Peoples Daily Newspaper, Friday 30, November, 2012

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

Vol. 9 No. 80

Friday, November 30, 2012

. . . putting the people first

Al-Muharram 15, 1434 AH

N150

PIB: Diezani stuns NASS with N6bn PR vote

By Richard Ihediwa

D

etails of how the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has been pushing the passage of the controversial Petroleum Industry bill (PIB) have started emerging as documents tendered at the Senate yesterday showed that the ministry earmarked a total of N6.2 billion to facilitate the passage of the bill currently in the National Assembly.

The documents also showed that the ministry has earmarked another N1 billion to conduct an assessment of oil spills in oil producing states.

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, who tendered the documents when she appeared before the Joint National Assembly Committee on Gas and Petroleum to defend the ministry's 2013 budget, told stunned lawmakers that the N6.2 billion has been earmarked for "enlightenment campaigns" on the bill.

The minister confirmed that the ministry had already spent

N110 million out of the amount on the awareness campaign for the bill which failed in 2010 but insisted that she needed the N6 billion to conduct a "comprehensive awareness campaign" to enable the PIB to sail through this time.

The documents showed that in 2010, the ministry spent N94.5 million on the programme, N16.3 million in 2011 and another N17.2 million was appropriated for it in 2012.

The campaign may also involve lobbying critical stakeholders, especially federal legislators for the speedy passage of the draft law, apparently against the backdrop of the intense lobby mounted by certain multinational oil companies, allegedly to scuttle its passage, Peoples Daily learnt yesterday.

Mrs. Alison-Madueke told the committee that the ministry will need N1billion to conduct a full scale assessment and documentation of oil spills in the nine oil producing states. This does not include actual remedial work.

Already, the contract for the Contd on Page 2

Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, going through a copy of Peoples Daily newspaper, during a visit by the management of Peoples Media Limited to the emir’s palace, yesterday in Kano.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Reps to Sanusi

You’re a failed economist Ignore him — Labour minister

“

By Lawrence Olaoye and Umaar Muhammad Puma

T

he House of Representatives yesterday described Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as a failed economist whose proposals have always failed under public scrutiny.

It also decried lack of cash backing for the N300 billion capital budget for the fourth

To Sanusi, I will say physician heal thyself.

When he became the CBN governor in 2009, he met the workforce of 5022, but with the spate of 3 years, the workforce has expanded to 6015. With over 20 directors, I wonder why he should be advising other agencies to prune down.”

quarter by the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, just 19 working days to the end of the 2012 fiscal year Responding to the CBN governor’s suggestion that the number in the House of Representatives pruned down in order to reduce the cost of governance in the country, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Contd on Page 2

Boko Haram leader General Buhammadu salutes global Buhari's daughter dies in child birth jihadists in video >> PAGE 3

>> PAGE 3

PD INDEX

CBN RATES $ £ EURO CFA RIYAL

BUYING 154.76 246.91 197.25 0.2831 41

SELLING 155.76 248.51 200.54 0.3031 41.5

PARALLEL RATES EURO £ RIYAL $

Police pension: Reps order OkonjoIweala’s arrest >> PAGE 4

29th Nov., 2012

BUYING 207 255 42 157

SELLING 209 256 44 158

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

CONTENTS News

2-11

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

S/Exchange Report

23 24-25

$12.4bn Gulf oil windfall: Court dismisses SERAP's suit

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

A

Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday dismissed the suit brought before it by a coalition of civil society groups against the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister f Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) where-in they sought information on how the $12.4 billion Gulf oil windfall in the country between 1988 and 1992 was spent.

While dismissing the suit, the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, noted that although the plaintiffs meant well and wanted a country free of corruption, but that they lacked the locus standi to file

the suit.

According to Justice Kolawole, the suit is not justiciable and it is status-bar, having been filed more than 12 calendar months after the said Pius Okigbo Panel Report was submitted in 1994 or when it was claimed to have been found in 2005.

The trial judge held that the plaintiffs have not adduced admissible evidence to prove that a dedicated and special account was maintained in the CBN where the $12.4 billion was reserved and subsequently depleted to $200 million by June 1994 by General Babangida's military administration.

"Pius Okigbo has passed on and resting in peace until this suit was

filed. He should be allowed to have a short rest with the Federal High court resting this matter now.

"Applicants are not busy-bodies or meddlesome interlopers, but patriotic corporate bodies moved with good motives to ensure accountability and corruption free country but there is no authority to confer locus standi on them", the Judge held.

Six civil society groups led by the Socio-Economic Rights and Ccountability Project (SERAP), under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 had approached the court seeking to compel the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, to disclose how the $12.4 billion oil windfall

money that accrued to the Federal Government between 1988 and 1994 under the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida was spent.

The judgment has been stalled since last year when hearing was concluded on the matter.

The plaintiffs sought "an order of mandamus compelling the respondents, individually and/or collectively, to publish detailed statements of account relating to the spending of $12.4 billion oil windfall between 1988 and 1994, and to publish in major national newspapers a copy of the statement of account."

In the course of its assignment, the Okigbo Panel reportedly uncovered that about $12.4 billion that was reserved in the 'Dedicated and Special Accounts', was depleted to $200 million by June 1994.

Meanwhile, Mr. Femi Falana has vowed to appeal against the judgement at the Court of Appeal.

Reps to Sanusi: You’re a failed economist

Growing North-east’s political economy (II), Page 34

Int’l

27-30

Strange World 31 Revue

32-33

Feature

34-35

Politics

39-40

Sports

41-47

Columnist

48

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

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

Phones for News: 070-37756364 09-8734478

Contd from Page 1 Affairs, Victor Ogene, said Sanusi has a penchant for overheating the polity with esoteric theories.

Recounting the rejection the introduction of N5000 note suffered among Nigerians and the subsequent jettisoning of the proposal by the government, Ogene said the CBN boss’ proposal for a reduction in the number of members of the National Assembly was another avoidable gaffe to be ignored.

He said that Sanusi’s idea of Islamic banking has failed to catch the imaginations of Nigerians just as he disclosed that the total appropriation to the National Assembly in the 2012 budget “stands below N150 billion while that of the CBN is well over N300 billion.”

The lawmaker said Sanusi should demonstrate prudence by first submitting himself to legislative scrutiny by presenting the CBN budget for appropriation as provided for in the constitution.

According to him, the constant reference to the CBN Act for an excuse not to present the agency’s budget for legislative scrutiny is an untenable alibi since the nation’s constitution supersedes the Act.

He said: “To Sanusi, I will say physician heal thyself. When he became the CBN governor in 2009, he met the workforce of 5022, but with the spate of 3 years, the workforce has expanded to 6015. With over 20 directors, I wonder why he should be advising other agencies to prune down.”

While condemning Sanusi for making inflammatory statements capable of overheating the polity especially on issues touching unemployment, Ogene counselled: “He should have proffered better ways of running the economy rather than causing a storm in the tea cup.”

Commenting on the lack of cash backing for the N300 billion fourth quarter release made by the Finance Minister, Ogene disclosed that of the N1.4 trillion capital budget approved in the 2012 budget only N1.1 trillion, representing 75 percent, has been released.

He said: “We commend the MDAs for their efforts to implement their capital projects despite the non-release of fund as expected by the Finance Ministry. We are still worried that the non-cash backing of the N300 billion the minister said was released 19 working days to the end of the fiscal year does not

speak well, it is unacceptable.”

On the investigation of the House through its Finance Committee of the non-remittance of the internally generated revenue (IGR) by the MDAs, Ogene said the committee’s investigation was not a waste of resources or duplication of the 6th Assembly’s achievements.

He, however, announced that the House adjourned plenary for its committees to complete their budget defences and assured that the budget would be ready before Christmas.

In a related development, the Minister of Labour, Chukwuemeka Wogu, yesterday asked Nigerian workers not allow Sanusi’s suggestion that public sector workforce be cut by half to reduce the cost governance disturb them.

The minister who spoke at the eighth National Labour Relations Summit and Fellowship Award entitled "Social policy, labour relations and the transformation agenda: Extending social protection in Nigeria", said the federal government would rather create more jobs than throw workers in the unemployment market.

"I speak authoritatively and I want to be quoted, ” Wogu said.

“Both the TUC and the NLC should not be agitated by the suggestion because the FG is committed to protecting and creating more jobs in the country".

According to him, a committee has been set up to create more jobs in several sectors of the economy and it will commence work “next week.”

He noted, however, that job creation is main role of the private sector, but the government would create an environment conducive enough for the sector to thrive under.

On its own part, the government is committed to job creation particularly in agriculture, construction, ICT, tourism etc.

Earlier, the presidents of NLC and TUC, Abdulwaheed Umar and Peter Esele, respectively, had condemned the statement of the CBN governor, saying that with 50 percent unemployment and 25 percent official unemployment rates in the country, “a revolution and youth revolt” is imminent.

They noted that Nigeria could move forward if government revives the real sector s of the economy like manufacturing, transportation, textiles, food and beverages.

PIB: Diezani stuns NASS with N6bn PR vote Contd from Page 1 project has been awarded to Season Energy Limited. The sum of N86.6 million was released in 2011 for the project and another N179 million appropriated this year.

She, however, told the committee that the Ministry of Finance had only released 41 percent of her ministry's budget but added that she has recorded 93 percent performance with the releases to the ministry.

She said: "Out of what was released we were able to handle 93 per cent performance. Of course we expect that the balance of our appropriated budget for 2012 would be released within the

fourth quarter and it will allow us within the window of procurement which is up to march next year, to complete all our projects that is slated for completion this year and to progress on the ongoing projects for 2012 and go into 2013.

"So on the basis of what we have seen and what we have done so far, we are quite okay that at the end of the procurement period by the time the quarter four releases hit our accounts that the performance for the year would be pretty good".

Though she lamented that the delay in the release of funds by the Ministry of Finance did not help matters, Alison-Madueke

denied that there was a rift between her and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala saying she only read about the issue in the newspapers.

The ministers also allayed fears that there will be scarcity of fuel during the end of the year festivities as she assured that the alleged wide spread irregularities in the importation of fuel will be resolved before then.

"We try and ensure that now that verifications in terms of subsidy by the Aig-Imhokuede report has been completed, payments begin to go out to the marketers; you can see already that petrol queues are lessening around the country. We will again

begin to push. So it was not on our instance. There have been issues that all Nigerians know. We cannot eat our cake and have it. If we have exposed issues in the payment of fuel subsidy and manipulations in that system, then it has to be adequately investigated," said the minister.

"And, of course, that investigation meant also that payments phased in until the actual situation was verified. Now that that has been done, we hope that after a period we will get back on track in terms of resupplying of petrol to all parts of this country and we will try as much as possible to ensure that there is no logjam in fuel supplies this Christmas."

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 3

Court stops Boko Haram leader salutes global jihadists in video Babalakin’s arraignment

T

From Adesoji Oyinlola & Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

A

Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, stopped the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from going on with plans to arraign the chairman of Bi-Courtney Group, Dr. Wale Babalakin on alleged economic crimes and money laundering.

While another court was told that Babalakin is presently on admission at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja.

Justice Mohammed Idris, in a ruling on an ex-parte motion, granted leave to Babalakin to apply for prohibition and certiorari order preventing the EFCC from arraigning him before the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.

Justice Idris ruled that the leave, according to Order 34 Rule 3 (6) of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules, should operate as a stay of all actions relating to the arraignment.

The rule reads: “If the relief sought is an order of prohibition or certiorari and the judge directs, the grant shall operate as a stay of the proceedings to which the application relates until the determination of the application or until the judge otherwise orders”.

The judge has therefore adjourned the matter to December 12 for hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction against the EFCC and the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Bello Adoke.

Counsel to Babalakin, Mr. Ebun Sofunde told another court presided

by Justice Adeniji Onigbanjo that his client is currently on admission at LASUTH over an undisclosed illness.

Sofunde informed the court that he had earlier forwarded a letter to the registrar of the court which contained a medical report by Dr. Charles Harmon about Babalakin’s health.

He told the court that Babalakin health deteriorated immediately after he appeared before the EFCC office in Abuja on the 26 November, 2012 for questioning.

He asked the court to adjourn the matter to allow his client recover from the undisclosed sickness.

EFCC Counsel, Rotimi Jacob, expressed disappointment at the turn of events, saying he was shocked at the antics being employed by Babalakin.

He informed the court that on the the date that Babalakin purportedly took ill, he was in the EFCC office and did not show any sign of illness.

Ruling on the matter, Justice Onigbanjo asked the EFCC counsel to verify that Babalakin is on admission at LASUTH. He also enjoined the commission to get an independent medical report on the true state of Babalakin’s health.

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter to 13 December, 2012 for possible arraignment.

he leader of Boko Haram yesterday expressed solidarity with global Islamist fighters, saying the US and Britain "should witness that we are with our mujahideen brothers."

The statement was made in a video posted Thursday, SITE monitoring group said.

AFP, quoting SITE, a US-based organisation, said Abubakar Shekau gave the speech in Arabic in a 39-minute video posted to jihadist forums. It was not clear when it was recorded.

"The world should witness, and America, Britain, Nigeria and other crusaders, meaning America and Britain, should witness, and the Jews of Israel who are killing the Muslims in Palestine should witness... that we are with our mujahideen brothers in the cause of Allah everywhere," a translation by SITE said.

Boko Haram has been widely seen as a domestically focused extremist group, targeting symbols of Nigerian authority as well as churches, among other targets in its insurgency that has killed hundreds over a three-year period, mostly in the north-east part of the country.

But the video makes particular reference to global events, with Shekau saluting fighters in the Maghreb region of northern Africa, "the Islamic state in Mali," Somalia, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan,Yemen and "our brothers and sheikhs in usurped Palestine."

"O Britain, America, Israel and Nigeria: Don't think that jihad stops with the death of imams," Shekau says, according to SITE. "Because imams are individuals.

Jihad started now, jihad started now, O enemies of Allah."

Violence linked to Boko Haram's insurgency has left some 3,000 people dead in northern and central Nigeria since 2009, including killings by the security forces.

The group has claimed to be fighting for the creation of an

Islamic state in Nigeria, whose 160 million population is roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south.

However, its demands have repeatedly shifted and it is believed to include different factions with

varying aims, in addition to criminal gangs and imitators who carry out violence under the guise of the group.

Shekau and two other Nigerian extremists have been labeled "global terrorists" by the US government.

Plane crash: Suntai's aides return

F

ew weeks after they were flown to Germany to meet their principal and continue proper medical attention, two of the three aids to Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State returned, Thursday.

The two aides, Chief Detail, Joel Danladi, and Chief Security Officer, CSO, Tino Dangana,

touched down at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Aiport, Abuja, at 4.40pm aboard a Lufthansa aircraft.

They were driven off at 5.10pm in a convoy of four cars.

The aide de camp, ADC, Dasat Iliya, the third of the governor's aides injured when the aircraft being flown by the governor crashed on a flight from Jalingo

to Yola, will return next week.

The CSO, who returned using crutches, stopped photojournalists from taking shots and asked one, who had taken a shot, to delete it.

Director of Medical Services in the Government House, Jalingo, Dr. Ahmed Kara, told newsmen Governor Suntai and the ADC were doing very well at the hospital.

R-L: Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Tunde Lemo, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Banking and Currency, Hon. Haruna Mawu, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Chukwudi Onyewere, and Deputy Governor (Corporate Services), CBN, Mr. Suleiman Barau , during the Photo: Justin Imo-Owo committee's oversight visit to CBN headquarters, yesterday in Abuja.

Reps shocked over suspension of Mint boss

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

he House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency has expressed shock over the suspension of Managing Director of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), Ehi Okoyomon on offences bordering on alleged misappropriation of funds.

The committee also frowned at outrageous interest rates charged by banks on loan facility and tasked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to engage banks on reflective interest rate as against the floating interest rate currently charged.

These and other issues took centre stage yesterday when committee members visited CBN as part on oversight duties. They were received by two deputy governors of the CBN: Malam Suleiman Barau (Corporate Services) and Tunde Lemo as the Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was on assignment in London.

Speaking during the visit, the chairman, Committee on Banking and Currency, Hon. Chuckwudi Johnson

…tasks CBN on lower interest rates Onyerere, expressed dismay at having to read about the suspension slammed on the Mint boss on pages of a newspaper.

On interest rate, he said it was very wrong for banks to charge high interest rates on loans using monetary policy rate (MPR) as

an excuse, as according to him, banks are unwilling to reduce their rates even when MPR is lowered by the CBN. Responding, CBN Deputy Governor, Tunde Lemo, said interest rate on loans is determined by many factors,

key being inflation and cost of doing business in Nigeria which he said was one of the highest on the continent.

He said the suspension of the Mint MD was not a CBN affair, but the responsibility of the NSPMC board.

…as investigative panel submits report next week

H

owever, a senior officer working for the Mint told our reporter yesterday on phone that the panel set up to investigate Okoyomon will submit its report next week Thursday, 6th of December.

He said the Board will take final decision based on the report of the panel just as he dismissed

insinuations that Okoyomon is being investigated for fraud related offences.

“The core issue at the centre is a case of NSPMC Lagos staff who stole N900, 000 of N1, 000 denomination and not a case of fraud linked to the MD as being peddled in the media”, he clarified yesterday.

The board of directors of NSPMC

is headed by the CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The board has named an executive director in the company, Ahmed Bamali, as acting chief executive. The CBN owns 77 percent of NSPMC, the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) has a 20.06 percent shares in the company while De Rue of UK owns the remaining 2.94 percent.

Buhari's daughter dies in child birth From Mohammed Adamu, Kaduna

T

he first daughter of leader of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Zulaina Buhari, has died of birth complications in Kaduna. The deputy chairman, CPC Kaduna,

Hon. Bashir Saidu, confirmed the incident to our reporter last night.

According to sources, the late Zulaiha was operated upon on Wednesday at Nasara Hospital, Marafa Estate in Kaduna.

"She had CS operation and unfortunately, she died last

night (Thursday). In fact, we are heading to the hospital now to commence the burial arrangements for tomorrow (today) Friday morning", the family source said in tears.

No further details could be ascertained as at press time yesterday.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 4

NAF to use local engineers to fix grounded aircraft

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, has disclosed plans to rely on the use of local engineers and innovative technology in the Nigeria Air Force to fix aircrafts grounded at the various Airforce bases across the country.

Speaking yesterday during the 2012 Nigeria Airforce Public Relations and Information workshop, held in Abuja, he said that due to insufficient fund, the Airforce could not rely on the manufacturers to fix the aircraft.

He said that the workshop’s theme “Using public relations best practices in transforming the Nigerian Airforce into a selfreliant fighting force” keys into his vision of transforming the Nigerian Airforce into a selfreliant force that depends on local innovative technology.

He said that as part of his effort to ensure effective operations of the Public Relations Directorates,

Insecurity: NASI graduates 159 tactical troops From Muhammad Adamu, Kaduna

T

he Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI) has graduated another set of soldiers who have revived training on varying military tactics as a means of reducing the current insecurity in the country.

Five officers from the Central African Republic also graduated from the 14 week training course.

The exercise tagged WAZOBIA KUNAMA is the final field training for Commanding Officers’ 24, students of Company Commanders’ Course 55, Young Officers’ Course 117, Senior Infantry Non-Commissioned officers Course two and Infantry Non-Commissioned Officers’ 17.

Speaking at the close of the training, Commandant of the Infantry School, Maj.-Gen. Kenneth Osuji said the exercise was a blend of conventional warfare and guerilla military operations.

Osuji said the objective of the training was tailored towards addressing the nation’s current security challenges and to update officers’ knowledge on various tactics on conventional warfare.

Earlier, the chief Instructor, Tactics wing, Col. Bulama Biu said a total of 159 students drawn from various military formations participated in the training.

Biu said no casualty was recorded during the exercise which included both classroom and field work.

He said the students were trained on how to tackle insurgency, cordon and search tactics, dissident dispersal as well as tactical field operation in conventional warfare.

Selected officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, FRSC, NDLEA were some of the participants in the exercise.

he has purchased high-tech facilities to ensure their efficiency.

In his speech, the head of administration, Air Vice Marshal Na Spiff, said that the workshop would provide a fertile ground for the staff of the department to learn

the use of the new facilities in reaching out to the public.

He therefore urged the participants to come up with implementable resolutions that would transform NAF into a self reliant fighting force which

Nigeria and Africa in general would be proud of.

Earlier in his address of welcome, the Head of Public Relations Directorate, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, said that the department has made

giant stride in educating the public on the activities of the service.

He said the workshop will bring out the challenges faced by the public relations staff in the field and proffer solutions to them.

L-R: Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim, and Commandant, National Defence College, Rear Admiral Thomas Lokoson, during a news conference on the 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Police pension: Reps order Okonjo-Iweala’s arrest …threaten zero allocation in 2013 budget

By Lawrence Olaoye

F

ollowing the persistent refusal of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwaela to appear before the House of Representatives to explain issues around the management of the police pensions, the lawmakers yesterday issued a warrant of arrest to compel her to answer queries on the matter.

The House committee on Pension chaired by Rep Ibrahim Bawa Kamba had summoned the minister over the allegations that her office had taken over the management of the pensions from the Board against the provision of the Pensions Act.

Okonjo-Iwaela is also expected to appear before the committee to explain the alleged non-payment of pension to retired rank and file in the Nigeria Police as well as her contempt for the parliament.

The committee was equally alarmed that past Inspectors General of Police, including Sunday Adewusi and Sunday Ehindero as well as DIG Akeredolu were yet to receive their pensions due to the illegal takeover of the police pension administration by the finance ministry.

Kamba who read the resolution of the committee after waiting for the minister for several hours without any appearance or apology

noted that Okonjo-Iweala was not ready to appear before it over the matter.

He said “We have been inviting the minister of finance over the problems of police pension. She has been holding the police pension and several police pensioners have died due to non attendance despite the fact that National Assembly appropriated money in the 2012 fiscal year. “ According to him, “the committee is going to issue a warrant of arrest against the minister. If she fails to attend the next meeting, we are going to give her the last opportunity. What she

is doing is bad. We decided to take this step”.

“We want to make it clear to Nigerians of our action; we hate playing with people’s lives. We have received some petitions from the police that many police pensioners are not paid. We were bombarded with series of complaints. Severally, we have been writing to hear from the minister but she refused to heed our calls.

“She had taken over the schedule of the Police Pension. We are constraint to handle police pension therefore we would give police pension zero allocation. It is obvious that both the minister and the PENCOM are playing with people lives”, he added

Court starts trial of N1.05bn subsidy scam suspects

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

A

n Abuja High Court sitting before Justice Adebukola Banjoko yesterday commenced trial of the two oil subsidy scam suspects and their companies arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The suspects, Alhaji Saminu Rabiu, Jubril Rowaye, Alminnur Resources Limited and Brila Energy Limited are being prosecuted on a 17-Criminal Count Charge of fraud, false pretence and embezzlement of N1, 051,030,434.63.

At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, the anti-graft agency tendered five documents as exhibits while examining a prosecution witness, Mr. Wole

Adamolekun who is the General Manager, Operations of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).

The exhibits presented include the Permit granted Alminnur Resources Limited; the Check-list of the requirements for importation of Petroleum Motor Spirit, PMS; EFCC’s letter to PPPRA dated January 16, 2012; PPPRA reply to EFCC dated January 16, 2012; banded documentation submitted

by Alminnur Resources Limited showing supply of 5,000 metric tonnes of PMS and another banded documentation from Alminnur Resources Limited in respect of the supply of 4,966.191 metric tonnes of PMS. Justice Adebukola who received the documents marked exhibit A,

B, C1, C2, D and E respectively, from the EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, adjourned the case to 18th through 22nd February, 2013 for accelerated hearing .

It would be recalled EFCC had on October 17, 2012, arraigned the suspects before Justice Banjoko over allegations of defrauding the Federal Government by submitting false documents and making false claims from the Petroleum Support Fund, as subsidy payment to Alminnur Resources Limited.

One of the charge reads, “That you, Alhaji Saminu Rabiu, Jubril Rowaye, ALMINNUR RESOURCES LTD and BRILA ENERGY LTD sometime in May, 2011 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory,

Abuja with intent to defraud, did conspire to do an illegal act to wit; to obtain the sum of N1,051,030,434.53 from the Federal Government of Nigeria by false pretence that the said sum represented subsidy payment accruing to ALMINNUR RESOURCES LTD for the purported importation of 10,000 MT of Premium Motor Spirit(PMS) which you claimed to have purchased from Napa Petroleum Trade Inc and imported into Nigeria through the Mother Vessel, Mt Kriti Akti, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.”

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Slain Oshiomhole aide: Court acquits suspect

Man bags seven-year jail term for defiling 12-year-old daughter

From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

E

do state-based human and environmental rights activist, Rev. David Ugolor, accused of sponsoring the alleged murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, principal/private secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, has been discharged and acquitted by an Evboriaria Magistrate Court 4 sitting in Benin.

Rev. Ugolor who was arrested on July 27, 2012 on the grounds that one of the suspects arrested, Usman Garba Maisamari, confessed him as their sponsor alongside another accused, Wilfred Iserhienrien.

Maisamari alongside nine others were arraigned and remanded in prison by the Magistrate Court where Ugolor spent 41 days behind bars before being granted bail.

He was later awarded N5 million general damages by a Benin High Court for unlawful detention by the police.

When the case came up for hearing yesterday, Counsel to Rev. David Ugolor and Wilfred Iserhienrhien (7 and 8 accused persons respectively), Olayiwola Afolabi drew the attention of the court to a letter addressed to it by the State Ministry of Justice exonerating the accused persons from the case.

Delivering judgement on the case, Chief Magistrate Francis Idiake ordered that the two accused persons should be released unconditionally.

Al-makura solicits police cooperation against insecurity From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

G

overnor Umaru Tanko Almaura of Nasarawa state has observed that because of the proximity of the state to the Federal Capital, there is the need for the police to sustain their effort at maintaining peace.

Al-makura made the observation yesterday when he attended a routine meeting of senior police officers in Nasarawa state, which held at the Police Officers Mess, along Jos Road, Lafia.

The governor who lauded the effort of the police towards ensuring that peace reigns in the state, lamented that of late insecurity has become a common feature, stressing that there is the need to address the issue because of the special nature of the state, being close to the FCT. According to him, it has become necessary for government to strategise with the police towards ensuring lasting peace in the state, urging the force to keep up with the good work for which it has been known.

PAGE 5

From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

A

n Oredo Magistrate Court sitting in Benin has sentenced a 47-year-old man, Godwin Allu to seven years imprisonment with hard labour for having unlawful carnal knowledge of his 12-year-old daughter.

The accused who pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of having carnal knowledge of his daughter, Blessing, three times – was committed the offense punishable under section 218 of the Criminal Code Cap.

48 Vol. II of the defunct Bendel state of Nigeria 1976 as applicable in Edo state.

The prosecuting state counsel, Miss. L. A. Asaka, told the court that the matter was reported by one Mrs. Verlaine Enemaku on the 20th day of November, 2012, at the charge room of the Central Juvenile Welfare Centre of the Nigeria Police in Benin City.

The prosecution told the court that it was the Headmistress of Obaseki Primary School, Benin, who noticed blood stains on the victim’s school uniform, and

that the victim told the police that her father had sex with her three times at different occasions.

The victim, according to the prosecution, was admitted and treated at the Benin Central Hospital was later discharged and taken to Cole Orphanage Home for care and protection.

Delivering judgement, Chief Magistrate Peter Edo Asemota expressed satisfaction that the accused voluntarily pleaded guilty to the crime and the court accordingly pronounced him guilty as charged.

“That this convict had

carnal knowledge with a 12year-old child on three separate occasions is bad enough. It is heart rendering that he was doing it with his own daughter, who even had blood stain on her clothes on the day this incest was exposed”.

Chief Magistrate Asemota who observed that cases of sexual offenses was on the increase in the court jurisdiction, said it was necessary that the court joins other stakeholders in taking a serious stand in order to wipe it out “before the society’s moral fabric is completely destroyed”.

Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero (middle), Chief Operating Officer of Peoples Media Ltd, Malam Ali M. Ali (3rd left), Editor, Peoples Daily, Malam AbdulAziz Abdullahi (2nd left), Director of Peoples Media, Hon. Salisu Mohammed (4th right), Business Development Manager, Hussaini Abdulrahman (3rd right), Deputy Production Manager, Malam Abdulrauf Musa (left), and others in a group photograph with the Emir when the management of Peoples media visited the Emir in his palace, yesterday in Kano.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Malaysian Gardens: Coy breached agreement, says FCTA

By Josephine Ella Ejeh

F

acts have emerged on how the controversial Malaysian Gardens mass housing project in Abuja failed to get off the ground.

Documents made available by the Development Control Department of the Abuja Metropolitan Council (AMMC) under the FCT Administration, have revealed how the company handling the project, Global Formwork Nigeria Limited, serially broke the Development Lease Agreement (DLA), which it signed in 2004 with the administration.

It would be recalled that the company was given provisional allocation of 510 hectares of land in Saraji District early in 2004 to build 14,085 housing units within 10 years.

The documents, according to a statement in Abuja by the Special Assistant on Media to the FCT Minister, Nosike Ogbuenyi, revealed that Global Formwork Nigeria Limited clearly broke the DLA by failing to settle the building

plan approval fee of N433.

6million.

Ogbuenyi recalled that it is the statutory responsibility of the Development Control Department to vet and approve building designs including fixing and collection of the necessary approval fees.

He said contrary to the claim of the company that the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed was frustrating the efforts of the company to deliver the agreed 14,085 housing units, the minister’s position on the matter has been guided by public interest, diligence and the

provisions of the DLA entered into by the FCT Administration with Global Formwork since 2004.

The minister aid said that despite the intervention of the administration which gave them the option of defraying the amount in four (4) installments, the company failed.

Eggon cultural group denies link to violence across Nasarawa From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

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ollowing allegations that an Eggon cultural group, the ‘Ombatse’, were behind most of the communal clashes occurring across Nasarawa state, mostly involving the Eggon tribesmen and other ethnic nationalities, the group has come out to deny any link to any of such crisis, just as it refuted recent media report suggesting that Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura is “romancing with the group.”

Mr. Zackary Zamani, national secretary, flanked by Mr. Haruna Musa Kigbu, national president, in a press briefing yesterday in Lafia, said

it has become necessary for the group to tell its own side of the story, as according to him, “a lie told repeatedly eventually becomes the truth”.

He described the ‘Ombatse’ as a religious organisation, a traditional prayer group, meant to draw the Eggon people closer to God, through time tested traditional beliefs, with members strictly guided by entrenched value systems, which forbade bloodletting among other vices.

Zamani denied any link to the group regarding the various communal clashes that erupted in Assakio, Kwarra and most recently in Agyaragu, arguing that just because an Eggon man

was arrested as part of a militia involved in the crisis, does not mean such a person was sent by the ‘Ombatse’.

On the recent visit by Gov. Almakura to the scene of a protest

by Eggon youths who poured into the street in their numbers, blocking the Akwanga-Lafia road in Nasarawa Eggon, allegedly to show their grievances over the military invasion of a shrine belonging to the ‘Ombatse’, the national secretary said it was wrong for anyone to accuse the governor “of romancing with the group” for visiting the scene, adding that Al-makura has visited similar trouble spots as the chief security officer of the state.

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Kano govt threatens to sue BPE over sale of power company

L-R: Special Adviser to the Registrar, Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (IPMN), Prince Oliver Udofia, President, IPMN, Dr. Victoria Okoronkwo, and Administrative Secretary, IPMN, Mrs. Okwukwe NwakaNwandu, during IPMN Annual Project Manager's Conference, yesterday in Abuja.

From Edwin Olofu, Kano

K

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Undergraduate arraigned over alleged $165, 890 internet fraud T

he police in Lagos yesterday arraigned a 20year-old undergraduate, Olumide Ajayi, over alleged $165,890 (about N26,210,620) internet fraud.

The student of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo, appeared before an Ikeja

Magistrates' Court on a threecount charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing.

Ajayi, a resident of Oregun in Lagos, was accused of conspiring with others at large to defraud one Mr. Lin Shunye via the internet in the guise of supplying goods to him.

He, however, pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, ASP Barth Nwakaoye, said the accused and others at large committed the offences between June 15, 2010 and August, 2012 at Isolo, Lagos.

The prosecutor noted that the offences contravened Sections

285, 312 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The Magistrate, Mr. A.O Isaac, granted the undergraduate bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

He adjourned the case till Jan. 16, 2013 for mention. (NAN)

Arbitrary arrests: Borno calls forpublic petitions From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

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orno state government has enjoined residents whose children were victims of alleged arbitrary arrests by operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF), to file petitions on the issue for necessary action.

The state Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Kaka Shehu

Lawan, disclosed this yesterday while briefing newsmen on the one year achievements of the ministry.

According to Lawan, the measure was aimed at ensuring that innocent citizens were not punished for the crimes they never committed.

The commissioner explained that government was much ready to intervene in such cases

and urged the aggrieved parents to channel their petitions to the Depertment of Citizens' Rights of the ministry.

He added that no stoned will be left unturned in the government efforts to guarantee the safety of innocent individuals.

"Let me make it clear that, so far, government is yet to receive any complain on that matter.

Notwithstanding, I appeal on the affected individuals, if any, not hesitate in filing their cases before the appropriate department".

While commenting on the achievements recorded by the ministry, the commissioner said government has spent N1million in securing the release of several inmates who were jailed with options of fine.

Ajimobi submits to HIV test, warns against stigma From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

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he Oyo state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and some members of the state executive council, yesterday, subjected themselves to HIV/AIDS tests, with Ajimobi calling on the people not to stigmatise those afflicted with the disease.

The exercise was carried out during the inauguration of a mass testing and counseling on HIV tagged "Know Your Status", as part of activities marking the World AIDS Day. While addressing the gathering of people at the function, Governor Ajimobi said that the free HIV testing and counseling embarked upon by the Oyo State Agency for Control of AIDS (SACA) was part of the state government's resolve to eliminate the scourge of HIV from the state.

He said HIV/AIDS had been a major challenge to the whole world, stressing that the havoc caused by

the disease had impressed it upon the government that the battle against HIV/AIDS should be a collective effort.

"Not only is HIV/AIDS real, its havoc is vivid for all to see. In many countries in Africa, the reality of its corrosive nature has forced the people to see the disease as more fatal

to society than a war. It is said that even in a war situation, a nation cannot lose as many as it loses to the unguarded missiles of HIV/AIDS spread. If the loss to the disease is comparable to that of a war situation, it is thus incumbent on a nation to prepare its frontiers against the missiles of this subtle

war," the governor said.

Earlier in her welcome address, wife of the governor who doubles as the chairperson of the SACA, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, said getting tested was the first and primary level of intervention that would reduce the prevalence of the disease in the society.

…as Ogun distributes condoms at truck parks, brothels

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he Ogun state government says it has started the distribution of condoms at truck parks and brothels in some locations in the state to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS. Dr. Kehinde Fatungase, Director, Ogun State Agency for the Control of AIDS (OGSACA), disclosed the move at news conference in Abeokuta to commemorate the World AIDS Day. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 2012 celebration is: "Resourcing the State's Response toward Getting to

Zero Related Deaths".

He said bill boards would also be sited at the parks in Ogere, Isara, Sagamu and Ibese to further sensitise people on the scourge.

The director said truck parks were considered one of the "hot spots" where the drivers engaged in high act of immorality in the brothels around.

Fatungase said mobile counseling centres had been set up to cater for them and encourage them to know their status.

The Commissioner for Health,

Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, said that the state government would be more committed to the funding of HIV and AIDS services as international support was waning.

"We need to be responsible for our problems; so, if the international donor agencies stop giving us aid, we should stand for ourselves and do what is right",Soyinka said.

He also called for the passage of the Anti-stigma Bill to create an enabling environment for the success of all HIV programmes. (NAN)

ano state government has threatened to challenge the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) in court over the recent privatisation of Kano Power Distribution Company.

The state governor, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who disclosed this yesterday in Kano when members of Kano Renaissance Think Tank (KRTT) paid him a courtesy call at the Government House, said the privatisation exercise lacked transparency as the state government was not duly consulted, arguing that the whole arrangement is defective.

Kwankwaso explained that under any such arrangement, the state government ought to be fully contacted on anything relating to the privatisation exercise because the government has a right over whatever affects the people of the state.

He alleged that the company which purportedly bought the Kano power company is ineffectual, pointing out that his government has enough grounds to feel uncomfortable with the whole deal.

"The hurried way in which the company was sold lives much to be desired. We are going to challenge the decision in court to ensure justice is done in this matter because we are not comfortable with the whole arrangement", he said.

The governor mentioned that his administration is eager to set up an independent power project for the state because of the centrality of power to economic prosperity, recalling that during his first tenure in 1999-2003, a lot of money was spent in providing electricity for many communities across the 44 local government areas of the state.

He told the visitors that since coming back to office in 2011, his government has invested much in infrastructural and social development as part of plans to transform Kano state into an enviable model in Nigeria.

Governor Kwankwaso then thanked the think tank for its foresight and suggestions which he said will be considered for possible implementation.

The spokesman of the group, Alhaji Yakubu Musa advised the state government to establish its own power plant and revolutionise the state's transportation system in tandem with what obtains in modern cities across the world.

He also urged the government to revise its schools' curriculum, as the one in use now is archaic and does not reflect prevailing realities. He added that the government must also pay more attention to the training of teachers and doctors for better health and educational services.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Niger, Kwara youths, other besiege USA visa centre in Ilorin From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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undreds of youths from surrounding states yesterday besieged the Ministry of Agriculture, Ilorin, centre for the orientation for all the beneficiaries of President Goodluck Jonathan\Namadi Sambo Excellent Initiative Corporation to confirm their luck in the poverty alleviation through America Visa.

At about 8 am, majority of youth form Ondo, Niger, Osun and Kwara states who had applied for the programme and others that got their forms through their community leaders, had converged at the venue for orientation which kicked off at about 10 am.

While addressing the beneficiaries, the director of the programme, Ambassador Falilat Saraki, assured them of being among the successful applicants and disclosed that President Jonathan would be in Ilorin to give all the beneficiaries their visas by January next year.

She disclosed that in addition to USA visa, the organiser of the programme had acquired for development of agriculture, housing estate and industrial layout at Onire, a village in Asa local government area of Kwara state.

“This programme will develop the youths in Nigeria and will raise their hopes; the same system of operation will occur in the 36 states of Nigeria including the FCT”, she added.

Borno targets 3.5 million people for CSM immunisation From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri orno state government said yesterday that 3.5 million people, aged between one to 29 years have been targeted for the forthcoming immunisation against cerebro spinal meningitis, (CSM).

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Salma Anas Kolo, disclosed this at a press briefing, saying vaccination exercise will kick-off from December 1 to 10 across the 27 local government areas of the state.

Kolo revealed that already, adequate doses of vaccines against the disease have been distributed to the area councils and other designated centres.

She added that syringes, immunisation cards, safety boxes and other equipment have been procured for the exercise.

The commissioner noted that 300 health workers have been assigned for the exercise and called on the general public to offer maximum support to it.

In a bid to ensure hitch-free conduct of the immunisation, government in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, she said, has embarked on aggressive enlightenment campaigns.

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PAGE 7

Reps to investigate Niger Delta minister over alleged contract scams

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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gainst the backdrop of mounting disclosure of corrupt practices leveled against the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, by some anticorruption agencies in the country, the House of Representatives yesterday urged its committees on Niger Delta and Anti Corruption to investigate the matter and report back to the House within 21 days.

In a motion raised by Rep. Kehinde Olusegun (PDP Ogun), he said the anti-corruption

agencies ‘allege that the minister has paid for so many phantom projects, and is presently residing in a house at Mabushi district, Abuja, built and handed over to him by SETRACO – the construction company that doubles as his crony; and the failure to declare the said house in his assets declaration with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) which amounts to perjury if established’.

Olusegun said the allegation was at first rubbished and dismissed by the minister as handiwork of his detractors and some mischief makers who were out for extortion; but that any

time the minister comes up with his purported facts, they have been proven to be mere lies by superior disclosure of more facts by the anti- corruption agencies.

“What is baffling is not allegation of corruption against the minister, but the fact that neither the EFCC nor ICPC has deemed it fit to wade in; their silence on the matter is casting a very serious doubt on President Jonathan’s pretentious crusade against corruption”, Olusegun further averred.

“It would amount to a great travesty if we do not do justice, or ensure justice is done in this matter. We cannot allow anti-

corruption agencies to take our place as the legitimate voice of our over oppressed people”, he said.

Recall that the AntiCorruption Network, led by its executive secretary, Hon. Dino Melaye, went to the ICPC and CCB and submitted two separate petitions, one to the Code of Conduct Bureau and the other to the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, accusing the minister of sundry contract scams.

The House thereafter suspended plenary to December 8 to allow committees to conclude their budget defense.

L-R: Chairman, Education Committee, Federal Character Commission (FCC), Mrs Amaka Ebenebe, Provost, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo state, Prof.

Adeyemi Idowu, representative of Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character, Alhaji Maibeza Adbdulkadir, and Executive Secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education, Prof.

Junaid Muhammad, during FCC sensitisation workshop for educational services agencies, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Katsina tertiary institutions threaten strike From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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ecturers in the three Katsina state-owned tertiary institutions have threatened to embark on strike unless the state government honours their demands.

A statement signed by the chairman of the Joint Consultative Forum of the lecturers, Comrade Tukur Dahiru Bakiyawa, his secretary, Muttaka Mamman Kurfi and the treasurer, Abubakar Ammani, said the government has reneged on an

earlier agreement entered with the forum.

The statement further noted that out of the five items agreed to by the government and the lecturers during their negotiations, only two were implemented which they said include payment of salaries of the newly recruited staff and payment of union dues.

The lecturers accused the state’s Department of Higher Education of laxity, delay tactics and frustrating the work of a committee set-up by the government to present report on

ways to implement their remaining three demands.

Similarly, the lecturers urged the government to immediately implement the following, migration (CONTISS 15), 60 years retirement age and revisiting the computation of retirement benefits.

The statement also called on the government to urgently address the issues of understaffing, inadequate funding for staff development and shortage of physical facilities faced by the institutions.

The lecturers however want

Magistrate berates police for arraigning commercial sex workers in towels

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Senior Magistrate, Mr. K.O. Ogundare, yesterday in Lagos, berated the police for arraigning nine suspected commercial sex workers dressed indecently, with one of them covering her nakedness with just a towel.

The nine suspects were charged before an Ojokoro Magistrates’ Court in Lagos along with their alleged pimps and customers on four counts of unlawful gathering, causing breach of peace, loitering and

prostitution.

“You should have allowed them dress properly; after all they were not arrested in their bathroom. What if they are not able to perfect their bail condition, will they be remanded in prison like this?” Ogundare queried.

The magistrate directed the prosecutor to ensure that the ladies dress properly before they appear before the court on the next adjourned date.

The accused are: Jennifer

Osagie, 27; Caroline Omoroge, 28; Mabel Okeagbe, 24; Sharron Udu, 25; Philomena Oko, 26; Ada John, 25; Joyle Ojebulu, 26; Precious Blessing, 25 and Favour Osajomo, 24.

Others are Nurudeen Adetunji, 28; Yemi Abayomi; 30, Femi Ajala, 33; Afeez Obisesan, 26; Waheed Akinkunmi, 28; Akeem Liasu, 27 and Femi Aje, 30.

The prosecutor, Insp. Clara Olagbaiye told the court the accused comprising nine women

the government to release the promotions of officers on CONPCASS/CONTEDISS 12 and above which they alleged has been pending since July 2010 and release of the financial benefits of staff promoted since January 2011.

The three governmentowned tertiary institutions in Katsina state include, Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina, Isa Kaita College of Education, Dutsin-ma, and Bala Usman College of Legal and General Studies, Daura. and seven men committed the offences on Nov. 11 at Love Hole Hotel, Isuti, Egan/Igando Road, a suburb of Lagos, at 9.50 p.m.

“The 16 of them gathered unlawfully and conducted themselves in manner likely to cause breach of peace”, she said.

According to the prosecutor, the women were loitering and soliciting for sex, while the men were pimps and some of their customers.

She said the offences contravened sections 44, 142 and 166 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. (NAN)

PAGE 8

L-R: Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Niger State Governor, Dr Mu’azu Aliyu Babangida, and Enugu state Deputy Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, at Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), national conference in Enugu on Wednesday.

L-R: A family friend of late President Umaru Yar’adua, Malam Shehu Imam, younger brother of the late president, Col. Abdulaziz Yar’adua, and another friend of the family, Mr. Mustapha Musa, during the 1st memorial lecture for the late president, yesterday in Abuja.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Director, Police Education Corps, DCP Ibrahim Kabiru, inspecting a guard of honour mounted by pupils of Police Children’s School, yesterday in Ikeja, Lagos state.

People waiting to consult doctors during the ongoing free medical treatment being offered by the Mark Anumah medical mission, in Okene, Kogi state. Photos: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 9

NULGE denies 9000 ghost workers in Kebbi From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

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L-R: Director General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, and Director, Planning, Research and Statistics (NOA) Mr. Bonat Tagwai, during 2013 budget defence by agencies, yesterday at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Subsidy claim: Presidency denies Okonjo-Iweala, Alison-Madueke rift

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

T

he Presidency has denied knowledge of any rift between the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke over unpaid petroleum subsidy claims.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents yesterday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, denied knowledge of such disagreement.

There were reports of disagreement between the two ministers over unpaid subsidy

totalling N1.13trn which Okonjo-Iweala refused to pay.

A delegation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation led by Alison-Madueke was said to have told President Goodluck Jonathan that fuel might disappear from filling stations across the country if government failed to pay the

debts.

“I am not aware of any disagreement between the two ministers. I read those stories too but those stories are usually speculative. They are not based on any substance and I think we should refrain from this attempt to set one individual up against the other”, Abati said.

HIIC decisions helpful to Nigeria – Sambo

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

V

ice President, Alhaji Mohammed Namadi Sambo, has said tremendous progress has been achieved in the implementation of the decisions of the Honourary International Investors Council (HIIC) in its twelve years of existence.

Speaking at the opening of the 13th meeting of the HIIC in London, yesterday, Vice President Sambo said “much action has been taken and significant progress has been made in implementing the decisions taken at the 11th and 12th Sessions in Paris and Abuja, respectively.”

“Those sessions highlighted the need for competitiveness of the Nigerian economy, ports and Customs reforms, power sector upgrade, security and a new visa policy”, he stated.

Vice President Sambo informed the meeting that three out of the ten new thermal power plants were already adding power supply to the national grid, while the others were at 90% completion.

“We have reached an advanced stage in the

privatization of the power sector, while the successful bidders have provided all the necessary guarantees and we are expecting that within the next 25 days the 25% deposits will be paid and the target plan for the privatization of power will be completed successfully.”

The Vice President said the port reforms had been so successful that goods were now being cleared within an average of 48 hours, from the previous time of between four and eight weeks.

He also spoke of the great improvement in meeting the

security challenges, especially in the North, job creation, agriculture, as well as the progress already recorded in checking crude oil theft.

Earlier, the Coordinator of the Council, Baroness Lynda Chalker had briefed the Vice President on the activities of the Council.

Fake drugs in Africa reduced by 20% – WHO

By A’isha Biola Raji

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most recent study of the Quality of Anti-malaria Medicines in SubSaharan Africa (QAMSA) including Nigeria has revealed a 20% failure rate within the region.

Director– General of World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Margret Chan dropped the hint in her opening remarks at the first meeting of the New Member State Mechanism on Spurious Substandard, Falsely labelled, Falsified and Counterfeit Medical products (SSFFC) held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

According to a statement signed by Abubakar Jimoh, Deputy Director, Public Relation and Protocol Unit,

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), a similar study undertaken by WHO in Asia showed about 38% failure rate of anti-malaria medicines within that region.

A similar study by WHO in 2008, she said, put the failure rate of anti-malaria medicines in Nigeria at more than 64%.

However, the DirectorGeneral of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii observed that, there was connection between the Agency’s 2012 National Survey on Quality of medicines using TRUSCAN device and Laboratory analysis which puts the failure rate of Anti-malaria drugs in Nigeria currently at 19.6%.

He said, “a comparative analysis of the two different

QAMSA studies within 3years period indicates massive and progressive reduction of counterfeit anti-malaria medicines in Nigeria from 64.9% in 2008 to 20% in 2012.

Dr. Orhii said the feats were confirmation of successes recorded by NAFDAC in the fight against drug counterfeiting through adoption of cutting-edge technologies and other innovative approaches.

The pronouncement of the WHO, according to NAFDAC, would encourage indigenous pharmaceutical companies striving to bring quality of medicines produced by their companies to international standard through WHO prequalification.

he Chairman, Kebbi state chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Mohammed Bello Barade has distanced himself from a publication credited to him in some national dailies that the state government uncovered 9000 fake local government workers.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in his office, the chairman lamented that he did not have any interview with any journalist regarding the issue. ‘’I made a statement that the committee appointed by the state government has completed its assignment and have submitted report to the government’’, he said.

He added that the finding of the committee stated that the workers were categorized into three with the first category consisting of all verified workers with various schedules of responsibility; category two also consist of all verified and genuine workers with no specific schedule of responsibilities but do attend their workplaces. “Category three which also consist of workers who did not appear before the committee for verification, and as such, I have never addressed such workers as fake or ghost workers”, he said.

Foundation mobilises religious groups against malaria From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

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he Nigeria Interfaith Action Association (NIFAA), has mobilised Christian and Muslim leaders in Bauchi State to help fight malaria.

The State Programme Officer of NIAA, Dr. Yakubu A. B, stated this at the advocacy and community mobilization workshop held at the Iya Abubakar Resource centre, Bauchi on devastation caused by malaria, sponsored by the World Bank yesterday.

He said the aim was to acquaint faith leaders and other partners in the state with NIFAA Malaria Project.

Dr. Yakubu disclosed that NIFAA would work closely with the faith-based organisation through their leaders to tackle malaria which he lamented remains one of the major killers of adults and children According to him, “We feel that the strongest way to fight this monster is by bringing together faith leaders because people believe in them, their words are powerful.

We are mobilizing them to help us identify other faith leaders to help us join the fight against malaria.”

Dr. Yakubu said that NIFAA objectives among others, was to promote the use of curative and preventive commodities to address malaria, increase the knowledge of the symptoms from 69 per cent to 90 per cent and increase utilization of LLIN in households.

PAGE 10

Reps urge FG to complete abandoned road projects

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he House of Representatives Wednesday urged the federal government to appropriate funds in the 2013 budget for the completion of all abandoned road project across the country.

In three separate motions sponsored by Rep. Ibrahim Khalid Mustapha, ( PDP Kaduna state) and Rep. Samson Okwu ( PDP Benue state), both expressed worry over the rampant cases of road accidents as a result of failed potions on the roads despite their economic viability.

They stressed that if the roads were completed, it would not only boost the revenue profile of the states,but would also enhance agricultural activities and socio-economic condition of Nigerians, as well as provide alternative linkages to many states. " Unless very urgent step is taken, the incessant abandonment of road project will always defeat the purpose of budgetary allocation of the ministry of works and FERMA", Mustapha said.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Rights group to assess 200 police stations In 14 states in December

By Lambert Tyem

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group of human righis organisations will between December 3 and 9,2012 visit 200 police stations in 14 states to assess the quality of services delivered by personnel in the stations in order to strengthen police accountability to local communities.

The participating groups which include Altus Global Alliance, its member organization, CLEEN Foundation, Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Justice 4All would visit police stations in Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom; Enugu; Federal Capital Territory; Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Niger, Rivers and Zamfara

States.

Speaking to journalists on the planned visit at the Force Headquarters, Abuja yesterday, Country Director, Justice 4 All, Bob Arnot, said that the focal point of the assessment is police accountability, adding that Altus Global Alliance had been carrying out the Altus Police Station Visitors' Week since 2006 in different countries in five continents.

He described the visit as an international programme organised to facilitate local community groups' visit to police stations and assessing the quality of services delivered by police departments to identify best practices used by police.

"The programme relies on

planned annual visits by community groups to their local police stations.

They join people around the world to visit and review their local police stations using a simple assessment tool kit composed of 20 questions based on five indicator areas drawn from International laws and protocols on policing and human rights," Arnot stated.

Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba stated that the Nigeria Police Force has been participating in the programme since 2006, adding that the force had benefitted from the project in the areas of human rights protection and knowledge.

The regional representative of AGA and deputy executive

Kwara recorded zero budget performance, says House From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

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Former Osun governor sues NJC over Salami's recall

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

F

ormer Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has sued the National Judicial Council (NJC) over its decision to reinstate suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo salami.

The trial judge, Justice Abdul Kafarati has slated January 24 next year to decide whether or not the ex-governor could proceed with the suit.

Oyinlola had, through his counsel, Alex Marama, sought the court is setting aside the recommendation of the NJC to reinstate Salami.

NJC, however opposed the suit for being frivolous, so also was the counsel representing both the President and the Attorney General of the Federation who wanded the court to dismiss Oyinlola's reliefs.

The January 24, 2012 date is for the court to rule on the preliminary objections.

director, CLEEN Foundation, Mrs. Kemi Okenyodo explained that the programme enabled the world to know how police stations treat the public and the level of access people have to superior officers at police stations.

A simple scoring system that allows each individual assess each police station on community orientation, physical condition, equal treatment of the public, transparency and accountability and detention conditions, she said, was the tool kit, adding that " police stations that receive the highest overall scores will be recognized with an award at a forum where it will share with colleagues information about its winning practices.

Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria attending an enlightenment seminar on 'Life after retirement', yesterday in lagos.

Photo: NAN

I'll continue fighting polio, says Dangote

By Aminu Imam

W

ith Nigeria accounting for 77 percent of poliomyelitis cases , foremost entrepreneur and President of Dangote Group, Alh. Aliko Dangote has vowed to deploy his might in partnership with governments at all levels to stem the scourge.

Speaking on the collaboration of his charity organisation, the Dangote Foundation with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to tackle the menace, Dangote expressed worry at the disgraceful image of Nigeria in the comity of nation on account of the rising profile of Polio cases

especially with Kano state, as the epicentre of the world's fastest growing outbreak of the disease.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had branded Nigeria as the largest contributor of global polio burden and the only country in the world to have all three types of polio virus - Type 1, Type 3, and circulating vaccinederived Type 2 viruses and explained that the transmission of the disease in Nigeria posed a real threat to the global polio eradication effort.

To redress this situation, both Foundations had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kano state

government during the week seeking to put efforts together to eradicate the disease.

The MOU is a three year collaboration to improve routine immunisation and primary healthcare in Kano state, with a goal of reaching 80 per cent coverage with basic vaccines by 2015. Kano has one of the lowest routine immunisation coverage rates in Nigeria, with less than 40% of children reached with life-saving vaccines.

According to Dangote, the two Foundations are to provide funding, equipment and technical support to the Kano State government to strengthen polio immunization for the benefit of Nigeria and Africa.

embers of the Kwara State House of Assembly have expressed displeasure over zero performances of Ministries and parastals on the implementation of budget.

Mallam Idris Sunaboro representing Ilesha/Gwanara constituency while contributing to the Bill on revised supplementary appropriation for 2012 advised the House committee chairmen to assess the activities of ministries and parastatals before approving the estimated budget.

He argued that some ministries and parastatals recorded zero percent in 2012 budget which called for total scrutiny.

Alhaji Sabi Ibrahim representing Okuta /Yashikira constituency called for monitoring of the implementation of the budget, adding that most of the ministries and parastatals had neglected their constitutional responsibility on the Internally Generated Revenue.

He said that more effort was needed on the generation of IGR for the government to be able to perform its duties as expected.

A member representing, EsaShawo-Igbodun constituency, Alhaji Hassan Oyeleke blamed the outdated system of budget preparation and called for increased oversight functions by the House committees to ensure budgetary performance, pointing out that professionals could be engaged in that direction.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 11

Simple guide on how to produce cassava, sell and make millions (1) I

t is unfortunate to see how many Nigerian go to bed hungry every night, suffering of starvation and malnutrition. How we constantly complain of lack of good paying jobs, and no money to spend and take care of our immediate needs.

How many sell themselves into slavery in the hands of Chinese and Lebanese merchant's right in their own country all in the name of working in a factory. While in reality, we're sitting on a cash goldmine known as cassava farming and production.

The industrial processing of cassava in Nigeria holds much potential for successful investment.

The crop is increasingly attracting attention and processing businesses are slowly starting to spring-up all over the country. You also know how useful cassava is to Nigerians in general in terms of consumption.

Cassava forms the major part of our daily food. Almost no family can survive a whole year without cassava related food.

Cassava can be processed into a number of products such as starch, flour, chips, ethanol and glucose syrup, and bread to name a few. These products are all in high demand locally and also have significant export possibilities. These therefore,

NR 8082, NR8083, TMS 4(2) 1425, TMS 81/00110, TMS 92/0326. An additional 10 varieties are in the process of being released. Check from the cassava production specialists in Ibadan.

Weed control and land preparation A total herbicide - Round up (a glyphosate) should be applied to the land where you want to plant your cassava at the rate of 4-5 l/ha 10 days before land preparation. For cost effectiveness and optimum plant population of your cassava, mechanization and planting on ridges are recommended.

Liming It is recommended that 5 (50 kg) bags of agricultural lime be applied / ha during land preparation.

Cassava plantation place a lot of raw cash in the hands of anyone who has the product.

As a smart person, you should be thinking about how to take advantage of government support for agriculture and the increased budget to make wealth for yourself. If

you are ready, here is what you need to farm cassava.

Cassava production Site selection For Cassava plantation, it is important to choose an accessible

well-drained fertile soil.

Varieties For good cassava production, the following varieties are recommended for their high yield and processing quality: TMS 30572,

Plantingandplantingmaterial • Cassava planting starts in April and can be extended to October.

• The quantity of cassava recommended for 1 ha is 60 bundles of cassava stem.

• Cassava Stem cuttings 25 cm long should be planted at a spacing of 1 m x 1 m.

• Maintain 100% cassava planting rate by replacing dead or nonviable stems.

Become rich overnight learning liquid soap making (1) The Liquid Soap recipe et 366g of Coconut Oil. Then 1424g of Canola Oil. Also 400g of potassium hydroxide. And 1204g of pure water. These are the recipe for the liquid soap making. Once you have them down, it's time to get started with the process of making the liquid soap.

In This method, we are going to use a double boiler system that is using two pots for the boiler; one will be smaller than the other, the handles on the top pot

G

Quote There is no royal, flowerstrewn path to success.

And if there is, I have not found it. for if I have accomplished anything in life, it is because I have been willing to work hard.

– C.J. Walker

hold it suspended over the bottom of the larger pot. Put water in the bottom one such that when the top pot is on it, the water level will be over the bottom of the top pot. See picture below Then add the Potassium Hydroxide on the pot on top.

When you add the potassium hydroxide, it will sound like it is going to explode or boil over, even though the water on the bottom pot does not bubble at all and doesn't even heat as much as the sodium hydroxide so don't worry, it's the normal process.

When mixing the water and potassium hydroxide together and when mixing the soap there will seems to be a very caustic steam that comes from the mixture. When making liquid soap, always wear long sleeves and gloves otherwise your skin begins to burn due to the heat and the chemical released.

1. Pre-heat the water in the bottom of your double boiler, 2. Heat and mix your oils and fats like you normally would for cp, using the. temperatures of 160 degree for the oils and 140degree for the Potassium/water mixture, they will get to these temperatures very fast so be ready with your hot water in the bottom of your double boiler when you start. See Picture below, notice the thermometer inside the pot.

Try to bring your soap to trace, which even with a stick blender is pretty long. It will go through a few stages before it

hardens into your paste. It will also keep trying to separate, but keep mixing it until it is very thick like, thick custard or maybe a meringue.

Tip: Try to keep your soap as close to 160degree as you can, if you go over 160 your soap will boil up over the top of the pot, but much less than 160 and your soap will take forever to trace. So let it be within 160degree.

Look at the sample below. This is not trace, just a good imitation. It has to get much thicker than this. If you stopped at this point your soap would separate and that wouldn't be good.

How about this on the picture below? Nope, this isn't it either, keep going, it's not yet at the point we want.

Time for Dilution: Scrape the paste into a pot of 4820ml of water for dilution. Break it up a bit to get it into manageable sized chunks. Look into the pot below, you will see how it is broken into manageable pieces Now, slowly heat up your water/soap mixture to a medium heat and then turn it off and leave it overnight. Note that your heating has to be slowly this time.

Make sure the pot is covered. If your soap is high in soft oils (which this recipe is all about) it will get a skin on it if it isn't covered. Once you add the borax, it will fix this but until that time, keep the lid on covered all of the time.

Source: wealthresult.com,http:// www.islandertisansupply.ca

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 12

EDIT ORIAL EDITORIAL

T

Is the National Sports Festival still relevant?

he National Sports Festival was a post-civil war conception as part of the General Yakubu Gowon government’s “rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconciliation” policy.

With the sad memories of the 30-month civil war and its psychological trauma still fresh, the post war administration sought to forge national reintegration using the sports festival as the driving force.

Furthermore, the festival was intended to check centrifugal tendencies as well as provide a platform to arrest the decline of Nigerian sports, which had begun to manifest even prior to the civil war.

The promotion of keen and healthy competition amongst sports men and women under an atmosphere of sportsmanship and friendliness, it was believed, would national cohesion.

Besides, the festival was meant to identify young talents for further development and offer hosting states a compelling reason to upgrade sports facilities as well as build new ones.

Modelled on the former Eastern European nations’ pattern of gathering their youth every two years for a healthy rivalry in sports, the Nigerian sports festival began in 1973, bringing together athletes from the then 12 states of the federation. And from the onset, it had proved a handy tool for the provision of modern facilities. In fact, the sprawling National Stadium in Lagos, one of the best in Africa then, which was used to host the 2nd All Africa Games, played host to the maiden sports festival.

Thirty nine years on, the games had taken place regularly except in 1983, 1987, 1993 and 1995 when they were not held

for reason of either the paucity of funds on the part of the hosting rights owners or some national tragedy.Yet there can be no doubt that, regular or not, the biennial fiesta has remained an effective instrument for national integration, cohesion and mutual understanding amongst the diverse ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria.

The 17th editions so far concluded witnessed several innovations in organisation and facilities and threw up several budding talents that eventually

“

Whereas Peoples Daily agrees that the festival needs a touch of dynamism and professionalism in concept and packaging, it is arguable that admitting professionals into the games will yield the desired huge corporate sponsorships matured to take the world by storm.

Legendary footballers like Emmnuel Okala, Christian Chukwu, Thompson Usiyen, and athletes like Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, Tunde Obisanya, Eddie Ndukwu, Obisia Nwakpa, Yusuf Ali were products of the sports festivals.

However, there have been some disappointments. For instance, the festival has grappled with want of commitment on the part of host states, leading to postponements. In many cases, poor organization and inadequacy of facilities have been reported. Lately, some states have chosen to poach athletes from their

OUR MISSION “To be the market place of ideas and the leading player in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while delivering value to our stakeholders”

neighbours, thereby breaching the original concept of making the games exclusive to amateur athletes. In the process, they have failed to capitalize on them to grow talents for use at the international stage. This engendered the digression at the Abeokuta 2008 when, for the first time, professional athletes were permitted to compete. They eclipsed the fledgling athletes, again defeating the purpose of the games which was to unearth new talents.

Inconsistencies and a clear drift from the original concept of the festival question the real intention of the National Sports Commission vis-à-vis the original objective of using the festival to discover grassroots talents and groom them for international duties. It is worrisome that the Sports Minister and Chairman of the Commission, Bolaji Abdullahi, declared at the ongoing EKO 2012’s opening that there are plans to make the festival an allcomers affair, meaning that there will be no restriction, subsequently.

Whereas Peoples Daily agrees that the festival needs a touch of dynamism and professionalism in concept and packaging, it is arguable that admitting professionals into the games will yield the desired huge corporate sponsorships. Rather, it would offer unfair advantage to foreign-based professionals who would have had the benefit of better facilities and exposure to eclipse promising domestic athletes.

We suggest that the commission bring the planned National Under Sports Tournament to fruition, observe its result and prospects before deciding whether to finally rest the sports festival as originally conceived.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

CHAIRMAN MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE DIRECTOR/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RUFA’I IBRAHIM EDITOR, DAILY ABDULAZEEZ ABDULLAHI

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALI M. ALI

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA

ACTING EDITOR, WEEKEND JAMILA NUHU MUSA

MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

HEAD, LAGOS BUREAU ADESOJI OYINLOLA

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 13

Did misunderstanding lead to horrific Nigeria mob killing

By Vladimir Duthiers

I

t may have been a simple misunderstanding that led to a horrific lynching. On October 5, four University of Port Harcourt students, Chiadika Biringa, Ugonna Obuzor, Lloyd Toku, and Tekena Elkanah left campus for the village of Aluu.

According to Biringa’s mother Chinwe, Obuzor was owed some money and he asked his three classmates to accompany him to the village to collect on the debt.

Within minutes of their arrival, a rumouur spread that the students were not there to collect but to steal. An enraged mob stripped them naked while beating them with sticks and rocks then wrapped car tires around their necks — a form of torture known as “necklacing.” As the four men sat on the muddy ground dazed and pleading for their lives, someone doused them with gasoline, lit a match and set them on fire.

The killing of the “Aluu four” was filmed and posted on the web for the world to see and now serves as a stark reminder of what can happen when the rule of law fails and communities turn to vigilante groups to carry out summary executions of criminal suspects,

By James Ojo

S

okoto state with a heritage of history, colour and pageantry blazed another trail when drums were rolled out in an evening set aside to recognize achievements which had brought honour to the state in various fields of human endeavours. The government had set aside a day to honor indigene of the state whose accomplishments in their chosen carriers could not be ignored.

Among those honored with the 2012 prestigious State Merit Award include the Speaker of Nigerian House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. Others were the Car Designer with the General Motors Company of United States of America, (USA) Alhaji Jelani Aliyu Haidara Dogon Daji, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, Sarkin Gobir, Gwabadawa, Alhaji Mohammadu Zayyanu and the only female honoree, Hajiya Sa’adiya Omar Bello The auditorium of Sokoto Polytechnic, venue of the award ceremony, was filled to the brim hours before the arrival of prominent indigene of the state and other important dignitaries drawn from within and outside the country. As expect, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar led other prominent indigenes of the state, which included former President Shehu Shagari to the epoch event, while Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko led government functionaries.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was represented by the Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bello Sali, while the National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamagar Tukur, was represented by his Deputy, Chief Sam Sam Jaja. Also present at the Seat of

said Eric Guttschuss, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“Vigilante justice and mob justice generally takes place when there is a culture of impunity for crimes and in Nigeria, the Nigerian authorities have failed to crack down on this culture of impunity,” Guttschuss told CNN. Mob justice is not unique to Nigeria and it would be unfair to characterize it as such.

One infamous lynching in particular shocked the world and helped to spark the civil rights movement in the United States. In August 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till was beaten, his eyes gouged and shot in the head. His body was then thrown in the Tallahatchie River with a 70-pound cotton gin tied around his neck with barbed wire. His crime? Allegedly whistling at a white woman.

Till’s mother insisted on a public funeral service with an open casket showing the horribly mutilated and bloated body of her child so that the world would see the brutality of the lynching.

Chiadika Biringa’s mother felt the same way when CNN approached her to talk about her son’s killing.

“I want the world to know how our security failed us. I want the

world to know that my son and his three friends are innocent of what they said they did,” Biringa said.

According to news reports, the village of Aluu was on edge after several incidences of armed robbery — and in a country where critics say corrupt police are sometimes considered more dangerous than criminals, mob justice is how many disputes ranging from pick-pocketing to kidnapping are often resolved.

But Chinewe Biringa says her son and his friends were just innocent kids. “He was a very kind hearted boy and we (were) so close,” she said. “If my son sees you 100 times he will greet you 110 times.”

Biringa says the boys also had promising futures in music. They had already recorded a song together called “Ain’t No Love in the City” — a title she now says seems eerily like a premonition of what came to pass.

“It’s almost as if they knew they were going to die,” Biringa said.

Biringa and her husband, Steven, an oil executive at Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), says that he watched the video because he wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen his son’s killing with

his own eyes.

“I want them to know from beginning to end the barbaric nature with which they chose hunt them down,” he said. “Even your worse enemy should not be treated in such form in the 21st century that people are still behaving and killing human beings as if they were rats.”

The Nigerian police have arrested 13 people and, shockingly, one police officer who was on the scene and may have encouraged and even participated in the killing. While that officer is awaiting trial, the Nigerian police force has denied broader charges of rampant corruption and abuse.

Spokesman Frank Mba says while Nigeria’s police is not perfect, the police “are committed to improving our competency through training and retraining and to improve our service, deliver to protect law and order and to stabilize democracy in Africa’s largest country.”

Guttschuss says it is not enough. He told CNN: “Generally if you are the victim of a crime and you go to the police, you are asked to fund the criminal investigation. If you don’t have the money to fund it and meet the incessant bribe to the police the

case is often dropped. On the other hand, the criminal suspect, if he or she has the financial means, can simply pay off the police.”

This is why these extrajudicial executions are still all too common across Nigeria. It is impossible to find official statistics, but a quick search of the words in YouTube pulls up dozens of clips showing what happens to someone accused of crime when a mob sets themselves up as judge and jury.

This incident however, has seemingly galvanized the public.

There are petitions and websites springing up to raise awareness of the issue and to pressure government and police officials.

But many also say there are already laws against assault and murder which, when it comes down to it, is what mob justice is all about. For things to change, they say, the culture has to change.

Chinwe Biringa believes her son is now a martyr, and hopes that his lynching will lead to change — much in the way that Emmett Till’s killing did.

“If justice is done, then I will be happy,” she said. “Because I know my son died a hero. He paid the price for Nigerian students in generations to come.”

Source: CNN

Garlands for homeboy Aminu Tambuwal the Caliphate for the memorable event was the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Alfa Belgore. For the Speaker, who was cheered into the venue by hundreds of volunteers, the aphorism that ‘charity begins at home’ holds true. A prophet is now being recognized at home.

The arrival of the man of the moment, accompanied with scores of his colleague members, led by Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha electrified the entire venue of the event.

Secretary to the Government of Sokoto State, Alhaji Sahabi Isah Gada, was quick in laying the template and the motive behind the award, which was to honor indigene of the state at home and in Diaspora who offered quality service to humanity at all levels. Linking the rich tradition of the Caliphate to the present and the future, he stated that the administration of Governor Wamakko was determined to recognize worthy individuals, whose achievements in life brought honour to the state.

Like the Biblical saying that those who are diligent in their services shall stand before the Kings and not mere men, the honoured, including the Speaker stood before the King with cheers from the teeming crowd.

Tambuwal’s moment of glory came when he stepped forward to receive the Merit Award from Governor Wamakko when the hall erupted with a loud shout of Allah Is Great. The governor himself summed up the honor done to the Speaker in his remarks at the event when he remarked that Tambuwal had impressively lived up to the confident expectations of his colleagues and the people of Nigeria. As an illustrious son of the

Caliphate, he (Tambuwal) has taken up the challenge of national leadership foisted on him by his esteemed colleagues, who rallied round and almost unanimously elected him Hon Speaker of the Lower House over a year ago.

“No doubt, Alhaji Aminu Waziri has impressively lived up to the confident expectations of not only his colleagues, but indeed, fellow Nigerians with his calm and responsible leadership of the House in a manner that has strengthened our democratic dispensation and deepened our understanding of the delicate intricacies and the necessary symbolic relationship between the three arms of our democratic government.”

Without equivocation, the governor further stated that Sokoto state and the Caliphate are proud of the Speaker. “I must say without equivocation, that we are deeply proud of this young man and charming public officer, particularly for being a worthy ambassador of the culture and traditions that define the significance of the enduring legacies of the Seat of the Caliphate in the evolution of the nation. “We are also proud that through Tambuwal, the sterling human

and leadership qualities nurtured by his unique upbringing have once again proven to be not just relevant, but indeed indispensable to the much desired peace, unity progress and development of Nigeria.”

For earning the support and confidence of the diverse of Nigerians elected as Honourable members of the House of Representatives as the Speaker and Leader, Governor Wamakko concluded that Tambuwal merited the award. President Jonathan in a message delivered by the Head of Service of the Federation commended the Sokoto state government for honouring people who had distinguished themselves in the service to humanity. He stated that the gesture was in line with the transformation agenda of the Federal Government, even as government was intensifying efforts to tackle the security challenge facing the nation.

PDP’s Deputy National Chairman in his remarks applauded the state government for recognizing and honouring contributions to nation building by people from the state, noting that such honour will act as

“

He was first elected to represent Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State in 2003 and has held leadership positions as Minority Leader, Deputy Whip before his current position as Speaker of the House.

A lawyer, Tambuwal was a strong force in the politics of Nigeria Bar Association [NBA], he belongs to the Body of Benchers, member of International Bar Association [IBA], as well as member of the American Bar Association

catalyst for others to do more. He specifically commended the choice of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, adding that Tambuwal had done the party proud by leading the House very well. While giving the vote of thanks, he was cheered to no end indicating that his popularity and acceptance among his folks have continued to wax stronger based on his performance as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

While thanking the people for the honour done him because of his modest contributions to nationhood and that of other recipients, the Speaker said they have been challenged to do more for the sustenance of the rich tradition and culture of the Caliphate. Tambuwal said the State Merit Award was special to him because it came from his own people. He also promised that the House of Representatives under his leadership will continue to decide on the side of the people for improvement on their standard of living.

He was elected the Speaker of the 7th Assembly of the House of Representatives. He was first elected to represent Kebbe/ Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State in 2003 and has held leadership positions as Minority Leader, Deputy Whip before his current position as Speaker of the House. A lawyer, Tambuwal was a strong force in the politics of Nigeria Bar Association [NBA], he belongs to the Body of Benchers, member of International Bar Association [IBA], as well as member of the American Bar Association.

James Ojo is the Chief Press Secretary to House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Jonathan: A choice between nation and family

By Nosike Ogbuenyi

O

n Tuesday, November 20, 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan’s younger brother, Chief Meni Jonathan, passed on. That day coincided with the 55 th birthday anniversary of the President who was scheduled to jet out to attend the D8 Summit in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The death of the younger Jonathan though natural, was indeed a shocking development.

But most poignant was the fact that the sad event coincided with the birthday of the President and the time of his scheduled departure for a crucial official trip as head of the Nigerian delegation to the D-8 meeting.

It was therefore a day of mixed fortunes and complex challenge for the President.

But in a rare demonstration of patriotism and nationalism, the President made a bold and difficult plunge. He chose not stay back to begin to receive hordes of sympathizers, the usual cavalcades of assorted mourners that would have capitalized on the bereavement of the first family to begin daily pilgrimages to the Aso Rock Villa for an entire week.

President Jonathan cancelled the modest celebrations of his birthday

By John Igoli

L

ong ago a minstrel in my village sang a celebration song after a PDP landslide election victory; “if a goat stands for an election under the PDP, it will defeat all the human contestants in the other political parties”.

Incidentally he did not know he was being prophetic about PDP’s methods of rigging and winning elections! They do not leave anything to chance or choice, it is a win all syndrome.

There are no candidates better than theirs in the other political parties no matter the qualification or experience.

Presently there are two states in Nigeria where every local government position or seat must be occupied by the governor’s party: Benue (PDP) and Lagos (ACN). There must be other states under the strangle hold of the other political parties: Labour, ANPP and APGA. In all these states a goat standing under their platform in a local government election will certainly defeat anybody in any other party.

The gradual emasculation of the local government authorities began by the desire by state governors to deliver their states by all means. The aim is to ensure the incumbent president or his anointed presidential candidate does not lose. This control is only possible if the local governments are

and then pleasantly surprised For the President, one must create fears, suspicion and all when he went ahead with his still continue to admonish him disunity among Nigerians of scheduled attendance of the D- to continue to apply the same diverse socio-cultural 8 Summit. He was apparently nationalistic zeal to push his backgrounds. conscious of the fact that no various reforms harder if he The President should also amount of continue to rev the crying, performance sympathies engine to ensure o r that government Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text delegations delivers on messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written w o u l d d e m o c r a t i c revive his yardsticks such as contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 d e a d e x c e l l e n t words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and brother. infrastructure, a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed By his power generation to: action, the and supply, energy President reform, better The Editor, placed the security of lives Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, interest of and property, 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. the nation improvement of Email: let ters@peoplesdaily-online.com over and the health and SMS: 07037756364 above his educational sector personal etc. a n d The Jonathan family interests. must succeed in changing our presidency can really serve as The President’s action in my society for the better. He should, a landmark in the country’s estimation is a rare for instance, courageously socio-political evolution. For demonstration of nationalism move on to tackle corruption one significant thing, this is that deserves commendation of headlong and do more to break the first time that somebody all well meaning citizens. He down the barriers that tend to from outside the major ethnic boldly stood up for Nigeria at a time when his emotions and feelings were jolted by the transition of a blood relative, his The Jonathan presidency can really serve as a younger brother sired by the landmark in the country’s socio-political evolution. For one same father and mother.

I think if there was hitherto significant thing, this is the first time that somebody from any shred of doubt about the outside the major ethnic spheres in Nigeria is directing President’s unflinching commitment to this country, the affairs of the country as a democratically elected this is a singular demonstration president.

That goes a long way to show that the country of national instinct by him that should wipe out all such traces belongs to both the so-called majority and other Nigerians of doubt.

WRITE TO US

“

spheres in Nigeria is directing the affairs of the country as a democratically elected president. That goes a long way to show that the country belongs to both the so-called majority and other Nigerians.

The development has also further deepened our democracy because it demonstrates that anybody can be president given the right qualities and endowment.

One must therefore encourage the president to try more to continue to justify the peoples mandate despite all the challenges he has been having.

The world over, trail-blazers are usually confronted with lots of storms and obstacles on their way.

Jonathan’s presidency is in some ways akin to that of Barack Obama in the USA as it has opened new vistas and opportunities for all Nigerians on an equal keel. In November 2008, Obama emerged the first minority to become the President of the U.S the same way Jonathan became the first minority to be elected President of Nigeria in May 2011. If he continues in the right track, there is no doubt that President Jonathan would turn out to be one of the architects of a modern Nigeria built on equal rights and opportunities.

Nosike Ogbuenyi can be reached through nosikeogbuenyi@gmail.com

Even a goat will defeat you financially dependent on the state governors so a deal was struck: governors take control of the local government funds and ensure that all the local councils vote for the president.

Some governors went over the bar in doing this by returning votes higher than the entire population of their states. The irony of this was swept under the landslide carpet! Presently the local councils are just tributaries of the governors’ rivers. Any recalcitrant council will not only be damned but also dammed off funds and “development projects.”

Local elections run the state independent electoral commissions have been reduced to a selection system based on vote allocations. We have advanced to the Electoral College system of the US only ours is managed by the godfathers and power brokers.

They do not notice the low turn outs or the voter apathy. As far as they are concerned the election day is the one slated for the official release of the allotted votes after the ceremonial bringing out of ballot boxes and thumb printing on ballot papers that will not be counted or considered in announcing the results. Candidates for the election are screened such that anyone who is self-opinionated or will not kowtow to their

demands. Usually academics or higher academically qualified candidates are made to lose at the primaries where money determines the winners. The godfathers have already zoned or shared the positions to their stooges and nothing you do, or manifesto will give you the party ticket.

The usual threat given to the locals is that if they vote against the governor’s candidates they will suffer.

There will not be any appointments for their sons and daughters, no development projects, no employment for their children and they will be an opposition to the governor.

Using this threat of the god-like governor who punishes with brimstones and can suck the life out of your community, the villagers are cowered and they

allow the godfathers a field day to do what is best. The results are collated in the godfathers’ home, tallied appropriately and forwarded to the returning officers. Ask them to produce ballot papers tallying with the number of votes cast or announced and you get excuses upon excuses. Even the law courts cannot achieve this miracle in Nigeria; matching ballot papers to the number of votes declared.

The Benue local government elections have come and gone. PDP may have won just as before 100% of the seats: all the chairmanship seats and the local councillors.

This has generated a “do or die” situation to get the PDP ticket.

It makes nonsense of campaigns before elections and alienates the winners from

“

If democracy cannot thrive at the local levels where the people are directly involved then what hope do we have in entrenching democracy at the national level?

As it is today and so long as “anybody” even an animal who stands under a governor’s party must win in a local government election then the values of hard work, discipline and integrity which we preach are better off as songs for the deaf

the electorate. They know how they have won their seats and no voter can tell them how much his vote contributed to his victory. The godfathers become more powerful and impunity becomes their second nature. They can do anything including corrupt practices and get away with it. They take control of the local government funds, extract to themselves all the contracts and do nothing to execute the jobs.

They determine who gets employment (usually their children) or not (families of opposition leaders).

The dividends of democracy end in their pockets and their family assets.

The grassroots development agenda for the local councils is compromised; the people end up short changed as before and the rot goes on. If democracy cannot thrive at the local levels where the people are directly involved then what hope do we have in entrenching democracy at the national level? As it is today and so long as “anybody” even an animal who stands under a governor’s party must win in a local government election then the values of hard work, discipline and integrity which we preach are better off as songs for the deaf.

John Igoli is reachable on igolij@yahoo.com

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 15

Boy living with life-threatening disorder U

By Ndama Abubakar

nlike several other children, Abdullahi, just 6 months old, began his earthly life on a bleak note, being born with a life-threatening disorder called spina bifida. When he was born, the mother, Aisha Musa, noticed a brownish patch just above the waistline, with a dimple. The patch of skin looked scorched. Each time the boy cried, and he cried all too frequently, either from pain or hunger pangs, the small depression in the waistline will quiver and deepen still further. As he grew up, the dimpled area steadily developed into a small mound of flesh the size of a tennis ball. Then all by itself, the swelling ruptured, spilling out some fluid substance that the mother said looked like water.

Strangely, there is a connection between the fluid discharge and the topography of the boy’s head.

As the fluid drains off, the middle of Abdullahi’s shaven scalp gradually collapses into a hollow, concave shape. With the fluid discharge complete, the scalp

By Bashir Sa’ad Ibrahim

D

evelopment is an aspiration of any country that has oil, intellectual, patriotic, just and focused leaders, fertile land, micro, small and medium indigenous enterprises. To my dismay, Nigeria has much more than these. Indeed it has natural, human and material resources in its disposal. However, in terms of development, India has developed far ahead of Nigeria despite the fact that India has no crude oil and has no much advantage that Nigeria enjoys. In the first place, Nigeria and India were colonized by Britain. Thus, we have similar historical backgrounds, a common culture, same neo-colonial nexus and imposed administrative configuration. India though was decolonized in 1947. It has reached a certain level of development when compared with Nigeria. The giant of Africa (Nigeria) is not developed as it is expected to be.

This certainly could be due to the following divergences between both countries.

The issue of patriotism, dedication and willingness to use home made goods and services known to be mandatory in India than in Nigeria. For those who are conversant with India will bear me witness that once you arrived at Mahatma Gandhi’s land, you will notice that most of the things you see and use are made in India.

These include: facilities and other utilities. Indians are very fraud to use what they produced.

Meanwhile in Nigeria, most of our people have murky or gloomy perception which propels our people to regard made in Nigeria products as local and not qualitative. Thus, they are fraud to import and use Made in America, Germany, Italy, Holland, China, England and other countries. By so doing, our people are contributing towards Economic development of those countries at the expense of ours.

This myopic attitude propels and

returned to its previous shape, but the mother also noticed that dayby-day her son’s head was also bulging. She took the boy to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, which after examining the ruptured mound of flesh referred the case to the National Hospital, Abuja. The National Hospital has recommended immediate surgical intervention, which will cost N500 thousand, money that seemed to the indigent mother as fictive as a tale from the Arabian Night. But without this money, Abdullahi’s existence is grim and uncertain.

Spina bifida simply means a split or hole in the backbone (i.e. spine). The abnormality has some varieties, including the mildest type called Spina bifida occulta, but Dr. Usman Baba Agaie, now a director with Niger State Ministry of Health, who first described Abdullahi’s condition, said the boy presented manifestations of the severe type. It occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy, probably at the end of the first month of conception, when the two ends of the developing spinal

column fail to join, resulting in a gap or hole. When this happens, the spinal cord or the tissues responsible for covering and protecting the neural material may push outward through the spinal aperture, developing into a small ball of flesh.

When this bulge ruptures, it leaks out what Dr. Baba called cerebrospinal fluid, that is, hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a fluid substance that accumulates in the head as a complication of spina bifida, the reason why Abdullahi’s head is abnormally large and distended, and his scalp soft. The frequent seepage of hydrocephalus from the waistline opening is, thank God for small mercies, is the reason why Abdullahi is yet alive.

Without this, the continuous accumulation of the fluid in the brain may reach a breaking point, ultimately leading to fatality.

In spite of the frequent leaks, there are severe risks, unless the boy got immediate surgical intervention, which Dr. Baba described as ‘shunting operation’, to create an alternative way for

cerebrospinal drainage. The open spinal column is also liable to infections from meningitis, which will impair the boy’s mental and locomotive capacities. Other complications include loss of bowel or bladder control.

Abdullahi is born to a peasant family from Kaduna State, resident in Lambata, in Niger State. The fifth child from her mother’s line, he is also the twelfth in the family. The father is married to two women. The father is currently away in Katsina State to eke out a living from small farming opportunities.

Although several factors have been implicated in the congenital biological disorder called spina bifida, Dr Baba sees a strong correlation with poverty and ignorance. Dr Baba opines that many poor people shun prenatal care and many for reasons that they are unaware of its significance or cannot afford it. Yet early detection is possible during the first trimester of antenatal care and can be

diagnosed. “The poverty relation comes in this way”, explains Dr Baba. “In a situation where there is no antenatal healthcare to check the condition of the child, this could result to children with this congenital defect. If during antenatal visits, a sample of amniotic fluid is taken or ultrasound done, then this very condition would have been detected and diagnosed. But if the parents cannot afford these services, this condition may arise”.

It is not exactly known what causes this developmental abnormality. Dr Baba suggests a genetic, probably chromosomal defect. He said in many cases, the condition is heritable, meaning that children born from mothers with similar defects or from a family with known or forgotten history or spina bifida were likely to give birth to children with similar abnormality, but in a large number of cases, the incident is sporadic.

Ndama Abubakar is a Minnabased journalist, reachable via ndamaab@yahoo.com

This is why Nigeria is not developed contributes towards crippling our indigenous industries. It also increases unemployment, poverty, high crime rate and ultimately crafts structural dependency on the said countries.

Verily, this truncated our fate of development.

Secondly, with regards to transportation sector, Air India, Jet Airways and other indigenous flights are mostly use domestically in terms of Air transport from one destination to another in India. For instance, from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Jaipur, Udapur, Jodhpur, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Negpur, Bhuj, Kolkata, Kerala and other places. This made domestic Airports in India to be very busy.

Flights are queuing just like cars queue in our filling stations. This generates income to both Government and citizenry, maintains existing employment and creates numerous employment opportunities. In my Nigeria, many domestic Airports are desiccated. It is very difficult to have two planes landed in a day.

On the other hand, India has world’s second largest railway system with a route of over 62, 000 km. This eases movement of goods and services at cheapest rate. Road transport is dominated by buses, lorries, cars, trailers, tankers, TukTuk/Riksha (tricycle) and delivery vans. Most of them are produced in India by TATA motors, Mahindra, Bajaj, Hyundai, Maruti and other indigenous vehicles. TATA Motors Company alone produces many kinds of automobiles. This equally provides job opportunities for their teaming population. For, they produce and maintain these vehicles in India. It also leads for more innovations and or creativity among India’s Engineers and other skilled labourers.

Thirdly, the Oil and Gas sector is highly impressive segment. This

is because, Indian Oil Company (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum Company Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Company Limited (BPCL) are owned, managed and control by government of India. It is only Reliance Petroleum Limited owned

by Private sector Enterprises.

According to Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), India’s Petrol stations are over 45, 000 as at March, 2012. Thus no fuel scarcity, no long queue in petrol stations despite the fact that, India is not Petroleum producing country while Nigeria is Petroleum producing country and is also a member of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the fuel remains scarce and queue is perpetually increasing in our private and NNPC Mega/Petrol stations.

Fourthly, the issue of effective Health care delivery system, India is recognized internationally.

There is also existence of so many pharmaceutical companies based on international standard. There are also companies producing medical and laboratory equipments. However, in Nigeria, we have the world class Doctors in most of our Teaching Hospitals, General Hospitals and National Hospitals, yet, we denied them and refused their diagnosis and prescription thereby taking our patients to India, Egypt or Saudi-

German Hospitals. They are all qualified Medical Doctors. Why are we abandoning our proudly Nigerian Doctors? This will not help us and we are discouraging them after all they can do better if supported and became well equipped.

Fifthly, food production in India is impressive. Despite their population which is over 1.22 billion, India can feed its people and even export Rice and many other food items to Nigeria and some other countries. In addition to rainy farming season, government of India is supporting irrigation farming system with infrastructural facilities ranging from Rs 880, 000 (Rupees) apart from provision of Major, Medium and Minor irrigation infrastructure. Generally, Canal irrigation, Ground water and Tank irrigation systems are commonly used. This facilitates food production all the year round.

Industries were established to buy and process these farm produce.

Farmers in Nigeria especially those who produce perishable goods are seriously suffering. For instance, a farmer may load tomatoes, Onions and sweet pepper from northern part to Lagos or any other state in SouthSouth, South-East or South-West but at the end of the journey, He/ She has to leave those goods and abscond because if sold, it will not even pay the cost of transportation

“

I believe we can do more than India if committed and change our attitudes. These are some of the trends uses by India and it is developing rapidly. I am sure it is because our country has failed to do the expected that it is listed as a less developed country (LDC)

talk less of getting profit out of it.

Moreover, unlike in Nigeria, Government and citizenry of India are so much concerned about tax payment especially Value Added Tax (VAT) and the government is using it to undertakes so many development projects. The existing of so many toll plaza or toll gate assists government in realizing lots of revenue and the citizenry are enjoying the benefit of paying such tax because in India, security for people and properties is highly put in place. For instance, in case of peaceful demonstration, Police and other security agencies accompany demonstrators till the end of it no matter how long it takes. Police are friendly and not trappers for criminals, rather they strategically prevent crimes through admonish and dedication to duty.

Finally, in Nigeria we have so many tourism attraction centres but we are not utilizing them.

Whoever knows India will agree with me that tourism alone can take care of Indians because huge revenue is generated from Tourism centres/places like Mount Abu at Rajasthan, Taj Mahal at Agra (Rs 750/person), Meharangarh Fort at Jodhpur (Rs 300/person), Ummed Bhawan Palace, City Palace, Maharaja Palace, Rope ways, Lok Kala Mandal, JaigarhAmer Fort, Shahid Smarak and many other tourism attraction centres. Thousands of people from different part of the worlds visit these places on daily basis. I believe we can do more than India if committed and change our attitudes. These are some of the trends uses by India and it is developing rapidly. I am sure it is because our country has failed to do the expected that it is listed as a less developed country (LDC).

Bashir Sa’ad Ibrahim wrote in from Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Driver accused of diverting 550 crates of drinks

A

30-year-old man, Simeon Yusuf, of Mararaba, Nasarawa state, has been arraigned before the Karu Chief Magistrates Court for alleged criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The matter was said to have been reported to the Nyanya police station by Chukwudi Agbah, a manager with Innovation Era Ltd, FHA,

Nyanya, Abuja.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Silas Nimpe said: “On October 9, 2012 the company loaded the accused vehicle with 550 crates of assorted beverage drinks valued at N1.9 million for supply to customers.

Yusuf allegedly sold all the drinks and converted the money to his own personal use.

Nimpe opposed to the bail of

the accused, saying: “Investigation has not been concluded and the second accused is still at large.

“Granting him bail will jeopardise police investigation,’’ he argued before the court.

But, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His counsel, Ahmeh Igbochi, applied for his bail,

saying: “The accused has been on police bail and he never jumped bail. I urge the court to disregard the application of prosecution counsel and grant bail to the accused”.

The Chief Magistrate, Shaibu Ahmed, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 and one surety in like sum.

He said the surety must be

FCT hosts 2012 Miss University Nigeria

By Josephine Ella Ejeh

N

o fewer than seventy undergraduates from various Nigerian Universities will today, compete for the 6th edition of the nonbikini beauty pageant, tagged, Miss University Nigeria Crown in Abuja.

The event, being hosted by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the President of Miss University Nigeria, Mr. Taylor Nazzal said at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, is aimed at promoting the innate potentials of Nigerians students and youths.

“The Miss University Nigeria, which comprises all Nigerian Universities, stands out to be the most recognized and accepted beauty pageant that connects and unites both Nigerian students’ community and the wider community across Nigeria and reach out to the grassroots,” he said.

Nazzal explained that the non-bikini beauty pageant is aimed at discouraging indecent dressing and prostitution while celebrating beauties with brains.

FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed

Minister of Culture & Tourism, Mr. Edem Duke

Minister of State for FCT, Mrs. Olajumoke Akinjide

According to him, the grand finale will take place on the 30th of November, 2012 at A-Class Park in Maitama, where a new queen will be crowned Miss University Nigeria 2012.

“The winner of this event will become the Official National University Queen ‘Miss University Nigeria’, an ambassador for beauties with brain and gets the opportunity to represent Nigerian

Universities and the country on the global stage at the Miss University Africa Pageant with 53 other African nations and Miss United Nations pageant with 150 other nations of the world,” Nazzal added.

Among other guest expected at the beauty pageant are the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed; Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide; wives of governors, ministers and

members of the National Assembly.

Peoples Daily gathered from the organisers that the Miss University beauty pageant was established in 2006 and had been hosted by the Ogun state Government in 2007, Delta state Government in 2008, Bayelsa state Government in 2009, Benue state Government in 2010 and Rivers state Government in 2011.

a federal civil servant on GL 07 and must reside within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Ahmed adjourned the case to December 11, 2012 for hearing. (NAN)

Woman, 40, charged with burglary, assault

T

he Police on Wednesday arraigned a 40-year-old woman, Blessing David, of Durumi II, Garki, Abuja, before a Karu Senior Magistrates Court for alleged criminal force, assault and theft.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Emmanuel Nnamani, told the court that the accused came to one Surajo Modibo’s house at Durumi II on November 25, 2012 and tore his clothes without provocation.

“She destroyed the door, window and wall of his house valued at N31, 000 and also stole the sum of N350,000 kept in his room,’’ he said.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Senior Magistrate, Celestine Odo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N150, 000 and one surety in like sum.

Odo said the surety must live within the jurisdiction of the court and must submit two passports and a traceable address to the court’s registry.

He adjourned the case to December 17, 2012 for hearing. (NAN)

Scarcity of bean hits markets in Abuja

By Adeola Tukuru

S

carcity of beans has hit markets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), forcing the price of the commodity to rise to N700 per Mudu as against the old price of N350 per Mudu.

Peoples Daily survey in some markets in FCT and its environs showed that most markets were in short supply of the commodity which, a development, further findings revealed was occasioned by the recent flood disaster which ravaged some parts of the country.

A survey at Nyanya market revealed that a bag of white beans which cost N18, 000 now goes for N30, 000, while half bag of white beans now goes for N15, 000 as against the old price of N9, 200.

A Mudu of white beans now cost N300, while it initially sold at N200. One Mudu of Brown beans now cost N550 as against at the initial cost of N350.

Similarly, while a bag of beans in the market now cost

N35, 000, as against N22, 000, h alf bag of brown beans now cost N17, 000, compared to the old price of N11,000.

A trader in Kubwa village market, Mallam Aodu Musa said that a bag of beans in the market is now sold at the rate of N38, 000 as against the old price of N30, 000,.

He attributed the increase in price to the scarcity of the produce in the area, adding that the scarcity would persist until produce from irrigation farms was brought to the market.

Also another dealer in Kubwa village market, Alhaji Yusuf Magari said a Mudu of white beans goes for N250 while brown beans have risen from N350 to N700 depending on the quality of the produce.

He also blamed the hike in price to the flood that affected some farmlands in some states.

According to Yusuf, the price would continue to increase till after Christmas because of the high demand of the produce.

Also Madam Jane Bulus, a

Varieties of beans on display in the market. trader in Lugbe market, told Peoples Daily that a small measure of brown beans cost N700 while white beans cost between N250 and N300 as against N200 before.

A resident of Garki, Mrs. Tina Omale said since the flood started

in some parts of the states in country, prices of some food produce in most markets have gone up. ”Beans which we usually buy at a cheaper price has now increased and because I have a large family , we will just buy

half Mudu and mix it up with Garri”.

She called on the Federal Government to help the masses reduce the price of foodstuffs in the market, especially as the yuletide approaches.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 17

Gombe state contingent at the just concluded Abuja Carnival

Photo: Miriam Humbe

Teenager receives 20 strokes of cane for theft

A

n Abuja, Senior Magistrates Court has ordered that a teenager, Auwual Ibrahim of no fixed address be given 20 strokes of the cane and should also serve a one-month jail term for theft.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr Aminu Abdullahi, who did not give the convict an option of fine, said the sentence would serve as deterrent to other offenders of like minds.

Abdullahi also advised the convict to desist from such an offence as he would be jailed for seven years if he appeared before the court again for a similar offence.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Paul Anigbo, had told the court that the case was lodged at the Lugbe Police Station on November 24, 2012, by one Grace Olukayode of TudunWada, Lugbe, Abuja.

Anigbo said that on that day, Ibrahim went into Olukayode’s compound and stole her Tiger Generator,

valued at N16,000.

“Ibrahim was caught trying to escape from the compound with the stolen item, which was recovered from him,” Anigbo said.

The prosecutor said that during investigation, Ibrahim confessed to committing the crime, an

offence contrary to Section 287 of the Penal Code and begged for mercy.

He said: “I used to sell sachet water and was using my savings from the business to pay my school fees.

“I saved some money, which I wanted to use to pay for my school fees, but the

money was collected from me by some tax force members.

“A friend of mine advised me to steal, and said that it was a faster means to get rich and that I wpould make more money, that was how I started stealing.

“I am begging the court to forgive me as I would not

commit the offence again.”

The magistrate said that being a first time offender and his plea for leniency, Ibrahim would be considered by the court.

He, however, added that the accused must be punished for the offence to serve as deterrent to others. (NAN)

Wife of Kuje council chair pledges support for female soccer

W

ife of the Chairman, Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mrs Paulina Etsu Zhin, has pledged her continuous sponsorship of female soccer tournaments in the area council.

Zhin made the pledged at the final match for this year’s U-17 female football competition between Yenche and Kabbi wards in Kuje.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Yenche Ward won the competition by beating Kabbi

Ward 2-0 at the final, while Kwaku Ward won the third place match.

The sponsor also pledged her continuous sponsorship of outstanding female team in the area council to national competitions.

Zhin described grassroots sports as the bedrock of sport development in any nation.

She said that sports was a unifying factor and a tool for nation building that cuts across tribal, ethnic and religious boundaries.

The Speaker, Kuje

Legislative Arm, Mr Yakubu Jeko, expressed satisfaction with the level of female participation in the game of football nationwide.

Jeko said that the female footballers were the future national players of Nigeria.

A member of the Organising Committee of the competition, Mr Elisha Magaji, told NAN that the competition started on November 21, 2012.

Magaji said that over 20 clubs in the councils registered for the competition

and that it was a hitch free exercise although with minor challenges.

According to him, Yenche Ward, the winner of the competition will represent the council at the FCT level.

NAN reports that the highlights of the event was the presentation of a trophy and N50,000 to the winning team.

The runners-up, Kabbi Ward, received N30, 000, while the third place winners, Kwaku Ward got N20,000. (NAN)

Man, 52, held over sexual assault on minor

A

n Upper Area Court in M a r a r a b a , Nasarawa state has sentenced a 52-year-old man, Sadiq Saidu, of Old Custom Quarters, Mararaba, to one-year imprisonment for sexually

abusing a minor.

The Police Prosecutor, Abdul Abu, told the court that the matter was reported by the girl’s mother, Ojele Andrew, to the ‘A’ Division Police Station, Mararaba, on September 26,

2012.

According to him, the convict lured the minor into his room and started touching her with the intent of having carnal knowledge of the child.

“He threatened to kill her if

she told her mother or anyone else, but he ran out of luck when the little girl came out of the room and reported to her mother.

“The woman said she barely knew the man as they had just moved into the neighbourhood.’’

The convict pleaded guilty and prayed the court to be lenient with him.

Presiding judge, Vincent Gwahemba, sentenced him to one-year imprisonment with an option of N6, 000 fine. (NAN)

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

HIV in FCT doubles national prevalence, says FACA

By Josephine Ella Ejeh

S

urveys have indicated that the HIV prevalence in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) since the pandemic was first discovered in the territory in 1991 has been very high and doubles that of the National prevalence, the FCT Agency for the Control of AIDS(FACA), revealed yesterday.

Project Manager of the agency, Dr. Uche Okoro, who disclosed this in a presentation on FCT HIV Situation during the FCT HIV/AIDS Expanded Partners

Forum organised by FACA at Alexis Hotel and Conference Centre, Jabi, Abuja said the fact emerged from the 2010 National HIV Sero-prevalence Sentinel Survey Report .

“The first case of HIV was reported in the FCT in 1991.

Since then the HIV prevalence in FCT over years has been very high and most times doubles that of the National. Also, the HIV prevalence in FCT at site shows that the five sites surveyed have high HIV prevalence relatively”, he said.

Data presented by the

Estate demolition: Court orders withdrawal of interlocutory applications

T

he Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday ordered the withdrawal of all applications for interlocutory injunction filed by parties in a suit on the demolition of Minanuel Estate, Airport Road, Abuja.

Justice Danlami Senchi said the withdrawal was necessary in order to get to the merit of the case.

He also ordered the parties to maintain the status quo until the next hearing from February 25 to February 28, 2013.

The Judge urged the parties to avoid anything that could impede the accelerated hearing of the substantive suit.

He called on them to prepare their witnesses before the next hearing.

Counsel to the Federal Capital Territorial

Administration (FCTA), Mr Joe Gazama (SAN), had argued that the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

He urged the court to strike out the plaintiff’s application.

According to Gazama, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), which the plaintiff claimed allocated the land in contention to it, does not have the power to do so.

He stressed that only the Minister of the FCT, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, had such power.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Femi Falana, (SAN), prayed the court to protect the land in question against further allocation.

He also urged the court to protect and preserve the property in the estate, pending the determination of the substantive suit. (NAN)

manager in his presentation, indicated that in 1999, the national HIV prevalence was 5.4 percent, while that of the FCT was put at 7.2 per cent.

In the following year of the survey, 2001, national prevalence was 5.8 percent and FCT was 10.2 percent.

For the year 2003 and 2005, the national and FCT prevalence were 5 percent against 8.4 per cent and 4.4 per cent and 6.3 per cent respectively.

Similarly, in 2008 the national prevalence was put at 4.6 per cent, FCT prevalence put at 9.9 per cent while in 2010, it was put at 4.1 per cent and 8.6 per cent respectively.

Peoples Daily reports that the sentinel survey is usually carried out within an interval of two years.

Earlier, Dr. Okoro had

remarked that the importance of operationalising coordination meeting in FCT for an expanded and comprehensive response among development partners in delivery of HIV/AIDS services to vulnerable groups cannot be overemphasised.

This, he said was “given it significance for the achievement of one of FACA objectives which is to increase program implementation through improved coordination and effective mobilisation and utilisation of resources”.

He said this would give partners strategic direction to increase synergy between their program, thus avoiding duplication of efforts and wastage of critical resource.

In his remark, the Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Demola Onakomaiya pointed out that, to

provide a comprehensive and expanded response to HIV/AIDs epidemics in Nigeria, donor agencies and other external partners have a major role in ensuring that their funding and support policies enable a state owned and led HIV/AIDS response.

He thanked the implementing partners and donor agencies working in FCT for their commitment in the fight against HIV epidemic.

On his part, the FCT Coordinator of the Network of people Living with HIV/Aids in Nigeria (NEPHWAN), Mr. John Okene said the association would monitor partners to ensure that funds are use so that from 2013 to 2015, the prevalence in FCT would drop.

This was as he campaigned against the diversion of HIV/AIDS 2013 intervention funds.

Cripple in court for threatening to kill physicallychallenged colleague

A

Lugbe, Federal Capital Territory(FCT), Grade One Area Court will Monday next week, hear charges of threat to life brought against a physicallychallenged woman, Aisha Yunusa, of Karmajiji, Airport Road, Abuja.

Hajiya Hauwa Musa, who is also physically challenged and of the same address, brought the charges against Yunusa on Wednesday.

She said Yunusa had threatened to kill her and her daughter.

Musa, a widow, prayed the court to stop Yunusa from carrying out her threat, as well as pay her N200,000 as damages for defamation of character.

She said Yunusa had on

November 21, 2012 threatened her with a knife and a cutlass after she had accused both her and her daughter of having an affair with her (Yunusa’s) husband.

She said Yunusa also threatened to burn their house and do them more harm if they did not stop seeing her husband.

The Judge, Alhaji Haruna Masanawa, after hearing the complaints, adjourned the case to December 3, 2012 for further hearing and ordered that Yunusa be served with a notice to appear in court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yunusa and Musa, both crippled, are residents of Karmajiji Settlement for the Disabled.

(NAN)

A Keke NAPAEP which skidded off the road into a ditch recently at Life Camp junction, Abuja.

Photo: Josephine Ella Ejeh

Two men held for alleged production of fake driver’s license

T

wo men, Sunday Michael and Akinyemi Olaniyi, have appeared before a Customary Court in Mararaba, Nasarawa state, charged with the production of fake drivers’ licences.

The Police Prosecutor, Joseph Ahuwa, told the court that Aishat Saidu of the

Intelligence Department of FRSC, reported the matter at the ‘A’ Division, Mararaba Police Station, on February 29, 2012.

“Saidu received information on the illegal production of drivers’ licences in Mararaba and the matter was investigated, leading to the

arrest of the accused persons’’.

However, the two accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Judge, Alhaji Habila Abundaga, granted them bail in the sum of N200,000 each and adjourned the case to December 12, 2012 for hearing. (NAN)

BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Email: aminuimam@yahoo.co.uk

PAGE 19

INSIDE

- Pg 20

Multichoice celebrates Nigerian entrepreneurs

Mob: 08033644990

Contract workers not sacked, says Chevron

By Muhammad Nasir

N

L-R: Ambassador of Sweden, Mr. Svante Kilander, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Mr. Samuel Ortom, and State Secretary of Trade and Head of Delegation, Mr Gunnar Oom, during a visit of a business delegation from Sweden to the minister, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Pension assets now N1.tr – DG Pencom

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

he Director- General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) Muhammad K. Ahmad has disclosed that the new contributory pension scheme introduced in 2004 to replace the old pension system has grossed the sum of N3trillion in asset while 180,000 employers of labour have enrolled in the scheme translating to 1.3 million contributors.

He also confirmed that 21 states are on the verge of complying with the new contributory pension scheme with Lagos state leading the pack. M.K Ahmad, pioneer DG of the Commission made the disclosure to journalists in Abuja while reviewing eight years

•••21 states sign on to new contributory pension scheme of challenges and success of the agency. He is due for retirement mid December, 2012 having served PenCom on two terms of eight years.

He said there are three basic areas of investments Pension Funds Administrators (PFAs) are allowed to invest pension contributions which include, government bond 60 percent, inter-bank placement also known as bank instruments 14 percent and equity market which allows PFAs to invest up to 12 percent pension funds.

Of the three, he said investment in government bond remain most attractive to PFAs

due to high yields offering.

The new scheme, he said still faced the challenge of nonremittance by some organisations especially employers in informal and private sector.

He said the Commission would be enlisting the services of Lawyers and Accountants to help in the recovery of principal sum and the interest from defaulting employers.

Aside, Ahmad said some recalcitrant firms would be dragged before the Industrial Court for prosecution and affirmed the agency is already compiling the report of defaulting employers.

a boost in trade and investments”.

The ambassador described the trade relations between Nigeria and the UK as cordial and that both governments will

do everything possible to improve on it not minding the challenges in the country.

Vice President Namadi Sambo will represent President Goodluck Jonathan at the 13th edition of the council.

Trade between Nigeria and UK expected to hit N2tr by 2016

By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

N

igeria’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Alh. Dalhatu Tafida on Tuesday said trade between the two countries which was £1.2 billion (N300 bn) in 2008 has increased to about £4 billion (N1 trillion) and is expected to rise to about £8 billion (N2 trillion) by 2016 Speaking to journalists ahead of this year’s International Investors Council conference which is scheduled to hold in London today and tomorrow (Friday), Alh. Tafida said “Nigeria which was like a pariah state before the inception of the council is now witnessing

o labour contractors have been sacked

by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operators of the Nigerian National Petroleum National Petroleum Corporation NNPC/Chevron Joint as contain in a reports by some media organisations.

A statement issued yesterday by the General Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs (PGPA),Deji Haastrup said “this clarification has become necessary in view of reports by some mediasuggesting that a number of workers have been sacked.”

Haastrup explained that “Six existing labour contracts will be expiring on December 31, 2012 and new contracts will commence immediately after.

The transition, Haastrup stressed, “will not lead to redundancy.”

Haastrup further explained that the tender process has gone through all the appropriate phases, adding that National

Our doors are open to BPE - UC Rusal

T

he management of UC Rusal, the core investors in the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) on Tuesday said its doors remained open to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

The Director of Public Relations at UC Rusal, Dr Albert Dyabin, stated this on Tuesday in Eket, Akwa Ibom.

The Supreme Court had on July 7, ruled that BFI Group, the Nigerian-American consortium that emerged the preferred bidder for ALSCON in 2004, but was disqualified in controversial circumstances by the BPE, was the valid winner of the bid.

The judgment had stripped UC Rusal, a Russian Aluminium group that took over the plant in 2006 with a bid of $250 million, of the asset.

It will also be recalled that a scheduled inspection by BPE, BFIG officials to ascertain the state of the plant between Nov. 21 and Nov. 23, was declined

by UC Rusal over the inclusion of representatives of BFIG group

Management Tip of the Day

M

Delegate, delegate, delegate

ost managers complain of having too much to do, but very few of them effectively delegate work. In fact, delegation is one of the most underutilized and underdeveloped management capabilities. Here are three ways to do it more:· Identify the problem. You may not realize

that you’re unnecessarily hoarding work. Look for warning signs. For example, are you working long hours and feel indispensable, while your staff keeps regular hours?· Remind yourself. Keep a visual reminder of your team’s development goals so you can easily identify opportunities to

P e t r o l e u m Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) has approved and directed the award of contracts to the successful bidders, commencing on January 1, 2013.

However, the Director, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Human Resources and Medical, Ihuoma Onyearugha confirmed that all workers will have the opportunity to work for the new contract companies, unless they choose to retire with accrued benefits.

In her words: Onyearugha said ,CNL is engaging with all stakeholders, including the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) and the Ministry of Labour and Productivity to find a lasting solution to the on-going industrial action.

She said CNL has reiterated that the safety and security of its workforce, employees and contractors alike, remain its highest priority.

delegate. A printed list taped next to your computer should work.·Ask others to hold you accountable. Give your direct reports permission to call you out when you haven’t delegated something you should.

Source: Harvard Business Review

in the team.

It was gathered on Tuesday, however, that the company had reservations on the visit because the delegation included BFIG officials.

Dyabin said that the “Bureau of Public Enterprises, representing the Federal Government, is the co-owner of the ALSCON. “A delegation from BPE can visit the plant at any time and is at liberty to visit privatised companies, including ALSCON. “Taking into account that this time a delegation included some people, who were not BPE officials, we kindly requested their names and purposes of visit.

“At the end of the day the planned visit was adjourned because the parties, ALSCON and BPE agreed that the agenda of visit must be further clarified in details.

‘RUSAL‘ wishes to confirm that RUSAL is the legal owner of ALSCON. RUSAL’s legal ownership of the plant’s shares has not been affected by any litigation.

“No member of the RUSAL group is or has been a respondent in any case affecting the ownership of ALSCON. “RUSAL is, however, fully prepared to defend its rights to the smelter company, including in legal proceedings,” Dyabin said.

The Russian firm had approached the International Court of Arbitration in London urging it to restrain the Federal Government from implementing the judgment of the apex court.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY,FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 20

COMPANY NEWS Transcorp Hotels

I

n an effort to consolidate its position in the hospitality and tourism industry in the country, Transcorp Hotel group is unveiling a new brand facility called the Transcorp Hotels Calabar, located in the heart of Calabar, the effervescent tourism destination and Cross River State capital.

With an investment of over N300 million, a rebranding process of the over 30-year old Metropolitan Hotels Company Limited, Calabar by the Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, otherwise known as Transcorp Group, has changed the face hospitality in Calabar.

Vale Ozigbo, the managing director and chief executive officer (MD/CEO) of Transnational Hotels and Tourism Services Limited said the company decided to consolidate its shareholding with that of Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja. He said Transcorp Hilton is now a sister hotel that invested in Transcorp Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar since 2005 and that Transcorp has been a core investor in the company and is now in full control of the Calabar facility.

Ericsson

E

ricsson, the world’s biggest telecom network equipment maker, says it is suing Samsung Electronics Co for patent infringement after two years of talks failed to yield a license agreement.

Sweden’s Ericsson, which reckons more than 40 percent of the world’s mobile traffic passes through its networks, filed a lawsuit in the United States saying Samsung had refused to sign a license to use technology on terms it referred to as fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND).

“Ericsson has tried long and hard to amicably come to an agreement with Samsung and sign a license agreement on FRAND terms. We have turned to litigation as a last resort,” Kasim Alfalahi, chief intellectual property officer at Ericsson said in a statement on Tuesday.

PEARL Award Project Nigeria

P

EARL Award Project Nigeria has renewed its promise to continue to promote the growth of the Nigerian Capital Market through the introduction of pragmatic initiatives that would impact positively on the stock market.

The President of the group, Mr Tayo Orekoya renewed the group’ promise over the weekend, while announcing Dangote Cement Plc as the winner of the 2012 PEARL Award.

Nigeria loses N97bn in forex yearly to fish importation

By Mohammed Kandi

T

he Federal Government may in the next fiscal year, add fish products to the import prohibition list, as the country was said to have recorded yearly loss of N97 billion in foreign exchange to fish products’ importation.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, gave the hint on the planned ban of foreign fish products, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State’s capital, on Tuesday.

The minister, who spoke through the Minister of State for Agriculture, Alhaji Bukar Tijani, said the expected ban will be effected when the transformation agenda aimed at restoring the lost glory of agriculture as leading sector of the economy comes into force.

Tijani, who made the disclosure at the opening session of the 27th yearly conference and Biennial General Meeting tagged: “Bayelsa 2012”, said the new agenda of the Federal Government was set to create the increase in the supply of raw materials for agro industries, create employment, conserve foreign exchange through import substitution, local consumption and national food security.

According to him, the Federal Government has approved the distribution of N17.6 billion among flood devastated states, in order to prevent the anticipated food crisis next year.

“We can assure the people

From Iliya Garba, Minna

T

Minister Agriculture and Rural Development,Dr Akinwumi Adesina that there would not be food crisis, as another N9.7 billion initiatives for food production have been put in place,” he said.

The President of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON), Dr. Abbas Abdullahi, commended the Federal Government for the new policy directive on aquaculture.

Earlier in his keynote address, titled “The role of Fisheries in the National Agriculture plan of the Transformation Agenda’, Dr. A.O. Ayinla, noted with concern the dras-

tic drop in fish production in the country due to mass importation of the item and high level of piracy along the country’s territorial waters.

He said although the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan was trying to adopt a new approach of aquaculture production to meet up with the required 1.2 billion fingerlings and establishment of fish farms in the 774 Local Government Councils of the country, the issue of importation of fishery products was destroying the local economy.

Multichoice celebrates Nigerian entrepreneurs

S

uper-dealers of pay-TV firm MultiChoice Nigeria were recently celebrated for their part in helping to drive the company’s vision of growing the Nigerian business space.

The occasion was the second edition of the MultiChoice Dealers Awards, where the company feted its enterprising super-dealers. The event, which held at the Federal Palace Hotel and Casino, Victoria Island, Lagos, was an evening of conviviality and a time to reward the distributors for a job well done over the last one year.

The awards, which were in 14 categories, saw the dealers in the super-dealership range being given special recognitions and handsome rewards for their outstanding sales performance and keeping with company’s innovative standards in the outgoing year.

The exceptional dealers got mouth-watering prizes including cash gifts, several 20KVA

Dana pharmaceutical company gets ISO certificate to operate

generators, computer sets, motorcycles, office equipment, four Ford Focus cars, two Toyota Hilux vans, and all-expense-paid luxury holiday trips abroad, including the Sun City Resorts, South Africa, the 2013 African Cup of Nations and English Premier League matches.

Three super-dealers, Jegfav Nigeria Limited, Radac Communications and First Regional, each got $10,000 cash prizes in the Highest Sales, DStv; Highest Sales GOtv; and the Most Compliant (Chairman’s Award) categories respectively.

Four other super-dealers, including Kazzy Telecoms, Intesat Limited, Slate Communications got brand new Ford Focus saloon cars for achieving the highest sales figures in their various regions across the country.

The grand award of the night went to Radac Communications, super-dealer Lagos, who won in the Highest Sales Nationwide category. The dealer got a

Toyota Hilux van, and a luxurious trip abroad - a cruise through three European countries - plus a $5,000 spending money.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe said the awards night afforded the company the opportunity to celebrate its super-dealers and the Nigerian entrepreneurship spirit.

“The awards represent what we stand for. We are a Nigerian company. We continue to build the entrepreneurial spirit. We started with just five super-dealers. Now we have 54, exceptional entrepreneurs, who employ thousands of staff and even support larger families,” Ugbe enthused.

In 2007, MultiChoice Nigeria launched the Super-Dealer scheme with a view to nurture independent entrepreneurs, and ultimately spawn boundless employment opportunities for many Nigerians.

he International Stan dards Organisation (ISO) has certified Dana Pharmaceuticals Limited, a subsidiary of Dana Group of companies Nigeria Limited compliant of all the products it produces.

The Superintendent Pharmacist, who heads the company’s production factory in Niger state, Mr. Godwin Ediagbonya said, “The certificate ISO90012008 was given to them at their headquarters in Minna, Niger state by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON)”.

Speaking during an interactive session with journalists on Wednesday in Minna, Godwin said the feat was achieved by the company as a result of its highly dedicated and skilled working team, coupled with the determination of the management to continually improve on its products.

He said, “We are happy that we have met international standard requirements for ISO9001.2008, so by this we now know that we have measured up to international standard required of a pharmaceutical company.

S/African investment coy buys N53.6 bn stake in MTN Nigeria

S

handuka Group Ltd., the South African investment company led by businessman Cyril Ramaphosa, bought a minority stake in MTN Group Ltd. (MTN)’s Nigerian unit in a strategy to tap into faster-growing African markets.

Shanduka acquired a $335 million (N53.6 bn) stake in Nigeria’s largest mobile operator with more than 45.6 million subscribers, it said in a statement.

Shanduka said it bought the stake through its Mauritian unit from three private investors including private- equity company African Capital Alliance. MTN, Africa’s biggest mobile-phone operator, has an effective 78.8 percent of MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd., according to the statement.

The deal is part of a plan to expand on the continent outside South Africa, where growth rates are expected to exceed those in its home market, Shanduka Chief Executive Officer Phuti Mahanyele said on Tuesday.

Nigeria’s economy is expected to grow by 6.5 percent this year and in 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan said on Oct. 10. The International Monetary Fund expects growth in sub-Saharan Africa to reach 5.7 percent in 2013, while South Africa will probably expand 3 percent, it said on Oct. 9.

“It’s a compelling story for us,” Mahanyele said by phone from Johannesburg. “Nigeria is the biggest telecoms market in Africa, surpassing South Africa.

(Source: Bloomberg)

PAGE 21

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Non-interest banking in Nigeria-tax issues (II) F

rom a tax perspective, one of the major challenges confronting Non Interest Banking (NIB) internationally is that tax laws generally cater for conventional banking products, which involve the charging of interest on monies lent which is not the same with NIBs. While many Islamic products are structured to replicate the economic effects of conventional financial products, the legal form of these products is very different from conventional products. This may lead to differences in tax treatment that may potentially place Islamic banks and their customers at a disadvantage compared to banks with conventional products.

Tax neutrality has been accorded to Islamic finance instruments and transactions executed to fulfil Sharia requirements. Malaysia's tax neutrality framework promotes a level playing field between conventional and Islamic financial products, hence reducing the cost of doing business in Islamic finance.

Tax neutrality, standardisation of accounting practices, legal contracts and favourable regulations seem on the surface to promote Islamic banking and finance; careful scrutiny reveals that they are all intended to bring Islamic banking and finance closer to the ethos of the conventional financial system.

Globally most tax incentives are provided to make Islamic finance competitive with conventional finance; these should eventually be phased out, so that Islamic finance focuses on its competitiveness and offering customers with a valuable product, rather than developing sophisticated political power to entrench the tax incentives.

On the other hand, incentives that place Islamic and conventional finance on equal footing should be maintained.

For example, eliminating double taxation where the structure of an Islamic financial product would lead to extra taxation compared to a similar conventional product that would be subject to lower taxes.

The UK government took a lead in the west in revising its taxation law to include specific provisions for Islamic products and services. The key issue relate to the tax treatment of the Islamic deposit account that in theory paid a profit share to the depositor. The deposit account offered by Islamic Bank of Britain was

FIRS Headquaters, Abuja based on the principle of Mudarabah, whereby the Bank shared the profits earned with the customer. Normally, any interest payments made by banks to its depositors is deductible from gross income before tax is calculated.

However in accordance with anti-avoidance rules in the UK, any "interest" payments made on deposits that were linked to the profit made by a bank was not allowed to be deducted from gross income but was considered as distribution of profit after tax. In other words, these were considered as dividend payments.

This high incidence of tax charge made the Bank economically unviable. To overcome this issue, the UK government established a Special Inland Revenue task force to review the taxation of Islamic products so as to ensure that there was a "level playing field" with the conventional market. In a government paper, "Regulatory Impact Assessment for Sharia Compliant Products" that accompanied the Budget for 2005 it was stated that the key policy objective for taxation of Sharia compliant products is to ensure that such products are: "Taxed in a way that is neither more nor less advantageous than equivalent banking products. The intended effect of the proposals is to allow providers to offer Sharia compliant products without facing commercial disadvantage and to enable

customers to take up these products without encountering uncertainty or disadvantage over tax treatment".

The solution that emerged from the task force and included in the Finance Act 2005 was to define Islamic products as "alternative Financial Arrangements" and to set out the key structures of the arrangements in the legislation. The profit payment on the deposits was termed as "Profit Share Return". Islamic products are not specially mentioned in the Finance Act but only in the explanatory notes. Furthermore the Act is concerned not with principles but the specific structures of the products. This was done to mitigate the risk of these structures being used to avoid taxation. In the explanatory notes it was clearly stated that the relevant legislative clauses relate to arrangements: "that involves profits and losses on sales of assets or profit share agreements that are economically equivalent to conventional banking products, but are not interest or speculative returns.

The measure ensures that such arrangements are taxed no more or less favourably than equivalent finance arrangements involving interest".

Prior to 2005, the government had already resolved the issue of double incidence of Stamp Duty on property financed using Islamic

structures. Normally whenever property is purchased, the buyer has to pay a Stamp Duty.

In case of Islamic finance where banks buy the property and then sell to the customer, there were two Stamp Duties payable, first by the bank and then by the customer. In 2003, the government had amended the Stamp Duty rules to charge only one Stamp Duty on such finance arrangements.

The UK government has also issued guidelines on the application of VAT to Islamic products. These guidelines have ensured that Islamic products are treated in the same way as conventional products. The lead taken by UK authorities to tax Islamic products should be intricately considered by Nigeria regulators and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as possible solution to help the Islamic markets to flourish.

Closer home, In Morocco, three Islamic banking products have been introduced; Ejara, Murabaha and Mucharaka. The first is essentially the equivalent of a leasing product, which typical is subject of a 20% VAT. But in the Ejara case, the financing does not originate from a bank, meaning that it is not considered a credit with the conventional interest rates that apply to credit. Ejara is said to be financed by the own funds of the consumer credit company, i.e. own resources and not what it labels as credit. What the financing firm gets is a sort of profit margin generated during the lease period through

monthly instalments, instead of an interest on financing.

Nevertheless, the Moroccan tax authorities have decided to impose a 20% VAT on Ejara.

In contrast, Murabaha was defined by the tax authorities as bank loans and imposed a 10% VAT. They consider it as a form of credit, just as it is defined in mainstream banking. Where the difference occurs is in the way the transactions are defined. In mainstream banking, credits are subject to interest on the money loaned.

In the Murabaha case, the creditor actually sells the "product" in question and earns a "legitimate" profit on that product. Even if the creditor never saw or took possession of the product, the money it gave its client means that implicitly it (the creditor) purchased that product and resold to its customers in exchange for a profit margin.

Summarily, it is argued that the need for reform is driven by a combination of reasons of which the requirement for tax parity is a significant element. Given the complex issues involved, the reform process may be conceptualized through a framework that reflects the collective influence of local factors in line with best practices merging the key factors of meeting the national interest criteria, law, fiscal and regulatory considerations. The rationale of such taxation framework is that faith-based considerations alone cannot determine changes to tax law--the necessity must be driven by a combination of core considerations based on 'need and urgency and circumstances.'

Any reform of tax law must in the first instance meet the 'national interest' criteria, meaning that the reform must benefit the nation as a whole and not just a select group. The 'legal compatibility' driver advocates that proposed changes to tax law must be accomplished within the existing legal framework with minimal adjustments.

'Fiscal' considerations relate to reforms that do not result in revenue loss and that revenue-positive outcome may be achieved through increased economic activity. That is, the net effect of facilitating Islamic finance ought not to result in revenue leakage but carry the potential to raise additional revenue through competition and innovation.

The 'regulatory' consideration argues for a 'whole-of-industry' approach in the sense that Islamic financial practices must conform to requirements administered by the FIRS, CBN and SEC. It must be noted that the longer Islamic banking tax regulations take to put in place, the greater the probability that other jurisdictions may gain greater competitive advantage.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 22

Ammasco in the context of Nigeria’s trade relations

N

igeria’s 167 million people and $270 billion economy make the country a major market, but particularly rising urbanisation, disposable income and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of over 6 percent per annum have led to a booming consumer market, which the manufacturing sector is poised to service.

Nigeria is without doubt, the number one investment destination in Africa. Nigeria’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) represent 15 percent of the continent’s, with the government working at diversifying the economy that is dominated by oil and gas.

Currently, Europe is the main market for non-oil exports from Nigeria, while America is the main market for oil exports even though Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been growing over the years. The United Kingdom over the last few years has remained a major source of investment capital to Nigeria.

With regard to trade between Nigeria and the United States (U.S.) however, two-way trade relations bi-lateral trade figures stood at $27.5 billion as at November 2011. This figure is made up of $4.3 billion Nigeria’s export from the U.S. and $31.9 billion U.S. import from Nigeria.

Stakeholders however advocate that if the relations is to improve, Nigeria should export more value-added products to U.S. In this regard, the U.S. Government has urged Nigerians to take advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to export value added products to the U.S. in view of its large market with duty free access.

This is to put an end to the present unfavourable NigeriaUS trade imbalance whereby full carriers coming from the four largest concentrations in the U.S. to Lagos and then Abuja return empty.

AGOA was established in May 2000 by the U.S. Government to facilitate trade relations between it and subSaharan Africa. The AGOA 2012 Forum, tagged: “Enhancing African Infrastructure for Trade”, took place in Washington, U.S. in June this year.

AGOA provides duty-free treatment for 1,800 products in addition to the standard 4,600 products available to non-AGOA Generalised System of Preferences beneficiary countries. Of significance, AGOA is unilateral, U.S asks for nothing so it is a win-win situation.

Some Nigerian companies are however already exploiting such opportunities by taking advantage of AGOA’s most generous free trade agreement by. One of such companies is Ammasco International Limited, which is one of the biggest and fastest growing

With stakeholders calling for an expansion of Nigeria’s regional trade liberalisation and integration agenda, Aminu Imam reports that already some Nigerian companies are taking advantage of the benefits derivable from such enhanced trade relations with a view to creating employment opportunities in the country.

Ammasco International Limiteds workforce in Kano assuring users of lubricants that it would always deliver products that meet international standards lubricants manufacturing plant in Nigeria, located in the commercial city centre of Kano,.

The company specialises on business of general blending and marketing of lubricants and other petroleum and allied products. It is one of the fastest growing independent lubricants marketing company in Nigeria.

Ammasco has a mission to achieve the position of a leading major oil company in West Africa, manufacturing high quality lubricants and allied products which meets and exceeds the changing needs of its customers and recently played a host to the American consulate and the Kano state Chambers of Commerce (KACCIMA); The visit was led by the president of KACCIMA, Alh. Ahmed Rabiu.

The company has currently finished putting up an ultra-modern lubricant plant in Kano for the blending of all brands of lubricants. The plant is expected to has an installed blending capacity of over 30,000 metric tonnes (MT).In 2008, the company clinched the Africa Independent Television (AIT) award for excellence and good governance in Kano state.

It will be recalled that during the course of this year, Ammasco commissioned an ultra modern Carbon Dioxide Gas Plant in Kano for the production of commercial

Carbon Dioxide. Apart from their regular corporate social responsibilities effort which is always done without publicity, Ammasco has offered free training of over 500 automobile technicians using foreign resource persons on proper and adequate use of oil lubricants.

Their ultra modern lubricant plant produces all brands of lubricants and allied products ranging from, Automotive Lubricants, Industrial Lubricants, Marine Lubricants, Grease and Allied Products. Ammasco has a well equipped and state of the art laboratory that ensures that these products are manufactured in strict compliance to specifications by SAE, API and ACEA. Ammasco product ranges are of international quality which meets the latest standards of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and they enjoyed good network of distribution, channelled through highly skilled and well motivated distributors offering services nationwide as well as to some countries in the West Africa sub- region.

The company recently entered into a blending agreement with some professional groups and other corporate institutions for the blending of high quality products. Some of such bodies include the National Union of Road Transport Workers

(NURTW) and the National Automobile Technician Association (NATA).

The products in the stables of Ammasco International Ltd can be classified under four broad categories these are, the automotive lubricants, industrial lubricants, marine lubricants and specialty products, such as greases and oil treatments. Also the distribution of these products have been extended to some parts of the West African sub regions like the Niger Republic, Chad, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic and the Central African Republic among others.

The landmark achievements of Ammasco in the manufacture and distribution of lubricants has led to its recognition and receipt of several awards from different corporate organizations, as well as government; including the MANCAP award by the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) in 2009, as the first lubricant blending company to bag such meritorious award within a short time of its establishment, a feat which the company sees as a clarion call to more dedication and hard work.

Ammasco International has expressed resolve to ensuring the consistent supply of quality and affordable lubricant brands in Nigeria and consolidating on the thriving lubricant industry.

The company has severally assured of its commitment to work at all times towards the satisfaction of its customers. The company is determined to see to it that car owners enjoy the benefit of optimal performances of their automobile engines, both in the country and many other countries that its products are sold.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Alhaji Mustapha Ado Muhammad, “When you have the determination and you want to set up something of high standard, you will set it up. That is what we are doing now and we are trying to do more and more”, he said.

To this end the firm has resolved to partner brand owners, under the auspices of Lubricants Producers Association of Nigeria (LUPAN), who met recently and resolved to checkmate the activities of producers and marketers of adulterated lubricants.

The association rose from a closed door meeting which was held at their national secretariat in Lagos, where it was agreed to rid the market of substandard lubricants manufactured by some undesirable elements.

Ammasco has concluded plans to holds this year annual customer’s forum in Abuja on November 31 st to Dec.- 1 st , 2012. At the Ibro hotel Abuja.

This event will afford Ammasco the opportunity to update the customers as well as the public on developments with regards to the production of finest quality of oil lubricants, enlightenment campaign and to say thank you to the customers for keeping faith with Ammasco.

Customers and Distributors are to be rewarded with various gifts items; such as motor vehicles, money worth millions of naira and other valuables, this is to show appreciation for all their effort through the year.

This year annual forum which is tagged: ”Quality: our commitment to customer” The company will use this rare opportunity to interact and share experiences on how better their businesses can be conducted.

Nigeria’s manufacturing sector could grow and become much bigger than it currently is through the efforts of companies like Ammasco, if the country is to diversify its economy and create jobs in a sustainable manner for its growing population.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Nigeria: Hurdles to federal government-Boko Haram dialogue In a recent media chat, President Goodluck Jonathan was asked by a panel of journalists how “backroom” talks between his government and Boko Haram insurgents were proceeding. Surprisingly, he replied that no such talks were taking place. According to him, the government is interested in dialogue to end the almost three-year-old insurgency but it will not dialogue with persons he calls “faceless”. Few days later, bombs went off in a church in a supposedly fortified elite military school at Jaji, near Kaduna. Tens of worshippers were killed and many more injured.

The following Monday, a special police unit’s detention facility in the heart of Abuja, the federal capital, was attacked by gunmen who killed two police officers and freed several inmates. Quite an ominous message for the government.

A

ttempts by the government and the Boko Haram militia to peacefully resolve the insurgency by the Islamist group have thus far floundered, dashing hopes of an imminent end to the violence which has claimed hundreds of lives.

Rights groups have accused both sides of violations since 2009. In recent months, Boko Haram has intensified attacks and killings, prompting sometimes draconian responses from security forces. The latest insurgent attack on 25 November in which more than a dozen people were killed

targeted a church in an army base outside Kaduna in northern Nigeria.

After a year of negotiation bids between the government and Boko Haram, President Goodluck Jonathan said in a televised interview in November that he was still ready for talks, though there were difficulties. “There is no dialogue with Boko Haram and the government. There is no dialogue that is going on anywhere. There is no face so you don’t have anybody to discuss with.”

However, Shehu Sani, the director of Civil Rights Congress,

President Goodluck Jonathan a prominent northern Nigerian rights group, doubted Jonathan’s suggestion that Boko Haram was faceless. “What about the hundreds of suspected sect members the Nigerian

Leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau security forces claim to have arrested? Do they also have no face?”

Since August 2011, the government has undertaken “back-channel” talks with the

Destruction caused by Boko Haram militia at a police headquarters in Kano city in January this year.

Islamists, according to Jonathan’s spokesman, Reuben Abati, based on recommendations by a panel tasked to negotiate with the group and provide amnesty for those who renounce violence.

On 16 September 2011, former president Olusegun Obasanjo held talks with some Boko Haram members in their birthplace and stronghold, the northeastern city of Maiduguri, where they tabled demands for a ceasefire which included an end to arrests and killings of their members, payment of compensation to families of sect members killed by security personnel, and prosecution of policemen responsible for the killing of sect leader Mohammed Yusuf in June 2009.

“Obasanjo submitted these demands to the president who promised to look into them but he has not implemented any of the demands,” said Sani, who facilitated and participated in the meeting between Obasanjo and the Boko Haram members.

But since then, trust has not been forged on either side. “The major obstacle to dialogue with Boko Haram is the involvement of scammers,” added Sani.

“Most of the proposals for dialogue are targeted at getting money from the government and the president has on a number of occasions been duped and deceived by people in the corridors of power who usually present fictitious peace proposal

that ends up as a scam.”

Who to deal with?

Boko Haram has splintered into many factions. The major faction is led by Abubakar Shekau and analysts believe that there are chances of ending the violence if the government is able to negotiate with him. Boko Haram is also thought to have links with other Islamist movements such as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Somalia’s Al-Shabab which have further radicalized some members who are now loath to compromise.

Several individuals have also claimed to be speaking on behalf of the group, but they have been disowned by the sect. In August, a purported deputy of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau gave a radio interview in which he claimed the sect had had preliminary peace talks with

Nigerian Vice-President Namadi Sambo in Saudi Arabia, only for the group to issue a statement two days later rejecting the claim and disowning him as an impostor.

In June, a respected Nigerian Muslim cleric Dahiru Usman Bauchi issued a statement saying that Boko Haram and the Nigerian government had chosen him as a peace negotiator. Boko Haram spokesman Abul Qaqa rejected the claim.

Criminal gangs have also been hiding under Boko Haram, said Bawa Abdullahi Wase, a criminologist and rapporteur at the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS).

“Killings and armed robbery are becoming a way of life and more and more unemployed young men are

drawn to it. All a criminal needs are a gun and explosives to give his crime a Boko Haram touch,” he told IRIN. “If the government

doesn’t end these Boko Haram attacks by negotiating with the sect, the situation will become too complex for the government

“

The first thing to do is to reach out to the moderates, noted Sani, to either attract or isolate the extremists. He suggested the government should reach out to other Muslim clerics who can engage the Islamists intellectually to deconstruct their radical views about Islam Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar

to know who to deal with because it will become too difficult to discern between the sect and impostors.”

G o v e r n m e n t insincerity?

Boko Haram has for its part accused the Nigerian government of insincerity in its call for dialogue. In January, the State Security Service (Nigerian secret police) announced that it had arrested Boko Haram’s spokesman in Kaduna and identified him as Abul Qaqa. However, the group, which gave the name of the arrested sect member as Abu Dardaa, denied that Qaqa had been arrested.

“The arrest of Abu Dardaa is an outright deception and betrayal by the Nigerian government and security agents.

They proclaimed dialogue and are doing the opposite. His arrest has proven to us that they were waiting for us to avail ourselves so that they can arrest us,” said Qaqa in a statement.

Ibrahim Datti Ahmed, a respected cleric who was acting as intermediary between Boko Haram and the Nigerian government, said in March he was quitting his role, accusing the government of insincerity.

Security services, southerners exploiting situation?

Some observers say the ongoing violence is in the interests both of the security services and of southern politicians who benefit from an unstable north that is unable to prepare ahead of the 2015 elections.

The security budget jumped from 100 billion naira ($634 million) in 2010 to 927 billion naira ($5.8 billion) in 2011, much of it linked to the fight against Boko Haram.

“Some political office holders sent to dialogue with Boko Haram have turned the situation into a goldmine and are themselves involved in fanning the violence,” UNDSS’s Wase said.

Lt-Col Sagir Musa, spokesman for the Joint Task Force (JTF), the military unit fighting Boko Haram in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital in the heart of the insurgency, dismissed such allegations.

“This situation does no one any good. We want an end to this insecurity so that we will go back to our barracks and face our primary duty of soldiering. We support dialogue but that doesn’t mean we should abdicate our mandate of tackling the terrorist menace and restoring peace.

While politicians deal with the issue of dialogue, we carry on with our responsibility.”

Finding moderates While divisions within the sect pose complications, they do not present an obstacle if the government is serious about negotiations, said Wase. “The Niger-Delta militants were split into 32 groups with different commanders but still the government was able to bring them to the table and reached a peace pact with them which ended militancy in the delta. It can do the same with Boko Haram if it wants to.”

The first thing to do is to reach out to the moderates, noted Sani, to either attract or isolate the extremists. He suggested the government should reach out to other Muslim clerics who can engage the Islamists intellectually to deconstruct their radical views about Islam.

“The government should work towards winning the confidence of the sect by implementing some of the demands the sect members presented to the government, including the release of detained sect members and the payment of compensation to the families of those killed in the security crackdowns.

This will demonstrate to the sect that the government is sincere about dialogue.”

Source: IRIN, a UN newsletter

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Another new year and endless repetition (II) A llah says: “The number of months In the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year)- so ordained by Him the Day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred: that is the straight usage. so wrong not yourselves therein, and Fight the Pagans all together As They Fight you all Together. but know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves”. [Taubah: 36] In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All Praise is due to Allah! We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our evils and bad deeds. Anyone who is guided

by Allah, is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and final messenger to mankind.

May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon His last and final Apostle, his Household, his companions and all his followers until the end of time.

Last week we saw how movement of our solar and lunar alterations affect our entire affairs on this earth. We are also conversant with living under the mercifulness or ruthlessness of these changes. Therefore, we have learnt to adjust to in facing either of the situations.

This time, in sha Allah, we will try to understand both the meanings and inherent significance of the twelve months of the Islamic calendar.

I will also remind us of some on to us with more authentic important Islamic events which chains of narrations. Amongst history could remember that them are the followings: Hussain bin Ali (R.A.), the took place in these various months. Thus, I will go a little son of the cousin of the Prophet backward to recapture the first month; Almuharram.

1 .

Muharram: This is the

By Husain Zakariyya month which i t s Yawale commencement ushers into a +234-8052952900 (sms only) completely islamexplained35@yahoo.com fresh history and new start. Muharram means Muhammad was excruciated in "forbidden" or "prohibited". It is a sectarian war in this month.

Also, it was reported that The so called because it was one of the month considered very sacred, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) hence the need for truces, should defeated Bani Muhaarin and there be war amongst the Bani Tha'laba (Tribes of Bani various tribes of the Arabia. It Gatfan) in the fourth year A.H. Safar means "void" or was and still in Islam unlawful (haram) to fight during this "empty". The story was that the month, except for self-defense. It pagan Arabs at that would break is also the second most sacred all blood and tribal ties in order month and includes the days of to go war for sustenance. That was because the law was boldly Tasu'a and Ashura.

Abu Qataada (R.A.) has written, 'might is right'! The related that the Prophet (SAW) Arabs would go to war with said, It is my optimism that by anybody in order surmount the fasting on the 10th of Muharram dearth of insufficiency and Allah Ta'aalaa will pardon the hunger. Thus, the vocation of their homes and hamlets for war sins of the past year. (Tirmizi) During this month, it was mongering was the order of the said that many important day.

Safar also may mean events took place since the beginning of time. But because "whistling of the wind. It was there certainly no cogent proofs, most likely that it always the sources of that events may commence during a windy time remain simple tales, or even of the year. This assumption was because most of the months were fables. due to weather But during the advent of named Islam, some important historical conditions at the time. On the events were recorded and passed other hand, we should realize

ISLAM EXPLAINED

that the months shift about 11 days every year. Therefore, the seasons may not essentially match up to the name of the month to any further extent.

The pagan Arabs due to their unfounded beliefs, consider this month a cursed one in which many calamities befall p e o p l e .

Nevertheless this belief has been debunked and w i t h o u t foundation on the incept of Islam.

Jaabir (R.A.) reported, “I have heard the Prophet (SAW) saying, the descending of illness and evil superstition befalling in the month of Safar is untrue.”

(Muslim) Many important historical events also took place in this month, such as: Aliyu bin Abi Talib (R A ) married Fatimah (RA) in Safar, the second year of the Hijra. The marriage was solemnized by the Prophet of Allah (SAW) in Madinah. Many battles took place and some of them were the Battle of Abwaa took place on 12th of Safar in the year two and the Battle of Khaibar in the year seven after Hijra.

However, in the fourth year Khubaib Ibn Adey (R.A.) and Zaid Ibn Dathina (RA) were martyred both of them in Makkah.

Rabi I (Rabb al-Awwal) means "the first spring". It is the third month in the series of the Islamic calendar. It seems it was spring time when the name was

given. It was the time when the land is once again covered with green shrubs and grasses.

In this month, an event that changed the entire universe was changed for the better; the Holy Prophet was born! He was born on the twelve day of the month on Monday. He blessings filled the world for a short period of 63 years only. As Allah would wanted it, he, may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him was caused to depart the wicked world on the same day and month. Allah says: “we have not sent you but as a mercy for the worlds”.

I will continue to remain stunned and dumbfounded with the innovative people who claim to celebrate the birthday of the Messenger of Allah on the 12th of this month, while his death, may Allah the blessing of Allah be upon him, occurred on the same date, in complete isolation of the grief of his demise! Just try to imagine your first baby born on Thursday and died exactly a week after, after distributing invitations card to family and friends for its birthday party.

Tell me, and be honest, would the party continue, or the gathering will depart in grief and sorrow? How can any sensible person pretend to celebrate with joy and ecstasy, instead of weeping and lamentation.

Two prominence and glorious women were born to Islam, before the advent of Islam.

They were Ruqayyah (R. A.) the daughter of the beloved Prophet and Asma' (R.A) to the family of the most close friend and ally; Abubakar (RA). The former was in the seven year, while the later six years before Prophecy.

Incidentally, the meccans put undue pressure and exhibited naked hatred to the Prophet and his companions that compelled them to migrate to Madinah in this month. 3. Battle of Buwaat took place in the year 2 A.H. This same month recorded the marriege of Um Kulthum (RA) to the third Caliph; Uthman bin Affan (R.A.) in the third year of the Hijra. The month also recorded some sad events which included the sudden death of one of the wives of the Prophet, Ummul Mu'mineenah Zainab in the fourth year of the Hijra.

Master Ibrahim (RA) the son of Mariya al-Qibtiyyah died in the tenth year of the Hijra in Madinah. He was one of the sons of the Apostle of Allah!

The month also recorded the enthronement of the first Caliph of the Messenger of Allah in the esteem person of Abubakar alSaddeeq. He was unanimously appointed at the end to lead the Muslims' fragile state that was faced with many confrontations which uprose on hearing the demise of the Prophet of Allah, (SAW)!

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 27

ANALYSIS

By Richard Falk

T

he United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestine People is observed on November 29 each year to give the widest support and publicity to the observance of the Day of Solidarity.

Solidarity Day provides an opportunity for the international community to focus its attention on the fact that the question of Palestine is still unresolved and that the Palestinians are yet to attain their inalienable rights as defined by the UN General Assembly. Here's the text of remarks by Richard Falk delivered in Cairo at the UN/Arab League ceremony marking the observance of the 2012 International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, It is an exceptional honour and challenge to speak on such an occasion, at a tense historical moment of heavy consequences for the Palestinian people and for the peoples and governments of the region. I along with many others throughout the world share Nelson Mandela's view that the denial of Palestinian rights remain the "the greatest moral issue of our time".

This 2012 International Day of Solidarity with the People of Palestine possesses a special significance. A ceasefire ending the latest orgy of violence afflicting the two societies, but especially affecting the people of Gaza, has been agreed upon just over a week ago, and appears to be holding.

And in a few hours, the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, is scheduled to ask the UN General Assembly to recognise Palestine as a non-member observer State within the UN, a status similar to that of the Vatican. If this initiative is approved, it means an upgraded status for Palestine within the UN System, including possible access to other organs of the UN. Meeting here in Cairo on this occasion has an added resonance.

It was the Egyptian government that played such an instrumental role in producing the ceasefire, and it is the democratisation of Egypt that has done more to improve Palestinian prospects than any other recent regional or international development. It also raises expectations that Egypt will in the future exert its influence to bring this conflict that has lingered far too long to a just end by working toward a peaceful solution based on the recognition of Palestinian rights under international law.

Nothing would better convey to the world that the Arab Spring represents a regional declaration of independence from the dominion of external influence. In doing so, it would enlarge upon the earlier historic achievement of unexpectedly bringing about the downfall of a series of dictatorial regimes reigning throughout the Middle East.

Those innocent Palestinians who lost their lives and were injured during the latest Israeli military attack upon Gaza should be remembered and mourned on this day as martyred victims of

"The Palestinians are the most glaring example in this post-colonial era of a people who have not managed to gain their independence and national sovereignty despite almost 65 years of struggle, strife and humiliation," says author [EPA]

Palestine: Political violence is not the answer (I) Israel's latest onslaught. This attack was carried out with ferocity and the most modern weaponry against an essentially entrapped and acutely vulnerable people.

We should be thankful that this latest violent interlude has come to an end, and all of us should resolve to work toward the good faith implementation of the ceasefire agreement not only with respect to the violence, but in its entirety. Such an implementation would honour what was achieved through the energetic and flexible diplomacy of Egypt and other regional forces.

There are already disquieting signs that Israel is downplaying the conditions set forth in the ceasefire text, especially those pertaining to a prohibition on future targeted assassinations and on establishing the mechanisms mandating the opening of the Gaza crossings. The blockade of Gaza imposed by Israel in mid-2007 is nothing other than the collective punishment of the entire Gazan population, and hence a flagrant violation of

Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

If the ceasefire agreement is faithfully carried out, the blockade will finally be brought to an end, after more than five years of punitive closure. Goods and persons will be able to flow in both directions across the borders between Israel and Gaza. This is unlikely to happen without concerted pressure from Israel's neighbours.

Israeli officials are whispering behind the scenes that nothing more was agreed upon, despite the clear language of the brief ceasefire text, beyond the cessation of the violence. The Israeli claim is that everything else was at most a pledge to discuss, without any obligation to act.

Such disappointment of the Palestinian expectations must not be allowed to happen.

Without implementation of the full agreement, this ceasefire will evaporate in a cloud of smoke, the rockets will again fall on Israel soon, and Gaza will again become a killing field

“

while the world once more will look on helplessly at this awful spectacle of an ultra-modern war machine killing and maiming at will, and once more terrifying with unforgiveable impunity the entire civilian population of Gaza.

Such a situation presents the regional and world community with both responsibility and an opportunity. Without pressure brought to bear Israel is unlikely to implement the ceasefire.

There are levers of influence that can be pulled, and if they are, it will convey a new seriousness on the part of Arab governments, to take concrete measures to enforce the international legal rights of the Palestinian people.

States such as Egypt and Jordan have peace treaties with Israel that can be suspended due to fundamentally changed circumstances. Or diplomatic relations downgraded or even drawn into question. The more affluent Arab governments could commit to supplying UN agencies

We should be thankful that this latest violent interlude has come to an end, and all of us should resolve to work toward the good faith implementation of the ceasefire agreement not only with respect to the violence, but in its entirety.

with funds to offset any refusals to pay the normal assessed financial contributions of Israel and its friends. There are many concrete steps that can be taken if the political will to do so is present.

Shockingly, Michael Oren, Israel's ambassador at the United States, declared a few days ago that in this recent attack, "Israel was not confronting Gaza, but Iran". He added that the attack on Gaza should be understood as "a rehearsal" for militarily engaging in a conflict with Tehran. Such an acknowledgement is tantamount to a public confession by a high Israeli official to commit crimes against humanity, spilling Palestine blood so as to play what amounts to a war game to test how effective the Iron Dome would likely be in dealing with Iranian rockets expected to be released in the aftermath of an Israeli attack, if in fact Israel actually launches such an imprudent attack at odds with the UN Charter.

This assertion by someone of Ambassador Oren's stature reinforces the call to the UN Human Rights Council to form a high level fact-finding mission to Gaza that evaluates allegations of war crimes on all sides of the struggle as was done with mixed results after the Gaza War of 200809. Such a step has been proposed in a letter dated November 22, 2012, to Navi Pillay, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, from the highly respected director of the Palestine Centre for Human Rights, Raji Sourani.

Source: Aljazeera.com

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 28

Congo general pledges war as rebels prepare to quit Goma A Egypt assembly votes on constitution

T

he Islamist-dominated assembly writing a new Egyptian constitution has convened to vote on the final draft.

In one of its first steps, the constituent assembly voted to keep sharia, or Islamic law, as the main source of legislation.

It came after the constitutional court said it would rule on Sunday whether to dissolve the assembly.

Egypt's judiciary is in a stand-off with President Mohammed Morsi after he granted himself sweeping new powers.

Mr Morsi's decree last week has sparked huge protests across the country.

Liberal, left-wing and Christian members have boycotted the assembly, accusing the Islamists of trying to impose their vision.

According to Egyptian state TV, the articles so far passed stipulate the Islam is the religion of the state, and the principles of sharia are the "main source of legislation".

This is unchanged from the previous constitution under Hosni Mubarak, who was toppled as president last year.

Salafists and some members of Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood failed to have "principles" replaced by "rules".

The draft also says that Christianity and Judaism will be the "main source of legislations" for Egyptian Christians and Jews, state TV reported.

The assembly also adopted a new article that al-Azhar mosque and university, authorities on Sunni Muslim jurisprudence, must be consulted on "matters related to the Islamic sharia".

Officials at the assembly said on Wednesday they were finishing the draft constitution, even though Mr Morsi recently extended its deadline until February.

"May God bless us on this day," assembly speaker Hossam elGheriyani said at the start of Thursday's session.

The assembly will vote on each of 234 articles in the draft constitution. It will then be sent to Mr Morsi for approval. After that, he must put it to a popular referendum.

The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Cairo, says issuing a constitution in these circumstances would be a deeply inflammatory move.

Opposition figure and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa told Reuters news agency: "This is nonsensical and one of the steps that shouldn't be taken, given the background of anger and resentment to the current constitutional assembly."

Congolese government army commander said on Thursday only war could end a rebellion in the east by Tutsi-led insurgents as the rebels prepared to withdraw from the border city of Goma under a deal brokered by Uganda.

The comments from Congo's newlyappointed head of land forces LieutenantGeneral Francois Olenga Tete appeared to fly in the face of international efforts to settle the conflict, and reflected anger in the army's officer corps at the prospect of any negotiation with the insurgents.

M23 rebels opposed to President Joseph Kabila seized Goma, provincial capital of Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern North Kivu province on November 20, after routing United Nations-backed government forces.

Rebel leaders have said they will quit the steamy lakeside city on the border with Rwanda in line with a deal announced at the weekend by presidents of Great Lakes states who fear the rebellion in Congo could escalate into wider conflict.

At Minova, a town held by the government army FARDC south of

Goma, Olenga Tete said government troops were preparing to re-enter Goma after the rebels left it.

"I am going back to Kinshasa to prepare for war. I'm going to ask our leaders for permission to wage war. We don't want more negotiations. It's war that will bring peace to Congo," he said, as government soldiers mustered under a blazing sun.

Congo's ill-disciplined and demoralized army have suffered a succession of embarrassing defeats at the hands of M23 and many officers are appalled at any thought of a deal.

One rebel spokesman had said the withdrawal from Goma would take place on Friday, but another said it could take longer.

Defense officials from neighboring countries were due to travel to Goma to verify the planned pullback of the insurgents from positions in and around the city.

Congo's eastern borderlands have suffered years of recurring conflict stoked by long-standing ethnic and political enmities and fighting over the area's rich resources of gold, tin, tungsten and coltan, which is used to make mobile phones.

Congolese government soldiers (FARDC) patrol the streets of Minova.

Mali rebels capture town near Mauritania border

A

nsar Dine, a rebel group linked to Al Qaeda has moved into a town near Mali's border with Mauritania after separatist Tuareg rebels withdrew without a fight, a spokesman said on Thursday. fighters from several groups have taken over an initial uprising by Tuareg MNLA rebels since an uneasy alliance of armed groups seized control of the north in March after a military coup paralyzed the central government.

Ansar Dine, which seeks to impose Islamic sharia law in Mali and has carried out executions and amputations in areas under its control, said it moved into Lere town

on Wednesday afternoon.

"There was no fighting. We asked the MNLA who were there to leave.

Most of them joined us. Others who didn't agree left town," spokesman Sanda Ould Boumana said.

Lere has no telephone network coverage and it was not immediately possible to independently confirm Ansar Dine's version of its capture.

The town is located around 70 km (45 miles) east of Mali's border with Mauritania, an ally of the West in the fight against al Qaeda in Africa.

The MNLA's erstwhile Islamist allies drove the Tuareg rebels from their main stronghold of Gao in June.

A delicate coexistence had reigned in

the north since then but earlier this month clashes again erupted between the MNLA and MUJWA, another northern rebel group with links to al Qaeda.

MUJWA drove the MNLA out of the town of Menaka, near the border with Niger, last week.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon on Wednesday recommended that the Security Council approve an African Union force be sent to combat the Islamists. He stopped short, however, of offering the U.N.'s financial backing for the force, which is not expected to deploy before next year.

Sanda Ould Boumana, Spokesman for the group.

R

believed, investigation has shown.

Kigali has already rejected UN accusations that it is backing the M23 rebel group which recently

captured the strategic eastern city of Goma.

Two ex-rebel fighters told the BBC they were offered money from Rwanda to set up a new front further south.

More than 500,000 people have fled seven months of fighting in the east.

Rwanda has previously backed armed groups in eastern DR Congo as a way of fighting Hutu militias who fled there after Rwanda's 1994 genocide, in which some 800,000 people died.

The M23, who like Rwanda's leaders are mostly ethnic Tutsis, has also denied it is funded by Rwanda.

BBC East Africa correspondent Gabriel Gatehouse spoke to two former rebel fighters in Bukavu,

which lies on the southern tip of Lake Kivu, some 200km (125 miles) from Goma.

They were from DR Congo's minority Tutsi ethnic group and said they had joined the rebel Congolese Movement for Change in July to fight for a better life for the people of the east.

They had spent several months in the bush fighting the army, thinking they were part of a homegrown movement.

"Then our chairman of this movement came with a delegation of the government of Rwanda, saying that the movement has been changed, we have to follow the instructions of the Rwanda government," Capt Okra Rudahirwa told the BBC.

Rwanda 'wanted new DR Congo rebel front' wandan support for rebels in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo may be more widespread than previously

Ex-rebel Bestfriend Ndozi said their orders were to 'demoralise the government'

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Asia and Middle East

A

Thai court has postponed the start of the terrorism trial of 24 "Red Shirt" protest leaders by one month.

Thursday's delay comes in reaction to the illness of one of the defendants in the case, which followed 2010 demonstrations in Bangkok that drew up to 100,000

President Mahmoud commends United Nations for its effort to free Palestine

By Abdulkadir Isa resident Mahmoud Abbas has expressed his gratitude and unwavering support from the United Nations for the people of Palestine in attaining freedom.

In a speech delivered yesterday 29th November, a day set aside in solidarity with the Palestine people by the UN, President Mahmoud said: "we recognize the noble efforts of the United Nations - by the major organs and specialized agencies.

Including, in particular UNRWA -Vis-Ă -vis the question of Palestine, consistent with the permanent responsibility of the United Nations until the question is justly resolved".

He also recognise the effort of the leadership of the UN, saying "we express our appreciation for the goodwill efforts of H.E. secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the serious effort of the committee on the exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian people in realization of the rights of the Palestinian people and peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict".

While commemorating with his fellow Palestinians, the president called for their continued doggedness in the struggle as total victory is around the corner.

He emphasised the implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations such as resolution 181 (II) (1947), which partitioned Mandate Palestine into two states- Israel and Palestine.

President Mahmoud appreciated the support most nations from around the world through votes and aid to Palestine and prayed for their continued support.

He further expressed optimism and the willingness of Palestine's to build and foster a lasting peace solution in the Middle East.

PAGE 29

‘Red Shirt’ trial delayed in Thailand protesters. "The court will only allow this one postponement," the judge said, as hundreds of police stood guard outside the court.

Among the accused are five lawmakers. All 24 defendants could face the death penalty for their roles in the rallies, which largely drew the support of Thais loyal to Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted prime minister.

At least 90 people were killed and nearly 1,900 were wounded in a series of street clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

The clashes culminated in a military crackdown and the arrests of the movement's leaders.

At the time, the Red Shirts wanted immediate elections, and accused the government at the time of being undemocratic because it took office in

2008 through a parliamentary vote after a court stripped Thaksin's allies of power.

The judge postponed the first hearing until December 13 because a lawyer for Arisman Pongreungrong, a Red Shirt leader, said his client could not attend the trial due to food poisoning.

Arisman first came to international prominence when he

avoided capture by police by climbing out of a third-floor window in a Bangkok hotel in April 2010, an escape that was captured by the media.

After nearly 20 years on the run, Arisman turned himself in last year.

The leaders pleaded not guilty in August 2010 to terrorism charges.

Hearings can only be held when parliament is not in session as sitting lawmakers have immunity.

Burmese police break up copper mine protest

P

P

The 2010 Bangkok protests drew over 100,000 supporters to the streets of the capital

olice in Burma have used water cannon and tear gas to break up a protest against a vast Chinesebacked copper mine in the north-west of the country.

Protesters said dozens were injured and their camps set alight in Monywa town.

Local farmers, monks and activists have been protesting against what they say are forced evictions to allow for the expansion of the mine, Burma's largest.

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is in the area to meet protesters and says she wants to mediate a settlement.

Ms Suu Kyi was greeted by supporters who lined the streets.

"I already met one side. I met with mine operators. I want to meet with villagers and protesters," she said. "I want to negotiate after hearing from both sides."

Jonathan Head, who recently visited the mine, says this is now being seen as a test case for how Burma's new government will handle growing protests around the country over land grabs that took place under military rule.

The farmers started their protest in June, saying they were forced to accept a deal two years ago under which they gave up their land in return for new housing and financial compensation.

Fighting rages along Damascus airport road

President Mahmoud Abbas

Police use barb wire to keep protesters away

B

attles between Syrian rebels and government troops have reportedly forced the closure of the main road leading to Damascus International Airport.

The news came as the Dubaibased Emirates airline suspended flights to the Syrian capital on Thursday.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said there was heavy fighting "along all the areas along the road" to the airport, southeast of the city.

The activist group said clashes were particularly intense in Babbila, a suburb bordering the rebel stronghold of Tadamoun.

Meanwhile, residents and internet-monitoring companies said internet was cut off nationwide.

Renesys, a US-based network security firm that studies internet disruptions, said Syria effectively disappeared from the internet at 12:26pm local time.

In parts of Damascus, mobile and land telephone lines were only working intermittently.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Europe and Americas BP suspended from new US contracts

T

he US government has temporarily banned BP from new federal contracts over its "lack of business integrity" in the Deep water Horizon oil spill in 2010, a move that could imperil the British energy giant's US footing.

The suspension, announced by the US Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday, comes on the heels of BP's November 15 agreement with the US government to plead guilty to criminal misconduct in the Gulf of Mexico disaster, the worst offshore oil spill in US history.

BP announced earlier this month that it will plead guilty to manslaughter, obstruction of Congress and other charges and will pay a record $4.5bn in penalties to resolve a Justice Department investigation of the disaster.

Attorneys and a federal judge will meet in December to discuss a plea date.

"The BP suspension will temporarily prevent the company and the named affiliates from getting new federal government contracts, grants or other covered transactions until the company can provide sufficient evidence to EPA demonstrating that it meets federal business standards," the EPA in a statement said.

The suspension marked yet another obstacle for a company that has struggled to revive its tarnished image in the US and abroad after the 2010 explosion that killed 11 workers.

In a further blow to the company, BP will be disqualified from winning new leases to drill for oil or gas on taxpayer-owned land until the suspension is lifted.

BP were hopeful the suspension may in fact be lifted quite soon.

"The EPA has informed BP that it is preparing a proposed administrative agreement that, if agreed upon, would effectively resolve and lift this temporary suspension," BP said.

"Over the past five years, BP has invested more than $52bn in the United States - more than any other oil and gas company, and more than it invests in any other country where it operates.

On top of this business investment, BP has to date spent more than $14bn in operational response and clean-up costs."

The EPA said the suspension was standard practice when a criminal case raises responsibility questions about a company.

The suspension came the same day two BP rig supervisors and a former executive were scheduled to be arraigned on criminal charges stemming from the deadly explosion and the company's response to the resulting oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

But the suspension could still remain in effect while civil claims against BP move forward, said an EPA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss terms of the agreement.

In addition to the criminal proceedings, BP faces huge civil claims covering the billions of dollars in civil penalties the US government and the Gulf states are seeking from it because of environmental damage.

PAGE 30

Venezuela President Chavez arrives in Cuba for treatment V

enezuelan President Hugo Chavez has arrived in Cuba, where he had months of cancer therapy, for further medical treatment.

Mr Chavez, who was re-elected in October, is due to be sworn in for a third term in January.

In a letter to the National Assembly, Mr Chavez said he needed further therapy to recover from this year's "tough electoral campaign".

In May he declared himself free of cancer.

There is no indication in his letter that the cancer has returned.

But the opposition has called for transparency about his health and the nature of his treatment in Cuba.

"This secrecy always leaves doubts about how much truth there is in the government's statements," said opposition

C

olombia has announced it no longer recognises the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, in The Hague.

The decision comes nine days after the ICJ redrew Colombia's maritime border in the Caribbean in favour of Nicaragua.

The court's ruling ended a

politician Ramon Guillermo Aveledo.

No photos or footage of the president's departure or arrival

have been released.

Mr Chavez, 58, was first diagnosed with an undisclosed cancer in June 2011.

President Hugo Chavez

He has since had repeated surgery in Cuba, but finished his treatment there earlier this year.

In his letter to the National Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Chavez said he was returning to Havana following medical advice.

"Six months after I had the last session of radiotherapy, I have been advised to begin a new special treatment, with several sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and physiotherapy," says the letter.

The treatment is aimed at continuing to "consolidate recent health improvements," he added.

The left-wing president was first elected in 1998.

During the electoral campaign, he dismissed rumours that he had not been cured of his cancer, and vowed to serve out his six-year term.

Colombia pulls out of International Court decades-long dispute over the San Andres islands.

President Juan Manuel Santos said individual countries, and not courts of law, should fix their borders.

The ICJ ruled that the islands and a group of islets

President Juan Manuel Santos

near the Nicaraguan coast in the western Caribbean belonged to Colombia.

But it set up new maritime borders in the potentially oilrich area, extending Nicaragua's territory by some 70,000 square km (19,000 square miles).

The judgment, which is binding, was welcomed by Nicaragua but greeted with anger by President Santos.

'Peaceful means' Mr Santos has now announced that Colombia is pulling out of the Bogota Treaty, signed in 1948, that recognises the court's rulings.

"The borders between nations cannot be in the hands of a court of law," he said. "They must be drawn by agreement between the countries involved."

Mr Santos reaffirmed he would only be using "peaceful means" to solve dispute.

The competing claims date from the early 19th Century, when the nations of Latin America were gaining their independence from Spain.

Nicaragua and Colombia signed a treaty in 1928 to settle the border and sovereignty of islands in the Caribbean.

But in 1980, Nicaragua's Sandinista government unilaterally annulled the agreement, arguing that it had been signed under US pressure.

In 2007, the ICJ ruled that the treaty was valid and that the sovereignty of three islands, San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina, remained with Colombia.

The archipelago lies some 775km (480 miles) from the Colombian coast and 230km from Nicaragua.

UN court acquits former Kosovo prime minister

T

he UN Yugoslav war crimes court acquitted Kosovo's exPrime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and two aides in a retrial on charges of murder and torture during the 1990s war of independence from Belgrade.

"The chamber finds you not guilty on all counts in the indictment," Judge Bakone Justice Moloto told the Haguebased court, ordering the men released.

Judges in the retrial ruled on Thursday that there was no evidence that Haradinaj and two accomplices had taken part in such a plan.

The court's public gallery erupted in cries of joy as the acquittals were announced.

The proceedings were broadcast live on a giant screen in the Kosovo capital Pristina, where Haradinaj is considered a hero by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority who had high hopes of an acquittal.

Prosecutors had said Haridinaj

participated as a commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army in a criminal plan to drive Serbs out of the province, which at the time was ruled from Belgrade, and had demanded at least 20 years in prison for all three men.

Thursday's verdicts came in the UN court's first retrial so far, which was ordered after appeals judges branded the 2008 acquittal of Haradinaj and Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fighter Idriz Balaj and the conviction of a third KLA commander, Lahi Brahimaj, a "miscarriage of justice" because of widespread intimidation of prosecution witnesses.

Moloto said that one witness may not have been in the Jablanica detention camp where alleged abuses took place and "may have told what he heard from others."

After one incident of abuse "a KLA solider apologised for the incident and blamed it on extremist groups within

the KLA," the judge said.

"There is no credible evidence that Haradinaj was even aware of the crimes committed at Jablanica," Moloto said.

The acquittal clears the way for a possible return to the political scene

for Haradinaj, seen before his 2005 indictment as a unifying force in deeply divided Kosovo.

He is now likely to continue his political career in Kosovo and is expected to run again for prime minister.

Ex-Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 31

Reply-Allpocalypse: NYU student accidentally repliesall to entire student body

W

hen New York University sophomore Max Wiseltier got a Listserv email Monday about filing paperless forms with the school's bursar, he tried to forward the message to his mom asking, "do you want me to do this?" The only problem? He accidentally hit Reply All and CC'd nearly 40,000 of his classmates, the NYU Local reported.

Wiseltier's mistake set off a chain reaction among the student body when they realized they could send any thought, photo, comment, complaint or GIF to the entire university with just one click.

A sampling of some of the responses in the massive thread: "Well this could be fun." "Pretty cool that this emails the entire student body. Because I'm graduating next month, I thought I'd use this opportunity to Say thanks for the memories, and good luck with everything!" "I want all of us to be happy forever."

"Would you rather fight 100 duck sized horses, or 1 horse sized duck?"

"All of you. Be quiet. Now.""OMG PLEASE STOP THIS!!!!!" "I'll stop if he stops." "...Education is wasted on you! You cannot learn! You're lost! I mean all of

you! ..." - Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman) in "Lean on Me" (1989) One student simply sent out a photo of actor Nicholas Cage.

According to NYU Local's Ben Zweig, Reply-Allpocalypse occurred because several NYU departments still rely an "older, discussion-based ListManager program," which sends mass emails, "but allows discussions (in the form of reply-alls), unless the settings are adjusted."

Mailboxes were bombarded with the emails until Tuesday when the school realized the error and deleted the account, the Huffington Post reported.

New parents pay homage to twitter, name daughter hashtag

O

ne family wanted a different name for their newborn daughter-so they named her Hashtag.

People reported the proud new mom posted apicture of her baby daughter on Facebook Saturday night with the caption: "Hashtag Jameson was born at 10 oclock last nite. She weys 8pounds and i luv her so much!!!!!!"

The Twittersphere reacted with hashtags of their own# F o o l i s h p a r e n t s , #YourParentsHateYou and #StupidestNameEver, Yahoo

Shine! reported.

While it's not yet clear whether Hashtag is the girl's legal name, a typo or a joke, it wouldn't be the first social media-inspired moniker. In 2011, an Egyptian man named his daughter "Facebook" because of the role the site played at the start of the Arab Spring, Tech Crunch reported.

In May 2011, an Israeli couple named their baby "Like," according to the BBC. What's next? A baby boy named Retweet?

Hashtag

Kids find lion cub, bring it to school

M Computer student accidentally use to Reply All and CC'd 40,000 of his peers, sparking ReplyAllpocalypse.

E

ach November, thousands of male grow mustaches to bring awareness to men's health issues, such as prostate cancer and testicular cancer, in a campaign known as"Movember." This year, a British woman with a prediagnosed medical condition grew a beard in support of the cause.

Siobhain Fletcher, a 36year-old from Leek, Staffordshire, was diagnosed withpolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) when she was just a teenager. PCOS is a condition in which a woman has an imbalance of female sex hormones, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

PCOS can cause women to develop male-like characteristics, including abnormal hair growth on the face, stomach or chest.

"When I started getting my periods, they never became regular - I thought that was a bonus!" Fletcher told ABC News.

"I started getting a few hairs, around 15 or 16. Every woman gets facial hair. I thought that was just part of puberty. I cut with scissors, or shaved them off." She identified the issue when she was in her 20s and attempted to remove the hair by shaving, waxing and using chemical creams.

ost primary school classes get a goldfish to keep, a hamster or a turtle if they're lucky - but children from one village in southern Russia got to play with a lion cub.

Children in the Rostov region found the 5-month old cub on the steppe Wednesday and brought it to their teacher, who kept it in the school gym, police said Thursday.

While waiting for police, children petted and played with the cub, named Barsik. One boy even tried to ride it like a horse while it

mewled and swiped at the air.

The cub had escaped from a car on the way to a zoo in Dagestan in the North Caucasus. It has now been removed from the school and placed in a local zoo.

The lion cob

Woman grows beard for charity

Fletcher's decision to grow her beard for Movember took courage. She had self-esteem difficulties growing up, has been mistaken for a man and was housebound for five years, she revealed during an

Siobhain Fletcher

interview with ITV2's "This Morning" on Tuesday.

"My condition used to contribute to depression and anxiety but this is for a good cause and I want to highlight that people shouldn't judge you

on what you have on your face, it's what is inside that matters," Fletcher told the Mirror on Nov. 10.

In early November, Fletcher's friend told her that he was growing a mustache in

support of Movember, and she was inspired.

"I pointed out that he had a bit of face fuzz, and asked about it.

He told me about 'Movember,' and in a spur of the moment decision, I decided to grow mine," she told ABC News.

Some women who have joined the Movember or NoShave November movementhave faced disapproval, but Fletcher is pushing back against that.

"Now it's actually saying to the world, look, this isn't a sideshow, I'm doing this to raise awareness for men's cancer to stop families possibly losing a family member and also to help people with self-esteem issues to say, 'It doesn't matter,'" Fletcher said about growing a beard for Movember on "This Morning." Adding, "People will still look as beautiful with facial hair as without it."

Fletcher has raised ÂŁ1,040 (about $1,663) on her Movember page as of Wednesday afternoon. On her page, she cites her motivation as: "To use my PCOS as a tool for raising awareness for Men's cancers. If I get just one man to get checked out it will be worth it."

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012 With Tobias Lengnan Dapam 07036990957

NGF urged to help promote movie industry

T

he Nigerianfilms.com has said that the Northern state Governors Forum (NSGF) has been called upon to engage the movie industry through the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) to promote their policies and programmes as well as preach messages of peace and togetherness.

Vice President of the Guild's North West zone, Comrade Salihu Othman Isah gave this advice recently in an interview with newsmen in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital.

Isah, fondly called Hotman said this is necessary as the various

governments in the north should see actors as partners in progress.

According to him, governments in the northern region have continued to carry on as if the movie industry does not exist in the part of the country, advising that Thespians should be carried along in the scheme of things.

"You see, in Europe, America (Hollywood) and India (Bollywood) for instance, movies are used to pass very useful and vital messages, to promote programmes and policies of government. The governments see movie practitioners as partners in

progress in these climes and are carried along.

"Since movie actors and actresses are seen as role models in society, why not use them to endorse your programmes and activities? In Nigeria, only non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are presently collaborating with the entertainment and movie sector to reach-out to the populace.

"So, I feel governments should also exploit and harness the potentials of movies as a medium of mass communication to pass vital messages", he posited.

The AGN boss however, disclosed that some governors who used practitioners in the movie and entertainment industry during their campaign are currently engaging them passingly in their activities.

He lamented however, that "only those in the Hausa language genre known as Kannywood are being recognised by the governments and the NGOs to promote their programmes and activities, while the English genre is left to suffer. They should be exploited as well.

"The English sector of the industry

should be engaged as well. They should be exploited. They should be carried along in the scheme of things as well. Some northern governments don't even know or believe that Nollywood exist in the North", he said.

Othman further said that presently, only Kannywood, the Hausa genre is being patronized and that the NGF should take a cue from the NGOs and begin to engage Nollywood actors to pass useful messages as a mass communication medium, saying Actors should be cued into their programmes and policies.

paid off." Jackson, he said, is a"genius."

Oscar winner, Joe Letteri, Weta Digital's head of visual effects, was somewhat more reserved, saying that "after

tonight we've got the rest of the story to tell. "Weta Workshop tweeted: "To all of you who have joined us for the wild ride leading up to this day - a big thank you from the Weta team."

'The Hobbit' premiere in New Zealand draws thousand fans

T

he Hobbit" at its premier in New Zealand, drew big time exhibitors who screened the film at its higher frame rate, drawing strong ticket demand from audiences, Nollywood reporter has said.

It added that an estimated hundred thousand New Zealanders turned out along the 1,600-foot red carpet, which took the stars two hours to negotiate at the world premiere of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in the New Zealand capital of Wellington on Wednesday afternoon.

The event took place nine years after the red carpet was rolled out to host the premiere of the "Fellowship of The Ring" on the same streets.

Elijah Wood, who reprises his role as Frodo Baggins in "The Hobbit" films, said he was relying on muscle memory to take him to the Embassy theatre where many of the cast and crew saw the completed film for the first time.

Nollywood reporter also said

that a large international press contingent and others were the first to see the film at a screening night, but were under a strict embargo that kept people from commenting on or reviewing the film before the end of the screening.

However, Wood paid tribute to Martin Freeman in the lead role of Bilbo Baggins. "He was brilliant - the right amount of funny," he said. He has strange qualities, but also real heart. He is the heart of the movie, and he really pulled it off."

Attendees also lauded the technical quality of the film and its higher frame rate.

Richard Armitage, who plays dwarf leader, Thorin Oakenshield, said about working with Jackson: "The thing that inspires me is that he's as fascinated with technology and where film can go as he is with story and character. Something incredible has been created that's never been seen before."

Speaking on the exhibition, New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, who allowed the film to

A scene from 'The Hobbit' keep shooting in New Zealand by changing labour laws and underwriting an extra $25 million incentives two years ago said: "New Zealand took a risk investing in "The Hobbit," and "it's

'Liz and Dick' draws 3.5m viewers to lifetime

T

he lifetime original movie, starring Lindsay Lohan and Grant Bowler as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, pulled in 3.5 million viewers during its inaugural airing recently, a Hollywood reporter has said.

He added that the movie is a 3 million shy of Magnolias, which was the network's third-most-watched broadcast in history with 6.5 million.

"Liz and Dick's" premiere capped

off months of buzz around Lohan ending her career hiatus with a portrayal of the iconic actress -and, most recently, the largely negative reviews that kept the TV movie in headlines.

That 3.5 million average movie "Liz and Dick", is the network's fourth-most-watched original movie of the year. The two-hour telepic ranks behind Magnolias, the January 21st premiere of Drew Peterson: Untouchable (5.8 million viewers) and Abducted: The

A scene from the movie 'Liz and Dick'

Carlina White Story (4.1 million).

Hollywood reporter further said "Liz & Dick" raked in 1.3 million adults 25-54, 1.3 million adults 1849, and 1.1 million and 1 million in Lifetime's target demos of women 18-49 and 25-54 groups, respectively.

Given all of the media attention on the project, the figure for "Liz and Dick" might fall shy of expectations but comes toward the end of what has been an exceptional ratings year for Lifetime.

Kate Henshaw is the new face of UK based blessing Perfume

N

ollywood actress, Kate Henshaw is one of the most sought after celebrities in the world, after she was recently named as the face of Uk blessing Perfume,

Kate Henshaw

thenetng.com has said.

It added that the hot actress and "Nigeria's Got Talent" judge has dominated the international scene recently.

This isn't the usual one as this time she would be the face of a UK based perfume line, Blessings Perfume, thenetng.com further revealed.

Blessings Perfume, is owned by a UK based Nigerian and is exclusively sold in Harrolds, London.

However thenetng.com said the money paid to her is not yet public but according to unconfirmed sources, it was a mouth watering sum.

Kate is presently a judge on the ongoing "Nigeria's Got Talent" show and is working on an upcoming soap opera, 'Crossroads'.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 33

Hugh Jackman in talks to reprise Wolverine role in new 'X-Men' movie T

he actor would join original trilogy stars Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in Bryan Singer's film, which also stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult, Hollywood reporter has said.

It added that the development was possible as director Bryan Singer, continues to merge past and present X-Men actors for Fox's X-Men. Sources confirm that Hugh Jackman is in negotiations to reprise his Wolverine role in

the movie, which is ostensibly a sequel to X-Men: First Class but will prominently feature actors from the first X-Men trilogy (the first two of which Singer directed).

Singer announced recently that Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen -- who portrayed XMen founder Professor Charles Xavier and renegade mutant leader Magneto, respectively, in the original X-Men movies - are joining First Class actors James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult.

Days of Future Past is a

classic storyline that unfolded in two issues of Marvel Comics' Uncanny X-Men in 1981, from writer Chris Claremont, artists John Byrne and Terry Austin.

The story was partially set in an alternate future where surviving mutants have been penned in concentration camps, giant robots called Sentinels patrol America, and most of the X-Men have been hunted and killed.

In the present day, the XMen were forced to stop a key event from unfolding in order to keep that future from occurring.

Review of the movie, "Journey to self"

F

riendship, lies, secrets and self discovery are themes that are explored in Ashionye's new movie, 'Journey To Self'. The movie features top actresses Ashionye Michelle Raccah as Regina, Katherine Obiang as Rume, Nse Ikpe Etim as Nse, and Dakore Egbuson Akande as Alex.

In the play, a group of childhood friends Regina, Alex, Nse and Rume are brought together by their friend's (Uche) death. While waiting for her funeral, they are forced to confront their past and their secrets through a series of letters left to them by their dead friend Uche.

They discover at Uche's house that she was the magnet that drew them together while they were consumed with the details in their lives. They discover holes in their friendship with each other, how they have not truly been there for each other. In the moment of sorrow, they discover their inner strength to fight the various challenges in their lives.

The paradigm is steadily shifting in the delivery of Nigerian movies, especially from delivering mediocre content to giving out content that is substantial to say the least. The movie featured top actors and actresses who ultimately

delivered in expressing each of the characters they represented.

Each of the characters represents everyday people who go through various challenges. The most poignant part of the movie would have to be the true meaning of friendship and how often times, people discover things when it is too late.

Uche's life was the bedrock from which their self discovery arose from. While she was instrumental to keeping their friendship together, they didn't really find out what was going on in Uche's life.

The true test of friendship is to be there for one another despite the fact that things might get in the way of keeping in touch.

Each character represents major issues that women face today: Alex; an older actress was exploited by a younger man due to her fear of being alone. Rume, has to deal with finding out that her husband is gay. Uche; trapped in a loveless relationship, despite the high standard of living that she is in. Regina, bruised battered and beaten by her husband and at a loss about what to do and finally Nse, unable to have a child and so bury's herself in her work.

At the end of the movie,through Uche's death, the remaining four ladies are able to face their demons and ultimately emerged stronger happier women.

Omotola beats Ini Edo, Funke Akindele at ELOY Awards

O

motola has won another award in 2012 after the awards she was be decorated with earlier in the year.

Pulse.com has said the talented screen diva added another feather to her cap at the Exquisite Lady of the Year (ELOY) Awards held in Lagos.

The mother of four and wife of a brilliant pilot, Captain Mathew Ekeinde, was announced ELOY Awards actress of the year beating the likes of Ini Edo, Funke Akindele, and Nse Ikpe-Etim to

win the award.

Omotola got the award for her role in film 'Ties That Bind.'

Meanwhile, momentum is heating as Omosexy, as her fans call her, who doubles as the president and queen of Oxynation and Oxygenation, which are her own group of nation and community, doing everything possible to make the debut of her reality show series, 'Omotola: The Real Me'.

The show will premiere on December 6, 2012 on AfricaMagic Entertainment channel.

Omotola

Hugh Jackman

Ice Prince donates pipe born water in Doma

N

igerian celebrities are getting heavily involved in charity work in the country, as Ice Prince donated Pipe born water for villagers in Doma, Nasarawa state,

Pulse.com has said.

It added that the Jos born artist said the hand of charity is necessary because the society makes him who he is.

Ice Prince donating pipe born water to villagers in Doma.

Lionsgate signs output deal in Russia with West Company

L

ionsgate has signed its latest international output deal, inking with Russia's West Company for distribution of Lionsgate titles in Russia and the CIS territories, Hollywood reporter has said.

It added that the deal gives West Company the rights to the final three films in Lionsgate's blockbuster "Hunger Games" franchise as well as upcoming titles from the Canadian ministudio.

West Company had already released the original "Hunger Games" film in Russia as well as the Twilight Saga titles from Summit Entertainment, the production/distribution giant that Lionsgate acquired in January.

Lionsgate Logo

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 34

Growing North-east’s political economy (II)

By Jibril Aminu Leadership deficit eople who are promised everything and then regularly betrayed cannot bring themselves to obey the rulers who in turn cannot ask the people to do anything. So, such leaders resort to lying to the people, bribing them with promises which are never fulfilled. They cannot feel free among those that they cheated and lied to so they resort to hide and seek; and protection by thugs and hooligans with Law enforcement agents turned to personal bodyguards doing their bidding.

Someone who cannot honestly and properly utilise the people’s money, given to them in trust, cannot raise it from the people by taxation as Governments do everywhere. So, they engage in long distance administration or by fair or more usually foul means of indirect rule. The collusion seem to be: remain loyal to me and I will help to install you over your people and turn a blind eye to whatever you do for, more usually against, your people.

The British were practising a colonial system, in which a new graduate DO in a very old Division can overrule the whole Emirate Council. That is disgusting enough.

But it was more just and fair than the Indirect Rule we have now.

Nothing is achieved but false promises, in this new, Indirect Rule.

No national institutions are now being built or maintained, let alone sanctified. The results are seen in the Civil Services, Armed Services, Schools, everywhere. Politics is the available option. People work hard and using all sorts of means to get to high political office. Once there, to that Promised Land, the political prize, they get busy building themselves, not the social institutions and or the public services of the state. They use public funds to prop themselves and their politics.

There must be few countries politically squandering public funds in between elections like we do.

Money is used to coerce the law enforcement agents to, in turn, coerce the people, particularly for elections, which are brazenly rigged; a process endorsed or even executed by the law enforcement agencies, who were there to stop this in the first place because it is breaking the law!

The illegality is further confirmed by the courts of law. Rulers collude with these checks and balancing agencies to access power and the national loot and remain and survive therein using improperly accessed public funds for personal political survival and not for the people and then pass it on, as it were, to a nominated kinsman or woman who continues the line believing that Almighty God is sleeping.

Sadly, the young people on who societal hopes should rest become accomplices and more evil successors. Everyone who is supposed to speak for the people will be found sleeping on their post heavily drugged with stolen public funds. The people are too poor and subdued to do anything. Everyone is afraid of losing the little favour they enjoy. There is no rule of law; so, there cannot be economic growth, let

P

alone economic development. We keep on limping along-like this so long as the oil money is there. We shall keep going like this, poor, miserable and hopeless until we hit the wall or trip into a pit, or are terminated by some accident or other. People are doggedly fighting for their own share of the oil money, even when their claims are highly exaggerated or only tenuous. No one is worried about finding alternative ways to self-reliance, since fighting for allocatable money is the way. The “Fighting for” they do become very acrimonious. The country itself and loyalty to it, become victims of the feeding frenzy over the distributable pool. How many State authorities, for example, can find even the modest amount required to run the recurrent costs of their state? Yet those who do, pass on only a meagre hand-out to their people of the money they have largely diverted. They generate all around the atmosphere of selfcongratulations by the paid media and by the hired people forming an impenetrable wall of sycophancy, bought and maintained with public funds that should have gone to serving the people; entrenching integrity, justice and democracy, building viable national institutions all forming a powerful edifice of a great nation, being a part of a just, peaceful and progressive world.

What to do?

I strongly recommend wide amendment of the Constitution but not jettisoning it, and not doing it with a secessionist or disintegrationist mind-set. The North East must work with other parts of the country to do this, identify and correct areas where the present constitution allows or encourages the destructive abuses we now labour under.

So far, we have only scanned just a few areas to give a broad picture of the physical situation with regards to infrastructure and physical activities, if any. After physical, what is the social and political setting?

The Human factor, and this is where the obstacles tend to be most serious for example, to discuss the obstacles, could be misinterpreted by officials insecure about their positions as criticism or even a plot to remove them.

In facing obstacles, the most serious is the human factor and the resulting social or political setting.

To discuss these things could be misunderstood as criticism or even censure. But far from that. To discuss an obstacle meaningfully and to stand any chance of doing anything about them, they have to be fleshed out to elucidate the nature and the causes and should not be considered censure, criticism or harsh judgement.

Besides, an organisation, like this one of ours, even in the most favourable setting, has its serious limitations, which in this case, are very intense, many of us here are fortunately aware of that, only too well.

Does every one agree that we have a problem at all and who are the doubters, and their disposition pr0ne to hasten or hinder. Who or what are the obstacles? How do we circumvent these people and how do

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi state we elicit their cooperation? Can we agree on the enormity of the problems? Even with maximum cooperation and effort to tackle them, can we capture the attention of those whose attention and devotion will be necessary for success? How sustainable is all this?

What should be the logical and promising role of an organisation like this FORUM. We would do well if all we achieve is mobilisation, sensitisation in the various aspects such as identifying target and those that will yield result, for example, uniting people over issues such as a political consensus, dealing with outstanding issues; identifying, encouraging and cooperating with people in a position to do anything.

Urgent will be suppressing personal interest, or using any aspect of this work to promote personal political agenda, encouraging all concerned to be prepared to work for the long term good, knowing that they may not be around to savour the success of the undertaking. People, no matter their status in life, must be enlisted in a way appropriate, to be part of the effort.

Such an effort always requires a legal frame work, making new or issuing old laws, starting with the reform of the constitution. Amend the constitution to make the system work better. No one shall use the exercise to promote self or group interest or, indeed, to alter the shape and the functional mechanism of the country. It can be done. We never believed in 1994 that we could come out with, at the other end, a basically good constitution, unanimously adopted. But, we did, and it can be done again, with a determined and sincere leadership in the country.

Apart from keeping the country one and safe, the first task of any legitimate leadership is the management of public funds, raising revenue, controlling expenditure, saving and ensuring that public funds are scrupulously spent and were used

only strictly in accordance with the law. This may sound like a dream.

But, in fact, this is what it is supposed to be, and this is how most individual nations operate and they do well to boot! Our constitution must do everything to protect public funds and to keep them safe from officials.

Officials must access public funds only in strict compliance with legal provision. The unlimited and almost automatic access officials (elected or appointed) have to public funds is one of the worst aspects of our present dispensation and is the prime source of corruption and financial mess wrecking the country.

It does not happen in many countries especially those that claim to run a democratic, transparent and accountable system.

The haemorrhage of public funds in the hands of especially heads of tiers of the system is astonishing and will sink us. No matter what it takes to correct this, in the constitution, will, in the end, be well worth it.

We will never make it as a people or as a nation unless we correct this.

Everyone, nearly everywhere, would, of course, want uncontrolled power over the public funds. The difference between us and in virtually all parts of the world is that those managing the state funds, unlike us, cannot do what they like, not at all. And get away with it. Those other places have not degenerated to the extent that the checks and balances system and its personnel have failed like here where officials are really accomplices instead of being chaperons. Everybody, of any status, is a willing accomplice because they have their generous share and no one does anything about it. Even in a stupendously rich decent principality, doing this will mean the whirlwind of financial recklessness, let alone in a poor, underdeveloped African nation with high population and low technological development, like ours.

Some corrective measures are easy. For example, to restore

autonomy to the Local Government, may not remove all the abuses perpetuated by the operators of the Council themselves, but it will terminate the shocking predatory behaviour of State Governments with LGA Funds.

The constitutional amendment should cover clearly the areas already known leaving no room for ambiguity: Corruption, Wastage, carelessness with public property (including funds controlling and moderating political expenditure, increasing the powers of auditors, including provision for preexpenditure auditing). Auditors should have independence like the INEC. Those suggestions relating to financial management would seem too stringent. But it is the murky record of people entrusted with public funds that justifies such restrictions.

There are some macro-economic amendments to the constitution which are also urgently needed because without them, a reform of accountability provisions cannot be said to have been made. No one should enjoy immunity in this country. The United States of America has no immunity for any official, and they manage to carry on.

It will be impossible to entrench accountability when any top official can act as liberally with the people’s money as they please.

With all due respect, the President and the Governors are all at the very centre of responsibility for what is happening in the present dispensation.

The constitution review should study and assiduously address all areas contributing to inefficiency.

Ethnicity, Religion, political parties and internal democracy, poor or proprietary attitude of officials including the Presidents, the Governors and Local Government Chairmen, and some non-elected officials, like Ministers, need to be specifically mentioned and the crimes and punishment spelt out.

The elite are very corrupt, selfish and disgraceful. The Judiciary in this country has, over the last few years, disgraced their profession and the country. The new constitution must be the Peoples’ constitution as being efficient and humane (the constitution in this country always provided that Government action shall be humane) and thus, in common with progress; the countries’ constitutions shall have the provisions to protect the weaker groups, the women, the children and the disabled, etc.

Let us try to tame the elite here.

In the advanced countries, like France, UK and USA where the people have maximum freedom under the law, the people, including the elite and the leaders have the least room for manoeuvre outside the law. We have many demanding problems and a frightening future.

But God Almighty does not sleep and does not even wink. He is there for each one of us. Only one condition applies. Allah does not alter the condition of a people or any nation unless (or until) they get up to help themselves.

Concluded Professor Jibril is a former Nigerian Senator and former Minister of Education

PEOPLES FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

By Ifeanyi Nwoko and Folasade Folarin

I

n the 21 Century civilisation which has Information Communication Technology (ICT) as one of its striking features, many Nigerian students, including those studying computer science in tertiary institutions, have yet to own personal computers.

Besides, many of the students are not conversant with the varying computer applications apart from mere word processing via Microsoft Word.

Concerned observers, who insist that the development is quite worrisome, also bemoan a situation in which merely three per cent of Nigeria’s over 160 million inhabitants have their personal computers.

As regards citizens’ computer ownership, Nigeria is lagging behind other African countries, some of the observers say.

Their concern is somewhat justifiable, as available records indicate that 12 per cent of South Africa’s population have their personal computers, while eight per cent of Ghanaians and Egyptians have their personal computers.

Besides, seven per cent of Kenya’s population have their personal computers, according to the records.

As part of efforts to redress the trend, the Ministry of Communication Technology, on Nov. 8, 2012, launched the Students’ Computer Ownership Scheme in Abuja and the programme is specifically aimed at providing computers for all students in tertiary institutions.

Explaining the scheme’s implementation processes, Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, said that the students would be guaranteed by their sponsors.

She stressed that all the computers would be equipped with Internet facilities to enable the students to have access to information on the World Wide Web. Johnson said that any bona fide student of a Nigerian university could benefit from the scheme.

“The guarantor gets a loan, which we’ve been able to negotiate, at a fairly reduced rate from the bank; the assembler of the computer hardware then gets the message that says: ‘produce this computer for this individual’.

“Now, this computer also comes bundled with the Internet because today, a computer is useless without connectivity to the internet,’’ she said.

The minister said that the scheme would start with 12 universities spread across the country’s six geo-political zones, adding that it would later be extended to all the tertiary institutions in the country.

However, Johnson stressed that the scheme would not just end with the students as its overriding objective was to make computers available to all citizens.

Mr Yinka Adejupe, the Director of Infrastructure, st

PAGE 35

Boosting computer ownership by students via soft loans

National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said that by 2015, the scheme would have created over 12,000 direct jobs.

He expatiated that the goal of the scheme was that by 2015, there would be over 2.5 million computers, with every 1,000 computers translating into five direct jobs.

Mr Bode Pedro, the Managing Director of VEDA Computers, who represented local computer firms such as Zinox, Brian and Omatek, pledged the commitment of the companies to the success of the scheme.

He said that the scheme would not only be beneficial to the students but it would also favour local assemblers of computers as well as the entire ICT sector as a whole.

Commenting on the scheme, Prof. Michael Faborode, the ViceChancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, pledged the support of the vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities for the scheme.

“We are not just interested in this programme; we want to own it with the Ministry of Communication Technology and NITDA because for us, this is a major programme; it is also a transformational programme for this country.

“We must drive this country’s development with technology; ICT is considered to be one of the drivers of the government’s transformation agenda. “ But science, research and innovation is not part of the cornerstone of the transformation agenda and we

Education Minister, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i are going to take that up with the government,’’ Faborode said.

Apart from the Students’ Computer Ownership Scheme, the Federal Government has underscored its determination to foster the growth of ICT in the country via the establishment of ICT hubs and venture capital funds for ICT entrepreneurs.

Johnson explained that the establishment of the hubs would particularly encourage young Nigerians to go into the ICT business.

The minister noted that many youths in the ICT business had solid ideas but lacked mentorship or funding to translate their ideas into concrete innovations.

“We intend to encourage these young ICT entrepreneurs through another initiative which

we are going to launch, hopefully before the end of the year or early next year.

“Government has been the catalyst for the creation of innovation hubs in this country, where young aspiring ICT entrepreneurs can come if they have ideas which they want to implement.

“More importantly, they will have some form of business mentorship. This is because we are not just encouraging them to develop good software products but we also want to ensure that their ideas and concepts would make some sense commercially,” she said..

The minister said that one of such innovation hubs would soon be sited in Lagos and Calabar respectively.

Johnson, nonetheless, stressed

that it would not be good enough to have innovations that could not be commercialised, as being witnessed over the years in the science and technology sector.

She noted that a good number of quality innovations had remained on the shelf awaiting commercialisation.

“Another important thing we are doing is that we are actually going to launch a Venture Capital Fund; this is a fund that will be directed specifically at ICT entrepreneurs.

“This is one of the challenges they have. They are young; they have no collateral and they have no steady income to fund their businesses.

“So, when they are in the innovation centres, they will get some kind of grant; something to keep them going.

“When their software or their ideas begin to look like a business, they will also be able to apply for funding from the Venture Capital Fund.

“What we are doing is that we are taking a risk on these young people: that was how the Bill Gates of this world and the Apples of this world started.

“We are going to set up a fund.

Government, through the IT Development Fund, will basically provide N500 million seed funding for the fund,’’ she said.

All the same, stakeholders want the government to religiously implement all its ICT programmes, saying that they will surely boost the country’s economy and create employment opportunities for its citizens.

Source: NAN

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Scientists discover gene that decides whether to ‘switch on’ immune system and could control HIV

A

newly discovered gene could hold the key to treating and potentially controlling chronic infections such as HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis.

The gene, called Arih2, is essential for embryo survival. Now scientists have found it controls the function of the immune system – making critical decisions about whether to switch on the immune response to an infection.

It could help in the development of treatments for infections that ‘overwhelm’ the immune system like HIV as well as conditions that cause chronic inflammation such

as rheumatoid arthritis.

The gene was discovered in dendritic cells by a team from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Australia. These cells act as an early warning system raising the alarm if they detect foreign invaders.

‘Arih2 is responsible for the most fundamental and important decision that the immune system has to make - whether the immune response should be initiated and progressed or whether it should be switched off to avoid the development of chronic inflammation or autoimmunity,’ research leader Dr Marc Pellegrini,

Dr Marc Pellegrini (left) and Dr Greg Ebert were part of a research team that discovered a gene which is essential to the immune response to infection.

HIV budding in human lymphatic tissue. The new gene discovery could pave the way for new treatments for the precursor to AIDS said.

‘If the wrong decision is made, the organism will either succumb to the infection, or succumb to autoimmunity.’

Dr Pellegrini said although our immune system works well against many infections, some organisms have developed mechanisms to evade or counteract the immune system, allowing them to persist in the body.

‘During evolution, some organisms have evolved ways of exhausting our immune system to the point where the immune system just switches off, and this is what happens in HIV, hepatitis B and tuberculosis,’ he said.

‘These organisms counter the immune response – exhausting T cells which are stimulated over and over again by the infection and becoming exhausted or paralysed.

‘With this current discovery, what we should be able to do is circumvent these mechanisms and reinvigorate the immune response temporarily to boost the immune system and help clear these infections.’

Dr Greg Ebert said the research team was now looking at the effect on the immune response of switching off Arih2 for short periods of time during chronic infections.

‘We are investigating how

manipulating Arih2 and associated pathways promotes immunity in chronic overwhelming infections, where we know the immune response is inadequate,’ he said.

He said Arih2 had significant promise as a drug target.

‘Arih2 has a unique structure, which we believe make it an excellent target for a therapeutic drug, one that is unlikely to affect other proteins and cause unwanted side-effects,’ Dr Ebert said.

‘Because Arih2 is critical for survival, we now need to look at the effect of switching off the gene for short periods of time, to see if there is a window of opportunity for promoting the immune response to clear the infection without unwanted or collateral damage or autoimmunity.’

Dr Pellegrini said they were very excited about their discovery but it would take many years to translate the discovery to a drug that could be used in humans.

However, he added: ‘It is probably one of the few genes and pathways that is very targetable and could lead to a drug very quickly.’

The study was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and the Victorian Government.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Study: Men with big beer bellies Jonathan and the likely to have weaker bones $31bn question

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en with excessive fat around their abdomen, commonly known as a “beer belly,” are at an elevated risk for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, and now researchers are adding osteoporosis to the list of potential hazards.

More than 37 million American men over age 20 are obese, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. While obesity is associated with a host of other health problems hypertension, high cholesterol, asthma, sleep apnea and joint diseases - it has been widely accepted that overweight men were at a lower risk for bone loss.

“Not true,” said Dr. Miriam Bredella, a radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School. “Everyone thinks of osteoporosis as a disease of women.

Studies all focused on women, and men were always thought to be fine. We specifically wanted to look at young men.”

Bredella and her team of researchers evaluated 35 obese men with a mean age of 34 and a mean body mass index, a measure of body fat, of 36.5.

The men were divided into two groups: one with mainly subcutaneous fat, which lies just beneath the skin and is spread all over the body, and the other with mostly visceral or intraabdominal fat, located deep under the muscle tissue in the abdominal

Contd. from Back Page

cavity.

Visceral fat, which is what causes the a pot belly even in thin people, is far more menacing because the fat is packed inbetween the inner organs and is strongly linked to heart disease.

Genetics, a high-fat diet and a sedentary lifestyle all contribute to visceral fat.

“What surprised us most was that men with visceral fat had significantly weaker bones than (the subcutaneous fat) group.

These are men with the same degree of obesity and who were about the same age,” Bredella said in a telephone interview.

For the study, she put the men through a computed tomography, or CT scan, of the

abdomen and thigh to measure fat and muscle mass, as well as very high resolution CT of the forearm.

She assessed bone strength to predict fracture risk using a technique called finite element analysis, which is used in mechanical engineering to determine the strength of materials for the design of bridges and airplanes.

What she found was that the bones of the group with more visceral fat were nearly twice as weak as those with subcutaneous fat, or fat spread all over the body.

The results also showed that muscle mass was positively associated with bone strength.

Source: Reuters.com

On the issue of debt, if we add the proposed borrowing to our currently known $5.7bn debt burden at the end of 2011, our external debt stock would rise to $13.6bn by 2014. It leaves little to wonder if Nigeria can sustain servicing its rising debt profile. Curiously, the proposed foreign borrowing and the requests were not included in the 2012- 2015 Medium Term Expenditure Framework presented to the National Assembly last year by the President himself, thereby violating the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.

The most frightening aspect of the $31bn question is: what if international and reputable audit firms had been engaged to audit Nigeria’s accounts not just at the federal, but also at state and local government areas? What would have been the findings? It is not hard to imagine that Nigeria would have been labelled the world’s most corrupt country by far, without a close second.

What should concern every Nigerian is that the President knows where mass fraud is being perpetuated, yet chooses to ignore the goings on. Why else have all the reports on the

petroleum subsidy fraud only resulted in more ad-hoc committees, and then white paper committees whose reports are never ever published, and then finally abandoned to gather dust with no pretext at even attempting to implement any of the recommendations? No wonder, Dr. Faruk Lawan had to be compromised, while deliberate attempts were made to discredit the Ribadu Task Force report.

If the President wants to be regarded with any vestige of respect now or in the future, he must rise up with some spine, face corruption squarely and fight it with sincerity. He must de-emphasize reliance on foreign and domestic borrowings that simply line up the pockets of the lenders and the few unpatriotic Nigerians serving their interests. He must order the Debt Management Office to publish information on existing loans, tie them to the projects for which they were obtained, and make this information public to all Nigerians on a regular basis.

In the meantime, what most Nigerians simply want to know from the president is what happened to N5trillion in 30 months. That is the $31bn question which Dr Jonathan ought to answer.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 37

Kaduna LG polls hold tomorrow

L-R: Chairman, House Committee on Labour, Hon. Ekpenyong Ayi, members of the Committee, Hon. Ahmed Kaita, and Hon. Ali Widil, during the 2013 budget defence by the Ministry of Labour before the committee, recently at the National Assembly, Abuja.

From Agaju Madugba

T

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Oshiomhole’s certificates are mere documents, Airhiavbere tells Tribunal

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

P

eoples Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate in the July 14 2012 Governorship election Maj. Gen. Charles Airhiavbere yesterday at the resumed hearing of the election petition tribunal disagreed that the documents presented by the first respondent, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from Ruskin College, Oxford University from where he bagged a Diploma in Labour Studies and another Certificate issued by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, were certificates.

Airhiavbere under cross examinations by Ken Mozia (SAN), counsel to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), said, the Certificates were ''mere documents'' and denied being forced to retire from the Nigerian Army.

Airhiavbere, who in his evidence in chief, was reacting to a question from Oshiomhole's counsel Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), debunked the allegations that he was forcibly retired following his indictment by the Nigerian Army, saying, "I retired meritoriously from the Nigerian Army after serving for 37 years instead of 35; from boy soldier to officer.

I also served as a diplomat for this country in Washington DC. I have never been detained nor found wanting thoroughout my duties in the Army".

While agreeing that he did not win his polling unit or local government at the election, he said that was why he was in the Tribunal to contest the outcome of the election.

The witness agreed with Akintola that although he was not present at the over 2,627 polling units in the state during the election, but he relied on what he was told by the party's agents across the State.

Earlier, there were legal fireworks between the Plaintiff's Counsel, Chief Efe Akpofure (SAN) and Counsel of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents,

Messers Niyi Aknitola (SAN), Prince Adetunji Oyeyipo (SAN) and E.R. Emukperhuo on the admissibility of clippings of the Nigerian Tribune of 12th July 2012 and Western Regional Gazette and maps of 1956 as exhibits.

While Akintola, Oyeyipo and Emukperhuo agreed that the documents in question must be pleaded and listed, they however added that the tendering of the documents by the petitioner was a classical case of the abuse of Court process. They submitted that under Order 20, Rule 3 of the Federal High Court and under the 4th Schedule of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, such documents

must be filed along with the petition and must not just be listed.

According to Akintola, "we did not oppose earlier documents sought to be tendered because we knew they were listed and pleaded. But in this case, they left everybody at sea on what national newspaper they were talking about.

There are conditionality that must be met, but this was not done in this case.

The Petitioner cannot hide under any other documents, the pleadings must be complete.

"It is against the rule of pleadings, it's very inchoate. No map or gazette was listed in the petition, and I therefore urge the Tribunal to reject the

documents and throw them out through the window".

On his part, Counsel to the Petitioner, Chief Akpofure, submitted that there was a gross misconception

by Counsel to the Respondents in relation to the Court process.

He said the authorities cited by them were grossly inapplicable to the circumstances of the proceeding before the Tribunal, adding that the case of the Petitioner was that the first Respondent was not qualified academically to contest the election at the time he did. He therefore asked the Tribunal to admit the documents as exhibits.

ANPP criticizes N2.2 billion banquet hall for Aso Villa

By Umar Muhammad Puma

F

ollowing the approval for the construction of a new banquet hall at the Presidential villa Abuja, to the tune of N2.2billion naira by the federal executive council, the all Nigeria people's party ( ANPP) has rejected the plan, saying the reason given for the project is as absurd as the unnecessary building itself.

The Minsiter for the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, had earlier been quoted to have said that the existing hall is inconveniencing and ‘‘even smaller countries have better Banquet Halls near their Presidential residences’’.

He was also reported to have said that the existing Hall is too far from the offices and residence of Mr. President at a distance of two kilometers; although people who know the terrain affirm that the said distance is actually not up to a kilometer.

In a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Emma Eneukwu, ANPP said “it is horrifying and heartbreaking to see the leader of our great nation vividly

exhibit the habits depicted in the epic allegorical novella by George Orwell when the misruling pigs, led by Napoleon, declared ‘‘All animals are equal; but some are more equal than others.’’

"How else can one view this new building project against the backdrop of the words of President Jonathan last year at the inauguration of the National Economic Council [NEC] when he told his country men and women to brace up for some level of hardships as he implements his administration’s transformation agenda. He was quoted as saying that any meaningful transformation or reformation goes with some form of inconveniences, which are temporary".

He stressed that “ANPP could only conclude by the sheer contradictions between his words and his actions that either he brazenly misleads the citizenry, or he is highly incompetent to lead a nation like ours in these trying times.”

Eneukwu recalled Jonathan as saying ‘‘Let us all work together and see that we bear this little pain and transform our country so that

we have hope for the future generation.’’

He continued "We wonder, can’t he endure making the little distance between his office and the Presidential Banquet Hall? Can’t he make-do with the so-called inconveniences of the present Banquet Hall built just in 2003 and constantly renovated, until the economy improves, as he constantly admonishes us? Doesn’t he realize that body language can be disastrous when it is misread, misunderstood, and misapplied, especially by a suffering and disillusioned people"?

On the issue raised by the Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on his counsel that the government fires half of its workforce and reduce the number of representatives in the National Assembly, Eneukwu said, "We wonder which one is a better strategy to save more money for the Federation: taking away food from the mouths of Nigerian workers and their families, or taking away frivolous services and needless projects from the budget, like the planned new Banquet Hall by the government".

en out of the 50 political parties in Kaduna state are expected to field candidates for the local government elections scheduled for tomorrow in the 23 local councils of the state.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SEICOM), Mrs. Hanatu Usman Biniyat, said that the political parties have a total of 53 contestants for the chairmanship positions while 578 candidates will be vying for councillorship positions in the 200 wards of the state.

She gave the names of the political parties to include A CN, ADC, APGA,PDMP, CPC, LP, LDMP, PDP, PM, and PRP, adding "we have been meeting with all the stakeholders to ensure that the election is successful."

According to her, about 10, 000 adhoc members of staff have been recruited to conduct the exercise, adding that about 100 domestic and international observers have been accredited for the election.

Binniyat said that the voting process would start by 8 am. "The result of the councillorship election will be announced at the ward level, while that of the chairmanship positions will be announced at the local government levels by the returning officer after which I will collate all the election results and make formal and overall announcement at the SEICOM secretariat.

Abaji PDP caucus agrees on zoning

By Usman Shuaibu

F

ormer Chairman of Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Alahassan Usman Sokodabo, has disclosed that the caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abaji has agreed to produce the PDP Chairmanship candidate for the forthcoming area councils election from Zone 'B' .

He explained that the PDP card carrying members decided to adopt zoning formula so as to avoid politics of rancor and acrimony in the area.

Sokodabo who made the disclosure in a roundtable discussion with newsmen said that the zoning formula would guarantee one single tenure for any elected chairman from each zone that comprised of A and B. He advised the Politicians across the six area councils to tolerate one another irrespective of their political inclinations and urged them to be peaceful all the times.

Speaking earlier, the incumbent Chairman of Abaji Area council, Alhaji Musa Mohammed, said that the adoption of zoning formula would create a conducive atmosphere during the area council general election.

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

National Symbols Bill passes second reading

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he debate on a Bill seeking the repeal the National Symbols Act 2004 which provides for a uniform national symbol yesterday passed the second reading.

Leading the debate, sponsor of the Bill, Hon. Karimi Sunday ( PDP kogi state), argued that the Coat of Arms Act 2004 gives much powers to the Minister of Internal Affairs to license the use of the Nigerian Flag , Coat of Arm and other symbols.

He further stated that there was need to define the relationship between national

symbols and state symbols noting that the country is ripe for such identities and many states of the federation had launched state emblems comparable in composition to the national symbols.

According to him " The National Symbols Bill 2012 codifies the National Symbols of Nigeria. The Bill contains a sample of the National Flag, Coat of Arm, National Anthem and National Pledge."

Adams Jagaba Adams ( PDPKaduna state) however punctured the argument noting that that the county is already at the verge of disintegration and that the

passage of such Bill negates the spirit and letter of the constitution f the country.

Rep. Kamil Akinlabi (PDP Oyo) raised a point of order citing section 24 of the constitution which provides for the establishment of states symbols alongside the national symbols and urged the lawmakers to support the proposed emendment.

Chairman of the House Rules and Business Committee Rep. Tanimu Tsokwa pointed out that the constitutional order raised by the lawmaker does not preclude or hinder passage of the Bill. If for anything, it only adds support

to yearnings of the component units of the federation for separate identities.

Speaking also in support of the Bill, Rep. Osai Osai (PDP Delta) noted the Bill that seeks for creation of separate symbols of identity for the states of the federation would ultimately lead to disintegration and threat to the corporate existence of the country.

However this point of view did not go down well with some lawmaker as the House Minority Leader Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila raised a point of order mid way into the debate criticizing earlier position

Lamido swears in 3 new judges in Dutse

G

ov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa on Wednesday urged Judges in the state to fear God in the discharge of their duties.

Lamido made this known while swearing in three new High Court judges in Dutse. ``I urge you to do the right thing at the right time while discharging your responsibility. I also want you to protect your image and reputation,'' Lamido said.

He said that he would not interfere with the functions of the judiciary as enshrined in the principles of separation of powers.

The governor said the State Government had created enabling environment for the judiciary, adding that the administration had built a court complex, which was ready for inauguration.

The new justices are; Ado Yusuf and Ahmed Abubakar, while Muhammad Sani was sworn in as Khadi of Sharia Court of appeal. (NAN)

Kwara Assembly passes Asset Management Bill

T

L-R: Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, and his Rivers’ counterpart, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, during Amaechi's visit to Ajimobi, Ibadan on Wednesday Photo: NAN

NGO calls for passage of violence prohibition bill

Z

onta International, an NGO working to improve the status of women, on Thursday in Ibadan called for the passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bill.

Dr Omolara Smith, President of Zonta Club of Ibadan II, made the call at a press conference organised to mark the 2012 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign.

The theme for this year is : "From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World.''

being canvassed by his colleagues.

He pointed out that the culture of federalism uphold the preservation of separate identities of the various component units of the federation and supported his argument with the United States where he noted allows for separate state constitution alongside the nation's constitution.

The lawmaker said that states in all federation are allowed to have their own emblems to exist alongside the national symbols but not at the expense of the national symbols and appealed to the lawmakers to support his position.

The House after extensive debate on the pros and cons of the proposed legislation passed it into second reading and referred it to the House Committee on Justice for further input into the legislation.

According to her, the occasion is aimed at sensitising the public on the problem that violation of women causes. ``It is a period when we observe 16 days of activism against gender violence; the two groups of the Zonta Club of Ibadan are participating in the initiative,'' she said.

Smith said that the club was collaborating with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, FIDA, Nigerian Union of Journalists, NYSC and the state's Ministry of Women Affairs.

The groups, she said, would embark on a peace walk through some major streets of Ibadan on Dec. 4.

Also speaking, Mrs Glorianstene Agboola, the Governor of District 18, Africa Zonta Club, said violence claimed and disabled many women between the ages of 15 and 45.

Citing statistics by WHO, she said one in every three women would be beaten or violated during her lifetime.

She expressed regret that many of the women never

recov e r e d f r o m t h e s t r e s s they suffered while some took their own lives.

Agboola, however, said the most vulnerable were girls and women between the ages of 15 and 45.

"Atleast 100 million to 140 million of the females on planet earth had suffered one form of violation or the other. ``We have to sensitise everybody to the problems t h a t v i o l a t i o n of women usually causes, " Agboola said.

(NAN)

he Kwa r a H o u s e o f Assembly on Thursday passed the Asset Management Bill 2012.

The Clerk of the House, Mr Oyetunde Oyeniyi, announced the passage of the bill after reading it for the third time on the floor of the Assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill seeks to protect the state government's asset and liabilities in ministries and parastatal agencies against theft and vandalism.

It also spells out penalties for anybody or group of persons who damages or steals government property.

The bill further seeks the establishment of a committee to be headed by a chairman with a four-year tenure to monitor all government assets and liabilities.

The Speaker, Rasaq Atunwa, directed the Clerk of the House to produce a clean copy of the bill for Gov. AbdulFatah Ahmed's assent.

NAN recalls that Ahmed had in October presented the bill to the House for consideration and passage.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 39

Your take on Tukur's comments mischievous, PDP replies ACN

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday condemned the Action Congress of Nigeria for mischievously misinterpreting its Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur's comment on the nation's security.

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said that the opposition misinterpretation of the comment only goes to show its palpable ignorance of the collective responsibility of all Nigerians towards a better secured nation.

He added that it was unfortunate

that an honest disposition of its National Chairman was mischievously interpreted as "lack of capacity" by the ACN. "We are not surprised that the unassuming and honest comment of our National Chairman has provided a sweet nectar for the moth of mischief to feed on. This is another weak attempt by the ACN to detract from the merit of the efforts of the PDP led Federal Government in returning the nation to the path of greatness.

"In spite, we shall remain steadfast in our humble approach to leadership.

The PDP is an organic institution which can err, accept responsibilities

while remaining focused on lasting solution. We are not a self righteous political party like the ACN which claim to be light" but radiate darkness."

According to the statement, "All over the world, the increasing incidence of global insecurity is the responsibility of the authorities that be as well as that of the individual citizenry.

Surmounting the challenge is the function of the unity of the efforts of all, political divide notwithstanding.

"We are sure that no objective assessment by any Nigerian will relegate the untiring commitment

of the PDP led Federal Government in stemming the tide of insecurity in the country. Our government has been pursuing the option of dialogue.

It is also pursuing that of minimal force, as the characters in the insurgency are also Nigerians.

"We wish to put on record that our National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga Turkur, has championed the re-engagement of social values in tackling security challenges as those elements in crime have parents, brothers, sisters and relations who are in the opposition political parties as well as in the PDP. What option has the ACN provided in tackling this

Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Upstream, Senator Emmanuel Pulkar (left), discussing with Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AllisonMadueke, during the Ministry and its Parastatals' budget defence before the Committee, yesterday in Abuja. With them are Senator Nkechi Wogu (2nd left), and Chairman, Petroleum downstream, Sen. Magnus Abe (right).

Lawyer seeks adoption of parliamentary system

A

n Ilorinbased legal practitioner, Mr Salmon Jawondo, has advocated the adoption of parliamentary system of government in the country.

Jawondo made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Thursday.

The legal practitioner said that the present presidential system of government was too expensive to be sustenable, adding that parliamentary system was more cost effective.

Jawondo, a former Chairman of the Ilorin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, said Nigeria being a colony of Britain should practice parliamentary democracy.

He said that if the country adopted the parliamentary system, it would eliminate "the winner takes all syndrome" associated with the presidential system.

Jawondo also suggested that nine months be adopted for all petitions arising from elections to be heard and dispensed off from the tribunal to the Court of Appeal.

He further advised the National Assembly to retain the National Youth Service Scheme and the Independent National Electoral Commission in the constitution.

Jawondo, however, called for the removal of fingerprints, identification and criminal records from the Exclusive List to Concurrent List.

He said it was unfair for lawyers to go to Abuja to get the finger prints and other criminal records of accused persons even where the offence was not committed there. (NAN)

national challenge," the PDP queried.

The statement further said the ACN accusation of "clueless leadership" has no basis either in empirical facts or in any stretch of imagination.

"Despite the mega-phonic lies of the ACN, power generation has tangibly improved across the cities of Nigeria. Like never before, massive construction and re-construction are on-going in most of the federal roads in the country. The efficiency with which the Federal Government tackled the recent flooding in parts of the country is not a signature tune of a clueless leadership."

Photo: NAN

Senate passes harmonised Money Laundering Bill

T

he Senate on Thursday passed a harmonised version of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Bill.

The passage of the bill followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate and House of Representatives Conference Committee on the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Narcotics, Drugs and Financial Crimes,

Sen. Victor Lar, had moved a motion for the adoption of the report.

Lar informed the Senate that his committee and that of the House of Representatives had harmonised the differences contained in the two versions of the report presented by the two chambers.

The two chambers of the National Assembly had passed different versions of the bill on Oct. 9 and Oct. 17, respectively, which made it necessary for the

harmonisation.

The new Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act makes it mandatory for financial institutions to immediately report any suspicious transaction to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The provision substitutes the former one which stipulated that such transaction should be reported to the EFCC within 7 days.

The Senate also at

Thursday's plenary session confirmed the appointment of three nominees as members of the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

They are Alhaji Yarima Giade (Bauchi), Mr Andie Clement (Bayelsa) and Mr Alakayi Mamman (Nasarawa).

Meanwhile, the Senate has adjourned plenary session till Dec. 11 to enable lawmakers to go into committees to consider the 2013 budget. (NAN)

Obi commits to achieving MDGs in Anambra

G

ov. Peter Obi of Anambra has reiterated the commitment of his administration to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

He gave the assurance on Wednesday in Akwa during the 2012 second round of Maternal New born and Child Health Week.

Obi, who expressed regrets that the inauguration took place behind

the scheduled date of Nov. 23, promised that his government would be more aggressive on issues of health care delivery. ``Anambra still has the vision to achieve the MDGs and because of that we are committed to healthcare which is a key component of the vision. ``Our strategy for delivery is to ensure that we meet up with our routine immunisation and

maternal health care among others," Obi said.

In his remark, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Ado Muhammad, appealed to the State Government to support healthcare programmes through prompt payment of the entitlements of health workers.

Dr Rosemary Onyibe, Anambra Coordinator, World

Health Organisation (WHO), who spoke on behalf of donor organisations, commended Obi for his support of the various health programmes in the state.

She appealed to the authorities of the local government councils to replicate the programme for maternal, new born and children in order to ensure its success at the grassroots.

The Permanent Secretary in

the state Ministry of Health, Dr Azubuike Nnalue, said that during the week long programme, vitamin A vaccine would be administered on children within the ages of 6 to 59 months.

He added that pregnant mothers would be given iron foliate while children would be dewormed, vaccinated and screened to access their level of nutrition.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 40

08050639900 wallybabe2010@gmail.com Can you give us a brief history of your life?

I was born in Kano where I had my education up to University level.

I went to M. I Primary School in Kano, for my secondary education, I went to Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, from there I went to SBS Zaria and later proceeded to Bayero University, Kano, for my first degree in Education and Political Science and graduated in the year 1982. I did my mandatory National Youth Service Corp with Radio Nigeria Corporation(FRCN) in Kano and was employed as Producer, Women and Children. When it was closed down, I moved to Radio Kaduna where I served for almost 10years then left the service in 1994 and joined Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA)where I am presently the Director Gender,but in between, I moved to one or two places to work. I served as a Senior Manager Public Relations in National Electricity Power Authority (NEPA), then I returned to FCT again and because I am from Bauchi State, I was appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economy Planning in April, 2011. During my tenure as Permanent Secretary, I was moved to the Ministry of Health and served there for almost 2years also as Permanent Secretary and finally I was moved to Ministry for Social Development in the state from where I left and returned to FCT as Director Gender.

How do you juggle the demands of your busy career and the home front?

It was not easy but the determination and support from my loved ones made it possible. You know a woman is multifaceted and can combine different tasks at a time. You have to balance the home and the office which is always not easy. However, as you grow the demands become more which makes you stay longer in the office.

One thing is that by the time you reach the position of a director your children are no longer young and may not need your full attention that is if you start having your children early. It has a lot to do with your husband, some husbands are accommodating because they know that you have a lot of things to do and may be less demanding but still you have to make a lot of sacrifices.

What informed your decision to become a journalist after studying education and political science in the University?

I never wanted to be a teacher in the first place but because at that time what was expected of any young northern girl after finishing her secondary school and about going to the University or College, is to study education and become a teacher.However, during my NYSC programme, just a few weeks after I started teaching English language in a government secondary school I was posted to for my primary assignment, one of my students who was in JSS 1 came to me and asked if I had ever thought of working in a radio organisation and I said no, she then said ‘you read well and have a good voice, I think you will be a good journalist. When I returned home I gave what she said a second thought and said to myself that maybe she is right after all, I was not comfortable with the

‘Working women need special opportunities to raise families’ Amina Abubabkar was the first President of NAWOJ in Kano and the first Chairperson Women Wing Labour Congress in the state. The former Permanent Secretary, Bauchi state Ministry for Budget and Economy Planning is presently the Director Gender at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA). In this interview with Maryam Garba Hassan, she speaks on the first Islamic orphanage cofounded by her to be commissioned soon,why she left the teaching profession to become a journalist, the increase in cases of domestic violence and child abuse and the way forward among others. teaching profession. I went to FRCN Kaduna and fortunately they had no woman producer and I was given an automatic offer. That was how I became a journalist in the radio station where I featured in so many departments but the most interesting one is the live broadcast where we cover all live events taking place in the state and we travelled a lot. I also went into NUJ politics and became the first Chairperson of NAWOJ in Kano state. It was really an interesting and eventful career.

I got tired of journalism and decided to move to the administrative section of the FCT and rose to the rank of a director.

What is your assessment of northern female journalists in Nigeria?

It is interesting because back in Kano there were a lot of female journalists even though the women that are into journalism back then were viewed with a kind of reservation, but as time goes on they were accepted and so many of us have gone places in journalism.

Women journalists also do the same work their male counterparts do. We are groomed to fit into anywhere. Some of us have reached the level of General Managerin the electronic media and editors in both government owned and private media organisations. Women make good journalists because we listen.

What is the most challenging moment in your career?

The most challenging and trying time for me was when I had to leave Abuja to Bauchi my home state and left my family behind. While I was there, I tried to maintain my family who were in Abuja and do my job as well which was quite challenging.

Most of the time even if there was no reason for me to come to Abuja I had to be there so that my presence will be felt at home. We were two Permanent Secretaries then but one retired later and I became the only female Permanent Secretary for almost 1 year before another one was appointed. You can see that I was always in men’s world even during meetings. You have to balance between being a woman and being an executive and you have to be firm when taking a decision so that your male colleagues will respect whatever decisions you take and adhere to the decisions.

As FCT director gender, what can you say is your biggest achievement especially, on issues of child abuse and violence against women which is on the increase?

Well, I have been a director gender for about 7-8 months now

Amina Abubabkar and the department had been without a director but acting directors for about two years, it was like coming into a new place though is not new to me because the women affairs of yester years is a little different from gender which encompasses so many facet. For me, coming here and trying to have focus, I can say is one of my biggest achievements. We are trying to articulate a 5-year development programme for gender in the FCT; and we are looking at women in the rural and urban sectors, the one in purdah, public service and in special needs to see what they really need.

Before I came here I was ignorant of a lot of things but since I assumed office, on daily basis we receive cases of domestic violence and child abuse which is on the increase.

What can you say is responsible for the increase in domestic violence and child abuse cases and what is the way forward?

What we need is a legislation which is the most important thing and a judiciary to make the law and punishments for such offenders. We have discussed with the department of Family Law in the FCT and the Chief Justice of the Federation must have been informed by now. They are trying to put stringent laws or punishments for such offences.

It is the law that needs to be enforced and the family of victims be given proper orientation on why they should speak out and report such cases. Another reason why such cases are on the increase is because of the long time it takes to arraign offenders in the court of law which discourages the victims and

“

In developed countries a woman can go for some years leave to take care of her children and later go back and get employed and continue from where she stopped but is it not so in Nigeria which is why child abuse cases is on the increase in the country

make the offenders think they can do it again and get away with it.

About 90 percent of women all over the world are today undergoing one form of psychological violence or the other which is why the profession of counseling should be encouraged because victims of domestic violence need to be counseled at the end of the day.We are going to start awareness campaign soon especially for parents who give out their children as house helps. In developed countries a woman can go for some years leave to take care of her children and later go back and get employed and continue from where she stopped but, is it not so in Nigeria which is why child abuse cases is on the increase in the country.

You are a one-time NLC Chairperson Women Wing in Kano, how did you achieve that feat and what was the kind of challenges you faced?

What gave birth to that was a meeting we attended where there were no northern women In attendance, after the meeting we decided to form our wing by organising an election and I alongside Hajiya Azumi Namadi Bebeji, former member House of Representatives, contested for the post of Chairperson and I emerged winner while she became the Vice Chairperson. After some time, I left and she became the chairperson.

That was the beginning of her political career.

That development was not easy for us but we had to be there since we are educated and at that time people called us different names but I made sure I didn’t allow what people say about me get to me.

Who is your role model?

From the Islamic perspective, the wives of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)are my role models. Their activities and how they assisted the Prophet in every way to enable him establish Islam and went through all the hardship together with him, fascinates me. Before I left Abuja for Bauchi, I got myself-involved in almost all the women Islamic activities in the FCT. We founded Women in Da’awah and Al Ansar.

I am happy that soon we will commission the first Islamic orphanage in the FCT which is located in Kuje. The Idea was first conceived when we saw beggars on the streets of Abuja begging and we thought that instead of giving them alms we could contribute some amount of money to put to use and better their lives and we decided to open an orphanage to assist the widows and orphans. We had a lot of challenges from getting the plot of land to getting people to assist us.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 41

Dedevbo optimistic on Falcons’ rebirth

F

lamingoes coach, Peter Dedevbo said the Super Falcons stand a chance of grabbing this year’s CAF women’s national team of the year award.

CAF on Tuesday listed the reigning African champions, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana’s Under17 team that finished third at the Fifa Under17 World Cup in Azerbaijan and the Super Falcons

that finished in fourth spot at the 8th AWC in Equatorial Guinea as candidates for the coveted award.

The continent’s football body will decide on the winners on December 20 in Accra, Ghana.

Dedevbo said the Falcons’ dismal performance at the just concluded African Women’s Championship may not rob the team of the award.

“Though I don’t know how Caf will arrive at the winners but I believe the Super Falcons inability to win the 8th AWC title won’t put them at a disadvantage in the race for the award.

“I believe there would be other criteria of arriving at the winners other than victory at the AWC. The Falcons have been doing very well

Messi, Ronaldo, Iniesta up for Ballon d’Or

L

ionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Andres Iniesta were yesterday shortlisted for this year’s Ballon d’Or, football’s world governing body FIFA and sponsors France Football magazine said.

Barcelona forward Messi, 25, has already won the title three times and the Argentine is again favourite to win the prize, which will be presented in Zurich on January 7 after votes from journalists, national team captains and coaches.

If he wins, he would become the first player to win the award four times, having already joined French legend and current UEFA president Michel Platini as the only players to win three straight titles.

Dutch stars Johan Cruyff and Marco Van Basten have also won three accolades. FIFA president Sepp Blatter unveiled the shortlist at a news conference in

Sao Paulo.

He also revealed that Spain’s Vicente Del Bosque, Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho and former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola were on the shortlist for the title of best coach.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, Santos forward Neymar and Fenerbahce’s Miroslav Stoch are the three nominees for the FIFA Puskas Award, given to the scorer of the best goal of 2012.

The Colombian has scored a host of goals this season, but has been nominated for his acrobatic strike for Diego Simeone’s side against America de Cali.

Neymar, meanwhile, won the accolade last year for an effort against Internacional in March that saw him evade a string of challenges as he ran the length of the pitch to finish neatly.

Finally, Stoch make the cut for an incredible 20-yard volley for

the Istanbul outfit against Genclerbirligi eight months ago.

The award, named in honour of the legendary Hungary forward was established in

before the AWC in Equatorial Guinea, so I’m confident they have a bright chance at clinching the award.

“For the fact that Ghana’s Under17 team at the just concluded FIFA Under17 World Cup was listed means the sole determinant won’t be performance at AWC. “The Falcons even though 2009, and was first won by Cristiano Ronaldo for his strike for Manchester United against Porto.

Hamit Altintop was the next player to land the prize, before Neymar scooped the accolade last year.

T

Reuben Gabriel, Super Eagles,

“I must tell you that Zambia Football Federation have asked us that they want 20,000 tickets for their match against the Supper Eagles of Nigeria.

“But the federation is also purchasing that volume of tickets for every match that they will be playing,’’ Sithole said.

He said that with only few days left for the 50,000 tickets target for end of November, the LOC was still confident of attaining it.

“Our target for end of November is 10 percent of the 500, 000 tickets. We are approaching 45 000 now. So, it

NFF denies sacking Green, Adepoju

C

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

Zambia FA purchase, 20,000 tickets against Super Eagles he Zambia Football Federation is to purchase 20,0000 tickets for the match against the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nation’s (AFCON) in South Africa. Zambia and Nigeria are to play in Group C at Mbombela Stadium.

Sipho Sithole, Chief Communications Officer, AFCON Local Organising Committee (LOC), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Johannesburg that Zambia had requested for the tickets.

they’ve been dethroned as African champions by Equatorial Guinea remain a powerhouse in women’s football on the continent,” said the Delta Queens’ chief coach to supersport.com.

Dedevbo on Tuesday guided his wards to retain the women’s league title at the Super Six final at the expense of bitter foes, Rivers Angels.

is not looking that bad,” Sithole said.

He said that approximately 45,000 tickets sold to date were tickets bought by individuals.

“We still have tickets that have been requested by the 16 participating countries that are purchasing a minimum of 2,000 tickets each. So, you can see that we are going to get that target,” Sithole said.

He said that for the opening and closing matches of the tournament which would be played at the 94-000-seater FNB Stadium, at least 150,000 tickets

Felix Katongo, Chipolopolo

would be sold. “So, it is not an unachievable target for us,” Sithole said.

South Africa is hosting the continental tournament between Jan. 19 and Feb. 10 in five centres.

hairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, Chief Emeka Inyama yesterday clarified on the dissolution of two committees.

Inyama said no standing committee of the football federation was actually dissolved as was reported in the media but only being re-constituted.

“We have read and heard in sections of the media that some committees have been dissolved. This is not so. They are only to be reconstituted.

“There is marked difference between immediate dissolution and imminent re-constitution.

The communique of the NFF Executive Committee was unambiguous on this matter.

“We will appreciate very much if the media can stay within the circumference of what was said in the communique.”

Tornadoes to sack players for indiscipline From Illya Garba, Minna

N

iger Tornadoes will not hesitate to sack players who exhibit any act of indiscipline during the season, according to the chairman of its board, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdul Paiko.

The chairman said the warning has become necessary in view of the level of indiscipline shown in the last dispensation, which culminated in the strike action embarked upon by some players.

“We are going to give the players opportunity to prove themselves on the field of play and we would also ensure that all their entitlements are paid without delayed to inspire them to put in their best.

“But should anyone instigate

others to acts of indiscipline, we will not hesitate to send such player/s out of the camp within 48 hours,” he said stressing the new head coach, Godwin Uwua has been directed to instill discipline in the team.

“We have confidence in the technical adviser, Chief Godwin Uwua, and we have given him free hand to operate and he has done a good job so far. We are giving him all the necessary support to build a team for the future. We want to make sure that the players remain united and focused,” he said.

He disclosed that plans are underway to organise a special workshop for the club’s supporters in all the 25 local government areas in the state.

Paiko said this would prepare their minds for the season.

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Is throwing open the NSF the ideal thing?

A

t the inauguration of the NASCOM board, Sports Minister and Chairman of the National Sports Commission(NSC), Bolaji Abdullahi, had hinted that a new national U- 17 sports competition would soon be introduced, but volunteered nothing other than that to warrant being made subject for public debate.

However, at the formal opening ceremony of the 18th National Sports Festival, Abdullahi gave out the probable shape and sketch of the new competition. According to him, the National Under 17 competition will be purely a cadet fiesta and limited to 10 events.

He did not say whether it would take the shape of the National Sports festival which concept from inception had been exclusive to grassroots talents, and therefore auspiciously had excluded foreign-based professional athletes.

This exclusion for awhile now has been a subject of contention with some agitating for open door

policy -throwing the open door for all Nigerians whether foreign or homebased to feature at the sports festival and insisting on retention of the original concept of the NSF. Arguments for and against have all been deeply rooted in the logic of generation of and the exhibition of talents in shape that befits the event. These positions have been cogently and vigorously presented, and depending on one's aptitude for jealousy both seems feasible.

Not a few though have equally insisted that it was high time the Games got a commercial touch and argued that so long as it remains amateurish in concept, objectives and preachment, it would hardly enjoy the desired impetus and status.

That may be true. Sports as veritable big business cuts a picture of dynamism and requires no less a shrewd mercantile mien to administer and derive the desired financial and even social benefits.

But the concept of

Guardiola among final three nominees for best coach award

P

ep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Vicente del Bosque have been named as the final three nominees for the Fifa Coach of the Year award.

The former Barcelona skipper left his post in charge of the Blaugrana at the end of last season, having sealed the Copa del Rey with a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the final.

Meanwhile, Mourinho enjoyed a fantastic year, guiding Real Madrid to the Liga title at the expense of the Catalans, setting a record points total in the process.

Finally, Del Bosque led Spain to the Euro 2012 title, their consecutive major championship, a feat that had never been achieved by any international side before.

Mourinho scooped the inaugural award in 2010 thanks to his treble win with Inter, while Guardiola sealed it a year later after winning a Liga and Champions League double with Barca.

The winners of all of the awards will be revealed at the FIFA Bollon d’Or gala as part of a televised show at the Zurich Kongresshaus on 7 January 2013.

amateurism takes away commercialism and thus denies in all intent and purposes the dynamics of commercial orientation, instead situates all sponsorships in the hands of the state.

Whereas that situation was suitable and indeed laudable in the early days, it seems illogical to sustain the sole sponsorship agenda with the government enjoying that exclusive right. Besides, sports (as an entity) has lost its previous ranking as mere social entertainment, and therefore a social responsibility.

Not any more. It's business, pure and simple: A sprawling lucrative industry where billion dollars are mined.

But the yet-to-come-onstream national U-17 sports competition was our focus or was it the National Sports Festival? Whatever, it seems that the Commission again has tended to place the cart before the horse.

No, the idea of an innovative tournament meant to re-oil the sports lubricant especially at the

By Patrick Andrew

Drake Relays to stage London rematches

T

he sum of $500 000 in prize money will be up for grab at the 2013 series of rematches from the London Olympics.

In announcing a five-year deal with new sponsor Hy-Vee – a Des Moines-based supermarket operator on Wednesday, meet officials said they’ll offer a $50 000 purse for invitational track races and $25 000 for field events.

“It wasn’t a move to keep up,” meet director Brian Brown said.

“It was a move to elevate what we do.”

Organisers said they have lured re-matches among the top three finishers of the men’s 110m hurdles and the men’s 400m hurdles in London.

The men’s 110m hurdles field is slated to include Olympic gold medallist Aries Merritt of the

United States, silver medallist Jason Richardson of the United States and Jamaica’s bronze medallist Hansle Parchment.

London gold medallist Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic heads the men’s 400m hurdles field which also includes silver medallist Michael Tinsley and bronze medallist Javier Culson.

The men’s pole vault field includes London gold medallist

Renaud Lavillenie of France and silver medallist Bjorn Otto of Germany.

Reigning Olympic gold medallist Jenn Suhr heads the women’s pole vault field.

Overall, 16 medallists from the 2012 Summer Games have committed to compete in the meeting, which will be held April 24-27 at Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University.

light-welterweight and has never fought above 69.85 kg. Trout has fought at 69.85 through most of his career and has even gone up to middleweight (72.58 kg).

The challenger has held the WBO light-welterweight, WBA and WBO welterweight, and WBA light-middleweight belts in an 11-year career.

In May this year, Floyd Mayweather beat him on points in a rather competitive fight.

Trout won the WBA belt on February 5 last year when he outpointed Rigoberto Alvarez by wide margins. In June, he retained the title against David Alonso Lopez, who suffered his first loss in six years.

Trout has good ring craft and

uses his southpaw jab to good effect. However, he is up against a slick veteran who could provide a true test of his skills.

On the undercard Salvador Sanchez (34-4-3; 18) meets Jayson Velez (19-0; 14) in a featherweight bout.

Miguel Cotto

Cotto dares Trout for his WBA title

M

iguel Cotto will challenge Austin Trout this weekend for his WBA junior middleweight belt, at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

The challenger, who brings a record of 37-3, with 30 knockouts, into the fight, is 32 years old – five years older than the undefeated Trout, who stands at 25-0, including 14 knockouts.

Trout, a southpaw, will also have height and reach advantages. But Cotto has fought at a much higher level than the challenger. He has lost only to Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito, the big guns in the division.

Cotto first won “world” titles at

Eguavoen boasts Sharks team to beat

E Pep Guardiola

WATCH DOG

grassroots level s e e m s inevitable if the nation must recover the lost talents and invariably glory, but not without proper planning.

By planning one doesn't owoidoho_ng35@yahoo.com mean well articulated documentary concepts, conceived. another competition that Nigeria and Nigerians are What in practical terms allows states by choice renowned for that. The would be the objectives of the present their best in national missing link had always new fashion National Sports tournament. been and may likely be the Festival? Would the new U-17 That way states would booby-trap lost in the details sports fiesta retain the concept deliberately opt to feature in of the new competition. and objectives of its forbearer? certain events of their One would have thought Would it impose compulsory making while still enjoying that the commission would participation on the states? a conscious national first test-run the cadet But isn't it instructive that endeavour for the festival for a while before the number of events are to cultivation of grassroots deciding to consign the be limited to 10 and therefore talents on equal bases, which concept of the NSF, its would deny some states the NSF was originally objectives and comportment opportunity to compete in conceived for. to the dust of bin of history. events they think they have No, Abdullahi, there Yes, there is certain comparative advantage? should be deeper reflection, attractiveness in The NSF review should conscious and all-embracing commercializing the Games: therefore be done in such a concept that captures the throwing it open for foreign- manner that grassroots peculiar complexity of based professional athletes generation of talents is Nigeria's diverse ethnic and thus impose the likely retained. Some states should nationalities differential accruable status on the not be unduly handed the talents. And of course, take "Nigerian Olympics". But hedge over others. One sees into consideration difference these things just don't no reason while the NSF as in growth rate and sociohappen, it's no Joe's Party, previously conceived cannot cultural cum religious there are painstakingly exist side by side with interests.

guavoenNew Sharks coach Austin Eguavoen has declared that his club would be the one to beat in the new season.

Sharks are presently in closed camping in Calabar after about two weeks of training in Port Harcourt and Eguavoen, who landed a hefty deal with the Garden City side months after parting ways with Enyimba said he’s satisfied with the outlook of the team.

“With what I have seen so far in camp, I can confidently say we would be the team to beat next season.

“We have been in Calabar for over two weeks now and with most of the team’s old players returning, we are making steady progress.”

Sharks management has handed the former Super Eagles handler a continental ticket target for next season. Last season, the Port Harcourt outfit placed seventh on the NPL table.

Serena is WTA Player of the Year

S

erena Williams has been named WTA Tour Player of the Year for the fourth time after winning Wimbledon, the US Open and Olympic gold in a stunning summer of success.

The American started the year poorly amid concerns over her fitness and motivation and lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

But back-to-back tournament wins in Charleston and Madrid in April and May marked a remarkable change in fortune for the world No 3.

Williams went on to win 48 of 50 matches, landing Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the US Open and taking gold in London where she defeated Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1 in the final.

She previously was honoured with the WTA award in in 2002, 2008 and 2009.

Serena Williams

PAGE 45

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Agege stadium scoreboard still not ready Ogun

F

ans on Wednesday expressed disappointment over the nonfunctioning of the scoreboard at the venue for Women Football event of the ongoing 18 th National Sports Festival at Agege Stadium, Lagos.

Some of them who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that the scoreboard should have been completed before now.

Wosilat Ogunjobi, a mobile telephone recharge card seller, said that the facility should have been ready before the commencement of the competition.

“The scoreboard gives details of the goals scored in a match and as such should have been made functional earlier than now,” she said.

Also, John Bala, a security guard said that it was shameful seeing

workers still working on the scoreboard while matches were going on.

“Spectators who came late for the match had to ask people about the situation in a match or its outcome whereas they could have seen it on the board,’’ he said.

Others who spoke said the state government had done well in getting ready the facilities for the Games and blamed the contractors for the delaying the completion of some.

NAN reports that workers were seen working on the scoreboard when matches were being played.

Meanwhile, Enugu team defeated Benue 3-0, while Edo and Ogun drew 1-1 the matches played so far in Group A.

Shot from EKO 2012 opening ceremony

Judo federation to discover, nurture just 8 talents

T

he Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF) said midweek that it would discover just eight talented judokas at the ongoing 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos.

Olakitan DeSouza, the federation’s Technical Director, said in Lagos that the federation limited its capacity to just eight talented judokas due to lack of funds. “The discovered eight talented judokas, male and

female, will be monitored and groomed after the festival,” DeSouza said.

The director, who did not, however, stipulate the number of gender for discovery, said that the discovered talents would be nurtured to become elite athletes.

“We want to pick just eight talented judokas because we do not have enough finance and sponsors. In recent times, sponsors do not want to be

associated with the sport, so we cannot stretch ourselves beyond our limits,” he said.

DeSouza, however, added that the federation was working on a platform to ensure that the game was embraced, like other martial arts in the country.

“In 2013, we planned to introduce the sport in schools, but we realised that other martial art sports had gained more recognition, ahead of judo,”

NSC excluded Para-soccer from sports festival – PSFN

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he Para-Soccer Federation of Nigeria (PSFN) on Wednesday said the exclusion of the sport from National Sports Festival was the decision of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Misbahu Didi, a member of the board of the federation and found of Para-soccer said this in a statement in Abuja.

The statement said that there had been an insinuation that the federation’s board had woefully failed to meet its responsibilities to ensure the inclusion of the sport in the festival.

It noted that the policy of the NSC said that a maximum of 25 sports should feature at a particular festival with 20 compulsory and 5 optional.

It also noted that the country has 35 sports federations.

“Against this back drop, the federation wishes to make it

clear to the general public that the inclusion of Para-soccer in the National Sports Festival is not the responsibility of the federation.

“It is the policy of the regulatory body of sports, the NSC that a maximum of 25 sports shall feature at a particular festival.

“While the 20 compulsory sports are selected based on laid down criteria the choice of 5 sports from the list of 15 optional sports is the exclusive prerogative of the host state.

“It is therefore evident that 10 sports, including Para-soccer from the list of the existing 35 sports federations will not feature in the 18th National Sports Festival,’’ the statement said.

It said the leadership of the game had been making efforts to increase awareness about it through the electronic and

print media.

“One major effort is the production of the rules and regulations of the game into a booklet form for the first time in the history of Para-soccer o enable our stakeholders be

he said.

DeSouza, however, insisted that the sport was good because a judokas can easily defend him or herself in any situation.

He then encouraged more women to be part of the martial game, saying that it was not meant for men alone. Judo events at the festival began last Wednesday and will end on December 2 at the Sports Hall of the University of Lagos. conversant with them,’’ it added.

It urged fans to come join hands with the federation in developing the sport.

The statement said the federation led, by Dr Halimat Nyako, would organise a National Para-Soccer Championship in Yola, in December after the sports festival.

Kickboxers target 15 gold medals

T

he Ogun Kickboxing Association has said that it hoped to win at least 15 gold medals in the sport at the ongoing 18 th National Sports Festival which opened on Tuesday in Lagos.

The association’s chief coach, Opeyemi Akinola, disclosed this during an interview in which he stated that the athletes were ready for the competition and were in high spirits, to deliver the medals.

“We are eyeing at least 15 gold medals in kickboxing. Our boast lies in the level of our preparations for the festival.

“We have not come here to play, we mean business and we will achieve our gold medal dreams here.

We have prepared ourselves, both mentally and physically, we are good to go,’’ he said.

Akinola added that the team was injury-free and the athletes were in good spirits to run for gold medals. One of the kick boxers, Waheed Sogbami, a two-time gold medallist in boxing at the festival, promised to fight for gold at the tournament.

“I delivered gold medals to the state at both the Gateway Games in 2006 and Kaduna in 2009 in boxing and I have now decided to do it again in kickboxing at Eko 2012. I do not doubt the fact that I will win medals for the state with my level of preparations,’’ he said.

Sogbami lost in the boxing quarter-finals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India.

He also lost in the second round of the preliminaries at the 2011 All African Games in the light heavyweight boxing category in Maputo, Mozambique.

He will compete in the 63.5kg category in kickboxing at the festival. The festival which started on Nov. 27, will end on Dec. 9.

Games Services yet to begin compilations

T

he Games Services, the section responsible for the appropriate compilation of medal results the ongoing 18 th National Sports Festival (NSF) has yet to begin its assignment.

Journalists that thronged the office at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere on Wednesday could not get the results of the previous day’s events because there was nobody or any equipment at the office.

With this development, Journalists are currently in the dark about the placement of the participating states on the medals table, as the 14-day sports fiesta enters its second day.

The itinerary is not in conformity with the official programme of events, especially the stipulated date, time and venue for the events.

An official of the Main Organising Committee (MOC)

who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the Games and Services personnel were still grappling with the nitty-gritty of the logistics at the Games.

According to him, “everything will be sorted out by Thursday and journalists can begin to come to the office to get up-to-date results of activities at the ongoing Games’’.

Team Rivers, Ogun and Oyo won gold medals in the cycling event which held on Tuesday.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

PAGE 47

Say what?

SUDOKU Getting Started Each sudoku puzzle is a 9 by 9 grid of horizontal and vertical rows, evenly separated into 9 squares with 9 spaces each. Instead of word clues, each puzzle’s solution is determined by the pattern of the numbers already filled in you. You solve the puzzle by filling in the missing digits so that, when completed, each row and each square will have all the number from 1 to 9; each number will appear in exactly nine spaces within each puzzle.

FACTS * We are about 1 cm taller in the morning than in the evening.

Quick CrossWord (80)

* It takes twice as long to lose new muscle if you stop working out than it did to gain it. Lazy people out there shouldn't use this as motivation to not work out, however.

It's relatively easy to build new muscle tissue and get your muscles in shape, so if anything, this fact should be motivation to get off the couch and get moving. * Tears and mucus contain an enzyme (lysozyme) that breaks down the cell wall of many bacteria.

Source: Weird facts

PHOTO OF THE DAY

ACROSS 1 Cry of an owl (4) 3 Likely, expected to happen (8) 9 Measured on a balance (7) 10 Sway violently (5) 11 Affected by mental illness (5) 12 Greatly (4,2) 14 Nervousness, discontent (6) 15 Fibrous tissues (6) 18 Webweaver (6) 20 __ the Dragon, film starring Bruce Lee (5) 22 Coarse paper used in rubbing down wood (5) 23 Bundles of sticks for fuel (7) 25 Picky people (8) 26 Constance __, rose variety (4) DOWN 1 __ Green Was My Valley, 1941 film (3) 2 Murder train? (6,7) 4 Water crossed by the Israelites (3,3) 5 Protrude (5) 6 Starter in Chinese restaurants (5-4,4) 7 Mythical nymph who loved Narcissus (4) 8 Baby hens (6) 11 Plaid formerly worn by shepherds (4) 13 Russian emperor (4) 16 Geological glaciation period (3,3) 17 Business gain (6) 19 Use a tea-towel (3,2) 21 Piece of foliage (4) 24 Thick dark sauce made from fermented beans (3)

Yesterday’s solution

Yesterday’s answer

Fearless Abdullah Sholeh poses with his best friend - a 27-stone Bengal tiger called Mulan, in Malang, Indonesia.

Source: TheSun.co.uk

www.peoplesdaily-online.com

. . . putting the people first

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

QUO TABLE Q UO TE UOT QUO UOTE We see in (Sanusi Lamido) Sanusi (Central Bank Governor) an agent of death that must be defeated and crushed before he further destroys the Nigerian economy.

— Abdulwahab Omar, NLC President

SPORTS Jonathan and the $31bn question LA TEST LATEST

Drogba in animated movie

A

cartoon starring Ivory Coast top striker Didier Drogba will be premiered on December 1 in Abidjan in the presence of the Shanghai Shenhua player, organisers said on Wednesday.

The film, titled "De Tito à Drogba" (from Tito to Drogba), traces the path of the former Chelsea talisman from his childhood to his moments of glory as a footballer.

It was written, directed and produced by Ivorian Guehi Bao Gabin and Frenchman Pierre Sauvalle, who both say it is a homage to the Elephants captain, which will also serve as an educational tool to raise awareness about HIV- Aids, the proliferation of weapons, violence against women and child soldiers.

Drogba was appointed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a Goodwill Ambassador in 2007.

He also played important roles in ending Ivory Coast’s numerous armed conflicts, and is currently a member of a reconciliation commission in the West African nation.

Inter rule out the return of SuperMario

M

anchester City's Mario Balotelli Inter’s Chief, Massimo Moratti, has ruled out the possibility of welcoming Mario Balotelli back to the club.

Balotelli moved from Inter in 2010 in a deal worth •22m and the Ghanaian-born Italian still continues to find his name linked with a return to his homeland.

Moratti, however, has once again denied all reports suggesting the striker could make a return in January despite Inter having hit a hiccup in form in which they have picked up one point in their last three games.

"I really don't think that Balotelli will be coming back to Inter," the Oil tycoon told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"As far as I'm concerned the team will stay more or less the way it is now.”

ADVERT: BUSINESS: NEWS: LAGOS:

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W

hen I wrote an article in 2011, stating that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan was spending two billion naira every day, including weekends, on security without commensurate returns on the lives of Nigerians, the president’s reaction was to have his then chief goon, General Awoye Azazi, arrest and detain me for publishing ‘misleading information’. In retrospect, I agree with the accusation – because the sum I stated hugely understated the grand larceny going on in government.

An opening into what is really going on in government was provided a few days back by the Punch newspaper, which found that a staggering 5 trillion naira – or $31bn has been stolen under Jonathan’s 30-month stewardship of our nation’s affairs.

Assuming that Jonathan has been in power since May 2010, that works out to an incredulous $1bn stolen each month. If you add the average borrowing of another $1bn per month since Jonathan took office, then the true scale of the epic theft becomes clearer.

President Jonathan is making a mockery of himself if he continues to insist his government is determined to fight corruption, or that Nigeria under his watch has not finally lost the war on graft. It is no accident that Nigeria is perceived as the second most corrupt country in the world by a recent Gallup poll. According to International audit firm KPMG, the cost of fraud in the first half of 2012 alone is $1.5bn (N225bn), the highest on the African continent. And that is only because they have no real idea of what is going on in government circles While Nigeria is ranked third behind USA and China in backlogs of orders for personal private jets, the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) asserted that our nation is the worst place to be in 2013 due to deteriorating indicators of human security..

One day, we read that billions of naira of pension funds have been stolen, and the next, it becomes trillions of unbudgeted fuel subsidy monies.

It seems Nigerians have simply gotten numb to these figures, or have not appreciated the opportunity cost of the sums being stolen in terms of goods and services forgone. To put things in context, if one spends one hundred thousand naira daily, it will take about 53 years to spend one billion naira! A billion dollars is of course some 150 billion naira, so go ahead and do the math.

In short, what would $31bn do

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NASIR EL-R UF AI EL-RUF UFAI ON FRID AY FRIDA elrufai@aol.com

President Goodluck Jonathan for Nigeria or Nigerians? For a person who lives for 100 years, he would have to spend the sum of $310m dollars a year for an entire century – near a million dollars a day, weekends included to finish it all. And if he decides to join the league of private jet owners, that amount would purchase 1,550 planes at an average cost of $20m each.

If the funds were to be used to finance the operations of the Nigerian government, the $31bn sum effectively covers Nigeria’s N4.8trn 2012 budget with a leftover of about N200bn. And is only less than N1 billion short of the proposed N4.92trn budget for 2013. From another perspective, according to an MoU signed by government this year, 6 refineries would be constructed in modular forms within 30 months at a cost of $4.5bn. Each refinery would process 30,000 barrels of crude per day with an output of 5 million litres of gasoline. This means that with $31bn about 41 new refineries can be built.

The immediate implications of that are: the very volatile fuel scarcity situation existing all over Nigeria would be solved. And hundreds of billions of naira that are ordinarily stolen annually in the guise of fuel importation would be saved. Similarly, of the 41 refineries, one would be sited in every Nigerian state, with an extra five clustered or evenly distributed around larger consumption centres like Lagos, Ibadan, Kano and Abuja. There is simply no telling how many jobs this would create for Nigeria’s tens

of millions of unemployed citizens.

And speaking of employment, some of the decisions by this government are simply confounding because the MoU for the refineries indicated that 6 months of construction work will be done in America, followed by one month of test-running and dismantling of the refinery.

Another month is provided for transporting the dismantled refinery, and an extra 4 months to reassemble the plant and commence production. Not one Nigerian job will be created in the construction of the refineries for which $4.5bn was to be spent!

And like everything with this hapless administration, nothing has been heard of the construction of these modular refineries, only a report of yet another committee on refineries.

The design and construction of rail services in Abuja which the Obasanjo administration awarded in 2007 and due to have been completed in 2010 was recently “re-approved” by the Federal Executive Council for about the same it was originally awarded – some $823m, less than a billion dollars. The vanished $31bn would have conveniently provided a project similar to the Abuja light rail system for 32 of our 36 states. Imagine the jobs we would have created, the savings on road repairs, reduction in accidents, cost of transportation and improvement in the standards of living we would have had.

Similarly, what became the Primus Specialist Hospital in Abuja, was awarded for less than N5 billion by the FCT Administration, and reportedly finally completed at multiples of the original price. Assuming it would cost N100 billion to build and equip such a facility, it would mean that if the looted $31bn was channelled into healthcare, it would have comfortably built about 31 hospitals of that calibre.

And if it had not been inflated, the same amount might have built a world class hospital in every state capital with the best equipment anywhere. Incidentally, the First Lady would not have had to go to any German hospital for any

reason. Nigeria would also have saved the N450 billion we lose annually, travelling overseas for medical treatment.

In the last two fiscal years, less than N20 billion have been budgeted annually for the capital needs of all federal universities.

Between 2004 and 2007, the FCT administration and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund contributed about 200 hectares of land plus $10 million, and $25 million respectively as virtually sole contribution to the set-up of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja. With the stolen funds, the federal government would have financed the capital programmes of all federal universities for some 250 years! And if the same funds were applied to building new universities, we could easily have got at least 60 AUST- like institutions up and running all across the country.

From every perspective one looks at it, the amount of stolen funds would have improved the lives of Nigerians: if the $31bn had been invested in road construction, Nigeria would have emerged with one of the best road networks in all of Africa; even at the reported N89.53bn at which the Lagos Ibadan expressway was ‘concessioned’ in 2009, the amount would have translated into about 525,500km of roads, several multiples of the paved road network we now have nationally.

Meanwhile, was it not this administration that set up an assessment committee to look into cases of abandoned Federal government projects? The final report of the committee can be summed up in 2 points: there are 11,886 abandoned federal projects across Nigeria, and it would cost an estimated N7.78 trillion to complete these projects.

With the $31bn in stolen funds, Nigeria would have successfully completed about 65% or some 7,000 abandoned projects all across Nigeria that would create jobs and improve our standards of living.

The report of the committee has not been implemented; instead, President Jonathan recently sent a letter to the National Assembly requesting approval to borrow $7.9bn to fund a pipeline of projects between 2012 and 2014. This is not to say borrowing money to fund national developmental priorities is a bad idea. But we all know that most of these monies will add up to the Jonathanian statistics of stolen funds.

Contd. on Page 36

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