The Nation April 03, 2012

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

News Pupil relives encounter with rapists on the highway P6 Sports Eagles star Anichebe breaks four-year club goal jinx P14 Business Court discharges Akingbola of money laundering charges P11 www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

VOL. 7, NO. 2084 TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

•Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu greeting House of Reps member Ayo Omidiran, Senator Femi Ojodu, Minority Whip Samson Osagie during a dinner to mark Tinubu’s 60th birthday organised by Friends of Asiwaju in National PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE Assembly in Abuja ... yesterday

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•Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka (right) pointing to an object of interest during the opening ceremony of the Lagos Black Heritage Festival 2012 at the Freedom Park, Lagos ... yesterday.

With him are Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and Commissioner for Tourism & Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Disun Holloway (left). Story on page 7.

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

Three PHCN giants go down with power outage

•Troubled times at power house pages 4&5

Govt sacks MD, ED as generation crashes to 3200MW

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HREE key Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) officials were sacked yesterday, as the government got desperate to reverse the slide in electricity supply.

Sacked are Akinwumi Bada, an engineer and erstwhile Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Uzoma Achinanya, an engineer and former Mar-

By Emeka Ugwuanyi and John Ofikhenua, Abuja

FACTS AND FIGURES

ket Operator and Mr Olusoga Muyiwa, Executive Director of Human Resources (PHCN).

They were replaced immediately. Olusola Akinniranye, an engineer, the executive director, Transmission Services Provider at the TCN, replaced was Bada as CEO. Evaristus Mogbo, an engineer, was promoted Market

5000MW •The power generation target set for 2011 4420MW •The achievement for 2011 6000MW •The target set for 2012 3200MW •The figure to which generation has crashed Operator to replace Achinanya. There was no replacement for Muyiwa.

The Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Media, Mr.Ogbuagu Anikwe, in a

Why Boko Haram persists, by Ciroma T

HE Convener of the Northern Political Leaders Forum, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, yesterday said the Boko Haram menace has persisted because the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has failed to listen to suggestions on how to curtail it.

He also said it is too early to presume that Senator Ali Ndume, who is standing trial for alleged association with the dreaded sect, had a deal with Boko Haram leaders.

to the $1.5 billion power financing promised by the bank, summoned the chief executives to a meeting yesterday in Abuja to find solution to the sharp drop in power generation.

Ogbuagu said the minister was deeply worried on what would make generation to fall from 4420 megawatts (MW) attained last Continued on page 2

Jonathan campaigns for Okonjo-Iweala

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From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

He said the travails of Ndume have made some Northern leaders to stay away from finding solutions to the Boko Haram insurgency.

Ciroma, a former Minister of Finance, broke his silence on the Boko Haram insurgency in a no-holds-barred interview with Newsdiaryonline.com.

Continued on page 2

statement, said President Goodluck Jonathan approved the retirement of the officials.

Power Minister Prof. Barth Nnaji broke the news at a meeting with the chief executive officers of the 18 successive companies in Abuja yesterday.

Nnaji, who came back on Sunday from the United States where he met with the officials of the US Export-Import Bank to facilitate access

•Dr Okonjo-Iweala

IGERIA yesterday stepped up its campaign to get Finance Minister Ngozi OkonjoIweala elected as World Bank President.

President Goodluck Jonathan argued in a statement that the coordinating Minister of the Economy is the best candidate for the job and so should be given the post. He called for “an open, transparent and merit-based

From Vincent Ikuomola and Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

process”, in the election.

Nigeria also yesterday summoned ambassadors and high commissioners in the country to campaign to their governments through them for the Finance Minister’s candidacy.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala, is competing against Colombian Continued on page 2

•SPORTS P13 •POLITICS P17 •ENERGY P25 •PROPERTY P37 •MARITIME P39

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

NEWS Continued from page 1

Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State welcoming the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III to the swearing-in of Commissioners and Special Advisers in Sokoto ... yesterday

Jonathan seeks support for Okonjo-Iweala Continued from page 1

Jose Antonio Ochampo and Korean American Prof. Jim Yong Kim. They are bidding to replace American Robert Zoelick, due to step down in June after four years on the job.

The Executive Board of the World Bank is due to meet and vote for a new president and announce the new boss

on April 16.

An American candidate has held the position since the Brentton Wood institution was founded in 1944. World Bank’s sister organisation, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is traditionally headed by a European.

French woman Christine Lagarde is its current president.

President Jonathan’s statement reads: “I am very pleased to note the staunch support and universal acclaim elicited by the nomination of Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, as a candidate for the post of World Bank President.

Continued on page 61

year to 3200mw, reflecting a loss of over 1200mw in less than a month. He said the government would move to arrest the deteriorating power situation in the country.

There has been a speculation that the government was suspecting sabotage as the cause of the sharp drop in generation, which has thrown the country almost into total blackout.

According to the statement, the minister said the appointments were made to enable the power sector reform regain momentum. “There will be continuous reorganisation of the industry, until we achieve efficiency and effectiveness,” Nnaji said, adding: “It is just a few people that are internally trying to tinker with the system. But we are in good shape. We are moving forward with the reform.”

The minister charged the new appointees to live up to expectation as the government is no longer in the mood to tolerate delays in the implementation of the power sector reform. The unaffected chief executives are to henceforth expect a decisive response from the government, if any of them fails to live up to the

Three PHCN giants sacked service agreements they signed on power delivery, he added.

“We have said it before that you are in charge; you must live up to the responsibility that is given to you or expect to see a reaction for not doing so,” he said.

The Minister of State (Power), Mr. Darius Ishaku, Chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi and the new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Mrs Dere Awosika, who has just been redeployed from the Ministry of Science and Technology, and other directors of the power ministry attended the meeting.

Nnaji also directed that the PHCN workers be paid the 50 per cent salary increase as agreed with the ministry, adding that President Jonathan is working hard to ensure that gas delivery is addressed.

The minister said the decline in power supply was a result of shortage of gas supply, stressing that a meeting between the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Petroleum on the matter was underway.

He said: “For now, what we want to communicate here is that we are going to rigorously

pursue any hindrance to power supply. And to ensure that we clean up the system, we have to make sure that we deliver more reliable electricity to the country.

“And that is what this meeting is about. We have got everybody that is involved. The only ones that are not here are the gas suppliers, but we will get to that because we are going to have an inter-ministerial meeting to critically resolve those issues.”

Nnaji also said there would be an engagement of contractors to manage the TCN but before then, the government must have an effective management for the transmission network. The ministry, said the minister, is working out a model to ensure monthly predictability of power supply from the various power plants.

“We also want to look at the power generation to ensure that there is predictability in power generation so that CEOs don’t do whatever they like. In terms of power generation, we want to know how much power we are going to have this month, next month from each plant, so that we will be able to predict and manage more reliably the system,” Nnaji said.

Why Boko Haram persists, by ex-Minister Ciroma Continued from page 1

He said: “Security matters and security issues are always problems which government has got to deal with.

The Boko Haram and the spread of this insecurity, in my view, originated from how parts of this country were mismanaged. The mismanagement, I believe, has spread and the resultant insecurity has also spread. So, it is for government to find solution for dealing with this insecurity.

“When the issues began to be serious in Borno, the elders and leaders of Borno advised the government that they should talk to these people, that they should withdraw the troops from the streets and that they should find a solution to ameliorate the complaints of the Boko Haram elements. A spokesman of the government dismissed their recommendation.

“Since then, similar recommendations have been made in Kano and elsewhere and they have been equally dismissed. The meaning of this is that the government has stuck to its position, in spite of the advice being given from various parts by citizens who want to see peace and security.

“So, the government has to learn how to listen to people because insecurity is a problem which government has to deal with. It affects people in their normal day-to-day life.

So, the number one issue is for government to listen to what people are saying because their present policy so far has not succeeded.

“Two, the Boko Haram issue has been related to poverty and other things which affect the well- being of the ordinary people. This issue of poverty has been repeated several times in official circles. Government has got to deal with that.

“Three is about the state governments. They are always having ceremonies and

Sect on killing spree in Kano, Borno, Kaduna

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OKO Haram men went on the rampage again yesterday in Borno, Kano and Kaduna states.

They killed an operative of the State Security Service (SSS) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

In Kano, suspected members of the sect killed their members arrested by the people to prevent them from being handed over to the police.

The suspected Islamic sect members were said to have stormed Sheka on a motor bike, opening fire on the two persons, following a tip-off that the residents were making attempt to hand the two apprehended men believed to be members of Boko Haram to the police.

Joint Task Force spokesman Lt. Ikedichi Iweha, said: “Residents of Sheka this morning arrested two members of the Islamic sect but in their attempt to alert the police on the arrest, some members of the sect stormed the area on motor bike and shot the two arrested members to death before fleeing the scene to an unknown destination.”

Two women were also reportedly shot dead yesterday at Panshekara Round About in Kano metropolis by unknown gunmen.

Lt. Iweha said the incident happened at about 7.45pm when some unknown gunmen opened fire on motorists. The woman was hit.

The JTF men arrested two suspected Boko Haram members and handed them over to the police.

Unknown gunmen also shot and killed a classroom teacher in Kano yesterday morning. The teacher simply identified as Aliyu resided at Hotoro Arewa area in the city.

The gunmen on a motorcycle were said to have arrived the Aliyu residence

talking about issues but they have not dealt with the problems of education, health, agriculture and other things which affect the ordinary man actively on a daily basis.

The state governments have got to deal with this matter in a way which everybody can see that some results are being achieved.

“Every time people compare, what is happening to-

From Kolade Adeyemi (Kano), Abiodun Joseph (Maiduguri) and Tony Akowe (Kaduna)

and pumped hot lead into his head.

It was not clear while the late classroom teacher with Yan’Dutse Group of schools, was targeted.

Eyewitnesses said the incident happened around 6am and that the police arrived an hour later to pick the remains of the late teacher.

Spokesman of Kano Police, Magaji Musa Majia, said the incident was reported to the Command.

In Maiduguri, gunmen suspected to be members of the sect shot and killed SSS operative Ibrahim Stanley Malgwi.

Malgwi was killed two days after the police authority in the state offered to give cash rewards ranging from N500,000 to N1m to any person that provides information that could lead to the smashing of the Islamic militant group.

According to eyewitnesses in Abbaganaram where Malgwi was shot dead, the gunmen, who came on foot, trailed him to a barber’s saloon where he was shot dead while having his haircut.

The eyewitnesses said the gunmen shot sporadically into the air to scare people as they fled.

SSS Director Ahmed Abdullahi confirmed the killing. He spoke on the telephone.

In Kaduna, unidentified gunmen yesterday killed Alhaji Muhammed Abdulsalam Abubakar, a Senior Lecturer with the Kaduna Polytechnic. A police officer, Salisu Ahmed an Assistant Superintendent, was also killed at the Rigasa area of the metropolis.

Both men were killed in their residence located a few blocks from each other along Dan Madami road.

day, they compare with yesteryears. What they are saying is that yesteryears with less resources than we have now were better managed than the present. The government has got to think very hard about it and to do what is right in order to eliminate the problems which people are talking about.”

Ciroma explained why most Northern elders have stayed

Narating the incident to newsmen, the senior brother to the deceased lecturer, Alhaji Mahmood Abdulsalam, said “my brother was shot after evening prayers when he left the mosques and went back his residence.

“We usually prayed together every evening in my house. He came to my house and we talked at length before we went for prayers after which, he left for his house. On the way, he bought fuel for his generator.

“Less than an hour after he left, his son called me on the telephone that they had shot and killed his father. They shot him on the neck. What I gathered is that the assassins shot him right in front of his gate, when his 12 year old son came to open the gate for him. The boy suspected that something was going to happen as he asked his father to come inside quickly.

“Unknown to them, the Killers had parked their motorcycle near an electric pole close to the house waiting for him.

The boy was trying to close the gate after his father had entered in his Toyota Camry car but suddenly, the two hoodlums opened the gate and one of them brought out a gun and shot him twice on his neck.

When asked if it could be a case of mistaken identity, he said: “when we took our brother to 44 Army Reference after the incident, we met a Police officer who was also killed. ASP Salisu Ahmed lived just two blocks to my late brother’s house and they used the same type of Toyota Camry Car, the same ash colour, perhaps they were looking for that Policeman.

Similarly, the policeman was said to have been killed almost about the same time by two unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle.

Police spokesman DSP Aminu Lawan could not be reached for comment.

away from finding solutions to the Boko Haram menace.

He said with what happened to Ndume, Northern leaders decided to tread softly on the insurgency.

He added: “The problem with security matter is that as an ordinary man, if you start intervening, the government people will accuse you of creating the problem. Look at a senator who was part of the

Borno Elders who were handling the matter. Now, he is being charged to court for involvement in Boko Haram. So, that is why individuals have got to be careful what they do because government can accuse them.”

Asked if Ndume had no dealing with Boko Haram, Ciroma said: “Well, he is only being charged; you cannot say that he is guilty.

“And for somebody who is a member of the Senate, even if he is talking to someone, he is a member of the Senate; he must always use his contacts and information for the benefit of society. If you arrest him, other lesser people must be more careful.”

Pressed to comment on the political situation in the country, the elder statesman said: “I have no comment to make (A little pause).The general political situation is very confusing and the parties are not well organised. The organised party is the PDP but even the PDP; generally people don’t believe it is doing well.

“So, Nigerians, in my view, want better organised parties that are accountable for what they do and are intended to assist the country move forward.”

On the deteriorating level of governance nationwide, he said: “It is for Nigerians to elect people who they think can do the job. If they elect people who can do the job, then at the next election, they should choose those people who can do it. You have to keep on doing it until you get it right.

That is what democracy means.

Concerning the allegation that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo might be goading President Goodluck Jonathan to seek another term, Ciroma simply said: “I don’t want to talk about Obasanjo.”

Regarding the plot by the PDP to manipulate the opposition, he said: “The PDP is there to gain power; it has gained power. It is trying to retain its power. There is nothing abnormal about that.

“It is for other people who do not agree with what the PDP is doing or how the PDP is doing it, to make their effort in order to succeed where they failed and PDP succeeded which is to have the chance to exercise power. We hope this will be for the interest of the ordinary people.”

ADVERT HOTLINES: 01-280668, 08070591302, 08052592524 NEWSROOM: LAGOS – 01-8962807, ABUJA – 07028105302 COMPLAINTS: 01-8930678

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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NEWS

Troubled The Goodluck Jonathan administration has always expressed determination to ensure uninterrupted power supply. In a bid to achieve this, top guns in the electricity sector were sacked yesterday. But there are more hurdles the administration has to scale to achieve this task many have given up as unattainable, write Assistant Editor (News) OLUKOREDE YISHAU and Assistant Editor (Energy) EMEKA UGWUANYI Vice-President Namadi Sambo (middle), President, Islamic Development Bank Group Dr. Mohammed Ali (left), Vice-President, Operation of the bank, Birama Sidibe at the bank’s meeting in Khartoum, Sudan... yesterday PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

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HE sack of Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Akinwumi Bada, Market Operator Uzoma Achinanya and Executive Director of Human Resources, Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Olusoga Muyiwa brings to eight the number of top officials of the unbundled PHCN since Prof.

Barth Nnaji assumed office as the Minister of Power July last year.

Barely a month in office, Nnaji sacked chief executive officers of four electricity distribution companies.

The affected CEOs were Justus Obilomo (Eko Distribution Company), Oladele Adeola (Ibadan Distribution Company), George Chiatula (Benin Distribution Company) and Kosiso Nwaoko (Jos Distribution). Nnaji replaced them with: Oladele Amoda (Eko ), Bolaji Mofoluso Oyesiku (Ibadan), Dr. Effiong Umoren (Benin), and Mrs. Vera Ngozi Osuhor (Jos).

Before tales of their sack could settle, the minister hit again and the victim was the chief executive officer of Olorunsogo Generation Company, Mr. Mohammed Almu. He was sacked for his inability to articulate what was required to recover six of the eight turbines of the station that were out of work for years, which reduced the plant’s output from over

•Senators, Aishat Al Hassan(left) Oluremi Tinubu and Nenadi Usman during a dinner to mark 60th birthday of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu organised by the Friends of Asiwaju in National Assembly in Abuja... yesterday PHOTO ABAYOMI FAYESE

300MW to less than 50MW. The minister later issued a warning to the CEOs that it was no more business as usual, noting that Nigerians need light and should get it. He said any CEO that fails in his duty should be prepared for sanction.

The sack rattled the PHCN workforce as it was least expected at that time. For fear of not falling the next victim, the operators of the various power value chain, especially the chief executive officers of the generation and distribution companies, sat up and power supply started to improve. Towards the end of last year, the Ministry of Power announced the achievement of 4,420MW generation.

The improvement in generation was testified to by Nigerians who confirmed that power supply across the country substantially improved.

However, from the beginning of this year, there has been continual drop in generation. The development was earlier attributed to inadequate supply of gas to thermal power plants.

In an effort to address this problem, the Federal Government ordered the Ministry of Petroleum to ensure sufficient supply of gas to the power sector, a development which led to ordering of oil companies to be committed to delivering on their domestic gas supply obligations. In view of this, the Nigerian National

Can Jonathan save mothers from dying at childbirth?

How much hope does President Goodluck Jonathan’s headship of the United Nations (UN) commission on maternal death set hold for finding lasting solutions to the preventable deaths?

OLUKAYODE THOMAS and JOKE KUJENYA examine the maternal mortality crisis in the country.

•Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson (2nd left), Group Managing Director, Sterling Bank Plc Mr. Yemi Adeola (2nd right), Executive Director (South), Mr. Lanre Adesanya (left) and Regional Business Head, SouthSouth, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Emma Ekpenisi (right) after a meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa.

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•Managing Director of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Mr. Kayode Oluwasegun-Ojo and the Director General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren during the inauguration of the N68 million Security Equipments erected by NAHCO at its cargo shed, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja PHOTO: ISAAC AYODELE JIMOH

HE United Nations (UN) is worried by the rate of maternal mortality. Every year, thousands of women die during pregnancy or during labour.

To stop this trend, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)and the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) has launched a high-level commission to improve access to essential but overlooked health supplies.

Such supplies include: oxytocin, misoprostol, and magnesium sulfate.

Together with skilled health workers and strong health systems, women’s health in developing countries can be transformed.

President Goodluck Jonathan is cochairing the global body. Jonathan will be working with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

With President Jonathan as co-chairman, this will no doubt encourage government to tackle maternal deaths head on.

Jonathan said: “There is no doubt that lives can be saved by increasing

access to affordable and effective medicines and health supplies. We must all make a difference and the time is now.

“I stand ready, together with the Prime Minister of Norway, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, to join the advocacy at the highest levels for increased availability, affordability and accessibility of essential but underutilised supplies for maternal and child health. The health of women in every society was at the heart of their well-being and development. So, there could be no doubt that more lives could be saved by increasing access to affordable, effective medicines and health supplies. It is in recognition of the sad condition of the health and children in parts of the world that I consider it imperative to accept to serve as co-chair of the new Commission on Vital Supplies for Women and Children.”

The situation in the country is scary.

If statistics are anything to go by, about three hundred and forty-two thousand women die in pregnancy or during childbirth every year. That

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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NEWS

d times at Power House

hers ?

Petroleum Corporation signed several gas supply purchase agreements (GSPAs) with some of the oil companies to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to the plants Despite combined efforts of the power and petroleum ministries, the power generation started dropping in March without control and there were complaints from every part of the country on the undue dwindling of supply.

It was based on the public outcry that the minister was said to have acted. However, the issue of electricity workers’ benefits and regularisation of casual workers numbering about 1200 must not be overlooked, if government should achieve successful privatisation and attain generation targets of 6,000MW by the end of the year and 10,000MW by end of 2015 while addressing the problems of inadequate gas supply to thermal plants and those of hydro power plants.

If Nnaji had his way, the country should have achieved grid stability of 5,000 mega watts last December.

He also planned to add another 1,000 mega watts before the end of this year.

This clearly is in consonance with the administration’s power reforms, which was unveiled in its comprehensive action plan christened: ‘Roadmap to power reforms’.

HE major thrust of the plan was the total unbundling of the PHCN into generation and transmission companies, which would be sold to private investors. If the plan succeeds, the six generation plants and the 11 distribution stations scattered all over the country would be taken over by private companies, with government only controlling minor stakes in the generation plants due to strategic national interests.

Nnaji’s enthusiasm was premised on the installation of a new system control and data acquisition known as SCADA. It is a technology, which comprises centralised systems that monitor and control the quantity of power wheeled into the grid as well

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as power supply (transmitted) to every part of the country. It is aided by high performance Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), which also enhance Energy Management Systems (EMS).

The minister said: “There is an ongoing new system called SCADA, which is planned to be installed by December as promised by the contractor so as to detect faults from the transmission network in any part of the country. The system will be controlled from here and the automatic control will ensure better power regulation, supply and stability.”

Nnaji said the plants of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) and some units lost in the existing assets of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) would generate the 5,000 mega watts.

“We have set in motion plans to increase electricity generating capacity before the year runs out. The power stations nearing completion under the NIPP as well as existing power plants, would add about 600MW to the grid between now and December.”

The minister’s plans have, however, fallen like a pack of cards.

Perhaps as a back-up plan, the government signed a deal with Global Biofuels, a local biofuel producer, to build 15 biofuel plants in the country, costing about N414 billion (•2.02 billion).

The project will power 15 states with 30MW each. A pilot plant will be built in Ekiti, with construction beginning within the next few months to be completed before the end of the year.

Minister of Trade and Investment Olusegun Aganga said the project has been researched over a number of years and feasibility and market studies had already been carried out.

About 70 per cent of the total cost of the project will be financed by the Chinese government and the rest of the funds will come from other fi-

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Nigeria’s maternal, child health statistics is the world’s worst. There is the need for a multi-sectoral approach to solve the current problem of high maternal mortality ratio in the country

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was the verdict of the team of health bodies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and a few others.

A global health magazine said in spite of a recent data showing a positive turning point in the battle to keep mothers alive through pregnancy and childbirth, about 342,900 women deaths are recorded every year.

•Dr. Jonathan

Of her four children, Juliana Chike said her second pregnancy was the most frightening. “It almost claimed my life,” she told The Nation. “I have heard stories about women who didn’t know they were carrying a child until very late in the pregnancy.

What I was never told was that if such happened, it could be dangerous. I was almost five months gone before

nancial institutions, including the Nigerian Export Import Bank, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, Africa Finance, Fond Gari of Togo and First Bank of Nigeria.

But beyond the challenge of generating enough power to feed into the national grid, Nnaji’s biggest challenge so far is the uncooperative attitude of some staff of PHCN, who reports say, have become a major threat to the actualisation of the new power reforms.

Several meetings have been held between Nnaji and PHCN workers’ union to work out adequate monetisation benefits and severance package to be paid to all the staff that would be affected by the inevitable lay-off.

Nnaji also has the NIPP power plants to worry about. The Egbin

Power Plant, which provides 25 per cent of the country’s electricity needs, has an installed capacity of 1,320 Megawatts, but now manages to generate 1,080 megawatts. The plant ought to be overhauled every five to six years. But this has not been the case. About three of the six units have been overhauled.

The Egbin Power plant, said an insider, needs N1.5 billion for rehabilitation in order to add 220 megawatts to the national grid. About N33.6 billion is needed for complete overhaul of the six units.

Olorunsogo Plant, which was started by the Obasanjo administration, was planned to increase power generation to 10,000mw on or before 2010. But the company suffers from inadequate funding. “The current level of funding is grossly inad-

equate. No appropriate budgetary provision from inception till date,” said its immediate past CEO. The plant is faced with a lot of challenges, the major one being limited gas supply. Of the about 120mmscf / day it requires, it only gets 40 mmscf.

The plant relies on temporary gas supply line from Ewekoro. Its permanent gas line from Itoki is still under construction.

AST year, Nnaji and his Infor mation counterpart, Mr Labaran Maku were disappointed by what they discovered at the N30 billion ($220 million) first phase of Olorunsogo power plant.

They found out that the 304MGW installed capacity eight turbines power plant, built and inaugurated ed five years ago had practically packed up, as six of the turbines have broken down, leaving only two to function at about 60 MGWcapacity.

The turbines went off due to lack of spare parts and operating manuals in English language.

The Alaoji Power Plant is also far from being completed. Of its four turbines only one is nearing completion. This can generate about 112.5 megawatts. Its gas need is also an issue which has not been sorted out and is bound to affect its operation.

The Ihovbor Power Plant is also facing serious challenge. At the moment, the facilities are still at erection stage. Its Gas Sale Agreement is yet to be sorted out. Its transmission lines and substation that would evacuate the power are still under construction and are not likely to be completed. The Calabar Power Plant is also in the same condition.

It is also doubtful if the Gbarain Power Plant will be completed this year as planned. Issues such as gas supply are expected to further slow it down. The Omotosho plant, planned to be ready this December, is also doubtful for similar reasons.

Instructively, the challenge in the power sector predated the present administration. It is a tale of years of negligence.

I knew I was with a child. By the time I went to the gynaecologist, the baby was developing in the wrong side of my stomach. It had to be medically evacuated because it was then difficult for me to breathe and live through each day without horrific challenges.”

At the United Nations Commission on Vital Health Supplies for Women and Children in New York, Jonathan pledged to undertake advocacy at the highest levels of global governance for the increased availability of essential supplies for maternal and child health across the world. But charity, they say, begins from the home front.

During the recent 4th Annual Nurses Scientific Conference held in Lagos, Nigeria, the Director, Nursing Services, Lagos State Health Service Commission (NS, LSHSC), Mrs. Jokotade Agunbiade, described the maternal and child health statistics in Nigeria as among the most challenging globally.

She said: “Nigeria’s maternal, child health statistics is the world’s worst”.

The conference had as its theme: ‘Maternal and Child Care: Challenges to Nursing Practice.’

The director also noted that the maternal mortality ratio of 1,120 per 100,000 live births currently being witnessed in the country is alarmingly high. She therefore advocated for urgent solutions to curb the trend.

She said:”There is the need for a multi-sectoral approach to solve the current problem of high maternal mortality ratio in the country.” She listed the challenges to include: discrimination, communication and language problems, relationships, insen-

sitive and inappropriate maternity services and inequity, as part of those factors militating against nurses and midwives to offer the strategic goal of helping women to enjoy their rights to safe motherhood.

Agunbiade urged nurses to always look out for the challenges and endeavour to act positively.

UNICEF’s record shows that: “Every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under-five year olds and 145 women of child-bearing age. This makes the country the second largest contributor to the under–five and maternal mortality rate in the world.

Underneath the statistics however, lies the pain of human tragedy, for thousands of families who have lost their children. Even more devastating is the knowledge that, according to recent research, essential interventions reaching women and babies on time would have averted most of these deaths. And though analyses of recent trends show that the country is making progress in cutting down infant and under-five mortality rates, the pace still remains too slow to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of reducing child mortality by a third by 2015.”

RECENT report by the United States Agency for In ternational Development (USAID) states that maternal mortality rate in the country is unacceptably high.

The report said: “While maternal mortality figures vary widely by source and are highly controversial, the best estimates for Nigeria suggest that approximately 54,000 women die each year due to pregnancy-related complications. Addi-

tionally, another 1,080,000 to 1,620,000 Nigerian women will suffer annually from disabilities as a result of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. And while the numbers of health care facilities are increasing in the country, poor services, lack of demand, and a lack of accessibility characterise the health sector. As a result, maternal health and family planning services remain limited throughout much of Nigeria, especially in the northern states.”

If the trend is reversed and expectant mothers get cheap and easy access to healthcare, then the story of the like of Jumai Abdulahhi, a young Hausa woman who lives in Egbeda, a suburb of Lagos, will change.

Abdullahi said she has never had the opportunity of receiving a medical attention during pregnancy. Traditional Birth Attendants (BTAs) had always come to her rescue. She told The Nation that her sixth and seventh pregnancies were reminiscence of Jimi Solanke’s TV Drama “Broken Calabash” of the 1980s. She said it was an elderly woman in her neighbourhood and one of the TBAs who advised that she should not attempt to give birth to any other child, if she does not want to die.

Medical Director, Optimal Specialist Hospitals Dr Chukwunenye Celestine said: "The risk factors to maternal and child mortality can be reduced by empowering the women to be able to help themselves and their children through girl-child education and appropriate employment of women, improvement of transportation and health care services among others."

The task ahead is indeed daunting.

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• Prof. Nnaji

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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CITYBEATS Ogudu road thrown into darkness THE Ojota-Ogudu road has been thrown into darkness barely a month after the inauguration of its street lights by Kosofe Local Government Area Chairman Babatunde Sofola.

Sofola inaugurated the project on February 23, as part of activities commemorating his 100 days in office.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), check showed that the street lights are yet to be connected to the grid.

Some residents, who spoke with NAN, expressed disappointment at the non-completion of the project before it was declared open by the council chief.

Contacted, Mr Kehinde Daniels, the council’s information officer, said the road has remained in darkness because the lights had not been connected to power.

“The light project has been completed, and that was why the council chairman inaugurated it. But it has not been connected to power. This would be done in a few days time and we are assuring our people that there would be electricity 24 hours once this is done,” Daniels said.

He urged residents to exercise patience and understanding, adding that besides the street lights, more projects have been slated for delivery to the people by the council.

Amata faces ejection NOLLYWOOD actor Fred Amata, has been ordered by a Surulere Magistrate’s court in Lagos to pay one year rent arrears amounting to N600, 000 to his landlord.

The actor was taken to court in September 2010 by his landlord, Isaac Fadoyebo, who is seeking a repossession of his house from the actor.

The landlord claimed Amata owed rent arrears on the four-bedroom bungalow he occupies at No. 8, Razaq Balogun Street, Surulere, adding that the rent had accumulated from October 2009 to September 2010.

However Magistrate Mukaila Fadeyi did not order the actor to vacate the property.

He directed him to pay the arrears within 14 days, blaming Fadoyebo’s counsel, Y. A Adeshina, for lack of diligent prosecution of the case.

Fadeyi faulted the tenancy agreement signed by the parties, saying it was not dated, while the seven-day quit notice was not served on Amata.

Neither Amata nor his counsel, Chris Okoh, was in court when the judgment was delivered.

When contacted, the actor simply said: “I’m not ready to give my side of the story. It is a small matter. At my own time when I’m ready to give my side of the story I know how to go about it.”

08033054340, 08034699757 E-mail:- ynotcitybeats@gmail.com

‘How we were attacked by hoodlums’

•Pupil relives ordeal in gunmen’s hands

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16-year-old Junior Secondary School (JSS) pupil of Holy Rosary College, Enugu, who was among those attacked by gunmen in a Lagosbound luxury bus last Saturday night in Ogun State, has relived her harrowing experience. She narrated how some of girls were defiled by the hoodlums.

She said the hoodlums did not listen to their pleas to spare them.

“Though I was sleeping when the robbers hijacked the bus, I woke up when their leader ordered that we should cooperate with them or get killed.

“We were taken into a forest where we were ordered out of the vehicle. The place was dark, so they were using torchlight to lead the way. Some of us were raped. When they come to you they will point the light at you and say open, open, after which they would rape the person and move to the next person. I was not raped because I was menstruating. When they got to me, I showed them the blood. At this time I was reciting my holy rosary and calling on Mother Mary to rescue us,” she said.

She said they were ordered to lie face down after the attack.

“We did not know when they left. Our driver did not also know the way out of the forest.

We were in the bush till morning,” she said.

She said they left Enugu around 7am on Saturday.

According to her, the hoodlums who were over 30, got angry when they discovered that they were pupils and not busi-

Police debunk rape reports

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HE Ogun State Police Command has debunked reports of the rape of some secondary school girls by gunmen on the Ore-

Sagamu Expressway last Saturday.

The hoodlums attacked a luxury bus conveying the pupils from Enugu to Lagos for the Easter holiday.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, the command spokesperson, said the rape report was false.

Adejobi, who confirmed that the bus was attacked, said the police rescued the pupils immediately they got wind of the incident.

According to him, after rescuing the pupils, the command provided another bus, which took them to Lagos.

Adejobi, however, emphasised that there were no trace of rape on any of the girls.

He said: “There was actually a robbery attack on the bus conveying the girls from Enugu to Lagos, along Ore-J4-Sagamu Expressway on Saturday.

“The robbers diverted the bus into a nearby bush and robbed the students, but the police went there and rescued the girls.

“I want to say that none of the girls was raped when we rescued them, as there were no traces of such on any of them.

“As a matter of fact, it was the police that provided another bus, which conveyed them to Lagos because their bus developed mechanical fault.

“I want to, therefore, emphasise that the report that the students were raped by armed robbers is not true and the command is, therefore, denying it because we did our best to rescue the girls.”

Adejobi said armed policemen had been despatched to the OreIjebu-Ode-Sagamu Expressway to prevent further robbery of travellers.

He urged parents to desist from putting their children on night buses, so as not to expose them to danger.

By Jude isiguzo

nessmen.

“When they pointed guns at the driver and his conductor, they ordered us to bring all we had in our possession or be killed. Most of us did not have money since our parents were coming to pick us. I had only N1,

200 which I wanted to use for airtime. The robbers were not happy and so decided to rape. I do not know how many people were raped because the place was very dark. All the students were begging, but they would not listen. Some of us were even beaten up by the robbers,” she said.

The pupil spoke at her residence in Ajao Estate, Lagos Her parents said apart from the Island Hospital where the pupils were rushed to, they also took their daughter to a private clinic where she was re-examined.

Sources said most of the pupils who were in uniform, had blood stains when they arrived at the bus station at Jibowu, Yaba, Lagos.

It was also gathered that a parent who followed the bus sent to pick the pupils from where their bus developed mechanical fault, was also raped.

At the office of the transport company on Mobolaji Johnson Avenue, Alausa, Ikeja, its public relations manager, was said to have gone to the Ogun State Police Command where the matter is been investigated.

However, a senior manager, who refused to give his name said the company is grateful to God that no life was lost.

NULGE to sue WAEC over member’s death

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HE Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Lagos State Chapter has asked its lawyer, Comrade Bamidele Aturu, to institute legal action against the West African Examination Council (WAEC), over the death of their member, Fatai Odeniyi.

Odeniyi fell to his death in an alleged faulty lift at the WAEC office in Yaba, Lagos last week.

NULGE also listed other demands to be met by the examining body latest Thursday, failing which all its offices in the state will be picketted.

The planned action according to NULGE leadership, will compel WAEC to conform to civilised norms of corporate responsibility.

Blaming WAEC for what it called “criminal neglect,” the union in a statement by its Secretary and Publicity Secretary, Muyiwa Cole and Afolabi Ajose, alleged that WAEC management wants to sweep Odeniyi’s death under the carpet and intimidate the bereaved family into silence.”

pointment the bizarre conduct of WAEC since the death of Comrade Fatai Odeniyi, a member of the union with Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), caused by their deliberate act of negligence of keeping a faulty elevator as a trap to murder unsuspecting members of the public.

“As we speak, the mangled body of Comrade Odeniyi lies in the morgue, without effort from WAEC management to liaise with either the Management of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA, or any member of the deceased’s family for his buri-

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•Odeniyi

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

The statement read in part: “The union has watched with great pain and utter disap-

STATE AGENCIES 4. KAI Brigade Phone Nos: 080-23036632; 0805-5284914 Head office Phone Nos: 3. LASTMA Emergency Numbers: 01-4703325; 01-7743026 080-75005411; 080-60152462 5. Rapid Response Squad (RRS) 080-23111742; 080-29728371 Phone Nos: 070-55350249; 080-23909364; 080-77551000 070-35068242 01-7904983 080-79279349; 080-63299264

1. Fire and Safety Services Control Room Phone Nos: 01-7944929; 080-33235892; 080-33235890; 080-23321770; 080-56374036.

al, rather WAEC have continued in their foolery of a 60 th Council meeting.”

The union is demanding “a Coroner’s inquest into the death to be attended by a representative of the union.”

It is also seeking employment for the wife of the deceased, full scholarship to University level, for his three children, a reasonable monetary compensation to his parents and a public apology to the management and staff of the council for inviting armed policemen to harass them after giving them a distorted story on the incident.”

Man caught with military rifle HE Police in Lagos have arrested one Godwin Onalo with a military rifle marked KH153.

He was arrested by police operatives from Maroko Police Station while on patrol of Esther Adeleke Street, Lekki Phase one.

It was gathered that the police also found 17 rounds of live ammunition on the suspect.

The suspect has been trans-

LAGOS EMERGENCY LINES 2. Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Lagos Zonal Command Phone No:080-33706639; 01-7742771 Sector Commander Phone No: 080-34346168; 01-2881304

•IGP Abubarkar

070-55462708; 080-65154338 767 or email: rapidresponsesquad@yahoo.com 6. Health Services – LASAMBUS Ambulance Services Phone Nos: 01-4979844; 01-4979866; 01-4979899; 01-4979888; 01-2637853-4; 080-33057916; 080-33051918-9; 080-29000003-5.

By Jude Isiguzo

ferred to the State Special AntiRobbery Squad for further interrogation.

Command spokesman Mr Jaiyeoba Joseph, said Onalo would soon be charged to court, adding that the police also recovered a Honda car loaded with arms and ammunition.

He said police recovered the vehicle with registration number KJA10AJ along the Marina off Jazz 38, Lekki Phase One. Joseph said items found inside the vehicle were a locally made gun cut to size, two AK47 magazines with 18 rounds of live ammunition, one packet of cartridges, three laptops and seven handsets.

He said the cases were under investigation, adding that the police are on the trail of those that abandoned the vehicle.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

7

CITYBEATS

08033054340, 08034699757 E-mail:- ynotcitybeats@gmail.com

Lawmakers deplore school condition

Lagos has not yet banned okada, govt tells court T HE Lagos State government has not banned commercial motorcyclists popularly known as Okada from operating, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney general Mr Ade Ipaye said yesterday.

Ipaye told Justice Steven Adah of the Federal High Court, Ikeja, lagos, that the motorcyclists were reacting to “mere newspaper reports” in filing their suit.

He said: “The ban or restrictions alleged by the applicants has not taken place. All pieces of evidence supplied by the applicants to the court are press cuttings. There is no direct evidence regarding the true state of affairs and we all know what press reports represent.”

Ipaye sought to clarify two issues raised in the written address submitted to the court by the applicants.

On a ban being a breach of the fundamental rights of the applicants, Ipaye said: “It has not been alleged anywhere that commercial motorcycles would no longer operate on the roads.

“What is imminent are regulations which are facts of life in any business. It would not be appropriate not to have any regulations in a civilised society.”

He said since the applicants conveyed people in return for payment for services rendered, “their operation is thus a business which must be regulated.”

Ipaye submitted that the constitution vested the executive with powers arguing that the court cannot intervene in the exercise of that power.

He urged the court to dismiss

By Oziegbe Okoeki

•Okada operators

By Adebisi Onanuga

the application,stressing: “Any one complaining of the action or inaction of an administrative body must show clearly that that administrative body has exceeded the power conferred on it by the constitution.”

Earlier,the applicant’s counsel Bamidele Aturu, told the court that there is no law in the state empowering the respondents to ban the operation of commercial motorcyclists.

According to him, the Lagos State House of Assembly has not, as at date, put in place any law to back government’s action to ban, seize commercial motor cycles or arrest the operators.

He added that the government also does not have any authority to ban okada from federal roads.

Aturu said the respondents raised certain fundamental issues in their written address, which he said were not justifiable under the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Constitution

PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

and certain provisions of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

Aturu accused the respondents of embarking on a selective reduction of the applicants’ claim to just the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Constitution.

Citing cases on whether the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Constitution are enforceable, he said section 13 of chapter gave all organs of government and any person exercising legislative power right to implement chapter 2 of the Constitution.

“When two sections of the Constitution are in conflict, the latter section prevails,” he said.

Justice Adah adjourned ruling till May 4.

The motorcycle operators, under the umbrella of four associations, had filed the suit on February 8, alleging that there were plans to ban their operations by the government.

The plaintiffs are the Trustees of National Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Owners and Riders Association; Motorcycle

Transport Union of Nigeria; Trustees of All Nigerian Autobike Commercial Owners and Workers Association; and Okada Welfare Association.

Joined as co-respondent are the government and the Attorney-General.

The plaintiffs are seeking among other declarations, that the proposed ban and restriction of their operations will constitute a violation of their constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of movement.

They are praying the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from hindering commercial motorcycle operation or arresting members of the applicants for using commercial motorcycles or in any other ways preventing the members from gainful employment through the use and or operation of their motorcycles.

They are seeking an order directing the respondents to release all the motorcycles that had so far been seized.

Lagos names art gallery after Soyinka

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AGOS State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday named an ultramodern Arts Gallery and Exhibition Centre after Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka.

Flagging off this year’s Lagos Black Heritage Festival, (LBHF), during which he inaugurated the Kongi Harvest’s Art Galleries, Fashola said the honour was a recognition of Soyinka’s contributions to Arts and African cultural heritage.

The gallery, which is home to numerous African artefacts and literary works, is at the Freedom Park, Lagos Island.

Fashola said the 2012 festival with the theme: The Black in the Meditteranean Blues, will feature activities that will endear tourists to the country.

“This festival also signals the beginning of our tourist week that climaxes on Monday with the Lagos carnival, that builds up with Boat Regatta that has respite of a beauty pageant and so many other events that will also take place in this very hallowed ground of the Freedom Park. To our guests from within and outside the country and the participants from within and other parts of the world, I welcome you warmly.”

•Black Heritage festival begins

By Miriam Ndikanwu

The festival will feature colourful parade of masqueraders from across Nigeria, while other social events such as music, contemporary dance, painting and photo exposition, drama, design and fashion display and cultural explorations will take centre stage at the seven-day event.

According to the consultant, Prof. Soyinka, who established the theme of the festival, the LBHF 2012 will be

launched in series, with a cultural exploration of the Italian Connection.

Soyinka said the choice of Italy was informed by that country’s black corporation and its exploits in Eritrea and Ethiopia and the way the Italian government returned some of the stolen African artefacts in its collection. He said next year’s edition will be Portugal, followed by Brazil.

On the thrust of the festival, he said: “In its effort to broaden and

deepen the knowledge of Africa of herself, both historically and contemporaneously, always within the context of Recall and Celebration, the Lagos Black Heritage Festival has embarked upon mapping out of the Black African presence in the Mediterranean, under the theme Black Mediterranean”.

The Commissioner for Tourism, Mr Disun Holloway, said the festival is a weeklong event that is packed with engaging activities, adding that most of the activities lined up for the festival will hold at the Freedom Park.

MEMBERS of Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Science and Technology have advised the principal of Oriwu Model College, Igbogbo, to revive the parents/teachers forum.

They said the forum would help in salvage the appalling conditions under which students live and receive lectures.

Speaking after inspecting the classrooms, dining rooms, toilets and hostels where the students live, a member of the committee and former student of the school, Hon. Mufutau Egberongbe, deplored the poor standard in the school.

He said the Parent/Teacher forum must be resuscitated so that parents would be able to see things for themselves as regards what their children are passing through.

He said: “The situation here is not only appalling but also disgusting. I cannot imagine how students could live in this kind of environment. The classrooms are nothing to write home about, the hostels are in bad shape, the rooms are not habitable, while the environment may endanger the students’ lives. We are going to do all our best to salvage this school because the situation here does not speak well of a mega city”.

Expose criminals residents told

By Yinka Aderibigbe

Residents of AkowonjoEgbeda have been urged to provide information that could lead to the arrest of robbers that have been terrorising the area. The police at Mosalasi Police Station, Ipaja, said such information remained the only way to smash the syndicate.

A police source, who craved anonymity, said the people must cooperate with the police by coming up with information that could help in tackling crime in the area.

“The police are no magicians. We would love to do our job, but the people should come out with information that could assist us.

We know that these people live around here. Criminals are not spirits, they are human beings who live with us, and perhaps have families here, let us expose them,” he said.

A 15-man robbery gang robbed residents of 3, Famose Street, Jimoh Bus Stop, Akowonjo last weekend.

A victim who gave her name as Anietie said they were caught unawares when the robbers struck.

How to check workplace accidents, by safety expert

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HE Lagos State government will no longer compromise safety standards in order to address workplace accidents.

Individual or ogranisations found to have compromised on adequate safety measures will henceforth not go unpunished.

The Director General Lagos State Safety Commission, Mrs Odebunmi Dominga, saidthe enforcement becomes necessary to address increase in workplace accidents being recorded across the state.

Mrs Dominga, who spoke ahead of the World Safety Week, said the worrisome trend is on the

By Yinka Aderibigbe

rise because individuals or corporate bodies were negligent about safety measures.

She said the commission would soon begin an enlightenment campaign to drum the awareness on the need for workplace safety across the state.

Dominga said the commission had drawn up various programmes for ministries and other government agencies, industries, community Development and Market Associations (CDAs), the units and branches of the National Union of Road Transport Work-

ers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN) among others.

Dominga added that the commission will also collaborate with the ministry of the Environment to enlighten Lagosians on the best measures to adopt to mitigate against flood disaster that might attend the predicted heavy rainfall in the state.

“We are prepared to collaborate with the Ministry of the Environment to ensure safety, during and after downpour in order to protect lives and property to the state,” she said.

The Director General noted that the Commission will work at mitigating any threat to safety in all ramifications, adding that her commission would in equal measure keep close watch on workers in the environment and waste management sectors, in order to ensure that they abide by the rules of safety while discharging their duties.

“The idea is that we cannot as a government be talking about safety or be apprehending people for not complying with safety rules in the state while we are not leading by example,” she said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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NEWS IBB,Tinubu, others for Okere of Saki’s coronation

‘No request letter on Aregbesola’s health before us’

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HE Osun State House of Assembly has urged the public to ignore the report of a non-governmental FORMER Lagos State Goverorganisation (NGO), the Egalnor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; itarian Mission Africa, headformer National Chairman, ed by a “faceless” Kayode AjuAlliance for Democracy (AD), lo.

Chief Michael Koleoso; and It said Ajulo is suspected to former military President, be seeking cheap publicity Gen. Ibrahim Babangida are through his claim that he has among dignitaries to attend the coronation of the Okere of sent a letter to the Speaker of the Assembly on the request Saki, Oba Kelani Olatoyese for a medical report on GovOlarinre II, on April 7. ernor Rauf Aregbesola.

Addressing reporters at the In a statement by the Press Oba’s palace in Saki, the Chairman of the sixth Corona- Secretary to the Speaker, Mr. tion Committee, Rasak Olubo- Goke Butika, the House said it dun, unfolded the activities for had not received any letter the presentation of staff of office and coronation of the monarch.

Olubodun, who is the Special Adviser on Parastatals to Governor Abiola Ajimobi, said the Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III; the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi; and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, are among the first class obas that will attend the ceremony.

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

from any group or organisation for or on behalf of the Speaker requesting a medical report on the governor.

The Assembly said the media report credited to Ajulo and his ilk suggested that he was out for mischief and political calculation to drag the esteemed Assembly “into the political permutations that is being sponsored by a fifth columnist”.

The statement noted that the Assembly would have ignored the report, which has “exposed the sponsor as a lackey of some reactionary forces that are hell bent on

destabilising Osun State”, because of the governor’s ideological stand on federalism and regional integration, but for the sake of putting the record straight.

The statement reads: “Besides, the state parliament has warned the organisation and its sponsor to steer clear of the business of governance in Osun State, asserting that it would not hesitate to deal with anyone trying to constitute himself into a threat or distraction to the government of the state.

“The State Assembly challenged those who are parading themselves as leaders of

Egalitarian Mission Africa to appear before the parliament and state the case it has against the governor - if there is any instead of prosecuting its sinister agenda in the media with complete falsehood and shenanigan suggestive of cheap publicity and hatchet job, combined.

“Speaker Najeem Salaam reiterated the unalloyed support of the state parliament to Aregbesola on his quest to take Osun State to the next level, asking the state helmsman not to be distracted by attention seekers, such as Ajulo and his paymaster, who were beg-

Apagun Olumide: Hospital, police still ‘ignorant’ of autopsy From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

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PDP leaders meet in Lagos THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) has started plotting ahead of the 2015 elections and how to wrest power from the Action Congress of Nigeria (AC N) in the Southwest.

It was gathered that some PDP leaders met in Lagos yesterday on the 2015 race, especially on the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan, who is believed to be working quietly to re-contest.

Last weekend in Lagos, elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, said nobody can stop Dr Jonathan from running in 2015 should he decide to do so. He accused some North’s leaders of behaving as if they were born to rule.

The PDP leaders, led by its National Secretary Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, arrived in Lagos on a presidential jet, with registration number 5N-FGN. On the delegation were Chief Olabode George; Lagos PDP Chair Tunji Shelle; and former Southwest Vice-Chair Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo.

The meeting was held between 7pm and 8pm.

UI gets DVC, Registrar THE Governing Council of the University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan, Oyo State, has appointed a new Deputy ViceChancellor (Administration) and a substantive Registrar.

The new DVC is the first female Professor of Physiotherapy in Africa, Prof.

Arinola Olasumbo Sanya. Her appointment takes effect from May 13, when the tenure of her predecessor, Prof. Elijah Afolabi Bamgboye, ends.

A statement by the university indicated that the Chief Wole Olanipekun-led Council also appointed the former Registrar of Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, Mr. Olujimi Iretola Olukoya, as the new Registrar. The new Registrar’s appointment takes immediate effect.

•Some of the defectors in Ikare-Akoko...at the weekend.

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Akeredolu tours Ondo senatorial districts

N Ondo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship aspirant, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has begun a sensitisation tour of the three senatorial districts in the state.

Akeredolu, who is a former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), noted that the visit has assisted his political group, Aketi Campaign Organisation (ACO), in enrolling more people into the party.

ACO’s Director-General and former Commissioner for Information Chief Banji Ayiloge said the mobilisation went through the party hierarchy in all the local government areas with many Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling Labour Party (LP)) members joining the ACN. Ayiloge said Akeredolu has deployed funds to local government executives to build the party, adding that ACN is the majority party in the state.

He said: “The ongoing tour round the state is impressive.

Akeredolu enjoys marvelous support from the people, especially in the South Senatorial District, where his mother hails from.”

The ACO chief urged the national leadership to pick the party’s standard bearer for Ondo State, saying aspirants and supporters were ready to ensure its victory in the state.

Ayiloge said: “People are anxious to know the party’s standard bearer because time is too short and precious. The incumbent governor has indirectly begun his campaign for the same elec-

ging people and institutions of government to engage them in a media duel so that they can have a face.”

The statement noted that the tone and content of the report have given away “faceless Ajulo” as a paid mischief maker doing everything possible to impress his principal, including the use of amorphous organisations.

Some newspapers, last Monday, reported that Egalitarian Mission Africa, headed by Kayode Ajulo, had written the Osun State House of Assembly’s speaker on his demand for the medical reports on Aregbesola.

Ebira indigenes join ACN

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CORES of Ebira indigenes of Kogi State residing in the four local government areas of Akoko, in the North Senatorial District of Ondo State, at the weekend, dumped the ruling Labour Party (LP) for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

At the impressive occasion held at Jobi Fele Civic Centre, Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko North East, thousands of Egbira indigenes, led by Alhaji Adebayo Aliu, defected to the ACN. They expressed support for the party, saying the LP-led administration in the state deceived them with loans that never got to any Egbira farmer.

The defectors were mainly farmers in Akokoland. They provide staple foods, especially yams, for the residents.

Under the aegis of Egbira Democratic Movement (EDM), the defectors said since the politician that persuaded them to join the LP six years ago, Saka Lawal, had joined From Damisi Ojo, Akure

tion. Time is almost against us. We need to start work in earnest. The ACN should know its candidate in Ondo State now.”

The campaign chief called for support for Akeredolu, saying he is the most credible aspirant with a high pedigree that could unseat Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

He noted that though there are several aspirants who are well qualified for the position, Ayiloge added that Akeredolu remains the best.

“If the eminent lawyer is picked, the assignment will not be too tedious to unseat Mimiko. But if otherwise, the ruling LP may capitalise on this to remain in power,” Ayiloge said.

According to him, Akeredolu has always been a pro-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

the ACN, they had no option than to pitch their tent with him.

They described Lawal, who was Special Adviser to the Governor on Planning and Strategy, as a God-fearing and meticulous politician.

They promised to pull their resources together and ensure the emergence of an ACN government.

The Ebira indigenes said despite their contributions to the emergence of Mimiko’s administration, they were neglected in the scheme of things.

Among the defectors were: Alhaji Aliu Adebayo (aka Bayo Egbira), Hassan Ahiete, Sunday David, E.I Apatta, Usman Jimoh, K.K Oladele and Aminat Saliu.

Others were: Suli Yusuf, Amusa Sunday, Saidu Hussein, Kadijat Ibrahim, Salau Ibrahim and Lamidi Yakubu.

gressive to the extent of shunning opposition cases as a lawyer. He said the eminent lawyer would not betray the party, if chosen to carry the ACN flag in Ondo State.

He said: “The ACN governorship aspirant is poised to send the Mimiko administration, which he described as ‘wayo government’ into exile.

Akeredolu is on a rescue mission in the state, to give the pauperised citizenry a sense of belonging and democracy dividends.

“Ondo State has been personalised; the gifted state has gone borrowing in a situation where the state Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) chief allegedly has over N60billion in his kitty with almost 50 exotic cars. What is now left with the state?”

Ayiloge urged the party’s

•Akeredolu

leadership to quickly pick a candidate who will be acceptable to all to guarantee victory for ACN. The former NBA President is to formally declare his intention as the party’s governorship candidate at his campaign office on Oyemekun road, Akure, on April 11.

IFTEEN days after an autopsy was conducted on

the body of the drowned Egba High Chief, Oluwole Olumide, to ascertain the cause of his death, the result is yet be made public.

Neither the hospital that conducted the autopsy nor the police, which promised to make the report public, has published it, despite public anxiety over the chief’s death.

The Nation learnt that the authority of the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, where the forensic examination of the body was believed to have been carried out, as well as the police command were feigning ignorance on the outcome of the scientific examination of the body.

The state government, through Information and Strategy Commissioner Yusuph Olaniyonu, said it is the responsibility of the police, and not the government, to know and disclose information on the matter.

Olumide was found dead in artificial Toria Lake, in his Golf Resort in Abeokuta, on March 17, and was buried two days after at Toria House in Surulere Street, ItaEko, Abeokuta, the state capital.

The police command’s preliminary report said there was no foul play in the death.

In a statement in Abeokuta, Police Commissioner Okoye Ikemefuna said no mark of violence was found on Olumide’s body, when it was recovered from the lake.

When The Nation visited the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, the management said Olumide’s body was brought there for embalming and safekeeping, pending burial.

It added that the government and the police carried out the autopsy.

Olaniyonu said the police were responsibility for making the report public, since the autopsy was a part of their investigation.

He said: “Inquiry should be directed to the Police and not the State government. It is the Police that is investigating the matter and the Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State had told the press that the autopsy report would form part of their investigation.

“So, it is the responsibility of the police to know or disclose the information.”

9

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

NEWS House committee chair Peterside woos investors

Plea bargain a tool to help the rich escape justice, says Mark

S

ENATE President David Mark yesterday said plea bargain is a tool to help the rich escape justice.

Mark spoke at a one day Joint public hearing on the plight of persons awaiting trial in Nigeria prisons organised by the Senate committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

Represented by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, Mark said it is doubtful whether plea bargain has served the cause of justice.

He noted that public perception is that plea-bargain has been used not to meet the ends of justice but to protect big men, who have committed crimes far more heinous than those awaiting trials in our prisons.

Mark said: “In this time when we are looking for creative ways to deal with the number of awaiting trials in the country, I think the issue has been how plea bargain has been used.

“Has it been used to meet the ends of justice? How come it is only the high and mighty who are beneficiaries of plea-bargain?

“I think public perception is that plea-bargain has been used not to meet the ends of justice but to protect the big men in our midst, who have committed crimes far more heinous than those awaiting trials in our prisons.”

He said the committee should use the opportunity of the public hearing to come up with guidelines that will help address the issue of pleabargain to ensure that it is deployed to serve the ends of justice “and not to protect the big men we have in the society.”

The Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Mohammed Adoke told the committee that the Federal Government spent over N8.723 billion on prison decongestion between 2006 and 20011.

Adoke, however, lamented that the programme has failed, because over 80 per cent of inmates in Nige-

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

rian prisons are awaiting trial persons.

He blamed the police and the Justice Ministry for prison congestion.

He told the committee that the Police indiscriminately arrest and detain people for minor offences, without proper legal machineries to prosecute the cases.

Adoke said: “Approximately 80 per cent of inmates in Nigerian prisons were Awaiting Trial Person.

There were over 40, 000 ATPs in the prisons most of whom were standing trial for the offences of armed robbery and culpable homicide.

“Factors responsible for the high ATP population in Nigerian prisons are multifarious and diverse, the most prominent factor appear to be the incessant arrest, arraignment and detention of persons especially for non-capital offences by the police. It has been argued with reasonable conviction that most of the ATPs had no business being in prisons, if care

was taken to properly and dispassionately evaluate the offences or allegations made against them.

“The swiftness with which suspects are taken to court to obtain remands orders by the police without proper investigations often lead to the abandonment of such suspects in prison custody with attendant negative consequences on the congestion of prison. Closely related to the above are reported cases of indiscriminate transfer of Investigating Police Officers and absence of witnesses which contribute to trial delays and congestion in prisons.”

“In addition, it has been observed that prosecuting agencies including the Ministry of Justice have not been efficient and effective in the discharge of their prosecutorial mandate. This has in many cases, foisted upon the courts a state of near helplessness.”

The minister advocated for commercial of prisons and review of the constitution to remove prisons from exclusive legislative list to curb prison congestion in Nigeria.

D

•Mark

According to him, “The need to alter the provisions of the constitution to remove prisons from exclusive legislative list to allow states with the requisite resources to build and operate state prisons or license the private sector to provide such facilities on commercial basis.

“Aggressive job creation and social safety nets must be provided to keep the active segment of the population away from crime.”

Alleged N42b fraud: EFCC witness contradicts self

A

WITNESS of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Chike Nwibe, in the trial of former minister of works, Dr. Hassan Lawal, yesterday contradicted himself while giving evidence before an Abuja Federal High Judge, Justice Adamu Bello.

Lawal and others are facing an amended 49 countcharge of money laundering.

Those charged alongside Lawal include: Dr Adeogba Godwin Ademola, Digital Toll Company Ltd, Dave Enejoh and Okala Philip Yakubu.

Others are: Thahal Paul, Swede Control Intertek Ltd, Proman Vital Ventures Ltd, Eng George Ghanem, Wise Health Services Ltd and Abbey Building Society.

The witness, Chike Nwibe, an investigator with the EFCC, had alleged in his evidence that an associate of Lawal, Ambassador Bage, who is at large paid the sum of N12.5m and N15m into the accounts of Lawal. He, however, could not tell the court what the monies were meant for.

Asked under cross-examination whether Bage was a

Conference seeks tougher tobacco control laws ELEGATES to the World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) have urged governments to be tougher on tobacco companies.

In a declaration released yesterday on the conference’s website, they said being tough on tobacco companies would help reduce deaths associated with cigarette smoking.

The declaration noted that tobacco use is the leading cause of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

The delegates said: “We, the delegates of the 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health recognise that tobacco in all its forms is a global health catastrophe causing 6 million deaths annually, untold suffering, and costing many billions of dollars each year: “Tobacco use is the leading preventable risk factor for non-communicable disease which, if left unattended, will cost USD7 trillion between 2010 and 2025 just in low- and middle-income countries.

“Increased tobacco control efforts are essential to improve the quality of life, enhance human development,

By Wale Ajetunmobi

By Olukorede Yishau Assistant Editor (News)

and reduce the social, environmental, economic, and healthcare burden.

“Comprehensive collaboration and coordination at the global, regional, and national levels between tobacco control communities as well as sectors outside health are essential to move tobacco control efforts forward.

“The tobacco industry operates on a global scale, promotes tobacco products through all possible means, continues to develop new tobacco products and obstructs effective tobacco control measures, consistently abusing governmental and international policies on agriculture, manufacturing, trade, commerce and taxation.

“Regularly updated country-specific economic data are required to counter the disinformation of the tobacco industry.

“Young people are targets of the tobacco industry and therefore must be empowered to play a vital role in tobacco control.”

They recommended that by 2015: “All governments incorporate tobacco control as a core item in the country’s

NCD action plans, with a consistent and integrated whole-of-government approach to tobacco control.

“Consistent with the commitments agreed to by the United Nations (UN) Member States in the Political Declaration of the High Level Meeting on Non-communicable Diseases, tobacco control be incorporated into the development agenda at the national and global level, including the followup to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), UN development indicators and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF).

“Public health protection clauses be included in all new or re-negotiated trade and investment agreements and treaties. Tobacco to be explicitly excluded from such agreements and treaties.

“All governments adopt targets and a comprehensive monitoring/surveillance framework for the reduced prevalence of tobacco use in keeping with the recommendations from WHO.” The Conference resolved to oppose any weakening of existing legislation on tobacco control. The conference held in Singapore from March 20 to 24.

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

contractor with the ministry, Nwibe, said he could not tell because the investigator he and other members of his team conducted did not reveal if he was a contractor.

The witness further told the court that the EFCC investigated the award of contract of street lights from Abuja to Nasarawa, the repair of Benue bridge, which were all awarded by the ministry after Lawal left the office.

He said: “I don’t know when he served as minister of works. Our investigation did not cover that area. We investigated him on many issues and not just on the contract awarded alone.

“We investigated the street light contract from Abuja to Nasarawa, the repair of Benue bridge and others. The street light contract was awarded after the tenure of Dr. Lawal. I can’t say whether Bage was awarded any contract by the works ministry.”

Dr. Lawal was arrested by the EFCC last year and was charged for alleged money laundering.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against him by the anti-graft agency.

HOUSE of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) chairman Dakuku Peterside has urged investors to embrace the refining sub-sector.

Peterside spoke at the Nigeria Refining Capacity Summit, which ended yesterday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

Nigeria, according to him, represents the best potential market for petroleum products in Africa.

He said: “I can assure you that this summit provided us opportunity to ask and answer some very critical national questions that have militated against the attainment of self sufficiency in petroleum products refining in our country.

“We have asked questions bordering on these limiting factors. For instance, why is it that none of the twenty private refineries that received their licenses since 2000 are yet to become operational? We also raised issues around the effect of our prevailing economic environment on investment in refineries.”

Participants at the two-day summit said the deregulation of the downstream sector would not immediately yield dividends.

There were sessions to examine economic models used in other climes to attain self sufficiency in petroleum products, business creativity, regulatory reform and legislative engineering needed for robust downstream development.

The summit was attended by Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, Governor Godswill Akpabio, Senator Magnus Abe and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) chief Austin Oniwon.

10

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2011

NEWS Suspects paraded in Bayelsa From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

B

AYELSA State Police Commissioner Christian Olakpe has vowed to make the state hot for criminals.

Olakpe spoke of plans to collaborate with the public in the battle against crime in the state.

He spoke at the weekend when he paraded 31 suspected criminals.

The suspects included two women. Others paraded included a three-man gang of car snatchers and suspected cultists, including a suspected kingpin of the Green Landers Cult, who was trailed to Abuja and brought to Yenagoa.

The group, according to him, seized a Toyota High Lander Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) in Yenagoa, and escaped to a community in Delta State, where they were arrested .

Also arrested with a machine used in vandalising pipelines was a suspected vandal.

Olakpe said: “We have also recovered a large cache of arms from some cult groups who have been terrorising the state.”

On the measures being adopted to curb crimes, the commissioner said: “We have about 20 suspected cultists in our net; we have also seized their weapons.”

Gunmen abduct lawmaker’s dad

G

UNMEN have abducted the father of the Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Pa Samson Imarhiagbe.

Pa Imarhiagbe was taken from his house at Urhokhuosa in Uhunmwode Local Government of Edo State at about 1:30pm yesterday.

The Minority Whip, Samson

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Osagie, said he was yet to be contacted by the abductors.

He said his father’s cell phones, which were collected by the kidnappers, have been switched off.

Police spokesman Etim Bassey said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

Psychiatric workers begin strike From Osagie Otabor, Benin

A

CTIVITIES at the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Edo State, were yesterday grounded as workers embarked on a three-day warning strike, following the appointment of Dr. Osasu Olotu as the Medical Director.

The workers spoke at a joint press conference by Senior Staff Association (SSA), National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) and Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN).

NANNM Chairman Clement Osatohanmwen said Olotu’s appointment did not follow due process.

He said the interview for the position of CMD conducted in September “was tainted with massive fraud”.

Also, youths and elders of Uselu, host community of the hospital led a peaceful protest against the appointment .

The Uko N’ Ibiwe of Benin, Edoba Isibor and the Aiwerioba of Eguae-Iyoba Uselu, Ighagbon Igbinoba, said the Acting Medical Director, Charles Ikeji, should be confirmed as the CMD. But Olotu said: “I have my letter of appointment authorised by the President, signed by the minister of state for health.

“I have informed the former acting MD. Who employs? Is it staff who employ?

“So I don’t see tenants telling the landlord to quit the house?

Those who are talking are either out to misinform or create problems.”

EFCC gets order to paste criminal charge on Sylva’s home

T

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday got the legal nod to paste criminal charges against former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva, at his Abuja residence.

Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja, granted the order, following an ex-parte motion for substituted service by the EFCC counsel, Oghenevo Otemu.

Sylva is facing a six-count criminal charge of criminal conspiracy and conversion of state property and resources amounting to N2.45 billion while in office.

The motion brought pursuant to Section 90 of the Criminal Procedure Act and the inherent jurisdiction of the court prayed for “an order granting leave to the complainant/applicant to serve the charge sheet, criminal summons and any other processes in this case on the accused by substituted means to wit: Pasting same on the gate of No 3, River Niger Street, off DanObe Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, which is the accused’s ordinary residence”.

Justice Bello had at the last sitting refused application to serve Sylva the charge through his counsel.

In an affidavit in support of the application, Ibrahim Ahmed, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, attached to the EFCC averred that all efforts to serve the charge on the accused personally had proved abortive. *That the accused is aware

Committee indicts ex-governor From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

T

HE 11-man committee set up by Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson to look into the finances of the state since 2007 has released its report.

The committee, which is headed by Timi Alaibe, said the former Governor Timipre Sylva–led administration left a liability of over N200 billion even though he got about N660.45 billion during the five years of his administration.

Alaibe said: “ Financing the state development programme also saw a major shift during the period under review. The year 2007 started a debt dependency era when there was a great demand on domestic banks to finance current expenditure and other obligations.

“In terms of total net revenue for the period 2007 to 2011, the Federation Account receipt are as follows: 2007 – N99.5billion 2008 – N164.7billion 2009 – N106.3billion 2010- N110.6billion 2011 – N189.1billion “Details of cash payment revealed a rather baffling position. In 2010, N3.3billion was collected as security related expenses while N1.6billion was collected as Government House emergency expenses.

“Last year, security related expenses was N10.3billion in a state where there was no war and an emergency Government House expenses was N7.42billion.

“Total cash expenses for January and February were N3.87billion and Government House emergency expenses were N155million.

“These payments were in spite of the regular monthly security payment made out of recurrent expenditure amounting to N3.19billion in 2010; N7billion in 2011 and N890million for January and February 2012.

“Clearly these payments are abnormal payments. They are frivolous and intact fraudulent. 99% of this cash payment do not have any originating approval and other supporting documents and should be recovered.

“Security was more or less being used as a private cash point. The details of the beneficiaries are listed in the main report that will be presented to you.”

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

that this charge has been filed against him. *That I have been to the accused residence at No 3 River Niger Street, off Dan-Obe Crescent, Maitama, Abuja,

severally to effect service of the charge sheet on him personally but I was always told by his aides at the gate of the premise s that he is not

around.

That the accused, being a former governor, is always surrounded by aides, which, makes it impossible to reach him personally with court processes. *That the accused will definitely know of the charge sheet and the criminal summons if this application is granted and the processes are served by pasting same at his residence… *That the accused will not be prejudiced if the application is granted According to the charge filed by Festus Keyamo, Sylva allegedly perpetrated the illegal act through proxies under the false pretence of using the amount to augment salaries of the Bayelsa State Government.

The alleged offences are contrary to Sections 14(1) and 17(a) and punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004.

They are also contrary to Sections 1(1)(b) and 8(a) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2004.

The proxies allegedly used by the former governor are Habibu Sani Maigidia, a Bureau De Change Operator with Account No. 221433478108, in Fin Bank; Enson Benmer Limited with Account No. 6152030001946, in First Bank and John Daukoru with Account No. 04800250000418 in United Bank for Africa (UBA).

NBA faults PDP on insecurity in Edo

T

HE Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Benin Branch, has faulted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the state of security of life and property in the state.

Its Chairman, Rasaq Isenalumhe, said the crime rate in the state has reduced in the last six months.

“We have the statistics and we believe when the special courts resume this will be better.

“It is clear from all indications that government is doing its best to reduce the crime rate in Edo State.

The PDP had at the palace of the Onogie of Uromi decried the perceived level of insecurity in the state.

But Governor Adams Oshiomhole said the state has done its best to complement the efforts of the Federal Government in the area of security.

He said:“When I read the papers, people talk about security and blame the governor.

“The fact is we must continue to complement the Federal Government in the area

of security.

“Now there is a new commissioner of police, but I was not consulted before he was deployed nor was I consulted before the other one was removed.

“It is like a lawyer without law books or a judge without courtrooms.

“We don’t have the power to punish or remove any security personnel found to be corrupt and compromised.

“But we will not surrender to criminals. We have procured 45 vehicles to hand over to the police so they can increase their motorised patrol of the state.

“It is an open secret that there are national security challenges. But here in Edo, we are doing everything possible to make the state as safe as possible.

“Everything considered, Edo is still safer than our neighbouring PDP states,” he noted.

The governor assured “we will leave the state better than we met it. What we have done is to show that Edo State can work again”

•Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi (left) congratulating the Judge of the State High Court,Abiodun Adesodun, at his swearing in ...yesterday. With them is Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Dayo Akinlaja.

Ogoni communities sue Shell for pollution

F

OUR Ogoni communities and six families have sued the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) .

The communities were affected by the 2009 hydrocarbon fire and crude oil spill at the firm’s manifold in Kegbara Dere in Gokana Local Government of Rivers State.

The communities are demanding N121 billion as compensation for environmental pollution, based on the report of the valuers.

The people also asked for a proper clean up of the environment, provision of alternative means of drinking water, health facilities and relocation of the manifold station and pipelines.

The manifold is in Shell’s Bomu Oil Field; the spill of April 12, 2009 affected Kegbara Dere, Kpor, Biara and Deken.

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

The suit was filed by their lawyer, Amaechi Nwaiwu (SAN).

Hearing is to commence on May 10.

The communities are demanding N88,400,188,208.00, while the families sought to be paid N33,303,804,000.00 for general damages.

The plaintiffs also asked the defendant to contract a competent and reputable expert acceptable to the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Environmental Standards and Regulatory Enforcement Agency (NOSDRA) to clean up the environment.

The people said the expert must use acceptable standards in conformity with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recommendations.

On the alternative to the clean up, the community asked Shell to pay the plaintiffs N1.5 billion.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

11

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Ex-militants disrupt Mobil’s operation From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

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EPENTANT ex-militants yesterday disrupted operations at Mobil Producing Nigeria’s Qua Iboe Terminal following a protest that lasted for more than five hours.

The youths, who claimed to be Ex-Niger Delta Agitators, blocked the access road to Qua Iboe Terminal in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom, thus denying members of staff of Mobil and expatriates access to the oil field.

The placard-carrying exmilitants took to the street demanding the relocation of the headquarters of Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) to Akwa Ibom amongst other demands.

According to some of the warlords, the relocation of Mobil’s headquarters from Lagos to Akwa Ibom would provide jobs for the ex-Niger Delta agitators who had embraced non violence.

The spokesman and leader of the Ex Niger Delta Agitators in Akwa Ibom state, Kingsley Umoh, said that the youths went into protest over the negligence of MPN to its obligations to its host communities.

His words: “What we are protesting is long time negligence of the oil bearing communities in Akwa Ibom by Mobil. The level of poverty and under development in the communities is unacceptable. The government had enjoined all oil companies to create jobs to engage the youths meaningfully.

“But in the case of Mobil, rather than create jobs, they have been taking away the vital departments where our youths are engaged and leaving the youths to wallow in idleness.”

Hundreds of oil workers, contractors and visitors to the Qua Iboe Terminal remained stranded for hours on the Eket -Ibeno road and later turned back to their various homes.

We are wiling to support any investor to estatblish industries in Nigeria, and I have instructed the Ministry of Trade and Investment to review the incentives available for investors coming to the country.

-President Goodluck Jonathan

Court discharges Akingbola of money laundering charges A FEDERAL High Court in Lagos has struck out a 26-count charge of money laundering filed against the former Group Managing Director of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc Dr Erastus Akingbola by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Charles Achibong, in a ruling yesterday, discharged Akingbola of the charge on the basis that the prosecution team comprising five Senior Advocates of Nigeria was not diligent in handling the case.

The noose is, however, not totally off Akingbola’s neck as his trial before the Lagos High Court, Ikeja for alleged stealing is still on.

The judge also barred the lawyers in the prosecution team from appearing before the court or another judge of the Federal High Court in respect of the case because of what he described as professional incompetence.

The judge, who described the prosecution team as a drain on public purse, directed the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and

• EFCC’s lawyer queries decision

By Eric Ikhilae

Minister of Justice to “disband /sack/debrief” it for its conducts, amounting to serious abuse of court process and being incompetent in the prosecution of the case.

The judge observed that the prosecution team is “a drain in the public purse, a fact the AGF should be mindful of now, if he was not before. This prosecution team had chosen to pursue a campaign to scandalise the court , which amounts to serious and professional incompetence in the prosecution of the accused.”

He added: “This prosecution team or any part of it shall not be given further audience in this court in relation to the charges against the accused either before this presiding judge or any other judge of the Federal High Court, for the reason, I have given in the foregoing.

“Furthermore, I take judi-

cial notice that the accused herein is presently facing charges before the Lagos High Court, emanating from his tenure as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Intercontinental Bank Plc; the AGF may wish to regain control of this process and his untrammeled right to prosecute the accused in another charge he chooses before any appropriate court as he can, of course, do so at any time of his choosing.

“Meanwhile, the prosecuting team presently employed, indulging in professional incompetence to the extreme had been unmindful of the accused’s right to have the case against him clearly stated. They have been dismissive of his right to a ‘speedy’ trial, which in reality should be the credible procedure.

“I, therefore, dismiss the charges amended or otherwise for this incompetent

and abusive prosecuting team. I discharge the accused accordingly and leave the AGF to consider his options. This enrolled order shall be served to the AGF and the prosecution team.

“I shall be referring the conduct of the learned senior advocates that led the prosecuting team to the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) for further consideration and determination of the issues raised.

“The record of this proceedings shall be forwarded to the AGF and the LLPC and this proceedings is at its end.”

The court’s position was informed by the reluctance of the prosecution, represented yesterday by Godwin Obla, to proceed with the case after the court ruled, granting its request to amend the charge against Akingbola. The amendment was the third since the case was instituted in 2009.

Naira gains on oil firms’ dollar sales

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DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$123.6/barrel Cocoa -$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,800/troy ounce Rubber -¢159.21pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE -N6.503 trillion JSE -Z5.112trillion NYSE -$10.84 trillion LSE -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -12.6% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending-22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -14.18% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $34.6b FOREX CFA 0.2958 EUR 206.9 £ 245 $ 156.4 ¥ 1.9179 SDR 241 RIYAL 40.472

Meanwhile, Obla has described the decision of the Federal High Court, Lagos discharging Akingbola as “judicial dictatorship.”

Obla in a telephone interview with The Nation newspaper yesterday said Justice Charles Achibong wrongly applied his court’s discretionary powers by granting a request not made by the accused person.

He also described as unfair the judge’s reference to the conduct of lawyers in the prosecution team even when they were not before the court.

The lawyer argued that the issues decided by the court and on which basis it discharged Akingbola was not part of the court’s business on Monday. He said the business of the day was for the court to rule on whether or not the prosecution could amend the charge against the accused person.

“The Judge after reviewing the case and its history held that the prosecution was within its powers to amend the charge even though he had his reservations about the way it was done,” he said.

• From left: Group Managing Director/CEO, Sterling Bank PLC, Mr. Yemi Adeola; Central Bank Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and Group Managing Director/CEO, Diamond Bank, Mr. Alex Otti, during the 60th birthday celebration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, held at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos...on Friday.

HE naira gained mar ginally against the U.S dollar on the interbank market and at the bi-weekly foreign exchange auction yesterday, supported by about $240 million in dollar sales by three local units of energy companies.

The naira according to Reuters news appreciated to N157.65 to the dollar on the interbank market, versus the N157.70 a dollar it closed at on Friday.

Traders said units of Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil sold around $240 million to some lenders yesterday, boosting dollar liquidity in the market and providing support for the local currency.

At the bi-weekly auction, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold $100 million at N155.90 to the dollar, compared with $150 million sold at N156.01 to the dollar at the previous auction on Wednesday.

Islamic Development Bank votes N310b for Nigeria

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HE Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has set aside about $2billion dollars (about N310 billion) in support for the Nigeria’s developmental programme, which span three years (2012-2014) Vice President Namdi Sambo disclosed this in his keynote address titled “African Development Experience: What Successful Experiences to Replicate and Scale up,” during the special meeting of African Governors Forum on the Special Programme for the Development of Africa (SPDA)

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

yesterday in Khartoum, Sudan.

He said the Federal Government under the Goodluck Jonathan administration’s developmental programme set target to accelerate and sustain economic growth; improve and modernise infrastructure; strengthen human capital stock and enhance access to social services; improve governance and increase competitiveness; reinforce social cohesion and main-streaming

cross cutting issues.

SPDA is an initiative of IDB for the acceleration of development objectives in African member countries.

Vice President Sambo observed that on the political and social fronts, the African continent was still evolving and reeling from some complex and multi-dimensional challenges especially how to eradicate poverty and provide decent and better lives and opportunities for the teeming population across the continent.

He said: “It is on record that Africa is the only region in

the world that is off-track in achieving most of the targets set in the Millennium Development Goals particularly in the areas of the mainstream inclusive growth, provision of basic services (infrastructure, water, sanitation, education and hospitals) and reversion of the spread of diseases, tackling of poverty, job creation and security.

“African countries cannot do all these things alone; they need help and assistance from development partners. The prospect of this veritable source of support is fast becoming less reliable, no thanks

to the failure so far, to comprehensively resolve the high incidence of debts and deficits in Japan, United State of America and some European Union member countries.

In his welcome remarks, IDB President, Dr. Ali, noted that Vice President Sambo’s presence at the forum was an indication of the attention Nigeria paid to IDB’s initiatives, saying that IDB was determined to step up efforts to remove obstacles to development and eliminate poverty in its member countries, even as he stressed that development was a collective effort.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

12

BUSINESS NEWS Court orders CBN, 17 banks to provide details of Daar’s financial status

A

FEDERAL High Court in Lagos has ordered 18 banks including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to furnish it with information regarding the financial standing of Daar Communications Plc. The order made yesterday by Justice Mohammed Idris is upon an application for garnishee nisi filed by Fidelity Bank Plc, one of Daar Communication’s bankers.

By the application, Fidelity bank, in whose favour the court entered a judgment of over N7.5billion on March 26, seeks to recover what is left of the judgment sum.

It admitted that Daar Communication has made part payment of the judgment sum, leaving a balance of N4.377 billion and 21 per cent interest per annum pending final liquidation.

The court directed the 18 banks, listed as garnishees in the application, “to prepare and file before this honourable court statement of accounts showing the judgment debtor’s (Daar Communication) financial status with the garnishees as from March 26, 2012.”

The court consequently set April 24 as return date.

By the said date, the banks are expected to have responded to the court’s order.

The affected banks include First Bank, United

By Eric Ikhilae

Bank for Africa, Enterprise Bank, Ecobank, Access Bank, First City Monument Bank, Wema Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Fin Bank, Keystone Bank, Mainstreet, Union Bank, Diamond, Skye, Unity Bank, IBTCChartered Bank, Zenith and CBN. Fidelity Bank’s lawyer, Zainab Kelani of the firm of Joseph Nwobike SAN and Co, while moving the application yesterday stated that the judgment debtor “has refused and neglected to pay the outsanding judgment sum as contained in the judgment dated March 26, 2012.”

• From left: Media and Public Affairs Manager, Nigerian Breweries PLC., Edem Vindah, Marketing Manager, Lager, Mr Tony Agenmonmen and Marketing Director, Mr Walter Drenth, at the Star Quest Grands Auditions, at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE Lagos.

Industry to add 8% to GDP, says Aganga

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HE Federal Government’s revolution plan of reviving and transforming the manufacturing sector has the capacity to contribute at least 8per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2015 as against its current contribution of 4.5per cent.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga disclosed this at the First Bi-Annual Seminar for Trade and Investment Correspondents and Group Business Editors in Abuja.

He said barriers will be removed to increase produc-

From: Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

tivity.

“The ministry will focus on areas with comparative advantage, such as agro-allied and agri-business, leather, textile, oil palm, sugar, food processing, fruit juices and concentrates, tomato, including mining and mineral allied businesses, such as, cement, aluminum, iron and steel and automobile.

“Petrol-chemicals such as, fertilisers, methanol, propylene, ethylene, plastic industry, the oil and gas industry, refineries including research and Development and Inno-

vation will also be linked as part of enhancing productivity, institutionalisation and industrial skills development,” Aganga said.

The ministry he said intends to remove the barriers to increased productivity based on a research of failed ailing industries already carried out by the ministry, with assistance from the private sector.

Besides, he said the ministry will develop backward integration policies in other key sectors to replicate the success story of the cement sub-sector. “In the case of sugar, I am glad to inform you that with the proven potential for wealth creation and high employment generation in the sugar industry, a Nigerian sugar master plan (NSMP) has been produced. This will

provide the road map for atleast 100% local production in sugar. As at today Nigeria produces only about two percent of the sugar it consumes.

“The NSMP will ensure on an annual basis, 1,797,000 tonnes of sugar, 161.2million litres of ethanol, 400MW of electricity, 16million tonnes of animal feeds, 37,378 permanent jobs and 79,803 seasonal jobs,” he said.

Dangote Cement: Aliko may step down

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FRICA’s richest man Aliko Dangote plans to step down as chairman of his $11 billion cement business, Dangote Cement Plc. This follows the planned listing of the company on the London Stock Exchange (NSE) next year, the Financial Times reported yesterday.

Dangote said the company was on track to meet the corporate governance requirements for a premium listing, and that he would give up his current role as chairman.

He is cited by the FT as saying he intends to freefloat a 20 per cent stake in Dangote Cement to finance

its rapid expansion.

“We want to list in London next year. By then the upside to our business will be much bigger than today,” Dangote is quoted as saying.

Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan have been appointed as co-leads for the London share issue, according to the FT.

Transcorp Hilton to reduce expatriate staff

H

ILTON Worldwide plans to reduce the number of its expatriate employees and train Nigerians in the operations and management of the hotel over the years.

Area President, Middle East and Africa Hilton Worldwide Mr. Rudi Jagersbacher, disclosed this yesterday after meeting with the owners of the Abuja Hilton, Transcorp Plc, He said the expatriate staff cut was “important to encourage the growth of the hotel in Africa and in keeping with the hotel’s desire to encourage diversity is training local talents to manage the businesses in local environments.”

Transcorp Hilton Abuja he said “has many expatriate

From Nduka Chiejina Asst.

Editor

employees but we want to move away from it by training local talents to General Manage levels.” The reason for this decision he explained is because Transcorp Hilton Abuja is “among the top 15 performing hotels in the over 300 properties of the brand in Europe, Middle East and Africa.”

Jagersbacher disclosed that Hilton has not developed more opportunities in Nigeria because it wants to complete the Hilton in Lagos first.

Transcorp met the officials of Hilton “and agreed to develop more properties in Nigeria. For now Abuja is a strong captive market that requires good products.”

While both parties have not signed an agreement, Jagersbacher said a strong relationship exists between Hilton and Transcorp and both of them have agreed “to develop two or three hotels in Lagos and another five or eight hotels in other parts of the country in the next five years.

Asked if the current security situation in the country will not discourage the Hilton from expanding in Nigeria, Rudi Jagersbacher said “interferences are fairly common” a development, which has compelled the hotel to “conduct thorough training for the staff. The hotel has appointed a security adviser for safety and security.”

NBA backs ultimatum to foreign airlines

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HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has thrown its weight behind the Federal Government and the Ministry of Aviation on the 30-day ultimatum issued to all foreign airlines to dismantle the regional fare imbalance within the West African sub-region or face a total ban from operating in the country.

National President of the NBA, Joseph Abodunrin Dauda (SAN), who led other members of the Executive on a courtesy/solidarity visit to Aviation Minister, Mrs Stella Adaeze Oduah in her office yester-

day, said the action of the government to protect Nigerian passengers from undue exploitation by the British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and all other foreign airlines has the full support of the Bar. Dauda said the disparity in the fares charged passengers travelling from Nigeria to the UK and those travelling from Accra, Ghana are very obvious and unjustifiable. He commended the courage of Mrs Oduah to rise up to the challenge of halting the unfair treatment by foreign firms.

“The disparity is very ob-

vious and unjustifiable.

These foreign airlines think they have friends in high places and can therefore afford to do as they like, but we are here to assure you of our full support. Now the ultimatum has been issued and we know that violations come with remedies; they should not think we are without remedies.

“The NBA thinks you need support and has mandated us to get in touch with you. We are ready and willing to partner with you on two fronts-advocacy and our legal services”, the NBA helmsman stated.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Senator Francis Arthur Nzeribe, in this exclusive interview with Correspondent EMMA MGBEAHURIKE, speaks on the single term proposal for the President and governors, arguing that a single term of five years will reduce corruption, wastage and bickering that characterise the bid for re-election.

Why I support single term proposal, by Nzeribe

Y

OUR party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its national convention during which it chose its na tional officer. But many have criticized the use of consensus option at the convention as not being democratic. Do you share this view?

As a good party man, I go by the decision of my party.

However, it is not true that the convention was all by consensus. There was voting for some of the positions, including that of the chairman. But more importantly, who says consensus option is not democratic. Even voting is a way of exploring the consensus option because the final objective is to find one common candidate, not two. So, voting process also leads to consensus. The problem is the way we take it here. In every setting, it is always possible to know those who are most qualified and suitable to do any particular job. Even Professors know among themselves who could do what best. Those criticising the party are not looking at what it is doing holistically. At the primaries for the last general election, the PDP did not use consensus method. Now that it decided to use it for its national convention, I think it is wrong to try to make a song and dance out of it. In any case, which other party in Nigeria today is more democratic than PDP. You once floated the Movement for National Accommodation and Consensus (MONAC). Is it still in existence?

Yes But not much is heard of it again You will soon begin to do so What is its new agenda?

Precisely what it is established for; which is to make Nigerians find accommodation for each other. When we came with that idea ten years ago, some people thought it was just to work for the former president Obasanjo’s re-election for a second term. But we foresaw what is happening now. We saw that the way things were going, Nigerians were getting more and more alienated from themselves. So, we felt there was need for a conscious effort to remind ourselves that we need to accommodate each other. Today, we are almost stuck.

We have remained strange bed fellows even after twelve years of democracy. All the talk about national conference is in a bid to find how the different components of Nigeria can accommodate each other.

So, what’s your position on national conference?

If Nigerians want to talk, they should be allowed to.

Should the conference be sovereign?

Call it whatever name you like.

If you were to participate in such a conference, what would you table as the most important issues to be addressed?

Two things: corruption and the second term syndrome.

Would you like to expatiate?

My position on corruption is well known. So, I need not belabour it. As I said in previous interviews, we are not doing enough in the fight against corruption. But we leave it to those in charge. I think they are capable of improving on what we are seeing today.

As for second term, my view is that it is the most fertile ground for corruption in the executive arm. If we look more critically, we will discover that all the financial atrocities are committed in a bid by those in office to get re-elected for a second term. Those involved squander public funds that ought to be used for development to settle cronies and appease those in opposition. There is usually so much wastage of public funds. And when they get it, they do all sorts of things. There are records to show that all former governors who have cases with the EFCC committed the alleged offences in their second term. It is the period they do everything with impunity.

In some cases, the governors would have borrowed money from collaborating banks to finances their re-election. It is during the second term that they engage in all sorts of fraudulent activities to repay such money. You can hardly find any governor who served for only one term in EFCC problem.

So, if we are to tackle corruption, that’s one area to start: abolish second term. It baffles me that Nigerians do not want to do away with a system whereby incumbent chief executives use public funds to run their campaigns for reelection.

In other words, you are in support of the single term proposal by the presidency?

It doesn’t matter who is proposing it. I am in support of it 100 per cent.

So, you think the issue of corruption is the most single motivating factor here?

Certainly it is not. Corruption is not the only reason. There are other reasons but they all hover around corruption. Just like corruption, second term engenders a lot of political instability. There is so much tension, conflict and obsession that are associated with second term. Each time election involves incumbents that are seeing for re-election, the temperature of the polity gets to a boiling point. The incumbents go crazy as I said with public funds. Those outside

• Nzeribe

wanting to take power from them also engage in sorts of things including witchcraft. It is during second term tussles that you see cases of political assassinations. Check it out.

The records are there. Some governors start witch-hunting potential opponents right from the day they are sworn in.

On the other hand, those who want them out would do all sorts of things to discredit and distract the incumbents. You see unprintable things being said about the incumbent. He did this, he did that; most of them are false accusations but the result is that there is so much tension. Democracy is supposed to be a system practiced without so much friction.

But here it is so much fight. And if you trace the fight, it has to do with second term. In 1998 when we were ushering in the current Republic, it was almost effortless. The whole process was so interesting. No hassles. Look at the way the entire nation agreed that the president should come from the south-west.

The two major political parties then toed that line. In my party then, the APP, we got our presidential candidate, Ogbonnaya Onu, to step down for Olu Falae easily. Shinkaffi gave up his own ambition and agreed to run with Falae.

There were no fights. If there had been an incumbent president or governor it wouldn’t have been so easy. We saw that in the count down to 2003 general election. Right from 2002, the fights started at both the state and federal levels. Governors began to mastermind the impeachment of their deputies.

There were fights between governors and top federal legislators. Of course, you know what happened at the federal level. The President and his Vice were like dog and cat. There was so much animosity between them all because of second term. So, in a nut shell, I would say that the bane of our democracy today is second term syndrome. We should eliminate it from our laws.

But the single term proposal is generating so much heat.

The idea is being heavily criticised.

‘As for second term, my view is that it is the most fertile ground for corruption in the executive arm. If we look more critically, we will discover that all the financial atrocities are committed in a bid by those in office to get re-elected for a second term. Those involved squander public funds that ought to be used for development to settle cronies and appease those in opposition’

Every idea is usually criticised. Every idea must be put to debate in a democracy. I believe that when the right arguments are put forward, Nigerians will buy the idea. The problem is that the critics have allowed the merits of the concept of single term to be beclouded by the fear that the incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan and the governors may be beneficiaries. The moment we are able to remove that fear, we will discover that single term is the best for us.

But that is the crux of the matter. Can we really divorce the concept of single term and the prospects of the President and incumbent governors becoming automatic beneficiaries of an amendment to that effect?

It is cheap to believe that adopting a single term arrangement is tantamount to agreeing that the president and governors will be automatic beneficiaries. As I said, such thinking blurs our vision of the huge benefits of a single term arrangement. My position is that we should look at the concept on its merit first. To mix it up with the issue of president Jonathan looking for a third term, as I read recently, is cheap. I believe Nigeria is sophisticated enough to know what to do to ensure that no body takes under advantage of the system. As they say, you don’t throw away the baby with the birth water.

There was a recent media report that the Justice Alfa Belgore Committee on Constitution Amendments has rejected President Jonathans’ seven-year single term.

The same reports had it that the Committee’s is yet to submit its report. When ever the report in submitted and whether the committee recommends it or not, the point I am making is that Nigerians should embrace the single term arrangement.

But are you in support of the seven-year single term proposal by the President?

As I said earlier, let’s look at the concept first. Let us first accept the concept. I believe that the period to cover can easily be arrived at. In my view, it doesn’t really matter whether it is six, seven or five years.

If you are to choose, what length of time would you recommend because the time frame is also important in convincing Nigerians.

I believe five years would be ideal.

Five years? You think five years would be enough for a president or governor to do something meaningful?

Why not? The problem we have is that we have refused to see governance as a continuous process. Every political office aspirant or even incumbent believes that he is the only person that can do it. Once a fellow is elected governor, he begins to see himself as a genius, as the only person with a magic touch. All these are because we have refused to focus on developing our democratic institutions. But if we do so, that is, develop our democratic institutions, governance will drive itself. When president Obama of United States of America visited Ghana about two years ago, he said what African nations need are strong democratic institutions, not strong men. I think he had Nigeria in mind. Here, every politician sees himself as a super man. Without him or her nothing will happen.

So, back to your question, five years is enough for any super man governor to perform. Employ your genius in five years and move on. If incumbents try to do the proper thing by following due process and being transparent, their successors can always continue from where they stopped. It is because incumbents muddle up things and are not transparent that they want to stay for ever.

Do you rule out the possibility of President Jonathan and the governors benefiting from an amendment in favour of single term?

If the constitution so provides that they are eligible to vie in 2015 and if elected to continue for another five years, so be it. Nigerians have every liberty and opportunity to put whatever they like in the constitutional amendment and remove whatever they do not want. The point I am making is that we should not, ab initio, dismiss the idea of single term simply because we are afraid of Jonathan. I see a lot of contradictions each time Nigerian politician or commentators grand stand. We say power belongs to the people, that the people are sovereign. Yet, every time we give the impression that it is possible for anybody to lord it over the nation as a totalitarian ruler. I believe we have gone pass that stage. We should be courageous enough to discuss any issue without let or hindrance. I believe that Nigerians know what to do if they want to prevent Jonathan from being a beneficiary of the proposal but let us not throw the idea away.

You wouldn’t mind if you are tomorrow accused of indirectly campaigning for the President to continue in office?

Arthur Nzeribe has been accused of everything in this country. At my age, I can only be a statesman. If I say something, it is up to you to take it or leave it. I am not looking for any patronage. I don’t need one. I have everything I need to live as long as God Almighty wants me to.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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POLITICS Prince Tonye Princewill contested the 2007 Rivers State governorship election on the platform of the Action Congress (AC). He is now a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In an interview with journalists in Lagos, he explained his political movement since 2006 and the next step he intends to take as 2015 approaches. Group Political Editor BOLADE OMONIJO was there.

‘Regional politics will take us nowhere’

H

OW will you assess the politi-cal situation in the country?

The country is now more divided than it had ever been and that trend is set to continue, I don’t see anything stemming the tide I think, if anything at all, the 2015 election will probably accelerate rather than dampen this mood. I think there is a dire need for people who have the Nigerian spirit, the people who have a sense of nationhood to begin to speak and do so loudly because if they don’t, ultimately the trend is set to continue. As far as I am concerned what we are doing now will not fly- as a country, as a nation, as a people things have to be done differently and for these things to be done differently, it will require that individuals have to be ready to stand up and be counted and sometime there is a price to pay for taking such action. Too often, our politicians have taken expedient risks.

Those of you who know my recent history will know that I supported Atiku Abubakar as opposed to Goodluck Jonathan who is from my area and it surprised many people, but those who know me should not be surprised.

Why did you dump ACN for PDP? I was an active ACN supporter before certain reasons made me leave the party. Some people may not know those reasons. I have an intention. I haven’t decided exactly what that intention is but I will not sit down and watch politics the phrase that I used is that politics is too important to be left for politicians only, and that applies to me also. If I am a politician, politics is too important to be left to me. For outsiders, my background is petroleum engineering, I am a business man, project manager, you name it.

Conventionally, I am not supposed to be playing politics but I can not be watching what is going on around me, fold my hands and say that that is for them. Unfortunately, I see it as more of my responsibility to assess my environment; I am interested in changing the status quo, I am not interested in maintaining the status quo.

You mentioned in passing why you left the ACN. Can you expatiate on this? Why are you now an associate of Governor Amaechi?

In 2007, I contested against Omehia. Initially, Amaechi was the candidate and we were all ready for the battle with him, but later PDP substituted him with Omehia and so Amaechi was running from exile and those of you that know that Amaechi then came back and became governor via a Supreme Court judgment and we took the decision at the time that the enemy of your enemy is your friend but we were in battle with Omehia and Odili.

Asiwaju and Atiku were consulted before we supported Amaechi that was a private discussion but I can tell you here now that Asiwaju and Atiku were consulted and we took the position that well we have gone into the battle with PDP and at a time if we had been smart enough we would have been able to take Amaechi to AC because Amaechi has all the attitudes and attributes, but of course we were not. Omehia lobbied me to withdraw my case from the tribunal but I ignored him .

Was there any proposed meeting between you and Amaechi?

When the Supreme Court judgment came, just to give you the background, the meeting between my-

• Princewill

self and Omehia was to take place in Lagos House in Abuja. Asiwaju said if they want to talk to you let them come and talk to you and I said I was not prepared for such discussion and he said if you are not prepared, then leave it. After the Supreme Court judgment, the same people who lobbied me to withdraw my case now told me to go on with the case, promising to fund it. We will fund it and tell you how we rigged the election give you all the evidence, they said. Immediately they said that, I withdrew my case but the principle is, what were we fighting for? I just want to give you that background. What was the security situation in Rivers State, when Amaechi took over as governor? It was a garrison state. Now things have changed, people call Amaechi and Fashola performing governors. Fashola had a foundation in Tinubu but in the case of Amaechi it was not so.

What are your plans for 2015?

I could want to contest for governor in 2015, I could want to contest for President but it doesn’t work that way. You must get it right because people like Odili and Ibori probably now are asking themselves should I ever have bothered being governor.

This desire to acquire office without consent is wrong. Somebody should not try to be something without having idea or clue. I am not ready to be governor, I am not ready to be President without due consultation and consent of key stakeholders and support of the people. I think that I was propelled by anger in 2007; I don’t want to be propelled by anger in 2015 or whatever it is. I want to be propelled by objectives. I need to define a purpose and in defining that purpose, I believe that we have the heart whether it is courage, whether it is compassion, we have the heart. What we need is the wisdom and that wisdom is, consult not only with the people but with elders and a variety of stakeholders. After doing this, then I can launch for the presidency, I can launch for governor or I can just be plain activist who defines how things should be done. I remember that, in 2008 when Amaechi attended my 40th birthday, he said something and he was right, he said he was not perfect, he makes mistakes and if somebody can tell it to his face that this is a mistake, he will be happy about it. I am looking for people who can tell it to my face, of course you know I am a young man.

The agenda is open, I am not interested in Senate, I am not interested in the House of Representatives.

You can see what is going on in the

National Assembly now. What I am interested in is changing the status quo and if I could run for President that is what I would do.

I’d rather run for the President and change will occur than to bother about the state, but we will make the determination as time goes on.

Do you support the calls for Sovereign National Conference?

I see the need for dialogue. I don’t know whether it is going to be a sovereign one but I see the need for dialogue, I see the need for men, women and stakeholders in the country sitting down round the table to agree on the way forward. I don’t play regional politics. For somebody to leave his Ijaw brother and follow Atiku , you can see that tribal politics is not part of me. As a Rivers man, for those of you who are familiar with the state, you will know that we have upland and riverine dichotomy. It is very strong and for waterside to support somebody from upland side like Amaechi, you will understand. If we break up as a country, I don’t know how many fragments we are going to have and I don’t know if any of the fragments can sustain itself. I am not talking about resources, I am talking about civil crises. If you go to the South south, the Ijaws are the dominant tribe, there are many other tribes in the south south. I don’t know whether Ijaw and Itsekiri have buried their issues.

I think as a country we are better off together. Regional politics doesn’t help. If you don’t accord the region or the sub components their dues and respect, of course rifts will continue.

You said you rejected an offer of 1.5 billion to drop your case, is it because you are wealthy?

It is a matter of principle. I don’t need that kind of money. In 2007, what I did was to write my will knowing the security situation in Rivers State then and the kind of people we were dealing with. The second thing is that I rather die than watch Odili’s administration continue in office and when it became Amaechi the candidate, I was prepared for battle with Amaechi. For me, N1.5bn or whatever billion naira will never change my position. I am driven by passion and, for me, money is secondary.

Fight for your rights, Ojudu urges masses

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HE masses to get govern ment to wholeheartedly do their bidding, they must be consciously involved in the political process.

Senator Babafemi Ojudu who said this at a forum in Ado-Ekiti, explained that Nigerians had given in to political passivity by completely shunning the political process due to years of disappointment and betrayal by the political class.

Ojudu said although this action is justified, there is, however, a greater need for the masses to realize that the only way out lies in their ability to be able to negotiate with their political strength which they can only acquire by being fully involved in the political process. He added that people should not just crawl into their professional holes, instead they should join political parties and organise themselves in such a way that they can bargain with their strength, stressing that being a professional does not mean you should stay away from politics and watch others toil with your well-being.

While attributing the failure of the political class to cater to the needs of the people to the obvious disconnect between them and those that they represent, Ojudu said the masses are too aloof that they allow leaders to be foisted on them. He argued that most so-called people’s representatives did not ascend to power through mass support, but were ‘anointed’ by party leadership, who, most times, do not even understand the language of the common man. So rather than represent the masses to the political leaders, such political office holders soon become representatives of the political class to the masses.

Ojudu, who represents Ekiti Central in the Senate, noted that the Nigerian masses could change this trend by being fully involved in party affairs to the extent that they would be able to make their own choice who would be truly representative of their aspirations. He added that their representative does not have to have money, but if the political leadership saw that he has the

support of his people and would do a great harm to the party should he pull out with his people, they would have no choice but to give in to the people’s demands.

Ojudu further stated that the masses who are already party members should stop going after crumbs, rather they should organise themselves in such a manner that their numerical strength would be felt in their respective parties. He advised that they should shed off the toga of hopelessness which most times dictate that only the affluent and the well-connected can aspire to high political offices. The lawmaker said he has never believed that everything would just work out smoothly for the masses through prayers or just by voting in elections, adding that it is the masses who can fight for the change that they desire through their genuine political representatives, which according to him is presently in scarce quantity in the country. He stressed the need for the Nigerian masses to do more than just voting every four years, adding that their strategy should be to organise themselves into a strong political unit that cannot be easily overlooked by the political leadership.

• Ojudu

* Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Mr Rasaq Isenelumhe, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Benin Branch, during the visit of the branch executive to the Government House... yesterday.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

19

EDITORIAL/OPINION EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

COMMENT

Leading the World Bank

Is it true?

•The House has ordered investigation over possible disappearance of N114 billion

I

S it true that the Federal Government withdrew about N114 billion from the Stabilisation Fund in less than eight months? This is the knot that the House of Representatives committees on Appropriation and Finance have been directed to untie.

A representative, Haruna Musa Fatah, had alleged that the Federal Government made the indiscriminate withdrawals, which it spent on items that ordinarily should have been included in the budget. Although we would rather that Haruna spelt out the items on which the alleged withdrawals had been spent, however that he did not does not in any way affect the substance of the matter.

The Stabilisation Fund was established to fund budget deficits when the price of crude oil falls below the benchmark price stipulated in the budget. Our revenue-sharing laws, as Haruna noted, provide for the remittance of 0.5 per cent of funds accruing to the Federation Account being kept in the Fund. This is a very rational thing to do; we have to provide for the rainy day. This is basically the idea behind the establishment of the Stabilisation Fund. It is to serve as buffer against the vagaries of international crude oil prices that have often been our lot as an exporting nation.

And we need such a fund badly. If for nothing else, but for the reason that our fortunes are inextricably tied

to the vagaries of the price of the commodity, which is determined at the international market. This means we have little or no control over it.

We have therefore had to suffer the effects of low crude oil prices in the past, and this was the main reason why the Stabilisation Fund was established. But low crude oil prices are not the only challenge we have had as a result of the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantities in the country. We have made good money from it, too. But then, the ease with which we make the money from what is called liquid gold also came with a lot of problems.

One, it makes money much more available, especially for the Federal Government which has the lion’s share of the country’s resources by virtue of the inequitable revenuesharing formula that we presently operate. This has in turn made it possible for some of its officials to steal hefty sums, sometimes without trace. Put differently, we have had a culture of fiscal indiscipline like the case under investigation, on account of the fact that the Federal Government has too much money than it actually needs or can even keep tabs of. This has to be checked.

The Federal Government has no right to spend monies not appropriated by the National Assembly.

It is therefore a serious matter if it is true it actually dipped its hands into the Stabilisation Fund to withdraw such a huge amount in a spate of eight

months. We hate to have a situation where the Fund will be turned into a slush fund like most other funds in the care of governments in the country. The House committees saddled with the responsibility of probing the matter should expedite action on it and let Nigerians know the true position of things.

Such fiscal irresponsibility should not be tolerated, not in the least from a government that prides itself as transparent and accountable. We should not compromise on maintaining a sound and transparent fiscal policy. We want the appropriate punishment meted to whoever is responsible, no matter how highly placed, if the allegation is proven.

‘It is therefore a serious matter if it is true it actually dipped its hands into the Stabilisation Fund to withdraw such a huge amount in a spate of eight months. We hate to have a situation where the Fund will be turned into a slush fund like most other funds in the care of governments in the country. The House committees saddled with the responsibility of probing the matter should expedite action on it and let Nigerians know the true position of things’

Unending blackout •Power outages linger in Nigeria without convincing explanation UST when Nigerians thought that Professor Barth Nnaji, the power minister, was beginning to get a handle on electricity power supply in Nigeria, it suddenly dropped to an all-time low in the last month. More worrisome, however, is that there is no flicker of light at the end of the tunnel and no plausible explanations are forthcoming either. Could it be that the ominous prayers of electricity workers who have been resisting change and wishing catastrophe on the minister is bringing on this sad augury?

During the middle of March when

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‘What has come out of the current power crisis is that nearly two years after the power road map, the privatisation blitz and the billions of naira being poured into power projects, nothing has changed. Nigerians thought we had passed the stage of water level at Kainji and shortage of gas at Egbin but alas, we are still rooted on one spot, so to speak. If we have not been able to fortify what we had so that we would never have to drop below 4,000 megawatts, what are the guarantees on the rash of new projects purportedly going on?’

dry season peaked, heat wave ravaged Nigerians and electric supply was at best epileptic; power ministry officials told long-suffering Nigerians that Kainji Dam had to be shut down as a result of leakages in the turbines.

But Nigerians are used to having the dam shut at the height of the dry season because of low water level. While the man on the street is not sure what the problem at the Kainji Dam may be, certainly, power generation has dropped drastically and outages are the only sure thing.

The same worn, old wives’ tales are being told about the Egbin Thermal Power plant, Nigeria’s biggest at about 1,320 megawatts. It was reportedly generating only about 500 megawatts as at last week as some of the six units were said to have broken down and were undergoing repairs.

There is also the well known gas story. Hear it from a spokesperson of the power minister last week: “the low water level at the dams affected the generation of commercial power mainly because of lack of rain in different parts of the country, especially the North.

“This was worsened by low gas supply. The Nigerian Gas Company, NGC, has not been able to supply sufficient gas to PHCN as a result of reduced supply from oil firms. This has constrained the ability of the PHCN to generate, transmit and distribute commercial electricity for con-

sumption.”

In the midst of this staccato of excuses, came the news recently of a major explosion at the Benin transmission station which has further extended power outage to new frontiers across the country. Power generation which has remained at between 3,000 to 4,000 megawatts in the past two decades is said now to be below 3,000.

What has come out of the current power crisis is that nearly two years after the power road map, the privatisation blitz and the billions of naira being poured into power projects, nothing has changed. Nigerians thought we had passed the stage of water level at Kainji and shortage of gas at Egbin but alas, we are still rooted on one spot, so to speak. If we have not been able to fortify what we had so that we would never have to drop below 4,000 megawatts, what are the guarantees on the rash of new projects purportedly going on?

We are particularly worried about the current low in power supply in Nigeria because President Goodluck Jonathan and his minister, Professor Nnaji, refused to subject themselves to targets or accept to work under timelines. Nigerians have said that if President Jonathan could fix only the power problems in four years, he would have done enough. But this may seem a tall order if power supply is still dependent on the vagaries of the elements.

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RESIDENT Obama’s nomination of Jim Yong Kim to head the World Bank is an inspired choice. The South Korean-born medical doctor and president of Dartmouth College has a stellar reputation as a global health expert.

Still, there is a problem: Since the bank was founded, all the presidents have been American. Emerging economies, which contribute increasingly to global growth, are rightly demanding a greater say in decision-making. The World Bank job — and one at the International Monetary Fund, which traditionally goes to a European — ought to be filled on merit alone. That should not exclude qualified Americans, but neither should it guarantee them a job.

The bank needs a president with experience beyond Washington’s narrow political and economic circles. Dr. Kim has worked on development in the poorest countries. One major success: leading a World Health Organization initiative that provided access to H.I.V. treatment to millions of people. The new president must also tackle broader issues of economics and growth, and manage the prickly political leaders who are the bank’s overseers. That is why the bank board must take a serious look at Dr. Kim’s strongest challenger, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s finance minister. As a respected economist, diplomat and former World Bank managing director, she offers many conventional qualities of bank presidents. But she breaks the mold as a woman from an African country where she fought to reduce the country’s debt, gain greater access to international credit markets and battle corruption.

The other candidate is José Antonio Ocampo, the former Colombian finance minister and high-ranking United Nations official. He, too, is a credible contender with long experience in development and international policy.

Robert Zoellick, who retires in June after five years, inherited a bank in serious trouble. He stabilized it, steered it ably through a global economic crisis and leaves it financially stronger, more focused and more inclusive — a tough act to follow.

Washington and Europe seem determined to ensure Dr. Kim’s election.

The bank will almost certainly do well under his leadership. But it would do even better if the process for choosing the next president were truly competitive and fully transparent.

– New York Times

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

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IR: Numerical strength is one effective tool that has been used the world over to negotiate terms and also to achieve success in almost all human endeavour. China and the United States of America are good examples of nations which did not allow their high population to become a burden, but rather a blessing. In these countries, their youths form the largest part of the population and were efficiently instrumental to the success recorded by their countries.

Like all these nations, Nigeria too is blessed with a high population and in fact the eighth country on the list of countries with the highest population. With a population of over 155 million in 2011, Nigeria’s population is expected to be over 264 million by 2050. Nigerian youths account for 70 percent of this population, but unlike the other nations with high populations, Nigerian youths have not really been able to get off the

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My fear for the nation’s youths ground, in terms of productivity and being able to harness their God-given potentials.

So many factors, most of which have been pinned on government, have been largely blamed for this.

The falling standard of education, which can be traced to lack of quality teaching and instructional materials, decaying infrastructure in schools and unemployment. Of all these, none is as lethal as the disinterest in learning and self-education as exemplified by the youths.

One can blame so many external forces for one’s misfortune: govern-

ment, parents, poverty e.t.c; in the end no one solely takes the blame for a man’s failure, but the man himself. The system may be bad; as bad as it is some determined people would still rise above it, working daily to turn out better no matter what is thrown at them.

The Nigerian youth has lost his pride of place, which would have been serving as the engine room of change in the country. If not, why would the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) choose a man on the threshold of 60 years as its National Youth Leader? If not, the Minister

of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, would not in a recent interview say the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) are complaining that graduates of Nigerian universities are not employable?

I cried at the recent statement credited to Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun when a group of tertiary students from the state origin protested the non-payment of their bursary allowance: “You are stupid; what type of students are you? You lack discipline. We were once students like you, even what you wrote in your letter does not

Bear with Governor Ajimobi on minimum wage IR: The Ajimobi Solidarity Group (ASG) calls on the striking civil servants in Oyo State to show deep love for the state and sympathise with the government so as not to sacrifice the Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s administration on the slab of minimum wage.

Although no one can real fault the demand for “a living wage”, this calls for understanding among workers if one considers the following reasons: Firstly, the genesis of this crisis is traceable to President Goodluck Jonathan who uncannily made N18,000 minimum a campaign issue without actually looking at the critical issues of fiscal federalism and the financial status of the states, Oyo State inclusive.We are all living witnesses of the furore and deep crises the minimum wage issue generated and still generating all over the country.

Secondly,we should not also forget in a hurry the empty treasury left by former Governor AlaoAkala. Apart from this, Akala really did not make N18,000 minimum wage a campaign issue but signed its payment immediately he lost the election, thereby setting the trap for

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the current administration.

Thirdly, few months in to the current administration, Oyo State was struck with unprecedented flood disasters which subjected considerable percentage of our people to untold hardship and sorrow. This did not only disrupted many government developmental programmes but also seriously drained coffer of the government as billions were spent and are still expended on general rehabilitation of the flood victims and reconstruction of devastated infrastructure.

Most importantly, the Oyo NLC should please reflect on the Restoration Agenda of the current administration (as contained in the 2012 budget and execution of many laudable projects, which are still ongoing).

We appeal to the striking workers to bury the hatchet and enter into a “sacrificial and patriotic” dialogue with the government based on love for overall development of the state.

Some of these projects include: entrenchment of peace and security in the state; creation of 20,000 jobs through YES-O; reduction of school fees of tertiary institutions by 50%;

approval for the reconstruction over 50 roads across the state; distribution of KEKE Ajumose; Free health initiatives; setting of economic blueprints for overall development of the state and many more. We strongly believed civil service is the engine of growth of any administration.Therefore, there is an urgent need to form an unbreakable alliance/partnership between the state and the workers for a sustainable development of the state and minimum wage should not a cog in wheel of the overall development

of our beloved state.

While appreciating the efforts so far made by the governor and his team to resolve the ongoing crisis, we call on His Excellency not to lose patience in the ongoing negotiation but rather widen the scope and involve other well meaning Nigerians in the process. This will go a long way in showing the value he places on his people because ‘a true leader is identified by the value it places on his subordinates”.

• Samuel Oyeranmi, Ibadan, Oyo State

portray you as students; you cannot write good and correct English,” he reportedly lashed out.

This is a testimony of the disrespect of our leaders for youths and an open confession of their disbelief in the ability of most youths.

Even the ones they dole out appointments to are only kept around as thugs who might be needed in the time of trouble, not because of the quality of their arguments. The arguments and submissions of most Nigerian youths on facebook is a clear evidence of this. Some of their readings of issues are so immature, uninformed and malicious that you would sometimes want to puke.

No one will change this situation for the youths, except themselves.

To hope for such is to deceive oneself. We, the youths of Nigeria, are the ones who would bring about the change. We are the ones who would reclaim the respect we desire by displaying strong analytical and probing intelligence that cannot be overlooked by the society, and this can only be attained through useful content-driven selfeducation that would put us in good stead with overseas-trained kids.

Failure to do this would consign us permanently to the fetters of disrespect, unemployment and irrelevance, a situation that precludes us from decisions that greatly affect our lives.

As a youth, I fear for Nigeria if events are not re-ordered to consciously mentor the youths for leadership in every stratum of our national life.

• ‘Dimeji Daniels Ado-Ekiti.

Adieu Ohimege Igu of Koton Karfe IR: The demise of the Ohimege Igu of Koton Karfe in Kogi State Dr Alhaji Shuaibu Maman Lafiya is a great loss to the entire people of not only Koton Karfe, but the country as a whole.

The late Ohimege Igu ruled for more than 40 years and led a life worthy of emulation. His life was one of selfless service, fearlessness, dedication, transparency, honesty, fear of God and above all , he was

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committed to the general welfare of the people of his domain.

He would be remembered for his generosity, assistance to his people and his ability to carry along the people in his domain without any form of discrimination.

During his reign, many sons and daughters of Koton Karfe secured appointment at the state and federal level. Development, peace and tranquility were the hallmark

of his reign. Nowonder his burial ceremony attracted a large turnout of personalities from all walks of life. They came to pay their last respects to this highly respected traditional ruler who has seen it all and departed this world with his head high amongst all the traditional rulers in Kogi State and beyond.

• Bala Nayashi Lokoja

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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himself his imperial N 1982, Bamanga Tukur, new presidential majesty would still national chairman of the Peoples the flux. Some hope!

Democratic Party (PDP), was a It is doubtful if any president senior public servant as general manager can get away with the Obasanjo of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). era power excesses, even at the But by 1983, he had joined the ruling best of times. But these are not National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and the best of times. A tectonic “won” the Gongola gubernatorial shift is imminent in the political contest, during that year’s general Olakunle landscape. Yet, the president elections. goes about his 2015 project, with lordbeek@yahoo.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) Abimbola He “defeated” the Great Nigeria the mindset of 2003! Talk of People’s Party, GNPP’s Wilberforce Juta, being trapped in a time capsule! then incumbent governor of Gongola The bid to run in 2015 will State (now Adamawa and Taraba states); further anger a section of the as part of that year’s NPN electoral clearNorth, still hurting from the out, which party faithful rather zonal elections, the anointed still got coroneted as PDP national controversial dumping of the PDP zoning formula. Indeed, a unconscionably brandished as “landslide”, “moonslide”, chairman. “spaceslide” et al, as they peppered the hurting opposition As Alhaji Bamanga, in 1983, made the lightening transition lobby has already gone to court, asking the Supreme Court to declare that a president cannot take the oath of office thrice – a with their grand electoral heist. from general manager at NPA to NPN gubernatorial candidate legal blunderbuss clearly trained at Jonathan, having first been Indeed, NTA’s famed 30 million viewers, glued to their and later “elected” governor, so has he in 2012 made the sworn in to complete the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua’s term, and screen in those heady days, would still recall fleeing Ondo transition, with the speed of light, from the ABR business royal secondly after winning his own first full term. But then, the “Governor-elect” Akin Omoboriowo, literally jump out of to PDP favoured candidate as national chairman. Again as his “North’s” desperate “Operation Return to Aso Rock” is his skin, live there in the studios, no thanks to some election was tainted in 1983 by the NPN spaceslide, so has his anticipated raking fire, which the president is probably prepared innocuous sound. chairmanship win been tainted by PDP’s transparent imposition for.

Thunder had broken in old Ondo State (now Ondo and at the convention.

But not so the ire, down East. The Ndigbo who had rather Ekiti states), and the popular governor-elect had fled from Still, Alhaji Bamanga is only a dreadful metaphor. What is naively expected “cousin” Azikiwe would facilitate an Igbo the same people who hours earlier had rapturously handed playing out is an all-out politicking for 2015, in which he is chief presidency, after only one term, would also be sorely him a “spaceslide” to defeat incumbent Governor Adekunle pun. It is a president’s near-desperate move to enforce his Goddisappointed.

Ajasin. Unlike most of his NPN colleagues, Chief given and constitutionally guaranteed, even if impolitic, right And already disgusted is the pro-Jonathan northern lobby Omoboriowo would not get away with this electoral loot, to run again in 2015. that played Judas in 2011, with the equally naive hope that the powered by “federal might”!

If that right was unimpeachable by law, it is a tragic reading of man of good luck would do only one term and hand over to one It was 2007 foretold, for despite all the electoral skirmishes the political situation to stake it. It is Goodluck Jonathan playing of their own, probably Vice President Namadi Sambo, to of the First Republic, it is doubtful if Nigeria, before 1983, the power fiddle, not unlike the tragic but merry Roman compensate them. That despair must logically explain Alhaji had ever witnessed such scotched earth electoral pacification Emperor Nero, while Nigeria appears headed for the rocks.

Bamanga’s North East PDP electoral ambush. that the ruling NPN slapped on the political opposition; which Since Obasanjo invented the patent of a Leviathan president In the South West, the body language of the ruling bloc is nevertheless the PDP, under Olusegun Obasanjo’s do-or-die with a self-gifted divine mandate to stream-roll his party to do clear: you will trust Goodluck Jonathan at your own peril! So, battle cry, took to another sickening level in April 2007. his bidding as “leader”, he had planted the seed of PDP’s self- should the South West do a solid deal with the North, Jonathan’s Now, perhaps Alhaji Bamanga’s own election was sane; an destruction. But even the Ebora Owu would be impressed by the goose may well be cooked! election that fetched him a three-month tenure (1 October to plucky way the former non-Nebuchadnezzar and non-Pharaoh What do all these mean? That the pan-Nigeria electoral 31 December 1983) in the Gongola Government House before staked that undemocratic patent in the “Bamanga-or-nothing” coalition that gave Jonathan the presidency is crumbling fast! If the power bandits from the Nigerian military usurped power adventure. things continue this way, Jonathan might just be left with his yet again. But no matter the integrity of Alhaji Bamanga’s Now, the seed appears to have fully germinated, except that South-South bloc alone – and that is no united phalanx – to fight gubernatorial win, it was irretrievably tainted by the NPN Dr. Jonathan is too blinded by his presidential power and glory re-election. ’83 electoral brigand show, which eventually brought down to notice it. Clearly not for him the Heraclitus warning that you Worse still: unlike Obasanjo who had at least logged some the four-year old Second Republic. could not step in the same river twice. Goodluck Jonathan is reputation, no matter how hypocritically procured, President Since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999, Alhaji merrily barging in the same river: not once, not twice, and telling Jonathan has nothing to fall back upon – except, of course, he ups Bamanga has been better known by the strivings of his his present uninspiring performance. He could, of course, decide African Business Roundtable (ABR), a business NGO of which to go for broke – brazen INEC manipulation, as his relay of not“Alhaji Bamanga is only a dreadful he is executive president, though he has been a PDP cardtoo-illustrious predecessors often did – with tragic consequences. carrying member; and had even been on the PDP Board of metaphor. What is playing out is an It is these treacherous political waters the president has invited Trustees. the septuagenarian Alhaji Bamanga to play. The old man is all-out politicking for 2015.

It is a Still, the “Bamanga or nothing” Goodluck Jonathan war probably wise and seasoned enough to take care of himself. But cry, before the March 24 PDP national convention, bears president’s near-desperate move to for students of Nigerian politics, something is about to break. echoes of 1983. Despite Alhaji Bamanga’s crushing 2 to 14 The title of that gripping drama? Bamanga then, Bamanga now! enforce his right to run again in 2015.” defeat by little known Musa Babayo in the North East PDP Rush and grab a ring side seat!

epublican ipples

Bamanga then, Bamanga now

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HILE Nigerians await the reports and submissions of the nearly two-score committees and super-committees to which President Goodluck Jonathan outsourced his presidency, it is as if the nation must endure a long spell of regression both in governance and the quality of life of citizens before things begin to take shape – that is if they will. Unfortunately, with barely two months left in the first trimester of a Presidency that aspires to be transformational, not even those enamoured of the saying that things may need to get worse before they get better can beat their chests that the nation is headed in the right direction.

The regression starts with the President who sets no clear goals in sight, but insists that we judge him by some nebulous, indefinable parameters of performance – a straight lesson from OBJ manual on Managing Without Goals! How about the Jonathan tag team that is nearly as clueless as the next Nigerian in a season that is said to be an emergency?

Back to OBJ. Asked to assess his administration’s progress in the power sector, I recall the ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo once sharing a rather turgid joke shortly after his administration recorded what became its serial short-lived feats of interrupted darkness; an aide had reportedly complained of his refrigerator working overtime after which the then President dutifully lectured that the problem was not with the refrigerator but the breathless thermostat then receiving an overdose of OBJ’s incremental power!

With a record spend in excess of $16 billion on power and still counting, the nation today knows better.

President Jonathan has since added another OBJ virtue of making light jokes of serious national issues. Pressed to put a timeline to when the administration’s initiatives in the power sector would start bearing fruit, he says, “soon”. Of course he added that power-starved Nigerians would have no choice but throw away their I-pass-my-neighbour contraptions that are now sources of endless noise and environmental pollution when Jonathan power arrive town. The nation is by now familiar with the unknown equation of “very soon” – the standard alibi which successive do-nothing administrations have clung to excuse incompetence, dishonesty and plain cluelessness. This is what President Jonathan has opted to trade with.

What is perhaps new is that the highly recommended and inarguably credentialed Barth Nnaji – on whose shoulders lie the so-called Jonathan power reform – appears to have succumbed to the debilitating disease of policy and operational inexactitude. We are supposed

Policy Sanya Oni sanyaoni@yahoo.co.uk 08051101841

From ‘go slow’ to no motion to be moving into a new era of transparency and light, aren’t we? The reality unfortunately is that the dark curtains darkness is not only rolling back steadily, the nation has also been sentenced into darkness as far as understanding what is going on in the power sector goes.

What is the state of the super-transmission contract awarded by the Jonathan administration? Is the contract on course? What about the gas projects expected to deliver power to the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP)?

How far have these projects gone and what needs to be done to bring them up to speed? It does not make sense that a scientific mind like the cerebral professor cannot put his hand on the handle to tell Nigerians how long it will take them to get out of the power conundrum. Today, all manner of alibis ranging from the stupid to the ludicrous are being thrown up to rationalise the ring of darkness that has since been thrown around the nation, particularly in recent weeks.

This is where the President’s reported vow to replicate the Asian Tiger miracles in Nigeria in far away South Korea is laughable. First, I do not know how much time the President has on his hands to deliver his miracle. Second, Nigerians cannot see anything different that this administration has done to lend to any optimism that results will be different. But even more fundamentally is that this administration is a slow learner.

The President was right on one point though: the Asian tigers lacked one thing that Nigeria has a surfeit of: natural resources. But he forgot to add that the Asian miracle was really no miracle – it was a product of planning, discipline and hard work plus visionary leadership. It was the admixture of these elements which delivered the outlandish

growths in the 1960s through the ‘90s to lift the economies of South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong into first world economies.

We have dwelt long enough on the so-called seven percent growth that is neither transformative in terms of diversifying the bases of the economy nor inclusive in terms of lifting more people out of poverty. Where are the policies and programmes in science, engineering education and infrastructure on which anyone can hope to erect a dream of accelerated development? Where are they?

With crude oil still flowing without let, and with crude prices in steady high, the decade has been one of failed promises. Indeed, while the prodigious spending proclivities of successive spendthrift administrations have been guaranteed, the guarantee on the Main Street has been deepening poverty and misery from the failure to convert the gains of record earnings to improve the infrastructure situation.

Don’t ask me if things have improved under President Jonathan. I leave that to the judgment of the individual.

But then, some facts are undeniable. The first is that this administration has spent more than it has received; this fact underlies the current fears of an imminent return to that ruinous path of debt peonage. Secondly, the gap between resources deployed to deliver the so-called public good and the actual value delivered has grown, not diminished under this President; this again, is most noticeable in the rising cost of governance. To these we can add the absence of a body of philosophy driving governance. No wonder the dearth of quality policies by a team said to have been drawn from among the best of Nigerians. It explains why the nation is stuck.

‘President Jonathan has since added another OBJ virtue of making light jokes of serious national issues. Pressed to put a timeline to when the administration’s initiatives in the power sector would start bearing fruit, he says, “soon”. Of course he added that power-starved Nigerians would have no choice but throw away their I-pass-my-neighbour contraptions that are now sources of endless noise and environmental pollution when Jonathan power hit town’

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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EDITORIAL/OPINION HE results of entrance examination into tertiary institutions across the country for 2012 were released Friday last week by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and they contained nothing but another disappointment for most candidates and their parents.

Out of the over 1.5 million candidates who sat for the examination widely known as United Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), only three scored 300 and above while 72,243 scored 250 and above. Just 601, 151 got marks ranging from 200 to 249. In all, only 673,397 scored above the 200 mark threshold which could earn them a university admission.

Add this distressing news to the results of the 2011 Nov/Dec ‘O” Level where the failure rate was as high as 70 percent and you begin to wonder whether we can ever stop this free fall in the standard of education in this country.

When JAMB Registrar, Prof. ‘Dibu Ojerinde, in announcing the results said some were withheld due to examination malpractices and extortion of candidates in 52 of the 3001 centres across the country, discerning minds were quick to interpret that as saying that the examination papers leaked before the exam date, and may be they did.

But whether that was the case or not the facts remain that something is wrong with the education system in this country, especially at the foundation stage. If only three out of 1.5 million candidates who sat for an examination that was set based on what the candidates must have been taught at the senior secondary school level, scored 300 and above out of total obtainable mark of 400, then we can not be talking of vision 20:2020 as this generation of Nigerians can’t take us anywhere near that.

What are our children being taught in our secondary schools if more than half of those who sat for university entrance examination failed? I am sure JAMB did not manufacture the questions from heaven. It is either something is wrong with the teachers or their teaching methods. Agreed that the children are getting lazy nowadays and spend more time watching English Premier League or Africa Magic on satellite television, the teachers could do better if they devote more time and energy to their responsibility to their students.

But then as it is often said, you can’t give what you don’t have. Some have questioned

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N Saturday March 29, 1952 the popular Tinubu dynasty on Lagos Island was blessed with a bouncing baby boy who was subsequently named Bola Ahmed. While congratulatory messages were still flowing in from well-wishers in all the nooks and crannies of the then Lagos Colony, wise men saw signs of precociousness in the young Bola. Astrologers looked into their Crystal balls and made predictions about the lad. Some said a generous king was born into that generation, and some said a great leader was born. But an astrologer based his own prediction on the zodiacal positions of the sun, the moon and the main planet as it concerned Aries on the day and time of Bola’s birth, and visualised the arrival of a great fighter and winner at all times. So, the phrases in context were: generous King; great leader; and great fighter and winner. But word users in their own views did not see the nuance in these phrases as dichotomy.

All the prognostications and views are synonymous with what Tinubu symbolises.

It is a common fact to emphasize Bola’s generosity. He has made many kings in and across Lagos State. As a king maker, he is the father of kings. He is a formidable and great leader whose leadership programmes have trained and produced many leaders. In the midst of noxious bitter propaganda, he has fought and won many serious battles that were capable of plunging other powerful fighters into oblivion. He is also endowed with the foresight needed to drive his ideologies and motivate his followers. His civilised leadership reflection will continue to display status integration with dynamism in this generation.

My personal observation is that leadership is not inheritable. It is borne out of the ability to explore, manage and utilise our serviceoriented values. It entails self-discipline, a high level of self-confidence, diplomacy, finesse and transparency (with caution).

Above all, a civilised leader must be able to cautiously lead himself to be able to lead others in the right direction. All of these attributes and many more gave Bola Tinubu his pride of place in the roll call of great leaders. In addition, scholarly studies have shown that no separator is capable of

Those JAMB results the qualities of the teachers themselves.

Recently this newspaper published a survey of school proprietors where they were lamenting the poor quality of teachers coming out of our tertiary institutions. A particular teacher wrote a letter advising the school administrator on what to do to motivate the teachers and the spellings were horrible. Pray, what type of knowledge would that kind of teacher impart on his/her student. And you can imagine what the result would be if that teacher were to prepare a student for WAEC, NECO or JAMB. When some people complain about the falling standard of education in this country I used to think it was just this good for nothing attitude that most of us have towards our country and everything Nigeria, but in the last few years that I have been paying more attention to WAEC/NECO and JAMB exams I’ve since realised what they are saying and have come to the conclusion that something has to be done and urgently too, if we are to arrest the decline.

It is simplistic and easy to blame the teachers for this problem, but what are the parents/guardians doing towards ensuring that their children/wards get good quality education? Some of them, especially the fathers, believe once they pay the school fees they have discharged their responsibility to the kids and the teachers should take up the rest. This is not enough.

Some parents don’t even care whether the children do their home work or assignment or not. They hardly read notes sent to them by their children’s teachers most times telling them about their observations/opinions of their children. Open Days, PTA meetings where they could meet the teachers and inquire about the personal conduct and

academic performance of their children/ wards, are never attended by some parents/ guardians. They are preoccupied about making money and nothing more. They pay heavily to subscribe to pay-per-view television where their kids watch anything from the good to the bad and the ugly. And when the children misbehave, it is either their mother that is bad or their teacher. The father takes no blame.

Some parents, and in this case, mothers, even go as far as procuring examination questions for their children ahead of the exam, believing that is how they can help their children pass exams. This is wrong. Such parents are only using their wealth to ruin the future of their children The government also shares in this blame by paying lip service to the funding of education. The budget for education by all the tiers of government in this country is nothing to write home about. Children still learn under trees in some states of the federation, some still sit on bare floor. In some of our secondary schools you see one teacher taking several subjects irrespective of his/her qualification or specialisation. You see some Youth Corps members teaching English language in secondary schools just because they have a degree in Mass Communication, while some English/ Education graduates are serving in banks, oil companies or some other companies where the pay is good.

The problem with our education is societal.

From the family up to the government, we all have a role to play. We’ll continue to get the kind of results released last week by JAMB as long as we continue to do what we are doing now; paying lip service to education.

Someone recently defined madness as doing

Tinubu on the coat-tails of destiny

By Tunde Temionu separating the symbiotic relationship between civilised leadership and good governance.

Although he was born into a famous family, he did not pick up success and leadership qualities on a platter of gold. He did not also allow his heritage to overshadow his destiny, zealous struggling and determination. His youth was characterised by calm nature, friendliness to all around him, and generosity to the youths. His focus, courage, adroitness and ability to think deeply before taking decisions made him popular among the youths.

In 1975, when he was admitted to Danley College, Illinois, the USA, he did not consider the financial support of his caring mother enough for him to cope with the socioeconomic and academic challenges.

Therefore, the struggling young man embarked on menial jobs such as cab-driving, night-guard duties and dish-washing to support himself.

Bola Tinubu rode on the coat tail of destiny to take over the leadership of the Accounting Society in the United States when he won the presidential election of the institute in his final year in the university. The record of his civilised leadership is there. His philosophy is that what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. He made this known in academics, while in Richard Daley College; his academic excellence elevated him to Chicago State University Illinois on the Dean’s list. There he obtained the Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Accounting and Management) in 1979.

The cerebral young man left his footprint on the sands of time in the university as he was honoured with the most dignifying award of Sumner-cum-Laude for scoring 3.45 out of 4.0 GP. He was also honoured with an outstanding student award and the certificate

of merit in Accounting and Finance.

After his University education, and before returning to Nigeria, he practised with Arthur Anderson, Deloitte Haskins and Sells (now Deloitte Haskins and Touche). He expanded the scope of his professional skill and experience as he was fully and effectively involved in the auditing and management of General Motors, First National Bank of Chicago, Procter and Gamble International Harvesters, and GTE Service Corporation.

When he finally returned to Nigeria, Bola Tinubu joined the employ of Mobil Producing (Nigeria) as Senior Auditor and later retired as the company’s Treasurer.

He was aware of the bitterness of Nigerian politics and was very prepared for it. His political career and civilised leadership qualities became noticed when he led the Primrose Group, a very formidable political group in Lagos in the politics of 1992-3.

Bola Tinubu formally showcased himself on the soapbox for the first time in 1992 as he contested and won the West Senatorial District election to the National Assembly on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP). Given his leadership endowment, he was made the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Finance, Appropriation and Currency. He also distinguished himself in that capacity.

But when the military aborted democracy in 1993, he was compelled to join some wellmeaning Nigerians to form a very powerful pressure group, the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which eventually sent the military packing to usher in the return of democracy in Nigeria. Bola Tinubu’s fearless activities in NADECO made the military administration to target him for elimination. Therefore, he went on exile and joined other members of NADECO abroad.

the same thing the same way all the time and expecting a different result. We must be mad in this country to think things will improve in our education system when we continue to do the same thing over and over again.

Those who have been able to send their people to the moon so to speak invest heavily on education as well as research and development. We want to be among the 20 leading economies in the world by the year 2020, yet none of our universities is listed among the leading tertiary institutions in the world today. Our degrees are hardly recognised outside our shores, as our graduates are not accorded the same recognition given their peers in other countries.

None of our industries can compete outside because they lack modern technology and where they are not found wanting, you find a foreigner representing them their. Yet there are Nigerians in those countries doing well, but they won’t come back home because the system is not good for them. How many Nigerian expatriate would be willing to come back home and put their children in our secondary schools or universities? A good parent will think of something like this before accepting a job anywhere. Its about time we think seriously about our education system in this country if we seriously desire to make a positive impact on the world.

‘Some parents don’t even care whether the children do their home work or assignment or not. They hardly read notes sent to them by their children’s teachers most times telling them about their observations/opinions of their children. Open days, PTA meetings where they could meet the teachers and inquire about the personal conduct and academic performance of their children/wards, are never attended by some parents/guardian’ His political life was surrounded by noxious propaganda and bitter political gang up.

He returned to Nigeria from exile in 1998, contested and won the governorship election, and became the Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007. This was a remarkable period in his life. The born-to-fight-and-win Bola escaped the deadly arrows of dangerous enemies. Despite these odds, Bola Tinubu’s US oriented and civilised leadership experience reflected in his administration.

His government was recognized as the most civilised and among the best ever in Lagos State. The UN Habitat Group in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works awarded him year 2000 Best Practices Prize in Improving the Living Environment. The Computer Association of Nigeria also awarded his administration the Best Computerised Government in Nigeria. In addition, the Belgian Chamber of Commerce awarded him year 2000 Best Governor in Nigeria.

His exemplary, civilised and caring leadership could be traced to the BRT innovation which is a model and first of its kind in many parts of the world. The creation of 37 additional Local Council Development Areas for Lagos State is another true reflection of his astute leadership. He tactically passed the baton of governance to his tried and trusted disciple, Babatunde Raji Fasola who has also kept the flag flying in a very big way.

Great leaders emerge during tough times.

At a time when the Yoruba race was in need of a reliable and fearless leader, Tinubu came in handy to the race. He moved out his political army and librated the South-west.

His leadership style has won him tremendous support for his part, the ACN, in all the six geopolitical zones in this country.

Happily, Bola Tinubu is now on the middle rung of the age ladder. At 60 he is still very much loved by the people and his gloves are not worn. His generosity, tendency to push prospective leaders to the top, solace and fortitude to absorb absolute disappointments and reward for excellence will remain his values to the highest rung of the political and statesman-ship ladder. All of these scarce qualities are tied to destiny.

• Temionu wrote in from Lagos.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

ENERGY

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THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Shell moves to enhance oil recovery

By Emeka Ugwuanyi Assistant Editor

•Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mutiu Sunmonu

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HE Royal Dutch Shell is introducing a technology that would help recover oil from almost foreclosed oil fields in onshore and shallow waters of the Niger Delta.

The technology referred to as ‘low contrast pay’ if well implemented may help to recover as much as 30 per cent of the country’s hydrocarbon base.

Shell’s Global Principal Technical Expert in Complex Formation Evaluation, Mr Chike Nwosu, disclosed these while delivering a pa-

per entitled ‘Sleeping giants – Unraveling low contrast pay opportunities’ at the March monthly technical meeting of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE). He said the terminology, ‘Low contrast pay’, encompasses a wide range of reservoirs, where the identification and quantification of hydrocarbon pay is typically challenging, as the conventional petroleum engineering tools do not provide sufficient contrast between hydrocarbon pay and non-pay.

In a chat with our correspondent, Nwosu said when oil companies do appraisal drilling, especially the major, they look for big sands, which are expected to hold large reserves that are considered commercial for such big companies. But he noted that in search of such big sands, there are thin sands that are associated with the big sands, which also hold some oil but are not considered commercial and are ignored by the majors. Such sands if tapped could yield as much as 30 per cent of the oil reserves, which he advised could be harnessed by the small players such as the indigenous oil companies.

He said: “When we do appraisal

of development drilling, what we are looking for are big sands because this big sands contain large hydrocarbons and over time what we found in the Niger Delta and the deepwater is that the initial exploration efforts were big cat discovery and these were large thick sands with a lot of hydrocarbon inside them. We have matured these assets over time and that means we have drilled the wells and produced a lot out of them and a number of them are now producing more water than oil.

“What we have missed are opportunities in thinner sands. This thinner sands is a kind of survey we carried out and not able to pick up these thinner sands very clearly but this thinner sands can be very big if you combine them together. They can be very continuous laterally. They can go as far as several kilometres and they also contain hydrocarbons. And the hydrocarbons there are typically about when you see a big sand associated with another thin sand, you can have almost 30 per cent of what you have in the big sands in those thin sands.

“Therefore, think about what we have left out by missing out those thin sands. We have left out about 30 per cent of our hydrocarbon base

in Nigeria. Hydrocarbon base is about 36 billion barrels, which means we are leaving about 10-12 billion barrels and that is a huge amount to leave behind. The big companies are concentrating on tapping the big cats and are looking out for big cat discoveries. Those thin sands are not that important to them, though they are becoming a little more important as their mature fields start watering out.

“But the smaller indigenous companies that are coming into play on onshore and in shallow waters, those are substantial opportunities.

So, when you think about Shell and ExxonMobil whom their production targets are in millions of barrels of oil per day, may be these are not the kind of things they will want to look at but when you look at indigenous companies that make 60,000100,000 barrels per day, it is a substantial revenue coming in to them. Those are the opportunities that I’m trying to make people identify, go back, take a look at them, learn how they will produce and afterwards start producing them.

The paper I presented are techniques by which they can identify them, quantify them and produce them.”

During the presentation of the

paper, Nwosu noted that one of the more important, and volumetrically most significant, occurrences of Low Contrast Pay is in thinly bedded laminations of sand and shale, with thicknesses below the resolution of conventional logging tools.

He said a review of these thinbedded pay opportunities, identified in both onshore/shallow waters and deep water settings in Nigeria, indicate that the volumes in place are under-estimated using conventional techniques (tools and evaluation methods), and proper evaluation (advanced tools and interpretation methods) would result in an increase of between 10 to 25 per cent in the calculated hydrocarbon volumes in these reservoirs.

The presentation also reviewed the depositional processes that control the distribution of clays in siliciclastics, the complexity of identification and quantification of hydrocarbon resources in these thin-beds, the modern logging tools that aid proper identification and, combined with established and novel evaluation techniques, which provide more accurate quantification of in-place volumes.

Lagos, Siemens partner Senator on energy career

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•From left: Managing Director, Mono Tech Input, Mr Siraj Islam; former Minister of Power and Chairman, Kaduna State Power Committee, Arc. Nuhu Wya; Mr Olotu cutting the tape to declare the Zambia Crescent 1x2.5MVA transformer completed in Kaduna and Mr Benjamin Bagaiya, Permanent Secretary Kaduna State Ministry of Rural and Community Development during the handing over of completed distribution and transmission projects to distribution companies of PHCN and Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). .

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How to sustain local content devt, by MAN

EFORE the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which is expected to further strengthen local content development in the oil and gas industry is passed into law, the government has been advised to undertake actions that would help sustain and increase the current momentum of the initiative.

One of such actions, according to a stakeholder in the industry, is to task the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NCCF) to be alive to its assigned responsibilities and functions.

The NCCF is the advisory board

By Bidemi Bakare

of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB, a board set up to oversee the successful implementation of the local content initiative of the government.

The chairman of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN), Local Content Group (MANLOC), Vassilly Barberopoulous who noted this, added that it is unfortunate that since the NCCF was formed, its impact has not been felt as the forum has not met even for once.

He wondered how local content

development can be adequately enhanced if such a forum has not had any opportunity to meet and deliberate on ranging issues as it affects the initiative.

He said: “It may amaze us to realise that despite many expectations from NCCF when it was set up nothing has really happened from its end. It has not even had any meeting since then. But quite frankly, if we must boost local content development, NCCF should be called to meet. Before such meeting is convened, each of the various stakeholders within NCCF should be given guidelines to

throw up what they believe is the requirements for pushing local content and then there should be a focus on that and deadline should be set.

He said that although the NCDMB is trying to make itself relevant, it has been unable to sustain the tempo with which the local content drive took off due to many factors including the inactivity of NCCF. “I think everything concerning local content is sitting in abeyance at the moment. From the side of •Continued on page 26

HE Lagos State government through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB) are partnering Siemens Power Academy and Senator Gbenga Ashafa for the establishment of the Youth Energy Career Programme (YECP).

LSEB is the implementing agency under the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources responsible for energy development, independent power projects and public lighting for Lagos State.

A statement from the General Manager, Lagos State Electricity Board, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi, said the programme was conceived as part of the Lagos State government’s commitment to sustainable power sector development, which has been identified as a key area to be addressed for the state’s continued development.

The programme is scheduled to commence on tomorrow and consists of work experience on energy development at LSEB and practical training at Siemens Power Academy.

Ogunbiyi said the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and LSEB are pleased to be partnering with Senator Gbenga Ashafa on this programme. She said the programme is a means of empowering and creating employment for graduates from the Lagos East Senatorial district, saying that the objective of the Youth Energy Career Programme is to effectively train and empower electrical energy/power operatives for employment in the energy/power development market.

She said 15 participants were selected to take part in the programme from over 1,000 applicants after an aptitude test and se•Continued on page 26

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ENERGY

‘Stable power supply depends on NIPP’

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From left: Dr. Muda A Olaitan, Deputy Director, Development Finance Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Herbert Ajayi, President, NACCIMA, Saliu, representing Otis Anyaeji, Chairman Electricity Power Foundation, during the second WorldStage National Electricity Power Conference, in Lagos last week.

HE Chairman of Electricity Power Foundation, a coalition of firms handling the several projects under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP), Mr Otis Anyaeji, has said the attainment of stable power supply would depend on output from the 10 NIPP power plants.

He said the NIPP plants would boost power supply by adding about 4802.5MW to the existing installed generation capacity.

Mr Ismaila Saliu, who represented Anyaeji at a power conference, had earlier decried the undue delay of power equipment at the ports, a development he described as counter-productive to the aspirations of the Federal Government in the power sector.

In his paper entitled Achieving Presidential Action Committee on Power Mandate: Contractors’ Input, he noted that by the time the plants

‘Minerals, mining can fetch more income than oil’

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HE Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) has criticised the Federal Government for undue neglect of the minerals, and mining sector of the economy noting that if the sector is optimally tapped, it would generate double of the revenues fetched from oil and gas industry.

The President of the society, Mr Akinola George, who spoke with The Nation, expressed his disappointment with the government for not giving the minerals and mining professionals the deserved recognition.

George said the cause of most of the problems the country is facing is as a result of the neglect of the minerals and mining sectors.

He said geoscientists have capacity to fix most of the problems confronting the country but the government has closed its door to the solid mineral sector. He said the failure of infrastructures such roads, bridges and dams as well as the daily occurrence of building collapse, are some of the consequences of not involving them in the scheme of things as experts.

He said: “You discover that a number of government’s operations and implementations in terms of structures, roads, bridges dams are going on and we are the basis, bedrock of all

these projects. When they award road contracts, people don’t do soil tests. The contractors are even given the money to do soil tests but they pocket the money and at the end of the day, the roads fail, the dams and bridges collapse.

“Houses are collapsing daily in Lagos because the foundation engineering studies were not carried out and no soil test, these are on the structural aspect.”

On the minerals sector, the NMGS chief said that the Federal Government is not serious and gave reasons for saying so. He said: “In this country, government is not serious about the minerals sector. A lot of money should have been pumped into the issue of minerals and geological mapping. Look at bitumen, the money that can be recovered from bitumen alone surpasses that of oil in this country.

“But because oil is there and they (government) are pumping it, getting over 85 percent of the country’s revenue from there, they close other sectors. Mineral sector has been closed, the bitumen has been closed, among others. In other countries where we have these minerals, the government use money from the oil to develop the mineral sector but in Nigeria’s case, the reverse is the

case.

“Let me give you an example why I said the government is not serious. Look at the economic management team of the government, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development should be the chairman or the vice chairman but he has been neglected. But if the government could realize the importance of geosciences and mining, at least 90 per cent of Nigeria’s problems will be solved. If things are done appropriately and strategically by unlocking all the geosciences and mining technology, which is also key to development, the country would not have as much problems as it does.”

George said he was optimistic that the government should go through the society’s communiqué, which was generated from its 48th annual international conference held in Lagos recently. He said the Minister of Mines and Steel Development was at the conference to represent Mr. President and said he believed the minister would give the President the communiqué in order to correct these anomalies that exist now.

He said: “A lot of revenue has been lost by the government as a result of neglect of other sectors and undue concentration on oil.

•From left: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Mines & Steel Development, Mr Idris Adamu Iluta, Minister of Mines & Steel Development, Arc. Musa Mohammed Sada, and President, Nigerian Mining & Geosciences Society, Mr Akinola George, at the opening ceremony of 48 th Annual International Conference and Exhibitions of Nigerian Mining & Geosciences Society, held at Eko Hotel, Lagos

Even if oil doesn’t finish as being speculated, the country still needs more money for development. Nigeria has a population of over 160 million, so we need a lot of money to tackle our infrastructure, education and aviation sectors, among others.

“We need attention. We need to be involved in the construction of roads, bridges, among others, because foundation engineering is so important and we as geoscientists are key to unlocking and opening the doors to solve all these problems. We need a lot of money to develop the mineral sector. The bitumen is there in large quantity and it is better that the government prioritise these areas before allocating the bitumen blocks,” he said.

How to sustain local content •Continued from page 25

NCDMB there is not much happening as it used to be. Honestly, it is doing its work but it appears it is doing so from a different angle. The board is trying to get some pipe mills to come. It is trying to get some bigger shipyards and investments to come in also.

I think part of the problem is that there is not enough push from NCDMB for local content development through the NCCF for instance.

“The forum which has various stakeholders in the oil and gas industry duly represented would have been able to make critical decisions to strengthen the initiative. Other factor which is well known is the non-passage of the PIB. So obviously we must all admit that the zeal has dropped.”

On the accessibility of a special fund which was set aside for local content manufacturers to further boost local content development, Barberopoulous said: “Nobody has heard anything about the fund. I don’t think anybody has been able to access this fund as it has been difficult to do so.”

He stated that for local content to be realizable, there should have been a certain time table not only for the percentage of what is going to be for local content but a timetable for what is to be accomplished with various stakeholders including the government coming up with guidelines to make this possible.

Stories by Emeka Ugwuanyi Assistant Editor

are ready, host communities within five kilometre radius of the power plants would be provided with electricity.

He disclosed that the project would also enhance electricity transmission and distribution as the previous open transmission loop would be closed and the distribution network would be strengthened.

Anyaeji stated that through the NIPP project, power integrity would be restored to basic system and with the effect the Nigerian economy would be made more attractive to local and foreign private sector investors.

He added that small businesses that have hitherto been choked to death would come alive again while big manufacturers that have relocated elsewhere would be attracted back.

On why the implementation of NIPP has been difficult, he listed many factors including the clearing of imported items. He said the multiple government agencies established for clearing power equipment are always seen working at cross purposes adding that in the end most of these equipment are auctioned.

Other factors militating against the project, he said, include community issues and the inadequacy of gas for firing turbines.

To address these challenges, he said the Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP) has been set up to take firm action to reverse the situation.

Some of these actions include impressing it on various security agencies to remove road blocks against movement of imported NIPP equipment from the ports to various project sites as well as assisting in stopping the auctioning of imported equipment.

Other actions include assisting in facilitating the processes of finalisation of Gas Supply and Purchase Agreements (GSPAs) with gas suppliers and finalisation of capital guarantees for gas supplies to enable suppliers invest in gas sourcing and production.

He said to make the NIPP work the government has realised that the problem of underfunding which was associated with the power sector before the advent of the NIPP must be avoided.

He said: “Over 20 years period the power sector was grossly underfunded. There were no investments and major overhauls of facilities. Few turbines were in service and as such the daily generation output was very low. No transmission line was built between1987-1999 and the distribution network was poor.

Having learned from these past ,the government is now investing in power projects like the NIPP to make it work. The NIPP which was conceptualised in 2004 started with a seven medium sized power plants in the Niger-Delta area and 12 gas pipelines and metering facilities for the supply of gas to power plants.

Lagos, Siemens partner Senator on energy career •Continued from page 25

ries of interviews. She added that they will be equipped with the knowledge of general electrical engineering principles, protection of electrical networks, the smart grid, power distribution economics and financial grid, managing power projects and power impacts.

This would give them the skills needed to become employable within the energy/power sector, she said adding that the graduates will be tested on their performance at planned milestones all through the programme.

TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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should not look at corruption in the judiciary ‘We alone. In fact, we need capital punishment for corruption in Nigeria for us to have a better society

• SEE PAGE 31

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

’

• President Toure

• Capt. Sanogo

The world was jolted with the news of a military putsch in the Republic of Mali when everyone thought Africa was gradually overcoming the negative consequences of military regimes. The development has been roundly condemned. Sanctions have been imposed by some international bodies and countries. Lawyers, in this report by ADEBISI ONANUGA, ERIC IKHILAE and JOSEPH JIBUEZE, deplore the coup, suggesting a combination of measures to dislodge the coupists.

Mali: Lawyers demand return to democracy

MALI The Republic of Mali is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d’Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with a population of 14.5 million. Its capital is Bamako. Mali consists of eight regions and its borders on the north reach deep into the middle of the Sahara, while the country’s southern region, where the majority of inhabitants live, features the Niger and Sénégal rivers. The country’s economic structure centers around agriculture and fishing. Some of Mali’s natural resources are gold, uranium, livestock, and salt. About half the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.

-Source: Wikipedia

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HE growing acceptance of democracy in the continent in recent years had ignited the belief that Africa had overcome the culture of unconstitutional regime change.

Many had thought the continent, smarting from the negative impact of past coup d’états, had begun a gradual trudge toward political stability, until the unexpected happened on March 21

in the Republic of Mali.

Although the coupists in Mali have blamed their action on the alleged failure of the civilian government to effectively arm the soldiers to dislodge the rampaging Tuareg rebels in the Northern part of the country, and pledged •See story on page 28

Inside: ‘The study of law needs to become a second ... ’- P.29 Groups unite against bad governance- P.36

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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LAW COVER CONT’D

• Falana

• Ike Ofoukwu

• Aturu

• Mumuni

Mali coup: Lawyers demand return to democratic rule • Continued from page 27 a return to civil governance, their action has been totally condemned on the ground that it is unjustifiable and ill-timed.

Observers argued that as against the case in the Republic of Niger in 2010 when the then incumbent, Mamadou Tandja, attempted to manipulate the constitution to enable him remain in office, the deposed Malian leader, Amadou Toumani Toure, had indicated his intention to vacate office at the end of his tenure.

To that end, a presidential election was scheduled for April.

The case of the Mali’s military regime led by 39-year-old Captain Amadou Sanogo is also not helped by the perception of Toure as a “soldier of democracy,” who took power in 1991 through a coup, but handed over to civilians and retreated from public life. He only returned to power through an election in 2002 and was re-elected in 2007.

The outrage over what many have described as the misadventure in Mali stemmed from the fact that the West African sub-region has been affected negatively from past incursions into civil governance by the military. It is safely argued that decades of military rule in West Africa, from the first coup in Togo in 1963 to the last in Niger in 2010, have eroded the foundation of stable democratic governance laid at independence, and instituted arbitrariness, mediocrity and graft; vices that have impaired socio-economic and political development in the sub-region.

As expected, international bodies have taken steps beyond condemnation, to imposing sanctions on the military adventurists in Mali, beginning with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Also, the African Union (AU) has temporarily suspended Mali, while the European Union and Canada have frozen aid and the United States has threatened to follow suit.

Observers are of the view that should these international bodies and foreign powers stop at mere imposition of sanctions, the coupists in Mali may remain in power longer than expected. They suggested that ECOWAS and AU must accept nothing short of their outright dislodgment from power.

In this regard, the belief is that both bodies must go beyond sanction and activate existing mechanisms to counter unconstitutional change of government anywhere on the continent.

Lawyers, who examined the development, attributed it partly to the growing discontent among the populace and insecurity in the subregion, resulting from the increasing failure of political leaders to ensure transparency, equity and justice in the allocation of resources.

To them, the coup in Mali may signpost a return to military era in the sub-region should the prevailing inequality and disrespect for the rule of law and democratic ethics persist. They suggested multiple approaches to ensuring immediate end to the political crisis occasioned by the coup in Mali.

Human rights lawyers Femi Falana, Bamidele Aturu, Ike Ofuokwu, Adetokunbo Mumuni, Abubakar Jimoh, Jonathan Iyieke and Theophilus Akanwa condemned the coup and suggested the deployment of combined efforts to restore civil governance in Mali.

They advocated a combination of measures such as legal means via court process; civil dis-

obedience and systematic ostracising of members of the junta and their family members by the international communities.

Falana argued that the coup in Mali is condemnable because it is unwarranted and uncalled for. He wondered why the military decided to strike now when elections were due to hold in April.

“Why for heaven`s sake did they change the government? And their justification is very irresponsible. If it is about dislodging the Tuareg menace in the northern part of Mali, why didn’t the armed forces sit down with the president and discuss the solution. How can that be a justification for removing an elected government from office?” he asked.

The former President of the West African Bar Association (WABA) Mr Femi Falana urged ECOWAS to impose comprehensive economic sanctions on Mali, saying such measure would force the army out of power in three months.

“ECOWAS has started well by suspending Mali from its ranks. We now have to proceed to impose comprehensive economic sanction on the country. The officials of the regime have to be targeted by having travel ban imposed on them. ECOWAS should also proceed to consider a military option and that has to be done before these guys settle down. Luckily the people of Mali are up in arms against this government. They are already on the streets protesting against the regime. They need international solidarity to chase out these power hungry and corrupt military adventurers.

“The guys cannot operate if ECOWAS and the AU are prepared to teach them a lesson like this for rude interruption of the democratic process of Mali. It is particularly painful because Mali is largely one of the most stable countries in the region. It has an impressive human rights record, for which reasons, those who have grievances can always air them through due process,” he said.

Falana warned that should the coupists be allowed to settle down and impose their misrule on Malians, other military adventurers in other West African countries may want to take a cue from them.

“That is why the condemnation of the coup by the African Union, the ECOWAS and each of the individual countries in West Africa must be total. But we must now go beyond that. We shouldn`t wait for France or United States to move in and impose their own agents on the people of Mali under the pretext of protecting democracy.

“It is supposed to be the West African subregion, which has had a good record in terms of restoring democracy with the intervention of the ECOMOG in Liberia and Sierra Leone; that should do this. It should be possible for them to dislodge them.

“The West African Bar Association (WABA) has filed a case in the ECOWAS Court challenging the legality of the government because we have passed the era where courts, the municipal courts used to quote that where a coup had succeeded, it acquires its own legitimacy.

“If we get a judicial pronouncement on the illegality of the government, it becomes a platform for mounting further pressure on them to vacate office. And, of course, nobody wants to deal with an illegitimate government.

“On the part of the human right community in Nigeria, we are organizing a protest in Abuja next week at the embassy of Mali to register

our dissatisfaction, disaffection with this primitive change of government. I am already in touch with our other colleagues in the human right group and other civil societies in West Africa,” Falana said.

Aturu commended ECOWAS for its efforts so far, but wondered if the imposed sanctions were capable of compelling the coupists to have a change of mind. He advocated a change of attitude on the part of the continent’s political leaders.

“For me, for us to make a point to the Malian putschists, that what they have done is unwelcome, we need to do everything possible to prevent any external help getting to them. We need to, in conjunction with other parts of the world, ensure that no member of their family and official is allowed to travel out of Mali until there is genuine restoration of the rule of law and democracy.

“But, of course, we must apply sanctions that would not hurt the people of Mali. That is a big challenge to ECOWAS countries, because if they do economic blockade, they must do it in such a way that humanitarian aids and assistance would get to the people. The emphasis should be on targeting the putschists and their family members. But, as I said, the best way to discourage this kind of thing is for us to do what is right in our country.

“The people of Mali must not just put all their hopes in ECOWAS. They must not put all their hope on the imperialist powers because if these people find that that the Malian putschists are going to dance to their tunes and they are going to have economic benefits, before you know it, they would leave the Malians in the lurch as it were.

“So what the Malians must do is to organise.

It is basically a fight they must win on their feet. I must say that they must do everything possible to defy the military putschists and ensure that they have no option but to restore normalcy and democracy in that country.

“Of course, they can do with some support of individuals and countries in Africa who are willing to lend a hand in this trying moment of the people of Mali. But I think that ultimately, the battle is theirs. If we have that kind of putschists in Nigeria, it is the people of Nigeria that would fight and not Americans because, in the foreign relation that we know, everybody is looking at his or her own interest.

“If they see that people who planned the coup are going to make things easier for them in terms of economic trade and bilateral relations, they would easily just abandon the people. So, I think we need to emphasise this point that the people of Mali must take their own destiny in their hands, with the support of genuine friends at the international level.

“We must still do what I call the necessary analysis to see whether the African political elite are not the cause of the nonsensical thing that we are seeing in Mali. I am saying this, not in justification of the coup, but I am saying this in the sense that we must understand, categorically, why the coup took place and what our people need to do to guard against coup d` etat in Africa.

“We cannot guard against coup d’état if the resources that belong to the people of Africa are being used by a tiny minute proportion of Africa. There is no way this kind of attitude, undemocratic, unconstitutional means of taking power will not take place.

“So, nobody should be deceived that what took place in Mali is likely to be an isolated case. In other words, what I am trying to say is that to stop coup in Africa, it is left for the civil society and those who believe in the democratic process, to continue to insist that the due process of law must be followed in all cases and to ensure that something that belongs to Africa is used in Africa for Africans.

“This is because what you find is that a huge proportion of funds are taken out of this continent and kept in foreign bank accounts in Europe and America. And then, you are saying that this type of thing should not take place. It is a joke,” Aturu said.

Jimoh noted that the position of the junta is quite contradictory. He observed that while the group claimed to assume power to dislodge the insurgency in the north of the country, it is now seeking international assistance to deal with the insurgency.

Wondering what their actual motive was aside the urge to help themselves to state resources as has been the case in every military intervention, Jimoh said the coupists in Mali should not be given a breathing space by the AU and ECOWAS. “ECOWAS should not help them until they restore the civilian government that they overthrew and comply with the ultimatum given by the sub-regional body. A full economic blockade should be imposed and all Malian borders with other countries should be closed.

It is high time people realised that the era of military intervention in politics is no longer fashionable,” Jimoh said.

Activist-lawyer Ofuokwu said the development in Mali is worrisome and a very sad one which should never have taken place at all.

He said: “It’s a brutal rape on constitutionality and the rule of law. Military coup is anachronistic and barbaric and should not be condoned in any civilised clime. But we should not look at this affront in isolation because the political class in this part of the continent, that is the West African sub-region, has in no small measure contributed to this very endemic and shameful situation by their disdain and disregard for the rule of law through their inordinate desires to fraudulently come to and cling to power at all cost; through dubious democratic process and using the power of incumbency to thwart the democratic will of the people. All these instances on their own are equally tantamount to a civilian coup d’etat.

“The rule of law and democracy are all about the rule of the majority and not the political/ elite class. Not minding the propaganda of the political class, the feedback we are getting from Mali indicates that the Malian people happily welcomed and received the change. This in itself is a pointer to the fact that the will of the people through the ballot process was not respected.

“The sanctions are a product of instigations and a gang-up by politicians mostly from other countries in the sub-region to protect their corrupt leadership and to maintain their evil status quo, as they are not in any way different from their counterparts in Mali, to avoid a tsunamiic effect of the coup. As it is, ordinary Malians are the ones to suffer the sanctions.

“The only way to prevent the spread is to desist from the use of incumbency factor in sup• Continued on page 29

29

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

LEGAL OPINION

‘The study of law needs to become a second degree’

thirty.

His judgments were laced with Socratic wisdom and painstaking learning. His use of Latin expression and maxims were legendary

and secondus nullus (second to none).

Hon. Justice Oputa’s stint on the Bench, which is what these 9 volumes seek to encapsulate, provoke

in me the following thoughts:Firstly, that the time has come for the study of law to become a second-degree of three years only. It is without question that an earlier degree or two will equip the young lawyer for a career as versatile, demanding & burden bearing as the legal profession.

Perhaps, Hon. Justice Oputa’s versatility, excellence and skill may be due in part to his multi-disciplinary background in Economics and History. If we must produce more Oputa’s, among others we need to give our lawyers a multi-disciplinary background.

Producing quantity without quality year-in, year-out is creating a paradox – Learned men and women without knowledge; learned men and women who speak & write very badly & I am ashamed to admit, this is percolating into the Magistracy & the Superior Courts of record.

If the legal profession must retain its glory, if fallen standards will be restored, many problems need fixing including the fallen standards of primary and secondary education, but crucially, the study of law needs to become a second degree circumscribed to three years only.

In conclusion, I doff my heart to Mr Ikeazor Akaraiwe for this most comprehensive compilation of the judgments of any single jurist in Nigeria. It is a major and meritorious contribution to Nigerian corpus juris & the development of Nigerian law at large and should grace every library.

give him the money.

An argument ensued, followed by a scuffle, leading to Eze being pushed off the bus.

Abass and the bus driver were said to have taken the passenger to a general hospital, where unsuccessful attempts were made to save his life.

Justice Oluwayemi said the prosecution proved the charge of manslaughter beyond reasonable doubt “to the extent that no reasonable man will be in doubt as to the guilt of the accused person.”

She held that there was nothing to

show that the statement Abass made to the police was given under duress, even though he pleaded not guilty at arraignment.

“It is clear that the diseased was killed in the course of their argument. I am satisfied that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt,” the judge said.

Oluwale, pleading for mercy, said Abass was only 26 years when the incident occurred, and that he was a first-time offender.

“He has been in custody since 2008.

He is indeed sober. He is the only

child of his parents. I urge the court not to give the maximum punishment.”

State counsel, M. Afariogun, urged the court to give the maximum sentence.

He said: “The law is there to serve this purpose. Justice has to be done; therefore he has to be sentenced accordingly.”

Sentencing Abass, Justice Oluwayemi said she took into account the alucutus and the fact that “the young man can still be useful to the society.”

leading nations in West Africa - Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire - must rally the international community to put pressure on the new regime in Mali before it settles down and consolidates its hold on power.

“It is the promptitude and decisiveness with which the current situation in Mali is dealt with that will prevent the festering of the coup culture and propensity in West Africa and by extension the whole of Africa.

“It is however my further submission that the sanctions to be imposed must be targeted at the leading lights of the military junta and their collaborators within Mali, so that the ordinary people in Mali are not subjected to suffering.”

Constitutional lawyer Jonathan

Iyieke is of the view that military incursion in politics whether in Mali or any other democratic state is not only an aberration but an anathema.

He said: “All over the world, the choice of the people is to elect their leaders in a democratic setting. Anywhere, anytime where it is alleged that the government is impository, unprecedental and draconial as in the military, such government should be sanctioned with immediate effect.

“It is my opinion that the coup juntas should be penalised for truncating an otherwise, peaceful co-existence of the governed. I further recommend that the law in municipal, regional and internal sphere should provide death penalty for the planners,” he said.

Lagos-based lawyer Theophilus Akanwa described the Mali coup as totally condemnable and unacceptable.

He said: “I recommend stiffer sanctions that will subdue those who took over power without the mandate of the people. It is, however, a very big lesson for those in power to realise that they are only servants of the people. They are touchable and can be removed, even killed by these heartless men.

“Those in government should always strive to deliver good governace to the people. They should not see government as a do-or-die thing or their personal right thereby trying to remain in power for life without anything to show for it,” Akanwa said.

• CJN pays tribute to Oputa

Remarks by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Mudapher at the public presentation of the nine-volume reported judgments of Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, formerly of the Supreme Court.

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ODAY is remarkable because we are here gathered to wit ness the public presentation of a nine volume set of Law reports covering all the judgements of one of the brightest and best ever to grace the firmament of Nigeria’s judiciary Hon. Justice Chukwudifu Akunne Oputa JSC; CFR. The judgements span the period 1966 to 1989 when he sat on the Bench of the Eastern Region of Nigeria (today’s Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo & Rivers States) through the East Central State, Imo State where he was Chief Judge and finally to the Supreme Court where he retired.

A

Hon. Justice Oputa (Socrates of the Supreme Court) as he was very deservedly known) was ushered to life on earth on the 22nd day of September 1924 at Oguta, Imo State of Nigeria.

Having got a BSC in Economics and a B.A. in History, he started an illustrious career as a school teacher going on to become school principal of the well respected Africa College, Onitsha before opting for a career in Law. He took his law degree and was called to the Bar at the illustrious Gray’s Inn on 26th November, 1953 and was admitted to practice in Nigeria as Barrister and Solicitor on 8th January 1954 at the age of

• Chief Justice of Nigeria

Conductor, 30, jailed for pushing passenger off bus

bus conductor, Lukman Abass has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for manslaughter by a Lagos State High Court, Lagos Island.

The prosecution said he pushed a passenger, Chinedu Eze off a moving bus following an argument over money.

Eze died later from the injuries he sustained from the fall.

Justice Deborah Oluwayemi convicted Abass of manslaughter, which attracts a life sentence.

After an alucutus (plea for mercy)

By Joseph Jibueze

by Abass’ lawyer, Kayode Oluwale, the judge reduced the sentence to seven years, and since the defendant had been in prison custody since 2008, she further reduced it to five years.

The incident occurred at about 6.30pm along the Badagry Expressway on September 11, 2008.

Eyewitnesses testified that the passenger and conducted disagreed over the cost of the fare.

Eze demanded for N20 change from the conductor, who refused to

Mali coup: Lawyers demand return to democratic rule

• Continued from page 28

pressing the free choice of the people and for the political class themselves to respect and promote the rule of law and to, forthwith, stop the entrenchment of corruption as a cardinal aspect of political leadership; to drop the swagger of rulership and to exhibit qualities of leadership.

“By so doing they can make life better for the people they claim to lead. If these are not done, I regret to say that a political cancer has come to stay in the region.”

Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, said the coup

in Mali is a fundamental set back to democracy in the West African subregion.

His words: “Military regime anywhere is definitely contra-rule of law by virtue of the manner of its emergence. There are provisions of ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance to which most countries in the ECOWAS family including Mali are signatories.

“A very important component of the protocol forbids the taking over of governance in any ECOWAS country except according to democratic principles, rule of law, constitutionalism and due process.

“My sincere opinion is that the

LEGAL DIARY

Commonwealth lawyers to hold conference

T

HE Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) is set for its conference in Sydney, Australia.

It will hold from April 19 to April to 22.

A statement from its President, Mrs Boma Ozobia, said adequate and easy visa processing arrangements have been put in place to enable lawyers who wish to attend to obtain visa with ease.

“We have made adequate arrangements. The Australian High Commission is fully aware of the fact that we are participating.

“They have in turn informed their Foreign Affairs Office of this.

“From the Secretariat of the

• Mrs Ozobia

CLA, we are sending updated lists of the delegates to them.

“This is so that once delegates have registered and paid up, and once we send applications in for their visas, they will be dealt with expeditiously,” Ozobia said.

• Members of NBA Lagos who have events to celebrate in the month of March led by ‘Mr Conscience’ Pa Tunji Gomez (centre) cutting the anniversary cake during the branch meeting in Lagos pennultimate week Monday.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

30

FROM THE COURT

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Falana sues AU for alleged denial of access to justice

EARING has commenced in a suit instituted by Lagos lawyer and human rights activist Mr Femi Falana against the African Union (AU) for denial of access to justice in the African Court on Human and Peoples‘ Right (ACHPR) in Arusha, Tanzania.

Falana had sued the AU on the validity of Article 34 (6) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, under which the court was established six years ago, and on which Nigeria failed to make a declaration accepting the competence of the court to receive cases to date.

Article 34 (6) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Protocol Establishing the Court) provides that: “At the time of the ratification of this Protocol or any time thereafter, the state shall make a declaration accepting the competence of the Court to receive cases under Article 5 (3) of this Protocol.”

It also stipulated that “the Court shall not receive any petition under Article 5 (3) involving a State Party which has not made such a declaration.”

Because the issues of law raised

by Falana in the case are fundamental, the court, for the first time since its establishment six years ago, held a two-day public sitting for the hearing of the suit in the open instead of the court chamber.

A statement signed by Tayo Soyemi of Falana and Falana Chambers said the applicant, in his submissions before the court, alleged that he has made several attempts to get the Federal Republic of Nigeria to deposit the declaration required under Article 34 (6) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Protocol Establishing the Court) to no avail.

He argued that he has been denied access to the court because of

T

with

By Adebisi Onanuga

the failure and refusal of Nigeria to make the declaration accepting the competence of the Court in line with Article 34 (6) of the Protocol on the Establishment of the Court Falana argued that “it is discriminatory to allow nationals of the six African countries that have made a declaration to have their complaints heard by the court while others are denied justice due to the refusal of the governments of their countries to accept the competence of the court.”

However counsel to the AU, Mr Nyanduga said the applicant has no locus standi to institute the suit and urged the court to decline jurisdiction on the matter or in the alternative send it to the African Commission for hearing.

Falana, however, expressed surprise that Nyanduga challenged his locus standi in the matter, noting that the AU counsel raised no objection when he represented the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) before the African Commission (headed by Nyanduga then) to save the lives of about 200 Nigerian citizens who were illegally sentenced to death in Libya under the late President Muammar Gaddafi.

Apart from granting locus standi to SERAP in the Libyan case, the African Commission reportedly said Falana made a historic order which preserved the lives of the convicted Nigerians based on the allegation of mistrial.

Falana, therefore, urged the court to follow this path by granting unimpeded access to the court for aggrieved victims of human rights in the continent.

He also drew the attention of the court to the military coup in Mali which he described as “reckless and irresponsible.”

His words:“To stop ambitious soldiers from turning back the progress of Africa, the African Court must check the gross abuse of human rights by the member states of the African Union.”

gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

Lessons from Asiwaju Tinubu’s political history

I • Falana

But Nyanduga asked the court to distinguish the SERAP’s case from the application filed by Falana, contending that the African Union could not be sued under the doctrine of corporate community as argued by the applicant.

He urged the court to either decline jurisdiction or transfer the case to the African Commission for determination pursuant to Article 6 of the Protocol of the Court.

On conclusion of their submissions, the case was adjourned for judgment which is to be delivered within 90 days in line with the Protocol of the court.

The hearing, which took place at the Court premises, at Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Conservation Centre, Dodoma Road, Arusha, was well attended by representatives of the African Union, the civil society and the electronic and print media including the Chairman of the Nigerian National Human Rights Commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu.

The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights which came into existence six years ago had determined about 10 cases, which were considered in chambers and struck out due to lack of jurisdiction.

Verdict tomorrow in Black Sunday accidents

HE Ikeja District Coronor, Mr Tajudeen Elias, will tomorrow deliver a verdict after an inquest on the multiple accidents that occurred on the Michael Otedola Bridge of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on August 15, 2010.

It was billed to delivered last Wednesday, but the Coroner said it was not ready.

The inquest lasted 16 months, and there have been 18 sittings since September 2010. It was initiated by a human rights group, Access to Justice (AJ) and the law firm of Femi Falana.

Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc had

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

By Joseph Jibueze

disagreed with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) over the cause of the multiple accidents in which over 40 persons were burnt to death.

FRSC had published a report that a Dangote truck, laden with sugar, had a brake failure and rammed into other vehicles in a gridlock at the bridge, an allegation the company denies.

Workshop Manager in charge of vehicles maintenance at Dangote Sugar, Engr Jibrin Baba, said the

FRSC report was false.

Eyewitnesses had testified that there was a police roadblock which caused the gridlock, but the police denied that there was a checkpoint there that day.

“Since the accidents and the multiple losses of human life caused by it, none of those reported to have contributed to the accident has, to the best of our knowledge, lifted a finger to look for, engage or commiserate with, or assuage the losses suffered by the surviving victims or families of late one,” said AJ’s Director of Programmes, Mr Leonard Dibia.

• Chairman NBA Lagos branch, Taiwo Taiwo (left) and branch Secretary, Alex Muolea during the last NBA Lagos branch meeting penultimate week Monday in Lagos.

T is no longer news that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu clocked 60 years last Thursday. It will also be an understatement to say that the birthday boy is adored by many Nigerians, particularly in the south west. I guess if a popular election is conducted presently among the Yoruba speaking people of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would emerge the most popular leader. Indeed, in a free contest nationwide he would fare well across the country as a popular brand. While his rise to the Yoruba leadership has been meteoric, essentially post 2007; it didn’t come easy.

No doubt Asiwaju has received and will continue to receive adulations from his numerous admirers including this writer; but I will not devote this space to mere praises. I will rather contextualise his struggles and exercise my prerogative for wishful thinking. I believe Asiwaju’s greatest contribution to modern Nigeria is in the field of constitutionalism. His insistence to test the frontiers of constitutional federalism will rank the most enduring of his achievements so far. The legal battle on the rights of the states to create local governments, the state’s rights on urban development and ownership of inland waterways and many other similar battles by the government of Lagos State against an overbearing Federal Government, while Asiwaju was Governor, will likely remain Asiwaju’s most invaluable contribution to our nation’s wellbeing.

Of course, the years of election petition battles which culminated in his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) reclaiming the government houses in Osun, Ekiti and Edo states will remain one of the most dogged perseverance by a political party in pursuit of a political right, since our political independence. Even when the odds were stalked so high against him and a coterie of his followers, (as the only surviving governor of the party in 2003) he was tenacious in pursuit of his vision, and this insistence later yielded a bountiful harvest. Today, the states that make up the former Western region, except Ondo State, are under the wings of his political party, with Asiwaju as the de facto and de jury leader.

With the emergence of his acolytes across the Southwest, Asiwaju continued his political battles towards the return of Nigeria to a true federal system of government. As the pre eminent leader of the region, Asiwaju has been able to mobilise the governors from the region, the state and federal legislators, local government administrators, technocrats and ordinary citizens to collectively push in the direction of regional integration and enforcement of the basic tenets of federalism.

While the road will continue to be long and treacherous, Asiwaju has shown from his antecedents that he has the cunning, patience and the stamina for long drawn political battles. Those who underestimated the political tenacity of Asiwaju would be ruing that neglect, following perhaps the greatest political come back in our history, as ACN reclaimed the Southwest from the grip of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the remaining states of Southwest in the 2007 elections.

Part of Asiwaju’s greatest strategy and perhaps his political legacy would be the grooming of political leaders from the grassroots to the national level. When I watch the sagacity of the young local government administrators in Lagos State, I cannot but marvel at Asiwaju’s foresight as he puts the building blocks for tomorrow’s superstructure.

The same careful support and grooming is also manifesting in the choice of state administrators, commissioners, and advisers at that level.

Equally instructive are the faces at the federal legislature; mainly young, ambitious and intelligent chaps representing the region at that level.

Looking at the men and women that Asiwaju is sponsoring for political leadership, there is no doubt he is a leader with a firm focus on the day after. I have, therefore, little doubt that if his political ascendency continues to dominate beyond the 2015 elections, then it may take a political hurricane to change the unfolding cause of history.

As I have argued on this page, there is the urgent need to entrench into our political structure a competitive federal arrangement, if Nigeria is to survive as a nation. More persuasive is the need to alter our economy from the current rent seeking economy to productive and competitive enterprises across the country. No doubt among the major political contenders presently, Tinubu’s political odyssey clearly provides a strong alternative to achieving that pathway. More than any other politician of this era, Asiwaju has defined the type of Nigeria he wishes, has taken cogent steps in furtherance of that, and has achieved unprecedented results against all permutations and odds.

To show his tactical ability, Asiwaju having consolidated his strong hold in the Southwest, started to maneuver into other regions, choosing rightly the softer spots; without necessary shying away from a presence across the country. It is noteworthy that Asiwaju chooses his battles intelligently, as his maneuvers during the 2007 presidential elections showed. No doubt the 2015 presidential elections will provide an interesting scenario, as it will be evident that nobody can become President without first contending with the political interests of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While I join Asiwaju’s family, disciples and admirers to wish him many happy returns; I can only wish for more Asiwajus to emerge across the country to lead Nigeria out of the current morass. In my humble view, there is the urgent need for synergy within the political ranks to steer the ship of Nigeria towards a better life for the people; not just in words but in action. As forces coalesce, who shall we send from the Southeast?

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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LAW PERSONALITY On May 7, members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch will troop out to elect new executives for another two years. In this interview with ADEBISI ONANUGA, the out-going Chairman, Mr Adebamigbe Omole, speaks on the election, his achievements, corruption in the judiciary and other issues.

Wanted: Corporal punishment for corruption

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OW are you preparing for the election of branch?

Our election will hold on the first Monday of May. We have amended our bye laws so that we have our elections before our Annual General Meeting (AGM). We hold our AGM on the first Monday of June, if there is no public holiday.

How prepared are you for the election?

We have made adequate preparations for it. For those who are interested, at the last monthly meeting in March, we lifted the ban on politics. People can now start their campaign. Those contesting for one post or the other have started campaigning.

What are the measures put in place to ensure a free and fair election?

NBA Ikeja is known for holding a free and fair election. When it comes to issues of the Bar in Nigeria, we take the lead. So, we are not going to have any problem with our election. I believe my people are law abiding.

The rules of the game will be followed. But if there is any one that contravenes the rules, the law will take its course.

You have been the chairman of NBA, Ikeja for the past two years. What legacies are you leaving behind?

When I was vying for the post of the chairmanship of NBA Ikeja Branch, I had a manifesto and Imade some promises. I can say, to a reasonable extent, I fulfilled most of the promises. All the members appreciate what we have done in the last two years. For example, there is no Bar Centre in Nigeria that is as good as ours – the new Secretariat building of NBA, Ikeja Branch. This is just the first stage, it is in three stages. So, if there is no Bar Centre as good and big as this, with all the facilities, you can imagine what we would have by the time we complete the centre. We pulled down the structure I met when I came on board. Today, we are at our permanent site.

When I was vying for the chairmanship, I promised that I was going to put in place welfare programmes and packages and we have done that. We have Ikeja Co-operative Society where our members make contributions. In times of need, members can get soft loans, without interest, to be paid at their convenience. In addition, we have secured land for members. The only thing stopping us from taking physical possession is money because we were asked to pay certain amount of money. However, the Lagos State government has given us everything that we need, every support that we need. It gave us some parcels of land out in their scheme in Badagry, a new town. We are trying to see how we can raise the money to pay the government. At the last meeting, this issue was discussed and our members were very happy. They have assured that they would make their contributions so that, at the end of the day, we can take physical possession of the land that would serve as the first lawyers‘ estate in Nigeria.

On members’welfare, during this administration, we travelled to the East. We went to Nnewi; we had cause to travel to various parts of the country to be part of our members’ celebrations; in their time of happiness, joy and otherwise.

What measures did you take to enhance justice administration?

IWe are trying in that aspect too. To some extent, we have been able to check corruption. To some extent because we told our members that if they encounter any problem with a judge or magistrate, they should let us know and we will follow it up. There was a member that brought a petition against a magistrate, we followed it to the last. The man appeared before the Judicial Service Commission and, at the end of the day, the commission discovered that this man has been taking bribe from lawyers. Because of our stand, the magistrate was dismissed.

That is the extent to which we have been able to ensure that we give our members the best. Equally, we believe that lawyers live for the advancement of the society. You cannot believe in Ikeja Branch what we have been doing to sustain our members to be able to assist the masses.

‘If a judge is found wanting, he must not just be retired. He must be made to face the law as it is.

And he must be made to go bear the the consequences of the law. If it is prison, let him go to prison. That is when we can have a better judiciary because when there is a problem with the judiciary, there is bound to be problems everywhere’ What of human rights...?

Our Human Right Committee has been doing a fantastic job. It is headed by my first Vice Chairman because by NBA bye laws, the first Vice Chairman is supposed to be the chairman of the Human Right Committee and the committee has tried. It filed matters in court to ensure that people are not cheated at their places of work or by their landlords. Then people always want to be compensated. On many occasions, the committee has held meetings with companies and they have paid compensation to many people. During the protest against fuel subsidy removal, Ikeja took the lead.

We were the first branch to come out and say: “Nigeria says No to fuel price increase”.

We organised our members and we demonstrated. Even before the national NBA said all the branches should join, we had done our bit.

In spite of all these, there are those who think your administration was too controversial; that as lawyers, your fights should be limited to the courts rather than staging and leading protests.

I had told you earlier that a lawyer lives for the advancement of the society. You must be prepared to do everything to ensure that we have a just society and an egalitarian one. We believe that power belongs to the people. If majority have spoken, government must listen. If government refuses to listen, we would always protest. Even during the Salami saga, Ikeja was the first to take the lead. We saw the other branches of NBA in Lagos and we said there was a need for us to do something about the matter. If there is anyone that has been found to be corrupt in the judiciary, we would take the lead and that is what we have been doing. People might say our role should be limited to courts, we believe the laws allow us to stage protests. We believe we are not comfortable with whatever policies of government that are anti-people. The law allows protest and it is our fundamental right and nobody can stop us. You know when lawyers take the lead, we are on the path of what is right and the people are ready to follow. Let me tell you, what gave that fuel subsidy protest the type of lead that was needed was because Ikeja Bar went on the streets. When people saw lawyers on the streets, people they came out.

In the past, when we talked about human right activists, they were mainly non-lawyers, such as the late Beko Ransome Kuti, leading organisations. But, today, there are many out there being led by lawyers. What is your reaction to the proliferation of such organisations?

I think we still need more; we still need more of human right organisations. It is just like when people are talking about the churches, that churches are here and there.

That is what we call evangelism. The more of human right organisations that we have, the NGOs, the better for the society so that at the grassroots, they would be able to edu-

• Omole

cate the people. What Nigerians need now to get out of the doldrums is education. We need to educate people on their rights. And who are the people that would do it? The NGOs and the human right organisations, the professional bodies. It is not only lawyers, even bankers, engineers, achitects and so on. These are the people we need to come out and educate the people because God has placed us in such a position that we have the ability to know our right from our left.

When people say there is a proliferation of human right bodies, I don’t agree. The only thing is that there are some people who are doing it, maybe for what they will gain out of it, for personal benefit. The time will come when those ones would be uprooted.

But, as at now, we still need more people to come on board.

Any attempt to regulate the human right bodies, especially the one-man ones like we had during the protest against fuel subsidy removal...?

Well, that is what we are saying. A time will come when we will separate the wheat from the chaff among those one-man human right organisations.

Of late, the corruption in the judiciary has become an issue and lawyers are being blamed. What is your take on this?

It takes two to tango. Those that give and those who take. Bribery is a two-way thing.

But, let me tell you this, the NBA is not closing its eyes to what is going on because the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. The judiciary cannot afford to be corrupt. So, if we have any corrupt judges, magistrates or lawyers, then they are not helping the system. Until we are able to do away with corruption in the judiciary, this society will not be better off. One thing you need to know is that you cannot separate the judiciary from other arms of government. Unfortunately, corruption has become a serious problem in Nigeria that needs to be tackled. We need to have many approaches to tackling corruption. For us, there is a need to revisit out statutes. A statute that allows a man to steal as much as N50 billion, N10 billion and he goes home to sleep in his house, is not a good law. The law that allows a man to steal so much and, at the end of the day, he is sent to prison for six months or one year is not a good law. In fact, what we need to do is for us to change our laws, to change our statute books.

We should not look at corruption in the judiciary alone. In fact, we need capital punishment for corruption in Nigeria for us to have a better society. So, what I am proposing is that: let us have a change of our statute books and make corruption, stealing of public funds, a judge that takes bribe, that judge is not worthy to live. It is not enough to say you are dismissing him or retiring him. That would not give any meaning to fighting corruption. But, if a judge is found guilty of corruption, he must be arraigned.

Now that our statute book does not have

provision for capital punishment, he must be arraigned before a court to face charges of corruption and, if he is found guilty, he must be sent to prison. He must not just be sent back home. He should be sent to prison.

When we begin to send these people to prison, we would discover that, to some extent, we would eradicate corruption. But the thing that we need to do is, let us change our statutes and have capital punishment for corruption as they do in China. If you corruptly enrich yourself and you know you are not going to spend that money if you are caught, then nobody would want to steal. I am proposing capital punishment for corruption. That is what will solve our problem, otherwise we are not going anywhere.

What kind of reform do you envisage for the judiciary to stem corruption?

The reform we are talking about in the judiciary has to do with the appointment of judges. If we want to have a serious reform in the judiciary, when it comes to the appointment of judges, the Bar must be involved. The position of the Bar must be considered in the appointment of judges because we have discovered that most of the people appointed judges in Nigeria no business being on the Bench, and that is why we have all this rubbish going on in the judiciary. When you appoint a man because of his affinity, because he is a son of a particular politician or he is a son of one retired justice who died 20 years ago and we want the family to come back, we would have a problem. I am not saying that there are people like that that are not qualified. If you are qualified, it must be on merit. When it comes to the appointment of a judge, integrity must count. What gives you a leeway as a judge is your integrity. If your integrity is in doubt, then you cannot perform as a judge.

Some of our judges are still lacking behind in law. If you appoint someone who graduated but has never practised law, somebody selling clothes on Lagos Island or somebody who opened a boutique as a judge just because the law says one must be ten years at the Bar, what do you expect of him or her? That is why among our judges today, some don’t know the law. Those are the ones you go to their courts and they keep on adjourning cases because they are confused. That is why we said the Bar must be involved if there is going to be any reform at all.

What else can be done?

Then we have to look into the condition of service. I know in Lagos State, for judges, their condition of service is okay. But in some other states, there is a need to review the condition of service to make judges more comfortable. Then, the independence of the judiciary is very very important; it is very vital and fundamental.

That is why I give kudos to the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Honourable Justice Inumidun Akande. Since she came on board as the Chief Justice of Lagos State, she has been fighting to make sure that the judiciary is independent. I also want to give kudos to the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, who has seen reason with her. In Lagos State, the judiciary is very independent and the other states judiciary must toe the line of Lagos State. Until we have a judiciary that is independent, there will continue to be problems. When you have a chief judge who has to kowtow before a governor to begging for money because there is a leaking roof in the court room, because the bench or the chairs in the court room are not good, you can’t have an independent judiciary. So, as part of the reform, we must have a judiciary that must be comparable internationally, there must be independence of the judiciary. If a judge is found wanting, he must not just be retired. He must be made to face the law as it is. And he must be made to go bear the the consequences of the law. If it is prison, let him go to prison. That is when we can have a better judiciary because when there is a problem with the judiciary, there is bound to be problems everywhere. But when the man knows that if he steals and it gets to court, he won’t have his way to bribe any judge or any magistrate, then the man would think twice. But when you have a judiciary that is corrupt, then there is a problem in that society. That is why we must not joke with our judiciary.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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LAW & SOCIETY 5TH REUNION, LAGOS 2012 ORGANISED BY UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, FACULTY OF LAW, CLASS OF 1980-83, HELD AT FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON HOTEL, LAGOS

• From left: Justice Adedotun Onibokun, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, his wife, Florence and Senator Effiong Bob

• Chief Judge, Federal High Court, Ibrahim Auta (left) and Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Ade Ipaye representing Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State

• Minority leader, House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and his wife, Salamatu

• Chief A. Aribisala (SAN) and his wife, Dotun

• From left: Mike Igbokwe (SAN), his wife Dora and former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State, O.A. Omonuwa (SAN)

• From left: Hon Ayo Odugbesan, Prof Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) and Prof Abiodun Adesanya (SAN)

• From left: Justice Hussein Yusuf, Chief Samuel O. Jegede and his wife, Olubunmi

• Justice J.T. Tsoho (left) and Justice A.O. Ajakaiye

• From left: Dr Uche Iheme, his wife Chidinma and Mrs Stella Dafinone

• From left: Chief Frank Owhor Ken Njemanze (SAN) and Justice Onochie Anyachebelu.

PHOTOS: JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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LAW & SOCIETY 27TH COURSE IN DRAFTING COMMERCIAL AGREEMENTS AND BANKING DOCUMENTATION BY THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED LEGAL STUDIES (NIALS) IN LAGOS

• Mrs Ufoma Laminkaran and NIALS Director-General, Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN)

• Mr Sesan Sobowale, the keynote speaker

• NIALS Director of Research, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye

• NIALS Secretary, James Barthnna

• From left: Fidelis Ibhagbosona and Stella Ezeh

• From left: Onagite Efere, Njoku Leo Erasmus and Sena-Jerry-Imahiagbe

• From left: Chukwuemeka Nwabuzor and Juliet Nkwuka Ogbonna

• From left: Benedith Okay Agu, Dr (Mrs) Chiyere Ani and Suzzie Ofuani

• From left: Omolara Pedro, Adejumoke Adewale and Yetunde Oresanya

• From left: Fatoki Yewande and Mrs Aderonmu Temitayo

• From left: Mr Kolapo Omidire and Dr (Mrs) Francisca Nlerum. PHOTOS: DAVID ADEJO

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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LEGAL OPINION

Why Supreme Court should overrule self on 180, 60 days • Continued from last week

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HE Supreme Court repeated this judicial feat in the case of Dapianlong vs. Dariye (No. 2) (2007) All FWLR (Pt. 373) 1, where it voided the impeachment of Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State, in spite of the constitutional embargo placed on courts’ jurisdiction by Section 188(10) of the Constitution.

Onnoghen, J.S.C., who delivered the lead judgment, held in unmistaken terms on page 131 as follows: “It is true that Section 188(10) of the 1999 Constitution ousts the jurisdiction of the courts in respect of the impeachment of a Governor or Deputy Governor but that must be subject to the rule that the legislature or the House of Assembly complied with all the constitutional requirements in Section 188 needed for the impeachment as the courts have jurisdiction to determine whether the said constitutional requirements have been strictly complied with or not.”

As stated above, the ouster clause in Section 188(10) was more tightly knitted than the limitation words of Section 285(6) and (7) of the Constitution; yet the Supreme Court, in a bid to do substantial justice and also effectively police the powers of the Legislature, lifted the jurisdictional veil and voided the two unconstitutional impeachments in Oyo and Plateau states, respectively. One wonders why the Supreme Court has persisted in refusing to intervene in respect to Section 285(6) and (7) of the Constitution – when the Judiciary , if compared with the Legislature that the Supreme Court whipped into line,

By Sebastine Hon (SAN)

are supposed to know better.

It is respectfully submitted that this is not the first time the Supreme Court will be called upon to rule on the legality or constitutionality of actions that are otherwise time-barred. For instance, even though section 2(a) of the various Public Officers (Protection) Acts/Laws that have dotted our statute books since pre-independence times have always placed threemonth limitation periods for the legality of actions taken by public officers to be challenged in courts of law, the Supreme Court, in a bid to stem abuse of public powers, has always held that for such limitation period to be utilised to oust the jurisdiction of the courts, the public officers seeking to take cover under the limitation periods must have acted within constitutional cum lawful limits. A few of such reported decisions will be cited here.

In Ibrahim vs. Judicial Service Committee, Kaduna State (1997-1998) 4 All NLR 302 at 318-319, Iguh, J.S.C., delivering the lead judgment of the Supreme Court, held in unequivocal terms as follows: “It can therefore be said that Section 2(a) of the Public Officers (Protection) Law, 1963 gives full protection or cover to all public officers or persons engaged in the execution of public duties who at all material times acted within the confines of their public duty. Once they step outside the bounds of their public authority and are acting outside the colour of their office or employment or outside their statutory or constitutional duty, they automatically lose protection of that law. In other words,

a public officer can be sued outside the limitation period of three months if at all times material to the commission of the act complained of, he was acting outside the colour of his office or outside his statutory constitutional duty.”

See, also, the recent decision of the Supreme Court in Hassan vs. Aliyu (2010) All FWLR (Pt. 539) 1007 at 1036-1037.

Indeed, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has always acted as the harbinger of the hallowed maxim ubi jus ibi remedium – meaning that where there is a right, there is a remedy. Thus, in the case of Saleh vs.

Monguno (2006) All FWLR (Pt. 332) 1411, instead of commencing his action by a writ of summons or an originating summons, the plaintiff commenced same by a motion on notice. Objection was taken that this was not one of the known means of commencing an action in the High Court.

The Supreme Court, while acknowledging this otherwise fundamental flaw, still upheld the suit in the spirit of substantial justice or providing a remedy where there existed a wrong!

All these bold attempts above are aimed at inviting the Supreme Court to save Nigeria’s tottering democracy. Our apex Court is the armour bearer of our salvation from the dark abyss of political and electoral fraud. It cannot shirk or shrink from this responsibility. It must not do so!

The interpretation by the Supreme Court of Section 285(6) and (7) of the Constitution has, however, gone very close to dimming the hopes of many Nigerians that the era of impunity and wantonness in the political and electoral process is very nigh to be torpedoed. The Supreme Court of Nige-

• Hon

ria must rise to the occasion, by either overruling itself or holding differently on the issue of 180 days, especially on the matters it specifically ordered retrial. It is unimaginable that the apex Court was not aware of the 180 days’ provision in the Constitution when it made those retrial orders!

I deeply respect the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

• Concluded • Hon (SAN) is an Abuja-based lawyer and author.

Return migration and development in Nigeria : Circular migration in perspective

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ABOUR in the context of migration is a migratory resource. Through migrations, human efforts and economic activities are converted to labour across regions. However, although labour is considered a resource in migration and development corners, migrants as vital resources do not officially enjoy the same codification as capital, goods and services. Migration and development nexus therefore are often difficult to appropriate.

This is more so when the focus is on return migrations/circular migrations.

While it would be ordinarily expected of migrants to return after a period of sojourn abroad due to age, level of success and affection for ‘home’, few actually return and the actual returnees contribution, and potentials to contribute, to national development is still not clear largely in real terms.

In terms of proportion of return for instance, in Nigeria, while most Nigerians intended to emigrate and many have emigrated, according to the United Nations data of 2009, the Average Annual Net Migration for the country – 60.0/thousands.

Regardless, eventual return and circulation are perceived as gains as returnees/

By Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye

circular migrants have capacities to drive domestic investment innovations and bring capacities for jumpstart and mobilise development. This return option in circular migration for development construct become appreciate due to the exper i e n c es of m at u r e d d i as p o r as l i ke Singapore, Korea, China, India and South Africa who have leverage on circular migrations to galvanise development at ‘home.’

Generally therefore, circular migrants are seen as potential engines of growth and development due to their transfer of learned ideas, technical skills and international networking. While these interests and orientations are necessary, important background dynamics/issues must be well comprehended.

Unfortunately this has not been the case as the dynamics and the nexus of circular migrations and national development have not been sufficiently investigated by research projects leading to partial and anecdotal understanding of the development potential and contribution of circular migrations to national development in Ni-

• General Secretary, NBA, Olumuyiwa Akinboro, first Asst. Steve Abba standing and NBA President, Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN) at the last NBA conference on the review of the performance of election petition tribunals held in Benin, Edo State.

geria.

Furthermore the contribution of circular migrants has not been robustly captured beyond data on remittances to home country. There is indeed no visible coordinated effort to fill this gap either at national or regional levels. Reasons for this attitude may be absence of institutional capacities, ignorance of the potential of circular migration to national development or lack of political will.

For example, the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo between active participants and contributors to national development aspirations. The former president was doubtless encouraged by the well known successes of nationals in Diaspora of countries like India, China and Israel to national development.

In the same way, circular migrants contribute to national development in different ways beyond remittances. Unfortunately, attention to and documentation of global best practices in circular migrations are particularly lacking in the ECOWAS region In light of the importance of circular migration to national development and in order to bridge the knowledge gap in this area, Human Development Initiatives, one

of the leading not for profits organisation ion Nigeria with the support and collaboration of ECOWAS-Spain Fund for Migration and Development is implementing a research project in the West Africa sub region with the aim of capturing the role of circular migrants to national development.

The research project will annex the dynamics of circular migrations for development and explore global best practices appropriate for designing in ECOWAS strategy for circular migration.

Specially, the project will use qualitative and quantitative data on circular migration and development to discover the real contributions of circular migrants to national development. It will also document the perceived contributions of circular migrants to national development and benchmark these against global best practices in circular migration.

It is hoped that Nigerians who have emigrated and have lived abroad in regions like Europe and America for as much as five to 10 years but have returned to Nigeria in the last five years will cooperate to share experience and information on the role played towards national development.

• Former President, NBA, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) (left) and Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) during the NBA conference on the review of the performance of election petition tribunals held in Benin, Edo State.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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LAW & SOCIETY

S’ Court decision on tenure: matters arising In The Supreme Court of Nigeria On Friday, the 27th day of January, 2012 Suit No: SC.141/2011 (CON) Before Their Lordships Dahiru Musdapher ...JSC Mahmud Mohammed ...JSC Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen ...JSC Christopher Mitchell Chukwuma-Eneh JSC Muhammad Saifullahi Muntaka-Coomassie ...JSC Olufunlola Oyelola Adekeye ...JSC Mary Ukaego Peter-odili ...JSC Between 1. Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa 2. Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) - SC.141/2011 AND Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) - SC.266/2011 AND Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) - SC.267/2011 AND Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) - SC.282/2011 AND Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) - SC.356/2011 AND Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) - SC.357/2011 (CONSOLIDATED) ....APPELLANTS And 1. Admiral Murtala Nyako 2. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) - SC.141/2011 3. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) AND Senator Liyel Imoke - SC.266/2011 And 1. Chief Timipre Sylva 2. The Hon. Attorney-general Of Bayelsa State 3. Mienyoibofo Fafa Stephen-GOW - SC.267/2011 4. The Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation 5. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) And 1. Alh. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamako - SC.282/2011 2. The Poeples Democratic Party And 1. Admiral Murtala Nyako (Governor Adamawa State) - SC.356/2011 2. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) And 1. Alh. Ibrahim Idris (Governor Kogi State) - SC.357/2011 2. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) (CONSOLIDATED) ....RESPONDENTS CLARA BATA OGUNBIYI, J.C.A. (Delivered the Leading Judgment): RATIO DECIDENDI

W

ORDS AND PHRASES - "ELECTION": Meaning of election "An election means the process of choosing by popular votes a candidate for political office in a democratic system of government. Ojukwu v. Obasanjo (2004) 12 NWLR (Pt.886) pg.169. Buhari v. Obasanjo (2005) 2 NWLR (Pt.910) pg.241."Per (P. 92, paras. E-F) - read in context WORDS AND PHRASES - "OATH OF ALLEGIANCE": Meaning of Oath of Allegiance "Law Dictionary Ninth Edition page 1176 defines oath of allegiance as - "An oath by which one promises to maintain fidelity to a particular sovereign or government." "Oath of office as oath taken by a person about to enter into the duties of public office, by which the person promises to perform the duties of that office in good faith." Per ADEKEYE, J.S.C.(P. 91, paras. D-F) - read in context ELECTORAL MATTERS - COMPUTATION OF TIME: Whether the term of office of each of these governors expired at the end of four years calculated from the first election ,or whether they are entitled to a tenure of four years calculated from the date of the second taking of the Oaths of Allegiance and of Office following the re-run elections of 2008.

"Guided by the above principles and many others not stated herein, can it be said that Section 180(2) supra admits of no unbroken tenure of four years? In the case of Inakoju vs Adeleke (2007) 4 NWLR (Pt. 1025) 423, this Court held that the impeachment and removal from office of Governor Ladoja of Oyo State was unconstitutional, null and void.

Prior to that decision Ladoja was out of office by way of impeachment for almost a year.

He subsequently instituted an action in which he sought to, regain the lost period of his four years tenure as guaranteed under Section 180(2) supra, in the case of Ladoja vs INEC (2007) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1025) but this Court held that his tenure cannot be extended to accommodate the period of time he lost through the impeachment. Governor Ladoja's tenure was broken by the impeachment saga in Oyo State; but he was asked to continue his tenure from when he returned to office. It is the case of the respondents that since their

elections in 2007, where nullified it meant that in law the said election never took place and as such the Oaths of Allegiance and of Office they took on May 29, 2007, became non-existent and that the Oaths of Allegiance and of Office which is valid and relevant to the determination of the four years tenure is that which they took at various dates in 2008.

I had earlier found and held that the provisions of Section 180 of the 1999 Constitution do not envisage a re-run election let alone a re-run election won by the same person who took the earlier Oaths of Allegiance and of Office. I have also found and held that from the totality of the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution including Section 180(1)(2)&(3) and 182(1)(b), a person first elected as governor of a state shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of four years commencing from the date he took the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office though he could be re-elected for another term of four years giving him a maxim two tenures of eight years.

It is very clear from the relevant provisions that no person elected under the 1999 Constitution can remain in that office for a day longer than as provided otherwise the intention of the framers of the constitution would be defeated. If the interpretation favoured by the respondents is adopted and the four years tenure is to be calculated from the second oaths taken in 2008, while in fact and law the first respondents took Oaths of Allegiance and of Office on May 29, 2007 and remained and functioned in office as governors of their various states would their period not exceed the constitutionally provided tenure of four years?

The answer is clearly in the positive hence the argument on the principles of null and void acts. In assigning four years to the tenure of state governors - and the President too - did the 1999 Constitution envisage a nullified election affecting the four years tenure assigned by it. I think not. The argument that following the nullification of their elections the said elections were in the eyes of the law nonexistent as they are regarded not to have taken place as well as the subsequent oaths they took to enable them function in the office of Governors of their states is brilliant though it does not deny the fact that there was an election conducted and winners de-

clared thereafter in accordance with existing laws and regulations; that the winners of that election subsequently took their Oaths of Allegiance and of Office as required by the constitution and did function in that office for about one year effectively exercising the executive powers of the state such as signing Bills into law including appropriation Bills; appointing commissioners and numerous Advisers, awarding contracts, etc. The proponents of this contention agree that the acts performed by the affected governors remain valid and subsisting after the nullification of the elections but the oaths they took to function in that office went with the nullification of their election! It is not in doubt that the lower Court was the final Court on governorship election petition matters and that its decision on such matters bind the election tribunals and courts below it in the hierarchy of Courts. The above notwithstanding this Court, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, is not bound by decisions of the lower Court in matters, where that Court is the final Court of appeal as this court is the highest Court in the land whose decisions are binding on all and sundry.

It is with the above in mind that I consider the wide nature of the decision of the lower Court as to the voidity of the elections that resulted in the swearing in of May 29, 2007.

Generally speaking, a void act is void and nothing can be put on it. However, when you consider the nature and consequences of an election which produced a winner who was sworn in on the presumption that the election that produced him was regular and legally valid then when that election is set aside or nullified, the nullification is only limited to the election and does not affect acts done while the person occupied that office. In effect, what it all means is that the election that was later nullified was only voidable, not void, because if it is to be taken literally as void ab initio as is being contended by some of the parties, it means the country would be plunged into chaos as all acts done by the governors must of necessity be null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

So, when we have a situation where the acts of the governor whose election is nullified are saved, then the only legal explanation or meaning to be attached to the use of the words "null and void" in describing the said election by the Court, is "voidable", ab initio. It is therefore my considered view that what the lower Court meant by saying that the elections were null and void is simply that they were voidable as a result of which they proceeded to annul same. I hold the considered view that since the acts performed during the period prior to the nullification of the election remains valid and subsisting and the same person contested and won the re-run election thereby taking another set of oaths and since what was nullified was the election, the oaths they took on May 29th, 2007, remains valid and the starting point in calculating their four years tenure of office as governors of their respective states particularly as the 1999 Constitution does not envisage a tenure exceeding four years by the same person who took the first oaths following the election which kick started the tenure."Per ONNOGHEN, J.S.C (Pp. 48-52, paras. E-G) - read in context

ELECTORAL MATTERS - COMPUTATION OF TIME: Computation of time in determining the tenure of office of a governor where there has been a re-run in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution "The fact that there was an election in 2007 as a result of which the first respondents (governors) took their Oaths of Allegiance and of Office are facts which cannot be wished away, just as the acts they performed while occupying the seat. The said governors may not have been de jure governors following the nullification of their elections, which is not supported by the acceptance of their acts in that office as legal and binding on all and sundry, they were certainly governors de facto during the period they operated ostensibly in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and Electoral Act and as such the period they so operated has to be taken into consideration in determining the terminal date of their tenure following, what I may call, their second missionary journey vide a re-run election particularly as the constitution unequivocally grants a tenure of four years to a person elected governor of a state calculated from the date he took the Oaths of Allegiance and of Office which was May 29, 2007. It is settled law that the time fixed by the constitution for the doing of anything cannot be extended.

It is immutable, fixed like the rock of Gibraltar. It cannot be extended, elongated, expanded, or stretched beyond what it states. To calculate the tenure of office of the governors from the date of their second Oaths of Allegiance and of Office while ignoring the period from May 29, 2007, when they took the first oaths is to extend the four years tenure constitutionally granted the governors to occupy and act in that office which would be unconstitutional. It is therefore clear and I hereby hold that the second Oaths of Allegiance and of Office taken in 2008, though necessary to enable them continue to function in that office, were clearly superfluous in the determination of the four years tenure under Section 180(2) of the 1999 Constitution."Per ONNOGHEN, J.S.C (Pp. 54-55, paras. E-F) - read in context COURT - DUTY OF COURT: Duty of court to interpret the statute in accordance with the intention of the law makers "In Ugwu vs Ararume (2007) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1048) 367 at 498 this Court stated thus:- "A statute, it is always said, is "the will of the legislature" and any document which is presented to it as a statute is an authentic expression of the legislative will. The function of the Court is to interpret that document according to the intent of those who made it.

Thus, the Court declares the intention of the legislature". I am also guided by the principles of interpretation of the provisions of the constitution which enjoins the Court to interpret the constitution as a whole taking into consideration, related sections as stated in A.T Ltd vs A. D. H Ltd (2007) 15 NWLR (Pt. 1056) 1 18 at 166 - 167 thus: "It is settled law that when a court is faced with the interpretation of a constitutional provision, the entire provision must be read together as a whole so as to determine the object of that provision.

• To be continued

• Okey Wali (SAN) and Nella Andem Rabana (SAN) during the NBA conference on the review of the performance of election petition tribunals held in Benin, Edo State.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

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FROM THE COURT

• Grace Ketefe of WARDC and Oyindamola Musa of SERAP

• Dibia and Omofia Onyeka of AJ

• Joy Ugwu and Akinpelumi Davies of HURILAWS

• Balogun

Groups unite against bad governance

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EN civil society organisations have vowed to combat bad governance and “socio-political mischief” through constructive opposition and presentation of alternative views on policy issues.

The groups (NED Grantees in Nigeria) will be called “One Voice”.

Their qualification as members stem from their respective relationships with the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) of America.

The foundation members signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Lagos last Tuesday. It will, if necessary, be reviewed annually by parties.

They are the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC); Access to Justice (AJ); New Initiative for Social Development (NISD); Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) and Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG).

Others are Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA); Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP); Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation (CENCOD); Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) and the Independent Advocacy Project (IAP).

Dr Adewale Balogun of the CCG

By Joseph Jibueze

said the group’s strategic focus would be to reinvigorate civil society and support the vision of a vibrant democracy.

This, he added, will require the pursuit of a mission of promoting a ‘servant-leadership’, resultoriented service and pro-people policy paradigms.

“Strategic alliances and partnerships between dynamic civil society actors with experience in championing change are necessary because it is increasingly clear that no organisation in our society can address the complexities surrounding the issues of national and human development on its own,” he said.

The coalition intends to “serve as an alternative leadership and provide the credible opposition necessary to make government responsive to the aspirations of the people.”

It aims to provide “a potent pressure in fostering democratic governance through collaboration,” as well as “foster a mentality of democratic culture among the citizens.”

It will “re-define the political class and effectively use technology as the media to the best ad-

vantage.”

The organisations will work on effecting changes regarding overcentralised democracy, the need for a well-policed state, issues relating to fuel subsidy, high cost of democracy, insecurity, constitutional reform and making economic rights justice-able, and how to control “arbitrary powers” of the National Assembly (including the power to fix the salaries of its members), among others.

Their strategy will include information gathering, issue-focused dialogue, information dissemination, advocacy and “standup actions.”

The coalition’s secretariat will be at one of the partner’s offices, while hosting of their meeting will be on rotational basis, Balogun said.

The Chair, Steering Committee, Mr Leonard Dibia of AJ, said it was unfortunate that Nigeria, after over 50 years since independence, has become a case study of contradictions.

This, he said, includes extreme poverty amidst extreme wealth, and governance characterised by ethnic chauvinism and primitive accumulation of wealth at the expense of 80 per cent of the citizenry.

• Programme Coordinator, CCG, Mrs Julie Iregbu-Ihejirika

‘This coalition seeks to ensure that democracy goes beyond voting rights, and that the right to vote must translate into a stable and enduring socio-economic empowerment of every Nigerian, including the weakest simpleton in our midst’ He said the contradictions are also evidenct in what he called “a ‘choiceless’ democracy in which the elective options are narrowed down to a bunch of men who have become a destructive oligarchy that makes no practical difference between military dictatorship and democratic governance.”

Dibia added: “The commitment required will involve synergising our respective organisational strengths towards fostering a vibrant political environment that will allow for constructive opposition and offering to our governments at both federal and state levels alternative views on policy issues in Nigeria.

“This coalition therefore seeks to ensure that democracy goes beyond voting rights, and that the right to vote must translate into a

stable and enduring socio-economic empowerment of every Nigerian, including the weakest simpleton in our midst.”

The coalition is presently constituted by NED-funded civil society organisations in the Southwest, which forms the pilot constituency. It intends to expand to other regions as its impact grows.

On why an independent “opposition” is needed, IAP’s Executive Director, Pastor Adedeji Adeleye said many members of the opposition political parties cross-carpet.

For instance, he said opposition members in the National Assembly earn the same salaries as those in the ruling party and so may see nothing wrong in the “jumbo” pay and therefore will not kick against it.

LEGAL DIARY

Alison Madueke, Ajumogobia, Stopford, Oyebode, others for summit

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INISTER for Petroleum Resource Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke and former Minister of External Affairs Odein Ajumogobia (SAN) will speak at the Oil and Gas Summit organised by Legal Blitz, publishers of ESQ, a legal practice magazine.

It will be held on May 9 at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The summit will brainstorm on the legal, regulatory, business updates and challenges in Nigeria, Africa’s hottest jurisdiction for energy, and point the direction for their future

closer interface in the industry.

Organisers said it will consist of well researched paper presentations and case studies by leading experts in the oil and gas industry, finance, insurance, and lawyers including Partner/ Head of the London Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance Group, White & Case UK, Mr Phillip Stopford, and Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) section on business Law, Mr Gbenga Oyebode.

Other speakers are Executive Director Legal Services Mobil Producing Unlimited, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu; Group Executive Direc-

tor, Gas & Power, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr David Ige and Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Engr. Ernest Nwapa.

Others are Partner Aluko & Oyebode Mrs Kofo Dosekun; CEO, Sahara Group, Mr Tonye Cole; Mr Ike Oguine of Chevron Nigeria Ltd; CEO Marine Platforms Mr Taofeek Adegbite and Director, SAPETRO, Mrs joy Ikiebe.

The rest are Dr Koyinsola Ajayi (SAN), Mr Soji Awogbade, Mr Sola Adepetun, Dr. Bayo Adaralegbe and Mr Oghogho Akpata, among others.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

37

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

NTDA, Residents bicker over quality of road

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HE timely intervention of the management of New Towns Development Authority (NTDA), at Amuwo Odofin Estate in Lagos, may have saved a major crisis.

Residents of the estate, built during the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande, had embarked on a peaceful demonstration against the quality of construction work at Oba Mobadenle Oyekan way, calling that the contractor should be sacked and insisting on a specific standard of material and workmanship.

The altercation between the duo arose out of the observation by the residents that the contractor handling the Oba Mobadenle Oyekan road and Global road may have short-changed them by using substandard materials in the construction of the roads.

They accused the contractor of using sub-standard paving stones for the kerbs, poor quality workmanship, and over–sized road median to the detriment of the residents and other road users. They listed the quality of jobs they would have preferred and contractor, insisting they will not rest until the government listens and makes the changes they requested.

But in a joint tour of the project, the General Manager, NTDA, Dr Adeyemi Isiba, said the tour was to address grey areas and soothe raw nerves between the residents, NTDA, the contractor and other stakeholders.

In a chat with The Nation, Isiba acknowledged the peaceful protest of the residents as their legitimate right but disagreed that the work is substandard.

He said: “The protest is a legitimate right of the residents of the estate. The contractor handling the project is doing a good job, the quality of the paving stone that is used is not substandard in any way.

The minimum standard of a paving stone acceptable in engineering construction is 21kn/mm2.

The laboratory test of the paving stone in question shows that they have an average strength of 24kn/mm2, which is 80 per cent.

Moreover, the road has been opened to traffic, which includes cars, commercial buses and heavy duty vehicles since January this year and it has not shown any sign of distress.”

Isiba said the complaint about the rough surface of the paving stone is also misplaced as the roads built are in the residential scheme and not supposed to be a race track nor major highways for haulage trucks as it has been allowed to be.

The NTDA boss said the topography of the land was a major factor in taking decisions as to what

• Isiba and officials of Amuwo Odofin Estate Resident Association on Friday.

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst. Editor

materials to use. Paving stone with rough surface was favoured because it will aid friction, especially during the wet season when the roads are usually wet, he insisted.

On the wideness of the road, he said: “The road is 7.3 wide on each side and this is the international standard; the existing drain was extended to improve on the discharge ability and the walkway is 1 metre wide on each side.

The median is six metres wide, this was done to ensure that possession of the total right of way was taken to curb encroachment and make same available for future development. However, for now the plan is to plant it with avenue trees that will add value both aesthetic and air quality among others to the environment.”

He called the attention of the residents to the fact that the road is designed as a dual carriage way to service the estate and not an alternative highway for haulage ve-

hicles. He encouraged them to work with the relevant government agency to enforce speed limits to protect their children and wards.

On the desirability or otherwise of the culverts, Isiba insisted on the proficiency of the professionals engaged in the project. He said the experts engaged in the job have comprehensive study of the area and the road infrastructure to be built.

He said since the project is 70 per cent completed it would be foolhardy to start making major changes but promised that the contractor will improve on its quality of craftsmanship. He insisted the gradient of the drain, storm water flow, discharge point and the outfall has been considered and provided for in the work plan.

He urged residents of the estate to cooperate with the agency and the contractor to harvest the dividends of democracy in the bid of the government to transform Amuwo Odofin residential

PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE

scheme.

Isiba said the only thing lacking was communication and promised to work with the residents association to see that everything will work to perfection.

Shedding light on the absence of drainage in certain areas, he insisted that the construction is not new but charged the residents to work together to remove illegal structures blocking the free flow of water during the rains and desist from throwing garbage into the channels.

Furthermore, he encouraged them to put in place a facility manager for the preservation and management of the estate.

Presenting his own side of the story, Chairman, Amuwo Residents Association, Mr Owabukuwa Ade, said the residents embarked on the protest because of their dissatisfaction with the quality of work done by the contractor.

He said all efforts made for the resident engineer and the contractor to listen to them fell on deaf

‘We must acknowledge that he reasoned with us to an extent and succeeded partially in persuading us as to the the activities of the contractor. We are happy that the sub-standard kerbs we emphasised during our demonstration disappeared overnight before the tour of the project’

ears.

“Severally we were rebuffed and we had no choice but to let the public know what we are going through as the project directly impacts on us.

He said: “We had plan A-C but we are satisfied the government listened to us and has come to verify our claims against the contractor handling the project. The joint project tour with Isiba has soothed us in certain ways though not completely.

“We must acknowledge that he reasoned with us to an extent and succeeded partially in persuading us as to the the activities of the contractor. We are happy that the substandard kerbs we emphasised during our demonstration disappeared overnight before the tour of the project. The general manager has also promised to look into our complaint on the outrageous widening of the road median by liaising with the local government chairman.”

He called the attention of the government to the negative activities of articulated and axial vehicles that pass through the estate, which is contributing in no small way to the deterioration of the road. However, he praised the Local Government Chairman, who has introduced stone base on the entrance from mile 2 and also sand-filled certain portions.

On illegal structures erected by some residents in the estate, he said when the estate was constructed by Alhaji Lateff Jakande in the 80s, it was managed by the Lagos State Property Development Cooperation (LSDPC).

He said LSDPC which gave residents valid promise that they will erect cubicles for their wards and family members unfortunately could not fulfill the promise.

He said: “When the government introduced the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), and we became hungry and couldn’t fend for ourselves, we talked to ourselves that rather than us dying of hunger with our families we can help ourselves by converting the open spaces to accommodate container shops.

“We want to strongly disagree with the allegation that the shops are illegal structures because where a government parastatal managing the estate approved it and also collects ground rent from us it can no longer be called illegal structures. Currently, Lagos Building Investment Cooperation ( LBIC), manages the estate and collects ground rent from us.”

On maintenance, he pleaded with NTDA to set-up a maintenance management in place to preserve their investment.

‘We are committed to 4th Mainland Bridge’

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OMMISSIONER for Works & Infrastructure, Dr Hamzat Kadiri Obafemi has assured Lagosians that the planned construction of the 4th Mainland Bridge will not be hindered by the on-going development of the jetties to link the eastern and western parts of the state.

Hamzat gave this assurance while inspecting the ministry’s projects in the Eti-Osa Local Council Development Areas and environs. He said it is in tune with the intermodal transportation plan of the government, which involves providing the

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst Editor

general public with options.

The Commissioner, who disclosed that the bridge development has been concessioned, said the government will not wait for the delivery of the bridge before providing the people with viable alternatives such as water transportation.

He said since the commencement of water transportation, the passengers using ferries had risen from 400,000 monthly to 1.4 million; a figure expected to increase to over four million when the jetties are completed.

Obafemi also stated that the completion of the three new jetties along with those being rehabilitated at Mile 2 and Oworonshoki will ensure the end of the perennial gridlock that characterise moving around major parts of Lagos.

He reiterated that the on- going litigation on the Osborne jetty site will not distract the state government from accomplishing the goals of water transportation adding that it is in the character of the administration to obey laws.

Commenting further on the development agenda of the administration, Hamzat said with the

newly awarded 180 projects by the State’s Tenders Board, the state will again become a giant construction works yard which provides jobs and boosts the economy.

He said projects awarded, especially those of his Ministry cuts across all segments of the state adding that both rural communities and urban areas were addressed in the plethora of projects enunciated by the administration.

Expressing satisfaction with the spate of work at various sites visited, the Commissioner observed the change in construction strategies/methods from on-site

production of slabs and culverts to site yard productions.

Hamzat pointed out that the government, bearing in mind that Lagos is a coastal state, has incorporated the possible flooding resulting from rainfall into the master plan of road construction by including the upgrading and construction of drainage channels that will ensure proper discharge of water from the roads in the event of rising sea level.

He also said projects which were not performing to expectation would be re-awarded to ensure that the intended benefits of such projects are made available to the people.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

38

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

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Lagos housing fair to canvass indigenous technology, housing delivery

RGANISERS of the 12th Lagos Housing Fair, have resolved to beam the searchlight on a critical issue affecting the housing sector and to direct the nation’s attention to the need to promote indigenous technologies.

Chairman of the fair, Mr Moses Ogunleye disclosed this during a chat with The Nation.

He said his organisation believes the nation should look inwards while taking advantage of the abundant natural resources.

This is in addition to offering stakeholders a platform to take issues of housing development and relate them to indigenous technology such as building design, materials usage, construction methodology, capacity development, as well as research and development.

Ogunleye regretted that in spite of the country’s efforts in ensuring that appropriate technology is adopted in the various sectors of the economy, the result has not been satisfactory.

He said: “For instance the National Construction Policy (1991) has as its goal on construction materials “to achieve a situation where locally sourced materials are used in all construction works”.

He said the strategy employed by the government is to move towards total disengagement from

• Holds from April 30 to May 5

• Ogunleye flanked by Mrs Ayo Sotonwa (right) and Kayode Adumadeyin at the press conference in Ikeja.

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst. Editor

the use of imported materials wherever possible in favour of locally available materials.

Ogunleye chided the government for not pursuing the goal with vigour after 21 years of its declaration which would have led to the reduction of importation of materials improving local capac-

Cost of construction projects in Nigeria ranks highest in the world

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ECRETARY to the Government (SGF) Anyim Pius Anyim has disclosed that cost of construction projects in Nigeria ranks among the highest in the world.

Anyim made this known at the opening ceremony of the first National Project Cost Reduction Summit by Quantity Surveyors of Nigeria (QSRBN), with the theme Achieving value for money in Abuja.

He said the government has put in place the required legal framework through the enactment of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

He said: “I understand that the objective of this summit is to generate complementary resource inputs on measures to drastically reduce the high cost of government projects at the federal, state and local government levels.

“The theme of the summit is most appropriate and timely because the present Administration under the able leadership of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, he places great emphasis on project cost reduction in the country. Achieving value-for-money in the development of public infrastructure in Nigeria occupies a pride of place in

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

the transformation agenda of government.

“The elements for attaining this cost reduction are financial probity, value-for-money, efficient allocation of resources and accountability in the conceptualisation, planning and execution of engineering and construction projects within the economy.

“Mr President at various times has expressed worry and concern about the high cost .of road projects in Nigeria for example and has directed the Economic Management Team headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala to find solution to this malaise. I believe the quantity surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria also has a role to play in finding solutions to this.

“Given the fact that the determination of cost structure and components of construction projects is a major function of the Quantity Surveyor, your profession therefore holds the key to unraveling the mystery behind the high costs not derived from inflation within the

economy to high cost which arise from factors other than market forces.

“I am saying this because I am aware that generally contractors often respond to invitations to bids based on their perceptions of the risks associated with each project.

They naturally attempt to mitigate the risks by translating them into monetary values which are invariably transferred to the overall project costs.

Anyim noted that some of such risks include: funding, high interest, security, foreign exchange fluctuation risks etc. All these risks have huge impact on the cost of projects’in Nigeria. The Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) has been making “‘concerted efforts to mitigate some of these risks with a view to bringing down the cost of doing business in the country.”

The President, QSRBN, Mallam Husaini Dikko, said: “High project cost stigmatises us as a nation and its negative impact on our national development and wellbeing is very damning. This summit will take a holistic view of high project costs and examine its various ramifications in order to evolve strategies to deal with the problem.”

Anambra to accelerate work on roads

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OVERNOR Peter Obi has said work on the Amansea-EbenebeObaofemili road would be accelerated now that the Ezu bridge had been completed and opened for vehicular movement. Obi made this known while inspecting the completed bridge.

He expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done on the bridge saying additional work is being done at the river bank to further protect the project.

Obi said tempo of earthwork,

‘For instance the National Construction Policy (1991) has as its goal on construction materials “to achieve a situation where locally sourced materials are used in all construction work’

priming and asphalt will be increased until the project is completed at Obaofemili while the inroad to the bridge will not be asphalted until after six months or one year because of the heavy sand filling which will be allowed to set and cement to avoid cracks.

The governor said the completion of the bridge had opened up easy access to communities in Awka North and will boost socioeconomic activities in the area.

Obi recalled that contrary to the belief in some quarters that the

project would be impossible to execute, the state government had completed it with best quality standard that would stand the test of time.

A catholic clergy, Reverend Father Michael Nwoye expressed gratitude to the governor for completing the project and saving the people of the area from years of suffering and hardship.

Nwoye assured that the church would continue to pray for the governor to complete his vision for the state.

ity. He also criticised the unbridled emergence of large numbers of uncertified real estate developers who are involved in construction without regulation wreaking havoc in the process.

The number of trained artisans has continued to dwindle leading to increase in wages charged by various tradesmen who have acquired some training and expertise. Ogunleye also called on the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to double their efforts in checking the influx of fake and sub-standard building materials.

He promised that the fair will provide an avenue for cross fertilisation of ideas among stakeholders in the monarchs building and construction industry.

Kwara compensates 68 monarchs over acquired land • Engineers to visit Kwara project sites

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HE Kwara State government at the weekend compensated 68 traditional rulers and one other person with N6.6million for the land acquired from them.

The land in question is along Ilorin-Ogbomoso expressway, Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Speaking with reporters shortly after the issuance of cheques to the beneficiaries, Deputy DirectorGeneral, Bureau of Lands, Alhaji Salman Ibrahim said: “All of them have been enumerated and value attached to the land and the economic trees. As a matter of fact, there is no development on the land except economic trees.”

Ibrahim said the bureau acquired about 100 hectares, which will in collaboration with ZJC Nigeria Limited be used for agricultural purposes in partnership with ZJS Nigeria Limited.

His words: “As government acquired land, we must compensate because it is part of the process of legalising the acquisition. It is a valid process in acquisition. If

D

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

there is any other acquisition tomorrow and they are due for compensation, we will still pay.

“We do not have people complaining of underpayment, or not being captured. We have been in the process one year because we want to do the right thing. We had gone to meet the people and enumerated, evaluated the area and survey and we made publications to people who have interest.

“We went physically to the land to meet people who have interest and they processed their names.

We have not received any complaint of anybody not being captured or anyone duplicated.”

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), will continually inspect ongoing construction sites of the state government.

Accordingly, the state Chairman of the society, Mr Kamila Mopa praised the state government for applying local content in the execution of its engineering and construction works.

‘Fix Ado/Owo road’

ISTURBED by the deplorable condition of the AdoEkiti/Akure road, a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Akindele Adeniyi has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to direct the Federal Ministry of Works and other relevant agencies to urgently fix the road before the rainy season Adeniyi, who spoke with reporters shortly after assessing the road, wondered why the Federal Government has refused to repair the road despite repeated calls from well-meaning Nigerians from Ekiti and Ondo states.

The lawmaker, who is repre-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

senting Akure North State Constituency, said if urgent steps were not taken before the beginning of the rainy season, the road would be impassable for motorists and other road users.

He lamented that the poor state of the road had continued to expose travellers to untold hardship of road mishaps His words: “It is saddening that despite various appeals to the Federal government and other relevant agencies, the road is still in shambles. The poor state of the road has continued to expose road users to danger.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

39

MARITIME

‘Nigeria loses $500m annually to wrong shipping policy’ N

IGERIA is losing about $500 million annually due to the usage of Free on Board (FoB), a trade policy in the lifting of crude oil that have been faulted by experts.

Managing Director, Badmus Shipping Company, Chief Fola Badmus disclosed this in an interview with The Nation.

FoB specifies which party (buyer or seller) pays for the shipment and leading costs, and/or where responsibility for the goods is transferred.

He stressed the need for the Federal Government to adopt Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) for the lifting of crude oil.

CIF is a trade term which requires the seller to arrange for the carriage of goods by sea to a port of destination, and provide the buyer with the documents necessary to obtain the goods from the carrier.

Other stakeholders that back the CIP policy include President, Indigenous Ship Owners Association (ISAN), Chief Isaac Jolapamo and maritime lawyer, Mr Seye Adetowubo.

Local ship owners said some oil and gas transactions, amounting to billions of dollars are carried out every year under CIF contracts. They noted that Nigeria was losing out because of the noninvolvement of local ship owners in crude oil lifting.

Badmus said substantial

• An oil tanker vessel

part of the problems faced by indigenous owners was due to the failure to enforce the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety (NIMASA) Act, 2007 five years after its enactment.

The indigenous shipping companies, he said, have over the years been grappling with lack of cargo support, which had made so many of them to close shop with the attendant unemployment problems years after the enactment of the act and other legislations such as the Cabotage Act, 2003 and Nigerian Content Act 2010.

Jolapamo said Nigeria is the only country that is still using the FoB policy.

“The policy is being used to the detriment of the

economy,”he said.

Adetowubo told The Nation that the adoption of either the CIF or FoB policy by the Federal Government should be based on how the policy is of advantage to the parties involved in the shipping business.

The intention of the Cabotage Act, he said, was to give the indigenous shipping companies the necessary cargo support to enable them compete with their foreign counterparts, who have usurped all the cargoes on the international shipping route and the coastal and Inland region.

He said: “The National Assembly has played its role by enacting the legislation, the problem is for President

Goodluck Jonathan to summon enough courage that will ensure strict enforcement of the Act. “The CIF policy serves the interests of the seller because he is the shipper and the person to whom the bill of lading is issued. Thus, no question could arise as to his right to possession.”

Adetowubo said the CIF seller is also certain that insurance had been procured and is, therefore, less concerned than an FoB seller.

Finance and banking credit facilities, Adetowubo said, are much easier to arrange under the CIF policy stressing that buyers stand the chance of benefiting a lot from the easier finance and credit facilities.

NPA acquires four boats

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•Managing Director, NPA Omar Suleiman

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HE Nigerian Ports Au thority (NPA) has ac quired four new tug boats and pilot cutters to boost its operation.

Impeccable sources at the NPA’s Head Office in Lagos told The Nation last Friday that the management of the authority will receive two new pilot cutters before the end of this month.

The pilot cutters, constructed at Damen shipyard in Rotterdam, Netherlands, were scheduled to commence their voyage from the

yard to Nigeria last month.

Pilot cutters are fast boats used to take marine pilots from the harbour to incoming large trading vessels and back.

A senior official at NPA, who craved anonymity, said the two new pilot cutters would be supplied by Landfall Transport & Towage Services Limited.

NPA, the official said, has only three pilot cutters in service in the Lagos Harbour.

Of these three pilot cutters, the NPA owns only one while two are leased.

The official also told The Nation that NPA has also awarded contract for the supply of two new tug boats to Messrs Depassa Nigeria Limited to boost its fleet.

A tugboat is a boat that manoeuvres vessels by pushing or towing them.

Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbour or a narrow canal or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships or oil platforms.

Group wants port privatisation reviewed

MAJOR maritime stakeholder group, the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) has called for the review of the port privatisation carried out in 2006.

In a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, which was copied to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Coordinating Minister of Economic Management Team and Minister of Finance, the Minister of Transport as well as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and signed by the group’s National President, Mr Lucky Amiwero, the group alleged that the privatisation of the ports as it was done in 2006 does not auger well for the country.

In the letter to the President, the group brought the

By Uyoatta Eshiet

attention of the government to the need to build confidence, grow wealth and create employment in the port system through proper organisation of port operation and legislative work.

Amiwero, who served as the Draft Committee Chairman on the Task Force for the review of Port charges and

Head of Delegation to Ghana in 2001, said “Seven years into the concession, we are still being faced with management, operational and administrative problems in the present port concession.

Amiwero said his working visit to Ghana reveled critical aspects of confidence building, employment generation and wealth creation in their port privatisation as

against what is obtained in Nigeria. He revealed that in Ghana, 30 per cent of the operations is reserved for the government while the remaining 70 per cent is operated through a holding company, the Meridian Ports Holding Limited, which is a joint venture between Ghana Port and Harbour Authority (GPHA), APMT/Maersk and Bollore DTI Group.

Customs review targets for commands

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HE battle to realise the N1 trillion revenue target set for the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) by the Federal Government has begun in all the Customs commands.

To realise the goal, the service has also given its various commands monthly targets. In the breakdown, Apapa port command has a

target of N27 billion, while Tin-Can Island and Onne port commands got N22 billion and N10 billion respectively. Similarly, PTML command was given a target of N7.5 billion; Lilypond, N5 billion; Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, N5 billion and Port Harcourt has N4 billion among others.

The Customs Command at Apapa said it recorded N15.422 billion in January.

The breakdown of the figure sent to The Nation on request shows the command recorded a total of N7.287 billion as import duties, while fees collected stood at N17.487 million. The total Customs revenue for January was N7.630 billion.

Council supports trillion revenue drive

By Oluwakemi Dauda

THE one trillion naira revenue drive announced by the Nigeria Customs Services(NCS) to meet the target set by the Federal Government has received the support of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), despite the stiff opposition and criticism by some stakeholders, which included the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders and Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers and Exporters Coalition.

Speaking with The Nation last week, the National President of the association, Chief Festus Osaji Ejioof, said the revenue drive was in the interest of the country and declared his association’s total support for it.

The council, he said, is in support of the move because of what it called a patriotic step to sustain the economy.

Besides, the president said the avenues for the revenue were also intended to stop smuggling and other illegal importation and duty evasion by some dubious importers and reckless clearing agents.

He said: “NCMDLCA is in total support of the Federal Government revenue drive through theNCS to checkmate fraudulent imports and unpatriotic clearing agents,” he said Ejioof affirmed the support of the Council to the Customs under the leadership of Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, based on his efforts to boost revenue generation for the development of the country, job creation and stop under declaration.

A few weeks back, Customs announced measures aimed at shoring up its revenue generation to a trillion naira mark for 2012 following the increase in its target for the year by the Federal Government.

It also said it would start collecting duties on livestock imported to enable it generate more revenue.

Wrecks removed from Lagos channel THE Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says it has removed 99 per cent of wrecks along the Lagos Channel.

Speaking with The Nation in his office last week, the General Manager, Public Affairs of NPA, Chief Micheal Ajayi, said the NPA has removed 23 wrecks out of the 24 identified along the channel.

“We actually have 24 wrecks to remove, but, so far we have achieved 99 per cent, we have only one wreck to remove and they are putting in all efforts to remove the remaining one. So, I can tell you that very soon, the wreck would be removed and our channel will be one of the safest in Africa, and even the world,” Ajayi said.

He reiterated the NPA management’s commitment to ensure that the channels are safe and better.

In his words: “We started work in October 2010 effectively. So, it has taken us one year and three months.

“The point is that we know the effect that wrecks can constitute along the channel. It makes the channel unpredictable, it can cause damage to the vessels coming in; not only that, some of the large vessels find it very difficult to make a turn when they want to go back.

“So, the removal of wrecks have created enough space for them to turn without any pain. And looking at the economic implication, it means when there is a very good strong confidence in your channel you can attract larger vessels.

“And we have seen it with the arrival of Maersk Calabar and Maersk Conkary that visited in May, last year; bringing about 4,500 containers. We believe this is just the beginning,” he said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

40

ENERGY

Strategic statements for biofuels development T in Nigeria

HE global energy community is witnessing an increased interest in biofuels development. The EU perceives biofuels as sustainable energy source; United States perceives biofuels as alternatives for reducing oil-dependency and a technical option to respond to climate change. Some countries like Brazil, Malaysia and Mexico see biofuels as export-oriented development.

These alternative energies are perceived not only as one of the answers to the present energy crisis on a global level, but also as one of the solutions to the global warming problem attributed to greenhouse gas emissions.

Nigeria, like other African countries, is attempting to position itself in the dynamics around biofuels with a possible concern about maintaining a balance between food and energy security.

Access to modern energy services especially for the rural areas where the food that we eat comes from and where our energy crops for biofuels will be grown is key for both energy security and sustainable development. So, positive strategic statements on biofuels development in Nigeria must be made

by Nigerian leaders and legislators; to support both investment and use of biofuels in Nigeria. Such positive statement was recently made by house committee chairman (Ubani) on climate change in Nigeria.

Biofuels have succeeded in sowing hope for a more large-scale development, particularly to help reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, which are under threat of exhaustion. Biofuels increase access to modern energy for the poor, and improve incomes in local communities. Two trends have emerged from the international biofuels scene. On one hand, fossil fuel-importing nations (e.g Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso) who are seeking an immediate solution to reduce their growing energy expenditures, and on the other hand, countries (e.g Brazil) which are currently- or are interested in becoming- biofuels exporters, are attempting to position themselves strategically within the global energy market. This reflects the great hope for biofuels as key in overcoming the energy crisis, promoting alternative energy, and reducing global warming and its consequences.

This first generation of biofuels feedstock such as corn, wheat, cassava, sugarcane, sorghums, palm oil, vegetable oil, soy oil, remains highly contested and is currently the source of a heated debate on the threat that energy security poses to food security. This debate has stimulated a new interest in the exploration of the second generation of biofuels feedstock, based on the conversion of agricultural and forestry wastes or the conversion of lignocelluloses substances—biomass into energy. Food and Agricultural Organization, FAO has taken a position of moderation towards biofuels development in each country and insists on the maintenance of a balance between

By Olaoluwa Toyin Bamikole

food sovereignty and energy security. That is a good position of FAO. It means biofuels development in a country like Nigeria must be responsibly developed in such a balanced policy that will both secure energy/environment and employment. As exciting as this development of international biofuels, with statements of commitments from country leaders, taking positions on energy and food security and sustainability, Nigeria is yet to hear and read more serious statements from our leaders either from reverberating biofuels policies or formidable biofuels laws. See few statements on biofuels made by different American leaders irrespective of their political parties and organizations at different times, saying the same objective of reducing dependence on oil.

“With America now importing 60% of the oil we use and a national bill for this habit that came to $250 billion last year, there is simply no time to waste. With worldwide demand growing rapidly, and with concern about the environmental impact of greenhouse gases rising, the deployment of clean, reliable sources of energy is clearlyin our national interest.”

—Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman 1999 “Our overall gasohol program will spur the investments that we, together, must make for a more secure energy future. We will create new markets for our farmers.

We will no longer have to throw away waste materials which can be turned into profitable essential fuels.”

—President Jimmy Carter, January 11, 1980 “Aromatic hydrocarbons in gasoline include benzene,toluene, and xylene. Benzene is a known carcinogen,one of the worst air toxics. 85% of all benzene in the air we breathe comes from motor vehicle exhaust.

Xylene from automobile exhaust in the morning rush hour will form ozone [smog] in sunlight to choke our lungs by the afternoon trip home. Toluene, another aromatic, usually forms benzene during the combustion process and thus becomes carcinogenic along with benzene in the gasoline.”

-Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) 2002 “We have to create new jobs every 5-7 years.

I would love to claim credit for the jobs created on my watch but they were started by the information technology revolution. Those jobs permeated quality jobs throughout the United States and drove the economy. Today, that same opportunity exists with expanding biofuels, solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources.

We are missing a great opportunity.

If I were running for office today, I would run on that issue alone and tell the American public that if you don’t want renewables, you

don’t want me.”

—Former President Bill Clinton, Center for American Progress speech, Georgetown University, 2006 “And I don’t know if you saw what Saddam Hussein said the other day. He said the biggest mistake he made is when he first moved into Kuwait, that he didn’t move into Saudi Arabia ... So what we’ve got to do is to become less dependent on foreign oil for security reasons, and that means alternate sources.”

—President George H. Bush, June 18, 1992 “We have a serious problem in the U.S. We are addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world.”

—President George W. Bush, 2006 State of the Union Address “Our national security is inextricably linked to our country’s energy security…projected climate change is a threat multiplier in already fragile regions of the world, exacerbating conditions that lead to failed states—the breeding grounds for extremism and terrorism.There is a relationship between carbon emissions and our national security…we think that the evidence is there that would suggest that we have to start paying attention…carbon emissions are clearly part of the problem…we will pay for this one way or another…we will pay to reduce greenhouse gas emissions today, and we’ll have to take an economic hit of some kind. Or, we will pay the price later in military terms. And that will involve human lives. There will be a human toll.”

-Comments of several former military leaders at the release of their study entitled “National Security and the Threat of Climate Change,” April 17, 2007, “When we took office in 1981 only 75 million gallons of ethanol were being produced. This year more than 450 million gallons will be produced, requiring more than 180 million bushels of corn. It just goes to show there’s no limit to what free people can do when the gloom-and-doomers stand aside and get out of the way.”

—President Ronald Reagan, August 20, 1984 “Ethanol is a homegrown energy alternative.

And ethanol produces a fuel that

‘President Clinton and I will strongly and actively oppose any effort to eliminate the ethanol program. We challenge Congress to do what is right for our farmers, our rural communities, our environment, and our national security’ -Vice President Al Gore, April 20, 1998 •Biodiesel plant

burns cleaner.

And that’s good for our environment — just plain and simple, that’s good for our environment.”

— President George H. Bush, June 13, 1989 “Ethanol production increases farm income, decreases deficiency payments, creates jobs in rural America, and reduces America’s reliance on foreign oil.”

—President Bill Clinton, October 1996 “President Clinton and I will strongly and actively oppose any effort to eliminate the ethanol program. We challenge Congress to do what is right for our farmers, our rural communities, our environment, and our national security.”

-Vice President Al Gore, April 20, 1998 “It’s in our vital interest to diversify America’s energy supply — the way forward is through technology. We must continue investing in new methods of producing ethanol using everything from wood chips to grasses, to agricultural wastes…To reach this goal, we must increase the supply of alternative fuels, by setting a mandatory fuels standard to require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels by 2017 — and that is nearly five times the current target.”

—President George W. Bush, State of the Union Address, January 23, 2007 The Governors’ Ethanol Coalition, which represents 30 Governors [36 today], believes that increasing dependence on foreign oil is a major risk to the nation’s energy, economic, and environmental security.

The safest and cheapest way to mitigate these risks is to set and achieve a goal of providing at least 5% of the nation’s transportation fuel from ethanol by 2010, and to produce at least 8 billion gallons of ethanol a year by 2012. As soon as practical thereafter, the nation should produce at least 10% of its transportation fuel from ethanol and biodiesel.”

—Governors’ Ethanol Coalition, April 12, 2005 in a letter to President George W. Bush “Fuel ethanol reduces crude oil imports and is environmentally friendly; it also helps meet other national public policy goals.”

—Congressional Research Service, 1993 “It is indeed a testament to the spirit of compromise in the U.S. Senate that all these groups representing often divergent constituen-

cies and interests can come together to create a product that benefits all ... any viable energy strategy must serve a variety of national goals… this agreement establishes a renewable fuels program to nearly triple the use of renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel over the next ten years.”

-U.S. Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-SD), original author and architect of the Renewable Fuel Standard, introducing the RFS, Congressional Record, March 13, 2002 “The heart of America’s geostrategic problem is reliance on imported oil in a market that is dominated by volatile and hostile governments. We can start to break petroleum’s grip right now. The energy plan presented here (expand the RFS) is a package of proposals that would dramatically improve American’s security posture. It would also provide more jobs for Americans instead of sending billions of dollars to hostile countries, support our farms instead of foreign terrorists, and promote green fuels over fossil fuels.”

-Senator Richard Lugar, March 2007 “To safeguard our future economic health as well as our national security, we must move aggressively to diversify our energy sources. Every time we visit the gas pump these days, we are reminded that there is no time to waste.”

—Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman, July 7, 2006 “All kinds of technology can reduce our reliance on oil, but if we want to do something that’s fast and effective, ethanol is the way to go.”

—IL Senator Barrack Obama, February 2006 “It has been the policy of every American president since Harry Truman, that as long as our energy resources are dependent on that part of the world (i.e., Middle East), we are going to be there in force.”

—Senator John McCain (R-AZ)28 “It is increasingly clear that riches from oil trickle down to those who would do harm to America and its friends. If this situation remains unchanged, the United States will find itself sending soldiers into battle repeatedly, adding the lives of American men and women in uniform to the already high cost of oil.”

-Timothy Wirth, C. Boyden Gray, John Podesta, •Bamikole is the CEO & Biofuels Consultant Zenith Agroethanol Nigeria Limited.

•To be continued next week

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2012

41

NEWS

CRPP adopts Oshiomhole as candidate

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HE Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) in Edo State has adopted Governor Adams Oshiomhole as its candidate for the July 14 governorship election.

It said Oshiomhole has acheived much in education, road construction, health, water services and beautification of the state.

CRPP State Chairman Samsom Isibor said the CRPP was an ally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), until the PDP picked Charles Airhiavbere as its candidate.

His words: “This is because

•PDP: It’s good riddance From Osagie Otabor, Benin

the so-called candidate is the least qualified to be elected as governor.

“He has no charisma, no antecedent of performance in office, a military man who detested democratic values.

“He is a newcomer in politics and is being pushed to run for the office of governor.

“To be able to fight Oshiomhole, the opposition need a man with intellectual capacity and charismatic lead-

ership, which is what Airhiavbere is lacking”.

But the PDP said it is surprised to see that the CRPP adopted Oshiomhole as its candidate .

It said the CRPP decision to sever relationship with it was a relief to the party.

Its State Publicity Secretary, Matthew Urhoghide, said the party was happy to see Isibor gone.

“The assertion by Isibor, I want to say, is very unfortunate.

“I would have expected him to exercise restraint in what he has done.

“When he was complaining that he did not get anything, I advised him that politics is not a cash-and-carry matter.

“He calls himself a leader, and what he has said is not coming from PDP. “He has said the same thing about the ACN in the past, and his leaving the PDP is good riddance.

“The intellectual depth of Maj-Gen Airhiavbere, who was DG at NIPSS and commanded various administrative positions, is not in doubt.”

Dokubo vows to check PDP rigging in Edo

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EADER of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force Asari Dokubo has vowed to lead his members to Edo State on July 14 to ensure that the oneman-one-vote mantra prevails during the governorship election.

He said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must not be allowed to rig its way back to power.

Dokubo spoke in Benin while delivering a lecture with the theme: “Niger Delta: Excellence in Leadership and Good Governance-the Adams Oshiomhole Example.”

His words: “Edo people should not play politics with this election. They have seen the difference between light and darkness.

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

“PDP is going to perfect more strategy. It has set Bini people against other groups by bringing a Bini candidate.

“I want to tell you that the PDP candidate is April fool.

They picked him to win votes.

“We will be present on the day of election like a tsunami. Evil must be defeated.

“There must be something giving PDP courage, if not let it show us what it has done somewhere.”

The NDPVF leader described Oshiomhole as “the greatest thing that has happened to the people of the Niger Delta.’

Dokubo said: “With less

than N3billion as revenue from the Federation Account, the governor has performed far better than other Southsouth states, whose revenues are N30billion and above.

“Oshiomhole has changed my perception about governance.

“If you go to some states within this zone, you will see road existing only on signboard.

“Oshiomhole has put in place sustainable enduring projects.

“There is no comparison in Niger Delta. There is no money here in Edo so I am not flattering.

“Count yourself lucky to have Oshiomhole. The PDP for 10 years rode on Edo peo-

Assembly confirms three nominees From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

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HE Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has confirmed the appointment of three nominees as commissioners and special adviser.

The commissioner-nominees are Bassey Dan Abia and Godwin Afangideh. Uwem Ita Etuk is to serve as special adviser.

Etuk was the former state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He handed over to Paul Ekpo, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Dan Abia served as Attorney-General under former Governor Victor Attah and he was also former commissioner representing the state on the board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The confirmation followed a screening by the House Committee on Judiciary, Justice, Human Rights and Public Petitions.

Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Committee, Ekong Sampson, said all the nominees fulfilled the requirements.

Sampson directed the Acting Clerk, Mrs. Umoren, to forward the position of the House to the Executive.

Governor Godswill Akpabio had sent the names of the nominees to the House of Assembly for confirmation.

In a letter, Akpabio said the request was in accordance with Section 192(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

NDDC to access donor agencies’ funds

T •Dokubo

ple’s back but we must do away with the locust.”

Dokubo took a swipe at the amnesty programme for exmilitants.

He described it the greatest evil given to the Niger Delta people.

Oshiomhole said his performance would campaign for him.

HE Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is to access donor agencies funds to complement its statutory allocation.

Its Managing Director, Christian Oboh, who announced this in Port Harcourt, said the enormity of challenges coupled with paucity of funds have made it imperative for the commission to seek the assistance of donor agencies.

Oboh said no single agency has the answer to the challenges in the region, but partnership between service providers, including donor agencies, would provide a better result.

“We are looking at partnership because what we are having in terms of funding is not enough to develop the area considering the terrain, there are donor funds all over the world, we intend to access them,” he said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

42

NEWS Osun sets up Awolowo Centre

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SUN State government has set up a centre to immortalise Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

The ‘Awolowo Centre for Philosophy, Ideology and good governance’ will lead the challenge of putting together good governance in the Southwest, according to Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The Centre will further immortalise Chief Awolowo, a profound philosopher and ideologue dedicated to providing qualitative learning, research and discourse in philosophy, ideology and good governance.

The Centre will be headed

by Professor Moses Akin Makinde, an erudite Professor of

Philosophy, who has studied and written extensively on many aspects of political and philosophical thoughts of Chief Awolowo.

Aregbesola said the Centre will attract scholars, politicians, and persons with interest in philosophy, ideology and good governance with a view to deepening the humanist and democratic values enunciated by Chief Awolowo.

He said the centre is Osun’s contribution to strengthening democracy and good governance. According to Aregbesola, genuine and profound thinking is imperative for genuine and profound action particularly in the areas of democracy and good governance.

Aramoko holds summit

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NDIGENES of Aramoko Akiti, headquarters of Ekiti West Local Government will hold a summit on April 7, to chart a new course for the community. The town’s monarch, Oba Adegoke Olu-Adeyemi (Alara of Aromoko Ekiti) and the leadership of Aromoko Development Association (ADA) are invited.

In a statement in Lagos by the convener of the meeting, Mr. Akin Oluwadare Jnr., the need for members of the community to come together and address some issues that will help the town in its quest for socio-economic development was ifentified as one of the reason for the convergence. The statement also stated that stakeholders’ meeting, which will hold at Aramoko Civic Centre, is aimed at reinventing social awareness among the youths and identifying factors that will boost educational awareness.

Urging indigenes at home and in the diaspora to use the opportunity of the Easter holiday to attend the important meeting, Oluwadare assured potential participants that the meeting will cut across and give everybody equal platform to offer advice and suggestion on how to move Aramoko Ekiti forward.

Group to Mimiko: don’t politicise GROUP, the Ilaje Reour programme gional Development

A

Council (IRDC), has urged the Olusegun Mimiko administration not to politicise the council’s programme to avoid disrupting its benefits to the people.

Its Chairman, Prince Jackson Nomiye, spoke at Ode Molutehin during a stakeholders’ meeting of the council.

The meeting discussed the development of the Chevron GMOU areas and resolved that the state government should

not politicise the council’s development programme.

It noted that the residents have been enjoying the programme, urging the government not to disrupt it.

In attendance were the council’s Secretary, Adeyemi Aboye, the executives, the baales of the Chevron GMOU communities, Chevron’s representative as well as many other dignitaries across the state.

Ekiti berates PDP over alleged false claims on minimum wage

By Olamilekan Andu

•Afuye

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HE Ekiti State Government has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of distorting facts on the new minimum wage recently approved for its workers.

In a statement in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye said the opposition cannot succeed in turning the workers against the government.

The commissioner noted that the government was magnanimous in approv-

ing the new wage across board for all categories of workers in its employ.

Afuye was reacting to a statement by the PDP that “there is a difference between the minimum wage announced on air and the one on the wage table agreed with labour unions”.

He urged civil servants and the public to ignore the opposition’s claims, accusing the PDP of “spewing satanic lies from the pit of hell.”

Emphasising that the state government has nothing to hide on the new salary scale, the commissioner said workers on Grade Levels 01 to 06 had been enjoying a salary increase of 38.46 per cent since December 1, last year.

According to him, with effect from April 1, workers on Grade Levels 07 to 14 are now to enjoy 21 per cent increment

and those on Grade Levels 15 to 17 now enjoy a pay rise of 20 per cent, with effect from the same date.

Afuye said a Grade Level 17, Step 9 officer receives N186,000 monthly in Ekiti State and the least paid - on Grade Level 01, Step 01 - gets N19,190 monthly.

The commissioner added that the government has no intention of reneging on the agreement it reached with Labour, under the auspices of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), to pay the new minimum wage to its workers.

He said the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) administration has always been worker-friendly since it assumed office.

Afuye said Ekiti State was the first to pay N13,000 salary relativity in the Southwest.

According to him, the approval of the backlog of pro-

motions, restoration of car and housing loans - which were stopped by the ousted PDP regime - are among the steps the ACN government was taking to demonstrate its commitment to the welfare of its workers.

He said the workers have fared better under Governor Kayode Fayemi, “unlike what obtained under the PDP regime when workers’ morale plummeted to an all-time low”.

The commissioner recalled that the state witnessed endless workers’ strikes under the PDP, adding that this “came to a climax with a massive street protest by civil servants in April 2010”.

He counselled the PDP to lick the wounds of its ouster from power and manage the crisis thrown up by its recent congresses rather than attempt to turn loyal workers against a caring government.

5,000 Ibadan traders protest quit notice

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VER 5,000 traders at the weekend in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, protested the quit notice issued to them by the state government to relocate from the popular Agbowo Shopping Complex, opposite the University of Ibadan (UI) main gate.

The traders said they would suffer if the government ejected them from the complex.

The government had, last month, given the traders a six-month quit notice, saying some dilapidated structures at the complex were being used by hoodlums. It promised to return the traders to the complex as soon as the renovation is completed.

‘I don’t know where to go from here because I have put all my salaries and gratuities in this place. I am using this place to live and keep my family alive’ From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

It said the facility, which has not been renovated since it was built in 1983 by the Bola Ige administration, needed a facelift.

The traders urged the gov-

ernment to rehabilitate the shops without closing the complex.

The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions, such as: Respect Our Rights; Renovation Yes, Eviction No; Ijoba Ajumose is our Government; Commissioner Omodewu, Please Don’t Kill Our Business; We are not Prostitutes and Hoodlums; An Idle Mind Is The Devil’s Workshop, among others.

Their spokesperson, Mrs. Bolarinwa Mayowa said: “I have owned this shop for 21 years when I retired from the civil service. I have not owed the government a dime. I don’t know where to go from here because I have put all my salaries and gratuities in this place. I am using this place to

live and keep my family alive. I collected loans from banks and I’m paying by instalment. If I don’t pay them, it’s a big problem and I have 12 employees.”

Most of the traders wanted the government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with them to assure them that they would get their shops back after the renovation.

One of the traders, Mr Olayiwola Bayonle said: “Nothing is wrong with the structures here, but if they want to do anything, they should do it in phases. We have no power to fight the government; that is why we are pleading with Governor Abiola Ajimobi to shift ground.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

43

HEALTH THE NATION

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

New pill for cancer is a daily aspirin T

AKING a daily aspirin can prevent the spread of cancer and could even help to treat the disease, according to "compelling" new research.

Scientists at the University of Oxford found that a daily dose of the cheap generic drug could cut the risks from a range of cancers, with some benefits seen within a matter of months. The NHS is now working on issuing definitive advice on whether millions of people should start taking preventive aspirin in response to the ‘exciting’ findings.

The research adds to a growing body of evidence that aspirin offers important protection against cancer and significantly reduces deaths from the disease.

Aspirin is already known to protect against heart attacks and strokes, but the latest studies suggest that the protective effect on cancer could be even greater.

The chances that cancer will already have spread when it is diagnosed were a third lower for patients taking aspirin than those who did not.

The chances that a diagnosed cancer would subsequently spread were reduced by almost half by taking a daily dose of aspirin, the researchers found.

The team, writing in the Lancet and The Lancet Oncology, was led by Prof.

Peter Rothwell, author of a previous landmark paper which found that aspirin cut death rates from cancer by more than a third.

The latest research analysed data from 51 trials, involving tens of thousands of patients, that were originally

‘What we have now shown is that aspirin also has short-term effects, which are manifest after only two to three years. In particular, we show that aspirin reduces the likelihood that cancers will spread to distant organs by about 40 to 50 per cent. This is important because it is this process of spread of cancer, or metastasis, which most commonly kills people with cance’ set up to test aspirin’s effect on heart disease.

“We showed previously that daily aspirin substantially reduces the long-term risk of some cancers, particularly colorectal cancer and oesophageal cancer, but that these effects don't appear until about eight to 10 years after starting treatment," Rothwell said.

"What we have now shown is that aspirin also has short-term effects, which are manifest after only two to three years. In particular, we show that aspirin reduces the likelihood that cancers will spread to distant organs by about 40 to 50 per cent. This is important because it is this process of spread of cancer, or metastasis, which most commonly kills people with cancer." Given that more than half of cancers do metastasise, Professor Rothwell added: "For five people taking aspirin, two would have metastasis prevented. It's a big absolute benefit."

In a finding that suggest aspirin could become a useful additional treatment for cancer, Rothwell also found that it cut the risk of metastasis even in patients who had only

just started taking it.

He called for urgent trials to confirm this, saying: "These findings raise the distinct possibility that aspirin will be effective as an additional treatment for cancer, to prevent distant spread of the disease.

"It is certainly time to add prevention of cancer into the analysis of the balance of risk and benefits of aspirin. So far, all the guidelines have just been based on the prevention of strokes and heart attacks.

This research really shows that the cancer benefit is as large, if not larger, than the benefit in terms of preventing heart attacks and strokes. It does change the equation quite drastically."

The effect was found across a range of common cancers which originate in glands, including those of the bowel, throat, breast, prostate and some lung cancers. Although some of the studies used 300mg standard doeses, Rothwell

believes that 75mg, a quarter of a standard tablet, may well be enough to protect against cancer.

Aspirin prevents blood cells known as platelets from binding so easily which is thought to make it harder for cancer cells to use them to spread around the body.

Separate mechanisms in the drug are also thought to help repair damaged DNA and cause potentially dangerous cells to destroy themselves, blocking the development of cancers at an early stage.

Although aspirin is known to increase the risk of internal bleeding, Rothwell said his data suggested this side effect was less serious than previously thought because few patients died from the associated problem.

"Aspirin increase the risk of nonfatal bleeds from which the vast majority of people make a full recovery," he said. "The conditions that aspirin helps to prevent, on the other

hand, such as cancer, stroke and heart attacks are much more likely to be disabling or fatal."

Professor Rothwell, 47, has said that he began taking aspirin as a result of his data and thatmany people in their late 40s and 50s would benefit from taking aspirin. But he said it was too early to recommend mass use of aspirin for the middle-aged.

Professor Peter Johnson, chief clinician for Cancer Research UK, said: "We now need some definitive advice from the Government as to whether aspirin should be recommended more widely. It's good idea for people thinking of taking aspirin to discuss it with their GP, as it can sometimes have side effects such as internal bleeding, especially in people over 70.

In a Lancet commentary on the work, Andrew Cook and Nancy Chan of Harvard Medical School described the result as compelling, despite the exclusion of a large trial which did not show reduced cancer risk.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "We are currently considering, with Cancer Research UK, how to ensure the public gets the best advice on this issue, given that there are risks as well as potential benefits from taking aspirin."

Culled from The Times

Power not a problem in LASUTH, says CMD •‘We didn’t perform surgery with torch lights’

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HE Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) has debunked the rumour making round that it performed surgeries on patients with torch lights, stressing that power was its priority.

According to the Chief Medical Director, Prof Adewale Oke, LASUTH does not perform surgeries with torch lights because power is never a problem as the hospital’s six generating sets are functional as backups for the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

Oke, who spoke to reporters in Lagos last Thursday, said LASUTH spends between N10million and N12million to power its six generators, adding that two of the generators are dedicated to the operating theatres.

He said in the case of an outage there are inverters to stabilise the supply of power before changing over to generator as source of power.

Oke said Governor Babatunde Fashola was already addressing the problem of the old cables with an estimated N180million earmarked for their replacement.

The project is being handled by the Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB), he said.

The CMD said cabling and overhauling of the generators will be met as soon as possible, adding that power supply to Ayinke House – Baby factory, had been factored into that process.

By Wale Adepoju

He said the hospital is in the process of getting a dedicated line from the PHCN to ensure steady power supply.

Meanwhile, the CMD added that the BT Health and Diagnostics was part and parcel of the hospital and not in any way competing with the hospital diagnostic service. It is established to provide international services and to complement the hospital laboratory, he added.

On the car park, Oke said the token being charged from car owners was to discourage outsiders from making use of the facility indiscriminately, saying it will also regulate and maintain a service parking station for the hospital fleet and staff.

•Health Minister, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, flanked by Dr Idris (left); Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Public Health, Dr Yewande Adesina and the Representative of the World Bank, Dr David Okelo, at the opening the MDR-TB treatment centre at the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, Lagos.

Expectant mothers for HIV/AIDS test in Bauchi

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LL expectant mothers receiving antenatal care in government health facilities in Bauchi State are to undergo compulsory HIV/AIDS test.

Chief of Staff to Governor Isa Yuguda, Yusuf Musa Gumli, said this when members of the University of Jos Alumni Association, Bauchi Chapter led by the Chairman, Chief Terver Tyav, visited him at the Government House.

Gumli said the test would help the government to know the rate

From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

of the scourge and take measures to curtail its spread and steps that would protect the unborn children.

He said when the status of such women is known, it would be easy to determine whether their husbands are living with the disease or not.

On the students monitoring programme being embarked upon by the association, he enjoined the association to assist in stepping up the campaign to parents to im-

munise their children.

Gumli, who also congratulated the Bauchi branch of the UNIJOS old students on successfully electing a new executive, promised to contribute to the actualisation of the aims of the association.

Earlier, Tyav said they came to thank Gumli for his support to the association, particularly during the first luncheon of the alumni.

He said the association is proud of the achievements of its members and appealed to the members to contribute to moving the association forward.

He said: as part of the association’s contribution to the hosting of its community, programmes such as school mentoring and others were introduced to improve the society.

“The publicity generated by the luncheon of the association that attracted more members should be encouraged,” he said. He asked Gumli and other prominent members of the association to use their positions wherever they may be to help the alumni achieve its set objectives.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

44

HEALTH

Fed Govt urged to boost primary health care

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O address infant mortality, members of the General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) have urged the government to refocus and deploy its resources to primary health care.

Its President, Dr Anthony Omolola, said the government should also develop and equip leading physicians, such as general or family physicians to improve on treatment.

Omolola spoke at the Annual General Meeting/International Conference of the association in

Stories by Wale Adepoju

Lagos.

He called for more funding of health care in the private sector in the same way it is doing with other sectors of the economy.

Omolola said the government should support the private sector which comprised about 60 per cent of the clinical health care delivery workers. He urged the government to provide loans at reasonable rates of over 15-year repayment period, to improve the quality and effi-

ciency in the sector.

Nigeria, he said, was battling with infant mortality while other countries were talking about medicine for the aged.

He said the diploma programme in Family Medicine, which has just taken off at the Faculty of Family Medicine, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, would turn out its products soon and they would help to improve the country’s health care, adding that the programme needs the support of the Federal Government to accomplish its objectives.

•From left: Joint Chief Medical Director, Eko Hospital, Dr Sonny Kuku; Chairman, Dr Amaechi Obiora and Chief Medical Director (CMD) Dr Olusegun Odukoya at the press conference to present the new CMD in Lagos.

‘11m may go blind by 2020’

By Wale Adepoju

T

HE Ophthalmologists Association of Nigeria

(OAN) has warned that about 11 million may go blind in the next eight years if they do not go for regular medical checkups.

Its Public Relations Officer, Lagos Branch, Dr Alima Alimi, said many Nigerians are affected by glaucoma, a disease described as a silent eye killer.

According to her, two per cent of the country’s population is affected by the disease. People should be vigilant to escape losing their eyes, she added.

Alimi said over 70million people are living with glaucoma across the world, adding that eight million are already blind.

Alimi spoke at the World Glaucoma Week in Lagos.

She said: “It is projected that by 2020, about 11 million will be blind. So, we need to stop the trend which is why we are saying people should have their eyes checked regular whether they feel something or not.”

She said adults aged 40 and above were more vulnerable to glaucoma, a disease more common among black people.

•A nurse, Mrs Oluwatohungbe Akinbo, checking Mr Aziz Taiwo’s eye during the World Glaucoma Day in Lagos organised by Ministry of Health.

Tips to treat, prevent eye pain • Put the pain on ice: If you get socked in the eye it is recommended immediately applying an ice pack to your eye for 15 minutes. Cold can reduce the pain and swelling.

• Make yourself cry: To combat dry eye, bathe your eyes with artificial tears. These products mimic real tears. They are available at most drugstores.

• Compress it: The first symptoms of a sty are teariness, sensitivity to light, and the feeling that something is in your eye. Then the lid reddens, swells and hurts. A sty is a lowgrade infection of the eyelid. For quick relief, place a washcloth

soaked in warm water over the sty for 15 minutes every two hours. The compress will liquefy the oils and allow them to drain. This treatment will cure most sties. Do not rub your eye and do not wear eye makeup.

• Irritate your eye: To dislodge any speck of dust or grit, wash out your eye with saline solution, preferably one without preservatives.

Do not use tap water, distilled water, or eyedrops unless you have splashed your eye with a caustic chemical and there is nothing else available.

Culled from www.ezinearticles.com

Health Tourism With Dr Dheeraj Bojwani e-mail: indiasodel@gmail.com

Cyber knife treatment

T

HERE was a time when the fact that you had cancer meant, unending physical and mental trauma. Today, too, cancer strikes terror in the minds of people but there is hope, where there was little or none.

The new cancer eradication option, Cyber Knife, has made possible many a thing that was previously considered impossible in radiology. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the CyberKnife system to treat tumours in the head, neck and upper spine in 1999 and the treatment of tumours anywhere in the body in 2001.

CyberKnife System treats tumours anywhere in the body in a non-invasive way. The cyberKnife's technological advancement allows it to track and focus on the tumour in real time even if there is patient movement. The cyberKnife delivers high-dose radiation with pinpoint accuracy, with minimal damage to adjacent healthy tissues and eliminates the need for invasive surgery.

A non-surgical method of tumour and cancer treatment, Cyber Knife, is made by accuray and has a robotic arm that directs a 300-pound linear accelerator to emit a high-energy Xray beam. With a diameter of less than one millimeter, the beam performs a pinpointed attack on the cancerous growth without affecting the neighboring normal tissues. For instance, the beam can attack a tumour or cancer in the bone of the spinal column without hurting the sensitive spinal cord nearby. It is that accurate.

Below is a list of some, but not all, intracranial (head and brain) tumors and lesions that can be treated by the CyberKnife System: • Acoustic neuroma • Anaplastic astrocytoma • Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) • Craniopharyngioma • DNET • Ependymoma • Epidural hematoma • Gangliocytoma • Germinoma • Glioblastoma multiforme • Glioma • Glomus jugulare tumor • Hemangioblastoma • Meningioma • Neurocytoma • Neurofibroma • Neurofibromatosis • Oligodendroglioma • PNET • Pituitary adenoma • Schwannoma • Trigeminal neuralgia • Vestibular schwannoma Below is a list of some, but not all, extracranial (outside of the head and brain) tumours and lesions that can be treated by the CyberKnife System: • Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) • Colon cancer • Hepatocellular carcinoma • Nasopharyngeal carcinoma • Non-small cell lung cancer • Osteosarcoma • Ovarian cancer • Small-cell lung cancer • Squamous cell carcinoma • Pancreatic cancer • Prostate cancer • Renal cell carcinoma • Uterine cancer As of June 2010 more than 90,000 patients have been treated worldwide

by the CyberKnife System. More than half of those patients were treated with lesions or tumors outside of the brain and head. Three basic characteristics are important for patient selection in Cyberknife similar to other radiosurgery applications.

Firstly, patients should have reasonable overall survival after radiosurgery treatment. Secondly, capacity of patient co-operation to all diagnostic and treatment stages is important. At last, patients whose tumor borders are clearly verified with radiological scans are good candidates for radiosurgery treatment.

CyberKnife treatment and management in India India is one of the few countries where cyber knife treatment is available. Cyberknife treatment is a relatively new treatment option, and is thus both rare and expensive. One good news for all those patients who have been craving this treatment but are scared about the expenses is that medical tourist centers in India offer Cyberknife surgery at costs which are a fraction of what one would find in the US. The treatment is at par with what one would find in the western nations and utmost professional care is provided both before and after the surgery.

Tumor and cancer treatment with CyberKnife System involves a team approach, in which several specialists participate. CyberKnife Treatment in India brings together a team of highly qualified and competent medical members that include: • a surgeon • a radiation oncologist • an interventional radiolo gist • a medical physicist • a radiation therapists • medical support staff Once the team is in place, the patient will begin preparation for CyberKnife treatment.

The CyberKnife treatment generally involves four steps: • Set-up and imaging • Treatment planning • CyberKnife treatment More About the Technology The CyberKnife takes the existing technology of radiosurgery, which previously had only certain neurological applications, to improved levels of accuracy, speed, flexibility and patient comfort.

• Accuracy - Technology derived from cruise missile guidance systems allows radiation to target a tumor with submillimeter precision.

The system is computercoordinated to correct for any motion, including the patient's respiration.

• Speed - Thanks to advanced lightweight robotics, radiation is delivered rapidly from a wide variety of angles.

• Flexibility - CyberKnife technology makes it possible to treat tumors all over the body-not just the head. Also, physicians can deliver fractionate or staged doses when that is desirable. " Patient Comfort - In neurological cases, CyberKnife is far more comfortable than the older system of attaching a stereotactic frame to the patient's head.

Dr. Bojwani is the Chief Executive of Forerunners Healthcare Consultants Pvt Ltd, India’s Pioneer Medical tourism organisation.

Local contact: 07042394040, 07090830097, 08191462542, 07037065779, 08023051420

Yet the accuracy is comparable if not superior to frame-based systems.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

45

HEALTH

Commission challenges Nigeria over unsafe abortion

T

O stop unsafe abortions in Nigeria, the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) has urged the Federal Government to urgently take steps to prevent such abortions and eliminate deaths of Nigerian women from such practices.

This was part of the recommendations of the 50th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR held in Banjul, Gambia on the Fourth Periodic Report of the Federal Republic of Nigeria released.

The Commission noted that unsafe abortion in Nigeria accounts for a large number of maternal deaths in the country.

The communiqué reads in part: "The African Commission recommends that the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides adequate and comprehensive maternal facilities for women, including ensuring that unsafe out of hospital abortions are prevented."

The Commission, which noted that the Nigerian delegation at the 50th ordinary session did not report on unsafe abortion

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

and its contribution to maternal mortality in the country, was surprised at a shadow report by an NGO which underscored the seriousness of the impact of unsafe abortion in Nigeria.

This made the commission to include the issue in the 32 recommendations it made on how Nigeria can improve its human rights record.

Apart from the issue of unsafe abortion, the ACHPR also noted that the issues of ``early marriages, violence against women and the girl child , Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and other inhuman rites and practices undergone by widows and women are still rife, though measures have been taken to address them." ``Though Nigeria has ratified the Maputo Protocol'', its report at the session ``does not indicate all the measures which have been taken to implement the provisions of Article 26 of the said Protocol and the Guidelines adopted by the African Commission."

25 graduate as genetic counsellors

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WENTY-FIVE genetic counsellors have graduated from a genetic counselling training programme organised by the Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria (SCFN) and supported by the MTN Foundation.

Speaking at the graduation and award presentation ceremony held at SCFN, Lagos, Director, MTN Foundation, Mr Dennis Okoro, said the two weeks intensive training course on genetic counselling, would reposition the participants to enhance health care delivery, especially in the area of sickle cell disorder management.

Okoro said the ceremony was crucial because the prevention of sickle cell disorder through carrier identification, genetic counselling, and prenatal diagnosis remain the best measure to reduce the disorder.

He said the Foundation also sponsors sickle cell clinics in Lagos, Edo, Delta and Kano states, with free drugs and counselling services to over 5,357 beneficiaries.

“We are recording another milestone in our collective efforts to provide a comprehensive strategy against the scourge of sickle cell disorder in our society with the passing out of new set of counsellors.

By Paul Oluwakoya

“Those graduating today are now ready to join their colleagues in the field to combat the disorder and educate couples on the probabilities, limitations and the consequences,” he said.

The Chairman (SCFN), Prof Olu Akinyanju, said nurses were predominant among the participants in the programme, but on this occasion, they were outnumbered by doctors.

He said there has been wider appreciation among all frontline health care professionals of the need to build capacity to deliver the best possible care to SCD affected persons and families.

With the spread of counsellors, Akinyanju said many people, especially the youths were still not sure of their genotype.

He, therefore, urged the participants to take the message to schools, since it was where relationships start.

Akinyanju urged affluent not to flaunt their wealth but channel them towards such gestures that would affect lives positively, adding that the counsellors will need support and advocacy associations to ensure the provision of facilities in their localities to tackle the disease.

• A staff of Airtel Nigeria, Adetayo Oluwatuyi administering worm expellant on to a pupil of Oremeji Primary School II, Lagos during a programme organised by the company in Lagos.

A

Expert calls for national cervical cancer screening

pathologist, Dr. Pamela Ajayi has called for a national programme to screen women for cervical cancer. The disease is regarded as the second common cancer among women.

Mrs Ajayi, who is the Medical Director of Pathcare Nigeria Limited, said some countries had integrated cervical cancer screening into their health policies.

She said the disease was no longer a common killer of women.

Ajayi, who delivered a lecture, at the 34th International Scientific Conference of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, entitled Screening for Cancer in Medical Practice, said 8,000 women still die yearly from the disease in the country.

She said the women would have been alive if they had had access to cervical cancer screening.

She said: “Cervical cancer accounts for 15 per cent of cancer in Nigeria as compared to about 3.6 per cent in the developed countries.

“Ironically, less than 0.1 per cent of Nigerian women have ever had cervical cancer screening in their lifetime and less than one per cent is aware of the existence of this silent killer.

Consequently, cervical cancer kills a woman every hour in the country. Although 100 per cent preventable, the cancer kills more women

By Paul Oluwakoya

aged between 24 to 35 years old in developing countries than any other cancer in other parts of the world.

“But Nigeria’s population of 50.43 million women aged between 15 years and above are at risk of coming down with cervical cancer.

Worse still, about 33.7 per cent of women in the general population are estimated to harbour cervical Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) at a given time.

However, while some cases of cervical cancer cannot be prevented, Pamela was convinced that with a national periodical screening, deaths associated with cervical cancer and other types of cancer, which is due to lack of awareness of the disease, late presentation of patients to the hospital and cultural beliefs, will be a thing of the past.

She said cancer education was very important, saying it must be at all levels such as in schools, communities, cities and rural areas. “In fact, it is better to prevent cancer than to cure. Also, early detection of cancer is important. HPV vaccination is not enough for cervical cancer prevention,” she said.

Ajayi urged the women to visit their doctors what to do to reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer without delay.

LUTH turns out 308 health graduates

T •From left: Mrs Florence Adefolaju, best graduating counsellor of the Haematology and Blood Transfusion Department, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH); Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation (MTNF), Ms. Nonny Ugboma; Prof Akinyanju and Okoro, at the event.

T

NAFDAC urges collaboration on food fortification

HE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) last Wednesday called for collaboration of the relevant agencies to strengthen Nigeria’s Food Fortification Programme (FFP).

The Director-General, NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii, made the call in Lagos at a one-day workshop organised by the agency in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

The workshop had the theme Improving the Effectiveness of Food Fortification in Nigeria.

Orhii, who was represented by the Director, Ports Infection, NAFDAC, Dr Momodu Segiru, said such collaboration would reduce Micro-nutrient Deficiency Diseases (MDD).

He described FFP as an intervention programme that would enhance the quality of available foods by ensuring vital minerals and vitamins were added to foods during production.

Orhii noted that efforts to curb MDD in Nigeria started following recommendations made during the World Summit for Children held in the United States in 1990.

He said evidence showed that Nigeria still had a high rate of child and maternal mortality, and that Vitamin A deficiency was a major cause of the death.

Orihii said micro-nutrient malnutrition also known as “hidden hunger’’ was a nutritional problem affecting the health of children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

HE Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has turned out 308 health graduates.

Its Chief Medical Director, Prof Akin Osibogun, said the hospital has fulfilled one of its mandates, to develop human capital.

He spoke at the 2011 Joint graduation of the various schools and training programme of the hospital.

Osibogun said the hospital provides clinical services and finds solution to health problems through research.

He said the schools have shown that the hospital is working with the production of high quality manpower for the health sector.

Osibogun said the graduands can now face life with confidence having received training from dedicated and committed lecturers.

He advised the graduands to be true professionals, who are committed to the

B

By Wale Adepoju

ethics of their profession.

Former Reproductive Health Adviser to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Olusola Odujinrin, said human resources for health is the cornerstone for the health care delivery system of any country.

“A strong and skilled health workforce, equitably distributed with adequate functioning equipment and ample supply of consumables are key determinants of the status of the health care system of any nation and the quality of care they enjoy,” she said.

Mrs Odujinrin, who delivered the keynote address, entitled Human resources for health for Nigeria – Contribution from seven training programmes of LUTH, said Nigeria unlike other developing countries has well articulated plans and documents but lacks the human resources to implement and actualise the plans.

Firm introduces tea variants

EVERAGE giant, Promasidor has increased its food volume with the inclusion of Top Tea variants, such as ginger, lemon and lime flavours.

Its Managing Director, Keith Richard said the company will continue to provide quality food products to Nigeria.

Keith, who spoke at the launch of Top tea lemon, and ginger and lime in Lagos, said the company has been innovating since bringing the tea to the country in 1993 in round bags.

“Promasidor constantly looks for ways

to improve consumer benefits from its tea,” he said.

Marketing Manager, Onyekachi Onibogo said the tea has medicinal properties to reduce the risk of heart attack.

“The tea also increases the metabolism of people. If you drink just black tea alone, you will drop in weight within five days.

Tea rejuvenates and Top Tea does that better,” he said.

He said the tea is good for everyone because of its medicinal properties, such as anti-oxidant which helps to detoxify.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

47

MOTORING

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Automobile giants test strength at Motor Fair

S preparations for the hosting of the Seventh Lagos Motor Fair and AutoParts Expo Nigeria continues, more giants in the automotive business in Nigeria and overseas have confirmed their readiness to storm the Tafawa Balewa Square, (TBS) Onikan, Lagos Island, the venue of the annual event with the best and the latest from their stables.

Disclosing this at a media chat, Chairman, organising committee, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, said

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

leading the pack of debutants to the show are: Weststar and Associates, authorised dealers of Mercedes brands in Nigeria; Leyland Busan, Ibadan-based automobile giant that holds the franchise for Leyland brands in the country, Boulous Enterprises Limited, dealers and distributors of Haojue elegant motorcycles and Piaggio tricycles.

Also are Falken tyres, Primewell

Lawmaker urges Jonathan on Ado/Owo road

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ISTURBED by the deplorable condition of the AdoEkiti/Akure road, a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Akindele Adeniyi has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to direct Federal Ministry of Works and other relevant agencies to urgently fix the road before the rainy season begins.

Adeniyi, who spoke with reporters shortly after assessing the state of road, wondered why the Federal Government has refused to repair the road despite repeated calls from well-meaning Nigerians from Ekiti and Ondo states.

The lawmaker, said if urgent steps were not taken before the beginning of the rainy season, the road would be impassable for motorists and other road users.

He said the poor state of the

From Damisi Ojo,Akure

road had continued to expose travellers to untold hardship of road mishaps His words: “It is saddening that despite various appeals to the Federal Government and other relevant agencies, the road is still in shambles. The poor state of the road has continued to expose road users to danger.

“Before now, I have written letters to the ministry of works but nothing has been done to address the situation. Now that the rainy season is fast approaching, we are making another appeal to them to act fast.

“The Ado-Ekiti/Akure road is very important because it links two state capitals. That is the more reason why the Federal Government must rise up to the task, he said”.

tyres; Comar tyre and Rubber Industrial Company Limited, distributors of Comar tyres and; Infinity tyres, distributors of infinity range of tyre products in Nigeria.

Giants who are regulars at the fair include: PAN Nigeria, Toyota Nigeria, Basco Motors Limited [JAC}, Leventis Motors, BriscoeFord, Oando Nigeria Plc, First Systems Fefishes (SIKKENS), Mobil Oil, First Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, GT Assur among others.

“These companies are resolved to

N

O fewer than 19, 000 vehicles were sold last year

by Toyota (Nigeria) Limited (TNL).

Its Chairman, Chief Michael Ade.Ojo revealed this during the eight Toyota Awards at Eko Hotel Ground Ball Room, Victoria Island, Lagos last Thursday.

Ojo, who described the sales as moderate, said it represents 33 per cent share of the market.

He admitted that the 2011 activities was one of the most intriguing for them as a company.

“It is a year to always remember considering some memorable socio-economic happenstances locally and abroad – particularly, the trajectory of earth quake-triggered tsunami that wiped away part of Japan, the major source of our product supply. The disaster had a far reaching impact on our business,

keeping faith with their potential and existing customers as they have packaged offers ranging from budget automobiles, spare parts, accessories, good pricing, special fair rebates and promotions, responsive customer care services and lots of supporting benefits for their customers,” he said.

Agwu said the companies will be joined by over 118 foreign firms which are original equipment manufacturers of different auto spare parts and accessories.

“Visitors shall see, hear, smell and feel the power and performance of the automobile sector as they gather with the participants to harness the business opportunities that abound in the Nigerian auto sector. The fair will be an unparalleled gathering of established brands as well as new entrants.

The imperative of this event cannot be over-emphasized as more Nigerians are becoming aware of the need to buy new vehicles,” he said.

Toyota records 19,000 sales

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

especially in terms of regular supply of products.

“However, we thank God we were able to overcome the challenges,” he said.

He expressed appreciation to customers, dealers and stakeholders for standing by them.

“Your unflinching support has remained the pillars upon which our leadership edifice is built; this has enabled us to maintain the number one spot in the market globally and locally.

“In this light, I am glad to announce that in spite of the unfortu-

nate incident coupled with the unprecedented harsh economic circumstances, our company recorded a respectable performance in all the key performance areas in 2011.

Ojo said the company will not rest on its laurels. “We remain committed to the preservation of our leadership position by continually delivering superior quality service to our customers, we are not unaware of the challenges in the market place. We are conscious of the fact that claiming the top spot is easier than sustaining it; hence our resolve to continue to extend the frontiers of innovations in the business.”

Okada riders in Bayelsa to under go psychiatric test

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HE Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Bayelsa State command has stated that Okada riders will now go for psychiatric test.

This is coming on the heels of incessant cases of motorcycle related accidents in the state.

The sector Commander of the FRSC, Jack-Vincent Tamunotonye, who disclosed this when he visited the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Yenagoa, said any motorcycle rider involved in an accident will be taken for psychiatric test.

“Motor-cycle operators involved in road accidents would be examined at the psychiatric hospital to ascertain their mental state”, said Tamunotonye.

He said the command is considering a proposal to out rightly ban motorcycle operation in the state,

From Isaac Ombe-Yenagoa

and decried the menace of Okada riders to safety on the road.

Tamunotonye promised to enlist journalists interested in becoming Special Marshall of the command as well as offer training on traffic rules and regulations.

He also warned against extortion of money from members of the public by some men of the command, saying such offenders would be dismissed from service.

“The Command would not compromise extortion and related offences”, he added.

Chairman of the NUJ, Bayelsa State Council, Tarinyo Akono, assured the sector commander of the union’s co-operation and urged him to work hard to ensure safety on roads in the state.

From left: Chairman, CFAO Nig Plc, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas; GMD, CFAO Nigeria Limited, Steve Faderin; MD CFAO Automotive Ian Middleton and MD, AAN Tim Maguire, at the launch of the Nissan NP300Hardbody in Lagos

DRIVING TIPS

Warranty in automobile industry: Any guarantee?

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HE basic issue in the purview of this paper is the problem of warranty. And the fundamental questions are: What is warranty? Why is there warranty? For who? What is the connection between warranty and guarantee? Whilst we take the last question first in order to set the right tone for this presentation, please permit me to speak as a marketing communication professional.

Between warranty and guarantee What is warranty and guarantee and what’s the connection between them? Warranty is a formal promise of action in case of the malfunctioning of a particular product.

Warranty begins from the moment a product relocates from the

manufacturer’s end into the hands of a consumer. It voids once it changes its name, content and composition.

Its value is consistent and only the consumer can use it. In simple terms, warranty is the mixture of human and product elements.

On the other hand, guarantee is an official promise or assurance by an organisation that certain conditions will be fulfilled with respect to certain anomalies found in service delivery. Guarantee rests on the individuals involved and it means someone, a person, assumes responsibility in the face of the development.

The management of the organisation may change by name, content and composition a guarantee remains as promised.

In many cases, warranty and guarantee are used interchangeably. This is understandable because obligation

is involved in both of them. But there are differences between the two. For instance, warranty is what a consumer gets for buying while guarantee is what the manufacturer gives for selling. Another example of the difference between the two is that guarantee works in banking with reference to a service offering, whilst warranty functions in automobile manufacturing with reference to the parts of a vehicle. However, for warranty to work in automobile distribution, marketing and marketing communication, it needs the guarantee of personalised service delivery of the company. The guarantee for warranty is the availability of after-sales service and personnel in addition to the auto parts in question. In other words, warranty without guarantee in the automobile industry is no warranty.

Philosophy of warranty and Nigerian condition New vehicles should come with a warranty, which is an agreement between the vehicle manufacturer and the customer that: in case anything breaks or malfunctions, or goes wrong with specific parts of or the whole vehicle within a stipulated period of time, then the manufacturer will repair or replace the component at no cost to the customer. A new car factory warranty starts from one year, more common three years and extends five – 10 years.

Some companies also offer extended warranties or used car warranties for vehicles up to 12 years old.

This shows warranty is the desire of a manufacturer to offer the peace

Dr Oscar Odiboh of mind as an added value to his or her product. It is the logically proven admission that no work of man is perfect since man is not perfect.

•To be continued next week

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

53

With ekpoita :funtreatsvilla@yahoo.com / 08022664898

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 1. Finalised (9) 7. Employ (3) 8. Tear (3) 9. Succeeded (3) 10. Consumed (3) 12. per Unit (4) 13. Bird (4) 14. Beer (3) 16. Imitate (3) 18. Bed (3) 19. Resort (3) 21. Justly (9)

DOWN

1. Correspond (9) 2. Pinch (3) 3. Sexual Desire (4) 4. Ourselves (2) 5. Moisture (3) 6. Discourage (4) 10. Expression of Surprise (3) 11. Get with Difficulty (3) 15. Enumerate (4) 17. Bird (3) 18. Taxi (4) 20. Father (2)

MISSING LETTERS All the words in the columns below have lost their first letters as indicated by the blank spaces above them. You are required to find and affix them. When done, all the first letters will form a 9-letter, sexually offensive word or action. Happy Puzzling!‘

SHOWbLitzz Rihanna’s dad okays Chris Brown

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Eliminate Fuzzy Thinking “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”

Alexander Graham Bell

Rihanna’s dad won’t be getting any father of the year awards, judging from a new interview. Not only is Ronald Fenty taking credit for Rihanna’s sleek physique, saying that he prodded her to workout by calling her “fat,” he also revealed that he would be fine if Rihanna were to rekindle her romance with Brown, who plead guilty to assaulting the singer in a lover’s quarrel turned physical in 2009.“Chris is a nice guy and everybody’s entitled to make mistakes in their life. God knows how many I’ve made,” Fenty tells the new issue of Heat magazine, when asked about the singer collaborating with her ex on two songs. “She’s her own woman now.”“I actually thought she was a little fat the last time I saw her,” he said. “When I saw her at this year’s Grammys, I thought she was back to her normal size. I used to joke with her, ‘Robyn,you’re getting too fat.’ But I think she’s fine. I think she looked excellent, as everyone saw, at the Grammys. She’s dieting, she’s working out.”After two years of not speaking, Rihanna and Fenty only started communicating again in 2010. At the time of their reunion, Fenty said, “Maybe we’re not as close as we were when she was growing up here … But we are blood, we do not stay angry.”

Pep Talk

Lacking confidence...

Feeling unsure about what you should do next...

Jumping from one marketing strategy to another...

Being unclear about when you’ll reach your business goals...

All of these issues (and many more) can be traced back to one of the biggest challenges struggling entrepreneurs face: lack of focus.

It is called fuzzy thinking.

Fuzzy Thinking Stems From Neglecting to Acquire Critical Information Too many entrepreneurs are missing critical information. Not having this information inflicts incredible damage on their chances of success.

Because it keeps the path to achieving their dreams out of focus, fuzzy.

And you can’t follow a fuzzy path. So they bounce around, get confused, become overwhelmed and attempt to copy what other people are doing... But the path that’ll lead them to success still remains out of focus.

What’s worse is that most entrepreneurs are not only unaware that this information is absolutely essential... they don’t realize it’s missing. So they never track it down.

In order to go from fuzzy thinking to focused thinking, you need to know the answers to three questions...

1. What, exactly, do you want?

2. What’s the absolute minimum necessary to have it?

3. What’s the fastest and easiest way to get it?

Think about it for a moment...

HUMOUR True Believers The two thousand member Baptist church was filled to overflowing capacity one Sunday morning. The preacher was ready to start the sermon when two men, dressed in long black coats and black hats entered thru the rear of the church.

One of the two men walked to the middle of the church while the other stayed at the back of the church. They both then reached under their coats and withdrew automatic weapons. The one in the middle announced, “Everyone willing to take a bullet for Jesus stay in your seats!”

Naturally, the pews emptied, followed by the choir. The deacons ran out the door, followed by the choir director and the assistant pastor.

After a few moments, there were about twenty people left sitting in the church. The preacher was holding steady in the pulpit. The men put their weapons away and said, gently, to the preacher, “All right, pastor, the hypocrites are gone now. You may begin the service.”

Getting Into Fights A young couple drove several miles down a country road, not saying a word.

An earlier discussion had led to an argument, and neither wanted to concede their position.

Now don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this solution. As they passed a barnyard of mules and pigs, the husband Answering these questions - especially question three sarcastically asked, “Are they relatives of yours?”

- requires some heavy-duty thinking. Nobody can “Yes,” his wife replied. “I married into the family.” give you the answers.

Our ideas like orange plants, spread out in proportion to the size of the box which imprisons the roots.

– Edward Bulwer Lytton

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

54

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 2-4-12

Total, Mobil to pay N4b dividends •Market opens Q2 with marginal decline

T

HE boards of Total Nigeria Plc and Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc yesterday announced they will be distributing about N3.9 billion to shareholders as cash dividends for the 2011 business year as the oil majors reported shortfall in profits.

Directors of Total Nigeria, said they have recommended payment of N2.38 billion to shareholders, representing a dividend per share of N7.

Mobil Oil Nigeria on the other hand would be distributing N1.50 billion on the basis of N5 per share alongside a bonus issue of one for five shares, a doubledividend that sent investors scrambling for shares of the oil major yesterday.

Mobil Oil Nigeria recorded the highest gain on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday as the share price added N6.63 to close at N139.30.

Key extracts of the audited report and accounts of Total Nigeria, showed that turnover improved from N160.6 billion in 2010 to

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

N173.95 billion in 2011.

Profit Before Tax (PBT), rose marginally to N5.858 billion as against N5.783 billion.

Profit After Tax( PAT) however, dropped slightly from N3.97 billion in 2010 to N3.81 billion in 2011.

Shareholders’ funds improved to N10.03 billion in 2011 compared with N8.93 billion in 2010.

Also, Mobil Oil Nigeria increased sales from N58.34 billion in 2010 to N62.10 billion in 2011. However, profit before tax dropped to N5.52 billion in 2011 compared with N5.72 billion in 2010.

PAT declined from N3.89 billion to N3.75 billion.

Meanwhile, shareholders’ funds increased from N5.96 billion to N6.83 billion.

But the overall market situation at the Nigerian stock market opened this quarter on the negative as the benchmark index slipped by 0.01 per cent. The All Share Index (ASI) at the NSE dropped its opening index point of 20,652.47 to

20,650.95 points.

Aggregate market capitalisation of all equities dropped slightly from N6.550 trillion to N6.549 trillion.

Nestle Nigeria led the slackers with a loss of N17.20 to close at N400.10.

Oando followed with a loss of N1.01 to close at N21.

NCR Nigeria dropped by 68 kobo to close at N13.01.

Cadbury Nigeria lost 63 kobo to close at N12.01, while First Bank of Nigeria dropped by 50 kobo to close at N9.53 per share.

On the upside, Dangote Cement followed Mobil Oil Nigeria on the gainers’ list with a gain of N1.70 to close at N115.50. Okomu Oil Palm added N1.40 to close at N29.41. Unilever Nigeria rose by N1 to close at N31.

CAP gained 92 kobo to close at N19.44. Ashaka Cement rose by 32 kobo to close at N11.02. Guaranty Trust Bank added 31 kobo to close at N13.80. Dangote Flour Mills chalked up 19 kobo to close at N4.64. Eterna gained 16 kobo to close at N3.45, while Nigerian Bag Manufacturing Company gathered 10 kobo to close at N2.14 per share.

Investors staked a total of N1.49 billion on 223.91 million shares in 3,698 deals.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 2-4-12

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

55

MONEY LINK

CBN sets new rules on interbank loans •Reviews restriction on WDAS

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued guidelines that will assist lending at interbank market for banks.

The apex bank said in a circular signed by its Director, Financial Markets Department, Emmanuel Ukeje that the rates on facilities are set at margins above expected market rates so as to provide sufficient incentive for banks to look first to the interbank market before borrowing at the CBN. The apex bank has therefore of-

fered to enter repurchase transactions under its Standing Lending Facility (SLF) and Term Repurchase Facility. Ukeje said the essence of these facilities is to provide naira liquidity to eligible institutions that are unable to access funds on inter-bank market and set an upper limit on rates.

The guidelines also contain terms and conditions for the operation of SLF and TRF and should be read in conjunction with the Nigerian Master Repurchase

the purchase price is the rate at which the purchased securities are to be transferred from borrower to lender. The apex bank also addressed issues relating to market values of the purchased securities which include Nigerian Treasury Bills (NTBs), Federal Government of Nigeria Bonds, CBN Bills, and Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Bonds.

The maturity dates of all securities to be used must be at least three business days after the repurchase date of transaction.

Meanwhile, a circular signed by CBN Director, Trade and Exchange

Agreement (NMRA).

It said the SLF and TRF are available only to banks and discount houses that have executed the NMRA with the CBN. The SLF is an overnight fund available on all banking days between 2.pm and 3.30 pm, with settlement done on same day value. The TRF is available on all banking days between 9.00am and 3.30 pm. The transactions under these facilities can be conducted in a minimum of N100 million and multiples of N1 million thereafter.

The guidelines also stipulate that

Department, Batari Musa has also informed authorised dealers that starting from yesterday, the restriction on the use of Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS) to negotiate Unconfirmed Letters of Credit (ULC) has been reviewed.

Consequently, WDAS funds can now be used to negotiate ULC established for the importation of raw materials, plant and machinery only.

It said funds for negotiation of ULC established for importation of general merchandise shall be from the interbank market. It said any breach of the new rule by authorised dealers will be sanctioned.

Cash-less: banks take charges on non-compliant customers

B

ANKS yesterday commenced implementation of service charges under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s cash-less policy on deposits and withdrawals above N500, 000 for individual account holders and N3 million for corporate accounts operators.

The Nation findings showed that some bank customers that exceeded the limits were charged the stipulated fees of three per cent for cash withdrawals by individuals and five per cent for corporate bodies.

A staff at the GT Bank’s branch, Ladipo, who spoke anonymously, said the branch has charged two customers who deposited more than the required cash. The source said the customer; a bureau de change operator accepted the charges after being advised by the bank.

At Access Bank, also at Ladipo, there was full compliance, as no customer deposited or withdrew more than the required amount. A staff of the Bank, who spoke anonymously, said the lender sent

•Send exemption list to branches Stories by Collins Nweze

list of agencies that are exempted from the charges to all operations staff to guide them accordingly.

The CBN had granted waivers to embassies, diplomatic missions, multilateral and donor aid agencies in the country. The apex bank had earlier granted exemptions to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal and state governments on lodgments for accounts operated by them, for the purpose of revenue collections only.

There was also full compliance at United Bank for Africa, as well as Zenith Bank, Ogba branches.

Also, a visit to Enterprise Bank, Oshodi showed huge compliance by customers. A staff of the bank said there has not been any case of customers exceeding the cash limit. He said the bank’s management had earlier briefed them to take charges on

defaulting customers.

At Keystone Bank, Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island, a staff who asked not to be named, said the policy was in force and that many of the customers complied. He however, said some of the customers, especially bureau de change operators and other high volume clients, had deposited and withdrawn huge

Keystone Bank to partner Bayelsa on devt

K

Bayelsa State has enormous tourism potentials that should be harnessed and developed to create the needed impetus that will drive investors to the state.

“We, at Keystone Bank are ready to partner with the state government to create the enabling environment for tourism in the state, because this has huge potentials to draw large crowds of tourists. We

EYSTONE Bank will be partnering with Bayelsa State government in key areas that would bring development to the state.

The Managing Director, Oti Ikomi, outlined the bank’s partnership initiative to the Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, during a business call at the State House, Yenagoa.

In a statement,Ikomi said

FGN BONDS Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 150m 150m 138m 138m

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2011 “ 14-04-2011

GAINERS AS AT 2-4-12 SYMBOL

O/PRICE

OKOMUOIL MOBIL CAP BAGCO ETERNAOIL AGLEVENT HONYFLOUR DANGFLOUR WAPIC NEIMETH

28.01 132.67 18.52 2.04 3.29 1.26 2.17 4.45 0.50 0.77

113m

C/PRICE

CHANGE

29.41 139.30 19.44 2.14 3.45 1.32 2.27 4.64 0.52 0.80

1.40 6.63 0.92 0.10 0.16 0.06 0.10 0.19 0.02 0.03`

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

10.03 12.64 13.69 3.45 5.90 1.02 5.11 4.50 2.71 3.98

C/PRICE

9.53 12.01 13.01 3.28 5.61 0.97 4.86 4.28 2.58 3.79

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change (S/N) Parallel Market

Current Before

29-2-12 27-2-12

113m

155.7

22-2-12

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

153.0000

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

Dec ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 12.6%

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

Date

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

CHANGE

0.50 0.63 0.68 0.17 0.29 0.05 0.25 0.22 0.13 0.19

Exchange Rate (N) 155.8 155.8

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

LOSERS AS AT 2-4-12

FIRSTBANK CADBURY NCR UPL ACCESS LIVESTOCK AVONCROWN NASCON UBN PORTPAINT

113m

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

INTERBANK RATES OBB Rate Call Rate

are sure that by providing infrastructural finance in the areas of power supply, building the hospitality business and construction of roads, investors will find the state more attractive,” he said.

In his response, Dickson said he appreciated the offer of partnership and friendship from Keystone Bank, stating that the partnership is coming at the appropriate time.

DATA BANK

Tenor

NIDF NESF

in any way affect his business. He said the company applied and got one PoS terminal where customers make payment and his accounts were credited. He stated that the banks have provided alternatives that will enable customers that want to transact above the limit carry out their transactions seamlessly.

Aiyedatiwa, said like every new policy, there will be hitches but the people will get used to it over time because of its benefits.

cash through nearby states such as Ogun to avoid the charges.

Some of the customers, the source said, did not believe in the use of alternative channels such as point of sale (PoS) terminals. He said many of the banks’ customers were conscious of the fees because no one wants to lose money. He confirmed that many customers complied.

The Managing Director, Blue Wall Bureau De Change, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said the policy does not

Offer Price

Bid Price

ARM AGGRESSIVE 9.17 KAKAWA GUARANTEED 1.00 STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE 1,177.37 AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND 99.76 THE LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL 0.75 BGL SAPPHIRE FUND 1.08 BGL NUBIAN FUND 0.89 NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. 1,666.70 PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND 8.13 CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST 1.39 CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST 1.87 STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY 7,283.10 THE DISCOVERY FUND 193.00 FIDELITY NIGFUND 1.67 • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

9.08 1.00 1,160.06 99.49 0.72 1.08 0.88 1,663.73 7.74 1.33 1.80 7,090.03 191.08 1.62

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2011

Current 07, Aug, 2011

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

56

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

57

NEWS Osun to provide free train rides for Easter

Obasanjo in Ibadan to woo Ladoja back to PDP

From: Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

T

T

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday dispatched its chieftains to the Ibadan home of former Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja to lure him back into its fold.

Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) former President Olusegun Obasanjo led the delegation.

Ladoja dumped the PDP and formed Accord, the platform on which he contested the last governorship election against his erstwhile deputy, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala.

Ladoja’s Bodija home in Ibadan has in the recent past hosted politicians from various parties who have tried to lure the former governor to their side.

Arriving to a tumultuous welcome from hundreds of Ladoja’s and PDP supporters, a smiling Obasanjo immediately requested for lunch at Ladoja’s home.

Details of the 45-minute parley between the Owu chief and Ladoja, held behind closed-door, were not disclosed.

But a source close to Ladoja said the former President was in Ibadan to assure Ladoja that all obstacles against his return were being removed and that he has nothing to fear.

Dressed in a multi-colour

•Obasanjo (left) and Ladoja...yesterday

attire made of Kampala and a matching cap, Obasanjo told reporters, whospoke with him that “it was circumstances that made crayfish to bend”, and that “it can be straightened again at any time.”

He was accompanied by former Deputy Governor Taofeek Arapaja; former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Chief Olayiwola Olakojo; former Commissioner for Environment Alhaji Mukaila Aborode; and some other leaders of the faction led by Arapaja and Federal Capital Territiry (FCT) Minister of State Chief Jumoke Akinjide.

Ladoja said negotiation between the Accord and the PDP is ongoing and there may be a merger of both parties.

The attempts to bring Ladoja back into the PDP has widened the gulf between factional leaders of the party.

The Alao-Akala faction is not favourably disposed to Ladoja’s return to the PDP. The thinking in the party is that Ladoja’s return would increase the chances of the PDP in the 2015 election.

Five years ago, Obasanjo shunned entreaties to save Ladoja from being

impeached by the House of Assembly.

Obasanjo, who was on a visit to Ibadan on January 11, 2006, spurned the appeal of the late elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Alayande, and other to save Ladoja.

He was in Ibadan to congratulate Alayande on his birthday.

Ladoja was impeached on January 12, 2006, and his then deputy, Alao-Akala, was sworn in as governor.

Ladoja challenged his removal up to the Supreme Court, which ordered his reinstatement 11 months after.

Two factional chairmen emerge for Ogun commercial motorcyclists

T

WO factional leaders of the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) in Ogun State yesterday claimed to be

the association’s authentic chairman.

While Alhaji Lateef Yekini, insisted that he “remains the valid and authentic ACOMORAN boss in Ogun State,” his rival and former Chairmain of the association, Alhaji Samsudeen Apelogun, said his tenure is still running.

Yekini’s inauguration, scheduled for last Monday in Abeokuta, was shelved following the arrest of 21 of his supporters on Sunday by operatives of the State Security Service(SSS) .

He said he was appointed Chairman last February 15 in line with the ACOMORAN Constitution by the National Board of Trustees (BoT).

Speaking through the association’s spokesman, Mr. Kayode

From: Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

Ogunbona, he warned Apelogun to stop parading himself as the ACOMORAN state chairman and to stop instigating security operatives against his supporters.

But Apelogun alleged that Yekini had earlier been indicted by the association for financial mismanagement and was never elected or appointed Chairman by any person or group.

Apelogun, who spoke through the Chairman of the ACOMORAN BoT in Ogun State, Chief Egunjobi Adeosun, maintained that he is still in charge.

Adeosun said: “The BoT states categorically that the members did not meet at any time to appoint, select or elect a new chairman for the state chapter of the association.

“The current state leadership is under a great and able leader, in the person of Apelogun.”

Ekiti’ll reject PDP in a thousand elections, the internet with the costs at says Commissioner which they were awarded.

•PDP vows to reclaim state

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

•Fayemi

E

KITI State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation Funminiyi Afuye yesterday said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would lose elections in the state “a thousand times.”

Afuye said it is ridiculous that “after bruising the collective worth of the people for almost seven years, PDP and its legion of befuddled hirelings still think they can deceive the people by falsifying records and spreading lies”.

Noting that “elections in Ekiti State would no longer be won on a platter of deceit and coercion for which the PDP has is renown”, Afuye said the Ac-

tion Congress of Nigeria (ACN) would continue to win elections in the state on the basis of “probity, accountability and performance.”

The commissioner was reacting to the allegation of the PDP that the State Government has wasted “over N200 billion allocations from the Federal Government in the last 18 months with no concrete achievement.”

PDP state Chairman Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe told reporters yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, that the party would “reclaim the state in the next governorship election.

Makanjuola accused the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led administration of “abysmal performance” in the last few months.

Afuye said it is necessary to “continually rebut the asinine tantrums and unfounded constructs of the PDP word-shop, if only to save the public from

catching the bug.”

The commissioner said only the blind will accuse Fayemi of ineptitude and poor performance, in view of the performance of his administration.

He said: “Today in Ekiti State, people no longer talk of hopes; they are talking of actualities, which are evident in all sectors.

“He who accuses must equally prove; so I challenge the PDP Chairman, who was railroaded to lead an utterly directionless party, to be honourable enough to provide the proofs to substantiate his claims with facts and figures.

“We would not have dignified him with any response, but for the need to tell the truth, which remains the credo of the party and the back on which the Fayemi-government essentially rode.

“The Fayemi-led administration is a very prudent one, which has nothing to hide.

“As can be ascertained by those who desire, all state government contracts are there on

“The transparent openness of this administration is borne on the fact that government holds the reins of governance in trust for the people and people must consequently remain the force and spirit behind every pronouncement by any public officer and every project awarded by the state.

“That was why the Freedom of Information Law was domesticated for people like the PDP Chairman and his cohorts to be able to know what is happening in government, rather than making unfounded allegations.

“Fayemi’s administration has distinguished itself by restructuring the education system, introducing the social security system for the elderly, awarding several road projects across the state, revamping the Ikogosi Warm Spring and various free health missions.

“The beginning of PDP’s failure in Ekiti has just begun. Its members would soon be counting their defeat by the ACN in decades, not just in units of years.”

HE Osun State Government has concluded an arrangement for free train rides from Lagos State to Osogbo, the state capital, and back to Lagos during the Easter celebra-

tion.

According to a statement by the governor’s media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the free rides would ensure easy movement during the festive period.

Okanlawon said the service is part of the tourism and economic development strategies of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola Administration.

He said the free train service will run for four days, starting from Thursday. It will depart the Iddo Terminus in Lagos at 1pm and pass through Abeokuta and Ibadan to Osogbo.

Okanlawon said: “On Good Friday, at 11 am, the train will leave Osogbo for Lagos, and on Saturday at 10 am, it would be on its way back to Osogbo from Lagos.

“On Monday, which is the last day, at 12pm, the train will finally depart Osogbo for Lagos.

“During the four days of free services, the train will pick travellers at Mushin, Ikeja, Agege (all in Lagos State); Agbado in Abeokuta ( Ogun State); and Ibadan, (Oyo State); to final Osogbo.”

Okanlawon said Aregbesola provided a similar service during the New Year celebration.

He said: “When the service was introduced in January, it coincided with the fuel subsidy crises, which left many travellers stranded in many parts of the country.

“Travellers going to Lagos from Kwara and Kogi only needed to find their ways to Osogbo to catch the free train back to Lagos.”

Demolition begins today in Ibadan

T

HE demolition of illegal structures obstructing the waterways in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, will begin today.

The affected structures were reduced to 56 from the 2,105 recommended by the committee set up by the government after the floods that occurred last August.

Speaking with reporters yesterday in Ibadan, Commissioner for Information and Orientation Bosun Oladele said makeshift structures, such as porta cabins and containers would also be removed.

Debunking rumours that the owners of the affected buildings would be compensated, the commissioner said they would not be paid a dime because the structures were illegally built.

He said: “There is no compensation whatsoever for owners of affected structures. Government cannot continue to condone illegalit. Ordinarily, they ought to be sanctioned, but the government decided not to toe that line.”

Oladele said although 2,105 were recommended for demolition, only 56 would be pulled down today.

He said the ongoing dredging and clearing will save some structures earlier marked for demolition and free them from threatening the free flow of water.

Besides, the commissioner said the government also considered the impact the demolition of many structures would have on residents.

He said 40 of the 56 structures had been abandoned owing to their irredeemably bad state, while the remaining 16 are currently being occupied.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Physical Planning and Urban Development, Alhaji Waheed Gbadamosi, said adequate security would be provided for the government officials who would carry out the demolition.

58

THE NATION MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

NEWS Aspirants urge Fed Govt to withhold Anambra council allocations From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

C

HAIRMANSHIP and councillorship aspirants in Anambra State have urged the National Assembly to move a motion directing the Federal Ministry of Finance to withhold funds due to local governments in the state.

The aspirants, drawn from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), among others, demanded the release of the N200 million budgeted for the council election to the State Independent National Electoral Commission (ANSIEC).

Addressing reporters yesterday at the Geogold Hotels in Awka, the chairman of the State Association of Chairmanship and Councillorship Aspirants (ANACCA), Mr. Chris Nnorom, urged the House of Assembly to rise up to its responsibility of checking the executive.

ANACCA said: “We have been quietly making suggestions and mounting pressure on the government on the need to conduct council elections, but the government has been coming up with one excuse or the other.

“The state government has been sitting on funds meant for the local governments, amounting to an average of N3.7 billion monthly, and has not accounted for it.

“We will not be tempted to discuss whether these funds are applied for good, as many in government would say, or if they are misappropriated or embezzled as many Anambra people would say. But we are more interested in morality and constitutionality in governance.

“We are not interested in violence or crisis and that is why we have adopted dialogue. But people should not be pushed to the wall. We urge the Federal Government and National Assembly to do something immediately before people begin to talk of a state of emergency in Anambra.

We do not pray for that.”

Local government elections have not been held in Anambra State in the past 14 years.

No Igbo party, says Orji

A

BIA State Governor Theodore Orji has said there is no Igbo party.

He was reacting to claims by some politicians that Igbo have a party.

Orji said Igbo cannot afford to further box themselves into a corner, while complaining of neglect.

He spoke during the inauguration of five roads in Aba and Umuahia.

The governor said: “The Igbo are just beginning to see a ray of light over 40 years after the civil war and we cannot let that slip off our hands now.

“Those who claim that a particular party belongs to the Igbo should be told that even the late Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu had started associating with the main stream politics before he died, because that is the only way Igbo can be emancipated.”

On criticisms of his administration by the opposition, Orji urged them to engage in constructive criticism that would improve the state.

He said: “Today in Abia, the government has provided 4,500 jobs, equipped hospitals, rebuilt rural roads, provided educational facilities, reduced school fees in tertiary institutions and provided equipment for mechanised farming. No well-meaning indigene would turn a blind eye to the reconstruction of the state, which has been liberated from political and economic bondage.”

•From left: Abia State Governor Theodore Orji; his wife, Mercy; Deputy Governor Emeka Ananaba; and Senator Nkechi Nwogu during the inauguration of Ukwumango Ariaria in Aba...at the weekend.

Igbo to name satellite radio station, library after Ojukwu I GBO in diaspora, the World Igbo Congress (WIC), has said it would establish a satellite radio station and library in memory of the Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Dim Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu.

It also said it would place pictures and mementoes of the late Ojukwu at international airports across the world.

WIC Leader Mr. Joe Nze Eto spoke with The Nation in Nnewi, when the group visited the family of the late Biafran warlord.

He said the satellite radio station, which will be hosted in America, would showcase the late Ojukwu’s ideals to the world.

Eto said: “Ikemba Nnewi lived way above his time. For

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

many of us today in the diaspora, who fought for and survived Biafra and lived with Ikemba, he meant so much to us.

“Just as he was out there to protect his people in 1966 and 1967, we also know of his efforts to make Nigeria one. Today, everybody appreciates Ojukwu’s Aburi Accord. So, there is every reason to immortalise him.

“Our vision for circulating his pictures at international airports across the world is to make sure he remains in people’s minds.

“Again, Ikemba Nnewi watched Biafran youths die and he could not do anything about it. There were many things he wanted to do, but they did not let him do. So, we are going to immortalise him by bringing to light those efforts through the building of a library and the establishment of a satellite radio station in the United States (US), from where we will beam such information and Ojukwu’s ideals to Ndigbo, those in diaspora and the whole world.

“The messages will focus on things Ikemba wanted to do, but did not have the opportunity to do. WIC wants to help

the present Igbo leadership to correct some of those things that derailed the projection of Ndigbo. By doing that, we hope to unite Ndigbo.”

The late Ojukwi’s son, Emeka, who received the delegation on behalf of the family, thanked the association for honouring his father.

He said: “It is a thing of honour to this family that you have come to pay respect to my late father. Ezeigbo loved Ndigbo and from the turnout of people at his burial, Ndigbo loved him back. The turnout equally shows that Ndigbo can stay together. So we have to move forward and take our rightful position in Nigeria.”

Ngige says power'll improve in seven Anambra communities

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HE Senator representing Anambra Central, Dr. Chris Ngige, has said power supply would improve in seven communities in the state this year.

Ngige announced this yesterday at his campaign office in Awka, the state capital, during a reception organised in his honour by the Action Con-

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

gress of Nigeria (ACN).

The communities are Ifitedunu, Agu Awka, Anyamelum, Ogidi, Ekwusigo, Nnewi and Onitsha.

Ngige, who is the ViceChairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Power, said the areas already

have the panel's attention.

He also announced the takeoff of certain constituency projects in the three senatorial zones of the state.

Ngige thanked ACN members for their support and promised to always represent the interest of the masses.

Former Commissioner for Information Chief Charles Amilo said Ngige's leadership

style were similar to that of the late Dr. Michael Okpara.

Amilo urged ACN members to be steadfast with the principles of the party in order to reclaim the governorship seat in the state.

ACN Chairman in Njikoka Local Government Area Mr. Igwe Oduenyi was also at the event.

Obi gives traders ultimatum

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NAMBRA State Governor Peter Obi has directed traders on both sides of the OnitshaEnugu Expressway, especially between Uga Junction and Bridge-Head, to vacate the areas.

He said any trader found there a week after Easter would be punished.

Obi spoke yesterday while inspecting the road.

He said in the past three years, the government has been appealing to the traders to relocate to Umunya,

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka and Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

the new site provided by the government.

Obi said the traders’ activities have disrupted ongoing work on the road. He urged residents to embrace environment-friendly habits and support the government’s effort to create a clean and healthy environment.

He urged them to keep the drains clean and properly dispose refuse.

Orji’s wife inaugurates foundation From Ugochukwu Eke, Umuahia

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IFE of the Abia State Governor, Mrs. Mercy Orji, yesterday inaugurated her pet project, the Hannah-May Foundation, in Umuahia, the state capital.

She said the foundation was initiated to cater for the less privileged.

Mrs. Orji said: “I have used this foundation to build houses for indigent men and women across the state and paid the hospital bills of many abandoned patients.

“We have awarded scholarships to indigent students in different institutions and provided wheel chairs and crutches to the physically-challenged.”

Governor Theodore Orji, who was also at the ceremony, said: “I will always support my wife to achieve results, as her achievements will boost mine. We intend to leave behind legacies that will stand the test of time, after we leave office.”

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

OOU lecturers on campus

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ECTURERS at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-

Iwoye, Ogun State, have said they have not abandoned the classrooms, despite the prevailing circumstances on the university’s campuses.

They were reacting to the action of the non-academic union of the university, saying the purported resolution of the university’s branch of the Congress of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) “that all its members should stay away from the campuses until all the matters that whipped up the current state of insecurity on the campuses are resolved” is a “desperate game being played with the real development” by ASUU leaders in the institution.

•Dakingari at the swearing in...yesterday

Protest: Court remands 20 in prison

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HE 20 people arrested in connection with last Wednesday’s protest by students of the Benue State University, Makurdi have been remanded in the Makurdi Minimum Prison by a chief magistrate’s court.

The accused persons were arraigned on a two- count charge of mischief by fire and public disturbances.

No plea was taken for want of jurisdiction, but counsel to the accused persons, S.O. Okpale, made an oral submission for the bail of the suspects, which was opposed by the prosecutor who said it must come in form of a formal application for bail.

The Chief Magistrate Mrs. Cecilia Bakare ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison and adjourned the case till May 8.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Senate Minority Leader, Senator

•ACN denies supporting it From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

George Akume, have denied supporting last Wednesday’s protest by the students of the university.

A statement issued by the party said: “The attention of the leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Benue State and Senator George Akume has been drawn to a statement credited to Conrad Wergba, the Commissioner for Information and other officials of the Benue State Government as aired on Radio Benue, Makurdi.

“While the ACN as the major opposition party in Nigeria and Benue State in particular deeply sympathises with the par-

‘Wergba’s illogical attempt to link ACN with every incident in Benue State, including the students’ protest, therefore trivialises the spate of violence and insecurity that have enveloped Benue State under Governor Gabriel Suswam’ ents and management of Benue State University over the death of four people in the incident, it is imperative to say that ACN and Senator Akume did not participate in or encourage the stu-

dents’ protest.

“If Benue State University students are predominantly ACN sympathisers as alleged, it is because their parents are members of the party. But it must be noted that when Benue State University students took to the streets to protest the death of their colleagues, it was purely a students’ affair and not an ACN affair.

“Wergba’s illogical attempt to link ACN with every incident in Benue State, including the students’ protest, therefore trivialises the spate of violence and insecurity that have enveloped Benue State under Governor Gabriel Suswam.

“ACN condemns this brazen show of incompetence and wishes to advise Governor Suswam and his cohorts to own up to their leadership failure and stop politicising their ineptitude.”

Policeman dies, several injured in Plateau fracas

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MOBILE police officer allegedly died on Sunday night and

several people injured in Barkin Ladi and Bassa local governments of Plateau State.

An eyewitness said problem started at Miango village in Bassa Council in the late hours of Sunday when two youths at an annual fes-

From Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos

tival, armed with knives, began fighting and some policemen came to maintain law and order and arrested the youths.

The action reportedly infuriated other youths who came out in large numbers, destroying cars and torching a police station and a

magistrate’s court.

Two police officers were injured in the fracas.

A police officer attached to the Special Task Force incharge of restoring law and order was killed in Barkin Ladi Local Government.

Speaking with reporters in Jos, the Police Public Relations Officer Samuel Dabai, who confirmed the

incident, said the officer was chatting with some civilians when unknown gunmen opened fire on them, killing the policeman and injuring two civilians.

He said the body of the policeman has been deposited at the Vom Christian Hospital, while those injured are receiving treatments in the same hospital.

Kogi poll: Contradictions as PDP, Wada open case

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HE Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Lokoja resumed yesterday, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its governorship candidate, Captain Idris Wada and other respondents opening their cases.

However, there were contradictions in the testimonies of their witnesses.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its candidate Prince Abubakar Audu are challenging the election of Wada as governor in last December 3 election.

Mr. Pius Akubo (SAN) led the PDP team, Chief Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN) represented the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while Chief Mike

By Joseph Jibueze

Ozekhome (SAN) led the ACN’s team of lawyers.

PDP’s first witness testified that the election was peaceful in his ward and that he monitored all the polling units on the party’s behalf as a ward supervisor.

However, under cross-examination, the witness admitted that he signed his witness’ statement in his lawyers’ office rather than at the registry, where it was supposed to be signed.

The second witness of the respondents, under crossexamination, was shown the results of the polling units in his ward.

It was discovered that where 200 persons were shown to be on queue at the

time of voting, PDP alone recorded 260 votes, while ACN had 42 votes, the total of which was in excess of the number of persons who actually voted.

On another exhibit, it was shown that in a polling unit where it was claimed that election was peaceful, the result for the ward indicated that PDP had more than 300 votes where nobody was on queue as recorded in the EC8A form.

Ozekhome applied to know if the exhibits tendered by the petitioners had been marked separately by the tribunal’s secretary since they were admitted in bundles by the tribunal last week.

He then suggested that if the documents had not been

marked and it would be difficult to know how they were to be referred to for the purpose of cross-examination, it would be better if the tribunal could stand down the matter till afternoon to enable the registry mark the documents clearly.

He, however, prayed that if the tribunal could not stand down the matter for this purpose, it would be preferable that the 10 minutes allotted for him to crossexamine PDP witnesses should not start until any document he requested from the tribunal had been found for him.

His application was objected to by all the counsel to the respondents and the tribunal rejected it.

Hearing continues today.

In a statement in Abeokuta, the state capital,

by Dr Wale Salami and Dr Lanre Davies, the lecturers, under the aegis of Concerned Members of ASUU-OOU, said the ASUUOOU leadership acted without the support of most

members of the union.

They added that the union turned itself into “the enemy of the university, preferring to disseminate wrong information about the university and not perturbed by inflicting barefaced lies on the university community and the public”.

Fashola to open equipment exhibition April 24

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AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola will, on April 24, open a seminar and exhibition for the promotion of the machinery and equipment industry in Nigeria.

The event, which will run till April 27, will hold at the Arena Shopping Complex, Oshodi, Lagos.

The Managing Director of Lead Unique Limited, organizers of the event, Mrs Okonofua-Akunna said the Machinery Acquisition and Refurbishment Seminar (MARSE) 2012, with the theme: Revolutionising the Manufacturing Industry in Nigeria: the Sustainability Approach, would tackle the challenges facing the manufacturing industry.

She added that it would provide a platform where machine, equipment and tool dealers could form new partnerships and trade collaborations as well as interact with important decision makers in Nigeria.

Mrs Okonofua-Akunna described MARSE 2012 as a good initiative at this period of Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.

Ronke Ayuba’s mum dead

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RS. Jessica Olayinka Dalley is dead. She died in Lagos on Sunday, March 15. Mrs. Dalley was the mother of former NTA newscaster, ‘Ronke Ayuba.

The late Mrs. Dalley (nee Reffell) was born into a devout Christian family in Calabar, Cross River State, on October 26, 1914. Her parents, Mr. Samuel Metzger Reffell and Mrs. Jessica Laura Powers Reffell, were of Sierra Leonean, Yoruba and Canadian descent. She was the youngest in a family of four.

Her father, Samuel and brother, Floyd, were educated Sierra Leoneans recruited by the colonial government to work in the administration in Nigeria and the Gold Coast (now Ghana).

Jessica’s father was a renowned administrator with the defunct Posts and Telegraph Department (P&T). Due to the nature of his work, young Jessica had her early education at Duke Town Primary School, Calabar, St. Cyprian’s School and later Enitona High School, both in Port Harcourt (Enitona High School was founded by her father’s kinsman, The Rev. Potts-Johnson).

Jesicca distinguished herself in academics, winning prizes for the best student in English and Handwriting.

Her eldest siblings, Ayodele and Samuel Jr., were sent to the United Kingdom and United States of America for further studies.

Jessica and her immediate elder brother, Olu, stayed back in Nigeria to assist their mother who was then a merchant. Consequently, Jesicca had the opportunity to imbibe the true Sierra-Leonean way of life and tradition. She built a career in dress making and catering. Her clientele included Europeans, Syrians and government officials.

She was very industrious and versatile and continued in this line of business until she started raising a family.

She was a dedicated house-

•The late Mrs Dalley wife and mother who was blessed with four children, Tokunbo (deceased), Olaosebikan, Olumide and Moronke.

She moved with her husband, Mr. O.O. Dalley, from Lagos to Ibadan where they resided until his death in August, 1995. Her greatest confidant was her sister, Ayodele, whose towering figure commanded the respect of all. She was also very close to her late brother, Mr. Ayo Reffell; her late niece, Olori Galbina Bright Oyekan, who was married to the late Oba of Lagos, H.R.M. Adeyinka Oyekan; her nephew, Mr. Samuel Papo Allotey; her niece, Dr. Biola Reffell-Obada; her loving cousins, Mr. Floyd O’dwyer, the late Dr. Collins Gardner, Snr. and Mr. Sunmi SmartCole.

Mrs. Dalley’s Christian pedigree was impeccable.

The Methodist Church has been the family church for generations and she maintained the tradition till she passed on (she was an usher at the inauguration of Wesley Methodist Church in Port Harcourt). She was a very meticulous person who against all odds ensured that her ancestral home on Aggrey Road, in Port Harcourt, built by her late parents in 1931, remained in habitable condition for members of her family.

A peace loving and caring mother who entrenched harmony in the home, Mrs.Dalley had a passion for reading and watching television programmes.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

60

NEWS Jonathan begins one week vacation •Condoles with Ekweremadu

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday began a week-long vaca-

tion.

According to a terse statement by his media adviser, Dr. Reuben Abati, the president will remain in Abuja during the period and deal with all essential affairs of state.

He is expected to return to his regular office routine after the Easter holidays.

The statement said:“President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will take a week-long break from his usual work routine beginning today, Monday, April 2, 2012”. ‘’He will remain in Abuja during the period and continue to deal with all essential affairs of state. ‘’The President will return to his regular office routine after the Easter holidays.’’

Also yesterday, Jonathan commiserated with Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu on the death of his father, His Royal Highness,

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

Igwe Mathias Ekweremadu.

The President said he received the news with sadness.

In a statement by Abati, President Jonathan on behalf of himself, the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria, commiserates with Senator Ekweremadu and the entire Ekweremadu family of the Anekeoji Mpu Autonomous Community of Enugu State.

As they mourn their father and patriarch of the Ekweremadu family, the President urges Senator Ekweremadu, his siblings and relatives to take solace in the knowledge that Igwe Ekweremadu lived to a grand old age, and in passing on, has left many worthy and exemplary legacies for his children and members of his community.

Jonathan also prayed that God Almighty should grant Igwe Ekweremadu’s soul eternal rest.

NMMA extends closing date for entries

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HE Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), organisers of the yearly media excellence award scheme has extended the closing date for the submission of entries by journalists for this year’s award. The closing day, originally fixed for March 31 has been shifted to April 30.

A statement from the NMMA secretariat in Lagos said the extension was necessitated by the organisers’ desire to give more journalists opportunity to prepare and submit their entries, especially those far away from the administrative headquarters.

“As usual, we want to provide all journalists with a levelplaying field, starting from the stage of entries’ submission,” said Mr. Eniola Ashaolu, NMMA General Administrator.

“Since we called for entries mid-February, most of the entries received so far were from journalists based in the Lagos-Ibadan axis. We want journalists from other part of the country to participate in the scheme. Extending the closing date for submission would thus given journalists enough time to package and send to us their outstanding works published or broadcast in Nigeria media in 2011.”

Ashaolu implored journalists to take advantage of the extension to send in their entries in large numbers.

“The entry rules have been synchronised and published in the Call Entries guidelines which have been circulated to al media houses, while copies can be obtained from the NMMA secretariat in Lagos.

The NMMA awards started with 10 categories at inception in 1992. It has since grown to 51 categories with most reputable corporate bodies and individuals identifying with the promotion of medial excellence in the country through life endowment of the awards.

Leadership MD for GEN conference

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HE Global Editors Network (GEN) has invited Managing Director of Leadership newspaper, Mr Azu Ishiekwene to its annual conference to be held in Paris, France.

GEN is an international association for newsroom executives that promotes and defines trends in media convergence and journalistic ethics in the digital age.

The News World Summit (NEWS!), the world’s premier cross-platform journalism conference, will hold

from May 30 to June 1.

It will bring together 400 executives from all media platforms from around the world.

Representatives from The New York Times, The Guardian, The BBC, Al Jazeera, Google and CNN are expected to attend to share strategies and define newsroom trends.

GEN is also offering a special deal for Nigerian editors to attend, a statement from NEWS Marketing Manager John Burke said.

•Mr Deji Sasegbon(SAN) (left), Hon. Justice Candide Johnson and Hon. Justice Titilola Ojikutu-Oshode at the Fourth Bola Tinubu Colloquium held to mark the 60th birthday of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Lagos.

EFCC arraigns suspect over N64.8m fertiliser scam T

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said it has arraigned a suspect, Nasiru Yahaya Gusau before Justice M.B. Abubakar of Kano State High Court for criminal diversion of N64.8million belonging to one Alhaji Musa Baba to personal use.

Also, a Federal High Court in Kaduna has sentenced an undergraduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, AgoIwoye, Ogun State, Mr. Olasaidi Dare, to five years imprisonment over internet fraud.

The accused was convicted for an attempt to obtain money under false pretences in a cyber café belonging to Senator Olabode Ola in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State .

According to a statement by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity Wilson Uwujaren, the fertiliser suspect’s arraignment followed a complaint by Alhaji Mustapha Askin Funtua to the commission.

The commission said: “Funtua said he gave the accused

•Court jails undergraduate over fraud

money to supply him fertiliser but he neither supplied the commodity nor refunded him hence his complaint to the EFCC to compel the accused to execute the contract or return his money.

“Funtua had told the court that the money held by the accused belonged to Musa Baba and that he was the link in the supply chain having introduced the accused as fertiliser merchant.

“He averred that Gusau had promised to supply the fertilisers within one week of receipt of payment. He told the court that they transferred the said fund into his account with Zenith Bank Plc. “The Commission’s investigation revealed that Gusau had diverted the fund and even tried to conceal it through opening of several accounts.

“He also transferred N25

million into the account of his undergraduate girlfriend with Mainstreet Bank and the girlfriend withdrew the money and gave him cash.

“The accused used his brother to pay the cash into his account with Zenith Bank Plc. “The prosecution had already called two witnesses before the case was adjourned till April 19, 2012 for continuation of trial.”

On Dare’s conviction, the EFCC, in a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the presiding judge, Justice Lawal Shuaibu ordered that his imprisonment should take effect from the date of his arrest.

The statement said: “Dare was arrested on March 31st, 2008 at Friendly’s Cyber Café located at Friendly’s Hotel on Adebayo Street, Ado-Ekiti,

Ekiti State while attempting to defraud an un-suspecting victim overseas using the internet facilities of the café.

“He was arrested alongside other suspects, one of whom had earlier been convicted by the same court.

“The owner of the hotel, Senator Ola is already standing trial at an Ekiti State High Court, Ado-Ekiti, before Justice Adeyemi over an alleged illegal use of his premises and failure to register his cyber café with all regulatory agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He is being tried along with the manager of the cafe.

“The EFCC, in an operation codenamed Cyberstorm 1, raided all illegal cyber cafes all over the nation in March 2008.

The operation yielded several arrests and exposed several owners of un-registered cafes.

“Dare was among those arrested and his conviction only reinforces the illegality and criminality of his actions. Senator Ola’s trial is still running in the court.”

SERAP urges EFCC to probe church donation to Jonathan

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HE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) yesterday petitioned Economic and Financial Crimes Commission chair (EFCC) Ibrahim Lamorde, demanding investigation of alleged donation of a 2, 500-seater church to President Goodluck Jonathan by Gitto Construzioni Generali Nigeria Limited (GCG).

GCG is an Italian construction company which is based in Abuja.

The said controversial church, which was built in the President’s Otuoke country home, has been inaugurated.

In a letter to the EFCC Chairman, dated April 2, and signed by SERAP’s Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, asked the anti-graft agency to probe Gitto.

It alleged that the donation was a breach of national anticorruption legislation and the UN Convention against Corruption.

The petition, which was made available to our correspondent reads in part: “The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) is writing to request you to urgently begin a thorough, transparent and effective investigation into allega-

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation, Abuja

tions that the Abuja-based Italian construction company, Gitto Construzioni Generali Nigeria Limited (GCG) gave to President Goodluck Jonathan as ‘gift’ a 2,500-seat church building in Otuoke, his village in Bayelsa State “SERAP is a human rights non-governmental organisation whose mandate include to promote and ensure respect for socioeconomic rights of Nigerians, and to promote transparency and accountability in the public and private sectors through human rights.

“According to our information, President Jonathan recently confirmed during the dedication of the 2,500-seat church building in Otuoke that the building was donated to him by Gitto Construzioni Generali Nigeria Limited (GCG).

“According to the president, the managing director of Gitto made him a promise to build and donate the church to Otuoke community after he had complained of the aging structure of his church, which apparently no longer befits the status of the president’s village.

Lagos begins prosecution of firm over alleged forged deed

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HE Lagos State government has begun the prosecution of a firm, Kasmal Properties Limited, at the High Court, Lagos Island, over an alleged forgery of a deed of assignment covering 175 acres of land.

Justice Christopher Balogun yesterday ordered the firm’s Deputy Group General Manger, Mr Evaristus Aloko to appear in court.

The order followed the inability of the prosecution to serve the defendants with the court processes.

By Joseph Jibueze

A counsel from the state Directorate of Public Prosecution, W.A Quadiri told the court that efforts to serve the defendants with the documents were unsuccessful.

He applied that the court issue summons on the defendants to compel them to appear.

The government alleged that the defendants sometime in 2008 at Ogombo Village, Lekki, Lagos presented some forged Deed of Assignments covering 175

acres of Ogombo land in order to deprive the family of their property.

The alleged offence is contrary to Section 467 of the Criminal Code Cap 17 Laws of Lagos State 2003.

The action followed a petition entitled: “Fraud, Forgery of Title Deed, criminal conversion of property valued at N250 million written

by Christian Mocha, a lawyer to Instance & Kohl Estate Limited to the Commissioner of Police, Special Fraud Unit, Lagos.

The petitioner had alleged

that sometimes in December 2000, Instance & Kohl Estate Limited bought 10 acres of land from Ogudu Chieftaincy Family of Ogonbo village, Lekki in Etti-Osa Local Government area of Lagos State for N4.5 million which was paid to accredited representatives of the family.

The petitioner said that following the execution of Deed of Assignment, the petitioner surveyed the land and obtained governor’s consent.

In addition, the petitioner stated that sometimes in De-

cember 2009, his client was refused access to the land and upon enquiry it was discovered that the land may have been sold to someone else.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that the family forged its Title Deed Survey plan and other documents in order to mischievously sell the land to someone else The petitioner added that all efforts to meet with the family to ascertain the cause of its action were met by threats, harassment, intimidation and all sort of illegality.

•Lagos State Commissioner for Justice Ade Ipaye

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

FOREIGN NEWS Top Obama campaign donor accused of fraud

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MAJOR donor to President Barack Obama of United States has been accused of defrauding a businessman and impersonating a bank official, creating new headaches for Obama’s re-election campaign as it deals with the questionable history of another top supporter.

The New York donor, Abake Assongba, and her husband contributed more than $50,000 to Obama’s reelection effort this year, federal records show. But Assongba is also fending off a civil court case in Florida, where she’s accused of thieving more than $650,000 to help build a multimilliondollar home in the state — a charge her husband denies.

Obama is the only presidential contender this year who released his list of “bundlers,” the financiers who raise campaign money by soliciting high-dollar contributions from friends and associates. But that disclosure has not come without snags; his campaign returned $200,000 last month to Carlos and Alberto Cardona, the brothers of a Mexican fugitive wanted on federal drug charges.

bin-Laden’s family jailed in Pakistan

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SAMA Bin Laden’s three widows and two eldest daughters have been jailed for living in Pakistan illegally, their lawyer has confirmed.

They have received a jail term of 45 days in prison and fined 10,000 rupees each.

The women have already served a month of their sentence and are expected to be deported in two weeks.

They have been in Pakistani custody ever since United States special force killed the al-Qaeda chief last May. The widows - thought to be two Saudi Arabians and a Yemeni - are believed to be in a house in the capital, Islamabad, which has been designated as a “sub-jail”, with all of their children.

Formal legal proceedings against the women began last month, officials say.

Their lawyer has told the Associated Press news agency that he does not intend to appeal against the decision.

He did not say where the family might be deported to.

31 dead in Russian plane crash

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RUSSIAN passenger plane carrying 43 people has crashed shortly after take-off in Siberia.

Thirty-one people were killed and 12 survivors have been taken to hospital, Russia’s emergencies ministry said.

The ATR-72 turboprop aircraft had just left Tyumen on a flight north-east to the oil town of Surgut when it crashed.

Officials said 39 passengers and four crew members were on board the plane. It remains unclear what caused the crash.

Earlier, local authorities said 32 people had died, but that figure has now been revised to 31.

All of the survivors are in intensive care and doctors are operating on eight of them, according to the staterun RIA news agency quoting hospital officials in Tyumen.

The Itar Tass news agency is reporting that all the crew, which was made up of two

•Emergency crews work at the crash site in Siberia

pilots and two flight attendants, died.

The carrier UTair is a domestic Russian airline. The company said on its website that the pilot had been trying to make an emergency landing when the plane came down.

A search team found it had crashed and burst into flames in a snowy field about 35km (22 miles) from Tyumen.

The ATR-72 turbo-prop

aircraft was built by a French-Italian company.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the operations of UTair and Roshchino airport and the deputy transport minister has flown to the site.

A ministry official in Tyumen, Yuri Alekhin, said the flight data recorders - the black boxes - have been recovered.

The Russian emergencies

ministry has published a complete list of the dead and injured, all of whom appear to be Russian, correspondents say.

Air safety has been notoriously bad in Russia - but it had seemed to be improving, correspondents say.

Last year, no fewer than 15 Russian planes crashed, killing 120 people and questions were raised about maintenance.

Senegal swears in new president

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HE new president of Senegal, Macky Sall, has been sworn into office to become the country’s first new leader in 12 years.

Around 2,000 people attended the ceremony, including 11 African heads of state, and crowds of people lined

the streets to cheer Sall.

He beat the outgoing president, Abdoulaye Wade, in a second round run-off vote last month.

Wade’s peaceful acceptance of defeat won him plaudits from around the world.

He had previously been criticised for trying to stay in office for a third term.

The Senegalese constitution states presidents can only serve two terms but Wade argued that, as this rule was only introduced in 2008, it should not be applied retrospectively to include his first term in office.

The new leader, 50-yearold Macky Sall, has in the past served as prime minis-

ter.

At the ceremony he pledged to “observe and enforce the constitution” while defending the country’s “territorial integrity”.

He is Senegal’s fourth president since the West African nation gained independence from France in 1960.

Hungarian president resigns amid scandal

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UNGARY’S President Pal Schmitt has resigned after being stripped of his doctorate over plagiarism.

Schmitt elected in 2010, told parliament:”My personal issue divides my beloved nation rather than unites it.

“It is my duty to end my service and resign my mandate as president.”

Last week, Budapest’s Semmelweis University revoked his 1992 award after finding that much of his thesis had been copied.

Schmitt, 69, won gold medals for fencing at the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games.

He was elected to the largely ceremonial role of president for a five-year term, with strong backing from the conservative ruling Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

The university said whole passages of his thesis about the modern Olympic Games had been copied from the work of two other academics.

He denied wrongdoing and resisted calls for him to go, but on Saturday protesters in Budapest stepped up the pressure for him to resign.

The scandal comes at a sensitive time for the Fidesz government, whose new

laws on the judiciary, media and central bank have proven highly controversial.

Schmitt hung on as long as he felt he had the support of the governing Fidesz party, which backed his election so strongly in June 2010.

As President, Pal Schmitt will be remembered as a Fidesz loyalist - unlike his independent-minded predecessor Laszlo Solyom, who sent back many laws to parliament.

Schmitt did not challenge a single one of the 365 laws fast-tracked by Fidesz in its first 18 months in office.

Several of those laws have

•Mr Schmitt

been challenged by the European Commission and Council of Europe.

Jonathan seeks support for Okonjo-Iweala •Continued from page 2 “I am particularly appreciative of the strong endorsement and proactive backing for her candidature as Africa’s nominee for this very important position by fellow Heads of State across the continent, the African Union Commission, ECOWAS and African Ministers of Finance, Economy and Planning.

“It is noteworthy that other developing countries, prominent individuals and organizations across the globe, including development experts, national and international media, Think Tanks, and Civil Society groups, have been very supportive of her nomi-

nation. I also acknowledge the positive role played by Nigeria’s legislature, and other prominent groups, including members of Nigeria’s vibrant media, in lending strong support to her candidature.

These have given Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s campaign a tremendous momentum, which we welcome. “As a preeminent development institution, the World Bank is well-positioned to play an important role in partnering with Developing countries to promote growth, tackle poverty and uplift living standards. Accordingly, the leadership of the institution matters greatly and must be chosen

with utmost care.

“It matters even more in a complex, increasingly interconnected global environment characterized by volatility and uncertainty. It is for this reason that there is a resounding call to ensure an open, transparent and meritbased process in the election of the World Bank President, which our country aligns with, and which has been promised by the G-20 Countries as well as the World Bank’s Development Committee.

“We firmly believe that Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s knowledge and expertise, as well as the depth and breadth

of her experience make her the best candidate to lead the World Bank. She has firsthand experience of managing complex financial and economic development issues at national and international levels, deploying her skills with demonstrated passion, commitment and professionalism. She has also shown a high degree of innovation and drive, while exhibiting a strong ability to integrate and manage interwoven problems of development in infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, and other sectors in her expanded role as Coordinating Minister for the Economy.

“I am firmly convinced that Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s leadership will be beneficial, both to the World Bank and to its principal stakeholders.

I also believe that it would be immensely beneficial to Africa and the developing world at large. Nigeria urges that her candidacy receives fair consideration in an open, transparent and merit-based process, which should be embraced by all stakeholders.”

The Minister of State I in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Prof. (Mrs.) Viola Onwuliri, who addressed the Envoys at a meeting in Abuja yesterday, said attention should be focused on the future of the

In September, 44 people, including the entire Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team, were killed in a plane crash that investigators found was caused by pilot error.

And in 2010, the Polish President Lech Kaczynski and scores of other senior Polish figures died when the plane they were on crashed as it approached Smolensk airport, in western Russia, in thick fog.

Syria agrees to April 10 peace deadline, says Annan SYRIA has agreed to a 10 April deadline to begin implementing a six-point peace plan, United Nations-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has said.

The plan calls for UNsupervised ceasefire by all parties, withdrawal of soldiers and heavy weapons from cities, and delivery of humanitarian aid.

Mr Annan briefed the UN Security Council in closed session.

Violence in Syria continued yesterday, with activists reporting fighting in Idlib and Homs.

Meanwhile, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Jakob Kellenberger, is on his way to Damascus for talks about expanding aid operations and gaining access to all detainees.

During his two-day visit, Mr Kellenberger plans to visit areas affected during the fighting, the ICRC said in a statement.

World Bank and not the nationality of the candidates.

She said: “Dr. OkonjoIweala epitomises the kind of visionary leadership, courage and innovation needed for the Bank today. She will hit the ground running in leading the Bank. It is my pleasure to present Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to you as candidate for the Presidency of the World Bank, and urge for the support of your various Governments for this exceptional nominee.”

“Her nomination is at the instance of various Governments and leaders from across Africa, and has received very strong support from President Goodluck Jonathan.”

www.thenationonlineng.net

WHO SAID WHAT

TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL. 7

NO.2,084

‘It is an open secret that there are national security challenges. But here in Edo, we are doing everything possible to make the state as safe as possible. Everything considered, Edo State is still safer than our neighbouring PDP states’ ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

O

N August 19, 1993, as beleaguered military president Ibrahim Babangida was flailing and threshing to find a formula — any formula — that would seal his capricious annulment of the 1993 presidential election and keep him in power, a member of the Nigerian Senate made the following remarks from the floor: “Distinguished Senators, we have a situation today that suggests that the abortion of June 12 election is another coup d’état. My question is, when are we going to stop tolerating injustices, coups and abuse by people on whom we have invested much resources – the public funds of this country . . . “We have a government that made laws and abused its own laws. Therefore, the present military administration by virtue of the abrogation and violation of its own decree has committed a crime.”

Bola Tinubu, the Senator who spoke those courageous words to power at its most desperate, was only five months into his 41st birthday.

Probably unknown to him, he was entering a new phase of life for which nothing had prepared him and from which there would be no turning back – a life of activism and struggle and political engagement.

Babangida had convened the Senate that he had kept on the margins since its election in July 1992, hoping that he could suborn or charm it into doing his bidding. To that end, he declared that the National Assembly would serve as the pillar of “democratic legitimacy” for a scheme that would for all purposes be military government by another name.

There were in that Assembly many who were all too willing to go along with the scheme, the “any-government- in- power careerists we shall always have in our body politic. But there were also many who saw through Babangida’s subterfuge. To them, Tinubu’s speech was a call to resistance.

They engineered a stalemate. The session ended without the endorsement Babangida was desperately seeking. Mission accomplished, Tinubu departed Abuja, driving all night until he reached Lagos, the epicenter of the protests against the annulment, there to immerse himself in the resistance.

In a fit of the petulant vindictiveness that would mark his disoriented final days, Babangida cut off funding for the senators’ hotel lodging. One week later, he was forced to beat a ragged retreat from Abuja, handing the brittle reins of power to the deluded Ernest Shonekan, who kept on the sham pretence of being in office for 83 desultory days until he was kicked out by the loathsome Sani Abacha.

By the time it became clear that Abacha had come to bury June 12, not to actualise it, Tinubu teamed up with like-minded elements under the umbrella of NADECO to challenge Abacha’s brutish rule and demand

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

Tinubu@60: A profile in tenacity

•Tinubu

that the sovereign will of the people as expressed in the June 1993 presidential election be acknowledged.

It was during this period that we first met.

What struck me most about him was his calm, sober assessment of the situation, his grasp of realpolitik. The task ahead was going to be long, hard, and bruising, but there would be no turning back, he said. Subsequent interactions would fix him in my mind as tenacious, goal-oriented, steeped in strategic thinking, and pragmatic.

Tinubu would pay a fearsome price for his activism. His Ikeja home was firebombed by agents of “national security,” and he was forced to go into hiding. From there, he watched traumatised as his comrades were murdered one after another. With his freedom of action so circumscribed, he slipped over the border and hit the NADECO trail to exile in the United States, there to serve as one of the masterminds of the resistance.

Even in the best circumstance, exile is not a tea party. For the burgeoning Nigerian exile community in the United States – a community that included Chief Anthony Enahoro,

General Alani Akinrinade, Professor Wole Soyinka, Dan Suleiman, and Ralph Obiora, to mention only a few, those were not the best of circumstances At that remove, they still had to worry about their personal safety. There was hardly enough money to maintain a Spartan existence, let alone run an effective offshore opposition to the brutal regime back home.

Soyinka took on speaking engagement after speaking engagement from one end of the world to the other and threw the proceeds into the pot. His towering global stature was a crucial factor in setting up Radio Kudirat, the voice of the resistance that Abacha would have given anything to silence. Tinubu, one of the few with foreign assets, mortgaged his landed property, sold off his stocks in blue-chip companies and ploughed the proceeds into the resistance.

Homecoming was bitter-sweet. The loathsome dictator, Abacha, was dead. Presidentelect MKO Abiola, the symbol of the resistance, was also dead. But the political space was now wide open, and it was time for the resistance to transform itself into to a political party and bid for power.

In recognition of his contributions to the resistance, Tinubu was named gubernatorial candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), which was for all practical purposes NADECO by another name.

He swept the poll.

In power, he emblematised the progressive spirit that had animated the struggle and the policies that gave it concrete form The story of how Tinubu ensured that he was not swindled out of a second term as his AD counter-parts were in Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti will be told in full one day. It is a story of meticulous planning and brilliant execution, the stuff of a John le Carre thriller.

Not for nothing did they call him “the last man standing.” He was indeed the last AD governor standing in its Southwest redoubt,

HARDBALL

D

ETERMINED to ensure electoral success in forthcoming elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest has embarked on an Olusegun Obasanjo-driven strategy to whip the party into unaccustomed unity. Yesterday, Obasanjo, former president and currently Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), rode spiritedly into the ancient city of Ibadan ahead of a cavalry of pretentious equestrians to make peace between the party’s cantankerous leaders and estranged party men.

Dressed jauntily in adire top and a matching cap, Obasanjo was reportedly optimistic he could get his warring party men to agree first to a truce and then later peace. He was also reported to have been well received. And no doubt, the national leaders of the party trust him to do something about the divisions in the party to enable the PDP present a united front against the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the ruling party in the state, in the coming elections.

A major plank of the Obasanjo peace initiative was his meeting with a former governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja.

The former president held a closed-door meeting with Ladoja that lasted, according

PDP cavalry rides into Ibadan to some reports, about 45 minutes. Neither Obasanjo nor Ladoja confirmed details of what were speculated to have transpired between the negotiators. But it will be recalled that Ladoja’s irritation with the PDP began when the party’s strongmen in the state engineered his impeachment in 2006, with his successor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, being the main beneficiary. His mandate was restored by the courts, but since the national leadership of the party headed by Obasanjo himself in those turbulent and dramatic years connived at the betrayal, Ladoja was soon frustrated out of the party. Again Alao-Akala was the main beneficiary. Since then, in one of the most classical displays of political masochism ever seen in the Southwest, the repeatedly spurned Ladoja has kept up his unrequited infatuation with the party.

Let us, however, cut to the chase. Ladoja, who is obviously more polished than both the late strongman of the party and troubler of Oyo State, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, and the former governor, the happy-go-lucky Alao-Akala, has twice tried to worm his way back into the party,

first before the 2011 polls, and then shortly before the PDP National Convention. On both occasions he met with grief. On the first occasion, he had to strike out on the lonely path of contesting on the platform of the Accord Party (AP), meeting with partial success and perhaps disappointing result. On the second occasion, he was spurned outrightly by the state and national leadership of the party in his attempt to be the party’s national secretary.

Will the serial disappointment engineered by his opponents in the party make Ladoja to be disillusioned? It is doubtful. He is polished, but he does not appear to have the grit and that essential element of brutal detachment and Machiavellianism required to face down restlessly scheming and cynically unforgiving politicians like Obasanjo and Alao-Akala.

Given his unending talks with the PDP, it must be assumed that the fatal attraction between the party and himself will continue for much longer than he cares to admit. Is he ever likely to overcome his enemies in that party? Not until the cows come home. But is he aware of

and the rampaging PDP with the federal might behind it had no greater objective than to dislodge him and take over the glittering prize that had always eluded them: Lagos. Again by strategic thinking and sheer tenacity, he out-maneuvered his pursuers and went on to serve a second term full of innovative and enduring achievements.

Among the greatest of these was recruiting Babatunde Fashola (SAN) from a legal career with vast promise, pressing him into politics, and securing his election as Governor of Lagos State. And see what wonders Fashola, “the actualiser,” has wrought.

Tinubu would prove even more formidable out of office. He led and sustained the titanic effort to wrest back Ogun, Osun, Oyo and Ekiti, Ondo and Edo from the clueless mainstreamers who had arrested the development of the region. In the process he made judicial history through deploying forensic evidence in the adjudication of election petitions.

Through the Congress of Democrats for Electoral Reform, Tinubu led the initiative to reform Nigeria’s broken electoral system. His insistent call for the return of Nigeria to true federalism has generated an unstoppable momentum.

Today, the Southwest is on a progressive march again largely because of his exertions.

The Action Congress of Nigeria, of which Tinubu is National Leader, may have its roots in the Southwest, but its branches have spread all over the nation. His bridges of understanding and compassion dot the landscape not just across Nigeria and West Africa; they stretch across the Atlantic.

Those who are forever carping that Tinubu has no “pedigree” miss the point. As the history of Western Nigeria itself powerfully demonstrates, achievement is a stronger and surer and more enduring political currency than ascription. So also is keeping faith with the people.

Today, Tinubu stands as the most accomplished political figure of his generation, and one of the most accomplished in Nigeria’s recent political history, a profile in tenacity, always following up and always following through.

Few questions loom larger on Tinubu’s political horizon today than this: To remain kingmaker, or to bid for the crown?

Many will seize on the outpouring of praise and support and solidarity that attended his birthday ceremonies as signalising that it is time to bid for the crown. The political gambler in him may also be sending the same message.

It is a question he must ponder with the utmost deliberation, unmoved by the adulation of the moment and the seduction of hubris.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Club of Seniors, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

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•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above the ineluctability of his fate in the PDP? Alas, he is too innocent to decipher the coded animosity of the party in the state, an animosity begun in the days of Adedibu, and apparently now inherited by the late strongman’s flagrantly disputatious heirs.

But Obasanjo is rallying the dispirited troops of the Southwest PDP, and he would as soon lie in bed with a viper if it would serve his predetermined end than watch his party humiliated again. If Ladoja is being coaxed back into the PDP, it is not because they love him or even respect him; it is most likely because they need him. The Obasanjo troops are interested in winning the next elections in Oyo State, and they will gather every mercenary they can buy.

But the victory they seek, as former governors Segun Oni, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Gbenga Daniel and Alao-Akala demonstrated in their uninspiring years in power, will not be powered by ideology, or by the spirit of public service, or by lofty visions. If Ladoja needs advice, he should put the smart money on his Accord Party where his reputation, integrity and dignity can best be projected and protected. But if he yearns for fatal embrace, let him join the scheming crowd led by the swashbuckling Obasanjo.

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