Peoples Daily Newspaper, Wednesday March 28, 2012

15 years after, Kaduna refinery resumes fuel supply to northern depots

Vol. 8 No. 4

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

PAGE 4

Jimadal Ula 6, 1433 AH

N150

INSIDE

Jonathan vows to end Boko Haram June >>PAGE 2

CBN exempts embassies from daily cash limit

New licence saga: Senators, FRSC disagree >>PAGE 3

Kebbi acting Terrorism: JTF arrests Mauritanian governor sacks SSG, HoS in Kano

>>PAGE 3

>>PAGE 4

>>PAGE 6

Atiku visits Bamanga PDP Chair to Jonathan: Leave politics to us

By Lawrence Olaoye

F

ormer Vice-President Abubakar Atiku on Monday night visited Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to congratulate him on his emergence as the new National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This is coming as Tukur yesterday told President Goodluck Jonathan to leave partisan politics alone and focus more on the nation’s economy.

Atiku who visited Tukur in company of some of his loyalists and stakeholders from Adamawa state equally assured the new PDP National Chairman of his support and loyalty.

Confirming the visit, Atiku’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu said “Yes it is true; the former Vice-President actually visited Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to congratulate him on his emergence as the National Chairman of the PDP. There is no personal problem between Contd on Page 2

Former acting National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje (right), handing over to the new chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur (middle), at the PDP secretariat, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Father of nabbed Boko Haram spokesman killed From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

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nknown gunmen yesterday evening killed the foster father of the captured spokesman of the Boko

Haram sect, Abu Dardaa.

It was gathered that late Abdullahi Bello, a retired Deputy Controller of Prisons, was killed along with another retired Prisons officer at Baya Quarters of

Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

It was not clear if the attack was carried out by members of the Boko Haram sect as it came a day after an ex-police officer was also

shot death by suspected members of the group.

A dependable security source told newsmen on condition of anonymity that the incident took place when late Bello, popularly

WWW.PEOPLESDAILY-ONLINE.COM

known as DC was performing ablution in preparation for the sunset (Magrib) prayers with his friend, also a retired Prisons officer at the former’s residence.

Contd on Page 2

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-17

Business

19-22

S/Exchange

23

S/Report

24

Motoring

26

Newsxtra

27

Arts

29

I’m most qualified for World Bank’s job, says Okonjo-Iweala, Page 3

International 31-34 Strange World 35 Digest

36

Politics

37-40

Sports

41-47

Columnist

48

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

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

Phones for News: 070-37756364 09-8734478

We’llendBokoHaramviolencebymid2012-Jonathan

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

I

n an apparent bid to convince potential foreign visitors and the entire global community that his administration is on top of the country’s security challenges, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in far-away South Korea made a bold a prediction that terrorist acts perpetrated mostly by members of the Boko Haram sect, would be a thing of the past by the middle of this year.

In an interview with Yonhap News Agency during the ongoing Nuclear Summit in Seoul, Jonathan said that the security challenges in the country is only limited to a section of the country, giving hope of the government’s readiness to crush all terrorists and terror activities by the middle of 2012.

Arguing that Nigeria had one of the best investment friendly

climates in the world, a ready market and stable polity, President Jonathan urged South Korean businesses to expand their investments in building Nigeria’s infrastructure for the energy and telecommunication sectors, in particular.

“We have some parts of the country where we have terrorist attacks,” the President said. “But it doesn’t affect the whole country.

We are in reasonable control.”

We have belief that in middle of this year, in terms of security of individual, we will have control.”

“There is one key area that I want to emphasise. Nigeria is very, very green area for investors.

Before this time, during the military rule, you don’t know who will be the next President. When the new government come, there is a new policy and those policies are not attractive to investors.

Basically from 1999 to date, we

have established democratic government. I am the president during the transition.

Before I took over, I was vice president. President was very ill and people thought there would be militaristic intervention. Today, we conducted election.

Politically, we are stable. For investors, Nigeria has strong law and media. No President can just change law that can affect investors, we encourage investors”, he assured.

Today, Jonathan is scheduled to hold talks with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in which he will discuss furthering economic cooperation to encourage more local companies to enter into Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea rounded off yesterday with world leaders reaching a consensus to adopt more proactive auditing and accounting procedures in

securing vulnerable nuclear materials from getting into wrong hands and constituting global threats.

They therefore called for more monitoring, apprehension and prosecution of breaches of conventions by individuals and corporate organisations or nonstate actors as a means of effectively countering the threat of nuclear terrorism and making the world safer for all.

The Summit acknowledged that nuclear terrorism continues to be one of the most challenging threats to international security and called for the renewal of the commitments of the Washington Nuclear Security Summit and working towards strengthening nuclear security, reducing the threats of nuclear terrorism and prevents unauthorised persons and actors from acquiring the materials.

Atiku Abubakar visits Bamanga Tukur Contd from Page 1 them. Never mind all those things you have been reading on the pages of newspapers. Yes, he assured the new chairman of his loyalty and support.”

Atiku’s clarification is coming on the heels of the allegations that he worked against Tukur’s emergence as the new PDP national chairman both at the zonal and national levels.

But the Bamanga Tukur’s Campaign Organisation had during the heat of the campaigns, ahead of the PDP National Convention that produced Tukur, issued a statement alleging that Atiku had vowed to thwart the ambition of anybody from Adamawa state for the position of PDP national chairman in order not to jeopardize his presidential aspiration in 2015.

The statement titled ‘Why Atiku is after me’ which was signed by the Legal Adviser of his campaign organization, Chief Johny Ucheaga, further accused Atiku of sponsoring the legal action that sought to disqualify Tukur from contesting at the National Convention of the party

on grounds that he was earlier expelled by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party in 2001.

The statement read in part: “The person who sued is a surrogate of those wishing to vie for Presidential election in 2015 who believed that Bamanga will not do their dirty bidding and would not be part of their equation.

“The timing of the court action showed that it is in bad faith because Bamanga Tukur has always participated in PDP affairs over the years without any objection.

“Bamanga Tukur was the chairman of the Campaign Council of Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

He raised the hand of Jonathan and introduced him as PDP flag bearer in Eagle Square, Abuja without any objection.”

Meanwhile, Tukur yesterday urged President Jonathan to concentrate on the management of the economy and leave partisan politics to the newly elected members of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC.

Tukur said, “We have come to help the President focus more on the economy than on partisan politics. We have come to transform and build a great party, not to play politics. We have come to help politicians play a decent politics, politics based on fairness and level playing field.

We have come to be those neutral referees the PDP needs right now.

“We have come to ensure that both Executive and the Legislature are on the same page - which is, to make Nigeria great economically, socially and politically. My support staff and my team will never use this office as a platform for launching political careers. They are here to work, work and work in turning PDP into a great party and helping government turn the economy around,” he stressed.

Tukur declared that as one of the founding fathers of the PDP his major agenda was to transform the party, stressing that they will put PDP on the path of justice and equity.

Earlier in his handover speech, the former chairman of

the party, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje said the former NWC has devolved power to the zones and state chapters of the party to strengthen them and warned that any attempt to reverse this gain will be resisted.

He said there will be challenges, insisting that efforts must be continued at engendering internal democracy.

Baraje reiterated that PDP remains the only party to beat in form of bringing forth internal and external democratic election, adding that others sit in one room and pick their officers, even as he called on other parties to emulate the party.

PDP stakeholders present at the hand-over ceremony include two former national chairmen of the party, Senators Ahmadu Ali and Barnabas Gemade, the former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani, former Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, former deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu as well as the new and former NWC members.

Father of nabbed Boko Haram spokesman killed Contd from Page 1 The father of Abu Dardaa who hails from Kogi state was said to have returned to his house located few metres away from the demolished enclave of the Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, few days earlier, having been out of the state for a long time.

Witnesses told newsmen that the three assailants drove to the area in a Volkswagen car and parked few metres from the scene of the incident, before walking to the house to fire shots at the friends and fleeing the scene.

“The gunmen came and met the two friends while rounding up

their ablution at about 6.30pm and shot at them, “a resident of the area disclosed.

Although the motive of the killing still remains a mystery, the resident said that the sect may be sending a message to Dardaa, who is believed to have been volunteering information to his captors on the sect’s activities.

“The arrested chieftain of the sect has been divulging information to the security operatives and this has given them an edge in their battle against the fundamentalists,” he observed. “Perhaps the only way to keep him quiet is to send a

message to him that if he cannot be killed, he could be touched in a way,” the source further suggested.

The deceased persons were said to have died on the spot, while sources at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) said their corpses which were riddled with bullets were deposited at the hospital’s morgue.

Meanwhile, the Joint Task Force (JTF) has announced that it will continue with its house-tohouse search in the flashpoints of Boko Haram attacks within the metropolis, as it has proven to be

an effective means of apprehending the criminals.

In a statement yesterday, spokesman of the task force, Lt Col Sagir Musa, said: “What you are seeing (searching of houses in the area by soldiers) is a routine patrol conducted by the JTF in areas considered as hot spots. We will continue with targeted and deliberate cordon-and-search in places like Abbaganaram, Budum and Jajeri.”

But he urged residents not to panic because they would not be molested. He also begged for their support in the maintenance of law and order.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 3

I’m most qualified for World Bank’s job, says Okonjo-Iweala

By Abdulwahab Isa

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igeria’s nominee and front runner for the World Bank Presidency, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says she stands a better chance to clinch the coveted job if a level playing field, openness and transparency are enthroned as basic rule for the contest.

Iweala, who is the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, addressed local and international media yesterday in Abuja.

In a display of confidence, she said she is qualified more than any other candidate vying for the job, having worked in various capacities at the foremost institution for over two decades.

“The leadership of World Bank is committed to an open, transparent and fair process and we will expect that this should be the case. If this process is open, fair and transparent, we stand a very good chance, because I’ve got the credentials to do this job and many people believe that these

credentials are very strong.

“However, if there is no levelplaying field, then we have to see what happens; but we are hoping for a level-playing field and so, we can only hope for the best”, she affirmed .

She listed her major priority, if her candidacy sails through, to include re-focusing the bank as an institution for creating jobs for unemployed youths as according to her, if the issue of unemployment is not tackled the world risks a scenario worse than

the Arab spring.

She said her nomination received overwhelming endorsement and huge support as the continent’s choice for the post.

The nomination of Ngozi for the plum job has received continental endorsement among which is, African Union (AU) Commission.

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

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

urged all African countries to support the candidature of OkonjoIweala.

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

Ngozi described her contest for the plum job as defining moment for the continent of Africa, adding that the entire continent is rallying round her nomination as a symbol for the continent.

She was accompanied to the press briefing by former minister of finance, Dr. Mansur Muhtar, who is currently Nigeria’s representative at World Bank board.

CBN exempts embassies, others on daily cash withdrawal limit

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L-R: National Secretary, Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Mr. Eten Otu, receiving 2009/2010 Public Complaints Commission Annual Reports from Executive Director, Convention on Business Integrity, Mr. Soji Apampa, at the commission’s headquarters, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

New number plates: FRSC, Senate disagree

By Ali Alkali

S

takeholders in the transportation sector who attended the public hearing at the Senate, over the controversial new driver’s license and number plate introduced by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), were yesterday, entertained as Mr. Osita Chidoka, Corps Marshal and CEO of the FRSC, and senators disagreed on almost every issue concerning the introduction of the new vehicle number plate.

The Senate Committee on Federal Character and InterGovernmental Affairs summoned the FRCS and other stakeholders to explain the rationale behind the new driver’s license and number plate and the “exorbitant price” being charged by the FRSC. Earlier, the two chambers of the National Assembly had previously directed the FRSC to suspend the scheme until a resolution is reached on the matter.

The committee accused the FRSC of abdicating its primary responsibility of ensuring safety

on Nigerian roads and turning itself into a profit making outfit.

Quoting from the statistics provided by the FRSC itself that 5,000 Nigerians are killed and 17,000 injured every year in road accidents, the Senators believed that FRSC should channel its energy and resources towards eliminating vehicles with bad tires, overload, reckless and drunk driving, etc, instead of schemes mainly aimed at revenue generation.

Armed with documents and slide shows, the FRSC boss insisted

Jang, others for N150m Islamic school launch

G

overnor Jonah Jang of Plateau state is among the dignitaries that are expected to grace the launch of Munazzamatu Fityanul Islam, the Young Muslim Congress of Nigeria, this Saturday its proposed site in Wase, Plateau state.

A statement by the organisers said that the governor would also launch a N150 million appeal fund

“for the building of the school and purchase of operational vehicles and equipment.’’

Other dignitaries expected at the event include the governors of Bauchi, Nasarawa and Kano states, deputy governor, Bauchi, Sheikh Mudi Galga, Sheikh Isiyaku Rabi’u, Alhaji Inuwa Baba, Alhaji Shehu Ashaka, Speaker of the

Plateau state House of Assembly, and Hon. Idris Maje, including Senator Gwani Muhammad Adam.

The Emir of Wase, Alhaji Muhammad Sambo Haruna, the statement added, is expected to be the father of the occasion, while the chairman, Transition Committee of Wase local government area, will be the chief host.

that issues of over load, bad tires and all other traffic violations are thriving because the current driver’s license and number plate system does not have the right technology to capture records and store them in a centralised data bank, which the new system aims to do.

“The new system will tie the number plates to individuals not to the vehicles. Most of our traffic violations are not because of lack of enforcement but because of lack of records. When people know that wherever they go, their records will follow them, whatever they apply for people will check their records and see that they are serial offenders they will be careful,” he said.

On the issue of turning the FRSC into a revenue generating venture, Marshal Chidoka said, the act that established the corps allows them to generate revenue, wondering why nobody said anything when they generated over a billion naira in the past and gave the money to the Federal Government.

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has exempted embassies, diplomatic missions, multilateral and aid donor agencies from penalties and charges on daily cash withdrawal and deposit limits.

The CBN disclosed this in a circular posted on its website yesterday to all banks, Cash-inTransit (CIT) companies, payment system services providers and switches.

Others include the issuers and processors, card acquirers and the general public.

The circular, titled “Industry Policy on Retail Cash Collection and Lodgment (IITP/C/001) as it Affects Specialised International Institutions”, signed by the Acting Director, Banking and Payments System Department, Mr. Giaus Emokpae, said that the exemption was because Nigeria was signatory to several treaties.

It said the apex bank therefore exempted the above mentioned institutions from all fees and charges as penalties on the daily cash withdrawal and deposit limit in the country.

It further said that as a matter of international practice, sovereign states would not impose financial penalties on other sovereign states.

The circular said that it, therefore, became necessary to extend the exemption on cash withdrawal and deposit limits to the institutions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the apex bank, had on March 5, exempted mortgage banks and microfinance banks from the cash withdrawal and deposit limits.

CBN said that the specialised banks should be able to have access to amount above the daily withdrawal and deposit limits because of the nature of the business and to be able to satisfy their customers. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

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Terrorism: Security operatives Kebbi Immigration deports 100 Nigériens arrest Mauritanian, others in Kano From Ahmed Idris, Birnin-Kebbi

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he Kebbi state Controller of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Sule Momoh has deported about 100 immigrants from Niger Republic and Benin Republic to their various countries.

Speaking to our correspondent yesterday in his office, the controller said most of the affected foreigners followed illegal routes into

enter Nigeria and without valid travel documents, and were repatriated to their homelands since last weekend.

He said that it was the duty of his office to monitor the movement of foreigners with a view to ensuring that cases of violence and crimes by the foreigners do not occur in the state.

He then urged foreigners interested in staying in Nigeria to obtain legal documents and respect the laws of the country.

Reps okay N306bn FCT budget

By Lawrence Olaoye

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he House of Representatives yesterday passed the N306 billion 2012 Federal Capital Territory (FCT’s) Appropriation Bill into law.

This is against the previous alarm raised by some members that the House would not consider the bill on the allegation of breach of protocol by the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, who presented the budget through a letter he wrote directly to the parliament. They had argued that the budget ought to have been presented by the President in line with tradition.

But FCT the House Committee on FCT yesterday said House decided to pass the budget on the strength of powers conferred on President Goodluck Jonathan to delegate powers to the FCT Minister as stipulated in Section 302 of 1999 Constitution.

After being considered as a Bill on the floor for a few minutes, Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal gave nod of the House to the passage of the budget.

A major departure of this

year's budget from the past is that it accounts for 71% Capital Expenditure while the rest 29% goes to Recurrent.

It has a breakdown of N42.2 billion for personnel costs, N44.7 billion as Overhead Cost and N219.4 billion is for Capital projects within all districts of the FCT. A component of the budgets is prepared to also cater for the $800 million Abuja light rail project scheduled to be completed in 2014.

Under the current fiscal year, a sum of N45.6 billion will cater for the payment of about $300 million counterpart funding of the federal government for the project.

It is expected that with improved allocation for capital projects, completion of ongoing works like the expansion of airport road, Kubwa expressway and the Millennium towers will receive a boost.

However, in a bid to enhance rapid development of the satellite towns around the FCT, a new agency with a new mandate and independent budget called FCT Satellite Agency has just been created.

From Edwin Olofu, Kano

A

Mauritanian and three others suspected to be members of a terrorist group have been apprehended by security agents in Kano following a tip off.

They were arrested near Kundila estate along Maiduguri road on Thursday last week by the Members of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the state after a raid in their resident.

The operation which took place at about 6.30pm close to a new shopping mall saw the members of the JTF cordon off the entire area for more than an hour and caused panic among resident in the area.

An eyewitness who resides at Kundila Estate told our correspondent that they saw many soldiers in the area with armored personnel carriers (APC) barricading the major roads and carrying out their operation.

An impeccable source who doesn’t want his name in print confirmed the arrest of the Mauritanians to our correspondent, saying investigations are on -going adding that so far the security agents have obtained valuable information from them.

The source who did not disclose whether weapons were recovered during the raid or not, said some gadgets including computers

containing useful and sensitive information were confiscated.

All effort to confirm the arrest proved abortive as call to the phone of the JTF spokesperson were not going through as at the time of filing this report.

Last week, an AL-Qaeda cell based in North Africa Wednesday claimed responsibility for the January kidnap of a German citizen, Engr. Edgar Fritz Raupach in Kano, in a statement by the AlQaeda group in the Islamic Maghreb, (AQIM) posted by a Mauritanian news portal; Nouakchott Information Agency website, a medium always used by the group to send messages.

L-R: Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, with Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Fatima Bamidele, during the national conference on lymphatic filariasis and malaria in Nigeria, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

15 years after, Kaduna refinery FG not committed to resumes fuel supply to North’s depots

dialogue, says JNI From Mohammed Adamu, Kaduna

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he Secretary-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Sheikh Abubakar Aliyu has stated that federal government is not committed towards true discussions on issues relating to peaceful coexistence in the country.

Speaking while receiving members of Muslim and Christian youth initiative yesterday, the JNI secretary general said that ignoring issues related to the country’s lingering unrests poses grave danger as truth, justice and fairness are important ingredients to peaceful coexistence among all.

“Government is not straight forward to discuss the issues frankly and that is a serious problem”, the executive

secretary stated but however advised the group not to allow politicians to hijack their initiatives which he said was the right direction towards peaceful co-existence among faiths.

Recalling the past when Nigerians lived in mutual understanding, he said that Islam encourages dialogue among different faiths, as such it was important to keep on discussing.

Earlier in his address, the president of the group, Dr. Suleiman Shinkafi said that the motive of the group was to sensitize Muslim and Christian youths against violence.

Co-chairman of the youth group, Mr. Diji Haruna Obadiah, said the initiative was meant to champion the course of mutual peace which the two religions preach.

From Agaju Madugba, Kaduna

T

he Pipeline Products Marketing Company (PPMC) has started pumping Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to its eight northern depots, from the Kaduna Refining and PetroChemical Company (KRPC).

The pipelines in the area have been idle for about 15 years due to the inability of the KRPC to produce enough quantity as well as vandalisation of the pipelines.

Manager, Public Relations at the Public Affairs Division (PAD) of the PPMC at the corporate headquarters in Abuja, Mr. Imodagbe Nasir, said in a telephone chat with our correspondent yesterday that after 15 years of dormancy, the new management of the PPMC has fixed all the leakages in the supply networks of the PPMC. According to him, “all the pipelines supplying crude oil to KRPC and PMS from the refinery to the depots in the north have been

repaired and functioning well.

“In all the northern states including Abuja, I should be surprised if there are still fuel queues. It is not that what we are refining can take care of all the consumption but when you add that to the fuel that is being bridged, we have substantial amount of fuel out there.

“I want to believe that any queue you see, may be as a result of panic buying out of all kinds of rumour.Sometimes we get one tank of between four and five million litres of PMS each week from KRPC and sometimes we get just one tank in a week. It depends on some variables, but on the average, we take stock of five million litres from the KRPC. We first ensure that we load the petrol tankers that have been allocated products. Then we pump the rest to our depots. We make a lot of money for the Federal Government now that the KPRC is functioning”.

On possible diversion of the products, he said, “there is no way

you can cheat here. At the point we are taking delivery, all relevant government agencies are there to take records. We do not load any tanker that has no official allocation from our headquarters. The relevant agencies and our own internal controls make that impossible.

“If a marketer fails to deliver at his filling station, that is no longer our responsibility. The Department of Petroleum Resources is supposed to handle that problem.

“We now pump petrol from our Kaduna facility to Suleja, Minna, Gusau, Kano, and Jos. We even pump to Gombe and as far as Maiduguri about, 1005 kilometres from Kaduna.

He dismissed allegations that only mega stations get kerosene saying “Independent and Major Marketers also get allocations. It may not be enough, because it depends on what we refine. We only allocate to marketers that we are sure will sell at regulated government price.”

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 5

Banker’s murder: Stepmother denies knowing suspect as pastor From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

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he stepmother and sixth prosecution witness in the on-going trial of Akolade Arowolo, standing trial for allegedly murdering his banker wife, Omozoje, Mrs. Adetoun Yeside Oyakhire, yesterday denied ever knowing Akolade as a pastor until after his wife died and he was referred to as one.

Oyakhire made this known

while being cross examined by Akolade’s counsel, O. Ajanaku before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja yesterday.

Oyakhire stated that there had always been bickering between the couple and she maintained this under cross examination, adding that Omozoje was always coming back home on several occasions when their disagreements were very bad.

Further in her cross examination, she stated that she never called the late Omozoje Thatcher or Helen (her late mother’s name) but that the whole house called her “Azoje Girl” like her father fondly called her.

When asked whether she knew Akolade as a nice, generous and unassuming man who gave her things regularly, she denied. “I can't remember anytime the

defendant has given me things and I don't think of him as generous.

“Except for the day he came with Titilayo to our house and I told him I liked the shirt he was wearing and he said he would take it to laundry and bring it back,” she said.

She admitted that she visited the Arowolo’s house on many occasions but can’t recollect the figure as she was not keeping

Abuja gets violence victim support organisation

Ekiti NULGE chairman, 3 others perish in auto crash

By Saunday Ejike Benjamin

From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

A

n independent body known as the Victim Support Organisation of Nigeria (VSON), was on Monday launched in Bwari area council of Abuja to provide support to victims of various forms of inhuman treatment.

VSON Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Mustapha Masha said the organisation will be committed to the provision of support to victims of domestic abuse, people forced into marriages and various forms of cruel and degrading treatment.

In his speech during the launch, Masha said the vision of the organisation is to restore the dignity and value of the victims of domestic abuse and related crimes by building bridges of trust and hope.

He said disadvantaged people will benefit from the activities of the organisation which he noted was able to stand on its feet through support from his colleagues in the legal profession, adding that: “There are many challenges in setting up this kind of non-profit organisation, but with courage, we were able to help people find strength when they are victimised”.

In her speech, chairman of the Abuja chapter of the Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs. Iyabo Ogunsewe, welcomed the birth of VSON, especially now that the country is being faced with security challenges.

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Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo (left) in a handshake with Episcopal Chairman of Interreligious Dialogue, Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah (right), during the religious leader’s visit to the State House, yesterday in Abuja. With them is Archbishop Augustine Kasujja (middle).

Photo: Joe Oroye

Fire razes house, mosque in Zamfara From Salisu Zakari Maradun, Gusau

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roperties worth millions of naira were destroyed by fire at the personal residence of the erstwhile chairman of the Zamfara state Revenue Board, Alhaji Muhammadu Maikui Kaya.

Also destroyed were some domestic animals and a community mosque attached to

the house.

The fire which started at about 2:00am lasted for five hours before it could be brought under control by some neighbours and passersby in the area.

Although the cause of the fire was not ascertained up to the time of filing this report, an eyewitness told our reporter that “before we could put it out, it took us many hours. We tried to get the lines of

Daily Times: Trial of Anosike brothers transferred to DPP From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos

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he Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, has transferred the prosecution of Fidelis and Noel Anosike, both Directors of Folio Communications Limited and owners of Daily Times Limited to

count but denied ever giving her a knife as Christmas or taking her for abortions before her marriage.

She also reiterated the fact that when they saw Titilayo's lifeless body, one of her eye balls was gouged and there was blood on the walls in the room but she didn’t mention this in her statement because at the time, she was still traumatised and couldn’t put the full picture together.

the Lagos state Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

The brothers were dragged before Justice Habeeb Abiru of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos for allegedly stealing N1.7 billion belonging to Daily Times.

When the matter came up for hearing yesterday, L.A. Sanusi of the DPP informed the court that Adoke had on March 8, transferred

the file to them for prosecution.

Counsel to the Anosikes, Norrison Quakers, objected to the transfer, arguing that it was unconstitutional for the AGF to transfer the matter when there was already a pending application.

Quakers said:"The transfer has confirmed the argument in our application that the charge is incompetent and the authority to prosecute was not the right authority.

the fire fighting men, but it was all in vein until it razed the entire house and the mosque”.

Although no life was lost during the incident, our reporter gathered that in the whole house, nothing could be rescued as all personal effects and household items were destroyed.

Sympathizers trooped to the scene of the disaster to commiserate with the victims over the incident.

he Chairman of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees [NULGE], Ekiti state chapter, Comrade Ayo Afolalu was among four persons who lost their lives yesterday in a ghastly motor accident near Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research, (NIFOR) in Benin.

The chairman and his entourage were on their way to Edo state for the 2nd Special National Delegates Conference with the theme: “Restructuring the Union and Local Government Autonomy”, when the accident occurred.

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) toll gate Unit Commander in Benin, Olusesun Taiwo Eko, who confirmed the report, disclosed that the victim in company of three other officials of Ekiti NULGE were travelling in a Honda car, bearing ‘Ekiti NULGE 001.’

According to him, the driver was trying to negotiate another lane and avoid a faulty stationary vehicle when their car rammed into an oncoming vehicle.

The remains of the victims have been taken to University of Benin Teaching hospital, UBTH morgue.

Kogi youths condemn killing of community leader From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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he President of the National Association of Omoye Youths (NAOY), Malam Saka Bello Babamba, has described the recent murder of a community leader in Ebiraland, Alhaji Muhammed Jaguda Chogudo as barbaric, calling on security agents to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.

While sympathising with the

Ezogu clan in the area, the group called on his relatives to allow the law to take its full course, vowing that those behind the series of recent killings in the land will not go unpublished.

Babamba in an interaction with our correspondent yesterday, also called on the people to always give timely information to security agents that will help them get to the root of the matter.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

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FG restates commitment to inter-religious harmony

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

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he Federal Government yesterday said it will continue to support all efforts put in place by local and international groups in ending ethno-religious crisis in the country.

Speaking while receiving the Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Inter Religious Dialogue, Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran in the State House yesterday, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo thanked members of the council for its intervention in Nigeria, adding that the government would support them in achieving their “noble” objectives.

“I am sure you must have been informed that the government encourages inter-religious partnership, dialogue, peaceful co-existence, stability and development in Nigeria and Sokoto state Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (front), and his Deputy, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari, inspecting ongoing construction project at the Sokoto State University, yesterday in Sokoto.

NITEL workers protest nonpayment of 9 months salaries

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orkers of the Nigerian Telecommunication Commission (NITEL) staged a rally yesterday in Abuja in protest against the management’s failure to pay their nine months salaries.

The protesters led by Comrade Elias Kazzah, the President of the Senior Staff Association of C o m m u n i c a t i o n Transportation and Corporation (SSACTAC), NITEL Branch, also called for the removal of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Hajiya Zainab Sa’ab.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Kazzah said NITEL staff had not received salaries for almost a year, while the management continued to spend on other things.

He explained that the presidential task-force on the restructuring of NITEL in 2010 retained 380 people as transitional staffers and made available money for

payment of salaries for six months.

He said that because the restructuring could not be completed within the six months period, such staffers had to continue to work.

Kazzah, however, said the staffers had to work for nine months without salaries.

“Each time we call on the management they would say there is no money.

“Unfortunately when the BPE asked for the statement of the account we discovered there is about 600 million in the account; this money can be able to cover our outstanding salary, why not pay us… but she (CEO) has engaged on some kind of spending unnecessarily up to the tune of N800 million without considering the welfare of the workers.”

He said that there was no indication that the management was not willing to resolve the issues.

Kazzah then called on the

Federal Government to replace the NITEL chief executive with someone else who would have staff welfare at heart.

Kazzah said, if the issues were not resolved after due consultation, the unions would have no option than to embark on strike.

Comrade Emmanuel Adu, the National Secretary of the Union, decried that the staff have been suffering in the midst of plenty when it would only cost the company N35 million every month to pay workers’ salaries, adding that the N600 million could take care of the outstanding salaries of the workers.

“They have been using these money to go on foreign trips, embark on unnecessary projects; under one year legal fee gulped N93 million, yet you cannot pay salary”. “ Meanwhile, attempts to meet members of the NITEL management for comments proved abortive.(NAN)

Bauchi emir tasks traditional leaders on security From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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he Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, has tasked traditional leaders to assist the security agencies in providing effective security in the state.

The Emir stated this when the newly posted Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ladan, paid him a courtesy call in his palace yesterday.

The Emir who is the chairman of the Bauchi state traditional rulers’ council, directed all district, ward heads

and parents to cooperate with the security agencies by providing them with useful information that would help them to wipe out crime in the state.

He said “we believe that you were posted to Bauchi state because of your hard work and excellent performance and on our part, we will cooperate with you, we will pray for your success and pray for peace and stability in the country”.

Earlier speaking, the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Ladan said “I would like to appealed to traditional

religious and community leaders to help security agencies in their effort to reduce the activities of criminals in the state, we need information and we will treat all the information given to us in confidence, if anybody rented a house and his neighbours are not satisfied with his character, they should report the matter urgently to the police and we will go and investigate”.

He pledged to leave his telephone lines open for 24 hours in order to get information either on the bad conduct of police or criminals.

Africa. We are very happy to host you. I want to assure you that we will give you all the support that is needed to ensure that peace and harmony are achieved in Nigeria and the world,” Sambo said.

The Vice President also extended government’s appreciation to Pope Benedict XVI for showing interest in the affairs of Nigeria.

Speaking earlier, the Cardinal preached that religion must never be used as an instrument of violence by any group, adding that Nigeria was not as bad as it was being portrayed in the media prior to his visit.

“Nigeria is a pleasant surprise to me. Unfortunately, the only thing we get to hear about Africa is negative. In Nigeria, I see the quality of friendship between the church and the state. The first pillar of dialogue is human friendship,” he noted.

Kebbi acting governor sacks SSG, Head of Service From Ahmed Idris with agency report he acting Governor of Kebbi state, Alhaji Habibu Jega, yesterday sacked the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ahmad Sama, and the Head of Service, Alhaji Ahmed Bunza.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Sole Administrator of Kangiwa local government, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, has since

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replaced Sama as SSG after being sworn-in by Justice Zakari Gulma in Birnin Kebbi.

Similarly, Alhaji Buhari Haladu, replaced Alhaji Ahmed Bunza as the new Head of Service.

Prior to his appointment, the new head of service, was the Permanenat Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technical Education. He will be sworn-in today, and no reason was given for postponing Haladu’s swearingin. (NAN)

Nigeria targets 3m tonnes of liquid steel by 2015

By Mohammed Kandi

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n its determination to develop the minerals and metal sector of Nigeria for meaningful contribution to the economy, the Federal Government has pledged to produce about three million tonnes per annum of liquid steel by the year 2015 just as the Russian builders of the Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mill are expected to rebuild it after legal tussles are over.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Musa Mohammed Sada, according to a statement issued by Deputy Director (Press), Marshall H. Gundu, disclosed that the African Foundries Limited billet mill plant was capable of producing 500,000 tonnes per annum of billet in Ogijo, Ogun state.

Sada, who noted that the sector was one of the most valuable sectors of an industrialised economy, however said, it was yet to reach its full potential.

“In the development and consumption of key metallic products such as iron, steel and aluminum, the sector is faced with several challenges such as non-availability of requisite legal and regulatory framework, noncompletion of required

infrastructure, roads, rails, waterways, mines, limited raw material sources, inadequate power supply among others,” he said.

While reaffirming Nigeria’s quest to become one of the 20 most industrialised nations by the year 2020, the minister said the government would continue to partner with development partners for a viable option in moving the minerals and metal sector forward.

The minister commended the African Foundries Limited for the huge investment in the minerals and metal sector of the country, adding that, it was a clear demonstration of their faith and support for policies and programmes of the present administration.

While fielding questions from newsmen, the minister disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan had approved the establishment of board for the solid minerals development fund while international donors like the World Bank were also ready to give financial support especially for the provision of infrastructure such as roads, rails, waterways for easy movement of raw materials from mine sites to the end users and vice versa.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

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Senate urges Jonathan to recall Nigerian envoy to Mali

By Ali Alkali

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he Senate, yesterday, unequivocally condemned the forceful and unconstitutional change the democratically elected government of President Amadou Toure of Mali and urged Presidenta Goodluck Jonathan to immediately recall Nigeria’s envoy to Mali.

Adopting a motion on “The coup in Mali and the elections in Senegal” presented by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (PDP Cross River) after a lengthy deliberation,

the Senate said it regarded the development in Mali as an insurrection or mutiny rather than a coup.

“The Senate accordingly resolves to demand that the mutineers restore the democratically elected government of President Toure immediately.

“That failing to restore the government of President Toure, President Goodluck Jonathan should recall Nigeria’s envoy to Mali.”

The lawmakers also urged that “should the Junta fail to restore

power to Toure within 7 days, “ECOWAS, AU, UN and other international bodies should impose sanctions on Mali.”

Contributing to the motion, many senators noted the dangers the Mali coup portends for Africa if Nigeria does not take leadership in doing everything it can to “keep military in the barracks.” Some even suggested deploying Nigerian military to Mali.

But to Senator Saleh Mohammed Sani (CPC Kaduna), caution should be the watch ward.

“Today, Nigerian military is overstretched in internal

security and foreign missions.

So, let’s not deploy our soldiers to Mali; otherwise, it would have ripple effect on our country.

Let’s be very careful about external engagements. We can intervene, but let’s be cautious,” he urged.

Before adopting the motion, Senate President David Mark said, “Military coup is an aberration now. If the military come in, they will be forced to go; and if they don’t go, they will be forced out. Coup makers are always spurred on by undemocratic civilians.”

Police apprehend Fulani herdsmen in Makurdi From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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enue state Police Command has apprehended three persons suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in Makurdi with 33 rounds of live AK47 ammunition.

ASP Ejike Alaribe, the State Police Public Relation Officer, who disclosed this to Peoples Daily, said the herdsmen were also found with dangerous knives and Indian hemp.

Mr. Alaribe also said investigations are ongoing, assuring that the suspects would soon be charged to court.

The PPRO reiterated the determination of the command to reduce crime in the State to lowest minimum and warned those concealing arms to desist from such act.

Ill-fated police helicopter not meant for late DIG John - IGP

By Lambert Tyem

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President Goodluck Jonathan (third from right-back row) in a group photograph with other world leaders after plenary session, yesterday in Seoul, South Korea.

Insecurity: Oil workers want ECOWAS free movement policy reviewed From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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il workers in Nigeria under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), have called on the Federal Government to urgently review the ECOWAS policy which allows for free movement of goods and persons within the sub region as a way of curbing criminal activities in the country.

PENGASSAN’s President,

Comrade Babatunde Ogun while addressing newsmen in Lagos on the state of the Nation said that illegal immigrant from Nigeria’s neighbouring countries come into the country without proper papers or document and without any purpose.

According to Ogun, the laxity of the policy also allow foreigners to take jobs that are meant for Nigerians, all in the name of expatriates, stating that whereas “Some of the foreigners who parade

as expatriates have no specialization that can qualify them for being in the country. And with this, they take our jobs and increase unemployment in the country and violate the Nigerian law on expatriate quota,” he said.

Ogun who attributed to the porosity of the nation’s borders and lack of commitment on the part of the officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to checkmate illegal immigrants, urged Federal

Government to review the immigration policy of Nigeria to check influx of illegal immigrants into the country.

“We call on the Federal Government to review the nation’s immigration policy to check influx of illegal immigrants as well as help in reducing crime rate.

“There have been several reports of cases of attacks on the Nigerians in the Northern part of the country by herdsmen from some neighbouring countries.

he acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed D. Abubakar yesterday disclosed that the ill fated aircraft that claimed the lives of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Haruna John and three others was not meant for the deceased DIG. Speaking on the circumstances surrounding the death of DIG John and three other police officers in the helicopter crash in Jos, Plateau state, Abubakar also said the death of John was particularly devastating to him as they shared the same vision and mission concerning security having worked closely together for over 30 years.

Speaking while receiving members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in his office on a condolence visit, he said the death of the late DIG left a vacuum in the force that is challenging.

“DIG John's promotion from Commissioner of Police to the rank of DIG was in recognition of his dedication to duty and outstanding performance in different positions in the force,” he said.

Fashola, Akeredolu, others oppose special courts for corruption cases From Bimbo Ogunnaike, Lagos

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overnor of Lagos state, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, were among other prominent Nigerians who yesterday opposed the much talk about establishment of special courts for corruption.

Speaking at the Kehinde Sofola Memorial Lecture in Lagos with the

theme “The Role of Lawyers in creating a better Nigeria: Can special courts expedite justice and tackle corruption”?

They unanimously said the creation of special courts would not expedite justice on corruption cases or address the problem of corruption frontally.

Rather, they opined that Federal Government should strengthened the existing court system to enable it dispense justice on corruption cases more expeditiously as well as tackle the

problem of impunity.

Fashola noted that corruption had been a major albatross to the country`s development, saying what was needed was a holistic solution to the problem and not the setting up of special corruption courts.

He advocated the strengthening of the capacity of the existing court system to handle corruption cases as well as the removal of those things that constituted barriers to timely and effective delivery of justice.

The governor listed poor investigative capacities of prosecution and law enforcement agencies, filling of multiple and frivolous charges, judicial corruption and poor motivation of judicial officers as some of these problems.

He called for community action against corruption through rejection of perpetrators of corrupt practices, saying the celebration of corruption individuals in some communities had contributed to

the problem.

While saying corruption was a symptom of an underperforming economy, Fashola said the improvement of the economy would go a long way in addressing the problem On his part, Akeredolu said corruption like other crimes should be handled in the normal courts established for that purpose, saying setting up special courts would amount to duplication of efforts.

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Photos: Joe Oroye

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Motor mechanics repairing a car to eke a living, yesterday at Apo mechanic village in Abuja

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Twenty transformers purchased by Sokoto state government for some communities were yesterday commissioned, in Sokoto.

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A technician repairing stereo tape, yesterday at Gudu market in Abuja.

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L-R: Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Suleiman Barau, Group Managing Director/CEO, UBA Plc, Phillips Oduoza, and German Chancellor’s representative for Africa, Gunter Nooke, during the Africa Investors’ Conference, yesterday in Berlin, Germany.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

ALGON faction elects new EXCO

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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L-R: Ogun state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former Prime Minister, Republic of Ireland, Mr. Bertie Ahern, and Lagos state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, during Ogun state Investors' Forum, on Monday in Abeokuta.

Boko Haram menace: Cleric advises FG to redouble efforts A

Catholic Priest, Prof. Obiora Ike, has advised the Federal Government to redouble its efforts in tackling the Boko Haram menace to avert anarchy in the country.

Ike gave the advice on yesterday in Port Harcourt, at a seminar to mark the 2012 Theology Week, organised by the Catholic Institute of West Africa

(CIWA) in Port Harcourt.

The priest, who is also the Director of Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace, Enugu, said that the Boko Haram must be stopped.

He said the current activities of the sect could be a child’s play if the government failed to take additional security measures.

Ike said that many innocent

persons had been killed since their emergence in 2009, which meant that the sect’s “theology is wrong''.

He said that since the emergence of the sect, the country, especially the North, had been experiencing various attacks.

The priest said that the sect’s activities were too daring that some criminals were committing crimes in their name, describing

School tasks people on dental hygiene

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he Federal School of Dental Technology in Enugu state, has emphasised the need for people to accord special attention to dental hygiene.

Dr. Ijeoma Alamba, a dentist representing the school at the ongoing 23rd Enugu International Trade Fair, made the call in Enugu when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria

(NAN).

Dr. Alamba said the school decided to participate for the first time in the fair, to create awareness on dental hygiene.

According to her, it is observed that eight out of 10 Nigerians have dental problems and they do not see it as an ailment.

"We will offer prescriptions, mouth-cleaning and oral

health instructions at the fair, and if there are severe cases, we are going to refer them to our hospital for further treatment".

She stressed the need for people to go for regular dental checkups at least quarterly to ensure healthy teeth as well as to maintain dental hygiene.

(NAN)

the situation as criminal.

He said that about 40 per cent of the country’s 2012 budget would be expended on security due to the security challenges created by the group.

He said that such huge fund would have been spent on development of infrastructure among others.

On the seminar topic entitled: “Human Rights, Conflicts and Reconciliation: A Global reckoning with emphasis in Africa”, Ike tasked CIWA to brainstorm and proffer solutions to end the violence.

The cleric said that about 15 percent of Liberian population was amputated due to its protracted civil war. Ike said that production of sophisticated weapons was on the increase because of the increased violence in the world.(NAN)

NYSC DG commissions new Corpers’ Lodge in Rivers

By Tinuade Oredoyina

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irector-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. NT Okore-Affia has commissioned a new NYSC Corpers' Lodge built by Khana local government council at Bori, in Khana local government area of Rivers state.

The storey building, which has 20 rooms en-suite, also has recreational facilities such as table tennis, football pitch, as well as kitchen and laundry and is meant to accommodate 200 corps members serving in the local

government.

In his address, the DirectorGeneral observed that "the project could not have come at a better time in view of the new posting policy of the NYSC scheme, which focuses more on rural health, education, agriculture and infrastructural development which is bound to increase corps deployment to rural areas"; noting that Khana local government has set the ball rolling by building the lodge.

He assured the local government chairman on the scheme's commitment to partner with the local government in

related areas.

He called on other stakeholders to emulate the chairman of the local government in living up to their statutory responsibilities while urging the corps members to work assiduously in assisting the local government in meeting its developmental strides so as to justify the good gesture of the chairman.

He also called on them to guard the facilities by imbibing the spirit of maintenance culture.

Earlier in his address, the chairman, Khana local government council, Hon. Gregory

Nwidam, noted that the construction of the lodge was informed by his administration's resolve to give the local community the desired development of which the corps members are an integral part.

The chairman called on the NYSC to partner the local government by posting corps members to its recently resuscitated constructed vocational training center in Bori.

He thanked the NYSC DG for personally attending the commissioning ceremony which he considered as a morale booster.

faction of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), has dissolved its interim executive committee and elected new set of members to manage the affairs of the association for the next four years.

Those elected in the new exco included the former chairman of ALGON, Enugu state, Nwabueze Okafor, who is the new president of the association, Ali Kalgon, from Niger state, who is to serves as the vice chairman .

Speaking shortly after he was sworn in by the electoral panel chairman, the new president of the association promised an open and accountable leadership, pointing out that though ALGON has suffered several crises in the past, his administration would work hard to bring about unity among the aggrieved members.

He further enjoined the new exco to work hard towards improving the living condition, as well as satisfying the yearnings and aspirations of the people living in their local government Areas.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the chairman of the electoral panel, Valentine Owonu, said the electoral process would bring to an end the tenure of the interim leadership, and usher in a new set of leadership.

Zamfara transition c’ttee recovers stolen items, calls for peace From Salisu Zakari Maradun, Gusau

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he people of Zamfara state have again been urged to continue to give their support and cooperation to the government of the state in its efforts to fight corruption.

Former chairman of Bakura local government area of the state, Alhaji Bello Dan Kande Gamji, made the call while speaking to our correspondent exclusively in Gusau, the state capital.

Dan Kande said currently, there is nothing that destabilises the efforts of the government to implement its programmes and policies successfully to the people other than corruption.

According to him, if helping hands are extended to the government by the people it could win the war against corruption.

Peace, continued the chairman, is the most needed ingredient in achieving whatever one wants to achieve, "and we are known with that in Zamfara," he added.

He stated that Zamfara state under Abdul'aziz Yari; has been able to record a lot of achievements with the regard to peace maintenance and corruption reduction.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 11

Parents-teachers’ association decry outrageous fees in Kogi From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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he Parents-Teachers’ Association, PTA, Kogi state chapter has rejected the "exploitative directive from the Ministry of Education aimed at commercialising the public schools in the state.

A statement signed by the state chairman, Paul Jibrin and

secretary, Mr. Audu I O, made available to journalists said: "the state ministry of education has commercialised our public schools and formulated policies that are financially exploitative.

“While appreciating the state government in the production and free distribution of 'Abbny Workbook' in core subjects and teacher's guide to students of public

schools, tagged “not to be sold” the ministry of education is now selling the books at the rate of N800 for JSS 1-3 and N1,000 for SSS.” The association noted that the fee of N5,200 for JSSC examination registration paid to National Examination Council, NECO meant for JSS 111 students, instead of N1,200 was outrageous, stressing that most parents cannot

afford it consequently many students may drop out of school.

It said the good intention of the former governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris to offset the examination fee of indigent students of the state had gone a long way to cushion the pains of parents, adding, if the present administration must continue in good faith, it should reject the obnoxious policies given

by the ministry of education.

"It is the collective effort of the government to ensure fairness, growth and quality education for the students of the state, that informed the decision to make books available without cost; therefore there should be no distraction from the set objective of the government by anybody", it added.

NUJ, alumni to fight quacks in journalism From Sam Egwu, Lokoja

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gainst the background of incessant infiltration of quacks and fakes into the journalism profession, a call has been made for closer ties between the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and alumni associations of tertiary institutions to stem the tide.

This was disclosed by the Kogi state correspondent of The Moment newspaper, Julius Atabor in Lokoja during the inauguration of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism Alumni Association (NIJAA), Kogi state chapter.

Atabor who is also the protem secretary of the association stated that quacks and fake journalists can be identified and weeded out if there is collaboration with alumni associations who could furnish NUJ with biometric information about their members, saying that with the approach fake and quack journalists could be fished out.

He noted that the Nigerian

Institute of Journalism (NIJ), being the foremost journalism training institution in Nigeria should be saddled with the responsibility of certifying journalists, stressing that in some countries of Africa the NIJ has added the mandate of being the training ground and the regulating body for practicing journalists.

"For instance in Ghana the Ghana institute of Journalism (GIJ) which was established the same year with NIJ has combined these dual responsibilities. No matter your degrees elsewhere, if you want to practice journalism in Ghana, you have to take at least a diploma from GIJ to enable you to practice. Let the same be replicated here for sanity of the profession", he advised.

He challenged the newly inducted members of the alumni association to at all times carry along with them the principles in which the school stood for and not to do anything that will bring the institution to disrepute while assuring them of the support of the national body.

NEMA tasks state govts for legal backing New challenges listed for improved

L-R: CEO of Brittania U. Nig. Ltd, Barrister Uju Ifejilika, conducting Anambra state Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, around the company's facilities, recently in Lagos.

From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

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he National Emergency Management Agency has urged 37 States governments across the country to give legal backing to their emergency management agencies to make them functional and prepared to handle emergencies resulting from natural disasters.

The South-South Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Mr. Emenike Umesi, made this assertion in Benin City, the Edo state capital where he presented relief materials worth millions of naira to the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA to provide succor for victims of natural disaster which ravaged several communities and destroyed properties worth several millions of naira in seven local government areas of the state.

Mr. Umesi who was represented by the Principal Disaster Risk Reduction Officer, Ebhodaghe Isikhuemen, urged the state government to key into the disaster risk reduction programmes of the agency through

the State Emergency Management Agency to ensure early preparation to handle emergencies resulting from natural disasters and to mitigate their effect on the victims.

"NEMA has put in place, measures that will ensure preparedness to handle disaster management and risk reduction activities so that the impact will not be so much. We have been having synergy with all stakeholders to mitigate the effect of natural disasters. We are also advocating and begging all states government to legally empower their emergency agencies to make them functional."

Represented by the Director of State Emergency Management Agency, Joseph Upokodu, Edo state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Inumidu Idehen who received the materials onbehalf of the state government, disclosed that the state government had earlier provided relief materials for the victims affected by natural disasters across seven local government areas of the state. She however thanked NEMA for its complementary role in the provision of succor for the victims.

broadband penetration From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

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wo top members of the Association of Telecoms Companies Operators of Nigeria (ATCON), have identified critical challenges which the implementation of broadband roadmap imposes on those who participate in its implementation.

These include a transformation of business models, careful planning, and a discriminatory use of investors' solutions.

These came out at the recent eWorld Forum on Broadband ecosystems which focused on issues for regulators and operators.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Olusola Teniola, Chief Operating Officer of Phase3 Telecom argued that those who will participate in delivery of cost effective implementation of broadband plans must be ready to change existing business models, policies and operations to better ones just as those planning the entire system must be deep, careful and

focused.

Also speaking, Mr. Titi OmoEttu, President of ATCON, suggested that in circumstances which Nigeria has found herself, the industry must be discretionary in accepting solutions because Nigeria cannot accept solutions which will eliminate its people from production and active participation in service provision.

He noted that Nigerians would not want to enjoy services that they, Nigerians, cannot provide. He said emphatically that those who offer solutions that does not translate to employment of Nigerians 'should be told to take their solutions elsewhere'.

Our correspondent recalls that the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), said in Abuja recently that it would launch the country's broadband expansion project soon.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Mr Eugene Juwah, disclosed this when he

received the visiting executive members of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).

According him, the issue of broadband expansion was important in the present NCC management's programme of action for the telecommunications sector revolution.

He said that NCC would soon start a nationwide stakeholders' consultative forum to enable it elicit valuable suggestions preparatory to the launch of the broadband expansion. Juwah said the commission had designed a programme that would clearly spell out the roles of the various stakeholders and actors in the new regime.

"We have indeed developed a model based on open access in which the role of the network operator - that is the operator of the infrastructure - is distinct from those of service provider. In the coming few weeks we will start to conduct stakeholders consultation to let the stakeholders know exactly and in details what we want to do."

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

Lamorde’s buck-passing C hairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, last week Thursday, did what could best be described as buck-passing when he made a spirited attempt to cast further aspersion on the Farida Waziri-led management of the anticorruption agency, saying that most of the commission’s operatives on the ground when he took over as head of the organization were corrupt. Lamorde, who spoke through the head of the EFCC’s Training and Research Institute, Mr. Ayo Olowoniyi, at a 2-day workshop on public/private sector partnership on corruption organised by the National Economic Summit Group (NESG) and UN Global Compact Network in Abuja, specifically said, “I was shocked to meet the kind of rot in the EFCC on my second coming. Obviously, the culture of integrity and dedication to duty we had laboured for in the past had been taken over by something else”.

Speaking further, he said: “Most of the key officers that should be relied upon for big operations were themselves enmeshed in one corruptive activity or the other.

That was why we decided to do an internal cleansing first before going forward with the real battle since anyone going to equity must do so with clean hands.”

The lamentation of Lamorde on the state of affairs at the anti-graft

agency when he took charge as its executive chairman was a mere statement of the obvious. Because even prior to Waziri’s exit, many keen observers have noted with concern the glaring slide of the EFCC from its initial robust anticorruption drive. For instance, renowned international rights group, Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a 64-page report on

“

We wonder why Lamorde did not find the moral voice to expose the corrupt practices going on in EFCC while he served as director of operations, the second most strategic position in the agency. We urge him to stop dwelling on the past and face the present. There is a lot of work to do Nigeria’s anti-corruption crusade, published late last year in Lagos, made it categorical that the EFCC’s track record in fighting high-level corruption yields a more consistent and complicated picture than expected. Although it attributed some of the shortcomings of the antigraft agency to political interference, HRW still blamed the EFCC’s failures

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partly on its institutional weaknesses and the incompetence of the Farida Waziri leadership.

While acknowledging the drop in the EFCC’s rating under Mrs. Waziri, what we find inexplicable is Lamorde’s silence about this rot all through the years that he had been part of the EFCC; as a foundation director he has worked in the agency for nearly all its nine years of existence. Lamorde, it will be recalled, was the pioneer director of operations of the agency when it was established in 2003. And when its pioneer chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, was removed in January, 2008, Lamorde was made head of the agency, a post he held in acting capacity for five months. It is true that he left EFCC immediately after handing over to Farida, but he returned to his former position as director of operations in 2010 and held sway until his recent promotion by President Jonathan as head of the commission after Mrs. Waziri was sacked.

We, therefore, find Lamorde’s latter-day public outburst on the rot in the commission to be opportunistic and hypocritical. We wonder why Lamorde did not find the moral voice to expose the corrupt practices going on in EFCC while he served as director of operations, the second most strategic position in the agency. We urge him to stop dwelling on the past and face the present. There is a lot of work to do.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

By Sanusi Muhammad

T

he suicide bombings that recently rocked Jos, Mubi, Gombe, Damaturu, Potiskum and other cities in the North, claiming lives and leaving many others to nurse various degrees of injury were a stark reminder of the inability of Nigeria’s government to address the country’s dire security challenges at the moment. On February 26, the Christian community in Jos was thrown into mourning after a suspected suicide bomber drove a car into COCIN headquarters, killing four people instantly and injuring about 30 other worshippers. The following Sunday, there was another blast at a church in Rayfield that claimed lives and left others maimed.

Those were the latest attacks believed to be targeted at Christians since the Christmas bombing that killed 44 worshipers in Madalla near Abuja.

The aim of the attackers seemed to be to trigger retaliation and provoke more sectarian violence in the country that may either lead to a religious war or end the 1914 amalgamation of the southern and northern protectorates to form a country today called Nigeria. Sadly, some people have swallowed the bait and are today calling for revenge. For them, it would appear there is no difference between Boko Haram and law-abiding members of the Muslim community. And indeed, given Nigeria’s complex mix of religious and ethnic interests, and the competition for scarce resources, it will be hard to identify the real enemy within the Muslim and Christian communities.

The reality, however, is that Nigerians are frustrated by the inability of the security agencies to find an answer to this scourge such as effective policing and dealing with its remote cause(s).

Since the beginning of the attacks, every day seems to bring one story or another of audacious attacks by Boko Haram and the inability to

PAGE 13

The need to address sectarian violence in Nigeria get a firm grip on the situation.

People are increasingly losing faith in the capacity of the state to protect them and their properties. The approach adopted by government has yielded disappointing results including the extortion toll gates mounted as security checkpoints on the nation’s highways. It does appear that government is unable to articulate a comprehensive and coherent policy of dealing with this very challenge that is threatening the corporate existence of the federation.

Attacks on places of worship are routinely blamed on the Boko Haram sect but facts are gradually emerging that suggest other elements are riding on the notoriety of the sect to unleash mayhem such as the lady arrested in Bauchi while attempting to set a church ablaze, the eight persons suspected to be Christians arrested at Miya Barkatai in Toro local government area of Bauchi state and three other Christians arrested in Gombe as well as the man that was lynched at the premises of COCIN headquarters, Jos. Christians feel that their silence and commitment to peace is being unduly exploited by their Muslim brothers, yet instead of directing their anger at the government and Boko Haram, they heap the blame on all Muslims, including those who themselves are victims of insecurity particularly in the embattled city of Jos. When COCIN headquarters was attacked, vandals hiding under the cover of Christianity went to town beating the drums of war, triggering a reprisal attack that resulted in the murder of three innocent commercial motorcyclists.

On the other side, Muslims complain that punitive and scattergun security operations in

the North intended against Boko Haram elements are also being illegally targeted at them. In a message released on Youtube after the unfortunate January 20 Kano attacks by Boko Haram, the leader of the sect, Sheikh Abubakar Shekau, dissociated it from the killings of civilians and blamed security agents for all civilian deaths so far. “When we attack, soldiers and police usually run into hiding and re-emerge afterwards to start arresting, maiming and killing innocent persons to show that they are on top of the situation”, he said Misinformation and truthtwisting is booming and things are fast getting out of hand. As much as the Boko Haram insurgency poses a great threat to Nigeria’s unity, sectarian violence across the nation could easily destabilize the country if not quickly nipped in the bud. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar 111 has placed the narrative in a proper context when he said that there is no war between Christians and Muslims but rather a war between good people (Nigerians) and aggrieved people (Boko Haram). The critical question is: how far has this message of the Sultan travelled to reach those that it is supposed to reach?

Unfortunately, comments from some other religious leaders appear to support the theory that Christians and Muslims are at war. This is the message that sometimes emanates from the pulpit to the faithful of both religions. This message is then amplified by international and some provocative local media for the consumption of the gullible public. It is no more fashionable to be seen as a moderate who looks for the underlying drivers of the crisis. In certain parts of the

country, trying to counter the language of hate puts one directly under physical threat. Even worse, government is not doing enough to counter the hate speech that is being stoked around the country. Interestingly, the best counter-measure to all these would be adequate security that is capable of preventing further attacks from Boko Haram or their intruders, but from what we have seen so far, this is not going to happen within the shortest possible time unless there is a change of style from managers of our security system.

Countering sectarian violence is not the exclusive job of government, particularly a government overwhelmed with myriad challenges like the one we have today. Nigerians must be part of the solution. We have to start talking across the religious aisle.

Since such a discussion needs an environment of trust and confidence, each group should give the other the benefit of the doubt.

We need to express our fears and disappointment but we also need to create the conditions for hope to thrive. In moving the discussion forward, it is important that we educate each other and begin to debunk stereotypes that have made it difficult for us to forge healthy relationship. Christians should be able to differentiate between Boko Haram and NonBoko Haram Muslims while Muslims should be able to differentiate between political views of Christian hardliners and the genuine desire of the majority of Christians to live peacefully in the Nigeria we all claim to be our home.

The risks of unchecked sectarian hostilities are not difficult to imagine. The signs are already there.

Exodus of

southerners from the north-west and north-east and of northerners in the other direction is illustrative of the simmering crisis and loss of trust amongst groups that should be discouraged. When and how is this going to end remains the question.

If we leave the answer to these questions to the voices that seem intent on worsening the tensions, Nigeria will be the worse for it.

This reminds me of the gallant effort by Bauchi state governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda in the heat of the exodus. When he realized that some southerners were checking out of the state, he quickly extended an invitation to his Imo state counterpart, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha to visit Bauchi to talk to southerners particularly the Igbos on the need for them to remain where they are while assuring them of their safety.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us Nigerians. In Bauchi state, we hate to discriminate and we put more emphasis on citizenship than indigene ship. Together, we should build a better country irrespective of our imaginary differences. I assure you all of your safety and that of your properties. Remain where you are and we shall continue to defend and protect you and your genuine interests no matter the odds. We shall not allow the disintegration of our country.

Together, we shall overcome the challenges and forge ahead as a united and stronger people in a prosperous nation”, said Yuguda at the town hall meeting. This bold step taken by Yuguda, should be emulated by other governors and leaders as a starting point for rekindling hope to Nigerians Sanusi Muhammad was the editor of Bauchi-based the weekly, The Trumpeter/ Kakaki.

And the drizzle became a downpour (II) T

By Emeka Eto Nwalozie

he crooning community was forced to take the perpendicular in protest.

‘Crisis – people no get no food pon dem table to eat; Send down the Rain; Where’re the Prophets?

Gimme Likkle Sugar; What’s Gwan?; Let the Righteous Take Over; We No Wan’ No More Babylon Laws…’ But they too were soon to wash down the same drain to condense for compost collectors in lands across the seas. A quarter of a century-plus down the road of a nationhood.

Today, because we permitted everything, we accepted impunity. We gulped baubles. We elected a pan-national president and watched the ghoul and his nomenklatura desecrate a collective mandate. We watched them sully to a grievous death a kind man (and his wife) whose only offence was that he sought to exercise his citizen rights within the laws of the land. What were

their reasons? First, unlike his traducers, he was a good man.

Second, he was a game changer.

He came with a peculiar enthusiasm to unmask their myth about poveraty with which they had held the people down for so long. He was neither sectional, nor sectarian, nor hegemonic. He proclaimed the truth when he fingered the major problem of the citizenry, the society – the journey between the hand and the mouth.

He proposed to reduce the distance and ease the difficulties.

This would redound in a restoration of self-confidence in the people, the foundation for a free, popular, participatory democratic enterprise and the motive engine for high productivity and national resorgimento. They knew that he knew them inside out, that with him the game was over; that those cleavages upon which they feasted at the expense of national cohesion and a true democratic culture were done. They declared that he was not a messiah, but actually they meant

that he had committed rank suicide to side with the common folk. But the people were not looking for a messiah, but a man. And he was a man. The man his enemies can never become even after a thousand lifetimes.

We watched our mythical one percent – our loose coalition of baboons and bulldogs, millionaires and mandarins – fly by night into the prison to fetch out a Neanderthal character, coarse and crusty, who did so well to teach us a sound lesson out of the laws of diminishing return; who brought home to us in concrete terms the true meaning of Eric Blair‘s theory and practice of oligarchic collectivism, dressing himself as Caesar leading his charge of towering coteries, cronies, confidants (the calibans he called stakeholders) in a class war to dwarf the citizen and take the country further away from him – bringing into his act enough personal animus and base bellicosity to do a dissertation on

the compulsive megalomaniac impulse in post-military psychosis.

He left grudgingly, imposing a confounding combination of a pious but sickly prince and a drab and dreary, artless, style-less, shoeless fisherman, who rode on a rollercoaster of luck on the wings of a bandwagon of national emotional deluge.

But did we sniff sulfur? Did we ever turn up our noses to show that whenever a natural, biologic process is subverted, the end achieved carries with it a stink? No, our olfactory faculties were so dulled by the opiates of the baubles that surmount us. That is why we live unsurely, work uncertainly and move in indirection. Why we fear to look at things straight and square. When we catch a glimpse of ugliness or an aberration we avert our eyes and pretend not to have seen it, so as not to be required to call it by its proper name. Those who call things by their true names discomfit us because they tend to force us out of the smug

countenance with which we camouflage, without covering, our fear, our weakness, our fuzziness, our lack of frankness and will.

Hence, we fail to reckon with the mystics of existence. That nature, whenever undermined, would eventually and inexorably reassert itself.

Because we accepted impunity we enthroned bullies and tolerated tyrants. We dined with thugs, who sold us on the fripperies of raw power. Because the larger society is run by bullies in cults, mafia, cliques and cabals of power monopoly, our children in schools took a cue to band into gangs and packs to terrorize their teachers and overrun their campuses. Learning crashed. Education became, and achieved, only one end. A barren ticket on which to fly back to society and take a criminal shot at the gauderies of position and power.

Emeka Eto Nwalozie contributed this piece to saharareporters.com Concluded

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Taking ICT to teacher educators

By Maimuna Abdulsalam

T

he nation’s education sector focused attention recently on the growing significance of ICT compliance and capacity to deliver qualitative education for development when the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) partnered with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Vancouver, Canada to run a Capacity Building Workshop for Teacher Educators in the country at its Abuja headquarters. It was a workshop driven by the felt need to broaden the scope of ongoing vigorous efforts to establish a sound ICT footing for the education sector by adding teacher educators to the beneficiaries.

In the past, the focus has largely been on teachers which though desirable cannot effectively meet set objectives without also carrying along the teacher educators and managers in various teacher education institutions.

It was considered appropriate to also balance the commitment of considerable resources to the provision of facilities and equipment for ICT with a commensurate attention to the need for enhancing the professional capability of various categories of relevant personnel in teacher education. The NCCE-COL workshop was dedicated to sensitizing the management of teacher education institutions on the challenges of integrating ICT into their institutions’ programmes as well as the need to devise strategies towards this end and also to build the capacity of teacher educators for integrating ICT into administration, teaching and learning in their institutions. It was seen to blend with

the Federal Ministry of Education’s between regions in terms of available educators and addressing the needs acclaimed Roadmap for the internet bandwith, China and expectations of teacher Education Sector which placed a accounting for 25%of the world educators interested in obtaining high premium on ICT as the internet users and 37 % in the new ICT qualifications or upgrading arrowhead for attaining the set goals developing world as well as Australia existing qualifications.

The for the nation’s education sector. alone with 21 million people having workshop which drew teacher That was underscored by the more broadband subscribers than educators from colleges of education reference to the recent articulation the whole of Africa raised eyebrows and universities as well as teacher of policy by which computer and a lot of concern among support personnel in government education is compulsory at all of participants on the task at hand. institutions was expected to generate education in the country, the Still, it was reassuring to hear from consensus among participants on a development of the d r a f t National Information concept note T e c h n o l o g y on ICT Framework (NITEF) capacity for structuring and building Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text regulating IT and how it messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written education and can be contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 development of a integrated words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and curricula for it in i n t o a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed conjunction with the participating to: NCC among recent institutions, achievements of the discuss good The Editor, ministry by Education practices Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, Minister Ruqayyat f r o m 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja.

Ahmed Rufai who was different represented at the parts of the Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com workshop. world on SMS: 07037756364 The stage for integrated recognizing the use of ICT in urgency for boosting ICT knowledge Dr Umar of COL’s active teacher education, generate and capacity in the education sector involvement in building capacity consensus on Curriculum was set with the disclosure of some of governments and institutions in Framework for ICT capacity statistics on the widening “digital the Commonwealth to use ICT building programme and develop an divide” between developed and “confidently and creatively” to action plan for its implementation, developing nations of the world and develop skills and knowledge needed among other outcomes. its implications on the challenge of for professional goals and integration The workshop was greatly reforming education toeet the with the rest of the world as was enriched by the international complex needs and realities of the 21st witnessed in the NCCE/COL perspective incorporated through Century, in the remarks made by workshop. the engagement of foreign and local A consultative meeting that experts in the persons of South COL’s Education Specialist on Teacher Education, Dr preceded the workshop discussed Africa’s Maggie Verster and Abdurrahman Umar. Facts such as extensively issues pertaining to Professor Bamidele from Adamawa the sharp rise in the developing building capacity and confidence of State University as lead consultants countries’ share of total world teacher educators in use of ICT, as well as participants from twelve internet users from 44% in 2006 to meeting the continuing professional Colleges of Education across the 62% in 2011, wide disparities development needs of teacher country, the National Teachers

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Institute and also from Gambia and Rwanda. The observation by NCCE’s Executive Secretary, Professor Mohammed Ibn Junaid that the ability to produce a workforce that is competently and adequately prepared to take advantages of ICT creatively in their work was of crucial importance to the attainment of Nigeria’s ambitious Vision 20 :20-20, underscored the significance of adopting such a collaborative learning strategy with reputed international organizations such as COL. Going by the enthusiasm and positive reviews of the workshop by participants, there is justification for the adoption of the collaborative strategy in evolving innovative approaches to enhancing the quality of teacher education in the country, especially in the context of integrating current strategies and harnessing human and material resources from the international community for the much needed accelerated capacity building in ICT as a vital impetus for adequate and qualitative development of the nation’s education sector. Every support should therefore be given to the important task of sustaining the gains of NCCE-COL collaboration which has so far covered dissemination of Quality Assurance Toolkits for teacher education, mainstreaming of Child Friendly Models, Principles and Methods into teacher education curricula and Improvement of English Language Teaching at JSS level using ORELT Materials.

Maimuna Abdulsalam is a freelance journalist in Abuja.

Boko Haram terror is Jonathan’s profit

By Sunday Njokede

A

whopping sum of one trillion Naira was voted for security in this year’s federal budget.

And by and by, President Jonathan would account for this. How he used the money to secure life and property in Nigeria would come to play. This is where the hammer head lays! Meanwhile, Boko Haram is bringing raw terror to us whilst Jonathan is scheming about and making well-calculated profits out of our wildest nightmare I read in the newspapers the other day. That President Jonathan’s regime has decidedly agreed not to directly negotiate with Boko Haram. A government official under anonymity told Punch that “the FG opted for mediated dialogue after hawks in the cabinet outvoted those in favour of talks.” The reason why government is acting like this is to use delay tactics to prolong Boko Haram terrorism. The longer the mayhem last, the better opportunity Jonathan has to tell off the huge money budgeted for security. The sooner the bloodshed ends the more problematic to explain away or corruptly corner the almost a trillion Naira security vote. A reggae dancehall singsong goes like this ‘bad mind is active.’

You’ve enough bad minds in Aso Rock. All they do is to thug us. And

even so. They pretend to love us by securing us from harm’s way.

Bobby Brown ex-husband of Whitney Huston was beating her up and battering her. But each time he’s interviewed, Bobby would tell you I love Whitney. This is what they call ‘loving and thugging’ in a hip hop world. Aso Rock is a culprit from root to branch.

If not so, and if Jonathan wasn’t OK with it that, his security appointees voted against talks with Boko Haram, he’d have influenced it by all means necessaary. He did that with empowering Tukur as the new PDP national chairman.

It is suspicious as it is scandalous that Jonathan has allowed decision made by his security operatives to bind upon him. Conventionally, security appointees shouldn’t be the ones calling the shot of such delicate decisions of delegating Boko Haram dialogue to traditional rulers. Security men may propose but the president disposes what the trend and pace should be. This is what’s obtainable everywhere where leaders aren’t bent on ripping off their citizens by stealing security budgets.

Only incompetent leaders as weirdoes make security secondary matter Just imagine.

President Obama of the United States or the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu making security of their citizens a

secondary issue to be given to proxies! The killing of some French army men and Jews was enough for the French president Sarkozy to take the matter personally.

Whereby, it became the French president’s top priority to kill or capture the gunman serial killer before he goes on another murder spree. And there you have Jonathan feeling comfortably secured in Aso Rock. And mindlessly toying with our collective security as a plaything to be left in the hands of traditional leaders – who themselves, are insecure from Boko Haram. There is no other time to tell the president that he is not trying at all, than now. Jonathan don fall my hand!

Security matter is an executive issue of which, Jonathan should have gone it alone. Outsourcing it to middlemen suchlike native heads is a sign of wilful dereliction of his core official responsibility of securing us. One may ask this similar question again. Why hadn’t Jonathan left the emergence of Mr Tukur in the hands of contractors as with Boko Haram peace talks? Two major points jumped out of this chapter. Firstly, it is a-given that Jonathan’s core loyalty and interestedness lies in his PDP party. Secondly, the president doesn’t care for the wellbeing of the Nigerian populace by and large.

You know what? If Boko Haram

had single-mindedly targeted politicians, President Jonathan and his crew could have looked for quick answer to this roaring fire. But since the poor bear the brunt, Jonathan and his “men” are politicking and profiteering from this ill. They have a huge stake of gain in every injury, displacement and dead body churned out by Boko Haram on a daily basis. Otherwise, how would they tell off the almost one-trillion Naira budgeted for security for this year!

The report i got was that the president had gazetted the decision not to talk directly to Boko Haram as an official policy sharp-sharp.

This act is reminiscence of how Jonathan used DHL speed to increase fuel price on New Year’s Day this year. It is now taken as given with this administration.

That each time the presidency uses matter of expediency in state affairs. There is an open tendency that such hurried policies are geared towards benefitting Aso Rock and the president’s men.

Compare this with the snail pace at which government implements policies that are supposed to benefit the common man. Why’d Jonathan not use same quickness to pay workers their minimum wage which is since August last year overdue? When’d they start using same DHL speed to quicken up issues bothering on the poor man? Except

to increase fuel price, politician salaries and gazette decision not to talk with Boko Haram. Everything Jonathan does is properly calculated to profit him privately and his plenty hangers-on as afterthought. Our security money may find its way into President Jonathan’s 2015 campaign budgeting. It could also end up building him a top-hill villa in Bayelsa state.

Jonathan and his security advisers would continue to use delay tactics of hide and seek politicking plus wheeling and dealing to prolong the bloody business of Boko Haram terror.

Voting not to talk directly with Boko Haram is a testimony in this regard. In the end, this manipulative regime would tell us.

They spent the almost one trillion Naira security budget on waging longstanding battle and campaign against Boko Haram. The only time they’ll want to talk directly is if and when Boko Haram starts targeting politicians. Until then, Jonathan and his men can afford to be peeping from a distance (between Boko Haram and traditional rulers) as terror consumes poor folks. What do you do when your government becomes your worst enemy?

Sunday Njokede is reachable at rig2015electionyoudie@rocketmail.com

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 15

FG, oil companies and host communities

By Remi Oyeyemi

T

he explosion which occurred on January 16, this year, on Chevron’s Panama Rig led to huge gas fire and massive spill, a development that is still generating serious concern in the affected communities.

According to media reports, the huge flames from the fire could be sighted deep in the Atlantic Ocean from the Kolouma River; and experts are worried that the gas was emitting dangerous gases and other toxic chemicals into the environment. It was also reported that because the Koluama River directly empties into the Atlantic Ocean, its polluted contents are streaming into the creeks and other neighbouring communities in the coastline.

President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to these Keffes area in Southern Ijaw and Brass Local Government areas in Bayelsa over the explosion did not give much hope to the indigenes of the area. My belief is that the visit was meant as a sympathetic one to assure the communities that they were not alone and that the government had not forsaken them. But the indigenes were not really satisfied by the time Jonathan left the area. There seemed to be an increased feeling of vulnerability by the people rather than that of assurance that things would be well.

The President was said to have arrived at the Kolouma community to sympathise with the people on Monday, February 27, in a helicopter, accompanied

by his aides. Those that accompanied him were Governor Seriake Dickson; his Deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd.); Ministers of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke; Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe; Environment, Hazida Mailaifal; Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Austin Oniwon; and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Andrew Fawthrop.”

To me, the President and the Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Limited should not have been in the same helicopter and arrived at the scene together. Of course, Fawthrop had to be present at that occasion, because the issue at stake was related to the activities of his corporation.

But the message being conveyed by that action was that athe President and the executives of Chevron are one and the same.

To this end, if the people of the Keffes community did not get the justice they deserve eventually, it would be easier to point to this occasion, either rightly or wrongly, as evidence that Jonathan had been in collusion with the oil companies to the detriment of his own people.

To make matters worse, the President went ahead to defend the oil company while chiding the people of the community. He had contended that “the oil companies were not charity organisations” while insisting “they (oil companies) cannot employ everybody that hails from an oil producing community.” No matter the good intention of the President in this circumstance, these sorts

of statements do not bode well for his image and for the interest of the people in Keffes.

With these statements coming from the President, it is evident that he did not have an adequate understanding of the situation in which he was operating and had misunderstood the expectations of his own people. Apparently, the President did not speak well about his people and characterised them as “beggars” who were always waiting for “charity” from the oil companies. Unless the President has any evidence that the peoples of these communities have been asking for “charity” before this explosion, then he evidently misspoke. When Chevron gave relief materials to Keffes community, it was not charity.

Chevron was trying to right some wrongs. When there were no explosions, the people of Keffes did not ask it for any handout.

To now suggest that the people of this area were acting like beggars was unfair and uncalled for.The oil producing communities are not asking Chevron and other oil companies to employ everyone in their communities. But they have the right to expect that their children who are qualified are given adequate and appropriate consideration in employment opportunities in mutually inclusive way with other Nigerians. After all, it is their lands that are being left desolate; it is their people that are being displaced, and it is their rivers and creeks that are being poisoned.

What the victims in Kolouma

and other oil communities are asking for is not “charity” from the oil companies in Nigeria but corporate social responsibility that is the standard practice in other parts of the world where oil explorations have become a major cause of environmental degradation, inducing poverty and misery in the creation of wealth. The oil communities in Nigeria are expecting that the oil companies, while trying to exploit the oil, need to be mindful of the impact of their activities on the peoples of the communities. Are there any proactive steps that could be taken to ensure that their farmlands are not destroyed?

What could be done to minimise the poisoning of the rivers and the creeks which the indigenes rely on for fishing as a means of economic sustenance? Where damage has been done, and what remediation could be put in place to make the lives of the victims bearable? What are the activities of the oil companies that portray them as productive members of the communities where they make millions of dollars?

These are the questions that Keffes and other Nigerian oil communities are asking of the oil companies and not “charity” as President Jonathan had suggested to those victims of Chevron.

Even, if the statements made by the President were fundamentally sensible, they ought not to come from his mouth as the representative and protector-inchief of Nigerians. He should have allowed the executives of Chevron to make their case in a manner that the victims of their

actions would understand and be less restive.

Obviously, the handlers of the President did not take into cognisance that more often than not perception trumps reality.

Why one recognises that the oil companies generate funds for the country and that there was the need to encourage foreign investors to boost the economy, the President and his handlers have to realise that there was the need to as well constantly reassure Nigerians that their government is on their side.

Anything that would suggest otherwise ought to be avoided like a plague.

On the same occasion, the President had said he “would direct the National Management Emergency Agency to distribute relief materials to the communities to alleviate their plights.” But, why wait? The President knew there was a crisis in this community and this was why he was visiting the place.

Why was he not proactive? He ought to have instructed NEMA to proceed immediately he got the news of the explosion to assess the situation and provide necessary relief and not wait until he was able to visit the place.

Most Nigerians are already settled in their view that their government would rather kowtow to the whims and caprices of the oil companies rather than protect them.

Anything that would further reinforce this perspective should not be encouraged by the government.

Remi Oyeyemi posted this piece on saharareporters.com

A tale of two Davids and two Jonathans

By Dipo Dosunmu

T

he Biblical story of David and Jonathan will forever remain a reference point for what true friendship should be. Jonathan, prince and son of Saul, was the heir apparent to the throne of Israel. On the other hand, David, the youngest son of Jesse, was a ruddy, brighteyed shepherd boy. David’s defeat of the giant Goliath signaled both the beginning of Jonathan and David’s friendship and their falling from love and favor in Saul’s eyes.

David’s courage and bravery affected Jonathan deeply.

Jonathan was moved to love him as much as his own life. He realized that they shared much in common in the areas of courage, bravery, strength, loyalty, trust and faith in God. From that day forward, they were the best of friends.

Jonathan was moved to the point of giving David some of his treasured items: his robe, sword, bow and belt, and even his armour.

David, the musician, also played the harp for King Saul and thus endeared

him the more to Jonathan.

Jonathan and David’s bond was so strong that they promised to never let anything come between them. Jonathan told David of Saul’s plans to kill him and urged him to go far away where he would be safe.

He asked David to remember that they would always be friends. So great was their friendship that at one of their partings they kissed one another, and wept one with another. David reacted to Jonathan’s eventual demise in this manner - “How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain upon thy high places” - (2 Samuel 1:25). David even adopted Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth.

The following are some of the qualities of a good friendship: honesty (telling each other the truth), unconditional love (love that transcends the “seasons” of life), service (friends help one another), loyalty (a friend sticks with you in good times and bad), receiving (when a friend helps the other friend, he receives by allowing the other

friend to help him in return).

The tale of the other David and Jonathan is all about a political friendship. The fate and future of over 160 million human beings is currently tied to their actions and inactions.

David was alleged to have once stated that telephones are not for the poor. While other patriots “stood”, he was said to have “sat” on June 12.

Jonathan on the other hand is the “shoeless” one renowned to have patiently and regularly benefitted from others’ misfortunes. Some rascals find his choice of words unbefitting for his status but obviously he does not agree.

Can these qualities of good friendship be found in them?

Has David ever tried to tell Jonathan the home truths or is he just another sycophant? Are the home truths not that the people want good, quality standard of living, adequate security of lives and properties and an enabling, corruptionfree environment to utilize their God-given talents to the fullest?

The people desire leadership by example, even if it means public

assets declaration. They want free and fair elections rather than ballot snatching and scientific rigging. They are fed up with over-bloated government machinery subsisting on fat salaries and allowances. They want moral compass to be regained, fairness, justice and equity.

They want the corrupt to be ostracized and penalized. They do not wish the cabal well. They are tired of committees and special task forces. They want wastages and leakages to stop.

They crave for accountability.

They yearn for evidences of good governance. They long for the basic infrastructures electricity, good roads, potable water, quality schools and functioning refineries amongst other things.

Since their faith is not in doubt, have David and Jonathan acquainted themselves with these scriptures? : Matthew 20:26 - But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant. Proverbs 29:2 - When the upright have power, the people are glad; when an evil

man is ruler, grief comes on the people. Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness lifts up a nation, but sin is a disgrace in any society.

2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Proverbs 31: 8-9 - Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. 2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Have they shown unconditional love towards each other?

Have they displayed service, loyalty and acts of service, as enunciated above? Only time will tell. In fact, 2015 is just around the corner. Will the mighty fall? Or is it rather a case of how?

Dipo Dosumu lives in Lagos

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Three months blackout: Pasali residents call for intervention

By Josephine Ella

R

esidents of Pasali, a community in Chibiri ward of Kuje Area Council have bemoaned the prolonged persistent power outage in the community, calling on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed and the Chairman of the council, Hon. Danladi Etsu Zhin to procure a transformer for the community.

Speaking to Peoples Daily on behalf of the villagers, councilor representing Chibiri ward, Hon. Nuhu Suleiman Usman said for the past three months, the community has been without electricity supply.

According to him, for more than eight years, Pasali residents have been confronted with problem of electricity supply to the area, saying the supply which they only receive three times in a month had for the past three months been cut off completely.

"The last time we enjoyed light was when Pasali had not developed, but since the population gradually increased to about 10,000 we have been facing this problem. Before, we use to have a low voltage of power supply but for the past three months, they have not even blinked the light," he lamented.

Usman, who is also the Chairman of the Committee on Disaster Management in Kuje council said that despite all efforts by the community that the power situation improves, no favourable result has been

achieved.

According to him, officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), consulted over the problem have indicated that the transformer powering the area was no

longer functional and needed to be replaced.

This made him to plead with the chairman of Kuje council to consider Pasali people in the next batch of transformer distribution in Kuje.

Japanese embassy commissions school in Kutunku community

By Adeola Tukuru

T

A security operative carrying out a stop and search at Sharaton Hotel, recently in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

AEPB warns residents against obstruction of sewer lines

T

he Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), on Tuesday, warned residents of FCT against blocking the drainages and obstruction of municipal sewage lines.

Mr Joseph Ukairo, the Head of Information and Outreach Programmes of the agency, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said that such blockages always obstructed seepage and thus result in effluent and sewage discharge on the streets.

He said that in spite of the boards' sensitisation of the public to desist from such practices, residents still indulged in dumping waste in drainages, thereby blocking them.

“Effluent discharge or manhole oozing mostly is as a result of

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

mismanagement of sewage system; some residents do flush down hard objects like sanitary towels.

“Even some people after washing clothings may not really search the waste water very well; there may be clothing remaining in the waste water and they just pour it into the water closet system and flush it down.

“So it tends to block some manhole chambers and then you will see those effluents come up.

“We also observe that there is a master plan distortion; so there are some buildings, there are some structures existing on top of a municipal sewer line or manhole, that also tend to create a lot of pressure underground.

“And sometimes the connecting pipes may collapse inside, nobody may know and causing that blockage.

“Ukairo argued that the problem

of sewage discharge was a result of blocked sewer lines.

“Most areas in the FCT are connected with the central sewer lines, it is not that the septic tank is full, it's just that the channel is blocked and once it is flushed, it goes down and it frees up.''

He said that the board would embark on the demolition of illegal structures built on sewer lines and manholes to allow for the free flow of water and waste.

Ukairo also promised to apply frequently, the board's master canal flusher which has the capacity to blow pressurised air through the pipelines to clear blockages.

“The lasting solution is for those structures to be removed; but in other cases like flushing down hard objects like sanitary towels, waste clothes and other odd objects, residents have to be

conscious.''

He, therefore, advised residents to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, and also report such sewage discharge immediately to the board for evacuation activities.

“We will encourage the media and the residents to always let us know early enough that such problem is existing, we will be able to take care of that immediately or as quickly as we can.

“The liquid waste staff will go and address that problem so if the complain comes in today, and we have less schedule for today we will attend to it today but if we can't, the following day, that will be our priority. " Ukairo re-affirmed the board's commitment to keeping the FCT clean, warning that erring residents would be punished according to existing environmental laws. (NAN)

he Japanese Government has donated two blocks of six classrooms, a block of four toilets and a borehole to the Nomadic primary school in Kutunku community, Gwagwalada Area Council.

Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ryuichi Shoji explained that the project was executed by Japanese Government in partnership with an NGO, Women's Right to Education Program to support grassroots educational development in the country.

Shoji stated that the project in Kutunku was the 112th projects executed under the scheme of Japan's Grass Roots Grants Aid. He said the commitment of Japanese Government to promote grass root educational development in Nigeria was to reach out to the communities by making direct impact on their lives.

"I am happy with the completion of the project and I wish to emphasize that this is just the beginning because what gives school building its meaning depends on how the pupils and teachers are engaged in educational activities.

"So, I strongly hope that this new primary school will contribute to a better education of Nigerian boys and girls and create a better environment for them to realize their dreams," he said.

In her remark, Ms Mimidoo Achakpa, the Executive Director of the NGO commended the Japanese Embassy for partnering with her organization to execute the project.

FCT HOTELS GUIDE POLICE HOTLINES IN FCT Abuja Sheraton Hotel & Towers Ladi Kwali Way, Transcorp Hilton Hotel P.M.N 143, Abuja Maitama District, Tel: 09-5230225-224 P.O. Box 51, Abuja, Fax: 09-5231570-1 Tel: 09-5231811-40 Chelsea Hotels Plt 389, Cadastral Zone A Central Area, P.M.B 487, Garki, Abuja.

Tel: 09-2349080-98 Fax: 09-2349074

Maitama - 08038485123 Central Police Station - 08033568389 Lugbe - 08077657371; 08037882321 Wuse - 08053088102 National Assembly - 08065777706; 08045317637 Asokoro - 07028134449 Nyanya - 08046115181 Utako - 07055888119; 07038621264 Karshi - 08023565354

Wuye Karu Gwarimpa Karmo Garki Life Camp Kubwa Gwagwa Zuba Dutse Alhaji Bwari Kuje

- 08023314440 - 08036249825 - 08059113555 - 08033773129 - 08033560903 - 08058036613 - 08036134478 - 08035537989 - 08075804475 - 08053089999 - 08075804475 - 07030800531

Kwali Ruboci Gwagwalada Abaji

- 080 33062496 - 08060568342 - 08057467369 - 08037209328

FCT HOTLINE AEPB 09 - 4603600-9

08065560315

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 17

A manicurist in action at Gudu mechanic village, in Abuja.

Cosmetics hawker at Karu junction yesterday in Abuja.

Arresting for trafic offence and causing trafic jam along AYA junction in Abuja.

Wheel barrow pushers ‘sleeping on duty’ as no work appears in sight in Mabushi Photo: Mahmud Isa and Joe Oroye Children queuing for bonanza, during a Coca cola bonanza, recently in Gwarinpa, Abuja. District.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

FCTA to spend extra N29bn on Kubwa, Karshi contracts

By Josephine Ella

T

he Federal Capital Territory (FCT) a d m i n i s t r a t i o n yesterday, augmented the existing contract for provisioning of infrastructure in Kubwa and Karshi to the tune of N29 billion.

Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide disclosed this while signing the

contract with SCC Construction Company that the scope of the extant projects being handled by the same company has been expanded in the new agreement.

According to her, the Kubwa project has been augmented by N18 billion in addition to the initial N24 billion, making a total sum of N42 billion.

That of Karshi has been augmented by N11 billion, to add up to the N17 billion, which sums up to N28 billion, she

added, saying that the overall contract cost for the two projects is N70 billion with 108 weeks completion duration.

She emphasised that the event is a demonstration of the importance the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan places on the satellite towns and area councils.

She recalled that in demonstration of his care for the ordinary Nigerians,

President Jonathan had earlier this year, reinstated the Satellite Town Development Agency, which is responsible for rapid development of the satellite towns and area councils where majority of Abuja residents live.

While commending the contracted firm which started the contracts in 2007, Akinjide pledged the partnership of the FCT administration in the execution of the additional works.

The minister further assured the public that the administration will do all it can to attract funds to develop the satellite towns.

"We will ensure that we generate internally generated revenue (IGR) internally and through private investors and we will be involving the communities and stakeholders in everything we do because governance is all about partnership," she said.

Gwagwalada secretary warns residents against unhygenic practices

By Adeola Tukuru

T

he Secretary of Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Usman Yahaya, has warned residents against defecating in public places to prevent outbreak of diseases especially gastroenteritis in the council.

Yahaya in an interview with newsmen called on landlords in the area to provide toilets or be ready to face prosecution.

He said the warning became necessary following experiences at the beginning of raining season in the council where several communities were always infected with gastroenteritis caused by contaminated water.

He explained that some landlords in the council had appeared before a Magistrate Court in Gwagwalada over failure to comply with sanitary laws.

Yahaya said the court summonses were served on the landlords over failure to provide toilets for their houses and deliberate blockage of drainage systems.

He said the summons served on the landlords and their consequent appearance before the court was a demonstration of the council's commitment to issues bordering on sanitation.

"If you go round, you will discover that most of our drainages have been blocked and 80 percent of houses within this area are without toilets.

"We have been trying to educate the people on the need to maintain a healthy environment so as to avoid outbreak of diseases.

"Since they are not ready to comply, the next option for us is to commence enforcement of sanitary laws of the land on them and that is why so many of them are being served with court summons," he said.

Several motorcycles impounded by Vehicle Inspection Officers (V.I.O.), in Abuja, recently.

HIV/AIDS campaign: Kwali council appeals to FACA for assistance

By Josephine Ella

K

wali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has appealed to the Federal Capital Agency for the Control of AIDS (FACA) for more support in her campaign against the spread of the virus in communities within the council.

Coordinator, HIV/AIDS unit

of the council, Mrs. Elisabeth Maji Gabi, who made the call during an interview with Peoples Daily appealed to the Director of FACA, Dr. Uche Okoro to assist the council with HIV test kits to enable them continue their counseling and testing programmes.

Although, she testified that the agency had been very helpful

to the council in her fight against the pandemic, she said that more assistance was needed for the council to sustain the campaign.

Gabi said that the present dearth in test kits is a set back to the council, saying, "We cannot continue to do counseling without testing".

"I want to plead with FACA to assist us get the HIV test kits and

give us financial assistance because sometimes we want to go for outreach, but no means of transportation.

"We need support from them including foodstuffs. This will help us as we go to campaign because people affected by the virus will come out to identify themselves once there is assistance," the coordinator said.

Court remands man in prison for allegedly stealing vehicle engine

A

n Upper Area Court in Gwagwalada on Tuesday remanded one Lukman Alabi of Kasuwan Dare, Gwagwalada, for allegedly stealing a vehicle engine.

Police prosecutor Martha

Paul told the court that sometime in October 2011, the accused was entrusted with a vehicle engine valued at N150,000.

Paul said the accused allegedly removed the engine and sold it without informing

the owner on March 21.

She, however, said that, during police investigation, the said engine was recovered.

According to her, the case was reported on March 22 by one Musi Amidu of Life Link, Gwagwalada at the Divisional

Police Station, Gwagwalada.

The accused, however, denied the charge.

The judge, Mr Babangida Hassan, ordered that Alabi be remanded in prison and adjourned the case to May 9 for hearing.(NAN)

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Email: amunuimam@yahoo.co.uk

FAAC allocation for the month of March 2012 S/N

BENEFICIARIES

SUB-TOTAL (N)

1

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

620.7 billion

Nigeria will be best economy in 2020, says Minister

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

M

inister of State for Trade and Investment, Mr. Samuel Ortom, has reiterated that Nigeria will be one of the best economy by the year 2020.

Ortom, who gave this indication yesterday at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, during a regional workshop for East and West African countries, added that the transformation agenda of the present administration is channeling its resources towards making Nigeria one of the best economy in the world.

He said that the government is working towards increasing investment, through the improvement of domestic and regional trade, saying that the country’s trade policy is being reviewed to assist Nigerian importers and exporters.

Flight schedule AIR NIGERIA (MONDAY - SUNDAY) LOS-A BJ: 07.15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.30, 17.00, 17.20, 18.30 ABJ-LOS: 07.00, 09.30, 10.30, 11.15, 16.15, 19.15, 19.35 ABJ-KANO: 18.40 KANO-ABJ: 08.35 ABJ -SOK (MON): 09.35 ABJ-SOK (FRI): 10.10 ABJ-SOK (WED/SUN): 11.20 SOK-ABJ (MON): 11.35 SOK-ABJ (FRI): 12.00 SOK-ABJ (WED/SUN): 13.20

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

DANA AIRLINES (MON - SUN)

At the programme with the theme; “Enhancing National Competitiveness Strategies”, the minister said that the establishment of regional maritime would facilitate trade within the West African subregion.

MTN ready to play major role in cash-less banking

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

IRS AIRLINES

We’re fast-tracking Power Master Plan- Jonathan

Mob: 08033644990

Dangote shines at Enugu Trade Fair

By Abdulwahab Isa angote Group has stamped its presence in a big way at the on-going 23rd Enugu International Trade Fair as the subsidiaries of the pan-African conglomerate dominated activities at the opening of the trade exhibition.

Consumers thronged the pavilions of the Dangote Group of Companies as the group displayed an array of products tailored to meet different consumer needs while also offering wet and dry sampling to arouse the consumers’ interest.

Companies from the group that are exhibiting at the fair include Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Flour Mills, Dangote Agro-sacks, National Salt Company of Nigeria (NASCON), Dangote Pasta, Dangote Cement, Dangote Noodles

D

and Dansa Foods Limited.

A major attraction at the Group’s pavilion is the Dangote Restaurant, which is offering a wide range of the delicacies prepared from products manufactured by companies under the Group. The Restaurant offers delicacies like Dangote Noodles, pasta, Alkama (wheat meal), Danvita among others. A range of fruit drinks from Dansa are also on offer at the restaurant.

As the Dangote pavilion is located in a premium area, other participants and exhibitors at the fair are flocking to the restaurant for their daily meals therefore drawing more people to the stand.

Visitors to the stand are also given free samples of various drink from the Dansa stable for tasting.

There is high demand for the newly introduced Dangote Sugar consumer and household pack in

250 gram,500gram and 1 kilogram packs.

A statement from the Group’s Corporate Communications Department indicated that Group’s participation at the Trade Fair was part of strategies to form closer bonds with its customers and distributors of the companies especially in the South-East and South-South regions of the country.

According to the statement , “Subsidiaries of the leading African conglomerate are at the Trade Fair with intent to further consolidate on their leadership in their various sectors by adding more value to their customers through the provision of wide ranging products tailored to meet the specific ever changing needs of the consumers.

The Group said the trade fair is coming at an appropriate time as distributors and dealers can leverage on the opportunity to stock their shops during the forthcoming Easter festival as the goods are selling at huge discounts.

L-R: Head of e-Payment, Maevis Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ernest Edgar; Head of Operations, Mr. Hammed Alasinrin, and Executive Director, Mrs. Olatokunbo Fagbemi, during a press briefing on termination of the company's concession agreement by Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), on Monday in Lagos.

Nigeria to provide more incentives to investors, says Jonathan

By Abdulrahman Abdulrahman

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan has said that Nigeria will review the incentives currently being granted to investors, in order to encourage EXCHANGE RATES

CBN CFA • £ RIYAL $

26th Mar, 2012 BUYING 0.2923 205.7956 246.5299 41.346 155.06

SELLING 0.3123 207.1228 248.1198 41.6127 156.06

PARALLEL RATES

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

- Pg 20

T

he Regional Manager of telecommunications giant, MTN, Mr. Dennis Chukwu has expressed the readiness of the company to play a major role in the cash-less economy being introduced by the Federal Government.

Chukwu, who stated this at the weekend in Ilorin while opening GOLAD MTN Customer care centre, at Taiwo Ibrahim Road, Ilorin disclosed that MTN was fully ready to revolutionalise the telecommunication industry in the country so that Nigerians could derive maximum benefit and value for their money.

The Regional Manager noted that the company’s recently reduction of its over 300 customer care centres across the nation to 110 was for more efficient, stressing that the action was embarked upon on trade transformation which

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

INSIDE

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

LOS-ABJ: 07.02, 08.10, 12.06, 15.30, 17.10 ABJ-LOS: 07.20, 09.36, 13.05, 14.40

PAGE 19

• £ RIYAL $

BUYING 210 255 40 158

SELLING 212 257 42 159

international companies willing to invest in the country.

Speaking to a delegation from Samsung Heavy Industries, Korea, during a courtesy call on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, Jonathan said he had instructed the Ministry of Trade and Investments to review trade incentives for investors willing to come to Nigeria.

President Jonathan stated that

government was diligently implementing the local content law in order to build the capacities of Nigerians, strengthen the industrial base, and provide jobs.

The President expressed appreciation to Samsung for their ‘significant’ contributions to the development of country’s economy, and requested the company to

consider increasing the number of Nigerians being trained, as well as the duration of the training.

Earlier, Mr. In Sik Roh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Samsung Heavy Industries, had expressed appreciation for the privilege to construct the Bonga Oil platform, adding that they were going to commence the training of 20 Nigerians next month.

Management Tip of the Day

Get your team thinking like entrepreneurs

T

eams in large organizations can easily get tangled in bureaucracy. It takes a long time to execute on projects when waiting for approvals and gathering resources. But, you can get around this by helping your team members think and act like entrepreneurs. Try doing the

following:Experiment. Challenge one or two people on your team to quietly push a project forward without analyzing it. Protect them from those who may question this approach.Broadcast results. Share the results of this experiment with other leaders in your company, and encourage

them to support the project.Manage it closely.

Throughout the process, ensure that the costs never exceed your organization’s acceptable losses, so your team can clearly see the upside of acting fast.

Source: Harvard Business Review

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 20

PZ Cussons blames Nigeria’s unrest for second profit warning

COMPANY NEWS

MAN decries high interest rate

T

he Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, MAN in Rivers and Bayelsa states has advocated downward review of interest rate to boost the moribund manufacturing sector.

B

Britain offers in Nigeria's transport sector development

U

nited Kingdom has promised to strengthen her bilateral relations with Nigeria saying it will assist the country to develop her transport sector.

Skye Bank upgrades Internet banking services

A

S the new ‘cash-lite’ economy takes off which de-emphasises cash based transactions and promotes electronic and web based banking, Skye Bank Plc has launched its new and improved Internet banking platform.

Urban Dev. Bank unveils new identity today

T

he Urban Development Bank of Nigeria (UDBN) Plc will unveil its new identity today in Abuja, to “more accurately represent the bank’s new philosophy and ambition for the future.”

BankOne’s branchless banking debuts in Kwara, Lagos

C

ustomers of some microfinance banks in Lagos and Kwara can now operate their accounts without having to be physically present at bank branches.

Caronc moves to crash bakery equipment prices with new introduction

A

n indigenous firm, Caronc Nigeria Limited is set to crash bakery equipment prices in Nigeria as it has entered into partnership with a South African firm, Tombake , a move that will see them, import various bakery equipment at more affordable prices to Nigerian bakers.

BA, Virgin Atlantic given ultimatum to lower fares

N

igeria has given airlines British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic 30 days to lower fares or face a ban from flying to the West African nation, its aviation minister said on Monday.

L-R: Chairman, Korea Atomic Industrial Forum, Mr. Joog-Kyum Kim, Managing Director, Sahara Oil, Mr. Kola Adeshina, Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga and Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, during the Nigeria-Korea investment forum, on Monday, in Seoul, South Korea.

We’re fast-tracking Power Master Plan- Jonathan

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan has said the administration was fasttracking the Power Master-Plan, in order to meet the targets of power availability.a The President was speaking to a delegation of the Korean Electricity Power Company, KEPCO, in Seoul, on Monday.

‘We have noticed that things are not moving as fast as we would like, so we are fast-tracking the process’, he said.

He acknowledged that changing from exclusive monopoly to a liberalized power

production and supply was not easy, but the challenges were being sorted out, adding that a new tariff had been approved, to encourage investors.

President Jonathan assured KEPCO that the necessary mechanism was already in place to enable them invest in the Nigerian power sector.

Earlier, KEPCO president/ chief Executive officer, Mr. Joong-Kyum Kim, had said his company desired to strengthen their investment in the Nigerian power sector, adding that they had a robust partnership with Nigeria’s Sahara Oil. He said KEPCO had the experience and

capacity to participate actively in the development of any facet of Nigeria’s power mix.

During another audience, President Jonathan welcomed the proposal by Shinsung Solar Energy to establish a plant to manufacture solar panels in Nigeria, especially because solar power has the capacity to supply power to the most remote parts of the country, at little or no maintenance cost.

He said government was ready to provide incentives to companies like Shinsung, adding that all facets of the national economy will benefit from solar power.

Pension fund stock market limit to be raised

N

igeria is to increase limits on pension funds’ investment in the stock market to half of their portfolio, from a quarter currently, according to proposals from the National Pension Commission (NPC).

According to a Reuters report on Monday, Nigeria’s pension funds were worth around $13 billion in 2010 and have been growing at a rate of 30 percent per year, a move that could boost its share index.

Its equity market struggled to sustain a recovery after a more than 60 percent fall in 2008, which led to a mass exodus of domestic investors, including pension funds.

Under the regulatory changes being proposed by the National Pension Commission (NPC), they will also be allowed to build a portfolio compliant with sharia or Islamic law, in a country with one of the highest Muslim populations in the world.

The central bank is drafting a regulatory framework meant to establish Nigeria as the African hub for Islamic banking, emulating the success of Malaysia

in Asia.

“PFAs (pension fund administrators) shall invest pension fund assets with the objectives of ensuring safety and maintenance of fair returns,” the draft document said.

It called on fund managers to review the proposals, published on its website, the second of such review since the pension law was set up in 2004.

Since the 2008 stock market fall, regulators have been trying to lure back domestic investors to the stock market, and they hope the move to ease pension fund restrictions could provide a much needed impetus.

The main all-share index has gained just 2 percent this year, after a 16 percent decline last year.

Yet while domestic investors have been wary, offshore investors have been increasing their stake in Nigeria. Last year, share purchases by foreign investors rose 80 percent to 512 billion naira ($3.23 bln), despite the index poor performance.

In the last regulatory review, in 2010, the regulator allowed pension funds to invest in

corporate bonds and private equity for the first time, enabling firms like Lafarge Wapco , Flour Mills and UBA to tap a more liquid debt market. (Reuters)

ritish soap and shampoo maker, PZ Cussons has issued a second profit warning in less than four months, blaming a hit to sales from social unrest in Nigeria, its biggest single market.

Nigeria accounts for 30-40 percent of PZ Cussons’ total revenue.

Shares in the maker of Imperial Leather soaps and Carex antibacterial hand washes were down 10.2 percent at 1001 GMT on Tuesday after it said profits in Nigeria over the last two months had been affected by a continuation of economic and social tensions.

“Given the importance of Nigeria to the group, the impact of the continuing tensions in the country will be significant, resulting in the group’s overall (year to May 31 2012) performance being some way below expectations,” the firm said.

PZ Cussons highlighted the continuation of social instability in northern Nigeria which has directly impacted sales, and the removal of a fuel duty subsidy in January that has hit consumers’ disposable income and led to higher transport costs and port disruption, affecting both sales and costs.

Despite its current problems in Nigeria the firm expects the removal of the fuel duty subsidy to be beneficial for the medium term macroeconomic health of the country.

PZ Cussons, which also owns beauty brands Charles Worthington, Sanctuary and St Tropez, first warned of problems in Nigeria in January.

Shares in the firm were down 34 pence at 300 pence at 1001 GMT, valuing the business at about 1.26 billion pounds ($2 billion).

“This is undoubtedly a disappointing statement, and while we feel this may ultimately prove to be the bottom of the newsflow cycle, we acknowledge that the outlook in Nigeria remains uncertain,” said Panmure Gordon analyst Graham Jones, who cut his 2011-12 pretax profit forecast by 13 percent to 89.1 million pounds.

(Reuters)

Ogun kick-starts investors forum From Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, Abeokuta gun State Government on Monday kicked-started a 2day Investors Forum, a platform said to create awareness that the state is a viable and thriving investment destinations, as well as avenue to display new initiatives and policies developed for the mutual benefit of government and its prospective investors.

The Forum, with the theme: ‘Ogun State Open For Business’, took place at DLK Event Centre, in Abeokuta, having in attendance former Prime Minister of Ireland for 11 years, Mr Bertie Ahern, who came to share his experience with the forum on how he made the economy of Ireland second best in Europe.

Attendees at the forum include venture capitalists, financial institutions,

O

investment broker, local and international organizations, development partners, high-level state and Federal Government officials representing all spheres of interest at every level.

Our correspondent reports that the key focus were centered around the five cardinal programmes of the Ogun state administration, which include affordable qualitative education, efficient health care delivery, agricultural production and industrialisation, affordable housing and urban renewal and rural and infrastructural development/ employment generation “Our vision is to build the state on strong democratic principles, unified, secure and stable, economically prosperous, sociallyinclusive for a happy citizenry and to become a key player in the national and regional economy”, the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun said.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 21

Collaborations in tourism sector translate into economic viability

L-R: DG, NTDC, Otunba Segun Runsewe receiving an award of Distinguished Nigerian Personality in Diligent Service to Father-Land from Comrade Lucky Emonefe, National President (National Association of Niger-Delta Students) at the tourism headquarters, in Abuja.

By Miriam Humbe

A

ctivities aimed at f u r t h e r repositioning the tourism sector gathered

momentum during the past week with collaborations with various stakeholders at different levels.

The Minister of

Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke appeared to have kick-started the efforts with an evening out at the Transcorp Hilton

Hotel, Abuja with Chairmen of National Assembly committees on tourism and culture and their members as well as hotel operators and other stakeholders in the tourism and culture industry. It was time to sensitise on the ministry's activities with regards to developing cultural industries project in Nigeria.

It was indeed a week for collaborations in the tourism sector. At the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), the office of the Director-General, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe was a beehive of activities, with state governments, media organisations and student bodies alike taking their turns to interact with the apex tourism body.

The NTDC expressed its desire to collaborate with Oyo and Kwara state governments in all ramifications and assured of his commitment in the renewed drive to harness the tourism potentials of the states. The D-G made this position known when a delegation from the state tourism board, led by the Special Adviser to the Oyo state government on culture and tourism, Mrs. Amao Olubunmi paid him a working visit.

The NTDC also announced its intention to engage Kaduna-based Liberty Radio Station to officially propagate its massage on mobilisation tourism industry in its efforts to the secure 1 million supporters for Team Nigeria at the 2012 Olympics in London.

The announcement was made by the DirectorGeneral of the Corporation, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe during a visit by members of the station's

Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke management led by its Executive Chairman, Alhaji Tijjani Ramalan at the Tourism Village, Abuja.

Otunba Runsewe promised to immediately commence a program called "Tourism Today�, which will feature among other things, old school music and NTDCsponsored messages highlighting investment in tourism, youth empowerment and other business and economic issues.

The National Association of Niger Delta Students (NANDS) also paid a courtesy call on the D-G and appreciated him with an award of Distinguished Nigerian Personality in Diligent Service to Father-Land.

This, they said, was in recognition of Otunba Runsewe for his support to the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan in the area of tourism development.

Comrade Lucky Emonefe, National President of the association handed over the award on behalf of the students.

The collaborative activities culminated into an award of Most Enterprising DirectorGeneral for the Year 2011 on the DG by African Newspapers of Nigeria, publishers of the Tribune Newspapers. Immediately, a rush of compliments began flooding in, with high-profile Nigerians showering encomiums on the Director-General.

The Chief Servant of Niger state, Dr. Mu'Azu Babangida Aliyu described Otunba Runsewe as a dedicated and hardworking public officer while the wife of the late frontline nationalist and sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Mrs. HID Awolowo declared that Runsewe won Tribune's most enterprising DG of the year award because of his avowed commitment to

L-R: D-G, NTDC, Otunba Segun Runsewe receiving some documents on the operation of Liberty Radio Station located in Kaduna from the Executive Chairman, Alhaji Tijjani Ramalan when the latter paid a courtesy call to the tourism headquarters in Abuja, recently.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Boko Haram’s onslaught on schools become used to living under siege over the last two years.

Fear and an army-enforced curfew empty the scruffy low-rise streets well before dark.

Nervous public officials — prime assassination targets of the insurgents — avoid speaking the group’s name or blaming it.

Army checkpoints are omnipresent. The soldiers, also a favorite target of snipers, are grim-faced and brusque.

“The Boko Haram are the ones controlling the state here,” said one of the lone human rights activists in Maiduguri, Maikaramba Sadiq of Nigeria’s Civil Liberties Organization.

Residents fear that Boko

Haram and its informants are everywhere.

“They are working 24 hours, looking, observing,” said Mr. Sadiq, who has been an intermediary between suspected Boko Haram members here and lawyers willing to represent them.

Yet the destruction of Maiduguri’s schools has bewildered and demoralized students, parents and teachers here in a way that the neardaily attacks, including one on a crowded market in February that killed 30, have not. The targeting of children, even indirectly, is seen as a new and sinister twist.

“I can’t even explain

“

Residents surveyed damage after a bomb at a school in Maiduguri, Nigeria, one of several attacks on schools in recent weeks.

T

he teenager in the immaculate white robe stood in the ruins of what had been his school.

There were no classrooms, no desks or chairs, no intact blackboards — there was, in fact, no longer any reason for him to be there.

Yet the teenager, Aruna Mustapha, and a friend had come to sign in anyway, just as they did every morning before the fire, expressing a hunger for education and a frustration with the insurgents bent on preventing it.

“We can’t stay at home any longer; we want to come to school, to learn,” explained Aruna, 16. “I’m fed up. I want to be in school.”

The insurgent violence stalking northern Nigeria has struck a long list of official targets, killing police and army officers, elected officials, highranking civil servants, United Nations workers and other perceived supporters of the Nigerian government.

Now it has an ominous new front: a war against schools.

Public and private schools here have been doused with gasoline at night and set on fire. Crude homemade bombs — soda bottles filled with gasoline

— have been hurled at the bare-bones concrete classrooms Nigeria offers its children.

The simple yellow facades have been blackened and the plain desks melted to twisted pipes, leaving thousands of children without a place to learn, stranded at home and underfoot, while anxious parents plead with Nigerian authorities to come up with a contingency plan for their education.

Today, this dusty metropolis in northeastern Nigeria’s desert scrub is dotted with the burned-out shells of what were school buildings. The sun pours in as sheets of charred corrugated metal roof hang

down into empty schoolrooms, clanging in the hot wind. In the sunny afternoons small children play in the ruins.

In recent weeks, at least eight schools have been firebombed, apparently the work of Boko Haram, the Islamist group waging a deadly war against the Nigerian government and suspected of cultivating links with Al Qaeda’s affiliates in the region. The group’s very name is a rallying cry against schools — “Boko” means “book” or “Western learning” in the Hausa language, and “haram” is Arabic for forbidden — but it has never gone after them to this degree before, analysts say.

“

At least eight schools have been firebombed, apparently the work of Boko Haram, the Islamist group waging a deadly war against the Nigerian government and suspected of cultivating links with Al Qaeda’s affiliates in the region

“‘We are Boko Haram, and we will burn the school,’ ” the elderly watchman at Aruna’s school, the Abbaganaram Primary School, recounted the arsonists saying after they appeared out of the darkness, ordered him at gunpoint to lie down, doused the school with gasoline and set it on fire, lighting up the night sky.

A self-described spokesman for Boko Haram who frequently phones journalists in Maiduguri recently claimed responsibility for the school attacks. The spokesman, who calls himself Abul Qaqa, said they were in response to what he called a targeting of this city’s abundant open-air Islamic schools by authorities.

Officials here have denied any such campaign. Indeed, young boys can be seen receiving Qur’anic lessons, untroubled, all over Maiduguri.

Around 2,600 students had gone to school at Abbaganaram, at the edge of a neighborhood considered a Boko Haram stronghold.

Now, the quadrangle enclosing a sandy courtyard looks like a roofless war ruin.

Fragments of a lesson, scrawled on what remains of a blackboard, can be glimpsed through a

windowless opening.

A lone teacher, as eager to resume work as young Haruna, hung about in the school’s remains. “There is no public holiday. We are on duty,” said Babagana Kolo, who had taught primary school there. “We are supposed to be on duty.”

For several days after the attack in early March, students had come to be taught in the open air, under the hardy lightgreen neem trees in the courtyard, Mr. Kolo said.

But he said the government had failed to provide materials, like chalk for a remaining blackboard, so the students had stopped coming.

“They bombed everywhere,” said Aliyu Adamu, a longtime teacher at Abbaganaram.

“Everything.

All the classes.”

Nobody has been killed in the school attacks, a notable exception amid a campaign of shadowy aims in which virtually anything associated with the Nigerian state is considered fair game. More than 900 people have been killed by Boko Haram in the last two years, according to Human Rights Watch.

Maiduguri, the birthplace of the Boko Haram insurgency, has

Parents also wonder what to do about their marooned children since the Nigerian government has made no provision for them

One of the school damage by Boko Haram sect in Maiduguri

The real victims of the incessant Boko Haram attacks in the North

this,” said Musa Adam, a teacher at the Gwange III school, which endured a firebombing attempt but was not destroyed. “Is it an act of wickedness, or what?

How can somebody destroy a school where children come to learn?”

Meanwhile, thousands of parents have seen one more prop supporting the illusion

of normal life here destroyed.

“No one knows what this thing is all about,” said Musa Abakar, 39, father of two boys and a girl, ages 8 to 15, who attended the Abbaganaram Primary School before it was destroyed.

“Burning schools, burning markets.

How can one understand these things?”

Parents also wonder what to do about their marooned children since the Nigerian government has made no provision for them. The official in charge, Abba Ali Tijjani, the commissioner of Borno state schools, acknowledged as much in an interview.

“All our children are just staying at home,” said Isa Dauda, 27, who works in an open-air mattress workshop and has four children. “We don’t know what to do now.

It’s more than a difficult situation.”

Opposite the Kulo Gumna Primary and Junior day school, where eight classrooms were destroyed in the heart of a Boko Haram-infiltrated neighborhood, Mamadou Youndusa, a barber cutting a child’s hair, lamented his own children’s newly imposed idleness.

He had children in both sections of the school. Now, “They are all at home.

Which means a bleak

future for them.”

A few of the classrooms at Kulo Gumna were untouched, but most of the students in them have not returned.

“They are afraid something will happen; that is why they are not coming back,” said a teacher, Fatouma Tujjani.

Fewer than half of her 46 students have returned, she said. “They are just afraid.”

Elsewhere in Maiduguri, though, the will to resume schooling is overcoming fear, government lethargy and the absence of a plan. Early this month, several hundred children — laughing girls in bluechecked head scarves, and some white-shirted boys as well — showed up at the Abbaganaram ruins, preparing to trek a mile or so to another school that had agreed to take them in.

One of the older s t u d e n t s , Adam Abagana, 18, expressed outrage at what had befallen his school.

“It’s an abomination.

There is no justification for it,” he said. “We never thought the excesses of the gunmen would come down to burning schools.”

He added, “The only hope is, God has destined it.”

Source: The New York Times

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

By Nuel Shepherd

Ford Focus: Solid, safe and stylish

T

here are 28 versions of the Focus available ranging from the 1.0 litre Ecoboost to the 2.0 litre Titanium TDCi. The engine on the Titanium certainly goes when you stamp on it and yet it returns an average 56.5mpg when linked to a manual gearbox. Titanium X adds partleather seats, a powered driver’s seat, and bi-xenon headlights to an already extensive kit list. You also get a far more interesting centre console layout than with the base trims, which really lifts the cabin.

Rivals of the Focus include Volkswagen Golf Hatchback, Skoda Octavia Hatchback, Kia Rio Hatchback, BMW 1 Series Hatchback, and Audi A3 Hatchback.

Performance Entry-level cars come with a 84bhp 1.6 petrol engine, which is too gutless to recommend. The 123bhp 1.0 Ecoboost is a much better bet, with punchy and smooth acceleration from low revs.

A 99bhp version of the same engine is also available. The cheapest diesel models have 1.6litre engines, with the 113bhp version giving a good blend of pace and price.

Further up the range, the two 2.0-litre-engined models perform very well, but the 161bhp is too dear to recommend.

Ride & Handling Ford has a real knack for producing sweet-handling cars, and the Focus continues this trend.

Strong grip and solid body control makes it feel wonderfully agile in bends, while the super-accurate steering weights up progressively the faster you go. The ride is pretty good, too, but it is not as smooth as a VW Golf.

Refinement The precise steering, strong progressive brakes and neat, accurate gearshift combine to make the Focus feel full of life. However, when you just want to sit back and enjoy the journey, the excellent

isolation of road- and wind noise means it’s also a very accomplished high-mileage tourer.

Quality & Reliability The Focus’s dash has an appealingly funky design, and an expensive-looking soft-touch covering. However, the plastics on the centre fascia and central partition are harder and cheaperlooking. By the time you reach the footwells or boot, the plastics look downright low-budget. Ford also has a 50-50 record for reliability, according to the latest JD Power survery.

Equipment Air-conditioning is standard across the range, while stepping up to Zetec trim gets you a DAB radio and Bluetooth. However, you may want to upgrade to Titanium, thanks to the posher-looking stereo

that gives the cabin a real lift. Trade up to top-of-the-range Titanium X, and dual-zone climate control, cruise control and hill-start assist join the roster. Items such as blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning are available as options.

Safety & Security The Focus is stuffed with airbags, and every model comes with full electronic stability control.

Additionally, ‘torque vectoring’ brings a significant advance in performance and safety.

This clever electronic system uses the ESP and brakes to distribute drive to the front wheel with the most traction. It’s a subtle, but brilliant piece of kit, elevating the Focus’s cornering agility and stability way above the class norm.

Tricks to help you survive an accident

M

any automobile accidents happen in fractions of a second or are completely unavoidable. A skilled driver, however, can minimize the chances of injury by learning these tricks.

Sometimes the difference between a horrific wreck and a survivable crash is the brake pedal you failed to hit or the clearing you failed to find. Successful defensive driving involves making decisions which may feel counterintuitive at first.

Accelerating a car during a crash may not seem like the best solution, but it might beat braking and losing all maneuverability. Steering deliberately into a guardrail may seem suicidal, but it’s preferable to a head-on collision at highway speeds.

An accident can occur in a fraction of a second, so learning how to anticipate the actions of other drivers involved can help you survive.

Here are some driving tricks which can improve your chances of surviving a serious car wreck: 1. When in doubt, steer to the right. Metal can be fixed, but sometimes bodies can’t. If you sense a potential accident in front of you (a chain reaction pile-up, for example), your natural reaction should be to steer to the right.

There may be a guardrail or a utility pole or trees in your path, but none of them are travelling at highway speeds. Turning to the left could result in a head-on collision if you cross the median and staying straight could guarantee you’ll be next in the pile-up.

Most highways are designed to have some clearance on the right for just such driving emergencies. This is why there are signs discouraging drivers from parking on the shoulder of a freeway.

2. Protect the driver with aggressive steering. This is a grim choice to make, but if an accident appears inevitable- the other driver is directly in your path and not avoidable- then steer your car to the left to protect yourself, not your passengers.

In an unavoidable collision, you’ll want as much metal between you and the other driver as possible. In a direct head-on collision, your engine block should snap off and drop, but there could still be significant intrusion into your passenger compartment.

If you have the chance to turn left sharply, then the impact will be on your passenger side and not the engine block. You may still be able to drive out of the wreck or escape through the driver’s side window.

3. Think like a NASCAR driver.

Cars are subject to the laws of physics, so they often follow predictable patterns in an accident or collision. A car sliding

into another car on the left will continue to move left until something stops it.

This means that the right side of the road will be clear for a few seconds at least. If you see such a wreck in front of you, drop down to the right hand side of the road and accelerate until you have cleared the other cars.

If a car’s rear quarter panel is tapped from behind, the front end of the car will most likely twist in the direction of the quarter panel that was struck. This means steer your car to the opposite direction until you’ve cleared the accident scene.

For example, a car changing lanes too quickly may strike the right rear quarter panel of the car in the new lane. The struck car will probably spin to the right and its passenger side will be exposed.

By steering to the left, you’ll allow that driver to recover in the right lane and you’ll only strike his rear, if you hit him at all.

4. Be prepared to accelerate, not brake. Braking is an instinctive reaction to a driving threat, but it won’t always prevent accidents.

Sometimes it helps to think like a running back on a football team.

Sometimes during an accident, holes will be created which will allow you to drive away from danger.

Braking at high speed may take away your maneuverability and send you plowing into another car. If you can anticipate the actions of another driver, you can look for opportunities to punch your way out. Quite often, the right hand side of the road is clear enough to accelerate through a bad wreck.

5. For a sudden change of direction, try a bootlegger’s turn.

Sometimes a sudden accident in front of you may require a quick change in direction. There is a driving trick used by stunt drivers called a bootlegger’s turn which will allow you to change direction in a hurry while still maintaining some control over the car.

The trick is to turn around and accelerate before any collision can happen. To perform a bootlegger’s turn, you must have it in your mind that such a turn is necessary. You won’t have much time to think about it when it actually happens.

If you need to make a 180 degree turn from a potential accident, maintain your forward speed as long as you can – aim for 45mph at least.

When you are ready to take the bootlegger’s turn, a few things have to happen almost simultaneously.

First, grab your emergency brake with one hand or stab the emergency pedal on the floorboard with your non-driving foot. Keep your hand near the brake release. At the same time you apply the emergency brake, steer the car completely to the left or right. Steer hard and fast. The car should skid forward and then turn sharply.

The rear or the car should slide around, leaving you facing in the opposite direction. Release the emergency brake, and accelerate quickly, avoiding oncoming traffic.

This maneuver will get you out of harm’s way faster than most other turns you could make.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 27

Africa’s walking dead: Mystery of horrific ‘nodding’ disease that turns children into zombies

A

mystery disease is turning an increasing number of children in east Africa into zombies.

The condition, known by locals as the ‘nodding disease’, drastically alters children’s personalities by making them withdrawn and confused.

One of the first symptoms of the illness, affecting children in northern Uganda, Sudan and Tanzania, is that children appear to be falling asleep - their eyes close and head droops, even though they may not be tired.

The condition gets progressively worse and can cause affected children, generally aged between five and 15, to fall and injure themselves Many die by losing consciousness and have horrific accidents, like falling into a cooking fire or drowning.

Other symptoms include losing cognitive ability and experiencing stunted growth.

Some suffer epilepsy-like seizures and struggle to eat becoming shells of their former selves.

Others die of infections because they are weak or malnourished.

One mother in northern Uganda, Grace Lagat, where 3,000 children have the illness, told CNN how her two children have been affected by the nodding disease.

She said they suffer from seizures and after each attack are less like the children she remembers.

Speaking about her 13-year-

old daughter Pauline, she told CNN: ‘Her personality has changed greatly from before.

‘She was normal when she was born. Now she just moves around and serves no purpose.’

The seizures are triggered in strange ways, say community members, such as when unfamiliar food is brought to the children or when the weather changes.

There are other bizarre symptoms with the children often wandering off by themselves and getting lost in the bush.

Other children have started fires, according to parents and medics in the field, while some appear confused and traumatized.

Lagat now has to tie up her children when she leaves the house to stop them from disappearing.

She told the TV station:’When I am going to the garden, I tie them with cloth.

‘If I don’t tie them I come back and find that they have disappeared.’

The condition first came to the attention of Ugandan authorities in 2009 and has confounded officials with the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Saweka and the Ugandan government mobilized teams from WHO, CDC, and local health teams but there is still no known cause or cure for the disease.

Doctors are using drugs for controlling epilepsy with some limited success but they say it only slows the progression of symptoms.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Many children suffering from the nodding disease die from malnutrition because they won't eat

Children suffering from the condition are withdrawn and have no interest in eating

In northern Uganda alone, 3,000 children have the illness, but numerous cases have also been reported in Sudan and Tanzania

Parents have reported their children suffer seizures and are more withdrawn after each episode

Grace Lagat, from northern Uganda, is forced to tie her two children up whenever she leaves her home to stop them wandering off

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Peaceful use of nuclear energy “significant”, says Jonathan Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan praised South Korea’s effort to spearhead a global campaign for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, saying that the ongoing Seoul Nuclear Security Summit is “significant.”

In an interview with Yonhap News Agency, Jonathan also asked for South Korean businesses to expand their investments in building Nigeria’s infrastructure for the energy and telecommunication sectors, in particular.

The president arrived in Seoul Sunday to attend the two-day summit, where representatives from 52 other nations and four international organizations have joined to mainly discuss preventing terrorists from getting hold of nuclear weapons and ensuring atomic safety.

“As the country that has technology to use the nuclear power in so many ways, it’s (South Korea’s) efforts to draw vision for the peaceful use of nuclear energy is good,” Jonathan said in the interview held in Seoul on Monday. “(The summit) is quite significant.”

He added that the essence of the summit is to discourage countries not to use nuclear weapons and make sure that countries don’t exploit nuclear energy in terrorist attacks.

On Wednesday, Jonathan is scheduled to hold talks with South Korean President Lee Myungbak in which he will discuss furthering economic cooperation to encourage more local companies to enter into the resource-rich country.

“Nigeria is a country with lots of natural resources. South Korea, on the other hand, is industrialized,” he said. “So, if two countries commit together, they can really enhance.”

As Africa’s number No. 1 oil producing country, Nigeria has opened up its oil industry to foreign investors and continued efforts to explore its offshore oil fields and develop oil pipelines.

“We need a lot of investment in pipeline investment,” he said. “It’s the area for (South) Korean companies.”

In terms of a recent string of terrorist attacks that have shaken Africa’s most populous nation, President Jonathan re-assured foreign investors of safety.

“We have some parts of country we have terrorist attacks,” the president said. “But it doesn’t affect the whole country. We are in reasonable control.”

Jonathan, who first came into office as vice president, assumed the role of acting president in early 2010 and was later thrust into the presidency following the death of his predecessor Umaru Yar’Adua.

It is his first visit to South Korea.

The following are excerpts from Yonhap’s interview with Jonathan.

W

hat is the significance of the second Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul?

Of course, South Korea’s hosting the second one is very significant. It is one country that is using nuclear power in energy sector. Also, it has technology to use the nuclear power in so many ways. So, for them to draw vision for the peaceful use of nuclear energy is good. It shows that Asian countries are working. It (summit) is quite significant.

What sort of achievements or breakthroughs do you expect at the nuclear summit?

A: Summit in principle is not just science forum. It’s purely administrative. So we are not going to (discuss) technology and missile. But essence of the summit is discourage countries not to use nuclear weapons. Discourage them so they will never use. And make sure that the world is using peaceful use of the nuclear energy and not exploit them (for) attack (and) for destructions.

What does Nigeria in particular want to accomplish in this summit?

We are also into nuclear technology. We also want to use nuclear power in agriculture. We need (nuclear power) centers for the use of nuclear energy. This summit helps you to (use) guidelines and law to control the use of transportations and nuclear power.

You are scheduled to hold bilateral talks with South Korean President Lee Myungbak on Wednesday. What do

you expect from these talks?

I am not sure if it’s bilateral.

We had that mind initially.

Because the country (South Korea) is talking with 54 heads, it’s difficult to go with bilateral.

We have many South Korean companies invested in Nigeria.

Daewoo, is one for 30 years in Nigeria. It’s the country that has a lot in relationships. We (emphasize) bilateral economic relations.

How would you view the level of cooperation between Nigeria and South Korea? How can ties between the two countries move further forward?

So far, relations are good.

Nigeria is country with lots of natural resources. South Korea, on the other hand, is industrialized.

So, if two countries commit together, they can really enhance. Nigeria is a major player in oil industry. We have a lot companies from oil industry, (involved in) explorations and exploitations. So, there are mines offshore and onshore.

What areas would you want to further develop cooperation?

(South) Korean companies like Daewoo have been here (in Nigeria) for over 30 years.

Different platforms such as oil mining and offshore mining.

They are heavily involved in that area. In other general areas like general telecommunications, (companies) such as LG is involved. They have been doing very well. (South) Korea has

developed from nothing. They have to commit. I believe any country that is committed to excellence and work hard, issues of corruptions are reduced. They

also have to make sacrifices.

Citizens must have to give sacrifice. If you are not into sacrifices, you cannot move forward. For any nation, nations with citizens (should be) ready to make sacrifices. I see Asian nations made a lot of sacrifices.

Issues of political stability is important for foreign investors. In terms of recent attacks, what measures are being taken?

Thank you for this question.

There is one key area that I want to emphasize. Nigeria is very, very green area for investors.

Before this time, during the military rule, you don’t know who is the next president. When the new government come, there is a new policy and those policies are not attractive to investors.

Basically from 1999 to date, we have established democratic government. I am the president during the transition. Before I took, I was vice president.

President was very ill and people thought there would be militaristic intervention. Today, we conducted election. Politically, we are stable. For investors, Nigeria has strong law and media.

No president can just change law that can effect investors.

Especially, we encourage investors.

In terms of security challenges, we have some parts of country we have terrorist attacks.

But it doesn’t affect the whole country. We are in reasonable

control. We have belief that in middle of this year. In terms of security of individual, we will have control in the middle of this year. (The danger) is limited to some part of the country. It doesn’t extend to other parts of country.

Other areas and public sector have been opened up. Agriculture producing raw material, and (other) area sectors have been opened. Not just in private airlines but airports, terminal buildings in other sectors. Oil sector has been opened from the beginning. We have very few chemical companies. It’s a area these companies can invest.

Before, telecommunication was monopoly until 2002.

Telecommunication has been opened up to other countries.

More Korean companies can invest in all aspect.

Which economic sector do you want to draw more investment?

I want investment in power sector. For now, we are quite low.

We want (South) Korean investors.

Recently, you have asked for an approval for a plan to borrow $7.9 billion for a pipeline project. Has there been any progress in the plan?

We need a lot of investment in pipeline investment. We have to convey parliament that huge investment is needed for hundreds of kilometers. It’s the area for (South) Korean companies Source: khj@yna.co.kr

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

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 29

Petina Gappah: The Storyteller from Easterly BOOK REVIEW

By Ikhide R. Ikheloa Nnamdi

Z

imbabwe’s writers have lately being taking me by the literary hand and lovingly showing me wondrous places in the heart of their country - using beautiful prose. I cannot get enough of their works, starting with the late great and greatly troubled Dambudzo Marechera, then Brian Chikwava and now Petina Gappah. Ah! I have just finished reading Petina Gappah’s An Elegy for Easterly published by Faber and Faber, Inc. and now I am in love with Zimbabwe. The streets of Zimbabwe keep patrolling my mind creating gentle vistas and memories of a beautiful place that refuses to go away despite the horrific efforts of President Robert Gabriel Mugabe. And Oh, what a book.

You should see this book. It is drop-dead gorgeous, an attractive spirit that stirs things in my heart and loins each time I spy it showing itself off on my coffee table. Quite simply, An Elegy for Easterly is a pretty book of gorgeous short stories and Gappah will probably end up being one of the smartest new writers to come out of Africa in a long time. I must say that her publisher, Faber and Faber knows how to put together a beautiful book.

The workmanship shows professionalism and pride in an output. I looked and looked and looked and I could not find a single editorial fault with the book. The result is, well, dropdead gorgeous. This is an attractive book, Africa as life, breathing deeply and richly out of its pretty cover, a book so pretty I was too intimidated to write notes on its pages.

In Gappah’s book, freshlybaked story-loaves fill my reading world with the complex smells of Zimbabwe.

And Africa, that persistent lover, comes calling again.

These are all tender stories told by a master story-teller. The brilliance of this book is its universality – short stories about Zimbabwe morph into a grand tour of our humanity.

Sadness and joy envelop issues that are common to all of us – disease, injustice, corruption, patriarchy, sexuality, etc. The prose in these stories is pretty and gently muscular, just throaty enough to still keep you hanging on to the edge of your seat. At the Sound of the Last Post is a well aimed catapult salvo of insults fired gleefully at the house of Robert Mugabe. Gappah’s words are pretty little daggers gently

The cover drawn, plunging lustily into the manhood of oppressive beasts. The sweet bitterness of her words extracts sweet victory from felled dictators.

Tart prose cuts everything in its path to bite-sized sniveling pieces as she expertly documents the circus that has hijacked authentic leadership in Zimbabwe, and by extension, much of Africa. Zimbabwe’s government is exposed as populated by buffoon-leaders goose-stepping to the pretty drum-beats of pretend rituals pilfered from more purposeful and serious societies.

In Gappah’s stories, we go to places of despair now owning only pretty names and precious little else. But comedy steals past filthy skirts of despair and it is really funny. The chaos is uniform and universal. It is too early to compare her to Jhumpa Lahiri but her debut book is on par with Lahiri’s latest, Unaccustomed Earth.

Indeed, where Lahiri is proprietary and almost insular (albeit in a disciplined way), Gappah expertly reaches out beyond the boundaries of Zimbabwe to speak to all of us.

The title story An Elegy for Easterly is an elegant, intimate story of a man hyper-dancing to the rhythm of Zimbabwe’s fading fortunes. It is quite simply beautiful, this story and it showcases Gappah’s intimate, loving mastery of the Zimbabwe landscape. The story At the Sound of the Last Post explodes with guns gently blazing at Zimbabwe’s handlers: “It is three months since inflation reached 3,000,325 percent per

annum, making billionaires of everyone, even maids and gardeners.” (p9).

Keep reading, gentle reader; the prose gets even more scrumptious, if that is possible.

Our Man in Geneva Wins a Million Euros is easily one of the funniest stories of greed fueled by need that I have ever read in my lifetime.

It is delectable and masterfully done. The main character is caught in a 419 money scam; told he has won a million Euros, he dreams of riches that he will use to quell the raging f i n a n c i a l demands of his nuclear and extended family. The story races breathlessly to a predictable end, but still leaves the reader sighing with an overwhelming sense of sadness and empathy for the victim,

Petina Gappah, the author

and us. Gappah is that good. It is easy to forget that like Zimbabwe, the characters in these stories mostly go nowhere fast.

The banality of impoverished existence haunts and poetry rises to sweetly ambush the reader already wary of sad Africa stories. And sad and haunting is the prosepoetry. Just when you think Africa has exhausted her store of sad stories, a fresh batch unearths itself. Is there an end to this?

The Maid from Lalapanzi is a heartbreaking love story, beautiful in its simplicity and in its complexity. The story spoke, in joyous prose, of a time when there were tight physical boundaries and it was easier to fight for freedom than to flee from terror. In this story Gappah warmly travels through the remains of Zimbabwe, planting seedstories of life. The heartbreak is of the good kind multiplied many times over and it in turn mass produced multiple sighs from my rugged heart. This writer is good. The Maid from Lalapanzi will stay with me for a very long time for it unleashed in me a warm gush of childhood and adolescent memories. I grinned as I read the love letters. Love blooms happily and lustily, even in the terror-infested weeds of

Zimbabwe. The love letters were penned Onitsha Market literature style: “My sweetheart Blandina… Time, fortune and opportunity have forced me to take up my hand to pen this missive to ask how you are pulling the wagons of existence and to tell you how much I love you. My heart longs for you like tea longs for sugar. I wish for you like meat wishes for salt, and I miss you like a postman would miss his bicycle…” (p139) Hilarious.

And sweet.

Meticulously researched details are important to Gappah. Not even the most private of details escapes her eyes. She notes everything including the invasiveness of the new commercialism: “The women from Johnson and Johnson had come to the school, and separated us from the boys so that they could tell us secrets about our bodies. They said the ovum would be released from the ovary and travel down the fallopian tube and, if it was not fertilized, it would be expelled every twenty-two to twentyeight days in the act of menstruation. It was an unsanitary time, they said, Our most effective weapon against this effluence was the arsenal of the sanitary products that Johnson and Johnson made with young ladies like us in mind, they said, because Johnson cared.” (p137) In this story, we witness crass commercialism promoting selfloathing to sell the excess of capitalism. Lovely.

It is fortunate and refreshing that Gappah’s stories do not follow the formulaic patterns favored by the story minting machines of MFA programs. However, there is probably enough to quibble about in the stories. Every now and then, Gappah tries too hard to end a story and it becomes an unwieldy elephant that has been wrestled down and lashed together with weak cords of incredulity. An Elegy for Easterly gathers her wrappers too tightly and clatters too quickly to an ungainly full stop. They say most writers begin with autobiographical stories. One or two of Gappah’s stories come across as fairly autobiographical. Also there are all these lovely stories that trick the reader into forgetting that sometimes, their key ingredient is their improbability. But so what?

Life can be improbable, life is an untidy mess.

Like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Gappah could be accused fairly or unfairly of spreading contempt for African men.

There is this persistent hint of misandry – the stories are populated by weak waves of weak men fashioning absurd rules to fit their anxieties.

That, plus her thinly veiled contempt for Mugabe exposes her to the charge a number of her stories are political statements masquerading as short stories. My verdict: I don’t care, I love this book.

Source: African Writer.com

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Reviewing The Time of Women E

lena Chizhova’s book “The Time of Women” weaves together the personal and historical struggles of mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and women who become sisters through ñircumstance in “a secret culture of resistance and remembrance”.

Life is not easy in the Soviet Union at mid-20 th century, especially for a factory worker who becomes an unwed mother. But Antonina is lucky to get a room in a communal apartment that she and her little girl share with three elderly women. Glikeria is a daughter of former serfs.

Ariadna comes from a wealthy family and speaks French.

Yevdokia is illiterate and bitter.

All have lost their families, all are deeply traditional, and all become “grannies” to little Suzanna. Only they secretly name her Sofia. And just as secretly they impart to her the history of her country as they experienced it: the Revolution, the early days of the Soviet Union, the blockade and starvation of World War II. The little girl responds by drawing beautiful pictures, but she is mute. If the authorities find out she will be taken from her home and sent to an institution.

When Antonina falls desperately ill, the grannies are faced with the reality of losing the little girl they love – a stepfather can be found before it is too late. And in this” time of women”, what they need is just a bit of kindness and cooperation from a man.

The Russian Booker Prize winning novel “The Time of Women” captures the atmosphere of a communal apartment of the early 1960s, where memories of starvation

and death in first cataclysmic half of the century, as well as the loss of their own children, have receded in the background of everyday worries – such as how to preserve flour from one season to the next, or how to afford a wool suit for the 7-year-old girl.

Here the author gives priority of voice to the grandmothers who having lost their families in the World War II siege of Leningrad and quietly tell their stories to the future writer during confidential conversations at home. Chizhova uses these scraps of stories to form base of her narrative, voicing the terrible facts of the siege in contrast to official versions from Soviet books.

The novel features a variety of characters representing a collage of Soviet society, which only seems to be equal and to treat all its citizens alike: the aristocracy, the clerisy, villagers secretly mocking communist ideals while hoping only for God’s help, low-level party officials, trade union members ardently loyal to the Soviet Union, factory workers just starting to believe in the benefits of Soviet society and hoping that one day it will actually be possible to have a washing machine at home.

The emotional tension of the book with its complicated narrative structure, transferring the speaking voice from one character to another, has aroused the interest of theater directors: it has been successfully realized as a play by the famous Moscow Sovremennik Theater “Contemporary” and the Saint Petersburg Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater.

The Time of Women has already won the hearts of the

readers in Italy and Bulgaria after the translation to their languages has become available.

Glagoslav Publications took a decisive step in bringing the novel to the

English-speaking audience. The book translated by Simon Patterson together with Nina Chordas.

Source: Glagoslav Publications

T

Kenechukwu K. Iloduba hails from Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State and holds a BSc Applied Mictobiology, Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism, Masters in Public Administration, and Masters of Science in Finance.

A passionate poet, Iloduba’s poems have been appeared in several local and foreign

K K Iloduba

Title: The

Devil now lives in Jos

(For our besieged city)

By By Toni Kan (i) The Devil lives in Jos And the language he speaks is hate He feeds on flesh and his drink of choice is blood He picks his teeth with the bones of innocents (ii) The Devil lives in Jos He walks with a hood He wields a scythe in his hands He is a young politician with hungry eyes A money bag with no scruples (iii) His thoughts are grim His schemes are evil He will not be at peace Until the city is a pile of rubble

The cover

March guest writer session features Ameh, Iloduba he tempo of the 2012 series of the Guest Writer Session will rise higher by several pulses on March 31 with Theresa Oyibo Ameh and K K Iloduba as the featured authors. An initiative of the Abuja Writers’ Forum (AWF) which started in June 2008 and has become the template for similar programmes nationwide, the Guest Writer Session holds by 4pm at the Pen and Pages Bookstore, Wuse 2, Abuja.

Teresa Ameh hails from Igalamela/ Odolu LGA of Kogi State and holds an NCE from the College of Education Katsina Ala and a BA in Library Sc/English from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Ms Ameh taught for seven years, possibly where she found the inspiration to write for children, before switching to a civil service career. A mother and philanthropist, she has five titles to her credit namely The Twins Visits, The Stepmother and other stories, Funmi the Polite Girl and other stories, Lessons from Aunty Talatu, and her most recent publication, The Only Son.

PEOPLES POEM OF THE WEEK

publications, and he has won prizes within and outside Nigeria. His debut poetry collection, In The Arms of Misery was voted by The Sun as one of the Top 30 books of 2007, while the book caught the attention of several reviewers.

In an article on the collection, Professor Mabel Evierhoma of the University of Abuja

Teresa Ameh

observes that though K K Iloduba is not an indigene of the Niger Delta, he shows through the poems how creativity can be used to mitigate the sundry challenges faced by humanity.

K K Iloduba resides in Abuja, is married to Sandra Onyebuchi Ibili and his second collection, Immortal Whispers is due off the press later in the year.

The 2012 series of the monthly Guest Writer Session took off on February 25th with the duo of Uche Ezechukwu and Steve Okecha in a highly entertaining and enlightening event that witnessed a large turnout.

Since its inception four years ago, the Guest Writer Session has been a consistent feature of the nation’s literary scene. The March 31, 2012 edition will include the usual side attractions of poetry performance, mini art exhibition, and a raffle-draw as well as live music. The Abuja Writer’s Forum meets three Sundays each month and hosts a reading on every last Saturday at the International Institute of Journalism and Pen and Pages respectively.

(iv) The Devil lives in Jos He walks the streets of Gada Biu And sharpens his sword in Farin Gada His eyes aflame with blood lust (v) The Devil lives in Jos He is the neighbor gone mad The friend who has turned bad The Devil, now, lives in Jos.

QUO TE UOTE

“Champions keep playing until they get it right.”

–– Billie Jean King.

PAGE 31

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

The roads leading to disaster ANALYSIS [Reflections] by Comrade Fidel Castro

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his reflection could be written today, tomorrow or any other day without the risk of being mistaken. Our species faces new problems.

When 20 years ago I stated at the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro that a species was in danger of extinction, I had fewer reasons than today for warning about a danger that I was seeing perhaps 100 years away. At that time, a handful of leaders of the most powerful countries were in charge of the world.

They applauded my words as a matter of mere courtesy and placidly continued to dig for the burial of our species.

It seemed that on our planet, common sense and order reigned. For a while economic development, backed by technology and science appeared to be the Alpha and Omega of human society.

Today, everything is much clearer. Profound truths have been surfacing. Almost 200 States, supposedly independent, constitute the political organization which in theory has the job of governing the destiny of the world.

Approximately 25,000 nuclear weapons in the hands of allied or enemy forces ready to defend the changing order, by interest or necessity, virtually reduce to zero the rights of billions of people.

I shall not commit the naïveté of assigning the blame to Russia or China for the development of that kind of weaponry, after the monstrous massacre at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ordered by Truman after Roosvelt's death.

Nor shall I fall prey to the error of denying the Holocaust that signified the deaths of millions of children and adults, men or women, mainly Jews, gypsies, Russians or other nationalities, who were victims of Nazism. For that reason the odious policy of those who deny the Palestinian people their right to exist is repugnant.

Does anyone by chance think that the United States will be capable of acting with the independence that will keep it from the inevitable disaster awaiting it?

In a few weeks, the 40 million dollars President Obama promised to collect for his electoral campaign will only serve to show that the currency of his country is greatly devaluated, and that

former Cuban leader, Fidel Castro

the US, with its unusual growing public debt drawing close to 20 quadrillion, is living on the money it prints up and not on the money it produces.

The rest of the world pays for what they waste.

Nor does anyone believe that the Democratic candidate would be any better or worse than his Republican foes: whether they are called Mitt Romney or Rick Santorum.

Light years separate the three characters as important as Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King.

It is really unheard-of to observe such a technologically powerful nation and a government so bereft of both ideas and moral values.

Iran has no nuclear weapons. It is being accused of producing enriched uranium that serves as fuel energy or components for medical uses.

Whatever one can say, its possession or production is not equivalent to the production of nuclear weapons. Dozens of countries use enriched uranium as an energy source, but this cannot be used in the manufacture of a nuclear weapon without a prior complicated purification

process.

However, Israel, with the aid and cooperation of the United States, manufactured nuclear weaponry without informing or accounting to anybody, today not admitting their possession of these weapons, they have hundreds of them.

To prevent the development of research in neighbouring Arab countries, they attacked and destroyed reactors in Iraq and Syria.

They have also declared their aim of attacking and destroying the production centres for nuclear fuel in Iran.

International politics have been revolving around that crucial topic in that complex and dangerous part of the world, where most of the fuel that moves the world economy is produced and supplied.

The selective elimination of Iran's most eminent scientists

by Israel and their NATO allies has become a practice that motivates hatred and feelings of revenge.

The Israeli government has openly stated its objective to attack the plant manufacturing Iran's enriched uranium, and the government of the United States has

“

Let us imagine US forces launching monstrous bombs on industrial institutions, capable of penetrating through 60 metres of concrete. Never has such an undertaking ever been conceived.

invested billions of dollars to manufacture a bomb for that purpose.

On March 16, 2012, Michel Chossudovsky and Finian Cunningham published an article revealing that "A top US Air Force General has described the largest conventional bomb - the re-invented bunkers of 13.6 tones - as 'fantastic' for a military attack on Iran.

"Such an eloquent comment on the massive killer-artefact took place in the same week that President Barack Obama appeared to warn against 'easy words' on the Persian Gulf War." "…Herbert Carlisle, deputy chief of staff for US Air Force operations […] added that probably the bomb would be used in any attack on Iran ordered by Washington.

"The MOP, also referred to as 'The Mother of All Bombs', is designed to drill through 60 metres of concrete before it detonates its massive bomb. It is believed to be the largest conventional weapon, nonnuclear, in the US arsenal."

"The Pentagon is planning a process of wide destruction of Iran's infrastructure and massive civilian victims through the combined use of tactical nuclear bombs and monstrous conventional bombs with mushroom-shaped clouds, including the MOABs and the larger GBU-57A/B or Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) that exceeds the MOAB in destructive capacity.

"The MOP is described as 'a powerful new bomb that aims straight at subterranean Iranian and North Korean nuclear facilities. The giant bomb -longer than 11 persons shoulder to shoulder, or more

than 6 metres from end to end'."

I ask the reader to excuse me for this complicated military jargon.

As one can see, such calculations arise from the supposition that the Iranian combatants, numbering millions of men and women well-known for their religious zeal and their fighting traditions, surrender without firing a shot.

In recent days, the Iranians have seen how US soldiers occupying Afghanistan, in just three weeks, urinated on the corpses of killed Afghans, burned copies of the Koran and murdered more than 15 defenceless citizens.

Let us imagine US forces launching monstrous bombs on industrial institutions, capable of penetrating through 60 metres of concrete. Never has such an undertaking ever been conceived.

Not one word more is needed to understand the gravity of such a policy. In that way, our species will be inexorably led towards disaster. If we do not learn how to understand, we shall never learn how to survive.

As for me, I harbour not the slightest doubt that the United States is about to commit and lead the world towards the greatest mistake in its history.

Fidel Castro Ruz is the former Cuban leader March 21, 2012 7: 35 PM

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 32

NewMalileaderdefendsmilitarycoup M ali's new military leader has defended last week's coup in the west African nation, saying the president he deposed had failed the country.

In an exclusive interview to Al Jazeera, army officer Amadou Sanogo also blamed the toppled government of not doing enough to deal with Tuareg fighters in the north.

"What drove us to end the rule of President Amadou Touare is the long-standing crisis in the north; the armed gangs are killing people and it became very difficult for the developmental programme to succeed, which left the army in a disastrous situation," Sanogo said.

"We've set up a technical team to look into possible solutions for the crisis in the north. War and military confrontation is not the preferred choice, and those in the north are our brothers and they can sit with us at the negotiating table," added Sanogo.

Sanogo had already said that he wanted to negotiate with the rebels, but he also promised to give the army what it needed to halt the insurgency.

Despite facing widespread criticism for the coup, Sanogo said he hoped the international community would accept the reasons for the takeover.

"We will send representatives to international organisations, as

Sudan summit suspended after border clashes

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Renegade Malian soldiers appear on television after seizing power, March 22, 2012.

well as to friendly countries, to explain the goals that drove us to carry this out," Sanogo said.

Renegade soldiers led by Sanogo had seized control of the capital Bamako and closed the country's borders on Wednesday, forcing President Touare to flee to an undisclosed location.

Yesterday, however, the new military leadership announced the opening of the main airport to civilians.

"The Malian airspace is open only for civilian transport from

today," Lieutenant Amadou Konare, a spokesman, said without giving further details.

The move came a day after about a thousand demonstrators, including members of youth movements and political parties, gathered in central Bamako to demand a return to constitutional order.

Some of the youth groups threatened to march on state TV and radio headquarters, which are under control of mutinous soldiers.

T he crowd chanted "down with Sanogo" and "liberate the ORTM," referring to the public broadcaster.

Several politicians addressed the crowd, including Soumaila Cisse, who was one of the favoured candidates for the April 29 presidential elections, which are looking increasingly uncertain after the coup.

He said the military should return to protecting Mali, especially as Tuareg rebels are atta cking towns in the north.

‌ECOWAS bloc mulls Mali suspension

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residents from eight West African nations studied yesterday a possible suspension of Mali's membership from the regional bloc ECOWAS to punish leaders of last week's military coup.

Domestic and international pressure is mounting on the newly-installed junta to give up power in what was seen as one of West Africa's strongest democracies, which is also facing a Tuareg rebellion in its desert north.

"We will need today to adopt a common position without equivocation on the political and military double-crisis in Mali," Ivory Coast President and current ECOWAS head Alassane Ouattara

said before talks in the Ivorian port Abidjan.

"Our position must consist of a series of actions to take quickly.

This position must also be a signal to Africa and the world that ECOWAS can address its problems and make decisions to reinforce stability, cohesion and unity."

An ECOWAS source said it was likely leaders would agree to suspend Mali from the grouping a largely symbolic measure intended to highlight the region's rejection of the coup. Other options include so-called targeted sanctions - travel bans or asset freezes - on individual coup leaders.

Presidents from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo,

Liberia, Niger, and Sierra Leone were also present. Goodluck Jonathan, president of regional military and economic powerhouse Nigeria, was absent, attending a nuclear conference in South Korea.

Soldiers ousted Mali President Amadou Toumani Toure last Wednesday after a mutiny sparked by soaring frustration in the army over the government's handling of a Tuareg rebellion in the desert north, where the military has faced a series of setbacks.

The army has complained it lacks the supplies and equipment needed to properly beat back the rebels, who have been reinforced by fighters and weapons from

Libya's war.

The coup risks derailing an election in Africa's third-largest gold miner scheduled for April in which Toure, in power since 2002, had no intention to run.

In the capital Bamako, the coup has sparked an anti-junta political and civil society movement, which has promised to pressure the junta to restore constitutional order through measures that may include a general strike.

Following a similar European Union move, the United States said on Monday it would suspend some aid to Mali after last week's coup, estimating $60-70 million may be affected, but stressed it would maintain food and humanitarian assistance.

resident Omar al-Bashir of Sudan has suspended an April summit with his southern counterpart Salva Kiir following renewed clashes between the two armies on the border.

"The government announced that it suspended Bashir's visit to Juba after the South Sudanese army attacked (the oil-rich territory of) Heglig," state radio reported early on yesterday. The two leaders had been due to meet on April 3.

Comments by South's Salva Kiir that his troops had taken the northern oil centre "reflected extreme hatred to Sudan," the official SUNA news agency quoted Abdullah Ali Massar, the information minister, as saying.

South Sudan had engaged in "deceptive and misleading acts" when it signed accords with Khartoum at African Union-led talks in Ethiopia, and when last week it invited Bashir to the summit, said Massar.

South Sudan, however, blamed its northern neighbour for the latest clashes.

"This morning the [Sudanese] air force came and bombed....areas in Unity state," Kiir said.

'It is a war that has been imposed on us again, but is they [Khartoum] who are looking for it," he said.

Unity State Minister of Information Gideon Gatpan said Sudan dropped at least three bombs near oil fields in the town of Bentiu. Gatpan said the extent of any damage wasn't immediately known.

Sall wins Senegal poll with 65.8 %

S

enegal's Macky Sall won his West African country's presidential election with 65.80 percent of the vote, which European observers said on Tuesday was credible and trouble-free.

Incumbent Abdoulaye Wade won 34.20 percent of the secondround vote.

The results read out by

Appeals Court President Demba Kandji on yesterday confirmed Sall's victory over the Wade, who had conceded defeat within hours of polls closing on Sunday.

They showed that Sall, who has the backing of other opposition parties, was able to more than double his 26.6 percent score obtained in the first round, while Wade stayed

near his 34.8 percent firstround score.

Kandji said voter turnout was at about 55 percent of over 5 million registered voters.

Thijs Berman, head of the European Union's observer mission, which had over 90 observers in Senegal, said the campaign and election was trouble-free except for some

minor incidents of vote buying and use of state resources by both sides.

"It was a credible vote and the result was accepted by all," Berman told a news conference in Dakar, adding that he hoped Senegal's example would spur soldiers who staged a military takeover in Mali last week to go back to barracks.

Omar al-Bashir had agreed to meet with his southern counterpart in order to ease tensions between the two

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 33

Syria ‘accepts’ Annan plan to end strife

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he Syrian government has agreed to accept the sixpoint plan by joint UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan on ending the violence in Syria, the former UN chief's spokesman has said.

"The Syrian government has written to the joint special envoy Kofi Annan, accepting his six-point plan, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council," spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi said in a statement on yesterday.

"Mr Annan views this as an important initial step that could bring an end to the violence and the bloodshed, provide aid to the suffering, and create an environment conducive to a political dialogue that would fulfil the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people," he added.

Annan, who is in China to seek Beijing's support for his peace proposal, had written to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad asking Damascus to "put its commitments into immediate effect".

His plan calls on Assad to withdraw troops and heavy weapons from protest hubs, a daily two-hour humanitarian ceasefire, access to all areas affected by the

fighting and a UN-supervised halt to all clashes.

The opposition had earlier dismissed Annan's initiative as an opportunity for the government to continue its repression.

Al Jazeera's Rula Amin reporting from Beirut said: "The acceptance by Syria of the plan is very significant, but the question will be if the Syrian opposition now accepts it."

Annan's office also announced China's decision to back Annan's plan after the envoy held talks with Wen Jiabao, the Chinese prime minister.

China, along with Russia drew international criticism earlier this year for blocking a UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria's deadly crackdown on antigovernment protests.

The former UN secretarygeneral's visit to Beijing came amid continued shelling of the city of Homs by Syrian troops.

Syria's state-run news agency meanwhile said Assad had travelled to the Baba Amr neighbourhood in Homs, a former opposition group stronghold that troops recaptured after a fierce assault.

Kofi Annan, left, has secured the support of China and Russia for his peace plan

Former IMF chief, Strauss-Kahn, could face 20 years in prison for ‘complicity in pimping’

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he troubled former head of the IMF Dominique Strauss-Kahn is once again facing criminal charges.

He was last night charged with 'complicity in pimping in a vice ring' - an offence which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

Two judges in Lille spent up to ten hours questioning the 62year-old former International Monetary Fund chief about his links with prostitutes in the city in northern France.

Women's selling themselves for sex is not illegal in France, but pimping is.

The allegation is that StraussKahn was knowingly using prostitutes paid for by two businessmen who were illegally using company funds to organise orgies in Europe and America.

'Complicity in pimping in a vice ring' covers the allegation that he knew that the prostitutes he was using were being funded indirectly by a major French company.

This would have meant that Strauss-Kahn was effectively complicit in the pimping which was being carried out by the vice ring.

The offence of 'complicity in pimping' is aggravated if carried out within an organised gang and carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and a fine equivalent to £2.4million.

Strauss-Kahn's lawyer Richard Malka said last night that his client

was accused of procuring prostitutes and involvement in an 'organised gang'.

He is now formally under 'judicial control', which means he cannot leave France and has to report to police regularly.

Once tipped as a possible Socialist Party candidate for French president, Strauss-Kahn admits sleeping with women he met at lavish parties organised by 'friends' but insists he had no idea they were prostitutes.

Mr Malka said: 'He firmly declares that he is not guilty of these acts and never had the least inkling that the women he met could have been prostitutes.'

Strauss-Kahn was initially due to appear before judges in Lille tomorrow, but they brought the summons forward to yesterday.

This is thought to be because his lawyers were due in court in New York tomorrow, where he faces a civil case for attempted rape.

Strauss-Kahn arrived at the Palais de Justice at around noon yesterday and was released on bail just before 10pm.

He has had to pay a bail bond of £80,000 - 100,000 euros - and is not allowed to speak to others charged, to witnesses or to the Press.

Last year Strauss-Kahn was accused of attempted rape twice once by a hotel chambermaid in New York, and also by a Paris writer.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn and his wife Anne, who stood by him during rape charges charges last year

… His lawyers to contest investigation

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awyers for disgraced former IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn said on yesterday he was being hounded for his "libertine ways" and that they would challenge a judicial inquiry where he is suspected of participating in pimping in France.

Strauss-Kahn's French lawyers hit back after an overnight announcement that he had been formally put under investigation in a prostitution scandal in the northern city of Lille, on counts that could expose their client to up to 20 years in jail.

"We are convinced a great

injustice has been committed," said Strauss-Kahn's lawyer, Henri Leclerc.

Investigators are looking into whether the 62-year-old was aware he was dealing with prostitutes and pimps when attending sex parties in Lille, Paris and Washington in 2010 and 2011 that were organised by business acquaintances in the region.

Leclerc said Strauss-Kahn - a former finance minister and globe-trotting head of the International Monetary Fund had participated in two or three "libertine gatherings" a year over five years, "with friends,

and women who were friends of his friends."

Even if Strauss-Kahn, who is married to the popular journalist Anne Sinclair, knew the women were prostitutes, it would not be illegal in France to pay for their services.

However, magistrates are investigating whether he participated in "complicity in a pimping operation."

Such accusations were "nauseating," said Leclerc.

"Everyone can say whatever they want about the moral side of it. But that doesn't mean it's forbidden anywhere in the penal code," he said.

PAGE 34

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Britain, Argentina clash over “nuclear sub� comment

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spat broke out between Britain and Argentina at a nuclear security summit in Seoul yesterday when Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman accused an "extra-regional power" of sending a submarine capable of carrying nuclear weapons to the South Atlantic.

Tensions between Britain and Argentina have risen as the 30th anniversary approaches of Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands in the far South Atlantic that was repulsed by a British task force after a 10-week conflict that killed 650 Argentine and 255 British troops.

Britain took Timerman's

accusation personally, prompting Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to rewrite his speech at the summit and open with a denial.

"I'm afraid I'm duty bound to respond to the insinuations made by the Argentinean delegation of militarisation of the South Atlantic by the British Government," he said.

"These are unfounded, baseless insinuations."

London has refused to start talks on sovereignty over the Falklands unless the 3,000 islanders call for them, which they show no signs of doing.

Argentina complained to the United Nations in February over what it called Britain's

"militarisation" of the South Atlantic after London announced plans to dispatch a

Navy destroyer to the area and it criticised the posting of Prince William - second-in-line

to the British throne - to the islands as a military search-andrescue pilot.

Al Jazeera not to air French killings video

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l Jazeera has said it will not air a video that it received showing three shooting attacks in Toulouse and Montauban in southern France this month.

The network on Tuesday said the video did not add any information that was not already in public domain. It also did not meet the television station's code of ethics for broadcast.

The video shows the attacks in chronological order, with audible gunshots and voices of the killer and the victims. But it does not show the face of the confessed murderer, Mohammed Merah, and it does not contain a statement from him.

Merah appeared to be acting alone in the video, entitled "Al Qaeda attaque la France" - meaning "AlQaeda attacks France".

The 23-year-old Frenchman of Algerian descent, who said he was inspired by al-Qaeda, admitted to killing three soldiers, three Jewish children and a rabbi in a spate of shootings that sent shockwaves through France.

Merah boasted of filming his killings and witnesses told police that he appeared to be wearing a video camera in a chest harness.

The Paris prosecutor in charge of the case confirmed last week that the Merah had filmed each of the shootings.

French police said on Monday they had copies of the videos, shot by Merah during the series of killings, which had been sent on a USB

memory stick to Al Jazeera's office in Paris.

The package, which also contained a letter written in poor French with spelling and grammar errors, was dated March 21 - the day police surrounded Merah in his apartment in Toulouse after a massive manhunt.

Zied Tarrouche, Al Jazeera's Paris bureau chief, said the images were a bit shaky but of a high technical quality. He also said the video had clearly been manipulated after the fact, with religious songs and recitations of Quranic verses laid over the footage.

"Investigators are trying to find out whether the letter was posted [last] Tuesday night by Mohamed Merah himself or by an accomplice Wednesday morning," Le Parisien daily newspaper reported.

The French newspaper Le Figaro reported that the package containing the video files was sent from a southern suburb of Toulouse, and a French official close to the investigation has said it was not sent

by Merah.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in mid-campaign for re-election, urged television networks on Tuesday not to broadcast the video. Family members of the victims also asked that the footage not be aired.

"I ask the managers of all television stations that might have these images not to broadcast them in any circumstances, out of respect for the victims - out of respect for the Republic," Sarkozy said.

Residents pass near a boarded balcony of the building where police staged an assault on Merah in Toulouse

South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak (R) shakes hands with Argentina's Foreign Minister Hector Timerman as he arrives for a working dinner at the Nuclear Security Summit at the Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX) in Seoul March 26, 2012.

Arab League summit opens in Iraq with talks about economy, water concerns

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rought and uprisings are threatening to undermine the Middle East's economy, Arab officials said yesterday as they discussed plans to boost the region's stability at the start of a key summit in Baghdad.

For the first time in a generation, leaders from 21 states gathered in Iraq for the Arab League's annual summit. Iraq is hoping the summit will better integrate its Shiite-led government into the Sunni-dominated Arab world, and it has deployed thousands of soldiers and police

across Baghdad to prevent insurgent threats from upending it.

Economic ministers from across the Arab world are looking at ways to develop tourism and ensure access to increasingly strapped water supplies in the region to boost economic stability in their countries.

The ministers tentatively agreed to cooperate on proposals for tourism and to deal with water shortages and natural disasters.

The proposals, put forward at the summit's opening meeting, still

need to be approved by the rulers and heads of government on the final day of the gathering Thursday.

"We are suffering mainly from the lack of finance and some technical problems," Arab League SecretaryGeneral Nabil Elaraby said at the economic ministers' meeting.

As in Iraq, where the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers are drying up, water resources also are strapped elsewhere across the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates and Jordan say their ground water is rapidly depleting, and the Dead Sea is drying up.

World leaders vow to confront nuclear threat

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orld leaders attending a summit in the South Korean capital Seoul have pledged strong action and closer co-operation to combat the threat of nuclear terrorism.

In a statement issued at the end of the two-day 53-nation nuclear summit, the leaders reaffirmed "shared goals of nuclear disarmament, nuclear proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy".

"Nuclear terrorism continues to be one of the most challenging threats to international security," it said.

"Defeating this threat requires strong national measures and international cooperation given its potential global, political, economic, social and psychological consequences."

The statement welcomed "substantive progress" on national commitments made at the first nuclear security summit in Washington in 2010.

Before the summit concluded, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said nuclear terrorism remained a "grave threat", while US President Barack Obama said action was important.

Chinese President Hu Jintao urged the group to work together on the issue.

"The planned missile launch North Korea recently announced would go against the international community's nuclear nonproliferation effort and violate UN Security Council resolutions."

While the official agenda of the summit was to strengthen measures to track the movement of nuclear materials worldwide, much of the dialogue focussed on efforts to get North Korea to back off a planned rocket launch scheduled for next month and return to disarmament talks.

North Korea announced earlier this month that it would send a satellite into space aboard a long-range rocket.

Pyongyang has said the launch is part of its peaceful space programme and says a new southern flight path is meant to avoid other countries. Previous rockets have been fired over Japan.

The secretive North was widely criticised on the sidelines of the meeting, including by main ally China, but host Seoul has explicitly stated Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction programmes were off the table during the summit itself.

Yesterday, a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said that the launch would go ahead as planned.

North Korea ''will never give up the launch of a satellite for peaceful purposes''', the spokesman said in a statement in the official KCNA news agency.

A report by the KCNA also described the ''weather satellite'' Pyongyang planned to launch as useful for ''the study of weather forecast needed for agriculture and other economic fields''.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 35

Woman killed workmate then used semen from brothel to make it look as though she'd been raped and murdered ·María Ángeles Molina had racked up •1million debts in Ana Páez’s name ·Lured her ‘friend’ to Barcelona apartment, then drugged and killed her

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Spanish businesswoman killed her workmate and then injected the semen of male prostitutes into her mouth and vagina to make it look as if she had been raped and murdered.

María Ángeles Molina was jailed for 22 years yesterday for the grisly crime committed to cover up identify theft and plot to steal •1million in an insurance scame.

The killer, known as Angie, lured her friend Ana Páez to a Barcelona apartment she had fraudulently rented in her victim’s name just three days before.

She sedated her friend before placing a plastic bag over her head and sealing it with gaffer tape.

To make it look like her victim had been raped, Molina then injected the semen, which she had obtained from a brothel.

The elaborate cover-up came after Molina had stolen Páez’s identity and used it to take out bank loans and insurance policies worth •1million in her name.

She was pictured on CCTV entering a bank, wearing a wig, to withdraw •600 from an account in her victim’s name.

Barcelona High Court yesterday sentenced Molina to 22 years in prison. It noted ‘she took advantage of her friendship to steal ID documents with the intention of gaining economic benefit’.

She was given 18 years for the murder, which took place on February 19, 2008, and a further four years for fraud.

The court heard that, to gain an alibi, Molina travelled to Zaragoza in a Porsche to recover the ashes of her father.

When she returned to the Catalan capital she carried out her sickening crime.

Police searching her home found an unopened bottle of chloroform and an insurance policy in Páez’s name.

And Molina’s boyfriend at the time also passed police Páez’s original passport and ID card which he found stashed behind Molina’s bathroom cistern. Molina denied the charges and said she was out shopping at the time of the murder. She told the court: ‘Without yoghurts or condensed milk I am nothing.’

But the court ruled: ‘The amount and the relevance of the evidence, amply accredited, leave no doubt as to the identity of the killer.’

Jailed: María Ángeles Molina killed her workmate before injecting the semen of male prostitutes into her mouth and vagina to make it look as if she had been raped and murdered

One smart phone... one daft driver: Motorist uses 2p elastic band instead of £7 hands-free kit (but is he on to something?)

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A driver was captured using a novel - and perhaps rather precarious - hands free kit in his car by amateur photographer Peter Loft

or most motorists who need to chat and drive, the procedure is simple: shell out a few pounds on a hands-free kit.

But this chap had a different idea: liberate a large elastic band from the office stationery cupboard, strap it on your head and wedge your smartphone under it.

No doubt it left him with a red mark across his forehead.

And if stopped by the police, he could have found himself with three penalty points on his licence.

The picture was taken by amateur photographer Peter Loft, 62, in the village of Patrington, near Hull.

Mr Loft said: ‘This bloke drove past me and started to pull into a car park and I caught sight of this thing on his head out of the corner of my eye.

‘My first thought was, “What the hell is that?”. But when I looked a bit closer I

realised that it was a phone on the side of his head and there was an elastic band keeping it there.

‘He was just finishing up a conversation. I’d never seen anything like that before. It looked pretty odd.’

It is illegal to drive while using a hand-held mobile phone. Hands-free kits using an earpiece cost as little as £7.

Ellen Booth, of road safety group Brake, suspects the police would take a dim view of the elastic band alternative.

‘I would suggest that it’s even more dangerous than simply holding a phone in your hand because this is a very complicated manoeuvre,’ she said.

A spokesman for the Department for Transport said it would be for a court to decide if the motorist was driving illegally in this case.

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Dangerous viral infections ‘could be used in war against cancer’ D

angerous viral infections could be the latest weapon in the war against cancer.

Specially tailored infections could soon be used to help tackle the deadly disease and stop the cancer cells dividing.

Scientists in America have been trying to create viruses that are weak so they don’t damage healthy cells but strong enough to destroy cancer cells.

Dr Robert Martuza, chief neurosurgeon at the Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of neuroscience at Harvard Medical School, told the New York Times: ‘It’s a very exciting time. I think it will work out in some tumor, with some virus’.

Doctors have known that

viruses can weaken cancer since the turn of the century.

However, early efforts to use this knowledge to cure patients largely failed as recovery was only temporary and sometimes sufferers died of the infection.

Research into cures then shifted to other treatments.

But now following new understanding about genetics and how viruses and cancers work together, doctors have realised that specially tailored viruses might be the answer.

At the moment several potential cancer-fighting viruses are in trials.

A form of the herpes virus is being tested on skin cancer, and vaccinia, the virus used to protect against smallpox is being

There are flu-like side effects to the viruses, however doctors say these are much easier to manage than the effects of chemotherapy

D

rinking coffee regularly can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by keeping caffeine levels in the blood topped up, new research shows.

Scientists who tracked elderly patients over a four year period found those with the highest levels of the stimulant in their bloodstream at the start of the study were less likely to suffer the brainwasting disease.

Volunteers who remained healthy had twice as much caffeine circulating in their systems as those who progressed to the early stages of dementia, according to researchers at the University of South Florida.

The findings, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, support previous studies which showed drinking three cups of a coffee a day can significantly reduce the risk of the incurable illness.

Researchers think caffeine may work by triggering a chain reaction in the brain that prevents the damage done by Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s affects an estimated 750,000 people in the UK and the number is expected to grow as the population lives longer.

Most die within ten years of being diagnosed, and the cost of caring for victims is more than stroke, heart disease and cancer put together.

Specially tailored infections - like the herpes virus pictured - could soon be used to help tackle the deadly disease tested on liver cancer, which is manage than the effects of In 1990 a virologist in the third cause of cancer deaths chemotherapy.

Chicago discovered that when a across the world.

Dr Martuza began looking at particular gene in herpes was Other viruses are being tested how the herpes virus could fight removed it slowed the growth of against bladder, head and neck cancer in 1991. cancer cells. cancers.

He injected the a weakened Six years later another In one trial the survival time form of the virus into mice with virologist adapted the herpes for some patients doubled. brain cancer and the disease in virus again and found a way There are flu-like side effects the rodents went into remission. that it did not attack the to the viruses, however doctors However, they died of immune system. say these are much easier to encephalitis.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Drinking coffee regularly can reduce risk of Alzheimer’s ‘by boosting caffeine levels in blood’ The disease destroys chemical messengers within the brain and starts with the build-

up of deposits - called plaques and tangles - that can disrupt normal messaging systems by

causing inflammation.

Around 70 million cups of coffee are consumed every day

Coffee morning: Caffeine appears to trigger a protective reaction in the brain

in the UK. To see if caffeine in beverages had a protective effect on the brain, scientists recruited 124 men and women aged between 65 and 88.

They had blood tests to assess their caffeine levels and were then tracked for up to four years to see how many developed mild cognitive impairment, regarded as an early sign of dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The results showed those who went on to develop mild cognitive impairment had caffeine levels at the start of the study that were 51 per cent lower than volunteers who remained mentally healthy.

In a report on their findings the researchers said: ‘Coffee would appear to be the major or perhaps only source of caffeine for such stable patients.

‘This case-control study provides the first direct evidence that caffeine/coffee intake is associated with a reduced risk, or delayed onset, of dementia.’

Other recent studies suggest a daily coffee can ward off depression in women and even slash the risk of a stroke by a quarter.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 37

PDP will bounce back in Yobe state, says new PDP chairman INTERVIEW

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ow would you describe the process that led to your emergence as the State Chairman of the PDP in Yobe state?

First of all I’m very grateful to Almighty Allah for securing our life to witness all the congresses from ward level through to the National level, and with the caliber of people we have in our exco, and with God on our side, we shall succeed. Actually, there have been strong forces against my aspiration as the Chairman of the party in the State so I’m going to dedicate my first year in office on reconciliations. We will sit down with all the aggrieved members of our party who at some point are not happy with one things or the other. We will follow each one of them to their houses and solicit for their support in order to forge ahead as an indivisible, strong and united party. Together we will consolidate the party’s position and entrench genuine and strong PDP that will flush out the ruling ANPP in the State.

Indeed, I’m overwhelmed by the confidence reposed in me by the delegates and I’m assuring them that with this new mandate I will rededicate myself toward greater success of the party. I will bring into the PDP leadership, a level of maturity that will strengthen the party and keep it in a winning position in all elections in the State. I agree that there are teething problems in the party but with collective ideas we will succeed. I will ensure internal party democracy in the party and a level playing ground for all aspirants so that the best candidate will emerge in every position; the best candidate that will fly the party’s flag at any election. I’m therefore soliciting for the continuous loyalty and support of the entire party member in the state so that we will succeed.

Hon. Shettima Lawan Gana Karasuwa is the newly elected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in Yobe state. In this interview with Umar Mohammed, he speaks on the challenges ahead even as he admits that there are divisions in the party in that state; the task of cementing the divisions and uniting the aggrieved members of the party in the state in readiness for future election rests squarely on his ability to pilot the affairs of the state in the next four years, he submits. Excerpts: God’s willing, I have the support of the stakeholders of the party in the state who are helping me in a great deal to move thae party forward.

But there are allegations that the congress did not hold as scheduled and that you were just imposed on the people against their wish?

The issue of imposition does not arise in political settings these days especially in this era, because politics is an open game.

What happen in Yobe is not something new. In politics, there is always a winner and a loser; and there is no way you can have election, no matter how transparent it may be, without someone complaining about one thing or the other. You cannot just close them and do something to the detriment of the people.

No, the way and manner we emerge is something that is open to everyone in the state. Like any other state congress, the PDP representative from the national headquarters of the party were there and have testified that the election was free and fair; so the issue of imposition does not arise.

Your party, the PDP is an opposition party in the State.

Hon. Shetima Lawan Gana Karasuwa

For sometime now, the party have been trying to capture power from the ruling ANPP; what innovation are you bringing that will checkmate the ruling party in the state?

Like I said with God all things are possible. First there is need us to have a united,

“

I will make sure I bring my wealth of experience and that of the leaders of the party so we can achieve that. The PDP in the State has reached a level of maturity that can only be consolidated. So I have been a party man and I will consolidate the gains of the party

viable party and also to have organized structure that will stand the test of time. When you know where the problem is, you have a way of solving it; the worst is that if you don’t know where the problem is. I will make sure I bring my wealth of experience and that of the leaders of the party so we can achieve that. The PDP in the State has reached a level of maturity that can only be consolidated. So I have been a party man and I will consolidate the gains of the party.

With the strong commitment from our party’s elders and their unflinching support coupled with the teeming support we enjoy across the state, come 2015, Insha Allah, PDP will this time around be the party to beat.

We will work tirelessly to ensure that this dream comes true,

even though the task is enormous. But like I said, we will succeed Insha Allah. The people of Yobe state are tired of the ANPP and all its unfulfilled promises; they are now looking unto the PDP and we will be there for them because we have all it takes to not only rule the state but to change the way the people of the State are governed by the ANPP. We will change that; we will transform the state in line with Mr. President Transformation agenda. We have identified our lapses. PDP in Yobe state is waxing stronger and on the right track for future elections; we will Insha Allah bounce back.

How can you describe the process that led to the emergence of the new PDP National Chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and other members of the Executive Council?

Whether we like it or not, there is no match with the PDP from the state level to the National. You have witnessed how our National Congress went smoothly without any problem. In the spirit of brotherhood, lots of candidates have to withdraw their candidature to give way for the emergence of the consensus candidates. That is PDP for you; we are one indivisible and united family all over the country. The aspirants, who withdrew from contest, said their withdrawal was in the interest of the party as well as the unity of members of the PDP. That is why PDP will continue to rule this country because it is the only party that cuts across the length and breadth of this nation.

Group condemns PDP National convention From Bayo Alabira, Jos

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political group known as Eyes on Democracy of Nigeria (EDON), has condemned the conduct of the recently concluded congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from the ward to the national level, describing it as a setback to Nigeria's democracy.

In a statement issued yesterday in Jos, Plateau state, the group's National Coordinator, Comrade Haruna Maihula said the manner the congresses were conducted where delegates were not allowed to vote aspirants of their choice, while some aspirants were even denied the lawful right of participating in the

congresses, was a bad omen for the country's democracy.

Maihula said the group had envisaged free, fair, transparent and credible congresses throughout the nation, "but to our dismay, what we witnessed is the worst of the congresses ever conducted at the local, states and the national levels in the history of this

party".

The statement further said that the selection process that brought in the new executives of the party, particular the national chairman was a clear contravention of the party's Constitution and by extension a negation of the tenets of true democracy.

Lamenting further, he said, "

a situation where a particular seat for the national chairmanship and other positions of the party are conceded to geopolitical zones of the country, but only for aspirants contesting for positions to be forced to withdraw in the name of 'consensus' was nothing but further adulteration of the nation's democracy".

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Anambra now a PDP state – Andy Uba

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he Senator-elect for Anambra South Senatorial District, Mr. Andy Uba, has said that his victory in the recent rerun election was an indication that "Anambra is now a PDP state."

INEC on Tuesday declared Uba the winner of the re-run election, arising from the nullification of the result of an earlier contest in April 2011 by the Court of Appeal in Enugu..

Uba polled 42,804 votes to

defeat the APGA candidate, Mr Chuma Nzeribe, who scored 40,678 votes.

Answering questions from newsmen in Abuja on Monday, Uba said his victory did not come cheap as he contested the election not only against Nzeribe but also against Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra. ``I have to thank God because if not for him, I would not have won that election. I ran the election with the governor,

not the candidate. The arsenal I saw in that election was huge.

“The governor put in everything he had. All the state apparatuses were used; the Commissioners, President of town union, people in local government, the House, all of them moved down to my Senatorial zone.''

Uba said he expected the governor to congratulate him which he failed to do until he (Uba) called him to reassure him

of his support.

He, however, said that he had put all that happened behind him and was prepared to work with the governor for the good of the state.

“Now that election is over I expected the governor to call me and congratulate me but I called him. That was what I did last time when I lost.

“I called him and congratulated him. People were going to court but I did not. I told

him I was ready to work with him. I am ready to work with the governor.

“I have told him to forget party affiliation and look at the people we are trying to serve so that we can come together to help the state.''

Uba said he would continue to work for the progress of his constituency, Anambra and the country in general.

“I will continue what I was doing in the Senate.''

Ondo Assembly pledges commitment to people’s interest L-R: Former Speaker, House Representatives, Oladimeji Bankole, exchanging pleasantries with Jigawa state Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention, recently in Abuja.

ByLawrenceOlaoyewithagencyreports

O

ndo state House of Assembly has said that it was committed to adequate representation of the people for improved governance and better living.

Chief Oyebo Aladetan, the Assembly’s spokesman, said this in an interview with the News Agency Nigeria (NAN) in Akure.

Aladetan said that the Assembly was working on some executive and private bills that would facilitate better living standard for the people.

He assured the people that they (lawmakers) would be upright in discharging their responsibilities to the people.

“Before we take any decision on any matter that will directly or indirectly affect our people both at the parliamentary or plenary session, we make sure that we take good care of our people’s interest and that of the state as a whole,” he assured.

He said that plans were under way to broadcast live proceedings on the floor of the House so that the people of the state would be better informed about their activities.

The spokesman commended the relationship between the executive and the legislature, stressing that such harmony would facilitate development and provide the enabling environment for governance. ”The legislature will not hesitate to make every good law that will sustain the peace, love and harmony in our political life as a people.”

The spokesman also commended the state government for approving N22,000 minimum wage for public workers in the state even when the statutory minimum wage was N18,000.

He called on the workers to reciprocate the goodwill of the government and give their support to the present administration for better living and working conditions among workers.

One man, one vote will work in 2015, says PDP Youth Leaders From Iliya Garba, Minna

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he newly elected National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Garba Umoru, has said that the principle of one man one vote will work in 2015 general election.

He made this known yesterday in Minna in a press briefing, saying that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was ready to eliminate all forms of

political thugrery which has symbolized the previous elections.

Umoru however called on parents to always discourage their children from being used as thugs during and after the election by those who do not have the interest of the party at heart.

The Youth leader said that PDP was set to pursue aggressive youth employment programmes that will ensure that the segment of the society

often deployed as thugs are gainfully employed to the extent that political thuggery would become history in the society.

He said that under the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan and particularly the 2012 budget government will engage at least 10,000 youths from each of the 36 states of the federation and Abuja.

"We will also continue with

the sensitization of youths and hold regular workshops and seminars for them, youths will be made to realise their potentials", Umoru said.

The youth leader made it clear that it has become very important for the youth segment of the society to now participate in all the election process by contesting for positions either within the political parties or at general elections.

Jega says knowledge sharing will improve electoral processes in Africa

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rof essor Attahiru Jega, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said that knowledge sharing among African electoral management agencies will improve the electoral processes in the continent.

Jega said this recently in Abuja during the opening of the conference on Knowledge sharing among African Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs).

According to him, the conference will serve as an opportunity to establish a network of peer learning, knowledge sharing and networking among EMBs in Africa.

The INEC chair said it would also provide a framework for

accumulating best practices and standards that will guide elections in the continent.

He affirmed that it was necessary to share the success stories and experiences, adding that it was crucial to improving electoral processes in the continent.

“Sharing these experiences will offer an opportunity to establish a network of peer learning, knowledge sharing and networking among election management bodies in Africa.

“Secondly it will offer a system of peer review and mutual assistance among the EMBs. In this way, electoral processes in the continent could be better served.

“Finally, it will provide a

frame work for accumulating best practices and standard that will guide elections on the continent.’’

The INEC boss stated that the conference would identify cardinal features of managing African elections, challenges, emerging best practices and lessons for future elections in the continent.

Jega noted that INEC hoped to replicate the best practices in other countries to improve the conduct of elections in the region.

He said the commission would take into account each country’s peculiar, socio-political and economic situation.

The INEC chief quoted the International Federation for Electoral Systems (IFES) as saying that between January and December 2012, 46 different

elections will take place across Africa.

“This year alone 25 countries on the continent have either scheduled or have already conducted elections.’’

Similarly, Rep Jerry Manwe, the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Election Matters, pointed out the need for amendment of laws to strengthen electoral process in the country.

“We are collaborating with INEC to ensure the amendment of all relevant sections of the electoral law that would be a hindrance to strengthening electoral processes.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 26 countries are participating in the two-day conference.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 39

Reps tackle foreign firms over casualisation of workers

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he House of Representatives yesterday expressed determination to tackle foreign firms operating in the country with casual workers.

It was confirmed that yesterday's step was considered as urgent by the House going by

Ownership: ACN lauds Supreme Court decision on LAUTECH

several allegations that such casualised workers are always placed under unfavourable working conditions with cases bordering on Human Rights abuses pending before the House it and the Nigeria Police.

The House accused firms with origin in China, Japan, India, Korea and other Asian nations of taking advantage of the foreign investment drive of Nigeria to enslave her citizens.

According to the House, due to non-compliance of existing legislation, many Nigerians working for expatriate Asians have unjustly suffered untimely death and permanent disabilities.

To address the trend, House Committees on Employment, Labour and Productivity have been mandated to investigate internal complaints emanating from such firms.

It also directed the Committees to, within four weeks ascertain performance or otherwise of the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in respect of the unethical policy.

According to the motion sponsored by Rep Yusuf Ayo Tajudeen (Kogi PDP), Asianowned multinational firms are currently taking advantage of the ineffectiveness of the

regulatory bodies in the country.

It lamented that while Nigerian workers in such employment are lowly paid, their employers have serially violated various health and safety provisions of the Factory Act. It also blamed the Labour Ministry for not living up to responsibility in the enforcement of its powers, as enshrined in the Labour Act of 2004.

It will be recalled that Section 7 (1) of the Labour Act expressly states that every worker in Nigeria must be protected, while Factory Act provides that Directors of Factories and Labour Ministry must embark on periodic inspection of firms to guarantee safety.

T

he Osun chapter of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), in Osogbo yesterday lauded the Supreme Court judgment which affirmed the joint ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.

The Supreme Court, led by Justice Dahiru Musdapher the Chief Justice of Nigeria, on Monday affirmed that the university was jointly owned by Oyo and Osun states.

The university which was established by the old Oyo State Government in 1990, has been a subject of dispute between the two states.

Mr Kunle Oyatomi, ACN Director of Information and Strategy, in a statement in Osogbo described the judgment as laudable.

Oyatomi said the judgment would restore sanity in the institution and create an avenue for the owner states to work together for its progress.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls the Osun attorneygeneral and commissioner for justice instituted the case against Oyo state during the administration of former Gov. Adebayo Alao-Akala.

The Oyo state Government had called for asset sharing between the two states in respect of the university.

The Osun Government contested the unilateral decisions of Oyo State over the university under Section 2 and Section 15 of LAUTECH Law, 1990 (as amended).

The plaintiff (Osun) sought an order setting aside and declaring null and void all steps, actions, directions, orders and commands unilaterally taken by its Oyo State counterpart on the university.

The decisions related the appointment of principal officers, personnel, finances, fixed and floating assets of the university, which normally should be endorsed by the two state governments.

Alhaji Yusuf Ali (SAN), Counsel to the Osun Government had argued that the two states from the outset agreed to jointly own and manage the university in line with the dream of the founding fathers.

Also, Mr Adebayo Ojo, Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, had also confirmed that the joint ownership agreement was endorsed by both state governments.

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character, Senator Awaisu Kuta, members of the committee, Senator Babajide Omowarare, and Senator Bello Tukur, during a public hearing on federal character and inter-governmental affairs organised by the committee at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Edo assembly passes information and Adamawa Assembly communication agency bill into law

T

he Edo State House of Assembly yesterday in Benin passed a bill to establish the Edo State Information and Communication Technology Agency.

This followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Information, Youths and Sports.

Presenting the report to the assembly, the Chairman of the committee,Mr Adjoto Kabiru said the agency would create employment for the people, if the

bill was passed.

It said the agency would be headed by a Managing Director and six directors, adding that two directors would be appointed from each senatorial district.

The committee also stated that the Managing Director and the six directors would be appointed by the governor, subject to the confirmation of the assembly.

The House accepted the recommendations after making some amendments.

The Speaker, Uyigue Igbe, directed that clean copies of the law be sent to the governor for his assent.

Meanwhile, the House has confirmed five nominees as members of the Edo State Agency for Community and Social Development Project.

Mrs Nosa Aladeselu will serve as the agency's chairman while Chris Osa Igbinovia, Solomon Ideogbe, Ramat Umoru, and Victoria Amu are to serve as members of the agency.(NAN)

Reps urge FG to construct bridge to link Ipetumodu, Ile-Ife

By Lawrence Olaoye a

T

he House of Representatives yesterday urged the Federal Government to construct a ``flyover'' bridge to link Ipetumodu and Ede, through in Ile-Ife in Osun.

The lawmakers argued that the bridge when constructed would give easy and safe access to motorists from Ile-Ife and

Ede. Rep Rotimi Makinde, (ACNOsun), who moved the motion noted that the express way linking Ile-Ife by-pass through Ilesha to Ekiti and other parts of the country was an important road that could promote the economic and social development of Nigeria.

He expressed worry that the Ile-Ife Express way, which was constructed not long ago, had cut

off the linking access road Ede. The lawmaker said the high flow of vehicular movement and human traffic had caused accidents, resulting to deaths and injuries. He urged members to support the motion, saying that building the bridge would reduce incidents of fatal accidents on the road. The motion was subsequently, referred to the Committee on Works for further action.

amends state electoral law

T

he Adamawa House of Assembly has passed the bill amending the state electoral law, 2002.

The bill was passed at the House's sitting yesterday presided over by the Speaker, Ahmadu Fintiri.

The bill is expected to facilitate the conduct of local government, elections which had been suspended thrice in eight months.

The legislature also passed the bill for a law to amend the Adamawa new condition of service for magistrates, area court judges, law officers and legal officer law 11 of 2006 in order to include legal officers employed by local government councils.

The speaker therefore directed the Clerk of the house to prepare clean copies of the new bills for the governor's assent.

(NAN)

PAGE 40

Tambuwal expresses concern over climate change

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he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, has expressed concern over the growing threat of climate change to human existence.

Tambuwal made the observation yesterday in Abuja while opening the review hearing on the outcome of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the hearing was organised by the House Committee on Climate Change.

Represented by Rep. Rep. Garba Datti (CPC-Kaduna), the Deputy Minority Whip of the House, Tambuwal said that extreme weather conditions were being experienced in Nigeria now, noting that this was, "leading to demographic displacements across the country. " He said that climate change had been a glaring danger to humans, stressing the need for the country to strategise for future negotiations.

The UNFCC negotiation conference was held in Durban, South Africa between Nov. 28 and Dec. 11, 2011 but no agreement was reached.

The speaker expressed regrets that the Durban Summit failed to achieve an agreement that would have replaced the existing Kyoto Protocol.

He, however, cautioned that although the industrialised countries of the world were reportedly responsible for greenhouse emissions, this would not be enough reason for the developing countries not to act. ``We have to bear the hard road to cutting down the effects of climate change by playing our own roles,'' he said.

Rep. Eziuche Ubani (PDPAbia), the chairman of the committee, explained that the hearing was necessitated by concerns that "politics, rather than a shared responsibility to safeguard our planet has taken over the negotiation process. " According to him, pure market considerations appear to override the need for every nation to hold hands and roll back this clear and present danger.

He stressed that while the Federal Ministry of Environment might understand the issues, its efforts were handicapped by minimum political power and budgetary constraints.

The lawmaker, who said there was need to develop a strategy with which to negotiate in future summits, hoped that the committee would lead the way to developing Nigeria's first climate change policy.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Niger Assembly probes nonpayment of LGAs salaries N From Iliya Garba, Minna

iger state House of Assembly yesterday constituted a 7-man adhoc committee to probe the nonpayment of local government workers salaries for over six months and the recent screening exercise by government to fish out ghost workers.

The committee under the Chairmanship of Honourable Jibrin Akwanu representing

Agaie constituency, was also mandated to investigate the circumstances that led to the unsafe situation in the local government councils of the state in which civil servants that have worked for over 30 years are now regarded as ghost workers.

Announcing members of the committee, the Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Mohammed Gamunu, clarified that it was the responsibility of

the state lawmakers to respond immediately to the dilemma of the people adding that the people have cried out in this respect.

"I urge and encourage my colleagues to always pay adequate attention to issues that disturb the general public with a view to resolving them".

According to the Speaker, the committee was mandated to summon the state commissioners of Local Government and Chieftaincy

L-R: Representative of Speaker, House of Representatives/Deputy Minority Whip, Hon. Garba Datti, Minister of Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Mailafiya, and Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Malam Mohammed Sani Sidi, during the House Committee on Climate Change review hearing of workshop on UNFCCC COP17 /CMP7 Climate Change Negotiations, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Affairs, Alhaji Yusuf Tagwai; the state Head of Service, Mohammed Matene; the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the commissioner of Basic Education, Dr. Peter Sarkin for explanation.

The committee was constituted following the adoption of a motion on matters of urgent public interest moved

by Honourable Mohammed Bala Farouk, representing Bida II constituency in which he drew the attention of members to the predicament of local government workers in the state.

He stated that majority of workers have been denied salaries for six months on account of a screening exercise which he said was marred with controversies.

Honourable Farouk lamented that the entire 70 staff of the state College of Advanced Islamic Studies and its Principal were declared as ghost workers because their names were not captured in the machine used in the screening exercise whereas some of them have worked for over 30 years.

Lawmakers who contributed to the motion stood firm against the branding of real workers as ghost workers by the consultants employed by government to carry out the screening of workers. Some families according to the lawmakers have been subjected to hardship as a result of the non payment of salaries just as he stressed the need for the Assembly to intervene without further delay.

Ebonyi Govt wants youth involvement in enlightenment campaigns

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he Ebonyi state government has urged youths in the state to participate actively in the campaign to give Abakaliki, the state capital, a facelift.

Chief Sam Mgbada, the state Commissioner for Youths and Sports, made the call recently in Abakaliki, during an interactive session with various youth organisations in the state.

Mgbada noted that it had become imperative for youths to participate in enlightening the people about the good intentions of government to transform the city.

”Youths, as the main agents of change in the society, would be fundamental in making the people accept the policy which would enhance their environmental wellbeing.

“This task had become more onerous because hawking and other forms of trading would be abolished on six major roads in the city which might not go down well with most people.

“Youths should, therefore, intensify the enlightenment of the people on the issue, as the enforcement of the policy would take effect from April 1.

The commissioner noted

that the interactive session was intended to galvanize various youth associations in the state under one umbrella and effectively coordinate their activities.

“The umbrella body would be known as ‘League of Youths Organisations in Ebonyi,’and would represent all youth organisations in the state for effective coordination of youth activities in the state.

“The organisation would serve as the link between the government and youth organisations in the state, to make them more involved in policy making,” he said.

Mr. Chuks Oko, a representative of Ochudo Youths League, commended the commissioner for the initiative noting that it would reposition youth activities in the state.

“I call on youths to be more involved in propagating the message of the transformation of Abakaliki city and also shun vices such as thuggery and armed robbery among others,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, a fivepoint communiqué was issued at the end of the session on the meeting.

Council poll: Group seeks support for ex- A’Ibom council boss

E

ket Brotherhood, a political pressure group in Akwa Ibom, has declared that it will promote the candidature of Obong Samuel Atang, in the May 19 local government polls in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the development followed last week's announcement of election time table by Akwa

Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC).

The spokesman of Eket Brotherhood, Mr. Friday Ibanga, told NAN on Tuesday in Eket that the group would persuade Atang, a former council chairman, to join the chairmanship race.

Ibang said that the development recorded in the council during 34 month-

tenure when Atang, fondly referred to as ``governor of Eket'' remained unequalled.

“We believe that he should be given another chance to serve his people given his experience and track record of selfless service.''

He said that the group had commenced consultations to drum up support for Atang ``to restore the lost glory of Eket''.

Ibanga said that the group

had yet to decide the political platform on which Atang would be sponsored, adding that membership of Eket Brotherhood cuts across party lines.

NAN check in Eket and the neighbouring areas in Southern Akwa Ibom showed that the release of the election time table had heightened political activities in the area.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 41

Falconets arrive in Abeokuta for Zimbabwe T

Esther Sunday

he U-20 women national team, the Falconets yesterday landed in Abeokuta, Ogun state, five days before the first of the second round of the 2012 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe on Saturday.

The Falconets, who are there to acclamatise ahead of the clash, were led by Head Coach, Edwin Okon, who has consistently assured that the team is battle ready and hopes to turn back their visitors that equally landed at the venue in a way that would leave none

in doubt about their determination to qualify.

The team, who are to train at the MKO Abiola Stadium, venue of Saturday’s match and were welcomed by the State Football Association Chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Majekudumni along with other officials on arrival at the stadium where they went for a feel of the turf.

All I am thinking of is victory and this we would achieve come Saturday, “ said Okon.

The Falconets Coach who was full of praise for the NFF leadership for the support equally hailed the Ogun state

government for the love and cares it has shown the women’s game.

“Our big thanks must go to the state government for all the support it has shown the various women national teams that have played here. It is a great moral booster and for us we would definitely reciprocate by winning our opponents convincingly,” said Okon.

Speaking on its preparation for the game, the FA Chairman said all hands were on desk to ensure good outing for the girls.

The team is currently camped at Richton Hotel.

Ekeji, Odegbami masterminds behind NFF conflicts, says NANF president

By Albert Akota

T

he Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Dr. Patrick Ekeji and former Green Eagles skipper and two times presidential aspirant into the executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Chief Segun Odegbami, were yesterday fingered as the brains behind the spate of court cases against the leadership of the football federation.

President of the legitimate National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF), Austin Popo disclosed yesterday at the final day of the public hearing on the downward trend in Nigerian sports organised by the Senate Committee on Sports.

Popo said the DG in particular had surreptitiously spearheaded the campaign to unseat the president board of

the NFF because he had failed in his efforts to get his stooges elected into the board.

According to him, Chief Odegbami had been his right hand man for the job after he realised that it would easier to produce water from flinty rocks than get Odegbami elected as president of the board from the elective congress, he opted to employ the antics of court injunctions to stall any meaningful performance from the elected board headed by Alhaji Aminu Maiagri.

Popo, who has consistently insisted that his faction of the NANF was the authentic one, told the committee that he was part of the initial meeting called by Ekeji for the above allegation noting that the same tactics had been employed against the Sani Lulu Abdullahi-led board.

It would be recalled that the present board of the NFF had

been subjected to several court cases even before the members

Aminu Maigari

Segun Odegbami

Also yesterday, a member of the Senate Committee on Sports, Abdul Ningi (Bauchi) assured the NFF that the committee would monitor all allocations and releases made to them and added recommendations from the public hearing would be implemented to the letter.

Ningi said the committee would strictly monitor releases made to the NFF by the NSC to ensure their dues were accordingly given them to execute their programmes and warned that the committee would in turn withheld allocations meant for the NSC from them.

Further, he warned that should the football federation equally failed to apply the funds judiciously or midwifed national teams that performed poorly, the committee would have no choice but to respond accordingly.

Eagles to face Iran in friendly duel, agree date with Pharaohs

N

Chief Patrick Ekeji

were elected and torrents of such after the elections.

Among the high profile cases were the ones that invalidated the elections and later the board itself which was annulled earlier in January. However, following the intervention of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim and resolve of the supervising Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, the two principal actors Sam Sam Jaja and Ray Nnaji were persuaded to withdraw their cases in exchange for compensation and appointment into the board of the NFF as honourary member.

Desire Oparanozie

igeria’s Super Eagles will face Iran’s national football team, the Persian Stars in an international friendly game pending ratification from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The game has been provisionally fixed for April 18 in Tehran, Iran.

Chairman of the NFF’s technical committee, Chris Green revealed that contact had been made with the Iranian football federation and that a decision on the friendly game would be made in the ‘shortest possible time.’

“We have been approached by the Iranian FA and they want a friendly date with the Super Eagles. We are still studying

their proposal and (the NFF) will arrive at a decision at the shortest possible time,” Green said.

Meanwhile, have agreed to play Egypt in a friendly on April 12 in Doha, Qatar, according to the General secretary of the NFF, Musa Amadu, who confirmed that April 12 has been fixed as a tentative date for the match-up.

“We cannot, however, say that it’s a done deal yet because some gray areas are still unresolved. However in days to come we should be able to give concrete information on what the game details are,” Amadu disclosed.

Egypt had earlier this month requested for a friendly with the home-based Eagles to help them

prepare for their 2014 World Cup qualifiers in June.

The seven-time champions begin their quest to feature at the World Cup in Brazil on June 1 at home to Mozambique before they travel to take on Guinea a week later.

Nigeria, on the other hand, host Namibia on June 2 and a week later travel to Malawi as part of the qualifying tournament for the 2014 World Cup. Coach Stephen Keshi has already welcomed the friendly, stating that it would give his home boys the opportunity to garner more experience.

He started three players from that team of NPL stars in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Rwanda in February.

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Pelican Stars suspend Egan, Ntiero

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elican Stars FC of Calabar, a National Professional Women’s team, has carried out a partial reshuffling of its coaching crew, though the affected coaches have claimed ignorance of the exercise.

According to a statement by the club’s management yesterday in Calabar, the Egan Adat-led technical crew has been disbanded by the board chairman headed by Mr. Sam Kombor.

The statement added that the coaching crew was dissolved over what it called a “lacklustre performance’’ in the ongoing league season.

“In conformity with the ongoing National Professional Women’s League, the management of Pelican Stars has deemed it expedient to reposition the team for better performance.

“In keeping with its dogged tradition to stay at the top, the club has dropped the Chief Coach, Mr Obi Ogbele, and suspended the technical adviser, Mr. Egan Adat, for a period of one month,’’ the statement stated.

Del Nero replaces Teixeira on FIFA Executive Committee

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he world football governing body, FIFA, yesterday confirmed that CONMEBOL has appointed Marco Polo del Nero as the confederation’s successor to Ricardo Terra Teixeira on the FIFA Executive Committee.

A statement on FIFA website said the Brazilian had been appointed with immediate effect and that he would be part of the next meeting of the Executive Committee, scheduled for tomorrow and March 30 in Zurich.

According to the statement, Del Nero is a 71-year-old lawyer, who specialises in criminal law, began his career in football as an administrator at Sao Paulo club Palmeiras.

It also said Del Nero was the head of the Paulista Football Federation in 2003, and became a member of CONMEBOL four years later.

Del Nero’s predecessor, Teixeira, resigned from FIFA Executive Committee earlier in the month in controversial circumstances.

The statement directed Mr. Ekpe Ntiero, the team’s assistant coach “to act as the head of the coaching crew to be assisted by Mr. John Odey.

According to the statement, the crew was reorganised over what it called the team’s “lacklustre performance in the last away match involving Pelican Stars and Kogi Confluence FC’’ in Kogi.

It stated that the new appointments would take immediate effect.

Pelican Stars, a first generation female football club, had lost 0-5 to the Kogi female team in a Week One encounter of the ongoing female league.

Meanwhile, Adat has dismissed the said suspension stressing that the management was yet to officially inform him of its decision.

“I am away on assignment and nobody has communicated the decision to me but if the dissolution is on account of lacklustre performance, it is unfortunate. A team’s performance whether good or bad is based on the quality of players in its fold.

Mikkel Kessler goes Green May

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ikkel Kessler will fight Allan Green when he returns to the ring in May following the announcement by the Danish fighter’s promoters, Team Sauerland on Monday.

Kessler was recently forced to cancel an April 14 title fight against Germany’s WBO super-middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz because of a hand injury, but will now meet Green, an American, at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen on May 19.

Green, 32, is a light-heavyweight with a 31-3 record since turning professional.

The 33-year-old Kessler, who has a record of 44-2, made his debut in March 1998. He has held the WBA and WBC super-middleweight titles after starting his professional career in the lightmiddleweight division.

Kessler once fought, and beat, South African multiple title holder Dingaan Thobela and also defeated Australian Anthony Mundine before losing to Joe Calzaghe of Wales.

In 2004, he stopped another South African, Andre Thysse.

He competed in the middleweight Super 6 series and lost to Andre Ward.

Mikkel Kessler

UEFA Champions League

Bayern Munich take magical form to Marseille

By Patrick Andrew

B

ayern Munich are in the form of their lives. In five games so far, they have scored 22 goals which is something their opponents would love to grab with both hands having lost seven of their last eight games in all competitions.

Bayern’s top guns are up and smoking and certainly look set to devour unwary opponents.

Indeed, Bayern, also in the German Cup final, have been in devastating form recently as they rip defences to shreds down the wings while impressive 19year-old Austrian David Alaba has won a starting spot.

Coach Jupp Heynckes’ Bundesliga top scorer Mario Gomez and Thomas Mueller are highly spirited and going by the vivacious performance of

Mario Gomez

Gomez, who scored his 23rd goal against Hanover over the weekend, one can safely say that the German team is on song.

Against former Taye Taiwo’s Marseille, Bayern,the four-times European Cup winners tightened their grip on second spot in the Bundesliga with win over the weekend, will hope to step up their gear and ensure the return leg is a lot easier to permutate.

Not so Marseille. the French team are struggling as evident by their streaks of loses lately.

Didier Deschamps will be plotting to beat yet another Germany team after surprising Borussia Dortmund to book the last eight finals spot.

Milan ponder formation against Barcelona

A

C Milan have hinted they could shun their Italian catenacio (defensive strategy) when Barcelona visit the San Siro in the Champions League quarterfinal, first leg tonight.

It would mean that the Italains would be defence and largely rely on counterpart to attempt to deal in the highly mobile and prolific side. Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said there were two ways to tackle Barca. “Either you sit back and try to hit them on the counter-attack, which is difficult, or you do what we did in our home group game and have a go, but we made some mistakes,” he said.

Allegri hinted that he favoured a more positive approach in throwing some caution to the wind

rather than adopting a more typical catenaccio (door-bolt) system and in either case Allegri is more likely to turn to his forwards than his defence to try to solve the Barca conundrum.

The two sides met in the group stages earlier this season and although the scores were close, Barcelona totally dominated in the 2-2 draw in Spain while they also deserved their 3-2 victory in Italy.

However, Allegri learnt vital lessons and that includes that Barca do concede goals if teams adopt a more offensive strategy.

And with Robinho and Maxi Lopez training again following injuries, with the former likely to partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front, Milan’s attacking resources

at least appear handsome.

But the problem lies in the defence where influential centreback Thiago Silva has been ruled out of both legs with a hamstring pull. This leaves the option of Daniele Bonera pairing Frenchman Philippe Mexes in the heart of defence. Milan are also to miss Brazilian holding midfielder Mark Van Bommel forwards Pato and Antonio Cassano.

Barca on the other hand are riding high with their on song mercurial finisher Lionel Messi in frenzy mood and enjoying the support of Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Gerard Pique, Carlos Puyol and other fleet footed players, the Spain giant may prove more than a handful.

Also, Marseille who were already upbeat ahead of their first appearance in the last eight since winning the competition in 1993 will wince when looking at Bayern’s recent displays, but they hope their team can reproduce that killer instinct that helped them against Dortmund.

Though they will missing two key players in Senegal’s Diawara and goalkeeper Gennaro Bracigliano, Deschamps may be able to count on Loic Remy, who missed Saturday’s game with a thigh problem but could partner Mathieu Valbuena at the Stade Velodrome after his France teammate returned from an injury layoff against Nice.

Besides, the Ayew brothersAndre and Jordan- will hope to replicate their father’s successful exploits with the club which culminated in their continental victory. True, they may lack the spirit and delectable qualities of Franck Ribery, Muller and Gomez, the duo will draw from team work and some extra individual brilliance to attempt to turn back the Germans.

Andre Ayew

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 43

Borno handball loses London 2012: S/Korean coach to Boko-Haram/ Ambassador boosts Nigerian security forces crossfire taekwondoists’ preparations

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he South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Choi Jong-Hyun, yesterday in Abuja provided more assistance to Nigeria’s two qualifiers for the taekwondo event of the 2012 Olympic Games.

The ambassador, who had earlier facilitated the arrival of a coach from his country for the two taekwondoists, presented an undisclosed amount to them.

He also unfolded a foreign training plan that would enable them to participate in some competitions over three months in Belgium, Austria, South Korea and Taiwan.

Choi, who was represented at the presentation

by Suh Jung-sun, the Director of the Korean Cultural Centre in Abuja, said the assistance was to ensure Nigeria’s success in taekwondo at the London Olympics.

“We are providing this assistance as part of our efforts at ensuring that Nigeria wins gold medals in taekwondo at the Olympics in London. “Our expectation is that both Chika Chukwumerije and Mohammed Adams will win gold medals in their respective events and we need to assist them in their preparations,” he said.

The ambassador has, for three years running, been sponsoring the Korean Ambassador’s Cup West Africa International Taekwondo Championship in Abuja.

He had in December 2011 also paved the way for Coach Kun Si-Haweon to join the Nigeria

Taekwondo Federation (TFN) and assist in their preparations for the Olympics.

Choi also said the duo of Chukwumerije and Adams, who are Nigeria’s lone qualifiers for taekwondo at the London Games, were free to make use of training facilities owned by the embassy in Abuja.

The foreign training plan will see the two taekwondoists and their coach leave today for Belgium to participate in an open championship.

The championship is scheduled for March 30 to April 1. They will then cross over to Austria on April 2 for a one-week training camp.

They will leave for South Korea on April 8 for a one-month training programme, and then move to Taiwan on May 9 for a two-week camping.

The two taekwondoists and their coach will return to South Korea for a two-month training to finalise their preparations, from where they will depart for London on July 19.

Reacting to the development, Chukwumerije, who spoke on behalf of himself and Adams, thanked the ambassador for the gesture, describing it as a “fantastic support”. He said it would go a long way in their preparations for the Olympics, and help to strengthen Nigeria-South Korea relations.

“Moreover, we also promise to be good ambassadors of Nigeria in this project and ensure we achieve the target of winning gold medals at the Olympics,” the Beijing 2008 Olympics bronze medallist said.

O

fficials of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) have condoled with the Borno State Government and the State Handball Association over the death of Stephen Kennedy, 42, an assistant coach.

They expressed shock at Kennedy’s death last Saturday, describing it as a great loss to the state and the handball family.

DaudaYusuf, the President of HFN, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday on telephone that the late Kennedy was a committed and hardworking man.

Yusuf said he would be missed by Borno players and Borno State Handball Association and would be remembered by his contributions to the development of handball.

“Coach Kennedy’s death is a huge loss to Borno State and the handball family; he was hardworking and cannot be forgotten in a hurry for his contributions to handball,” he said. He commiserated with the family of the deceased, saying that the entire handball family would miss the late coach and prayed that his soul rest in peace.

HFN Technical Director Musa Hamza told NAN that he was shocked at the news of Kennedy’s death and described him as intelligent and experienced in handball.

Hamza said the deceased, also a former handball player, was a dedicated and disciplined coach who was never found wanting in any aspect of technical ability because of his wealth of experience.

“He was always there anytime you called him, and he had the technical qualities which are reflecting in the performances of the state players; he will always be remembered,” he said.

The technical director noted that the Borno State female team finished first at the National Open Championships held in Kano in December as a result of Kennedy’s commitment.

He disclosed that the remains of Kennedy were laid to rest on Monday in Maiduguri, saying that the handball association and entire board members of HFN condoled with his family.

The federation’s secretary, Olusola Luke, said that Kennedy died in crossfire between the Boko-Haram sect and the security forces in Maiduguri on Saturday.

Luke described the late coach as a skilled official who was focused on the improvement of players’ skills and grooming good players for his state and the nation.

Paralympics: Para power-lifter decries inadequate preparation

O

Chika Chukwumerije at the Beijing Olympics

Ace Tennis Services workshop for coaches starts in Lagos

T

ennis coaches participating in the 2012 edition of Ace Tennis Services (ATS) workshop which started in Lagos on Monday will automatically be members of Professional Tennis Registry (PTR).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PTR is an annual international certification for tennis coaches for them to be creative, marketable and of international standard.

Seven coaches were present at the opening of the five-day workshop being anchored by John Kasule, a professional tennis tester from Uganda. The workshop, holding at the tennis courts of the National Stadium in Lagos, is being organised in conjunction with the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF).

Kasule told NAN that the workshop was aimed at giving coaches international certification and creating more job opportunities through self employment as coaches in private and public

clubs.

“The five-day workshop will involve practical and written examinations and a certificate will be issued to each participant at the end of the workshop. The workshop is aimed at providing a platform for African coaches who aspire to get international certification and also upgrade their skills.

“It helps to generate more jobs to the coaches as well as creating a market where they can be self employed. It also gives the coaches an automatic one year membership as they are registered in the PTR and as it expires they will renew it with a token fee,” Kasule said.

According to him, the workshop will also help to expose coaches to common errors which they make daily in coaching sessions.

“The coaches, after correcting their mistakes, will impart them into their players for them not to repeat such mistakes while playing,” he said.

motola Falodun, a para powerlifter, for the 2012 London Paralympics, has criticised inadequate training facilities at the National Stadium, Lagos, in preparation for the Paralympics in August.

He made the complaint against the backdrop of 22 Para-powerlifters that have qualified for the Paralympics billed for Aug. 29 to Sept. 9 and need better training.

Falodun, a 60kg lifter, told NAN that they had yet to start camping in preparation for the Games and that a lack of training facilities at the stadium was hindering their preparation.

“We are supposed to be training with standard facilities and as you can see, we do not have a training ground, talk less of standard training facilities.

“We are supposed to have been in camp by now since our last qualification competition in February, but we have yet to be invited for camping. We train daily on our own, we have even doubled our training, waiting for when we should be called

to camp.”

The Technical Director, Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation (NPPF), Are Feyisetan, confirmed Falodun’s claims that there was no preparation on ground geared towards the Games.

“We have not been told what to do next, so the athletes come here on their own to train pending the time they will be called to camp,” Feyisetan said.

According to him, the development will affect their preparations for the Games.

Osagie Ikhabomeh, an athletics coach, said that in spite of the poor facilities on ground, he was confident that the athletes would excel at the Paralympics.

“Nigerian athletes are among the best in the world.

In spite of inadequate facilities to train with, they still strive well in international tournaments,” Ikhabomeh said.

According to him, the athletes, although not happy, their morale remains high in anticipation of early camping in preparation for the Games.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

Giwa FC will strive to gain promotion to NPL, says coach

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bdullahi Biffo, the Chief Coach of Giwa FC of Jos, says the team will strive to sustain the present momentum to gain promotion to the Nigeria Premier League.

Reacting to the team’s 2-1 away victory over Meridian Airline FC of Kano in the Week 9 match of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Biffo said that he was

overwhelmed and proud of his players.

The coach also expressed satisfaction with the performance of midfielder, Shuaibu Ibrahim, who was picked as the best player of league in the month of February.

“Just within the week, the Chief Coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi, presented a

certificate and N50,000 to our midfielder, Ibrahim Shuaibu, at the Glass House on behalf of NNL. “Again we got a 2-1 victory over a good side like the Meridian Airline FC of Kano. I am sure this will spur every member of the club to put in their very best,” he said.

The coach said that the previous week would remain

memorable in the history of the club because of the achievements recorded.

Biffo said that the team comprised quality players apart from Shuaibu, adding that more players would be engaged if the need arose. NAN reports that the prolific midfielder, who was nominated as the best player in the league, scored in the 75 th

minute to seal their victory after Moses Omoduemuke put Giwa ahead in the 44th minute.

The Kano-based club, however, scored a consolation goal in the closing minutes of the match through a penalty.

With the victory, Giwa now has 14 points at the end of the first round of matches in Group B of the NNL.

70% of Nigerian coaches not trained, says Ekeji

By Ali Alkali

T

he Director General of the National Sports Commission, Chief Patrick Ekeji, has lamented that “Over 70% of Nigerian coaches are not trained.”

“There are more qualified medical doctors than trained coaches in Nigeria; and out of the remaining, only a few of them are educated, certificated and enlightened enough to coach the Nigerian team both locally and internally. The high turnover of coaches is a distortion to Nigerian football

administration,” he said.

Ekeji made the revelation yesterday at the public hearing on the ‘Downward trends in Nigeria sports’ organized the Senate Committee on Sports and Social Development.

The Sports Commission DG was speaking on the background that on the eve of the world cup in South Africa, Nigeria in defiance to FIFA’s advice removed Coach Amodu Shaibu who had qualified Nigeria for the 2010 World cup, having achieved same feat earlier, and employed a foreign coach, Lass Largaberg who failed woefully,

and disappeared with Nigeria’s $198 million.

The Senate Committee on Sports which will finish the two-days public hearing today will attempt to unravel what led to Nigeria’s fall from 5th position in 1994 to current 56th position in the Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, ranking.

All spots stakeholders are invited to appear before the committee and are expected to write memoranda to submit or present at the public hearing on how to resuscitate sports generally, with particular reference to football.

London 2012: It’ll be a miracle to Cameroon game will be fifty- win medal, says former AFN coach Amadu Shuaibu

Emmanuel Amuneke

fifty, says Dolphins manager

T

he General Manager, Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt, Mr Dumbo Awani, says the team has the potential to win Coton Sports Garoua in Cameroon on April 8.

Dolphins beat Coton Sports by 2-1 in a first leg, second round, CAF Champions League match at the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt on March 25.

Awani said in Port Harcourt on Monday that despite the slim victory over the Cameroonians at home, Dolphins could still win away in a forthnight. He said the game in Cameroon will be fifty-fifty.

“I believe we have a team that within the next two weeks, we will go back to the drawing board, fortify areas we want to fortify , and I believe we are going to get the result in Cameroon.

“I can assure everybody with this kind of a support the entire people have given to Dolphins here we will go to Cameroon and get the result. We will beat them there.

The game there in Cameroon is going to be a fifty-fifty game.”

Awani said that although the Coton Sports team consisted of seven foreign players from Togo, Burkina Faso and Niger, their presence notwithstanding, Dolphins had the potential to win away.

He said Dolphins were unlucky not to have converted all the scoring chances that came their way during the match in Port Harcourt.

The General Manager urged Nigerians not to panic because the management would work hard to ensure that the team gets a good result in Cameroon.

T

obias Igwe, a former coach of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has dismissed Team Nigeria’s medal optimism at the Summer Olympic Games on the grounds that that longterm preparation was the key to winning medals at the Games.

But Nigeria have failed to prepare her athletes for considerable length thereby reducing her chances of grabbing medals at the London Games, according to Igwe who said it would be a “rare miracle” for the country to get a medal.

He wondered why there was no articulated programme for Team Nigeria’s preparation for the Olympics. “It’s going to be a tough on Team Nigeria to get any medal, the short time approach is wrong, it’s not working; if they win any medal

it would be through sheer luck.

“Countries whose athletes win medals effortlessly at global sports events like the

Mary Onyali was discovered at a grasstoots tournament

Ofoegbu gets Falconets Captain band

R

Gloria Ofoegbu

ivers Angels left back, Gloria Ofoegbu who was on Saturday officially given the mandate to captain the U-20 Women National Team has pledged to discharge her responsibilities without fear or favour.

The defender, a member of the Nigeria team that picked Silver at the 2010 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany said wearing the armband has left her humbled.

“When the announcement was made on Saturday evening by our head coach, Edwin Okon, l was really surprised because l was never expecting it. We all know that as captain much is expected from you and in return l promise not to let my colleagues, officials and of course soccer loving Nigerians down,” said Ofoegbu.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s 2012 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier against

Zimbabwe, Ofoegbu said she and her colleagues were fully charged.

“Two years ago, it was the silver that we came back home with but this year, it is going to be the trophy from Japan,” she said.

Players and Officials unanimously voted for Ofoegbu and Delta Queens of Asaba midfielder, Ngozi Okobi who would serve as vice for their maturity and sense of discipline.

Olympics do so through longterm programmes with the athletes peaking at the right moment,’’ he said.

Igwe added that it would be difficult for any athlete to achieve good results on their own without the input of a trainer and lamented the lack of progress in the area of grassroots sports development, which he described as the nursery for budding talents.

He urged the country’s track and field coaches to put more effort in their quest for nascent and stressed the need for regular refresher course for Games Masters in schools.

“The game masters are the closest link to this students, it is whatever knowledge he has that will determine what the student knows, and most of them don’t know the rudiments of the discipline they cover,” he said.

Igwe lamented the politicisation of grassroots sports development in the country which he described as a “cog in the wheel of its progress.

“The politics practised in the federation has affected its well being that’s why grassroots sports development is being retarded; politics has taken its toll. “I was able to discover Mary Onyali, Henry Amike and Clement Chukwu and others too numerous to mention. I did not waver because I was after talents and wanted the best of the youngsters, see what they have become,” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

PAGE 45

QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE A lear ned man w ho doesn't learned who restr ain his passions is lik ea estrain like blind man holding a torch, he guides others but not himself — Shaykh Sa'di

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

SPORTS LA TEST LATEST

Nadal advances to quarterfinals at Key Biscayne

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afael Nadal swept five consecutive games midway through the match, propelling him to a 64, 6-4 win over Kei Nishikori to reach the quarterfinals at the Sony Ericsson Open yesterday.

The No. 2-seeded Nadal, a three-time runner-up at Key Biscayne, is seeking his first title in the tournament and his first anywhere since last year’s French Open.

Nadal broke in the final game of the first set when Nishikori sailed an easy forehand long, then broke again and raced to a 3-love lead in the second set. The Spaniard has lost only 14 games in three rounds.

No. 9 Janko Tipsarevic also advanced, beating 20-year-old Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (3), 6-2.

Pillaars, Sunshine Stars in do or die affair

K

ano Pillars will welcome Sunshine Stars today at the Sani Abacha Stadium full of vengeance after losing 0 – 1 to Gombe United last Sunday. Simialrly, Sunshine Stars, who are out of sorts after crumbling 1 – 4 at Recreativo de Libolo in the CAF Confederation Cup will be out for redemption at the expense of Pillars.

Pillars in particular need to close the gap on Rangers and Enyimba at the top of the standings and beating Sunshine will just ensure that.

Elsewhere, Wikki Tourists confront Enyimba at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi in their 14th head-to-head meeting between them with Enyimba having the advantage of winning five against the Tourists’ four. The last time Enyimba won at Wikki was in June 2007 when they earned a 2 – 1 victory. Last time both sides came up against each other in this fixture Wikki triumphed 1 – 0. The hosts want to keep that alive.

Fixtures Akwa Utd vs Heartland Jigawa vs Tornadoes Wolves vs Gombe Utd Sharks vs Rangers Rising Stars vs Dolphins 3SC vs Kwara Utd Ocean Boys vs ABS Lobi Stars vs Kaduna Utd Pillars vs Sunshine Wiikki vs Enyimba

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PDP’s Machiavellian temptations

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f you ask the question what are the qualities needed to be a successful politician, chances are that you will get a negative or cynical response: craftiness (wayo) ability to fool the people, greed, sycophancy and the lust for power and the perks of office.

Chita Baghat, a bestselling Indian novelist, equally says this of his country but adds that this stereotype has developed over the decades through numerous examples of politicians being selfserving, unethical and manipulative. Some even believe that sycophancy is the only way to succeed. As for deception, they all believe that it is easier to manipulate the masses than govern them.

The outcome of last weekend’s national convention of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is the best example of systematic sycophancy in our politics.

Candidates for 16 out of 18 elective offices who have run the length and breadth of this country, campaigning by saying they are dissatisfied with the status quo and are agents of change, abandoned the race once they sighted the red eyes (or did they see carrots?) of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Some of them, like the candidate for the chairmanship from Bauchi, Dr. Musa Babayo, had a clear mandate from his zone, as did all the other consensus candidates that were upheld but in his own case, the party high command disregarded this mandate and asked him along with the other losers to step down.

What did he do in protest? He buckled under instead.

From those things that happened, most citizens will be disappointed with the party and the candidates. This goes on to tell us about the weaknesses of both the party and the candidates. For Babayo, it says that a person, no matter how good he is, must learn the tricks of sycophancy to survive in this country. Otherwise he is a persona-non-grata. The conduct of politicians says of them that no limits are too low and no compromises are shameful.

Otherwise, the one with a strong mandate coming to the centre from his zone would have stood there to insist on being treated with the same respect as winners from the other zones had been treated.

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MUSINGS By

Garba Shehu garshehu@yahoo.co.in

PDP Chair, Bamanga Tukur Someone made the point about the top in Nigeria being so crowded that if you look around, you will see that the sycophantic ones are most likely to manoeuvre themselves ahead. So why wait?

Why argue with the high command? By surrendering one’s right and kowtowing to the high command, the one who eats the humble pie might get a tap on the shoulder to come pick up a government post. With a post comes power and VIP perks, not responsibility as ought to be the case. Is there a thing called moral

responsibility in a Nigerian politician? Sorry, “No”!

The second thing of note is the fact of the fear of the PDP in elections. It’s curious but true that a self-styled democratic party harbours a phobia for election. It instead chooses the process of consensus and boardroom compromise. The outcome of the PDP convention is yet another indication that democracy in Nigeria is losing ground at an alarming rate. The ruling party which is lucky to have no serious challenge whatsoever coming from the opposition is becoming known for nurturing sycophancy and nepotism in the name of consensus. As a consequence, the PDP has been rewarding inefficient and incompetent persons who are placed in party and government positions. Some say this is arising from the fear of losing power and the losses associated with that are too high to even be contemplated. But a party that does not itself harbour the tenets of democracy in its internal affairs cannot bequeath this as a legacy to the nation. I personally hold the view that the Machiavellian techniques of the

“

I personally hold the view that the Machiavellian techniques of the PDP are just to cover dishonesty and selfishness.

Machiavellian policy never pays. It is no exaggeration to say that our politicians today are more sinister in their manipulative politics than the colonialists who coupled together our various tribes into one nation ever thought of. They even disrespect basic national interest

PDP are just to cover dishonesty and selfishness. Machiavellian policy never pays. It is no exaggeration to say that our politicians today are more sinister in their manipulative politics than the colonialists who coupled together our various tribes into one nation ever thought of. They even disrespect basic national interest. It is almost certainly true that our politicians hate to see increased awareness, literacy, economic and social development because doing so will erode their manipulative politics.

Does anyone think that the “New” (read youths) Nigerians will continue to accept things as they are coming from the old politicians? I say “no”. The character of politics and politicians must change from favouritism, nepotism and bias that have formed the bedrock of our system, if not it is difficult to see how manipulative politics will help the PDP to rule for 50 years as proclaimed by its leaders.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, former PDP national chairman, once boasted that the party would rule Nigeria for 50 years. Ironically, the same party he idealized so zealously booted him out before he could complete his constitutionally defined tenure. And the bigger irony of it all was that Mr. Ogbeh ended up in the opposition party, Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the same opposition his former PDP is determined to annihilate.

It is not enough for the PDP to continue to flaunt itself as the largest party in Africa if it cannot set standards for internal democracy, freedom of choice and fair play. Credibility should be of critical concern to the party rather than the monotonous emphasis on being the largest political party in Africa.

The ambition of the President and governors to put the party leadership in their pockets, designed to frustrate transparent process in the conduct of elections, puts a moral question mark on the sincerity of the ruling party to organize free and fair elections for the country. It is obvious that the PDP is allergic to free and fair elections. Can Bamanga Tukur who is a beneficiary of this political skulduggery, stop the rot or reform the party or return it to the dream of its founding fathers?

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos, Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 803 606 3308. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com ISSN: 2141– 6141