Tue 10 June 2014

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Vol. 30, No. 12,947

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso (right) presenting a letter of appointment to the new Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi …yesterday

‘How major oil, gas firms defraud govt of revenues’

By Ajibola Amzat NDIGENOUS and multinational companies operating in the oil and gas sector may continue to defraud the Federal Government of petroleum revenues. Yet the detail of this loss is shrouded in secrecy.

The exact amount owed the government in royalties, rents, taxes, signature bonuses and concessions by oil companies remains closely guarded information, The Guardian investigation has revealed.

This trend does not only explain why corruption thrives in the nation’s oil and gas industry, it highlights in a strik-

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• Report accuses agencies of hoarding information ing way how key public institutions conceive the right to know of the Nigerian public.

FOIA as a paper tiger The agencies responsible for the collection of oil revenues on behalf of the government, and subsequently for the dissemination of information about such receipts and the outstanding payments, hold tight control on the information even in defiance to the existing law on the free dissemination of public interest

INVESTIGATION information.

Section 2 (1) of the Freedom of Information bill signed into law in May 28 2011 by President Goodluck Jonathan states that a public institution shall ensure that, it records and keeps information about all its activities, operations and business.

Section 2(4) states further that, the public institution shall ensure that such infor-

mation is widely disseminated and made readily available to members of the public through various means, including print, electronic and online sources, and at the offices of such public institution.

But the disregard for the provision of this section of FOIA is evident in the manner petroleum revenue-collecting agencies such as NNPC, DPR and FIRS; handle access to information at their disposal.

• Army kills 50 Boko Haram insurgents, recover arms –Page 6

For starter, the details of Federal Government’s earnings on petroleum as well as outstanding payments due to the government are not found on the websites of these government parastatals.

And the officials of those parastatals including their spokespersons are hardly well disposed to provide information.

The Ribadu report Though the 2012 report of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force (PRSTF) headed by Malam Nuhu Ribadu attempted to throw light on the processes of the transaction in the petroleum industry CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

N150

PHOTO: MURTALA

BRING

...DAY 57

BACK

OURGIRLS • Southern professionals canvass regional autonomy –Page 6

• Gunmen snatch one-year-old in Imo –Page 18 • Concerns over foreign assistance on Chibok girls

–Page 82

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2 Tuesday, June 10, 2014

King Alfred Diete-Spiff (left), Dr. Tunji Braithwaite and Dr. Tony Nyiam, during tributes in honour of Dora Akunyili at the National Conference, Abuja… yesterday.

PHOTO: LADIDI LUCY-ELUKPO

Report accuses agencies of hoarding information CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and ascertain debts owed Nigeria by oil and gas companies, the implementation of that report remains stalled till date.

The implementation is sidestepped, according to the presidency, because of the flawed processes that produced the report. Some of the data used in producing the report “could not be independently verified,” said the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe.

Notwithstanding, the Ribadu-led Task Force has disclosed that over 47 companies are allegedly indebted to the nation to the tune of several billion of dollars.

The report, for example, states that 67 oil block licences were awarded between January 2005 and December 2011, with an outstanding balance of $566 million unpaid in signature bonuses. And for the discretionary allocation of oil blocks reviewed by the Task Force, $183 million remains the outstanding payment.

On concession rentals, the report said that about $2.9 million was yet to be paid into the government coffers, while $3.027 was outstanding from the operators for crude oil royalties as at December 31, 2011 among other outstanding ones.

NEITI’s Audit report Part of the observation of the Task Force indicates that DPR was unable to collect the debt of $58 million representing the penalty for gas flaring as at the time of the report.

The “lack of verification” of these figures, as the Presidency argued, may have foisted credibility crisis on the Ribadu report, but the audit report of oil and gas industry between 2009 and 2011 published in June 2013 by Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has also shown that oil and gas companies are indebted to Nigerian government to the tune of $9.6 billion, out of which only $2.4 billion has been recovered into the Federation Account.

In his e-mail correspondence with The Guardian, the NEITI Director of Communication, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya said, “From NEITI comprehensive independent audits of oil and gas sector, a total sum of $9.6 billion was identified as debt owed by companies and potential revenue to the Federa-

tion.

“This debt was as a result of under-assessment, underpayment and variance between what companies pay and what government received in form of royalties, taxes, signature bonuses, levies and sales of equity crude.”

He said though NEITI has been working with the relevant government agencies to ensure that this fund is recovered into the Federation Account, only about $2.4 billion has been so far recovered into the Federation Account from this debt.

With this figure, the outstanding debt payment due to Federal Government stands at $6.2 billion. This amount represents more than 20 per cent of the 2014 national budget. The amount indeed can offset Nigeria’s N577 billion debts in 2013 with a balance of N466 billion left in the coffers.

Orji, however, admitted that NEITI’s assessment does not capture the identities of the companies owing the country.

“For now, the structure of NEITI audit reports does not reflect company by company payments, as such the questions of how many companies owe Nigeria and how much they are owing cannot be answered. But subsequently, NEITI hopes to disaggregate its audit to capture the issue of company by company payments.”

The Guardian therefore attempted to speak to other relevant agencies in the oil and gas industry, asking questions around how much is being recovered lately into the government’s treasury, and which organisation still owes the government since the period covered in the report.

The Guardian sought information from the Department Petroleum Resources (DPR) which is empowered by the Petroleum Act of 1969 as amended, to collect royalties on producing concessions on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Monies so collected are paid into a designated Royalty account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and credited to the Federation account on monthly basis.

In addition, the Department collects rents accruing to the Federal Government from awarded concession on yearly basis and pays same into a designated Federal Govern-

ment account with the CBN. Officials stonewalling When approached, the spokesperson for DPR, Mr. Paul Osu advised The Guardian to submit a letter of request in order to be able to access the Department’s records and to be able to speak to the director. The letter was submitted on April 30 at the DPR office, at No 7, Kofo Abayomi Lagos. Osu then promised that DPR would respond to the request shortly.

“We will revert to you as soon as possible with our feedback,” he said. When there was no response, another reminder was sent on June 3 to Osu. His terse response again was: “Please we will get back to you as soon as information requested is available”. The response never came till the time of this publication.

Meanwhile, a source at DPR, said information about earnings from oil and gas is often treated as confidential matter at the Department.

When similar questions were posed to the NNPC’s Group General Manager, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, he rather directed a junior officer who identified himself as Michael to relate with The Guardian reporter.

The questions sent to Alegbe reads thus: • How much is NNPC owed by the major marketers of petroleum products at the moment in term of the sales including current debt, total overdue, disputed debt and total debt outstanding?

• Why does Nigeria sell 100 per cent of its crude to private commodities traders instead of selling directly to refineries as alleged by Ribadu and NEITI reports?

Michael responded thus on May 5: “Seen. Will revert”.

When he was reminded on May 7, he responded: “Ok”.

And that was the last word from Michael, for subsequent reminder was probably ignored or escaped his attention.

A check on the NNPC website also did not provide relevant information to ascertain the Federal Government earnings from oil. Even the publication on the oil and gas sector activities provided on the site was issued with a caveat. It reads thus: “This publication presents information on the oil and gas industry. Its content reflects individual as well as general analysis and trend of activities that characterised the industry within the country.

Although NNPC endeavours to ensure accuracy of information in these documents, it cannot guarantee 100 per cent accuracy nor can it be held liable for errors that may occur. Users are to note that use of any information herein is purely at their discretion.”

It is little surprise then that NNPC is being judged one of the world’s most closed oil and gas companies. A joint report by Transparency International, a Berlin-based anti-corruption monitor, and the Revenue Watch Institute in New York judged the NNPC to have the worst record of 44 national and foreign companies it examined. A recent external audit said it was “accountable to no one.”

FIRS was the last office visited

by The Guardian. This agency collects the petroleum profit tax on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria. The tax constitutes revenues accruing to the Federal Government from penalties imposed on oil companies for gas flaring. The penalty is intended to serve as a deterrent to routine gas flaring.

When The Guardian called on their regional office on Lagos Island, a desk officer who did not want his name mentioned because he was not authorised to speak, advised The Guardian reporter to stop wasting his time, because trying to find out the amount owed Nigeria in Petroleum Tax from FIRS is a task that would not produce result.

“Nobody here will be willing to speak on that subject. Such information is confidential,” he declared. Notwithstanding, he requested that a letter of request be written and addressed to the regional coordinator. The letter was submitted on May 2, 2014 but no response came forth till the time of this publication.

In the 2012 annual compliance reports on FOIA provided by the Attorney General of the Federation and submitted to a human right group, Right To Know (R2K), the finding shows that of all the ministries, departments and agencies in Nigeria, only 23 submitted annual compliance reports, neither NNPC, DPR nor FIRS is included in the list. It is not unlikely that these agencies would still be missing on the 2014 annual report when it is published.

This report is supported and funded by Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ)

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

4 Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Tension in Edo as House suspends members From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City HERE was tension in Edo yesterday as thousands of youths besieged the state House of Assembly Complex at Oba Ovonramwen Square, giving a seven-day ultimatum to four members of the Assembly, who recently announced their defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to recant their position or risk recall from their constituents.

While the protesters, with various placards chanted solidarity songs in support of the leadership of the House and the governor and other songs were against the lawmakers in question, members of the House were meeting in the chambers where they voted for the suspension of four lawmakers.

They include the Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea representing Esan South-East Constituency; Friday Ogierakhi, Orhionmwon-South Constituency; Patrick Osayimen, Oredo-East and Jude Ise-Idehen, Ikpobha Okha.

But Ogierakhi told The Guardian yesterday that the “alleged suspension is phantom and will not stand the test of time and law. We exercised our fundamental rights because we knew they would make this sinister move. They are acting the script of the state governor. Oshiomhole is playing double standard. A councilor defected from PDP to APC and he was received. A few months ago, a member of the House defected to the APC and he rolled out the drums, but we are not perturbed”.

The four were accused of gross misconduct and actions that contravened the House Rules of Order 38

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• Protesters urge recall Rule 3, which bars any member of the House from taking the Assembly to court.

The motion for their suspension was moved by Paul Ohombamu under matter of public urgent importance and was seconded by the Majority Leader, Phillip Shaibu, “to the effect that the members mentioned on the list be suspended forthwith.”

The motion was unanimously accepted by the members at the chambers.

Speaking with journalists, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Youths and Sports, Kabiru Adjoto, said “the Deputy Speaker and three others have been suspended from the Edo State House of Assembly.

The Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea, has become so arrogant and dictatorial that he no longer sees the office of the Speaker as one. He has created parallel leadership and that leadership is aimed at destabilising the state Assembly by impeaching the Speaker and the comrade governor and that, to large a extent, amounts to misconduct. That is partly why we have suspended the Deputy Speaker and others.

“Secondly, the suspected members have virtually constituted themselves to what we call “marketers” that have been given target to meet. They have virtually approached every member standing here to sell their mandate to the PDP. They have mentioned heavy amount ranging from N50 million to N70 million. They have approached me that if am willing to sell my mandate to the PDP, I will be offered N70 million. They approached us dangling a poisonous, dangerous and evil carrot.

“It is part of the House Rules that no member must take the Assembly to court, but these four members have taken the House to court. It has happened before in the Fifth Assembly when Zakawanu Garuba was Speaker. A member was suspended for taking the House to court”.

The protesting youths later marched to the Government House where they assured the governor of their continued support.

The governor also told them that some lawmakers received N50 million to impeach him, his Deputy and the Speaker of the House to pave way for the PDP to take over the state.

But reacting to the development, the PDP, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dan Orbih, said the allegations against the party were baseless and diversionary.

“Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s allegations were baseless and diversionary.

He should stop this blackmail and stupid propaganda and face the legion of problems confronting the state. There is no doubt that his party is fast losing support and he is frustrated.

“There is no iota of truth in the allegation and we are not spendthrift like the Oshiomhole government.

What reason has the PDP to bribe lawmakers whose tenures expire in 11 months? We don’t have N50 or N70 million to bribe politicians the way Oshiomhole does. If we have such money, we will rather spend it to provide facilities that the Oshiomhole government has failed to provide for the Edo people.”

Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Olajumoke Akinjide (second right), Secretary, Social Development, Blessing Onuh (second left), Secretary, Agriculture Development Secretariat, Olradi Bema Madayi (left) and Secretary Legal Council, Ima Okpowgete during the flag-off of Maternal, New born and Child Health Week at Maitama General Hospital in Abuja yesterday.

PHOTO: LADIDI LUCY-ELUKPO

Court rules June 30 on ‘no case submission ‘ over Funsho Williams

By Bertram Nwannekanma USTICE Ebenezer Adebajo of a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, yesterday fixed June 30, 2014 to rule on a ‘no case submission’ raised by suspected killers of Funsho Williams.

The suspects are Bulama Kolo, Musa Maina, David Cassidy, Tunani Sonani, Mustapha Kayode and Okponwasa Imariabie.

Before the no case application, the prosecution had on May 16 closed its case during the trial and the court adjourned the matter for the defendants to open their defence.

But at the resumed trial of the case yesterday, the defence counsel, Mr. Agbara Okezie, made a ‘no case submission’ before the court, contending that the accused had no case to answer.

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In his application dated May 20, 2014, Okezie argued that from the totality of the prosecution’s case, it has failed to establish a prima facie case against any of the defendants.

He submitted that the evidence of the prosecution were at best circumstantial in nature, which the court cannot rely upon.

He argued that for a court of law to rely on such evidence, it must be compelling and irresistible.

Besides, he urged the court to hold that the prosecution has failed woefully to link any of the defendants to the murder of Funsho Williams.

Citing Section 243 of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, Okezie urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants in the absence of a prima facie case against

them.

In her response, Director, Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Lagos Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Idowu Alakija, urged the court to dismiss the ‘no case submission’ made by the defendants.

She argued that the prosecution has sufficiently established a prima facie case against the defendants that warrants their explanations.

The defendants were first arraigned on March 1, 2013 before Justice Adebajo on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

The defendants, according to the charge, on or about July 27, 2006, at 34A, Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, conspired to murder Williams.

The offence contravenes Sections 316 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2003.

APC flays police clampdown on members in Ekiti

By Wole Oyebade he All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the violence unleashed on its members of the party at Ado Ekiti on Sunday by the police, warning against violence in the Southwest ahead of the 2015 general elections.

A statement in Lagos yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, puts the blame for the violence squarely on the shoulders of the Presidency and the PDP, wondering why the police, who are paid by taxpayers to maintain law and order, would turn their weapons on the same defenceless citizens they are paid to protect.

It said but for the action of the police, led by the Head of Mobile Police force in Ekiti, Gabriel Selekere, the peaceful procession by the APC members in Ekiti would not have degenerated into violence, during which a harmless citizen was allegedly shot dead by the police. ''Our members were carrying brooms, not weapons, and were singing and dancing as they marched through the streets in the best tradition of political rallies. Their proces-

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• Warns against violence, group accuses Tinubu of imposing candidates sion was peaceful and carnival-like until the police unleashed teargas and live bullets on them without provocation, killing one person and injuring many, even the Governor of the state was not spared by these triggerhappy policemen. This is unacceptable in any civilized society and must be condemned by all Nigerians,'' APC said.

The party said it was not surprised at the ferocity of the attack by armed policemen on the peaceful members of the APC, as it fits perfectly into the desperation of President Goodluck Jonathan and his party to capture Ekiti State at all cost as a leeway to entering the South-west ahead of 2015.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor Raji Fashola yesterday hosted angry members the state All Progressives' Congress (APC), who stormed the Alausa office and Lagos State House of Assembly to protest against what they described as "the culture of imposition and lack of internal democracy" in the state ruling party.

President of the coalition, Niyi Akinsiju said they had come in defence of their fun-

damental human rights as Lagosians and bonafide members of the party.

As members, Akinsiju said, they had been committed to the ideals of internal democracy as prescribed by the provisions of the APC constitution "in order to make Nigeria an ideal place to live in."

However, "we have tolerated sufficiently and for too long, the unenviable and anti-democratic culture of imposition of party leaders and political leaders on our people as practiced in Lagos State in the past 11 years."

Mohammed continued: ''The President, who said his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian, has apparently forgotten he ever made such a comment. Otherwise, how does he explain the bloodied body of a peaceful protester who was apparently shot dead allegedly by policemen acting out a script? How does he explain that the bloodthirsty policemen, who behaved more like hooligans, were led by an officer (Selekere) who has consistently been hostile to the State Governor?

''Is it by coincidence that the killer policemen were led by no other than Selekere, who once unilaterally transferred all mobile policemen attached to the Governor simply because he could not compromise them to set up the Governor, until he was overruled by the IG? ''Is it also a mere coincidence that a new Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Momoh, whom they believed to be pliable and willing to do their hatchet job, has been posted from Minna to Akure ahead of the Ekiti elections, to replace Brig.-Gen. A.B. Dikko who refused to be compromised and allow the PDP to rig the recent bye-election in Ondo State? ''The Presidency and the PDP should know that Ekiti people will not allow a bloodthirsty and compromised Mobile Police Commander, a Brigade Commander or even the Presidency to pick their governor for them on June 21st. They will defend their votes to the hilt, whether or not the FG floods the state with security personnel in an attempt to intimidate and harass the people,'' it said.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 | 5

News New emir gets staff of office From Murtala Muhammed, Abba Anwar (Kano) and AlemmaOzioruwa Aliu (Benin City) MID controversy over the A appointment of the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, as the new Emir of Kano, the state governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has yesterday given a letter of appointment to the new emir at the Kano Government House.

Kwankwaso said that the appointment of an Emir was not a political matter. He, therefore, advised people not to see anything politics in the new appointment. “The selection procedure is not like that of an election in our today political arrangement where you put ballot boxes at the

• Oshiomhole congratulates monarch • APC accuses PDP of inciting violence in Kano • Asks Kano State Attorney-General to prosecute Olisah Metuh and others • El-Rufai faults govt for politicising king’s appointment polling units”, he revealed.

He debunked the rumours going round that the new Emir’s name was not on the list of the people forwarded to him for final approval. “The name of our new Emir was among the list. In fact, he was the first on the list”, he stated.

“All due procedures were followed in the selection of the new Emir. People should know that the appointment of a new Emir is the sole responsibility of a governor.”

Kwankwaso revealed.

Besides, the Edo State Governor, Adams

Oshiomhole, has congratulated former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on his appointment as the Emir of Kano.

A statement by Oshiomhole’s Press Secretary, Peter Okhiria, quoted the governor as saying in a congratulatory letter that “it gives me great pleasure on behalf of the good people and government of Edo State, to congratulate Your Royal Highness on your well-deserved appointment as the 57th Emir of Kano.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the PDP of inciting the violence that followed the announcement of a new Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on Sunday.

The party said this was an apparent attempt to destabilise the state, and urged the Kano State Attorney-General to prosecute all PDP officials involved in this act of destabilisation.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the

Young entrepreneur, Ehime Eigbe (left); Akanni Oluwaseyi, student, Executive Director, UBA Plc, Femi Olaloku, Ibrahim Oritoke, student, and Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, TV presenter, during the official launch of UBA Next Generation (Next-Gen) Account, held in Lagos…yesterday

party said the statement issued by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, congratulating one of the contenders long before the Kano State government announced the new Emir was premeditated and calibrated to incite violence.

It wondered why a ruling party, which has access to Kano or any state government, would rush to the media to congratulate a contender who had not been selected, without even contacting the selecting authority to ensure the veracity of whatever news it may have heard.

In another development, before the letter of appointment was given, there was a face-off between the supporters of the new Emir and that of the eldest son of the late Emir where five people were reported to have allegedly died. Up to the time of filing this report, no official source could confirm the clash between the two parties.

On his part, Emir Sanusi assured that the unrest in the ancient city of Kano was not caused by any of his relatives, referring to the sons of the late Emir.

He said that himself and the Turaki of Kano, Sanusi Ado Bayero, were so close that they were even sharing room for over 10 years as his relation.

The APC said: ‘’What is so urgent about congratulating the new Emir that could not have waited for a few hours for the appropriate authority to make an official announcement?’’

The party said when the announcement was eventually made and the contender who had already been congratulated lost out, it is only natural that his supporters would feel shortchanged. ‘’It is therefore obvious that the PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary, went out of their way to stoke the fire of violence in Kano.

“Since we live in a country which is being governed by the rule of law, the best option open to the Kano State government is for the state AttorneyGeneral to immediately initiate criminal proceedings against PDP and its officials for incitement. Whatever explanations they have for their irresponsible and premeditated actions they should reserve for their defence in court,’’ APC said.

Former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister and chieftain of APC, Nasir el-Rufai, also yesterday accused the Federal Government of undue interference in the selection and appointment of new Emir of Kano.

El-Rufai, who was in Kano to witness the appointment of a new Emir of Kano, told journalists that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had tried to politicise the appointment of new Emir but failed woefully.

He said: “When the PDP realised Sanusi was about to be appointed the new Emir, they did everything to frustrate it. I wonder why because it is not the responsibility of the President to appoint the Emir and so they have lost. They should just forget the game.”

“It is all in their effort to create confusion and frustration over the appointment that they stop the landing of private jets on Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.

“It was as a result of that action on the airport that many governors were not able to make it to the occasion of witnessing the handing over of the letter of appointment to the new Emir, according to the former minister.

El-Rufai insisted that former CBN governor’s appointment was not political.

“It is God that selects the Emir and not anybody. Although the kingmakers made their selection and the governor does his appointment, but I can tell you his case was Godmaking”, he added.

Labour, confab, others pay tributes to Akunyili

By Chukwuma Muanya, Yetunde Ebosele, Joseph Okoghenun, Lawani Danielle (Lagos), Terhemba Daka and Karls Tsokar (Abuja) HE Nigeria Labour T Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have described the death of former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC), one-time Minister of Information and a delegate to the ongoing National Conference, Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili, as shocking and a major loss to the country.

According to them, Akunyili’s death was no doubt one too many for all genuine progressive and patriotic Nigerians.

The unions, in two separate

• Her death a great loss to Pharmacy, says PSN • NAFDAC opens condolence register in Lagos statements, noted that she was a trail-blazer and a good example of a true Nigerian who, despite her ill-health, was ready to offer her fountain of knowledge at the ongoing national conference.

Eulogising her role as Director-General of NAFDAC, the unions in the statements signed by both Presidents, Abdulwaheed Omar and Bobboi Bala Kaigama, said she demonstrated quality leadership and commitment to public service driven by public interest with such an uncommon courage and determination to promote good health and safe living by ensuring all substandard

pharmaceutical items are shut out of Nigeria.

Also, Pharmacists under the aegis of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) have described the demise of Akunyili “as a great loss to Pharmacy profession,” even as they commiserate with the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano.

The PSN will on Thursday, June 26, 2014, inaugurate the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAP) at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, by 10:00 a.m. prompt, with keynote address to be delivered by Emeritus Prof.

Olujimi Oladipo Akinkugbe under the distinguished Chairmanship of former Head

of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon.

In another development, it was grief and sorrow yesterday at the Oshodi, Lagos office of NAFDAC as members of staff wore sorrowful look to mourn the death of Akunyili.

The Guardian learnt that similar condolence registers have been opened in the agency’s Abuja and Yaba offices.

In the Oshodi condolence register, many, including the old and young in the agency, described her as “mummy” who devoted her life to the course of NAFDAC. In his tributes to the late Akunyili, NAFDAC DG, Dr. Paul Orhii, described her as “a woman who loved Nigeria deeply and dedicated her entire life up till the very last minute to the service of this great nation.”

Orhii wrote: “It is with great shock but with total submission to the Will of God that I received the sad news of the death of Prof. Dora Akunyili.

She was a woman who loved Nigeria deeply and dedicated her entire life up till the very last minute to the service of this great nation.”

Meanwhile, the National Conference yesterday halted its proceedings momentarily for delegates to pay tributes in memory of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero and a conferee, Prof. Dora Akunyili.

The Deputy Chairman of the conference, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, yesterday announced the opening of a condolence register in the lobby of the conference hall for members to express their

condolences.

In the light of their recommendations, a one-minute silence was yesterday observed in honour of the deceased. The leadership of the conference is also expected to raise a delegation with a formal letter of condolence to be delivered to the Emirate council and respective governors of Anambra and Kano states, as well as families of the deceased.

The delegates also requested that a national monument should be named in memory of Prof. Akunyili and urged the national conference to be part of the funeral arrangement when announced by the family.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

6 NEWS Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Southern professionals canvass regional autonomy

By Tunde Akinola ROFESSIONAL groups in P the southern part of the country, under the aegis of South-East, South-South and South-West Professionals, have stressed the need for a new federal structure that is hinged on regional autonomy.

They insisted that only true federalism, fiscal federalism and lean or less dominant central government should form the new terms and conditions that would define a new, greater and equitable Nigeria of the future.

The group made the call in a statement issued at the end of its strategic meeting in Lagos signed by Emeka Ugwu-Oju, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Dr. Nick

Idoko, Ify Anazonwu, Uzoma Eze, Prof. Pat Utomi, Nuhu Yakubu, Denzil Kentebe, Hannibal Uwaifo, Andy Wabali, Olawale Edun, Jimi Agbaje, Ibidolapo Balogun, Dapo Odojukan and Tunde Akinyele.

The coordinators further stressed that every indication shows that the Nigeria project is not working but rather experiencing an incipient tug-of-war that is marked by a gradual but unmistakable slide into a state of anarchy.

“There is an urgent need, therefore, for agreement on drastic restructuring and remapping of the country, which appears to be the only panacea to the current slide,” the statement reiterated.

Clarifying its position on regionalism, the group enumerated at least five of the potential benefits that could be derived from a regional structure as against the current structure, which is highly unstable for Nigeria, claiming that such benefits are aimed at creating a balanced, peaceful and prosperous nation.

To them, the proposed regional structure with express autonomy will lead to a balanced and true federation that will be more stable, stronger parts leading to a stronger whole, as the multiplication of federating units make them weak and fragile.

They said it would reduce the cost by eliminating unnecessary governance

structures. Power at the centre becomes less attractive and political struggle for it, less acrimonious and less corrupt.

They said it would lead to regional aggregation of resources to empower regional economies, lead to overall growth of the

HE Subsidy Reinvestment T and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) has so far expended about N280 billion out of the N360 billion allocated for its intervention in some social infrastructure in the country, the Chairman, Gen. Martins Luther Agwai (rtd), said yesterday.

Agwai, who led his team to the State House to brief President Goodluck Jonathan on the agency’s progress so far, said it also rolled over about N90 billion from the period under review.

He noted that since the agency came on board in 2012, it has made several interventions in critical infrastructure in various parts of the country, especially in roads, railway and health sectors.

Explaining the rollover from last year, Agwai said that when the programme commenced in late 2012, nothing substantial could be achieved, so the management had to roll over N90 billion, “which we could not utilize because we started late.

Besides, in 2013, we had over N88 billion, which we rolled over to 2014.

According to him, “Sure-P has achieved a lot in this country. You just have to go out there and see the facts, which are very close to us, including the Abuja-Lokoja Road. We hope that by the end of this year we will know how much we have done.

“If you go to the area of maternal health, we have been able to upgrade 500 centres and are working now

position of the leaders and peoples of the South-East, South-South and SouthWest zones for a federation based on regionalism, which is seen as the most viable option open to Nigerians in the light of contemporary realities.

Army kills 50 Boko Haram insurgents, recover arms From Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri IRECTOR of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, on Monday said that the death toll in last Saturday’s foiling of Boko Haram “multiple attacks” on border towns and villages in Borno and

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SURE-P spent N280b in two years, says Agwai From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja

national economy.

The group, which is currently engaged in wide consultations with critical stakeholders across the South- East, South-South and South-West geopolitical zones, has urged confab delegates from the three zones to close ranks and back the

on another 700. We have sunk over 620 boreholes to give our mothers good health, good pipe born water and are also providing health medications and mama kits for expectant mothers.

“From reports on the contributions of SURE-P, Maternal Health Care under SURE-P reduce by almost 60 percent the number of deaths due to child births.

Adamawa states has risen to 50.

He also disclosed that 90 rifles, machine guns, Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPGs) tubes and canisters were recovered.

Olukolade, in a statement made available to newsmen in Maiduguri yesterday also said: “Troops conducting anti-terrorists campaign in NorthEastern Nigeria have successfully averted attempted massive raid on villages in Borno and Adamawa states during the weekend. The terrorists who were on their way to attack selected communities were ambushed by troops along the Bitta-Izge axis in Borno State on receiving intelligence report of their intention.”

On how the insurgents

were repelled, he said: “The attack was launched on the terrorists as they filed out of the forest to embark on their mission at about 10.pm on Saturday. Over 50 of them died in the fierce encounter, while 30 rifles, 36 hand grenades, seven machine guns and 11 rocket propelled grenade tubes were seized by the troops. Also recovered from the terrorists were over 3,500 rounds of ammunition, six smoke grenade canisters, locally fabricated guns as well as four vehicles used by the terrorists in the foiled attack.

“The four soldiers who were wounded in the operation are currently receiving treatment in the military medical facility in Maiduguri.”

Suspects ask court to quash charge in alleged subsidy scam

By Yetunde Ayobami Ojo LAGOS High Court sitting A in Ikeja, was yesterday asked to quash N1.8 billion subsidy fraud charge preferred against two oil marketers,Mahmud Tukur and

Alex Ochonogor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The duo in a preliminary notice of objection filed before Justice Lateef LawalAkapo prayed the court to quash charge against them for abuse of court process.

Moving the application when the matter came up for hearing, the defendants counsel, Mr Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) told the court that proof of evidence did not support the offences alleged against the defendants and urged the court to discharge them.

Oyetibo said the criminal charge preferred against defendant was an abuse of court process which should be struck out in the interest of justice.

He said the matter arose from a joint venture agreement between Eterna Plc, Axenergy Ltd., Sahara Energy Resources and Ontario Oil for the importation of fuel into the country.

Oyetibo said it was not proper for Tukur and Ochonogor, who are the Managing Director and Head of Financial Control of Eterna Plc to be charged for the alleged offences. “ It is submitted that the proof of evidence does not

disclose or support the fact that the first and second defendants obtained money for themselves in the transactions in which the offences were alleged to have been committed.

“All financial dealings involved in those transactions were particularly between Eterna Plc and the other companies mentioned in the proof of evidence,” he added.

According to him, there is no proof that the alleged fraud was committed as a result of the defendants’ connivance or negligence.

He said: “although a company acts through its officers, those acts of the officers are seen in law, as the acts of the company itself and therefore it is the company that is legally responsible and not the officers.”

Citing Section 65 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Oyetibo argued that defendants did not act in their personal capacities in the transaction.

Also, he faulted Section 10 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act which the EFCC claimed gave them power to charge the defendants to court.

He said his clients were being charged in their personal capacity to embarrass and harass them because there was no vicarious liability under the Nigerian Criminal Law. However, responding to his submission the EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) said Section 260 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State prohibited the court from entertaining such applications.

According to him, “ A company on its own cannot commit an offence. It has to use human beings to do so.

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Govt awards 104 graduates scholarships to study abroad From Kanayo Umeh, Abuja HE Federal Government T has awarded scholarships to 104 first-class Nigerian graduates in tertiary institutions in Nigeria to study in top 25 best universities in the world up to Master and PhD levels.

While presenting certificates to the awardees in Abuja yesterday, Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, said the effort is to enhance human resources required for driving the nation’s economy.

Wike, who noted that the exercise was based purely on merit, stressed that nobody from the states of the President, Goodluck Jonathan; Vice President, Namadi Sambo and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, benefited from the scheme.

Tagged: “Presidential Special Scholarships for Innovation and Development (PRESSID)”, the scheme seeks to promote skills in sciences, basic medical sciences, special aspects of biology, economics, engineering and technology and medicine.

It was the second in its series since it was launched

by President Goodluck Jonathan. The first batch took off last year.

According to the minister: “For the second year running, the Presidential Scholarships Scheme for Innovation and Development (PRESSID), which was introduced by Mr. President, has identified young Nigerians purely on merit to study in the top 25 universities in the world up to Masters and PhD level”.

I leave second term in God’s hands, says Wada From John Akubo, Lokoja OGI State Governor, Captain Idris Wada, has described his election as entirely the handiwork of God hence he would not think of another tenure without delivering on his promises to the people on the mandate they have given to him for four years.

Wada spoke during an interactive session with newsmen recently.

The governor who was reacting to a poser on his ambition for 2016 said “For me, 2015 is in the hands of God almighty and when that time comes He who has brought me here will give me a clear guide as to what direction to go, so that is all I can say about the issue.

“My focus right now is how to deliver on the promises I made to our people and I strive everyday to the best of my ability and effort to deliver on the promises.

When the time comes God almighty will give us a clear direction because everyday I wake up with God.”

K

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Court stops Police, others from demolishing Badagry community

By Bertram Nwannekanma LAGOS High Court, A Badagry, yesterday restrained the police, their privies and agents from engaging in further demolition or activity on the Atinporomeh community land in Badagry, Lagos State.

Trial judge, Justice Yetunde Adesanya, issued the interlocutory injunction following an application brought on behalf of members of the community (claimants) by Mr. Sunday Onuya, seeking an order for maintenance of status quo until the substantive suit is determined.

The judge also ordered that status quo be maintained, as well as an accelerated hearing on the suit. She adjourned further hearing on the matter till July 10.

The court, however, reserved ruling in a preliminary objection filed by the police, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit.

The objection was pursuant to a fundamental rights suit by residents of the communi-

ty against the police over demolition of their premises.

Moving the motion yesterday, the defence, represented

by Mr. Samuel Ajanaku, had argued that the suit was incompetent since it ought not to have been commenced by way of fundamental rights enforcement procedure.

Citing the case of Tukur v. Govt of Taraba State, Ajanaku maintained that the action did not fall within the purview of rights enforcement and urged the court to dismiss same.

But counsel to the applicants, Mr. Declan Kemdirim, in opposition, submitted that the entire reliefs sought by the applicants were within the scope of Chapter Four of the Constitution, adding that the suit was properly commenced.

He argued that the authority cited by the defence was not applicable to the instant proceedings and urged the court to discountenance same.

Twenty-two members of the Atinporomeh community in Badagry had commenced the suit under the Fundamental

Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules on behalf of other residents of the community against the Inspector General of Police, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Area Commander, Area K Police Command, Ministry of Police Affairs and Lagos Task Force on Environment and Special Offences Unit.

Other respondents named in the suit are Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning

HE Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is to sustain its collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on strategic management of the country’s airspace to enhance the overall safety of both military and civilian flyers.

A high-powered delegation of the NAF, which paid a courtesy visit to the Managing Director, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, in Lagos, held crucial discussions with NAMA management on issues bordering on collaborative airspace management, civilmilitary coordination, training of Air Force officers by NAMA and the military radar, which is the military equivalent of TRACON. Leader of the delegation and Director of Air Traffic Services, Commodore Bello Garba, explained that the visit was to strengthen the existing mutu-

T

al relationship between NAF and NAMA, stressing that “this synergy is particularly critical in view of the nation’s current security challenges”.

Garba, who appreciated NAMA’s role in quelling the on-going insurgency in the north-eastern part of the country, solicited the agency’s assistance in the provision of technical expertise in the installation of military radar and the needed capacity to man the equipment.

Abdulsalam noted that NAF has always been an ally of NAMA as the statutory role of the two organisations are complimentary, adding that NAMA has always been at the forefront of the Civil-Military Coordination meeting.

He stated that the on-going multilateration project in the Gulf of Guinea would effectively capture low-level aircraft in the area, including military helicopters. He prom-

From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja HE Senate Committee on T Aviation yesterday vowed to ensure adequate utilisation of the $500 million loan granted by China to the Federal Government to complete ongoing projects in the nation’s airports.

It equally promised to take steps to boost the “revolution” in the aviation sector.

ised that NAMA would provide NAF with the needed manpower training and technical information on the military radar and other logistics.

Meanwhile, seven representatives of NAMA drawn from the Search and Rescue Department at the weekend in Abuja participated in a live simulation exercise on air crash outside the vicinity of an Airport.

Organised by NEMA, the exercise, which took place at the National Fire Academy, Shada Abuja, was among other things, to demonstrate the nation’s preparedness in responding to air crash accidents, as well as rescue coordination strategies outside the confines of an aerodrome.

Apart from NAMA, the event attracted representatives from other relevant agencies such as NEMA, Nigerian Civil Aviation Agency (NCAA) and the Federal Road Safety Corps.

MDAs get December deadline to use NIMC facility on data From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja HE Federal Government T Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) involved in data capture tasks have been directed to align their activities with a view to switching over to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) infrastructure by December 31, 2014.

This order is in line with a new government directive.

A statement from NIMC quoted a circular from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, as saying that all necessary arrangement to achieve the set date has been put in place by the constitution of a Harmonization and Integration Committee in NIMC with membership from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Communication Technology.

The memo dated May 29,

2014, was captioned ‘Guidelines on the Implementation of the Presidential Directive on the Alignment of Data Capture, Identity Verification and Authentication in Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.’

Ministries, Departments and Agencies were, therefore, requested to note that NIMC would have the primary responsibility to deliver the processes and procedures for achieving a seamless integration of its National Identity Management System (NIMS) infrastructure with existing infrastructures of other agencies within the timeframe set by government.

NIMC noted: “This shall include without exception, all data capture related activities, development of database, identity authentication and verification, card issuance activities and related infrastructure.

“That henceforth, all identity database-related projects and procurements, especially as

Others are Adebayo Oke, Olanipekun Ayanleye, Sylvester Enebeli, Shittu Abdullahi, Afolabi Kehinde, Ahmeed Alade, Iwueze Emmanuel, Oladimeji Oluwaseun and Martha Adeogun.

They are demanding the sum of N100 billion against the respondents for alleged wrongful demolition of their houses.

Senate panel to monitor $500m loan from China

NAMA, NAF partner on airspace management

By Ibe Uwaleke

and Urban Development, Lagos State Lands Bureau, Attorney General of Lagos State and Attorney General of the Federation.

The plaintiffs are Charles Adu, Joshua Medepo, Godwin Ogungbe, Oluseyi Adeleye, Alao Alapanla, Johnson Adebiyi, Justice Ovemurai, Afolabi Olukoya, Ibrahim Adedeji, Kolawole Adewumi, Edun Talabi, Joseph Onwuka and Joseph Ibukun.

they relate to data capture, development of databases, identity authentication and verification and related identity management infrastructure/issues shall be validated against the harmonization and integration programme in view of the December 31 deadline to ensure seamless and timely compliance with the directive within this transition period.”

It stressed: “That the Office of the SGF through the Governing Board of NIMC shall ensure periodic evaluation of progress report and convene review meetings as appropriate; and “That government will monitor closely the implementation of this harmonization and integration programme so that at the appropriate time, government will publish the commencement date for the mandatory use of the National Identification Number in line with Section 27 of the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who stated this when the committee met with the Minister of Aviation, Samuel Ortom and relevant stakeholders in the aviation sector, explained that the loan was made available to the ministry for proper execution and completion of airport terminals.

Senator Uzodimma disclosed that the counterpart funding of $100 million from the Federal Government had been made available so that the $500 million loan would be effective for projects execution.

According to him, the ministry has a seven-year pay back plan for the loan and was expected to generate the money once the airports are functional, adding that payment plan starts July this year.

Senator Uzodimma, who said that the loan would close the funding gap towards the completion of ongoing projects, commended the Federal Government for work on the airport terminals in

Port Harcourt, Kano, Lagos and Abuja.

He said: “The committee will ensure the projects are executed according to plans so that Nigerians will have value for their money.”

Recently, the Federal Government of Nigeria signed a $500 million loan agreement with the Chinese government for the construction of four new international airport terminals in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano.

The agreement is one of many others and MoUs signed in Beijing when President Goodluck Jonathan paid a two-day official visit to China.

The commencement of construction work on the terminals had been on hold pending the formal signing of the loan deal, which will be financed by the Chinese EXIM Bank.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, said that the Federal Government was delighted that the loan deal for financing construction of the terminals had finally been sealed.

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NEWS Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Concessionaire pays $126m Onne oil and gas FTZ fee From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja IGHT years after taking full control of the development and management of the Onne oil and gas Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in a 25-year concession agreement with the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), oil servicing company, Orleans Invest West Africa Limited, says it has remitted $126.095 to the Nigerian Government.

The payment, which covers the period 2006 to 2014, it noted, was made through the NPA and covers the contractual agreement fees on commencement, lease, throughput as well as land industrial area, adding that the Federal Government would be paid over $724, 651 for the 25year period of the concession.

Also, the company said it has so far invested over $6.1 billion in the development and upgrading of the Onne Port and oil and gas FTZ, noting that the investment has transformed the Onne FTZ world class.

Apart from its additional input to the Nigerian economy, it added that the investment has reduced the problems that oil companies operating in the South-South region used to encounter with its state-of-the-art oil servicing facilities for easy lifting of oil by several local and foreign companies, including Oando, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Agip, among others.

Orleans’ Chief Executive Officer, Andrea Canoli, told news-

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Invests $6.1b on development project men yesterday at the firm’s Onne corporate office that the Onne FTZ has completely been transformed from what it was when the company took full control in 2006.

With the installation of modern facilities, he stressed, the transformation has attracted the zone to so many local and foreign oil firms, which have continued to enjoy its facilities even as over 500 companies are currently investing in the zone.

According to Canoli, the development of the zone, which has petrochemical, fertilizer and allied industries, has created over 28,000 jobs with 170 investors and no fewer than 500 companies. He assured of Orleans’ commitment to ensuring that the zone maintains its leading role in the development of the oil and gas sector in the country.

Canoli further described the Onne Sea Port and Oil and Gas FTZ as the strategic regional maritime hub in West Africa, stressing that development there is growing impressively.

Revealing that its sister company, Intels, has invested $74.245 million (about N11.557 billion) in Port Facilities Infrastructure Development (PFID), he noted that the development of warehouse facilities, Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) and boat manufacturing facilities at FOT have gulped $1.679 billion.

Oyo community begins process for Oke Ogun varsity From Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan O make tertiary education T more readily available to natives, the people of Oke Ogun in Oyo State have begun the process to establish Oke Ogun University, according to the acting President of Oke Ogun Development Council (ODC), Mr. Doja Oladele.

Oladele said after an interactive session with the Committee on Private Universities of the National Universities Commission (NUC) that with a population of about 1.5 million people (based on 2006 census), and 10 local councils, and a landmass covering about two-third of Oyo State, the area deserves a tertiary institution.

He said that many of their qualified children do not get

space in institutions across the country due to the catchment area policy, and “this is why we decided to take the bull by the horn after being disappointed by the federal and state governments at different times.”

Also speaking, the Registrar/Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof.

Dibu Ojerinde, who is from the area, lauded the Federal Government for making it possible for private universities to exist alongside public institutions.

“It is that opportunity we want to seize after several efforts to get the federal or state government to cite a university in our area have failed,” he added.

According to him, “the oil and gas logistics company, beside engaging 50 graduates exclusively from the hostcommunities, has organised professional training for pipe welding, pipe fitting, argon/structural welding, industrial electrical training, STCW 95/marine training and mud engineering.

Others include “catering craft, hairdressing and cosmetology, Microsoft Office and Sun Java, Auto Card training, crane and forklift training and management courses. However, he urged improved electricity supply and good roads as key to a complete success story of the partnership with

President Goodluck Jonathan (4th left), Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (Sure-P), Gen. Martin-Luther Agwai (4th left) and other team members after their meeting with Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja… yesterday PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA

SERAP petitions UN over clampdown on newspapers

By Bertram Nwannekanma AGOS-BASED rights group, Landthe Socio-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP), yesterday urged the United Nations’ special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr. Frank La Rue, to “issue urgent appeal and measures to stop the government of President Goodluck Jonathan from continuing the harassment and intimidation of media houses and newspapers.”

In a petition by its executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP stated that unless the Rue takes urgent action, media freedom and right to freedom of expression would remain under grave threat.

According to SERAP, “the seizure and censorship of major newspapers critical of government’s policies amounts to undue and impermissible external interference in the operations of independent media houses. This apparently unlawful action has in turn negatively impacted on the citizens’ effective enjoyment of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.”

SERAP said it was concerned about these violations and infringements of the freedom of expression and the media, as it has continued to receive information about threats and harassment of independent media houses solely for exer-

cising their rights to freedom of expression and the press.

“Rather than thoroughly investigating the violations, bringing perpetrators to justice, apologising and paying adequate compensation to the media houses concerned, the government has justified them on the flimsy ground that newspaper distribution channels may have been infiltrated by some persons to transport ‘materials with grave security implications,” it said.

“By this action, the government is exerting pressure on the media houses. This demonstrates its increasing intolerance for the peaceful exercise of citizens’ rights to expression, opinion, information, association and assembly.

This action also contradicts the fundamental principles of pluralism, tolerance and broadmindedness, without which there can be no democratic society.”

According to the organization, “the right to freedom of opinion and expression is a core right of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights - both of which Nigeria has ratified.

“This right is important not only for protecting the citizens against undue infringements by the state but also guaranteeing effective participation of individuals and media houses in political life. As such, the right to freedom of expres-

sion can be described as an essential test, the enjoyment of which illustrates the degree of enjoyment of other human rights.”

It therefore urged the Rue to issue urgent appeal and measures to stop the continuing harassment and intimidation of independent media houses, adding that unless he takes urgent action, the right to freedom of expression and of the press would be denied citizens.

Ekiti approves N130m grants to 95 communities From Muyiwa Adeyemi, Ado Ekiti KITI State Government has E approved the disbursement of N130 million as second tranche of grant-in aid to 95 communities across the state.

The Commissioner for Rural Development and Community Empowerment, Folorunso Olabode, who disclosed this in Ado Ekiti, explained that the money was approved to enable the benefitting communities complete their various projects on schedule.

Noting that the introduction of the package has enhanced development and greatly reduced the number of abandoned projects in the state, Olabode urged all benefitting communities to use the money judiciously and ensure proper monitoring of the selfhelp projects in each locality to enhance the success of the scheme.

ASF France urges alternatives to death penalty in Nigeria

By Bertram Nwannekanma HE Avocats Sans Frontieres France (ASFF) is pushing for restriction on the pronouncement of capital punishment in Nigeria by engaging legislators across the country to explore alternative punishments for capital crimes.

Head of ASFF, Angela Uwandu, disclosed this yesterday at the end of the third phase of the Saving Lives (SALI) project, a human rights focused programme geared towards creating awareness about humane alternatives to death penalty in the Nigerian justice system.

“The amendment of our laws can only come about

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when there is a comprehensive and consistent system in place that creates awareness and sensitization on the dangers of relying heavily on death penalty as the sole punishment for capital crimes,” she said.

She further noted that the enforcement of death penalty in Nigeria so far has not deterred crime, therefore the Nigerian criminal justice system needed to explore viable alternatives.

The first, second and third phases of the practical workshop have successfully taken place, with positive feedback from the participants already. Since its inception, the workshop has targeted key

personnel in the criminal justice system in its focal states of Kaduna, Katsina, Plateau, Edo, Lagos and Benue states and Abuja.

These include participants from the judiciary, prisons, police, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The fourth and final phase of the workshop is slated for this month in all the target states.

SALI is being implemented in partnership with the NHRC, the NBA and Access to Justice. Saving Lives is funded by the European Union and the French Development Agency.

Mimiko to commission 10km road in Ilaje/Ese-Odo N what has been described as Igovernment’s another confirmation of the developmental focus on the Ilaje/Ese-Odo area of Ondo State, Governor Olusegun Mimiko will today commission a 10 kilometre road in the coastal area.

Mimiko, according to a statement issued in Akure by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, will launch for use, the IgbotuOboro- Inikoragha- OjualaIpoke road, which asphalt overlay was done by the Ondo State Asphalt Company (OSAC).

The road was originally contracted out in November 2008.

The project, however, warranted the intervention of Mimiko as a result of its bad state, hence, the Asphalt overlay contract was re-awarded to OSAC in May this year.

The commissioner reiterated, “in line with the Mimiko administration’s determination to ensure even distribution of the dividend of democracy among the people of the state another landmark achievement of the administration will be recorded today as the Igbotu-Oboro-InikoraghaOjuala-Ipoke road will be commissioned.”

Group to sensitize society on credible, fair voting democracy to thrive FtreinORforthetrue country, a group, CenRighteous Living (CRIL), plans to sanitize Nigerians on the need to vote for credible, honest and transparent leaders, who will deliver the dividends of democracy to all citizens.

According to a statement from the organisation’s publicity secretary, Aramide Tola Noibi, such transformation will in turn guarantee an egalitarian society, where no man is oppressed, as opposed to the present unfortunate situation across the nation.

To this end, workshops and seminars have been lined up to achieve set objectives. These include the inaugural lecture of the Lagos centre, with the theme, “Because we are involved,” holding today at 11a.m at the Hoarse Memorial Methodist Cathedral on Hubert Macaulay Way, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos.

Clerics expected at the event include the organization’s secretary, Rev. Dr. Oridota J.O., CMG Secretary, Rev. Dr. Dele Asaju, CRIL General Secretary, Rev Dr. Abolade, and host bishop, Rt, Rev Isaac Ayobami Olawuyi, among others.

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Tuesday, June 10, 2014 | 9

PHOTONEWS

Former President and Founder, Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (third-left); Chancellor, The Bells University, Prof. Akin Mabogunje (middle), and Vice President, International School of Management (ISM), Lagos, Olugbenro Oyekan (third right), among others, at the ISM 10year Reality and Recognition award programme of the ISM, Lagos, instituted for graduates of the Executive Master Class in Entrepreneurship (MiE) 2014 Season 1, in Lagos

Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd left); his wife, Sherifat (4th right), Iyalode of Osogboland, Chief Alake Kolade (2nd left),Iyalode of Ekonde, Chief Aishat Ajala (3rd right), Iyalode of Igege, Chief Wulemotu Raimi (left), and others, during a solidarity visit to the governor in Government House, Osogbo

Business Partner, Guinness, Global Diageo Business Services, Soge Abayomi (left); Head, Product Marketing, MainOne, Mrs. Jumoke Akande, Head, Legal, Continental Broadcast Services/TVC, Charles Ebuebu, and Head, Enterprise Sales, MainOne, Kelechukwu Nsofor, at MainOne Business Connectivity Series, held in Lagos at Best Western Hotel, Ikeja

Minister of State for Agriculture, Asabe Ahamed, Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adesina, Mr. Ile Eric, Food Safety Directorate, NAFDAC, Mrs. Ajoku Sylvia, deputy director, Food Safety & Applied Nutrition Directorate, NAFDAC, and Mrs. Obiazikwor, Christiana, head, Public Relations, NAFDAC, Lagos, during minister of Agriculture’s visit to NAFDAC stand at the Agric Exhibition and Conference in Lagos

Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, and a son of the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, during Governor Ahmed’s condolence visit to the Emir’s place in Kano

Secretary, Hotel Licensing, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism & Inter-governmental Relations, Aduke Gomez (left); Commissioner for Tourism & Inter-governmental Relations, Disu Holloway, Operations Director, Offshore, Tsogo Sun, Andrew Hosking, and General Manager, Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel, Mark Loxley, during the Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel media dinner in Lagos

Partner, Steward Redqueen, Dr. Rene Kim (left); Corporate Affairs Manager, Standard Chartered Bank, Joke Adu, and Head, Corporate Affairs, Standard Chartered Bank, Diran Olojo, during the press conference on the bank’s Africa Report Roadshow, held at the bank’s new head office in Lagos PHOTO: SUNDAY

Members of the Young Women’s Christian Association, Cathedral Church of The Advent (Anglican Communion), Life Camp, Abuja, with students of FCT School for The Blind, Jabi, where they donated type writers to the school on Saturday

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10 Tuesday, June 10, 2014

WorldReport Syria’s Assad grants amnesty after re-election than a week after he was LyearESS re-elected to another seventerm in the midst of civil

the end of May after the failure of peace talks in Geneva, said he had presented Assad with a list of prisoners whose release the opposition have demanded.

“He knows that there are 50,000 to 100,000 people in his jails and that some of them are tortured every day,” Brahimi told the German magazine Der Spiegel in an interview published at the weekend.

Yesterday’s decree set out several exemptions to the amnesty, without specifying which offences they covered.

Rebels fighting to topple Assad have also taken thousands of captives. The UKbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights urged the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant rebel group on Saturday to free more than 2,000 detainees, including 150 Kurdish school children it said ISIL abducted last month.

war, Syrian President, Bashar alAssad announced a wide-ranging amnesty yesterday.

In a decree published by state media, Assad commuted some death sentences to life imprisonment, reduced jail terms for many offences and canceled some others altogether.

Foreigners who entered the country “to join a terrorist group or perpetrate a terrorist act” would receive an amnesty if they surrender to authorities within a month, the decree said. Kidnappers who free their hostages and army deserters would also be covered, it said.

Assad has issued several amnesties since protests against his rule erupted in March 2011. The demonstrations triggered a crackdown by his security forces and the conflict descended into a civil war which has killed more than 160,000 people.

Opponents say only a fraction of detainees were released in previous amnesties, leaving many thousands of people including political opponents and activists as well as ordinary criminals in prison, where they say many are subjected to OPE Francis told Israeli and abuse.

Palestinian leaders they Former peace envoy, Lakhdar “must respond” to their peoBrahimi, who stepped down at ple’s yearning for peace

Post-war ‘hyper-masculinity’ driving rape in Liberia OTHERS raped during M Liberia’s civil wars are facing the fresh trauma of seeing

Palestinian leader, Mahmud Abbas (centre) with Israeli President, Shimon Peres (left) and Pope Francis after a joint peace prayer at the Vatican…on Sunday.

PHOTO: AFP

Israelis, Palestinians must seek peace ‘undaunted in dialogue’, says Pope P

“undaunted in dialogue” during an unprecedented prayer meeting among Jews, Christians and Muslims at the

Vatican on Sunday.

The pope made his vibrant appeal to Israeli President, Shimon Peres and his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas at the end of a two-hour evening service in the Vatican gardens, an encounter he hopes will relaunch the Middle East peace process.

“Peacemaking calls for courage, much more so than warfare. It calls for the courage to say yes to encounter and no to conflict; yes to dialogue and no to violence; yes to negotiations and no to hostilities,” he said.

The pope spoke after Jewish rabbis, Christian cardinals and Muslim Imams read and chanted from the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Koran in Italian, English, Hebrew and Arabic in the first such interreligious event in the Vatican.

At times the chanting made it seem that participants were in a synagogue or outside a mosque in the Middle East rather than a primly manicured triangular lawn, a spot the Vatican chose as a “neutral” site with no religious symbols.

In his strong speech in Italian, Francis called for respect for agreements and rejection of

acts of provocation. “All of this takes courage, it takes strength and tenacity,” he said.

Francis, who made the surprise invitation to the two leaders during his trip to the Holy Land last month, said that the search for peace was “an act of supreme responsibility before our consciences and before our peoples” and noted that millions around the world of all faiths were praying with them for peace.

“We have heard a summons and we must respond. It is the summons to break the spiral of hatred and violence, and to break it by one word alone: the word ‘brother’,” the pope said as Peres and Abbas listened intently and read the live translations.

He said the children who have been the innocent victims of wars and conflicts made the search for peace an imperative. “The memory of these children instils in us the courage of peace, the strength to persevere undaunted in dialogue,” Francis said.

It was the first public meeting between the two presidents in more than a year and took place more than a month after United States-led peace talks collapsed amid bitter mutual recrimination.

their daughters attacked in peacetime due to a persistent “hyper-masculinity” in society, a leading think tank said.

The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) said that while up to 77 percent of women are thought to have been victims of sexual violence during Liberia’s 1989-2003 conflicts, the west African country continues to have one of the highest incidences of sex crimes in the world, 11 years on.

“War can lead to an environment in which sexual violence is normalised. After the war, men are often aggressive, ‘hyper-masculine’ and struggle to adapt to peacetime,” said Nicola Jones, a research fellow at the London-based think tank.

“The legacy of sexual violence can have devastating impacts not only on individuals and families but also on whole communities,” she said.

Rape became endemic as a weapon of fear during the wars and is still rampant, going unpunished more often than not.

Child soldiers served as a sexual playthings for Liberian rebels between battles during the savage conflicts.

South Sudan leader meets rebel chief for peace talks Sudan President, SRiekOUTH Salva Kiir and rebel chief, Machar are set to meet today in a fresh push to end nearly six months of civil war, sources said.

A source close to the talks in the Ethiopian capital said the rivals are set to meet “in the afternoon” on Tuesday (today), along with regional leaders from the East African bloc IGAD. A face-to-face meeting between the foes “would be very good” for the peace process, the source told AFP. The summit would be the first time leaders of the warring parties have met since signing a ceasefire on May 9, the second since January.

But the ceasefire has been repeatedly broken with fighting continuing in the young nation, deepening a crisis which has already killed thousands and forced over 1.3 million from their homes.

Pakistan airport raid kills 28 as Taliban vow vengeance WENTY-EIGHT people were T killed as Pakistan’s military fought an all-night battle yesterday with Taliban gunmen who besieged Karachi airport armed with rocket launchers and suicide vests, leaving a nascent peace process in tatters.

Ten militants were among the dead, officials said, as Pakistan’s biggest city witnessed a return of the kind of spectacular offensive waged before by the Tehreek-e-

Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during an insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives since 2007.

The attack at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport began just before midnight Sunday.

At around dawn, the military said that all 10 attackers had been killed.

Some of the gunmen were dressed in army uniform, as authorities put their mangled bodies, assault rifles, grenades and rocket launchers on show

for the press. At least three blew up their suicide vests, witnesses said, and one severed head formed part of the grisly display.

But after authorities initially declared the airport cleared around dawn, an AFP reporter witnessed fresh gunfire break out inside the airport — where explosions and fires had erupted during the night — prompting security forces to relaunch the operation.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 11

THE GUARDIANwww.ngrguardiannews.com

Book Review

Engineer Guy Otobo – A life on the Roads: An Autobiography

By Dr Patrick Dele Cole Y definition the shortest distance between B two points is a straight line. Simple. Q.E.D. (Quad erat demostratum). All those definitions were before Nigerians burst on to the scientific or political scene. No Nigerian that I know of believes that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Why do I say so? Well, I do not know about many of you but try and employ a bricklayer and I wager you anything you like, he would be unable to draw a straight line! If he plasters your walls it looks like a tsunami up and down, curves – anything but a straight line, despite the most accurate plumbing material ever invented. Why are we like that? We have this penchant for obfuscation; when we want to leave a job, we do not resign or retire, we step aside.

All Nigerian engineers must be driven to distraction by this inherent inability to draw a straight line. When engineers drew the plans for the autobahn, or expressway or freeways, the idea was to drive as quickly as possible from point A to point B. In fact the cars were so designed that speed controls were installed so you could set your car at 65mph and the car would go at that speed without your foot on the accelerator.

Now in Nigeria (and some of you are laughing already) could you imagine your setting your car with speed control? One thing is certain – neither you nor your car would know where you will end up – definitely not on that road.

So, our friend Engineer Guy Otobo arrives from McGill University, Canada’s premier university. There are no express roads, no autobahn when he arrives; he is enthused- great challenge. He commissions express roads at first- 8 lanes. Then there are English engineers and road builders, Italians, Germans. French, Israelis, Scandinavians Icelandic etc. Let us first look at the English – England is described usually as picturesque because the roads are narrow, winding, likely to be shared with cows and sheep – definitely not for speed control. You all remember the roads in old GRA throughout Nigeria – narrow, winding and full of that great English invention – The Round About!! No mind but the English could have devised a round about – a road going round and round but leading nowhere! And then people wonder why Nigeria is not going anywhere – we cannot, we are stuck in a round about. !!!

But our Canadian trained engineer is not to be stopped. He was employed in the Federal Ministry of Works, Highway Division. Design after design, quotations galore and what do we do – we give some of the roads to Italians, others to the French and yet others to Germans and Israelis. Italians?? I beg you. These are the greatest fantasist of the world – Michael Angelo, Leonardo da Vinci, - artists yet unmatched by the beauty of their creations – the sculpture of David, the last super at the Cistern Chapel – people who paint on ceilings. Great artists but they had forgotten that once they were Romans who excelled in road building – The Appian Way and hydro physics- the Aqueducts. But by the early 1970s most Italians like their Nigerian counterparts could not tell a straight line from a cork screw!!

So, forget the English and the Italian. How about the Israelis – they have been experts in digging tunnels and crossing the Red Sea without a bridge!! Then the Germans – middle name efficiency, until they came to Nigeria. They employed us who had no idea of the shortest distance between two points; a symbiotic relationship ensued. The German sees a road he thinks ought to be straight; he asks his Nigerian engineer – Onye Hassan Alabi – why is this road not straight? The Nigerian is non plussed and says – “but it is straight”; it may be straight but going at a totally different direction or it may be undulating – no matter what – an amendment is necessary, new drawings, cost overruns etc.

I have always believed that a lot of claims people make as to which schools they went would be unnecessary if we were each asked to name 5 persons who went to school with us. Engineer Guy Otobo’s book clearly shows that he was at Government College Ughelli, and at Mc Gill University by the abundance of names of colleagues. He is very unlikely, though he trained in Montreal, Canada, to say that he went to the University of Chicago in Toronto! Or as one of our Speakers who also claimed to have studied in Toronto when he clearly had never been there. (but not to be out done – I remember a man when I came back from Cambridge who knew all the pubs in Cambridge and when I was with other friends would continuously tell stories about myself and himself having wonderful carousing escapades in one pub or another in Cambridge or Grandchester. I never remembered him at all but knew the pubs. I put it

Front cover of the book down to my own intoxication or inebriation.

He married a relative of mine and till this day I have never been able to tell her he was never a student in Cambridge. Nigerians- we are unstoppable).

Guy is a guy – descended from a clan who had loved the King’s wife. This led to the deportation of the whole clan. Now I understand all I need to know about Isoko. Ibadan Expressway – road designed to carry 10 tons, weigh bridge etc. installed: vandalized so that truck of 20 – 25 tons could use the road!!

The civil service he joined was full of men of character and promise who understood obligations and duty. But the Ministry of Works was a snake pit and many fell into it. Within a few years there were commission of inquires – Justices Adebiyi, Adefarasin, Okuribido – Engineer Otobo was exonerated in all of these inquires. But in 1986, there came a pharaoh who knew not Joseph. This Minister had it in for Engineer Otobo and accused Engineer Otobo of disloyalty – a cardinal crime to the military.

There are ways to get rid of a top civil servant; but the way the Minister went about it was the wrong one. The Minister should report to the President that the civil servant was disloyal and that he could not work with him and he should be transferred; the Minister should make vague references to his holdings and property overseas (not in writing) tell the President that he was after his wife/ and or latest girlfriend of the President whom he just sent to Paris for shopping. If ever you are made a Minister please make sure that there is no one else with Mr. President when you report a top civil servant. The Minister reporting the top civil servant must weave into his story that the lady in question is one of high taste, with several Brazilian hair attachments, each not less that N250,000; that she would be staying at George V or Plaza Athenee in Paris a stone’s throw from the exclusive shops at Rue Honore. The coup de grace of the Minister’s story is that he had just approved a conference for the civil servant in Rome but the true rendezvous would be Monaco where the love birds will spend two days before returning to Nigeria. Eng. Guy on level 17 then had a consolidated salary of £2212.

To deck out a beauty of the type suggested will far overrun his annual salary; therefore he must be on the take.

In this scenario, the civil servant is gone. The President would make a perfunctory inquiry to the Head of Service who cannot say yes or no but that he would investigate. Make sure Mr. President calls HOS again in 5 minutes and ask him whether it was not time to shake up the whole service – sacking a few more top officials, Mr. Minister should leave Mr. President’s office

with the list of those to be sacked. Make sure all this happens between 12 noon and 2 pm so that the announcement is made at 4 pm Radio Nigeria News. If, as in the case of Mr. Otobo, you give a good civil servant the opportunity, he will bury you in officialese and the Minister has one foot out of the door. This particular Minister should have withdrawn his charges by simply withdrawing the letter and saying that he would give Engineer Otobo another chance.

The eleven charges made against Engineer Otobo further illustrates my point – they were written by another civil servant who obviously knew Engineer Otobo would get off – e.g charge (vii) you usually exhibit signs of disloyalty and lack of commitment on issues where decisions are against your personal interest….. this is pure grist to the civil service mill Or (vi) That in pursuit of your selfish interest you have systematically ruined indigenous construction companies. Engineer Otobo’s reply is the example par excellence of the civil servant: he talks about his professionalism, team work in the office, management meetings (attached are minutes of the management meetings the procedures within the Ministry, the various levels of these procedures and appropriate minutes), the work of the Ministerial Tenders Board, Promotion Boards, Posting Boards, the Highways division – 5 sub sections progress a co-ordinating section, Highway Budgeting and General specifications Section - it goes on and on. The Minister’s goose is already cooked. Engineer Otobo knew more people in Government as friends than his Minister!! So how could the Minister accuse him of bad mouthing previous administration? The Minister’s accusations were tendentious, (he had favourites) he was high bamteal and had not done his home work well.

Nevertheless Engineer Otobo’s account itself provides small-minded people ample opportunity to nit pick. He tells us that on the Apapa Road project the consultant’s figures were N56 million that only 7 of the original 17 contractors finally bided and the bids ranged from N61 million to N93 million. And that the World Bank had a fundamental disagreement with the scope of work – wanting two lanes instead of the proposed 3 lanes presumably if we had gone with the World Bank they too would have been forced to revise their scope of work. Because of the difficulty of the terrain. In the end the road cost N175 million – the cost he has simply justified by the details given on the soil, topography and materials.

For me, what stands out is that this was the first expressway in Africa built to International standard which should make us proud.

This episode between Engineer Otobo and the Minister also showed the strength of the civil service I joined – where civil servants could, with due respect, disagree with the Minister without losing his job. That attitude was due to the extensive knowledge of civil servants who had nothing to fear when you were diligent in your work. You would stand before Kings and not mean men.

There is the 17.3 miles of bridge in Lagos.

Another 8.9 bridge between Lagos and shagamu over the Ogun River and expressway to Ibadan – Oyo etc.

The People of the Niger Delta do not begrudge any of these incredible works – I am not including the various arteries to Magodo, Berger etc. But put together they are over 200 miles of roads and bridges which was rightfully put in this project at that time derivation was 1½%! Spare a thought further; please people of the Niger Delta if they claim that a similar gargantuan effort should be made to connect them to the rest of Nigeria!!

It is true that the Ijaws have never regarded water as anything but a road or thorough fare. They use the rivers as highways, roads to schools, hospitals, jobs etc. But even so, as the singer in Fiddler on the Roof sang to God, if I were a rich man – he asked God what was so wrong if he were a rich man who owned a

It is true that the Ijaws have never regarded water as anything but a road or thorough fare. They use the rivers as highways, roads to schools, hospitals, jobs etc. But even so, as the singer in Fiddler on the Roof sang to God, if I were a rich man – he asked God what was so wrong if he were a rich man who owned a mansion with wide staircases going up to the rooms and bourdow upstairs and one winding staircase going up to no where at all. What was wrong with that if he were a rich man?

The Ijaw man does not mind your bridges crossing his rivers, but he finds Abuja and Lagos incomprehensible for there are bridges which God has allowed to be built in these cities going no where at all; bridges where there is no water, no rivers. I know that many of you do not understand us in Aso Rock; Well, I have news for you too, we do not understand you either – people who build bridges where there are no rivers.

mansion with wide staircases going up to the rooms and bourdow upstairs and one winding staircase going up to no where at all. What was wrong with that if he were a rich man?

The Ijaw man does not mind your bridges crossing his rivers, but he finds Abuja and Lagos incomprehensible for there are bridges which God has allowed to be built in these cities going no where at all; bridges where there is no water, no rivers. I know that many of you do not understand us in Aso Rock; Well, I have news for you too, we do not understand you either – people who build bridges where there are no rivers.

The highlights of Engr. Guy Otobo’s life began soon after the Minister tried to remove him. He was promoted Director General (Permanent Secretary) Federal Ministry of works. In that capacity he designed the Federal Housing Policy in 1991 National Housing Policy, attempted to reorganize the Federal Mortgage Bank as the vehicle of choice. That was unfortunate because no Ministry ever wanted the Mortgage Bank to succeed even till today.

Housing, political party offices, surveys – survey school engineering services dept. IBB established two political parties – Social Democratic Party and National Party with offices built throughout the country and both parties funded by the Government. His department was also responsible for cleaning toxic wastes that were berry dumped in Nigeria from Europe. He formulated the National Construction Policy.

A few years later he was named as Director General of Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. He proposed that the bonny state of our solid Minerals should be funded by crude oil allocation. The Minerals we had included Gold, Crystals, Coal, Phosphate Dolomite, Diatomite etc. but little came of this proposal. Engr. Otobo was active in the Nigeria Road Federation, International Transportation Research Board National Research Council and Rehabilitation Plan aimed at rehabilitating 20,000 km of road.

He was convinced of the need for a Federal Highway Authority, which would plan design, construct, maintain and manage Federal Highways with a dedicated funding source from the pump price of petrol One of the saddest things I noticed in Nigeria and all our roads and bridges is the lack of aesthetics in the bridges – making a statement- San Francisco Bridge – making a bridge is an icon of the nation. I hope future road builders will note this sad omission.

I believe that General Ibrahim Babangida has never been publicly given the credit due to him for his political foresight in funding and setting up the two party structures, but more importantly his indefatigable persistence in building, with Engr. Otobo’s assistance, the third Mainland Bridge, arguably the longest bridge in the world.

In conclusion This is an unhappy book for me. It is ultimately a record of how a brilliant competent nationalistic mind could be frustrated by Lilliputians whose stock in trade is denigration, gossip and abject hypocrisy.

The people of my village will do well in Abuja.

Most of them have only one and one passion in life, to frustrate everybody: nothing suggested by anyone, no matter how meritorious, must succeed. If you want to build a hospital for the sick, someone will find an excuse why this would be unacceptable – including saying that the hospital will bring diseases hitherto unknown in the community, or let everyone contribute to the hospital knowing full well that no one would contribute or a committee be formed or that our ancestors are unhappy, all aimed at only one thing – you would not build that hospital.

Engineer Otobo after 30years of highway construction cannot bring to fruition his idea of a highway monitoring team, a functioning Highway Agency, or even a Highway Maintenance Agency that is not riddled with corruption and nepotism. He advises a Minister on what she should do to make her work succeed and immediately raises her hackles – he at over 70 is about to overshadow her!!

The Ijaws are a very peculiar people and it will pay other Nigerians good dividends to study them. They never do what you think; they are always the most contrary people in Nigeria – but they are not bad, they are just different. Perhaps now you know why Aso Rock is so difficult to read!!

Engineer/Teacher, Scholar, Lecturer, Tennis and Cricket and golf player. Socialite, a born aristocrat who through excellence has learnt humility infused with a burning desire to serve. I salute you Engineer Otobo. To those of us who know you it’s been a great privilege. Your autobiography is a pleasure to read but above all a lesson in service, a beacon of hope, nevertheless tinged with sadness of what could have been.

12

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Politics THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE DEBATE

‘Confab delegates should push for wealth creation to douse conflicts’ Emeka Ugwu-Oju, President of the Southeast/South-South Professionals of Nigeria (SESSPN), explains why the opportunity, presented by the National Conference to create a new Nigeria, must not be misused. While he fears that the country could implode if the conference is toyed with, he notes that the delegates should avoid serving the interests of politicians at the expense of the need to restructure Nigeria. He spoke to Southeast Bureau Chief, Kodilinye Obiagwu.

OW can the contentious issue of restructurH ing the country be addressed at the ongoing National Conference?

The delegates must realise that the nation’s destiny has been temporarily entrusted to them. This means that the survival of this nation, as we presently know it, hinges on the outcome of the conference and how they handle this national assignment.

We are imploring the delegates to avoid distractions and realise that this is an opportunity to change the destiny of this country.

Unfortunately, what many Nigerians have read in the newspapers, as recommendations from many of the committees, are mere palliatives.

We hope that they should see the matter before them as a life-and-death issue rather than giving some self-serving politicians what they want. Whether some people want more states or more councils, we should accept that the system we are operating has failed and that we need a system that will bring out the best in us.

It does not matter how long they spend at arriving at a workable system; we are ready to extend their stay in Abuja as long as they come up with a blueprint for a new Nigeria.

Are you surprised that agitation for a review of the 13 per cent derivation formula is bringing the North and South dichotomy to the fore?

No, I am not surprised. The members of SESSPN have consistently made the point that for Nigeria to be reengineered, we must seek a focus anchored on wealth creation, as against sharing of irreplaceable and depleting natural resources. It is only through sustainable wealth creation that poverty can be eradicated.

There is too much attention on oil, which is wrong. When some people talk about derivation, it gives the impression that the only wealth we can create is oil and it is unfortunate that we are so concerned about how to share oil wealth.

When we shift the emphasis to how each area can be the best in terms of creating wealth, the issue of derivation will fall in.

Although it does not make sense that someone, who lives over 1,000 miles away is talking about how the oil resources in a locality is to be shared, it does not mean that Nigeria cannot exist without oil. It is unfortunate that some people are making it look like that.

Do many Nigerians actually realise that a major driver of our economy at the moment is the remittances from Nigerians in the Diaspora? This is a good example of human resource, as against depleting natural resource.

Do you then agree with the President’s recent statement that Nigeria’s problem is how to share wealth and not poverty?

The reality is that Nigeria is currently a poor country based on our over-dependence on crude oil production and the quantity of crude oil produced compared to our population.

At SESSPN, we are concerned about wealth creation and are passionate about the regional development of every part of Nigeria. We are particular about Southeast/South-South economic development.

Sometimes, when people hear about the poverty rate in Nigeria, they think that most people are eating from the gutter. That is not exactly the case in Nigeria, but we are not where we are supposed to be. We have the capacity to be better than we are at the moment.

We at SESSP, for example, are no longer interested in talking about our underdevelopment, and that is why we are embracing actions that will release the people from the clutches of poverty.

Is it simplistic to assume that every economic policy of government is directed at wealth creation and improving the lots of the people or is there a particular approach that is peculiar to Nigeria?

Ugwu-Oju My position is that the structure of governance now is based on sharing of proceeds from the sales of one resource, which is crude oil. The question now is what structure can we have to encourage wealth creation instead of the structure that is designed for wealth-sharing with queuing in Abuja to get the federal allocation?

At the National Conference, the idea of federating units is appealing. But when we talk about federating units, it should not stop at having a weak centre; it should involve having a synergy that will create wealth faster.

When you have only six federating units, the cost of governance will reduce and free up resources that will be invested elsewhere to create wealth.

Will reverting to regional structure make the difference in wealth creation?

I am certain that if the states create wealth, no one will say they are not viable. But presently, the country is structured to depend on income from crude oil sales, and the proceeds are shared based on states.

The zones want more states and the multiplicity of overhead cost is unsustainable. For example, a commissioner of education in a state can run education in the entire Southeast, instead of the five (commissioners of education) we have in the five states. This is

the essence of regionalism.

Although I am convinced that regionalism is cost effective, we should note that streamlining our governance structure is not an end in itself but a major step in the right direction.

S SESSPN planning to respond to calls for memorandum from the civil society?

There are many ideas and memoranda out there and I don’t think there is any need for more proposals.

We are more interested in assisting the delegates to adopt proposals that can lay a strong foundation for a new Nigeria built on the pillars of fiscal federalism, six regions as the federating units; right of individuals to their land and any resource therein; equal rights as citizens; secularism; regional, local and federal police.

Are there any possible links between the outcome of the conference and the 2015 elections?

The 2015 elections will offer the first platform to test the decisions reached at the conference.

It will be disastrous if the conference does not come up with a new structure that makes office holders less powerful and more accountable.

Explain your position on wealth creation and development alongside the focus of SESSPN as enunciated during the recent forum in Asaba?

The aim was driven by the passion to get the

I

My position is that the structure of governance now is based on sharing of proceeds from the sales of one resource, which is crude oil. The question is what structure can we have to encourage wealth creation instead of the structure that is designed for wealth-sharing with queuing in Abuja to get the federal allocation? At the National Conference, the idea of federating units is appealing. But when we talk about federating units, it should not stop at having a weak centre; it should involve having a synergy that will create wealth faster. When you have only six federating units, the cost of governance will reduce and free up resources that will be invested elsewhere to create wealth. The zones want more states and the multiplicity of overhead cost is unsustainable. For example, a commissioner of education in a state can run education in the entire Southeast, instead of the five we have in the five states. This is the essence of regionalism. Although I am convinced that regionalism is cost effective, we should note that streamlining our governance structure is not an end in itself, but a major step in the right direction.

private and public sectors to commence doing a lot more jointly. At Asaba, we needed to come up with a practical and holistic roadmap that could drive development in the Southeast and South-South zones.

We fashioned out a 20-year development plan in which we identified four economic pillars, which are agriculture, industry, tourism and entertainment, and oil and gas.

Before the pillars, we needed to have a vision.

So, we used the economies of Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey (MINT) as benchmarks. These are the emerging economies.

Our vision is to be the most prosperous and globally competitive region within the MINT economies by 2035.

We also identified key enablers such as education, health care, power, security alongside our intrinsic human values. Developmental values include integrity, hard work, discipline, thrift, human rights, etc.

Where do you place such security issues as the Boko Haram insurgency and the abduction of Chibok schoolgirls in the larger scheme of development?

Nations do not progress so fast in an atmosphere of insecurity. We need security to secure whatever gains we make in the economic sector. Incidentally, wealth grows faster in an atmosphere of security.

All said and done, we cannot afford the distraction insecurity and the insurgency throws on the paths right now.

In the meantime, we can only admit that we need to respond to this according to our circumstances, essentially because it is a product of either our failure to develop in certain sectors or a demand for the nation to develop in certain areas.

The assumption is that we were probably living in a state of denial, claiming that it (abduction) never happened. Unfortunately, it happened and we have to get on with it and focus on what needs to be done to rescue the girls.

At the end of the day, government will answer to Nigerians on how it has handled the security sector. Nigerians will demand answers from the Defence Minister, National Security Adviser and others on this matter.

We saw what happened in South Korea recently where the Prime Minister resigned because of the unfortunate ferry accident in which many young Koreans perished. He was not the ferry driver but he took responsibility for the government’s inadequacy in preventing the disaster. That culture should be adapted here.

The resignation is not an admittance of guilt or culpability, but a show of responsibility to protect the integrity of the system.

We need to imbibe correct values and all of us need to sit up.

Not long ago, some individuals questioned our call on the former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, to resign from office. SESSPN’s call was based on values reorientation, and our view was that the value system of the country would be enhanced through leadership by example.

She might not have derived any direct benefit from the purchase of the said armoured cars, but the purchase, which was deemed not to have followed due process, happened under her watch.

How would you assess Nigeria’s call and receipt of foreign assistance in getting the schoolgirls back?

Seeking foreign assistance to search for the Chibok girls means we have admitted to our shortcomings in that area of security and this calls for reality checks.

It is important for us to know what our defence capability is and plan for continuous effective improvement.

I am sure that when we compare our resources with our population, we will discover that we are a poor country. We can have very strong armed forces, but that depends on the strength of the economy and patriotism.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 NEWSEXTRA | 13

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

EKITI GUBER POLLS

Jega to lead INEC’s team HE Chairman of IndependT ent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega, will personally lead the team of the Commission’s top hierarchy to conduct the June 21 governorship poll in Ekiti State.

Jega is to be accompanied to the state by six national commissioners and supported by all the Resident Electoral Commissioners in the neighboring states of Ekiti.

Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Alilu Pai, disclosed this yesterday while hosting a Non-Governmental Organisation, NUJ/NBA Peace Initiatives on Election. He said that Jega’s decision to be in the state for the election was borne out of his commitment to a thorough exercise.

He said apart from leading the team that would conduct the poll, Jega and his men

would also supervise the exercise in a number of places to ensure fairness to all the participating parties.

According to him, all logistics arrangements had been concluded towards ensuring that cases of electoral materials arriving late at venues of voting does not arise.

Alhaji Pai said the Commission appreciated the contributions of various interest groups as well as non-governmental organisations in promoting democracy in the country.

Earlier in an address, the two leaders of the group, Mr. Laolu Omosilade, who doubles as Chairman of Ekiti State chapter of NUJ and his state NBA chapter Chairman, Mr. Omodele Olawumi, pledged that the group would work to ensure success of the forthcoming election.

LP elders support Bamidele

Jega

Fayemi alleges assassination plot by police Storiesfrom Muyiwa Adeyemi (Head South West Bureau Ado Ekiti) KITI State Governor, Dr. E Kayode Fayemi, yesterday declared that the attack by

Bamidele HE Elders Forum of the Labour Party (LP) in Ekiti State yesterday described the candidate of the party, Opeyemi Bamidele, as the best among others contesting the governorship election.

While urging the electorates to vote for him on June 21, they said he was the best man that can liberate the “state from the stranglehold of foreignbacked leaders.”

The group also blamed Governor Kayode Fayemi for the rising spate of politically-motivated violence in the state, saying all efforts made to avert the crisis were frustrated by the governor.

Addressing newsmen in Ado Ekiti, Chairman of the group, Prof. Tunde Oluwasanmi, noted that a group under the aegis of Ekiti State Elders Forum, which had planned to convey a meeting of all political actors and make them sign the famous Ido Declaration to compel them to conduct their activities in peaceful manner, was frustrated by the governor.

The declaration was arrived at after the 1983 general elections violence witnessed in the old Ondo State.

Ekiti State was then part of old Ondo State and the violence majorly affected the Ekiti part of the state, leading to the death of many people and the destruction of properties.

T

The selection of Opeyemi Bamidele as the LP candidate marked the beginning of the war of liberation for Ekiti people. This is the beginning of the second Ekiti Parapo War. Bamidele is the captain of this war of liberation.

“When we met the governor, he said he was happy. But barely two weeks after, he set up another group to counter our efforts. Now, his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the one engaging in violence and the first to embark on media propaganda.”

The professor of Medicine said his group decided to support Bamidele of the LP for the governorship because he was the best for the job.

“The selection of Opeyemi Bamidele as the LP candidate marked the beginning of the war of liberation for Ekiti people. This is the beginning of the second Ekiti Parapo War. Bamidele is the captain of this war of liberation. He is going to be the new governor of Ekiti people for Ekiti people in the interest of Ekiti people,” he added.

Abubakar

the police on his convoy was an attempt to assassinate him.

He also disclosed that he would personally report the assault on him and his security aides to President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.

Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti, Fayemi, who decried the alleged police brutality on him and members of the All Progressives Congress, said the police had displayed high level of disrespect to his office as the chief security officer of the state and the people’s representative.

The governor described as “height of public assault,” a situation whereby a far junior police officer would openly confront him and fire tear gas canisters at him without minding his status as governor and Chief Security Officer of the state.

Also commenting on the scenario, members of the Ekiti caucus at the National Assembly called on President Jonathan and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to immediately redeploy the Mopol Commander, Mr. Gabriel Serenkele out of Ekiti for insulting Governor Fayemi.

Fayemi, who could not hide his anger over what he called “act of lawlessness on the part of the police” said, “My immediate interpretation of what happened yesterday is that there was an assault on the government and people

of Ekiti State. It is an assassination attempt on the governor of Ekiti State.

“That is why am going to Abuja this morning to see Mr. President and the Inspector General of Police. I won’t like to jump into conclusion because I have spoken to the relevant people in authority and I believe appropriate step will be taken.

“What it is important is that this democracy must be protected and the only way you can do this is to ensure that the security agencies, the electoral body and all state agencies must ensure that there is level playing field for all players. ” Bemoaning the death of the victim of the alleged police brutality, the governor stated that, “The death of Taiwo Akinola yesterday was entirely avoidable. It was an avoidable death. I am saddened that this has taken place. It is very unfortunate.

“However, we must learn a lesson from this. It is two weeks to the election so we cannot be back to the era of one day one blood letting in Ekiti State. The peace that this state has enjoyed in the last three and half years must be sustained and I will like to think that all relevant authorities right from Mr. President who is the chief of the security agencies will not want the peace reigning in Ekiti disturbed.

“We are not particular about any police officer been removed from Ekiti but when you have a situation when a police officer exhibits consistent bias in the discharge of his duty then clearly the police authority should do the needful. In the case of the O.C mobile who was there yester-

Fayemi

That is why am going to Abuja this morning to see Mr. President and the Inspector General of Police. I won’t like to jump into conclusion because I have spoken to the relevant people in authority and I believe appropriate step will be taken day directing his men to tear gas my convoy, I believe the police authority will take action on that because I don’t want to dwell on individual. I think it is the structure of the police arrangements itself we should look into,” he said.

Also expressing resentment on behalf of members of the National Assembly, Senator Ojudu, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, described the attack on the governor as an insult to the people of the state, alleging that Serenkele’s behaviour was unprofessional and openly

State varsity shut for election OLLOWING protests by Fattack some youths over the police on Governor Kayode Fayemi, authorities of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), yesterday ordered immediate closure of the school and directed all students to vacate campus.

The institutions’ Deputy Registrar, (Information and Public Relations), Olubunmi Ajibade, said in a statement that students shall be away for three weeks and resume in July, even though he was silent on reasons behind the

closure of the university till after the election.

Sources said the institution took a pro-active action to prevent the crisis escalating into the campus and avoid politicians using the students to foment trouble.

partisan.

He said, “it is so sad that we are dealing with people who are not ready for democracy, those who are not ready for free, fair and credible election. We are sending a petition to Mr. President, Senate President, David Mark, Speaker, House of Reps, Aminu Tambuwal and the Inspector General of Police on the humiliation of our governor and the people of the state.”

It will be recalled that some policemen led by Gabriel Serenkele, on Sunday allegedly attacked the convoy of Governor Fayemi with tear gas and disarmed his security details during a rally organised by All Progressives Congress (APC) after the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday to present the governorship flag to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.

TheGuardian

14 | Tuesday, June 10, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience Nurtured by Truth

FOUNDER: ALEX U. IBRU (1945 – 2011) Conscience is an open wound; only truth can heal it. Uthman dan Fodio 1754-1816

Editorial The Marshal and his gaffes N the trenches, the war on terror is going very roughly for Nigeria. In the minds of a beleaguered citizenry, Nigeria’s leaders are making things even worse. This should not be so and the government must rein in its officials before they hand the insurgents a propaganda victory.

The shoddy manner in which state officials have handled matters so far, especially information management, leaves much to be desired even as the Goodluck Jonathan administration has demonstrated palpable incapacitation and not a few of its officials have advertised monumental individual irresponsibility.

The public profile and recent utterances of the incumbent Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, for instance, are unbecoming of a high-ranking security officer. A day after he was elevated to the position of the Defence chief, he vowed that the insurgent group, Boko Haram, would be routed in no time but nearly six months since he made that statement, the insurgent group has wreaked more havoc on the country.

The Chibok tragedy and international embarrassment in which over 200 school girls were abducted represents the climax of Boko Haram’s audacity and superior strategy and its consequent embarrassment to the pride of Nigeria’s security forces.

Nevertheless, the consequence of the Chibok incident, that is, the international intervention in terms of offer of assistance to free the girls, made obvious the imperative of a coordinated intelligence and information management involving the country’s armed forces and the police.

Despite a reasonable effort in this direction with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) as its hub, a discordant note still plays from the presidency and other agencies of government in terms of unguarded utterances, leading the Nigerian people to wonder who really is in charge of affairs.

The height of such unguarded statements by government officials was one the other day by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Barde, who blatantly claimed that the security forces knew where the Chibok girls were being kept by the Boko Haram insurgent group. This flippancy certainly calls to question the presence of strategic thinking and panache within the operational architecture of the security formations in the country. Even if the information were true, should it be for public consumption? And in that manner? Would that statement not have further jeopardised the safety of the abducted innocent girls? Making such information public is certainly a big gaffe that betrays ignorance about what the responsibility of a chief of defence staff should be in the scheme of things. The CDS is not a commander. He is a staff officer to the president and coordinates the components of the armed forces. Even if need arises to boycott the current information clearing house on the ground, the appropriate spokesperson should be the commander leading the forces in the area of operation.

Air Marshal Badeh’s gaffe has brought the country to further ridicule as a people unable to get their act together despite the huge resources and manpower that Nigeria enjoys. Apart from underlining the low quality of leadership in the country today, it simply reinforces the cynicism of outsiders about Nigeria’s capability even in matters of keeping a sealed lip on intelligence matters. It can only be to Nigeria’s utter shame that the United State’s State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, contradicted the CDS’ statement to the extent that her country did not have “independent information from the United States to support that statement. We, as a matter of policy and for the girls’ safety and wellbeing, would not discuss publicly this sort of information regardless.” Air Marshal Badeh’s statement expectedly rankled the presidency which noted that the CDS’s claim on the missing schoolgirls was unnecessary and could practically hamper the ongoing efforts to rescue the girls.

While the point is to be made that even the volume of information made available from foreign intelligence has so far not established the exact location of the girls, the crux of the matter here is order and coordination. Even in routine security operations, there is always the need for discipline, secrecy, scrutiny and coordination before information dissemination. This brings to the fore the matter of the absence of a definitive commander for the operation against the insurgents which this newspaper has repeatedly drawn attention to as an anomaly as well as a hindrance to the war.

This should be corrected. The current war on the insurgency calls for tactics and a high sense of responsibility, not marketplace chatter. It makes a lot of sense under the prevailing circumstances to stick to a clearinghouse arrangement in the dissemination of information to the public if the war on terror, now hard enough in the trenches, would not be lost in the minds of Nigerians.

I

LETTERS

That story on Egbo is incorrect IR: Over the years, The Guardian newspaper has Soccupied a special place as an authoritative newspaper in Nigeria. As a lecturer, I am among the growing number of academics that find the newspaper as a trustworthy informative resource. But a news item at page 11 of the May 9, 2014 edition of the captioned, newspaper “Varsity Don accuses PDP of causing conflicts in Ebonyi APC” challenged the respect I have for The Guardian.

I read the piece of news over and over wondering how such found its way to the very influential and trustworthy newspaper. I being the univer-

sity don referred to in the news report never met with the reporter nor were the incorrect allegations attributable to me.

The reporter went on to use direct quotes as if he ever interacted with me. For instance, the report declared with certitude that “a university lecturer and chieftain of the Ebonyi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Steve Egbo, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of causing the pockets of conflict ravaging the leadership of the APC in the state. The don also accused the PDP of sponsoring the protest during the party’s congresses, adding

that the crowd that participated in the protest was hired by the PDP”.

Now, if there was any truth in the assertions attributed to me, those who have known me in my more than 25 years as a lecturer know that I would not hesitate to report the allegations to the police.

My suspicion is that the news report was not only tendentious but may have been sponsored by political detractors that are in a hurry to smear every citizen with a tar brush of infamy.

• Dr. Steve Egbo, Department of International Relations Abia State University, Uturu

Godfathers as evil in politics It is believed that politiproblems are caused by StheIR:calelected persons but from my own point of view the evil in politics is caused by the political godfathers and the electorate, not aspirants.

The machinery that gives opportunity to citizens to choose and elect who should govern them effectively has become business for the socalled political godfathers to choose illiterates as candidates so that they can be controlling them after winning the elections in order to be making money from them.

It is very unfair that our lead-

ers are always taking decisions that could benefit only few persons instead of the general public and that clearly demonstrated that godfathers are influencing them (leaders).

This evil has eaten deep into our political system and it has provided a way for people to come into politics to embezzle funds, which are meant for the public and share with their political godfathers.

Most of these godfathers if not all, are the people with questionable characters and I wonder why the public believes so much in them to vote the can-

didates presented to them by the so-called godfathers.

Well, because of the poverty in the land, voters are always ready to receive money from those evil men in our society in order to cast their vote for them.

Let me at this point advise that the ungodly act of bribing people before getting their votes should be addressed and henceforth, electorate should not accept any gift that would make them vote against their will.

• Ikyobo Aondover, Benue State University.

Makurdi.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

15

Opinion Nta, stealing and what corruption is not

By Luke Onyekakeyah HE recent bombshell by the Chairman of the T Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo Nta, that stealing is not corruption, has inadvertently deflated the steam in the anti-corruption war in Nigeria. It may have dealt a death blow to whatever is called anti-corruption crusade in the country. Nta’s statement is very demoralizing and shouldn’t have emanated from his quarter. By stating categorically that stealing of public funds by some unpatriotic public officials, which is the bane of underdevelopment in Nigeria, is not corruption, Mr. Nta has unwittingly given licence to fraudulent persons in government to intensify their lootocracy. What else is Mr. Nta still doing if the looters of public funds are not corrupt?

If the looting and pillaging of public funds, which has earned Nigeria bad image internationally, is not corruption, what then is corruption? Why is the ICPC there in the first place?

There is need to clarify this matter, otherwise, an institution like the ICPC might be irrelevant.

The ICPC was established along with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to fight corruption, which essentially borders on apprehending and prosecuting all persons who have stolen public funds and who by extension involved in money laundering. If this is not the job of the ICPC, then the agency should be scrapped forthwith.

Mr. Nta, the other day, told a delegation from the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), who visited him to forge an inter-agency partnership against corruption that “stealing is not corruption”. This statement from one of the most unlikely quarters jolted Nigerians who have been pauperized by the pillaging of public funds. Everyone knows that one of the greatest problems confronting Nigeria is corruption, which is evident in the unbridled looting of public funds meant for national development.

Nta, then, sarcastically, noted that most Nigerians, including the educated, did not quite understand what constituted corruption, stressing that it was wrong to classify theft as corruption. He said that stealing is erroneously reported as corruption, and teased that we must go back to what we were taught in school to show that there are educated people in Nige-

ria.

It is sad, disappointing and incomprehensible that Mr. Nta is equating stealing of goats and chicken with looting of national treasury. The man who steals goat cannot be said to be corrupt because he has not abused any public office. But the man who steals funds while holding public office is corrupt because he has abused that office; he could not have stolen such funds if he did not occupy the post.

Transparency International (TI) defined corruption as the abuse or misuse of entrusted power for private gain. TI says corruption hurts everyone who depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority. The word “corruption” comes from the Latin “corruptus”, which means “to be broken”. However, corruption does not necessarily entail breaking the law. It has been observed that in many corrupt societies, the legal system is quite flawed. Corruption essentially is about breaking socially established norms of appropriate behaviour. The most cited forms of corruption are bribes and kickbacks, which include payment of a fixed sum, certain percentage of a contract or in-kind favours.

Fraud involves manipulation or distortion of information, facts and expertise for private gain by people entrusted to cater for the public good. Fraud is a purposeful act and does not include unwilling misconduct or negligence. Favouritism, clientalism, cronyism and nepotism are all forms of corruption.

They entail the use of entrusted power to provide preferential treatment to friends, family, kin or anybody close. These forms of corruption stand out as they concern the distribution of resources as opposed to its accumulation. In Nigeria, ethnic sentiments thrive always based on these forms of corruption. For instance, those who agitate for ethnic or zonal presidency have favouritism at the back of their minds.

Corruption is active when political influence is used to get preferential treatment, for instance, in the award of contracts. There is passive corruption when a public official overlooks the pollution of a water source.

That means negligence and abdication of responsibility are corrupt practices passively in the sense that money may not have been involved. However, the fact that the responsi-

ble public official failed to perform his duty, which in turn affects the people and the economy makes it corruption. Passive corruption is partly responsible for the decay of our infrastructural facilities nationwide.

There is distinction between grand and petty corruption. Grand corruption involves sweeping huge sums of money being amassed by corrupt officials. This is where stealing, looting, pillaging of public funds, which Mr. Nta is exonerating falls in. This is the type of corruption that involves highly placed public officials. The corruption charges and recovery by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), involving a host of former public officials come in this category. The public officials involved in this type of corruption adopt the hit and run strategy because as political appointees, they have limited time to stay in office. They exploit the opportunity offered by their offices to amass as much wealth as possible within the shortest possible time.

In Nigeria, these corrupt officials believe that nothing would happen to them and the anticorruption agencies like ICPC have not proved otherwise. Those involved in grand corruption constitute about two per cent of the population. So far, the EFCC and ICPC have focused their searchlight on this small group, leaving the other 98 per cent of the Nigerian population to swim in all forms of corruption.

Ironically, the 98 per cent of Nigerians are involved in petty corruption. This is more frequent and involves lesser sums of money or favours. This form of corruption is endemic and widespread. When we say that corruption has eaten into the fabrics of our society, it is this form of corruption that is mainly referred. Because petty corruption is most widespread, it is the most destructive. It causes go-slow in every sector of the economy and stalls the wheel of progress. Since no individual is immune to corruption, virtually every person is involved, from the office messenger (who would deliberately misplace someone’s file) to the permanent secretary who manipulates information and resources.

Also, there is institutional corruption. This is where public institutions overtly or covertly aid and abet corruption. For example, the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was in the practice of issuing illegal estimated electric bills to consumers. The com-

pany forces consumers to pay fraudulent electric bills for services not rendered. Furthermore, the Water Corporation deliberately issues consumers with fraudulent water bills, which they are forced to pay. Some elements in the various examination bodies are in the habit of issuing unmerited grades to some candidates. While this can’t be said to be officially approved, the institutions such as JAMB and WAEC are aware that such illegal practice is being perpetrated yet they do nothing to stop it.

Some universities are literally selling honorary degrees to dubious characters for monetary benefits.

The foregoing shows the various forms of corruption and their dynamics in this country.

There would be no eradication of corruption in Nigeria unless its roots are uprooted. The EFCC and ICPC have the option of waging the war on all fronts at the same time or adopting a more institutionalized systematic approach. It is easier to deal with the lesser devil than the big one.

Corruption has literally held Nigeria hostage and to exonerate its backbone, which is looting of public funds, is a disservice to the nation.

There is practically nothing that is working; no sector of the economy is exempt; the Federal Government is involved; no state is exempt and no local government council is free from it.

Consequently, no amount of reforms will change the fortunes of this country as long as there is this ravaging corruption in the land.

Corrupt public and private interests would always thwart the well-intentioned government policies and programmes to their own advantage.

The result of the debilitating corruption is that living in Nigeria has become a nightmare. The country’s global image is tainted.

The EFCC and ICPC must be made strong enough to confront the corruption monster.

One thing that would make this country move forward is the death of corruption whereby, public officials would see their position as a call to service and not an opportunity to amass wealth to the detriment of the people. What the EFCC and ICPC have done so far is scratching the monster. The bulk of the task is yet undone. If looting of public funds is exempted from the corruption list, then we could as well disband both the EFCC and the ICPC and deal with the problem in another way.

What if, Nigeria?

By Leonard Shilgba OLITICIANS in Nigeria never learn, at least they never learn in P time. Nigeria is now divided, not into two parts, but more.

Safety of life has become very doubtful. The heart of many Nigerians is becoming calloused with deep-seated anger and hatred in increasing degrees. Disappointment and fear are common emotions on our streets. The man of lawlessness is now in charge of our spiritual engagements, which always precede physical endeavours. The four scattering horns push dangerously north-wards, south-wards, east-wards and west-wards, pushing against stability, national confidence, and general safety. But we shall soon have four divinely sent carpenters to smash these horns. These are not ordinary times. It is not time to look for scapegoats; politicians are to blame, just like they were between October 1, 1960 and January 15, 1966. Nigerian politicians are like flies that refuse the charming caution and eventually follow the corpse into the grave.

Regional and religious sentiments are being encouraged by politicians. There is a dark prospect of a dissolved union or a second civil war. In the midst of all these, Nigerian politicians carry on as though they could govern in crisis. Less than a year before the 2015 general elections, a whole region of more than 10 million voters is being threatened with an election blacklisting due to growing violence. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is being exhumed just in time before the 2015 elections, probably, as a counterinsurgency against Boko Haram. The president has cried out that there are plans to overthrow his government. I should think that this is highly speculative. In any case, the bungling of national issues by the Jonathan government is highly encouraging of this scenario. Most lately, a member of the national conference suggested a delay of national elections for 18 months, that is, until 2018.

I do not believe that ambitions of a few people should be encouraged at the expense of millions of Nigerians. In 1966, after the first military coup was staged, the Igbos became scapegoats

even though there was initial national jubilation at the intervention that ended the crude excesses of politicians. Intervening events thereafter, including a counter coup by northern army officers, drove the young nation into a devastating civil war that claimed millions of souls, and that has yet to heal emotional hurts that are being sustained by even Nigerians who were not yet born at the time. Then, the anger of Nigerians in 1993 forced General Ibrahim Babangida, a military dictator, to “step aside,” but not before he had installed the first interim government in the history of independent Nigeria. However, that government, which was led by a weak leader, was displaced by General Sani Abacha (whom General Babangida knowingly left behind for the purpose), who held viciously unto power until death snatched him away from the scene.

General Abdusalami Abubakar, who succeeded Abacha, being so eager to leave power, hurriedly initiated a civil rule that threw up many rotten apples into the political market, who moved in so swiftly to entrench a kind of politics that has encouraged lawlessness and heart-wrenching corruption that scares not a few from stepping into the arena.

I am yet to come across any insightful Nigerian who sees peace during and after the 2015 general elections. Nigerians and the international community have to make a choice between the politics of now and the salvation of the nation; the 2015 general elections and the rescue of the nation. It is time for real statesmen and women both in Nigeria and abroad to swing intelligently and quickly into strategic actions to save Nigeria.

What if during the campaigns for the presidential and national elections in 2015 scores of people are killed and bomb blasts erupt here and there? What if the Nigerian military has become too corrupted and divided at the top to rescue a failing nation? The Americans cannot even trust them or the Jonathan government with intelligence reports. What if victory, real or forced, by President Jonathan in 2015 brings the nation to its knees through violent protests? What if victory by another presidential candidate, particularly from the North,

unleashes mayhem from a rejuvenated MEND as payback?

What if people of the North-East refuse to recognize the authority of a post-2015 elections president should they be blacklisted from the elections? Nigerians must not hope for a reality that is unrealistic by real evidence on the ground.

I love Nigeria more than I would ordinarily wish a friend to win an election. Whether President Jonathan has kept faith with Nigerians or not, depending on individual perspective, regional or religious perception, one fact stands tall: he has not been able to keep Nigeria together in peace and general welfare. And this is a huge national concern. What if an ex-general of the Nigerian army, an ex-president of Nigeria, who has proved in the past a capacity to hold the nation together, is appointed by an internationally-instigated or coordinated arrangement to head an interim government before May, 2015 in order to cool off tension and organize a sovereign national conference that is enabled by a piece of legislation that is forged by some Transition and Reconciliation Council (TRC), headed by the ex-president? The ongoing national conference is like an intermediary meeting of neighbours to save a marriage in the neighbourhood, without any legal authority; the couple could ignore their counsel as meddlesomeness if either party perceives some disfavour. ECOWAS, the AU and the world have a stake in this largest economy on the African continent and largest black nation on earth. They could either watch it sink and self-destruct or step in to save the Next Big Thing. What Americans did during the Yar’Adua drama is most needed at this hour. If the “Doctrine of Necessity” was required then, it is most required now; and the National Assembly must do the right thing to save Nigeria. There are yet smart and patriotic fellows there, no matter how few.

I see no meaningful elections holding in 2015? I see a danger for the people that are at ease now. At eventide there shall be trouble. They have spoiled and robbed the people; they have made a fire that shall consume them; and they shall meet their comeuppance. What if…?

• Shilgba is a Sad Nationalist (SaN)

16

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Opinion Change of guards at the Central Bank

By Ayo Teriba HE appointment of a new governor to lead T the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from June 2014 to June 2019 brings the number of persons so appointed since May 29, 1999 to four, although only the last two appointments were made after the 2007 CBN Act was signed into law on May 28, 2007.

Joseph Sanusi (1999-2004) and Charles Soludo (2004-2009) had been appointed by President Olusegun Obasanjo, while Lamido Sanusi (2009-2014) was nominated by President Umaru Yar’Adua and confirmed by the Senate, and President Goodluck Jonathan has lately nominated Godwin Emefiele for 20142019. He has since been confirmed by the Senate and has assumed duty on the June 4, 2014.

The occasion affords us the opportunity to reflect on what our lessons from the preceding three regimes can teach us about the next five years. It is instructive to note that while the CBN Act had always allowed for a possible maximum of two terms of five years each, none of the three persons to occupy the office so far had been deemed fit for second terms in office, each tending to assume office with seemingly very high credibility only for such credibility to be eroded before the first five-year term is up.

This raises a lot of questions: Is Nigeria developing a Single-Term Syndrome? Or, why do Nigeria’s CBN Governors find it so difficult to succeed? Why do they end up failing so catastrophically? Why is it that Nigeria (specifically the President and the 109-member strong Senate specifically) do not know how to appoint CBN Governors who will be successful (at least in their first five years). Will Mr. Emefiele now break the jinx?

President Obasanjo dramatically named Mr. Joseph Sanusi at the Governor of CBN as soon as he was sworn in as President at the Eagle Square on May 29, 1999, cutting short the tenure of the incumbent Mr. Paul Ogwuma. Mr. Sanusi was then the Managing Director of First Bank, the largest commercial bank in the country at the time, and he was Deputy Governor at the Central Bank before that. Unfolding events over the next four years were to expose Mr. Sanusi’s poor grasp of the main economic issues confronted in President Obasanjo’s first term (often relying on one of his Deputy Governors at the time, the LSE-trained economist, Dr. Shamusudeen Usman, to answer the difficult economic questions), notably depreciation of the Naira and concomitant increases in inflation and interest rates, coupled with Mr. Sanusi’s indecisive approach to the resolution of weak banks throughout his tenure, especially his infamous ‘life boat arrangement’ in which healthy banks were asked by the CBN to lend to the not-so-healthy ones with CBN’s guarantee, meant that the President needed a more competent person to take charge on the expiration of his tenure.

President Obasanjo also dramatically named Professor Charles Soludo as Mr. Joseph Sanusi’s replacement a few weeks to the end of the latter’s tenure. Dramatic because Soludo had

been the Chief Economic Adviser to the President in the 11th month period before his new appointment, and he appeared to have been doing a good job of redefining medium term economic reform priorities and galvanizing popular support for same across the country.

He arrived the CBN with this favourable image, announced a gigantic bank consolidation project that eventually meant that the 89 banks in the country were forced to merge into about 23 within a couple of years, with too much emphasis on high equity base. This coincided with the strongest upsurges in global commodity prices and global liquidity in recent decades. The Naira appreciated at an annual average of about 4% from 2004 to 2007 and the 91-day Treasury bill rate fell steadily from 15 per cent in 2004 to five per cent by 2009. But the banks herded into the stock market and some financial institutions started booking huge loans just to buy their own shares. Just when the consolidation thing seemed to be working wonders, the global economic and financial meltdown and the stock market contraction of 2008 hit the banks hard, and it became widely suspected that the CBN under Soludo was not saying all that needed to be said about the true state of health of the Nigerian banking system; the Soludo-led CBN even opened an infamous ‘expanded discount window’ that enabled some illiquid banks easy access to CBN funds to paper up the cracks.

Lamido Sanusi’s Tenure President Yar’Adua, with the confirmation of the Senate, named Mallam Lamido Sanusi, a highly reputed institutional risk management expert, who was then Managing Director of First Bank, as Soludo’s replacement. It wasn’t long before Sanusi uncovered the rot that the Soludo regime had been papering over, to the applause of almost everyone. The procedure adopted for the resolution of the crisis in some of the banks, however, created grey areas that the courts are still trying to resolve beyond Lamido’s tenure, and Lamido’s foray into overly hawkish monetary policy activism, one and a half years into his tenure, seems largely responsible (sub-optimal oil price benchmarks on the fiscal side is also responsible) for the deterioration of Nigeria’s unemployment rate from about 15% when he took over in 2009 to about 30% when he left in 2015, although Lamido will prefer to be remembered for overseeing the improvement in the inflation record from 15% when he arrived in 2009 to 7.5% when he left in 2015.

Global Economic and Financial Realities Now that President Goodluck Jonathan has, with confirmation of the Senate, named Mr. Godwin Emefiele, as Lamido’s replacement, the Emefiele regime is inheriting a strong record of exchange rate and price stability, with high real growth from the Lamido regime, but the new regime will have to worry about how to conduct monetary policy in such a way that Nigeria’s superlative growth and stability will translate to a lower rate of unemployment. Fortunately for Emefiele, the

global economy and the global financial environment seem to have strongly recovered from the contractions that put the Soludo reforms to test, and commodity prices have returned to the pre-crisis summit, while global liquidity conditions have become sufficiently strong for the United States to start cutting down on its monthly asset repurchases. Even the Nigerian stock market capitalisation has reached and surpassed the pre-crisis peak of N12.5 trillion, and it is reasonable to expect that beyond the next quarter or two, Nigeria’s external reserves should resume its pre-crisis path. Mr. Emefiele’s tenure might see a repeat of the 2004-2007 situations, in which growing reserves will exert pressures on the Naira to appreciate, with concomitant steady declines in the rate of inflation and interest rates. Emefiele will have to be careful not to repeat the Soludoera errors of misinterpreting global cyclical surges in commodity prices and liquidity as indication of the success of domestic policy reforms and should not allow banks to get too exposed to commodity price and stock price ‘bubbles.’ Lamido had banned margin loans in his tenure but stock market operators have been quick to call on Emefiele to lift the ban.

While economic realities rarely warrant bans on risky but legitimate activities, Emefiele should seek to find the optimal size of margin lending and ways of insuring the lenders against the likelihood of an eventual cyclical contraction in the market.

Focusing Monetary Policy on the Big Picture The biggest challenge will be how to keep the good components of Lamido’s approach to monetary policy while overcoming weaknesses that became glaring in the last three years. The proceedings of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) became more transparent in the Lamido era (communiqués, accompanied with individual statements, and so on).

That transparency is worth keeping. The problem with the Lamido era was that beyond the transparency, the striking features of monetary policy deliberations were their lack of depth, breadth, or intellectual rigour. Real activity crept out of the MPC deliberations, which became two narrowly focused on money flows between the CBN, banks and Government. The economy should first be about consumer spending, especially in the 170-million-strong, world’s seventh most populous economy. Before it is about business spending, and then government, banks, and finally the CBN. For so many years, monetary policy deliberations have had nothing to say about supply side issues of employment, unemployment rate, wages and incomes, or the practical implications of labour market conditions for monetary policy decisions.

The deliberations have also had nothing to say about the demand side issues of growth of consumer spending or investment spending, or the practical implications of households and corporate sector balance sheets for monetary policy decisions.

Filling the Yawning Economic Data Gaps

It seems the latest detailed spending and employment data available as Emefiele assumes office are for 2011. Meaning that availability of data required to gauge the supply side or demand side vulnerabilities that monetary policy decisions must be sensitive to cannot be taken for granted. CBN has partnered with the National Bureau for Statistics (NBS) to ensure reasonably up-to-date collection of data on consumer price index and real production data. But these do not provide enough information for growth and employment supporting monetary policy decisions. Demandside weaknesses revealed from household or business spending data can help to gain a clearer picture of the likely future path of output, inflation, or even employment than quarterly GDP figures can do. Just as supply-side weaknesses revealed from employment and productivity data are vital for validating thinking about the underlying strength and sustainability of economic growth. It is hoped that the CBN will broaden its partnership with the NBS to ensure that these yawning data gaps are filled so that MPC can be adequately informed of these key aspects of the economy before vital policy decisions are taken.

Economic Policy Management by Non-Economists as a Risk Factor Finally, we must not shy away from the fact that Mr. Emefiele, a dedicated banker, both by training and nearly three decades of assiduous professional practice, is being made to lead a CBN Board on which there is currently no economist, and an MPC on which only a couple of the part-time members are economists.

While one cannot question the collective wisdom of President Goodluck Jonathan and the 109-member Nigerian House of Senate in nominating and confirming the amiable gentleman for the role, one must point out that the technical expertise required for the Board of the CBN and the MPC to confront contemporary global economic and financial complexities and translate them to growth, employment, price, exchange rate and financial stability outcomes for Nigeria cannot be currently assumed to exist within the CBN. Both the Board of the CBN and the MPC are now populated by lawyers, accountants, bankers and/or stockbrokers.

None of the current members of the Board of the CBN or the full-time members of the MPC has any track record of writing to publicly articulate any aspect of monetary policy. Indeed, none has the technical capacity to do so now.

As Mr. Emefiele’s vision statement of June 5, 2014 seems to have shown, the new Governor is most likely going to waste the next couple of years trying to convince us/himself that he can learn economics on the job, that he understands what the issues are, and hopefully that he knows what actions to take. Unlike Mr. Joseph Sanusi, he has no full-time qualified economists on either the CBN board or on the MPC. These must be borne in mind as a major risk factor Nigeria might have to mitigate as Emefiele serves out his first five-year tenure.

•Teriba is CEO, Economic Associates.

Safety the watchword as World Cup begins

By Ben Adoga and Sunday Okem IGERIA is definitely passing through trying moments. For many of our fellow countrymen, we are in a state of war folN lowing the senseless destruction of lives and property by the brutal campaign being waged by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Nigerians are soccer loving and crazy people. The football followership in Nigeria is so massive that one wonders if England and Brazil will beat Nigeria if football popularity is put to test.

Football is a language that defies all odds in Nigeria; when it comes to football, there is no tribe, religion or even social class.

However, as the World Cup kicks off on June 12, it is important to sound a note of warning and caution. Football fans must be vigilant and security conscious, so as not to become easy targets for insurgents. Owners and patrons of viewing centres and bars in various parts of the country must ensure that they activate and provide adequate security measures to protect and safeguard the lives of innocent soccer lovers who will throng such places to cheer the Super Eagles or any other teams as they begin their campaign in the Mundial in Brazil.

We must not allow the enemies of the country to spoil the fun of the World Cup and dampen the morale and passion of soccer fans to pray and cheer our national team to success.

The recent attempt by agents of Boko Haram to bomb a viewing centre in Jos, Plateau State during the final of the European Champions League between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, and the bombing of a bar patronised by soccer fans watching a football match in Mubi, Adamawa State is a pointer that the agents of death have begun a new phase in their campaign of terror and murder.

Nigerians are ardent soccer loving people and it will be impossible to expect people to keep away from fun centres during this period. Soccer’s most glamorous show piece happens once every four years, and expectedly, is usually a festival of sort.

Our compatriots like other soccer lovers the world over cannot be an exception in enjoying the thrills and frills that the world cup presents.

But, we caution that we enjoy the moment with the knowledge that these are perilous times indeed, for our dear nation.

For example, owners of bars and viewing centres can mount barricades, gates, station some of their staff to act as look-outs to monitor suspicious movements around their vicinity or ask for the deployment of security agents by the government and ensure that they carry out body checks on all their prospective patrons and guests.

On the other hand, we advise that small groups of friends,

neighbours and even families can pull resources together and purchase facilities that will enable them watch matches in the comfort of their homes or some other private places throughout the duration of the World Cup. As the late novelist, Chinua Achebe, wrote in his acclaimed best seller, Things Fall Apart, Eneke the bird said to itself that “since hunters have leant to shoot without missing, it (Eneke the bird) has also leant how to fly without perching.”

The import of this adage is that since the insurgents are bent on spilling innocent blood, and killing defenceless Nigerians with the ultimate aim of embarrassing the Goodluck Jonathan administration, we must also be a step ahead of them by ensuring that we protect our lives and safeguard our environment. We must send a clear signal to these enemies of darkness that they cannot cow our collective national spirit and that this war they are waging is one which they cannot win.

Fly Super Eagles, fly; the President as the nation’s number one supporter and millions of soccer loving Nigerians are behind you. Fly the nation’s flag high in Brazil and God be with us all during the period.

• Adoga and Okem are of the National Social Contract Initiative, an Abuja-based NGO.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

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Tuesday, June 10, 2014

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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

TheMetroSection Gunmen snatch one-year-old in Imo •Police kill two armed robbers, confirm killing of four by suspected cult members UNMEN numbering about five at G the weekend snatched one -year old Master Chidiebube Njoku, from his mother, Mrs. Promise Onyekachi Njoku. The incident took place at Umuakoliuku, Uboegbelu, Azaraubo, Emekuku, Owerri North Local Council of Imo State at midnight last Sunday.

This is coming on the heels of another one-year -old baby boy who was taken away by an unknown lady at a wedding about a week ago in Ikeduru, Imo state.

Police authorities have confirmed the incident, saying they are already searching for the bandits.

Meanwhile, police also confirmed killing two armed robbers on Sunday in Umudagu, Mbieri, Mbaitoli Local Council when the bandits attempted snatching a bag from a woman. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), who confirmed the incident on Monday said, officers and men of the command were after hoodlums in the nooks and crannies of the state. He also dismissed the allegation that the gunmen killed three policemen.

Narrating the ugly incident of the abduction of the baby boy to The Guardian yesterday, the grandfather of the victim, Pa Eugene Njoku, revealed that the gunmen stormed the family compound of the victims with guns, obstructing the nursing mother who had gone to ease herself, dispossessing

Ali her of her son after splashing a torchlight on her face and releasing some bullets on the leg of the old man. According to him, “they zoomed off in their waiting vehicle with the baby.”

As at the time of filing the story, no trace of either the baby or the gunmen has been established.

The father of the snatched baby is said to be a block molder while the mother is a housewife.

In another development, the Imo State Police Command has confirmed the killing of four persons by suspected cult members in Owerri, the capital of Imo State in recent

times.

Confirming this to journalists, the state Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the command had also arrested 25 in connection with the ugly incident.

The PPRO disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Abdulmajid Ali, has also ordered his officers and men to “shoot-at-sight,” anybody found to indulge in such dastardly act, stressing that such persons would be treated as armed robbers.

He regretted that a state known to be peaceful was threatened by the presence of such group of people, stating that the command would deal mercilessly with anyone found to belong to such group, according to the ambit of the law.

A few days ago, suspected members of two rival cult groups rampaged in the city of Owerri, killing some persons while scores were injured. Police later took control of the situation.

Okorocha explains reasons for dethroning two monarchs, as Ihedioha kicks From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri MO State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday explained the reasons behind his action in withdrawing certificates of recognition of the two monarchs in the state- the Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers and Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers- Obi of Obinugwu, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya; and Eze Cosmas Onyeneke of Lagwa autonomous community, Mbaise.

According to a statement signed by Okorocha’s Seniour Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemedo, and made available to the media yesterday in Owerri, Okorocha said he acted based on the report and recommendations by the ad hoc committee set up by the Imo State House of Assembly which recommended the derecognition of the two mon-

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archs in sections 376 and 377 of the report in December 15, 2011.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, he faulted the action of the governor for sacking the two monarchs from the state.

The statement signed by Ihedioha’s Personal Assistant on Media, Mr. Chibuike Onyeukwu, said it was improper for the governor to act in such manner, urging that Okorocha should reverse the directive he took on June 6, 2014.

Ihedioha reminded the governor of sacking the monarchs in which there were pending litigations on the issues in the courts.

The statement reads, among other things: “The attention of His Excellency, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha, CON, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives has

been drawn to the purported withdrawal of the Certificates of Recognition of HRM Eze Cletus Ilomuanya CON, as the Traditional Ruler of Obinugwu Autonomous Community in Orlu Local Council and HRH Eze Cosmas Onyeneke, Ekwueme IV of Lagwa Okwuato Autonomous Community in Aboh Mbaise Local Council, Imo State by His Excellency Chief Rochas Anayo Okorocha, Governor of Imo State.”

“His Excellency the Deputy Speaker notes that while he had seldom commented on the manner of administration of our dear Imo State by the Governor, it has become increasingly clear to all that the Governor has continued to engage in actions that are anathema to good governance, peaceful coexistence, the rule of law and due process.”

“Consequently, for the sake of

posterity, His Excellency the Deputy Speaker is constrained to make the point that the purported de-recognition of the aforementioned traditional rulers by Governor Okorocha is in utter disregard to the rule of law, due process and an indeed affront on the custom and heritage of the people whom those traditional rulers embody.”

“It is noteworthy that extant and relevant statutes clearly stipulate the procedures and conditions precedent for the withdrawal of Certificate of Recognition of Traditional Rulers in Imo State. Sadly, none of the conditions including fair hearing which is a basic foundation of jurisprudence have been met in this instance.”

But Okorocha insisted that he had allowed the monarchs to function before the June 6 action he took, adding that he ex-

ercised his constitutional mandate as enshrined in Traditional Autonomous Communities and Allied Matters in Imo State Law nos. 6 of 2006.

He said he was enraged when last Friday, Ilomuanya, allegedly in company of over 200 armed mobile policemen and more than 50 armed thugs, gained entrance into the premises of the Secretariat of the Monarchs’ Council and harassed workers, adding that by the latest sack action Ilomuanya will no longer parade himself. Okorocha disclosed that the litigation which had gone beyond the Appeal Court to the Supreme Court was ongoing in trial.

The governor accused Ilomuanya of not attending government functions, but rather operating from Abuja for the past three years.

Bishop condoles with bereaved families, institutes investigation committee on collapsed building signed by the Director of communications, Diocese on the Niger, Sir Oselloka Offoli, said the project has not HE Bishop on the Niger, Rt. Rev Owen Nwokolo, has been formally accepted, adding that, “It is only when instituted a committee to investigate into the cirthe diocesan consultants on building certify it okay cumstances that led to the collapse of a four-storey that the church would enlist it as one of its property”. building at St. Christopher’s Anglican Church, OnitOffoh disclosed that the Bishop on the Niger, Rt. Rev sha, which killed four persons last week’s Monday.

Owen Nwokolo has instituted a standing committee Besides, Bishop Nwokolo at the weekend conveyed to unravel the cause of the collapse and report back to his condolence to the bereaved families, just as he di- the Diocese within three weeks. rected members of the Parochial Church Committee He said: “The committee made up of professionals to give all necessary assistance to the families of the and experts will also certify the quality of work on the four workers who lost their lives at the scene of the ac- on-going projects in the diocese to stem further occurcident. rence”.

He recalled that the diocese gave its necessary supThe statement noted, “On June 2, 2014, an office block, port during the rescue operation, but regretted that nearing completion, roofed and with plastering going unfortunately, some workers had died. on suddenly collapsed, trapping four of the workers.

A press release made available to The Guardian and On getting the information, the church mobilized res-

From Uzoma Nzeagwu, Awka

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1, 423 indigent students get LAPO scholarship From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City

The PPRO disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Abdulmajid Ali, has also ordered his officers and men to ‘shoot-at-sight,’ anybody found to indulge in such dastardly act, stressing that such persons would be treated as armed robbers

From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri

Briefs

cue machinery immediately but unfortunately, the rescue efforts were hampered by the fact that the church had no specialized machines for such emergencies and four persons died.

“However, the church authorities have beckoned on the Onitsha South Local Council boss, who brought in Julius Berger, Tamad Construction Company and other construction companies, to come to their recue. They mobilized to the site and succeeded in rescuing four of the workers who were rushed to the hospital. The four were later confirmed dead.

“It would be recalled that a four storey building, which caved in on June 2, 2014 was a project undertaken by a group at St. Christopher’s Church as a donation. The construction had reached an advanced stage with the roofing completed, while plastering was still on, but suddenly collapsed.

OT less than 1,423 indigent N students of clients of Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) Microfinance Bank Limited drawn from 15 states across the South-south and South-East have been provided with grants and scholarships to secondary and tertiary education estimated at N64,724,900 million in the last six years. The scheme is LAPO’s support for education.

Associate Director of the bank, Moses Ehigiamusoe disclosed in Benin City during the 2014 Scholarship Ballot programme for prospective applicants of clients of the bank for the 2014 Scholarship Ballot exercise.

He said the need to support the education of families of clients of the bank prompted the organisation to embark on the programme since 2008,with over 1,432 beneficiaries from secondary and universities across the country.

According to him, the process for selection has been “modified to ensure transparency”.

He said screening test would be conducted in the 15 regions on Friday, June 13.

Teen Connect for launch tomorrow NEW magazine, Teens ConA nect published by Nkechi Ibeneme, formerly of The Punch Newspaper, will be launched tomorrow at Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Nos. 13/15, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos at 11.00a.m.

Mount Zion begins revival OUNT Zion Lighthouse M Full Gospel Church Inc., Pedro Special Centre, Lagos will from tomorrow to Friday its three-day day revival under Bishop N. D. Ayarhndue, with the Theme: ‘‘The Return of his Glory” at the church auditorium, No. 30, Bankole Street, off Famous Bus Stop Pedro Bariga, Lagos. Wednesday and Thursday’s events hold at 7.00 p.m. while Friday is vigil at 10 p.m. Apostle Dr. David Aniefiok will minister.

Agape Worship Centre marks Fathers’ Day

HE Agape Worship Centre T will on Sunday, June 15, 2014, mark its Father’s Day celebration at 9.00a.m., at No. 6, Zion Close, off Kosoko Road, Ojodu, Berger Bus-Stop, Lagos.

The theme is “Fatherhood, The Home and Nation.”

Pastor Emeka Obiora said there would be special ministration by the hosts, Apostle and Mrs. David Odi.

Foursquare Church women hold rally in Lagos HE stage is set for this year’s T Foursquare Women International Rally’s Alabaster Service, with the theme: The Unlimited God, on Saturday, June, 14,, 2014, at the Foursquare Gospel Church (FGC) Ketu District Headquarters, No.1, Rashidi Oekan Street, behind Tippers’ Garrage, Ketu, Lagos.

District Overseer, Rev. Elkannah Oluwagbesan will minister.

There will be raffle draw and lucky winners will go home with sewing, grinding, pop corn machines among others.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Briefs Adekanye made Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Ibadan ROFESSOR J. ‘Bayo Adekanye has been appointed Emeritus ProP fessor of Political Science by University of Ibadan. An initial graduate of the same institution from which he took his B.Sc. Second-Upper Honours Class Degree (1967), Adekanye obtained both the Master’s (1971) and PhD (1976) from Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, the United States of America.

He is a well-established Nigerian Scholar and Professor of Political Science, with considerable international reputation and stature. For over 30 years, he was on the staff of the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, where beginning from 1976 he rose steadily through the ranks to the full rank of Professor in 1985, before retiring 21 years later at the statutory age of 65.

Professor Adekanye has had a long history of continued and continuing academic work and commitment. The institutions where he has held academic and administrative appointments both at home and abroad include University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife), Department of Political Science, Assistant Lecturer, 1967-69; Harvard University’s Centre For International Affairs (CFIA), Cambridge, Mass., USA, Graduate Student Associate, 1972-74; University of Ibadan, Department of Political Science (continuous and unbroken service up to retirement), rising from Lecturer II 1976-78, through Lecturer I 1978-80 and Senior Lecturer 1980-85, to Professor 1985-2006. Others are University of Lancaster, Centre for International Security and Arms Control (CISAC) Department of Politics, Lancaster, England, Visiting Fellow, Sabbatical year, 1982-83; Dalhousie University, Department of Political Science, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Visiting Fellow & Professor, Sabbatical year, 1990-91; International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO), Norway: Research Fellow & Programme Leader, Ethnic and Nationalist Conflicts (ENC) Programme, on Study Leave from University of Ibadan, May 1994-September 1997; Kogi State University, Anyigba, Kogi State, Department of Political Science, first Contract (i.e. post-Retirement) Appointment, 2007-09; and Babcock University, IlishanRemo, Ogun State, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, second Contract (i.e. Post-Retirement) Appointment, from January 2010 and up to the time of his latest Ibadan appointment.

Bayo

Arisekola Alao congratulates Sanusi as Olugbo consoles Kano people on Bayero’s death From Najeem Raheem, Ibadan HE Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola Alao, has congratulated Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on his appointment as the 14th Emir of Kano.

He described the appointment of the new Emir as "the wish of the Almighty Allah, who gives power to whom He pleases", making reference to the Holy Quran: Surat 3. Al- Imran verse 26.

Alhaji Arisekola prayed that "the Almighty God will guide, protect and always lead Alhaji Sanusi in all his undertakings" adding that '' may the Almighty God also always assist him, the new Emir, with all powerful help and grant him the wisdom to lead his people on the right path to greater peace and progress''.

Meanwhile, the Olugbo of Ugboland and Chairman, Yoruba Obas Conflicts Resolution Committee, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, has expressed shock over the death of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero.

In a statement issued by the committee, the monarch condoled with the government and people of Kano State over the transition of the paramount ruler.

Oba Akinruntan described the late Emir as a man of peace who ruled with the fear of God and noted that during his reign in the city of Kano witnessed tremendous development.

Oba Akinruntan expressed his heart-felt sympathy to the Emir’s bosom friend, Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, urging the royal father to take heart. He prayed that the Almighty should grant the Bayero Dynasty, Government and people of Kano state the fortitude to bear the loss and grant the late Emir Aljanah Fridaus.

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Justice Egbue for burial June 13 HE death has occurred of Justice Donatus Onyechi Egbue at T the age of 83. Born on April 11, 1931, in Onitsha, Egbue was a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Anambra State. He was at different times appointed into many positions in the state judiciary.

Egbue retired meritoriously from the Bench in 1996 but was appointed Chairman, Anambra State Local Government Election Appeal Tribunal in 1997.

He died recently and will buried on Friday, June 13, this year, at his compound in Ndom Ngo, Nnobi in Idemili Local Council, Anambra State.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Lorina Estella Egbue; three sons, Mr. Chris Egbue, Mr. Terry Egbue, Brian Egbue; and a daughter, Mrs. Egbue

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

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In Ebonyi, small hilly village of Okpuma bids bye to years of darkness From Nnamdi Akpa, Abakaliki.

O the people of Okpuma in Amangwu community, a hilly village in Edda Afikpo South Local Council of Ebonyi State, the coming of veteran journalist, Mr. Kenneth Eseni as the Coordinator of Edda East Development Centre will ever remain memorable in their minds for years to come.

The little community, whose inhabitants are predominantly farmers, never expected that electricity will be in their village, but are now connected to the national grid.

To them, it was sweet relief as long days of darkness are over. Until recently, nobody knew that the people of Okpuma in Amangwu Community, Edda East Development Centre have never enjoyed electricity since their community came into existence. But the story changed when the state governor, Martin Elechi, appointed Mr. Kenneth Eseni as the coordinator of the development centre in the area.

Eseni, a journalist and former General Manager in charge of South East operations of Daar Communications Plc, operators of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Raypower and Daarsat, is of the school of thought that developmental initiatives and provision of infrastructural facilities should not be concentrated in a particular geographical zone but rather allowed to spread evenly across all nooks and crannies of the state.

Speaking with The Guardian,

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Ebonyi State Governor, Martin Elechi Eseni said the council approved the sum of N9 million for the electrification project.

He said: “This community never had electricity since its creation. It has never had light all through history. It is not that it had light before and something went wrong.

It has never been connected to the national grid. It has never seen public electricity and whatever light the people saw was from generating sets.”

“We are taking this light from the high tension that is running from Amasiri down to Amangwu because we feel that this community has been so long neglected by previous administrations and we feel that their socioeconomic life needed be turned around.”

“Since Amangwu community, where Okpuma belongs, to already has light, it is just morally justifiable that we give Okpuma light, and after this project, we are moving

power to Asaga from Amangwu. We are extending it from the high tension from Amangwu to Asaga via Owutu.”

He continued: “We have for some time now seen that Owutu took light from the Unwana axis and the power supply there has been quite epileptic to the extent that for several months, they don’t have light. The AmasiriAmangwu route is more reliable and our people are clamouring for a better power supply. That is why our administration, through the directive of the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi, has concentrated much of our capital into this kind of project.”

“We see rural electrification as a key project that will turn around the economy of Edda East Development Centre and that is why we intend extending it from Amangwu through Asaga to Owutu and of course we will move into

other parts of Edda. I can assure you that this project will be completed after the next 10 days.”

“We identify the projects we want to execute and do appropriate costing and also categorise them so as to know those that are capital intensive and those that are routine.”

When The Guardian visited the community some social activities had started, viewing and film centers are in progress coupled with cool drinking spots for relaxation and other economic activities.

Expressing joy over the electrification project, a community leader in the area, Sunday Ogbonnaya, stated that the project was a welcome development.

“Previous administrations have been coming to us with their campaign promises without fulfilling them but this young man, between one to three months in office, said enough was enough on lack of power in our community.”

“I’m reminding those in political office to emulate what our Coordinator is doing for us here. He has brought democracy dividend to us and we are happy. Politicians occupying various positions should use their office to assist the poor and downtrodden masses.

“With this light and water will come; the youths and aged among us have promised that the materials would be secured; we are 100 per cent prepared to ensure that all the materials for this project are adequately protected,”

Two pastors, others to die by hanging for bank robbery From Niyi Bello, Akure WO clergymen, Pastor Adeniyi Matthew and Evangelist Akeem Benjamin and two others, Cosmos Obi, a Delta State-based trader and Sheriff Ogunleye, an apprentice mechanic, have been sentenced to death by hanging by an Akure High Court after their conviction for organizing and participating in a bank robbery in the Ondo State capital on the night of July 2, 2005 during which the sum of N26 million was carted away.

The court, presided over by Justice David Kolawole, found them guilty of the two-count charge preferred against them by the prosecution after they allegedly demonstrated how they carried out the robbery to a team of police investigators even though they pleaded not guilty in the open court.

They were brought to court on the two-count charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and actually carrying out the act contrary to section 5 (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act and armed robbery contrary to section 1 (2) (b) of the same Act. The convicts were among the eight accused arraigned before the court at the commencement of trial last year but one of them, Johnson Olanrewaju, escaped from prison custody during the Akure jail break of July 30 last year while two others, Olatunji Akindele and Saliu Ahmed were discharged and acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence.

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They were accused of robbing NBM bank now Sterling Bank branch in Akure while armed with dangerous weapons some of which were recovered from them and presented as exhibits in the prosecution.

During the trial, Police Inspector Abimbola Olayiwola who was attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Force CID Annex, Lagos was called as the sole prosecution witness and he told the court the efforts of the police to apprehend the culprits.

According to Olayiwola, who testified on behalf of a team of detectives that handled the case, the bank reported the incident and that the sum of N26 million was carted away and his team swung into action to unravel the mystery surrounding the robbery.

He told the court: “The DIG in charge of investigations directed the Federal SARS to take over the investigations.

Initially there were no clues as to who did the robbery but we later got information that the police in Ibadan arrested an evangelist in whose possession a sum of N825, 000 in NBM bank wrappers was recovered.”

“Thereafter we proceeded to Ibadan to take over the investigation of the case and through the information we got from the evangelist, we were able to arrest five suspects linked to the robbery between Akure and Ikire. Others were arrested in Ibadan and Abeokuta.”

He told the court further

that the police brought the suspects to the bank to demonstrate how the robbery was carried out and the recorded video of the demonstrations was also tendered as an exhibit during the trial.

In his judgment, Justice Kolawole said: “At the end of the exercise, I found sufficient evidence outside the statements to find the 2nd, 3rd,

4th and 5th defendants guilty. The corroborative evidence came mainly from the investigations conducted by the police that included the recovery of money, vehicles and the admissions contained in the video recording of the visits to the crime scene by the police and the defendants.”

Brief Nigeria Automotive Summit holds June 16 EMPSTONE Media will hold its first yearly Nigeria Automotive K Summit on Monday, June 16. The conference has been launched in the wake of the October 2013 with the approval of the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP), a legislation, which paves the way for a revival of Nigeria's vehicle and auto-parts manufacturing industries. It will provide a forum for government and industry leaders to map the sector's future make new business contacts and share best practice.

The summit will highlight opportunities for joint ventures, industrial infrastructure development, investment, vehicle sales, technology development, education and training. The crucial steps being taken by the Nigerian Government to support and maximise the potential of the industry will also be discussed.

The Managing Director, Kempstone Media, Sylvia Powell said: "Nigeria's automotive sector is on the cusp of significant growth, with major vehicle and motor parts manufacturers from around the globe looking to take their share of a potentially huge market. We have already seen the first 'Proudly Nigerian' Nissan Patrol roll off a Lagos production line, and Hyundai and Kia have also agreed to produce vehicles in Nigeria.

“The Summit will be an unprecedented gathering of international leaders, and will offer truly exceptional networking opportunities. We have gathered a stellar cast of international speakers and look forward to welcoming the leaders of the automotive industry to Nigeria."

Under the patronage of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the National Automotive Council, the Nigeria Automotive Summit is set to become an unmissable event in the motor industry calendar. Confirmed attendees include Managing Director, Nissan South Africa, Mike Whitfield, President, GM Africa Mario Spangenberg, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Olusegun Aganga,; Engr. Director General of the National Automotive Council Aminu Jalal, and Senior Vice President of Bosch Dr. Markus Thill.

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BUSINESS Tuesday, June 10, 2014

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Business Govt may miss June deadline for regular power supply

By Roseline Okere and Sulaimon Salau LANS by the Federal Government to provide regular electricity in the country this month may have hit the rocks, going by assessed declining fortunes of power generation and supply around the nation.

Already, no fewer than 400 communities located around Ikorodu area of Lagos State have threatened to paralyse activities at the nation’s biggest power station, Egbin power plant over lingering black out, among other environmental hazards suffered from the activities of the electricity generating firm.

The planned action is capable of throwing the whole

P

. Communities threaten to shut Egbin plant over outages nation into darkness, as the shutting down of Egbin amounts to removal of about 1090 Mega Watts (MW) current generation from the national grid. This is the highest that could be derived from any power plant in Nigeria.

The Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, had in January ordered the new board of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to ensure improved power supply by June.

Nebo also assured recently that he has got a firm commitment from the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, of availability of gas for that

purpose.

He even assured Nigerians that no one would be left in darkness because the ministry was determined to deliver on President Jonathan’s directive of appreciable improvement in electricity supply nationwide by June.

“The June deadline is by the corner; Mr. President’s word is a bond. We must generate more power; we are prepared to assist all our agencies in making sure that the ball keeps rolling. We can’t afford to fail in our duties.

I have a firm commitment from my colleague, the minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Allison-

Madueke, that gas would be available. We must ensure synergy in all our operations; all the three electricity value-chain must be happy including our esteemed customers. She has even given an assurance on gas for power that if need be, she will order that gas meant for export is diverted to power,” he said.

But the reality on ground showed that rather than enjoying regular power supply this month, electricity generation has dropped due to inadequate gas supply.

Already, power supply is expected to drop by 700mw as government shuts Utorogu and Ughelli East

gas infrastructure in Delta State.

Utorogu and Ughelli East gas plants, owned by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) joint venture (JV), produce between 300 and 120 million standard cubic feet per day of gas (mmscf/d), and generate about 500 megawatts (MW) and 200MW to the national grid.

With the shutdown of the plants, power generation will drop by at least 700Mw reducing supply from the grid to just above 3000Mw. The minister in a media statement that the action is in line with efforts to consolidate on the successes recently recorded in improved electricity supply

Executive Vice President, Afrexim Bank, Dr. Okey Oramah (right); President, South East/South South Professionals of Nigeria, Emeka Ugwu-Oju; Deputy Minister of Economy, Gabon, Jean Louis Ekra,; and President /Chairman of the board, Afrexim Bank, Marcellin Agaya, during the cocktail reception hosted by the Gabonese government for participants at the bank’s 21st yearly general meeting held in Libreville, Gabon, at the weekend.

OPEC to steady output as Brent’s price projection rises HE Organization of Petroleum Exporting T Countries (OPEC) ministers said they may leave their oilproduction ceiling unchanged when the group meets this week.

But traders have said that what really matters for markets is whether Saudi Arabia will respond to global supply shortfalls by pumping a record amount of crude.

OPEC, which produces about 40 per cent of the world’s oil, will meet in Vienna on June 11, to discuss its 30 million-barrel daily output target. Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Angola and Kuwait said they expect no change, as did 22 of 23 analysts and traders surveyed by Bloomberg News.

The body’s Economic

Commission Board, a panel that reviews supply and demand levels before the meeting, concluded on June 5, that the current production level is adequate, according to two OPEC delegates.

Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank AG, Morgan Stanley, Barclays Plc and Citigroup Inc. raised their 2014 Brent price forecasts over the past three months, citing supply risks.

The median estimate of the four banks climbed to $107.75 a barrel, from $100.25 as of December 31, while the grade has averaged $108.26 a barrel this year, compared with $108.70 in 2013. It rose 1.1 percent to $109.78 a barrel as of 3:35 p.m. in London.

Just six months ago, energy analysts predicted output from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries would climb too high and Saudi Arabia needed to cut to make room for other suppliers.

They changed their minds after production from Libya, Iran and Iraq failed to rebound as anticipated, and industrialized nations’ stockpiles fell to the lowest for the time of year since 2008.

Saudi Arabia may need to pump a record 11 million barrels a day by December to cover the other member nations, says Energy Aspects Ltd., a consultant.

“Now it’s not whether the Saudis will make room, but

whether they’ll keep it going and maintain enough spare capacity. OPEC is increasingly having a hard time just doing its job of bringing all the barrels needed,” said Jamie Webster, a Washingtonbased analyst at IHS Inc., an industry researcher.

Even as the North American shale revolution propels U.S. production to a threedecade peak, supply in other parts of the world is faltering. A battle for political control in Libya, pipeline attacks in Iraq and prolonged sanctions against Iran are preventing those nations from reviving output. While U.S. crude inventories rose to a record in April, restrictions on

exports are keeping those supplies in the country, tempering forecasts that global oil prices will decline this year.

The International Energy Agency, the Paris-based adviser to 29 nations, recommended on May 15 a “significant rise in OPEC production” to meet demand of 30.7 million barrels a day in the second half of the year.

Oil inventories in advanced nations were at 2.62 billion barrels in April, the lowest for that month since 2008, the year Brent reached a record $147.50 a barrel, IEA data show.

Saudi Oil Minister, Ali AlNaimi, told reporters in Seoul on May 12 that any supply shortage in the oil

to homes and businesses in many parts of the country.

The communities, which play host to the Egbin Lagos 1,300 Mega Watts installed capacity plant, said they have begun mobilisation to register their grievances in a way that would be unpleasant to the new owners of the power plant, Sahara Energy, having failed to meet thier electricity demand.

The chairman of the Community Development Councils (CDCs) who made this known to journalists after a meeting with the management of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), in Lagos at the weekend, said the communities could no longer cope with the situation and have therefore “resolved to shut down the plant plant, any moment from now, if urgent actions were not taken to adress thier grievances”.

The CDC Chairman, Ijede Local Council Development Area, Rotimi Ayoku, who was accompanied by his conterparts, said the communities have been suffering from acute power supply over the years, despite its closeness to the power plant, and having to bear the consequences of environmental hazards from its operations.

“We have been living perpetualy in darkness. Every other host communities in this country, benefit certain things as corporate social responsibilities from the company. We are not getting that in Ijede and yet we are denied the normal electricity supply. Enough is enough, we have mobilised our members across the five local councils in Ikorodu. What we are planning is a serious mass action, that will bring down the power plant.” he said.

The communites comprise of five local councils including; Ijede LCDA (79 communities), Ikorodu Local Council (104 communities), Ikorodu North Local Council (96 communities), Igbogbo/Baiyeku local council (74 communities) and Imota LCDA (54 communities).

According to him, the ccommunities expect that the power firm should connect the 15MvA injection substation that has been duly completed over the years but not commissioned; the 100 MVA in Egbin should also be completed and used to power the 15 MVA. “There is a100 MVA transformer that supplies Egbin from Ikorodu, about 14 kilometres away. It cannot work that way because of the distance, and more people are even relocating to Ikorodu/Ijede axis, due to the road expansion by the government. So, they needed to build more substations, so that we can get regular supply.

“Within the next five days, if no concrete action is

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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BUSINESS Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Executive Director (Operations), Bank of Industry (BOI), Mohammed Alkali (left); Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Industry, BOI, Rasheed Olaoluwa, Group Managing Director, Tropical General Investment Limited, Rahul Savara and General Manager, Business Development, WACOT Ltd, Krishnan during a courtesy visit to the Bank of Industry’s Head Office, Lagos

OTC market records high intraday volatility

By Bukky Olajide ESTERDAY, the Over-TheCounter [OTC] market recorded relatively high intraday volatility in reaction to the current state of the financial markets.

The market witnessed a bit of profit taking as investors tried to take advantage of rising prices. This trend could not be sustained as there was a reversal later as a result of demand that filtered into the market from both domestic and offshore investors – obviously a result of the signal of the policy direction under the new CBN governor.

DunnLorenMerrifield analysts expect the level of market volatility to reduce as we approach the FGN bond primary auction due on tomorrow during which about N70.0billion worth of bonds will be offered.

Meanwhile, yields stayed low as fixed income appetite remained strong. A review of the fixed income market for the week revealed a modest contraction in yields and market rates across board.

Equities slipped back into

Y

red by the end of day’s trading. General market sentiment appears to have dampened.

Oando, Ecobank Transnational Incorporation and Forte Oil were on the front burner of yesterday’s loss.

Overall activity level was mixed just as the market breadth index (MBI) closed flat at 0.00x, further affirming the neutral market mood. Volume of shares traded rose by 3.83 per cent while aggregate value of transaction fell by 3.00 per cent.

The benchmark index ended at 41,570.09points, sliding by 0.14 per cent.

Overall market capitalisation stood at N13.726trillion. Gains from Guaranty, Union and First bank was insufficient to lift the index.

Redstarex, Conoil and Avoncrown emerged as the top gainers while Oando, Portpaint and Vono led on the losers’ camp. So far this week, the market has shown signs of weakness much in line with our expectation and has also shown strength. The benchmark index is up by 0.23 per cent week-to-date lifting

YtD return to 0.58 per cent.

At the fixed Income market, activity was strong at the T-Bills market as trader who missed the primary auction stormed the interbank market to cover their positions. T-Bills yields were down 11bps across maturity spectrum..

At the interbank lending market, rate contracted by 16bps on average to 12.74 per cent driven by the Call rate which fell by 44bps. Trading

at the bond market improved as prices rose on average to see bond yields trim below 12 per cent to close at 11.90 per cent.

On strong demand pressure coupled with no oil flows from the oil majors, the Naira weakened by 84kobo or 0.52 per cent to close above the N162/US$ mark.

Elixir Research analysts expect the pressure to moderate as market digests the apex bank’s “policy-focus”.

Communities threaten to shut Egbin power plant CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 taken, we are going to take a mass action but non violence to make them see reasons with us,” he said.

The CDC chairman, Ikorodu Local Council and Ikorodu North Local Council, Lukman Shonibare and Laja Martins, confirmed to The Guardian that the communities have taken necessary steps by writing letters to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and IKEDC about the situation, even as sevaral meet-

ings held does not yeild any positive friuts.

The Managing Director, IKEDC, Abiodun Ajifowobaje, said, “the issue of Ijede has lingered for long, but the fforts of IKEDC has led to installation of a 15MVA injection substation in the midst the communities. The project is alsomost completed and it is handled under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) scheme.

Besides, there is another 100MVA at Egbin that is now under construction. The idea is that the power supply will now come directly from Egbin so that we can stabilise the power supply.

On why they are presently in darkness, he said: “ They are getting supply from Ikorodu, but the line is one of the most overloaded feeder that we have in Ikeja, so there is always problems on that feeder. One of the solution is we are puting in place is to remove the load and all those communities from Ikorodu and connect them to Egbin. By the time we complete the project, they will probably be getting power more than any community in this country.”

On the duration of the project, Ajifowobaje said: “ The NIPP projects are almost completed. It remains to tidy up the small HVDS trasformer. If you go to Ijede now, you will discover that the transformers are being installed. Once the 33kva that is coming from Egbin is completed, we will just load the power. But I cannot give you the time frame, because we are not the one handling it, the injection substation is under the NIPP, the 100MVA is TCN project, although, we are monitoring the projects on daily basis.”

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Economic challenges of U.S. shale oil discovery

NNPC, Group Managing Director, Andrew Yakubu

Alison-Madueke

From Collins Olayinka, Abuja

J

UST for how long will it take Nigeria to diversify its economy was the poser so frequently heard both within and outside of government quarters.

The various global economic downturns have happened, which could have forced Nigeria into delving into other areas of endeavours that can guarantee steady financial inflow for the country but the country has defied all odds surviving on the earnings from its crude oil sales.

Even the dreaded tumble in the oil price has not been strong enough to influenced Nigeria moving away from relying on oil sales as its main source of foreign earnings.

With Nigeria population hovering around 160 to 170 million mark, it is hoped that the sheer market size is a good selling point for foreign direct investment but attracting substantial investment have been hampered by unstable economic policies, corruption, unfavourable economic atmosphere and until recently security challenges.

With all known economic policies aimed at shifting the attention of government from crude oil failed, the advent of Shale oil and gas in Nigeria traditional market partners such as United States and China may signal the much-needed alibi to decades of economic inertia.

The number one position held by the United States as the single largest importer of Nigeria’s oil for many decades has indeed ended.

With the discovery of Shale oil and gas in the US, the reality has finally dawn on Nigeria on the need to start looking for alternative markets in the short term, start preparing for a world without crude oil or a world where everyone has oil.

The cruelty of Nigeria situation was aptly painted by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke recently in Abuja where she declared that the time is now for Nigeria to start preparing for a competitive and shrinking global oil market.

She dropped the bombshell to the audience that included labour thus: “The United States has finally exited importation of crude oil following the utilization of Shale oil and gas.”

This ‘bad’ news that Nigeria has silently prayed never to happen was announced by the Minister through the Director Group Executive Director (GED) Corporate Strategy and Planning, Dr Timothy Okon, at the Interactive enlightenment workshop on Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in Abuja.

In order to bring hope, the Minister promptly assured that Nigeria has begun searching for fresh market for her crude oil.

Mrs Alison-Madueke urged the country to adopt sustainable economic policies following the changes in global economy.

According to her, the situation at hand calls for the change of present policies, which may cause future economic hardship.

Her words: “The global economy is changing and

Nigeria must adopt sustainable economic strategy. I know many of you must have heard the Shale gas and the Shale oil revolution.

This has literally knockedout Nigeria from the export to the USA. So Nigeria must adapt. We must change our ways and policies that we may hold dear which may cause us economic stress in the future. So this market there called the Shale oil and gas has resulted in Nigeria seeking new markets for its oil.”

Acknowledging the highlevel of mismanagement that have bedevilled the industry in the last five decades, Alison-Madueke called for competitiveness in the sector, noting that there is need for new policies for strengthening the industry.

Though admitted that there is no doubt that natural endowment has the capacity and capability to transform the country, she submitted that the country still needs to diversify its economic base in order to benefit maximally from such endowment.

The Minister stated that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) presently going through legislation process in the National Assembly, is packaged to jumpstart the oil and gas sector and reposition it to meet emerging

new global challenges in the sector.

She stressed that Nigeria expects to attain a vibrant economy due to initiatives such as gas price reform, gas commercialization, gas infrastructure framework and others policies that are enshrined in the bill.

The Minister was unequivocal when she declared that Nigeria can quickly begin to fill the gap that has been created by the exit of US by liberalizing the oil and gas sector, which the passage of the PIB will achieve within a space of short period.

According to her, the PIB is expected to boost the job creation initiatives of government at all levels by restoring Nigeria’s industrial capacity towards massive generation and enablement of economic activities.

“The PIB will herald a conducive atmosphere that will restore the industrial capacity of Nigeria for massive job creation. Because of the chains of opportunity coming on board when the bill is passed, there will be massive service space that will be created and these jobs will be created as a result of demand for services,” she said.

The Petroleum Minister stated that the gains from transformation agenda of the current administration

With the discovery of Shale oil and gas in the US, the reality has finally dawn on Nigeria on the need to start looking for alternative markets in the short term, start preparing for a world without crude oil or a world where everyone has oil.

have already been demonstrated from the privatization of the power sector.

She maintained that the country is looking forward to accessing investments in the power sector following its liberalization.

Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Dakuku Peterside, said the operators in the sector are expected to stop gas flaring three years after the passage of the bill.

He noted that the bill must stop pollution and emission from gas flaring when it takes effect.

The bill, which he said has passed the second reading in both chambers of the National Assembly, is being delayed because the lawmakers must be thorough since the sector is very key to the nation’s economy.

Peterside urged the labour movement to support the National Assembly to realize the passage bill, which will stand the test of time.

Vice President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Issa Aremu, who chaired the occasion, submitted that the labour movement is not against the passage of the PIB. In fact, he threated that labour will be forced to picket the National Assembly if the bill is not passed within the lifespan of the current Assmbly.

He added: “It is good that chairman House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) is here. I think they will not wait for us to picket them before they can pass this bill.”

He described the PIB as one of the progressive laws

that this democracy can give the citizenry.

Aremu added that if the bill becomes law, it could culminate in the creation of 19 fresh companies from the unbundling of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

He noted that since the bill provides for local content, different the sector would engage Nigerians from different professional backgrounds.

Aremu explained further: “One thing about this law is that if it is passed additional 19 companies will be created. It means that we will unbundle the NNPC and there are different companies that will spring up.

From the point of view of labour, we support it because of the jobs that are going to be created from it.

And also, this law also has promises to encourage local content. Local content means we must have the value for Nigerians to operate the sector instead of being dominated by foreigners. So any law that will engage Nigerian technicians and accountants is a progressive law we will support as much as possible.”

Speaking as an environmental activist, the chairman Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mr Ledum Mitee recommended that there should be a clear definition of ‘community’ in the bill before its passage into law.

He also urged the Federal Government to remit fund collected as penalties from gas flaring to the communities that suffer direct environment pollution.

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26 | BUSIENSS Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Head, Corporate Communications, Enterprise Bank Limited, Igwe U. Igwe (right); Ogie Eboigbe; President, Association of Corporate Communication Professionals of Financial Institutions (ACAMB) and Head of Communications & External Affairs of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mrs. Lola Odedina; Chairman Pielle Consulting and guest speaker, Peter Walker and Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney at the 2014 edition of ACAMB Summit, in Lagos.

ICAN pledges partnership with govt on economic revival

By Bukky Olajide NSTITUTE of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria[ICAN] pledged to rev up its efforts towards enhancing the nation’s eco-

I

nomic profile, through effective partnership with the government.

The new ICANpresident, Chidi Onyeukwu Ajaegbu made the pledge in his

acceptance speech during his investiture as the 50th President of the Institute.

The investiture took place recently at the Council Chamber of the Institute’s Secretariat in Lagos after his nomination and election.

Pained by the increasing reduction of chartered accountants’ roles in the governance of this great nation, the ICAN boss stated that the Institute will be at the forefront of the crusade to curb and sharp practices in the society, by promoting compliance to global best practices and proactively raising the bar of accountability and transparency in governance.

In his words:’’We will continue to provide technical support to government to ensure that the on-going transition to International Public Sector Accounting Standards, as the new financial reporting framework, is pursued to its logical conclusion and sensitise the public and private sectors about the irreversible match towards accrual accounting (IPSAS) and IFRS respectively.” ‘’Since the complexion of the Accountancy Profession has been profoundly changed by information technology and globalization; and since the societal value system has been impacted negatively by poverty and non-inclusive public policies, we must, as professionals, nay, chartered accountants, inevitably evolve ingenious and strategic solutions to the huge challenges currently facing the Accountancy Profession and indeed, the larger Nigerian society. ‘’Accordingly, in line with our public interest mandate, we will continue to provide thought leadership on business, finance and economic issues to enhance the leading edge of the chartered accountant. As part of its increased strategic advocacy role, the Institute will partner with and support the government in its quest to build a progressive and caring society by contributing to public policy discourse. In other words, we will play leadership role in influencing public policy, standards and regulations in the public interest. ‘’As the conscience of the nation, our Institute will be at the forefront of the crusade to curb sharp practices

in the society, by promoting compliance to global best practices and proactively raising the bar of accountability and transparency in governance. We will continue to provide technical support to government to ensure that the on-going transition to International Public Sector Accounting Standards, as the new financial reporting framework, is pursued to its logical conclusion and sensitize the public and private sectors about the irreversible match towards accrual accounting (IPSAS) and IFRS respectively. ‘’Giving the prime position of knowledge in today’s world, ICAN will invest in, and build centres of excellence and encourage academic and professional scholarship through its members and intellectuals on our sabbatical programme. As professionals and wealth creators, we will continue to hone our competences and skills to reposition and sustain the Institute’s leadership position in the market place. We will leverage on our relationship with our international partners (the World Bank and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) to drive our capacity building and intellectual material development initiatives. In this respect, the Council will build on the impressive achievements of the last Presidential year ably championed by the 49th president, Alh. Kabir Mohammed who recognized and pursued with great and unparalled vigour the implementation of the World Banksponsored twining agreement between our institute and ICAEW designed to strengthen our certification processes. ‘’In order to raise the quality of financial reporting in Nigeria, the Council, in line with its statutory mandate, will provide support to small and medium practitioners (SMPs) by encouraging joint audits, alliances as well as strengthen, its ongoing Practice Monitoring Initiatives. Similarly, we will sanction any infraction without fear or favour in line with our enabling Act. Our goal of enhancing and sustaining the confidence of stakeholders in our attestation obligation is non-nego-

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SMEs clamour for promotion, recognition in nation building

By Isaac Taiwo icro, small and medium M scale enterprises in Nigeria have clamoured for more recognition and promotion of their support and contribution to nation building even as they collectively call on government of all tiers to provide conducive atmosphere that could encourage the sector to operate optimally for economic growth and development.

Speaking on the needs to empower the informal sector in the country with the necessary tools, Chief organiser and President, Business Builders Limited, Emmanuel Excel Ogbeide said, small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) generally have a huge potentials for employment generation and wealth creation in any economy and that if they are duly encouraged, they would help to create more jobs thereby reduc-

ing the high level of unemployment and crime rate in the country.

“As a small business development consultants committed to recognizing and promoting the efforts of SMEs, we make bold to say that micro, small and medium enterprises outnumber large companies by a wide margin and also employ more number of people.

“SMEs is also responsible for driving innovation and com-

ICAN pledges partnership with govt Continued from Page 26 tiable. Indeed, the driving philosophy for this year shall be the conscientious defence of the public interest essentially a strong advocacy disposition. ‘’We will enhance the global profile of the ICAN brand by strengthening our network

of professional and technical relationships with PAFA and IFAC. As foundation and active member of these bodies, ICAN will remain innovative and a voice in the global accountancy family to be cherished by many and envied by competitors. ‘’ We will not be discouraged by the trend towards prolif-

eration of mushroom institutes, but will continue with our mentoring programme expanding it to include other West African-based institutes. Since the hood does not make the monk, we intend to consolidate on the gains of the last fifty years, sustain our standards such that our institute remains

petitions in many economic sectors, and serves as veritable and viable engines of economic growth and development” Ogbeide said.

Ogbeide lamented that in

Nigeria, SMEs operation is slow and in some cases stunted by lack of funds, adding that lack of adequate credit scheme is actually the major challenge of SMEs occasioned

by the inability of banks to extend credit to the sector due to poor documentation of business/project proposals as well as inadequate collateral by SME operators.

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Dangote Cement allays fears over price hike ANGOTE Cement Plc has dismissed claims by some D manufacturers of the Cement

Mr Taju Audu of Taju Audu Effectivo Consortium (left), and Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, during the contract signing for 2012 oil and gas audit report.

UBA boss tasks CFOs on growth facilitation HE Group Managing T Director and Chief Executive Officer of United

Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), Phillips Oduoza, has called on the Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) of banks to find common ground for non-competitive collaboration to advance economic growth.

Oduoza, made this call in an address presented during the Finance Week, West Africa 2014 held last week in

Lagos. Speaking during a session on ‘Corporate Finance Excellence –Creating a World Class Financial Environment’ he urged the CFOs to create a platform where banks as major stakeholders would interact on a non-competitive but cooperative and collaborative basis alongside other stakeholders to promote value oriented partnership which is pivotal to economic growth and development.

The UBA boss, who was represented at the occasion by the bank’s Head of Consumer Banking, Ilesanmi Owoeye, said Nigeria remained one of Africa’s fastest growing, economies with expanding financial services, communications, technology and entertainment sectors. He explained that all the sectors of the economy play significant role in the economic development.

Oduoza also called on all “professionals in the Banks and the CFOs across various segments of the economy, to work harmoniously for the improvement of their respective stakeholders’ fortune and ultimately the Nation’s.”

“Due to the importance of finance in the lives of organizations, the CFOs are the central figures in all the organizations, so, there is no “debating” the need for fostering value oriented partnership, which is pivotal to growth and development,” he said He urged that the banks and the CFO organizations must work as partners. “The CFOs must drive the banking relationship by working with their bank to drive the organization’s visions. They should clearly articulate the organization’s needs and their banking requirements with a focus to create value for all stakeholders.”

that the recent upward review of the quality standard by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) will lead to price increase The management of Dangote Cement allayed the fears of the consumers that the upgrade of cement quality and the new classification of grades have nothing to do with the price.

Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement, Devakumar Edwin said in Lagos at the weekend that those making such claims were doing so to blackmail the regulatory authorities into backing down on the new quality standard.

He explained in an interview with journalists that for any patriotic manufacturer with consumer interest at heart, there is no relationship between the new standard review and the Price of the product except for profiteering.

To buttress his point, Edwin noted that his company started producing 42.5 grade for the past eight years at its Obajana plant and the Ibese plant for about three years at the same with price of the lower grade of 32.5 produced by some other competitors.

According to him, the switching over to a higher quality cement shouldn’t be a difficult process that will necessitate increase in price of the product.

The Dangote Cement boss added that his company has even gone ahead to be producing 52.5 grade of cement and that it would be uncharitable for anyone to claim that the new standard would lead to price hike for the product.

Edwin then pledged that much as his company would continue to cooperate with government and authorities in the regulation of the cement industry, it would ensure the price is not hijacked by profiteers.

It would be recalled that SON in the wake of the building collapses across the country and the attendant controversies on the quality of cement being produced in the country summoned the meeting of a stakeholders in the building and construction industry.

The meeting undertook a review of standard of quality of cement and came out with a classification of cement types and their appropriate uses as a means of stemming the suspected misapplication of the product, which has contributed to the building collapse menace.

SON in the new classification exercise warned members of the public to adhere strictly to the stipulated application of cement types and save the nation the embarrassment of incessant structure failures.

In the fresh review of standard, the Organisation restricted the use of the 32.5 grade strength to plastering of structures only while 42.5 grade is recommended for the construction of buildings, beams, load bearing columns, pillars, block moulding and other structures and the 52.5 recommended for the construction bigger projects like bridges, flyovers, and high rise buildings.

Edwin said the decision by Dangote Cement to embark on the high quality grade was to help Nigeria stem the tide of collapse building and commended SON for the bold move pointing out that Dangote was ready to support the regulatory body in the onerous task of ridding the nation of structure failures.

He said: “After 28 days, the 32.5 grade gives a strength of 32.5MPA, whereas the 42.5 grade gives a curing of 42.5MPA i.e 30 per cent higher in strength.”

Edwin said that in spite of the high quality grade of Dangote Cement, it has not increased its price for the product and would not.

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GSMA seeks ambitious reforms to Europe’s telecoms regulations HE GSM Association T (GSMA) has called on European governments and the new European Parliament to urge the European Commission to accelerate work on a broader reform of the EU’s regulatory framework for electronic communications.

The GSMA said that it believes this should focus on more harmonisation across Member States, the elimination of outdated and

unnecessary layers of regulation and the application of consistent rules irrespective of the technology being used, who is providing the service, or where individuals are located.

According to the GSMA, the European Parliament’s proposals to restrict traffic management to a very narrow set of circumstances would constrain the development of new services, limit consumer choice and

restrict the way operators need to ensure the Internet continues to work for everybody.

“We urge Member States to work with the Parliament and the Commission to agree provisions on the open Internet that work for consumers, businesses and the whole European economy,” said Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA. “With regard to traffic management and specialised

services, it is important to establish high level and future proof principles rather than develop detailed and prescriptive rules that limit innovation, curb commercial flexibility and consign consumers and potential developers of new services to the same, regulated Internet experience.”

The GSMA would also encourage Member States to constructively explore

China’s May exports gain steam as imports fall HINA’S exports gained invoicing of exports to beat China’s combined exports dence mounts of a rapid C steam in May thanks to currency restrictions. and imports edged up 0.2 cooling in what had been Authorities have cracked percent in the first five one of the few strong spots firmer global demand, data showed on Sunday, but an unexpected fall in imports signaled weaker domestic demand that could continue to weigh on the world’s second-largest economy.

Exports rose seven per cent in May from a year earlier, quickening from April’s 0.9 per cent rise, while imports fell 1.6 percent, versus a rise of 0.8 per cent in April, the General Administration of Customs said.

China’s trade surplus widened sharply to $35.9 billion in May from April’s $18.5 billion, the customs office said.

That compared with market expectations in a Reuters poll of a 6.6 percent rise in exports, a 6.1 per cent rise in imports and a monthly trade surplus of $22.6 billion.

“We do not think the May trade data will change the policy stance significantly,” Louis Kuijs, an RBS economist in Hong Kong, said in a note.

“While the export data is reasonably positive, the weakness of domestic demand implied by the import data may keep the pressure up for initiatives to support growth,” he said.

China’s commerce ministry had predicted that the trade picture could brighten in May as base efforts fade and government support measures kick in. Analysts have attributed the weak trade figures partly to an inflated comparison base with last year due to a rash of fake

down on such activities since May of last year. “The data shows that the country’s exports growth has returned to a normal level and will continue to improve,” customs office spokesman Zheng Yuesheng told state television.

Exports to the United States rose 6.3 percent in May, slowing from a rise of 12 percent in April, while shipments to the European Union rose 13.4 percent last month, compared with 15.1 per cent in April. Exports to ASEAN countries rose 9.1 per cent, quickening from 3.8 per cent in April, the data showed.

The pick-up in exports follows a batch of factory surveys for May that showed improvement in activity, as the government steps up targeted measures to support growth, including quickening construction of railways and public housing and loosening credit conditions for selected banks.

The government has also unveiled some policy support for the export sector, including giving more tax breaks, credit insurance and currency hedging options to its exporters.

Last month, a senior commerce ministry official suggested China could miss its target for trade growth for a third consecutive year in 2014 as higher labor costs and weaker global demand hurt what had been one of the economy’s main engines.

months from a year earlier, trailing far behind the annual growth target of 7.5 percent.

Analysts believe that China’s property market could put downward pressure on growth even as global demand improves, as evi-

in the economy.

The government is due to release inflation data on Tuesday, and industrial output, retail sales and fixedasset investment on Friday.

New loan and money supply data will be issued between June 10-15.

the Commission’s proposals on further harmonisation and coordination of spectrum policy, which would make a significant contribution to addressing today’s fragmented and inconsistent approach across the European Union.

Broad and bold reform is needed with a focus on the timely release of new capacity that is harmonised across the single market and allocated with the objective of driving long-term growth and investment. A concerted push to harmonise and coordinate aspects of spectrum policy can provide more certainty, as operators plan medium to longterm network deployments.

The current process addresses critical issues but it must also be noted that it has to be integrated with existing reviews and legislation. For example,

the GSMA believes it is important that Member States challenge the rationale of changing the current roaming Regulation before its review date in 2016. The GSMA supports regulatory certainty and market-driven solutions for roaming and believes the impact and implications of further regulatory change at this stage should be fully assessed.

“The immediate priority is to ensure that the proposed Telecoms Single Market Regulation on the open Internet, spectrum and roaming is adjusted in the interests of Europe’s citizens, its businesses and growth across the region,” continued Bouverot.

“However we must not lose sight of the need to prepare further ambitious and bold policy and regulatory reform to maximise the telecoms industry’s contribution to Europe’s economy and society.”

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Appointments Enhancing workers welfare through social protection

Omar

Wogu

By Yetunde Ebosele HE critical role of social protection has once again taken the centre stage at a public discourse.

Though unpopular in this part of the world due to weak economic policies, social security acts as a bridge or insurance policy against poverty.

In developed societies, social securities play important role in wealth creation and distribution because of its ability to enhance individual’s standard of living.

According to experts, the gap between the rich and poor is partly traced to the absence of social security and lack of sustainable economic policies.

Indeed, social protection comes under variety mechanisms, including unemployment benefits, pensions, child support, housing assistance, national health insurance, job-creation schemes, retraining programmes, among others.

In Nigeria, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has repeatedly urged all tiers of governments to do more to lift the nation’s standard of living through economic empowerment.

Besides, NLC is of the opinion that social economic empowerment is the most acceptable means to tackle insecurity in the country especially in the North East.

In a new report put together by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the global body disclosed that more than 70 per cent of the world’s population lacks adequate protections.

The report titled “World Social Protection Report 2014/15:Building economic recovery, inclusive development and social justice,” explained that only 27 per cent of the global population enjoys access to com-

T

prehensive social security.

The report quoted ILO Deputy Director-General Sandra Polaski as saying “The global community agreed in 1948 that social security and health care for children, working age people who face unemployment or injury and older persons are a universal human right,” adding that “Yet, in 2014 the promise of universal social protection remains unfilled for the large majority of the world’s population.”

According to Polaski, the case for social protection is even more compelling in “these times of economic uncertainty.”

The report described Social protection as a key policy tool to reduce poverty and inequality while stimulating inclusive growth by boosting the health and capacity of vulnerable segments of society, increasing their productivity, supporting domestic demand and facilitating the structural transformation of national economies.

“The case for social protection is even more compelling in these times of economic uncertainty, low growth and increased inequality. It is also an issue that the international community should embrace prominently in the post2015 development agenda,” said Polaski.

Part of the report said “The multifaceted function that social protection plays in economies and societies became particularly evident during the recent global financial and economic crisis.

“In the first phase of the crisis (2008-09), at least 48 high and middle-income countries put in place stimulus packages totalling $ 2.4 trillion that devoted roughly a quarter to social protec-

tion measures.

“This support acted as an automatic stabilizer that helped the economies to regain balance and protected the unemployed and vulnerable from economic disaster in the countries where it was extended.

“But, in the second phase of the crisis, from 2010 onwards, many governments reversed course and embarked prematurely on fiscal consolidation, despite the urgent need to continue supporting vulnerable populations and stabilizing consumption”.

Director of the ILO Social Protection Department, Isabel Ortiz, said: “Contrary to public perception, fiscal consolidation measures are not limited to Europe.

“In fact, as many as 122 governments are contracting public expenditures in 2014, of which 82 are developing countries.

“These measures include reforms to the pension, health and welfare systems that often involve reductions in coverage or funding of these systems, the elimination of subsidies and cuts or caps to the number of health and social workers or to their wages.

“In effect, the cost of fiscal consolidation and adjustment is passed on to populations at a time of low employment and when support is most needed,” she added.

According to ILO, the latest trends show that a number of high-income countries are contracting their social security systems.

ILO said “In the European Union, cuts in social protection have already contributed to increases in poverty which now affects 123 million people or 24 per cent of the population, many of whom are children, women, older persons and

persons with disabilities.

“On the other hand, many middle-income countries are expanding their social protection systems, supporting household incomes and thereby boosting demand-led growth and

inclusive development.

“China, for example, is close to achieving universal pension coverage and has sharply increased minimum wages and Brazil has accelerated the expansion of social protection cover-

age and minimum wages since 2009.

“Some lower-income countries, for example Mozambique, have also extended social protection,

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Enhancing workers welfare through social protection CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 yet often through temporary safety nets with very low benefit levels.

“Many of these countries are now undertaking efforts to build social protection floors as part of more comprehensive social protection systems.

“The report looks at different social protection trends following a life-cycle approach.

“For example, it shows that at the global level, governments allocate only 0.4 per cent of GDP to child and family benefits, with expenditures ranging from 2.2 per cent in Western Europe to 0.2 per cent in Africa and in Asia/Pacific.

“These investments should be scaled up, considering that about 18,000 children die every day and that many of these deaths could be averted through adequate social protection.

“Expenditures for social protection for people during working age (for example, in the event of unemployment, maternity, disability or work injury) vary widely across regions, ranging from 0.5 per cent in Africa to 5.9 per cent in Western Europe.

“Worldwide, only 12 per cent of unemployed workers receive unemployment benefits, ranging from 64 per cent in Western Europe to less than 3 per cent in the

Middle East and in Africa”.

Polaski said modern society can afford to provide social protection, adding that regarding old-age pensions, almost half (49 per cent) of all people over pensionable age do not receive a pension, “And for many of those who do have one, pension levels may leave them far below poverty lines.

Future pensioners will receive lower pensions in at least 14 European countries”.

The report also shows that about 39 per cent of the world population lacks any

Kaigama

affiliation to a health system or scheme, adding that “The number reaches more than 90 per cent in low-income countries”.

The ILO estimates that there is a global shortfall of 10.3 million health workers required to ensure quality health services for all in need, “Despite these challenges, some countries – including Thailand and South Africa – have achieved universal health coverage in just a few years, showing that it can be done”.

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Chibok girls: Omole, NTA’s DG commends ministry From Omotola Oloruntobi, Abuja HE Director General of T the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Shola Omole, has commended the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for holding a successful Inter-Faith Special National Prayers to complement government’s efforts for the safe release of Chibok school girls that were abducted by insur-

gents over 50 days ago.

Omole who made the commendation when he visited the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, in her office at the weekend also praised the efforts of the Minister for bringing the issues of women, children and other vulnerable Nigerians to limelight since assumption of office.

His words, “You have done excellently well in putting

that programme together, which displayed high level commitment to a just cause.

No doubt, there is nothing more portent and powerful than prayers to stem the tide of insurgency and security challenges facing our country.

“Indeed, you are doing a significant amount of work towards uplifting the lives and living standards of women and children in this country. Your commitment towards transforming the Social Development sub-sec-

tor is remarkable.”

While noting that the issues of women and children in the Transformation Agenda could not be emphasized, the NTA Boss assured the Minister that the largest television network in Africa will continue to give prominence to the issues and concerns of women, children and other vulnerable groups.

He said the NTA has recently introduced a talk show Good Morning Nigeria”, to provide additional platform

for top government functionaries to avail the public on their programmes and activities, and advised the Minister to take full opportunities of the programmes as well as other programmes of the NTA. Responding, the Minister expressed appreciation to the NTA for its timely and positive reportage of the activities of the Ministry, and was optimistic that the tenure of the incumbent DG of the NTA would witness even greater attention to

issues of women and children, considering his wealth of experience in the broadcast industry.

In a letter of appreciation which she presented to the DG during the visit, the Minister stated in parts, “I must commend you for the visionary direction and wealth of experience that you have demonstrated in steering the affairs of the NTA in such a short time you assumed office, I wish you a wonderful tenure as DirectorGeneral of the NTA.”

Mukhtar is Dangote Group’s new Chief Strategy Officer furtherance of its restrucIPanNturing for global expansion, African Conglomerate, Dangote Group has appointed a new Group Chief Strategist, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar.

He is expected to deploy his rich experience to provide overall management oversight for all the functions within the newly created Corporate Strategy Department.

Mukhtar will assist the Group President, Alike Dangote to provide overall strategic direction for the Group and develop short, medium and long-term plans to achieve the Group’s strategic objectives and long-term vision.

Mukhtar has acquired extensive experience in both private and public sectors across Africa, Asia, North America and the Middle East, in areas

such as privatisation, publicprivate partnerships, private equity, and management consulting and entrepreneurship development.

Until recently, he was the Group Managing Director/CEO of the Abuja Investments Company and chaired the Boards of a dozen subsidiary companies. He also sits on the Boards of several non-profit organisations.

Mukhtar received a medical degree from ABU Zaria, a Ph. D. from Boston University, and an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School. He also received certificates in Corporate Governance and Leadership from INSEAD and Oxford University respectively. He is a recipient of several international awards.

Managing Director, ALBANSH System Limited, Waheed O., Country Sales and Distribution Manager WECA ACER, Rajesh Mohan and Telco Sales Manager East Africa ACER, Allan Asiimwe at the ACER forum in Lagos.

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Minister to partner RCSN on welfare of Nigerians abroad From John Okeke, Abuja INISTER of Foreign M Affairs, Aminu Wali has expressed his willingness to partner with the Royal Commonwealth Society Nigeria (RCSN) to promote Nigeria’s welfare abroad.

The Minister made this known recently when the orgainsation paid him a courtesy visit in his Abuja office.

He said: “Your society has something to do with the Commonwealth of Nations.

The common idea of commonwealth is to continue the kind of relationship, culture, tradition and a lot of things that are common among the commonwealths.

“I hope your organisation is a non-governmental organisation that promote the economic, social and other aspect of human good.

“Your society promotes global interest, in this respect we will have a lot of things to do in common because the primary responsibility of any foreign ministry is to promote those ideals you have mentioned which is the objective of the commonwealth society.”

Wali said: “We hold the same ideals and so we will not find it odd to Align with you and to support you.”

In his remarks, the VicePresident, RCSN, Abdullahi Faruk, an engineer, noted that the objectives of the organisation were in tandem

Your society has something to do with the Commonwealth of Nations. The common idea of commonwealth is to continue the kind of relationship, culture, tradition and a lot of things that are common among the commonwealths He Highlighted the organi-

with the foreign affairs ministry.

According to him, Commonwealth sees the world’s most pressing issues and challenges such as Poverty, Human Rights, HIV/AIDs, Armed conflicts migrations and others.

“An this ultimately is our concern of operation,” he added.

sation objectives to include encourage the understanding of Ethnic and Cultural Commonwealth groups globally, promote social and educational issues relating to the Commonwealth in Nigeria and to participate in National / International events organised by the London Headquaters.

NUR appoints new secretary HE Nigeria Union of T Railway Workers (NUR) has appointed Timothy Olusegun Esan as its new Secretary General.

A statement signed on behalf of the union by Maryrose Chizoba explained that Esan has resumed office.

Esan, according to the statement took over from Martins A. Akinyanju who recently commenced his retirement.

“Esan graduated in Journalism and English from Nigerian Institute of Journalism and Lagos State

University respectively.

“He practised journalism as a career for many years before joining the service of Nigerian Railway Corporation as a Public Relations Officer in September, 1999.

“He served as Public Relation Officer in Nigerian Railway for 14 years before his appointment as the Secretary General of the Union. He has visited the entire space of the Corporation severally on official assignments and he has deep industrial knowledge of the rail transport industry”.

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African countries pledge support for IITA’s youth programmes From Kanayo Umeh, Abuja BOUT 20 African countries have thrown their weight behind the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Youth Agripreneur (IYA) initiative, a pilot scheme that is engaging youths in agriculture with clear signals of ending youth unemployment in the continent.

According to IITA Board member, Dr Namanga Ngongi, the IITA Board of Trustees has also endorsed the initiative.

A

IYA changes the mindset of young people towards agriculture and equips them with various opportunities in the production and marketing of agricultural products, cutting across value chains such as cassava, banana/plantain, soyabeans, maize, vegetables, livestock, and fish production.

The countries supported IYA initiative in a communiqué at the end of a workshop on Engagement of Youth Entrepreneurship for Agricultural Transformation in Africa that was held in

Ibadan, Oyo State.

About 200 participants reviewed the current unemployment situation in the continent, and noted that youth unemployment and underemployment are high, with over 70 per cent of the population between 15 and 24 years in many countries underemployed or unemployed.

The countries noted that the present situation threatens not only food security but also the national security of all African countries, and may compromise the attain-

ment of the targets set under the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The countries commended the African Development Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa for supporting agricultural development initiatives in Africa, and IITA for hosting the conception workshop.

Honourable Commissioner of Works/Transport, Government of Sokoto State; Alhaji Umaru Nagwari Tambuwal, CEO, Institute for Government Research Leadership Technology; Amb. Moses Essien, GMD/CEO, Shellco Group of Companies; Chief Shelika Biodun Yakubu, Professor of Building, Guest Speaker; Prof. Akin Akindoyeni OFR, Director of Training & Administration Dr. Hassan Idris and Deputy Chairman-in-Council all of the Institute for Government Research Leadership Technology Prof. John Ndanusa Akanya OON, at the Induction of Patriotic Citizens ‘Abuja’ 2014.

Group canvasses support for national gender policy From Omotola Oloruntobi, Abuja HE Nigerian Women Trust Fund has called on the federal and state government as well as civil society organizations to take the lead in adhering to the National Gender Policy.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Ayisha Osori, made the call in Abuja during a press conference on the ‘create her space project’.

Aisha also called for more action that will move Nigeria’s 7 per cent female representation in the National Assembly to the 30 per cent it committed to under the Millenium Development Goals (MDG’s) According to her the ‘create her space’ project is to encourage more women political participation, adding that Nigeria has the lowest percentage of women in parliament in Africa.

“As you all know, Nigerian women are not doing very well in politics in terms of numbers. Around the globe and regional average for women in legislature is 22.2 per cent even here in Africa when you take the statistics; the average is 22.9 per cent.

Meanwhile ours is about 7 per cent and that is very low.

“To mark Democracy day, President Goodluck Jonathan said political parties must come up with manifestos that would mandate youths and women to hold key electoral position. This echoes our sentiments,” she said.

Ayisha noted that the

T

To mark Democracy day, President Goodluck Jonathan said political parties must come up with manifestos that would mandate youths and women to hold key electoral position.

This echoes our sentiments Gender Policy recommends 35 per cent minimum representation for women, urging media to also change their reportage around women in politics and leadership.

“We recommend that amongst other things that affirmative action in our constitution and/or party constitutions should be adopted along with the principle of twining.

“Also that the federal and state government as well as civil society organizations must lead the way by adhering to the National Gender Policy which recommends 35 per cent minimum representation,” she stressed.

Nollywood actress who acted in the short advocacy film produced by the women trust fund, Kate Henshaw, urged female colleagues to support more women in politics, saying women leaders will encourage not only women but, also upcoming youths.

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80 graduate from bridge leadership scheme From Anietie Akpan, Calabar HE 3RD Bridge T Leadership Foundation Graduate Employability Training (GET) scheme has trained 80 graduates as part

of measures to boost the capacity of graduates from tertiary institutions in Cross River State.

The graduates were trained on Personal and Career development skills with a

ECOWAS youths task member states on job creation

By Wole Oyebade EMBER’s states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been urged to restructure their economies to engender creativity and entrepreneurship among the youths. .

The call was made at the maiden ECOWAS youth summit, which brought together thousands of youths from across West Africa including international development partners and civil society organisations. .

Delegates at the summit, with the theme: “Partnering member states to resolve youth unemployment: Step towards sustainable development” flayed high level of youth unemployment in the region and canvassed urgent measures to reverse the trend. .

Chairman of the summit, David Osabutey, at the opening session of the summit in Accra, Ghana, said youth unemployment was profound to wellbeing of the region and needed urgent practical solutions from all stakeholders.

Osabutey said unemploy-

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President of the organising committee, Michael Opeyemi Ige, affirmed that the summit went beyond rhetoric and was committed to rolling out practical measures in addressing the scourge of youth unemployment. ment among the young population in the continent should be tackled by youths themselves, adding that they are better placed to resolve the challenges themselves. .

President of the organising committee, Michael Opeyemi Ige, affirmed that the summit went beyond rhetoric and was committed to rolling out practical measures in addressing the scourge of youth unemployment. .

The summit recommended measures to boost the economies of member states of the regional body.

view to enhancing the employability potentials of young people in the state.

Speaking at the graduation meeting, the Programmes Officer of the Foundation, Esther Eshiet said the training is aimed at enhancing the skill of entry level workforce in the state.

According to her, “the training ignites the drive for continuous personal development in the beneficiaries and their close contacts, creates high-value personnel, thereby improving the quality of the active labour force in Cross River State.

Eshiet said, “the successes recorded with the first two sets of the GET training has necessitated the implementation of the third batch; the Foundation is providing young people the platform to learn from the best

of Human Resource Managers in Nigeria; in fulfillment of its commitment to raise generations of transformational leaders”.

The programme held from May 13 -17, was powered by faculty of nine high-impact facilitators who covered different workshops sessions ranging from grooming, personal and corporate etiquette, resume development, interviewing techniques, communication and ICT skills as well as entrepreneurship and sales skills development.

Training sessions were on self-discovery, personality analysis, how to craft a winning CV, tips on Job Interviews & tests, developing excellent writing skills, communication and ICT skills, entrepreneurship and sales development, among others.

Minister partners NOA to promote Nigeria’s image abroad From John Okeke, Abuja O boost Nigeria’s image T during the forth coming 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Minster of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, has announced plans to partner National Orientation Agency (NOA).

Speaking in Abuja, recently, during a meeting with the Director General of NOA, Mike Omeri, he noted that the Ministry has synergy with the NOA to promote the image of Nigeria abroad.

According to him, Nigeria has achieved a lot in the last one hundred years.

He said:”it is a great pleasure to receive the Director General NOA. We have a synergy between the Ministry and the

National Orientation Agency. Together we will achieve greatness. We have a lot to do and for us to do it we have to believe in Nigeria. No country has better what we have in Nigeria. Nigeria doesn’t know what God has given to us.”

In his remarks, the Director General, NOA, Mike Omeri, said the agency in the last two years has been in the campaign to enlighten the citizens to understand the need to promote the image of the country.

He urged Nigerians to be patriotic, adding that the country belong to all.

“We don’t have any other country. Nigeria belong to us and I think Nigerians should do well to be patriotic to our nation. ”

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UNICEF trains journalists on U-reporting

By Joseph Okoghenun N a bid to project the voice of the voiceless in issues that border on national development, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has trained media practitioners and some members of civil societies across the federation on U-report.

U-report, an initiative being driven by UNICEF, is a free short message service (SMS)based system that allows young and old people to speak out on what is happening in their communities, and work together with other community leaders for positive change.

U-report, which already has over 9,000 members in Nigeria, is made up of SMS messages and polls to and from a growing community of subscribers, regular radio programme and newspaper articles on issues gathered through U-report.

Speaking during the training for media practitioners in Enugu, Enugu State recently, UNICEF Communications Specialist, Geoffrey Njoku, stated that U-report has several benefits for Nigerians, and called on all and sundry to join the initiative aimed at fast-tracking development.

He urged media practitioners to explore issues raised through U-report in their day-to-day work, adding such efforts would help people to get useful information for their wellbeing as well as enable leaders to see the need to find solution to community challenges.

U-report is being widely used in Uganda, Zambia, South Sudan and Democratic

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Republic of Congo to project developmental issues and to achieve positive change.

To join, a potential subscriber is expected to text the word, join, to 24453. The service is free across all networks.

After submitting relevant information that include name, age, occupation, state of residence, local council, ward and settlement within few minutes, the subscriber will automatically be a member to contribute and receive responses on national issues twice a week.

Ureport Start-Up Consultant, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Ms. Caroline Barebwoha, said U-report is a way of making the voice of the voiceless count in developmental issues that UNICEF has the mandate to work on.

Barebwoha, who revealed

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going to benefit. We use this tool to know from people how to address issues that concern them.

“U-report is not a political tool. Therefore, it is not a platform where we discuss about rebel groups. U-report specially discusses issues, which UNICEF has the mandate to work on. Inevitably, although it is not a political tool, it may have political impacts. What we are really interested in is how to improve the lives of the people using the platform. It a tool for addressing issues that have to do with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)- issues that have to do with health, maternal healthcare, access to water facilities among others.”

NACJ to honour Fayemi, Emefiele HE Executive Governor of T Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the new Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele are among the distinguished Nigerian slated to receive the prestigious Nigerian Association of Christian Journalists “Integrity Award” on June 12 in Lagos.

The award is a yearly event designed to specially recognize the few Nigerians who have demonstrated high sense of integrity in their respective official capacities.

We sincerely believe that if we are mentally integrity conscious as a people, corruption will loosen its hold on our

New Horizons, varsity commission N100 million technology centre

By Adeyemi Adepetun EW Horizons Computer Learning Centres Limited and Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State have built a N100 million ultra-modern information and communication technology (ICT) and e-business certification skills resource centre to empower students with requisite IT skills for employment.

Samuel Adegboyega University Vice chancellor, Professor Benard Aigbokhan said the synergy is part of the university’s strategies to ensure that its graduates become the toast of employers right from day one of their graduation, as well as enable them tap into entrepreneurial opportunity in IT and e-business sector.

He stated that the depressing economic situation in Nigeria and internationally has negatively impacted the labour market such that graduates have to develop multiple competencies in relevant skills-set in addition to their academic degrees to be able to compete favorably within the limited opportunities both locally and internationally.

Aigbokhan further recounted that towards achieving its plan, the university considered available reputable technology training vendors before finally settling for New Horizons, the 32 years old, US-based and International Data Corporation (IDC)

that the initiative would only discuss issues that border on health, education, sanitation, hygiene, water, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among others, added that the service has a role to play in achieving millennium development goals (MDGs).

The media practitioners through various focus group works highlighted various developmental issues earlier raised in U- report and how to tackle them.

Barebwoha said: “The power of U-report lies in the media. You are more likely to influence policies when you have voice of 5 million people than when you have less.

U-report is power of numbers. There are lots of potentials in u-report and we are looking at how Nigerians are

acclaimed world largest IT training firm, which has proved itself internationally and locally in Nigeria through its confirmed partnerships with other Nigerian universities.

He affirmed that all students would undergo the international certification programme and consequently have opportunity to be certified in four international IT and e –business skills before graduation. The university also listed some of its achievements in the area of IT compliance in the running of its operations to include robust website, campus-wide wireless Internet facility, e-Registration, eLibrary, computer-based testing (CBT) facilities for students’ assessment, etc.

Responding, New Horizons Nigeria Managing Director, Tim Akano appreciated the university management for the bold step taken in its quest to further boost the relevance of the product from the university in the current knowledge-based economy.

He said part of the overall vision of the offer is to make Nigeria the IT hub for Africa and the world by extension and consequently get Nigerian graduates and youths in general to replicate and even beat the exploits of Bill Gates, Mack Zuckerberg, Michael Dell and others, through development of innovative software, applications, among others to benefit the world.

nation. The award was hence, conceptualized to discourage corruption and encourage integrity in every strata of the society.

In order to ensure that the award goes to the deserving Nigerian and achieve the aim for which it was designed, the Secretary General of NACJ, Charles Okpai, in a statement at the weekend, said the recipients were painstakingly nominated and in a transparent process voted for by the Nigerian people.

He said the recipients of the award in various categories are therefore automatically ambassadors of the Association as well as symbols of integrity. .

Besides, the statement dis-

closed that the Integrity Award, a handful of Nigerian will be decorated with an “Ambassadorial Award” which is a special honor bestowed on the recipients by the Association.

The NACJ Integrity award was the first organized last year when the association felt strongly impelled to contribute her own quota to the fight against corruption in the country.

This statement informed that many of Nigeria’s most celebrated eminent personalities are expected to grace the occasion. They include, the retired General Theophilous Danjuma who had been penciled down to chair the event.

Group, Chevron empower 100 women, youths in Anambra From Uzoma Nzeagwu, Awka

an effort to encourage IselfNAnambra citizens to be sufficient, the Development Support Initiative, (DSI) has commenced the training and empowerment of about one hundred women in the state on various skills.

Fielding questions from newsmen at the Women Development Centre, Awka, the Executive Director of DSI, Mrs. Jacqueline Yemi Odiadi, disclosed that the programme being executed in collaboration with Chevron and Anambra state government, would be training 100 women.

Odiadi further said that the skills acquisition programmes involves training on the making of beads, cosmetics, body and hair cream, soap/detergents, insecticides, anti-septic, confectionaries and leather works.

She explained that participants have indicated at least two skills for the training, which lasts for two weeks, adding that women and youths ought to have options, as DSI have realized that some of the graduands may be forced out of work when there are no customers to patronize them.

“We also educate our participants on how things work out this modern time.

Some skills are seasonal and we don’t encourage idleness. Thus, we train them on how to meet up on life situation in at least two

minimum skills”, Mrs. Odiadi noted.

“At the end, each graduate would receive between N35,000 to N50,000 starter pack to purchase work tools, adding that the group’s partners would provide the funding”.

She assured that DSI has the capacity to train 25 women, just as she said that about 100 trainees were short-listed, adding that there will be continuous assessment and monitoring after training through their facilitators.

Also speaking in an interview, a facilitator, Winfred Kwentua Abdoderin noted, that the graduands would have been equipped to be self reliant at the end of the exercise, having acquired both practical and theoretical training, as well as establish their own business and start to train others.

Mrs. Queen Efetobor who said she graduated from DIS some years ago, and now a facilitator with the group advised women and youths to make good use of the skills acquired for their betterment, adding that they should pay great attention and follow instructions.

Some of the trainees who spoke with The Guardian, commended efforts of DSI, Chevron and the State Ministry of Women Affairs for giving such opportunity to women and young girls, and assured to make good use of the skills acquired.

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Labour Jonathan tasks workers on prompt service delivery From Eric Meya Sokoto RESIDENT Goodluck P Jonathan has called for a reorientation of Nigerian workers towards service delivery in the country.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 42nd Annual Conference of Civil Service Commissions in the Federation (ACCSCF) in Sokoto Jonathan said there was a need for workers to embrace fast approach to work so as to better the lots of the society.

The President who was represented by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, praised the resolve of the ACCSCF to champion the ethical reorientation of the Public Service and the Civil Service in particular through the restoration of the lost core values.

He described the initiatives as a paradigm shift meant to stimulate and rejuvenate creative and innovative ways of doing things in the service.

Zamfara recruits 200 health workers From Isah Ibrahim, Gusau AMFARA state government Z has recruited 200 health workers as part of measures to fill vacant positions.

This was contained in a statement signed by the chairman, state civil service commission [CSC], Alhaji Ahmad Zabarma Gusau and addressed to the secretary, state hospital service management board.

According to a statement made available to Journalists, the lists of the successful candidates are the outcome of the commission’s 2014 special recruitment exercise.

The statement explained that the development was also aimed at reducing the rate of unemployment among the state indigenes.

The statement directed all the successful candidates to complete their documentations.

Meanwhile, the Maternal newborn and child health coalition of civil society organizations in the state have applauded the state government for the recruitment of the 200 cadres of health workers in the state.

A statement signed by the state secretary of the coalition Muhammad Namadi, and made available to newsmen in Gusau, however, expressed concern over the delay in the release of letter of appointment to the candidates that were interviewed in December 2013, saying that, some might have gotten appointment elsewhere as a result of the delay in the release of appointment letters.

He said, the 200 candidates employed into the state civil service are inadequate in view of the high number of health workers that left the state service due to low motivation and inability of the government to fully implement Consolidated Health Salary Structure [CONHESS] for health workers in the state.

According to him, as bodies with the constitutional responsibilities to appoint office holders in the Civil Service across the federation, the commissions has the primary responsibilities to enhance the core values of meritocracy, integrity, efficiency, anonymity, political neutrality, impartiality, professionalism and discipline. “Otherwise, the commissions would be failing in its responsibilities to institutionalize these values, in serving our people�, the President stated.

Furthermore, He said that the core values were prerequisites for propelling the civil service to greater heights and that the commissions were expected to provide the right guidance in policy initiation, formulation and the efficient implementation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

He explained that the task of effectively harnessing human resources, nurturing and channeling them for productive endeavours in governance was a big chal-

lenge to the commissions since the quality of intake determines the level of productivity in the service.

President Jonathan said that in order to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people, the Federal Government has taken a giant step by ensuring that ministers now sign Performance Contracts showing clear an assessable indicators for measuring their performances, adding that the objective was to get those in position of authority

to render account of their stewardship to the people.

He disclosed that he had directed the National Planning Commission (NPC), Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) to collaboratively work together and institutionalize the application of Performance Management System which in the public service constituted one of the most critical challenges in human resource manage-

ment and development.

He urged the FCSC to carry along its counterparts in the state while doing so in order to ensure that the expected benefits were derived across the country.

He charged the conference to predicate its consensual decisions on activities that foster efficient, effective and result oriented civil service even as its deliberations were expected to focus on issues that could stimulate growth and development of the civil service.

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20 collapse as Ogun APC inaugurates exco • Group lauds party’s new leaders From Charles Coffie Gyamfi, Abeokuta HE inauguration of the T newly elected Executive of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Ogun State chapter yesterday recorded a tragedy as not less than 20 of the party faithful slumped due to the mammoth crowd that attended the ceremony.

The victims collapsed at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, venue of the ceremony due to exhaustion.

They were all revived and rushed to various hospitals for treatment.

The state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who confirmed this ascribed the development to the scorching sun outside the venue.

But the inside of the Cultural Centre, where the ceremony took place was not better either, as all the available air conditioners could not make the crowd comfortable.

Amosun, who hastened the programme, announced that those affected had been rushed to the hospital, “we pray nothing bad happens to them.

Henceforth, we shall be holding our political meetings “inside the main bowl.”

He added, “in a crowd like this, we cannot rule this out. I want to apologise,” Earlier the newly elected Chairman, Chief Roqeeb Olawole Adeniji, in his inaugural speech, recalled that the party went through some crisis, which nearly torn it apart but he was glad that the party “is now united, strengthened and reposition to perform creditably in the forthcoming general elections.”

Adeniji told his party faithful, who thronged the venue of the ceremony from the 20 local council areas, “we all recall that the party has recently been through sequence of events that threatened to divide us but I am happy to inform you that the huge number of party faithful present here today is a clear testimony of how we have collectively navigated that treacherous path and came out united and stronger.”

He explained, “in any organisation with diverse people, there are bound to be competing interests and this is peculiar to all democracies.”

However, “after all reconciliatory efforts was sufficiently exhausted and resolved in clear unmistakable directions by the national secretariat of the party via a transparent process, I am pleased to inform us that Ogun APC is now united, strengthened and repositioned,” the chairman affirmed.

He commended Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration for implementing the five-cardinal programme of the party to the letter, which has transformed the state.”

His words, “the task before us all now is the 2015 elections and all hands must be on deck. The tendencies that undermine our efforts should be halted forthwith in the interest of the party in Ogun State. We can’t build the party on one hand and destroy it on another.”

He appealed to all party faithful, who feel aggrieved over one thing or the other to join hands to build the party saying, “there is no victor nor

vanquished as we all are winners with the APC.” The 36-member executive is to run the affairs of the party for the next four years.

Meanwhile, a group, Participation Train, in a chat inauguration said its members were confident of the new leadership of the party and expects a continuity of good governance in the state.

The Principal Coordinator of the group, Bodunrin Diejomaoh, said: “Chief (Hon.) Roqib Adeniji is known to be a personality of integrity who has been a consistent party member from the period of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) to the now under APC. He is experienced in grassroots politics, he belongs to the progressive political elites of the 70s, having served as Hon. Member of the Ogun State House of Assembly where he was a two-time Majority Leader during the period of Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, who was the then governor of Ogun State under UPN before being sacked by the Military.

That government was seen by many as the best in the history of Ogun State, until recently when the citizens are exposed to the newest possibilities of good governance by the Mission to Rebuild Agenda of Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the Executive Governor of Ogun State.

“Adeniji is therefore, expected to take the APC to greater heights by ensuring that the party wins the Ogun State general elections come 2015, a task which many are sure he is capable of delivering faithfully.

The people are happy that there will be continuity in the development policy of the APC led government in the state, we came to observe the proceedings here today and it is important to mention that the foundation bearer of APC in Ogun Alhaji Tajudeen O.Bello, who was the former chairman of the Party and his predecessor Chief Adeniji worked hand in hand to tenaciously support

the Mission to Rebuild Agenda of His Excellency this is, inspite of efforts by certain people within the Party who

for personal reasons aimed at destabilising the vision and excellent work of the Governor Amosun.

The result of the duo’s understanding of grass root politics and good management skills is what we are witnessing here

today. You can see that it is an outstanding in ensuring success for the party.

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No going back on Ajaokuta Steel revitalisation, says govt From John Akubo, Lokoja HE Federal Government has restated its commitment to the revitalization of Ajaokuta Steel Company and other steel firms in the country in order to turn around the nation's econo-

T

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Minister of Trade and Industry, Olusegun Aganga gave this indication yesterday while on facility tour of the Ajaokuta Steel plant along with the Minister of Power and Steel

Development, Musa Muhammed Sada.

He stated that the steel contrary to insinuations in some quarters, that Ajaokuta Steel plant is not obsolete adding that it is also not a waste of fund to make it functional.

Aganga indicated that the steel complex is an asset to the nation in its industrial revolution plan going by the comprehensive and strategic facilities available there.

"Ajaokuta has become more important today than before, because it will now move the country in to the new direction. And the president has launched industrial revolution drive of the country in February and there is no way you can revolutionalized your industry without a wider steel industry and Ajaokuta provides an answer to that," he said.

He assured that the government would provide an enabling environment for the private sector to drive the economy and also maximize the potential of Ajaokuta Steel for the benefit of the nation.

Sada said it has become imperative and instructive to revive Ajaokuta Steel in view of its strategic importance to the nation's economy.

Sole Administration of Ajaokuta Steel Company, Mr. Isah Joseph Osobere, disclosed that poor funding has been the bane of the steel plant, as capital allocation to the plant has remain vague.

According to Osobere, the plant is still very sound as the blast furnace method adopted by the plant account for over 70 percent of the world steel production.

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MarketReport EQUITY MARKET SUMMARY

AS AT 9-06-2014

PRIMERA AFRICA www.primera-africa.com

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MARKET iNDiCATORS

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AS AT 9-06-2014

PRiMERA AFRiCA

NSE’s market capitalisation rises by N27b

By Helen Oji

qUiTy transactions on E the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday opened in an upward trend as market capitalisation advanced by N27 billion. The trading result during the day showed that the value of equities appreciated by 0.19 per cent to N13.739 trillion from N13.712 trillion recorded on Friday. Also the NSE All Share index went up by 79.39 basis points to 41608.50 points from 41529.11 points traded the previous day. investors exchanged 299.330 million shares worth N3.612 billion in 5153 deals against 244.994 million shares valued at N2.895 billion traded the previous day in 4737 deals.

A breakdown of activities on the price movement chart showed that Julius Berger led gainers table, growing by N3.37 kobo to close at N70.87 kobo, Conoil Plc followed with a gain of N2.50 kobo to close at N54.50 kobo while Cadbury Nigeria Plc, GTBank Plc and Guinness Nigeria Plc enhanced by N2.44 kobo, N1.50 kobo and N0.50 kobo respectively to close at

N87.89, N31.50 and N179.00 per share.

On the contrary, Seplat Petroleum Development topped losers chart, shedding N25.00 to close at N650.00, Lafarge Wapco trailed with a loss of N4.50 kobo to close at N113.50 kobo while Nestle Nigeria Plc declined by N2.99 kobo to close at N1,080.01. Other stocks that recorded price depreciation were Nigerian Breweries and Ashaka Cement which fell by N1.60 kobo and N1.23 kobo respectively to close at N176.80 per share and N26.13 per share.

Further analysis of yesterday’s transactions showed that Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) was the most active stocks in volume terms, trading 54.042 million share worth N246.210 million, United Bank for Africa (UBA) followed with account of 50.490 million shares valued at N391.339 million while Skye Bank Plc sold 32.298 million shares cost N109.260 million.

GTBank also traded 23.330 million shares valued at N707.073 million and FBN Holdings exchanged 13.457 million shares cost N209.694 million.

Japaul bounces back to profitability, proposes 2k dividend OiNG by the audited results of Japaul Oil G and Maritime Services Plc for the financial year ended December 31, 2013, the company may have bounced back to profitability. indeed, the group had acquired some new vessels towards the end of the 2012 financial year and decided to charge depreciation on them in order to readjust the company’s financial situation to a more positive position. its audited results for the 2013 financial year showed that the company’s turnover rose from N7.24 billion in 2012 to N8.03 billion, while that of the group stood at N13.02 billion, up from N12.28 billion in 2012.

The restated position in 2012 financial year earnings was due largely to impairment loss of N7.58 billion reintroduced in the profit and loss for the year 2012 as against direct adjustment to the retained earnings from prior years. in terms of profit, the group’s gross profit stood at N5.9 billion in 2013 from N4.99 billion in 2012,

while profit after taxation was N239.7 million, up from a loss after tax of N6.77 billion in 2012.

Based on this result, the company’s directors have proposed a dividend of 2kobo per ordinary share to shareholders for the financial year under review.

The company’s Chairman, Major General Omosebi (rtd), had explained: “Some of the new vessels that we bought are financed with loans from the bank, hence the high amount of interest that we paid during the year. Moreover, the bad debt that was written off against our profit for the year is N600 million because one of our major debtors, NAFTOGAS, got liquidated. Though we believe that we will get some money back from the appointed liquidator, we decided to write off the amount right now”.

Further review of the group’s profile showed that its earnings per share rose to N4 from a loss position of N108 per share in 2012, while that of the company stood at 0.43 kobo in 2013 from a loss per share of N73.

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GlobalStocks U.S. stocks fluctuate near records amid deals activity .S. stocks fluctuated, with the Standard & U Poor’s 500 Index (SPX) trading near a record, as Family Dollar Stores Inc. advanced while Tyson Foods Inc. sank amid deals activity.

Family Dollar jumped 14 percent as a filing showed Carl Icahn has amassed a 9.4 percent stake. Tyson Foods fell 5.5 percent after the company said it made a binding offer for Hillshire Brands Co. Analog Devices jumped 5.1 percent after agreeing to buy a chipmaker for about $2 billion. Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc. more than tripled after Merck & Co. agreed to buy the drugmaker for $3.9 billion.

Apple Inc. traded at $93.61, reflecting a sevenfor-one stock split.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was little changed at 1,949.14 at 2:47 p.m. in New York, trimming an earlier gain of 0.3 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 8.45 points, or 0.1 percent, to 16,932.73. The Russell 2000 Index of small companies climbed 0.6 percent for a fourth day of gains. Trading in U.S. stocks was 6.7 percent below the 30-day average at this time of day.

“People are concerned that the market hasn’t really had a pull back and has kind of gotten ahead of itself,” Aaron Izenstark, cofounder and chief investment officer at Northbrook, Illinois-based Iron Financial LLC. He helps oversee $2.4 billion. “There’s a continued overhang of nervousness, there are a lot of investors waiting for a pull back and the market continues to climb that wall of worry. People don’t know if the want to get involved.”

The S&P 500 advanced 1.3 percent to a record 1,949.44 last week as the European Central Bank lowered interest rates and a report showed that the U.S. economy created more jobs than expected. The index has continued to climb to records even as the U.S. economy contracted for the first time in three years during the first quarter.

Federal Reserve officials are watching the labor market as they move to complete their bond-purchase program late this year and start considering the timing of the first interest-rate increase since 2006. Central-bank stimulus has helped propel the S&P 500 higher by as much as 188 percent from its bear-market low in March 2009.

The ECB’s stimulus sent European bond yields to all-time lows and helped boost the region’s equities to near the highest in six years.

The U.S. stocks benchmark has rebounded 7.4 percent through June 6 since a selloff in small-cap and Internet shares spread to the broader market, dragging the index to a twomonth low in April. The measure trades at 16.5 times the projected earnings of its members, up from a multiple of 14.8 at the start of February.

The Russell 2000 has advanced 4.1 percent in the past four sessions to the highest since April 3. The gauge has rallied 7.2 percent from a February low and is now up 0.7 percent in 2014.

“There’s a fair amount of skepticism over if we are at peak valuations,” Michael Arone, the Boston-based chief investment strategist

at State Street Global Advisors’ U.S. Intermediary Business, said by phone. State Street Corp. oversees $2.4 trillion in assets.

“My view is the Goldilocks economy is back -not too cold, not too hot, but just right. What we’re starting to see is companies starting to do capital expenditures and M&A to invest in their businesses.”

The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index (VIX) climbed 6.7 percent to 11.45. The gauge, known as the VIX, fell 5.9 percent last week to 10.73, the lowest level since February 2007.

Five of the 10 main S&P 500 groups advanced today, with industrial shares adding 0.5 percent to pace gains. Utility stocks lost 0.8 percent.

Family Dollar jumped 14 percent to $69.09.

Icahn and his affiliates bought 10.7 million shares and options for about $265.8 million, according to a June 6 regulatory filing. The billionaire may push for operating changes and ask the company to explore strategic alternatives, as well as potentially seeking board seats, according to the filing.

Dollar General Corp. (DG) rallied 7.9 percent to $62.54. Jefferies Group LLC raised its rating on the stock to buy from hold after

Icahn’s purchase of Family Dollar shares. The move may lead to a merger with Dollar General, Jefferies said. Dollar Tree Inc. gained 0.8 percent to $55.58.

Hillshire jumped 5.4 percent to $62.11, while Tyson slid 5.5 percent to $37.90. Tyson has made a unilaterally binding offer of $63 a share for the maker of Jimmy Dean sausages and Ball Park hot dogs, it said in a statement.

Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. dropped 6.4 percent to $24.58 after saying it withdrew a competing proposal.

Idenix Pharmaceuticals soared 231 percent to $23.96 after Merck said it has agreed to acquire the maker of experimental Hepatitis C drugs for $24.50 a share in cash, or about $3.85 billion. Merck, the second-biggest U.S. drugmaker, was little changed at $57.82.

Gilead Science Inc., the developer of Sovaldi, a competing hepatitis C treatment, fell 4.1 percent to $79.05.

Analog Devices rose 5.1 percent to $55.35. The semiconductor manufacturer agreed to acquire Hittite Microwave Corp. for about $2 billion. The purchase price of $78 a share is 29 percent more than Hittite’s closing price on June 6. Hittite rose 29 percent to $77.87.

Morgan Stanley was little changed at $31.94.

The bank agreed to sell its stake in oil-transportation company TransMontaigne Inc. to NGL Energy Partners LP for $200 million as part of the bank’s effort to reduce capital used by the commodities business. NGL added 3.1 percent to $43.21.

Apple shares climbed 1.5 percent to $93.61.

The shares closed Friday at $645.57. Apple said on April 23 it was doing the split so shares would be available to a wider pool of investors. Each investor on June 2 received six additional shares.

NeuStar Inc. sank 9 percent to $24.28. An email marked confidential that was posted briefly on June 6 on the Federal Communications Commission website indicated the agency may transfer a contract with Neustar to Ericsson AB. The FCC has yet to award the new five-year contract for telephone-number switching, a service that NeuStar has handled since 1997.

Wynn Resorts Ltd fell 3.5 percent to $197.72.

Wynn Macau Ltd, a resort owned by the Las Vegas-based company and traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, was downgraded to hold from buy at Deutsche Bank by equity analyst Karen Tang.

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shortly after the opening bell in New York

PHOTO: REUTERS

Nikkei climbs to three-month high on solid U.S. jobs data APANESE shares hit a three-month high on Jprovided Monday after a solid U.S. May jobs report the latest confirmation of slow but steady improvement in the world's largest economy and its labor market.

The benchmark Nikkei gained 0.5 percent to 15,156.32 by the midday break, after rising as high as 15,206.57, a level last seen on March 11.

The index has gained about 445 points, or more than three percent, over the past five trading days.

"Japan remains the best and most leveraged play on the U.S.-led upturn in global growth that we expect to continue for the next few years," wrote Trevor Greetham, director of asset allocation at Fidelity Worldwide Investment on the company's official blog.

On Monday, Japan revised up its growth

number for the first quarter, which grew an annualized 6.7 percent, compared with the initial 5.9 percent reading. Analysts said the upward revision didn't boost the Nikkei as it was in line with expectations.

The Nikkei's steep gains in the past week raised concerns that the market may be overbought in the very near term, and some investors were selling into the rally.

The Topix's 14-day relative strength index rose above 70 and the up-down ratio, the ratio of the number of shares that rose over the past 25 sessions divided by that of falling shares, was well above 120, both seen as indicating an overbought zone.

Wall Street closed at all-time highs on Friday after figures showed that U.S. employers kept up a solid pace of hiring in May, returning

employment to pre-recession level and offering confirmation the economy has snapped back from a winter slump.

"The U.S. jobs data was strong but came in very much as expected," said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund manager at Ichiyoshi Asset Management.

"The Tokyo market merely followed the movement of U.S. markets. Given that we are hovering in the overbought levels already and there is no real catalysts domestically, it would be difficult to drive the momentum further."

But investors seem relatively bullish on the market, rotating into high beta shares - those with high volatility -- from defensive shares.

Sea transporters, real estate companies and warehouse and port operators advanced

between 0.8 percent and 1.3 percent.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd and Sumitomo Realty & Development Co Ltd climbed 1.8 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively.

"On the whole, investors are cautiously optimistic. They are likely to keep rotating to high beta shares," said Yasuo Sakuma, portfolio manager at Bayview Asset Management.

Komatsu Ltd rose 1.9 percent and Hitachi Construction Machinery Co Ltd jumped 2.6 percent, helped by growing expectations that the Chinese economy is stabilizing after a slowdown, with hefty gains in recent sessions in rival Caterpillar also boosting sentiment.

By midday, the broader Topix added 0.3 percent to 1,238.28 in moderate trade, with trading volume at 36.2 percent of full daily average for the past 90 days.

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Law

Quote of the week “Do something: be it good or evil, if they ask why you did it, tell them you’re different.”

Michael Bassey

Nigerian courts shy away from awarding punitive costs Although the popular axiom, “Justice delayed is justice denied,” is held high in legal circles. But the application has remained regrettably different, especially in Nigeria, where the justice system tends to follow negatively too, the cliché, “Wheels of Justice grind slow but grind fine, propounded by Chinese philosopher and author, Sun Tzu. However stakeholders in the justice system believe that while in Tzu’s philosophy, the wheels, though slow, grinds fine, that cannot be said in Nigeria, where it rather grinds slower and badly too. This was the nucleus of this encounter YETUNDE AYOBAMI OJO had with Professor Fidelis Oditah, a renowned commercial lawyer, Queen Counsel (QC) and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)

INTERVIEW SKED his views on Nigeria’s justice system, the A revered professor said justice system in the country did not actually work.

Professor Oditah (SAN), QC also in the Supreme Court.

In doing that, they completely misunderstand the system of cost. Every regime that has a procedure for awarding cost does that on one or three basis.

One is what we call standard taxation, where you recover 66 percent of your reasonably incurred cost.

The second is a cost on full indemnity basis where they pay you all your reasonably incurred cost and the third is the jurisdictional award wasted cost.

And that is often against lawyers themselves because in many cases you find out that lawyers cause the delays and waste cost in the civil justice system.

And if you have delays caused by lawyers, it is right that those lawyers pay for the cost and sometimes, the courts in other jurisdictions award waste costs against lawyers.

But a system where you have no proper adverse cost and you have no power to award wasted cost; it is a recipe for irresponsible litigation.

I know that I can take litigation against you for 10 years, and at the end of the 10 years, all I am liable to get is just a cost of N100, 000. I will do so! I will not allow you to get your money for 10 years. And even when you get the final judgment at the Supreme Court, you now start to the process of enforcement. It might take another 10 years to come and by that time, everyone is tired. It is so unsatisfactory and the

problem lies in the hand of three actors – the lawyers, judges and the litigants and you need the co-operation of the three to make any civil justice system work.”

On the directive by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to judges to ensure that they have at least three judgments in a year. He said: “I believe that specifying a minimum number of judgments to be written by a judge is like ticking the box. It doesn’t address the substance of the problem. It is a cosmetic solution. If I sit in Oshogbo, for example, and I have between 50 and 100 cases allocated to me in a year and I can write rulings and judgments up to half of those cases, you will say that I am doing very well because I have done, at least, 50 percent of the cases. But if I sit in a jurisdiction where I have about 200 cases allocated to me, and I write the same 50, you will say that I have only done 25 percent of my job. So, in percentage test, it looks like I have not done anything. The person who did 25 has done 20 percent of his 50. If I have done 50, I have done only 25 of my own 200. The system might reward the person who did 50 percent better than me. They will say he was more diligent because he did 50 percent of his cases. So, those things are just ticking the box. Yes, there are some merits in ticking the box because you have to get the judges to actually focus on doing their work.

Many of them are very idle! With all due respect, some of them are extremely hard

When I look at the law report in the 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s, Nigerian courts were awarding substantial costs. I saw a case in the early 80’s where the courts awarded N120, 000 as cost. A N120,000 in 1981 was more than £120,000. It is a modern -day equivalent of, at least, N30 million. I do not know of any court in Nigeria today that would award you N1million as a cost.

“

“

“ Often, people say that there is a problem of access to justice, but my own experience of the Nigeria’s justice system tells me that the real problem is not access to justice but exit from justice. “ Cases stay far too long for dispensation because the justice system is set up in such a way that certain procedures are interminable.

“There is a persistent misuse of interlocutory applications such that you can be embroiled in interlocutory skirmishes for a considerable number of years. “ But the most annoying aspect of the system is the widespread misuse of the so-called preliminary objections or the so-called jurisdictional challenges.

Of course, in Nigeria’s justice system, every challenge, every conceivable defence is levelled on jurisdiction, such that they will insist the issue is trashed first before the merits are considered, except sometimes in proceeding brought by originating summons, whereby the court takes the jurisdiction objection with the merit.

In all other forms of proceedings, whether based on petitions or based on writ of summons, the jurisdiction is taken first, the ruling is delivered and that becomes a whole new litigation.

Whoever loses goes to the Appeal Court and from there to the Supreme Court. Under this scenario, the case itself gets bucked down, because the case would not be tried until the question of jurisdiction is resolved.

Often times, it might take up to 10 years because it goes from the Appeal Court to the Supreme Court on this same jurisdictional challenge. For many litigants that just too long, and often times, they abandon the proceedings. It is only a very few people who are dogged enough to want to continue with the struggle after 10 years of delays and legal expenses. That is one big aspect that needs to be looked at. Without this, I don’t think there will be any progress, no matter what rules we operate, unless we resolve this misuse of interlocutory skirmishes and the so-called jurisdictional objections.”

On ways to address this problem, the learned silk said: “It would require the courts coming out with new rules that just as it happened in the case that began by originating summons; these jurisdictional objections should be taken alongside with merit.

“After all, in most of the civil procedure rules operating in Nigeria, the plaintiffs are required to front-load their documents, issue their writ of summons, file statements of claims, file witness statements and submit documentary evidences.

“So, the defendant, who has a jurisdictional objection, could file his defence, take his objection and the matter could be tried immediately.

But instead, you hear the court say: “jurisdiction is foundational”; a court that has no jurisdiction is wasting its time. You cannot build something on nothing. All that is just playing to the gallery.

There is no reason why you cannot take those jurisdictional challenges in a front-loaded system with the case on merit and save everyone the time and trouble; and save the court, especially the lower court, the trouble of having to write a lot of rulings on this interlocutory skirmishes.

“That is one aspect of the problem. The second aspect is the wholesale failure to award proper adverse cost. When I looked at the law report in the 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s, Nigerian courts were awarding substantial costs. I saw a case in the early 80’s where the courts awarded N120,000 as cost. A N120, 000 in 1981 was more than £120, 000 (British pounds). It is a modern- day equivalent of, at least, N30 million. I do not know of any court in Nigeria today that would award you N1 million as a cost. Very often, you get cost of N50,000 to N100,000 at every level of decisionmaking; not just only in the High Courts, but

working: they sit on time, they dispose off their cases quickly and get their work done that way.

A number of them simply have no idea of what being a judge involves. Some of them come to court at 10.00a.m. or 11.00a.m.; some of them will list cases at 11.00am and they won’t come until noon.

“And you wonder how a public servant being paid by a public tax should turn up for work at noon and in most cases, they do not apologize to anyone for coming late. So, there is need to discipline these judges for them to know that they are providing a public service for which they are being paid. It is a voluntary work. There is no conscription! They are the ones who lobby to be judges. So, they must do the job well so they can help the system grow. How do you attract investment to your country when your dispute resolution mechanism does not work? Who is going to invest in your country when they know that in order to get judgment, you might be in court for 10 years?

On why most foreign investors always add arbitration clause in their agreements, he said: “Absolutely! But that arbitration is a partial solution to it.

“People say that the justice system in Nigeria simply doesn’t work. Not that it is incapable of working, it can work! I have had cases start and finish in one year. So it could be done! I earlier said that arbitration was a partial solution. It is so in the sense that in many cases, you get the result and an outcome quicker and everyone is satisfied that that system works very well. But if the judgment debtor refuses to pay the award, you are then forced to return to the court system to enforce the award. Very often, you start the litigation all over. So arbitration provides a partial solution if the judgment debtor is willing to pay.

But in Nigeria, the lawyers will tell you, ‘don’t worry, we will keep the case in court for 10 years’.”

Asked whether lawyers are not the major problem. Oditah answered in affirmative: “lawyers are the major culprits.”

He, however, said many judges are very lazy because they should give extemporary decisions.

“If someone applies to me to amend pleadings for example, I could decide whether to allow it or not immediately, and give you reasons for doing so. I don’t have to adjourn for one month to give you reason why the document would be admitted or not. Many judges are incapable of judging. They have no business in the Bench.

Also, the lawyers are culpable because they are the ones that make the frivolous applications and the judges accede to it to waste everybody’s time. The case management system which is supposed to be used to ensure that the cases are conducted as efficient manner as possible doesn’t work.”

On criminal justice system, he said: “The criminal justice system is a complete disgrace. The Prisons are over congested. The criminal justice system simply doesn’t work across board. Why does it not work? Often times, the prosecuting authorities charge so many cases and the judges will tell you that their dockets are full and are incapable of finding time to handle these cases.

If you look at the case of former governors who finished their tenures in 2007, not even one of them has gone into the witness box in their socalled trial. But those trials should have been concluded within two or three years.

On the case of minor cases, many people are kept on remand and they stay on remand longer than they would have served if they were convicted immediately. So the criminal justice system is a disgrace and entirely laughable. It has also been hijacked. You saw the example of former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, who was discharged and acquitted on the basis that he wouldn’t even be allowed to take a plea. The court said he had no case to answer but on the same facts in England, he pleaded guilty without a trial. This tells you something about how the courts here have been hijacked and the courts should be ashamed of that,” he added.

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78 LAW Tuesday, June 10, 2014

LawPeople

“The strength of the Constitution lies entirely in the determination of each citizen to defend it. Only if every single citizen feels duty bound to do his share in this defense are the constitutional rights secure.”

Albert Einstein

‘Judicial consultancy by retired justices is professional misdemeanour’

By Yetunde Ayobami Ojo HE despicable roles of retired heavyweights, who act as T judicial consultants or arrangees and couriers to reach out to judges in order to influence or change the course of

Adindu

lawyers, they carried on as if the man was somewhere watching them. Because the man would teach you how to behave, talk, appear in court, what to do and what not to do.

“You cannot appear in court with the late Gani without holding your pen and paper, writing down everything that was said, including the time the judge started and when the judge rose. You put the time the witness was called and the time the witness was discharged. You cannot even appear dirty.

“What we learnt was unquantifiable because Gani, being the first publisher of Nigerian Weekly Law Report, you are compelled to go through the judgment, proof-read it, know what the judgment looks like before you attempting to report it.

“We were taught how to get the principles of law in a judgment too. That is why anybody that passed through Gani is already stuck to the principles. I believe that pupilage should be made compulsory because the few months’ chambers attachment from Law School, some of them did not even take it serious, they took it as a period to read for their examinations. If they had not written the exams, they would not become lawyers. But once they come out as lawyers, they should be able to be accommodated in law firms and given some stipends until they learn the rudiments of the law that would guide them throughout their life-time, if they are serious-minded lawyers.”

“

Judges should know that they have sworn not to appear in court as a practising lawyers again and there are reasons for all these. So they know that they have chosen a path and that is the path they should remain with all the days of your lives.

“

justice in certain sensitive cases, were recently highlighted by former President of Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Biennial Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch.

Speaking on the summit, entitled: “A centenary of legal practice in Nigeria: 1914-2014: Legacies and lessons for the next century”, Salami said: “It is my respectful view that appeal should be made to these retired senior justices to leave the despicable role of bribing or intimidating judges.

They should engage themselves in other respectable vocations.

“The judges, who lend themselves to this dishonourable practice of receiving money or lending themselves to pervert the course of justice under the guise of not receiving monetary reward or otherwise, should note that there are other means of checking the excesses.

“The problem of corruption in the Nigerian judiciary is real and has eaten deep into the system. It must, however, be noted that it is not all judicial officers that are corrupt and dishonorable. There are some who are clearly identifiable as corrupt but they are protected by the system.”

He also said the nobility of the law profession was waning.

This assertion by no less personality than the former president of the Court of Appeal laid credence to the allegation that some of the retired justices engaging in judicial consultancy have brought the once-cherished legal profession to disdain. One of those who shared this sentiment is Ugwuzor Adindu, a Lagos-based lawyer and former head of the late Chief Gani Fawhenmi (SAN) Law Chamber.

According to Adindu: “Retired justices are not supposed to practise when they retire. But what they are doing now is that some of them are establishing chambers, employing lawyers to sit over meetings; the only thing is that they don’t appear in court. Some of them engage in some chambers and are writing briefs, as well as doing other orthodox things they are not supposed to do. To solve this problem, the NBA should take up the goblets to check such practices whenever they see what they do as retired justices because since they are no longer judges, the National Judicial Commission (NJC) can no longer discipline them.

“The NBA should be very strong in checking all these atrocities. It is a body that has enormous powers and responsibilities. The problem is that senior lawyers who are in control of NBA engage the services of the retired justices. So they are handicapped in taking serious actions against them. But irrespective of that fact, the association and lawyers that are aware of such anomalies should be able to take it up.

“Judges should know that they have sworn not to appear in court as practising lawyers again and there are reasons for these. So they should have known that they have chosen a path and that is the path they should remain with all the days of their lives. “That was why the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa said that when he came to Gani’s Chambers to deliver lectures when Gani was alive, that once somebody took up the role of a judge, he or she should remove himself or herself from a society to some extent that the person cannot socialise or mix up and even attend parties like when he or she was a practising lawyer.

“Judges cannot now turn themselves to go and establish their own chambers, call it one other name, employ lawyers there, by that you are running a chambers. They are even lawyers, who are not retired justices that don’t go to court. So, if they are doing that they are already in practice; this is against their judicial oath and the law. So if NBA cannot do it, the security agencies have to investigate, the Director of States Security (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Police should look into this practice and know whether they are exceeding what they are doing, and doing what they are not supposed to do. That is the only way it can be curb.

“If the retire judges now take over, they can use their influence to do certain things. The problem would be there, they can use the advantage of the office and that would be very wrong for the judiciary and the legal profession.

On the training of young lawyers, Adindu said new wigs need to at least have between two and five years pupilage in an established law firm before setting out to practise on their own.

He said: “When you pass through an established law firm, you will not only learn the law, you will learn the character of your principal and the principles that guide that office.

‘For some of us, we spent over 10 years as lawyers under Chief Gani Fawehinmi and over 20 years as general staff.

That is why today, there are briefs you cannot take. There are certain things you cannot do having passed through that office. They will say if Gani were to be alive, will you do this? Check those that have passed through the chambers, first and foremost aside from their reputation as good

On the constraints militating quick dispensation of justice, the fearless lawyer said the constraints are too many and, therefore, require multifaceted approach to solve.

According to him, when it is not lack of infrastructure, it will be lawyers filing frivolous applications, as well as the involvement of the courts in too many ceremonies.

“Sometimes, you see lawyers, once they know they don’t have defence to a case, writing to the court without copying their colleagues that they will not be coming to court, and suggesting a date that is convenient for them, only for the lawyer to see such letters in court.

“If am a judge, I won’t take that letter serious or oblige the lawyers because that is an opportunity to delay. Because they have no defence to the case and when the matter is struck out, they come back to either re-list the matter or for an extension of time.

There should be a practice directive that once a party is not there, the matter should be dismissed and whatever appeal filed should be looked at inside the chambers to know whether it has merit or not.

If the court finds out that the dismissal was caused by the negligence of counsel, the lawyer should be sued for professional misconduct and made to pay damages, so that the mistakes of the counsel will not be visited on the litigants. This measure will check the attitude of lawyers not being serious with their cases. Again, government should do more to enhance the welfare of judges because the welfare of judges is very important. They should be comfortable because their job is too tedious, so they must be provided with the necessary enablement to make them perform optimally. I know that Lagos State is trying in this regard but is not all over the other states.

To solve this problem, the funding of the judiciary should come from direct consolidated office, not through the executives. They should have their own budget directly from consolidated fiscal responsibility.

Asked his views on the call for the decentralisation of Supreme Court to make it more efficient in ensuring quicker adjudication of cases, he said; “I did not support the decentralisation, we are not mature for such. We have divisions of Court of Appeal almost everywhere, and we are seeing how contradictory judgments from various divisions are creating a lot of problem in the judiciary.

“Today, if we decentralise the Supreme Court, one division of the court will give verdict and the other one will give another verdict.

“In fact, they will be giving contradictory judgments. It happened in the High Courts during the June 12 election, while one court ordered for the release of the result, another said it didn’t release the result. It will happen in Supreme Court, so let us have one Supreme Court.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 LAW 79

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Calls for passage of PIB bill reverberate at book launch EVENT

By Bertram Nwannekanma OISED to ensure that P Nigeria maximizes full benefits of her petroleum resources, a book entitled: ‘Petroleum Law and Sustainable Development’, written by renowned Lagosbased commercial lawyers, Dr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN) and Dr. Oscar Nliam, was last week presented to the public in Lagos.

Stakeholders described the book, which was another attempt at providing a legal framework to guide the exploration and production of oil, as a welcome development for a country seriously pursuing the eradication of gas flaring and other environmental degradation in the oil producing areas often referred as Agenda 21.

Dignitaries at the event, including the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mrs. Folake Solanke, former Petroleum Minister, Odein Ajumogobia (SAN), Prof. Pat Utomi, Justice Rita Ofili Ajumogobia, Executive Vice Chairman/General Counsel ExxonMobil Nigeria Unlimited, Dr. Chief Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, who chaired the event, former Chairman SURE-P, Dr. Christopher Kolade, representative of Chairman, SEPLAT, Adejoke Ajaero, Head of Legal. Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Rita

comes out, the better. The sooner it is done, the better,” Ajogwu said.

On the motive for writing the book, the learned silk said the book was an attempt at looking at how many nations such as Norway and United Arab Emirate that are specially blessed with petroleum resources, have turned it to a blessing rather than a curse.

He said: “ The way oil is extracted has achieved a disconnect between that wealth and the wellbeing of the people. That leads to the current expression, wealth -curse, it almost been the oil that ought to be blessing has become a curse today. But we looked at it and said, it would not have been that way because there are certain countries such as Author of Petroleum Law and Sustainable Development, Dr. Oscar Nliam (left), Former Chairman SURE-P Christopher Kolade, Representative of Norway that has oil and are utilising it very well. So we Chairman, SEPLAT, Adejoke Ajaero, Head of Legal NIMASA; Rita Uruakpa, Folake Solanke SAN and Author of Petroleum Law and Sustainable look at the petroleum law, the Development, Dr. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN during the presentation of the Book ‘Petroleum Law and Sustainable Development in Lagos legal framework under which Uruakpa, Israeli ambassador According to him, the to continue to agitate for the when passed, should have a oil companies operate and to Nigeria, Moshe Ram, the authors had not only careful- passage of that law. The lawbalance regarding the econo- sustainable development, so book reviewer, Dr. Dayo ly distilled the principles, the- makers should not only focus my, enterprise and the envi- that both of them could go Ayooade of the University of ories, law and practice in the on the 2015 election. We urge ronment to avoid civil strife, hand-in-hand. It is mutual Lagos and many others, were Nigerian oil and gas industry, them to discharge their multiple lawsuits or other exclusive, it does not mean that when a place has oil, there of the view that the book was they also linked the relevance responsibility to Nigerians civil disturbances. of each concept or principle and pass that law,” she said. timely.

“I want to advocate that even must be destruction, flaring Dr. Kolade, however, urged The event also provided to the industry and to interin the PIB, that balance must and ruining of the environanother opportunity of look- national laws and conven- Nigerians to begin a process be maintained. The final doc- ment and so on. tion, while highlighting ecoof owning the oil sector withing at the Petroleum Industry ument that comes out as an “So we tried to look at the Chief Bill (PIB), which is pending at nomic development and out living it at the hands of Act of National Assembly Agenda 21, which the National Assembly, with a cohesion and progress in foreigners in order to fully must have that balance and Solanke (SAN) mentioned, addition to the more familiar develop it to its potentials. call for its speedy passage. that is my position as a that oil could be a blessing or a For the co-author, Ajogwu, Ajumogobia, who wrote the environmental protection Nigerian, an interested party curse, depending on how you use it. What we are advocating the Bill might have been book’s foreword, said the bill, issues. and a stakeholder. when passed into law, would Solanke said the bill has been delayed due to conflicting “The bill is not just a piece of is a regime that would ensure help achieve transparency “everlastingly delayed,” and interests, which has led to the publication but a thing that that Nigerians benefit from and accountability in the urged the National Assembly existence of different versions would regulate a problem liv- the resources and that nationto pass it into law. of it. petroleum sector. ing with us. The sooner it al development is sustained,” “We must all be challenged he added.

According to him, the bill,

Rep urges financial independence for judiciary From Charles Akpeji, Jalingo ITHOUT financial insuW lation from the “core” and “dominant political arm of government” to the judicial arm of government, the much-desired dream of ensuring independence of the judiciary, according to the House of Representatives House Committee Chairman on Ethics and Privileges, Albert Tanimu Sam-Tsokwa, would continue to be a mirage.

This view was encapsulated in a paper presented by a member representing Takum, Ussa and Donga Federal Constituency at the maiden Bar Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Jalingo chapter, held at Jolly Nyame Stadium in Taraba State.

The legislator, who spoke on

the topic: “Legislative Development of Nigeria Democracy”, lamented the lukewarm attitude of the relevant authorities in bringing to reality the independence of the judiciary, stating that the judiciary, as the third arm of government, should be insulated from the vagaries of other arms of government.

He said: “The judiciary has been constitutionally inundated and insulated from the vagaries of the other two political arms of government to ensure the highest level and degree of judicial freedom, independence, neutrality and impartiality.”

Wondering why the judiciary was not properly taken care of in the Federal Government Budget for the year 2014, he opined that proper funding of the judi-

ciary would spur it to the greatest height stating that “give the judiciary financial independence in terms of full and proper funding, all other forms of judicial freedom or independence needed for the judiciary” according to him “shall freely flow.”

“Imagine that in a N4.6 trillion federal Budget, the judiciary and the Legislature together take a paltry sum of N218, 000,000,000, that is N68, 000,000,000 and N150, 000,000,000 respectively or about five percent of the total budget, leaving the Executive with 95 percent to play around with.”

Observing that “impunity is gradually competing for supremacy with the rule of law”, he stressed the need for those at the helms of affairs to tread with caution

Eastern Bar Forum honours Oputa, Udoma, others HE Eastern Bar Forum T (EBF) will on June 13, 2014, honour some of its prominent leaders, who have made significant contributions to the development of the country.

Among those to be honoured at its seminar and awards night slated for Newton Hotel, Owerri, Imo State, are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Polycarp Igwe Nwagu; Governors Rochas Anayo Okorocha (Imo State); Seriake Dickson

(Bayelsa), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River).

Others are former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Justice Kate Abiri, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), Chief Tony Mogbo (SAN), Chief Mike Ikenna Ahamba (SAN), OCJ Okocha (SAN), Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, the AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Bayelsa State and Kemasuode Wodu, who is the immediate past chairman of the forum, Marc Enamhe.

The late Justices Chukwudifu Oputa and Udo

Udoma will also receive post-humous awards at the event where Dr. Agbakoba, a former president of the NBA, will speak on the topic: “Whither Nigeria”, as the keynote speaker.

Also to be honoured are two corporate citizens, namely: Innoson Industries Nigeria Limited and Moni Pulo Limited for their immense contributions to the development of the states in the old Eastern Region.

The honour and award night is part of the usual annual lecture of the forum.

by giving due recognition to the judiciary.

For the chairman of the state branch of the NBA, Ibrahim Effiong, and the theme: “The Bar and the Nigeria Legal System at Centenary,” was carefully chosen for the Bar week to stress the need for members

to continue to adhere to the ethics of the profession, he said has become very relevant.

The chairperson of the Bar Week Committee, Clara Kataps, notedthat “lawyers play vital roles in the development of the society, hence, the need for them to

continue to be revered with respect and dignity.”

According to her, “The entire members of the Bar and especially, in Taraba State will carry on with the dignity and continue to contribute to the development of the Nigeria’s legal system.”

International arbitration confab holds July in London HE London International T Commercial Arbitration Conference for West Africa Hilton Hotel, Canary Wharf, London holds on July 16-18, 2014 at the Hilton in Canary Wharf, London.

This conference, now in its second year and rapidly becoming the ‘must attend’ event for those involved in international arbitration in West Africa, explores the London international commercial arbitration experience with particular emphasis on the perspective of the West African arbitration user in the transport, trade, infrastructure and energy sectors Speakers expected at the conference titled: ‘International Arbitration Conference for West Africa’, include the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, SAN, Nicholas Chambers QC, Stephen Ruttle QC, Harry Matovu QC, all of Brick Court Chambers, London.

Ms Mahnaz Malik, Arshard Ghaffar, both London- based

commercial lawyers as well as Nigeria’s Mr. Olumide Sofowora, SAN and Mr. Wale Atake.

According to Kadiri Momoh, a solicitor and principal of Mitchell Simmonds Solicitors, London and one of the organisers, topical issues in international arbitration from a London, international and comparative basis respectively will be discussed.

“A large contingent of the Nigerian judiciary is also expected at the event.

Certificates of attendance and Continuous Legal Educations points will be awarded at both events.

Momoh said recent years have seen marked growth throughout the West African region in the use of international arbitration and mediation as dispute resolution tools in largescale International contracts.

The conference fee includes the lectures, seminars, course materials, and

refreshments an lunch over the duration of the conference.

The fee also includes on the first evening a champagne reception and dinner aboard a luxury cruise boat along the River Thames.

According to Momoh, the city of London is not just a legal centre, but also a global financial and commercial hub with a global appeal. “Very recently, over 80 percent of parties to arbitration at the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) were of non-UK origin. “ London remains the preferred seat of arbitration, favoured by nearly a third of respondents in a recent International Arbitration survey in which 710 responses were received and 104 individuals interviewed. However, there is competition from New York, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong, but London maintains its leading position.’ He added.

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80 LAW Tuesday, June 10, 2014

FamilyLaw

If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.”

George Bernard Shaw, Immaturity

Obtaining probate in Nigeria: Argument for its retention and modification (4)

By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe HE death certificate should conT tain the cause of death, name and signature of the doctor that issued the death certificate. A strict penalty should be attached to that provision so that if in the event the testimony of the medical doctor is discovered to be irregular or false, the court then imposes penalty on the hospital management and also convict the medical doctor for misleading the court. This, in my view, will help to reduce the cases of fake death certificates used by some interested parties to obtain probate.

Official corruption has been identified as one of the problems experienced by the courts during the processing probate. The Dan-Jumbo case is a clear cut official irregularity which may have been influenced by corruption resulting in the grant of probate by the chief registrar knowing full well that the caveator had appealed against the judgment of the High Court. Therefore, penalty and imprisonment of offenders should be incorporated in the Administration of Estates Laws in each state of the federation to the effect that court official and/or judicial official found to have comprised their duties in the grant of probate are sanctioned and convicted for breaching utmost good faith reposed in him by the public.

In the same token, caveator who fails to defend the caveat upon entering citation by the executor

should be fined or punished for wasting the precious time of the court as well as causing unjustifiable delay in the grant of probate.

This is necessary because certain degree of disputes between the executor and the beneficiaries or one of the beneficiaries may take several months or years to resolve due to appeal of lower court decision to superior courts either by the executor or beneficiary. This delay has accounted for the appointment of administrator

pendent elite to protect the estate of the testator from dissipation as was the case in Kule Ladejobi v. Odutola Holdings Ltd. Probate is in the realm of administration of estate law.

Legally, probate is the authority given by the court to an executor or executors. It takes the form of a document, which contains a copy of the Will of the deceased and bears the seal of the court. The executor can produce the probate to show his title to act and also a process of establishing that a Will is valid.

Lawyers kick against NBA elections guidelines

By Bertram Nwannekanma AWYERS, under the aegis of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos branch, have picked holes in the election guidelines recently released by the NBA Electoral Committee, saying the guidelines are fraught with many irregularities that will imperil the wishes of the electorate.

Following lengthy debate arising from a motion by octogenarian, Pa Tunji Gomez and seconded by former NBA general secretary, Afro Fayokun, members of the branch unanimously rejected stipulations in the election guidelines requiring branches to submit bank tellers “as evidence of payment of annual practising fee as at April 1, 2014.”

According to the lawyers, who made their position known in a resolution signed by the branch Chairman, Alex Muoka and Publicity Secretary, Abdulrasheed Ibrahim, such requirement is unnecessary “as full and detailed information of all lawyers and all branch members who have paid practising fee as at March 31, 2014, is already in the custody of the NBA National Secretariat.”

The members are more piqued by the requirement in the election guidelines, which mandate every NBA registered branch to submit receipts as evi-

L

dence of payment of branch dues and levies as at April 1, 2014. They said the requirement is not only “unconstitutional” as it is not contained in NBA Constitution 2009, but is a ploy to “disenfranchise branches and voters.”

The “Premier Bar” also took a swipe at the emergence of some new branches during the election period, warning that “no branch inaugurated in 2014 shall be allowed to send delegates to vote at the 2014 NBA Elections.”

Worried that the opaque nature of the guidelines concerning the publication of the delegates’ register touches on the integrity of the electoral process and would jeopardise credible elections, the members resolved that not only should evidence of payment of practising fee be published and made available to branches and the electoral committee, “the entire list of qualified voters (should) be published by the electoral committee no later than one week before the date of the election.”

In a scarcely veiled vote-of-no-confidence on the electoral committee and to ensure that the wishes of the electorate are not truncated, the members insisted that “independent auditors be engaged to conduct the elections.”

They also demanded “immediate implementation” of the report of the Prince Lanke Odogiyan Election Review Committee, which had been adopted by the NBA National Executive Committee (NEC). Odogiyan was the chairman of the Electoral Committee that conducted the highly controversial 2012 NBA Elections.

It will be recalled that the 2014 Electoral Committee led by Mr. Okey Amaechi (SAN) had directed that “All registered branches shall attach to their delegates’ lists receipts or bank tellers showing evidence of payment of annual practising fees and other branch dues and levies by their delegates as at April 1, 2014, by the delegates, as well as all such members of as qualified (sic) any branch for additional delegates under Article 7 (e) of the Constitution.”

The guidelines also banned posting of posters, billboards, handbills “or any form of campaign materials whatsoever”, as well as campaign tours and visits by candidates and their agents. Many lawyers have criticised the guidelines as containing too many “decrees.”

The NBA NEC had at its meeting in Abuja resolved that the delegates elections to elect national officers will hold on July 14 and 15, 2014 in Abuja.

The Bar in defence of democracy

By Funke Adekoya Continued from last week Tuesday N his part, Agbakoba also identifies the O Aka-Bashorun era and the battle by the Bar and Bench some two decades ago to free the then detained Fawehinmi and Falana, among others, as some of the finest moments for the Bar. But this rich legacy has come under severe attack lately, with many critics arguing that the Bar Association has derailed from its divine mandate as the foremost defender of our democracy, civil rights and the rule of law. Indeed, there are strong indications that this dubious legacy of the Bar Association is long-standing.

Agbakoba had observed two decades ago that “save for these momentary intervals and short-lived solidarity, the Bar Association has consistently maintained a conspiratorial silence in matters affecting the welfare of the people,” perhaps only capped by the donation of N10 Million to the Bar by then military junta in ‘appreciation’ of its “non-confrontational tenure.”

Accordingly, the Bar Association has been receiving flaks lately for what many perceive as a less than vibrant confrontation with undemocratic and reactionary forces.

In a searing diatribe on the role of the Bar in our recent history, a leading newspaper asserted thus: “Unfortunately, the NBA that we have seen in recent years, especially under the current leadership, is a caricature of what the association used to represent.

The NBA, which had hitherto played a critical role in the political development of our country, has become a shadow of itself,

Adekoya, SAN either because its leadership is getting involved in partisan politics or because it has no clue as to how best to leverage its influence on the national stage. For example, on many occasions when the public expected the NBA to intervene on burning national issues, especially those deal-

ing with law and/or its perversion, the body has either been disappointingly quiet or has taken sides with the authorities.”

Some Bar leaders have also come down hard on the Bar Association concerning its role in vindicating its motto of “promoting the rule of law” and advancing the frontiers of democracy. Speaking the minds of many, Falana said: “Civil rule of barely two decades was characterised by gross abuse of office by the political class. The democratic rights of the people were violated with impunity. A key impediment to the consolidation of democracy has been the manipulation of the electoral process. The rule of law has been treated with disdain by governments, which engage in executive lawlessness and disobedience of court orders. Apart from activist lawyers who have consistently resisted authoritarian rule the NBA has failed to put up a stiff resistance against the subversion of the rule of law in the country.”

While Olanipekun has rightly noted that the drafters of the NBA Constitution “wanted a total break from the past when, in some instances, the Bar leadership was subservient to the Executive Arm of Government, dancing to its tunes and prostrating to its whims and caprices,” Agbakoba is certain that an organised, articulate and more forceful Bar Association can play a concrete role in upholding and protecting human rights and the welfare of citizens. “This is necessary,” he argues, “if institutional democracy must succeed in Nigeria.”

It was the Honourable Justice Augustine Nnamani, JSC (as he then was) who said that “a courageous, honest, industrious,

vigilant, independent, knowledgeable Bar is a necessary instrument for the protection of the rights of the society.”

It is conceded that the legacy of the Bar Association as a foremost defender of civil liberties and the bulwark of our nascent democracy has been both glorious and dubious. Unless lawyers and the Bar Association seize the gauntlet once more to restore the glory days of the Bar as the sentinel of democracy, both risk public opprobrium and irrelevance. This is a fate we can ill afford.

I, however, believe that among Nigerian lawyers, there is no dearth of courage and initiative in dealing with the issue at hand. It was John T. Berry who eloquently captured the courage of the Nigerian lawyer when he said: “In Nigeria, I saw some of the worst of human conditions, and some of the very best. The best was exemplified by lawyers, who under the toughest of circumstances are fighting to create a system of justice that decides disputes not by guns or planes crashed into buildings, but by the rule of law. These honest, bright, and courageous men and women are engaged in a daily and dangerous struggle to create what many of us too often take for granted. As bright and well-educated people, they could go to other countries and make far more money, under much safer conditions, but they believe that fighting for the rule of law in their homeland is more important.”

• Adekoya is a Lagos-based Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

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Tuesday, June 10, 2014 LAW 81

Lagos sets up appeal tribunal for Land Use Charge

By Bertram Nwannekanma S a way of giving opportunities A to land owners to seek redress in case of wrongful classifications of their property and undue charges under the new Lagos Land Use regime, Lagos State government has inaugurated the Land Use Charge Assessment Appeal Tribunal.

Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, who represented the State Government at the oath-taking ceremony, urged members to be fair in all their dealings with the citizenry.

According to Ipaye, the inauguration of the tribunal gave credence to the desire of the Babatunde Fasholaled administration to follow due process and constitutionality in everything that it does.

The commissioner stated further that the tribunal came about as a result of the need to adjudicate on appeals coming from citizens who feel aggrieved by the law, adding that the Land Use Charge law creates room for an appeal.

‘The Land Use Charge Assessment Appeal Tribunal Members was established under Section 12 of the Land Use Charge Law of 2011.

The tribunal, which consists of 15 members, he said, creates an avenue for parties aggrieved under the Land Use Charge Law, to make complaints, express their fundamental rights, have free access to justice and seek appropriate remedies.

Members of the tribunal He said the tribunal was set up by the Lagos State government to mediate between the Lagos State Land Registry Company and property owners in Lagos on Land Use Charge and assessment and to ensure that no property owner is unduly charged for his/her property.

The Attorney-General said the tribunal, headed by revered chartered accountant, Mr. Ayodele Odunlami, is empowered to sit over appeals by any person aggrieved by (a) a decision that a property, which he owns, is a chargeable property, or that he is liable to pay Land Use Charge in

respect of such property or (b) any calculation of an amount which he is liable to pay as land use charge.

While expressing optimism that the tribunal would give their best in handling appeal cases from citizens, Ipaye noted that members of the tribunal were selected from var-

ious professions through a painstaking process, which could only guarantee trusted, diligent and hardworking people.

“As part of its effort to make tax administration especially property tax easier in Lagos, the state government decided to review the situation whereby the same tax was charged on the same property by both state and local governments, adding that it was, therefore, decided that one way of improving the system was to harmonise all property taxes in the state so that there will be a centralised tax system which is cost-effective.

“We decided to have a centralised valuation of all property in Lagos so that we have a common data-base and a central collecting authority on Land Use Charge and between the state and local governments there will be a sharing formula”, Ipaye said.

Chairman of the tribunal, Mr. Odunlami, in his remarks, thanked the Lagos State governor for the opportunity given to them to serve the state.

Stressing that the re-birth of the tribunal was a thing of joy, he promised that members would perform even better than they had done.

The tribunal, the chairman said, is committed to upholding the principles of fairness in the discharge of its duties as well as looking through cases in its merits and its technicalities in order to ensure that every party is satisfied with its decision on the Land Use Charge.

Adesina launches NBA presidential ambition with nine-point agenda

By Bertram Nwannekanma AGOS-BASED lawyer and L(SAN), Senior Advocate of Nigeria Mr. Dele Adesina (SAN), has launched his Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential ambition with the unveiling of a nine-point agenda for the association.

In his speech titled: “Strategic plan for Strategic Development of the Nigerian Bar Association”, Adesina said the NBA required a leadership driven by vision, selflessness and which acted as the conscience of the nation.

According to him, his mission is premised on serving the best interest of members of the NBA and the legal profession, with passion, honesty and integrity of purpose.

While highlighting areas, which formed the fulcrum of his ambition, Adesina said he will run a democratic administration that is based on team work to curb the allegation of the ‘One man show’, which the NBA has come to be known.

He said: “As a deliberate policy of corporate governance, my administration shall be based on full democracy, consultation, openness, transparency and accountability.

“My presidency will be primarily concerned with the formulation and execution of policies and pursuit of duties that will enhance the relevance of NBA to its members, the legal profession, the supremacy of the rule of law and the nation.

“I shall put in place an institutional framework for budgeting, accounting and hiring of staffs,” he said The former chairman of the Ikeja branch of the NBA also underscored the importance of welfare for young lawyers, which he said, would receive special attention in his administration, coupled with capacity building and economic empowerment.

“My leadership shall develop a strategic welfare plan that will provide a comprehensive group life insurance policy for Nigerian lawyers: old or young, junior or senior.

“The NBA will also undertake several incentives to create more job opportunities for lawyers, such as restriction of range of documentation by non-lawyers, use of foreign lawyers in Nigeria, as well as legal practice in ECOWAS region” he said.

The lawyer also hinged on the need for the promotion of the judiciary and efficient justice delivery system, stating that his administration would also ensure that the judiciary occupied a strategic position in the life of the nation.

According to him, anti-corruption committee of the NBA shall be onerously

Adesina SAN strengthened to discharge its responsibility in this regard, while his administration

would strive to put up a campaign against corruption and all forms of impunity in the

association.

He also said his administration would ensure an

increase in the number of Supreme Court justices, since a comparative analysis would show that the nation’s apex court is one of the busiest in the world.

He added that he would ensure a judicial policy of terminating interlocutory appeals at the level of the Court of Appeal and ensure that further divisions of the appellate court are created.

According to the SAN, he would promote a maximum operation of the rule of law and cooperate social responsibility for the NBA, ensure professional discipline of the highest standard, foster continuing legal education and facilitate a globalisation of legal practice.

The election holds in Abuja in July.

NBA national election guidelines

By Guy Ikokwu N recent months, guidelines for the Nigerian Bar Associations (NBA) national elections coming up in July is provoking a lot of comments with particular reference to the presidency of the association.

One of the issues at stake has to do with the zoning of the presidency to either the West or South-West zone of the country.

Some members hold the view that it is the turn of the South-West to produce the president, whereas others hold the view that the zoning refers to the old Western Nigeria of which the MidWest was part thereof.

There are three presidential candidates at the moment, two of whom are from the South-West while one is from the old Mid-West. Under the

I

present constitutional provision, the three candidates are qualified to contest.

However, very many lawyers in Nigeria feel that this zoning arrangement is antiquated and in line with our old constitutional and political arrangement of only four regions in Nigeria.

It is, therefore, felt that the most equitable zoning arrangement should be in line with our present day six geo-political zones in the country of which there are three in the North and three in the South.

There are presently many experienced lawyers in each of these zones to wear the mantle of the presidency of the NBA. The zoning will shift where a particular zone does not produce a suitable candidate.

With regard to the voting rights of delegates, most prac-

tising lawyers feel that it is very undemocratic to disenfranchise a majority of lawyers who have paid their practising fees, the constitutional right of being registered as voters at the national conference.

The present system limits the rights to vote to a minority of members, apart from statutory delegates.

Voting delegates are limited to just one for every 100 financial members of a branch. In this way, the majority of financial members of the Bar are disenfranchised, which is very undemocratic and unfortunate.

The President of Nigeria or the governor of a state is elected on the basis of Universal Adult Suffrage whereby any person who is 18 years of age, educated or not, rich or poor, male or female, elite or rural, healthy or not,

is eligible to cast his or her vote once registered by INEC. If our national constitution can make these provisions for elections to the highest offices in the land, why should seasoned professional lawyers be denied their inalienable right to cast their secret ballots to determine the membership of their national executives?

If INEC and the political parties can arrange their elections, why should the legal profession not be in a position to arrange its own democratic process?

Legal practitioners in densely populated areas like Lagos, Ikeja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Ibadan, Kaduna, Kano and Abuja, to name a few, have been calling for a democratisation of our system for nearly two decades.

The national executive of the Nigeria Bar Association hold-

ing this month should take another look at the system, amendment of the NBA Constitution proposed by some branches and members should be critically examined to democratise the NBA, so as to bring it in line with similar legal associations and other professional bodies in Africa, Europe, America and the rest of the world.

Let us not forget that the world’s biggest democracy, India, has just concluded a national election in which over 600 million qualified voters of various sex, sects, languages, religions, classes, rich and poor, participated.

It is time for a change in our country, Nigeria, for the citizenry and professionals, including lawyers, to imbibe the principles and tenets of democracy in their affairs!

• Ikokwu is a Lagos-based legal practitioner.

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ISSUE

Obama

Jonathan

Cameron

Concerns over foreign assistance on Chibok girls

By Madu Onuorah (Abuja Bureau Chief) LMOST one month into the A deployment of the various foreign assistance teams to Nigeria,

there are concerns over the lack of communication between them and their Nigerian counterparts on the fate of the over 200 school girls abducted on April 14, 2014 by Boko Haram terrorists. The euphoria that greeted their coming with the high expectations that it will change the dynamics of the search and rescue efforts has ebbed.

They have arrived because the abduction of the schoolgirls attracted worldwide condemnation, with world political leaders, celebrities and activists expressing shock and outrage. It became fashionable to join the campaign for their release under the banner of #Bring Back Our Girls.’

The international outrage forced world leaders to express readiness to assist Nigeria, if they so request.

President Goodluck Jonathan had come under fire, facing accusations of inertia. He was also berated for failure to seek international assistance. Faced with the anger at home and abroad, President Jonathan requested for foreign assistance, something the Nigerian military and some political leaders had hitherto been reluctant to do. Their coming was a lease of fresh air to the slow response of the Nigerian military in rescuing the school girls.

Nigeria specifically asked for intelligence and equipment to help trace the location of the Chibok girls. The request for assistance by the foreign militaries was sought because the Nigerian military is down in terms of equipment holdings in the area of sophisticated surveillance platforms.

President Jonathan, spoke with his British Prime Minister, David Cameron on the phone, requesting for the deployment of British Satellite Imaging capabilities and advanced tracking technologies to boost the outcome of the search.

Several countries pledged to send military experts, spy planes and intelligence experts to assist the Nigerian military in the rescue mission.

Among countries that pledged assistance were the United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, China and Israel. The United States

deployed an Interdisciplinary Team for Assistance working with their Nigerian counterparts in the areas of security, communications and intelligence. It also deployed 80 troops to Chad. The troops will support the operation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria and the surrounding area, using at least one drone. The UK also sent a Sentinel spy plane in addition to its team of experts.

For China, their assistance involves the deployment of counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency and intelligence experts to work with their Nigerian counterparts.

Israel sent an advisory team of experts including those experienced in dealing with hostage situations and are not combat troops.

Upon their arrival, Nigeria provided them an operational base in Abuja and deployed its own military to work with them. In their Operations Room, the teams met regularly. The United States and United Kingdom military were granted free clearance for their surveillance aircrafts and drones.

They have been flying manned and unmanned missions over Nigeria to look for the girls.

While Nigerians generally supported the deployment of the foreign assistance teams, it has been a humiliating experience for the Nigerian military which until recently was hailed as a powerhouse of peacekeeping and peace enforcement efforts all over the world. The military has been slammed over the handling of the Boko Haram crisis and the abduction of the Chibok girls.

In fact, a senior United States official said the once powerful Nigerian force had become so ineffective it is now “afraid to engage” Boko Haram. The military was also ridiculed for its shrinking capacity. President of Uganda and a vet-

eran of guerrilla warfare, Mr. Yoweri Museveni said he would rather opt for suicide than to seek and accept the foreign military help Nigeria received with open arms. Nigerians however, never reckoned with the opposition to the deployment of the assistance teams.

Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, National Coordinator of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria and former Federal commissioner of the Nigerian National Human Rights Commission, “the military assistance offered by World super powers towards rescuing the over 250 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State has boosted the fighting morale of our Nigerian soldiers and has compelled the Boko Haram insurgents through their renegade leader Abubakar Shekau to give conditions for releasing the hostages, which he hinged on the Federal Government’s willingness to do prisoners’ swap. Prior to the arrival of the American Special Forces the armed terrorists had insisted on no negotiations.

“The decision of the world leaders to grant a range of military and counter terrorism technical support made most Nigerians to regain some form of confidence in the ability of corporate Nigeria to withstand and defeat the massive attacks against the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

Nigerians in their huge number want Nigeria to have more sustainable defence pact with world powers because the involvement of international terrorism masterminds in funding Boko Haram has made it imperative that Nigeria needs all the best technical and military assistance that the developed nations such as United States or United Kingdom can offer. Nigeria needs to deliberate further with United States or United Kingdom, so the

Nigerian military can be better tooled and trained in the most sophisticated information technology compliant intelligence driven measures to defeat terrorists.

“The foreign military assistance must include training on how to detect saboteurs within the military that undermine the counter insurgency fight. But Nigerians understandably are looking to see the immediate impact of the promised military assistance to Nigeria. Nigerians are also not happy that these foreign Special Forces won’t be deployed to fight terrorism but the deployment of unmanned drones by the US is welcomed.”

But the worry in political and military circles in Abuja is that the arrival and deployment of the foreign assistance teams with their sophisticated anti-terror expertise and equipment has not positively affected the dynamics of the search and rescue of the Chibok school girls. Till date, they’ve not able to locate the school girls.

A source in The Presidency told The Guardian yesterday “we know that since their arrival, they have not been regularly briefing their Nigerian military counterparts of their findings on the location of the Chibok school girls. They have also not informed them of their findings on the different Boko Haram cells within the region and their movements. Yet, they have been operating with Nigerians for weeks now. Maybe they have their own agenda, which we may not know. Given the blanket clearance, which they asked, got and permitted to fly over the country their drones and surveillance aircraft, why has it been difficult for them to inform the government of new findings on the location or other issues concerning the Chibok girls.

They were to come and show us

Given the blanket clearance, which they asked, got and permitted to fly over the country their drones and surveillance aircraft, why has it been difficult for them to inform the government of new findings on the location or other issues concerning the Chibok girls

that our military with the gaps in their equipment holdings, are incapable. But with all their expertise, we have not seen anything new. The situation is justifying those who opposed their coming. It has been frustrating for everyone concerned in taking the decision to seek and accept their assistance.”

The situation was what led to last Friday’s meeting between the Nigerian military high command and the leadership of the United States Interdisciplinary Team for Assistance to Nigeria. At the meeting, which was attended by Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah (Chief of Army Staff), Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin (Chief of Naval Staff) and Air Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosun (Chief of Air Staff). At the meeting, “it was resolved that subsequent phases of the efforts at locating where the Chibok girls are being held will feature continuous engagement among the partners.”

Coordinator of the National Information Centre (NIC), which was set up to brief the nation on the daily efforts to locate and rescue the school girls, Mr. Mike Omeri told journalists efforts towards the safe return of the abducted girls are on-going.

According to him, “there is the need for Nigerians, particularly the media, to recognise the fact that the process of rescue could be hard and time-consuming particularly when both the partners have agreed the issue of force is not often the priority. Insurgency or terrorism wherever it reared its ugly head has always taken time and if you check the history of other countries like Sri Lanka, even America so, what we should be concerned about is whether efforts are on-going or not and if we are doing our best. And the Nigerian military will continue to do its best.

“We will keep doing our duty, as a matter of duty, to the fatherland.

And be sure that someday, with the cooperation of Nigerians, we should get to where we all desire.

It was resolved that the subsequent phases of the efforts will feature continuous engagement among the partners while also recognising the need for less pressure to disclose operational information as in usually mounted on the Nigerian military.”

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83

My roadmap for Ekiti’s development, by Opeyemi CONTINUED FROM MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2014 OWARDS this end also, recreational facilities T are to be provided in public schools across the State. Our Government will be committed to restoring the past glory of the State in the areas of sports and games. Sports Centres are to be upgraded with state-of-the-art facilities while modern mini Sports Centres are to be located across the State. Development of sport facilities will be extended to our educational institutions. i. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT The process that prepares young people to face the challenges of life/adulthood through a coordinated, progressive series of activities which helps them become socially, morally, emotionally and cognitively competent. It strives to help young people develop inner resources and skills to cope with pressure that might lead to unhealthy and anti-social behaviour. It involves a combination of all the people, places, supports and opportunities that a community can offer. Recognizing the youth as a community’s most critical and untapped resource, I commit to a State policy on youth inclusion and development.

With restive behaviour among the youth on the rise, attention has shifted from damage control to prevention of problem behaviour and an enhancement of positive youth development. Issues of teenage pregnancy, escalating drug use and abuse, sexually transmitted disease, school failure and delinquency have forced home the need for preventive strategies.

As part of the efforts to encourage positive development and self- awareness, concentrated efforts will be made towards enhancing youth involvement and presence by encouraging youth participation in decision making process for the government. I believe that when the youth are involved in the decision making process, so that they can express their views and make specific contributions to youth-related issues, then they are honour bound to adhere to the policy which they helped craft. Increased emphasis will be placed on connectivity and networking from the grassroots to the local, the State, national and international level of interconnected youth organizations.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT Youth empowerment in the State can be addressed under the following thematic areas.

These are: 1. Youth and Education; 2. Youth and Health; 3. Youth, Poverty and Empowerment; 4. Youth, Sports and Recreation; 5. Youth, Politics and Decision making.

Youth and Education There is a need to promote equal access to quality education and educational opportunities for the youth in Ekiti state. This should be embarked upon without the prejudice of sex, ethnicity, religious belief, geographical location, and socio-economic circumstances.

Our Strategic Interventions: Special attention shall be given to specific youth groups in distressed circumstances which include: indigent youth, displaced youth, street youth and youth with physical and psychological challenges, to access formal education; Provision of vocational training for the youth to make them self- reliant and employable citizens; Encourage the participation of youths in local and international youth-related programs such as International Youth Day, Africa Youth Day, Youth Exchange programs, etc; and To enlighten the youth on the implication of substance abuse, cultism and peer influence.

Youth and Health The design and implementation of health service delivery that will promote and maintain a healthy youthful population.

Strategies: Efforts should be made to institute the full participation of youth in the development and promotion of health-related programs and policies that enable them to become agents of change in the communities; Facilitate counseling opportunities to promote decent lifestyle thereby reducing their risk of contacting diseases such as HIV/AIDs, STDs; and Promote health education and family planning techniques.

Youth, Poverty and Empowerment The promotion and provision of a wide range of vocational trainings and life skills which will enable the youth find and maintain gainful employment.

Strategy: Provision of vocational counseling services to young people who are out of school and unemployed; such services would provide

Opeyemi career information and guidance; Facilitate an enabling environment for youth to access soft loan to promote self employment; Young people shall be encouraged to be involved in cooperative schemes that will engage them in the production and marketing of goods and services.

Youth, Politics and Decision -Making Promote the right of young people to be heard and to express their views constructively on matters that affect them; Ensure wide dissemination of relevant information and encourage active participation of young men and women in the political processes at all levels.

Foster relationships between the younger and older generations; Encourage the participation of young people living with disabilities in decision making on matters that affect them; and Encourage Youth-led organizations on the principle of transparency, accountability, nondiscrimination and mutual respect.

Youth, Sports and Recreation A lot of energies are deposited in young people; hence sports and recreation greatly facilitate and enhance psychological, cognitive and physical development of young people. Appropriate sporting and leisure time programs for young people can be tailored towards fighting social ills such as drug abuse, juvenile delinquency and other forms of deviant behaviour as well as open up life-time opportunities for those who may take sports as a profession. It is necessary to Encourage the participation of young men and women in a wide range of leisure and sporting activities.

Encourage greater support for games, sports and recreation through the provision of more community recreational and sporting facilities.

Encourage the participation of youths in well designed sports based initiatives which can serve as a tool to unite the young people of the state. ii. SPORTS DEVELOPMENT As Lagos State Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development for a period of four years, I came to realize that the single most uniting factor for any group in any community is sports; the support for or of a common team and the objective of winning, of scoring a win, a point, a goal. There is nothing quite as powerful to a youth as the knowledge that he can channel his energy towards a common goal, realize it and have an arena full of people

stand and roar in one voice, in appreciation of him. This is a powerful tool for youth and social development. It enhances a personal selfimage. A youth with a positive personal perception will err on the side of positive moral obligations and without trying will get his peers to follow suit.

There are so many sports out there and so many young talents who can be harnessed to realize their full potential and birth a sustained positive image for the State. I vow to fully leverage on this great tool of human development to catapult the state to international limelight. Sport scholarship should and shall be encouraged and sporting activities inculcated as the State’s foremost extracurricular activity. The best part of sports as a tool for sustainable social development is that it can be adapted to suit everyone including people with disability, thereby promoting connectivity and enhancing awareness amongst our youth. The benefits of sports development include: - Strengthening the body and preventing disease; - Reduce symptoms of stress and depression: - Improve confidence and self-esteem; - Improve learning and academic performance; - Prevent smoking and use of illicit drugs; and - Reduce crime: The causes of crime are complex and multidimensional. Sports may have an indirect impact on criminal activity by encouraging challenge and adventure, promoting positive use of leisure time, providing role models through coaches, and by giving young people a sense of purpose. Sport appears to be most effective when combined with comprehensive programmes that address wider social and personal development. Therefore, Government will be committed to: - Promoting physical, mental and emotional health among children, including adolescents, through play, sports, recreation, artistic and cultural expression.

- Providing accessible recreational and sports opportunities and facilities at schools and in communities.

Government will give attention to all aspects of sports in which the State has greater capability such as football, basketball, table tennis, handball, boxing, athletics, etc. To achieve this lofty idea, our Government will establish a sports Academy for the development of human capital in these capacities.

Government will; (I) Launch a sport development appeal fund

towards achieving the stated objective in partnership with corporate bodies for support and sponsorship; (ii) Equip the existing Oluyemi Kayode Stadium with necessary sporting equipment; (iii) Encourage and give necessary support to enable the State have representation at the first division of the National Professional League; and (iv) Give support for major sporting activities with a view to promoting sportsmen and women in Ekiti State to national and international competitions and leagues. iii. WOMEN DEVELOPMENT Establishing and consolidating the gains of good governance consist in empowering women to make choices that impact dignity and enhance gender equality in their lives.

Therefore, our administration will engineer smart women empowerment programme with in-depth and profound commitment to the welfare of women in terms of improved healthcare, poverty alleviation, dismantling of cultural limitations as well as environmental barriers and family-friendly scheme that balance job responsibilities with familial responsibilities and secured retirement and pension plan. Our Government will be strongly committed to values that advance rather than limit the chances to compete for equity in all phases of human endeavour. We will be committed to policies that prioritize quality of family life through enhancement of household income and promotion and sustainability of the livelihood systems of our communities.

Affirming Goal 3 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to promote gender equality and empower women, development if not engendered is endangered and women are an absolute necessity at the centre of every national policy agenda development process because it is women, like it or not, that ensure enforcement and adherence. A re-evaluation and reconsideration of existing policy will need to be undertaken considering the prevalence of gender-based violence, discrimination and neglect especially as regards young women. This is a political and technical process through policy and planning requiring substantial shifts in societal culture and ways of thinking, goals, structures and resource allocation. Interventions to reduce domestic workloads or workplace discrimination will be considered. This will have a direct impact manifesting in improved productive livelihood and increased life expectancy.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT Women form a greater percentage of our population in Nigeria. They are into different sectors of the economy in Ekiti State. Gone are those days when people believed that women should be restricted to the kitchen. Our contact with modern civilization, coupled with Western Education has opened the eyes and ears of our women. A good Government should be sensitive to maintaining gender equality and formulating necessary policies that will protect women and the GIRL CHILD. CARE OF THE WIDOW Special fund will be set aside for taking care of the widow. They should be empowered so as to set up projects for themselves and through that be self -sufficient.

Strategy: Good policy that will promote gender equality and women empowerment; Women programmes to be included in the budget; Increase the political visibility through appointment of women; Encourage women to join cooperative societies to enable them have access to credit facilities; Establish more Women Development Centers to enable them have: skill acquisition, production centers, sales outlets and recreational centers; Explore assistance from international donor agencies towards financing programmes that will benefit women. iv. Social Welfare for the Physically Challenged In recognition of the need for break-down barriers against people with disabilities, our administration will be committed to the enactment of laws that cater specially and specifically for the physically challenged.

Funding of special education for the physically challenged will be accorded priority. A percentage of qualified individuals with disabilities will be encouraged to join the State workforce annually for a consecutive period of four years to enable us absorb the army of physically challenged job applicants roaming our streets in anger and frustration. v. The Elderly and Rural Populace We will be committed to helping the elderly in Ekiti live independently, with choice over their

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84 | POLITICSEXTRA Tuesday, June 10, 2014

My roadmap for Ekiti’s development, by Opeyemi CONTINUED FROM PAGE 83 health care, financial security and lifestyle. Our Government will be committed to social security through reforms and legislation that is friendly to the ederly and the rural populace.

Government will be committed to prompt payment of entitlements to retirees. Modern Old Peoples’ Networking Centres would be set up in five different locations across the State while existing facilities are to be upgraded to cater for the immediate needs of the vulnerable in the society. In order to discourage street begging, annual budgetary allocations would be devoted to addressing the needs of the under-privileged in the society.

A Rural Economic Advancement League (REAL) will be set up by government to: *Give seed money to small town/village businesses for start-up and expansion; *Connect rural entrepreneurs with investors and advisors; *Organize local businesses into networks to help them succeed together; and *Network with Banks to invest in rural areas and rural small businesses.

CHAPTER 7 INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT No nation can develop without good infrastructure on ground. Notable among the infrastructure are electricity, water, road, and housing, transportation (airport and railway).

Infrastructure if properly in place will contribute positively to improving the quality of life of the citizenry and by extension, add a lot to the quality of life of the people.

A good infrastructural development in an environment will make investment to grow. Government will therefore focus attention on all the sub-sectors which are classified as INFRASTRUCTURE. There is no doubt that the founding fathers of our dear State conceived a great vision that should outlive them. Our Government will be committed to building infrastructures that are viable and sustainable for generations to come and invest in the maintenance of old ones, especially those with cultural and historic significance which will be preserved as tourist monuments.

The new Ekiti we envision will be a place of pride through the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure and building of new ones. The new Ekiti of our dream will make construction of roads, building of water and sanitation facilities, light rails, electricity, water facilities and other essential public utilities topmost priority. However, our administration will encourage indigenous skills, local content and expertise in the construction and management of public utilities, as we seriously frown at avoidable capital flight through over-inflated public work projects and non-inclusion of local content and expertise as witnessed presently in Ekiti State.

It is also our foremost concern that while a sizeable portion of State resources shall be dedicated to capital expenditure in building public infrastructure and the likes, we will stimulate the active participation of the organized private sector in the construction, operation and maintenance of these facilities through a regulated Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

I. ELECTRICITY Power supply to Ekiti is usually epileptic. The earlier supply was through 6132/33KV sub-station located at; (i) Akure via 2x30MVA (ii) Okene via 2x30MVA (iii) OmuAran via 2x30MVA The current grid connection in Ado Ekiti through the 2 x 40MVA Transformers was commissioned in 2010. The existing transmission facilities in and into the State are; i) Akure-Ado Ekiti 132KV sub-station line-60% loading ii) Ado Ekiti 2 x 40 MVA, 132/33 KV iii) OmuAran 2 x30 MVA, 132/33 KV sub-station iv) Okene 2 x 30 MVA , 132/33 KV sub-station v) Ilesha 2 x 30 MVA, which is presently not in use Distribution Facilities: The facilities available include the following; i) 33KV Lines, 33/11KV Injection Sub-station ii) 11KV lines and iv Transformer Substation CONNECTION TO THE GRID The transmission of 132 KV Network is from the Osogbo (NCC) to Akure linking Ado Ekiti. This project had been completed and commissioned in 2010. The completion has not improved the power supply to the State despite the installation of 2x40MVA transformers.

Poweroutages are frequently persistent.

The State has seven (7) 33/11 KV Injection Stations at the following locations; Ado Ekiti 2 x 15 MVA Ikole 2 x 2.5MVA Garage Ikere 1 x 2.5 MVA

Afao Ikere 1 x 2.5MVA Ise Emure 1 x 2.5MVA Oye 1 x 1MVA Ijero 1 x 2.5MVA The prevalence of faults on the 33KV Network renders the Injection Stations ineffective. Such faults could be attributed to Tree falling on the Network, broken Cross Arms, Shattered Posts and Disc Insulation, among others.

Distribution Infrastructure Majority of the existing Networks in the State can not withstand the stress of the Voltage Profile, thereby causing intermittent tripping of the system at the injection stations. Despite the provision of more Transformers, unhealthy network would render the sub-stations ineffective.

The privatisation of P.H.C.N has not improved the power supply as the Private Ownerships are majorly concerned about revenue generation so as to break even rather than improve the power supply. The available crew can not cope with the high rate of fault clearing demands on the existing network; hence response to fault clearing is low, resulting in frequent and extended periods of power outages.

OUR ACTION PLAN: The State Government under our administration will radiate out more 33KV feeders from the 133/33KV substation, thereby creating more channels to assess power supply. State partnership should be involved in this project which involves procurement of electrical materials.

Also, the relevant State Agency will liaise with the National Control Centre at Osogbo to improve on the power allocation to the State. All other 132/33KV substations at Omu-Aran and Okene will also be coopted on the power allocation. The peak demand of the State is about 60 MVA and at the moment the State is underfed with less than 25% of the load, this deficit will be addressed.

The National Independent Power projects (NIP) will be contacted to accelerate the completion of the on-going project which invariably improve the power supply in the State.

More injection stations in the state capital and upgrading of the transformers at the existing injection stations will be undertaken.

The 33 KV and 11KV lines require constant patrol and maintenance such as ‘Route Clearance’ and prompt attention to maintenance in order to ensure power stability devoid of faults. This will be a priority concern. The relevant State agencies will be empowered with functional HAIB crane, Street light and Crane-ladder for maintenance. Procurement of core-essential materials such as 100mm or 150mm Aluminium Conductors, Post-Insulators (33KV and 11KV) and Disc Insulators will also be promptly undertaken. With the provision of essential materials and the aforementioned, the power supply to Ekiti State will surely improve thereby creating a conducive environment for Industrial development to small and medium scale enterprises. The socio-economic terrain in the state will equally be uplifted.

More Relief substations will be built so that procurement of more transformers of various rating 300KVA and 500KVA would be needed in various towns. ii.ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE: The new Ekiti State of our dream will be made accessible by linking the cities, towns and villages. Road networks leading in and out of Ekiti State would be of utmost priority. Roads in Ado Ekiti would be reconstructed to provide for dual carriage ways which will serve as link to towns and villages, create alternative routes for haulages and create access route for industrial development. Interlinks road to towns and communities will enhance communal cooperation as well as a balanced developmental system. The vision for road infrastructure development is such that it will aid emergency response; utilize information technology in tracking and navigation with proper road signage, maps, GPS technology etc.

ROAD MAINTENANCE /CONSTRUCTION Good road network, no doubt, has a positive impact on our economy. Generally, good motorable roads are embraced by the people living in a community. Hence, there is the need for the State Government to provide good roads for her people.

(1) Purchase of Earthmoving Equipment by all the sixteen Local Governments in the State In order to provide good motorable road for the people living in remote areas, the Lo-

cal Government Councils will be compelled to procure some earthmoving equipment like bulldozer and motor grader for the opening up of existing feeder roads respectively. This will allow both private and commercial vehicles ply smoothly the roads connecting all the towns and villages in all the Local Government Areas in the State, enabling farm produce to be easily conveyed to the major towns.

This road maintenance culture calls for understanding on the part of the public because no state of the country can boast of having enough funds to tar all the roads in the state, not even the oil-rich states.

(2) Establishment of Ministry of Works & Transport Out-Stations and Direct Labour Engineering Unit: To complement the efforts of the Government at ensuring that good motorable roads are provided for the people. Out-stations of the State Ministry of Works & Transport will be set up in three towns in each of the three Senatorial Districts in the State.

(A) Ekiti Central Senatorial District i) Ado Ekiti – To cover State roads in Ado Ekiti and Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government areas; ii) Aramoko Ekiti-To cover State roads inEfonAlaye and EkitiWest LGAs; iii) Ijero Ekiti- To cover State roads in Ijero LGAs. iv) (B) Ekiti North Senatorial District i) Ikole Ekiti-To cover State roads in Ikole and Ekiti East LGAs; ii) Otun Ekiti- To cover State roads in Moba and Ilejemeje LGAs; iii) Ifaki Ekiti-To cover State roads in Ido/Osi and Oye LGAs. (C) Ekiti South Senatorial District i) Ikere Ekiti –To cover State roads in Ikere, IseOrun and Emure LGAs; ii) Ilawe Ekiti-To cover State roads in Ekiti South West LGA; iii) Agbado Ekiti- To cover State roads in Gbonyin LGA. Each of these out-stations of the Ministry of Works & Transport will be referred to as Divisional Engineer’s (D.E) station. An experienced Civil Engineer will be posted to each of these out-stations as D.E. Each D.E will co-ordinate the road maintenance activities in his division and be supported by an experienced Mechanical Engineer who will be referred to as Area Mechanical Engineer (A.M.E) and a Senior Buildings Department Staff to be referred to as Yards Superintendent (Y.S). The A.M.E. will be responsible for the maintenance of all the road construction equipment in the D.E station while the Y.S. will be responsible for the maintenance of the buildings in the station as well as other Government buildings in the whole division.

On establishing these outstations, a Di-

rect Labour Engineering Unit (DILEU) comprising of experienced officers of both the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Departments of the Ministry of Works & Transport will be set up.

This unit will be responsible for the maintenance of state roads, and, possibly open- up roads to be tarred. The Mechanical staff of this unit will also be responsible for the maintenance of all the earthmoving equipment used by the unit. The staff of this unit will be posted to all the D.E stations created in the State.

It will be recalled that this unit was set up in the defunct Ondo State, and a remarkable achievement was made in the area of road maintenance. This system was also used at the inception of Ekiti State in 1996.

Establishment of these out-stations and making them function is one of the means of bringing governance close to the grassroots. In addition, the economic activities of these areas where the out-stations are located get some boosts. Most of the Ministry staff that had become redundant will become professionally active again in keeping with our vision of encouraging productive and gainful employment. All these will propagate the good image of the government.

MONITORING In order to monitor the activities of the DILEU staff in their respective divisions, and the feeder roads maintenance carried out by the Local Governments, a monitoring committee will be set up to assess their performances frequently.

This committee will be headed by a well-respected indigene of the State, and will include, among others, an experienced engineer. The committee will be rendering fortnightly and monthly reports to the appropriate quarters.

Involvement of Foreign and Experienced Indigenous Contractors The importance of foreign and experienced indigenous companies in road construction works cannot be over emphasised. These categories of contractors have acquired modern sophisticated earthmoving equipment for road construction. Such equipment is neither possessed in adequate number by the State Government. Some of these equipment are computerised and require skills to operate.

This group will handle big road construction works making use of local content to ensure technology transfer.

The use of road construction materials like granite chippings, asphalt, stone dusts etc. are very important in road construction works. Ekiti State is endowed with mineral resources like solid rocks which are the major minerals needed for the production of all these road construction materials.

In view of the above, our Government will encourage private organisations to establish quarry projects in the State by providing enabling environment for the establishment of such.

These include provision of; good roads, electricity and high powered transformer to the sites, tax incentives, fast and efficient processing of documentation, among other reliefs.

In addition, these companies usually embark on developmental projects in the communities TO BEwhere CONTINUED they are sited and this will boost

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Sports Optimistic Eagles leave for Brazil he Super eagles of T Nigeria will leave the United States for Brazil today to continue their preparation for the 2014 World Cup, which begins tomorrow.

While in the U.S., the African champions, settled for a 0-0 draws against Greece, and lost 2-1 to the United States. The team had early played a 2-2 draw against Scotland in Fulham.

Despite their not-tooimpressive performance in the tune up games, Chelsea midfielder, John Obi Mikel believes the Super eagles can punch above their weight in Brazil. The 27-yearold believes the Super eagles can spring a surprise in Brazil. “hopefully, we can see an African team getting to the semifinals or the final of this World Cup. It may take time.

“Yes, Nigeria could just win the World Cup because in football, anything can happen,” Mikel told FIFA TV. his teammate, Vincent enyeama also believes Nigeria and two other African nations, Ghana and the Cote D’Ivoire can represent the continent creditably in Brazil.

“It (an African side winning the World Cup) can happen.

It can happen. Nigeria has a good team; Ghana has a great team. Cote d’Ivoire has a great, amazing team.

“I believe an African team can win the World Cup. It can happen. I don’t believe in negativity. I am a very positive person so, I believe it can happen in Brazil,” enyeama stated.

Speaking further on Nigeria’s preparations for the World Cup, Mikel praised national team coach, Stephen Keshi for his work with the players.

“Anyone that knows him (Keshi) knows how much he demands from his players. he always wants you to work 110 per cent everyday in training and in games. “he never wants you to stop

so, I think we’ve responded well to his demand. We’ve imbibed that and every player is enjoying the challenge.

“I can only see a bright future for the national team with Stephen Keshi in charge,” he said.

Nigeria will face Iran, Bosnia-herzegovina and Argentina in the preliminary round.

Meanwhile, President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari has arrived Sao Paulo for the 64th FIFA Congress billed for today and tomorrow. The Congress precedes the 20th FIFA World Cup finals, which kicks off in the same city on Thursday, with host Brazil taking on Croatia.

Maigari, who was with the eagles at their final training camp in the U.S. before flying to Brazil for the important gathering of the world’s football administrators, said in Sao Paulo yesterday that he was satisfied with the eagles’ build-up to the tournament and is confident the African champions will impress at the finals.

“I want to assure Nigerians at home and in the diaspora that the eagles will not disappoint in Brazil,” Maigari stated.

“For sure, our people would have wanted the team to win the matches against Italy, Mexico, Scotland, Greece and USA. But we drew the first four and lost the last one.

“I have spoken with the head Coach and he is optimistic that his boys will be ready for the finals. The earlier draws, and the loss to Team USA have afforded our boys a lot of lessons, which will be useful against Iran in the first match and subsequently.”

“I have confidence in the team. From what I saw at the final training camp in USA, I believe the African champions are set to do Nigeria and Africa proud at the FIFA World Cup,” Maigari said.

Defender DaMarcus of the United States (left) and Efe Ambrose of Nigeria during the international friendly match at EverBank Field on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.

PHOTO: AFP

Charity Shield Polo 2014

Access Bank Plc donates N10m to UNICEF he glamorous Access Bank UNICeF Charity Shield International Polo tournament came to a flourishing climax over the weekend with the presentation of the N5 million donations by the main sponsors, Access Bank Plc., to UNICeF. The donation was presented at the Fifth Chukker Polo and Country Club in Kaduna by the Zonal head of Retail Operations, Ade Ologun as part of Access Bank commitment to charity and in support of UNICeF’s campaign against hIV/AIDS pandemic among Nigerian children.

Ologun, who led other top officials of Access Bank to the grand finale, expressed delight that the Access Bank UNICeF Charity Shield is

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archiving its main objective of reaching out to the less privilege children in the society.

UNICeF Country Representative, Miss Jean Gough who received the donation, thanked Access Bank Plc for the kind assistance, pointing out that through the donation, UNICeF would be able to provide care and support service for vulnerable children in Kaduna State and its environs.

The cheque presentation, which was the major highlight of the closing ceremony, followed on the heels of the final game of the event in which Access Bank/Barbedos defeated max Air 8-6 to emerge the overall champions of the richest charity polo event in Africa.

The polo fiesta that attracted

NSF 2014: Imoke, Elegbeleye assures of best sports festival he 19th National Sports T Festival (NSF) tagged the Centenary Games promises to be the best organised in the country’s history.

Speaking yesterday in Lagos during an interactive session with corporate Nigerians and other sports stakeholders, Cross Rivers State Governor, Liyel Imoke said: “The 19th National Sports Festival promises to be the best in the country’s history. It presents a unique opportunity to chart a new era for Nigerian sports. “elite athletes will also be tak-

Dangote, Henshaw, Folawiyo named patrons ing part in the festival and we want this game to represent a new beginning for Nigerian sports. We want to give equal opportunity of fairness, an even devoid of the use of drugs. The game is very important to the developments of our youths, hence we are soliciting for the support of corporate Nigeria. We have invested significantly in this games by providing infrastructures.

Injury hampers Gerrard

“We have estimated that we will be spending about N8 billion to host a first class event.

We have provided tracks at stadium and new facilities at the state University. We want to organise an event that can meet international standard,” Imoke assured.

Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), honourable Gbenga elegbeleye said: “Our task is to offer the best platform for our

youths to discover their talents. We hope to use the festival to consolidate on our achievement at the African festival in Botswana where we won a record 40 medals to surpass all previous appearances. elegbeleye tasked corporate Nigerians to support sports development not only as a corporate responsibility, but as a means of empowering the youths. “Governments invests heavily in sports, so corporate bodies must take up the challenge as well. Whatever you do

over 20 teams and thousands enthusiasts from around the world, was decided over three weekend of top flight polo in which four major prizes were given out to the winners.

The colorful closing ceremony on Saturday was preceded by the final of the UNICeF Cup that pitched Fifth Chukker team against their Kangimi opponents.

At the end of the four Chukka confrontation, the Abba Dawule led Fifth Chukker wrote their names in gold with a 5-4 victory, thus becoming the becoming the second Nigerian team after American University of Nigeria team from Yola to clinch the title that has been dominated by the Work-to-Ride team from USA.

for sports will be supported by the government through task incentives”.

In her own remarks, former sprint sensation Mary Onyali said: “The festival is being thrown open to give opportunity to all athletes to compete.

If we shut out our athletes, other countries will grab them.

It is sad to see our athletes compete for other countries because we did not give opportunity to them. Corporate bodies must therefore support our athletes so that they can become future medalists.”

NGLAND captain, Steven e Gerrard did not take a full part in the squad’s training session in Rio yesterday because of a slight groin injury.

Gerrard performed some shuttle runs on the touchline away from the rest of the squad, before heading inside. however, there seems to be no doubt about his availability for Saturday’s World Cup opener against Italy.

The 34-year-old Liverpool skipper only played 45 minutes of Saturday’s 0-0 draw with honduras as a precaution.

Manager Roy hodgson and england’s medical team will keep a close eye on Gerrard ahead of Saturday’s game in Manaus, but his injury is only regarded as a slight problem.

The rest of the squad had a strenuous session in searing heat at the Urca Military Base at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain, a magnificent setting around 30 minutes’ drive from the team hotel in Sao Conrado.

Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain continues to do rehabilitation work on the knee injury he sustained in the 2-2 draw against ecuador, with hodgson confident he will be ready to take part in the World Cup - even though he may miss the early stages.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 SPORTS

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Lagos International Badminton Classics

‘How we halted South Africa’s dominance’ BAH enejoh is Nigeria’s A highest ranked player in the world and at several occasions, he had played against Africa’s superpower in badminton, South Africa, but at the just concluded Lagos International Badminton Classics, enejoh partnered Tosin Atolagbe to win the mixed doubles against the African champions.

With Nigeria dictating the pace in the doubles events, after clinching the titles in the women’s doubles and mixed doubles as well as settling for silver in the men’s doubles, enejoh, an integral member of the national team said the victory over the South Africans was long overdue.

His pairing with Atolagbe gave Nigeria the gold in the mixed doubles with 26-24, 22-20 victory over Andres Malan and Jennifer Fry. “It feels very good and very sweet especially to have beaten the South Africans, who have been dominated the mixed doubles on the continent. I’m so happy we were

able to break the jinx and take the mixed doubles gold.

We can sustain this feat as long as we keep getting the support from organisations that backed the hosting of this tournament. If we continue to get financial support from other sponsors like I do from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), we will continue to do well at international competition,” enejoh said.

For Atolagbe, victory in the mixed doubles was very important and she will continue to move forward from that.

“I’m so happy for the first time that at an international tournament we can win the mixed doubles. It’s a big thing for me because all I have been doing in training is not wasted and I have proved that on the court. We are as good as the foreign players, but we need encouragement from the federation and the National Sports Commission (NSC). We need exposure and the athletes welfare must be taken care

Ugboaja Foundation hosts summer sports camps He ejike Ugboaja T Foundation’s will host its annual summer sports

Nkechi Akashile (right) against a Dolphins’ player in the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League

Zenith Bank Women Basketball League

NBBF boss promises best Final Eight competition

By Adeyinka Adedipe ReSIDeNT of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Tijani Umar has promised that this year’s edition of the Final eight of the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League will be the since the league debuted 10 years ago.

Umar said that the NBBF has had series of discussion with the sponsors and was sure that the competition would witness the best in organisation as well as skillful displays on the court.

He noted that the introduction of the All Stars game would add glamour to this year’s event and assured that participating players would

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get rewards from Zenith Bank.

The NBBF boss also stated that the All Stars game is meant to celebrate some of the best players in the women’s league. The game, which would hold on the 20th, according to Umar, would help create a lot of fun around the Final eight competition.

He said: “What we are doing by introducing the All Stars game is to add more fun to the Final eight and bring together most of the talented players who have been active in the league in the last seven to 10 years.”

“Zenith Bank have also agreed to honour some of

the players and officials who have distinguished themselves and hopefully this will spur others to do well,” he added.

According to the NBBF boss, discussions are on to introduce new ideas that will lead to more investment into the women’s league by the sponsors.

“We are already discussing with the bank on the need for more innovations next season. As soon as we reach an agreement, we will make everything public. And all we are doing is to ensure that the game is more appealing to the teams and fans.

When asked whether the timing of the Final eight wasn’t

wrong, he said, “I am aware that the competition is holding at the same time with the World Cup, but most of the World Cup matches will take place in the evening, while games in Final eight will hold from morning to evening.”

Umar also commended the teams for their exemplary performance during the first two phases, urging them to make this year’s Final eight competition the best in recent times by putting in their best.

He also commended all the teams that were promoted to the elite division, saying their performance showed that there is hope for women basketball in the country.

Porbeni tasks govt on funding for canoeing, commissions NSC tavern ReSIDeNT of the Nigeria P Rowing, Canoeing and Yachting Federation, Rear Admiral Festus Porbeni (rtd) has urged the government to provide funds for other sporting federations outside football.

Admiral Porbeni made the call at the formal commissioning ceremony of the Captain Paul Okpe’s Memorial Tavern at the Navy Sailing Club, Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos over the weekend.

He pointed out that it has become quite embarrassing for water sports in the country not to enjoy proper funding, stressing that all ath-

letes were equal to those playing football.

“Government needs to look inwards and assist other sports like ours. Imagine that water sport like ours that can fetch Nigeria medals at international meets is not getting the right funding it deserves.

Though, we’re grateful to have been among the sports that featured at the Africa Youth Games in Gaborone, Bostwana, I can assure the minister and Nigerians in general that with a little more support, we’ll do better.”

Commodore of the Navy Sailing Club, Babatunde

Ajayi, while expressing the gratitude of the Club for the support it has enjoyed over the years, said there is still much to be done.

“We’re very grateful to the Chief of Naval Staff, other principal staff officers for their support in keeping the Club going. However, special mention must go to Rear Admiral Porbeni (rtd) whose personal funds was used in renovating the members lodge and to the Deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral GJ Jonah for his commitment to the Club.

“Gratitude must also go to members of the Clubs as well

as our friends for staying behind us at all times, but like Oliver Twist, we still ask for more because we need to put other things in place.”

The commissioning, which was for both the members lodge and the new tavern, according to him, will improve training of athletes who use the club as their training site ahead most international events.

While members of the Lagos Yacht Club showcased their sailing boats, both young and older athletes also competed in swimming events, a prerequisite for all water sports events.

camps in Akwa Ibom and Abuja.

The 2014 camps began at the Ultra Fit Sports Complex in Uyo, Akwa Ibom from June 5 to 9 and at the National Stadium, Abuja from June 13 to 16, 2014.

The first ejike Ugboaja Basketball Camp in Nigeria was held in 2007 to help future Nigerian generation realise their educational dreams, while providing them with the exposure and assistance that ejike himself never received as a youth.

Three young men received scholarships to education institutions in the United States.

The camps are now held annually and have expanded rapidly, including American football in 2011 and attracting increasing numbers of participants.

Through the foundation, over 700 Nigerian youths have secured scholarships in high schools and colleges across America and a number are expected to become professional sportsmen over the coming years. The 2014 edition of the camp is set to be the biggest yet, with over 600 participants expected across Abuja and Uyo. Partners include Afren Plc, while the United States embassy supports the camps.

Commenting on Afren’s support, ejike Ugboaja said: “We are grateful that Afren has decided to continue backing our annual Nigeria sports camps, which gives us the opportunity to provide for the increasing number of Nigerian sportsmen and women. With over 500 participants and 22 scholarships granted in 2013, we are looking forward to an even bigger programme this year.”

Nadal shifts focus to Wimbledon AFAeL Nadal is deterR mined to make an impact at Wimbledon again after winning his ninth French Open title on Sunday.

The Spaniard, 28, beat Novak Djokovic 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 to win for a record fifth successive time at Roland Garros.

Nadal is now focused on making up for last year’s firstround defeat at the All england Club.

“I want to try to play well again in Wimbledon,” he said.

“I’m healthy. That’s the most important thing.”

Nadal struggled with the switch from clay to grass last year as he was on the way back from seven months out with a knee injury.

He made a shock first-round exit against world number 135 Steve Darcis of Belgium, and it is now four years since he won his second Wimbledon title.

“I hope my knee will have the positive feeling on grass, because I feel my knee is better than last year on the rest of the surfaces,” he said.

“Grass always was a little bit harder for me after the injury.

Last year I tried, but I was not ready to compete at Wimbledon.

“Let’s see how my feelings are there this year, but it’s a very important tournament.”

Nadal has now won 14 Grand Slam titles, three behind Roger Federer’s record total, but refuses to target the Swiss player’s mark.

“We will see when I finish my career how many Grand Slams I have or if I win four, three, or five in a row,” he said.

“The most important thing today is I won the most important tournament of the world on clay, probably the most important tournament of the year for me.”

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SPORTS Tuesday, June 10, 2014

World Cup

Ronaldo’s return key to Portugal’s fate, says Vieirinha HE Real Madrid star has been an T injury concern for the last few weeks but returned to training on

Sunday and the Wolfsburg player is delighted to see him back Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to fitness is the “best thing that could have happened” to Portugal, teammate Vieirinha says.

The Real Madrid star trained on Sunday with the national team as they prepare for the World Cup in Brazil, easing concerns over his fitness ahead of their opening game against Germany on June 16.

Portugal has struggled without Ronaldo

recently, having been held to a 0-0 draw by Greece before needing a late goal to beat Mexico 1-0, and Vieirinha was delighted to see the team’s talisman

back on the field as they prepare for Tuesday’s friendly against the Republic of Ireland.

“For us it is important to know how important Cristiano Ronaldo is,” the midfielder said.

“His presence on the national team, gives motivation to the other players. It is very important to us and very important to Portugal, because he is another player who will help the team.

“I think the last training answered the questions that everyone had. I think this training shows he came to help the team and all of us are happy with it.

“We hope this stays in this way, without creating a lot of expectations with him being back in the team.

“I believe that was the best thing that could have happened in recent days.”

Ronaldo

Germany faces tough task to get out of group – Podolski HE Arsenal man has highT lighted the threat posed by their Group G rivals and believes the South American nations will fare well at the tournament Germany star Lukas Podolski has admitted his side has a tough task on their hands if they are to reach the

knockout stages of the World Cup in Brazil.

Joachim Low’s team have been drawn alongside Portugal, Ghana and the United States in Group G one of the tournament’s most difficult pools.

Despite reaching the semifinals at the last two World

Cups, Podolski understands Germany will need to be at their very best to avoid being a shock early casualty.

“I think it’s a tough draw because Portugal have Cristiano Ronaldo and other players who can create a lot of chances to score,” Podolski told Arsenal Player.

“United States have a German coach (Jurgen Klinsmann) so it’s a special game for him. And with Ghana, African teams always fight and keep giving 110 per cent.

“It’s not easy but I think we have a strong team and we want to get out of this group and play a good World Cup. We want to fight for the title.”

Current world and European champions Spain

will be looking to become the first team to retain their title in Brazil this summer, while hosts Brazil will also be one of the pre-tournament favourites.

And Podolski accepts that if Germany make it through the group stages, the South American teams such as Brazil and Argentina will pose a huge threat to their chances of ending an 18-year title drought.

“It’s not always easy because people think that Germany go to Brazil and win the title,” he said.

“Everyone thinks it’s done (but) you have a lot of teams who want the same – especially the South American teams, who are strong.”

Germany will play Portugal in their Group G opening

Hodgson

Hodgson positive England will succeed against Italy OY Hodgson landed in R Rio and then backed his strikers to fire England out

Podoski

Low assures his team’s offensive football will be on display HE 54-year-old has vowed for producing young, excitT to stick by the nation’s ing footballers who play an entertaining philosophy, expansive brand of the game. insisting they have complete faith in their style.

Joachim Low has promised that Germany will persist with their attacking brand of football when the World Cup gets under way in Brazil.( ( Runners-up in 2002 and third in both 2006 and 2010, the Germans are among the favourites to be crowned world champions for a fourth time.

Low is preparing to steer the side into their fourth major tournament under his stewardship, with the nation having developed a reputation

The coach has pledged to continue with that philosophy, despite misgivings from elsewhere over the impact such a style could have on Germany’s defensive stability.

“We’ve analysed all of our games from the last two years very closely,” he told Fifa’s official website.

“We’ve lost a bit of speed in our transitional play so obviously we’ll be paying special attention to correcting that, but we don’t need to change our playing style because we’ve got a philosophy we’re

of their group.

England’s battered and bruised squad touched down in Brazil on Sunday following a feisty encounter with Honduras.

Thanks to surging runs from Ross Barkley, Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge, England created plenty of chances but they ultimately failed to convert them and the match ended scoreless.

Sturridge was the most guilty party, wasting two excellent chances in the second half.

A strong Italian defence awaits England in Manaus on Saturday, but Hodgson is sure his team will have what it takes to break Cesare Prandelli’s men down.

“We didn’t score against Honduras but we scored five

goals in the games against Peru and Ecuador, so I think it would be very harsh to start casting aspersions,” the England manager said.

“Daniel Sturridge is an absolute out-and-out goalscorer and we think Rickie Lambert is too.

“Of course we have got the Rooneys, Welbecks and Gerrards and Lampards, so I don’t think we’re short of firepower.”

Although Lambert scored a good goal against Ecuador, Sturridge is almost guaranteed to start against Italy in Manaus.

Any doubts Hodgson may have had about the Liverpool striker were put to bed when he scored a glorious goal against Peru at Wembley before England departed for Miami.

It is the rest of England’s attack, which Hodgson has to decide the make up of in

the coming days.

Barkley performed well in the two games at Sun Life Stadium, but it looks as though he will have to settle for a place on the bench after Hodgson criticised him for giving the ball away.

Danny Welbeck looks to have secured one of the wing places thanks to a good display against Honduras and Wayne Rooney may end up playing out wide after an encouraging display there against Ecuador.

That could leave a space for Raheem Sterling to play just behind Sturridge, as he has done on several occasions for Liverpool this year.

“There is the boy we haven’t seen yet, Raheem Sterling,” said Hodgson, who could not play the Liverpool man against Honduras due to suspension.

“There is a good chance he would have played in that

position (behind Sturridge against Honduras) had he not been sent off against Ecuador.

“It is not purely Barkley or Rooney, we have got Danny Welbeck who can do it and we have got Sterling.

“Raheem Sterling has been excellent in training. It would have been nice to have given him a game beforehand, but now he’ll have to compete for a place not having had these warm-up games.”

The squad underwent a light training session by the pool in their Rio hotel on Sunday afternoon and will have their first training session at their Urca base on Monday.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to sit out the session as he continues his recovery from a medial knee ligament injury.

•Culled from Sportinglife.com

SPORTS Tuesday, June 10, 2014 93

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World Cup

Immobile confident of starting for Italy IRO Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne could lead Italy’s attack when the Azzurri open their World Cup campaign against England on Saturday.

The former Pescara teammates started in Sunday’s 5-3 triumph over Brazilian club side Fluminense and accounted for all of the Italian’s goals at Volta Redonda.

Immobile, who scored a hattrick against Fluminense, was the top scorer in Serie A this season with Torino and only just sealed a transfer to Borussia Dortmund.

Napoli striker Insigne is also coming off a strong campaign and has now boosted his chances of being in the starting XI ahead of Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano.

“The coach will make his choices, we just have to work hard and give our contribution even if we come off the bench,” Immobile said to www.figc.it.

“I was really excited after scoring the first goal so you can imagine finishing with a hat-trick. It’s always important to score even if it is not in an official game.

“Now we have to be ready for England.”

Insigne was delighted to again play alongside Immobile.

C

Thought of missing Brazil 2014, never occurred to me, says Suarez

“We know each other well so for us it’s much easier to play together,” he said.

Italy was fragile in defence but that did not cause too much concern for Insigne.

“The fact that we gave away three goals is not important because the result was not important,” Insigne said.

“The outcome that will be crucial is against England.

They are a strong side and we will have to use our best weapons.”

The Azzurri had gone into the contest without a win in their previous seven games and Italy coach Cesare Prandelli was very encouraged by the performance.

“We have seen interesting things, especially in attack,” Prandelli said. “Insigne and Immobile have done very well.

“They have set an example in attack.”

Cassano and Balotelli came off the bench against Fluminense and played together for 30 minutes.

Italy are training this week in their World Cup base of Mangaratiba before travelling to Manaus on Friday ahead of their Group D opener against England.

“The condition is good,” Prandelli said. “We will do specific training this week to arrive ready for our debut game against England.”

UIS Suarez says he Ltonever allowed himself contemplate that an untimely knee injury could wreck his World Cup dream.

The Liverpool striker has surgery in an effort to ensure that he will be fit and firing when Uruguay go in pursuit of global glory.

A minor operation is considered to have been a success, with Suarez in the process of gradually stepping up his return to full training.

He will not be rushed, with Uruguay pinning their hopes on the involvement of the Premier League’s 31goal top marksman, but Suarez is confident that he will be ready to play a prominent role in Brazil.

Suarez told The G u a r d i a n : “Emotionally, I’ve felt fine; psychologically,

I’ve been spectacular.

“At no time did I feel pressured, at no time have I felt sad because at no point did I think there was a chance of me missing the World Cup. “The thought never went through my mind. I could have really cried because of this injury but I didn’t because I knew. I knew.

“When the doctor first spoke to me three little tears fell, but no more. My wife said: ‘I can’t believe how strong you’re being’ but I knew I’d make it.”

The question now is, when will Suarez be ready for competitive action?

Uruguay get their World Cup campaign up and running against Costa Rica on Saturday, before tackling England four days later in a contest which would pitch Suarez into battle against a number of his Anfield colleagues.

Pressed on when he expects to return, the 27-year-old said: “What you don’t know is how the knee will react.

“Today I could say to you: ‘Yeah, I’ll make it to the first game’. Or: ‘No, I prefer to wait for the second or the third’.

“But you only know for sure as you progress and you see how the knee reacts.

You can reach the 20th day and think: ‘I’m flying here’ but then that day your knee swells up and everything slows down.

“For as long as the knee resists and there’s no pain, so long as the quadriceps strengthen, you’re okay.”

He added: “When I go on to the pitch, I want to go out there ready.

“We know what the expectations are like and what the media is like. They’d say: ‘Today he’s jogging but he doesn’t look quite right’. Then it’ll be: ‘Today he was running normally’. And that can load pressure on and also create a false impression.”

Giroud may support Benzema in attack for France RANCK Ribery’s injury FBenzema means that Karim and Olivier Giroud

Bony

Bony relishes playing at World Cup HE Swansea City striker start.

“To play in the World Cup T impressed during his first season in the Premier League the biggest tournament in and is now keen to take that form to Brazil.

Wilfried Bony says playing in his first World Cup with Cote d’Ivoire is “more than a dream”.

The Swansea City striker impressed in his debut Premier League season, netting 17 goals in 34 appearances to attract interest from Liverpool, and hopes to take that form into the finals in Brazil with his country.

The Ivoiriens have been drawn in Group C along with Colombia, Japan and Greece, and in such a competitive group, Bony knows how crucial it is to get off to a strong

the world of sport - is a massive moment for my country,” he told the club’s official website.

“For me, it doesn’t get any bigger than this. My first World Cup in Brazil is more than a dream. I’ve watched the World Cup all of my life, and now I get to play in one.

“It’s a 50-50 group. Any team could win it or finish bottom.

The first game is hugely important against Japan. If we could win that game then it would really give us a good chance of progressing.

“As a team, we achieve everything together, and that is something we pride ourselves on.”

will likely play together at the World Cup, with coach Didier Deschamps finding a way to accommodate them both by shifting Benzema onto the left flank.

Pairing Benzema and Giroud has failed to work in the past, but that was in a 44-2 system with both playing as strikers and getting in each other’s way.

Benzema showed on Sunday that he can be lethal cutting in from the left — Ribery’s usual position. He scored twice and set up three more goals as France completed its warm-up matches with an 8-0 thrashing of Jamaica.

Deschamps is likely to keep them both in the line-up for France’s opening match of the World Cup against Honduras in Group E on Sunday.

“I haven’t played on the left for a long time now, it’s not my preferred position,” Benzema said. “I tried to move around a lot and I dropped deep a bit more. It worked.”

Giroud has demonstrated in recent matches how important he can be to France as its central striker, thanks to his ability to hold the ball up with his back to goal, his neat touch and his ability to win balls in the air — something Benzema doesn’t do.

French soccer Karim Benzema reacts with supporters after scoring against Jamaica during the friendly …

Giroud scored twice in the 4-0 rout of Norway last week

and set up another goal when he held off a defender to nod the ball down to Yohan Cabaye.

“It worked well up front.

Olivier was playing more as a target man with Karim moving around him and playing with more freedom,” Cabaye said.

“With Olivier and Karim, you just need to give them good service.”

Giroud has impressed enough in the three warmup matches before the World Cup to persuade Deschamps to stick with him as the lone No. 9, rather than replace him with Benzema and give Ribery’s slot to Real Sociedad winger Antoine Griezmann, who has scored three goals in the past two games as a substitute.

“We combined well, especially in the second half,” Benzema said, praising Giroud’s contribution. “We have to keep it going.”

France is scoring freely and playing with panache. That wasn’t the case between March and September, when the team went five games without a goal, but since ending that rut the team has 31 goals in nine games.

Benzema also looks revitalized after a successful season with Real Madrid, where he won the Champions League and Spanish Cup. He lost his place in the France side last September after a dismal run of 15 games without scoring, but those dark days seem long gone.

He has scored six times in the past six games for France.

After being rested for the friendlies against Norway and Paraguay, he looked fresh and sharp against Jamaica, almost completing

his first international hattrick with a fierce shot that hit the post.

“We showed some good things in attack, but once again that’s because we kept things simple and played as a team,” goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said.

Ribery’s absence seemed like a nightmare for France, but it could work in the

Deschamp

team’s favor by taking Benzema out of the Bayern Munich star’s shadow and thrusting him into the spotlight as the leader of the attack.

“Losing Ribery’s a blow but we have to stop talking about this and make do without him,” midfielder Blaise Matuidi said.

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SPORTS Tuesday, June 10, 2014

European Roundup

Ancelotti silent on Suarez EAL Madrid coach, Carlo R Ancelotti has refused to comment on the club’s reported interest in Luis Suarez, but has confirmed rising star Alvaro Morata is set to leave the European champions this summer.

Real rejected an offer from Arsenal to take academy product Morata on loan last January, but Ancelotti has explained that the striker, who made just three league starts last season, is keen to find another club in pursuit of first team football.

“The player has decided to leave in search of more minutes and the club has agreed it,” said the Italian coach at the presentation of his new

website.

In addition to the Gunners, Italian champions Juventus and Bundesliga side Wolfsburg are believed to be chasing Morata, but Real Madrid are keen to include a buy-back clause in any potential deal.

Ancelotti appeared to confirm this by saying: “If he gets the chance to play it will be good for him to have those opportunities for a year.”

And he admitted Real would search for a “young striker with the same profile as Morata” in the event the 21-year-old ups sticks from the Spanish capital.

However, Ancelotti gave

away few hints about Madrid’s interest in Liverpool striker Suarez.

“It is difficult to improve what we have in attack,” he said, in reference to Madrid’s front three of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, who scored a combined 101 goals in all competitions last season.

“Suarez is a fantastic player but it would be a lack of respect to talk about signings at this stage.”

Ancelotti added that club captain Iker Casillas will stay at Madrid next season despite playing second fiddle to Diego Lopez in league matches, and revealed that Real would not sign any players until the World Cup was over.

Angel Di Maria has insinuated that he expects to be sold this summer, but Ancelotti sought to reassure the Argentine midfielder that he is in his plans for next season.

“I think that Di Maria knows very well that everyone loves him,” he said.

“The coach, the club and the fans love him. I don’t think he has any doubt about that.”

Shaw keen on Man Utd move NGLAND full-back, Luke Shaw told Southampton on the final day of the Premier League season that he wanted to join Manchester United.

The 18-year-old defender spoke to the Saints hierarchy at an event held at a hotel following the 1-1 home draw with United on May 11.

By that time, United had already made a £27m offer for the left-back.

Southampton will not consider allowing any more of their players to leave until a new manager is appointed.

England striker, Rickie Lambert has already been sold to Liverpool, while club captain Adam Lallana has been the subject of multiple bids from the Anfield club.

Saints hope to appoint a successor to manager Mauricio Pochettino, who joined Tottenham in late May, within the next 10 days, with former Dutch international, Ronald Koeman a leading candidate for the post.

Shaw, though, has made his intentions clear. The youngster had been asked to clarify his future quickly, with England manager Roy Hodgson making it clear he wanted squad members to sort out proposed transfers before the World Cup begins

E

Shaw

Mancini to stay at Galatasaray ALATASARAY coach, G Roberto Mancini has confirmed he will remain in charge of the Turkish giants next season.

Mancini led Galatasaray to a runners-up finish in the Super Lig and lifted the Turkish Cup in his first year with the Istanbul outfit.

The Italian has been strongly linked with a return to Serie A, with former club Lazio among the clubs reportedly keen to acquire his services.

However, the 49-year-old insists he is staying put. “I miss Italy, not just the family but the football,” Mancini said in an interview with Gazzetta

dello Sport. “But I want to make it clear that I will remain at Galatasaray.

“I am under contract for a further two years and I’ve done well so far.

“Besides, we will play in the Champions League next season.”

Lazio missed out on European football after a disappointing eighth-placed finish in Serie A. The Roman club has yet to confirm if current manager Edy Reja will continue in charge of the team next term.

Reja took the reins midway through last season to sit on the Lazio bench for the second time in his career.

from Granada.

The Primera Division champions made the announcement on their website, with the 28-year-old Brazilian set to undergo a medical before putting pen to paper on a four-year contract.

Siqueira had spells with Inter Milan and Udinese before joining Granada in 2010. He spent last season on loan with Benfica, helping them win the

domestic league-cup double and reach the final of the Europa League, where they lost on penalties to Sevilla.

Atletico sporting director, Jose Luis Perez Caminero has no doubt the player will improve their squad next season.

He said: “Siqueira’s arrival increases competition with the side. He’s a very good player from set-pieces and a penalty taker. He has attacking qualities, great defensive virtues and excellent awareness.”

Inzaghi replaces Seedorf at AC Milan C Milan have sacked A Clarence Seedorf and appointed Filippo Inzaghi as the club’s new manager.

Dutchman Seedorf only arrived at the San Siro in January succeeding Massimiliano Allegri after the club’s disappointing start to the season - but has been relieved of his duties after Milan finished eighth in Serie A. Inzaghi, a San Siro legend like Seedorf, has never coached at a senior level, but has been promoted from Milan’s Under 19 team.

A statement released by the club read: ‘AC Milan wishes to communicate that Coach Clarence Seedorf has been sacked, and the first team has been entrusted to Pippo Inzaghi until June 30, 2016.’

According to Gazzetta dello Sport the Milan board were initially unwilling to pay the remainder of Seedorf’s wages he was owed after signing a two-and-a-half-

year deal.

However, the club will now put the former Holland midfielder on gardening leave and continue to pay him until the end of his contract.

The sacking comes after Milan president, Silvio Berlusconi said that the former Rossoneri star was part of the club’s ‘past’ on Friday, though he did stop short of confirming that the Dutchman had been sacked.

Seedorf scored a hat-trick for Jose Mourinho’s Rest of the World team during Sunday’s Soccer Aid charity match and also hit a stunning volley during last week’s clash between Real Madrid and Juventus legends.

Claude Makelele, recently appointed the new boss of Bastia in France, is now the only black manager working

Bellamy

in Europe’s top leagues now that Seedorf has departed from the Milan hotseat.

During his career, Inzaghi won the 2006 World Cup, two UEFA Champions League titles (2003, 2007), and three Serie A titles (1998, 2004, 2011). He is one of the most prolific goalscorers of all time, fifth in Italy, with 313 goals scored in official matches.

Filippo Inzaghi is currently the second all time most prolific goal scorer in European club competitions with 70 goals, only beaten by Raúl’s 77 goals. He is also Milan’s top international goal scorer in the club’s history with 43 goals. He also holds the record for most hat-tricks in Serie A (10).

Inzaghi’s favourite footballers as a child were Paolo Rossi and Marco van Basten.

‘Wales should give Bellamy a job’ ORMER Wales captain, Fgiven Craig Bellamy should be a job in his country’s

Atletico agrees Siqueira deal TLETICO Madrid has A agreed a deal to sign defender Guilherme Siqueira

Inzaghi

coaching set-up, according to Welsh football legend, Cliff Jones.

Jones, a member of the 1958 Wales team that reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup, believes Bellamy has a lot to offer.

Bellamy, who won 78 caps for his country, retired in May. “I’m just wondering if there could be some little job for Craig in the Welsh set up,” said Jones.

Bellamy, 34, played his final game in the Bluebirds’ 2-1 Premier League defeat by Chelsea and retired from international football in October 2013.

He played for seven clubs in the Premier League, includ-

ing Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United, and said he will now prepare to move into management.

Bellamy has said previously that managing Wales is one of his ambitions.

Jones, who played 59 times for Wales, was in the Tottenham side that won the Football League and FA Cup double in the 1960-61 season.

He says Bellamy has a lot to offer Chris Coleman’s team.

“I thought he was fantastic Bellamy,” said Jones.

“He is one of my favourite footballers of all time. He could be a bit of a loose canon at times, but he played for you as a winner.

“I know that he would relish it because he’s a proud Welshman and I’ve got a lot

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 SPORTS 95

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Images from training camps of some countries in Brazil

Sprinklers water the pitch as the Australian Socceroos football team go through their stretching exercises during a training…yesterday.

PHOTOS: AFP Germany’s defender Per Mertesacker (left), midfielder Christoph Kramer (middle) and defender Kevin Grosskreutz (right) vie for the ball during a training session.

Mexico’s players cheer each other before a training session England’s coach Roy Hodgson Roy Hodgson (third right) with players during a training session.

Greece’s players warm up during a training session.

Bosnia-Herzegovina’s players warm up during a training session

Switzerland’s German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld (middle) talks to his players during a training session.

Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic (second right) and Ante Rebic (middle) in a training session.

TheGuardian

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By Daniel Obimba HE ongoing national conference continues T to generate conversations across the nation.

In these conversations, the legitimacy of the conference has been severally called to question. Some of the naysayers have sought constitutional and legal reasons to slam the exercise.

But many, perhaps the vast majority, or perhaps not, have lent their weight to the exercise believing that the precarious state of affairs in Nigeria vouchsafes the President a moral legitimacy (if not one arising purely from constitutional grounds) to spearhead this convocation.

And so the conference was midwifed amid more “cheers” than “nays” through preliminaries where a framework was contrived for it and viola! The conference is here.

Resting on that moral legitimacy, it has been voiced in certain quarters, that President Goodluck Jonathan faced with a historic opportunity to exhibit the paternal essence of the presidency in preserving its ward (in this case the Nigerian state) and save it from succumbing to a cold death, has not disappointed.

Without disputing this let me say that it is yet too early for celebrations although some optimism can be said to be in order at this stage.

However, it is my candid persuasion that there are things moral legitimacy should evoke order than the ongoing national conference. And this is at the risk of sounding politically blasphemous, at least in the ears of certain public commentators particularly those whose commentary on the Nigerian state over the past few years rests primarily on the need for a polity restructuring conference. To these it may sound absurd that anyone should question this conference at all.

However, to them I say first things first. Nigeria is still a deeply fragmented country or political entity. One needs not gaze into our very far and distant history before that assertion can command a consensus. The oddity so far has been that some of the most conspicuous commentators indulge the pastime that to say so is somewhat irreverent. Some go as far as treating it as the figment of the imagination of a coterie of powerful elites which does not truly reflect the collective experience banal to our streets, corners, domains and neighbourhoods. Yet we have witnessed so much in recent times to convince one not to sustain that reverie.

Not so long after we witnessed the Lagos deportation saga, the public space became awash with tidal ill will between citizens of Igbo and Yoruba extraction as they engaged themselves in verbal free-for-all via a range of media again underscoring the sectional tensions that characterise our polity. The peaceful coexistence between aborigines of the Jos Plateau and the Fulani Hausa settlers has been so fractured that the once serene province is now a theatre of serial bloodbath. Tribal rifts have festered so much in this country that the sheer appetite for grazing lands now leads Fulani herdsmen and a cross section of tribes northward, who once coexisted harmoniously to now seek to exterminate themselves.

Many other examples abound. The majority of public commentators who underrate these schisms are invigorated by the “slim” survival of the Nigerian state after a set and stretch of nightmares, the pogrom and then the cataclysmic civil war amongst others. But these events rather than sire the sincerity to halt the indices that can remake them have rather engendered a widespread but apparently specious optimism that the worst is permanently behind us because we had a civil war that ruffled us but came shy of dismembering the union and so we can afford to treat the portentous signs without proper analysis only with a certain meretricious alarm even though those dark indices are very present with us. Since a proper analysis can embarrass certain interests, we give a less than comprehensive attention to the “problems” while we heighten the drama of raised alarm. The result is we have alarmists everywhere delivering in obtrusive decibels the recurring tensions but keep a blank perspective to certain intrinsic issues that demand com-

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Moral legitimacy and national conference (1)

The truth is we are a nation with a very chequered history. Soon after native Nigerians began to have a greater say in the Nigerian bureaucracy, legislation and what have you did fault lines appear in the British orchestrated Union because the British never had a clear framework on how to integrate the ethnicities that made up the young nation

Cross section of delegates at the national conference in Abuja mensurate action.

I cannot recall how many times I have heard “well meaning” ordinary Nigerians in the public places remark that we are “not one nation, we are deceiving ourselves”. And these people are supposed to represent the teeming lower cadres in our broad social spectrum, portrayed by public commentators as alienated from the divisive rhetoric of our self seeking and self perpetuating political class. The dark indices and indicators of mistrust, hatred and prejudice that bred our worst conflicts in this country are still here. However, the fact that a national conference has been summoned attests to the fact that all is not well and that the dissensions we witness and read in the news have not gone unnoticed. At least the commentators, alarmists and patriots have not allowed them to go unnoticed, to their credit. The preferred notion has been that we are faced with tensions

and not necessarily a divided nation. Hence the national conference is forged around slogans like “indivisible Nigeria” even though the realities dictate otherwise. So there are wide expectations or hope that the national conference will successfully douse the tensions even though one might not find the satisfaction that it will exceed that target as should be the case.

The truth is we are a nation with a very chequered history. Soon after native Nigerians began to have a greater say in the Nigerian bureaucracy, legislation and what have you did fault lines appear in the British orchestrated Union because the British never had a clear framework on how to integrate the ethnicities that made up the young nation. Even the verdict on the nation by our leaders past known to the Nigerian posterity as our founding fathers have quite borne the ominous. Sir Ahmadu Bello was reported to have called the Union “the mistake of 1914”. Awo also described the

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Union called Nigeria as a “mere geographical expression.” Balewa’s hints about the intent of northern Nigerian leadership to continue the jihadic Islamisation of Nigeria that will capitulate at sea after the entire mass of Nigeria is covered is also in character.

The impulse over the years has been to throw conferences (or even constituent assemblies) at our myriad of issues. That impulse has spawn a number of them some of which are the 1950 Ibadan conference, 1953 London conference, 1957 London conference, 1958 Lagos conference, Aburi conference Ghana, 1967; 1975 constitution drafting committee and more. The outcomes of many of these summits were half-hearted. For example on Aburi Conference, Messrs Olumide and Oyebode wrote on page 20 of Guardian Newspaper of October 4, 2013 that the transcript of the meeting was clear on the agreement for a loose confederation “but before the ink dried on the agreement, Gowon reneged, set off series of events that finally led to the civil war”. On the national conference held by General Gowon in September 12, 1966, Messrs Olumide and Oyebode also wrote that the conference leaned towards a loose confederation, the military government allegedly stepped in against the idea of a confederation and “the military junta preferred a unitary style.”

Some of these conferences in time past were drivers of critical political developments in this country. But by and large they have failed to address our divisions. Analysts usually downplay these divisions and suppose the frictions that bedevil the nation to be largely provoked, exploited and over exaggerated by political players. Such views are not totally bereft of affirmation in political thought and philosophy.

To be continued.