appear before a disciplinary panel that they violated the order passed across the state from the state secretariat that no executive should have any fellowship with Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan.”

While querying the rationale and constitutionality of the order not to associate with the senators who are members of their party, they informed the state executive committee that the order was an infringement on their fundamental rights of freedom of association.

NBA blames governors for appointing care-taker committees to run LGAs

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

T

he Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has blamed state governors that set up care-taker committees to pilot the affairs of local government areas in their states declaring the action as a flagrant breach of the relevant provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

NBA, in a communiqué read by its President, Okey Wali (SAN) at the end its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Makurdi, the Benue state capital held that Chairmen in the 774 local Government Areas in the country should be democratically elected and give financial autonomy as enshrined in the constitution.

While stating its support to the Chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar in her

drive to restore the glory of the Nigerian Judiciary, NBA said the direction that lawyers in the country should register with the Special Control Unit on Money Laundering (SCUML) is unacceptable and a violation of the regulation of the legal profession and the law of confidentiality.

Wali said the NBA NEC has authorized the leadership of the association to interface with authorities concerned and if necessary institute legal action challenging the law. The association called on President Goodluck Jonathan led administration to put appropriate measures in place to check the incidence of oil theft in the country, pointing out that several trillions of naira has been lost to oil theft between 2000 and last year.

In the interim, the NBA boss said the issue of oil theft in the country has been referred to the anti-corruption

commission of the NBA for full investigation after which the commission will report back to NBA NEC for further action.

The association also reiterated its call on the Federal Government to set up a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the matter of the floating corpses in Ezu River, Amansea/Awka in Anambra State in view of the seriousness of the allegations of the possibility of the corpses being victims of extra-judicial killings.

“NEC hereby calls on the President to set up a high powered Presidential Judicial Commission of Enquiry to investigate the causes of death, source and identity of the floating corpses with a view to bringing any culprit(s) to book”, the communiqué stated.

NBA also called on the Federal Government to take the issue of security of lives and property very serious and to also make efforts towards

addressing the menace of terrorism, kidnappings and assassinations in the country, just as it called on the government and security agencies to act on the report of the NBA Peace and security Summit submitted to them by the association.

On the judgment of Justice Abubakar Talba in the case involving Yakubu Yusufu in the pension scam, NBA held the views that there is a compelling need to reform the country’s criminal justice legislations and that the National Assembly should speed up the passage of the Criminal Justice Sector Bills pending before it. The NBA NEC also condemned the situation where the vote for the judiciary at the Federal and state levels is progressively on the decline and the non release of what has been appropriated to the judiciary in most state and called on the two levels of government to reverses the situation.

ep. John Dyegh, (ACN) member representing Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency of Benue state has said that those protesting against the Senate minority leader, Senator George Akume, for certificate forgery and calling for his removal at the National Assembly are being sponsored by mischief makers.

Speaking to journalists in his office yesterday in Abuja, the lawmaker explained that ”those who came for the protest were not even members from the Senator’s constituency; they know nothing about him talks less of his educational background.

Apart from that they were more or less thugs who were paid to display all manners of placard in other to rubbish the Senator.”

The legislator, who stated this yesterday said they were afraid of his intimidating C.V and want to blackmail him especially with the planned merger of All Progressive Congress( APC) that is likely to zone the presidential ticket to the North-Central.

He said the Senator has not been served with any court order on the said matter.

According to him, those behind it are big-wigs who are intimidated with his rising political profile and would want to cause side attractions to his political fans who still want him by 2015. “They are looking for ways to trap him but they would fall. George Akume is a ock and a household name in politics; as far as I am concerned, his political profile is a threat to the ruling party PDP which will want to do anything to tarnish his political image,” he stated.

Dyegh said when the matter came up, it was a surprise to the Minority Leader, who quickly dusted out his certificates and defended it, making reference to serial numbers in six national dailies , for scrutiny and clarity’s sake.

“How can some people come and stage a protest at the National Assembly saying that the results he displayed in the papers were false. This is the handiwork of mischief makers and they have failed”, he added.

He added “In the history of those accused of certificate forgeries in the National Assembly nobody has come to protest at the premises, and so, why Akume? This simply tells you that it’s politically motivated and being sponsored by mischief makers”.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Court dismisses suit challenging de-registration of political parties

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L-R: Chairman, House Committee on Police Affairs, Hon. Usman Bello Kumo, Inspector General of Police,Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, and a member of the Committee, Hon. Chanchangi Rafa'i Ahmed, during the committee's meeting with Inspector General of Police,yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Ajimobi, Tinubu, others extol Okunnu’s virtues at book launch From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

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minent personalities from all walks of life yesterday extolled the virtues of a legal luminary and former Federal Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Lateef Okunnu, describing him as a rare breed Nigerian who was passionate about service to humanity.

The personalities, who spoke in Lagos at the launch of two books written by Okunnu, included the former governor of Lagos State and National

Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

Others were former World Court Judge, Prince Bola Ajibola, former governor of old Western State, General Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd.), former Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Oorelope-Adefulire.

Tinubu, in his address read

by Governor Ajimobi said that

Okunnu had shown zeal and dedication that underscored a life fully committed to God and the teachings of Holy Prophet.

“Alhaji Okunnu is a devout Muslim who is faithful to religious harmony and peaceful co-existence. I consider him a worthy giant on whose should we will do well to stand, see further, reach higher and do more for the promotion of Islam and service to humanity,’’ he remarked.

In his own remarks, Governor Ajimobi described Okunnu as one of the first

generation of Nigeria’s public servants who exhibited high level integrity, incorruptibility, dedication and commitment to service.

“In a Nigeria where many of the actors of yesterday have had their ranks depleted, Chief Okunnu serves as one of the greatest surviving links between the Nigeria of old which, regrettably, because of the slide of affairs today, we still hold dear as the barometer with which to measure a great period of our nation’s existence,’’ he said.

Kwara Assembly approves removal of Council Chairman

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he Kwara House of Assembly yestesday approved the removal of the Chairman, Governing Council of the Kwara State College of Education, IIorin, Alhaji Musa Yeketi forthwith.

This resolution followed the report of its joint Committee on Education and Ethics, Privileges and Judiciary on the facts surrounding the suspension of the Chairman.

The Deputy Speaker of the

House, Prof. Gana Yissa, who presided over the plenary, said the removal of the Chairman of the Governing Council followed an alleged financial scandal. ”For the smooth administration of the College, the Chairman, Governing Council of the State College of Education, IIorin, Alhaji Musa Yeketi should be removed from office without further delay,” Yissa said.

The House also directed

Yeketi to refund the N3 million car loan obtained from the Kwara state Polythecnic, IIorin when he was the Chairman, Governing Board of the institution which was offset by the College.

It further directed the Council Chairman to refund N1 million for the purchase of diesel to his private residence and N1 million monthly imprest collected between April, 2012 and January, 2013.

The house, however, urged

the government to recall the Acting Provost of the College, Dr. AbdulRahman Ibrahim from suspension without further delay.

The lawmakers also advised the government to put the necessary machinery in place for the appointment of a substantive provost.

The House directed the Governing Council of the College to adhere strictly to the law establishing the institution.

(NAN)

Edo Assembly confirms chairman, 3 others for state revenue board

T

he Edo House of Assembly on Thursday confirmed the appointments of four nominees

by Gov. Adams Oshiomhole as Executive Chairman and members of the state Board of internal Revenue (BIR).

The confirmation was made by the state legislature at its plenary sitting in Benin

on Wednesday.

Those appointees are Chief Oseni Elama, Executive Chairman, Messrs Emmanuel Uso, John Obazee and Abubakar Isiku as members of the BIR. The assembly was unanimous in the confirmation of the nominees after Mr Philip Shaibu, the

Chairman of the House Committee on Business and Rules submitted its report.

He said after a perusal of the documents submitted by the nominees and their physical appearance before it, “we found them fit and proper persons to occupy these positions as executive chairman and members of the

state BIR.” Shaibu urged members to consider the committee’s recommendation by confirming their nominations.

The Speaker, Uyigue Igbe, thereafter asked the clerk of the house to send a clean copy of the unanimous confirmation of the nominees to Oshiomhole. (NAN)

ustice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Awka yestesday dismissed a suit challenging the de-registration of seven political parties by the INEC in 2011.

The suit, filed by an Onitshabased human rights lawyer, Mr Jezie Ekejiuba, urged the court to set aside the decision taken by INEC on Aug. 18, 2011.

He argued that the 1999 Constitution did not give express powers to INEC to de-register any political party.

The affected political parties were Democratic Alternative (DA), National Action Council (NAC), National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP), Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN), Nigerian Peoples’ Congress (NPC), Nigerian Element Progressive Party (NEPP) and National Unity Party (NUP).

INEC Chief Legal Officer in Anambra, Mr Sulayman Ibrahim, in a counter affidavit, argued that the commission was empowered to de-register political parties by virtue of the provisions of the constitution.

He said that INEC could deregister any political party if such party breached the requirements of registration.

According to him, any party that failed to win presidential or governorship elections, or a seat in the national and state assemblies stood to be de-registered.

Ibrahim urged the court by way of a motion on notice to put aside proceedings in the matter for lack of jurisdiction.

He argued that the plaintiff did not have the locus standi to file the suit as he did not have vested interest in the political parties that were deregistered.

According to him, it is a trite law that when the issue of jurisdiction is raised, it can be entertained at any time during proceedings.

However, the plaintiff urged the court to proceed with the judgement, contending that the motion was an abuse of the court process.

In her judgment, Ojukwu held that the Electoral Act 2010 was valid.

She said the Electoral Act 2010 was not in any way contrary to the 1999 Constitution as well as the decision of INEC to de-register the seven political parties.

She said the law gave INEC powers to de-register political parties, insisting that “since the relief could not be granted, this suit is subsequently dismissed”.

In a reaction to the judgement, Ekejiuba said it was a ‘flaw’ and not supported by law, adding that the judgment was in conflict with the Supreme Court judgment in Musa versus INEC. The lawyer said he would appeal the judgment.

On his part, Ibrahim expressed satisfaction with the judgment, noting that it had vindicated the commission’s decision to de-register the political parties as provided in the law.

“I feel elated in view of the fact that INEC will not do anything that is illegal and unconstitutional,” he said. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 41

GSS Gwarinpa in action against GSS Tundu Wada

Total child Kubwa battle GSS Gwarinpa for Imasuagbon football competition’s final today Story by Albert Akota

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he Ongoing 5 th Edition of Ken Imasuagbon football competition comes to an end today with Total child Kubwa battling GSS Gwarinpa to decide who go home with the trophy and the prizes.

While in female category, GSS Gwarinpa engage GSS Gwagwa to decide the winner.

Total child Kubwa beat Standard College Dutse 2-1 to book a place in the final while GSS Gwarinpa beat GSS Tunga Maji 1-0. GSS Gwarinpa beat GSS Lugbe 1-0 to advance to the final while GSS Gwagwa Walloped GGSS Dukpa 6-1, in female catigory, the matches has been fixed at Old Parade

Ground.

The tournament which was meant for secondary schools in FCT for both male and female

categories, witness one hundred and sixteen schools in action.

According to the sponsor of

the competition who double as the proprietor of Pace Setter Academy, Barrister Kenneth Imasuagbon said the aims and objectives of the tournament is to foster unity among the students as well as engaging them in a meaningful activities.

“This is the fifth edition of the Ken Imasuagbon football competition for all secondary schools in the FCT. “The essence of the competition is to inspire the students so that they will not only take part in academic work, but also be energetic through sports.

“While we try to inspire and motivate students in FCT, we also hope to raise future talents for the country, through the competition. As we have seen Stephen Keshi has done for Supper Eagles in South Africa by including local boys that gave us the victory.

“We hope to raise the future stars for our leagues and national teams, we want to go back to the basics of sports development in the country, and that is why we have decided to use the Ken Imasuagbon football competition to trigger the return of the Principals Cup, “he said.

Lobi Stars land Barnabas Imenger

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AF Confederations Cup campaigners, Lobi Stars, have signed Nigerian International, Barnabas Imenger, after the expiration of his six-month contract at Sweden’s second tier side, Trelleborgs FF. The signing of the Nigerian International who left rivals, Kwara United for Sweden in 2012, is a significant coup for Lobi supremo, Dominic Iorfa, who is plotting a raid on the

continent and domestic assignments.

Imenger, who earned his international debut against Angola and got a second against Egypt, both in 2012, has since resumed training with the Makurdi based side.

Lobi Stars will benefit from his skillful movement and excellent finishing. ”It’s good to be back in the country and I’m looking forward to a good time at Lobi

Stars.

“As a striker, my ambition is to score goals for the team and play well for my teammates to score too. I’m okay with 21 because the other numbers are unavailable,” Imenger said.

Interestingly, Imenger reunites with his father, Barnabas, who is a backroom staff at the Makurdi side managed by Iorfa, a former Nigerian International and Seoul ’88 Olympic star.

Botswana U-17 delegation to arrive tomorrow

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he U-17 National Team of Botswana will arrive in Nigeria tomorrow for a two-match friendly with the U17 National Team, Golden Eaglets.

Both matches, which will take place at the U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar will hold on

Aminu Maigari

Saturday, 2nd March and Monday, 4th March.

The Nigeria Football Federation has organized the games as part of the Golden Eaglets’ final phase preparation for the African U-17 Championship taking place in Morocco between 13th – 27th April.

Manu Garba’s boys are unbeaten in 20 friendly and competitive matches since coming on stream last year, and swept into the African U-17 finals by winning all six qualifying matches, scoring 21 goals and conceding only one.

In contrast, Botswana’s cadets only squeezed past Malawi, Rwanda and Algeria to reach the eight-nation finals.

Prior to their qualifying race last year, the Eaglets played a similar two-leg friendly against the Rwandan U-17 Team, also in Calabar, both

of which they won comfortably.

The Eaglets will fly out of the country to Qatar on 13th March, for a four-week final preparatory programme ahead of the continental showpiece in Morocco. They will be availed of the exquisite

training facilities at the worldrenowned Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence, Doha.

Nigeria takes on Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and debutants Congo Brazzaville in Group B of the African U-17 Championship in Morocco.

Osaze has lost trackTaribo

E

x-Nigeria World Cup star Taribo West has said West Brom striker Osaze Odemwingie has lost track and should pull himself together.

Former Inter Milan and Auxerre defender Taribo, who is now a pastor, said he took exception to a recent comment

by Osaze that ex-stars like Taribo ought to be better treated by the authorities.

“I think he has lost track and needs to get himself together. If he is fighting for ex-players, then that is not how to go about it. He should come home and fight those who are not helping the footballers,” Taribo said.

“It was embarrassing to read such comments about me in the newspapers. The last time he probably saw me was in 2008, so what does he know about me?

“Have I asked him for money before? God has been kind to me and my ministry and I have not begged anybody for money. I am doing well. I am not broke and never will be till Christ comes.

In Christ, I have everything, so I am not lacking.

‘The shot up from T.West is a brotherly one. He’s a top man and I got a lot of respect for him.

He meant the battle is not yours,” Odemwingie tweeted.

“Pastor Taribo, I repent for not giving the other cheek. Our Prince said something in September. I tried to hold it but cracked in December.

The West Brom striker also tasked Taribo to advise his fellow ex-international Victor Ikpeba not to middle in team selection.

“Please advise him as an explayer not to say who is and not needed in Eagles. His advise failed as we all saw how good Mikel was in the AFCON,” said Osaze.

Nigeria celebrates Eagles’ victory in Germany

N

igerian Day to mark the victory of the Super Eagles at the just concluded African Nations Cup has been scheduled during the International Tourism Exchange ITB in Berlin Germany.

A statement issued by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation said Fuji Musician, Adewale Ayuba’s newly waxed record would be the flagship of

music that would be played at the venue.

The day which will be to mark the official celebration of the Super Eagle’s victory will be attended by the participating African Nations and friends of Nigeria.

Musician, Adewale Ayuba released a new record last week in appreciation of the victorious supper Eagle in South Africa earlier this week.

Osaze Odemwingie

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Rangers dismiss NPFL claims on Mba

Flying Eagles goalkeeper undergoes scan

N

igeria’s CAF Champions League campaigners, Enugu Rangers are taking their statutory claim over Nigerian international, Sunday Mba to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Status Players Committee.

Mba has been centre of dispute between Warri Wolves and Enugu Rangers, a situation that led to NPPL interim Management Committee issuing a statement penultimate day that Mba is abonafide player of Warri Wolves.

But Foster Chime, Rangers’ media man yesterday dismissed the statement as inconsequential and of no effect stating that the NPPL lacked the locus standi to determine the rightful owner of the player.

“We don’t have any issue to grind with the NPFL especially as we know that the issue they’ve elected themselves to speak is beyond their bound, so whatever statement emanating from them on Sunday Mba is considered null and void by the management of Enugu Rangers.

“The NPFL has no right to comment on player’s status.

That right is reserved for the Nigeria Football Federation Status Players Committee.

“All the parties will soon appear before the committee with facts and figures to establish once and for all the rightful and legal owner of the disputed player.

“Wolves are forcing themselves on the case which actually is between Dolphins and Rangers by extension Enyimba.

“We obtained Mba from Enyimba from where we loaned him to Dolphins who didn’t fulfil the loan agreement. We learnt, too, that Dolphins complained that Wolves didn’t fulfil its loan agreement with the Port Harcourt side.

“I believe every fact will be laid bare at the NFF Status Players’ Committee at the right time and justice will be given to the parties involved,” he said to a wire service.

Meanwhile, Mba, who is wanted by some 16 clubs in Europe, is outside Nigeria perhaps negotiating some contract deal with clubs.

NUJ gives NFF 24hour ultimatum to lift ban on journalists

T

he Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT Council, has given the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, 24hours to rescind its purported ban of two journalists: Ezeocha Nze of The Guardian and Romanus Ugwu, Sun Newspapers, from covering its activities.

The council in a statement signed by Comrade Chuks Ehirim, chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, described the alleged ban by the NFF to hangover of the dictatorship that has become the bane of football development in the country.

According to Ehirim, 14years after military rule, the NFF is yet to come to terms with democratic norms of freedom of speech and rule of law, warning that the union will not watch idly by while journalists are subjected to the whims and caprices of few individuals and or agencies.

Ehirim added that there is no law in the country that gives the NFF such powers to bar any journalists from carrying on with his official duties, stressing that the constitution gives them the right to hold any government official accountable and monitor governance on behalf of the people.

The NUJ FCT chairman stated that the officials of the NFF would be held accountable if any harm comes to the affected journalists, while urging other colleagues to beam the searchlight on the activities of the NFF for the good of the country.

F

lying Eagles goalkeeper Samuel Okani was subjected to an MRI scan yesterday to ascertain the extent of his right hand injury. The result was not out as at press time.

Okani has returned to full training after he injured his right hand during a recent test game, but he has continued to complain about pains in the hand.

The Enyimba shot stopper was first choice and skipper during the qualifying series for the 2013 African Youth Championship.

Enugu Rangers goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel and Jonah Usman from ABS have now moved up in the goalkeeping pecking order in the Flying Eagles on account of Okani’s injury setback.

Samuel Okani

Merit, skill key factors of AFCON victory, says Kargbo

By Stanley Onyekwere

M

erit, skill and an act of God were key factors that spur the Super Eagles to

victory at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), in South Africa, according to Barrister Sam Kargbo.

Kargbo said the success of the Super Eagles

demonstrates the resilience of Nigerians as well as what Nigerian governments, at all levels could achieve with dedication and commitment.

Maigari challenges NNWL to produce stars

By Albert Akota

P

resident of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari, has challenged the various domestic leagues to produce more heroes in the mould of Super Eagles’ Cup of Nations boys Sunday Mba and Godfrey Oboabona.

“The Leagues have the responsibility to work even harder now to produce heroes for Nigeria football, following the excellent performance of some home boys at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. Surely, the reward for our success in South Africa will be more work on the part of all of us the NFF, the State FAs, the Leagues and our various Clubs.

“In football, you are as good as your last result. Today, we are the champions of Africa. To maintain that status, we need to work even harder than we have ever done previously. Staying at the top is a lot more difficult than

Godfrey Oboabona

getting there. But be assured that the NFF will always give the necessary support,” said Maigari.

The NFF President spoke at the opening ceremony of the Congress of the Nigeria Nationwide League, which held at the West Point Hotel, Abuja.

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Minister of Sports, was represented by the Director of Grassroot Sports Development, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut, who praised the NFF for the Super Eagles’ triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

Maigari is the first man to preside over Nigeria football at a time the nation is champion of Africa at both junior and senior levels. The U-20 National Team, Flying Eagles, is set to defend its continental crown at the African Youth Championship in Algeria next month.

The theme of the congress, which also took in the Draw Ceremony for the season, is: Using Football As A Tool Of Fighting Current Challenges Facing Our Country.

Ejike Uzoenyi

‘’The problem of the third world countries, Nigeria inclusive, is that considerations for appointments to certain positions or selection of players into our teams are only based on religion, ethnicity, sentiments as the case may be, instead of merit and skills,” he said.

Further, Kargbo said the nation will become developed economically, socially and politically if sentiments and mediocre postures are set aside for merit and skills only.

However, he warned that Nigerians should not be carried away with just winning the 2013 AFCON trophy, but that football administrators should begin to prepare the team for higher t o u r n a m e n t s immediately.

He urged stakeholders and government to encourage professionals to run the affairs of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and other ministries not just any body.

Instead of allowing whatever problem there may be between the NFF and Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi, to linger, he advised both to sort out their differences and move on.

He called on the government to use sports to tackle unemployment by providing necessary sports facilities across the nooks and crannies of the country.

“If our stadia are well equipped and maintained, while several others are built in every nooks and crannies across the country, it will avail the youths the singular opportunities to develop their talents and skills in sports and before you know it, many Nigerians could become gold medalists in the sporting arena’’, he noted.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 43

Peoples Daily CLASSIFIED

Vekic first seeded casualty in Malaysia

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Kell Brook

Brook, Alexander likely to fight May 18

K

ell Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn is confident his IBF world welterweight title bout against Devon Alexander will now take place in May. The fight was initially pushed back from 19 January to 23 February before being postponed again after Alexander suffered a biceps injury.

“I think 18 May is the likely date, we’re just waiting for confirmation. I’m confident by the end of the week we’ll have a confirmed date,” Hearn said Brook, 26, who injured a foot in training in December that forced the initial postponement, has an unblemished record of 29 wins from 29 fights.

Alexander, who is the same age, has won 24 of his 25 bouts, with 13 knockouts, and is a two-weight world champion.

Hearn believes the fight, which has already been moved from St Louis to Detroit, could now take place in Washington on the same bill as the proposed match up between Lamont Petersen and Lucas Matthysse.

“I believe that fight will go ahead and the Brook v Alexander fight will be attached to that. It would be a great show and not too far for British fans to travel.

“It’s tough for Kell because as a fighter you need a date to focus on. Once he gets back into full training, this would be a perfect date for him,” he added.

Khan to fight J Diaz in Sheffield

A

mir Khan’s next fight will be against former world champion Julio Diaz in Sheffield on 27 April, his first contest in Britain for two years.

Khan’s last bout in Britain was a six-round win over Paul McCloskey in 2011.

Khan’s last fight was a stoppage of Carlos Molina in Los Angeles in December, his first outing since losses to Lamont Peterson and

Danny Garcia.

Olympic bronze medallist Anthony Ogogo will make his pro debut on the same bill, as will Khan’s brother Haroon.

Mexican Diaz, 33, is a former two-time lightweight world champion who has 40 wins from 48 fights with 29 knockouts.

However, he last held a world title in 2007 and has lost four and drawn one of his last 11 encounters.

Khan, a former lightwelterweight world champion, struggled to sell tickets for his last fight against Molina but the Bolton fighter will hope to fill the 12,000capacity Motorpoint Arena.

The 26-year-old’s promoters, Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy, are looking to make inroads into the British market, hence the signing of 24year-old middleweight Ogogo.

ixth-seed Donna Vekic of Croatia was the first seeded player to be knocked out of the BMW Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur yesterday after she lost 63, 4-6, 6-2 to American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the first round..

The 16-year-old, who is ranked world number 93 and only turned professional in September, was outmanoeuvred in the match against an opponent who is better known for her doubles play.

The 27-year-old Mattek-Sands, who is world number 197, arrived in Kuala Lumpur to participate in the rainlashed tournament after winning a doubles title with India’s Sania Mirza in Dubai last week.

The American, who is playing in Malaysia for the first time, said she was still adapting to the Southeast Asian country’s humidity.

Rain marred the first two days of play, putting the tournament well behind schedule with six matches postponed till today.

Top seed and former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark is also scheduled to play today.

Mattek-Sands will now face either Marta Sirotkina of Russia or Duan Yingying of China in the second round.

Joining Mattek-Sands in that round are Patricia Mayr of Austria, Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic and fifth-seed Misaki Doi of Japan.

Doi had no trouble against Italian Alberta Brianti, breezing past her opponent 6-2, 6-3.

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

F

ormer England manager Steve McClaren has left his role as coach of FC Twente the day after holding talks with Chairman Joop Munsterman.

The Enschede side have not won a league match since 21 December and are fifth in the Dutch league, six points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven.

McClaren, 51, joined Twente after being sacked as England manager in November 2007 following

McClaren quit FC Twente the national side’s failure to qualify for Euro 2008.

He led the club to their maiden Dutch top-flight title in 2009-2010 during his first stint with the club and he returned to Twente after spells at German side Wolfsburg and Nottingham Forest.

However, McClaren struggled in his latest stint, with Twente having not won a league match

since 21 December and Saturday’s defeat by Heerenveen being the sixth game without a win.

“We talked about how we could change the situation and relieve the pressure on the team which has clearly affected its performance,” said McClaren.

“Unfortunately, Saturday’s result has seen further adverse reactions

and, with two home games coming up, we feel the team needs the support and backing from the supporters.

“I also needed assurances about my position now and in the future, which I appreciate in the present situation is difficult. After much discussion and deliberation, those assurances weren’t forthcoming.

Real Madrid earlier this month, with Jonny Evans (right) and Rio Ferdinand starting in defence Vidic’s injury issues began when he suffered ligament damage in his right knee during a Champions League tie against Basel.

He missed the remainder of the 2011-12 campaign and required another operation in September after complaining of tightness in the knee.

Keen for his skipper to avoid another lay-off, manager Sir Alex Ferguson has allowed Vidic time to rest between games and even left him out of the

side for the first leg of their Champions League tie against Real Madrid earlier this month,

instead pairing Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans at the heart of defence.

Manchester United captain suffer knee injury

M Jesus Navas

Jesus desperate for another final

S

evilla midfielder Jesus Navas is looking forward to a huge night at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan today, as Sevilla try to overcome a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Atletico Madrid to reach the Copa del Rey final.

Navas has fond memories of the last time the two met in the competition as Sevilla won the cup for the fifth time with a 2-0 victory over Los Rojiblancos in the 2010 final and he is desperate to get back to that stage after what has otherwise been a disappointing season for Sevilla.

However, both sides come into the game wounded by a scrappy first-leg that was decided by three penalties and three red cards.

Fernando Navarro and Emir Spahic miss out for Sevilla, whilst Diego Godin is also suspended for Atleti.

The visitors though appear to be in better shape than before the first-leg a month ago as Radamel Falcao has returned from a hamstring injury and Sunday’s hardfought 1-0 win over Espanyol continued their cruise towards qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in four years.

Simeone has no worries on the injury front and captain Gabi will be free to play despite his red card at the weekend.

However, if there is some concern for the Argentine it comes from Atleti’s recent record on the road.

Despite sitting handsomely in the league table, Atelti have only won two of their last 10 away games in all competitions and haven’t won at Sevilla in five visits.

anchester United captain Nemanja Vidic is confident that he will soon be available for every game as he seeks to overcome a troublesome knee injury.

Vidic admitted he is currently managing the problem that has limited him to only 14 starts since December 2011.

The 31-year-old believes his knee will be in peak condition before the end of the campaign, after revealing he has experienced swelling but no pain after some recent outings.

Vidic was rested for Manchester United’s Champions League tie at

Dortmund eye bumper financial year

G

erman soccer champions Borussia Dortmund reported improved financial results for the first half of the 2012/13 fiscal year with both profits and turnover on the rise, the club said on Monday.

Pre-tax profits stood at •17.5 million for the

period between July and December 2012, up from •16.7 million for the same period a year earlier.

Turnover also grew by almost a quarter to •124.1 million from •101.4 million in the first half of the 2011/12 fiscal year.

Dortmund, who almost

went bankrupt less than 10 years ago, won back-toback Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012 as well as the German Cup last year.

They are also still in the running in the Champions League and the German Cup though a league title defence this year looks

remote with the club in second place, 17 points behind Bayern Munich.

The Ruhr valley club also have the second highest attendance across Europe after Spain’s Barcelona, with an average of about 80 000 spectators per home game.

Barcelona waiting for Neymar green light

B

arcelona vicepresident Josep Maria Bartomeu has admitted that the Catalan club will be in the running to sign Brazilian striker Neymar if and when he decides to leave Santos.

The Spanish league leaders have been following the 21-year-old

Stoke City charge with violent conduct

S

Robert Huth

Nemanja Vidic

toke City’s Robert Huth has been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association after an incident during the Potters’ 1-0 defeat

by Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Huth, 28, appeared to aim an elbow at Fulham defender Philippe Senderos but it was not seen by the match officials. In October, the German defender was not punished for an alleged stamp on Luis Suarez.

Under FA rules, retrospective action cannot be taken if an incident has been seen by the officials, even if the full extent of it has not been witnessed.

And, unlike Huth’s clash with Senderos at Fulham, at least one of the match officials saw the coming together of the Stoke defender and Liverpool striker Suarez.

Neymar

Brazilian international for some time and could make a bid to land him this

summer despite the fact that his contract with Santos expires in 2014.

Indeed a •10 million payment in Barca’s annual accounts attributed to ‘signed commitments’ has been rumoured to have been a down payment to Santos.

However, Bartomeu denied that any move for Neymar would inevitably result in David Villa leaving the club.

Villa has struggled to find a regular place in the side since returning from a broken tibia at the start of the season and Spain’s all-time leading scorer has been closely linked with a move to Arsenal come the summer.

Bartomeu is hoping that is not the case, although he accepted Villa would not be kept against his will.

“The coaches want him to stay next season and those thereafter, but neither will we keep hold of a player who is uncomfortable.”

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

PAGE 45

PICTORIAL

2

1

3

6

4

5 1] FIFA chatted with one of Nigeria's great goalscorers Yakubu Ayegbeni who says that the Super Eagles have a promising future after becoming continental champions earlier this month.

2] Fly-half Freddie Burns says returning from injury for Gloucester takes priority over earning a recall for England.

3] Real Madrid inflicts a painful 3-1 defeat on Barcelona, to complete a 4-2 aggregate win in the Copa Del Rey semi-final.

4] Ian Bell makes an unbeaten century as England close the opening day of their only Test warm-up match on 357-7.

5] Amir Khan will fight former world champion Julio Diaz in Sheffield in April, his first contest in Britain for two years.

6] Dennis Bergkamp is to become the next Arsenal legend to be honoured with a statue outside the Emirates.

PAGE 46

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Still preserving the curly golden mop that was his trademark during his playing days, there can be little doubt Carlos Valderrama remains the best-known face in Colombian football.

Perfectly placed to analyse the current state of the game in Cafetero country, the 51year-old former playmaker was in Zurich on 7 January to hand over the FIFA Puskás Award during the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala.

There he spoke expansively and effusively to FIFA.com, giving his views on, amongst other things, the changing role of traditional No10s, the revival in fortunes of Colombia’s senior side, Jose Pekerman’s performance at the helm and the inexorable rise of Radamel Falcao.

C

arlos, the years go by but your legend remains as vibrant as ever. How much did it mean to be invited to take part at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala?

It’s something unforgettable. I was surprised to get the invitation, and that’s the truth, but it was a very good and pleasant surprise.

I’m happy, pleased and proud to be here, because in a way I’m representing my country at an event I’ve always watched on TV. It was a real thrill to be invited.

Is there anybody you were determined to meet here in Zurich?

Loads of people! But particularly current players, guys I never had the chance to play against or bump into at other events.

They’re part of another generation. That’s why I’ve brought my camera with me, ready to get some souvenir photos.

I wanted to get a photo with (Lionel) Messi, as I’d seen him on two previous occasions but there’d been too many people around then.

I also wanted pics with Andres Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo, players who I always enjoy watching on television.

Of that trio, the three finalists for the FIFA Ballon d’Or, would you say you were most similar to Iniesta?

Yes, definitely. He’s the most similar to me in terms of his style and the way he plays one- or two-touch football.

He’s an organiser, a string-puller and, like me, he doesn’t score that many goals, he’s a player who lays them on for others.

I used to enjoy setting up a goal more than scoring one. I’d love chasing after a team-mate to celebrate a goal he’d scored from one of my passes.

Why do you think there aren’t many players in your mould anymore?

The way the game is played is different. Traditional No10s, like I used to be, are stuck out on the flanks nowadays so they can drift inside and back again.

And they can disappear a little out there, because physically they have to put in a phenomenal amount of work, but without as much time to think.

In any case, it’s very unlikely they will become totally extinct, because every team needs players with that (creative) ability.

Some time ago you told us Colombia were lacking a player who could link midfield and attack. Do you think the emergence of James Rodriguez has solved that problem?

James has done a really good job. I’m one of the people in Colombia who really admire him, who always defend him.

That’s due to his style of play and everything he’s already achieved in his short career: this is a lad who went to Argentina and won a championship with Banfield, and who’s now a first-choice at Porto.

He has made a difference and he’s not been weighed down by the senior national-team jersey.

We can rest easy because he’s only just getting started: we (Colombia) have got a quality player for a long time to come.

How would you say Jose Pekerman has done

since taking the Colombia helm?

It’s been positive. He’s a football man, who can play the game and who, in his own way, has given Colombian football its identity back.

The players have adapted to him and are getting the results that Colombia and the world like to see. And they’ve not just won games; they’ve done it by playing good football.

In the likes of (Edwin) Valencia, Macnelly Torres, (Carlos) Valdez and Teo Gutierrez, he’s put in four or five players who weren’t getting in the national side before.

He’s assembled a strong team, the foundations are laid. Let’s hope we can keep going like this and make every Colombians’ dream come true, by reaching the World Cup again.

Do you think the euphoria that has built up around the team is justified or over the top?

It’s exciting! And it’s to be expected after so long away [from the World Cup]. It’s what we’re all hoping for, because we’ve always had generations of very good players who’ve somehow got lost along the way.

But I think this generation will manage to get us back to the World Cup, and by playing good football to boot.

Carlos Valderrama

“

The way the game is played is different.

Traditional No10s, like I used to be, are stuck out on the flanks nowadays so they can drift inside and back again.

And they can disappear a little out there, because physically they have to put in a phenomenal amount of work, but without as much time to think.

Can you compare this crop of players with Cafetero stars of the 1990s?

It’s different, because this whole group of players play outside Colombia. I only left just after the ’90 World Cup (Editor’s note: Valderrama actually joined Montpellier in 1988) and Lionel (Alvarez), (Rene) Higuita and the rest went later. These (current) players have been abroad a long time and that gives them a bit more international experience, (the taste of) a different culture and way of life. I think this generation has the edge on ours because of that. I hope they can prove it by taking the national squad to World Cups, like we did.

That sparkling Colombia side which thumped Argentina 5-0 in Buenos Aires in qualifying for USA 1994 has been accused of resting on its laurels after that win. Do you think something like that could happen to this Colombia squad?

We didn’t rest on our laurels, quite the opposite in fact. We enjoyed that game and beat them 5-0 in the (Estadio) Monumental, a feat that’s never been done since. You have to enjoy a result like that, but we didn’t stop working hard afterwards! What happened is we didn’t play as well as we should at the World Cup and the other teams played better.

In Colombia they’ve never been able to accept that.

And I, as a player, have always said that’s football: you have peaks and troughs. And that’s what happened. These players know that they haven’t achieved their objective yet, but they are playing well and the country’s very happy with them. But to make history you have to take advantage of moments like this, and it’s an important time for them.

They’re a young team daring to dream, and who are going to achieve their goal and keep performing better for their own sakes and for their country.

What emotions does Radamel Falcao’s current success stir in you?

He’s writing a beautiful story. I personally, and Colombians as a whole, are very proud of what he’s achieving. He’s managed to carve out a successful career in a short space of time.

He’s a lad who’s still young! He was a leading scorer and champion at River [Plate] and he did the same at Porto.

And now at Atletico [de Madrid], a team who were struggling when he arrived, he proved how good he is.

(It’s as if) he said: ‘Here I am and I’m a goalscorer’. He battles hard, scores goals and he’s the team’s figurehead. Before, personally, I couldn’t wait for the weekend to watch Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Now I look forward to seeing Falcao too.

He’ll keep on scoring goals, he’s flying the flag for Colombian football at the moment and we’re going to have the pleasure of watching him at the next World Cup in Brazil.

That said, you remain the most emblematic figure in Colombian football history. Do you think Falcao might one day overtake you?

Yes, yes, he’s proving that with the goals he’s scoring.

And on top of that, I love the way he is: despite being a young man, his down-to-earth nature and humility shine through in everything he achieves. He’s gracious with people, he signs autographs and he’s involved with social events. I love how he is as both a player and a person. He’s on the right track.

Finally, do you have a message to all those who still revere you so many years after you hung up your boots?

I’d just like to thank them, from the heart. That’s because even though I retired eight or nine years ago they still follow my career.

They take an interest in what I’m doing, ask me questions and show they care about me, everywhere I go.

One of the things I’ve most enjoyed in my life has been representing my country, so I’m really thankful to people for not forgetting about El Pibe Valderrama. Let’s hope that’s the case for a long time to come.

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

FIFA extends match-fixing bans to 70 players in Italy

M

atch-fixing bans for 74 players and officials from Italy and South Korea have been extended worldwide, the sport's governing body FIFA said.

FIFA said that 70 bans from the Italian Football Federation, including 11 lifetime ones, had been extended after players and officials had been sanctioned for match-fixing in various hearings.

It said this involved either a "direct involvement or omission to report match-fixing, illegal betting or corrupt organisation (association to commit illicit acts)".

FIFA said bans were also extended in the cases of four South Koreans.

The extensions come just two days after Fifa announced 58 Chinese soccer officials and players would also have their match-fixing bans extended worldwide.

FIFA has been especially keen to be seen to be cracking down on corruption since European anti-crime agency Europol announced on February 4 that around 680 matches were suspected of being fixed in a global betting scam run from Singapore.

Asian soccer was hit by another match-fixing scandal on Wednesday, with the Asian Football Confederation investigating a report from Lebanon where 24 players have been sanctioned following allegations that international and regional games were rigged.

The AFC announced last week that it had set up a task force to help combat matchfixing in the continent.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter ADVERT: BUSINESS: NEWS: LAGOS:

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QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE Empower people with education so that all these political problems and religious differences, and all the rhetoric of Boko Haram, could be surmounted.

— Former U.S. President Bill Clinton

Managing the Central Bank: Selecting Sanusi's successor O

n balance, therefore, we all have a huge interest in the process for selecting the next central bank governor. That office affects our everyday life far too much for us to leave decisions about it in the hands of our "experts".

Should we be concerned who the next governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will be?

This query assumes that we will go with tradition and not reappoint the incumbent. The latter has got until June next year before his current term ends. And arguably, he, more than any other central bank governor in this country, has drawn a thick line under the importance of the CBN in the proper management of this economy. Alas, under Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, monetary policy management has loomed extra large only because the fiscal side of the macro-economic equation has been managed after a wimpish fashion.

In the last three years, the CBN has weighed in on its side of the economy, with a plan to steady a doddering banking sector that resulted in infusions of money into the economy that we previously associated only with the federal government. It has pursued cheap money policies designed to help the same banks improve their balance sheets. Currently, much of the conversation around the activities of the central bank has been about how tight its policies have been, and in whose interest these have been pursued. In between, the central bank has led interventions in disparate sectors of the economy in an almost desperate attempt to get lending flowing to these sectors.

Along with its now notorious quasi-fiscal operations, it has attempted to change the nature of the domestic payments and settlements system.

Arguably, there is a strong case for awarding the central bank a strong pass mark for its exertions over the last three years. If nothing else, our banks (because of the fillip lent them by the CBN) appear stronger than they were four years ago, and individually, represent reduced risks to the local financial services space.

Moreover, banks are less likely

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GUEST COLUMNIST Ifeanyi Uddin

Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, CBN Governor today to aid dubious financial transactions than they were a few years back. And, a proliferation of payments/ settlements platforms have improved customers' experience of financial transactions.

That said some have counted the costs of the CBN's diverse interventions in the economy against its gains and concluded that things ought to have proceeded differently. The size of the initial intervention in 2009, for example, was in the region of N600bn; and since then AMCON (the CBN's bad bank) like a veritable money-doubler has moved the cost of the last bank rescue into trillions of naira.

Uncertainty remains as to how this is going to be funded.

Against the fact that less than 40% of financially active Nigerians use the formal banking sector there is a point at which all this begins to look like the typical Nigerian play: huge amounts of subsidies headed into the pockets of a privileged clique.

On balance, therefore, we all have a huge interest in the process for selecting the next central bank governor. That office affects our everyday life far too much for us to leave decisions about it in the hands of our "experts". Only recently, the United Kingdom offered up a

“

Arguably, there is a strong case for awarding the central bank a strong pass mark for its exertions over the last three years. If nothing else, our banks (because of the fillip lent them by the CBN) appear stronger than they were four years ago, and individually, represent reduced risks to the local financial services space

useful example of what ought to be done when it appointed Mark Carney (a Canadian, and until then, the Bank of Canada governor) as replacement for Sir Mervyn King. The latter is credited with having helped "protect Canada from the worst recession in a century", and as head of the Financial Stability Board, for the design of initiatives that restrained "commercial bankers whose reckless dealings precipitated the 2008-09 financial meltdown".

The UK (as befits the host of the world's leading financial capital) scoured the world, and chose the best man for the job.

Ought we to do less? We have ambitions (as encapsulated in the Vision 20:2020 strategy programme) that demand even more. Why not begin then, by advertising the vacancy (if actually there is one) in major publications across the world?

Job description? To maintain "price stability" of course. Or better still, hand the recruitment process over to a reputable headhunting firm? At the end of which process, the candidate is then presented to the Senate for confirmation hearings. The probability is higher that a more competent candidate emerges off a transparent process than if we left it to politicians to decide based on which candidate they find more acceptable.

Unfortunately, "global best practices" will always lose to "local constraints". And in the example of the Nigerian central bank governor, these constraints are onerous. The tools, for instance, with which s\he must work are blunter by far, than you are likely to meet in other jurisdictions. At one level, the financial and economically savvier bits of the local commentariat is still engaged in discussions over how best to use policy instruments to change monetary conditions. Is the better route through the policy rate, through tinkering with liquidity, or via the exchange rate? Each of these routes has strong entrenched interests whose manoeuvring will test the mettle of the best of us. A nonresident will be stymied by them in due course.

Thus, a Nigerian for the job.

And a very qualified one, at that.

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 805 727 9862. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

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SUDOKU

Say what?

Last edition’s solution

Some Interesting Facts •The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat," which means "the king is dead".

•The word "modem" is a contraction of the words "modulate, demodulate." (MOdulateDEModulate) •The word "samba" means "to rub navels together."

•The world population of chickens is about equal to the number of people.

•The worlds oldest piece of chewing gum is 9000 years old.

•There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

•There are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball.

•There are over 52.6 million dogs in the U.S. •There are more chickens than people in the world.

•There are more plastic flamingos in America than real ones.

•There are only four words in the English language which end in "-dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.

•There are only thirteen blimps in the world. Nine of them are in the United States.

•There are two credit cards for every person in the United States.

•There is a town in Newfoundland, Canada called Dildo.

•There wasn't a single pony in the Pony Express, just horses.

•Thomas Edison, lightbulb inventor, was afraid of the dark.

•Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

•To escape the grip of a crocodile's jaws, push your thumbs into its eyeballs -- it will let you go instantly.

•Two-thirds of the world's eggplant is grown in New Jersey.

•Until 1796, there was a state in the United States called Franklin. Today it is known as Tennessee.

•Until 1965, driving was done on the left-hand side on roads in Sweden. The conversion to right-hand was done on a weekday at 5pm. All traffic stopped as people switched sides. This time and day were chosen to prevent accidents where drivers would have gotten up in the morning and been too sleepy to realize that this was the day of the changeover.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Real-life Rapunzels: TerelynnRussel has let her hair grow to over 6ft long, longer than her body, and her Source: Dailymail.co.uk daughters are not far behind